Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure

BIG SKY

OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE Connecting You To The Outdoors

OCTOBER 2008

F REE

www.outdoorsmontana.com

Volume 5 Issue 08

FALL HUNTING GUIDE

Opening Day

DESTINATIONS

Available Monthly At Town Pump Stores & Other Locations Around Montana

Pheasant Hunting

Duck Hunting

Tips To Success

GOING MOBILE WITH YOUR HUNT FISHING Report Calendar Of Events

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OCTOBER 2008

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE •

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OCTOBER 2008

Enter The Big Sky

photo contest Stuck In An Opening-day Rut? Hit These Sure Bets

BY ANDREW MCKEAN

D

DAVE ROMERO - 2007 Photo Contest Winner wth his 5x5 Mule Deer Buck.

I was fortunate enough to finally draw the Hunting District 270 Mule Deer Buck Tag. When I found out I had drawn the permit, I called my wife to let her know about my “Winning The Lottery”, well it felt that way.

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SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS TO: BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE 5625 JEFFERY LANE, LOLO, MT. 59847 or e-mail: bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com

Entrants agree to grant BSONA and/or its assignees use rights for photos submitted for editorial, promotional or advertising purposes. Photos submitted become property of BSONA & will not be returned. Contest ends 12/20/08

o you find yourself heading to the same patch of forest or prairie drainage on the rifle deer and elk opener, even though it’s been years since you tagged out in the first week of the season? Maybe it’s time you shook things up and found a different spot to spend the first light of the last Sunday of October.

Montana’s rifle opener has more unproductive tradition than the British monarchy. Hunters hit the same spots because that’s where their fathers hunted, or that’s where their camps have always been set up. Or that’s where the guys at the bar said the biggest bucks and bulls were killed back in 1974.

Tradition is great, but if you want to be making jerky instead of excuses the first week of November, consider these opening-day destinations, spots with generally liberal regulations and good numbers of both deer and elk: Little Belt Mountains - Elk populations are sky-high, and liberal regulations allow rifle hunters to take a cow or a bull in most hunting districts. There’s abundant public land on the Lewis and Clark National Forest and decent deer hunting on Block Management ground in the low country. Yes, it’s better when snow moves elk around, but if you can hunt hard and quiet, you should have a good shot at filling at least your elk tag here in the first week of the season.

Region 7 - It’s a long drive for most of us, but with over-the-counter doe tags for mule deer does, plus your single-region whitetail doe tag, and abundant Block Management ground

on which to hunt bucks, you can subsidize the gas bill with some good, old-fashioned meat hunting in this southeastern quarter of Montana. If you can’t make the opener, wait for mid November and your chances of seeing a whopper mule deer go way up. Plus, there’s decent pheasant hunting in the Yellowstone River valley and you may even get a chance to pot a Thanksgiving turkey.

Thompson River - You’ll find some restrictive regulations here that require most rifle hunters to shoot antlered bucks, but kids get to shoot either sex of deer and elk, so Hunting District 122 is a good spot to start new opening-day traditions with the next generation of hunters.

Butte Batholith - It’s close to population centers, but the west side of the Continental Divide east of Deer Lodge has that appealing combination of good elk and deer populations and abundant public access. Plus, it doesn’t get the hunting pressure of places like the Big Hole or Blacktail Creek. In District 215 you’ll have to hold out for a mature bull until later in the season.

Missouri River Breaks - Unless you drew a special bull or cow permit, you’re out of luck for elk, but the north side of the breaks hold good numbers of mule deer, and if you want to fill B tags you can find great access and good deer numbers on Region 6 Block Management ground.

Because the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge closes the last two weeks of the rifle season, the opener is especially popular here. Bring a boat if you want to explore the breaks’ remote expanse from the shore of Fort Peck Reservoir.

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OCTOBER 2008

CONTENTS & CONTACTS

Editor’s Note Ten Tips To Make This Your Best Autumn Yet!, PF Upland Game Bird Harvest History, MFWP Sagebrush News: Rooster Rumors, Chuck Robbins Duck Numbers, Decoys And Tips T. Patrick Stinson Duck & Goose Hunting Outlook, MFWP Statewide Fishing Report, Chris Madsen, Sportsman’s Warehouse National Hunting And Fishing Day Block Management Information, MFWP Elk Foundation Other Groups Boost Conservation Funding, RMEF How Hunters Can Address 12 Landowner Concerns Related To Public Hunting Access, MFWP Antelope Season Update, MFWP Fall Hunting In Southwest Montana, MFWP Hunter’s Checklist, Mark Ward, Montana Outdoor Radio Show A Great Fish, Jane Ramey Traveler’s Corner, US Diesel Parts Hunting & Conservation News Rocky Mountain States News, News From Neighboring States Backcountry Transitions In October, Clint Traver GET A FREE DECAL from Boone And Crockett Club Early Season Tactics For Great Waterfowl Action, Neal Cote Montana Mule Deer, Jim Foster Gear Review, T. Patrick Stinson, Montana Test Supreme Court Denies Poachers Appeal, MFWP Most Common Mistakes Made By Hunters, MFWP FWP Releases Assessment Of Fish-Enhancement Project, SPOT: Brave The Wild With Peace Of Mind Calendar Of Events The Last Call, By Brodie Swisher Watch Out For Grizzlies, MFWP Going Mobile, By Jack Ballard Common Sense Approach, MFWP

Montana’s Hunters and Anglers Have A Significant Impact On The Economy Spending $721 Million a Year Congressional Sportsmenʼs Foundation

ADVERTISING

Please support RICK HAGGERTY the advertisers PHONE (406)370-1368 you see in this AMY HAGGERTY newspaper and PHONE (406) 370-2480 let them know 5625 JEFFERY, LOLO, MT. 59847 you saw their bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com advertisement The entire contents is © 2008, all rights reserved. in Big Sky May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various Outdoor News sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure. & Adventure.

Thank Nor does the printed material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure. you!

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE •

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OCTOBER 2008

BIG GAME SEASONS

Editor’s Note

MFWP

If you are like me, October could not have come fast enough this

property. If you see violators when you are out, be sure to report them.

Take down their license plate number year. If only we could freeze this and call 1-800-TIP-MONT. Your eftime of the year for a couple of more forts will be appreciated. months. With the fast pace of life Once again this season, you these days, it’s time to slow down a can enter our photo contest which runs little and enjoy the time of the year we from October through December all love.

20th. Enter and you have the opportuGood prospects for deer and nity to win a pair of Leupold Binocuelk herds appear to be the word form lars, Rangefinder or Rifle Scope.

MFWP and wildlife biologists here in Just mail us your photos or e-mail us Montana and most of the west. The at bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com. wet spring we’ve had has helped the Please be sure to take a big game herds and antler growth as youngster with you on your next well. The possibility of taking a big outing. The memories will truly last buck this season are a real probability a lifetime. Get them involved in an if you are willing to put in the time outdoor sport and join a hunting and and effort to find them. conservation group as well.

If you’re one who would Thank you for reading Big rather be fishing, that’s okay, because Sky Outdoor News & Adventure.

October is one of the finest months of Please support the advertisers that you see in this publication when you can the year to be on all area rivers and and let them know that you saw their streams across the state.

Be sure to hunt and fish ethi- advertisement in Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, as they help to cally and to respect others and their bring it to our readers each month. property. Be sure to ask permission before entering private

ANTELOPE ARCHERY OPENS: SEPTEMBER 6 ENDS: OCTOBER 11 ANTELOPE GENERAL OPENS: OCTOBER 12 ENDS: NOVEMBER 9 MOOSE/SHEEP/GOAT OPENS: SEPTEMBER 15 ENDS: NOVEMBER 30 BLACK BEAR FALL OPENS: SEPTEMBER 15 ENDS: NOVEMBER 30 MOUNTAIN LION OPENS: OCTOBER 26 ENDS: NOVEMBER 30 DEER/ELK ARCHERY OPENS: SEPTEMBER 6 ENDS: OCTOBER 19 MULEY BUCK TAKEN NEAR MISSOULA BIG GAME SEASON OPENS OCTOBER 26!

Well, it’s time to go huntin’.

Have a great month of October.

Rick Haggerty Editor

DEER/ELK BACKCOUNTRY OPENS: SEPTEMBER 15 ENDS: NOVEMBER 30 DEER/ELK GENERAL OPENS: OCTOBER 26 ENDS: NOVEMBER 30

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 9

Ten Tips to Make This Your Best Autumn Yet! PHEASANTS FOREVER

W

e mean it as no slight to the other seasons, but there is just something about autumn. The changing of the seasons brings with it a beauty that keeps minds poetic and a crispness that keeps bodies comfortable. It can be argued that hunters spend two-thirds of the year preparing for this final third, the advent of “hunting season,” the opportunity to harvest fruits from the land. And because you’ve waited all year for this, Pheasants Forever has 10 final tips to ensure this upland hunting season is your best yet!

1. Get Buddy, Bella and Your Butt Moving.

You shouldn’t take an out-of-shape dog into the field, and you shouldn’t take an out-of-shape “you” there either. Fit dogs equate to fuller game bags, not to mention healthier hunting companions.

Find pre-season conditioning tips at Pheasants Forever’s Bird Dog Bonanza presented by Native performance dog food. Don’t take your own physical condition for granted, either. Even with most hunting seasons just weeks away, there’s still time to get a pre-hunt medical check-up and to start a daily walking or exercise regimen. If you’ve never learned CPR or taken a first aid course, now is a good time, and even if you have, a refresher in those areas is always beneficial.

2. Pre-Hunt Game Plan. It can be said for many things in life that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail, and pheasant hunting is no exception. So let’s hurry you up to speed. First, get some expectations for this season by checking out Pheasants Forever’s 2008 Pheasant Hunting Forecast. No matter what state you’re hunting in, be sure you’re familiar with that state’s hunting regulations at Pheasants Forever’s State Agency page. Finally, take an equipment inventory. Whether you’re missing anything, or just plain want something new, your upland gear connection is Pheasants Forever’s MarketPlace.

3. Post-Hunt Exam. The hunt is done, and hopefully you’ve managed to slide a rooster or two into your vest. But there is one more step before you’ve wrapped up your day’s work. Spending just a few minutes directly following the hunt to run your dog through a post-hunt exam can eliminate or alleviate problems later on.

Look over the dog for obvious abrasions or bleeding. Then check the dog from head to toe. Start at the head and then check the mouth, tongue, nose, lips, eyes

and ears. Next, look over the neck, chest and abdomen. Finally, check the feet and legs – typically the biggest problem area – for any abnormalities. Your bird dog can’t tell you what’s ailing, so you have to pay attention to their behavior and take the time to give them a good exam after every trip afield.

4. Steel a Few Boxes. While lead is still the mainstay for many upland hunters, it is not permitted everywhere. Thankfully, Federal Premium has expanded its Pheasants Forever royalty program with the introduction of Pheasants Forever Steel loads. Pick up a few boxes now, and save yourself the hassle later. Initially they will be available in 12 and 20 gauges 3”, #3 and #5 options. For more information on Pheasants Forever Steel loads, as well as the rest of the Federal Premium line-up, visit www.federalpremium.com.

5. Cast and Blast. Habitat across the pheasant range helps improve water quality and protects fish populations in many places as well. The crossover between hunting and fishing in the United States is quite high, as nearly 70 percent of hunters are also anglers. And fall – with great angling opportunities for walleye, pike, musky, bass and panfish across much of the pheasant range - is no time to put away the rod and reel and become a onetrick pony. For many anglers, the fall bite is can’t-miss, so bookend a day of fishing with morning and evening hunts, then enjoy your reward that evening: A combo platter.

6. Add Some Seasoning. All hunters have their favorite spots, honey holes they religiously return to year in and year out.

With good reason, as these spots have proven to be productive – or else why come back? But do yourself a favor this year and try becoming less a creature of habit and more a creature of habitat... new habitat that is! Make it a point to trek some new ground this year. Do some sleuthing – or “sloughthing” if you’re waterfowling – and find a new tract of public land or knock on the doors of a few area landowners to open up some new opportunities for yourself. Variety is the spice of life, and makes a great seasoning for any hunter! If you do happen to gain permission, thank a landowner with a Gift Membership to Pheasants Forever.

7. Vote on November 4th. Okay, a trip to the ballot booth isn’t as exciting as one to the backwoods, but taking a few minutes to fulfill your civic duty goes a long way to ensuring continued support for the outdoors. Typically, there is strong voter turnout among sportsmen and women.

But if you’re one who loves the outdoors and hasn’t drawn the direct correlation between casting a ballot and casting a line, time to wise up. Year in and year out, elected officials from all levels of government have hands in decisions affecting regulations and outdoor funding. Get to know the candidates and where they stand on issues related to conservation and the outdoors. And, if you are going to be “a traveling hunter” on November 4th,

be sure to pick up an absentee ballot in advance.

8. Your Heir Apparent. By now its common knowledge that hunter and angler replacement numbers are not keeping up with the hunter and angler attrition rates.

If you were gone, you’d like to know your family was taken care of. Wouldn’t you also like to ensure your outdoor legacy will continue long after you’ve hung up the hunting boots? Pheasants Forever’s No Child Left ™ initiative is meeting this challenge head on, as is our Grassroots Conservation Campaign.

9. Join Pheasants Forever. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reported in 2006 that hunters and anglers spend $76 billion each year (about $2,200 per person) on gear, travel, etc., yet only contribute $22 million in support for conservation group projects. The fact is the average sportsperson is spending $2,200 every year to enjoy hunting and fishing, and (excluding state and federal license fees and special tax fees) is giving back less than $2 every year to ensure hunting and fishing opportunities in the future. You can talk about the need for conservation, or you can do something about it. Log onto www.

PheasantsForever.org today and join, donate, attend a local PF banquet, volunteer as a chapter officer, or pick up some PF merchandise! We need YOU and so do the roosters!

10. National Pheasant Fest 2009 Presented

by Cabela’s. Close your season in style by doing what any sensible outdoor enthusiast would do – get ready for next year! National Pheasant Fest 2009 Presented by Cabela’s will be held February 6-8, 2009, at Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information on the nation’s largest event for upland hunters, landowners, sport dog owners and wildlife habitat conservationists, log onto www.

PheasantFest.org. Make your plans and book your hotel room today.

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OCTOBER 2008

Upland Game Bird Harvest History MFWP

I

s upland game bird hunting as good today as it was 20 years ago? For those interested in the game bird harvest in Montana last year compared with the long-term average, here are the stats: Statewide harvest by species

20-year average

2007 estimate

123,037 50,037 53,775 10,365 19,873 26,372 4,995

151,592 47,260 54,467 3,116 18,319 28,853 4,421

Pheasant Gray Partridge Sharp-tailed grouse Sage grouse Blue grouse Ruffed grouse Spruce grouse

Pheasant harvests have generally increased since 1987 with implementation of the CRP program in Montana. The program funds perennial cover plantings in place of crops, providing an effective mix of grain and hiding cover for pheasants.

Most of Montana’s upland game bird seasons are now underway. The pheasant season is set to open Oct. 11.

Waterfowl Hunting Safety Tips W

ater is one hazard waterfowl hunters face that land-based hunters don’t.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ youth waterfowl hunting safety workshops focus on firearm, weather and water safety for that reason.

Montana’s waterfowl-hunting season begins October 4.

Here, as a refresher for all waterfowl hunters, are some of the safety tips included in FWP’s waterfowl hunting safety course.

Weather Waterfowl hunters are a high-risk group for hypothermia because of their proximity to water, wind and changing weather conditions.

To stay warm and avoid hypothermia: -Wear wool clothing or clothing that stays warm when wet, like some fleece products. Bring extras in a waterproof bag.

-If you fall in - go home! Or, take a break and change into warm, dry clothes.

-Control wind and wetness by using waterproof shells, jackets, waders and boots.

-Bring a variety of high-energy and high-sugar content food bars for quick energy and calories.

-Wear a hat. Most warmth escapes through your head.

-Your extremities are very important.

It’s no fun to hunt with cold feet, hands or head. Bring chemical hand warmers for emergencies.

MFWP

Boating Safety While planning a waterfowl hunt, don’t forget to check to be sure the boat is in good working condition, with enough gas for the trip and equipped with proper personal flotation devices and other safety gear.

Here are some additional steps to reduce the chances of drowning.

-Make sure everyone on board has a properly fitted, Coast Guard approved, life jacket or float coat.

-Never stand in an unsecured boat to shoot.

-Shoot only when at a natural, comfortable angle.

-Be aware of dogs, and other partners while in a boat - be extra careful with your gun. Similar to a blind, a boat is close quarters.

-Unload your shotgun when moving from place to place in a boat.

-Put your unloaded shotgun in a secured case. This keeps the shotgun cleaner and will remind you to unload the shotgun before moving.

-Floating gun cases earn their keep once the boat is upside down.

Waterfowl hunting can be safer and more enjoyable if you plan ahead and make safe-practices part of a water-based hunt. Safety is always the first and most important measure of a successful hunt.

Check the 2008 migratory bird hunting regulations for details on season dates and other waterfowl hunting information.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 11

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Sagebrush News: Rooster Rumors

BY CHUCK ROBBINS

T

he ringneck pheasant first arrived on American soil in 1881. Owen Denny, a foreign diplomat who served in the Far East apparently acquired a taste for the oriental game birds and shipped a crate to his brother in Oregon. There the imports flourished and soon pheasant hunting became all the rage. Not only in Oregon but throughout the country as ringnecks were planted in just about every conceivable nook and cranny might remotely support the fast rising darlings of the bird hunting set, as well as a lot of spots no doubt had the newcomers wondering what the?

Montana of course joined in and from what I hear ringnecks were tried at least once nearly everywhere except perhaps for our highest and most inhospitable peaks.

Today huntable populations exist in all the major drainages, east to west, north to south.

Although not all huntable populations are accessible to every hunter, enough are that when a true blue Montanan says he’s going “bird” hunting it’s nearly a foregone conclusion the “bird” sports long tail feathers, cackles when flushed and wears a coat of many bright colors.

Really over-the-top hunters are quick to point out that roosters are everything other upland game birds are not; that is sly, crafty, cunning, devious, raucous and smart; when cornered are more apt to run like deer than fly and some even go

so far as to give them diabolical traits, that roosters actually enjoy humiliating hunters and dogs. And the reason they cackle as they wing their way to safety after we’ve muffed yet another “easy” shot? Why to show their “contempt” of course. Anyway true or false all the above are but a few reasons so many are drawn to gunning pheasants, many hunters chase pheasants to the exclusion of all else. I know some even go so far as to say they eat better but then they’ve never tasted my well, perhaps we best not go there for by now I’ve probably already burned my get out free card, eh?

All kidding aside, compared to the traditional pheasant factories, the Dakotas, Iowa, et al, at first glance (annual harvest figures, etc.) Montana pales somewhat. Last season for example 25,000 Montana hunters harvested about 150,000 roosters, a rather meager showing compared to say, South Dakota, where 200,000 hunters harvested 2 million. But numbers aside Montana pheasant hunting holds a few aces of its own, namely easy access to quality habitat, solitude (most Montana hunters only hunt a few days and except for opening you’ll almost never encounter anything like a crowd).

Also, especially in the cornbelt states, much of the hunting involves large groups, more social affairs than anything quite a different scene than most of us are accustomed.

To me fewer hunters, plenty of

AUTHOR ENJOYING A SUCCESSFUL EASTERN MONTANA PHEASANT HUNT. roosters to go around (for the diehard late season limits are common) and enough places to hunt to last several lifetimes (free too, thanks to scads of public and Block Management lands) spells pretty darn good hunting. Besides as a wise man once noted: “Statistics often lie.” Amen.

Chuck is a freelance writer/photographer and fly-fishing guide. Author of four books, you can check out his latest Great Places Montana at chuckngalerobbins.com

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OCTOBER 2008

Duck Numbers, Decoys, And Tips

BY T. PATRICK STINSON

T

his October 4 marks the forty-eighth fall yours truly hunts ducks, and I am still learning. The first time in a blind was 1960 just five years after they started breeding population estimates.

Fifty-three years later the U.S. Fish & Wildlife seem to have a good bead on what we should expect to see season to season. This year total duck numbers are down nine percent from 41 million to 37 million but greater than the 1955-2007 average. Here in Montana, we had 555,000 breeding ducks a 42 percent decline from last year and 39 percent below the long-term average, not good news for the Ducks or hunters.

Here is the good news; there are plenty of ducks to hunt. We are down here in Montana but these are not the only ducks we hunt or see in a three-month season. Mallard numbers are still high at 7.7 million; Redheads and Green Winged Teal number are up double digits. John Hanson with Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks here in Billings and a Waterfowl guru told me we will not see as many young ducks this season and what we do see will probably be tougher to decoy.

Armed with that information, we are changing our approach this season not dramatically but we are implementing a few important changes.

The bigger Decoys 18 to 20 inches are first out of the bag from day one. John Mullet from Final Approach sent me a half dozen of the new Gunners HD Widgeons and six Gunners HD Field Mallards. I understood the Mallards but the Widgeons, I was not sure why?

After a quick Google search on Widgeons, I figured out why John sent them with no explanation. Nicknamed Baldpate, they are restless and quick to sense danger, taking flight instantly, added with your other deeks the Widgeon are confidence builders. The HD Gunner Mallards oversized are shore decoys postured as feeders, walkers, snuggle hen, and runners and are complete with motion bases. We add a Blue Heron decoy for another confidence builder early season. The Great Blue is most active at dawn and dusk and hunts alone, when temperatures head south so do they, you need to heed the weather and put them back in the bag as the weather changes.

This is the first season for us with motion shore huggers and the Baldpate we are anxious to see how both improve our hunting. We will keep you posted.

TIP: When you pull your Decoys out of storage and they look like mine, you need to clean, give them a crisp look.

Cleaning one at a time is time consuming and unnecessary. First, cut off all weights and line and put the Decoys in the dishwasher. Depending on the size, I can put in a half a dozen, with oversized three or four is max. Set the washer on short cycle with a small amount of dishwashing soap.

Additionally you will find Decoys with leaks, if you can patch, great, if not, use on shore.

TIP: If you bought Decoys with removable keels, you had problems we all did. It was a great idea that bluntly put did not work. I had keels break and Decoys leak, patching never seems to work. I am taking the ones that are still good and use them as shore Decoys. With the money, it takes to buy quality deeks you need to figure out a way to utilize all that you own and sprinkling the shore with these, keeps them in your inventory.

TIP: Do not leave your Decoys out overnight. We hunt both private and public property and always pick up our deeks. The temptation on private water, leave them so you do not have to set up in the morning. If you have ducks in the area, they will figure your spread out and not decoy. If you put out every hunt they are seeing ducks on water were none were before, remember ducks land into the wind.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 13

Duck And Goose Hunting Outlook MFWP

M

ontana duck and goose hunters can look forward to some good hunting beginning Oct. 4 in the Central and Pacific flyways. The seasons and bag limits will be similar to last seasons.

One notable change from last year is that the season on canvasbacks will be closed in the Pacific Flyway portion of the state due to a decline in the breeding population and the low pond numbers and additionally, the Pacific Flyway will have a partial season on scaup, October 4 – Dececember 28. The Central Flyway will have a partial season on canvasbacks and pintails, October 4 – November 11. The white/light goose limit on both flyways is 6 daily.

May’s breeding population survey of 10 species in the traditional survey areas was down nine percent compared to the past year, but 11 percent above the long-term average.

Mallard numbers were similar to last year and to the long-term average.

However, pond numbers in the May survey for Prairie Canada and U.S. breeding areas were 37 percent below last year and 10 percent below the long-term average. As a result poor water conditions in some key areas, such as southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, there may be fewer young ducks in the fall flight.

Wetland conditions were better

north in the parklands of Prairie Canada.

Ducks returning to Montana this spring were greeted with generally dry conditions, especially in some of the production areas in the northeastern corner. Conditions were better in the southeastern corner of the state and near the Rocky Mountain Front in central Montana.

Total duck numbers in Montana were 42 percent below last year and 39 percent below the long-term average. A rainy period in late May improved water conditions considerably in many areas and may have come in time to help late nesters as well as brood survival.

Canada goose numbers were down slightly in eastern Montana in the May survey, but goose populations continue to do well. For “light geese” (snow and Ross’s), in the Pacific Flyway in Montana, overall production and the fall flight should be about average.

For details, to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2008 Waterfowl Status Report at: http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/reports/reports.html Migratory bird hunting regulations, including season dates and bag limits are available on FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov on the Hunting page under Regulations. Print copies are available at FWP offices and license providers.

Mule Deer Foundation Makes Donation To Game And Fish WG&F The Muley Fanatic Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation

the signs will bring more awareness to the hotline, as well as advance our is showing their support with efforts to efforts in getting the message out that stop poaching in Wyoming thanks to a there is no tolerance for poaching.” recent donation to the Wyoming Game “Our intentions are to work & Fish Department. with Game and Fish, Wyoming Muley Fanatic representatives Department of Transportation, Joshua Coursey and Joey Faigl Bureau of Land Management and presented Green River wildlife private landowners to have the signs supervisor Steve DeCecco with one placed in the spring or early summer, the 22 stop poaching signs the chapter in the surrounding 100-mile radius, designed and purchased. where they will be highly visible by “These signs were constructed by many people.”

Andersen Sign and purchased for Coursey said this is the first of $4,200.00 with a portion of Muley many projects the Chapter will Fanatic Chapter Rewards from our become involved with.

2007 banquet,” Coursey said. “Our “Our chapter members will be chapter members wanted to do working with Game and Fish on something that would highlight the projects which will benefit mule deer problem of poaching of our wildlife. and other species that inhabit mule The signs advertise the new deer country in southwest Wyoming. “ Stop Poaching Hotline and we believe

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

Mo nta n a Fis h i n g Rep o rt

BY CHRIS MADSEN, SPORTSMAN’S WAREHOUSE

MISSOULA (406) 532-9000 e-mail: madwolf2@netzero.net

T

he air is crisp in the morning, the leaves are falling and every time some weather moves in there is a chance for snow in the mountains.

I think fall has finally arrived in the Missoula area, knock on wood. This is always the time of year it gets harder to not play hooky from work and head to the river. I suppose if I can manage to stay employed until November I’ll consider it a victory.

I know that many of you will be too preoccupied with the bow, shotgun or rifle to get much fishing in, but that will just leave more great fishing for the rest of us. Expect most of Montana’s rivers and lakes to fish very well in October, but here are a few that you should be able to count on to put a bend in your rod.

FLATHEAD LAKE: October is the month that lake trout will start to move into shallower flats looking to spawn, and they can be readily caught on Country Miles, Krocodiles or other heavy spoons from shore or boat, or vertical jig fishing with Bucktail jigs, Lead-a-gators or Crippled Herring. By the end of the month, Lake Whitefish should start to gather in Polson Bay, where they can be taken jigging Rattle D’Zastors, Buckshot Spoons, Kastmasters and Ready-to-Go whitefish rigs.

BLACKFOOT RIVER: The Blackfoot comes into its own in the fall. The autumn scenery is unmatched and the bugling of elk in the valley almost makes you wish you had a bow in your hand. When the days shorten and the weather cools it’s big streamer time on the Blackfoot. As spawning time nears the rivers population of browns get territorial and aggressive, making them susceptible to the nastiest flies your mind can come up with at the vise. Along with browns, the chances of catching a trophy rainbow, cutthroat or bull trout are high also.

Remember that the bull trout is a protected species so if you are lucky enough to hook into one of these monsters play them quickly and let them go immediately.

BITTERROOT RIVER: The ‘Root is a great choice for Missoula area anglers in October. In addition to good dependable hatches of BWO’s, Mahogany Duns and Hecubas, the streamer fishing can be dynamite on overcast, nasty days. Strip double bunnies and big lead eyed leeches back in the logjams and hang on tight. If you aren’t above putting a strike indicator and a split shot on your leader this is a good month to start nymphing with glow bugs.

These colorful balls of yarn can produce trout through out the winter and into spring.

ROCK CREEK: Not to be over looked Rock Creek offers up some excellent fall fishing and is a good place for a day trip cast and blast. Blue Winged Olives and Mahoganies are present and can offer some excellent

dry fly fishing.

The lower section also gets a run of spawning browns from the Clark Fork. Nymphing or fishing streamers are both effective tactics. A San Juan worm and an egg pattern is a good combination under your strike indicator in the fall.

BEAVERHEAD: If you’re into castand-blasts, a weekend in the Dillon area is a trip worth taking for both the casting and the blasting. The Beaverhead will see excellent BWO hatches all month, and this river is also known for its population of big brown trout, and in October big brown trout and big yellow streamers are

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synonymous. While you’re in the area take a side trip to the Big hole. It also has good fall hatches and feisty resident browns that love to chow on streamers. Both rivers are in low flow and will wade fish very well this time of year.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: If you love to fly fish, October is the month to be in the park. I say “love” because the weather in Yellowstone during the fall is usually enough to keep those who only “like” to fly fish sitting at home or fishing rivers closer to home where they can call it a day if the weather gets bad.

Cold toes, iced guides and frozen reels are all part of the package when you fish here in October. The reward for all this suffering are browns you can measure by the pound instead of the inch and hot rainbows that peel line from your reel and leave your knuckles sore. By October, the Madison will have fish all the way to the junction pool, and they are commonly taken either swinging soft hackles or streamers, or nymphing with bead headed nymphs and egg patterns. Don’t overlook the upper Firehole either, where resident trout sip BWO duns predictably every afternoon. The fishing is often challenging, and most of the good water is crowded by other anglers making the pilgrimage, but fishing in Yellowstone can’t be judged by numbers or size of the fish caught, but by the whole of the experience. By these standards, every trip is a great one.

Wherever you fish this month, weather can be a huge factor. If you go out in the worst of it, be cautious and dress for the occasion. Hypothermia sets in quickly when you go for a swim in the fall. Good luck out there and I hope you don’t play hooky too much this month.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 15

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OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 17

Block Management Hunting A Privilege, Not A Right - MFWP M

ost resident and nonresident hunters and landowners agree: FWP’s Block Management Program is a win-win for all parties.

For the uninitiated, the program is a cooperative partnership between private landowners, FWP and the public. Formally established more than two decades ago, the program has become a model for many other government agencies trying to balance the complex issues of responsible wildlife management, public access, and the socioeconomic concerns of private property owners.

This year, there are more than 1,200 landowners statewide who have enrolled about 8.5 million private acres into Block Management Areas, also known as BMAs. In Region 6 alone, about 280 landowners have opened more than 1.2 million acres of their land to the public.

Officials say the broad popularity and success of the Block Management program is based on many factors.

Contracted landowners receive hunter-impact payments for allowing public access. Landowners also get help from hunters in controlling wildlife, which may be damaging crops and otherwise affecting productivity. FWP benefits because increased hunter access helps the agency manage wildlife populations. And the public, of course, gains because Block Management opens up more free places to hunt. In some cases, BMAs provide critical links to adjacent public lands that may be otherwise inaccessible.

Block Management Areas are usually available only for the fall hunting seasons, which typically runs from Sept. 1

to the end of December. Permission for other activities, such as fishing, hiking, bird watching, photography or other uses must be obtained separately from property owners.

There are generally two types of Block Management Areas – Type 1, where bird or big game hunters administer their own permission by using sign-in boxes, and Type 2, where written permission must be obtained from the individual landowner, sometimes after making reservations. Type 1, the sign-in box, is the most common type of Block Management entry used in Region 6.

In all instances, permission to use these lands must be obtained before each day’s hunting commences, and permission stubs must remain with the hunter at all times as proof of permission to hunt that particular BMA. Maps and specific rules for each BMA, which can vary greatly, are available at the sign-in boxes and the other locations where permission is obtained.

“Hunting on BMA lands is a privilege, not a right,” said Region 6 Hunting Enhancement Coordinator Michael “Mikey” Nye. “Carefully following the rules, leaving gates as you find them, not harassing livestock, and not starting fires or spreading weeds will help ensure that these lands stay open. If you’re using these areas, please don’t forget to thank the landowner for giving you and others the opportunity to continue our hunting traditions.”

BMA booklets can be obtained by contacting the regional FWP office in Glasgow at (406) 228-3700 or the Havre Area Resource Office at (406) 265-6177.

FWP Block Management Region Contacts MFWP

Hunters interested in obtaining access to more than eight million acres of private lands enrolled in FWP’s Block Management Program may contact the regional FWP office in the area where they plan to hunt, or check the “Hunting” pages on the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov.

Gaining access to hunt on a Block Management Area is easy. Just follow these steps: -contact the FWP regional office where you plan to hunt -use the current year’s regional list of BMA cooperators to select an area where you’d like to hunt and -choose the name or number of a BMA in that area -make arrangements to hunt by following the instructions provided by FWP regional staff or in the regional BMA tabloid or map.

Please keep in mind that landowners voluntarily enroll in the Block Management Program and they retain the right to deny access to their lands for cause. Due to weather conditions, it is possible that some

BMAs may temporarily or partially close for a time. Hunters can confirm the availability of BMA lands through the FWP regional office in the area where the BMA is located.

To contact FWP regional offices for more information on regional hunting opportunities on BMAs call: Northwest— FWP Region 1 in Kalispell: 406-752-5501 West-central—FWP Region 2 in Missoula: 406-542-5530 South-central—FWP Region 3 in Bozeman: 406-994-3288 Central—FWP Region 4 in Great Falls: 406-454-5862 East-central—FWP Region 5 in Billings: 406-247-2974 Northeast—FWP Region 6 in Glasgow: 406-228-3700 Southeast—FWP Region 7 in Miles City: 406-234-0930

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FWP Provides Hunters With Access Tools MFWP

To help hunters determine who owns the land where they want to hunt, FWP has developed a Directory of Montana Maps that explains how to find maps that identify both public and private land ownership.

“Identifying land ownership is a necessary part of hunting in Montana nowadays,” says Alan Charles, FWP coordinator of landowner/sportsman relations.

“Hunters have to do their homework, know where they are, and ask local people about ownership and property boundaries.” Hunters are required by law to obtain landowner permission before hunting on private land.

Check out these additional hunting-access tools.

The Montana Access Guide to State and Federal Lands is available at FWP offices, and can be found through the Hunter Tool Kit link on the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov on the Hunting Page under Hunter Access.

For immediate access to Montana landownership maps, go to the Hunt Planner on the FWP web site and select Montana Land Ownership Maps under the Resources list.

The “Hunters Toolkit” on the FWP Hunting Access web page includes links to federal, tribal, state agency and local government sites with access-related information, and a link to the Montana FWP Hunt Planner.

Access Courtesy Cards help hunters communicate with private landowners. The pocket-sized booklets of eight cards provide hunters with a handy means of exchanging information with landowners who provide access. Hunters retain their portion of the card as proof of permission and a convenient record for sending thank-you cards after the hunting trip.

Access Courtesy Cards are available at all FWP offices, or can be requested by writing to FWP- Field Services, PO Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701, or by calling (406) 444-2602.

18

• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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Useful OHV Facts For Hunters MFWP

Off-highway vehicles, including motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, quadricycles, dune buggies, amphibious vehicles and air cushion vehicles, have registration and use rules. Snowmobiles, however, are not considered OHVs. The OHV registration and use rules include: OHVs operating on public land must be registered and display a decal.

OHVs must also be registered at the County Treasurers’ offices in the county where the owner resides. This one-time registration is valid until the current owner sells the OHV. A license plate is necessary for any OHV or motorcycle to be used on a public road, which includes city streets, county roads, and any road, including twotrack (4x4 roads) on National Forest lands.

To legally operate an OHV on public roads, the vehicle must be street legal and the operator must have a state driver’s license. Dirt bike operators must have the “motorcycle endorsement” on their drivers license.

OHVs that are properly registered in another state may operate in Montana for 30 consecutive days.

Nonresidents with OHVs that are not registered may purchase a temporary use permit valid for the calendar year at FWP regional offices , by mailing in an application available from FWP’s Recreation web page at fwp.mt.gov, under Licenses & Permits, or by visiting one of the vendor sites listed on the FWP web site. Permits are $5.

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Elk Foundation, Other Groups Boost Conservation Funding RMEF A

s America celebrated National Hunting and Fishing Day (Sept. 27) and decades of conservation successes funded via sporting licenses and excise taxes, new data show that groups like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation are increasingly important financiers of fish, wildlife and habitat programs.

Hunters are now spending over $300 million per year on membership dues to outdoor organizations. That total has risen 25 percent over five years.

“Congress created National Hunting and Fishing Day in 1971 to thank hunters for supporting conservation through hunting licenses and excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, bows and arrows. Today there’s another chapter to the story. Hunters now also support conservation in a major way through their dues and contributions to conservation organizations,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. Since launching in 1984, the Elk Foundation has led a variety of partners in a habitat-focused elk conservation initiative worth over half a billion dollars.

“Projects have included habitat protection and stewardship, elk restoration, research, wildlife management activities and conservation education—all in an effort to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat,” said Allen.

The Elk Foundation is, of course, just one of many fine organizations supported by hunters. Data show the average migratory bird hunter spent $30.14 on yearly dues in 2006, up 15 percent from 2001. Big-game hunters averaged $17.38, up 25 percent. Small-game hunters spent $9.66 each, up 31 percent.

All together, dues now generate $305 million annually compared to $295 million from excise tax programs and $753 million from licenses, tags, permits and stamps.

“Dedication to outdoor organizations is another example of how hunters are, and always have been, the true heroes of conservation in America. And it’s a part of the National Hunting and Fishing Day story that tends to be overlooked,” said Allen.

Data are based on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2001 and 2006 National Surveys of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, prepared for the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s “Today’s Hunter” reports for 2006 and 2008, and Industry Intelligence Reports, Vol. 2, No. 9, 2008.

For more information about the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation visit www.rmef.org.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 19

Improved Hunter/Landowner Relations--How Hunters Can Address 12 Landowner Concerns Related To Public Hunting Access MFWP T

he Private Land/Public Wildlife Council, a group of 15 citizens including hunters, landowners, outfitters, legislators, and an FWP Commissioner appointed by Governor Schweitzer to make recommendations regarding hunting and fishing access issues, has identified the top twelve concerns among landowners related to public hunting access and how hunters could address those concerns.

“For some hunters, these concerns and solutions may seem intuitive,” said PL/ PW chairman Land Tawney. “For others, the concerns and solutions may identify something new. Our hope is that this effort may help make the 2008 hunting season an enjoyable experience for all Montana landowners and hunters.”

The PL/PW Council is also seeking comment on five draft recommendations for public comment. Information, can be obtained via FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov. Click “Hunting.” Then click “Hunting Access,” and “PL/PW Council”, or call 406- 444-3798.

Here are the council’s top 12 landowner concerns and solutions for hunters: 1) Bad timing for permission requests: Most landowners prefer to be contacted by phone or in person between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. If possible, hunters should establish the preferred time with the prospective landowner prior to season.

2) Litter: Simply following the rule “if you brought it in, make certain you bring it out” will take care of this concern. Where hunters sometimes stumble is with things that appear to be unimportant. Visible discarded toilet paper is a prime example of an overlooked eyesore for the landowner.

Also, be your brother’s keeper and take out any litter that may have been left by others.

3) Alcohol: There is a time and place for everything. Drinking while in the field is not one of them. Good decisions are made by clear minds.

4) Driving on soft wet roads: Keep in mind that the ruts created by hunters during wet periods remain long after the hunter is gone. Making the responsible decision to return another day when the roads have dried out is a huge step in the right direction. Most landowners will not hesitate to give you permission for a later date in return for you being conscientious

about not wanting to damage a road. Remember, a rutted ranch road is a constant “negative” reminder to all who travel it after the hunting season.

5 ) Driving off designated roads: Be clear about landowner expectations. This is especially true for off-road vehicles. Do not travel off designated roads unless permission has been specifically granted to do so.

6) Random shooting: If plinking and plunking are in your plans for the day, make sure you discuss those intentions with the landowner and secure the necessary permission.

7) Game handling: Most landowners understand the proper field care of harvested animals. Make sure your methods are effective and respectful. Leaving the hide on an animal in 80-degree weather, or field dressing an animal at an access gate, leaves a lasting poor impression.

8) Not respecting the permission agreement: Discuss any requested changes prior to implementing them. One example would be getting permission for two hunters, but showing up with four. Another would be agreeing to hunt only a specific species or sex and then harvesting something outside of that agreement.

9) Hunting outside of designated area: Clearly understand the boundaries of your area. A negative confrontation with the landowner is almost guaranteed if you are found outside of those boundaries.

10) Game retrieval: Talk with the landowner about this issue. Be clear about what is acceptable and what is not. Refrain from asking the landowner to help. Keep in mind this is your hunt, not the landowner’s.

The intent is to impact the landowner’s daily routines as little as possible.

11) Livestock: Shooting near livestock is a risk that landowners cannot afford. A stray bullet or ricochet can leave serious results.

Give livestock a wide berth and always make sure of the target and beyond. Be sure there is minimal interaction between hunting dogs and livestock. Hunting dogs pursuing or otherwise bothering livestock will most certainly result in the landowner asking you to leave (and probably not come back).

12) Gates: Unless specifically instructed otherwise, leave gates as they are found. A gate found open is probably in that position for a reason. If unsure, mention it to the landowner.

20

• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

Antelope Season Update A

Shooting Range Enhancement Grants Awarded MFWP

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently awarded $122,838

· Western Montana Fish & Game Association, Missoula— $103,457 in funding for projects in grants to enhance shooting-range including fencing, a 960-square facilities in several communities. meeting-room facility, and to repair safety berms and roads.

Shooting-range grants were The Shooting Range awarded to: Development Grant program uses · Butte Trap Club—$6,195 funds generated from the sale of toward purchase of an automatic Montana hunting licenses. trap machine and voice releases .

For information, visit FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov . Go · Bozeman Rifle Club— to the Recreation page and select “ $7,186 toward improvements at the Grant Programs .” Funding deciGreenway Indoor Shooting Range sions require an environmental located on the Gallatin County assessment and public comment Fairgrounds. period. · Helena Trap Club— $6,000 to assist in construction of two small shelters.

For information, call Kurt Cunningham in Helena at 406-444-1267.

ntelope hunters in Montana can expect a range of antelope hunting opportunities this fall, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials say.

While numbers remain robust in much of northeastern and eastern Montana—FWP Regions 6 and 7—fawn production appears to have suffered this past winter in portions of central Montana.

Additionally, last summer’s blue-tongue/ EHD event—viral disease and an insect borne ailment that killed a number of antelope last fall—is suspected to have been more significant than earlier estimates. Consequently, antelope numbers statewide are largely at or below those seen over past few years.

“Antelope hunting will be something less than what we’ve been used to,” said Quentin Kujala, MFWPs wildlife management bureau chief. “Numbers are still strong in much of eastern Montana and have in fact increased in specific areas of southwest Montana, but hunters will likely see decreased numbers in a large portion of central Montana—Region 5 and parts of Region 4.

Kujala said many archery antelope hunters are already afield with a 900 series license to archery hunt antelope in any hunting district starting with a 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The 900-series season runs until Nov. 9 Montana’s antelope archery season is Sept. 6—Oct. 11 and the general rifle season for antelope is Oct. 12—Nov. 9.

Antelope hunters must apply in advance for licenses.

Here’s a rundown on what hunters can expect to see out there this season: Region 6 & 7—Eastern Montana near Glasgow, Glendive and Miles City Antelope hunting will be fair in the western third of FWP Region 6, though hunters will see relatively few fawns. The bright spot in the region is hunting district 620 in southern Phillips County, where overall populations and the ratio of antelope bucks to does are at 10-year highs.

In McCone, Richland, and Valley counties, expect fair to slightly below-average antelope numbers.

In FWP Region 7, overall the a antelope population is about 22 percent

MFWP

above the long-term average with good winter survival. Surveys indicate 58 bucks for every 100 does. Hunters should find good numbers of antelope scattered across the region. Hunters may find reduced antelope numbers along the Musselshell River and from Forsyth to the Roundup area where last fall’s outbreak of blue tongue disease influenced some local populations.

Region 5—South Central Montana near Billings Antelope hunting is expected to be less than last season with decreased fawn production and lower overall numbers. Summer surveys indicate buck to doe ratios are near average to slightly below average in most areas. Hunters may notice reduced antelope numbers in hunting districts 513, 530, 550 and 560 and adjacent areas due to the 2007 outbreak of a viral infection, blue tongue disease, along the Musselshell River. Hunters are reminded to seek public hunting access on Block Management areas or to act early in requesting access to private lands.

Region 4—North Central Montana near Great Falls Antelope hunting is expected to be good, with healthy populations and good public hunting access. A lingering winter and untimely spring storms hampered antelope survival and production in some areas.

Reduced fawn production and survival sets the stage for diminished hunting opportunities for the next couple of years. Hunters should inquire about surplus antelope doe/ fawn licenses at the FWP Region 4 office in Great Falls.

Regions 2 & 3—Western and Southwestern Montana near Missoula, Butte, Bozeman FWP Region 2’s lone antelope population, generally located in the Deer Lodge Valley, is increasing in size and distribution, with more than 200 head of antelope and a new hunting district this year (HD 291). While once concentrated on the east side of the Deer Lodge Valley, antelope are expanding north of Highway 12 between Drummond and Avon.

Antelope productivity is good across FWP Region 3 and hunting should be good especially in the Centennial, Upper Big Hole, Shields and Madison valleys.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 21

Fall Hunting in Southeast Montana (Region 7) MFWP

The 2008 fall hunting seasons have begun, starting with an early antelope archery season, followed by the September first opener for sharp tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge, sage grouse, morning doves and fall turkey.

According to Bernie Hildebrand, Region 7 wildlife biologist, “Last winter was open and adult antelope survival has been good. Fawn carry over has increased over the 2006-2007 winter and spring.”

Hildebrand continued, “The upland game birds generally had good nesting and brood rearing conditions so the populations should be decent.” This is good news for the upland game bird hunters. It seems population levels vary a lot throughout the region. The country north of Miles City probably supports higher population densities than the rest of the region.

Howard Burt, wildlife biologist said, “Throughout the region we have good deer and antelope populations. Those populations are above the long-term average.”

Elk: The management goal is to maintain elk populations at a reasonable level to address landowner concerns and to balance growing populations with available habitat. Elk populations are growing across the region and south of Interstate 94 anterless elk can be harvested by rifle hunters with a general elk license except in the Custer National Forest and in HD 703 any elk can be harvested with a general elk license.

Antelope: High numbers, healthy animals with fair fawn over-winter survival (recruitment). Additional harvest opportunities are available for those who purchase an over the counter doe/fawn license.

According to John Ensign, regional wildlife manager, “The region wide summer surveys showed 58 bucks/100 does and a good compliment of mature bucks. The antelope population is above the long-term average.” In some local areas especially along the western edge of the region (Garfield, Rosebud and Treasure Counties) last

autumn’s blue tongue disease outbreak has resulted in localized declines in antelope numbers but populations overall are recovering from the disease events.

Mule Deer: Adequate numbers to support a healthy population. Good winter survival and a strong yearling age class.

According to Ensign, “Both the mule and white-tail deer populations are above the long term average.” The spring surveys found good over winter fawn survival with a good compliment of fawns being recruited into the adult population.” The deer are distributed over a large geographic area as water is available in many reservoirs/ponds and good forage production occurred from abundant spring moisture.

White-tailed Deer: Most local populations are healthy with fair fawn recruitment. Extensive outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) have not occurred for the last few years. According to Howard Burt recent surveys along the Yellowstone River, between Glendive and Crane, MT, showed excellent numbers of white-tailed deer. The population along the Yellowstone River seems to be increasing and the population in the upland prairie region appears stable.

Upland Game Birds: The upland game bird populations are fair to good.

Spring conditions were favorable toward nesting and brood rearing activities. Spring moisture was available to provide drinking water; it produced adequate vegetative cover for protection from predation.

Waterfowl: The outlook for waterfowl populations is bright. Spring rains provided excellent habitat for waterfowl production. The ponds, potholes and reservoirs across the eastern part of Montana and Canada were full and provided excellent brood rearing habitat.

Low Water Obstacles: Boaters should be cautious and alert to a wide variety of obstacles in the rivers. Anglers and boaters have reported several new and dangerous obstacles have surfaced in the Yellowstone River because of the low water levels.

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

Hunter’s Checklist

WHAT ARE YOU RIDING?

From Mark Ward

O

ctober is THE hunting month in Montana. It starts off with waterfowl, pheasant, antelope openers on the first two weekends. Late in the month, the general rifle season for deer and elk opens.

Hunting is a lot of fun, especially so if you’re prepared when you head out. If you haven’t got your hunting gear in order yet, it’s prime time to do it now.

A few years ago, I developed a hunter’s checklist that many readers found useful. With input from other hunters, I have added to the checklist every year.

Feel free to clip it out and use it as a guide to get ready for your next hunting trip. And if you have a tip you would like to add to the list, e-mail me at captain@montanaoutdoor.com or drop it in the mail to: Hunting Tips, 4591 Heavens Gate, Missoula, MT 59803.

Remember, before going east to hunt, wash the undercarriage of your vehicle and trailer to rid it of any knapweed. Good Luck!

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HUNTER’S CHECKLIST Cell phone in your vehicle-it just might save your life.

Toilet paper, small bucket, and shovel in your vehicle-when nature calls Hunting license (yes, check it again to make sure) so you can hunt when you get there.

2008 sunrise/sunset tables-so you know when you can start and have to stop each day.

Good pair of hunting boots and warm socks plus an extra pair of socks-there’s nothing worse than wet or sore feet.

Sharp knifes, and a pack saw-one knife for the hide, one for quartering.

Sharpening stone or steel.

Game bags and a quarter-pound can of pepper and a spray can of Pam-they keep flies off your game after you field dress it.

Rain gear-dry is better than wet.

Extra clothing-it would be nice if you could take layers off as the day warms up.

Plastic tarp-to place your animal on when cleaning or to cover up when transporting.

Binoculars- they give you an edge and are safer than glassing with your rifle scope.

Electrical or duct tape-to tape your license onto the carcass (after you validate it by cutting out the month and date).

Hunters orange sweatshirt or vest and cap-it’s the law, 400 square inches above the waist.

Compass or GPS unit-if you want to get back to camp.

Map of your hunting area-so you don’t trespass or get lost.

Sighted in rifle and ammo-one-shot is the best hunt.

Ammo carrier-makes things easier in the heat of the moment and keeps your cartridges clean.

Orange marker tape- it helps you get back to camp and can help mark the site of your kill- pack it out with you when the hunt is done.

Five to 10 feet of rope-hundred uses.

Small flashlight-helps before dawn or after sunset.

Matches in waterproof case and small candle- it will help keep you warm if you need to start a fire.

Energy bar-it helps you keep going and is light to pack.

Leatherman tool-thousand uses.

A good spare tire, jack and tire wrench-ever been stranded?

Two pairs of gloves-in case one pair gets lost or wet.

One pair of rubber dishwashing gloves-use when field dressing your animal.

Two one-gallon jugs of water-many uses, including washing hands and washing out Carcasses.

Sunglasses-if you get in a snow situation, you won’t be squinting all day.

Warm cap-most body heat is lost through your head (with or without hair).

Also put supplies into a fanny pack: a pocket first aid kit, small pkg. of trail mix, small water bottle, pocket-size emergency blanket, plastic garbage bag (cut armholes and head hole and you have a rain proof vest) small packet of fire starter, short piece of nylon cord to help drag game out, waterproof matches and a throw away cigarette lighter. An extra set of vehicle keys.

Finally a camera-a picture is worth a thousand words.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 23

Hunting Hu nting Camp Camp Starts Here!

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abor day weekend of 2008 we went fishing at Canyon Ferry in hopes of catching some of the best tasting fish around - the Walleye. Leaving on Thursday we were looking for a good spot to camp and fish. We ended up at the end toward Townsend, for three days I caught nothing and Dennis was catching a few good size trout - no walleye. The weather changed - it rained and the wind was bad, so we decided to move our camping to the other end by the dam or below in hopes of getting out of the wind and still being able to fish. Checking out the campgrounds we decided on the Court sheriff campground since the area was nice and had little coves to pull your boat into and still fish.

The weather was looking a little dubious, so we decided to get fishing while we had some time staying in the coves around the camping area. About a hour into our fishing, we were hit by rain, and hail storm, so we pulled off into a little covered cove to wait it out. Fast moving we we’re back fishing in about 30 minutes. Moving around the cove and to the mouth of the main area my first hit for the weekend, taking my rod I thought it was only that - a hit and Dennis said just keep reeling, and for a while I was just reeling sometime thinking I finally caught something and other times thinking it had got off.

Getting the fish closer

like this Skyhawk SB FITS MINI SHORTBED TRUCK

to the boat I actually knew it was a fish and still not understanding it’s size. Dennis thinking it was just a good sized trout set my drag and kept my attention on tension and reeling. When the fish came to the surface I thought I had snagged a carp and was a little disappointed until Dennis said it was a Walleye and it was a big one.

Then the fun began with my excitement of the fish and not losing it!! Dennis got the net and when it was close enough he saw it was caught in his line but was able to net it, I let up and the walleye threw the hook and got out of the net, but Dennis was quick to recover it or go swimming.

Both of us so excited over the catch. We looked in the fishing regulation to see the record and wanting to know how big this one was, we measured and weighed it Our scales weighed it at 13lbs1oz and 32 inches long. We decide to take it to Kim’s Marina and get the official weight, but came in less but still a wonderful catch!!

So I guess it was worth the wait. The fish was actually caught by both Dennis and myself since it was a team effort to land it!!

Dennis and I love to be in the outdoors. Fishing is just one of our summer and winter sports. We have a Custom Weld boat and enjoy fishing at many spots in Montana, Idaho and Washington.

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 25

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

HIT THE ROAD R READY! EADY!

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OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 27

Traveler’s Corner: Brite Box Improves Output & Coverage Of Vehicle Headlights W

ith the days getting shorter and the nights longer and hunting season upon us, you want vehicle lighting you can depend on.

The BRITE BOX™ is a self contained device that greatly contributes to driving safety on dark roads by improving both the output and coverage of standard vehicle headlights.

Enter the BRITE BOX™.

Brite Box illuminates the low beams (and fog lights with Fog Light Control models) when the high beams are activated which allows 100% of the lighting potential of the vehicle to be utilized. Brite Box provides an even carpet of light that stretches from near to far. Safety and comfort are improved because the driver can now see a larger portion of the road. The safety Low beams / fog lights shut OFF benefits and circuitry of Brite Box when high beams are on. Note poor has been proven in millions of illumination directly in front of and miles of over the road testing, and to sides of vehicle. is used by law enforcement and transportation companies.

Brite Box features easy plug in installation (in most All vehicle headlights vehicles) and can usually be have two distinct beam patterns: installed in 30 minutes or less. low beam for close range There are Brite Box models illumination, and high beam for available to fit most domestic cars, long range illumination. In most light trucks, and sport utility vehicles, when the high beams vehicles (SUV’s) manufactured are activated, the low beams shut from 1976 - 2008. off. The resulting choice of “near” vs. “far” illumination compromises safety and comfort because at a maximum, only 54% of the vehicle’s lighting potential is being used at any given time. Installing brighter headlight bulbs does little to help because the coverage of the AFTER BRITE BOX: Low beams / headlights is still compromised. fog lights stay ON when high beams Additionally, if your vehicle has are on. Note increase in both factory installed fog lights, they Available at Gomer’s-USDIESELPARTS too shut off when high beams are 2400 Palmer Missoula, MT. 59808 engaged. How does one solve this (406) 728-7620 or 1-800-823-4444. problem?

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28

• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

Hunting And Conservation News Hunting & Conservation News Proudly Sponsored By

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Migratory Bird Hunters Get Hip Again This Season MFWP E

veryone who hunts doves, ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, snipe, or coots in Montana must be “HIP” certified for the upcoming hunting seasons. HIP stands for Harvest Information Program.

HIP certification is an annual program that involves answering a few simple questions about last year’s harvest when purchasing this year’s migratory bird license.

Information from hunters about the harvest is essential to wildlife biologists so they can better manage wildlife resources in Montana and the United States.

To get HIP certified, Montana migratory bird hunters will be asked how many ducks, geese, cranes, doves and coots or snipe they bagged last season.

Hunters don’t need to know the exact numbers. Broad ranges are given for each group of birds. The questions are simple and easy to answer, and will be immediately entered into Montana’s new Automated Licensing System. The whole process should take only a minute.

That’s it, and there is no cost to get HIP certified.

From those who are HIP-certified, a sample of hunters will be selected to record their daily harvest of various migratory game birds, and return the completed record at the end of the 2008 hunting season. These surveys will provide more accurate information and further help in the management of migratory birds.

Westslope Cutthroat Mountain Lakes Project Continues In The Jewel Basin Area; Fish Are Back In Lakes Treated Last Year MFWP

Report on Black and Blackfoot Lakes: Populations of fish and aquatic life are back: Last fall Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks began implementation of this multi-year program with rotenone treatments of Black and Blackfoot lakes. Both lakes were restocked this summer with westslope cutthroat trout (including catchable-size fish) and anglers have reported catching fish up to 13 or more inches in length. Post-treatment surveys also monitor insects, amphibians, and plankton and indicate recovery of these aquatic communities following rotenone treatment.

In a visit to Black and Blackfoot lakes on September 10, good catch rates of westslope cutthroat trout on dry flies were noted with fish ranging from 6-14 inches.

Cutthroat trout were rising steadily to a heavy emergence of diptera flies and mayflies. Frog tadpoles and a range of aquatic insects were noted around the lakes.

The Westslope Cutthroat Trout Conservation Project will treat up to 21 high mountain lakes spread over a 10-year period (about two lakes per year) in the late fall using rotenone, a fish toxicant, to remove hybrid fish. The hybrid fish will be removed so they won’t interbreed with westslope cutthroat trout downstream in the South Fork of the Flathead River. The treated lakes will then be restocked the following spring with pure westslope cutthroat trout.

For more information please visit the project location on the FWP website http://fwp.mt.gov/r1/wctproject/default. html or contact the project biologist, Matt Boyer at 751-4556

GRIZZLY BEAR FOURAGING NEAR YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

State Wildlife Officials Applaud Grizzly Bear DNA Study MFWP carried out by FWP, the U.S. Forest Montana wildlife officials and Service, National Parks Service, U.S. Fish recently praised the four-year federally funded study aimed at determining the number of grizzly bears inhabiting the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem in northwest Montana, one of the last strongholds of the grizzly bear in the lower 48 states.

“The study shows that northwestern Montana’s grizzly bear population is healthy, growing, and genetically diverse,” said Jeff Hagener, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “For the 765 grizzly bears in the NCDE—more than twice as many as thought to live there just four years ago—it appears the prospects for their long-term survival are excellent.”

Of the six established grizzly bear recovery zones in the U.S., the NCDE is the third largest in area, and may now harbor the greatest number of grizzly bears in the country. It is the largest population connected to Canadian grizzly bear populations.

Since 2004, researchers worked in the NCDE to identify grizzly bear population size, trend, survival, and the corridors that link separate grizzly bear populations. Advances in genetic technology allowed the researchers to analyze 34,000 grizzly and black bear hair samples. Each sample was used to identify species, sex, and individuals from DNA extracted from hair caught in strategically placed fences without ever handling a bear. These new techniques, combined with statistical models, allowed the researchers to estimate that 765 grizzly bears inhabit the NCDE, with 470 females among them.

The $4.8 million project, was directed by the U.S. Geological Survey,

and Wildlife Service, the federal Bureau of Land Management, the Blackfeet Nation, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

In 2004, researchers estimated that about 300 grizzly bears inhabited the northwestern Montana study area.

With today’s announcement that the area is home to some 765 grizzly bears, FWP officials said the health and size of the population will give wildlife managers more flexibility to transplant grizzlies to augment other populations or take other actions, based on FWP’s grizzly bear management plan. Last month, for instance, the fourth bear in the past four years was relocated in the Cabinet Mountain Range as part of the grizzly bear augmentation project currently funded by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Foundation.

“Clearly, this threatened species has been well cared for by the people of Montana,” Hagener said. “These types of conservation success stories come only with the cooperation of the people who share the landscape with wildlife.

Montanans can be proud that they’ve made room for the ultimate recovery of this important wildlife species.”

Hagener noted that NCDE grizzly bears remain federally protected as a threatened species. He said the grizzly bear population could be considered for delisting in a few years if positive population and habitat trends continue to be documented, as was done for the recently delisted Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear population.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 29

Hunting And Conservation News

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Trapper Education Course Set For Saturday, October 18 MFWP Registration is now open for the annual Trapper Education Course in northwest Montana, which will be held Saturday, October 18, 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Lawrence Park in Kalispell. This course is offered earlier in the fall so outdoor education stations can be incorporated into the course, and so that trappers can prepare for the November 1 opening of trapping season.

This will be the only trapper education course offered this year in northwest Montana, so all interested persons are urged to attend.

To register for the course, stop

by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) on 490 North Meridian Road in Kalispell.

Registrants will receive pre-course materials and the course schedule.

In the course, Montana Trapper Association (MTA) instructors will emphasize trapper ethics, regulations, trapping heritage, and trap sets. Instructors will show actual trap sets and techniques.

The course is a cooperative effort between FWP and the MTA. People of all ages are invited to attend. Youngsters who attend will receive door prizes. Students who complete the course receive a certification. The course is not mandatory for trappers but it is strongly recommended.

For more information, call FWP at 752-5501

FWP Announces 877-700-8723 toll free Plans To or 406-543-9999 127 East Main, Suite 209 Purchase Land Missoula, 59802 Visit Next To Elk www.WeTradeNetwork.com Island WMA All transactions tracked electronically. & Establish A All sales are reported to IRS on 1099B Fishing Access PL/PW Council Seeks Comment Site MFWP On Proposals Regarding Hunting R egion 7, Wildlife Program Manager, John Ensign has announced a And Access Issues MFWP public meeting at Savage public school on Thursday evening, October 9, 2008. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and anyone Gov. Brian Schweitzer appointed The Private Land/Public interested in the proposed land purchase is the 15-member Council comprised of Wildlife Council is seeking public welcome to attend.

The Hagler family owns the 165 acres of private land that abuts the existing boundary of Elk Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA). According to Ensign, “This is a wonderful opportunity for Montana sportsmen and women. An opportunity to add habitat to a WMA is an unusual opportunity that demands our attention and serious consideration. In addition the acreage will provide FWP the opportunity to establish a Fishing Access Site to the Yellowstone River. The public meeting is to explain to folks exactly what the project entails and to get their opinion on the proposed land purchase.”

The public can also send written comments to: FWP, Attention: John Ensign, Box 1630, Miles City, MT 59301. Comments must be postmarked by October 14, 2008.

comment through October 15 on five draft recommendations regarding several Montana hunting and access issues.

According to PL/PW Council Chairman Land Tawney, the group adopted draft recommendations seeking to: -create a voluntary continuing hunter education program -modify Block Management landowner incentives -explore new ways to develop voluntary private-land hunting access agreements -increase opportunities for the adult nonresident children of Montana residents to come home to hunt -prevent nonresident hunters from acting as licensed Montana hunting guides while also hunting with a Montana outfitter-sponsored license

hunters, landowners, outfitters, legislators, and a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commissioner to make recommendations related to FWP hunting and fishing access programs, landowner/hunter relations, outfitting industry relations, and other issues related to private lands and public wildlife.

Information about the PL/PW Council, including the draft recommendations and a process for submitting comments, can be obtained via FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov. Click “Hunting.” Then click “Hunting Access,” and “PL/PW Council.” Or contact Alan Charles, FWP Coordinator of Landowner/Sportsman Relations, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620; 406-444-3798, or acharles@mt.gov.

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

Rocky Mountain States Understanding Colorado’s Preference Point System T

o manage big game animals to assure sustainable hunting opportunities and resource preservation, the Colorado Division of Wildlife issues a limited number of licenses through a drawing process for most species.

For big game, over-the-counter licenses are available only for bull elk during the second and third seasons.

Hunters who want licenses for deer and other big game – including elk in some game management units and seasons - must apply annually.

Here’s how the application and draw system works: Hunters apply for licenses and submit up to four choices for the game management units desired. Applicants who don’t get their first choice get a preference point for that unit. An applicant can also purchase one point each year for $25. However, no more than one preference point can be awarded in a year.

Points are awarded for each individual species.

The number of preference points needed to draw a license depends on the species, season, and the particular game management unit. For the most coveted units, hunters must accumulate numerous preference points to have a chance to obtain a license in the draw.

An example: To obtain an either sex elk license during the first rifle season in GMU 1, Colorado residents need 10 preference points and a non-resident must accumulate 16 preference points. In that unit more than 1,100 people apply, but only 26 licenses are issued.

If you want to accumulate points for a preferred unit, but you still want to hunt for that season, apply to a coveted unit but pick units with zero point requirements for your subsequent choices.

Preference points continue to accumulate until you receive a first-choice license.

For cow elk, the majority of game management units require no preference points, so everyone who

Chukar Numbers Low Again Chukar numbers in Idaho’s show a less sharp decline, though overall most reliable hot spots are low again this populations around the reservoir east of year.

PHOTO COURTESY COLORADO DIVISION WILDLIFE applies has a similar chance of drawing a license. For buck deer, many units require 1-2 points, and for limited bull elk most units require even more points.

The DOW maintains a permanent preference point record for everyone who applies. The record is automatically referenced when a hunter applies for a unit that requires points.

Most big game licenses are reserved for Colorado residents. For units and species that require five or more preference points, 80 percent of the licenses are allocated to residents, the remainder to non-residents. If fewer than five preference points are needed, 65 percent of the licenses are allocated for state residents and the remainder for non-residents.

New Online Video Series From The CDW Offers An ‘Eye-opening’ Experience

H

unters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts can now experience the great outdoors on their computer by immersing themselves in “a.m. Colorado,” a new online video series from the CDW. Filmed in high-definition (HD) video and recorded in digital audio, “a.m.

Colorado” captures the early-morning sights and sounds of some of Colorado’s most unique landscapes and wildlife

species. At 6-to 7-minutes in length, these mini-documentaries provide stunning visuals and sound, and incorporate informative captions that both educate and entertain. “a.m. Colorado” and other DOW online videos can be accessed directly by visiting http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/Videos/

Recent aerial counts at Brownlee Reservoir on the Snake River showed chukar numbers below last year’s and only about one-third of the 10-year average. Observers saw 453 birds, compared with last year’s 506 and the 10-year average of 1,325. This was about 38 chukar per square mile; 111.8 birds per square mile is the 10-year average.

The number of groups of chukar is also down from 70 last year to 61 this year. The average is about 107 groups observed. This is the third year in a row of below average chukar populations at Brownlee, dropping sharply from 2005 when the bird count was 2,085, the second-highest on record.

Idaho Fish and Game upland manager Don Kemner said chukars tend to follow a “boom and bust” cycle affected by severe winter snows and spring nesting success. The winter in the Hells Canyon area was heavier than usual and cut into a carryover of birds that was already low last year. Two years of favorable weather could, however, have chukar numbers back up to a level high enough to bring a smile to a pointing dog’s muzzle.

Chukar hunters had an unusually long run of back-to-back good years from the late 1990s through 2005 at Brownlee with birds per square mile figures of 109 to 174.

Lucky Peak chukar numbers

Boise have never approached those of the Snake River canyon. Observers saw 176 birds there this year, compared with a 10-year average of 243. Birds per square mile are 17.6, compared with an average 24.3. Groups per square mile are 1.7 compared with the average of 2.5.

Birds in each group, though, are a bit above average at 10.4 compared with an average 10.2.

Farther north in the Clearwater Region, the chukar news is not much cheerier. Big wildfires in chukar habitat there in 2007 then a wet, cool spring kept numbers low. No counts were done in 2006 and 2007 because of a lack of helicopter availability. Bird numbers are down more than one-third from the five-year average.

Observers saw 64 birds per square mile along the Snake and Salmon rivers, down 34 percent from the 96.6 bird average. Groups seen were down 31 percent from 108.8 average to 75. Those groups, however, averaged a little larger than in 2005 and were only off seven percent from the average of 10.8.

The decline was not as steep on a separate Salmon River count area where observers saw 33 birds per square mile, down from 54 in 2005 and 19 percent off the five-year average. Groups seen were down just nine percent. Birds per group were off from 2005 - from 16 to 11 - but that is just 8 percent below average.

Deer Poacher Loses Hunting Privileges For Life Poaching deer has cost a

“Our state wildlife forensic laboratory, headed by Dr. Karen Rudolph, Pocatello man his hunting and fishing was critical in this case, because it was able privileges for life, a month and a half in to show through DNA analysis that the jail and more than $21,000 in fines. only person who could have committed this In the fall of 2007, Russell D. Mee, 53, killed at least three deer in Arbon crime was Russell Mee,” Idaho Fish and Game Conservation Officer Scott Wright Valley and dumped two deer near his property when he suspected he was being said. “Mee was in no hurry to confess to anything, and without this evidence he investigated by Idaho Fish and Game.

Charges were filed by the Power would have probably gotten away with it.”

“I think this sentence sends a County prosecuting attorney in American message to would-be poachers; if you Falls. And on September 11, District choose to steal animals from the people of Court Judge Peter McDermott sentenced Mee in connection with the illegal killing the state of Idaho and are caught, it could have a significant negative impact on the and wasting of deer. rest of your life,” Wright said.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 31

Rocky Mountain States Nonresident Deer Region Y Created For 2008 In Wyoming Nonresident deer hunters who are resident hunters has increased significantly due used to applying for Region C to hunt the influx of workers associated with the

Plenty Of Bull Elk In Utah The rifle hunts starts Oct. 4, and there are a few permits still available If you’re new to elk hunting, the Division of Wildlife Resource’s big game coordinator has some advice for you.

“The chance you’ll take an elk while driving along a road is pretty small,” says Anis Aoude. “As soon as the first shots are fired, the elk head away from the roads and into the thickest cover they can find.

“If you want to be a successful elk hunter, you need to get into that cover too.”

Utah’s 2008 general rifle bull elk hunt kicks off Oct. 4. And permits for the hunt are almost gone.

On Sept. 17, about 1,200 any bull elk unit permits, and 1,200 spike bull only unit permits, were still available.

You can buy a permit at www. wildlife.utah.gov. Permits are also available at DWR offices and from hunting license agents across Utah.

Elk are doing great “The weather over the past five years was excellent for elk,” Aoude says. “Most of the state’s herds are doing great.”

Based on surveys this past winter, DWR biologists estimate the state has more than 66,000 elk. That’s only 2,600 animals shy of a statewide goal of 68,600 elk.

Aoude says some of the largest elk herds are found on the Central Mountains (Manti) and Wasatch Mountains units in central Utah; the South Slope, Yellowstone unit in northeastern Utah; and the Plateau, Fish Lake/Thousand Lakes unit in south-central Utah.

He says there’s also plenty of elk on the Morgan, South Rich unit in northern Utah. This unit is almost entirely private land, however. You must obtain written permission from a landowner before hunting on it.

Finding the elk Most of Utah’s elk hunting takes place on units that are called spike-only units. You may take only a spike bull on

BULL ELK PHOTO COURTESY UTAH DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES these units. Plenty of spike bulls are available on these units, but once the hunt starts, the animals can be tough to find.

“The success rate on spike-only units averages about 18 percent,” Aoude says. “Fortunately, there are several things you can do to increase the chance that you take an elk.”

Unless it gets cold and snowy before the hunt, Aoude says elk will be scattered at higher elevations when the season opens Oct. 4. He says the key to finding them is to get off the roads and into the backcountry.

“Elk are smart and wary, and they’re sensitive to hunting pressure,” Aoude says. “As soon as the shooting starts, they head into the thickest cover they can find. To find success, you’ve got to head into the backcountry and find them.”

The rut (breeding period), which occurs right before the general rifle hunt starts, can also make it challenging to find spike bulls.

During the rut, mature bulls gather groups of cow elk to breed. If one of these large bulls sees a spike bull, he’ll chase the spike bull off.

Being chased into the cover by the bigger bulls makes the already nervous spike bulls more apt to head back into the cover once the bullets start flying.

“The larger bulls probably scare the spike bulls as much as the hunters do,” Aoude says. “Unless you get into the backcountry areas where the spikes are hiding, you’re probably not going to see many.

“The good news is, if you do get into the backcountry, there’s a good chance you’ll be among the 18 percent who take a spike bull this year.”

along the east slope of the Big Horn Mountains are advised to carefully review application materials and maps before completing their license applications in 2008. Deer hunt areas 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 163, and 169 will be in the newly created Region Y. The deer hunt areas remaining in Region C will be 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, 29, and 31.

This will mprove the management of deer populations in north-central Wyoming by better distributing nonresident deer hunters.

Sheridan Region Wildlife Management Coordinator Lynn Jahnke said, Landownership patterns of the old region included hunt areas with predominantly private land to hunt areas of almost totally public land. The diversity of habitat types and landownership in conjunction with widely varying densities of deer resulted in the need to better distribute nonresident deer hunters.” Jahnke continued, “Many nonresident deer hunters who in the past had access to private land were being displaced to public lands as ownership or access opportunities to private land changed. Meanwhile, the number of

energy boom in the Powder River Basin.

Many of the new residents do not have connections with private landowners and therefore also end up on public lands. We expect that better managing nonresident deer hunter distribution through the new nonresident deer regions will benefit deer hunting on the large blocks of public lands and the accessible smaller blocks of public land for both residents and nonresidents. We also expect it will benefit private landowners by reducing the number of phone calls they receive from nonresidents trying to find a place to hunt in the predominantly private land areas, as we will be better able to balance nonresident hunter quotas with available access.”

Deer hunters have been very supportive of managing deer herds in balance with their habitat while providing a variety of hunting opportunities. Game and Fish managers believe the creation of nonresident Deer Region Y will provide some of the flexibility needed to improve deer management in north-central Wyoming.

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

Backcountry Transitions in October - BY CLINT TRAVER

O

Reader Photo - Bull Elk

Enter Your Photo This Season: e-mail: bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com Reader photo: 2007 Entry Bull taken near Philipsburg.

Shot at 250 yards on second day of hunting season - ‘07 with a 300 Weatherby with a 4014 Leupold VXIII Scope and Barnes 180X bullets.

The Bull had 47” mains and was over 45” wide, rough BC score of 310.

Thor Way To Go!!!

ctober in the backcountry is a time of transition. The bugles of September have begun to fade and the rifle hunters among us count the days till their freedom to hunt. The strategies we employ depend on what part of the month we are hunting and at any time old man winter can throw his first punch.

Hunting the backcountry in October can be a bit like gambling. Being savvy, technology assisted folks we check the weather before we head out.

The problem is that the 40% chance of precipitation that is forecasted could come in almost any form including the white stuff. Even after all these years I still tussle with the constant battle appropriate gear versus weight debate. One thing is for certain, the responsible backcountry hunter needs to be prepared to deal with anything the weather can muster.

Early October is an interesting time in the woods. Some of the big Mulie bucks that have been living in the high country will make some initial visits to mid elevations to see which ladies are hanging around. The elk rut is about over in most places, but there are some isolated pockets were the game is still on. Hunting big bulls early in the month can be a challenge.

They tend to be exhausted and in search of high lonesome holes to rest, feed and regain their strength for winter. This is however a great time to get into satellite bulls that are still excited by cows but have not yet had a chance to breed. Estrus cow calling can be really effective at this time for calling in these elk.

As October wears on the weather will invariably begin to change. Though there may be some warm summer-like days, most nights will be crisp and the first waves of migration to winter range will likely begin. Though it is basically a recipe

for suffering, I have had a lot of success over the years heading into the woods a day or so before a big October storm. The animals know that weather is coming and feed in advance of the low pressure system.

This feeding can keep them moving and out in the open for longer periods of time greatly increasing their visibility to hunters.

As the storm hits I like to hunker down and wait for it to pass. At the tail end of the storm many critters will make their first push towards winter range. This is one of the few times that I have the ability to sit still while hunting as I post up along a migration corridor. Just like the pre-storm activity, you can count on increased animal movement just after the weather passes.

Hopefully your pre-season scouting trips have helped you locate some natural funnels or passes where the animals must travel to reach their winter range.

Late October brings the opening of the general rifle season here in Montana.

The species and gender of critter you pursue should dictate where you hunt. If you are looking for big bulls you need to head for the high country and search out the tell tale signs that a mature elk has made an area his home while he recuperates from the rut. If he is truly a big bull, you can count on him to stay in that small area where he can feed easily and feel safe right up until the depth or consistency of the snow forces him to lower elevations.

Hunters looking for mule deer buck in late October should keep there eyes peeled for mule deer does. You can bet that where there are doe, there are buck not too far away waiting for the beginning pangs of the rut. If you are looking for these deer in the mountains, the best bet to find them is at mid elevations and this is especially true as the rut approaches. (continued on page 35)

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 33

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 35

Early Season Tactics For Great Waterfowl Action

BY NEAL COTE

Making that first morning of the 2008 waterfowl season a success instead of

relatively abundant. Here in western Montana, many larger waterways are broken up by large and small islands. Those side channels a dry run can be challenging, but if you take offer waterfowl plenty of extra places to a few simple steps, it can really set the stage hide from hunters floating downriver. And it offers those who want to toss out a few for the start of a great fall hunting season.

Trying places like rivers and smaller waters decoys plenty of options. Of course, picking the right spot is the hard part. It’s important can get you away from the crowds, and get to remember that river ducks rarely travel you into some great action. in large groups, particularly in the early FLOAT HUNTING: One of the season. Generally, pairs and small flocks most effective and easy ways to bag a few are the rule. For that reason, you don’t need birds is to go to them. Hunkering down a big spread of decoys. I sometimes bring as among some shoreline brush works well many as a dozen mallard decoys but, most when you find a concentration of birds, but of the time, anywhere from four to eight will often river ducks tend to find seclusion after work great. For added effect, better the first half hour and stay put throughout visibility, as well as realism, I’ll set out a the day, particularly if the hunting pressure dozen Canada silhouettes on the shore as has been light and the weather has been mild. That’s usually the situation during the well. That way, when a passing flock of mallards hears the clucks and moans from first few weeks of the season. And that’s why a canoe, drift boat, raft, or even a kayak my Canada call, I know it will sounds more is a great way to sneak up on a flock of birds realistic. It is also very different from all loafing along the shore on a warm, blue-sky the other hunters highballing at them with a duck call. And the occasional group of geese October afternoon. might swing to take a too close look as well.

You can take everything but Don’t forget those out of the way ponds, the kitchen sink. Guns and other hunting equipment, fishing rods and fly boxes, food, beaver dams, and pot holes!

JUMP SHOOTING: Being the drinks and an extra change of clothes are all you really need. You can take even more simplest way, with the least amount of gear required, jump shooting is the way most gear and be prepared for anything. Ducks on these trips are just icing on the cake. Add beginning waterfowlers get their first birds.

Stalking or still-hunting ducks requires a few 12-18” Rainbows, a beautiful Indian patience, skill and practice. Don’t expect summer day, and it doesn’t get much better ducks to spring up at your feet like a big than that. And just like a lazy, mid-summer rooster pheasant as you stumble along the float-fishing trip, you can park one vehicle riverbank. Study the water for a hundred downriver at the takeout point so you can get back upriver to the other truck at the end yards ahead of you with a quality pair of binoculars before you make a move. If you of the day. spot some birds on the water, make a good HUNTING OVER SMALL mental note of where they are and plan a SPREADS: In areas that get pushed fairly route that will take you to within shooting hard, it’s possible to down ducks while range. The hard part is closing the wide sitting over a small decoy spread. Truthfully, it is one of the best ways to bag birds gap between you and the ducks. A smart hunter backs off, climbs the bank and moves that have grown wise to float hunting and toward the birds out of their sight and then jump shooters. Being mobile and scouting closes the gap with the help of shoreline as you go can spell success almost every cover, trees and other obstacles. Be careful time. Some of the bigger rivers here in Montana have plenty of public access areas to study those birds for at least 5 minutes, that get hunted regularly. That may make the making sure they are birds and not another hunters decoys! birds wary, but it also keeps them moving ETHICS IN THE FIELD: In many throughout the day. Find a spot that they respects, hunter etiquette can make or break like, and a few decoys often are the perfect the quality of shooting on public areas. If all tool to draw birds within gun range. hunters would observe the following rules, Just like a big water duck hunt, the birds will work in tighter, shots will be where blind and decoy placement are closer, and the pleasures of this sport would critical factors, hunting over decoys on be better shared by all. Everything you a river takes some thought and scouting. learned in kindergarten about getting along Remember, ducks settle into an area for a with others applies in the duck blind as well. reason. If hunting pressure is high, they’ll -Don’t encroach on someone else’s spot. If seek out a safe resting area, usually away from the main river channel. Open areas like they got there first, go find another hole.

-Don’t be a sky-buster. Avoid taking shots sandbars will also hold birds because they that are at marginal range. Sky-busting can see danger from a long way off. Lay down blinds stuffed with a 1⁄2 dozen decoys is unsporting, and it results in too many cripples that aren’t recovered, as well as are ideal for disappearing in almost any location. Lightweight and very mobile, you putting too much stress on the local birds. can get to those out of the way places where It only takes a few bad experiences to make the birds move elsewhere. others won’t or can’t go. turn to launch.

On larger free-flowing rivers, hidden channels, sloughs and oxbows are

Backcountry Transitions in October (continued from page 32) There are some things that a backcountry hunter can do to stay prepared for the October hunt. First and foremost, you must be prepared for the possibility of winter like temperatures. Good non-cotton base layers are crucial for a successful hunt. Also, having extra dry clothes is of the utmost importance. Water conducts heat much faster than dry air. If you are soaked out from rain, snow or even sweat and the temperature drops like a brick, you could be flirting with hypothermia. Remember we are talking about backcountry hunting and your truck or your warm car may be many miles away so good decision making is paramount.

Packing for an extended October hunt can be frustrating. The possible variations in weather and temperature seem to conspire against our efforts to pack light.

Remember, one of the keys to success in staying warm and comfortable is layering.

Whether you are wearing time tested wool or a new synthetic garment, the way you layer will control how hot or cold you are.

If you are still hunting or trying to spot and stalk, you will want to have a lighter base under your outer layer to keep from

overheating. Conversely, people who will be posting up somewhere and doing little moving will want to have a warmer base or even an additional layer.

More then once I have mentioned the need for proper hydration. As the mercury drops, the need for good hydration remains. Though the cool temperatures help keep you from sweating like you would in warmer conditions, you need plenty of water to keep your body working smoothly. Most of the times that I have gotten dehydrated in the backcountry have happened in the fall. The cool temps kept me from recognizing how little I was drinking and cramps and headaches were the penalties for my error.

As October progresses in Montana, the archery season will give way to the thundering of rifles and at any given moment fall can show the first hints of winter. Hunting the backcountry during this time of transition is all about having the right strategy and being prepared.

With proper preparation this can be a very rewarding time of year for a successful hunt. Be safe, hunt smart and hunt ethically.

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008 Make Your Reservation To Attend The 2008 Mule Deer Foundation Annual Banquet

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 HOLIDAY INN Downtown at the Park MISSOULA

PHOTOS COURTESY JIM FOSTER

Montana Mule Deer E

vents connected with hunting happen in two ways, as slow as maple sap drips on a cold day or at the speed of light in a vacuum. For me, both happen on just about every hunt. Hours of looking, searching, and anticipation, and maybe dozing, can be followed by minutes of adrenalin producing excitement.

This outdoor truth was driven home on a recent hunt in Montana the idea was to intercept mule deer bucks migrating from the High-Country to a better wintering area. In spite that I didn’t have a Montana deer tag I had spent days in the saddle, snow and cold weather, and hours of watching the passes with a friend.

Then in a split second the buck was there.

Hunting the west for Rocky Mountain mule deer is just what the word says, it’s hunting. All Rocky Mountain states offer the chance of mule deer. However, some states have higher populations while others offer the possibility of true trophy hunting for the selective hunter.

Hunting the elusive trophy mule deer has become a quest of many hunters from both the west and the east. Outfitters in most western states fill their camps with people searching for the buck of a lifetime. It can become habit forming and many will repeat the process year after year.

Another attraction for mule deer hunters is the availability of millions of acres of public lands located in all of the western states. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Forrest Service (NFS), or the state game departments, these public lands offer hunting lands to the mule deer hunter. Those with the equipment and knowledge of mountain navigating can enjoy the experience and challenge of these high country hunts.

BY JIM FOSTER

Before this continues, let me insert a couple of words of simple advice.

First, when your outfitter or hunting buddy tells you to spend some time in the saddle before your hunt – DO IT. Over the years I have seen several mule deer and elk hunts ruined for the saddle sore hunter who must stay in camp. Secondly, spend time on the shooting range with a caliber worthy of the species, its size, and the distance required to accomplish a killing shot. Do not hunt with an untried rifle or ammunition.

“Montana mule deer can only be described as robust,” said Quentin Kujala of the Montana’s Fish Wildlife and Parks.

The 2007 mule deer season was good in spite of the weather not cooperating and a few fires in the state.

According to Quentin the 2008 seasons will be good, again depending on the weather. Winter, as we all know, can be hard on the deer populations and fawn survival. However, 2008 should be a good year for hunters in most parts of the state.

Even the areas that experienced wildfires were producing green plants before winter.

According to Montana’s Fish, Wildlife, and Parks reports the top areas for trophy bucks would be in the central and western parts of the state.

Here is some general information that can help you find and kill the trophy mulie of your dreams.

To find large mule deer, the place to look will be the highest elevations.

If heights bother you then maybe this hunt is not your cup of tea. The big mule deer bucks are found up to, and above the timberline and at elevations of over 12,000 feet in places.

To describe this hunt as simple would be untrue. It is a tough hunt. Getting into shape, then taking your time

on the rocky hills is important. Hunters are never close to help if it’s needed and always hunt with a companion.

Hunting areas where deer feel secure as they walk to feeding and bedding areas that provide cover and concealment. A mule deer buck always places itself where he has a clear view of the area in order to detect approaching danger.

To find this type of area, get out and do your scouting early and late.

Spend time glassing the good areas until you find game and then glass until you have established the buck’s pattern. After getting the goods on old Mr. Mule Deer arrive early, settle in, and wait for your trophy.

Wary old bucks will bed in shady areas at the base of rocky walls or against rock ledges, with their backs protected and the wind at their face. Don’t just take a quick look and move on. Take your time. Several times I have been ready to leave a spot when something caught my eye. It was a buck changing resting spots.

Stay alert, a second earlier and I would have not seen the deer.

The best tip I have had in a long time was during an early season hunt. The weather was warm and it seemed the deer weren’t moving. The tip was to find and stake out a water hole. Deer

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Western Montana Chapter Contact: Ray Rugg (406) 822-4240 ray@ruggsoutfitting.com need water and in warm weather they must have it more often. Find some water hole or secluded spring and wait it out.

The idea that mule deer hunters MUST keep moving is false and can result in not seeing a buck much less a trophy. This would be a good place for a tree stand or small ground blind.

As for the best areas of the state to find trophy mule deer there is not one best answer. Some outstanding bucks were killed in the Northwest portion of the state as well as the central part of the state. My good friend Eric Haddic from West Yellowstone killed a 29 inch spread 5 point on the first day of his hunt in the Bitterroot Mountains.

Non-residents must all draw for their deer tags while residents of Montana may purchase them over the counter.

The last year where hunting records are available is 2006 and it showed that 153,000 residents and 26,000 nonresidents hunted mule deer in Montana. Out of these figures both residents and nonresidents had a 60 percent success rate.

Montana offers a diversity of landscapes and habitats for both the deer and the hunter. For additional information 406-444-2535 or go to Montana’s web site at http://fwp.mt.gov/default.html.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 37

2315 South Ave., West, Missoula, MT. 59801

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gear review

Reviews provided by Montana Test.Com The Country’s Leading Outdoor Product Testing Site. Reviews are independent of advertisers and all products tested in real time hunting and fishing conditions. Montana Test .Com does not guarantee positive reviews to any manufacturer. www.mtBowHuntingreviews.com and www.bowhuntingreviews.net are part of Montana Test.com.

Benjamin Sheridan’s Discovery 22

Recommend Yes - Buy Highlights: Benjamin Sheridan’s Discovery 22 with pump is the first Air Rifle that we have tested. This is a serious piece of firepower. Air Guns particularly rifles are finding there way into gun cases all over the country. I sighted the Discovery from a bench rest at 60 feet, with a CenterPoint 3-12x 44 scope. I did shoot without the scope, after a few adjustments was showing a nice grouping. The CenterPoint scope was an improvement but either way the Discovery 22 was incredibly accurate. The power comes from the pump, 2000-psi is the maximum, 900-fps and with a hollow point pellet cuts through a 5/8 inch of plywood like butter. The Discovery 22 is a single shot bolt action, weights just over 5 pounds, and converts to accommodate CO2 operation. If you have annoying rodents around the yard or just enjoy shooting year around the Discovery 22 with pump is a terrific selection.

Tip: Just above the trigger guard, counter sunk in the bottom of the Forearm is a visual fill level. You need to watch these levels when you use pump or CO2. Over filling will not improve the velocity. Drawbacks: None Rating: 6 Point-Great Tester: All Suggested Retail: $399.00 includes pump.

HotHands

Recommend Yes-Buy Highlights: You have seen them everywhere; we first saw them in a big box store at the checkout counter. Originally described as hand warmers or HotHands these are made in the USA by HeatMax®. We have used these Waterfowl hunting and winter fishing for years. We use every heat pack they make including Super HotHands hand and body warmer. Toasty Toes with adhesive to keep in place. HeatMax® now offers a 3-in-1 HandMuff in Mossy Oak Breakup fleece that fits around your waist with plenty of room for warmers, perfect for the tree stand. The warmers are air activated, safe, odorless, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and non-flammable. Depending on the warmer chosen, they will produce between 100 and 130-degree heat. We keep packs of HeatMax® warmers in our all vehicles and boats. If you spend time outside when the temperatures head south you want a bunch of HeatMax® with you, they will definitely keep you warmer. Drawbacks: None Rating: 6 Point-Great Tester: All Suggested Retail: Prices vary depending on amount purchased.

The New Diamond Marquis

Recommend Yes-Buy Highlights: The New Diamond Marquis is the first bow I have shot and reviewed in eight years. Suffice it to say the technical advancements took me awhile to digest. I relearned a bunch in a short period and after receiving the Marquis and getting it tuned I fell right back into the routine. Speed is in with Bows and every serious hunter wants speed. The Marquis IBO speed is 319-324 fps but you will not realize that velocity. I shot a Gold Tip arrow weighting 237.8 grains with a 100-grain field point and broadhead for a total weight of 337.8 grains; this still offers plenty of speed to take any big game animal. The Marquis incorporates the newest technological features one is Vertical Force Technology. Drawn back, the top limb moves up, and the bottom down, not back toward you like many bows this allows a clean release with little recoil. The new Pinnacle5 bottom Cam gives speed and energy to the arrow. The Marquis is complete with hush kit making it very quiet. I like the Marquis and had it tuned to 50 pounds, this allows me to hold draw without stress. The new technological features make the Marquis fast and quiet. Rating: 6 Point-Great Tester: Pat Stinson Suggested Retail: $699.00

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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

Taking Care Of Big Game Meat COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

Make a clean kill: Shot placement can affect meat quality. Try for a quick kill with a shot that will produce minimal meat damage. The best targets: the heart/lungs area just behind the front quarter. A shot to that area will drop the animal quickly. Avoid shooting an animal in the gut or hindquarters.

Also, be aware of where the animal might fall. Don’t shoot an animal in an area where you will not be able to retrieve it. Make sure you are capable of retrieving all the meat before it spoils, before it attracts predators, and before you become exhausted.

The animal is down; now what?: When you bring down a big game animal with bullet or arrow, you have achieved one immediate goal, but you haven’t fulfilled all of your responsibilities as a hunter. You still have to field dress, transport and butcher the meat properly.

Animals must be field dressed immediately. That means removing the guts, heart, lungs, liver, esophagus and other internal organs and cleaning out the rectal bone. If you choose to bone out the meat, you do not need to “gut” the animal.

After removing all the entrails, roll the animal over to drain the body cavity, then use a clean rag to wipe off excess blood,

bone chips, dirt, partially digested food particles and other foreign matter.

Only leave the hide on long enough to keep the meat clean while dragging it on the ground or transporting it over dusty roads in the back of an open pickup.

Next, cool the meat as quickly as possible. Skin the animal as soon as you reach camp. Time is critical, even in cool weather. Without air circulating around the carcass the meat can sour quickly.

Bacterial growth begins at any temperature over 38 degrees F. Remove the head, trim as much fat as possible, place in game bags and hang them in the shade. Keep the meat dry. Do not allow meat to hang more than two days in the woods.

Remember – aging does not improve the flavor or serve to tenderize game meat. Beef can be aged to become more tender and flavorful because the fat on a domestic cow protects the meat from rotting at 38 degrees. Deer and elk are 9095 percent lean, and the leaner the meat the faster it deteriorates.

Game meat can last for several years in a good freezer if it is well-wrapped. And the best wrapping is a vacuum seal. If you don’t have one, use freezer paper. It’s better than plastic in staving off freezer burn.

OCTOBER 2008

Supreme Court Denies Poachers Appeal MFWP

T

he Montana Supreme Court has unanimously denied the appeal of an Ethridge man convicted of poaching.

Lin Torgerson, who was convicted July 2006 by a Toole County district court jury for possession of an unlawfully killed whitetail deer and unlawful possession of golden eagle parts, had asked the state supreme court to overturn his misdemeanor convictions.

He said the district court should not have allowed testimony from either his ex-wife or a state game warden, claimed misconduct by the prosecutor and asked to suppress evidence gathered in searches of his house and Torgerson Implement, a family business.

Besides the golden eagle parts, Torgerson, 32, originally was charged with unlawful possession of four whitetail bucks he allegedly killed either outside of hunting season or with a spotlight.

The jury acquitted him of three of the deer charges.

He was sentenced to a year in the Toole county jail, suspended; $6,035 fines, costs and restitution; and loss of privileges

to hunt and trap for three years.

In an Aug. 26 opinion, the supreme court not only struck down each part of Torgerson’s appeal, asserting the evidence sufficient to convict him, but concluded “the evidence would allow a rational trier of fact to find Torgerson guilty of unlawful possession of wildlife, beyond a reasonable doubt, of each of the four deer.”

The case dates to February 2004 when a relative of Torgerson’s appeared at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Conrad office with information about four illegally killed whitetail bucks.

FWP game wardens obtained a search warrant for Torgerson’s residence and his family’s business, where they seized mounts, antlers, photographs and a golden eagle skull and feathers.

At the July 2006 trial Torgerson testified that he killed two of the deer legally, denied shooting a third and said he found the fourth deer dead in a field.

He also suggested his ex-wife or game wardens may have planted the eagle parts in his home.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 39

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Antelope Insights For Hunters

Most Common Mistakes Made By Hunters MFWP

MFWP

Antelope tend to use landscapes with a 10 percent or less slope, though they can and do occupy steeper terrain. Antelope generally avoid slopes of 20 percent or more.

Rugged landscapes may affect antelope survival because mountain lions and other predators favor this habitat.

Winter precipitation appears to be more important to antelope than summer precipitation. Studies in the Southwest U.S. have shown that pronghorn populations require a minimum of two inches of precipitation from October through March.

When snow depths exceed 10-12 inches antelope can have trouble finding forage. Prolonged periods of deep snow, limited forage, cold and crusted snow can negatively affect antelope survival.

Antelope generally breed for the first time at 16-17 months of age.

The gestation period, which averages 252 days, is long compared to

similar-sized ruminants.

Pronghorn are selective, opportunistic foragers, feeding on grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees, depending on plant palatability and availability. Extensive studies of the antelope’s diet rated plant types as: 4.7 for forbs, 1.5 for shrubs, and 0.2 for grasses. Antelope will favor areas with abundant, palatable forbs throughout the year.

Adult pronghorns require an average of 2.5-3.0 pounds of forage per day.

Research shows that antelope consume less than 1 percent of the forage produced on Western rangelands. Also, antelope seldom seem to suffer from eating normally toxic plants.

Pronghorn seldom live more than nine years under natural conditions.

Source: The Pronghorn Management Guide published by the 21 st Pronghorn Workshop and North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

M

ontana hunters have the opportunity to take part in some of the finest hunting opportunities found anywhere.

But each fall, some individuals unwittingly or knowingly violate the state’s game laws.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials ask that hunters take the time to review Montana’s hunting rules and regulations to ensure they act within the law and are prepared to recognize when others violate the law.

Any violation can be reported to TIP-MONT on 1-800-TIP-MONT, 1-800-847-6668.

The most common game violations are: •Failure to properly validate a license/tag (must always cut out three notches) and securely fasten the tag in a visible manner to a game animal immediately after the kill and before it is moved or transported from the kill site.

•Failure to obtain permission from landowners before hunting on private property.

•Using someone else’s tag on a game animal you killed or tagging a game animal

that someone else killed. Party hunting is not allowed in Montana.

•Shooting or attempting to shoot game animals or game birds from a vehicle.

•Shooting game animals on or from any public highway or public right-of-way.

•Using a vehicle (including all-terrain vehicles and aircraft) to concentrate, drive, rally, stir-up or harass game animals.

•Failure to stop at a check station going to or from hunting or fishing areas, even if you have no game or fish.

•Failure to leave evidence of the sex of a game animal attached.

•Failure to wear at least 400 square inches of hunter (fluorescent) orange clothing above the waist at all times while hunting big game during firearm hunting seasons.

•Wasting any part of a game animal suitable for food.

FWP encourages hunters to protect the future of their sport by hunting responsibly and calling the toll-free 1-800-TIP-Mont (1-800-847-6668) number to report witnessed or suspected property vandalism, trespass or wildlife violations.

40

• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

OCTOBER 2008

Support the YWCA in their campaign to end violence.

October 19 - 26

visit www.ywcaofmissoula.org

FWP Releases Assessment Of Fish-enhancement Project MFWP

M

ontana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on Wednesday released its draft environmental assessment of a project to suppress nonnative fish and enhance Yellowstone cutthroat trout in three south-central Montana streams.

Public comment on the document will be accepted by FWP through Oct. 10.

The “Upper and Lower Deer Creek Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Restoration Projects” would remove nonnative brook, rainbow and brown trout from parts of Upper Deer Creek and Lower Deer Creek, which flow northward into the Yellowstone River east of Big Timber. They also would transplant young Yellowstone cutthroat trout from Lower Deer Creek into Thiel Creek, a tributary of Rock Creek northwest of Red Lodge.

Yellowstone cutthroat trout are native to Montana. They were among the first fish noticed by the Lewis and Clark expedition in the Missouri River near the present site of Great Falls. Their continued existence is threatened in many areas of the state by nonnative brook, rainbow and brown trout, which compete for food and habitat and prey on young cutthroats. In addition, rainbow trout crossbreed with cutthroat trout and the resulting hybrid fish dilute the genetic purity of the native populations.

The project proposes to: •Remove nonnative trout from strategic locations on Upper Deer Creek and Lower Deer Creek to reduce the threat of hybridization

and competition with cutthroat trout pending more long-term conservation plans. Fish would be removed with by electrofishing – or running an electric current through the water, which stuns fish so workers can scoop them out of the stream with a net.

•Remove brook trout from Thiel Creek using electrofishing.

• Capture small cutthroat trout from the lower stretches of Lower Deer Creek and transplant them in the upper segments of that stream – above a natural barrier – and in Thiel Creek.

The small trout would be this year’s fry and year-old fish.

The environmental assessment concludes that the project would have only “minor, temporary effects on the environment and recreational uses” by reducing the number of nonnative fish and increasing the abundance of cutthroat trout in the streams.

Electrofishing for nonnative fish could start in mid-October with transplants and continued suppression completed next spring.

The full 29-page draft environmental assessment is available at FWP’s Region 5 headquarters, 2300 Lake Elmo Dr., Billings, MT 59105 or online at: http://fwp.mt.gov/publicnotices/notice_1876.aspx Interested parties should send comments by Oct. 10, 2008, to: Jim Darling, Regional Fisheries Manager Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 2300 Lake Elmo Dr. Billings, MT 59105 (406) 247-2961 jdarling@mt.gov

BIG SKY

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mail to: Big Sky Outdoor News, 5625 Jeffery Lane, Lolo, MT. 59847

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 41

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SPOT: Brave The Wild With Peace Of Mind Introducing SPOT – The World’s First Satellite Messenger

Field & Stream Best of the Best Award SPOT Satellite Messenger™ was awarded the Best of the Best Award in the hunting technology category for 2008.

I

magine this. You’re in your favorite “secret” hunting spot, and something happens. You need help, and you’re so deep in the woods, your cell phone doesn’t have a signal. What do you do? If you have SPOT, you are fine.

Whether you’re just checking in, allowing others to track your progress, or calling for help – SPOT gives you a vital line of communication with friends and family when you want it, and emergency assistance when and where you need it. And since it utilizes 100% satellite technology, SPOT works around the world – even where cell phones don’t.

How It Works: Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to a GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your location and personal information – which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our country’s embassy or

consulate, or other emergency response or search and rescue teams – as well as notifying your emergency contact person(s) about the receipt of a distress signal.

How about being able to let your loved ones know you are okay while you are out hunting or enjoying the wilderness with a check in?

SPOT offers check in, also known as SPOTcheckingSM, which allows you to let your SPOTteam – the friends and family you have chosen as your contacts – know that all is well, notify them of your location, or save waypoints so you can review your route at a later date.

How It Works: When you press the OK button, SPOT acquires your exact location from the GPS network and routes it through the SPOT satellite network. Your contacts receive either an SMS text message on their mobile phone with your message and coordinates, or an e-mail with your message and a link to Google Maps™ showing your exact location.

How about having your loved ones being able to track your progress?

SPOT offers a tracking system known as SPOTcastingSM, which allows friends and family to follow your progress in real time using your password, or to save waypoints so you can review your entire route at a later date.

How It Works: Once activated, SPOT acquires

and sends your GPS coordinates to your SPOT account every 10 minutes. Anyone with access to your account information can log on and view your route, complete with virtual views provided by Google Maps™. To continue tracking on longer journeys, the SPOTcastingSM function must be re-activated every 24 hours.

Unlimited Check-in usage is included as part of the low-cost SPOT service plan.

Once you have activated your SPOT account, you can change your contacts and customize your SPOTcheckingSM message at any time.

SPOT is designed for maximum reliability. Spot performs a self-diagnostic test each time it is powered on. Additionally, Spot strongly recommends that you send and verify an OK/Check message each time before use. This allows you to evaluate your entire messaging system, from the operational condition of the messenger to the readiness of those you’ve chosen to notify of your messages.

With a perfect view of the entire sky, SPOT is designed to successfully send virtually every message. In everyday conditions, the view to the sky is often blocked due to hills, buildings or other obstructions. It’s normal for some messages to be blocked by your environment. That’s why the SPOT messenger is scheduled to automatically send multiple messages in every mode - giving you

excellent overall reliability.

Even if SPOT cannot acquire its location from the GPS network it will still attempt to send a distress signal – without exact location – to the Emergency Response Center, which will still notify your contacts of the signal and continue to monitor the network for further messages.

SPOT works around the world, including virtually all of the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia, portions of South America, Northern Africa and Northeastern Asia, and hundreds or thousands of miles off-shore of these areas.

To find your local SPOT dealer visit www.findmespot.com.

42

• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

BIG FORK Tamarack Time: October 11

OCTOBER 2008

CalendarOf Events

When the smoky golden torches of the tamarack crowns flame into prominence on the mountainsides to announce their presence, when the forest paths are carpeted with soft golden needles, then it is Tamarack Time. Sample the area’s outstanding recipes as prepared by local community members. From soup to chocolate, it’s the best. Takes place on Electric Avenue.

Phone: 406-837-4400

DEER LODGE Pumpkin Sunday At Grant-Kohrs Ranch: October 19

This is an excellent afternoon family outing. There will be children’s activities in the dairy barn and refreshments will be offered. Ghost stories will be told and take a ranger led house tour and learn some of the darker tales of the ranch.

There will be a children’s carnival, warm up at the bonfire.

The kids can come out and pick their own pumpkin and paint it and take it home with them. Admission is free year round. Located 1/2 mile off Interstate 90 at Deer Lodge.

Phone: 406-846-2070 ext 224 or visit www.nps.gov/grko.

E-mail: karen_shoemaker@nps.gov

MISSOULA Montana CINE Cultural and Environmental Film Fest: October 6 - 12

WHITEHALL NRA Shooting Clinic: Fish Creek Gun Club offers NRA Shooting Clinics the third Saturday of each month.

Montana CINE films cover a wide range of topics from world cultures to outdoor adventure, sports and recreation to conservation, indigenous people, and more. Held at the historic Roxy Theater on Higgins Avenue in downtown Missoula. Phone: 406-728-9380 or visit www.wildlifefilms.org

NRA Basic Pistol: This course is designed to teach the basics of pistol marksmanship. The Pistol Course teaches the functions of the different kinds of handguns and ammunition. The course emphasizes firearms safety while teaching the techniques of sight alignment, breath, hold, and trigger control. This 10 hour course offers a solid base upon which a student can safely BILLINGS SEELEY LAKE build their shooting skills and includes two hours Billings Gem & Mineral Annual Show: of shooting time on the range. All course materials Tamarack Festival: October 11 - 12 October 11 - 12 Tamarack Festival is an area wide celebration of golden including targets will be provided. A firearm can also ENNIS be loaned to you if needed. Ammunition is extra. A The Billings Gem and Mineral Show has 50 exhibits Tamarack trees. Many events will take place including certificate of training will be awarded to all participants and around 20 dealers from the Northwest, selling gems, Hunters Feed and Wild Game Cook-Off: the Alpine Artisans’ Tour of the Arts, the YMCA Fun who successfully complete the course . minerals, fossils, jewelry (sapphires, diamonds), gold Run, the Quilters of the Tamaracks Quilt Sale, tour of October 24 Phone: 406-287-2181 and silver, gemstone carvings, decorator items, opals, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, and numerous activities Hunters Feed and Wild Game Cook Off is a very popular lapidary material, and much more. The club has a silent event for locals, neighbors and visiting hunters. Started as a sponsored by the local merchants and more. Also auction and special events for kids (garnet table and fos- way to clean out the freezer of last years game before huntavailable will be maps to walk, hike, bike or drive sil boxes). The exhibits feature special displays by local to see the best trees. Phone 406-677-2880 or see the ing season. Merchants on Main Street cook up exotic wild club members and dealers. The displays exhibit schedule at www.SeeleyLakeChamber.com game dishes and serve their culinary delights in front of their outstanding collections of gems and minerals, fossils, shops. Dishes such as wild pheasant with dill sauce, deer artifacts, hand-crafted jewelry and cut and polished gem fudge, moose meatballs and elk chili delight diners. VisiWEST YELLOWSTONE material. This is the largest show of this type in a 400 tors vote for the best dish and judges select other category Old Faithful Fall Cycle Tour: mile radius. Held at the Billings Hotel and Convention winners. A great kick-off to hunting season in the Madison October 11 Center. Phone: 406-373-5131 Valley. Held in downtown Ennis on Main Street.

Ride from West Yellowstone to OLD FAITHFUL, Phone: 406-682-4388 or visit www.ennischamber.com starting at 9:00am. Enjoy the fall colors of Yellowstone BILLINGS National Park as the 60 mile round-trip bicycle tour Huff’s Antique Show and Sale: takes you past geysers, thermal features, bison and HAMILTON November 8 - 9 bugling elk. If you are looking for a shorter ride,take 10/11/08 60 antique dealers with antiques and collectibles from Wine Tasting Festival: October 18 a shuttle back from Old Faithful. Spaghetti dinner at Wolf Point/Poplar Chapter Wolk Point Elks several states with lots of furniture, glassware and primiWine Tasting Festival is a semi-formal event where 6:00pm.. Begins and ends at the West Yellowstone Contact: Jerald Petersen (406) 653-5505 tives. All items are for sale and dealers are eager to buy participants taste a vast variety of wines and sample hors Visitor Information Center. Phone: 406-599-4465 as well as sell, so come join us for a fun weekend. This is d’oeuvres. An elegant and fun evening. There is also a silent Alternate Phone: 406-646-7701 or visit one of Montana’s largest antique shows. Held at auction held at the event. With the purchase of your ticket www.cycleyellowstone.com.

Metra Park. Phone: 406-238-9796 or visit you have a chance to win a grand prize worth $1,000.

E-mail: info@cycleyellowstone.com 12/11/08 www.montanashows.com.

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BOZEMAN Bridger Mountains Raptor Migration: Through October 31

Lewistown Gun Show: October 17 - 19

Lewistown Gun Show is sponsored by Weapons More than twenty years ago, Fred Tilly discovered the Collectors Society of Montana. Food concessions will be by Bridger Range to be an important fall flyway for the Snowy Mountain Muzzleloaders. Each paid admisraptors The count now occurs from a helicopter sion entitles you to one chance on a new rifle. Admission platform located atop the ridge above Bridger Bowl price of $5 entitles you to all three days. Children under 12 Ski Area, about 25 miles northeast of Bozeman.

Golden Eagle counts typically range from 1,200-1,900 free when accompanied by a guardian. Held at the Fergus County Fairgrounds in the Trade Center on Route 191 birds per season. Up to 1,500 migrants of 17 additional North, .5 mile outside Lewistown city limits. species also may be seen each season, with Phone: 406-538-5394 or visit http://wcsofmt.com Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, and American Kestrels among the most commonly seen species. Phone: 801-484-6808 MISSOULA ext. 101, toll Free: 800-726-4295 or visit Gun Show: October 3 - 5 www.hawkwatch.org Missoula County Fairgrounds.

Contact Sports Connection (406) 633-2206 or visit BUTTE www.sportsconnection.org.

Kidsfest: October 18 Come join us for kid’s games, prizes, food/drinks and booth vendors. The will be a jumpy castle and toddler play area. Kidsfest will have all kinds of fun activities for kids of all ages. Held inside the Butte Plaza Mall.

November 25 - 29 During November, West Yellowstone comes alive in color. The early snow brings cross-country skiers from around the world to learn and train on the superior Rendezvous Trail System, in fact seven international teams used the Rendezvous to prepare themselves for the Olympics. Residents of this small mountain community eagerly await this season each year - looking forward to greeting old friends and meeting new ones. Plenty of lodging choices, some with kitchens and some with full training table meal plans, are available. And, as well, a few restaurants are open to cater to this special crowd. Thanksgiving week, as always, will feature the Fall Camp Nordic Ski, manufacturer’s exhibits, motivational talks, wax clinics, racing events and an overall warm feeling of camaraderie. The clinics are of varying lengths and fees. Everyone is welcome from novice to expert. It is important to note that Yellowstone National Park is not open during this period of time. Clinic and race headquarters are based in the Holiday Inn. Phone: 406-599-4465 or visit www.yellowstoneskifestival.com.

E-mail: info@yellowstoneskifestival.com

Contact: Chip Kurzenbaum (406) 833-4345

Mule Deer Foundation 10/18/08 Missoula Western Montana Chapter Contact: Ray Rugg (406) 822-4240

RMEF EVENTS 10/11/08 Beaverhead Big Game Banquet Contact: Scott Rakich (406) 683-6283 10/18/07 Libby Lincoln County Big Game Banquet Contact: Toni Kinden (406) 293-3431

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 43

AUTHOR BRODIE SWISHER AND FELLOW DUCK HUNTERS

The Last Call Few things seem to stir the heart of a waterfowler like the final approach of a dozen eager mallards droppin’ into the decoys. I never cease to be amazed at how such a small critter could take such a toll on a man’s body; causing his heart to beat fast and his breath to draw short. Yes, that final approach is often the climax of the hunt – the shooting is simply icing on the cake. However, many hunters would readily admit that things can come unglued in a hurry as ducks make their final pass before pitching in to the decoys. How you handle the moment of truth can mean the difference in a successful waterfowl experience and moments of frustration in the duck blind. There are two elements you can employ that will help ensure that your call is the last call some ducks will ever hear.

Flock Talk If you have ever watched and listened to a congregation of ducks on the water, you know these birds create quite a stir. It seems that somewhere in the midst of the flock are several overly-vocal hens that like to “talk quack.” As you listen to these sounds you’ll notice that there are a variety of calls that make up what we know as flock talk. You’ll hear chattering and gurgling as ducks feed, drakes and hens talking back and forth, and whistles and peeps of the variety of ducks that make up the flock. You’ll hear deep-throated, nasty quacks of an old hen, as well as clear, highpitched sounds from young ducks in the flock. The point is there are a variety of voices that make up what we know as flock talk. Yet season after season, there will be duck blinds all across the country with one guy doing all the calling – making the same sound over and over. Keep in mind that ducks have heard the same sounds all down the fly-way. They grow weary of “quackquack, decoy-decoy, boom-boom.” If they make it to your neck of the woods you can bet they have seen their fair share of exploding brush-piles and will be leery of anything that comes across as unnatural.

BY BRODIE SWISHER Hunters typically place a lot of emphasis on decoy placement and very little on their calling presentation. Add a little realism and emotion to your calling routine this season and you’ll see a big change in the number of ducks that commit to check out your decoys. With a variety specialty calls on the market, one man can make the sounds of mallard hens, drakes, feeding sounds, whistle ducks, and more.

Tell the Story Regardless of what animal you choose to pursue, when it comes to deception through decoys and calling, your job is to paint a picture in that animals mind – to tell a story. The things you say through your calling routine will communicate that your setup is the place to stop for food, rest, romance, safety, or other attractive elements migrating ducks look for. A duck’s response to your calls or decoy presentation will make it clear whether they find your set enticing. Say the right thing and you will see wings set and watch as birds glide into the decoys.

The wrong message or decoy presentation will cause working ducks to flare and leave your set in a quick fashion. While large decoy spreads are a hassle to manage, ducks seem to be confident that there is safety in numbers. Thus the caller should also present suitable sounds to accompany such a spread. There should be a variety of sounds rather than just one continuous comeback call. Add feeding sounds, young hens, maternal hens, drakes, a few whistles and peeps, and you’ll be setting yourself apart from other hunters. They just might be the last calls ducks will ever hear!

The fall migration is on the way.

Take the time to paint a picture that passing ducks simply can’t resist. Get creative in your calling techniques and tell a story that will ensure your decoy spread is the last stop for wary waterfowl this season.

Brodie Swisher is a world champion game caller, outdoor writer, and seminar speaker from Stevensville, MT. Check out his website at www.BroOutdoors.com.

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The Neet Kart has made hauling so much easier, by saving us time and effort to that we could get back out and enjoy hunting!

Proving itself as a “must have,” the Neet Kart will continue as a staple hunting accessory in our camp.

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OCTOBER 2008 Continue To Your

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he Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks toll-free hotline for reporting wildlife poaching, property damage, and violations of fish and game laws is in operation 24 hours a day.

TIP-MONT is the acronym for Turn In Poachers—Montana. Some obvious signs of poaching include: •hunting out of season or at night using spotlights •taking more than one’s legal limit •nonresidents who purchase resident licenses •professional and commercial poachers who illegally offer outfitter and guide services.

When it comes to poaching, Montanans are saying, ’enough is enough!’ If you witness a fish and game violation, or property vandalism, report the crime by calling 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668).

Callers can ask to remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

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PRONGHORN

unters, whether bird hunters or bowhunters, along the Rocky Mountain Front should be aware that grizzly bears are out and active.

“It’s best to avoid riparian areas with dense cover,” says Mike Madel, Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear management specialist in Choteau.

“Hunt the edges,” he says, “don’t get into the dense cover.”

Grizzlies have been found this fall along Dupuyer Creek east of Dupuyer and along the Sun River near Simms, east of Augusta. The bears are relying on the dense cover of the riparian areas to find food and avoid humans.

However, hunters moving through that thick brush could encounter a bear, which is why Madel recommends hunters, especially archers, carry bear spray instead of a sidearm.

“Statistically carrying bear spray is better than carrying a pistol for personal protection in bear country,” Madel says.

MFWP

An April 2008 article in a scientific publication, the Journal of Wildlife Management, (http:// www.wildlifejournals.org/perlserv/ ?request=get-abstract&doi=10.2193% 2F2006-452&ct=1) stated that a study of bear attacks in Alaska indicated that red pepper spray stopped 92 percent of grizzly attacks, and of all persons carrying sprays, 98 percent were uninjured.

In addition, FWP offers several tips for hunters in grizzly country: · Avoid hunting alone and avoid hunting in dense cover. · Learn to recognize signs of bear activity. · After killing a deer or elk, immediately separate the carcass from the gut pile. · If you have to leave the carcass hang it out of reach of a bear. · When returning to a carcass observe the area from a distance for bear activity. Signs of bear activity include a moved or partially buried carcass.

If a bear has claimed the carcass leave it alone and contact FWP immediately.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 45

AUTHOR JACK BALLARD

Going Mobile A

s a proverb for big-game hunters, “he who travels farthest from road, findeth most game” is a maxim worth memorizing. But if you’re counting on your pickup or ATV to get there, you may need a contingency plan. In response to erosion, wildlife disruption and illegal travel, public land managers are increasingly regulating and restricting motorized travel.

For hunters with just an ounce or two of ambition, that’s actually a good thing. Numerous research projects in recent years underscore an undeniable conclusion -- the most (and the biggest) bucks and bulls stomp the earth in nonmotorized areas. Elk are especially reluctant to populate regions heavy with motorized disturbance. Based on personal experience, I’ll confidently assert that on public land, elk hunting is most productive a mile or more from motorized access routes. Throw in the bonus of unspoiled scenery and reduced pressure, and it’s easy to argue that the finest hunting in the country is found far from the comfort of a pickup cab or the seat of an ATV. However, it’s really not that difficult to get around without a vehicle.

Reasonably fit hunters have a number of non-motorized transportation options.

Here’s how to get the most from these “primitive “ means of transportation.

HIKING Hiking is the most typical means of backcountry locomotion for good reason -- it takes no specialized equipment or livestock, and capitalizes on the human body’s physiological adaptations for undertaking long journeys on foot.

Primitive peoples often trekked the entire day barefoot or in moccasins, so it’s not unthinkable for a reasonably fit hunter to cover five or ten miles in a day.

BY JACK BALLARD

But unless the soles of your feet are tougher than mine, I suspect you won’t be hiking barefoot. Over the years, I’ve hunted in a variety of “shoes” from brawny leather boots with a dozen eyelets and weighty rubber soles to high-top basketball shoes. I finally settled on waterproof, lightweight, hiking boots for probably 80% of my hunting. They’re comfortable, reasonably warm, and suitable for all conditions except extreme cold or snow. For years I tried to economize with cheaper footwear, but have found that the added comfort, support and durability of more expensive boots is well worth the extra 50 or 100 dollar investment.

Beyond good boots, though, pay some attention to the socks you put into them. Due to an unfortunate genetic inheritance from my parents, I wound up with soft skin and a propensity to sweat. Want to talk blisters? The skin on my feet can rupture in house slippers.

I’ve yet to find the perfect cure for my blister-prone appendages, but well-fitting, moisture-wicking socks help. I also keep at least one extra pair in my daypack and change into them at lunchtime when I also remove the inner soles and give both boots and linings time to air dry.

Poorly fitting footwear and soft skin can lead to blisters, but another sure way to hurt your hooves is by adding extra weight to the normal load your feet carry. Each fall I encounter hunters who have so much extraneous gear dangling from their backs that it’s a wonder they’re not mistaken for backcountry pawnbrokers. Pack some water, a firstaid kit, firestarters and other necessary emergency gear. Beyond those essential items, though, get stingy. You’ll cover much more ground with an eight pound pack than with twenty. (continued on page 46)

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OCTOBER 2008

Common Sense Precautions Advised For Hunters In Area Of Recent Anthrax Outbreak MFWP With the recent deaths of nearly 300 domestic bison and some free-ranging

LARRY GAALSWYK OF BILLINGS GOING MOBILE PHOTO COURTESY JACK BALLARD

Going Mobile

(continued from page 45)

HORSEBACK RIDING Compared to hiking, horseback riding seems like a dream -- especially if the horse belongs to your outfitter.

But guess what? There’s no colder place on a frigid fall day than a frozen saddle at dawn. And there’s a reason old-time cowboys stomped around bow-legged.

Your legs may be naturally suited to walking, but they weren’t created to straddle the back of a saddle horse.

Those drawbacks aside, however, four-legged locomotion can be an incredible boon to backcountry hunters.

A couple of years ago I drew a mountain goat tag in a wilderness area. My goat fell over twelve miles from the trailhead, but thanks to a friend and his four horses, I only packed the goat a mile down the mountain into camp.

Whether you own or rent horses, or ride as a result of an outfitted hunt, there are a few simple steps to make the most of your steed. First of all, learn some riding skills before you head out, because there’s no sillier sight in the mountains than a hunter hobbling back to camp, hot on the heels of a “dumb” animal. Secondly, if you’re unaccustomed to riding, dismount every hour or so and hike for ten minutes. On a long ride, the walking will help keep you limber and mitigate the cramps and stiffness in the inner thighs so commonly associated with riding. Thirdly, plan for the cold. Riding can be unbelievably frigid. Even if it’s warm when you head out, tie an extra layer of clothing behind the saddle in case the temperature drops. Finally, remember that “trail hunting” from a horse isn’t a whole lot more effective than “road hunting” from a pickup. Ride to your destination, but then work your boots.

MOUNTAIN BIKING Under the right conditions you can actually cover more miles on a bike seat than on horseback. Mountain bikes are an extremely efficient form of locomotion, especially in prairie and foothill country. Mountain bikes are also

legal on trails in many national forests.

Gated roads which prohibit motorized access are often open to bicycling and these are perfect places to turn the pedals to good use. Additionally, some private landowners will allow access to the backside of the ranch on a bike, even though they require pickups to be parked at the ranch house.

Like many other sports, mountain biking can be taken to varying levels of investment. Although it’s easy to drop 1,000 dollars on a mountain bike, most entry-level or used cycles are sufficient for hunting. I purchased a good used bike five years ago for $30, a serviceable cycle that cost over ten times that much new.

More important than fancy equipment is your ability to use it. Pedaling a mountain bike isn’t any different than pumping a road bike, but navigating narrow trails and obstacles takes some practice, skills which you’ll need to develop before heading afield. As you might find yourself farther from your vehicle than you care to walk back, it’s also wise to learn some basic bike repairs and adjustments. What’s sillier than a hunter chasing his horse? A mountain biker pushing his bike. To avoid such a predicament, be sure to carry a spare tube and know how to change it. Understanding the basics of adjusting your bike’s shifting mechanism is another essential skill. If you learn how to keep the tires inflated and the gears shifting, you’re at little risk of getting stranded in the outback.

While a repair kit is essential equipment for backcountry bikers, the most important accessory is a helmet. A fall from a bike can be dangerous. Wearing a helmet is the simplest way to protect yourself from harm.

No matter how you get there, roadless areas offer the best there is in big game hunting on public land. With multiple ways to access the backcountry and increasingly efficient tools for doing so, accessing the wildlands has never been easier. Now’s the time to go mobile.

The risk of human infection with anthrax in the outdoors, and the risk of harvesting a wild animal with an anthrax wildlife caused by naturally occurring infection, is very low. anthrax bacteria in southwestern Montana, To further minimize the risk some hunters have expressed concern about of exposure to anthrax bacteria, hunters pursuing game in the affected area. should follow the precautions described MFWPS and Department of below. All hunters should follow these Public Health and Human Services officials precautions to minimize their risks for an want all hunters to understand that while unlikely exposure to other diseases including human anthrax cases are extremely rare, leptospirosis, brucellosis and chronic wasting normal precautions should be taken by disease (CWD), as well as anthrax. hunters.

Q: What is anthrax?

“Anthrax is caused by a naturally A: Anthrax is caused by a occurring bacteria that can lie dormant in bacteria. The bacteria can lie dormant in the ground for decades, then become active the ground for decades, then become active under ideal soil and weather conditions,” under ideal soil and weather conditions. said FWP spokesman Ron Aasheim, in Naturally occurring outbreaks of anthrax in Helena. “It’s a seasonal disease, occurring grazing animals are not uncommon in late summer during periods of prolonged during late summer. This outbreak involves hot, dry weather after flooding or heavy multiple species. rains. This summer it has been particularly Q: Which animals have been active in a localized area with the infected during the current naturally confirmed domestic bison deaths in occurring outbreak? portions of Gallatin and Madison A: During the current naturally counties in southwestern Montana. In occurring outbreak, the most affected addition, anthrax has been confirmed in the animals have been domestic bison. Some deaths of white tailed deer and elk and is deer and elk and one bovine bull have also suspected in the death of a black bear in the died of anthrax. Anthrax is suspected in the vicinity of the outbreak.” death of a black bear.

Aasheim said the affected area is Q: What is the risk for hunters? on private and adjacent Gallatin National A: The risk of a hunter being Forest lands in the north portion of infected with anthrax is very low. Taking hunting district 311. The area encompasses common sense precautions while hunting the Cherry Creek, Spanish Creek, and Elk can minimize the risk.

Creek drainages, from the Spanish Peaks Q: What precautions should be north to U.S. Highway 84. taken?

Aasheim noted that not all A: Hunters should be aware that wildlife will show obvious signs of being not all wildlife will show obvious signs of sick during the pursuit, field dressing, being sick during the pursuit, field skinning or butchering process. dressing, skinning or butchering process.

“The risk of a hunter being The following common sense precautions infected with anthrax is very low,” said will minimize the risk of being exposed to Dr. Kammy Johnson at the Montana anthrax bacteria: Department of Public Health and Human If hunters encounter dead elk, Services. “The small risk can be further deer, bison, or livestock with no obvious minimized by taking common sense cause of death: do not handle the animal; precautions that all hunters should follow.” do not approach the animal; note the Those precautions include: location and report it to the nearest FWP Do not harvest animals that appear ill or are office. acting abnormally.

Do not harvest animals that appear ill or are Wear rubber (latex) gloves when field acting abnormally. dressing game When field dressing and butchering a Minimize contact with animal fluids, brain harvested animal, follow the procedures and spinal tissues. recommended by DPHHS and FWP for all Wash hands and instruments thoroughly big game and birds. after field dressing or processing.

Q: What procedures are Cook all meat until well done before recommended by DPHHS and FWP for consuming. field dressing and processing harvested “All hunters should adopt these precautions animals? wherever and whenever they are hunting,” A: Wear latex or rubber gloves Johnson said. when field dressing deer, elk, or other wild As the outbreak appears to be animals. ongoing, Aasheim said hunters who are Minimize contact with animal fluids, brain concerned about even the minimal risk of and spinal tissues. exposure may want to choose a different Wash hands and instruments thoroughly area to hunt until cold weather arrives or after field dressing and processing. snow covers the ground.

Cook all meat until well done before consuming.

OCTOBER 2008

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 47

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OCTOBER 2008