OUTDOOR NEWS
Big Sky
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AUGUST 2011
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Stalking Trophy Mule Deer With A Bow
Hang Your Tag On A MONSTER ELK
Duck Populations At All-time High
ARCHERY SHOT PLACEMENT Mount That Scope Yourself •Fishing For Golden Trout Fishing Report • Pegged For Steelhead
Summertime PPike ike
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AUGUST 2011
Stalking Trophy Mule Deer With A Bow
BY RICK HAGGERTY
T rying to stalk up on a big game animal for a shot can be a huge challenge. But to find a trophy class muley buck, then try and get a shot with a bow during the hunting season takes a lot of time, effort and a bit of luck on your side to put that big deer on the wall. With the wet spring we’ve had this year in the West, antler growth will produce bigger, better scoring bucks this fall. August and September will be the time to start your pre-scouting for heavy horned muleys. Once you have found a heavy concentration of does and smaller bucks in an area, that is where you should focus your efforts for a mature buck or two. They will be grouped up in bachelor herds this time of the year, but normally not too far from other mule deer. Once you have patterned a big bucks home area, and what his daily habits are, you can begin to put together a plan for opening day.
RICK HAGGERTY, ADVERTISING (406)370-1368 Amy Haggerty, Publisher
8591 Capri Dr., Helena Mt. 59602
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The entire contents is © 2011, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does the printed material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. VOLUME 8, Issue 5
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Here are a few tips that may help you this season: •When planning a stalk take note of all the landmarks. That will help you relocate the buck you are after, unless you know the area really well, as the terrain will look different each time you are in an area. Also, look for set-up points to ambush your buck and tree stand points. •Wind direction is key. Try and hunt into the wind always. Wind can help cover the sounds you make while stalking, but will bust you every time if the deer catches your scent. •Wear silent clothing and good boots. Consider knee pads to throw in your pack, as cactus will get you if you have to crawl for a shot. •Become proficient in your shooting, out to at least 35-40 yards and practice if you get a break during the hunt. This will keep you accurate and confident in your shot. (continued on page 44) Big Sky Outdoor News is free to our readers, because of the advertisers that you see in our publication each month. Please support their businesses when you can and let them know that you saw their advertisement in Big Sky Outdoor News And Adventure. We thank you our readers, our advertisers and the locations that allow our distribution.
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have opportunities to hunt with family and friends. These opportunities have become less frequent over the years as families grow and create changing priorities and commitments. However, one particular hunting trip during antelope season 2010 brought back a lot of great memories and reminded me of times when I first started hunting over twenty years ago. Antelope tags were sparse last year and we did not draw our usual choice. Instead we drew our second choice in the enormous 700 region. Since several members of our family who live near Billings regularly hunted in the 700 region, we asked them for help in finding specific areas to hunt. This sparked talk about possibly meeting and hunting together with some family we hadn’t had the opportunity to hunt with in a long time. Planning was difficult as both Devon and his brother, Jason, had recently started new jobs, so coordinating was hampered by not being able to take time off of work. In the end, we weren’t able make a plan together and we went ahead on our own. By the second day of our three day antelope hunting trip, we had no luck on the block management we reserved so we decided to check out a piece of state land Jason had told us about. We reached the property around noon and sure enough, there was a small herd of antelope just beyond the state land boundary. They were headed towards the state land, so we parked the truck and walked out to get in position to intercept them when they entered the public land. We made our way about three quarters of a mile into the property and set up to shoot. As we were waiting for the
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antelope to come into range, I noticed a gray Chevy pickup briefly pull up near where our truck was parked. I thought it looked familiar, but I was more intent on the antelope that were starting to filter into our rifle range. Our patience paid off, and the antelope came by us at 110 yards. I was up first to shoot and in hopes that the herd would run further into the state land so Devon could get a shot too, I waited for several antelope to go by. When I shot, my antelope dropped but unfortunately the herd still ran off the state land and did not return. As we made our way back to the truck with my antelope I asked Devon if he had also seen the gray Chevy stop near our truck. He had seen it, and when we reached our truck, there was a note from his brother saying they had gone further up the road to hunt on another piece of state land and would catch up with us later. We had no idea Jason and his wife, Tracy, had decided to hunt in that area that weekend, but we were excited that we might be able to hunt with them even though our plans to coordinate had fallen through earlier. At that point, it had been several hours since they had gone by so we waited a while to see if they would come back, but by 4:00pm we decided to leave and try to find more antelope before it got dark. We didn’t hear anything else from Jason until later that night when we were back at the motel. Tracy had shot an antelope around 6:00pm but they were out of cell range and couldn’t contact us until they got to town. When they told us the details of her hunt, it quickly became obvious that she shot her antelope in almost the exact same spot I shot mine earlier that day. When they came (continued on page 26)
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Prairie Breeding Grounds Soaked, Duck Population At All-time High DELTA WATERFOWL
D uck hunters will find plenty to cheer about in the annual breeding population and habitat survey, which was released earlier today. Conducted each May by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service, this year’s survey reveals the second-highest pond count and a record 45.6 million ducks, the most since the survey was started in 1955. Blue-winged teal, shovelers and redheads soared to record levels, and if that’s not enough, mallard, pintail, canvasback and gadwall numbers rose substantially from 2010. But not all is well across the U.S. and Canadian prairies. While water is great for ducks, excessive snowpack and heavy spring rains produced extreme flooding across much of the prairie breeding grounds. From the Canadian prairies to the Dakotas and eastern Montana, tens of thousands of homeowners have been displaced by swollen rivers, millions of acres of cropland remain unplanted and hundreds of miles of roads are under water. “Our hearts go out to all those affected by flooding this spring,” says Delta President Rob Olson. “This has been an indescribable hardship for the people living in the Prairie Pothole Region.” The closely watched May ponds total, the second-highest ever, doesn’t do justice to the unprecedented flooding still terrorizing residents of the breeding grounds. Across the U.S. side of the region, the last three years have been the wettest since pond counts began. The 3.2 million ponds inventoried in the U.S. this spring were the most on record. The 4.9 million ponds in prairie Canada were 43 percent more than the long-term average, which dates back to 1955, and brings the total pond count across the traditional survey area to 8.1 million, second only to the 8.3 million recorded in 1974. Not surprisingly, all that water attracted a record number of ducks. The 12.5 million breeding ducks that settled in the eastern half of the Dakotas was the most ever, and was 172 percent above average. (continued on page 20)
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Want To Hang YOUR Tag On A MONSTER Elk? BY BRIAN DAM
Big elk, like all antlered game, require time to grow and
mature, a good food source that provides the necessary minerals needed for antler development and parental background of great genetics. The hunters you see with huge smiles radiating from behind a monster set of antlers were lucky enough to have an elk tag where all the necessary ingredients are found. Unfortunately such places are few and far between, but when you do find that magic spot, gaining access, or getting a tag with your name on it can be time consuming or very expensive.
market will bear, or you can purchase a Governor’s Tag. The typical Governor’s Tag allows you to hunt an entire state, during all open seasons, with any weapon you choose. The landowner tag option will be the cheaper of the two but can still run up to $20,000.00, while a Governor’s Tag can cost up to, and sometimes well over, $100,000.00 at auction. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is the host for many of these auctions and the money is used for worthwhile habitat work but this option prohibits the average hunter from buying a super tag.
The landowner option lets you hunt private land on such well know places as the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona where you’ll have access to that magic 400-inch elk, but they have adopted a strict management program that limits tags to protect their resource and they charge up to $20,000.00 for a guided hunt. It’s cheaper than the $100,000.00 Tod Reichert took on the cold winds that made the rough terrain of tag, but still expensive. the Cibola National Forest even tougher but he and guide Carl Montoya finally got into position for a shot. When his .270 Weatherby spoke, Tod That leaves the draw process as had taken the new State Record elk, for New Mexico, a huge 7x7 that your best choice to stay within budget limitations and those scored 441 3/8. ever-present financially dependent To prevent over-hunting such a divorce parameters most guys miss valuable resource, states limit preference points and random There are two options to waiting in the fine print hidden on the each fall’s tags to a percentage selection, assures all the tags however; one is to hunt private back of a marriage license. The of the mature bulls found in each are issued and the resource is land where the state provides specific unit. To provide sportsmen protected. The down side of limited large landowners with tags to be question of getting a draw tag fair access to limited tags, a tags is you might wait a long time sold on a first come - first served becomes where to apply? The two top quality elk states (continued) lottery system, based on to be drawn – as in years! basis, at whatever cost the The problem across most western elk range is rainfall, or more specifically the lack thereof. The west is mostly arid, which means the number of animals per square mile is dependent on habitat and good habitat is dependent on rainfall, so arid conditions limit population density. Habitat limitations mean that over-hunting any western species is easy without good management and the strict regulation of license numbers to control hunting pressure.
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are New Mexico and Arizona, which share the majority of record book elk taken in recent years. Arizona has produced the most Boone & Crockett elk while New Mexico ranks at the top in Pope & Young standings. Both states issue tags through a lottery system, meaning it can often take a few years to draw, especially for non-residents. As a side note, New Mexico has changed the regulations so that nonresident hunters will be required to hunt with a guide starting in 2012. This will increase the cost of your hunt. A third state to consider is Utah, which has great trophy elk potential. The state’s biologists have developed a trophy management program in a number of units that is devoted to growing mature animals. This program has allowed unprecedented success as evidenced by the monster trophy animals being taken and lucky hunters can expect excellent results when they draw a tag. Jeff Didericksen hit the jackpot when he drew the state’s Sportsman permit in 2002 after being chosen from 3600. He took a 412-net score bull. His
resident tag cost $5.00 and the license $180.00. When Tod Reichert attended the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Annual banquet in Reno a few years ago, he found himself in the midst of a dilemma. Tod is an avid elk hunter with Boone & Crockett bulls to his credit and is such a strong supporter of elk hunting and improving elk habitat that he wanted the Foundation to raise as much money as possible. A problem developed when the bidding on the New Mexico Governor’s Tag stalled at about half the amount it had sold for in the past. This is no doubt THE TAG to have in your pocket and usually sells for thousands of dollars, with all the money going directly towards improving elk habitat. In an effort to raise the ante and get the bidding started again Tod took a bold step; he raised his hand and shouted out the customary, “Yo!” This brought immediate attention to his side of the banquet room but didn’t re-start the bidding as he had hoped. Thirty seconds later the gavel came down and he was the proud owner of the New Mexico Governor’s Tag!
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Tod opted to hunt the late season when most other folks were sitting home. They ended up fighting the cold winds that made the rough terrain of the Cibola National Forest even tougher but he and guide Carl Montoya finally got into position for a shot. When his .270 Weatherby spoke, Tod had taken the new State Record elk, for New Mexico, a huge 7x7 that scored 441 3/8. Another hunter that did not draw a tag solved his access problem in a similar manner when he bought the Utah Governor’s tag for $65,000.00 and hunted the Monroe Mountain District in south-central Utah. Denny Austad, of Ammon, Idaho, spent 13 days hunting with Mossback Outfitters before he connected with the “Spider Bull,” named for its unique antler configuration. A Special Judges Panel at Boone & Crockett determined the final non-typical score of 478-5/8, which is 93 inches above the B&C minimum of 385 and 13-plus inches larger than the previous World’s Record. Official B&C data goes back to 1830, and at 499-3/8 inches, this is the only elk on record having a gross score close to the 500-inch mark.
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In 2009, William Dandy drew an Arizona tag using United States Outfitters licensing program. USO, based in Taos, NM, had been making William’s Arizona application for eight years before he was finally drawn. With a tag finally in hand he was rewarded for his wait with a bull that grossed 435 2/8 and netted 413 2/8. HE accomplished this hunting on public land at a cost well under that of buying a super tag at auction. Although it took a few years to draw for that unit, while having USO complete the application process, each time he applied he became a bit closer to actually hunting. When he finally drew the tag, experienced USO guides got him into position for a shot at the monster. To quote Boone & Crockett, “Across North America, ever-improving conservation practices have translated to flourishing big game populations, with balanced age-class and mature, trophy animals. Over the past 30 years, qualifying Boone and Crockett records book entries for American elk have increased 193 percent from a total of 14 in 1977 to 41 in 2007.”
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Latex Fetish Is Becoming Increasingly Common In Steelhead Fishermen BY TRAVIS DEBOER
T
his coming steelhead season, I strongly recommend trying an old product in a new way. A deadly and new application of an old favorite for making egg patterns is proving borderline unfair in its ability to fool wary steelhead. Though we as steelheaders have been using these great little eggs tied on hooks as “flies” for, well, as long as I have been avidly steelheading, “pegging” these softer predecessors to beads is only recently seeing very covert and hushed use on a handful of our steelhead rivers. Just as with the appearance of the deadly technique of “flossing beads” on our inland rivers starting around seven years ago, there are folks that would (as if it were even possible) keep this deadly little trick to themselves. Good luck people! The deadliest methods never stay secret for long, the best methods will also continue to produce even after wide spread use, and there are those of us who believe that secrets (with regard to tactics) are the mark of shabby fishermen and greedy individuals. Worst of all, those of us who believe these things to be true, are sure to blab it to the world just as soon as we find the right opportunity or anyone willing to listen. Got a minute? Key ingredients to making your latex look sexy on the river are as follows. Quality latex eggs, small beads, and some quality hooks, simple.
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Key steps to dressing this latex in the sexiest of fashions are as follows. The leader and pioneer of this method as well as the manufacturing of some of the best of these products is Walt Mueller, Jr. at Blue River Designs, LLC which produces the “Soft Milking Egg”. Essentially you take a small glass “seed bead” (available at almost any craft store) in the desired “yolk” or “blood dot” color and simply run your line through the bead twice looping it loosely on the line. Attach a quality barbless hook and run the latex egg of your choice up the line using the hook as a needle. Position the bead two to three inches above the hook and run the latex egg over it while keeping the line tight. The bead holds the latex in place and the latex egg holds the bead in place. Simple and sexy!
The resulting “pegged egg” might look something like this depending on conditions and preference. Key recourses for finding the absolute sexiest of these ingredients are as follows. Everybody knows that the best fetish recourses are on the internet, duh. www.softmilkingegg. com is perhaps the most in depth “latex fetish” website on the net with rigging ideas, bead and egg size recommendations, products, and, of course, super sexy pictures sure to get you “hot to trot”! (Float fishing pun, nice!) www.montanafly.com is another great recourse for all things eggy. The “seed beads” are available at any craft store and can be stored on safety pins for easy access. For those of you who want proof regarding effectiveness in the form of videos starring latex obsessed steelhead, well, you have no idea how happy I am to provide this as well, check out “Center-pinning Steelhead-part one” at www.youtube.com/user/ GuerillaGuideService. The steelhead in the video are only a small portion of the fish actually caught and subdued that day using this technique, but I believe the point is still nicely illustrated. Key reasons why latex is much, much, sexier than beads are as follows. First, the softer material is not as alarming to steelhead chomping on them, giving us slower steelheaders, a much appreciated, extension in effective hook setting time (jack-pot!). Second, many of us are anal retentive perfectionists (at least with regard to our fishing presentations) who are sure to appreciate the ability to completely customize our presentation with regard to egg color as well as the contrasting inner bead, representing the most realistic “blood dot” or “yolk” in seconds without even removing the hook. Third, and the biggest reason that this “latex fetish” is sure to not only stick around, but spread like a wildfire up and down the riverbanks, much like the bead before them, is of course, that the most obsessed latex freaks reside in our beautiful rivers. Keep it sexy people and have a great steelhead season!
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Fly Tying Corner:Gun Metal Pheasant Tail Nymph
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BY BOB BATES, fedflyfishers.org
T here have been many variations of the Pheasant Tail Nymph since Frank Sawyer, River Keeper on the Avon,
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first tied it in the early 1900s. Gary Barnes, Rigby, ID, was tying this fish catching version at the 2007 Western Rocky Mountain Council Fly Fishing Exposition, in West Yellowstone, MT June 30, 2007. Pheasant Tail Nymphs imitate several mayfly nymphs so you want to move the fly through areas where fish might be feeding on them. In shallow moving water I usually use a floating line and throw the fly upstream near shore and then work outward, wading if appropriate. Let the fly drift drag free. This fly is not heavily weighted so you might need a sink tip line or nonlead weight on the leader to reach some fish. Lake fishing has its own approaches. Floating, sink tip and full sinking lines are all useful. You want the fly to move just over the weed beds so use a countdown method to control the depth. If you start picking up weeds shorten the time you let the line sink. Also vary the retrieve until you find something the fish like. MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT: Hook: DaiRiki 075 #14-16 Rib: Brown copper wire Bead: Glass gun metal blue bead Body: Pheasant tail Thread: Griffith shear thread 14/0, tan or brown Thorax: Peacock herl Body: Pheasant tail Hackle: Whiting Brahma or other soft hackles like partridge or pheasant Step 1: Smash the barb down so it will easier to put on the bead and release the fish you hook. Slide bead to front before putting hook into vise. (If your fly shop can’t get the beads try a craft store.) Step 2: Start thread at about the midpoint of hook. Step 3: Lay the copper wire on side of hook, and wind thread over the wire toward rear of hook. Stop winding just above the barb. Step 4: Pull four natural pheasant tail fibers straight out from the shaft to match their ends. Cut them off and tie them on hook to give shank length tail. Step 5: Wind thread forward to a little in front of mid shank. Make first wrap of pheasant tail cover the tie down thread. Wrap remaining pheasant tail forward to thread, secure and trim excess. Step 6: Take one piece of peacock herl bend it around thread, secure it right at front of body and make a couple of wraps forward to a point that leaves a little space behind the bead. Tie off peacock herl and trim excess. Step 7: Take one wrap of wire at the tail so the fish’s teeth will not damage it, spiral wire forward to front of herl, secure and trim excess. Wind the wire in the same direction as the peacock herl. Do a quick whip finish Step 8: : Push bead back and bring thread in front of it. Hold feather by tip, stroke most of the fibers back and tie it in by the tip. Step 9: Wrap feather one turn stroking the barbs back as you wrap, secure and trim excess. Step 10: Form a neat little head, whip finish and trim thread. This is an easy fly to tie, and Gary says that it catches lots of fish. To me it just looks like a fly that should catch fish. It has the magic of pheasant tail, a little peacock herl and a soft hackle.
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Fishing For Golden Trout
MFWP
I
f you had your choice and could be any fish you wanted for a day, what kind of fish would you be? Some of us might decide to be a fast fish like a northern pike. If you like to travel, maybe you’d be a bull trout and swim for miles. If you like to look different, maybe a paddlefish would be your choice. But what if you wanted to be a beautiful fish? If being covered with bright colors and living high in the mountains sounds like fun to you, then maybe you would want to be a Golden Trout. If you were a golden trout, you would have to tell people that you were not a native to Montana. That’s because golden trout were originally found only in a few rivers in northern California. Humans brought golden trout to Montana in the 1900’s. They liked how they looked and wanted to see if golden trout could live in the state. Whether they are a native fish or not, it’s hard not to like how golden trout look. They are one of the prettiest fish that swims, with orange and olive sides, small black spots, and white fin tips. They live in some of the prettiest places in Montana too. Golden trout are like other trout, and need cold water to survive and grow. They do best when water temperatures stay in the 50 to 60 degree range. One of the best
MFWP places to find those water temperatures is high in mountain lakes. There are not too many lakes in Montana that have golden trout. One area of the state where you are likely to find them is in the Beartooth mountains south of Livingston and Billings. Golden trout find conditions in those high, cold lakes to be just what they like, and there are good numbers of them in some lakes. You might also find goldens scattered around in few other lakes, but they are not as widespread as many species of trout in Montana. There are only about 20 lakes or groups of lakes in the state that hold good numbers of golden trout. They like lures like spinners and small spoons, and bait like worms and grasshoppers. But be sure you use light line and a small hook, because the water they live in is very clear and they might be able to see your line. Flies are also a good way to catch golden trout.
12 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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AUGUST 2011
Fishing With The Captain Mark Ward avid pike fisherman. “I normally don’t fish for walleyes but I might enter the Governor’s Cup next year because we always seem to pick up a few big walleyes while we fish for pike,” said Bill.
T raveling east to fish Fort Peck Reservoir is starting to become a must annual event for me. In fact last July and August I made the 400 plus mile one way trip three times. The first two times were spent fishing for walleyes and the third trip I went after Chinook salmon.
This year the first part of my trip involved being the Master of Ceremony for the 24th annual Montana Walleye Governors Cup. 83 teams competed in this years’ event. The winning team of Dallas Smith from Atkin Minnesota and Craig Hallock from Glasgow won it with 36.71 pounds. It was an unexpected tough bite on the east end of Fort Peck where the tournament boundaries were located. A thunderstorm the first day and strong winds the second day with gust up to 30 miles per hour made the fishing challenging. The biggest fish caught in the tournament weighed 13.02 pounds. The tournament which is presented by the Glasgow Area Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year with additional cash and prizes. The first place team this year took home $6000. I had a chance before the Governor’s Cup to fish for northern pike with Bill Hinrichs from Rock Creek Marina. Bill is an
BILL WITH NORTHERN PIKE
While trolling for pike Bill uses leaded line with a about a 20-25 pound monofilament leader. He doesn’t use a steel leader which is a little unusual when fishing for big pike. Big pike are known to bite through monofilament so most anglers use a steel leader. “I troll about a six inch jointed rapala”, added Bill, “so it is pretty tough for the pike to get the whole lure in its mouth”. On the day that Bill and I went fishing I picked him up about 1pm and we headed out to a bay a short distance from Rock Creek Marina. We started to troll the shore line in 7 to 10 feet of water at about 1.7 to 2 miles per hour. The jointed rapala that we were using was orange on the back and gold on the sides and belly. It only took a few minutes for one of the rods to bend with a fish on. It so happens that the first fish that we caught was a 23 inch walleye. The next couple of hours we caught 7 pike with the largest weighing 10 pounds. The Sunday after the Governor’s Cup I headed to meet my brother in law Tim Frost from Rapid City, Jim Johnson from Lincoln and Brandt Hammernick from Missoula at Hell Creek State Park. We planned on fishing for a few days out of Hell Creek which is 25 miles north of Jordan. The fishing was excellent. We caught a limit of walleyes everyday and they were all 16 to 21 inches in length. One afternoon Hamernick caught 40 pike just by casting a large swim bait to shore in Crooked Creek. Fishing on Fort Peck should be excellent well into August this year. To view video of my trip log onto www.montanaoutdoor.com.
Mark Ward is known as the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show heard statewide every Saturday from 6am - 8am. Log onto: www.motanaoutdoor.com to find a radio station in your area. You can also read his weekly column in the Thursday Missoulian Outdoor section.
AUGUST 2011
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
• 13
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Catchin’ the Whisker Fish
MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS & NEVADA DEPT. OF WILDLIFE My guess is that most anglers of any experience level already have what they need somewhere in their tackle box.”
From Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
The largest and most important catfish to sport fishermen in Montana is the native channel catfish of the Yellowstone and Missouri River drainages. These fish prefer warm, muddy rivers and lakes where they forage on just about any animal and some plants, living or dead. They are excellent eaters and millions of pounds of channel catfish are raised commercially in southern states for that purpose. Like all catfish, channel cats spawn in the spring or early summer. The female lays her jelly-like mass of eggs in a nesting site in a dark, protected cavity such as a muskrat burrow, under a stump, etc. and the male guards the nest until the eggs hatch. Biologists have captured channel catfish over 30 pounds in Montana but 2 to 4 pound fish are more common and better eating. The deeply-forked tail separates the channel catfish from the bullheads. NEVADA DEPT. OF WILDLIFE Whisker fish are one of the most popular game fish among anglers of all experience levels from novice to grizzled veteran. Not only do they put up a good fight, but they also taste good when served up the dinner table. Perhaps the best thing about fishing for catfish is that anglers don’t need special equipment in order to do so. “We live in a day when it seems that specialized equipment is needed, or at least marketed, for even the most basic of outdoor pursuits. But when it comes to catching catfish you really don’t need anything special,” said Doug Nielsen, conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. All you need is a rod, a reel filled with line and sharp bait hooks.
Catfish tend to be most active and feed more aggressively when the temperatures cool and there is little to no sun on the water. This, of course, means the most popular times to fish for whisker fish are from dusk through the early morning hours. This is also the time of day when whisker fish will cruise for food in the shallows or along the shoreline, making them more accessible to anglers. Generally, the best method for catching whisker fish is put your bait right on the bottom. Although catfish will eat algae and even fruit, the most common baits include chicken liver, shrimp, anchovies, sardines, squid, and stink baits. Stink baits can be of the homemade variety or commercially prepared. Some anglers leave cut baits in the sun for a day or two so they get good and stinky. One method for fishing with chicken livers is to cut them into one-inch pieces and then wrap those pieces individually in cheesecloth or pantyhose so they will stay on the hook. Though there are several ways to set up a hook and line for whisker fish, Nielsen prefers to use a slip-rig. Also called a sliding-sinker rig by some anglers, this technique enables the angler to feel a tug on the line before the fish can feel any tension. With a slip-rig, the hook is tied on the end of an 18- to 24-inch leader below a swivel and an egg sinker. Egg sinkers are designed to let the line move freely between the fish and the fishing rod, which enables the angler to easily detect strikes. Anglers who successfully catch a catfish need to use caution when removing the hook. Catfish have sharp spines on their side (pectoral) and top (dorsal) fins. The easiest way to hold a catfish is to put your hand under its belly near the tail and slide it up to where your thumb is behind the side fin on one side and your fingers are behind the side fin on the other.
I Caught A Record-Breaker! What Now? MFWP
Lindell Father And Son Team Wins Tournament
Fishing Montana’s waters is enjoyed by many, but only a few anglers catch
MONTANA PIKEMASTERS
a record fish. Montana Fish Wildlife, & Parks recognizes these anglers. -To prevent loss of weight, do not clean or freeze the fish. Keep the fish cool—preferably on ice. -Take a picture of the fish. -Weigh the fish on a certified scale (found in grocery or hardware stores, etc.), witnessed by an observer. Get an affidavit from the store if no FWP official is present. -Measure the length. -Contact the nearest FWP office to have the fish positively identified and to determine if it is a state record. Fill out the Fish Record Form and send it to: Beth Giddings Fisheries Division Montana Fish, Wildlife & Park PO Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701
T
he Billings Pikemasters club held their 11th annual tournament at Rock Creek Marina, at Fort Peck on June 25-26. The total purse for this event was $7,500.00 with an entry fee of $100.00 per boat. The club retains 20 % of the entrance fee for their effort in coordinating the tournament. The top six teams receive 80 % of the money. The club promotes catch and release using barbless hooks. The lucky winners of this years tournament in 1st place were father and son, Scott and Mark Lindell with 61.40 pounds. Mark Lindell was all smiles as he had never won any fishing contest before.
14 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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AUGUST 2011
Say Hello To Success: Where to chase the Fish this Month Brought to you by
bite. Trolling wedding rings or spoons that run fairly shallow are a good bet.
Paul with monster rainbow trout estimated at 31 inches and 14+ pounds, catch & release. Rob Marshall
“Fish on!”, that’s what Montana anglers will be shouting with regularity here in August. Warming trends have stabilized most of the waters in our area. Lots of bugs in the air and hungry fish means excellent fishing throughout the rest of this summer. Throwing your favorite hopper patterns closest to the bank in most streams will get the trout to rise and fight like crazy. There will be plenty of great fishing all around Montana in August. Let’s take a look at a few to consider:
KOOTENAI RIVER This river does not get much press, however, the people that do fish the “Koot” know it produces some astonishing summer time fishing. Again, throwing hoppers on this river will produce big rainbows that fight hard. A Bullet Head hopper with a nymph dropper is a combo to try along with the usual Caddis and May fly patterns.
SEELEY & SALMON LAKES
Though not at their prime during August, don’t overlook these waters. Some descent size pike are looking for a meal here. Get out early on these lakes. Husky jerks, spinner baits and weedless spoons work well here. Fly fishing along the weed edges also produce good numbers.
FLATHEAD LAKE
ROCK CREEK
Probably the most popular stream in Western Montana, and with good reason. Rock Creek will again be hot this month. Water flows will stabilize and clear making for the best fishing so far this year. A variety of flies will get the job done here. Yellow Simulators work well. A small Nymph Dropper tied to a larger fly will get the attention of hungry trout. Try a size 16 x Caddis or a smaller Parachute Adams.
BITTERROOT RIVER
Fishing with grasshopper imitations through early September on the ‘Root will get fish to bite here. Fish along shorelines and undercut banks for good results. Hopper pattern size 2 to 8 work best. March Browns Quigley Cripple and the Green Drake are effective this time of year. Check Bob Ward & Sons in Hamilton for updates and all of the gear you might need.
GEORGETOWN LAKE
A fly rod is a good choice here in August with the Damselfly hatch. The Traveling Sedge, a large Caddis Fly that emerges right at dusk will also work well. Trout will attack these low flying bugs with a vengence right before the evening sets. Fish large #8 colored patters and you will get fish to
The big draw for August on the Flathead is the Lake Whitefish bite. Lake Whitefish run larger than their river counterparts. 5 or 6 lb. fish will be caught on a regular basis here. Whitefish move out of the deep water in large numbers and gather in shallow bays to gorge off perch fry. The fishing can be fast and furious at times. Elmo and Big Arm bays are good bets in about 50’ of water, jig with a green colored 1/4 or 3/8 spoon. A Kastmaster, Rattle D Zaster or a Buckshot spoon are effective. Other lures to try would be the tube jigs, Git Zits and Whitefish flies.
HEGBEN LAKE
Bugs everywhere on the lake this month. Callibaetis mayflies and huge emergences of tricos will be in the water. The fish will be gorging themselves with bugs. Get on the water early and stay late if you can and you will catch fish. Crippled callibaetis imitations work well along with spent trico spinners.
NOXON RESERVOIR Things are finally starting to clear up on the Noxon Reservoir. High water and debris in the water made for some tough fishing during the spring. With some of the best bass and pike fishing in the state, in my opinion, Noxon should offer some incredible fishing in August. Hungry smallmouth and largemouth bass will be early morning targets. Use crank baits, spinner baits, soft plastic worms and try twitching jerk baits in green, white and chartreuse colors. Last May, the state record largemouth bass was caught in the Noxon Rapids, a 22.5” 8.8 lb giant. Angler Darin Williams reeled him in. Target northern pike in weedy inlets in 8 to 12’ of water. The usual crank baits work well. Try a perch colored Rapala, Husky Jerk - size 14.
YELLOWSTONE PARK The late summer and early fall are some of the best fishing here. The scenery is second to none, and the fishing can be fantastic. Slough Creek and Lamar River will hold native yellowstone cutthroat trout. Hoppers, ants, beetles, and morman crickets as well as late Green Drake activity will keep the trout active. All of the SW Montana rivers will be hot fishing.
UPPER MADISON Count on this river for some fantastic dry fly fishing. Hoppers, beetles, ants, trudes, and Green Drake Wuiff’s all work to catch the fish here. A small bead head dropper off the back of a hopper are deadly. The trout wait for bugs to fall into the water then attack. Spruce moth imitations are also a good bet.
YELLOWSTONE RIVER The late summer can be a fabulous time to be on the Yellowstone. Again, hopper patterns area a safe bet. The lower stretches will give up some awesome trout. Although, typically not as active here, you can catch some huge trout on this stretch.
CANYON FERRY
Walleye and trout are on the top of the food chain here. Fishing at around 10 to 20’ of water for both will produce good numbers of fish. The water is up, the mosquitoes are everywhere and with the water levels so high this summer, August should produce a few 13 plus pound Walleye. 1/2 and 3/8 oz jigs will work well. Trolling with Rapalas, bottom bouncing, and slow death rigs work well behind small lindy weights at slow speeds. Fish that hang at the 30 to 40’ range will be caught on down riggers, deep crank baits and vertical jigging.
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HOLTER LAKE
Plenty of good trout fishing here. Look for the fish to be schooled up a bit with all the boats on the water this time of the year. Vertical jigging and crank baits off the banks and shoreline structures will catch fish early in the morning. Trolling with perch colored crank baits along the shorelines, along with blue colors should produce fish. If you have never fished on Holter, Canyon Ferry or Hauser, and you would like a guide, we recommend Forrest Fawthrop from Walleye Hunter Guide Service.
HAUSER LAKE Fish Hauser early in the morning for best results. Smaller walleye are still being caught with a few reports of bigger fish. Good trout fishing will continue on the lake in August. Troll deep crank baits and spoons. Water temps are very good for fishing Hauser and the Causeway area.
FORT PECK After fishing Ft. Peck in late June, I can tell you the reservoir is still very high. Fishing for pike, walleye, trout and bass will pick-up as the days move along. We were able to fish out of Rock Creek Marina and had a blast. Bass fishing is picking up on these waters, and some big walleye have been caught recently. Scott Lindell and his son Mark ended up winning the 11th Annual Pike Master Tournament. 23 teams entered this year, and it was a lot of fun. Give Bill Hinrich at Rock Creek Marina a call at 406-485-2560 for some of the best all around fishing Montana has to offer. Things should be drying up a bit over on Ft. Peck and the fishing will be amazing this summer and into the fall. Enjoy some summertime fishing, and stay safe!
RICK HAGGERTY WITH HIS NORTHERN PIKE TAKEN AT FORT PECK
Summertime Pike BY RICK HAGGERTY If windy conditions come on, look for the N orthern Pike are ambush predators. Pike to find offshore weed beds where They love to hang in the weeds and wait water is a bit calmer. for their prey to swim by and then pounce. During the summer, Pike hold in deep water at night them move towards shore as daylight begins, reaching the shallowest water at twilight. They will also spend as much as a third of their day in motion. Larger Pike prefer depths normally between the 7 to 15 foot range, on the edge of weeds, depending on the sunlight and temperature. Look for deep weed lines along the shores for Pike.
Once the conditions change to a calming pattern, move back to the grassy areas near shore. With all the water levels so high this year, August, September and October will be fabulous for big Northerns. Crankbaits, floating plugs, jigs with trailers along weedy drop-offs will produce fish. So, if you’re thinking it gets too hot to fish in August, think again. These fish will be hungry and ready for a fight!
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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AUGUST 2011
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
Selkirk Fishing And Camping On The Musselshell River MFWP T he Selkirk Fishing Access Site is located on the
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FWP Commission Will Not Hear Proposed Motorized Boating Regs In August For Clark Fork And Bitterroot Rivers MFWP
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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks received for a proposal to modify boating regulations on several stretches of river near Missoula, the proposal will not be presented to the FWP Commission for decision in August as originally planned. FWP says that it had received hundreds of comments on the proposal when the 30-day comment period ended on June 27. This will require more time to read the comments and consider alternatives than originally planned. Department staff will begin analyzing the comments this month, and they will be part of the package presented to the FWP Commission for their consideration.
The Commission meets monthly, and FWP will make an announcement when it has chosen a new date to present the proposal. The changes were proposed to address public safety concerns and social conflicts on the Clark Fork and Bitterroot Rivers in the Missoula vicinity and a few outdated regulations pertaining to the Milltown area. The proposal calls for retaining some motorized opportunities on these affected stretches of river while restricting use in areas where the most concerns exist. A public meeting was held June 16 in Missoula and a public comment period ran from May 26-June 27. For questions, please call the Missoula FWP office at 406-542-5500.
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18 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Block Management Lands - How To Gain Access MFWP Get a Guide Each FWP administrative region annually publishes a Hunting Access Guide, available beginning August 15, which summarizes the current year’s block management opportunities available to you.
Some BMAs may be ‘walk-in areas’ or ranches that require you to sign-in at a self-administered roster before entry. Other BMAs may not require written permission, but require the hunter to possess a current BMA map depicting BMA rules.
Choose Your Area Using the guide, determine which block management opportunities in the area you wish to hunt fit in best with your hunting methods and style. Then contact the appropriate regional office to obtain detailed maps and regulations for those block management areas (BMAs) that interest you.
Follow the Rules Each BMA has its own rules agreed upon by the landowner(s) and FWP regional personnel. Be sure to read, understand and follow the rules for the BMA you plan to hunt. Ethical behavior afield, in following rules for such things as obtaining permission, vehicle restrictions, game retrieval, hunting area boundaries, camping, etc., will help assure future access to private lands.
Get Permission In many instances, you will be required to contact a landowner, ranch worker, or FWP employee to obtain written permission. To do so, follow the directions outlined on the BMA maps provided by the region. You may be required to phone for reservations or pick up a permission slip at certain times. If times are not specified, use common sense and phone or stop by during reasonable hours. If you are calling to reserve a date, reservations cannot be taken until August 15.
Look for block management signs on site, and abide by the instructions conveyed. Generally green signs mean hunting behind the sign is allowed with certain restrictions. These may include hunting by written permission only, signing a roster before entry, vehicles on established roads only, etc. Orange signs are used for areas closed to hunting or motorized travel, such as for safety zones (residence and livestock areas), no shooting zones, or road closures.
Deadline For Mountain Lion Hunters Is August 31MFWP The deadline is Aug. 31 to purchase a mountain lion hunting license for the general season, or to apply for the special limited-entry license drawing. Mountain lion hunters may either choose to apply for a special license available through the drawing that is valid only in certain hunting districts—or they may purchase a general mountain lion license.
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AUGUST 2011
Recommendations To Reduce Potential Exposure To Lead In Game Meat Harvested With Lead Ammunition CDW
T
he Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Division of Wildlife provide these recommendations to minimize exposure to lead in wild game:
• Because lead fragments cannot be eliminated with complete certainty, pregnant women and children younger than 6 years of age should avoid eating Hunters cannot do both. Mountain lion meat from any game animals harvested hunting in most Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1 and 2 hunting districts will with lead bullets. These groups are more sensitive to the health effects of be only by special mountain lion licenses. lead, and ingesting even small amounts A general mountain lion license purchased may be harmful. Lead can affect the over the counter after Aug. 31 may be development of infants and young obtained only at an FWP office or online at fwp.mt.gov under Online Services. Lion children when present at levels well below those that would cause any licenses purchased after Aug. 31 may not noticeable signs of illness in a child. be used until five days after the license is issued. •Hunters can eliminate lead in their game meat by using lead-free bullets. Mountain lion hunters can apply for a special license at fwp.mt.gov under Online •When processing an animal, liberally Service, or they may apply at regional FWP trim and discard meat damaged by the bullet and an expanded area around the offices. Those who prefer to apply by mail (continued on page 26) can go to the FWP website.
AUGUST 2011
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
• 19
Nothing Short Of
Prime Ground This buck watered in the river bottom below but knew the area wasn’t safe so he would bed down during the day in the secluded bluffs above the stream. If the weather was warm he would bed in a shady draw - if it was cold he would bed down in a sunny area of a draw evade detection because there were no roads through the area. A hunter would have to walk across country to encounter the buck. We initially spotted him on the sunny side of a draw on a cold morning while glassing from the river bottom.
BY S. L. MERRIAM
If you are a career hunter I believe that you must always look for the next
“honey hole” or as we say in the west that “Home on the Range.” This can be a lifetime search and along the way you continue to find honey holes and hunt them until you find another. In my case that doesn’t mean just hunting Montana for deer each year. I try to add a new state to my list in search of honey holes and expand my hunting horizons each year.
Hunter Management Program, BLM and National Forest areas give you the names of other public access areas that are used as state and federal trusts. I’ve found that the more difficult the route to get to a hunting area means that you’ll have less competition when you get there. It’s worth it in the long run and all of the research can be done from home. If you are web page oriented use it and learn all about the state’s resources and public lands.
I focus on do-it-yourself (DIY) hunts on public land as well as private land, semi-guided and guided hunts if the price is right and the trophy quality of the animals in the area is good. Non-residents can expect to pay nearly five times what residents pay for a tag, but that tag allows the hunter to hunt mule deer twice per year instead of one season in Montana.
You’ll have hundreds of thousands of acres to consider because simply put the east side of Wyoming is private land and the west side is public land. Of course it isn’t that cut and dried which is why research is the vital key. During your first year get better acquainted with areas by applying for a doe tag. They are easy to draw and if the WG&F is giving out doe tags it means the area is over populated with deer and they want to reduce the number of deer in the area or they’re keeping the deer population in check to prevent over population. It gives you more opportunities to access private land and scout the area. Many land owners charge for hunting bucks but they allow hunters to take a doe with no charge or for a small fee. Doe licenses are always under $100 in most states so you can fill your freezer without paying for the costly non-resident buck license.
The Search is On Begin your search with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and find out if any of the special programs, walk in properties, walk-in hunting areas, Wildlife Habitat Enhancement, Hunter/Landowner Assistance Programs, the Access Yes Program,
Where the Rubber Meets the Road You have to drive there, see the land and learn what type of habitat exists for deer. This can be a special preseason scouting trip or by arriving in the area a few days early to locate where you want to hunt in the game management unit. Like most animals, (continued on page 42)
I’ve been hunting Montana all my life because I’m a resident. I also favor areas of Wyoming and Idaho. I don’t look for places to hunt in North Dakota because their application and draw system for non-resident hunters is like eastern South Dakota. Non-residents have virtually no chance to draw a tag to hunt during the rifle season. That leaves archery or muzzle loader season for non-residents, and I’m a rifle hunter.
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“The bush country is empty because all the birds are having a party on the prairies,” he says.”
Prairie Breeding Grounds Soaked, Duck Population at All-time High (continued from page 7) The Canadian prairies got drenched this year and, accordingly, attracted significantly more ducks than last year: Alberta saw a 60 percent jump in pond numbers and 66 percent more ducks, Manitoba was 72 percent wetter with 41 percent more ducks and Saskatchewan’s pond count rose 18 percent and attracted 56 percent more ducks.
teal for each region and divided them by the pond counts to get a pairs-per-pond figure,” he says.
Olson was quick to point out that wet conditions don’t create more ducks, they just attract birds that on dry years would settle elsewhere. “The bush country is empty because all the birds are having a party on the prairies,” he says.
Rohwer’s calculations explain why flooding isn’t the only reason for long faces on the breeding grounds: Waterfowl managers are increasingly concerned about the long-term ability of the U.S. prairies to produce ducks in light of budget cuts being considered by Congress. If approved, those cuts could put CRP and numerous other conservation programs responsible for this year’s eye-popping numbers at risk.
Species reaching all-time highs include blue-winged teal at a whopping 8.9 million, northern shovelers at 4.6 million and redheads with 1.4 million. Mallards improved to 9.2 million; pintails jumped to 4.4 million, the highest level since 1980; gadwalls rose to 3.3 million; canvasbacks climbed to 692,000, and scaup improved slightly to 4.3 million. Dr. Frank Rohwer, Delta Waterfowl’s scientific director, says the uninterrupted wet cycle that began in the U.S. in 1994 is only part of the reason ducks numbers have skyrocketed in recent years, citing millions of acres of dense nesting cover provided by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and an outbreak of mange that has kept fox numbers in check as other important factors. “The eastern Dakotas have become the Mecca for prairie ducks,” says Rohwer, a Louisiana State University professor who admits he’s excited about the coming hunting season. “Pintails have reversed their long-term decline, driven largely by very high counts in the eastern Dakotas. Blue-winged teal are off the charts--yikes. Shovelers are at an all-time high and gadwalls and mallards are up.”
COURTESY DELTA WATERFOWL
To demonstrate his point about productivity in the U.S., Dr. Rohwer did some back-of-the-envelope calculations based on the survey results. “I added up the number of mallards, gadwalls and blue-winged
“The eastern Dakotas had 3.7 pairs per pond, while southern Saskatchewan had just 1.78. Southern Manitoba and Alberta were slightly lower than Saskatchewan.”
“Mother Nature has dealt the pothole region a winning hand with all this water,” says Delta Senior Vice President John Devney. “When the prairies get this wet, it sets off a chain reaction of positive outcomes--an abundance of small wetlands attracts more ducks to prime breeding areas, and those ducks are more inclined to re-nest and brood survival increases. Re-nesting is important because it offsets predation. “But the U.S. prairies won’t stay wet forever, and if we continue to lose CRP, native grasslands and wetlands, duck numbers could go down even faster and more dramatically than they’ve come up in recent years. Worse, without adequate nesting cover, populations will be slower to recover.” The importance of CRP on the U.S. side of the “duck factory” becomes more apparent with each passing breeding season. For the third year in a row, more pintails settled in the eastern Dakotas (1.5 million) than in prairie Saskatchewan (1.1 million). Pintail numbers in the eastern Dakotas were a whopping 209 percent higher than average. (continued on page 26)
AUGUST 2011
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Experience Finally
Pays Off!
It may be said with a bow there is a lot of learning involved. Lamaier found that there is a light at the end of the tunnel of learning; you must just keep walking (learning) to get there.
P ete Lamaier is a fire fighter by trade and a whitetail archer by choice. He has devoted 30 seasons to hunting whitetail deer with a bow. In the beginning, he was thrilled to shoot a doe and enjoyed the nervous anticipation before and after each shot and the adrenalin rush that came with the experience. As the years went by he wanted to shoot large bucks with antlers estimated to measure over 130”. Along the way, he learned where to place a tree stand, how to still hunt and perfected his accuracy with a bow. Lamaier hunted on Montana’s eastern plains adjacent to cultivated crops, in the cover that whitetail in the east have for miles in every direct. In Montana a sharp archer can use these islands of cover to get between feed and bedding areas. The land surrounding him was covered with CRP along with stands of hardwood trees that the deer used as cover as they walked through the CRP. Lamaier discovered that the deer in the area beaded in an overgrown river bottom “jungle “patch. He set up a tree stand in one of the cottonwood trees where three trails between the low corner of the corn field and the deer’s bedding area in the Jungle. Lamaier had put up his stand and departed the area trying to leave as little scent as possible. With the long bow season he would only hunt morning or afternoon about once every 3 days. On the afternoon hunt, he set out a deer decoy climbed into his tree stand. A number of does came by and one six by 6 whitetail buck trailing behind them in a pre-rut procession. Lamaier set his sights on a 4x4 buck so he watched as groups of deer merged from different trails below him. The next afternoon hunt the heat began to fade away as the sun got weaker, and the deer started moving. He saw the same deer that he saw the previous days, and they all used the same trails. He saw a pattern developing as a herd of six does came walked out along the tree line. They stopped twice and looked behind them then continued traveling to the corn field. The does showed a lot of interest in some thing behind them. Lamaier adrenaline
BY DAVE PRICE began to seep into his veins, he knew there was something or some on in the cover behind them. Then he saw a set of antlers out of the corner of his eye. He knew this was a shooter, and he also knew which trail the does were on and this buck was following them. He couldn’t move for fear of spooking the monster as the buck walked behind a cottonwood tree. Lamaier drew his Bowtech General and waited for the buck to clear the trees. He was ready to launch his Carbon Express arrow that was tipped with a Slick Trick 100-grain broad head when the opportunity presented itself. His mind was on all of the things that can go wrong when presented the shot of a lifetime, and he tried to concentrate on staying still, while the high octane adrenaline raced through his veins. He tried to ignore the sudden strength and focused on a spot in the trail that was open enough for a clear shot. He rechecked the distance at 22 yards and set his 20 yard pin on the spot where he expected the buck to emerge. As the buck stepped into the zone Lamaier grunted, like they do in the east where whitetail is king and the buck stopped and he triggered his release sending his arrow on its way. The arrow hit the deer and sunk in up to the fletching and stopped without passing through the deer. He thought the shot may have been too far back on the quartering buck as the buck walked away with no sign of injury. The buck trotted out of range and slipped into the heavy river bottom cover. He watched the buck as the adrenaline overload hit and his hands and they started shaking. He noted which trail the buck was on when it slipped into the trees, and waited nervously in his stand for 30 minutes before he went for help. Lamaier and his friends searched until darkness fell then called it off until the next morning. In the morning they his huge buck lying dead along the trail. The buck had 13 points and measured 160”. All of his field experience, study came and anticipation came together - he had selected a good tree stand location at the intersection of three game trails, waited for the right buck to step out of the woods and made a perfect shot.
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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22 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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FWP Commission Approves Wolf Service Announces $650,000 In Funding To 10 Cities For Urban Conservation Hunt Season And Quotas MFWP Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Commission today approved a wolf hunting season for 2011 that creates 14 wolf management units and an overall harvest quota of 220 wolves. “The approved hunting season is very similar to the one considered last year,” said Ken McDonald, FWP’s chief of wildlife. “It’s based on wildlife science and we believe it’s properly balanced. Our management objective is very clear: we must maintain a viable and connected wolf population as we aim to reduce impacts on Montana’s wildlife and livestock. With the ability to manage wolves as we do all other wildlife in Montana we’re confident we can meet those expectations.” For the upcoming seasons, hunters will have the opportunity to hunt for 220 wolves in 14 WMUs that are generally situated in the western portion of Montana. A new WMU in the Bitterroot Valley was added to an area where wolves appear to be contributing to a significant drop in the elk population. Commissioners had approved a harvest quota of 186 wolves across 13 wolf management units for the 2010 season, which was blocked by a federal court. Montana’s first and only regulated wolf hunt took place in 2009 when 72 wolves were taken by hunters, three fewer than the established quota. “We learned from the 2009 hunt that there was a need to be more surgical in directing the wolf harvest toward areas where elk, deer and livestock depredations are an issue,” McDonald explained. “So we made adjustments and developed smaller-sized wolf management units each with their own quota.” In addition, the commission approved
specific quotas or subquotas in three areas aimed at limiting harvest during earlyseason backcountry hunts, including the area directly north of Yellowstone National Park. A motion to add two areas directly north of Yellowstone National Park to the three-wolf subquota for WMU 390 was also approved by the commission. The areas encompass deer and elk hunting districts 313 and 316. Also approved was a wolf archery season, which will run Sept. 3 through Oct. 16. Those dates coincide with Montana’s deer and elk archery seasons. McDonald said a harvest quota of 220 is projected to reduce the wolf population to a minimum of 425 wolves, or by about 25 percent. These projections include anticipated reductions due to livestock depredation and mortalities from other events, like accidents and natural causes. “As wildlife managers, we have an exceptional Montana-based wolf conservation and management plan to guide us and we’re continuing to learn from practical experience,” McDonald said. “We’ll learn more this season and we’ll apply what we learn to ensure that Montana maintains a balance among all wildlife, their habitats and the people who live, work, and recreate here.” Wildlife officials documented that a minimum of 566 wolves, in 108 verified packs, and 35 breeding pairs inhabited the state at the end of 2010. The congressional measure passed this spring that removed gray wolves from the list of endangered species in Montana, Idaho, and parts Oregon, Washington and Utah was challenged in federal district court in Missoula in May. A final court ruling hasn’t been issued. To learn more about Montana’s wolf population, visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov. Click “Montana Wolves”.
Treaty For Migratory Birds Including Lewistown USFWS
T
he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that 10 U.S. cities will receive $650,000 in funding as part of the Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds (Urban Bird Treaty) grant program. The Urban Bird Treaty program, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), brings together private citizens, as well as federal, state, and municipal agencies and non-governmental organizations to conserve migratory birds through education programs, participation in citizen science, conservation and habitat improvement strategies, and reducing hazards to birds in urban/suburban areas. “For the vast majority of people, birds represent their most frequent contact with wildlife. Birds are a valuable resource, contributing aesthetically, culturally, scientifically, and economically to America’s citizens. By taking steps to conserve birds and their habitat, we can also make our communities better places to live,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “This program not only promotes actions that connect people and nature, but it also increases awareness and encourages youth to get involved in learning about birds and the role they play in our environment and urban settings.” The cities of Phoenix, Arizona; Kennedale, Texas; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; Indianapolis, Indiana; Opelika, Alabama; Hartford, Connecticut; Ogden, Utah; Lewistown, Montana; San Francisco, California; and Washington D.C. have been named new Urban Bird Treaty Cities. These cities each will receive a challenge grant of up to a $70,000 from the Service. In addition, each existing
Urban Bird Treaty city (Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Portland, Oregon; St. Louis, Missouri; Nashville Tennessee; Anchorage, Alaska; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and New York, New York) will receive a grant of $10,000.00. The Urban Bird Treaty cities and their partners develop and implement bird conservation projects and provide matching dollars and in-kind support. The Service provides the challenge grants and technical assistance. The cities and their partners also work to increase awareness of the value of migratory birds and their habitats, especially for their intrinsic, ecological, recreational, and economic significance. The wide variety of native birds thriving in urban areas underscores the importance of these urban/suburban habitats to the survival of many bird populations. “Birds are a critical component of every ecosystem and serve as an excellent indicator of the overall health of the environment,” said Jerome Ford, the Service’s Assistant Director for Migratory Birds. “Creating green space in urban environments, landscaping with native plants in backyards and parks, adopting architecture and lighting systems that reduce collisions and keeping pets indoors can provide great benefits to birds, while also creating more livable communities.” The Urban Conservation Treaty Program started in 1999. New Urban Bird Treaty cities are joining a program with already more than 200 partners in nine cities committed to conserving, protecting and restoring habitat, and educating urban residents on the importance of migratory birds.
AUGUST 2011
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Hunting And Conservation News
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FWP Appoints Elk Archery Working Group Members MFWP
M
ontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks announced the appointment of 10 individuals who will serve on a working group charged with reaching consensus on objectives and possible recommendations for elk archery hunting regulation alternatives. The FWP Commission represents the final decision authority for hunting regulations. The working group will lead an effort to examine effective elk management and elk archery regulations in several north-central Montana hunting districts. The area includes most of the Missouri Breaks. Twenty-two other elk hunting districts are also included.
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Deadline To Purchase Black Bear Hunting License Nears MFWP T he deadline for hunters to pre-purchase licenses for the fall black bear hunting
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season is August 31. A black bear hunting license may be purchased after August 31 at a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks office or on the Internet licensing site at http://fwp.mt.gov/, under Online Services, but it may not be used until five days after the license is issued. The black bear archery season opens September 3 and the general black bear hunting season opens September 15.
In forming the working group, FWP called for nominations by individuals willing to support a model of conservation that incorporates different stakeholder values and results in effective elk management. Working group members will attend to crowding, equity, consistency, effective population management and other issues of concern.
Black bear hunters must have successfully completed FWP’s Black Bear Identification Test and must present a certificate of completion when purchasing a black bear license. The training and test are available online at fwp.mt.gov under Education, click on Hunter Education. A paper version of the test may be obtained at FWP offices or license providers.
Working group members were appointed by FWP Director Joe Maurier in consultation with the FWP Commission. Appointed members will be expected to participate in at least four facilitated meetings through October. The individual meetings are open for the public to observe but are dedicated to the work group’s efforts and will not include public comment. Public comment will be entertained as the Commission considers recommendations during the biennial season setting process. For additional information, call Quentin Kujala at 406444-5672.
DELISTWOLVES.ORG LEARN MORE Unchecked wolf populations continue to
disperse into larger territories. Considering the extremes of ecological diversity across the lower 48 states, we believe management is best done on the state level. Federal listing is too uncompromising to meet the needs and demands of local situations. Our mission is to expand public awareness of this danger to all using or living near the public lands of the United States and demonstrate the increasing danger to private land use and ownership.
MDF Sells Coveted Hunting Tags To Raise Millions For Conservation MULE DEER FOUNDATION
T
he Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) sold 129 state auction and raffle hunting tags for a record $1.94 million in 2011. Over the last five years, MDF has raised over $8.4 million for conservation through the sale of these tags. MDF, in partnership with eleven different state wildlife agencies, the Jicarilla Tribe and the San Carlos Apache Tribe, sold big game hunting tags to raise funds for the management of mule deer, black-tailed deer, elk, bison, antelope, turkey and other game species. Over 93 percent of the money goes back to the state wildlife agencies for management programs or is spent directly on habitat projects. These tags are highly prized by big game hunters. A Utah Antelope Island mule deer tag was auctioned for an all-time high of $265,000, and an Antelope Island California bighorn sheep tag sold for $50,000. This will be the first mule deer hunt on the Island in over 30 years, and the bighorn sheep hunt will be the first one ever on Antelope Island.
Other milestones this year included the Arizona statewide mule deer tag which sold for $200,000 and the Nevada Heritage deer tag which brought in $80,000. Also, the New Mexico Big Game Enhancement Package sold for $105,000. This package included hunting tags for a mule deer, elk, oryx, antelope and ibex. The tags were sold at a number of MDF’s regional banquet events and at the MDF National Convention, which is held in conjunction with the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo (WHCE). The 2012 auction and raffle tags will be available at MDF fundraising events beginning in November of this year. If you are interested in bidding on a tag or buying a raffle ticket, log on to www.muledeer.org for event dates and locations. The Web site is updated frequently, so check back often to find a fundraising event near you. Many of the higher valued tags will be offered at MDF’s National Convention during the WHCE in Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 9-12, 2012.
24 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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A Big Buck in the Background and spotter Jake Butler accompanied W hen a dad started his young the lucky tag holder. daughter hunting, she enjoyed success on birds, small game, and turkeys. Growing up Jennifer Huff continued to hunt and enjoy fall’s outdoor adventures. On the morning of her 31st birthday Jennifer was enjoying another adventure while carrying a rifle in the San Juan, Elk Ridge area of Utah on a quest for big mule deer. Even though she had accumulated only two preference points when she drew the tag, while others had six or eight, the gods running electrons through the State’s computer system that controlled the random draw in Utah’s license lottery definitely smiled on her. That electronic smile provided the tag she had dreamed about for quite a while.
Jennifer was carrying her favorite .270, a gun she was confident and comfortable with and shot very well. Because of the area’s thick pinion pine cover this was one of the few places in the west where glassing is not as effective as spot and stalk hunting. Walking ridges and covering as much prime deer territory as possible was the key to success so Doyle had sent Jake along as spotter. Jake had split from the group to look for big bucks in the next ravine then would meet them at camp during mid-day to discuss his findings, and develop a plan of action.
As the morning wound down, a heavy fog drifted across the country severely limiting visibility. The fog was soon Jennifer had grown up in Utah next followed by a heavy, early season door to Doyle Moss, Owner of snowstorm forcing the deer into cover Mossback Outfitters and Videos. It was fitting that she chose Doyle as the where they would be out of the storm. outfitter of this trip. This made the trip With visibility and travel limited by the into a reunion with the girl-next-door. snow the group conceded defeat and The hunt started out in the dark on a headed back to the truck. They had seen a number of big bucks before the cold October morning and her husstorm (continued on page 46) band Scott, guide Burdett Shumway,
AUGUST 2011
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t’s hard to believe but fall is just around the corner. If your fall hunting plans include any type of long range shooting - whether it be a western hunt for elk, antelope or mule deer, or even an eastern hunt over large food plots - you’ll want to be prepared. The following are a few tips to get you aimed in the right direction. 1) Choose a flat-shooting caliber - Flatter shooting calibers reduce the need for proper range estimation and the margin of error associated with mis-judging distance. While the venerable 30-06 and 30-30 have probably accounted for the deaths of more deer than all other calibers combined, they’re not the best choice for longer shots. Better choices for larger game like bear and elk might be the .300 Win Mag, or something with similar ballistics. For mid-sized game like whitetails any of the short mags, .300, .270, would be a good option. For smaller game like antelope or even southern thinner skinned you could even drop down to a .243. Larger varmints and predators call for something akin to the 22-250 or the 220 Swift, while 17 rimfires are ideal for smaller varmints. 2) Zero at 200 - Without getting too technical, there are some distinct advantages to sighting in your rifle so it is dead-on at 200 yards, rather than the conventional 100 yards. Inside 200, your point of impact will be a little high, but should still be less than two inches above your point of aim, which is barely noticeable in a hunting situation. The real payoff comes at the other end, where you may only be four to six inches low out to at least 300 yards, and in many cases a foot to 18 inches low all the way out to 400. Figures will vary with the particular calibers and loads you select. 3) Use good optics - This applies to both your target identification and target acquisition optics. You’ll need binoculars and/or a spotting scope to locate, identify and possibly field judge your quarry. Never point your firearm at anything you cannot identify and do not intend to shoot at. Once you have properly identified your target, you can aim and fire. The biggest difference between cheap optics and good ones is the quality of glass used. Under average conditions you may not notice the difference. However, under challenging conditions such as heat haze and low light you will really appreciate it, especially at longer distances. 4) Use a solid rest - Any type of movement will be exaggerated at longer ranges. A solid rest will provide you with a more steady aim, and more accurate shot. Options include shooting sticks, and mono-, bi- and tripods. Which you choose will depend on several variables, including hunting conditions and personal preference. A shorter, detachable bipod may be fine for something like antelope hunting on open plains. In areas with taller vegetation, you may want a taller shooting stick that will allow you to shoot from a standing position. Even in a shooting house you should use some type of padded rest to stabilize your gun. 5) Practice - This last tip should go without saying. When shooting, make sure you have a safe backdrop and always be aware of your target and what lies beyond. Last but not least, always wear proper eye and ear protection when target shooting.
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26 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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AUGUST 2011
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Recommendations To Reduce Potential Exposure To Lead In Game Meat Harvested With Lead Ammunition (continued from page 18)
bullet channel(s) because lead fragments may scatter some distance from the visible bullet wound. Discard any meat that is bruised, discolored, or contains hair, dirt, grass, visible bone or lead fragments. •Because lead is a soft metal, it can be ground along with the meat, spreading lead contamination through an entire batch of ground meat. In recent studies, lead has been found more often in ground meat than in whole meat cuts. To minimize the amount of processed game meat potentially contaminated with lead, clean the grinder frequently, preferably between each animal. Ask your commercial processor to process your animal individually to avoid cross-contamination from batching multiple animals.
Even Separately, Still Hunting Together (continued from page 6)
back by where we had parked, there were more antelope on the state land. Even though it was getting close to sunset, Jason and Tracy decided to try a quick sneak to see if they could get close enough for a shot. Sure enough they did, and Tracy got an antelope – her first buck. In the end, Jason and Devon were not successful in filling their tags and the four of us never did actually hunt together. However, we did share a great experience and were together even though it was only for a few hours after the hunt. What made this hunt unique was the surprise factor of Tracy and me shooting our antelope within a couple of hundred yards of each other, which made for a great story to tell our families. Devon and I will continue to look forward to future hunts with our family and friends, and hope they are always as successful as this one.
Breeding Waterfowl Habitat Conditions (assessed by USFWS pilot biologists during waterfowl surveys in May and June)
Prairie Breeding Grounds Soaked, Duck Population at All-time High
(continued from page 20)
Blue-winged teal numbers were knock-your-socks-off good. The 8.9 million blue-wings were the most ever, and 61 percent of those ducks set up housekeeping on the U.S. side of the region--179 percent more than the norm. Redheads have also taken advantage of nesting conditions in the U.S. The 1.4 million breeders recorded this year set yet another record, and 654,000 of them--241 percent more than average--settled in the U.S. Northern shovelers also set a record at 4.6 million, 98 percent higher than the long-term average. Shoveler numbers actually dropped across the eastern Dakotas, but rose dramatically in the prairie provinces and the western Dakotas.
The mallard breeding population rose less than some observers expected to a very respectable 9.2 million, with 3.4 million of those in the U.S. Surveyors counted 18 percent more canvasbacks than a year ago, gadwalls were the third highest ever and scaup climbed to the highest level since 1999, which is still 15 percent below average. Species of concern are the American wigeon, which fell 14 percent from last year to 2.1 million and is now 20 percent below average, and green-winged teal, off 17 percent to 2.9 million but still 47 percent higher than average. “High duck numbers bode well for good production and a strong fall flight,” Devney says.
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Fight To The End Montana Muleys in the Back Country What they don’t know you know can lead up to their last day. A Montana archery hunter, Tony Folcey, has scouted the local deer long enough to identify three different genetic traits that show up in the antlers. Making frequent, ‘Bed Checks’ to identify specific bedding areas, Folcey sets up on a wide antlered buck tending a group of does. When the does lead the big buck to within seven yards, the shot is easy but the buck’s reaction to the arrow illustrates the tenacity of a rutting mule deer when he runs off a smaller buck before succumbing to a fatal wound. BY TONY FOLCEY AND S. L. MERRIAM
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ontana’s archery season isn’t scheduled for the rut, but the back country general season is. Tony Folcey, half hunter and half mule deer biologist, with a craving to find out what makes mule deer tick had easy access to the back country and almost never sees another hunter. Even though I did wear a patterned blaze orange vest and even a camo blaze orange hat when bow hunting during that season. It does put me in a place that is extremely void of hunters. As a archer I am in much thicker cover than a general hunter, in fact the gun hunter would tend to walk around these area because they are so thick. He would lose the advantage of having a rifle if they could only see 20-40 yards in this jungle. The November season allows me to hunt big bucks where they hide during daylight hours even during the rut. Last fall, as the rut was approaching, which is normally early to mid November until the end of the season. Folcey had been watching a wide antlered buck use the evergreens that runs below his favorite place to glass from like a house dog running the backyard fence line. A great place and way to pattern the buck before hunting him. His continuous observation of the local deer had provided knowledge of their genealogy to the point where Folcey had isolated three different sets of dominant genes. One set provided a wide set of main beams before many points would occur. The second would grow tall beams before adding points while the third set, which was not as common, provided a gene that created palmated antlers. While watching the deer year around he learned that each genetic based group had a favorite territory where they would spend most of their time. After numerous observations provided well-defined boundaries for each gene family, Folcey could put up a stand that would be in any specific territory. As summer passed and the velvet
antlers turned hard, Folcey selected a specific buck to hunt; one that demonstrated the wide beam gene rather than the tall beam like the one he had taken the year before. Continued observation had allowed him to learn the ins and outs of the buck’s bedding areas, the specific areas where it fed and best of all, the area where the buck could vanish when it was time to disappear. To fill out his data collection Folcey started a procedure he called “bed checks” during the previous winter that entailed keeping notes on where each deer bedded during the day. This provided insight into their daytime hangout; the location where all deer movement was centered during daylight hours. Having hunted the area for fifteen years, the first four with a rifle, he set up his stand so that all shots in the thick woods averaged just 20-yards. After the fourth year, an internal controversy developed while sitting in a stand. Folcey thought, “I can do better than this.” When his commitment to hunt exclusively with archery gear rather than a gun won the struggle, he put away the rifle and has been bow hunting ever since. Hunting in the middle of November when the rut was starting to heat up, he spotted the buck he called Old Timer, bedded with five does on a far hillside. He spotted them when the buck moved. The serenity of their afternoon was interrupted twice when a small four-point tried to enter the area, lured close by a doe approaching estrus. Each time the smaller buck got too close, the big buck got up and drove him off. Folcey’s’ bed check data revealed the deer would come his way to reach a feeding area once the afternoon sun faded. All he had to worry about was the four-point messing up the buck’s normal sequence. As the shadows grew longer a doe started down hill on the trail that would pass his stand at seven yards. The trail wasn’t completely visible
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from the stand as it dipped and twisted through areas of heavy cover but when visible, the doe was not making much ground. She was moving at a slow pace and would walk a short distance, stop and look behind, then resume walking. She MFWP was behaving as if waiting for someone. Folcey recognized her ontana’s fall hunting season officially action and felt his heart start to pound gets underway Monday, Aug. 15 with the as she moved closer, frequently opening of the special archery 900 antelope stopping to wait for her pursuer. season in many Montana hunting districts. As everything was falling into place To hunt antelope with a bow and arrow in he felt the wind change direction as a special August archery season, sportsmen it began to hit the back of his neck. His only advantage was the height of need to have drawn a special 900-series tag and bought a bow-and-arrow license. the stand that should keep his scent above her keen nose. In this thick Bow-and-arrow licenses are available at cove a tree stand or the equivalent is all Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices very important with the shifting winds and from license providers. To purchase a along with the close up and personal bow-and-arrow license, hunters must show confrontations. With the blaze orange that they either have held a bow and arrow requirement during that season all of license in the past or passed a bow-hunter those problems go out the window education class before Aug. 1. with height. In addition to see down The general archery season for antelope into the cover it is quite easy to see begins Saturday, Sept. 3. and understand what is happening and when to be ready for activity. His All hunting regulations and lists of season Browning bow was hanging close by and he grabbed it, poised to reach full opening and closing dates are available at license providers, FWP offices and online draw when (continued on page 32) at fwp.mt.gov.
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Rocky Mountain States until you’re as accurate as you can be.”
Fish And Game Proposes Wolf Hunting, Trapping Seasons F
ish and Game proposes a carefully regulated general hunting season with mandatory reporting requirements. The proposal would aim most harvest opportunities where wolf conflicts are the greatest. It includes a trapping season because hunters in the 2009-2010 season were not effective in reducing wolf populations in some areas. All wolf trapping would be conducted by licensed, trained trappers.
information on age, sex and harvest location.
Most big game species in Idaho are managed under general hunts. Fish and Game will manage wolves like other big game species, such as bears and lions, with harvest limits in certain areas. Hunters of black bears, mountain lions and wolves are all required to report harvest. Wolf hunters would all be required to report harvest within 72 hours and bring the hide and skull to a Fish and Game office where biologists collect
The proposed wolf season is consistent with the goals of the 2002 Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, which was approved by the Idaho Legislature and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To continue to meet federal recovery criteria, Idaho will manage for at least 15 breeding pairs and at least 150 wolves in mid-winter to ensure the population never falls below the minimum recovery level of 10 breeding pairs and 100 wolves.
Harvest limits are proposed in some areas where Fish and Game expects hunter success and agency control actions to be higher and to ensure Idaho wolf populations remain connected to wolves in other states. Fish and Game will monitor harvest and post results on the website. Seasons and areas can be closed if mortality is determined to be excessive.
that far away
All of the permits to hunt during Utah’s archery buck deer hunt have been taken. But archery elk permits, went on sale July 27, are unlimited in number, so there’s no problem getting one. “With unlimited archery elk permits available,” says Scott Root, “you should consider introducing yourself to archery hunting this fall.” In addition to serving as a conservation outreach manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources, Root is an avid archery hunter. “Archery hunting is
Hunting checklist Even after you’ve honed your shooting skills, you can still make mistakes. Many of those mistakes happen when hunters forget some of their equipment and try to make due without it. “Most hunters have left their release mechanism, their range finder or appropriate clothing at home at least once in their life,” Root says. “Almost any archer can share at least one frustrating story about leaving something at home.” Having an archery hunt checklist—a list that shows all of the items you need to take on your hunt—is the key to not leaving something at home. You can create your own list. Or you can get a head start by using one of the many checklists available on the Web.
Keep the bugs away Because Utah has received a lot of moisture this year, Root says you’ll probably encounter plenty of mosquitoes, biting deer flies and biting horse flies during the archery hunt. “Clothes that are designed to resist insects, or insect netting, are good options,” he says. “But they can be pricey.”
Utah’s archery elk and deer hunts aren’t Both hunts start in Utah on Aug. 20. That day might sound like it’s a long way off. But if you want to have a fun and successful hunt, you need to start preparing now.
Get written permission If you’d like to hunt on private property, don’t wait until a few days before the hunt starts to try to get written permission from the landowner. “Get that permission now,” Root says.
“To find a checklist,” Root says, “simply type ‘Archery Hunt Checklist’ in an online search engine such as Google.”
Preparing For Utah’s Archery Hunts It’s time to get ready for the archery elk and deer hunts.
Root says right now is a great time to start practicing for the August opener. “If and when a big game animal presents itself,” Root says, “you want to make sure you make an accurate shot.”
The right equipment and preparing weeks in advance are the key to a fun and successful archery hunt. Photo by Scott Root extremely enjoyable,” he says, “if you’re prepared.” Root provides some tips to help you prepare for this fall’s hunts: Shoot, shoot, shoot Similar to rifle hunting, you have to shoot accurately to take an animal during the archery hunt. But unlike a rifle hunter, an archer must use stealth and patience to sneak within at least 50 yards of their prized target. “Just like with golf,” Root says, “a lot of frustration can result if you haven’t honed your skills. You need to practice shooting
Learn the rules The 2011 Utah Big Game Field Regulation Guidebook is the place to go to learn the rules for Utah’s archery hunts. Equipment rules for the hunt (minimum pull of 40 pounds at the bow’s draw; arrows must be at least 20 inches long from the tip of the arrowhead to the tip of the nock, and must weigh at least 300 grains; and arrowheads must have two or more sharp-cutting edges that cannot pass through a 7/8-inch ring) are found on page 28 of the guidebook. Pages 9–14 also provide good information for archery deer and elk hunters. The free guidebook is available at wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks and from DWR offices and hunting license agents across Utah. Trail cameras, tree stands and ATVs If you want to learn more about the wildlife in your hunting area, placing a trail camera or two in the area is a great idea. But please remember that you may not place a camera on any national forest until one week before the hunt on that forest starts. This law has been in effect for two or three years. Ted Hendricks, recreation manager for the Uinta National Forest, says you don’t need to register your trail camera with the U.S. Forest Service at the present time. Tree stands are a popular tool for patient archery hunters. But please remember that you cannot build a permanent tree stand on a national forest. (Permanent tree stands damage trees. Trees often have to be removed after permanent stands have been built on them. There’s also the risk that someone who cuts into the tree with a chainsaw at a later time might be hurt by hidden nails and other hardware.)
Root says insect repellent may leave you with more odor than a stealthy hunter wants to have. “But this year,” he says, “smelling like bug spray might be worth it.”
Temporary tree stands—the type you climb up the tree with—are legal to use.
Caring for harvested game Warm to hot temperatures is another challenge archery hunters face. During the archery hunt in August, temperatures can climb into the 90s. Some hunters aren’t prepared to properly process a big game animal once they’ve taken it.
Archery hunting into December Even when the general archery elk hunts wrap up in September, archery hunting will continue on three different extended archery areas in Utah. The three areas are located along the Wasatch Front, in the Uintah Basin and in the Sanpete Valley.
“The meat needs to be taken care of quickly,” Root says, “or it will spoil.”
Archery hunting in these areas starts Aug. 20 and runs into December. To hunt any of the extended archery areas, you must complete the DWR’s Archery Ethics Course and then carry your certificate of completion with you while you’re hunting.
If you’re not sure how to clean game quickly, Root says websites such as YouTube have video clips that will teach you how to take care of harvested game quickly and properly.
Hendricks also reminds you that you may not take an all-terrain vehicle off-road to retrieve game.
AUGUST 2011
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The Endless Pursuit of Power and Economy H ere at Gomer’s Warehouse Distributing / USDieselParts.com,
we deal with customers every day that are looking for performance and fuel economy improvements for their diesel trucks. Most diesel truck owners are familiar with the basic performance products that are available such as electronic tuners, intake kits and exhaust systems. But what if you’re looking to step up to the next level? This is where some folks might get a little confused or intimidated by some of the products that are available. It’s really quite simple, so let’s talk about some of the products we show our customers every day right here in our shop.
Another often overlooked item in the high performance arsenal is the intercooler (or charge air cooler). When the turbocharger compresses the air, it also heats it up. Since cool air burns more efficiently than hot air, an intercooler is placed between the turbo and the inlet to cool that air back down before it enters the engine. An aftermarket intercooler is larger and will have more volume than the wimpy factory intercooler. This design helps your engines performance by offering less airflow restriction, and also by cooling the compressed air down significantly more than the factory setup can. This is particularly helpful for those that have made some performance modifications to their engine, but all engines can benefit.
If a performance turbo or intercooler isn’t in your budget right now, then you might take a look at some of the turborelated accessories that might be available for your truck. For example, aftermarket wastegates, compressor wheels and turbine housings can help squeeze some extra boost from your old turbo. Aftermarket intercooler hoses can help ease the airflow and offer better cooling f you’ve installed an electronic tuner properties. Cold air intake kits and or high-flow injectors in your diesel intake elbows will also help maximize truck, then you’re probably seeing cool air and unrestricted airflow to some black smoke when you put your your engine. It’s the little things that foot to the floor. That’s unburned fuel count, and anything that you can do to that can be turned into power (and maximize cool economy) with the right turbocharger. unrestricted Engine power is proportional to the airflow amount of air and fuel that can get equates to into the cylinders. When you add more better engine fuel, then you need to add more air. performance Like everything else, there is always and fewer room for improvement over the factory stops at the design. So whether your engine is fuel pump. hot-rodded or bone stock, you can still benefit from a better turbo and We would like to invite you to visit our enjoy an increase in horsepower, fuel website at www.usdieselparts.com economy, better throttle response to see the selection of turbochargers, and lower exhaust gas temperatures intercoolers and other accessories (EGT’s). Performance turbos are that are available. The list of products available in different “stages” and is changing every day, so please don’t configurations hesitate to call us at (800) 823-4444 if to match the you have any questions or don’t see modifications that what you’re looking for. have been made to the engine and the way you drive your Gomers Warehouse Distributing truck. 2400 Palmer, Missoula, MT 59808
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30 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Archery hunter, Judi Coe of Lakewood, CO, with bull elk harvested on public land from north side of the Flattops Wilderness. CDW Photo
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You have heard that bull coming for a while now, crashing timber, bugling and snorting. Your buddy is behind you calling and that bull is definitely coming in to the call. The moment of truth is here. You’ve thought about this day for a long time. For some hunters, this is their first archery hunt for elk, and for others, it’s old hat. You’ve finally got that shot you’ve been dreaming of, but what does it take to ensure a good shot, one that puts the animal down quickly? Are you ready?
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A bow is a primitive weapon, assisting hunters since the dawn of early man. You can’t just buy one the week before opening day, fling a few arrows and expect to be ready. The bow is a piece of equipment that takes some thought before purchase. The spectrum of bows is large, with a great deal of variety: long bows, recurve bows, compound bows, 50% let-off, 80% let-off ; the list of choices goes on and on. The cost of a good bow rivals or exceeds the cost of a good rifle and scope combination. Do some research and homework as you build your equipment inventory. Serious archery hunters spend hours, days and weeks preparing, practicing and getting their gear ready for the field. We’ll take a few minutes to discuss some of those preparation items. Arrow choice is a key consideration
These days most people opt for a carbon arrow due to its strength and durability. But there is more than just picking the right material. It must have the correct spine weight for the draw weight and draw length of your bow. The spine or stiffness of your arrow affects its flight characteristics and thus its accuracy. Your local pro shop has the expertise to help you make the right choice. Another piece of the arrow equation is the broadhead. There are really two choices here, fixed or mechanical. You could get into a no-win forum flame-throwing contest by questioning someone’s choice one way or the other. Whatever you choose, make sure it shoots properly and is SHARP. Why do I emphasis the sharpness of the broadhead? To ensure a quick and humane harvest of the animal you shoot. A dull broadhead may not cut or slice the vital organs enough to cause massive blood loss. In fact, if your broadhead is dull it may just push the organs, veins, and arteries off to the side with a surprisingly minimal amount of damage. A razorsharp blade will produce a larger blood trail, allowing you to find your animal. An animal shot with a dull tip may be lost, or worse suffer until it expires. As for me, I cannot sharpen a broadhead. So I’ve opted for a fixed blade broadhead with replaceable blades. I carry extra blades in my backpack to replace the blades after every missed shot. (continued)
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1650 ASPEN ST.HELENA mtstihl@bresnan.net How much energy or kinetic energy does it take to put an elk down? Most websites place this value around 40 foot-pounds per square inch. So how do you measure this? First, you will need to measure the speed of your hunting arrow setup (Arrow and broadhead) using a chronograph. Most archery shops have one of these. Shoot at least three arrows, and average out the speed. Next weigh your arrow. Now we do the math. Here is the formula for determining Kinetic Energy: Energy = weight * velocity^2 / 450450 As an example, my arrow weighs 477gr and has an average speed of 260 ft/sec. Using this formula, I end up with about 71 ft/lbs of kinetic energy. An easy way to obtain a rough calculation is to use one of the many kinetic energy calculators available on the web. You can even use a Kinetic energy calculator for a bullet, as the end result is KE calculated. Here is a quick website link from Custom Guns that provides an easy plug in for deriving the information: http://www.firearmexpertwitness. com/customguns/calcnrg.html Many people will not start shooting their broadheads until a couple of weeks before the season and immediately discover that their broadheads and field tips do not hit in the same place. In fact they are hitting 6 or more inches from each other. There are two approaches to fixing this. One approach is just moving your sights over to the broadhead point of impact. The other is to broadhead tune your bow. This may require several trips to the range, some fine tuning to your rest, paper tuning, and more. I prefer having my broadheads and field tips hitting the same place. This allows me to stump shoot, and verify my
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point of impact in the field without damaging your broadheads. Range estimation is key for bow hunters. No matter how fast your bow will shoot, gravity will affect the arrow, causing it to drop along its flight path. This can be pretty significant if you have a heavy arrow and low draw weight. My bow setup allows the arrow to drop an inch every two yards, or about 5 inches every 10 yards. Elk are big animals, but people miss shots every year. Their size plays tricks on you, especially if you are used to shooting at smaller whitetails. The elk look further away. I practice my range estimation during the year at 3D shoots. I don’t shoot for score but will take a shot and then pull out my range finder to verify my estimated range. I practice shooting out to 60 yards during the summer to help with my shooting form. I can consistently place arrows onto an eight inch paper plate at that distance, but have set my personal maximum range to 45 yards; that is my comfort zone. And that shot will only be taken if everything is perfect, and I’ve ranged the distance. Anything standing still inside 35 yards is a slam dunk. I know this because of the time I’ve spent at the range and other target shoots. And finally, you have to know your personal maximum effective range. I define mine as that range where I can put a group of five arrows onto an eight inch paper plate consistently. An elk’s kill zone is about 25 inches in diameter, but considering excitement and fatigue, this leaves me with plenty of room for error. For some hunters, the range may be 20 yards, while others may feel comfortable at 60 yards or more. Losing an animal because of a risky shot will make you sick to your stomach and ruin a good hunt quickly.
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Helena 406-449-3111 buffalojumparchery.com I know the title of this article is Archery Shot Placement and I am finally getting to that discussion, but without understanding the important point I discussed earlier in the article, you cannot “place the arrow” where you want it to go. Elk are big, tough animals. An elk can survive a poorly placed shot. A good shot is one that will penetrate both lungs and cause a maximum amount of blood loss, rapidly. A broadside or slightly quartering away shot is preferable. Some bad shots definitely include an animal quartering toward you. Here the front leg will obstruct your double lung / heart shot. Don’t take this shot. Another shot to avoid is straight-on. Here you have no chance of a double-lung shot, and have to pray for a heart shot. Yes it may be hard to pass up that one shot opportunity you’ve had all season, but you will feel better later on knowing you did the right thing. So where do you aim to get that double lung shot? Pick a spot about one-third to one-half way up the animal, right behind the front leg.
This is the dead center of the vital area. Find this point and fix it in your mind. Aim for this specific spot, don’t aim for the animal. Aim small, miss small.
How does shooting uphill, downhill or from a tree stand influence your shot? Think about this scenario: You are an accomplished archer and have practiced routinely at 60+ yards with your equipment using the range and the flat field behind your house. You can consistently shoot a tight group at 55 yards and have set your personal maximum effective range at 55 yards. It is opening day; your buddy has called that bull in. You pull your range finder out and see that he is 50 yards, down a steep slope. Since this is in your comfort zone, you draw your bow and take the shot. To your dismay the arrow went OVER the elk. Why? (continued on page 32)
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the doe passed behind a tree. When Folcey saw some movement through small opening in the cover he felt certain it was the big buck following her and when a white antler moved in the thick brush it confirmed his thought.
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Archery Shot Placement (continued from page 31) While the distance down the hill was 50 yards, the actual distance was only 40 yards. When taking shots at an incline, remember it is the horizontal distance that matters. This is distance your arrow is being affected by gravity. Instead of ranging to the animal, you might range to the tree next to the elk, level with your elevation. It’s not intuitive, so you should practice these shots before your season. Even when you’re familiar with the technique, bring your stump-shooting arrow that you carry for practice, and practice. Find a target down the hill with a tree that comes up to your level, range the horizontal distance, and then take the shot. You may find that a downhill shot will hit a bit high. Then take the same shot uphill. This time it hits a bit low. How much either way isn’t important, as long as you know what adjustments you need to make. I usually don’t worry about the minor differences of shooting uphill verses downhill, but focus on the horizontal distance. You can live with an inch high or low. Let me close this article with another short scenario, one that can help you picture, in your mind, all of the practice, preparation and decisions I have written about so far. The scenario sums up some of these thoughts, hopefully gets your heart beating just a bit faster and will make you think about that moment of truth. Are you ready? Your buddy’s calling has that bull coming in
AUGUST 2011
Fight To The End (continued from page 27)
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hard. Where will you take your shot from? You have to think fast. You decide on a spruce tree, with limbs all the way to the ground. Setting up with the tree behind you breaks up your silhouette. Next, pull your range finder out and range the trees, rocks or other features that are within your shooting range. Settle back into your spot and draw your bow to determine if there are branches that get in your way and quietly break them off. Clear away the pine cones and small twigs where you are kneeling on to reduce the risk of making noise when the bull gets close. Here he comes, laser eyes on your buddy’s location. He is getting close now, but the angle of the shot is bad as he is slightly quartered toward you. You know taking this shot would probably result in a wounded animal, as the leg bone covers his vital area. Wait. Wait for the broadside shot, one that will penetrate both lungs. You can see that when he turns broadside, he’ll be covered by a tree, but that also means he won’t see you draw. So you wait. You draw your bow as he passes behind the tree. He clears the tree, slightly quartering away. Your shot will hit both lungs now. A quick mew from your buddy and he stops. You lock in on that spot behind his shoulder and the arrow flies. It’s a complete pass-through and he starts off down the hill, appearing a bit confused. You throw out a few more cow calls to calm the bull. A few minutes later you hear him hit the ground. Congratulations elk hunter, now the real work starts.
At the very edge of the area where he could see movement the buck stopped and began to make a rub. He spent an eternity digging at the ground and raking the small pine tree only 35 yards from the waiting archer. Thirty-five yards is pretty much a chip shot but the small pine tree that separated the buck from the hunter formed a solid wall that would stop an arrow. Folcey knew that from experience. He wasn’t going to chance that mistake; this was a good buck, a real good buck. The doe reached the 15-yard mark and Folcey looked for an opportunity to reach full draw without drawing her attention, nor the bucks. Both animals still unaware of the hunter, the doe stood patiently and waited until the buck was done with his display of aggression. She started walking but stopped again as the buck, hurrying to make up lost ground, almost ran into her. The doe stepped sideways to get out of his way and her distraction provided the opportunity to come to full draw just as the buck changed direction from broadside to quartering away to avoid her at just 10 yards. The moment of truth arrived and the arrow slipped in behind the ribs, quartering forward then stopped. The broad head entered the chest cavity and buried in the heart. The buck took two steps and brushed up against a tree as the four-point that had been following him down the trail stopped directly in front of the tree stand. When the four-point headed for the doe, the big buck turned toward him with hair standing on end then lunged toward the youngster. The little buck turned and ran back up the trail just as the big buck collapsed. He had driven off the smaller buck twice earlier in the afternoon but the little 4x4 had followed him all the way to the tree stand. The big buck fought to the end. Folcey looked at the big buck on the ground below him and thought, “Old Timer, I respect you for your ability to survive this many years and how you made it so difficult for me to find you each time I came looking. Your last act was to drive away that little buck; I admire your ability to fight right to the end.”
Authors Notes: I am a firm believer in matching your equipment to the type of hunting that you do. Where you hunt is also just as important. I hunt where it’s mainly fertile farmland with steep hills and deep ravines. I needed a short axle to axle bow with above average speed. I have shot my Browning Tornado for 6 years without any problems. Its light weight and short length axle to axle makes it highly maneuverable in thick brush. 300 fps is fast enough to get a shot through a narrow opening with short notice when sitting in a treestand. A strong spined arrow combined with a sharp durable broadhead is a must. I have had good luck with 3 fletch Easton XX-75’S. I use the heavy duty 2413 because this arrow flies straighter and truer than the lighter arrows with great penetration when I matched a 125 grain Thunderhead up with it. I also found that this combination together with this bow is a deadly accurate machine. I am strictly a tree stander because of the way I hunt and the hours I spend getting to thoroughly know a buck before I bring the arrow into the picture. Much like a matador to a Mexican fighting bull the kill isn’t until the show is over, it is the last show, because of course you could not learn anymore about the buck after that point. You could say learning these intimate details about the buck without being seen, heard, smelled in any way without him even knowing I am even in his county provides me with enough adrenaline, that the shot is only half of the joy of hunting. Last count Hunting the wilderness units off the major trails allows other hunters to go past me and increase the deer count in my area. This also provided me with a quarry that is not as spooky and there relative being bumped every day by hunters allowing the deer to calm down and get back into their natural habits. This way there is less impact on them from your intrusion. I haven’t been able to get myself to surrender to the age of charcoal hunting clothes. I prefer my standard 3 day rotation of the standard camouflage most of us get from the usual discount stores. Washing in scentless soaps and hanging whatever I wore that day back on the line to air for 2 days until its time comes up in the rotation. It’s a simple system I know, but I never try to fix it if it ain’t broken. I stick with what brings me success. Repeated success and the inner knowledge of the mule deer.
AUGUST 2011
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Estrus Calling for Bow Bulls BY ANDREW MCKEAN Master the estrus call for rutting bulls
Ihear’mmyself like every other elk hunter. I love to bugle. There’s nothing like the sound of an ear-peeling scream or the gravel-road grunt that I can coax out of a bugle tube. But the truth is that bulls don’t think as much of my bugling as I do. Especially in hard-hunted, high-pressured public land, my bugle acts more as a bull repellent than a bull attractor. These educated elk tend to drift away from the areas where they hear a lot of opening-week bugling, simply because they associate the sound with human hunters and sharp arrows. That’s not to say bugles will never work. They can be great tools for locating an elk. But on the public land where most of us hunt, once you get a bull to respond it’s time to put away the tube and bring out your soft and subtle calls. And there’s no better all-around call than the open-reed estrus call. There are plenty of models to choose from The Estrus Whine by Hunter’s Specialties to Primos’ Hyper Lip or Imaka Da Bullcrazy series of single-reed calls, or my favorite, the simple Phelps call made by Washington call maker Jason Phelps. But they all do pretty much the same thing: mimic the plaintive wail of a cow elk in heat. The single-reed call is easy to blow, which means you can really put your lungs to work and make it shrill and insistent as a siren, or you can blow it soft and easy and make it sound as seductive and sexy as lace lingerie. The reason the estrus call works during the rut is that its two-tone cadence closely mimics the ripe-and-ready appeal of a cow in heat. And there’s not a bull in the Rockies that’s not receptive to that sound in September.
HOW TO BLOW IT You are aiming to make a simple two-note call. The first is the high-pitched chirp, an “EEEEE...” sound that elk use to communicate with each other. It’s the sound of a lost calf searching for his mother. It’s the locator call given by a loose band of elk grazing a timbered slope to let each other know all’s well. The second note is more of a mew, an “OOOOooohhh” that elk use as a sort of contented purr. You may hear it other times of the year as a sort of “everything’s fine” security call when elk are herded up. To blow the first note, the higher-pitched chirp, you press your upper lip down on the reed while you blow the mouthpiece. You are essentially squeezing the air down and over the soundboard, compressing it into a shrill note. Then, while you’re still blowing, relax your lip. That will enlarge the note into the second sound, the more open, questioning mew. It takes some practice, but the mechanics of the call are pretty simple to master. What takes a bit more time and attention to detail is the emotion of the call, and it’s that emotion that makes the estrus call so deadly on lovelorn bulls. WHEN TO BLOW IT Don’t use this come-hither call as a locator call. It’s not one to broadcast over the landscape hoping to get a response. Instead, it’s a call to use once you’ve located a herd of elk, and hopefully verified that it contains a bull. Get set up in a location where you can get a shot at an incoming bull, then blow your two-tone sequence, softly at first, but with increasing volume until you get a response. It may come in the form of a soft bugle or a guttural chuckle. Or, if you’re really lucky, it may come in the form of a lust-driven bull running heedlessly your way.
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Spring Bear 2011 I
n Montana May is the month of the bear. It’s the time when hunters try their luck, take their guns for a walk, hone their hunting skills, and attempt to locate Ursus americanus.
TREASURE STATE UPCOMING ATV RIDES www.tsatv.org/forum/index August 6 Bighorns or Sunlight Basin August 19 - 21 (Gravelly Range) West Fork of the Madison River September 3 - 5 Basin MT Ride September 17 Cabin Creek or Picket Pen Area
On a Thursday evening, late in May, I park the Jeep, the Jeep’s clock reads 6:45pm when I turn off the key. I spray down with scent killer and spray my boots with coyote scent. Slipping on my backpack and shouldering the Winchester Model 70/ 270, Jack O’Connor’s weapon of choice, and which was “born” a year before I was, a long time ago!, I start the hike that will put me in the kill zone in about (2) hours, if I walk with a purpose and quickly. The wind is blowing in my face as I head West and rain clouds are coming with the evening. This is perfect I thought. As I head up, gaining elevation as the Forest Service road wound around the mountain above the creek below, I enjoy the quiet and the view. Snow still hangs heavy on northern slopes in this canyon.
BY GLENN FERREN The South facing slopes I parallel and the valley below have already greened with the lush growth of a wet and cool spring. Rounding a curve in the road I stop briefly to photograph three whitetail that appear to be digging for minerals or salt. Moving on I continue to see whitetail feeding, and I catch a fleeting look at a buck as he darts into the timber. Around 8:30pm I am able to take my first look at the clear-cut that is my destination. Dialing the Nikon Monarch scope up to 10 power I scan the slope from top to bottom. At the end of the slope I find the bear and from over a mile away he looks like a shooter. I double-time it, clouds are getting thicker and soon the light will begin to fade. I am closer now, but a bear is on the edge of the road ahead. I take time to look over this young bear, but I’m looking for his bigger brother. I take out my camera as he moves away around a bend, but when I turn the corner, he is already off the road and in the brush. I pick up the pace. (continued on page 43)
AUGUST 2011
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The Future Of Montana’s Big Game Animals is in Your Hands! There’s never been a more important time for you to FIGHT for your hunting and fishing rights. Complete this application today and Join Montana Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife! Name: Address: City:
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Youth 1-21 $12.00/yr Individual $35.00/yr. Family $50.00/yr. Lifetime Senior 60+ $350.00 MTSFW Lifetime Individual $750.00 P.O. Box 2243 The Spike $350.00/yr Missoula, MT. 59806 Satellite Bull $500.00/yr Herd Bull $750.00/yr To preserve, protect and enhance Montana’s fish and wildlife resources & outdoor opportunities. And to ensure our American heritage of hunting, fishing and trapping through hands-on conservation efforts and RESPONSIBLE PREDATOR MANAGEMENT by Montana sportsmen.
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MONTANA SPORTSMEN FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION or join online at www.mt-sfw.org Oregon Man Sentenced For Federal Wildlife Violations In Casper WYOMING GAME AND FISH A concerned citizen’s tip about a trophy 2010, where he was assisted by the U.S. bull elk being illegally taken in October Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oregon 2005 near Ten Sleep has led to an Oregon State Police with the investigation. man being convicted for felony wildlife violations July 12 in U.S. District Court in The federal charges were filed against Robinson, a real estate developer, Sept. 23, Casper. 2010 in federal court in Casper. Robinson After James S. Robinson of West Lynn pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act on violated Wyoming statute by killing the March 4, 2011 pursuant to a plea agreement bull elk Oct. 21, 2005 with an improper negotiated with his attorneys. license - he only had a cow elk license for the area - the case became a federal Lacey The Lacey Act carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in federal prison, Act violation when the illegally taken $250,000 in fines and three years of supermeat and mounted head and antlers were vised probation following imprisonment. transported across state lines. The Lacey Act also has provisions for the Robinson, 60, was fined $20,000 and payment of restitution and forfeiture of ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to any wildlife and any vehicles or equipment wildlife law enforcement in Wyoming and used in the crime. $100 in special assessments or court costs. Judge William Downes also revoked Rob- “The prosecutor, Darrell Fun, did an absolutely tremendous job of prosecuting inson’s hunting privileges in the United this case and achieving the felony States for five years and ordered him to conviction,” Ehlebracht said. “Kathy Crofts, give three speeches a year about wildlife our wildlife investigator in Cody, along with conservation and the consequences of several other of our investigators were also violating the Lacey Act during the three key to the success of this case.” years of his supervised probation. The case started when Mike Ehlebracht, the Like all criminal felony convictions, Robinson also loses his rights to vote, Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Investigative Unit supervisor, received the possess firearms and serve on a jury for life - unless the president issues a pardon or tip in January 2010. He traveled to the restores his rights. Portland suburb in February and June of
James S. Robinson poses with the trophy bull elk he illegally killed Oct. 21, 2005
“It’s a sentence that’s very appropriate for the crime, and I think the public service speeches Judge Downes ordered are an interesting new twist for a wildlife crime,” Ehlebracht said. In addition to the conservation/Lacey Act speeches, Robinson is also ordered to perform five public service announcements under the direction of the Game and Fish, USFWS and Oregon State Police. Robinson also forfeited a head and shoulder mount of the elk to the Game and Fish. The 6-by-7-point antlers score around 350 points on the Boone and Crockett scale. “Law enforcement and the court systems takes these wildlife violations very, very seriously,” Ehlebracht said. “It is important to protect this hunting privilege so every hunter has an equal opportunity to draw these cherished licenses.” In 2005, the chance to draw the license in hunt area 45 where the crime was committed was only 9 percent for nonresidents and 24 percent for residents.
Don’t Miss Bob Ward & Sons’ 8th Annual Shooter’s Weekend
B ob Ward & Sons’ 8th Annual Shooter’s Weekend will be held on August 6 & 7 with a new twist. This year, the shooting demo will be turned pink and proceeds will benefit Montana breast cancer patients! Bob Ward’s has teamed up with Chicks N Chaps and Tough Enough to Wear Pink in addition to iconic hunting brands Federal, Remington, Browning, Winchester and many more to raise funds for our neighbors fighting this deadly disease. On Saturday, August 6th, the shoot will be held in the Missoula area at Deer Creek Shooting Center. On Sunday, August 7th, the shoot moves to the Butte area and will be held at the Rocker Gun Range. Times for both events are 10am – 4pm. There is no charge for spectators, but there is a charge to demo guns and shoot. Bob Ward’s and the manufacturers provide all firearms and request you not bring your own. For more information, visit the hunting department at your local Bob Ward’s store in Missoula, Butte, Helena, Bozeman or Hamilton.
36 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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AUGUST 2011
ZEISS Solutions For Long-range Shooting BY SHANNON JACKSON
LARRY WEISHUHN
T he most experienced hunters I know, including many famous outdoor writers who are outstanding marksmen, prefer to get as close to an animal as possible before taking the shot. The shorter the distance to the target, the better your chances of a clean kill. Period. That said, there are times when you simply can’t get as close to an animal as you would like and the outcome of a hunt that you’ve spent months or even years planning and saving for, could all come down to one chance at a long shot. Could you make it cleanly? Carl Zeiss Sports Optics offers many award-winning optics to help you do just that. First, you obviously need to know the accurate range to your target and the ZEISS Victory RF Binocular or PRF Laser Rangefinding Monocular can help you assess that
in less than a second. Then, unless you are extremely gifted at judging holdover (and very few are), you should consider a riflescope with one of Zeiss’ ballistic compensation options. The Rapid-Z® Ballistic Reticles, available in Rapid-Z® 600, 800, 1000 and Varmint models, are extremely accurate and easy to use. Simply visit the ZEISS website to calculate the proper power setting for your particular load. Then make sure you are on that setting for shots ranging from 200 yards up to 1000 yards and hold on the hash mark that corresponds with the distance to your target. The RAPID-Z® also features wind compensation hash marks to help adjust for crosswinds.
When asked about Rapid-Z®, Larry Weishuhn, the legendary outdoor writer known as ‘Mr. Whitetail’ and current host of ‘A Hunter’s Life’ on the Sportsman Channel, had this to say: “After having used a wide variety of scope reticles designed
to assist the hunter in accurately making long-range shots, 400 yards or longer, the best I’ve found, shy of using external adjustments, is the ZEISS Rapid-Z reticle. In less than a heart beat a hunter who knows the range, knows about wind and wind drift, and has practiced long-range shooting many times at paper targets can quickly get on target and make the shot from a solid rest. The ZEISS Rapid-Z reticle is simple and easy to use and, after some range time, extremely quick to use. Bullet drop and windage are quickly compensated for. Simple, Quick, Deadly! That’s Zeiss’ Rapid-Z”. If you’re considering buying a new scope with ballistic compensation, now is the time. As a thank you to its loyal customers, Zeiss is offering multiple promotions for long-range shooters. From June 1 through December 31, 2011, customers may take advantage of a $100 mail-inrebate on all Victory Riflescopes with Rapid-Z® Ballistic Reticle and a $50 mail-in-rebate on all Conquest Riflescopes with Rapid-Z® purchased during this time.
Customers who prefer a BDC solution can upgrade select ZEISS Victory and Conquest riflescopes with a custom engraved ballistic turret by Kenton Industries to match their exact caliber and load for only $29.99 (a $109.99 retail value). Conquest 4.5-14x44
As Larry points out, the world’s finest optics are no substitute for skill and practice. That rests with you. Put the time into it with the right equipment, however, and you will have the confidence and ability to make the long shot if you need to. For more information visit zeiss.com/sports or call 1-800-441-3005.
AUGUST 2011
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JOIN THE BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB AND RECEIVE A FREE BUCK KNIFE
With a One-Year $35.00 Associate Membership You don’t have to have a trophy in the records book to join the Boone and Crockett Club, just a passion for big game and the desire to keep hunting them.
HUNT FAIR CHASE
Join online at www.booneandcrockettclub.com or call 406.542.1888 Rodney Hendy Coyote
Rick Cherington Antelope
Stephanie Depew Whitetail
Chris Blaskowski Turkey
Jon Lee Stone Sheep
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Have A Hunting Photo You Would Like To Submit? e-mail: bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com
The sixth season of the Club’s television series is now showing on the Outdoor Channel. New episodes will be on display airing three times a week through the end of December. The anchor airtime will again be Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. with two other weekly airings on Friday at 12 p.m. and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. All times are Eastern. If you have been a fan of the first five seasons, you won’t be disappointed as the Boone and Crockett Club continues to deliver award winning topics and episodes. In 2010 the series won Best Conservation Series from the Outdoor Channel and a bronze Telly Award for programing excellence.
38 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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AUGUST 2011
Build a Duck Blind, Now?
BY BOB HUMPHREY
Irevolves f you’re like me, your list of outdoor chores around, and changes with the seasons. As fall turns to winter it’s time to put away the guns, calls and decoys and pull out the ice-fishing tackle. When winter ends it’s time to stow the snowmobiles, tune up the turkey calls and get the boat ship-shape. You get a break over summer, but as Labor Day closes in you must attend to skeet shooting, hanging treestands and building or re-building duck blinds. For the latter, most guys, and gals, go out a month, a week or a few days before season, throw up some camo mesh, tie on some freshcut alders and call it good. I have to admit I am among those who typically put that chore off until several months from now. However, there are some good reasons why right now might not be a bad time to work on your duck blinds.
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Build Green You have lots of choices over blind building materials, but natural is better than synthetic, and live is better than dead. The more natural your blind looks, the better it works. The typical tactic is to cut thatch, brush and other natural vegetation and attach it to your blind’s frame. If you do a good enough job, it might look fairly realistic for a few days, maybe even a week. Soon it dies, the leaves fall off and you’re left with dead, bare branches and brown cattails. Meanwhile leaves are still clinging to the surrounding live vegetation; so your blind sticks out like crow in a glass of milk. Instead of attaching dead plants to your blind, build the frame now and let native vegetation grow in, on, over and around it. It will be far more natural looking because it is. Go Dry Another plus to building blinds now is that it’s the dry season. You’ll have to carry in materials and equipment, and this may be the only time of year, outside of winter, when you can reach your shore blind with an ATV or Side-by-Side vehicle. It’s also easier to dig pit blinds. Dry soil is all you need to reach more areas with heavier equipment; but those soils aren’t frozen solid. Furthermore, pits won’t flood and cave in while you’re working on them. Head Start Summer blind building offers a couple more positives too. One is that the job is done; so come fall there’s one less thing on your “to-do” list. The other is that it gives you something hunting related to do to carry you over during the long summer break between seasons.
AUGUST 2011
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Available At
Bob Ward & Sons Let One of Our Optics Specialists Help You Today.
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Or shop 24/7 at bobwards.com
Foundation For Accuracy: Mount That Scope Yourself BY JEFF DAVIS, EDITOR, WHITETAILS UNLIMITED
scope that touches the firearm anywhere except the rings.
M
ounting a scope is not difficult, but must be done correctly to ensure that it is solid and will not move anytime in the future. If you are going to be mounting quite a few scopes, order the correct tools — it will make things easier. If you are only going to do a couple, you should be able to do it easily with tools you already have.
Tip 2: Right Tool for the Job. Find a well-lit area to work, where you can hold the rifle securely. Use high- quality screwdrivers that actually fit the screwheads — you don’t want to end up with a big scratch on your firearm!
Tip 3: Clean and Oil. Remove the filler screws in the rifle, and clean any oil or grease from the screw holes, base screws, and the surface of the base. Apply a thin layer of oil on the rifle and bottom of the base where the two will be in contact. The base will not likely ever be removed, and you don’t want rust Tip 1: Right Rings and Base(s). to develop here. Don’t get oil into the Buy quality rings and base(s); this is screw holes. The new base screws no place to save a couple of bucks. (that come with the base) are often Bases may be one- or two-piece, different lengths, so determine which depending on the rifle. Most rifles now screw goes into which hole. come drilled and tapped for the base. If yours isn’t, take the job to a Tip 4: Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey. gunsmith. Rings come in three Scope bases can become loose after heights; the medium height will work repeated recoil, so put a small amount for the vast majority of gun/scope of Loctite® on one side of the threads, combinations. Don’t ever mount a and tighten the base screws as much
as possible. If the rifle shifts as you torque the screws here, the screwdriver can damage the rifle. Be sure you only use Loctite on the base screws, never on the rings. Tip 5: Rotate That Ring. The front ring normally has a dovetail, where you insert the ring into the base and rotate it into place. A light coating of good grease on the ring foot can help. It is difficult to rotate the ring by hand, but NEVER use the scope itself to turn the ring! Get a 1-inch section of wooden dowel and use that to rotate the ring. Leupold makes a ring wrench for this that works well. Tip 6: Get Everything Square. Insert the rear ring into the base, and tighten. It is important to have the rings both perpendicular to the rifle, so the scope will rest squarely, without being twisted by the rings. When you think the rings are square, put the scope in the rings and examine it closely to see if it is truly square. If you can’t find any problems visually, slowly rotate the scope and see if it binds anywhere. If so, take the scope out and move the ring(s) as needed
with the dowel. Tip 7: Final Adjustments. Assemble the scope and rings, and tighten the rings just until there is some friction with the scope. Now look through the scope and rotate it until the crosshairs are straight, and move the scope forward or back until you have the optimum sight picture. You should be able to see the entire field, but don’t get the scope too close to your eye. Around four inches is right for most people. Then tighten the ring screws securely. Tip 8: Go Have Fun. You need to boresight the rifle, and then head to the range. Start at a close range, and then sight-in at your normal range.
40 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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AUGUST 2011
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Outdoor Calendar
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Best Value In Montana Lodging.
Sponsored By C’Mon Inn Bozeman & Missoula Lodge Like Atmosphere With Resort Amenities BILLINGS WEST YELLOWSTONE PBR NILE INVITATIONAL SMOKING WATERS MOUNTAIN WEEKEND: AUGUST 5 - 7 MAN RENDEZVOUS: AUGUST 5 - 15
Eight seconds doesn’t sound like much, until you imagine eight seconds strapped to a 2,000-pound bull with an attitude! Forty of the toughest men in the world, members of the (PBR), take on some of the most ferocious bulls in America. Held at the Metra. Phone: 406-256-2495
EKALAKA MEDICINE ROCKS BUFFALO SHOOT: SEPTEMBER 10 - 11
The Medicine Rocks Buffalo Shoot is an annual contest using lever-action, .22 rifle and revolvers on Saturday. Sunday features the long-range buffalo rifle match. The shooting event uses steel animal silhouettes at ranges from 25 to 800 yards. Located 1 mile west of Route 7, 12 miles north of Ekalaka. Phone: 406-775-6705
ENNIS 9TH ANNUAL ENNIS ON THE MADISON FLY FISHING FESTIVAL: SEPTEMBER 2-3 Kids’ Program: Fly Casting & Fly-tying Instruction, Awakening your Inner Pixel, Fishing Down Under, Fly Casting Clinic, Fly-tying: Learn from the Experts, Madison Fly Swap: Trade Your Favorite Patterns, “Sitting in a Boat with Jerry”, BBQ & Live Music, Mega Trout Live Auction. Phone : 406-682-3148
KALISPELL NW MONTANA ARMS COLLECTORS FALL GUN SHOW: SEPTEMBER 9 - 11 Large display of guns, antique, and modern and accessories for sale. Custom western jewelry, knives, and art. Held at Flathead County Fairgrounds. Phone: 406-755-9169
LEWISTOWN MONTANA TRAPPERS ASSOC. STATE CONVENTION: SEPTEMBER 9 - 11
Gathering of Trappers to show, trade, yearly awards, banquet. Open to all. Trapping demonstrations, contests, fur fashion show, dealer booths offering everything from jewelry to trapping lures. Located at the Fergus County Fairgrounds. Phone: 406-376-3178
MISSOULA ANNUAL ORIGINAL MISSOULA GUN & ANTIQUE SHOW: AUGUST 5 - 7
Antiques, modern rifles, pistols, ammunition, scopes, binoculars, Winchesters, Colts, Sharps, Remington, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, knives, civil war articles, western artifacts, toys, lamps, jewelry, books, art, horse gear, furniture, and more. Held at University of Montana Adam’s Center. Phone: 406-549-4817
MISSOULA The Big Sky Upland Bird Association Youth Workshop: August 20
Educate kids about upland bird hunting, the species and habitats found in Montana, the types of shotguns and dogs used to pursue pheasant, grouse, and partridge, and the particular shooting skills and safety requirements of the sport at this workshop. Cost is $10 and limited to the first 20 youths who RSVP with parent permission. Youths must be 13-17 years old, and be graduates of hunter’s education. Phone 327-9939
VIRGINIA CITY LABOR DAY HORSEBACK POKER RIDE: SEPTEMBER 3
Saddle up the horses and put on your poker face! Registration for the Poker Ride is 8:30am-10:00am at the Bale of Hay Saloon. Admission is $15 per rider. First and last card will be given at the Bale. This is not a race, ride at your leisure. Phone: 406-843-5555
Step into the experience of 1800’s life. Entertainment, demonstrations and seminars on a variety of ‘life as it was skills’ will give a deeper appreciation of the challenges and dangers that were faced and overcome. Black Powder Shoot is one day only - Saturday August 13. Registration is at 8:00am and the Shoot starts at 9:00am. Located adjacent to Iris Street. Phone: 406-646-7931
WEST YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL FLY FISHING SHOW: AUGUST 30 - SEPTEMBER 3
West Yellowstone has to be one of the all time favorite locations for the FFF annual gathering. You can bring the entire family and be assured of finding many things to do that fly fishing enthusiasts as well as family members can enjoy. Workshops will be presented by experts on topics such as fly tying, fly casting, rod building and on water fishing. Workshops with a classroom setting will take place in various locations including the Holiday Inn, the high school, and various other meeting spaces. On water classes will take the attendee to nearby stream and standing water locations. In addition to general workshops, there will be a women’s program and a kid’s camp. Phone: 406-222-9369
Events To Support WILDLIFE DUCKS UNLIMITED 09/17/2011 Townsend Upper Missouri River Chapter Ernie Nunn 406-431-2433 MULE DEER FOUNDATION 8/6/2011 Billings Big Sky Chapter John Wilson 406-256-4909 8/12/2011 Bozeman SW Montana Chapter Chad Rempfer 406-539-7030, 8/27/2011 Helena Lewis & Clark Chapter Dennis Deaton 406-461-2844 NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FED. 08/06/2011 Colstrip Southeast Montana Boss Gobblers 08/19/2011 Hamilton Walla Walla Gobblers 08/20/2011 Kalispell NW Montana Longbeards 08/27/2011 Havre Milk River Gobblers ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUND. 08/19/2011 Colstrip Wolf Mountain Big Game Banquet Janet O’Connor 406-545-8143 09/24/2011 Libby Lincoln County Big Game Banquet Barb Nelson 406-293-3812 SCI 09/09/2011 Missoula Western Montana Chapter 866-633-8110
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BILLINGS - 800-655-1170 • BOZEMAN - 866-782-2717 MISSOULA - 888-989-5569 www.cmoninn.com
Recipe Corner: FWP, Boone And Stuffed Bell Peppers Crockett Club WESTERN MEAT AND SAUSAGE BLOCK, BUTTE
Stuffed Bell Peppers 4 large green bell peppers 1 T chopped onion 1 T minced garlic 1 T chopped green bell pepper 1 lb lean ground beef 1 can tomato sauce, 8 oz 1/4 t chili powder 1/2 t worcestershire sauce 3/4 C quick cooking white rice, uncooked 1 can diced tomatoes 3/4 C water 2 - 3 T Italian seasoning salt and pepper to taste 1/2 C grated sharp cheddar cheese Remove tops and seeds from green peppers. Cook whole peppers in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes; invert to drain. Brown onion, garlic, chopped green pepper and ground beef in large skillet. Add remaining ingredients (not cheese). Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Stuff peppers with mixture. BBQ 10 - 20 minutes. Top with grated cheese and heat until cheese melts.
Sponsor Women’s Hunter Education Course MFWP
FBoone ish, Wildlife and Parks and the and Crockett Club are sponsoring a two-day women’s hunter education course at the club’s ranch 10 miles west of Dupuyer. The course begins at 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 26, and ends at 6 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27. Although the class, course materials and Saturday lunch are free, there is a $35 charge for lodging, Friday supper and Saturday breakfast. Participants will learn about wildlife conservation, hunting ethics and laws, and how to shoot a firearm. Class size is limited to 25, and participants need to be at least 18 years old by Aug. 25. For more information or to register call (406) 472-3311 or email conservation educator@boone-crockett.org.
42 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
4th Annual Bowhunters Rendezvous
Helena, Sunday, August 7 LEWIS & CLARK ARCHERS
D on’t miss the 4th Annual Bowhunters Rendezvous sponsored by the Lewis &Clark Archers, Sunday, August 7th from 7am to 3pm at Z Bar Z Sporting Clays, on the corner of Lincoln and Birdseye Roads. $12 per shooter, kids under 11 free Registration 7am to 11am Targets taken down at 3pm Lots of raffle items Fun shoots Features: 30+ Rhinehart targets Games Concessions Directions: Take Exit 200 on I-15 (Lincoln Rd). Head west to Silver City. Turn south on Birdseye Road at the Silver City Saloon. Turn west on marked dirt road for Z Bar Z Sporting Clays.
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Nothing Short Of Prime Ground (continued from page 19)
80% of the deer will be in 20% of the property and you probably won’t be the first hunters to get there. You selected this unit from information gathered from other source so you need to get involved and see the opportunities that exist on the land first hand. Remember, most of Wyoming is dry high plains. In the winter deer count on snow for moisture, but in the warm summer they need a water source like a river, pond, lake or well. The water source generates green cover that deer enjoy for food and security. The bigger bucks will seldom stay by the water sources except to drink and then they move up to a mile away to a secure day bedding area. Since most western seasons don’t include hunting during the rut don’t bother looking for that activity unless your hunt is in mid November. Remember, you have a doe tag, and you’re mixing a scouting trip with a doe hunt. You odds of filling your doe tag are 99%, but the scouting, “boots on the ground” and knocking on doors to get permission to hunt on private
and is essential. Wyoming is excellent for getting permission for hunting prime private land. There is a price the land owner will charge as a trespass fee, but I’ve never encountered, “Get off my porch. I never want to see a gun toting hunter again!” It’s a simple business transaction. I’ve gotten into some prime mule deer, whitetail and antelope areas this way. A doe tag will allow you to buy a cheap hunt and see if you think the property is good enough to pay the additional money for a buck tag and a higher trespass fee to shoot a buck the next year. Asking a landowner for permission with a doe archery tag is a slam dunk, and a rifle hunt isn’t much more difficult. This is where you put on you (PR face) like a politician then get out there and “shake hands and kiss babies”. Go to the door in “non-threatening clothing” - don’t dress like Rambo, but wear standard blue jeans and a non offensive shirt. Speak politely and take interest in what the farmer or rancher is doing. I’ve found that if I can catch the rancher out in the field rather than at home eating dinner the outcome usually turns out in your favor. Speak to the rancher rather than his wife if at all possible. You’ll have to end up talking with him to get permission anyway. Sweeten the pot with a small gift which may open many doors, and when you call or talk to them they will remember you. “I’m the hunter who gave you the box of chocolate peanut clusters” usually creates a favorable, long-lasting impression. Get High and Glass Remember to spend some time hunting and don’t shoot the first doe you see. You won’t see each buck on the property, but you will see if there are good enough bucks
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AUGUST 2011
on the property to warrant coming back to hunt. Each mule deer has to be somewhere each day. A mule deer buck’s strongest weapon against hunters is their eyesight and stealthy behavior. They tend to stay in deep draws that have water sources at the bottom of them – usually the more rugged the property the better it is for mule deer and for encountering fewer hunters. A deer doesn’t always hide in green growth but the bitter brush and other high desert land has other obstacles where they can hide. By remaining stationary they can blend in and hide from your naked eye. Don’t hunt without binoculars unless you want to miss seeing most of the deer. Glass the territory from an elevated, concealed location to give yourself an advantage. If you are glassing close to where a deer is bedded it’s common for him to slip out of sight without you seeing him. It’s common to bump him out of his bedding area during the day so you may have found the area he favors for his day bed. Watching bucks from a distance allows you to remain concealed and pattern the deer that use the area when they don’t feel threatened. You will also have the ability to take a doe in a dry run from your concealed location. Take note of the wind and how you accessed the area. All of these factors help create hunting opportunities and if done right you can create a successful hunt. After almost 40 years of deer hunting in 15 different states deer are the same – it’s the habitat that makes them act differently and makes hunting completely unique in different areas. Once you figure out how to beat a deer in his habitat you’ve hit the jackpot and you’re on your way to the grand prize.
AUGUST 2011
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Spring Bear 2011 (continued from page 34) I am at the clear-cut and moving slowly down the skid road that will end on a point of the hill below. I pass bear sign, some new since I was scouting here a week ago. A hundred yards down from the timber above me now and the hillside below is visible. Another hundred yards away below me on this same skid road the bear feeds vigorously on the new grass. At that moment, it begins to rain. The wind is still from the West, but I worry about a swirling gust. I am glad for the rain, but the downside is how long can I look through my scope before it’s rendered useless. The bear looks good, a brief hole in the cloud above and I see a red tint in his fur. The bear turns away from me and I move forward 10 yards and stop, he turns again and I gain another 10 yards. I’m now about 75 yards from my quarry and the rain comes down harder. I make my decision and when he turns again and presents a broadside shot, I send the 130-grain CoreLokt into the boiler room.
hunt certain spots every year, but my bear this year came from my 2nd trip into an area new to me. I knew he was there from a scouting trip, I knew it was a remote and quiet spot, and I knew that no one else was hunting the area. Bears in the spring seem to prefer two things especially - a quiet spot and no human smell. Bears are very much aware of human traffic, I have observed a bear stop its’ activity and listen as a vehicle passed by on a nearby road, not moving again until the vehicle was out of hearing range.
After our spring season ends (May 31st), I continue to hunt for sign. June is the month of green grass and deer fawns and elk calves. I use the time to survey my traditional hunting areas for bear activity and try to check out a new site or two. Bears are habitual, the place they prefer this year is more than likely to be the place they prefer next year – if they haven’t been killed or spooked out of the area. A FW&P study says that hunter harvest The bear jumps at the crack of only accounts for 1% of the the rifle and spins, hit hard. He bear population in studied areas. is dead but doesn’t know it. He Also, bears will breed in June, sprints downhill into a deep gully so increased bear activity in May heading toward the creek a mile continues in June as breeding and below. I remember a recent story territorial movement. from a fellow hunter in Superior Sizing the bear is done by various of a big bear that took (4) shots to methods – the size of the scat pile put down and an extra to finish. I is considered to indicate the size stand and put two more rounds of the bear, the bigger the pile the into him with the bolt action as bigger the bear. The presence of a he runs and he folds at 75 yards large pile and a small pile in close downslope. I prefer and usually proximity may indicate a sow and practice one shot one kill, but I’m a cub for example. Sometimes long ways from the Jeep and that just two different bears in the gully is deep. My 2011 spring bear same area. I guessed one bear is done, the boar is dead, and now as heavier than I am by stepping the real work begins. beside his track in the snow and noting that he had sunk deeper Some things that I do to help than I did. There is a method of make spring hunting successful: I size measurement that says add start hunting April 15th, or at least an inch to the width of the (front) hunting for sign. Typically we do paw and that should approximate not see bear, except for some the size of the bear, measured tip garbage can bears, until the 2nd of nose to tail, as a four-footer, week of May in my area. In fact, etc. What I am looking for is a the first bear I saw this year was on mature bear, a *boar, and not a the 13th of May. I use the early time sow, or a sow with cubs. I have start to hunt for bear sign and to seen a few large bears (300lb hunt for sheds. This year I found a class) near home, but where nice moose paddle and a 5x5 bull bears have a higher protein diet, elk taken by the wolves. eating more deer fawns and elk
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calves, as in the Big Hole country, biologists there say they have some “horsy” bears (300lbs +). *Did you know that in some parts of the country a male bear is called a “bruin”, rather than a boar? Since the spring season ended here, I have cataloged (3) areas for next spring, where sign tells me there are bears at least as big as the one I shot (in one case, probably a 300lb bear) and where there are bears that were there last year, and in one new spot, where there must be several bears that don’t get much if any hunting pressure. I’ll be in that location next spring, I’ll stay until dark thirty, and I won’t be afraid to walk (5) miles to get to that sweet spot.
ATV Rides
WESTERN MONTANA TRAIL RIDERS Unless stated otherwise, WMTRA is not responsible for any of the rides listed below. All rides are organized and led by individual club members and not by the club itself.
Sunday, August 7th Maxville/Princeton/Philipsburg Area Easy - Difficult The hosted ride will be on Sunday but optional Friday/Saturday night camping is available near Princeton Bob Saurers 543-3654 Saturday, August 13th Huckleberry Pass (Ovando area) Easy Charlotte Hambley 793-5622 (home) 396-7702 (cell) Saturday, August 20th Miller Creek/Miller Peak Easy Bob Lamley 721-6544 (home) 544-3676 (cell) rlamley@bresnan.net Saturday, August 27th Fourth of July Pass to Harrison, ID Easy Roger Tulberg 829-1649 rogertulberg_58@msn.com
44 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Stalking Trophy Mule Deer With A Bow (continued from page 4)
•Spend less time hiking and more time glassing. Buy the best optics you can afford and use them as much as you can during the hunt. If you think about how many deer you have walked by without even looking in that direction, well let’s just say, “I’m sure we’ve missed out on a trophy or two!
bow range, don’t push him up. Wait him out. This may take a lot time, but eventually, he will get up and most likely you will have a better shot at him.
Mule deer country is normally vast and wide open terrain, but mule deer bucks will surprise you and be tucked away in little draws and timbered coulees, where •Above all be patient. Don’t rush your they can disappear fast. That’s what stalk and once you’ve got a big buck in makes them so fun to hunt! Here are the states that produce big mule deer bucks as entered in the Pope and Young book: ALL TIME POPE AND YOUNG TYPICAL MULE DEER ENTRIES 1.
Colorado
939
2.
Utah
565
3.
Alberta, Canada
299
4.
Wyoming
298
5.
Oregon
252
6.
Idaho
225
7.
Nevada
202
8.
Arizona
195
9.
Montana
180
10.
New Mexico
171
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Colorado
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9.
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28
10.
Montana
25
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AUGUST 2011
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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46 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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heasant hunting can be an incredibly rewarding experience when done the right way.
located. Understand the different habitat needs of a pheasant and how seasonal changes can influence where the birds are Pheasant hunting provides 2 million located. Get off the beaten path of interstate Americans with treasured memories each highways. Join a Pheasants Forever chapter autumn. Here are a few ideas on how to and make friends. More than likely, you’ll get started. get invited to hunt together come autumn. Recognizing overlooked spots Step 1: Take a Hunter’s Education course to learn about gun safety and hunter ethics. - Ask permission of private landowners adjacent to public lands. Step 2: Find a mentor. There’s no Step 6: Knowing How to Hunt - Be ready substitute for going out a few times with in the morning as soon as legal shooting an experienced pheasant hunter to show hours begin. you the ropes. Hunt the “Golden Hour” - last hour of the Step 3: Get a good map and know your day; birds move out of crop fields and into signage grass for roosting. Step 4: Gear up -Know your state laws Hunt after Thanksgiving. Late season in regards to wearing blaze orange. You should always wear at least a blaze orange hunting can be very productive and a lot of fun. cap and hunting vest so your party Quiet - don’t slam doors, keep dogs from members can clearly see you at all times. barking, and don’t be yelling at your Invest in a good pair of boots. While hunting pheasants you will traverse a wide buddies. Hunt with confidence and with purpose range of terrain that will put wear-and- have a strategy. tear on your feet if you’re not properly Respect other hunters who are enjoying our prepared. Nothing will end a hunt more state lands - don’t wreck a quality hunt for prematurely than blistered and sore feet. Know the weather conditions in which you another party (and yourself) by walking in will be hunting and dress in layers that can on them, find another public area or knock on a door - you’ll be glad you did. be added or removed accordingly. Stay Dogs - gotta have one for pheasants. away from cotton products that will retain moisture. Instead, wear polypropylene and FOLLOW THE DOG! Step 7: Reading the Habitat - Not all land fleece clothing that will wick sweat and rain away while retaining heat. Wear brush was created equal as habitat for pheasants, pants or field chaps. These durable leggings so find the good stuff before you burn all you and your pup’s energy. Edges - Read will keep you dry and free from stickers the contours of the land, looking for places and thorns while traveling through thick where habitat changes; crops, trees, shrubs, cover. Use a shotgun you are comfortable cattails, ditches, fence lines. When the with. Anything from a .410 to a 12 gauge snow flies, the game changes. Find the can be effective in bagging a rooster. Be aware of where you’ll be hunting in regards thermal cover - cattails and shelter belts. Food plots - sure the birds have been there, to the use of lead or steel shot. Some areas require that only steel shot be used. In both but that’s also where everyone goes first too. Bring your hip boots or waders - if cases, Federal Premium Ammunition’s Pheasants Forever loads are always a great you cross water barriers that block most hunters, you may find your way to huntchoice. Check out Pheasants Forever’s ing utopia! Get ready - ends, corners and MarketPlace for unbeatable deals on all of openings. the gear you’ll need to have a great day in Getting a shot at your limit is a good day. the field! Make your shots count! Step 5: Knowing Where to Go -Pay attention to your state’s roadside counts to know where the highest concentrations of birds are
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AUGUST 2011
A Big Buck in the Background blotted out the sky but all they could now do was sit tight until the sky cleared knowing the deer would be moving out to feed after the storm. Headed back to camp the truck was following a road that ran around the backside of a protected ridge when the group saw three bucks, two smaller 3x3’s and 3x4, grazing in an opening next to the pinion cover. Jennifer said, “Stop and back up. I think I see a big one.” Scott responded, “Jennifer they are all small bucks, you can do better.” Jennifer repeated, “ Back up! I think I see a big buck!” Little did they know she was not looking at the bucks in the open but a huge 200-class buck that was standing in the pinions behind the smaller bucks. This big one was hidden in the trees but when Burdett backed up, low and behold, they all saw what had made Jennifer so excited. It was a huge buck! He was standing about 100-yards behind the smaller ones with his eyes locked on the truck. Jennifer realized it would be a 300-yard shot and frantically looked for a good solid gun rest. The grass was tall preventing a prone shot. The huge buck didn’t tolerate the stopped vehicle along with the moving people and he quickly disappeared into the maze of pines. The other bucks followed and left the four hunters standing there, wishing for a different outcome. Even a chance for a rerun would be great. They ended up standing there saying, “We shoulda.” There were even a few moments spent shaking their heads and kicking the wet dirt in disgust. That’s hunting! This encounter was over so they headed back to camp for mid-day lunch. Jennifer knew it was the right procedure to get a rest before shooting but realized she had to speed up the process; the big bucks were spooky and quick to disappear. Back at camp she looked at the truck and tried to figure what to do when the grass was high and there wasn’t a good rest. What could she do? She tried a shooting position off the back of the truck bed but the height of the four-wheel drive vehicle made that impossible. She would just have to spend less time looking for a natural rest and not bother watching the buck. After lunch they drove slowly back towards the area they had traveled that morning. About a quarter mile from where they had seen the first deer a great 180-class buck stood. Burdett said, “Shoot ‘em.” Scott said, “Shoot’em Jen!” Jennifer replied, “No, I’m going to see that big one again and I’ll take him.”
(continued from page 24) The two men looked at each other with surprise and both thought, “Who would pass up a 180-class buck?” As the truck drove by the buck spooked and disappeared back into the pinions. It didn’t take long for the excitement to start back up as less than 500-yards from where they had seen the big buck that morning, he was back in the open standing by himself at the edge of the pines. Jennifer bailed out before the truck was completely stopped; this buck was not going to slip away from her twice in one day. She quickly planted the forearm of her rifle in the crotch of a pine tree and put the crosshairs on the big buck. The range later measured 320-yards. She could see the shoulder was partly blocked by a tree but didn’t want to wait until he moved. He may not stop. She held just off the edge of the tree and fired. The .270 bullet grazed the edge of the tree and still connected. The buck turned and slowly started to walk away. When it dawned on her the deer might escape, the buck’s unexpected reaction to her shot spurred Jennifer to take off on a dead run. As she scrambled across the rough ground she hoped to close the distance for another shot. She quickly found a shooting lane through the pines and shot at the same shoulder. This time the buck dropped. She ejected the spent round and slid the last one into the chamber and locked down the bolt before slowly walking toward the buck. She fought to catch her breath from the 220-yard dash and the adrenalin injection that made her feet fly up the hill and leave two men in the dust. When just 15-yards from the buck, she stopped breathing altogether when the monster got to his feet and began running. Realizing she had just one bullet left Jennifer took deliberate aim knowing it would be her last chance, no matter if she hit him or not. The area was rugged and tracking a deer across this rocky ground would be difficult if not impossible even for a skilled guide. Placing the crosshairs on the same shoulder, where she could see blood, she squeezed the trigger before any more of the pine tree jungle blocked the shot. The buck fell again but Jen was now conflicted, “Do I go back to the truck, lose sight of the buck and bring back more bullets or wait and watch, and confirm he doesn’t get back up?” Burdette solved the dilemma by running up along with Scott and five more .270 cartridges. They were too late. The shells were unnecessary. This time the 9 1-2 year old 201” buck was down for good.
AUGUST 2011
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48 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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