Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure - March 2010

BIG SKY Connecting You To The Outdoors

OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE MARCH 2010 www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

Is The MULE DEER RUT THE BEST TIME FOR A TROPHY?

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MARCH 2010

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MARCH 2010

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Editor’s Note M

Look for our latest publication out soon and visit our new web site rockymountainbowhunter.net

with the latest in bowhunting news.

Or visit www.bigskyoutdoornews.net to post your outdoor photos or videos and read the latest.

OUTDOOR NEWS

arch is the month of change in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. Winter slowly gives way to longer and generally warmer days.

With that, brings more opportunities to take advantage of the longer afternoons and recreate wherever you might call home.

Although it can still be a bit chilly outdoors, it’s a great time to break in the new year with a well planned camping trip. An RV for comfort and overnight low temperatures can go a long way in March. Especially if you have a family and little ones along. Tow trailers are especially popular now, as they are affordable and the RV dealers are eager to sell after a long winter.

Expect some excellent opportunities to catch fish this month.

From the reports I’ve heard, the fishing seems to be picking up.

Steelheading on the Clearwater has been good, and I would expect that to continue in March. The trout fishing will also be great this month. The Skwala hatch will start as warmer weather kicks in and the trout will be eager to bite. The Skwala is an early season stonefly insect that trout adore.

Fish late afternoons as the temps warm up.

If you are itching to get out for a hunt this month, predator hunting can be very rewarding. With deer and elk numbers down in some areas, relief from predators is what the animals need. Plus, it’s just a lot of fun to look around and see how things are in your hunt areas. If you are just beginning to hunt predators, seminars are held in local sporting good stores this time of year, or you can also check with MFWP for information on areas that could use hunters as well as putting you in contact with landowners that will let you on their property to hunt.

The spring turkey and the early bear hunt will start up in April, so now is the time to sight in your rifle or tune the bow and get dialed in for this season. The more you can get out and shoot, the better your odds become to take your favorite game animal this season. There should be plenty of black bear to hunt this year.

Talk about excitement. Spotting a black bear in the wild will get your blood going, for sure!

Now is the time to update or start your memberships to hunting and fishing conservation minded organizations. Now, more than ever, it is important to join groups such as the NRA, SCI, the RMEF, the Mule Deer Foundation, NWTF, or Pheasants Forever, just to name a few.

Protecting our rights to fish and hunt in our country is at the top of the list and they need your support. Please get involved and attend a banquet this year to show your support.

March 5th is the date for the Missoula Friends of the NRA Banquet. Go to “Friends Of the NRA” web site to buy tickets on-line, and to learn information about other Friends of the NRA Banquets across the state. They are a lot of fun.

Take a kid on your next fishing, hunting, camping or outdoor trip. Get them involved in the outdoors and excited about what our great outdoors has to offer. The memories will last a lifetime for you and them.

Get out and enjoy whatever your passion might be.

Thank you for reading and supporting the businesses you see in this publication. They appreciate your business.

Check our web site www.bigskyoutdoornews.net for news, events and photos.

MARCH 2010

Contents 6. Elk Foundation Tally 7. Changing Herd Dynamics 8. Snowmobiling In Elk Park 10. Egg Recipe Guaranteed To Land Steelhead And Trout 11. Fly Tying Corner 13. Mule Deer Foundation Sets Record 14. Montana Fishing Report 15. FWP Seeks Comments 17. The Hunt For The Mysterious Skwala 18. Hunting License Sales Up 20. Photos 22. Quarterly Firearm & Ammunition Excise Taxes Up 23. America’s Favorite Trophy Rifle 24. Hunting & Conservation News 26. Wyoming Wildlife Fairing Well 27. The Mule Deer Rut: Best Time For A Trophy?

28. Rocky Mountain States 30. NWTF Helping Landowners 31. Hunter Education Classes Planned 32. FWP Offers Internships 33. Outdoor Calendar 34. An Inside Look At Trophy Taker 35. Good News For American Duck Hunters 36. Check Out A Field Trial 38. Gear Review

Please support the Sponsors you see in this newspaper and let them know you saw their advertisement in Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure. Thank you!

ADVERTISING

RICK HAGGERTY (406)370-1368 AMY HAGGERTY PUBLISHER 8591 Capri Dr., Helena Mt. 59602

bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com

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The entire contents is © 2010, 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. Nor does the printed material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure.

VOLUME 7 Issue 1

MARCH 2010

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$100,000 Available To Anglers In Spring Mack Days CYNTHIA BRAS-BENSON $100,000 will be available to lake trout anglers in the 2010 Spring Mack Days Fishing Event sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. 2010 Spring Mack Days will begin March 12th and end May 23rd. Eleven fantastic fishing weekends-Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays-33 days of lake trout fishing on Flathead Lake. Barry Hansen-CSKT Fisheries Biologist-states that Mack Days Events support the fisheries management objective in the Flathead Lake Co-Management Plan to slowly reduce the number of non-native lake trout and thereby increase the numbers of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout in the lake.

Anglers provide a significant part of making a difference in the attempts to restore a balance in Flathead Lake.

Fish one day or fish every day to increase your chances-your best 15 days will count in the lottery drawing but every day will count for your bonus amount.

Expansion in the event this year includes over 2,000 tagged fish and added bonus amounts-from $1.50 to $3 per lake trout, and an increase to eleven weekends Bonuses will be paid out in the following amounts: 0-19 lake trout=$0 20-30=$35, 31-60=$65, 61-100=$110, 101-150=$185, 151-200=$260, 201-250=$360, 251-300=$440, 301-350=$535, 351-400=$615, 401-450=$740, 451-500=$830, 501-550=$915, 551-600=$1,030, 601-650=1,125, 651-700=$1,215, 701-750=$1,340, 751-800=$1,430, 801-850=$1,600, 851-900-$1,700, 901950=$1850, 951-1000=$2,200, 10011100=$2,200, 1101-1200=$2,875, 12011300=$3,450, 1301-1400=$4,050, 1401+=$3 ea. There will be two $5,000 tagged lake trout with all other internally tagged lake trout having values of $100-$500. Tagged lake trout have been adipose fin clipped-do not remove any tag before entering your lake trout and remember some fish have been clipped by anglers using that as a way to identify if they recapture fish as they are out there fishing. There were 34 tags turned in during 2009 Fall Mack Days that paid out $4,600. There will be eleven weekend winner prizes of $200 each. Ladies who enter 20 or more lake trout compete for added prizes of $300, $200, and $100. The youth categories (17 & under) have $750 in prizes with youth also qualifying for up to $600 in the lottery drawing. The competitive and aggressive top ten anglers with the best 15 day average will qualify for prizes

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Elk Foundation Tally of Conserved Acres In 2009 RMEF The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation closed out 2009 with a year of conservation successes featuring 458 completed projects that conserved or enhanced over 132,000 acres of elk country.

Other RMEF highlights from 2009 included 5 percent growth in membership, record levels of philanthropic gifts and finishing the fiscal year with budget-positive black ink.

“In spite of a rough year for the economy and many other distractions, our volunteers continued to lean into the harness, accomplishing great things for elk, other wildlife and hunters, and setting the stage for continued success,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “I’m proud that our organization provided some of the best news of 2009.”

Land conservation projects, such as acquisitions and transfers that added to accessible public-land systems in Washington, Oregon and South Dakota, impacted 21,785 acres. Habitat enhancement projects like prescribed burning, treating weeds and thinning forest, nearly all on public lands, touched another 110,287 acres. Total acres: 132,070.

Also in 2009, RMEF-funded

education initiatives reached out to 4.5 million youths and adults in 44 states with positive messages about hunting and conservation.

Other top RMEF headlines for 2009: -Celebrated RMEF’s 25th anniversary -Granted more than $2 million for habitat enhancement projects in 20 states -Passed the 585,000-acre all-time mark for lands opened or secured for public hunting -Celebrated Tennessee’s first elk hunt in 144 years, following herd restoration efforts -Helped launch a 10,000-acre project to secure habitat and access in Washington -Filed legal briefs urging delisting and state-regulated hunting of wolves -Launched a multi-year project to restore 10,000 acres of aspen habitat in California -Conveyed 850 acres of Ladd Marsh habitat to Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife -Completed a pipeline project to deliver water to parched wildlife habitat in Arizona -Conveyed over 3,700 acres of elk habitat to the State of Alaska -Launched a multi-year project to enhance thousands of acres of habitat in Arkansas

-Conveyed 235 acres of habitat in Goshute Canyon Wilderness to the BLM in Nevada -Conserved over 1,000 acres of elk habitat in the Black Hills of South Dakota -Conveyed 120 acres of elk habitat to the U.S. Forest Service in Wisconsin -Funded $2.4 million for Elk Country Visitor Center in Pennsylvania -Conserved over 1,000 acres of elk habitat and received conservation easement certification in Colorado About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation.

Get involved at www.rmef.org.

MARCH 2010

Visit Traveler’s Rest In Lolo For Winter Storytelling Series MFWP A

ll storytelling programs run from 11am to noon every Saturday through March 27 and are held at the Holt Museum at Travelers’ Rest, located approximately half a mile west of Lolo on Highway 12.

Admission to the programs is $3 per adult or an equivalent donation of non-perishable food items for the Lolo Community Food Bank. Youth under 18 and all current Travelers’ Rest Preservation and Heritage Association (TRPHA) members are free.

Complimentary coffee, tea, hot chocolate and home-baked treats will be available at all programs. The new museum at Travelers’ Rest will be open after the programs, from noon until 3:30 p.m., for no additional charge.

For a detailed line-up of the Winter Storytelling Series, visit the Travelers’ Rest Web site at travelersrest.org or call 273-4253.

Travelers’ Rest State Park’s winter hours are 9-4 M-F, 11-4 Saturday and 12-4 Sunday. The visitor center/museum hours are 10-3 M-F and 12-3:30 on weekends.

MARCH 2010

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Changing Herd Dynamics Puts Pressure On Permits

BY ANDREW MCKEAN

B

ighorn sheep permits will probably be cut because of pneumonia outbreaks in several herds. Mule deer numbers are down across the state, and wolves and other predators have cropped elk numbers in many previously celebrated hunting districts.

So what’s a trophy minded hunter to do as the deadline for special big-game permits approaches? Same as always, pick your districts based on a mix of numerology, tradition and odds-crunching, then cross your fingers and hope that your number is pulled.

But this year those applicants who pay attention to the macroscopic trends of wildlife management are likely to be rewarded with the biggest lottery prize all: a special hunting permit.

Montana’s deadline for moose, sheep and mountain goat permits is May 1. But March 15 is the deadline for nonresidents who want to take a shot at an elk or deer permit in the state. And if you’re interested in special deer, elk and antelope permits, make sure you mark June 1 on your calendar.

WINNERS AND LOSERS After years of relatively constant population trends, the last few years in Montana have seen some

significant trends in big-game herd sizes and distribution. Paying attention to the trajectories of these trends can help you make an informed decision about which hunting district in which to apply in a couple of months.

Take bighorn sheep, for instance.

Perhaps the most celebrated big-game trophy species in the West, Montana’s bighorn herds have been riding a wave of recognition for the last several years.

Montana is the leading producer of Boone & Crockett rams, and all signs have pointed to an extension of that trend.

Until this winter. Pneumonia

has stricken several storied herds in the western part of the state. Upper and Lower Rock Creek, Petty Creek and Bonner herds have all taken big losses, either because of mortality from the respiratory disease or because Fish, Wildlife & Parks removed sheep with symptoms in an effort to contain the disease. The Anaconda herd has also hit hard times with a vehicle accident that killed several trophy-class rams last winter.

Because of substantial mortality in these herds, this may be a good year to consider applying in a district that hasn’t

been affected by pneumonia. Consider one of the Missouri River Breaks districts or a ram permit in one of the Rocky Mountain Front units.

Mule deer also seem to be on a downward trend. Especially in central and western Montana, general-tag mule deer hunting may be limited to antlered bucks, so it’s a good year to consider applying for one of the two-dozen permit-only buck units.

Elk populations, too, are on the ropes in some of the most consistently productive hunting districts in the state.

FWP’s commission last month voted to close the Gardiner late-season elk hunt because of plummeting populations. The Gallatin, Whitefish and Beartooth Front elk units have also seen lower population dynamics, largely because of the proliferation of wolves and other predators.

Consider applying for an elk tag in a unit that hasn’t been impacted by wolves. The Missouri River Breaks, Bear Paw, Little Belts and southeastern units should all feature good numbers of cow tags and decent trophy-bull potential.

Remember, you can apply online at www.fwp.mt.gov <http://www.fwp. mt.gov> . Online application ensures that your hard-won permit won’t get kicked out because you forgot to enter information or transposed your phone number with your ALS number.

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Ski-Doo Or Can-Am? Either or both.

NOW IS THE TIME To BUY

MARCH 2010

Snowmobiling In Elk Park visitmt.com

N

estled on the Continental Divide, Elk Park is minutes away from Butte and offers some of Southwest Montana’s best snowmobiling. The Elk Park trail system provides spectacular views and easy access for families and people of all ages. The trail system ties into the Deer Lodge trail system for additional riding opportunities.

TRAILS: Elk Park trails offer a 38-mile loop through the Lowlands and Lockhart areas with groomed family trails and some open play areas. This loop connects with the Deer Lodge Trail System for extending riding areas.

A convenient parking area with easy access is just 2 miles off I-15.

MILES GROOMED: 38 Miles

Deadline Set For Trail Program Grants MFWP

ELEVATION: Butte, 5,200’ Elk Park, 6,500’ SERVICES: Full-service dealerships for all major brands are waiting to serve you in Butte.

CONTACTS: Butte Ranger District Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests 1820 Meadowlark, Butte, MT 59701 (406) 494-2147

We’ve Got Your Ride Call 443-7373 1-800-585-7397 3186 Hwy. 12 East, Helena www.onewaymarine.com

FULL PARTS & SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ®TM Trademark of Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc. or its affiliates.

Jefferson Ranger District 3 Whitehall Road, Whitehall, MT 59759 Mining City Trail Riders PO Box 4885, Butte, MT 59701 (406) 723-5400 FOR INFORMATION ON BUTTE LODGING: Butte Chamber Of Commerce (406) or (800) 735-6814 visit www.buttechamber.org e-mail: chamber@buttechamber.org

A

pplications for grants from the Recreational Trails and Off-Highway Vehicle Programs administered by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are due July 1.

For information on how to apply for these grants, go to the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov on the Recreation page under Grants.

Applicants may also attend a grant-writing training session at one of the following dates and locations.

Great Falls - Tuesday, March 16 from 7-9 p.m. at FWP Headquarters, 4 600 Giant Springs Road Kalispell - Thursday, March 18 from 7-9 p.m. at FWP headquarters, 490 North Meridian Road Missoula - Friday, March 19 from 7-9 p.m. at FWP Headquarters, 3201 Spurgin Road Butte - Tuesday, March 23 from 7-9 p.m. at Perkins Restaurant, 2900 Harrison Ave. Bozeman - Wednesday, March 24 from 7-9 p.m., FWP Headquarters at 1 400 South 19th For more information, contact: Steve Gilbert by phone: 406-444-7642, or e-mail: sgilbert@mt.gov ; or Beth Shumate by phone: 406-444-4585, or e-mail: bshumate@mt.gov .

MARCH 2010

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TRAVELER’S CORNER: Steering Box Stabilizer Designed for Late-Model Dodge Trucks

BD

’s new Steering Box Stabilizer (SBS) eliminates steering wander and wobble caused by excessive shaft play in the steering box of late-model Dodge trucks. Designed for easy, bolt-in installation in about 10 minutes, the SBS virtually eliminates frame flex at the steering box mounting point, resulting in more positive steering feel.

The BD SBS is silver vein powder coated for corrosion resistance, and features a greasable, high-quality bearing for reliable operation. Made in Canada, the SBS comes complete with high-strength mounting hardware and instructions.

Priced at just $212.50

Improve Your Dodge Truck’s Steering Stability With The Adjustable Track Bar W

ith the OEM ball joint design, frequent maintenance is required to prevent side-to-side movement of the front axle which can cause wear, hammering, wandering and the dreaded “Death Wobble” BD’s Track Bar is the perfect solution for steering stability and is a great compliment to BD’s Steering Box Stabilizer. Plus, it is adjustable to accommodate up to 3”-4” lifts!

The Adjustable Track Bar is built from rigid 1 3/8” DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) seamless heavy wall 0.313” tubing with formed and precision welded collars that have durable, heavy duty Poly bushings.

BD’s Adjustable Track Bar Kit comes complete with zinc plated bar, powder coated anchor bracket (1994-2002 models), poly bushing kit and grease zerks.

THE ADJUSTABLE TRACK BAR KIT Priced at $425.00 Part #1032011 1994-2001 4wd 1500 Part #1032011 1994-2002 4 wd 2500/3500 Part #1032012 2003-2007 4wd 2500/3500 Available at Gomer’s-USDIESELPARTS 2400 Palmer Missoula, MT. 59808 (406) 728-7620 or 1-800-823-4444.

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MARCH 2010

Fishing With The Captain

Affordable fishing!

Bass trips on the mighty Snake river with

Mark Ward

#208-924-8685 www.GuerillaGuideService.com

Bass Trips - 2 people for only $300 April & May. Trips Make great Gifts!

Want to catch 100 of these? Then book now dates are going fast!!!

Or Book A SeaRun Cutthroat or Summer Steelies Trip This summer!

Egg Recipe Guaranteed To Land Steelhead & Montana Trout Travis De Boer- “secrets are for amateurs” J

ust in time for “March madness” on the Clearwater or spring fishing on your favorite Montana stream or lake. This Egg recipe, the product of years of testing on the fish they were intended to catch.

(Steelhead and Montana trout) They are absolutely deadly on both and have the added benefit of a long storage life (up to a year) when properly cared for. Don’t be scared to try other types of fish eggs as well.

You may be very pleasantly surprised.

Brook trout, whitefish, and many others have proven very effective on trout and steelhead as well. This is my favorite and most deadly egg recipe.

Give it a chance wherever you fish eggs or bait of any sort.

-then tie with mesh spawn sacs and fish -Or vacuum seal skeins and freeze for later use. The key to freezing is to have no air contact on eggs. This can also be done by placing small amount of juice from brine and eggs in zip lock and squeezing out air before sealing.

-Another option is to lay brined skeins out and sprinkle with 50/50 borax/fish food mixture, let dry and layer in jar and freeze. (Fish on hook with an egg loop)

Rigging instructions -“Pow! Right in the Kisser!”

Egg recipe1 cup water ¼ cup borax ¼ cup pulverized fish foodcommercial pellet, Wardley-shrimp pellet, Tetra- Jumbo Krill (freeze dried) or experiment with a different kind (pet shops are a gold mine for bait-chuckers!!!) ¼ cup non iodized salt 1 table spoon brown sugar 6 drops sand shrimp oil-(optional) - Mix all ingredients thoroughly in clean bowl -Add fresh and 100% blood free steelhead or salmon egg skeins/cut large skeins open with knife -brine over night in fridge

Trout in lakes- Tie in mesh bags with Styrofoam balls and fish on a slip rig (egg sinker and swivel) off the bottom.

Leader length will determine how far sac will suspend.

Trout in streams- drift fish mesh sacs or small piece of skein on egg loop.

Steelhead- fish under floats (trotting or waking) or drift fish sacs or skeins on an egg loop.

Nicer method- Tie egg looped hook on line with another hook rigged in tandem about 3 to 4 inches below it. Cut off point of egg loop and just use loop to attach eggs. This “flossing” method, popular with bead fisherman, will result in very few if any potentially deadly deep hook ups on hungry trout. It’s nice to be nice!

to give Bethel a tip on how to keep his prop intact.

“He told me to just clamp a pitch fork around the bottom of my outboards lower unit and it will help protect my prop from the river rocks.”

Bethel, who is in the Montana Walleye Hall of Fame, says he aims to show anglers of all skill levels how to maximize their very once in a while, river boat fishing experience. a product comes out that both “I have had the opportunity makes a lot of sense and makes to fish with some really good you wonder why it hasn’t come partners in walleye tournaments out before. That, in my opinion, is over the years,” he said. what “River Box Dance,” the new He shows anglers how to DVD from Montana fisherman select a fishing rod and then how to Luckie Bethel, is all about for river match the rod with a reel and what fisherman. strength and color of fishing line to Montana has some use, what type and size of jig and outstanding river fishing, but there even how to bait the jig. “All of the equipment you use whether it is hasn’t ever been much in the way on your boat, in your hand or in the of information on how to fish the water is important for you to have lower reaches of these rivers for a productive time on the water.” catfish, bass, walleye, or northern Bethel is very detailed in pike. the DVD on how to navigate rivers This DVD is full of basic with your boat, how to read rivers “how to” information for anglers. for fishing hot spots, and how to In fact the only “show-biz” aspect of the DVD is the name. River Box fish those spots, which is where the title of the DVD came from.

Dance will give you a complete is where all the preparation lesson on boat prep, navigation and “That comes in to play,” Bethel says. fishing techniques that are geared “When you find the fish in a spot in just for river fishermen. the river that is when you start the For example, Bethel starts River Box Dance.” with showing you how he would To find out more about the suggest you equip your boat. $17.00 River Box Dance DVD go “Most anglers think that the only to Bethel’s Web site at way to navigate a river is with a www.river-tech.com. jet boat,” Bethel says, “but that is not true because you can also do it with a 12-14 foot aluminum boat that is powered by an outboard with a prop.”

All of his advice comes from his experiences while fishing on Montana’s rivers first when he Mark Ward is known as the Captain of was based out of Great Falls and the Montana Outdoor Radio Show heard statewide every Saturday from 6am - 8am. now in Billings. “One time, I was changing my prop on a river bank after it hit a rock and a guy pulls up Log onto www.montanaoutdoor.com to find a radio and asks me what I was doing,” Bethel recounted, “I told him I was station in your area. You can also read his weekly column in the Thursday changing my prop again.” The friendly fisherman then proceeded Missoulian Outdoor section.

E

MARCH 2010

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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

BIG SKY

OUTDOOR NEWS Fly Tying Corner:

Pheasant Tail Nymph With Beads BY BOB BATES www.fedflyfishers.org

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MONTANAʼS HEADQUARTERS FOR ODYSSEY RAFTS 14’ ODYSSEY SELF BAILER RAFT List $2,995

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Many years ago Frank Sawyer designed his Pheasant Tail Nymph. Now

we are putting beads on them. John Faust of Hamilton made it better by including two beads (see two bead fly above).

In stillwater use bead patterns with floating or sinking lines. With a sinking line let the line and fly sink to where the fish are and start to retrieve. The fish are frequently near the bottom, but they might not be there. Also, vary the retrieve until something works. With floating lines vary the fly sink-time and retrieve. Start a hand twist retrieve immediately, let the fly sink to near the bottom before retrieving, or even let the fly hang under a strike indicator. The keyword is experiment.

Bead patterns also work well in moving water. Suspend the fly under the strike indicator a distance about equal to twice the water depth. In fast water extra weight might be needed a foot or two above the fly to sink everything quickly. If the indicator does anything beside drift downstream. It might be only a rock or it could be a nice fish.

Then you will have a great story to tell your fishing partners.

MATERIALS: Hook: Dai-Riki 730; Mustad 9671, 9672, 7957BX; Daiichi 1710, 1560; Tiemco 3761; sizes 8-16 Weight: One or two brass beads Thread: Brown, 6/0 or 8/0 Rib: Gold or copper wire Tail and body: Pheasant tail fibers Wingcase and legs: Pheasant tail fibers Thorax: Peacock herl (On one bead fly only)

Bead Head Pheasant Tail Nymph

1. Smash the barb to make threading easier, and slip on one or two brass beads. If you have modern beads with a smaller hole on one side put it toward the eye.

2. Put hook in the vise with the shank pointing down a little so bead stays at the eye.

3. Attach wire about mid-shank and hold it as you wrap thread over wire to the bend 4. Hold a pheasant tail, and stroke the fibers outward so the tips are even before cutting off the ones you want. Make a shank length tail at the bend by attaching a dozen or so tail fibers by their tips on top of the hook. Keep thread wraps on top of each other 5. Hold up butts of pheasant tail fibers and wind thread forward to a little in front of mid shank.

6. Grasp the pheasant tail fibers with your fingers and start wrapping them around the shank. The first wrap should be back to cover the thread wraps securing the fibers, and then wrap forward to mid-shank, secure and trim excess.

7. Spiral the copper wire rib forward in the opposite direction than you wrapped the pheasant tail fibers. This counter wrapping protects the pheasant tail fibers. Secure and cut off excess wire. Leave thread at front of body.

8. Cut off a dozen or so tail fibers after making them even. Measure the tail fibers so the distance from the tips to the thread is about twice the mid-shank-to-bead length. Secure them on top of the hook with tips to rear. Wrap thread over butts to help build up the thorax area. Trim excess.

9. Secure two or three peacock herls by their tips between the body and the bead. Wind thread to bead. Build up a fat thorax by winding herls between body and bead. Secure and trim excess.

10. Pull the wingcase fibers forward, hold them together and secure with a turn or two of thread.

11. Divide the tips, and hold half of them along each side of the thorax. Put on a couple more thread wraps to hold tips back, whip finish behind bead and add a drop of head cement to wraps. (Two Bead Pheasant Tail Nymph Tying instructions continued page 32)

Package includes: •Odyssey Powdercoat Frame •Carlisle 9’ EHD Oars (2 each) •HD Brass Oarlocks (2 each) •Oar Rights (1 pair) •Manual Pump •Hose to Valve Adapter

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Mule Deer Foundation And Sportsmen For Fish & Wildlife Set All-time High Records At The Western Hunting & Conservation Exposition MULE DEER FOUNDATION

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) and Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife (SFW) put together a record-breaking event for this year’s Western Hunting & Conservation Exposition (WHCE) held Feb. 11-14, 2010, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. Exhibit hall attendance exceeded 25,000, and daily seminars and evening events were at capacity, entertaining well over 3,500 people.

The sale of more than 60 big-game tags raised over $10 million for wildlife conservation. The Utah Statewide Mule Deer tag brought an all-time high of $260,000, and the Arizona Statewide Mule Deer tag sold for a record $177,000. Hunters had the opportunity to purchase or enter drawings for tags worth over $2 million SFW President Byron Bateman said, “Hunters are conservationists. They’re the ones putting the money on the ground. I think we’ve demonstrated that here.”

Over 350 exhibitors displayed and sold products at the Expo.

Attendance and sales were so good that next year’s hall is already half sold out. According to many vendors this was one of the most successful sports shows ever.

Keynote Speakers for the event were Wayne LaPierre, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rifle Association (NRA), and Larry Potterfield, Founder and President of Midway USA. World-class entertainment featured Josh Turner, Jo Dee Messina, and Western Underground (Chris LeDoux’s band).

MDF President and CEO Miles Moretti concluded, “This fourth annual event proved to be the best yet, setting records in both attendance and money raised for wildlife. Salt Lake City is the place to be for the hunter who wants to make a difference and help preserve our sport for future generations.”

Next year’s WHCE will be held Feb. 3-6, 2011.

14 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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Montana Fishing Report a short window of excellent fishing for a few weeks before becoming unstable. As water temperatures begin to warm up a little, the fish seem to wake up out of the coma they are usually in during the dead of winter. Also remember that the higher elevation lakes will hold their ice longer, so these are generally your best targets for ice fishing as the month progresses.

Expect some excellent opportunities to catch fish through the ice, or in our rivers and streams, but don’t wait on the weather, because you might never get out the door.

CHRIS MADSEN

Western Montana Fishing Report

Brought To You By Missoula

BY CHRIS MADSEN, (406) 523-9000 e-mail: fishing-115@live.com

M

arch of 2010 is upon us and the madness that goes along with it is sure to ensue. Winter and spring are still locked in mortal combat, and on any given day, it can be hard to tell who is winning.

Sunny, short sleeve weather and wet, clinging snowstorms can both be expected sometime during the month, probably on the same day. Nevertheless, March marks the beginning of another long Western Montana fishing season, and most of us are eager to get things started. Most of our favorite ice-fishing hotspots will become unsafe sometime during the month of March, so it’s probably not a great time to drive the Ford right out to your honey hole, but most lakes will have

GEORGETOWN LAKE: Our favorite mountain reservoir has been a little tough for the kokanee during February, but it still gave up some good catches of trout.

As we move through March, and we get closer to ice out, the fishing should improve for both species. The usual fare of Swedish Pimples, Rocker Jigs, Nuclear Ants and Buckshot Spoons tipped with maggots should produce just fine. The dense weeds have died off and the fish have moved a little farther out searching for food. Favorite spots like Denton’s Point and Rainbow Bay are good places to start, and early morning is usually the best time of day.

FLATHEAD LAKE: March marks the beginning of Spring Mac Days on Flathead Lake. Anglers from western Montana and some from farther away make the exodus to Flathead lured by cash prizes and some truly large “lakers”.

The most popular technique employed by anglers is jigging large lead spoons tipped with cut bait. Heavy jigs like Lead a Gators, Rattle D’zastors, Buzz Bombs and Trilobites will the attention of the large schools of fish that show up on your sonar. A large one to two ounce jig head with a big glow or white twist tailed grub body is also popular. Braided line is also a must when jigging in deep waters. Its low stretch will allow you to feel the hits and get a more solid hook set. Flatfish, Kwikfish, hoochies and spoons are the

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lures of choice for trolling although there are many crankbaits that can be trolled with success. Good electronics help immensely, and most of the time completely necessary when trying to locate fish. Whether you’re jigging or trolling, knowing the depth you should be fishing at will definitely improve your catch rate.

AREA RIVERS: For the avid fly angler, who by this time is just about to climb out on the ledge, March usually feels a little like getting a presidential pardon from the death sentence of winter. Trout fishing can be excellent throughout the state, and your favorite spots will likely see a lot less pressure than during the summer months as well. But perhaps the best action takes place in western Montana during the annual Skwala hatch. If you haven’t spent a lot of time fishing around the area, you may be wondering what exactly a Skwala is. The bug in question is an early season stonefly, usually in a size #8 or #10, with an olive body. The Skwala is actually a fairly widespread insect throughout the Pacific Northwest, but usually not in numbers large enough to constitute much of a hatch. The major exception seems to be the Clark Fork drainage, encompassing the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Rock Creek, and a few other streams in the area. While most Montana anglers are still chucking lead and strike indicators, Missoula area anglers are enjoying some of the finest dry-fly fishing of the year. This unique bug has also spawned numerous creative fly patterns by local tiers, most resembling Frankenstein’s monster in some meaningful way. If you are coming from out of the area, most stonefly patterns can be adapted to fill the bill, just tie them in olive, on #8 or #10 long-shanked hooks.

A pattern that sits low on the water and has lots of rubber legs seems to help. On the water, don’t expect to see very many bugs. They don’t fly around a lot like other stoneflies that hatch during the warmer months. Most of the Skwalas wind up in the river by falling off of the bank side vegetation, so concentrate your

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MARCH 2010

efforts in these areas. Best fishing is usually in the afternoon when the water warms up a bit. Blue Winged Olives are present during the most of the month and March Browns come off in good numbers on the local rivers a little later in the month. If you’re out on a day that is overcast and there is a slight drizzle coming down make sure you have some emergers, adults and cripples in your box.

IDAHO STEELHEAD: Although the fishing on the Clearwater was less than stellar during February I’m optimistic the fishing gods will smile upon us and the steelhead bite will improve through March as the water temperatures warm up, flows increase and the fish move more actively. I write this while crossing as many fingers and toes as I can. Mother Nature has not been kind to us this winter.

With little snow pack and not much rain it’s one of the lowest water years in a long time. Most successful bank anglers are drifting roe, or fishing jigs under bobbers. Water temps are a little too cold for throwing KO Wobblers or Steelies but back trolling plugs or sand shrimp behind a Spin and Glow from a boat has been bringing a lot of fish to the net. Fly fishing has been slow on the South Fork due to the extremely low flows but fish have been caught drifting the usual egg patterns under an indicator or swinging your favorite leech pattern. By now, most steelhead have seen just about everything, so don’t be afraid to fish lighter lines with smaller, more subtle offerings. Try to match your presentations to the clarity of the water: bigger and brighter in dirty water, smaller and duller in clear water.

The Salmon River still has some ice on the upper reaches but that should clear up quickly with the warmer weather of March. There are often quite a few anglers vying for choice runs this time of year, so do everyone a favor and be as courteous and respectful to them as you would want them to be to you.

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JESSE FLYNN

North Central Montana Fishing Report Brought To You By Helena

BY JESSE FLYNN (406) 457-7200 e-mail: fishing167helena@yahoo.com CANYON FERRY: Depending on the weather, will depend on whether or not we are ice fishing or getting our boats out of the garage. More than likely, we should still be ice fishing the south end of the lake as the north end opens up. This time of year really gets anglers excited about fishing considering the last half of ice fishing was not what we had hoped for.

The north end typically produces good rainbow fishing this time of year. Crawlers, marabou jigs, and cranks will prove to be most effective. Once again, if we get the north end to open up a good bit, boat anglers will have success finding perch and walleye in this vicinity. Anglers will typically be vertical jigging for perch and dragging or bumping jigs off the bottom for walleye. Try dragging a drop-shot rig with a small minnow pattern; and I say dragging because, well, it has been proven more effective. A drop-shot rig is effective because it gets your bait just off the bottom in the strike zone where you need to be... but not always. We’ll get into that another day.

HAUSER LAKE: Below the dam has been dynamite! The Causeway will begin to open up and bank fishing will continue to improve as spring approaches. Though if cold weather persists I may be completely wrong and we could be ice fishing longer than we expect. I can’t say for sure how fishing conditions will be in the months ahead, so be safe out there and use your best judgment. If we continue to have ice stick with jigs, spoons, wooly buggers, etc. tipped with maggots. Open water will allow anglers to get back into crank baits and other versatile baits such as crawler harnesses and jigs which allow us to cover more water; ultimately creating a more successful fishing experience. In line spinners (Mepps, Panther Martin) are often overlooked bait that almost all species of fish will hit. Typically, trout love spinners but the walleye guys shouldn’t overlook these practical baits either.

FWP Seeks Comment On Commercial Fishing Regulations MFWP Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking comment on the proposed commercial fishing regulations for Lake Helena and Canyon Ferry Reservoir that provide for the harvest of carp and suckers using seines.

The proposed regulations, in effect through Dec. 31, specify the areas where these fish may be harvested and how to report these commercial operations to FWP before the fishing begins.

Special regulations on the Lake Helena harvest from Jan. 1—June 30 were established to protect nesting waterfowl, and special regulations on Canyon Ferry will help prevent conflict with recreational anglers.

The FWP Commission is authorized to approve one commercial fishing operation for each body of water and to establish specific regulations. Only one individual has applied for the 2010 commercial fishing permit to harvest carp from Canyon Ferry Reservoir and Lake Helena.

Comments must be received by March 12.

For details and to comment by e-mail, visit the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov. Comment letters may be mailed to: MFWP, Fisheries Bureau, 1420 East Sixth Ave., P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620-070.

HOLTER LAKE: I want to start out by saying “I’m glad Pat Brewer (The Man Store) made it out alive”! We probably won’t be ice fishing this one too much longer. The Gates of the Mountains has ice off and the fishing should be excellent this time of year if you have means of getting out there. Be safe in the month of March as the lakes are transitioning into open water. Spring walleyes are almost here; let’s hope that it will be as good as last spring. Dust off the cob webs and let’s prepare ourselves for another great fishing year. New 2010 fishing regulations are out, so don’t forget to check for any changes that might have occurred while we were out.

REGULATING RESERVOIR: Anglers might get one or two to take home for dinner if you’re lucky. What can I say get out there and hunt... It seems that Ling fishing was most productive this ice fishing season, perch fishing was slow along with Kokanees. Try Swedish Pimples with a dropper of some sort (nuclear ant or shrimpo) when targeting perch and kokanee. This will be good to use the rest of ice fishing, and then we will get back into trolling as soon as ice out occurs.

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summer hatch of tourists. The trout will be hungry and eager.

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LOWER MADISON RIVER: The Lower has fished quite well through most of February and should continue on into March. Drifting large streamers, stonefly nymphs, and small mayfly and attractor nymphs have been producing. Continue concentrating on the deeper slower buckets.

On calmer days there have been midges out and success can be had on the surface with an accurately presented Griffiths gnat or Zelon Midge.

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everyone has already gotten their new 2010 fishing regs and licenses. If not be sure to do so before heading out to our waters. One other important note here in Southwestern Montana is that the Upper Madison River will be closed from Quake Lake outlet to Lyons Bridge. And also from the Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake from March 1st until the general opener in March. This is done for protection of the Rainbow trout spawning period. So be aware and let them do their thing in peace. Ice fishing is winding down and what I think is some of the best fishing of the year is right around the corner. Take advantage of early spring before runoff as we locals will have the rivers mostly to ourselves before the

UPPER MADISON RIVER: The Upper saw a great winter season of midge activity around Reynolds and $3 Bridge. But we will have to wait until the opener in May to enjoy this water again. But excellent early season fishing is available between the Hebgen and Quake Lakes as well as McAtee Bridge to Ennis. Streamers, stonefly nymphs, midge pupae , and small mayfly and attractor nymphs will all produce. And keep some San Juans and egg patterns handy just in case. Barring any major cold snaps. Floating the river below McAtee should be viable for those with smaller pontoon boats for sure. For those in drift boats or larger craft taking out at Burnt Tree or Eight Mile will be possible.

The town access will be unusable until early summer again due to the ice jam. Do call ahead to the shops in Ennis to verify what takeouts are ready to go though.

YELLOWSTONE RIVER: Try and get out on the Stone if you for the next eight weeks or so. Once runoff begins we lose this great river for quite a few weeks.

The large browns and rainbows will be out looking for some meat. So some great early season streamer action is always a possibility here. And I always love streamers here to weed out the whitefish rodeo. Look for rising fish feeding on midges in slower pools and backeddies.

And nymphing will always be effective with Stones, pheasant tail, prince, and attractor nymphs.

Well hopefully you all have your fly boxes filled after another long winter. It’s time to chuck and duck and enjoy the best backyard the world has to offer. I’ll see you out on the water. Tight Lines!!!!

ROB MARSHALL OF HELENA WITH NICE STEELHEAD TAKEN THIS YEAR IN HELLS CANYON

MARCH 2010

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Sagebrush News: The Hunt For The Mysterious Skwala BY CHUCK ROBBINS In local fly fishing circles mini-wake often trigger heart-stopping March Madness has nothing to do with takes. Sometimes all it takes is an added stuffing round balls thru hoops and everything to do with the arrival of the mysterious, rather strangely branded, skwala stonefly. Skwalas are said to be widespread, occurring in a variety freestone streams throughout western Montana but for hype, anticipation and magnitude the Bitterroot version wins hands down—with the Clark Fork a close second and Rock Creek ( Clinton ) and the Big Hole as also-rans. Just when the bugs show up depends but water temperatures of 45-50 degrees are the main ingredient. While each year is different the hatch usually peaks sometime in the latter half of March thru mid-April.

Nymphs begin migrating toward shore as early as late February and continue on a more or less regular basis through April. Skwala hatches are rarely prolific. But maybe because it’s been so long since the last big meal the trout seem ready to pounce on even the thinnest trickles. As a rule afternoons and early evenings are best and cloudy rainy trumps sunny bluebird every time.

Adult skwalas vaguely resemble both salmon and golden stones but are smaller and the body color is dark olive-brown. Males are flightless.

Females are weak flyers at best and like their male counterparts more prone to scoot across the surface than fly; as you might expect a trait hungry trout are well aware.

With skwalas skittering about it pays to present your flies in like manner.

A down and across wet-fly-style presentation allowing the fly to create a

twitch or two to a drag-free float. Like most stone flies skwalas thrive in broken, heavily oxygenated currents.

Thus the bottom of riffles and other fast runs where flows start to mellow are first-rate targets. I usually start with nymphs in the morning then in early afternoon test the waters with a variety dries. By casting tight to the banks and up under any overhanging vegetation, it is not unusual to enjoy decent top-water action even when adults are scarce; that is tight within inches not feet.

In recent years pattern choices have exploded. All the local fly shops peddle at least one must-have-can’t-miss item—after all that’s what fly shops do.

Skwala dries come in a variety styles but the most popular seem to be built around a sleek, elk-hair bullet-head. But foam patterns are gaining ground fast and rubber legs have become almost de rigueur. For instance the venerable Olive Stimulator is okay but the rubber-legs version can be downright deadly. Productive nymph patterns are many and varied but you can hardly go wrong pitching a Rubber-Leg aka Girdle Bug or soft-hackle of appropriate size and color. Catalogs, articles and such often recommend sizes 6-8, but most of the guides I know prefer smaller ties, sizes 10-12. But why nitpick when it only takes 50% more slots in the box to tote ‘em all?

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Hunting License Sales Up By 3.5% In National Shooting Sports Foundation Index Of States National Shooting Sports Foundation I

n a year when one word, “fewer,” described life in America -fewer jobs, fewer home sales, fewer purchases -- hunters were responsible for generating a welcome “more” category, as hunting license sales rose by 3.5 percent in 2009 in states that make up NSSF’s Hunting License Sales Index.

The 12-state index comprises several states from four main regions of the United States.

Nine of those states recorded hunting license sales increases from January through December of 2009 over the previous year, according to Southwick Associates, a research firm that monitored the license sales information.

“Many factors such as weather and the economy affect hunting license sales in any given year, but in 2009 the economy likely had a more significant effect,” said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF’s director of industry research and analysis. “While the reasons for the 3.5 percent increase are speculative, past research shows that during slowdowns in the nation’s economy it is possible that people have more time to hunt and that hunters take the opportunity to fill their freezers with nutritious, high-protein meat acquired at lower cost than if a similar amount was purchased at the supermarket.”

States participating in the NSSF License Sales Index are New York and New Jersey in the Northeast; Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana and Tennessee in the Southeast; Minnesota, Indiana, Tennessee and Texas in the Midwest; and Oregon and Utah in the West. States were selected for their ability to provide license sales data on a regular basis. The geographical selections were made to offset potential variation in license sales by region. As more states are able to provide necessary data, the number of states will be increased, said Curcuruto.

According to the index, license sales got off to a good start in the first half of 2009. In the key turkey hunting month of April, license sales rose by approximately 17 percent over the same month the previous year. In June, which is the start of the fiscal year in many states and, hence, the month when many annual

licenses go on sale, sales increased by 16.2 percent. In the latter half of the year, which is when the bulk of hunting activity occurs and most licenses are sold, August and October sales were down, but September, November and December sales were up.

Curcuruto noted the findings were a bright spot when considering national hunting license sales totals from all 50 states showed little change from 2005 through 2007 (the most recent year that figures are available).

During that period, license sales have held at approximately 14.5 million annually, according to that U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Typically, hunting license sales data does not become available until 18 to 24 months after sales end.

“NSSF and Southwick Associates saw there was a need to work directly with states to receive data in a more timely matter,” said Curcuruto.

The NSSF Hunting License Sales Index is designed to be an indicator of hunting license sales but not an exact measure of all hunting license sales nationally. Should the 3.5 percent rise hold true nationwide, it would represent one of the largest percentage increases in hunting license sales in over 20 years.

The index is a new project involving NSSF and Southwick Associates. The 2009 data was the first released in what both parties expect to be an ongoing effort. NSSF performs this type of research to better equip its member base with information that will help them make more informed business decisions.

Results from the index were first reported to NSSF members and media at the recently concluded 2010 SHOT Show. “Due to positive feedback from those sessions, NSSF plans to continue funding this project in 2010,” said Curcuruto.

Results are based on a weighted average of trends among participating states, so that states with larger hunter populations have a greater impact on the results than smaller states. Due to confidentiality agreements, license sales data is not available on a per-state basis.

MARCH 2010

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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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20 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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MARCH 2010

Shop our online store for the latest in records books and scoring materials Boone and Crockett Club Books, DVDs, Clothing, Hunting Gear, Art Prints and much more.

Mark Mebes of Walla Walla, WA. “Mark shot this Mule Deer Buck in NE Montana during a rut hunt in Nov. ‘09”

Theresa Mondale of Missoula “6,500 feet on the last day of the 2009 General Season”

Jerry Grosenick of Great Falls “After 30 years of applying, I finally got my sheep.”

Attend the Club’s 27th triennial Big Game Awards, June 24-26, 2010, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev. Free attractions include a public exhibition of the top ranking North American big-game trophies in 36 categories taken since 2007, plus a variety of seminars and exhibits.

Sam Nasset, guitar slinger with The Revelators “Whitetail Buck harvested in Eastern Montana”

For more information visit www.biggameawards.com.

Donald Montgomery of Victor “Fort Peck Bull taken November 2009”

Mick Kammerer of Missoula “Shot this once in a lifetime bull in Missoula County in October 2009.

Green score 365” The Boone and Crockett Club Online Store is sure to have the perfect gift for the outdoorsperson in your life. Find the greatest selection of official Boone and Crockett Club merchandise with simple and secure ordering.

SUBMIT YOUR OUTDOOR PHOTOS TO BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE e-mail: bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com or mail to: 8591 Capri Drive, Helena, MT. 59602

JOIN THE BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB TODAY www.booneandcrockettclub.com YOU WILL RECEIVE:

406.542.1888

Just $35.00

Makes A Great Gift!

•Fair Chase magazine published quarterly •A wallet card and window decal •A 20% discount on Boone and Crockett Club books & select merchandise •Access to exclusive areas of the Club’s website

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Improve your odds with TROPHY SEARCH® Trophy Search® is available as a yearly subscription. For just $50 a year (or $40 a year for current B&C Associates) you can have unlimited access to the Club’s trophy database...

The possibilities are endless. www.booneandcrockettclub.com or 406.542.1888

Katy Repke of Superior “Nice Black Bear”

Gray Repke of Superior “Four point Bull Elk”

Ed Brown of Jordan “Sent this photo of the awesome Whitetail Buck he shot in November”

Jack (Age 15) of Red Lodge “Mule Deer taken on public land”

Pam Brown of Jordan “First Mule Deer shot at 350 yards in the Breaks”

SUBMIT YOUR HUNTING, FISHING, OR OUTDOOR PHOTOS TO BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

Donavan Muir of Missoula “5x5 Whitetail Buck taken by Lolo Peak”

Thank You To All Who Entered Our Photo Contest.

e-mail: bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com or mail to: 8591 Capri Drive, Helena, MT. 59602

Keep checking back for your photo.

All will be published.

JOIN THE BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB TODAY www.booneandcrockettclub.com

406.542.1888

Just $35.00

YOU WILL RECEIVE: •Fair Chase magazine published quarterly •A wallet card and window decal •A 20% discount on Boone and Crockett Club books & select merchandise •Access to exclusive areas of the Club’s website

22 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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Quarterly Firearm and Ammunition Excise Taxes Up 29 Percent

National Shooting Sports Foundation

A

ccording to the most recent Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report, released by the Department of the Treasury, firearm and ammunition manufacturers report excise tax obligations to be more than $115.8 million in the third calendar quarter of 2009, up 29 percent over the same time period reported in 2008.

This dramatic increase follows a 52 percent increase in excise tax obligations from the previous quarter (2Q, 2009) and more than a year of record-high FBI background checks for firearm purchasers -- another strong indicator of firearm sales.

Excise tax obligations over the last reported 12 months, Oct. 1, 2008 to Sept. 30, 2009, were more than $445.6 million, an increase of $124 million or 38.6 percent over the preceding 12-month period, Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008. The year’s substantial increases in background checks and federal excise tax obligations began just prior to the 2008 elections and flourished despite a worsening economy.

Manufacturers of firearms and ammunition pay a federal excise tax -- a major source of wildlife conservation funding -- on all firearms and ammunition manufactured (11 percent on long guns and ammunition and 10 percent on handguns).

The report, which covers the time period of July 1, 2009 through Sept. 30, 2009, shows that $29.85 million was due in taxes for pistols and revolvers, $37.09 million for long guns and $48.89 million for ammunition. Compared to the same quarter in 2008, collections were up 50.2 percent for handguns, 33.4 percent for ammunition and 11.5 percent for long guns.

Translation to Sales: Using the latest collections as an indication of sales, a projection of $1.08 billion was generated in the third quarter (calendar year) of 2009.

Please keep in mind that although excise taxes are one of the best indicators of industry performance, they only reflect what excise taxes the manufacturers have filed and do NOT reflect retail mark-up and final retail sales.

Pistols and revolvers: $29,854,743.52 / .10 = $298,547,435.20 = $298.5 million for handguns Long guns: $37,086,945.59 / .11 = $337,154,050.82 = $337.2 million for long guns Ammunition: $48,887,389.15 / .11 = $444,430,810.45 = $444.4 million for ammunition Total estimation for the quarter: $1.08 billion

MARCH 2010

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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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America’s Favorite Trophy Rifle: .300 Magnum A

lthough the venerable .30-06 and .270 remain among the favorites, Boone and Crockett Club big game records show that hunters with a .300 Magnum are taking more North American trophies than any other caliber.

Surprisingly, the second-most popular trophy-taker isn’t even a firearm—it’s a bow.

Boone and Crockett compiled the data from its records book entries from 2007 through 2009. This three-year period of big-game trophies, fair-chase hunting, and success in conservation and game management will be celebrated at the Club’s 27th triennial Big Game Awards, June 24-26, 2010, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev. Free attractions include a public exhibition of the top ranking North American big-game trophies in 36 categories taken since 2007, plus a variety of seminars and exhibits.

For more info about the event, visit www.biggameawards.com.

“Trophy entries have increased 400 percent over the past 30 years, which not only means wild, free-ranging, trophy-class specimens are more plentiful now than ever before, it also means we’re getting larger samples and better snapshots of today’s culture of hunter-conservationists,” said Tony Schoonen, chief of staff for the Boone and Crockett Club.

Here are the most commonly used calibers (Note: records do not distinguish specific variations within calibers, i.e. .300 Win. Mag, .300 WSM, .300 Wby. Mag., .300 Ultra Mag, etc.) across all Boone and Crockett categories over the past three years, along with percentages of trophy entries credited to each: .300 Magnum—18 percent Bow/crossbow—16 percent .270—12 percent .30-06—11 percent 7mm Magnum—11 percent Muzzleloader/shotgun—10 percent 6mm—3 percent .338 Magnum—3 percent .257—2 percent .30-30—2 percent .308—2 percent .375 Magnum—2 percent Other—8 percent The .300 Magnum appears among the top three calibers in 11 of the following 15 species recognized in Boone and Crockett trophy records. A bow/crossbow appears in seven listings below. Species are arranged by frequency of records book entries from 2007 through 2009.

include:

Most popular calibers by species Whitetail deer—1.) Bow/crossbow, 2.) Muzzleloader/shotgun, 3.) .270 Black bear—1.) bow/crossbow, 2.) .300 Magnum, 3.) .30-06 Pronghorn—1.) .300 Magnum, 2.) .270, 3.) 7mm Magnum Sheep (bighorn, Dall’s, desert, Stone’s)— 1.) .300 Magnum, 2.) 7mm Magnum, 3.) .270 Mule deer—1.) .300 Magnum, 2.) 7mm Magnum, 3.) .270 Elk (American, Roosevelt’s, Tule)— 1.) .300 Magnum, 2.) bow/crossbow, 3.) tie: .30-06, 7mm Magnum Moose (Alaska-Yukon, Canada, Shiras)— 1.) .300 Magnum, 2. ) tie: 7mm Magnum, .338 Magnum Caribou (barren ground, central Canada barren ground, mountain, Quebec-Labrador, woodland)— 1.) .300 Magnum, 2.) .270, 3.) .30-06 Blacktail deer (Columbia, Sitka)— 1.) .30-06, 2.) tie: 7mm Magnum, .300 Magnum Coues’ whitetail deer—1.) 7mm Magnum, 2.) .270, 3.) .300 Magnum Cougar—1.) bow/crossbow, 2.) .30-30, 3.) 6mm Rocky Mountain goat—1.) tie: .270, .

300 Magnum, 3.) tie: 7mm Magnum, .

30-06, bow/crossbow, muzzleloader/shotgun

Brown bear/grizzly—1.) .375 Magnum, 2.) .338 Magnum, 3.) .300 Magnum Muskox—1.) Bow/crossbow, 2.) .300 Magnum, 3.) tie: 6mm, .

375 Magnum Bison—1.) .338 Magnum, 2.) tie: 7mm Magnum, bow/crossbow The Boone and Crockett Club system of scoring big-game trophies originated in 1906 as means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing due to rampant habitat loss and unregulated hunting. Science-based conservation efforts, led and funded by license-buying hunters, brought those species from vanishing to flourishing.

Boone and Crockett records remain a classic gauge of habitat and management programs.

In addition to its prestigious history and tradition, Boone and Crockett scoring is strongly associated with the highest tenets of fair chase and hunting ethics.

Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America.

The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont.

For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

24 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

MARCH 2010

Hunting And Conservation News To Apply Online Hunter “We Specialize In All Animal Time For Nonresident Education Encounters ncounters”” Big Game Licenses Available To MFWP

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March 1 Marks A New License Year MFWP

Montana’s 2010 hunting and fishing licenses—including conservation, fishing, spring black bear and turkey, upland game bird, deer and elk hunting licenses—are available at all FWP Regional offices and license providers.

March 1 begins the new 2010 license year for Montana hunters and anglers. The new license year is especially important for early-season anglers, and for those who enjoy ice fishing.

Most 2010 licenses are available on the FWP Web page at fwp.mt.gov under Online Services.

ontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reminds hunters that applications for the Nonresident General Big Game Combination Licenses and Landowner Sponsored Licenses, which are sold through a drawing process, are due soon.

To apply for these and other nonresident licenses and for more information, go to the FWP Web page at fwp.mt.gov under For Hunters and select Nonresident Deer and Elk Licenses.

Applications for these licenses and for the new Come Home To Hunt licenses, must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service on or before March 15 and addressed to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Attn: Nonresident Big Game Drawing, 1420 East Sixth Ave., P.O. Box 8012, Helena, MT 59604-8012.

Applications for outfitter sponsored licenses must be filed in FWP’s Helena licensing bureau on or before March 15. Postmark dates are not taken into account for these licenses.

For more information, contact FWP at 406-444-2950.

Adults MFWP Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks now offers hunter education on the Internet to anyone 18 years and older.

State law says everyone born after Jan. 1, 1985 must take hunter education before he, or she, can hunt in Montana. The course, which costs $15, is a chance for an adult to take the course at his or her convenience.

Though the coursework is completed online, students born after Jan. 1, 1985, must also take a short field course to receive their certification card.

Students born before this date are not required to take the field course for certification.

At FWP’s Region 4 in Great Falls, there are several field course dates available this year for online students.

Those dates are: March 13, April 3, June 8, July 21, and Sept. 18. Other field days may be available elsewhere around the state.

Registration is only available on the Internet to those who successfully complete the online course, and space is limited. For more information on the online course and field course times and locations, go to the FWP website, www.fwp.mt.gov, and click on Education.

Missoula Trapper Warden Looks Education Class For Tips On Online Bowhunter Grizzly Bear Set For March 6 Education Available MFWP Case MFWP To Adults MFWP T he Montana Trappers ontana Fish, Wildlife and State and Federal authorities Parks nowMoffers Association (MTA) will offer a trapper bowhunter education on education course Saturday, March 6 in Missoula. This will be the only trapper education course held in west-central Montana this year.

The free course will run 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Missoula FWP office, 3201 Spurgin Road. To register, stop by the FWP office, or call 406-542-5500.

MTA instructors will emphasize trapper ethics, trapping heritage, and trap sets. Instructors will show actual trap sets and techniques.

People of all ages are invited to attend, but students under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. All participants should bring a lunch and note-taking materials. Students who complete the course receive a certification card. The course is not mandatory for trappers but strongly recommended.

are investigating the death of a Grizzly Bear near Troy. The bear is believed to have been shot several years ago as the remains were only bones. The remains were discovered approximately 4 miles up old US highway 2 near the Montana/Idaho Border. Anyone with information regarding this bear can contact Montana Game Warden Phil Kilbreath by calling 1-800-TIPMONT or USFWS Agent Rick Branzell at 329-3000. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.

the Internet to anyone 18 years and older.

State law says all first time bowhunters must take a bowhunter education course. The online course, which costs $20, is a chance for an adult to take the course at his, or her, convenience.

All students, whether taking the course in a classroom setting or online, must take a field course to receive their certification card.

For online students in FWP’s Region 4, three field days have been set: May 1, June 19 and July 31.

Registration is only available on the Internet to those who successfully complete the online course, and space is limited. For more information on the online course and field course times and locations, go to the FWP website, www.fwp.mt.gov, and click on Education

MARCH 2010

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Hunting And Conservation News Pheasant & Chukar Hunting On Private Land

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FWP To Explore Bison’s Future In Montana MFWP Is there a future for wild bison in Montana?

That’s the basic question at least one Montana wildlife biologist will wrestle with over the coming year.

Arnold Dood, a 33-year veteran of MFWPs who’s worked on wildlife restoration plans for animals as controversial as the grizzly bear and as anonymous as the spiny soft-shelled turtle, will crisscross the state with offers to talk about bison with groups and communities.

“What FWP hopes to do over the next year is listen to what Montanans have to say about the interest in establishing a wild and huntable bison population. The idea is to simply evaluate how Montana would approach opportunities for wild bison in the state.”

Risley stressed that FWP is not trying to pin down a spot to reintroduce bison or even call for that to happen, but rather to simply discuss the issues, challenges, and opportunities that would be associated with any effort to restore wild bison anywhere in the state.

“This is as far away from a formal process as you can get,” Risley said. “The bison is the largest North American herbivore whose past is packed with historical significance and emotion.

We know people have opinions and ideas and we simply want to explore a really broad range discussion across the state.”

Wild and hunted bison exist in Alaska, Arizona, South Dakota, and Utah, Risley said. Montana, too, hunts a limited of number of wild bison that migrate north from Yellowstone National Park into winter habitats near West Yellowstone and Gardiner.

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Hellgate Hunters & Anglers Hosts Fourth Annual “Wild Night For Wildlife” March 20th Hellgate Hunters & Anglers (HHA), a western Montana rod & gun

Cabin on 20 acres $52,500. Mostly level and wooded terrain in the mountains with no services. Basic cabin for a great get-away price. Terms with $10-12,000 down.

club focused on habitat conservation, equitable access, and hunter/angler opportunity will be hosting their fourth annual event called the “Wild Night for Wildlife” on Saturday, March 20. Bring family and friends, meet other Missoula area sportsmen, swap stories from last season, and learn how we can work together to protect Montana’s hunting and fishing heritage.

This banquet event includes complimentary wild game appetizers, adult beverages, and drinks for kids. For fun, there will be a big silent auction, games, and three firearm raffles. Cost of entry is only $20 for individuals and $35 for families and includes a yearlong HHA membership.

Guest Speaker: Montana FWP Commissioner Bob Ream When: Saturday March 20. Doors open at 5:30 pm Where: Fort Missoula’s Heritage Hall Tickets: $20 individual/$35 family.

Includes Banquet & Hellgate Hunter & Anglers Annual Membership - kids under 16 are free.

Purchase tickets at the National Wildlife Federation office in Missoula or call Tim Aldrich at 542-3144 or e-mail hellgatewildlife@yahoo.com.

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Spring Turkey Spring Black Hunting Season Bear Hunting Begins Soon MFWP Begins April 15 MFWP Montana’s spring black bear H unters anxious to prepare season doesn’t begin until April 15, but for Montana’s spring turkey gobbler season can obtain an application for the special spring turkey permit drawing by going on the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Web site at fwp.mt.gov.

Spring turkey season begins April 10. Residents must have a 2010 conservation and upland game bird license and nonresidents will need a conservation license to purchase a turkey license.

In addition to opportunities to hunt male turkey in most of eastern Montana’s general turkey hunting areas, spring male turkey permits are available through special drawings in areas of western Montana.

Details on spring turkey hunting in the general hunting areas and special permit areas and how to apply are available in the 2010 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations, found on the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov.

hunters can access the 2010 black bear hunting regulations on the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Web site at fwp.mt.gov.

Licenses purchased after April 15 may only be purchased over the counter at a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks office and can not be used for five days after the purchase.

Bear hunters must have successfully completed FWP’s bear ID training at least once in order to purchase a black bear license.

Black bear hunters are urged to annually refresh their bear identification skills, including the ability to distinguish a black bear from a grizzly. Grizzly bears, a federally protected, threatened species, are not hunted in Montana.

To take the bear ID test, go to http://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter/ bearID/default.

26 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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MARCH 2010

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Wyoming Wildlife Faring Well This Winter Winter and wildlife. In a state like Wyoming the severity of the winter often determines the immediate fortunes of the game species for the coming year.

If the winter of 2009-2010 is any indication, wildlife should be entering the spring in good shape.

As always, there has been and will be some winter loss but unless conditions drastically change, big game populations in most corners of the state should make it through the winter in good condition. However, game managers caution that more spring rains or snows are needed if the range is to be able to sustain the habitat improvements resulting from the moist conditions of the previous year. In general, it is an open winter in most parts of the state and the animals are getting through the cold months in very good condition.

Even though much of the state received good moisture a year ago, wildlife managers say more is needed.

In the Laramie Region, snow cover is 88 percent of average with more snow in the western portion of the region. Early fall snow coupled with below normal temperatures resulted in considerable stress for big game animals, but big game entered the winter in generally good shape owing to improved range conditions

during summer and fall. Temperatures moderated in January and so far, weather related mortality for deer and antelope has been minimal.

In the Lander Region, precipitation was exceptional across all portions of the region in the spring and summer of 2009. This resulted in very good forage production with wildlife in very good condition entering the winter.

During October, there were several early winter storms that deposited more than a foot of snow across the region. But, warming trends resulted in bare ground by late November. This was followed by a series of snowstorms and extremely cold temperatures in December. In mid January, temperatures moderated somewhat and big game are wintering very well. Wildlife managers caution that continued cold and additional snow could result in higher than normal mortality, but to date, the animals are in good shape.

The Casper Region also had extremely cold temperatures in December, but as of January, increased big game winter losses are not expected.

There have been several heavy snow storms but, high winds have blown clear many of the traditional big game winter ranges and access to forage is good. In general, wildlife entered the winter in good condition. For the third straight

year, substantial spring moisture was received during the growing season resulting in excellent forage production throughout the region which greatly benefits the over-winter survival of deer and pronghorn.

Wildlife in the Sheridan Region is wintering well. There was extreme cold in December with snow accumulations, but milder temperatures in January coupled with strong winds have opened up much of the country. In January, much of the region remained free of snow with some accumulations in the foothills. There have been some reports of dead deer and antelope during the periods of below zero temperatures in December.

Forage conditions going into the winter were quite good due to healthy plant production during the 2009 growing season. Future heavy snows coupled with extreme cold could impact the wildlife, but at this point, big game animals do not appear to be unduly stressed.

In western Wyoming, the Cody Region is in good shape. Spring and summer moisture was above normal last year, and as a result, there was good growth of important forage plants on winter ranges. November temperatures were above normal and December was very cold, but there was very little snow which left the winter ranges open with

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food easily available to wildlife.

The Jackson Region had a mild weather pattern for November, December and early January. There were a few cold snaps with overnight temperatures in the minus 20s, but these conditions were short lived. Currently, wildlife is well dispersed and utilizing available native ranges.

Forage on the National Elk Refuge has been ample and supplemental feeding was started last week. The big concern is that snowfall has been extremely light and if there is not substantial accumulation for the remainder of the winter and early spring, there will be less than ideal forage conditions for the coming year.

In the Pinedale area, snow cover is minimal on big game winter ranges resulting in vast acreages of available forage. Temperatures moderated in January with daytime highs in the 20s and lows around 0 degrees. There has not been significant accumulation of snow since December and based on present forage availability, below average mortality is predicted for pronghorn and mule deer throughout most of the region.

As with Jackson, a concern is that the lack of snow could impact forage production for the coming year.

Most of the Green River Region had cold temperatures in November and (continued on page 32)

MARCH 2010

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The Mule Deer Rut: Best Time For a Trophy?

BY JACK BALLARD

O

f the questions surrounding the quest for a magnificent muley, one seems of special interest to hunters. Is the mule deer rut the best time to target a trophy?

Although conventional wisdom responds with a resounding “yes”, hunting during the height of the breeding season comes with some poorly understood challenges along with the obvious possibilities.

For those more familiar with whitetails, animal behavior during the mule deer rut is notably different.

Whereas a brutish, boss whitetail stays on the move in his territory, seeking receptive does and courting them only until breeding, mule deer bucks gather a herd of does that they tend much like a bull elk. Find the does, and you’ll discover the bucks. However, the largest female herds aren’t always held by the largest bucks, at least not as far as antlers are concerned. On several occasions, I’ve bumped into herds of fifteen or more does shepherded by a smaller buck, only to discover his elder, weightier rival sequestered away in the next drainage with a single adult doe and her obsequious male fawn.

While the wandering nature of whitetail bucks makes them easier to locate during the rut, especially during the daylight hours, mature mule deer of the antlered gender aren’t typically moving, but bedded within eyeshot of a band of does. Bucks that haven’t gathered or can’t hold a doe herd are almost continually on the move, but those with adrenaline-inducing headgear aren’t usually found up and about unless

their does are on their feet as well.

However, locating a bunch of does doesn’t automatically mean you’ll discover the buck. Over the years I’ve read reams of patent nonsense about how stupid mule deer are in relation to whitetails. Granted, yearling and two-year bucks (and does) in lightly hunted populations tend to stand around and gawk at other-worldly invaders who walk erect on two legs. So do similar whitetails. But aged sages of the odocoileus hemionus species didn’t get old by accident. These bucks are every bit as smart as their short-eared counterpart in the New England hardwoods.

As such, trophy mule deer bucks in company of a doe herd can be incredibly hard to spot. One trick common to such stags is to bed in cover, some distance from the harem.

When the does bolt in alarm, the buck is tougher to spot on the periphery. In some cases, he might not follow the does, but simply bound away in the opposite direction.

What makes trophy bucks so wily, even during the rut? Age has much to do with it, but hunting pressure is another factor. Where I hunt, deer have already dodged archers and rifle-toters for over two months by the time the breeding season begins.

As such, hunting prior to the rut comes with a couple advantages.

Older bucks facing hunters for the first time of the season may be a bit less cautious than later in the game. Like males of other deer species (whitetails and elk), mule deer bucks form bachelor

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AUTHOR’S SON WITH MULE DEER BUCK TAKEN DURING RUT

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herds that hang together during the summer and into the fall until they splinter in the weeks prior to the rut.

Early in the rifle season, muley bucks are often found together, occasionally in bands that may number a dozen or more animals.

Although finding a bachelor group can be a challenge, looking over a number of bucks in the same herd may be much easier than tracing their separate footsteps when they abandon each other’s company and take residence with the does. What’s more, novice hunters can easily mistake a lone, promising two year-old for a real trophy. In a bachelor herd, however, the exceptional bucks stand out, as the assessor can easily compare animals with one another.

In the final analysis, targeting trophy mule deer is possible whenever the season is open. More important than the time of year is the hunter’s willingness to adapt expectations and strategies to the natural, biological rhythms of his quarry. Nonetheless, traipsing through silvery fields of frosty sage on the prairies, weaving among stately groves of leafless aspens or making tracks through snow-covered forests of evergreens is a magical time in the life of any hunter -- the more so in those weeks when the straining neck muscles of a mule deer buck carve his brow-tines deep into the bark of a

sapling or turn in the direction of a gray-cloaked challenger.

The mule deer rut is great time to hunt for a trophy, as much for the experience as the consequences. Even with the assumed advantages of the rut, Lady Luck still plays her role. After a day of exceptionally hard hunting in mid-November in eastern Montana, my second-best mule deer came on the next morning. Rolling down a graveled arterial road, a buck burst from the ponderosas on my left, bounded in front of the truck, then trotted toward the timber on the opposite side. I skidded the pickup into the barrow ditch, snatched up my rifle and bailed out.

About the time the seat of my pants found a perch beyond the right-of-way, the buck was ambling into the pines.

No time to think about the shot, the instant the crosshairs found the base of his neck my finger tightened on the trigger. At 110 yards, the 140 grain Federal Sierra Game-King from the .260 Remington passed completely through the thick hide and muscle of the buck’s rut-swollen neck, dropping him without a twitch.

A chance, lucky occurrence, I’m still very proud of that buck. I paid my dues the previous day. The mule deer rut isn’t a shortcut to a trophy or a guarantee of success, just another sweet season in the life of a hunter.

28 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

MARCH 2010

Rocky Mountain States Wildlife Colorado Law Wildlife, Waters Violations At Risk DUCKS UNLIMITED F&G Commission Hears Salmon Forecast, Big Game Summary Reached A Record New report shows state’s streams and wetlands endangered The results so far show a: The Idaho Fish and Game Level In 2009 Commission heard some encouraging news -5 percent decline in deer tags sold but hunter success increased to 34 percent over about the coming salmon seasons.

A new report highlights W ildlife poaching in Arizona 33 percent in 2008.

The pre-season spring and threats to Colorado’s waters and wetlands increased during 2009 and reported wildlife law violations reached a record level, said Arizona Game and Fish Department officers.

“Arizona experienced a record year for wildlife violations that include outright poaching.

In calendar year 2009 the Operation Game Thief (OGT) program received 768 reported wildlife-related violations, which is a significant increase from 2008 when there were 451 OGT reports and in 2006 when there were 360 reports.

Those 2009 violations included 416 big game violations, including those involving poaching. Fifteen of those cases involved mule deer, three cases involved whitetail deer, 16 cases involved elk, two cases involved black bear, two cases involved antelope, and one case involved a bighorn sheep ram.

Investigators solved 39 of those cases but many others remain open or under investigation. The public is one of the keys to combating poaching and other wildlife violations. In 2009, the Operation Game Thief Program paid 39 rewards totaling $14,125 to conscientious citizens.

Dinquel observed that most of the cases resulted from a blatant disregard for the law and Arizona wildlife resources. “In some situations it was a target of opportunity while in others, it was monetarily motivated. Regardless of the reason, these crimes were committed because the violators didn’t think they would be caught – they were wrong.”

Dinquel explained that the unlawful shooting or taking of wildlife is not an act of responsible hunters – this is done by unethical poachers. “Wildlife belongs to all of the citizens of Arizona and poaching is essentially stealing from us all.”

Other cases remain unsolved due to lack of evidence. “Many incidents get reported where a concerned citizen finds evidence of an illegally killed animal, but the scene is in a deteriorated state and no investigative leads are discovered,” Dinquel said.

under regulatory guidance resulting from two Supreme Court cases. Compiled by the National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited, the report identifies five cases where the loss of Clean Water Act (CWA) protections has put Colorado waters at risk for pollution, unrestricted drainage and destruction.

“Without these protections, Colorado’s limited and precious aquatic resources are at further risk,” said Dennis Buechler, director emeritus of the Colorado Wildlife Federation and author of the report. “In some instances where protections have been removed completely, the state of law has caused unnecessary confusion.”

An example of this confusion is the case of Hidden Lake, an 88-acre lake in Westminster, Colo., which has had its Clean Water Act protections removed because it supposedly does not have a surface connection to waters covered by the CWA. The lake boasts an excellent small-mouth bass fishery and is used by local residents for recreation such as swimming and boating. After the City of Westminster protested, protections were restored. But protections were not in place for more than half a decade.

“There are examples of threatened waters and wetlands all over the state,” said Jim Murphy of the National Wildlife Federation. “Colorado streams and wetlands provide habitat and benefits to more than 75 percent of the state’s wildlife and waterfowl.”

David Nickum, executive director of Colorado Trout Unlimited, said, “Sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts spend billions of dollars in Colorado to hunt and fish for species that depend on these waters and wetlands that are threatened.”

For more information contact Neil Shader with Ducks Unlimited by e-mail at nshader@ducks.org or phont 202-347-1530.

summer Chinook salmon run forecast predicts about 160,000 adult hatchery fish and almost 30,000 wild fish to cross Lower Granite Dam, IF&G fisheries head Ed Schriever told commissioners.

The forecast predicts the bulk of the fish will head up the Snake and Salmon rivers, enough are expected to run up the Clearwater River to support fisheries there as well. Fish and Game expects to propose Chinook salmon seasons on the same waters in Idaho and in the boundary water fished in recent years, Schriever said.

Last year’s pre-season forecast predicted about 128,600 hatchery origin and almost 23,000 wild Chinook would return to Idaho. Only about 60,000 adults returned, but an unusually high number of almost 55,000 returning jacks suggest good ocean survival of the fish that will be returning to Idaho this year.

In a review of preliminary big game hunter harvest reports, data show fewer tags sold but improved hunter success for deer, elk and pronghorn, big game manager Jon Rachael told commissioners during their annual meeting.

-6 percent decline in elk tags sold, but hunter success increased to 20 percent from 19 percent in 2008.

-5.6 percent decline in pronghorn tags, but hunter success increased to 47 percent from 44 percent in 2008.

Elk numbers across the state’s 29 elk management zones are holding their own, with some exceptions. Twelve zones are meeting objectives for female elk numbers, nine are above objectives and eight are below. Five zones are meeting bull elk objectives, 15 are above the objectives and nine are below.

Monitoring results show mule deer in good condition in most of the state, which portends better than average winter survival. Preliminary figures for the total deer harvest is about 42,000 animals - about 24,000 mule deer and about 18,000 white-tailed deer.

For more information go to the Fish and Game Web site at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

Leftover Tags For Spring Turkey Controlled Hunts Go On Sale April 1 the regular season opens. And they added S pring turkey seasons start April a late season hunt from November 21 to 15 - some controlled hunts open later.

Leftover tags for spring turkey controlled hunts go on sale April 1.

The commissioners also removed the waiting period to use a second turkey tag. A second turkey tag now may be used after the general tag has been used, on the second day of the turkey season.

The daily bag limit remains one bearded turkey per day in the spring and one turkey of either sex per day in the fall.

In units 1, 2, 3 and 5, five turkeys of either sex may be taken in a single day during fall seasons. No more than two bearded turkeys may be taken per spring. A hunter may harvest as many turkeys as they have legal tags for during the year.

Commissioners extended a statewide youth turkey hunt to start a week before the general season opener and run from April 8 through 14, the week before

December 31 - on private lands in units 13, 14, 15 and 18.

Other changes include additional spring and fall controlled hunt opportunities, with 25 added youth permits in hunt 9012, and 25 added regular permits each in hunts 9013 and 9014, and 50 added regular permits in hunt 920. Fall controlled hunt 9020 has been added in Units 54 and 55.

Commissioners also expanded the hunt area for hunt 9016.

Hunters may apply for controlled hunts at any hunting and fishing license vendor, Fish and Game office; with a credit card by calling 1-800-55HUNT5 or 1-800-824-3729; or online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/ch/apply.cfm. The nonrefundable application fee is $6.25 per resident and $14.75 per nonresident applicant. An additional fee is charged for telephone and Internet applications.

MARCH 2010

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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

• 29

Rocky Mountain States Poachers Convicted For Illegal Possession Of Mule Deer men were sentenced in Two California men were the Fifth The Judicial District Court of Nye convicted Feb., 10 for illegal possession of a mule deer, a gross misdemeanor and were sentenced to fines, jail time and forfeiture of the equipment used in the crime.

Jon Warren, 40, of Redding, Calif., and Alan Jeffers, 57, of Anderson, Calif., were ordered to forfeit their truck, flatbed trailer, ATVs, firearms and other equipment that they used when they took the animal in 2005.

Warren was also fined $500 and was sentenced to three years of probation and 45 days in the Nye County jail. Jeffers was fined $500 and sentenced to three years of probation and 60 days in the Nye County jail. Both men will also have their hunting privileges revoked for three years in Nevada and across dozens of other States throughout the U.S. under the Wildlife Violator Compact, a provision that allows one state’s hunting revocations to apply in other states.

County. In the investigation of the case, game wardens discovered that the two men applied for tags in one hunt area then purposely hunted in a different area.

“This crime is more common than many people realize,” said Rob Buonamici, chief law enforcement officer for the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

“But those who are convicted lose their vehicles and equipment, pay fines and lose their hunting privileges. It’s just not worth the risk.”

Although game wardens discovered the crime while on patrol, sportsmen are still one of the best sources of information for this type of crime.

Sportsmen can report wildlife violations to Operation Game Thief at (800) 992-3030. To learn more about game wardens and wildlife in Nevada visit NDOW on the web at www.ndow.org.

Want To Gather Shed Antlers In Utah?

I f you enjoy gathering antlers certificate with you while you’re gathering shed antlers.” that deer, elk and moose shed in the winter, one of your favorite times of the year is almost here.

You’ll need to complete the free shed antler-gathering course—and print a course completion certificate— before you gather shed antlers in Utah.

But before you head outdoors to gather antlers, you need to head to this Web page first: wildlife.utah. gov/shedantler.

At the page, you’ll find a free shed antler-gathering course. You must complete the course—and print a course completion certificate—before you gather shed antlers in Utah.

“Make sure you carry your certificate with you,” says Mike Fowlks, Law Enforcement Section chief for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

“By law, you must have your

If you have young children, and you’ve completed the course, your children don’t need to complete it. As long as you’ve completed the course, your certificate will cover your kids too.

You can gather antlers across Utah Fowlks says if you complete the course, you can gather antlers across Utah. “Please remember, though, that many of the state’s wildlife management areas are closed in the spring and the winter to protect wildlife,” he says.

You must complete the course if you want to gather shed antlers before April 15. If you wait until April 15 or later to gather antlers, you don’t need to complete the course.

Apply Now? - Or Build Preference Points?

Is it better to buy a preference draw.

For nonresidents, three would be point or wait until more points are issued in the nonresident preference point accumulated to apply for a moose or bighorn sheep license? That question is asked numerous times each year by both resident and nonresident hunters looking to bolster their chances for drawing one of these coveted licenses.

The preference point system for moose and bighorn sheep was implemented 15 years ago and was designed to eventually improve the drawing odds for licenses. By now, most hunters who got in on the ground floor have drawn licenses for these species. In many areas, those who have several points less than the maximum have also drawn licenses. To make an informed decision on whether to apply for a license or purchase a point requires a basic understanding of how the drawing works and information on the drawing odds for the different hunt areas.

Applicants with the highest number of preference points receive priority in the preference point draw with at least 75 percent of the quota. The remaining 25 percent of the license quota is allocated to a random draw. All hunters, without regard to preference point totals are placed in the random draw.

For an example of how this works, suppose an area has a total quota of 16 bighorn sheep licenses. Under Wyoming statute, 75 percent of that quota (12 licenses) would go to residents with the remaining 25 percent (four licenses) issued to nonresidents. Out of the 12 resident licenses, nine would be issued in the resident preference point draw to those who had the highest point totals. The remaining three are issued in the random

draw and one in the random draw.

If an area has a small quota, there may not be any licenses available for the random draw. For example, if an area had a total quota of four licenses, three would be issued to residents and one to nonresidents. Since the total resident quota is three and the nonresident quota is one license, all licenses would be issued in the resident and nonresident preference point draws and no quota would be available for a random draw. If a nonresident wanted at least a mathematical chance of drawing a license in the random draw, an area with a much larger quota should be selected.

For many hunters, drawing a moose or sheep license is like winning the lottery. And like the lottery, you can’t win if you don’t play. If only a preference point is purchased there is no chance of drawing a license, but it will build points to enhance drawing chances in future years. If an application is made for a license, there is always a small chance in the random draw providing there is sufficient quota. Hunters should keep in mind that if a person fails to apply for a preference point or license for two consecutive years, all preference points will be deleted from the person’s record.

The application period to apply only for preference points is July 1-Sept.30.

Drawing odds and quotas for the previous year are available on the Game and Fish Web site http://gf.state.wy.us. Click on hunting, then on drawing odds. Hunters with questions on drawing odds and the application process can call (307) 777-4600.

30 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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MARCH 2010

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NWTF Helping Landowners And Wild Turkeys In The Dakotas NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

H

PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

igh winds, bitter cold and scarce food on frozen ground are some of nature’s obstacles faced by wintering wild turkeys on the Great Plains. Thanks to the National Wild Turkey Federation, wild turkeys in the Dakotas will get a boost when times are tough.

Through the NWTF’s Operation Big Sky regional habitat program, the South Dakota State Chapter and North Dakota’s Central Dakotas Strutters Chapter are assisting landowners in their respective states by helping fund habitat enhancement projects and more to benefit wintering flocks of wild turkeys.

The NWTF’s South Dakota State Chapter contributed a $5,000 donation to a South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) project to purchase four rolls of protective hay and grain netting to be distributed statewide to landowners to protect hay bales from feeding wild turkeys.

“In the northern Great Plains, riparian habitat is shared by wintering flocks of wild turkeys and cattle owned by local landowners. The landowners often store hay and grain close to the cattle herds and this can sometimes attract large flocks of wild turkeys in search of winter forage,” said Jared McJunkin, NWTF regional biologist. “Local landowners are providing critical winter habitat needed by wild turkeys and we want to help the landowners by protecting their hay and grain from any disruption that a flock of wild turkeys might cause.”

The state chapter and SDGFP also assisted a landowner with $1,250 to plant food plots on his property, which sustains a winter wild turkey population of up to 1,000 birds. The food plots will give wild turkeys and other wildlife alternative food sources stored crops or spillage from livestock feeding operations.

In North Dakota, $900 was spent

on seed corn for landowners to use to plant food plots for wild turkeys on their properties. As in South Dakota, the food plots will give wintering wild turkeys and other wildlife standing forage for sustenance during the brutal winter weather often experienced in the state.

“These habitat improvement projects in North and South Dakota are an example of the NWTF lending a helping hand to generous landowners that sustain wild turkey populations on their property and, in many cases, grant access to appreciative hunters,” said McJunkin.

Partners for the projects in South Dakota included SDGFP and private landowners. Partners for the Operation Big Sky project in North Dakota included the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Pheasants Forever and private landowners.

Operation Big Sky is the NWTF’s flagship habitat program for wildlife in the northern Great Plains.

Through the big sky program, NWTF chapters plant mast-producing shrubs, help provide standing grain and help ranchers that winter large numbers of turkeys on their property. Since 2001, chapters in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and the Dakotas have enhanced 829,422 acres of habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife.

Founded in 1973, the NWTF is a nonprofit conservation organization that works daily to further its mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.

Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.

For information about the NWTF visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) 843-6983.

MARCH 2010

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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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Hunter Education Classes Planned For Many West-Central Montana Communities MFWP Hunter education courses are LONE ROCK (BETWEEN scheduled for many communities across west-central Montana this winter and spring. Classes are free, and a student must be at least 11 years old to receive certification. Any person born after January 1, 1985 must present a Hunter Education Certificate in order to purchase a hunting license in Montana.

A parent or legal guardian must accompany students under 18 to register, and class sizes may be limited based on facility and instructor capacity. The schedule is as follows: CORVALLIS: Register online now at fwp.mt.gov . Follow links to Education and Hunter Education. A mandatory orientation night for registered students and their parent or legal guardian is planned for Monday, March 29 at 6 p.m. Classes are April 6, 7, 8 & 9 from 6-9 p.m. Orientation and classes are held in the Corvallis Middle School cafeteria.

DEER LODGE: Register Thursday, April 15, 7 p.m., at the Pen Convention Center, 925 Main St. Classes are held at the Pen Convention Center April 19-22 and 26-29 from 7-9 p.m. every evening.

Contact Gordon at 846-1809.

DARBY: Register Monday, March 22, 7 p.m., at the Darby Elementary School lunchroom. Classes are held at the Darby School, 209 School Drive, Monday, March 29-Friday, April 2 from 6-9 p.m. every evening.

FRENCHTOWN: Register online now at fwp.mt.gov .Mandatory orientation night on Friday, March 26 from 7-8 p.m. at the Frenchtown Fire Hall, 16873 Marion Street. Classes will be held on Wednesday, April 21 and Friday, April 23 from 6-9 p.m. each evening with a field course on Saturday, April 24.

FLORENCE AND STEVENSVILLE): Register on Wednesday, March 24 at 7p.m.at Lone Rock School, 1112 Three Mile Creek Road. Classes are Monday, March 29-Friday, April 2 from 6-9 p.m. at the school.

MISSOULA: Registration is Thursday, March 25. Stop by between 7 and 8:30 p.m. at the Missoula FWP Office, 3201 Spurgin Road. Class Option #1: Monday and Wednesday evenings April 5-28. All classes are from 7-9:30 p.m. at Big Sky High School. A field course is planned for Saturday, April 24. Class Option #2: Tuesday and Thursday evenings April 6-27. All classes are from 7-9:30 p.m. at Big Sky High School. A field course is planned for Saturday, April 24.

MISSOULA SUMMER CLASS: Register online now at fwp.mt.gov. Classes held Thursday, July 8 & Friday July 9 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Missoula FWP office, 3201 Spurgin road. A field course is planned for the morning of Saturday, July 10.

POTOMAC: A class is planned for April, but dates are TBA. Contact instructor Steve French at 244-2260.

SEELEY LAKE: Register online now at fwp.mt.gov. A mandatory orientation night on Friday, April 23 any time between 5 and 7 p.m. at Seeley Lake High School, 456 Airport Road. Those that cannot register online may also register on orientation night. Classes are Monday, April 26- Friday, April 30 from 5-9 p.m. at the high school with a field course for part of the day on Saturday, May 1.

HAMILTON already held their winter class but will hold another class in August.

For a complete schedule of west-central Montana classes and more information, visit the FWP website, fwp.mt.gov or call 406-542-5500.

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32 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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MARCH 2010

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Two Bead Pheasant Tail Nymph (continued from page 11)

2010 Montana Wildlife Fairing State Parks Poster Well (continued from page 26) Contest Announced December with little snow a

MFWP

ccumulation. Temperatures were average in January and most of the ontana’s fifth graders will winter ranges are open and animals have an opportunity to test their artistic are in very good condition overall. skills this spring and compete for some An exception is the Little Snake River exciting prizes by participating in the 2010 Montana State Parks poster contest.

Valley near Baggs which had This year’s contest theme is significant cold temperatures in “State Parks: Montana’s Great Idea.”

December along with snow. Since Students who participate will research that time, temperatures have Montana’s State Parks on the Montana moderated somewhat and snow levels Fish, Wildlife & Parks Web site at have diminished. Barring severe fwp.mt.gov, pick their favorite state park, and express through their artwork why weather in late winter and early they think it is important to preserve that spring, deer and antelope should make location for future generations. it through the winter in good shape.

April 2 is the deadline to enter.

Throughout the state, most Artwork for the poster contest may be areas are reporting below average done using any medium, including crayon, ink or pencil. Bright colors and dark snowpack. According to the Game outlines are strongly encouraged for better and Fish, good snowpack is important reproduction. The size of the art work for water storage, but moisture is also must be no larger than 9 by 14 inches, and needed in lowland winter ranges no smaller than 8.5 by 11 inches. during the spring and summer Prizes include lodging in a growing season to continue Montana State Park, backpacks, equipment and field guides. good growth for important forage For contest materials, go to the plants. Time will tell whether or not FWP Web page at fwp.mt.gov and look on this will be the case for 2010. the Education page under Youth.

M

Steps 1 to 6 same as above except secure pheasant tail fibers from body on top of hook and do not trim excess.

7. Spiral gold wire forward. Faust likes to wrap the rib in the same direction as the body is wrapped but with a different pitch. He feels that body fibers are loosen with counter wrapping. Hold up excess pheasant tail fibers, put several wire wraps ahead of body, secure with thread and trim excess wire.

8. Bring one bead back to body, and move thread to front of it. Even the tips of 6 or 8 pheasant tail fibers, cut them from tail feather and tie them, tips to rear, on top of hook in front of rearmost bead. Make these legs 1-1/2 to 2 gap widths long and split half on each side of bead. Trim excess. Bring pheasant tail fibers from body over bead forcing legs to side, tie down and do not trim.

9. Bring front bead back and move thread in front of it. Tie on 6 or 8 pheasant tail fibers for the front legs.

Trim excess. Bring pheasant tail fibers from body over beads, forcing legs to side, and secure near the eye.

10. Trim excess pheasant tail fibers and whip finish head. Add a little head cement to whip finish and wingcase.

As far as I am concerned any style pheasant tail nymph is a great all year fly. Have fun with these patterns.

Please put the fish back gently so you and others can have the pleasure of playing with them again.

FWP Offers Internships For College Students MFWP

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ontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is again offering college students an opportunity to gain practical experience in their field of study by serving as interns for the agency.

Students apply what they have learned in college to the world of work.

Through this learning experience the student usually receives academic credit and a grade while completing practicum requirements.

College students are urged to contact their career placement office immediately for current postings of announcements or visit the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Web site at fwp. mt.gov. Click on “Find a Job with FWP” on the left-hand side of the homepage under Online Services.

FWP is looking for students to fill positions across the state in a wide variety of disciplines such as biology, business, botany, computer technology, environmental studies, engineering, education, horticulture, interpretation, outdoor recreation, range management, natural resources, statistics, and other college majors.

Intern positions specific to southwest Montana include: fishing access site weed management, Lewis & Clark Caverns administrative assistant for the relocation to the new visitors’ center, Big Hole River fisheries, wildlife research, and wildlife lab.

Work duration, wages, housing availability, and application deadlines vary with each position so students must read the announcements carefully before applying. Most application deadlines are in mid-March, although some are earlier.

MARCH 2010

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Montana Test™ Radio P

at Stinson owner of Montana Test. com and son Chris Stinson will be hosting a live-one hour Outdoor Talk program titled Montana Test Radio™ from Billings Mt. The program is set to air live every Sunday morning from 7 to 8 AM on KBIX MoJo 92.5 FM. Montana Test.Com is “The Country’s Leading Outdoor Product Testing Site.”

Montana Test does not guarantee positive reviews on any product.

Each week host’s will discuss Outdoor product that the Pro Staff are currently testing and product that was tested and reviewed. Listeners can visit Montana Test web site to purchase.

According to Stinson “This is the first of its kind, a program dedicated to product testing and reviewing, buyers of Outdoor gear want an honest assessment before they spend their hard earned cash and we provide it.” Stinson will host the program along with his son Chris a full time Fly-Fishing and Upland bird guide.

In addition to product reviews, the show will include local and national celebrity outdoor guests, outdoor trivia questions with prizes. Listeners have an opportunity to win hunting and fishing trips. Montana Test will also include local

and statewide Outdoor issues. Tips for Mom and Dad that want to start their son or daughter hunting and fishing.

Reviews currently appear monthly in Outdoors Magazine, Whitetails Only, and Big Sky Outdoor News.

Pat Stinson is no stranger to Talk Radio and the Outdoors. Pat has been involved with the Outdoor industry for 20 years. Beginning in 1990 wrote and recorded a weekday Outdoor tip program on the Northern Broadcast Network, heard in Montana and Northern Wyoming.

He also hosted an Outdoor Television program The Outdoorsman in the early 1990’s. Pat hosted a nationally syndicated Outdoor Talk Radio program, BaseCamp America from 1992 to 1994 and again in 1996 to 2000, on the Radio America Network.

Pat hosted a local talk program weekdays in Billings for 5 years,” UPFRONT with Pat Stinson” which included an outdoor product testing segment on Fridays. Pat was also the play-by-play voice of the Billings Rimrockers a professional basketball team.

For more information visit www.montanatest.com or contact Pat at pat@montantest.com at 534-0147 or 1-877-701-2975

National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet Events Missouri River Gobblers Chapter Great Falls 03/06/2010 Contact Bodie Grundel 406-788-3063

Central Montana Gobblers Lewistown 05/01/2010 Contact Grant Peterson 406-781-8550

Clark Fork Valley Chapter Plains 03/12/2010 Contact Tim Brooker 406-274-2639

Northwest Montana Longbeards Kalispell 05/21/2010 Contact Frank Brisendine 406-2506270

Milk River Gobblers Chapter Havre 03/13/2010 Contact Terry Turner 406-262-2708 Missoula Valley Longspurs Chapter Missoula 04/03/2010 Contact Joe Hiett 406-239-9442 Stillwater Gobblers Chapter Columbus 04/02/2010 Contact Jody Johannes 406-322-6020 Sweet Grass Strutters Chapter Big Timber 04/03/2010 Contact Jeff Cowell 406-932-5992

Bitterroot Longbeards 04/08/2010 Contact Chris Fortune 406-360-1029 If you would be interested in helping start the Butte chapter back up please contact Chris Fortune the Montana Regional Director of the National Wild Turkey Federation at (406) 360-1029.

•

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

Outdoor Calendar

BOZEMAN CABIN FEVER GUN SHOW: March 12 - 14

Western collectibles, rifles, six shooters, wildlife and western art, antiques, and over 300 booths. All items for sale or trade. Collectors and dealers are from all over the US. Held at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. Phone: 406-580-5458

• 33

WEST GLACIER SNOWSHOE PROGRAM Sat. & Sun. through March 21

Free, two-hour, ranger-led snowshoe excursions of the winter environment to discover how the park’s wild winter residents survive the cold and harsh months of winter. These guided winter outings are suitable for all ages and abilities. Offered twice daily. Starts and ends at Apgar Visitor Center. Phone: 406-888-7800

BUTTE WEST YELLOWSTONE DUGGAN DOLAN BLARNEY STONE CYCLE ONLY DAYS: March 26 - April 15 FUN RUN: March 14 Races for kids, 5K for adults and walkers race.

Race registration is held at Knights of Columbus 224 W. Park Street. Phone: 406-723-3239

Ride in Yellowstone for free and before the park opens to public automobiles or buses. Phone: 406-646-7701 or visit www.cycleyellowstone.com

ESSEX ANNUAL SNOW RODEO: March 20 - 21

WHITEFISH SKI-GOLF CLASSIC: April 2

Basic rodeo events with the contestants on skis.

Held at the Izaak Walton Inn. Phone: 406-888-5700 or visit www.izaakwaltoninn.com

JACKSON Montana Snowkite Rodeo: March 29-31 This freestyle and racing event attracts competitors from multiple countries. Based out of Jackson Hot Springs Lodge. visit http://montanakitesports.com

KALISPELL GREAT ROCKIES SPORTSHOW: March 12 - 14

Special features include the annual Heads and Horns Trophy Buck Contest, the Northwest Big Game Display, trophy scoring, films, kid’s trout pond, fly fishing activities including fly casting and fly tying demos, outdoor cooking seminars, horse packing and backcountry clinics, sporting dog demos, children’s activities and more. Held at the Flathead County Fairgrounds. Phone: 406-585-3424

KALISPELL NORTHWEST MONTANA ARMS COLLECTORS FALL GUN SHOW: March 26 - 28 Held at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Phone: 406-755-3980

MISSOULA NORTH DAKOTA DOWNHILL: March 28 Speed and glide contest on the North Dakota Downhill trail. Held at Snowbowl.

Phone: 406-549-9777 or visit www.montanasnowbowl.com

RED LODGE NATIONAL FINALS SKI JORING RACES: March 13 - 14

Held at the Red Lodge Rodeo Grounds off Hwy. 78 west of Red Lodge about 1/4 mile. Well marked.

Phone: 406-446-3232 or visit www.redlodge.com/ski-joring

Race a 14-18 gate Giant Slalom course on Lower Hellroaring Run to Lower Ed’s Run(night league course. Play ‘scramble’ for 9 holes at Big Mountain Club Course. Phone: 406-862-2911

WHITEHALL NRA SHOOTING CLINC March 20

This course is designed to teach the basics of pistol marksmanship. Held at the Fish Creek Gun Club.

Phone: 406-287-2181 or visit www.fishcreekventures.com E-mail: info@dpcsys.com

Events To Support WILDLIFE Ducks Unlimited

03/05/10 Helena Chapter Annual Banquet Helena Civic Center Kathy Stirner 406-458-6411 03/13/10 Missouri/Milk River Annual Banquet Cottonwood Inn - Glasgow Ken Jans 406-228-2031

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

03/12/10 Livingston Upper Yellowstone Big Game Banquet Jesse Hemmingsen 406-223-0403 03/20/10 Hamilton Bitterroot Chapter Big Game Banquet Jon Miller 406-777-0214 04/10/10 Great Falls Giant Springs Big Game Banquet Ken Seay 406-799-3519 04/17/10 Butte Southwest Big Game Banquet Dick Talley 406-494-3043 04/17/10 Plains Sanders County Big Game Banquet Linda Wilson 406-826-8651 04/24/10 Seeley Lake Blackfoot/Clearwater Big Game Banquet Bruce Wold 406-677-2529

34 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

•

ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

MARCH 2010

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TROPHY TAKER OWNER, DAN EVANS WITH PRODUCT, ABOVE SHOOTING LANES AT TROPHY TAKER, BELOW

BY BRODIE SWISHER

I

t was nearly six years ago when I discovered an archery rest so simple and foolproof that I had to add it to the ever-growing list of “must have gear” for my bowhunting pursuits. That rest was a Trophy Taker, and in recent years I’ve tried a variety of different models from this company’s offerings of top-notch arrow rests. With each model I found the same thing...a super-efficient arrow rest providing the archer accuracy and user-friendly features like no other.

I recently had the opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at the products and people that make up the Trophy Taker company, as well as spend some time with company owner, Dan Evans, as he shared a little history behind the company that offers one of the most popular fall-away arrow rests in the world.

Evans designed his original arrow rest in the winter of 97/98. He and his wife made their home in Deborgia, just over the hill from their current Plains, MT location. What began simply as the creation of a better arrow rest to meet his personal needs as a competition shooter, quickly blossomed into the construction of some 200 proto-types in the next year and half that were mostly given away to friends and family of Evans. In 2000, Trophy Taker became a reality for Evans as it became a full-time endeavor. At that time Dan and his wife moved from DeBorgia to Plains where the business was run from a shop at his house. In 2002 Evans put his life-long friend, Jerrod Lile, to work as his General Manager and began to build his workforce as the company soon began to experience rapid growth.

In 2004 the company moved to its current location in Plains where it continues to be a leader in the world of arrow rests.

Evans was quick to admit that fall-away rests are nothing new.

“Fall-away rests have been around for a long time,” says Evans. “I’m not sure when the first one was done, probably some 20-plus years ago…the thing was, nobody had ever built a really good one, so they never really caught on.” After trying many of the different rests on the market and not getting the results he wanted, he decided there was indeed room for improvement. Evans soon began to work on the design of his arrow rest.

“The goal from the very beginning was to design a rest that was pretty much bullet-proof in design,” says Evans.

Evans wanted a fool-proof design that would meet the needs of hunters, as well as provide flawless performance for 3-D and target archers.

The product line began with a rest that is now called The Original, a rest that has changed very little from its debut proto-type. “The basics of how the rest works, like windage and elevation adjustments and the launcher system, has pretty much stayed the same on most models throughout the years,” says Evans.

Other popular arrow rests offered

by Trophy Taker include the Spring Steel I & II, Shaky Hunter, Pronghorn, and the very popular Xtreme FC Angled Slot and Top Slot models.

The biggest change or difference in the Trophy Taker rest product line comes this year with the introduction of their new Smack Down arrow rest. The Smack Down was designed to work as a limb, or up-cable driven rest providing the ultimate in fletching clearance and a smoother arrow support system.

2009 was another milestone for the Trophy Taker company. With the acquisition of the Shuttle T-Lock broadhead, they not only offer one of the world’s most popular arrow rest, but now (continued on next page)

MARCH 2010

•

ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

•

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

Good News for American Duck Hunters

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During the 1990s wet cycle, duck production on the U.S. side of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) increased dramatically, setting the stage for some epic modern-day fall flights.

The reason: a voluntary federal initiative called the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that compensated farmers and ranchers for idling environmentally fragile lands and planting them to grass.

“What we’ve learned with CRP on the prairies is that a landscape-level policy solution that farmers can buy into is the best approach for securing the long-term habitat needs of ducks,” said Delta President Rob Olson. “We don’t have that right now in prairie Canada, but we’re hoping to change that with ALUS. Today’s announcement in Alberta is another step forward to achieving our goals for duck hunters.”

The announcement, at an event at Cattlemen’s Corral in Lloydminster, launches the first Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) pilot program in Alberta, specifically in the County of Vermilion River, historically a duck-producing stronghold.

Dubbed by some Canadian agricultural producers as the “farmer’s conservation plan,” ALUS compensates farmers and ranchers for providing ecological goods and services, including waterfowl habitat, on their working agricultural lands. The program, developed by Delta Waterfowl and Manitoba’s Keystone Agricultural Producers, is voluntary and enjoys broad support among farmers and farm groups, said Jim Fisher, Delta’s Director of Conservation Policy.

“The more farmers learn about ALUS, the more they like the concept, and that’s good for duck hunters in Canada and especially across America,” said Fisher, noting that Ontario currently has several ongoing ALUS demonstration projects and Prince Edward Island in 2008 adopted ALUS as provincial farm policy.

Alberta’s County of Vermilion River has traditionally attracted high densities of pintails and mallards during the breeding season, exporting them each fall to hunters across America, particularly in the Pacific and Central Flyways. But intensive agricultural practices over the years, including ongoing wetland and grassland losses, and nest-destroying predators have hurt duck production.

“Despite the years we’ve had

good to excellent water conditions, we just haven’t seen the number of pintails and mallards settling in Alberta as we should,” said Olson.

“The truth is that Alberta, like most of prairie Canada, is broken for breeding ducks, and that’s a reality we have to face if we hope to make any meaningful changes for duck hunters.

With mounting losses of CRP across the Dakotas and Montana, as well as native prairie, we can’t afford to wait.”

Olson also notes that the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) constitutes roughly 10 percent of North America’s breeding habitat but annually attracts two-thirds or more of all nesting ducks.

“You have to remember that roughly 75 percent of the PPR exists in prairie Canada, in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, so imagine the potential duck explosion if we fix what’s broken on the Canadian breeding grounds,” he said.

“That’s why I believe a farmer-led, landscape-level policy solution like ALUS has the potential to be a game-changer—for breeding ducks and hunters.”

The farmer demonstration projects in the County of Vermilion River, Fisher says, will include much-needed waterfowl habitat, in a region that’s intensively farmed and has a very active oil and gas industry. “We’re going to have a good mix of services, including wetland creation and restoration and the planting of native grass as an upland component for ducks,” he said. “The goal is to get some farm demonstrations up and running so we can show everyone how ALUS works and showcase its potential to a broad cross section of stakeholders, including duck hunters.”

Olson says Delta’s larger goal is to have ALUS adopted as national farm policy, in hopes of creating a “CRP affect” for ducks. “It’s an ambitious goal, but we’re an ambitious duck-hunting organization,” he said. “The Alberta announcement alone isn’t going to change the game for breeding ducks overnight, but it is, I believe, the start of something big.”

Funding for the Alberta pilot project includes numerous sources, including Wildlife Habitat Canada, which administers the Canadian Duck Stamp program.

• 35

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An Inside Look At The Trophy Taker Company (continued from page 34)

a broadhead that is favored by bowhunters everywhere. The guys at Trophy Taker wasted no time in adding to the already popular Shuttle design broadhead. For 2009 they added the Terminal T-Lock broadhead. Unlike the swept-blade

design of the Shuttle T-Lock, the Terminal T-Lock offers a straight-blade design for hunters looking for a more traditional, fixed blade design. The Shuttle T-Lock is available in 100 and 125 grains and the Terminal T-Lock head is available in 100 grains.

The T-Lock design provides a single piece, cut-on-contact ferrule and non-vented blades that deliver bone crushing strength, and the T-Lock blade-to-ferrule connection guarantees no lost blades.

Evans says that the future holds great things for the Trophy Taker company. He admits that rather than being another company that offers a multitude of various products, his company will continue in its focus to offer the best in two main products…arrow rests and broadheads. And with a commitment to Leading The Way On The Line And In The Field, Trophy Taker continues to provide bowhunters and competition shooters some of the best gear for success on their next adventure.

For more information on the Trophy Taker Company, call 406-826-0600. Trophy Taker also has their own archery pro shop at the Plains, MT facility. The shop is a full-service archery shop and shooting lanes run by bow-tuning guru, Zack Butcher. If you’re in the area, stop in and see Zack and the crew at the Trophy Taker pro shop.

36 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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Check Out A Field Trial This Year

BY NEAL M. COTE BiteMeFlies

W

ith over 250 retriever field trials yearly, and thousands of competitors involved, this might just be your ticket to get you and your dog through the long days between the seasons. Even if your dog isn’t in perfect “shape” to compete, you will defiantly get some ideas for training both of you to be ready for next year.

Now you have to ask yourself, “Where do I get started?” Find an event near you and check it out. Talk with the local club members and competitors that are there and ask questions. Most are always happy to talk about their sport and show off their wonderful dogs, spectators are always welcomed.

First, here are some of the high points so you won’t feel completely lost.

The purpose of a field trial is to determine the relative merits of retrieving dogs in the field and, therefore, tests are laid out to simulate as nearly as possible the conditions met in an ordinary day’s hunt. The dogs are tested on both land and water, on marked and blind retrieves.

The tests are not completely like a day out in the duck blind, but they allow the dogs to show how well they can both work as a team with their handler and on their own.

Most weekend retriever events are comprised of four events, two are major all-age events that carry championship points, and the other two are minor stakes for younger dogs.

One of the following, open to professional trainers and amateur trainers is: Open All-Age, Limited All-Age, Special All-Age, or Restricted All-Age, the determination as to which is offered is based on the entries at the clubs previous event. The other major stake, offered to Amateur handlers only, is Amateur AllAge, or Owner/Handler Amateur All-Age. At the previously mentioned stakes, championship points are awarded, the awarding of these points count toward a dogs Field Champion and Amateur Field Champion status. The eligible breeds are Chesapeake, Curly- Coated, Flat-Coated,

Golden and Labrador Retrievers and Irish Water Spaniels.

Dogs are tested on their ability to remember the location of downed birds or marks, and to return those birds to their handlers. Both Hunting Tests and Field Trials have different levels of difficulty, requiring dogs to mark multiple birds and find unmarked birds or “blind retrieves”.

Today’s competitive dogs must be in both excellent physical and mental condition. Tests in these trials almost always involve multiple marking tests consisting of double, triple and quadruple marks with one, or several gun stations hidden from the dogs sight. Also single and multiple blinds are often involved. In the early days of the sport, most marked retrieves and blinds rarely exceeded 100 yards in distance, but by comparison today’s events often see multiple marked retrieves in excess of 250 yards and blind retrieves sometimes in excess of 300 yards.

Dogs are judged for attention, control, steadiness, nose, delivery, courage, perseverance and style. The dog must not be overly rough on game, not retrieve decoys, and not retrieve without having been ordered to do so. The dog should walk at heel and sit quietly when ordered to do so. On command, the dog should retrieve briskly and deliver gently to hand.

With marked falls a dog should need no help from his handler.

On marked retrieves, dogs should be able to see each bird in the air and as it falls, and the “Guns” will be positioned as to be easily identified by the dog. The order in which the birds are retrieved, cannot be specified by the Judges. The handler is free to select the order in which he directs his or her dog to retrieve the birds, provided that such selection should be accomplished quickly and quietly. When ordered to retrieve, a dog should proceed quickly and eagerly on land or into the water to marked falls, or on the line given him by his handler. He should not disturb too much ground or area and should respond quickly and obediently.

A blind retrieve is a bird hidden from view of the dog and in which only the handler has seen where the bird was placed.

The dog, on a blind retrieve, must obey his handler by taking a line, by stopping to the whistle, to take signals to move to the right or left, or to move back or return. The handler of the dog is also under judgment and must not strike, or be rough on his or her dog in any way.

The Retrieving events are unique because the Judges not only judge dogs but they also have the added responsibility of setting up the tests that the dogs will be tested on. The two biggest factors that will determine a dog’s performance are wind (direction and strength) and terrain (cover, water, contour of the land and/or water).

This will be a learning experience for you and your dog. Watch all the dogs in the competitions reactions to the varying wind and terrain conditions during an event. See how their handler sends them out to those marks. This is a good rule of thumb both for the trial and out in the field next fall.

You have to admit most dogs have to have a pretty good idea where the bird is to use its scent as an aide to finding it, right? No matter which way you send your dog, it will most likely be crosswind in most situations. You now have the option of lining your dog over, deep, or short of the mark across the scent trail coming from the bird.

This sound basic information, combined with hard work and experience, should help you create a solid foundation for some of your training and possibly a few more recovered birds next fall.

To establish balance in training a retriever, one should not subscribe to a mindset of a “training program.” Successful retriever training methodology is best described as a process, not a program. As you work on your spring and summer training, revisit previously established skills continuously. Keep your dog’s core skills entrenched. Avoid, “OK, that’s it for obedience. You got it, now it’s on to marking.”

You can never stop reinforcing previously conditioned skills.

Just watching these dogs work, and how certain handlers send their dogs on the retrieves is great fun to watch. You will see some awesome retrieves! And you will get tons of advice from people that know how to get the best out of any dog.

If you just get one or two ideas for drills to get your best friend in tip top shape for next fall, you will see just how much fun a field trial can be and get you and your dog out of the house.

MARCH 2010

America’s State Parks Alliance Launched MFWP The National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD) established the America’s State Parks alliance (www.americasstateparks.com) to mobilize and educate the public and policy makers on the positive impact state parks have on public health and local economies.

More than 717 million Americans visited state parks in 2009, demonstrating strong demand for budget-friendly outdoor recreation and cultural tourism within easy access to home. Whether hiking in the Rocky Mountains, kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay, visiting an historic battlefield or surfing a Southern California beach, state parks ranked among the most important leisure time choices for Americans.

“Building state parks creates jobs and operating state parks stimulates outdoor recreation and tourism spending.

That translates to a huge boon to our local economies,” said NASPD President Joe Elton, Director of Virginia State Parks. “In 2009 visitors to state parks across America helped create a $20 billion economic impact, which is an incredible return on investment given that the overall budget expenditure nationwide is $2.2 billion.”

In Montana, highly visited parks such as Giant Springs and Cooney serve a steady stream of hikers, cyclists, boaters, campers and schoolchildren. “More than 2 million visitors to state parks indicate the value Montanans place on affordable outdoor recreation,” explained Joe Maurier, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

“Simple outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and camping on public lands and waters can serve as a gateway to a healthier lifestyle,” said former White House Fellow Michael Suk, M.D. “Most state parks draw the majority of their visitors from surrounding communities and they see repeat visitation. They serve as an important asset that links recreation and public health.”

America’s State Parks will work collaboratively to share resources, best practices and engage in national partnerships with corporations for stewardship programs, aiding state parks during a time of budget shortfalls and strong demand for state park experiences.

Partnerships with corporations can help preserve many of America’s most prized natural assets through their affiliation and sponsorship of programs such as reforestation, trail preservation and maintenance and solar-energy installations.

America’s State Parks will help capture the collective strength and importance of the great park systems developed in the 50 states. America’s State Parks works to enhance the American quality of life. NASPD board members representing each region of the country will govern the America’s State Parks alliance.

MARCH 2010

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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

•

BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

• 37

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38 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

MARCH 2010

gear review

Reviews provided by Montana Test.Com The Country’s Leading Outdoor Product Testing Site.

Reviews are independent of advertisers and all products tested in real time hunting and fishing conditions.

Montana Test .Com does not guarantee positive reviews to any manufacturer. www.mtBowHuntingreviews. com and www.bowhuntingreviews.net are part of Montana Test.com. Visit www.montanatest.com

Benelli Vinci Shotgun

You’re Invited To Attend The Missoula Friend’s Of The NRA Annual Banquet Friday, March 5th

DOUBLETREE HOTEL

100 Madison Street, Missoula 6:00pm

BANQUET & AUCTION 6 Gun Raffle Over 20 Firearms for Auction or Raffle TICKETS: $30.00 in advance $35.00 at the door Under 12 $10.00 For tickets go to Friends of The NRA website Select “Find an event Select Montana State Select Missoula Select “Buy tickets”

Phone Bill at (406) 542-7678 Rick at (406) 370-1368 or Todd at (406) 214-1343

We have planned a Live Auction, Silent Auction, Bucket Raffle and other fun games for your enjoyment. Some of the items available include a Weatherby 12GA, Leupold Optics, Kimber, Smith & Wesson 40, Savage 17 HMR, Remington 700 SPS-300 MAG, Taurus .357 MAG, Rossi Youth Trifecta as well as other fine donated merchandise available in the auctions and raffles.

GET INVOLVED!

Recommended: Buy Highlights: The Benelli Vinci semi-auto shotgun is no prevailing scattergun you have held or seen. The Vinci is a 3 piece modular system; a barrel/receiver, a trigger group/ forearm, and buttstock. With a little patience and reading the instructions, we assembled ours with no problem. Our first impression, its weight or better put, the lack there of, just over 6 pounds. The Vinci is complete with the In-Line Inertia Driven® operating system and ComforTech™ Plus recoil system. We chambered multiple shells at ducks and geese this season and it shot more like a full automatic instead of semi-auto. Each person that picked the Vinci up had the same reaction. It is lightweight, has a distinct appearance and design is avant-garde. The Vinci is a technological marvel and most importantly shoots like a dream. All of us that dropped birds had the same reaction, outstanding balance, reliable, and fast shooting.

Drawback...Shoots only 3 inch not 3 1/2. We shot 3 inch steel and Double BB’s and it was plenty of a load. Rating...High Water Mark...Great Tester: Pat Stinson and Chris Stinson Suggested Retail: $1,379.00 to $1,479.00 Check local pricing

Hawke Optics 3 X 32 SR, IR, CrossBow Scope Recommended: Buy

Hawke’s 3 X 32 SR, IR Crossbow scope is their biggest seller, for good reason. This is an outstanding tube for the money. I tested the RealTree APG HD® on two different Crossbows and the 3 X 32 preformed as advertised. It is apply named SR for Specialized Reticule that work with Hawke’s BRC software, and IR for Illuminated Reticule. The scope has Red and Green illuminated circle reticules for 20, 30, 40, and 50 yard shots. You have the option depending on light conditions, to use the highest setting for low light condition, and vise versa. Sighting in the scope was a snap. I did it in my back yard, on a sled and then free handed it. After about an hour, with a few quick adjustments, I was punching the vitals out to 50 yards. I am not an expert Crossbow shooter, but with a quality bow and the Hawke 3 X 32 SR IR scope, I felt like one.

Drawback...None Rating...High Water Mark...Great Tester: Pat Stinson and Chris Stinson Suggested Retail: $139.00 Matte Black $169.00 RealTree APG HD

PEET Multi Dryer

Recommend...Yes When the PEET Multi Dryer showed up it looked and still does, like arms and feet coming out the floor, a long armed monster from a black cauldron. It works better than it looks, and I was surprised after reading the instructions how simple the approach is that they use for drying. I thought it would be more complicated, it’s not. The principle is simple. It draws warm air in from the bottom. You put your waders, gloves, hunting boots on the DryPorts™ and 24 hours later they are dry. I used all season on neoprene waders and gloves and it performed exactly like advertised. I received extensions for waders and boots; this allows you to dry more of the wader, not just the foot area. The Multi PEET does not have an on and off button, you just plug in and walk away. We like the simplicity of the PEET dyer. It works on hunting and fishing waders.

Drawback...None Rating...High Water Mark...Great Tester: All Suggested Retail: Multi PEET Dryer...$79.95 PEET Glove Dry Ports...$14.95 PEET 12” Hip & Chest Extension...$9.95

MARCH 2010

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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

• 39

40 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE

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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net

MARCH 2010

The RIDE Says It All Come find out for yourself on Saturday, March 6.

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