OUTDOOR NEWS
Big Sky
JULY 2012
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Whitetail Hunts with Tom Miranda Spot & Stalk Mule Deer Slip Bobbers for Early
Walleye & Pike Pre-Season Hunting Tips
Montana Bass Bite
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MID-DAY MAGIC
JULY 2012
By Kirk Clark
Kirk Clark is sponsored by: Mathews, Montana Black Gold, Rip Cord Arrow Rests, Tight Spot Quivers, and Gold Tip Archery Reprinted with permission from Bowhunting.net. For more please go to: www.bowhunting.net The author took advantage of effective mid-day tactics to tag this great public land bull.
H ours of tough pre-dawn hiking brought us in to an area where
a remote herd of elk had been located a few days earlier. Due to the deceptively easy look of the terrain, it took longer to close the distance than expected. As a consequence, the bull already had his harem sequestered in the dark timber. Anxiously, we waited for him to make the next move. An hour later, and late into the morning, a bugle echoed near the crest of the mountain. I smiled at my hunting partner, knowing now our chance for a close encounter was eminent.
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We waited impatiently until noon, and then worked our way around and up the backside of the mountain. Methodically we crept to within 100 yards of where we heard the last bugle and I eased 40 yards out and to the left of Walt as he began softly cow calling. The first romantic mew received an immediate response and the bull continued his vocal serenade until he was standing broadside at 16 yards. He only went 30 yards after my arrow passed through him. When we
began calling it was 1:30pm, we were standing over my bull at 1:50pm.
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Whitetail hunters have known for years that
hunting between the hours of 10:00AM and 2:00PM can be some of the most productive time to harvest great bucks.
As an avid elk hunter you should take note and utilize this as part of your elk-hunting arsenal. Hunters traditionally realized the importance of hunting early and late in the day. Now you can increase your odds of killing an elk by increasing the amount of time you actually spend hunting. More time spent hunting dramatically increases the odds for a discerning bowhunter. continued on page 7
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The entire contents is © 2012, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material & 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. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big sky outdoor News & adventure to use or not use at their discretion. Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. reserves the right to refuse any advertising order. Cover photo: Howard communications Mossy Oak Break-up Infinity www.howardcommunications.com Inset photo: Rob Marshall of Helena with Bass Catch VOLUME 9 Issue 4.
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THEY COME FROM A VARIETY OF REGIONS, BUT IN THE END, THEY’RE ALL WHITETAILS Interestingly, whitetail subspecies are often segregated by large, definitive terrain features, such as major rivers and mountain ranges.
Although the physical traits of some of these deer are subtle, others are obvious; the desert (or Coues) whitetail falls into this category.
A lthough scientists have identified more than 30 subspecies of
white-tailed deer, modern biologists concede that most of these animals fall into 16 main categories, with home ranges extending from southern Mexico north to the Northwest Territories. And, even though these deer look and act somewhat the same, there’s no doubt they are different creatures. Despite the differences, these deer can be outsmarted through basically the same hunting tactics employed by hunters from various regions.
A Coues buck is a miniature deer — in body and antler configuration — compared to its Northern cousins. In fact, the Pope and Young Club recognize these bucks as smaller and offers a 65-inch minimum antler measurement for entry into its elite record book. Even the Texas whitetail is an obvious oddball. With a doe-ish face and slender build, a South Texas brush buck almost looks like a cartoon character with 160 inches of antler sitting on a 160-pound frame. On the other hand, when trying to score a deer “on the hoof,” the tough decisions come when big-buck hunters look at mature bucks from
Kansas and Ohio, because there seems to be little difference in these deer. Northeastern buck-hunters are often quicker to agree that there are major differences in their whitetail subspecies. Northeastern
buck looks like a whitetail: white throat patch, tan coat and nice set of typical antlers. However, each deer also looks a little different.
and Midwestern bucks can be tough to hunt, because the bucks that are lucky enough to live to 3 or 4 years old become nocturnal and nearly unkillable. This
subspecies often thrives in suburbia and lives in and among a large human population.
COMPARING THE CLAN I have seven whitetails side bucks, such as this IL bruiser, benefit from a surplus of by side in my trophy room. Midwestern nutritious agricultural foods. They also tend to have smaller core areas. These bucks were taken in (continued on page 40) Ohio, Texas, Mexico, Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky and Saskatchewan. Each
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JULY 2012
ESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR HUNT By Mark Richman for Colorado Division of Wildlife
THE BIG GAME BROCHURE Before
we even get into the statistics and other resources, everyone should have a copy of the...Big Game Brochure. The big game brochure is a useful source of information on basic draw odds, List A versus List B tags, over the counter (OTC) units, and season dates. The over the counter maps have made it much easier to determine which units are available to hunt with an OTC either sex archery license, OTC antlerless elk, or OTC rifle bull license. The antlerless archery map includes all of the List B units (the units where you can have an additional elk license).
David Hannigan, CDW
O nce you’ve decided that you want to go elk hunting in Colorado, the most daunting prospect for many new elk hunters seems to be deciding where and when you want to hunt. Colorado is blessed with a huge elk herd and large amounts of public land. Narrowing down your options can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of the application and planning process. I know many hunters think they do not want to spend the time and effort to do a great amount of research on hunting areas during the off season. The research is time consuming and takes some expertise, but in the long run, it can pay off if you are trying to locate a new area to hunt or if you are trying to determine why your current unit may have stopped producing the number of elk you have seen in the past. Which resources do you have at your disposal to help you make those decisions? That’s what this article...is about.
Other useful features in the big game brochure are the asterisk and plus signs alongside the sex of certain hunt codes. The asterisks indicate hunt codes that went to leftovers last year; the plus signs indicate hunt codes that require 5 or more resident preference points to draw. These two little codes will help you quickly identify the highest demand areas that you likely won’t be able to draw if you are just
getting started, the leftover tags which can be drawn 4th choice or may be available when the left over list is published. STATISTICS Once you have an idea of what is available, you need to narrow down the units, seasons and sex for your elk hunt. And how do you do that? Big game statistics provided by the Division of Wildlife can play a big role in guiding the decisions of many hunters. You can take several different angles when perusing the statistics results. It helps to set a few personal parameters to guide your search. For some people, searching the harvest surveys for the highest success OTC unit during 2nd or 3rd rifle season is the tactic to take. Others might want to look for units with the fewest numbers of hunters where success is over 30% in 1st or 4th season. Some hunters might want to know where the most elk are taken. Another tool for the diligent hunter doing some detailed research is the big game population objective report. Few people ever find these stats, but they are posted in the minutes of the May workshops on the Wildlife Commission page...You not only
get the population information, but by looking at the % above or below the long term objective you can get an idea of whether it is a thriving herd; way over objective or an unproductive herd that is struggling to fill the available habitat. Another statistic I like to look at is how hunter numbers vary by season: In many units, 2nd season is twice as popular as 3rd season. However, in units with good low elevation access, 3rd season can be more popular...You can get a feel for the number of hunters in the field during the mid seasons and understand the pressure on the elk during that time frame each year. When you consider the unit you plan to hunt you ask some similar questions. Look at how the limited 1st and 4th seasons may vary. Are there more licenses available for purchase in 1st or 4th season? If it’s equal, that may indicate that weather is not an issue affecting the harvest. If you think you’ll be in deer habitat, look at the number of deer hunters. You won’t know what the other hunters in the area are hunting, but they will add pressure to the elk, even if they (continued on page 35)
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hen you get a great target in your sites, you’ll want to have a proper rifle shooting technique molded in your mind. An old neighbor of mine who was just as good at busting sporting clays on the skeet range as he was at busting my chops regarding my tales of fishing and hunting misadventure, asked me what my problem was when he read I didn’t get a deer on opening weekend a few years back. I told him it wasn’t for lack of trying, I fired 12 shots, and missed every single one of them. Having never hunted with a rifle before, I told him that I was new at it. Being a veteran of World War II, and from all indicators on the skeet range one night, an excellent mark, he said that was no excuse and gave me a tip he used in training soldiers on the firing range. “Shoot an unloaded gun” he stated matter-of-factly. He and his fellow trainers knew who the flinchers were when they’d hand a soldier a gun, the recruit would pull the trigger and immediately wince, despite nothing happening. It was an easy fix after that, he related. Sure enough, the flinch was my problem. Last season, I was able to eliminate most of it by mentally preparing myself before each shot and practicing with my 30.06 more often than in previous pre-seasons. This year, my shooting skills and the resulting groupings have improved, thanks not only to his tip but also by the addition of a smaller caliber rifle to my collection. Both factors have the flinch out of my firing, and have my shots marking the bullseye more consistently. Perhaps the biggest advancement has come from the use of the .22 rifle I asked for last Christmas. When many of my friends looked at me like I was a 30-year-old preschooler, in regard to the teenager’s gun I had on my list to Santa, I simply explained my hopes for what a smaller firearm could accomplish in my preparations for the next deer season. So far, the experiment has paid dividends far greater than the cost of some quizzical stares; not only with better form on the shooting range, but also helping me to focus on the shot rather than the noise and motion with the larger caliber rifles I shoot each fall. I find that the lack of bump and boom with a small caliber rifle has helped me focus on the target, keep the crosshairs in the black, and maintain a steady aim. The feeling that I won’t receive another red crescent moon on my forehead is nice too. This same mentality has transferred over to the bigger calibers I shoot, helping me to remain calm, breathe and aim while not fearing the larger jolt and noise. Having practiced with the small rifle all summer, this fall’s sighting in and practice rounds with the .270 and 30.06 have been much more productive. I am consistently putting groups of bullets within a four-inch circle, and I am more confident in my shooting skills compared to a year ago. I find that my eye remains on the target before and after the shot and I am more aware of shot placement because I am settled before I squeeze the trigger. While these are probably hurdles many hunters overcame when they first picked up a rifle at age 10 or so, it may be they now know up-and-coming young hunters and shooters who suffer from the same ailment. By focusing on the problem and addressing it from a variety of ways – including these – those experienced hunters can assist the new ranks in making both the sports of shooting and deer hunting more enjoyable. After all, a safe, flinch-free and fun deer season is what we’re all looking forward to...in our outdoors.
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Mid-Day Magic continued from page 4 There are four reasons for my obsessive quest, and consistent success, on mid-day bulls. The first and most obvious is it increases the amount of time you are able to hunt by at least thirty percent each day. More time spent hunting will certainly increase your odds. Second is the assurance of stable wind currents. The vast majority of elk country is prone to fickle winds. Using stable mid-day thermals to your advantage greatly enhances your success. Third is the security factor. Elk have retreated to the protection of the dark timber during mid-day. Knowledge of your elk hunting area will allow you to approach this safe zone undetected. Pay close attention not to contaminate this area. Instead hunt on the fringes. Zeroing in on their mid-day safe haven makes the fourth point deadly effective. Soft calling! Once you’ve gotten to within a hundred yards or less of their security area, with good mid-day thermals in your favor, soft cow calling is certain to draw in some action. More often than not it will be one or more of the herd cows that answers back first.
Provided you don’t overcall and you execute patience the herd bull will inevitably show interest. The key at this point is to play it safe and not over-call... For the discerning elk hunter mid-day may be just the time to attach your tag to a great elk. The added time you gain daily by utilizing the advantages afforded you during this ‘magic’ window will greatly enhance your possibilities for success and extend the enjoyment of your early fall excursions.
Being familiar with elk bedding areas, using rising mid-day thermals, and effective calling resulted in tagging this great public land bull.
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Glen Fishing Access Site On The Big Hole River MFWP
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he Glen Fishing Access Site is located on the Big Hole River 25 miles from the mouth on the right hand side as you face down stream. Open year round, this fishing access point has 7 campsites, (maximum trailer length is 30 feet), and a gravel/river bottom boat ramp.
MFWP Game Fish Opportunities: Arctic Grayling, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout Directions: 19 miles north of Dillon on I-15 to milepost 85, Glen Exit, then 6 miles south on Frontage Road.
More Fishing & Camping On The Big Hole River Notch Bottom Fishing Access Site Downstream from Glen FAS MFWP N
otch Bottom Fishing Access Site is located on the Big Hole River 18 miles from the mouth on the left hand side as you face down stream. Glen is the next access site up stream from Notch Bottom. Camping is allowed with a maximum stay of 7 days allowed. Maximum recommended trailer length is 20 ft. Activities Boating Fishing Camping Boat Services: Ramp (Gravel) Services: Sanitation/Water Toilet Campground
MFWP
MFWP
Directions: 4 miles south of Twin Bridges on Hwy 41, then west on county road for 10 miles. MFWP Region 3 Phone: 406-994-4042
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Off-Season Gun Dog Training Photo & Article By Steve Hickoff Yamaha Outdoors
Y
our gun dog needs to stay in playing shape too. This week we look at some off-season options as fall hunting approaches.
Start Slowly: Walk your dog or go for short runs with your canine hunting buddy leashed at your side for safety’s sake. It may have been a long time since you got outdoors together, so begin the process of getting back in fall hunting shape slowly. Reinforce training at a nearby farm or open area as well for both exercise and command practice. Do It Early: Obviously pre-season dog training is done during summer heat. To gain an advantage, get out during the margins of the day—early morning is especially optimal. Watch for symptoms of heat stress in your dog (and yourself). A panting canine is common, and you should carry a soft collapsible dog dish and water bottles to hydrate your animal. Symptoms of trouble include: confusion, unsteadiness and weakness in the dog. Again, go easy during summer days. A little goes a long way. Dummy Training: If you hunt with
a retriever, tossing a dummy regularly will reinforce good habits. If you run pointing or flushing dogs, take your canine buddy to a preserve and put them on released birds—again, do it early in the morning if possible and 45 minutes of work is better than none at all.
Commander in Chief: You should be the only one making commands to your dog. If friends or family members join you during pre-season tune-ups, patiently ask them to keep their comments (including whistling) to a “minimum” (implying none at all). Dogs may become confused when a child or another adult is also telling them what to do in the field. This goes for hunting season later on as well. If you’ve a pup in training, this is particularly important to note.
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THE TAMER TROLLING R U O SYSTEM...IN THE WIND NOBODY BEATS AND IN CONTROL ! N O I T C E L E S & S E C I PR I
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f you’ve you ever trolled in the wind, you know how frustrating it can be. The bow of your boat blows off line, forcing you to speed up to get back on line. Take your eye off the bow for one second, and it happens again. Sound familiar? Cross winds, head winds and waves will wear you out - but there is something you can do to get back under control.
Recently...Tamer began testing a new trolling technique using two Wave Tamers to stabilize the bow. For small boats and engines 100 hp and smaller, they recommend two 30” Wave Tamers. For larger boats and engines above 100 hp, they recommend two 40” Wave Tamers. The trolling bags help anchor the bow so the wind doesn’t affect it as much, which results in much better handling. Several tournament pros were instrumental in developing this technique, and perfected the rigging during numerous PWT and RCL walleye events. Special thanks go to Johnnie Candle and Jim Carroll of North Dakota. The system has since caught on, and has received high marks from all the pros using it. Here’s how to rig up for the Tamer Trolling System. With your boat on the trailer, take a length of 1/2” limp nylon rope or soft dock rope, make a 6” loop on one end, then fasten it to your mid ship cleat (see photos). Run the other end under your boat, up to the other mid ship cleat, and tie it off as tightly as you can. Next crawl under your boat, and with a marking pen, mark the rope where it meets the keel in the center of the hull. Now make two more marks approximately 14” on either side of the first mark. Next release the rope and pull it from under the boat. Run the rope through the loop on your Wave Tamer until it contacts the outside mark. Tie a simple over-hand knot, making sure the loop of the Wave Tamer is in the center of the knot. Repeat this process on the other outside mark. Pass the rope and bags under the boat and reattach as before, paying close attention that the bags are an equal distance apart on each side of the keel. You may have to adjust the loops to make sure they’re rigged evenly. IMPORTANT- Both rope ends must be attached to the cleats when you deploy your trolling bags. You must be able to drop the bags over the front of the boat with both loops fastened to the cleats. BE SURE THE MOTOR IS IN NEUTRAL! To deploy the trolling bags, stop your motor and fasten the loops to the mid ship cleats. Drop both bags over the front of the boat. You can be sure the rigging is in place by pulling the rope as tight as you can and tying it off. To retrieve the bags, STOP the boat by putting the motor in neutral to release tension on the rope. Go to the short end of the rope and begin to pull in your bags. Be sure both loops are fastened to the cleats, so there’s no loose end to deal with. The Tamer Trolling System. It’s another innovative new technique from Lindy that’ll help you tame the elements, and put more fish in the boat.
Walleye Fishing Tournaments & Others From Walleyes Unlimited MONTANA WALLEYE CIRCUIT TOURNAMENTS Fall Classic at Crooked Creek August 4-5 Travis Scott at 406-366-5603 FORT PECK FISHING TOURNAMENTS Governor’s Cup July 12-14 Glasgow Chamber at 406-228-2222 Hell Creek July 21-22 Calvin Thomas at 406-557-2311 OTHER MONTANA FISHING TOURNAMENTS John Arnold Fish Derby August 24 Adrin at 406-439-9473. Broadwater Rod and Gun Club Walleye Derby July 14 Doug Breker at 406-266-5279
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Slip Bobber Nuances for Walleyes By Jason Mitchell for Northland Fishing Tackle Slip bobbers are effective and efficient because you can sit on a good spot with a good looking presentation, i.e. Jumbo leech squirming and swimming frantically about a foot off the bottom, what is there not to love? My making a few adjustments however, you can fine tune this presentation to become more efficient when focusing on walleyes.
A s a guide, I believed that the most effective game plans just
in a situation where they could catch fish, not watch me catch fish or feel intimidated. kept walleye fishing straight Using slip bobbers to catch forward and simple. There are walleyes is incredibly effective plenty of folks in this business if done right. I relied on slip who try to make fishing really bobbers an awful lot through my complicated and you can make fishing akin to rocket science if you years as a guide. The reasons wish... I however made a living as being that I could anchor on a good spot and not worry about a guide by dumbing the process boat control... a good anchor is down. I found that by keeping the best boat control there is. My the process simple, I could accommodate people with a wider hands were free; I could deal with range of experience and skill levels tangles, interact with the folks in without making fishing intimidating. my boat, not burn up a lot of gas and catch a lot of fish. Slip bobbers I didn’t want to set out and prove were also hands on enough where my angling abilities or show off some superior intellect... that is not the people get to enjoy the hook set and everybody loves watching what I wanted to be. My goal was a bobber disappear. to take people out and put them
The author, Jason Mitchell Now if the bobbers are not disappearing, using slip bobbers are akin to watching the paint dry on a barn but in the right location... this simple system is deadly. The biggest myth there is regarding catching walleyes with slip bobbers however in my opinion, is just the light line, small jig mentality. There were a group of people who thought you had to add milligrams of shot to the line until the bobber just barely poked out of the water. Now I am not saying that you have to fish like a caveman but there are so many scenarios where anglers shoot
themselves in the foot by trying to finesse fish to the point where they are just not efficient. For awhile, there was a mentality that slip bobbers had to be delicate and the presentation had to be natural, which meant; light line, small hooks and tiny amounts of weight. Here is my take on this mentality of slip bobber fishing. When you combine a tiny little slip bobber and have no weight in regards to split shot or jig, it takes longer for the bait to reach the fish. If you can count to ten and your slip bobber is still lying (next page)
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2 LOCATIONS
615 Helena Ave. corner Last Chance Gulch & Helena Ave. 406.443.8084 OR ON YOUR WAY TO THE LAKE at 200 S. Montana Off Highway 12 East - East Helena 406.227.6519
Slip Bobber Nuances continued on its side because the bobber stop hasn’t pulled to the bobber, you are wasting time. Here is the other factor, small bobbers that have just a little bit of the tip poking out of the water can’t be seen once they drift from the boat. I can understand trying to subdue the motion of waves on the presentation but there are better ways to do this without sinking the bobber to the point where you cannot see it. In all honesty, there are so many situations where some resistance is good for walleyes.
that the bobber stop can stick good.
The reality is that every fishery is a little different and there are many ways to skin a cat. What we have found however is that we are often much more effective with slip bobbers by being somewhat unorthodox to conventional slip bobber wisdom. The basis of the system is this; put and keep good bait in front of fish. Some of the nuances however surprise some anglers.
Below the bobber, I rig a small egg sinker instead of using split shot and I tie on a snap swivel. Now why the egg sinker? Egg sinkers don’t get tangled in the net so much or wrap up in itself as bad as removable split shot. Pull on the line and the tangle pops and untangles out of the net after getting a fish, just a little tip to speed up your get back in the water time. Below the sinker and snap swivel, we attach a short snell that either has a plain hook or a small jig. In timber, I would often rig up a snell that would break off versus the main braided line so I didn’t have to chase bobbers around the lake. Another option if you are targeting big fish in really snaggy timber is to forgo the swivel and leader and just tie the hook or jig directly to the braid and use a bobber stop above the jig and below the bobber to keep from losing bobbers.
I like to use the largest slip bobbers I can get away with. I am not talking jugs but if I were to pick one size, it would be the Northland Tackle LiteBite Classic 1 inch oval slip bobber. Why the larger float? Because it will hold up more weight which gets down to the bottom faster as soon as the bobber and bait hit the water. When running several rods, it is easier to manage the course or drift of each bobber. The other advantage is that I can fish further away from the boat and see the bobber in heavy waves. Walleyes don’t have any issue pulling them under, they just disappear. Because I often had to deal with pike and flooded timber, I liked to use braided line for my main line from a durability standpoint but the bad part about braid is that bobber stops slide. Bionic is one of the better braided lines for bobber stops sticking. Use a heavier braid like 14 pound test so
When the fish are biting well, you can use either plain hooks or small jigs and catch fish. Obviously, the number one focus is sitting on a good spot. Both plain hooks and jigs however have a place. There are times for example in strong winds where the swells were big when plain hooks and longer leaders were the ticket. I believe what was happening was that the waves were pushing the presentation up and down too dramatically and by using a longer snell and plain hook; the whole presentation was subdued with less up and down movement. Small jigs on the other hand can add a small flash of color which seems to help at times. A great wide gap hooked jig for slip bobbers is the 1/32 ounce Fireball. Most 1/32 ounce jigs have tiny panfish hooks so a small jig with a walleye size hook is real beneficial.
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Bait selection can really vary from lake to lake but across the board, leeches are tough to beat below a slip bobber. Especially when
using a plain hook, hooking the leech through the middle will increase the swimming motion of the leech and is too much for most walleyes to ignore. Half crawlers can be deadly behind the 1/32 ounce Fireballs, just thread the crawler so it can hang straight off the back of the jig. Minnows are another staple. Shiners are often lip hooked. Chubs and rainbows can be tail hooked.
Long rods with some back bone allow anglers to fish slip bobbers further away from the boat allowing you to make longer drifts and cover more water. We designed an eight foot telescoping slip bobber rod that was designed specifically for corking walleyes. One feature we added to the rod which can be used as a tip for any rods that you already own... every foot of the rod blank we marked with a white dot. This allows you to use the rod blank as a ruler for making quick adjustments to your depth setting. When running several rods, you will speed up your adjustment time dramatically as you hop from spot to spot. Our rods already have the markings but an angler can mark any rod with either tape or some other marking to create the same concept. Slip bobbers are effective and efficient because you can sit on a good spot with a good looking presentation, i.e. Jumbo leech squirming and swimming frantically about a foot off the bottom, what is there not to love? My making a few adjustments however, you can fine tune this presentation to become more efficient when focusing on walleyes.
Big Hole River Foundation Recognizes Butte Wal-Mart and Associates For the past several years, associates
from the Butte Wal-Mart store have generously given their time and talent to help out at the annual Kid’s Day event in Melrose. They show up with BBQ grills, burgers, hot dogs, drinks and all the trimmings to make lunch for the 75 kids plus 20-30 guides and other volunteers who make up the annual event in May. In 2011 the associates at Wal-Mart chose Kid’s Day on the Big Hole as one of their official volunteer projects. Not only do they take care of everyone for lunch but their hours dedicated to the event have paid off in a big way monetarily... Through the Wal-Mart Event Volunteerism Always Pays Program, grants are made based on number of Wal-Mart associates and number of hours those associates donate to their chosen events. From the time and talent donated at the 2011 event, Wal-Mart gifted the Kid’s Day with $1,000 towards the 2012 event. But it did not stop there. In early March in a virtual blizzard, Wal-Mart associates held a bake sale at the store and raised another $870 that was recently donated to the event. From the hours donated for the bake sale and the number of associates that participated, another grant was made to the Kid’s Day event in the amount of $5,000...for more information on other contributors visit www.bhrf.org
14 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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JULY 2012
Slip Bobbers for Early Summer Pike
By Babe Winkelman www.winkelman.com here is nothing that compares to taking a large northern pike. The strength, the speed and the sheer adrenalin are unmatched. Maybe you’ve seen some past episodes of our “Good Fishing” television program where we’ve pursued big pike. Those shows are nearly as exciting to watch as they were to film.
T
In my home state of Minnesota, the pike season recently opened and we are still in the early season. It’s a post-spawn pattern that represents some great fishing opportunities. Why? Because when the fish finish their breeding ritual and depart the shallow bays and backwaters where they spawned, they’re physically spent. They need to recover and they need to feed to replenish their body mass. This is a critical phase in a northern pike’s annual survival. The rigors of spawning are intense, and all fish (males and females alike) must exit the spawn in peak form if they hope to see another reproductive year. This is prime time for them to feed on big, easy meals on the outskirts of the spawning grounds. Pike want to consume high-protein meals that are easy to catch. The last thing they want is to use up precious energy chasing elusive prey. Therefore, when a generous meal just sits there in front of them, they’ll be apt to take it. This is an ideal time for large minnows on slip bobbers that keep them fairly immobile. Sometimes dead bait, like smelt, is the ticket too - especially if the fish are neutral or negative. Remember, at this time of the year it’s typical for post-spawn pike to graze on winterkill - those fish that perished during the cold months and lie strewn across the bottom.
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Mark Ward (Montana Outdoor Radio Show) with his 14lb King Salmon
I’m a big fan of dead smelt for a few reasons. First, because they’re dead I know they can’t swim around and foul up the rig somehow. Second, I have learned that smelt seem to have the right smell that big pike like. They really appear to stink up the water in the right way. Plus, in the classic pike waters you’ll find on Lake of the Woods and other fisheries in my favorite Canadian province of Ontario, dead smelt conform to their laws regarding the use and transport of live bait. On whatever pike waters you’re fishing, look initially near bays that are fed by in-flowing creeks. Current attracts all fish, and pike too, because wherever there is current there is usually the perfect combination of oxygen and food to eat. During the late spring/early summer season, start your scouting near the first drop in depth adjacent to the shallow bays. You might find that the fish are still in the bays. Or they may have filtered out of the bays and are already relating to main lake structures. Persistent scouting will pay off, so don’t be afraid to look and fish in a lot of different places. It seems like there are a lot of opinions about where to hang your bait during the post-spawn season. Some guys set their slip bobbers to put their baits somewhere in the middle of the water column, knowing that so many fish “feed up.” Other anglers insist on suspending bait [especially dead bait] just off the bottom. And still others put the bait right on the bottom. The truth is, all three camps are correct. Experiment with your bobber settings to dial in the perfect depth presentation. Pike will sometimes cruise suspended; or they’ll slither along on the bottom looking for opportunistic meals. With that said, I prefer to set baits at the top, middle, and bottom of the water column when putting out the multiple lines for me and whoever is sharing the boat with me. If conditions allow you to cast baits to different water depths from the boat’s position, in super-shallow water to depths up to 15 feet, then do it. This too will help you dial in the “sweet spot” where pike seem to want to eat. Remember, their preferred feeding depth and general attitude can change on a dime. So be prepared to adapt as the pikes’ feeding patterns change. Once you’ve determined a high-percentage spot on a lake that has a nearby bay with current and a decent breakline, and you have all your lines set, then the fun part begins. This is when you sit back and wait for the bobbers to go down When it happens, the opinion of when to set the hook is a subject for much debate.
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Some anglers like to hit ‘em while they’re running. Other fishermen prefer to give them a lot of time. I’m a fan of fishing with big minnows (dead or alive) on circle hooks. A circle hook does not require a hookset at all. If the fish is running, then chances are he has the bait deep in his mouth or even down in his gut. With the circle hook, you simply hold tension on the line and let the hook engage on the corner of the fish’s mouth. Then the fight is on! No hookset is required. And if the pike is a throw-back, then he’ll be in good shape for survival since circle hooks eliminate the chances of gut-hooking. I strongly recommend it...
JULY 2012
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
Award-Winning ‘RMEF Team Elk’ Set for Season 2
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
RMEF Team Elk,” the reigning Fan Favorite New Series
on Outdoor Channel, is back for its second season. Presented by MidwayUSA, the official TV program of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation kicked-off the week of June 25 with the theme “Hunting Is Conservation.”
Country music singer Easton Corbin, racing legend Johnny Unser Jr., outdoor personalities Cameron Hanes and Kristy Titus, and other RMEF members from all walks of life are featured. Brandon Bates returns as the show host, along with Big Time Entertainment, for a bigger and better Season 2... Each of the 13 new episodes of “RMEF Team Elk” will air three times: Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. (ET), Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. (ET) and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. (ET)... “This year our cameras follow a host of new characters for adventures in elk country, including some awesome hunts on lands conserved by RMEF,” said Steve Decker, vice president of marketing for RMEF. “Throughout Season 2 we’ll demonstrate, and our season finale will punctuate, how North American hunters continue to lead the world’s most successful model of conservation.” “RMEF Team Elk” is named for the force of RMEF members—now a record 184,135 strong and growing—fueling the organization’s conservation efforts. Hunters from celebrities to military heroes to salt-of-the-earth folks are working together to conserve habitat, restore elk herds to native ranges and celebrate America’s sporting heritage. Watch for “RMEF Team Elk” promotions and news at: Website: www.TeamElk.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/RMEFTeamElk Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamElk See sponsors at http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/NewsReleases/2012/Season2.htm
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Senate Amendment Would Help Hunters Access Public Lands Boone and Crockett Club
S en. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today offered a package of sportsmen’s bills in an amendment to the Farm Bill legislation. One piece of the amendment guarantees funding for improving hunter access to existing public lands. This bipartisan amendment is supported by the Boone and Crockett Club, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and other hunting organizations. The amendment directs the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to acquire rights of way and other land interests from willing-seller landowners to open access to existing public lands where public access for hunting and fishing is closed. The amendment also protects ammunition from lawsuits designed to force the Environmental Protection Agency to ban lead in ammunition and fishing tackle. Also benefitting hunters, the amendment provides funds for states to create public shooting ranges. For duck hunters, the amendment reauthorizes the Duck Stamp Act and the Wetlands Conservation Act—both instrumental in preserving waterfowl habitat... For the 32 million American hunters, anglers and recreational shooters, federal public lands are increasingly vital to their participation in outdoor sports. Nearly half of all hunters, for example, conduct a portion of their hunting activity on public lands. Reduced access is cited as a primary reason that hunters, anglers and target shooters stop participating in these traditional sports. A 2004 report to the U.S. House Committee On Appropriations concluded that more than 35 million acres of Forest Service and BLM lands have inadequate access. Specifically, nearly 2 million acres (10 percent) of Forest Service lands in Montana and 8.4 million acres (29 percent) of BLM lands in the Montana/Dakotas region were identified as having inadequate access. Sportsmen and women make important contributions to both wildlife conservation and the nation’s economy. The hunting and shooting sports industries create over 160,000 full-time jobs nationwide, generating an economic benefit of over $20 billion annually.
16 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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WALLEYE FISHING TRIPS
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JULY 2012
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A JIG IS A JIG. OR IS IT?
I
A
“POWER” PROGRAM FOR WALLEYES
By Mike Frisch, northlandtackle.com
t’s no secret that jigs catch fish of all species during all seasons...Here is a look at some...instances when trading a ball-head jig for more of a specialty jig can increase an angler’s catch. When vertical jigging for walleyes with jigs tipped with live bait, a round head jig usually works good. However, at times when walleyes are found in shallower water, anglers may choose to cast or what is often called pitch jigs to those fish. Pitching works for shallow fish that may be spooked by the presence of a boat overhead. While a ball-head jig will work for pitching, a stand-up jig head with a plastic body may be a better choice. This style jig can be fished slowly to imitate a minnow feeding on bottom utilizing a casting approach. The new Lip-Stick Jig has a stand-up head and a minnow imitating tube tail and has really been a good walleye producer for me this year when pitching to the shallows. Successful walleye fishing sometimes requires the use of a jig style other than the normal round-head jig. In addition, bass and panfish anglers can also use specialty jigs to up their catches at times. For instance, when bass bury themselves in heavy cover like weeds or timber a jig that can present a plastic worm, grub or soft stickbait in a weedless manner is a good choice. The new Jungle Jig-Loc head is just the ticket for extracting those bass who call heavy cover home. It has a sleek head and a CorkScrew worm collar that allows anglers to bury the hook in the bait making the presentation virtually weedless. In addition, this head has a very sharp, wide-gap hook that increases hooking percentages. In fact, this head tipped with a soft stick-bait has been a dynamite bass producer. Bass in heavy cover call for special jigs and, as was mentioned earlier, sometimes panfish anglers can also increase their catch by using an alternative style jig head. For example, crappie, perch and bluegill catches can often be increased by trading a ball-head jig for a jig with a small spinner blade like the Thumper Jig. These jigs can be tipped with live bait or small plastics and cast and retrieved. It seems the addition of the small blade is often what it takes to trigger aggressive bites from panfish that otherwise ignore an ordinary jig...
Wild West Fly Fishing Po Box 134 Livingston,MT 59047
N early fifty years after the inception of the modern live-bait rig—what’s today known simply as the ‘Roach Rig’—its sheer effectiveness still raises eyebrows and turns heads. Take a vigorously squirming minnow, nightcrawler or leech, and couple it with a hook, leader and sliding sinker and you’re fishing the deadliest walleye presentation of all time. Get a natural, lively bait to the bottom, and just start creeping your way along fruitful structure. Sooner or later, a walleye is going to eat. It’s just that simple. Well, sort of. During the same fifty years, a number of nice little developments have transformed a serviceable bait delivery vehicle into a precision live-bait system. The walking sinker evolved into the Quick-Change Roach Sinker. The bottom bouncer transmogrified into the Northland Slip Bouncer. Live bait care tools, like those by Frabill, now ensure a healthy supply of critters. All the while, hooks, lines, and electronics have advanced almost beyond comprehension. Which is where “power rigging” enters the equation. It’s old school rigging (light and easy) meets heavy metal bottom bouncing (head-banging fast), plus a dash of new wave tackle and tactics. Developed by ace guide Tony Roach, this hybrid live bait system is indeed, as he calls it, “Roach rigging on steroids.” “Power rigging lets me maintain a natural live bait presentation, while triggering fish with a bit more speed,” states young Roach. “Sort of like rip jigging, the presentation induces a reactionary response, while the live bait closes the deal. Early in the season, you’re moving slow with rigs and jigs, presenting bait to fish on a definite ‘ feeding bite’; show ‘em a tempting morsel, keep it in front of their snouts,
By Ted Pilgrim with Tony Roach, northlandtackle.com
and they’re going to eat. Later on, as water warms, and the food supply expands, walleyes can turn a little tricky—a slight boost in speed is often all it takes to get fish to go. “What I really like about the power program is that I can work quickly along a lengthy edge or over a vast flat, moving, 9- to 1.2-mph,” he continues. “I can still put natural bait in front of them, but I can show my wares to a lot more active fish... From a lake-wide perspective, Roach’s power spots aren’t secrets. “This approach approach works on nearly any classic late summer and fall walleye location. Rock points, weed edges, transition areas, mudflats—anywhere you can drag a standard walking sinker and live bait, you can power rig,” he asserts. “It’s really sort of a hybrid between slow-down rigging and dragging spinners on three-ways. I’ll start doing this pretty early in the summer—right after those initial insect hatches— and stick with it on and off through late summer into early fall. Once surface temps hit 60-degrees or so, it’s time to break out the power rigs. Then again in August and September, it really shines as water begins to cool a bit. “Those days when everyone is either creeping along with a standard rig or bottom bouncing at a good clip--especially on flat calm days-that’s when I’ll break out the power rigs.” Roach’s power program employs a straight wire bottom bouncer, such as the Northland Slip Bouncer, coupled with a super long leader—up to 15-feet for coverless flats— tied with 8-pound test Berkley XT. At slower speeds he typically rigs a live ribbon leech, small shiner or chub on a single #6 or #4 hook. If Roach is pulling crawlers, it usually means he’s moving a bit faster, employing a dual hook harness. For added attraction, he occasionally adds a single fluorescent bead, or a single 00 flicker spinner. Often,
too, especially with longer snells or near vegetation, he likes to add a Rainbow Float, 1 to 8-inches above the hook. “You can pin the float in place using a rubber Snubber Stop,” he asserts. Keeping the float well above the hook holds the entire leader off bottom, rather than just the bait itself. While the hook, float and live bait power the presentation, the Slip-Bouncer drives. Unlike the standard R-bend bottom bouncers, Slip-Bouncers are composed of a single straight wire shaft with an open eyelet on top, which lets you feed line freely to biting fish—no resistance. The 5-inch wire “feeler” transmits bottom types like a stethoscope, while a slide-on weight system yields rapid adjustments to varying depths, speeds and currents. Another advantage: tickled over soft silt, mud or sand, these needle-like weights disturb very little bottom substrate, an occurrence that often spooks walleyes. “Slip Bouncers are a gem—something every angler should add to their bag of rigging tricks,” Roach says. “Power rigging is ideal for inexperienced anglers and old pros alike. If I’ve got beginners in my boat, I can just set soft-tipped 8-1/2- foot trolling rods, like my Mr. Walleye SuperPros, in rod holders, and let them load up and set themselves. If we start missing fish, we simply hold rods and delay our hooksets. Drop the rod tip back toward a biting fish, feel for solid weight, and give a nice long sweep. “Really, power rigging can be the answer on any given summer day. Right in the middle of a classic ‘slow-down’ rigging bite, you can really put on a clinic. But the power program shines later on, too, when everyone else is moving faster, pulling standard spinner rigs. In both cases, the system can really make you a hero on those tougher flat calm day bites...any method that saves my hide on tough guide days is okay in my book.”
JULY 2012
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
Jig
Trevor Johnson of Kit’s Tackle with Canyon Ferry Walleye caught pitching the “Supercraw” Glass Minnow.
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
• 17
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FLY OF THE MONTH: CADDIS NYMPH By Bob Bates, fedflyfishers.org
Caddis flies are an important food for fish, which makes them important for the fly angler. Bob Scheidt, Fresno, California was demonstrating this pattern at the 2012 Northwest Fly Tyer Expo... When you open the books on caddis flies you can be confused with the tremendous number of species (1,200 in North America) and many sizes (2 to 24). Do not despair, just pick a few patterns that other anglers use and learn where and when to use them.
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A pattern like this can be used before caddis start hatching, when they are starting to hatch, actively hatching or when the females are laying eggs. At first caddis larva stay near the bottom of the stream or lake. They might build a variety of cases or be free swimming... As they grow the larva add to their cases to make them larger. This pattern reminds me of the green sedge or Rhyarcophila caddis flies. It is a free living caddis larva that wonders over the stream bottom in search of food. It doesnʼt build a case. The silken thread that helps keep it from drifting away doesnʼt always work. Additionally, the female, which is also green, lays her eggs underwater. As she swims down to attach her eggs to a rock on the bottom she carries a bubble of air with her. So the fish have a couple times when they can feast on these caddis flies... MATERIALS LIST: Hook: Tiemco 2487 or 2457, 14 or whatever you want Weight: Bead, 7/64, white and 0.015 lead wire Thread: Black - Rib: Small copper wire Hackle: Whiting hen, furnace, etc. Bubble: Several strands of pearl Flashabou Body: Dubbing, green or tan TYING STEPS: Step 1. Attach thread near bead. Step 2 Tie in copper wire and wrap down to the bend of hook. Step 3 Attach several pieces of pearl Flashabou (10 to 14) and wrap down to bend. Let them hang out back. Step 4 Bob put in four turns of lead behind the bead, but you can put in as many as you want. You can slide the lead into the bead. Step 5 Dub body (Hairline: Mixed pale yellow, caddis green, bright green, light green, a little Ice Dub). You can vary the color of the body using hairʼs ear. Step 6 Pull Flashabou over the top to simulate gas bubbles when insect comes to surface or when the female swims down to lay eggs. Spiral rib forward over the Flashabou in six or seven turns. Tie off behind bead. Trim excess materials. Step 7 Bob likes using a Whiting Hebert-Miner hen hackle, but you can use others if you can find them. Starling, if long enough, partridge is probably too long or anything else is good. Step 8 Put on two turns of hackle and tie it off. Use heat shrink tubing that is a little larger than the bead to push the hackle back. Step 9 Whip finish behind the bead, and trim thread. Bob puts a black dot on the bead to simulate eyes. He uses an oil based fine pen that he bought from an art store. It takes 24 hours to dry, so he skipped that step on the fly he gave me to take home. I put on the eye you see with the computer...
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18 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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JULY 2012
Say Hello To Success: Where to chase the Fish this Month Brought to you by
Brett Naillon & Friend with rainbow trout caught on flyrod, Box Canyon Stretch of Henry’s Fork
A good mix of species will keep Montana anglers busy this summer.
July officially kicks into hot weather mode and it’s a great time to be on any piece of water fishing for that one big fish we know is lurking down below. It’s your job to get them to bite! Here are a few spots you might consider this month.
BIGHORN RIVER When this river starts dropping, look for good surface action and by mid-July the river’s small yellow stoneflies should be coming off in better numbers. Fish standard yellow Sallies in #12 to #16 or yellow and tan Stimulators. When the weather turns hot for a few days, you’ll see the terrestrial fishing go off. Fish long runs below grassy banks with hoppers in small sizes 10 to 12. Black ants, small crickets and beetle imitations work well on this river. As the trout are picking food from the surface, they will hit a caddis or mayfly nymph as well.
Canyon Dam all the way to Dillon. On the nearby Big Hole River, dry fly fishing will continue with good spots to fish from Divide to Notch Bottom. The long days of July will provide big fish and lots of them here.
CLARK FORK RIVER
This river is often overlooked for more famous streams in Montana, but the lower stretches of the Clark Fork can be very productive once the water levels drop and systems clear. Long light leaders and tiny flies are a good bet to catch these hungry fish. Smallmouth bass are eager to feed as well, and will bite on about anything you throw in front of them. Natural baits such as a nightcrawler or artificial worms work well, or a surface lure will produce bass around deeper points near rocks or submerged debris. Caddis, Salmon Flies, Yellow Sallies, and Green Drakes should be abundant for the surface trout action here throughout July.
ONGUERIVERRESERVOIR BEAVERHEAD RIVER ATnice variety of fish in this water will
Fishing on the Beaverhead will be excellent this summer. Golden Stoneflies, PMD’s, and Yellow Sallies will be everywhere. San Juan worms will be the hot fly early, and into July. Search for big browns below Clark
keep poles bent here. The crappie fishing will pick up as water temperatures rise into the 60 degree mark, and expect them to hit jigs tipped with minnows and nice ones up to around 2 pounds here. Target the shorelines
in around 30 feet of water for good results. Also on tap here are walleye and northern pike. Toss a Rapala Shad Rap near shorelines or a minnow on a jig or under a bobber at the north end of the reservoir. The largemouth and smallmouth bass will be hitting hard as well. Trolling small, rattling crankbaits, spinnerbaits along shorelines or a Mepps Aglia will produce good action. The Tongue River Reservoir is located just north of Decker, Montana about 2 hours southeast of Billings. Take Hwy. 212 to Busby, south to the Tongue River State Park.
LAKE MARY RONAN This lake is known for lots of good kokanee salmon fishing. Trolling along the shoreline between Tuffit and the Lodge using electronics to find the schools of kokanee works best. Once you have located fish, trolling Wedding Ring spinner set-ups as well as Willowleafs, Cowbells, or Ford Fenders with a fly behind will find aggressive fish. For jigging a Red Glow jig head or Forage minnow tipped with corn or a maggot will produce kokanee and perch. Bass anglers do well near weeded shorelines and inlets. Lake Mary Ronan is located between Ronan and Kalispell and camping is available at the park as well as a full service resort with cabins and RV spaces.
FLATHEAD LAKE
The hottest bite on the Flathead will be the annual mid-summer bite of lake whitefish. These tasty fish normally start around the second week of July into September. You’ll find two hot spots on the north end of the lake at the mouth of the Flathead River and the bar off Woods Bay Point. Whitefish cruise the edges of the weed lines looking for perch fry. The whitefish hunt over the carpet of weeds in 40 to 50 feet of water picking off fry that venture out from the thicker weeds.
Most anglers vertically jig using lures like a Green Marabou Leadhead jig, Kastmasters, Bass-N-Baits Rattle Snakies and Zimmer’s Rattle-D-Zastors, or anything that looks like a perch. Lake whitefish now make up around 70% of the lake’s fish biomass, and were introduced to the lake in the early 1900’s.
NOXON RESERVOIR If you’re going for some quality bass fishing, fish Noxon in mid to late July. Target largemouth bass working plastics and spinnerbaits along the weed beds, railroad trestle pilings and sunken timber on the lake’s southern shore. The warm water will make fish more active now and more evenly spread out throughout the lake. Fishing a drop-shot rig with a worm, jigs with a pork rind trailer or crankbaits tossed along week edges will take Noxon’s largemouth bass. Smallmouth tend to like the deeper water associated with rocks and along the sheer faces of submerged rocky cliffs. Working weighted 4 inch tube jigs around the rubble can produce some great action for 2 to 4lb bass. You can also pull smallies off sunken rock ledges by trolling a diving crankbait tight to the cover. Perch colored lures, pumpkin seed and crayfish colors work best, and don’t be surprised if you tie into a meaty northern pike using the same techniques here. Boaters typically launch just east of Trout Creek on the upper southern shore of Noxon, and there’s also a very good ramp just off of Hwy. 200 called the North Shore.
GEORGETOWN LAKE
July is the month to fish Georgetown Lake as Damsel flies converge around the lake and big trout love these rare bugs. Fish nymphs in the morning as trout set up to ambush these migrating damsels before they reach the shore. Surface imitations in the afternoon
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work as the fish rise and become more active. Fishing the evening Caddis hatch is another option.
HEBGEN LAKE
Lots of water and plenty of bugs in the air will have area anglers excited about fishing Hebgen early this summer for quality rainbows in the plus 20 inch category here. Early morning action will be best on days when the winds aren’t blowing. Fly fishermen have been using midges and para midges to connect with some quality trout here in the West Yellowstone area. Stick with midges in the 14 to 18 size range and go a little larger once the Callibaetis begin showing. Tie on a good baetis pattern running from size 12 to 16 and get out early for best conditions. Fish the South Fork and along the north shore for best results. The scenery is fantastic here and so is the trout fishing.
LAKE FRANCES
Warm water temperatures at this north central Montana lake will make for good walleye and pike fishing this summer. Suspending a jig under a bobber remains one of the best ways to find 3lb plus walleye that are looking for an easy meal. Trolling jointed crankbaits along weeded edges will also be productive. The trick is to drag the crankbait over and just above the bottom without snagging on weeds and sticks as the walleye and pike will be feeding on bait fish. A quarter ounce jig with a 1/4 of a nightcrawler or a live leech along the bottom will work . Good jig colors are pink heads with white tails or yellow heads with Chartreuse tails. Bottom-bouncers with a chartreuse and orange bladed worm harness will take fish all day long. Northern pike anglers will continue to score by trolling crank and blades. Walleye fishermen using small lures are also rewarded with some nice sized yellow perch, and you can increase your chances of catching these tasty perch by using less than an inch of a crawler for your presentation.
HOLTER LAKE Big trout and lots of them, and walleye in big numbers is the word at Holter lately. Smaller sized walleye are being caught jigging a nightcrawler along the bottom or trolling a Rapala along shaded banks. Berkley minnows on the end of a jig using the same presentation, slow and steady along the bottom will pick up the walleye. Trout have been aggressive all season long and many brown trout in good sizes are being caught. Once the hot weather hits, fish early in the morning or late evening. Trolling, drifting and jigging along banks and ledges for fish moving from hole to hole will be most productive.
CANYON FERRY Fishing will be outstanding and some of the best of the season in July! Calmer weather patterns should allow for some great days on the water now. Trolling will produce some giant trout and for big or smaller walleye trolling a harness set-up tipped with a nightcrawler or leech will keep these fish biting. Berkley Gulp works in a leech pattern. Try trolling around White Earth or Cemetery Island in deeper water near the shorelines. Good electronics are critical to the summertime bite on Canyon Ferry. You’ll find fish anywhere from 20 to 50 feet of water behind the Dam north of Cemetery Island, off Magpie Bay and around Confederate and Goose Bays.
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FT. PECK RESERVOIR Weather is the big key on Ft. Peck as the fish are definitely in bays and lots of them! This month will produce extremely good conditions here, especially early in the morning. Trolling spinner rigs baited with leeches is a great way to cover some ground and pinpoint walleye locations. Once you have located fish, switch to drifting jigs baited with a 3” shiner or sucker minnows. Duck Creek, Skunk Creek and across the lake on the points that come off Haxby Point will hold walleye as they are dispersing widely from their spawing areas and are still feeding actively off main lake points that are strafed by constant wind. Troll the mud lines off those points for walleye that average around 15” and bigger. Perfect for a supper meal. For big northern pike, you can fish out of Hell Creek, Rock Creek and the Pines area for these big aggressive fish. Cast spoons along weeded shorelines in the deep bays that produce bass, perch and walleye. Expect smallmouth bass to be here, as you fish these bays. 16 to 18” are common in 3 to 4lb. range. If you hit the Ft. Peck area just right with warm weather and calm winds, it will be the best time on the water that you can find anywhere. For some of the best advice on fishing conditions here call Hell Creek Marina (406-557-2345), as they guide and are on the water every day. Or, phone Bill at Rock Creek at (406-485-2560). Bill fishes all the time and will get you lined up with camping arrangements and everything you need to fish Ft. Peck. Have fun this summer fishing our fantastic Montana waters.
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... f you put a few golden fish in the livewell and on the cleaning board, you’ve got something to look forward to, and some thinking to do too on how to cook them up. Here are a few great recipes I have turned to over the years that are more than just a dip in Shore Lunch. Try a few out and expand your plating skills this summer!..
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ALMOND CRUSTED WALLEYE RECIPE Ingredients: 1 slice whole wheat bread, dried 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/4 cup egg whites 4 walleye fillets 1 tablespoon butter, melted Directions: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 15×10-inch baking pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In food processor grind bread into fine crumbs or use knife to finely chop. In shallow bowl combine ground bread, almond slices, cheese, basil and seasoned salt; mix well. In a second shallow bowl place egg whites. Dip each walleye fillet in egg whites and then coat with bread mixture; patting mixture over fillet to fully coat. Add a few extra almond slices on the fillets for appearance. Place coated fillets on prepared baking pan. Drizzle coating with melted butter. Bake, uncovered, 12 to 14 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. My buddy Josh is the uncontested camp cook. The guy can crank out deer, fish and upland game dishes like nobody’s business and they taste restaurant-quality every time. His signature recipe for a couple of summers was this one from the late, great Tony Dean. Served over pasta, this will help with those cold days of fishing and leave everyone full and satisfied! PARMESAN WALLEYE RECIPE Ingredients: 4 walleye fillets 1/4 pound butter Salt and pepper to taste cheese
1 cup olive oil One sliced onion One cup freshly grated parmesan
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and arrange the filets in a glass baking dish. Add sliced onions, the milder the better. Place several tabs of cold butter on top of each filet. Sprinkle heavily with freshly grated parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper as desired. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown. Remove fillets from the olive oil and butter, drain and serve. I like to drizzle the drained oil and butter mixture over a little rotini and serve the fillet on top of the pasta. A good way to add substance to the delicate white meat of a walleye is to batter it up. I’ve tried a number of batters, but one beer batter has stood out – for its simplicity and its taste. Five basic ingredients make this beer batter recipe the perfect complement to the fillets of the complex quarry that is Sander vitreus. BASIC BEER BATTER WALLEYE RECIPE Ingredients: 1 cup of pancake flour 1 beaten egg 1 teaspoon of salt Dash of pepper 3/4 cup of beer (I prefer a non-light beer, like Budweiser) Directions: Mix these five ingredients until consistent and then dip your fillets in the batter, allowing the excess to drain off. Then drop the fillets into the hot oil, I like using a deep fryer set to 375 degrees. Allow fillets to cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until brown. While you might have caught your fish using a jig, a Lindy rig, or the same ol’ same ol’ that puts early season walleyes in the boat, these recipes are anything but the usual. Give them a try this season when you put a few eaters on your stringer...in our outdoors.
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ast month I spent the better part of a seven day period in Idaho fishing for king salmon. I thought you might enjoy reading how the week ended up. I have a short checklist that I try to follow when I head out on a fishing trip. I like to catch fish, so I usually try to stack the odds in my favor. The first question I ask, “Are the fish biting”? I can normally catch fish when the bite is on. I had heard that the king salmon were biting in Idaho. Shore fisherman, boat anglers just about every report that I received was positive. So with that information in hand, I asked Steve Hellegaard from Missoula, (who I have nicknamed “Salmon Steve”), and Arlyn Lemer from Lolo, (who has had success fishing for kings on the Clearwater River in Idaho), to go with me. I also consulted Tom Steinbrenner from Missoula who, along with his wife and son caught 16 salmon the week before. In addition, I spoke with Bill Brown who works at Bob Wards, and has had success going after the big kings in Idaho. I even went one step further and lined up one of the best guides on the Clearwater River, Scott Willumsen to take use out one day while there. Scott was raised in Missoula and now guides for The Guide Shop in Orofino. We decided to fish the North Fork the evening we arrived in Orofino, because the main river was blown out. We didn’t have a bump in three hours of fishing. The next day we started in the North Fork at 5am. We didn’t see a fish caught for 6-hours, so we decided to head up river to the town of Kooskia, and launch the boat to fish up by Clear Creek. No Luck again! We did see a couple of fish boated, however, so we knew that there was salmon in the area. The next day we headed out with Willumson and Lemer’s rod went down in the first 5 minutes. It was a salmon. Now I thought to myself “We are fishing”! The next 8 hours again, didn’t produce even a bump. So we headed back to Missoula Friday night, and then on Sunday, I headed back to Idaho to try my luck again, this time with Tom Steinbrenner, Gary Thompson and Bill Scullion both of Lolo. We planned on fishing Sunday through Tuesday. Thanks to Steinbrenner, we immediately had success. He spends just about every weekend, from September through June, in Idaho, chasing the elusive sea run fish.
Bill Scullion is holding a 20 pound salmon On Sunday night, both Gary and I caught a king salmon. On Monday, the weather was really nice with high temps reaching in the low 80′s. The Clearwater River had cleared up considerably from Sunday, but it didn’t help with the fishing. We back drifted eggs and shrimp and only caught one wild salmon, (Steinbrenner also uses shrimp oils and different scents.) Tuesday morning we were on the water at 4:45am. Bill Scullion landed a nice king salmon fifteen minutes later. During the week, I spent many hours, as you can tell, between bites, but just reeling in that one salmon was worth the trip for me. (see Mark’s salmon on page 14)
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‘This is great’ I thought, two good bucks within a half mile of each other.
SPOT AND STALK MULE DEER By Michael Batease
Sponsored by: HECS & Winner’s Choice Strings Reprinted with permission from Bowhunting.net. For more please go to: www.bowhunting.net
When you hear about spot and stalk mule deer hunts you hear about far more
failed stalks than successful ones. My experience has been the same. Chasing mule deer bucks can be a humbling time that draws people back year after year. It is like a roller coaster ride that is full of ups and downs. What is it about matching wits with a muley buck that keeps us coming back for more? This fall I headed to Montana with a deer and elk tag in my pocket. This would be the first time I have hunted Montana but have heard enough stories to know this was going to be a great hunt. I had only been in my hunting area for 30 minutes when I located a good buck. We hadn’t even reached our camp yet so I slipped out of the truck to get my bow out of the horse trailer. Once I had my bow and arrow I snuck off the road with the truck and trailer hiding my movements. The buck’s rack was the only thing visible when I peeked around the corner of the trailer and I really felt I had a chance at him. He was a big 4×2 with kickers coming off the forked side. I slid across the road and had a little roll separating me and the buck. When I reached the little tree I had marked I knew I was close. I nocked the arrow and peeked up over the little roll. He had moved up the hill a ways so I had to figure out the range. Somehow that buck knew I was there and bounded off over a little ridge. I knew he didn’t go far so I stayed after him. As I approached the top of the little ridge I got down low so I could peek over and find him. There he was. My range finder was still packed in the truck so I estimated the yardage at 60 yards. I practice all summer long out to 80 yards so I was confident I could make the shot. I drew back, picked my spot behind the shoulder and let the Victory VAP fly. Strike one. He was 70 yards. The arrow went right under his belly. One hour into our hunting area and I had already taken a shot at a good buck. I spotted another buck feeding only a half mile down the road. ‘This is great’ I thought, two good bucks within a half mile of each other. I snuck out into the grass to try and close the distance but got busted as I drew back. As the deer trotted to my right I tried to move and cut them off. No such luck so the next several days we spent chasing elk and focusing on filling my elk tag. I filled my elk tag on the seventh day of the hunt so it was time to focus on deer again. While heading down the road to a spot we wanted to hunt we saw a buck and two does cross the road ahead of us. They were in a good spot for a stalk so we parked the truck and got a game plan together. The wind was right. A rancher had his cattle grazing nearby that could make this a tough stalk. Taking the utmost of care with every little step it seemed like hours had gone by for me to pick my way thru the trees and get into position for a shot. I peeked around a tree to see if I could spot this buck and he was standing there looking up the hill at the cattle that were milling around. He had no clue I was there. I needed to cover another 60-70 yards so I decided to pull my boots off and go the rest of the way in my socks. The nice thing about stalking in your socks is that you can feel every little stick you about to step on. On the other had you can also feel every little pine cone. (continued on page 32)
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Hunting And Conservation News
Wolves vs. Hunters
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By Bob Robb Sponsored by: Nikon Sports Optics & Wildlife Research Center Reprinted with permission from Bowhunting.net. For more please go to: www.bowhunting.net
W
olves in the lower 48 states are literally eating hunters out of house and home. While doing so, they are impacting your opportunity to both pick a special draw tag and be successful both on those coveted hunts and in open-hunting units. A bit of background. Lower 48 state gray wolves were declared an endangered species in 1974. In 1995-96, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists transplanted a small population of Canadian wolves in and around Yellowstone National Park where today the population has exploded and government estimates place the number at about 1,775 — though local ranchers, hunters and hunting guides believe it is higher than that. In the West wolves inhabit parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and isolated but expanding pockets in Washington, Oregon and Utah. Less than 100 Mexican wolves live in Arizona and New Mexico. Another 4,700 gray wolves reside in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In 2010 and again last fall, sport hunting seasons for wolves were held in Montana and Idaho with fairly disappointing results. Last year only 166 of the 220 wolf quota was achieved in Montana, while Idaho hunters and trappers only killed 373 wolves despite an extended hunting season. That means the gray wolf population in five northern Rocky Mountain states increased by 3 percent to at least 1,775 wolves, under the first full year of management by the states, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in early March. Wyoming will hold its first wolf hunting season in 2012. In the Great Lakes region, Minnesota and Wisconsin will hold their first wolf hunting seasons in 2012. Minnesota, home to 3000 wolves, set a very conservative 400 wolf quota, while Wisconsin hopes to reduce its estimated 1000 wolf population by 350 with both hunting and trapping seasons. For some reason, Michigan has not attempted to open a season to reduce a population of 700 wolves in the Upper Peninsula, an increase from the 20 wolves living their back in 1992. Here’s why you should care. David Mech, a senior research science with the United States Geological Service who has spent 53 years studying wolves, said that upper Midwest wolf packs may have ranges of 60 to 80 square miles, with the animals traveling up to 15 miles a day. Wolves largely feed on deer in Minnesota, he said and an adult wolf consumes the equivalent of about 18-20 deer a year. Out West, the plight of the Northern Yellowstone elk herd is a perfect example of what’s going on. Pack hunters, these wolves will eventually drag this bull down and kill it. In 2011 the herd has suffered a precipitous decline, dropping 10 percent from the prior year to a total of 4,174 elk — this on the heels of a 24 percent drop the year before. The herd peaked at about 20,000 elk in 1992. In some years back then hunters killed several thousand elk from this herd as they migrated out of the park. But that was before the wolf reintroduction mentioned earlier. Since that time, the elk herd has declined nearly 80 percent. Of course, it is not all wolves — mountain lions, grizzlies and black bears all kill their fair share — but it is easy to connect the dots and see that wolves have been in the center (next page)
RMEF Calls for Transparency on State Special Big Game Permits Responding to questions about some nonprofit organizations’ handling of special auction/raffle hunting permits issued by states, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is calling for transparency and open review of the financial records of all conservation nonprofits. RMEF has made its records available online, reiterated its longstanding policy of financial accountability and is urging other nonprofit organizations to follow suit. “When dealing with these special auction or raffle hunting permits we are dealing with a public trust,” said David Allen, president and CEO of RMEF. “It is imperative that we are as open and transparent as possible when we assume the responsibility of selling these permits.” “Organizations should not become financially dependent upon the sale of these permits for their operating budgets, but rather find ancillary benefit by helping our state agency partners realize greater conservation revenues from the sale of these limited permits,” he added. At question is the accountability of some nonprofit groups that accept special permits for auction and/or raffle fundraising. More specifically, questions have surfaced about how funds generated from these permits are allocated and spent. In most states, legislation dictates how proceeds from these permits are allocated. RMEF has an operating policy that specifies it will only sell special permits for states that require proceeds to go on the ground for wildlife conservation purposes.
Over the last five years, for example, RMEF generated a total of $5,211,214 in special permit revenue. Of that, $4,759,759 was returned directly
to the states or specific project accounts for wildlife habitat or conservation purposes. Approximately $451,455, or just 8.7 percent, was retained by RMEF for administrative and fundraising expenses. It is important to note that income from these permits represents less than half of one percent of RMEF’s annual budget. RMEF indicates that in nearly all cases, the administrative fees retained by the organization cover only the direct expenses associated with selling the permits. To view five years of RMEF’s Special Permit Financial Summary, and more than 10 years of the organization’s Federal 990 tax returns, as well as RMEF’s Audited Financial Statements, go to www.rmef.org and click on the word “Financial” at the bottom of any page. “We are very proud of the fact that RMEF has been able to raise millions of dollars over the years for wildlife through special permits while only retaining an average of 10 percent or less to cover our marketing costs, transaction fees, overhead, etc.,” said Allen. “We view our handling of these permits as a service to our state agency partners. When done correctly, and in very limited numbers, these permits can have a huge benefit to wildlife.” “We’re an open book, we are accountable to our members, donors and supporters for every dollar they commit to RMEF,” said Allen. “We also feel an accountability to all hunters, members or not, when receiving any amount for assisting state agencies in selling the public trust assets represented by these permits.”
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Visit our EXPANDED WEBSITE at traderbrothers.com Ammo • New & Used Guns • Clothing & Footwear • Optics Fishing • Stoves • Farm & Ranch 16490 Old Hwy. 93 South, Lolo (406) 273-3555 of the decline from the beginning. The fact that the wolf has become a symbol and the prime fundraising tool of animals rights kooks notwithstanding, that drop in ungulate numbers severely impacts the number of animals available for sport hunters. The math is easy to do. Less deer, elk and moose mean fewer hunters, which means less revenue from those hunters flows into the pockets of local businesses and into the coffers of state game departments, which rely heavily on license revenues from hunters to fund them. Nonresident hunters have not jumped on the wolf hunting bandwagon in big numbers simply because the cost of both nonresident tags and licenses and the hunting itself is so high and success rates so low — wolves are very smart and very difficult to kill, even with rifles — so they stay home. I and many of my friends who have hunted in the same areas of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming for decades have all chosen to not go there any more simply because they have seen the decimation wolf packs have done to local deer and elk herds. The same is true in the northern reaches of the Great Lakes states, where whitetails have been hammered for decades until the herds are a fraction of what they once were. One group that has taken the lead in the wolf wars is the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (www.rmef.org). “The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation doesn’t say wipe out all the predators,” RMEF President David Allen said. “But we’ve got to be more aggressive in managing them. We want to see substantially fewer than what we have now. That includes wolves, as well as grizzly bears, black bears and mountain lions. This go slow, take it easy approach it not working.” Allen is right. It’s time to declare war on lower 48 wolves.
Hunting opportunities for elk, deer and other big game continue to decline as lower 48 wolf numbers increase. Photo: bowhunting.net
Three Men Convicted... MFWP T
hree men were recently convicted of several poaching-related offenses stemming from incidents occurring late last fall in the London Hills near Cardwell in Madison County... The investigation began on October 30, 2011 when FWP was made aware of a bull elk with its antlers removed on private property in the London Hills. Game Wardens were able to connect that discovery to earlier complaints of trespassing on another piece of private property thanks to some very telling four wheeler tracks – tracks which led right to the home of Clayton Deming. On November 9th, 2011, FWP received another report of a four wheeler traversing that same ranch in the dark. After staking out the trail with the four wheeler tracks, wardens heard shots and soon stopped Clayton Deming, Frank Keyes of Pony, and Mark Birkin of Florida. The men had in their possession a 5-point bull and a spike with its head removed (the men claimed it was a cow elk). Clayton Deming pled guilty on May 29 to two counts of hunting without a license, hunting without permission, criminal trespass, unlawful possession, and waste of game. Deming lost his hunting and fishing privileges for six years and must pay $2,460 in fines and $1,000 in restitution. Plus, he has to pay the landowner for breaking the lock on one of his gates. Frank Keyes lost his hunting privileges for two years after being convicted of criminal trespass, hunting big game without permission, failure to tag, and unlawful possession of a game animal. His fines total $595. Keyes was convicted on May 7. Also convicted on May 7 was Mark Birkin who won’t be able to hunt or fish in Montana (and other compact states) for two years as well... (wolf delisting upheld...turn to page 32)
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Game Damage Roster Registration Underway
SuperTag Deadlines Coming Soon MFWP
Deadline July 15th Hunters interested in participating in
Eight lucky SuperTag hunters will
MFWP
game-damage hunts on private land or possible management seasons this year have until July 15 to register online with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Registration opened June 15 online at fwp.mt.gov . On the Hunting page, click Game Damage Roster. Internet-based registration can be completed on personal computers, at most public libraries, and at any FWP office. To register, hunters will need their ALS number. A final roster, randomly generated from all online registrations, will be posted the first week in August on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov. The hunts, if they occur, could take place anytime from August 15 through February 15, 2013.
Deadline July 5th win the chance to hunt a moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, deer, antelope, mountain lion and bison in any legal district open for that species next fall. You could be one of the winners this year—just purchase one or more $5 SuperTag chances. The deadline to purchase SuperTags for the moose, sheep and goat, deer, elk, antelope, bison and mountain lion hunts must be purchased by July 5. SuperTag lottery proceeds go to enhance hunting access and boost FWP enforcement efforts. SuperTags are available at all FWP offices, license providers, or online at fwp.mt.gov using FWP’s online licensing service. To purchase a SuperTag, a current conservation license is needed.
28 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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JULY 2012
Rocky Mountain States Updated Hunt Planner, Open Data Page Available Online Idaho Fish and Game has updated the Hunt Planner for the 2012-2013 hunting seasons. The Hunt Planner is an interactive online tool that allows hunters to search for and create maps for hunting areas of interest. It is available at http://fishandgame.idaho. gov/ifwis/huntplanner/. Hunters simply answer a few questions about what game they would like to hunt, how, where and when they would like to hunt it, and a list of all the available hunts that meet their criteria will be generated. They can then select a hunt area from this list, and the Hunt Planner will create a map that can be printed or provide links to an interactive map that can be customized further. The Hunt Planner also generates helpful information for the hunt area selected, such as: General season harvest statistics. Tag, permit and fee prices. Landscape characteristics and access. Weather. Local outfitters and guides. Local services, including lodging, camping and restaurants. How to get there and current road condition.
Bear attack at Ponderosa Campground near Payson
An Arizona woman was injured...when a bear ripped a hole in the tent
where she, her husband and their dog had been sleeping at Ponderosa Campground in Tonto National Forest..The attack occurred around 4:30 a.m. After tearing open the tent, the bear reportedly stuck its head in and clawed at the 74-year-old woman, leaving her with bruises and a laceration on her scalp. She was treated at Payson Regional Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries and released. The woman’s husband and dog were not hurt. A large adult bear had recently been seen hanging around the campsite dumpsters. A wildlife manager with Arizona Game and Fish Department visited Ponderosa Campground yesterday looking for the bear, but it was not found. A culvert-style trap was set. The wildlife manager talked to the campground host about precautions, and all campers were informed of the bear threat. The bear returned to the campground sometime during the night. The campground host chased the bear, which retreated. It returned a short time later and attacked the campers in their tent. Personnel from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services are on scene and working with Game and Fish officers, using dogs to track the bear from the scene of the attack...“The bear was probably looking for food, which is scarce this summer because of drought,” Paxon said. “These campers secured their food in the cab of their truck, and there was no food in the tent. While the campers were with the campground host and medical personnel, the bear came back to the tent a second time, ripped another hole in it, and then went after a pillow that had blood on it from the woman’s wounds.” “Bears are very active during the summer,” Paxon added. “It’s important to stay alert. Bears are attracted to places like dumpsters, trash bins and campsites...Bear attacks on humans are rare. There have only been seven documented cases of bear attacks in Arizona since 1990, including this one.
In addition, hunters may download current and past controlled hunt boundaries, from the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System “Open Data” page at https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/portal/opendata. The information can be viewed in Google Earth and GIS programs. Hunters can also download data for game management units, elk and wolf management zones, generalized game animal distributions and current and past Access Yes! property boundaries.
$10,000 Reward Offered In Grizzly Bear Shootings In Northern Idaho
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement agents and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game are investigating the fatal shooting of a federally protected grizzly bear and her nursing cub in northern Idaho.
A reward of $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. The dead adult grizzly was discovered on the morning of May 18 by a hiker from Bonners Ferry. It was found in a clear-cut in Boundary County on Hall Mountain. Hall Mountain is east of the Kootenai River valley and northwest of US Highway 95. The large female bear was lactating, an indication she was nursing a cub or cubs produced during her recent winter hibernation. A subsequent search of the surrounding area by an Idaho Fish and Game biologist turned up a dead cub that had also been shot. Both bears appeared to have been dead a few days when found on May 18. Both carcasses are being flown to the US Fish and Wildlife Service lab in Ashland, Oregon, for necropsy and further retrieval of evidence. A black bear season is currently open in Idaho (at time of press release), but hunters may not shoot grizzly bears and may not shoot black bears with cubs. A bear identification program to train hunters to differentiate the species was posted last year and is available on the Fish and Game website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/education/bearIdentification/. Grizzly bears are classified as a threatened species in the lower 48 states and are protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Killing a threatened species protected by the ESA carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Anyone with information about this incident should contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Spokane, Washington, at 509-928-6050...
JULY 2012
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Get A Buck Deer Permit Casper Man Sets Third More than 4,300 State Fish Record general buck deer still available:
At some point in his life Tom
permits were not taken in this year’s big game draw. The following permits are
Hunt Remaining permits Archery 2,030 Muzzleloader 2,230 Rifle (any weapon) 120
Photo: Lynn Chamberlain
...If you’d like to obtain a permit, mark one of the following days on your calendar:
Permits are still available for 12 of Utah’s 30 new deer hunting units.
Archery and muzzleloader permits will be available starting at 8 a.m. on July 19.
If you have questions, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.
Rifle (any weapon) permits will be available starting at 8 a.m. on July 31. The remaining permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Wildlife Board Revises Elk Plan unit in southern Utah. The board voted to reduce the unit’s elk population by 35 animals.
Photo: Lynn Chamberlain
On June 6, members of the Utah Wildlife Board approved revisions to Utah’s elk management plan. The revisions will allow the state’s elk population to be managed for up to 70,965 elk. The current objective is 68,825 elk. The 2,140 additional animals will be scattered across the Chalk Creek, Kamas, Avintaquin, West Desert, Fillmore and Fish Lake management units. The only area where biologists will manage for fewer elk is the Paunsaugunt
Anis Aoude, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says the DWR formed committees to help its biologists determine the recommended population objectives for each of the six units. The committees included hunters, farmers and ranchers, private landowners and personnel from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. “Utah has a lot of great elk habitat,” Aoude says, “but we need to make sure we keep the number of elk at a level that doesn’t conflict with others who are also using the land.”
Durst must have made the fishing gods very happy. Or maybe it was an early birthday present, because it happened the day before his 69th birthday. Whatever the reason, Durst hauled in his third state-record fish when he caught a 15-inch, 1.7 pound longnose sucker at Alcova on April 18. Durst was drop-shoting a leech for walleye, with weights on the bottom of his line and hooks up about 1.5 feet up, each with a live leech. “This gets the bait right in front of the fish. The trout and walleye in Alcova and Pathfinder really like leeches,” he said. Although he usually does pretty well at Alcova, the fish had not been cooperating on this particular morning. “Itʼs basically the only fish I caught that day. I usually catch some walleye but it was just a slow day,” he said. And then he got a bite. “When I was reeling it in I thought I had a walleye. I could see its whitish underbelly.” But when he landed the fish he knew he had something different. “He was really fat; I donʼt know what heʼd been eating but it put the weight on him. He was big,” he said. Durst knows a thing or two about big fish, because he already holds the title to two state record fish in Wyoming. In 2007 he caught a state record gizzard shad in Glendo Reservoir. The fish weighed 1.06 pounds and was 14.25inches long. In fact, 2007 was a good year for him, because he also made fishing headlines when he reeled in a 7.5lb
26.5 inch sauger from Boysen Reservoir. He has the mounted sauger hanging in his house and still has the record gizzard shad in the freezer. “It may end up as bait at some point; probably catfish bait,” he said... Wyoming has nine species of suckers: the bluehead, flannelmouth, longnose, mountain, quillback, river carpsucker, shorthead redhorse, Utah, and white. Although suckers are considered nongame species, they can still be fun to catch. And, as Durst can attest, can sometimes put an angler in the record books. Currently there are only state records for three sucker species: the Utah sucker, the white sucker, and now Durstʼs longnose sucker. This leaves several other opportunities for a new state record... But one record he would really like to break is the state crappie record. Originally from Mitchell, S.D., Durst fished for crappie while growing up and itʼs a species that is very dear to him. The state record for black crappie currently stands at 2.34 pounds, and the white crappie record is holding at 2.45 pounds. Durst believes he came really close to breaking a crappie record back in 2007 – his lucky year – when he caught an extra large crappie. “I ate a possible state record crappie that year,” he said. “It was a large fish but I never took it to be weighed.” So for now heʼll have to settle for three state records...
30 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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JULY 2012
Bob Ward & Sons New Gear Review
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The Ranger 1000 gives hunters and shooters the distance data needed
to make accurate shots. Easy to use with a clean display and highly intuitive menu, the Ranger 1000 keeps things simple, yet provides a high level of performance. Fully multi-coated lenses deliver optimal light transmission and o-rings seal the Ranger 1000 for waterproof performance. Ideal for gun hunters, target shooters and bowhunters, the Vortex Ranger 1000 is sure to be a hit—and ensure hits. PERFORMANCE FEATURES: -HCD: Horizontal Component Distance (HCD) mode for angle compensated ranging. -LOS: Line of Sight (LOS) mode displays actual line of sight range. -Scan: This feature displays continual distance readings when panning across a landscape or tracking a moving animal. -Easy-to-use Menu: Intuitive, easy-to-use menus feature a simple, clean illuminated display. Style #RRF-101
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performance target in an affordable easy to carry package. The proprietary design of high density heat bonded recycled foam outer core with recycled fabric inner core creates the ultimate arrow stopping device. It will stop carbon arrows from today’s fastest bows. Targets come with high resolution screen printed wild game images and shooting spots on front face with vitals and shooting spots on back face. Crossbow Rated to 350 FPS. Easy one handed arrow removal. Made From 100% Recycled foam. Made in USA. 20” X 16” X 13” - 28lb
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See these and other fine products at a Bob Ward & Sons in Missoula, Bozeman, Butte, Hamilton, Helena or shop 24/7 at www.bobwards.com
JULY 2012
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
Jack Atcheson & Sons
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& NEVER MISS A THING
The Power of the Internet on the Go! VERIZON JETPACK™
An Interview with Montana’s own Keith & Jack Atcheson, Sr.
4G LTE Mobile Hotspot
If you’re looking for a quality hunt, look
no further than Atcheson & Sons. Located in Butte, Montana, this family run business has been booking worldwide guided hunting trips since 1955. Atcheson & Sons can provide you with up-to-date hunt reports, photos, terrain information, and more. Best of all their service is FREE!
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Read on to learn more about this Butte based company.
2. When did Jack Jr. and Keith join Jack in Atcheson & Sons? Jack and Keith grew up in the taxidermy business in the 60’s and 70’s. They worked their actively during school years in the taxidermy business. Jack Jr. went straight into the booking business after high school in 1974, where he has been ever since. He has hunted 5 continents and has a World Slam of wild sheep. He is the current Chairman of the Wild Sheep Foundation. Keith knew by the end of High School taxidermy was not his bag, but hunting definitely was. His quote was, “I snuff em, they stuff em”. Keith attended some college in Missoula, then wisely decided to quit wasting his parents money and went straight into the business. He has also been outfitting and guiding hunters in Montana for over 30 years. They say timing is everything and it worked well for both of them. Since that time they have traveled and hunted the world many times over and have acquired a wealth of knowledge about worldwide hunting.
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
Enjoy The Outdoors Any Time
Over 165 Years Combined HUNTING EXPERIENCE Will Get You on Your Game
1. How did Jack Sr. decide to start Atcheson & Sons? Jack Sr. and Mary Claire started out as a taxidermist business upon his return from combat in Korea. It was called Atcheson Taxidermy. It was a lifelong dream to go into this business. As a kid growing up in PA. he took correspondence classes out of the magazine OUTDOOR LIFE. They started out of their garage and as the business grew, they built a larger facility where we are still located today. In an effort to increase business, Jack started traveling to sports shows and in particular, going to Outfitter and Guide Conventions in neighboring states and Provinces where he connected with many guides looking for business as well. Jack has a dynamic personality and is a natural salesman. Guides offered him a “commission” if he was able to send some business their way. Jack was interested, but leery of places he had not been. He soon was hunting in many locations worldwide, learning the logistics, hunt areas, quality of the outfitter and guides etc.... and as such coined the phrase “Hunting Consultants”. A few years later Jack and Mary Claire decided to start a separate business, Jack Atcheson & Sons.
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Atcheson & Son’s client with BC Mountain Goat
3. Tell us about other members of the family involved with Atcheson & Sons. Jack Sr. retired in the 90’s due to serious heart conditions. A couple nearly fatal heart attacks took him out of the stress of running 3 business’s. He sold off the Travel Agency and the Taxidermy to former employees. Jack Atcheson and Sons & Atcheson Taxidermy no longer have any affiliation. Fortunately he did not suffer severe heart damage and continues to hunt to this day. He just turned 80. Niki and Cindy Atcheson help greatly at the sports shows and both are avid big game hunters. Cindy is closing in on a Grand Slam of Sheep and Niki has taken 4 of the big 5 and is in pursuit of her 18th buffalo despite the fact she was badly gored and nearly killed by a Cape Buff in 2004. 4. Please explain in detail the services Atcheson & Sons offers. Atcheson’s take much of the guess work for their clients out of booking a hunting trip with an Outfitter. In today’s endless online websites, how can anyone ever qualify the good, bad and the ugly? We personally vet each and every one of our operators in one way or another. Additionally thousands of our clients continually supply us with detailed feedback on their hunting experiences---Worldwide!
We have a network of professional game managers, outfitters and guides around the globe. We are in the information business. We constantly evaluate information we receive from our sources and pass it on to our clients....absolutely free in most cases. Our service works very similar to a travel agent or a real estate broker. We want ALL of our clients to be happy and satisfied. We also have a great deal of influence with our operators and this helps protect our clients’ interests. (continued on page 34)
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Upcoming Shooting Events Saturday, July 21, 2012 Babes N Bullets, A women’s-only shooting event brought to you by Bob Ward’s. All proceeds will be donated to Tough Enough To Wear Pink of Montana to help Montana breast cancer patients. Registration fee is $100 and includes day-long shooting clinics, snacks, water/soda and lunch; goodie bag with hearing/eye protection donated by Browning and other goodies PLUS an after-party at Canyon River Golf Course. A raffle and auction will take place, as well. The event will be held at Deer Creek Shooting Center (east of Missoula) from 10am - 6pm on July 21. Space is limited to the first 100 registrants. For more information, go to bobwards.com or visit the hunting department at your local Bob Ward’s store.
Shooter’s Weekend - August 4 and 5
Bob Ward & Sons’ 9th Annual Shooter’s Weekend will be held on August 4 and 5, 2012. Bob Ward’s has teamed up with Buck Up For Wounded Warriors, in addition to hunting brands Federal, Remington, Browning, Vortex and more, to raise funds for this organization and its mission: To provide Combat Veterans and their Families with a Support Team, tools, and training required to successfully transition into their community as a productive and independent survivor. On Saturday, August 4th, the shoot will be held in the Missoula area at Deer Creek Shooting Center from 10am-4pm. On Sunday, August 5th, the shoot moves to the Butte area and will be held at the Rocker Gun Range from 10am - 4pm. There is no charge for attending the shoots, but there is a charge to demo guns and shoot. Proceeds from shooting tickets in the past have been donated by Bob Ward’s to various outdoor and sporting related causes. For more information, visit the hunting department at your local Bob Ward’s store.
32 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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JULY 2012
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Spot and Stalk Mule Deer (continued from page 23)
I kept an eye on the buck as I made every little move. I couldn’t see the does and that had me a little concerned. My range finder said I was only 30 yards from the buck. This was it. I nocked an arrow, drew and slowly stepped around the tree I had been using as a blocker. The two does came up from behind the buck and looked my way. All three were looking my direction but couldn’t figure out what I was. The HECS suit had blocked my electromagnetic field that is a dead giveaway for all of us.
Court Victory Upholding The Constitutionality Of The Congressional Wolf Delisting Is Now Final RYAN BENSON, BIG GAME FOREVER
I held my HHA single pin behind the shoulder, got a solid anchor and touched off the shot. The VAP disappeared right where my pin was and the buck took off up the hill. He stopped after 40 yards and started to wobble. My legs were shaking and bent over and put my hands on my knees. I let a breath, gathered myself and stood up only to notice the buck had moved off. No problem I knew he was hit hard and wouldn’t go far. I walked over and found my arrow a few feet from where the buck was standing. I was smiling from ear to ear as I started to head up to where I had last seen him when I looked over to where I had shot from. No way! The buck was laying only 20 yards from where I had just shot. He must have lost his legs and stumbled down the hill. That was the shortest track job I have ever had.
Folks,
This time spot and stalked worked like it should. Thanks to stealth, persistence and HECS.
Thank you for your support and patience on this important endeavor.
He was a decent 4×5 and I was happy. All my tags were now filled. My first trip to Montana has been a good one. As I looked closer at the buck I realized that this was the second buck I had put a stalk on the first evening I was here. I can’t believe I was able to get a second chance at this guy. The thing to remember on spot and stalk hunts is that it is a marathon and not a sprint. Patience is a must. Taking your time to move slowly and make sure you’re not about to step on a stick while keeping an eye out for movement or colors will increase your chances.
Today is a good day for the future of wildlife in America. The court victory upholding the constitutionality of the Congressional wolf delisting is now final. This has been a long time coming.
Here is what is happening: No appeal has been filed with the Supreme Court on the Congressional Wolf delisting challenge. This means that all legal remedies have been exhausted by the parties challenging the wolf delisting provisions. The 9th circuit ruling upholding the Congressional wolf delisting language is now the law of the land. Wolf management in Idaho and Montana can continue without the cloud of this litigation.
Wearing a HECS suit will also increase your chances. The HECS suit blocks the EMF that all living creatures give off. Game animals will pick this up and will either bolt, or become much more skittish and aware, therefore more difficult to get close to. Wearing HECS will give you the edge and that is always important when hunting.
We are grateful to the other conservation organizations that joined as parties in the wolf litigation. Certainly this was the effort of not a few, but of many. In particular, we are grateful to attorney Ted Lyon for his tireless work on the lawsuit on behalf of the conservation organizations and for his work in obtaining for passage of wolf delisting legislation in Congress.
Being confident in your shooting abilities helps increase your success rate as well. With spot and stalk you could find yourself with some long shots. If you haven’t practiced at longer ranges you won’t be able to make an ethical shot when nerves and excitement come into play. Another plus is your equipment. I shoot Alpine Archery’s F1 Fireball and Victory VAP arrows because I can count on them to get the job done.
Thank you for your tireless support, -Ryan Benson
With a successful spot and stalk done I am already looking forward to the next one. The feeling of accomplishment answered my question of why we put ourselves thru this style of hunting that you have more failure than you do success.
JULY 2012
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ON-LINE AT www.bigskyoutdoornews.net
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hether you’re using your truck for hunting, pulling your boat or just grabbing the groceries, your diesel engine places extraordinary demands on each internal component. Big V6 outboards are notorious for fouling plugs. In the five years I’ve been with AMSOIL, I’ve yet to even breakout a spark plug wrench. Steve Haynes #112 Professional Walleye Angler Most motor oils aren’t up to the task of providing adequate long term protection for your diesel engine, and may eventually lead to expensive repairs down the road. For those that are looking for the absolute best protection and longevity for their engines, transmissions and drivetrains, we recommend AMSOIL synthetic oils.
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34 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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JULY 2012
Jack Atcheson & Son’s (continued from page 31) 5. What makes Atcheson & Sons different from other’s? The Atcheson’s---Jack Sr. Jack Jr. and Keith have 165 years of combined hunting experience and climbing. No one in this business has more experience than the Atcheson team. We have been there. We have thousands of references we will gladly furnish. All hunts are custom designed for our clients. No one stays in business this long without doing things RIGHT! 6. Tell us about one of your memorable experiences with Atcheson & Sons? There are many, but one that comes to mind is a client we booked with an Elk Outfitter in the Bob Marshall years ago. After the hunt had taken place we asked him about his experience on the elk hunt. He wrote a brief letter back claiming it was the worst hunt and trip in general that he had ever had. He claimed the outfitter, who was also his guide had yelled, screamed, broke his gun in half then hit and beat the hell out of him. No further detail was mentioned. Jack Sr. immediately called the outfitter for an explanation. The outfitter readily admitted to the client’s claims. He said that all of that did happen after the client shot and killed the horse the outfitter was riding on! The client said he thought he was an elk. At less than 50 yards the bullet went thru his chaps and finished off his favorite horse.
7. How can a person book a hunt through Atcheson & Sons? Contact Jack Atcheson and Sons in Butte, Montana 406-782-2382 or email at office@atcheson.com. You can visit our website at www.atcheson.com. With so many years of hunting stories, Jack Atcheson, Sr. has written 2 detailed books, “Hunting Adventures Worldwide” and his most recent, “Real Hunting & Campfire Humor,” with foreword by Jim Zumbo, this 214 page hard back is filled with interesting stories and 50 photos.
For a taste of this book, Jack Sr. has shared the following excerpt: A true trophy hunter exerts a lot of time, money, and effort, yet most of the time returns home empty-handed. The smart sportsman shoots the first reasonable game he sees, fills his locker, and moves on to fish, shoot pheasants and ducks and just generally has a great time. Trophy hunters are different. They hold out for “the big one.” Or, perhaps they really don’t want to shoot anything, for then they would have to punch out their tag and it’s all over for the year. Horn hunters are a kind of their own. When I think back on it, most of my better trophies were taken when most unexpected, often on the last day of the hunt.
Sometimes I had waited too long and bypassed lots of good animals and then got nothing. During the final hour of daylight, I would hopefully shoot a meat bull, then have to backpack elk quarters out of a horrible deadfall jungle slope where only an idiot or a desperate trophy hunter would be found. Yes, smart people shoot their meat earlier in the season close to a road, but not we trophy hunters. We like to do it the hard way, especially if our sandwiches are frozen, our noses are running, and a cold wind is blowing. Jerry Manley and I were hunting the rugged Madison Range out of Ennis, Montana, the last few days of November. As usual, we were in search of a big bull elk, and there he was, right in the middle of my spotting scope. His massive body looked white and his antlers black against the blue sky. Jerry oohed and aahed, and I reminded him that I had spotted the elk first. Our rule was, he who sees the elk first gets first option. This keeps all parties alert! I had taken quite a few good elk all on public land, but never one with seven points on each side, and there he was! To read more purchase Jack’s book at www.realhuntinghumor.com or purchase his first book, “Hunting Adventures Worldwide.” Jim Carmichel from Outdoor Life writes about “Hunting Adventures Worldwide”,
“This book is not long enough. The stories are so good and well written; the reader soon has an unquenchable thirst for more. I admire your ability and detail of events. One chapter, in which Atcheson tells of hunting tigers while a GI in Korea, is not only a hunting story, but the most brilliantly descriptive vignette of the Korean War I’ve ever read.” Both books sold separately or may be purchased together for a discount.
JULY 2012
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Resources For Planning Your Hunt continued from page 6 are hunting deer. If you’re an archer, don’t forget to look at the muzzleloader hunter numbers if you plan to hunt during the middle of September.
For more advanced statistical research, do not just take a one-year look at the unit. Because lightly hunted units tend to have small sample sizes in the harvest survey, they are likely to show great variability so you may not get an accurate look with just one year’s worth of data. The statistics
are a projection of the harvest based on a limited sample. I prefer to take a five-year look at any unit that draws my attention. To illustrate the danger of a one-year look at a lightly hunted unit, check out unit 861, which had a 69% success rate during 1st season in 2009, then dropped to just 8% in 2010. Weather is a variable that may affect harvest statistics. In some areas, snows may help to force the elk down into areas that are accessible by hunters, in others; snows might make the elk unreachable by the hunter. I’ve tried to correlate weather events with hunter success in the past, but it’s difficult and incredibly tedious. If you don’t want to be reliant on weather, good or bad, keep an eye out for areas whose success rates are fairly consistent. MAPS Keep in mind that private land hunting can inflate success rates so another important tool to use in conjunction with your statistical research is an atlas that shows the public and private lands in Colorado. The Roads of Colorado atlas shows the private in-holdings within Forest Service administrative boundaries. If an area is predominately private land, but you plan to hunt on the small parcels of public lands, don’t expect to see the 40+% success rates apply to your group. Another important aspect of land ownership is the mix of elevations that are available on the public hunting lands. If the only public lands are down low in the winter range, you probably don’t want to hunt that area during the early seasons. Conversely, you don’t want to hunt in the late seasons in an area which only has high elevation public land.
I generally won’t apply for an area until I’ve looked at something better than an atlas. I enjoy map research and am fortunate that the USGS map center is located in Lakewood, Colo. Nearly every map produced by the government is available for sale there. When looking over those maps, I can get a better idea of road access to public lands, where the private in-holdings are that may create undesirable refuge situations, and where campgrounds or other features are located. The Forest Service maps will also show you where ATVs are allowed on trails and where highway vehicles are prohibited.
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The Natural Diversity Information Source, or NDIS, is a free interactive mapping system available through the Division of Wildlife. With it you can view land ownership, aerial photos and game distribution maps. Another free resource that can be useful when acquiring private land tags, or when researching a ranch or outfitter, is a digital plat map. Many counties now have maps available for free online, or you can visit the county courthouse and use their reference library to find the information about the land and landowner. You can search where a certain landowner’s properties are located, or you can determine who owns a specific parcel of land. Google Earth is another great tool. You can get aerial photos of the area of interest for free, plus you can tilt the viewing angles to create a 3-D affect. With enough study, you’ll easily recognize some of the major land features when you finally set foot in your hunting unit. I also like to look at the embedded photos left by hikers, hunters and photographers to get an idea of what the landscapes look like from the ground and also to verify the major types of habitat. LITERATURE The Colorado State University library has a wealth of elk hunting information from past studies. Want to know how elk movements are affected by ATV traffic versus human traffic? (continued on page 42)
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36 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Be a Better Elk Caller
Photo and article by Bob Humphrey Yamaha Outdoors Content provided courtesy of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Ieverywhere t’s not that far off, and elk enthusiasts are eagerly expecting a successful season. That success may well depend on your calling skills, and whether you’re a veteran looking to get better or a rank amateur anxious to learn the basics, there are a few things you should consider. In addition to being a self-described elk nut, bowhunter, guide, naturalist and call maker, Joel Turner, 33, of Eatonville, Washington, is also reigning and two-time champion of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships.
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He’s equally as skilled at impressing the real judges, wild elk, and has spent the past several years developing an elk calling philosophy and hunting system that he’s distilled to five important points.
1. Call to an Instinct, Not an Attitude
“Most often, when challenged by rival, a bull’s first instinct is to retreat. It’s OK to bugle to locate elk from a distance, but afterward, rely on calls that trigger their breeding, rather than their escape, instincts.”
2. Mimic a Breeding Scene
“All mammals are drawn to the sounds of breeding. To mimic breeding elk learn to make four specific calls: 1.) estrus cow call, a long, whining cow call, 2.) estrus cow scream, a loud mew made through sputtering lips, 3.) tending bull bugle, a soft moan made through a tube, and 4.) glunking, the sharp hiccoughing sound of a bull.”
3. Anticipate the Hang-up Spot
“An approaching bull will nearly always stop as soon as it can see your calling location. Don’t call unless your setup, in relation to this hang-up spot, is correct” - within about 20 yards, and such that you can draw a bow unseen.
4. Wait for the Parade
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“Eight out of 10 times, when a bull arrives at the hang-up spot, he’ll spend a few seconds looking for the cow. If he doesn’t see it, he’ll parade a few steps to one side and then the other. Still no cow, he’s outa here. This parading instinct is your chance to stop the bull when it presents a clear, broadside shot. Give a loud cow call to stop the bull—and be ready to release your arrow.”
5. Measure Your Breathing
“It’s important to keep your mind in logic mode. Control your pulse by controlling your breathing. Breathe in through your nose while counting to four (about 2.5 seconds), hold it for a four-count, then exhale through your mouth while counting to four. Repeat until you feel yourself calming down. Now you’re ready to make your next call.”
JULY 2012
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Outdoor Calendar Sponsored By C’Mon Inn Bozeman & Missoula Lodge Like Atmosphere With Resort Amenities BOZEMAN BOZEMAN TRAIL GUN SHOW: July 13 - 15 Over 300 booths. Held at Gallatin County Fairgrounds. Phone: 406-580-5458
TROY COUNTRY MUSIC CAMPOUT: July 27 - 29
Music entertainment, food, refreshments and camping. Held at the Halfway House, across from Bull Lake. Phone: 406-295-4358
ENNIS WEST YELLOWSTONE ENNIS ON THE MADISON FLY FISHING FESTIVAL: August 31 - September 1 HEBGEN CUP REGATTA: August 18
Fishing competitions and skill development seminars, rods, reels, flies, and equipment displays, and much more. Phone: 406-682-3148
GLENDIVE CAMPFIRE PROGRAM: Thursday Evenings In July
Held from 7:00-9:00 P.M. at the Makoshika Hiatt Amphitheater. Phone: 406-377-6256
HELENA DOUBLE DIVIDE RIDE: August 11 - 12 Two days of cycling, (139 miles). Register at bikereg.com
LIVINGSTON YELLOWSTONE BOAT FLOAT: July 13 - 15 Starts at Livingston and retraces the Lewis & Clark Expedition all the way to Columbus. Phone: 406-696-1996
The Regatta ends the summer season of sailing. Held at Kirkwood Resort & Marina. Phone: 615-504-7200
Events To Support WILDLIFE BIG HOLE RIVER FOUNDATION July 21, 2012 Big Hole River Day - Melrose FUN all day! www.bhrf.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED July 21, 2012 75th Anniversary Three day gala includes kids’ activities, a basketball shoot, beer garden, live music, art and Sponsor And Committee Member craft vendors, free swimming and food. Appreciation Barbeque - Glasgow Held at Sacajawea Park. Phone: 406-222-8155 Ken Jansa 406-228-2031 MISSOULA July 28, 2012 GUN & ANTIQUE SHOW: August 3-5 800 tables to check out. Held at the University of Eric Pierce Memorial Event - Bozeman 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Montana Adam’s Center. Phone: 406-549-4817 Randy Newberg 406-570-4399 RED LODGE August 18, 2012 BEARTOOTH MOTORCYCLE Montana State Convention - Great Falls RALLY: July 20 - 22 Starts with Friday golf tournament. Next day is Layne Krumwiede 406-350-0154 SUMMERFEST ALONG THE YELLOWSTONE: July 20 - 22
a poker run that loops its way over the Beartooth Pass, down Chief Joseph Scenic Highway and back Rodeo next day. .Phone: 406-446-2022
THREE FORKS MISSOURI HEADWATERS STATE PARK: SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES: Saturdays 7:00pm in July
Exploring nature. Marshmallow roast follows. Four miles NE of Three Forks, 1585 Trident Road. Phone: 406-285-3610
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ATV RIDES Western Montana Trail Riders Association Unless stated otherwise, WMTRA is not responsible for any of the rides listed below. All rides are organized and led by individual club members and not by the club itself. Friends and potential new members are welcome to attend these rides, but may be encouraged to join the club if they continue to participate as non-members.
JULY
MONDAY, JULY 16TH – SATURDAY, JULY 21ST – High Mountain ATV Association – Annual ATV Jamboree Wallace, Idaho – Easy - Difficult Contact: Scott Swan 406-251–7988 (home) 239-9809 (work cell) email: bigskyswan@yahoo.com For more info visit: www.highmountainatv.org SATURDAY, JULY 21ST – Jocko to Seeley Lake – Easy Ride Leaders/Organizers: Jerry and Raejean Johnson 406-549-1210 email: rjranch@msn.com SATURDAY, JULY 21ST – West End ATV Club Annual Poker Run - Easy O-Aces Bar, DeBorgia, MT email: craig@westendatvassociation.com For more info visit: http://westendatvassociation.com
AUGUST
SATURDAY, AUGUST 4TH – Wallace, Idaho – Difficult Ride Leader/Organizer: Scott Swan 406-251-7988 (Home) 239-9809 (Cell) email: bigskyswan@yahoo.com SUNDAY, AUGUST 5TH – Maxville/Princeton/Philipsburg – Easy - Difficult Ride Leader/Organizer: Bob Saurers 406-543-3654 SATURDAY, AUGUST 11TH – Miller Creek/Miller Peak – Easy Ride Leader/Organizer: Bob Lamley 406-721-6544 (home) 544-3676 (cell) email: rlamley@bresnan.net If your ATV organization has rides to share, please email us at: bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com
38 • BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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The Good – The Bad and The Skunked BY TED NUGENT Reprinted with permission from Bowhunting.net. For more please go to: www.bowhunting.net
T hursday morning, nothing. Another long, tedious Thursday afternoon,
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and more nothing. A rather prolonged Friday morning set, nothing. And so it went for seventeen mornings and seventeen afternoons, in game rich wildlife grounds, with the right wind, a great time of year, the ultimate ambush setup, and with the gung ho stealth predator mind-set in full on kill mode. But when the critters don’t want to cooperate, even the ol’ WhackMaster is helpless to manipulate the un-manipulatable. And I am here to tell you, after a while the fun factor becomes but a distant memory and the abject frustration palpable and painful. Now mind you, I enjoy the hunt as much and probably more than anybody, but as the horny vultures do say; “patience my ass, I wanna kill something!” Do not think for a minute that just because you see us killing critters on every episode of our Spirit of the Wild TV show on Outdoor Channel, that sure-kills are standard operating procedure. Quite to the contrary, I hunt over 300 days a year, but we only produce 26 hunting shows a year, which provides wide margin for the inevitable unavoidable days afield where we get skunked just like all hunters do. That’s why we call it hunting and not just killing. I often hear how my fellow hunters wait for the ultimate moon phase so as to optimize their chances for game encounters. And that’s all fine and dandy, but I can’t sit at home any morning or afternoon during the fall and winter hunting seasons just because the solunar tables are not quite aligning perfectly for predictable game movement. I just wanna go hunting, and come hell or high water, that is exactly what I must do no matter what game activity charts may or may not predict. Plus there is another little scientific reality I must contend with, one that Mrs. Nugent identified long ago. She is convinced, and science verifies, that I give off a wide reaching, animal scaring death alarm everywhere I go. It has been proven for many years that some people give off more of an electromagnetic field than other people and critters pick up on this pulse and avoid it like a cosmic pulsating death wish. It is amazing that I will sit patiently day after day as stealthily as I can and not see a deer to save my life. Then Shemane will agree to hunt, and on our very first afternoon, she with her bow, me manning the vidcam and sure as can be, we are surrounded by animals. Critters are simply not alarmed by her and as long as I have a harmless camera in my hands, the critters appear to understand. I believe her calm demeanor projects no dangerous signals and my mind-set is not deadly at all since I am not thinking about killing anything. The lovely Mrs. Nugent while not giving off the deathwish vibes of husband Ted, proves lethal just the same. Do not underestimate the power of mind over matter. That sixth sense that prey animals have is alive and well, and it keeps them alive and well. As always, I kept at it, and experienced many more no-kill days. But eventually I got my opportunity and brought home the bacon, always thrilled every time things work out. We should never give up, and I believe, never pass up an opportunity to get out there to match wits with the animals that so turn us on. Even skunked days provide spirit charging experiences and valuable lessons learned. Like a good US Marine Corp warrior, hunting is all about improvising, adapting and overcoming. Hunt hard, hunt smart, hunt often and hunt patiently. I am a firm believer that the more time we can be out there, the better we are tuned into the wild, her critters and our predator relationship with nature itself. The straps will come, but are more exciting, rewarding and delicious based on the dues that we pay and the investment in time and dedication we are willing to make for our beloved sport and conservation dreams.
JULY 2012
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There are slender noses, roman noses, light coats, and antler colors ranging from tan to white to dark chocolate. As I reflect on each of those hunts, each buck acted differently, and each was hunted with somewhat different tactics. GOING WEST Western whitetails live in open country. Their not as shy as other subspecies and can be easier to hunt. In prairie states like Kansas and Colorado, whitetails often coexist with mule deer. These whitetails prefer the tree-lined river-bottom habitats and are quick to respond to rattling during the pre-rut. I have rattled in as many as 15 deer in Kansas during morning hunts. Western deer also are quick to investigate scents. Mock scrapes and lure stations often attract more attention in Kansas or Iowa than they do in Ohio. This might be due to the fact the deer density is often lower in those regions. Western whitetails also tend to have sun-lightened coats and, thus, blend well with dry grass and CRP cover. I have found that Western whitetails are also more in tune with weather changes. As the barometer drops, these deer move aggressively. Often, during the rut, mature bucks will troll the drainages and creek bottoms, scent-checking the narrow woodlots for estrous does. Bow hunters who set up to hunt these scenarios are often rewarded with close encounters. LONE STAR WHITETAILS Texas bucks are a breed all their own and — with a peak rut in December — a Texas tag can give Midwest buck-hunters two solid rut hunts a year. With a slim build and slender face, a Texas buck often looks like a doe with antlers. However, these bucks often are elusive and tricky to bow-hunt. First, their relatively small bodies often deceive hunters as to the true antler score. Also, many a novice Texas buck-hunter shoots a great buck only to hold the antlers of a deer much smaller than was anticipated, hence the advent of the term “ground shrinkage.” Texas hunters often use bait to lure does to roads or fire breaks during the December rut. This tactic helps lure mature bucks out of the dense mesquite thickets. The best bow-hunting setups in Texas that I’ve hunted consisted of brushed-in ladder stands in oak laurels where multiple trails lead to and from bedding cover to irrigated green fields. I’ve also found that Texas bucks move best in the mornings (from daylight until noon), with afternoon hunts less productive until last shooting light.
ARIZONA AND MEXICO Desert whitetails are spooky. High-strung and flat-out nervous, these little deer are often referred to as the toughest whitetails to hunt. Full-grown desert deer are pursued by everything from raptors to mountain lions. Coues deer [pronounced “cows”] prefer brushy desert hills, but they are also found in the pine tree mountains of central Arizona. Typically sporting only 4 points on a side (10-pointers are rare) these little bucks have all the senses of a Midwest whitetail in a small, nervous and tough-to-hunt package. Spot-and-stalk bow-hunters often rely on tack-sharp accuracy, as shots are often more than 50 yards. Hunting near waterholes is often in vain, as mature Coues bucks are meticulous in sniffing out danger. My experience with hunting Coues deer includes three tough hunts to kill one decent buck. These deer have an uncanny knack of sensing danger. Their erratic movements often have eyes looking 360 degrees, and they are quick to spot the slightest movement. As with most mountain game, desert whitetails use thermal wind currents to their advantage, and even the best ambush point is easily discovered. Pop-up blinds hide movement and help contain odors. As a result, more Coues deer are now being taken from these setups, especially when placed in the shade of a large cactus or rock outcropping. MOVING NORTHWARD Canadian bucks are on the other side of the spectrum. Sporting big bodies, giant racks, and afraid of nothing, these huge whitetails live in the boreal forest fringes of agriculture. Canadian bucks are often unpredictable. They live in sections of forest that contain bogs, beaver flowages and willow stands that will sustain them for years. In other words, there are many deer in Canada that have never been seen by a human. Hence, there are bucks that live to full maturity (61⁄2 years) and die of old age without ever being seen by a hunter. That’s not to say it’s easy to kill a big buck in Canada. It’s not. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a hunter to sit in a tree stand for several days and never even see a buck ... yet there is always the chance of seeing the next world record. This game of chance is often the catalyst that drives hunters North to face 30-below temperatures to hunt these giant whitetails. (next page)
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If you want to hunt Canada, a good rule of thumb is to do your homework and hunt the fringe of the big woods. Don’t trek into the middle. Work to intercept bucks on the periphery. HEADING SOUTH AND EAST Make no mistake about it: Southern whitetails are forest deer. Before the popularity of food plots took the country by storm, most Southern deer were hunted and killed in the woods. These forests are infested with kudzu vines that look more like jungle habitat than a whitetail woods. Most biologists use the Ohio River as the boundary between Midwest and Southern deer. And, although it wouldn’t seem that a northern Kentucky buck and southern Ohio buck would be that different, they are. I’ve bow hunted both areas and can attest that there is a distinct difference in look, attitude and size among these whitetails. Southern bucks usually don’t respond well to rattling, but scents do seem to work. Food plots are an awesome strategy in the South. These small clearings attract does, which attract bucks. Food plots also offer easy access, as well as extra light in the late evening when many Southern bucks walk from their thick hideouts. Place your tree stands at least 20 feet high, and use surrounding trees to help hide your silhouette. Whitetails of the East and South tend to rely more on thick forest cover. Food plots are especially useful in these areas. THE HEARTLAND Midwest whitetails are the deer I grew up with. In my mind, these deer are the true whitetails and all others are subspecies. I’m no biologist, but I know Midwest bucks inside and out. Mature Midwestern bucks identify a core area and live there until the rut. These areas are often smaller and less remote than
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one might think. Big rubs behind a farmers old barn often indicate a core area, and these bucks will sometimes live in a spot as small as 3 acres of spotty timber — literally unnoticed to the untrained eye. Midwest bucks will work scented scrapes, respond to rattling, and investigate the sounds from a welltuned grunt tube. These bucks are also corn fed and large-bodied. Typically sporting a roman nose and leaving heavy dew clawed prints, these deer are the kings of the island woodlots and interspersed crops they call home. Buck-hunting in the Midwest is popular and competitive. River bottoms that weave through farmlands are now often leased or tied up with permission by hunters who have hunted the same stand since the Bear Grizzly recurve was sold at K-Mart. Success on big Midwest bucks is like anywhere else; it’s all about location. My trapping background taught me a lot about how to hunt these deer, and it got me plenty of hunting permissions. Trapping nuisance raccoons and skunks can be a ticket to prime deer hunting areas, and with today’s low fur prices, farmers are overrun with critters. Teaching a farmer’s son the ropes of archery will also get you bonus points.
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When it comes to pure smarts and wariness, the Midwest whitetail is unmatched. If he figures you out, you’ll probably never see him again. CONCLUSION If you’ve never hunted a different whitetail subspecies, maybe it’s time to give it a try. There’s no doubt that whitetails are whitetails, but once you have two or three different subspecies on your wall, visiting friends will invariably ask, “Where did you get that odd-looking buck?” That will give you the perfect opportunity to share the story of what will surely be a once-in-a-lifetime memory. Tom Miranda is a TV bow hunter with more than 30 years experience. He has taken many subspecies of whitetails, the Archery Super Slam of 29 North American big-game animals. For more go to: www.whitetailslam.com
Whitetails of the East and South tend to rely more on thick forest cover. Food plots are especially useful in these areas.
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Resources For Planning Your Hunt continued from page 35 also giving that information out to the whole world. Search engines will often pick up older forum topics, and you can find people whose brains you can pick via private messages if you’d rather keep your area of interest a secret.
WEATHER
Hunting Facts
Will it snow in the high country? Is it going to rain? How hot has it been? Is the area in a drought? Weather is one of the most fretted about aspects of a hunt, and there are information sources to answer most of your questions. The National Weather Service (NWS) is useful for looking at forecasts and recent histories. NWS also gives a point forecast so you can see adjust the forecast to the mountains outside of the town you are interested in.
nhfday.org
Other useful tools are the National Interagency Fire Center and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Snotel sites. NRCS Snotel is especially
National Hunting and Fishing Day Saturday, September 22, 2012 The contributions, in the form of excise taxes paid on
sporting firearms, ammunition and archery equipment, benefit every state and have generated approximately $5.6 billion for wildlife conservation since 1939. The contribution for 2009 is a record -- nearly $336 million, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which recently announced the Wildlife Restoration apportionment. An average hunter spends $1,638 every year on the sport. Teenage girls are the fastest growing market in sport shooting. According to research, 72 percent more women are hunting with firearms today than just five years ago. And 50 percent more women are now target shooting. Americans hunt 228 million days per year. More than 38 million Americans hunt and fish. Hunters and anglers support more jobs nationwide than the number of people employed by Wal-Mart. Through license sales and excise taxes on equipment, hunters and anglers pay for most fish and wildlife conservation programs. Hunters and shooters have paid more than $5 billion in excise taxes since 1939. More Americans hunt and shoot than play golf. Firearms are involved in less than 1% of all accidental fatalities. More Americans are killed in accidents involving vending machines than guns. Hunting gear sales are growing faster than all other sporting goods categories. Americans annually buy 1.1 billion shotshells. Non-resident hunting license, tag, stamp and permit sales have risen 41.2 percent since 1993. Top selling sporting goods: 1.) exercise equipment, 2.) golf gear, 3.) hunting gear. Sources: US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation; National Shooting Sports Foundation.
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There’s a study on that. Did you wonder how those elk concentration maps were made? There are numerous studies looking at big game distributions with place names and maps and other detailed location information. Would you like to know what forage species to focus on in November in your hunting area? There have been studies done on that too. Some of these studies are also available through Inter-Library Loan, so even if you don’t live in Colorado, you can often get your hands on these materials.
FIRST HAND INFORMATION
There’s nothing better than first hand information or having someone available to respond to a specific question. The Division now has hunt planners (303-291-PLAN) who can help answer your questions, in addition to field staff such as biologists and District Wildlife Managers. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management offices also have biologists, law enforcement personnel and recreation specialists who may be able to offer you some advice or answer a question. These people are great sources of information, but they should not be your sole resource. Look for other local resources such as the FEDEX driver, local County Sheriff, U.S. Postal Carrier or waste management driver...Many rural Colorado towns rely on hunter dollars as a boost to the local economy and in many cases are willing to help you find successful hunting in their area.
useful for timing a late season hunt.
Many units have month-long late cow seasons due to the variability of the weather. If there isn’t enough snow to drive the elk down into accessible hunting areas, you may be wasting your time. Since we know it takes 16 inches of snow to force elk into their wintering grounds (from past elk research), you can use the NRCS Snotel information from the mountain nearest where you plan to hunt to see if there is sufficient snow to force elk down lower. You can also use it to help determine the elevations you should be hunting at before you arrive. The National Interagency Fire Center is a site I watch throughout the summer. Fire perimeter maps are downloadable in Google Earth format. They can help you figure out why there are no elk in your old spot and can help you pinpoint areas with fresh new grass growth. Using weather research to keep an eye on drought information can help determine whether you need to be hunting closer to permanent water, or whether all the intermittent streams in your area will be running.
This is often referred to as the Information Age, and there is certainly no lack of information available to a prospective Colorado elk hunter. The amount of information can be daunting if you don’t know how to put it work for you. By having a plan, setting your search parameters, and knowing how to interpret the information available at your fingertips, the modern elk hunter can use technology to assist in their planning. There are many more resources available than I have covered A new source of free information is online but I hope I have given you a glimpse into hunting forums. On the larger sites, there’s many of the possibilities that exist and a good chance that someone has hunted how to apply some of these tools to assist the unit you are interested in and is willing you in the coming season. Good luck and to share advice and pictures of the area go get some graph paper. Once again, if they are giving you information in a public forum, they are
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