BIG SKY
OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
Connecting You To The Outdoors Volume 5 Issue 12
FEBRUARY 2009
FREE www.outdoorsmontana.com
Spring
Steelhead
Boone And Crockett Club •Shed Hunting
World Record Elk Confirmed
•Rabbit •Wolf Hunting Delisting • UPERTAG STORIES With Kids update
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FEBRUARY 2009
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BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE •
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Take A Kid Hunting, But Make It Fun With Bunnies BY ANDREW MCKEAN
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sk a big-game hunter over the age of 50 what wild critter they first bagged, and chances are good you’ll hear it was a cottontail rabbit. There’s a reason hunters cut their teeth on bunnies. They are abundant, they can be easy to kill with small-caliber rifles and small-bore shotguns, and they can be found in a wide range of habitats. They’re also a lot easier to field dress and tote to a pickup than elk or big mule deer. But as hunters age, they get distracted. Work and specialized hunting intrude on those early field traditions, and for most of us cottontail hunting is a quaint memory. It’s time to refresh that memory, but you’ll have a lot more fun if you do it with a kid. You’ll be starting a new tradition for a beginning hunter. You’ll be acting to reverse the decline in hunting participation by youngsters, and you’ll have a great time while making some succulent meat. But there are pitfalls. Here, then are seven things not to do if you act on your instinct to dust off an heirloom .22 and go bunny hunting with a youngster: 1. Hunt hard and long – Want to ruin a great outing? Let your young charge get wet, cold and exhausted. Bring proper wear (especially boots, hat and gloves), pick warm, sunny, calm days and don’t push it. A couple hours is plenty of time to be out. Bring snacks and more drinks than you think you’ll need. 2. Split up – You’ll get more shooting if you go one way and your companion the other, right? No way. Rabbit hunting is best done as a team, and you can have a more positive influence over shot selection, gun safety and woodsmanship if you’re at the shoulder of your companion. (continued on page 19)
FEBRUARY 2009
GLENN FERREN & SON BEN PHOTO BY PETE, BEN’S FRIEND
Another Good Hunting Season BY GLENN FERREN
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veryone has a different way to “measure” what makes his or her hunting season a good one. For some, it’s filling all their tags and for others it’s harvesting a trophy animal. There are those that consider their season a good one by the amount of effort they had to expend and by the rugged wild places they manage to get to. And still others view a good season as getting their meat with the least amount of effort and time spent. Maybe the perfect season would be to get up about 10am on opening day, take a leisurely drive up to a favorite spot, open the truck door and fill all tags within the next (30) minutes. Within (100) yards of the truck, taking all trophy class animals. Each shot so they fall in a spot slightly above the road, where you can backup the truck and just roll ‘em in. Maybe. But I don’t think that would work for me. Opening day 2008 archery season found me in the woods, bumping elk in the dark as I hiked a forest service trail at 6:00am. In the weeks ahead, I hunted hard, but couldn’t coax a bull into bow range. An old bull I’ve hunted for the past (4) years continued to always stay just out of reach. On a different day another good bull that I would later miss during gun season gave me the slip. Having called earlier to this 6x6 and hearing him move downstream, I came off the ridge above and crossed the creek drainage that he was travelling. When I was about (300) yards up the opposite ridge above the creek, he bugles again, but upstream of where I had just crossed, not downstream. I watched as he pushed a half-dozen cows down that creek and this time really did move down the mountain. As I had crossed that creek, I actually looked upstream, the wind blowing in that direction, and thought, “no way, he’s not up there.” And that’s the way it goes somedays. (continued on page 9)
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Editor’s Note This time of the year, a case of the cabin fever can spread quite rapidly as
in just a few short years, has gone from close to 2,000 tags for hunter to now only we approach late winter here in Montana. around 180 tags given out. This is not due to harsh winters! With any luck, February will warm up Even though wolves are expected a little or a lot, if you’re thinking like I to be delisted (this issue went to press am. The winter months can be a bit long before January 27th), it is our belief that around here, but there are plenty of this issue is probably far from over. outdoor activities to consider this month. We need to do more with what Anglers should see more options we have and our elected officials who as area rivers will start to thaw out and present ample opportunities to get out and represent us need to start taking action on these important issues. We cannot wait fish. Be sure to check out our expanded another couple of years for action. The fishing report as we reach all areas of elk, deer, and moose hers in our state need the stare with updates and ideas for you protection from expanding wolf to consider. All four of the Sportsman’s populations. Environmentalists and their Warehouse stores in Montana will bring supporters should realize the wolf is here you updates each month and news from and needs to be managed properly. Today. those areas regarding area waters and the Many millions of dollars are latest on what to use to land that big fish generated each year by hunters and you’re after. anglers and many businesses in our This is also the time of year to communities count on that revenue to check out what’s new for 2009. Most survive and prosper. This is the #1 topic boat, ATV, and RV dealers are putting on among hunters today. Do your part and shows in your area. It’s a great time to support organizations that will work to check out new models and also an excellent time to buy, as prices are usually improve habitat and improve conditions in these critical areas. Join today, voice an at their lowest of the year. Also, hunting and fishing expo’s are in full swing. Mark opinion and make a difference. There are fund raisers in your Ward has put together some information area this time of the year, and it’s a great on shows that are on tap across the state. way to show your support. Many are listed Take the family and friends out to these events. It is a great way to spend the day in our Calendar of Events and all of the upcoming banquets for the National Wild and get you pumped up for this season. We are blessed to have the great Turkey Federation are listed in this issue. February 27th is the date for our opportunities here in this state to camp, fish, and hunt in some of the best areas in local Missoula area Friends Of The NRA Banquet. Tickets are $40.00 this year. our country. Call me today for more information at However, it’s my opinion and many others that I’ve talked to, that some 370-1368. Thanks for reading and of our most critical habitat where elk, deer, and moose roam - is being destroyed supporting the advertisers you see in this publication when you can. Please let them and the animals are being pushed out know that you saw their advertisement in of and killed by expanding wolf packs Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure. in these areas. If you look at elk herd numbers in wolf areas that once numbered in the thousands and the opportunities to Rick Haggerty hunt our elk have declined dramatically. Editor The Gardiner Unit of southwest Montana
FEBRUARY 2009
CONTENTS & CONTACTS
Take A Kid Hunting, But Make It Fun, Andrew McKean Another Good Hunting Season, Glenn Ferren Sagebrush News: The Mysterious Art Of Shooting Flying, Chuck Robbins
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New Non-typical World’s Record, Boone And Crockett Club
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Take A Fishing Seminar With Tommy Skarlis The Chance Of A Lifetime Part II, Joe Esparza Statewide Fishing Report Time To Apply For Smith River Permits, MFWP NWTF Banquets Photo Contest Entries From 2008 Calendar Of Event Hunting & Conservation News Hidden Treasures: The Search For Sheds, Brodie Swisher
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Gear Review, Patrick T. Stinson Rocky Mountain States News, News From Neighboring States Winter Fishing Is Plentiful In Idaho, IF&G Elk Foundation Leads Bailout On Quarter-Million Acres, RMEF
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32 The Great Rockies Sport Shows, Mark Ward 33 Winter Conditions Bode Well For Wildlife, IF&G 35 State Wildlife Officials Applaud Wolf Decision, MFWP 36 Snowmobiling, visitmt and snowtana 37 Snowshoeing For Beginners, MFWP 38 Montana Super Tag Lion Hunt, Richard Nelson COVER PHOTO: Brian Kendricks - Photo Rich Winters
Montana’s Hunters and Anglers Have A Significant Impact On The Economy Spending $721 Million a Year Congressional Sportsmenʼs Foundation
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RICK HAGGERTY PHONE (406)370-1368 AMY HAGGERTY PHONE (406) 370-2480 5625 JEFFERY, LOLO, MT. 59847 bigskyoutdoornews@yahoo.com www.outdoorsmontana.com
the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE •
Traveler’s Corner: Brite Box Improves Output & Coverage Of Vehicle Headlights W
ith the days getting shorter and the nights longer and hunting season upon us, you want vehicle lighting you can depend on. The BRITE BOX™ is a self contained device that greatly contributes to driving safety on dark roads by improving both the output and coverage of standard vehicle headlights.
Enter the BRITE BOX™. Brite Box illuminates the low beams (and fog lights with Fog Light Control models) when the high beams are activated which allows 100% of the lighting potential of the vehicle to be utilized. Brite Box provides an even carpet of light that stretches from near to far. Safety and comfort are improved because the driver can now see a larger portion of the road. The safety Low beams / fog lights shut OFF benefits and circuitry of Brite Box when high beams are on. Note poor has been proven in millions of illumination directly in front of and miles of over the road testing, and to sides of vehicle. is used by law enforcement and transportation companies. Brite Box features easy plug in installation (in most All vehicle headlights vehicles) and can usually be have two distinct beam patterns: installed in 30 minutes or less. low beam for close range There are Brite Box models illumination, and high beam for available to fit most domestic cars, long range illumination. In most light trucks, and sport utility vehicles, when the high beams vehicles (SUV’s) manufactured are activated, the low beams shut from 1976 - 2008. off. The resulting choice of “near” vs. “far” illumination compromises safety and comfort because at a maximum, only 54% of the vehicle’s lighting potential is being used at any given time. Installing brighter headlight bulbs does little to help because the coverage of the AFTER BRITE BOX: Low beams / headlights is still compromised. fog lights stay ON when high beams Additionally, if your vehicle has are on. Note increase in both factory installed fog lights, they Available at Gomer’s-USDIESELPARTS too shut off when high beams are 2400 Palmer Missoula, MT. 59808 engaged. How does one solve this (406) 728-7620 or 1-800-596-0816. problem?
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www.ywcaofmissoula.org Alas not all that much of what I’ve been told has rubbed off, I thought perhaps you might benefit, so... •Determine your master eye (left or right) and shoot that way or have a competent gunsmith make changes to your stock to compensate. •Shotgun fit is paramount; mass produced guns are made to fit the norm, if your body isn’t, see a gunsmith or try another model. •Pattern your gun; most guns like one brand (load) better than others. Patterning also gives you an idea how Brand X performs at various ranges and different chokes. •Improved cylinder choke seems to perform best in most upland bird situations, but there are those times so...
Sagebrush News: The Mysterious Art Of Shooting Flying BY CHUCK ROBBINS I
’m in awe of the remarkable shotgun artist who travels the country wowing audiences. He tosses clay targets by the armload then in rapid fire fashion turns each to dust in midair—shucks folks weren’t nothin’ to it. Tossed vegetables, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes and such, become in short order a sort of aerial tossed salad. He dusts flying clays, one after another after another, back turned to the targets, gun balanced on shoulder aiming through a hand-held mirror. He guns them down one-handed, from the hip, between the legs, even blind-folded. If he ever missed during one of these demos I have not seen it. One day we went bird hunting at a preserve. Near, far, incoming, crossing, no matter, all tumbled to his shots.
Humbled, yet determined, naturally I asked, “Pray tell, man, what is your secret? “Darned if I know, guess I just shoot a lot.” Well, I shoot a lot too, but... Having quizzed many such hotshots over the years the vague answer didn’t surprise. In fact the one thing I think I know for sure about the operation is the really good shots have no idea (at least little). Like see the bird, mount the gun, bingo...dead bird! Although most are quick to share tips how I might improve the true artist dodges self-analysis like the plague. The reason for this is clear: Scatter-gun history is full of tales of legends losing it simply through thinking too much.
•Practice helps. Games such as skeet, sporting clays and even trap can make you a better real bird shooter but there are pitfalls: Avoid keeping score and mounting the gun first then calling for the bird is a no-no. In other words shoot the way you hunt...both eyes open, low gun, call for the bird, eyes open, see the bird, mount the gun properly, cheek pressed firmly to stock (never off), swing through the bird, pull trigger (no yanking), smooth follow through. STOP the gun swing and/or fail to follow through...sorry pal you missed! •On the other hand, being well-practiced in a relaxed state of mind while maintaining focus and concentration and hunting behind a well-trained dog, unless you’re erratic, doomed to mediocrity, like me, will put more birds in the bag, guarandamnteed...well, almost. Chuck is a freelance writer/photographer and fly-fishing guide. Author of four books, you can check out his latest Great Places Montana at chuckngalerobbins.com
Saving Deer One Acre at a Time MULE DEER FOUNDATION
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he Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) completed a million dollars in on the ground habitat projects for mule deer and black-tailed deer in 2008. Thousands of acres of habitat have been restored or improved through these efforts. MDF aggressively pursued habitat restoration projects in 14 states. Local MDF chapters worked closely with state wildlife agencies and federal land management agencies to fund a variety of habitat projects. These ranged from planting bitterbrush seedlings on deer winter range, water developments, reseeding of wildland fires, and restoration of critical sagebrush winter ranges. MDF was also a partner in the purchase of the Moylan Creek property near Denton, Mont., 1,000 acres which connects over 14,000 acres of public access land. MDF members even stepped up to donate money to help feed deer last winter in Utah and Colorado. They volunteered hundreds of hours to help these states’ wildlife agencies get feed to starving deer on snow covered winter ranges. MDF President and CEO Miles Moretti said, “2008 was a record breaking year for the Mule Deer Foundation. We have been able to put money on the ground through over 100 local MDF chapters, the sale of state wildlife auction tags and generous donations from members and volunteers. MDF has adopted the motto of ‘Saving Deer One Acre at a Time!’” Moretti went on to say, “We could not have done it without the help of our passionate, dedicated members. MDF is committed to funding even more on the ground projects in 2009.” If you want to help with a local project, start a local chapter or work on a local chapter committee, please contact MDF at 801-747-3344 or president@muledeer.org.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 9
Another Good Hunting Season (continued from page 5) Sometimes I outfox myself. On an archery hunt in the Wisdom area with my son and some of his friends I found myself in a standoff with a young satellite bull. Hunting national forest land next to private property, the bull following (2) cows, was straight on, directly in front of me, at 20 yards, but on the wrong side of the fence. The cows jumped the fence but he froze at the last moment, knowing that something just wasn’t quite right, then wheeled and moved off. Being pretty sure he wouldn’t leave the cows willingly, I moved and repositioned closer to where those cows had jumped the fence. In less than (5) minutes the bull was back, but at the very same spot where he had balked before, and this time he didn’t hesitate and jumped the fence. If I had stayed put, I would have had the shot. Elk are both predictable and unpredictable. During the past season I was able to extend my hunting range into new areas. A chance encounter with a large whitetail in a location we had never hunted before, but had driven by on many occasions, led to the harvest of a young 5x5 bull elk there a week later by my son Ben. And it was one of the easiest elk packouts I have experienced so far. Exploring new hunting areas can reap rewards. As archery season closed I switched over to the heavy artillery. Hunting for the bull that gave me the slip during archery season, I spotted him grazing over a 1,000 yards away. It was late in the day and I tried to close the distance before the light faded. Moving down the long ridge to the creek below, I hoped to get close enough for a decent shot. Finally I got to within what seemed like (400) yards, settled in, set the crosshairs on the point of his shoulder, when he turned slightly broadside, squeezed the .270’s trigger. There was to be no joy in Mudville, the bull jumped and ran for the timber. In the last light, I finished the climb down to the creek, up the other slope, and did a quick check for blood sign. I had missed. Just to be sure I returned the next day and worked the area over hard, finding no sign. And in the bright light of a new day, I calculated the shooting distance at closer to 500+ yards than to the maybe (400) I had misjudged. Sometimes you miscalculate and sometimes you miss. Knowing the area well, I felt the bull would settle down in a week. It was isolated and until that point, I had been the only one hunting it. So I left it and hunted elsewhere for a week. Then I came back and went to stand hunting. It rained steadily all day. If the big bull walked out, I would be ready. I had switched to the .338 magnum. While moving into position above the creek I had thought to myself that an elk could come off the hill above
me. There was plenty of fresh sign indicating elk had been crossing using the ridge. My focus was on the other hillside and I didn’t pay much attention to the thought. As the afternoon faded I watched for movement. Eventually I got up and moved slightly to my left, using my binoculars to scan the timber and creek bottom. I left my gun, scope covered from the constant drizzle under a pine tree. As I cleaned water from my binoculars, out of the corner of my eye I saw a bull elk suddenly appear about (20) yards away on the slope directly above me. I froze. The young bull was intent on grazing and when he put his head down I went to the ground too and staying low moved to my gun. As I reached the tree and lifted my gun, the bull raised his head to look at me. In one motion I put him in the scope and pulled the trigger. At (20) yards the .338’s 225 grain CoreLokt literally lifted him off his feet and he came down hard. My elk tag for 2008 was filled. Despite the fact that I like to hunt for big elk, my wife would be less than happy if I didn’t bring home meat. The young 4x4 would do. Prepare for the unlikely, it may happen. Some of the folks in the West end would not agree that 2008 was a good season, hunting was tough. And there were days in the 2008 season when I didn’t see anything where I had seen game in previous seasons. I attribute this to a deeper snow than usual the past winter and the associated winter kill toll, to the increasing numbers of wolves in our area, to a lousy spring bear season that closed before the bears were accessible and their predation, and to local subsistence hunters that hunt wild game year round. As I walked back to my rig on the last day of the 2008 general season, I felt somewhat exhausted and frankly glad to have made it to the last day. As I watched the sun light fading I thought back to other hills I had climbed. To days spent hiking until my legs cramped and climbing until my lungs burned. Of drenching sweat in the warm days of September, to feeling the cooling breezes of October and to the lash of gail force wind driven snow in November. To the crash of timber around me in that November squall. To sitting on the top of a mountain and watching clouds of pending rain boil toward me on a fast wind. My thoughts wandered back to how thirsty I was at times, traveling from mountain stream to mountain stream in the hot afternoons of bow season. To several days when I hunted in the rain from before dawn to after dark, changing into dry clothes back at the rig to avoid hypothermia. To the many miles I covered some days, hiking in and out by flashlight, just scouting for elk with a nonstop in-and-out hike or a looping trail up and across ridges. Everyone measures a “good” hunting season a little differently. Ending the season with a trophy animal is
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one way to measure success, but that is not my only qualification for a good season. When I end a season, if I feel that I have hunted both hard and smart, and learned something new about the country and the game, that is enough. I missed what many would consider a trophy elk, and I’ll be putting a range finder in my pack for next season. But by spending many days in the timber, I was in the right place at the right time and a young bull walked to within (20) yards and asked to go home with me. I accepted his offer. By doing so, I gave up my second chance at the big bull, which was shot about a week later within a hundred yards of where I had waited when the young bull appeared. My young bull is good eating and tender and there is no regret. If the young bull had not been harvested, sure the sting of the miss would have been sharper, but it still would have been a good season for me. As I reached the rig and dropped my pack, I began to think about next season and where I will be on opening day. Glenn Ferren is a good friend, and he and his wife help us each month with distribution in Mineral County. Glenn and Robin, thanks so much!
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New Non-typical World’s Record Boone And Crockett Club
UPDATE 1/6/2009 - A special B&C Judges Panel declared this bull as the new World’s Record non-typical American elk on 1/2/2009 with a final score of 478-5/8. The previous World’s Record for non-typical American elk was 465-2/8 B&C points. That bull was found dead, frozen in Upper Arrow Lake, B.C., in 1994, and was entered into Boone and Crockett Club records by the B.C. Ministry of Environment on behalf of the citizens of British Columbia. For hunter-taken non-typical American elk, the previous top bull scored 450-6/8 B&C points, taken in 1998 in Apache County, Ariz., by Alan Hamberlin. Denny Austad of Ammon, Idaho, hunted the Monroe Mountain District in south-central Utah. Hunting with a self-designed rifle, Austad killed the bull on Sept. 30, 2008.
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Helena Boat Show Brings World Record Holder Tommy Skarlis To Helena Feb. 14 - 15
Fly Of The Month: Charlie Brooks’ Montana Stonefly By Jim Abbs fedflyfishers.org
Tommy Will be hosting hosting A Fishing Seminar Sun. 4:00pm
The 26th Annual Helena Boat Show is pleased to announce that world renowned fishing champion Tommy Skarlis will be a featured guest at their show Saturday, February 14th and Sunday, February 15th at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds representing Ranger Boats and Evinrude.
Tommy Skarlis Fact Sheet
January 2009 • FLW Walleye Tour Champion - 2008 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
FEBRUARY 2009
World Record Holder - Largest Professional Walleye Tournament Total Weight. 3-Day Total of 15 walleyes weighing 138.28 lbs – a 9.22 lb average 2007 Ironman Champion – www.walleyesfirst.com 2005 Ranger Cup Champion 2005 FLW Angler of the Year – Runner Up 2004 Angler of the Year - In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail 2004 Ranger Cup Champion 2004 Champion – PWT Winnebago Chain – Winneconne, Wisconsin 2003 Champion - PWT Lake Erie – Dunkirk, New York 2002 Champion - PWT Lake Erie – Port Clinton, Ohio 2001 Champion - PWT Detroit River – Trenton, Michigan. 1997 Masters Walleye Circuit Team of the Year. 1996 Masters Walleye Circuit Big Stone Champion. 12 time straight PWT Championship Qualifier. 6 time straight MWC Championship Qualifier. 7 time straight RCL/FLW Championship Qualifier
This year the 26th Annual Helena Boat Show will be in the brand new multi-purpose building at the Fairgrounds and will feature One Way Marine’s line of Ranger Sport and Fishing Boats, Premier Pontoon Boats, SeaRay Luxury Sport Boats, Crestliner Pontoon, Fishing and Jon Boats, Moomba and Supra Tournament Ski & Wakeboard Boats, SeaDoo personal watercraft, and Can-Am ATVS. ADMISSION IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC. The show is open to the public and runs from Friday, February 13th to Sunday, February 15th at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena. For more information, contact One Way Marine & Motor Sports, Inc. at (406) 443-7373 or 1-800-585-7397 or e-mail onewaymarine@msn.com.
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etired U.S. Air Force Major Charles E. Brooks spent over 25 years just a short distance from what some consider the best trout fishing in America, Montana’s Yellowstone River. Over that time he fished, developed new fly patterns, fished, improved some old fly patterns, fished, wrote a few fly fishing books and fished some more. The Brooks Montana Stonefly Nymph is one of his many contributions. Brook’s innovations came largely from prolonged periods of observation, research and collection. He was one of the first fly anglers to put on a diving mask and enter the world of the feeding trout. One of his discoveries came from watching drifting stonefly nymphs and how trout responded to them underwater. The common way to present a nymph---whether mayfly, stonefly or caddis fly--- is dead drift. This technique is aimed at simulating a nymph that is drifting naturally in the current of the stream---and most importantly drifting at the speed of that current. Brooks made two critical discoveries in these early observations. First he observed that as nymph drifts into the trout’s field of view, the trout is usually interested and will approach it at once--- unless the nymph “behaves” in a decidedly unnatural manner or appears to deviate from the actions of normal insects. Obviously if the insect moves slower or faster than the current, or moves erratically, it is ignored or rejected. This first observation confirms the ideas of many other fly fishing authors. However, the second thing Brooks observed was that natural insects drifted near the bottom and while the current was the moving force, they stayed upright---with their backs up and their bellies toward the bottom. Their bellies were never seen by the trout. Apparently, naturally drifting nymphs maintain some control over their drifting position. By contrast, he observed that artificial nymphs rolled over and over, revealing a whirl of rotating back and belly, usually with different colors or shapes. When this happened, Brooks noted that the trout would “flare wildly away, and usually stayed away”. Importantly, most nymph artificials are tied with a distinct top and bottom. In fact the original Montana Stonefly pattern has a black body and top of the thorax, but the bottom of the thorax is yellow.
In interpreting his observations, Brooks noted that he commonly got more strikes on a woolly worm--which does not have a two-toned body-- than he did on more exact imitations of a stone fly with a different-colored belly and back. He reasoned that a two-toned body turning over unnaturally caused flies to be rejected by trout. For Brooks, designing a better stonefly nymph thus involved tying a pattern that would look the same no matter how it turned and twisted. Specifically, as described in the tying instructions for this pattern, the legs are found on both the top and bottom of the fly and there is no distinction in color or material between the bottom and the top of the fly. While Brooks offered this innovation for stonefly patterns on western rivers, there is no reason to expect trout (or insect) behavior to be different in other places. Indeed, there now are a number of fly patterns tied this way, with Charlie Brooks as their inspiration. Interestingly, this improved pattern is easier to tie than one with a distinct back and belly. MATERIALS: Hook: Mustad 9672 or equivalent 3X long, in sizes 4-8, depending on stonefly Tail: Six fibers of a raven or crow primary, tied in forked manner Rib: Brown flat nylon monofilament Body: Black fuzzy yarn, four strand Hackle: One brown dyed grizzly and one regular grizzly, with hackle fibers stripped off one side of each. Gills: Gray or white ostrich herl wound at the base of the hackles Thread: 3/0 black monocord TYING STEPS: 1. Tie in thread behind the hook eye and wind to the hook bend. Lacquer thread on hook shank. 2. Tie in tail fibers and split to form a forked tail, three fibers on each side. 3. Tie in monofilament ribbing and body yarn 4. Wind thread forward to eye break off. Lacquer shank again (Note: for larger flies such as this, Brooks felt that the best way to build a durable fly was to lacquer and lay the dubbing or yarn down on the lacquered surface; he used the same technique-without dubbing wax-for fur). 5. Wind yarn to eye, back to bend, forward to the eye and back to the base of the thorax (about 2/3 distance from bend to hook eye). Tie off yarn, tying in thread at the same time. 6. Wind rib forward and tie off. 7. Tie in one strand of ostrich herl and both hackles by the butts. Strip fibers off lower side of both hackles. 8. Wind two separate turns of hackle (as shown), one at the base of the thorax and one half way between the base of the thorax and the eye. The two hackles should lie against one another. Tie off the hackle. 9. Wind ostrich herl at the base of the hackles and tie off. 10. Spiral thread forward and finish head large and lacquer well.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 11
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
FEBRUARY 2009
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FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 13
The Chance Of A Lifetime Part II BY JOE ESPARZA OWNER SportsmensAccess.com
L
ast month I wrote about the Montana Super Tags, what they are, how many were sold, and whom the program benefits. We added a photo of the amazing 2008 Super Tag Bighorn Sheep that was taken in the Missouri River Breaks. If you missed that article be sure to visit our web site and blog at http://sportsmensaccess.blogspot.com/. This month we are featuring the lucky hunter who drew the coveted 2008
Elk Super Tag. Meet John Laughery from Moses Lake, Washington. John lived in Montana for a number of years before relocating back to Moses Lake. His brother is a fishing outfitter here in Montana, so John’s ties (no pun intended) to the Big Sky state are very strong. John purchased only three tags in the lottery for this drawing, reaffirming my belief that if you don’t enter you can’t win! When I interviewed John by
phone he shared with me that when he received notification he had won, he thought it might be a joke. “I couldn’t believe it when they called and told me I had drawn the tag. I had to call back just to make sure it wasn’t some prank.” Well, it wasn’t a joke and soon John was on the phone with Ron Aasheim, who administers the program for MFWP. “I asked Ron the best places to go and tried to gather as much information as I could”, Laughery went on to say. John earned this bull, hunting for 30 days during the season. “I own a contracting business and was lucky that I could take that much time off.” Laughery explained. He started hunting during the archery season in the Elkhorn Mountains, hunted near the Tongue River in Southeastern Montana, and ended up taking this bull in the Bear Paws of central Montana with Chris Faber of Bear Paw Hunts, License #3616. During his 30 days, John saw some nice bulls across the state. He saw the biggest bull on a trip to eastern Montana. “We saw this bull on the Montana—Wyoming border that had to be one of the biggest bulls I’d seen in my life. We guessed he was a 400 point bull. Although he was over 1,000 yards away you could tell how big he was through the spotting scope. It was a huge 7x7”, John said. Unfortunately, the bull was on private ground that they did not have permission to hunt. He mentioned he saw quality bulls in the Elkhorns, too, but wasn’t able to connect during the archery
season. John told me this was the most time he’s taken off in his business in 20 years. “I have a very busy contracting business. You know how it goes, you don’t always take time off for yourself and do the things you really love to do. I had a tremendous fall and rediscovered my love of hunting and the outdoors. I got to the point where I had seen so many great bulls and met so many great people, I didn’t want this to come to an end. But I had to turn my attention back to my business so I ended up taking this great bull in the Bear Paw’s.” John anchored this bull with one shot from a .300 Winchester Magnum. “It was November 20th and the sky was filled (continued on page 19)
14
• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
FEBRUARY 2009
Monta na Fishi ng Report BY CHRIS MADSEN, SPORTSMAN’S WAREHOUSE MISSOULA (406) 532-9000 e-mail: madwolf2@netzero.net slightly deeper water than earlier in the season.
Western Montana Fishing Report Brought To You By The Missoula Sportsman’s Warehouse February is usually the month
I am most likely to get a case of some serious cabin fever. You know the feeling: too many consecutive days of cold, dark and snow keeping you pinned inside, with only the occasional ice fishing or steel heading trip to break the routine. By now I am usually in serious need of a few days spent outside, fishing open water with a fly rod, in weather warm enough to fish for more than an hour without feeling your toes go from extremely painful to uncomfortably numb. This is the kind of madness that makes you willing to consider crazier-than-normal thoughts, like intentionally fishing for whitefish, or moving to California. Like I said, crazy thoughts. But even if we don’t get an out of the ordinary warm up there are many fishing prospects in western Montana to get excited about. Let’s take a look. Georgetown continues to be our most productive and popular hard-water fishery. The surface of the ice has refrozen which doesn’t give us the best ice but it is better than standing in the 8” of slush that was there. Early morning seems to be about the best time to catch the trout bite and the best time for the salmon has been from about midnight to sun rise. Plenty of nice trout and salmon continue to be taken on the standard Georgetown fare, rocker jigs, Swedish Pimples, glo hooks and the like. Tipping your hook with a maggot, corn or a piece of night crawler shouldn’t be forgotten. The best fishing is usually along points and the outer edges of the bays, in
Seeley, Salmon and the other lakes of the Clearwater drainage should continue to provide a variety of ice fishing opportunities, and lots of good fishing prospects. Northern Pike are the primary targets in Salmon and Seeley, and are most readily taken on tip-ups with herring or smelt. Spearing is an option for those with a lot of Viking in their blood, although cutting a big enough hole to spear through in two feet of ice may be challenging enough on it’s own. Placid has been fishing well for the perch using small Forage Minnows and Buck Shot spoons. Harper’s, Rainy, Alva and many of the higher lakes in the area are fine choices for trout, perch and sometimes salmon. Many can be reached easily from the highway, and some of the snowmobile accessed lakes will offer you great scenery, fishing, and solitude in abundance. If, like me, you long to get out and fly fish some moving water, February usually offers some good chances, particularly later in the month. After a few days of above-freezing temperatures, most of our trout streams will offer good nymphing prospects, and some of our early spring hatches will have begun by the end of the month. If you hit the Bitterroot or Clark Fork, Zebra midges, WD-40s, lightning bugs and glo bugs suspended under an indicator can put the bend back in your fly rod it’s been missing since December. If you’re fishing Rock Creek take some #10 stonefly nymphs. This river has a healthy population of stoneflies and they are a year round food source that trout have a tough time resisting. February can still be a bit of a crapshoot weather-wise, but don’t be surprised to see some spring-like dry fly fishing if you are out on the right day. Make sure you have some miniscule midge adult patterns in the #20 and #22 range to drift over these picky risers. By March, BWO’s, Skwala stones and small black winter stoneflies are all active in Montana’s rivers, especially the tailwaters and freestones on the Western slope. February will see some excellent steelhead action on the Clearwater River all month long, and on the Salmon whenever the ice breaks up. Anglers do very well on bobber and jig set-ups, as well as with corky and yarn drift rigs baited with shrimp or eggs. If you’re lucky enough to have access to boat, back-trolling plugs or side drifting bait is an excellent means of putting some fish in your cooler. Fly fisherman will want to swing leeches or
wet flies on sink-tips, or dead drift small nymphs and egg patterns. If the Clearwater is your destination, try fishing in the Orofino area or on the North Fork, where most of the river’s hatchery steelhead are headed. Fly fishers have an easier time on the South Fork because of the smaller water but the main river can still be fished with a fly. The Salmon offers many miles of road-accessible runs, but the stretch from Shoup upstream to Salmon is the most popular. Just drive along until you see a piece of water that is to your liking, there is enough variety on this beautiful river to cater to any anglers whims. In between picking ice out of your guides and dancing around trying to keep your toes warm don’t forget to take some time to enjoy the winter scenery. We’re on the downhill side of winter and spring is just around the corner. Hopefully I’ll see you out there somewhere this month.
Southwest Montana Fishing Report Brought To You By The Bozeman Sportsman’s Warehouse Fishing Cures Cabin Fever
W
ith the arrival of February many of us in the fishing fraternity suffer from too many long days in doors with dreams of trout, walleye, and other fish running through our heads. The waters of SW Montana offer plenty of options to cure our cabin fever. Early snows and cold temperatures have had the ice fishing season in full swing for some time now. The early ice season has been rock solid on most area lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. And the good action has been continuing before the slow down before ice off. Our rivers with free water have offered the fly angler great nymphing opportunities with the crowds of summer long gone. On those days where temperatures climb above freezing there is no more peaceful and enjoyable way to spend a day. So if you can get away from splitting wood for the fire, or get away from the fly tying vise. Now is the time to get out on the hard water or the flowing type and enjoy some time in the best backyard on earth. (continued next page)
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FEBRUARY 2009 Fishing Cures Cabin Fever (continued) Here are some reports on our area waters. Hyalite Reservoir: Ice fishing has been very consistent here since the ice first formed. Anglers are having great success jigging with Swedish Pimples, Jammin’ Jigs, Kastmasters, and other flash lures. Maggots have been the most popular bait to tip the lures with. Although some prefer pieces of nightcrawler or fish meat. Access has been excellent this year with the Forest Service keeping the road plowed and clear all winter. Ennis Lake: The angling here has been up and down this winter. The key has been finding the fish. General jigging tactics along with a tip up work well once some willing trout are found. The crowds here are generally lower and many times you will have a large portion if not most of the lake to yourself. Hebgen and Quake Lakes: With the use of atv’s or a snowmobile access to these bodies of water are an option. Snowshoeing in is also possible. The fishing has been quite good with lots of solitude as well. Anglers have has success with Swedish Pimples, Kastmasters, Jigging Rapalas. Area Rivers: For the fly angler our area rivers such as the Upper and Lower Madison, Yellowstone, and Gallatin all offer excellent winter fishing. Nymphing the deeper runs and pools, with two fly rigs brings many nice fish to the net. I like either a San Juan Worm or larger Stonefly nymph pattern on top. Trailed by a small copper john, pheasant tail, lightning bug, or midge pupae. And make sure you have a good selection of midge patterns in your dry fly box for those calm days when you can get into some great dry fly action to trout sipping the adults off the surface. Get out and enjoy this great time of year. You can experience some of the best fishing action of the year and enjoy some peace and solitude. Fish On!!!!!!!!
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 15 on a smaller flasher for rainbows and of course tipped with a maggot. Hauser: The poor mans lobster…what a tasty little treat! Of course I’m speaking of ling. Hauser lately has been an excellent fishery for ling. Find 20+ feet of water rig up a piece of smelt and let it sit. I contradict myself when I say that because my friend had four the other night constantly jigging a jig with a piece of smelt on it. Either way you should come off the ice with a whole mess of ling. Walleye are hunkered down, rainbows are cruising, and perch are deep. Holter: Lately Holter has been the hot spot if you want to get into a whole mess of walleye. I would recommend getting up and around log gulch this time of year. You shouldn’t be fishing very far from the bottom. I’m talking six inches to a foot will seemingly produce walleye. If you can locate a pressure ridge, this is a great place to begin looking for perch and walleye Regulating Reservoir: Small jigs tipped with a bit of powerbait or a maggot seems to be snatching up a few perch. The perch bite has been fairly consistent here at the Regulating Res., but now that Canyon Ferry has turned on you might want to take that little extra drive to the Silos. Vary fishing depths when fishing for salmon until you target which depth they are feeding at. One day they may be two feet under the ice and next they could be in 25 feet of water. Missouri from dam to dam: For those of you that aren’t into the ice and still have a hankering for some quality rainbows try slinging the fly or spinning rod in the open waters of the Missouri. You know the drill this time of year…nymphs, nymphs…oh yah and scuds. Dead drifting the occasional san juan worm can at times, be affective. The weather has been beautiful as of late, so maybe its time to bundle up the kids and take the family for a wintery ride down to the dam, whether it is (Canyon Ferry, Hauser, or Holter). Remember be alert and be safe, for the water temperatures are a bit frigid. Spinning tackle might consist of the good old sinker and worm, powerbait, or the always trusting rapala. Be sure to try a CD or countdown rapala. I think you will find the trout respond a bit better to a countdown this time a year.
North Central Montana Fishing Report Brought To You By The Helena Eastern Montana Sportsman’s Fishing Report Warehouse Brought To You Canyon Ferry: The perch fishing have By The Billings been picking up nicely, in depths ranging Sportsman’s from 30 to 60 feet of water. Jigging spoons seem to be the ticket this year. I Warehouse think you will find the north end of the lake to be best for walleye fishing; though be cautious of the ice on the north end of the lake. On the south end try a rat finkee, ratso, shrimpo, or maybe even a nuclear ant rigged
(continued on next page)
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
Eastern Montana Fishing Report Brought To You By The Billings Sportsman’s Warehouse Fort Peck
Dan Area: Reports of fair success along dam face and duck creek area. Most anglers are using tip ups and minnows. Dry arm: Fishing has been outstanding with anglers taking lake trout, northern and pike, using tip ups and minnows. Hell Creek: Good ice reports fishing excellent for lake trout with some northern pike. Stillwater River: Anglers using bead head nymphs like red copper Johns and lightning bugs size 1412 are catching trout. White fish are also being caught around the Absorkee area. Lower Yellowstone River: Some open water a lot of ice jams very few anglers out. A mixed bag can be taken trout, sauger, small mouth using heavy jigs or showing rolling crank baits when conditions allow.
Time To Apply For Smith River Permits MFWP Forget the blizzards, sub-zero temperatures and snowdrifts, it’s time to start thinking about lazy summer days drifting down the Smith River. Applications for a Smith River permit are available at all Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices or on the FWP Web site—fwp.mt.gov . Applications must be postmarked or submitted by Feb. 17. FWP’s online licensing system might be just the ticket for those folks who want to apply at home, but an ALS number is required. If you previously bought a hunting or fishing license, the ALS number is printed on the top. If you don’t have an ALS number, the online system will assign you one. To apply online, visit fwp.mt.gov , then click “Smith River Permit.” You can also apply at any FWP regional office. Typically, several thousand floaters apply, with about 800 getting the permit they seek. The peak float season runs from mid May to early July. For more information contact the FWP Region 4 office in Great Falls at 406-454-5840.
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FEBRUARY 2009
Abundant Winter Precipitation Is Enhancing Fishing Opportunities In Arizona AG&F
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rizona anglers are being blessed with an 11-mile trout fishing bonus along the Lower Salt River bordering the Valley of the Sun starting Jan. 22 thanks to plentiful December precipitation and unusual winter runoff in central Arizona that has almost filled the Salt River reservoirs. Salt River Project plans to release water from Stewart Mountain Dam from now through the end of spring. Arizona Game and Fish Department officials have jumped on this unexpected opportunity to provide anglers enhanced fishing opportunities along this distinctive desert river bordering the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. “The Lower Salt River is really a unique Arizona fishing experience. Anglers get to experience fishing for trout in a scenic desert river bordering a wilderness area, just minutes from some of the Valley of the Sun’s population centers. There’s nothing else quite like it,” said Fisheries Chief Kirk Young. On Jan. 22 at around noon to 1 p.m., the Game and Fish Department will be stocking feisty rainbow trout into the Lower Salt River at the Water Users and Blue Point areas that can be readily accessed by anglers via Bush Highway. Be sure you have a current 2009 Arizona fishing license with trout fishing privileges. For those visiting the Valley, there is a special 4-month nonresident fishing license available at a bargain price.
This stretch of river also provides a superb fishing opportunity for those with kayaks, canoes or inflatables. This is the Salt River segment that attracts thousands of tubers in summer. Young added that this enhanced fishing opportunity along the Lower Salt River is just the leading edge of superb fishing opportunities anglers can expect this year thanks to tremendous snow pack and runoff. “The stars have truly aligned this year and the potential is there for some phenomenal fishing opportunities,” Young said. Young explained that record runoff in 2005 in central Arizona resulted in a tremendous age class of fish, especially largemouth bass, that are now large four-year-old, line-stripping lunkers. Last year’s abundant runoff that filled Arizona’s lakes resulted in terrific spawns for both sport-fish and forage fish. “The bottom line is this year there will be lots of feisty yearling fish to enhance angler catch rates along with lots of larger fish that can make fishing even more exciting. This might indeed be the year anglers will be talking about fondly for years to come,” Young said.
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FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 17
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 19
Take A Kid Hunting, But Make It Fun With Bunnies (continued from page 4) 3. Stay in the pickup – You can shoot rabbits out the window, right? Nope. Not only may it be illegal, but you’re missing all the fun. Instead, take short walks through likely cottontail country: brushy creek bottoms, forest slash piles, farm-country fencelines and gumbo badlands. Most of the fun is in the walking, and again, you will have no shortage of teachable moments if you’re at the side of your young partner. 4. Stay quiet and focused – Talking will spook game, right? Probably. But you’ll still get plenty of shots if you’re hunting the right habitat, and talking as you stroll is how you make hunting partners. Let your young companion plink at knots on trees, try to shoot the head off a weed or at a patch of mud on a cutbank. 5. Bring a man-sized gun – This isn’t the place for your Ultra Mag or your fowling piece. Bring a lightweight .22, preferably one with a youth-sized stock. .410 and 20 gauge shotguns with low-base loads are also great rabbit medicine. 6. Criticize poor shooting – Nope. This is a moment to create good habits. Be supportive and encouraging, and spend some time teaching form, how to use iron sights or rifles scopes, how to judge distance, how to lead a moving target and how guns work. Don’t get exasperated. Teaching is hard and time-consuming, but the work you do now will pay dividends for a lifetime. 7. Throw your bunnies in the ditch – Rabbits aren’t really worth eating, and nobody wants to clean them. Whoa! The best way to ruin a hunter is to minimize their achievement by wasting the harvest. Spare some time to clean the rabbits carefully. Kids want to see the vital organs and how they’re arranged. They want to see where their pellets or bullet hit, and the damage it did. They want to feel like they’re contributing to their family’s pantry. Show them how to clean the first one or two bunnies, then have them take the knife and dress one. If you can, you can even help the youngster cook the rabbits in a succulent stew. If you do it right, it will be the first of many wild-game dinners you share together.
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The Chance Of A Lifetime
(continued from page 13)
with lightening and hail, then a blizzard started. We had a tough time seeing, but I was able to get a good shot at 340 yards just as light was fading. We gutted him out in the dark and came back the next day to pack him out.” Unofficially John’s bull had a gross score of 340 B&C points. When I asked John what he will remember most about this season he said, “Of course I’ll always remember this great trophy, but I’ll also remember all the people who helped make this a successful hunt. It also reaffirmed that we get so stuck on results that we forget about the great
May 8th.....Stillwater Gobblers Columbus Contact Mitch Walter......406-322-8638 May 9th....Lets Talk Turkey Deer Lodge Contact Don Kurlin.....406-288-3338 May 15th.....Northwest Montana Gobblers Kalispell Contact Phil Carl.....406-871-6776 May 16th.....Bitterroot Longbeards Hamilton Contact Dave Harlacher....406-777-5786
TYPICAL WHITETAIL
JOE ESPARZA WITH MISSOURI RIVER BREAKS BUCK
people and the great country we get to see and live in.” So remember you can’t win if you don’t enter! When you’re applying this year for special license drawings, don’t pass up the chance to purchase Montana’s Super Tags. Think of it as an opportunity to win the hunt of a lifetime and at the same time make a personal investment to secure some additional hunting and fishing access in our great state. One thing’s for sure, we’re all blessed to live and hunt in the Big Sky country! Shoot straight!
20
• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
2008 Photo Contest
Keith Stockard “Nice Mule Deer Buck Harvested near Sula, Montana.” Kenny “His Best Montana Pronghorn Antelope Buck taken near Broadus, Montana. ”
Kenny & Dad Keith Stockard “Antelope Buck was ranged by Kenny and harvested by his Dad.”
Zach Steinbrenner, Missoula, MT. “Nice Whitetail Buck.”
Robert “First year, first Buck.” Carson, Age 14, Frenchtown “Nice Whitetail Buck.”
Carson, Age 14, Frenchtown “Bull Elk”
Caleb and Friends, Missoula, MT. “Bird hunting.” Kaitlyn Wiens “First Bull.”
Thank you to all who entered our photo contest. All of Look for your photo in future issues. Thanks to our spo
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 21
2008 Photo Contest
David Day “Montana Archery Elk. Gross scores 369 P&Y. 30 yard shot.”
Bruce Fox, Florence, MT. “With This Huge Bull Elk.”
Thor Sichveland, Philipsburg, MT. “Another Great Bull Elk.”
Michael Churchill “An Awesome Bull Elk.”
Mike Crowley “Big Montana Bull Elk.”
Alex Fregerio “Brother’s Buck.”
Beau Parisi, Helena, MT. “Barren Ground Caribou taken in the Northwest Territories.”
f the photos entered were great! onsors - Leupold & Trader Bros.
Stuart, Photo Submitted By George Bailey “Bull taken near Lewistown.” Devon Sindelar, Missoula, MT. “Whitetail Buck.”
22
• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
FEBRUARY 2009
Calendar Of Events
ANACONDA Legends of the Wulf Nordic Ski Race: February 28
GLASGOW Ice Fishing Tournament: February 21
LINCOLN Snowmobile Poker Run: February 21
WEST YELLOWSTONE Rendezvous Cross-Country Ski Race: March 7
Competition ice fishing in the Marina Bay at Fort Legends of the Wulf Nordic Ski Race, formerly Ben Ali Peck Lake! Top prize is $2,000, with other cash prizes Riders travel a well-marked route on smooth trails collecting The Rendezvous Cross-Country Ski Race is the and merchandise prizes. Any fish caught could be Haggin’s Mile High Nordic Ski Race, is a freestyle cards as they go. High poker hand wins and many door region’s premier cross-country ski event. More than the winner from perch to northern pike; walleyes are Nordic ski race with distances of 1, 2, 5, 9, and 19 km. prizes are given. A local student and charity each year are 600 skiers of both classic and skate technique compete accepted too! Bring the whole family, dress warmly and The course is at an elevation above 6,000 feet and the recipients of the club’s share of the proceeds. A fun, in courses ranging from 5 to 50k. This annual event expect to have a lot of fun. The holes are pre-drilled, so family event. Once in Lincoln, ample snowmobile trailer provides expansive views of Mount Haggin and the attracts many of the top team racers as well as those Pintler Range. Held at Mount Haggin Nordic Ski Trails, just bring a scoop, a bucket, your fishing equipment and parking is available at Hooper Park. From there, travel 3 new to the sport. Registrations fees include the race, an whatever you need to spend three hours on the ice. No 11 miles south of Anaconda on the road to Wisdom. miles north on Sucker Creek Red to the clubhouse. event T-shirt, feed stations, and an awards ceremony. Phone: 406-782-0316 or visit http://missoulanordic.org. tents or sleeping bags. There is a limit of 200 fishermen. Prizes are awarded in both genders and by age The event starts at noon and is over at 3:00pm. Prizes E-mail: joe@redmountain.us groupings. Phone: 406-640-0465 or MIDDLE THOMPSON will be awarded right after the final whistle. visit www.rendezvousrace.com. Ice Fishing Tournament: February 21 Held at the Fort Peck Marina is just off Highway 24, E-mail: davikm@wyellowstone.com BIG SKY The Perch Assault is back! Presented by the eighteen miles from Glasgow. Follow the signs. Winterfest: March 8 Flathead Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited. Phone: 406-228-2222 or visit www.glasgowmt.net Activities include both children’s activities and races, 5 WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS Phone: 406-249-0556 or visit www.Perchassault.com E-mail: chamber@glasgowmt.net different cross country ski events which are guaranteed to be hilarious, and even a race for your dog. Throughout MISSOULA GREAT FALLS the afternoon there will be a DJ and food vendors selling Northern Division Freestyle Competition: Great Rockies Sports Show: items to satisfy your hunger. Complimentary February 14 - 15 February 6 - 8 cross-country ski rentals will be available at the event This annual event, sanctioned by the U.S.S.A., Exhibitors on hand with the latest in goods and services courtesy of Lone Mountain Ranch. Held at Big Sky draws the best skiers in the area for moguls, freestyle for your fishing, hunting, camping and vacation Community Park on Little Coyote Road. From I-90 take competition and jumping. Held at Snowbowl. pursuits! Special features include boats, campers, Highway 64 into Big Sky. Little Coyote Road is about Take the Reserve Street exit north off I-90. Follow 1-2 miles down on your right side. Phone: 406-995-3000 wildlife discovery center, big game heads and horns Grant Creek Road for 4.5 miles. Turn left on Snowbowl competition, Wall of Fish display, fly casting/tying or toll free: 800-943-4111. Road and follow 6 miles to the top. demos, NW Big Game display, seminars, adventure Visit www.bigskychamber.com or Phone: 406-549-9777 films, kids trout pond, camp cooking and more! There’s e-mail: info@bigskychamber.com or visit www.montanasnowbowl.com a lot of kids activities too! Held in the 4 Seasons Arena at the Montana Expo Park located at BILLINGS: MISSOULA 34th Annual Northern Rodeo Assoc. Finals: 400 3rd Street NW. Visit http://greatrockiesshow.com
February 19 - 21 With more than 1,200 contesting members and over 42 sanctioned rodeos throughout the summer rodeo season, the Northern Rodeo Association is one of the largest regional rodeo associations in the United States. The Northern Rodeo Association Finals are hosted each February in indoor comfort by the MetraPark Arena .NRF pays out nearly $60,000 in payoff and prizes, and the event features only the top ten money winners in each of the eight rodeo events competing on top livestock. Phone: 406-252-1122
BOZEMAN Terrain Park Jam Snowboard/Skier: February 28 Held in the Terrain Park at Bridger Bowl. Competitors have the opportunity to hit a feature as many times as time allows. This will be a judged event. Snowboarders will be on Saturday and skiers will be on Sunday. Phone: 406-586-1518 or toll free: 800-223-9609. Visit www.bridgerbowl.com or e-mail: skitrip@bridgerbowl.com
HELENA 26th Annual Helena Boat Show: February 13 - 15 Don’t miss this annual event, where you will find fun for the entire family. Tommy Skarlis, 2008 FLW Walleye Tour Champion will be on hand Saturday and Sunday, and will offer a fishing seminar on Sunday at 4:00pm. Held at the Helena Fairgrounds. Call 1-800-585-7397 or visit www.onewaymarine.com.
RED LODGE Cardboard Classic Creative Judging, Parade & Races: February 20 - 22
. Events include the Cardboard Classic Most Creative Judging, Parade and Race, Fat Tire Mountain Bike Race, King and Queen of the Mountain Race, scavenger and treasure hunts, Bogart’s Jalapeno Eating Contest, Lewis and Clark Archers are hosting this shoot. live music, and the Torchlight Parade and Fireworks 30 3-D targets including over 20 Rhinehart targets. Show. Phone: 406-446-2610 Food and concessions available. All ages. Toll Free: 800-444-8977 or visit Registration: 7:30am-10:30am. Directions: Z-Z Sporting www.redlodgemountain.com. Clays Range, the corner of Lincoln Rd. W. and Birdseye Rd. E-mail: rdrake@redlodgemountain.com Phone: Lesley Bergman (406) 439-5146 or
Pinhead Classic: March 7 The Pinhead Classic is an annual competition for telemark racing. Everyone must have telemark gear and a good costume. Prizes for everything except the fastest time! Held at Bridger Bowl.
KALISPELL Great Rockies Sports Show: February 27 - March 1
These are basic rodeo events but the contestants are on skis! Spectators and contestants welcome. Held at the ski area at the Izaak Walton Inn. Phone: 406-888-5700 or visit www.izaakwaltoninn.com. E-mail: stay@izaakwaltoninn.com
Features spectacular ski jumping of up to 200 feet using alpine equipment. The jumpers fly off a narrow drop between two cliffs just above the Grizzly chairlift. The event attracts national media as well as jumpers from all over the United States. Held at Snowbowl. Phone: 406-549-9777
HELENA Foul-Weather 3-D Shoot: February 15
Paul Cartin (406) 439-2058. Visit www.lewisandclarkarchers.com
ESSEX Annual Snow Rodeo: March 21 - 22
Snowbowl Cup Geande Championship: February 21 - 22
Held at the Flathead County Fairgrounds
LAKE MARY RONAN Ice Fishing Tournament: March 7
The Perch Assault is back! Presented by the Flathead Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited. Phone: 406-249-0556 or visit www.Perchassault.com
National Finals Ski Joring Races: March 14 - 15
Teams negotiate a 700+ foot course, the horse taking a track to the inside of the course while the skier in tow, negotiates the 20-some slalom gates and four jumps in hopes of completing two fast, clean runs which isn’t easy at speeds sometimes topping 25 mph. Held at the Red Lodge Rodeo Grounds off Highway 78 west of Red Lodge about 1/4 mile. Phone: 406-446-3232 or visit www.redlodge.com/ski-joring E-mail: tammy@redlodgecountry.com
100-Mile Snowmobile Poker Run: February 15
Meagher County’s Little Belters Snowmobile Club hosts this 100-mile or 60-mile ride on marked and groomed trails. Held 21 miles north of White Sulphur Springs on Highway 89 North at Mile Marker 19, known as the Adams Creek parking lot. Phone: 406-547-2169 or e-mail: hjk@mtintouch.net
EVENTS TO SUPPORT WILDLIFE TROUT UNLIMITED 02/21/09 Gallatin Chapter Annual Banquet Contact: Mike Haugh (406) 556-6796
RMEF EVENTS
02/07/09 Billings Beartooth Big Game Banquet Contact: Mike Baugh (406) 855-0324 02/21/09 Kalispell Flathead Valley Big Game Banquet Contact: Cindy Skramstad (406) 752-1492 02/28/09 Havre Hi-Line Big Game Banquet Contact: Jason McDonald (406) 265-1574 03/14/09 Hamilton Bitterroot Big Game Banquet Contact: John Ormiston (406) 363-5464
Elk Camp
Hunting, Fishing & Outdoor Expo March 5-8, 2009 Contact RMEF (406) 523-4500
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 23
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24
• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
FEBRUARY 2009
Hunting And Conservation News Hunting & Conservation News Proudly Sponsored By
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Region 6 Expands Three Special Deer Seasons MFWP A
dditional expansions of three special deer management seasons in FWP Region 6 have been approved by state officials. The special management seasons -- in a portion of the Milk River Valley, in the Sandhills area near Medicine Lake, and in the Big Dry Creek area near Jordan -- were put into place to reduce crop damage on private lands and help bring deer numbers within state population objectives. To help increase harvests, any legal resident or non-resident hunter may now participate in any of the hunts by using unfilled deer licenses or permits from the 2008 general season. In addition, up to five more antlerless Deer B licenses can be purchased by each hunter. All hunters participating in the special seasons are required to report each deer they harvest by calling FWP at (406) 228-3700, sending an e-mail to fwpr6gd@mt.gov , or sending written correspondence to Montana FWP, Region 6 Headquarters, 54078 U.S. Highway 2 West, Glasgow, MT 59230. To encourage their participation, non-resident licenses will be discounted to $20 after the purchase of the first antlerless Deer B license at the full price of $75. Montana residents can buy the extra Deer B licenses for $10 each. Maps of the management season areas and contact information for participating landowners are available at FWP offices or by calling (406)-228-3700. Additional details about each of these hunts: -- Milk River Valley between Nashua and Saco. This area includes portions of Hunting Districts 630 and 670. Only antlerless white-tailed deer may be
taken, and there is a harvest quota of 500 animals. Nearly all lands included in the Milk River hunt are privately owned. Permission must be gained either through Block Management Area sign-in boxes or through direct contact with landowners. At the latest, the hunt will end at one-half hour after sunset on Feb. 15, 2009. -- Sandhills area east of Medicine Lake. Only antlerless white-tailed deer may be taken in a portion of Hunting District 641. The open area includes the Sandhills and Nelson Farms Block Management Areas, Smith Farms, the Loren Henke property, portions of the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge and legally accessible state lands. A harvest quota of 200 animals has been established. This season also has been extended to Feb. 15, 2009 at the latest. -- Big Dry Creek east of Jordan. This hunt include portions Hunting Districts 652 and 700 in McCone and Garfield counties between U.S. Highway 200 and the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Jurisdiction over this hunt is shared with FWP Region 7, and only antlerless mule deer may be taken. The harvest quota is 200 animals. This season will also will run to Feb. 15, 2009, at the latest. In addition, state officials have approved the use of a limited number of “supplemental game damage” elk licenses for use on the private Koss Ranch in the Larb Hills south of Malta. The property lies in Hunting District 622. Hunters are being selected for the harvest through a roster, and the elk hunting there will not be open to the general public.
Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee Member Being Sought MFWP Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking a new Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee member for a three-year term. Applicants must have experience with OHV trails and be familiar with OHV riding in their geographic area. “We’re looking for a new committee member with a broad recreational trails background and a particular interest in off-highway vehicles and dirt bikes to ensure that the committee is balanced and represents a range of perspectives,” said Ray Paige, FWP motorized trails program specialist. The committee advises the agency on the distribution of approximately $200,000 in OHV Trails Program funds and various trails-related issues. Joe Maurier, FWP acting director, appoints Off Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee members. Members serve three-year terms and meet for one day, two or three times a year. Other committee participants include representatives of the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and FWP. To apply, send a letter or email including: 1) your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address if available, 2) a description of the trail activities you participate in and how often, keeping in mind that FWP is seeking individuals with an OHV-related recreational trails background, 3) your preference in OHV recreation: ATV, Dirt Bike, or both, 4) your involvement with trail projects and programs, 5) the names of trail organizations to which you belong, 6) other talents and experience you would bring to the committee, and 7) your philosophy and perspectives regarding motorized and non-motorized trail use. One of the main duties of an Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee member is to involve others in the trail planning process. Each committee member must be willing to have his name, address, phone number, and -email address listed on the official committee roll. Send applications may be sent to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, State Trails Programs, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701; or by e-mail: rpaige@mt. gov. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. March 31. For more information, call: 406- 444-7317.
FWP Removes Two Elk Exposed To Brucellosis MFWP M
FWPs officials removed two radio-collared cow elk from the population near Gardiner that recently tested positive for exposure to brucellosis. The two elk are among 29 fitted with GPS collars and tested for brucellosis in February of 2008 as part of ongoing elk research. The GPS collars, which contain nearly a full year of elk-movement information, are set to fall off the animals later this month. Researchers will retrieve each discarded collar. The elk range from the Dome Mountain Wildlife Management Area in the Paradise Valley in winter to south-central portions of Yellowstone National Park, where they spend most of the spring, summer and fall. The brucellosis test results were delivered last spring. “Our knowledge of brucellosis in these elk is derived from ongoing research that reveals the movement of the herd and the time of year elk can be expected to inhabit areas also used by domestic cattle,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP’s wildlife management bureau chief in Helena. “Based on the distribution of the two elk, our data suggested the animals could come into proximity or contact with livestock this winter or early spring so we removed them now,” Kujala said. Kujala noted that FWP’s elk research in southwestern Montana is striving to learn more about minimizing interactions between cattle and wildlife during critical late winter and spring months when the potential for brucellosis transmission is highest, and not targeting brucellosis-positive elk for removal. The concern stems from two different cattle herds in southwestern Montana that tested positive for brucellosis in 2007 and 2008. Test results from the National Veterinary Services suggested the brucellosis infection likely came from elk. Because two such cases of brucellosis were found in Montana within 12-months, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revoked Montana’s 23-yearold brucellosis-free status, requiring all Montana’s livestock producers to test most cattle a month before interstate shipment. Since 1981 FWP has tested nearly 7,000 elk for brucellosis exposure, mostly in the Greater Yellowstone Area north and west of Yellowstone National Park. The results of those tests show brucellosis exposure rates that range from 0 to 5.5 percent. Fewer than half of the elk that test positive for brucellosis exposure are actually infected with the disease.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 25
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Montana’s Bird Distribution Program Needs Your Help MFWP If you like bird watching, you can be a big help in preparing the 2011 edition of P.D. Skaar’s Montana Bird Distribution book series. The state’s bird distribution program is seeking help in collecting documented observations of birds. Volunteers in this statewide bird-tracking project will be able to preserve their observations in a database administered by MFWPs and Montana Natural Heritage Program. You can submit observations online at http://nhp.nris.state.mt.us/Tracker/, or on paper to Montana Bird Distribution, Montana Audubon, P.O. Box 595, Helena, MT, 59624. The latest edition of the Montana Bird Distribution book, published in 2003, documented 409 bird species in Montana. About 29 species appeared to be increasing and 27 appeared to be decreasing their distribution. This recordkeeping helps professionals and others to track the relative activity of bird species within the state, the degradation or removal of bird habitat, changes in birds’ migratory patterns, and changes in the mix of bird species found in the state. The Bird Records Committee reviews and verifies submissions. Those wishing to participate can submit their observations throughout the year for the next edition of the book to be published in 2010. For more information, visit the Montana Audubon Web page. Or, contact: Bryce Maxell, Montana Natural Heritage Program, 406-444-3655, bmaxell@mt.gov or FWP’s Catherine Wightman, 406-490-2329, cwightman@mt.gov .
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Missoula Trapper Education Class Set For Feb. 28 MFWP
Registration is now open for the annual trapper education class in west-central Montana, which will be held Saturday, February 28, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) office in Missoula. This will be the only trapper education course offered this year in west-central Montana, so all interested persons are urged to attend. To register for the course, stop by the FWP office on 3201 Spurgin Road in Missoula, or call FWP at 542-5500. In the course, Montana Trapper Association (MTA) instructors will emphasize trapper ethics, regulations, trapping heritage, and trap sets. Instructors will show actual trap sets and techniques. The class is offered by the MTA and is free of charge. Students of all ages are invited to attend, and an adult must accompany students under the age of 10. Students who complete the course receive a certification. The course is not mandatory for trappers but it is strongly recommended. For more information, call FWP at 542-5500 or Ed Hebbe III with MTA at 846-2304.
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Montana’s Becoming An Hunter Game- Outdoors Woman Harvest Survey Workshop Offered Is Underway MFWP MFWP Hooked on Ice Fishing 7&8 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Feb. Location: Middle Thompson Lake Parks’ annual game harvest survey is underway and the agency expects the phone survey to continue into early April. Surveyors have made about 20 percent of the necessary survey contacts so far. The hunter harvest survey is an essential part of the hunting season cycle. FWP wildlife biologists and managers use the information from the survey to estimate the annual wild game harvest and to recommend quotas for upcoming hunting seasons. FWP Wildlife Biometrician Robin Russell said that about 80,000 Montana households are generally contacted over the course of the survey. Survey interviewers collect information on big and small game including deer, elk, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, turkey and upland game birds.
Fee: $80 With modern gear, ice fishing is fun, safe and comfortable. This class is for beginning or intermediate anglers who want to learn the basics or improve their fishing skills. The workshop setting is a modern camp located on the shore of Middle Thompson Lake. The fee includes all fishing equipment, meals and overnight lodging. For more information and to register, provide your name and mailing address to the BOW coordinator at: FWPBOW, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620; call 406-444-2615; or e-mail Liz Lodman at: llodman@mt.gov . Registration forms are available on the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov under Beyond BOW.
26
• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
FEBRUARY 2009
Hidden Treasures: The Search For Sheds
BY BRODIE SWISHER
While the hunt for big game is over until the months of
RICH MARCELLA FOUND THIS WINTER KILL BULL ELK WHILE HORN HUNTING LAST SPRING. (THE BULL SCORED 376-7/8 NET).
BARRY MORPHEW, PHOTO SENT IN BY COLLIN GRIFFITHS & RICH WINTERS OF THIS GREAT BUCK SHOT IN EASTERN MONTANA
spring arrive, it’s now prime time for one of nature’s most exciting pursuits - the hunt for shed antlers. These dropped treasures can be found at any time throughout the year, however the months of late winter and early spring tend to produce the best results. There are a few basic steps to take in finding sheds but the true recipe for finding more bone is a watchful eye and a commitment to covering lots of ground in search of the prize. As mentioned, late winter and early spring are prime times for finding sheds. This is due largely in part that antlers are much easier to see in the snow, as well as prior to the re-growth of ground cover. Once the snow melts and the undergrowth comes on, optimal visibility diminishes quickly. To find a buck’s fallen headgear you must find where bucks like to hang out. This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s amazing how many would-be shed hunters hit the field in search of treasure without any method to their madness. Try and recall areas where you have seen bucks concentrate in the past. This could be food sources, travel corridors, bedding areas, etc. Depending on the territory, bucks may or may not winter in different areas than where they were hanging out earlier in the season. This is where the legwork comes in to play. You must put the miles in to find where those bucks are hanging out in the later winter months. I love to key in on trails leading to and from food sources and trailheads leading in and out of food plots or agriculture fields. These trailheads at the edges of fields can be a particularly ideal spot to pick up a shed if it has a fence around its border. A sudden jolt from jumping a fence is often all it takes for a buck to pop a loose horn off as he travels in and out of these fields. A creek or river crossing can have the same effect on helping a buck drop an antler. Big bucks tend to hang out in the thickest, nastiest cover they can crawl into. These tangled thickets are often just what it takes to pull a loose antler off a buck in the late season. So as your scouring the ground for bone, don’t neglect to look for antlers to be entangled in thickets at “horn-high” levels. Thickets, cattail swamps, and thick cover on south-facing slopes are ideal spots to find buck beds. Be sure to scour
these types of areas when you encounter them on the property you hunt. Developing an eye for antler is likely one of greatest elements of the pursuit. It’s amazing at how some guys can walk right by an antler protruding from the earth only to have their buddy walk the same trail and see it sticking out like a bump on a log. This past season I was with a couple of my buddies deep in the backcountry in pursuit of deer and elk. After a long, grueling climb up the side of a mountain we stopped to take a break on an old logging road. We stood around talking for five minutes before I looked down and spotted a matching set of mule deer sheds less than a yard from where the three of us had been standing. Learn to decipher the difference in a sun-bleached antler and a stick or brown blade of grass. Train your eye to see those subtle changes in the landscape and you’ll be on your way to finding more shed antlers. The beauty of antler hunting is that there is no need for lots of equipment. However, a quality pair of optics are priceless for the avid antler hunter. A good pair of binoculars will save a ton of steps as you can determine whether or not you’ve discovered a shed without having to walk all the way up or down a hill, or across a wide open field. Simply glass suspicious looking objects from a distance and then move on. Last year while hunting late season whitetail in the river-bottom, I watched as a parade of deer, including a young 2 ½ year old buck, went to feed in and around a farmer’s round bales of hay. The buck went in to the hay lot with both sides of his headgear, however when he left he was half the buck he used to be. While feasting on one of the hay bales, the buck hung his left antler in the bale, popping it loose. On that mid-January day, as I watched that half-racked buck walk away I knew that while hunting season was drawing to a close, in a way it was just beginning. It was time to close the books on a season past and open a new chapter on the season to come. Finding the treasured antlers of animal that made it through hunting season keeps us longing for next season when we’ll once again pursue the prize. Brodie Swisher is a world champion game caller, outdoor writer, and seminar speaker. See his website at www.BroOutdoors.com.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 27
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Merrell Vert Jacket
Recommend Yes...Buy Highlights: We live the outdoor life style here at Montana Test. It helps that we make our home in Big Sky country. We look for the appropriate casual outdoor clothing to wear and test, so we can tell you what we found. Merrell may not be the first name that you think about, but we have found they have some outstanding casual wear for your days away from the field. We tested four products, Vert Jacket, Big Sky Jacket, Connect Long Sleeve Shirt, and Cornice pant. The Vert Jacket is two jackets in one and looks great; I have received a bunch of compliments when wearing it. The jacket is Merrell Opti-Shell™ fabric, waterproof and breathable, pit-zip venting, removable hood, and good deep pockets everywhere. The Opti-Warm™ is water-resistant, has 60 grams of insulation in the liner jacket, and an adjustable drawcord hem. Included is Velcro® adjustable wrist closures on the shell and elasticized cuffs on the insulator jacket. As I mentioned before this is two jackets in one, fits, wears, and looks great. Drawbacks: None Rating: Good Water...Great Tester: Pat Stinson Suggested Retail: $249.00
Connect Long Sleeve Shirt
Recommend Yes...Buy Highlights: I was not quite sure what to think of the Connect Long Sleeve shirt when it arrived to test. It is incredibly lightweight, a crew neck and made from Cocona™ fabric, which are materials with carbonized coconut shells, left over from the food industry. The Cocona™ is 100 polyester wicks moisture and odor resistant and has 50 UPF protections. I cannot believe all this technology goes into the Connect. From a practical standpoint, the shirt fits and wears like iron, I wore it all summer. The Connect offers Dark Olive, Storm, and Scarlet colors. I tested the Scarlet this summer and continued to wear it through the fall. Drawbacks: None Rating: Good Water...Great Tester: Pat and Chris Stinson Suggested Retail: $49.00
Crocs™ Footwear
Recommend Yes...Buy Highlights: You have seen these everywhere and may own a pair and be wearing them right now. Crocs™ a simple piece of footwear that has taken the country by the toes. You might think that we have lost our way reviewing a seemingly non-hunting or fishing product. Chris, my son and a full-time fishing guide wore them all summer and kept telling me they where great. I am too sophisticated to fall for a simple piece of rubber footwear, until I started to wear them myself and found out how comfortable they are. Originally designed as a simple boating shoe, they have expanded into snow boots, wool-lined, and camouflage. I could tell you all the technologic advancement they incorporate, but the shoes are just too simple. This is not a negative, just the plain truth. We received the Ace boating show, with adjustable Velcro heel strap, the women and children’s Nadia lined snow boot, and men’s fleeced lined Mossy Oak™ Mammoth. All testers love their Crocs™ and to my surprise I wear mine all the time. Drawbacks: None Rating: Good Water...Great Tester: All Suggested Retail: $39.99 to $49.99
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
FEBRUARY 2009
Rocky Mountain States Colorado Wildlife Commission Approves Big Game Season Dates And Regulations for 2009-2010 T
he Colorado Wildlife Commission approved big game season regulations for the 2009 seasons. These regulations include annual big game hunting season dates, the application and drawing process, Game Management Unit boundaries, manner of take provisions and other management policies for deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, moose and bear. In addition, limited license numbers were finalized for bighorn sheep and mountain goat. Several of the changes made for the 2009 big game seasons will provide additional opportunity for hunters. Moose hunting will take place on the Grand Mesa for the first time during the upcoming season. This opportunity was made possible by a moose transplant operation that began in 2005. Using sportsmens’ dollars and with support from Safari Club International, moose from Utah were transplanted to the Grand Mesa. The current moose population on the Grand Mesa is estimated to be between 120-150 animals. In addition, all successful moose hunters in all moose units in the state are now required to complete a mandatory check of their harvested moose at a Division office. While ewe bighorn sheep hunting will be suspended in the Pikes Peak Data Analysis Unit S-26 (west of Colorado Springs) and Dome Rock Data Analysis Unit S-46 (near Gunnison), new bighorn sheep units were established in Glenwood Canyon (east of Glenwood Springs) and the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Area (north of Steamboat Springs) providing additional opportunity for bighorn sheep hunters this coming year. The bighorn sheep population in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Area is the result of a transplant operation that took place in 2005. Sportmens’ dollars and support from the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society helped move 40 Bighorn sheep from the Forbs Trinchera Ranch to the area. The population has grown to 55. A white-tailed deer only season was established in Data Analysis Unit D-46, increasing the deer hunting opportunity on the southeastern plains. Youth hunting and late season pronghorn hunting was expanded in Data Analysis Units PH-5, PH-6, PH-7 and PH-8 (southeastern plains), including the establishment of a new December hunt. Youths with an unfilled doe or either-sex pronghorn license will be allowed to use their license to hunt during the new December season in these DAUs. Seniors who receive a free fishing license will now be exempt from paying a
fee for big game preference points the following year. As a result of a citizen petition, the Commission extended the shed antler collection closure in the upper Gunnison River basin. Shed antler collection on public lands in GMUs 54, 55, 551, 66 and 67 is closed from January 1 through March 14 annually. In addition, the existing closure of March 15 through May 15 has been modified, and will only be in effect from legal sunset through 10:00 am during that period. The Commission implemented an experimental season-choice antlerless deer license in GMUs 91, 92 and 96 (in the northeast portion of the state), which will allow a license holder to continue to use their license through all applicable seasons in those units until the license is filled. Season dates and manner of take restrictions will still continue to apply. The Commission voted to change the season dates for late season Private Land Only elk licenses in Game Management Unit 61 (north of Nucla) to Dec. 19 to Jan. 17. The decision to make the season later in the year was based upon public comment received by the Commission. Division of Wildlife staff presented the Commission with information relative to the Five-Year Review of Big Game Season Structure. The Commission directed staff to further develop several ideas which would allow hunters to buy more “additional” licenses for the same species and extending the validity of an unfilled license into an additional season. Public testimony was also heard by the Commission. Division of Wildlife staff presented the Commission with draft regulations pertaining to the state listing status of the bald eagle. Final regulations to delist the bald eagle as a state threatened species will be voted on by the Commission at the March meeting. The Wildlife Commission and the Colorado Agriculture Commission held a joint meeting Tuesday morning in an effort to discuss important issues to both agencies. The topics included feral hogs, oil and gas regulations and game damage issues. To review the season dates and other big game regulations approved by the Commission for 2009 please visit: http:// wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeCommission/ Archives/2009/January122009.htm
MIKE RAMOS - PHOTO RICH WINTERS
Spring Steelhead Season Opens Don’t forget to buy a 2009 the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery weir, near the fishing license and steelhead permit before town of Stanley. heading out on New Year’s Day. The spring steelhead season runs through April 30, with three exceptions. On the Little Salmon River the season runs through May 15; on the Salmon River from Lake Creek Bridge to Long Tom Creek, about a quarter mile upstream of the Middle Fork, the season ends March 31; and on the Snake River from Hells Canyon Dam upstream to Oxbow Dam, and on the Boise River upstream to Barber Dam, the season ends May 31. Steelhead are in the Boise River only when stocked by Idaho Fish and Game. This year about 1,000 steelhead were stocked in the river. Barbless hooks are not required in the Boise River, but anglers must have a steelhead permit to fish for and keep steelhead, which are rainbow trout longer than 20 inches with a clipped adipose fin. The spring steelhead limit is three fish per day, nine in possession and 20 for the season. Once limits are reached, the angler must stop fishing - even catch-and-release. Anglers must have a valid Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit. Steelhead anglers may use only barbless hooks, and may keep only hatchery steelhead marked with a clipped adipose fin. All other steelhead must be released unharmed immediately. Open waters for steelhead are: * Salmon River from its mouth to the posted boundary 100 yards downstream of
* Little Salmon River from its mouth to the U.S. Highway 95 bridge near Smokey Boulder Road. * Snake River from the Washington state line at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream to Hells Canyon Dam. * Clearwater River mainstem and Middle Fork Clearwater River from its mouth to Clear Creek. * North Fork Clearwater River from its mouth to Dworshak Dam. * South Fork Clearwater River from its mouth to the confluence of American and Red Rivers. * Boise River from its mouth to the Barber Dam. In the boundary waters on the Snake River between Idaho and Oregon or Washington, an angler with a valid 2009 Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit may fish where the river forms the boundary between Idaho and Oregon or Washington, but may not fish from the shoreline, including wading, and may not fish in sloughs or tributaries on the Oregon or Washington side. An angler may have only the limit allowed by one license regardless of the number of licenses the angler holds. Consult 2008-2009 fishing rules brochure for exceptions and special restrictions. For more information on steelhead fishing in Idaho, check the Fish and Game Website http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 29
Rocky Mountain States Apply For A Hunting ‘Legend’ Gets $10,000 In Fines, 2009 Big Game Hunting Permit 4,500 Hours Community Service Kirt Darner, a former outfitter multiple charges related to the possession If you enjoy hunting big and owner of a private northwestern New of two trophy bighorn sheep heads and game in Utah, the time you’ve waited Mexico elk hunting park, was sentenced to $10,000 in fines and 4,500 hours of community service for illegally transporting elk and receiving stolen bighorn sheep heads. Cibola County District Judge Camille Martinez-Olguin also ordered Darner to pay an undetermined amount of restitution to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and a taxidermy business in Montrose, Colo., where the sheep heads were stolen. Olguin ordered Darner to serve 25 weeks of community service a year for 4 1⁄2 years -- 4,500 hours -- in Colorado and New Mexico. “Mr. Darner has learned that we will not tolerate people trying to profit by stealing wildlife that belongs to the citizens of New Mexico,” Cibola County District Attorney Lemuel Martinez said. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute these types of crimes.” Darner, 69, pleaded guilty to the charges in June 2008. He faced a maximum penalty of 4 1⁄2 years in jail and a minimum of $10,000 in fines and restitution. In a plea agreement accepted by Judge Martinez-Olguin, Darner also agreed never to hunt, fish or possess a firearm in his lifetime. The investigation involved close cooperation among the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Kirt Darner, a nationally known big-game hunter and guide, and his wife, Paula Darner, were co-owners of a 40-acre game park on the Lobo Canyon Ranch north of Grants. They were indicted on
the illegal transport of stolen live elk. The Darners were accused of illegally moving three state-owned elk from the Lobo Canyon Ranch to the Pancho Peaks ranch and game park in southeastern New Mexico in 2005. Kirt Darner was paid $5,000 for each elk. Department of Game and Fish officers who executed a search warrant at the Darner property in 2005 discovered a desert bighorn sheep head and a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep head inside a vehicle. Further examination of the heads determined that they were stolen from a Montrose, Colo., taxidermy shop in 2000. The Colorado Division of Wildlife had offered a $5,500 reward for information about the sheep-head thefts. At the time they were stolen, the sheep heads were estimated to be worth more than $20,000 each. At Monday’s sentencing hearing, a Colorado Division of Wildlife investigator testified that a former employee of Darner’s admitted to being paid to steal the sheep heads. Previously, in Colorado, Darner was convicted of illegal possession of wildlife in 1994. In 1999 he was convicted of second degree tampering with evidence and careless driving in an incident in which he was serving as an outfitter. Division of Wildlife officers observed Darner’s client shoot at an elk decoy in a game management unit for which the client didn’t have a license. In 2008, Darner pleaded guilty to making a false statement in order to purchase a license. He had applied for landowner vouchers with the Department of Wildlife, but did not own enough property to be eligible for the program.
Bighorn Sheep From Montana Get New Homes In Utah UDWR The cheers came as the crowd Augusta, Montana. The biologists then watched the sheep leap from trailers that transported them roughly 800 miles to brought them from Montana to their new home in northeastern Utah. Biologists with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) released the sheep in the Avintaquin unit, an area southwest of Duchesne. The 10 bighorn rams and 50 ewes and lambs were captured earlier near
their new home. Greenwood said the DWR, the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. - Forest Service and the Ute Indian Tribe are among the groups that made the release possible.
for since last year’s hunting season ended is here. You can now apply for a permit to hunt big game animals in Utah in 2009. “Big game hunting in Utah is very popular with people across the country,” says Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “We expect to receive more than 230,000 applications this year.” You can apply for a 2009 permit at www.wildlife.utah.gov now. Your application must be received through the Web site no later than 11 p.m. on Feb. 26 to be entered in the draw for permits. If you have questions or need help completing your application, please call any DWR office before 6 p.m. on Feb. 26.
A mountain goat on the Tushar Mountains
Results of the 2009 Utah Big Game Draw will be available by April 30. Applying for a point If you’re not going to hunt in 2009, you can still apply for a bonus point or a preference point. These points increase the chance that you’ll draw a permit the next time you apply. You can start applying for a point now. Your application for a point must be received through www. wildlife.utah.gov no later than 11 p.m. on March 9. Please remember that you must have a hunting license or a combination license to apply for a point or a hunting permit.
Time To Apply For A Spring Turkey Tag H
ere is a quick hunting quiz: What challenging Nevada game bird can fly up to 60 miles an hour and has eyesight and hearing sharp enough to spot hunters from great distances? Not sure? Does the phrase “gobble, gobble” help? That’s right; one of the toughest game birds in Nevada is actually the wild turkey. Craig Mortimore, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) game biologist, points to several attributes that make the turkey such a formidable target. “They possess all the skills necessary to evade a hunter,” said Mortimore. “They can achieve flight of up to 60 miles an hour. They are exceptionally fast runners. They have excellent eyesight and tremendously good hearing. They usually group in large numbers and are very difficult to entice within gun range.” With Spring Wild Turkey season opening March 25, hunters are reminded to pick up an application as soon as possible to avoid the last minute sprint to the post office. Applications for the spring wild turkey tag draw are available at
license agents, NDOW offices and on the internet at www.ndow.org. Online applications are available at www.huntnevada.com except for the Paradise Valley of Humboldt County hunt. Completed paper applications must mailed to Wildlife Administrative Services by 5 p.m. on Feb. 17. Hand delivered applications will not be accepted. While challenging, Mortimore points out that the benefits at the table definitely outweigh the challenges in the field. “Those that are successful in obtaining a turkey are rewarded with some fantastic table fare. This is definitely not a Butterball right out of the freezer.” Wild turkeys were first introduced to Nevada in 1960, but the program was not successful until the late 1980s when NDOW began releasing the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkey. Mortimore reports that from those humble beginnings turkeys are now well established in eight counties in Nevada.
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
WILDLIFE MANAGER SHAWN WAGNER, THE OFFICER ON THIS CASE, SHOWN WITH THE BULL ELK IN THE MEADOW WHERE IT WAS KILLED.
Winter Fishing Is Plentiful In Idaho IF&G Despite fishing closing on There are some notable exceptions: some streams for the winter, most lakes, Winter stream season runs from ponds and reservoirs and some rivers and streams are open all year. In some parts of the state it gets cold enough for ice-fishing. Anglers must use their own discretion when deciding whether or not the ice is thick enough for ice-fishing. Four inches of solid ice - not mushy or porous - is generally considered safe for anglers. Early season ice anglers should check ice before walking far from shore. Drill a hole and measure thickness. Fish with a partner, take extra dry clothes and take a throw rope along just in case. The last reservoirs to form safe ice are those on the main stem Bear and Snake rivers. Anglers should wait until later in the winter to fish these. Anglers also should pay attention to weather trends. If the weather warms up, ice may become less safe for fishing. Man-made structures used to transport water for irrigation or hydro-power are open all year. Small, unnamed irrigation diversion ponds, beaver ponds and mill ponds have the same season as the river or stream on which they are located. But many rivers and streams are closed during the winter, opening Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through November 30. In 2009 that means they open May 23.
December 1 to March 31. Trout is catch-and-release only. Whitefish and brook trout may be taken during winter stream seasons. Fishing gear or bait restrictions that apply to a river or stream section during the general season also apply during the winter stream season. See regional exceptions in the 2009 fishing rules book for waters open to winter stream fishing. Family fishing waters are open all year. These water and simplified rules are designed to be easy to use and provide settings for a great fishing trip for families, kids and first-time anglers. The limit is six trout and six bass, with no limit on other species. No length limits and standard fishing gear includes the use of a hook and line to catch fish. May also include the use of a rod and reel. Spring steelhead season runs through April 30, on the Salmon, Snake, and Clearwater rivers, with some exceptions. On the Salmon River from Lake Creek Bridge to Long Tom Creek, about a quarter mile upstream of the Middle Fork, the season ends March 31. On the Little Salmon River the season runs through May 15. On the Snake River from Hells Canyon Dam upstream to Oxbow Dam, and on the Boise River the season ends May 3
Michigan Man Assessed $14,995 For Killing Trophy Elk Near Homes Michael J. Malik, a
Michigan resident, appeared before the Arizona Game and Fish Commission at its December meeting in Casa Grande for shooting a trophy-quality, 7x7 bull elk too close to residential property without landowner permission. After hearing his statement, the commission voted to civilly assess Malik $14,995 for the state’s loss of the 408-point, velvet-antlered elk. The commission also revoked his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges in Arizona for five years, and he must successfully complete a hunter education course prior to having his license privileges restored. The commission’s action to revoke Malik’s license for five years has far-reaching implications. Arizona is a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact with 32 other states, including all western states and Malik’s home state of Michigan. Until his license privileges are restored in Arizona, he will not be able to legally hunt in any of those 32 states. Malik paid $135,000 at an auction for Arizona’s 2006-07 “ special” elk tag at a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation annual convention.
FEBRUARY 2009 Special tag holders have the added privilege of pursuing their designated big game for one full year. In the early hours of July 26, 2007, Malik, assisted by four companions, including Arizona elk guide John McClendon, shot, wounded and eventually killed the bull in a privately owned meadow in the Morgan Flat area east of Pinetop. While on patrol, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s wildlife manager in Unit 3B, Shawn Wagner, heard the initial shot and responded to investigate. He found the Malik hunting party and wounded bull in close proximity to several occupied houses where the property owners were upset with Malik hunting and shooting near their homes. Wagner determined the homeowners had not been approached nor had they granted permission for Malik to hunt on their property. Wagner seized the bull and cited Malik for shooting violations. Shooting a firearm within a quarter-mile of an occupied building while taking wildlife without permission from the owner is a Class 2 Misdemeanor. After several pre-trial conferences and continuances, Malik was found guilty in the Pinetop Justice Court on Aug. 29, 2008, of discharging a firearm within the quarter-mile limit of occupied residences while taking elk. The criminal conviction authorized the commission to take civil action against Malik. “This incident is more a private property and public safety violation than it is a wildlife crime. The court and commission decisions are a strong reminder to all hunters about the importance of hunter awareness and safety and respecting the rights of private property owners and rural residents,” says Jim Hinkle, law enforcement program manager at the department’s Pinetop office. The department donated the edible portions of the elk carcass to Shepherd’s Kitchen, a charitable organization in Snowflake. The antlers and cape remain in custody of the department pending the outcome of an appeal to the Pinetop Justice Court decision by Malik.
FEBRUARY 2009
Elk Foundation Leads Bailout On Quarter-million Acres RMEF In a year remembered for economic woes, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation led a bullish 2008 bailout that protected or enhanced more than a quarter-million acres of habitat for elk and other wildlife. Without the stewardship effort, those lands would have spiraled into weed-choked meadows, overgrown forests, developments or other forms of elk-country bankruptcy. The 2008 totals bring the Elk Foundation’s lifetime conservation impact to over 5.5 million acres. “We had a great year, especially when you consider the economic climate,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We funded 456 different projects, mostly habitat projects in elk states, as well as education and hunting heritage projects across the nation. In all, 40 states benefitted from the efforts of our volunteers and supporters.” Land protection projects, such as a land swap that added thousands of acres of elk habitat to the state forest system in Washington, impacted 99,348 acres. Habitat enhancement projects like weed treatments, forest thinning and prescribed burns touched another 161,551 acres. Combined acres totaled 260,899. Education and hunting heritage projects helped over 200,000 students and adults learn more about conservation and America’s sporting heritage.
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 31 Continue To Your
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e-mail: neetseet@libby.org • www.neetkart.com A few RMEF highlights from 2008:
•Launched a multi-year project to rejuvenate 4,200 acres of aspen in Idaho’s Swan Valley.
•Brokered a land swap in Washington’s central Cascades that conserved and secured public access on 61,578 acres of elk habitat.
•Completed forest thinning to improve elk forage on 1,194 acres in the Santa Fe National Forest of New Mexico.
•Began construction on new Elk Country Visitor Center in north-central Pennsylvania.
•Opened for public access and protected 2,800 acres of elk habitat in Wyoming’s Big Horn Mountains. •Helped re-seed 590 acres of reclaimed mining lands to native grasses and forbs in Kentucky’s elk range. •Completed a conservation easement protecting 4,119 acres of elk calving grounds near Dolores, Colo. •Protected 500 acres as part of a multi-year 2,400-acre habitat project in the Black Hills of South Dakota. •Repaired wildfire-damaged water tanks in Arizona’s Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. •Helped complete a land acquisition that protected 640 acres of elk habitat in Pigeon River State Forest in Michigan.
•Continued research to determine feasibility of elk restoration project at Grasslands Ecological Area within California’s San Joaquin Valley. •Acquired and conveyed to Bureau of Land Management nearly 200 acres of private in-holdings in Goshute Canyon Wilderness in Nevada. Another 100 acres •Acquired and conveyed to U.S. Forest Service 100 acres of private in-holdings in Montana’s famed Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit. The Elk Foundation finished 2008 with over 150,000 members and 10,000 volunteers. Along with hundreds of partners, supporters and donors, the organization is entering 2009—the year of RMEF’s 25th Anniversary—with energy and enthusiasm, said Allen.
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
B
illings was the destination for Wayne Knudson, Berny Croy and I in January as we headed over the mountains to go to the annual Great Rockies Sport Show. We represented our statewide Montana Outdoor Radio Show, but the trip was also a matter of satisfying our curiosity. I was curious to see the effects of what has been a troubling time for the economy in both our state and across the nation. How would the crowds be at this annual affair? How would it affect outdoor recreation? What did people of Eastern Montana think? “It looks like our attendance has remained strong but I don’t have any final numbers yet,” said Bill Rieir, Jr., the shows founder and manager on Sunday, “Friday looked to be a little slower but Saturday’s attendance was strong.” The exhibitors that I spoke with on the Sunday of the show also seemed to be upbeat and happy with the turnout for the show. I can also tell you that from the hundreds of listeners that stopped by our booth to say hi and purchase a few things, that the doom and gloom of the economy never came up. Maybe it was the spring-like weather that Billings had over that weekend with sun and highs in the 60’s. But it may also have had to do with the notion that hunting and fishing is why we all live in Montana and no matter how bad things get we can still enjoy the outdoors. Or, perhaps, maybe things are not quite as bad as the media would like us all to believe.
FEBRUARY 2009
The Great Rockies Sport Shows
2009 Spring Mack Days $45,000 in Cash & Prizes Available
Mark Ward
your Spring Mack Days fishing strategies. Spring Mack Days will begin March 13th and end April 26th. The 2009 Spring Event will again be held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Mack Days Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is sanctioned by Montana FW&Parks. The fishing events are designed by fisheries managers to be used as a tool to gradually decrease the non-native lake trout population and restore the balance in the fishery of Flathead Lake by increasing the native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout numbers. One fish is all it takes to win one of the cash lottery prizes. The lottery drawing will feature 25 cash awards from $1,000-$200. Total cash awards given in all the different categories will be over $20,000. The top angler category will include awards for the top new- 10 anglers ($650-$200). The best 12 day totals of the 21 day event will determine the top anglers. We will have a “Ladies Only” category with prizes of $300-1st, $200 & $100-drawing. Ladies qualify by entering 20 or more lake trout. The largest live lake trout over 36” & 24#’s will win $500-1st & $100-2nd and the popular smallest lake trout will have (2) $250 prizes. The four “Captains Prizes” will be $250 each. Anglers will win cash in the bonuses, and tagged fish categories also. There are over 1000 lake trout with tags worth $100-$5,000. During 2008 Fall Mack Days a total of 23 tagged lake trout were turned in with values from $100$500. As you bring in your lake trout, they will be scanned for an internal tag. These tags are not visible; they are inserted into the muscle of the fish. The adipose fin on these fish has been clipped. If you catch a fish with a fin clip it will be helpful if you rubber band or use an electrical tie to mark it. Do not remove any tag before turning in a tagged fish. Be aware that anglers will sometimes mark fish if they
Whatever the reason, it was a good show with a wide range of exhibitors displaying their products and services. You could book a hunting trip to Africa or New Zealand or a hunting or fishing trip to Canada or to destinations right here in Montana. If you wanted to learn how to scuba dive or fly fish or even learn how to apply for a job to be a Border Patrol Agent you were in the right place. Attendees could find out how to buy an attachment for their ATV that turned it into a game retriever that the inventors call “Horse in a Bag.” The Trails End Ranch from Ekalaka was there looking to sign up young men and women for this summer to serve God and minister to America’s Youth. You could learn more about the weather by stopping by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration booth. Of course the latest models of boats, RV’s, ATV’s, and hunting and fishing gear was also represented and Frank Addington thrilled his show audience as he shot a baby aspirin thrown up in the air with an arrow. The next stop for the Great Rockies Sport Show in Montana will be in Great Falls Feb. 6-8 and then the final show will take place in Kalispell February 27-28 and March 1. Many of the exhibitors and seminars will also be presented at these Great Rockies Shows. For more information, log onto www.greatrockiesshows.com
Mark Ward is known as the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show heard statewide every Saturday from 6am - 8am. Log onto www.montanaoutdoor.com to find a radio station in your area. You can also read his weekly column in the Thursday Missoulian Outdoor section.
CYNTHIA BRAS-BENSON
Lake Trout AnglersIt is time to begin thinking about
are jigging in the same spot all day, so not every marked fish has a tag. $10,000-$30,000 in bonus payouts will be given to anglers with the amount depending on the total harvest. Everyone entering 20 or more lake trout under 30” in the event wins. (0-19 lake trout=$0, 20-30=$25, 31-60=$45, 61-100=$90, 101-150=$145, 151-200=$190, 201250=$245, 251-300=$300, 301-350=$350, 351-400=$410, 401-450=$460, 451-500=$520, 501-550=$570 & on up) April 26th will be the last day of the event. All lake trout caught on Sunday April 26th are to be turned in at Salish Point in Polson-behind the Kwataqnuk Resort- between 9:00 and 4:00. Pick up times on all other event days are Blue Bayall day, Somers-7:00 p.m. only, Polson (Salish Pt.)-7:00 p.m. only. The largest lake trout category ends on Saturday April 25th. The last day will be a totally separate day for the drawing but will count for top angler, bonuses, and tagged fish. You will qualify for four prizes of $300, $200, $50, & $50 plus the heaviest fish under 30” wins $200 and second will be for $100. The lake-side fish fry will be held at Salish Point in Polson and begin at 4:00 and awards will start at 5:00. No entries will be taken after 4:00. Anglers are reminded that it is illegal to target or harvest bull trout or to harvest westslope cutthroat trout in Flathead Lake. Please be sure to know how to identify these fish. Contact us for information about identification and releasing of these fish. For more information or to be placed on our mailing list you can reach us at 883-2888-Cindy Bras-Benson ex. 7294 or Barry Hansen ex. 7282-or visit our website at www.mackdays.com for rules, fishing tips, boat safety, etc. We remind everyone to think safety first and to be aware of weather conditions at all times. During the event our telephone # at Blue Bay is 406-982-3142 or cell #406-270-3386.
Sportsmen’s Group Helps Improve Fishing Access MFWP A greatly improved fishing ofto refurbish Walleyes Unlimited paid for materials dock will greet anglers this spring on an additional dock recycled Smith Lake west of Kalispell. The Flathead Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited contributed funds to add a refurbished dock that, along with the existing dock, will more than double opportunity for anglers at this popular lake. Chancy Jeschke and Frank Danner were the project leaders for FWU. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Fisheries Manager Jim Vashro notes that Smith Lake is one of the few places where shore anglers can catch perch and pike, but the existing dock was very overcrowded. The Flathead Chapter
from Whitefish State Park and add a T-extension at the end, more than doubling the number of anglers who can take advantage of the dock. The existing dock will accommodate wheelchairs. “This is the kind of project that benefits everyone that likes to fish,” says Vashro. “These docks especially provide good fishing opportunities for kids and people with disabilities. We really appreciate the Flathead Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited helping to expand fishing opportunity in the valley.”
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 33
Winter Conditions Bode Well For Wildlife, So Far IF&G
N
ative wildlife, such as deer and elk, have endured the rugged climate of eastern Idaho for thousands of years, so it’s evident that they are capable of surviving if left on their own. The tricky part of the equation is that modern man has affected their population numbers and habitat to such an extent that biologists must keep a close tab on the animals, the weather and the habitat to make sure that no significant change goes unnoticed. When extreme circumstances do occur, such as last year’s harsh winter, humans want to help by feeding wildlife. But numerous factors must be considered when discussing winter feeding, with money and manpower being among the most significant. Many people are unaware of the undertaking a feeding operation needs to be, or the costs involved in relation to the benefits received by the individual animal. In the Upper Snake Region during the winter of 2008, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, with the aid of numerous volunteers,
fed about 1,500 deer and 250 elk at locations scattered across the region. In the Arco area, hay was provided to about 350 pronghorn. “We ended up feeding elk 47 tons of hay in Swan Valley and Teton Valley and 65 tons of deer pellets everywhere else in the region,” landowner sportsman coordinator Russ Knight said. The cost of feeding hay and pellets was nearly $32,000; the manpower and materials expenses added another $44,000; volunteers donated time worth more than $7,000. The total cost of feeding $76,000. What did all of this money and time buy? The exact answer will never be known because of all the variables involved. Fawn survival was equally dismal on the Sand Creek Desert where feeding occurred, as it was in the Teton Canyon where no feeding was conducted because of extreme logistical problems. To manage wildlife as responsibly as possible, Fish and Game personnel are constantly monitoring animal condition, habitat quality, and weather related factors. This information
is provided to citizen volunteer winter feeding committees for each region. The committees use locally based criteria to make decisions regarding whether or not to begin feeding operations. A number of years ago, to ensure funds would be available for feeding, an account that can be used only for winter feeding was created by the Legislature. It places 75 cents from each deer, elk and antelope tag into the account to buy feed and materials to help prevent wildlife damage to agricultural interests. Feed is already on hand for this year should the conditions justify feeding. To help keep the public informed about winter wildlife conditions, the Upper Snake Region sends out to the news media a conditions status report each week or whenever significant changes occur. Members of the public can receive direct e-mail updates by contacting glosinski@idfg.idaho.gov and typing winter feeding in the subject box of a blank e-mail.
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Frequently Asked Questions: Gray Wolf Delisting IF&G Q. When will wolves be removed from the federal Endangered Species list? A. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced that it will delist wolves in the Northern Rockies. Wolves in Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and a small portion of northwest Utah will be delisted. The entire state of Wyoming, however, will retain federal Endangered Species Act protections for wolves. The decision is scheduled to take effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register. Q. Are wolves recovered in the northern Rocky Mountains? A. Yes. U.S. Fish and Wildlife concluded that the northern Rockies wolf population is recovered and can be delisted. The numeric recovery goal was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs and 300 wolves in the three-state region. At the end of 2008, there were about 1,500 wolves in the region. A second aspect of the recovery goal is that the three wolf populations in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming make up a larger regional population where wolves have the ability to disperse and travel throughout the region to join existing packs or start new packs. This assures genetic diversity, especially given that Idaho’s and Montana’s wolf populations connect
with much larger wolf populations in Canada and Alaska. Successful dispersal and mixing of wolves from different parts of the region and with wolves north of the international border assures that loss of genetic diversity will not be a problem in the future. Q. Will this wolf recovery decision be challenged in federal court? A. Yes, state and federal officials expect a court challenge. Q. How many wolves are there in Idaho and the northern Rocky Mountains? A. Idaho is committed to maintaining a secure, recovered population and will manage for 500 or more wolves. At the end of 2008, tentative numbers estimate a minimum of about 824 wolves inhabited Idaho in 88 packs, 38 of which were classified as breeding a pair and had at least two pups survive until December 31. Preliminary estimates for 2008 suggest the population will be about 13 percent higher than 2007 levels. Q. Who will be responsible for managing Idaho’s wolves in Idaho after delisting? A. Idaho Fish and Game is the lead agency for wolf conservation and management in Idaho.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services will be responsible for investigating injured or dead livestock to determine whether wolves were responsible. Wildlife Services will also continue to assist Idaho Fish and Game with resolving wolf-livestock conflicts through lethal and nonlethal methods. The Nez Perce Tribe has an agreement with Idaho to assist in monitoring wolves in a part of the state. Wolves on reservation lands will be managed under authority of the respective tribes. Q. What will this responsibility cost? A. Fish and Game estimates that wolf conservation and management will cost between $900,000 and $1.2 million per year. No single source of funding has been identified and Idaho expects to use a combination of sources, including wolf hunting tag sales. Fish and Game will continue working with the Idaho congressional delegation to maintain federal funding. National interest in conserving popular species like wolves and grizzly bears also brings with it a national responsibility to help fund their management. Q. Can Idaho change its plan and state laws after delisting? A. U.S. Fish and Wildlife would review any significant changes to Idaho’s laws, administrative rules or wolf management plan to determine whether such changes would jeopardize maintenance of a recovered population and warrant relisting under the Endangered Species Act. Q. What is the role of the federal government after delisting? A. Each state is required to report the population status annually to U.S. Fish and Wildlife for at least five years. The federal agency will also examine how each state carries out its management plan and implements its respective state laws and regulations. Q. What is a Status Review, and what triggers it? A. A “status review” is when U.S. Fish and Wildlife evaluates the potential threats to a species’ long-term survival. This is done periodically while there are ongoing efforts to recover a rare or imperiled species. A status review could be triggered if the number of wolves and breeding pairs drops below acceptable minimum levels. The status review also could determine what corrective actions are required to reverse the declines. Q. Under what circumstances could wolves be relisted under the ESA? A. In general, three scenarios would lead U.S. Fish and Wildlife to initiate a status review and analysis of threats to determine if relisting was warranted, including: 1) If the wolf population falls below wolf population recovery levels of 100 wolves and 10 breeding pairs in Idaho, Montana or Wyoming. 2) If the wolf population in Idaho, Montana or Wyoming falls below 150 wolves or 15 breeding pairs in any of the states for three consecutive years. 3) If a change in state law or management objectives would significantly increase the threat to the wolf population.
FEBRUARY 2009 A federal judge or US Fish and Wildlife could also relist the northern Rockies gray wolf population in response to legal challenges. See the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website for additional information: http://westerngraywolf.fws.gov Q. What’s going to change in Idaho after delisting? A. Upon delisting, the line separating the endangered area north of Interstate 90 and the experimental area south of the interstate will no longer exist. Idaho would have one legal classification of wolves as big game animals statewide, which offers wildlife protections under state law. Under this state law, wolves could only be purposely killed legally under four conditions: “ Legal hunting or trapping during an official season authorized by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission. “ If seen killing or threatening to kill (biting, wounding, harassing, chasing, attacking or molesting) livestock. “ To protect human life. “ As authorized by Idaho Fish and Game to resolve wolf-livestock conflicts. Q. How will decisions about problem wolves be made? A. When wolves are delisted state law and administrative rules will automatically replace federal regulations. Fish and Game decisions to resolve wolf-livestock conflicts would be based on the state’s federally approved Wolf Population Management Plan and administrative rules adopted by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission in 2008. The plan and administrative rules outline an incremental management approach guided by wolf numbers, the location of conflicts, depredation history of the pack, potential for additional losses, and pack size. Fish and Game will continue to rely on USDA Wildlife Services’ investigations of injured or dead livestock suspected to be wolf-related. Q. What about Idaho’s wolf hunting or trapping season? A. Wolf hunting could occur in 2009, but only if delisting becomes effective and only if the Idaho Fish and Game Commission establishes a 2009 season according to the approved wolf population management plan. The timing of actual license sales is unknown but would depend on delisting and legal challenges. The commission would set limits on the total number of wolves that could be taken by hunters within each of the 12 wolf management units. Limits would be tracked by requiring successful hunters to report their harvest within 72 hours. When a management unit limit is met, the season would close on 24-hour notice. The season dates would follow Idaho’s big game rifle hunting seasons. The wolf population would be carefully monitored before, during and after the hunting season to determine how it responds.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 35
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State Wildlife Officials Applaud Wolf Decision M
ontana wildlife officials today welcomed the second effort to remove the Rocky Mountain gray wolf from the federal list of threatened and endangered species. Wolf conservation and management in Montana will become the full responsibility of the state when the decision takes effect 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register. “Most everyone in Montana agrees the wolf population here is firmly established and secure,” said Joe Maurier, acting director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “Montanans have been patient and cooperative during the recovery process and with recent court rulings. We’re pleased Montana’s been recognized for its efforts and can now move forward with the full transition to state-led wolf management.” The federal delisting decision includes wolves in the western Great Lakes region, Montana and Idaho, but not Wyoming, where wolves will remain classified as a nonessential experimental population under Endangered Species Act rules. The delisting decision is expect to be published in the Federal Register soon, but federal officials also noted that the new Presidential administration, has the prerogative to review and reconsider new federal proposals. When delisting takes effect, the line separating Montana into the northern Endangered Area and the southern Experimental Area will no longer exist. Upon delisting, wolves throughout Montana will become reclassified under state law as a species in need of management, which also offers wolves legal protection much like other managed wildlife. For instance, upon delisting wolves could only be purposely killed legally during an official hunting season; when a wolf is killing, attacking or
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harassing livestock; and to protect human life, Maurier said. With delisting, the flexibility to protect livestock and domestic dogs is provided in Montana law. Similar to lions and black bears, a wolf seen actively biting, wounding, chasing, harassing, or attacking livestock or domestic dogs could be killed. Such incidents must be reported to FWP in 72 hours. The new flexibility, however, may soon face additional court challenges. Several groups say they will closely scrutinize the second federal delisting decision and may renew legal challenges to block it. “If this decision is challenged, FWP will again participate in the litigation and will work to uphold and defend the delisting decision,” Maurier affirmed. Pending legal challenges may also affect the sale of hunting licenses for a 2009 wolf-hunting season previously adopted by Montana’s FWP Commission. Officials said none would be offered for sale until Montana is assured a wolf-hunting season could occur. Nevertheless, the recovery of the wolf in the northern Rockies remains one of the fastest endangered species comebacks on record. In the mid 1990s, to hasten the overall pace of wolf recovery in the Northern Rockies, 66 wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho. The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years and well distributed throughout the recovery area. The goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has increased every year since.
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GET INVOLVED! The northern Rockies “metapopulation” is comprised of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. About 1,500 wolves, with about 100 breeding pairs, live in the region, where wolves can travel about freely to join existing packs or form new packs. This, combined with wolf populations in Canada and Alaska, assures genetic diversity. About 420 wolves inhabited Montana, in 73 packs and 39 breeding pairs at the end of 2007, Maurier said. The population is expected to be close to that level when 2008 minimum estimates are finalized. FWP has led wolf management under the federal guidelines since 2004. Delisting allows Montana to manage wolves in a manner similar to how bears, mountain lions and other wildlife species are managed, guided by state management plans, administrative rules, and laws. “The recent recovery of wolves, grizzly bears, peregrine falcons, and bald eagles are each remarkable American wildlife conservation success stories,” Maurier said. “To ensure their future, Montanans will continue to need the financial support of the American people who have long looked to Montana to provide habitats and careful management for these nationally important wildlife species.”
Idaho Wolves: At A Glance IF&G Numbers: At the end of 2008 (tentative) “ 824 wolves, 88 packs of which 38 are considered breeding pairs. About 1,500 are found in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. “ 84 wolves in 50 packs had radio collars in December 2008. Distribution: “ Wolves are found from the Canadian border to near Interstate 84 in southern Idaho, with most in the national forests of the central part of the state.“ Most of this year’s population growth has been in the Panhandle; the population south of Interstate 90 has increased only slightly. Current Status: “ North of Interstate 90 wolves are protected as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. “ South of Interstate 90 wolves are protected as an experimental, non-essential population under the Endangered Species Act. What’s Next: “ The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expects the delisting rule to be published in the Federal Register on January 27.(Note: This issue went to press before this date). “ The rule would take effect 30 days after that, unless blocked by the new administration. After Delisting: “ If the delisting rule goes into effect, Idaho Fish and Game would be the lead agency in wolf management.
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
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Brackett Creek/Fairy Lake Road Ski and Snowmobile Trails visitmt
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rackett Creek/Fairy Lake Road Ski and Snowmobile Trails are shared with snowmobiles. The snowmobile trail is 15 miles of marked and groomed trails. Contact: Gallatin National Forest Bozeman, MT 59718 Phone: 406-522-2520 http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/ Directions: Located 20 miles north of Bozeman off Highway 86.
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FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 37
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property, please stay on trail. Cooperative operation with Big Sky Snowriders and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
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Length: 10.1 miles of marked and groomed trails. Trail begins: East Clyde Park Trail ends: Loop Phone: 406-222-1892 Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/ Directions: Ibex/Cottonwood Creek Snowmobile Trail is located 12 miles east of Clyde Park. Parking capacity for 20 cars.
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of snowshoe PHOTO MFWP enthusiasts in Montana is growing because the sport is simple, hassle free and fun. Strap on snowshoes and you don’t have to post hole through the forest, or risk a leg in those black holes formed by willows and deadfall. Snowshoes set you free in the woods in winter. Another advantage of snowshoeing is that being mobile in the snow is serious exercise. You can burn an estimated 420-1,000 calories an hour snowshoeing, about 45 percent more than walking or running at the same speed. Whether you go snowshoeing with others, or on your own, planning a safe, comfortable trip should be your first priority. If it has been awhile since you’ve recreated in the outdoors in winter, be sure to study up on how to dress and prepare for winter sports. In particular check
•check the weather, including the night and day temperatures, •dress in layers including a wicking layer and a water and wind proof layer, •drink plenty of liquids and carry high-energy snacks as hypothermia and exhaustion can sneak up on you when recreating outdoors in the winter, •always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return, •learn how to recognize avalanche areas, and remember days are shorter in the winter, so take care to be back to your car before dark. Plan to visit familiar hiking trails and build up to more difficult trails and new areas. Montana’s approximately 15,000 miles of public access trails can be found on maps and on the Internet. Most national forests also have recreational trail information on their web sites.
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he Willard Creek Trail is a short trail segment which provides access into the Elkhorn Mountains and the area burned in the 1988 Warm Springs Fire. In the winter there is 4.5 km of easiest trail; intermittent grooming for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Length: 1.2 miles Trail begins: Forest Road up Willard Creek Trail ends: Trail Junction 302 Maupin Loop: 2 miles easy travel, good family trail, occasional refreshments at private cabin. Directions: Travel south of Helena on I-15 approximately 9 miles to the Clancy Exit, go south on service road to Alhambra then take Forest Road 226 (Warm Springs Road) approximately 6 miles to sign for trailhead. Parking capacity for 6 vehicles.
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
Montana Super Tag Lion Hunt BY RICHARD NELSON
W
hen I received the Super Tag in the mail I went to the Fish and Game Department to ask about the tag since I had bought a Lion tag already. That is when I realized I had the First Mountain Lion Super Tag issued by Montana. One of the women in the office asked to hold the tag as she had never held a super tag before. I have been applying here in Montana for Goat, Sheep and Moose since 1969 and never been lucky enough to draw. I asked if I could trade the Lion for a Sheep tag. The answer was no of course. They said I would have to return the regular Lion tag which I did and they refunded my money for that tag. The other interesting thing was that I do not even remember buying any Super Tags for Lion. I bought about $300 dollars worth of Sheep, Goat, Moose and Elk tags and don’t remember adding the Lion in the mix. On Friday, March 28th 2008 I got up at 3:30 am for my 180 to 200 mile drive north to look for a lion. It was about 17 degrees and partly cloudy with heavy frost. I stopped at McDonald’s for some road breakfast and headed out. I was to meet my friends north of Kalispell. They were coming from a different direction. They had the dogs, snow machines and
dog trailer. We hit many places that day, treed five cats and saw another two on the ground, but all were too small. We hunted until late in the day, until the snow got too soft. We stopped and had dinner and a beer on our way back to Kalispell. After leaving the restaurant it started to snow and I hit the window button to talk to one of the guys and it would not go back up. I had to drive about 55 miles in the snowstorm with my window down. I got into Whitefish late, and was very lucky to find someone at the Ford dealership. I had to leave my truck for someone to look at the next day. They give me a Ford Taurus for a loaner. I then drove to Columbia Falls where I was staying and crashed for the night. The next day I called my friends and told them the story about the truck. It snowed about 6 inches and was still coming down. They said it was snowing too hard to hunt so I got some breakfast and called the Ford Dealer and they said the truck was ready. I drove to Whitefish and picked up the truck, had lunch and then drove back to Columbia falls. I talked to my friends again and we agreed to meet the next day if the storm let up and hunt again.
Sunday, March 30th I got up about 4:30 am and called my friend Randy and he said that another guy Lawrence would be there around 6:00 am. They picked me up at the motel, fueled up the trucks and then we hit the road. It was still snowing lightly and the temperature was below 0*. There was about 2 to 2 ½ feet of snow where we wanted to start. No tracks, so they split up going two different directions with the snow machines. When they left it was 5 below zero. I moved the truck and trailer to the meeting area. When they met up with me they were both frozen and covered with snow. Randy said at the top of one ridge the snow was completely going over this machine and turned around. We loaded the machines and got the guys warmed up. We then went to another area and by then it had warmed up some and it was snowing less. Randy went one way again and Lawrence another. I took the truck with the trailer to a meeting spot and waited for them. Lawrence came back before Randy and said he found a good set of fresh tracks. We waited for Randy and went up closer to where the Cat tracks were. We loaded our gear on the two snow machines and Randy pulled the dog trailer with part of the dogs and took off. We stopped at the tracks and took the dogs out and put on their collars with the GPS tracking units. We then put the dogs on the tracks. The area was extremely thick with timber, brush and a lot of snow. There was about three feet of old snow, plus the new snow. The dogs ended up going three or four different ways and all of them came back except two. We heard them barking and howling and we wondered if they had treed something. Randy got the rest of the dogs to go down to the other two. He then went up the road to check and see if anything had crossed the road. I went with Lawrence on his machine back to a smaller brushed-in road to see if we could get closer. The area was very thick with lots of downfall timber, brush and snow. We then put on our packs and moved toward the dogs. Lawrence was doing great but I must admit the years have been catching up on me. I have hunted since I was very young and also was an outfitter in Montana and Idaho for many years. I could out walk anyone and nothing bothered me. Now I was feeling like a wimp. I finally got to the dogs and Eugene. He was behind the brush watching the dogs and the Cat. I finally went around the brush to look at the Cat. I knew the minute I saw him that he was one of the larger Cats we had seen. By then Randy walked in from another direction and we all looked at the Cat and decided it was a good cat and also the season was almost over. They caught up the dogs as we walked around the tree to be able to get a good shot. I had a 222 Thompson Contender with me. The tree had a lot of heavy branches and the Cat was up high. Randy tapped the bottom of the tree to get him to move, but all he did was go higher. I fired, nothing….Randy said, “You are low.” Then again the same sick feeling. I asked Eugene for his 44 Mag revolver and gave him mine. The Cat went up further and was going around the tree. I got under the tree and as he was
FEBRUARY 2009 going up and around I aimed at his throat and fired once. He completely stopped, rolled over, Randy said, “He’s dead!’ He fell immediately to the ground and did not move an inch. There was some twitching of his rear legs and tail was all, then nothing. With the help of all three guys I had my Cat on the ground by 12:30 pm. Checked my pistol and discovered I had a broken sight base…My fault completely. We let the dogs smell and chew at the Cat for a few minutes and then pulled them off. This helps them be better hunting dogs to take ownership of the Cat. We took lots of pictures to document the hunt. I felt a deep feeling of tremendous respect for these beautiful animals. I have always said a prayer for the animal and this very beautiful country we all share. The kill as I have told so many hunters is only a small part of our being hunters. My friends Randy, Eugene, the dogs, Eugene’s wife and his dad were there earlier for support. They decided they would go out and try to get a snow machine closer to the Cat. They put one of the G.P.S collars from one of the dogs on the Cat and left me there to wait. One of them said I could stay with the Cat and do some bonding. They finally got down to about ½ mile from the Cat and me. Eugene did most of the moving of the Cat through the rough country to the snow machines. We loaded the dogs, took more pictures then loaded up the Cat on top of the pickup dog box. The dogs went crazy smelling the Cat and not being able to get at it. We stopped to eat dinner and lots of people went out to look at and take pictures of the Cat. The next day Randy picked me up at the Motel with the Cat. Eugene had to go to work. After breakfast we went to the Fish and Game Headquarters in Kalispell to have the cat checked in. The people at the front desk didn’t know exactly how to check in the First Super Tag Cat. They then called Helena and asked what to do. The Fish and Game Biologist Jimmy Williams checked the cat in along with John Fraley. We were there for about two hours. They were all excited about the tag, the hunt and the Cat. I also spoke with two men in Helena, Ron Aasheim and Richard Desimone. They were also happy about the tag and hunt as was the Fish and Game in Missoula as was Bob Wiesner, Fish and Game Dog man. I also had to share this with my longtime friend and former Fish and Game Captain District One in Kalispell, Louis Kis. He was the one that was in the national news years ago that fell under the Grizzly being let out of a trap. There are many others that I give thanks to for being able to do this, my family, friends and guest clients from all over the world. Thanks to my parents and Uncle Alfonse for distilling the love of hunting and respect for our great country. About the Author: Richard ,71, father of 4 is a builder and former Outfitter from Missoula, MT. He has lived in Montana for over 30 years moving here from Lone Pine, CA where he learned to fish and hunt with his father, uncle and brothers. He hopes to be chosen some day for Moose and Sheep special tags too.
FEBRUARY 2009
BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE • 39
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• BIG SKY OUTDOOR NEWS & ADVENTURE
FEBRUARY 2009