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Early Season Bulls:
How To Achieve Pre-Rut Success By Lenny Miller Guidefitter www.guidefitter.com
ho doesn’t get excited at the sound of a bugle? Hunters W and non-hunters alike, can’t escape the hair raising excitement brought on by a deep guttural growl of a bull elk.
It’s what makes September so special in elk country. The “bugle season” gets all the attention when it comes to elk hunting. We shouldn’t forget about the two weeks before prime time though. Bulls that haven’t been called too, nor been screwed with since last hunting season are killable, just not in the way we dream of. Big animals need plenty of water A good majority of elk country is particularly dry. Elk will travel several miles a day to drink. It may not be at the same place or at the same time but they need water daily.
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Hunting waterholes, tanks, springs and creek crossings can be very productive at the start of bow season. If you are hunting public ground, be very aware that other hunters are attracted to water just like fish are. If this becomes a problem, try to catch the elk before they get to water. This may be a mile or more away from the source. It’s really no different than patterning a whitetail that’s hitting a specific food source. Generally speaking, elk have bigger home ranges than whitetails. Meaning, if water is not overly scarce, it may take them a couple days to circle back to the original waterhole you found them on. Don’t get discouraged if one or two sits are unproductive, it may take 3-5 days for them to make it back. Patience is obviously the key. Wallows are also good spots to set up on. It is a lot easier to tell if a wallow is being worked verses how frequent a waterhole is being used... Active wallows are a torn up mess that you really can’t miss. Muddy water, grass thrown about and dried mud caked to vegetation are tell all signs that one or more bulls are in the area. Figure out where they are coming from and hunt on a favorable wind. This is one of the best strategies for early season bulls but again, patience is key. Agriculture fields Elk hunting isn’t just for roadless, backcountry tracts of land anymore. Due in great part to hunters dollars and conservation groups like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, elk numbers exploded some two decades ago. With elk numbers on the rise, so too were complaints about crop damage as elk moved into agricultural areas. Alfalfa, winter wheat, barley and many other crops, became favorites. Irrigated alfalfa being a preferred feed in early September. The majority of irrigated alfalfa fields are located on private land and will cost a pretty penny to get access to. (continued on page 38)
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GEAR UP FOR ARCHERY SEASON! Serving The Lewis & Clark County Archery Community
What Is The Ideal Draw Weight For Bowhunting? By Josh Kirchner Originally published
www.goHUNT.com
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All photo credits Josh Kirchner
rawing a bow for the first time was actually concerning D for me as a youngster. It felt so tough getting that thing back! I couldn’t imagine at the time actually being in the hills
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and pulling back that string in a composed fashion. Pulling 50 lbs at the time, I also couldn’t imagine pulling anything more than that. As a new bowhunter, finding out what draw weight is ideal for you and for the animals you’re hunting is a common question. Does a hunter go with as much weight as they can possibly pull back for more speed and knockdown power or with something a bit lighter that’s easier to control? With the different theories on the matter, choosing a direction to go can be quite confusing. All of us want to have a good experience out there, so the concern is understandable. Theories aside, let’s unpack this a bit and take a look at how to find the ideal draw weight not just for bowhunting, but for you.
Draw weight explained
Let’s talk about what draw weight actually is for a second and for those new to all of this. Draw weight is the amount of weight, in pounds, that you have to pull against to get a bow string all the way to full draw. Meaning that if a draw weight is set at 50 lbs, the shooter will need to apply 50 lbs of force at some point during the draw cycle to get the string all the way back. This is not a one-size-fits-all situation, which is great. It gives folks the ability far and wide to pick up a bow and learn to shoot. Some people are comfortable drawing 40 lbs while others are comfortable drawing 70 lbs. The more draw weight there is, the faster the arrow is going to fly. Draw weight is something that a hunter can progress with, too. When I first started, 55 lbs felt like a lot and I literally could not pull 70. Now, I can pull 70 with ease. The fact of the matter is when you draw a bow, you are using muscles that don’t get used too often. With time, those muscles will get stronger if you keep shooting. Keep in mind, nobody should feel like they have to increase their draw weight in order to do what everyone else is doing. If 50 lbs feels great to you, then stick with it. Minimum draw weight requirements In the name of delivering a quick and just kill, there are some minimum requirements in place when it comes to draw weights. These requirements drift a skosh from state to state. Most of them have a minimum draw weight of around 40 lbs. Some states — like Alaska — actually have minimum draw weights set in place for specific species. For deer, they require 40 lbs; however, for bigger game like moose they require 50 lbs. There are also states that even have restrictions on how much let off you can have. (continued page 38)
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July Scouting For Whitetail Bucks
By Mike Hanback Big Deer Blog www.bigdeerblog.com 4 is the official kickoff to deer-hunting season, the time Jdeeruly when you start laying the groundwork to shooting a big in 3 or 4 months. Take a few days this month to tuck your pants into knee-high boots, spray down with strong bug dope and go for a power walk across your hunting areas. Look for the food and cover that will be available to deer from September through December. First, start with the easy stuff, noting the lay of corn, soybean, alfalfa and clover fields and clover plots on the land. Then probe deeper into the woods and point your binoculars into the tops of oak trees to see what kind of mast year it will be. Do you see big bunches of green nuts within two feet of the branch tips? Or are the limbs sparse? Remember: A big crop of acorns this fall will draw and concentrate deer in the timber, so your hottest stands will likely be on ridges and in oak bottoms. Conversely, a lack of nuts and a poor mast year will scatter the deer as they move around and seek other food choices; you’ll do better to hunt the edges of fields and food plots, and browse thickets where does and bucks browse. As you hike, note pockets and strips of thick greenery, saplings and the like in proximity to fields, plots and oak trees. As a rule, mature bucks prefer to feed within 200 yards or so of security cover.
Walk edges, creek bottoms, strips of woods and other funnels that look good on maps. Look for main and secondary deer trails, and spots where they converge and cross water. Food and conditions will change as summer turns to fall, but some deer will still use these trails and funnels come bow season.
Photo courtesy www.bigdeerblog.com
It’s way too early to find fresh rubs on your advance hikes, but look for brown, scarred trees and saplings that bucks blazed on previous autumn days. Pinpoint and follow as many old rub lines as you can find that wend loosely between food and security covers. Some bucks will blaze and run those routes later this fall. As you hike, flag strategic trees in various corners of the property where you might hang stands in a month or two. Or go head and set a stand or two on an oak ridge, plot edge or near a creek crossing where you believe bucks will travel in a few months. Advance scouts will put you ahead of the game as the bow season approaches. It’ll be here before you know it!
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10 Tips To Up Your Glassing Game By Mark Boardman Vortex Optics www.vortexoptics.com
3. Three legs are better:
Few things will make you a better glasser than a tripod. And if you’re already carrying one for your spotting scope, integrating a binocular tripod-adapter adds virtually zero weight to your kit. A tripod (preferably with a pan-head) better allows you to methodically evaluate expansive country, cuts muscle fatigue considerably, makes spotting subtle movement much easier, and lets you stay on a subject once found. You can even pull your head out of your glass to relax for a second, talk your buddy into what you’ve found, get visual bearings on the landscape to plan a stalk all the while knowing when you dip your head back in, your subject will still be in or near your field of view. 4. Take what you learned reading - and stop: Ok, not completely. We read left-to-right, so make a point at times to scan from right-to-left. Admittedly, I find this hard to do. It just doesn’t feel natural –that’s why it works. It takes your brain off autopilot and forces you to see terrain and what may be hiding in it differently, with greater attention to detail.
Photo courtesy www.vortexoptics.com
s humans, aside from our big brains, we rely on A our eyes for most our predatory success. Want to exponentially increase opportunities in the field? It’s time to get glassing.
Below are 10 simple tips to up your glassing game, and bring more game to the table. 1. Open up – (not emotionally): Glass openings from afar and before you enter them. They are great places to spot game, and nothing is more frustrating than spooking your quarry when it’s within striking distance. Game gravitates to open areas for a variety of reasons. An opening can be as big as a clear cut or agriculture field and as small as a meadow in the timber. For a turkey, utilizing these spaces might be food-related, or to strut and display. For a deer, the browse may be lush and diverse. Openings have hard edges. They are focal points where multiple habitats converge - and so do the animals that live there. 2. Brace yourself: If you’re not using a tripod, there’s a few things you can do to stabilize binoculars during hand-held glassing sessions. Turning the brim of your ball cap into a hand hold will stabilize your view and help eliminate arm fatigue. Take a seat. This will get you way more stable than standing, as well as gets you in an optimal position to brace your elbows on top of your legs. If terrain or brush dictates standing, tuck your elbows into your chest.
8 | Hunting & Fishing News
5. We covered reading, so let’s talk math: Your glassing should have an order of operations. Hit high percentage spots first. When you begin glassing, start with spots known to hold game. After that, work from the inside out in hopes of finding animals closer in proximity to your location within shooting range, stalking range, or inclined to spook due to your presence. Early and late in the day when game is likely on the move, it’s good to give the extreme edges of the country you’re glassing a priority look. You may just catch an animal you want to go after just as it goes over the hill. 6. “What’s your favorite planet? Mine’s the sun.” (Saturday Night Live.): Deer can be shady characters. When it’s hot and the sun is blazing, we seek shade and peel off layers. The game you’re after may be doing the exact same thing. Well, not peeling off layers. If conditions are like this, glass shady spots. Conversely, on cool days, deer may be intentionally capturing the sun’s rays to warm up. Glassing hillsides and faces that get early sun may be the ticket to finding animals looking to heat their mammalian bodies after a cold night. They will also be much easier to spot, as they will likely be standing, moving, and seemingly glowing in the morning sun... 7. In the timber and can’t see more than 100 yards? Perfect: Glassing in the timber or densely vegetated terrain is an under implemented tactic - particularly when “still hunting” and moving at a snail’s pace... You will be able to spot minute details and pieces of game standing or bedded. What may look like a wall of trees and brush with the naked eye, could become a buck or bull in a tight shooting lane the second you put your binos up. From a concealment perspective, the same things that prevent you from seeing a game animal obscure you from them. The key is evening the visual-acuity odds and seeing them first.
8. Get low: Wait, all I ever hear is I need to get to high point to glass? That is a damn good tip, but in some scenarios, losing a bit of elevation to see over the roll of a hill allows you to spot game right under your nose. These animals might not even be far off the beaten path, but feel secure, in their open, out of sight hidey-hole because no one ever bothers them. So, go bother them. Inevitably, you can’t see everything from a single location. Even minor changes in perspective will reveal country worth a hard look—and possibly the trophy of a lifetime. 9. Comfort is key: A glassing pad for your hindquarters will protect you from sharp rocks, sticks, cactus, keep you dry, and insulate you from the ground. Quietly clearing out an area of debris can help if you don’t have a pad – but be careful. Depending on where you’re hunting, there could be undesirable critters like ants, spiders, scorpions, and snakes living under the rocks, logs, and bark you disturb. It’s tough to concentrate on the task at hand when all you can think about is the rock drilling itself into your body – or being bit by a snake. 10. “The sun don’t bother me” (A River Runs Through It): Well, it bothers me when it’s not working in my favor… When glassing, you can spend hours in the same spot – particularly if you are keeping tabs on an animal your hunting partner is making a move on – all the while that glorious ball of fire and gas beats down on your skin with reckless abandon.
Need some steadier hands to glass better? Remember to brace yourself whenever possible to eliminate handshake. Photo courtesy www.vortexoptics.com
Hopefully in this scenario, you have a lightweight hoodie you can pull over your head. If you don’t have one, get one. Other coverage options include deploying a shemagh (ultralight stylish and operator), a towel your sig-other won’t miss, or even an extra tee-shirt. The optics you employ, the landscape, game pursued, and how you pursue said game will dictate the best glassing tactics for a given scenario. Keep the above tips in mind on your next trip, shoot straight and stay glassy Vortex Nation.
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FOUR COMMON SETBACKS THAT KEEP HUNTERS FROM FINDING GAME By Josh Kirchner Originally published at
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t was mid-January and I sent a buddy into a “secret spot” Iand of mine for mule deer. The bucks would surely be rutting I just knew he’d have a great time out there. In fact, We stand behind our work.
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email: huntingfishingnews@yahoo.com The entire contents is © 2021, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does this material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Volume 18 Issue 3 Cover Photo: pictureguy|depositphotos.com
I was there a few days prior and had a blast chasing these desert slugs around the hills with my bow. After spending a few days, he came back and said that he never did find a buck. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. So, I went back out shortly after and was into bucks yet again. Then it hit me. This wasn’t the first time that I’d heard something like this from a friend. In fact, it’s a hurdle that more than a few new hunters deal with — the hurdle that is finding game is one that sends folks home more times than not. In order to effectively hunt these critters, we’ve got to be able to locate them. And, until that happens, it’s easy to sometimes feel like you’re continuously banging your head on the wall. Here are some common mistakes that keep folks from finding game year after year.
You can’t see what isn’t there
Plain and simple, if something isn’t there, you aren’t going to see it. Time and time again it seems that some hunters set up to glass based off of convenience, rather than based off of where animals should be during said time of day. Whether it’s off of a road or on an easy to access ridge, they’ll plop down and call it good. There is a method to the madness that is locating game, though, and it’s fairly straight forward. Take deer for instance. In the early mornings, deer will generally be out feeding on the sunny slopes. From there, they go to their beds, which gets them out of the sun for the day. So, what you need to do is be glassing the sunny slopes in the morning and then move to glass into the shade after that. Mindlessly glassing all over the place might turn up some deer here and there, but using the stencil of this proven strategy will leave you turning up more deer than before. The where is equally important as the what.
10 | Hunting & Fishing News
Can’t stop won’t stop Another common setback that
occurs across hunting camps in the West is the early morning/late afternoon routine. Most hunters are going to head out in the morning, head back to camp and then set back out again in the evening. This leaves a whole lot of time for animals to be out roaming around, switching beds, getting water, etc. Just because animals tend to be less active during middle of the day hours doesn’t mean that they cease to exist. They are still out there and if you aren’t looking, then you’re just not going to see them. So, pack a peanut butter and jelly, some water and plan to stay out all day. The more hours you’re in the field, the better chances you’ll have at filling that tag — not to mention that it’s pretty dang quiet out in the middle of the day with most hunters back at camp. Don’t think the animals don’t recognize that. Go the extra mile Years and years ago, someone told me, “If you want to be more successful out there, plan on walking an hour or more in the dark.” They were referring to arriving at a glassing spot before first light and leaving after the sun goes down. This is something that I honestly never did as a kid. We’d always arrive at spots 30 to 60 minutes after a person could see what they were doing out there. That 30 to 60 minutes I’m sure cost us a whole lot of opportunities. This is another one of those common, yet easy to fix, issues that keep folks from seeing what they’re after. Just this past year on an October Coues deer hunt, we got into our glassing spot in the dark, just like we wanted. By the time we could barely see, my brother spotted “the one.” A giant buck that we knew well. This deer bedded down right at first light. Had we been late to our spot, our chances of finding that deer would have gone right down the tubes. Whether it’s deer, bear or elk, pack a headlamp and be ready to use it. My brother ended up missing that deer, but that’s another story for another time. An invisible enemy As a good friend of mine and I sat above one of my favorite bear spots, it was apparent that we weren’t alone. Hunters lined the ridges of this particular section in the canyon we were hunting. We could see little glimpses of headlamps shining in the distance. Then, there was another headlamp that was not where the others were. One walking down the bottom of the canyon monkeying up the whole spot. The hunter’s wind was carrying all down the canyon and we knew fairly well that our chances of seeing a bear that morning just sunk to zilch. Wind, the invisible enemy, is responsible for more blown opportunities than anything else. It’s tough to take something serious that you can’t even see. This is really one of those things, though, that is non-negotiable. If you don’t have the wind, you don’t have anything. So, instead of working against it, work with it and plan your strategies accordingly. A little bottle of windicator will let you see that invisible enemy that is keeping you from seeing game. Carry it and use it often. We ended up heading into a completely different area of the canyon that didn’t have anyone walking around as well as a wind in our favor. What we found was a pleasant surprise.
CLOSING
Later on, in that January hunt, I set a field with my buddy who didn’t see anything prior. For the next six days, we were into deer and into them thick. It was one of those trips that you wished would never end. Just good friends in killer country having a blast doing something that we both loved: bowhunting. I think at the end of the trip I had counted 11 bucks that we got him on. His intentions were good; he just wasn’t following a process before this point. There wasn’t a method to the madness. Finding animals out in the hills indeed involves a process. By knowing that process and sticking to it, there is no doubt that you’ll be turning up more game than before. Know where you’re looking, be relentless, do what it takes and pay attention to the wind. No arrows were fired on that trip, but again, that’s another story for another time.
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Weed Walleye By Jason Mitchell Jason Mitchell Outdoors www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com
W
eed walleye patterns are solid on so many fisheries. In fact, I would dare argue that there are not many natural lakes where there are not a large population of walleyes that are using weeds. Some of the most consistent summer patterns for walleye take place around weeds yet many walleye anglers avoid the weeds. Walleye anglers have been programmed for decades to look for structure and more specifically, hard bottom locations like rocks or gravel. These classic structure locations hold fish but also attract a lot of attention.
There is one universal weed location that just seems to attract and hold walleye. Sand flats that drop off into deep water typically have that magic combination of depth and the right weed varieties to hold walleye well into the summer.
The sweet spots can vary from lake to lake and vary on water clarity but good stands of cabbage just hold a lot of walleye. There are two basic location types that seem to shine for holding fish. The classic shallow sand shelf that drops into deep water often has a deep lip or step on the break where lush stands of weeds grow right next to the abyss of deep water. This edge is a high percentage location. Another great location is any kind of mid depth trough or bowl that is in an expansive shallow sand flat. Imagine a large flat that is five to ten feet of water that is typically covered in weeds. If you can find any kind of dip in the depth that is just deep enough where the weeds change or create an opening, this bowl or trough in this weedy flat will often fill up with walleye. Many anglers avoid fishing the weeds or get frustrated but fishing weeds can be surprisingly easy. We recently filmed an episode...using slip bobbers and leeches over emerging cabbage. Cabbage or broad leaf pondweed varieties typically not just hold walleye but panfish and musky. Most fish simply love this type of weed. With weed walleyes, remember that you don’t have to necessarily punch into the weeds to catch fish, you just have to fish next to the weeds or above the weeds. Below is a list of top presentations we have found for weed walleye along with a few scenarios where each presentation shines.
12 | Hunting & Fishing News
Photo credit Jason Mitchell www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com
Slip Bobbers and Leeches
If there is a blanket of low weeds on the bottom or defined open lanes in the weeds, simply set a slip bobber so that the leech hangs above the weeds. Slip bobbers shine whenever cold fronts have the fish off or when fish are positioned low in the weeds. Slip bobbers are deadly effective when you know where fish are and want to keep bait in an exact location. Because of the preciseness of slip bobbers, the strategy is to often sit on a key location and let fish move through the location. You can also fish slip bobbers more aggressively particularly in open weed pockets. Later in the summer when weeds start to reach the surface, you can often work open pockets or open lanes in the weeds that you can physically see with a slip bobber.
Spinner Harness and Bullet Weight
We often find walleyes scattered along big contours or along the edges of large flats where there is sporadic weed growth. When these weeds are random and don’t reach the surface, long lining a spinner harness behind the boat with just a split shot or small bullet weight can be deadly for skimming the harness over the tops of weeds. This presentation takes a little experimentation and touch in that you must find that magic speed and amount of weight to skim the weeds without snagging. A variation of this approach can also include running spinner harnesses on planer boards to the sides of the boat particularly when there is just a few feet of water between the weeds and the surface of the water where we often skim harnesses just a few feet down behind the board over the tops of the weeds. What is interesting with this approach is that we typically fish higher in the water column as summer progresses and the weeds grow higher into the water column.
Spinner Harness and Bottom Bouncer
On some fisheries, particularly the dish bowl prairie lakes of the Dakotas, the water is stained and the weeds can offer a distinct weed edge in as shallow as six or seven feet of water. There is often a sharp edge where weeds quit growing and this defined edge is perfect for running a bottom bouncer and spinner. When running these outside edges, shorten up your snell.
Bottom bouncers can shine whenever there is a prominent outside weed edge that features a definite transition. Keep the snells short (three feet) and don’t be afraid to run floats on the harnesses to keep them off the bottom.
Jigs and Soft Plastics
A long shank jig and soft plastic paddle tail or swim bait is extremely versatile around weeds. You can probe openings and edges; you can swim the plastic over the tops of emerging weeds. The single hook can be snapped through weeds and typically catch fewer weeds than the treble hooks of a crank bait. For simply breaking down water and finding fish, not to mention triggering aggressive fish…
few things are more efficient in the weeds than a paddle tail soft plastic.
Don’t be afraid to use some of the longer profiles, especially come mid-summer. We often use shad/paddle tail profiles that range between four to five inches. Love the Salmo Walleye Shads as the longer bodies are just stiff enough to put off a lot of vibration and thump which seems important for pulling aggressive walleye out of weeds. For casting into water that is less then fourteen feet, we often use a ¼ ounce or 3/8th ounce Northland Slurp Jig Head with a long shank. Ten-pound braid like Fireline is important for being able to snap the jig through weeds. Pair up the braid with a two-to-three-foot fluorocarbon leader that is twelve-to-fourteen-pound test.
Jig and Shiners
Early summer sees a major push of shiners into pencil reeds and when weeds are still low or just emerging, there are some very consistent weed walleye patterns that revolve around the shiner spawn. Pitching jigs and minnows is a solid program that happens on so many well-known...walleye fisheries but the program with a jig and shiner can be much different than a jig and soft plastic. There are times particularly during the middle of the day with no or little wind when live bait will simply outperform a jig and plastic… especially in really clear water. The jig and shiner bite is a classic...walleye staple for producing fish. Above, we stated the importance of using braided line when using soft plastics in weeds. With jigs and minnows, we often use a six or eight-pound monofilament line so the jig hangs and glides in the water. This is a solid presentation early in the summer just as the weeds start to emerge. Snap and glid or swim jigs tipped with minnows.
Not for the Faint of Heart
Never forget a comment Al Lindner made about weed walleyes on a JMO Podcast a while back. He stated that weed walleyes are, “not for the faint of heart.” That made all of us laugh. You have to put in some time to figure out the right program for weed walleyes and as the weeds grow and change, that can change your program. Weed walleye patterns are productive and only with the right presentation and mindset. Once you figure out the program, weeds can be simple to fish but you have to do some homework.
Spinners ran in conjunction with bullet weights or split shot are great for skimming over the tops of sporadic weed growth. For probing defined outside weed edges, use a spinner on a short snell behind a bottom bouncer. Pictured is a Northland Fishing Tackle Rainbow Spinner Harness tipped with a Gulp! Crawler.
Match up the right presentation so that you can fish efficiently and clean. You will have to spend a little bit of time learning the location and you must get some intimacy with the spot so you can fish it effectively. Because weed locations do take a little while to figure out and learn, this factors into the effectiveness of weed locations. Most anglers don’t want to put in the work but in today’s world where there are fewer secrets and more people fishing, weed walleyes are some of the most consistent and productive programs on many lakes...
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Hunting & Fishing News | 13
When your false casts are feeling good, start working to hit your targets in the field. Short, 10 yard targets are valuable, especially for those fishing small streams and waters with tight underbrush. Working the targets with friends can make for friendly competition and extra eyes can help with feedback on your casting. FOCUS ON LINE CONTROL + LINE SPEED Line control is one of the most impactful fly fishing skills you can develop. Passing the line between your rod hand and free hand, stripping the line to tighten before each cast and controlling the line to generate line speed are all critical factors. Practice each step individually until it becomes second nature. Practicing the transition between hands and stripping are simple but generating line speed is a bit more complex. All photos credit Ryan McSparran
Cast Like A Pro With Yard Practice By Zach Lazzari Mystic Outdoors www.mysticoutdoors.com
ost anglers gradually develop casting skills on the M water but removing your fly for some yard practice will accelerate your progress to expert levels in a hurry.
Not only will you increase your range and accuracy, you will also develop the confidence to make better presentations on the water.
Line speed is developed by speeding up the rod on the cast or by pulling on the line to force the rod to load. The pulling motion is called hauling and it works wonders for anglers who want to generate more speed and power for distance casting. A single haul is a pull on the line leading into the backcast and is often enough to send the line sailing. A double haul adds a second pull as the rod loads and moves forward. This adds a ton of extra power into the forward cast to punch through wind and to gain serious distance. Watch videos of these and learn the single haul before working up to a double haul. It takes some time for most of us but the payoff is longer, more controlled casts that perform in difficult conditions.
SETUP A COURSE Head to an open, grassy field if possible. A football or soccer field is ideal because it has plenty of space. Many have lines marking every five yards. This is great for measuring distance without any fuss. The field alone is adequate but adding a few hoops on the ground at variable distances is nice for accuracy tests. Standing hoops are also an option for more advanced casters who want a serious challenge. MASTER YOUR BASICS Start with your basic pickup and lay down cast. Take it slow and watch the loops unfold. Adjust your power and speed while playing with the timing on transitions between back and forward casts until the loops are tight and controlled. Repetitions make all the difference and beginning casters can easily do this a 100 or more times to feel how the rod loads the line and generates energy into the cast. After gaining control of the pickup and lay down casts, it’s time to false cast. Start with a set distance but also practice shooting line to gain distance. Pay close attention to your loops and accelerate through each casting stroke to kill a tailing loop. Proficient false casters can control the amount of line shooting on each forward cast and can change directions.
14 | Hunting & Fishing News
CHOOSING THE RIGHT FLY ROD You can browse our entire lineup of Mystic Fly Rods at www.mysticoutdoors.com. But what are the strengths of each rod, and which one is right for you? Check out this previous article (www.mysticoutdoors.com/blogs/news/mystic-fly-rodguide-how-to-choose-your-next-rod) for a quick guide to Mystic fly rods. We’ve outlined the design behind each rod, and which one we recommend for different fishing situations. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-669-7842. We’d be happy to point you in the right direction and help you get the right fly rod for your next adventure!
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Shocks, Adventure Pro and Tires listed available on Limited Edition models only. Professional riders and drivers on closed courses. Side-by-Side (SxS) models are recommended for use only by operators 16 years and older with a valid driver’s license. Always wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Yamaha recommends that all Side-by-Side riders take an approved training course. For Side-by-Side safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ROHVA at 1-866-267-2751. Read the Owner’s Manual and the product warning labels before operation. Avoid excessive speeds and never engage in stunt riding. Always avoid paved surfaces and never ride on public roads. And be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs; it is illegal and dangerous. Models shown with optional accessories. ©2021 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved • YamahaMotorsports.com
Hunting & Fishing News | 15
Photo courtesy www.rapala.com
What To Throw For Summer Bass
style bait near dock pilings and sea walls or crawl a swimbait...down steep offshore breaks where the bass might be hanging out waiting for an easy meal to come by. Topwater Baits from Storm® & Terminator® Buzzbaits are great to cover a lot of water and you are able to throw it in and around docks and flooded timber. Other great baits to throw are ‘Walking’ baits such as the Arashi® Top Walker, and even the Terminator® Popping and Walking frog. These baits are great to throw around bluegill beds because you are able to keep the bait in the strike zone above the bluegill beds longer than a buzzbait or other topwaters. This gives the bass more time to see the bait and have more time to bite the lure.
Arashi® Top Walker
Rapala www.rapala.com
he transition from spring to summer can be a difficult and T sometimes frustrating time to fish but can also be the most rewarding and successful times to fish all year. This
time of year the bass will typically start to school up to feed together after the spawn so it’s important to cover a lot of water because you might go a while without a bite, but once you find an active school it can be lights out. By this time most of the bass have already spawned and are making their way to deeper water to recuperate after the spawn. With the majority of the bass getting into their post-spawn and summer patterns, they are moving out to weedlines, secondary points, and shifting their main focus to food. However, nothing is guaranteed while fishing this time of year. With spring rain and flooding in a lot of the country leaving a lot of the lakes, rivers, and reservoirs with unseasonably high water, it can really change how the fish are behaving. This rain can change a lot with the bass moving into their summer patterns, it can change the water temperature as well as raise the water level which can keep the fish shallower longer than what is normal for this time of year. Depending on where you are located in the country there are typically only a few different forage the bass will be looking to feed on this time of year such as...perch, shad, or crawfish. However, no matter where you’re located, bass will be looking to get back at the bluegill for harassing and pushing the bass off the beds while they were spawning... Something to keep in mind with having such unstable weather such as constant cold fronts and heavy rains, especially this spring, is to focus on vertical cover. Some examples of this are dock pilings, seawalls, and steep drop-offs. The reason these types of cover are so important to bass this time of year is because they are able to move up and down in the water column without having to swim a far distance, and still have cover to relate to.Now that we have covered some of the basics of what the bass are doing in early summer, we will go over what lures to throw and why they are so effective for this time of year. Top 4 Summer Baits Here are a few lures that are great for covering a lot of water and fishing the cover effectively during this time of year so you are able to quickly find that active school of bass. VMC® Tokyo Rig® One of the most versatile baits on the market, you can flip your favorite beaver / creature
16 | Hunting & Fishing News
VMC® Tokyo Rig®
Terminator® Walking frog
Terminator® Popping frog
Rapala® DT® Series Crankbaits
As the bass start to move out to deeper structure, one of the best ways to catch them is to fish points and breaks they will pass by on their way out to their summer haunts. The best way to fish these areas effectively and cover a lot of water is to throw a crankbait. However, there are hundreds of different crankbaits, but the DT Series is made of balsa wood which actually allows the bait to float when it is paused during the retrieve. This trait is very important in early spring and summer because it allows you to slow down the crankbait and catch a few more fish that might have been too lethargic and tired out from the spawn to bite a crankbait that had been burned by them already. VMC® Shaky Head Jig
This bait is known for catching numbers of bass, which is perfect for this time of year since the fish start to group up to feed in schools. Another benefit is that anyone can throw VMC® Shaky Head Jig this lure and have a lot of success. It’s as simple as adding your favorite straight tail worm to a VMC Shaky Head Jig, cast it to some sort of structure whether it is a weedline, dock piling, sea wall, or transition line, and slowly drag and shake it back to the boat while waiting on that tick from the fish for you to set the hook. This summer, get out on the water to try a few of these tips and hopefully they will help you catch more bass between the spawn and summer stages. This time of year can be difficult to target bass but the biggest thing to remember is to cover as much water as you can, moving from shallow to deeper water and eventually you should run into a few schools that are chomping at the bit to gorge themselves on baitfish and other forage after their long spawning season, giving you a chance to slide your lure in the mix of things to catch a few quality fish.
Fishing Idaho’s Mountain Lakes: Tackle, Tactics And Tips For Anglers By Martin Koenig, Natural Resource Program Coordinator Idaho Fish and Game
ountain lakes require some challenging logistics when you M consider the travel and hiking required to access them, and when you arrive, there’s the challenge of catching fish, right?
Fortunately, hardest part of fishing a mountain lake is usually getting to it. The fishing tends to be pretty simple, so don’t overthink it. Remember these fish have a very short growing season, so they tend to be pretty aggressive and active feeders. The fishing pressure at mountain lakes also tends to be light, so the fish aren’t real cagey, and basic trout fishing tackle and tactics are usually all you need to catch them.
Photo credit Roger Phillips Idaho Fish and Game
Also remember that trout aren’t equally distributed throughout a lake, but concentrated in certain areas.
But one thing to consider is the best way to get within casting distance of the fish, which depending on the lake, can be a little tricky, and you may get wet. A pair of lightweight quick-drying shorts or pants and some sport sandals can be handy so you can wade the shoreline and get in better position to make a cast.
Whether you’re a fly angler or use conventional tackle, you don’t need a bunch of specialized tackle, flies, lures or bait for mountain lakes. You have to pack your gear in, so keep it simple, portable and preferably lightweight.
Bring a hat and polarized sunglasses to help you spot cruising trout and protect your eyes from fishing lures and intense alpine sunlight. Trout in mountain lakes tend to be cruisers looking for a meal, so spotting where trout are holding or cruising can increase your chances of catching them and keep you from wasting time on vacant water.
Choose a fly rod between 8.5 to 10-feet long with three to five-weight line, preferably a rod that breaks down to four pieces for easy travel. Longer rods are usually better because they can make longer casts to reach fish and are better for roll-casting when you’re stuck up against brushy shorelines. (continued next page)
Basic fly fishing setup
Hunting & Fishing News | 17
Fishing Idaho’s Mountain Lakes: Tackle, Tactics And Tips For Anglers
(continued from page 17) Spool your reel with a floating fly line and rig it with a 9 to 12-foot monofilament knotless tapered leader with a 4X or 5X tippet. Trout don’t tend to be line shy, so you can probably get away with a heavier tippet, but the water tends to be clear, so adjust accordingly. Your kit should include forceps, fly floatant, extra tippet spools, line clippers, and a basic box of flies. Alpine lakes can be great places to catch trout on basic, traditional dry flies such as parachute Adams, black ants, beetles, hoppers or other small attractor flies. Don’t feel like you have to perfectly match a certain hatch. Flies that mimic basic insect shapes and are similar in size to naturals will usually catch fish. If the trout aren’t taking dry flies try suspending a small beadhead nymph 2 to 3 feet below the surface from a strike indicator, or strip it slowly on a long leader. Common nymphs like the pheasant tail, hare’s ear, prince nymph, zebra midge etc. in sizes 12 to 16 are good choices. Small streamers like woolly buggers in black, brown and olive can also be productive.
Basic spin fishing setup
A spinning rod/reel combo from 5 to 7-feet long with a light or ultra-light action is a good choice. Rods should break down to two to four sections for easy travel so they can be strapped to a backpack. Spool the reel with 4-pound test monofilament line to cover most situations. Using lures is a good way to keep things simple without the need to carry bait. A few casting spoons and spinners in the 1/16 – 1/8 ounce size are a great option. You can also cast flies with a spinning rod by using casting bubble or float and use the same flies mentioned above.
If you prefer to fish bait, bring some barrel swivels, some size 6 to 10 baitholder hooks and a few sliding egg sinkers or split-shot to get your offering on the bottom, or suspend it 2 to 3 feet beneath a bobber. Traditional trout baits work well, such as worms, salmon eggs, etc. But if it’s summer and there are grasshoppers around, they can be great trout bait fished live or dead. A live grasshopper fluttering on the surface can be almost irresistible to a mountain lake trout. While patience is often a virtue for anglers, don’t wait too long for a fish to bite in a mountain lake. Keep moving around until you start catching fish and concentrate on that area.
Where are the fish?
Trout in alpine lakes are usually on the lookout for food, so finding fish is much easier with a basic understanding of where trout typically hunt for food. Most of the food in alpine lakes are insects living in the lake, or terrestrial insects that blow onto the water from surrounding trees. Insects often hatch in shallow areas of a lake that are usually 2 to 10-feet deep where the sun can reach the bottom. Look for trout cruising the shorelines along tree-lined banks where they might find ants, beetles or grasshoppers blown in by the wind. Trout will often cruise the same routes looking for food, so if you see a trout swim by, there’s a good chance it will come by again later. Trout like to cruise areas with some kind of structure or a change in the shape of the lake. Look for points, underwater islands or humps, and sudden changes in depth from shallow to deep. Places where a stream enters or leaves the lake are also favorite spots for trout, especially early and late in the season. Trout are constantly cruising around the lake, so keep moving to try new spots around the shoreline if you aren’t having any luck. When you first arrive, it’s often advantageous to find a high point where the sun is at your back and actively look for fish before you start fishing. You may be surprised how easy they are to spot from a good vantage point.
Floating mountain lakes
Floating obviously has its advantages, but you have to get your craft to the lake. Fortunately, there are lightweight float tubes that are relatively easy to pack, but remember you will need a pair of fins to propel yourself and likely waders because mountain lakes are cold by nature. You probably don’t want to be in a float tube with your bare legs dangling in the water for hours at a time. That’s a good recipe for hypothermia. Another option is a “pack raft” which is a very lightweight craft that compacts small for easy transport. These specialized craft can be paddled around, or you can just paddle out and drift and fish. Pack rafts tend to be expensive, so prepare for some sticker shock, but they were designed specifically for mountain lake fishing, and if it’s something you plan to do a lot of, they can be a good investment. A small, inexpensive blow-up raft is another option. Be careful in direct sunlight, especially on hot days, because as the day warms the air can expand and burst a seam in the raft. That applies to all inflatables, but more so to inexpensive ones.
Other things to consider
Mountain lakes are incredible places, but they can also be unforgiving, and weather can be extremely unpredictable. Rainstorms can hit unexpectedly, and even snowstorms during summer. Always pack some warm clothes and possibly lightweight raingear, or some kind of rain shelter (such as a lightweight tarp or poncho), even if it appears to be a warm, sunny day. Bringing a multi-tool pocket knife is very handy on the trail and should be part of your kit...If you plan to keep fish, a stringer can be handy to store your catch. If you plan to hike out with fish, bring a stout plastic bag to store your fish inside and try to keep them cool while transporting and have a cooler waiting at your vehicle.
18 | Hunting & Fishing News
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4. PRE-HIKE WARMUP This often gets overlooked at the trailhead. Prior to lacing your boots, throwing your pack on and going for a hike, make sure to limber up. Doing some air squats, lunges or jumping jacks to warm up the engine prior to heading up the hill gets everything ready for work. Pulled muscles commonly occur from muscles being exerted while “cold.” Now, I know it may seem like common sense, but don’t over do it; doing enough movements to begin a small amount of sweat is plenty. All photo credits Anthony Wright
INJURY PREVENTION
FOR
5. SUPPLEMENTATION DURING THE HIKE
PEAK HUNTING PROWESS
By Anthony Wright Originally Published at
www.goHUNT.com
1. STRETCHING DURING THE WEEK Frequent stretching throughout the week will prepare your body for the hikes to come. This will aid in your body’s ability to overcome obstacles like deadfall timber and rock-filled terrain — especially with a pack on. Constant stretching over time will shorten recovery times as well as decrease your odds to becoming injured. I have added hip mobility stretches as well as yoga to my personal fitness regimen in order to prevent future injuries in nasty hunting areas.
A healthy diet will also be key to maintaining physical longevity. I’m not saying you must have a perfect diet per say — hell, I like to have a couple of adult beverages and dessert just as much as the next guy. However, I like to make sure that I constantly get my fruits and veggies with my daily intake. Along with monitoring what I eat I also like to supplement my diet with vitamins, such as: zinc (for immune system health), fish oil (for heart health) and glucosamine (for joint health).
There are many options as far as brands in this area for supplements to replenish lost vitamins and electrolytes. The benefits of these drinks have been scientifically proven to help in preventing cramps, pushing vitamins to exhausted muscles and helping with mental focus and recovery. One thing to stay away from are items with high amounts of caffeine, especially while hiking. Some caffeine will give you a bump in energy, but too much caffeine will make you have the “jitters,” causing your already raised hiking heart rate to rise even more. Do some research on which best fits your needs and add one of these drink mixes into your pack next time — your body will thank you!
3. WATER INTAKE
6. STRETCHING BEFORE BED
This is quite simple: drink water. In the summer months, I will try to drink about 1.25 gallons a day. In the winter months, I will do my best to get 1 gallon. How much you should drink will also be dictated on how strenuous your occupation is. I work in the aviation field so I’m constantly on my feet climbing up and down on airframes, which makes my consumption higher than most. Whereas, if you have an occupation that requires desk work, your consumption will be slightly less. The day before a big hike be sure to hydrate, priming the system for the next day’s events. Adding 32 oz of high-quality H2O while driving to your location is also something I try to implement. After a hike, prior to laying down for rest — whether in my tent or at home — consuming water will rejuvenate your body, rid toxins and prevent cramping the next day.
Just as you should stretch during the week, stretching after a short workout or a long day in the mountains is critical. Stretching your tired muscles will help your body push oxygen back into your muscles, aiding in pushing out lactic acids (lactic acid buildup in muscle fibers is what makes a muscle sore). Stretching out these acids are going to make your muscles less sore the next day, which is pivotal when there will be plenty of hiking when you wake up.
2. DIET
22 | Hunting & Fishing News
Give these quick tips a try next time you throw your pack on. Be sure to stay consistent to see the most benefits! Stay safe and hunt hard!
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ULTRALIGHT STOVES VS FULL SYSTEM STOVES By Josh Kirchner Originally published at www.goHUNT.com the world that is backpack Itonhunting, we are pretty lucky have the gear choices we
do today. There are so many different options out there to Pictured above, the Optimus Crux Lite a super lightweight stove for help folks along with their Stove, those ounce-counting hunters. Photo credit Josh Kirchner backcountry adventures. Whether it’s featherlight shelters to keep us out of a storm or backpacks that can carry much more weight than we can. If we need something, it’s likely out there to help. One of the main gear items in a backpack hunter’s arsenal is a stove to cook/boil water for dehydrated meals, coffee, etc. In a nutshell, a hunter can either go with a full stove system like a Jetboil or an ultralight stove like an Optimus Crux Lite. And each type has its pros and cons, which is exactly what we’ll chat about today. Ultralight stoves The ultralight craze is alive and well in the backpack hunting community. Let’s face it: the less weight we’ve got to carry around before a harvest, the better. Ultralight stoves are super popular here. They are nothing more than a tiny stove that weighs mere ounces. Picture a bunsen burner that you may or may not have used in science class. Pair them up Photo credit Jake Kirchner with a small pot to hold some water, a fuel canister and you’re in business. Some have an ignition button, but most don’t and will require a lighter to start up. A fantastic option for someone looking to shed weight in their system. Upsides Of course, the most obvious pro to running one of these ultralight stoves is right in the name. They are ultralight. On top of that, they don’t take up nearly as much room as the full stove systems we’ll touch on below. Something else that has caught my attention through the years is how moldable these are for each individual. What I mean by that is a hunter can essentially create their own little cooking system with whatever pot they wanted and whatever ultralight stove they wanted. This is a huge plus when it comes to tailoring your gear to you. Ultralight stoves are also much more affordable than their full-sized cousins. Most cost between $30 to $60. Downsides I’ve personally used one of these ultralight stoves for years now. While most of that has been without complaint, there are some downsides to these. The first being that the flame is totally vulnerable to the wind. Meaning that the advertised three-minute boil time that was on the package will likely be tripled in some cases. When the wind is howling, the flame dances around and has a hard time concentrating heat on your pot, hence the longer boil times. Along with that comes another con: fuel efficiency. If it’s taking two to three times longer than it should to boil water, you’re using that much
24 | Hunting & Fishing News
more fuel each time. I’ve often found myself bringing a large fuel canister with me on extended backpack hunts for this reason. Also, the pot that you’ll use with these is not going to be actually connected to the stove. It simply rests on top. If you aren’t careful, you could knock the pot of water right off of the stove... Full stove systems I’ll go out on a limb here and say that these full stove systems are probably the most commonly used out there. It was certainly my first stove ever and An awesome setup for the backcountry, the I’m sure the same Jetboil Flash Stove System. could be said for Photo courtesy www.goHUNT.com many of you. These are exactly what they sound like: a full system that all works together in the name of boiling your water. There is a cup, a stove that attaches to that cup, a fuel canister and sometimes even a stand for the canister. Many of the stoves have an ignition button as well, so you wouldn’t need a lighter for it. Upsides One of the biggest upsides of a full stove system is that it’s a one stop shop. When a person buys one of these, they’ll have everything they need (minus the fuel canister) in order to be boiling water up on the mountain. And they won’t have to worry nearly as much about knocking that pot off of the stove because it’s attached. Then there is the fuel efficiency. These stoves are much better in the wind, meaning that you’ll use less fuel and have water boiling quicker than the ultralight ones. Trust me. I’ve been that guy jealous of a friend who gets to eat before me. Because of the amplified fuel efficiency, a person likely won’t have to bring a large fuel canister back there with them. This is entirely dependent on how much someone is using the stove, though, so keep that in mind. I’ve gone a full seven days on a small canister, boiling two to three times a day. Downsides When compared to their ultralight cousins, an obvious downside of these full systems is the price. Some of them reach north of $200 for a full kit with most north of $100 while the ultralight versions are at most around $65. So a person is definitely paying for convenience here. Weight and size are other areas to look at. These full stove systems are usually right at about a pound, sometimes more. Ultralight versions are mere ounces. And, because of their larger size, they’ll be taking up more room in your backpack, meaning less room for food. In my eyes, I see that as less time I can spend on a backcountry hunt. That right there is one of the main reasons I ended up trying an ultralight system... Which one is best? So, in the end, which one is the best? Each of them have their own pros and cons. It all comes back to one of the coolest things about backpack hunting, which is being able to mold your gear to you and your style. What is a con for one person, may not be a con for another or at least one to worry about. For the ultralight crowd, it might be worth it to deal with cooking in the wind. Maybe you build a wind barrier. I’ve done that in the past and it works. I still ate and still had my pack lighter than before. But maybe time is more important to you in the field, so a full stove system is a better option. That extra weight is worth what you get back in fuel efficiency and time. A backpack hunter really needs to weigh their own pros and cons. Find out what is important to you and go from there. Make your own path and make it happen.
THE TECHNOLOGY I CARRY IN MY PACK By Jake Horton Originally published at
www.goHUNT.com
bottom and snuck within bow range of that bull without him knowing I was there, but he never presented me a shot. If I did not have satellite imagery on my phone, I would have had to either go back to where I could see the bull to regain my bearings or guess. When elk hunting, you do not get many chances at good bulls on public land so making the most of every opportunity is important.
Small enough to clip onto your bino harness set-up, the Garmin inReach Mini Satellite Communicator. Photo courtesy www.goHUNT.com The Garmin inReach Explorer+ Satellite Communicator. Photo credit Chris Neville
n today’s world, technology plays a major role in all aspects Icommunication of life — even hunting. Some technology is made for and others for location. Though technology
in hunting is not a necessity to most, I am here to make the case that you’ll consider the four pieces of technology I mention below a necessity after you use them this hunting season. Not to mention that these pieces of technology also make your hunting season so much easier and stress-free. There are only four pieces of technology that I always have in my pack on every hunt and hike I do. Here are the reasons that they are important to me.
Cell phone
Photo courtesy www.goHUNT.com
The first piece of technology I always have with me is a cell phone with a mapping service. The basic concept behind satellite mapping services is that you download the maps when you are in service and, while out of service, you can have access to real-time location, path tracking, topographic maps, aerial photography, trails and numerous other overlays. These maps are a game-changer and, if you are still using a traditional GPS, it is time to consider changing your ways. I can’t wait to start running goHUNT’s mobile mapping application and from the discussion I have had with them, it’s going to be epic! One example of when a mapping app was essential was in 2018. I had a bull bedded on a sparse side hill in a small opening I could see from the opposite ridge. As I dropped off the ridge, the vantage point changed and I started to lose track of what opening the bull was in. Luckily, I had marked the opening on my aerial map, which allowed me to track towards and see — on the map — the opening the bull was bedded in. Trying to do that with a traditional GPS would have been nearly impossible. I crossed the creek in the
Garmin InReach
The second item of technology that has become essential over the last few years is my Garmin InReach. When they first came out I was not sold on why I would drop $300 to $400 on a communication device — not to mention paying for a monthly subscription. In 2018, my wife actually bought me one for Christmas and now I am a big advocate for several reasons. The way a Garmin InReach works is similar to cell phone texting without the need for any cell coverage. No matter where you are, you can send and receive messages to and from phone numbers or emails through satellite technology. You can also message other Garmin InReaches no matter where they are in the world. This is how I use my Garmin InReach and why I think it’s important. First of all, I pay the activation fee and only keep the service for the months I hunt hard, especially during deer, elk and other fall seasons when hunting is back to back and I plan on being out of service for days on end. The reason I love the InReach is that it gives my family and myself peace of mind. I can message my wife and kids everyday even if I choose to stay in the backcountry multiple days at a time. I use it to let my family know I am OK, tell my buddies back home about any success and to feel like I am safe no matter where I am. When hunting from a basecamp, before my InReach, I used to drive into cell phone service nearly every day to let my wife know I was OK. This would be a late night drive and usually affect my sleep time, but was what she needed to feel fine with me hunting solo. Just being able to message my wife and let her know that I am back at camp and safe has made a huge difference to her and me and allows me to do whatever it takes to harvest an animal. Another way that I used this Garmin essentially this year was hunting with a hunting buddy. I dropped my hunting buddy off to hunt a drainage and planned to pick him up 30 minutes after dark. I ended up getting into bulls in a drainage five miles deep and was working in on them all the way until the end of shooting light. I felt so bad that I was going to be at least an hour late to pick him up so I sent him a message on his InReach. He made it to the trailhead and laid down and took a nap, knowing that I was just late and not dead. The InReach gave him the peace of mind that I was coming and gave me the peace of mind that he knew I was coming. Overall, this is a great piece of technology I will always have with me.
Backup GPS
The third piece of essential technology is a backup GPS. Previously, I have had some really good GPSs with chips; however, now, with the satellite map on my cell phone, I use a GPS as an emergency plan. When I get to a trailhead where I park, I mark my truck and then turn the GPS off and put it in my pack. (continued on page 36)
Hunting & Fishing News | 25
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Biggest Names in Bowhunting
Attending 2021 Pope and Young Convention Pope And Young Club ope and Young, America’s leading bowhunting organization P is excited to announce that their 32nd Biennial Convention, celebrating 60 years of bowhunting conservation is a GO,
and some of the biggest names in bowhunting will be in attendance to help them celebrate in Reno, Nevada July 14 - 17th. With Big names and even bigger changes and announcements in store, this is an event you will not want to miss. The Pope & Young Convention has always been a place to meet some of bowhunting’s living legends, and this year will be no exception. With speaking engagements from, Michael Waddell, Remi Warren, Allen Bolen, Andrew McKean, and many others, it’ll be one you don’t want to miss. There is still time to add your name to this impressive list of attendees. Come, shake hands and swap stories with bowhunting legends like Chuck Adams, Jack Frost, Tom Miranda, Frank Noska, Marv Clyncke, Harv Ebers, and M.R. James. The Pope & Young Convention provides a great atmosphere for bowhunters of all skill levels to spend time with fellow hunting enthusiasts, make new friends and learn new skills COVID Restriction Update: All areas are open at 100% capacity and vaccinated guests do not have to wear masks. We are not allowed to ask about vaccines or request to see vaccination cards due to HIPPA laws. Guest are on the honor system to wear masks if they are not vaccinated. Masks are still required in the Reno/Tahoe Airport and on the planes. Please register by July 1, 2021 to guarantee your meal tickets!
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26 | Hunting & Fishing News
Join Pope & Young in Reno, Nevada at the Nugget Casino and Resort July 14th - 17th and help celebrate 60 years of bowhunting heritage and swap stories with some of bowhunting’s biggest legends. Learn more about the 2021 Convention and Register at www.pope-young.org/convention. ABOUT POPE & YOUNG: The Pope and Young Club is North America’s leading bowhunting and conservation organization. Even if you never had the fortune of shooting a record book animal, or have never registered an animal, if you are a fair chase, ethical bowhunter and you care about preserving the culture of bowhunting - you belong to the Pope & Young Club. Join today at www.pope-young.org.
A variety of shooting sticks are available, but we recommend the Primos Trigger Stick Tripod. These sticks are stable and quick to adjust, making it possible to clear tall grass or sage. Ammo Carrier
Photos courtesy www.tablemountainoutfitters.com
Shooting Accessories To Consider For Your Next Wyoming Hunt
By Zach Lazzari Table Mountain Outfitters www.tablemountainoutfitters.com
unters don’t need a pile of shooting accessories. H But a few handy items can make a difference in the field. Gear is no replacement for skill. And
learning to shoot from a variety of positions is important. Practice with and without your rifle bipods and accessories to prepare for every possible scenario. Here are a few shooting accessories you might consider for your next Wyoming hunt: Bipod A bipod provides excellent stability for shooters in open country situations like we often see here in Wyoming. A bipod in the six to ten inch range is ideal for shooting from prone positions, giving hunters great control at longer ranges. If you choose to use a bipod on an upcoming hunt, be sure to practice, practice, practice.
This simple accessory is often found for less than 20 bucks but it saves critical time when reloading. Rather than sorting through your pants pockets or the depths of your pack for more ammo, keep extra rounds organized and ready. Check out the different BULLET WALLETS from Caribou Gear. Your ammo stays secure and you can reload quickly when time is of the essence. Scope Cover We’ve seen the good and the bad with scope covers. In most situations, they’re not necessary and they cause more trouble than they are worth. However, if we encounter wet weather, a rifle slung over your shoulder can easily collect snow and become obstructed. While we don’t recommend keeping the scope cover on your rifle while hunting, consider keeping one on hand in case of bad weather. Glass Cleaning Wipes There’s nothing worse than smudges on your binoculars and scope. Keep a few wipes handy to clean the glass throughout the day. Using a shirt sleeve usually makes things worse by spreading the smudge across the glass. Keep a few disposable wet lens wipes in your pocket and a small microfiber cloth clipped to your pack or bino harness for easy access throughout the day. Wyoming Hunts To learn more about guided hunting in Wyoming with Table Mountain Outfitters, please take a few minutes to explore their website at www.tablemountainoutfitters.com. For availability or specific questions, don’t hesitate to call 307-632-6352.
This advice certainly goes for any shooting accessory. But it’s especially critical that you know your bipod and feel extremely comfortable with it before you embark on a hunt. Shooting Sticks Our guides typically carry shooting sticks in the truck, so it’s not necessary to bring your own. However, it doesn’t hurt to practice with a set before coming on your hunt. Even when you have an attached bipod, shooting sticks create a good alternative rifle rest, making it possible to shoot from awkward positions and especially when shooting over brush. This sometimes comes in handy on mule deer and antelope hunts here in Wyoming.
Photo credit www.tablemountainoutfitters.com
Hunting & Fishing News | 27
Author Tom Cooper.
Shoot The Calf? By Tom Cooper
uring my hunting lifetime (1960 to present), a hunter’s D decision whether or not to shoot a calf elk has changed significantly. Both license/permit criteria and the amount of
wild game used to feed one’s family have changed since those early days. In the 1960s elk tags meant hunters could shoot any elk (just shoot any brown elk): bull, cow, or calf. Also during the 60s, I was one of three brothers, and wild game was frequently on our family menu. First Experience My first calf experience occurred while rifle hunting the Bitterroot Mountains just south and west of Missoula, probably 1967. The weather at lower elevations was rainy, but higher it was fog and snow. We left camp early to hike to our intended ridge by daylight. Because of the fog, the coming of daylight was slower than normal. Of course I was on-time, but in the timber, cloud cover, and ground fog, visibility was definitely behind schedule. Leaning against a large pine waiting for more light, I realized animals, make it elk, were moving across the ridge below me. In the fog, I wasn’t sure about distance, but they were close, less than 75 yards. A few head had passed already, and that meant I best take the first target (any brown elk). I did, one shot. After watching to make sure she was down for good, I approached. While surprised I had shot a calf, maybe 6 months old, I didn’t feel bad because it was young; I felt bad because of its size and the amount of meat it could provide. My grandfather (World War I veteran and the Great Depression), was camped with us and would arrive soon to help prepare the elk for the pack to camp. To say Grandpa was a meat hunter of the highest order is hardly scratching the surface. I knew he would ask if there were other elk. When I said yes, he responded with something like “Then why in tarnation did you shoot a gosh-darned calf?” For him there was no good response and I’m pretty sure I didn’t try to come up with one. Second Experience I did not connect with a second calf for 48 years, yes almost 50. By 2015, circumstances were considerably different. For years now, Montana’s elk licenses have been much more specific: brow-tined bull, spike bull, cow (includes calf), or in a few locations either sex (includes calf). Certainly this criteria changed every hunter’s approach, because specific identification is required (“any brown elk” is not acceptable). Identification means not only gender, but the presence of brow tines, and the length of tines/branches. To shoot a calf a hunter must draw a cow license or a permit allowing the use of the over-the-counter bull tag for a cow.
28 | Hunting & Fishing News
The other circumstance that changed is the amount of wild game consumed. Feeding a family of four with two growing children a couple decades ago, required significantly more than feeding two senior citizens does now. In recent years, my brother, Bill and I have shared most elk either of us harvested. At this point in our lives, half an adult elk provides all the wild meat my wife and I can use in a year. So, if either Bill or I harvests an elk, we focus more on deer the rest of the season. Mostly it is about continuing to hunt, not more meat. Returning to 2015, it was early November and we had yet to fill an elk tag. Before daylight we drove to the south end of the Elkhorn Mountains, because both of us had drawn cow licenses for the area. Additionally, our over the counter tags were valid for spikes. As we sat in the vehicle drinking the last of our coffee, we discussed our cow tags, because really we only needed one adult elk. As most hunters do, we moved to “what if’s”, in this case what if we shot a full-size elk today? We might be done elk hunting for the season. We didn’t want that, so one option was what if we shot a calf today, then we might continue to hunt for a cow or bull later. Always Shoot the Calf We started our conversation by recalling a quote from an old fishing buddy: “Always shoot the calf Tom.” I first met Irv (World War II veteran) in 1991 as a newcomer to ice fishing in the Helena area. Over the years, he provided considerable fishing guidance, and sometimes we strayed from fishing to hunting. At the time, Irv was in his mid-70s and had faced the meat consumption issue my brother and I were facing. Irv has since passed to the great fishing hole in the sky, but whenever I think of him, “Always shoot the calf Tom” comes to mind. Back to 2015 again, Bill and I discussed shooting a calf simply because there is less meat. The result was if we saw a calf, we had to be mentally prepared to take the shot. As hunting luck would have it, and maybe with little input from Grandpa and Irv, the opportunity was mine. After three hours of hunting one ridgeline, I hiked through a saddle to another ridge, immediately finding fresh elk tracks in the snow. The tracks led me to thicker brush, but within minutes I saw elk feeding slowly through the timber, maybe 60-70 yards. There wasn’t a tree close to use as a rest. I won’t shoot off-hand these days, I’m not that steady anymore. Moving 4-5 steps, I grabbed near the top of small pine tree, not ideal, but steadier than off-hand. The first elk in my scope was a cow, but she lined up with small fir tree, no shot. She disappeared. As the next cow moved into the small opening, it turned straight away. Another no shot, and she disappeared too. The third elk was obviously a calf. I took two seconds to make up my mind, and I’m pretty sure I heard Irv say “Always shoot the calf Tom.” So I did. Turns out if you shoot a calf, not only is there less meat, but when dragging is necessary, it’s a one man job. I dragged her 350 yards downhill in the snow to a road with no problem (ok, a little sweat). Within 30 minutes Bill showed with the vehicle. We processed her using the no-gut approach, and were soon on our way home. How did I feel about shooting a calf this time? Surprisingly, not bad at all, actually pretty good. Times have in fact changed. Game management is not just about bull hunting or cow hunting; Calves play a role as well. Elk managers recognize offering cow tags results in hunters taking both bull and cow calves. While I am comfortable I could shoot a calf again, it will still depend on how much elk two seniors can eat. I neglected to mention this earlier, but the meat from a calf elk is absolutely, totally awesome! And one final item, could someone please pass a message (if you get there, of course) to Grandpa and Irv? Tom’s message: 1) only harvest the meat you can use, and 2) always shoot the calf, when it meets (meats, get it) your needs.
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How secure is it on the rifle? By far the most common question I get asked, is how does it hold up in hunting? And will the velcro strip rip off and you’ll lose your ammo? I will say this with full honesty, I’ve never had my two round ammo holder fall off my gun. The attachment is very secure and is actually made from quality velcro. I’ve busted through brush a hundred times and the ammo holder is still on there, I’ve hunted in below-freezing temperatures, and tons of rain with one more times than I can count and it’s still on my gun. Applying the two round holder to your rifle The steps are super easy. All photo credits Brady Miller
BENEFITS OF A TWO-ROUND AMMO HOLDER ON YOUR HUNTING RIFLE
By Brady Miller Originally Pulished at
•Figure out where you want it •Clean the stock with a good quality rubbing alcohol (I’ve even used acetone on my rifles) •Let it dry for a little bit to prepare the surface for proper adhesion of the supplied industrial-strength celcro piece •Carefully remove the backing on the velcro and apply it
www.goHUNT.com
here’s something reassuring knowing you have two extra T rounds at the ready on your hunting rifle. No matter how much you practice or how much of a slam dunk a shot is,
you just never know if you will need a few extra rounds and when that animal of a lifetime is in front of you, you don’t want to be digging around your pockets, searching your bino harness or scrambling in your backpack for extra ammunition. Several years ago I came across a product made by Short Action Precision called their two-round ammo holder. I decided to give it try on my hunting rifles and now I can’t ever see myself hunting without one. I loved them so much that I’m happy to say we started to carry them in the goHUNT Gear Shop this past year! Have ammo at the ready One of the biggest benefits I see with the two round ammo holder is the added ability to have an extra round handy so you can essentially have a “float” round. So while you might have two or three rounds in your magazine box, but right before you take your shot you can grab a round from your two round ammo holder and use that for your kill shot. Then you would still have three rounds in your magazine if you do need to take more shots, this would essentially save you time rather than trying to grab an extra round after you initially ran out of ammo. Let’s hope that never happens, but this adds a piece of mind. Also, the two round ammo holder on your stock is a very natural position to grab a round if you’re in any sort of shooting position. You don’t have to get off the back of the gun to grab a round, or even worse dig around in your gear. This allows me to essentially keep my eye on the animal and grab another round if needed. The two round ammo holder comes in two different sizes.
Also, you can check out the video above for a walkthrough of the process. IN SUMMARY
No matter if you hand load or shoot factory ammunition, I fully believe there is no reason to not have a two round ammo holder on your rifle. As I’ve stated many times already, you just never know if you will need to grab another round, and having one in an easy to access spot without taking your head off the gun is a huge benefit.
Short Action Precision Two Round Holder Specs Size Cartridge range Additional info Standard
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30 | Hunting & Fishing News
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My Wife Doesn’t Like The Taste of Venison By Jeremiah Doughty Guidefitter www.guidefitter.com
ow many times have you pulled out a hunk of H frozen venison from the freezer and heard from the other room, “I don’t like the taste of venison.”
This happened more often than not in our household, until I figured out how to butcher, season and cook it. Most hunters are not chefs and most chefs are not hunters, so when it comes to understanding how to treat your wild game, we tend to learn from those who have come before. Growing up, I learned how to cook venison from watching my grandpa and father, and it’s all I knew. Their seasoning of choice was seasoning salt and the venison was always overcooked; this is not how it should be done. After years of honing my skills, I’m here to share three things I’ve learned on how to make your venison taste better... 1. Butchering Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and wield a knife. DIY butchering of your deer not only helps you understand your deer meat, it also helps you know what goes into your freezer. When you drop your deer off at a busy butcher during deer season, sadly, it’s like getting your meat from the grocery store.
Sometimes you don’t know if you’re getting just your meat back, or a mixture of others. This is not always true, don’t get me wrong: some butchers take their time with just your animal. But I hear horror stories more often than not, and have even experienced this myself. Some benefits of doing self-butchering are: You know what cuts you’re getting. If you want more steaks, then cut more steaks. You want more ground, then grind more. You’ll also realize that when you eat it, it will taste better. Why? First because you did it yourself, so you take the time to cut off all the funk. You are more meticulous when it comes to doing it yourself. Second, because you know that it’s your kill that is going into the bag and the freezer. You get MORE meat. Yes, more meat. The reason is that you get to take the time to get all the meat off the bones. When you cut off the silver skin and tendons you make sure you cut it as close to the skin as you can. I asked a butcher how much waste he gets off a 90 pound doe and he said about 50% is waste. So I took a 90 pound doe and got 30% waste. That’s 20% more I got by doing it myself. You can drain the blood from the meat, blood holds 80% of that wild flavor. 2. Seasoning When it comes to seasoning your venison, you need to remember it’s not beef. It does not carry the same flavors as grain-fed cattle. So figuring out what your deer was eating will greatly affect the flavor you will get.
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July 2021
If your deer is eating corn in the fields of Nebraska, it will have a much milder flavor than a mule deer eating cactus and roots in the Arizona desert. When we look at seasonings, we need to enhance the natural flavor and not mask it. If you harvest a young doe off the clover fields of Mississippi, her wild flavor will be so mild that any seasoning will pair well with her, but if you harvest an old mule deer from the high mountains of Montana, his wild flavor will be such a strong sage flavor and scent that if you try using your normal steak seasonings, the wild flavor will turn off most who eat it if they were not raised on it. If you pair your seasonings to enhance and mix well with the sage, you’ll have everyone reaching for seconds. Flavors that pair perfect with sage are: garlic, soy, ginger, cumin and paprika. Finding those seasoning and flavors that enhance will definitely have your wife singing a different tune when you reach for that hunk of venison. 3. Cooking
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There is a huge misconception when it comes to the temp at which to cook venison. When I was growing up it was always “cook wild game until it is well done.” I’ve come to learn that the reason I hated wild game growing up is because it was overcooked. The more you cook your venison, the worse it becomes in terms of flavor and texture (This does not come into play while slow cooking it). I’m talking about grilling or baking your venison. Venison lacks marbled fat like many other domesticated farm animals, so overcooking tends to dry it out and makes it very tough. It also doubles that wild flavor that most people tend to not enjoy. Cooking a venison to med rare is ideal for texture and flavor. This allows the natural juices to be retained within the meat and helps from drying out. The meat will be more tender with a milder flavor. Slow cooking is another amazing way to cook your venison. Taking a roast and putting it in a slow cooker for 8 hours is one of my family’s favorite ways to cook it. By slow cooking it, you’re letting that meat absorb whatever liquids and seasonings you’ve added to the cooker. The meat will break down and become soft and able to shred with two forks. Using the meat to create tacos or sandwiches is ideal. I’ve cooked venison steaks for people who refuse to eat them after having ones that were overcooked, improperly seasoned and have not yet had one turn away seconds. Taking the time to understand how and where your meat comes from will help you when it comes time to make some magic in the kitchen or at the grill. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
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Create Hunting Gear Checklists For Your Upcoming Trips By Zach Lazzari Hunting Gear Outfitters www.huntinggearoutfitters.com
unting seasons are just around the corner. H That means it’s time to finalize your gear choices and create packing lists. Checklists are a valuable
means of staying organized. Creating a list now will let you know the exact weight of your pack. With everything accounted for, you can make any necessary adjustments and feel confidently ready for the next hunt. Consider separating out your gear into storage containers with labels to keep everything in one place while idle. Keep a day trip bin and a backcountry bin. Be ready with your backpacks to mix and match gear as needed for each specific hunt. Personalize your own lists and create one for each of your trips this season. Here are a couple of examples to get you started:
Day Trip Hunting Checklist □Day pack or underloaded multi-day pack with meat hauling capabilities □Backpack rain cover □Butt pad for glassing □Hiking poles □Optics - binoculars, spotting scope, range finder, tripod □Binocular chest harness
Photo by Ryan McSparran
Backcountry Multi-Day Hunting Checklist □Multi-Day Backpack with rain cover □Tent, Stakes and Groundcloth □Sleeping Bag - 30 degree for summer, 0-degree for late season □Sleeping pad □Clothing and boots, socks, base layer, mid-layer, rain jacket, pants, heavy layer for late season □Extra protection - gaiters, warm hat, spare underwear and shirt □Hiking poles □Optics-binoculars, spotting scope, range finder, tripod □Butt pad for glassing □Binocular chest harness □Water bottle or bladder □Water filter plus backup purification
□Clothing - boots, socks, base layers, mid-layer, rain jacket, pants, heavy layer, gaiters, hat, sunglasses □Field dressing knife, replacement blades and/or sharpener □Game bags
□Smartphone/GPS with maps
□Hunting license
□Field dressing knife, replacement blades and/or sharpener □Cook system (incl. stove, pot and fuel)
□Water bottle or bladder □Micro water filter, SteriPen or purification tablets □First aid and emergency kit (incl. lighter, waterproof matches, survival kit, etc.) □Smartphone/GPS with maps □Toilet paper (in ziplock) □Lunch, trail snacks and supplements □Hunting weapon and ammunition □Species specific calls □Headlamp with spare batteries (in case of a late-night pack out)
34 | Hunting & Fishing News
□Battery pack with ultralight solar panel for recharging phone, GPS and headlamp □Game bags □Hunting license
□First aid and emergency kit (incl. lighter, waterproof matches, survival kit, etc.) □Headlamp □Backup headlamp or ultralight emergency light □Toilet paper (in ziplock bag) □Food - dehydrated meals, breakfast items, trail snacks, coffee pouches, supplements & other high density calorie foods as desired □Hunting weapon and ammunition □Species specific calls
Tips for Shaving Pounds On multi-day trips, ideally you’ll keep the pack under about 60-pounds (of course depending on your size, the time of year and other factors). Weight will gradually shed as your food supply diminishes. Hiking to a fixed camp location also means you can ditch the weight of your sleep system, cook system and all but your daily ration of food. Hang the remainder of your food supply away from camp when you leave to hunt for the day.
The sleep system and optics account for a good deal of weight on backpacking trips. Therefore, minimizing the weight of your tent, sleeping pad and optics can make a big difference. Lightweight tarp or tipi style tents can easily drop 3-4 pounds off your shelter. Sleeping pads that weigh mere ounces are also a good choice.
Photo by Ryan McSparran
Optics are a tough call. You can drop the spotting scope and tripod and still be effective with binoculars. It really depends on your preference, the species and the location you’re hunting. On an archery elk hunt in country that’s mostly heavy timber, you can probably get away with 8x binoculars and no spotting scope. While on an open-country hunt for mule deer, those needs would be different.
When you finalize your packing list for a trip, save a digital copy that you can continue to use and adjust for years to come. Each year, you’ll probably make changes. But starting with the previous year’s list will give you a big head start on packing. It will also help you recognize which items are the most helpful, and which unused items you can omit on future trips.
Save Your Lists
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www.blackbuttecopper.com Hunting & Fishing News | 35
THE TECHNOLOGY I CARRY IN MY PACK
(continued from page 25) If I ever lost my phone or it got ruined, I still have the peace of mind that I can make it back to the truck. Overall, this is a backup piece of technology that I carry with me for assurance due to the durability and reliability.
Charging system
The final piece of technology I carry with me is a good portable battery charger. Personally, I use an Anker Powercore, which is a little heavy, but there are other options out there like Goal Zero and Dark Energy. Make sure you have the charging cords to charge your phone, Garmin and GPS. I have never used one, but have heard good things about some solar pack chargers that go on top of your bag. Don’t be afraid to buy one online and give it a try. If it doesn’t work like you would like, then return it and try again. In recent years, except for basic GPSs, I didn’t have any technology as a part of hunting. Now we scout on technology using goHUNT Maps then we travel to our spots using GPS systems and then we hunt using the aforementioned technology. Over the past few years, I have been a skeptic of some technologies and if they are worth their weight and the cost; however, these are four that I am 100% sold on and recommend to anyone going in the backcountry. Ultimately, any product you are taking to the backcountry needs to be affordable, reliable, durable and work for you.
Venison Ribs Recipe
SNS Outfitter & Guides www.huntwyo.com Photo courtesy SNS Outfitter & Guides
oday, we’re taking a fun and new approach to wild game T cooking for summer time. This month we’re featuring Venison Ribs, something that many don’t think about as a
dinner option. The below recipe is designed for 4 servings, but can easily be modified for more guests. Also to note, this recipe is a two-day kind of recipe. On day one you will be slow roasting your venison ribs, and on day two you’ll be heating those back up on the grill and serving with either your favorite coleslaw or grilled corn on the cob recipe. We hope that you enjoy! Ingredients Day 1: -1 rack of venison ribs, 8 bones on the rack, or, 8 rib chops -2 large carrots – chopped -1 celery stalk – chopped -2 white onions – chopped (MUST be white onion for our favorite flavor) -6 cloves garlic – chopped -2 jalapenos, split in half (one if you’re not into spice) -2 Tbsp. chile powder -1 tsp. whole black peppercorns -5 sprigs thyme -2 tsp.ground cinnamon -1 bay leaf Ingredients Day 2: -1 cup barbecue sauce of your preference Directions Day 1: 1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Put all the ingredients except the barbecue sauce in a large roasting pan and add water to cover the meat. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting foil and a lid. 2. Place in the oven; cook until extremely tender, about 8 hours 3. Remove the ribs from the roasting pan and cool in the refrigerator overnight. Discard the cooking liquids once ribs are removed from pan. Directions Day 2: 1. Heat your grill to a medium hot temperature. 2. Slice the cooled rack into individual ribs and grill for about 3 minutes per side, or until heated through. Once heated, brush on the barbecue sauce and continue to cook, turning frequently until ribs browned and have a slight crisp. Serve with your favorite coleslaw or grilled corn!
36 | Hunting & Fishing News
Early Season Bulls: How To Achieve Pre-Rut Success
(continued from page 4) If you have the dough, the hunting can be second to none. If you can’t afford to pay for access or it goes against your nature, all is not lost. Many of these elk travel several miles a day to get from alfalfa to bedding areas and vice versa. Often times, they will be traveling across public land. My method for hunting them is to glass from afar to pinpoint travel patterns. After getting a good feel for their daily routine, I will move in and build a couple blinds out of the surrounding vegetation. I don’t get very elaborate with my blinds as I don’t want to draw attention to them from the elk or other hunters. I also set them up to take advantage of different wind directions. When I feel confident in my sets, I go hunting. Often times, I will have to adjust my locations due to wind direction. Don’t be afraid to adjust, it can make all the difference. Spot and stalk My favorite type of early season hunting. It combines waterhole and food source hunting but without the sitting around and waiting. As I said, the previous two types of hunting require patience, which I have little of. I do it so my clients can be successful. When I have my choice though, spot and stalk hunting is my go-to strategy. Spot and stalk hunting has a very simplistic approach. Glass until you spot elk, then move in for the kill. The first part is easy. The latter is extremely tough. If you are lucky, you will be hunting a lone bull that hasn’t collected a harem of cows. Fooling one set of eyes is definitely easier than getting by a dozen sets or more. Start by glassing feeding areas at first light. Obviously, these areas will be different depending on where you are hunting. In one part of the country, you may be glassing a timber cut, alfalfa field or even an abandoned strip mine. Once you spot a bull, it’s time to decide if he’s in a workable position. Will the wind hold? Do you have enough cover? Should you wait till evening? These are questions you can only answer at the time, as every situation will be different. My best advice is this; if your gut says go for it, then go. If you have any doubt, wait. At the same time, you need to realize that you may do a dozen or so stalks before you get into range, let alone a shot opportunity. Being aggressive while treading lightly is the way to go. The key to spot and stalk hunting is mobility. Being able to cover country by truck, horse, UTV or hiking is crucial. This also means that you need to be hunting land that is big enough to allow you to move around. That is not to say you should ignore smaller chunks of real estate, just don’t become married to one spot. Final thoughts I did not mention calling. Truth be told, I rarely make a sound until the 15th of September. Occasionally, I will cow call to try and settle an edging bull down. There have been a few years when I only bugled a handful of times the entire month of September. I believe overcalling is one of the biggest mistakes hunters make, especially in the early season. Does this mean you shouldn’t call at all? Absolutely not. As I mentioned before, every situation is different, as is every area. I’d be a dang fool to sit here and tell you how to hunt an area that I’ve never been in, from the comforts of my couch. My advice comes from guiding and hunting in three western states for 20 years. A lot of time in the mountains and a lot of successful hunts later, I can draw conclusions to what works and what doesn’t for me and my hunters. Hopefully, one piece of this article will help you be successful in your hunting area this fall...
38 | Hunting & Fishing News
What Is The Ideal Draw Weight For Bowhunting? (continued from page 6) Colorado, for instance, has an 80% let off rule; no more. We’ll chat more about let off later. In terms of being able to effectively take a big game animal, a general rule of thumb is 40 lbs for whitetail deer-sized game and 50 lbs for bigger animals like elk. The bigger the critter, the tougher the hide, thicker the bones and the larger the chest cavity. There’s just more animal that the arrow has to travel through with bigger obstacles. Let off and draw cycle In order to explain let off, I think it’s important to touch on the draw cycle. Compound bows have what is called a draw cycle. You may have heard folks say stuff like, “This bow has a super smooth draw cycle,” or even the opposite. This cycle is what happens in terms of how much weight you’ll pull from the moment you start pulling the bow string until you reach full draw. There is the start of it all when you start pulling and feel some weight. From there, you’ll reach a peak draw weight (this is when you actually hit that 50 lbs if your bow is set to a 50 lb draw weight). Then the weight starts dropping off, followed by the valley (minimum weight). After that, the weight will start climbing just a tad followed by hitting the back wall at the end. Where the weight drops off is the let off. This is how folks are able to hold their bows at full draw so long. An archer with a 50 lb draw weight isn’t holding 50 lbs at full draw. If they have a bow with 80% let off, it’s more like 10 lbs that they’re holding. There are bows with 65% let off all the way up to 90% let off. And, like I said earlier, pay attention to the regulations where you plan on hunting. Some states, like Colorado, have a let off restriction of no more than 80%. Spend some time to find the draw cycle you like the most. Some bows are smoother than others and some are much more aggressive. The more aggressive, the faster the arrow is generally and the less valley there tends to be. Shoot what feels best. It’s not all about power There is a lot of hoopla around pulling a ton of weight with your bow. Faster arrows, more kinetic energy, etc. On paper it looks great, but it’s definitely not needed and most definitely not for everyone. The standard of 60 to 70 lbs is more than enough for North American big game. However, there are some folks who want to pull 80 to 90 lbs of draw weight. There is nothing wrong with this at all for them. What is right for you might be a different story, though. Don’t think that you’ve got to conform and pull a ton of weight because you absolutely don’t. If that’s something that you’d like to build up to, then more power to you. And that’s the key: you build up to it. This is a good way to hurt yourself if you’re not used to it. So, take the time to build up to it if you’d like and don’t “overbow” yourself. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t hold the bow straight out in front of you and draw the string back slowly, you’re most likely pulling too much weight. There is no shame in that. That shines light on a stealth aspect as well. If a hunter is making an exaggerated movement in order to draw their bow, that opens up a bigger possibility of the animal seeing them before the arrow is off. There is a little more depth to it than just power. Closing In the end, all of us are different. What the ideal draw weight for you might not be for someone else...our draw weights are a reflection of not only our physical ability, but the places and animals we hunt. Hunters who prefer taking longer shots might have a potent interest when it comes to increasing draw weight. They’re going to get a faster arrow and more kinetic energy out of it for those longer shots. Whereas someone spot and stalk hunting antelope might want the ability to draw their bow back incredibly slowly to avoid those keen eyes. A slightly lower draw weight might be best for them. Through all of that, though, be honest with yourself and do what is most comfortable for you. As long as your draw weight is within the legal bounds of the state you’re hunting, have fun and make some memories out there...
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