Montana Hunting & Fishing News - June 2017 by Western Hunting & Fishing News

HUNTING & FISHING MONTANA

June 2017

Fishing The Madison River Fort Peck in June 7 Summer Scouting Tips

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Montana’s Fresh Water Ocean By Trevor Johnson, Kit's Tackle and KT Sportfishing www.kitstackle.com

IHecanbattled still remember the morning my dad hooked a fish so big in the Dry Arm of Fort Peck. it for close to 15 minutes before it cut the line. I still would have liked to get

a glimpse of that submarine of a northern pike. As that trip continued, more than twenty years ago, we caught a multitude of different species. Let’s just say, I was hooked! Montana’s massive Fort Peck Lake has more than 1500 miles of shoreline. That is a lot of real estate for fish to grow big and avoid anglers…along with enough space to share with other species. I’ve only been blessed a couple of times to fish the Pacific Ocean, but Fort Peck has made up for it time after time. Just like my experiences on the ocean, you never know what you are going to catch…AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT SO AWESOME! Fort Peck is a true off-the-grid Montana experience; and that is what makes it a true Montana relic. Most of the access points are long winding horrible dirt roads that are impassable when wet. I hear people say all the time, “Every time I drive to Hell Creek State Park, I have to screw the cabinets back on in the camper.” I think I love it more every time I hear it! For a hint, the dam area does have wonderful access right off of paved roads. The Duck Creek and Marina launches offer a middle starting point to the ocean of gloriousness. And right in the town of Fort Peck is the Lakeridge Bait and Tackle, previously owned by Gene Moore and now by Eddie Mindt. Eddie has done a fantastic job of really bringing it to life. He has rooms, bait, tackle and everything else a guy could need for a few days on Fort Peck. (Give Eddie a ring at 406.526.3597) Since the month of June is my favorite time to fish Fort Peck I will focus the strategies around the fifty degree water temp mark. As I’ve said before we call this the light switch temperature. Just like flipping on the lights…things really heat up! The super cool thing about Fort Peck is that it is managed as a warm water fishery and has a multitude of pelagic baitfish (meaning they fluctuate in the water column). This means there is a substantial food source from 6’’ of water all the way down to the deep dark depths. This makes it a really fun place to fish because you could catch a 28” walleye pitching a jig right to the bank; or you could catch one in 31 fow below the boat! Around our Helena area reservoirs, we have a limited forage base and the main food source is yellow perch and crayfish; both which are targeted shallow. Very, very rarely do we catch larger walleye in deeper than 10 fow in the Helena area lakes. Fort Peck is a whole different system filled with voracious beast, ready to annihilate your Glass Minnow at all times. Also, with the vast amount of predators in this body of water, there is a lot more competition making bites from all species more plentiful. HOW TO APPROACH FORT PECK IN JUNE: Pulling up to Fort Peck can be about as nerve-racking as giving your first college speech…it is a big bugger. A guy could sure feel intimidated and very lost. Our biggest recommendation is to talk with the local bait shops to get a starting point and have fun from there! In the month of June, my favorite area of the lake is from the dam down the Big Dry Arm. For walleye, we focus on main lake points and also areas that get windswept. For bass, look for the rock piles! And for pike…THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!!!! Rock Creek is another popular destination with a marina and lodging ect. I will be staying at the Rock Creek Marina the first couple weeks of June so come say hi if you’re in the country. (Give wild Bill a call with any questions 406.485.2560) We really like Rock Creek because there is excellent fishing opportunities so close to the ramp. A lot of places on Fort Peck I feel like you have to drive 15-25 miles from the ramp for good fishing. Most of the time from Rock Creek we are running towards Mcguire Creek and it is only a couple miles. A guy could spend as much time as he wanted exploring the country in this short stretch! We usually bring the jigging and rigging rods to Fort Peck! Like I said earlier, with foraging fish in all depths it pays off. We contour the shore casting Glass Minnows shallow while our rigging rods work under the boat. It is such a cool feeling when you know you can catch BIG fish on a jig or below the boat on a rig. When going down the shore casting jigs you want to be going at least .7 mph for the rigging rods to work properly. You will have to keep an eye on the depth though and adjust your rigging rods up or down to stay vertical to the bottom. So if it gets deeper you will have to let more line out to keep bottom contact and if it gets shallower you will have to real a few cranks in so it doesn’t get behind the boat. You want it as vertical to the bottom as possible. A huge mistake for folks is letting too much line out with their rigging rods. The second it hits the bottom click the reel over! For those of you that don’t know, you are probably wondering by now what I mean by a rig? Rigging is what we call using a bottom bouncer and a sort of hook/attracter usually with live bait and the rod stays in the rod holder. My favorite rig presentation in June is a 4’ fluorocarbon leader to a snelled #2 pink Gamakatsu hook with a live fathead minnow hooked through the nose. From your main line you would tie to the bottom bouncer; and from the bouncer you would connect the 4’ leader to the pink gama and the fathead. Here is my general rule of thumb for selecting the right size bottom bouncer: 10-20 fow…………1 oz bouncer 20-30 fow…………2 oz bouncer 30 plus fow……….3 oz bouncer (although I can’t promise, I don’t fish this deep) Warning: nautical winds can cause a guy to go a little heavier! This method has paid huge dividends for us over the years in both tournament and recreational fishing Fort Peck. And coming from a guy that loves multi-species…this is it! We regularly catch walleye, bass and northern pike both jigging the shores and rigging below the boat. It will take a little practice to detect the bites on the rigging rods, but you will become a pro in no time. The key is to watch for life…when a fish bites it has a life like rattle to it. If the rod loads up heavy, set the hook right away; if the fish is being sluggish or pecking at it, let him have it until it loads up. Loading up means the rod has a decent bend in it. Our equipment recommendations: Jigging rods-We use a 6-6’3” medium power, extra fast action. For line on the jigging rods we use either 8lb Stren MagnaThin or 6lb Berkley FireLine in crystal color. Rigging Rods-We recommend a 6’6”-7’ medium-heavy power, extra fast action casting rod. For line on the riggers we use 12-20lb braid. Then a mono or fluoro leader from the bouncer to the hook. Now go enjoy the song of the meadowlark and magical sunrises and don’t forget to practice selective harvest while “Jiggin’ the Dream” on Montana’s fresh water ocean, Fort Peck! Trevor is the co-founder of Kit’s Tackle “Jiggin’ the Dream” along with his father, Kit. He is a true made in Montana fishing guide, an insane outdoor enthusiast, a wild man in the woods and on the water and they even say he’s a quarter mountain goat...

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1. In June, set up your trail cameras.

Avoid white flash cameras, since most game become nocturnal during hot summer days. Earlier starts mean that your animal — whether deer, elk or antelope — will be used to these additions to their landscape instead of getting spooked when they appear. You will also have more time to pattern and hone in on likely bucks for the fall.

2. Learn the lay of the land.

Google Earth and hunter map programs are essential to plan out your scouting trips. Drew a tag for a competitive location? Reach out to past hunters for their take on the unit’s terrain and game patterning. Digital scouting can also pay off via message boards and hunter forums.

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Google Earth is a very powerful tool. Not only can you scout from the comfort of your home, but you can also enter all of your important waypoints like camp locations, water sources, elk wallows, etc.

AVOID: Leaving your mark. Tread lightly even when summer scouting.

That old buck did not get to be his age without being wary of even small changes. Walk to water sources with the wind in your face, not at your back. Minimize your scent traces by packing out all food and leaving the area as natural as possible.

3. Pick the right time for the right tasks.

The first and last hour of daylight are the best time to glass in hot summer months. Use the middle of the day to find sign and learn new country; you are less likely to disturb game patterns when they’re resting through the heat. Midday is also a smart time to set up new trail cameras and investigate water sources.

Extend your glassing sessions in the evenings and arrive early to glass in the mornings to increase your odds at finding more bucks. Photo courtesy goHUNT.com AVOID: Construction projects. Hunting season and hammers don’t mix. If you set up your blind or treestand the first day of hunting season you’ll likely disrupt all the patterning you have learned. Instead, set up days or weeks in advance (if possible).

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4. Look down whenever possible.

Glass up terrain as well as game from a point that gives you a good overview of the area. The summer coats of animals will be easy to spot against the summer greenery. Be aware of how rolling heat waves can affect your view. AVOID: Exclusively relying on summer patterns. If you’re in a rut hunt, find the does about two weeks before the season starts. That is where the bucks will be sniffing around. However, your July scouting missions won’t help in November’s rifle season. Knowing migratory patterns and water sources at the right altitudes will help you adapt as bucks strike out on their own after they become hard horned. That stream at 12,000 feet in Colorado is not going to help you in October, but the one at lower elevation is likely to still be populated.

5. Be guided by antlers.

By the third week of July, most bucks’ antlers will still be in velvet but have good growth. Now is the time to start looking for those trophy deer or elk you will want to track. Shed antler hunting in the spring or early summer can also indicate a particular buck’s post season habits and projected antler size. If you are lucky enough to find shed antlers from multiple seasons, it is likely the same buck will return there this year. Keep in mind that finding a shed antler in the spring does not mean that the buck will be in the same area during the fall.

6. Take pictures and the right tools for the job.

Digiscoping, video and still shots of prospective game are invaluable, particularly to accurately remember that promising buck. Bring in small posts to set up trail cameras in open areas, your binoculars and optics for glassing, and plenty of water to avoid dehydration as temperatures rise.

7. Know the MVDs (Most Valuable Days) to scout. These scouting days are right before your hunt. Make the most of the two, three, four days before your hunt starts to find out what those deer, elk, antelope or sheep are doing right now. If you roll in the night before, your first days will be spent scouting with weapon in hand instead of locating that animal you have been dreaming of.

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huntingfishingnews@yahoo.com www.huntingfishingnews.net The entire contents is © 2017, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does the printed material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Volume 14 Issue 1 cover photo: Dec Hogan|shutterstock Proudly printed at Allegra - Helena, Montana 406.449.2847 www.allegrahelena.com

Hunting & Fishing News | 7

9 TIPS FOR SUMMER RIFLE PRACTICE By Todd Sholly

Originally published at

www.goHUNT.com

It is important not to get too comfortable though. Hunting is not staged, so being proficient in all shooting positions is important, and will allow you to make the shot when it counts no matter how it is offered.

3. Simulate real hunting conditions

Shoot uphill, downhill, across canyons and any other kind of shot you could encounter in the mountains. The more practice you get with tricky shots now, the better you’ll be once hunting season starts. Although its not fun, take advantage of those days with 15+mph winds. Shoot into the wind, crosswind shots, and shoot with tailwinds. Get to know your bullet flight in those conditions so you can be more confident when mother nature makes your shot a little interesting. Photo credit: Colby Kendell of Red Rock Precision

Thunting his time of year, most hunters are in the countdown to season. (Honestly, when are they not?) Get the best shots out of your rifle when in the field with a tag in hand by following these steps:

1. Get off the range

Early August is the time to start practicing in the mountains themselves, not on a range. You won’t have that shooting bench in the field… Time to stop using it. Shooting in the mountains will offer more opportunities to shoot from, allowing for you to get to know your rifle and bullet flight better.

2. Set up your rifle for hunting conditions

Now is the time to fine-tune your rifle system setup. A long-range rifle needs the proper accessories for best performance. A rear sandbag, quality optic, and tripod ensure stability and consistency when out in the field. Also, try to find what position you are most comfortable with, such as prone, kneeling, or sitting and using shooting sticks. When you know what you like best make sure to buy the proper accessories to help you get more comfortable in your preferred shooting position.

4. Take a friend

This will really help you to understand where your bullet is hitting and why. Have your friend sit behind glass and watch the vapor trail of the bullet flight, while also watching the point of impact on your target. Sitting behind still glass with open eyes will allow you to see things not possible to see when behind a recoiling rifle scope.

5. Shoot stable targets, the smaller the better

Pick out a rock for your shots and slowly move away from it for distance training. Or set up small metal targets in a canyon or along a hillside to get as many different shots as you can. You’ll be able to clearly see your shooting pattern based on how the target dents. If you’re shooting tight groups at 300 yards, move back 100 yards and see if you can replicate your success.

6. Shoot daily (or as much as a weekend warrior can…) The more practice, the better. Try to make time.

7. Ignore dry firing’s temptation

Your rifle will handle completely differently when shooting live rounds. Dry fire techniques might be easy, but they won’t do much to improve your shots where it counts.

8. Get in “shooting” shape

A hunt is much tougher than driving to the shooting range and back. Hike with your gear to get your blood pumping and take shots while you are short of breath. With the time spent getting to know your rifle and bullet flight, now get to know your body and its capabilities. Now, pay attention to how your body can make the most accurate shots, whether that’s in between breaths and heartbeats or on a big breath being let out. Knowing both bullet and body will help you be more confident and more consistent in the field.

9. Lastly… Be ready to adjust

If you live in conditions that are much different than your upcoming hunt, be prepared and confident to adjust what is needed. With enough knowledge of your bullet flight and how it reacts to climate change, you will be able to make the proper changes confidently. This will always allow you to be more successful on hunts year after year.

8 | Hunting & Fishing News

Simulating altitude for physical training is possible (working out), but simulating altitude for bullet performance is not. The higher you are, the less oxygen, so the bullet path is flatter in thin air at high altitude. Most hunters just need to pick a “most likely altitude” and use those ballistics. The only drastic impact will be noticed at extreme distances. Ballistic calculator spreadsheets are available and allow you to input the elevation and find your trajectory.

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LAST CHANCE For SPRING BLACK BEARS H&F News Pro Staff

T he spring black bear hunt continues through June 15 in some hunting districts in Montana. It’s your last chance to hunt for a bear until the fall season hits. These are the units that will be open until the 15th of June. BMU - 200 - Middle Clark Fork BMU - 216 - Sapphire - Flint Creek BMU - 240 - W. Bitterroot BMU - 280 - Upper Blackfoot BMU - 290 - Lower Blackfoot - Garnet BMU - 309 - Gallatin Valley Weapons Restriction Area BMU - 316 - Big Hole BMU - 317 - Ruby - Centennial BMU - 341 - Madison - Yellowstone - Gallatin

©MennoSchaefer|depositphotos.com

Spring Black Bear Hunters Reminded of Key Regulations Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks...

--Hunters should take some time reviewing the identifying characteristics of black and grizzly bears; all black bear hunters must have passed the “Black Bear Identification Test” found on the FWP website in order to purchase a black bear license.

-It is illegal to harvest/take black bear cubs. Cubs are defined as bears less than one year old. -It is illegal to harvest/take a female black bear with cubs. -It is illegal to bait bears or hunt bears with dogs. No scents may be used to attract black bears.

Mandatory reporting requirements:

Within ten (10) days of harvesting a black bear the successful hunter must present to Montana FWP official the complete bear hide (with proof of sex remaining naturally attached) and skull for the purpose of inspection, tagging and possible removal of a tooth (for aging). The hide and skull must be presented in a condition that allows full inspection and tooth collection (i.e. unfrozen). On the reporting date, successful hunters are required to provide FWP personnel with hunter’s name, telephone number, ALS number, Bear Management Unit (BMU) and County. The FWP hide tag affixed during inspection must thereafter remain attached to the hide until tanned. Hunters should pick up a copy of the 2017 black bear hunting regulations and review them carefully before heading out to the field.

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EARLY SUMMER PIKE ON THE FLY By Neal M. Cote, Owner And Operator Of Bite Me Flies, Missoula MT. For orders email mrpikemt1@yahoo.com or call (406) 218-9019

Ah finally it is going to be summer!!! Birds are singing in the early morning

light, leaves are sprouting out on all of the trees, it is a great time to be out on the water! And as everything starts to explode into the warmer days, so the window opens to catch MONSTER northern pike. Water temperatures are climbing, and with spawning over, the biggest female pike are on the hunt. As their metabolism speeds up, so does their appetites. This is the first big feeding frenzy that these fish indulge in of the year, after laying their eggs, so catching them is pretty easy as in most locations and Northern caught on Bite Me Flies tackle they have had pretty low fishing pressure up to this point. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION...So where do you start? You need to look for the water that is close to possible spawning locations. Northern Pike like shallow weedy bays and backwaters for spawning. Marshes and extremely shallow bays are the prime locations. Great places to start your search are in the transition zones between these spawning bays and adjacent flats and drop offs. Water depth from 2-6 feet is pretty universal. Warmer water zones attract pike for spawning early in the year, but if they get too warm too fast then only the smaller males will stay in these locations. Don’t forget that the bigger a pike gets, the more it becomes a cold water fish instead of a warm one. If the water temperatures are too high in the shallows, they will search out cooler locations. Also look at the spawning areas themselves. Especially this year with all the water that we are going to have. Some of these locations will hold fish for quite a while after the spawn because what was 3 feet deep in April, might be 10 feet deep in June. I have found these spots will hold fish before the big weeds grow up. Look for any type of structure element, no matter how small, to possibly hold a fish. Stumps, fallen trees, flooded grass, and rocks can all hold fish. Places to go are pretty numerous, but in the West think rivers and reservoirs. Flathead and Clark Fork Rivers drain into Noxon, the sloughs in the upper Flathead River from Kalispell to Flathead Lake, the south end of Canyon Ferry and up river to Toston Reservoir can hold some huge specimens, just ask the Fish and Game, they keep catching them in the walleye traps!!! Other spots like Francis, Tiber, and Fresno can be good as well. Fort Peck is a monster pike producer this time of year and produces tons of 40 plus inch fish every year at this time. ANGLE OF THE DANGLE So you have the locations, now the question is what gear should I use? Well I have always told people that I will fly fish before anything else when it comes to big pike. When properly employed, flies will out fish all other presentations. I have fished many tournaments and pretty much crushed the competition with a fly!!! Big streamers that are weighted for a wide variety of water depths and retrieve speeds will get you bit for sure. There are tons of manufacturers making pike flies out there, I am partial to my Bite Me Flies, I make them as “tooth proof” as possible so you will catch many fish on one fly instead of the fly getting wrecked after just a fish or two. (continued page 39)

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DOING THE RIGHT THING MATTERS. TIRES • WHEELS • BATTERIES • BRAKES ALIGNMENTS • SUDDEN SERVICE

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Provoke A Boatside Muskie Strike Northlandtackle.com

M etal lures and muskies match up like hot dogs and mustard during the summer months. There isn’t a bait better suited to

power fishing—running and gunning a milk run of likely hangouts in search of active fish. Likewise, a muskie whose metabolism is red lined during the warm season is bound to be attracted by the throbbing, flashing blade, vibration-producing body and pulsating tail on a lure like the Bird-Shot Bucktail. Yet, with all this going on, the fact remains that a lot of muskies (sometimes it seems like all of them) are content with following a lure to boatside rather than attacking outright. This is where an angler’s skill in provoking a strike with a Figure 8 maneuver comes in. And not just any Figure 8 will do. Here are a few tips that will help you close the deal next time.

1. Make a smooth transition from the retrieve into the Figure 8. Stalling the lure often breaks the fish’s target-lock, and it’ll simply lose interest.

2. Go deep with the maneuver. While many fish hit the lure inches from the surface, don’t hesitate to put most of your 7- to 8½-foot muskie stick into the water. The rod won’t deter the fish’s intent to eat.

3. Go wide, too. A puny little Figure 8 won’t cut it because a muskie won’t make the tight turn required to follow the lure. Give it some width, with sweeping arcs that the muskie can follow.

4. Add incentive to the maneuver. Some anglers like to give the spinner a “pop” with the rodtip to flair the blade and bucktail. Others alternately raise and lower the bait as it swims the Figure 8. Both are meant to trigger a strike.

5. Refrain from overdoing the Figure 8. If the muskie doesn’t act like it will commit after a few maneuvers, it’s often best to drop the matter and come back later to see if it will eat.

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Hunting & Fishing News | 15

Photo Roger Phillips, Idaho Fish and Game

Uncovering The Secrets Of The

Snake River’s Smallmouths

By Roger Phillips, Public Information Specialist, IF&G

B iologists are tagging smallmouths between Swan Falls Dam and Brownlee Reservoir to learn more about them. A stunned smallmouth bass emerged from the flood-swollen Snake River. It was a slab by anyone’s standards - 19 inches and 4.5 pounds, mottled bronze with dark bars on its broad sides and as pot bellied as a sumo wrestler. If you’re wondering “where does a smallmouth like that come from?” Idaho Fish and Game biologists and a University of Idaho graduate student are wondering the same thing, and they’re working to find out. The bass rose to the surface of the cold water because it was momentarily stunned by an electrical current,

then netted, weighed, measured and surgically implanted with a pill-sized transmitter that will send a radio signal to receivers, which will track its whereabouts in the Snake River between Swan Falls Dam and Brownlee Reservoir. Bass fishing in the river sections between Swan Falls and Brownlee Reservoir is inconsistent, Fish and Game’s Southwest Region Fish Manager Joe Kozfkay said. It’s good in some sections and poor in others, and same for tributaries. Biologists want to find out why. Because of smallmouths’ popularity and recreational importance, more information is needed to better manage the fishery. Most of the previous research focused on Brownlee Reservoir, largely due to the popularity of its smallmouth fishery, and also issues related to dam relicensing. “Brownlee Reservoir is one of the better smallmouth bass fisheries in the West,” Kozfkay said. By comparison, less is known about the bass upstream of the reservoir and in the Snake River tributaries, such as the Boise, Payette and Weiser rivers. Biologists want to learn whether those smallmouths are one large population, or independent populations, and if different, how should they be managed to enhance and/or protect the existing fishery. Photo Roger Phillips, Idaho Fish and Game

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16 | Hunting & Fishing News

Joe Kozfkay, Southwest Region Fish Manager, smallmouth bass, Snake River, Southwest Region

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Fisheries managers aren’t expecting any big surprises, or anticipating major changes in current rules for bass fishing, but one never knows until the studies are undertaken. “While the overall bass population seems to be doing very well, we have some real questions about how much smallmouth move around,” said Jeff Dillon, Fish and Game’s state fish manager. “Those movement patterns are key to knowing whether different harvest rules might be beneficial in some areas.” Biologists did a similar study decades ago on channel catfish and learned there’s a “giant swirling population” between Swan Falls and Brownlee dams where fish move up and down the river and can easily sustain harvest levels. Evidence suggests that some smallmouths spawn in tributaries where they may be more susceptible to angler harvest. But is the current level of harvest sustainable, or is it detrimental to the population? The study will determine ages, growth rates, mortality, age at maturity, and recruitment, then use population simulation models to see how different harvest regulations might affect the Snake’s smallmouth fishery. Biologists have been capturing smallmouths this spring in different sections of the Snake River, and also in the Boise, Payette and Weiser rivers, and implanting more than 150 of them with tracking transmitters. Crews will do multiple surveys throughout the year to see if fish seasonally migrate during spring, summer, fall and winter. Smallmouths will also be genetically tested to determine whether populations are interrelated or separate. Lastly, 1,130 smallmouths have been marked with orange tags with a phone number and website where anglers can report where they caught the fish, and whether they harvested it or released it. Reporting the tag number and location will help biologists know where the fish was caught compared to when and where it was tagged, and how many fish are being harvested. Based on previous research in Brownlee, biologists know about 25 percent of the legal-sized bass get harvested from that reservoir each year, which Kozfkay said is sustainable without decreasing the overall population. If biologists determined there was a localized population in the Snake or the tributaries where 35 to 40 percent of larger smallmouths were being harvested, rule changes might be considered to protect some of them. Kozfkay said he’d be surprised if harvest rate was high on the larger smallmouths prized by anglers, but one complaint biologists frequently hear is a lack of fish exceeding the 12-inch minimum harvest size. The study will help biologists determine if there’s actually a lack of fish in that size range, or if they are simply eluding anglers.

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Hunting & Fishing News | 17

Dragging

By Jason Mitchell

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Slow Trolling Plastics

www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com

So often with walleye fishing, we get conditioned to think a certain way regarding a presentation.

We fish live bait rigs below the boat. We troll crankbaits. We pitch jigs. We get locked into how a specific presentation should be fished. What can become detrimental to our own growth as anglers is we quit thinking and quit experimenting with the potential of how some presentations can be used. By straying away from tradition and by experimenting with what might be unorthodox uses for some presentations, we can make ourselves more efficient. So often, catching more fish is all about adapting to the location and what the fish are doing. This increases our efficiency dramatically. The reality is that most days, a walleye will eat a live bait rig, jig, crankbait or anything else that lands in front of their face. The right presentation matched up with the right location however, can accomplish this task with more efficiency. One hot tactic we are seeing emerge across the Midwest is slow troll tactics that incorporate soft plastic swim baits. Swim baits have blown up in some regions and over time, we have become conditioned or engrained to fish them a certain way. Many anglers using swim baits are casting them. Swim baits shine when fished through weeds or up into shallow water. Anglers cast and reel swim baits over emerging vegetation. Swim baits can be worked and twitched with a swim and stop cadence. Swim baits can be fished a lot of different ways. The stout single hook can be fished through weeds effectively and offer a good hook up percentage where more leverage or pressure can be applied to the larger single hook compared to the much smaller hook and gap found on the treble hooks of crankbaits or even traditional jig and live bait combinations. Swim baits however can also shine out over deeper water and in water deeper than eight to ten feet, slow dragging or trolling behind the boat can be deadly for reaching fish down to twenty-five feet of water. Swim baits fish very well dragged behind the boat at a forty-five to eighty-degree angle and allow you to fish slower than traditional spinner harness and crankbait speeds. You can crawl forward at a mile to a mile and a half an hour, faster if necessary, but this wide window of speed can enable you to follow irregular weed bed edges and bottom contours that can be difficult at faster speeds. Dragging soft plastics slowly upstream on river systems first planted the seeds for experimenting with slow trolling swim baits behind the boats on reservoirs and natural lakes. There were a few earlier lessons as well, but somehow out of my own stubbornness, I didn’t embrace these tactics for how effective they could be. I remember years ago; I was guiding a couple on Devils Lake and the wind was blowing about thirty miles per hour and boat control was a struggle as we fished a point. We were catching fish in about fifteen feet of water and even with two large drift socks out, we struggled to slow the boat down. One of the anglers I was guiding threw out a quarter ounce jig with a three-inch twister tail grub and simply dragged it behind the boat and started catching several nice fish. We replaced the other rods with more jigs and grubs and caught a lot of fish that day in fast order. The next day, I went back to the bottom bouncer and spinner so some lessons come hard. Dragging soft plastics behind the boat wasn’t something I easily embraced. Some lessons are learned the hard way. In my opinion, why slow trolling with soft plastics can work so well is the hang time and stalling fall soft plastics have when popped off the bottom. As walleye anglers, we are conditioned to rig soft plastics on jigs for fishing below the boat or for pitching away from the boat. By simply changing our mentality, we can expand the uses for soft plastics dramatically if we fish these baits with a trolling mindset. Over the past five years, I have lit up big walleyes by trolling swim baits over shallow reefs after dark. We have even caught scattered basin fish by running swim baits behind planer boards. The only requisite seems to be a clean bottom as it can be difficult to avoid any bottom contact unless targeting suspended fish. If there is a lot of algae and anything else on the bottom that fouls up hooks, a crankbait or bottom bouncer and spinner often works better, but if the bottom is clean, trolling or dragging swim baits can be surprisingly effective. Whenever you need to either drop your speed down or need to fish closer to the boat to follow contours, swim baits can give you a lot of flexibility. Probably the biggest difference I see with pulling swim baits versus crankbaits or spinner harnesses is that you often must set the hook. Compared to what I would prefer for either crankbaits or harnesses, swim baits seem to work better with a faster and heavier action rod. A rod in the rod holder doesn’t seem to hook up with the same consistency when using swim baits. Even when we used swim baits behind planer boards, we often had to manually set the hook by sweeping the board forward. Swimbaits seem to require a more hands on approach where you hold the rod and set the hook. As more anglers experiment with The author, Jason Mitchell with all the different a gigantic walleye caught with a applications where Kalin’s Sizmic Shad Swim Bait. Slow trolling and dragging swimbaits swim baits can work can be incredibly effective for walleye. for walleye fishing, I suspect that more refinements will continue to be made and shared. The versatility of swim baits can enable walleye anglers to catch more and bigger fish and in many ways...

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Hunting & Fishing News | 19

Outfitting Montana Anglers for 100 Years

Say Hello to Success: Where to Catch the Fish this Month

Bighorn River near Yellowtail Dam, Montana

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J une can be an unparalleled time for fishing Montana's big lakes and reservoirs. The shallows team with forage, and the water temperatures are optimum and at their most comfortable this time of the year. Weeds come up lending protective cover and shade, and the big fish take notice and residence, and like clockwork every year warm temperatures create a buzz in the air, and with it a ton of fishing opportunities. Big rainbow and brown trout are plentiful and fun to catch, smallmouth bass are on the verge of exploding, kokanee salmon are thick, lake trout are everywhere, the tasty walleye, perch and northern pike are ready to strike. These are the glory days when it comes to fishing land-locked waters. June is also a great time to hit the blue-ribboned trout waters all around Montana. Cutthroats, brookies, browns and rainbows can be taken with flies throughout the region. Not much can beat trout fishing on a nice day in a pristine mountain setting. It's time to relish in the exceptional fishing offered in June. Rigging for Mountain Trout In the West, most mountain ranges are dotted wtih little blue lakes full of possibility. Georgetown Lake, Holland Lake, Horseshoe Lake, Upper Holter Lake, Hungry Horse Reservoir, Echo Lake or Lake Inez are all medium to smaller sized mountain lakes that are primed for great fishing.

Hit these spots with streamers, spinners, salmon eggs or egg flies for rainbows, cutthroats and brown trout. Up here, it's essential to fish trout on ultra light tackle. In stream-fed, man-made still waters look for creek channels cutting through shallow flats. The deeper water offers trout a natural ambush point. Hang baits in the middle or ply the edges with streamers, nymphs or a light spinner. 1/16 oz. Rooster Tail or Mepp's will work great. Skinny-water bays can be prospected with leech streamers or weighted nymphs. Stay on the look-out for cruising trout and intercept them by casting well ahead of their line of travel. There are still places the crowd hasn't found. Find a lake or a chain of still waters with trout that haven't seen an artificial fly or a pinch of Power Bait for a whole year, and you'll find plenty of fish. Top-water Trout - Fly Pattern Primer There are 100s of fly patterns, which can be a bit confusing to any trout fisherman. These six patterns will suffice in almost every situation. Adams - This is a generic fly which can "match" the hatch. Wooly Bugger - A good imitation for large nymphs or minnow life in rivers and lakes. Caddis - Caddis flies hatch nearly daily throughout the entire season. Humpy - Imitates caddis, hoppers, crickets, and makes a good indicator for nymphs. Pheasant Tail - This is a top mayfly nymph imitation in all waters. Copper John - A quick sinker, it is a great imitation for virtually all aquatic insects. High Plains Walleye - Tiber Reservoir Montana is justifiably known for the exceptional mountain trout fishing, but on the high plains that Lewis and Clark once traversed lie reservoirs loaded with walleye, and right now Tiber Reservoir, (located 65 miles north of Great Falls), has a thriving population of these mid-sized, tasty fish. Walleye anglers who come here can expect great numbers in June. Popular rigs here include the jig tipped with a minnow, the spinner and crawler harness, crankbait minnow imitations or a floating jig head tipped with a crawler. You can double dip for northern pike that are abundant here as well. Toss your favorite pike lure close to weed-lines for plenty of strikes here in June. As the water temps start to rise, you may try trolling a bit further out to locate both the walleye and northerns. A fish finder comes in handy now as we enter the summer months. Troll - Go long, wide and deep for walleyes - In early summer, as it heats up, most walleye are suspended in open water. To find these fish, cover as large a swath of water as you can using planer boards. This big trolling spread is as simple to rig as it is deadly on walleye. Fish the same lure on every rod. Long, slender crank baits with large diving bills will work. In stained water, try hot pink or orange. On sunny, clear days use metallics, and in clear water try white or pearl.

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Cast! - A walleye cannot resist the glint of a blade whirling in tandem with a minnow, leech or nightcrawler. Casting spinner rigs allows you to fish areas that you cannot target when trolling, such as weed-beds. Walleye will rise from the dark and forested bottom to strike early in the morning and right at dusk. Cover a weed-bed by casting into any thin spots. Bring it back straight and methodically to about halfway through the water column. A spinner blaring through the weeds will tend to elicit a quick reaction. Fish hit on instinct. Smallmouth Bass - More anglers are going after smallmouth bass in the Northern Rocky Mountains than ever before, but still, the fishing pressure is relatively light in this famed land of trout. Smallmouth are doing very well in Montana. Some of the better fishing waters to target in June include Bull Lake, Noxon River Reservoir, Nelson Reservoir, Placid Lake, and Seeley Lake. Blanchard Lake near Whitefish and Lake Mary Ronan are also good choices now. The Bighorn River before it flows into Wyoming is rocky and rugged and has some prime smallmouth habitat. Fishermen do well with crawdad imitations here. In Fort Peck Lake, fishermen find a different kind of big water fishing and the lake has exceptional smallmouth fishing. Countless inlets and bays can be had, and on calm days on the lake you can experience epic fishing days. Besides the usual crayfish diet, Fort Peck smallies are eating ciscos (lake herring), and that is why silver lures do well here. Also try a top-water spinnerbait in white or chartreuse or a floating twitchbait or stickbait in black and silver. Fish the shallows during hours when boat traffic is at a minimum and the sun is off the water. During midday, most of these game fish suspend in deep waters over rocky humps, sunken trees and deeper channels. Out on the open prairie, fly-fishermen like the Tongue River for smallmouth bass and are a blast to catch here, and the good fishing extends into the Tongue River Reservoir. In-Line Spinners - Look for depths of 5 to 10 feet, preferably with emerging weed growth, and cast a No. 3 or 4 Mepp's Black Fury on a medium-action spinning outfit. Vary your retrieve to see how the fish react. Some days a slow, steady retrieve that falls deeper into the water column will get the most bites. Other times, a fast moving bait fished just below the surface will trigger fish to feed. Northern Pike Strike - These same warm water lakes normally have a healthy population of northern pike that are a blast to catch. As temperatures in the shallows reach to 60 degrees, pike begin to set up shop along 6 to 10 foot drop-offs. These are best fished with a jig in full, 2 to 3 foot hops. Pike often take a jig as it drops. Another way to draw these northerns from the weeds is to draw a spinnerbait past sprouting weeds and stop the retrieve for a three-count, just as the bait approaches a possible hide-out. Add a twist-tail or rubber worm trailer for action and color contrast. White, yellow and chartreuse are great pike lure colors.

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22 | Hunting & Fishing News

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Hunting & Fishing News | 23

PHEASANTS FOREVER 2017 WINTER HABITAT REPORT

Story by Jack Hennessy. Hennessy is a freelance outdoors journalist based out of Minneapolis and the author of the blog “Braising the Wild.” Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @WildGameJack or on Facebook at Facebook.com/BraisingtheWild. Reprinted from Pheasants Forever www.pheasantsforever.org

S everal states received ample amounts of snowfall and endured cold temperatures across their pheasant ranges this past winter. While some biologists in states like Oregon and Washington are expecting lower than normal overwinter

survival, they are quick to note that, with the right spring weather, all that excess moisture could serve as a boon to upland bird populations by stimulating forb growth and insect production – critical elements for nesting and brood-rearing. Still, the loss of quality habitat and CRP continues to adversely affect states such as North Dakota and Montana, among others, resulting in overall lower population densities. States that continue to partner with Farm Bill biologists and increase their collaborative effort with Pheasants Forever and private landowners, like Minnesota and Iowa, have noticed a difference in populations and hunter harvests. Below is a state-by-state list reporting how pheasant populations are faring following this past winter. This is an excerpt of the full report. To read the full report visit http://pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Field-Notes/Pheasants-Forever-2017-Winter-Habitat-Report.aspx

Idaho Last year’s abundant pheasant population in Idaho produced excellent hunting opportunities, and, for the most part, hunters were pleased with what they were seeing afield. Anecdotal reports for the 2016-2017 season suggest pheasant populations were similar to or above 2015-16. However, winter conditions across the state were quite severe with cold temperatures and above average snow. Eastern Idaho was hit particularly hard with well above average snowfall. “Extended periods of cold temperatures and deep snow likely negatively impacted pheasant and quail populations, particularly in eastern Idaho,” said upland game and migratory bird coordinator Jeff Knetter. “However, snow levels likely pushed birds to lower elevations where food was more abundant. Additionally, snow depths limited hunter access to birds. Those birds that made it through January should fare pretty well this spring.” Given the winter precipitation levels received, Knetter expects abundant vegetative growth, which he hopes will translate to excellent nesting and brood-rearing conditions. “Ideally, spring temperatures and consistent precipitation will occur without persistent drying and increased temperatures as we enter spring and summer conditions,” he said. “Cool, wet weather during the hatching period—mid-May to mid-June—is extremely detrimental to game bird populations in Idaho.” Idaho had a 36-percent acceptance rate during the last general CRP sign-up (49). “Due to this low acceptance rate, we are seeing an increased interest by landowners in our two SAFE projects (Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and western game birds),” Knetter said. “Staff biologists continue to work with landowners to find options to keep habitat on the ground.”

Montana This past Montana winter seemed rather typical compared to the previous two years of mild winters, according

to north-central Montana habitat specialist Jake Doggett. “December and January were below average temperature-wise across most of north-central Montana and as much as 10 degrees colder than average in certain parts of the region. These average temperatures were due to several week-long cold spells where temperatures remained below freezing for up to two weeks at a time. Each cold spell was accompanied by several inches of snow which raised concerns over food availability for pheasants.” Pheasants likely suffered some losses but no more than normal over the course of an average winter, Doggett believes. Due to acceptable amounts of precipitation over the winter months, soil moisture is likely ideal for growing season. “So far, warmer March temperatures, good precipitation over the winter months, and also numerous light spring rains expected for late spring suggest things are looking as good as we can hope for this year in this part of the state,” Doggett said. “We are hoping for and expecting a good warm spring for all upland game bird species this year in north-central Montana. If all continues to go well, we should see good nesting efforts.” In the northeast corner of Montana, winter conditions have fluctuated considerably over the past three-and-a-half months according to northeast habitat specialist Ken Plourde. “Fall was much milder than average right up until early December, when significant snowfall and below zero temperatures set in,” he said. Those conditions remained until mid-January. In February, temperatures were above average and the region saw much of the snow melt early. “Overall most of February was a significant reprieve from the challenging winter conditions earlier in the season,” Plourde said. Last year, Montana’s Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program (UGBEP) began offering Habitat Management Leases to private landowners who had existing high quality game bird habitat on their properties. “With 400,000 acres of CRP set to expire in Montana this year, many landowners are interested in the program,” Plourde said, “and we may be able to conserve some good habitat that is currently threatened with conversion back to cropland. As always, we also offer a number of other habitat enhancement and conservation opportunities to landowners through the UGBEP, and all projects we do are open to some public hunting in the fall.”

North Dakota North Dakota experienced a snowy and cold December and January throughout much of the state,

though the worst weather occurred in the central portion. “Our traditional pheasant hotspot in the southwest was not hit so hard with snow,” said upland game management biologist Rodney Gross, Jr. “Some loss in the population has occurred, but with good weather this spring, birds could rebound nicely." “We hope for [spring] conditions that promote strong vegetation growth for nesting and brood rearing cover. A spring that has enough precipitation and warmer temperatures not only promotes vegetation growth, it creates a good insect hatch, which is vital to newly hatched chicks in their first two weeks of life,” Gross said. “We do not want a spring that is too wet, too cold, or too dry. Those conditions do not bode well for pheasant reproductive success.” Pheasant numbers will more than likely be down coming out of this winter, according to Gross. “However, if we have a successful spring and summer for nesting and brood rearing,” he said, “our numbers should be similar to last year. We are still losing habitat at a fast rate, which is the biggest threat to pheasants in North Dakota.”

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4 KEYS TO SUCCESS WHEN FISHING THE MADISON RIVER IN EARLY JUNE By Brian McGeehan Montana Angler call 406-522-9854 or www.montanaangler.com

M ontana is filled with a variety of different rivers, spring creeks and lakes. The diversity of fishing is staggering and the complexity and variety only increases as we consider different times of year as each fishery changes dramatically in how

and where the fish are found over the course of the year. Because of the variety of different fisheries there is almost always a “hot spot” during any given week of the season. One of our favorite times of the season is early June which is often overlooked by many anglers since it is in between the spring hatches of April and May and the early summer hatches of late June and July. Some rivers also become too high and dirty to fish as our snow pack melts out with warming temperatures. Early June fishing, however, can often produce some of the highest catch rates of the season and often with few other anglers to compete with. In early June we focus on spring creeks, spring fed rivers like the Firehole, lakes and several large rivers that have some lakes to protect them from run off. The Madison River is one of our go to June fisheries due to several lakes and dams that regulate flows. Early June fishing is a different animal and requires a different set of strategies vs. later in the summer. Specific locations, techniques, and flies are needed to be successful this time of year. The reward can be great fishing during a period of time that many anglers write off as unproductive.

Key #1- Finding Fishable Water The biggest key to success for fishing during runoff is finding water that is low and clear enough to fish effectively. The Madison is rather unique in that it flows through a series of 3 lakes, one natural and two man-made. The lakes act as catchment systems for silty and dirty water, allowing sediments to settle and mix with clear water. The water below each dam will generally run clear enough to fish, at least until the first major tributary is encountered.

The furthest lake upstream is Hebgen Lake, and the water always runs clear below Hebgen Dam. Unfortunately, the first tributary, Cabin Creek, is encountered about a mile downstream. If Cabin Creek is not too dirty, there is another 1.5 miles of productive water down to the head of Quake Lake. Early June Rainbow in “The Slide”

Below Quake Lake, the Madison enters a section of river known as “The Slide”. The Slide is fishable throughout runoff most years and is restricted to wade fishing only, though a boat may be used to shuttle anglers from run to run. The Slide offers nearly 10 miles of water before a major tributary, the West Fork of the Madison, enters the river. While the float section below the West Fork confluence will occasionally be fishable during early June, it should not be counted on until later in the month. The final body of water is Ennis Lake, located about 50 miles downstream from Quake Lake. There is good access for wade fishing just below Ennis Dam, and this section fishes well virtually year round. Below this short wade section is Beartrap Canyon, which is best avoided during high water. Below the canyon, the river spills out into the valley and good fishing can be had between the Warm Springs boat ramp and the Cherry Creek confluence. This 5 mile run is a nice float, and offers plenty of wade access as well. The section of river below Ennis Dam is locally referred to as the “Lower Madison”.

Key #2- Finding the Fish During high water, the fish tend to be very

concentrated. The swift currents push them into the slower water and if you can locate them, you can be very successful without having to move long distances from spot to spot. On most rivers, the high water tends to push the fish into the softer water along the banks. While this is true on the Madison to a degree, the Madison also features many large boulders that break the surface throughout the river. These boulders allow fish to hide behind them in the soft water and ambush prey as it is flushed by in the current. These boulders are key features wherever they are found, but are particularly prominent in “The Slide” section.

It doesn’t take much visibility to catch fish on the Madison

The Lower Madison takes on a different character, with a slower current and very few large boulders. The key features here in early June are the many sand bars and weed beds in the river. While these may be nearly exposed later in the year, high water allows the fish to move into these fertile areas to forage for food. They also contain many holes and depressions that act as current breaks for the fish. Thus, fishing over the top of these areas can be very productive, as fish can dart out from cover to grab your fly.

28 | Hunting & Fishing News

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Key #3- Getting Your Fly in Front of the Fish

Nymphing is by far the most effective technique during early June. The fish have chosen their lies carefully, and are unwilling to fight the current to move very far to intercept food. The water clarity often limits visibility down to only a few feet, further limiting the range at which fish will feed. Therefore, it is critical that you present your fly in a manner that gets it very close to the fish. The fish will typically be very close to the bottom, so if you are not bumping the bottom and getting snagged occasionally, you need to add more split shot, choose heavier flies, or lengthen the space between your strike indicator or flies. It’s also important to fish a run very carefully and thoroughly before moving on. Since the fish are not willing to move very far, you can’t simply toss a cast or two and then assume that no hungry fish occupy that spot. A few inches in one direction or the other can make all the difference, as can getting your fly just a bit deeper. If you have identified water that appears productive, give it plenty of trial and error before moving on.

Key #4- Choose the Right Fly Fortunately, this is

the easiest part of fishing the Madison during early June. For your top nymph, choose a medium sized stonefly nymph, around a #6. I like darker colors during the early season, as the Salmonfly nymphs are becoming more active in preparation to hatch later on in the month. Stonefly nymphs are an important The exact pattern doesn’t really matter food source in June as long as you have confidence in it. For your dropper, you can be a bit more creative. One option is to choose a “junk” fly like a San Juan Worm in red or pink. Another would be to go with a fly that could imitate a large caddis or small stonefly, like a Mega Prince, 20 Incher, or North Fork Special. The final option would be to simply use another big stonefly, perhaps of a different color, as your dropper. Fishing the correct water and getting your fly down to the fish are both much more critical than fly selection, so choose something that presents a good profile and is visible to the trout and fish it with confidence.

For anglers targeting high catch rates and larger fish late spring and early summer can be as good as it gets. Fly fishers using their tried and true mid summer techniques will go home frustrated but savvy anglers that understand where fish are and how they are feeding can experience great success. The Madison along with several other Montana tailwaters rarely disappoint in early June.

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Hunting & Fishing News | 29

7 STEPS TO CUT NOISE FOR A

QUIETER HUNTING BOW

By Dave Barnett

Originally published at

www.goHUNT.com

As bowhunters we all try to reduce our human footprint in the woods. Using scent control products or selecting the quietest

hunting clothes we can find are key, but what about your bow? While most bows now come with some kind of sound control, there are often overlooked sources of sound that can and should be addressed prior to the hunt. The noise output of your bow can come from the accessories, limbs, strings, arrows, and even the design of the bow itself. By carefully analyzing and eliminating any potential noisemakers you can make a surprising impact on the potential outcome of your next hunt. START AT THE FOUNDATION While this may seem very rudimentary, starting with the bow itself can eliminate a lot of headaches from the get-go if you are trying to track down any errant sounds. Bows are under an incredible amount of pressure at all times and, because of this, vital components can shift throughout the draw cycle and on the shot. Cams and dry limb pockets are common “creakers” after a hard season of being repeatedly set down in the dirt and dragged across your favorite mountain range. Unfortunately, if you are experiencing sounds from these areas the bow will need to be put in a press where the tension can be relieved from the limbs and grease applied to both the limb rockers as well as any cam bearings. This is a service that most pro shops should be able to provide. Although it may seem like a quick fix, you should fight the urge to spray any aerosol lubricants into these areas as they can actually turn the area into a dirt magnet and also leave the smell of chemicals for that wiley old buck’s nose to pick up. Another problematic area that is commonly overlooked by many archers is the multitude of screws spread across the bow. As you practice throughout the year it’s not uncommon for screws to begin to back of out of their tight positions and cause a nasty rattle. Be sure to check cams, string stops, limb pockets and cable rods/roller guards as well as your accessories. These can all be common sources of vibration that get easily overlooked. LIMBS With the limbs of your bow being one of the main driving forces behind your bow’s energy, it shouldn’t be a surprise that some noise can be generated here. Since the advent and popularity boost of parallel limb bows, there has been a drastic drop in the amount of sound produced on the shot (though some sound will always remain). Rubber limb dampeners placed on the limb for a solid limb bow or in between the limbs on a split limb bow can reduce or eliminate any residual noise generated in this area. Beyond that, the limb dampeners can also reduce the transfer of vibration between the strings and riser, which can further reduce loud sounds. STRINGS The biggest source of vibration in the bow is the string and is arguably, the most effective area to focus your effort when it comes to reducing the sound of the shot. When you release the string of your bow, the stored energy from the limbs and cams is transferred into the strings, which, in turn, causes the arrow to propel in a forward direction. Any remaining energy not successfully transferred to the arrow is now reverberated back into the string in the form of vibration and oscillation—or sound. Installing rubber string dampeners or traditional cat whiskers can make huge differences in the sound of the bow. These will not only reduce the volume of the shot, but will also reduce the length of time that the sound lasts. Be aware that adding any additional weight to your string will slow the speed of your arrow though this is generally fairly negligible at only 1 to 2 fps (feet per second). Placing string dampeners in the cables, while not as effective, can also cut string noises with no speed penalty. Bows with longer axle to axle lengths are more prone to noise on the shot as they obviously have more available string material for vibrations to travel through. Head to your local pro shop and experiment with placement of your string silencers to find the sweet spot: every bow is different. STRING STOP While this is generally a factory installed option on most bows produced past 2010 or so, it definitely deserves a nod as string stops have probably made the biggest advancement in the reduction of noise in bows. String stops create an absolute stop on the bowstring in a given area at a consistent point, adding forgiveness for short brace height bows and reducing string movements after the shot. The stops, which are usually made of a soft and durable rubber, add a ton of noise dampening to the string at zero cost to bow speed. If your bow does not currently have a string stop, you can easily add an aftermarket part that will install universally on nearly every bow ever made. ACCESSORIES Noise from sights, rests, quivers and other accessories is something I see on my customers’ bows often and these noises can usually easily be fixed. When a bow is making any unusual buzzes or clunking noises, first I check every screw on each accessory to ensure nothing is loose; 90% of the time, this is the culprit. If the bow continues to make the noise after checking all of the screws, then I remove one accessory at a time and shoot the bow again, trying to narrow down which one is the problem. I will continue removing accessories from the bow until a culprit can be found. Factors contributing to noise from your accessories can be large and unique and generally requires careful inspection of each piece individually. Mole skin and other silencing materials should be applied anywhere your arrow may make contact. For this, I like to nock an arrow and move it around it’s entire range of motion while noting contact areas with the riser, arrow shelf and sight. These contact areas can then be silenced by applying silencing material as needed. Be mindful of arrows that may come into contact with the bow and accessories as you move the arrow from the quiver to the string as well. Pay special attention to your rest, specifically if your rest’s launcher arm is made of metal. Carbon arrows that drag across metal launchers are one of the loudest sounds out there. While at full draw, all bows (aluminum and carbon) will experience riser flex from the increase in pressure. This flex can cause accessories to shift slightly on the bow and also create clicks and pops. When putting together a hunting bow for myself, I always inspect areas where metal will contact metal and apply a thin layer of athletic tape to the location. Common places to look are the sight, rest, quiver mount and stabilizers. (continued on page 36)

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Selecting the Best Backpack for Your Style of Hunting by Ryan McSparran

H ow to carry all your gear? It’s a common dilemma for many hunters. Some of us will admit to having a pile of different backpacks at home that we’ve tried over the years. There are daypacks, expedition packs, ultralight packs and meat haulers.

The wide range of options can be confusing. Unfortunately there’s no easy answer to the hunting pack dilemma. Especially when you tend to hunt widely varying locations throughout the year. On a day hunt close to home, you will pack very differently than when you’re on a multi-day backpack hunt. On our remote wilderness hunts, we often backpack to a spike camp and hunt each day from there. In other situations, we might be hunting from a cabin on a lake. During the course of a 10 day hunt, you might get a little of both. The right answer is the one that works best for the locations you hunt most often. And for some hunters, that might mean having multiple setups. To keep it simple, you can divide backpack options into three categories: The Classic Daypack When hunting close to a lodge or a base camp, a classic daypack is an easy choice. This is what we’d typically recommend for our Alberta whitetail hunts. Daypacks tend to be between 1,500 and 3,000 cubic inches. Daypacks can be both comfortable and lightweight. It will typically allow a wide range of motion for scrambling up steep slopes or drawing your bow. Whenever possible, opt to go this route. It’s simply more comfortable, and you can maneuver more easily with a small pack. The shortcomings of a daypack become clear when an animal's on the ground. It’s never going to be your best option for hauling a heavy load. By their nature, the lightweight shoulder straps and waist belt on a daypack aren’t going to be the most comfortable. In these situations you might haul what you can back to camp and then switch packs to haul the rest. The Classic Backpacker The uses for this type of bag are obvious. These bags are usually 4,000 to 6,000 cubic inches or more. Size depends on how many days you’ll be in the field at a time and the time of year (colder weather usually means more gear). This is the size we recommend for most of our British Columbia hunts. The downside of any large backpacking bag is that after you’ve set camp and are out hunting for the day, you have a giant bag on your back. Some backpacking bags cinch down pretty snug for day hunting, but they still feel somewhat unwieldy

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32 | Hunting & Fishing News

as daypacks. The extra webbing is hanging everywhere, and keeping your day hunting gear organized is not as easy as in a classic daypack. However, for long backcountry trips, this downside can be overlooked. When you need capacity and hauling ability, this is the way to go. Convertible Options Many companies now make frame packs that can convert from daypacks to load haulers with relative smoothness. Some packs achieve this by being able to switch bags on a single frame and suspension. Others accomplish it by allowing the bag to separate from the frame, letting you to compress an extra load between the bag and the frame. These convertible options are nice for those who tend to pack in and then hunt out of a spike camp, or those who want a daypack with the ability to haul meat out when necessary. These are great options for our remote, B.C. hunting trips. You could easily bring a 3,000 cubic inch bag and a 6,000 cubic inch bag that can be used on the same frame and suspension. While it may sound like the perfect balance between the two, these packs do have downsides. Typically, these features come at the expense of more complexity and weight. If all you really need is a daypack, a classic daypack is always going to be more comfortable and offer better maneuverability and pocket organization. Or if all you really need is load-hauling ability, an internal frame load hauler will do a better job. While a convertible option may allow both, it may not be the best at one or the other. Making a Decision When it comes to the right pack for you, the most important thing is to be honest with yourself about your needs. Don’t make a decision based on what looks cool or based on features that are attractive but unnecessary. Think through each day of your hunt and be honest about the needs you’ll have. In the end, you might decide that there’s not one pack that can do it all. You may end up needing multiple setups for multiple situations. And that’s fine. Sometimes, having a couple of specialized packs is better than having one that claims to do it all. At North River Outfitting, they offer outstanding wilderness hunts in British Columbia for moose, mountain caribou, mountain goat, grizzly and stone sheep. And in Alberta they are known for their trophy whitetail hunts. For details, please call 780-675-1942 or send them a message. Owners: Ron and Maria Nemetchek web: www.northriveroutfitting.com phone: 780-675-1942 email: maria@ronnemetchek.com - See more at: http://northriveroutfitting.com/2017/04/04/selecting-best-backpack-style-hunting/#sthash.OCsDQSCh.dpuf

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southern leaning University in Missouri, and many of my classmates thought I was a long haired hippy from Chicago. One old Missouri boy name Dennis Cupp, a fellow law enforcement major, took a liking to me and we would go shooting. The “hippy” from Chicago had lots of ammo. I was eventually invited to Denny’s home town of Moberly, Missouri, a town that Denny would become a rookie police officer in after we graduated. A town that Denny would eventually become the Chief of Police. Henry Lever Action 410 Shotgun and Shells courtesy AmmoLand My first trip to Moberly brought me in contact with a long gun I had never seen before. It was a Brand X lever action 410 shotgun. It was Denny’s father’s and had been in the family since the 1930s. I had never heard of such a shotgun, but Denny and I had fun shooting it. Years later while on active duty there was a good chance I was headed to Turkey for a two year assignment. American GIs stationed in Turkey in those days could not bring in rifles or handguns, but you could have shotguns. I thought I would standout quite noticeably if I had a shotgun that looked like I was just arriving in Turkey from the American west. I never got the Turkey assignment, and Denny was never going to let me have his dad’s shotgun. For thirty five plus years whenever I was in the mid-west I made an effort to stop in Moberly and see Denny. I even got to run my hands over that lever action 410 shotgun once in a while... Henry Repeating Arms has come out with a new lever gun. It is a 410 shotgun that is built on the same action they manufacture their 30-30 and 45/70 rifles. The moment I saw the first picture of this Henry Arms Wisconsin made lever action 410 shotgun I thought of my old pal, Denny, and the fun we had forty years ago shooting his 410 lever action shotgun. When the e-mail from the gun shop came that a Henry 410 shotgun had arrived, I called and told them I would be there in the next day or so to pick it up. Then I promptly grabbed my hat and keys and was entering the gun shop inside of a half hour. I see this new Henry lever gun as nothing but fun, with a side of “prepper” thrown in for safety and survival’s sake. It is a seven pound long gun, so when a 410 shotgun shell goes off inside the action there is no need to be concerned with possible discomfort. The HO18 Henry lever action 410 shotgun comes in two configurations. The H018-410 has a 24″ barrel, with a full choke and a front bead sight. The H018-410R has a 20″ barrel with no choke and a set of adjustable rifle sights. I went for the no choke and rifle sights. With this setup, you do not know that it is a shotgun when first handed to you, with the sights you simply assume it is a rifle. You are not going to hunt pheasants with a 410 shotgun that has no choke. What you can do is shoot a rabbit or squirrel if you are up close. Also what you can do with the lever shotgun is hunt white tail deer where allowed in normal, non-crisis hunting time, and hunt anything you have to, to survive in a world gone a bit off its axis. I did an informal count and discovered that over 50% of the states either do not specifically restrict or in fact actually allow you to hunt white tail deer with a 410 shotgun. Of course you need to make sure you understand the hunting rules of your state before you venture off into the woods with a Henry 410 lever action shotgun this coming deer season. I am not going to try to convince you one way or the other about deer hunting with a 410 shotgun, but I am going to tell you it routinely and legally happens. I found a story about an older gentleman who had suffered a stroke and could no longer hunt with a 12 ga or even a 20 ga shotgun. A 410 shotgun was all he could handle in his diminished physical capacity, but by sticking to his personal rule of never shooting a white tail deer beyond thirty yards, he was able to harvest twenty deer in a ten year period. A 410 shotgun slug falls somewhere between the energy of a 357 mag and a 41 mag handgun cartridge. A lot of deer have been shot over the years with a 357 mag handgun. I am going to strongly surmise that shooting a white tail deer or a “walker” with the Henry 410 lever gun, you will successively dispatch either of these two. A clean shot, at close range and both will drop.

34 | Hunting & Fishing News

5 Rules To Follow

WHEN STALKING BIG GAME By Ryan McSparran

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Every big game species comes with its own set of

challenges. But when it comes to putting a stalk on any mature animal, there are a few universal rules. Whether you’re stalking elk and deer in Montana, or dall sheep in Alaska, here are five rules you should never break. 1. Limit Unnatural Noises When hunting many big game species, you can often get away with natural noises. Breaking a stick or rolling a rock may not get you busted. But the sound of a zipper or the scratch of Velcro and it’s game over! As much as possible, minimize unnatural noises. Noisy fabrics, zippers and Velcro are the most common problems. They will immediately make your presence known to anything within earshot. And if you’re hunting in the high country, you may be shocked at how far sound carries across those western landscapes. It’s sometimes possible to hear a conversation on the next ridge over. 2. Stay off the Skyline When you pick the route for your stalk, do everything you can to avoid topping out on a ridge or hill. Stay off the skyline. Travel below ridgelines and conceal your movements with rocks, ravines or vegetation as much as possible. Even animals that aren’t known for sharp vision will pick out your silhouette on a skyline in a heartbeat. 3. Always Watch the Wind Remember that concealment includes wind. Never forget it. Always keep your attention on the wind and execute your stalk accordingly. Even when there’s no prevailing wind, thermals will still move your scent up or downhill as the air travels. As a general rule, thermals will be coming downhill before sunrise, and then begin to rise when the sun hits the ground. 4. If Conditions Aren’t Right, Stay Patient After you locate game, keep your cool and don’t rush in if conditions aren’t right. If the wind or lack of cover makes for a bad approach, stay patient. If you avoid blowing the animals out, you may give yourself a better opportunity. If you blow them out, you risk not seeing them again. But stay patient, and there’s a good chance you’ll end up with a shot opportunity 5. Watch out for the Boss When a stalk is blown, it’s often the lead cow or doe that can make you curse. Don’t forget that she’s the one to contend with. When you’re after a big buck or a bull, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and forget the other eyes around him. When planning the perfect stalk, remember that staying concealed from those extra sets of eyes is usually more important. That matriarch cow or the lead doe can be the greatest obstacle to a successful stalk. For high-adventure wilderness hunts in Montana and Alaska check out www.LazyJBarO.com...

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7 STEPS TO CUT NOISE FOR A

QUIETER HUNTING BOW

(continued from page 30)

ARROWS While I’m not one to preach to anyone on the weight of the arrows they choose to hunt with, it is undeniable that a heavy arrow will simply absorb more energy (and potential noise) on the shot and quiet the bow down. Hunters do not need to go to an absurdly heavy arrow to accomplish this. In fact, I’ve found that with my setups, using an arrow above the six grain per pound range (420 grains at 70 pounds) generally produces a very quiet setup while still allowing me to maintain speed and performance. TUNE Believe it or not, the actual tune of your bow can also affect the noise output of your setup. When a bow, specifically a two cam bow, comes out of tune, the two cams are now traveling at different speeds on the shot and stopping at different times as a result. This sudden shift in uniformity can cause an audible difference in how your bow sounds. Other than resolving possible noise issues, it’s important to keep your bow tuned year-round to get the most performance and efficiency from your setup. TIME TO HIT THE RANGE After following these steps you should now be shooting a quiet hunting bow, decreasing your potential of getting noticed when drawing and, hopefully, reducing any chance of animals jumping the string. A few things to keep in mind here is that some bows are just inherently louder than others and certain sounds and tones are just impossible to remove. It is also important to remember that the bow will always sound louder to the person shooting it. Instead, have a trusted friend shoot your bow as you stand safely off to the side. It’s amazing how much quieter your bow will sound. As bowhunters, our number one priority when it comes to successfully punching a tag is sneaking into the effective range of our targeted game. Nearly every species we chase each fall spends every minute of every day of the year in constant defense mode as they keep a watchful eye out for predators. Heck, even some of the predators are keeping an eye out for each other! Being silent is pivotal to success. Every avenue we can address to limit any potential unnatural sounds can lead to more consistent success.

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36 | Hunting & Fishing News

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By Eddie White

O h June, how many a fisherman wait on you to show your beautiful weather? The long days of the beginning

of summer are upon us, and the elusive walleye is out of spawn on the prowl to feed heavy after weeks of repopulating our passion for angling. There are many anglers whom I know that either spend as much time as they can, or stay for the month of June on the BIG lake (Fort Peck). The post spawn EYES are at their finest. Each angler seems to have their method of fishing for their potential fish of a lifetime. Jigging, bouncing, cranking, slip bobbering, ripping, spinnerbaits, amongst so many other options. I, as well as many others I know, have fell in the rut of “this has worked, this will work, this always works.” With that said, how does an angler learn if they fish the same points, the same holes, the same breaklines? Typically there is no learning done, but there is always something one can learn. Fishing shallow is an instance. Sitting in the boat with your partner, and they want to fish 20 feet, cause that is what they heard. So what do you do when the 20 foot water is not working? Well, I am willing to change my depth, even speed to see if I can get some form of a pattern figured out. To the shallows I go, with the partner in the boat and an optimistic attitude, the boat finally starts seeing some fish. The bite has slowed bottom bouncing, so it is time to pack up and leave, right? Not for us. We know there are fish there, we know they are willing to bite, we know there is more opportunity. Now is the time to do some of the other endless options we have in the boat. Time to run some cranks through the shallows, and see if there is a reaction bite. Or pitch jigs up on the shoreline and work them back. Or... Keep in mind, if you’re not learning, you’re not changing. Fish are not going to do what you want them to, they are going to tell you what they want. That all goes through trial and error. If you want an opportunity to learn, June seems to be a key month to experiment as well as to get numbers. Every time I go fishing, no matter the species, I learn something. I always have the ability to adapt and to learn, to be a successful angler. One of the key sayings I have doing seminars, is during a tournament, there is always one boat, or team, that has figured something out. No matter if it is raining, sunny, overcast, windy, someone always has it figured out. How can you be that somebody? Eddie White owns and operates The Minnow Bucket in Huntley Montana, also a writer, seminar speaker and tournament angler. Contact Eddie at: montanaminnowbucket@yahoo.com on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheMinnowBucket or by phone at 406-696-1281

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Early Summer Pike on the Fly

(continued from page 12)

The biggest differences from one manufacturer to the next is its sink rate. Make sure to have some light, some medium, and some heavyweight, so you can fish various depths from shallow to deeper. Also try to match the local perch squawfish, or other prey fish. Big pike will usually target the most abundant one, but also sometimes putting a bright pattern that sets itself apart can also pay huge returns. Fly rods from 7 to 10 weight are perfect for longer casts with the bigger flies. I stay on the stiffer side with a 9 foot 8 weight and a 10 weight if the wind comes up. The stiffer rod also lets you set the hook good, driving big 2/0 and 3/0 hooks into bigger pike is hard, so set hard!!! All around, a good weight forward floating line will be the standard, but a slow full sinking line is also a valuable tool for fishing slightly deeper during mid day as the fish move deeper. It also allows you to fish lighter flies more horizontally. Unfortunately, it also makes you have to strip the line all the way in before you cast again. This is sometimes a good thing, pike have a habit of following right to the boat and striking right when you pick up to re-cast. Always at the end of a cast, pull the fly with the rod, and if you can, change the direction sharply. This can draw some of the most vicious strikes that will damn near pull the rod out of your hands and leave you shaking!!!! Bite proof leaders are very good insurance and can vary from wire to high poundage fluorocarbon. I use titanium tipped leaders because their smaller diameter hides them from the fish better. A quick detach snap allows for changing flies easily. They will last for a very long time, resist kinks, and act as a shock absorber on hard hook sets. Make sure to have a set of mouth spreaders and needle nose pliers for removing deep hooks. Do not put your hand in there....ever!! WEATHER, WIND, AND TIMING This is the one time of the year where the early bird gets the worm. Low light levels give pike a huge advantage over their prey. Their camouflage allows them to blend in and smash any prey that stray into their ambush. Some days, the first and last hour of daylight are the best time to catch the biggest fish. Also look at wind direction and how it relates to drop offs, weed beds, rocks, and any other structures. Wind blowing in against a sharp dropping shoreline lowers the light levels and condenses food to the shore line. This is a perfect combination for ambushing prey as well as scavenging wounded or dead ones. Look for this condition mid day and you will extend the morning bite and add a few more fish to your day. Weather fronts can have a huge impact on fishing as well. As a front approaches, the lowering pressure will turn pike on like crazy. As the front arrives, temperatures will fall and shut the fish off. Stable weather for two or three days in a row after a front passing will turn them right back on. PRESENTATIONS Various stripping retrieves can impact how many fish you catch on any given day. Faster and longer strips can trigger the most aggressive fish, but leave the bigger fish behind. Remember pike can be hesitant to charge out of a good ambush point if the fly passes too quickly, or it is too far away. I have always followed the axiom of “Start slow, and end fast.” Start with slow short strips with fairly big pauses. Let the fish show you what they want. If this doesn’t trigger them, speed up and shorten your pauses. Active pike will sometimes follow for a fair distance, but a sudden change in pause or speed will trigger them. So as the days get longer, grab your fly rod, a box of pike flies and start your quest for a 40 plus incher.

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40 | Hunting & Fishing News

FOUR EASY STEPS TO MAKE A NEW BOWHUNTER By Mark Kayser W ith movies like the popular “Hunger Games” series dominating pop culture there’s no better time to start a

new bowhunter down the road to a lifetime sport. If that’s your goal get started NOW! You can’t wait to immerse youngsters into the world of hunting. Why? There simply too many other diversionary factors waiting in the wings to steal their attention. The biggest culprit for childhood attention is likely right in front of them as you read this: screens. Whether it be a smartphone, iPad, tablet or laptop, your youngster probably has access to one of these devices and spends hours on it daily. Add in extracurricular sports, school, weekend clubs and the likes for a schedule that doesn’t give you, or your child much breathing room. And if you don’t get them started early, by age nine according to research, you may already have missed the boat. That’s when many youth cement their future activities as they head to adulthood. To get your youth started down the right road early follow this roadmap. It could create a new bowhunter now and help preserve the heritage of hunting later. EQUIPMENT THAT FITS First, be sure that the bow not only fits in size, but in comfort. Can your child hold the bow and draw it with ease? Does it fit ergonomically to the youth? Having a pro do the sizing ensures the draw length is correct along with a draw weight that the youth shooter finds easy to control. Pulling too much weight can be cumbersome, unpleasant and even dangerous. Plus, when the bow is chosen a pro can match arrows, recommend a rest and even help adjust a bow sight for your young shooter. For beginning shooters one of the best choices is the Genesis. The bow is simple, yet has a modern look that will make kids feel like part of the hunting crowd. Most importantly, Genesis bows can be easily altered to match the growth of your child. As your child’s strength increases and limbs stretch you can adjust the bow to match, both draw weight, and draw length. That’s a big money saver for you. CLUB HELP Now is the time to look for help via clubs and organizations that hold regular meetings and practice sessions. Begin by searching the obvious options available in your zip code. Organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America provide youth with a well-rounded immersion in the outdoors including archery. Many of the summer camps offer archery programs and it’s even a merit badge required on the road to an Eagle Scout rank.

Another leading youth organization is 4-H, specifically 4-H Shooting Sports. 4-H offers one of the finest, local shooting sports programs that establish an atmosphere of firearm respect, scheduled practice and even competitive matches. Youth are exposed to a variety of shooting disciplines in addition to archery. They can dive into air rifle, .22 rifle, handgun, shotgun and muzzleloader categories. It’s a great way to have youth learn about archery and firearms in the same supervised setting. Mathews Archery is a huge supporter of the National Archery in the Schools Program or NASP. It could be ongoing in your school district already. The NASP is a partnership between state departments of education and wildlife to provide archery instruction to students from 4th through 12th grades. Introduced via physical education curriculums, NASP has been employed by more than 10,000 schools and reached an impressive 7 million or more children in all 50 states, plus five countries. Annually it impacts 2.23 million youth. COMPETITION Nothing gets kids excited more about an activity than winning. Fortunately there are a variety of organizations that provide a competitive stage for young archers beginning with the Junior Olympic Archery Development program, an extension of USA Archery. JOAD excels in teaching archery to young shooters, plus it progresses archery development through competition in a rewarding setting. You can also research national, state and local bowhunting, and archery clubs. Most hold competitive tournaments or have scheduled league shoots for members. I guarantee you there is one within driving distance of your Montana hometown. With some surfing you’ll discover local, summer 3-D shoots and most of the competitions have divisions for youth so they can compete against others of their age. It’s a fun way to spend a summer day and inspire a new bowhunter. TAKE THEM HUNTING Now it is time to think about hunting. Start small. Start with small game. Every young hunter wants to arrow a big Montana buck or bull; it’s the drama they watch on the flat screen every night. There’s nothing wrong with putting them in for deer, elk and pronghorn tags, but try to squeeze in some small hunts first. Cottontails provide table fare, prairie dogs provide long-range practice and squirrels can offer timber challenges equal to any whitetail hunt. A great summer day afield begins with a bowfishing setup and a day on the water. Most bows are adaptable to a reel or spool setup to target various rough fish including species of carp, and gar. Most Montana waters are brimming with rough fish, especially during the spring spawn. After a few smaller targets it’s time to consider bigger game. Turkeys provide a great starter. They are found in abundant numbers across Montana and licenses are easy to obtain. Plus, you can hunt them from the confines of a ground blind and nothing stirs the blood like a gobbler screaming at a decoy six yards away.

If you believe your youth hunter is ready for bigger challenges consider this Montana experience. Try pronghorns. A pronghorn hunt over water gives your young hunter a chance at an exotic big game species in a controlled environment.

Pronghorn water daily and you can wait leisurely in a blind for one to approach. Once a pronghorn starts to gulp water an inexperienced bowhunter will have plenty of time to range, draw, settle and release an arrow on a standing target. If you want a youngster in your life to become a hunter start them down the road right now. There’s plenty of competition for their time, but once they experience the fun of bowhunting they’ll enjoy it for life.

Hunting & Fishing News | 41

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Catch Cards are Catching on with Bull Trout Fishermen MFWP

For many traditional western Montana anglers, it was a sad day in 1998 when

they learned Bull Trout, Montana’s largest native trout, were being added to the Federal list of Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act. Opportunities to take home the biggest trout many people will ever catch in their lives or perhaps enjoy the occasional palate-pleasing sensation of smoked Bull Trout seemed to be going away forever. But, in 2004, Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to come up with an innovative way to keep anglers involved in Bull Trout fishing in Hungry Horse Reservoir and the South Fork Flathead River as well as Lake Koocanusa, where it was mutually agreed that Bull Trout populations remained healthy and not threatened by regulated traditional angling. The agencies settled on a Catch Card Program. Today, after 13 years, we can report that program has been an outstanding success. Between 2004 and 2016 the Catch Card Program allowed catch and release fishing for Bull Trout with some limited angler harvest of Bull Trout (generally 2 per angler per year, in the Reservoirs only) from those two drainages. FWP issued over 16,000 catch cards on Hungry Horse Reservoir and the South Fork and 15,000 on Lake Koocanusa. Because the free but required Catch Cards allow for follow-up survey, an important component of evaluating these fisheries, we can estimate that those anglers legally fishing for Bull Trout enjoyed nearly 26,000 days of Bull Trout fishing on Hungry Horse Reservoir and the South Fork Flathead River and another 43,000 angler days on Lake Koocanusa for a total of 69,000 angler days over 13 years. Anglers participating in the free Catch Card program have caught over 14,000 Bull Trout in Hungry Horse Reservoir and the South Fork Flathead River and enjoyed the satisfaction of taking home around 800 of these native trout, with a strict harvest limit of two fish per angler per year (Reservoir only). Similarly, in Lake Koocanusa, FWP estimated that anglers caught nearly 24,000 BLT, and put 2,700 on the table or the wall. As biologists expected, under this tightly regulated program most fish caught were released alive and the observed violations were few. More importantly, Bull Trout redd counts (counts of spawning nests) in the Kootenai and South Fork held up well. This result demonstrated that healthy populations of Bull Trout can still support some of the traditional uses, even while the fish are seriously threatened elsewhere in Montana. “It’s important for people to have the opportunity to catch and harvest native fish like bull trout when possible,” says FWP Fisheries Program Manager Mark Deleray. “It’s a unique experience and it connects anglers to bull trout. If anglers benefit, they are more likely to support conservation efforts for the species.” FWP Fisheries Biologist Leo Rosenthal adds that anglers in the program help collect important data for managing the fishery. “The benefit of the catch card and survey program is that we get annual angler pressure and bull trout catch/harvest estimates,” says Rosenthal. “This information is not readily available for most fisheries in Montana and allows us to closely follow trends in angler use as well as the overall status of the Bull Trout population.” Because of the success of the Catch Card program, in 2017, FWP and FWS have completed the paperwork to continue the program for the foreseeable future. We all look forward to the day when the program can expand to cover additional waters, signifying progress in the road to species recovery. Current Regulations -Lake Koocanusa: the harvest limit on Lake Koocanusa is one bull trout per license year, season opens June 1; extends through February 28, catch and release the remainder of the year -Hungry Horse Reservoir: the harvest limit is two bull trout per license year, season opens the third Saturday in May (May 20) and extends through the end of the license year; -South Fork of the Flathead River: catch and release only for bull trout, May 20-July 31. No fishing for bull trout after July 31. Catch and Release Pointers: Most bull trout caught by catch-card anglers are released. Here’s what anglers can do to maximize fish survival: --Land the fish quickly and do not play it to exhaustion. --Wet your hands before handling the fish. --Keep the fish in the water as much as possible where its gills can absorb oxygen. --Minimize the time out of water for photos. --Remove the hook gently. Use of artificial lures, single and barbless hooks can make hook removal faster and easier. Let the fish recover before release. If the fish is hooked deeply or bleeding, you may have to snip the line at the fish’s mouth, or consider keeping it if regulations allow. Consider limiting your catch. Even with catch-and-release, fish are stressed and some will die.

42 | Hunting & Fishing News

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Pope And Young Club Names New World Record Typical Mule Deer During First-Ever Special Panel Pope & Young Club

pope-young.org

On the 13th of August, 2016 under clear blue skies amidst the sagebrush of

southeastern Nevada, Frank Cheeney, accompanied by his son Aaron, arrowed the largest typical mule deer ever taken with a bow. “My son Aaron and I headed out a bit late that morning, and we began glassing the area as soon as we arrived,” said Frank Cheeney. “We spotted a bunch of bucks bedded down in a sagebrush flat and after some discussion (I use the word “discussion” lightly), Aaron decided that I needed to try to put a stalk on the bedded bucks in the hopes of getting a shot. As we watched them, we noted that they were calm and looking in the opposite direction. Putting a stalk on a group of bucks with sagebrush as your only cover usually does not end well for the hunter, but Aaron felt strongly that I could put the sneak on them and end up with a good shot. I reluctantly kicked off my shoes and crouched down behind the taller brush and began my approach. As luck would have it, the breeze was blowing straight in my face as I headed towards the bucks. They seemed oblivious to my presence. As fate would have it, the biggest buck stood up from his bed. I drew my bow and with the deer in my sights I let the arrow fly.” Frank went on to add, “I grew up in the outdoors hunting and trapping with my dad. He passed on his knowledge and love of hunting to me, and it has always been important to me to continue that tradition. In my family hunting has never been about killing a high-scoring trophy. We have always looked for nice bucks, but score has really never meant that much to us. It’s always been about the time spent together with friends and family preparing for and carrying out hunting activities. It’s about passing on skills and traditions that are a part of our heritage and way of life. It’s about sharing a campfire, good food and, even better, stories with family and neighbors. It’s about teaching my three kids to be ethical hunters and conservationist so that they can pass these same traditions on to their children.” The first-ever Pope And Young Club Special Panel was convened during the Club’s 30th Biennial Convention in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, April 8th...“This was the first time the Pope and Young Club has used a Special Panel for verification of a potential World Record trophy,” said Ed Fanchin, Records Chairman for the Pope and Young Club... Cheeney’s typical mule deer was measured by two separate panels, each having three highly experienced measurers and a Boone & Crockett representative. The resulting score of 205 6/8 tops the previous typical mule deer World Record scoring 205 0/8, making it the new Pope and Young Club World Record. The Special Panel event was filmed and posted on the Club’s Facebook page during the 30th Biennial Convention. This incredible animal has been entered into the 31st Recording Period–the biennium representing entries accepted into the P&Y Records Program from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019... Photo courtesy Pope & Young Club

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Idaho Hunter Has INCREDIBLE SUPER HUNT STREAK By Roger Phillips, Public Information Specialist, IF&G

Dustin Stevenson has drawn four antelope tags since the Super Hunt drawing started in 2004

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34 hunters win the chance every year to hunt world class big game in any open hunt. Photo provided by Dustin Stevenson

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Score: 395 4⁄8 Location: Silver Bow County, MT Date: 1966 Hunter: Wayne Estep

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Hunters might consider a Super Hunt tag a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but if that’s the case, Dustin Stevenson of Boise must have cat lives because he’s drawn four of them and is still applying for more. Before you utter “some guys have all the luck,” Stevenson makes a strong case that’s not the case. While he’s had incredible luck with Super Hunts, it doesn’t hold true for other controlled hunts. “The amazing thing is I’ve put in for antelope controlled hunts for 31 years and only drawn one,” he said. “But I’ve drawn four antelope Super Hunt tags.” The 43-year old, life-long Idaho resident and self-described “hunting and fishing fool” explains that during those same 31 years, he’s only drawn controlled hunt tags twice for deer and once each for bear, elk and turkey. In case you’re unfamiliar with Super Hunts, they’re a special drawing for Idaho’s best big game tags for deer, elk, moose and pronghorn. A Super Hunt tag allows you to hunt any unit - general or controlled - that’s open for that species. Unlike controlled hunts, residents and nonresidents can apply for Super Hunt tags as many times as they like for $6 each and $20 for the Super Hunt Combo (one tag for each species). The cost of the application also covers the cost of the tag if you’re drawn. Proceeds from Super Hunt drawing benefits Fish and Game’s Access Yes! program. You can see more details on the Super Hunt webpage. https://idfg.idaho.gov/ hunting/idaho-super-hunts?no_cache=1493313896 Four Super Hunts is an impressive tally, which makes you wonder, what is Stevenson’s secret? He said there isn’t one, except having applications in every drawing, which he has done since the Super Hunt program started in 2004. He figures he averages $150 annually on Super Hunt applications, and he puts in for all four species, as well as the Super Hunt Combo. “I’ve always had my name in the hat,” he said. “You can’t win if you don’t play, just like the saying goes.”... More about Idaho Super Hunts... Second Drawing deadline for entries is Aug. 10. Two elk, two deer, two pronghorn and one moose hunt will be drawn. One Super Hunt Combo will also be drawn. Winners will be notified by Aug. 15. You can phone 1-800-554-8685 to enter.

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Hunting & Fishing News | 45

DO DEER MIGRATE? HOW FAR?

By Mike Hanback www.mikehanback.com www.bigdeerblog.com

N o, in Midwestern, Southern and Eastern states, the whitetail deer that most of us hunt do not migrate.

In fact they are homebodies, typically living their entire lives in a home range of a mile or so, with buck core areas smaller than that. But yes, in Western states some herds of both whitetails and mule deer do migrate. Photo Joe Riis

Based on 40 years of radio-tracking data, Montana biologists have documented that whitetails in the western mountains migrate to dense forests during the winter months. Herds move an average of 8 to 15 miles, going down in elevation as far as needed in search of conifer needles to eat, overhead tree canopy to block the snow and thermal protection created by Douglas fir and other evergreens. As for mule deer, they are the big walkers. For example, in northeast Montana where I hunt most every year, biologists from Fish, Wildlife & Parks have tracked mule deer moving an average of 64 miles from winter range west of Glasgow, Montana to summer fawning areas up in Saskatchewan.

A few years ago, the longest mule deer migration ever recorded was in Wyoming. Thousands of deer migrate 150 miles from winter range in Wyomingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Red Desert to summer range in the mountains. This 300-mile round-trip journey is the greatest large mammal migration in the continuous United States. The entire migration was documented, and needs to be seen to be believed. Western deer pass migration routes down from generation to generation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that if a route becomes blocked the deer will lose it forever and the herds will suffer. As the human population in the West continues to grow, developmental threats to these critical travel corridors, especially for mule deer, are a constant concern. Through land acquisitions and easements, the Mule Deer Foundation and other conservation groups work tirelessly to ensure that the age-old paths between summer and winter range remain intact.

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I grew up in a family with Brittanys, while my wife grew up in a Lab household. After hours of newlywed

debate, Meredith and I settled on German shorthairs as the breed “compromise” between Britts and Labs. Ten years later, we’ve hunted eleven states in search of eight different game birds and learned a lot along the way. This Love Story Begins in Iowa On April 16, 2007, a litter of German shorthaired pointer puppies were born in the back yard of Steve and Jodie Ries, proprietors of Top Gun Kennels. Eight weeks later, on the lawn next to that kennel, a female puppy followed my wife Meredith and I away from the litter to play. Like so many similar stories of a family meeting a litter of pups, “Trammell” had selected us for her new pack. Trammell’s First Hunt in da U.P. eh To many, the name “Trammell” is met with a perplexed look. To Michiganders, it’s an obvious homage to my childhood idol Alan Trammell, a legendary Detroit Tigers baseball player. Fitting for her name, Trammell’s first hunt took place in the grouse woods of my “Yooper” roots. I’d love to be able to wax poetically about Tram’s first hunt under golden leaves and staunch points at 5 months of age, but nothing of the kind occurred that September day. I was happy enough to be walking the logging trails with my mom and dad where I grew up behind my very own bird dog. Missing My way to a Minnesota Limit One month after that first U.P. grouse hunt, I entered a Minnesota WPA in west central Minnesota on opening day with Trammell at my heel. That year, 2007, was near the high point for CRP acres in the country and the pheasant numbers were on their way to generational-highs. To say that I was amped with anticipation would have been a massive understatement. I entered the field that day after months of dedicated training, while Trammell had lived up to her end of the bargain as an honor roll student ready for the prime time. “Today,” I told myself, “I was going to bag a wild opening day rooster over my pup’s very first point. It was going to be magical.” Ten minutes into that first walk, Tram locked up as scripted. I approached and two roosters flushed to the sky for a fairytale double. But the fairytale was not to be. I missed both shots. Didn’t even pull a feather. I looked at Trammell with dejection. Her tail wagged and she jumped back into the grass to find some fresh scent. I missed seven shots that morning before I finally connected. Yes, seven straight misses over Trammell’s first wild pheasant points. To Tram, we were together in a field having fun with no boundaries on our adventure. It was one of the greatest lessons in humility and hunting in my life. I have returned to that very same WPA for the first pheasant hunts with each of my subsequent two GSPs, Izzy and Esky, for a refresher on that lesson. Canoeing for Pheasants Perhaps our most memorable adventure together came as we floated the Missouri River in Montana. Under the tutelage of a local bird hunter, we’d beach the canoe on the shore of grassy islands hunting our way downstream. With water rushing all around, roosters flushed toward the canyon walls of the river’s banks. It was a hunt fit for a scene from Legends of the Fall. Rooster Road Tripping through the Great Plains The inaugural year of Rooster Road Trip was 2010 and Trammell was a spry 3-year old. For our “five states in five days” public lands hunting adventure, Trammell logged every mile in the field that year across North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas. Perhaps the best hunt of her life came on the fourth day of that trip when Anthony, Andrew and I walked into a Nebraska CRP-MAP field together and left an hour later with six roosters that Trammell had pointed and retrieved with camera’s rolling. Pheasants in the Mist As you’d imagine, Trammell and I have spent a lot of time in South Dakota over the years. A prairie grouse hunt in the Fort Pierre Grasslands rates high in my memories, but at the top of our SoDak adventures was a hunt two autumns ago in a dense fog with Meredith carrying the camera. I’ve hunted under robin’s egg blue skies, in gale-force winds, through snowy blizzards, and pounding rain, but never in a beautifully ominous fog like that day. Together, our family navigated away from the truck into the fields as the roosters held tight and my shooting held true. The Next Adventure As Trammell begins her eleventh year, the gray has taken over her muzzle and stiffness slows her gate. Nevertheless, she is in good health and our vet has given her high marks for her physical condition as a “senior” dog. While her days of logging every mile on the trail each day are over, my fingers are crossed for sharing a few more adventures in the fields and forests together. Maybe even a new state too...

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INTO ALASKA By Jason Matzinger - onXmaps Elite Staffer

I’ve always been a bear hunting fanatic and it’s always been a dream of mine to hunt

those big beautiful bears in Alaska. I was offered a cancellation hunt through an outfitter, after a client backed out, and had very little time to plan such a massive hunt. I was packed and headed to Alaska a month later. View video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ6i9KSzOvY It all happened so fast, it didn’t really hit me until I saw Alaska from the plane. When we touched down in Fairbanks, I saw mounts of muskox and grizzlies. That’s when it set in. Hunting all over the world gives me the chance to experience different climates and terrains. Alaska is kind of the ultimate when it comes to this though, so it took more thought than usual. Luckily I have several friends who have hunted and lived up there and that was a great resource for me. Going through my gear I had to be sure I had everything I could possibly need. I made sure batteries were charged, I had arrows, release, bullets, bills were paid, I had bug nets, lightweight waders and more. Like any trip, I laid out my gear and took out anything I didn’t absolutely need several times before condensing my gear for travel. It still left me with two big Sitka Bags along with my Browning .338 WIN rifle case as my three checked bags. Gear. Photo courtesy Jason Matzinger My favorite caliber is a Browning X-Bolt .270 WIN. I have shot everything from elk, moose, bear, deer, etc and have full confidence to get it done with that rifle, but for this trip I chose a .338 WIN Browning X-Bolt. I wanted something with some good knockdown power since I was going to be hunting grizzly. Growing up in Montana, I already have to think about diverse weather conditions every time I take to the field. It can go from 70 degrees to freezing in a matter of hours. I never really leave unprepared. Alaska was just going to be a few more days than my normal outings. We flew to Galena and took an eight hour jet boat ride up the Yukon River to reach camp. We passed through flat marsh areas, mountains, canyons and navigated a section of rapids before we arrived. Along the river we saw bald eagles, moose and a couple black bears. Salmon filled the streams and rivers as we boated up them. We didn’t see anyone for 10 days after getting to camp. Every once in awhile we would see an old horse trail. It was the closest thing we got to civilization. It was an unreal feeling to be sitting in the middle of nowhere Alaska, hunting grizzlies. The terrain is everything I ever dreamed to hunt in, and full of wildlife. We saw everything from caribou, wolves, black bears and grizzlies. It’s a great feeling to be out there amongst the bears in the natural habitat, wild, untouched wilderness as far as the eye can see in all directions. It doesn’t get much better. I never felt nervous at all, I was always at peace. It was surprising to feel that Boat ride in. Photo courtesy Jason Matzinger way, because I was surrounded by more griz than ever before in my life. I had to pinch myself to make sure I was actually doing it. The highs of the hunt were unforgettable, like killing a beautiful white wolf, which can be one of the hardest animals in North America to hunt. I felt completely blessed by the opportunity. Just being in a wild place like this with one of my best friends, Ben, was the real highlight though. The lows were equally as memorable though. I couldn’t believe I missed an animal as big as that bear. I went back and reviewed the footage and tried to analyze what happened, to at least give me some piece of mind. I don’t know why I missed in that moment, but I did. And it will always be in my mind. I do believe everything happens for a reason bigger than myself though, and this scenario was no different. It’s easy to fall in love with Alaska as a hunter or outdoorsman. From the amount of wide open space to the vast amount of wildlife that calls it home, it truly is a hunter’s paradise on every level. I look forward to my return trip there this Fall to try once again at my lifelong dream of harvesting a grizzly bear... Jason’s dream hunt, like most of our hunts, didn’t go according to plan. This is why we hunt, not for the assured harvest, but instead the unpredictability of nature and a constant reminder of the beauty and adventure that awaits in wild places. DID YOU DRAW A DREAM TAG THIS YEAR? CHECK OUT A https://www.huntinggpsmaps.com/store/hunt-mobile-apps/ TO HELP YOU SCOUT YOUR HUNT OF A LIFETIME. Jason Matzinger is an award winning film & television producer and Host of the popular TV show, Into High Country on the Sportsman Channel featuring hunts from all over the western United States and Canada. Jason was born & raised in Montana and is a lifetime member of the RMEF & MDF. Jason works closely alongside the RMEF & MDF to bring you Elk Country Chronicles, This IS Hunting, Hunting IS Conservation, #PROJECTELK, Icon of The West and coming soon, #PROJECTMULEDEER.

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