HUNTING & FISHING MONTANA
June 2019
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OUTFITTING MONTANA!
After 102 years as Montana’s outdoor outfitter we know a thing or two about adventures in our great state. There’s no secret fishing hole, hidden trail, or exclusive camping spot that we don’t know. But don’t worry, we keep those secrets close so you can discover them for yourself. It’s the things learned along the way that make a journey worth the effort. So, the next time you’re gearing up for adventures at Bob Ward’s, take a moment to recognize that local Montana knowledge. It’s in everything we do. After all, we were founded in Montana, have grown with her, and we’re still in love with our Treasure State.
Thank you for your loyalty and patronage for the last 102 years!
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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. Photo Menno Schaefer|depositphotos.com
JUNE BEAR HUNTS
Last chance for your spring bear. By H&F News
spring black bear hunt in Montana will continue Thethrough June 15th in a few key hunting districts in Montana.
It’s a great time to hunt black bears in Montana now as bears will be out feeding on luscious greens and also looking to find a sow to mate with. Set-up your camp near low land trees, vegetation and creek bottoms, then hunt up behind closed mountain roads in openings and along old logging roads early and late in the evenings for good opportunities.
Open to hunt through June 15, 2019
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
-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 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 2019 black bear hunting regulations and review them carefully before heading out to the field. 2019 Fall black bear hunts are: September 7 - September 14 (Archery only) September 15 - December 1
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Photo courtesy Montana Angler
A Seasonal Guide To Fly Fishing
MONTANA’S SMITH RIVER
By Montana Angler For a guided fly fishing trip call 406-522-9854 or www.montanaangler.com In Bozeman at: 435 E. Main Street
he Smith River is the crown jewel of Montana’s T off-the-beaten path fisheries. The Smith is a small but floatable river that winds its way through a limestone
canyon that effectively divides the Big and Little Belt mountain ranges. Scenery is spectacular with a blend of lush meadows, towering limestone cliff walls and dense stands of evergreen forests. Fishing can also be superb when anglers catch the river under the right conditions; the river offers a healthy population of wild brown and rainbow trout. Accessing the river in the middle of the canyon is a challenge. The best way to fish the river is to commit to a 5 day float camping trip that allows anglers to cover the 59 miles between Camp Baker and Eden Bridge.
6 | Hunting & Fishing News
The Smith is the only river in Montana that is 100% permitted for both outfitted guests and private users. There are only a few outfitters that are permitted to operate on the Smith River. Private users can apply for launch via a lottery system operated by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The strict permit system on the Smith ensures that the trout in the river receive limited fishing pressure compared with some of Montana’s other famous fisheries. Many of the lucky lottery winners that draw a launch date simply enjoy the river without fishing. Prospects for high quality fly fishing exist for any given launch date on the Smith. Prime fishing is never guaranteed due to the freestone nature of the Smith. Since guided guests need to book trips months or even years in advance and private users apply in February, it is impossible to know what the river conditions will be when you plan your trip. Since the Smith is a smaller volume drainage, most floaters and anglers target the spring and early summer when flows are at their highest. Summer dates can produce warm water and low flows on average or below average snow years. On good snow years with above average flows good fishing can extend deep into the heat of summer. Fall can be a spectacular time to fish the Smith with extremely light fishing pressure and ideal water temperatures. Fall dates are never a guarantee since flows are sometimes too low to successfully navigate the canyon via boat. The most difficult launch dates to book or win via the lottery are June and early July. May launches are also popular times since higher flows ensure easy floating. Summer and fall dates are easier to acquire but anglers and floaters run the risk that the river will be too low to run a trip. Spring: April and May Spring is a great time to target for a float on the Smith River. Many of our most productive fishing trips are in May and lucky anglers can experience some of the rivers thickest hatches during this window. An early season trip ensures
that water temperatures will still be cold. River flows in April can be somewhat unpredictable - if weather is colder and the water is still locked up in the snowpack there is some risk that flows will still be very low and possibly too low to float. Generally on most years from mid April on flows should be good enough to launch a trip. By May the river is generally on the rise as air temperatures warm and floating is generally easy. The Smith generally has some “color” to the water for most of the float season but it rarely has so much sediment that it is unfishable. The toughest spring conditions occur when the river is rising rapidly either due to hot weather producing rapid snowmelt or heavy rains. Moderate increases in river flows are generally tolerated well by the trout and fishing remains good to great. When the river is rising fast and gaining hundreds of cubic feet per second of added discharge from one day to the next trout need to find new lies within the river and fishing is tougher. Even in tough conditions persistent anglers can usually still put some trout in the net. When the river is stable or dropping in the spring months fishing is nearly always fantastic and often some of the best of the season with strong trout and high catch rates. May is one of our favorite months. Important spring hatches include the skwala stonefly, Mother’s Day caddis, baetis mayflies (blue-winged olives), and the salmonfly. Early May is a perfect time to intercept some of the heaviest spring hatches including the Mother’s Day caddis and baetis mayflies. Skwala stoneflies can be found in April - these smaller olive stoneflies can produce the first dry fly fishing of the season. Baetis hatches can be thick in April or early May anytime heavy cloud cover and wet weather arrives. The famous salmonfly hatch occurs earlier on the Smith than on other Montana waters with the peak of the emergence in mid May - generally during the 2nd or 3rd week of the month. Dry fly fishing over the salmonfly hatch depends on the stability of the flows. Often the water temps that coincide with the hatch sync with rising flows so most seasons trout are targeting the large nymphs. On days where the weather is cool but stable and still warm enough to keep the hatch going lucky anglers can experience some amazing dry fly fishing by casting huge foam patterns along the cliff walls.
Catch this. Nothing is more satisfying than getting the perfect cast off. To ensure you don’t get caught in a bad situation, stay clear of electrical equipment and never cast fishing lines under power lines. When walking, carry your rod low and keep an eye out for low or downed lines. If you see a downed line, stay at least 10 feet away and call 911.
Beautiful Smith River Brown. Photo courtesy Montana Angler.
Early June Peak flows on the Smith generally occur in late May or early June. Due to the smaller drainage and lower elevation mountains that feed the Smith, river flows peak earlier than on other systems in Montana. While flows are high in early June the river most years has started to stabilize and on a lower water year may even be dropping. Higher flows this time of year generally rule out dry fly fishing opportunities. This is the time of year for big ugly flies and anglers have their best luck stripping streamers or fishing nymph rigs with larger flies. (continued on page 22)
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Photo credit: Chris Neville
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Written by: Stefan Wilson Originally published at
www.goHUNT.com
he offseason is for practice and there is always practice T to be done when it comes to archery. Whether you hunt from a treestand in the whitetail woods or out on the open
antelope plains, keeping sharp and constantly improving is essential for consistent success. However, too many hunters practice at set ranges from the same position in street clothes and then wonder why they struggle when they get into the woods. The reality is that you seldom get a shot in the woods that perfectly mirrors the local indoor range or your backyard. Also, you will not be in the same mental or physical state when hunting as you are at the range. For these reasons, it is essential to change up how you practice to more closely mirror how you actually hunt. Here are a few ways to practice that will have you better prepared for the upcoming season:
Practice with only one shot
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huntingfishingnews@yahoo.com www.huntingfishingnews.net The entire contents is © 2019, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does this material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Volume 16 Issue 4 Cover Photo: © Zweizug | Dreamstime.com
8 | Hunting & Fishing News
Photo credit: goHUNT
You usually only get one shot in a real hunting scenario so why practice by only shooting groups? If your bow sight is dialed in, then shoot one arrow at one spot on your target. If you have a target with five circles, challenge yourself to put one arrow inside each circle. Also, your shot on a bull or buck is a “cold shot,” meaning you did not get a chance to warm-up and get into a rhythm before taking it. Take a single shot at a target at a given distance at the very beginning of your practice time to get a feel for how accurate you are with a cold shot. This can often be very telling.
Practice with a timer
You do not have all day to take a shot when you have an elk standing broadside. In fact, you may have a very small window of time to execute a good shot. Using a timer, practice executing the entire draw and firing process within a set window of time without accuracy diminishing. Over time, work to progress through the process quicker while still maintaining proper form and release. The key is to hold yourself to the same standard of accuracy while working to become more efficient with your time.
If you notice your form breaking down and your accuracy suffering, then give yourself more time and start working toward building back up to the smaller time window. This will prepare you to be more accurate in scenarios when you would have otherwise rushed a poor shot.
Practice with an elevated heart rate
One thing that causes us to rush shots is adrenaline. The rush of having a buck or bull within bow range can cause even the best archers to have a lapse in form. While the effects of adrenaline on your fine motor skills and mental clarity cannot be removed, you can train your body to work through the physiological response better by training with an elevated heart rate. To do this, do a 30 second to one-minute fitness regimen right before shooting. An example would be 10 burpees, 20 jumping jacks and 20 push-ups. This is not enough to physically exhaust your muscles, but it will certainly force you to be more focused on the execution of your shot.
Practice while physically exhausted
The next step from practicing with an elevated heart rate is practice immediately after (or during) extended physical exercise. This one will be tougher to pull off if you shoot at a local indoor range, but it can still be done. You should already be exercising regularly (for both your health and your backcountry fitness level) so it is really as simple as planning to go to the range immediately after your workout. Your muscles will be fatigued and you will be able to simulate the feeling of drawing and executing a shot after a day of hiking through the hills. Utilize the timer and do the exercises listed above to get your heart rate up just before the shot to further the simulation. As with all of these different methods of practice, the goal is to execute a good shot and see no reduction in accuracy.
Practice from unorthodox positions
I have never taken a shot at a deer or elk from a perfectly flat, standing position at exactly 20 yards. Instead, I have taken many shots from kneeling or standing on an incline/ decline or uneven surface. I have had to shoot through
small gaps in trees and move my torso laterally to get my bow out from behind a bush. All of this shows that you need to practice the same way. Spend time taking shots while kneeling or sitting. Go out to the woods or the desert with a target and practice shooting in the brush through tight windows. Get as much exposure to shooting from every position and scenario that is unlike a range as possible. This will ensure that you are ready to make a good shot on that bull or buck.
Practice while wearing all of your gear
I have seen it happen way too often where someone practices in shorts and a t-shirt all summer and then is uncomfortable drawing his bow at the moment of truth because of his bino harness, pack and multiple layers of clothing. Drawing and shooting in the woods should be second nature by the time you have to make that shot on an animal. This means that your practice Photo credit: Dave Barnett should mirror a real hunting scenario in every way possible. As such, if you could see yourself wearing it while hunting, you need to wear it while practicing. Maybe not all the time (I cannot wear multiple layers when practicing outside during Phoenix summers), but as often as possible you should be adding your gear into your archery practice. Wear your bino harness, your pack, your gear belt and gloves (if you will be wearing gloves while hunting). Become accustomed to shooting with a jacket on if you will be hunting in places where it might get cold during your hunt. Shoot with your rain gear on and with or without a hat. All of these things can affect your accuracy if you do not practice with them so use the time in the offseason to get used to wearing them. (continued on page 38)
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RMEF Cow Elk decoy. Photo courtesy Montana Decoy
A TRICK FOR HARVESTING
BIGGER BULLS By CJ Davis www.montanadecoy.com
ll the rage in hunting seems to be “use this trick or A that trick” to kill a bigger elk. At Montana Decoy, we believe sometimes the real “trick” is simply being
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out there as much as you can and showing them an elk decoy to authenticate your calls. It’s true that most of us have adopted the weekend warrior moniker what with full-time jobs and families becoming the top priorities in life. But that’s where using a Montana Decoy comes into play. Over the course of hunting’s illustrious history, decoys have mainly been associated with turkey and waterfowl hunting. Not until Jerry McPherson revolutionized big-game decoys did you see hunters packing them into the backcountry. Antelope and deer decoys were used sparingly when nothing but cardboard cutouts or foam targets were available. With Montana Decoy’s ingenuity, a whole new class of hunter was born. “I like running and gunning until I hear a bugle,” says Jerry McPherson of his bowhunting style.
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He covers a lot of ground, bugling and cow calling in hopes of hearing a bugle in response. Once he hears a bugle, he moves in close and sets up his decoy. He positions himself off to the side between where he thinks the bull will come in and where the decoy is located. He suggests moving out 20 to 30 yards ahead of the decoy, and downwind of the incoming prey, in hopes that the bull will walk past. By setting up off to the side, McPherson can let the elk walk past him before he has to draw. “They won’t even see you,” he said. “They’re zeroed in on the cow decoy. “But you’ve got to wait for them to get past you,” he added. “Otherwise, they’ll see any movement you do.”
“Flashing” is a new style McPherson has developed for luring in wary bulls, one he tested in the Missouri Breaks. The first time he pulled in a big bull by flashing, McPherson was set up on a ridge just before sunup. There was a large bull across the coulee that McPherson had bugled to and then cow called. When the bull showed interest, McPherson raised his rump decoy, which shows the backside of a cow elk, and then slowly lowered it as if the cow was walking away over a ridge. The curious bull came closer, to the bottom of the coulee, and raked some trees with its antlers. McPherson cow called again, flashed the decoy and slowly lowered it. Since the bull was coming up the hillside, McPherson planted the decoy and went behind a log to hide and, hopefully, get a shot. “That was the dumbest thing I could’ve done,” he said. Because when the bull came up and saw the decoy, it stopped. McPherson estimated the bull would have scored more than 400. He noted any bull taken with a bow is exceptional, and a bull scoring more than 260 typical, 355 nontypical, makes the Pope and Young record book. The world record nontypical bull taken with a bow scored 442 0/8, while the typical record is 409 2/8. The bull was quartering toward McPherson at 20 yards when it stopped to consider the decoy only 10 yards away. McPherson was at full draw, waiting for the bull to take one more step and present a better target. But after hesitating a second, the bull bolted. “I had set up the rump decoy in the open, right where the bull topped the ridge, he was about 10 yards from the decoy and there was nothing to cover the leg poles,” McPherson said. “So it looked odd.” What he should have done, McPherson said, is lay the decoy down, making it appear as though the elk had gone over the hill. Maybe then the bull would have walked past him looking for the cow instead of hanging up. Elk hunters throughout the West and Canada are beginning to see more positive results from year to year. The more you’re in the woods, skirting the mountains and becoming part of the landscape, the more you flatten the learning curve. That’s not to say success is imminent, it’s not. But you can’t kill elk if you don’t position yourself in elk habitat. Stick an Eichler elk, Miss September or the most popular elk decoy of all time, Cow Elk I, into the ground when a hot bull is near, and without sounding too redundant, increase your chances. Out there somewhere, just within the imagination, stands a king. He didn’t get that way by being overzealous, impulsive or just plain stupid. Yet every animal has a weakness. It’s only natural. And we’re trying to expose that weakness with every decoy we create. Will you find it this season? We hope so.
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Good Archery Seasons
For An Old Hunter Photo courtesy Tom Cooper
By Tom Cooper
very year is a good year to archery hunt. Of course a E few years are better than others for some pretty good reasons: perfect weather as opposed to perfectly bad,
all hunting partners showed for at least one hunt, did not use chains all season, feet were never cold, animal sightings and/or game harvests were higher than usual, and new binoculars worked as advertised. All good hunting season reasons. For this article, my goal is to describe how a 71-year-old retiree regularly enjoys “good archery seasons.” Over the last few years, I’ve averaged 25-30 days in the field during Montana’s 45-day archery season. Additionally, I’m in the woods another 25 days during the gun season. I’ll touch on off-season activities more later, but I try to hike and scout one or two days a week year-round. So, despite my grey hair and obvious maturity, it’s not unusual to see me in the woods 100 days a year. Usually, I am out by daylight, and typically home by early afternoon. In recent years, I have focused on archery hunting locations less than a half mile from a road. I also use ground blinds wherever possible. Spending a portion of my time in blinds, limiting activity to half days, and keeping miles low means I can do it all again tomorrow. Typically, I describe archery observations three ways: encounter, close encounter, and opportunity. Since these terms represent my personal choices for archery activity, l’ll explain a bit more.
Encounter
An “encounter” might be a mule deer buck walking past at 60 yards, a 6-point bull elk bugling somewhere beyond 100 yards, or a small herd of elk on a ridge a half mile away. Frequently, encounters consist of animals running through the timber kicking deadfall trees and noisily busting rocks. For all these examples, animals are close enough to increase my heart rate, but without expectation of a shot. The same can be said of animals I can’t tag or won’t shoot (fawn, yearling buck, calf elk, etc.). If they walk by, I get excited, expecting their unseen friends might just be next on the trail and provide a target.
Close Encounter
A “close encounter” suggests I was close enough to nock an arrow and attach the release. However either the animal did not cooperate, the wind did not cooperate, or my old body did not cooperate (meaning the elk saw me move or had me trapped in a stare down). Experience shows I also have an incredible ability to hold a camera when I should be holding a bow. A few years ago, I heard a response to a bugle and switched to cow calls. After 2-3 calls over 20 minutes, the five-point bull was suddenly visible at 70 yards through the trees. He was looking at the spot I last used the cow call,
12 | Hunting & Fishing News
20 yards from the blind. I bugle/call 15-20 yards from blinds because elk know where calls originate. If you call from a blind, the elk has that spot locked in and will likely see you first. Anyway since he could see across the swampy opening, and there was obviously no cow elk, I assumed he wasn’t coming closer. Down went the bow, up came the camera. Next, I scrambled to put the camera back down and pick up my bow, because magically he was closer. Trying not to draw attention, I moved slowly as he closed from 40 to 30 yards. First he pawed the grass, then dropped to the muddy ground, rolled onto his back, and wiggled for several seconds, like a unique combination of a dog and a caterpillar. His chin was on his chest to keep the tips of his main beams from sticking into the mud. Stopping my effort to nock an arrow, again the camera was in my hands. I had to photograph a bull elk on his back. But I didn’t. He jumped up, shook once, swapped ends and disappeared in the brush, never to be seen again. A close encounter I simply can’t forget.
Opportunity
The most intense contact I call “opportunity”; it suggests there was a shot whether or not I took it. Probably many hunters would have found a shot in my close encounter example. But not me, I want real close and very calm. Over the years, I admit to wounding two elk, and despite my search efforts, could not find them. Nothing about “wounding and not finding” an animal suggests a good year. Rather, it means my performance resulted in the loss of a good animal. I maintain a reasonable practice schedule before and during each season. My draw weight has been 60 pounds for years. The big change is my acceptable shooting distance. It’s thirty yards for me, although I practice at 35 yards occasionally. My bow has one pin, sighted at 25 yards. For less than 25, I hold a bit low; for over 25, I hold a touch high. One pin simplifies it for me.
Author Tom Cooper
My example of an opportunity involves a young bull and 5-6 cows. Initially he responded to my bugle, but wouldn’t do it again, even to cow calls. It rained heavily during the night, so it was real easy for me to get totally wet. However, stalking through the timber was amazingly quiet. I caught the elk feeding up a timbered draw that ranged from 25 to 50 yards across a generally flat bottom. The ridge tops on both sides were about 35 vertical feet above the draw. Although we moved up the draw, I could not close to less than 50 yards; just too many eyes. When the cows started up the ridge to my right, I followed slowly; I was more visible than they were. The elk walked onto the ridge and disappeared, I couldn’t see them because I was still in the bottom of the draw. (continued on page 38)
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hether it was fishing spots or W hunting spots, they were always presented to me in a sacred way when
I was a kid. When we would find deer and guys would ask if we saw anything, we’d say “no” to try and throw them off the scent. If we were fishing and people asked if we caught anything, we’d do the same. I’ve even had buddies who have told others the completely wrong bait to use. Pretty messed up, right? It was all in fun when we were kids. I was taught to not tell anyone about these special areas as if they were a secret. Maybe they were back then. I still treat certain spots like that and I’d say we need to be more than just coffee buddies for me to take you there. Still to this day, if I find a bomber hunting spot, my dad will tell me to never tell anyone about these areas. Most of the time I listen. On the off chance that I don’t, I am always presented with a kind of conundrum. “Did I make a mistake?” Not all people have the same code of ethics.
are counting the days until the season starts. Later in the season, you are heading into your “secret” spot for a day hunt and run right into your buddy with another person—someone you have never met. Cool? They never asked if you minded that they bring an outsider into this area. They just did it. What are your thoughts on that? I’m not gonna lie; I’d be a little eaten up if that was me. Yeah, it’s a free country and all, but there is a level of respect that needs to be met, if you ask me. Maybe I am just old fashioned, but if someone brought me into a special area, I wouldn’t even go in there solo without running it by them first. After all, they did all of the work and who am I to capitalize on that?
RESPECT
Hunting is a very personal thing. I cherish my time out there and try to give the same respect that I expect returned to me. It saddens me to say this, but, on more than one occasion, I have heard of people having absolutely zero respect at all for other hunters and their spots. It’s sickening really. All of us are out there, trying to have a good time and disconnect from the grind back home. To get out there and have a tainted experience is not what any of us are shooting for. Why someone would willingly be disrespectful to another hunter out there baffles me beyond belief. I’ve heard of people just walking up and sitting down next to folks that I know to glass the same country. What is that? I would never do that to someone. How about folks seeing videos of hunts online, recognizing a landmark, and then heading in there? People want things quick. Instant gratification. That is the world we are living in. To do this is to completely miss the point and ignore the process altogether. Those that don’t relish the process, I feel sorry for. You are missing out on something very special. For that process is what builds us into great hunters.
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I feel that there is definitely an unspoken agreement among hunters when it comes to the ethics surrounding hunting spots. All of us work our tails off to find good hunting and it is natural for us to be slightly protective of our findings. After working so hard to find them, why wouldn’t you be? It’s like buried treasure. However, in light of that, there is a code. At least there should be. Let me pose a situation for you. Say you take a buddy into one of your spots. You guys have a great time, see lots of critters and, in the end,
Photo courtesy Josh Kirchner
Aside from all of that I have mentioned above, we need to remember something. Yes, we put in a ton of work to find hunting spots on our own. Yes, it pains me when I might see someone else in an area I have never seen a person in, but these are our lands.
Not mine, not yours, ours.
If you show up at your glassing spot and someone is already there, then that is fine. Time to go find another area for the day. They were there first and have just as much right to be there as you do. This is a great opportunity to grow as a hunter. Being able to adapt to certain situations in the field is huge and what will often result in filling that tag. Here’s another one. If I am on a backpack hunt and run into someone else out there, all I can do is wish them luck. They worked just as hard to get back there as I did. Kudos to them. In this instance, I will work with them and coordinate where we are going to hunt. Neither of us want to ruin anything for the other party and both want to be successful. The same goes if I am out day hunting from the truck. Work together, not against one another. Last I checked, we were all hunters.
ENDNOTE
While the ethics surrounding hunting spots are not written in stone, it is up to us to realize what is right and what is wrong. When your buddy shows you his secret hunting spot, treat it as such. They were nice enough to show you something that they hold dear. When someone might have beaten you to the punch and is already in the area you wanted to hunt, flip the roles. How many times were you the one that was there first? This year was pretty eye-opening for me. In multiple areas, where I have never seen another person,
Photo courtesy Josh Kirchner
there were people. It was humbling in a way for me to have to deal with that and realize how spoiled I had been up until this point. Going through this made me want to get out there and find even more spots and go deeper into the backcountry. In the process, I actually made some new friends along the way—good people that put in the work. The whole time I was hearing my dad in the back of my mind, telling me to not tell anyone about these havens. Part of me still feels like that and abides by those rules. The part that appreciates self-preservation. Heck, I probably always will. That’s just me, though. How about you?
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Hunting & Fishing News | 15
Fine Line -WalleyeT
rusting your electronics has become cliché with walleye fishing but there is an art to distinguishing what you see on your electronics. There are also so many situations where you just won’t mark fish right below the boat particularly in shallow water. As I have gotten better at reading my sonar over the years, what is also obvious is that walleye in particular are often moving. Many of the fish we are catching are drifting and move around much more than what many anglers imagine. There are also blind spots created by uneven bottoms and rocks that can hide fish. Can’t tell you how many times I came up a break and marked a fish and put a waypoint or icon on that fish only to lose that fish as I came down the break from a different direction. What we also find in shallow water is that fish don’t stay in the cone angle of your sonar very long. Trusting your electronics is an art and the nuances can vary from fishery to fishery.
Gain knowledge and trust in your electronics however and you will take your walleye game to an entirely new level. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of walleye fishing is simply finding them. We all know that we simply catch more fish if we avoid wasting time where there are no fish. If there is one mistake we have all made, that mistake would be cruising around until we marked fish and then wasting too much time fishing for marks that were not the targeted species. A school of drum, whitefish or suckers can look an awful lot like walleye. Over time, you can get comfortable distinguishing small fish like crappie from a fish like a walleye. Similar fish however that have the same overall length and body build can be difficult to distinguish. As a rule of thumb and of course there are exceptions but usually… walleye will come across the screen one fish at a time. Walleyes often seem to like some space around them where they will be in clusters. If you are looking at a whole school of fish scrolling across the screen where there are several fish overlapping, the fish you are looking at are probably whitefish or some other species. At times as well, the definition of side imaging can help you distinguish species. Catfish for example will often have a noticeable teardrop shape. Freshwater drum will have a higher back. To get the definition of actual fish shape, it seems to help if you scan at a slightly faster speed (3 miles per hour) and drive straight.
As you slow down, you will still pick up fish on side imaging but many of the fish get distorted. Rule number one is to fish for walleye if you want to catch walleye. If something looks too good to be true with the number of fish that you are marking, it usually is. I have found some other species that would just stack up in some locations and there are times when walleye will mix in or swim below big schools of whitefish, suckers or catfish but usually, you end up wasting a lot of time trying to fish for walleye over a school of fish that is not your targeted species. In shallow water, we can sometimes find fish with side imaging and cast to those fish. What can make distinguishing fish difficult overall when fishing at slow speeds with side imaging is that the shapes get distorted where they begin to resemble white lines. You really notice this distortion when spot locking over an area like a current seam on a river and waves of fish push through. The side imaging will be clean and then you will notice some white lines scroll down the screen. Still important info as you can cast out towards those fish as they swim by. With side imaging, fish often show up much better over sand or a smooth bottom. Sharp breaking rip rap is a scenario that can really hide fish in shallow water. When you find walleyes deeper than ten feet of water, they can usually be found below the boat with sonar. Traditionally, the down imaging is best for reading bottom composition, distinguishing rocks, trees, transitions and weeds. The down imaging will also pick up fish right on the bottom that traditional sonar will sometimes miss. Traditional chirp sonar however is still often optimum however for marking fish and baitfish. I feel much more comfortable gauging the size of the fish with the traditional chirp sonar. A new Lowrance update from this past season combines the best of both worlds and this sonar option is called Fish Reveal. Kind of an overlay that combines the down imaging screen with the fish showing up in traditional sonar colors. As a rule of thumb, big fish simply make thicker marks and if you are using a Lowrance, you will get that second or third color inside the signal on a bigger fish. The length of the mark is simply how long the signal is behind the boat. This knowledge enables you to find fish at faster speeds. As you speed up, the marks become more vertical like a slash. As you slow down to around three miles per hour, you will start to get nice arches when you go over fish. As you slow down even more, the signal becomes distorted where you get a blob shape that is just a hump or round elongated signal. When it comes to catching specific fish, you see on the screen, I have tried a lot of different strategies with some success. I have moved the crosshair onto the fish creating a waypoint and then zig zagged over that waypoint and caught fish but that is assuming the fish doesn’t move. I have also tried to stall out over the mark and attempted to hang in one place usually by back trolling and done well. Of course, catching a specific fish, you are marking on your sonar demands that your presentation is right below the boat and close to the cone angle of your electronics.
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With jig fishing, I find that I am more effective if I reset when I have a fish right below me. When you are scooting around looking, your line is invariably at a forty-five-degree angle or more. As I drag the jig below or behind the boat while looking for a fish, I simply hit the spot lock on the trolling motor when I am on top of the fish. I than reel up the jig fast and drop the jig down right in front of the trolling motor. Often, you can see the jig dropping down on your sonar. The jig is now in front of or close to the fish at this point, but I believe something else happens as well when you do this reel and drop technique. The jig falling through the water often gets the attention of fish and the jig makes noise when it hits the bottom. I often find that I catch more fish by letting the jig hit the bottom fast. This noise might be important for turning the fish if the fish is facing away or facing a wrong direction. Both jigs and rigs will work for this technique along with horizontal swim lures like jigging raps or even rattle baits or jigging spoons. I have grown to love tungsten for this technique because not only is tungsten heavier but also much louder. The noise is often important because you are simply dropping into the zone that might be within ten feet of that fish. Often, when you drop down and move your rod tip around the trolling motor, you can find your jig on the sonar screen and the jig will appear as a line that moves up and down as you jig, resembling a heartbeat monitor. You can often see the fish come up and strike the jig. By scooting around looking for fish and then spending some time over a specific mark, I believe you increase the number of fish you catch through the day dramatically. This also enables you to specifically target a fish that appears to be bigger.
Photo courtesy Jason Mitchell
Understanding the full capabilities of your electronics will no doubt mean catching more walleye this season. Reading structure and finding fish is one element. There are more secrets however that can up your game. The more comfortable you are with your electronics, the more fish you will catch. Using side imaging can really increase the amount of fish you catch in shallow water and enable you to find isolated rocks or give you a better understanding of the bottom. The scoot and shoot method or reeling up fast and dropping back down on top of a fish is another trick that will put a lot more fish in the boat.
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SHIVERING By Trevor Johnson, Kit’s Tackle & Kit’s Tackle Outfitters www.kitstackle.com
Photo courtesy Trevor Johnson
h how I have missed you, you glorious month of June. O The month I refer to as “Walleyes Gone Wild.” We are now far past the post spawn recovery period
and they are back into their normal routines and feeding habits. Not to mention they have the ravenous feedbag going to bulk back up from the rigors of spawning. The water temps are around that magical sixty degree mark and the light switch is now flipped on folks!! On bodies of water all across the big sky state, in my opinion, it is the best time of year to target walleyes. On a twelve month calendar year, June sits in the throne as the month the walleyes will be the most aggressive. Not only does this give you a better chance of getting bit, you can also use different techniques and not be afraid to fish like me, a wild man! I’m going to go out on a limb here and focus this article on something unique, and no, it’s not the Kit’s Tackle Glass Minnows; even though they rarely take second place in my boat. The technique I will cover today is a fairly new approach you have all probably heard of, “SHIVERING.” No I don’t mean freezing your butt off in a rainstorm in June; I mean the Shiver Minnow bait by Moonshine Lures.
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18 | Hunting & Fishing News
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In the last couple years I started playing around with these baits a fair amount and had a lot of fun and learned a lot. I will admit the hardest part for me is that they look like a little lead cigarette for the most part; I mean come on, where is the action. They don’t have that undulating lifelike action of my beloved glass minnows and they have no place to add a plastic or other bait. It’s a plain Jane heavy metal warhead ready for the front line. The unique design of the bait allows it to glide through the water from side to side like a wounded baitfish when retrieved. The bait gained a huge popularity in the Midwest and is now starting to catch on in Montana and across the northwest. They were designed as a vertical jigging lure, but we have found out they work incredible casting as well. They come in a variety of different sizes depending on the body of water you are fishing. We tend to lean towards the 3 1/8’’, 1 ounce big bomber when we are shivering. It allows us to fish the bait more aggressively and get those hard hitting reaction strikes. Going out on a limb even farther here, oh man, this is tough for me. There are two huge key differences in my technique when I fish shiver minnows that took me a few casts! You all know me as the monofilament guy and also letting my jigs fall on a slack line!! In order to aggressively fish shiver minnows I go opposite of my normal technique. I use a braided super line and let the bait fall on a tight line when I retrieve it. Wow…that was hard to admit! I’ll never forget my first strike on a shiver minnow while falling on a tight line. It scared me so bad I almost jumped out of the boat. Felt like Mike Tyson punched me right in the arm! It is a very exciting, unique and effective summertime technique for big walleyes. The cool thing about Shiver minnows is they can be fished shallow or deep, and they fall like a submarine. We utilize them a lot in depths of twelve to fifteen feet casting shallow and also use them in thirty feet of water or more casting shallower. The key is to let them hit the bottom and immediately give your rod a quick “sweep” upwards, then reel in your slack and let it fall to the bottom again on a tight line and repeat. In the months of June and July, this is arguably one of the most productive tactics out there. Before you go out and fill your tackle box with shiver minnows, keep in mind where you will be fishing. They are made to resemble baitfish and will work best in bodies of water that have large concentrations of pelagic baitfish (meaning they fluctuate in the water column). For example, I have used them a lot on my local upper Missouri river lakes with little to no luck, but as I travel east to the warm water Montana fisheries of Tiber and Fort Peck they can be incredible. Tiber and Fort Peck both have abundant populations of forage
fish like Cisco and shiners. Canyon Ferry, Hauser and Holter are managed as cold water fisheries meaning there is no forage base available other than a few perch and walleye fry along with the local crayfish or random sucker minnow. These baits are not made to mimic the occasional wounded perch along the bottom. I’m not saying they won’t work in these lakes, but not within any caliber of the warm water fisheries. So when you grab yourself a few of these bad boys, make sure to head east friends!! Here are a few tips to fish the shiver minnow: •I like to use a longer rod than normal for me. I use a 6, 6” medium power rod. •I like to use a heavy braid like 8lb Fireline or Power Pro. •I like to use about a 3-6’ leader of fluorocarbon from the braid to the shiver minnow depending on water clarity connected with the Alberto knot (Google it!!) For the fluorocarbon I like to use a heavy 12lb test to resist the line wear from the baits. In super stained water don’t be afraid to connect direct to braid. •I highly recommend removing the small treble hook and re-applying a bigger sturdier treble. •Keep them baits flying and whoop some butt this June and throughout the summer! 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 and owner of Kit’s Tackle Outfitters, an insane outdoor enthusiast, a wild man in the woods and on the water and they even say he’s a quarter mountain goat. He’s a happy husband, a proud daddy to a beautiful little girl and boy, and two sweet dogs. When he’s not shoveling coal into the jig engine, you can find him on the water or leaving boot tracks in the wilds of Montana.
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Ingredients For Cakes: Photo courtesy Lindsey Bartosh Four Striped Bass Fish Filets (A pound and a half to two pounds) Editor’s Note: We use largemouth or smallmouth bass or walleye Medium sized Sweet Potato Two Scallions, diced One Red Bell Pepper, diced 2” piece Ginger, grated One Tablespoon Dijon Mustard Two Stalks Celery, diced One Tablespoon Mayonnaise Salt and Pepper to Taste Salt and Pepper to Taste For Batter: One Cup Flour One Egg One Cup Panko Vegetable or Canola Oil For Sauce: One Tablespoon Minced Tarragon Half Cup Mayonnaise Half Cup Greek Yogurt Teaspoon Lemon Juice Instructions: Microwave Sweet Potato on High for about five minutes, be sure to pierce the potatoes with a fork. Place fish filets in steam basket and cook until fish is white and flaky, about five minutes. Flake fish into medium size bowl. Add mashed sweet potato, diced red bell pepper, celery, ginger, and scallion. Mix in mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Incorporate all ingredients... Create battering and frying station by placing flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs in shallow dishes. Press fish cakes into palm sized discs. Dip cake in flour, egg, and panko. Drop into pre-heated deep sided pan with oil. Cook for four to five minutes per side, until golden brown and crusty. For sauce, mix all ingredients together. Serve on top of cake.
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A Seasonal Guide To Fly Fishing
MONTANA’S SMITH RIVER
(continued from page 7)
Pattern selection does not need to be sophisticated and a good selection of rubber legs, san juan worms, zonkers, crayfish and a few smaller princes or copper johns will suffice. If flows are higher (over 800cfs) look for trout in “soft water” where the river current is slower such as the insides of bends or in seams behind large rocks. Mid June to early July Generally by mid June the river is on a steady decline with flows dropping each day. Water temps are also rising quickly which kick off another round of hatches that include golden stones, pale morning duns, various caddis species, and yellow sallies. This is one of the most variable times of the season and fishing conditions can change from day to day and hour to hour. On an average water year this is typically one of the best dry fly windows on the Smith. On low water years warmer water temperatures can become an issue as early as the last week of June. Lower flows and long days can also kick off algae growth - generally good fishing can be had in this window even if it is a low water year but fishing may shut off early as you move into early July. On a good water year early July fishing can be fantastic as the higher flows help to keep water temps at a comfortable level for trout. The early summer window is one of the most sought after times to obtain a launch. For private users this is the most difficult time to win the lottery system with odds as high as 3000:1. Guided trips for these dates often book more than a year in advance. Although this is the most difficult time to “get a spot” we find that the chances for good fishing in May and early June are often just as good as late June.
Mid July through early September Summer on the Smith is definitely hit or miss when it comes to fishing and floating the Smith. On a high snow pack year the river may be floatable all summer and good fishing can extend into late July and even August. On average water years the river often drops to levels too low to effectively float (at least to float AND enjoy it) and requires extensive dragging of boats. Due to the uncertainty of mid summer dates we do not book trips in this window. Since the lottery system for private launches occurs in late winter it is best to avoid selecting dates in this window since the odds are good you will not be able to use your launch date. If it is a high water year and you have some flexible dates you can often obtain a cancellation date for mid summer.
October anglers can also have some success on the larger pre-spawn browns. Photo courtesy Montana Angler.
Mid September through October Fall is a quiet time in the Smith River canyon. As days grow shorter water temperatures drop to near ideal levels for trout. Around mid September instigators turn off their head gates which often results in a small but meaningful bump in water levels. Fall trips are always a gamble on the Smith and some years the river is still too low to effectively float. There is about a 50% chance that flows will be high enough to get down the river for experienced boaters for a late fall trip - it all depends on water levels.
Generally when the flows are right you have the entire canyon to yourself this time of year. Fishing can be terrific in this window with lightly pressured trout looking for hoppers on sunny days or blue winged olives on rainy or snowy days.
Fall is often a dry time of year but a few fronts may begin to move that bring rain or even snow so it pays to watch the weather carefully and make sure to bring cold weather gear based on the forecast. This a truly great time to enjoy some high quality dry fly fishing if you are lucky enough to catch the river at the right fall flows. By October anglers can also have some success on the larger pre-spawn browns by stripping large streamers through the bigger runs. Summary The Smith is a special river and offers anglers and floaters many faces depending on the time of year, snow levels, and rainfall. You never really know exactly what type of conditions you will experience until your trip arrives so it is best not to overthink dates. In general if you are planning far in advance your safest bet is to target May and June dates when you can count on enough water to float. If you are flexible and willing to roll the dice fall floats can be a special experience.
22 | Hunting & Fishing News
Early Summer Fishing At Timberline Photo courtesy Ryan McSparran
By Ryan McSparran Mystic Outdoors
www.mysticoutdoors.com
s we approach the end of June, that means high alpine A lakes are beginning to open up to anglers. While some rivers may still have runoff conditions, high country lakes
are waking up from their winter slumber, and this is a great time of year to start exploring. Fishing alpine lakes early in the summer can be a ton of fun. These waters can take some extra hiking to access. But the fishing is often well worth the effort. Here are a few tips for early summer fishing on high mountain lakes: FIND THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME Knowing which lakes are accessible can be a challenge. Some high country trails will be free of snow in May. Others may not be accessible until early July. This year, our low snowpack in Colorado means that even high elevation trails should be passable earlier than normal. But sometimes there’s only one way to find out – go for a hike! In many cases, it takes a bit of trial and error. With no reliable information on when or where alpine lakes are becoming free of ice, it takes a little experimenting and good luck. If you know a trail is heavily timbered and shady, it may hold snow later than a trail that’s on an open or south-facing slope. If you’ve got a pair of snowshoes, it might not be
THE IN
a bad idea to pack them along. THINK ABOUT YOUR FLY SELECTION When the ice begins to clear away from high altitude lakes, trout will be looking for food in a serious way. Because these waters tend to be remote and see very little fishing pressure, fly selection usually isn’t technical. However, your effort to reach a high alpine lake will be rewarded if you come prepared with appropriate bugs. This time of year, the ground in high alpine basins will be saturated with water from melting snow. The banks of these lakes at or near timberline will often be strewn with drowned worms and other invertebrates. Many timberline lakes in Colorado are also home to scuds, which become a staple food source for trout throughout the summer. Spend time fishing leech patterns, worm patterns, scuds and other still-water flies. Also consider the fact that hatches of aquatic insects happen much later at high elevations. While major dry fly hatches might have happened months earlier at lower elevations, you may not see these bugs on the water until mid-summer at a remote wilderness lake. BE PREPARED FOR CHANGING CONDITIONS Early summer in the mountains can bring anything, especially when you venture up to timberline. You could see rain, snow, hail or sunshine. Some of the best alpine lakes require some effort to reach. So bring your hiking boots and a backpack with the essentials. Pack your rain gear, a few spare layers, a first aid kit, snacks, water and water treatment. Fishing with a light line fly rod can be a ton of fun on these types of waters. But when you’re up high, wind is always a possibility. So consider taking a 5-weight or even a 6-weight fly rod to help you battle windy conditions. This summer, get out there and explore those little blue dots on the map!
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Hunting & Fishing News | 23
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The Art of Pausing on an Upland Hunt By Ryan Lisson Project Upland www.projectupland.com f you’re like most hunters, you probably feel like there’s just not enough time for hunting. Schedules seem to fill up pretty fast in the fall. Whether we have one free Saturday to hunt or want to cover more ground, we’re in a rush. While it makes sense that walking extra miles should expose you to more upland birds, the opposite can also be true. In fact, taking your time and being thorough will often result in a heavier vest at the end of the day. This is where mastering the art of pausing comes into play. Why Pausing Works with Upland Hunting Most of the animals we hunt each autumn, especially small game animals and upland birds, rely heavily on good camouflage and lying motionless to keep them off the average predator’s dinner menu. It usually works pretty well for them. You’ve probably almost stumbled on a bird while grouse hunting before they flushed, right? But when a predator is too close for comfort and stops suddenly it sends a clear message to the prey: “You’ve been spotted.” At that moment, they will usually flush from cover to seek a new hiding place far away from the hungry jaws or eager shotgun behind them. You can use that instinct against them. Whether or not you actually see a bird when you stop isn’t important. What is important is that you’re ready for action each and every time you pause. A Word of Caution Before you mentally file this away as a tactic for next fall, read the following warning: do not pause if you’re not ready to make a shot. I’ve paused in the woods before to grab some water or answer a text message (don’t worry about the reason). Inevitably when the birds erupted around me, I was unprepared and was left standing frustrated with a pocket full of shells instead of a warm bird.
I
Before you stop, make sure to find a place you could actually shoot from. A small opening is a good place—a tangled thicket is not. Get your feet planted in a shoulder-width stance with your shotgun in either the port arms position (held diagonally across your body with the muzzle facing up to the left) or partially mounted. It would help to keep your head on a swivel too, since birds can appear from anywhere around you. Mostly use the opportunity to listen for the telltale chirps that grouse make right before they flush. It can give you an indication of where they will show up and which direction you should start mounting your shotgun. Remember to use your eyes to scan the cover around you. You might just spot one before it even takes wing. Making the Most of the Pause How much should you stop throughout the day? It’s a fine balance. You want to cover some ground, but don’t want to move too fast. Pause for a five to eight second count every 30 yards, or whatever your maximum effective shooting range is. That way, if you were too far away from a bird to flush it on one pause, you may be close enough on the next. If you come across a pretty barren stretch where you don’t expect to see birds, you can skip some pauses or move faster to offset the time you spend in high-quality covers. This is a fantastic solo hunting tactic when you have no human or canine hunting partner to flush birds for you. It’s also deadly on young and uneducated birds at the beginning of the season and can work throughout the fall. As the survivors learn our tricks, you might have to make one tweak. Educated grouse will wait to take to the skies until after you start moving again. If you anticipate that possibility and keep your gun ready, you may be able to still get a shot at these smart birds before they disappear into the brush. There are all kinds of upland hunting techniques. If you add this one to your bag of tricks, you’ll have a better chance of having a grouse dinner next fall.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 25
DON’T SKIP THE BREAK-IN PROCESS Even the toughest of boots are usually primed and ready for anything once you have 50 plus miles on them. Make sure you condition and take care of your boots according to the manufactures recommendations as well. This will ensure your broken-in boots will last you a long time. My favorite boots were purchased 6 years ago and they have an estimated 2500 miles on them. However, it is now time to start getting my next pair ready for the future.
Breaking in a New Pair of Hunting Boots By Jim Winjum, President of Kenetrek Boots www.kenetrek.com
ith hunting season just around the corner, it is time to W get your old boots out and check to see if they have the ability to make it one more year. If not, now is definitely the
time to get started breaking in a new pair of boots as well as conditioning your tender feet for the upcoming season. Buying and breaking in a new pair of boots is something everyone should take very seriously. After all, this is your mode of transportation once you get to the trailhead. If you don’t take it seriously, there is a good chance of that premium tag going to waste. Being broken down with blisters and sore feet is a horrible way to spend your fall. GET FIT Make your trip to your local footwear dealer as soon as you can. Have the knowledgeable staff measure your foot prior to trying on anything. The last pair of boots you purchased might have been a 9.5 which fit like a glove. However, it isn’t uncommon to see your size increase over time and this is the beginning of getting the right fit. Different manufactures sizes tend to be a little bit different as well. The second most important thing is to buy the best quality of boot you can afford. Breaking in a boot is as much about conditioning and toughening your foot as it is getting the boot to break into your foot. Good boots, such as the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme, that last a thousand miles plus are going to be stiff out of the box. Sheep hunters and hardcore backcountry hunters know the benefit of these stiffer types of boots. They give you great support and reduce fatigue in rough terrain. With your size measurements determined, it is important that you check for adequate toe length by sitting in a chair and Photo courtesy Kenetrek Boots putting the boot on but leaving it unlaced. Then slide your foot forward until any part of your toes just touch the end. Don’t smash them forward – just make light contact. Then check for at least a good fingers width behind your heel. This assures when the boots are laced snuggly, you will have adequate toe room in front of your toes – vital when going downhill with weight on your back.
26 | Hunting & Fishing News
The addition of a high quality, performance insole, such as the Kenetrek Supportive Insoles, can also make a big difference in initial fit and comfort, making the break-in process of a new pair a little bit easier. Starting at least a couple months before your hunt, wear your boots on a daily basis for at least a few hours a day. If you have the ability to wear them all day long without causing major damage to your foot, do it. Once you start to get a hot spot on your foot, it is time to put on some other shoes. The new leather will gradually start to conform to your foot over time, but for now, it will be your foot that gives in. Put some moleskin onto the tender area for your next outing and make sure the edges are trimmed very well. A poorly trimmed moleskin patch with square edges will have a tendency to roll up and cause even more damage. The moleskin will help minimize friction in the boot and will push more on the leather. Make sure you take the moleskin off after each wearing and get plenty of air on the tender area when you aren’t wearing your boots. Every day of wear will get your foot a little tougher and the boot a little more pliable. Once you’ve got a dozen or so miles on the boot during your daily wearing, it’s time to start pushing yourself as well as the boots. Remember, hunting season is just around the corner. TRAIN IN “HUNT-LIKE” SITUATIONS Uphill, downhill, sidehill, are all things you are going to experience when chasing that trophy of a lifetime, so make sure you do plenty of each on these weekend outings. Do it the first couple of times with little or no weight on your back. Excessive weight on your back too early in the process can be very unproductive. Make sure you take your moleskin and whenever you feel a hot spot coming on during this break-in period, make sure you address the matter immediately. Sweating, hot, wet feet will cause plenty of friction and will make hot spots appear more frequently on this uneven terrain. Taking an extra pair of socks on these outings is a must and make sure you take the time to change them halfway through your hike. Once you’ve had a few outings like this, it is time to start putting on a load. Extra weight on your back is going to cause more pressure on your heels going uphill and more stress on the toes going downhill which has the ability to cause foot problems with those new boots. Once your boots and feet are broken in and conditioned, don’t think this is the end. When that trophy of a lifetime is two ridges over, you will probably walk harder than you did during your break in period causing you to pull your heel a little harder or the added weight of your backcountry pack will take its toll. Take your moleskin, anti-bacterial treatments, and extra socks with you everywhere you go. Once you feel that hot spot coming on, treat it right away before it becomes a blister. Air your feet every day and keep them clean and change those socks. Even the toughest of guys or gals with well broken in boots will get blisters and hot spots so “expect it”, but if you take proper care of your feet, you will be able to hunt harder and go farther than ever before.
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Photo courtesy Luke Griffiths
A NEAR MISS
Originally published at
By Luke Griffiths www.goHUNT.com
fter last year’s success hunting with a stick bow, I was A determined to prove to myself that it wasn’t just a fluke. Taking a Pope & Young blacktail with traditional archery
equipment is no small feat, but anybody can get lucky once. I spent the offseason honing my shooting skills, studying maps and, finally, putting boots on the ground prior to the season. I was able to find a few great bucks in the high country, but one, in particular, captured my attention. He wasn’t the biggest buck I found, but he was, in my estimation, the most killable. I was able to pattern this big 3 point as he went to and from timber each morning and evening and developed a game plan to intercept him opening morning.
THE HUNT
When the season finally arrived, I packed into my high country camp a day and a half early, eager to check up on the big three to ensure that he was still in his pattern. I set up to glass on Friday evening after setting up camp and scoured the area where I expected to see the big three. Like clockwork, he emerged from the timber and started feeding on the ridge below. I watched him until it got dark, then snuck out and headed for camp. That evening I went through all of my gear and double-checked everything in anticipation of opening day. I discussed my plans with my hunting partners over dinner and turned in for a restless night of sleep. I awoke early the next morning and started hiking to ensure that we would be in position well before sunrise. My brother-in-law, Jason, came along to film. We eased into our ambush location at the edge of the timber and got set up; Jason stayed 30 yards behind me in order to capture the whole ordeal. Assuming everything would go according to plan, the buck would use a trail 20 yards below me, presenting a very doable shot. I was set up in shin-high brush on a steep slope with a small rock outcropping to break up my silhouette. The summer morning was crisp with a steady breeze coming up the ridge in my face, the sky hazy with smoke. As the sun started to rise so did my anticipation, knowing it would still be an hour or more before the buck made his way to the timber. I focused on calming my nerves, reminding myself to breathe and to pick a spot. It was almost 7 a.m. when I spotted movement below me: a doe and spike. These were the same deer that I saw with the big three prior to the season; he had to be with them. The only problem was that they were using a different trail, lower on the ridge and about 40 yards away. Wanting a closer opportunity with the stick bow, I knew I had to close the gap. When they fed behind some brush, the last piece of cover before they hit the timber, I slipped off my boots and inched forward down the steep slope, my focus on the area they appeared in. I made it 10 yards before I saw velvet antler tips coming toward me. With nothing but low shrubs for cover, I froze in a catcher’s stance, arrow nocked and bow at the ready, hoping the buck would take the higher trail I was accustomed to him using.
28 | Hunting & Fishing News
No dice. The big three followed the doe’s tracks at a leisurely pace, feeding along the way. I planned to move in a little closer when he went behind that last piece of cover, but he fed in front of it 30 yards away with nothing but open ground between us. He put his head down and I made the slightest movement to align my body for a shot and his head shot up and he stared a hole through me. I froze in a squat, trying not to make eye contact as he stared for minutes that seemed like hours, my quads screamed for relief. Finally, he put his head down. This was it… pick a spot. I stood and drew simultaneously. The buck lifted his head at me again, but the arrow was on its way. I watched the arrow flight in what seemed like slow motion. I anticipated the “thunk” sound as it was in perfect alignment behind his shoulder, but the arrow kept sailing— right over his back. “Crack!” The arrow hit the rocks behind him and he was gone. I stood in disbelief at what had just transpired as the buck bounded into the timber, stopping around 100 yards and blowing as if to say, “What the heck was that?” He quickly trotted off, disappearing into the tangle of deadfall and old growth. Frustrated and dejected, I threw my hat on the ground and sat down, burying my face in my hands. After a brief pity party, I turned and looked to Jason “Sorry man, I blew it.” “That was awesome!” he replied. Sure, I missed a great buck and, believe me, I would much rather have connected on that shot, but Jason had a valid point. The entire experience was a thrill. Even the impromptu stalk added drama to the whole event. We did everything right—other than executing the shot. It was incredible to be on the ground so close to that buck for so long. It reminded me why I work so hard year-round to create such opportunities. Jason’s comment snapped me out of my self-loathing and pity after the miss and reminded me how much fun this is. The pity party was over, and I learned so much from the experience. Though 30 yards is my self imposed cap with the recurve, I still managed to shoot over the buck. The downhill angle was steeper than I estimated, which caused the miss. Jason and I spent the next four days hunting hard. We found several other bucks and even attempted a couple more stalks, though none as fruitful as the first. I’d love to say that this story ends with a heavy pack and a velvet rack, but it doesn’t. We did, however, thoroughly enjoy the rest of our trip. With a little help from Jason, I made a decision shortly after that miss not to dwell on it. I refused to think, “I could have killed him with my compound,” as I’m committed to making the traditional archery thing work.
IN CLOSING
When I first started hunting with a stick, I knew that there would be missed opportunities and limited range. In many ways, this challenge is what drew me to hunting with traditional equipment. Sure, with a compound, I may have been able to kill the buck when he stepped out at 40 yards, but I would have missed out on that intense stalk and stare down. I would have missed the nearly 10 minutes of watching the buck from inside his bubble and I would have missed out on the many lessons I learned from this encounter. The amount of work I put into making this archery season success did not pay out with a notched tag, but it was still successful in many ways, including motivation to work even harder in the offseason to come— specifically practicing more steep angle shots! Failure is inevitable in hunting, but how you choose to react to it is entirely up to you.
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30 | Hunting & Fishing News
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Northland Fishing Tackle KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR JUNE BASS www.northlandtackle.com hy is it that some of the most pleasing fishing you can do is also some of the simplest? I’m not stepping on bass-anglers W with that comment either, but chuckin’ baits up near shore and dragging them back right now will get you bit on most of the weed-choked shallow systems that I fish this time of year. The fishing is that good. As a kid, I grew up bass fishing.
For a southern MN boy, they were the most attainable of the “big” fish. Walleyes lived up-north, you needed a float-plane to fish for pike, and sunfish were for “kids.” From age 10 up and through my teenage years while I most often fished for largemouth bass, I was far from a kid. Catching bass back then, esp. big ones, made your chest puff out a bit. Ever since those years, every time I see the cottonwood seed fly in late May and early June, I think back to summers where I’d fish constantly on small ponds and lakes. Just like trout-anglers like to see big fish rise to a dry-fly, a bass-nut wants to see those fish eat top-water. There probably isn’t a better time to do it than when that cottony mess continually accumulates on your line and fouls your casts. At our peak, we’d boat more than a hundred largies over 4lbs in a summer, mostly on frog patterns, but on a variety of soft-plastics as well. When that bite slowed or we just grew tired of it, we tossed hand-poured versions of the original Slug-Go, as the Senko had yet to be invented, or at least introduced to us. It should be no surprise then that I wanted that experience for my son Isaac as we set out on a small lake in Wisconsin a few days ago with our dilapidated half duck-decoy-tag-along, half-canoe of a watercraft. Our first time this year in a tippy-canoe with a little bit of wind made me think twice about taking any photography equipment with. Even the cell phone stayed back on shore. Trust me when I say we had enough fish to keep us more than happy, including a few fish in the 4lb range, and another one lost boat side (first bite of the day) that was a particularly long and spawned out female which probably was bigger. What a way to start out, 3rd cast and the fish was on! Lots of “Geez dads” and “oh man’s,” Isaac declared before it rolled boat-side, too big to effectively jump, giving a half-hearted roll-over before it somehow threw the hook. The best part? The pattern hasn’t changed in decades. I pre-rigged 3 rods and we fished 3 baits all afternoon, each one being most effective for specific areas. We fish weed-choked, soupy systems. Not lily-pads, I’m talking algae, pond weed, and all kinds of messy stuff. For that, you need a top-water weedless bait of some sort. That day, lots of smaller males were way back in the grass, blowing up on dragonflies and eating developing tadpoles and young frogs. I’ve become a fan of the single-hook weedless rigged soft plastic frog imitations for bites like these. If I can keep the bait riding high and the fish will eat it at that pace, I get better hookups than I do with the dual-hook soft-body style baits I used to use more of when I was younger. You also have the added advantage of letting that bait settle and sink into some of the holes and pockets in the weeds. A white buzzbait was perfect for areas adjacent to the slop where developing grass was coming up but not quite to the surface. This day, a buzzbait caught most of the fish, and I can’t think of a more fun way for kids to fish. Finally, perhaps the most versatile bait that day, and the bait which caught the biggest fish, was a texas-rigged soft-plastic sinking worm in Watermelon Red-Flake. This was for the weed-edges, especially the deeper edges of coontail. Count it down a few feet and start slowly working it back. Also, don’t overlook beaver-lodges. The deeper areas created by the animals coming and going, directly adjacent to shore held some nice fish too...
32 | Hunting & Fishing News
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34 | Hunting & Fishing News
While the overall count of 5,800 elk is down nearly 25 percent from a year ago, the total remains slightly above the ten-year average of 5,399, a park release said. The Northern Yellowstone Cooperative Wildlife Working Group conducted its annual late winter classification of the northern Yellowstone elk population on March 17-19. The survey was conducted from a helicopter by staff from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, which is part of the Working Group. Typically, an annual trend count is conducted by fixed-wing aircraft to count the total number of elk, and a separate helicopter survey is conducted to classify elk by age and sex in order to estimate calf and yearling bull survival and ratios of mature bulls in the population. This year the surveys were combined, and elk were counted and classified by helicopter. All observed elk were counted across the survey area, and when possible staff also classified elk by age and sex. This survey was conducted consistent with the 2016 classification survey in order to assess population changes over the past three years. Survey conditions were favorable across the region, however winter conditions were severe, and many elk were observed to be in poor condition. Staff counted 5,800 elk, including 1,361 elk (23.5 percent) inside Yellowstone, and 4,149 elk (71.5 percent) north of the park. The total of 5,800 elk was 23 percent lower than the 7,579 elk observed during the 2018 trend count. The long-term average of observed elk numbers since surveys began in 1976 is 10,634 elk, with a peak high count of 19,045 elk in 1994 and a low count of 3,915 elk observed in 2013. Of the 5,800 elk counted, staff classified 5,510 elk by age and sex, resulting in ratios of 15.2 calves, 5.2 yearling bulls and 12.6 brow-tined bulls per 100 cows. Calf and yearling bull ratios were lower than recent surveys and long-term averages. Brow-tined bull ratios were higher than recent surveys, but below long-term average. Staff observed 16 percent fewer cows, 46 percent fewer calves, and 42 percent fewer yearling bulls as compared to the 2016 classification survey. Brow-tined bull numbers increased by 21.3 percent from 432 observed in 2016 to 524 observed in 2019. This is the second consecutive year with calf ratios below the threshold of 20 calves per 100 cows considered necessary to maintain a stable population. It is likely that additional winter mortalities will occur into spring, further reducing overall numbers and recruitment. Below-average yearling bull and calf recruitment is likely to result in lower numbers of brow-tined bulls being recruited into the population over the next two years. Though overall elk numbers are down this year as compared to 2018, it is not unusual to observe fluctuations in numbers of elk counted due to survey quality, elk movements and sightability of elk, which vary with conditions, according to staff biologists. Trends in elk populations are best assessed by considering multiple years of survey data together. The trend for this population has been increasing since 2013; this is the first year since 2013 that elk numbers have fallen from the previous year...
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TACTICAL N ON ANOTHE COMPETITION LONG RANGE HUNTING I
Minutes earlier I didn’t have that nice smile on my face. I was dazed, confused and damn lucky I hadn’t blown myself up. It started when I shot a foot over the buck at a tad under 200 yards with solid shooting sticks. Even when I miss a deer, it’s not by that much. The deer bolted at the bang and ran straight toward me! I bolted another 130-grainer, fired, missed again. The buck kept churning closer and closer, and I dropped him at 60 steps. Like I said, damn lucky. As I sat muttering and wondering what had gone wrong, I happened to look down at the barrel tip of my .270. It was split an inch! This was a $3,000-plus custom rifle so I’m assuming no manufacturing/metallurgical problem. (Yes, that’s a lot of cash for a deer rifle, and yes I got a sweetheart writer’s deal, and yes I did have to chip in more than a month’s mortgage for it, I swear). I figure that as I belly-crawled commando-style on an 8-pointer that I passed up the previous afternoon on that hunt, I slid the barrel too deeply along the ground and into the soft, sandy dirt and plugged the muzzle. The first bullet cracked the muzzle tip and who knows where that one and the second bullet flew. It was a miracle I got the buck—and didn’t get hurt. Lesson learned: I always tape the muzzle of my rifle when hunting in the snow, and you probably do too. But now I cover it with tape all the time and regardless of the weather when still-hunting and stalking, whenever I might have to crawl on a buck, or go prone in the dirt for a shot. BTW, don’t buy the old rumor that electrical tape (what I use most often) or even heavier duct tape on the muzzle will affect your rifle and bullet’s accuracy and point of impact. It won’t! Common sense and testing here and here say any caliber bullet will blow right through tape. Tape the rifle muzzle when hunting in the snow, sand and dirt—also when it’s raining to keep out water and prevent barrel rust.
RB
This is me with a great buck I shot out in Wyoming years ago.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 35
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Trout move deeper in the water column to seek out cool water as summer sets in and surface waters warm. Trout often inhabit depths around the thermocline, the transition between the warm, oxygenated surface layer and the cool, low-oxygen lower layer. Use leadcore line to present baitfish-imitating crankbaits and spoons in the depth zone trout are inhabiting. As a general rule, each color on the leadcore line (about 30 feet) adds 5 feet of depth to the presentation. Tie on a 6- to 10-foot leader and attach the lure with a cross-lock snap. Troll at 2 to 4 mph over deep structure and along steep breaklines.
CRANKING OFFSHORE STRUCTURE
After the spawn, big bass quickly move to offshore structure, where they hold along humps, ledges, or deep underwater points. They’re ready to feed, so whet their appetite with a big deep-diving crankbait. Make long casts so you can cover large areas from different angles and find the sweet spot on the structure. Crank the bait down, then work it more slowly through any cover in the area. Concentrate on the movement of the lure to detect light bites and to keep from snagging.
SLIP BOBBERS FOR WALLEYES
A livebait leech, minnow, or nightcrawler suspended below a float (bobber) is one of the most efficient ways to target walleyes that are gathered in relatively confined areas. Shallow, windswept rock reefs are one common gathering area for walleyes during late spring and throughout summer. This is a finesse technique calling for light line, usually 6- or 8-pound-test monofilament. To increase the visual attractiveness of the small jighead suspended below the float, anglers often add a small piece of soft bait, often a bright color like chartreuse, orange, or hot red, at the top of the hook or as a body to the jig. Split shot are added up the line just above the hook to weight the float so it slips under without much resistance when a walleye takes it. Thin floats work best in calmer conditions or in slower current. More bulbous floats are the choice in wind and heavier current.
36 | Hunting & Fishing News
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ARCHERY TRAINING TIPS TO BECOME A BETTER BOWHUNTER (continued from page 9)
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER After you have spent some time practicing with these different methods, put them all together to really challenge yourself and simulate a hunting scenario.
Good Archery Seasons For An Old Hunter (continued from page 13) I crept to where I could see acoss the ridge, covered with a mix of fir, spruce, and lodge pole pines, plus large deadfall everywhere. The elk were spread out at 50 yards, and a cow was already laying down. The bull was following one cow in particular. Again, I could hardly move with so many eyes watching. Eventually, the cow and bull started to swing back towards me. I knew there would be a shot of about 25-30 yards (1st opportunity), but with a legal bull following, I also knew I wouldn’t shoot the cow. I hoped the bull would follow his favorite cow of the moment. While tight on her tracks, he stopped 10 yards short looking around, but not alarmed. My rangefinder read 34 yards to the spot the cow had stopped. Now, if the bull proceeded to the same spot, I had a clear lane (2nd opportunity). He did, but I didn’t. Suddenly, my racing brain said 35 yards through timber and over deadfall trees was questionable for me! While I had already nocked an arrow and my release was attached, I did not draw. The bull wandered up the ridge following the cow, eventually both were feeding. Then everybody left, but me. I experienced an incredible archery moment that lasted 2 1/2 hours! I seldom achieve the final category which is harvesting an animal; and haven’t for several years. These days I am more cautious about taking only my version of good close archery shots. I’m comfortable with the idea that as hunters age, many of us become more conservative. Just being in the woods really is more important to me.
Off-season Scouting
Here is how you can do it: •Put on all of the gear you might be wearing while hunting. •Set a target at a specific distance that you might reasonably expect to shoot during a hunt. Photo credit: Dave Barnett
•Perform exercises to incite muscle fatigue and get your heart rate up. •Have someone start a timer for a predetermined amount of time when you have completed your exercises. •Come up to the place from which you will shoot, kneel down and execute a single shot before time expires. •Challenge yourself or a partner to be more accurate and quicker than the previous attempts. Growing as a bowhunter takes many different forms and one of the most important is working on your skill as an archer. To improve, you must challenge yourself by “practicing how you play.” Spend time this offseason making your practice time as close to the real thing as possible to ensure that you are ready when that real opportunity arises.
38| Hunting & Fishing News
For my off-season hiking and scouting, I use criteria similar to archery hunting. Sightings off in the distance provide the “encounters.” However, if I stalk to within 40-50 yards, I call it a “close encounter.” If I sneak away without alarming the animals, it’s an off-season “opportunity.” Two years ago, prior to the archery season, I was in one of my ground blinds, reading an old Western paperback. Reading keeps me in blinds longer, and when you hear a noise, your eyes always move from the book to the source. Anyway I heard a noise, looked to my right, and saw a spike bull step out of the trees at 45 yards. He ambled straight to my blind, maybe four feet from the camera; it easily qualified as an off-season opportunity. A few clicks later, he leaped about 20 feet, and made it clear he wanted nothing further to do with blinds. Turns out the entertainment value of off-season exploits equals the enjoyment of archery season.
A Good Season
So a good year of archery hunting for this senior citizen typically includes a number of encounters, a few close encounters, and maybe an opportunity or two. But it is more of course, it’s also those things listed in the very first paragraph: weather, hunting partners, chains, cold feet, and new binoculars to name a few. Harvest is another factor, but it isn’t as important as it once was. One thing is really important: Did I camp in my hard-sided pop-up trailer? For the past 10 seasons, the answer is a resounding “yes”. Stepping out of the trailer at 1:00 AM can be an amazing elk bugling treat. By golly, I think we just completed a pretty good description of a 71-year-old’s version of a good season. Bottom line is if I can still achieve satisfying and memorable archery seasons, most mature hunters can too. Just don’t stop, it’ll only slow you down.
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