Hunting & Fishing News

Montana

March 2015

Spring Trout Bite Going Deep For Lake Trout Ice Out Walleye Tips

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4 - Hunting & Fishing News

Spring Bear Hunting Filling a bear tag is no easy task.

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By Hunting & Fishing News Pro Staff

It’s pretty obvious that the whitetailed deer are the number one,

and most hunted big game animal in North America, but the number two may come as a surprise to you. Yep, it’s the black bear.

In the United States black bear are hunted from coast to coast, and here in Montana and most other western states, we can hunt them in the spring and fall hunting seasons.

Generally, there are three methods most effective in harvesting any bear. Number one here in Montana is glassing, then stalking for a shot. Other methods are stand hunting over bait (which is not allowed in Montana), but is most effective across the state line in Idaho. Lastly, would be hunting with hounds, (where legal).

Stand hunting is also popular and widely used for the spring hunt. This method offers you a good look at the bear to see if it is a boar or sow, so you can make a decision to shoot or pass on the animal.

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Mid-day and evening hunts will be a productive time to search for bears. Set-up on a high basin with good optics to find bear movement.

Taking a black bear this season will require patience and tenacity, along with time spent in the woods.

Most Montana black bear hunters are limited as far as tactics to kill a bear, and it’s not an easy task. Only around 8 percent of all spring bear hunters in Montana manage to fill their tag. It takes time to find the “right” bear to shoot. Milder weather will bring bears out earlier in the season and they will be looking for any food source they can find. Target these areas that provide food and you will most likely find a bear.

A big mature bear can be hard to find, as they are mostly reclusive, usually nocturnal, and will do all they can to avoid human conflict.

Here are the units that hold bear and good opportunities for spring bear hunters.

It’s hard to match the incredible rush of intensity and adrenaline that overcomes you when you’ve worked hard for days, and finally come into shooting range of this hulking, shiny-furred beast that so fully emphasises the wildness that is left in America today, and that, in the end, is the main reason why most of us pursue black bears.

REGION 1: Including 100, 102, 104, 105 and 108

Early spring black bear hunting can be tough in Montana.

A lot of your early success will be all weather related.

If it stays mild this year heading into April, you’ll want to be out before opening weekend to start finding bear activity and sign.

Look for bear movement around the Kootenai river drainage areas.

Search for bears high up in drainages that have lost their winter snow coat and where green vegetation has started to show.

These units are in the extreme northwest corner of Montana bounded

by Idaho and British Columbia around Lincoln, Sanders, Flathead, and Lake Counties.

Hunter success averages anywhere from as low as 3.4 percent up to 16% success in years past, mostly due to weather conditions.

(Hunter note: For the last several years MFWP has required spring bear hunters to declare their intention to hunt these districts in Region 1 where harvest trends tend to be higher than other districts in western Montana. The trade off is you give up your ability to hunt elsewhere in the state. Check current 2015 regulations for any changes in those units.)

(continued on page 42) March 2015

5

A trophy room should be an inviting space to entertain family and friends, while preserving the best memories of your sporting adventures.

How to design and build these special rooms is the topic of an annual seminar held as part of the Dallas Safari Club (DSC) convention and expo each January in Dallas. The public-welcome event is Texas’ biggest showcase of hunting products, services and lifestyles.

It’s also one of America’s top fundraisers for wildlife conservation, youth education and defending hunters’ rights worldwide.

How to Design a Trophy Room

By Steve Wagner

Photographs courtesy of Julian & Sons

I

n Montana, an elk rack hanging above the fireplace is as standard as a mantel. But if you’re a hunter whose collection of taxidermy, art and memorabilia has outgrown the chimney, maybe it’s time to consider building a trophy room.

Imagine a room specially designed as a gallery for the best mementos and artifacts from your time outdoors. It’s a place that celebrates the beauty of field and forest, stream and sea. It’s where you go to relive the thrill of your sporting adventures, and to respect and admire your quarry.

ADVERTISING RICK HAGGERTY (406) 370-1368 Publisher - Amy Haggerty - Helena, MT.

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6 - Hunting & Fishing News

The Julian & Sons exhibit is usually busy during the annual Dallas Safari Club convention and expo, Texas’ biggest showcase of hunting adventures and lifestyles.

Longtime show exhibitor Tom Julian leads the seminars.

In 1985, Julian founded a fine woodworking and architectural design firm, Julian & Sons, in Heber Springs, Ark. A lifelong hunter, Julian opened for business with many ideas for designing a better trophy room. He’s been developing new concepts ever since.

“A trophy room should be a reflection of your personality and passions,” said Julian. “It isn’t just four walls and a bunch of dead animals. It should be a comfortable, inviting and functional part of your home.”

Tom Julian works with an attendee at the Dallas Safari Club convention and expo.

Assuming you’re unrestrained by budget, here are a few tips from Julian’s seminar on how to design a trophy room that best preserves your sporting memories: FUNCTIONALITY

Julian says it’s important to avoid creating a museum atmosphere. A trophy room isn’t just about viewing a collection, but a place to entertain family, friends or clients. Sitting areas, desks or meeting tables, billiards or poker tables, television(s), perhaps even a bar, all add to the usability and enjoyment of the room.

ROOM DIMENSIONS

A smaller room is intimate; a larger room is impressive.

Decide what best fits your personality. Also think about the size of your current collection of taxidermy, art and memorabilia, as well as the size of your future collection. Try not to crowd items together.

Congested mounts lose their significance, and all your best memories can begin to jumble together.

Give them space for individuality. Optimal wall height is 12-14 feet. This allows for the most enjoyable viewing and appreciation of each animal’s details and characterizations.

MATERIALS

Room size needn’t be palatial. Big rooms may be impressive, but smaller rooms are more intimate.

Studded walls should be covered with ¾-inch plywood, then cover the plywood with fire-rated sheetrock. The plywood allows you to hang trophies exactly where you want them. You won’t be limited to stud locations or worried with molly bolts. Fire-rated sheetrock adds fire resistance, but it’s also more durable and more readily repaired than regular sheetrock, which eases the task of rearranging game heads in the future. Julian says taxidermy has greater presence on neutral colored walls. If you plan to use skins or hides as rugs, consider neutral-colored flooring, too. Too much wood, paneling or bold paint take away from the earthy beauty of animals.

CONSTRUCTION

Be sure to provide double-door access for your larger trophies – moose heads, life-size bear mounts, etc. If your furniture will be set in the middle of the room, rather than against the walls, it’s a good idea to place electrical outlets in the floor. This avoids the need for extension cords strewn across the floor from wall outlet to lamp.

If you plan to add a wet bar, even if it’s a possibility in the future, think about plumbing and drain locations.

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Sunlight destroys taxidermy, so windows and skylights are generally downplayed in Julian’s trophy room designs. He makes exceptions for windows overlooking scenic landscapes, but he’s careful to treat the glass with special 3M window films designed to block UV light.

HEAT AND AIR

Julian says air-duct coverings can be distracting and unsightly spots on trophy room walls, but a good designer can find ways to make them less obtrusive. Locating them in less conspicuous areas, incorporating them into wainscoting, or camouflaging them behind custom coverings, helps. Incidentally, Julian says most modern heat and air systems maintain relative humidity at 40-50 percent, which is ideal for preserving taxidermy and art. Higher, lower or unstable humidity levels can be hard on mounts.

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LIGHTING

This is the most important technical aspect of a trophy room, says Julian. How you light your trophies affects the look and feel of the entire room. Julian prefers to “wash the walls and taxidermy with light,” using a recessed canister fixture every 32-36 inches around the perimeter of the room. Each light is positioned about 18 inches from the outside wall. Accent lights, also recessed, are positioned about eight feet from the walls, adding more illumination to the front of the mounts. Finally, he adds general-use lighting – the lights you flip on when you enter the room, or use when you’re cleaning. Preferably, all of the lighting is on dimmer controls.

Obviously, there’s a lot more to think about than just how high above the mantel to hang your elk rack. But it’s so worth it. Whether you call it a trophy room or game room, in reality it’s a memory room. Designing and building it right will help keep your best experiences fresh for the rest of your life!

For more information about designing a trophy room, visit the Julian & Sons website at www.julianandsons.com.

And for more information about DSC, which will host its next convention and expo Jan. 7-10, 2016, in Dallas at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and Omni Hotel Dallas, visit www.biggame.org.

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March 2015

7

NOT THE BUCKS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?

©Twildlife|Dreamstime.com

By: goHUNT Staff. Originally published at

W e recently had the chance to talk with Brian Dreher, Senior Wildlife Biologist for the Southeast Region of Colorado

to set the record straight about trophy class management.

Not only was he able to answer some of our burning questions about big game population, it turns out he’s an avid hunter and bighorn sheep enthusiast himself. goHUNT: We hear you’re into bighorn sheep. Can you tell us why?

Brian Dreher: You need to hunt them, I think, to get a full appreciation of the species.

I’ve studied them for most of my career and I must admit they’re pretty amazing. There are lots of crazy sheep fanatics out there.

I belong to the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society here in Colorado and it’s full of a bunch of sheep nuts. Sheep are fun to hunt and they live in amazing places. I’ve hunted them with a bow and in 2016 I’m planning on going to Alaska and trying to get a Dall Image by Joe Lewandowski, Colorado Parks & Wildlife sheep. I’m one of those nuts myself.

GH: So you’re a hunter as well as a wildlife biologist?

BD: I mostly bowhunt, and I’ve hunted ever since I was a kid.

I’ve gotten six species with a bow in Colorado, the only thing I need to get that I don’t have with a bow and arrow is a bear, a lion and a mule deer. I’ve gotten sheep, goat, moose, elk, and whitetail deer here. I’ve also harvested caribou in Alaska. I love it — it’s my passion for sure. I’m going to chase elk at the end of September in new country for me as well as some other hunts.

GH: Something all hunters wonder about is why there are certain areas that consistently produce big bucks and others that don’t.

For example, there’s Eagle County in Colorado. What’s the secret there?

BD: I don’t know a lot about Eagle County in particular, but I get that hunters want to know where they can go to harvest something with a big head. The message I want to get across is that our biologists don’t consider score [for bucks and bulls]. Score is something that’s very hunter-centric and it’s really not in our world. I really like that too because there’s a lot more to hunting and the pursuit of game than just the score. But that’s my own personal opinion.

Image by Michael Seraphin, Colorado Parks & Wildlife (continued on page 32)

8 - Hunting & Fishing News

March 2015

9

MY 2014

ELK HUNT

By Vince Lindgren

A

fter a slow and frustrating start to the season, and finding our “secret” hunting spot overrun by 4 mountain lions and a few black bears, things took a turn for the better! September 27th, found us in a place I haven’t hunted for a couple years, but can produce some excellent opportunities.

This year happened to be one of them.

After a strenuous hike up the mountain on the morning of our hunt, we made it to where we needed to be by 7:00 a.m.

Immediately we began to hear bugling from the top of the ridge ranging 80 to 100 yards away.

We quickly discerned there were 3 good sounding bulls and one young rag horn. The main group kept ahead of us and to the left side of the ridge while one of the bulls, a five point, stole a handful of cows and moved around to the right. This left 3 bulls and a couple dozen cows just up and to the left. While the bulls bugled and cows mewed, I sent Gary, my huntin’ partner, out ahead while I held back to cow call and bugle.

Trying to pull one of the bulls back just didn’t work.

We split up, Gary headed up the ridge and I went to the left.

As he slipped through the timber, he found the bull he hunted was a 6 point and as I found out, the bull I trailed was as well, leaving a small rag horn in between.

Each bull had his own cows with mine garnering the majority.

It was evident the bull I pursued was the main herd bull, because whenever he would bugle, Gary’s bull would hesitantly respond.

I dogged the main herd around the back (North) side of the dense mountain slope, overgrown with Alder, Nine Bark, standing and blown down timber, not to mention it was steep.

A couple of times, my bull came within 25-30 yards, but I was unable to get even a sliver of opportunity as he growled, chuckled, huffed and bugled through the impossible vegetation!

10 - Hunting & Fishing News

We finally found ourselves back at the top of the ridge again on a small saddle. We decided to try another set-up with Gary out on point.

I fell back about 50 yards and began the cow talking with immediate results. Gary’s bull was about 80 yards ahead of him hiding in the timber, but became quite interested in my cow calling and began moving in Gary’s direction. I was positive he would find an arrow in his side in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately, my bull would pipe up and intimidate him, causing him to back away. This little game repeated itself more than a few times, until I said just the right thing with an enticing mew, pulling my bull up the mountain, abandoning his cows!

While kneeling, I knocked an arrow and got ready to draw when Gary’s bull let out a good bugle.

This prompted my bull to turn his head and let out an intimidating screamer! At that moment, I drew back and held, called one more soft, enticing mew, pulling him right in to 12 yards!

His eyes locked on me, but it was too late, as the next thing he felt was a penetrating sting.

Gary’s bull would bugle and mine would stop and answer right back, then begin his search again.

I called a few more times and quickly moved in his direction, closing the gap another 30 yards.

By the time he stopped below me he was a mere 20 yards, and I could see his head and rack staring past me, looking for the cow that should be 30 yards behind.

While kneeling, I knocked an arrow and got ready to draw when Gary’s bull let out a good bugle.

This prompted my bull to turn his head and let out an intimidating screamer! At that moment, I drew back and held, called one more soft, enticing mew, pulling him right in to 12 yards!

His eyes locked on me, but it was too late, as the next thing he felt was a penetrating sting.

Instinctively, he whirled and thundered 150 yards down the mountain to expire!

Gary snuck down to me and informed me that he was just getting ready to draw on my bull when he heard the thump from my string. I felt bad, thinking I had just shot this bull out from under him however, he eased my mind by reassuring me he didn’t have much of a shot anyway.

Having only a sliver of a window and a 40 yard, downhill shot, he was glad I took it.

He still had an opportunity with his bull as it continued to hang around and bugle.

Long story short, he went after the bull and got within 50 yards, but was busted by a cow.

Afterwards, he came back to help me with the work which turned out to be much more difficult than anticipated. To make a long story short, I shot my bull at 11:00 and we got back to the vehicle at 2:00 a.m. It was a true, blue BUTT DRAGGER! We went back the next day and came out with the hind quarters at 6:00 p.m. Monday I stayed home from work and with a little help from my wife and son, got the elk in the freezer. Done!

Next year it’s Gary’s turn. It was a tough hunt, but very rewarding with memories to last a lifetime!

March 2015 11

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herever open season allows the pursuit of walleyes, early spring is prime time for tapping one of the year’s best bites.

Thanks to the spawning migration, big numbers of fish gather in predictable places, offering savvy anglers a shot at banner catches.

For veteran fishing guide Jason Muche, the open-water period’s early days mean finding places where lake-run ’eyes focus on warm inflows...

“Walleyes get fired up by flowing water,” he explains. “They feel that current coming in and start staging. They’ll run up into the tributaries, stopping at or funneling through certain areas on their way to spawning areas below dams or in backwater areas.”

Sometimes this migration covers many miles. It’s also not uncommon for walleyes in large rivers...to swarm upstream into smaller rivers, where their migration stalls only when they hit an obstacle such as a low-head dam.

“When the water temperature reaches 42 to 47 degrees, walleyes focus on spawning,” Muche said. “Prior to that, they’re on their way upriver. Afterward, they drop downstream and eventually scatter into the main body of water.”

Shortly after the ice releases its grip on the lakes, when water temps hover in the mid to upper 30s, Muche goes to work putting clients on walleyes and saugers. He looks for areas where the fish pause during their upstream run. Holes, breaklines, wing dams and eddies or current seams adjacent to a bridge abutment or other current break are all potential drop zones.

One of Muche’s classic scenarios is a breakline dropping from 4 to 10 feet of water, with a bottom structure consisting of clambeds, rocks or sand.

“I jig right on bottom in 10 feet, close to the break,” he says.

Muche’s main weapon is a ¼- to 3/8-ounce Lindy Jig. Size varies according to water depth, current strength and the skill set of the angler holding the rod.

12 - Hunting & Fishing News

“The ability to maintain contact with the bottom and keep your line absolutely vertical are keys to it all,” he says, explaining that a heavy jig is easier for aspiring river rats to handle, especially in fast flows or deep water.

Boat control is also critical. Rather than hover in one place and wait for walleyes to come to him, Muche moves downstream along the break. He uses the trolling motor to slip down-current just fast enough to keep the line vertical. Keeping the bow of the boat into the wind helps him with boat control.

“Chartreuse-orange, chartreuse-green and all-chartreuse are my favorite jig colors at this time of year, and I tip them with a 3-inch fathead or shiner minnow,” he said. “Both work well, but fatheads stay alive longer.”

To hook the bait, he presses on the minnow’s gills to open the bait’s mouth. Next, he runs the hook through the mouth and out one of the gills, then slides the minnow up against the jighead. To complete the rigging, he runs the point from the bottom of the minnow alongside the spine and out just behind the dorsal fin. This keeps the bait lively yet secure on the hook.

Muche’s jigstrokes hinge on the bottom composition. Dragging a jig in areas with rocks, wood and other debris results in frequent snags, so he executes a bottom-hopping cadence that mimics a minnow pecking at the substrate.

“You don’t want the jig jumping up 8 inches and slamming back down,” he says, explaining that such leaps are unnatural in the cold-water riverine environment. “Keep it close to bottom,

slowly jigging it in 2- to 4-inch strokes.”

Muche lets the jig fall on a controlled descent with no slack in the line. Drop the rodtip the same speed the jig is falling so the line is taut or bowing just a tad. This allows you to feel bottom contact better, which is very important because if you don’t feel the jig touch bottom, you’ll tend to keep letting out line until the jig is dragging way behind the boat and getting hung up.

During the early season, bites are typically light.

“Three-quarters of the time, you don’t even know you’ve been bit,” he says. “You simply feel a spongy weight on the line when you start to raise the jig.”

When he feels that sensation, Muche often pauses a second or two before setting the hook to give the fish time to take the bait. But if you feel a solid thunk, set right away, he says.

As the water warms into the low 40s and the spawn draws near, Muche shifts shallower and adds small crankbaits to his repertoire.

“Casting cranks into shoreline timber is a great big-fish pattern right now, because large females slide shallow and set up in the limbs prior to the spawn,” he said, noting that rocks and riprap banks can be hot, too.

When working wood, Muche holds his boat just off the downed tree and fires casts into open pockets. Bring it back with a slow to medium retrieve. His favorite bait for such situations is a small Lindy River Rocker in shades of perch or polished gold.

Other tactics also hold water for the early bite, including dragging minnow-tipped jigs over sand flats with the line at a 45-degree angle behind the boat.

“That will get you a mix of walleyes and saugers,” Muche says, adding with a grin, “But it better be a clean bottom or you’ll spend more time tying on new jigs than reeling in fish.”

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River Bend Sandbar Duck Decoy Setup

by Jeff Matura Take ‘Em Calls www.takeem.com

One of the most highly productive areas to hunt and decoy ducks on river systems across North America

are river bends with larger or small sand bars. Typically these areas of the river have a high degree of visibility by passing ducks and they also offer a safe haven and loafing area for ducks (and geese for that matter) throughout the day. *Please Note - The size of the river you’ll be hunting and determining whether you’re hunting an “X” or “Traffic” will determine the number of decoys you should use. The larger the river and the river bend you hunt and if you’re hunting “Traffic” ducks, the larger your decoy setup should be to create a more highly visible decoys spread.

The following placement tips will help make this decoy spread more successful: Create a landing zone by using a loosely shaped J or modified U pattern with the bulk of your decoys at the head of the J or modified U. The outside decoys in your pattern should be no further than 30-35 yards from your blind as many times birds will want to land on the tip. If possible, use super magnum duck decoys or consider using Canada goose floaters incorporated into your duck decoys, especially when hunting traffic. Experience has taught us that the faster the current the closer you want your outside decoys and your landing zone to be in proportion to where you place your blind. In faster moving currents, ducks have a tendency to land just outside, ahead of, or behind your decoys and not necessarily with your decoys. Follow the contour of the sandbar with the long end of your J or U and go 2-3 wide with your decoys as you follow the contour of the sandbar. When using full body, shell or silhouette duck decoys, place them 1-2 foot from the waters edge and place them tightly together in a single file line or two deep line (ducks loafing and resting on a sandbar tend to stay very tight). Depending on the size of your decoy spread, have 1- 4 small groups of decoys (3-5) facing down stream to add realism and added visibility to incoming ducks. If using Canada goose full body, shell or silhouette decoys place them in front of and behind your blind as if they are walking throughout the sandbar. Consider placing your blind in front of your decoy spread and crosswind the birds to avoid them having to continually pass overhead as they work your spread especially if the cover is sparse.

We’ve had many good hunts on rivers and sloughs using the above decoy tactics, especially when mallards begin feeding in fields and during the late season when most waters are frozen. Rivers are also a great location to get away from the crowds and not have to worry about competition.

March 2015 13

Ten Tips to

Catch More Walleyes with Jigs

By Jason Mitchell

Photo courtesy Jason Mitchell

Paying attention to detail and experimenting with these different variables can elevate your jig fishing game this season. With all of the presentations available for walleye anglers right now, jig fishing might top the list for effectiveness across the board just because you can fish a jig so many different ways. Not to mention, crossing an eye with a jig is a lot of fun.

JLikeigsanyaretechnique, the most versatile tool in any walleye angler’s tackle box. there are details and nuances that can make

you successful or unsuccessful. If there is one aspect of jig fishing that is often overlooked, it would be the importance of versatility. There is not necessarily a right or

wrong way to fish a jig. When the fish are biting, you can fish a jig in a lot of different ways and get bit. When conditions get tougher however, we often see a particular stroke or jigging style produce and catching fish is all about locking into that specific mojo.

The best jig anglers can tap into that mojo. The cadences and strokes can vary dramatically from sharp snaps and pops of the rod tip in varying windows to subtle drags and shakes mixed with lifts and holds. Think of each attitude, each fishing style as a channel on an old black and white television set. Turn through the channels until you find the right station. Jig stroke and cadence however are not the only variables you can experiment with to jig your way to more walleyes this spring. Here are ten of our best jig fishing tips to get you ready for the walleye opener this season.

Mono or Braid? Some anglers make the mistake of believing one is better than the other. Not so simple. We have found several situations especially early in the season where the flexibility and stretch of mono trumped the sensitivity of braid. On the flip side, we have also seen situations where the hook sets were much more effective with braid. If you are missing fish or not getting bit, the answer is simple… switch. Keep a rod rigged up with mono and a rod rigged up with braid like Northland Bionic and switch back and forth until you start hooking up consistently. It is amazing how on some days, one line will work better than the other.

Watch the Line. Bites often get felt at the bottom of the stroke or on the lift as a stroke is repeated. More bites often get seen anywhere on the descent when fish punch a descending jig.

If the line twitches or jumps, set the hook. Many avid jig anglers swear by high-vis line so that they can distinguish these bites easier.

Anglers go gaga over colors and finishes on jigs. Some days, high visibility colors like chartreuse and Moon Glow are the ticket.

The hook on the jig however trumps color. Always have a hook file in the boat and sharpen the hooks throughout the day.

The best jig is a jig with a really sharp hook. Amazing how dinged up hook points can get fishing through rock, clam beds and rip rap.

A jig will keep pounding walleyes long after all the paint is chipped off as long as the hook point still has an edge. Also, match up the 14 - Hunting & Fishing News

hook size and gap to the bait you are using. Use the biggest hook you can get away with to increase your batting average on hook sets and also for keeping bigger fish pinned up.

Long Shank versus Short Shank. One of the most popular and effective jigs of all time has to be the Northland Tackle Fire Ball.

This particular jig has a short shank. The advantage of the short shank jig in my opinion is how the minnow or bait rolls on the jig as it is moved across the bottom. The minnow in particular seems to put off a lot more flash. Long shank jigs however have a place. While the action might not be as good on the bait, you can sometimes increase your hook ups with long shank jigs because the hook can be threaded further back into the bait. Long shank hooks also allow for double hooking and threading which can make you more efficient when fishing through debris or when pitching. Experiment with both.

Heavy Factor. Anglers often preach the mantra of using as light of a jig as possible. Just as often however, we often catch more fish by using as heavy of jigs as possible. In rivers or current situations for example, heavier jigs can be fished slower in faster current and can be kept close to the bottom. On tough bites on still water, heavier jigs allow for more vertical up and down presentations especially when conditions make boat control tougher. Working down the scale to lighter jigs is always an option but don’t hesitate to work up the scale to heavier jig weights to find out what is working.

The Count. The general consensus amongst jig anglers is to set the hook when a bite is distinguished. There are situations however when feeding the fish some line or at least pausing momentarily can increase hookups. If you are missing fish, experiment with the amount of lag time between when you feel the bite and when you pull the trigger. There are days where a second or two or delayed response can pay off.

Line Angle. Assuming that both anglers in a boat are using the same jig weight. If one angler is catching fish while the other angler is not, match up two variables. The jig stroke is the first variable to duplicate. The second is the exact angle the line takes from the rod tip to the water.

Rod Action. For many jig fishing applications, you can’t go wrong with a medium power fast action rod like the Jason Mitchell Pro Walleye JM621MS which is a rod we designed specifically for the purpose. Some situations however require either a stiffer or softer blank. Match up your jigging formula to the optimum rod action.

Too stiff and fast or too soft and moderate of a rod action can cost you dearly. As a general rule of thumb, aggressive jig strokes, far casts, current or heavier jigs require a much stiffer blank like the Jason Mitchell Pro Walleye JM721MS. Pitching and working light jigs, dragging and soft jig strokes along with horizontal behind the boat jig presentations can often be much more effective with the lighter touch found on the JM641MLS. Cast More. Many walleye anglers fish a jig below the boat and below the boat works great but make a point to cast more this season. When searching for fish and going through a location especially when fishing rivers, it is amazing how much faster and more thorough you can work a spot. You still hit below the boat on the end of a cast but you also touch a lot more water.

With two anglers in the boat, have one person fish below the boat and have one person cast around the boat… you will be amazed by how much luckier you get especially in regards to finding fish.

Versatility. The best jig anglers can flip the switch and change like a chameleon. Turn through the variables until you get the mojo going.

Monitor the cadence and stroke by using words in your mind so that you can experiment and then go back to something. A mistake that sometimes happens to me especially early in the year when the fish want a slow and methodical delivery is that I get excited after catching a fish or two and by default find myself reeling a touch faster and snapping the jig with more enthusiasm not even realizing that I am making this minor variation to my presentation. On tough bites, I often have to talk myself back down to get back into the rhythm of what was working.

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March 2015 15

2015 SPRING MACK DAYS LAKE TROUT FISHING EVENT ON FLATHEAD LAKE March 20th Fridays, Saturdays through

May Fish The Entire Lake

17th

Lake Trout FIShing

& Sundays competitive Mack Days NEW - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - bonus days and tagged fish only

Photo courtesy Mack Days

Up to $225,000 in CASH & PRIZES 1-$10,000, 3-$5,000, 5-$1,000 & Over 5,000--$100 to $500 Tagged Lake Trout

UP TO $30,000 Lottery Prizes ($1,000-$200)-all it takes is one fish/ticket to win Plus-Top ten angler prizes $700-$200-18/27 best days Fri-Sun. count-last day is separate Captains $250-(4 prizes), Smallest lake trout $250-(2 prizes), Largest lake trout $500 Top lady anglers $300,$200, $100, $100-totals used Youth anglers- (17-13) 1st- $200, 2nd-$150, 3rd-$75, 4-5th-$50 (12 & under) 1st-$100, 2nd-$75, 3rd-$50 will also be entered in the lottery drawing.

Weekend Prizes-$200 & $100 Golden Angler Award (70 & older)-$200 & $100 3 days of single/team-heaviest 4-fish Last Day Only: $300, $200, $100, & Heaviest Mack under 30”-$200 & $100

BONUSES: ALL ANGLERS WHO ENTER 20 OR MORE LAKE TROUT WIN. The higher your total is at the end of the event-the higher your bonus-every day (51) counts.

Fish Fry for participants & families-May 17th at Blue Bay 3:00pm Awards Ceremony at 4:00pm

Entry forms will not be mailed out.

Enter online at www.mackdays.com

or pick up entries at local sporting good stores - or you can even enter when you check in your fish at the check in stations during Mack Days. It is easier if you enter before the event begins.

Phone 406-883-2888 Ex. 7294 We remind you to follow all fishing regulations. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have a special $13 fishing permit for the south half on Flathead Lake that is available wherever fishing permits are sold.

By Hunting & Fishing News Pro Staff

D eep and big. These two words describe the continents second-largest salmonid, referred to as mackinaw or lake trout.

These fish reach enormous sizes, sometimes growing to as large as 50 pounds or more. They have haunted the icy waters of bottomless lakes for thousands of years growing huge in these rich, cold waters. Here in Montana they are targeted as trophies in mainly our two biggest lakes - Flathead Lake and Fort Peck Reservoir.

Lake Kucannusa, near the Montana/Canadian border near Libby also produces the huge trout. These monsters do not grow huge by nibbling on tiny delicacies, such as little minnows. They grow fast by inhaling as big a meal as they can find, and key on the biggest prey present. In other words, this is not a fish you can catch by trolling a Mepp’s No. 2 Spinner. Anything so inconsequential will not gain notice from Mr. Laker, and if you want him to bite, you better bring the groceries!

-TIPS FOR MACKINAW SUCCESS In the west, the mackinaw does best in lakes with good populations of kokanee, trout and whitefish.

In the old days the standard for catching lakers was flashers and hootchies, now a days, big trolling plugs and baits are what most anglers use - both old and new will get the attention of a big mack.

When these fish are feeding on kokanee, they are targeting fish that are 11 to 13 inches in length. When this is the case, you’ll want to troll a big plug in a kokanee pattern.

- Plugs, spoons and swimbaits -

Plugs like Flatfish, Rapalas, Rebels and Kwikfish offer large sizes often made for saltwater fish, they also work for trophy lake trout.

Spoons are effective on western lakes; at least 5 inches and up to 8 or 9 inches is common.

Swimbaits in large sizes are deadly for lake trout, and adding them to a spoon can give the bait some added action while creating an even larger profile to target. They can also be deadly when trolled alone.

Berkley makes excellent swimbaits. 6 inches or more is perfect for lakers. When fish see plugs buzzing by them all day, then see something different, they tend to react to it. You have to be creative sometimes.

- Match the local forage -

Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks 16 - Hunting & Fishing News

If it’s mainly kokanee they are after, it’s blues and silver, if the lake is stocked with rainbow trout, then try a rainbow pattern. Whitefish and cisco - try gold, white or blue combos. (continued)

Photos courtesy Mack Days

- Presentation is key -

Lakers are slow moving, and will not chase bait far. They want calories, but without effort, so you’ll need to put that bait by their nose.

You will also need quality electronics and a good downrigger system. Most of the time, big lake trout will hold to within 10 feet of the bottom, and that is where you want your lure to run.

- Suspended macks -

In lakes with kokanee, mature lakers will often suspend under schools of kokanee and wait for chances to pick off the struggling fish.

They are looking for weak and injured fish, which will drop out of the schools. This is when you troll right through the kokanee in an “S” pattern,so your bait emerges from the school like an injured fish. Once again, it is important to have really good electronics in order to find the depth where the baitfish and macks are suspending. Covering multiple levels in the water column will also increase your odds of getting bit, so you can run multiple lines off the downrigger to cover more water.

If you are just a beginner, I would advise you to hire a local fishing guide for these big lakes. It will save you a lot of time, and you will learn a lot by going out with someone experienced and knowledgeable on the water.

Lake trout are a bit mysterious, given their size and the depths at which they live. This is why they are considered a “trophy” by the sportsmen and women that pursue them.

Montana’s state record lake trout was caught on Flathead Lake in June 2004, a 42.69 lb. monster caught by Ruth Barber.

March 2015 17

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SPRING PANFISH ON THE FLY

By Babe Winkelman

If you’re like me, then springtime for you means crappies... I love finding them, catching them and eating them. My typical approach to spring panfish is with a spinning rod, 4-pound line, a slip bobber and jigs tipped with either plastic grub bodies, waxworms, minnows or small leeches.

But there are times when the fish are quite finicky and can be caught best on light fly tackle. There’s something about the natural finesse of a fly on a tippet that can coax negative fish into biters. And once they bite, it’s incredibly fun to fight a jumbo bluegill or slab crappie on a whippy 5-weight rod.

So it’s always a good idea to have a fly rod in the boat.

Equipment Fly fishermen like to argue over the various nuances of the sport and their equipment. I don’t claim to be a fly fishing expert by any means, but I can give you my opinion on which rod set-up is best for panfish. An 8-foot 5 or 6-weight graphite rod is about as good as it gets. It makes long, accurate casts and has the backbone you need for big slabs and all the accidental bass and pike you’re bound to catch while prowling the spring panfish waters. I like 8-foot rods because they provide the leverage for good hook-sets and control over the fish.

Team up your rod with a good-quality reel, floating fly line and an 8-foot leader/tippet. I like weight forward line for casting performance, and opt for longer leaders if fishing wet flies in deeper water. But for spring panfish, most of your presentations will be in shallower water, so your 8-foot leader will be perfect.

Flies There are as many flies out there as there are lures for spinning tackle. But you won’t need the giant arsenal that trout fishermen own to “match the hatch.” A small selection of classic panfish flies will do the trick.

During the pre-spawn and spawn, when the fish are either deeper (pre-spawn) or on the nest (spawn), wet flies will almost always outperform dry flies. That’s because they sink and get down into the strike zone where you need them. My favorites for springtime are Clouser Minnows, Dragonfly Nymphs and Wooly Buggers. Woolys are really effective during the spawn since they mimic a leech so well. They also fall slowly and hover naturally to trigger the defense mechanisms in spawning fish.

As water temperatures warm up during late spring and surface strikes become more and more prevalent, I like to switch things up and fish on top with dry flies. Poppers are a really good bet when the fish are aggressive, as are foam spiders, ants and bumblebees. When the surface striking fish are more picky, a traditional feathered fly like a small Royal Wulff is a good pick.

After you’ve located a school of panfish willing to rise for a bait, make a long cast to them and let the fly sit. Many strikes will come from that initial touchdown. If there’s no bite after 10-15 seconds, give the fly a twitch. Continue this twitch-and-pause retrieve and when a fish does bite, give him a second or two to get below the surface before lifting your rod to set the hook. A lot of fly fishermen set the hook too quickly and don’t give the sunfish or crappie time to get the whole fly in their mouths.

Sometimes a surface strike is more like a slurp, without a disruption of the water. When the bite is like that, or when you’re fishing with wet flies, it’s critical to watch your brightly-colored fly line to detect bites. The keen line-watching fisherman will always outfish the guy who’s constantly feeling for the bite. For that reason, a good pair of polarized sunglasses is necessary equipment for fly fishing too.

I hope this article inspires you to get out and hammer some panfish with a fly rod this spring and summer. During the pre-spawn and spawn, particularly when dealing with negative fish, it can be the most productive way to put big slabs in the livewell and on your family’s dinner table.

March 2015 19

Say Hello To Success: Where to chase the Fish this Month Brought to you by

PAINTED ROCK

RESERVOIR

Photo courtesy Mack Days

T

he month of March will mark the beginning of another season of exceptional fishing in the West.

Water edges will start to break away from the ice cover, and create prime opportunities for open water action now. Hungry fish that have been trapped below the ice are about to go crazy as the temperatures rise. A feeding frenzy will begin and you’ll want to make sure you make the time to take advantage of some of the best fishing of the year in these next few weeks.

Higher elevation lakes such as Georgetown Lake will hold on to their ice caps a bit longer, but with this winter’s weather patterns being mild as they are, expect open water sooner than later this month.

By the end of March and into early April, expect the conditions to be ideal. Here’s a look at a few March honey holes to consider.

NOXON RESERVOIR

Let’s start with this Clark Fork River impoundment near Thompson Falls.

You can expect a hot pre-spawn bass bite from now and into the spring for both small and largemouth bass, excellent mid-range northern

pike numbers, and feisty rainbow trout that will keep you busy. The walleye are in good numbers here too. Fish along the sun-drenched rock walls along the lake that warm up the quickest. Target some of the back bays that exist here for the bass and pike that are tucked away beneath weeds and along rocky bottoms. Toss out chartreuse colored spinners and natural baits. Slow down your retrieval speed a bit to catch more fish in the spring. Jig fishing works well as does trolling along the shallow areas of the lake.

CLARK FORK RIVER

Once the weather warms around mid to late March, expect the rivers in northwest Montana to really take off as the bugs begin to appear, most notably the Skwala hatch in the Clark Fork drainage areas that include the Rock Creek, the Bitterroot River and the Clark Fork, plus a few other small streams in the area. Most of these bugs will wind up falling off of vegetation and into the river and the trout love these bugs. The best time to fish now is in the afternoons as temperatures begin to bring out these insects. Stonefly patterns in olive work well for dry fly fishing.

Located southwest of Hamilton, you’ll find this sub-alpine lake, and if the warmer weather sets in on the Bitterroot Valley, you can expect this lake to produce some fine fishing for large rainbow trout and brown trout. A mix of small spinners or cured eggs and a beadhead nymph will attract these fish early in the spring. Campgrounds are located along the lake, and the tremendous beauty of the area make for an extraordinary weekend getaway.

FLATHEAD LAKE

Expect lots of action on the “big lake” this month as area anglers converge to fish for the lakes massive trout.

The Spring Mack Days event draws many anglers, and you can enter to fish for tagged lake trout worth cash or prizes this spring. Anglers jigging large spoons or jigs tipped with cut bait will get the attention of large schools of fish.

Flathead River Sloughs -

You’ll be able to fish for big northern pike moving into the Flathead River sloughs now. As the ice begins to pull back, these pike will start looking for warmer water and submerged vegetation to find bait fish to gorge on. Strikes can be hit or miss now, but there are some giants that are lurking in these waters. Fish the shallow areas along the river’s edges where these big pike like to soak up the warmth of the sun now. They will hit on smelt, jigged baits or by tossing out Rapalas or your favorite pike-getter tossed into shallow water inlets. You can start near the Sportsmen’s Bridge Access site off Hwy. 82 on the Flathead River or fish the mouth of Fennon Slough and Rose Creek as the ice recedes.

CLARK CANYON

RESERVOIR

Good trout fishing will ramp up again on this reservoir located south of Dillon. Concentrate your efforts on the south and southwest sides of the reservoir for ice-out trout that average around 18 inches.

Bait fishing and jigging are popular early season tactics that work here.

Black, purple or brown 1/32 ounce jigs, baited up or marabou jigs and lightweight spinning gear produce some great fishing here. Clark Canyon is an impoundment on the Red Rock River, and is mostly fished for rainbow and brown trout, as well as some mighty burbot (ling) that are in the system.

CANYON FERRY

RESERVOIR

Big rainbow trout will begin to move towards the shallow water to prepare their beds for spawning.

The rainbow population remains strong here, and by the end of March will offer quality fishing, especially along the south end of this big lake. Marabou jigs are quite effective as is jigging up a worm combo along the bottom.

You can expect some fine walleye fishing, once the weather warms up the lake. The rich forage in the lake, and a significant stocking program by MFWP make this lake one of the best to fish for trout and walleye anglers alike.

Holter Lake -

Towards the end of March you can expect things to heat up in the Gates of the Mountain canyon area.

Rainbow trout will be abundant and in good size here. Jig or slow roll a bottom bouncer with a plastic worm or nightcrawler.

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Twelve Year Old b Eagle Idaho Girl Sets World Record Idaho Fish and Game

was 2 pounds 6 ounces out of Sheep Pond, Massachusetts.

Photo taken by father Gary Wiese

W

hen twelve year old Tia Wiese went ice fishing with her dad last March, she expected to catch some big fish, but probably had no idea she would set a new world record. Tia and her dad Gary had been hitting Lake Cascade regularly, knowing that giant perch were being caught on a regular basis. In fact, Gary had recently caught a perch that would have been a new state record had he caught it a few days earlier, before an acquaintance set a new state record himself.

On March 1, 2014 Tia and her dad were set up on Lake Cascade when line went screaming off one of their tip-up rods. Eventually, the fish got tangled up in two other lines, but through teamwork, Tia was able to land the giant perch.

“She was really excited. She was jumping up and down,” says Gary “We were both pretty excited.”

“I couldn’t quit smiling,” says Tia. “It was the biggest perch I’ve seen.

I was kind of hoping it was a state record.”

After weighing the fish on his own scale, Gary knew it was close to a state record, and knowing that fish can lose weight after being landed, he rushed to Cascade to have Tia’s fish weighed on a certified scale, where his suspicions were confirmed. Tia’s yellow perch became the new state record weighing in at 2 pounds 11.68 ounces. She still holds the Idaho state record for yellow perch, but a recent hunting trip made her dad realize she may hold a world record as well.

While hunting in Wisconsin, Gary visited the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. There he learned how many different world records exist. He also discovered that the world record for yellow perch caught ice fishing with a tip-up

“I knew there were different line class records, but I didn’t know there were records like ice fishing,” says Gary.

When he discovered there was a world record classification for ice fishing with a tip-up rod, and saw that the current record was five ounces lighter than Tia’s fish, he did the paperwork and waited for a response. Tia’s catch was recently confirmed as the largest yellow perch caught while ice fishing using a tip-up rod, anywhere in the world.

When Tia learned that news, the smile that wouldn’t go away last March came back.

“He told me over the phone,” she says. “I was laughing so hard I was crying. It was funny.”

This record fish is the result of Fish and Game’s dedication to restoring the perch fishery at Lake Cascade that started more than a decade ago. In the late 1990s, fishery managers recognized that Lake Cascade’s perch population

had depleted dramatically.

In response to angler input they began a program to rejuvenate the fishery. Thousands of yellow perch were released into Lake Cascade, and those fish successfully spawned, beginning a rapid recovery of the lake’s perch population. Fifteen years later, Lake Cascade has a strong population of yellow perch, and in 2014 anglers were regularly catching them in the two pound range.

While Tia’s state record and world record remain on the books for now, there will be plenty of anglers trying to catch a larger perch this year. Yellow perch spawn in early spring, and right now the females preparing for the spring spawn are adding weight as their eggs grow. Ice conditions in this part of the state have been variable due to an unusually warm December, but as winter wears on, the ice is becoming more stable. The next couple of months will tell whether Tia will retain her place in Idaho’s record books, and at the top of the world’s list of perch caught through the ice using a tip-up.

March 2015 21

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Fish And Game Gives Anglers What They Want: Bigger Fish IF&G T

he results of a four year study using an evaluation tool developed

by IDFG fishery biologists called “Tag-You’re-It” has Fish and Game managers taking a new approach to stocking many of Idaho’s lakes and reservoirs with larger rainbow trout. This year, many of the state’s most heavily stocked still-water fisheries will be stocked with large numbers of 12-inch rainbow trout, instead of the 10-inch trout that have long been the agency’s standard. While anglers will likely view this as an opportunity to catch larger fish, it is also an opportunity for Fish and Game to provide angler-friendly catch rates on a tighter budget.

Producing and stocking rainbow trout for anglers is the single most expensive license funded fishery program managed by Idaho Fish and Game. The majority of funding to operate the trout stocking program comes from the sale of fishing licenses....

The sole purpose of the department’s catchable trout stocking program is to provide recreational fishing....In 2011 Fish and Game launched a major evaluation to better measure the success of its hatchery trout stocking program. The “Tag-You’re-It” evaluation spanned four years and relied on anglers returning or reporting tags from trout they caught as the basis for the evaluation. During that time more than 130,000 hatchery trout from the state’s three largest trout producing hatcheries were measured, tagged and stocked into 117 different Idaho waters. Anglers across the state were asked to return or report tags from fish they caught....

The most striking results in this statewide study came from Idaho’s larger lakes and reservoirs that are most dependent on hatchery stocking to provide the bulk of the trout fishing. The “Tag-You’re-It” evaluation clearly showed that 12-inch rainbow trout were caught by anglers at a much higher rate than 10-inch rainbow trout. Across the entire study, less than one of the standard 10-inch rainbows was caught for every three stocked, but anglers caught more than one 12-inch trout for every two that were stocked....

22 - Hunting & Fishing News

nticipating another strong return of spring chinook salmon, fishery managers from Washington and Oregon today set the initial 2015 fishing season to run through April 10 on the lower Columbia River. Photo courtesy Steve’s Guided Adventures 360-609-1902 Under guidelines approved for this year’s season, anglers fishing below Bonneville Dam will be allowed to catch an estimated 11,500 spring chinook before an updated run forecast is available in early May. Another 1,200 adult upriver chinook are reserved for anglers fishing upriver from Bonneville Dam to the Washington/Oregon state line, 17 miles above McNary Dam. Additional fish have also been reserved for the Snake River sport fishery.

Those catch guidelines are based on a projected run of 312,600 adult spring chinook to the Columbia River, just shy of last year’s banner return, said Ron Roler, Columbia River policy manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

“The stage is set for another great fishery this year,” Roler said.

“Not only is the run forecast well above average, but water conditions also appear to be favorable for the upcoming season.”

From March 1 through April 10, anglers fishing downriver from Bonneville Dam may retain one marked, hatchery-reared adult spring chinook as part of their daily catch limit. The sport fishery will close in that area on three Tuesdays - March 24, March 31, and April 7 - to accommodate potential commercial fisheries.

Spring chinook fishing is currently open on a daily basis from Buoy 10 near the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the Interstate 5 Bridge.

Under the new rules, the fishery for boat and bank anglers will expand upriver to Beacon Rock on March 1, with bank fishing also allowed from Beacon Rock upriver to the fishing boundary just below Bonneville Dam. Upstream of Bonneville Dam, the fishery will be open to boat and bank anglers on a daily basis from March 16 through May 6 between the Tower Island powerlines (six miles below The Dalles Dam) and the Washington/Oregon state line. Bank anglers can also fish from Bonneville Dam upriver to the Tower Island powerlines during that time.

Anglers fishing upstream of Bonneville Dam will also be limited to one marked, hatchery-reared adult spring chinook per day from March 16 through May 6. The fishing area above Bonneville Dam extends upriver to the Washington/Oregon state line.

Barbless hooks are required in both areas, and anglers must release any salmon or steelhead not visibly marked as a hatchery fish by a clipped adipose fin.

Roler noted that this year’s projected run includes 232,500 upriver spring chinook salmon bound for rivers and streams above Bonneville Dam - well above the 10-year average of 178,000 upriver fish.

Similar to past years, Washington and Oregon will manage the fishery with a 30 percent buffer on the upriver chinook forecast until more is known about the actual magnitude of the return and an in-season run update is available, he said.

“We’ll continue to take a conservative approach in managing the fishery,” Roler said. “If the fish return at or above expectations, we will look toward providing additional days of fishing on the river later in the spring.”...

Steelhead Move Up Clearwater As Anglers Prepare For Spring Bite Idaho Fish And Game

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anglers in Idaho; especially on the Clearwater River.

Catch rates have been as low as five hours per fish, which is considered excellent for the hard fighting, yet sometimes elusive ocean-going rainbow trout.

Unlike most anadromous species, Idaho steelhead can spend many months in fresh water before they spawn in the spring, giving anglers extra opportunity to fish for them. In the past few

weeks Clearwater steelhead have begun showing up in the South Fork Clearwater. According to Regional Fish Manager Joe Dupont, 15 to 100 steelhead have been moving into the South Fork each day.

More anglers are fishing the South Fork, and Dupont expects those numbers to increase as spring approaches.

While catch rates on the Lower Clearwater rose a bit at the end of January, anglers should not be discouraged. There are plenty of fish still moving through the system, and the best is yet to come.

“As you get closer to spawning, you will see more fish showing up in the areas they were released from,” said Dupont. “Late in the season, you can experience incredible catch rates in the lower Clearwater.”

One of the major release points is just below Dworshak Dam. Most steelhead spawn in March and early April, so anglers fishing the North Fork Clearwater (below Dworshak) and the main Clearwater just downstream from the North Fork will have good opportunity to catch more steelhead in less time for the next six to eight weeks.

The same phenomenon will occur in the Salmon River, as steelhead continue to move up the system toward the places they were hatched or released.

For more information on steelhead fishing in Idaho, including catch rates, go to: https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/?getPage=38

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BILLINGS HELENA Billings Construction Supply 5514 King Avenue, East (406) 248-8355 billingsconstructionsupply.com

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Read the owner’s manual before operating Honda Power Equipment. Connection of a generator to house power requires a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. Not all dealers carry all products. Consult your local Yellow Pages. © 2015 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. March 2015 25

One Thing You Must Have To Be A Truly Great Hunter

By Jim Zumbo

I

t was a foggy, dreary day in northern Canada, with no promise of the fog lifting soon. I was sitting with an old Indian guide, waiting for it to clear up, hoping to see a moose in the beaver marsh shrouded by the fog. I noted that it was sunny on the slopes above us where there was decent visibility. Where we sat, we couldn’t see 10 yards below us because of the fog. I wondered if it might be wise to climb higher and hunt where we could see, but I trusted the guide’s wisdom.

We were in no hurry to go anywhere.

The moose rut was over, so calling wasn’t an option.

The strategy was to spot a bull and stalk within shooting range. We passed the time by chatting about moose and hunting in general.

At one point, the guide asked me an interesting question.

“What’s the most important thing a hunter must have?” he asked.

The question came out of the blue.

He was serious, and waited for my answer. I thought about it for awhile, and said, “ I can think of several things. Do I have to choose just one?”

In this photo, Christina Holden and Tim Carlson wait for an elk to show in the Colorado high country. They’re dressed warmly, have plenty of food and water, and are prepared to stay until shooting hours are over.

“Just one,” he responded. “It’s far more important than all the others.”

I thought some more, and rattled off several answers: shooting ability, knowing the behavior of the animal you’re hunting, knowing the country, being in good physical condition, being tenacious, and many others that came to mind.

“None of those,” he said. “The thing every hunter must have is patience. Everything else you mentioned is true, but in order to be a consistently great hunter, you must be patient.”

I thought about that. I couldn’t fault his logic. And, so help me, five minutes later the fog thinned and dissipated, and a bull moose appeared within 125 yards. I took that moose home, but I also took something else -- that old man’s words of wisdom.

How many times have you blown an opportunity because you were eager to leave, rather than hanging in longer, and then realizing your impatience was a mistake? Perhaps you left your stand too soon, and a silent turkey or bull elk was sneaking in, but you spooked it because you figured you were at your location long enough?

Or having the same thing happen because you left your tree stand too early and you startled a nice whitetail buck that was headed in your direction? Those scenarios have happened to me more times than I care to remember. The solution is to make yourself stay longer, but that decision is a judgement call. You end up second guessing yourself.

Other factors come into play that may cause you to leave too early.

You can be too hot, too cold, hungry, thirsty, an unnecessary rendezvous with your pals at midday, leaving the woods before shooting light is over because you don’t want to walk out in the dark. And so on.

None of us are clairvoyant. We don’t know when it’s the “right” time to leave. But I’ve found that since my little quiz with that wise old hunter, my success in the woods has improved considerably.

26 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Lewistown Man Sentenced for Poaching Elk MFWP

A Lewistown man has been fined

$5,610, lost his hunting and fishing privileges for seven years, sentenced to 40 hours community service and forfeited his rifle for poaching an elk.

Devin J. Reppe, 22, agreed to a plea agreement and was sentenced Dec. 23 for killing a six-point bull elk illegally in October 2013.

“Reppe killed an elk after dark from a road near Roy,” says Shawn Briggs, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game warden. “He shot the bull and left it. And he used a rifle during archery season.”

This shooting, near Black Butte south of Roy, occurred while Reppe had his hunting and fishing privileges revoked for a 2011 incident in which he participated in shooting a white-tailed deer doe after dark. ...Reppe finally agreed to a plea agreement and was sentenced in December by Fergus County Justice of the Peace Jack Shields.

Shields sentence was: -Reppe was fined $1,535 and lost his privileges for 24 months for unlawful possession of an unlawfully killed elk.

-Fined $535 for hunting during a closed season.

-Fined $335 for waste of game.

-Fined $2,035 and loss of privileges for 60 months for spotlighting, a second offense, to run consecutively with the 24 month loss of privileges.

-Fined $1,035 and required to perform five, eight-hour days of community service for hunting while privileges were forfeited.

-Fined $135 for unlawfully hunting from a public highway.

-Forfeited his firearm.

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Montana News Briefs Hunters: Mark Your Calendars! MFWP R

esident and nonresident hunters should take note of important pre-season dates in 2015. For example, this year’s deadline to apply for deer and elk permits is Monday, March 16. Applications are available online or at license providers.

“It’s a good idea to get all your questions answered now – questions about where to hunt and historical trends in drawing special permits,” says Region 3 Front Office Manager Shirley Swecker. “There’s always a line on those last few days, but people can easily avoid the wait.”

Moose, goat, sheep and bison applications are due May 1. and antlerless deer b, elk b and antelope license applications are due June 1.

Other important dates are noted in the table below:

Dillon Couple Sentenced as Leaders of Major Poaching Ring MFWP 1/15/15 Charles “Bill” Foster and his wife, Sally, were sentenced Thursday

for their role in one of the biggest fish and wildlife related cases in southwest Montana in recent years. The Fosters were the last and most egregious violators among the seventeen co-defendants to be sentenced in this case which has now brought over $30,000 in fines and restitution.

The prosecution of these cases was based on a three year investigation into the Fosters’ activities. FWP investigators discovered over 30 illegally taken deer and elk, as well 65 fish over the legal possession limit.

They also determined the Fosters allowed nonresident family members to hunt using their tags, and assisted friends, and local residents in unlawful hunting and fishing activities.

In Thursday’s District Court proceedings in Dillon, Judge Loren Tucker sentenced Charles Foster to six months of house arrest (with a

conditional 10-year suspended sentence with the Department of Corrections). Charles Foster also lost all hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for life (this means within Montana and 43 other Wildlife Violator Compact States). In addition, he cannot accompany anyone hunting, fishing, or trapping for 10 years.

For her part, Sally Foster was given a 5-year suspended sentence, lost her hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for ten years, and cannot accompany anyone hunting, fishing or trapping for five years.

Jointly, the Fosters were also fined $2,500 and will be responsible for $9,150 in restitution for the unlawfully taken fish and game animals. All unlawfully taken fish and game animal parts were forfeited to the state.

“It is a good day for the people who enjoy Montana’s fish and wildlife resources, knowing that the Fosters were held accountable for the violations they committed over a ten year period,” says lead FWP Investigator Chad Murphy.

In August, Charles Foster pled guilty to four felony counts of unlawful possession of game animals, and one felony count of tampering with evidence. At that time, he admitted to numerous crimes including failing to tag animals, transfer of hunting licenses, and taking over-limits of game animals. The tampering charged stemmed from his hiding of his camera’s memory card from investigators. The card stored numerous pictures of the unlawful hunting and fishing violations.

Sally Foster had pled guilty in August to two felony counts of unlawful possession of game animals and one count of misdemeanor fishing without a license.

March 2015 27

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Pivot Corners Now Eligible For Upland Habitat Buffers Program Pheasants Forever

P

ivot corners will now be eligible for enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program’s “Habitat for Upland Birds” practice, according to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. The practice has become the trademark for bobwhite quail habitat creation and is commonly referred to as the “bobwhite buffers” program, but is equally beneficial to ring-necked pheasants.

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Officially known as Conservation Practice 33, the purpose of this practice is to reverse the long-term decline of pheasants, quail and other upland bird populations by providing needed nesting and brood-rearing habitat adjacent to cropland.

These important upland habitat components have declined due to more intense grazing and cropping practices – resulting in the elimination of weedy field borders, abandoned farmsteads and small disturbed areas loved by quail and pheasants. There are more than 240,000 bobwhite buffer acres currently enrolled across the country.

In recent years, however, applications for this type of habitat creation have slowed. To encourage more participation, USDA’s new policy focuses on farmland with center-pivot irrigation systems where there are circular areas of cropland with patches of land beyond the reach of irrigation. Until now, these patches – known as pivot corners – were only eligible for habitat creation when connected by a linear strip of grassland also enrolled in the program. The new policy allows producers interested in habitat creation to use disconnected pivot corners to help increase the population of upland birds.

“Over the last decade, bobwhite buffers have been our best tool for creating habitat specific to bobwhite quail’s needs. This pivot corner modification provides flexibility in creating more of that critical quail edge habitat,” explained Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s President and CEO. “We’re encouraged by this move from USDA to look for new ways to create habitat, and look forward to working with FSA and partners to enroll CP33 practices which will benefit quail, pheasants and other grassland species throughout the country.”

Interested landowners can enroll pivot corners in the Conservation Reserve Program at any time. Participants and land must meet certain eligibility requirements. For additional details, contact your local Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Farm Bill wildlife biologist, or your local Farm Service Agency office.

28 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Join us April 18th for the Bitterroot Chapter Banquet

where fun and fund-raising combine for a memorable event - all in a spirit of camaraderie shared by folks who love the outdoors.

1st Interstate Event Center Ravalli County Fairgrounds - Hamilton Doors open at 4:30 pm

RMEF Raises $655,000 to Benefit Wildlife Conservation Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

W ildlife and land conservation are the big winners thanks to a recent special gathering sponsored by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

in Tucson, Arizona. The Hunters Rendezvous Auction raised a total of $655,000 specifically designated for the seven state agencies that provided special big game hunting tags.

“One hundred percent of the funds raised from the auction of these special big game state permits go back to the individual states,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “These permits are a public trust and returning all of the proceeds they generate at this national event to the states for the benefit of wildlife and conservation is just the right thing to do.”

State game and fish agency special tags are offered to RMEF and other wildlife conservation organizations to raise revenue as an investment in the wildlife resource and its management, habitat enhancement and America’s hunting heritage. The funding also goes directly toward on-the-ground conservation projects that benefit habitat for elk, deer and other wildlife, and assists state agencies dealing with budgetary challenges.

Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Washington offered a combined total of seven elk tags and one big game enhancement package. Hunters attending in person and via telephone then offered bids for each specific tag.

These limited tags are very rare and deemed “special” because they often feature extended seasons that may cover an entire state with some exceptions. State agencies provide the remainder of their tags through general application, a draw system, and over-the-counter opportunities ensuring that the everyday hunter has the opportunity to hunt.

“If you look at the big picture, the revenue generated from only one tag can make a substantial difference for all our wildlife and also for improving hunting opportunity,” added Allen.

Below is a list of the state special permits auctioned off: •Arizona Special Elk Tag $140,000 •Colorado Special Elk Permit $34,000 •Montana Special Elk Permit $28,500 •Nevada Heritage Rocky Mountain Elk Tag $100,000 •New Mexico Enhancement Package $200,000 •New Mexico Special Elk License $50,000 •Pennsylvania Elk Permit $52,500 •Washington Eastside Elk Permit $50,000 “RMEF historically generates up to one million dollars each year for state game and fish agencies by auctioning off these special state tags and permits,” said Allen. “This is yet another example of how Hunting is Conservation.”

Celebrating One Million Dollars Raised.

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March 2015 29

REGIONAL NEWS 

5-Year Season Structure Colorado Parks & Wildlife A

t the September 2014 Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting, the Commission approved the Big Game Season Structure for 2015-2019.

CPW extends an enormous thank you to all the public who shared their input on how we could improve our season structure. We heard from thousands of individuals through our Big Game Attitude Survey, telephone town halls, focus groups, public meetings and public comments submitted online. We heard from both residents and nonresident hunters, from hunting and conservation organizations and from thousands of interested citizens. CPW staff carefully considered everything we heard and used this feedback to inform recommendations to the Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Summary of changes starting in 2015 Youth Hunting In order to provide more opportunities to young hunters in Colorado, a minimum of 15 percent of limited licenses for doe pronghorn, antlerless and either-sex deer, and antlerless elk in all seasons and manners of take, except public Ranching for Wildlife and Air Force Academy seasons, will be available for youth hunters ages 12-17.

In addition, youth hunters with unfilled limited antlerless or either-sex elk or deer licenses will be permitted to hunt any open antlerless rifle season for that species within the same units after their original licensed season has closed. Youth hunters are required to convert an unfilled either-sex elk or deer license to an antlerless license for the appropriate species prior to hunting in any antlerless season following the closure of their original licensed season.

30 - Hunting & Fishing News

Deer, Elk, Moose & Pronghorn The Big Game Season Structure for 2015-2019 will remain unchanged for deer, elk and moose. This is also true for pronghorn except for muzzleloader season, which will open on September 21 (the day following closure of the archery pronghorn season) and run for 9 days. Public input demonstrated that most hunters are satisfied with the current season structure for these species and as a result, CPW kept most seasons the same. We also heard comments concerning the overlap among methods of take, especially for pronghorn, which CPW addressed through the change in the timing of pronghorn muzzleloader season.

Mountain Lions & Black Bears April and regular mountain lion seasons will remain unchanged. However, CPW will initiate a process to establish a new fall mountain lion season in the future for hunters with a valid elk/deer license that will be valid during open rifle elk or deer seasons (hunting with hounds not permitted). For black bears, an over the counter archery season will open on September 2 and close on September 30 with no season participation restrictions. Another change for black bears is that there will be two regular rifle limited bear seasons with the first opening on September 2 and closing on September 30 and the second opening with 1st rifle elk and ending with the close of the 4th rifle deer/elk season. These licenses will only be valid during open rifle deer/elk seasons and hunters must have a valid deer/elk license overlapping at least one of their bear unit(s) if hunting west of I-25 or in GMU 140. These changes were made in response to public interest in providing more hunting opportunity for these species while factoring in other management considerations.

Preference Points No changes are being made to the preference point system. This system establishes a wait list or draw priority for Colorado’s limited licenses to hunt deer, elk, pronghorn and bear.

Hunters with more preference points have a greater chance of drawing their preferred hunt. CPW received a large amount of very diverse public comments in regards to the preference points system. The basic problem is that the “list” is growing longer with more hunters holding more points. The consequence is that some of the highest demand hunts feel out of reach, even for hunters who have been waiting in line and collecting preference points for a long time.

Preference points, concerns regarding preference point creep and interest in banking were some of the most common issues addressed in written public comments received by CPW. According to the Big Game Attitude Survey which was filled out by over 3,000 randomly selected hunters, only about 5 percent of respondents were interested in banking.

The survey also found that there was more interest in banking by hunters holding a high number of points. For respondents who had fewer preference points, there was more interest in a random draw where they would have more of a chance to draw the high demand hunts.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife considered these comments with great care and looked at numerous options for making changes to the system.

CPW strives to balance predictability for hunters waiting to draw with access to our hunts and ability to be able to hunt every year with offering preference to hunters who consistently participate in the draw.

The current system takes all of these into account and any change to the system would have a negative impact on one of these factors.

As a result, CPW recommended no change to the system which was approved by the Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Summary of Public Input Received The public input received reflected a high degree of satisfaction with the current Big Game Season Structure, especially with the timing and structure of the current deer, elk and moose seasons. CPW heard an interest from hunters in adjusting seasons for pronghorn to address the timing of different methods of take. Hunters communicated a strong interest in increasing opportunities for youth to access licenses and to participate in big game hunts. As mentioned above, CPW received a number of written comments raising concerns with the preference point system. In addition, CPW heard from hunters that they would like more opportunity to hunt black bears and mountain lions. For details on the public involvement process and on the public input received in regards to the Big Game Season Structure, please see our Summary Report of Public Involvement...

REGIONAL NEWS  Burlington Hunter Bags World Record Crossbow Elk Wyoming Game & Fish

S outhwest Montana Chapter

28 TH ANNUAL BANQUET AND FUNDRAISER Tickets must be purchased in advance.

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Saturday, April 18

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Bring The Family For A Night Of Fun.

Our banquet has over 25 games with many of them for firearms!

We have games and auctions to satisfy the young and old.

Please bring the whole family.

W hen Burlington hunter Albert Henderson went hunting near Dubois this past fall he had no idea that his annual hunt during the

archery season would be one for the record book. By the end of the hunt, Henderson’s efforts were rewarded with what would later be verified as the largest elk ever taken with a crossbow.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department congratulates Mr. Henderson.

Our banquet offers Butte’s bigger better deal raffle package with savings you can’t beat . $100 general raffle tickets, 5 Les Schwab raffle tickets, 5 progressive raffle tickets, and 5 elk country raffle tickets.

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Henderson’s elk was scored at 426 1/8 points on the Safari Club International (SCI) scoring system.

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of elk are taken in all elk states that exceed 400 points.

New State Record Perch Caught Out Of Boysen Reservoir

SCI maintains records for trophies taken with various weapons including rifle, handgun, muzzleloader, bow and crossbow. Under the more familiar Boone and Crockett scoring system, Henderson’s elk measured 408 points easily placing it in the top five percent of elk ever entered in the record books. The minimum score to qualify for the Boone and Crockett record book is 375 points – very few elk are taken each year that make the 375 minimum. Annually, only a handful

“This is an incredible hunting story and we tip our hats to Mr. Henderson.

Wyoming is home to some of the most impressive wildlife in the world, but not everyone gets to see these animals, let alone hunt them,” said Game and Fish Director Scott Talbott. “Now is a great time to start planning to make your own memories in 2015.”

What makes Henderson’s trophy especially noteworthy is that it was taken on public land on a General License in the Shoshone National Forest.

Henderson was into the fifth day of his hunt and was working to get closer to another good bull when he saw his record book animal that was with a cow. Unable to get the elk to come closer he stalked to close the distance to 53 yards when the elk presented a perfect broadside shot. The elk only traveled a little over 100 yards where he found it dead.

Henderson said he has hunted in the area a number of times and had seen bulls in the 350 class, but nothing that approached the size of his record animal. He had bagged his only other crossbow elk in 2013 after more than 10 years of hunting. Over the years, several of his family members have also bagged elk with a crossbow.

Wyoming Game & Fish

W

yoming has a new state record yellow perch thanks to the efforts of Casper angler Troy Schnepper who reeled in a 2.28 pound fish last week while jigging through the ice at Boysen Reservoir.

Schnepper’s fish was 15.25 inches long and had a girth of 12.5 inches. It bested the previous state record which has stood since 1991 by a little more than an ounce. Schnepper has the distinction of being the only person in Wyoming now holding two state fish records. He is the current black crappie record holder for a fish he caught two years ago, also out of Boysen Reservoir.

Schnepper, who fishes Boysen often, said he was fishing primarily for crappie, jigging a small spoon tipped with a minnow head when the fish hit. He said the fishing had been good and he had earlier caught three 15-inch crappie, each weighing around two pounds.

When the perch took his lure, he thought it was a walleye and on landing the fish thought it might be a new state record. His fish was confirmed as the new record later that day after being weighed on a certified scale.

Perch are found in a number of waters in Wyoming...

A complete listing of Wyoming state record fish is on the Game and Fish website wgfd.wyo.gov.

March 2015 31

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NOT THE BUCKS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?

(continued from page 8)

GH: So then what’s the status quo for producing trophy bucks (200+) on a regular basis? Do units ever manage for particular sized bucks and bulls?

BD: It’s not that we don’t care about score, but truly what we are managing for is opportunity. Across the state we manage for hunters’ access to a resource. In some instances, we want to provide a wide range of opportunities that go from easy access to the resource, meaning that there are high license numbers, high ability to hunt these deer, which would generally translate into probably fewer trophy bucks. But we also want to have some places in the state where you can have a really great trophy hunt. I think we do that for folks. But our interest is in managing for everybody, not only people who are interested in those trophy deer. They’re very valuable constituents but there’s also the guy who just really loves to hunt deer and wants the opportunity to take his kids out to hunt deer. They’re not really interested in what they harvest, they just want to have a chance to do it. We can’t preferentially treat one group over another. Our goal is to Photo credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manage a resource, so that’s the key.

32 - Hunting & Fishing News

GH: What’s the proper buck-to-doe ratio for a Game Management Unit (GMU)?

BD: When you look at the ratios, I don’t think a certain buck-to-doe ratio guarantees anything with size. But, what it does tell the hunter in general is the proportion of bucks you might see in the population.

So, in general, if you’re hunting in a population that has 20 bucks per 100, you’re going to encounter fewer bucks than if you were hunting in a population that had 35 to 40 bucks per 100.

Because of the higher buck-to-doe ratio, in general, it would suggest that there’s a higher likelihood of more mature bucks in that population.

A higher proportion of bucks means the potential exists for older age-class deer which might be more trophy quality. But then if you have a low buck-to-doe ratio, I don’t want to say there are no trophy-sized bucks there. We have a DAU [Data Analysis Unit] Photo credit: Colorado Parks & Wildlife

locally here that doesn’t have a very high buck-to-doe ratio, it’s in the mid to higher 20s. But there are some tremendous bucks in that population. What I don’t want anyone to come away with is thinking that because it’s a low buck to doe ratio that means it’s just a year and a half old bucks and I’m not going to see anything worth shooting as a trophy hunter. I don’t believe that to be true at all. You can easily have mature bucks in a setting where the management strategy is for a lower buck-to-doe ratio.

GH: Why would a unit manage for a lower buck to doe ratio?

BD: We might be managing for higher opportunity in those instances.

If everything was in the 40 to 50 bucks per 100 does as an objective, we couldn’t let that many licenses go. We’d have to be super restrictive in terms of the number of licenses that we would allow. That means that people just wouldn’t get a chance to hunt deer all that often.

We do have areas where we manage for higher opportunity.

There’s a good, diverse range across the state of trophy quality versus maximum opportunity.

We’ll just say this: biology happens even with a low buck to doe ratio. You really do not need a bunch of bucks in the population to make biology happen. They’re very good and probably quite happy to manage for a low buck to doe ratio. I wouldn’t advocate for this, but there used to be places in Colorado’s history that had low buck to doe ratios, like less than 20. From what I understand, that wasn’t a limiting factor on population growth or anything. You were just likely not going to see older age-class deer. One buck can definitely take care of a lot of does.

GH: What is the proper harvest success on trophy bucks to make sure they’re replenishing?

BD: We really don’t even look at that. When we talk about our ratios, we’re just talking ratios. We don’t differentiate whether the buck is

a trophy or not. It’s just a buck. When we ask people to report, we just ask them “did you harvest a male or a female?” … Really what we want to know is if we’re still on track for meeting that buck to doe ratio objective. Whether it’s a trophy or not really doesn’t come into the equation.

GH: Is it possible to shoot out genetics if the tag quota is too high in a unit?

BD: This probably won’t be a satisfying answer for most hunters.

This isn’t something that we [CPW biologists] really think about.

I did my Masters work on bear genetics, but that’s not quite the same. There are two factors that actually factor into the potential trophy quality of a buck. Part of that is genetics, whatever their antler conformation would be, but then also there’s age. This whole idea has become big in places like Texas, where they really try to manage the genetics of a herd. We really don’t have the ability to necessarily do that. What’s generally forgotten about [when talking about genetic management] is that obviously the male contribution is there, but there’s a huge contribution on the doe side of things. That’s typically not talked about in wildlife harvest. The doe provides a fair amount of the genetic material. The whole idea that if we harvest all the mature bucks we’ll never have mature bucks again, I don’t buy that personally. There’s still a genetic reservoir sitting there in the does.

They’ll pass on whatever traits they have onto their male offspring.

So this whole genetic thing is not something we explicitly consider, but it’s something I hear a lot about.

I’ll give a great example. Colorado is the only state where you can come and you can hunt over-the-counter for elk. The way we actually regulate bull harvest is by putting a four point restriction on our bulls.

The restriction means that there needs to be at least four points or more on one side or the other. A bull elk typically gets to four points by two and a half years of age. So because of biology, most elk are going to achieve legal status to be harvested by two and a half years of age. What we’ve saved in that process are spike elk, elk that are one and a half years of age.

They’re going to have a single spike that projects off of their heads this season, but one year later, they’re essentially legal bulls.

If this whole genetic thing were true, well, we allow people to shoot as many Photo credit: Colorado Parks & Wildlife four point or more bulls as they can. It’s an unlimited number of licenses. We can do that because we’ve saved the spike component of the population that’s going to recruit and be legal in a year.

But, we haven’t made a bunch of elk that aren’t four points. All they really need to get big is age, they don’t need any genetic modification.

Maybe I’m not getting something or haven’t read enough literature on the deer side of things, but I don’t see genetics being a big factor on elk.

GH: What is the average age that a GMU needs in order to be classified as a trophy unit?

BD: We don’t classify game units as trophy unit. You would have to draw your own conclusions based on the buck to doe ratio.

The term trophy doesn’t really come into our management plan.

I mean, trophy, it’s obviously in the eye of the beholder. What’s a big trophy to one person is not going to be a big trophy to another.

So it’s a personal preference issue and we stay away from that as far as I know. I don’t know of a place where we make statements like “this is managed for a trophy unit.” Maybe they are there and I just don’t know about them.

Conclusion from goHUNT When some think of unit management, it’s a common misconception for hunters to think that the majority of units are managed for trophy class bucks or bulls. When in fact game managers are solely focused on herd quality and opportunity.

This information is great to understand because it shows that areas with trophy bucks are normally ones with healthy herds and great genetics. When you manage healthy buck to doe ratios, animals get the chance to have an increased antler size due to higher age class from proper management by the state. Genetics will always thrive it just comes down to how the herd is managed.

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FIND MORE SHED ANTLERS NOW

By Mark Kayser

I

remember it almost like, well yesterday. Clichés aside, the small, decomposing shed whitetail antler I found that day in the ponderosa pine forest set me on a path to trying to find more and more antlers. Today that goal has challenges with work, family and yes work again. Nevertheless, through years of experience, dismal outings and putting learned lessons to use, my trips for shed antlers have exponentially become more prosperous.

If you want to increase your finds in the fields and forests, try some of the strategies that have put more bone in my barn over the years. The more you know and the more you put into it, the higher your success will be at the end of the day. And for those of you with questionable stalking abilities smile since you’re after an inanimate object. Take a break from savviness to embrace a walk in the woods.

First, pick the right window to do your hunting. Like the deer or elk rut, there’s an optimum window to pick up shed antlers and it’s not always when they drop. Deer generally drop their antlers in February and March whereas elk drop in March and April. That’s the starting gate, but in some arid areas with limited grass growth you can actually shed hunt year-round. Unfortunately in timber, rodents, particularly squirrels, will gnaw antlers to a nub speedily. Find them within a month or so, or you won’t find them at all.

There’s also another consideration you need to investigate. Will your efforts bump deer or elk stressed from winter? Deer and elk are at their lowest physical state going into spring with many suffering from a 20 percent, or more, loss of body mass. If your searching looks like it will push animals around then you may want to postpone it for another day. Many public areas even have opening and closing dates for entrance, and the increasing trend of shed antler hunting has led to seasons or certification in some states.

©Marci Renee | Shutterstock

34 - Hunting & Fishing News

Now think about getting in shape. Deer and elk cover several miles each day going from food to refuge.

This means they can drop their antlers anywhere in between. You’ll need to crisscross a specific area.

From day to day animals may only go a mile or more, but over the course of a few weeks they may alter that route creating a wide swath of country to cover. In some whitetail areas you may only hike a couple of miles, but in mule deer or elk country you may experience hikes of a dozen miles, or more a day.

Most of my hikes average eight miles and when I go after elk sheds the roundtrip averages from 12 to 17 miles.

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Next, search smart. Grid the area like a CSI team would after

a horrendous crime. Mentally map the location and crisscross it with swaths wide enough where you can see your last track. Biodegradable fluorescent tape can aid in searching an area systematically and keeping you on a straight-line path. If fences crisscross the region follow them as well. Deer or elk may jostle an antler loose while land on the other side. The same is true of logs, rocky chasms or canyon bottoms.

I routinely find antlers lying anywhere a big animal has jumped and landed.

Bring along your binocular if you really want to add more bone to your backpack. Use optics to scan across large fields, across canyons and even to verify if you’re looking at a bleached branch or an antler tip on the forest floor. Last year I was on an open mountain glassing across a creek bottom to the far side. I thought I spied an antler, but it was so far away I also thought my mind might be playing a trick on me. I waved for my son to come over and together using our Nikon Monarch 7 binoculars (www.nikonsportoptics.com) we surmised it was clearly a six-point elk shed antler resting on an open bench.

I made my way over and not only did I find that antler, but its match and a monster elk shed from years past.

To get the best view elevate yourself like I did to find the elk sheds.

Whether you ascend a small hill, ridge or mountain, use the elevation to give you a bird’s-eye view of the region. Whether I’m scanning alfalfa fields or Western slopes, I try to get high and look down.

I’ll even use my horses to save calories and elevate myself above tall grass or sagebrush.

Finally, look in the best places such as near food, bedding cover and the trails in between. Southern slopes also attract big game looking for protection from brisk north winds and it’s the best location to soak up warm winter rays while munching. There is one exception though.

Trophy animals detach themselves from the herd much of the year and winter is no different. Look for out-of-the-way micro environments offering isolation, thick cover and a nearby food source for the biggest sheds. Bushwhacking through thick brush often pays off in antler dividends.

Hunting for shed antlers provides you with two distinct prizes.

You may possibly get the trophy of stately antlers from a mature animal, but even better; you gather even more clues to put you that much closer to that animal for the coming hunting season.

You win regardless of how you break it down.

To keep up with Mark Kayser visit him on FaceBook looking under Mark Kayser, Public Figure: (https://www.facebook.com/pages/ Mark-Kayser/119789001392664?ref=ts&fref=ts)

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March 2015 35

Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors New Gear Review

Temple Fork Outfitters Fly Line

Selecting the right line for your rod can be very frustrating - not to mention expensive. Temple Fork Outfitters and Cortland have combined their fishing expertise to create the highest performance, affordable line on the market. Not only will the line’s features satisfy the most demanding anglers, but they are specifically designed to maximize the performance of your TFO rods.

TFO fly lines feature Cortland’s Precision Shooting Technology for improved durability and slickness. The high-quality braided nylon core allows the lines to be used in all your favorite destinations- from your most secret trout stream to your favorite tarpon flat. Weight lines available in weight forward line 4 - 7 weights at your Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors Stores.

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This gun was the hot talk of the 2015 SHOT Show.

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CCI A17 Varmint Tip Ammunition CCI’s varmint lineup offers several loads in a variety of calibers that utilize unique bullet technologies to deliver what we covet most: devastating performance on varmints, time after time. Try some CCI A17 varmint ammo today! You’ll be glad you did when you take that next shot.

Lamson Liquid Reel

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Waterworks-Lamson Reels Rethinking How You Catch Fish

Believing that fly reels were poorly designed, the Waterworks-Lamson team began a total re-think of the fly reel. Reels were too complicated; they were using too many parts; drag systems and other running parts were exposed to the elements; reels were too heavy. Enter the Lamson Liquid Reel and Lamson Remix.

Lamson Liquid Reel

Let’s face it, die cast reels are intended to be low cost alternatives to a machined reel, right? Imported, heavier, easier to damage, plain Jane, etc. Well . . . not necessarily. Structurally you can do things with casting that you can’t machine, such as full radiused compound curves, near zero-radius inside corners, and for precise fit and finish you can go back and machine the cast part in critical areas amplifying the best aspects of the process. The components critical to the drag system are CNC-machined here in the U.S. Add some color to your reels with the Lamson Liquid Color Sleeves. These anodized color sleeves fit over the existing cassette; customization has never been this easy. Choose from three colors: burnt orange, coral blue and salsa green.

Lamson Remix

A fusion between the free-form structures of a cast spool and the mechanical integrity of a CNC-machined case, Remix is a hybrid.

The case, CNC-machined here in the U.S. from 6061 bar-stock aluminum, delivers maximum structural rigidity and durability all wrapped in a harder, brighter finish. The spool, pressure cast with radiused compound curves, near zero-radius inside corners and a precise fit and finish, delivers both value and sex appeal.

Remix brings together the best of CNC machining and pressure-cast technologies to deliver an unprecedented level of quality for a bit more than $150. In addition to the US-made case, all critical drag components are CNC-machined here in the U.S. And like Liquid, Remix reels are assembled in Boise by Lamson’s skilled and experienced team.

The result of this Remix? High performance, reliability, quality assurance and sex appeal.

Add some color to your reel with the Lamson Remix Color Sleeve.

These anodized color sleeves fit over the existing cassette; customization has never been this easy. Choose from three colors: burnt orange, coral blue and salsa green.

Waterworks-Lamson’s customers say it the best.

David Larson Writes: 20 lb. Rainbow “After 5,000 casts over several days time, this 36x18 inch (20 lb) lake rainbow was caught on a large streamer fly in the middle of the night.

When you finally hook that fish of a lifetime, you’d better have a Lamson.”

Regards, David Larson – Owner – Provo River Outfitters

See these and other fine products at one of the 5 Montana Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoor stores or shop 24/7 at bobwards.com 36 - Hunting & Fishing News

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GUN REPORT Mossberg MMR™ Hunter

Features: Autoloading Direct-Impingement Gas System Chambered in 5.56mm NATO (.223 Rem.) Deluxe stark pistol grip with battery compartment 5+1 capacity, accepts standard AR magazines Stock: A2-Style synthetic Overall Length: 39” Weight: 7 lb Free gun lock/2-Year Limited Warranty MSRP: $1,028

Sako A7 Roughtech Pro

Sako Roughtech Pro is a true hunting and shooting rifle designed for regular big game hunting. The Roughtech stock has a fully integrated aluminium bedding that ensures precise, rigid chassis, as well as a rough surface texture that ensures a solid grip in all weather conditions.

Snowy Mountain’s Long Range Hunter

Performance Shop M2 Waterfowl Edition From Benelli The new 20-Gauge Waterfowl Edition delivers all the punch needed in the blind, all in a slimmer, lighter sub-gauge purpose-built with the same optimal performance and specialized features found in the Performance Shop’s SBE II Waterfowl Edition 12-Gauge.

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March 2015 37

Camouflage, Concealment and Coyotes

By Tim Titus no-off-season.com

T he camouflage industry is flourishing. New patterns emerge every year. New materials become available and everyone has their favorite pattern or patterns. People get attached to their favorite camo patterns.

It seems that critiquing someone’s favorite camo pattern is akin to bad- mouthing their mother—you better be ready to fight! I love camouflage. It makes a statement. It shows our outdoor heritage. It makes us feel stealthier. And, proper camouflage actually does serve a purpose in the field by helping the hunter blend into their surroundings and breaking up the outline disguising the human form. Coyotes are amazing animals with some of the most acute senses of any animal. To take them consistently requires a hunter to do © Mikael Males | Dreamstime.com many things big and small correctly. Proper camouflage and concealment can help up the odds.

Part of the proliferation of camouflage patterns is due to the fact that one size doesn’t fit all. Different vegetation types as well as changing seasons require different colors and/or patterns to maximize your ability to blend into the flora. Becoming the bush depends on the bush you are trying to emulate. Add to all of that the differing requirements associated with different ways of playing the game and choosing your camo becomes even more complicated. For instance, the camo needs of the long range rifleman are next to nil unless you are mixing in some calling stands.

Shotgunning called coyotes is a whole ‘nuther ball of wax...

Coyotes are color blind. Reds are particularly gray to them but they may see blues somewhat better. (Gerry Blair is famous for calling a coyote in a Santa Claus suit.) That said, effective camouflage clothing needs to be of similar hew to the vegetation you want to hide in. The actual color of the pattern is less important. However, this suggests that blue jeans might not be the best choice for calling. The more effective camo patterns will also be more “open” with larger areas of color. Finely detailed camo patterns that have a more monochromatic color scheme will look like one color from a distance. This isn’t a make or break issue for a given pattern but it changes its effectiveness. Three dimensional camo fabric adds much to your camouflage...

The ghillie suit made famous by our military snipers may be the most effective camouflage yet. Whether it is necessary for your hunting situation is up to the hunter and the animals he or she is hunting. The benefits of the ghillie are offset by its weight, its propensity to gather twigs and burs and in some instances its way of getting caught in your rifle bolt or the charging handle of your AR and the occasional barbed wire fence. Nonetheless, it is no doubt some of the best camo available. Leafywear, lightweight ghillies and ghillies made with cloth strips are available or you can make your own to fit your specific area.

Although camouflage gets an almost inordinate amount of attention our real goal is concealment. Camouflage is but just a part of concealment.

Concealment is the sum total of all you do in your set-up and your camouflage. If a hunter hides behind something, camo clothing would be unnecessary. But, I learned early in my coyote calling career that it was a poor idea to sit behind brush when calling. The same brush that hides the hunter becomes a liability to getting a clear shot when the coyote arrives. Pop-up blinds are an example of being hidden without need for camo clothing.

However, blinds take time to set up and transporting the blind from stand to stand becomes a complication. For most of us, blinds are impractical and, with good camouflage and concealment tactics, unnecessary.

38 - Hunting & Fishing News

As mentioned already, concealment requires camouflage clothing that blends reasonably well with whatever the background is. My brother uses a ghillie suit with lots of dark green and browns. It is an amazing piece of camouflage in the forest or in scattered juniper but in the desert, it stands out like the proverbial sore thumb. Choose something that is the correct hew for area you’re hunting...Break up your outline or silhouette by sitting in front of something. A single bush or Yucca plant can provide enough backdrop to make you invisible to a predator if you ensure your head and shoulders are below the top of the bush.

Keep the perspective of the incoming predator in mind. An animal coming up slope may cause the hunter to become skylined as they approach from below. And, while we are discussing skylines and outlines, be sure to use any cover you can when cresting a skyline heading for your stand. The top of the hill is not the place to stop for a meeting with your hunting partner or to make final decisions on your set-up location. Move quickly below the top of the ridge before stopping...

Those same eyes that don’t see well at long distance pick up quick, jerking movements easily. So, whether on stand or approaching your stand, avoid quick movements or gesturing with your arms or shooting sticks. It is rare that anyone stays absolutely still on stand. In most situations, some movement is required to see approaching predators.

Concealment requires those movements to be slooooow. Quick movements by hunters result in many predators keeping their skins intact rather than ending up in the fur shed. Cats are even more acutely aware of movement. They are also more methodical approaching your stand.

Cats are stalking the sound they hear. They are very visual making concealment and slow moves even more imperative than with coyotes.

And, before leaving the area of movement and concealment, whenever possible make your moves while the predator is moving. A stationary animal has a much better chance of seeing movements around it than an animal in motion. If the coyote is stopped scanning the area, don’t move! Wait until it begins to move again before you make your move.

Setting up in the sun makes it much easier for predators to detect you while the sun shining in the approaching predator’s eyes makes it more difficult for them to see. If you’ve ever forgotten your ball cap or brimmed hat and hunted towards the rising or setting sun you will understand the wisdom of this. Pay attention the next time you watch an episode of Predator Quest and see where the shadows are falling.

If the sun is out, the shadows are falling away from the camera and hunter. Sure, it makes for better footage but it also puts the predator at the disadvantage. Whether you like Les Johnson’s show or not he knows a couple of things about predator hunting.

What are my current favorite camouflage patterns for the desert?

Although it is fairly even in tone, the color of Mossy Oak Brush works well in our sage and greasewood areas. King’s Desert Shadow and Snow Shadow are favorites and lately I’ve been using the Vais camouflage pattern from KUIU. It is a high contrast, open pattern that works in more environments than a person would think at first glance..Any gloves that hide the shine of your hands are also helpful.

My son, Ben and I met a friend, Dale Casey, to hunt a property he was living on. After the rancher finished feeding the cows, we slipped out and set up next to an island of uncut grass and brush in a hay meadow.

Although there were three of us in a relatively small area, we were all wearing appropriate camo clothes and were setting with brush or tall grass behind us. Less than four minutes into the set a mature female came hard across the meadow towards the call. She ran straight to the caller, stopped and stared at the decoy totally oblivious to our presence less than five yards away. A load of number four buck was more than effective at that distance...Memories were made and fur was in the truck. Would we have been successful without the camo? Possibly.

But, it was a circumstance that made a high level of concealment necessary.

The next time you think camouflage broaden your perspective and try to think in terms of concealment. Camo is good but concealment is the real objective. The level of concealment required will depend on your circumstances and the wariness of the coyotes in your area. I tend to err on the side of caution when hunting predators. Predators are some of the most difficult animals on the planet to hunt. Take every precaution necessary to get sufficient concealment. It will put more fur in the shed and fewer coyotes will leave with their degree in their paws. Besides, when it all comes down to it, I just like gear.

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Early Spring Fishing

By Bob Humphrey Yamaha Outdoors Tips

F ishing season is upon us, which means it’s time to strap the rods and tackle box on your four-wheeler, load the cooler and a cook stove on your Viking, or trailer up the boat and head for the local river, lake, stream or pond. But bear in mind, fishing the first open water may call for different techniques than later in the season.

Pike, ...and Muskies - As the ice goes out, sometimes even before, water wolves move into the shallows to spawn.

The best locations are the shallow weedy bays and river mouths. Live or dead suckers in the 4- to 8-inch range are a good bait choice and heavy mono or steel leaders are de rigeur, the former being less apt to spook these toothy predators.

Salmon and Lake Trout - Landlocked Atlantic and Pacific salmon get hungry as the water warms up and forage fish move into the shallows and up the tributaries to spawn. Early morning often produces the best action trolling live smelt, streamer fly patterns, or spoons and wobblers. A fish finder can be a big help finding schools of bait. Shore fisherman should target tributary mouths and use bobbers to keep live bait near the surface.

Or, you can use in-line bobbers to cast a fly.

Trout - Trout will also be cruising the shoreline and so should you.

The best method for boaters is slow-trolling small, diving plugs.

Shore fishermen usually opt for the old standbys like a worm and a bobber or salmon eggs.

Photo: Bob Humphrey 40 - Hunting & Fishing News

Bass - The big fish probably won’t move into the shallows until the weed beds re-grow. Troll along or cast to drop-offs where big fish will be cruising.

And you don’t necessarily need to be out there at the crack of dawn.

The action heats up with the water temperatures.

Photo courtesy Steve Hickoff

Using Four-Wheelers This Spring

By Steve Hickoff Yamaha Outdoors Tips

T

... hree ways to enjoy your Yamaha ATV or Side x Side in the outdoors this spring follow here: TURKEY HUNTING Look at any turkey hunting specialty catalogue and you’ll notice two things right away: hunting blinds and decoys are promoted as the two trending gear items. Yep, you can lug both on your back in specially designed carry cases.

You can also haul them on the back of your four wheels.

SPRING FISHING Maybe you don’t spring turkey hunt; or maybe you do down south and you’re done. Either way, it’s time to rig up your spin-, bait- or fly-casting rod and enjoy the season at hand.

There’s no better way to access distant angling locations (always check regulations first) than with your rig.

BLIND BUILDING Hardcore waterfowl hunters erect wood duck nesting boxes, train retrievers, carve decoys and make blinds in the off-season to keep their steady pace moving toward early-fall hunts. As blind building goes, it involves many aspects: • You may need to regain or confirm landowner permission.

• You may want to clear debris from the location, especially after what winter dished out this year.

• You may begin rebuilding a new blind or simply hanging out in your old haunts.

A four-wheeler will help you get there and back, enjoying the ride along the way...

See One Of These Yamaha Dealers Today.

Bozeman

Butte

Great Falls

Hamilton

Helena

Missoula

Blitz Motorsports Staack’s Motorsports Steve’s Sports Center 145 Rawhide Ridge Rd. 102 E. Galena St. 4700 9th Ave. South 406-522-7533 406-782-2623 406-727-8607 Al’s Cycle 619 Highway 93N. 406-363-3433

Townsend

Montana Motorsports Five Valley Yamaha & Marine 5900 Hwy. 93 S. 3654 US Hwy. 12 E. 406-251-5900 406-449-6595

Townsend Marine 7809 Hwy. 287 So. 406-266-5700

*0%-10% down payment required. Applies to purchases of new 2011-2015 Motorcycles, Scooters, ATVs & Side x Sides, made on a Yamaha Installment Financing loan account from 12/28/14 to 6/30/15.

Offer is subject to credit approval by Synchrony Financial. Maximum contract length is 36 months. Minimum amount financed is $5,000. Fixed APR of 3.99%, 6.99%, 7.99% or 13.99% assigned based on credit approval criteria.

Example: Monthly payments per $1,000 financed based on 36 month term are $29.52 at 3.99% rate and $34.17 at 13.99%. Standard down payment requirement is based on credit approval criteria. **Customer Cash offer good on select 2011-2015 models between 12/28/14 to 6/30/15. Offer good only in the U.S., excluding the state of Hawaii. Dealer remains responsible for complying with all local and state advertising regulations and laws.

ATV models shown are recommended for use only by riders 16 years and older. Yamaha recommends that all ATV riders take an approved training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing.

Never carry passengers. Never engage in stunt riding. Riding and alcohol/ drugs donʼt mix. Avoid excessive speed. And be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Professional riders depicted on closed courses.

Shown with optional accessories. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaOutdoors.com 12/14 March 2015 41

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Spring Bear Hunting

(continued from page 5)

REGION 2: Black bear management units 200, 216, 240, 280, 290 which include areas in Missoula, Mineral, Ravalli, Granite, Powell and Deer Lodge counties. Areas to consider here would be up Hwy. 12 on the Montana/Idaho border, Clark Fork river drainage areas, Swan-Clearwater river drainages, and the Miller Creek area near Missoula. All produce good bear hunting. Hunter success rates vary from around 7 to 8 percent annually.

REGION 3: Black bear management units are 300 and 301 which are around the north Helena area in Lewis and Clark County south to Jefferson County. 316, Big Hole unit which includes Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Beaverhead and Madison Counties. 317, Ruby-Centennial unit west of Butte, 319, Bridger mountains and 341, Madison-Yellowstone-Gallatin unit. All of these Sigrid Olson areas have good populations of black bear. of Potomac Around Helena hunt the mountains around Stemple Pass towards Lincoln on open land, “Here is a photo of the bear I shot on Memorial Day, 2013. south-facing slopes. These are mostly It is my first bear, a 6’6” boar, big timbered areas. Hunt towards the one shot with my .257 Roberts, tops of ridges down towards creek bottoms 75 yards downhill. and drainages His skull measured 19.5 inches! to spot black bear.

-missed the record books by In the Big Hole area, hunt around Melrose north and south along the foothills up from river bottoms on both sides, south to the Dillon area. All of this Continental Divide area is rugged, beautiful country that is perfect habitat for black bear to thrive.

half an inch!

Fish and Game thought he was about 5 or 6 yrs.”

REGION 4: Black bear management units include 411, Snowies Complex around the Judith Basin, Fergus, Petroleum, Musselshell, Golden Valley and Wheatland Counties. 420, Little Belts/Castle Mountains which include portions of Cascade County North, 440, Big Belt Mountains and 450, Rocky Mountain east of Lewis & Clark, Pondera, Teton and Glacier Counties. This area traditionally known for exceptional deer and elk hunting holds black bear as well.

East of the Continental Divide hunt around Fort Benton and the Missouri River areas, Rogers Pass area, Choteau, White Sulphur Springs South to Ringling.

Note: Sun River Preserve closed to black bear hunting.

42 - Hunting & Fishing News

Matt Parliament of Helena with his spring bear.

350-375 pounds, 6 1/2” pads, 6- 6 1/2 footer

REGION 5: Black bear management units include 510, Pryor Mountains of Big Horn, Carbon and Yellowstone counties. 520, Beartooth Face around Park, Sweet Grass Stillwater and Carbon counties, 580, Crazy Mountains of Big Horn, Golden Valley, Meagher, Musselshell, Park, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wheatland, and Yellowstone counties. There are lots of black bear and grizzly bear in these areas.

A black bear and grizzly are fairly easy to tell apart. Just remember the old saying, “If in doubt, don’t shoot.”

Some cinnamon colored black bears do look like a grizzly from far away.

REGION 7: 700 region is the portion of Big Horn, Carter, Custer, Powder River Country, Rosebud, Richland, Dawson Counties east and south to the Wyoming border. Definitely deer and elk country, but good bear hunting in these drainages as well. You must call a harvest reporting line at 877-397-9453 within 48 hours of the kill in the 500 and 700 regions as these areas have small quota limits and will close once these are met. For quota status call 1-800-385-7826.

Be sure you read all current black bear game laws before you head out for the hunt. Good luck this season.

2015 Montana Black Bear Season Dates Spring

Start April 15

End May 31 - June 5

Archery

Sept. 5

Sept. 14

Fall

Sept. 15

Nov. 29

As always, check MFWP regulations before heading out.

March 2015 43

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©Tom Reichner|Shutterstock.com

ou know you have at least one or more gobblers to hunt. How? You heard them on the roost at daybreak or dusk – or both.

That’s half the challenge. Now hunt them seriously.

STEP 1: Fix roosting locations with locator calls or simply by listening to turkeys fly up the night before your hunt.

STEP 2: Rise early enough to make your way there in the dark.

STEP 3: Close in on the roost, walking quietly — you’ll make some noise later yelping to turkeys on the ground. Don’t move too much.

If you call at all, make it a hands-free mouth diaphragm. For added realism, stake a decoy or two near your position and in range (do this in the dark). As turkeys fly down and regroup, a gobbler may move in for a look.

STEP 4: Adjust your setup before action begins; quietly, slowly clearing sticks and debris.

STEP 5: Get comfortable one more time and don’t move much as you listen to turkeys waking up.

STEP 6: Focus your mind right as fly-down time begins — no distractions.

(Notice the emphasis on making ready.)

STEP 7: Watch or listen as turkeys pitch down. Wait … now call softly as they regroup. Pay attention. Did a legal bird pull into range?

If so, take the turkey. If not, let the flock drift.

STEP 8: Where did they go? You’ll want to know to set up between the roost and where they hang out all day – assuming afternoon hours are legal in your state. Be there before fly-up time when they stroll back and close the deal. Get in there early enough to avoid detection.

Call now and then to get a response from approaching birds.

STEP 9: Did you accidentally scare and scatter turkeys while moving in? That’s okay. Relax. If you unintentionally separated a gobbler from the flock, use this to your advantage. Get between this bird and the remaining turkeys — ideally hens he wants to regroup with.

STEP 10: Locate turkeys in wilderness country on your

Yamaha ATV or Side-by-Side. Camp nearby, not far from the birds you’ve found. Make your morning setup miles from the nearest road. Hunt these gobblers yourself.

Start with Step 1 again if nothing works.

Enjoy it. As the saying goes, the journey is the destination.

March 2015 45

46 - Hunting & Fishing News

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