HUNTING & FISHING MONTANA
May 2018
How To Utilize Montana’s BMA’s For Hunting
Overlooked Montana Turkey Hunts Elk Hunting In Predator Country Fishing Yellowstone National Park In Late May Heavy Metal Walleye
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Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park On Opening Day In Late May By Brian McGeehan - Montana Angler For a guided fly fishing trip, call 406-522-9854 or visit www.montanaangler.com
The fishing season in Yellowstone National Park begins at daybreak on the Saturday of
Memorial Day weekend each year. For me, this is a special occasion viewed with much anticipation. The park was the site of my first fly fishing trip as a young kid. I spent my college summers working and living inside of Yellowstone. Presently, I am fortunate enough to guide visiting anglers in the park and share the knowledge that I have accumulated over the years. At 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone’s vast expanse contains an immense variety of fishing options. They do not, however, all fish well at the same times. Perhaps what I enjoy most about fishing in the park is the predictable seasonal shifts that occur each year. From swinging soft hackles on the Firehole in May to fishing Salmonflys on the Brown caught on a Pheasant Tail Yellowstone in July to chasing big lake run fish in October, the fishing season flows along Photo Montana Angler in a dynamic way. Opening day falls during a transitional period of spring to summer here in the northern Rockies. The weather could be sunny and 65 degrees, or it could snow. It is not unheard of for each to happen in the same day. Runoff is typically in full swing in late May, but each year is different based on both the winter’s snowpack and the day to day weather at the time. Although several of the parks fisheries are high and not worth fishing on the opening weekend, others are extremely productive and draw anglers from far and wide. The Firehole River- An Opening Day Tradition Along with being arguably the most unique trout river in the world, the Firehole River is by far the most consistent bet for good fishing on opening day in Yellowstone Park. As such, many anglers, local and visitors alike, make the trip to the Firehole for the opener each year. The Firehole is one of the most unique trout The Firehole doesn’t muddy like other rivers during runoff, instead becoming streams in the world. Photo Montana Angler. tea-colored and retaining plenty of visibility for fishing. (continued on page 12)
4 | Hunting & Fishing News
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THIS ONE IS FOR YOU DAD A Montana Bighorn Sheep Hunt
By Kurt Burnham
2017 was a year filled with tremendous highs and lows. The highest high came in June when after 30+ years my home state of Montana decided to let me hunt a bighorn ram. Then in July the lowest of lows when my father passed onto greener pastures. The greatest man I have ever known. Not only did he light my fire for the love of the outdoors by taking me and my siblings on numerous outdoor adventures, teaching us everything he Author with his Montana bighorn. knew about survival, hunting, fishing, shooting and camping. As a rancher he passed on his love for the land and the conservation of everything in it. I made a promise that day that this hunt would be dedicated to his memory. This hunt was to be a true wilderness hunt. Unlike a lot of areas in Montana, mine had only 1 road to a trailhead. Part of the area is even inside the Bob Marshall Wilderness. First I started by tracking down every sheep I could locate that had been harvested in my area or the ones surrounding it so I could get a better idea of the potential and what I could expect to harvest . A 180 class ram would be larger than average. Everyone told me to just wait for the rut as very few rams called my area home, most would migrate in just for the rut. Probably good advice, but how could anyone just sit there and not go look? I sure couldn’t. So starting in July, I packed in on my mules every chance I had, both pre-season and when it opened in September. I saw lots of wildlife, including elk, deer, ewes and lambs, but never any rams. When I applied for this area I didn’t give much thought to the logistics and preparation this hunt would require, or the expenses. I just thought it had slightly better odds of drawing. Why??? Because of the difficult access I found out. (continued on page 8)
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THIS ONE IS FOR YOU DAD
A Montana Bighorn Sheep Hunt (continued from page 6) First I got new tires for my truck and horse (mule) trailer. Then there is the forest rule that to leave a camp unattended all bear attractants must be 10 feet off the ground, or in bear proof pack boxes, or inside a forest approved bear proof electric fence. So I got the boxes and fence, both of which I had wanted for years, but now had to have. My most useful purchase was an SOS device. My wife loved it, especially when one time she went with me we came across a huge set of grizzly tracks. I could text her when I arrived at camp or was headed home and she could get a hold of me if needed and could see on a map exactly where I was. So she didn’t worry about me as much. I also had to get shoes on my mules for the first time in their lives. The trail along Gibson Reservoir is blasted out of the cliffs so being solid rock would chew up their unshod feet in short order and they wouldn’t make the whole season. I made lists upon lists of gear and food including 500 lbs. of feed for the mules. My plan was to pack in a wall tent and wood stove on Nov. 8th and stay until Nov. 19th if needed. So much to worry about I was really getting stressed out. I got a married couple talked into staying around camp to keep the tent warm and the water and food from freezing. Another friend who I had guided with in Alaska was coming to hunt with me.
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The entire contents is © 2018, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does this material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Volume 14 Issue 11 Cover Photo: ©Tom Tietz|shutterstock.com
8 | Hunting & Fishing News
Then came the big storm the week before I was to pack in. It started snowing on Wednesday. My friends and I drove up on Thursday to check it out and hiked in about 3 miles with snow up to our knees, and it wouldn’t stop snowing for 3 more days. Almost lost my truck in the ditch on the way out. People had chains on all fours and on their trailers. Now I was really worried about just getting my mules to the trailhead let alone packing in camp which would take several trips and setting it all up on top of 4 feet of snow. Was it worth injuring one of my animals or wrecking a vehicle and maybe hurting my friends? I was so stressed out that what should have been a fun and enjoyable once in a lifetime hunt wasn’t.
Time for plan B.
I called Adam and Emily Wallis owners of the K Bar L Ranch (www.kbarlranch.com), which is the only private land inside the Bob Marshall due to a land grant that was originally given to a civil war soldier in lieu of the pay he was owed that the government couldn’t pay. It’s 7 miles from the trailhead and any road. In spring and early summer it is accessible by boat but as irrigation water is used during the summer the reservoir becomes so low that the only way in is by horse or mule. It’s a beautiful place at Medicine Hot Springs and very near to one of the hot spots for the sheep rut.
Was there any way they could get me to their lodge? They were all booked up, but since I didn’t need a guide just a horse to get me around and a place to sleep and eat, we made a plan.
I looked up and said, “Thanks for all your help dad. I know you were with me, this one’s for you. Keep your eye out in your green pastures for this beautiful ram.”
I was to meet them at the trailhead at 11:30 November 9th. Of course I was early snoozing in my truck when I looked up to see a bighorn ewe in the corral licking a salt block. A good sign I hoped! When they arrived, I saddled up a horse named Pal and packed my bag and some of theirs on their mule Clyde. They sent me on my way as I knew where I was going. They would meet me at the lodge after they packed up the rest of their string of mules. About 6- ½ miles in I spotted some sheep on top of a ridge. I tied up and got out my spotting scope. Lots of ewes, lambs and some small rams. Was about ready to pack it up
and continue on when 4 huge rams walked out of a timbered draw below the ridge. Any one
of which by himself would have been a shooter. I would need to move fast to close the distance as darkness would be coming soon. Below the rams was a fish and game cabin, so I rode there and used the hitching rail to tie up my animals. The sheep were in a great spot to stalk where I could stay in some timber while closing the distance. Soon I was within 100 yards. Now to decide which one I liked the best. Hard to do with them feeding with heads down and butts to me and so close together they were almost touching each other. Either they were really good friends or the rut wasn’t in full swing, or maybe they were too old to care. 2 had really tight curls, so I would not choose one of them. They were all broomed off around the full curl point, but the one I liked was a little wider than the rest. Now that I had decided, would he ever get clear of the rest before dark? It seemed like forever but probably only 15 minutes or so. He finally gave me a shot and instantly slid down the slope right into the draw they had walked out of an hour earlier.
Somehow Adam and Emily had passed me and made it to the lodge to find out that I hadn’t arrived. It took me quite some time to snap a few pictures and with my headlamp, life-size cape and quarter my ram while looking over my shoulder for grizzly bears. So I pulled into the lodge several hours after dark in a rainstorm just when they were getting ready to come searching thinking I had missed the trail and was lost. Not lost, just a little busy!! I spent Friday being lazy taking Author with his Montana bighorn. care of the meat and cape, making new friends and eating great food. Saturday morning I rode back out with all the elk hunters who had finished their week at the lodge. The toughest hunt I had ever planned for ended being one of my easiest, but what a 5 month long adventure of a lifetime that will never be forgotten along with my dad. Note: I think the ram will just miss the book, but won’t know till drying period is over. He was 10 years old, where the average is 7. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
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HOW TO UTILIZE MONTANA’S BLOCK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR HUNTING ACCESS By Dave Barnett Originally published at www.goHUNT.com
Photo credit: Brady Miller
W
hile Montana has a ton to offer to any western hunter, perhaps the most important factor is the access. In fact, Montana has just over 33 million acres of publicly accessible lands, giving hunters a plethora of options when it comes to their outdoor adventures. Along with all of the state’s public land, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) also offers free public hunting opportunities on privately-owned land through its Block Management Program (BMA).
WHAT IS THE BLOCK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM?
Example of what you’ll look for to sign in at a BMA box. Photo credit: Brady Miller
Originally formed in 1985, the Block Management Program was implemented in an effort to provide free hunting opportunities on private land. Within the program, qualifying landowners can voluntarily offer access to their private land to the state’s hunting populations under a myriad of rules and regulations as agreed upon by the landowner and state officials.
Last year, 1,324 landowners participated in the program and enrolled approximately 7.3 million acres for Montana hunters to enjoy. The areas enrolled in the BMA program vary in size, ranging from 50 acres to over 100,000 acres. How are Block Management Areas funded? As stated earlier, hunting and access to any of the state’s qualifying Block Management Areas (BMA) are completely free to hunters. Every year, a small portion of proceeds from license sales are devoted to funding the BMA program. These funds not only compensate the landowners for providing the access, but also any accidental damages that may occur to their property. How are landowners compensated? Participating landowners are paid by the user based on several factors, but primarily dictated by the opportunities available on their land (capped at $15,000). Beyond user compensation, landowners are also granted Photo provided by Tom J. a complimentary sportsman’s license, limited liability protection, and livestock loss reimbursement. MFWP also provides signs, maps, BMA books and, in some cases, will actually hire additional staff to patrol the BMA.
PERMISSIONS AND TYPES OF BMAS
Before choosing BMAs in your preferred hunting are, it is important to first understand the differences between the two types of BMAs available as well as be aware of specific duties expected from hunters.
Type 1 BMA A Type 1 BMA is classified as an area where hunters can administer their own permission and regulate their own access. Typically, hunters will find the sign in boxes at designated access points, though this will not always be the case; make sure to refer to your area’s specific access guide for more information. Usually, these areas will not have a maximum cap on the number of hunters per day though some parking areas may have a predetermined vehicle capacity.
Photo credit: Brady Miller
Type 2 BMA A Type 2 BMA is an area where permission is granted from someone other than the hunter, generally the landowner or MFWP. These permissions are usually granted through a first come, first served basis or, in some cases, a random drawing. Depending on the area, some permissions will be given for a week at a time while others may only allow use for one day at a time. In 2017, a new law was adopted that would allow BMA cooperators to provide preference to veterans on Veterans’ Day when accepting reservations.
HOW TO OBTAIN PERMISSIONS
If you’re interested in hunting a Type 2 BMA keep in mind that August 22 is the first day that permissions can be given. Also, an important note: some BMAs will not accept applications until a later date. For more information, check out the 2018 access guides when they are made available after August 15 here http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunterAccess/blockman/. BMA maps To learn more about BMAs in your chosen area, MFWP also provides regional access guides that will list out specific BMAs in a given area. Maps and access guides can be ordered anytime between June 1 and December 31 and will usually begin shipping around August 15. Starting August 15 of each year, hunters will be able to pick up access guides and maps at any regional office and maps can be picked up in the field at sign in boxes. Follow the rules Before embarking on a hunting adventure on a BMA, check for specific rules as set by the landowner and the state game agency. Any current regulations set by MFWP will apply when hunting BMAs, but certain exclusions like area restrictions or harvest guidelines may also be applied to a specific area. Beyond basic game laws, it is also smart to remain as ethical, responsible and respectful as possible. Private landowners are opening their gates for the Photo credit: Brady Miller general public to increase hunting opportunity and a few bad apples can sour the situation and potentially rob the opportunity for those following the rules. Many of these areas may contain livestock and hunters will need to express extreme caution. Generally, BMAs containing livestock will have areas either well signed or completely shut off to access.
IMPORTANT REGIONAL INFORMATION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
BMA stats by the region (2017*)
Region
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Total # of BMAs Total # of acres
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16 70 90 117 114 184 257
848
735,000 566,000 541,000 1,280,000 611,500 1,370,00 2,200,00
7,303,500
*2018 statistics will be available by August 15, 2018. (continued on page 32)
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Hunting & Fishing News | 11
Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park
On Opening Day In Late May (continued from page 4)
Fishing the Firehole on opening day. Photo Montana Angler.
During a really big water year, such as 2011, the Firehole may be slightly over its bank in spots, but still very fishable. The character of the river is mostly broad, gentle riffles and runs, so high water does not have a huge impact on the fish or your ability to get to them. Such a low gradient drainage also means that the water levels rise and fall slowly, a plus since fish thrive on consistency. Nez Perce Creek, the Firehole’s major tributary, tends to run dirtier and colder than the Firehole very early in the season, so fishing above this confluence can be a good idea. I like the water around Midway Geyser Basin, where thermal discharge warms the water and encourages insect activity. The best way to catch fish on the Firehole on opening day is to swing soft hackles through the riffles and runs. This traditional wet fly swing is not in vogue these days for trout fishing, but this was the original method of presenting your fly in the British Isles way back in the 1600’s and it still works today. The swing presentation imitates an insect swimming towards the surface in preparation to hatch. To achieve this, the angler casts his line across the current, usually perpendicular to it or at a slight downstream angle. You then hold the line tight and follow with your rod tip low to the water as the current takes hold and your line sweeps
across the river to get the “swing”. By starting at the top of a run and taking a step down after each cast, you are able to cover a large amount of water with this presentation. Since your fly is being drug by the current and you are holding a tight line, you will be able to feel the take, by far the most exciting aspect of the swing technique. When you feel the tug, don’t set the hook like you would when nymphing, simply raise the rod and let the fish hook itself. If you have never fished this style before, it is quite common to miss your first couple hits as you figure out the hookset. It is a feel technique, so once you figure it out your hookup rate will go way up. For flies, choose generic beadhead soft hackles, with a Pheasant Tail, Copper John, and Hare’s Ear being my top picks. Depending on water conditions, there is a good chance to encounter some dry fly fishing on opening day as well. High water years will find opening day to be mainly a subsurface affair, but average water should yield a window of rising fish. Blue Winged Olives will be the most likely hatch, as the air and water temperatures will typically be too cold still for Caddis or Pale Morning Duns. Midges should not be overlooked early in the season, however. If a fish is refusing your Blue Winged Olive, it may be feeding on midges instead. While most of the fish in the Firehole are a bit on the small side and tend to be very aggressive feeders, there are a few real brutes that demand perfection on the anglers part. Make sure you have some adult BWO patterns, but you can often get by with a small parachute Adams or Purple Haze. I like to drop a BWO emerger about 12-14” behind my dry, and often find that I catch more trout on the emerger than the dry. I put floatant on my emerger so it rides in the surface film and I am able to see the fish take the fly. The most likely time to encounter a hatch will be late morning to early afternoon, so swing soft hackles until you see fish rising and then switch to the dries. (continued on page 14)
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12 | Hunting & Fishing News
Payette Lake’s Fishing Is At A Crossroads, Which Way Do Anglers Want It To Go? By Roger Phillips, Public Information Specialist, IF&G
Lake trout are eating all the kokanee and shrinking in the process.
Managing a large sterile lake with big, long-lived predators and a fluctuating prey species poses a big challenge for fisheries managers, and Payette Lake at McCall is the latest case where managers are asking anglers what they would like to see in the future. The issue essentially breaks down to Payette Lake’s lake trout population, which also happens to drive the population of its primary prey species, kokanee salmon... Payette Lake is currently dominated by lake trout, which isn’t a bad thing, but they’ve created problems, as Fish and Game Regional Fish Manager Dale Allen explains. “Based on past stocking strategies for lake trout in Payette Lake during the 1980s, they are now overly abundant. This increase has reduced the kokanee, which is their favorite and most-important food,” Lake trout, Payette Lake, photo courtesy Paul Janssen IF&G he said. The lack of kokanee also is affecting the future size and population of lake trout, which are “now smaller and much thinner than they were just a few years back,” Allen said... Fish and Game is updating the six-year Fishery Management Plan, which lays out the future direction for management of fisheries in the state...It’s important for people to weigh in with their desires so managers can gauge anglers’ preferences and develop some management options. People can call (208) 634-8137 or email dale.allen@idfg.idaho.gov... In the last decade, the Fish and Game spearheaded a massive kokanee restoration project on Lake Pend Oreille. It removed lake trout by providing a bounty on them, as well as large rainbow trout, to encourage anglers to harvest large, predacious fish. The project also included netting lake trout in large numbers to depress the population while temporarily boosting kokanee stocking. After years of intense lake trout removal, and much money and effort spent, kokanee rebounded, which was followed by a manageable increase in those trophy-sized rainbows and lake trout. Angling effort also significantly increased as anglers targeted the renewed kokanee population...Fisheries managers have learned from their experiences while also realizing that each situation is a little different. Payette Lake is different because it gets less fishing pressure than those popular fishing lakes, but it still has a dedicated following of anglers, and the potential to attract more. Managing kokanee and lake trout is tricky because in many ways, they are opposites. Lake trout can live beyond 40 years, and grow huge by trout standards. They are currently managed as a trophy fishery in Payette Lake, and during the 1990s, its lake trout averaged 30 inches and over 10 pounds, with some fish over 40 inches and 30 pounds being fairly common. Currently, lake trout average about 26 inches and about 7 pounds, but the population is self-sustaining without additional stocking. Kokanee, on the other hand, are much smaller and shorter lived. Kokanee typically live only three to four years, but when conditions are right, they can flourish and quickly repopulate a lake, but that requires a healthy population to kick start a larger population. Payette Lake’s kokanee population, along with its fishery, is no longer sustainable with fewer than a thousand fish migrating up the North Fork of the Payette River annually to spawn. In the mid-1990s there were thousands more kokanee spawning each year, which supplied the lake with a fresh crop of young fish. “The kokanee spawning run declined substantially about six years ago, and we again started stocking kokanee fingerlings,” Allen said. “The stockings didn’t work because the lake trout predation on the hatchery fish was so severe, and the lake trout population large enough, that stocking kokanee fingerlings is not successful to increase the kokanee production.” Kokanee are popular in reservoirs throughout the state, but most of those waters do not have naturally reproducing populations. Kokanee have to be stocked with young fish, and the availability of eggs is limited, so dramatically increasing kokanee stocking in Payette Lake would require offsets elsewhere. The other way to grow more kokanee is to reduce predation by lake trout, which also has its challenges. It would take significantly more angling effort to reduce the lake trout population in Payette Lake, which is difficult to achieve. “In the past, we’ve implemented fishing rules to protect large trophy-sized lake trout as requested by anglers,” Allen said. “As the kokanee population decreased and the lake trout population increased, we increased harvest limits and removed size restrictions in hopes anglers could reduce lake trout numbers.” But studies over the last two years indicate the average size and weight of lake trout continue to decline because anglers are unable to remove enough of them fast enough... Fish managers would like to explore reducing the lake trout population with the intent of also improving the kokanee fishery. “After a significant number of predators are removed, kokanee will be restocked and their survival will be monitored,” Allen said. “The exact number of lake trout to be removed is unknown, but could be significant, and it will be determined by the response of their length and weight improvements, as well as by kokanee survival.”... Fisheries managers don’t know exactly what will happen if management stays on its current course, but they know that without kokanee, the lake trouts’ average size will continue to shrink, and Payette Lake will eventually lose its prized trophy fish. Kokanee populations may see an occasional bump when conditions are ideal, but it will be short lived, and the population could completely crash. Managers know with public involvement in a new management plan, the balance between lake trout and kokanee, as well as angling quality, can be improved, as was proven in Lake Pend Oreille. “We need to understand anglers’ desires for this fishery so we can align management direction and future fishing opportunities on Payette Lake,” Allen said.
Hunting & Fishing News | 13
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615 Helena Ave. corner Last Chance Gulch & Helena Ave. 406.443.8084
OR ON YOUR WAY TO THE LAKE
at 200 S. Montana Off Highway 12 East - East Helena 406.227.6519
KNOW YOUR FISHING HOLE Over 60 Montana Lake Maps Available. 406-457-9197 mreller@mt.net
www.Markslakemaps.com
Box 949 Helena, MT 59624
17th Annual
PUBLIC FISH
June 9 & 10, 2018 Rock Creek Marina Fort Peck, MT.
14 | Hunting & Fishing News
Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park
On Opening Day In Late May (continued from page 12)
Gardner River: Wildcard Pick for Opening Day While the Firehole is the top pick for opening day fishing because it fishes well each year, the lower stretch of the Gardner can be a sleeper bet for opening day some years. The water levels on the Gardner react quickly to the weather, so a few cool days and cold nights around opening day can bring the river into fishable shape. Water conditions on the Gardner early season are tied much more to the current temperatures than to overall snowpack, so it could fish even in a really high snow year if temperatures are cool. Additionally, a major thermal feature, the Boiling River, warms the lower 5 miles or so of river. While this is a detriment during the dog days of summer, this warm water increases the fishes metabolism early in the season and also stimulates insect activity. If the river is in fact fishable, it will be strictly a nymphing game. Even in a best case scenario, the river will be high with 18” of visibility. Big and ugly style stonefly nymphs will be your best bet. I will typically fish two stoneflies and not Photo Montana Angler bother with any smaller nymphs. The Gardner alternates between Choose colors that contrast pocketwater and meadow stretches well with the water clarity, usually black or a black/brown or black/olive mix. You will want to present your flies tight to bank in the slower water around the edges, as the high water will have pressed the fish into these spots. The Gardner has many large boulders as well which create pockets of calm water for fish to hide. If you catch a trout, chances are that there are more in that same spot, so work it carefully. At high water, the fish are not spread out due to the limited amount of holding water available. I like to present my flies with a high-stick method, keeping as much line off the water as possible. With the high water, you can get close to the runs without fear of spooking the trout, so use this to your advantage to gain a better presentation. I will typically shorten my leader and add some split shot, allowing my flies to get into the strike zone quickly and avoiding drag by keeping them directly under the indicator. There is an old saying that goes, “The difference between a great nymph fisherman and a good one is one more split shot”, so add more weight if you are not bumping bottom occasionally. While you can’t count on the Gardner for opening day every year, I would think twice about passing it up if it is fishable. Call local fly shops or check the hydrograph before you commit to heading out. If there has been several nights below freezing in a row and the hydrograph shows falling water, that is what you are looking for. While the Firehole is widely known as an early season fishery, the Gardner is not on the radar for most anglers until late June or early July. Thus, an opening day roll of the dice to head in this direction could lead to some solitude as well as good fishing. Lakes are another good option in Yellowstone Park on opening day. Stillwaters always have clear water and often the best time to fish some of the smaller lakes is early in the season before water temperatures get too warm. Trout Lake and Grebe Lake are notable options where anglers can often sight cast to trout and grayling. Trout Lake is known for large cutthroats between 14-22” and some larger rainbows that can run well over 20”. Trout Lake fish can be notoriously fussy so catch rates are low and expect some refusals. Grebe Lake holds a good population of small grayling along with some rainbows that get a bit larger. As with Trout Lake, Grebe Lake is best fished early in the season. For both lakes anglers can try dry flies during hatches or slow stripping smaller nymphs just below the surface...
-Heavy Metal-
WALLEYE
By Jason Mitchell www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com
O ver the years, if there is one mistake I have made when fishing rivers particularly early in the season…that mistake would be trying to use too light of tackle. The mistake of getting too caught up in finesse. Not using enough jig to maintain bottom contact. Getting swept off the bottom. Having the jig drift faster than the boat and having to try and catch up with the jig as it gets pulled down stream.
There is always variables and exceptions to every general rule of thumb. Often, we had the mindset that we caught more walleye if we used the lightest line possible and the lightest jig possible. Thin diameter line cuts through the current better and has less bow or drag which can enhance fishing in current especially when slipping down steam or casting at angles into current seams. Use too small of a jig size however and you might be optimum for some specific current flows and boat speeds as we slip downstream, but I argue that there is often a really fine line between using not enough jig and not getting lucky. When we slip downstream or cast, we might be in the zone half the time if we error on the side of using as light of a jig as possible. Every time we come out of the seam and get in faster water, the jig gets blown up off the bottom. Every time we power upstream to slow down our slip, the jig gets blown up off the bottom. Certain angles and parts of the cast get swept up off the bottom or the increased bow in the line drops our effectiveness and efficiency. When we push our luck with jig weight, we are essentially narrowing down our ability to get lucky. Let me explain further. Tungsten can give the angler a lot of flexibility when fishing current. The new CPT 365 Drop Tg Jig Series uses tungsten on a premium long shank hook to reduce drag in the current. When we dial in the presentation too much for a specific slip speed and current flow combined with depth, whenever we get out of that precise combination of variables, we are essentially out of the zone and out of the game. Get to the end of the slip where the current kicks up and you are about ready to motor back upstream and that few minutes is wasted. Every time your boat gets sucked into deeper or faster water, your time is wasted and what I find amazing is just how often I caught fish in faster water off the seam. Over the years, my mentality started to change to where I now no longer worry about using the lightest jig possible… I now try to use the heaviest jig possible and I catch a lot more fish. When I err on the side of heavy, I get luckier. I can speed the boat up or slow down much easier without having to exactly match the current speed. I no longer have to chase the jig. I can even slowly pull upstream. I can pull out into faster water. Of course, there are exceptions where river fish will sometimes hold off the bottom and sliding upstream or downstream higher in the water column will catch fish. Some river systems will have a lot of suspended walleye patterns after big shad die offs for example. By and large however, these fish are pinned to the bottom and they are often close to the seam. The majority of fish will often nose right to the edge of the faster water while the most aggressive fish will often move right into the harder current. This is why erring on the side of heavy can make us so much more effective when catching river walleye. (continued on page 19)
2018 SPRING MACK DAYS
LAKE TROUT FISHING EVENT on FLATHEAD LAKE
Fish The Entire Lake
March 16 th to
May 13th
Up to
$225,000
CASH & PRIZES
Tuesday through Sunday: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are for the contests, bonus amounts, and tagged fish. Tuesday - Thursday bonuses, tagged fish, Yeti tickets and 6 ($50) drawings. All it takes is one ticket to win in the lottery drawing (Fridays through Sundays only)
(1)-$10,000 & (3) $5,000 & (5) $1000 + over 6,000 $100 to $500 tagged lake trout Top ten angler prizes - $800 to $300 pick your best 18/26-days count on Friday through Sunday (except last day) Captains $250-(4 prizes), Smallest lake trout $250-(2 prizes), Largest lake trout-$500 - (Friday - Sunday) Top lady anglers $300, $200, $100 - $100-totals used (Fri.-Sun.) Youth anglers - (17-13) 1st-$200, 2nd-$150, 3rd-$75, 4-5th-$50 (Fri.-Sun.) (12 & under) 1st-$100, 2nd-$75, 3rd-$50 (Fri.-Sun.) Weekend Prizes-$100x5 (Fri.-Sun.) drawn and announced weekly Golden Angler Award (70 & older) $200 & $100 by total fish Bucket Competition - 3 days of single/team heaviest 4 fish 3/30 Friday, 4/21 Saturday, 5/6 Sunday Yeti Cooler ticket: 1 for every 10 entries Tuesday through Sunday Last Day: $300, $200, $100 PLUS Heaviest Mack under 30” BONUSES: ALL ANGLERS WHO ENTER 11 or more LAKE TROUT WIN Every day counts: Tues. - Sun. (51 total days) See www.mackdays.com for complete rules We ask that all boats from out of the Flathead area be inspected for AIS.
Fish Fry for participants & families May 13th at Blue Bay 3:00 Awards Ceremony at 4:00 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. 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.
Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
Say Hello To Success: Where to Chase the Fish This Month Brought to you by
GREAT FISHING IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES
The next few weeks will be an excellent time for anglers
here in Montana, and the west. The most noted trout fishing waters in the West will start flowing heavy as the mountain run-off will be at full force come mid-to-late May. Even when this starts to occur, it’s not hard to find great fishing here in Montana. Anglers will target the many lakes, reservoirs and ponds that are primed and full of hungry fish. Bug hatches will enhance the top-water fishing action for trout, Big walleye, northern pike and bass will all be prime targets as water temperatures climb above the 50o mark. As we head into Memorial weekend, fishing conditions should be ideal and catch rates high. Here area a few exceptional areas to set-up camp and take some time to enjoy our great outdoors. Tally Lake: This gem of a lake is located between Kalispell and Whitefish, on the Flathead National Forest. At around 490 feet deep, it is Montana’s deepest natural lake. It is well known for its excellent trophy lake trout fishing, but it’s not the only target. Excellent northern pike fishing (especially around their spawning times), kokanee, rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout fishing can also be found here. Here’s how to fish it: For mack’s you’ve got to target the deep water, trolling with downriggers. A popular lure is the M-50 Flatfish in a rainbow trout pattern. For kokanee, troll the shore across from the boat launch, trolling to the east and along the lakes southwest shore. Logan Creek inlet is where you’ll want to target the lakes northern pike, and some good trout fishing as well. Tally Lake Campground is available for camping on the northwest side of the lake. Echo Lake (near Bigfork): Late May is a great time to “punch some toads” in Echo Lake. Target the shallow bays, working them hard casting soft plastics, like Berkley Powerbait rubber tubes around and under docks that exist throughout the lake. In addition to soft plastics, anglers can pick up a few bass on spinnerbaits later in the evening by fishing them slowly - white with silver blade is a good starter. There is also a good chance to hook into a pretty big northern pike as well.
A view of Fort Peck Reservoir framed through trees ©Sabiba73|Dreamstime.com
Fort Peck Lake: “Big Water, Big Fish - Wake Up A Giant” Big populations of warm water fish have thrived in Montana’s deepest lakes and reservoirs, and May is your month to catch a trophy. To locate spring walleye and northern pike, find warm water, cover and baitfish. The warmer the water, the more the fish will eat and be active. The classic early-season spot is a shallow bay protected from colder main-lake waters. Once waters hit the magical 52 to 60 degree mark, it will be game on in these bigger lakes. Newly emerged weeds will be ideal for baitfish, and this is where you’ll find the big fish as well. Focus on the points and inlets tossing your favorite spinner to the shorelines and back. Top producing lures should be: • In-line spinner such as Mepp’s and Blue Fox 1/6 to 1 ounce sizes. • Spoons - Are particularly effective along drop offs, because you can precisely control the depth - try Dardevles, Thomas Buoyants or blue/silver Mepp’s. • Spinnerbaits - Work well to draw big fish from sprouting weeds - stop and retrieve - white, black or chartreuse are your colors for a big northern. • Worm Harnesses or jigs tipped with minnows are the best for catching walleye now - 8 to 10 feet of water. Target the Timber Creek area in May for walleye. Green will be a hot color. • Jig and worm - Pike and walleye will begin to set-up shop in 6 to 10 foot drop offs - fish often take the jig as it drops; the strike may feel like a perch bite - it’s not. Use Bucktail and marabou jigs in 1/4 to 1 ounce range. • Surface Plug - Rapala’s and Smithwick in late spring, fish topwater lures over weedbeds in the calm waters of early morning and late afternoon. White, yellow and chartreuse are great walleye and pike colors, probably because they resemble the belly of a struggling baitfish.
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16 | Hunting & Fishing News
Upper Missouri System: The Missouri River system will be stacked once again, and any angler fishing from the bank has the opportunity to land a trophy. Rainbow trout colors or brown trout imitations will bring the attention of a big rainbow or brown here. Spinning gear will get the job done. Panther Martins in a holographic rainbow pattern, a Thomas Colorado minnow spoon or a Mepp’s Aglia #2 in gold are all good bets from the bank. The river is a massive insect producing factory. Fly anglers can hook up with big trout using egg patterns or dry flies drifted. The caddis hatch begins in May. Trout feed aggressively on the entire life cycle of these bugs, so having a box filled with larva, pupa, emergers, diving egg patterns and caddis will do you well most of the season on the Missouri.
DURING THE ENTIRE MONTH OF MAY
2050 COMMANDER ELITE
Campsites include Craig FAS, Holter Lake, Vigilante Campground or the Townsend/Canyon Ferry Lake KOA (406) 266-3100. Tongue River Reservoir: For walleye, present jigs in 10 to 15 feet of water tipped with minnows, leeches or worms. Northern pike will take a good old fashioned Dardevle spoon or Five of Diamonds. The crappie bite will be terrific using minnows, leeches and worms. Smallmouth bass will take live bait or plastic worms or spinnerbaits now. The state’s record northern pike, a 37.5 lb. giant still stands. It was caught in 1972 by Lance Moyer here. Holter Reservoir: You can catch big rainbow trout through the Gates now. Log Gulch and Departure Point are good areas to fish from shore using worms or Powerbait. Boat anglers are finding good fishing while trolling crankbaits or cowbells along the shorelines. You will find great perch fishing around the docks, Oxbow Bend and by the Clay Banks, while using a jig and worm in 10 to 15 feet of water. Walleye action will also come in this area while fishing for perch. Lake Koocanusa: You can troll large flies up high for large rainbows and run bait for schools of kokanee salmon here. Many anglers head to Peck Gulch, Rocky Gorge or at the Five Mile Creek inlet for some exceptional fishing in May. For salmon, use maggots, shoe-peg corn or Double Whammies. Silver and blue plugs will catch the big rainbows that exist in the lake. Large flies work here, because of the ant hatches that we have this time of the year.
INTRODUCING THE SPRINT PONTOON
Watch this video for more on Crestliner boats https://youtu.be/X79418sM53w
Fish apexes on the surface with planer boards or plugs on the downriggers for trout. Little Blackfoot River: The Little Blackfoot offers the kind of shady banks that nice-sized brown trout love, plus there are very good populations of mountain whitefish. Dry flies on the surface or nymph fishing will always get the job done, as the bug life here is so good. Spinning gear like cyclones or a nightcrawler/splitshot will work as well.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 17
early May and 5 TIPS TO KILL II’mt’s tired of rising
LATE SEASON GOBBLERS By CJ Davis Montana Decoy Co.
www.montanadecoy.com
Photo Montana Decoy
before the sun. On this morning, I make up my mind to roll over and wait for the daylight to wake me again. Five weeks of turkey hunting has me less than enthusiastic about getting out of bed, but years of experience tell me that the struggle is not without potential reward.
Late season gobblers have seen hunters slinking through the woods, heard every call and maybe dodged some lead. Much like post-rut bucks, they are leery of everything. So to give yourself a chance when the day is already warm by sunrise, you must alter your tactics accordingly.
Patience This tops the list because we can’t stress its importance enough. How many times have you stood up from the base of a tree to hear the dreaded putt? When you’re ready to leave, sit for another ten minutes. Turkeys won’t be as vocal after fly down, so don’t give up too quickly.
Speak Softly If wild turkeys aren’t calling often, then neither should you. Mimic nature or you’re going to blow the hunt before a bird considers heading your direction. When you get set up, a few soft yelps now and then are all you need. Leave the loud calls at home.
If you’ve scouted and know where turkeys are hanging out during the day, then a gobbler that hears your initial calls may come find you if he feels like it. Use Those Decoys As toms aren’t likely to give away their approach, make sure they have something to focus on when they come sneaking in. They may initially come to your soft calling, but will need a higher comfort level this time of the year, meaning finding the source to a hen’s yelp is crucial. It’s best to use multiple hen decoys. Less dominant gobblers have been whipped throughout the season and aren’t likely to approach if they think a fight will ensue. Even boss toms may hang up and instead try to coax a hen to them. Hunt With a Buddy One of my favorite tactics to use at all times of the season is the buddy system. Place the shooter about 50 yards in front of the caller. That way, the gobbler that hangs up on the caller will likely still be in shotgun range for the front man. Suppose you and your hunting partner are initially sitting side by side. Sometimes a gobbler will hang up before he’s in view. If this is the case, one of you head off in the other direction to draw the tom closer. This is a super-effective method for late season. Seek Out Fields Even though it’s the end of the breeding season for hens, gobblers will be seeking out any and all females that have not yet been bred. While they’re not making much noise, they will try to attract hens by strutting silently out in the open. Knowing that turkeys don’t really care to get wet, you can sleep in and wait until the dew burns off before heading out. Choose fields that are open, sunny and surrounded by woods that have plenty of roosting trees. Don’t feel like you must be up and at ‘em well before the sun when May arrives. Use the middle of the day as your ally. Walk slowly and softly with your head on a swivel at all times. You never know when that last gobbler of the season will be over the next hill.
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18 | Hunting & Fishing News
Heavy Metal
WALLEYE (continued from page 15)
Now what is heavy? If a ¼ ounce is out of the zone during thirty percent of your drift or cast while performing perfectly during the other thirty percent, upsize to a 3/8 ounce. Increase one jig size to increase your overall efficiency and flexibility. Tungsten is a metal that has become extremely popular in ice fishing and bass fishing applications because tungsten is so much heavier than lead. Of course, a ¼ ounce tungsten jig weighs the same amount as a ¼ ounce lead jig but the difference is the size. Tungsten fishes current extremely well because the reduced size catches less current and is much more sensitive and easier to fish. This heavier metal is also louder when contacting rocks. With good water visibility, I often try to slip as the same speed as the current where the line hangs below the boat and the jigs tumble downstream the same speed as the boat/ current. Pretty straightforward. From this basic way to present jigs are a lot of variables however where you slowly drag upstream, move slower than the current or change the angle of the line where I can not only slide into faster current seams, I have the flexibility to slow down or speed up regardless of what the boat or current does. This is why I absolutely love tungsten jigs for fishing current or rivers. There is nothing better. This past season, we began experimenting with the CPT 365 Drop Tg tungsten jigs and this lineup of tungsten walleye jigs will be available at tackle stores this spring. Tungsten is expensive, but the advantages are worth the cost in my opinion. Besides using tungsten, we had picked the long shank nickel-plated wide gap hook for using soft plastics and double hooking minnows. In our opinion, this is a perfect jig for fishing rivers or current. This season, side on the heavy side.
Take advantage of the flexibility tungsten can give you in regard to exact boat control and current so that you are simply more efficient. You will catch more walleyes this spring if you can keep your presentation in front of the fish and tungsten does exactly that. Another variable to consider. Compare the virtues of both monofilament and braid. Clear water like what we find below tailraces for example often demand monofilament. There are other situations where mono really shines. I often prefer mono early in the year because I believe the stretch and subtleness of mono gives the presentation a more natural subtle glide through the water. Another consideration is that the stretch in mono hides or masks the unnatural presence in that the fish doesn’t feel the rod or angler on the other end nearly as quickly. On the flip side, braid is more durable and extremely sensitive. Deep water and extremely light pickups can sometimes call for the no stretch of braid.
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What I often find however is that if I am missing fish particularly when river fishing, make a switch. If I am missing fish with mono, switch to braid. If I am missing fish with braid or not getting bit…switch to mono. Some of the variables include the amount of sag or bow in the line from the current but what so often happens is just how the fish respond to the presence. Do the fish spit out the jig when they feel resistance or choke up on the bait further? Every day can be different but the bottom line is that if something isn’t working with bite detection and batting average (hooking up), switch over. This flexibility can help you catch a tremendous amount of fish. Note that zebra mussels and clams can sometimes dictate the need for a heavier fluorocarbon leader just to keep the line from getting cut or nicked but the braid/ mono switcharoo is important to the jig routine. Keep jigging rods in the boat rigged with both and don’t be afraid to switch back and forth until you find what the fish want. One last tip, when you anticipate slipping with the current where you are fishing below the boat or even slowly dragging upstream and you are needing to adjust to changing depths or current speeds constantly, don’t be afraid to use bait casting rods and reels when you can use two rods. Bait casting reels with a flipping switch allows you to let out line with one hand and the same hand can turn the handle to pick up line. The higher gear ratio of a bait casting reel makes picking up a few feet at a time as easy as half a turn of the reel handle. Much easier to maintain the right bottom contact while holding a rod in each hand.
Hunting & Fishing News | 19
Crankin’ The Dream By Trevor Johnson
Kit’s Tackle and KT Sportfishing www.kitstackle.com
Ithethought I would take the time this month to write about productivity and importance of CRANKING! That’s right,
I said trolling crank baits! Rest assured, I am still a jigging machine 98% of the time; but the spring months of May and June can be excellent candidates for the long rods. Not to mention, once you find a big fish or two pulling cranks, you can break out the jig rods and start launching Glass Minnows at them! My friend Wayne Wilcox of DeadEYE Fishing chimed in on this article with me. In the last couple of years I have enjoyed diversifying my techniques and applying them in different areas and at different times. And probably the most effective and fun has been trolling cranks in the springtime! I always used to think trolling cranks in the day was just an excuse to kick back and enjoy a soda…not so much!! It is a full time workout if you plan on having success. You will constantly be letting out lines, reading your sonar, freeing snags, checking your line counters, cleaning weeds and debris off your lines and reeling in BIG WALLEYE!! In fact, I wouldn’t plan on sitting down at all!!
In the spring months, a lot of times big post spawn female walleyes are hanging in the same areas together! When approaching a large Montana body of water like Fort Peck or Canyon Ferry it is a great tool for eliminating non-productive water.
OWEN WILCOX AKA MR. DEADEYE WITH A BIG WALLEYE HE CAUGHT CRANKING LAST MAY ON FORT PECK
LEARN and HAVE FUN Spin and Flyfishing In The Same Day For Multiple Species
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20 | Hunting & Fishing News
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When pulling cranks you can cover a tremendous amount of water to find active fish compared to jigging and bottom bouncing. And like mentioned earlier, if you pull around a big point and hit two fish…you now have a place to start jigging! In other words, it is a great method for locating fish. And even if you are not catching fish, you will learn a lot about watching your sonar and navigating break lines and structure. In the earlier spring months you will want to slow your troll folks!! Meaning instead of cruising along like you’re fishing for Blue Marlin, slow it up to around 1.5-2 mph. We have found the most productive cranks for the early spring months to be the Berkley flicker shads and Rapala shad raps. These cranks have a lot of wobble which is key for inducing big post spawn strikes! We also recommend airing on the larger crank bait body style this time of year; the young of the year baitfish are not in the system yet. As far as choosing a color, this is where it gets fun! If the water is murky, which it certainly might be with all the runoff we will have this year you would want to lean towards colors that are louder and show up better like the fire tigers and red crawfish colors. If the water is clear, I like to lean more towards the natural colors like the traditional black over silver and perch patterns. And heck, if you have another guy in the boat you can run four different colors to find the hot ticket! I am going to briefly describe the three different trolling techniques we have had a blast familiarizing ourselves with: •THREE WAYING Three way cranking is fun! I can still remember my first bite on a three way crank bait rig! It felt like somebody punched me in the arm! Usually when fishing a three way rig you will want to hold the rod in your hand. Three way cranking is best for deeper water (over 15’) in an area with lots of structure. By holding the rod you can lift the weight up over structure or easily let more line out to remain in contact with the bottom.
Basically, the idea is you want to keep your weight within a couple inches of the bottom and just hold your rod, occasionally pumping it forward which speeds up your crank. We usually use braided 15lb test on the main line down to the 3 way swivel. Then we use about 18” of 15lb mono down to a 1-4 ounce weight (depending on speed, depth and current) on the bottom. We then attach a 4-5’ section of 20lb fluorocarbon leader to the crank bait. So the crank is keeping close bottom contact because the weight is holding it down. This method is most effective with floating style crank baits to stay in the proper zone! •LONG LINING AND PLANER BOARDS For getting started or for trolling big flats like the south end of Canyon Ferry this is the “go to” technique. What I mean by long lining is using 15’ braided line and letting out more line to achieve the desired depth. To get started on depth, almost all cranks have a dive chart associated with them. Using a long line is also important in shallow water because the boat can spook the fish. By the time the boat has gone 80’ the fish is not scared anymore and ready to chomp! Along with the long lines comes the planer board option. Boards are a great way to spread your lines out and cover more water; also get your lines away from the boat in shallow water. Using boards, you just let out your desired amount of line and then hook the planer board to your line. Then you slowly let out line to send the board out as far as you want from the boat. When a fish hits on the planer board it will dive and get pulled back. We again use about 10’ of 20lb fluorocarbon leader from the braid to your crank. •LEADCORE As far back as I can remember, the term “leadcore” always reminded me of the old timers at the boat dock arguing
about how many colors to let out. Boy was I wrong! Leadcore is probably the most efficient way to pull cranks! It is an especially deadly tactic for deeper water and for rough conditions. In both scenarios it keeps your bait consistently in the zone. For example, if you are long lining with braid in 4’ waves your rod will surge a lot moving the crank in and out of the zone. With lead, it sinks and the crank is not affected by the surging of the rod. We recommend about 12-15’ of 20lb fluorocarbon leader to your crank. Here are just a few tips I have learned along the way..and unfortunately I learned the hard way! •NEVER JERK THE ROD WHEN YOU GET A FISH CRANKING. If 3 waying and holding the rod when you get bit, just slowly pull forward! If the rod is in the rod holder just lift the rod out and keep tension on the fish! Jerking the rod, you will pull the crank out of the fish’s mouth almost every time. •Try different speeds, you would be surprised how much difference .5 mph can make on certain days! •Keep your eyes glued to your sonar to follow the break lines and work the different structure! •Don’t get hung up on depths or areas that have produced in the past! Keep searching to find the fish! •Once the fish are found, GET OUT THE GLASS MINNOWS!! HA HA HA!! Trevor is the co-founder of Kit’s Tackle “Jiggin’ the Dream” along with his father, Kit. He is a true made in Montana fishing guide, an insane outdoor enthusiast, a wild man in the woods and on the water and they even say he’s a quarter mountain goat. He’s a happy husband, a proud daddy to a beautiful little girl and boy, and two sweet dogs. When he’s not shoveling coal into the jig engine, you can find him on the water or leaving boot tracks in the wilds of Montana.
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WHY THE SOUTH FORK OF THE FLATHEAD IS A BUCKET LIST TRIP By Zach Lazzari www.lazyjbaro.com
W
e are lucky in the west. Great floats like the Grand Canyon, Middle Fork of the Salmon and the Rogue are just a few on our list. The South Fork of the Flathead ranks up there with it’s remote nature and unique fishery. It’s not a beginners trip but not so advanced that an intermediate boater can’t handle the trip by being cautious and using river safety guidelines. There are rapids and obstacles so the more experience Photo courtesy Lazy J Bar O the better. Getting There Difficulty reaching the South Fork is one of the reasons it’s so pristine. The river flows through the Bob Marshall wilderness on it’s way to Hungry Horse reservoir. You can get there by driving the 60 mile plus dirt road past Hungry Horse reservoir to the trailhead, from the Blackfoot Valley side near Ovando via Young’s Creek pass or from the Rocky Mountain Front over White’s Pass. None of the routes are easy and horse packing is the primary means of reaching the river. You can backpack in and packraft out but room for gear is very limited. The road does meet the river and you have access to a few miles of water between the confluence with the Spotted Bear river and the terminus at Hungry Horse. In the end, getting to the river is a journey in itself. A Protected Fishery Once you reach the river, you meet an isolated fishery with some of the purest strain westslope cutthroat trout remaining in the west. In most cases, dams are a major conservation issue with negative impacts on our fish and river ecosystems. Hungry Horse however is something of an exception. The reservoir has completely isolated the South Fork thus protecting it from the influence of introduced species in Flathead Lake. There are no rainbow trout breeding with the cutthroats and bull trout still have many miles of river, tributaries and all of Hungry Horse to migrate and grow in ice cold water. It’s also one of the few places in the lower 48 where you can legally target bull trout. You need a catch card from the Montana FWP and knowledge of the current regulations. The Takeout If you make the journey and run this float, the last thing to know is don’t miss the takeout. There is a sign and if you run past it, you’ll be in a gorge with class VI rapids. After you takeout, you’ll need to pack out the last three miles to the Spotted Bear where you can meet your vehicle. It’s not easy on logistics but well worth the trip. Lazy J Bar O Outfitters offers fully guided fly fishing and roving horseback expeditions into the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the South Fork of the Flathead River. They also offer one-way drop float trips. For more information, please explore their Summer Trips pages at http://www.lazyjbaro.com/summer/. You may also reach them at 406-932-5687.
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ASPEN STANDS
Spring Mule Deer Habitat The end of winter marks a meaningful change in mule deer country. Mule deer herds begin to move out of their lower-elevation winter grounds, back into the mountains where the snow pack is beginning to give way to a spring “green-up�. This is perhaps the most important time of the year for mule deer does as their ability to find nutrient forage now (and fatten up) will decide the fate of their unborn fawns later. Aspen stands provide a diversity of forage for mule deer including important browse species that can't be found elsewhere in the forest. These areas also provide a safe haven for does during the fawn rearing months of May and June. This habitat type is extremely important to mule deer yet aspen stands continue to disappear across the rocky mountain west. Wildfire suppression and a long-term decline in wildfire frequency have ultimately led to their demise. The Mule Deer Foundation is committed to reducing this trend and improving the health and vigor of Montana's remaining aspen stands. Thus far in 2018, the MDF has allocated $25,000 to three aspen regeneration projects in Montana. Such projects will aim to reduce conifer encroachment in aspen stands through mechanical slashing and controlled burns.
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CWD Prevalence Mostly Below Threshold For More Management MFWP The number of deer in southern Carbon County with
chronic wasting disease generally is low enough to warrant no substantial immediate changes in management. Of the 400 deer harvested by hunters in the area during the general 2017 hunting season and a special hunt that ended in February, 2 percent tested positive for the disease. Biologists generally consider management action to control the disease if at least 5 percent of the herd is infected. CWD is a progressive, fatal neurological disease that effects deer, elk and moose. It has been present for some years in states and Canadian provinces north, east and south of Montana, but was first found in wild deer in the state this fall during focused surveillance throughout south central Montana. The discovery prompted a special hunt in an area of southern Carbon County to determine the geographic extent, or distribution, of the disease and the prevalence, or percent of the herd that is infected. During the special hunt, which ended Feb. 15, samples were taken from all 215 mule deer and 112 white-tailed deer harvested by hunters and sent to Colorado State University for testing. Deer harvested by hunters in the area and tested during the general 2017 deer season also were considered when calculating the statistical presence of the disease. Samples from eight mule deer and two white-tailed deer harvested in southern Carbon County tested positive for CWD. Emily Almberg, wildlife research specialist at FWP’s laboratory in Bozeman, said that works out to 2 percent overall prevalence in the deer herds tested. Broken down by species, the prevalence in mule deer was 2 percent while the prevalence in white-tailed deer was 1 percent. Biologists are concerned, however, that the majority of the positive tests came out of Hunting District 510 between Belfry, Warren and Bridger. Within that area, prevalence was closer to 10 percent, Almberg said. Because that prevalence exceeds the 5 percent threshold, she said, biologists will have to determine whether management specifically for the disease is warranted in the future. CWD has not been shown to spread to people, pets, livestock or wildlife outside of the deer family. However, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend not consuming meat from an animal known to be infected with CWD. The CDC also recommends that hunters have deer tested if they were harvested in areas where CWD is known to be present. More information about CWD is available online at http://fwp.mt.gov/cwd.
26 | Hunting & Fishing News
RMEF Endowment Makes $7.7 Million Difference for Elk Country (So Far) RMEF
RMEF photo
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is celebrating the
fifth anniversary of its Torstenson Family Endowment (TFE) and the wide-ranging impact it continues to leave on elk country from coast to coast. “Since its establishment five years ago, the TFE has allowed us to accelerate timely impactful on-the-ground conservation work benefitting elk and elk country in a manner we could not do previously,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. With the blessing of the Torstenson family, RMEF sold the 93,000-acre Torstenson Wildlife Center, previously known as the Double-H Ranch, gifted to RMEF in 2002 by Bob Torstenson. The 2012 transaction established the $30 million TFE, believed to be one of the largest endowments ever gifted to a hunter-based, wildlife conservation organization. RMEF uses earnings, interest and appreciation generated from the endowment to solely further its core mission programs. Over the last five years, the now $38 million endowment provided a total of more than $7.7 million dollars across 37 states and one Canadian province, including: nearly $4.1 million across 13 states that opened or improved public access to 268,000 acres of public land and permanently protected 45,000 acres $1.8 million for hunting heritage programs reaching more than 353,000 youth and adults across 31 states and one Canadian province $883,000 for various wildlife management and research projects $789,000 for habitat enhancement work benefitting 72,200 acres across 19 states home to wild elk $236,000 for elk restoration work in Virginia and Wisconsin “The Torstenson Family Endowment stands as a perpetual tribute to the late Bob Torstenson. His love of elk, wild places and his desire to spread our traditional hunting lifestyle to the generations that follow will continue to be manifested for years to come,” added Henning.
2017 Total Deer And Elk Harvest Above Average, But Mule Deer Was Down
“I
By Roger Phillips, Public Information Specialist Idaho Fish & Game
Elk and overall deer harvest exceeded the 10-year average
won an Idaho
Super Hunt!”
- Dave Leavitt
Hunters took more elk and white-tailed deer in 2017 than in 2016, but mule deer harvest was down. With a much milder winter so far, Fish and Game biologists expect the drop in mule deer harvest to be short lived as herds recover from last year’s difficult winter across Central and Southern Idaho.
34 hunters win the
The 2017 elk harvest was about 17.5 percent above the 10-year average, and despite the dip in
chance every year to hunt world class big game in any open hunt.
the mule deer harvest, 2017’s overall deer harvest was still slightly above the 10-year average.
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Elk harvest Elk hunters are enjoying some of the best hunting in recent history. Harvest was up by 1,242 elk in 2017 over 2016, which was largely an increase in cow harvest. The bull harvest dropped 341 animals between 2016 and 2017. Fish and Game increased cow hunting opportunities to reduce herds that are causing damage to private lands in parts of the state. Idaho’s elk harvest has exceeded 20,000 elk for four straight years, which hasn’t happened since the mid 1990s. Idaho’s elk herds have grown in recent years thanks in part to mild winters, but elk don’t typically suffer the same fate as mule deer when winter turns colder and snowier. “Elk are much hardier animals and less susceptible to environmental conditions,” Fish and Game Deer and Elk Coordinator Daryl Meints said. “It has to be a tough winter to kill elk.” The 2017 deer harvest dropped by 11,426 animals compared with 2016, which included a slight increase in white-tailed deer harvested, but 11,574 fewer mule deer harvested. In response to last year’s hard winter, Fish and Game’s wildlife managers reduced antlerless hunting opportunities for mule deer in 2017 to protect breeding-age does and help the population bounce back more quickly. That resulted in 2,517 fewer antlerless mule deer harvested. Fish and Game’s mule deer monitoring last winter showed only 30 percent survival for fawns, which was the second-lowest since winter monitoring started 20 years ago. Those male fawns would have been two-points or spikes in the fall had they survived, which typically account for a large portion of the mule deer buck harvest. Harvest statistics showed hunters took 3,709 fewer two points or spikes in 2017 than in 2016. Mule deer tend to run on a “boom and bust” cycle, and “every few years, you’re going to have a winter when this happens,” Meints said. However, it tends to be fairly short-lived unless there are consecutive winters with prolonged deep snow and/or frigid temperatures. While mule deer hunting was down, whitetail hunting remains solid and stable, and hunters took more whitetails than mule deer last fall, which is rare for Idaho. The whitetail harvest in 2016 and 2017 hovering just below the all-time harvest record of 30,578 set in 2015. Northern Idaho had an average winter last year, and whitetails in the Panhandle and Clearwater continue to thrive after a series of mild-to-average winters there.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 27
V R
Boundary Changes Between Hunting Districts 590 And 702MFWP Hunters applying for a deer B license by June 1 should
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be aware of a boundary change between hunting districts 590 and 702 in Big Horn and Treasure counties. For the coming hunting seasons, the boundary between the two hunting districts – and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park regions 5 and 7 – will move about two miles eastward from Highway 47 north of Hardin to the east bank of the Bighorn River. Hunters in the narrow strip of land between Hardin and Interstate 90 will need to comply with regulations for HD 590 instead of HD 702, as has been the case in previous years. The move was proposed by FWP and adopted by Montana’s Fish and Wildlife Commission because of frequent confusion among hunters and landowners. The change was one of many statewide proposals made during the biennial regulation and season-setting process. It was preceded by a public comment period. FWP believes that the river boundary is more intuitive, allows for more efficient management by FWP and simplifies regulations for landowners and hunters. Only one dead-end county road accesses the east side of the Bighorn River valley. No public bridges cross the river between Interstate 90 and Interstate 94, so the river creates a natural separation between hunting districts. Few landowners have property on both sides of the river while the highway split many farms and ranches. The FWP’s Region 5 headquarters in Billings is much closer to the area than the Region 7 headquarters in Miles City. It is more efficient for Region 5 to manage services such as the game damage program, Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program, Block Management and fishing access sites in this area. Region 5 wildlife staff currently manage the Grant Marsh Wildlife Management Area that was formerly in HD 702, and public inquiries will now be directed to the Billings office.
Winter Takes Its Toll On South Central Montana Fish Ponds MFWP
This winter’s snowy weather is taking its toll on fish ponds
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in south central Montana. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists reported a noticeable fish kill at Riverfront Park on the south edge of Billings this week... Winter fish kills start when ponds with vegetation on the bottom freeze over, then the ice is covered with deep snow. Because the ice and snow cut off all light, the plants die. Bacteria that eat the rotting plants consume much of the oxygen in the water, leaving too little for fish. The dead fish that appear on the surface after ice-out died of anoxia, or their reaction to a lack of oxygen in the water. At Riverfront Park, FWP biologists found a variety of dead fish including tiger muskies, big-mouth buffalo, river carpsuckers, white suckers, long-nose suckers, pumpkin seeds, carp, crappies, sunfish and a few bass... Lake Elmo in Billings Heights historically has been immune to winter fish kills because it has deeper spots and little vegetation on the bottom. FWP fisheries biologist Mike Ruggles said the Riverfront Park fish kill could have a silver lining for fishermen. Anoxic conditions rarely kill all of the fish in a pond, he said. Fewer fish will mean more food and fish that survived likely will grow bigger. Later this summer FWP will plant bass to replace the fish that died...
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6 Great Reasons to Moose Hunt BC with Kawdy Outfitters Photo courtesy Kawdy Outfitters
By Zach Lazzari www.kawdyoutfitters.com
Moose hunting is for the adventurous. The habitat is often
located in difficult terrain, they are very large and skittish and in most cases, moose coexist with a number of serious predators. Moose like thick brush, muddy bogs and any place that is generally difficult to navigate. While there is no such thing as an easy moose hunt, harvesting a trophy bull is an incredible experience. Kawdy Outfitters has built a program that rivals any for size, numbers and comfort. 1. Key Location The country in northern British Columbia is large and extremely remote. The Kawdy camps are located near the B.C. and Yukon border, at the Yukon drainage headwaters. Many places in the Yukon have low moose densities and thick terrain with low visibility. That’s not the case here. Hunting these high plateaus and relatively open country means that moose are more highly visible. The remote base camp locations are accessed by plane, ensuring a true wilderness experienced in a low pressure environment. From there, moose hunts utilize horses or boats to reach even more remote spike camps. 2. Numbers The overall population densities are higher here than perhaps anywhere else. The remote mountains of northern British Columbia are home to healthy populations of moose. This means more opportunities for Kawdy hunters. The amount of trophy game here is simply unrivaled. 3. Trophy Quality The Kawdy camps have a major advantage for trophy quality. Being on the B.C. side of the border, the moose are classified as Canadian but they share the same genetics as Alaska Yukon Moose. They are larger on average than Canadian Moose in other areas making your chance of a record bull much greater. 50-65 inch wide palms is the norm with excellent height and mass qualities. 4. Horseback Advantage Kawdy camps use livestock to access difficult terrain. You will spend time in the saddle each day, riding, glassing and calling with your guide until you locate the right bull. Your legs will appreciate the horses and moose are less likely to flee at the sight of horses. If horses are not preferred, hunting from boats is also an option. 5. Comfortable Camps Hot meals and hot showers are rare in this remote region. Your camps are setup with full kitchens where the staff makes home cooked meals, hot water for showers and comfortable cabins. 6. Double Down Your odds of harvesting a moose within a few days are great. You can double down on mountain caribou to continue hunting. The mountain caribou habitat often overlaps with moose in this area. You can also use the horses to reach higher plateaus where spot and stalk opportunities are common. Most hunters choose to carry tags for more than one species, whether that’s mountain caribou or mountain goat. These combo hunting opportunities to not require traveling long distances between hunts. In fact, moose, mountain caribou and mountain goat can often be hunted from a single camp. There’s few other places in North America – or worldlwide that offer that kind of combo hunts of this caliber. To learn more visit www.kawdyoutfitters.com or email: hunting@kawdyoutfitters.com
30 | Hunting & Fishing News
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HOW TO UTILIZE MONTANA’S BLOCK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR HUNTING ACCESS (continued from page 11) Region 1 Maps can be ordered from the Region 1 MFWP office at (406) 752-5501 or picked up directly from the office at 490 North Meridian Road, Kalispell, Montana 59901. Region 2 Maps can be ordered from the Region 2 MFWP office at (406) 542-5510 or picked up directly from the office at 3201 Spurgin Rd, Missoula, MT 59804. Region 3 Maps can be ordered from the Region 3 MFWP office at (406) 994-3288 or picked up directly from the office at 1400 South 19th, Bozeman, MT 59718. Region 4 Maps can be ordered from the Region 4 MFWP office at (406) 454-5862 or picked up directly from the office at 4600 Giant Springs Road, Great Falls, MT 59405. Region 5 Maps can be ordered from the Region 5 MFWP office at (406) 247-2940 or picked up directly from the office at 2300 Lake Elmo Drive, Billings, MT 59105. Region 6 Maps can be ordered from the Region 6 MFWP office at (406) 228-3700 or picked up directly from the office at 54078 US Hwy 2 W, Glasgow, MT 59230. Region 7 Maps can be ordered from the Region 7 MFWP office at (406) 234-0930 or picked up directly from the office at 352 I-94 Business Loop, Miles City, MT 59301.
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USING INSIDER AND BMAS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
The Block Management Program has been excellent in granting access to prime habitat and providing an opportunity for the hunters of Montana. While the program has definitely helped some, it should also be noted that these private areas will be seen as sanctuaries by many and can sometimes illicit far more attention than you may be looking for. To put it bluntly, don’t expect to be alone when hunting most of the BMAs in the state, primarily Type I areas. Now, does that mean that anyone searching for solitude and unpressured animals should be looking elsewhere? Absolutely not! Hunt District 590 � Compare
This hunt district is located east of Billings and south of Roundup. It includes the Bull...
Trophy Potential Bucks 4PT+ Public Land 160”+ 48% 9.9% Recently, we launched a new statistic in our Filtering 2.0 interactive tool that details the percentage of private lands found in a unit. Generally speaking, when I see areas under 60%, I keep on scrolling and looking for the next prospective area. However, consider the use of BMAs to distance yourself from others. If you find a prospective unit that has high success rates, big bucks (or bulls), but a higher percentage of private land all hope is not lost. Instead, study the BMA maps for the area and note areas where public ground butts up against these areas. This might save you miles of walking around a ranch to find forgotten spots of public land or may grant access to areas previously shut off to access due to Montana’s fence hopping laws. The bottom line? Think beyond the immediate area. (continued on page 46)
It is just you and that bear.
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THREE REASONS TO TRY CHUKAR HUNTING Photo ©David Burke|Dreamstime.com
By Bob McMichael Project Upland www.projectupland.com
Y ou’ve heard the rumors. You’ve heard that it’s good cardio, that it’s transformative. We’ve all seen the bumper sticker, “Real men hunt chukar.” Your friend from Idaho says, “It’s a culture unto itself.” Your therapist equates chukar hunting with insanity.
It’s all true. Still, for the sane person, chukar hunting can be a good idea. Here are three reasons why:
YOU DON’T NEED ANYONE’S PERMISSION.
Chukar live on public land. They also live on private land. They’re honeybadgerish on this point. But these red-legged devils occupy some of the most “useless” land in the world, which might explain why much of it is public: hot, dry, steep, rocky. Sometimes you’ll find cattle on this land, but I wouldn’t want to eat that sinewy, lopsided beef. Idaho, Nevada, eastern Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming have hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of BLM and US Forest Service land that anyone can use. And chukar call home.
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It’s kind of like buck fever, or the crescendo of anticipation you get while watching your small dry fly meander its way toward a huge trout. Kind of. But there are the added components. Working with a gifted pointing dog. Working your ass off to get in position on a point. Not knowing where the chukar will fly from (or where in the hell they might go). Harnessing your wits and shooting technique to hit–or more often miss–the most elusive game bird in North America. The only exception is the Himalayan Snow Cock, which three people on the planet have seen (with binoculars). Chukar hunting is the epitome of fair chase, but the odds drastically favor the birds. So when you succeed, you’ve earned that beer.
THEY’RE TASTY.
For a bird that lives in such harsh terrain, chukar taste good. The ample breast meat is mild and white, looking and tasting much like a Cornish game hen. The legs are dark but have a decent amount of fat in them. They’re good in a slow cooker stew, smoked, or prepared like hot wings. I think chukar are best aged a week or two, but when you do enjoy a meal of this noble bird, knowing what went into bagging it will make it taste even better. There are lots more reasons to hunt chukar. Of course with all types of hunting, it could just be a personal thing. But you’re not chukar hunting on a game farm, even if you’re shooting chukar. It’s the habitat that ultimately makes it what it is. That’s the beauty of chukar hunting: being able to do it without asking permission, using your body and mind and beloved bird dog in concert. And celebrating with a delicious meal of the hard-earned prey.
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THE ROAD TO A MONTANA BEAR SKIN RUG By Mark Kayser
ontana has lots of black bears. Montana has lots of black M bear licenses. Montana has a moderate number of black bear hunters. Montana is approximately 40 percent publicly
owned. Add all of that together and you have a state boasting basically unlimited black bear opportunity for the spring season. A few units have quotas and require you to report a harvest, but essentially if you spend the licensing money it’s open season for spring black bear hunting under the big sky. That’s the good news about Montana black bear hunting. Of course there is always a sprinkle of bad news after the good news. For starters, Montana sold 31,445 bear licenses in 2016 including the sportsman license option. That’s not terribly scary for a state that has more than 1 million residents. Plus, less than 1,300 were non-residents hunters so it isn’t as if the word is out that bear hunting is out of this world in the Treasure State. Or maybe the word is out? When you add the total harvest together for the spring and fall seasons in 2016 the entire harvest was only 1,550 bears. Do the math and it comes out to less than 5 percent overall hunter success. Do you want some additional bad news? Throughout much of the western half of the state black bears intermingle with their big brother the grizzly. Montana requires you to take a bear identification test that is easy to pass with a few minutes of studying, but that doesn’t eliminate the dangers of meeting a grizzly in the backcountry. You need to be bear aware of both aggressive black bears and grizzlies during your spring hunt. Finally, the last of the bad news is the fact you can’t use bait or dogs to hunt bears in Montana. These two methods account for much of the bear hunting success in popular areas including the bear-rich provinces to the North like Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, fan favorites for bear hunters over bait. Most Montana bear hunters rely on spot and stalk methods, and a few use prey calls to lure in hungry spring bruins. Don’t let that bit of depressing news scare you.
Recent estimates from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks places the overall population of bears, including tribal holdings, between 9,868 and 16,758. If you’re determined and have the time there’s a good chance you can plan a bear meeting this spring. 34 | Hunting & Fishing News
Spot and stalk black bear hunting. Photo ©Mark Kayser
There’s also no shortage of hunting units brimming with bears. Most of the units sporting higher densities reside in west and southwest Montana according to MFWP data. Western units like 104, 106, 107, 108 and 216 all have estimated populations of nearly 1,000 bears within. In southwest Montana take a look at unit 341 with an estimated population just shy of 900. Units around Great Falls also have ample opportunity. Check out 420 and 450 as two units with estimates close to 800, or above. Finally, if you plan to hunt in a more central location unit 520 southeast of Livingston has a population of just less than 600. You can find bears throughout the state and the harvest has been trending fairly steady since 2010. Regardless if you wish to hunt bears with a binocular or a prey call you still need to be in the right neighborhood. Springtime bears are waking up hungry from a long winter of hibernation. Their first priority is to get their digestive system working and that means a trip to any green, grassy slope. Grass is the laxative of choice to push out their winter plug and ensure what goes in, bear hunting in the spring comes out. Rest assured there Black is exciting and tense if you use will be a lot going in during the prey calls. Photo ©Mark Kayser. next few weeks and months.
With that image in mind search for openings, meadows and south-facing slopes to locate grazing bears, or at least be in a neighborhood they may soon visit. South-facing slopes green up first and characteristically have more vegetative cover than north-facing slopes. Pay special attention to openings and slopes that have lush patches of clovers, and dandelions. Bears love to make a salad on species like this. Bears visiting lower elevation sites may forage on hayfields greening up or even along a lush creek bottom. Check every black object with your binocular to make sure you’re not passing by a feeding bear.
High-quality optics are required equipment for spotting bears near and far. Your glassing may reveal a bear that is in the perfect location for a stalk or even one slipping into the timber that could be called out with prey, or even bear vocalizations. If a trophy bear is your goal then a spotting scope stashed in your backpack should also be a consideration. You don’t have to raid the kids’ college account for optical clarity. Black bear hunting may not be a high-success hunt, but it’s finally spring. Cabin fever, the warmth of spring and the possibility of a bear rug all combine for an opportunity you can’t pass up.
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Here are some areas to consider that have surprisingly good wild turkey populations.
Photo ©Michael Chatt | dreamstime.com
A male turkey gobbles during the spring mating season.
Overlooked Montana Turkey Hunts By H&F News Montana’s spring turkey season runs through mid-May and the peak of the breeding season.
FINDING OVERLOOKED BIRDS:
Montana’s best turkey habitat is located in it’s southeastern corner, and because of it’s large block of public land on the Custer National Forest, that’s where hundreds of hunters head every spring. But there are plenty of other good areas to hunt, you just have to find them. Montana’s upland turkey habitat is relatively limited with special permits - mainly in western Montana. That being said, plenty of opportunities exist as turkey populations continue to grow in wooded areas and along river corridors and large tributaries.
BEST OVERLOOKED GOBBLERS: • Swan Valley - The Flathead Valley is loaded with wild turkeys. Try hunting public land in the Swan Valley from Swan Valley south to the Condon area. For mid-season turkeys move onto the Flathead National Forest. Focus your hunts on areas that are closer to the Swan River with plenty of trees for cover and water. The Swan River state forest has some wonderful (and neglected) turkey hunting toward the end of the season. • Missouri River - A tributary of the Missouri starts around White Sulphur Springs and enters the Mo near Ulm. These hard to reach areas are usually hunted from floating in and are hunting areas nestled around trees that surround the river bottoms. The legendary Smith River float is harder to draw, but if you can, what an experience it is to float, hunt turkeys, fish and set-up camp for a few days. Wow!! There are plenty of other options as well along the river. You may have to contact land owners about hunting access or find ways with your onXhunting maps (www.onxmaps.com) to find public and state land that other hunters drive by. A bend in the Missouri River as it courses through rocky cliffs and willow lined banks under cloudy skies.
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Photo ©Tloventures | Dreamstime.com
• Stillwater River - This tributary of the Yellowstone River, located south of Columbus has some phenomenal turkey populations, and they are not limited to river bottom. The pine-studded uplands around Fishtail, Nye and Bridger all have decent wild turkey populations. Again, you may have to gain access beforehand. You may have luck checking in with landowners now who want a few of these birds harvested.
© Philip Bird | Dreamstime.com
View of the Yellowstone River in Montana
• Yellowstone River - Turkey populations on the lower Yellowstone are well known to eastern Montana turkey hunters, but the middle reaches of the river hold some excellent turkey hunting opportunities with a few pockets of public land as well. One way to hunt the river between Custer and Miles City is to launch a boat and hunt the larger islands and chunks of public land that are inaccessible to overland hunters. The Forsyth area is a good start with some fine wild turkey found around Hysham and it’s surrounding areas. • Missouri River Breaks - The old Fort Peck Game Range, now a portion of the CMR National Wildlife Refuge was once the main source for turkeys that were transplanted all around the state. The turkey numbers have slowly climbed back since the days of small grain production on the CMR that ended in the 1960s, and you’ll find decent hunting around the Fred Robinson Bridge and portions of the Breaks from Hell Creek west to Winifred. The best hunting will be found south of the river, but you’ll find pockets of birds on the north side to hunt too. For a fun cast and blast experience, hunt and fish out of the Rock Creek Marina. Camping sites and dry cabins are available here. Give the guys at Rock Creek Marina a call at 406-485-2560 if you are looking for areas to hunt around Fort Peck. • Big Timber - From the Yellowstone River’s cottonwood bottoms to the uplands adjacent to Big Timber Creek, you will find the turkey numbers abundant. A few sections of state land will allow hunting birds near the creek bottoms. Good hunting will also occur when these birds disperse into the uplands and foothills of the Crazy Mountains and farther up Big Timber Creek. Don’t be afraid to stop and ask the locals where to begin. You’ll never know unless you ask! • Bighorn River - The Bighorn River downstream or north of Hardin has some of the biggest concentrations of turkeys in Montana. Access is tough along the river, but if you can work it out, you’ll have glorious days of hunting ahead as turkeys filter up to the timbered ridges and piney knobs between the Bighorn and the Yellowstone, and all the way north to Custer. • Broadus - Southeastern Montana holds plenty of birds to hunt, but you will need to bring your GPS as much of the premium hunting grounds around Ashland, Broadus, Boyes and the Powder River country remain private. Still, plenty of great hunting land is available in these regions, as it is full of state, BLM and public land dotted throughout it’s landscape. It’s bold, beautiful country and you’ll find camping access or small motels and restaurants to hold you over. Enjoy the best of Montana this spring!
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Two days of nothing but shooting your bow. This will be the BIGGEST ARCHERY EVENT OF THE YEAR. Come have fun with friends, family, and other Bowhunters. 80 3-D TARGETS: 40 each day. Four separate loops of 20 targets. Shoot two different loops of 20 targets each day. Primitive camping available on site. Bring your own firewood. Bear proof gear required. Concessions by Pards Tummy Teasers
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RECIPE CORNER Dutch Oven Biscuits and Gravy By a 12 Gauge Girl - Lindsey Bartosh http://huntingandcooking.com 6-8 servings Ingredients: 1 can homestyle biscuits 1 pound breakfast sausage 1/4 cup flour 3 cups whole milk Salt and Pepper to taste Instructions: Line a 12” dutch oven with aluminum foil. Place biscuits on top of foil and cover with lid. Place 8-10 already heated charcoal briquettes below the oven. Add 15-18 briquettes on top. Stack a second dutch oven on top of first. Allow second oven to preheat. Add pound of sausage and cook until just browned. To the sausage and its drippings, whisk in the flour, creating a roux. The flour should create a lump-free, smooth paste. Once roux is ready, slowly add the milk, stirring the entire time. Allow the gravy to come to a gentle boil and reduce down, stirring occasionally to prevent burning or sticking. Once the gravy has reached desired consistency, season with salt and pepper. The biscuits should be ready in 12-15 minutes, so check them as you cook the gravy. Plate by breaking open a biscuit and smothering in sausage gravy. Enjoy!
Hunting & Fishing News | 37
4 Most Popular
Hunting Cartridges
B
By Mike Hanback www.mikehanback.com www.bigdeerblog.com
oone and Crockett did a survey one time. They compiled a list of cartridges that hunters used to kill North American big game and big bucks that ultimately made their record book. Not surprisingly, here are the top 4 rounds: –.300 magnum (used by 18 percent of the hunters in the survey): This includes the .300 Win. Mag and .300 Rem. Ultra Mag. A lot of the animals killed in this survey were big and tough, Photo courtesy www.bigdeerblog.com like bears and elk. But quite a few record-size mule deer and whitetails were felled with the flat-shooting .300 too. Never a bad choice, IF you can handle some recoil. –.270 (12 percent): The .270 is still one of the kings and always will be, no matter how many sexier, flatter-shooting cartridges are developed. The .270 is a proven performer and has little recoil, so most hunters shoot it well. Fine whitetail cartridge, all things considered probably the best. After a few years of hunting with other cartridges, I find myself going back to my Remington Model 783 in .270…I shoot a few more bucks with it and wonder why I ever stop using that fine rifle. –.30/06 (11 percent): Only thing surprising is that it didn’t rank higher in the top 2. Still the best all-around big game cartridge on the planet. I’ve killed sheep, black bears, caribou, elk and lots of deer with 150-, 165- and 180-grain bullets; why I ever stopped hunting with the .30-06 I really don’t know, but I haven’t shot mine in years. I need to go back to this venerable cartridge again. –7mm Rem. Mag. (10 percent): The 7 Mag. will always have a following, especially with elk and mule deer hunters out West, where it really cannot be topped. I used this cartridge a lot last fall, and while it performed well, I need more range and hunting time with it to feel comfortable. Which rifle and cartridge do you hunt with?
38 | Hunting & Fishing News
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Hunting & Fishing News | 39
COPING AFTER LOSING AN ANIMAL
By Dave Barnett
Originally published at
Photo credit: Dave Barnett
A s hunters, the best way to hone our skills and knowledge of the field comes from learning experiences. Sometimes
these experiences will be grand and memorable and other times they can be negative and ugly. Some of the most successful hunters I know are constantly yearning for this knowledge and never pass up an opportunity to learn—no matter how small or big the lesson may be. I’ve often found that, for myself, some of the most negative and just plain awful situations I’ve experienced have become some of the best lessons in life. These situations can arise in the form of a miss, blown stalk, or even just the difficulty in finding animals on a tough hunt. Yet, beyond those, losing an animal after a shot for any reason is absolutely at the top of my list when it comes to undesirable situations. This is a situation that I feel often gets swept under the rug and pushed away into the dark recesses of our memories. Many hunters try to hide these situations, largely due to
www.goHUNT.com
the embarrassment I suspect, but discussing these can illicit fresh thoughts on the situation and provide valuable lessons. I’m not saying that you should jump onto your favorite social media platform and proclaim your predicament to the world, but discussing it among friends or family can be healthy. They say that if you hunt long enough you’ll eventually reach a point in your career where you’ll do everything right and still lose an animal. While this may not be an absolute truth, it does carry a heavy possibility. If and when this happens it’s going to destroy your confidence, make you question everything, and force you to take an honest and real evaluation of what you’re actually doing in the woods. This is one of those “lowest of the lows” events that will lead you into a hunter’s depression. However, it should be noted that there is a real opportunity here.
THE FIRST 24 HOURS
The first 24 hours following the end of the search are going to be agonizing; there’s nothing you can do about it. While I can’t speak for everyone reading this I can say that in my own personal experience you will become a social recluse. I shut out everyone around me and mostly become just miserable to even be around. You’re going to fall into an awful funk as you constantly replay the situation in your head, constantly asking yourself the question, “Why?” At this point, I’ll question my ability and skills in the woods and even contemplate selling everything and taking up a new sport. You’ll basically turn into a manic pubescent teen throwing a fit. Instead of being totally shut out, I try to force myself to reevaluate the situation while the encounter is still fresh in my mind. I may write every detail down that I can remember, study anatomy charts, or talk through the situation with a friend or family member. During your initial search while in the field, you will likely become desperate with hopes of finding the animal and may overlook small details that could allude themselves to what actually went wrong. Talking through the event with a fresh mind can foster questions and evaluations that could shed some light on this unfortunate event.
THE WHY?
When evaluating the encounter, hunters should be constantly asking themselves “Why?” rather than, “Why did this happen to me?” They should focus on questions like, “Why did I miss my mark?” or “Why did the animal react like that?” Many times if a person looks at all of the facts and accepts everything with an open mind, a very probable explanation will become obvious. There can be a million and one reasons that cause a shot to go errant and sometimes these issues could have been prevented; other times they may have been totally out of our hands.
IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM
Generally speaking, the primary culprit of not recovering an animal will fall in the initial shot placement. First, I like to identify why I missed my mark. Was it improper foot placement? A rushed shot? Did I hold at full draw on my bow too long? Or did I have an unsteady rest for my rifle? The possibilities of cause are endless, but identifying the primary issue can shed some light on what went wrong and what to work on for next time.
40 | Hunting & Fishing News
Tracking mule deer blood after the shot. Photo credit: Brady Miller
Beyond the shot, many hunters will also make the mistake of taking up the bloodtrail too early. Even with a lethal hit, some animals may require up to 12 hours to pass. Picking up their bloodtrail too soon can increase the risk of bumping the now wounded animal and could lead to a long and fruitless tracking effort. On mortally wounded animals, hit anywhere other than the heart or lungs, the animal will generally cover a short distance (50 to 300 yards) and bed down if undisturbed. At this point, the wound will clot up and the animal will only bleed internally. Bumping your quarry at this point means that you now have an adrenaline filled animal bailing off the side of a mountain all the while not leaving a single blood drop to track. The odds of not recovering that animal just got very high. The bottom line here is that there are literally thousands of possibilities that could lead up to an animal not being recovered. Looking at the entire situation subjectively can help you identify what went wrong, whether it was your fault or not, and how to prevent this from ever happening again.
TAKING ACTION
Not every missed opportunity on an animal will result in the hunter coming to some sort of moment of clarity where all that went wrong will become obvious. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of fact that you’ll never know. That being said, there is always an opportunity to improve on something— whether it may lead to recovering an animal or not. The important factor here is to identify something, anything really, that you feel could have improved the outcome of this situation. Actively seeking solutions and acting on them can only help you in the future. Personally speaking, this generally boils down to more time at the range and familiarity with my equipment. Just because your bow is still on at 50 yards or your rifle at 200 doesn’t mean that your body remembers how to correctly
execute a shot when your adrenaline is red lining. In my opinion, muscle memory is far more important than any piece of gear for improving accuracy and consistency. Along with familiarity with your gear I also believe that a strong mental game can go a long way when everything starts going sideways. Physical practice Going to the range should be at the top of the list for any hunter, but it is also important to realize that the ideal shooting conditions found here will not always be the case in the woods. Real world practice can directly relate to your success each fall and getting creative can be both insanely beneficial and enjoyable. Challenge yourself during the offseason with some scenarios you may find in the woods. Take a portable target to your favorite public land spot and practice shooting at odd angles, through obstacles, or at unknown distances. Enhance this experience by bringing a family member or friend and you will find that competition can push you out of your comfort zone and really test the limits of your abilities. The bottom line here is that we are trying to train our muscles to perform under pressure and adverse conditions when our minds may not be able to do the same. Mental practice Along with physical practice, I also hold a lot of merit in mental preparation. This can have many meanings to everyone, but, for me, I strongly believe that if my body thinks it has been in a particular situation before, then my brain can process what needs to be done much faster and more efficiently. This can be as rudimentary Reliving past hunts with family. Photo credit: Dave Barnett as watching your favorite hunting shows and imagining (continued on page 46)
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... pring is arguably one of the best seasons of the year for a variety of reasons, one of those being the start of competition shooting. You might think competition shooting is an exclusive club that takes a lot of effort to get into, but you’d be surprised how easy (and fun) it can be! Follow the 5 easy steps to help you get your feet wet and barrel hot. 1. FIND THE RIGHT STYLE OF COMPETITION FOR YOU. Research the style of competitive shooting you find most interesting. There are a lot of options – and in many cases, subsets of those options. Thanks to social media and more gun forums than you can shake a stick at, this is the easiest part. Shooting-specific TV shows, online videos, and posts produced by experts/pro shooters are all great resources as well. These informational platforms will get you info about where most people are shooting in your area and how to get involved. The following are some good forums to check out: Boomer Shooter, Brian Enos Forums, and AccurateShooter.com... 2. WATCH A LOCAL MATCH. Yes, you can be a spectator! In fact, most people in competitive shooting started out watching from the sidelines. You’ll relieve anxiety and garner a high level of comfort heading into your first match by just knowing what to expect. Competitive shooting should be inviting - not intimidating. You can ask the shooters questions they will most likely be more than happy to answer. 3. TAKE THE PLUNGE. You’ve decided which sport you are interested in - now plug your nose, put on your life jacket, and dive in – the water’s warm! Evaluate gear requirements. Can you use what you already have? You may already be pretty well, or completely set – particularly if you can be flexible with which division you want to compete in. Get a mentor at a local club. Seriously – they will be able to help get you into the right gear and show you opportunities to shoot at other clubs too. This will be way easier than you think – in fact, you will probably have a list of people waiting to help. Try gear before buying it. This is another area where a mentor can really help! Gear is expensive, so making the right choices first will put you on the fast track and save money in the long run. 4. START SHOOTING AT EVERY LOCAL MATCH YOU CAN. There are several advantages to shooting local matches compared to “Major/National” level events. Local match fees are relatively inexpensive and you don’t have to break the bank with travel - which means more money for ammo! Additionally, shooting in a lower-pressure environment creates comfort on the clock. Once the buzzer goes off, there’s enough to remember. There’s no reason to create unnecessary, self-induced pressure when starting out. Forging friendships with local shooters is another big plus. Not only will you make some of your closest friends, but from a financial standpoint, you can share the cost of traveling to matches. And who doesn’t like a road trip with a good friend. That may be half the fun. 5. MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVE FUN. Competitive shooters are some of the most friendly and helpful people. Good questions will save you both time and money so don’t be afraid to ask.While there is a competitive side, at the end of the day having fun is at the top of the list.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 43
HISTORY OF LEATHERMAN TOOLS … THAT ALMOST DIDN’T GET CREATED By Tom Claycomb www.ammoland.com A t this years SHOT Show I had a meeting set-up to meet the Leatherman Tool Group Team. I thought it’d be an interesting meeting but I didn’t have a clue as to how interesting it would be. The team was super excited to show me what they had and to share their history with me. And it just so happens, they are celebrating their 35th anniversary this year. But let’s back-up. I assume I don’t have to explain what a Leatherman tool is. Heck, even my Librarian daughter has 2-3 of them and said everyone on her fire fighting crew carried one when she was a Hot Shot. It has to be the most plagiarized tool since the hammer doesn’t it? There are 5,000,000 copy cats and spin-offs out there now. As I alluded to above, the Leatherman team was one of the most excited companies that I met with all week. Right away they let me know that they were celebrating their 35th anniversary with the production of a Collector’s edition Leatherman with an old school leather sheath. I thought it’d be cool to do an article covering the history of the Leatherman Tool. It all started with the insight to fulfill a need, or as they say “Necessity is the mother of all inventions”. Tim Leatherman and his young wife took a vacation to Europe. Along the way they encountered leaky hotel plumbing issues along with vehicle problems on their $300 Fiat.
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44 | Hunting & Fishing News
Leatherman Tool Assortment : Lineup of Leatherman products. The Tread has numerous tools included in the bracelet. They also have a watch that utilizes the Tread as the strap. Photo courtesy www.ammoland.com
Tim had a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University but the only tool he had was his pocket knife. He dreadfully wished for even a pair of pliers. After getting back home he drew up some sketches of what would later evolve into the modern Leatherman Tool. He told his wife to give him one month to turn his dream into a full-time vocation. Armed with only a hacksaw and a file he set to work to build a prototype. Three years later he emerged with an invention to his likings. He obtained a patent and called it the Mr. Crunch. He had arrived….or so he thought. I don’t know Tim Leatherman photo courtesy if you’ve ever strived to www.ammoland.com bring an invention to fruition but developing it is only half of the battle. Finding someone to buy into your idea is the other half the battle. Knife companies thought that his invention was a tool and tool companies thought that it was a gadget. No one would buy in. He had to get a job to support his dream but suffered rejection after rejection. Finally, he partnered with an old college buddy, Steve Berliner that had some marketing skills. By chance a Seattle magazine gave them some sage advice as to making some improvements. In May 1983 a company finally gave them their break... By December they had sold 3,000 of their multi-tools. And as they say, the rest is history. As stated at the first, they are commemorating their Leatherman Tools 35th Anniversary by making a Limited-Edition Pocket Survival tool based on the original Mr. Crunch. What a cool story... I have to wonder, how many companies out there are kicking themselves in the tail for not jumping in hook, line and sinker? One model, their Leatherman Wave Tool has sold over 10 million units since 1998!
ELK HUNTING In PREDATOR COUNTRY
HOW TO UTILIZE MONTANA’S BLOCK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR HUNTING ACCESS (continued from page 32) To make the most of your research and to learn of the incredible benefits of INSIDER be sure to check out this link https://www.gohunt.com/insider.
IN CLOSING
Hunting private lands can sometimes receive a glamorized perspective of deer and elk frolicking in fields and herds numbering in the thousands. While the sobering truth is that this is nothing more than a dream emphasized by the latest elk video by a well-known call manufacturer, the fact is that private lands can provide a higher percentage at punching a tag. The experience may be different than your dream backcountry hunt, but, remember: a hunt is what you make it. If you’d like to challenge yourself while using the BMA program consider non-traditional routes of use for the lands. If you’re simply looking to fill your tag and fill the freezer, well that’s just fine, too!
COPING AFTER LOSING
AN ANIMAL (continued from page 41)
how you would handle any given situation or simply daydreaming yourself into a scenario and executing a shot. This can be as simple or complex as you make it, but I’ve always been a firm believer in the “your body cannot perform what your mind has not” train of thought.
Get back out there
At the end of the day, no amount of words that I can type or a friend can say will ever make this feeling go away-at least not immediately. Losing an animal sucks, plain and simple. This is a hard situation to get over and simply feeling the drive again can take Dave Barnett Photo credit: weeks or even months. Like all things in life, a lesson can be learned here and it’s up to us as individuals to squeeze every ounce of knowledge out of it. I’ve always kept in mind that everything happens for a reason. Sure, you may have lost an animal this season, but the knowledge gained from that one experience can lead to many more recoveries in the future. Once you’re up to it simply lace your boots back up and hit the hills; sometimes some quiet time in the woods is all you need. A great example of all of this heartbreak is what Brady Miller encountered on his 2015 high country Colorado archery mule deer hunt. You can check out the video from his hunt here https://youtu.be/uEjsW_62UoU.
46 | Hunting & Fishing News
By Zach Lazzari www.lazyjbaro.com Photo courtesy Zach Lazzari
E lk hunting in Montana could mean sharing territory with predators. While you’re not likely to see a wolf or grizzly bear
during the course of an elk hunt in most places, they are a factor on the landscape and hunters should be conscious of their presence. Elk numbers and overall population health is excellent in these areas. Hunters who utilize horses to access remote, low pressure wilderness areas tends to skew the odds in your favor. That said, being aware of predators and how they influence elk behavior is important for any hunt in a remote Montana wilderness area. Safety First Predator attacks on humans are extremely rare but encounters are entirely possible so be prepared. Carry bear spray and/or a sidearm and keep a key eye on the sign. Fresh bear tracks and scat often give fair warning to scoot away and find a new zone to hunt. The most dangerous scenarios involve sow’s protecting cubs or a grizzly on a kill. Wolves are often moving and don’t stay in one place for long. Howling and fresh wolf sign doesn’t last long. Wherever possible, carry a wolf tag in case you cross paths and keep on hunting despite their presence. Bull Behavior During the rut, bulls are brazen, loud and easier to locate than normal. Outside of the rut, bulls move to sanctuary areas where they can recover and feel safe. There are two consistencies that will always apply to elk behavior. Food and water. Find the food, find the water and work the heavy cover in predator country. Dark timber is critical when bulls are not in full rut mode. Work the edges of cover and you will find tracks, scat and rubs in many areas. Cover is especially important for solitary bulls that do not call or make much noise. On the contrary, elk in herds will sometimes find the most open ground possible in response to predation. Open ground gives them a clear view of anything coming. Find some high ground where you can see the open areas in the landscape and try to locate herds. If they are not visible, duck into the timber and follow the signs. After the Shot Depending on where in Montana you’ll be hunting, your kill site can become an issue in grizzly country. Field dress the animal and move the meat well away from the gut pile. Separating your meat from the gut pile and hanging it high can save some major headaches in grizzly country. For information on guided hunts or fishing trips visit www.lazyjbaro.com or call 406-932-5687.
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