HUNTING & FISHING NOVEMBER 2019
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2019 BIG GAME HUNTING FORECAST
MFWP re you ready for hunting season? Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks can help. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP provides online information about hunting access, including their popular Block Management Program. Through the program, they coordinate with landowners to provide hunting access to more than 7 million acres of private land. The interactive Hunt Planner map allows users to look at information for various species, including hunting districts and regulations. The hunt planner interactive map is a great way to access...block management information, so if you’re planning a hunt in a certain area, you can see if there are Block Management Areas available to expand your opportunity. And, as always, you can contact their helpful staff at any of their regional offices around the state. They’re happy to help and can often get you pointed in the right direction with just a few simple tips. Montana has some of the longest hunting seasons in the West, healthy herds of game and access to millions of acres of public land. Hunter harvest helps to reduce wildlife densities on a stressed landscape, and perhaps to help lessen winter depredation on haystacks or winter range. Here are a few things hunters can do to show respect for private landowners during this dry season: - avoid vehicle use in areas with dry grass in the median - use caution when parking in areas with dry vegetation - report smoke or any signs of fire to local officials - carry a fire extinguisher or water to...snuff any potential fires.
A
Destination: SOUTHWEST MONTANA – Region 3
From the Pintler Mountains on the west side of the region to the Absaroka-Beartooth range on the east, southwest Montana is defined by high-mountain rugged country and an abundance of public land. Big game thrives here, particularly elk. Hunting season last year was challenging due to winter’s late arrival, which kept conditions relatively mild through the end of December, delaying wildlife migrations. Extreme temperatures and heavy snowfall followed from January through April, which impacted ungulate numbers throughout much of the region. As with most years, hunter success this fall will largely depend on when the snow arrives. If there’s early snow, higher harvest numbers can be expected. If dry conditions continue through the fall, hunters can expect average to below-average harvest rates. Elk numbers are healthy around Helena (hunting districts 318, 335, 339 and 343). Hunter harvest is still reported at 50 percent in HD 339, which is a limited-entry district. Fawn recruitment for mule deer in these districts is still below desired thresholds, and doe licenses have been reduced in several districts. Adult mule deer numbers are still good compared to prior years. Deer and elk populations experienced moderate winter mortality — especially in last year’s young — in the Bull, Pintler, Highland and north Beaverhead mountain ranges (HDs 319, 321, 334, 340, 341, 350 and 370). Adult elk and deer weren’t significantly impacted, but fawn and calf numbers are down from last year. Hunters might see a difference in the number of 2-year-old bull elk next year. Pronghorn populations experienced similar trends, but their numbers are stable overall. Most animals that survived the winter should be in good physical condition.
Whitetail buck taken in North Central Montana.
The Tendoy Elk Management Unit and the Pioneer Mountains (HDs 300, 302, 328, 329, 331 and 332) saw a spectrum of ungulate survival, with the heaviest mortality in the northern portion of this area, moderating south from Dillon. Many deer entered last winter in good conditions, but extreme weather from January through March reduced fawn survival. Elk hunter harvest over the past three hunting seasons has been moderate, mostly due to late elk migrations. Winter survival trends for ungulates in the Bridger, Gallatin and Madison ranges (deer and elk HDs 301, 309, 310, 311, 321, 360, 361 and 362; and pronghorn districts 311 and 360) varied by species. Pronghorn suffered the most seasonal mortality due to severe conditions in late February through March, which led to some starvation. Pronghorn are showing signs of declines from recent highs, but their numbers are still within the long-term average. Mule deer counts are also within the long-term average. And elk counts are robust in all districts except 310, which continues to be below objective. The east Gallatin, Crazy, Bangtail and north Bridger ranges (HDs 313, 314, 315, 317 and 393) tell a similar story due to extreme winter conditions from January through March. Elk mortality was worst in southern Park County. Populations in the northern part of the Paradise Valley up to Interstate 90 also saw some mortality, but their numbers remain at or above objective in most areas. Elk numbers are still above objective on the Bangtail Mountains, but access is a challenge for most hunters. Deer numbers have been increasing in this area over the past few years. This year brought some declines from recent averages, but deer numbers are still within long-term averages. Following the 2018 hunting season, elk populations in the Tobacco Root (HDs 320 and 333) and Gravelly (HDs 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327 and 330) Elk Management units remain above management objective. This past winter didn’t produce significant elk mortality in these areas. The majority of elk and elk harvest in hunting district 333 will be distributed outside of National Forest lands. Hunters will need to obtain private landowner permission to access many of these elk. Elk harvest in this part of the state is influenced by snow accumulation and subsequent elk migrations. Hunters arriving before snow facilitates elk migration to traditional winter range may find unproductive hunting in those areas. Noticeable white-tailed deer mortality occurred in March and April in the Ruby, Beaverhead and Jefferson valleys, but many deer remain this summer. White-tailed deer are found primarily on private land in these areas, so landowner permission will be required to get to them. White-tailed deer hunting throughout public lands and tributaries will be opportunistic and subject to weather. (continued on page 6)
Hunting & Fishing News | 5
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2019 BIG GAME HUNTING FORECAST (continued from page 5)
Mule deer production and survival varied through Madison and Beaverhead counties last winter. Overall, biologists observed a 7 percent reduction in mule deer in this area relative to 2018, with variability in specific areas ranging from 17 percent growth to 34 percent reduction. In spite of this annual reduction, the overall mule deer population remains 24 percent higher than three years ago. The number of mule deer observed by hunters is expected to remain relatively comparable to the past two years. Pronghorn experienced a 44 percent reduction compared to 2018 on the west side of the Tobacco Root Mountains (HD 320) due to winter mortality. Pronghorn hunting licenses there have been reduced in response to the change. Biologists expect this population to recover relatively quickly if favorable conditions return. Pronghorn around Lima Reservoir (HD 330) are in good condition, and hunters can expect a productive hunting season there. Hunters may encounter some changes to how some Bureau of Land Management and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation motorized routes are signed around Dillon. Agencies are making efforts to sign roads that are not open for motorized travel as closed. This is part of an effort to improve public understanding of public lands travel routes. Before you drive out to this area, inquire with the local BLM office to get maps and current information for open and drivable roads. Hunters who plan to hunt in the Gravelly, Centennial, Greenhorn, south Tobacco Root or Madison ranges should be exceptionally cautious of grizzly bear activity.
The south Gravelly Mountains have had an especially dense concentration of grizzlies this year. For information on hunting safely in grizzly country, please visit www.igbconline.org/hunters. Destination: NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA – Region 4 Deer and elk numbers overall are good in north central Montana, though still recovering from the 2017-2018 winter. Last winter was not bad, except for about six weeks from February through mid-March. That stretch seemed to affect people more than many big game species. In the Little Belt and Castle Mountains, which cover nine hunting districts south of Great Falls, elk numbers are at or above average, but mule deer are low compared to the long-term average, says Jay Kolbe, FWP wildlife biologist. “With mule deer we have decent bucks but lower numbers,” Kolbe said. “Elk production the last two years have come through at average or slightly above average.”
On the Rocky Mountain Front, mule deer numbers are slightly better, and elk are mostly average to below average. The Sun River elk herd calf recruitment has been slightly lower in recent years due to weather, predation and harvest by hunters, says Brent Lonner, FWP wildlife biologist. Calf recruitment refers to those animals that survived their first year. Last winter about 2,100 animals were observed within the Sun River elk herd, which is about 5 percent below the long-term average. Mule deer numbers all along the Front appear to be average or even slightly above average. And of course, white-tailed deer numbers are high, says Lonner: “Lots of white tails.” Near Great Falls, the Highwood Mountains should have good numbers of mule deer. And elk are everywhere. Like the rest of the region, gaining access for hunters will be the challenge. The same holds true for Lewistown, as mule deer numbers are increasing from the winter of 2017-2018, while elk are numerous for those hunters who can gain access. Destination: SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA – Region 5 South central Montana is coming off of two consecutive severe winters and wet late springs. These have been tough on mule deer throughout the region. Fawn recruitment was poor and adult mortality was elevated, resulting in lower spring counts in most districts. In general harvest might be a bit lower than last year. Elk numbers remain high in all areas of south central Montana, except east of Billings where numbers are near objectives and the upper main Boulder River, where numbers are slightly below objective but stable. Along the north side of the Beartooth Mountains, elk numbers remain high. Shoulder seasons resulted in some shifts from the normal elk distribution in both the early and late season. Due to abundant precipitation this spring and early summer, the elk remain widely scattered and forage is abundant. Access is the limiting factor for elk hunters in all areas of south central Montana. Mule deer buck harvest continues to run well below average in the southwest part of the region, even though overall populations are only slightly below long-term average. The area south of the Musselshell River and northwest of Billings is an exception, with mule deer numbers remaining above the long-term average.
Despite lower fawn recruitment following the past two springs, white-tailed deer numbers remain above long-term average in most areas. Harvest should be very similar to last year with the highest populations along the major river corridors such as the Musselshell and Yellowstone Rivers and their tributaries. Antelope numbers are improving in the central and eastern portions of the region from the past few years. Numbers in the south and west parts of the region saw declines for the second year in a row. These declines were most likely from the severe winter. Hunters may notice fewer antelope in these areas and have to work harder to fill their tags.
Destination: NORTHWEST MONTANA – Region 1
The northwest corner of Montana features vast conifer forests spread across rolling topography and rugged mountains. This expansive landscape provides exceptional habitat for a wide array of wildlife, including white-tailed and mule deer, elk, black and grizzly bears, mountain lions, wolves, turkeys and furbearers. Designated as Region 1, this area features millions of acres of public lands and private timber company land open to public hunting. While this region encompasses only about 10 percent of the state, it provides approximately 40 percent of the black bear, mountain lion and wolf harvests in the state each year. White-tailed deer are the most plentiful big game species in this area and approximately 20 percent of the state’s annual harvest occurs here. Mother Nature has not been kind to big game herds with three straight harsh, snowy winters hurting recruitment rates. While the overall number of deer and elk remain stable across the region, hunters could experience lower harvest numbers compared to previous years due to this cycle. FWP biologists expect fewer younger white-tailed bucks to be in the population. However, this spring saw wet, cool conditions that created significant green forage throughout the summer. These conditions lead to excellent antler growth in both bucks and bulls and foster higher fawn and calf survival. During spring surveys, FWP observed more bull elk than previous years in HD 121. Mule deer numbers in the Lower Clark Fork remain low but appear to be stable. Good mule deer habitat is limited in this region, and hunters wishing to pursue “mulies” should hunt the high country in the Cabinet Mountains for the best results. In the Whitefish Range and North Fork, elk numbers appear low but stable relative to the past 10 years. Hunters can expect similar numbers of mule deer relative to the past 10 years, though they may encounter fewer mature deer due to poor recruitment. Data from collared mule deer in the Whitefish range suggests better survival this past winter. Harvest data suggests that white-tailed deer numbers are relatively low in the North Fork, but observed recruitment was more than twice that observed the previous year and should keep populations stable. In the Tobacco Valley and Stillwater drainages, overall resident elk numbers are down, though a mild spring and good green-up should have allowed for better recruitment. While mule deer numbers are in decline, hunters can expect to see a similar number of deer relative to the past five years. White-tailed-deer numbers are stable, and hunters should expect to see similar numbers of animals relative to last year. In the Libby area, spring deer surveys suggest that white-tailed deer numbers in HDs 100, 103, and 104 are on par with what they were in 2018. This apparent stability was encouraging considering the harsh winters. However, reproduction may have taken a minor hit recently, as 2019’s surveys show that the ratios of fawns per 100 adults was down in all three hunting districts and more similar to numbers from 2013. Thus, hunters should expect to see fewer younger deer when hunting this year. (continued on page 8)
Scope out powerlines. This hunting season we urge you to follow our important safety tips. Look up and look out for overhead power lines. Aim away from power poles, overhead power lines and transformers. And if you see a downed line or damaged electrical equipment, call 911 immediately.
Shawn H. District Operations Manager, 13 years of service
Hunting & Fishing News | 7
2019 BIG GAME
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HUNTING FORECAST (continued from page 7)
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huntingfishingnews@yahoo.com www.huntingfishingnews.net The entire contents is © 2019, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does this material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Volume 16 Issue 9 Cover Photo: © Lynn Bystrom | Dreamstime.com
8 | Hunting & Fishing News
Spring surveys in the Libby area showed that mule deer numbers in HD 103 have decreased only slightly and stabilized since their high total numbers and reproduction in 2013 and 2014. The recent mule deer research project is providing FWP with promising information regarding mortality: The mule deer does FWP collared in the Fisher River project area (part of HD 103) have the lowest mortality rates of mule deer amongst the three mule deer study areas. FWP personnel did observe some very large muley bucks in the higher elevations (above 6,200 feet) during mountain goat survey flights in the Cabinet Mountains. Elk numbers around the Libby area appear fairly stable, and cow-to-calf ratios appear only slightly lower than the long-term average. While the numbers of total elk harvested in HD 103 has decreased slightly in the past five years, the proportion of harvested antlerless elk has nearly tripled. The moose harvest in HD 105 has dropped over the past six years, since FWP moved to bulls-only regulation in the region. The average number of days until harvest was near the long-term average (17 days) until last year, when it increased (23 days). Despite these statistics, FWP has consistently seen a much higher number of moose, including moose with calves, during collaring efforts that occur a little later than surveys each year. Rather than rely solely on survey and harvest data to tell us about trends in moose numbers, FWP began collaring moose in HD 105, and two other study areas, in 2013. The study has revealed that none of the study areas’ moose populations are in dire straits, and the HD 105 study area has very high adult cow survival rate. FWP has detected chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer in the Libby area, and hunters need to be aware of the Libby CWD Management Zone, which includes portions of HDs 100, 103 and 104. All deer, elk and moose harvested within the Libby CWD Management Zone, including any harvested with a Libby Special CWD Hunt B license and any harvested with any other type of license, must be checked and sampled within three days of harvest. Animals can be checked at either the new Libby Special CWD Hunt Sampling Station (Montana Department of Transportation shop on US Hwy 2, mile marker 35) or the Canoe Gulch Check Station. Hunters who quarter or bone out their animal in the field must bring the head for sampling... During general big game season (Oct. 26 to Dec. 1), the Libby Special CWD Hunt Sampling Station will be open every day from 11 a.m. – 1½ hours after sunset. Hunters are only required to stop at the Sampling Station if they harvested an animal. The Canoe Gulch Check Station will be open weekends from 11 a.m. – 1½ hours after sunset during the general season and all hunters, with or without game, passing the check station must stop. Hunters will be required to document the exact location of the kill. Animals will be tagged with a unique identification number. Hunters can use that identification number to look up test results on the FWP website at www.fwp.mt.gov/CWD. Test results are usually available within three weeks. Hunters who harvest an animal that tests positive for CWD may receive a replacement 2019 license. Destination: WESTERN MONTANA – Region 2 Elk counts in western Montana were good this spring, continuing a long, upward population trend in western Montana in most locations. Counts were off in a few spots due to difficult conditions for surveying elk, as well as elk moving and scattering in response to longer hunting seasons,
as prescribed. Numbers of brow-tined bull elk may be a bit lower because of recent hard winters. Good summer moisture across the region should hold more elk in the mountains on public land this fall until snow pushes them down. Hunters hoping to participate in elk shoulder seasons this fall or winter should secure permission on private land now and then purchase an elk B-license before the start of the general hunting season. Look for the 002-00 regional B-license, and please read the regulations for your area carefully. Remember that these B-licenses are valid only for private lands. Shoulder seasons are achieving their desired effect in most places, which means that elk on private lands are more scattered now and harder to hunt. White-tailed deer numbers have been on an upward trend in general, but several hard winters in a row have dampened fawn survival. So, the whitetail population is holding steady overall, rather than increasing in most places. Good summer moisture has benefited whitetails on public land, as well as on private land. Opportunities to hunt mule deer are somewhat limited in western Montana. Many districts require a permit or B-license, awarded through the statewide application process earlier this year. Mule deer hunters should plan to go high in the mountains for the best opportunity at bigger bucks. An emerging opportunity for hunters in western Montana is to hunt mule deer on private lands, where numbers generally are growing. Again, pay close attention to the regulations to make sure you are properly licensed to hunt mule deer. There are only a few antelope hunting opportunities in western Montana, where the population of antelope is around 400. Hunting is limited to a few hunters who received a license through a special drawing. For more information on antelope, deer and elk numbers and hunting opportunities in western Montana, check out the FWP Region 2 Wildlife Quarterly, available online at www.fwp.mt.gov/regions/r2/wildlifeQuarterly.html... Destination: SOUTHEAST MONTANA – Region 7 Southeast Montana experienced above-average rainfall this summer, which produced abundant forage and cover for wildlife. Good habitat conditions will benefit wildlife populations, but that can actually make hunting more difficult, especially during the early season. With water and green forage available nearly everywhere on the landscape, critters remain spread out and difficult to find. They won’t be concentrated near wetter areas or areas with thermal cover until the forage dries out and inclement weather sets in. Archery antelope hunters targeting water holes should expect fewer encounters since there are more options for critters to water, rifle deer hunters should expect to spend more time glassing since high vegetation offers better concealment, and heavy cover will make for tougher hiking for bird hunters and more difficult scenting conditions for gun dogs. This year’s habitat conditions should boost populations next year (pending what Mother Nature has in store this winter), but hunters should expect to put a little extra wear on their boots this fall to find critters. Aerial surveys of deer populations in southeast Montana indicate that both mule deer and white-tailed deer remain above long-term average numbers. “Abundant precipitation last year made for good forage conditions and deer going into winter in good body condition,” said wildlife biologist Melissa Foster. “The winter was mild up until February, when we got about six weeks of bitter cold and snow. Seems like most deer had enough ‘gas in the tank’ to make it through to spring green-up.” (continued on page 22)
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Hunting & Fishing News | 9
Nutrition in the Field:
A Hunter’s Guide to Staying Fueled SNS Outfitter & Guides www.huntwyo.com
From organic / grass-fed meat, to high quality produce, seasonal fruit, a variety of nuts and seeds, and whole grains, there is so much variety in a healthy, modern-day diet. When possible, try to build a balanced plate at every meal: a satiating breakfast is a few scrambled eggs with cheese, half an avocado, and a bowl of berries, an energizing lunch is a hearty sandwich on whole grain bread with deli meat and a side of veggies with hummus, and a blood-sugar balancing dinner is a 6-8oz portion of high-quality protein with a healthy starch and a salad. As with snacking, the same philosophy stands true — whole, unprocessed foods (i.e. a banana with peanut butter, trail mix, or oatmeal with berries).
Hunting Nutrition
Photo courtesy SNS Outfitter & Guides
hen it comes to hunting, staying properly energized W and hydrated are key. After all, most hunts are physically demanding. In order to keep up with your guide, fellow hunters,
and the animal you’re pursuing, proper nutrition is equally important as physical fitness. In other words, maintaining peak physical shape correlates to consuming nutrient-dense, whole foods. In an ideal world, a hunter is in good health — both in athleticism and holistic wellbeing. In the months leading up to hunting season, establishing a healthy diet is important for long-term gains. In other words, the habits you establish pre-season will carry over into the weeks and months of your hunt. Consuming unprocessed food is encouraged. Additionally, limiting sugar, especially refined sugar, is helpful in keeping your energy stable throughout the day. And of course, staying hydrated is essential. Aim to drink a glass or two of water prior to having breakfast, then at least six more 8-ounce glasses throughout the day.
Once the season is underway, it’s crucial to maintain your established habits. While there are cooks at every camp, we aim to fuel every hunter with a healthy and well balanced meal, but of course their cooking will not be the same as the meals you cook at home. We also provide snacks during your hunt, however if you chose to bring your own a few options would be for protein bars, EPIC Provisions makes clean bars with minimal ingredients; GoMacro bars are also great. For meat sticks — a quick source of protein — check out Chomps. For efficient energy, pack pitted dates (just be sure to remove the pits before eating) and nuts of choice. Bananas, dried apples, and granola are also fast-digesting energy sources as well. Stasher bags are a sustainable way to pack your snacks. At the end of a hunt, especially a day that requires hours of hiking, be sure to stretch, elevate your legs, and refuel with protein and complex carbs. In order to replenish tired muscles, protein is key. Additionally, complex carbs will help you sleep soundly. Lastly, don’t forget to hydrate and with that, good luck and be sure to stay properly fueled this season! Looking for information about a hunt in 2020? Now is the time to inquire. Visit www.huntwyo.com for more information or call 307-266-4229
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Processing game meat. Photo credit Brady Miller
A Look Into The Health Benefits Of Venison
venison is still a good source of the same minerals beef provides, including iron, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Fat and cholesterol Venison is a leaner meat than beef, which makes sense considering the active lifestyle of a wild deer in comparison to that of a domesticated cow. It is lower in calories and lower in cholesterol than both beef and poultry. Also, in most cases, venison is also higher in protein. Taste Taste is, of course, subjective and, certainly, some people do not like the taste of venison. The flavor of venison is heavily impacted by how the meat is handled immediately after harvest and especially by how it is prepared and cooked. If venison is processed and prepared correctly, chances are you won’t even be able to taste much of a difference or may even come to prefer its flavor over beef. In fact, Alex Robinson from Outdoor Life conducted a blind taste test where venison beat beef 8 to 2. Safety When you talk about food safety with venison, people immediately jump on the issue of chronic wasting disease (CWD). Currently, there are no known cases of CWD being transmitted to a human being. On the other hand, there have been documented cases of humans contracting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (the human version of mad cow disease) from infected cattle. Deer live a life free from artificial growth hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals or medicines that may be employed for use in commercial animal production operations. There is one special risk associated with deer meat and that’s residual lead from the bullet, assuming the deer was killed with a gun. Of course, if you take the deer with a bow then you don’t have to worry about this. For deer taken during rifle season, hunters can mitigate the risk of ingesting lead particles or residue by cutting liberal margins around bullet entrance and exit holes when butchering their deer.
By Nathaniel Dearolf
Originally published at
www.goHUNT.com
eople hunt for a variety of reasons: the sense of P accomplishment, the thrills, the meat, and also the memories of hunting with friends and family. One of the
biggest benefits to hunting is the quality venison that they eat or if they are on far away trips, they will donate it to local soup kitchens or food banks. However, people don’t generally think of venison as a replacement for other meats, like beef, in their diet. Putting wild game on the table and providing sustenance for your family is hugely rewarding, but are there other benefits to eating venison? How does it stack up to beef in nutrition and taste? Here’s a side-by-side comparison of venison and beef. Vitamins and minerals While venison and beef contain many of the same vitamins, venison has a slight advantage over beef in vitamin content. This Livestrong article https://healthfully. com/326549-nutritionalvalues-of-venison-vsbeef.html calculates that Photo credit Brady Miller venison contains more thiamine and riboflavin than beef, a little less niacin and vitamin B-6, and the same amount of vitamin B-12. While beef does have more minerals overall,
12 | Hunting & Fishing News
Photo credit Brady Miller
THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING VENISON
Besides the obvious health benefits, eating venison is important to the balance of nature. It has been well documented that hunting is one of the most efficient and effective ways to keep deer populations within a sustainable carrying capacity for the local ecosystem. The annual reduction of deer population helps to decrease deer-vehicle collisions, which account for hundreds of human deaths each year. Becoming self-sufficient through hunting and butchering your own deer meat increases your sense of independence. Knowing that you don’t have to rely on a grocery store to provide yourself and your family with a healthy, safe and great tasting (renewable) natural resource is an incredible feeling.
2019 UPLAND
GAMEBIRD FORECAST
MFWP
pland season started Sept. 1 with mountain, sage and U sharptail grouse along with partridge. Pheasant hunting started Oct. 12. All seasons end Jan. 1, except sage grouse, which ended Sept. 30. There was a tremendous bloom of clover this year, which may make walking difficult and distribute birds differently on the landscape.
Gray (Hungarian) Partridge
In south central Montana, Hun numbers are likely to be below average due to the cool wet spring and the resulting poor hatch. In northeast Montana, populations are always spotty. Partridge populations saw similar decreases to pheasants and sharp-tailed grouse due to the drought the last two years. Good nesting and brood-rearing conditions should help them recover slightly this year, and based on brood observations, coveys may be larger than the past two years. In the best habitats the outlook for Huns is fair this year, but hunters may need to cover a lot of ground to find those ideal habitats favored by the species. Hungarian partridge occur throughout southeast Montana, although their distribution also tends to be spotty. For this reason, many of the FWP biologists and wardens refer to them as a “bonus bird,” meaning they can be difficult to exclusively target but can be found while pursuing other species such as pheasants and sharp-tailed grouse. The most robust populations of Huns can typically be found where there is an interspersion of grain, alfalfa and rolling grassy hills or grass ways. Last year the Hun harvest in southeast Montana was estimated to be 20 percent of the
10-year average. Hunters can expect the number of Huns to be below average this fall, but considering the habitat conditions this spring and summer, they could find more birds than last year.
Pheasants
In south central Montana, pheasant counts this spring Photo credit randimal|depositphotos.com in the Clarks Fork valley indicated that over-winter survival was not good. Pheasant harvest will likely be somewhat lower this fall than in past years. Along the Yellowstone and Musselshell valleys, spring pheasant counts were similar to last year and hunting harvest will be decided by how well young-of-the-year survived spring storms. In northeast Montana, pheasant populations in much of the region are still recovering from the drought of 2017 and marginal conditions in 2018. Spring surveys in the eastern and western thirds of the region showed populations below average and well below average, with pheasant populations in the center of the region slightly above average. Due to the good weather during peak hatch in June, populations are expected to improve across the region, but will still likely remain below long-term average in most areas. Pheasant hunting in northeast Montana should improve somewhat over last year but will likely still be below the long-term average that many hunters are used to. The easternmost counties in the region and areas in the central part of the region along the Milk River are our traditional pheasant strongholds, and all signs point to those being better areas to find pheasants in northeast Montana this fall. (continued on page 26)
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Hunting & Fishing News | 13
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First Ice Walleye Lessons By Jason Mitchell
www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com
Jason Mitchell highlights some proven game plans and lessons for targeting walleye at early ice. Photo courtesy Jason Mitchell
many cases, the fall sets up the early ice bite. IthenAt socourse the very least, what happens as the lake freezes sets for the beginning of winter. There are variables
each winter that influence the location of where we find walleyes at early ice. Some of the outcomes of some of these variables can be predicted ahead while other outcomes are figured out after the fact. If there is a lesson I have learned over and over, that lesson would be that we cannot predict every outcome ahead. Just like there are upsets in World Series and Super Bowls that prove pundits wrong, there are situations in fishing that are difficult to always prove correctly. At the end of the day, we still have to keep an open mind and fish through locations and patterns with a process of elimination strategy. With that disclaimer, there are still some guidelines that serve us well when trying to figure out walleye at first ice.
Learn How to Fish Shallow Walleye If there is a lesson that has been a hard lesson at times, that lesson would be simply not looking shallow enough at early ice. Can’t tell you how many times we found aggressive fish in less than six feet of water. Shallow is a relative term but in my mind, shallow is anything less than ten feet. There is an art however to really dialing in shallow bites. If there is one mistake many anglers make, it is underestimating the impact our presence has on shallow fish. We wouldn’t expect to catch fish in four feet of water after driving a boat over the spot during the spring yet many anglers make the mistake in the winter of simply having too much commotion over the spot when ice fishing. You can get away with much more commotion when you get thicker ice and snow cover but plan on fishing being spooky at early ice when you are dealing with little ice or in some cases, no snow cover. Don’t drive your quad right over your fishing spot. Keep your walking to a minimum.
14 | Hunting & Fishing News
Over the years, I have come to the realization that I usually catch more fish if I simply plant down on a good spot and drill the bare minimum of holes and sit still. In most cases, there are not a lot of people out right away. Pressure is light and that is an advantage. You can sit on key spots and work the natural flow of fish that wander underneath you. Drill your holes and let everything settle down and wait for the sun to get low, that is the basic program on most water. At first ice, we often find walleye relating to shoreline related structure. Either tall standing weed lines or some type of rock or gravel bottom. I say tall standing because I have learned over the years that weeds don’t have to be green to hold fish at early ice. If there is good water circulation and oxygen which usually isn’t an issue at early ice, there are often fish holding off cabbage for example which is often brown by late fall. If the weeds are brown, that is fine as long as they are still not down. Brown is fine, brown and down is not so ideal. Other weeds like coontail, milfoil also hold fish. Tall stands next to a subtle dip are often prime spots but don’t overlook the corners and pinch points on large shallow flats. These fish often travel like mobs and all you have to do is intersect a few of these mobs during each outing.
The peak activity often occurs at sunset or shortly after dark on many fisheries but water that is really turbid can see a daytime bite in shallow water.
Wind Effect Strong winds late in the fall during the freeze up period especially can have a drastic effect on early ice walleye fishing. Strong winds can really mess with water clarity and set the tone for early ice walleye. This wind affect can really become evident on large bodies of water like Lake of the Woods and Devils Lake. A tell-tale sign at early ice is a lot of broken up ice that is rough and jagged. This turbulence not only seems to effect water clarity and visibility but also seems to move fish around during the process. As the sediment settles, the bite often gradually improves. As a general rule of thumb, the chaos of this type of freeze up often seems to push fish deeper and bad visibility combined with deep fish is often a tough combination. On Lake of the Woods, we have combated this situation by focusing on river fish that moved up to follow the shiner run that occurs in the fall. Instead of going out on the lake past the island for example, we fished further in hoping to intersect fish that were moving from the river out into the lake. Ice safety is always a factor at early ice and river ice takes much longer than lake ice but the advantage of rivers is that they do clean up much faster than large lakes.
First Strike Always easy to over analyze situations but at early ice, the first people to fish many locations often score big. The key to success is really to be safe and diligent by simply being in the know. If you are the first person to walk out on five inches of ice with a spud bar and diligently pick your way to a good spot, you are typically going to experience the best fishing. After word travels and people realize that there is good enough ice, the spot will cool off when more people arrive. When more ice develops and you can take a quad safely out on the ice to reach new spots that are further than walking distance, the first people in the know score. The people who figure out after the fact get the scraps. Being in the know takes some diligence.
Don’t over think location. There are great spots that are no secret and if you are the first lure on that spot after a month of no angling pressure, you are usually going to encounter fish that make you look good. Don’t compromise safety to get on ice but always think like a hunter. Fishing fresh ice is important all through the winter but seems especially critical at early ice because a little bit of clear ice and shallow water in particular combine to create short opportunities. On average, we might only get two days off a spot where the fishing could be considered good. Doesn’t take long to wear out your welcome.
Follow the Fall As mentioned above, the best locations and patterns at early ice are simply a continuation of the fall. Lakes that were fishing poorly in the fall often have a tough bite at early ice.
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I often head to locations at early ice where we caught fish a month prior. On Devils Lake for example where I live, if a flooded road bed was hot in October and November, that is where I will start at early ice. Usually, finding fish at early ice is that simple. If a spot was quiet in the fall, very seldom do I find much has changed three weeks later once the lake gets ice. Obviously, people who put in time on the water during the fall have a great advantage at early ice. If you don’t get to spend a lot of time on the water during October and November, you can still follow fishing reports and general activity to narrow your focus. If a particular lake is simply fishing well during the fall and getting some attention, that is a great starting point for example. If the fish are not on shallow weeds on a particular lake during the fall like they are some past years, that is still relevant information for early ice. Particularly when you have to walk out and drag your gear on the ice, the more shortcuts you can take the better. You have to be strategic and pick your spots because if the spot doesn’t pan out, it is not always easy just to pack up and walk to another spot. There is no broad stroke approach when you are on foot.
Early Ice Safety Early ice is one of my most coveted windows for finding and catching walleye through the ice. Especially in states where the walleye season closes during the late ice period, the early ice time is perhaps one of the best periods to find some of the most incredible fishing. Prioritize safety over catching fish but make a point to experience this opportunity if you are physically able. Always test the ice with a spud bar and have the proper tools like ice picks and a floatation suit like Clams popular Ascent Float Suit or the new Rise Float Suit. Carry a throw rope in your sled or Fish Trap and use common sense. The reward is some of the best walleye fishing of the winter.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 15
2019 FALL MACK DAYS
LAKE TROUT FISHING EVENT on FLATHEAD
LAKE
September 20 th to November 10th Fish The Entire Lake
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Friday, Saturday, & Sunday are competitive Mack Days that include lottery, prizes, tagged fish, and bonuses. Pick your best 15 days out of 24 possible, Friday-Sunday, for top ten angler prizes. The last day is separate. Tagged Lake Trout-(1) $10,000-(3) $5,000-and (5) $1,000 plus over $9,000 with values from $500-$100 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are bonus days. Eight $50 lottery drawings plus if you turn in live lake trout to the tagging boat you receive tickets for a special lottery drawing for (2) $500 prizes plus cooler tickets (1 for every 10 entries) Lottery Prizes: $1,000 to $400 (thirty-two drawings) Fri - Sun Top ten angler prizes $800-$300-Fri-Sun-(except last day, 15 best days of possible 24 days) Captains $250-(4 prizes), Smallest lake trout $250-(2 prizes), Largest lake trout $500 Top lady anglers $300, $200, $100. $100 -by total fish entered Youth anglers- (17-13) 1st- $200, 2nd-$150, 3rd-$75, 4-5th-$50 (12 & under)-1st-$100, 2nd-$75, 3rd-$50 Fri-Sat Weekend Prizes 5@$100 per weekend Golden Angler Award (70 & older)-$200 & $100, by total fish entered Bucket Days-3 days of single/team-heaviest 4-fish - 10/4, 10/19, 11/3 Last Day Only Drawings: $200, $150, $100 & Heaviest Mack weight under 30”-$200 & $100 ALL ANGLERS WHO ENTER ELEVEN OR MORE LAKE TROUT QUALIFY FOR BONUSES The higher your total, the higher your bonus. Every day counts: Tues-Sun (45 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 November 10th 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. You can also 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
WALLEYES NIGHT AT
Northland Fishing Tackle www.northlandtackle.com This South Dakota night-bite walleye ate a Slurp! Jig tipped with plastic. Photo courtesy Northland Fishing Tackle
ishing after the sun goes down is a foreign concept to a F lot of anglers, and there’s good reason for that. An angler certainly can’t see as well at night as they can during the
day, so simple tasks like tying on a new lure gets a little more complicated. There are lots of reasons why an angler might not want to go fishing at night. In fact, there’s only one reason that I, from time to time, get the urge to go fishing after supper. That reason is, in some bodies of water, especially in the fall, walleyes go on a very good night-bite. When you hit it right, the action can be outstanding, and if you’re on big-fish water, the odds of catching a big one can be as good as the odds get for catching a big one. One of the biggest walleyes I’ve ever caught came at night. No doubt about it, there are times when fishing under the moon will be a good idea. If your primary goal is to catch a really big walleye, the best location will be large, deep lakes with clear water. Not always, but often. Lakes such as this are home to baitfish that make the walleyes fat. The food in deep, clear lakes make walleyes heavy, and because the water is clear, the walleyes can often be easier to catch at night. There’s another reason why the walleyes go on a night-bite in the fall. The baitfish that make the walleyes grow big are fall spawners. They’re in the shallows laying their eggs at a time of year when the walleyes are interested in adding some fat to their body to get them through the winter months. Those baitfish are very susceptible to hungry walleyes when they’re in those shallow areas. The fall-spawning baitfish will usually spawn in shallow water that is close to deep water. Shorelines or off-shore shallow sand or rock areas will be good starting points. In lakes that don’t have fall spawning baitfish, a night-bite can still occur. Look for areas with current. Go out during the day to current areas and see if baitfish are present. If they are, walleyes will visit at night. If you’ll be fishing from a boat, keep your gear to a minimum. You don’t want or need extra stuff that you can trip over. And know where all your gear is in the boat. You don’t want to be looking for baits or hook-outs or line-cutters at night when the fish are biting. If you’ll be wading, check out the area for rocks or logs under the water that you could trip on. Get to your spot before the sun goes down and get set up. Keep quiet. When fish are shallow, they’re oftentimes spooky. Lure selection is simple. Jerkbaits will catch walleyes. So will jigs tipped with plastic, something like an eighth ounce Slurp! Jig and a three inch Impulse® Swim’n Grub. Keep your lure choices simple. Not many anglers take advantage of this night-bite for walleyes, but it is popular in a few areas. Before the water gets hard, find out for yourself why there are some anglers who enjoy this way to catch walleyes.
any week of the month can bare its fangs with sub zero temps and blizzard like weather. On the flip side the days can also be almost summer like when an Indian summer lingers. Typically the late fall weather is still decent and allows for good fishing. At the beginning of November there can still be some great dry fly fishing over the baetis hatch. The baetis mayfly is highly variable in its hatching intensity but if you can catch a warmer day with grey skies and not too much wind the bugs can come off in droves. Photo courtesy Montana Angler
MONTANA FISHING IN NOVEMBER
By Montana Angler For a guided fly fishing trip call 406-522-9854 or www.montanaangler.com In Bozeman at: 435 E. Main Street
any anglers flat out forget about Montana M fly fishing in November. Out of state anglers don’t want to make a trip in the late fall and risk winter
weather and most locals have moved on to hunting elk, deer, grouse and other fur and feathered critters. November has a lot to offer and can produce some monster trout. Weather is a very big wild card and
Another perk about late fall fishing is that some of the largest browns of the year are caught. Most avid fly fishers hear about the big browns that Montana offers in October. The reality is that most browns don’t spawn until mid to late November or even early December. Some of the largest browns in Montana move in to rivers from large reservoirs and lakes below. Some of these monsters don’t even make it into the river systems until mid November. For anglers willing to brave the weather and pay their dues the rewards can be astounding. Targeting lake run fish is much like steelhead fishing. Learning the runs that consistently produce big fish is important and making lots of casts is a given. Patterns for fall run browns include eggs, streamers and small mayfly nymphs. It is best to fish on a dead drift or a slow swing. ~ Brian
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Hunting & Fishing News | 17
A Complete Guide To Using An Electronic Coyote Call By Andrew Jackson Outdoor Empire www.outdoorempire.com electronic predator call is one of your most important Ancoyote hunting tools, second only to your rifle.
Photo credit Andrew Jackson
You could be naked but, with a gun and a caller, be able to call in and shoot a coyote. I’d still recommend wearing ear and eye protection, though! However, electronic calls are dang newfangled gadgets. How do you use them for best effect?
Choosing the Call
Well, in order to use an electronic call, you have to have one. This means buying one, unless you are particularly adept at manufacturing your own electronics. You can consult my electronic predator call buyer’s guide here: https://outdoorempire.com/best-coyote-calls-reviewed/ If you want the shortened version, then what you want is an electronic caller with a remote control that can be used from at least 50 yards away. It should have a variety of calls. You can get a model with built-in calls for easier use. Or, you can get a programmable model if you want to add more calls. This can help in areas of high hunting pressure, as the coyote may have already heard the calls from a cheap, common unit.
Testing the Call
Once you have an electronic call, you need to master its use. At home. Keep the volume down and warn people you’re going to test the caller, because that distressed rabbit sound is terrifying!
This ensures not only that you know how to use your electronic caller but also that it works. You shouldn’t have trouble if you buy a quality unit, but every manufacturer messes up from time to time. You don’t want to find out you had rotten luck when you’re setting up the caller in the field.
Setting Up the Call
A properly set-up electronic call will bring coyotes into your rifle sights. First of all, be as stealthy as possible when placing your caller. You don’t want to spook the coyotes before you’ve had a chance at hunting them.
How Far Away?
Even though some callers boast a remote range of 300 yards, I wouldn’t set up your electronic call more than about 100 yards away. Any further and you’ll have a much harder shot at the coyote. Remember, they’ll be investigating the noise, so even if they get on top of the caller they’ll still be that far away. (continued on page 32)
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2019 BIG GAME
HUNTING FORECAST (continued from page 9) FWP received no reports of widespread winterkills of deer. “Mule deer are looking good,” Foster said, “Numbers are 5 percent below last year but still 27 percent above long-term average.” Foster determines long-term average by tracing survey data back to the 1996-97 season and harvest figures back to 1976. Surveys show mule deer population density in southeast Montana has been increasing since about 2012, when deer numbers began to rebound from a crash following back-to-back bitter winters. In 2015, deer reached the highest density recorded in the past three decades. The recruitment rate for mule deer fawns is also solid, climbing steadily since 2010. “This spring we saw a recruitment of 56 fawns per 100 adults,” Foster said. “Similarly, mule deer buck harvest is 15 percent above long-term average.” “We’ve had abundant precipitation again this year, and everything looks good in terms of fawn production survival,” she said. “Deer should again be going into the hunting season and winter in good body condition.” It is a balancing act to keep deer numbers at a level that provides opportunity but doesn’t exceed the land’s carrying capacity. High deer numbers can mean inadequate winter browse and thermal cover, and harsh winters can compound this effect. Buck-to-doe ratios have decreased from the past couple of years but remain at a strong 34 bucks per 100 does. Whitetail populations aren’t quite as robust as mule deer, but numbers are still above average. “Whitetails took a little dip this spring, with counts 26 percent below last year, but still 12 percent above long-term average,” Foster said. “Whitetail buck harvest was 3 percent below LTA last fall. Recruitment is still good at 54 fawns per 100 adults.” “All in all, I’d say whitetail numbers are about average for our neck of the woods, and as is typical for whitetails, numbers are booming in some spots and down in others, on a very localized scale,” she said. “Buck-to-doe ratios for whitetail are at 29 bucks per 100 does.” Antelope populations are variable across southeastern Montana. Herds in central and eastern Montana were hit hard by harsh winters in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The rate of recovery since then has been mixed in southeast Montana. Antelope numbers in the southern half of the region (primarily HDs 704 and 705) continue to be strong. During summer surveys, biologists observed nearly nine antelope per square mile in the very southeast corner of the state, which transitioned to three to four antelope per square mile in the more northerly portions of hunting district 705, and fewer than two antelope per square mile throughout most of HDs 700, 701, 702 and 703. “The message here is that the extra windshield time to reach the southeast corner of Region 7 is absolutely worth it,” Foster said. “Hunters will find better densities and good public land opportunity in this remote portion of Region 7.” Summer production surveys indicate that southeast Montana antelope numbers have more than doubled from the low in 2012. Fawn recruitment was solid this summer, and animals should be heading into fall and winter in excellent body condition given this year’s ample moisture and abundant forage. Buck ratios are also strong at 54 bucks per 100 does prior to this hunting season.
FWP is offering more either-sex rifle licenses than in the previous few years, allowing more sportsmen to enjoy the opportunity provided by the current strong buck numbers. Doe-fawn licenses remain relatively low at 1,500, where they have been since 2016. Again, those wishing to harvest an antelope in southeast Montana, especially a doe or fawn, will have the greatest opportunity in the southern portion of the region. These are good times for elk hunters, as Montana elk populations continue to be strong across most of the state. In many hunting districts, however, access to private lands can be difficult, which can affect hunting success given landownership patterns and distribution of elk. Even if you didn’t draw a special permit this year, remember that Montana offers numerous opportunities to hunt for elk with just a general hunting license. The most recent winter surveys indicated that elk populations in southeast Montana are continuing moderate growth and gradual expansion into unoccupied available habitat. FWP biologists observed strong calf recruitment (54 per 100 cows) and an excellent composition of bulls (38 per 100 cows). The Missouri Breaks (Hunting District 700) and Custer Forest Elk Management Unit (HDs 702, 704, 705) remain the two “core” elk populations. Outside of these areas, elk numbers across the region are low, distribution is spotty and elk are primarily found on private land where public hunting access is limited. Bull hunting is by permit only in HDs 700, 702, 704, 705 and the far western portion of 701. In HD 703 and in the rest of 701, hunters can pursue either-sex elk with a general license. Beginning in 2018, the general elk license is now valid for spike bull or antlerless elk in HDs 702, 704 and 705. Previously it was only valid for antlerless elk. This change provides more opportunity for sportsmen, reduces accidental harvest of spike bulls, and is not expected to have a measurable impact on bull numbers. See regulations to determine which lands the general elk license is valid for during the archery and general seasons. Additional antlerless opportunities exist in the region via a general and/or B-license, and hunters are encouraged to review the regulations for more details on those opportunities. It is important for hunters to note that there are no elk shoulder seasons in any of the Region 7 hunting districts. Destination: NORTHEAST MONTANA – Region 6 Mule deer populations are high across the region but vary depending on the hunting district. Overall, numbers seen during spring surveys showed region-wide population at 56 percent above average. Due to increasing quota numbers, there may be surplus tags still available in some districts. Winter mortality was variable across the region during the 2018-2019 winter but likely was minimal based on observations and reports. “A small amount of winter mortality was observed throughout the region,” says Outlook-area biologist Ryan Williamson, “with mostly fawns succumbing to the harsher late winter weather. Generally speaking, the mule deer appeared to have overwintered well.” White-tailed deer populations continue to remain stable. Williamson said surveys have been completed in six areas across northeast Montana. “Due to more uniform habitat, the whitetail surveys tend to look at deer density, as opposed to total numbers, for trends,” added Williamson. The 2019 year’s survey show whitetail deer density an average of 11.7 deer per square mile across the trend areas, which is approximately 10 percent above the long-term average of 10.7 deer per square mile, an increase of 22 percent from the 2018 surveys. Due to the 2018 detection of chronic wasting disease in the northern districts of Region 6, hunters will be required to adhere to transportation restrictions in the Northern Montana CWD Management Zone, (continued on page 38)
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Hunting & Fishing News | 23
SHOTGUN FORMATION By Kyle Wintersteen
www.deltawaterfowl.org When he’s not leading his team to touchdowns, NFL quarterback Carson Wentz goes duck hunting. Photo courtesy Delta Waterfowl
e’s arguably the best-known duck hunter in H North America without a scraggly beard. Yet he still remembers the first bird he ever shot, and the countless
misses that preceded it. He loves his retrievers, and constantly struggles to balance work with waterfowling. He quarterbacked North Dakota State to two national football titles, was selected second overall in the 2016 NFL Draft and was crucial to the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl LII victory. Carson Wentz is, despite his talent and celebrity, utterly relatable. If you ever get the chance to chat with him, as Delta Waterfowl’s managing editor did on the eve of Eagles training camp, you’ll find it’s like talking to an old friend. He is unquestionably one of us — a waterfowl hunter and conservationist. Delta: Are you a lifelong duck hunter? What got you hooked? CW: I have a different story than most people would assume, growing up in North Dakota. Hunting was something that I did one or two weekends a year with my Dad and my brother for deer, and that was about it. I thought it was OK, but I was too consumed with sports and other things. Then I got to college, and all of a sudden football became more like a job. So I finally started becoming more intrigued with the outdoors. I went pheasant hunting with two of my best friends over Christmas break my freshman year. We saw hundreds of birds, and it was unbelievable. Then, I tried duck and goose hunting and just absolutely fell in love with it. With football becoming almost a full-time job, it became the perfect reset button for me. I regret falling in love with it as late as I did, because I didn’t realize how great I had it in my backyard in North Dakota. Delta: Do you have a favorite duck or type of waterfowl hunting? CW: I prefer ducks to geese. Mallards are about as fun as
24 | Hunting & Fishing News
it gets, but there are ducks out there that I haven’t gotten the chance to hunt. I haven’t really hunted wood ducks, so it’s hard to compare to some different species. Delta: It’s well known that you hunt with golden retrievers. What do you love about the breed? CW: I did a ton of research on different dogs I liked. Everyone has Labs, and I always like to be different, some would say difficult. But I didn’t want to get a Lab. I think goldens look better. I actually really liked the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, but then I looked at the prices and I was in college, and I said, “no chance.” I found a local breeding of a golden retriever. It came from field lines, but neither parent was a hunting dog — just a pure-bred golden that I could afford. She (Henley) is definitely not a world-class hunter, but she does the job. She’s way more laid back compared to Labs that are just “go, go, go,” but I love her to death and fell in love with the breed. I bred her a couple years ago and kept one of the pups (Jersey). I went ahead and got another (Riggs) about six months ago. Basically, I want as many as my wife will let me have, and three was the number. Delta: Does a memory of a favorite retrieve come to mind? CW: I’ve got two of them. The first was back in college with Henley. She was super steady, and if I’d shoot (a bird) and she’d see it, she’d fetch it, but I didn’t teach her how to cast or any of that stuff. One day two birds fell and she swam and snagged a redhead, and swam another 10 yards and snagged the other redhead and brought back two at once. I was in awe. No idea where that came from and she’s never done it again, but it was amazing. And last fall in North Dakota with Jersey, there was a lesser Canada goose that sailed way over a hill probably 200 yards away and he chased it over the hill. I couldn’t see him, so I walked out 50 or 60 yards, and he was searching around the cattails. Usually I’m overly paranoid trying to guide him, but I just said, “I don’t know where it is,” so I let him do his thing. Next thing you know he’s leaving the cattails and going over the next hill. And I’m like, “What in the heck is going on?” At this point he’s almost 200 yards from me. Sure enough 15 seconds later he comes sprinting over with the goose. I learned that day to trust him more. Delta: Are there any skills you’ve acquired as a quarterback that translate into working with your dogs? CW: Patience is the biggest, and being very structured. When it comes to football and taking things in a progression format — when the off-season rolls around you aren’t max lifting the first week off — it’s kind of the same approach with dogs. Don’t do too much. You do the same thing the next day, the next day, and maybe on day four you can increase. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve had to learn, because I’m always the guy that’s like, “Uh I want to see if he can do this 300-yard blind.” Patience with the progression has been difficult for me to learn and implement, but it’s pretty cool to see the basic drills come to life out in the field. Delta: What’s your dog food of choice? CW: Eukanuba. They’re taking over the world these days, I think. Delta: It’s been widely reported that you gifted every member of your offensive line a Beretta over/under for Christmas during your rookie season. Have any teammates since gotten into shooting clays or even hunting ducks? CW: A couple of the O-linemen already were hunters so it was pretty natural. I don’t know if any have fully gotten into it the way I am, but I did have the O-linemen over to my house the next spring and a lot of them got the chance to shoot their shotguns at clay pigeons and have some fun with that. A couple have since told me they’ve gone and shot a few other times, so it’s pretty cool. (continued on page 36)
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Although early pheasant hatches likely experienced some cold and wet conditions, the peak hatch for pheasants typically occurs around mid-June, which corresponded with more favorable conditions that will likely result in better pheasant production in southeast Montana this year. However, summer storms produced hail that could impact pheasant numbers in localized areas. This year’s moisture made for a long nesting season, and early-season hunters should expect to encounter broods with young roosters that aren’t colored up yet. On average, pheasant numbers in most places will be a little higher than last year but remain below average due to low production the past two years.
Photo credit hstiver|depositphotos.com
2019 UPLAND
Sharp-tailed Grouse
GAMEBIRD FORECAST (continued from page 13)
In southeast Montana last year, the pheasant harvest dipped to 47 percent of the 10-year average, which was a result of two years of poor production. Drought conditions in 2017 limited brood survival and resulted in poor nesting cover the following year. Effects of the drought coupled with early summer storms in 2018 and tough winter conditions both years resulted in poor bird numbers last fall. The good news is hunters may observe a modest increase in pheasant numbers this year. Last year’s winter conditions were more conducive for survival. In addition, moisture levels and timing this year have resulted in favorable nesting and brood rearing conditions.
Sharp-tailed grouse hunters headed to northeast Montana will likely encounter improved populations compared with the previous two seasons, but our populations are still recovering from the drought in 2017 and in most areas, populations will still be below average. Spring surveys showed populations ranged from below average in the eastern half of the region to well below average in the western half of the region. The eastern half of the region received above average moisture throughout the summer. This resulted in excellent habitat conditions and lots of insects for chicks. As a result, good numbers of broods were observed in many areas. Conditions in the western half of the region were good in spring through June, but rainfall was below average in July and August, which was not ideal for population recovery. In the eastern parts of the region hunters may encounter near average sharptail numbers in areas with good habitat.
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26 | Hunting & Fishing News
⅃
In north central Montana, overall numbers are still below the long-term average, but we are hoping this year is the start of an upward trend for prairie grouse. Expect to see scattered younger family groups early in the season. This past winter was relatively warm and dry except for the month of February which was thought to have been extremely harsh. Despite the rest of the winter being very mild, the cold snap in February took its toll. Many areas were significantly below the long-term average going into this year’s nesting season. April and May were cool and wet. Precipitation amounts varied but temperatures were below average. Most places received at least one heavy rain and/or a late snowstorm at the end of April which for many locations was enough to delay nesting effort up to several weeks. Because of the inclement weather in April, peak hatch was later than average in most areas. Cooler, rainy weather coupled with short warm spells, however, did create great brood-rearing conditions that lasted well into the summer. Haying was later than average and light rains have kept things looking good. Each corner of the region has had an isolated hailstorm or two but nothing devastatingly widespread has been reported. As we head into fall, perennial cover looks great. Green leafy vegetation will persist into September; and the berry crop in the northern half of the region is looking good. Normal temperatures and good cover suggest birds will be found in their typical areas this fall. Sharp-tailed grouse in southeast Montana found favorable nesting conditions. In addition to the above-average moisture facilitating vegetation to provide greater security cover during the nesting season, the moisture also increased insect production. This is important because bugs are a critical food source for newly hatched chicks.
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While sharp-tailed grouse are found across southeast Montana, localized weather events such as hailstorms may have had an impact on some populations. Again, like other species of game birds in southeast Montana, sharp-tailed grouse harvest decreased dramatically in 2017 and 2018, with the 2018 harvest being 48 percent of the 10-year average. Although overall numbers are expected to be below average again this season, biologists and wardens have observed a good number of chicks per brood, indicating strong production. It is anticipated that there will be more birds than last year, but with favorable habitat conditions they could be widely distributed. In south central Montana, cool, damp weather and hail this spring were tough on the region’s prairie grouse, indicating that harvest opportunity might be somewhat reduced this fall. Sharp-tailed grouse numbers are likely to be below average due to spring storms and the resulting poor hatch...
Forest Grouse
Upland bird hunting in western Montana means forest grouse: dusky (blue), ruffed and Franklin’s (spruce). The nesting season was damp and unseasonably cold this spring, which likely limited nest success and hatchling survival in local areas of the region. Nevertheless, biologists saw a good number of grouse in early summer. In south central and west central Montana, mountain grouse fared better than prairie birds this spring. Brood sizes for all mountain grouse species appear to be about average or slightly above, so hunting opportunity likely will be similar to last year.
Hunting & Fishing News | 27
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my contention without reading another word, let me say this: By telling a pretty darn good hunting story, complete with observations of a few of Nature’s signs and powers, I expect to make my point. Are you wondering, maybe just a little, how I might pull this off? Ok then, read on and let’s get to my story.
Author Tom Cooper (L) and his brother Bill with an elk (Lulu)
Hunting , Mother Nature’s Show By Tom Cooper
ince before our first hunting license, we have been told over and over that detailed planning, lots of scouting, S and practice and more practice with your favorite gun or bow
would lead to better hunts. Maybe a dose of good luck is also needed to help with travel and hunting weather. Not only is quality hunting based on these factors, but I believe old-fashioned superstition and folklore play an important role as well. A convenient definition of superstition is: belief in the sign of things to come. Folklore’s definition simply ties beliefs to specific groups of people. Sounds a lot like hunting in America to me. To use folklore to advantage, hunters observe the signs of Nature’s participants, and assess their power(s). Whoa now, before you disregard
During the 2011 general hunting season, this very true hunting story (not all hunting stories are true you know) occurred mostly in Hunting District 380, in the Elkhorn Mountains, well-known for trophy bull elk. However since neither my brother Bill nor I drew those coveted tags, we decided to hunt brow-tined bulls on opening day in an adjoining district. Despite hiking several miles, hunting our secret hot spots, we did not see any elk and found little elk sign (tracks, beds, or fresh manure). We knew hunting the Elkhorns next made sense, because I had a spike bull tag, and Bill had a cow elk tag he had drawn. After two days hunting the south end of the district, Bill and his tag went home to the Bitterroot Valley; I still had mine too. He returned in two weeks on a Tuesday to take advantage of less mid-week activity on public land. Even though I hunted the area twice during Bill’s absence with little result, when he returned, we decided to try the south end again. We started our hike into a fairly open drainage well before daylight, then scoured the canyon looking for fresh sign. With 4-5 inches of fresh snow, we knew if there were any elk, we would find them. No elk sign usually means no elk; and it did that morning. However Bill decided to hunt out to the mouth of the canyon, so I returned to our vehicle to drive around and pick him up. After a 40 minute hike and a short drive, I parked where I knew Bill would expect to find me, and began a 30 minute wait. Now with time on my hands, superstition, folklore, and observation of Nature’s participants makes an appearance.
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As it happens, I like to read Western paperbacks (the older, the better), particularly on sunny September days during archery season, because it keeps me on stand longer. Consistently, Western authors describe efforts to better understand Nature and all of her players, to improve communications with Mother Nature herself. Over the decades, folklore has influenced our thinking about Nature’s players. Many are animals, including fish and birds, but plants, clouds, and even an earthquake can play a role. For example, a coyote is assumed to be either wily or on occasion, a comedian, everyone knows squirrels are industrious, and the sharp-eyed hawk is frequently all-seeing, sometimes all-knowing. And lightning strikes usually mean somebody above or below is not happy. With this background, I knew it was my job (ok, I just made it my job) to observe Nature’s activities and interpret the impact on our hunt. Weasel Makes an Appearance As I sat eating one of Bill’s chocolate chip cookies, a weasel (white winter coat, black tail tip) jumped onto the edge of the road. It looked both ways a couple of times, verifying no on-coming traffic, then raced across the road. Photo courtesy Tom Cooper After disappearing over the bank for a minute, the weasel returned. Instead of crossing, it stopped and stared at me for a long moment. Was this weasel seeking my approval to cross? Recognizing my apprehensive nod of approval, the weasel safely strolled across, stopping to bow its head suggesting a grateful “thank you”, then disappeared. A few minutes later, about two cookies, Bill climbed up to the road, unloaded his gun, and stowed his gear. His report was just as dismal as the early morning portion of our hunt, no elk sign. Trying to lighten the moment and improve Bill’s morale (it’s what older brothers do), I asked if he recognized the tracks in the road in front of our vehicle. He grumbled a response something like, “probably a gosh darned squirrel.” I explained the tracks looked more like a weasel. Of course, he questioned my ability to recognize weasel tracks in 4 inches of fresh, dry snow. Admitting I actually saw the weasel, I described in more vivid detail how my weasel stopped at the edge of the road, and looked at me, making serious eye contact. When I nodded, the weasel winked and smiled wryly, with lips curling slightly at the corners. This weasel knew I was in position to see any traffic. Obviously I had assured its safety. The wink and smile meant our hunting would improve because now we had the support of one of Nature’s smallest, most cunning hunters. Although Bill was dubious, I declared “With the weasel on our side, how can we go wrong?” Ignoring me, he asked what we were going to try next. We chose to hunt a small, close-by canyon. As dusk approached we completed another unproductive hunt, both wondering what the heck to try tomorrow. Great Horned Owl Makes an Appearance On the way to the highway, we passed a grove of Cottonwood trees where I spotted a Great Horned Owl perched on the highest branch. I knew this owl was watching over its domain, which now included us. Photo courtesy Tom Cooper Suddenly, the real light of hunting knowledge came on with the blinding ferocity of a thunderbolt. Immediately, I declared tomorrow would bring a great hunt, because now we were hunting not only under the sign of the weasel, but with the power of the owl as well. (continued on page 33)
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A Complete Guide To Using An Electronic Coyote Call (continued from page 18)
Closer can be better, though I wouldn’t set up a caller closer than 30 yards. You don’t want to risk spooking them with your scent. Which Direction? Your electronic caller should be upwind of you. Coyotes have an excellent sense of smell, so you don’t want your scent blowing in their direction. If you can, place the caller in a position where, if you turn and look at your hunting spot, you’re looking toward the sun. Coyotes also have a great sense of sight, but they have a hard time looking into the sun. Then, make sure that your caller’s speaker is facing away from you. It should be aimed at where the coyotes will be coming from. Coyotes prefer height and concealment, so they are likely to come from a hill covered in brush or other cover. Adding Decoys Adding a decoy can make the caller even more effective. The simplest way to make a decoy is to attach a turkey feather to a stick. It’ll bounce around in the wind and catch the coyote’s eye. You can also use motorized commercial decoys, some of which can be controlled from your electronic caller’s remote. Either way, a decoy is a good idea, but not required.
Using the Call
Once you are back at your hunting spot, it’s time to start calling the coyotes!
Volume
Hunters have mixed opinions on whether or not you should start calling at maximum volume or not. The idea behind starting at max is to immediately call in coyotes from as far away as possible. I’m not a fan of that because sudden loud sounds can spook any close-in coyotes. They’re probably closer than you think, even before using the call. Some people recommend starting at one-half or even one-quarter volume. I recommend starting lower in more open areas and higher in terrain that’s boxed in by hills or woods. Then, slowly increase the volume. Once you’ve spotted a coyote, turn down the volume the closer it gets. The caller should be almost mute when the yote is within 100 yards. Which Calls to Use Coyote calls tend to fall into one of three categories: - Potential food - Territorial intruders - Potential mates An animal in distress brings in coyotes, regardless of the time of year. Coyotes love to munch on rabbits, so a jackrabbit distress call is the go-to coyote hunting call. But this call can be overused, so you may need to try different animals if the coyotes are call-shy. This often happens in areas used by other coyote hunters. (continued on page 38)
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Hunting , Mother Nature’s Show COUNT ON IT! TORO SNOW BLOWER (continued from page 31)
On a roll, I explained (I guess to both of us) how a weasel by itself can be sly or tricky, and that accounted for the poor afternoon hunt. Our weasel, although now a trusted friend, had initially toyed with us, but tomorrow with the power of the owl’s oversight, we would be fine. Everyone knows a wise old owl can keep a slippery weasel in line every time. After a shower and a good meal, we discussed our options and decided to try a different tact because we also had buck tags for the Elkhorn district. So a mule deer hunt made sense, and we hoped later in the season the weather would improve our chances for elk. I continued to insist the sign of the weasel and the power of the owl would allow us to prevail.
For this deer hunt, because we usually hike several miles, we select one hunter and take just one gun. In response to Bill’s skepticism about our weasel and owl, I encouraged him to take his gun this time. We parked where walk-in was required for the section of State land we had to cross. In the dark, wind, and cold, we proceeded onto Bureau of Land Management ground. No deer yet, but the sun was starting to provide a little warmth. Across a sagebrush canyon, we spotted deer feeding up the next ridge; no bucks. As we approached another ridge-top, a small buck trotted right up, stopped and stared at us. Of course my meat-hunting brother wanted me to bless a decision to shoot the two-point. I declined; the big bucks were still out there. It’s not a Deer At this point, the sign of the weasel and the power of the owl was overwhelming (ok, maybe just to me). I happened to look through the branches of a Juniper tree and saw a cow elk bedded on the next hillside, maybe 75-80 yards. Stepping back, I whispered “there’s an elk right there” and pushed Bill into the tree. Perhaps I wasn’t specific enough, because he backed right out asking “What elk, are you serious?” I pointed, politely suggesting a branch he might lean on. This time he saw her and said “I’m going to shoot, watch the elk.” By now she was standing and at the shot, flinched more than hunched up, but I knew she was hit hard. Bill stepped around the Juniper and fired a second round off-hand; she dropped. The sign of the weasel and the power of the owl had prevailed, not for deer, but elk! Cactus Jack Already on Scene Since we were over a mile from our vehicle, we used the “no-gut” approach for elk recovery to lighten meat packs. With a little dragging we had the elk in a sheltered draw out of the wind, then built a small fire. In less than two hours we processed Bill’s cow and had two hams, shoulders, back straps, and tenderloins in cotton bags (a couple were old pillow cases). The meat was clean, cooling rapidly, and ready to pack. Now with the fire out and the snow melted, we noticed old bones littering the ground. A quick search revealed the skull of a small 3 x 4 buck under some sagebrush, resting on a patch of cactus. The wise old owl had led us to a mule deer as well as an elk, but our devious weasel friend made the deer just a skeleton. It’s hard for a weasel to stop being clever. Anyway, one of our hunting traditions is to name our game prior to leaving the hunting area, we decided to name Bill’s cow, and her new friend. Bill said he always wanted to name an elk Lulu; so we did. After a bit of discussion about cactus, we named the buck, Cactus Jack. It’s likely Lulu and Jack will spend a long time together. Of course, I knew the gesture to recognize Cactus Jack, strengthened our union with the weasel, owl, and Mother Nature. (continued on page 38)
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What you’ll need: Crockpot Potato masher Pot for baked potatoes Ingredients: 1/4 cup fresh parsley 1/8 cup fresh rosemary 3 gloves garlic (chopped) Salt (generous amount) Pepper (generous amount) Wild game roast (2lb) Baby carrots (1 bag) Celeriac root (chopped) Photo credit SNS Outfitter & Guides 1 container vegetable broth (32 oz) 3 large Idaho potatoes 1 cup water Parmesan cheese Milk of choice Thickening agent of choice 1/2 white onion 3 tablespoons butter Instructions: The night before, you’ll want to set out your frozen roast. This will start the thawing process and get it ready for the crockpot the next morning. Give yourself 8 – 10 hours in the crockpot — on low — to cook your roast and veggies. This will make them as tender as possible. Generously season the roast with salt and pepper, and along with the following ingredients, add everything to the crockpot: sprinkle in the chopped garlic, fresh parsley and rosemary, and pour in the entire container of vegetable broth and water. Place the lid on and let it cook, untouched, for 2 – 3 hours. Hour 3: add your carrots, celeriac, and onion, flip over your roast and continue to cook for another 4 – 5 hours. Around hour 7: start boiling water for your mashed potatoes. Dice up your potatoes and add to boiling water, cook for 20-30 minutes until potato pieces are easily pierced with a fork. While the potatoes are boiling, thicken the broth in the crockpot to your desired consistency. Drain potatoes and transfer back into the pot. To the pot add the butter, and milk, begin mashing. Once your potatoes are mashed to your preferred consistency add salt, pepper, rosemary and Parmesan cheese. Plate the dinner with mashed potatoes on the bottom and veggies and roast on top! Enjoy! For information on guided hunts with SNS Outfitter & Guides call 307-266-4229, email sns@huntwyo.com or visit their website at www.huntwyo.com.
Hunting & Fishing News | 33
RICING WHOLESALE PON RVS
Keeping Your KNIFE On A
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www.goHUNT.com
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Photo credit Josh Kirchner
ools in the tool belt. As hunters, we’ve got many of these T and, sometimes, too many I might add. One of the items that has remained an iconic tool for us, though, is our knives.
As a kid, that was one of the first things I thought about when my dad brought me hunting. I got to carry a knife. I’ll admit it made me feel pretty big and mighty at the time and that knife is still in my collection. It sure isn’t as sharp as it used to be, but it’s still alive. Keeping our knives sharp in the field is essential for a quick and clean job once an animal is down. Doing so will not only cut the time down, but it’s also safer if you ask me. A blade that easily glides right through hide is less likely to slip from applying too much pressure. Basically, the knife should be doing the cutting, not us. How do we ensure that our knives stay sharp in the field, though? Of course, there is the option of replaceable blade knives, but these tend to break easily. There is also an element of danger when changing the blades and all of the gunk from processing is in there. Fortunately, we’ve got a few options.
HOW TO SHARPEN A HUNTING KNIFE
Before we get into keeping our knives sharp in the field, I think it’s important to layout how to actually sharpen a knife in the first place. I know that it sounds pretty cut and dry, but there is a process to it if you want to do it right. Here is a quick step by step guide to sharpening a knife properly. We will be talking about what’s best for hunting knives, of course. Step 1 The first thing we want to do is to reshape the blade. On a dull knife, the edge is usually bent over to one side a bit or some other deformation. You might even be able to see this if the knife blade is held straight up towards a light. If there is a glint coming off of the edge, those are the deformations I mentioned. We want to get rid of those and do that by way of a diamond plate. There are both coarse and fine plates. About five strokes at a 20-degree angle down each side of the blade should remove these imperfections. I usually do this on the coarse plate first, then repeat it on the fine plate. If you run your finger perpendicular across the blade and feel a bur on one of the sides, hit that again with the plate until the bur is gone. Step 2 The next step in the equation is to finely hone that edge after we’ve reshaped the blade. This is where we can get this thing razor sharp. A ceramic rod is great for this. By running the blade five to 10 strokes at a 20-degree angle down one of these, we can do just that. Step 3 After really fine-tuning that edge on the ceramic rod, you are good to go. However, if someone wants to take this sharpening to the next level, there is yet another step we can add. That is by way of the leather strop.
Unlike with the plates and rods, we want to run our blades down the leather strop with the blade facing towards us and then moving it along the strop away from us. If you were to use this the same way as the plates or rods, you’d just cut the leather. This step is a very fine-tuning process for your blade and polishes it up nice. Harder Steel You may have noticed that there are all different kinds of steel that knives are made of. You hear all of these fancy letter/number combos like S30V, S35VN and S90V. These all are describing the hardness of the steel. The harder the steel, the longer it will hold an edge. This also means that the harder steel will be much harder to sharpen. If the knife gets to the point where it is very dull, one might even have to send it somewhere to get it professionally sharpened. S90V steel is much harder than say S30V. So, if you’ve got a harder steel like S90V, I’d suggest making sure that the knife is razor-sharp before heading into the field. The likelihood of having to sharpen it out there is slim as I’ve never found the need to. Edge maintenance is also key with the harder steels. The pros of steel like S30V and S35VN is that you will be able to actually sharpen them yourself. They are also a bit more flexible, which decreases the chance of them snapping. Everyone has their own flavor, but these are what I’ve preferred.
SHARPENING IN THE FIELD
Now that we know the process of sharpening a knife and what influence different steels have on that process, let’s talk about doing this in the field. One of my fears when starting to use a fixed blade knife was it getting dull while working on an animal and me not being able to get it sharp again for some reason. I know that’s irrational to an extent, but it’s what ran through my head. Here are some fixes for that. Blister sharpeners (pull-through) These are great; super lightweight and very easy to use. The one that I have is very compact and is about the size
of a small stick of gum. A great option is the Outdoor Edge EDGE-X Sharpener. They’re more of an edge maintenance tool rather than a full-on sharpener in my opinion. This is perfect, though, for field use. Just a quick touch up with this and most of the time you’re good to go. I’ve used these several times with success. All that you do is run the blade through the carbide plates five to 10 times until they don’t feel any imperfections in the blade as it moves through. Guided field sharpener This right here is the ultimate sharpener for the field! The company WorkSharp came up with this Guided Field Sharpener that literally does everything I lined out above and more. It’s got the Photo credit Josh Kirchner diamond plates, ceramic rod (with different coarse), leather strop and, even, a broadhead tool to screw and unscrew broadheads. The ceramic rod has a fish hook sharpener as well. Now, it isn’t as lightweight and compact as the blister sharpener above, but what you get out of this is a whole lot of awesomeness. Note: These WorkSharp sharpeners should be available in goHUNT’s Gear Shop shortly.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
In my youth, my idea of sharpening a knife was finding a flat rock somewhere and just running the blade aimlessly along it. I probably ruined quite a few knives doing that, but it sure made me feel cool as a youngster. While sharpening a knife isn’t as simple as my rock method as a kid, it also isn’t a complicated process either. If you stick to the basic ideas above, your knives will always be ready for action and thirsty for more. Much like us, right? Can you hear that? The season is tip-toeing it’s way towards us fast. Better get those knives sharp so you can put them to work.
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36 | Hunting & Fishing News
SHOTGUN FORMATION (continued from page 24) Delta: Who’s the best wingshot in professional football? CW: I would definitely not think it would be me, because I know I’m very average. That’s a good question. Maybe I’m in the running, maybe I’m better than I think. I don’t know. Delta: You carve out time for waterfowl hunting despite the rigors of your football schedule. What is it that makes waterfowling and hunting in general such a priority? CW: First of all, I love it. I love eating the game we shoot. I love the planning, the strategy, the scouting. Setting up with the sun coming up over water or the trees early in the morning, hunting with my brother and other friends and family, creating bonds and memories. I love everything about it. But along with that, with the rigors of the NFL and the so-called fame and pressure and everything I deal with on a normal basis, when I can just get away from that and hit reset and be myself with friends and family, it’s a good stress reliever on top of everything about it that I already love. Delta: A real barrier to recruiting young duck hunters in 2019 is their involvement in other activities. Do you have any advice for a kid who loves duck hunting, but who also loves football or has other commitments in the fall? CW: I think everyone’s going to always be searching for that balance, whether you’re a kid who plays football or a person who works an 8-to-5 job Monday through Friday. For me, balance is key. I hunt on my off days, not every week, but some days I’m hunting whitetails or doing different things. And the off-season comes around and maybe I’m fortunate enough to chase some snow geese or other things that replace some time I didn’t get in the fall. You’re always going to wish you could get out more, but it makes you cherish every time you do go that much more. Delta: Is there a component of Delta’s work on behalf of ducks and duck hunters that you value most? CW: Helping create (hunting) opportunities and more habitat, and also just being good representations of hunters. There are so many negative connotations of hunters that they’re the ones who just go and kill the animals. But no, we’re actually the ones trying to conserve the land and treat animals as they’re meant to be treated and how God created it to be. So I think Delta being a good representative for the sport, then also the conservation aspects and fighting on behalf of outdoorsmen, I think it’s all pretty cool what you guys do. Delta: Let’s discuss the Eukanuba Sporting Dog Sweepstakes, in which two winners will spend a weekend with the Wentz Brothers Outdoors Team and top retriever trainers. What do you find most exciting about the sweepstakes? CW: I’m looking forward to meeting other people who are just as passionate about dogs as me. Getting like-minded people together, and training dogs and learning about training, I think that will just be really cool and very unique. Delta: One dollar from every entry in the sweepstakes will go to Delta’s efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate duck hunters. What are your thoughts on the importance of introducing first-time hunters to waterfowling? CW: I think that’s awesome. For kids to get into it and get into it the right way, I think it can be a lifelong sport that changes their lives and provides an outlet from everything else in life. If kids can get into it with good role models who do things above board and with respect to the animals, I think kids — if it’s for them, they’ll fall in love with it and if it’s not, it’s something they can say they gave a shot and did it the right way...To learn more about the Eukanuba Sporting Dog Sweepstakes, visit www.sportingdogsweepstakes.com.
A Complete Guide To Using 2019 BIG GAME FORECAST An Electronic Coyote Call HUNTING (continued from page 23) (continued from page 32)
Photo credit Andrew Jackson
The beginning of the year, from January through the middle of March, is coyote breeding season. This is when they are the most territorial and also when they are looking to find a mate. Coyotes mate for life, so female invitational calls are excellent for attracting only some males. Mated males and females won’t care. But unmated males will come running; a female wouldn’t invite him if it wasn’t safe! However, you can still call other coyotes with howls and aggressive coyote sounds. This will make the local yotes think their territory is being invaded and they’ll come to defend their land.
Change Up Your Calls
No matter which type of call you use, your results will quickly plateau if you keep using the same one over and over again. This is where programmable callers beat out the ones with a few built-in sounds. Coyotes can learn that specific sounds mean danger and shy away from certain specific noises. They may also be able to pick up on a looping call, putting them into a cautious posture. Also, you should be prepared to adapt to changing hunting conditions. Responding to coyote howls can be much more effective than trying the same jackrabbit distress sound over and over.
Calling After The Shot
You might think that the hunt ends after one shot. That’s not necessarily the case, though. You might be able to call in more coyotes even after you’ve shot one. Don’t end a hunt after one pelt, and don’t move to claim the pelt until you’ve ended the hunt. Something I’ve found to be effective is to play a wounded animal call after a shot. This can trick the coyotes into thinking you’ve shot that animal, and since you haven’t silenced it, they may be able to steal it. I’ve even seen this behavior with raptors. You have to be swift when recovering waterfowl in the Alaskan wetlands because bald eagles know that gunshots mean dead ducks!
Conclusion
Coyote hunting requires a lot of patience and skill. While much of that skill needs to be marksmanship, unless you want to burn ammo scaring off coyotes, you need to know how to call them in as well. It takes time to learn how to call in coyotes, so don’t feel down if you mess up the first few times you hunt. When you’re more skilled, you’ll be able to hold a conversation with these clever predators and trick them into falling for your trap.
38 | Hunting & Fishing News
which includes all the districts in Region 6 north of Highway 2. Hunters will also be asked to voluntarily provide deer heads at certain locations. Elk hunting opportunities in most areas in northeast Montana are limited to licenses/permits awarded through special drawings. Those hunting districts where elk hunting is allowed on a general license are mostly areas with small and scattered elk populations and very limited elk hunting opportunity. Overall, 2018 survey results found elk numbers in the Missouri River Breaks were down from the last survey, while elk numbers in the Bears Paw herd were up. Elk calf numbers in both herds were near average during the surveys, indicating typical winter mortality. Elk shoulder seasons will occur in northeast Montana from Dec. 15-Jan. 15. Hunters interested in participating in this hunting season will have had to already drawn a shoulder season license (License 696-00 or 699-00) to hunt during this shoulder season. General season elk licenses are not valid during the elk shoulder season in FWP Region 6. The Missouri Breaks shoulder season license (699-00) is not valid on the CMR Refuge. Make sure you’re familiar with the regulations for the area you plan on hunting. In general, antelope populations have been slowly increasing across the region, but in most cases populations remain below long-term averages. Antelope licenses are distributed through the drawing system. Major reductions in licenses were seen following the winter of 2010-11, however some increase in licenses have been seen since that time. Those who have drawn licenses should have a good opportunity to harvest an antelope.
Hunting, Mother Nature’s Show (continued from page 33)
The rest of this hunting adventure went pretty much as expected. On our first trip out we packed boned-out meat along with our gear. Next, we assembled my single-wheeled game cart for recovery of the remainder of our meat and returned to Lulu and Jack. With another light load of meat, I hiked directly to our vehicle, while Bill took the game cart with both hams onto an old road trace following it to the main road. I met him there; we loaded the meat and headed home. Sure, there will continue to be skeptics, but is there any doubt the sign of the weasel and the power of the owl carried the day. A really good hunt might not have turned out the same had we failed to recognize how Nature was trying to help. But we did, and the result suggested a hunt planned and scouted better than it probably was, and as if we had practiced more than usual. Maybe there was a small dose of luck, maybe, who knows? Over the years since our 2011 hunt, we have observed and received support from a variety of Nature’s players including: bears, beaver, eagles, wolves, and a volcano (yes, a volcano...). The point to remember is it’s better to talk with Mother Nature during the hunt than to criticize her after. So, without taking my contention too seriously, learn to observe more of Nature’s activities, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the participants involved. Your hunts will be more fun, hunting partners will smile a little more, and your outdoor experiences will be more rewarding.
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