Hunting & Fishing News

HUNTING & FISHING Montana

SEPTEMBER 2012

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HUNTING & FISHING NEWS

3 Tips for Whitetail Hunters Who Dream of Chasing Elk RMEF The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation offers three tips to help new elk hunters make the transition from fantasy to reality.

From Brandon Bates, host of “RMEF Team Elk”

EXPECTATIONS—“It took me 3-4 years to understand that you don’t just pick up a bow and go out to the mountains and take a big bull. That’s not how it works. When I was strictly a whitetail hunter, I scoffed at the guys who claimed they hunted because they liked to be outside and see the flowers and hear the birds. Man, I hunted because I liked to kill deer. But hunting elk made me appreciate what those guys were talking about. It really is about the place, the elements, your ability to adapt and the overall experience. The happiest elk hunters I know are the ones who approach their sport simply as a campout or hike with an elk tag. They just enjoy it for what it is. There’s no great expectation of a kill, and if it happens, it’s considered a bonus.”

ELEMENTS—“All whitetail hunters know that elk hunting will demand better physical conditioning.

More mobility in altitude and steep terrain. Better preparedness for harsh and changing weather.

They understand that elk hunters literally live on what they can carry on their backs. But I think a lot of newbies are completely surprised and unprepared for the wind. In most whitetail country, winds are usually fairly directional. You just adjust and keep hunting. But in elk country, the wind swirls. It’s in your face, then at your back, then in your face again, all day long. It’s hard to cope with, and it really throws off hunters who aren’t used to it.”

Photo: Bruce MacQueen|Shutterstock

Patience—“Going from whitetail hunting to elk hunting is like going from pond fishing to lake fishing.

Your world suddenly gets a lot bigger and it’s much less forgiving. You go from hunting an animal that patterns within a square mile or so, to an animal that could be anywhere on the landscape at any given time. Finding elk, especially a particular bull, is really an incredible proposition. You have to take it day by day. Learn what you can about the country and how elk use it, and then use that knowledge to your advantage tomorrow. You’ll develop more patience than you ever thought possible.”

BROADHEADS ALA ROBB

By Bob Robb Sponsored by Nikon Sports Optics & Wildlife Research Center

Reprinted with permission from Bowhunting.net.

For more please go to: www.bowhunting.net

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n my little home office is a very small collection of ancient broadheads crafted from obsidian and flint by hunters who had much more at stake when it came to sneaking within arrow range of a bird or mammal than we do today. I’ve stumbled across them from time to time as I have traveled the country to bow hunt big game with my modern archery tackle, and each time I do they send me off daydreaming about those who came before us. Upon reflection, one can see that broadheads have really not changed all that much through the years.

For example, you can find three-bladed broadheads made from metal that date back to the Bronze Age, some 3000 years ago; a design very similar to the Trocar tip popularized by Muzzy was built in the 14th century. Its function was to penetrate the chain mail worn by soldiers.

It wasn’t all that long ago that bowhunters were shooting what were, by today’s standards, large, heavy broadheads that impeded arrow speed. Traditional-style, fixed-blade heads have a lot going for them, though. They are built from one-piece construction featuring a main flat blade generally made from welded steel and are incredibly strong. Their cut-to-tip design fosters deep penetration, and the combination of heavy head weight and relatively heavy arrow shafts with their bullet-proof construction and razor-sharp edges help them penetrate deeply and crack even the heaviest rib bones.

Bowhunters using longbows and recurves still often choose traditional heads like those from Zwickey, Delta Industries, Magnus Archery, Simmons, and others that need to have an edge put on them. Examples that are readily available include the many old favorites, including the Zwickey Black Diamond and Black Diamond Eskimo, Bear Razorhead, Delta Rothhaar Snuffer and Nubbin, Magnus and Magnus II, as well as modern versions, including the Simmons Land Shark and G5 Montec, among others.

Thunderhead 125: The NAP Thunderhead has been around for more than 25 years, yet remains one of the country’s biggest sellers.

It was the need for consistently razor-sharp blades that spurred the development of the most popular style of broadhead used today, the replaceable-blade design.

Many of today’s bowhunters have never known a time when this style of head was not available, but the basic concept dates back to the 1950’s, when innovative California bowhunters like Jim Dougherty, Jack Doyle, and Duke Savora experimented with gluing razor blades from their shaving kits to the three most popular broadhead styles of the day, the fixed-blade MA-3, Bod-Kin, and Hill’s Hornet.

The technique became relatively common in the region, and was a precursor to today’s popular replaceable-blade designs. Doyle began marketing the Zia Scorpion, which was the very first razor-insert broadhead, as well as blades for the glue-on process, in the early 1960′s, advertising both in the now-defunct Archery magazine.

Duke Savora’s Swept-Wing broadhead, introduced in 1974, was the first mass-produced insert-style head that used replacement blades designed specifically for broadheads. It helped set the stage for the well-designed replaceable-blade broadheads that dominate the contemporary market.

If bowhunters are one thing, it is that they are tinkerers.

Looking back, it now seems that what we once thought was off-the-charts radical – the mechanical broadhead – now seems a natural progression that came about by those trying to achieve increased terminal performance and, above all else, accuracy. Though I have never had a problem tuning even a fast compound bow with a replaceable-blade broadhead, some shooters do, and so they began turning to mechanical broadheads that have nearly identical flight characteristics as field points.

Modern mechanical broadheads have come a long way in terms of design and performance, and now are an accepted part of the bowhunting scene.

To be blunt about it, the first mechanical broadheads basically sucked. They had all sorts of design flaws, were flimsy, and didn’t always perform as advertised. So many bowhunters were disappointed with them that for a brief period their The old traditional future was in doubt. Today, of course, mechanical broadheads often broadheads have evolved to a point where the best are weighed upwards of easy to tune, are strong, have razor-sharp blades, and 160 grains, though can penetrate as deeply as the best replaceable-blade modern versions can styles, and their popularity has soared. weigh as little as 100 grains. Perhaps Choosing a broadhead is a very personal thing. People the biggest downside is using any of these heads for the often ask me which are best, and my answer is always modern bowhunter is the fact that their blades must be the same: “What do you like best, blondes, brunettes, or hand sharpened, a basic woodsmanship skill that most of redheads?” (continued on page 40) you in the younger generation were never taught.

4 - Hunting & Fishing News

September 2012

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nowadays. But they’re not the only way to attract and hold more wildlife on your property. There are other steps you can take, some relatively inexpensive and some that will even generate income for more extensive work.

CUT - Even a small cut can have big benefits. A selective firewood cut opens up the canopy allowing more sunlight to reach the forest floor. This, in turn, promotes more growth in the herbaceous layer, which translates to more food and cover for wildlife. Stumps left behind will produce stump sprouts, a great source of woody browse for deer. You can stack limbs and brush to create brushpiles for rabbits, or leave some tops to create bedding cover for deer.

Bare areas and woods roads created by skidders can be planted with clover to create mini food plots. Openings created by timber or pulpwood cuts will have the same benefits, and the income can be applied toward other land enhancement projects like food plots or plantings.

RELEASE - Survey the land and look for preferred species like mast producing oaks, apples and persimmons. If you thin out the competition, you “release” these trees and shrubs so they can produce more wildlife food.

PLANT - If none currently exist on your property, plant some.

Species like apple, persimmon, chestnuts and some oaks will produce mast in a few years. Be sure to put cages around them so deer and rabbits don’t browse them too heavily in the fall and winter.

ESTABLISH SANCTUARIES Sometimes simply doing nothing can provide benefits. If you have enough land, consider setting aside certain areas as sanctuaries - places where you never go, and wildlife will be undisturbed. They’ll still travel in and out of sanctuaries, but may be less inclined to travel far from safety, and possibly onto the neighbor’s property.

WILDERNESS ELK

By Mark Rohlfing Sponsored by Victory, Goat Tuff, Tru Fire, Arizona Rim, S4 Gear, MyTopo, Barnett Reprinted with permission from Bowhunting.net.

For more please go to: www.bowhunting.net in the rain is generally miserable, especially when you’re on a wilderness hunt without a good way to dry out. Being dry in your tent was critical because the lows at night were dipping near 20 degrees. Needless to say our patience was wearing thin and it was only day 4.

Author with his nice trophy bull The evening of day 5 we spotted a good herd of elk feeding about 2.5 miles below camp. We ast year we drew a NM tag and were covered got up at 3:30 am the next morning and hiked to the trail that would lead us down to the elk. up with bugling bulls and no hunting pressure.

At this point, we almost turned around because We were excited as we drew again. However, of lightening and impending storms. However, rain, wind, and a lack of bugling bulls will crush a faint bugle in the darkness pulled us onward. your morale in a few short days. The first day we were greeted with 1” of wet snow. We only heard There were two herds of about 20 cows each 2-bugles that morning – possibly full moon related. with a herd bull.

Anyway, we were so fired-up that we headed into our favorite basin. The results were not pretty, we found a fresh horse camp with fire ring still smoking.

Other hunters had been in this basin before we got here. Our spirits were crushed, but we now had an explanation for the lack of elk in that area.

The next few days had us scratching our heads and hoping for better weather. You couldn’t hear any bugles because it was so windy and hunting

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The big bulls were sounding off, making sure everyone stayed in their territory. Our first attempt to get a shot at one of these bulls found us 80 yards out when a cow caught our scent. Both herds bolted about a 1⁄2 mile, but then stopped.

Now the bulls were really fired up because they were in close proximity and their cows were almost mixing. We watched from a distance. The bulls parked their cows in a meadow corner and paced to an imaginary line, daring the other to cross it. If they kept this up it looked like a great opportunity.

We cut the distance quickly. One herd had moved into the dark timber but the other bull was holding his position, so we got as close as we could and let out a few cows calls.

The wallowed-up 6×6 cut us off with a deep bugle. Like clockwork he headed our way in an open meadow. As he swaggered over he seemed certain he was going to pick-up a couple cows. (continued on page 32)

September 2012

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CRAZY MOUNTAINS

BY RICK HAGGERTY

Y ou can head to Montana’s Crazy Mountains for public land bulls that

Map produced using National Geographic Topo. www.rockymtnmaps.com 8 - Hunting & Fishing News

occupy the timbered habitat located between Livingston, Big Timber and Harlowtown. This area is well known for big bulls, but they can be hard to reach with the limited access that surround Hunting District 580, but for hunters willing to put in the effort, hunting the Gallatin National Forest land will be world-class, especially during the early archery elk season, and even into the start of early gun season, as the rut kicks in. It will take some work to get into the best elk country here, but you will not see many other hunters either. Most of the serious hunters will set-up a base camp, and hunt from there. The upper Sunlight Basin, located on the western side of the unit should be a prime area to hunt.

In HD 580 archery hunters can harvest either-sex elk, rifle hunters can shoot a cow south of Sweet Crass Creek or either-sex elk north of Sweet Grass Creek during the general hunting season.

As always, check current 2012 hunting regulations before you start your hunt.

General access into the heart of the Crazies is limited to a few trailheads at Cottonwood, Rock, Big Timber and Sweet Grass Creeks, and the Shields River.

Big Bulls, Hard Hunting await you in the country north of Big Timber

Access from the north goes into Forest Lake off of Road 294 between Martinsdale and Ringling. Hunt mid-range timber lines between private fence lines. Also check for block management land at the base of the Crazies. Because of the limited access points and the low amount of hunting pressure, these bulls can grow big here, normally up to 60% of the harvest here are 6-point bulls or larger.

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WOLF HUNTING TIPS, OBSERVATIONS FROM RMEF MEMBERS Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

In an online questionnaire about their wolf-hunting experiences, members of the

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation offer valuable intel that could help more hunters enjoy the challenge and fill their wolf tag this fall.

RMEF members’ goal in sharing this information is simple: More successful wolf hunters mean better balance in areas where undermanaged predator populations are impacting elk and other wildlife.

“Elk are the inspiration behind our organization’s 6 million-plus acres of habitat conservation,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “No conservation group has a membership more invested in elk country, more affected by wolves or more passionate about achieving balance. That’s why RMEF members are eager to share their collective experience in a type of hunting still new to most of us.”

In parts of the northern Rockies, burgeoning numbers of wolves, bears and lions are compounding habitat issues, all contributing to elk calf survival rates too low to sustain elk herds for the future. RMEF continues to conserve habitat while advocating to clear the way for wolf management via hunting.

But wolves are providing a challenge that could make adequate population control easier said than done. Of the 710 respondents to the questionnaire, less than 7 percent killed a wolf during the inaugural hunting seasons in Idaho and Montana.

Lack of success was not for lack of trying. Half of the respondents spent 8 or more days afield in 2011 with an eye peeled for wolves. One RMEF member reported hunting for over 100 days before he finally got a wolf, writing, “Never had so much excitement in one winter! Looking forward to next year.”

More than 60 percent of respondents said wolf sign was plentiful in their hunting area, while another 27 percent encountered “some” tracks, scat, vocalizations, etc. Yet only 47 percent of respondents actually saw a wolf.

Another RMEF member says he now has, “a lot more respect for the world’s largest pack predator. “To kill a wolf takes more time and dedication than I expected. Once they have been pressured they get very hard to find.”

Among those who bagged a wolf, 20 percent credited their success to a coincidental encounter with their quarry. Calling, watching and waiting in a likely area, and stalking were reported as the most productive proactive hunting strategies.

A RMEF member who was part of multiple wolf kills says he can’t understate the importance of staying close to elk. “The No. 1 cardinal rule for finding wolves is finding elk first. Sad but true. If you can find a herd of elk, especially a herd a mile or so from a road, it’s just a matter of time before wolves show up,” he wrote.

More tips and observations from the RMEF member questionnaire.

SCOUTING AND PREP -Wolves can be patterned like other game. Scouting will help you find travel routes, crossings, etc.

-Use a good spotting scope and spend more time glassing your hunt area.

-Wolves tend to travel the easy routes. Watch roads, trails, frozen lakes, etc.

-Be prepared to shoot accurately at long distances and at moving targets up close.

-Standard varmint calibers do not do the job on wolves. Prefer .30-06 or .300 WSM. -I hunt in thick country and prefer to hunt with a shotgun and buckshot.

-Hire an outfitter!

-Wolves are where the game is. If there are hooved animals in your area, you’re likely to have wolves, too.

-Many hunters won’t shoot a wolf when they’re close to elk and deer. Need to change that mindset. Go on more hunts specifically for wolves, not for wolves as a by-product of another hunt. (Questionnaire data reveal that only 11 percent of respondents hunted exclusively for wolves; most hunted for wolves as part of a deer or elk hunt.) (continued on page 32)

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Hooking Another Fisherman

By Bev Steinbrenner ummer fishing has taken on a lazy pleasure for this Montana fisherman’s wife. During the fall, winter, and spring, our packed bags never leave the front hallway. I just wash filthy items and return them to the bag, for the days are few before my husband Tom and I are on the road again for hours of diehard Steelhead and then Salmon fishing. Within these hot summer days, last week I was reminded of the childhood roots that first drew me to the feeling of gratification the outdoors in general have always provided me in all seasons.

When I was young, every summer my aunt and Uncle would take me and my sister to their cabin on Mcgregor Lake. My Uncle was a Professor at Oregon State and my aunt was a second grade teacher. They were my first contact with what my dad referred to as “Euell Gibbons” types.

Although my dad mocked their enthusiasm for everything natural, I thought they were the best aunt and uncle in the world. They had tasted wild mushrooms and cattail roots long before it seemed common, and I put my trust in their ability to decipher poisonous from edible. To the best of their ability, they shared their knowledge of wild flowers, grasses, trees,

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10 - Hunting & Fishing News

mushrooms, scat and trails with me. When the day waned, the campfire delivered hotdogs and smores. Before bed, we’d brush our teeth on the outside porch. The stars above reminded me of a childhood illustration in a storybook. It was magical. The cabin did not have running water, but the rustic stove and soft beds made it cozy. The walls were lined with a string of drawings and watercolors my cousins had created, and some of my first attempts at drawing were made on the long wood table that was built into the wall. I am sure my aunt and uncle planted seeds into my future, when years later, I would become an English and art teacher.

When I met my husband, I guess it didn’t hurt my interest in him, when I found out he liked to spend many of his weekends at his mom’s cabin. This particular cabin is on one of the most productive trout lakes in Montana. I have grown spoiled with our life of weekend getaways, but this past week I was richly rewarded with a memory I will cherish. I was able to pass on some of the traditions my aunt and uncle had created years ago. It all began when my sister came to visit with her husband and my niece, Kelsey.

My sister informed me that Kelsey wanted some fishing advice from Tom. She was interested in purchasing a pole. When I mentioned it to Tom, he disappeared into one of his fishing rooms in the basement. I looked at my sister and explained “Tom’s setting her up with a pole.” Soon Kelsey was ditching my sister’s plan of traveling to Washington, and she was staying with us to go to the cabin to catch a fish.

Kelsey is an amazing girl. She’s been in a wheelchair for several years, but her vivacious personality and adventurous spirit magnetize the people she encounters. She’s a sophomore in college and she’s always on the go.

The night we arrived at the cabin, Kelsey asked if we’d be getting up as early as 10am to catch fish. She looked a little fearful when I said “more like six.” When morning came, we did let her get up later. After all, the cabin does have a clock that never moves from a 6 o’clock time. Its battery died years ago, and the face reads “Who Cares” in large letters. I failed to tell her how I often like to sleep in on hot summer days. Then I spend about a half an hour drinking coffee on the deck, while I watch how may fish rings I see forming on the lake’s surface from feeding trout. I have to admit, I was fairly impressed that Kelsey was in the boat fishing by 7am. I knew she was serious about catching fish.

Tom had four 5wt fly rods decked out and ready with sinking fly line and about six feet of tippet. He had tied on a gaudy, blood-sucking, leach patterned fly as an attractor about two feet above a sparkly green bead- headed leach, which he calls his “Czech cow bell set up”. After about ten minutes in the lake, we were getting kind of worried, for we hadn’t had one bite. Tom announced that we needed to let out more line and slow down. Obviously, the fish weren’t on the top waiting for a late breakfast.

Tom used his exquisite talent for spouting technical fishing jargon, but I’m pretty sure he was looking at the same fish finder that was telling me the fish were deep. After taking my husband’s advice, it took about three minutes for Kelsey to get her first strike. She reeled and reeled, but the fish jumped and the line went slack. That one got away.

A few minutes later, we were trolling into a part of the lake we call “Rainbow Run.” Kelsey got a bite, began reeling, we witnessed a few beautiful water top dancing maneuvers and soon we could see the fish next to the boat.

She screeched with joy mixed with a nervous laugh as I got it in the net and told her she should give him a kiss. The fish was returned to the lake without any harm or added affection. Over the next two hours she reeled in about five or six more Rainbow ranging from 14 -17 inches. She was ecstatic, because the only other fish she had ever caught was when she was 12.

It was a small perch she caught in a kid’s fishing pond in Rapid City, SD. The summer sun coaxed us back to the cabin, where we spent a lazy afternoon painting pictures with acrylics on the deck. I proceeded to paint a landscape overlooking the deck. When Kelsey couldn’t think of a subject to paint, Tom drew out a rough sketch of his favorite artistic study, a fish.

Kelsey obliged and created a picture that I saved in my art bag. With trout still on the brain, our evening fishing couldn’t come fast enough. Soon we were out on the water again, and after Kelsey caught another half dozen fish, she decided she was going to keep a trout for her morning breakfast.

The next morning, before Kelsey got out of bed, Tom pulled the fish out of the fridge and heated the barbecue up to 350 degrees and laid down a piece of tinfoil. Kelsey’s trout was sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled in smokehouse maple seasoning by McCormick. She shared it with us and it was the yummiest fish I’ve ever eaten from any lake. This recipe also works great on Salmon and Steelhead.

P

Decoying Pronghorns

By Bob Humphrey, Yamaha Outdoors

ronghorn are known mostly for their blistering speed -- they’re North American’s fastest land animal -- and their incredible eyesight. Add to that a preference for open range and they make for a formidable challenge for any hunter, especially a bowhunter.

Fortunately, the pronghorn has an Achilles heel -- the rut. During the breeding season bucks become extremely aggressive and will approach and even try to chase off any potential rival. It can be a very narrow window, but represents one of the best times and tactics for bringing a buck into bow range.

SCOUT - Scout the area you hunt from a distance to locate rutting bucks and their harems. Scout from a vehicle, like a truck or Side-by-Side as pronghorns seem less wary of vehicles than humans on foot.

GET CLOSE - Use terrain and any available cover to get as close as you can. Pronghorn can see your decoy from a long way off, and may react to it. But the closer you can get the better the chances of a positive reaction.

HOW MANY? - One decoy will work, and if you use only one, make sure it’s a buck. A rutting buck will be far more likely to approach a rival than a potential mate. However, you can enhance your set-up by adding a doe or two. A randy buck may perceive this as an even greater threat to his dominance and the integrity of his harem.

GET HELP - Trying to manage a decoy and a bow can be tough, especially if you have to move. Pairing up allows one person to manage the decoy while the other concentrates on preparing for the shot.

GO LIGHT - Pronghorn have keen eyesight but rather poor depth perception. This makes two-dimensional decoys a good option. They’re lighter, making them much easier to transport and handle, particularly those that fold up.

SET-UP - You have several options on how to set up, though you may be limited by circumstances. If cover allows, use it to set up for a

Photo Bob Humphrey

broadside shot when the buck approaches the decoy.

In the open, the decoy may be your only cover. Then, you’ll have to wait for the animal to turn, offering a broadside shot.

PRACTICE - A rut-crazed buck may charge in and stop only a few yards away, but long shots of 50 or more yards are more common. Be prepared by practicing at these ranges and having long-range pins on your sight.

You should also practice judging distances, which becomes more difficult in open terrain where you have little for scale.

RANGE - You should also carry a rangefinder. If you hunt with a partner, let them do the ranging to free up your hands.

September 2012 11

Dial In Lure Retrieval For Bass

By Babe Winkelman

Ihas’m had sure everyone reading this this happen: you’re in

a boat fishing with someone else and the other guy is killing the bass while you can’t © Scootz | Dreamstime.com buy a bite. So you switch to the exact same lure as the hot shot.

You fish the same weight line, cast to a gentle up-and-down way. Still no the same exact spots, but can’t seem takers. It wasn’t until I let the bait fall to the bottom and just sit there to get bit. What gives? that I got the pike excited. They’d More often than not, the answer lies rush in, poise above the motionless in the retrieve. The angler catching bait, and wait. Then, after a good 20 all the fish just happens to be seconds of doing nothing to the lure, imparting the exact pace, hop, I would give it the slightest twitch hesitation, or whatever to the lure and is giving the fish what they want and WHAM! They would hammer it!

I read the fish and dialed in the right to see. And because the “magic” lure and retrieve they wanted. And retrieve can be so subtle in its that’s what it takes to master the uniqueness, it’s sometimes very perfect retrieve. difficult for others to duplicate.

There are so many lures in the Leading professional bass anglers world and so many ways to bring prove this week in and week out. At many tournaments, every fisherman them back to the boat. Covering the gamut would fill an entire bible-sized in the field knows exactly what the book and then some. So instead, I’ll “bite” is on the water they’re fishing. cover the four most-used bass baits Every competitor out there might be and their fundamental retrieves. throwing virtually the same exact From the surface to the bottom of the thing. But guys like Kevin Van Dam water column, they are topwater will come to the weigh-in with a nice bag while the rest of the field scratch plugs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jigs/soft plastics. I’ll present the their collective heads and wonder ‘how in the heck did he do that?’ The most effective retrieves that I’ve experienced for each lure, and world’s best fishermen know how to encourage you to try variations of dial in the perfect retrieve and bait those when you find that fish simply presentation. They just know how to aren’t responding. feed fish.

For top water baits, I start out with Like anything worth working for, a long cast to fishy structure. perfecting effective retrieves means you have to practice and experiment. With an exposed-hook popper or dog-walking plug, it’s just a regular Here’s a great example. While filming cast. With weedless top waters in a pike show in Ontario, I came heavy cover, I’ll often “skip” the bait into a shallow bay that was literally in so that when it lands at its final loaded with huge pike. They looked destination it comes to rest quietly like sunken logs strewn all about. instead of “plopping” down. This can I figured I was in hog heaven and decrease the likelihood of spooking started throwing a five-of-diamonds bass in shallow cover. spoon... a go-to bait for pike. On a steady retrieve, they wouldn’t budge After the bait lands, I let it sit for for it. So I began to pause and flutter several seconds (typically the amount of time it takes the ripples to the spoon. That got them to make subside) before I begin the retrieve. a few half-hearted charges, but no bites. Clearly slower was better, and Sometimes bass see the initial landnothing beats a jig for a slow-motion ing and come close to investigate... retrieve. So I switched to a big Banjo waiting. Then, when that initial twitch happens, (continued next page) Minnow and swam it back slowly in 12 - Hunting & Fishing News

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they pounce. As I begin fishing the plug, I’ll start with a slow tempo first and if I don’t get any strikes after several casts, then I’ll up the tempo.

When the first fish hits, I make the preliminary assumption that that’s the speed they’re looking for.

The same applies to spinnerbait and crankbait retrieves. I start by slow-rolling the baits and if the bites don’t come, I keep speeding up until I’m really ripping the lure in.

High-speed retrieves are most effective with single-blade spinnerbaits (versus tandem blade) and tight-wobble lipless crankbaits (versus wide-wobble lipped baits).

Again, experimentation is the key when determining what the ideal speed is for a particular day, the weather conditions or the time of year.

Finally, with jigs and soft plastics, the art of retrieval gets even more tricky. That’s because these baits can be fished vertically, dragged on long lines, snap-jigged, swum in at any depth, hopped off the bottom, flipped into cover pockets... the list goes on and on. But when push comes to shove, jigs and soft plastics are the bass-catchingest baits on the planet. So all I can do is inspire you to get out there and try every conceivable jig/soft plastic retrieve imaginable. Make it a personal challenge to experiment and develop jigging and finesse skills that you’ve never tried before.

While you do it, pay close attention to feel and watch your fishing line for that telltale “hop” that can happen when a bass bites. I promise you, it will help you catch more fish and hone angling skills that will make you the guy in the boat who’s getting bit instead of wishing you were.

Good Fishing!

Limited Cisco Die-Off Observed in Upper Fort Peck Reservoir MFWP

PLUS we’ll pay for shipping 1 way.

State fisheries biologists say that hot

weather has caused the death of hundreds of cisco, a prevalent forage species, in the Fourchette Bay and Narrows area of Fort Peck Reservoir over the past few weeks.

Cisco, also known as lake herring, are typically found in the deeper, colder areas of the reservoir. But a sustained period of hot summer weather has increased surface temperatures in the upper portion of Fort Peck, some of which is relatively shallow.

Warm water temperatures -- recently documented as high as 84 degrees Fahrenheit in the Fourchette area – and subsequent low levels of dissolved oxygen take their toll on some types of fish, especially cisco.

“We’re getting reports of hundreds of cisco floating and washing up near shore,” said Heath Headley, the reservoir’s lead biologist with MFWP, “While the numbers of dead fish may seem like a lot to anglers, they should remember that the area where the die-offs are occurring is quite small when compared to the rest of the reservoir.”

Headley said cisco die-offs have occurred in the same part of Fort Peck Reservoir in past years...

In addition, Headley said the relative abundance of cisco in the reservoir has increased over the past several years...

“This has led to an increased number of adult cisco in the current population, which in turn has led to healthier and larger game fish species in Fort Peck,” Headley said. “Anglers have likely noticed more robust chinook salmon, lake trout, walleye, and northern pike on the end of their lines the last couple of years. That’s why.”...

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“NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL SOMETHING MOVES” At Westland Seed we have everything you need when something moves

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WHITETAILSCUT THEM OFF GOING TO BED

By Tim Herald Sponsored by ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellant Reprinted with permission from Author with his Wyoming buck Bowhunting.net.

For more please go to: www.bowhunting.net

absolutely love hunting whitetail deer in the morning, but I except during the rut when bucks move all day, morning hunts

WESTLAND SEED IS YOUR OUTDOOR OUTFITTER one mile west of the Dairy Queen on Round Butte Road Ronan

can be quite difficult. Finding a morning stand where you don’t bump deer on the way in is tough, but during the early season you can work a little harder and find stand locations that will allow you to cut bucks off on their way back to bed.

During most early seasons, especially those in September, whitetails are on regular feeding patterns that generally find them coming out in the evening, feeding at night and heading back to bed early the next morning. You can’t hunt the field edges where the deer are feeding because you will inevitably spook them.

The best bet is to find a travel route back to bedding areas and intercept them on the way.

The farther off the food source you are, the more chance you will have of seeing deer during good light. It is surprising how far deer will travel from bedding to a food source like an alfalfa field and back each day.

The key to this type of hunting is using good optics from a distance to scout and exercise patience. If you bump deer off their preferred travel route once or twice, you will push them more towards

being nocturnal, especially mature bucks.

I like to find a high point overlooking alfalfa, soybeans, etc. and watch deer for a couple of evenings and mornings if possible. If you can find a trail where the deer enter the field in the evening, and watch it again in the morning and see them take the same trail, you know it is a primary travel route. If it is broken country and you can watch off and on as the go back to their bedding areas in the morning, you can pick a likely ambush site to hang a stand during midday.

Last year I bowhunted in northeast Wyoming during the first week of September. Deer were feeding heavily on alfalfa, but due to drought, acorns were beginning to drop and this fact held deer up getting to fields in the evening and slowed them down going to bed in the mornings. They just couldn’t pass up the acorn candy as they traveled. This really hurt the evening hunts as the deer didn’t reach the fields until late, but it helped mornings as they were still moving later on.

I setup my trusty Nikon spotting scope on a high bluff where I could glass three different alfalfa fields and watched for a couple of mornings. There was an area where deer were feeding on a high filed, coming down a steep hill and crossing a main valley and heading back up a narrow drainage to bed on the opposite ponderosa pine covered hillside. It was at least a mile between the food source and bedding area, and I figured if I went up the narrow drain a couple hundred yards, I could get in early without bumping deer. As a bonus, there was a small waterhole at the mouth of the drain.

I didn’t hunt the spot until the last morning of my trip, and I had a buck and a doe tag. I fired up my ThermaCELL to keep the bugs off and decided to take the first mature deer that came through. It just so happened to be an old doe. She came right up the drain and gave me a 16 yard broadside shot. She ran 40 yards up the hillside and dropped. That was only about 30 minutes into the hunt so I decided to sit tight.

An hour later, I saw the glint of sunlight off an antler, and I spied a nice 8-pointer near the waterhole about 80 yards out. I only saw him for about five seconds, and he disappeared. After ten minutes of watching, I gave up and figured he went the other way, but suddenly he emerged from a tangle of brush only 20 yards out and was headed straight for my tree.

My stand was in a 15 yard wide row of trees and brush that ran up the center of the drainage, and the side of the drain in font of me was grazed grass starting about ten paces from my stand. The buck came on a steady walk toward me as I gently lifted my bow. He stopped straight under my stand, and I watched him (continued page 32)

14 - Hunting & Fishing News

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ON THE MOVE WITH LATE SUMMER WALLEYES

By Ron Anlauf, Northland Tackle, www.northlandtackle.com

B

y the end of August and into September there is a short period of time when walleyes show a renewed interest in shallow water which can result in some excellent angling opportunities. For those that decide to stick with it the potential is real and in many cases the early fall period can produce some of the hottest action of the entire open water season.

The drawing card for attracting numbers of walleyes back to shallow structure is more than just the structure itself and can be summed up in one word: food. For most of the summer young of the year perch, minnows, and baitfish hang out in the relative safety of shallow water structure where they can live and grow until they become a desirable size.

Reaching a desirable size can be a dangerous thing if you’re a minnow, as there are only so many places to hide.

Shallow rock and gravel has plenty to offer providing hiding places for all of that aforementioned bait as well as thousands of crayfish.

Adult perch will file in and gorge themselves on immature crayfish, making them an easy target for walleyes on the prowl.

A top technique for yanking walleyes off the rocks includes trolling crankbaits which will allow you to cover some water. Try tying on a lure that will just barely reach the bottom with a lot of line out and then get going, and don’t be afraid to speed things up. Late summer walleyes can be plenty active and the extra speed may be just what they’re looking for. Good crankbait colors include perch and crayfish patterns, and it’s not to hard to imagine why.

On lakes that have big weed flats there are all kinds of nooks and crannies for bait fish to hide out in, that is until late in the summer when a lot of weeds start to lay down and die, thus eliminating many of those hiding spots and pushing schools of bait out into the open leaving them in a rather precarious position. Walleyes know a good situation when they see one and big schools of bait left hanging out to dry is a real good situation. It all happens at a time when predators instinctively feel the need to feed heavily, allowing them to put on the layers of fat that will help to get them through the leaner times of the hard water period.

One of the hottest patterns of the early fall period occurs near the remaining weeds that are left standing on slow tapering flats, and can happen just about anywhere you find green weeds. Walleyes will stack up on the edges or move into the middle of a flat if there are enough openings. The edges and openings create ambush points and give ol’ marble eyes some room to operate.

Top presentations for working early fall weed flats include live bait rigging and jigging. A live bait rig and a red tail chub can be a real killer when worked on the deep edge of a weed flat, but the presentation loses some appeal when trying to work into the middle of heavier weeds. In that case a bait like an 1/8oz Northland Tackle Vegas Jig tipped with a minnow can be the big ticket, or maybe a jig and plastic body like the Mimic Minnow Shiner which may be even more effective as you can literally rip the setup through the weeds which can trigger weed bound walleyes. Jigs can be cast or trolled depending on how much area you have to cover or how thick the weeds are.

A top late summer technique includes drifting or trolling over weedy flats with the jig and plastic and letting it rip and glide across the tops of the weeds and drop into the open pockets. As you drift along drop the jig back and then snap it forward which gives the bait a rip and fall action which can really trigger active fish. A lot of the times walleyes will grab the bait on the fall and will just be there when you go to rip it forward again; fish on!

A good weed pattern may be your best bet even when you have the classic rock and gravel options...

16 - Hunting & Fishing News

FALL

STEELHEAD HARVEST SEASON OPENS ON CLEARWATER Idaho Fish and Game

T he fall steelhead harvest season opened Wednesday, August 1, on a two-mile stretch of the lower Clearwater River from its mouth to the U.S. Highway 12 Memorial Bridge near Lewiston.

The limits on these waters are two per day and six in possession.

The rest of the Clearwater and the Middle Fork, North Fork and South Fork rivers are open for catch-and-release only until October 15.

The fall steelhead harvest season opens October 15 on the main stem of the Clearwater River above the Memorial Bridge, the South Fork Clearwater River, the North Fork Clearwater River below Dworshak Dam, and the Middle Fork Clearwater River below Clear Creek.

Catch-and-release for steelhead also opens August 1 on the Snake, Salmon and Little Salmon rivers.

Cliff and the 41” steelhead he caught and released in 2011 on the South Fork of the Clearwater River in Idaho. He caught this Steelhead with a jig he tied himself.

Photo from Barbara Haakonson

The harvest season opens September 1. The limits on these waters are three per day and nine in possession. Anglers may keep 20 steelhead for the fall season, which ends December 31. Only steelhead with a clipped adipose fin, evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept. Any steelhead that has an intact adipose fin must be released unharmed.

For additional information please consult the 2012 fishing rules and seasons brochure, available at all license vendors, Fish and Game offices and online at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/ fish/rules/steelhead.pdf

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Fall Chinook Harvest Season To Open Idaho Fish and Game The 2012 fall Chinook salmon harvest

season opens September 1 on the Snake River and the lower Clearwater River.

The season will continue until further notice or October 31, whichever comes first.

Fishery managers predict 18,272 adult hatchery origin Chinook salmon will cross Lower Granite Dam...

Anglers may keep only fish with a clipped adipose fin, evidenced by a healed scar. All salmon with an intact adipose fin must be released.

The daily limit is six adult fall Chinook, and the possession limit is 18.

There is no season limit on adult fall Chinook. There are no daily or possession limits on jacks and anglers are not required to mark jacks on their salmon permit.

Anglers may use only barbless hooks no larger than five-eighths inch from the point to the shank. When the daily, possession limit is reached, the angler must stop fishing for salmon, including catch and-release...

The Snake River fishery will open in four sections: *From the Washington-Idaho border to Bridge Street bridge. *From Bridge Street bridge to the Oregon-Washington border. *From the Oregon-Washington border to the mouth of Sheep Creek. *From the mouth of Sheep Creek to Hells Canyon Dam. The Clearwater River will open from its mouth to the Memorial Bridge. A map showing boundaries is in the 2012 Fishing Seasons and Rules brochure.

September 2012 17

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I

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources f you’re an archery hunter, In addition to the safety you can stay safe during this tips, Cook provides advice year’s archery hunts by on getting prepared for following a few, simple rules. the season, safety items to Preparing for the hunts now remember while you’re in the field and information on is the key to having a fun and successful archery hunt... tracking animals and preserving their meat.

“Every year, we receive PREPARATION reports of archery hunters Equipment checks - make injuring themselves,” says Gary Cook, hunter education sure the laminations on your bow are not flaking coordinator for the Division or separating and that the of Wildlife Resources. strings on your bow are not Two practices lead to most fraying...Also, make sure of the accidents: not being your arrow’s spline (the safe in tree stands or stiffness of the arrow’s having arrows out of your shaft) matches your bow’s quiver when you shouldn’t. draw weight. If your bow’s draw weight produces more Cook provides the following force than your arrow can advice to help you avoid handle, your arrow will these accidents: If you’re going to hunt from probably fly off target when you shoot. a tree stand, make sure the Broadhead sharpening tree is large enough to hold your weight before you climb – when you sharpen your broadheads, be careful and the tree. take your time. Your To lessen the chance that you’ll fall while climbing the broadheads should be tree, leave your bow, arrows razor sharp. But make sure you don’t cut yourself while and other equipment on the sharpening them. ground, and attach a haul line to them. Also, be sure to PRACTICE SHOOTING AS use an approved safety MUCH AS POSSIBLE. harness (also called a fall arrest system), and always Obtain written permission secure yourself to the tree as from private landowners soon as you leave the ground. before hunting on their property or using their “Once you reach your stand property to access public and have attached your land. safety harness to your final location,” Cook says, “then Know the boundaries of use your haul line to lift your limited entry units and other gear to you.” restricted areas in the area Cook also recommends using you’ll be hunting. a portable tree stand, rather Take the DWR’s Bowhunter than building a “permanent” Education class. You can one. “Permanent tree stands learn more about the class, can deteriorate and become and sign up to take it, onunsafe,” he says... line.

Until you’re ready to shoot, Never take a shot at a deer keep your arrows in a quiver or an elk that is beyond the that has a hood on it that maximum, effective range covers the broadheads. “One you’re comfortable shooting of the most common accidents at. Also, before releasing we see is archers jabbing your arrow, make sure of themselves or other hunters your target and what’s while carrying arrows in beyond it. their hand or nocked on their bow,” Cook says. “Keep AFTER THE SHOT Watch the animal and your arrows in a quiver until determine the direction it you’re ready to shoot.”...

^

www.dallas-land.com

Preparing for the hunts now is the key to having a fun and successful archery hunt. UDWR Photo

took. Then go to the spot where you last saw the animal and find your arrow.

If there’s blood on it, and if you have a compass, take a bearing on the direction the animal went. Then wait 30 minutes before tracking it.

If you track the animal too soon, you can spook it into running. If you wait at least 30 minutes before tracking it, you’ll find most of the deer and elk you shoot dead within a reasonable distance of your starting point.

When you track an animal, look for blood not only on the ground but on the brush too. If you begin to lose the animal’s trail, tie a piece of biodegradable paper near the last blood spot.

Then search for the animal’s trail by walking a circular pattern out from the paper. The paper will serve as a marker that will let you know where you started.

Also, tying paper at the locations of the last three or four spots you see, and then standing away from the paper and looking at the paper trail, can help you visualize the direction the animal took.

Once you’ve found the animal, check to see if its eyes are open. If they’re not, the animal probably isn’t dead. If its eyes are open, touch one of the eyes with a long stick. Doing so will keep you out of harm’s way if the animal is still alive.

Once the animal is dead, field dress and cool its meat immediately. It’s usually warm during the archery hunt. The warm temperatures can cause the meat to spoil quickly.

Upland Game Bird And Pheasant Bag Limits For 2012 MFWP

HUNTING -Most of Montana’s upland game bird seasons run Sept. 1-Jan.1, 2013—with the exception of sage grouse season, which closes Nov. 1.

-The general pheasant season runs Oct. 6-Jan. 1, 2013.

-The youth only special pheasant weekend is Sept. 22-23.

DAILY BAG LIMITS -Two sage grouse, four sharp-tailed grouse, three mountain grouse and eight partridge in aggregate.

-Three cock pheasants daily.

POSSESSION LIMITS -Two times the daily bag limit for sage grouse and four times the daily bag limit for sharp-tailed, mountain grouse and partridge.

-Three times the daily bag limit for pheasants.

-The annual bag limit for turkey is two wild turkeys. The total combined limit of the spring and fall seasons cannot exceed two turkeys per hunter.

-In the fall, two either-sex turkeys may be harvested, but no more than one may be harvested in eastern Montana’s FWP Region 7 and no more than one may be harvested outside of FWP Region 7.

-Fall turkey hunting is open to all hunters with a valid turkey license in the general hunting areas described in the upland game bird regulations.

-Special turkey hunting permits, with applications made in July, are valid only in areas specified in the regulations and must be used with a valid turkey license.

-All areas open to hunting upland game birds by firearms are open to either-sex hunting of that species by falconry.

-For the youth only special pheasant weekend, the bag limit, shooting hours, hunter safety requirements and all other regulations that apply to the regular pheasant season apply to the special youth season.

-For other details, see the upland game bird hunting regulations which are available on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov, at FWP regional offices and from FWP license providers.

-Hunters planning to hunt upland game birds on Indian Reservations should check Indian Reservation regulations for season dates, bag limits, licensing requirements, shooting hours, legal species and shot gun shell requirements, which may differ from state regulations.

September 2012 19

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

Well, here we are already, the fall

season starts here in Montana with undoubtedly some of the best fishing of the year. Most rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs have transitioned to favorable water levels and with cooler nights and mornings, the fish will be very aggressive for the next few weeks. For most Montana sportsmen and women, the hardest part is trying to stretch enough days into September for fishing and hunting. It is definitely the best time of the year for most anything or place you will be targeting. Let’s take a look at a few hot fishing options right now!

Scott Edman of Stevensville with his Echo Lake Bass

LOWERFLATHEADRIVER FORT PECK LAKE SMALLMOUTH BASS, WHITEFISH

HELENA RESERVOIRS

TROUT, WALLEYE Canyon Ferry will be one of the best early fall destinations for enthusiastic trout and very good walleye action.

Fish swimbaits and jigs on the edges of weed lines as the fish will begin to feed on minnows that have fattened up throughout the summer.

A drop-off rig with a 3 to 4 inch minnow pattern can be effective.

Trolling any type of flasher rig such as a Cowbell in around 20 feet of water will produce big trout. The walleye will hang in the more shallow bays. Try fishing a 1/8 to 1/16 or jig head, or tossing a crankbait or swimbait, and you’ll pick-up some fish.

Holter Lake will produce much the same way. Fishing around Cottonwood Creek, Split Rock and the Oxbow Bend area are all hot spots on Holter. Jigs work well on the walleye. Hit the shaded, rocked faced areas early in the morning or the late evening for hungry fish.

Cowbells tipped with a crawler or trolling Wedding Rings or worm harnesses around the Split Rock area will always produce fish. Anglers have been picking up a lot of 3 to 4 pound rainbows with regularity here.

SEELEY &SALMONLAKES

PIKE, BASS, KOKANEE Big northerns will be lurking around and will become very combative as the fall weather sets in. A trophy sized fish is very possible now, as the lake quiets from all of the summer time boaters. Try casting Husky Jerks, spoons and spinner baits in fire tiger or silver/black color combos.

These fish will key in on kokanee salmon that start to school up in preparation to spawn, so anything that mimics a 6” - 8” kokanee is a good choice.

kick in until November on the Bighorn, but pre-spawn fishing for trout in the 18” to 23” fish are common. Large streamers: Zonkers, Buggers and Double Bunnies work here. You can take both rainbows and browns on a variety of nymphs as well: Copper John’s, Hare’s Ears, and Scud imitations. If you are tossing lures, try the Mepps Aglia, Krocodile, Panther Martin or you can give a new one a try that I’ve found to work well on trout. It’s made in Helena by J.D.R. Specialty Tackle, and it’s called the Forage Minnow Spoon. Try the 1/4 oz size. (jdrspecialtytackle.com).

They have many options for trout, pike and walleye.

You’ll want to get some of the last best camping in here, and at Hauser Lake. Areas around Holter at Wolf Creek or Canyon Ferry have some first-rate campgrounds. If you need a fishing guide for any of these areas give Forrest, the Walleye Hunter a call at 406-459-5352. The fishing has been amazing all season long on these waters!

NOXON RESERVOIR BASS, PIKE The bass fishing has been very good lately up on Noxon. Try twitching jerk baits such as a Rapala in a perch pattern, or Chartreuse spinner baits for both the big northerns and those feisty bass. Late September into October is a fine time to be on Noxon. Target big northerns along weed beds in around 8 to 10 feet of water. Hit as many inlets and small bays as possible, and you will pick-up a lot of fish. If you have wanted to fish Noxon, but never have, give the Lakeside Motel a call at 1-888-827-4458 for fishing updates and a nice place to overnight.

The lower Flathead, from Kerr Dam downstream to it’s confluence with the Clark Fork River near Paradise is blessed with some of the best trophy smallmouth bass fishing in the state. Fish the upper section from the Dam down to the mouth of the Little Bitterroot River. The only downfall is that there are very few access points along this stretch.

One of the greatest spots to cast from the bank is at Sloan Bridge downstream from the Dam. This is a good place to find a big northern pike, rainbows, and a few lakers that have migrated down from the lake. You can also fish at access points at Teakettle, Sportsman’s and the old steel bridge for lake superior whitefish up to 4 pounds. For these, bounce green colored jigs along the gravelly bottoms.

BIGHORN RIVER BROWN TROUT Nothing secret about this Blue-Ribbon trout stream southeast of Billings, but what makes it a remarkable destination is it’s brown trout, which will be chasing big streamers. The real spawn doesn’t

NORTHERN, LAKE TROUT, BASS One of the most neglected big fish spots in the state will be Fort Peck Reservoir in the fall. Mainly due to it’s proximity away from any major cities and the vast size of the reservoir.

It is known for outstanding walleye, pike and bass fishing and this is true, but the late fall anglers will be targeting huge lake trout, as these fish will be in preparation for spawning season. It’s one of the rare times of the year you can catch a big lake trout from shore. Toss large spoons and you may land a trout in the 18 pound category, or troll Wobbling spoons or squids off slashers. The eastern end of the Dam is the best area for these lakers. It’s also a good area to practice catch and release on the big ones. Snap a photo and take measurements, as you can still have it mounted for the wall. Reports from locals is that the northern pike bite is “amazing” right now. Pitching a jig or spinner bait along shorelines will keep you busy all day long with northerns and smallmouth bass. As long as the weather co-operates, you’ll be into the fish on Fort Peck.

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CLARK CANYON RESERVOIR

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Take Highway 15 south from Butte to Clark Canyon Reservoir.

The fishing will continue to be phenomenal here. Fish the southern part of the reservoir for 3 to 4 pound trout and bigger during the fall. Fly fishing will be a good bet using grasshoppers, beetles, and other terrestrials, or toss a small gold, silver and bronze Mepps for aggressive trout.

This time of the year, you can use almost any reflective spinner on these fish.

AMERICAN FALLS

RESERVOIR - IDAHO

SMALLMOUTH BASS Located near Pocatello, Idaho The hot, dry summer is starting to take it’s toll on many irrigations reservoirs in the southeast region of Idaho. Fortunately, most reservoirs started full this spring, and most reservoirs have enough water to support fisheries through the fall. These hot periods effect trout more than they do bass, bluegill, and crappie. In fact, these species are more active at high temperatures. Fish for smallmouths along any structure near the Dam. Bronzebacks are holding in and around the boulders or debris sticking up out of the water. Target these spots with grubs in bright orange, bounced off the bottom. Crankbaits in a crawdad pattern will also be effective for smallies in the 4 pound range on the reservoir. Below the Dam, you can fish below Massacre Rocks using crankbaits and jigs, or top-water baits will take fish in the shallows.

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Clearwater River, ID STEELHEAD Every year it is different on the Clearwater River depending on water flows and the water temperature, but the good news is that you can expect exceptional fishing in the fall, and there are plenty of steelhead already in the river. The early A-run strain will be fishing well on the Grand Ronde, the Salmon and the Imnaha. The A-run are smaller steelhead mainly weighing in the 3 to 6 pound range and they have a shorter bite, mainly in the morning hours. Try drift baits, primarily roe or shrimp sprayed with a crawfish scent. Around Lewiston, Idaho fish from the Confluence up to Memorial Bridge, dragging around lighted plugs at night or running dyed shrimp under a bobber.

The B-run is on the way!

It’s around the first part of October when the bigger B-run metal heads will be heavy in the system and will fish great all the way up through January, and once the good fishing starts you can catch them all the way into March. There are plenty of spots to camp or motels in the area. If you are looking for a good, reputable guide on the Clearwater, give Jarrett’s Guide Service a call at 208-476-3791. They fish almost every day of the year on these waters for salmon, steelhead and bass depending on the season. If you are interested in the Grand Ronde or Snake River call Travis at Guerilla Guide Service at 208-924-8685.

Well, there it is. A peak at what you can expect early in the fall. Time is wasting. You better hit the water!

email your fishing photos to:

huntingfishingnews@yahoo.com Photos become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Photos will not be returned.

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HOW NOT TO GET LOST IN THE WOODS

By Chris Parmeter, District Wildlife Manager, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

I

n the 1980 movie classic “The Mountain Men”, the character Henry Frapp is questioned by a young green horn: “Haven’t you ever been lost?” Frapp scratches his whiskers and after a recollecting pause, replies, “A fearsome confused for a month or two... but I ain’t ever been lost!”

For the fur trappers, wandering through a vast and unexplored country, “lost” would have been something of an oxymoron. Not knowing where you were was a necessary part of the mountain man business. The blank space on the map was as much “home” as it was wilderness, and “lost” was more a state of mind than a physical dilemma.

When the mountain men plunged head-long into the unknown, they knew that where they were going there would be no restaurants or hotels. So they planned accordingly. They learned quickly where to find food and how to get it; how to mend equipment, to make new or make do; they could sleep in a log, a cave, or just plain under the stars – and survive! How did they accomplish this incredible feat? Simply, they were prepared - mentally and physically.

Today, the same principles apply. When you head out into the woods, be prepared: for cold, rain or snow; to tend an injury; or to stay the night in the woods. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Here are a few nuggets of Mountain Man wisdom to help you survive: STAYING FOUND The old timers relied on “Dead Reckoning” for navigation: utilizing a compass to guide them in the general direction they wished to go. Sometimes in the absence of a compass, they relied only on “reckoning”: as in “I reckon camp is back that way.” The contemporary woodsman may have the handiness of a GPS, but owning one of these high-tech gizmos is not an adequate substitute for map and compass skills.

Just as with other conveniences (cell phones, cameras, flash lights), the batteries will invariable go dead just when you need them the most.

Learning how to read a map is not that difficult; up is north, left is west and so on. The closer the lines are together the steeper the country. Water is shown as blue, while man made objects are black. It is simply a two dimensional rendition of a three dimensional world. Using a map and a compass to show you which way is north, you’d be hard pressed to get seriously lost. Sure, some practice is required, but that’s all part of the preparedness thing.

Paying attention to where you’re going can also be a big help to staying found. As you pursue your quarry, notice which way the shadows are falling.

Have you been mostly climbing, or descending? Look for landmarks as you go. Not stumps and rocks, but BIG landmarks that give your relative position to the valley below, or that craggy peak to the west. Turn around and look behind you, what would it look like if you were going that way – back to camp or the truck? (continued on page 28) 22 - Hunting & Fishing News

Program Focuses On Common Ground Shared

By Hunters And Landowners MFWP M ore than 2,400 hunters each other’s experiences and and landowners have taken connect with each other,” said a look at an information program aimed at helping promote responsible hunter behavior and good hunter-landowner relations.

Nearly half of those who checked in completed the course and earned a lifetime certification from the Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Project.

“The Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Project is designed to help hunters and landowners build effective relationships based upon mutual respect and understanding of each other’s perspectives,” said Alan Charles, Coordinator of Landowner/Sportsman Relations for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

The voluntary and free course is available via FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov. Click “For Hunters.”

The course is delivered through an interactive website with videos, questions and instant feedback, as well as opportunities for people to test their knowledge on a variety of topics related to hunter-landowner relations and responsible hunter behavior...

Designed to be thought-provoking and entertaining, the program is highly interactive to keep the attention of even those who wouldn’t typically spend a lot of time on the computer. “We want to develop ways for hunters and landowners to explore

Thomas Baumeister, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks education program manager.

Those who successfully complete the course can print a certificate of completion for future reference, and may request a free cap and bumper sticker bearing the program’s logo.

Charles said the program emerged from recommendations from the Private Land/Public Wildlife Council, and from recommendations made by the Montana Hunter Behavior Advisory Council.

“FWP’s goal is to emphasize the common ground shared by hunters and landowners while focusing attention on key issues that typically arise when hunters and landowners interact,” Charles explained.

Some landowners are already using the program as a tool to promote responsible hunter behavior, either by posting signs provided by FWP to indicate the ranch supports the project or requesting hunters to produce a certificate of completion as a condition of access. Many hunters who have completed the course have indicated that information provided through the program has helped them be more aware of the many issues associated with private land and public access...

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ARCHERY ELK

Archery elk licenses are available over the counter for residents, but this year there are still leftover non-resident archery tags for most areas, which is unusual. The benefit of a low subscription rate is the lack of competition when all the tags are not sold. Meaning you may not see another archer. The regular season runs from September 1, thru October 14, which completely covers the rut and is a great time to call a bull in for a face-to-face encounter you will remember the rest of your life.

Hunt Start Date End Date Archery September 1 October 14 General October 20 November 25 Backcountry Archery General

SPRING/ FALL BEAR

(HD’s 150, 151, 280, 316) September 1 - September 14 September 15 - November 25 © Lawrence W Stolte | Dreamstime.com

The spring bear season usually has more hunters afield as the bears are coming out of hibernation hungry, and are travelling to find scarce food. During the fall season they are frantically eating 22 hours of every 24 to build fat reserves for their long winter sleep. The key to fall success is finding the main food and water source, since the weather will be hot and dry.

Water is critical to proper digestion, meaning you will find paw prints around the edge of active water sources. A trailcam is a great way to monitor a water hole during the night and, depending on the food source, the bears may come to water four times in a 24-hour period. Do the math - one of those trips will be during daylight hours.

Ode to September: Warm Days, Cool Nights and Bugling Elk

BY S.L. MERRIAM A long list of wildlife staff contacts for this short article brought me Hunt loads of information. After speaking with Neal Whitney, in the License Business Analysis division of Game and Fish (404-444-4715), it was quickly evident it’s time to get ready to do your scouting homework and begin putting your gear together.

The goal is to provide detailed information that will assist you in filling the tags purchased with hard earned dollars then insuring smiles in the after-hunt photos.

For elk hunters, the rut is fast approaching and that is a magical time in the west. For the hunter with an assortment of calls there is nothing more exciting than getting an animal weighing five times more than a stout hunter fired up then making it so furious he’ll charge in, hoping to destroy the bull with the audacity to mount a challenge. When you are set up correctly with the bow at full draw the next few moments will cause an adrenalin surge that will start your legs shaking.

24 - Hunting & Fishing News

Spring Archery Fall

Start Date April 15 September 1 September 15

End Date Various (May 15–June 15) September 14 November 25

FALL TURKEY

Turkeys are much heartier than their smaller cousins and although the chicks are affected by a dry spring, they are larger and heartier and the hens usually nest close to a water source.

Poults can roost in trees as soon as they are large enough to fly taking them out of reach of the many predators that enjoy turkey dinners before Thanksgiving.

Hunt Spring Fall

Start Date April 14 September 1

End Date May 20 January 1, 2013

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ANTELOPE

Antelope had a hard winter followed by a dry spring and a dryer summer. Antelope does are one of our game animals that can resorb a fetus when habitat conditions dictate. (Save that tidbit for your “Did you know........?” next time you want to impress someone at the campfire.)

Antelope does are bred in late September/early October and normally conceives twins. If the winter is unusually harsh and spring range habitat poor, or her physical condition weak, nature allows her to resorb one of the fetuses rather than abort it. This provides her with valuable energy to maintain her health and provide sufficient lactation (milk) for the single fawn that is born. The loss of the resorbed fawn lessens her physical burden and improves the odds that the single fawn and doe will make it through hard times. (Deer also do this during severe winters.)

During good years antelope enjoying favorable conditions can repopulate almost as quickly as whitetails. The ability to produce two fawns each year can quickly bring a herd back up to population quotas while dry summers also pose a problem as they allow both deer and antelope to contract the fatal Bluetongue disease.

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Start Date August 15 September 1 October 6

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UPLAND BIRD

For upland game birds spring weather and habitat conditions are critical and require sufficient moisture for survival but not too much as the chicks can suffer from hypothermia from being wet for a prolonged period. Pheasant and grouse chicks survive by eating high nutrition bugs that provide both protein and liquid during the first 30-60 days. During a dry spring these bugs are not available because their eggs don’t hatch. Since 80% of the pheasants we shoot were hatched only seven months prior, a dry spring can be devastating to the fall harvest. Luckily there are widespread weather factors that allow spots of local habitat to produce birds when other areas do not. The secret is to find those areas.

Adult pheasants can live without water by using the morning dew or frost along with the moisture in the greens they eat. Grouse are also affected by a lack of water but are usually more oriented to wild cover so drought causes population problems but not to the extent of the pheasant.

Hunt Start Date End Date Partridge September 1 January 1, 2013 Pheasant General October 6 January 1, 2013 Youth Pheasant September 22 September 23 Mountain Grouse September 1 January 1, 2013 Sage Grouse September 1 November 1 Sharp-tailed Grouse September 1 January 1, 2013 Dove Central Flyway September 1 TBD Dove Pacific Flyway September 1 TBD

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More Elk Country Conserved On Montana’s Tenderfoot RMEF Several partnering organizations

White Sulphur Springs community, Meagher County commissioners, finalized a deal to ensure the future Gov. Schweitzer, Montana Fish, of wildlife habitat and public access Wildlife and Parks and more than 30 on 1,920 acres along pristine Tenderfoot Creek in central Montana. conservation groups endorse the effort. Montana’s congressional delegation The lands, now part of the Lewis also has supported the project. and Clark National Forest, were RMEF President and CEO David previously part of the Bair Ranch.

Allen said, “We tip our hat to The Bair Ranch Foundation, Rocky everyone involved in this project.

Mountain Elk Foundation, This is a model cooperative effort for Tenderfoot Trust and U.S. Forest habitat conservation and an historic Service worked together to transfer opportunity to permanently open the property.

8,200 acres for public hunting and Sections of the Bair Ranch are other recreation.” intermingled with federal lands in a checkerboard pattern. The partners Wayne Hirsch of the Bair Ranch have been working for several years Foundation board said, “I applaud all the partners in this effort and to consolidate lands into public recognize the progress that has been ownership. Larger contiguous enjoyed to date. The commitment blocks of ownership help avert and dedication to this project we long-term habitat fragmentation, have witnessed by many parties will which is critical for elk and other continue to be necessary to see it wildlife, resource managers and through completion. The long-term hunters. All together, 3,400 acres permanent value of conserving this now have been moved into public ownership. The partners will continue natural resource continues to be recognized and understood by the to work toward acquisition of the remaining 4,800 acres of the ranch. Bair Ranch Foundation.”

Most funding for the project has Mitch Godfrey, president of the come from the federal Land and Tenderfoot Trust, said, “The Bair Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), Ranch Foundation is great because with $4.1 million allocated so far. they agreed to work with us over a The fund uses no taxpayer dollars, period of years while we gathered but rather royalties from offshore funding to protect these lands energy development. Congress permanently... appropriates LWCF funds.

Tenderfoot Creek, a tributary of the Additional support has come from scenic Smith River, cascades down RMEF donors, members and 3,200 feet of elevation through volunteer-hosted events, together classic elk country of the Little Belt with funding from the National Fish Mountains. Conifer forests, aspen and Wildlife Foundation, Montana stands, grass meadows and high Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust alpine basins are home to mule deer, and Cinnabar Foundation... moose, black bear, many species of birds and a host of other wildlife.

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WDFG Removes Wolf From NE Washington Pack in response to repeated attacks on livestock

Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

State wildlife managers today killed

a wolf from a pack that has repeatedly preyed on livestock in a remote area of northeast Washington for the past five years.

Acting under the terms of the state’s 2011 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) took lethal action after a series of wolf attacks on the Diamond M herd, whose owners graze about 400 head of cattle in an area known as the Wedge near the Canadian border.

The attacks left one calf dead, five cows or calves injured and at least two missing since mid-July.

The wolf removed today was identified as a non-breeding female member of the Wedge pack. It was shot this morning by department staff in the area where an attack on livestock had occurred in July.

Department staff planned to remain in the area through Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to remove a second wolf.

WDFW Director Phil Anderson said the decision to take lethal action was made only after the department determined that the action would not adversely affect wolf recovery objectives.

He also said the department had tried a variety of non-lethal efforts to protect livestock from attacks by the Wedge pack. Efforts included using specialized electric fencing to protect calves this spring; attaching a radio collar to the pack’s alpha male; and maintaining a regular human presence in the area.

In addition, the livestock operator employs five cowboys to frequently check on the herd, which consists of 210 cow-calf pairs.

“These ranchers live and work in an area with the highest concentration of wolves in the state,” said Anderson, who had visited the Diamond M ranch following wolf attacks on livestock in July...

In 2007, wolves killed two calves from the Diamond M herd.

Since then, livestock operators have reported wolf presence in the area and higher-than-normal calf losses.

Earlier this year, WDFW documented wolf activity around a calving operation.

In July, wolves killed one calf and injured a cow and another calf. Later, two other injured calves were found and confirmed to have been attacked by wolves. The rancher also observed two additional injured calves but was not able to capture them.

Last week, a calf was found with a laceration and bite mark that wildlife managers determined were the result of a wolf attack.

As of July, wildlife biologists had confirmed eight wolf packs within the state and suspect there are four additional packs based on public reports and observed tracks. The number of confirmed packs represents an increase from two in 2010, indicating that the wolf population is rebounding, which also increases the potential for wolf-livestock conflict.

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FWP Block Management Program Receives Good Reviews MFWP Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’s

Block Management hunting access program is an important element of Montana’s hunting scene. Since 1985 it has helped maintain public hunting access to private and isolated public lands. In 2012, more than 1,260 landowners are expected to participate in the program, providing hunters with access to approximately 8 million acres of land.

FWP has periodically asked landowners and hunters to evaluate the program through surveys conducted by FWP’s Human Dimensions Unit...

The average hunter who responded to the 2009 survey hunted on four or five different BMAs and spent about 10 days hunting. Of the hunters surveyed, 75 percent hunted on BMAs exclusively, most of the time, or half of the time.

Of hunters who participated in the survey, 89 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the Block Management Program.

In other hunter survey results: -Eighty-five percent of hunters reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with the hunting opportunities provided.

-Fifty percent of the hunters who responded to the survey said game animals on BMAs they hunted met or exceeded their expectations.

-Sixty percent were successful in harvesting game in 2009 on a BMA. -Eighty-eight percent were satisfied or very satisfied with the BMA rules.

-Sixty-four percent of hunters said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the number of other hunters they met on Montana’s BMAs...

Here are some examples of what landowners had to say: -Seventy-eight percent said it is an important or very important way for them to manage game numbers on their land...

-Landowners have generally been satisfied with the benefit they receive through the program and most have continued participating year after year...

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Still No Chronic Wasting Disease In Montana MFWP Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks did

not detect chronic wasting disease in any of the 849 deer, elk and moose mostly collected during the 2011-2012 hunting season.

Montana’s detection program tests sick and road-killed deer, elk and moose, and has relied heavily on testing samples from hunterharvested animals collected in “high risk” areas. CWD is a brain disease in deer, elk and moose that is always fatal.

Over the past 14 years FWP has tested more than 17,300 wild elk, moose and deer in Montana for CWD and has not yet found any evidence of it.

CWD was diagnosed in 1999 in nine captive elk on an alternative livestock facility, or game farm, near Philipsburg. All the animals there were destroyed and the facility was quarantined.

“It’s always welcome news to learn that CWD hasn’t been found in Montana wildlife populations, but we still think it is just a matter of time,” said Neil Anderson, FWP’s Wildlife Laboratory supervisor. “The disease occurs in wild elk, deer and moose in adjacent states and Canadian provinces, so we expect it to turn up here some day.”

FWP adopted a CWD Management Plan to help protect Montana’s wild deer and elk from infection and to manage the disease should it occur here. That plan is up for renewal and is currently under review.

If you should see sick, emaciated animals, please report them to the nearest FWP regional office, or the FWP biologist in your area.

For more information, visit FWP’s CWD Frequently Asked Questions at fwp.mt.gov and search “CWD”.

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WATER. Without it, you’re dead in three days. Without it for a few hours, at 9,000 feet above sea level, you’re not dead, but you may wish you were.

Dehydration can lead to altitude sickness and hypothermia. But even worse, it can impair your judgment, induce panic, and result in a fatal case of Lost.

FIRE good... Fire friend... Fire number two in importance. Learn how to build one, WITHOUT toilet paper and gasoline. It’s as easy as one two three: One, you need dry tender. Scratch around under grass tussocks for the driest stuff. Get lots of it, about a volley ball sized bunch; two, kindling.

You want about twice as much as the tender you gathered.

KINDLING is small stuff - matchstick sized. Three is the fuel itself. Gather up plenty if it looks like you may have to spend the night. Pick dry branches one to two inches in diameter--these burn without difficulty and make it easy to control the heat. Of course we can’t overlook the match. You don’t need to be proficient with a flint and steel, but you should have at least a couple of ways to start fire; it doesn’t matter if it’s a lighter or a fire plow, as long as you can get it lit.

SHELTER. Now don’t jump right into bivy sacks and backpacking tents.

Let’s take a step back and start at the beginning. Shelter starts with your clothing. Dress for the worst. And in a Colorado autumn, the worst can be pretty harsh. Pick synthetics - like fleece or polyester blends - but wool is best. Dress in layers: long handle union suit, light mid layer(s), and warmer outer layer. Dressing appropriately when you leave camp will find you well on your way to surviving a night in the outback even without a buffalo robe.

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Unless your trip is taking you across the Gobi or the Brooks Range, you probably don’t need to carry 50 feet of copper wire or spare fishing line and hooks. The largest wilderness area in Colorado can be traversed in a day or two by a man in decent shape. So what are the essential essentials you need when you’re on your own hook?

MAKE A PLAN AND LET SOMEONE KNOW WHAT IT IS. Leave a map open on the dashboard of the truck. You don’t have to give up your secret spot with an “I AM HERE” arrow, just circle a square mile or two. When you leave camp, a plain old “I’m gonna work this ridge out and come back down the crick” is enough to give your buddies a place to start looking for you if you should become “a fearsome confused.” The important thing is to stick to your plan.

As you head into the high country this fall, see yourself as one of the Lewis & Clark Expedition; be prepared, both mentally and physically for the challenges of the unknown. Keep your powder dry and your eyes on the horizon and you’ll know that “lost” is, by and large, just a state of mind.

September 2012 29

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Muskie Mania In Full Swing At Bluewater, Quemado Lakes L

Tennessee Man Wins A Chance To Hunt Idaho Bighorn For 30 years he has dreamed about a

bighorn sheep hunt. Earlier this year he bought six tickets in the Wild Sheep Foundation’s annually lottery of an Idaho bighorn tag.

One of the six was a winner in the July 25 drawing, and Rob Durrett, 56, of Clarksville, Tenn., is coming to Idaho this fall to hunt Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

“I’m really excited,” he said on a recent visit to Idaho. “It’s a life-changing adventure.”

Every year Idaho Fish and Game provides one tag for a bighorn sheep in Idaho, marketed by the Idaho Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. The winner will be able to hunt in any unit open to hunting for Rocky Mountain or California bighorn in 2012, pursuant to Fish and Game rules.

30 - Hunting & Fishing News

This year’s lottery tag includes the coveted Unit 11, in Hells Canyon of the Snake River. Unit 11 is available to the lottery winner only in alternating years.

Durrett has been putting in for an Idaho bighorn sheep tag for the past seven years.

“I always heard Idaho was good place to hunt sheep, and a beautiful, beautiful place,” he said, beaming with excitement. His father was a fan of Jack O’Conner, and the young Durrett grew up on O’Connor’s hunting stories.

Since his early 20s he has dreamt of hunting sheep. He has hunted in Montana and Alaska. This will be his first time hunting in Idaho.

He plans to hunt at least 20 days between August 30 and October 13.

He brought his nine-year-old grandson, Cameron, along for short visit here to gather information and scout the area he plans to hunt in Hells Canyon.

ooking for a chance to catch a state-record fish? Your best chance may be this year at Bluewater Lake, where the state-record for tiger muskie has changed hands three times in the last year and a half, with many near-misses along the way.

Justin Easley of Edgewood is the current record-holder with a monster 46-inch fish that weighed a whopping 31 pounds, 14 ounces. There have been several close contenders, the most recent a 48-incher caught by Benjamin Silva that fell short in weight at 28 pounds. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish awards state records based on weight alone.

Easley caught his record muskie May 10 of this year while casting a Jerk-minnow Rapala near the Bluewater Lake dam. Previous records include an 18-pound, .05-ounce muskie caught in June 2011 by Steve Roen of Truth or Consequences, and a 17-pound, 8-ounce muskie caught in May 2011 by young Anastasiah Alfaro of Albuquerque. She caught her muskie on a kids pole after she hooked a trout on Power Bait and then the muskie swallowed the trout. The muskie was almost as tall as her.

Big-fish stories like that spread fast and always attract more anglers. The Bluewater muskies have been no exception, especially this year when fish are averaging three feet long and a “keeper” has to be at least 40 inches.

Anglers were required to return all muskies to the water until April 2010, when a one-fish, 40-inches-or-larger bag limit was established.

Justin Easley and his 46-inch, 31-lb. 14-oz tiger muskie “We’re way up on visitation and that has a lot to do with it,” said Kelly Richerson, superintendent at Bluewater Lake State Park...

The Department of Game and Fish began stocking tiger muskie fry and fingerlings in Bluewater and Quemado lakes in May, 2003, with hopes the aggressive predators would help control overpopulations of goldfish and white suckers. Since then, almost 267,000 muskies have been stocked in Bluewater Lake. More than 120,000 have been stocked in Quemado Lake.

With plenty of goldfish and suckers to munch, the non-breeding hybrids between northern pike and muskellunge grew like crazy – some of them as much as 6 inches a year. At that rate, it would not be unlikely to see New Mexico overtake the International Game Fish Association’s North American record: a 51-pound, 3-ounce tiger muskie caught at Lac Vieux-Desert, Mich.

“The muskie fishing here is world-class, it really is,” said Matt Pelletier, president of the 65-member New Mexico Muskies Inc., an organization that formed in 2008. “We have the highest population of tiger muskies in the nation and the best tiger muskie fishing in the nation.

Guys from Minnesota are coming here to fish. Imagine that!”...

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2010-2014 Deer Population Information Every five years, North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists establish a benchmark for deer licenses in the state – a number that will guide management decisions for several years.

The five-year goal is an effort that involves biological information from deer surveys and hunter-harvest figures, plus observations and input from game wardens, hunters, landowners and others who have a stake in North Dakota deer management. For this 2010 five-year plan, Game and Fish presented draft goals at the spring advisory meetings, and made numerous changes based on public input received. The new five-year goal is for a statewide deer population that would provide 124,800 deer gun licenses. Within this total, outlined in the information that follows, are license objectives for each of the 38 hunting units.

It is important to understand that unit and statewide goals will not necessarily match the number of licenses Game and Fish will issue each year. The goal is an ideal number given consistent winter

weather and habitat conditions. As the variables change, however, the number of licenses will likely go up or down every year, based on whether harvest needs to increase or decrease to move toward the goal the following year.

For instance, the 2010 deer gun license allocation was about 116,000, with a major reduction in antlerless licenses from the previous year in most units, which will promote deer population growth in those units, at least until the number of licenses can increase to match unit goals. If the population gets too high, Game and Fish may have to greatly increase the number of licenses in order to move deer numbers back down toward the goal.

The new five-year goal is about a 25 percent increase over the goal established in 2005 of 100,000 licenses. Since that plan was developed, through input from hunters, landowners and others, Game and Fish wildlife managers determined that a somewhat higher deer population could still strike a balance between hunter interest, landowner tolerance and public acceptance.

Sick And Dead Deer Reported In E. Kansas July through early October is a time

when people occasionally see sick and dead deer and wonder what is happening.

The disease most often associated with these losses is called hemorrhagic disease (HD). It is caused by a virus, and it is transmitted to deer and other ruminant animals by biting midges.

People and their pets are not affected by this virus, and the disease stops in the fall after cold weather kills the midges...

So far this year, KDWPT has received reports of dead or sick deer from at least 24 counties in northcentral and eastern Kansas...Most of these reports have involved a single sick or dead deer, with occasional reports of multiple mortalities.

When HD occurs, people normally find sick and dead deer along streams or near ponds...Deer with HD frequently have a high temperature and may seek cool water. They also often allow people to get very close. Sick deer may be standing or lying down, many times right in water, and they occasionally have an open mouth with their tongue hanging out and swollen.

‘11 Pheasant Harvest Tops 100,000 Roosters The 2011 Iowa pheasant harvest

reflected what the roadside counts had predicted, that the population was down after five winters with above average snowfall followed by five wetter than normal springs.

The IDNR estimates that 109,000 roosters were harvested during the 2011 hunting season, the lowest since standardized estimates began in 1962. Harvest was highest in the northwest region, followed by central and southwest.

The harvest estimate is based on a random survey of hunters. The survey is used by the DNR to estimate the number of hunters pursuing small game, hunter effort by species and harvest.

The survey collects data on quail, cottontail rabbit, squirrel, partridge, and mourning dove, in addition to pheasants...

Weather patterns this past winter and spring suggest Iowa will see its first significant increase in pheasant numbers in 6 years.

September 2012 31

Elk Wolf Hunting Tips (continued from page 9) Whitetails - Cut Them Off... Wilderness (continued from page 7) -Will be in better shape next year.

-Get permission from private landowners. Last year I hunted Forest Service land but kept seeing wolves lower on private ground. Lots of landowners are happy to have wolf hunters. Could lead to other hunting opportunities down the road.

-Check with ranchers, loggers and others who spend time in the backcountry. Ask them about the wolf activity they’re seeing.

-Start driving roads and howling to locate packs well before sunrise.

I start at 3:00 a.m.

-Carry a pistol while bowhunting (where legal) so you have some firepower in case you see a wolf.

-Most wolf hunters want to shoot a big trophy male. But taking females is better for population control. The main thing is just don’t shoot a collared wolf. We need those collars to track the packs—and funding for collaring wolves is getting tighter.

HUNTING STRATEGIES -Be hunting at first light and hunt through the last light of day. Lots of wolf activity is early and late.

-We had luck with howling. The wolves came right to us. But there are many other wolf vocalizations, too, and we’re trying to learn those for 2012.

-Howling works to locate wolves. But too much howling, especially by inexperienced callers, is educating wolves in our area.

-Elk-calf-in-distress, fawn-in-distress and coyote calls work well.

-I called in wolves using a bull elk bugle and cow calls.

-Next year, we’re planning to try moose calls.

-Don’t over-call.

-When calling, be sure to set-up on high ground, not in a hole or depression. Visibility is a key.

-I hunted wolves for 42 days before I got one. I tracked a pack into an area, sat at a crossing and called. Really enjoyed the experience.

Cover lots of ground until you find a concentration of sign. We followed fresh wolf tracks through the snow until we found the pack holed up in a patch of trees. (continued on page 38) 32 - Hunting & Fishing News

(continued from page 14)

for what seemed an eternity between my feet.

I could see that he was a mature buck and I guessed him at 17-18” wide. There was no doubt I would shoot him if given the chance.

He walked straight away from me toward the grassy open, and I drew while he was straight away. He heard me draw as he bounded to the edge of the cover, and I held my BowTech Tribute at full draw. Finally the buck stepped into the open and paused quartering away at a mere 15 steps. I touched off the Tribute and saw my Lumenok disappear at an angle that I knew had taken out the heart and lungs. I recovered the nice Wyoming 8-pointer a short distance up the drainage and thanked the Good Lord for allowing me to take a pair of mature whitetails on the last morning of my hunt.

Being patient, glassing from a distance and choosing a stand location that allowed me to get into position without bumping deer off their food source or travel route were the keys that allowed me to successfully intercept these Wyoming deer. Of course it goes without saying that the wind was right.

Morning spots are tough to come by, but in early season when deer are still fairly predictable on feeding patterns, with proper scouting and stand placement, you can swing the odds in your favor and be consistent in taking whitetails with stick and string on their way back to bed. There isn’t much better than arrowing a nice buck first thing in the morning. That is a great way start to any day!

I was standing behind a thick clump of spruce trees and with the ‘S4 Gear-Sidewinder’ attached to my left arm I grabbed my Leupold rangefinder and quickly ranged the bull. 65 yards.

I came to full draw as he pawed the ground, drank from a spring, and bugled in our direction. He was facing me and I had to wait until he turned broadside. It seemed like forever as my arms began to shake (probably 1.5 minutes).

The bull began turning back to his cows, ...it was now or never... I put my 60-yard pin high on his lungs and squeezed the Tru-Fire release. The Victory VAP arrow tipped with a 100 grain Magnus Snuffer SS struck home hard. It was a lower hit, but connected with lungs and the top of the heart. The bull staggered about 70 yards and was done. It was very rewarding given the conditions!

He’s a 6×7 with great mass. We rough scored him at 301”. There was great penetration with the Victory VAP arrows.

The VAP arrow and Magnus broadhead actually broke the opposite shoulder bone, just above the joint. I thought this was impressive at 65 yards on a bull elk.

I still believe persistence is one of the greatest elements of success. Be prepared, keep at it, and you’re bound to punch that tag. Thanks for reading!

Montana Backcountry Hunts for Deer and Elk Photo © Jameseric | Dreamstime.com

BY RICK HAGGERTY

Y ou can start your big game hunting season in September for deer and elk in 4 remote areas of Montana, starting the first day of September for archery hunters.

September 15th will be the opener for rifle hunters heading for parts of the Great Bear, Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness areas. These units include hunting districts 150, 151, 280 and 316. The season will run through until November 25th for rifle hunters. Each area has different restrictions for deer and elk. Here is a breakdown of each unit to consider: • HD 150 (Upper South Fork) The biggest difficulty in backcountry hunting is getting to and from your legal hunting areas. Most hunters will pack horses in, set up camp and hunt from there. In HD 150, the primary north access is from the Spotted Bear Complex at the south end of Hungry Horse Reservoir. The Spotted Bear Complex can be reached by driving the Westside Road from the town of Hungry Horse or the Eastside Road out of Martin City. Trail No. 80 follows the South Fork of the Flathead River. No. 83 follows the Spotted Bear River. No. 110 out of Holland Lake is about 10 miles south of Condon off Montana Hwy. 83. Trail No. 125, up Monture Creek is reached by driving north from Ovando off of Highway 200, 20 miles east of Clearwater Junction.

You can hunt antlered mule deer bucks, antlered whitetail bucks and either-sex whitetail deer for youth ages 12 - 15 years old. For elk hunters, brow-tined bulls and antlerless elk for archery only September 1 - September 14. Brow-tined bull elk only for rifle hunters beginning September 15th.

• HD 151 (Upper Middle Fork) This unit borders HD 150 north and is remote and rugged. One portal is trail No. 155 leaving U.S. Highway 2 at Bear Creek and following the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. The same hunting restrictions for big game as HD 150. Archery hunters can take brow-tined bulls and antlerless elk September 1 - 14. Antlered mule deer bucks only, no does. For whitetail, it is either-sex with a bow. Rifle hunters can shoot mule deer or whitetail bucks only.

Either-sex whitetail for youth ages 12 - 15. Brow-tined bulls only for the general season.

• HD 280 (North Blackfoot) The Bob Marshall Wilderness area near Augusta is a true Montana experience backcountry adventure. Located along the Continental Divide, and southwesterly along the Scapegoat Wilderness boundary area. Hunting opportunities in this unit include antlered buck mule deer, whitetail bucks, and either-sex whitetail hunting for youth ages 12 - 15. For elk, it’s brow-tined bulls or cows for archery hunters. Youth ages 12 - 15 rifle hunting may take a brow-tined bull or antlerless elk. A general either-sex hunt for rifle hunters only will start on September 24th and goes until November 25th in this unit.

• HD 316 (Absaroka) This unit borders the northern Yellowstone Park boundary in southwest Montana and has a past history of being one of Montana’s best elk areas (before wolf introduction). Still, hunters have the opportunity to kill big deer and elk here. September 15 you can start your rifle hunt for whitetails and muley bucks only.

For elk it’s either-sex for rifle hunters from September 15 until October 19. After that only antlered bull elk are legal (except either-sex hunting by youth ages 12 - 15).

(As always, check the hunting regulations before the hunt!)

As with all backcountry experiences being as prepared as you possibly can is the only way to go. For many hunters, outfitters provide the best and smartest way to hunt these units, as they are experienced at getting you there, knowing where the game is, and providing you with all the means necessary to get in and out of remote country safely and successfully.

Boot hunters must be in superb shape to tackle this country. The sheer logistics of hiking miles back to a vehicle with loaded packs and meat multiple times would take the fun out of this hunt for some. But for those of you who want to get out away from it all, here you go!

September 2012 33

For The Hunter in You...

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5 Bargain Guns for this Fall

By Rick Haggerty

Ihunting f you are looking to upgrade your equipment for this fall’s season, or you want to purchase a gun for someone

special, or maybe a youth’s first hunting season, here are a few affordable options: •

Ruger American Rifle (www.ruger.com)

Image is representative, but not actual model.

Ruger has always had a good name for building accurate rifles right out of the box. The latest is the American Rifle at a very inexpensive price. Suggested retail is $449.00. Add a nice scope on top and you are set up with a fine gun for big game this fall.

• Marlin X7 Series (www.marlinfirearms.com)

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Described as the “Best rifle in it’s class,” the Marlin X7 Series is built for those who demand premium features at an opening price of just $505.00 MSRP. Marlin Firearms has added six all stainless centerfire bolt action rifles to it’s product line-up. The short action is available in three calibers: .243 Win., 7mm-08 Remington, and the .308 Win. The X75 long action is also available in three calibers: 25-06, 270-Win., and the 30-06 Sprg.

• Savage Arms Axis (www.savagearms.com)

Probably one of the most affordable rifles on the market right now at an MSRP of $363.00 dollars, the Axis is a good bolt action rifle available in many caliber options from 22-250 up to a .308 caliber.

At this price, you can afford to put a quality scope on for an exceptional hunting rig for years to come.

• Mossberg 500® Turkey/Deer Combo with LPA Adjustable Trigger (www.mossberg.com)

With lightening pump action and an adjustable trigger system, this gun is the first of it’s kind for pump action shotguns, and the perfect option if you like to hunt for turkeys and deer in the fall. Available in 12 or 20 gauge models at a suggested MSRP of $521.00 dollars.

• Remington 870 Express™ (www.remington.com)

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34 - Hunting & Fishing News

This all-American pump gun brings hunters the best of all worlds at an affordable price. The suggested MSRP is $411.00 dollars.

It’s solid, dependable action makes it America’s favorite. You’ll be ready for the upland game season right out of box with this gun.

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Bob Ward & Sons - New Gear Review Nothing to see...with Optifade Marsh Waterfowl Camo Pattern The GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment Waterfowl pattern is digital concealment, not mimicry. Rather than trying to make the hunter look like something, the pattern’s intent is to make the hunter appear to be “nothing” to the animal. It takes into account the almost panoramic field of vision of waterfowl, that they can see some colors we cannot, and they have low contrast sensitivity.

The Waterfowl micro pattern is critically important and is as detailed as possible to confuse bird vision. The colors in particular have been manipulated to create a great deal of depth. Also, this pattern takes into account the fact that waterfowl are usually looking at you from above in the sky and are in motion. Most patterns are not designed from this field of view.

This is definitely a camo pattern where science meets the field....and leaves nothing to be seen! Shown in Sitka’s Delta Wading Jacket style #50057 in camo pattern Optifade Marsh.

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Thompson Center’s Dimension Rifle Hunts Change. Now your rifle can too. Change barrels, change calibers.

Change the way you think about bolt-action rifles.

The Dimension is a bolt-action platform you build on, season after season, no gunsmith required. Start by purchasing one complete Dimension platform rifle in your favorite caliber, then choose a second barrel in the next caliber you want. The LOC™ System has 7 parts – a universal stock and receiver that accept multiple barrels, magazine groups (magazine and housing), bolts and bridge scope mounts. Dimension hand tools work with all Dimension rifles. Interchangeable parts are stamped with letters: A, B, C or D. Match the letter on the barrel with the one on the bolt and magazine group and you have a perfect set-up for any Dimension caliber. (Series B .22-250 Rem magazine and housing are exclusive to .22-250 caliber).

Beretta’s A400 Xreme For hardcore waterfowl hunters Frigid rain, driving sleet, blinding snow - hardcore waterfowlers like to hunt in Xtreme conditions and so must their shotgun. Beretta’s A400 Xtreme features Kick-Off Mega’s 70% recoil reduction, Blink’s 36% faster cycling of any 12 ga. load, and the exclusive Aqua Technologies corrosion proof barrier. These features combine to produce the Xtreme’s never quit, show no mercy attitude that will reign in the most Xtreme conditions imaginable. Know no limits - Go Xtreme.

September 2012 35

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Sleeper Spots for Early Season Whitetails

By Rick Haggerty

T here are plenty of good whitetail hunting areas in Montana. Places like the legendary Milk and Yellowstone Rivers get their fair share of the publicity, and rightly so. But the problem for most of us to hunt these areas is getting access to coveted private property on the river bottoms where most of the deer populations are located.

Fortunately, it’s a big state we live in with plenty of public ground that houses big whitetail bucks. That’s mainly the case west of the Divide, where these deer hang in dense timber and wetlands, and some of the best hunting here is on public ground.

If you do a little research to find ground where few hunters will go, especially early in September when bowhunters can put the sneak on an unsuspecting deer, you’ll have a chance to harvest a nice buck. Here are a few perennially best spots to find public land whitetails west of the divide.

• HD 104 (Cabinets - Libby) The higher ridges along the 36 - Hunting & Fishing News

Kootenai River used to be well known for lots of big mule deer bucks in good numbers. Not so much anymore.

But, you can find whitetails in this country that have been displacing muleys for the past decade. I’ve seen images of big deer taken from this area that rank in the 150” - 160” class. Just east of Libby on U.S. Highway 2, both National Forest and Plum Creek Timber areas hold plenty of deer.

Around the Thompson River area and south of the Chain of Lakes is also good. Predators have taken their toll on deer numbers in this area, but there are big bucks looming if you can navigate the terrain.

• HD 283 (Lower Blackfoot - Seeley Lake) From Clearwater Junction right up Highway 83 to Seeley Lake, Condon and even up past Swan Lake to Bigfork, this corridor may be one of Montana’s best for timbered country whitetails. Rebounding deer numbers in this country will help hunters this fall. An over harvest of whitetail does in the past, along with a lot of predation has caused deer numbers to fall, but expect big antlered bucks to be taken every year in this country. If you’re looking for a 150” class buck, hunt the valley floor bogs and lower elevation foothills between Rainy Lake and Condon.

• HD 281 (Upper Blackfoot - Ovando) Traditionally, some of the best whitetail country in this state is on the west side, with large numbers of deer and fantastic racks on the heads of some of the deer taken out of this country. The truth is an over harvest of whitetail does has taken it’s toll on the number of deer you might see, but if you put in some legwork, you’ll find

a good number of deer still in this mountainous, rugged country located along Highway 200. Hunt some of these decade old clearcuts, and you’ll find deer. Another option is to cross the Blackfoot River to the south on some of these open tracts of land, and you will see good numbers of deer.

• HD 121 124 (Thompson Falls) Sanders County holds plenty of whitetails along the creeks that run off the Clark Fork River. Noxon, Plains, Trout Creek and Thompson Falls (next page)

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Big Sky Alternative Heat all run along Highway 200, and there are plenty of public land opportunities to locate big bucks in this country. Marten and Prospect Creeks and the Bull, Vermilion and Thompson Rivers offer good access to spur roads here. Fishtrap and Mudd Creek are popular areas.

• HD 110 (North Fork - Flathead County) This area has the real potential to grow big whitetail bucks. A mild winter will help to re-establish deer numbers once again in this northern country.

After looking through Montana’s record deer, I was surprised to see that out of the top 10 deer listed for whitetails, 5 were taken in Flathead County, although most of these bucks were taken in the 1960’s. The genetics are here, and this area still produces very big deer every season.

Hit the river bottoms around the Eureka area west of Kalispell on towards the Hungry Horse Reservoir, and south to the Swan Valley for exceptional opportunities.

These are just a few areas that you might consider hunting this fall if you live in western Montana, or want to challenge yourself to a new area to hunt. Consider this as you are looking for a good whitetail area, the #1 scoring Montana typical whitetail buck was taken in Missoula County in 1974 by Thomas Dellwo, It scored a whopping 199-3/8” and Sanders County holds the #2 non-typical buck taken by Brett Johnson in 1988 that scored, 251-0/8” (yes!) of antler.

As you can see, out of the all-time top scoring Montana whitetail bucks ever taken, seven out of the ten bucks listed were taken on the western side of Montana. The genetics are here!

406-202-0581 Helena, MT

Here is a list of the Top 5 of the biggest Montana whitetails ever taken.

TYPICAL 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

SCORE 199-3/8” 196-4/8” 191-5/8” 189-1/8” 188-5/8”

LOCATION Missoula County Flathead County Flathead County Blaine County Flathead County

YEAR 1974 1966 1963 1959 1992

HUNTER Thomas Dellwo Kent Petry Earl McMaster Ken Morehouse Len Patterson

NON-TYPICAL 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

SCORE 252-1/8” 251-0/8” 248-5/8” 241-7/8” 235-0/8”

MFWP

LOCATION Hill County Sanders County Snowy Mountains Flathead County Flathead County

YEAR 1968 1988 p/u 1960 1980

HUNTER Frank Pleskac Brett Johnson McLean Bowman George Wolstad Zane Kelly

Photo Patrick Bannon Courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club For more trophy records and information visit www.boone-crockett.org September 2012 37

I learned to love the land and to respect the wild. I can’t count the times that my explorations had me on an adventure that most would only see in movies.

We all have childhood memories we hold dear and Montana hunting has always been on my top 3.

As each years season approached I would have my plans well laid out with friends and family as to where and when our travels would take us, however the best times happened when, we would go on the fly.

Sometimes we would get skunked, mostly we would get skunked. But the fellowship was never dull. A super job opportunity in Washington took me temporarily away from my home state. A five year stint of iron-working welding and West Coast fishing kept my body in Washington but my mind continually wandered to the mountains of Montana.

BY RYAN HANSON s a native Montanan, I learned hunting fundamentals In the spring of 2006 I had a early in life. Hunting was a tool for providing food life altering injury that was sustained on the job, as a 1500 for family. It made me a very proud youngster as the opportunities were countless near the Tobacco lb. steel sheet crushed my body, (next page) Roots, Ruby Valley and surrounding areas.

Big Game Hunt in Big Sky Montana A

38 - Hunting & Fishing News

Wolf Hunting Tips (continued from page 32) -I found tracking difficult. Even when you’re on fresh tracks, you might still be miles behind the pack. Better off to get somewhere and wait.

-I think a driving technique with a group of hunters, such as that used for deer in some areas, would work for wolves.

-Watch for birds—magpies, gray jays, ravens and vultures—as a tip off to fresh kill locations. Approach carefully and then watch the area for returning wolves.-An effective hunting technique for us was finding a fresh wolf kill and watching the area from a tree stand.

-Considering using a blind. Wolves seem to spot blaze orange from a great distance.

-Watch gut pile and carcass areas where hunters have taken deer and elk, especially late in the season when wolves are following game herds down from the high country and are attracted to the scent of blood.

-Don’t hunt for wolves like you do for elk. Hunt as if you were hunting for another elk hunter. Anticipate differently. Don’t ask yourself what would an elk do in this situation, but rather what would an elk hunter do in this situation.

-Wolves are more reckless in their pursuit of prey when it’s colder outside. Hunters should concentrate on bad weather days for wolf hunting.

-Go deeper. Wolves are less wary and easier to hunt in the more remote areas.

-Too much pressure and wolves will go nocturnal.

-Hunt smart and be patient. And go with a companion who can watch your back.

-Once you kill a wolf, stay put. Other wolves from the pack will often return to the site, sometimes very quickly. You or a buddy may get a chance at a second wolf...

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS -Wolves in our area are surprisingly unafraid of people or human scent.

-In our area, cover scent is important. I’ve had passing wolves pick up my scent when passing elk didn’t. Once they get downwind, they’re gone.

-Hunters need more info about how to completely, and safely, utilize a wolf carcass: meat, hide and skull.

-Would like to see good prices offered by fur buyers.

-In my area, the elk are nearly gone and the wolves have moved on.

For complete article visit www.rmef.org

I understood that the illusive ‘wapiti’ was not going to be an easy take. But, I always set my standards very high. Go big or go home is the Montana saying.

Texans, have no idea what big really is. Montana has big bulls, big skies, big mountains and huge ambition, I am from Montana. I am big. My aspiration had been restored, I was again in Montana.

My home, my peace, my body was now again where my soul has been.

An early morning hunt had my adrenaline rushing. Buck fever had me once more chomping at the bit. Nervous and thrilled to be out with my brother, led us to the Big Belt Mountains: A secret location, the crisp morning air and determination, these were the ingredients for a great first hunt Mount donated by Trails West Taxidermy back in the saddle. Hearing and seeing L to R: Jody Welch, Owner Trails West elk all around us. I spot a fine bull. The Jon Cassidy, Trails West (mounted elk) realization of hunting from a truck, Ryan Werner, Werner Plumbing instead of on foot was a bit intimidating.

Ryan Hanson, Hunter The shot was a bit farther than one Jay Sherley, Capital Sports would take if they were stalking. resulting in paralysis from the waist Pulling off a shot like this has been down. Several months of rehabilitation achieved by myself before, however, and the support of nurses, doctors, my new condition has me skeptic. friends and family, had my passions for I’m relying on my ole girl to do what hunting stirring, regardless of my new she’s done before. We’ve been here found transportation. Being in a many times, she does what I’ve always wheel-chair was going to be a expected her to do. My first shot, at big challenge, an obvious obstacle that game since the injury. Falling a little would and could potentially intervene short, had me bummed, big time. I said with my personal journey. before, it happens big in Montana. I Struggling with depression, my friends looked at my brother and said, “I would like a re-do.” Disgusted, we left our and family again encouraged me to location, discussing my error, we look out come to Montana, in the Fall of 2007, into a field and I knew my redo was in for a hunting vacation. Unsure of my the order. 75+ herd was headed directly abilities, reluctant, to travel alone, for us. We halted our exit, chaos, ensued fearful of how my body may react to in the cab of the truck. I have my redo. any condition other than what I had Draw my sights, on a small five by five grown accustomed to; all factors that bull. No mistakes this time. I’m back, had me wondering if this was a good literally, I relocate three months later. idea?

My persistent personality, had me Living in a two-story apartment in Washington, was difficult, I hadn’t seen wanting to take the next challenging step. My persuasive friends and family or touched my personal items, in over talked me into applying for a special a year. I missed the sleek extension of my former body, that once, not long ago tag in the Missouri Breaks. Spring of 2011 I buy a new PSE BowMaster. had my freezer full of venison and elk.

All summer I practice, flinging arrows I decided to take a trek up the stairs, a and pushing my own limits. Lingering leering upward hallway that was not in the back of my mind, hopeful, yet only fearful, but also a reminder of my knowing, this is never going to work. former self.

Mid summer, my fate was again, With help from my mother, we destined to smell the musk of that successfully, took on a step at a time. fine and majestic creature. The chalThe result was the turning point in my lenges of elk hunting is enough for hunting career. After the climb up the an able bodied individual, here I was stairs, uphill battles were not going to going big again. Doubtful, yet hopestop me. I knew the moment I held my ful, my brother and I made our travels old friend, (Ruger Mark ll 7mm mag) to Eastern Montana, for a special hunt. that It was a go. “We are going to Our planning had panned out extremely Montana” I told her. My old friend, well. Some friends of Derek Hanson, reliable and true, she was ready and she my brother, had invited us on a private made me want to be ready. I cleaned ranch where the elk had been seen over her up, then she was willing to participate the last few weeks. Sitting around the in this adventure, as she was for every hunt camp (continued on page 40) single one before this.

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Broadheads Ala(continued Robfrom page 4) The answer, of course, is “Yes!” If you keep in mind that a broadhead has one function, and one function only – to cut a hole through hair, hide, muscle, and internal organs – and that to do so it must be strong enough to withstand some serious abuse and designed so precisely that it can be made to fly like a laser beam – you can now eliminate the cheap stuff and choose from one of dozens of broadheads on today’s markets with confidence that fits both your equipment and your personality.

Big Game Hunt (continued from page 39) the eve of opening day of archery, we discussed our early morning strategy.

As we all joked around that night throwing back a few beers, we brainstormed as to my vehicle’s restricted off road ability. A clever little idea emerged about strapping me, in my chair, into a tractor bucket. I think we just created a new form of tree stand.

Opening morning, we disperse to a short sunrise hunt. I ventured off about 100 yards in my chair, with my new girl (PSE) in tow. Different hunt, different equipment and thinking this is way out of my league. I can hear them, I can smell them. It makes me excited, makes me want to be invisible. Returning to the camp with all my arrows, had me believing this is way too much.

Tractor bucket. New ideas and new friends, we all hop into rigs and head out to a private ranch. The ranch owner laughed and joked along with us as we strategically set our game plan to use.

With help of Derek and new friends; Tad, and Mike from Utah. Lloyd and Ron with his sons I was safely strapped in the tractor bucket of a John Deere.

We bounced, my brother and I in the bucket. Our ranch owner (hunting guide) had a pretty good idea about where the herd might be found.

40 - Hunting & Fishing News

After a time, we noticed a dark patch in the distance, so we headed in that direction. Just like a herd of turtles, we managed, slowly, to put the sneak on a herd of about 17 bulls. I’m looking through my peep at a beautiful animal, release..... over shoot. Knock another arrow, draw, release.....over the top.

Dang! I have one arrow left in the quiver.

I knock it. Draw.... Release. Good grouping, over the top. I tell my tree stand driver that I am out of arrows.

Redo; we arrive at almost the same location as we left. Arrow knocked, ready to go. Picked a nice bull, draw in a deep breath. Release.....pow! As we watched, we knew I had hit a main artery in the hind quarters. However, it was going to be a long day of tracking.

Night came, with a huge disappointment. Yet, our hope was restored early the next morning with a surprise call from the neighboring rancher, stating that they came upon a fresh 7 by 7 on their property. They heard that I had shot at a big bull the previous day, perceptive of my reason for being here, on a special hunt.

Overjoyed, we set out to retrieve my prize. Without, the help and support from the fine people in my life, this would still only be a dream.

Regardless of your choice, your broadheads must fly with consistent accuracy or they are worthless for hunting.

Robb shot this group at 40 yards with 100-grain Thunderheads.

Last spring I was turkey hunting in northern Arizona. Walking along the banks of a creek something caught my eye. I stopped and looked again, trying to figure out what it was. There! The angle of the sun was such that it briefly glinted off something shiny. Reaching down I found it was an ancient obsidian broadhead, one about the size of a 50-cent piece and still in perfect condition. I walked down to the creek and, when I washed the mud off, was mesmerized by the way the sun shined off the angles knapped into the sides of this ancient tool.

It was mid-morning and the gobblers, for the moment, had given me the slip, so I sat down against the trunk of a giant oak to rest for a while. I bet I turned that broadhead over in the palm of my hand a hundred times, and as I did so I wondered. Did the hunter who carried it afield have success the day it was lost?

Did he simply drop it from a small leather bag or was it shot at a deer or a rabbit? If so, did his arrow hit its mark? Was he young, or old? Was he a skilled hunter, someone able to provide a regular feast of meat for him and his family? Was he able to teach his own sons the secrets of the hunt as my own father and grandfather had for me?

The broadhead is the ultimate connection between the bowhunter and his prey. We all understand how difficult it is to get a controlled, close-range bow shot at an animal. When we do, the success or failure of the day is totally dependent on whether or not the broadhead does its job. If it does, we whoop and holler and give thanks to the stars above for our good fortune. If it fails, at best we eat tag soup; at worst, we wound a magnificent game animal and return to camp in shame.

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Straight Talk Interview Craig Morgan

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406-728-4040 | 1-800-823-2221 www.rangitschbrosrv.com 42 - Hunting & Fishing News

r. Craig Morgan, one of today’s top country music singers gave me the privilege of interviewing him for the second time. He has a very busy schedule, with his concert tours, his family and his 3rd season of “Craig Morgan All Access Outdoors” T.V. Show which will begin airing on July 1st on the Outdoor Channel at 11pm on Sunday nights.

Mr. Morgan was born and raised in Kingston Springs Tennessee and now resides in Dickson Tennessee, just outside of Nashville. His country music career has soared since his debut album hit the air waves in 2000. Since then his popularity has grown and his true to life music has brought a whole new generation to love country music with such hits as “Bonfire”, “Redneck Yacht Club”, “What I Love About Sunday’, “This Ole Boy” and his new release “Corn Star” which is sure to become this summer’s anthem. These songs and his many others let his fans know that he is in touch with everyday life and with them.

Mr. Morgan is no stranger to hard work, he has been quoted as saying that hard work makes him feel like a man. He was an EMT at the age of 18, has worked as a contractor, a deputy sheriff, an assistant dairy manager at Wal-Mart and served 10 years in the army with the 101st and 82nd Airborne division.

Mr. Morgan is also involved with the USO. He has made 9 overseas trips to entertain our troops and is the spokesperson for the organization Folds of Honor which provides post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of U.S. military service members

killed or disabled during service. He was also awarded the USO Merit Award for his tireless support of US soldiers and their families.

Mr. Morgan was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008 and has made over 170 appearances on the Opry stage. He was awarded the prestigious Songwriter Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association for his hit “Almost Home”.

He is devoted to charity work...

Not only does he have a successful music career, but he also has a hit TV show on the Outdoor Channel “Craig Morgan All Access Outdoors” which is in its third season and airs on Sunday nights... His TV show incorporates his love for hunting, a glimpse behind the scenes of his concert tours, and his life at home with his wife Karen, their children, his love for dirt bikes, and the outdoors.

We all had someone special introduce us to the outdoors and for that we will never be able to truly repay them for giving us such a gift. Mr. Morgan is no exception; his Mother and Father were hard working people as well as hunters and fisherman. They introduced him to this addiction at an early age.

With that being said here is the interview with Mr. Craig Morgan LF: Who introduced you to hunting and what age were you?

My Mother and Father were both hunters and fisherman; they introduced me to hunting when I was 8 or 9 years old. (continued on page 46)

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Modern GPS Units Worth the money

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use? Well you are missing out on some great opportunities.

Welcome to the world of modern day GPS units. These devices have employed some of the fruits of the technology boom and now is the time to take advantage.

I thought GPS units weren’t very accurate? Before 2000 the Department of Defense employed the GPS Selective Availability feature. This degradation of civilian GPS accuracy resulted in GPS reading being incorrect by as much as a football field (100 meters). In May of 2000 this feature was turned off and civilian GPS accuracy increased by tenfold! The Department of Defense has also increased the amount of satellites to 24 increasing accuracy to less than three meters on average.

Will I lose signal in the Forest or other remote areas of Montana? I have spent the last two years thoroughly testing different GPS units around the state on my hunting and work related trips. From the deep forests and canyons of the Gallatin National Forest to the remote prairies of Eastern Montana I have yet to lose a signal. Not to say it can’t happen but with improvements in receiver strength and increased satellites in space, modern day GPS units just don’t have this problem anymore. Sometimes it can take longer to acquire satellite signals when you turn your GPS on such as inside of vehicles or buildings, so be aware of this.

Some of the GPS models with external antennas can also acquire signals faster, but once you have signal they all have been rock solid based on my experience.

GPS units are just too hard to use? I would have to agree that early GPS units were especially hard to use. There involved a lot of memorization to remember how to access certain tools and what each button did. Modern GPS units have become very simple to use, so much that most companies don’t even include a user’s manual. If you are used to using a computer or smart phone then the transition will be easy. Easy to navigate menus, simple options for each screen, and labeled buttons make it a breeze. Want to get even more hi-tec, well grab one of the new touchscreen GPS models. Turn these beauties on and easily navigate the simple menus and zoom in and out with the touch of your finger.

What kind of maps are available? This is where you can really take advantage of GPS technology. No longer is it simply a tool to get back to camp or your truck. With modern day maps the things you can do are truly amazing. Garmin provides a series of maps called Birdseye Imagery. You download both satellite imagery and digitized USFS maps to put right onto your GPS. You can even go one step further and take advantage of the maps that Hunting GPS maps in Missoula, MT offers. These maps showcase all public and private property and even include landowners’ names and parcel boundaries for private land.

Also include are 24K topo, Hunting Districts, Section lines and numbers, and some other great features.

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46 - Hunting & Fishing News

I was with my Mother when I harvested my first whitetail at the age of 10.

My Mother passed away in 2010, Dad is still living and I appreciate all they taught me.

My work ethic comes from them as well as my love of the outdoors.

LF: When did you start Bowhunting?

I started shooting a bow in my teens but really got serious about bowhunting in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I began hunting mostly with a bow in 1995. I really like the challenge.

LF: What is your favorite big game animal to hunt and if you could only hunt in one state where would it be?

That is a really tough question but I would say my favorite animal would be a whitetail deer. There are a lot of states that I really like to hunt but if someone were to tell me I could only hunt one state I would have to say Tennessee, simply because it’s close to home and my family.

LF: How do you tie your music, your love for the outdoors, your charity work and your tours with the USO together?

We all place a lot of emphasis on small things here at home but the most important thing is a secure nation. Without that we have nothing.

I will continue to do all I can to entertain the troops and to let them know how much they are appreciated and how much there service means to all of us. Freedom is the most important thing we have.

LF: How do you balance your TV show schedule “Craig Morgan All Access Outdoors” with your music tours?

It’s really not that hard, I film for the TV show while I am on the road. It takes a few more phone calls, great organization and scheduling is very important. What makes it easy is having such a great wife and family.

My wife is very supportive of what I do. I am away from home a lot and without her I would not be able to do the things that I do. That is where so many people that are on the road get into trouble. They don’t have a great support system with their families.

LF: What is your favorite hunt that will be airing this season?

Hawaii! This year there will be two shows that are from Hawaii. We hunted mouflon ram, wild boar and wild goats. We also went cliff diving and to a luau. I believe Hawaii is one of the most well kept secrets in hunting...

LF: What do you think makes your TV show “Craig Morgan All Access Outdoor” different from the other hunting shows?

We don’t try to hide anything or do a lot of retakes. I like to keep it real. If I miss a deer, I’ll show it. I don’t want people to be misled by the industry to where they think if they don’t shoot a 200” deer it’s not good enough. Everyone does not have the means or the place to hunt where they will shoot great big deer.

I want people to see how much fun we have and how much we enjoy hunting and being with our friends and family. Without the producers and the camera men and all the people that work behind the scenes it would not be possible.

LF: What do you want people to take away from your show “Craig Morgan All Access Outdoors”?

First I want them to be entertained, make them laugh. I also hope to give them good information on products that will help them be more successful on their hunts.

LF: How important is it for you and your wife Karen to have your children involved in the outdoors?

It is very important to us. It doesn’t matter if we are hunting sheds, just walking in the woods or on our dirt bikes. Being outside I believe helps develop their immune system and helps them physically. It also give us time to bond with them, you can’t do if they are always plugged into something...

LF: What legacy do you hope to leave behind? ...I guess what I want people to know is that I have lived my life to the fullest.

That I have been very blessed, that God is first in my life only above my wife and children and that I am very grateful to all of my fans.

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one mile west of the Dairy Queen on Round Butte Road in Ronan September 2012 47

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