Montana Hunting & Fishing News October 2015

HUNTING & FISHING Montana

News

October 2015

IT’S TIME Deer/Elk Tips FORECASTS:

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Dallas Land the COMPANY Battling

October Lull

By Babe Winkelman www.winkelman.com

A s a hunter, you put hours, days, weeks, and even months into preparing for opening day of archery season. Well now that cooler weather is arriving and leaves are changing colors,

so are a whitetails pattern. Many refer to this time period as the October lull. Those whitetails you had patterned out at the end of summer, have moved to different areas, leaving you scratching your head.

A few factors that change a whitetails pattern when October rolls around are; food, cover, and hunting pressure itself.

The first factor is food. Deer are no longer feeding at the same food source evening after evening, which means whitetails have changed what is on the menu for a tasty meal. Agricultural crops like soy beans and corn are beginning to be harvested, which only leaves deer to feed on the remnants that are left behind. But a major factor when it comes to food is that acorns are falling from the trees, allowing deer to feed in the safety of cover. With that said, the second factor is cover.

As leaves fall and the woods become bare, deer will seek out new bedding areas that provide more security in regards to cover. The last factor is hunting pressure.

Many of you have been in and out of the woods in hopes of tagging an early season buck, which deer can start to sense. Also, other hunting seasons are taking place during this time, which can add unwanted pressure in the woods, alerting deer. These changing factors combined to create the theory of the October lull.

Do not let this discourage you and keep you on the couch at home. Trust me, the deer have not disappeared, they have been adjusting and changing their previous patterns. This means you have to continue learning and figuring out where these deer have shifted to. With that said, here are a few things I like to do when battling the October lull. I like to scout from a distance trying to locate the areas the deer have moved to. This means glassing new fields or clearings from roads or access trails to locate current travel paths. It is important to keep out of the woods and scout from a distance to keep pressure to a minimum. Secondly, I keep in mind when I am in and out of the woods between sits is to keep my eyes open searching the forest floor to locate acorns. I try to locate them on my way in and out of the stand to limit the pressure being put on the deer. It is important to note that all oak trees are not created equal as deer prefer acorns from white oaks as they have a lower tannic acid content, making them less bitter. Although deer will turn to acorns from red oaks as they remain edible far longer than acorns from white oaks, especially if they cannot find white acorns. Finally, I think outside the box. By this I mean, grunting from time to time along with some soft rattling as these behaviors are not that uncommon in the month of October. Also, I like to use estrous scent during some sits in hopes of attracting a buck looking for a doe early in the season.

To be successful during the month of October you will definitely be facing adversity.

Think outside the box and be aware that with so many changes happening at once you have to be ready to change your hunting rituals, allowing you to try new things.

Keep at it and sooner than later an opportunity will present itself, leaving you with a true reward.

Good Hunting.

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5

OPENING DAY SUCCESS STRATEGIES

By Mark Kayser

M ule deer were filtering onto the hayfield like ants heading to a picnic basket. I lost count, but what I didn’t see in the mass of backlines and big ears was a respectable buck.

It was opening weekend in Montana and my eyes were tearing up as I pressed the Nikon binocular hard to my forehead in attempt to spot a shooter buck.

I was about to give up and move on. I knew it was early for bucks to be rutting on the field with does, but I hoped a hungry buck would follow the herd out for a bite before sunset.

Suddenly, in the far corner of the field I spotted antler tips.

Was I going to make smoke with my CVA muzzleloader during the opening?

tana opener Mark Kayser smiles after his Mon e deer. mul er oad zlel muz this success on

a backup What’s your next move? Have r weather you plan for the opener. Despite er hunters oth ng forecasting attempts, studyi a hitch y, ivit act and researching ranching helps site kup may arise in your plan. A bac ed pos pro r you you overcome a surprise to hunting strategy.

6 - Hunting & Fishing News

Opening day of deer season invokes memories of cramped camper quarters, early-morning convenience store stops and hunting-partner bets on who will tag the first, and the biggest buck of the opening weekend. Social atmosphere plays a large role in the opener, but so does success. Spending too much time on the social success of camp could crash your opening day success. If you want to put your tag into play this Montana deer season consider putting a few of these strategies into play now.

STEPS TO OPENING DAY SUCCESS

To be in the perfect position on opening morning you need to scout. No news there, but too many hunters feel they know a property, but do they know it intimately? Deer follow patterns and even though they fluctuate, your scouting can put you in the shooting-range neighborhood.

Although bucks may show up frequently on fields or trails, they casually shuffle their entrance point and time of arrival from day to day. That’s exactly the reason you should scrutinize all activity over a period of weeks to create the ideal ambush based on observable patterns.

Note arrival times, arrival locations, wind direction and weather conditions while watching the bucks from afar. When you think you have a pattern in place it’s the starting point for opening day.

Next, scout the competition. Your hunting partners and the hunting public all have their sights on your buck so you need to consider them in your opening day equation. If your friends agree, everyone should choose areas where they expect to be on opening day. This gives you a place to focus and refine for your opening day setup.

Of course this won’t work with the general public, especially on public land. You’ll have to speculate on where they’ll be on opening morning.

Consider public parking areas, access gates and terrain difficulty.

Now look for any ways to “backdoor” the public to beat them into hot locations far from the parking lot.

Most hunters will also use the path of least resistance, use managed trails and generally won’t venture more than a mile from their vehicle.

Some studies show that many don’t go more than 400 yards from their vehicle. They’ll also get there just before shooting light so your plan should include an earlier departure, circumnavigating their route and going further. If you’re in place before they begin moving you may be positioned to have them push deer past you.

What’s your next move? Have a backup plan for the opener.

Despite your weather forecasting attempts, studying other hunters and researching ranching activity, a hitch may arise in your plan.

A backup site helps you overcome a surprise to your proposed hunting strategy.

Nevertheless, a good rule of thumb to follow is to go to your top location first. It could be your only chance at an old mule deer buck or wary whitetail. Deer know when opening-season hunting pressure arrives in their area. They may not get a hint of it until midday on the opener, but rest assured they’ll know the heat is on by the end of the weekend.

Prioritize your bucks and go after Mr. Big first.

That said, if you’ve scouted and prepared there’s no reason to begin shopping for a better buck on opening day. Sure a bigger buck could always show up out of nowhere, but you could also pass on a decent buck that’s been as reliable as Donald Trump’s hairstyle.

If you’ve scouted prior to the season you should have a good idea of what potential a property holds.

If you want further proof of what the area can produce scan recent entries in Pope and Young, and Boone and Crockett. These record books reveal trophy trends and can bring you back to reality if you start reaching for inches that are unattainable. If a good buck presents itself take the first good shot you get. Don’t hope for a better shot since mature deer rarely screw up twice.

The buck I spotted was indeed a shooter. He wasn’t a 30 incher or a 30 pointer, but he did have some extra points. Pointing the buck out to a buddy we hatched a plan on the spot. It would take an hour or more, but we needed to stay downwind of the herd and circumnavigate the field via rough terrain bordering the field.

An hour later we reached the fence line choked with grass and used the cover to crawl to the field edge. I Nikon-ranged the buck at 150 yards as he fed oblivious to our presence. Poking the barrel of my muzzleloader through the grass I lined up on the buck and a smoke-filled second later my Hornady 250-grain MonoFlex ML bullet smacked the buck.

He stumbled, but gathered himself and lunged into a nearby ravine.

He didn’t get far and dropped in the bottom of the draw for a great ending to the Montana opener.

Montana’s opening weekend is a special occasion to spend time with friends in pursuit of America’s favorite game species.

Have fun, but put a plan in place to have success as well.

Contact information: To keep up with Mark Kayser visit him on Facebook looking under Mark Kayser, Public Figure: (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Kayser/119789001392664?ref=ts&fref=ts) October 2015

7

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M

aybe I am jumping the gun a little bit but as summer slowly fades to fall, my excitement for catching BIG pike is on the rise. I mean talk about a fish that not only has beautiful colors but also puts up one heck of a fight due to it’s attitude.

The tactic I use over and over to target fall pike is trolling.

By covering water in a timely manner I am able to better pattern the fish and hone in my presentation.

The reason pike fishing in the fall can be so hot is due to the fact that a pikes predatory instincts have them pack on a few extra pounds before winter takes hold. This means they will eat as much as possible, increasing the odds you will be successful when you hit the water.

If the vegetation is still prominent, I love to target shallow weedlines where deep water is near by. I want to key in on the prominent piece for a second because if the weeds are beginning to decay it lessens the chance the area is holding fish. This is due to the lack of cover and pike not being able to ambush their intended meal. Another area that can produce a good number of pike is rocky points. As bait fish get pushed around the point, pike will lay low until the bait is within striking distance making it a perfect area to target next time you chase big gators.

When it comes to choosing the right lure to get the job done, I have to say a larger profile crank bait in Firetiger or Perch is my go to. As you tie these lures on I would strongly recommend a steel leader to prevent the teeth of an angry pike breaking the line. A few other favorite lures I keep accessible when trolling are paddle-tailed swim baits and bucktails. I will continue to change my presentation until I find out what the fish want.

So do not get tied down to thinking one lure will do the trick.

I think all that is left to do is to troll the prominent pike locations and hope those big pike are hungry. As I troll I am constantly working the bait, which in my experience has given me a greater bite percentage. So rig those pike rods up today and get yourself in on the stellar fall pike bite...

Good Fishing.

8 TIPS FOR HUNTING OCTOBER DEER

By Mike Hanback

www.mikehanback.com

T he reclusive and nocturnal nature of whitetail bucks is as prevalent in October as in any other month, maybe more so. Plus, old deer are summer-fat and wear heavy fur coats; no wonder they move so little

and waddle so slowly on Indian summer days. You can sit back and wait for the stars, moon and a cold front to align to put the bucks on their hooves in daylight hours. Or you can have more fun by trying some tricks or even a spectacular ruse.

1) Before old bucks start putting on their game faces for the rut on toward Halloween, they’re fat and happy.

Crops, clover, green browse, acorns and other mast are everywhere. Bachelor groups and loner males bed 50 to 150 yards from the feed and waddle over there to pig out. So which food source to hunt? None of them!

Sometimes I like to sneak off and hunt a cut hayfield or an out-of-the-way pasture,... especially for a few days after a rain. Hundreds of varieties of weeds and broad-leafed forbs pop up amid the native grasses.

Herbivores like deer love the tiny, tender plants, which give a twist to their diet. I’ve watched small groups of deer and singles walk past soybeans, clover or corn to nibble greens in a pasture. When they do that, be there.

I generally don’t hassle with hanging a tree stand because forbs come and go, and deer movement to and from them is iffy. Once I glass a few deer heading to a pasture or power line, I sneak over there and set up in a ground blind. Most days I don’t get a bowshot, but sometimes I hit it big anyhow.

On several occasions I’ve found a shooter 8- or 10-point that I didn’t know was in the world because he hadn’t hung out with all the other deer in crop fields and plots that fall. Another thing I like: Nobody else hunts a food source like this. While all the other archers are packed around the acorns and alfalfa (pressuring the bucks and turning them even more nocturnal) sometimes I hit the jackpot in my forbs spot.

2) Legendary Iowa recurve shooter Gene Wensel stinks up the joint--on purpose. One time he had a bunch of deer hanging in fields and pastures 150 to 250 yards from his stands. It was in the 70s that week and the animals weren’t moving much. Gene went to the local barber shop and beauty salon, collected bags of hair clippings and spread them in the fields one night. “The next day all the bucks had moved over into the woods with me,” he says. “I didn’t shoot one, but at least I was closer.” Gene continues to use the old-school tactic of hanging 8 to 10 dirty socks strategically on bushes, limbs and fence posts to trick and funnel deer toward his stands.

3) Barry Wensel, Gene’s twin brother, injured his arm a few years ago, and now he hunts out of ladder stands that he can climb with one hand.

He camos those huge platforms with artificial leaves and ferns that he buys at a craft store. “You know, the brown, gold and green plastic or nylon ones with the wire stems,” he says. Barry weaves the fake foliage around the uprights of the ladder and threads it down, around and through the seat and foot grill. When the real leaves fall later on in October, his ladders stay hidden and deer are used to seeing them.

4) Most people hunt around food sources on October evenings. Not Ralph Reynolds. The former Mr. Missouri bodybuilding champ is a morning person.

“I’ve seen big deer do goofy things, like get up and mill around from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., even on the warmest days,” he says. (continued on page 12) October 2015

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Opening day is a special time for hunters, and it’s no different for me. One opening day experience was particularly special, and I think about it often.

Travis Turner

I

t was opening day of the Georgia archery season many years ago, and I was especially excited because this was going to be my first season hunting with a bow. Along with several friends, I was a member of a hunt club for several years, and we had always worked very hard to prepare the club for the season, as well as working on developing our skills for opening day. This preseason work, both personally as well as for the club, is a labor of love and totally adds to the hunting experience. I call it the pride factor.

But this year was going to be different, because this was my first time bowhunting.

As we made our way to the club, long before daylight on that opening morning, we were singing Hank Jr. songs and making bets on who was going to be the first to provide camp meat. It was over an hour’s drive to the club and the whole way there it was raining cats and dogs. But our excitement was sooooo high, the wet weather did nothing to discourage our eagerness to sit in a tree and wait on Bucky or a big ole’ slickhead.

We arrived at camp, got ready in the pre-dawn darkness, and made our way to the stands as the rain continued to pour. I was to be hunting about 400 yards from my buddy, Steve’s dad Wayne, and Wayne told me as we walked in that since I was a rookie I should holler at him pretty quick if I shot a deer, because we would need to jump on the blood trail right away because the rain would wash it out.

As I sat into my third hour of rain without even a hint of a deer, I began to get discouraged, not to mention wet from where my redneck rain suit (Hefty sack garbage bag with holes for the arms and head) was leaking. Just when I was beginning to have thoughts of heading back to the truck, I peeked to my left and counted six does headed my way, and they were actually really close to me. I picked out the fattest nanny as I drew my bow, and at 12 yards I let my arrow fly. As the arrow touched the side of the big slick, I remembered Wayne’s advice about getting on the blood trail right away. And I promise you, before the arrow could even plow completely through the ole’ girl, T-Bone was a screamin’ “WAYNE!!!! I got one!!!”

She ran 75 yards and piled up, and soon Wayne and I and the rest of the boys were carving out back straps for dinner. When we all get together, as we still do several times a year, we reminisce about that opening day morning.

It’s fun to relive opening days with friends and family, but I can assure you that when I’m alone and I get into my Chevy in the early morning before daylight, that opening day runs through my mind as I shut the door. Opening day memories are special for all of us.

Best of luck in the woods! - See more at: http://www.whitetailsunlimited.com/resources/food-for-thought/opening-day-memories.phtml#sthash.udO60AFG.dpuf Reprinted with permission from Whitetails Unlimited. For more visit www.whitetailsunlimited.com Founded in 1982, Whitetails Unlimited is a national non-profit conservation organization that has remained true to its mission and has made great strides in the field of conservation.

We have gained the reputation of being the nation’s premier organization dedicating our resources to the betterment of the white-tailed deer and its environment.

10 - Hunting & Fishing News

October 2015 11

8 TIPS FOR HUNTING OCTOBER DEER (continued from page 9)

Once during the early black-powder season in Kansas, Reynolds shot a 156-inch buck that wandered through a piece of public timber at 8:30 a.m. That was a primer. The next season he smoked a 17-pointer that grossed 202 inches!

Reynolds isn’t a sitter. He sneaks to cover downwind of a crop field, still-hunts along at a creep and glasses brushy draws and strips of timber. “Bucks haven’t been hunted for a year and they’re vulnerable,” he says. “You have to be smart and go slow, but some mornings you can stalk within muzzleloader or even bow range.”

5) Tom Fassbinder of Guttenberg, Iowa scouts for oaks with big crops of nuts; he hangs stands nearby where the wind will be in his favor in October. When he comes back and climbs into those stands, he pulls gravels from his pocket and drops them plop, plop, plop every few minutes.

“You can flick them in different directions for added effect,” he says. The little stones sound like acorns falling into the leaves, a sound that can attract deer. Tom notes you can wear latex gloves to keep your scent off the stones.

6) Ever noticed how slowly bucks meander through the woods the second week of October, stopping here and there to smell and/or lick limbs, leaves and brush?

Their olfactory senses are working overtime now, and I play off that with a foam doe scent. I don’t waste time and hassle with liquids, wicks or boot pads. I carry a can as I sneak to my stand and spray dabs on limbs, leaves and logs.

Even if a buck doesn’t follow my scent trail all the way in, at least the doe pee helps to cover my odor. I spray globs the size of a softball in shooting holes near my stands. I climb up, zap the white globs with my range-finder and know which sight pin to use if and when a deer walks by later.

7) In Iowa one day last fall, Brian LaRue looked up and saw a monster coming. Sixty yards out the 22-pointer stopped and mauled a sapling, then looked toward Brian’s tree and lugged on in. The hunter drilled him with an arrow.

12 - Hunting & Fishing News

The 222-inch non-typical was one of the top bow bucks of 2005.

“I’m convinced he was going for another big rub he saw on the other side of my stand,” Brian says.

That got a buddy and me to scheming: Let’s fake something like that and see what happens. Next week Luke Strommen will pull up a couple of cedar posts that bucks have rubbed for decades on his Montana ranch (some deer will already have rubbed the posts again this fall and permeated the wood with more fore-head scent).

He’ll truck them down to an alfalfa field by the Milk River, and sink them on an edge where 40 or more deer coming and going to the feed each day can easily spot them. Luke will consider the wind and set the posts within 25 yards of two of his best stands where he has shot some 8- and 10-pointers in the past.

Soon I’ll head out to bowhunt those stands with Luke. I’ll let you know if we get lucky, and we just might. Bucks not only love to blaze rubs, they also like to veer over to smell and /or lick signposts that other males make. We’ll be watching and waiting.

8) Here’s another act of thievery that won’t get you in trouble.

When the first serious scrapes start popping up in the woods around October 20, clip two or three mangled “lick branches” from over the scrapes; carry them a half-mile or so to your stand; and wire the limbs four or five feet above a set of fake scrapes you paw just upwind of your perch. Longtime whitetail researcher Leonard Lee Rue writes about the ruse in his book Way of the Whitetail (Voyageur Press, 2000): “The key seems to be that the overhead branch needs to be chewed upon, which leads me to believe that the saliva (of a deer) is more important than the forehead scent (for attracting bucks).” Play like a real criminal and wear latex gloves when you lift and relocate the limbs and doctor the dirt below with buck urine.

9) Iowa hunter and TV star Terry Drury finds irony in the October whitetails he hunts in the Midwest. They haven’t been pressured for a year, but they’re still super-sensitive to odors and noises. “If you get sloppy and spook one doe, she’ll bolt and then all the other does and bucks in the timber will run,” he says. “You can contaminate a great spot for days or weeks and ruin it for the rut.”

On every hunt Drury clicks his truck doors shut ever so lightly.

He doesn’t rattle or even clink a chain on a metal gate. Takes an extra minute to hop a fence right. “When deer hit a barbed-wire fence it twangs,” he notes. “When you push it down to cross it, it squeaks.”

On the way to his stand, he grinds his boots in deer pellets or dry cow pies (but not in the yucky green ones). He rinses his boots thoroughly in creeks when he can. “We wear rubber boots, but every little bit helps,” he says.

October Hunt Tips • Spot an 8-point hog the first weeks of October and you know he has set up his fall core area in your woods. He’ll likely hang out within 400 acres or less until he begins to expand his range and hunt for does around Halloween.

• Say it’s a humid 70 one evening and you’re watching a trail near a field.

Stand up in your tree stand and nock an arrow those last 15 minutes of shooting light. A buck or a bachelor’s group that didn’t move all day might jog past you toward the feed. Listen for them churning back in the woods, and be ready for a quick shot.

• The best two days to hunt are after a cold front blows through and drops the temperature 20 or 30 degrees. The blast kick-starts bucks to feed and sniff does. Be out there.

• Say you sit in a stand and can see three or four different trails that dump into an alfalfa or clover field. On the trail where the first does show up is where you’ll see 80 percent of the deer that evening.

• I don’t rattle until Halloween (my field research shows that too much racket too early spooks more bucks than it brings in). But I grunt sharply at every buck to coax or turn him into bow range.

• On ridges and flats where you found the most acorns in late September and early October is where you’ll find the first and most scrapes around the 20th.

• Expect good to great deer movement around the new moon on October 22 through the first quarter on the 29th, especially if it’s cool to cold. After a string of dark nights, horny bucks should prowl for the first estrus does.

Start hunting the mornings now as much as the evenings.

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Montana Upland Bird Forecast MFWP

F or wild upland birds—grouse and pheasants and such—it’s all about the hatch and chick survival.

Well, almost all.

A really bad winter can knock things back for a year or two but generally, if there is a good hatch and good survival among the chicks, especially a few years in a row, there will be great hunting.

Looking back a few years, Montana’s seen good hatches and good survival for game birds. So, at a state-wide scale, things should be pretty good for hunters this fall.

Conditions for nesting and brood survival, however, can vary widely so don’t be surprised to find hunting really good in one area and not so good just 50 or 100 miles away.

This is what we call “spotty” in the bird hunting world.

A few things to keep in mind this fall: Heat + Dogs = Bad. It can often be 80 degrees or more in September and early October, so keep a close eye on your dog to make sure he or she doesn’t get overheated...

For the hunting, here is a little more detail on what hunters can expect: Gray (Hungarian) Partridge While no formal surveys are conducted for huns in Montana, weather and habitat conditions suggest huns across the state will range from slightly above to well below average this season. Observations in Regions 4, in the middle of Montana, and Region 7, in southeastern Montana, suggest average numbers. In FWP Region 6, northwestern Montana, good sized broods have been observed so hunters can expect hun numbers to be good given favorable 2015 nesting conditions that further benefited from dry conditions through June that likely improved nest success and brood survival. Summer hail storms in Regions 4 and 6 likely affected bird numbers where storm cells hit resulting in the aforementioned spotty distribution of birds.

In southcentral Montana, FWP Region 5, conditions were in flux and bird numbers in most of the region will be below average.

Chukar In Region 5, the chukar harvest in 2014 was up 52 percent from 2013, which is good news. For this year, chukar numbers remain below average but have some potential for continued improvement.

14 - Hunting & Fishing News

©Don Fink|dreamstime

Mountain Grouse Mountain grouse, a catch all term that includes ruffed, spruce, and dusky (or blue) grouse, are de rigueur for western Montana bird hunters.

They are fun to hunt and good to eat. The last few years have been good for these birds in Regions 1 (northwestern Montana), 2 (western Montana), 3 (southwestern Montana) and parts of 4. Particularly in northwestern Montana biologists have been seeing lots of birds and broods. Preliminary information from Region 5 suggests that dusky grouse numbers are better than last year but still below average and ruffed grouse will be at or slightly above average.

Pheasants Montana is experiencing a large decline in CRP acreage along the northern tier of the state, which may have an impact on hunting experiences in Regions 4 and 6. Based on crow counts and brood sightings in Region 6, numbers vary from below average and slightly down from last year near Havre, to average and the same as last year near Malta and Glasgow, to well above average in the northeast corner of the state. In good pheasant habitats in central Montana— such as around Conrad and Lewistown—pheasants are “average with an optimistic outlook,” according to Region 4 Wildlife Manager Graham Taylor. Likewise in Region 5, 3 and 7, the season should be average and better than last year. In northwestern Montana, brood survival appears to be good on the Ninepipe Wildlife Management Area but drought has impacted habitat so hunting conditions could be tough. Numbers in the Flathead Valley are holding steady.

Sage-Grouse Sage grouse are another bright spot this year in Montana.

After declining lek counts between 2008 and 2014 things have really picked up, which is consistent with normal population fluctuations and is a result of favorable weather conditions for hatching and brood rearing during both 2014 and 2015. Statewide, male attendance at leks, or sage-grouse breeding grounds, averaged 22.8 males per lek this year, 75 percent higher than last year. Other western states also are reporting increases in lek counts for 2015. This year’s counts, however, are still 25 percent below the 30-year long-term average.

Consequently, hunters can expect numbers to be better than last year and near average in areas open to sage-grouse hunting. Hunters must check the 2015 upland game bird regulations because parts of south-central, eastern and northern Montana are closed to sage grouse hunting.

Sharp-tailed grouse Like pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse in Region 6 have been affected by a reduction in CRP acreage, so where CRP ground no longer exists there will likely be fewer birds. In general, however, across the northern part of the state lek counts and other observations show that hunting should be good this fall. In the central part of the state in Region 4 things look good because the past few years have had favorable conditions for production and survival. The eastern part of the state in Region 7 should be about average but spotty depending on local habitat conditions. In Region 5, numbers are likely lower than last year due to low numbers of birds going into this year’s nesting season.

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The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes sponsor

2015 FALL MACK DAYS LAKE TROUT FISHING EVENT ON FLATHEAD LAKE Sept.25th

through

Nov.15th

Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays are Competitive Mack Days with lottery, prizes, tagged fish, and bonuses. Pick your 15/24 best days Friday-Sunday to count for the lottery, bonus, top angler, and other prizes.

NEW: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday will be bonus days and tagged fish only—45 total days

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Bonuses - 11 or more lake trout & you begin getting the bonus $

Top ten angler prizes $700-$200-best 15/24-days count last day is separate Every 10 entries gives anglers a special ticket for a Yeti Cooler-Tundra 65 drawing Captains $250-(4 prizes), Smallest lake trout $250-(2 prizes), Largest lake trout-$500 Top lady anglers $300, $200, $100 - $100-totals used Youth anglers - (17-13) 1st-$200, 2nd-$150, 3rd-$75, 4-5th-$50 (12 & under) 1st-$100, 2nd-$75, 3rd-$50 will also be entered in the lottery drawing Weekend Prizes-$300 and $200 will be announced each week Golden Angler Award (70 & older) $200 & $100 3 days of Single/Team-heaviest 4-fish 10/9-Friday, 10/24 Saturday and 11/8-Sunday Last Day: $300, $200, $100

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Pick your 15 best days to count for the lottery & top angler prizes.

The last day is separate.

Fish Fry for participants & families - Nov. 15th at Blue Bay 3:00 Awards Ceremony at 4:00 Entry forms will not be mailed out.

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

We remind you to follow all fishing regulations. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have a special $12 fishing permit for the south half on Flathead Lake that is available wherever fishing permits are sold.

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

Fall Feeding Bass

By Babe Winkelman

www.winkelman.com

W ith temperatures continuing to fall, both air and water; we start to sense that old man winter is right around the corner. But lets not jump

too far ahead as many great opportunities still remain in the dwindling days of fall. The opportunity I am thinking about is excellent bass fishing.

With the remaining days of fall bass will continue gorging on any forage that comes in sight as they are putting on the extra weight for the winter months. This means regardless of your location in the country, you will find the bass in your area are on the hunt for food making it a perfect time for a person of any skill level to try their hand at catching some fall lunkers. Here are a few tips to help you be successful and drive that lure home while chasing Mr. Bass.

To start off, it is important to consider what the baitfish are doing when starting to locate bass. Most baitfish have been hiding in deep water hangouts avoiding the mouth of any ravenous fish roaming the water.

But now with cooling water, baitfish tend to group up and return to the shallows giving bass the option of an endless buffet. These groups of baitfish tend to move into areas such as; creek mouths, coves, harbors, grass flats, rocky shorelines, and docks. With the baitfish returning shallow, those fall bass are not far behind as they will often claim the shallows as their hunting ground. So locating the baitfish can definitely improve your odds of finding these feeding bass but do not get locked in on this strategy as the fish are cruising around looking for an easy meal, meaning they are not necessarily sitting still.

Now to the techniques used to catch these fall feeding frenzy bass.

There are many techniques out there that are successful during the fall as picky eaters do not fit into the vocabulary of a bass. One particular technique I implement when targeting these bass are shallow water crank baits. By using shallow running square bill cranks, it allows me to cast around various pieces of structures, such as rocks and docks.

Retrieval speed is also important to take into consideration as this type of bait gives you many different options. You can have a quick retrieval giving you an erratic fast moving action, slow things down and you get a slow rolling action from the crank bait, but a stop and go retrieve can be deadly as the sudden change in swimming action can have fish inhaling the bait. Vary the speed of your retrieval and let the fish tell you exactly what they want.

So get out on the water today and try your hand at catching some fall lunkers. It is important to remember that safety comes first while fall fishing as cold water temperatures could lead to hypothermia if you get wet. If you are faced with a situation of getting wet on a fishing outing, you need to find a safe, warm place and get dry. Please stay safe on the water and catch that trophy you have been waiting for.

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Rattling Equals Bucks

By Jason Houser

R ut was in full swing. My hunting partner and I hoped to cash in on a buck that was feeling a little ornery. Our tactics this cool, overcast November morning involved the use of rattling

antlers and a doe decoy.

We had a good idea where we would start off our rattling session. Walking towards a well-known hangout for does we hoped to bring a buck in that was out cruising for does. A buck walking in a harvested cornfield smack dab in the middle of the path we would have to take from my truck to our would be ambush point stopped us. Only 200 yards from the truck we had to pull down our head nets, quickly set the doe decoy 20 yards into the field, and quickly find cover in the thin strip of nearby woods.

My partner set up 20 yards behind and to the left of me. As soon as the rattling antlers were slammed together the mature whitetail stopped in his tracks. We continued to twist and grind the antlers. After about 3 seconds of this the buck had all he could take. On a dead run the buck came in on a string hoping to steal the doe these two bucks were fighting over.

As soon as the buck started the sprint to our location, I immediately got in a position where I could shoot in the direction of the decoy and drew my bow back. I had no more than got my bow drawn when the buck skidded to a halt five yards from the fake doe. I put my 20-yard pin a couple of inches above the buck’s vitals. After squeezing the trigger I watched my arrow fly true as it traveled 25 yards to the intended target.

With an echoing thud the arrow slammed into the buck right behind the front leg. I could not have drawn it up better on paper. The buck spun around to head for cover, but toppled over after running less than 30 yards.

I looked at my hunting buddy with a look that said, “Did this just happen”? After some backslapping and nervous laughter we turned around to make the short trip to my truck.

There was no dragging or tracking to recover this Pope and Young buck. A buck that I probably would not have shot that day if it was not for my rattling antlers and decoy.

18 - Hunting & Fishing News

© Bruce Macqueen | Dreamstime.com

Rattling can lure a buck in that is looking for a fight, or a buck with only one thing on his mind as he hopes to steal a doe away from the two fighting bucks. Some bucks might

cautiously approach a fight as they check the wind. Others will come in on a dead run. Imagine the surprise when the buck does not spot any fighting bucks.

Bucks are likely to come to a fight from downwind. To take advantage of this I set up in cover heavy enough to conceal me, but still sparse enough that I can still get a shot off. I also want to be able to see clearly for 360 degrees 50 to 75 yards. I do not want a buck surprising me. My preferred rattling spots are where the does are concentrated.

These places are normally bedding and feeding areas. Bucks are sure to be close to these locations as they cruise for does.

During pre-rut, hunters are most likely to rattle in bucks as old as 2 1/2-years. Older, mature bucks are likely to be the bucks that respond during peak breeding and post-rut.

Go all out when you begin a rattling sequence. Begin with the hardest loudest bang possible. This should simulate two bucks making initial contact in a fight. After the first hit twist the antlers to make a grinding sound. When the grinding is over follow it up with clattering on the antler tips to make a realistic fighting sound. For added realism take the antlers and hit the ground from time to time during the fake fight, kick some bushes and break some twigs. Fighting bucks are anything but quiet.

My rattling sequences last anywhere from 1- to 2- minutes then I stop for 10- to 12- minutes before I start again. If a buck has not responded after my second rattling sequence I will wait 30 to 45 minutes and then repeat the process.

I have noticed that I have the best luck with my rattling antlers on cold, cloudy mornings. Evenings have also done well for me, but not as well as mornings. The seeking and chase phase all the way through the post-rut will bring a buck in. Just do not give up.

I like to use the biggest set of antlers I can get my hands on.

The bigger the antlers I use the further the sound travels, and the bigger the buck are that respond to the mock fight.

Some hunters disagree with me, but I do not stop rattling after I see a buck approaching. As long as the buck does not see me I will keep banging the antlers together. You can bring bucks awful close to your setup this way, but I stop before they do get too close.

The closer a buck gets to you the more that could go wrong.

I take the first good shot I get. As long as I have a shot that I should be able to make I do not wait for a perfect shot.

Perfect shot opportunities do not come around very often.

When the temperatures warm up during the pre-rut I do not take my rattling antlers to the woods with me. Bucks will not be active and the warm weather keeps their testosterone levels low. Another time antlers are not that productive is on extremely windy days.

The wind tends to play havoc on a bucks hearing and he will not be able to know exactly where the fighting is coming from.

If I know for sure that a buck is close I will not start out with the hardest, loudest crash of antlers possible like I mentioned earlier. I do not want to startle a buck and scare him off, or at the very least put him on high alert. Instead, I will begin with a light rattling of the antler tips and take it from there.

When a buck approaches your set up that you are rattling from he will be looking for a doe, or at least the two fighting bucks.

For added realism position a doe decoy within shooting distance of your position.

Rattling is not just a south Texas tactic. It is just as good in your neck of the woods as it is anywhere. What are you waiting for?

Grab a pair of antlers and head to the woods and start banging them together. You might just rattle up the deer of a lifetime.

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October 2015 19

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

no one fishes for them here.

Whitefish are usually caught incidentally by anglers fishing for walleye.

Expect 2 to 3 pounders in this area.

Small minnows and worms work best. Just locate surfacing schools, then load ‘em up.

LOWER BEAVERHEAD

RIVER

Jason Rigby (l) of Missoula and friends

Quality fishing days will be plentiful now as autumn’s magical fall season takes over. Anglers heading out this month can expect some of the best fishing of the season, as area lakes and reservoirs have turned over to cooler water temperatures.

Cooler water ignites a feeding frenzy in all species of fish looking to fatten up before fall changes to winter and temperatures plummet.

You really can’t go wrong with any piece of water holding sport fish.

Trophy fish in every species can be caught as they start to gorge themselves on feeder fish or whatever might be floating in front of them. The key to catching a trophy fish of a lifetime now is to be on the water as much as possible during these glorious fall days.

Excellent fishing options await you now, so get out and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer.

Montana Whitefish Bite:

October is the month for whitefish in Montana. Here are four good waters where you can load up.

Flathead: Along the Flathead River from Columbia Falls to the Old Steel Bridge, anglers line the banks sacking up lake whitefish that spawn in October and November.

In a boat, you can fish the deep holes from Columbia Falls to the Steel Bridge. Soft plastic lures, lead head jigs in 1/8 to 1/4 ounce, Zimmer’s Rattle-Disaster or a Kastmaster in green seems to be the ticket here.

Madison River:

You’ll find whitefish in the slower, deeper pools of the river. The number one whitefish getter is a bead-headed Prince nymph, as well as pheasant tails. Be prepared for a hard, steady fight as these mountain whitefish range from 9 to 20 inches long.

Missouri River:

The mountain whitefish should be hitting well into October as things cool off a bit. Fish in the two pound category are not unheard of on the “Mo.” To catch them, use a small fly, like a soft tackle caddis with a maggot or two on the end. One of the best areas will be within a mile upstream of the Wolf Creek Bridge, where you’ll find them in slack waters.

Fresno Reservoir:

An underutilized source for lake whitefish is Fresno Reservoir, west of Havre. The tailwater area below Fresno is a good spot, and this area is absolutely untapped, because

The trout bite on the Beaverhead will definitely pick up going into this fall as the larger fish come out to play. This is the time of the year when the big ones show up. The best float for fishing is from Clark Canyon Dam to Henneberry Fishing Access Site. Your fly box should be full of size 16 to 18 or smaller size flies. Pheasant tail or elk hair caddis will be a good fall pattern. Hopper patterns will also still be effective in tan or yellow. Nymphs on the river are also small. Split back PMD’s and Mercer’s Yellow Sallies work great on the Beaverhead. Keep your strike indicator moving at the same speed as the current, which ensures the perfect drift. Lower stretches on the Beaverhead can be excellent now for big fish and isolated water.

ROCK CREEK

The blue ribbon beauty of Rock Creek keeps anglers busy in the fall.

A rambunctious insect world helps to keep Rock Creek a top destination for trout seekers from every direction.

In the fall, you can count on the caddis, October caddis, Grey Drakes, and blue-winged olives to hook you up with rainbows, browns and cutthroat trout in big numbers and big weight. The lower reaches of Rock Creek are easy to reach from Interstate 90, 20 miles east of Missoula. The upper-end is reached by driving around to Philipsburg, typically more challenging, but

bigger fish exist here. Fall will bring a strong brown trout spawning run from the Clark Fork River up Rock Creek.

BIGHORN RIVER

While most outdoorsmen and women will be chasing birds or bulls this month, a select few anglers will be having the best fishing of the year on the Bighorn, southeast of Billings. The October target will be brown trout, which are starting to chase big streamers aggressively.

The pre-spawn fishing can be intense for numbers of trout in the 20 to 25 inch range. The crowds of anglers will be gone now, but the fish will be ever present and going crazy on a variety of nymphs. You can take numbers of both rainbow and browns here. You can also throw in your shotgun and hunt for pheasants in October on river islands downstream from the Thirteen Mile Access, or try mallards on just about any side-channel slough or tail of the many islands between Thirteen Mile and the Big Legging FAS take-out.

FLATHEAD LAKE

In western Montana’s Flathead Lake you can expect great fishing now for perch that are gorging on minnows and the feeding frenzy should last through October.

Target 30 to 45-foot deep water in Elmo, Big Arm, Dayton, Ski-doo, east and western Polson Bays and fish yellow flies tipped with cut perch meat above a sinker. Crawlers work nicely too. Lakers will move shallow now and you can cast large green, pink, yellow or red spoons around points, or vertical jig 2 ounce Lead-a-gators in No. 5 hot pink/green/white glow or No. 4 blue/white pearl. Fall Mack Days will continue into November.

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Fall Is Second Fishing Season For Idaho’s Reservoirs Idaho Fish & Game T here’s still great opportunity for trout fishing during fall in many Idaho reservoirs, and Idaho Fish and Game will continue stocking them with

larger rainbow trout in September and October.

Most reservoirs are open year round to fishing, but they are typically most popular in the spring when reservoirs are at the highest water level of the year and water temperatures perfect for trout and other game fish.

During summer, reservoirs warm and catch rates often slow, especially for trout. Reservoirs used for irrigation are lowered during summer, and some become difficult for boat launching and shore angling. But many reservoirs remain easily accessible and excellent fisheries when the water cools in the fall, and trout become active and feed aggressively in preparation for winter.

As a bonus, anglers have the chance to catch larger trout. Trout stocked during spring had all summer to grow, and growth rates of ½ to 1-inch per month are common, so most of those fish are now in the 13-inch to 16-inch range.

Fish and Game is shifting its usual trout stocking away from the traditional 10-inch rainbows and letting them grow in hatcheries to about 12 inches before releasing them into reservoirs. The department has found larger trout survive better and are 65 percent more likely to get caught than the traditional 10 inchers.

And the lower reservoir levels found during fall aren’t necessarily a bad thing.

“What we have sometimes seen is increased harvest in the fall because of the reduced water volume,” Cassinelli said.

Trout aren’t the only fish available in reservoirs. Despite the “warmwater” classification, bass fishing can be excellent in the fall, and fishing for popular panfish species, such as perch, bluegill and crappie, can also be productive.

Here’s a partial list of reservoirs that will be stocked with rainbow trout during fall...

Month / Water / Length / Number October / American Falls Reservoir / 12 / 43,000 October / Arrowrock Reservoir / 12 / 38,000 October / Blackfoot Reservoir / 12 / 40,000 October / Chesterfield Reservoir / 12 / 27,000 October / Deer Creek Reservoir / 12 / 7,500 October / Deyo Reservoir / 12 / 8,000 October / Elk Creek Reservoir / 12 / 5,000 October / Foster Reservoir / 12 / 2,000 October / Glendale Reservoir / 12 / 3,100 October / Mann Lake / 12 / 7,000 October / Moose Creek Reservoir / 12 / 5,000 October / Spring Valley Reservoir / 12 / 7,500 October / Winchester Reservoir / 12 / 9,000

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Fall Fins and Feathers

By Bob Humphrey Yamaha Outdoors Tips

F or most outdoorsmen and women, October means hunting season, time to put the rods away and pull out the shotguns. A few of the more hard-core anglers will hold out

Photo: Bob Humphrey

until the days grow even shorter, and colder. Nothing says you can’t do both.

In fact, early fall is a great time to double up on your outdoor opportunities.

First Light Riding out to the back country for a morning of upland hunting?

Many of those backwoods bird covers run along remote streams that receive less fishing pressure, especially in the fall. Rather than turning the dogs loose at first light, spend an hour drifting flies across an eddy pool or stripping streamers up a riffle.

That will give the birds more time to move about, leaving more scent for the dogs to pick up later.

Mid Morning Early season puddle duck hunts tend to be brief affairs with the action tapering off quickly as the sun and temperatures rise. No need to head right back to the launch. Pull out a fishing pole and make a few casts into the weedy shallows you’ve been hunting over all morning. With the fall turnover, predators like bass, pickerel and pike have moved back out of deep waters in search of abundant minnows, crayfish and aquatic insects that have hatched and grown over the summer.

Plugs, spoons and live bait are all good options.

Late Morning Skip the post-hunt brunch. Water and kennel the dogs, grab a quick snack and hit the farm ponds and creeks you’ve been hunting around all morning. Before the first killing frosts, terrestrial insects are still around in abundance, and hungry trout, bass and panfish lie in wait for any hapless hopper whose over enthusiastic jumping lands it in the shallows. Tossing live bait or hopper imitations are both good options.

Early Afternoon The action may be a bit slower now, but any of the above still apply to kill an hour or two before the birds start moving and it’s time to put the dogs out again or paddle to the blind.

Dusk Duck hunters will want to be in the blind, gun in hand at twilight, but upland hunters will probably be calling it a day, giving the birds a chance to move to roost. And the last hour is still the best hour for fishing. Who knows, you may catch a late hatch you can match with dry flies, or hit a farm pond feeding frenzy.

22 - Hunting & Fishing News

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October 2015 23

Regional News

Court Affirms Rodebaugh Sentence, Poacher From Meeker Remains In Prison

2015 Deer and Elk Outlook

Idaho big game hunters could have a hunting season to brag about this fall, and deer hunters could see the best hunting in more than 20 years and potentially a record harvest for white-tailed deer.

Idaho Fish and Game biologists have lots of reasons to be optimistic.

Four consecutive mild winters have helped deer and elk herds grow, and resident and nonresident hunters are showing renewed interest by buying more licenses and tags.

“Things are going really well in a lot of the state right now,” Fish and Game’s state game manager Jon Rachael said.

Hunters last year had the largest deer harvest since 1992, and the largest elk harvest since 2005. This fall’s harvests could match or top last year’s, depending on how many hunters go into the field and what kind of weather and hunting conditions they get in the fall.

C

8/27/15

onvicted poacher and former outfitter Dennis Eugene Rodebaugh, 73, of Meeker, Colo., learned on Tuesday that his appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has failed, affirming the 41-month prison sentence and fines the former outfitter received in early 2013 for illegally baiting deer and elk with salt.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigators, between 2002 and 2007, Rodebaugh and an associate used large quantities of salt to attract elk and mule deer to an area in the White River National Forest where he had installed tree stands, enabling their clients to easily kill the animals.

In September 2012, a jury in Denver found Rodebaugh guilty of six felony violations of the Lacey Act, a federal law that prohibits the transportation of illegally taken wildlife across state lines, applicable because most of his clients came from out of state....

Officials say Rodebaugh earned approximately $250,000 from the illegal hunts over the five-year period of the investigation; however, authorities believe he may have earned much more from his illegal activity over the approximately twenty years he operated his now dissolved outfitting business, D & S Guide and Outfitters...

Chukar Numbers The Best In 17 Years Hunters had the third-highest harvest of white-tailed deer in 2014, and with better hunting in the forecast, the all-time record could be broken this year.

Photo: White Tail Deer Camas Wildlife Refuge CC-BY Dave Albiston

DEER: Hunters harvested 61,200 deer in 2014, which is 12,100 more than in 2013, and the most since 1992. Harvests of whitetails and mule deer were both up in 2014, and Idaho recorded its third-highest whitetail harvest of all time.

Fish and Game sold 157,400 deer tags last year, which was the most since 1993, and statewide success rate was about 40 percent for those who went deer hunting.

Fish and Game’s annual winter monitoring also showed the highest winter mule deer survival since its intensive monitoring program began 15 years ago. Each winter, Fish and Game staff traps and radio collars adult mule deer and fawns in 14 locations across the state and monitors their survival through winter. Fawn survival rate over winter was nearly 80 percent, topping the previous high in the 2004-05 winter.

ELK: Idaho’s elk population and hunting success is more complex than deer hunting, but elk hunters also did well last year with the largest harvest since 2005 and an overall success rate of about 24 percent.

Hunters bagged 20,700 elk in 2014, which was 4,200 more than 2013 and the most since 2005. Elk tag sales and harvests have increased for three straight years.

“We’ve had a few good years and some positive feedback from hunters,” Rachael said.

If the short-term trend continues, there’s a fair-to-good chance more hunters will go into the field in the fall and kill more elk. This year’s harvest could again top 20,000 elk, which has happened only five times in the last 20 years.

24 - Hunting & Fishing News

During a recent helicopter survey over central Tooele County, wildlife biologists saw something they’ve seen only twice in 20 years: more than 100 chukar partridge per square mile.

Photo by Chris Colt

The previous high, 117 chukars per square mile, was seen in 1998.

This year, biologists spotted 101 chukars per square mile.

And Tooele County isn’t the only place in Utah where chukars are doing well. Based on another helicopter survey over western Box Elder County, and observations by Division of Wildlife Resources biologists and others in the field, chukar numbers are well above average across the state.

This is only the third time in 20 years that chukar numbers have been this high. (In 2006, biologists spotted close to 100 chukars per square mile.)

“Peaks like this are rare,” says Robinson, upland game coordinator for the DWR. “I encourage hunters to get into the field and take advantage of it.”

Even though chukar numbers are high, Robinson reminds you that it still takes skill and effort to take chukars, even in great years like this one.

Robinson says two major factors have led to more birds this year. One is the weather. “The winter was warm and mild,” he says, “and most of the adult birds made it through. The birds were in good condition as they entered the breeding season. That allowed the females to lay plenty of eggs.”

Next, a rainy and warm May provided newly hatched chicks with plenty of green vegetation and insects to eat.

A second factor is a population cycle. Biologists aren’t certain why the cycle happens, but it’s fairly predictable; about every eight years, chukar numbers skyrocket. The last peak was in 2006.

Before that, chukar numbers spiked in 1998.

October 2015 25

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Consult a qualified electrician. Not all dealers carry all products. Consult your local Yellow Pages. © 2015 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. www.powerequipment.honda.com 26 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Located near the Missouri River watershed’s Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument and the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in north-central Montana, the property is primarily grassland habitat accompanied by rugged features associated with the Missouri Breaks region.

RMEF plans to transfer the property to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 2016. Until that happens, BLM will assist in managing this property and provide immediate public access to it as well as adjacent public lands.

“The RMEF has secured access to thousands of acres of BLM land for public use and enjoyment with this acquisition. It also secures an important access for natural resource management,” said Stanley Jaynes, BLM Havre field manager.

Hunters, hikers and others previously parked on a county road (Cow Island Trail Road) and had to walk more than two miles to reach lands administered by the BLM and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Now, they will have access to the 6,000 acres of public land by foot, and even greater acreage by horseback.

A RMEF member and hunter who lives nearby notified the RMEF about the property after reading in Bugle magazine about a similar 2013 project that opened the door to access 18,000 acres of public land.

Project partners include the BLM, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Cinnabar Foundation.

For a map go here: http://rmefblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/rmef-land-project-opens-access-to-6000.html

28 - Hunting & Fishing News

HUNTING & CONSERVATION NEWS Apprentice Hunter Rule Approved for Youth Hunt MFWP M

ontana’s Fish & Wildlife Commission recently confirmed that some youth who take advantage of the state’s new “apprentice hunter” law will have the opportunity to participate in Montana’s special youth hunts.

The apprentice hunter law which was enacted earlier this year by the state Legislature, allows youth 10-17 years of age to obtain a certification to purchase some Montana hunting licenses before completing a hunter education course. Apprentice hunters, however, are required to be accompanied by an adult mentor.

Montana’s special youth hunts are for two days and are set aside for youngsters 10-15 years of age.

Montana offers two youth only hunting opportunities, one for waterfowl and pheasants on Sept. 26-27; and one for deer Oct. 15-16. The two-day youth hunts are open to: -legally licensed 12-15 year olds who have completed hunter education and who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult at least 18 years of age; and properly certified and legally licensed apprentice hunters -10-15 years of age who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult “mentor” at least 21 years of age.

Apprentice Hunter Details

Under the law, apprentice-hunter certification is for two license years only. After two years, the apprentice hunter must complete a hunter safety and education course.

Also, to participate in the Apprentice Hunter program, prospective apprentice hunters must: -be between the ages of 10-17 years old; -obtain a $5 certification from an FWP office; certification forms are available online; -have all appropriate licenses in their possession at all times while in the field.

- be accompanied by a mentor 21 years of age or older.

For a prospective mentor to participate, he or she must be: -21 years old or older; -related to the apprentice by blood, adoption, or marriage; or be the apprentice’s legal guardian, or appointed by the apprentice’s legal guardian; -have completed hunter education–if born after Jan. 1, 1985; -have a current Montana hunting license; -agree to supervise and remain within sight of and direct voice contact with the apprentice hunter at all times while in the field; -only accompany one apprentice per hunting trip; -confirm that the apprentice is psychologically and physically prepared to hunt.

Mentors are also required to complete, sign and carry a form while accompanying the apprentice hunter. Mentor forms are free and are also available via FWP’s website.

An apprentice hunter is not eligible to obtain a special bow and arrow license without first completing a bowhunter education course; a resident hound training license for chasing mountain lion; a bighorn sheep license; an elk license if under 15 years of age. Nor can an apprentice hunter participate in any of Montana’s limited-quota hunting license or permit drawings.

Violation of the terms by an apprentice hunter or mentor could result in the loss of hunting privileges for up to one full license season.

The $5 Apprentice Certification are available only from FWP offices. For more information visit FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov, then click “Apprentice Hunters”.

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SPEED KILLS

By Mark Herwig

Mark Herwig is editor of the Pheasants Forever Journal and Quail Forever Journal.

Email Mark at mherwig@pheasantsforever.org.

W

hen I started hunting pheasants as a young teen in the late 1960s in south central Minnesota, there were few opportunities to bag a rooster, so when I got a chance, I darn sure wanted to make the most of it.

After missing a few roosters, I realized I wasn’t acquiring the target quickly enough, not shooting fast enough or accurately enough. A dog-flushed rooster can move out pretty quick, especially with a wind at its back (pheasants can fly 28-36 mph, but up to 56 mph flat out when chased by hawks).

If I was going to pull off this rooster hunting thing, I thought back then, I was going to have to aim quickly and accurately at the same time to make a hit.

I had to up my game. So, I started consciously pushing myself to always be at the ready because so many times I was caught off guard by a flush.

I also learned to closely watch for the signs a flushing dog makes when he’s getting close to a bird, such as nose closer to the ground; quicker tail wagging; faster, more twisting trailing through cover and even yipping. This meant discipline, that is, gun always at port arms, finger near the safety, focusing ahead of and over the dog (not at it) … staying on the manic edge, ready to explode. The next bird was going down!

At first, staying on the edge didn’t come naturally. It isn’t a natural state of being to remain so taught, wired up, ready to explode into action. After a few seasons of pushing myself to speed up, however, my reflexes intensified. After a while, I didn’t have to walk around like I just had five cups of coffee.

I remained alert, but relaxed, my upper body ready to snap into action. My visual focus stayed sharp and reflexes fast, but practiced, smooth.

(I also learned that when I’m tired, I shoot slow. At these times, I’m just better off saving my shells for another day.)

Of course, after blowing up a rooster or two at close range, rendering them inedible, I learned to have the confidence and patience to let a rooster fly out a bit further before pulling the trigger. But, don’t dally too long--a quick draw will kill more birds than a hunter who lets the game get too far out, diminishing the shot’s killing power.

30 - Hunting & Fishing News

Distractions

It is not easy to maintain a sharp focus while pheasant hunting.

There are many distractions. Walking a grassland or crop field, you have to watch your footing lest you fall on the many obstacles afoot such as downed fences; badger holes; uneven, frozen and unforgiving ground. I have learned to make frequent, quick glances down for footing so I can keep my attention forward, ever vigilant for a flush.

I also make similar quick glances at the dog to read his ‘tells’ if a bird is close, but quickly refocusing ahead of and over the dog’s path.

There are other distractions, such as the antics of the dogs and fellow hunters and avoiding spending too much time day dreaming about work and home. The ‘on’ bird hunter must be wide-eyed and ready to ‘snap to’ in a split second. Sure, yacking it up with our buddies is a great upland hunting tradition, but over indulge and Mr. Rooster will get away. I try to save the story telling for breaks and meal time, which is sometimes why I trail off on my own.

I usually shoot better on my own, leaving the distractions behind so I can focus better.

Be prepared

Like any predator, it helps to be in good physical shape to hunt successfully. If I’m hungry, I can’t focus 100 percent on the hunt or react quickly. If I’m cold, wet and tired, the prey has the advantage.

If my gun isn’t cleaned and in top condition, it may falter at the critical moment. Have fun out there, but be prepared to go into action at all times. The ultimate high for me is making a good shot.

I always wear a brimmed hat to avoid having the sun ruin a shot.

I wear sun glasses on bright sunny days to reduce glare, but also reduce eye fatigue. You can’t hit something you can’t see well.

Once I started solidly hitting flying game, I realized there wasn’t much in life that equaled the thrill of dropping a hard flying rooster or other game bird.

Real speed?

Now, do you want to talk real speed shooting? While the ruffed grouse clocks in at only 20 mph, it does so in dense forests and shrubs, demanding quick reflexes if you want to make a hit.

Ducks, such as the huge, streamlined canvasback, have been clocked at 72 mph, but their straight-line flying style makes them predictable. For a real challenge, try leading a screaming bluebill on a strong November wind--you’ll have to pull ahead so far the birds won’t even be in your field of vision!

Regardless of all your conscious preparations, the fact remains that for most wing shooting, you won’t hit much unless you shoot instinctively, that is, you don’t have to think about it much because you’ve done it so many times. Mount that gun well and fast, let your instincts take over and enjoy the ride!

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October 2015 31

How To Shoot Elk

By Mike Hanback

www.mikehanback.com

A muscle-popping, big-boned, 700-pound bull is one tough customer. All the hiking, climbing, sweating and cussing is the hardest part of the hunt. Once you have closed the gap and put your bullet or broadhead in the right spot, even the biggest 6x6 won’t go far.

Archery tackle: Many guys draw an elk tag, run out, and buy a “Rambo bow” that pulls 70 or, my gosh, 80 pounds. It will work great if you can handle it. But most hunters are better off with their 60-pound deer bow. You are used to how it feels and shoots; you can draw it smoothly and hold it awhile as you wait for a bull to come those last yards, or turn and expose his side.

Fire fast carbon arrows and 100- or 125-grain broadheads, either fixed or expandable. Leery of mechanicals for elk?

“A lot of our guys use them with good success,” says call maker and elk expert Will Primos. Whichever you choose, make sure the blades are razor-sharp.

Cartridges/loads: The .30-06 with 180-grain bullet is still a top choice. It is flat-shooting and powerful enough and then some, and most hunters can live with its recoil. If you can handle the bigger kickers, the .300 Win. Mag. with 180-grainer has proved fine.

Famous Montana hunter Jack Atcheson, Sr., who has shot more bulls on public land than anybody in history, swears by the .338.

Excellent “new” choices: .270 and .325 WSM; and 7mm Remington Ultra Mag. and .300 RUM. Don’t skimp on ammo. An elk hunt is the time to pay $50 and up for a box with Premier Core-Lokt, Trophy Bonded, Barnes X, Nosler Partition or similar bullets. You need a premium, controlled-expansion pill that hits hard, smashes bone, and holds together on a heavy animal.

Range: Long shots are all the rage with bows these days, and while it’s true that today’s compounds are faster and sling arrows flatter than ever, shooting a big, tough elk remains a close-range game—40 yards and in. Thirty…20…15 at a wild, bugling bull is better yet!

Similarly, we have entered a modern rifle-hunting era where 500 yards is now the new 300. But a 300-yard poke at a bull across a canyon or though the jack-pines is still max in my book. Distance aside, you have to factor in the wind, your trembling hands, etc. If you can stalk inside 200 yards or closer yet, all the better.

32 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Where to hit them: Only two shots with a bow: dead broadside or slightly quartering-away. NEVER quartering on the brisket, even if a bull comes bugling in close.

These are the best rifle shoots, too. Often I try to plant a bullet through one or both shoulders to drop and anchor a bull, but I make sure to aim so that if the shot is a few inches off line, it strikes back in the vitals. A 6x6 quartering-on makes for a narrower target, but I do not hesitate to take that rifle shot out to 100 yards or so.

Follow-up: After you let fly an arrow, watch for the bull to fall and/or listen for him to crash down. If you look 100 yards, see him still digging and seriously start to doubt your shot, back off and wait 12 hours. Eighteen to 24 hours are better. A bull will bed down and die there if you don’t push him over a mountain.

After your first rifle shot, immediately chamber another cartridge and re-focus your scope on the elk. If a bull is still going, or tries to lurch up off the ground, or even flinches, shoot him again.

And again if need be. Your tracking job will end right there.

Will Primos’ Top 3 Elk Calling Tips

1) Have a good caller set up 60 to 70 yards behind you and off to one side, out of a bull’s wind. He cow calls, blows the occasional short bugle, and tries to work the animal in and past you for a broadside bowshot. The elk’s attention is so focused on the caller that he won’t see you draw.

2) A mouth cow call is your ace, so become proficient with it.

Listen to real elk or a DVD and learn to make soft cow mews with your voice so you can stop a walking bull for a bowshot.

3) When a bull comes close but hangs up out of sight or range, try a high-pitched bugle that is not very loud. Most people think all elk scream at the top of their lungs, but they can control their volume. A soft, high-pitched bugle works great sometimes.

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October 2015 33

Give them their own equipment. Choose a youth

bow or firearm that will grow with them. Of course, if your kids are actually hunting, practice shooting at home or at the range until they become proficient and confident. If they are too young to hunt, purchase a toy cap gun and instruct your youngster on how to handle it and use it as if it were a real firearm. Encourage them to carry it in the field. This is great practice for firearms safety and helps to keep kids engaged. Buy them their own hunting clothes, too, in order to further their excitement and feelings of participation.

Explain what is going on. Some kids are capable of simply enjoying the outdoors experience, but most will get bored unless you involve them in everything that is going on. Where are you hunting and why? What are you hoping will happen? What are you trying to accomplish with your calling? Try your best to explain the various outdoor sights, sounds and smells around you.

A bit of patience and sacrifice while they’re young leads to countless days of mutual enjoyment.

Photo courtesy of frabill.com and ammoland.com

Don’t hunt or fish too long. If the goal is to instill a lifelong

love of the outdoors, it is critical that each outing be pleasurable.

When your youngster gets cold, bored or loses interest, it is time to pack it up and head for home – with a possible stop to the ice cream shop or other special treat reserved just for your days afield.

An Investment In the Future

By Josh Lantz www.ammoland.com

P

arents are busy people. We work.

We shuffle our kids here and there.

And at this time of year – when so many hunting and fishing opportunities exist – we occasionally find time to enjoy the sanctity of the great outdoors.

It can be easy to use hunting or fishing as an excuse to leave the kids or the family behind for some quality time alone. That’s fine. We all need to escape. But don’t overlook the present and future rewards that come from

providing your children with a proper Kids love bait and lures. Provide an explanation introduction to the traditional outdoor

of what may work best and why, but allow them to

experiment. Photo courtesy of www.planomolding.com sports. And, most importantly, don’t and www.ammoland.com

blow it once you’ve made the commitment.

Make too many mistakes and you’ll risk quashing their enthusiasm for future outings, maybe for good. Follow some general guidelines, however, and you’ll spark the flame that feeds a lifetime of passion for the outdoors.

Choose the right kind of hunt. Select a quarry and location that ensures your kids will stay comfortable while still allowing a reasonable chance at seeing and bagging game. Any type of hunt from a ground blind is a great option. Blinds conceal motion and nervous energy, allow for comfortable seating, and facilitate keeping snacks, warm clothes, heaters, books and even video games at the ready. The trick is keeping your kids comfortable and happy. Blinds fit the bill and serve as comfortable and practical “base camps”.

34 - Hunting & Fishing News

Anyone who has read or heard anything about taking youngsters fishing or hunting has probably heard that the experience is “all about the kids”. This isn’t the entire story. Sure, the child’s comfort and enjoyment is critical, but don’t forget what you’re getting out of the deal. You’re making an investment of your time and patience in order to plant a seed. Being patient and conscientious now will result in a hunting and fishing buddy for the rest of your life. There aren’t too many parent and child activities that offer this kind of mutual enjoyment and meaningful bond.

That said, one of the best ways to maximize the return on your investment is to adjust your expectations. Focus on seeing game instead of taking game.

Of course, go about things the proper way and you may not need to compromise. But just seeing game in a hunting situation can be very exciting for youngsters, especially if you are excited about it too.

When taking kids fishing, especially the first few times, leave your rod at home. Focus on helping

them catch fish instead of catching them yourself. Help them.

Teach them. Again, explain what is going on in order to keep them engaged and excited. You may think it’s possible, but you cannot do these things when you’ve got a rod in your own hands.

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a fishing or hunting guide?

Take your kids hunting or fishing and you’ll get your chance. As a guide and father, I can attest that the situations are almost the same. My kids may not smoke cigars or tell dirty jokes, but they are both lousy tippers.

The payoff

Putting the needs of our kids ahead of our own is something every parent is used to. Follow the same model when taking your kids afield. Give a bit now and you’ll be rewarded when you are old and gray.

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THREE REASONS YOU SHOULD BE USING THE VORTEX LRBC (Long Range Ballistics Calculator)

By Mark Boardman

www.vortexoptics.com

1. Confidence Using the LRBC provides ultimate ballistics knowledge, which in turn results in unparalleled shooting confidence.

Essentially, it’s the equivalent of hosing yourself down with AXE body spray and walking into a frat party at 12 a.m.

Chances are, you’re going to hit your mark. I should know.

I use the LRBC and I was at that party.

2. Rifle Selection How the heck is a ballistic calculator going to help me pick my rifle? Well, I’ll tell you. Instead of just walking to the gun counter and asking for a rifle based on the opinions of myriad people who are no longer with us, use the LRBC to do some pre-purchase ballistics research. The results may not only astound you, but drive your rifle selection in an entirely different direction. Even if you’ve narrowed your cartridge candidates down to a select few, the LRBC will assist in deciphering which will be the most effective for your intended applications.

3. You Owe it to Yourself and the Animal Our lives are often strongly dictated by two very important, but increasingly finite factors – Time and Money. Whether heading out as a weekend warrior, or on a hunt years in the works, getting the most out of your experience is paramount.

Using the LRBC to gather accurate load data just might make the difference between a hit, a miss, or a crippled animal.

Now I’m not saying the success of any trip is defined by the presence of hooves and horns in the back of your pickup, but I’m not going to say it doesn’t make the experience a whole lot sweeter either.

36 - Hunting & Fishing News

October 2015 37

Photo courtesty: www.ammoland.com

PUT DOWN the

DEER GRUNT CALL

By Matt Carufel Reprinted with permission from Knight & Hale Game Calls www.ammoland.com

S

ure, the grunt call gets all the press, but sometimes it takes a different kind of sound to bring in the big buck. Here are a few deer calling tips that will have you on using the full range of deer vocalizations to your advantage.

Doe Bleat and Grunt

Deer are far more vocal than many hunters believe. It’s just that the sounds are often so quiet that hunters never hear them unless the deer is directly under the stand. A doe bleat and grunt is most effective from late pre-rut to post-rut. Remember, the secondary rut occurs a month after the peak of the first rut. The reason doe sounds are effective at this time is simple — bucks are looking for does to breed.

Follow the normal deer calling rules when using doe bleats or grunt calls. A tip-over call or mouth-blown doe bleater should be used sparingly. Produce a couple of bleats every 20 or 30 minutes at most, and watch down wind for bucks to sneak in and attempt to smell the doe. Use some doe estrous ( www.tiny.cc/htjeox ) urine set to both sides of your stand, and hunt as scent-free as possible.

Anytime you call you can position the deer downwind, and if it smells you instead of the hot doe he heard, that buck is out of there.

When using a mouth-blown doe call, practice at home or in the truck on the way to your deer hunting spot so you can consistently produce the proper “baaaawwl.” Use it sparingly to avoid letting a buck pinpoint your exact location, and if using in the early morning, wait until good shooting light to produce your first bleat.

Fawn Bleat

Fawn bleats can be effective all season long for one reason – a doe’s maternal instinct. The mournful bleats of a lost-fawn will bring any doe within earshot in to investigate. If you’re hunting does, have at it. But this does not mean that a fawn bleat will only work on does. During late pre-rut to late post-rut, the doe that investigates may have a buck in tow, so while all of the other hunters are blowing their best grunts at every buck in the woods, a fawn bleat can be your ace in the hole. This is comparable to calling to a gobbler with hens. You can’t call the gobbler away, but you may attract the hen and she pulls in the gobbler.

38 - Hunting & Fishing News

Another way to use a fawn bleat call is to call in a distressed manner. The payoff is that the hunter never knows what will approach the sound of the deer call. It could be a buck or a doe, or it could be one of your local predators looking for a free meal. When using a fawn-in-distress call, begin quietly for a minute or so before cranking up the volume. Remember that fawns have smaller lungs than you do, so keep your breaths into the call short. The fawn-in-distress call is excellent for bringing does in to investigate.

Snort Wheezers The snort-wheeze is a sound bucks make that is interpreted as aggression. It’s a fantastic call to go to when your grunts are being ignored.

The snort wheeze is a call that can be effective all season long.

Snort wheeze calls often are used in association with grunt calls and rattling. Use the “fffttt, fffftttt, fshhhhhhhh” of a snort wheeze call to add another component to your rattling/grunting sequence or to top off a grunt to a visible buck. Often the snort wheeze call is more than a buck can take, kinda like talking about someone’s Mama.

Them’s fightin’ words.

Photo courtesty: www.ammoland.com

Rattling Devices

Rattling calls evoke the sound of two deer clashing, and if used correctly, can be effective all season long, but really shines from the late pre-rut to the post-rut. It’s the sound of two bucks fighting, and brings in bucks for several reasons. First and foremost, everything loves to see a good brawl. Just like the Fighting Purr system in turkey hunting, rattling for deer brings in young and adult animals alike.

Another reason rattling works is its volume. A good clashing of antlers can be heard much farther away than a grunt or snort-wheeze call. Don’t be shy when rattling. Ensure there are no deer in view prior to producing a sound, then really go at it. Buck fights can go on for more than a minute, so don’t be afraid to get into it. Quick slams and hard grinding of the antlers or Rattle Bag can reproduce the sound of two bucks really going at it.

Add in a few grunts and maybe a snort wheeze at the end (or even during, if possible) of your rattling sequence provides the realism you need to pull in a buck. Again, watch downwind for bucks sneaking in and trying to get a whiff of the bucks it hears.

For more information contact: Knight & Hale Game Calls, (256)353-0634; www.knightandhale.com.

October 2015 39

Montana Elk

By H&F News Pro Staff

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An early snowfall will help hunters locate elk this fall.

M ontana’s general big game rifle season is set to open October 24th in the Big Sky State. If you’ve already done your homework and have

an area that you call “heaven” this article may be redundant to you, however, if you’re still shopping for a good spot where the odds will tip in your favor for a successful notching of your elk tag, here are a few spots that might work out if you do a bit of work this season.

Gravelly Range - This low-slung mountain range between the Madison and Ruby Rivers is typically one of the largest herds in Montana.

HD Units 323 and 324 offer prime hunting. This season its brow-tined bulls or an antlerless elk-except for Wall Creek WMA in HD 323.

Hunt between the two river drainages to find plenty of elk. Put your boots down on the ground and you will find elk.

Little Belts - This gentle mountain range rises between Great Falls and White Sulphur Springs. This elk herd is plentiful, and many of these elk visit the low-country croplands. Hunt the fringe of the Lewis & Clark National Forest, especially along private land in the Judith and Smith River Valleys and along the North Fork Musselshell River.

HD Units 454, 448 and 416 are good producers.

Crazy Mountains - A bit of winter weather will aid hunters in these mountains north of Livingston and Big Timber. Hunt the foothills of forest boundary areas and near the lower elevations as the elk seem to stay close to private foothills habitat. Also check your Block Management Maps for chunks of BMA or State ground you might access that have elk on them.

Elsewhere in Region 3, elk may be roaming on the east side of Paradise Valley, south of Livingston, and in the Boulder and Stillwater river drainages south of Big Timber.

North Helena - The mountains north of Helena will produce some fine elk hunting this season. A combination of BLM, Block Management and Forest Service lands opens up a lot of area for hunters willing to put in some time. Elk numbers are growing, especially in the ranch lands that are surrounded by Rocky Mountain ranges. Hunting away from busy roads is going to be the key for your success. Elk will feel the pressure right away and move away from the areas that you have seen them in September. Still, they must move, eat and drink to survive the weeks ahead.

First light and right at dark is your best chance for an open area shot.

After and between, you’ll need to hunt the timbered areas to locate herds on the move. Success will depend on your motivation and how much time you can spend in the field this season.

Good luck and good hunting.

Editor’s note: Check all MFWP Game Regulations before you hunt these areas.

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ANOTHER BANNER YEAR FOR

WATERFOWL HUNTERS

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MFWP

Montana waterfowl hunters are in store for yet another year of some

of the best duck and goose hunting in the Northwest.

“For Montana waterfowl hunters this is the return of the good old days,” said Jim Hansen, Central Flyway coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Billings. “Waterfowl conservation efforts over the past 20 years in Canada and the U.S. ‘prairie pothole region’ are providing quality habitat, and ducks—also aided by a series of wet years—have responded.”

The annual spring population survey in the traditional survey areas conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found record high populations of total breeding ducks at 49.5 million, 43 percent above the 1955-2014 average. Mallards were 51 percent above the long-term average, and Canada goose populations continue their high-population trends.

Montana’s migratory bird—or waterfowl—hunting seasons are set to fit within USFWS frameworks. Under these guidelines 105 days are available for general waterfowl hunting in the Pacific Flyway—generally the western half of Montana—while the eastern portion of Montana within the Central Flyway has 97 days of hunting available for ducks and coots and 105 days for geese.

This year, Montana Fish & Wildlife commissioners approved a zoned split season for the Central Flyway similar to last year, with different zone boundaries for duck hunting and goose hunting.

“The zones offer more late-season days in several counties for Central Flyway goose hunters,” Hansen said.

Counties in Zone 2 include Big Horn, Treasure, Rosebud, Custer, and Prairie. The commission added Carbon and Yellowstone counties to Zone 2 for goose hunting only. Zone 1 is the remainder of the Central Flyway portion of the state.

“Federal frameworks allow changes in duck zone boundaries every five years, with the next opportunity for change in 2016, but goose zones are not so constrained,” Hansen said.

The duck and coot season dates for Zone 1 in the Central Flyway are: Oct. 3–Jan. 7, 2016 while in Zone 2 they are Oct. 3–11 and Oct. 24 – Jan. 19, 2016. The 12-day closed period in Zone 2 is a week earlier than last year so that hunting will be allowed during late October, which is often a significant migration period for several species of ducks. The tundra swan season in all of the Central Flyway will run from October 3 through January 7.

Goose hunting dates for Zone N are: Oct. 3–Jan. 10, 2016 and Jan. 16–20, 2016.

In Zone S, the proposed dates are: Oct. 3–11 and Oct. 24–Jan. 27, 2016.

Pacific Flyway dates for ducks and geese are similar to last year, with a split near the end to provide an additional weekend of hunting.

For both ducks and geese in the Pacific Flyway the dates are: Oct. 3–Jan. 10, 2016 and Jan. 16–20, 2016. Swan hunting will run Oct. 10–Dec. 1.

The basic daily bag limit for the Central Flyway is six and for the Pacific Flyway it is seven. For each flyway there are some species and sex restrictions within the basic bag limit.

A “bonus teal” bag in the Central Flyway will allow two additional blue-winged teal in the daily bag for the first nine days of the season, Oct. 3–11.

Goose bag limits are the same as last year for both flyways. Possession limits are three times the daily bag limit for both ducks and geese...

42 - Hunting & Fishing News

October 2015 43

Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors New Gear Review

Outdoor Connection Backpack Sling Carry your rifle in comfort

Never before has a product revolutionized a category like the Outdoor

Connection Backpack Sling. Rifle slings are notoriously uncomfortable.

They lack padding, or carry the weight unevenly, or even slide off your shoulder when wearing a pack. The Outdoor Connection Backpack Sling eliminates all that with a double strap harness system that evenly distributes weight across both shoulders while carrying your firearm in a comfortable, centered position.

Tikka T3 Lite Camo

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Shooters who are ready to face the most extreme conditions require that

their tools share the same characteristics. The Tikka T3 Lite will be your trusted companion, offering flawless long-term performance. The metal parts are made of Sako’s high-grade stainless steel, and the stock is fiberglass reinforced copolymer, providing you with tough, shooter-designed functionality. Whatever the weather, with Tikka T3 Lite you are ready for action.

Sako 85 Long Range .338 Lapua Shoot further If you are looking to shoot far, the Sako 85 Long Range rifle serves you well. This rifle has been designed for long-range hunting in particular.

Specific details, such as a muzzle brake, 26” match grade barrel, double sling studs and a stock designed for the prone position, guarantee that you will hit your target even from extreme distances. The Sako 85 Long Range has a flat fore-end that provides better support while shooting without a bipod. Get less recoil with the flush design muzzle brake.

Less recoil makes it easier to keep the target in sights after the shot.

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The outsole features excellent tread for superior grip, downhill braking, lugs wide enough they can be easily cleaned, and a heel strike zone which ensures great traction throughout the stride. Zamberlan’s Tuscan Hydrobloc waxed leather uppers also incorporate the famous and patented Vioz Flex-System, which allows the upper to break forward without compromising lateral stability.

The sole also features a beveled edge to prevent catching and uses just the right amount of rubber so as not to make the boots heavy. With a temperature performance equivalent to about 400 to 500g of Thinsulate, these boots are made for the rigors of mountain hunting.

See these and other fine products at one of the 5 Montana Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors stores in Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Butte or Hamilton or shop 24/7 at www.bobwards.com

44 - Hunting & Fishing News

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PRAIRIE GROUSE PRIMER Story by John Hennessy.

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From sharp-tailed grouse to sage grouse to prairie chickens, these birds remain icons in the pastoral landscapes they inhabit.

Documented in the journals of adventurers like Lewis and Clark, prairie grouse embody the tenacity of America’s pioneers.

Hunters spend hours under the beating sun—a panting, furry companion at their side—ambling across plains and through sagebrush, surveying wide horizons, and chasing the chuckle of a flush. Fractions of seconds comprise each window of opportunity, when a bird suddenly emerges inches away from the snout of man’s best friend. Fatigue from the miles already walked dissolve with each encounter, as owners utter a few select words to their canine counterparts. The day’s remaining dialogue is delivered through the strut of a retrieval, a wagging tail and a wide grin.

Regulations vary year to year based upon the surveys and conservation work of biologists, landowners and organizations such as Pheasants Forever, which remains a leader on the Sage Grouse Initiative and the Lesser Prairie Chicken Initiative.

Prairie grouse flourish where other upland game birds bother not to tread, so hunters looking to work their dogs and test their aim will find less-pressured hunting areas throughout the country...

Montana Outlook: This past year, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks added 17 new Open Fields areas across Toole, Pondera, Teton, Cascade and Chouteau counties.

These areas include blocks of CRP open for walk-in hunting with no permission needed.

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The Upland Game Bird Enhancement program is another great avenue for public access onto private lands. Interested hunters can visit http:// fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/habitat/wildlife/programs/uplandgamebird/ for further details.

Montana prairie grouse are hunted in regions 4 through 7. Though the past seasons’ weather has varied slightly throughout the state, general reports indicate good overwinter survival and higher nesting success this year. Region 4, where approximately 30 percent of hunters target sharp-tailed grouse, indicated lek counts were slightly above the long-term average along the Rocky Mountain Front. Sage grouse reports in Region 5 showed an 18 percent increase compared to the long-term average. Spring counts were 99 percent higher than last year. However, Golden Valley, Musselshell, and Yellowstone county leks were down, while Carbon County leks were 62 percent above the long-term average.

Farmers and biologists in Region 6 are reporting large numbers of sharp-tailed grouse, especially in the eastern part of the region. Region 6 has also been hearing of sage grouse broods from local ranchers.

Lek surveys demonstrated an increase in both sharp-tailed and sage grouse in the region. “Daniels County and the western part of Region 6 always seem to be the go-to areas for sharp-tailed grouse hunting,” said Ryan Williamson, Region 6 upland game biologist, “but I believe the counties south of the Missouri River (Richland and McCone) offer some great hunting opportunities—hunters can do well down there if the summer precipitation cooperates.”...

Editor’s note: As always, check your state game regulations before heading out into the field.

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† Manufacturer’s suggested retail price is shown. Prices may vary due to supply, freight, etc. Actual prices set by the dealer. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Availability subject to production, stocking, and demand. *1.99%, 5.99%, 6.99%, or 12.99% APR with Minimum Payments of 2.87%, 3.05%, 3.10%, or 3.39% of the purchase amount, based on your creditworthiness, are effective until the purchase is paid in full. Offer available on approved purchases of new 2014-2016 select models made on the Yamaha Card issued by Capital One, N.A. Offer valid through 12/28/15. Your account must be open and current to be eligible for this offer. Some options may not be available and other terms may apply. Your Standard APR is either 12.99%-22.99% or variable 14.99%-22.99%. Variable APRs as of 9/1/15 and apply to accounts opened on or after 11/6/09. Minimum Interest Charge $1. **Customer Cash offer good on select models between 9/1/15 to 12/28/15. Offer good only in the U.S., excluding the state of Hawaii. Dealer remains responsible for complying with all local and state advertising regulations and laws. Shown with optional accessories. Always protect the environment and wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Read the owner’s manual and the product warning labels before operation. Professional riders depicted on closed courses. ©2015 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaOutdoors.com October 2015 47

WALLEYES IN FORMATION

By Jason Mitchell

www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com

T he advantage of trolling crankbaits for walleye is twofold. You can cover a lot of water and swipe through large areas and you can also trigger fish that might not respond to some slower and subtler presentations. On so many bodies of water, we see a transition that gains intensity as fall transcends into summer where crankbaits seem to trigger more fish especially if you are looking for big fish.

The author Jason Mitchell with a walleye caught trolling a Salmo Bullhead SDR.

Fall trolling patterns can produce some of the largest walleye of the season.

Crankbaits are not the answer for every situation but trolling hard baits shine whenever the locations get big. Basins are obviously big locations but so are a lot of the contours and locations that hold fish each fall. The first step I like to do when attempting to dial in a trolling strategy is identify the end zones. That is how much of a field are you working with. How long or how big is the location where there are fish. If the contour basically stays the same for three hundred yards, that is my trolling run. Establishing the end zones is important because that way you can identify exactly what your trolling run is and keep your baits in the zone.

Some anglers approach trolling with a level of randomness where they put on a lot of miles without a strategy. Yes you can catch fish sometimes where you don’t expect them and sometimes you just have to spend some time with your electronics and map chip to really figure out what types of locations are attracting fish but once you get that general information as to what types of spots are holding fish, attempt to spend all of your time in those spots. When you get to the end of the good looking water and the contour flattens out or the bottom composition changes to something that hasn’t been holding fish, you are at one end zone and you need to turn around and go back up the field until you find the other end zone.

Once you figure out the end zones on a location, hustle to keep your lures working properly over that spot.

Trolling locations and big fish locations can be fleeting in the fall and some of that I believe can be attributed to the forage at that time of the year where fish are often pulling out over open water and also targeting larger forage as young of the year bait fish grow up. Come fall, it takes fewer perch or tullibees to make a meal. The reality is that on most healthy ecosystems, fish are not always eating. Sometimes they are full and don’t want to eat. Fish that are looking for a meal make you look better than fish that just got done with a meal. With so many fall trolling patterns, there is often power in repetition in that it often takes a few laps up and down the field to find a rhythm. A mistake I have made more times than I care to admit is not giving a location enough time if I know that there are fish around. Unless you get lucky and hit things just right, you often cannot make just one pass and leave. You also cannot die on a spot all day and never change locations either so use your watch to manage your time. Good spots often require an hour, sometimes more. By using the element of time and abiding by parameters marked with time, you can be both strategic and methodical and that equation to the overall strategy might be most important. Late summer and fall trolling patterns often require a certain level of patience because the windows where fish move up and down on locations seems more marked at this time of the year.

Another rule of thumb for catching fall walleyes by trolling crankbaits is that the fish seem to like larger lures in the fall compared to earlier in the year.

Unless I am fishing over the tops of weeds behind the boat in shallow water, I am often running larger deep diving lures behind the boat even when fishing in water less than fifteen feet. I cannot tell you how many big fish I have caught by running a larger billed lure that could run as deep as thirty feet and putting that lure out behind the boat on a short amount of line in say ten feet of water. In the fall especially, big fish just seem to love that harder vibration where the lure is moving more water. Here is something else I believe happens when you run a deep diving bait right behind the boat before it plateaus on it’s dive curve. The bill seems to run down and the tail runs up where the bait moves through the water in a more vertical position and this posture of the bait seems to move more water and offer a larger target for fish that approach the lure from behind.

With this information on changing the posture of the lure by where the lure is at on its dive curve, you can manipulate this posture over more varied depths with lead core and snap weights. There are a few lures you can use to hit twenty seven feet for example on 150 feet of line but when a lure plateaus on the dive curve, the lure will flatten out and some days the fish want the lure running this way but so often in the fall, the fish really like a lure to run more tail up and you can often get a lure to look tail up by running that lure on shorter amounts of line with lead core and snap weights.

As a general rule of thumb, I feel like I catch more fish in the fall by keeping the lure as close to the boat as possible so that the lure is not reaching the bottom of its dive curve and if I have to go deeper than that, I use lead core and snap weights… literally.

Both lead core and snap weights have advantages. I love how lead core snakes behind the boat and follows contours. I hate how long it takes to let out. I feel like I need more room to use lead core. I like how snap weights can take you down into the strike zone so fast, the set up time is immediate. What I often do in the fall is clip a snap weight onto my lead core just above my leader. Some of the characteristics of lead core get compromised by adding a snap weight but the advantages often outweigh the disadvantages in that set up time is faster and I can keep the lures much closer to the boat.

Taking this lead core snap weight combo system one step further, by using slightly lighter weights on the back rods versus the rods that are on the sides or in front, I can stagger the lures and stack the lures behind the boat in a fairly tight formation. During the fall especially, this little trick can be deadly. Four lures running close together have an entirely different triggering quality that is hard to describe or quantify but it works so well at times especially during the late summer and fall. I speculate that one lure might simply turn a fish or perhaps arouse a fish but they don’t turn on the jets and run it down. When the second, third and fourth lures come rumbling by, the fish is somewhat already aroused and gives chase. Sort of like beating a shallow fish over the head with several casts. The other lures are your other casts. Fall big fish patterns so often seem to be either off or on with the windows of activity pretty defined and short. Running lures in a tight formation seems to scratch more fish when the fish are off.

If I had to pick one prime type of spot that produces big fish on natural lakes, it would be a nice run where there is some inside turns over a hard bottom that has a fairly fast break into deep water. While sharp breaks might be everywhere, that harder bottom over deeper water is usually not so common. Rock located in less than twenty feet of water can also hold big fish and those spots are often more abundant. With side scan and down imaging, we can also analyze the shape of the rock as well and round rocks or boulders often hold more big fish than ledge rock or sand over deeper contours. Every lake will have its own characteristics but identifying the right bottom composition is critical. This overall strategy has produced some of the largest walleyes I catch each season and truly offers some of the best fishing each year for big fish.

48 - Hunting & Fishing News

October 2015 49

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