Hunting Illustrated, Spring, 2014 - "Best of" issue by Matt Mogle

H U NTI N G’S

LE G E N DARY

COPPER C E L E B R ATE S A

B U L L E T

S I LV E R

ANNIVERSARY While hunting brown bear in Alaska during the fall of 1985, Randy Brooks conceived the idea of an expanding, all-copper bullet. In the Spring of 1986, Randy took his first brown bear, and the first animal with an X Bullet. When the Barnes X Bullet entered the market in 1989, it opened the door to the first all-copper, expanding bullet. From the very first shot, the X Bullet shattered bones and records with its one-shot stopping power. And it opened eyes, too — with four razor-sharp petals peeled back to create the signature “X” that gave the bullet its name, as well as worldwide recognition as the deadliest, most dependable bullets available.

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CARBON SPYDER/FAKTOR SPECS: YOUR CHOICES HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER. Choosing between these two monster bucks is 30 34 TURBO almost as hard as deciding which bow to shoot him 30” 34” 33” with. No season has ever offered a more compreAXLE-TO-AXLE AXLE-TO-AXLE AXLE-TO-AXLE hensive lineup of hardcore premier hunting bows 332 330 340 FPS (ATA) FPS (ATA) FPS (ATA) than the 2014 Hoyt Faktor Series and the revolu6¾” 6¾” 6” tionary Carbon Spyder Series. The Faktor is our BRACE HEIGHT BRACE HEIGHT BRACE HEIGHT smoothest, quietest and most deadly aircraft grade 3.6 lbs. MASS 3.8WEIGHT lbs. 3.8 lbs. aluminum bow to date. And the Carbon Spyder? MASS WEIGHT MASS WEIGHT CARBON SPYDER CARBON SPYDER CARBON SPYDER Well, it’s just flat-out mind-blowing. Built unlike 3.9 lbs. MASS4 WEIGHT lbs. 4 lbs. any bow in the world, the industry-leading Carbon MASS WEIGHT MASS WEIGHT FAKTOR FAKTOR FAKTOR Spyder has every feature and benefit bowhunters could dream of in a bow. Which one will you shoot? Either way, you can’t go wrong. Visit your Hoyt dealer to help make up your mind. This season, it’s time to Get Serious. Get Hoyt. www.hoyt.com

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Hunting Illustrated Magazine Volume 13, Number 2 www.huntingillustrated.com Subscriptions and Questions 1-435-528-5080 editor@huntingillustrated.com

10 18 24 26 31 32 36 40

Fresh Sign — Editorial Staff News, Facts and Fun

Hunting Forecast — Jon Crump

Insight From the Trailhead Guru

The Dueling Duo — Grange & Spomer Hunting Groups and Banquets

Celebrity Hunter— Josh Dahlke Tom Miranda

Train to Hunt — Kenton Clairmont Spring Training

Mule Deer— Steve Alderman

Creating the Best of the Best

Elk — Steve Chappell

Hunting Comrade

Predator — Les Johnson Baiting Coyotes

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78 80 82 86

s n m u l o C Braggin’ Board

Bringing Home the Bacon

The Griz Chronicles

A Bear Came to Our Tent

Mule Deer Watch — Michael Burrell With a Heavy Hart

Nuge Factor — Ted Nugent

Positive is as Positive Does Indeed

s e r u t a Fe  44 48 52 56 60 64 70 74

Photo Story — Erik Henne Caribou in Alaska

Back-to-Back in Colorado Dustin Hall

Southwest Desert Bruiser John Barclay

Like Father Like Son Gilbert Adams

Game On! Gus Bisset

Mother Nature’s Blessing Tyson Yates

Hard to Chase Steve Alderman

19 Years

Logan Hand

WARNING!

Some of the photos in this magazine portray action performed by professional hunters or riders under controlled circumstances. We encourage safe practices in all outdoor activities. Hunting Illustrated withholds all liability for any damage or injury sustained while duplicating actions in photos.

Cover

Cover photo & story: Gilbert Adams On the cover (lower left): Steve Alderman

Spring 2014

EDITORIAL Be Prepared!

t’s that time of the year. Most of you have already been on your spring break, family vacations; and hopefully some good camping and shed hunting was involved. Besides spending precious time with family and friends, it is also the time of the year when we hunters look for that anxiously awaited e-mail. It is that one e-mail that either turns our upcoming hunting season into what, in the west, is becoming a once-in-a-lifetime super hunt, or that oh-so-typical general season experience. I hope your e-mail says ‘successful’. If you happen to be one of the lucky ones, what a year you will have! Scouting, planning, new equipment purchases, and many sleepless nights await you. If you draw a coveted elk tag in the west, and you are doing what you should be doing, you will have a trophy animal spotted through pre-season scouting. Most likely, you will not be the only one that has spotted the big boy. When first light breaks, on opening morning, be assured you will not be alone. Odds are you will be competing against premier outfitters and a few DIY hunters as well. You may ask yourself, “How do I compete with that?” I have a few suggestions. This is your ‘Super Bowl’ of hunting. With that in mind, why wouldn’t you equip yourself with everything that could give you that edge on not only the game you are hunting, but also other hunters hunting that same game? The hunter that can go farther and shoot longer distances, accurately, will win. To go farther you need to get in shape for the season. To shoot longer, accurately, you need a great rifle with good optics. Hunting Illustrated has you covered on both fronts. We have a new editor that we would like to introduce in this issue. Kenton Clairmont is an avid hunter and outdoor athlete. He has some great tips to share that if applied, will get you in shape for this upcoming hunting season. If you want the ultimate edge, look to our partners at Fierce Firearms. Their new Edge rifle is all it is cracked up to be. Top it with good optics and practice and you will be able to accurately shoot greater distances. When you see that trophy bull at 550 yards, instead of sneaking closer and risking never seeing the bull again, get set up with confidence, knowing you have the skills and equipment to make the shot. It is that time of year to prepare for the upcoming hunts, regardless what tag you might have. Knock the dust off your rifle case, sharpen your broad heads, and get after it!

Managing Editor: John Mogle Art Director: Matt Mogle Copy Editor: Liz Buebe Field Editors: Courtney Crane, Matt Mogle Contributing Editors: Liz Buebe, Kenton Clairmont Josh Dahlke, Grant Mogle Columnists: Steve Alderman,Ted Nugent, Scott Grange, Ron Spomer, Steve Chappell, Les Johnson, Michael Burrell, Jon Crump Contributing Writers: Logan Hand, John Barclay, Tyson Yates, Gilbert Adams, Gus Bisset, Steve Alderman, Dustin Hall Illustrators: Courtney Bjornn, Richard Stubler Advertising: (435) 528-5080 ads@huntingillustrated.com John Mogle Courtney Crane Subscriptions / Questions: (435) 528-5080 Submissions: Send your hunting stories and photos, Picture of the Week / Braggin’ Board Photo Story and Parting Shots to: Hunting Illustrated PO Box 1045 Gunnison, UT 84634 editor@huntingillustrated.com ©2014 Hunting Illustrated LLC PO Box 1045 Gunnison, UT 84634 Hunting Illustrated is published quarterly with additional bonus issue, $24.95 U.S. /$34.95 Outside U.S. Printed in U.S.A.

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The Latest News and Insights

Expected Announcement From U.S. FWS Will Close Elephant Imports From Zimbabwe, Tanzania

ashington, D.C. – Statement By Safari Club International President Craig Kauffman “Safari Club International’s advocacy team is alerting the international conservation community that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to soon announce a new policy to reject all elephant ivory imports from Zimbabwe and Tanzania. It is unknown precisely when the decision by the U.S. FWS will occur, but SCI will do everything in its power to fight this reckless decision that has no basis in law, science, or conservation policy. “International hunters are the first line of defense for conservation, management, and anti-poaching throughout

Africa. When wildlife has no value, it will most certainly be slaughtered indiscriminately. In 2003 trophy hunting generated $12 billion Zimbabwe dollars and accounted for approximately 60-90% of all revenues for that country’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management. SCI’s members have purchased bull elephant tags to benefit the CAMPFIRE Foundation in Zimbabwe who conduct anti-poaching work throughout the communal lands of their country. SCI’s members have paid more than $100,000 to support elephant conservation from 2012-2014, whereas the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has spent only $56,000 to protect Zimbabwe’s elephants from 2011-2013 through the Multinational Species Conservation Grants. “Safari Club does not know all the details of the upcoming announcement by U.S. FWS to halt importations of elephant ivory from these two countries, but we do know the announcement could come soon. SCI’s Washington team will do everything within our power to fight back against this misguided and baseless policy.” Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www. safariclub.org for more information.

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by Editorial Staff

Wyoming Initiates Super Tag Hunting License Raffles

unters come to Wyoming for the diversity of game species, abundant public lands, and the chance at harvesting a trophy animal. Wyoming has among the highest harvest success rates for hunters. In 2013, nonresident-hunter success rates were: deer – 73%; antelope – 93%; elk – 50%; moose – 93%; and bighorn sheep – 95%. However, obtaining a license for some of the most sought-after species or hunting areas can be difficult. Starting this year, hunters have the opportunity to enter the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Super Tag and Super Tag Trifecta hunting license raffles. By allowing winners to not only choose a species, but also the area they would like to hunt, the raffles provide the opportunity for an once-in-a-lifetime experience. (The winner of the moose super tag will be able to select any moose hunting area with more than ten licenses available; for bighorn sheep, eight.) For the Super Tag raffle, there will be one drawing for a hunting license for each of the following species: ▪▪ Bighorn sheep ▪▪ Shiras moose ▪▪ Mountain goat ▪▪ Wild bison ▪▪ Elk ▪▪ Deer ▪▪ Antelope ▪▪ Black bear ▪▪ Gray wolf ▪▪ Mountain lion The Super Tag Trifecta offers hunters the opportunity for additional adventure. This drawing is similar to the Super Tag, except there is only one winner and the successful applicant can select licenses for three of the ten species in the Super Tag raffles. Winners will be able to retain any preference points they may have accumulated. In addition, both the five-year waiting period for moose and sheep, and the once-in-a-lifetime restrictions on bison and mountain goat licenses will be waived. Tickets are $10 each for the Super Tag and $30 for the Super Tag Trifecta. The raffles are open to Wyoming residents and nonresidents. Hunters can purchase as many raffle tickets as they wish. Tickets can be purchased January 2nd through July 1st at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s website (http://wgfd.wyo.gov/ web2011/NEWS-1001797.aspx). Winners will be notified by July 15th, and will be responsible for buying any applicable licenses and/or stamps before hunting.

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NUMBERS 476,000

Total est. number of black bears in Canada.

81,000

Black Bear tags sold in Canada in 2013.

550,000

Total est. number of black bears in USA.

481,000

Black Bear tags sold in USA in 2013.

30,000

Number of turkeys in the USA in early 1900’s.

7,000,000

Current population of turkeys in USA.

Spring 2014

Liz Buebe

The 2nd Amendment Remains Under Attack Law Makers Continue to Ignore Our Rights

he ‘live-and-let-live’ concept, along with incredibly independent thought have always been touted as defining character traits of New Englanders. As a fellow New Englander, I have always prided myself with those two traits. How is it now that our basic 2nd Amendment Rights are facing such strong opposition in this region? I borrow from Watchdog.org… (w/permission.) Gun ordinances face defiance from law officers By Bruce Parker | Special to Watchdog.org The head of a nationwide sheriff’s coalition is calling on Vermont’s law enforcement officers to defy three controversial gun control measures passed by Burlington voters three weeks ago. “Sheriffs have a constitutional duty to refuse to comply with such ordinances,” said Richard Mack, president of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association.

“We’re seeing sheriffs in New York oppose the Safe Act and Gov. Cuomo. If we have sheriffs in New York doing this, how much more should we have sheriffs doing it in Vermont?” On March 4, Burlington voters joined a push by electedofficials throughout northeastern states to enact stiffer gun control measures. By a 2-to-1 margin, they banned the carry of firearms in bars and restaurants, authorized police to confiscate guns during domestic disputes and required gun owners to keep firearms locked up at home. “It’s astonishing that people are so cavalier about violating the Second Amendment,” Mack said. “Burlington City Council sounds like they are just following the trend to do things that are entirely unconstitutional and go around sheriffs, and go around the laws, or subvert the laws, or disobey the laws.” The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, which touts sheriffs as the highest law enforcement officials charged with defending the rights of citizens in states, claims that 17 police associations and nearly 500 sheriffs nationwide have pledged to defy unconstitutional gun control measures. The thought that Vermont’s top law officers might publicly oppose gun restrictions isn’t a novel idea. Sheriffs in Colorado are refusing to enforce that state’s new background checks and ban on high-capacity magazines. In Connecticut, tens of thousands of residents are refusing to comply with a new state law that requires registration of guns and high-capacity magazines. In Saratoga Springs, N.Y., citizens publicly protested the state’s new SAFE Act last week by burning a thousand gun registration forms. In Vermont, hundreds – some blazoned in orange hunting attire and hoisting the Gadsden Flag – rallied at the state Capitol to urge the Legislature to uphold Vermont’s strong Second Amendment gun laws, among the most robust in the nation. When asked if Vermonters might follow the citizens of neighboring states and refuse to comply with gun control ordinances, Bill Moore, a policy analyst at the Vermont Traditions Coalition, predicted that noncompliance would be “highly likely and widespread.” Before the March 4 vote, Mayor Miro Weinberger issued a statement on the mayor’s office website saying he supported “charter changes focused on protecting Burlington children, domestic violence victims, and law enforcement officers.” Weinberger has been an outspoken member of Michael Bloomberg’s national coalition of pro-gun-control mayors, which advocates for local gun control in the name of safety, but whose members have fled recently due to revelations the organization wants nationwide gun confiscation. New Englanders? ...and anyone else out there...Do you know if YOUR mayor and/or city council is a pro-guncontrol mayor and/or council? --Rossi

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GO BALLISTIC

.257 Weatherby Magnum

he .257 Weatherby Magnum is a .25 caliber, belted, bottlenecked cartridge. It is one of the original standard length magnums developed by shortening the .375 H&H Magnum case to approximently 2.5 inches. The .257 Weatherby Magnum was designed in 1944 and introduced commercially in 1945 by Roy Weatherby as a wildcat cartridge. It’s been said that the 257 Weatherby Magnum is one of Roy Weatherby’s favorite calibers. The cartridge currently ranks third in Weatherby cartridge sales, after the .30-378 Weatherby Magnum and the .300 Weatherby Magnum. The .257 Weatherby is known for its long-range performance and is considered an accurate flat-shooting cartridge. Initially, due to the cartridge’s high velocity, the cartridge exhibits less bullet drop than most other cartridges. However, due to lower ballistic coefficients of these bullets, velocity is shed more quickly. The .257 Weatherby is a hunting cartridge and has not, to a significant extent, been adopted into any other shooting discipline. Due to the cartridge’s use of lighter bullets of a quarter bore diameter it should be restricted to medium game species. The cartridge comes into its own where shooting over long distances is anticipated. This is

especially true in major grasslands such as prairies, rolling hills, mesquite flats, or in mountainous terrain such as the Rockies. The cartridge is an excellent choice for smaller deer species such as whitetail and mule deer. These deer species are typically larger and tougher than the pronghorn antelope and may require a slightly heavier bullet. Bullets ranging in weight from 100 grain to 115 grain should be chosen for these deer species. The bullet of choice that comes to mind is the 115 grain Barnes TSX, with its controlled expansion and weight retention for deep penetration. Although the .257 Weatherby is used as an elk and moose cartridge with success in North America, the cartridge is thought of as being ill-suited for these heavier deer, with elk weighing on average 700 lb and moose on average between 1,000–1,400 lb, depending on subspecies. In conclusion, the .257 Weatherby Magnum is a sought-after caliber all over North America, with a big emphasis coming from the south, primarily from the good people of Texas. As you can see, it is a great all around caliber that can be used in most, if not all, of your hunting camps. If you want speed, accuracy, and very little recoil this is the caliber for you!

Spring 2014

Jon Crump

HUNT FORECAST

Insight From the Trailhead Guru

s you are reading this issue of Hunting Illustrated, many of the application periods will have closed for 2014, and the results of several of them will have been posted. Hopefully, you are already into the planning stages for that special hunt you have finally drawn this year. However, if you have not yet drawn a permit for this fall, there are still some great opportunities that lie ahead. Arizona The first state we will review in this issue is Arizona. The deadline to apply for elk and pronghorn was back in January, so we are too late for those species. However, some of the best deer and bighorn sheep hunting in the country exist in Arizona. When trophy mule deer are the topic of conversation, the Arizona Strip and Kaibab’s of

northern Arizona are always part of the discussion. Giant bucks are pulled out of these units every year. However, for the non-resident hunter, maximum points are going to be required to draw the late hunts on these units. The ‘application black hole’ discussed in an earlier issue of Hunting Illustrated is in full effect here; and, without maximum points, you cannot draw the late hunts. For those of us with fewer than max points, the early hunts are still a possibility. The big bucks taken during the late hunts are in the area, but are much more difficult to find as the rut has not yet kicked in. If you have set your sights on a Coues deer this year, look to the units in the southeastern section of the state. The third and fourth seasons on these units can be difficult to draw, but some tremendous quality can be found here. Though these deer are much smaller in antler and body size than their Muley

“Arizona is home to some of the biggest and best desert bighorn sheep hunting in the country. Anyone chasing the grand slam of sheep or just interested in hunting a desert bighorn should at least be purchasing bonus points - if not actually applying - in Arizona.”

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cousins, a trophy-quality buck can be just as tough, if not tougher, to hunt. Arizona is also home to some of the biggest and best desert bighorn sheep hunting in the country. Anyone chasing the grand slam of sheep or just interested in hunting a desert bighorn should at least be purchasing bonus points - if not actually applying - in Arizona. The tags are tough to draw, but that is true for any sheep tag. The biggest rams will be coming out of the units to the east of Mesa, in Units 22 and 24B; although, most any unit in the state will provide a great hunt. With that being said, if there is any unit to avoid when considering trophy potential, it would be 15B west. If you are looking for a top trophy, this is not the unit to hunt. Idaho From the deserts of Arizona, we move north to the mountains of Idaho. Few opportunities remain in the western states where you can simply purchase an elk or mule deer permit over-the-counter (OTC) and go hunting; but that is the case in Idaho. This option provides a great back-up plan if you are unsuccessful in drawing a special permit somewhere else. However, Idaho should not be overlooked when it comes to applying for special permits. To apply

there, you will need to decide which species are the most important to you. If you want to apply for elk, deer and/or pronghorn, you will be ineligible to apply for a sheep, moose or goat permit. If you choose one of the latter three, you are limited to a single specie. With those restrictions in mind, since most of my clients have multiple elk applications in process, we typically choose the sheep permits. But if chasing lottery odds for a sheep permit is not your thing, there are some exceptional elk opportunities as well. Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest, rocky bighorn sheep typically come from Unit 1 along the Snake River and the border with Oregon and Washington. This unit has extremely tough drawing odds, but holds real possibility for a trophy class ram. If you move further south, along the border with Nevada, a trophy-quality California bighorn can be found. Look to Unit 46 for the best options in that species. Though the drawing odds are very tough for these sheep permits, Idaho does not employ any type of point system; so the odds of being a successful applicant are equal with someone who has been applying for many years. When it comes to elk hunting, most people go to Idaho for the over-the-counter tags. The way I see it, since you will have to purchase a hunting license either way, why not apply for a premium, limited-quota permit first, and then purchase the OTC tag if you are

Early Fall 2012

not drawn? You will be out a small application fee; but if you are drawn, your trophy potential has increased dramatically. Although not traditional elk habitat, the units in the southwest corner of the state grow some bulls that will make any trophy hunter drool. For the best bulls, apply for Unit 40. Montana At some point in their lives, most outdoorsmen and women dream of hunting Montana. Vast wilderness areas and healthy populations of most big game species, conjure up visions of mountain men and untouched beauty. Mix that with large antlers and massive horns and those dreams are easy to understand. For deer and elk, the application period ended in mid-March, so we are a bit late for this year. However, the largest bighorn sheep in the country

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reside in the Big Sky state. Anyone into hunting sheep knows that the Missouri River Breaks (Unit 680), produces some absolutely monstrous rams; a quick look at the drawing odds proves this is no secret. However, if you do not feel lucky enough to beat those odds, look to Units 482 or 216 for slightly better odds, but still good quality. One point of interest, that applicants need to know when considering applying for a permit this year, is that prior to 2014, Montana charged only moderate application and bonus-point fees to applyâ&#x20AC;Ś but required all license fees at the time of application. Those requirements changed this year. You no longer have to front the license fee, but you will have to submit a non-refundable $50 application fee along with the standard bonus-point fee for each species. Applying for a sheep, moose and mountain goat permit will cost over $200 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all non-refundable. That is a bitter pill to swallow; but like it or not, that does bring them

in line with other states that require you purchase a non-refundable hunting license before being able to apply. I know that this will cause some hunters to exit the Montana drawing, but I doubt that it will be enough to have serious effects on the drawing odds. Oregon and Washington

non-residents are limited to no more than 10% of the available tags. In Washington, they figure that since the probability of drawing is so small, purchasing an expensive license ahead of time is not required. In Oregon, for a real adventure, apply for the John Day River units; and if drawn, float the river. The float can take several days, but will give you access to public land that is otherwise inaccessible. If floating a river is not your idea of fun, look to the Beatys Butte unit. Both of these units contain the California Bighorn subspecies. If applying in Washington, the Swakane unit produces the biggest rams. I have had the privilege of attending a number of sportsman’s shows this year and have spoken with hundreds of interested hunters. In those conversations, I kept hearing the same thing over and over – ‘I want to go hunt out west someday’, or ‘I want to apply for one of those tags someday’; but I was unable to convince most of them to get into the game. You will never draw a tag you do not apply for; and ‘someday’ never comes. If applying for one of these hunts fits into your finances, and your schedule with family and work will allow it, make ‘someday’ happen this year, and apply for your dream hunt. Someone has to draw the tag – it may as well be you! Good luck!

Both Oregon and Washington are difficult for me to recommend as neither of them are exceptionally friendly to the non-resident applicant. Oregon only offers 3% of the available tags to non-residents, but also allows outfitters to take some of those ahead of the drawing. It is not uncommon for some units to have no tags available for the non-resident hunter, after the outfitter allocation. Washington requires that before you can apply, you must purchase an expensive hunting license that, depending on species, can exceed $450. If you are unsuccessful in the drawing, you are still stuck with the license. For those reasons, I typically do not recommend either state; though there are some decent over-the-counter options if you just want to go hunting. The bright spot in both states is, again, the sheep. The 3% Oregon limit does not apply; but

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Trophy Rock and Stealth Cam have teamed up to host your amazing trail cam photos! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re giving away a Stealth Cam trail camera and a gift package from Trophy Rock to the winner of each issue. Send your pics today to: WINNER! Scott Bergera, Utah mytrailcam@huntingillustrated.com. Great pics,r eaders! Keep â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em coming! HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com

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Ron Spomer

THE DUELING DUO Banquets and Clubs a Plenty Have too many been created?

con

By Scott Grange

Too Many Banquets

he year was 1975, and I was about to attend my very first Ducks Unlimited (DU) conservation banquet. All I had heard for a solid week from my buddies was what a blast this event was – and for a good cause. Duck hunting was a big deal in my family and now that I was an adult, it was time for me to step up and do whatever it took to insure the future of this wonderful pastime for my children and grandchildren. As far as I know, DU invented the conservation banquet concept. Coming off the heels of the great depression, Ducks Unlimited was founded in 1937, while much of the country was in the grips of widespread and prolonged drought, better known as the dust bowl years. Waterfowl populations plummeted as the prairie potholes of the ‘Duck Factory’ dried to dust. Had it not been for the herculean efforts of this organization and other programs like it, ducks may have joined their dodo bird cousins on the extinct list. Ah yes, the DU banquets of the 70’s, where the only woman present was a model whose clothes were auctioned off – literally; and only a few of us went home sober. A far cry

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from the 1937 banquet held at the Emerson Hotel in Baltimore or the black-tie event at the Yale Club in Midtown Manhattan. Nonetheless, a ton of money was raised for ducks; and I always went home feeling good for being a part of it. During the 80’s and 90’s, conservation groups sprung up like flowers in the desert after a rainstorm; and it didn’t take long for them to adopt the popular banquet concept for raising money. Feeling a sense of obligation, thousands like me found ourselves attending more events than the family budget could handle. Today, I can justify the banquets I attend, financially; but I worry about the young folks raising families, who share the same feeling of obligation I did forty years ago. Today, conservation banquets are more civil, much to the credit of the women who attend and share the passion. Problem is, there are too many of them, banquets that is. DU, SCI, NRA, SFW, RMEF, chucker, grouse, trout, pheasant, and the list goes on. And as I continue to support as many organizations as my personal resources will allow, my waist size continues to increase, a product of too many banquet dinners, while the thickness of my wallet shrinks. There’s just something wrong with this formula. It’s a shame and it’s not right that sportsmen and women carry the entire financial load of wildlife management while those who criticize us, do nothing. Perhaps we could convince the legislature to adopt a hidden ‘donation’ of two dollars on everyone’s utility bill, like they’re so good at doing. The money would be earmarked specifically for wildlife and allow the non-consumptive folks to finally

5DUELING5

contribute something other than hot air. Here’s an even better idea. Say we arrange a MMA-style fight between the leaders of the two super powers, Obama and Putin? The loser would have to step down from office, which would be a good thing for the world regardless of who lost. I’m certain the revenue generated from this one event would ensure a bright future for wildlife worldwide, and probably pay off the national debt as well! Joking aside, the number of wildlife conservation banquets has hit critical mass. It’s time for some smart guy or gal to dream up a better way for everyone to fund wildlife. The money save-the-world groups spend on heart string-tugging TV ads would go a long way in habitat restoration/acquisition projects. The irony of this, for the most part, is we all want the same thing when it comes right down to it. The tough part is getting everyone on the same page.

pro

By Ron Spomer

Land of the Brave, Home of the Options Mr. Grange is an eloquent spokesperson for the wealthy, but hardly a champion for the common man. Or is he? He’s correct that big-money tag buyers have pumped huge heaps of money into wildlife conservation. Choices. A curse and blessing for those

idea being the unification of individuals, organizations and government agencies interested in the conservation and restoration of wildlife resources. The concept must not have worked. Today, we have all the above groups plus National Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Delta Waterfowl, Ruffed Grouse Society, Wild Sheep Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, Safari Club International, Whitetails Unlimited (isn’t that rather like having a Coyotes Unlimited?), Dallas Safari Club, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife... Hey, where are you going? We’re just getting started. OK, I’ll spare you the complete litany. Point made. We have conservation groups like the Cheerios shelf in a supermarket. But that doesn’t mean we should dismiss them all. Of course we can’t belong to all of them, and can’t support each of them financially, but we can pick our favorites. And that must be the reason we

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have so many. A woman enthralled with ‘everything sheep’ may not wish to see her conservation contributions diluted in an organization that also protects goats, toads, and tigers. A man enamored of elk, elk, and big elk, might get frosty if he learns his donations have gone toward building wooden duck nest boxes. So let them choose! The argument against this is that all these organizations, with their directors and secretaries and logos and letterhead, waste funds. The simple truth is that good conservation benefits all wildlife and wild places; so why don’t we just all join forces and form a massive, all-powerful, hunter/ conservation juggernaut that will overwhelm the forces of evil and save North American wildlife, once and for all? Do you want that to remain a rhetorical question or a real one? Let’s pretend it’s real and give it this real answer: because if we did, a lot of volunteers and donations would go away. It’s human nature, folks. People -- even fair-minded, friendly, helpful, generous, angelic hunters – squabble. We’re selfish and needy and closeminded. Our way or the highway. If we were one big group, we’d burn ourselves out fighting over who’s ‘on first’. Three, or a dozen, power-hungry movers and shakers would fight over who got to be president. Five, or two dozen, subgroups would go to war over whether they should get more funds, time or organizational money for pronghorns, bobwhites, mule deer, or the poor Del Carmen Mountains whitetail subspecies. And nothing would get done. So here we are, standing in the aisle looking at all our Cheerios choices. You pick one, I’ll pick two, Scott can spread the love among three or four, and everyone will enjoy breakfast. Whether or not any of our tiny Cheerios boxes survive the ongoing plunder of our rapidly diminishing outdoor world remains the big and troubling question. Maybe Scott will get his wish and some bright young mind will come up with a better idea. We’ll need it if we hope to retain enough wild game and wild places to sustain hunting. Spring 2014

ILLUSTRATION: COURTNEY BJORNN

of us living in the U.S. of A. We get lots of options. So many, that we have too many. Do you want Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, Shredded Wheat, (they still make it), Wheaties, Trix, or Honey Bunches of Oats? You choose the Cheerios? Great. Would you like regular or Honey Nut, Multi Grain, Apple Cinnamon, Frosted, Banana Nut, Chocolate, Cinnamon Burst... The excess of everything, (except common sense, perhaps), has become a defining part of American life. And it’s crept into conservation organizations. If you recall your history, you’ll remember how Teddy Roosevelt, George Bird Grinnell, Gifford Pinchot, and other hunters who were also conservationists, formed our first citizen’s conservation group, the Boone & Crockett Club, in 1887. This club continues its mission to promote the conservation and management of wildlife and its habitat, to preserve and encourage hunting, and maintain the highest ethical standards of fair chase. A well-run, professional group with high standards. But it’s not alone. In 1922, the Izaak Walton League sprang up to protect fishing opportunities. By 1924, this group spearheaded a successful drive to establish the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, and gradually expanded its reach to encompass a variety of conservation issues from logging to energy waste. But it’s not flying solo. In 1927, an offshoot of Boone & Crockett started the American Wild Fowlers (AWF) to advocate for sport bird management. Three years later, More Game Birds began and absorbed the AWF. Seven years after that, Ducks Unlimited started up and swallowed More Game Birds. Ducks Unlimited wasn’t a lone goose flying in defense of conservation. Just one year before its creation, Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling, the conservationist/hunter cartoonist at the Des Moines Register newspaper, initiated a national organization titled the General Wildlife Federation. In 1938, the name was changed to National Wildlife Federation, with the

Tom Miranda - Archery Hunting Legend walking down the railroad tracks one day and I asked him what he was doing—he was running his line. So, I started carrying his backpack to learn the ropes, and one thing led to another. Next thing you know, I started buying my own traps and I was hooked. I was a trapper before I was a hunter. The first animal I ever killed was a muskrat. I shot my first deer—a doe—as a teenager with a recurve Fred Bear bow. Question: What drove you to focus on archery as your primary method of hunting? Miranda: When I was growing up, the old guy who lived next door to me [the trapper kid’s father] was an archer— this is where my bowhunting interest stemmed from in the early years. Later, as a pro trapper, I met another bowhunter named Jerry Herbst, and I picked up the bow again and haven’t looked back.

he drive to hunt is measured on a scale of relativity. For one hunter, to bring home a single meal might signify the pinnacle of his aspirations. Another hunter might not rest until he has claimed a particular trophy to fill a void on his wall. Tom Miranda’s addiction to hunting is one that can only be tamed by constant immersion in the pursuit of big game animals with a bow. From the rugged Rocky Mountains of North America to the barren African bush, Tom has stacked up lifetimes of experience as a traveling hunter. He never stops. His roots as an archery hunter stem from his intimate connection with wildlife through trapping. After years of trapping with a partner, and then by himself, Tom took a job as a government trapper in South Dakota. His skills on the trap line became so polished that he was hired to teach at the Fur Takers of America Professional Trappers College, accredited by Indiana’s Purdue University. There, one of his pupils recommended that he record his trapping tips on video—so he did. It was a choice that forever changed the course of his life, eventually leading him to establish a reputation as one of the most iconic hunters and video producers in the outdoor industry. Question: How did you evolve as a hunter? Miranda: It all really started when I stumbled onto trapping at the age of 11. I lived in Columbus, Ohio, and a teenage kid who lived next door trapped. I saw him 26

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Josh Dahlke adapt to be successful? What are you delving in now? Miranda: I went from being a hobby trapper to a professional trapper to a government trapper, and then into video and TV trapping and bowhunting. I have produced over 1,000 separate TV episodes on bowhunting in my career. During my quest for the Super Slam, I wondered why there were slams for all of North America’s big game— except whitetails. The reason was that biologists were split on how many whitetail subspecies there really are. So, with the help of Cy Weichert from ScoutLook, I formed an organization called Whitetail SLAM. Biologists Dr. Harry Jacobson and Dr. James Kroll, and Brian Murphy and Kip Adams from the Quality Deer Management Association helped us build a map of North America and divide it into eight whitetail subgroups, which are the foundation of the Whitetail SLAM. We built a website at www.WhitetailSLAM. com and started the club, which is only 2 years old now, but has honored nearly 40 Whitetail Slammers and has a membership near 6,000. Only bucks can be certified, and SLAMS can be claimed with any legal firearm, vertical bow or crossbow. A Whitetail SLAM is a slam for every hunter. It’s doable, fun and free to join. Question: On average, how many days per year do you hunt?

Question: When, why, and how did you decide to start filming your hunts? What did your path as a producer look like? Miranda: I started making “how-to” trapping videotapes in 1984. This progression took me into bowhunting videos. My first bowhunting VHS tape was Big Timber Bears: A Saskatchewan Bowhunting Adventure, released in 1988. My first TV show debuted on SportsChannel America in 1990, and my TV series, Outdoor Adventure Magazine, was picked up by ESPN in 1992. My shows ran on ESPN for 20 years. Currently, I appear in Mathews Territories Wild and Mathews Adventure Bowhunter. Question: You killed the Super Slam of North American big game animals with your bow, on camera. Talk a bit about this incredible journey. Miranda: The Super Slam took 13 years, 54 hunting trips and over 400 videotapes and discs to document the 29 North American big game animals included in the archery Super Slam. The Slam is something you don’t start out to achieve—it’s something that you grow into with enough experience and successful hunts of unique species. None of the hunts were easy. The most difficult was the Canmore Bow Zone bighorn sheep hunt. It was minus 40 degrees at 10,000 feet in the Canadian Rockies and we were tent camping. Sheep hunting is tough! Question: How did you break into the outdoor industry and

Miranda: I travel about 200 days a year promoting hunting, working at seminars, conventions and sport shows … and, of course, bowhunting. Question: What was your most frustrating moment in the field as a hunter? Miranda: Bowhunters get used to frustration. We all have bad days, bad shots and bad luck. Most frustrating was likely my second trip to Mexico, going after desert bighorn sheep. The first trip was 19 days and no shot. During the second trip, I was 20 yards from a huge ram and the cameraman couldn’t see him in the video camera, so he called me off the shot. Later in the trip, I missed a ram. I went home emptyhanded on a hunt that could have netted me the Grand Slam and Super Slam with one well-placed arrow. Another year would pass before I finished both Slams. Question: What was the most dangerous situation you’ve faced during your adventures? Miranda: In 2013, I was traveling in a military convoy through an area of localized trouble in Mozambique, when the convoy was ambushed. An RPG was fired at us, but missed the truck, and then a volley of machine gun fire. I took two bullets through my cruiser door but wasn’t hit. One of the soldiers on the back of the truck was killed. Pretty crazy experience. Question: You’re known as a professional bowhunter and TV personality. What’s another unique hobby or personal attribute that many folks don’t know about Tom Miranda? Spring 2014

it and it’s one hell of an accomplishment. Also, there is the infamous Triple Slam, which is a Grand Slam—of which I have—a Capra World Slam, and an Ovis World Slam. Only two bowhunters have achieved this and it’s something I have a sharp eye on.

Miranda: I’m a big book collector—mainly old books on voyages, shipwrecks and pirates. I have over 4,000 books, some dating back to the 1500s. I also love free-dive spearfishing. Question: If you had one piece of advice to offer the average bowhunter for achieving success afield, what would it be? Miranda: Practice your bow shooting often and never give up. Bowhunting is all about persistence and being in the right place, so look for small animal cues or signs that can help you get in position to make a shot. Question: Have you ever wanted to give up on a hunt? Miranda: Of course there are hunts and frustrating circumstances that make a bowhunter want to give up. But, bowhunting is a mind game even more than it is physically demanding. Bowhunting is a metaphor for life, as anything that’s worth achieving requires hard work and determination. You don’t achieve goals by giving up—the recipe for success is to work harder and smarter and never quit. Question: Now that you’ve succeeded in completing the Super Slam, what goals do you have left as a hunter? Miranda: I would like to attain Safari Club International’s World Hunting Award. Only four bowhunters have done 28

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Editor’s Note: Tom Miranda’s Adventure Bowhunter book and DVD set chronicle his 13-year quest for the archery Super Slam; both are available at www.TomMiranda.com. The book is 368 pages with nearly 400 stunning color photos. The three-DVD set runs 320 minutes and includes commentary from Jack Frost, Tom Hoffman, Frank Noska and Tom Miranda.

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Spring 2014

Staff

PRODUCT WATCH

New Products for Serious Hunters Nightforce - TS-82 Spotting Scope

For many years, Nightforce was asked, “When will you make a spotting scope as good as your riflescopes?” That question has been answered with the introduction of the TS-82™ Xtreme Hi-Def™ 20-70x spotting scope. The TS-82™ not only meets, but exceeds, the quality, resolution and brilliance of the most highly respected European spotting scopes. It incorporates APO fluorite glass, difficult to work with, but unsurpassed for true, brilliant color. Its 82mm objective lens provides exceptional low-light performance, and proprietary Nightforce lens coatings result in superb contrast and brightness. A hydrophobic coating immediately sheds water without leaving residue, and helps repel fingerprints and smudges. The TS-82’s internal prism design provides maximum light transmission, as opposed to mirrors that absorb critical light rays. It also reduces eye fatigue and extends viewing time. The new scope produces crisp, razor-sharp resolution with no distortion from edge to edge. Its aluminum body provides ruggedness and themal stability. It is thoroughly shock tested and waterproof. Adapters are available allowing the attachment of an iPhone® 4 or 5, allowing high-resolution photos of wildlife or any faraway object. An optional 30-60x wideangle eyepiece is also offered, changing made quick and secure with a quick-release bayonet mount. Both straight and angled configurations of the TS82™ are available. The Nightforce design includes an integral tripod mount, built-in sunshade, the ability to rotate and lock the scope for various viewing angles, and a large, highly precise and fast center focus ring—easy to use even while wearing gloves. The TS-82™ Xtreme Hi-Def™ 20-70x spotting scope has a MSRP of approximately $2600. For more information, visit www.NightforceOptics.com

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HuntNdurance - Nutrition for the Hunter As a family of hunters of all types of big game animals we have tried all the nutrition bars out there. After studying nutrition we found it disheartening that major nutrition bar makers still choose ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors despite the recent research linking them to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Friends and family also lament the laundry list of unpronounceable ingredients on the back of bar wrappers while simultaneously claiming that the product is “all natural”. While trying many of the nutrition bars available we noticed we crashed by mid-morning after eating a sugary, processed energy bar. We were shocked at how unhealthy the massproduced nutrition bars we had been using for years were. We found that most nutrition bars are loaded with saturated (or the ‘bad’) fat and refined sugar, while shortchanging us on fiber and polyunsaturated (the ‘good’) fat. So, we decided to start making our own bars, which are high in protein, but still have plenty of fiber and are low in saturated fat. You want natural? Just pronounce the ingredients on the back of all of our bars - basic and pure nutrition at the highest standards available. We also noticed that over the counter type of Energy Shots and Drinks are not properly formulated and make a person jittery and unstable. That’s the last thing you need while setting up for a 200+ yard shot of a lifetime. Many times you only get that one shot. Our energy Shot and Drink will give you noticeable energy but you won’t experience that initial burst of shakes and jitters because our formula was developed for hunters, not athletes. Our story may sound familiar. We believe many hunters, like us, care about what goes into their bodies. Not only should food taste good, but it must also allow our body to perform properly and give us enough endurance to perform at the extreme level necessary while walking, climbing or chasing animals for miles through multiple canyons. Our products have been developed with the hunter in mind. Health and nutrition are a huge part of our success every fall, and we hope you enjoy the products that we’ve developed for you as much as we do.

Kenton Clairmont

Fitness - Train to Hunt Spring Prep

ew Years resolutions have come and gone, and although the rut is a long way off, it is never too early to start getting ready for hunting season. Now is the time to start dialing in your equipment, looking at maps, applying for trophy areas, and preparing your number one asset which is your body. Everywhere you look there are new and exciting fitness programs that guarantee you will see results. The most valuable thing about a training program is finding the right one for you. Generally speaking there are three things that a fitness program has to have for you to stick with it. 1. It has to be specific to you and your goals. If you are training for hunting, the workouts should consist of lifts, exercises and movements that are going to make you an efficient predator. 2. It has to be convenient. The workouts must fit into your daily schedule, and you should be able to do them anywhere. 3. Workouts need to be fun. This is a key component, because you will stick to a program that you enjoy doing. If the thing you like practicing the most is shooting, then mix shooting into your workouts as often as possible. I wouldn’t suggest that you go shooting your weapon at your local gym, but if you have a target and some space at your house you can always mix shooting into your workouts. Here is an example of a workout that you can do at home that will help you get in shape specifically for hunting and allow you to get

in some great shooting practice at the same time. Wearing a 20-40 pound pack do 4 rounds of... ▪▪ ▪▪ ▪▪ ▪▪ ▪▪

10 push-ups 10 squats 10 lunges 400 yard run Shoot 1 arrow at 30 yards

The great part about this type of workout is that the exercises can be replaced with any other exercise and you have a completely different workout. As you get in better shape you simply increase the repetitions, increase the running distance, and increase the weight in your pack. In order to track your progress I suggest timing your workouts. Every time you repeat a workout, your goal should be to improve your time. Being able to perform the same amount of work in a shorter period of time is a sign that you are increasing your fitness level, your work capacity, as well as your movement efficiency. The other advantage of timing a workout is that you will not be spending much time standing around which will lead to quicker workouts and faster results. Hunting is a physically demanding sport and the mountains don’t care what gear you are carrying, or how much you have sacrificed to be on a hunt. The only thing that truly matters in the mountains is that you are physically and mentally prepared for anything that is thrown at you. Strap on your hunting pack, grab your weapon and head to your training grounds. Hunting season is going to be here before you know it. Train hard, Train smart, Train To Hunt.

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Steve Alderman

MULE DEER Creating the Best of the Best! Do mule deer management hunts work?

an mule deer be managed similarly to that of their cousin the whitetail? In this article, we look at the pros and the cons of management hunts and their effect on mule deer. We will discuss what distinguishing factors identify a management deer, and why antler structure, age, and environmental factors should all be considered before pulling the trigger on a management deer. Almost all deer managers

will agree there has been a huge success in managing whitetail deer over the last twenty years. What many mule deer managers don’t agree on is that mule deer can be managed in the same fashion. Too much public land, and too many variables to consider when implementing a management hunt, scares most of them away. So, for this article we are going to concentrate on areas that game managers consider trophyhunt areas. Why not start small and try it? Utah has begun implementing

management hunts in some of its trophy units. Although it’s too early to tell if they are working are not, the implementation has sparked a handful of debates. Let’s take a look at some of them, shall we? Utah implemented a threepoint antler restriction for a few of its trophy areas to cull out some of the mature three-points. Do antler configurations determine a genetic malfunction? In most cases, NO! There are two or three other factors

“Utah implemented a three-point antler restriction for a few of its trophy areas to cull out some of the mature three-points. Do antler configurations determine a genetic malfunction?”

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Photo: Vic Schendel

There can be several factors that can affect a buck’s antler growth from one year to the next. A buck that’s a 3-point this year isn’t necessarily going to be a 3-point next year.

that should be looked at before one can say a three-point has inferior genes. Age structure, nutrition, and bodily injuries are common factors that can cause antlers to lack the genetically superior, four-point, antler structure. In my opinion, one should first look at the nutrition a buck receives from its mother at birth, and continue all the way through the death of that buck. What I’m trying to say is a genetically superior buck may grow a less-than-optimal rack due to bad nutrition. In other words, lack of proper nutrition can cause a four-point buck to grow a three-point rack at any age. It doesn’t mean he will, but he can. A bad moisture year can cause a wild deer of any age to grow a less than desirable rack; although the next year, with good nutrition, he could be a monster. Nutrition and deer health are the hardest factors to determine but should be considered prior to considering the harvest. Secondly, one should look at the age structure of a deer. Many

2-1/2 year old bucks in the wild will sport three points or less. Genetically, this means nothing for the majority of them. At this age, the mule deer is still learning what to eat, what has the best nutritional value and what will carry him into the winter in the best health. By the age of 3-1/2, a mule deer is becoming an adolescent. Antler structure is starting to take shape and the main configuration is starting to become apparent. These antler characteristics generally maintain a consistent structure for the rest of his life. I say should, but not always. I have seen many three by fours turn into four by fours. I’ve also seen many three by fours switch their three point side from year to year, then out of nowhere, grow a fourth point. As a matter of fact, the giant buck I harvested last year was a big, wide, three-point - with a dropper, the year before I harvested him. His antler configuration was almost identical to the year before - except for the fact that he lost the dropper and grew G-3’s on both sides. We knew he was a young buck that had great potential and he didn’t

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let us down. All we had to do was give him the chance to grow another year, to be a true wall-hanger. He came into the fourth year of his life as a 36-inch wide, heavy 4x6, that I couldn’t let go another year. The prior year he would have met Utah’s definition of a management buck by having no more than three points on one side. He was hardly a management buck, but most people don’t take the time, (or know how), to judge the age of a deer. Once taught, however, a deer’s age is fairly easy to determine if you know what to look for. So, are these management hunts worth it or are we just harvesting a lot of young deer? Oh, they are definitely worth it. The hard part is keeping people from shooting a deer that is not a management buck. Not all three-points are management bucks; so teaching people to judge the age and health of a deer would be essential. Add age to antler configuration, and you can make a difference in your herd’s overall genetic struc-

Spring 2014

Photo: Vic Schendel

ture over time. Look at what the whitetail people have done with their deer. Fairly large tracts of land are managed for superior genetics in both high- and low-fence operations. Look at what the Lakosky’s, Kisky’s, and many others have done with wild, free-ranging, whitetail deer. It can be done with mule deer; but it will be more difficult and time consuming with the large tracks of public land and the lack of caring about a buck’s age from uneducated hunters. I spend most of my summer and fall in trophy deer units. One particular unit in my home state has been managing trophy deer for 35 years, and desperately needs a management hunt. Large, mature, three-points are very abundant in this unit. Many of them are the breeders passing on their, (more than likely bad), genetics to future generations of bucks and does. I know it takes two, and the doe plays a huge role, if not even a bigger part than the male; but we need

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to start somewhere. Without being able to manage the does, it will take longer to improve the herd’s genetics, but it can be done. There is a downside to these hunts, and by now I’m sure it’s crossed your mind a time or two while reading this article. The biggest downside is that not all the deer harvested are going to be management bucks. A buck that is too young will more than likely be on the wrong side of the bullet from time to time. It might be the occasional ‘I didn’t see the fourth point’ excuse. It’s going to happen; there is nothing that can be done to prevent it. It is imperative to educate, as well as we can, in the time allotted, before the hunter takes to the field. If they pull the ‘I didn’t see the fourth point’ excuse, then ticket them; they should have spent more time studying the deer for age and antler structure before they pulled the trigger. The benefits to having some of these so-called management hunts, is obviously the benefit to the genetic health of the herd. Almost equally as

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important, it gives the game departments other avenues to get more hunters into the field, which in turn puts more money into the department’s hands. It is a win for both the hunter and the game agencies. These management hunts should be implemented in every state, in every trophy unit. An online class, teaching one to properly age a deer, should be mandatory to pass, before a hunter is allowed in the field. Also, a mandatory check-in should be required, to see if the program is working or needs to be tweaked a bit. Why not improve the genetics, especially when it gets more hunters in the field and helps improve the game department’s alreadystruggling revenue issues? This solution is better than lowering the hunting age. It is really a no-brainer, as the pros significantly outweigh the cons. There is really no excuse for not implementing management hunts in trophy units, except for the fact that you don’t want to follow someone else’s lead.

Spring 2014

PHOTO: DOYLE MOSS

Steve Chappell

ELK Hunting Comrade We all need a good friend at our side

t always brings a smile to my face when I hear that old saying, “If you have two friends in your lifetime, you’re lucky. If you have one good friend, you’re more than lucky.” Apparently I am a very, very lucky guy! While some of us would not necessarily equate elk hunting with friends, those two things are pretty much inseparable in my book. No doubt, I have enjoyed some meaningful elk hunts in my career, going it alone, as was the case with my very first archery bull some 20 years ago. However, my most enjoyable and

rewarding elk hunts have always been those shared with friends. Matter of fact, I can very distinctly reminisce about three bulls that I would not even have in my trophy room had it not been for the help of good friends accompanying me on the hunts. So just what defines a good elk-hunting friend? Some things that come to mind would hold true for all walks of life, while others are more hunting-specific. These are the traits that I have appreciated the most about my elk hunting friends over the years. After each trait, I have included a

“...Winter calf survival is only 30 to 52% in areas with relatively high wolf numbers. This compares to calf survival rates of 71 to 89% prior to 2004, when wolf densities were lower.”

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friendship quote that I think encapsulates the meaning. True friends never view each other as competition - While having a competitive spirit can be a good thing, I believe that in hunting there is a fine line between competition being healthy or detrimental. I think the determining factor is whether or not a friend is genuinely happy for your successes or whether he becomes jealous or resentful when you succeed. Now let’s turn it around; when your buddy meets you back at camp to tell you the great news that he just tagged a 350” bull, are you truly happy for him or do you harbor jealousy and wish the success was yours? It’s human nature to be jealous and competitive but I always try to keep friendships above bragging rights. “The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.” Friends don’t keep secrets from you - True friendship is a two-way street. This also applies to hunting with someone who you consider to be a great friend. I can’t help but feel offended when I’m around people who claim to be my friends but yet seem to keep secrets about where they are hunting. Now I will be the first to say that I don’t just share my hardearned hunting spots with just anyone; but when I am around my trusted friends - there are no secrets. Especially if I want their help packing my bull out! “It’s not about who is real to your face, it’s about who stays real behind your back.” Friends look for ways to help - This to me is not only the mark of a friend but one of the indicators of what it takes to be a ‘man’s man’. Have you ever been around someone who just sat around while everyone else set up camp, cooked, cleaned up, etc? I’m not

The sportsmanship & unselfishness of Charlie Rust resulted in a new friendship between him and the author.

talking about our 80-year-old Grandpas - they have earned that right! But the 40-year-old guy who thinks he is above helping, was either not raised right or is just a lazy sloth. My friends are incredibly helpful when it comes to helping at camp. If a travel trailer needs to be set, dinner prepared, or water picked up for camp, they are right there getting their hands dirty. I always strive to be that kind of friend as well and look for ways to help! “Friendship consists in forgetting what one gives and remembering what one receives.” Friends give honest advice in kind way - True friends aren’t afraid to give wise counsel when absolutely necessary, but do it in a tactful way. If your buddy was in the truck with you, blowing his cow call, and it sounded terrible, what would you do? I once told a friend he was polluting my brain with his cow calling in the truck! Although there was some truth to it and I said it in the most joking around way, I probably should have kept my mouth shut. Now on the other hand, if he was bending or breaking game laws that could get him in trouble, that is when wise words should be offered in the most loving, non-critical way. As a guide, I also have to be very tactful and kind about passing along advice to my hunters in a non-critical way. If something in their gear is constantly making noise or if they are not setting up properly, something needs to be said. But, it’s important to consider not only what is said, but also how it is said. “Don’t flatter yourselves that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your friends. On the contrary, the nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.” Friends never leave to go home when you have a bull to pack out! - Amazingly, I have seen this first hand on a couple of occasions. Sure, if there is a family emergency or someone has to be back for work, then there is a legitimate reason for a friend to head home. While out on the late season Arizona elk hunt this last season, my hunter and I met another hunter who was alone. As we visited, he related to us that his ‘friends’ had tagged their bulls which he helped pack out, and then they had split on him the next day to go home for no real good reason. He was very disappointed and felt betrayed since his friends had said to him before the hunt that they were ‘all in it together until the end’. It reminded me of that country song by Tracy Lawrence - “You find out who your friends are.” His friends obviously had not let the truths of that song

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Spring 2014

After tagging a bull of his own, David Turnipseed extended friendship to Steve & his hunter by helping them with a difficult pack out.

sink in. I was also reminded of that same song, when my hunter and I tagged a bull in a canyon on an evening hunt. We packed a light load out that night but still faced two more trips in and

out the next day to finish the job. A hunter who I had just met a few days earlier checked in with me that night to see how we were doing on the hunt. When he found out we had succeeded but still had more packing to do, he gladly volunteered to help and saved us an extra trip that next day. Let me tell you, he was appreciated, and was awesome help! That is a friend in my opinion. “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” A good friend is a great elk caller - Ha ha! If you are an archery hunter, having a friend who is a great caller can make all the difference for you on your elk hunt. So it’s not a bad idea to buy your best friend some elk calls and tell him he’s got until elk season to become the Elk Whisperer. Better yet, practice to perfect your elk calling so that you can be a great, unselfish

After tagging a bull of his own, David Turnipseed extended Joe Latter Sr.&&his Joehunter Latterby Jr.helping with anthem elk that friendship to Steve withthe a author guided Joe Sr. to. This difficult packwas out.an incredible father & son elk hunt and memory made together.

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5ELK5

friend and call in that big bull for your buddy! “There is some self interest behind every friendship…” ☺ Elk hunting is so fun and fulfilling for me because, as I like to say, “It’s not just about killing them- it’s about tricking them!” As a guide, that is where I get my satisfaction. And, of course, in making new friends, and seeing the big smile on my hunter’s faces when they succeed! Have an incredible time on your elk hunts this fall and enjoy the experiences shared with your friends that only the outdoors can offer. My hope is that you will create more lifelong memories hunting elk together! For more information about elk hunting & elk calling log on to www.ChappellGuideService.com

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Les Johnson

PREDATORS Baiting Coyotes It’s calculated guesswork

s much as I try to break away from a little sarcasm in my daily life, it always seems to find a way back in. With the title of this article, one could assume that I am going to be talking about a dead pile near a rancher’s livestock. Inherent in my sarcasm, there is always an underlying theme, as I try to convey a way to think beyond what the words of the title suggest. Most all of you are probably aware of my background in coyote calling competitions. I’ve said many times, while giving presentations across the U.S. and Canada, that my style of hunting was what you might consider ‘run and gun’. Along with the ‘run and gun’ terminology, I typically ‘baited coyotes’ as well, while calling.

My ‘run and gun’-style of calling involved practically sprinting out to a calling stand and usually waiting a maximum of 12-15 minutes for a coyote to respond. My style would also be best described as a caller who tried to call 15-25 stands in one day. My own theory was that I would successfully call a coyote - one out of three stands; therefore, I wanted to make as many stands as possible in one day, with the hopeful result of calling 5-8 coyotes a day. Obviously there is a chance of calling multiple coyotes on a stand; but, there is also the chance of missing coyotes after shooting at them, so success is entirely determined by the person doing the calling. My terminology of ‘baiting coyotes’ also related to competition calling;

The title of this article may sound deceiving. The author actually focuses on leading shots and combating wind to place a terminating shot on coyotes.

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5PREDATORS5

but it has stuck with me long after the competition days. In all of the competitions that I was involved in, there was a very high probability of fairly strong winds during the hunts. When hunting in a state like Wyoming, normal winds can exceed 20 mph; and I have hunted in competitions where the wind speeds were over 60 mph. A classic example, which demonstrates the strength of wind, was a time when my partner and I called in wind so strong, we couldn’t even walk into the wind. We had to lean really hard into it just to move forward. On one particular stand that my friend Don was filming for me, I called in a coyote that was so paranoid from the wind that it would not come in. When I started

calling the thick, sagebrush bottom, he instantly sat up out of his bed. The coyote wouldn’t come in and finally turned broadside, like it was going to leave. I knew that I needed to shoot then or never. Experience and gut instinct made me put the crosshairs about three feet in front of the coyote, not even on the coyote. I guessed the wind to be over 60 mph, (if it had been 90 mph, I wouldn’t have known any different); it was the strongest wind that I had ever tried to call in. When I squeezed the trigger, the coyote went straight down. After walking up on the coyote and inspecting it to see where I had hit it, I noticed that the entry was about 6-8 inches behind the shoulder; the wind drift factor was something I had never seen before. One other contestant told me that he had put the crosshairs five feet in front of a broadside coyote, at 200 yards, and made the shot as well. Moral of the story, the first liar doesn’t have a chance! ☺ Hunting in competitions involv-

ing a lot of wind, forces you to make adjustments to your hunting and calling strategies. You may start a day with one plan; but once the wind kicks up to 30-40 mph, you need to change your plans in order to have a successful outcome. What this means is, I may try and call more open terrain while the wind is manageable or under 20 mph; but once wind speeds pick up, I’m looking for wooly draws and terrain where I can position myself for better sound travel while calling. I like to call this baiting. If the wind kicks up and I know that my sound is not getting out far enough, I position myself so that I am going to be giving the coyote a travel route toward my location; meanwhile, I use the wind to transport my sound downwind, so it can be heard at a much greater distance than calling head-on into the wind. The day prior to the one where I had to aim three feet in front of a coyote, also proved to be very windy as well. I had made a total of 26 stands during that day and it was not until the very last stand of the day, that I called in two coyotes and was able to take both of them. I used the wind and forced the coyotes to show up downwind of me where I could have a good shot at them. Using the wind to project my sound out a little farther helps the coyote feel more secure responding to it, since they know that they can get downwind rather than circling all the way around you. When you make it easy for them, sometimes they just

cannot resist. While calling near bigger timber plots, I like to bait coyotes by setting up at a location that will allow the coyote to use a natural travel corridor to get directly downwind of me...sometimes letting that travel corridor be a fence line, draw with brush and weeds, or a tree line, etc. The goal in all of this is to position yourself from a calling stand where the wind is hitting you and blowing toward a travel corridor. This allows your sound to travel to the area where you think the coyotes are, and gives them a travel lane to try and get downwind of you. You want to be able to shoot the coyote before it gets to your downwind. As it gets later in the season, (February or March), this method typically becomes the standard way to call for me. Coyotes are far spookier and a lot of the ‘less fortunate’ have already been taken out of the gene pool. Sometimes you need to throw the coyotes a bone, to project the image that they can approach your location from a safe vantage or a lane/corridor that they may be familiar with, rather than trying to pull them across an open field, etc. Use the wind and set up accordingly so it actually gives the coyote the best advantage. If there are two of you hunting, send the person not calling, out closer to a downwind vantage point, where the coyote may present a shot. Instead

Cold, windy conditions can make hunting unbearable, but the best are persistent and find a way to have success, no matter the elements.

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Spring 2014

of that particular spot being 300400 yards from the caller, it can now be a 100-200 yard shot for the downwind shooter. Nothing is a given when calling predators. The best chance we all have is to learn from what we have experienced in the past. I love to use the wind to push my sound out there; but I also like to have a good idea of what travel route the coyote might take when responding to my calling. Several years ago, while calling in Canada, I actually positioned my calling so that coyotes could use snowmobile tracks to come to my location. The snow was extremely deep and after a snowmobile traveled across the land, the tracks were compacted enough that coyotes traveled on them to avoid the deep snow. In one instance, there were piles of straw out in a field; I used that as my calling location and positioned myself so that the coyote had to come out of the timber and travel down the snowmobile trail before it could

get to my wind. With that in mind, I was able to stop the coyote short of my wind and make the shot. Another time, I set up and called from an old cattle corral and loading shute; but I knew that the coyotes would use a fence line to get to me, coming from some timber which was their bedding area.

Using the wind to ‘bait’ the coyotes into the location where I want them has been a successful technique for me. The next time you’re out and things aren’t working very well, try to do a little baiting of your own. Good luck on your Quest. Call Often….AND….Shoot Straight! Let’s Get To CALLIN!!! LJ 200-yard shots in 60 mph wind? Here’s your proof!

5PREDATORS5

Spring 2014

Photo Story

HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com

CARIBOU IN ALASKA

A PRIMOS BLIND IS AWARDED TO EACH PHOTO STORY AUTHOR. SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO STORY TO: EDITOR@HUNTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

Erik harvested this Alaskan bull on his very first hunt (photo: David Johnson)

Photos: Erik Henne Incredible video of this hunt: vimeo.com/82020154

Spring 2014

Photo Story

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CARIBOU IN ALASKA

A PRIMOS BLIND IS AWARDED TO EACH PHOTO STORY AUTHOR. SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO STORY TO: EDITOR@HUNTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

David Johnson harvested the biggest bull on this expedition. The moment was perfect. Do you have a Photo Story to share? Submissions can be sent to: Hunting Illustrated PO Box 1045 â&#x20AC;˘ Gunnison, UT 84634 editor@huntingillustrated.com

Spring 2014

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Photo: Vic Schendel

Few have enjoyed the success of a 200+ inch deer. The author was lucky enough to harvest two in back-to-back seasons in Colorado.

BY DUSTIN HALL BY RACHELLE HEDRICK

The author spotted some great bucks during his hunt. Can he get another chance at a 200-inch class muley?

n 2013, I ended up with a 4th season tag for the same unit where I had killed a 218-3/8” the previous year. I was excited, yet knew that there would be no way I could surpass what I had done the prior year…or could I??? I knew available time for hunting would be limited in 2013, because I had an archery whitetail tag in South Dakota, a deer tag in Utah, and a late season deer tag in Wyoming that actually overlapped my Colorado tag. Due to my prior success in Colorado, I decided to shorten the Wyoming hunt if it proved necessary. My plan was to hunt Wyoming until the day before my Colorado hunt opened and then head straight to Colorado, and that is exactly what I did. I knew the best days to hunt the Wyoming unit were the two I had to give up, but I had to do it and I’m sure glad I did!! As always, I was concerned with the weather, as it is so critical to the deer and their movements and behavior. There had been some significant early snow and more was forecasted, so I knew the odds were in my favor of finding lots of deer in the area because it was on the migration route to the winter ground. We packed up our Wyoming camp and set out on our 800-mile trek to Colorado. As we closed in on our destination, I was glad to see lower temperatures and snow accumulation. I also noticed a lot of deer movement and signs of rutting along the highways, so I knew the deer were moving well. We arrived, settled in, and then did some glassing until dark. I glassed several mature bucks but no jaw-droppers or first-day shooters. So as I went to bed that night, I was excited, but didn’t anticipate the ‘first-day-harvest’ luck I had enjoyed the previous year.

We woke the next morning to a balmy four degrees but it really didn’t feel that cold as I was pumped with excitement. We began glassing the first basin, as we had done the previous year, and saw a lot of deer… but nothing to get too excited about. We continued to work our way through several draws as well as the same area where I had previously taken my buck. By now it was getting late enough that the deer were bedding down after their morning feeding. We decided to work our way around the rim where a sage hillside met a thick pine draw on the other side. I knew many of the deer used that area for bedding. We hoped to catch a few remaining deer moving from the feeding area to the timber bedding area. As we approached the vantage point we wanted, we were busted by a group of deer in front of us that we hadn’t noticed. As I looked up, I stared directly into the rising sun and for the second time in a row, in the very same basin, my eyes were drawn to an AMAZING AMOUNT OF BONE on the ridge ahead. Only this time the buck knew we were there and there was no way to stop him. I quickly steadied my gun and tried to take aim on the giant, but all I could see was sunshine. I knew that I had a tough decision to make; one, I could take a shot with him on the move before he hit the timber; or two, let him disappear and risk not finding him again. The buck reached the ridge and the edge of the dark timber where I could see him better, minus the glare of sun that had filled my scope previously. I knew that if I took the shot it would be against my better judgment; I also knew just what I was risking by letting the deer disappear. I let the 7 RUM buck just as he dove into the timber and that unmistakable whack of a hit rang back!!!! I made my way over to where I had last seen him, expecting to look over the edge into the timber and see him piled up…but guess what? He wasn’t there. I was completely deflated, as I knew without a doubt I had hit this animal but there was no blood or evidence to support it. We decided to back out of the timber and move to another vantage point where we could see directly into the timber from the opposite side. I was sick as we made our way to the other side. How could this be?!! We reached a good spot on the other side of the hill where we could see the timber as well as a sage opening on a shelf directly below the timber pocket, and began glassing. After several minutes, we caught some movement on the edge of the brush and timber. We were 1100 yards away so we quickly got the spotting scopes on the movement. I couldn’t believe my eyes! He was there and obviously sick. I knew we would just have to wait him out and let him expire rather than try to close in for a clear shot and risk bumping him out. We watched patiently as he had his head laying sideways, flat on the ground, raising it occasionally, only to let it fall right back down. I assumed it wouldn’t be long; but much to my surprise, he got up and slowly walked just out of sight. Again I was sick!!! I still felt like we should wait and see if he reappeared, as we could see every possible escape route that he could use; so we waited and glassed all afternoon. Any deer that got near the spot where we last saw him, were on high alert and some even scattered when they got close; I Spring 2014

Riding horseback helped Jim and his team move between camp and basins in the pursuit of screaming bulls

At 224-3/8 inches, Dustin’s buck was an absolute giant! He was glad he didn’t skip out on this hunt.

was pretty sure he was right where we had lost sight of him. As the evening light faded, all of the deer we had watched bed in the area started getting up and feeding. There was no sign of my buck, so I knew one of two things…he had expired where we last saw him; or, he had some how eluded us and made his escape. I decided that we should wait until the next morning to go investigate; believe me, that was the longest night of my life. The next morning, we carefully made our way down from the ridge top, along the fringe of the timber pocket. As we made our way down, we carefully glassed the landscape and the deer we encountered along the way. We looked at several nice bucks, including a mid-180’s class deer that was 30” wide. As we made our way to the bottom of the pocket of timber and to the edge of the sage, I knew we were close. We slowly crept down the edge of the timber and as we neared the crest of the hill where I could see the lone pine that was our landmark for our last sight of him, I saw the most magnificent site I had ever seen. There he laid…the biggest buck I had ever seen in my life lay before me and he was right where we last saw him. He was hit a little far back and had been liver shot. When I got my hands on this buck I was speechless to say the least. He had an amazing amount of mass and character and was truly a TROPHY!!! The buck ended up scoring 224-3/8”, with 46.5” of mass and 32” wide.

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Spring 2014

The premature arrival of twins were priority #1. With their good health in check, and a supportive wife, the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elk hunt was back on.

found out about my hunt differently than most. My brother Scott called me while I was working in Idaho, to tell me that he had found a tag that we could buy for a great deal. We bought the tag and couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for September 2013 to come around. As the months passed, I started to prepare. Every spare minute that I had from January to September was spent getting ready for my hunt of a lifetime. I ordered a new gun from Fierce Firearms in .338 Lapua. I made several trips to the desert to try and locate water sources. I bought more trail cameras and built metal boxes for all of them. Finally, I felt I was as prepared as possible. Right off, I started to get pictures of bulls; even though

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they only had a few weeks of antler growth, I found myself daydreaming of what they would grow into. In March, my wife and I found out we were having twin boys. In April, we learned there were several complications with the pregnancy. We had to make an emergency trip to Houston for surgery; my wife had to stay on bed rest, and despite all of our efforts to keep those boys cooking as long as possible, they came May 25th. My life changed that day; my elk hunt was the last thing on my mind. I moved our camp trailer into a KOA near the hospital; my wife lived there and spent time with the boys everyday, while I tried to work and spend time with our two daughters as well as get up to the hospital to see my boys.

BY JOHN BARCLAY

After finding several large bulls and having an opportunity blown by other public hunters, the author and his help kept glassing for another bull he could put down.

I realized that my boys would probably not be out of the hospital before my hunt, so I began to explore the options of going with a guide. I decided to go with High Top Outfitters. They would do all the work that I no longer had time to do, and I would still have a chance at a great bull. In August, I bid some work in Milford and got the job. For three weeks, my workers and I started work earlier than normal so we could have afternoons to check cameras that had basically been abandoned since Spring. We had some awesome pics, and we were able to spot some of the bulls that we had on camera. My brother Scott had located some great bulls that we were very excited about. On Labor Day, I met my guide for the first time and he and I spotted together for the weekend. We spotted a ton of bulls, one in particular that we called ‘The Dragon’, because his bugle wasn’t like anything I had ever heard before; it was deep and raspy. I was able to watch this bull from about 200 yards for over an hour and he was a 390” class stud. For several nights after, I dreamt of him. One week before my hunt started, we got the good news that both my sons were going to be able to come home from the hospital. After 89 days in the NICU, my family was back together again. My wife is amazing and she said that she would do whatever it took to make sure I could have the necessary time to hunt the entire hunt. Thanks, as well, to my mother-in-law for all of her help to make that possible. I headed to the desert to meet my guide the Wednesday before my hunt started. He had several bulls located; in one burn alone, there were three shooter bulls. We spent each morning and evening watching bulls, and all midday checking trail cams. The rut was on in some areas and completely silent in others. Thursday night, my dad, brothers, and some friends showed up to help. We had plenty of eyes to help make a successful hunt. We analyzed every bull that we knew of and made a game plan for opening

morning. We had some of our guys glassing, while the rest kept tabs on other bulls, just in case ‘Plan A’ didn’t pan out. We got up early opening morning and started hiking in, well before daylight. As we hiked, we realized just how many hunters had the same game plan. In all directions around the elk you could see headlamps. We knew it was going to be tough. As we hiked in, the bugles got closer and closer and pretty soon they were all around us. We watched several respectable bulls, but we hadn’t spotted the bull we really wanted. As I watched a bull we named ‘Beamer’ leave a clearing, I looked behind us; a hunter and his guide were walking past us out into the opening. I knew once they walked into the opening, the elk were going to spook and none of us would have an opportunity. Sure enough, they looked at us from about 30 yards and rushed out into the opening. It was all over from there. The elk scattered in all directions. We thought we had the best position, but on public ground…all bets are off. We tried to change positions and get a shot on the elk that were now running out of the area. Despite our best efforts, it was all for naught. We met up with our party for lunch and started to put another plan together. I wasn’t happy about the morning’s experience and we decided that we didn’t want to be part of that type of hunting. My dad, and long-time family friend, Lee, had watched a great bull that morning and hadn’t seen another hunter in the area. We decided to spend the evening hunting that bull and let the pressure die down on the other bulls. It was a great night but we were unable to locate the bull they had watched. When we returned to camp, my brother Scott and our spotter Collin had located a huge bull in a desolate area not far from camp. The bull responded to cow calls, and they were able to get some video footage of him. It wasn’t the best footage, but from what we saw, we knew we had to go give him a second look. Spring 2014

Watch the author drop this bull in his tracks with his Fierce Firearms rifle: http://goo.gl/ixA4CV

Sometimes everthing just works out. This hunt was no exception. With strong support from family and friends, the author was able to take this incredible bull on public land.

The next morning, Dusty, Scott, Collin, and I were in position. We set up on top of some cliffs that overlooked a huge area of cedar trees. We glassed for about an hour and located several bulls in all directions. Despite our efforts, we could not turn up the big 5x6 from the night before. The few bulls we did see were not interested in our cow calls. At about 8:00 am, we were deciding to pack up and head to a new area, when we heard a deep bugle come from deep in the cedar trees. We weren’t sure if it was the same bull but we decided to keep calling and see what happened. After a few minutes of cow calling, we heard another bugle from the same bull and it sounded much closer. We kept calling and I started ranging all the openings I could see in the cedars below. As I was ranging, Dusty whispered, “I see him!” My heart started to race; I immediately found him in my scope and knew right off the bat that if he gave me opportunity, I was going to take him. His thirds were huge; he had mass and tine length; he was everything I had hoped for. He was at 1,100 yds. and closing slowly. Each time he stepped into a gap in the trees, I would range him; 975, 800, 675, he was working closer and closer, constantly smelling the air and looking left and right. He did not want to fall into a trap. I told everyone that if he made it to the last good clearing below us I was going to take the shot. It was 500+ yards and I felt very confident. Dusty set up his spotting scope with his phone-scoped adapter and we waited. He finally appeared in the opening, at 550 yards, and never stopped; I got really nervous thinking we might never get a good shot because of our angle. Then as if he knew where I wanted him to be, he turned around and walked back into the clearing. We started rolling video and waited for the perfect shot…but he never gave us the perfect broadside shot. He stood in the clearing for several minutes refusing to come any closer. I told everyone that I was going to take

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him there. They all asked, “Do you feel confident?” I said, “Yes.” Dusty said, “I have him on video. Take him whenever you want, bud!” …Boom! I heard the bullet hit him and I put another shell in for a follow-up, but it wasn’t necessary. Everyone was hoopin’ and haulerin’. “Dead bull! Dead bull”! He didn’t even move; that 225gr Nozzler Accubond dropped him in his tracks. I couldn’t believe it. I had just killed a giant character bull. We got on the radio and called everyone over, then made our way off the cliffs and down to him. As we got closer…he just got bigger. I was in awe. Everyone asked where I had shot him and I jokingly said, “In the heart!” Sure enough, I had put a hole right in the center of his heart. We took pictures, laughed, and enjoyed the moments before the real work began. This was the hunt of a lifetime for me and I was so grateful that I got to share it with my dad, brothers, and friends. I’ll cherish the memories for the rest of my life.

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Spring 2014

Like Like Son PHOTO: DOYLE MOSS

he year 2013 was shaping up to be my dream year for hunting. Two years previously, I had purchased the Arizona Governor’s Tag for mule deer at the Arizona Mule Deer Association banquet. This tag gives the fortunate recipient one full year to hunt trophy bucks beginning on August 15th of each year. It just happened that in 2012, the west, and especially the Arizona strip, was in a drought, one of the worst droughts in recorded history. These conditions are not good for antler growth and when you are hoping for a truly giant trophy, they can severely reduce your expectations. As expected from the conditions, 2012 ended up not being what we were hoping. The 2012 season ended, leaving all of my eggs in one basket, so to speak. We would have the first two weeks of August, 2013, to find my dream buck. I am a third generation lawyer and a fourth generation rancher, so we had plenty to do while we waited for August. As a boy, I grew up on my family’s ranch in the golden triangle in south Texas, and learned how to hunt from my father. We started out hunting squirrels and from there moved up to hogs and then whitetails. This not only was the Texas way, but the Adams way, as my grandpa taught dad in a similar fashion.

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I consider my father to be not only an avid hunter, but an avid conservationist. He has always looked for ways to give back to wildlife and the great outdoors that our family loves. This was made evident when he purchased the first Governor’s Mule Deer Tag from Arizona, in the late 80’s. The tag went for a whopping $8,000. That was a far cry from what I paid for the 2012 tag! But like my father, this was a way I felt I could give back, as most of this money stays on the ground in Arizona for mule deer projects, habitat restoration, and as 2012 showed us, some much-needed guzzlers. By the way, it also gave me the added opportunity to hunt the best place in the world for monster mule deer. In 2013, I was starting to feel like lady luck was on my side. I received my draw results for Arizona via e–mail; and, as I did for so many years, I opened the e-mail with great anticipation. I found that I not only drew a Unit-10 antelope tag, but I drew a Unit-10 archery elk tag as well. I felt like some great things were going to happen in 2013. I have known Doyle Moss of Mossback Guides and Outfitters for years. We have been on many successful hunts together. I told him I wanted to hunt the strip and he said, “I have just the guide for you.” That is when he introduced me to Torrey Brock of Kanab, Utah.

Father Doyle and Torrey are two of the hardest working hunters I have ever been around. Just to be able to hunt with the caliber of these two individuals really made my hunt that much more special to me. It really was a dream-team of mule deer guides. Torrey had his trail cameras working around the clock at over a hundred locations; and, Mother Nature was being much kinder to us in 2013. As of August 1st, Torrey had found some great bucks but no giants. I had surrendered to eating ‘tag soup’ when Torrey called and said they had a good buck to come and see. They had one particular buck on their trail cam pics that seemed to have a good rack with some cheaters and in-lines. The problem was, every picture they had of him only showed bits and pieces of his rack and we never could quite put him together. Torrey and Doyle estimated him to be over 220 inches, which at this point was good enough for a hard look. I knew lady luck was with me when my wife decided to come on the hunt. This was the first time she had ever hunted with me, so I was extremely happy to have my beautiful wife right by my side… every step of the hot, 115 degree, eight miles of hiking, way. When we arrived, Torrey and Doyle had the buck located. He was on a canyon rim that happened to

be one of the fingers of the Grand Canyon. As you can imagine, hunting during the first part of August, in this country, was brutal. We made the five-mile hike to where the guys were set up, with their spotting scopes. We got a glimpse of the buck moving up a side hill. We could tell it was our buck because of his big in-line but we still could not get a great look at him. We moved closer, to within 500 yards. The guys set their optics back up and we found him again; this time, we all got a good look at him. There is nothing like hearing two of the greatest mule deer guides in the world get excited and exclaim that this buck was a toad. They thought he was far bigger than originally anticipated. As you can imagine, my heart was racing. I remember as a boy, hearing my dad’s stories of his trips to the Kaibab and the Arizona strip to hunt giant mule deer, and it created a dream for me to some day hunt this legendary country myself. The dream was coming true and luckily, I had Misty there at my side to live it with me. After looking closely at the buck, determining that he was a magnificent animal, we watched him bed down. It was high noon and hot. We had used up all of our water and the little bit of food we had hiked in with. We were famished but had no choice but to stay put and wait him out. Finding some shade, we waited and waited Spring 2014

PHOTO: DOYLE MOSS

and waited. It was five o’clock when the buck stood up. We were about 450 yards from a true, Arizona monster; now all I had to do was put him down. I settled the crosshairs on him and my .308 Warbird did the rest. When we got up to the buck, it was a humbling experience. I could not help being awed by this mule deer. It blows me away how big the deer get in this area when considering how harsh, dry, and rough their terrain is, not to mention the pressure they get from predators. Torrey had one trail cam pic with five mountain lions on it. This buck managed to fight off one of the worst droughts on record, hungry mountain lions, and coyotes in order to reach his full potential. The deer gross-scored 273 whopping inches. He nets 254 2/8” BC. My father’s buck from the 80’s scored over 280”. Fourth generation ranchers, third generation lawyers, and now 2nd generation 270+ mule deer hunters… the Adams have been blessed. In 2013, I did have lady luck on my side. Thanks Misty for tagging along on the hunt!

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For years, Torrey Brock captured some of the biggest deer in the world on trail cameras. This deer is a prime example of the incredible potential of bucks on the Arizona strip.

Torrey Brock (left) and Doyle Moss (right) are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to hunting the biggest and the best and they prove it year after year.

Spring 2014

Game On!

A Hunt Expedition for Friends Produces Alberta’s #2 Typical Muley

n November, I received an email that read, ‘Pack your bags’! It was game on! I finally had the chance to hunt Mule Deer in Alberta, with one of the best Muley outfitters and guides in the industry – Terry Scott of Headhunters Alberta. I booked flights from New Zealand to Calgary and contacted a mutual friend – Derek White, from Rigby, Idaho, to see if he would join us. Also joining us was John Mogle, from Hunting Illustrated Magazine, Hunting Illustrated TV, and founder of Fierce Firearms. John was keen to film the hunt for his popular TV show and also test out the new Fierce Edge prototype rifles. Two weeks later – I was in Terry’s truck headed for his hunting lodge overlooking the Red Deer River. Derek made the long drive from Idaho; John, unfortunately, couldn’t make it. Luckily, he had already sent Terry two new Fierce Edge prototype

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rifles in .300 Ultra, topped with Swarovski Z6 scopes, and a few packs of Barnes, Vortex ammo; we were set for any beast at any range. We arrived at Terry’s comfortable, and wellappointed, hunting lodge, with a foot and a half of snow on the ground - not exactly tropical weather! The minus 20 Celsius temperatures soon had us inside, enjoying Canadian hospitality and Janice’s delectable cuisine. Early next morning, we fired up the Yukon, and set off into the darkness. Shortly after dawn, we started to see Mule Deer feeding around the edges of the coulee’s and out in the fields. Terry has a wealth of knowledge – and it was not long before he spotted a huge buck, bedded down out of the wind, a few hundred yards away. A lot of extra tines and trash had Derek excited; as it was my first sighting of a Muley buck, I too, was amped. The buck got up from his snowy bed and made a steady retreat back up into the coulee….certainly one to keep an eye on. We spent the rest of the day visiting hotspots and just before dark, while glassing a coulee, Terry spotted a buck. “That right there is a 200-class buck!!” Despite rapidly fading light and a distance of more than a mile, it was evident this was a giant Muley buck. Massive long tines and deep forks stood out, even at that distance. We would certainly return to have a closer look at that one. The next day had us covering more ground and

BY GUS BISSET spotting more bucks – two or three which were potential shooters. Finally, opening day arrived; excitement levels climbed as we made the pre-dawn drive, looking for the buck we spotted the first morning. We located him on an open terrace with a bunch of does, so we stalked in for a closer look. With temperatures around minus 25 Celsius, and a cold wind, it didn’t take long for the camcorder to freeze up and cease working. Derek decided to pass on the buck, as it was a 600-yard shot and not quite what he was looking for. We checked a few other spots and decided to look for the other 200-class buck we spotted earlier. As the GMC meandered down the trail, Terry suddenly hit the brakes and slid to a halt. “Now there’s a nice buck.” Sure enough, out in the middle of a field was a heavy-horned, perfectly even, symmetrical, 4x4 with nice brows and deep forks. Exactly what I was hoping to find! Although it wasn’t the 200” buck, it was a beauty, so I quickly opted for a shot. I lined up at 489 yards; not a long shot for the Fierce Edge .300 Ultra, but being unfamiliar with the ballistic reticule, I sent my first shot hissing through the air, a little high. The buck was so intent on a doe, he barely shifted. The second shot was a raking shot and found its mark, entering at the last rib and exiting out the offside shoulder. The buck lurched forward a few steps, backed up, and promptly fell over. Buck down!! After some vigorous handshaking, we made our way over to the beast. What a beauty - a 4x4 with good brows, heavy,

symmetrical, deep forks, and a great cape that grossscored 185 - everything a typical Muley should be. After plenty of photos, we loaded the 300-lb animal onto the Yukon and headed off to find the 200+ class buck. An hour later, while scanning the edge of a rough terrace, Terry spotted him about a mile away. “Let’s go after him,” said Terry, and we hastily made our way toward where the buck had disappeared. We stopped 150 yards from the drop off, grabbed the shooting sticks, video camera, and Derek’s .300 WSM, and crept as quietly as possible to the edge of the coulee. Scanning the valley below, I saw the shadows of three Muleys running down the same ridge we were standing on. I signalled to Terry and we ran out onto a knoll to get a look. Suddenly, we saw does streaking through the brush in the bottom of the coulee…then the enormous buck appeared. I slammed the tripod shooting sticks into the snow for Derek as he cranked a Barnes 165GN TSX into the pipe. “What’s the range, Terry?” I hissed, as I hurriedly flicked the camera on. “Range finder is frozen up,” exclaimed Terry in a frustrated tone! “What’s the freaking range?!” yelled Derek, as I fumbled with the button on my Swarovski…400 yards. But before I could answer, Derek’s sent a Barnes – fast post! The shot went behind. “Wait ‘til he stops!” yelled Terry. “400!” I yell. Boom…Derek torched another shell. The buck lurched but carried on his uphill ascent

The author took a great shot at 489-yards with his Fierce Edge .300 Ultra and dropped this great 180-class buck in his tracks.

Spring 2014

Headhunters Alberta guide, Terry Scott, shows how a real Canadian packs out a deer.

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on the far side of the coulee. I quickly shifted the stick and got another range for Derek, while still trying to film. Terry was telling Derek to wait until he stopped, meanwhile trying to get his Leica Geovids to work. “485 yards,” I told Derek, as he dialed his CDS and drove another 165GN down range. “Just high,” yelled Terry. As the small group of animals emerged back into view, I ranged the knoll ahead. “550 yards, Derek.” The buck paused and was greeted with the roar of the WSM and a 165 GN TSX that penetrated his nasal passage and went clean down his throat and out the side of his neck, dropping him like a rock! The yelling, congratulating, back-slapping and jubilant laughter were a relief after a very intense couple of minutes. Unbelievable! Derek pulled off that incredible 550-yard shot on shooting sticks, with his scope on 6X. Unreal! Chattering like a bunch of school boys, we marched triumphantly back to the Yukon. We wasted no time getting round to the other side of the valley. Several steep-sided coulees stood between us and our prize… which was still out of sight. Derek opted to leave the rifle in the truck as we would be hauling back a lot of meat. Twenty minutes later, we neared the area where the buck dropped. Terry and I spotted a lot of prints around where the buck dropped, and then some slide marks down into the coulee. “About now it would be useful to have a hand gun,” I mentioned to Terry. He agreed, as we spotted Derek’s buck sitting in heavy brush in the bottom of the narrow gulch. We look blankly at each other. This could be a problem! He was still alive!

Derek trudged up behind...“That’s a nice buck sitting in there,” exclaimed Derek. “Yeah,” said Terry. “It’s the one you supposedly just shot!” Derek’s face dropped, “Ah, d--n it!” I promptly headed for the truck to get the rifle. On my return, Derek tidied things up and we finally got the chance to see the buck’s antlers up close. Unbelievable! A massive, symmetrical, 4x4 with brows and very deep forks! After plenty of photos and the caping and butchery, we began the pack out. Derek had been freezing his butt off in the minus temps and did suffer some minor frostbite, but we managed to get everything back to the truck before dark. What a day and what a pair of magnificent bucks! The entire hunt was an amazing adventure and a huge ‘thank you’ goes to Terry & Janice Scott at Headhunters Alberta. Terry is truly one of the best outfitter/guides around and if you want great hunts and monster muleys, get in contact with him. www. bigmuledeer.com. Thank you to John Mogle, from Fierce Firearms, for the use of the new Fierce Edge rifles; they are awesome, lightweight, accurate, long-range, hunting rifles; and, if you are a serious mountain

hunter, you need one! Thanks to Barnes Bullets and Swarovski Optics for reliable, dependable products that always perform, regardless of how tough the situation is. And last, but not least, thanks to my good friend, Derek White, for making this all happen. Derek’s buck has been officially measured and is now the pending #2 in Alberta for typical mule deer with a gross score of 210 3/8 B&C. Well done Derek, you deserve it. A note from Derek White: Since I was 12 years old, (I’m now 52), I’ve had two hunting goals in my life: one, was to shoot a muley that scored over 190; and two, was that I have always wanted to hunt Red Stag. Who would’ve thought that I would have the amazing fortune to take both in the same year!!…. All thanks to the generosity of two great guys… Terry Scott of Headhunters Alberta and Gus Bisset of New Zealand Trophy Hunting….I want to thank you guys for being outstanding friends and for the most incredible hunts . I look forward to our next adventure! Thanks to Barnes Bullets for the best round there is...the TSX! And, I would really like to thank John Mogle, of Fierce Firearms, for having to cancel his hunt at the last minute, giving me the opportunity to take that amazing mule deer! I would also like to thank John for letting us share this adventure by putting Gus’s story and pictures in Hunting Illustrated…Thank you all! --D.G.White

Derek White’s giant typical muley gross scores at 210-3/8 inches, placing him as the #2 record Alberta mule deer to date.

Spring 2014

Tyson’s healing father tags along and proves to be a blessing instead of a

hinderence in this great DIY adventure

heard my alarm and simultaneously experienced disbelief and regret for the late night out the night before. Three a.m. came early; but not being ready by the time Dad showed up was not an option. I was taking my Dad to an area I had spent the previous several months scouting and hunting. I had hiked countless miles in the area and had seen several decent deer. However, I was after two specific bucks and hoped to get them that day. My Dad and I drove up the canyon, and I attempted to convince him that Mother Nature owed me a good buck. I explained how hard I had hunted and how many miles I had hiked in the previous years. “Tyson,” he said patiently, “Mother Nature doesn’t care how far you’ve hiked or how hard you’ve hunted.” We started hiking just after four in the morning. The cold air and brisk burn in my nose was all too familiar, as I had done this almost 100 times already. Just one worry was on my mind; Dad had been in a bad, dirt-bike accident earlier in the year, shattering his femur, fracturing three vertebras, and breaking several ribs. This was his first hike since the accident. Hunting

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is a passion for many, including myself, and being able to share that passion with the same person that passed it on to you, builds a bond and friendship that only hunters understand. Exhausted, down to just a t-shirt and still sweating, I envisioned the bucks I had previously scouted. The sound of approaching horses snapped me out of my daydream, and Dad and I stepped off the trail, mumbling how nice it would be to be on horses this whole time. The two riders passed and I watched in the moonlight as they approached the same ridge I intended to hike down that day. When they made the turn south down the ridge, I stopped. “Well Dad, they are going right where I had planned to go,” I said. In an effort to be alone, which was our preferred way of hunting, we headed north. We glassed draw after draw and canyon after canyon. We hiked farther and farther, almost in frustration, hoping to finally spot something worth pursuing. By eleven, we were five or six miles away from where I had intended to spend the morning hunt. We hiked to the top of the mountain again and discovered

BY TYSON YATES

The author (right), pictured with his father.

ridge to avoid having to drop elevation just to climb it again. Battling six to twelve inches of snow as we hiked across the frozen rocky top, made me concerned about my Dad slipping or falling and reinjuring something. I hadn’t heard him complain and knew he probably wouldn’t regardless of how much pain he was in. We began to descend into the deep canyon where I had seen bucks a week before. I could see one buck so clearly in my mind, as if he was standing right in front of me, with his wide frame and massive, heavy horns. The thought of horses sounded really good as we trudged through the deep snow. As we dropped into the canyon, we spotted and jumped several deer. I whispered to my dad that this spot was going to be good, as I took off my scope cover. “I’ve got that feeling Dad,” I muttered in a low voice as I exchanged a look of excitement with him. We finally were ‘in’ the deer and began glassing This is the area in Utah the author had become familiar with, in hopes of finding a giant muley. His trusty .25-06 sits steady and ready for action.

we had cell phone service. Daren, my brother, was stuck at work that day and had sent several texts inquiring about our morning hunt. We both responded as optimistically as we could, knowing that the morning hunt had been much less exciting than anticipated. We sat for awhile and just talked about life, recalling memories from hunts passed and reminding ourselves that a big part of hunting is the experience; harvesting quality animals just helps solidify the memories. Without realizing it, I dozed off. I woke up about 25 minutes later to a series of cell phone vibrations. My Dad had sent a group message, with an image of me sleeping, that he creatively titled, ‘The Tibernator’, a clever combination of my first name, Tyson, and hibernator. I knew we had to hike back to where I had seen a few good bucks the previous weekend and the one big buck that I particularly wanted to find. So, at noon we began the long hike, staying on the top of the

Finding pics like this on the trailcam makes it easy to know what to go after.

Spring 2014

the opposite side of the canyon. “There’s a buck,” I whispered to my dad. The buck was over a thousand yards away and I could see horns through 10x binoculars, along with other deer in the clearing. We needed to get closer; the pines were so thick and tall you couldn’t see through to the other side. But I knew there was a clearing just down the hill a little farther, where Cole and I had glassed the same clearing the week before. Quietly, we worked our way down through the dense pines. I was leading out and knew that every step down was one more I would have to climb up in just a few hours. I slowly worked my way into the clearing and began searching for the buck up on the hillside. “Pssst, Tyson,” I heard my Dad whisper in a calm, yet excited tone. Instantly everything slowed down. I knew that voice; I had heard it a handful of times since I was a young boy. It was a sound that carried feeling -- a chilling, exciting, and urgent feeling. I slowly turned to face him and saw ‘The Look’. ‘The Look’, almost always associated with ‘The Whisper’ -- solidified to me, before he even spoke, that he had just seen a huge buck. “Three, Zero,” he mouthed to me several times while lifting up three fingers and then holding a fist. He’s got a 30-inch buck spotted, I thought to myself.

I carefully walked back toward my Dad. I got right up next to him and still not seeing anything, thought he might be seeing things. “Right there,” he said. “Not even 200 yards. Can’t you see him through the trees?” I searched in the direction he was pointing and saw nothing. The urgency was building; he grabbed me and pulled me two feet closer to him. Then I saw the rack through the hole in the pine trees; ears and horns were all I could see. They appeared bright white in the sunlight, which had worked its way down through the dense pines and settled on his antlers. “You’ve got to get a shot on him,” he intensely proclaimed. I worked my way cautiously onto the hillside to be in the perfect position to see down the small basketball-sized shooting lane. Just when I thought I had the spot, I sat down and saw nothing. All I could see were pine trees. I repositioned and again encountered the same problem. Finally, after what seemed like forever, I could see his horns through the scope. He still hadn’t moved a muscle but I could tell he was looking right at us. The bushes and branches right in front of him prevented me from seeing his body, let alone his vitals. I sat with the .25-06 off safety with my finger resting on the trigger and felt calmer than I ever imagined, for close to two minutes. “Are you gonna shoot?” Dad asked. The author’s father wouldn’t let previous injuries prevent him from being at his son’s side. It was worth it! Dad would be the one to spot this magnificent buck nearly 200 yards away.

“Back at the lodge, I told Curly and Joe that this was quite possibly the biggest bear I had ever seen.”

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“At what, his face?” I questioned. Knowing it was true, Dad didn’t say anything for a few seconds. We then quietly debated what to do. Trusting and respecting my Dad’s experience, I kept the cross hairs right on him and waited. Having the trigger halfway eased in, he moved! In two quick steps I thought he was gone but he stopped just briefly enough to look up at us one more time, displaying himself. BOOOM! The shot rang! There was no flinch or kick from the massive, majestic buck. “Did you miss?” asked Dad. I felt good about the shot but couldn’t deny the lack of reaction from the buck. I grabbed my pack and walked quickly toward where I had last seen him. Dad went a little higher to see if he could cut him off or find blood and I kept my heading. I dipped down into a ravine and came into a clearing. I looked to my right and there he was -- a beautiful sight. I walked up to him slowly, keeping my sights on him just in case. Seeing he was down, I let out a yell to my Dad and did he come running! You would have never guessed he had ever been in an accident! We hugged, high-fived, and told the story over and over to each other for the next 20 minutes. I still couldn’t believe it! I reminded my Dad about Karma and how Mother Nature had given back. He laughed and of course disagreed. We took care of the buck and loaded up my pack; the hike out was long, yet sweet. The memory created with my Dad will last a lifetime.

2012

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2012

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Hard to Chase The toughest deer to kill are the smartest and most elusive.

n the last issue, I talked about doing the right thing. Doing the right thing when people were looking and when they weren’t. I’m not necessarily talking just about hunting, but life in general. I wrote about a buck that seemed to be the smartest I’ve ever had the chance to pursue. I also spoke about one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make, that of walking away from him and letting him return to his normal routine just four days prior to season. So, did it all pay off…the sleepless nights, the second guessing myself, wondering if I was doing the right thing? Would I ever see this elusive buck again with my weapon of choice in hand? The pursuit of this buck started on October 11, just four days prior to the season opener. I jumped him while looking for the drop tine buck I had been observing for the last three seasons. I finally had the drop tine buck figured out; and he was number one on my hit list, or so I thought. That all changed with a brief encounter with what I thought was the smartest buck I had seen to date. When I jumped this wide buck, he never looked back, never slowed to walk, and didn’t stop running for two miles. This never happens and I would have never known this about him if he hadn’t been so darn big. I couldn’t walk away from a buck of this width. I had to see him again and try to get video of this monarch. That’s when I

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decided to track him until I could find him and get a better look, which is when I realized he didn’t stop running for two miles. Tracking was easy on the sandy, desert floor; his tracks where huge, heavy, deep, and kicked up cupfuls of sand. For two miles, I tracked a running, sometimes trotting, buck until he found a safe haven in a little draw tucked away out of the wind. Two and a half hours later, I peeked over the edge of the canyon to see the widest, typical set of antlers swivel and look in my direction. I dropped back down, out of sight, to grab my camera. When I peeked back over the edge to set it up, that was more than he could handle. He was up and gone in a flash. This time I decided my best option was to just leave the area and hope he would return by opening morning. I usually like to watch bucks and learn everything I can about them before I hunt them, but this buck never gave me that option. He was different and smarter than any other mule deer I ever had the opportunity to hunt. I had to back out and hope he would return. I couldn’t take the chance of bumping him one more time and pushing him out of the country completely. Opening morning found me perched on a high point a little over a mile from where I had seen the buck

BY STEVE ALDERMAN

Nearly 36-inches wide, and mass throughout, this is the type of deer most hunters dream of.

the first time, four days earlier. As the sun started to light up the surrounding area, I put the 15’s to work. The first deer I spotted was the same deer I had lost so much sleep over. We determined it was the same buck from a few days earlier, but my hunting buddy had the chance to shoot or pass because he won the coin toss. We quickly field-judged him, and Rick decided to pass as he was looking for a buck that reached that 200 inch mark. This buck wasn’t going to stretch the tape that far; we guessed he would score in the low 190’s. That’s one good thing about having a hunting partner who is stuck on that 200 inch mark, he passes on many bucks I am more than willing to shoot; this was one of those times. My mind had been made up for four days, and I was not going to let this buck get away again. In a matter of seconds, I had my pack on and gun out. Rick looked at me and said “You’re going to shoot him?” Without any hesitation I replied, “See you in a few. I’m out of here.” The sun wasn’t even up over the hills and I was making my final stalk on the widest, typical framed buck I had ever laid my eyes on. He was making his way to his bed for the day. If he reached it, I would have to back out and wait for another opportunity. I had no choice but to cut him off on his way there. Luckily for me, on the way to his

bed, he found a lady friend he wanted to check out before continuing on his way. This allowed me to get within three hundred yards, but not close enough. I like to get close and I’m good at it. I circled around the rim, popped over and had him at 140 yards. This would work as the doe was leading him straight to me. I crawled across the rocks trying to reach my final shooting area. I paused for 15 seconds to take off my bino pack because it was catching on rocks and slowing progress to the edge. When I looked back up, the deer were gone. Had the buck seen my movement and left the country? I frantically searched the canyon and saw no buck or doe. Then my eyes caught movement to my left. I turned and looked; there stood two coyotes. Maybe it wasn’t me, maybe it was the dogs. That would be the best scenario as the buck might not leave the country if that was the case. I glassed up to where Rick was standing to see if he could help in my search. When I got Rick in the glass, he was pointing down. I continued glassing the canyon, and saw nothing with antlers; however, I couldn’t see the bottom of the canyon because of the roll in the hill. Panic was starting to set in when off to my right, standing broadside at 120 yards, was my quarry.

Spring 2014

It’s not often that the author gets to include his father on his hunts, but when he can he goes out of his way to share that moment with him. Here, Tim Alderman gets to enjoy the harvest with his son.

He was standing there looking down canyon at the coyotes, which allowed me to swing around to the right to set up for the shot. Fifteen seconds later, my sites were settled on his vitals. With the pull of the trigger, he humped up and ran ten steps where he fell over - dead. The stress of the last four days was over by 8:00 am, opening morning. The stress had turned into jubilation in less than 30 minutes. I waited for Rick to join me before I made my way to the downed buck. As Rick made his way over, it all starting to settle in, the accomplishment of what had just taken place. The smile on my face was growing with Rick’s every approaching step. The decision I had made four days earlier might have been the hardest I have made, but standing there now, it made it all feel so easy. The buck was everything I had dreamed. He had a 35 inch frame and was just shy of 36 inches outside. With a gross score of 192 inches and mass all the way up, this buck had all the wall appeal I had expected. Everything went absolutely perfectly and it all just fell into place, which never seems to happen. Finding him, walking away, finding him again on season opener, Rick passing on him, the perfect stalk and shot, all before the sun broke over the canyon wall, was incredible. My hunts have never happened like that before. I have harvested 72

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most of my bucks on opening morning, but none of them were bucks I knew so little about. It made this one all that more special. It taught me that sometimes the right decision might be the hardest to make; and, sometimes playing out of your comfort zone can be the right thing to do. Thanks for everyone’s help getting this deer on the ground. Rick, Matt, JJ, James, Travis and my Dad; these memories will last forever and you helped make them a reality. I owe you! JJ, thanks for letting me know this buck was there, and I owe you some tile work. It looks like jogging pays off for more than just your health. You see, JJ told me she ran into a very large buck with the fuzzy stuff on its antlers, the first of September, while out jogging with her dog. On October 11th, I ran into that buck while out looking for the drop tine buck. It was only 800 yards from where she said she had run into it. It was the buck she had described; and I must say she described it to a tee, from the shape, to every point on its head. I will never doubt her again as she described it better than most deer hunters I know. I knew as soon as I saw it, that it was the buck she had told me about, there was no mistaking the shape and size of his headgear.

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After years of waiting to draw for Desert Bighorn Sheep, dreams were about to become reality

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The journey for big rams begins. Early into the hunt, the crew were able to spot 160-inch class rams. They just needed to move in closer.

BY LOGAN HAND

his quest started 19 years ago. My family and I, along with all of our hunting buddies, were huddled around the computer on the day we knew the draw results would be posted. I guess we were like a bunch of kids at Christmas, waking mom and dad up at 4:00 a.m. to open presents. The computer lit up and my fingers went as fast as they could to get to the successful list. Holy cow! It happened! Successful-Nelson Bighorn. Talk about a 52year old kid at Christmas! That was me, jumping up and down doing ‘yee haws’ and high-fives with the guys in the office. Troy, a good friend of mine, drew the same unit, a year earlier, with 7 points. And another friend of ours, Brett, drew the unit next to mine, with same number of points that I had drawn with. We would all stay in, and hunt out of, the same RV park. I am not a person who really likes the gym, but l decided I should get myself in shape for this hunt, since It would be the only desert tag I would ever draw; so off to the gym I went -- three days a week, working out on the treadmill and other elliptical machines. Opening day was November 20th, and we arrived about three days early. I had Mark Lane and Russ Collard helping me on this one. To all of you out there in the hunting world who know Mark and Russ, what a combo for hunting hard and having fun. What was most special to me was that my sons, Micah and Hunter, would be there with me. I would stay as long as I needed to, but the boys would have work and school to return to after four or five days. We arrived at our unit on November 18th, set up the trailer and immediately started scouting. We had viewed some really nice rams on Troy’s hunt the prior year and knew where we would start. While scouting both days, we saw five or six really nice rams, all in the 160” class. I would have been happy to take any of them after waiting 19 years! The night before opening day, Mark and I were on a ridge looking across at a 165” ram. The ram was beautiful and l told Mark that if he was here tomorrow I would take that ram without hesitation. Opening day came and went with no luck for Brett or myself. But on day two, Brett killed a beautiful 163” ram with heavy bases and a lot of mass. The next day, as Mark, Russ, and I were walking up a gully to get a better look at seven rams, Russ stopped in his tracks and pointed to the left. High on the rocks stood the ram we had spotted the night before. He was at 268 yards and was just staring at me. Then total confusion hits! l’m lying on the ground – rifle on pack, and l’m signaling Mark and Russ to get me another pack so l can get comfortable for the shot. All the while Russ and Mark are stumbling around, not really trying to move rapidly -- hoping the ram would leave…and he did. So then l’m really upset -- not knowing this was their intent all along. We went back to chasing the seven rams we had started with, and after three or four hours, we came up empty-handed. So we left the canyon and went to grab a bite to eat. All the while, Mark and Russ are suggesting I should relax! “Relax Logan, it’s only day three and we have all season!” Later that afternoon we went back to glassing Spring 2014

The author’s close friend, Brett, connected with this 163-inch ram on the second day of the hunt.

an adjacent canyon, still looking for the seven rams. We hadn’t glassed for five minutes – in fact, half of us didn’t even have our glasses on tripods -- when Russ found some rams. They had to be at least two miles away; but there they were -- the seven rams we had spotted earlier. All that those rams had done was move over the mountain into the next canyon. Considering the fact that it was now around three in the afternoon and the rams were on a north-facing slope, which was already shaded, and that it would soon be dark, we decided to run for it. Mark, Russ, and I took off. Micah and Hunter stayed on the glasses and watched from where they were. Thank goodness for the gym training, ‘cuz those two miles were full of gullys, one after another. It started to get pretty dark and we were still 800 yards away. l knew my gun was capable, but l wasn’t comfortable with the shot. On we went. Suddenly, we were 510 yards away facing seven rams on a hillside with dimming light conditions and a pounding heart. l put my scope on the 500 yd. mark; I had two backpacks and was laying on the ground trying to calm myself and get a steady rest. I told Mark and Russ l had our ram. Russ was filming the whole thing, which made my nerves worse. I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and pulled the trigger. Down went the ram. The shot completely rolled him over. Then he stood back up. l was trying to find the ram in the minimal light that was left, and was having a hard time locating him, when Mark grabbed my rifle and pointed it in the direction of the ram. l was still lying on the ground

The author had a hard time moving in for a shot on a 165-inch ram earlier in the hunt. Later that afternoon, at the last opportunity of the day, he fired a shot at 510 yards and put down this 168-inch brute.

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BY LOGAN HAND and found him again. The ram was wobbling back and forth, kind of like me with my pounding heart. l found him and shot again. The ram went down for good. My 19-year quest was over in just five days. By the time we reached the ram, it was completely dark. Mark and Russ threw a tape on him and we grossed him at 168”. Two 160” rams in two days! The next morning, Micah, Hunter, Ross, Mark, Troy, Brett and I went up on the mountain to take all the requisite pictures and really experience the moment. If you closely examine the right horn on the ram, there is a bullet hole that went through the end of the horn and into the side of his head. A perfect shot that provided the added bonus of a place to hang a Christmas ornament each year! Now, every year when l hang that ornament it brings back all the memories of that once-in-a-lifetime experience. That was a hunt that I will always treasure -- not just because it was a dream that took 19 years to reach fruition, but because of all the special people that shared the experience with me. Thank you Deb, for sending us on our way with all the food and support I could wish for -- and for putting up with the boys and me chasing our dreams every year. To those guys who haven’t drawn yet, don’t give up -- because your dream will soon be a click away from that successful key someday. Happy huntin’!

Mark Lane helped drive a lot of success on this hunt. He also makes a good pack mule!

Spring 2014

l • Mule Travis Ewel 2013 Colorado •

Deer

Ben Livingston • Coyote Tennessee • 2013

“This issu e’s winner ” Winner: Nicole Perk es • Utah • Black Be ar

Billy Smith • Turkey Louisiana • 2013

etail kner • Whit Derek Faul • 2013 e se es nn Te

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Spring 2014

Chronicles A Bear Came to Our Tent... bout 45 years ago, our hunting group arrived at our hunting spot on top of the Manti Mountains, near an area that was called ‘Cove Mountain’. Heavy skies meant a snowstorm was on its way. Boyd Henrie and I walked up behind our camping area. We had come up a week earlier and put up our tents, and gathered wood for the stove and campfire. As we looked up to the slide area of the mountain, we could see a large black bear making his way across the top end of the slide, before disappearing into the pines. We got the bunch around the fire excited with our sighting of a bear, so close to our camp. I was excited too, because I had never seen a bear in the mountains before. As the snowflakes started to fall, we knew a pretty good storm was on the way, as the wind and flakes increased. We were glad that our crew had supper ready as we ate inside the cook tent. Carl Steck, along with my brother Phil, and I went to bed early, as the snow outside our tents started to pile up. We were really bushed and tired of being in the cook tent, where the California visitors had a lot to tell our local boys. They brought along a couple of friends from Sacramento, named old ‘Jim Bean’ and his loyal friend, ‘Jack Daniels’. While stories were being shared and exaggerated in that tent, we were making ourselves

You got him!

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comfortable in the sleeping tent. After everyone was finally in bed and settled down, a scratching near my head awakened me. Something was trying to get into the tent where we three younger guys were sleeping. My brother woke up at that moment and yelled, “It’s the bear!” Carl put his flashlight where the head of the bear was pushing up against the tent. Boyd yelled at Carl, saying, “Hit it on its head with your boot when he pushes up against the tent again!” As the bear pushed again from the outside, Carl delivered a hard blow with his boot where the head was. The bear let out a low groaning noise, as Carl readied himself for another blow. Bill Hill got the lantern going, as the other California boys awoke to what was happening. Again the bear pushed up against the tent and Carl delivered a mighty blow with his boot. There was silence for a few seconds and my brother yelled out, “You got him, Carl!” But then we heard what sounded like a garble. The bear started talking. “For hell’s sake, let me in the tent!” It was my dad; he had gone outside to take a ‘water break’, and couldn’t make his way back inside. The blow to his head didn’t kill him, but he climbed back in bed very quietly as we all laughed ourselves to sleep…the night the bear came to our tent.

The Boot!

By Courtney Bjornn

Just For Laughs

Spring 2014

Michael Burrell

With a Heavy Hart...

t’s March, and in these parts we’ve had a rather mild winter that spread wintering mule deer out from their lowest ranges all the way up to their summer range, and I’ve been itching to get out and stretch my legs in search of new hunting areas and shed antlers. Spring hiking is a way--or an excuse-- to get out and learn new hunting units, pick up some antlers, and get an inventory for the types of bucks out there. I’d been eyeballing Hart Mountain in eastern Oregon and waiting all winter to strap my boots on and get out there and learn it. Before I headed out to Hart Mountain, I called the local biologist to gain some info on the unit and

possible suggestions for a couple jump-off spots to begin my scouting. This biologist is known for being very knowledgeable and honest, but he somewhat deflated my buildup for the unit by telling me that the unit has definitely seen better days, and deer numbers have been poor, at best. He pointed me toward some adjacent units. I’ve been known to be both stubborn and distrusting, so I interpreted his account to mean ‘Mike, you don’t have what it takes to find good bucks up there, let me tell you about a unit that may be more suited for you’. That sounded like a challenge and I like challenges. So, in mid-March, my son and a couple of friends and I were

Afer a local biologist had informed the author that deer numbers were low on Hart Mountain, he took it as a challenge to prove him wrong and set out to scower the area himself.

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5MULE DEER WATCH5

What was once a promising unit now appeared to be deerless. After hiking several miles, few deer had been seen.

off to Hart Mountain to defy the biologist’s suggestion that I didn’t know how to find big bucks; my friends were under the impression we were just antler hunting, they were truly blameless victims of my pigheadedness. I had heard from experienced hunters who observed dwindling deer numbers, that predators have had major impacts on both deer and sheep on the mountain. I’m not naive when it comes to the significance of predation and there is no doubt it is one of the great inhibitors limiting our deer herds. I just wanted to go check it out for myself. The grandeur of the mountain was greater than I had imagined even in the shadows of the night. I had countless big buck stories from Hart Mountain racing through my mind as we rolled into camp under the starlight. “Dad, I’m surprised we didn’t see any deer on the way in. Aren’t you?” I, too, was actually a bit surprised we didn’t see any deer along the 30 miles of dirt roads; but careful not to disclose my hidden scheme to the innocent participants in the vehicle with me (which was to prove to the biologist that we were onto his evil

scheme of discouraging the public to hunt his favorite unit to help increase draw odds for him and his posterity), I acted calmly. We woke up to the March sun peeking over the eastern horizon, providing exactly the energy I needed after a long winter. We loaded our day packs and like a pack of young shorthairs, we were bursting with energy and ready to take off in search of whatever natural treasures may lay in the trail before us. We hiked and hiked and hiked and by day two we had very few deer sightings, and had found very few shed antlers. By day three, it was painfully obvious that the biologist was telling the truth, and the only thing that hurt worse than my obstinate pride was the mule deer herd on this unit. Four of us hiked an average of ten miles a day for three solid days. We explored different parts of the unit hoping we’d peek over the next ridge to see…do you remember on Dances with Wolves, when the US scout with his new Indian friends hunt for weeks without any sign of ‘Tatonka’, but then it happens? They peek over a prairie rim and there they are…thousands of Tatonkas! Well, needless to say, we never found that prairie rim. The habitat was robust with the finest deer forage on each hillside. Access points were limited; and human activity, including hunting, was equally as limited on the unit, but still there was very little sign of deer life. In three days we found very few shed antlers (most of them a decade old), we stumbled across two lion-killed bucks (from this winter), a few actual deer sightings, and huge amounts of predator sign including big tom scratches under every mahogany on the rims. It took the three days for me to really understand the toll that predators have taken on a once giant of a mountain that was legendary for its over-sized bucks. The state of Oregon banned the use of hounds to pursue mountain lions twenty years ago; and since then, lion populations have increased steadily and much of Oregon’s deer populations have suffered. Deer are impacted by predators differently, depending first and foremost on the state’s attitude towards predators. Simply put, if the tools are taken away to effectively manage predators, then the predation impact on mule deer is more significant. The impacts of predation can also vary depending on overall deer population size and area of optimal deer habitat; the larger the deer herd and area of prime habitat, the less impact predation might have. In units in southeastern Oregon such as the infamous Steens Mountains, Hart Mountain, and the Trout Creeks, where the landscape is wide-open and mahogany/sage bluffs give way to perennial creeks lined with strings of aspen, the deer tend to live in pockets of the limited habitat available. These areas are known for their remoteness and big-antlered bucks, but years of heavy predation have had a substantial impact in these areas. Hart Mountain is deemed a refuge managed

5MULE DEER WATCH5

Spring 2014

Mountain lions and other predators have increased in the area. Scratch spots like this were not hard to find.

by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which in addition to state wildlife restrictions, implements another layer of restrictions onto the 438 square miles, to include no hunting or trapping of any and all predators. Without any hunting pressure, these lions set-camp and prey on the remaining mule deer and bighorn sheep. In one bighorn study on Hart Mountain, from 2004 and 2008, 49 adult sheep were collared. During the four year study, 63% of the adults were killed by mountain lions. The lions don’t discriminate between sheep and deer. Without any lion

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population management, deer and sheep enthusiasts can only sit and watch as the herds get picked off one at a time. On top of all the lion predation on the deer, coyotes are also protected on Hart Mountain. Coyotes alone can certainly take a toll on mule deer fawns; but now, when you mix an unmanaged lion population with an untamed coyote population, the predators certainly have the deer in a pit. I’ve heard the argument that if deer numbers were truly as dismal as reported, predator numbers would respond as well by decreasing significantly; it’s the natural cycle, right? The theory doesn’t hold water when you take into account the variety of other prey populations (sheep, elk, pronghorn, game birds, rodents) that have given predators something else to eat besides mule deer. Theoretically, it’s true that when deer numbers downsize, predator populations should follow suit; however, alternative prey sources have kept the predator population from downsizing which is a recipe for disaster: a declining deer herd and stable to increasing predator numbers. I’ve since called and apologized to the biologist for questioning his honesty. I’ve also apologized to my buddies for their involvement in my shrewdness; however, the trip was a success as it gave me the chance to teach my son how essential sound predation management is, in order to conserve some of the West’s most precious resources such as bighorn sheep and our beloved mule deer.

5MULE DEER WATCH5

POSITIVE IS AS POSITIVE DOES INDEED

alk about looking on the sunny side in these trying, nasty, culture war times! As you read this, yet another little Nuge update for my Spirit of the Wild back strap Blood Brothers across the hinterland, on this lovely, almost-spring day, 2014, I am once again so high on life, it ain’t right. I am gone with the wind, out cold, bonkers, comfortably numb, zapped, schnookered, boogered, out of pocket, off the grid, anaesthetized, beyond the zone, almost Ozzy-like. Where have we seen this before? No, really. I’m plugged into various medical contraptions at home, fresh out of the hospital right after getting two new wheels. My long overdue double knee replacement surgery could not be put off any longer; so in an effort to get back to my dangerous, high-energy, Motown dance routine for my 51st year of R&B&R&R soul music tour and brand new album of killer love songs, and surely headed into my best hunting season ever, I bit the bullet and got ‘er done! The only ‘bone on bone’ I want in my life from now on is witnessing two majestic, whitetail bucks, smashing antlers together in a territorial fight for dominance. Then, hopefully, I will kill and eat one. I got your bad to the bone right here. And what, you may ask, is so positive about this painful, major surgical procedure that knocks me flat on my 65-year-old ass? Well, beyond the truism that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and beyond the joyful thoughts of being back in the saddle of that legendary Ted Nugent athletic mobility, this rare down-moment in time 86

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will force me to temporarily disengage from this putrid, tragic, culture war, media debate that rages on across the land on a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, dayafter-day, nonstop basis. And for those truly paying attention, you are well aware that I have always been and always will be dead center in the eye of the culture war storm, doing everything in my -- all-American, husband, father, neighbor, citizen, small business-owner, guitar playing, bow hunting, we the people -– best, to spotlight any and all cockroaches; and, expose the vile abuse of power, corruption, fraud, deceit, and smoke and mirrors that runs amok in the US government and permeates so much of the Saul Alinsky/Joseph Goebbells propaganda ministry, media and academia. This sacred experiment in self-government is not supposed to be a spectator sport; it is, or at least should be, a participatory responsibility…even for

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Spring 2014

guitar players, or at least the ones who care. I first ran head-on into the then-unheard-of culture war, way back in the real roaring 1960’s, when the hippie music media first feigned horror at my hardcore anti-drug militancy, no compromise 2nd Amendment stance and the perfection of my venison diet. Of course, one would have to be hopelessly stoned or otherwise strangled by denial to find fault with self-defense and conservation, so my initial battles with these losers left the opposing side bloodied and scrambling maniacally to make sense of it all. They scramble on. You see, I went ‘Piers Morgan’ on lost souls, way before there was a Piers Morgan; and now that we got him canned over there at CNN, I will simply turn up the heat and do my damndest to expose the insanity of all the leftist, Mao fans running amok in America. With aplomb. Not only will my legs become more powerful and reinforced for the rock-n-roll and bow hunting adventures that lie ahead in my indefatigable American Dream, but after this brief respite and forced rehab, a certain electrifying soul-cleansing

and spirit-reinvigoration will surely transpire, increasing the mental, physical and spiritual firepower of our favorite Motor City Madman. God knows I’d rather not have to be called upon to fight like a madman every day. God knows my phenomenal American Dream of killer music creativity and hands-on conservation with a sharp stick is so amazingly fun, intensely challenging and deeply gratifying, that these exciting life styles alone could keep me more than busy. But surely our founding fathers meant for all Americans to participate in this sacred experiment in self-government. And clearly it has been the failing of so many Americans to be engaged that has left the door agape and akimbo for the enemy to walk through and take over as they have. So say a few extra prayers for the old guy, won’t you? And be confident that I will come out dancing like an animal. My greasy two-step to the ultimate freedom soundtrack of my music will assist greatly when I resume dancing, so to speak, on the empty skulls of the America hating left. Give peace a chance, through superior tactics and firepower. Spring 2014

PHOTO: JOHN BARCLAY

Parting Shot

“It’s time to head home, boys!”

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