IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
October 8, 2014 Page 1C
Hunter’sA Almanac lmanac AS PUBLISHED BY THE
IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
North Central Idaho
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2014
CREATIVE COMMONS / ANDREW RUSSELL
Roads ready to go Several forest fires continue to burn within the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, but as of Sept. 25, all roads were open in four of the forests’ eight “recreation corridors.” The Idaho Department of Fish and Game monitors road closures with an eye toward whether hunters will have enough access to have a fair chance at getting full value out of their tags — and as of the end of last month, only the Johnson Bar Fire appeared to be presenting much trouble. The Johnson Bar Fire’s perimeter enclosed about 21 square miles primarily south and east of the Middle Fork Clearwater and Selway rivers near Lowell and Syringa. As of Sept. 30, firefighters were focusing on monitoring and mop-up, but the Swiftwater Road (470) remained closed to nonresidents until further notice. Conditions can change quickly, and current information is available by tele-
phone through the Forest Service and Hells Canyon National Recreation Area offices listed at the end of this article. • One road in the Highway 14 corridor — which had been closed to fullsized vehicle traffic for 10 years — has reopened in time for hunting season. For the first time in a decade, the Peasley Creek Road (469) from the South Fork Clearwater River to Silver Ridge will be safe and open to full-size vehicles for hunters and other forest visitors. The shoulder failed a decade ago, but the road was reopened in August. Joe Bonn, retired Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests engineer, said the road was built in 1964 and the original construction was poor. “The road was built on a steep hillside. Retainer logs eventually rotted out in 2004...the road width was inadequate for full-size vehicles, so the forest is-
sued a road closure order for public safety reasons...” “Instead of traveling from McComas Meadows to get to Silver Ridge, forest visitors can once again access the Peasley Creek Road from Highway 14, along the South Fork of the Clearwater River, to reach their destination,” Bonn added. • The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest reported all roads open in the Salmon River / U.S. Highway 95 corridor as of Sept. 25. A bridge repair four miles south of the Rapid River Trailhead was planned to close the Trail No. 113 bridge on Oct. 10-13. • Two longer-term road closures effect the Nez Perce-Clearwater’s Hells Canyon corridor: The Iron Phone Road (2060) has been closed since May 20 of this year, and the Squaw Creek Road
(487) has been gated above the creek since November 2012. Most of the Freezeout Ridge Fire trail closures within the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area had been lifted as of Oct. 1, but several in the Horse Heaven Cabin vicinity remain in place. • The Nez Perce-Clearwater reported no road closures in the Highway 14 corridor as of Sept. 29, but trailers are not recommended for some and fullsize vehicles are not recommended for others, particularly along the Old Elk City Wagon Road as well as routes from Elk City to Dixie and Orogrande. • The Nez Perce-Clearwater reported no road closures in the Magruder Road corridor as of Sept. 29, but noted the Magruder Road itself is a primitive mountain road that is not maintained See Access, Page 2C
Success Stories • Elk, Deer & Bird Outlooks • Brag Board
Page 2C October 8, 2014
Access: Most roads open, but call ahead Continued from Page 1C for winter travel. Logging traffic will be present from the Soda Creek Road (1172) to the Elk City-Dixie Road (222). • The Nez Perce-Clearwater reported three road closures in the Selway River corridor as of Sept. 25, one of which is the Swiftwater Road in the Johnson Bar Fire vicinity. The Indian Hill Road (290) is closed to all motorized traffic due to a road failure, and the Falls Point Road (443) is closed to vehicles more than 50 inches wide. The Lolo Motorway U.S. Highway 12 portal roads are open — but advised travelers to call (208) 926-4274 or (208) 942-3113 before planning a trip. In the Lochsa River corridor, the Granite Ridge Road (595) was closed for logging traffic as of Sept. 26. Updates are available through the Kooskia and Powell offices. In the North Fork Clearwater River corridor, the Grangemont Road (State Highway 7 from Orofino to Pierce) is under repair. Two other roads are closed for logging activity.
IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
EASY PEASLEY After the Peasley Creek Road shoulders failed in 2004, it reopened to fullsized traffic last month. Travelers bound for Silver Ridge and beyond can follow the completed road up from the South Fork Clearwater River. The road — the whole four-mile length of which has been rehabilitated during the last two years — provides a route in to the Silver Dome area, east of McComas Meadows. Pictured: The shoulder failures were repaired using Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls designed to hold the road template in place while allowing for structural flexibility and resiliency. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / U.S. FOREST SERVICE
Contact Forest Service offices for updates Contact the Nez PerceClearwater National Forests Supervisor's Office in Kamiah at (208) 935-2513. Contact the Grangeville Office at (208) 983-1950. Contact the Salmon River Ranger District at the Slate Creek Ranger Station at (208) 839-2211. Contact the Red River Ranger District at the Elk City Ranger Station at (208) 8422245. Contact the Lochsa/Powell Ranger District in Kooskia at (208) 926-4274. Contact the Moose Creek Ranger District at Fenn Ranger Station at (208) 9264258. Contact the Lolo Pass Visitor Center at (208) 942-3113. Contact the North Fork Ranger District in Orofino at (208) 476-4541. Contact the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area office in Riggins at (208) 6283916.
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IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
October 8, 2014 Page 3C
One huge mule deer was tagged last year Brian Gortsema of Grangeville has hunted in Idaho County for three decades, but only last year spotted this gigantic mule deer, which he green scored at 188. For Idaho County, state historical records list just 19 typical mule deer officially scored at 185 or bigger — fewer than 300 such a n i m a l s statewide since 1900.
BY ANDREW OTTOSON IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS CANYON COUNTRY — Good things come to those who work. Any local trophy hunter who claims to have outworked Brian Gortsema last year can fall back on the possibility that he just happened to be in the right place at the right time. For Gortsema, the right time came on Oct. 27 last year — and the right place was on the boat from which he spotted one massive mule deer. His rifle — a .243 short mag — has served him well for “eight or 10 years,” he said. It certainly served him well that day. “I green scored him at 188 inches,” Gortsema said. Big mule deer have long
CONTRIBUTED / BRIAN GORTSEMA
PHOTO
roamed this area, and two comparables have been booked since 2004. For Idaho County, state records list just 19 typical mule deer officially scored at 185 or bigger. Statewide, fewer than 300 such animals have been recorded statewide since 1900. Gortsema has hunted in the area for 30 years — mostly for mule deer, mostly in units 13, 14 and 15. “I’ve shot several, but that’s by far the biggest,” he said. His son, Eric, pictured on 8C also had a strong 2013: “That was his hunting season last year,” Brian said. “The bull, the buck, the turkeys were all out with his buddies. The bear he shot with his mother, while she was videoing it. It was a couple hundred, maybe 250 pounds. Not bad for his first.”
Making the call simple, versatile Harpster man designs a game call to calm woodland critters, attract deer during the stalk BY DAVID RAUZI IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS Mike Eastman was on the hunt. And at this moment, the well-recognized authority on Western big game hunting found he had misjudged his distance to the antelope he had been stalking. “I found that I was a little over 500 yards from the buck I wanted to harvest,” relates Mike in his book, Hunting Trophy Antelope. “I had my Calls-M-All around my neck, so I gave a few hums. That buck, along with an old doe, walked up to within 300 yards to get a better look at what was making that racket. That was all
I needed for a good quality shot on a trophy buck.” • It’s a success story among many for this multi-tool of the game call world that has been bringing in game and trophy animals for nearly 20 years. And it’s the creation of Bruce Hancock, a part-time Harpster-area resident who travels between here and Prescott, Wash., enjoying the sport of hunting and also promoting his established game call product. The idea behind the product is to have a simple, durable and versatile game call for most hunting situations. Bruce designed the call to work for elk, deer and antelope, for
birds such as turkeys and ducks, and also a range of predators from bear and cougar to coyotes and wolves. Hanging from a nylon lanyard, the plastic call can weather the range of Mother Nature’s cold and heat, and its only moving parts – rubber bands – are easily and cheaply replaceable. According to Hancock, the call provides options to mimic a range of sounds that can be used to calm game animals during a stalk or incite them to move as part of a herd driving situation. On the flip side, the call can also simulate the sound of an animal in distress, encouraging predators to come in for an apparently free meal. Game calls used in hunting have hit the pop culture consciousness in recent times with those bearded backwoodsmen of Duck Dynasty fame. However, the history of animal calls goes back as far as humans
hunting for game thousands of years ago, and its development was no less sophisticated than it is today. Hunters observed animals and experimented with auditory decoys such as sticks and antlers. According to the Encyclopedia of American Indian Contributions to the World: 15,000 Years of Inventions and Innovations, American Indians placed a blade of grass between the thumbs and blew over it to imitate the cry a fawn would make when in distress, a sound that would attract a doe. The Shoshone in the Great Basin region produced an imitation of the sound of butting heads by banging rocks or sticks together that was very effective in attracting wild sheep. Find out more on Hancock’s Calls-M-All online at WWW.GAMECALL.NET, 509-849-2676 or e-mail: BHANCOCK@GAMECALL.NET.
BRUCE HANCOCK
PLAN FOR STARK WEATHER
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / ROBERT MILLAGE
Winter sets in early at high elevations — and seemingly even faster on the steep, winding roads common in the canyon country that divides the high plains from the river valleys. In populated areas, most roads are maintained and kept open year-round. In the higher, deeper woods winter’s crush leaves many routes blocked, yet well-paved for snowmobiles.
Woslum ‘happy to score’ trophy animals
Local game measurer versed in international standard BY ANDREW OTTOSON IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS Say you shoot a big one — a really big one. You measure it and, true to the eyeball test, it is really that big – big enough to warrant an expert opinion. Who do you take it to? If you shot it with a bow, you may want to talk to someone with Pope and Young. You can pull up a list of certified measurers who live and work in Idaho through POPE-YOUNG.ORG; you could do the same thing through Boone and Crockett, BOONECROCKETT.ORG.
Both clubs are long-standing — Boone and Crockett since in 1887, Pope and Young since 1957 — and both list official measurers within an easy driving distance. Official measurers with these organizations can certify the thing you shot is, objectively, really big — or break it to you that your record-breaker may not break that record after all. So can Leanne Woslum of White Bird. What if you go somewhere far away and shoot something big and exotic? As a certified measurer through another of the
large, long-standing hunting clubs — Safari Club International (SCI) — she is qualified to score any of the world’s game animals. That includes not only whitetail, mule deer, bears, elk, moose and sheep, but also every other animal designated as game by national governments. “Some of them are pretty intricate, and some of them are pretty straightforward,” she said. SCI, with 50,000 members and 180 chapters worldwide keeps a world record book. According to another local SCI member — Leanne’s husband, Edd — SCI is the only group that
does. “The Safari Club International convention is the largest outdoor show and convention in the world — there will be 20-or 25,000 people who will attend it,” he said. “Not just anyone can call up and say, ‘Hey, I want to be an SCI measurer.’ They want your qualifications. Leanne has been a hunter practically all her life — the two of us, together, and in Africa, North America, you name it. She had a lot of experience going in that most people wouldn’t have.” The Woslums run a custom firearms manufacturing business
out of their home; they have been in business for 40 years, Leanne said, and heard about SCI when they began exhibiting at the convention. Eventually, their business grew to include taking clients on safari trips to Africa. “It all blended together,” Leanne said. “Then it was natural to be a measurer. There wasn’t one locally, so...one thing fed into another.” She earned the qualification about three years ago and since that time has had 20 or 25 calls to measure. Local wildlife law enforcement has occasionally
leaned on her expert opinion for criminal cases where the state must determine whether an illegally taken animal would qualify as a trophy animal, which multiplies poaching penalties. Woslum can take an official measurement after 60 days of dry time. SCI assesses a $25 fee for official scores. “SCI charges per entry, but I don’t charge anything for the measurement,” she said. “If you want to know the score, I’d be happy to score it. Nobody’s going to have me score it unless they think it’s a pretty big animal, I don’t imagine.”
Page 4C October 8, 2014
IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
Elk Prospects
Bull numbers on target in six area game units antlered. About 60 of those had six or more points. Thousands found parts farther south more to their liking. In 2013, Idaho Fish and Game counted about 2,200 general season elk hunters in units 14 and 15, where the combined success rate worked out to about 15 percent. Units 14 and 15 include public tracts of canyon, forest and hill country near the communities of Riggins, White Bird and Elk City, as well as some private agricultural lands near Grangeville and Cottonwood. Other units in the area see far less general season traffic and post higher success rates. These include units 11A, 19 and 20. While many thousands more elk were harvested statewide each year during the mid-1990s than has been typical since 2000, the past two years have both outperformed the recent low. According to the Idaho Statesman, 2011’s statewide total of about 15,000 was the smallest in 30 years. Harvest topped 16,000 each of the past two years, and the number of elk tags sold jumped by 5,500 in 2013. With second tags on offer at
BY ANDREW OTTOSON IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS When it comes to North Central Idaho’s elk numbers, the long-lamented fact of the matter is that the backcountry herds — once among the area’s premier attractions — are no longer the draw they were as recently as the mid-1990s. While a run of favorable weather has boosted the prospects for deer hunters, elk — especially in the Lolo and Selway zones — continue to face overgrown habitats and potent predators. So while elk and deer reap similar benefits from mild weather, elk numbers are thought to remain limited by the scarcity of grass and the prevalence of wolves in their traditional breadbasket. Among the most troubled areas are six Clearwater Region game units wildlife managers rated “below objectives” on both cow and bull elk populations. Many who choose to hunt elk in the Clearwater Region head to one of the state’s most productive units: 10A, where more than 3,300 hunters took 528 elk last year, of which nearly 400 were
SALMON RIVER PHOTOS / FRANK MIGNEREY
Young bulls are occasionally seen in Salmon River country before they shed their velvet by rubbing it away. Tales are sometimes told of odd bulls barely starting to rub by mid-September, but most lose during August. Pictured are bull elk as they appear in June.
reduced prices for both elk and deer, the number sold may be poised for another leap. Nearly half of the second tags have already sold, and demand may pick up as rifle season ap-
proaches. sell out this year.” “You will see a big bump in For details, see: the numbers as we get closer to FISHANDGAME . IDAHO. GOV / CON Oct. 10,” IDFG licensing manag- TENT/TAGDISCOUNT. er Craig Wiedmeier said. “There As of Friday, Oct. 3, more than is a chance those second tags will 1,200 of the second tags for sale
were available for the Selway, Lolo and Elk City zones. These are unsold non-resident tags, which the Fish and Game Commission has made available to residents since 2000.
How European land use shaped Idaho elk herds pend on survival rates of cow elk and calves. In Idaho, elk survival depends primarily on four factors: nutrition (habitat), hunter harvest, predation, and weather. Historically, elk numbers in Idaho were lower than they are today. Accounts from the Lewis and Clark expedition, and trappers during the height of the fur trade, generally suggest that elk populations were scattered and only locally abundant in the northern portions of the state. Eastern Idaho elk populations
[The following is an excerpt from the executive summary of Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s 2013 elk plan.] Understanding what drives elk populations is important. Ultimately, female survival is the key to elk population trajectory. Of course, cow elk pregnancy and calving rates, and calf survival to reproductive age, are also critical to determining population performance. In a nutshell, elk population trends de-
appeared robust in the mid1800s. Statewide, populations were most likely reduced during the unregulated hunting of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Ungulates, including elk, were heavily utilized for food by miners, trappers, loggers, and other settlers. Early 1900s — European settlement brought changes to the landscape. Millions of sheep, cattle, and horses were brought into southern Idaho. Black and grizzly bear, and mountain lion
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dition. Under these conditions elk flourished in northern Idaho. Mid 1900s — In north-central Idaho, elk populations probably peaked in the 1960s. As the newly created seral habitats aged and succession continued to move towards a climax state, habitat potential declined. Timber management and fire suppression efforts encouraged conifer reestablishment, and reSee Elk, Page 5C
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Idaho during the early 1900s. However, the impact was likely more positive for elk habitat and populations. Extensive wildfires created a mosaic of grass, shrub fields, and forested habitats. Nearly extirpated local elk populations were augmented with elk from Yellowstone National Park following the large wildfires. Timber harvest also contributed to moving large portions of the forested landscape back towards a more early seral con-
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populations generally received little or no protection, and wolves were functionally extirpated by the early 1900s. Extreme overgrazing combined with fire suppression efforts turned what was primarily perennial grass ranges into shrub fields. Unregulated harvest and conversion of grass dominated ranges to shrub fields likely resulted in fewer elk in southern Idaho. Similarly, landscape-level changes occurred in northern
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October 8, 2014 Page 5C
Deer Prospects
HOW TO: Ask to hunt on private property
Last year’s mild winter boosted area deer BY ANDREW OTTOSON IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS Hunters who came to the Clearwater Region found some of the best deer hunting available anywhere in Idaho during 2013, as they have for several years on end. With regional wildlife biologists projecting an even bigger year on account of a mild winter, that bodes well for 2014. On both success rate and total harvest, as tabulated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Dworshak (Unit 10A) ranked among Idaho’s most productive deer hunting units, with a 45 percent success rate on more than 2,600 deer harvests last year. Of course, success is in the eye of the beholder. The Camas Prairie and the nearby canyon country — Unit 11A — produced about 285 bucks five points or bigger among the nearly 1,300 deer taken in the area broadly north of Grangeville and southwest of Orofino. According to IDFG’s 2013 harvest numbers, 99.8 percent of these deer are whitetails. In the Elk City area — Unit 15, which includes the South Fork Clearwater River drainage down to Harpster as well as the Mount Idaho vicinity southeast of Grangeville — nearly 900 deer were tagged, of which 98.3 percent were whitetail, per IDFG’s numbers. The success rate for nearly 2,300 hunters works out a bit shy of 40 percent — but roughly 140 bucks were taken with five or more points. Two of the better units in the area were marked by major fires during the last year. The Big Cougar Fire southeast of Lewiston torched 67,200 acres — 104
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / ROBERT MILLAGE
Deer are frequently seen near cultivated fields and along roadways during the twilight hours — and thoughtlessly shooting at these animals can put an otherwise honest person on the wrong side of strict laws designed to protect public safety and private property as well as the wild animals at the core of so many traditions Idahoans receive from their parents and pass down to their children.
square miles, primarily in Unit 11 — during the first two weeks of August. Later last month, the Johnson Bar Fire grew to more than 13,000 acres — 20 square miles, primarily in Unit 16. By raw harvest total (and in light of a strong hunter success rate) Unit 11 was the area’s fourth-best during 2013. More than 800 deer were taken (nearly all whitetails, with 150-plus five-pointers among them) by more than 2,100 hunters.
Unit 16 saw less than half the traffic, with more than 1,000 hunters taking nearly 500 deer. In the fire-afflicted Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, IDFG saw “potential to rebound quickly” according to a Sept. 3 summary of the Big Cougar Fire’s impacts. Clearwater Region biologist Dave Koehler last week said the fall green-up aided by last month’s rains delivered much of the “abundant source of fall and
winter feed” IDFG hoped would come through. Last winter marked the third mild one in a row across most of Idaho, setting the table for an unusually high numbers of mule deer and whitetail deer. Survival rates have been higher than average five of the last six years. State biologists also announced favorable weather for antler growth seen over the summer adds to a good opportunity for trophy hunters.
In July, the Fish and Game Commission approved a significant discount in the price of second tags, which are now available on a first-come first-served basis. For details, see: FISHANDGAME . IDAHO . GOV / CON TENT/TAGDISCOUNT. “With second tags at a discount and unusually high deer populations, 2014 could be the best opportunity we’ll see in Idaho in a long time” state wildlife chief Jeff Gould noted.
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Continued from Page 4C duced shrub quality and grass quantity. By the 1970s hunter numbers and access had increased to the point that restrictive seasons were implemented to reduce elk vulnerability to harvest. Either sex elk hunting throughout most of Idaho was replaced by antlered-only hunts in 1976. Elk populations responded and by the late 1980s, elk were once again abundant enough to support more liberal antlerless opportunity. Predator populations were likely reduced or suppressed during the mid-1900s, but had some localized effects in remote areas. Late 1900s — In portions of northern Idaho, the mid1990s witnessed another downturn in elk numbers. Declining habitat potential in forested habitat, black bear and mountain lion predation, and the localized impacts of hard winters (1996 and 1997) all played a role. With protection and harvest restrictions implemented during the 1970-1990s, black bear and mountain lion populations likely stabilized and began to flourish, particularly in backcountry units where hunting access is difficult. Wolves were reintroduced by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) into Idaho in 1995; at the same time expanding wolf populations in southern British Columbia and northwestern Montana were pioneering habitat in Idaho. Wolf predation further accelerated elk declines. In other portions of the state, including much of southern Idaho, elk numbers actually increased during this same time frame. A change in grazing practices that promoted grass production, farming practices that favored resting farmland and continued timber cuts that favored early seral habitat stages all enabled southern Idaho elk populations to grow to all-time record highs during the latter half of the 1900s.
Sportsmen must take some responsibility for policing their ranks to eliminate incidents that damage the landowner-sportsman relationship. Approach a landowner weeks ahead of time to ask permission to hunt there. Banging on a door for permission at 4 a.m. will not increase your chances of being welcomed. Even if the land is posted, it doesn’t hurt to ask. If the landowner agrees, detail the dates and times you’ll be there and make sure you understand where you will be allowed to hunt. Leave the land as you found it. In other words, pack it in, pack it out. It also doesn’t hurt to pick up litter others may have left. Know the lay of the land. Steer clear of houses, barns and livestock. Be careful of crops and take it easy on fences. If you see one down, notify the landowner. Secure all gates. Never haggle with a landowner who seems firm on prohibiting hunting on his land. Sportsmen can increase their chances by offering a courtesy card to a prospective landowner. Idaho Landowner/Sportsmen cards, available free at license vendors or Fish and Game offices, provide landowners with identification and other important information. Persons convicted of trespass on posted private property receive a mandatory one-year revocation of hunting and fishing licenses.
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Page 6C October 8, 2014
IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
Upland Bird Prospects
Land of the lions, wolves and bears
Doves abound, but other bird counts run low BY ANDREW OTTOSON IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS The upland bird conservationists at Pheasants Forever called Idaho an “off-the-beatenpath bird paradise” in a Sept. 10 forecast, but a boom in the Clearwater Region’s count is at least a year away, as its pheasant numbers linger below-average. The state’s overall forecast was good enough to get an affirmative nod from Idaho Department of Fish and Game upland game and migratory bird coordinator, Jeff Knetter, quoted by Pheasants Forever saying: “Given the weather over the last eight months...this fall should be promising.” The Clearwater Region’s annual migration route cruise — summarized for the Free Press by regional wildlife biologist Dave Koehler — found 50 percent more pheasant broods than were seen in 2013 as well as a doubling of the overall pheasant count. Despite the strong rise, the totals still came in about two-thirds lower than the 10year average. For comparison, 22 pheasants were seen on the 20-mile routes IDFG surveys every year — but during 2005, 199 pheasants were seen on these same routes. After a run of three wet springs, 2014 saw relatively dry weather during the spring and early summer nesting and brood rearing periods — a pattern that has mixed birds that nested as normal with birds produced through renesting. The region’s chukar estimates include hunter observations trending upward toward an average year last year — with
some indications local chukars may produce more than average this year. The gray partridge and California quail counts both came in below last year and below the 10-year trend, but too much should not be read into any one year’s counts. Or as a biologist would put it: “Due to low detection rates...these data are imprecise and should be interpreted cautiously.” The mourning dove count is the survey’s bright spot, as biologists saw a few more birds than last year and a total 15 percent better than the 10-year average. Forest grouse numbers are not counted in the annual surveys, but 2013’s production was “well above average” in the region. The information the region does have — from reports by field staff and sportsmen — suggests an average year for forest grouse. Dating back to 1990, the Clearwater Region’s bird surveys have seen: a bumper year for pheasants in 2005; quail booms from 2001-2003 and in 2013; a bumper year for huns in 2003; and a peak for doves in 2007. Locally, the pheasant season runs Oct. 11-Dec. 31 with a daily bag limit of three cocks and a daily possession limit of nine. Quail season opened Sept. 30 and runs through Jan. 31, 2015, with a daily bag limit of 10 and a daily possession limit of 30. Grouse season opened Aug. 30 and runs through Jan. 31, 2015, with a daily bag limit of four and a daily possession limit of 12. Partridge and chukar season opened Sept. 20 and runs through Jan. 31, 2015, with bag limits of eight and 24 apiece.
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When the chance to take a Hunters have exceeded wolf, legally, came along in that mark three times within 2009, more than 30,000 the county proper, most rehunters bought cently when wolf tags. But Rod Bradley during recent took one at years, wolf tags 15 14/16 in have sold far 2007. more slowly By then, than those for however, it the customary had been 19 big game predyears since ators: bears Alford reand mountain claimed the lions. record from Idaho CounMatthew FILE PHOTO ty has long Motil. Motil Idaho County produces dominated the mountain lions as large as made it 15 record books this one every year. 12/16 in for mountain 1987, but the lions in this state. next year, Alford put an enorIn the years since 1961, mous 16 3/16 —the only sixwhen Gene Alford scored the teener on Idaho’s books — to state’s Boone and Crockett his name. record cat at 15 11/16 somePoint being, there are where in the Selway drainage, cougars, bears and wolves in a big cat from no other county these hills. has topped the list. Be prepared.
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IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
October 8, 2014 Page 7C
Hunting is worth doing right Morals are universal; crime here can lead to a hunting ban in 39 United States Every year, the same headlines ripple across Idaho: “reward offered,” “charges filed,” “man arrested,” “pleads guilty” ... and on and on, because no matter how many times the wildlife authorities say it, some people refuse to listen. For those who may not be aware, the “sportsman’s code of ethics” is not a law, but is a set of guiding principles that most outdoorsmen live by: respecting private property, practicing safety and conserving game animals as valuable resources to be enjoyed by present and future generations. Poaching violates both the spirit and the letter of Idaho’s wildlife protection laws. Many violators are unlikely to follow the law no matter how stiff the penal-
ties. After all, some people have convinced themselves that the state’s law does not apply to them, or just that they can get away with breaking it. But some may be simply unaware of how harshly Idaho treats those who break wildlife laws. For a wide variety of illegal hunting practices, penalties range from $300 to $1,000. But when trophy animals are taken illegally, the maximum climbs to a $10,000 fine, six months of jail time and, possibly, revocation of hunting privileges for up to 10 years. In separate incidents in 2009, two men who illegally killed deer were stripped of their hunting privileges by Idaho judges. One pled guilty to spotlighting five
deer after legal hunting hours and was fined more than $12,000 on top of forfeiting his license. Another was ordered to pay $3,000 in fines after he and his wife pled guilty of taking big game with a firearm during muzzleloader season. These cases were reported nationally, including by the Los Angeles Times, because the bans these scofflaws received were enforceable in 31 states under the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Earlier this year, a citizen’s anonymous tip named a Weiser man in the poaching of numerous deer and several domestic cattle. An investigation followed, unearthing 65 violations including 23 felonies and 29 misdemeanors against four men. Several others were granted immunity in exchange for their testimony against the four primary defendants. Charges included hunting without a license, taking big game with the aid of artificial light, unlawful possession of deer parts, taking deer during closed
season, waste and cattle rustling. Through plea agreements with the Washington County Prosecutor’s office, the four defendants agreed to pay $24,450 in fines and penalties. The penalties included restitution for the livestock losses; the men forfeited their hunting licenses for three to five years. These license suspensions extended to 37 other Wildlife Violator Compact states. The defendants were each given 24 months of probation, during which any violation could lead to 180 days in jail for their poaching crimes. Idaho joined the Wildlife Violator Compact in 1991; the list is now 39 states long, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact webpage. Poaching can also be reported to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Clearwater Region office in Lewiston at (208) 799-5010 or via the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at (800) 6325999. Callers can remain anonymous and will be eligible for a reward.
Sportsman’s Code of Ethics •I will consider myself an invited guest of the landowner, seeking his permission, and so conducting myself that I may be welcome in the future. •I will obey the rules of safe gun handling and will courteously but firmly insist that others who hunt with me do the same. •I will obey all game laws and regulations, and will insist that my companions do likewise. •I will do my best to acquire those marksmanship and hunting skills, which insure clean, sportsmanlike kills. •I will support conservation efforts, which can assure good hunting for the future generations of Americans. •I will pass along to younger hunters the attitudes and skills essential to a true outdoor sportsman.
A FRESH COAT FOR WINTER The family that hunts together stays together — and women are joining the ranks of modern hunters in increasing numbers. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / GEORGE FISCHER
Women hunt, but where are today’s youth? Women are the largest seg- one hunt, for one season, withment of the population joining out them first taking Hunter the ranks of hunters today. Our Education. American women have done You are asking for trouble if the math and found a family you just throw a beginning that hunts together stays to- hunter out in the woods with a gether. They see the value of gun. As a mentor, take the time hunting’s wholesome to get them proficient with the exercise, great nutrition, fresh basics. Be sure to go over reguair...and they have found it is a lations and the proper licensgreat activity to es/tags. build confiHave them dence in young practice shootpeople. Hunting and safe ing done right By Idaho Dept. of Fish gun handling teaches many until they build and Game District life skills and Conservation Officer c o n f i d e n c e . George Fischer instills a solid Keep it fun, code of ethics keep them and builds an appreciation for warm with plenty of snacks, all life. and keep it low pressure. The flip side is in general we Veteran and new hunters continue to lose our youth. alike need to memorize and There are a few bright spots in practice the five primary rules hunter recruitment with the of safe gun handling: many youth programs being (1) Treat every gun as if it pushed by state fish and game were loaded even if you are agencies and conservation sure it is not. groups around the country. (2) Never point your gun at Unfortunately, American something you do not wish to youth is suffering from nature destroy. deficit disorder. Anti-gun, anti(3) Never put your finger on hunting social pressures — or the trigger until ready to shoot. just a lack of time in the day, as (4) Be sure of your target, kids have very busy schedules what is in front of it and what with sports and homework — is behind it (including other anare primary culprits. imals). If you have been out there (5) Take a second to think beating the brush for a few about what you are doing. Is it years, consider becoming a right? Is it legal? hunt mentor or Hunter EducaHope you can try to make tion Instructor. Take out a kid, a time to help a new hunter out. girlfriend, a husband, a senior- Perhaps it’s just having your who would like to give hunting five-year-old, or a grandchild a try. An Idaho Hunting Pass- tag along with a BB gun on a port is even available these nice day. Have a safe season days, so that a new hunter can and hope to see you in the go out with you for a one-on- field.
Guest Column
CREATIVE COMMONS / BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
This young bull no doubt started to shed his thin copper-colored summer hair last month. In the course of growing a winter coat, which is about five-fold warmer than the summer coat, elk adapt to seasonal temperatures ranging from summer highs of 100 degrees to winter lows of -40.
Scouting 101
Four things deer make: rubs, scrapes, beds and trails When you find an area that you think may be suitable for deer hunting, what is one of the first things you look for? Deer rubs, right? You know, those places on a tree where a buck has rubbed to remove velvet from their antlers or strengthen their neck muscles in preparation for the rut. Generally, the larger the tree containing the rub and the stronger the scent, the bigger and more dominant the buck may be. Of course, rubs aren’t the only indicators of deer.
In addition to rubs, bucks often make scrapes during the rut. They paw at the ground and ruburinate the area, creating a strong odor that does, as well as humans, can detect. They then spread their scent to a nearby tree or branch by rubbing it with their head. Bucks tend to make scrapes where does will find them easily, such as in or around feeding areas and fence rows. Torn tree branches and small beds of grass or leaves are other signs of deer. Deer have no front
teeth, so when they eat from trees and bushes, they tend to tear off the branches and leave ragged ends. Deer create beds from grass and leaves, about three feet in length. During the summer, they bed on sunny slopes or weedy fields, and during the winter, among the trees. As deer travel from their beds to feeding areas, they leave behind trails, which can also be tracked. Sometimes these trails are marked with rubs, scrapes and other telltale signs of deer. As high-use
areas, these trails make great places for hunters to set up their equipment and prepare to get in a shot or two. While some hunters — archers in particular — may start scouting late in the summer, most hunters find scouting more effective just prior to the start of the season. Because deer sometimes frequent the same areas, hunters may even want to continue scouting after the season has ended in order to find the best places to hunt next season.
Page 8C October 8, 2014
IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS
Brag Board LEFT: Chris Arnzen, pictured with daughter, Camas, got a scare from a bear at the family Christmas tree farm near Winona. The bear, having scattered trash in their yard on the morning of Sept. 14, showed up “right at our front door,” photo contributor Lisa Arnzen said. Under the law, a person threatened by a wild animal may take immediate action to end the threat; when the bear ran into their row of Christmas trees, Chris and a neighbor who had the appropriate tag tracked it down. ABOVE: Brent Frazey of Lewiston spotted and claimed a nice bull during the first week of the archery season in a unit south of Grangeville. BELOW, LEFT: Eric Gortsema of Grangeville had a fine run during the 2013-2014 sport hunting seasons. He tagged two turkeys, a whitetail, a 5x5 bull and a bear. BELOW, RIGHT: A family photo of Karen and Jeremi Syron and their daughter, Sadie, includes the deer dad claimed during November 2013. “We hike a lot with our daughter, scouting before season,” Karen said. “We put up game cameras and she goes along to change out the camera cards, loves looking at photos from the game cameras. We very rarely purchase beef or pork and almost all of our meat is harvested by us so we want her to understand where her food comes from. Now she is two and even at this age she loves to watch deer and turkeys from the house, talks about how cute they are and wants to ‘pet them all.’ But on the other hand, when we have shot a deer or turkey we always let her see them and touch them and she says that she is ‘going to eat it, yum yum.’ So, she likes to appreciate them in nature and appreciates them as a food source.” CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
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