www.mtba.org
A PUBLICATION OF THE MONTANA BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION
VOL. 35 #4 SUMMER 2009
2009 Convention Hi-lights Officers Reports
Wolf Management In Montana
Appreciation Day
Landowner Friendly
www.mtba.org
MBA
officers
PRESIDENT Jim Gappa 3006 Avenue F • Billings, MT 59102 jsgappa@msn.com • 406-655-8263 1ST VICE PRESIDENT Joelle Selk 6963 York Road • Helena, MT 59602 jselkmt@aol.com • 406-475-3023 2ND VICE PRESIDENT Jason Tounsley 8630 Longmeadow Dr. • Billings, MT 59106 jtounsley@msn.com • 406-656-2497 TREASURER Sue Miller PO Box 746 • Stevensville, MT 59870 mtba@mtba.org • 406-777-0214 PAST PRESIDENT Gary Carvajal 10800 Oral Zumwalt Way • Missoula, MT 59803 elkheartmt@bresnan.net • 406-493-6104 MBA PUBLIC RELATONS DIRECTOR Mark Seacat 34156 E. Frontage Rd. • Bozeman, MT 59715 markseacat@mysteryranch.com • 406-570-2190 NEWSLETTER EDITOR Steve Sukut 401 Skylark Road • Glasgow, MT 59230 sksukut@nemont.net • 406-367-9359
WEB DESIGNER Tracy Watt, Wordman, LLC tracy@mywordman.com • 406-721-0754 NEWSLETTER DESIGN K Design Marketing, Inc. Kimberly Kinsinger 15275 Thayer Rd. • Lolo, MT 59847 kim@kdesignmarketing.com • 406-273-6193
MBA
Regional Representatives Region 1 Al Kelly
Paul Martin
Region 2
Brent Hunsucker Paul Roush II
Region 3
Brendan Burns Jesse Nelson
Region 4
Rosey Roseland Don Davidson
Region 5
Ernie McKenzie Kris O'Bleness
Region 6
Don Stein Barry Boyce
Region 7
Jeff Noble Rex Rogers
Region 8
Marvin Drake Craig Marr
EVEN YEARS Steve Kamps Pete Iacavazzi Steve Schindler Billy Lewis Roger Peffer Steve Sukut ODD YEARS Steve Halama George Graham Steve Riveland Adam Barker Ray Gross Mark Seacat
PO Box 219, Libby, MT 59923 ............................................406-293-2900 alman@frontiernet.net 3160 Airport Road, Kalispel, MT 59901 ................................406-261-4456 paulhm@dishmail.net 5348 Florence Carlton Loop, Florence, MT 59833 ........................406-880-2901 forilla1@rkymtn.net 5106 Mainview Dr., Missoula, MT 59803..................................406-544-2169 montanaarchery@hotmail.com 2402 Draws #D, Bozeman, MT 59718 ................................406-223-3833 Region3mbarep@yahoo.com 407 N. Teton, Bozeman, MT 59718 ....................................406-580-1952 sharpstx@gmail.com PO Box 444, Lewistown, MT 59457 .................................... 406-535-2903 roseland@midrivers.com 813 6th St. S.W., Great Falls, MT 59404 ..............................406-453-3976 mtdonbow@gmail.com 2705 Sage Springs Ct., Billings, MT 59106 .......................... 406-656-2244 jandemckenzie@q.com 2908 Alaskan Ave., Billings, MT 59101 .............................. 406-252-5360 klimatekris@yahoo.com 1625 Northern Heights Drive, Havre, MT 59501 ....................406-265-8099 dr.camo@bresnan.net 1117 Penn.,Chinook MT 59523 ..........................................406-357-3592 bboyce23@hotmail.com PO Box 32, Broadus, MT 59317..........................................406-436-2365 prcoattorney@rangeweb.net Box 1022, Colstrip, MT 59323............................................406-436-2365 rr_tradbow@yahoo.com 3433 Pine Hills Dr., Helena, MT 59602 ................................406-748-3077 mdrake@health-e-web.net 7005 Viscaya Rd, Helena, MT 59602....................................406-475-9512 b4_lite@yahoo.com
AT LARGE DIRECTORS P.O. Box 192, Lincoln, MT 59639 – kamps@linctel.net ....................................................406-362-4907 America – pciacavazzi@hotmail.com ................................................................................406-599-5786 134 Sawney Drive,Glasgow, MT 59203 – schinto@nemont.net..........................................406-228-9024 730 N. Yellowstone, Livingston, MT 59407 – billylewis71@yahoo.com ..............................406-220-1837 2517 9th Ave So Great Falls, MT 59405 – regorp77@msn.com ........................................406-452-0911 401 Skylark Rd., Glasgow, MT 59230 – sksukut@nemont.net..........................................406-366-2247 550 Tabriz, Billings, MT 59105 – steveninmontana@hotmail.com ......................................406-367-9359 P3608 Kiowa Tr., Billings, MT 5910 – georgegraham@live.com..........................................406-861-9379 20 Yellowstone Bluffs Rd., Park City, MT 59063 – neverthirst@tctwest.net ..........................406-860-6543 1020 Valley View Dr., Great Falls, MT 59405 – adam.barker@ge.com ................................406-461-2792 355 Antelope Dr., Dillon, MT 59725 – ray gross@bresnan.net ..........................................406-683-2046 34156 E.Frontage Rd., Bozeman, MT 59715 –markseacat@mysteryranch.com ..................406-570-2190
EDITORIAL COMMENTS The MBA Newsletter is a quarterly publication of the MBA and is intended to inform, entertain and educate its members on happenings within the organization and to bowhunting in general.
PUBLICATIONS DATES AND DEADLINES FALL ISSUE, DEADLINE, JULY 15 WINTER ISSUE, DEADLINE, OCTOBER 15 Stories, photos or cartoons should be sent to Steve Sukut, 401 Skylark Road, Glasgow, MT 59230. All materials are the opinion of the author unless
otherwise stated, and are subject to being edited. All photos will be placed in the MBA Photo Album and can be viewed at the annual conventions. Any questions as to policies of the MBA please write the President or Vice President.
MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES Please send new memberships or renewal memberships to MBA Treasurer., 143 Log Cabin Lane, Stevensville, MT 59870 or call 406-777-7146 or ask any member.
from the EDITOR
Table
3
OF CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE — Jim Gappa 1ST VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Joelle Selk
4 Steve Sukut 5 Leah Kailey, Sue Miller 6 10 14 Carolyn Sime, FWP 16 18 20 21 22 26 28 29 30 32
2ND VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SECRETARY’S MESSAGE — Peter Iacavazzi TREASURER’S MESSAGE REGIONAL NEWS
AT LARGE DIRECTORS WOLF MANAGEMENT IN MONTANA P
2009 ANNUAL CONVENTION 2009 MBA AWARDS
2009 CONVENTION THANK YOU 2009 RAFFLE AUCTION WINNERS APPRECIATION DAY — Jeff Noble LANDOWNER FRIENDLY — Levi Johnson 2009 CARP SAFARI
MEMBER GALLERY
MBA MERCHANDISE 2ND ANNUAL MONTANA STATE BOWHUNTERS CHAMPIONSHIP DEALER MEMBERS
It’s been a busy year for the Montana Bowhunters Association. As we all know, we’re a very politically active bunch. I like to think that the MBA is a good ‘ol boy type bowhunting club, because it is, but we also have a huge impact on Montana politics, thanks to the hard work of our Legislative Committee and dedicated members. Read what 1st Vice President Joelle Selk says in her report. She makes it sound so easy. Joelle doesn’t mention the hours spent writing letters, testifying to Senate and House committees, talking on the phone, sending e-mails. The job is enormous, and to say that Joelle, Steve Kamps, and the rest of the MBA legislative committee deserve our thanks is grossly understated. Another big Thank You goes out to Jeremy Garness and the Great Falls Archery Club for the fantastic job they did in putting on the 2009 MBA Convention. It all went off without a hitch. Dr. Warren Strickland did a wonderful job as keynote speaker, and it was a great pleasure having him. Warren is also the MBA’s newest Life Member! Thank you so much, Warren. This convention saw some new additions to the MBA Board of Directors, also. I can safely say that the MBA will be in good hands for years to come, and the energy and enthusiasm they bring is a much needed shot in the arm. Welcome aboard, people! We are still trying to steer MBA members to the MBA website at www.mtba.org. That is where you will find the most up to date information about what your MBA is doing. There is also a discussion board that is worth checking out, and many archives of old stories and photos. It’s well worth the visit. As far as logging on to the Member’s Only section, our webmaster Marvin Drake has sent out instructions to all MBA members that we have an e-mail address for. If you’d like to log on to the Member’s Only section of the website, you have to contact Marvin at mdrake@health-e-web.net and give him your e-mail address. You, the member, should be getting this magazine about the end of May. That means that bear and turkey seasons are winding down, and the next big time is 3-D shoots, carp hunting, and chasing some gophers. If you can’t find something fun to do in Montana 12 months out of the year, then you have no one but yourself to blame. Try to make the MBA Carp shoot this year. It’s about the most fun that one can legally have! Take care,
Steve Sukut
About
THE COVER
Montana
Paul Lindsoe and his boys Connor and Keagan shared a great opening day of Turkey season in 2008! Thanks for sharing this photo with the MBA
BOWHUNTER — 2 WWW.MTBA.ORG
PRESIDENT’S
message
Bear and Turkey season are upon us, and I’m certain some of you have harvested a bear and/or a Tom. I am in the process of trying to gain access to some private land and I am feeling pretty good and thankful about the opportunity. I have been busy thinking of the areas I am going to put in for my special permits for Moose, Goat and Sheep. In another month or so, I will have to make a decision which limited elk archery hunting district to put in for a permit. The Annual MBA Convention in Great Falls was another great event. Jeremy Garness and the Great Falls Archery Club did a great job. Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped run this event. Without these “volunteer” members, events like this would not even happen, so thanks again. The next MBA event is going to be the MBA’s Carp Shoot at Canyon Ferry on Saturday, June 13th. The MBA Board will be holding a Board meeting the Friday before, so we should have a strong presence of Board members at the Carp Shoot. This will be a great opportunity to meet and discuss bowhunting issues, so please plan on attending and having a lot of fun. In the last year our membership has increased by about 400, this in itself in good news. I don’t know if it is a reflection of the job the MBA as an organization is doing or just that some of the issues facing bowhunters is rallying them to get involved in an organization that has and continues to do a lot for bowhunters. The makeup of the current Board is diverse and fairly young, with the exception of Steve (I’ll let them figure out who I am referring to). These new Board members have brought a lot of enthusiasm and ideas that are allowing the MBA to evolve and keep pace with the world around us. We can’t forget where we came from as we continue to grow and expand our membership. We always have to stay within the guidelines of the MBA’s mission statement. The MBA’s mission statement is: To unite the state’s bowhunting sportsmen to work towards a common goal of preserving and promoting the sport of bowhunting in Montana. Often we get so caught up with promoting that preserving what we have and what future generations will have often gets forgotten. The benefits of the new limited elk archery regulations are yet to be determined. The jury is still out on the pros and cons of this topic. In a few discussions I have had with FWP personnel, I have been told that landowners are now approaching FWP to try and get an elk permit to hunt on their ranch. In order to get an elk permit to hunt on their property, they are now willing to offer the public access to hunt their land in exchange for an elk permit. Before, FWP was never in a position to “negotiate” access, because landowners were “holding all the cards”. Given the fact that Senate Bill 42 (SB 42, passed in a past legislative session), which mandates FWP to meet the elk population objectives in the Elk Management Plan (EMP), I fear that FWP (because technically they are “breaking the law”) will only issue antler-less elk permits until the elk populations meet the objectives spelled out in the EMP. If hunters, outfitters, and landowners were upset before; just wait and see when you are only allowed to hunt antlerless elk. This is perfectly within FWP’s authority to regulate permits in order to bring those elk herds down to the numbers required by SB 42. My thought is; “be careful what you wish for”. Our Legislative Committee did a great job this past legislative session. I have heard very good things about our members getting information regarding our position on certain Bills as they
progressed through the legislative process. I heard from representatives, senators and State Departments that we were well organized and very professional in our dealings with the various parties that were involved. If you would like to be contacted on “hot button” items affecting bowhunting or hunting for that matter, contact your local Regional Representative or a Director AtLarge and give them you phone number AND e-mail address. I assure you, you will not receive junk e-mails. We blind carbon copy (bcc) those on the list so someone cannot acquire your information for spamming purposes. The MBA Board and I feel our newsletter has “turned the corner” and we are now referring to it as the MBA MAGAZINE. We have been successful in selling additional advertisement, since we went to the full color style. We are hopeful that we will be attracting more advertisers to offset the cost of our magazine. If you were not aware, the magazine is the most costly expense for the MBA. Our magazine remains the same; it will be a tool for us to keep the membership informed of issues facing them locally, regionally, and statewide. I want to thank each one of you for being a member of this great organization. Without your membership, and purchasing raffle tickets, and bidding on all the auction items donated by the generous businesses and individuals, we wouldn’t have what we have today. So, thank you!
Jim M. Gappa
First Vice PRESIDENT’S message
The 2009 Legislative session is almost at a close. This was the busiest session I remember for quite some time. We enjoyed many victories this year by defeating several challenges to bowhunting opportunities and lending support to other bills which safeguarded access and proper wild-life management. I want to thank each of you for contacting legislators in response to our alerts – your input made a huge impact! That’s where the “rubber hits the road” during these sessions, and we were very effective due to all of your input this year. HB 434 Allow disabled persons to hunt with a crossbow during archery season. Position: Opposed. Status: Tabled. We defeated this bill through a spirit of mutual respect for the proponents and education of lawmakers and the public as to the modifications currently available for archery equipment. This effort proved the importance of educating bowhunters around the state about modified archery equipment available to those with disabilities. HB 74 Allow the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission the discretion to include mountain lion, bear, and wolf among the species for which the commission may designate archery seasons (amends Section 87-1-304, MCA).
continued on page 4
3—
Summer 2009
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
continued from page 3
Position: Support. Status: Signed into law. The passage of this bill was quite a feather in our cap, as it opens the door for expanded archery opportunity. We will request the commission set specific archery seasons for mountain lion, bear, and wolf during the 2010 Tentative process. SB 31 Revise qualifications of FWP Commission by providing at least one member engaged in breeding and management of domestic livestock and have an ownership interest in at least 1280 acres of land (amends Section 2-15-3402, MCA). Position: Opposed. Status: Tabled. This bill provided unnecessary additional requirements for the landowner representative on the commission. SB 402 Clarify property rights compensation is due when taken.
for
which
just
Position: Opposed. Status: Tabled. This bill would have overturned the I-143 Supreme Court decision and resulted in reimbursement to game farms for losses incurred by the “takings” of their property. SB 435 No net gain in state lands. Position: Opposed. Status: Tabled. This was another bill which threatened access and opportunity. The bill required the state to divest property for each acquisition such that there would be not net gain in state land ownership. This one also passed the Senate, then stalled in the House FWP due to sportsman input. SB 217 Reimburse livestock producers for tests for disease transmitted by wildlife. Position: Opposed. Status: Tabled. This bill would have required FWP to pay for brucellosis testing – to the tune of $18 million over the next 2-3 years. Again, your input made the difference and legislators chose to seek stimulus funds for immediate brucellosis remediation.
Position: Oppose. Status: Signed into law. HB 314 Wildlife damage Mitigation Act (MWF’s Antiharboring bill). Position: Support/neutral. Status: Tabled. SB 162 Restrict ability to limit hunting permits for certain species. Position: Oppose. Status: Tabled.
SB 383 Require full-size license plates on ATVs and offhighway vehicles. Position: Support. Status: Tabled. HB 614 Crime to ride off-highway vehicles on closed public lands. Position: Support. Status: Tabled. HB 336 Authorize use of dogs to track wounded game animals. Status: Tabled. SB 32 Allow chiropractor to certify disability for hunting purposes. Position: Oppose. Status: Tabled. SB 59 Require mountain lion trophy fees be used for the management of mountain lions (amends Sections 87-2-507 and 87-2-508, MCA). Position: Support. Status: Tabled. SB 183 Revise state wolf policy. Position: Oppose. Status: Tabled. jeopardized wolf delisting.
This bill would have
Joelle Selk EDITOR’S NOTE: The very excellent job that Joelle Selk, Steve Kamps, the legislative committee, and all who wrote letters to our congressmen and senators did was the most amazing example of democracy in motion that I have ever seen. I am so very proud of all of you, and so proud of the Montana Bowhunters Association!
SJ 15 Urge vigorous defense of gray wolf delisting. Position: Support. Status: Signed into law.
SB 164 Revise FWP land management and acquisition re: Good Neighbor Policy. Position: Support. Status: Passed; will become law. This bill initially would have required FWP to “pad” any land purchases by 40% to cover weed management costs. Fortunately, FWP and Senator Barrett worked out compromises which are now less financially harmful to FWP and satisfactory to the proponents. HB 585 Implement PL/PW recommendations: “Come Home to Hunt” pilot project. Position: Neutral. Status: Passed; will become law. HB 137 Revise license benefits for landowners enrolled in the hunter management program (block management); allowing employees of landowners to receive the free big game combination license allotted to the landowner (amends Section 87-1-266, MCA).
Montana
BOWHUNTER — 4 WWW.MTBA.ORG
Second Vice PRESIDENT’S message
This will be my last note as 2nd v.p. I opted to run for a Director at Large position, so I could keep my feet wet in regards to Board discussions and directions, and still have enough time to put the magazine together properly. Jason Tounsley, who won the position of 2nd Veep in a veritable landslide of one write-in vote, will be taking over. Please do your best to assist him in future MBA surveys and give him input as to the direction you’d like to see the Montana Bowhunters Association go. Thanks, everybody!!
Steve Sukut
SECRETARY’S
message
Well, its April 15th and instead of sitting in my turkey blind, I’m trying to get my taxes finished on time...If not, there’s always the tax extension form! Good news is the turkeys aren’t going anywhere, and soon enough I’ll be harassing them in an effort to introduce a big spring gobbler to my broadhead. In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for write offs... This will be my last column as your secretary, but don’t worry I’m not going far. In fact, I’ll be just a few pages down, writing and working as a DAL (Director at Large). In truth, I have no idea what a “DAL” does...but hey, I really didn’t know what a secretary did either. But, after a short while...I figured it out. I’m sure Jim and Joelle will inform me of my duties and how best I can serve the MBA! My goal remains the same: To best serve the bowhunters of Montana and to make a difference. I’m not yet sure who will replace me as MBA secretary, but I’m certain he/she will do a great job! The busy demands of being a single father, (most of you know my Tanner!) and of my ever increasing “Rape Escape” business have certainly taken much of my time. I think that a DAL position will suit me just fine. Hey, I just love being a part of this amazing group of passionate and dedicated bowhunters. It was great to see so many of my old friends at the MBA convention and equally as wonderful to make new friends and meet new people. I really enjoy the MBA. To me we are more than an organization; we’re like a big family. By the time you read this, I should have filled my bear tag, my turkey tag and probably put the hurt on the local gopher population...Hey, the power of positive thinking! But, if not...no worries, one thing is certain; I’ll be out there trying. That’s what I love about Montana; we all get the chance to try! So, my fellow Montanans grab your bows, lace up your boots and get out there...and just try! Remember, why we do, what we do, and why we love this great state so much...and if the opportunity ever arises...Fight for Montana. I believe she is worth fighting for! God Bless,
TREASURER’S
message
OUTGOING TREASURER LEAH KAILEY This is it…the end. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the beautiful plaque that I received during the convention. I would have given a tiny speech, however I was totally surprised and overwhelmed with emotion. I know I would have cried and Rosie said there would be no crying. I have thoroughly enjoyed my 5+ years as treasurer for you. I am thankful for all the people I have met, most of you are more than a member number and a name to me. I know you personally, and have made several new friends. I will continue to read your stories, check out your photos and see you at future events. I hope you will keep the MBA at the top of your priority list. Get involved, it’s worth the effort. And now…to you, Sue…
Leah Kailey INCOMING TREASURER SUE MILLER Hello to all the MBA members. Let me introduce myself as your incoming MBA treasurer. My name is Sue Miller, I am a Colorado native who lived there most of my life. I have done construction accounting for the past twenty some years and I now work for WildWoods Log Construction Company in Florence. My husband, Jon, received an offer from his company six years ago to relocate to western Montana, so here we are!! We absolutely love Montana and the relaxed living style and not having to do the “rat race” of the big city. I am not a hunter, but my husband is an avid hunter and I DO love to cook (or try to cook) everything my husband brings home, and he just loves the long hunting season here in Montana. WOW! I have huge shoes to fill with Leah leaving this position. She has promised to be my source for knowledge, and her expertise with the MBA will be extra helpful for me. I hope I can step up to fill this position and do as much for the MBA as she did. I know we will all miss Leah, and we appreciate all she has done for this organization. I had the opportunity and pleasure of attending my first MBA convention in March. I had a great time at the convention and it was nice to meet so many new people. I look forward to meeting many more of you in the years to come. Let’s get out there and recruit new members and see if we can get some former members to renew their dues. Please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail me with any questions.
Sue Miller
Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
Pete Iacavazzi
5—
Summer 2009
Region 1
Region 2 Paul Martn
AL KELLY PAUL MARTIN Another great convention was enjoyed by those who made the trip to Great Falls. There was great food, drink and friends. If you can’t be out hunting, then you should at least be able to talk about hunting. The convention is a great way to spend some time in the cold of winter. Good job to the crew from Great Falls. Rosey put on an outstanding turkey seminar that was both informative and entertaining. I always look forward to the conventions, knowing that I am going to have a great time, but then faster than you can say ‘where’s my bow” it’s over for another year. It kind of signals the coming of what spring brings (Turkey season, fishing and hiking). Life is good here in the last best place. Get out and spread the word. What word is that you ask? Join! Join the MBA! That’s the word, and that is what everyone who is a bowhunter needs to do. Each one of us needs to step it up and grow our ranks. The only way our organization could be better is if we can grow the number of bow hunters that we represent. That is something that each member can do. If every body does a little it will add up quickly. See Ya at the Carp Shoot! Be Heard!!
Al Kelly Kelly Family
As you know, this was a legislative year, and all of the board members participated in one form or another to protect and defend our great sport of bowhunting, especially Joelle Selk and Steve Kamps, who kept us all up to date on the issues. With that said, I will go on to an update on the wolf situation. With delisting written into law, FWP will proceed in their management plan. Around twelve anti groups are threatening to file suit in attempt to keep things in litigation. We cannot sit with our fingers crossed and hope for the best; we need to maintain a diligent watch on the situation. There’s not a state in the nation that can afford this predator without management. Many topics have come to my attention in the last year, one being the lighted nock issue, in that Montana law does not allow an electronic device on your bow. With the MBA respecting our law, and the integrity of the Pope&Young Club, this should not be a reason not to join the MBA. Montana has long hunting seasons, but sooner or later they come to an end, winter sets in, and all we can do is think about what we did or should have done. But some of us head for other states or even other countries to maybe do more hunting, like pigs in Texas or California or even better yet, the Hawaiian Islands. A lot of people go to the Islands just on vacation- I say take your bow and have a great time. There are archery areas on all the main Islands and hunting is year around for several different kinds of animals: some of them are pigs, Spanish goats, axis deer, and mouflon sheep. I have been able to do some of these fair chase self-guided hunts for Axis deer and Mouflon sheep, and I can tell you that hunting in paradise is a blast. I understand one of our board members is heading over there soon. Turkey season and spring bear hunts are on us so be careful out there, and oh yeah- good luck, Mr. Sukut.
Paul Martin
BRENT HUNSUCKER PAUL ROUSH Well, spring is finally starting to poke its head out, and Turkey and Bear seasons are underway. Turkey hunting in Region 2 should be pretty good this year…I have been seeing lots of birds. On the other hand, I have not heard much from hunters about seeing bears. This long cold winter will definitely will have an impact on the spring season. It is also 3D season. As I am writing this, I am preparing to go to the NFAA National Outdoors 3D shoot in Redding, California. A lot of the Archery Clubs in the state are having their annual archery tournaments. They are a great tool for getting ready for hunting season. They help teach you to judge yardage and to get used to shooting on the actual terrain that you will be hunting. With that being said, the Five Valley’s Archery Club and the Montana Bowhunters Association will again be hosting the Montana State Bowhunters Championship on June 20th at the Clearwater Game Range. This shoot was a great success last year and loads of fun. If you have never shot a 3D archery shoot you just do not know what you are missing for having fun in the summer. This is also the year that the tentatives are going to start popping up before the December meeting in Helena. The outlook of some changes are going to be good, others well, we are fighting them tooth and nail (for instance, the changes in the 23 outside the Breaks eastern elk archery districts). The convention was great fun. The Great Falls committee did a great job of setting it up. Thanks for a fun filled weekend. Dr Strickland was great fun to listen to as was the other seminars. It was good to see those that we only see once, maybe twice a year, and get caught up on hunting stories. For all the Region 2 members, Brent and I would like to thank you for participating in the area meeting and membership drive. The last one was a great success. We had about 40 people show up and at least 10 to 15 new
members signed up that night. The conversation was good, as was the food and drinks. We hope to see all of you at the next meeting, and don’t forget to bring a friend. So to everyone, enjoy your summer and do not forget to practice. There is no such thing as too much.
Paul Roush Paul’s son Caleb
BRENDAN BURNS JESSE NELSON
I just got back from making the best investment I will make all year: purchasing my 2009 tags. It is amazing what $110.00 dollars will get you in this state. It makes me truly grateful to live in a state where there is so much opportunity to hunt for so little money. To say it is the best value in the west is the understatement of the decade. Congrats to the guys in Great Falls for pulling off such a great convention. It was a good time and always nice to make a few new friends and see so many old ones. I was glad to see Brian Koelzer as the Bowhunter of the year. He is a very deserving recipient who put some great animals on the ground. Steve Tylinski is a very deserving individual for the first lifetime achievement award. I stopped by to check out his trophy room after the convention, and man, has that guy arrowed a lot of big animals. Congrats, guys! We are going to have a Membership drive this spring for region 3. Keep an eye out for a postcard in the mail with the date and location. We (I mean me) have been slacking in the meeting department. I am hoping this springs meeting can be a little better. If any region 3 guys have any ideas for a good location, shoot me an E-mail. Good luck in the draws and have a great spring.
Brendan Burns
Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
Region 3 Region 4 DON DAVIDSON ROSEY ROSELAND
Thank you, Jeremy Garness and the Great Falls Archery Club, for putting on another great banquet. It’s hunting season again. Guys around here aren’t to fired up yet, mainly because it is still winter over here. A few guys have been shooting gophers in between snow storms! Most guys around here are pretty p.o.’d about the under cover game warden shooting the biggest Ram on the river. It’s one thing putting in most of your life and just being unlucky. But for FWP to issue a phony sheep tag for a sting operation, then kill probably the biggest Ram ever shot down there...this is unacceptable! I agree if a guy poaches a Sheep to throw the book at him but this is too much! The word on the street is that the sting went south and there will only be a few minor violations. With .04% odds most of us will probably never draw anyway but after reading the story
Rosey Roseland
in the Great Falls Tribune most local bowhunters are still ticked off. The good news is that we won the bridge access bill but if you dug deep enough; there already was a law that stated county and state road right of ways did NOT narrow down at bridges. We have just been buffaloed by landowners. Maybe in our lifetimes we will see all of those old County, Forest and BLM access roads that WERE access to public land opened again, who knows...
Rosey Roseland Brendan Burns
7—
Summer 2009
Region 5 Region 6 Region 7 ERNIE MCKENZIE JASON TOUNSLEY
DON STEIN BARRY BOYCE
JEFF NOBLE REX ROGERS
Spring is here… saw a few turkeys strutting yesterday… there are bears making tracks in the snow as I write… oh, and pulled a tick off me this morning… ahhh….spring. Anyhow, Region 5 is alive with debate on elk permit issues and planning the 2010 convention. Wow, the Great Falls Convention was great! Thanks Jeremy and All! I hope we can do as good a job over here next March. I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Kris O’Bleness is our new R5 Rep (again). His contact info is in the mag. Kris and I are going to be starting a membership drive. R5 has a poor showing of members, so keep your ears open for some meetings and some events that will help boost membership. Sign someone up! Please contact Me, Kris, Jason or Steve if you want to help with the 2010 convention!! We will be having a meeting in mid May…I’ll be in touch. Have a Great Spring and summer!
Thank you to those who attended our MBA convention in Great Falls and helped make it a success. A special thank you goes out to Jeremy Garness and the rest of the Great Falls crew for all of the long hours of hard work that you put in to the effort. Clyde Thomas of Montana Target and I were very pleased with the space that was provided for our displays I hope that everyone returned home safely due the winter storm on Sunday. My wife was forced into the ditch by an oncoming vehicle on her return trip home and had to take a 1/4 mile through a farmer’s field to the next approach. Hopefully spring has now finally sprung. Those of you who are fortunate enough to have huntable population of turkeys available nearby will be busy stalking them. The rest of us will have to settle for the wily ground squirrel. Now is the time to buy your licenses and tags — the deadline for permit applications is approaching quickly.
Greetings from Powder River County! I am pleased to report that the MBA board has recently decided to provide certain MBA merchandise ($125 retail value) to the Pronghorn Archery Club in Forsyth, to be used as prizes at their upcoming April 26 3-D shoot (the details for which you can see at the website: mtba.org). Thanks to Brent Hunsucker for helping with this, along with Al Kelly, who arranged for the “Viking” arrow case that I will also be providing to their club as a prize. Of course, all of the MBA members in Forsyth, Billings, Colstrip, Miles City and Broadus are invited to attend this shoot, and we hope to see you there! I personally believe that this event will be a “win-win” for both the MBA and the Forsyth Club. Nina Krueger, treasurer of their club, has informed me that their club is very excited about the news, and she and her husband are already planning to join the MBA this spring. In addition to providing these prizes, I will be attending this event (along with some of the other board members, I hope) to tell everyone about the MBA’s newest projects and events across the state (including our legislative activities). All in all, I believe we can gain some new MBA members in the eastern part of the state with this event, and help the Forsyth folks to make this shoot a success. In the future, I would like to see the MBA put on (or support) more events like this, to increase its presence in the eastern part of the state. We have LOTS of bowhunters in the state who live east of Billings (including board members Steve Sukut, Steve Schindler, Rex Rogers, and myself), but virtually no events out here to attract new members to the association. I hope this support will benefit the local club, and give the MBA some much needed “PR” out here. In my opinion, the MBA’s #1 priority this summer should be to RECRUIT MORE MEMBERS! Lastly, thanks to the Great Falls Convention crew for putting on a super event in March. Good luck with the spring turkeys and bears!
Ernie McKenzie
Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
Don Stein
Jeff Noble
Jeff Noble
Rex Rogers
Region 8
MBA Legislative: Joelle Selk, Chair
committees Steve Kamps • Marvin Drake Mark Seacat • Jeff Noble • Jason Tounsley Jesse Nelson • Billy Lewis • Ray Gross George Graham • Steve Schindler
Hello to all. Looks like everyone made it home from the convention safely, what nasty driving conditions. Kudos to the Great Falls group for a fine convention and congratulations to Lloyd Brown on his Special Achievement Award for all the hard work he did during his four terms as Region 7 representative. March saw Colstrip having its foul weather shoot with 40 hardy shooters participating, then racing the snow to pull the targets. Ed Bukoskey put on a bowhunter education class in the Forsyth area that received a nice photo spread in the local paper. Very good publicity and hopefully we will be seeing some of these new bowhunters as members after the April 26 MBA shoot in Forsyth. I sure get a lot of satisfaction out of participating in the legislative process via the info provided by our Legislative Committee and encourage all to stay active in this process. Thanks to the Committee for all their hard work this session. The spring seasons are upon us. The turkeys have been very active on the nice days and have faired well through the winter. Seems like there are always turkeys in the core areas and as the population increases they move into the marginal areas. Based on this I would say our turkey population is just above average this spring. I am looking forward to some quality time putting feathers through feathers. Always interesting to finish a long winter then have the first hunt pit you against a set of vitals the size of a golf ball. Take a kid (bow) fishing. There’s nothing like carp to hone the skills necessary for stalking and shooting under field conditions. With bowfishing, as long as you can see them, the fish are always biting.
Rex Rogers
Tentative:
MARVIN DRAKE CRAIG MARR Spring has had a slow start in region 8 this year. It’s been snowing through March and April, and green grass has been scarce. Shed hunting has been slow for me, but I have heard of some nice antlers being picked up by others, including a six-point set with a clean bullet hole through the base, and another heavy 385 set. April 1st the city of Helena completed phase two of the deer control project. Mule deer were baited into net lined box traps and were dispatched with a bolt gun. It took the city 43 days to trap and kill 103 does and 47 bucks. If the females were carrying twin fawns you can calculate the incredible reproductive rate of these critters in a predator free environment. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a reasonable archery opportunity to harvest these animals because they are living in tight neighborhoods with limited open space. I hope to see everyone at the carp shoot and good luck with your springtime and summer adventures.
Marvin Drake Spring has had a slow start in region 8 this year. It’s been snowing through March and April, and green grass has been scarce. Shed hunting has been slow for me, but I have heard of some nice antlers being picked up by others, including a six-point set with a clean bullet hole through the base, and another heavy 385 set. April 1st the city of Helena completed phase two of the deer control project. Mule deer were baited into net lined box traps and were dispatched with a bolt gun. It took the city 43 days to trap and kill 103 does and 47 bucks. If the females were carrying twin fawns you can calculate the incredible reproductive rate of these critters in a predator free environment. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a reasonable archery opportunity to harvest these animals because they are living in tight neighborhoods with limited open space. I hope to see everyone at the carp shoot and good luck with your springtime and summer adventures.
Craig Marr Craig Marr
Steve Kamps, Chair Steve Sukut • Steve Schindler Mark Seacat • Don Stein • Joelle Selk Marvin Drake • Billy Lewis • Paul Martin Ray Gross • Jason Tounsley Jesse Nelson • Brendan Burns Adam Barker • George Graham
Financial:
Paul Roush, Chair Sue Miller • Jim Gappa
Landowner/Sportsman: Chair Craig Marr • Rex Rogers Lucas Zemlicka • Don Stein
Nominations:
Ernie McKenzie, Chair Jason Tounsley • Jim Gappa
Awards:
Rosey Roseland, Chair Roger Peffer • Steve Sukut Ernie McKenzie • Brent Hunsucker Brendan Burns • Billy Lewis
Membership: Al Kelly, Chair
Ernie McKenzie • Paul Roush Brent Hunsucker • Adam Barker Steve Schindler • Jeff Noble
Convention-Billings 2010: Ernie McKenzie, Chair Levi Johnson • Steve Sukut • Jim Gappa George Graham • Jason Tounsley
Newsletter/Website: Steve Sukut, Chair
Tracy Watt • Marvin Drake • Rex Rogers Paul Roush • Mark Seacat • Adam Barker Ernie McKenzie • Billy Lewis • Al Kelly
Carp Shoot: Joelle Selk, Chair
Craig Marr • Marvin Drake
Bow-Ed:
Steve Halama, Chair Don Stein • Al Kelly • Jeff Noble
NABC Director:
(North American Bowhunting Coalition)
Billy Lewis, Chair Alternates: Peter Iacavazzi, Steve Halama
At Large
Adam Barker
DIRECTORS
ADAM BARKER Spring is here again and the turkeys and bears are already finding themselves in the freezer. This certainly is a great time of year. The trade shows are all but done, and the latest products are showing up at all the retailers. The convention is behind us, and it was a great time. Another “thanks” to all the GFAC guys and gals that made everything happen. The legislative session is winding down and no major changes have come out of it at the time of this writing. That is not to say there weren’t any challenges, it was a very busy session indeed. I know we had many members involved in calling, emailing, and testifying to let Helena know how the MBA feels on various topics. If anyone in R4, or any region for that matter, was not getting my email updates on bills involving bowhunting issues that means I don’t have your correct email address. Please get it to me so your voice can be heard, and you can stay up-to-date on what we’re working on. You can email or call me anytime, as my info is in the front portion of the magazine. Since my “real” job requires me to spend a lot of time on the computer, that is the way I prefer to relay information. It’s not for everyone, but is the fastest, cheapest, and easiest way to keep folks up to speed. The next BIG things are the draw results. It’s mid-April as I’m writing, and it won’t be long till I’m sheep hunting! A little wishful thinking, but somebody has to draw. Fall will be here before we know it, and with it comes the reality of archery elk permits for most of eastern Montana. This is something that will
be a recurring theme all year and into 2010. Whether or not you know this already, 2010 will be our next big shot to shape archery elk hunting for the future in Montana. The MBA has already put many hours into brainstorming what proposals we’d like to bring to the commissioners on this topic. It is never too early to start planning. If you look at a calendar, in less than 12 months from now, the season structure will most likely be set for another 2 years! This is a very important issue for many reasons, and it directly affects us that live and hunt in R4. With that said, I urge everyone to get involved as much as possible. Have a great spring, and keep sending me your thoughts on any topic you want the MBA to look at. I’ve gotten a lot of success photos and even a few stories to accompany them. I’ll keep passing them all along to the Magazine committee to get them printed in upcoming issues. Keep the carp shoot and bear shoot in mind when making your summer plans.
Adam Barker
STEVE KAMPS Another Legislative Session has come and gone. You should know the MBA was there looking out for the best interest of bowhunting. Among other things, the MBA was successful yet again at keeping the crossbow from getting a foothold in our archery seasons, and we helped stop the creation of even more outfitter sponsored licenses. The MBA also supported a bill that made it possible to create archery-only seasons in the future for mountain lions, bears, and wolves. I had one member tell me these are all reasons why he renewed his membership with the MBA. He wanted to continue to give his support to the MBA, because the MBA is looking out for him in the Legislature. He is a wise man. Are your friends that aren’t members that wise? Give them a wake up call! Some of you may have gotten an email from the MBA asking for your help in contacting our Representatives to get them to vote No on the Crossbow Bill. For those of you that did call or write in, thank you. Your efforts were successful. If you did not receive an email from the MBA, then we do not have a current email address in our database for you. If that’s the case, and you want to be informed on important bowhunting issues, then call or email our new Treasurer and we’ll get you added to the list. We plan on using our email list more often in the future when we need to get the word out in a hurry. With the Legislative Session behind us, we will be looking forward to this winter’s Fish and Game Tentatives Season. This is where the Fish and Game makes decisions about our hunting seasons for the next two years. The last Tentatives Season resulted in a large loss of flexibility in our archery seasons in 23 hunting districts in the eastern half of the state. The MBA will be working to get some of that flexibility back with the upcoming Tentatives. It’s highly unlikely we would be able to convince the Commissioners to go back to the way it was in 2007 in those 23 districts, but the MBA will be working hard to come up with the best plan we can to improve the situation, and we’ll be working with FWP to increase that opportunity and flexibility we lost. If you have some ideas about what you would like to see accomplished in those districts or with any other Tentatives for next year, let your local Board member know, let someone on the Tentatives Committee know, or give me a call or email. As always, if you want to keep track of what’s going on with bowhunting in Montana and in the MBA, go to your local MBA meetings, call your local Board member, or visit the website. Some of these issues are being talked about on the members only forum on the website and over time the website will be getting more use and discussion. It’s a great place to have your ideas heard by all the Board members and our general membership. Or it’s a good place to go just to see what everybody else is thinking and saying.
Kamps Family
Locally, here in Region 2, the winter was once again not an especially easy one for our game populations in many locations. For a variety of reasons, deer numbers are down in not all, but many locations. The Blackfoot Valley and here in Lincoln in particular seem to be especially hard hit. FWP data also indicates there is a substantial decline. In an effort to stop this downward trend sooner than later FWP has decided to eliminate the Single Region Antlerless B Licenses that could be bought over the counter for all of Region 2. They are also likely to reduce doe B licenses that are available by drawing in some districts depending on the specific situation for that area. Further proposals for reductions might be seen this Tentatives Season. Hopefully this will help the deer populations to rebound quickly so these hunter opportunities can be reinstated quickly. Stay tuned and get those kids out in the woods.
Steve Kamps Lucas Zemlicka
LUCAS ZEMLICKA As I write this I am getting my gear packed to head out for 5 days turkey hunting with some friends. The spring seasons sneak up on me every year as it seams the fall seasons just closed and already turkey and bear seasons are upon us. Between looking for sheds, hunting turkeys or bears the spring will soon be over and then it will be on to a summer of camping, shooting carp and scouting for the fall season. Then the Aug 15th opener for antelope will he here and I’ll be busy chasing them around until the September opener of elk and deer. As tags are plentiful around the state I’ll be hunting elk and deer for four solid months until Jan when there will be a small break in the action before the spring seasons open again and the cycle starts over. That’s what I love about being a bowhunter in Montana as we are so fortunate to have such long season and abundance of tags. It’s easy to see why Montana is a bowhunters paradise. It’s this way because of the hard work of many people and organizations within the state of Montana, the MBA being one of them. It is a nonstop effort for the MBA to keep up on issues involving bowhunting around the state. For those of you that are members, you need to voice your questions and/or concerns to the MBA whether it is by email, phone, website or attending the local meetings. Whether you agree or disagree with an issue, bring it up to the MBA and let us know how you feel; your involvement is essential. For those of you that are not members get signed up and get involved. We have to fight to keep what we have because there are people working everyday trying to take it away from us. 11—
continued on page 12
Summer 2009
At Large
Steve Schindler
continued from page 11
DIRECTORS cont.
Lastly I would like to congratulate the Great Falls crew for putting together another great convention. It was a great time and I’m already looking forward to the 2010 convention in Billings. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.
Lucas Zemlicka ROGER PEFFER Despite the fact that Showdown received something like 60” of snow in the last two weeks of the ski season, this week the weather has been warm in Region 4 and it feels like spring is in the air. That snow was needed and will help provide runoff for fish and wildlife later this summer. Right now the plant buds are fattening and grass is greening. That should bring good fodder for spring bear hunting. There have been reports that some bear have already been seen coming out of their dens. I really want to find me a spring bruin and I may have found the spot. I’m crossing my fingers… I hope everyone enjoyed the Convention in Great Falls. I had a lot of fun meeting people, listening to seminars, talking to vendors and trying out some bows. Despite my best efforts I can never seem to win a bow raffle… what’s with that? Although my wife won a gorgeous quilt in the ladies raffle and a nice arrow target as a door prize. In the auction my wife scored on an Africa Bow hunt for 2 at a real bargain price. I have always wanted to hunt Africa and now I finally get to go! That took the sting out of me not winning any raffles. Kudos to Jeremy and all the others that helped make the Convention a great success. If you have never made it to a convention, try and attend. They rotate to different cities throughout Montana each year in order to make it easier for members throughout the state to attend. Now is the time to purchase your tags and licenses! All the regulations are out in print as well as posted on the FWP website. Deadlines for permit applications for the Big Three are May 1st! As I looked thru the permit numbers for this year one thing jumped out at me… Antelope tag numbers are down in many units. The nasty storm we had in spring 2008 (sub zero temps and snow) that killed a bunch of trees in Great Falls also did a number on antelope fawns. Numbers are down and antelope will be fewer and farther between during hunting season. In many parts of Region 4 deer seem to be doing well but there is concern about Mule Deer in the Little Belt Mountains. Deer numbers there seem to be down. Let’s hope this spring is milder and gives these animals a chance to recover. I will try and post Region 4 winter survey numbers in the next magazine as they become available. The carp shoot is coming up in June. Order your fish arrows now because the closer it gets to carp season the local sporting goods stores have a tendency to run out. I am hoping to attend that event this year and spend the day sticking fish. Sounds like it should be fun. Hope to see you there.
Roger Peffer Montana
BOWHUNTER — 12 WWW.MTBA.ORG
STEVE SCHINDLER I have just returned from the Great Falls Banquet and the Great Falls bunch did a bang up job as usual, very nice Banquet, and I enjoyed it all. I still have all my raffle tickets in hand and no new bows or trinkets, but what the heck- all for a good cause. I would like to commend our legislative force on a job well done; we did pretty fair at the capitol this year. And we did pretty well because we have some dedicated people burning the midnight oil for us. Joelle Selk and Steve Kamps, my hat is off to you. Also to all the guys who sent e-mails and wrote letters, good job, you helped yourself and your bowhunting brothers, and sisters. One of our members up here said he had blisters on his fingers from all the e mails and letters he sent. Nick, I’ll send some salve for you; good job. As I write this Turkey season is still 2 weeks away. With all the info I got from Rosie’s Turkey seminar still fresh in my mind, I am going to be a certified turkey expert when I hit the field this year. I hope the Turkeys have seen Rosie’s seminar- this would make things easier for me. The trouble I always have is I run into Turkeys that haven’t seen any of the DVD’s or seen any of the TV shows on Turkey hunting that I have seen and they don’t know as much as I do. So they don’t really do what they are supposed to do. Try as I might to educate them on Turkey behavior they just don’t pay attention and just do what ever they want. By the end of the season, I generally have them educated pretty well, but it’s the opposite of what we want. What comes after Turkey season is about as exciting a time as a guy can have: the carp spawn. This is the time to shoot Big Carp. They are concentrated and active. I know I plan on taking several trips to Carp heaven this June. It’s about like the Rut when hunting deer. I have wrote about it before and would like to reiterate that it is almost identical to the whitetail rut, several Big Buck male carp chasing female carp and she is trying to give them the slip. I have some pretty antiquated equipment compared to my carp shooting buddies but it still works and I have a great time. My carp reel I bought in the mid to early 60’s, it’s the green Fred Bear reel that you tape on your bow and have to wind your line back around after every shot. You have to be careful you don’t wind your line on something that will stop the line from going out after the shot; those arrows come back fast. Next comes the 3 D season. I can’t emphasize enough how important this is to your shooting skills. Shooting 3-D will improve your shooting, no doubt about it. Shooting 3-D gets hunters together and conversations go wild. It’s good to get bowhunters together, a lot of good ideas are spawned and in some cases they hatch. My Favorite 3-D shoot is the Barber shoot in the Bears Paw Mountains south of Chinook, Very nice shoot, lots of targets and good people running it.
Steve Schindler
Mark Seacat
about getting someone new or young involved with bowhunting. Sometimes it’s about being a good steward of the sport and keeping those already involved continually excited. Ray Alt is definitely no stranger to bowhunting. Ray received the third ever-issued Ishi Award in 1970. The Ishi Award is the highest possible honor bestowed from the Pope and Young Club. Ray received the award for a Boone and Crockett Qualifying Bighorn Ram (the first ever bow killed Bighorn to qualify). Ray harvested the ram with his Bear Kodiak Recurve Bow, Bear Razorhead broadheads that he purchased from Glenn St. Charles, and he used Cedar arrows that were self-made. By the way, he also did all of this on an UNLIMITED tag. At the time, and for 12 years later, he held the World Record. Ray’s record eclipsed the old mark by 25 inches. Ray is also a member of the Montana Bowhunters Association. His membership dues were another gift from Brendan. I consider myself an example of what MBA members helping people get more excited about bowhunting can do for our organization. I’ve only been bowhunting for two years. Without the leadership, education, and friendship I’ve been fortunate enough to receive from MBA members Brendan Burns, Brent Hunsucker, Jesse Nelson, and Nate Peckinpaugh, I might not have ever heard of the MBA. I’d like to thank these guys for urging me to get involved with the MBA and continually sharing their bowhunting knowledge, time, and experience. With any luck, my friend Kyle will have a great first archery season. I just gave him a gift membership to the MBA and I’m hoping everyone will get a chance to meet another excited new bowhunter at next year’s convention in Billings!
Mark Seacat MARK SEACAT The most discussed item on the agenda at EVERY Convention, Wildlife Exposition, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Elk Camp, Archery Trade Association Show, Mule Deer Foundation, Wild Sheep, or Grand Slam Club show I’ve attended in 2009 has been MEMBER RECRUITMENT. When every large hunting organization has the same issue, it’s no surprise that during the MBA Board Meeting prior to this year’s convention in Great Falls we spent a lot of time discussing this very same point. Spreading the word about Bowhunting in Montana and creating more Archery enthusiasts is up to us, the members of the Montana Bowhunting Association. We are the best advocates for our mission and the continued success of bowhunting in Montana. This spring a new archer will be taking the Montana Bowhunters Education course. At 23 years old, my friend Kyle will be spending his first fall roaming the hills of Montana in search of elk and deer. He’ll be five years younger than I was when given the same opportunity. The bow I used to kill my first archery elk, the same one that was gifted to me by a friend, will be in his hand; arrows that I fletched will be in his quiver. Hopefully he will someday pass it on to another potential bowhunter, and thus complete the circle. Sitting at the Saturday night banquet dinner at this years Pope and Young Convention in Denver, I overheard Mr. Ray Alt say to a friend, “I’m not sure the model, but I know it’s a Hoyt, he then pointed across the table, “this kid right here had actually killed a few elk with it, and then he gave it to me.” Mr. Alt was referring to the bow he was currently hunting with, the bow Ray had been given by his friend Brendan Burns. It’s not always
Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
13—
Summer 2009
By Carolyn Sime, FWP
Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
For nearly 30 years, Montana has been home to at least 2 wolves. Federal wolf recovery efforts in the northern Rockies were jumpstarted when individual wolves drifted south from Canada in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. In the mid 1990s, wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and wilderness areas in central Idaho to hasten the overall pace of recovery. The recovery goals were reviewed and sometimes revised over the same 30 years. Ultimately, recovery proceeded faster than many thought possible, due in part to how prolific wolves are, the network of public and private lands and suitable habitat, and the presence of restored prey populations — which themselves are due to the significant long-time investments of big game hunters.
B
iological recovery goals were first reached in 2002. At the end of 2008, there were about 1,645 wolves and 95 breeding pairs in the northern Rockies. In Montana, there were about 497 wolves in Montana in 84 packs, 34 of which were breeding pairs. Overall, the rate of population growth is slowing down. Management plans from Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming were also required to delist wolves. But development of adequate state plans and state laws has taken a less direct route than wolf recovery itself. Management plans from Montana and Idaho were approved in 2004, but the Wyoming management plan was not. Since then, wolf planning in Wyoming has taken several detours. In its current form, however, the Wyoming wolf plan is not approved by the federal government. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is poised to once again delist the gray wolf in the northern Rockies after several delays, including one trip to federal court in 2008 that reversed the first delisting decision. On May 4, the gray wolf in Montana, Idaho, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and a small part of Utah will be officially delisted and the management responsibility will be fully transferred to the states and tribes. But wolves in Wyoming will stay listed under the Endangered Species Act and will continue to be managed by the federal government. The delisting decision has already drawn several “notices” of impending lawsuits. During the first round of litigation, Montana made a strong showing and even suggested that Montana could be split apart from the other states and that a preliminary injunction was not warranted. FWP requested judicial consideration of the idea because the wolf population is recovered and doing well, Montana’s regulatory framework is adequate, the Montana program is well-grounded, and because of FWP’s belief that it could demonstrate effective and successful state management post-delisting.
Montana
BOWHUNTER — 14 WWW.MTBA.ORG
Litigation over the second delisting effort is expected to be complicated, long and slow going. At the present time, five different lawsuits are expected. Montana will again seek to intervene to defend Montana’s interests and to support federal delisting. Meanwhile, Montana continues to prepare for delisting and the remote possibility that Montana may not be subject to an injunction. If not, FWP may be able to fully implement the state’s program, including fair chase hunting, while the lawsuits proceed. The legal situation will continue to be very dynamic in the near term. Upon delisting, the line separating the northern Endangered Area and the southern Experimental Area will no longer exist. Montana will have one legal classification of wolves as a “species in need of management” statewide, which offers wildlife protections under state law. Under this state law, wolves could only be purposely killed legally under four conditions: if seen killing or threatening to kill livestock, to protect human life, as authorized by FWP to address wolf-livestock conflicts, and during a legal hunting or trapping season authorized by the FWP Commission. The 2007 Montana Legislature established both a resident and a nonresident wolf hunting license. The FWP Commission adopted a wolf hunting season framework for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. A trapping season was not approved for either 2008 or 2009. The wolf-hunting season approved by the FWP Commission is a quota-based system, which provides for an over-the-counter license purchase by an unlimited number of residents and nonresidents. The total number of wolves that could be taken by hunters within each of three wolf management units is determined by the final quota adopted by the FWP Commission. Wolf hunting season dates correspond to Montana’s early backcountry and general big game rifle seasons. A portion of the quota is reserved for harvest during the month of December.
continued on page 27
2009
AWA R D S
BOWHUNTER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Steve Tylinsk Bowhunter Lifetime Achievement Award
I would like to nominate STEVE TYLINSKI for the Montana Bowhunters Association Bowhunter Lifetime Achievement Award. Steve has been a member of the MBA for over three decades, and in the time has taken numerous quality big game animals in Montana, Africa, Canada, and South America. He is one the few bowhunters in the state who has arrowed every big game species available (whitetail, mule deer, elk, antelope, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, Shiras moose, lion, and black bear.) His moose, bighorn sheep, and elk are all among the largest ever taken in the state. In addition he has successfully hunted numerous times out of state and internationally, all while operating a reputable and successful business in Montana.
BOWHUNTER OF THE YEAR AWARD
I would like to nominate BRIAN KOELZER for Bowhunter of the Year Award. He is 30 years old and started bowhunting when he was fourteen. Brian has always done everything til then right handed, including shooting an 8 X 5 whitetail. When he was 15 we were shooting gophers and discovered that Brian was left-eye dominate. That summer (without my help) he taught himself to shoot a bow left handed. He struggled for while, but in the last 7 years he has turned into an awesome shot and an excellent bowhunter. Brian has been a MBA member for fifteen years, and a Pope and Young member for ten. He is in his 3rd year of being a bowhunter education instructor. In the 2008 season he harvested a 7 X 5 mulie (170) in Wyoming, a 14 inch antelope buck in Montana, a 5 X 5 whitetail in Ohio and a 4 X 4, 71/2 year old whitetail in Montana. To top it off, he also took a 170# lion (14 5/16”) in Montana. Over the years, Brian has also taken Canadian moose, Shiras moose, bear, elk, goat, and many whitetail bucks. I am very proud of my son for his bowhunting accomplishments and for being the fine ethical bowhunter he has become. But I am more proud of him for what a fine, personable young man he has become. Scott L. Koelzer
RICHARD CONKLIN AWARD
Brian Koelzer Bowhunter of the Year Award
I would like to nominate JOELLE SELK for the MBA Richard Conklin Award. Joelle serves as the MBA’s 1st Vice President, and is also chairperson of Legislative Committee. Joelle serves most capably as 1st V.P., performing her duties in such an excellent manner that she inspires the entire Board to greater heights. However, it is her work as Legislative Chairman that leads me to nominate her for the Conklin. The 2009 Montana Legislative session has been particularly dangerous to Montana sportsmen and women, and thanks to the hard work of the MBA legislative committee, we have already defeated several bills that would have been damaging to our bowhunting lifestyles. HB 162, which would have taken game management out of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks hands and given it to the Montana Legislature, was defeated by Joelle’s testimonies, e-mails, and letters. Joelle mobilized the Joelle Selk — Conklin Award MBA and other organizations to fight HB 162, keeping us all informed as to the bill’s status and who to contact to get our voices heard. HB 434, which would have allowed crossbows into Montana’s archery seasons, is another example of how 1st Vice President Joelle Selk has worked tirelessly to preserve and promote the sport of bowhunting in Montana. She educated congressmen, senators, and fellow bowhunters as to the long-term ramifications of allowing crossbows during archery seasons, organized e-mail trees, phone trees, and spent countless hours keeping all involved in defeating this bill. The really special thing about all of Joelle’s work with the 2009 Legislature is that she is able to communicate with people on both sides of the argument in a manner that doesn’t offend anybody. Her intelligence and good natured smile won over many a politician, and made her testimonies ones of great importance. In short, if the Montana Bowhunters Association didn’t have Joelle Selk as 1st Vice President and Legislative Chair, there is a very good possibility that politicians would be calling the shots about game management in Montana, and Montana’s archery seasons would now have crossbows in them. That, all by itself, makes Joelle Selk a good nominee for the Conklin Award. Steve Sukut
PAUL SCHAFER AWARD
Tom Morton Paul Schafer Award
I would like to nominate TOM MORTON for the Paul Schafer Award. When Ton turned 12, his birthday was too late to hunt Montana. His father Bob took him to Kansas and hunted a friend’s farm. Tom shot a 3 X 4 whitetail at 5 yards. The next fall in Montana he took a 14” antelope buck on opening morning. He then harvested 2 whitetail does. Tom was hunting a special deer on the family ranch that fall, and in waiting for “Tippy” to walk by, he passed up 160 and a 150 inch bucks. On October 9, he shot Tippy at 20 yards. The deer scored 131 P & Y. On December 1st, Brian Koelzer took him lion hunting. They had an all day lion chase over some steep rocky ridges, and at four p.m. that after noon Tom shot a 130 pound tom that scored 13 13/16. Not a bad first year. In 2008, Tom harvested a 12 ? inch antelope at 18 yards. On October 4 he shot a coyote and on October 5 took a double main beam whitetail at 15 yards. Just a few words come to mind when I think about Tom Morton…dedicated, ethical, honest, positive, fun and very hard working. His enthusiasm and excitement about hunting are contagious! When hunting season comes he’s done his homework – practicing, scouting, and even picking out the one animal he wants to take. He won’t take a marginal shot, always waiting till he knows he can make an ethical, one-shot kill. It would make Paul Schafer proud to know this young man, and I am extremely proud to nominate him for the Schafer Award.
MBA SPECIAL AWARD NOMINATION
Thank you for all your hard work, Leah!
Charlie Johnson won the MBA Literacy Award for his story "Camp Caribou".
I would like to nominate a very special man for the MBA Special Achievement Award. LLOYD BROWN has always volunteered his brains and brawn whenever he was needed. He was pivotal in starting the archery range in Colstrip, and has served as secretary-treasurer of our local sportsman’s club for years. Last spring, one of the local game wardens contacted a bunch of us to see if we would be interested in helping out a local land owner who provides great public hunting access. The job would be stringing fence and building a new wind shelter for his stock. The scope actually turned out to be a pretty good sized job, and I was a bit worried that we would have enough men to do the task justice. To my surprise, at day break of the work day, over twenty men stood there with gloves on ready to pay back a deserving landowner. My nominee was one of the first to arrive. The parties split up with one group fencing and the other pounding nails. My nominee started and finished with the fencing crew, then with little break, slipped over to the carpenter crew and finished the day (until dark) helping them. I would add that my nominee has never hunted this ranch. He simply recognized a chance to help someone who supported public hunting. Did I mention him always there when it’s time to walk the walk not just talk the talk? During the convention at Bozeman in 2001, Lloyd Brown of Colstrip became Region 7’s MBA representative. For the next 8 years, Lloyd has traveled to as many Board meetings as he could, voted faithfully on all issues that the MBA has found itself involved in, and attended, if memory serves, all of the MBA conventions. Lloyd has always written a column for the MBA newsletter, keeping his Region Seven members informed, and showing a MBA presence in Eastern Montana. Region Seven has been blessed by the representation of this dedicated, intelligent, and thoughtful man. You probably don’t know him by his strong vocal presence in the board meetings or by his storytelling in the bar at the conventions. If you are like me, you know him by his quiet demeanor and straight forward approach. He is the kind of guy you don’t notice entering into an organization, but after establishing himself you hope he won’t leave. His input during Board discussions has always been well received, communicated with respect for opposing view points, and shows a good grasp for Montana bowhunting issues and Montana politics. Lloyd’s fair-minded approach to issues relating to Montana bowhunting and the MBA has made him a valued voice. He was asked to help update the MBA charter and bylaws a few years back, and showed his usual dedication, recommending and helping institute several important changes and updates. These changes will provide direction and protection for the MBA in the years to come. The time has come for Lloyd to retire from the MBA Board of Governors. He will be missed, and for his years of dedicated service to bowhunting and the MBA, it would be an honor for me to nominate him for the MBA Special Achievement Award. He deserves no less.
Summer 2009
19—
A Huge “ Thank You” to all our donors and supporters!! 3D Archery A to Z Lock & Key Ace Hardware/Miles City Allegra Printing American Broadhead Co. American Protective Coatings Anderson Glass ASAT CAMO Auto Trim Back Country Hunters & Anglers Bear's Paw Bows Bed, Bath & Beyond Bennett Motors Big Sky Archery Big Sky Beetle Works Big Sky Brewing Co. Bob Powers Bob Rooney Bob Wards Bohning Archery Bowhunters Paradise Brad Linceoni Breaks Bar & Grille Brian Rayner Buck Knives Buffalo Jump Archery Burris Optics Cabela's Car Care Cascade Electric Co. Cascade Machine Charlie Johnson Chem-Search CHS Chef Michael Chuck's Custom Auto City of Great Falls Cliff Garness
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Non- Typical North Star Yamaha / Dodge Northwest Industrial Outdoor Recreation Group Pacific Steel Pasta Montana Paul Ellis Pearson Archery Pierce Flooring Poulsens Pro Build/GFAC Pro. Skull Cleaning Pronghorn Bows Quality Archery Design Quality Carpets Quality Tan Randy Skinner Real Hunting Magazine Red Rock Sporting Goods Rick & Judy Maynard Ridgeline Taxidermy Riley Stoves Rinehart Targets Rob Smollack Rocky Mtn. Archery Roger Peffer Ron Aashiem Ron Hall Sapphire Archery Schafer Silvertip Bows Scheel's Schnee's Silverwood Theme Park Sitka Gear Skier's Edge Sletten Companies Sletten/Quality Tan Spirit Quest Archery
Sportsman's Warehouse (Helena) Steel Etc. Steve Garness Steve Sukut Strattons Studio Mantage Super 8 Havre T&L Painting Tanner Ozburn Terzo Products Teton Lumber Texas Roadhouse Therma Cell Tire Factory Toelke Traditional Archery Tom Eads Trophy Taker US Bank Valley Welders Verizon Wireless Vortex Optics Warren Haugestuen Dr. Warren Strickland Wasp Archery Waylon's Wildlife Whalen Tire Whispering Wind Arrows Wildwoods Log Construction Comapny Wildlife Research Center, Inc. Yellowstone Custom Bow Z Bow Sticks BigHorn Wilderness
PS Hope we didn't miss anyone.
Raffle & Auction Winners Raffle Item
Winner
Bow Raffle
Toelke Bow Yellowstone Bow Schafer Silvertip Bow Pronghorn Bow Z-32 Pearson Bow
Mark Seacat Scott Theilmann Steve Griffin Mark Hunthrop Duke Thomas
Defense Raffle
Headwaters Seat Covers Jack Creek Hunt Whispering Winds Arrows Bowtech Patriot II Bear's Paw Bow
Vivian Pankratz Dan Bertus Bill Bishop Paul Ellis Scott Koelzer
Conservation Raffle
Self Bow T2 DBL Bull Blind 3 PC TD Longbow by Z Bow Sticks Relex Bow Package Leupold Rangefinder
Rudy Bonser
Ladies Raffle
Queen Size Quilt by Marian Log Lamps and Candles Wildlife Lap Quilt Quilt by Bertus
Vivian Pankratz Annette Smith Tammy Filliater ??
Tent Raffle
10x12 Wall Tent and Little Amigo Stove Yamaha 750 watt Generator
?? ??
Hunt Raffle
6 Day Bear Hunt 2 Day Hog Hunt
Cliff and Todd Dwane Kailey
Kid's Raffle
Congratulations to the Kid's Raffle Winners Tori Dobis Sage Garness Josie Windauer Olivia McRae Savanna Salveson Tucker Greenwell Wade Maynard Taylor Schwenke Colter Zink Charlie Rooney
Live Auction Winners Matablas Game Hunters Moravek Bow Long Curve Bow 42" LCD TV Jerry Johnson Print from 08 Flemish String Jig South African Hunter SCI John Ulberg Watercolor Randy Skinner arrows Rope Basket Ladies Package
Brian Koelzer Joe Korte Bob Morton Kailey Greenwell Brent Hunsucker T.J. Smith Roger Peffer Steve Handley Josh Brothers Lori Thomas Jody Hunsucker
EDITOR’S NOTE: I'm sorry we don't have all the names for the winners of the Tent Raffle, the Ladies Raffle, and the Conservation Raffle. I can assure you that the prizes were awarded, and the winners were very happy!
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Appreciation Day Story by Jeffery A. Noble
We have all heard the old saying that goes something like “most people do not appreciate things that are just given to them.” Likewise, it can be said that many folks do not fully appreciate accomplishments they have achieved when they are experienced without expending much time or effort. In other words, at times we simply do not appreciate special things and events in our lives as much as we should. Take my last two bowhunting seasons. In September of 2006, the good Lord allowed me to take a dandy eastern Montana whitetail buck with my longbow that was my top traditional kill to date. That task only required a few days of hunting, and after one quick bowshot, I had a deer on the ground within 100 yards of my treestand. It was a piece of cake. Unfortunately, I did not fully appreciate that experience the way I should have.
! Photo by Sharon Noble
Montana
BOWHUNTER — 22 WWW.MTBA.ORG
Last year, I was able to take my first velvet whitetail ever on the third day of the archery season. As I waited above in the cottonwood shadows, two bucks calmly sauntered right in front of me and then stood for a moment or two with no idea that I was hovering over them. When the time was right, I sent one shaft from my bow straight to the nearby buck’s ribcage, and my 2007 deer was soon crashing away on his last flight through the brush. It could not have worked out better. But, looking back at those two seasons, I can now see that I did not completely appreciate those experiences because they both went so smoothly. In addition, those previous two years had pretty much convinced me that whitetails were no longer a match for me and my trusty Toelke stickbow. On the opening day of Montana’s 2008 bow season, I was confident that 2008 would prove to be another successful year, and I would likely not even have to break a sweat to harvest a deer. Now, looking back at my foolish, over-confident attitude on opening day, I wonder what ever made me see deer hunting in that light. My 2008 archery season started out ordinary enough. My wife Sharon and I set up some stands early in our favorite patch of trees near a local river. We had a good idea of the trails the deer would be using to travel to the irrigated alfalfa fields to the east. So, when the opening weekend rolled around, we were convinced we would each have a buck (and likely a doe, too) in no time at all. Boy, I did not know what I was in for this year! First, I did not get a shot opportunity at all during the first weekend. Although that surprised me quite a bit, I felt sure something would happen in the next few days. After all, I knew this property like the back of my hand, and we were not going to let these local, home-grown whitetail deer fool us. My first chance at a buck came on a Friday evening. As I was perched in one of my favorite cottonwood trees (from which I had shot my 2006 deer), a good looking 5 x 5 buck quietly snuck into my view and paused less than 15 yards in front of me. Since he popped out in front of me so quickly, I was already at a disadvantage because he had the element of surprise. But, even worse, I was about to learn my first lesson of the year: Do not place any treestand directly on a well-used trail! Although I have hunted from treestands in these cottonwoods for years, I truly did not figure this one out until just this year. I guess I had gotten lucky in the past with this type of setup, where my stand is just a pace or two from a trail, but mother nature was not about to let me be successful this year with this faulty plan. I realize this may be a well-known fact to many deer hunters, but I did not realize exactly how difficult it can be to draw on a deer when he is standing only 10 or fewer yards away. At that close range, especially at the moderate heights I place my stands, it can be almost impossible to draw on a deer standing at attention. The outcome of this half-baked 2008 attempt: this buck instantly knew that something was awry when I drew back, and he expertly jumped the string on my shot, and I watched my arrow sail inches over his back. The lesson to learn here is that a bowhunter needs to place all stands at a greater distance from the nearest trail in his stand area, even if it means facing a trickier 25 or 30 yard shot. Sometimes at a very close range, you simply can’t draw without bringing the deer’s attention to your position. Now I was midway into the new season, and was trying to forget my only close encounter thus far. But, I was working hard to convince myself that my shooting would not let me down again, and so I next tried Sharon’s new ladder stand one evening when she would not be using it. Everything that evening was looking great. The weather was good, this spot looked very promising, and I was sure I would get another shot. Little did I know how poorly that day would turn out! Until that evening, I had never missed two bucks in one day, and frankly did not ever think I would do such an incompetent thing. But, before that night was over, that is exactly what I had done. Two
continued on page 24
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Appreciation Day — continued from page 22 respectable whitetail bucks walked in front of me less than 20 yards away, within a half-hour of each other, and I flat missed both of them. The only thing that would have made that day worse (which then stood as my personal “worst hunting day of all time”) would have been to have a witness there to observe it, which fortunately did not happen. Lesson learned the hard way this time: if a deer suspects you in the area for any reason and he is tense and spooky, try to wait a bit for him to calm down. Again, this must be elementary bowhunter education material, but I had never seen this happen myself until 2008. If a deer tenses up because he has seen you, heard you, or scented you (and I now think I was facing all three of these problems with these two critters), you have got to give them time to calm down, or face the likely consequence that he will jump the string on you. The result of my shots on both of these bucks was a big “zero,” two broadheads stuck in old logs lying on the ground and the white rear ends of deer waving at me from a distance. As difficult as it may be to patiently wait for a suspicious deer to calm down before your shot, it’s the only good way to take a shot in those cases. The score at this point stood at “Jeff: nuthin’, deer: three.” And the best (make that worst) screw-up was still to come on the evening of September 27. As I tried yet another new treestand in an effort to shake my bad luck, I was bowhunting less than 100 yards from Sharon’s stand. Unknown to me at the time, at about 6:00 that evening Sharon made a super shot on a terrific buck that only ran about 75 yards or so before dropping. I met up with her at the truck after sunset, and we then recovered her deer in pitch black darkness with the aid of my compass and trusty Mag Light. So, although she had struggled herself at times this bow season, Sharon was able to fill her tag before the month was
over, and all was well in her world. Back to my hunt that evening. “How did you execute your attempt at yet another whitetail that day,” you ask? Well, let’s just say that a nearsighted, pimply faced, 14 year old kid on his very first bowhunting outing with his older brother’s worn-out, hand-me-down, backyard gopher shooting, 40# recurve bow (the one with the badly frayed string and no Photo taken by 2008 Photographer of the nock set) and a Year, Jeff Noble crippling case of buck fever would have handled this next chance better than I did. Over the past 12 years, I had prayed for a chance at a true “book class” buck. I wasn’t expecting a mouth-dropping, new state record type deer, but was hoping for an honest 125 inch class deer. Finally on that day, with good daylight and more luck than I deserved, my roll of the dice that evening brought in the best buck I have ever had walk into bow range. A handsome 125 inch plus, 4 by 4 buck, maybe 3 1/2 or 4 ? years old, just what we all dream about. My face was lighting up like I was a 6 year old kid on the morning of December 25th. But, when this stout buck turned to the west unexpectedly, I panicked. I had been sure he would turn to the east instead, and
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continue along the usual deer route that would bring him right to me. But, now he was walking off in the Over the past 12 years, I had wrong direction, just prayed for a chance at a true as quickly as he had appeared from the “book class” buck. I wasn’t brush. Being the hunting expecting a mouth-dropping, genius that I am, what new state record type deer, did I do next? I instantly concluded that he was headed for but was hoping for an honest the distant river for 125 inch class deer. unknown reasons, and I had just one brief opportunity at him. So, with all the skill and expertise of a school boy kissing his grade-school sweet-heart behind the school building for the first time, I rushed this shot terribly and flat missed my target at 30 yards. I do not know if I have ever been so disappointed in myself. This even topped the previous double-miss day! Later, an inspection of the spot where the deer stood that day revealed that he was not walking away from me then, but was in fact walking only a step or two to a newly started scrape below a large bush. Had I taken a bit more time with that deer, I would have soon realized he was not walking away from me, he was visiting this unknown scrape, and likely would have come right to my spot if I had just waited. 2008 lesson number three: never rush any shot to the extent that you forget your own personal shooting form and technique altogether. Shooting coaches will tell you that a consistent, disciplined shooting style works best. What did I do wrong here? I forgot every shooting lesson I have ever learned, I did not see that any of my usual points of form were adhered to, and I took the fastest (and sloppiest) shot a person could. By now, I was convinced that I had already seen all the good deer that any bowhunter deserves to see in one year. I had now shot at, and missed horribly, more deer this season than I have ever missed, period. If Mother Nature had decided I had used up my personal allocation of deer opportunities, I would not have been surprised at all. So, on September 28th, without a great deal of hope (but with my new-found belief that I have fouled up this season in every possible way), I headed out to try a fourth treestand. Arriving at this location at 5:45 pm on a sunny, blue-bird type day, I walked to my stand quietly, bumping a doe and fawn on the way. I hopped up into this stand, which faces to the north, and settled in for what I believed was going to be a deer-less evening. Actually, a quiet, uneventful evening is what I needed to let all my recent mistakes sink into my thick skull. Less than 15 minutes after I arrived, I noticed a beautiful, summer-sleek buck working its way from the cottonwoods to the west, taking a course that might bring it past my stand and in range. The wind was looking good as the light breeze was blowing in the direction of the deer’s apparent route. There were no “watchdog” does nearby to spook him (that had also goofed me up a time or two), and he strolled along as if he were going on a Sunday walk to the nearest ice cream parlor. It was finally looking like I might have my act together this time. My stand would be about 25 yards or so from the path that would bring him in front of me. He was as relaxed and calm as any four legged creature could be. My own nerves were staying well below the “red line zone”, for a change. Also, he would be
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stepping momentarily behind a large bush in just a second or two, allowing me to draw without bringing attention to myself. I waited for him to pass the line I had imagined directly in front of me, to give me a slight going-away shot, when his attention would be focused on the distant fields in front of him. For the first time this whole season, I leaned forward to improve my posture on this downward shot, and I did my best to come to a full draw with my Montana-made Whip bow, with my elbow lifted well up (a personal shooting issue that I often fail to focus on). With my eyes glued on a small spot just behind his shoulder, something in my head silently said “shoot,” and before I knew it, my red-fletched shaft was sunk well into his chest just a rib or two behind his foreleg. After all the mishaps this year, I had finally found success, and my buck wobbled back towards the river about 15 yards or so, and collapsed below a Russian olive bush. Even though I saw him fall to the ground with my carbon shaft in his chest, I elected to give him an hour before I approached him. I quickly raced back to the house to get Sharon and our youngest son Spencer, who had just completed his Hunter’s Ed course the day before. I figured he would enjoy some blood trailing, even if it would be a short one. Shortly, we returned to retrieve the buck, and I could then share the experience with them, which is how all great bowhunting outings should end. Without a doubt, I can say that the joy of taking my 2008 buck was equal in every way to the thrill I experienced with my first bow killed deer over 10 years ago! That old saying about not fully appreciating easy accomplishments is so true. This crazy season made me appreciate my 2008 deer far more than the other deer I had killed in recent years. We really do not fully appreciate the good things in our life when they come to us too easily!
I BY LEVI JOHNSON
Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
have been asked quite a bit, “How did you land a spot like that to hunt?” I tell everyone that is was through building a great relationship with landowners. Gaining access on private ground is getting harder and harder to obtain The best way I have found is to offer your help. Each spring I probably help 5 to 6 landowners brand their calves. Last spring I helped one landowner brand four times. It did not bother me a bit, because I knew I would get rewarded in the fall. During the summer I have helped hay, farm, or just fix fence. All these things have helped me build a great relationship with landowners. They know you are willing to get your hands dirty and sweat, landowners will think that you have earned your way. Is everybody going to have this same reward that I have had? Probably not. But if you don’t ever ask or try you will never know. I have a good friend that gained some access on a ranch one time with me. I told him that to continue to have a good relationship with this landowner he would have to come back down to the ranch in the spring to help during branding time. He said no problem, the following spring he showed up at branding time, and the landowner was happily surprised to see my buddy with me. My buddy coming back in the spring created a good relationship with the landowner. Once you have gained permission, respect the landowners place as if it was your own. Leave gates as you find, never leave trash, and never drive on their roads when it is muddy out. I don’t know how many roads I have seen chewed by hunters trying to get to their hunting spots. Trust me, if you want to build a relationship with a landowner, respect him. I am lucky enough to get to live and hunt in this great state, but it is not all luck… I earned some of it. Build a relationship with a landowner in your area and maybe you can gain some access to private ground.
Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
FWP seeks to integrate wolves into Montana’s regular wildlife management programs and manage them similar to other wildlife
Wolf Management in Montana — continued from page 14 The season closes December 31. Quota tracking and harvest reporting would be done through a 1-800 telephone number, similar to mountain lions. A wolf management unit would close upon 24 hour notice. Successful hunters will be required to present a skull and pelt (with evidence of sex attached) to FWP within 10 days of harvest for registration and collection of biological data. Legal challenges to the 2008 federal delisting decision blocked the 2008 season. Depending on how renewed legal challenges develop, a 2009 wolf hunting season could still occur. AT the FWP Commission meeting in May, FWP will propose statewide and individual wolf management unit quotas for a 2009 wolf season. The public will have an opportunity to comment in June, and the Commission is expected to adopt final wolf quotas in July. The exact timing of actual license sales is unknown at this time. When recommending a quota, FWP will look at the minimum 2008 wolf population and consider the level and kinds of wolf mortalities documented in 2008, as well as reproduction. Some conservative assumptions will have to be made as well. FWP will take a conservative approach to the first wolf season and make adjustments through time as a part of the regular season setting process with the FWP Commission. With Montanans’ support, FWP took on the added responsibility of wolf conservation and management in 2004, well before delisting, contingent on federal funding. Upon delisting, FWP estimates that it will cost between $900,000 and $1million per year to conserve and manage wolves in Montana. No single source has been identified and Montana expects to use a combination of sources, including wolf hunting licenses sales, and other funds. FWP will continue working with the Montana Congressional delegation to maintain federal funding. National interest in conserving popular species like wolves and grizzly bears also brings with it a national responsibility to help fund their management. Montana is one of the few places with the habitat and the wildlife conservation ethics to sustain wolves and grizzly bears. Overall, FWP seeks to integrate wolves into Montana’s regular wildlife management programs and manage them similar to other wildlife. Over the last 30 years that wolves have roamed Montana’s landscape, some myths have been put to rest, some hard lessons have been learned, and some hard decisions had to be made. Most importantly, Montana has made room for wolves and have done all that has been asked during the actual recovery effort. The key to the next 30 years and beyond is having the ability to manage wolves by balancing wolf biology and science with the everyday lives of the people who live, work, and recreate in Montana. To learn more about wolves and their management in Montana, as well as to contribute to monitoring efforts and keep up with the latest news on delisting, visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov. Click “Montana Wolves.” EDITOR’S NOTE: Because of the many questions asked of Ron Aasheim about wolves during the general meeting at the MBA Convention at Great Falls, Carolyn Sime was kind enough to write this tutorial for the MBA about the history and status of wolves in Montana. Thanks, Carolyn! 27—
Summer 2009
GEORGE KAMPS is always having a good time! Here he is with a Arizona pig, taken in January of 2007.
GREG DILORIO, past MBA officer, looks happy with his nice Madison River whitetail. Oct, 2008.
GREG MUNTHER, another lucky snowbird, with a very handsome Arizona Coues deer.
RON CORTESE of Havre with a beautiful traditional harvest. Ron looks happy!
NATE PECKINPAUGH, who is obviously a very talented bowhunter, with a great dark timber bull. 2007
WARD ROBERSON used his Martin Hatfield recurve and Zwickey broadheads for his whitetail. All Right!!
BRIAN RONESS, from good old Glasgow, stalked this antelope. Wow!
GARRETT SERENDAY used his 'curve for this nice ewe. He's a senior in high school from Lewistown.
SONNY TEMPLETON decoys another nice antelope buck! September, 2007.
Summer 2009
29—
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CONTACT INFORMATION REGIONAL SUPERVISORS OF THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS Region 1, Kalispell Jim Satterfield 406-752-5501 jsatterfield@mt.gov Region 2, Missoula Mack Long 406-542-5500 mlong@mt.gov Region 3, Bozeman Pat Flowers 406-994-4042 pflowers@mt.gov Region 4, Great Falls Gary Bertellotti 406-454-5840 gbertellotti@mt.gov Region 5, Billings Gerry Hammond 406-247-2940 ghammond@mt.gov Region 6, Glasgow Pat Gunderson 406-228-3700 pgunderson@mt.gov Region 7, Miles City Bryce Christensen 406-234-0900 bchristensen@mt.gov
CLUB AFFILIATIONS
WILDLIFE MANAGERS OF THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS Region 1, Kalispell Jim Williams 406-751-4585 jiwilliams@mt.gov Region 2, Missoula Mike Thompson 406-542-5516 mthompson@mt.gov Region 3, Bozeman Kurt Alt 406-994-4942 kalt@mt.gov Region 4, Great Falls Graham Taylor 406-454-5860 gtaylor@mt.gov Region 5, Billings Ray Mule’ 406-247-2960 rmule@mt.gov Region 6, Glasgow Harold Wentland 406-228-3710 hwentland@mt.gov Region 7, Miles City John Ensign 406-232-0921 jensign@mt.gov
BEAR PAW BOWMEN
DISTRICT 1 Bob Ream 521 Clark St. Helena, MT 59601 (406) 461- 3202
DISTRICT 4 Willie Doll PO Box 1142 Malta, MT59538 (406) 658-2120
DISTRICT 2 Dan Vermillion, 315 East Lewis Livingston, MT 59047 (406) 222-0624
DISTRICT 5 Shane Colton, Chair 304 Yellowstone Billings, MT 59101 (406) 259-9986
1030 14th Street W. • Havre, MT 59501 BILLINGS ROD & GUN CLUB PO Box 33 • Billings, MT 59103 FIVE VALLEYS ARCHERY CLUB
GREAT FALLS ARCHERY CLUB PO Box 3653 • Great Falls, MT 59403
MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT 3 Ron Moody 109 Bach Lewistown, MT 59457 (406) 538-2698
PO Box 429 • Hardin, MT 59034
PO Box 5083 • Missoula, MT 59806
Senator Max Baucus Email: baucus@baucus.senate.gov Senator Jon Tester Email: http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/ Representative Denny Rehberg Email: denny.rehberg@mail.house.gov To view upcoming proposed legislation, go to the LAWS website at http://laws.leg.state.mt.us/pls/laws05/LAW0200W$.startup>
Joe Maurier, FWP Director PO Box 20071 Helena, MT 59620-0701 (406) 444-3186 jmaurier@mt.gov
ARCHER’S ROOST
LEWIS & CLARK ARCHERS PO Box 6271 • Helena, MT 59604 MAKOSHIKA BOWMEN PO Box 781 • Glendive, MT 59330 MONTANA ARCHERY ASSOCIATION 4205 Lewis Ave • Great Falls, MT 59405 SILVER BOW ARCHERS PO Box 3843 • Butte, MT 59701
Commissioner’s clearinghouse e-mail address: fwpcomm@mt.gov
MONTANA BOWHUNTER ADVERTISING RATES INSIDE NEWSLETTER Business Card Size $35.00 per issue CLASSIFIEDS $15.00 per issue
COLOR INTERIOR Full Page — $275.00 per issue 1/ Page — $140.00 per issue 2 1/ Page — $70.00 per issue 4
These are single issue prices. You will receive a 20% discount if you commit to four issues. Current membership is 1000 with 2500 copies published quarterly. All ads should be camera ready. Send all inquires to: Steve Sukut 401 Skylark Rd., Glasgow, MT 59230 406-367-9359 • sksukut@nemont.net
Summer 2009
31—
FIVE VALLEYS ARCHERY CLUB & MONTANA BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION
Trophies awarded to the top 3 places in each class. With 1st Place receiving Championship BUCKLE. NO RANGE FINDERS. BINOCULARS OK. SCORING WILL BE 11/10/8/5. NO MULLIGENS!!!!! STAGGERED START SATURDAY, 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. SCORECARDS MUST BE IN BY 4:00 P.M. ADULT DIVISION/YOUNG ADULT/YOUTH DIVISIONS
2nd Annual Montana State Bowhunters Championship
JUNE 20 , 2009
40 3-D Targets : 2 – 20 Target Courses ONE ARROW PER TARGET - FIELD TIPS ONLY - NO BROADHEADS. NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED ON COURSE CONCESSIONS AVAILABLE BY PARDS TUMMY TEASERS
Located at CLEARWATER JUNCTION: 45 miles east of Missoula on Hwy 200. NO DOGS ALLOWED ON THE COURSE.
(1) Unlimited Freestyle - moveable sights, pro target equipment (2) Bowhunter Freestyle - Release and fixed sights (3) Bowhunter Freestyle Limited - Fingers and fixed sights (4) Compound Bare Bow - fingers only, no sights (5) Recurve - fingers only, no sights (6) Longbow - fingers only, no sights
ALL Shooters must be a member of the Montana Bowhunter Association, you can sign up at the shoot. DIVISION Adult (18 & Older) Young Adult (14 -17) Youth (10-13) Cubs (9 & under) with adult
FEE $18.00 $18.00 $15.00 FREE
For more information call Paul Roush, (406) 544-2169 or EMAIL at fvac@LIVE.COM
DEALER MEMBERS
Active as of April 2009 24/7 MUSCLE & FITNESS
Kelly Kimzey
435 South Atlantic
Dillon
MT
59725
406-925-3485
1212 Longstaff
Missoula
MT
59801
406-721-5537
1111 E Front St
Butte
MT
59701
406-782-6124
3928 Wilkinson Ln
Great Falls
MT
59404
406-452-2245
5300 US Hwy 2 South
Libby
MT
59923
406-293-6712
1625 Northern Heights Dr Havre
MT
59501
406-265-8099
3001 West Broadway
Missoula
MT
59808
406-728-4842
Sam & Kim Kinsinger
15275 Thayer Rd.
Lolo
MT
59847
406-273-6193
Robert
5504 Old Hwy 93
Florence
MT
59833
406-273-4858
Box 70
Choiceland
SK SOJ OMO
306-428-2032
204 W 9th Street
Libby
MT
59923
406-293-4641
Willem Frost
PO Box 1559
Lephalale, 0555 South
Africa
27116794664
Anthony
PO Box 1687
Lolo
MT
59847
406-880-0888
PO Box 838
Polson
MT
59860
406-883-5778
357 Roberts Rd
Columbia Falls
MT
59912
406-892-0580
1299 Fort Ellis Road
Bozeman
MT
59715
406-924-4494
ARCHERY CENTER OF MONTANA
Dick Solum
BRUCE’S QUICKLUBE
Bruce Metcalf
C & N ARCHERY
Craig Compher
CW ENGINEERED PRODUCTS
Chuck Woods
DR. CAMO
Don Stein
H & E EQUIPMENT
Ross Cowan
K DESIGN MARKETING, INC. KERLEY’S OUTDOOR ADVENTURES KUTAWAGAN OUTFITTERS
Jeff Smith
LIBBY SPORTS CENTE MATABLAS GAME HUNTERS MAZDOG OUTDOORS POLSON AMBULANCE, INC.
Tim Brester, Eric Henslin
SCHAFER SILVERTIP BOWS
Dave Windauer
SPORTSMENSACCESS.COM
Joe Esparza
WESTERN TRAILER & MARINE SALES
Clyde Thomas, Jr.
1865 Hwy 2 E
Havre
MT
59501
406-265-4572
YELLOWSTONE BOWS
Rich Wormington
280 HWY 14A E
Lovell
WY
82431
307-548-6292
Montana
Become a Dealer Member of the Montana Bowhunters Association and be listed on this page every issue! For a membership application, see bottom of MBA merchandise page.
BOWHUNTER — 32 WWW.MTBA.ORG
Montana Bowhunters Association PO Box 746 Stevensville, MT 59870
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Missoula, MT Permit No. 569