Montana Bowhunters Association PO Box 426 Helena MT 59624 Return service requested
Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 120 Bozeman, MT 59718
Girlie Bows and Bull Elk Interview with Aron Snyder The Bugle First Archery Elk Hunting in Years
Regional News!
OFFICERS
REGIONAL REPS DIRECTORS AT LARGE
MBA
Regional Representatives Region 1 Al Kelly
163 Scenery Rd Libby MT 59923 ............................................ 406-293-2900 griffguyal@gmail.com
Region 2 Marlon Clapham
Kevin Robinson
Region 3 Liberty Brown
Robin Mestdagh
Region 4 Justin Doll
Jess Wagner
Chris Gasner
Region 6 Tristan Manuel Nick Siebrasse
Region 7 Rick Miller
Bob Morgan
275 Vigilante Tr. Bozeman, MT 59718 .................................. 406-581-7216 mbareg3@gmail.com 1150 Vega Rd, Helena, MT 59602 ........................................ 406-839-6371 mestdagh.montana@gmail.com 1311 15th St S, Great Falls, MT 59405 ................................. 406-939-0804 j.doll6190@gmail.com 201 Big Sky Lane, Lewistown, MT 59457 ................................ 406-939-3458 jess_wagner2@hotmail.com
Region 5 Ben Buller
4455 Hoover Lane, Stevensville, MT 59870 ........................... 406-777-2408 mbaregion2@gmail.com 2110 Wylie Ave, Missoula, MT 59802 ................................... 406-531-8243 kevin.robinson@technometalpost.com
4143 King Ave East, Billings, MT 59101 ................................ 406-672-5616 buller_ben@yahoo.com 4717 Cheyenne Trail, Billings, MT 59106 ....................................................... cgasner1@gmail.com 48538 Anderson Rd, Havre, MT 59501 ................................. 406-399-5114 HiLineTraditional@gmail.com 4996 Bullhook Rd., Havre, MT 59501..................................... 406-390-0402 bowdude@mtintouch.net PO Box 2336 Colstrip, MT 59323............................................. 406-749-0292 grrizzz@q.com PO Box 1995, Colstrip, MT 59323........................................... 406-749-0706 robertredface@gmail.com
www.mtba.org
MBA
officers PRESIDENT
Ken Schultz 302 Wyoming Ave • Billings, MT 59101 schultzy@iwks.net • 406-598-8550 1ST VICE PRESIDENT
Stephanie Prater 416 Entrance Ave • Lewistown, MT 59457 mthuntress406@gmail.com • 406-461-6949 2ND VICE PRESIDENT
Stephen LePage 2574 Divide Rd • Lewistown, MT 59457 mbaregion4@yahoo • 406-535-5636 TREASURER
Mandy Garness 5901 Western Dr • Great Falls, MT 59404 camoquilter@gmail.com • 406-750-9953 SECRETARY
Jerry Davis 725 Middlemas Road • Helena, MT 59602 pipelinejerry@gmail.com • 406-475-2226
AT LARGE DIRECTORS EVEN YEARS
Cliff Garness
5901 Western Drive, Great Falls MT 59404 - obsession_archery@yahoo.com..................406-788-9009
Jake Garness
5901 Western Drive, Great Falls MT 59404 - powderslayer22@gmail.com.....................406-750-4444
Mark Schwomeyer 60 Hruska Ln, Lewistown, MT 59457 - markschwo@gmail.com........................................406-350-0173
Jeremy Harwood 1047 Cheyenne Rd • Helena, MT 59602 jeremyharwood86@gmail.com • 406-579-0678 PAST PRESIDENT
Stephen LePage 2574 Divide Rd • Lewistown, MT 59457 mbaregion4@yahoo • 406-535-5636
ODD YEARS
Brian Koelzer
80 Jansma Lane, Manhattan, MT 59741- Rocknrollbowhunter3@yahoo.com........... 406-570-7997
June LePage
2574 Divide Rd, Lewistown, MT 59457- junelepage1@gmail.com........................... 406-366-2605
Julie Jensen
Mike Shepard
251 7th Ave E N, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 - michaelshepard7@gmail.com............ 406-250-9806
391 Coral Drive • Belgrade, MT 59714
Jackie Weidow
116 Bear Creek Rd Unit B, Victor, MT 59875- jackieweidow92@gmail.com.............. 406-274-3716
EDITORIAL COMMENTS The MBA Magazine 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. PUBLICATION DATES AND DEADLINES
FALL ISSUE, DEADLINE, July 15 WINTER ISSUE, DEADLINE, October 15 SPRING ISSUE, DEADLINE, January 15 SUMMER ISSUE, DEADLINE, April 15
Stories, photos, or cartoons should be sent to Julie Jensen at 391 Coral Drive, Belgrade, MT 59714 or email jjensen44@mac.com. All materials are the opinion of the author unless otherwise stated, and are subject to being edited. All submitted or published photos may be used by the MBA in the newsletter, and MBA Photo Album and/or on Facebook. Any questions as to policies of MBA please contact the President. MEMBERSHIP INQURIES
Please send new memberships or renewal memberships to MBA Tresurer, PO Box 426, Helena MT 59624 or call 406-404-6168, register online at www.mtba.org or ask a member.
MAGAZINE EDITOR
jjensen44@mac.com • 701-361-9197
TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 51 #2 Winter 2023
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Ken Schultz 1ST VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Stephanie Prater
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2ND VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
14 15 16
Jerry Davis
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BLAST FROM THE PAST
Marlon Clapham
TREASURER’S MESSAGE
Mandy Garness
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BUSINESS & CLUB MEMBERS FWP COMMISSIONER CONTACTS
REGIONAL REPORTS GIRLIE BOWS AND BULL ELK
Ed Evans
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FIRST ARCHER ELK HUNT IN YEARS
Pete Seigel
SECRETARY’S MESSAGE
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THE BUGLE
Jackie Weidow
Stephen LePage
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INTERVIEW WITH ARON SNYDER
20 MBA MEMBERSHIP FORM 21 MEMBER GALLERY
2024 MBA CONVENTION INFO
On the Cover
Cody Phillips
Girlie B ows and Bull Elk Intervie w with A ron Snyd er First Arc The Bug hery Elk le Hunting in Years Regiona l News!
OFFIC ERS REGIO NAL RE DIRECT PS ORS AT LARGE
Montana Bo wh unters Ass PO Box 426 ociation Helena MT 596 24 Return service requested
Winter 2023 1
Non-Profi t Or g. U.S. PO STAGE PAID Permit # 120 Bozema n, MT 59 718
MBA Committees Legislative: Chair: Liberty Brown Jerry Davis • Jeremy Harwood Jess Wagner • Marlon Clapham Steve LePage • Justin Doll Stephanie Prater • Paul Kemper
Financial: Chair: Mandy Garness Al Kelly• Jeremy Harwood Claudia Davis
Landowner/Sportsman: Chair: Stephanie Prater Tristan Manuel • Jess Wagner Rick Miller • Bob Morgan
Nominations: Chair: Brian Koelzer Stephanie Prater • Al Kelly
Awards: Chair: Cliff Garness Marlon Clapham • Steve LePage Brian Koelzer • Al Kelly
Membership: Chair: Stephen LePage Mandy Garness • Nick Siebrasse Bob Morgan • Ron Aasheim
Convention 2024 (Region 4) Chair: Cliff Garness
Magazine: Chair: Cliff Garness Jerry Davis • Julie Jensen Brian Koelzer • Kevin Robinson Rick Miller • Jackie Weidow Stephanie Prater
Carp Shoot: Chair: Kevin Robinson Steve LePage • Jerry Davis Marlon Clapham
Bow-Ed: Chair: Marlon Clapham Nick Siebrasse • Tristan Manuel Al Kelly • Justin Doll Stephanie Prater
Youth Membership and MBA Teen Bowhunter Camp Chair: Marlon Clapham Kevin Robinson • Becky Doyle Jerry Doyle • Jackie Weidow
Governance Chair: Jerry Davis Jeremy Harwood • Al Kelly
PTMAE Chair: Marlon Clapham Kevin Robinson • Steve LePage
Tentatives Chair: Rick Miller Jess Wagner • Stephanie Prater Steve LePage • Mark Schwomeyer
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OFFICER REPORTS
PRESIDENT - KEN SCHULTZ
Ken Schultz
1ST VICE PRESIDENT - STEPHANIE PRATER 2ND VICE PRESIDENT - STEPHEN LEPAGE SECRETARY - JERRY DAVIS TREASURER - MANDY GARNESS
President’s
Message
Greetings All, hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. As I am writing this letter, Archery season is coming to a close. It has been an interesting season for me. I had the pleasure of harvesting a nice Antelope but had a hard time making time to get out Deer and Elk hunting. Work got in the way every time I made an attempt to go. I hope none of you had this happen to you and were able to get out and enjoy God’s awesome scenery and fill your tags. The Elk rut was unusual this year for some reason. It was a hit-and-miss year for timing, but I know of several hunters who had the pleasure of harvesting big game. Congrats to all! As many of you know, we are dealing with another crossbow issue. We all know this is not going to go away until they get their way. The avenue this time is a back door approach of complaining that the Draw Lock (PTMAE) system is too dangerous and difficult to use and the proponents are pushing for a permit to use a crossbow during the coveted archery season. Many of you know that crossbows are more like a gun than a bow and are very powerful. They are
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The Hunt for Red October
very dangerous to use and if disabled, you would need a companion to help load and possibly carry for you. They also come with a scope, can be fully loaded at all times, and are accurate out to 120 – 150 yards right out of the box. Sounds to me like these folks want the easy way and are not willing to put in the practice needed. Also, who will be responsible for deciding who qualifies for this new crossbow permit? Is that burden going to be on the FWP? FWP, by the way, has a shortage of help and is so busy with the critical responsibility of protecting our precious wildlife, that they don’t have time to drop everything to test individuals. Do we take their word for it or do we require them to demonstrate that they can’t use a Draw Lock system (PTMAE)? As we all know if you are an archery hunter, this could be devasting to our wildlife in full rut. If crossbows were allowed in archery season, the harvest of elk and antelope would increase a lot. Many states that have allowed crossbows in the archery season have already proven this. They are now desperately trying to get them removed before it’s too late to recover. The wildlife population has been greatly affected. States must now limit the number of tags for hunters. We need your help to keep the archery season going strong. It’s an ongoing battle. With that, I’ll leave you with a reminder to “Shoot Straight and Always be a Straight Shooter”!
Ken Schultz
Stephanie Prater
Ken Schultz
I
began September with the decision to be picky and not shoot the first bull I saw but rather hold out for “the big one.” I had a bull on my trail camera days before my birthday, “The Birthday Bull,” a super beautiful 7x7, and I began a quest. I had one encounter with him fighting another big 6-point that almost ended with me sending an arrow to him. As I closed in, the scales tipped in the elk’s favor, and his name changed to “Lucky 7.” I never saw him again for the rest of the season. I did have ample opportunities to shoot smaller bulls but decided to let them walk.
Stephanie Prater
Fast forward to today, well into October, with the days left numbered for archery elk season. It was a great season with lots of lessons learned and so many excellent days and memories, even though my tag may not be notched in the end. I am, however feeling the extra year in my muscles and joints, having been at it for over 25 days and putting 150+ miles on the boots. One more go at it this weekend and gears will shift to chasing birds with my girls (3 black labradors who have patiently endured elk camp) and chasing deer with my husband (who has also patiently put aside his elk tag to try and help me get “the big one.”) and breaking out the (*GASP*) “Long Arrow”--my rifle that has been gathering dust from years of not being picked up, and seeing if I can’t locate ol’ “Lucky 7.” I hope you all had an excellent season, be tags notched or not. Please share your stories and pictures with the MBA! Consider it a virtual campfire... I look forward to reading the stories and seeing the pictures of our members. Shoot straight
>>---------------------> Stephanie Prater
Winter 2023 3
OFFICER’S HEADER REPORT Stephen LePage
Second Vice President’s Report Hello MBA Membership!
A
s I write this, the four people who are suing the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and the Fish and Wildlife Commission have submitted a request for an exemption to use crossbows during the archery-only season here in Montana. So, as I prepare my testimony opposing this request, we are in the last week of Montana’s six-week archery-only season and it is a treasure. We are fortunate to enjoy the longest archery-only season of all the western states and I want to do everything I can to protect that for future generations. Reflecting on our outstanding opportunities, I also want to thank the MBA. All we have as bowhunters is due to the Montana Bowhunters Association. Without this group of hard-working dedicated bowhunters, we would not be able to celebrate every September and October heading out to the woods with stick and string in hand. Although none of the MBA’s citizen lobbyists enjoy taking time off work, driving to Helena, or speaking to legislators, committees, or commissions, we do it because we appreciate what our predecessors have done and hope to protect bowhunting here in Montana.
By the time you read this, the commission will have decided what to do with these four individuals’ request to introduce crossbows into Montana’s archery-only season. I sure hope we did you proud. Sincerely,
Stephen LePage
Secretary’s
I
Message
n the last issue, I promised to update you on my efforts to find money for modifying archery equipment for people with disabilities. I met with FWP representatives on August 28th and they helped me form a tentative strategy to help with funding PTMAE costs. I have been in communication with my Senator who will serve during the next Legislative Session to help with drafting a bill. As of now, that is as far as it has gone but I will be working with my Senator to not only draft a bill but to also work on gaining bipartisan support for such a bill. I will keep you updated. Since our last newsletter, Senator Molnar has employed another tactic to get crossbows established in Montana’s Archery Only Season. We found out in September that the Senator’s attorneys had filed a Petition to the FW Commission to allow a person “to use a crossbow during the archery season, if and only if an applicant otherwise qualifies for and submits the PTMAE application and can further demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Department that the approved and preferred equipment modifications do not offer them a reasonable means of accommodation required under the ADA or Montana Disability Act due to their medically established physical condition.” The department received this petition on September 18 and the FW Commission will make a decision on it during their October 19th meeting. Citizens were only allowed until October 6th to make comments on that petition. To me, this seems like a very short window for individuals to comment on this action but be that as it may it will have been decided on by the time you read this. Though some of the wording is an improvement over previous attempts to 1) get legislation passed, 2) to sue the FWP, and 3) to change hunting regulations in previous FW Commission meetings, it has a lot of issues that must be addressed, all of which make allowing crossbows into the archery only season impractical. First and foremost, in my mind is where will the FTE’s for FWP staff come from to administer such a program. Who will verify that an individual’s attempt at using the PTMAE equipment was valid and that that individual pursued all available modifications? The next questions are: 1) How will qualifying disabilities be defined and 2) Who will make the determination that the disability meets the definition to
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ensure that individuals are not gaming the system? The qualifying disability as defined in the petition is too objective. I believe this will open the doors for abuse. Another question I have with this petition is the inference that Montana’s Archery Only season does not comply with the ADA or the Montana Disability Act. I think the decisions reached in Senator Molnar’s latest court case hearing in 2022 and the 3 previous challenges to Montana’s Archery Only Season prove that the Archery Only Season is not in violation of either the ADA or the Montana Disability Act. So, I am hoping that by the time you read this, the FW Commission will have made the correct decision and will have rejected this petition. Well, that is it for now. Secretary pro tem
Jerry Davis
Jerry Davis
OFFICER REPORTS
Mandy Garness
Treasurer’s Message
I
’m writing this in my tree stand, trying to be stealthy and quiet so just thumbs moving on the keyboard. A few of us from Region 4 worked on banquet plans this morning. I’ll tell you more about it in a few pages, but you’ll definitely want tickets! 4/6/2024 in Great Falls! What has the MBA given me? 1. Responsibilities - A few years ago I willingly ran for the board to support future hunting for my family. Now we hold three board positions, chair committees, and are planning the next banquet. My responsibilities as Treasurer are quite clear. As a bowhunter, I have clear responsibilities: I must make ethical choices to protect wildlife, care for the land, and share great stories around the campfire. 2. Friends and mentors - My best friends are bowhunters as are most of my family. Over the years I’ve heard stories of the legends of the MBA and am proud to celebrate with them and their families. I continue to learn from my parents, in-laws, friends, and their parents, and now, including my kids. We share our experiences, successes, and mistakes in the field. More on this at #4. There are folks who have been extremely active in the MBA and faded away to other endeavors, but we remain bowhunters deep down. This year in Great Falls, I’m looking forward to seeing familiar and new faces. They can explore exhibits and attend seminars, or join us for dinner. 3. Seasons - not only the original four. I am grateful to this organization for fighting to bring us seasons for elk, deer, antelope, big horn sheep, bear, mountain lion, and wolf. I have a bison tag this year and hope to harvest it with my bow, so pray for snow! I purchase a pocket full of tags every year and hope to eat more steaks than pots of tag soup, but I’ll hang up my bow when the time comes (#nocrossbows). 4. Landowner relationships - I am fortunate to have a close, safe place to hunt deer and antelope. My kids and I began hunting in an environment where we knew who else was near. If the truck was still at the gate after dark, a friendly search party would come looking. My cow-working buddies last week were the toddler grandchildren growing up on the property. What a blessing that family has been to us. I couldn’t say how many pounds of venison we have harvested over the years or how many bodies it has sustained. We’re also fortunate to have friends who invite us to hunt elk, deer, and bear. I spent most of September with them and there’s nothing better for my heart than time with Amy, Steve, Ed, Phyllis, and the friends they gather! Three generations of potluck dinners, plotting strategy, listening to new and old stories. Three generations of bugling elk, hauling out quarters of meat, and a chorus of good nights as the lights go out were exactly what I needed! This year we also fostered landowner relationships internationally. At a prior banquet, we purchased the Numzaan hunt in South Africa. In preparation for our trip, I reached out to a local family and MBA member, Bruk and Penny Weymouth at Family Dental Center in Great Falls. Bruk is a bowhunter, his children are learning, and Penny is a patient supporter. They generously provided toothbrushes and toothpaste for us to donate to the families we met in rural South Africa. The extra space in our bags that we filled with candy, toiletries, and new pairs of socks was well received and greatly appreciated by these people who seldom if ever get to do retail shopping. Time to get serious – I just looked up from my screen to see that a doe has already snuck by me! I hope you were successful hunting and that you tell us all about it. Send your photos and stories to any board member and we’ll share them in a future issue.
Mandy Garness Winter 2023 5
REGIONAL REPORTS-CONTINUED
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REGION 1 AL KELLY
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LIBERTY BROWN ROBIN MESTDAGH (NO REPORT) REGION 4
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ere we are another bow season in the books. There will still be some whitetail bowhunters out working their craft, but for the most part, it is rifle season. If you choose to and want to harvest your game with a crossbow, that is also on the menu as we move into the general rifle season. If you appreciate that we do not have to have crossbows in our archery season, which would be accompanied by the inevitable shortening of the seasons that history tells us will come with the addition of these weapons, then I would like to say thanks to all the hard-working board members and all the members who worked to defeat its inclusion once again. Thanks again to all who made their voice heard. One more year we have dodged a bullet. I did not bowhunt this year. Due to a surgery, I have not yet worked my way back to shooting my hunting weight bow. I am very much looking forward to getting back at it next year. And oh yea, did I mention I recently retired? I’m planning on having a lot more time for fishing, hunting, and family. My wife says that if she could wipe the grin off my face she would have all kinds of fun, and some maybe not so fun, projects and activities I can involve myself in. Life is good!
JUSTIN DOLL JESS WAGNER REGION 5 BEN MULLER (NO REPORT) CHRIS GASNER (NO REPORT) REGION 6
Al Kelly
TRISTAN MANUEL NICK SIEBRASSE (NO REPORT) REGION 7 RICK MILLER (NO REPORT)
Marlon Clapham
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MARLON CLAPHAM KEVIN ROBINSON
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ith this report I’m going to cover some of the committees. The first one will be the PTMAE and the folks we have tried to help get back in the woods to Bowhunt. We put draw-locs and six bows together for both men and women. I have not heard back from any of them to see how they are doing with adaptive equipment we provided to them. The last person will need additional aids as to help hold up her arm while holding her bow. She is not looking to hunt yet but just wanted to be able to shoot her bow until she has her surgery to repair her shoulder. Another committee I work with is the Youth Membership and MBA Teen Bowhunter Camp. We received a donation from the Youth Conservation Elders for $2000.00. This is almost half the amount we need to put the camp together. I also was given three recurve bows and some arrows to use for the camp. The bows are on the heavy draw weight side, so I would like to sell them and use the proceeds to help fund the youths attending the camp. All these bows are righthanded with 60 # draw weight to 70 # all in fine shape. They are on the older side, maybe 30 years old. I do know they haven’t been shot for a long time. They are a Damon Howitt AMO 60” 70#@28 one-piece, good color in the riser. Hoyt Hunt Master AMO 58” 60# @28 3-piece takedown. The last bow
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has no name on it, but it is a quality looking bow. AMO 62” 65# @ 28” 3-piece takedown. I think that they are all worth at least $300.00, and all the funds will go the Teen Bowhunters Camp. There is still the Bow-Ed committee. This past summer the FWP put together a group of instructors to discuss the state of Hunter and Bowhunter Education Program to see where we might be able to make changes to better the program, and help with new aids and classroom materials. There were 23 instructors who met in Great Falls for two days and put together the agenda and where we felt would be the bast way to approach our concerns. Of course, the FWP took our recommendations and came back with a second meeting in Helena in August. After much intense review it went again to the FWP for more review. As of yet they haven’t gotten back with where we headed. One of the main concerns was the on-line classes with no field day. It was agreed that all classes will have a mandatory field day. The next issue is the lack of instructors to handle the field day classes. The FWP is looking into putting staff in place to help with the organizing and locating places to hold the class. I will fill you all in when I know more. The Legislative Committee has had a few months off, but are watching the Crossbow closely as there is
Liberty Brown
a push to try to get the FWP Commission to move on the Crossbow. No real news from this front that I’m a wear of. The Carp Shoot will be put together as soon as Kevin knows when the date will be secured, some time in early June again, I’m sure. For the folks in Helena, hang on to your seat, I volunteered you all to help me with a Youth Conservation Experience in mid-April at the Helena Fair Grounds. We will have indoor activities and outdoor activities, bow shooting, along with the Laport Aerial Disks. It takes several to man each booth. We are committed to this project. The MBA will have the most attended booths. We will need to gather some items for give aways. Again I’ll have way more information as this is all in progress and the Helena planning stage. Other wise it has been quiet in my neck of the woods. I did get to sit in a treestand several nights and took some video of whitetails walking under my stand. We are now in the General Season so keep your head low and be safe. Keep-Em Sharp and Shoot-Em Straight !!!!!
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Marlon Clapham hope everyone had an awesome bow season! I sit here as the sun sets on the last day of the archery season and at the end of one of the least productive elk seasons I’ve had in many years. I’m not upset or disappointed though. Success notching elk tags is tough to do every year using any weapon let alone a bow. All the elk hunters I spoke with that also had an unproductive season, ensure that there will be that many more bulls for next year, wishful thinking me thinks. I’ve held off on my whitetail hunts waiting until November to pounce. Doing some quick meat eater math here, I reckon if I kill 5 deer, that would equal one elk. We have it pretty great here in Montana will all the opportunities to fill the freezer as bowhunters. One last thing about that “C word” and good ol’ “BM” and his dirty tricks. Y’all know what I’m talking about. I hope our voices were heard by the Montana FWP commission and that they keep Montana’s archery only season an archery only season free of “C words”. However, BM’s, big or small, are great and in fact very important and healthy. But that little BM I’m referring to should most definitely not be representing the good folks over in Montana Senate District 28.
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LIBERTY BROWN ROBIN MESTDAGH Hello, Region 3 Bowhunters, ow! Here we are on the cusp of another year. Time flies when you’re having fun right? I unfortunately did not have much success this year, but I did manage to get out a few times which these days feels like a huge win. I’ve been monitoring the harvest reports for the general season, and it seems like elk and deer harvests are a little below normal. I fully expect that to change should we get some significant weather. In case you weren’t aware, there was another attempt to get crossbows into the archery-only season. This time the request was taken up by the Commission and they unanimously voted to deny the request. I’m not sure if the Commission’s decision had any influence or not but Molnar and his friends have since pulled their lawsuit against the State. Thank you to any of you who wrote or called your regional Commission Representative. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks for your support! Sincerely,
H
very hunting season is unique and memorable in its own way. There are always factors out of our control like the weather, other hunters, and last but not least, how the critters react. As I’m sure you’ve all experienced, uncontrollable factors can make or break your hunt or season. No amount of time at the range can prevent another hunter from ruining a stalk or stop the wind from changing direction and blowing your scent right to the animal in which one is pursuing. On the other hand, an unexpected deer popping up on an elk hunt could mean a sudden change of plans. We all take time each year to plan and prepare for hunting season, but more often than not, our plans are forced to go out the window. Some seasons the unexpected is a blessing and other times it seems to be a curse. Whatever the outcome, that season becomes memorable in its own way. I hope that everyone has enjoyed their fall and I look forward to hearing about your planned or maybe your unplanned adventures when we next meet.
Justin Doll
Nick Siebrasse
Justin Doll
Liberty Brown
406-570-4280 | mbareg3@gmail.com
continued on page 8
REMINDER:
Mailing Labels Show Your Membership Renewal Date
Kevin Robinson
Winter 2023 7
REGIONAL REPORTS-CONTINUED
REGION 4 - continued from page 7 Jess Wagner
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othing good in hunting ever lasts. My dad has been telling me that for years. I used to think that was a very pessimistic way of looking at things, but the older I get, the more I realize how much those words are true. The Missouri Breaks used to be famous for offering the opportunity to hunt trophy-class bulls on public land. Finding a 170” mule deer on public land in Montana used to be a realistic expectation. Hunting those types of bucks has become more like trying to find a unicorn, and it seems to only be getting worse every year. I could point to many other things that have changed hunting for the worse. This archery season, I found myself getting frustrated that almost every public access already had someone hunting it. Even places I considered to be “honey holes” a couple of years ago are now getting hunted almost daily. It made me realize how much I had been taking my elk hunting for granted. After two seasons, I am confident in saying that the new elk regulations have not helped the elk hunting experience in the HD’s that I hunt. I don’t write this to complain or make anyone Tristan Manuel feel sorry for me. If you have a good area to hunt or a special opportunity such as access to private land, enjoy it while you can and don’t take it for granted. Regulation changes, moving from limited permits
to general, changes to quota numbers, legalization of crossbows in archery season, etc. could be right around the corner. Even if you currently hunt private land, the landowner could decide to lease to an outfitter or charge for hunting access in the future. The neighboring landowners could change their management to where there is an overharvest of animals in the area. Things that aren’t even on your radar right now could end up changing your hunting opportunities in the future. On a brighter note, Region 4 is hosting the state convention in Great Falls in April, and we’re hoping to make this year’s convention even better than the last. We will have a great lineup of seminar speakers including Aron Snyder (Kifaru), Brian Barney (Eastmans), and Troy Pottenger (Whitetail Addictions). They will be covering backpack hunting, spot and stalk bear hunting, and targeting mature mountain whitetails. A biologist from FWP will also be coming to speak on grizzly bears. They all have a wealth of knowledge, and you won’t want to miss their seminars
Jess Wagner
REGION
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REGION REGION
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TRISTAN MANUEL NICK SIEBRASSE
didn’t draw any elk tags this year, so I decided to focus on whitetails earlier than normal. During the summer I decided to pull the trigger on a tree saddle set up. I was excited to climb some trees come September. The season started with warm weeks, so I didn’t go out early as planned. But as the weeks passed, I saw movement during evening glassing sessions. On September 20th, I went to the stand location I had placed last year, but the wind was not in my favor. I wanted to hunt in the same area where I killed a doe last fall. So, I decided to check out another small tree nearby, about 100 yards away. After checking the wind again I pulled my saddle out of my pack and made my ascent. The first evening brought some action with a yearling buck and a few fawns. The second evening sit brought no deer within range. They say the third time is the charm, and boy was that true this year. My third sit in the same tree was the warmest so far, and I did not have high expectations. After sitting for about 45 minutes, I saw some does in the field on my right. Then, I noticed a buck coming towards me from the left. I gave the deer a second look and knew he was a shooter. I quietly maneuvered my bow around the tree and had an arrow nocked. With no explanation other than blind luck, the buck trotted on a string towards my tree, hopped a cross fence, and stood broadside at 20 yards. I let an iron will broadhead fly and I watched my orange fletch disappear through the buck’s rib cage. The buck gave a kick and disappeared into some brush. After some time, I was able to recover the buck about 50 yards from the shot. This was my first whitetail buck with my bow, and hopefully one of many for years to come.
Tristan Manuel
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DIRECTORS AT LARGE
CLIFF GARNESS JAKE GARNESS BRIAN KOELZER JUNE LEPAGE MARK SCHWOMEYER (NO REPORT) MIKE SHEPARD JACKIE WEIDOW
Cliff Garness
DirectorsAt Large
I
hope you all have had a successful archery season thus far. We went to Africa this summer, as Mandy said in her Treasurer write-up. We had a great time with our friends at Numzaan Safaris. We hunted with them twice. Both hunts were purchased from an MBA banquet. If any of you are thinking of Africa, Numzaan Safaris is a great outfit. I had some archery opportunities in Africa but had a hard time connecting—missing for one reason or another, but at least it did not result in wounded animals. (Tree Branches seemed to attract my arrows.) Similarly, here in MT, archery season started off with opportunities at seeing elk. I finally got an opportunity to shoot, which resulted with me watching a six-point bull watch my arrow tumble towards him like a young gymnastics student. The bull ran off unscathed but not exactly sure of what happened. I too thought the same until realizing that again, wood had attracted my arrow. While my luck has not been the best in the woods this season, I am hoping to see some successful photos and stories from our membership in future magazines. Have a great holiday season, which will be upon us before we know it. Send us photos, stories and trail cam photos for the magazine! Region 4 is gearing up for the Banquet to be here in Great Falls in April 2024, so look for updates in the coming months on your email, Facebook, and the MBA Website.
Cliff Garness
Region 4
I
hope everyone had a great hunting season and was successful. I am currently writing an article about my family’s recent hunting trip to Africa in August so that will be out in the next magazine issue. I hope everyone has had an exciting season with lots of arrows flying and hopefully lots of pictures with animals harvested. Speaking of pictures, make sure you all send plenty of pictures to us for the magazine and the website! Have friends and family send some in as well. As we all know the banquet is coming up in Great Falls in April so make sure to get your tickets. Tell your friends and family about it and consider a gift membership for a stocking stuffer this Christmas. We’re always excited to welcome new members to the organization. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Hope to see everyone soon
Jake Garness
Jake Garness
M
an, this fall has been a busy one! Work and family definitely commanded the lion’s share of time for me. From the looks of it on Instabook World there have been some fine critters taken and a lot of good memories made. I love to see the pics and hear the stories of the success and close calls everyone has had over the last few months. Things are winding down and now attention is turning to the last few weeks of chasing rutting whitetails. My stick bows have taken me on a lot of adventures all over North America and I’ve had a ton of fun chasing all sorts of critters but there is something about a whitetail stand in November that is pure magic. I’m looking forward to a couple more weekends chasing them. Hunting time has been a little slim on my end this fall. I was supposed to head to Alaska in late August, but torrential rain blew out my river and the hunt is postponed till next year. Honestly, it was a relief it got pushed back a year. A few days in Wyoming chasing mule
Brian Koelzer
continued on page 10
Winter 2023
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DIRECTORS AT LARGE-CONTINUED
BRIAN KOELZER - continued from page 9 deer yielded a couple of nice bucks but cool temps and no wind made the spot and stalk hunting pretty tough. I did manage to get within ten feet of one good one but an errant fluff of wind ended the game. Somehow, I managed to get a nice bull with only 1.5 days to hunt elk this fall. Karma must have cashed in a good deed I did somewhere along the line. My wife has had an Alberta moose hunt on the books for four years and we headed north in late September. It was a fantastic trip and we saw moose, coyote, mule deer, whitetail deer, elk, and black bear, and got charged by a fisher. Mother Nature was not as kind to us as we’d hoped. Better than half the hunt we had super high winds which made calling impossible. We got foiled by a wolf when one bull was coming in and a doe whitetail jumped up and blew just as we were closing on another good bull. The camp was
excellent and the food was great but unfortunately, no moose were harmed. Gonna have to do that one again in a few years. The icy clutches of Jack Frost are nearing and all the firewood is split. I’m looking forward to some weekends sitting in front of a crackling fire with the family. I dearly love Montana but the older I get the more I dislike winter. I hope you all manage to stay warm and reminisce about the adventures of this fall in front of a fire of your own. Convention is not far off and I’m looking forward to catching up with all of you there!
Brian Koelzer
I
am currently busy with midterms and applying to graduate school, so I don’t have time for bowhunting right now. The monotonous nature of school makes me daydream of dewy mornings and rugged mountains more than ever. However, the guy who sits in front of me in physics is a bit more diehard about his bowhunting season. After every weekend he has new stories and photos to show me. Even after unsuccessful hunts, he and his buddies stop by my table in the study hall to talk about their adventures. In their stories, people often forget to let their release go, spill scent killer on themselves, or are too hungover for the early morning 5 a.m. hike. While I’m still trying to convince them to become MBA members, it’s nice to have shared interests and swap stories with people. Too often we take for granted the community that surrounds bowhunting. The belief that hunting communities are like exclusive gentlemen’s clubs is fading away, and no one is going to the funeral. Bowhunting brings people together, whether they seek a hobby or live the lifestyle. Creating a welcoming and uplifting environment is the purpose of groups like the MBA. As hunting season progresses and the holidays approach, make sure to share your stories and adventures with someone else. What we have in common unites us and connects us in the most special ways. Strike up a conversation with anyone wearing camo or repping a sports brand; conversation brings us together. May you shoot straight and share your story with someone else,
June LePage
June LePage
W
hen is enough, enough? We have defeated this crossgun issue many times; even in this last legislative session. I lost any respect for Mr. Molnar when he opposed any handicapped hunter having another hunter with them to assist in field recovery. His statement was if it is not recovered in time they can pay the 200.00 waste of game penalty. This shows a total kick of hunter ethics. This is his very selfish game. Read this new issue of Outdoor Life and read the damage allowing any crossgun into any of our seasons. Please say no.
Mike Shepard
51 7th Ave East N. Columbia Falls, MT 406.250.9806
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Respectfully submitted, Michael Shepard
Mike Shepard
DIRECTORS AT LARGE
That’s a wrap, or is it?
Jackie Weidow
T
he two-thousand twenty-three archery season has been crazy this year. I have spent my weekends filling tags and having screaming matches with bulls and seeing lots of animals. So far this year I have harvested two whitetail doe’s and one muley doe. I busted a set of limbs on my compound. Thank goodness I have a backup compound. Hunting camp was great, spending nights in the wall tent. Looking up at thousands of stars and hearing elk talk through the night. There is nothing else like it. While at camp hanging meat, a bull came out and we chased it. Then while we were gearing up for another hunt two bulls came out behind the camp. Wandering through the woods in search of elk, my husband, brother-in-law, and friend were hiking in front of me. I looked out to the right of me and about 25-30 yards was a turned-up root wad. I could see a little tuft of black hair. I thought it was a wolf, so I began to pull out an arrow. Meanwhile, all three of them had walked past and were still walking. Just then the animal sat up and turned to look at me. It was not a wolf. It was in fact about a 300-plus-pound black bear! It was insane. I called out in a whisper BEAR! They all stopped and turned. My brother-in-law came back to me, knocked an arrow, and said where. I pointed to the bear. He froze and didn’t shoot the bear because he couldn’t believe it was right there, or how big it was. I was trying not to laugh. I couldn’t believe he didn’t shoot. I had already filled my bear tag so I couldn’t harvest this bear. After the bear ran away, we walked into a herd of elk. I called in the heard bull after about an hour and a half, but no one got a shot. It was turning out to be a great day. Or was it?? We left the area and went on to another spot. My husband was calling and it was my turn to be the shooter. Once I was set up and my husband was calling, I noticed some movement about eighty yards from me. When the animal came into the open, I was like nope, time to go. In front of me, about 75-80 yards in the open was a grizzly bear. I gathered my stuff and hustled up the mountain back to my husband and we left the area. We chased more elk in another spot. We didn’t harvest anything that day but it was a fantastic day!! Archery only season has closed but that doesn’t mean archery season is over. I will still be hunting with my bow during the general season. I hope you all had a fantastic season! I know I did!
Jackie Weidow
Winter 2023 11
MEMBER STORY
girlie bows and bull elk by Ed Evans
It was a perfect September evening to
be sitting over a water hole. Even if nothing came in, it would be a beautiful day in the mountains. But he did come in, put his mouth in the water and his leg forward. Ten yards. My heart was beating faster than a hummingbird wing, my knees shaking like when a cheerleader asked me to dance at the prom. Could I put this act together? I did. And the girlie bow spoke. Critics would be silenced, and tormentors shamed. Not a big six-point, but hey, when you are 77 years old, elk are like sex. Any is good. The girlie bow saga started six years ago. I was doing some heavy manual labor (a concept most people under 60 can’t understand), and I had a roto cuff tear in my shoulder. I went to the doctor and he said no problem. A quick operation and a couple of payments for his new BMW and I was good as new. This last winter, my wife had me doing a Herculean task and I tore the other shoulder. So, I went back to the same doctor hoping he had that damned BMW paid off and might give me a deal as a repeat customer. No dice. Also, he said this damage was too far gone to do the quick repair like last time. He suggested some reverse prosthesis options. Sounded kinda kinky, and I told him I wasn’t that kind of guy. He said I could get it later if I couldn’t tolerate the pain. I told him I have been married 56 years and can tolerate a lot of pain. Rather than hole up and whine like a gut-shot coyote, I decided to suck it up, put on my big boy camo pants and carry on. Even if I couldn’t hunt, maybe I could still be in camp as a camp cook or something. The boys sat around the fire in the evening, drinking beer and talking about different things. One boy mentioned the 7x8, another talked about the big cinnamon bear, and another mentioned the P&Y whitetail. Meanwhile, I sat there drinking chocolate milk and talking about burning the hash browns. Oh boy. I got no sympathy from my “friends”. One was glad to hear that I could still bugle and pack meat for the group. In medical terms, these friends could be described as the terminal end of the large intestine. Not Bob Morgan, he’s a nice guy. One evening, in the tiny corner of the basement that my wife allows me to have for my “archery room”, I was looking at my bows that I couldn’t shoot anymore. I have 8. My wife says I have about 200. Then on the wall, I saw her old bow. I took it down, and to my amazement, I could pull it back. The draw length was a little short, like me, according to my wife. This was a capable bow, as my wife took a lot of game with it, including two moose. She hunted for many years before deciding to become a baby factory. I helped in that endeavor. The word got around that I was shooting a “girlie” bow. I was teased and tormented to no end. Aluminum arrows, what a waste of good beer can material. Bear razor heads, what museum did I steal them from? Five-inch vanes, they look like the fins off of a 57 Chevy. Kwicky quiver, never heard of one. I started to doubt my manhood. Starting drinking only bottled beer out of fear, my picture might be on a Bud-Lite can. After the “girlie” bow proved her worth in the woods, I questioned what a “manly” bow is. The rest looks like something ready to fall off, not fall away. And the sight; looks like the docking mechanism on the space station. Peep sight; don’t know about it; long ago they had peep shows. And that big phallic-looking thing on the front of the bow. Is this to enhance the shooter’s manliness? What about women who use them? We won’t go there. Everyone has a range finder. Good hunters get into 20 yards for the shot and can guess that distance. Mechanical release. What do they use their fingers for; picking their nose? The “girlie bow”. Plain, bare, and still getting the job done after 40 years. If I had the spiritual enlightenment and more testosterone, I would take the wheels off and she might make the centerfold of TBM magazine.
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WWW.MTBA.ORG
2024 MBA CONVENTION
46th Annual
Convention & Banquet
April 5-7, 2024
BOOK YOUR ROOM TODAY
HERITAGE INN 1700 FOX FARM RD
406-761-1900
MENTION THE MBA RATE IS $109.00 + TAX PER NIGHT
HERITAGE INN GREAT FALLS
$50 PER PERSON
Seminars & Banquet Trophy Display Manufacturer’s Row Live & Silent Auctions Raffles & more! FOR MORE INFORMATION
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
ARON SNYDER
BACKPACK HUNTING
SEMINARS:
FWP - GRIZZLY BEAR RESEARCH
TROY POTTENGER
BRIAN BARNEY
HUNTING MOUNTAIN WHITETAILS
SPOT AND STALK BEAR HUNTING
www.mtba.org Winter 2023 13
INTERVIEW KEYNOTE SPEAKER
INTERVIEW WITH ARON SNYDER Aron Snyder owns Kifaru International, a backpack company. He also hosts the Kifarucast podcast, writes about the outdoors, and guides hunts. On April 6th, he will give a seminar on backpack hunting and be the keynote speaker at the annual convention in Great Falls. When and how did you get into archery hunting? Aron: When I was 10 years old, I attended a hunter safety course, and the teacher was a bowhunter. I’ve been addicted ever since. What is it about archery hunting that has made it your life passion? Aron: The challenge What is your favorite animal to hunt and why? Aron: Mountain goat, because of the environment they live in and the challenges of that environment. You’ve been on a ton of hunts, but are there any bucket list hunts you’d still like to do? Aron: Brown bear How long have you been guiding? Where do you guide and for what species? Aron: Off and on for 20 years in South Dakota, Texas, Mexico, Oklahoma, British Columbia, and Colorado. Elk, sheep, mountain goat, mule deer, antelope, and aoudad. What is the most common deficiency you see with your archery-hunting clients? Aron: Shooting under pressure and physical fitness. You’ve hunted with both compounds and traditional bows which I feel is rare these days. What aspects do you like about each Aron: I like the increased accuracy of the compound, as well as the ability to tinker a little bit more. The additional effort and skills needed to be successful with the traditional bow would definitely be top on my list It seems like a lot of archery hunters just take their bow to a local pro shop and ask the shop to tune their bow. What resources would you recommend to people who want to learn to tune themselves? Aron: There are many YouTube channels- Bowlife, Kifarucast, Nock On, and more. Learning is easier now than ever. What do you see as the biggest threats to bow hunting? Aron: Infighting and not representing ourselves in the proper light. What is your opinion on crossbows in archery seasons? Aron: I f****** hate crossbows. Thank you for your time. We look forward to having you at the convention!
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WWW.MTBA.ORG
MEMBER STORY
The Bugle
Did you hear that?
Off in the distance, the “BUGLE”. Yeah, you know what I am talking about. The bull elk calls back to you after you let out a locator call. Now it’s game time. We all wait for the answer to the call we just let out. There it is, now we know where the bull is. Do we sneak into him? Do we stay put? Do we get set up? Where do I put myself as the caller? Where do I set up my shooters? What is the wind doing? Does he have cows with him? Is he a solo bull? Is he a rag horn or heard bull? So many questions race through your head once you have heard the bugle. I know my mind races. When I get a response bugle, I know it’s game on. I love being the caller. I love calling on bulls of all sizes, but my favorite is when I call in the big heard bull who thinks he is the boss. As a caller, I like to set up my shooters between 100-200 yards in front of me. Most bulls hang up between 80-100 yards. If I know where my shooters are I can pull the bull to them. Setting up my shooters ahead of me gives me the advantage over the bull. The Bull hears me farther away and comes through where the shooters are not expecting them to be there. If one of them shoots, they stay put and cow call three times fast in a row and this tells me they have shot or something has happened. I stay put and call for about five to ten minutes before I move to where they are. There is nothing like calling in bulls. It is a rush. Being able to use different tones and knowing what call sounds to make is important. Some bulls answer to cow calls and bugles, some answer to only cow calls, and some only answer to bugles. You need to find out what is working in the area you are hunting. Working a bull that thinks he is the king, and no one is going to beat him is the challenge I look for. Pulling him from his cows to you is a feeling of success all on its own. Hearing him get closer, breaking brush and scraping trees on his way to you. Knowing you have beaten him at his game is a rush. If you get a chance to harvest a bull or a friend gets to harvest a bull that you spent the time calling in is quite a bonus. Harvesting that animal is a trophy you will cherish forever.
by Jackie Weidow
Winter 2023 15
MEMBER STORY
First Archery Elk Hunt in Years
I
by Pete Seigel
met a young man named Clark Jacobs from a Facebook page that I posted on looking for help to get me out hunting. since I had to give up driving with the progression of my Muscular Dystrophy. He came over to the house and I went over my modified compound bow procedure so he had an idea of what it took to get ready to shoot it. He picked me up at 4 a.m. on a Saturday and after getting me loaded up and the trailer for my trackchair hooked up, we drove north from Billings. We talked along the way getting to know each other a bit. I’ve been told many times that I have the gift of gab. We arrived at our destination and unloaded the trackchair and got me in it. Then we put the modified bow and hunting bags together and we were hunting. The first stand didn’t have any results so we moved a little further in. This time, Clark made a call and a bull answered and my heart started racing with excitement! Talk about a magical sound!! I have been dreaming about this type of experience for many years. Well, it didn’t work out for us to see anything but it was extremely exciting for sure!! We may not have seen the elk but we saw plenty of critters on the drive up and back to Billings.
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WWW.MTBA.ORG
Clark Jacobs
LIBBY
32032 US Highway 2 406-293-7797 LesSchwab.com
Flaming Arrow Archery Nicole Tindale 1282 Hwy 2 East Kalispell, MT 59901 406-752-0702
1282 Hwy 2 East, Kalispell
Winter 2023
17
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Blast from the Past 1990 This is from the 1990 newsletters. In the last Newsletter, I reported from the end of the 1980’s review from President Buddy Lundstrom. I thought he covered the entire 80’s with his report. So, in this issue I looked to the rest of the 1990’s and what the MBA was dealing with. We made a change in the President to Jerry Taylor. Jerry has been on the board for a while and when Buddy’s term ran, Jerry was nominated and voted in by the membership. The Convention was held in Billings, and the guest speaker was Maggie McGee from Bowhunter Magazine, and he put on quite a show. The MBA always hosted the Elk Bugling World Championship contest, and once again put that on. Also, the first MBA Turkey Calling Championship was held. The winners of these Championships were not printed in the newsletters so I have no idea who the winners were. Bowhunters and Wilderness. The MBA was in the middle of Politics playing Montana’s Wild Lands. Both Sen. Baucus and Sen. Burns introduced legislation to maintain 630,000 acres of Wilderness and the release of 2.8 million acres of roadless lands for development and non-wilderness uses. The Baucus bill introduced early this year would designate 875,000 acres, more than the Burns bill but much less than the 2.9 million acre Conservationist Proposal. Conservationists and Sportsmen
For all those who purchase the plate, the MBEF would like to invite you to send us a photo of your plate on your vehicle. Be creative, include yourself, pets, family, trophies of all sorts, etc.
Photos will be posted on the website. www.mtbowhuntermuseum.org 18
WWW.MTBA.ORG
found both Baucus and Burns bills to be unsatisfactory. Neither bill protects enough wild country as Wilderness, and both were plagued with problems of unclear or insufficient language. It seemed that both bills represented `little more than electionyear volleys, ensuring that neither bill would be taken seriously in Congress. The MBA has been involved in the Wilderness along with Montana conservation and Sportsmen groups since 1983. The FWP suggested a proposal to increase license fees for both residents and non-residents alike. The fee at the time for residents was 13 weeks to hunt Deer, elk, bear, various upland game birds, and fish almost year-round for the grand sum of $52.00 including the bow stamp. There was a big push to try to put a stop to the Buffalo hunt in Montana. It raised a bunch of concerns and the politics were in a mess on both sides of the issue. The state needs to harvest a few of the Bisson every year for health reasons, and it is still an issue today. That’s about all I got for 1990. Hope you got something to stir up some old memories. ‘till next issue Hope You Enjoyed
Marlon Clapham
CONTACT NUMBERS
Region 1
Region 5
Vice Chair
CommissionerRegion5@mtfwp.org (406) 860-7416 Billings, Montana
Pat Tabor
Brian Cebull
CommissionerRegion1@mtfwp.org (406) 250-2899 Whitefish, Montana
Region 2
Region 6
Jeff Burrows
Lesley Robinson
CommissionerRegion2@mtfwp.org Hamilton, Montana
Commission Chair
CommissionerRegion6@mtfwp.org (406) 301-0787 Dodson, Montana
Region 7
Region 3
William Lane
Susan Kirby Brooke
CommissionerRegion7@mtfwp.org (406) 981-0048 Ismay, Montana
CommissionerRegion3@mtfwp.org (406) 613-8562 Bozeman, Montana
Fish & Wildlife Commission Members
Region 4 KC Walsh
CommissionerRegion4@mtfwp.org (406) 599-9556 Martinsdale, Montana
fwpwld@mt.gov/aboutfwm/commission
BUSINESS & CLUB MEMBERS
Active as of November 2023
Become a Business Member of the MBA and be listed on this page every issue! For membership visit www.mtba.org.
Blue Creek Outdoors
Joe Bartlett
1902 Woodbine Way
Polson
MT
59860
307-851-4883
Buffalo Jump Archery
Judy Adams
P.O. Box 5581
Helena
MT
59604
406-539-3936
Elk Creek Family Outfitters
David Hein
1021 Toole Circle
Billings
MT
59105
406-670-4366
Flaming Arrow Archery
Nicole Tindale
1282 Hwy 2 East
Kalispell
MT
59901
406-752-0702
Hamilton Advanced Dentistry
Daniel Wharton
129 Copper King Ct
Hamilton
MT
59840
JB’S Les Schwab Tire
Kellen MacDonald
PO Box 744
Libby
MT
59923
406-293-7797
Kutawagan Outfitters/ Bearpaw Lodge
Jeff and Annette Smith
Box 70
Choiceland
SK
S0J 0M0
306-428-2032
Montana Veterinary Hospital
Dennis Moylan
1455 Hidden Valley Rds
Bozeman
MT
59718
406-580-2019
Mountain Copper Creations
Jim Clapham
4085 Old Marshall Grade Road
East Missoula
MT
59802
406-880-9411
Philipsburg Coffee Roasters, LLC
Kevin Lorensen
100 Stevie Lane, #767
Philipsburg
MT
59858
406-317-3026
Pronghorn Custom Bows
Herb Meland
2491 W 42nd St
Casper
WY
82604
307-234-1824
Schafer Silvertip Custom Bows
Dave Windauer
357 Roberts Rd
Columbia Falls
MT
59912
406-892-0580
The Footed Shaft
John Hanson
44 Shaffer Lane
Toston
MT
59643
406-616-3200
The Stickbow Chronicles
Rob Patuto
326 WWP Housing Rd
Clark Fork
ID
83811
208-610-3795
Toelke Traditional Archery
Dan & Jared Toelke
31345 Lost Creek Ln
Ronan
MT
59864
406-253-4949
Trophy Blends Scents
Bruce Hoyer
PO Box 466
Belt
MT
59412
406-403-2231
Twite Realty
Mark Twite
8015 Indreland Road
Missoula
MT
59808
406-880-1956
Yellowstone Longbow
Rich Wormington
280 HWY 14A E
Lovell
WY
82431
307-548-6292
Zinks Big Sky Archery Targets
Terry L & Dylan Zink
PO Box 1272
Marion
MT
59925
406-253-4670
Winter 2023
19
HEADER
Do you enjoy bowhunting and our bowhunting seasons in Montana? Join the MBA to preserve, promote and protect bowhunting! What the MBA offers you: Expanded hunting opportunities through working with FWP and commissioners to preserve and expand bowhunting seasons Unified voice during legislative sessions to protect seasons and access programs while opposing efforts which seek to limit the role of FWP in managing wildlife Fellowship with others who are interested in shaping the future of bowhunting
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP One Year $25.00 Three Years $67.00 Life $500.00
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Memberships run January 1 to December 31 each year.
Visit the MBA website at: www.mtba.org
YES! I Wish to join the MBA. Enclosed is my check, money order or credit card for membership checked below! SEND TO: MBA, PO BOX 426, HELENA MT 59624 • PH. # 406-404-6168
Name:____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street: _________________________________________ City: ________________________ State: ________ Zip:___________ Email: ______________________________ Date: ____________________ Telephone: (_____) __________________________ INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $25.00 o Three Years $67.00 o Life $500.00
FAMILY MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $30.00 o Three Years $85.00 o Life $750.00
CLUB MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $45.00 o Three Years $120.00
BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $45.00 o Three Years $120.00
MBA HATS o $15.00 each + $5.00 postage MBA Patches* o $2.50 each please send______patches DONATIONS o $_________________
JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP (Under18) OVERSEAS MEMBERSHIP* Add $10.00 a year to membership o One Year $5.00 for added mailing costs PAYMENT TYPE o Check
o Money Order
o Credit Card - o VISA o MASTERCARD TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED ______________
Credit Card #_____________________________________________________ Exp. Date___________ CVV ____________ Signature________________________________________________________ This is a gift membership from________________________________________________________________________________ 20
WWW.MTBA.ORG
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Ruffed Grouse and Spruce Grouse MITCHELL LEPAGE
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CHRIS GASNER Elk
KRISTEN HAUGAN Alberta Moose
MICHAEL ITEN Bull Elk 2023 with lucky MBA hat
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BRAD ZINK’S Raghorn
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ZEKE GASNER first hunting trip
ANDREA LAMANNA with second bull in two years
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BILL WILSON Stonepoint bull with pronghorn bow by Yellowstone Bows
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BILL MCCONNEL hunting deer
TOM SEARCH Elk
TREY MORGAN Bull Elk 2023
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CHRIS GASNER with father MARTY first archery elk
Winter 2023
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WHY EVERY MONTANA BOWHUNTER SHOULD CONSIDER JOINING THE MONTANA BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION • The MBA is the organization the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks consults on bowhunting issues that affect Montana bowhunters. • Montana has the best bowhunting seasons of any of the western states. We are continually working to keep these. • The MBA is active in the Legislature to protect and fight for our hunting and bowhunting seasons and rights. • The MBA produces a quarterly magazine informing you of local, state, and national bowhunting issues and events, and publishing great stories and pictures. • THE MBA NEEDS MEMBER NUMBERS AND YOUR YEARLY DUES TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT WHAT YOU ENJOY EVERY YEAR. ISN’T WHAT YOU ENJOY EVERY FALL WORTH $25 A YEAR TO PROTECT?
What the MBA has done for you? way, we’ve increased the seasons to what you enjoy today. • Worked to establish archery bear, lion and sheep seasons. • Worked to establish archery antelope 900 tag and August 15th opener. • Worked to establish archery only areas and hunting districts. • Proposed a special archery wolf season and endorsed the highest quota of wolf harvest possible. • Actively protects hunting & bowhunting seasons in the Legislature year after year. • Defended our archery seasons against the “Crossbows & Muzzleloaders” threats throughout the years. • Created the Modified Archer’s permit that now allows those with handicaps to use modified archery equipment to hunt; which kept any need for crossbows out of Montana and defended our archery seasons against other crossbow threats throughout the years. • Re-established the archery season after it was left off the regulations one year. • Actively works with FWP to protect archery seasons, our resources, and expand archery opportunity in Montana year after year.
What can you do for bowhunting in Montana? Join the MBA at www.mtba.org to preserve, promote and protect bowhunting.
Photos by Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside
• Worked to get the first archery season started in Montana. Along the