Vol. 47 #3 Spring 2020

Montana Bowhunters Association PO Box 426 Helena MT 59624 Return service requested

Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 120 Bozeman, MT 59718

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C ONVENT ION

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ANNUAL

PAGE 30

Carp Safari 2020

PAGE 28

Redemption

MBA

Regional Representatives Region 1

Al Kelly

Mike Shephard

PO Box 219, Libby, MT 59923 ........................................... 406-293-2900 alman@frontiernet.net 351 7th Ave E N, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 ....................... 406-250-9806 michaelshepard7@gmail.com

Region 2

Neil Maier

Kevin Robinson 2110 Wylie Ave, Missoula MT 59802 ............................... 406-531-8243

16200 Roman Creek Rd., Frenchtown, MT 59834 .............. 406-546-6013 nam56@yahoo.com

kevin.robinson@technometalpost.com

Region 3

Liberty Brown

Barrett Haugan 560 Clovehitch Rd., Belgrade, MT 59714 .......................... 406-539-0602

275 Vigilante Trl. Bozeman, MT 59718 ............................. 406-570-4280 mbareg3@gmail.com btreasurestate@aol.com

Region 4

Stephen LePage 2574 Divide Rd., Lewistown, MT 59457 ........................... 406-535-5636

Roger Licht

mbaregion4@yahoo.com PO Box 189, Stanford MT 59479.... 406-566-2693 — Cell 406-366-1580 licht.roger@yahoo.com

Region 5

Jenn Schneider

Ken Schultz

5509 Sunny Cove Billings MT 59106 ................................ 406-697-7768 jennk40@msn.com 302 Wyoming Ave., Billings, MT. 59101 ............................. 406-598-8550 schultzy@iwks.net

Region 6

Nathan Veit

PO Box 288, Malta, MT 59538........................................... 406-654-7640 nathanveit95@yahoo.com

REP VACANCY.

Region 7

Bob Morgan

P.O. Box 1995, Colstrip, MT 59323..................................... 406-749-0706 robertredface@gmail.com

REP VACANCY EVEN YEARS

Seth Rogers Jerry Davis Rich Smith Drew Steinberger Cliff Garness Mandy Garness

AT LARGE DIRECTORS 1425 Prickley Pear, Billings, MT 59105 – srogers@lamar.com.......................................406-670-5435 725 Middlemas Road, Helena, MT 59602 – pipelinejerry@gmail.com............................406-475-2226 PO Box 51428 Billings, MT 59105-1361 - muleybum@gmail.com.................................406-281-8846 1901 Mountain View Drive, Great Falls MT 59405 - drew@prcountrycomforts.com........406-351-2152 5901 Western Drive, Great Falls MT 59404 - obsession_archery@yahoo.com...............406-788-9009 5901 Western Drive, Great Falls MT 59404 - camoquilter@gmail.com..........................406-750-9953

MBA

officers PRESIDENT

Marlon Clapham 4455 Hoover Lane • Stevensville, MT 59870 mbaregion2@gmail.com • 406-777-2408 1ST VICE PRESIDENT

Brian Koelzer 80 Jansma Lane • Manhattan, MT 59741 rocknrollbowhunter3@yahoo.com • 406-570-7997 2ND VICE PRESIDENT

Mark Schwomeyer 60 Hruska Ln • Lewistown, MT 59457 markschwo@gmail.com • 406-350-0173 TREASURER

Claudia Davis PO Box 426, Helena, MT. 59624 mtba@mtba.org • 406-461-9618 SECRETARY

Beckie Doyle P.O. Box 136 • Conner, MT 59827 mybluewalker@yahoo.com • 406-531-4060 PAST PRESIDENT

Joelle Selk 6963 York Road • Helena, MT 59602 jselkmt@gmail.com • 406-422-6798 MAGAZINE CO-EDITORS

Teri and Al Kelly PO Box 219 • Libby, MT 59923 teray1979@yahoo.com • 406-293-2900

WEB DESIGNER

Liberty Brown Branding Iron Marketing Brandingironmarketingllc.com 406-581-7216 MAGAZINE DESIGN

ODD YEARS

Paul Martin Ray Gross Richard Lewallen John Grimstad

www.mtba.org

110 Sage Lane, Kalispell, MT 59901 - paulhmartin99@gmail.com...................... 406-261-4456

K Design Marketing, Inc.

355 Antelope Drive, Dillon, MT 59725 – raygross0144@gmail.com.................... 406-660-1019

1613 South Ave. W. • Missoula, MT 59801 kim@kdesignmarketing.com 406-273-6193

4234 Audubon Way Drive Billings, MT 59106 – rpdlew@aol.com........................ 406-690-0854 2031 Poly Drive, Billings, MT 59102 – twingrim@bresnan.net............................ 406-252-3620

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 Al or Teri Kelly at PO Box 426, Helena MT 59624 or email teray1979@yahoo.com. 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 Ablum and can be viewed at the annual conventions. Any questions as to policies of MBA please write the President.

MEMBERSHIP INQURIES

Please send new memberships or renewal memberships to MBA Tresurer, PO Box 426, Helena MT 59624 or call 406-461-9618, register online at www.mtba.org or ask a member.

Spring 2020

1

EDITOR’S NOTE Teri Kelly, with Alyse and Lily Wyman

MBA

Committees Legislative:

Jerry Davis, Chair Ray Gross • Marlon Clapham Richard Lewallen • Joelle Selk • Stephen LePage

Tentatives:

Ray Gross, Chair Paul Martin • Mark Schwomeyer Stephen La Page • Marlon Clapham

Financial:

Chair Claudia Davis • Jenn Schneider Ray Gross • Neil Maier • Rich Lewallenier

Landowner/Sportsman:

I

Mark Schwomeyer, Chair Neil Maier • Bob Morgan • Barrett Haugan t’s convention time! My favorite event of the year and we’re back at Fairmont Hot Springs so I see some relaxing and soaking in my immediate future. I hope everyone had a great hunting season and now we are almost thru winter and can look forward to

spring turkey, bears and carp! I personally did not hunt a great deal in Region 1 this year. It was a little discouraging with the onset of CWD in our area and I just simply didn’t want to deal with testing anything I may harvest so maybe next year. There are some great articles and stories in this issue so enjoy and be sure to get your reservations made for the convention, it should be a great time!

Teri Kelly

Nominations:

­Chair Al Kelly • Paul Martin • Cliff Garness

Awards:

Brian Koelzer, Chair Al Kelly • Rich Lewallen • Marlon Clapham

Membership:

Marlon Clapham, Chair Jenn Schneider • Ray Gross Barrett Haugan • Ken Schultz Joelle Selk – Membership Assistant

Convention 2020-Region 5 Rich Lewallen, Ken Schultz and Jenn Schneider Chairs To be determined Region 3- 2021 Fairmont Region 1- 2022 Fairmont

Magazine:

Al & Teri Kelly, Co-Chairs Joelle Selk • Brian Koelzer • Jerry Davis

Website:

Liberty Brown • Jenn Schneider Beckie Doyle • Kevin Robinsone

Carp Shoot:

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

2

Montana

BOWHUNTER

WWW.MTBA.ORG

Joelle Selk, Chair Roger Licht • Stephen LePage • Cliff Garness

Bow-Ed:

Al Kelly, Chair Brian Koelzer • Bob Morgan • Mark Schwomeyer Ray Gross • Marlon Clapham

Youth Membership:

Becky Doyle •Roger Licht, Chairs This is a new committee and will involve the youth from every region for their input. All area reps. will try to recruit youth from their region to get involved with the MBA’s decision making process. This will mostly be done through the e-mail contacts. They may want to attend the Board Meeting on occasion and we can get them ready for the future. We will try to keep their ages from 16 to 25 or so.

Reg. 1 – Vacant Reg. 2 – Jackie Doyle Reg. 3 – Vacant Reg. 4 – Vacant Reg. 5 – Vacant Reg. 6 – Vacant Reg. 7 – Vacant Reg. 8 – Vacant

TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 47 #3 Spring 2020

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ANNUAL

C ONVENTION

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PAGE

PAGE

On the Cover

Redemption PAGE 28

Carp Safari 20 19

2

EDITOR’S NOTE

Teri Kelly

4

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Marlon Clahman

1ST VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Brian Koelzer

5

2ND VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PAGE 30

42 nCd ON V E N T IO N ANNU AL

PAGE 14

Stephanie Prater 2019 Pronghorn

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14 2020 MBA CONVENTION 27 LETTER TO THE EDITOR 28 REDEMPTION

Brian Koelzer

30 2020 CANYON FERRY CARP SAFARI

Mark Schwomeyer

31 FWP COMMISSIONER CONTACTS

TREASURER’S MESSAGE

Claudia Davis

6 REGIONAL REPORTS 13 BLAST FROM THE PAST

BOWHUNTER COMMITTEE

TEEN BOWHUNTERS CAMP 2020

Jackie Doyle

32 33

BUSINESS & CLUB MEMBERS MBA MEMBERSHIP FORM MEMBER GALLERY

Spring 2020

3

sted

Return servic e reque

Montana Bowh unters Assoc iation PO Box 23611 Billings, MT 59104

Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 120 Bozeman, MT 59718

OFFICER’S REPORTS

PRESIDENT - MARLON CLAPHAM 1ST VICE PRESIDENT - BRIAN KOELZER 2ND VICE PRESIDENT - MARK SCHWOMEYER TREASURER - CLAUDIA DAVIS SECRETARY - BECKIE DOYLE (NO REPORT)

President’s

Message

Marlon Claphman

I

t seems as though we just sat down and put together our last newsletter and here it is time for the next one. The 2019 hunting seasons have been wrapped up by the time you receive this newsletter. I hope everyone had some success and memories to share at the upcoming Convention in Fairmont Hot Springs.

Merri, my hunting partner, had an experience we shared that will be in out stories for a good long while. I hope to put together a good story for the next newsletter.

But it will just have to wait as I have been way to tied up with the Tentative Season setting process.

There have been some very interesting proposals brought up by the FWP for public comment. I have attended meetings for the last several months working on some of these issues and more in the last two weeks going to the local public meeting to get the feel of the general sportsmen and sportswomen on the changes. We will be seeing some changes across the entire state and then there are changes that will affect each induvial region. It will all come together February 13th for the Commissioner’s Meeting in Helena at the Wild Center where they vote on all the season changes for the next two seasons.

There have been several issues that seem to already going to take effect. We got word that when we go to purchase 2020 hunting and fishing license, we will be doing all online or smart phones and printing our own carcass tags. Not quite sure how this will all shake out or how it will be monitored, but the FWP feels they have it all worked out.

We will continue to deal with the Shoulder Seasons but there have been some major changes with them. Region 2 has cut the length of the season back to January 15th taking off a full month from February 15th. This may not seem like much but the six-month elk seasons doesn’t set well with the nonhunting community. I look at this as a good step in the right direction.

The archery only HD 290 will still have an early Shoulder Season August 15th until the start of Archery Season, then be shut down until the General Rifle Season opens. It will then run to the January 15th closing. There will be other opportunities for the landowners if the elk persist during the Archery Season but it will be handled on each individual ranch. The Whitetail doe tags for general season will be cut way back due to the winter kill the last two seasons. For those that hunt that area and see how far the whitetail numbers have dropped, some of the landowners still want to have some harvest when the deer are in their hay fields.

HD 260 is also an Archery only HD and we have faired a little better there. The first proposal was to put the Shoulder Season in all of 260 with restrictive weapons on the private lands. Then with the change to the B tags for elk going to all draw for each HD in all of Reg. 2 the 260 was dropped from proposal all together. They will let the Archers draw a B tag for the cow elk. Moving to all B tags for elk drawn for the area you wish to hunt will take some of the pressure off the landowner dealing with hunters asking for permission.

Looking through the rest of the state I see other proposals for the shorter season. With several HDs going only until January 15th while others are still on going to February 15th. The Reg. 5 and 6 are working very hard to get their elk numbers under control, but access still is the biggest hurtle.

We still have an issue with the 900-20 and the Breaks Permits. There is a push to get the permits dropped altogether or increase the numbers substantially. With more permits, more nonresidents would be eligible for the permits. We already have an overcrowding problem and adding more permits would only add to the problem. I have had good conversation with Commissioner Chair Shane Colton on the issue. He feels the same way the MBA’s survey shows how our members voted which was to leave the numbers as they are. This issue will be worked out if it gets dropped on the Commission through the back door, but it will most likely move to the Legislature this next session. Neither the Commission or the MBA wants this to happen. We hope to address the problem in house, working with the Commission FWP and the MBA. The area reps will have other proposals in their articles from the meetings they attended in each of their areas.

This is the Convention Issue Newsletter and I hope that this will be a well-attended convention. The Region 5 folks have been hard at work putting all things together for the rest of us.

I guess I’ve rambled on long enough. So, hope to see everyone at the Convention at Fairmont Hot Springs April 3,4,5th.

Keep-Em Sharp and Shoot-Em Straight.

Marlon Clapham

First Vice President’s

Report

G

oodbye 2019 and hello 2020. As I get older the years seem to be ticking by quicker and quicker. Hopefully all of you were able to spend some quality time in the woods last fall with family and friends pursuing nature’s bounty with stick and string. Thankfully our freezer is full from a few well-placed arrows released by both my wife and myself. With a 16-month-old rugrat at home we are learning to adapt our hunting styles so we both get time in the woods. Thankfully all the grandparents in our lives have done a great job helping watch Bo so we can even get in a few hunts together! Near the end of general season, we took a family trip up north to shoot some does and the last one to be recovered was a big girl I shot off the ground in high winds and only got one lung. The three of us set out on the trail and after a little bit of work we were able to find her. After watching deer walk through our back yard for his whole short life it was no surprise that our boys first word was “der”. His excitement at seeing that big doe on the ground was so much fun and after getting him out of his pack he sat by her patting her side saying “der, der, der”. Definitely one of those proud dad moments!

4

Montana

BOWHUNTER

Brian Koelzer & Bowen WWW.MTBA.ORG

OFFICER REPORTS

Getting down to business we are working to get the early shoulder seasons removed from archery season. Killing cows with young calves in august and stirring elk up before archery season is wrong in my book. Anyone who wants an interesting read look up the 2004 Montana Statewide Elk Management Plan and do some reading. Check out Establishing Number Objectives for Elk too. (page 55). This has really turned into a fiasco and I don’t see all groups involved ever being happy. From the landowner’s perspective I completely see their side that they feed and house the elk all year long. Public access cannot and should not try to be forced on them and I totally get them not wanting a ton of people on their place. Sportsmen and women understand the wildlife belongs to everyone and there should be more opportunity to hunt them but unfortunately due to the scum in our ranks a lot of that opportunity has been lost to bad behavior. I’d imagine from the elk’s standpoint it sucks being hunted for 6+ months a year as well.

Word on the street is there is more breaks drama coming in our future. (shocking I know) Sounds like there is a push to raise tag numbers and some people even pushing to eliminate tags altogether. I encourage anyone with strong opinions on this topic either way to get a hold of any of us on the board and let us know how you feel. We are here to serve you and it’s our job to listen.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at Fairmont in a few months and getting to catch up! book your rooms early as our block usually goes quick and you don’t want to be left out in the cold.

Wishing you all the best in 2020 and remember to keep them sharp and pick a spot!

Brian Koelzer

Second Vice President’s

Report

A

fter almost a 3-hour meeting discussing “FWP stuff” I can tell you we achieved NOTHING. Lots of disgruntled landowners, some with extremely LOUD mouths, some made great sense. I can tell you it’s going to be some give and take to get things done. On a positive note, it sounds like there are plenty of elk! How did everyone’s season go? I enjoyed my days afield thoroughly. Archer and I went back to Indiana to visit family and sat for whitetail. It’s always fun trying something new or something you haven’t done in a while. I had some success in the deer stands which led to a buck and doe in the freezer. On the last weekend I also saw the biggest whitetail I’ve seen in 24 years! I am already plotting for next year.

One of my fondest memories of the season was a night practicing in the yard with Archer, a movement distracted him from his target. Realizing it was a cottontail he immediately started begging to put the sneak on it. So, I did what any of you would do. I grabbed his arrows and took him inside leaving the rabbit to his own. When we were in the house, I went to my archery box picked out 3 broadheads and put an impressive edge on them. He was vibrating with enthusiasm. We made a plan on our way out the door. The rabbit knew his comfort zone and avoid it like the plague. Eventually the rabbit ended up under the lawn mower. With Archer waiting patiently at the rabbit’s favorite hole under the shed, a couple well placed stones near the mower coaxed him out. A lil sidestep and he was 8 yds broadside. I was watching as Archer drew. A well-placed arrow and he was under the shed. As be bounced off I saw the neon fletch behind the shoulder and before I could ask where he hit him, Archer yelled “Right in the Heart! “ I taped a treble hook to an old ski pole and pulled him out on my first try. A dandy first trad kill! We then examined the shot took some field photos and cleaned him up.

And its official, rabbit tastes like chicken! I’ll save my other stories for the convention.

Hope to see several of you there!

Mark Schwomeyer

Claudia Davis

Treasurer’s Message

H

ello again! This will be my first Convention to manage the money.

I’m a bit nervous. But Jenn Schneider has agreed to help me anyway she can. Thank you, Jenn!

I’m asking for volunteers during the event to help out at the check-in table.

We’ll be selling merchandise, raffle tickets, dinner tickets, and memberships.

It’s an exciting time for MBA. Please contact me if you are able to give us a hand. I hope to see you there!

Membership renewals have been flowing in. I send a couple of stickers and an MBA patch to all who renew at any level. If your membership is due, please renew as soon as possible. Your membership gives us clout when we voice the MBA opinions regarding bowhunting. So, the more the better. I was very excited to get a new Life Member this month. It’s that kind of dedication that will preserve Montana bowhunting in the future.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as I work my way through the duties of the treasurer’s job. I’ve enjoyed everything and everyone so far!

Claudia Davis

Spring 2020

5

REGIONAL REPORTS

REGION 1 AL KELLY

REGION

REGION

MIKE SHEPARD

1

REGION 2

4

2

I

LIBERTY BROWN BARRETT HAUGEN REGION 4 STEPHEN LEPAGE Mike Shepard

ROGER LICHT REGION 5 JENN SCHNEIDER (NO REPORT) KEN SCHULTZ REGION 6 NATHAN VEIT (NO REPORT) REGION 7 BOB MORGAN

REGION 1 REGION

1

6

REGION

4

REGION

2

REGION

8

REGION

REGION

7

REGION

3

5

AL KELLY MIKE SHEPARD

2

019 season is over and I’ve been waiting for snow and cold to get wolf hunting…WHY you ask? After 11 trips in late October and November to my favorite gated-road hunting spots, I found they had two things in common; no one walks these roads anymore but me, and for every deer track found in light snow, there were 4 or 5 sets of wolf tracks on every gated road. Many years ago, when Jim Cross retired, I had a talk with his replacement as Region 1 head biologist. I questioned why all the B tags were being issued at that time, and was told that it makes no difference to him as a professional whether game animals starve, are killed by predators, hit by cars/trains, or even last but not least, taken by legal hunting, as long as the herds are manageable, and minimize wardens time afield.

Now all these years later his wish has come true. I have never seen so much wolf sign as this year, and in a week of longbow hunting I saw 3 nice black bears and one grizzly, and yes that was between Whitefish and Libby. I never did get any grouse, as the last two springs have been hard on them too… too wet. So, to say with the CWD problem, I am not sure where any of this is going anymore. Many of my local hunters did not even see a buck to bag with their rifles, and are now talking about going east. I think it is high time lo start pushing FWP for more predator control; off all species. I never did find any elk sign. A miracle did occur in a snow storm on the last bow of our bow season, I actually encountered a nice bull moose, first one seen in 6 years. We must be ever vigilant of what our agencies are doing, I am not writing this to complain about what I encountered this season, BUT to stimulate thought.

Respectfully Submitted

Al Kelly

H

ere we are at the time of the year to get ready for the convention. It is going to be back at Fairmont Hot Springs this year.

What a great place for family fun! Hope we get a good turnout of families again as it is nice to see the young ones coming up through the ranks. Good people and good times.

Here in region one the topic on most people’s minds is CWD. What a punch in the gut this has been for our area. I hope something can turn this around at some point. Even though the situation seems pretty dire now, I am hoping for the best.

Al Kelly Montana

BOWHUNTER

8

3

REGION 3

REGION

REGION

REGION

KEVIN ROBINSON

WWW.MTBA.ORG

Shep

6

REGION

REGION

NEIL MAIER (NO REPORT)

6

REGION 2

Neil Maier

REGION REGION

7

5

NEIL MAIER KEVIN ROBINSON

t’s been a tradition of mine to hunt the opening day of bow season including the very last day, which in region 2 would be in the river bottom on January 15th. I broke tradition this year. As write for this newsletter it is January 13th and I’m 2,982 miles away in Kauai. I’m gonna miss that last hunt but please don’t feel bad for me! I missed opportunities on elk, killed a nice rut crazed whitetail buck, shot a handful of grouse and took two coyotes within 30 seconds of each other, that sums up my season.

A new year is upon us and hopefully new and improved hunting regulations regarding shoulder seasons. If it were my responsibility to solve the over objective Elk situation and I had all resources available to me I would scoop up the over objectives and drop them off with the under objectives, problem solved. I wish it were that easy. I really appreciate our ability as sportsman to attend, ask questions and voice concerns at the local FWP meetings with the biologist’s present. The old saying goes “squeaky wheel gets the grease” so I encourage all hunters to speak up and be heard at your local meetings.

The 2020 MBA Convention is shaping up and it will be upon us in no time. I hope the winter months treat everyone well, we live in a great place! I hope to see all at the convention!

Kevin Robinson

Kevin Robinson

REGIONAL REPORTS

REGION 3 REGION

REGION

1

4

REGION

2

REGION

8

REGION

3

H

6

REGION

REGION REGION

7

5

LIBERTY BROWN BARRETT HAUGAN

ello from Region 3. Last night I attended the Region 3 season setting meeting at FWP here in Bozeman. There was a pretty good crowd between 50-70 people that showed up to see what changes to expect for the upcoming season and voice comments or concerns.

For the most part, the proposed changes made sense and people didn’t have any problems (except for the elk proposals).

Some of the changes included:

Deer

• HD-309 Get rid of the Mule Deer B license and allow either sex mule deer hunting.

• HD-390 eliminate the unlimited mule deer buck permit in HD 390 and the separate east and west portions in the HD. The entire HD would go to general license either-sex mule deer during the entire general archery and rifle seasons.

• HD-391 The entire HD would go to general license either-sex mule deer during the general archery season. For the general rifle season on a general license it would be antlered buck mule deer only on National Forest Land and either-sex everywhere else (i.e. everywhere except on National Forest Land).

Elk

• Standardize Youth and PTHFV to eithersex in archery and general seasons in most HDs. Numerous changes in B licenses and season dates.

• Remove shoulder season in HDs 390, 391, 393 and add new OTC B license valid general rifle to Jan. 1.

• House Bill 497 passed by the 2019 Montana Legislature amended MCAs 87-2-104 and 87-2-501 to allow the harvest of three elk during any license year, only one of which may be antlered.

The elk proposals presented evoked the strongest responses from the general public. There were a lot of people in attendance opposed to all shoulder seasons. Multiple people stated they wished for a return of damage hunts. Other landowners in attendance were in strong favor of the shoulder seasons and said they would never want to go back to damage hunts. I was the only one to stand up and oppose the shoulder seasons specifically during the archery only season.

The proposal that drew the largest amount of opposition was HB 497, allow the harvest of 3 elk. I was pleased to see the majority of people in attendance, raise their hands in opposition. There was a lot of apprehension from the general public regarding FWP’s objectives and harvest numbers.

Representatives from FWP stated that objectives were set 15 years ago and that they are working on obtaining new data on objective setting procedures.

Liberty Brown • Combine HDs 361 & 362 into a new larger HD 361. Create a new 325-00 antlerless license, quota 1.

• Create a new 340-00 antlerless license, quota 1.

FWP Biologist, Julie Cunningham, stated that the Moose harvest success rate in our region had dropped to almost 50%. By combining the HD’s she anticipates to raise that to 80%. People were opposed to creating new antlerless tags in HD361 but FWP said that the moose in this HD are doing quite well compared to other HD’s.

experiences also need to be evaluated on personal levels as well as hunting district regulation levels. Our voice can help local biologists in your area improve hunting opportunities. Please let your area biologists or wardens know how things are going out there.

You might be surprised how well they can help the situation. Keep working to ensure a better place than you found it. Keep asking questions! Mother Nature can be a large contributing factor in a negative way, but hunters can make choices to improve areas that need it. Turn in poaching activity whenever possible.

We aren’t helping by letting things go. Other than that, keep up the good work as true sports men and women. I’m definitely very proud of the MBA for keeping a very solid focus towards our bow hunting heritage.

Barrett Haugan REGION 4 1

Sheep

• Combine HDs 327 & 328 into a new larger HD 327 and drop quota from 4-2.

• Add an extra Bridger goat tag.

Black Bear

• Boundary change - Expand BMU 319 by incorporating deer/elk HDs 390, 391 & 392.

• Eliminate the hide license (tag). To be consistent with all other game animals.

There was a brief discussion regarding CWD. Two deer in the Sheridan area tested positive for CWD so the FWP is probably going to implement extra check stations in our region for the upcoming 2020 season.

Comments could be submitted online and were taken until 1/27. Final adoptions will take place 2/13.

Thanks!

I

Liberty Brown

hope everyone is enjoying the winter season. This time of year, seems to be the most important as we all get a chance to reflect on this last season while many things are still fresh in our minds. Our experiences during this last hunting season provides all of us questions as well as answers and the more time we spend in the field, the more we learn. Our

6

REGION

4

REGION

2

• According to FWP, sheep in HD’s 301 & 302 suffered a lot of loss due to the harsh spring we had in 2019. They are removing the ewe license tags for 2020.

• In unit 380 they are adding a ram license.

Goats

REGION

REGION

REGION

8

REGION

3

REGION REGION

7

5

STEPHEN LEPAGE ROGER LICHT

T

his winter has been a tough one for lion hunting. I have yet to put a cat in a tree.

Thanks to Rebecca and Jerry Doyle, for the new bluetick puppy. He has been a wonderful addition to our kennel and I hope he can change our poor luck this winter.

Tonight, I attended a meeting for the proposed elk season setting process here in Lewistown. The FWP commission’s recommendation was to do away with the shoulder seasons that have not met the criteria that FWP initially set up. It appears as though our local biologist is pressing for them to continue, despite negative feedback from bowhunters in the region and in the face of landowner support.

For those of us hunting in Region 4, we need to have a massive letter writing campaign to ensure FWP is held to their initial promises. We have the opportunity to comment on this issue and for those of you that are interested, please get ahold of me if you need talking points or email addresses.

In addition to this, there was support from bowhunters to modify the 900-20 and breaks tags so that if you draw one, you need to hunt that area exclusively.

I look forward to seeing you all at the banquet.

Sincerely,

Stephen LePage

Stephen LePage

Moose

• Combine HDs 304 & 311 into a new larger HD 311.

• Combine HDs 306, 307 & 310 into a new larger HD 310.

Barrett Haugan

Region 4 continued on page 8

Spring 2020

7

REGIONAL REPORTS

REGION 6

Region 4 continued from page 7 2019 hunting season came and went and I hope everyone put some meat in their freezer (good thing I am a better fisherman than hunter) Time to start planning next year’s hunting season, spring turkey and bear are just months away. Lots of FWP meetings going on across the state with lots of changes, some good some not so good but time will tell.

Hope everyone plans on making it to the MBA convention this year in Fairmont Hot Springs, there are a bunch of people working hard to pull it off and make sure it’s a great time for everyone.

Hope to see you there, God bless our troops

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NATHAN VEIT

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BOB MORGAN

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KEN SCHULTZ RICH SMITH

Preparations for the upcoming MBA Convention in Fairmont Hot Springs are in full swing and we really appreciate all the help that we have received.

Sean Dunn, Richard Lewallen, Jenn Schneider and others have been donating their time to help get things lined out. We really appreciate everything they’ve done and we certainly couldn’t do it without them! Anyone interested in helping out in any way would be welcomed with open arms. Just give Ken (406-598-8550) or Sean (406-208-0517) a call and we’ll find something you can help with. I think it’s going to be an Awesome Convention this year with Great Speakers and Top Notch Auction Prizes, not to mention GREAT FOOD!!! We are really looking forward to it.

I will leave you with that and remember “Shoot Straight and ALWAYS be a Straight Shooter”!

Montana Bowhunters is who we are We hunt with Bows near and far We don’t mind rain nor mud Because hunting is in our blood Over the hills and through the brush The experience is quite the rush It’s for family and friends The joy has no end We don’t have to get a star Because the Montana Bowhunters are who we are

Bob Morgan

Ken Schultz Greetings All, ope you all had a very successful hunting season in 2019! I was blessed to be able participate in several memorable hunts this year with family and friends. With the heavy moisture this year, much of the hunting was challenging to say the least in many parts of the state. I was especially blessed to be able to go back home to ND and bow hunt with my brother and nephew who I haven’t hunted with for over 30 years. I was able to Harvest a really nice whitetail buck in a good old fashioned North Dakota blizzard. He will forever be known as the “Blizzard Buck”!

The “Big Sky Youth Event” (see photos) at the Blue Creek Shooting Complex was a big hit again this year. We had over 100 kids from ages 4 to 13 attend the activities this year. I want to thank Richard Lewallen and Sheri Pallett for helping me out this year. We had allot of fun with the kids shooting the Dinosaur 3’D targets. Next year could be even bigger, so we will be recruiting helpers. It is very rewarding to be able to work with ourLewallen youth of the Richard future and put a big smile on their faces when they hit the target!

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Montana

BOWHUNTER

WWW.MTBA.ORG

REMINDER: Mailing Labels Show Your Membership Renewal Date

Brad and Bob Morgan

Bob Morgan

Spring 2020

9

REGIONAL REPORTS

JERRY DAVIS CLIFF GARNESS MANDY GARNESS JOHN GRIMSTAD RAY GROSS RICHARD LEWALLEN PAUL MARTIN SETH ROGERS (NO REPORT) RICH SMITH (NO REPORT) DREW STEINBERGER (NO REPORT)

DirectorsAt Large

I

up of FWP professionals that will be charged with removing elk from the f you have been keeping up with the biennial season setting (tentatives) private property either through harvesting of cows, hazing or other tactics. All meetings you are probably well aware of the discussions around shoulder harvested elk should be tested for CWD and if they test negative they should seasons. As you may or may not know shoulder seasons were developed then be processed and distributed to the various food banks around Montana. in response to landowners who were concerned with elk damage to their crops, This could be a cost shared service to private landowners with a percentage property, and equipment in HDs that had elk populations that were over being paid by FWP and a percentage paid for by the landowner. That is a objective. point that would have to be worked out, possibly depending on whether the Senator Doug Kary originally brought SB 245 before the Legislature in landowner is receiving a benefit from outfitted elk hunting or if the property in 2015. This bill would have legislated a shoulder season. Thankfully that owner is not allowing any hunting, outfitted or not. bill did not pass; if it had passed it would have set a precedent of establishing This has some parallels to a “damage hunt” but unlike a damage hunt this hunting seasons in Montana through the legislative process instead of the Fish service is provided to private property landowners that do not allow public and Wildlife tentatives process. The result would have meant eliminating the access to elk during the general season (at a price) and that allows the landowner public’s voice. But that is another story. remedy without allowing pubic hunting access.

Long story short the Commission, due in part to Senator Kary’s efforts, There may be some who may think this is a drastic measure but I think we FWP adopted shoulder seasons, as a pilot for 3 years as a way to lower elk need to think a little bit out of the box to come up with a solution that we can populations in HDs that are over objective. all live with.

We are now into our 4th year of shoulder seasons which has resulted in what I consider dismal results in lowering elk populations to at or below objectives.

We are now able to hunt elk for 6 months from August 15 through the end of February. In my humble opinion hunting this precious resource for 6 months he reason why FWP had to adopt radical elk management regulations is out of the year is not ethical nor is it wise.

Debby Barrett’s (termed out state senator and legislator) house bill 42, But there does need to be a solution to the problem of high elk densities making it law for FWP to get Elk, deer and antelope populations down on private property. to, OR below objective. This has mandated FWP to get elk populations down Part if not all of the issue I believe lies with the establishing number to objectives, (which are too low and set by landowner tolerance). objectives for elk for each HD or EMU. In many hunt districts, large populations of elk are not accessible to the As stated in the 2004 MONTANA STATEWIDE ELK MANAGEMENT public during general season. These large populations of elk are on private PLAN under the Establishing Number Objectives for Elk section on page 55, lands that DO NOT permit public access. These factors have caused elk on “populations in portions of some EMUs may be almost entirely inaccessible public lands and private lands that permit hunting, to be over harvested. to hunters during the general hunting season or accessible to only a few hunters.

WE need to get legislation sponsored to overturn Debby Barrett’s HB 42 To avoid over-harvest of accessible elk on public lands or private and amend her Large Predator Control SB to get out the language “get elk, lands open to hunting, the inaccessible elk may not be included in deer and antelope populations down to, or below objective”. And lobby FWP objective numbers. Trend count number objectives may include only elk to revisit Elk Management Plans to raise elk population objectives by giving normally accessible to general hunting (if they are a distinct segment), though equal weight to all factors, not giving more weight to landowner tolerance. hunter access negotiations will continue. Elk occupying these “refuges” may be counted separately where practical (if they are a distinct segment) and sub-objectives established that could be operative if access negotiations are successful. If significant harvest of these “refuge” elk is possible with special management at some times and locations, they should be included in objective levels.”

John Grimstad It appears that the FWP has the power to not include those elk populations that are inaccessible to the hunting public during general season. This of course would have the effect of lowering elk populations thereby reducing the number of HDs that are now over objective and would then remove those HDs from being eligible for shoulder seasons.

But there is still the problem of high concentrations of elk on private lands for which the public does not have access to during the general season, but for which we as responsible citizens of Montana must provide some remedy. Not allowing public hunting is not a crime. Those elk that may be causing damage to private property and lands are the State of Montana’s responsibility.

For those private properties were the hunting public has access during the general season there are damage hunts that focus elk harvests specifically on problematic areas and not district wide.

But for EMU’s that are inaccessible to hunters during the general season and where elk populations in those inaccessible units are causing damage I have an idea.

First in determining elk populations in a HD or EMU and as the above paragraph states count only those elk that the hunting public has access to during the general season.

Second develop a process for which a landowner, who does not allow public hunting, to request a remedy from damages being caused by heavy concentrations of elk.

Third, similar to the City of Helena, develop an FWP task force made

Jerry Davis

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Ray Gross

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BOWHUNTER

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REGIONAL REPORT

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n response to Mr. Stephen LePage’s blatant attack in the last newsletter, I have one thing to say…thank you! Several of the participants of Girl’s Weekend began bowhunting in an effort to spend time with the men in their lives (big and small). Simplest explanation: if you can’t beat them, join them. And now we beat them, but more about that in a future volume.

We have turned over our kitchen towels and washing machines to our husbands who were off doing who knows what in the woods during the kids’ toddler years, for one weekend (ok, maybe closer to 5 days now) every fall.

When first trekking out in the forest with our husbands, we were content trailing behind while he made the decisions about where to set up, how to call, when to take a shot, etc. While that time was certainly better than staying home, we realized that not only were we as capable as they were at plotting the demise of a target, but that we wanted to prove to them and ourselves that we could do it.

I stick firmly to the rule that what happens at hunting camp stays at hunting camp, but I will give you a few insights into what really goes on, though I will leave Steve’s dream of tickle fights in our underwear without comment. Here are a few lessons we’ve learned: You don’t have to sound like the biggest, toughest elk on the mountain.

Our calling may not sound like anything you’d hear on the hunting channel.

Nevertheless, we’ve not only had elk come in, Amy harvested one during one of our early attempts and I’m thrilled to say I was sitting next to June, watching it all come together!

While alone, any one of us may struggle with the undertaking of the hunt, harvest and pack, as a team we are unstoppable. Some have endurance, some brute strength, some stomachs of steel and great skill with a knife, some an inherent sense of direction (Amy, that’s not you, but I’ll follow you anyway).

A bad day hunting is still better than a good day at work. I look forward to a few days with the girls all year long. They soothe my soul, make me feel normal again, and encourage me in ways I cannot explain.

You miss every shot you don’t take. I’ll remind you, Steve, that one of the first things you told me before Amy and I left your driveway the first year was, “SHOOT! Don’t hesitate, you have tags, take a shot.”

Sometimes you miss the shots you take. We’ve learned. We’ve learned about patience and shot placement. We’ve learned to blood trail over the years, and I wish I could travel back in time for another chance at a lost trail with the knowledge and experience that I have now. There has been disappointment a few times, consolation from friends who have been there, and the reminder that you don’t see real life on the hunting channel usually either. However, we’ve had some great successes, too! Bears, grouse, turkeys, deer, elk, and ALLIGATORS – seriously, we’re awesome!

Ladies, thank you for being my therapists, support team, confidants, and friends. Husbands, thank you for sharing your families with mine, for the encouragement and strength, for the weapons, and for turning us loose to figure out what we’re capable of. We have developed patience, strength, confidence, independence and a soul-deep sense of serenity that only comes in the quiet of a tree stand or blind as you watch the wildlife settle in around you. I can’t wait for the next adventure and, Steve, I’ll see you in September.

Mandy Garness Chronic Wasting Disease

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was out with a friend near Bridger, Montana in Carbon County overlooking a sagebrush covered hill. We saw approximately 12 mule deer bedded in the grass. They jumped up and suddenly 36 mule deer were present with several bucks. This was a wonderful sight one month after the big game season had closed. Chronic wasting disease had been discovered two years previously in this area and the Montana Fish and Game had changed the regulations to increase the doe harvest to reduce the mule deer population.

Since then, CWD has been discovered in Southeastern, Southwestern and Northern Montana. It has been found this fall in two moose near Libby and an elk in Carbon County, Montana. CWD is more widespread than initially thought and now is present in all cervid populations in the state.

This healthy appearing herd of mule deer may be doomed by the prospect of chronic wasting disease and population reduction for disease control by the Montana Fish and Game. Jerry Davis shared a webinar by e-mail by Dr. Debbie McKenzie Ph.D. who works at the Center for Prion Disease at the University of Alberta. I will try to share the important points from the webinar.

Chronic Wasting Disease is caused by an abnormal protein called a prion.

A prion is pure protein without nucleic acid. An infectious prion has an alteration in its structure that causes it to lose its normal shape and fold. Prion diseases can cause Scrapie in sheep, Mad Cow Disease, Mink Encephalopathy, and Jakob-Creutzfeldt Disease in humans. Its characteristics are Spongiform Degeneration of the brain, transmissibility, accumulation of abnormal prion protein, long incubation period, extended preclinical stage, extreme resistance

to degradation, always fatal, and there is no treatment.

CWD is expanding geographically in North America. Areas of initial discovery in Wisconsin, Colorado-Wyoming, Alberta-Saskatchewan, and Pennsylvania are expanding in area. The prevalence of disease in an infected population in these areas is expanding exponentially. A county in Wisconsin which had a low prevalence rate in 2002 now has a fifty percent prevalence in Whitetail bucks.

Different strains of prions infect sheep, cattle, cervids, and humans. There are at least two different prions that infect cervids with different incubation times and pathology. The prion infecting elk is its own strain. When prion disease has been spread to similar species in the laboratory the incubation period is longer in the new host initially. Subsequent transmission of the disease in the new host shows shorter and shorter incubation periods.There have been no known cases of CWD transmission from cervids to humans.

However, the prevalence rate has been increasing in deer in Wisconsin where deer are being consumed without testing. The chronic wasting disease agent has peripheral distribution in cervids which increases risk.

Chronic wasting disease is spread through saliva, feces, and urine of infected animals as well as through direct contact. The infected prions also bind with soils and vegetation. The prions are resistant to destruction and require a one percent bleach solution or concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution or temperatures above two thousand degrees to destroy them. The prions will go deep into sandy soils and bind to the top layer of clay type souls. Prions may be more readily available in the clay types of soils of eastern Montana. Unfortunately, Chronic Wasting Disease is a fact of life and death to deer, elk, and moose in Montana.

Richard Lewallen

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et me begin with an apology. Between caring for my elderly father, and then dealing with the complications and frustrations involved with settling his estate after he passed away, I simply found myself with little remaining time this past year to devote to MBA responsibilities (or for that matter, hunting). Additionally, I unexpectedly found myself having to deal with my own health issues. But, thankfully, 2019 and all its complications are now in the rear-view mirror and I look forward to 2020, and most especially our convention at Fairmont Hot Springs in April.

Speaking of the convention, at the time of this writing our Region 5 MBA members are busy making plans for what we hope and expect to be a very successful event. We certainly hope to see many of you there. Although my personal involvement with MBA this past year has been limited due to the circumstances mentioned above, I have received and read the many reports, emails, and discussions related to bowhunting issues that our MBA board has been working diligently to address. I would not only like to take a moment to thank the board for all their hard work, but also to assure all MBA members that the board strives to reflect the concerns and views expressed by our MBA membership. Bowhunters in Montana are presently confronted with several issues that are pressing concerns. Because of that there has never been a time when Montana bowhunters have needed a strong and united state bowhunters organization as now. In addition to being a member of MBA, and recruiting our friends to join, one of the best ways to support MBA is by attending our annual convention. Not only will attendance help provide the necessary resources needed in the year ahead, but attendees will also have the opportunity to become better informed about current bowhunting and conservation issues in our state. And if that weren’t enough, then there’s the additional fact that MBA conventions are always fun and the camaraderie there is a thing not to be missed!

On a different note, I had decided to attend this summer’s Total Archery Challenge event at Big Sky which have become very popular in recent years.

However, when I attempted to register online on the day and hour designated for advance registrations, I soon learned that not only were all the slots (tee times) sold out, but that the demand had been so great that it crashed the TAC registration computer system. Ditto for the TAC event that will be held in conjunction with the RMEF Elk Camp and Mountain Festival in Utah. As I mentioned in a previous MBA newsletter, I am a strong advocate for supporting the shoots sponsored by our local archery clubs. That remains my position.

These local clubs, after all, have long been the foundation of the bowhunting community in Montana and are deserving of our support. Nonetheless, the growing popularity of events such as the TAC at Big Sky also deserve our attention. It is my hope that in the years ahead MBA will find an opportunity to be involved in events like TAC as well.

Best of luck to each of you as you submit your applications for fall hunts! I hope to see you at Fairmont Hot Springs in April.

Rich Smith Spring 2020

11

Wolf crap with parasites

REGIONAL REPORTS

DirectorsAt Large

continued from page 11

“The Reason Wolves Were Eradicated”

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ets go back to the beginning or at least to the time when only the Native Americans lived here, with the wolves, bison, deer, antelope, elk, black and grizzly bears, and on down the food chain, and the predators job was to keep the ungulate populations in balance with the land. For the most part, the wolf was necessary in this kind of environment, but as time moved on and more and more people from around the world began coming here to start a new life, things were changing to a more populated and mechanized society.

We can fast forward to the early 1800’s when it was maybe one of the first true conservationists, John James Audubon, that suggested the wolves were a threat to the cattle industry and needed to be eradicated from the lands.

In Yellowstone Park as early as 1877 ungulate carcasses were poisoned with strychnine by freelance wolfers, a practice that I wouldn’t condone.

Government sanctioned wolf extermination programs came into effect around 1885 when livestock owners demanded that the federal government secure their lands for safe pasturage. To protect livestock ranchers and government agencies began an eradication campaign. Bounty programs initiated in the 19th century continued to as late as 1965, offering $20.00 to $50.00 dollars per wolf. From 1915 to 1965 3,849 wolves were destroyed by government eradication programs. Yes just because of the cattle industry the wild dogs needed to be removed from the landscape, that was over 140 years ago and ever since then the services of the wild dogs have not been needed.

Today along with cattle industry is the economic hunting industry and outdoor heritage way of life that makes America the best place on the planet to live and raise a family with these values that we so much believe in. It was by far the worst idea to reintroduce the wild dogs in our country.

The Northwest of Wyoming, more than the upper half of Idaho, and the West of the Continental Divide of Montana, with adjoining Alberta is literally infested with packs of wolves. Since the reintroduction and the winters of 1996 and 1997 created the perfect storm for these ultimate predators to get a jump start on the territory they were invading with many elk and deer carcasses available for consumption this contributed to their population explosion, plus the continued delay for a hunting and trapping season, brings us to today’s out of control numbers of wolves. Even with a liberal hunting and trapping season there is no way on God’s green or white earth that hunting, and trapping is going to control their numbers. Just last Legislative session a Montana chapter of a “sportsmen/environmentalists” group hamstrung the reimbursement bill for trappers expense, when Idaho has this program in effect. Much much more needs to be done. A more aggressive campaign is necessary, like year around hunting, day or night, no limits, no tags, cooperation with FWP and trappers to assist with radio collars to be put on trapped wolves to be released in order to locate and dispatch the pack. This practice has proven to be effective. Taking

one or two out of a pack has very little effect, by next spring they will be replaced by several more. No quotas whatsoever especially bordering our national parks, for our parks are just the supply houses for the rest of the country.

Our elk and deer populations continue to drop especially in the Flathead river drainage’s. The North fork, Middle Fork, and the place I learned to hunt elk, the South Fork, with FWP’s surveys coming up with less and less elk year after year, and calf ratios per hundred elk dictates an unsustainable herd, and this years FWP proposal is that no cow elk can be harvested during the archery season in HD 140. This makes my blood boil for the senseless loss of wildlife that I once enjoyed not long ago. They need our help to be brought back as soon as possible. East of the divide elk populations are thriving, but it’s a totally different situation West of the divide with our wolf problem, which shows absolute proof the wild dogs are the factor, it is also this situation that adds to the over crowding on the East side of the divide, is because so many hunter from the West side of the state try to hunt on the East side, because we don’t have the elk and the deer we used to, one more reason to get rid of the wolves, and the problems they cause such as one of the factors is spreading CWD across our state and beyond, they can literally travel anywhere.

My Synopsis, the reality is our country is not a national park and the rules in the parks do not apply to the rest of the private and public sectors, there is no viable reason to have these wild dogs throughout our land, taking away so many opportunities from so many law abiding citizens, it is truly time for our bureaucrats, FWP, and conservation organizations to do something courageous and truly defend Montana’s Sports men and women in this correction of wrong doing. It is a ludicrous thought that our country is going to revert back to the 15th century, it’s high time to start running our country in a prosperous way for our future generations to grow up in a fruitful land of wildlife and opportunity. >>>>---------->

Paul Martin

Paul Martin

“A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers but borrowed from his children” John James Audubon

Wolf Pack Population Map 12

Montana

BOWHUNTER

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BLAST FROM THE PAST

This Blast From The Past comes from 1989. Buddy Lundstrom was the MBA’s president. The Convention was held in Lewistown in 1988. It was a Legislation year and several issues were on the docket for the MBA. HB #379 The big one was where the Legislators wanted to regulate the archery equipment. The bill was killed in committee. The 1989 the 10th annual Convention was held in Missoula Then we moved into the Tentative issues for the next fall. There was a push to cut archery season to 5 weeks.

There were no comments as to how that turned out.

The MBA Board moved to pursue the Pope & Young Fair Chase restrictions on equipment as mandated by the political action poll. No more then 65% let off on bows and no electronic devices such as laser sights, lighted sight pins and video cameras. The MBA pushed for and increase in the Game Wardens by 50% from 66 wardens across the state.

Then in 1990 the 11th annual Convention was held in Billings. There was a new MBA President Jerry Taylor.

Maggie Mcgee was our guest speaker. The MBA hired a Lobbyist, Mr. Don Chance to represent the MBA’s interests in the upcoming 1991 Legislation Secession. Issues to deal with were HB-17 For Fish Wildlife Commission to regulate the archery equipment. HB-107 Will require all Bowhunters regardless of age to have an archery stomp from a previous year or take the Bowhunter Education Class, going in effect in 1992. HB-91 Require a 7-year waiting period after drawing a moose, sheep or goat permit.

The 1991 Convention was to be held in Kalispell.

Blast from the Past

BOWHUNTING YOUTH YOUTH COMMITTEE

TEEN BOWHUNTERS CAMP 2020

Hello Youth Bowhunters, My name is Jackie Doyle, I am the lead Youth Committee Advisor. I live in Hamilton MT in Region 2 and for those of you who do not know.

Let me tell you a little about myself, I have loved shooting a bow ever since I can remember. I shot 4-H archery for many years and held many state championships in a few different classes. I love being in the mountains, bear hunting and hunting everything else! Bow hunting is a passion of mine it pushes and challenges me and I love that! I spend a lot of time going to different MBA events and teaching people including the next generation of bowhunters about archery and bowhunting. I have received awards from the Montana Game Wardens association, TIP MONT, The Mule Deer Foundation, Fish Wildlife and Parks and am a bowhunters ed instructor.

I am looking for Youth Committee members ages 14-25. As a member you will learn about what is happening with the Montana Legislature as it concerns the Bowhunting world, we will discuss issues and concerns and things that are important to bowhunters and how you can be a part of ensuring that we continue to enjoy the archery hunting opportunities we have.

So, if you are looking to make a difference and keep the tradition of Bowhunting alive please contact me about joining the committee and we will talk more! I look forward to hearing from you!!

This year we will be holding camp in Libby, MT. I am starting to collect donations and sponsorships for this year’s Teen Bowhunter Camp. Camp will be held in Libby Montana this year from June 25th through June 28th.

Each year we bring 25 teenagers from across the State of Montana ages 14-17.

We teach them about Bowhunting and everything that goes into a backcountry hunting camp. We are the only camp like this in Montana. They get to bring their gear and get hands on experience!

I am looking for these items to be donated this year. I am also looking for sponsorships and money donations to help buy camp Supplies.

• Sponsorship for campers =$250 • Sponsorships for fuel cards • Cash donations • Elk calls • Headlamps • Life straws/ water filtration systems • First aid kits • Water bottles • Money donations for food and drinks and port a potty’s • Puffer bottles • Flint and Steel • Items that will benefit the next generation • Hosted by The Montana Bowhunters Association • Make checks out to The Montana Bowhunters Association an in the memo put Teen Bowhunters Camp.

I am so excited about this year’s camp! For more information or if you have questions please contact Myself Jackie Doyle at 406-274-3716, hukshuntin@msn.com or Beckie Doyle at 406-531-4060 or mybluewalker@yahoo.com Remember aim small and miss small. Shoot straight and have a blessed 2020 Sincerely, Jackie Doyle Youth Committee Lead Region 2 406-274-3716 or email hukshuntin@msn.com

Sincerelya Jackie Doyle Region 2 Youth Committee Advisor and Rep. 406-274-3716 hukshuntin@msn.com

Spring 2020

13

MBA CONVENTION

April 3-5, 2020

42

nd

ANNUAL

C ONVENTION

THE 2020 MBA CONVENTION

WILL BE HELD AT FAIRMONT HOT SPRINGS ANACONDA, MT EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION $40/ person $75/couple $30/Child 12 and under BOOK TODAY! 1-800-332-3272 $134 + tax www.fairmontmontana.com group ID is 21627

SEMINARS • MANUFACTURER’S ROW • BANQUET LIVE AUCTIONS AND RAFFLES

14

Montana

BOWHUNTER

WWW.MTBA.ORG

EVENT INFORMATION

42ND ANNUAL

MONTANA BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION PRE REGISTER

2020 Convention Fairmont Hot Springs 1500 Fairmont Rd Anaconda, Montana 59711 April 3-5, 2020

(Before March 20th)

Get registered before March 20th 2019 & save a bunch of cash on a Great Banquet & Dinner!

$40/ person $75/couple $30/Child (12 years and Younger)

GENERAL REGISTRATION

(After March 20th)

$50/person $85/couple $40/Child (12 years and Younger) Send check or Money order to: P.O. Box 426 Helena, MT 59624

LODGING INFO Fairmont Hot Springs

Saturday Night Childcare

$10/per child and includes pizza dinner, a movie and reliable caregivers.

5pm-11pm. Reserve a spot for your kid at the registration desk.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY

1500 Fairmont Rd, Anaconda, Montana 59711 1-800-332-3272 $134 + tax

www.fairmontmontana.com

group ID is 21627

Banquet Menu Dinners will be served buffet style. Banquet attendees will have their choice between the following:

10 AM – 4 PM

MBA Board meeting

Noon – 6:00 PM

Registration open

9 AM – Noon

Manufacturer’s Row Setup

Certified Angus Beef Prime Rib

Noon – 6:00 PM

Manufacturer’s Row Open

7 PM

Social hour begins

Slowly roasted tender angus beef with au jus Or

SATURDAY 8 AM-10 AM

General Membership Meeting

9 AM – 5 PM

Manufacturers Row

Silent Auction - Saturday 10:00 AM – 12:00

SEMINAR - Greg Lemon, Quentin Kujala, Emily Cooper

and Emily Almburg all from FWP speaking on Licensing,

new season changes, elk management and CWD, along

w/ question / answer format (2hr. block)

Halibut Angel Hair Pasta * Fresh Fruit Salad, Cucumber Tomato Salad and Cheese Cake for dessert

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM SEMINAR – Ben Jiminez, FWP

Biologist speaking on latest Montana Elk Studies.

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM SEMINAR– Amy LePage speaking on back country

medical treatment

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM SEMINAR – Danielle Oyler – Speaking on

Bear Defense

3:45 PM - 5:30PM

Pre-Banquet Social

5:30 PM

Banquet Seating Begins

6:15PM

Honor Guard Presentation

6:30 PM

Dinner Served

9 PM-10 PM

Checkout

BOWHUNTERS! Bring your trophies, shed antlers and hunting/bragging snap shots to be displayed at the Convention! We all enjoy seeing them and hearing the stories.

Please have your name and any vital stats recorded with your trophy for everyone to enjoy.

SUNDAY 8 AM – 9:30 AM

Bowhunter Education Meeting / Breakfast

9 AM – Noon

Manufacturer’s Row open

Noon

Convention Wrap

Contact Ken Schultz at 406-598 8550 for more information.

Spring 2020

15

MBA CONVENTION

BOWHUNTER OF THE YEAR

The MBA standardized the process for nominating candidates for the Bowhunter of the Year, Richard Conklin, and Special Achievement Awards. Below you will find the form we will use. Please use this form by cutting it out of the newsletter. You may also attach a separate sheet; just be sure to include all the items that are asked for on the form. The nominations are due to Brian Koelzer, rocknrollbowhunter3@yahoo.com BY February 28, 2020 with all the information. For questions about any of the awards 406-570-7997.

The deadline is important because the nominations will be sent to the members of the awards committee so that they have time before the convention to cast their votes. We then need to get names on the awards. The awards are important to the people receiving them. This form will ensure that the integrity of the award is upheld for future recipients. I am sure many of you know members who are worthy of one or more of the four prestigious awards. However, these people will never receive the awards unless someone makes the effort to nominate them.

This award is given annually at the MBA banquet. It is confined to members who have been in good standing with the MBA during the 12 month period prior to the issuance of the award. The Bowhunter of the Year Award is basically an award recognizing “success” and may, but does not have to be, in the form of a kill. This “success” may be the taking of one outstanding animal, or the aggregate of various species taken, or “success” in the form of a particularly difficult achievement relating to the bowhunting experience. When an individual is to be considered as a candidate for the Bowhunter of the Year Award, all aspects of this success should be considered. Fair chase must play a large part in considering this “success”. The totality of the circumstances should also be considered, meaning the individual’s experience, handicaps, advantages, the difficulty of the hunt and the overall attitude of the candidate. Any member of the MBA may nominate someone else or himself/ herself as a candidate, though the respective reps are encouraged to locate candidates within their area. The nomination should be submitted on the form (found below) or on a reasonable facsimile. The form should include a detailed account of why this individual is deserving of this award, and any verification of the success that is available. The “success” need not have occurred during the past 12 month period. It could have occurred at any time in the candidate’s bowhunting career. The candidate may be nominated year after year for the same success, though actual issuance of the Bowhunter of the Year Award can only be given once for any one success. All nominations will be brought before the Awards Committee.

RICHARD CONKLIN AWARD This award was established as a “service” award.

This award, which is not necessarily an annual award, is given only when an MBA member is due the recognition for outstanding work or accomplishment in the field of service to the MBA and the sport of bowhunting. The procedure for giving this award is the same as the Bowhunter of the Year Award, with the exception that the vote will not be taken. The awards committee, along with the First Vice President, will through mutual agreement, by the majority of this

body in attendance, decide if a candidate is to be the recipient of the award. Nominations should be submitted on the form below.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Over the years it has become apparent that various individuals have been due recognition that does not necessarily fall within the realm of the two prior awards. This award or commendation is dictated depending on the circumstances and though, more often than not, does not have to be given to an MBA member. When an individual is due such recognition, his or her name and action should be forwarded to the award committee chairman in the same manner as the Bowhunter of the Year Award and the Conklin Award nominations. The committee ill discuss these nominations at the same time as the other awards.

This issuance of this award is on the approval of the majority of the awards committee.

LEE POOLE MBA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD This award was instituted in 2015 in honor of Lee Poole. It is given to recognize the exceptional lifetime efforts of MBA members.

PAUL SCHAFER AWARD This award is similar to the Bowhunter of the Year Award, but is only awarded to persons seventeen years old and younger. Ethics will play a large role in this award, as this is how Paul Schafer would have wanted it. So if you know of a young person deserving of this award, please send the information in.

MBA LITERATURE AWARD This award goes to the MBA member whose story in the Montana Bowhunter Magazine is chosen as the best of the year. The MBA magazine committee, in conjunction with the Awards committee, will choose the winner, but will consider all input and nominations from all MBA members. This is an annual award.

NOMINATIONS FOR

BOWHUNTER OF THE YEAR AWARD RICHARD CONKLIN AWARD SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD LEE POOLE MBA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PAUL SCHAFER AWARD MBA LITERATURE AWARD Name:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________________________ State of Candidate:___________Zip:_____________________________ Award: BOWHUNTER OF THE YEAR AWARD RICHARD CONKLIN AWARD SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

LEE POOLE MBA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PAUL SCHAFER AWARD MBA LITERATURE AWARD

Specifics: (Please describe in as great a detail as possible, on a separate sheet of paper, the reason this candidate should receive the above checked award. Please type or print legibly.)

Name of Nominator: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address of Nominator:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Send to: Brian Koelzer rocknrollbowhunter3@yahoo.com or 570-7997

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Forms must be received no later than February 28, 2020

2020 ELECTION BIOS

ELECTION BIOS PRESIDENT

My name is Stephen LePage and I live in Lewistown, Montana with my bowhunting wife and our two children. I have been bowhunting for thirty years and it is my life long passion. I am a lifetime member of both the Pope and Young club and the MBA. I am an official measurer for the Pope and Young club. I have served on the board of directors for both the Lewistown Bowhunters Association and the MBA.

Stephen LePage

2nd VICE PRESIDENT My name is Mark Schwomeyer, I am your current 2nd vice president and I would like to stay in this position if you all allow me. I’ve enjoyed my time on the board with the MBA and I feel like I have a lot to offer in terms of both promoting and protecting bowhunting opportunities here in Montana. My passions are Bowhunting and being a Dad. Between summer shooting and hunting season I enjoy just about everything outdoors. If given the opportunity to serve another term I will do my best to help steer the MBA in the direction you’ve been accustomed to.

Electronics • Southeastern Montana is seeing an explosion of trail camera use during the bow season. It’s become so expected that I find myself looking at surrounding trees rather than tracks in the mud when approaching remote springs these days. Once discovered, one feels compelled to leave as if the spot is already taken. How did the “not in season” trail camera regulation get flipped with almost no discussion or notification?

Elk Management Plan • The current plan is failing as there is currently no legal way to access the populations that need thinning. As a result, the public side of the fence receives all the pressure and most of the harvest. The imbalance is becoming more noticeable every year. The solution and the impasse are still in the same place, despite tons of effort to move them. Likely it will take a new variable (like CWD) to change the private land access dilemma?

I would add that I’ve also had the privilege of being a two-term member of the PLPW Council and had a seat a few years back on the Eastern Montana Elk Management Committee. Both experiences were eye openers to say the least.

I’m asking for your support in electing me to a Region 7 position on the board and (if successful) look forward to working with each of you.

Sincerely,

Rick Miller

Mark Schwomeyer Thanks

Mark Schwomeyer

AREA REPS With my working career winding down to its final days and retirement finally becoming a reality, I am in a good position to start giving back to Montana’s bowhunting community.

I’ve been blessed to have spent all my 62 years as a Montana resident and have bowhunted since age 14.

My relationship with the MBA is not new as I was actively involved on the board some twenty years ago. Out of shear luck and great timing, the board at that time was made up of Rick an all-star cast that was an absolute inspiration Miller in all aspects. That very positive experience has stuck with me and has provided a solid base for many of my current bowhunting related positions.

With that said, it is important that I explain some of those positions: Working well: • Archery season structure When you combine the amount of opportunity with season length, Montana is hard to beat.

• Anti-crossbow The push to legalize is relentless, but thanks to the MBA the crossbow industry is still being held at bay. Most states have caved on this one – good for us!

• Area Reps Unlike most other sportsmen organizations, the MBA has statewide representation that is designed to give all members a voice in what matters.

This one seems like it should just be normal protocol for all like groups, but experience has shown me – not so much. Good for the MBA. Concerns: • Chronic Wasting Disease Now showing up all over the state with no cure and a management plan that is almost as bad as the disease. In my opinion, CWD is the biggest threat to hunting we have today. The MBA needs to be actively involved in future FWP management strategies.

• Recent Crow Tribe Supreme Court Ruling (Herrera V. Wyoming) The Crow Tribe has won a ruling by the nation’s highest court that gives them the right to hunt, without restriction, on any federal land identified in an 1868 treaty as being unoccupied. The involved area is huge, including Wyoming’s Bighorn and Montana’s Custer National Forests. Region 7 is already feeling the impacts of this decision. Imagine high powered rifles shooting at the same animals you are stalking during archery season.

Imagine the long-term result of completely ignoring current game management strategies. The MBA needs to be involved in a multistate effort that challenges this ruling as it was apparently made without regard to consequence?

Michael began bowhunting in Texas, his home state, in 1990 by bowfishing.

He soon began chasing whitetails, turkeys, pigs and javelinas, harvesting many with his bow. He helped manage a lease in West Texas, that has some phenomenal bucks harvested off it every year. He moved to Montana 6 years ago and his passion for bowhunting has grown more. His most recent accomplishment is a 330 bull elk (2019), his 2nd bull with a bow, on Montana public land- spot and stalk. He also has taken several antelope bucks with a bow spot and stalk.

Stephanie grew up in Montana and has had the outdoors in her blood since she was a child. She used to love shed and mushroom hunting with her grandparents and fishing with her dad. She has hunted for over 20 years, and picked up a bow about 10 years ago and taught herself to shoot. Her first bow harvest was a tom turkey and a whitetail doe last year, but this year managed to get a nice 5x5 mule deer buck and an antelope buck spot and stalk with her bow on Montana public land, both solo hunts. She also has a new passion for bowfishing after the LBA Carp Quest this summer. Stephanie works in marketing, graphic design and event management and also enjoys writing and wildlife photography.

Michael and Stephanie have been married to each other for 5 years. They met and quickly bonded by sharing passion for the outdoors, bow hunting and all that Montana has to offer. Besides bowhunting, they both enjoy bird hunting with their two black labs, Missouri and Dove, rafting, fishing, hiking, 3D archery shoots and shed hunting when a hunting season is not open. They both currently serve on the Lewistown Bowhunters Association board of directors, where they reside.

Stephanie and Michael hope to serve the MBA by advocating the future of bow hunting, public lands and wildlife in Montana.

Michael and Stephanie Prater

Kevin Robinson

For the last 24 years I have created so many incredible memories with a bow in my hand living in Montana. I hunt both public and private land across the state but most of my bow hunting happens in Region 2. The archery hunting opportunities in our state are quite incredible and I am well aware of the role the MBA and its founding members had in securing those opportunities. I look forward to continuing to promote archery and keep archery hunting opportunities available for all current and future generations.

Kevin M Robinson

Fellow Brothers and Sisters of the Bow, I am throwing my name in the mix as a region 6 board member. I am a lifelong Montana resident and have been a bow hunter for 30 or so years. I am a pasts board member of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. I am a member of Montana Wildlife Association. I am a past president of Bearpaw Bowmen and currently serve as Vice President. I served for two years on the FWP citizens advisory council for region 6. I am an active member of TBM. I have taught bowhunter education for 19 years. Issues that keep me up at night include but are not limited to the following, Access, Public Land Retention, CWD

Nick Siebrasse

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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2020 ELECTION BIOS - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

monitoring and prevention. I believe maintaining Fair Chase principles is a must for the hunting community as a whole and particularly bow hunters. I have been a member of Montana Bow Hunters since 1992, am now retired from my day job and would love to serve on the Board.

Thank you.

Nick Siebrasse

My name is Jess Wagner and I’m 32 years old. I grew up in Glendive and started hunting with my dad as soon as I was old enough to tag along. After high school I started to get into archery hunting, mainly for deer and turkeys on the Yellowstone River. I got hooked on elk hunting while going to college in Butte.

After college I lived in Wyoming for several years, and it was there that I was able to kill my first archery bull. About five years ago, my company had an opening in Lewistown that allowed me to make the move back to Montana. Since being back I spend most of my hunting time chasing elk or mule deer. When I am not hunting, I enjoy all types of fishing, hiking, and taking photos of wildlife.

Besides MBA, I am also a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Public Land/Water Access Association, Montana Wildlife Federation, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Lewistown Bowhunters Association, and the Wild Sheep Foundation. have decided that it is time to do more than just send in a membership fee every year, and I am looking forward to being more engaged. We are lucky to have the bowhunting opportunities that we do here in Montana, and I want to help preserve those opportunities and look out for the interests of the bowhunting community.

Jess Wagner

DAL Hello. My name is Jerry Davis. I have been a board member of MBA since 2012 with a large part of my commitment to acting as a citizen lobbyist for MBA. I have testified and lobbied legislative members on various issues and bills including preventing crossbows in our Archery Only Season, protecting the breaks archery permits, preventing the season setting process from being legislated instead or the existing tentative process used by the Fish and Wildlife Commission that allows for public comment, to name a few.

My generation is the third generation of my Mom’s family to live in Montana.

My grandfather homesteaded 160 acres east of Dutton in 1915. Prior to that time he had been a fireman on the Great Northern Railroad in Montana. Granddad sold the place in Dutton and established a small cattle and grain operation out of Big Sandy in the early 1920’s.

In 1951 I was born in Havre. Our family then moved to Ft Peck in 1954.

I lived there until entering the service in 1971. While growing up in Ft Peck, hunting and fishing were a big part of our lives. Like most town kids I shot my first deer and antelope when I was 12 after taking Hunters Safety. I probably shot my first bow at 10. But sadly I did not hunt big game with bow until I was in my 50’s.

I did hunt a lot of carp and some gophers however. As a kid I remember hearing of fellas hunting elk out at the “Pines” (Breaks HDs) with archery equipment. I think my father had tried archery hunting for a while but had no success so he gave it up. Eventually I inherited his 50# 50 inch Browning recurve. It made a great carp bow until I warped it (dumb kid).

In 1971 I spent a summer working for the FWP as an aid to the Fisheries Biologist in Ft Peck prior to enlisting in the US Army. Though the Army had intentions of sending me to Viet Nam I was lucky. Uncle Sam had started demobilizing about the time I finished artillery school so instead of Viet Nam or the DMZ in Korea I was sent to Ft Carson Colorado, just outside of Colorado Springs.

I had full intentions of hunting my first season in Colorado but on opening morning the number of orange vests observed on I-25 dissuaded me. After my enlistment was finished and I had spent a year working in Colorado I returned to my home, Montana, to further my education.

I attended Flathead Valley Community College in Forestry Technology and worked for a couple of summers at Spotted Bear Ranger Station. There I hunted elk and I would travel to Ft Peck to hunt deer with my Dad. While working at Spotted Bear I met a forester who was very successful with a bow. I was in awe of his hunting abilities that allowed him to get in close to elk. I thought archery hunting was the pinnacle of big game hunting.

After graduating from FVCC I took a job in eastern Montana, first Miles City and then Circle, with the NRCS. It was during this time that I started hearing a lot about MBA and bow hunting in general from a good friend of mine in Glasgow.

It was also at this time that my son was born so I felt I did not have the time or money to pursue archery hunting.

In 1980 I returned to college at MSU where I finally obtained a degree in Civil Engineering. During my years attending MSU hunting allowed me time to unwind and decompress. And the added benefit was that I was able to provide food for my family’s table. After graduating from MSU I was assigned to the NRCS in Livingston as the project engineer for the Mill Creek watershed project.

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This project resulted in one of the first FWP water leases in the state for the benefit of Yellowstone Cutthroat. Though time was limited I did find time to hunt with my son and camp with the family. I was a scout master for a scout troop in Livingston and later an assistant for a troop in Billings. I was the Chapter president for the Joe Brooks Chapter of Trout Unlimited and was involved in various conservation projects and some legislative issues. After the Mill Creek project was completed I transferred to the Bureau of Reclamation in Billings and then to the Bureau of Land Management in Anchorage, Alaska. After 5 years in Alaska I returned to Montana in 2002.

Upon returning to Montana I decided to try my hand at archery hunting. In 2003, after regaining my residency, I made my first elk hunt to the breaks south of Saco, HD 631. Though I was unsuccessful I did enjoy it immensely and I saw firsthand how the sport of archery hunting had grown since I had last hunted in Montana.

Being camped fairly close to the Bone Trail Road my solitude every evening well past dark was disrupted by vehicles driving up and down the road looking for elk on the adjacent property. During the day vehicles were parked everywhere.

I saw more hunters than elk. So when the “Breaks” permit regulations were promulgated, restricting the number of hunters that could get permits for each HD in the breaks, I fully supported those hunting regulations. I believe that these regulations go a long way in providing a quality elk hunting experience in the “Breaks”.

In April 2012 I retired thereby giving me a lot more time to hunt.

To me archery hunting provides a quiet hunting experience during a great time of the year. It allows one to experience encounters with game at much closer proximity than typically experienced during rifle season. It allows one to pit their prowess against that of the animals hunted more than any other hunting sport.

When I am archery hunting I often find myself captivated by the experience. It is just fun.

So that is enough of me talking about me. Hope to get your vote this year as a Director at Large out of Helena.

Thanks

Jerry Davis

I have been bowhunting for 50 some years.

Strictly with my bow since 1984. I have been truly blessed hunting with my bow. Merri my wife for 41 years has bowhunted with me for most of that time. Our daughter Cecelia has bowhunted with us since she turned 12 except when she left for collage for three years.

I have been an MBA member since the eighties, served as an area rep. reg.2 and president for the last four years. A senior Pope & Young member for years.

I have hunted several different states back Marlon Clapham when I could afford it. Alaska for moose and caribou, Wyoming for mule deer and antelope, Idaho for black bears. I drew a big horn sheep tag in 1994. I have hunted elk, whitetail deer, mule deer, antelope, black bears and mountain lions in Montana with some success on all.

Lately the family has turned to spending the spring and summer shooting carp round Helena.

I retired in 2010 with a back injury. So now I volunteer with a group of others where we work with youth. I handle most of the archery getting kids to shoot bows. We put together youth camps taking kids to the woods and teach them fishing, archery and other conservation stuff about the outdoors. Along with Jerry and Beckie Doyle we put together a Bowhunting camp to teach youth about elk hunting with a bow. It is one of my favorite memories.

I will be stepping down from the president’s position, but would like to stay on as an area rep. for reg.2 to continue working with the board. I like to stay informed to try to help keep Montana’s Bowhunting what it was meant to be, the way our founders worked so hard for.

Marlon Clapham

It is once again re-election/election time and Mandy and I would like to continue to be members of the board, as directors at large. We served as region 4 directors at large for the last two years. We are excited for the opportunity to again be involved in the Montana Bowhunters Association.

We reside in Great Falls and love to be in the outdoors as much as possible during all seasons of the year. We have been fortunate enough to be able to not only bowhunt our amazing home state of Montana and other states in the lower 48, but also Canada, Hawaii and Africa. We have a passion for the outdoors, bowhunting and the Montana Bowhunters Association and their accomplishments.

Thank you for your votes and please... Others of you that are passionate about bowhunting like we are, please get involved and make your voice(s) heard.

Cliff & Mandy Garness

SPEAKER BIOS

SPEAKER BIOS Amy LePage SEMINAR SATURDAY 1:30PM - 2:30PM Dr. Amy LePage is an Emergency Medicine physician. She graduated from medical school at the University of Washington and then completed her specialty training in Emergency Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She is an avid bowhunter who lives in Lewistown, Montana with her husband and their two children.

This seminar will provide you with the answers to emergency medical questions that can arise while you are in bowhunting camp. Whether your partner ran a broadhead through their leg while climbing out of a treestand in the Belts or you develop crushing chest pain while scouting in the breaks, Dr. LePage will give you the quick and dirty solutions to “Emergency Medicine in the Wilderness.”

Greg Lemon SEMINAR SATURDAY 10:00AM - 12:00PM Greg Lemon is the head of the Communication and Education Division at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He’s a former journalist in Montana and avid outdoorsman. He lives in Helena with his wife, Renee and their two kids.

Danielle Oyler SEMINAR SATURDAY 2:30PM - 3:30PM Danielle, Education Coordinator - Montana Bear Education Working Group, coordinates the bear awareness program for the Montana Bear Education Working Group. In this role, she provides relevant presentations, trainings and resources to outdoor recreationists, hunters, agricultural and rural communities, agency employees, schools, and many other folks. The working group is a collaborative group made up of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Forest Service and several conservation-focused non-profit partners. It’s goal is to reduce human-bear conflicts by sharing accurate, up-to-date bear safety information with people living, working, and recreating in bear country. Danielle studied environmental studies and wildlife biology at the University of Montana and has called the Yellowstone Ecosystem home since childhood. Over the years as a naturalist, hunter, educator, field technician, wildlife guide, and park ranger, Danielle has developed a deep interest in and concern for the Montana’s people, landscapes and wildlife. She resides in Southwest Montana with her husband and an opinionated cow dog. When not talking about all things grizzly, Danielle enjoys bow and rifle hunting, fishing, foraging, hiking, and almost any other kind of outdoor adventure.

Ben Jiminez SEMINAR SATURDAY 12:30PM – 1:30PM Ben Jimenez is a wildlife research technician for MT Fish, Wildlife and Park based out of Missoula. Ben has been with the department for 9 years, where he has primarily worked with elk and mountain lions. Prior to starting with FWP, Ben completed a MS in Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana in 2010 examining the effects of roads and seasonal traffic on black beards in Northern Idaho. In his life before FWP, Ben’s field experiences included work with wolves, wolverine, fisher, black and brown bears in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and China. Ben grew up in and lives in Missoula, with his family and two knucklehead dogs, and is currently is undertaking his biggest (and best) challenge yet: Keeping up with his 3-year-old son.

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AUCTIONS AND RAFFLES

PRIZES STILL ROLLING IN!!

Official banquet and raffle order forms will be mailed to every member.

Keep an eye on the website at MTBA.org to check out more prizes and information.

LIVE AUCTION • Hand Hammered Copper Bowl, Mountain Copper Creations -Jim Clapham • Allison Custom Design Fire Globe – Allison Custom Design • Head Table Vortex Optic Package

Hand Hammered Copper Bowl, Mountain Copper Smith Creations -Jim Clapham

• Antler Table – Fantastic Finds of Hamilton • Leo Stan Print “Pair of Kings” – John Ulberg • Steel Head Fishing Trip for 2 – Garness Family • SkyBlade Knife – Skyblade Knives • 7 Day, 2 Person South African Safari - Numzaan Safaris

Elk Horn Table by Fantastic Funds in Hamilton

• Elk Horn Table by Fantastic Funds in Hamilton • Allen Jimmerson Print “Crossing Big River” • Antler Creek Designs is donating a barbwire sculpture

SILENT AUCTION See more at the convention and on the website!

SkyBlade Knife – Skyblade Knives

ONLINE AUCTION Find more information on the website!

• 10 day plains game hunt for two Matalbas Game Hunters

Banquet and raffle ticket order forms will be mailed out to all members.

Downloadable forms are available at: www.mtba.org.

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LIVE AUCTION ITEM

Keep uptodate on convention information at www.mtba.org

South Africa

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port Staff.

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Game Species.

2020/2021 Numzaan Safari Hunt

This hunt is for Two Rifle/Muzzleloader/Bow hunters and will take place in South Africa in the Limpopo Province. The hunt can take place on available dates in 2019 or 2020. The concession is about three hours north of Johannesburg International Airport. This donation includes: (see below left).

Included Hunt Items:

• • • • • • • • •

This is Seven(7) hunting days for Two(2) Hunters in South Africa Hunt includes two(2) Impala and one(1) Black Backed Jackal.

One(1) Professional Hunter(PH), Hunt Vehicle, & Support Staff.

Upgrade Options: Additional Hunters, Days, Guides & Game Species.

Trophy prep-skinning and salting of capes and hides.

ALL food and beverages including wine.

Full accommodations with..

Real Beds, Hot Showers, Flush Toilets, Daily Laundry Service.

A Stop at the flea market on day of departure.

Items NOT included:

• • • • • •

Airfare To and From Africa The day fees for day of arrival and day of departure.

Shipping of trophies to the United States.

Dip and Pack and documentation of trophies.

Taxidermy fees of trophies.

A $1000 deposit to hold your selected dates. Deposit can be applied to additional animals or days or can be refunded at the conclusion of your safari.

Other activities can be added to your trip such as shopping, a trip to the National Park, a day at the bush spa, or perhaps a trip to Sun City resort. etc.

Note: You may add on additional days or upgrade to one PH per hunter at your discretion. Additional hunter and observers are welcome at published rates. Other animals may be taken by adding on the appropriate hunting days and trophy fees.. The rate and trophy fees will coincide with the year the hunt takes place. This donation cannot be combined with any other safari donation. Terms and Conditions noted on the website... www.Numzaam.com

Donation# JLNZ/JC/01/19

Donation Value: $7244 for 7 Days, $9659.50 for 10 Days

K O O L N ew

t! hun s i h t

Monarch Taxidermy Inc.

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RAFFLES

Prizes are still rolling in! Official banquet and raffle order forms will be mailed to every member.

DEFENSE RAFFLE

CONVENTION GAMES/RAFFLES

$5 each or 6 for $25 (each item won separately)

during pre-banquet social Saturday evening

• Hunter Safety System Hybrid Flex Treestand Harness, L/XL 175# - 250# • Rinehart Pyramid Target • Primos Blind • Burris Signature HD 10x42 Binoculars

• Pistol Raffle $10 each or 4 for $30 1 Ticket/winner • Camofire Headlamp (210 lumens) Raffle 25 to be sold for $25 each 2 tickets/winners • 50/50 Raffle – Split ½ Pot

LADIES RAFFLE $5 each or 6 for $25 (each item won separately)

• Hunter Safety Systems – Ladies Contour S/M Harness (100# to 175#, 28"-30" Torso) • Rhinehart 18-1 Target

• TV Raffle $10/card, 2 decks of cards Max. 1 Card/winner • Stone Glacier Pack Weight Contest • Trophy Scoring Contest • Regional Games

• Sitka Women’s Timberline Pant size 29R Optifade Subalpine pattern (can be exchanged) • Sitka Women’s Kelvin Active Jacket Medium Optifade Subalpine pattern (can be exchanged)

BOW RAFFLE $5 each or 6 for $25 (each item won separately)

• Schafer Silvertip Recurve Dave Windauer - $1000 gift certificate • Toelke Custom Bows: – Dan and Jared Toelke • Pronghorn Custom Bows: 1 piece 62” RH 50# – Herb Meland • Hurst Bows - 40# 56" “Reception” Bow – Coltin Hurst • Yellowstone Longbow - Rich Wormington women’s longbow; 45lb weight

YOUTH RAFFLE $5 each or 6 for $25 (each item won separately)

• Mini Bow Package • Hunter Safety System Youth Treestalker Treestand Harness, 50# - 100# • Rhinehart Woodland Buck Target • Burris Signature HD 10x42 Binoculars

HAT RAFFLE $40 / hat - 2 Winners will be drawn

See more at the convention and on the website!!

TENT RAFFLE $20 each or 6 for $100

Montana Canvas tent (single pole design); Riley Stove Included – additional information coming to the website!

NOTE: Any winner requiring shipment outside of Montana will be required to cover shipping charges (approx. $150)

Montana Canvas Spike Tent 12’x12’x4’ White Relite Tent Package

Montana Bowhunters 2020 12’x12’ Relite tent treated polyester Montana Canvas aluminum frame Front zippered screen door with storm flap

3 Zippered screened windows Rain fly Includes Rope, Rope tensioners, Stakes, Tent bag

MSRP $1599.99 22

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2020 CONVENTION DONORS

BILLINGS, MONTANA

Spring 2020

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AUCTION ITEMS

Doringveld Boerdery (Pty) Ltd t/a

Reg. no: 97/15336/07

Matlabas Game Hunters

Avondale 341LQ & Goedgedacht 343LQ District Lephalale PO Box 1559 Ellisras, 0555 South Africa

Phone: (014) 779-0969 Email: info@matlabas.co.za Web: www.matlabas.co.za

2020 DONATION HUNT: MONTANA BOWHUNTERS Ten days plains game hunt for two hunters in the malaria-free Matlabas Bushveldt, Limpopo Province, South Africa (day of arrival and departure included). This hunt is available in 2020 on a mutually agreed date between 1 April and 30 October. This is a minimum ten day hunt of which the daily rates for the first five days are included in the donation. In addition, the following animals are included for each of the hunters: one Blue Wildebeest plus one of the following: Warthog or Impala (per species). The hunt includes accommodation, meals, laundry service, the services of a professional hunter and trackers and skinners, field preparation of trophies and delivery to a taxidermist or ‘shipper & dipper’ in Limpopo. Transport from and to Johannesburg International Airport is excluded – cost $250 per person each way. All Value Added Taxes are included in the rates, except Value Added Tax (15%) to be charged on wounded animals that are not recovered and thus not exported.

This is a compound or traditional bow hunt and may be upgraded or extended (for extra days or additional hunters or non-hunters) as per the current price list. Accompanying non-hunters are welcome. Members who have previously been on this hunt include John Beyer, Jeff Nicholls, Dr. Amy & Stephen LePage, Roger & Pat Allick, Jason Catron, Steven Biere, Matt Slyder.

Additional species that may be hunted include Limpopo bushbuck, bush duiker, Cape eland, gemsbok, kudu, nyala, red hartebeest, plains zebra, waterbuck, giraffe, caracal, black-backed jackal, vervet monkey and chacma baboon. The conservation authorities in South Africa allow the export of only one monkey and one baboon per hunter as a hunting trophy. The hunters on this hunt may however shoot additional unlimited monkeys and baboons, for free, provided not more than one of each are to be exported. Sable, tsessebe, roan, common reedbuck and buffalo may also be available on other concessions.

Directors: W.P. Frost ; L.A. Frost ; P.A. Frost

www.pronghornbows.com 307-234-1824 evenings 2491 West 42nd Street Casper, WY 82604

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WWW.MTBA.ORG

AUCTION ITEMS

KUTAWAGAN OUTFITTERS CHOICELAND, SASKATCHEWAN WWW.KUTAWAGAN.COM Donation for the Following: - 6-day hunt (value of $3,000) for 2020 season, Successful kill fee of $600, not included in donation - Non-Hunters welcome for an additional $800 - Travel to/from Choiceland, Saskatchewan not included - Bear tag not included (approximately $315) Base Hunt/General Information: - Hunts start on Monday afternoon and end Saturday evening - Plan to arrive at Bearpaw Lodge by 2pm on Monday, so your prepared for the evening hunt - Spring Season runs from early May to mid-June - We supply comfortable accommodations, excellent meals, professional guiding which includes trophy and meat handling - We carefully prepare each hide for a safe trip home - Our hunting area is 192,0000 acres (300 square miles) of prime Saskatchewan forest habitat - Archery and rifle shooting ranges available at the lodge - The lodge is located 15 minutes from the nearest stand.

- If travelling with a firearm, be sure to download and complete a non-resident firearms declaration - If driving, it is advised that you also visit the US Customs to record your weapon before crossing into Canada - All Stands are monitored with Trail Cams.

- Excellent mix of color bears can be observed from Blond and Cinnamon to Red and Jet Black - Bear sighting on a normal evening is 2-3 bears a crazy evening may be 10-14 bears.

- Hunting is in ladder stands over carefully chosen bait locations - Tobin lake is 25 minutes away if you wish to go fishing on your own.

Spring 2015

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AUCTION ITEMS

This donation is valued at $550.00 ($275.00 per day) for guided fishing.

Successful bidder is responsible to fill the remainder of the boat with customers at applicable daily rates (4-6 people per boat).

Successful bidder is responsible for own travel, food, lodging, licenses, etc... Successful bidder must contact Jenn at 208-791-0344 for available dates and species/locations available.

Lodging is available in Lewiston, Idaho or at Hells Canyon Lodge.

Please see website for more information

www.hellscanyonsportfishing.com

WWW.HELLSCANYONSPORTFISHING.COM

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

OPEN LETTER TO THE ANTI-HUNTERS Dear anti-hunter, I write to you from Africa where I live on the Matlabas River in South Africa and where I run quite a successful hunting outfit. I own the land which is teeming with wildlife: an incredible diversity of herbivores, predators, birds, reptiles, grasses, trees and shrubs. I am happy to say that we are able to conserve this ecosystem because of hunting income.

I specifically want to talk to the anti-hunting fraternity, especially those who give themselves out as “animal lovers” and who regard the likes of me as blood thirsty killers, mass murderers, psychopaths, the scum of the earth, and whatever other insult you can think up. I want to talk to the anti-hunting fanatics who live somewhere in north America or Europe but who think they know best how the people in Africa should manage their wildlife and wildernesses.

Since I hunt on private land in South Africa, I will restrict my comments to this land. Perhaps we can talk on another occasion about state owned land or tribal land.

Some of you may have a genuine interest in wildlife and wild places and you may really care, and I respect you for that. I just hope that you will be able to adjust your misguided sentiments to the realities of 21st century conservation.

Most of you have never been to Africa. Some of you may have visited a game reserve somewhere in Africa and now that you have been to one of the tourist traps you think you know it all. But you don’t. You know nothing about the human-wildlife conflict that we have to face on an ongoing basis, you know nothing about the poaching and the serious risks it poses to African wildlife, you know nothing about the poverty, corruption, incompetent government, poor governance, droughts, diseases or any of the other difficulties that we have to deal with out here in the African bush. Nor do you know anything of the different methods of land ownership in Africa and what it means for wildlife and conservation. You understand nothing about ecosystems, biomes, veld types or the carrying capacity of the land for grazers, browsers and mixed feeders. You have not studied wildlife management nor do you have any practical experience, yet you think you are qualified to prescribe to us how manage our wildlife resources.

Some of you are not only against hunting, but also against conservation and wildlife management….. despite all the conservation successes achieved over the years. We do not understand your bizarre view of the world, but perhaps you think that Africa is one big zoo where animals and people naturally live in perfect harmony and where no intervention is necessary. Since hunting outfitters like me are primarily conservationists, we find it difficult to see how there can be any common ground between us and you as long as you are opposed to conservation. We can only hope and pray that you will wake up to the real world that we live in.

Then there are the vegans amongst you who believe that we should not eat meat! I have one fundamental question for you: “How much more habitat do you wish to take away from wildlife so that we can grow your carrots and salads for you?”

I have often been at the receiving end of your hatred and have been subjected to curses, insults and foul language that I have not encountered from any other quarters, and have received lots of hate-mail and wishes for my death, but this only makes my resolve stronger to continue with the good cause of “conservation through sustainable utilisation”. It is unfortunate that the antihunting cabaal is unable to see that their heathen-like behaviour will only drive hunters and conservationists further away from the so-called “animal lovers”.

You call me a killer and a murderer because I shoot animals on a sustainable basis. Yet most of you appear to be in favour of unrestricted abortion of human babies. So, you think it is perfectly in order to kill an unborn human baby, for whatever reason, but if I shoot an impala, I am the bad guy! Bizarre indeed and hypocrisy in the extreme!

You often tell me that I hunt simply to satisfy my insatiable blood lust. So, let me explain why I am in the hunting business. I do this first and foremost because I see myself as a conservationist and because I believe in “conservation through sustainable utilisation”. If you are also opposed to conservation, then I suppose we have nothing to say to one another. This is not a “get-rich-quick” business. If money was a major driver in my life, I could have followed any of a number of other far more profitable careers. But I choose to run a business where our carbon footprint is very limited. The question is: “What business are you in and how does your carbon footprint look?” You live in a world characterised by materialism, consumerism and pollution. So, how much do you contribute to the polluted world that you choose to live in? I have committed

all my resources to my land and my wildlife and the conservation thereof. The next question is: “What is your commitment to the natural environment, other that spitting venom all over the social media? How much of your money have you committed to your beloved animals?” The bottom line is that I am not wealthy, but I am proud of what I am doing.

Unlike most countries in Africa, the South African wildlife management model permits private ownership of land and wildlife. Consequently, many landowners have turned away from agriculture and have made their land available for wildlife. There are about 10 000 of us across the country. These private conservationists have been phenomenally successful in their conservation efforts and have played a major role in bringing a number of species back from the brink of extinction. These include black wildebeest, blesbok and bontebok.

Species such as kudu, red hartebeest, gemsbok, sable and nyala have also been able to expand their distribution ranges and are now found in areas where they previously never occurred. Fact is that South Africa now have more wildlife than at any time during the last 150 years …. with the exception of a few species such as springbok.

The government’s conservation agencies have done a splendid job in running the national parks and reserves, but the private sector have done even better. Private land under wildlife now exceed the government’s parks and reserves by about seven times in hectares. The same goes for the number of wildlife animals. All of this due the hunter’s dollar. Yet you think it is appropriate to hate us for this just because we have to shoot a few animals each year in order to make this conservation model work.

Perhaps the anti-hunting movement will succeed in having more bans and restrictions imposed on hunting, and you may rejoice with misplaced glee. But know this: you will have succeeded in the most heinous crime against wildlife.

If outfitters like me are no longer allowed to hunt on our land, the wild animals will have to be removed and the land turned over to the ‘plough and the cow’ or to housing development, or some other development. In South Africa millions of wild animals will have to be destroyed to facilitate alternative land uses. The loss of biodiversity will not be confined to the flagship species which you usually rant and rave about (like lions and elephants) but will include species of mammals, birds, reptiles and plants that you have not even heard of.

Wildlife will be restricted to a few national parks and reserves, exposing many species to significant increased risk. And you anti-hunters will be responsible, just like you are responsible for the demise of wildlife in countries like Kenya.

This ought to be regarded as a crime against humanity.

Sincerely Willem Frost Matlabas Game Hunters

Nyala bull. The hunting industry has enabled the nyala to expand its distribution range in South Africa significantly.

Spring 2020

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MEMBER STORY

Redemption

by Brian Koelzer

“Oh no” I groaned to my self upon seeing a huge white set of antlers coming my way in the grey predawn light. It was playing out just like I imagined. The buck I’d been after for a month was making his way right to me and I was holding onto my tree sweating and fighting off waves of nausea. To make matters worse I had a doe and fawn right underneath me and my bow was hanging on a branch……and I was trying not to barf.

I know this sounds like an unprepared rookie mistake but as fate would have it, I got a horrible stomach bug the evening before and spent most the night projectile vomiting and pooping. Stuck in a tiny motel room with my wife and one-year old son made the situation even more miserable. The bathroom was so small that I could sit on the toilet, lean on the sink, and put my feet in the shower at the same time. With no place to hide the night was a long one for the whole family.

I managed a couple hours sleep between 3-5 a.m. and knowing that I was going to have the right wind for a stand I hung the weekend before I decided to buck up and head for the woods. Better judgment told me I should sit the morning out, but I felt confident that I’d finally figured out what the big 6x5 I’d seen a month prior was using for a travel route too and from and uncut barley field. Topography and wind also dictated that my only chance would be in the mornings. I was going!!

As I watched the big deer slowly get closer the doe and fawn below me moved on and I was able to get a hold of my bow. I already had an arrow on the string and as he closed the distance, I knew he’d present a shot. The trail passed my stand at less than ten yards but unfortunately Mr. Big decided to walk and sniff right underneath me where the doe had been standing moments ago. There is such a thing as too close… when the buck got right below me, I leaned out over my stand and started to draw. In my weakened condition my #58 Yellowstone longbow felt like #100 and as the string left my fingers, I knew

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I blew it. That big deer ran off with a flesh wound on the side of his rib cage and with a bruised ego I gathered my greasy arrow and started the walk back to the truck.

I never saw that deer after that day and as the temperature warmed up the farmers brought up a couple combines and started to cut my barley field. My hunt for that buck was officially over.

It’s a bittersweet thing to bugger it on a big deer the way I did. On one hand I was proud of myself for putting all the pieces of the puzzle together, setting up a perfect ambush, and getting a shot but at the same time I was beating myself up pretty bad for blowing the shot. I think I could have killed that deer with a heavy rock. With no real direction I spent the following week trying to formulate a plan for the upcoming weekend. I knew the rut would be in full swing and feeding patterns were going to be pretty well out. While chatting with a good friend of mine who hunts the property with me, he told me about a stand he’d hung years ago that was a good rut stand and how to approach it in the morning. I figured anything was worth a shot and having never hunted this little block of timber before I had nothing to lose. It was about a half mile walk down the river to get this stand and even though there had been a few grizzly bear sightings in the area I decided to still do the walk in the dark, so I didn’t spook any deer. Getting settled into me tree just as legal shooting light was ticking over, I had that new treestand/new woods sense of excitement zipping through my body.

The morning stillness was shattered when several gunshots rang out less than a half mile from me up on a bench in an alfalfa field. Anticipating this is where my deer would be coming from on their way back to bed, I thought for a moment my morning was ruined. The property I hunt allows quite a few does to be shot during general season but the rule is they have to shoot them out in the fields. Realizing that this could be a blessing in disguise it wasn’t long until I started to see some deer coming my way. My stand was located along a swamp on brushy bank that connected two good bedding areas. It took a little while but after the deer settled down, I started to see some movement in the trees. A couple does went past then a little 2pt buck made his way by. Praying that the wind would stay steady I held still as a stone with my bow ready and an arrow

MEMBER STORY

nocked. It wasn’t long before I saw another doe coming my way and she was acting like there was a buck following close behind. As she weaved through the swamp coming my way, I caught a flash of horns behind her. They closed the distance rapidly and when I finally got a look at the buck I had about 5 seconds to commit or pass. I noted good 4th points and several stickers which was all it took to kick my heart into overdrive!

She passed me at 10 yards, and I thought he would as well until he unexpectedly moved to cut her off like a cow dog. I don’t really remember shooting but all of a sudden there was an arrow in the air, and I watched it burry high in his side as he quartered away. He had no idea what was happening and made a short 30-yard semi-circle around me expiring 20 yards from my perch less than 10 seconds after the arrow impacted his side. The flood of emotions hit me, and I had to sit down because my knees were threatening to give out on me. I gave him a little time and after saying my thank you’s and trying to absorb as much of the experience as possible I got out of my stand and knelt beside my buck. He was a fantastic deer in the prime of his life. A 6x5 typical frame with several cheaters rounded him up to na 8x7. My VPA tipped Easton arrow had severed his aortic artery below his spine as well as taking out a lung. The hunting gods were certainly smiling down on me that day. From the lows of the weekend before to the highs of the current moment I gave thanks for the buck and for the wooden bow beside me that not only shapes my lifestyle but feeds my family and soul.

ARCHERY SEASON

is just around the corner...GET READY NOW!

Located in the historic Kessler Brewing building. Hwy 12 West end.

Helena 406-449-3111 buffalojumparchery.com

Spring 2020

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CANYON FERRY CARP SAFARI

Montana Bowhunters Association presents:

Have You Been “Carpified ?”

C A N YO N F E R RY C A R P S A F A R I JUNE 13, 2020 C A N YO N F E R RY L A K E , H E L E N A M T 

Bowhunting only - everyone welcome!!



Help Carp Management in Canyon Ferry Lake



Never been Carpified? -Help available from semi-professional Carp Ninjas



Send in Registration form by June 8



Evening meal included in registration fee

Good Things to Know :

- All sh oo ter s n e ed a vali d fi shi ng l i cens e - Boa ts m us t b e re gis ter e d wi th corr e ct numb er of li f eja ck e ts - Boa ts m us t b e cl ean up on arri val and cl ean e d pr io r to e n ter ing an o th er b o d y of wa ter - Bo whun ting on l y. Brin g l o ts o f arr ow s - Carp Safa ri w ill run Sa tur da y f rom sun ris e un ti l 5 p .m.

Individual shooter - preregistered Individual shooter - day of shoot 2-person team - preregistered 2-person team - day of shoot Shooter - under 15 Non - shooter meal ticket

$ 20.00 $ 25.00 $ 40.00 $ 50.00 $ 10.00 $ 6.00

Camping available at our private camping area—details and map posted at http://www.mtba.org

(don’t worry, it’s not carp) 

Contact Joelle Selk to reserve a campsite in the group use area or log on to www.recreation.gov to reserve in the other loops at Hellgate Campground

 

Mail at t ach ed form b y J u n e 8 , 2 0 2 0 Mail p ayme nt t o: J o e l l e S e l k

6963 York Road Helena, MT 59602 (Make checks out to MBA)  Need mor e f or ms o r i nfo?

jselk m t@g ma i l . c om Phone #: 406 - 4 2 2 -67 98

P R E R E G I S T R A T IO N FO RM C a n y o n Fe r r y C a r p S a fa r i J u n e 1 3 , 2 0 2 0 I n d i v i d u a l Sh o o t e r s $20.00 x ______ = Shooters under 15 $10.00 x ______ = M e a l t i c k e t -n o n - s h o o t e r $6.00 x _______ = 2-person team $40.00 x _______ = Total>> $_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Make checks out to MBA and mail to: Joelle Selk– MBA 6963 York Road Helena MT 59602

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How to g e t pr e r e g i s te r e d:

Canyon Ferry Lake, Helena $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________

List names of individuals, team members, phone #, and emails: ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

CONTACT NUMBERS

Fish & Wildlife Commission Members

District 1

District 2

Tim Aldrich, Commissioner

District 3

Pat Byorth, Commissionerr

3340 Rodeo Road Missoula, MT 59803 Phone: (406) 241-7164 Term: January 1, 2021

fwpwld@mt.gov

Richard Stuker, Vice-Chairman 1155 Boldt Road Chinook, MT 59523 Phone: (406) 357-3495 Term: January 1, 2021

2360 Whitetail Road Bozeman, MT 59715 Phone: (406) 548-4830

District 4

District 5

Logan Brower, Commissioner

Shane Colton, Commissioner

P.O. Box 325 Scobey, MT 59263 Phone: (406) 230-2188 Term: January 1, 2019

335 Clark Billings, MT 59101 Phone: (406) 259-9986 Term: January 1, 2021

BUSINESS & CLUB MEMBERS

Become a Business Member of the MBA and be listed on this page every issue! For membership visit www.mtba.org.

Active as of October 2019 Buffalo Jump Archery

Judy Adams

P.O. Box 5581

Helena

MT

59604

406-539-3936

Crown Photography www.mtcrownphoto.com

Mike and Lucinda Layne

PO Box 9936

Kalispell

MT

59904

406-752-6116

Elk Creek Family Outfitters

David Hein

1021 Toole Circle

Billings

MT

59105

406-670-4366

Hammer-em Outfitting

P.O. Box 472

Stanford

MT

59479

406-366-5042

Hurst Bows

3368 MT - 5 W

Plentywood

MT

59254

406-765-7580

Libby Archery Club

P.O. Box 755

Libby

MT

59923

406-293-7174

Libby Sports Center

204 W 9th ST

Libby

MT

59923

406-293-4641

Matablas Game Hunters

Willem Frost

PO Box 1559

Ellisras

S outh Africa

0555

27116794664

Moody’s Dirty Laundry

Jay Moody

221 W 9th St

Libby

MT

59923

406-291-1609

Mountain Copper Creations

Jim Clapham

4085 Old Marhsall Grade Rd

East Missoula

MT

59802

406-880-9411

Northwest Motorsports

Tom Gilmore

2318 Granite Creek Rd

Libby

MT

59923

406-293-3131

Pronghorn Custom Bows

Herb Meland

2491 W 42nd St

Casper

WY

82604

307-234-1824

Schafer Silvertip Recurve

Dave Windauer

357 Roberts Rd

Columbia Falls

MT

59912

406- 892-0580

Toelke Custom Bows

Dan & Jared Toelke

31345 Lost Creek Ln

Ronan

MT

59864

406-676-5150

UDAP Industries

Mark Matheny

1703 Waterline Rd

Butte

MT

59701

406-581-4856

Yellowstone Longbow

Rich Wormington

280 HWY 4A-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

James Brown

PO Box 96

Richey

MT

59259

406-773-5509

Bram Donovan

830 10th Ave SW

Great Falls

MT

59404

Coltin Hurst

Spring 2020

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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 Quarterly magazine keeping you informed on local, state, and national bowhunting issues, bowhunter education, events, and great hunting stories

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP One Year $25.00 Three Years $67.00 Life $500.00

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP One Year $30.00 Three Years $81.00 Life $750.00

JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP (Under 18) One Year

$5.00

CLUB MEMBERSHIP One Year $45.00 Three Years $120.00

BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP One Year $45.00 Three Years $120.00

OVERSEAS MEMBERSHIP

Add $10.00 a year to membership choice for added mailing costs

Join Today!

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 the membership checked below!

SEND TO: MBA, PO BOX 426, HELENA MT 59624 • PH. # 406-461-9618

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BOB MORTON alligator

ERIC BASHORE 2019 Montana Archery Bull

JIM MORTON alligator.

He won the hunt at Great Falls last year.

MERRI with a 5X5 WT she got just before Thanksgiving

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5

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BRIAN RAYNER 10 yard shot with self made longbow and arrow

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DYLANN BILLINGTON’S 5 X 5

GREG BAILY from Havre

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MARK SCHWOMEYER deer

MIKE BARRETT MT 2019 antelope taken with a Pronghorn bow.

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HANK RICHARDS in south central MT

MARTIN OAKLAND’S successful November rut hunt

TOM MORTON alligator

Spring 2020

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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?

• • • •

•

•

•

•

•

Worked to get the first archery season started in Montana. Along the 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.

Photos by Denver Bryan / Images on the Wildside

•

What can you do for bowhunting in Montana?

Join the MBA at www.mtba.org to preserve, promote and protect bowhunting.

Spring 2015

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