Pope and Young Ethic Fall 2024 by Pope & Young

Highlights Include:

•BIG GAME TROPHY DISPLAY & AWARDS

•LIVE/ONLINE HUNT AUCTION

•GEAR RAFFLES

•SILENT AUCTION

•TOP BOWHUNTING SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

•TOP BOWHUNTING MANUFACTURERS

•PHOTO/ART CONTEST

•FIELD JUDGING CHAMPIONSHIP

•ARROW & KNIFE MAKING CONTEST

•OFF-SITE TOURS SHOWCASING THE BEST OF RENO

•POPE & YOUNG HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

New for 2025 Join us in Arizona!

•MEET BOWHUNTING LEGENDS

•AZ HUNTERS EDUCATION COURSE

•CAMP CHEF COOKOFF

•KIDS ACTIVITIES WITH JACK CREEK PRESERVE

•WORKSHOPS FROM UNCHARTED OUTDOORS WOMEN

•LADY’S LUNCHEON FEATURING JANA WALLER

•YOUTH RECOGNITION AWARDS

•FAMILY PRICING

TOURS

LAKE PLEASANT DINNER CRUISE //REBOOT & REJUVENATE SPA DAY // DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN // STATE FARM STADIUM

Front Cover: Tim Vance•Species: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou•Score: 301 6/8•Location: Baralzon Lake, Manitoba, CAN•Date: 8/28/2023

Back Cover: Dan Evenson•Species: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou•Score: 307 0/8•Location: Baker Lake, Nunavut, CAN•Date: 09/03/2022

Glenn Hisey•Species: Bison•Score: 102 4/8•Location: Pink MTN, British Columbia, CAN•Date: 10/02/2000

The Official Journal of Pope and Young

• Executive Director

• President’s Column

• Giving Societies

• Director’s Stand

• Conservation Chair

• Conservation Matters

• Big Game Records

• Measuring and Scoring Antlers: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou Reprinted from our P&Y B&C Joint Measurer’s Manual.

• Big Game Species Proﬁle: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

• Real World Record: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

• Noska’s Notes: A Twofer on CBGC By Frank Noska

• Recent 34th Recording Period Entries

• Super Slam: Try a Trail Camera By Chuck Adams

• Adventure Bowhunter: Bulgaria’s Magical Mountain By Tom Miranda

• Membership Column

• Membership Listing

• Youth Membership: Top Reasons to Take a Bowhunter Education Course By Marilyn Bentz

• HOW I WENT FROM HIGH HEELS & PEARLS… to Camo!! By Deb Gay, AKA Deb Hamel, Children’s Author

Executive Director

By Justin Spring

truly hope all of the Pope and Young Membership take a few minutes between your fall treestand sits or hunts to read through this issue cover to cover. We have some very exciting things going on in our great organization, and I hope every reader will consider participating at whatever level they can.

First oﬀ, you will be thrilled to see pages throughout this issue announcing the opening of registration for our 2025 Glendale Convention. It is shaping up to be another thrilling gathering with all of our awards, raﬄes, events, and contests that we have come to love. In addition, we are introducing some new options dedicated to making the convention a gathering for all your friends and family. Some of the highlights include a Saturday

Lady’s Luncheon with a panel discussion on welcoming ladies to the outdoors. We are hoping to have a small auction and raﬄes directed towards those attending the luncheon as well, so any suggestions or donations that you feel could be added would be greatly appreciated.

Another exciting addition this year will be a Wednesday Wild Game Cook-Oﬀ sponsored by our friends at Camp Chef.

The ﬁnal details are still being hammered out, but the basic format will include a set registration fee per team, providing them with a two-burner stove, griddle, and BBQ grill box that the team can take home at the event’s conclusion. Each team will have a full day to prepare a wild game meal to be presented to celebrity judges. Teams will also be asked to

BYLAWS CHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT

In August, the voting (Regular/Senior) membership approved a bylaws change that would allow animals taken with an electronic (battery-operated) sight light attached to their bow to be accepted into the records program. Previously, any trophy whereby an electronic (battery-operated) sight light was attached to the bow was not allowed. The policy change is retroactive, allowing an animal never measured or measured and ineligible due to the previous policy can now be entered into the records program.

The regular/senior members of the Club passed the initiative. The following is a breakdown of the ofﬁcial vote(s):

Yes-136 (senior 61 / regular 75)

No-104 (senior 60 / regular 44) Total votes-240

prepare samples so anyone attending our normal Wednesday welcome reception can vote for a crowd favorite. So, if you love to cook wild game or have some friends that you always compete with, here is your chance to throw down for a great cause.

Our auctions are lining out again for archery hunters to be second to none. We have a special archery-only earlyseason elk hunt to be auctioned, with the majority of the proceeds going to the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico. They have generously allowed us to auction off this new opportunity targeting velvet bulls before any other non-tribal member can hunt. Also, a Yukon outfitter has graciously offered their first-ever archery velvet moose hunt. My wife and I were

Below is the updated Article within the bylaws showing the change (depicted in RED).

Article VI: Rules of Fair Chase-section 6.2 C-Exclusions

C Exclusions:

1. The following shall not be considered a hunting bow:

a. a crossbow.

b. any device with a gun-type stock or incorporating any device or mechanism that holds the bowstring at partial or full draw without the shooter’s muscle power.

2. Electronic or battery-powered devices shall not be attached to a hunting bow, with the exception of recording devices that cast no light towards the target and do not aid in range ﬁnding, sighting, or shooting the bow and/or an electronic (battery-operated) sight light.

fortunate enough to hunt with him a few years ago, and I can guarantee that the quality of moose you will see could easily exceed our velvet world record level. It will be a challenging hunt in that the bulls will be up high in their summer habitat, but for the hunter who wants to match their skills against a true top-quality bull in full velvet, this is the place to do it. We have also gotten commitments to oﬀer a few special Arizona tags, with all proceeds returning to the state. Our name is in the hat for a few other statewide permits.

Shifting gears from our convention to other Club activities, I am thrilled to report that through our regional events and the Raise the Paddle part of those auctions, we have just purchased GPS collars and air time for Kentucky Fish and Game to deploy in a new archery-only bear season. These collars will be used throughout the fall to establish a baseline of bear population and movement coinciding with major crop damage along the edge habitat in the state. This is a testament to the signiﬁcant impact of our conservation eﬀorts, and it’s

The Pope and Young Ethic, Volume 51, No. 3, Fall 2024, ISSN#23815655 is published quarterly by Pope and Young, 223 South Main St. Chatfield, Minnesota 55923. Each annual Membership dues includes $23.80 subscription fee for The P&Y Ethic, Journal of Pope and Young. USPS #16690 in Chatfield, MN 55923. Periodical Postage paid at Chatfield, MN 55923 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to The P&Y Ethic, Pope and Young, PO Box 548, Chatfield, MN 55923.

Pope & Young Club

223 South Main Street, PO Box 548, Chatﬁeld, MN 55923

Phone: 507-867-4144•Fax: 507-867-4144

Email: admin@pope-young.org

Website: www.pope-young.org

The Pope and Young Ethic is the oﬃcial publication of the Pope & Young Club, Inc. It is published four times each year and distributed to its membership, friends, and other supporters.

all thanks to your support.

The Club is doing great work in the conservation arena as well as our efforts to reach out and recruit new members. These efforts have a fiscal impact and this is where we need you, the membership of the organization, to engage. I would like to sign off with an ask for you to consider stepping up to a lifetime membership level. Your commitment to a lifetime membership, with a portion of your $1,500 fee invested in a long-term account, ensures funding for the organization far into the future. Keep your eyes peeled on the Club’s social media and print publications as we announce details of our lifetime membership drive. I have it on good authority that any lifetime member attending our convention will be entered into a Desert sheep hunt drawing at a special lifetime member-only event. If you have been considering leveling up, now may be the best time to take that step.

Best of luck this fall and may the wind be in your face and your quarry within spitting distance of your hide.

Members are invited to submit comments, questions, photos, artwork, and short articles. All contributions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope if they are to be returned. However the Pope & Young Club does not assume responsibility for the safe return of any unsolicited materials. Items submitted for publication should be sent to the Ethic Editor, steve@pope-young.org, Pope & Young Club, P.O. Box 548, Chatﬁeld, MN 55923, or admin@pope-young.org. Any questions can be directed to Steve Ashley, P&Y Ethic Editor, steve@pope-young.org, or write in care of the Pope & Young oﬃce. The opinions and views contained herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Pope & Young Club.

Advertising is accepted at the discretion of the Pope & Young Club. For information contact Dylan Ray, dylan@pope-young.org. The editorial team reserves the right to reject or edit any material which may be deemed detrimental to bowhunting or the Pope & Young Club. The Board of Directors shall make the ﬁnal determination on questionable materials.

Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission of Pope and Young. All requests for such use should be directed to the Ethic Editor at the above address or 507-867-4144.

Pope & Young Club

Founded 1961 Board of Directors

President • Kurt Ebers 227 Stone Ridge Drive, Hannibal, MO 63401 573-719-8933•kcebers@gmail.com

First Vice President • Dallas Smith PO Box 460806, Leeds, UT 84746-0806 435-680-2870•dallas4263@hotmail.com

Second Vice President • Scott Bakken 4727 Arbor Crossing SE, Apt 219, Alexandria, MN 56308 715-213-8854•scott@dialedarchery.com

Treasurer • Phil Dalrymple 4542 E. Camp Lowell Dr. Suite 100, Tucson, AZ 85712 520-400-6035•pdalrymple@randacpas.com

Past President Director • Jim Willems 5750 Rail Rd., Farmington, NM 87402 505-330-8211•jimwillems@q.com

Directors

Merritt Compton 469 Aiken Road, Trumansburg, NY 14886 607-387-5112•mcc11@cornell.edu

John “Jack” Culpepper 1700 George Bush Dr., E #240 College Station, TX 77840 979-696-1444•jack@culpepperrealty.com

Ricky Krueger 2498 Highland Rd 2, Fremont, NE 68025 402-720-4520•antlers22@hotmail.com

Ken J. Rimer 512 171st Street, Hammond, WI 54015 715-410-3195•camoose195.28@gmail.com

Records Chair • Roy Grace P.O. Box 948, Lakeside, AZ 85929 760-851-4434•roy@pope-young.org

Membership Chair • Stephen LePage 2574 Divide Rd., Lewistown, MT, 59457 406-535-5636 stephenandamylepage@yahoo.com

Conservation Chair • Doug Clayton 18016 Colt Rd, Council Bluﬀs, IA 51502 402-305-1941•dclay33@cox.net

Youth Coordinator • Open

Trust Officer • John Gardner 4837 HWY 172, Durango, CO 81303 970 749 2013•wildlifex@protonmail.com

Board Secretary • Michael A. Oropallo 4578 West Lake Rd., Auburn, NY 13021 moropallo@barclaydamon.com

P&Y Staff

Executive Director • Justin Spring

Director of Records • Tim Rozewski

Administrative Support / Membership Manager • Shelby Klennert

Events Manager • Heather Knight

Marketing Manager • Dylan Ray

Administrative Manager • Edna Harlan

Records Coordinator • Clinton “Blake” McPhaul

Museum Curator • Larry Streiff

Associate Editors Steve Ashley & Mike Schlegel

Art Director • Wild Snow Design, LLC / Tara Bondar

President’s Column

By Kurt Ebers

Our membership growth is a testament to the collective efforts of the Pope and Young Club. As of July 2024, we’ve seen a significant increase in all membership categories compared to the same period in 2023.

This positive trend is a result of our combined dedication and outreach efforts. For a detailed breakdown, please refer to the chart below.

While a 9.70% overall growth shows we’ve stabilized our membership and are going in the right direction, the growth is not what it needs to be for the Pope and Young Club, based on 3.5 million bowhunters in the United States. The challenge we face is that the Pope and Young Club must position itself to appeal to all bowhunting demographics. The Pope and Young Club uses print, website, and social media to reach its current membership base and has expanded its reach using email lists through our corporate partner relationships.

Under the current marketing plan, priority has been given to pursue growth by broadcasting our mission of preserving, promoting, and protecting bowhunting to new member outlets that are not aware of or have the incorrect purpose of the Pope and Young Club. While expansion into new

member outlets is a top marketing plan goal, there is no better ambassador for the Pope and Young Club than the 6.346 members that make up the Pope and Young Club Family. I CHALLENGE every Pope and Young Club member to continue the internal recruitment initiative that started

several years back, in which every member recruits at least one new member annually. If successful, this tactic alone would get us over 20,000 members in less than three (3) years.

Besides, signing up true new members to the Pope and Young Club is a top priority, so is notifying and promoting current members to continue advancing within the Pope and Young Club’s membership hierarchy structure. General to Regular and Regular to Senior is the typical membership track every member should pursue. For those General Lifetime members, your Lifetime status can now move with you when advancing to Regular. When moving from General to Regular Lifetime status, a member is required to pay a one-time lifetime $500 transfer fee. If you need to spread this transfer fee out, that is no problem; just call the oﬃce to arrange a payment plan. Your lifetime status change is eﬀective once you receive board approval of your Regular membership application and 1st installment payment.

Remember, our MEMBERSHIP GROWTH is not just a number on a chart. It’s a reﬂection of our collective commitment to the future of bowhunting and wildlife conservation. As a current Pope and Young Club member, you play a crucial role in this growth. Your challenge is to sign up one General member by the end of 2024. This is not just a goal; it’s your duty as a member of North America’s most prestigious bowhunting conservation organization.

Thanks for supporting the Pope and Young Club. I wish everyone the best for the hunting season.

P&Y Giving Societies

There are numerous ways to support P&Y’s mission: to ensure bowhunting opportunities for today and tomorrow. To impact bowhunting’s fate in the long term, membership in one of P&Y’s Giving Societies is ideal. Making a cash gift or establishing a planned legacy gift in your Will or Estate is a perfect way to ensure the future of bowhunting while enjoying tax and other benefits. Learn how to join one of the world’s leading conservation organizations dedicated to the highest ethical standards.

P&Y is the voice of today’s bowhunter. To get our message out, P&Y needs your financial support. Our Giving Society program recognizes members seeking an opportunity to contribute to the Club’s Mission beyond their regular annual membership. Please consider joining a society as the financial contribution allows the P&Y to continue growing the Trust Fund and Conservation Fund, which in 2023 supported several Wild Sheep Federation conservation projects and Shane Mahoney’s Wild Harvest Initiative, to name a few.

Below are summaries of the two P&Y giving societies. Please forward any questions about these societies to Justin Spring (Executive Director) or John Gardner (Trust Officer). Their contact information is listed on page 7 of the Ethic.

Fred Bear Society

The Fred Bear Society is the P&Y’s premier major giving “society,” whose members have made substantial financial contributions through a cash donation or legacy gift to the Club. Gifts are donor-directed and tax-deductible and can be made to P&Y’s Endowment Fund, Conservation Fund, or Area of Greatest Need. A cash pledge can be given over time to a maximum of 5 years. If installment, the Member would be recognized at the appropriate level after making the first cash installment payment. Since its inception in 2013, more than $1.4 million in Fred Bear Society cash gifts and $1.9 million in legacy gifts have been directed to P&Y.

Due to the time value of money and the promise of cash payment in the future, a Legacy gift is 2X the Cash amount.

Black Bear$15,000 ($3,000/year installment) Cash or $30,000 Legacy Silvertip $50,000($10,000/yearinstallment)Cashor$100,000Legacy Polar $75,000 ($15,000/year installment) Cashor $150,000 Legacy Kodiak $150,000 ($30,000/year installment) Cash or$300,000 Legacy

QualifiedCharitableDistributions(QCDs)—Members 70-1/2 or older and subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs) are eligible to make a QCD directly to P&Y (a non-profit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)3 of the United States IRS Code 501). In addition to the benefits of giving to P&Y, a QCD excludes the amount donated from taxable income.

Razorhead Society

The Razorhead Society was formed in 2023 to create a pathway for Pope & Young members seeking an opportunity to contribute to the club’s Mission beyond their regular annual membership. Current Fred Bear Society members who continue making cash donations to advance to the next benefactor level are also eligible for Razorhead Society recognition.

The Razorhed Society has four benefactor levels enabling tax-deductible, donor-directed gifts to be made in annual installments (5 years) or a lump sum. If installment, the Member would be recognized at the appropriate level after making the first cash installment payment. Donations can be made to Pope & Young’s Endowment Fund, Conservation Fund, or Area of Greatest Need to fund specific programs and initiatives. Razorhead Society members will be recognized with a stunning lapel razorhead pin indicating their benefactor level. Members may also “upgrade” their benefactor levels within the society and the premier Fred Bear Society. A member’s Razorhead Society donation does track towards the Fred Bear Society.

Members of the Fred Bear Society who give beyond their initial donation are also eligible for Razorhead Society recognition.

Levels

Gold- $10,000 ($2,000/year installment)

Silver - $5,000 ($1,000/year installment)

Bronze - $2,500 ($500/year installment)

Copper-$1,000($200/yearinstallment)

RAZORHEAD SOCIETY

Director’s Stand

By Ken J. Rimer

want to take a moment to thank each one of the members who voted for me to continue as one of the “Directors” of this great organization! Since my ﬁrst time being elected to the Board, we have made many changes like our new logo, our Three Pillars of Preserve, Promote and Protect Bowhunting for future generations, and some new staﬀ personnel, but as always, there is still more to do. I have a couple of programs that I have been working on, which have already been approved, so you will see them come out in the next couple of years now that we have the right people in play to help make them happen. Thanks again for your heartfelt support, and looking forward to seeing all of you “in Phoenix!”

Now, “on to the Bash, Minnesota style!” This past May, with the unprecedented support and effort of Scott Bakken, our Second Vice President, we had our first Midwest Bowhunter’s Bash in Alexandria. Scott was able to secure us a shooting facility just outside of Alex. This location combined trap and sporting clays with another field area just for archery, with plenty of 3D’s to loft an arrow at. Inside

the clubhouse was a large area we used as the banquet’s dining area, and next to that, we had a classroom set up where, in conjunction with the Boone & Crocket Club, we put on another P&Y/B&C combined Measurers Class. It’s always nice to see a new group of individuals interested in getting certiﬁed as new measurers across the US and Canada.

As we were doing some outdoor setting up for the ever-popular “Field Judging Competition” and one of our new indoor/ outdoor Nerf combo archery, hula-hoop, and bucket events, I noticed a pick-up load of racks in the parking lot. And yes, there was a measurers training class, but an entire room of racks and skulls was already inside. Then I remembered Justin heading down to Chatfield just before this event to collect P&Y’s trailer, which was full of skulls, racks, and horns we use for the P&Y measurers classes. Our trailer, albeit a great storage container for these items, is somewhat not necessarily “road worthy” enough to make the trip around the country as we are eliminating many items from the Chatfield location. Through the efforts of Ricky Krueger and

his son Gabe, they have devised a plan to make a shipping crate that will not only store our collection of measurable racks, skulls, and horns, but also allow for easy transportation of these items across the US as needed for future classes. I had to imagine that Ricky received “many a second glance” as he drove from MN to his home in Nebraska. I chuckled as he had to have looked like someone who just made the pick of a lifetime at some local ﬂea market!

The only unfortunate part of this event was “mother nature,” as we constantly had 30-40mph winds during the day. It made for a very interesting time watching the sporting clays shooters as those “hard rights” were breaking the speed of sound and almost impossible to catch up to, but the high throws would always tail oﬀ to the right if you waited on them.

We had to tame down the ﬁeld judging competition as they are normally set up on a rotating base, making it slightly more diﬃcult to judge as they are constantly moving. Each shoulder mount had to be attached to a solid object to avoid getting blown over. It seems as if the stationary mounts were almost “too easy,” as many of the guesses were very close to actual. Congrats to all those who participated, as this has become an event of choice at all our doings for the past few years!

As with most of us, I normally rate these events based on what I may come home with. I did my best on the silent auctions, but it seemed as if every item “I wanted” was more cherished by someone else, so on to the bucket raﬄes. I would have to say that for as much money I have spent on raﬄe tickets, I could have gone out and actually purchased a complete set of new Garmin products, as I have yet to win one!

God Bless, Ken J Rimer

Bowhunter’s Bash

IConservation Chair Column

By Doug Clayton

n collaboration with Responsive Management, the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports has unveiled the muchanticipated report, “Americans’ Attitudes Toward Hunting and Sport Shooting 2024.”

This extensive study, funded by a Multistate Conservation Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, provides critical insights into American views on hunting and sport shooting. Swanny Evans, Director of Research and Partnerships for the Council, commented, “This report highlights the importance of understanding public opinion nuances to improve communication and engagement strategies within the outdoor industry. Public support is not the lowest on record. Still, it is signiﬁcantly below the 81% approval we saw in 2021 and appears to be

trending down.”

The study found that public approval for legal hunting and shooting sports is at 76%, a 5% decrease since 2021, equating to approximately 12.5 million Americans. Evans acknowledged the decline, stating, “The data from this report will be pivotal in shaping our eﬀorts to promote hunting and shooting sports as relevant activities throughout all segments of society. It also helps identify concerns and enhances safety and conservation education programs.”

The 2024 report builds on years of data collection and trend analysis from Responsive Management, oﬀering a comprehensive understanding of how American attitudes toward these activities have evolved. The study is based on a scientiﬁc, probabilitybased multimodal survey of U.S. residents

aged 18 and older, ensuring a representative sample.

Key Findings:

• Overall Approval Rates: The approval rates for legal hunting and legal recreational shooting are quite similar: 76% of Americans approve of each, while disapproval stands at 12% for hunting and 13% for recreational shooting.

• Trends: The trends analysis found slightly less approval of hunting and recreational shooting in 2024 than in 2023. However, that difference was not statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level. However, when compared to the high of 81% in 2021, the decline was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

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Conservation Chair Column

• Regional Variation: Approval of legal hunting is markedly higher among rural residents, males, and Midwest Region residents than among U.S. residents overall. Approval of legal recreational shooting is highest among rural residents, males, residents of small cities or towns, and residents of the Mountain West Region.

• Motivations for Hunting: Hunting for food receives the highest approval, with 84% of respondents approving hunting for meat and 83% for obtaining locally sourced food. Conservationrelated motivations also receive strong support, while trophy hunting is the least approved motivation, with only

29% approval.

• Motivations for Recreational Shooting: Shooting to learn self-defense skills receives the highest approval at 77%, with competition (such as the Olympics) close behind at 74%. Interestingly, the challenge had the lowest approval of the motivations at 64% despite that being a competition component.

• Safety Perceptions: While most Americans (70%) say that most sport shooters know how to handle ﬁrearms safely and are careful, a substantial percentage (16%) say that they do not know how to handle ﬁrearms properly. When added to the percentage who responded with don’t know on the

question (14%), 30% do not unequivocally say that most sport shooters know how to handle ﬁrearms safely and are careful.

The full report, “Americans’ Attitudes Toward Hunting and Sport Shooting 2024,” is available for download on the Council website at www.cahss.org.

A Win for Wildlife

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently announced a unique federal program that will provide $110 million in grants to fund 19 nationwide wildlife crossing projects. This is the ﬁrst of ﬁve years of projects in which the USDOT will invest $350 million into the Wildlife Crossing Program (WCP). The WCP is under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which the U.S. Congress passed.

The project’s goal is to improve public safety by reducing the number of wildlifevehicle collisions along high-pressure corridors. The 19 projects will be in 17 states, including the lands of four Indian Tribal lands. The projects will include:

• Overpasses and underpasses.

• Fencing installation along busy roadways.

• Other research-based public safety projects.

The two-fold projects will improve wildlife connectivity, save lives, and help reduce the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions, costing Americans over $10 billion annually. One study reports that animal crossings in Banff, Canada, have reduced the costs of collisions there by 90%, or about $100,000. Banff is home to Banff National Park, the most visited Alberta tourist destination and one of North America’s most visited national parks, with over 5 million visitors annually.

This is both a win for wildlife and travelers everywhere.

Conservation Matters

By Shane P. Mahoney

Navigating Troubled Waters:

The North American Model in Transition

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation has been incredibly successful in restoring iconic wildlife populations such as elk, deer, and pronghorn. But there is increasing pressure to change this hunting-centric model or do away with it altogether.

Change

“

future.

is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the

”

John. F. Kennedy

There can be no doubt that we live in precarious, even dangerous times, for our planet, for our nations and their institutions…and for our states of mind. From ﬁnancial markets to national security, it seems no realm of society is protected from today’s biting winds of uncertainty. Yes, there were times previously when social upheaval and doubt threatened our resolve and sense of security; but perhaps even our heavily divided public can agree that there is something foreign, and menacing even, about our current circumstance. Like a raging ﬁre, today’s agitation seems to be developing its own forceful winds and drawing more and more energy unto itself. Most of us who are breathing and awake are wondering where it all will lead.

In the most basic sense, it is the loss of our way of life that worries us most, isn’t it? After all, the threads of identity that bind our generations are precious; they are the legacy we live by and cherish, and the legacy we strive to leave behind. These threads literally deﬁne who we are. They are the chords of strength we rely upon in hard times; and the reassuring normalcy we celebrate, often quietly, when times are good. As we contemplate losing these touchstones, we are fearful of drifting away from all that we have known and made us secure, and all, perhaps, that we took for granted. And, to set the record straight, for millions of people living in Canada and the United States, hunting traditions are, indeed, a way of life.

fabric of wildlife knowledge, experience and outdoor enjoyment that provides continuity to our existence and has given many of us some of our most cherished memories of times shared with family and friends.

Hunting is not

just episodic; rather, it is rhythmic in the hunter’s life. For many hunters, the natural seasons are marked more by expectations and planning for the next wild

This is something that many nonhunters often ﬁnd diﬃcult to appreciate, and understandably so. If you haven’t lived it, it’s hard to know it; and hunters should try a little harder, I think, to appreciate this fact. But for hunters everywhere, these nature traditions really are a signal of identity, of what we hold precious and wish to share and pass on. Hunting is part of that binding

There is no question that we are living in a hurricane of agitation that will inevitably disrupt our current approaches to many important institutions, including our conservation efforts.

Conservation Matters

harvest, than any other metric. The falling leaves of autumn signal the deer hunter’s moon, as surely as the longer days of spring lend echo to the dawn chorus of gobbling turkeys, and the hunter’s vigilance in the night’s last moments of darkness. Little wonder, then, that the uncertainty facing the North American Model of Conservation strikes deep into the heart and heartland of North America’s hunting community.

And there is much uncertainty surrounding the North American Model today. Dealing with this uncertainty is complex, for just as there was no single coordinating force that launched the set of laws, policies, and conservation institutions that we recognize today as the North American Model, there is, presently, no single threat or challenge to its future, nor any single response that can assure its success. Just like many other social institutions, the wider change sweeping our society and politics is gathering to its turbulent updrafts the entire conservation movement and, in this emotional vortex, its history, its representativeness, and its relevance are all being re-examined in a landscape of people and nature much changed since the Model’s initial stirrings of more than a century ago.

While much of this agitation is hard to pin down or is the result of deeper social and demographic change, there are distinct viewpoints that we can identify. On the one hand there are those who feel we have done a wonderful job, period; and should not mess with a single thing. There are others who agree we have done well and should now treat recovered and abundant wildlife populations

as renewable natural resources, like timber, and make the selling of wildlife meat and products part of a regulated and incentivizing market, something the Model has long stood against. Others opine a long-standing criticism that within the Model far too great an emphasis is placed on hunted species, that other components of our biodiversity are given short shrift, and that hunters have too much say in conservation policy. Still others point out legitimate historic grievances such as the lack of engagement by Indigenous Peoples in the Model’s founding, and the historic injustices over land rights and tenure, as well as the very limited representation of African Americans in the Model’s past and present, as well as the lack of inclusiveness of gender and racial diversity, in general, seated at the Model’s table.

Whether a person agrees with some or all of these perspectives is an important issue. But what may be even more important to the future of the North American Model, to hunting and to the conservation of this continent’s wildlife, is to recognize that social forces and agitation were responsible for establishing the Model in the first instance, and that social forces, and their seemingly chaotic, disorganized reality, can also unravel it. Or change it significantly. What is assailing the status quo today is not merely noise that will somehow magically disappear. It is, rather, a rising chorus that will likely find its space. As a result, it would be a grave mistake for the hunting community and its related organizations to ignore the agitation that is underway, or stay silent, once aware.

But how much of a threat or impetus for

change (depending on your viewpoint) do current pressures represent? Well, I think it fair to say that existing pressures already place the North American Model in transition, to some degree, and are likely to move it further. The essential question for all of us who care deeply about wildlife is to ﬁgure out how we can best represent our viewpoints while also speaking for wild species and the productive landscapes they require. In short, how can any of us help guide a North American Model towards continued relevance and eﬀectiveness for nature and for society in general?

For some time, it has been hard to escape the impression that conservation debate in North America has veered increasingly towards reactive positioning, focusing on issues relevant to the moment or debating opposing viewpoints on a particular issue. In doing so, the conservation movement has been less inclined to seek a new order of things and certainly has become more politicized. There are some obvious exceptions to this trend, but, overall, I believe the pattern holds. In the meantime, the issues facing wildlife have become ever more complex, a situation demanding bolder vision, not narrower focus; and greater understanding, not exclusion, of views.

I believe we have reached a point where we do require a revitalized conservation approach that is relevant to the world we live in, not the one we were born to. And I also believe that we must not allow our conservation approach to prove itself outdated or indiﬀerent to social change. Some will argue this means the North American Model

must be substantively changed or should be discarded altogether. Some, certainly, would say this is a good thing. But we must ask ourselves some relevant questions. What better alternative approaches do we have available to us? Who has this blueprint, and, more importantly, how will it be moved to inﬂuence and how will it be funded? Who are the architects of power, the mobilizers of knowledge, the tradesmen of change? Who will be the heroes every movement needs? Must we destroy something of historic importance and success just to say we have done so, or because certain changes were, in fact, needed, and regardless of whether we are reasonably certain of success with our new guidance structure? Indeed, upon careful reﬂection, what principles of the Model would we wish to discard?

We might remind those seeking change but oﬀering no detailed plan for reconstruction that movements, like organizations, should adapt when they are strong, not react when they are weakened. And to those who resist change on principle, we might note that all retreats to fortress are, eventually, doomed. In this regard, both defenders and critics of the Model are faced with a similar challenge: how to establish a vision for wild places and wild creatures in North America that also helps create a conservation-supportive society. Neither challenging a principle of the Model, nor defending it will necessarily make wildlife’s future more secure or safeguard the successes of past conservation eﬀorts.

All of us might reﬂect that change, both in nature and society, follows a pattern of

punctuated equilibrium where, eventually, precipitous change overtakes and resets the conditions for longer periods of relative stasis. Very likely, North American conservation stands at this precipice now; and, as a result, the North American Model may very well be in transition. How far in transition perhaps none of us can know. Such things are better illuminated in hindsight, are they not? However, there is no question that we are living in a hurricane of agitation that will inevitably disrupt, to one degree or another, our current approaches to many important institutions, including our conservation eﬀorts. Our decision must be whether to guide such change, simply demand that it occurs, or deny that it is needed. In such a circumstance, what real choice does any of us have?

Big Game Records

By Roy Grace

I hope all of you are doing well and your fall hunts are rewarding and safe. It’s a little bit exciting here in the White Mountains of Arizona this summer as I drew an unbelievable archery mule deer tag for the Arizona Strip. This area is world famous for growing big mature mule deer, and I haven’t been there since 2008. Hopefully, by the time you read this column, I’m enjoying a successful hunt for a big ol’ velvet-clad mule deer! It’s going to be an adventure for sure.

Non-typical Roosevelt’s / Tule Elk Update

The new score forms have been approved and are on the website for our measurers and members' immediate use. Oﬃcial

measurers should have received either an email or letter (for those with no email listed) explaining the change, our timeline, and a copy of the new score form. If you have not received either, please get in touch with Blake McPhaul ( blake@popeyoung.org ) or our Director of Records, Tim Rozewki (tim@pope-young.org ). If neither is available, you can also contact me ( roy@ pope-young.org ). Lastly, those entries already in our data system and qualifying for the new category have been moved into the correct category(s). Thank you all for your patience with this project.

Measurer Renewal Test

Our Director of Records sent out renewal tests to many measurers who were about

to expire or within a year of expiring. Staﬀ had not sent out a renewal test for at least four years, which is what the required time frame used to cover. Please understand that completing this test and sending it back as soon as possible is crucial. There have been A LOT of changes over the last four years in the records portion and membership, so this test is a great way to ensure our measurers are up to date. If you have an expiration card that extends you further and you received a test, please send a phone picture or copy of your card (electronically) to our Director of Records, and he can update your measurer ﬁle. If you’d rather just take the test now, you will be good for an additional six years from now, as I have extended the required time from four to six years. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions and/or concerns.

Sight Light Ballot Issue

OVER-BUILT & UNAPOLOGETIC.

Yes, the new Carbon RX-5 is built to bully nature and there’s not another bow out there that comes close. For that, we’re not sorry. We over-engineer our REDWRX bows so you can fill tags when everything else goes to hell. This is the crossroads between the path you know and the path being engineered by progress. This is the new Carbon RX-5.

After a lengthy and healthy discussion with the records committee, the members were split on whether to recommend the use of an electronic sight light or not. This information was given to the Board, and ultimately, they motioned to send it to the voting (regular/senior) membership for ﬁnal disposition. By this reading, you should have received an electronic email ballot or a ballot by mail for those who have no email account. If you have never received a ballot, contact our Executive Director, Justin Spring (justin@popeyoung.org), and he will ensure your contact information is corrected and you begin to receive important correspondence. Please also check your junk mailbox, as they will sometimes get routed there.

Panel Invitations

By this reading, the ﬁrst wave of panel invitation letters to trophy owners should have been sent and received. These invitation letters are for those top trophies taken in the 34th recording period. The panel

New Measurers Pictured Below (not in any particular order)

Chelsea M. Jaeger – Barrhead, AB | Darcy John Van Sprundel – Redvers, SK | Jarret T. Johnson – Dodsland, SK | Kristofer A. J. Skelly – Beaumont, AB

Chester Dodgson – Grimshaw, AB | Clifford G. Wowdzia – Vegreville, AB | Daniel R. "Dan" Grunert – Indian Head, SK | Dylan M.W. Kuschak – Ituna, SK

Ian G. Peters – Lloydminster, SK | Jeff S. Heck – Battleford, SK | Leonard E. Davis – Ponoka, AB | Raymond J. Melom – Grande Prairie, AB

Mr. Scott W. Soyka – Yarbo, SK | Steven D. Little – Biggar, SK | Stu K. Christensen – Shaunavon, SK | Terrance W. "Terry" Brew – Clive, AB

Terry A. Holmstrom – Tisdale, SK | Tyler G. Allemand – Shaunavon, SK | Wade S. Lund – Minton, SK | Ray John Abt – Ponoka, AB

judges will be convening from February 20-22nd in Phoenix, Arizona. If you have one of these invited trophies, PLEASE consider sending or bringing it to this prestigious event. Reminder: only trophies sent for panel verification are eligible for awards at our convention in April of 2025. Additionally, any animal that ranks in the top five (5) of its respective category MUST be panel verified, per the bylaws, or it is removed from the records program. So again, please send them in! If you have any questions and/or concerns, contact Tim Rozewski or me; we’ll gladly assist you with this process.

Trophy Entries

We have had several inquiries about the status of trophy entries sent to the records program. The staﬀ was a bit behind, but after streamlining some services and procedures, we should get caught up, and you should have your certiﬁcates ready

promptly. However, if you are a trophy owner or a measurer who has submitted an entry and has not heard anything for sixty (60) days, PLEASE email records@popeyoung.org and inquire there. Please do not call the oﬃce, as our records team does not work out of that location. Email will be the fastest way to receive an answer. If you must call, please select the ‘records’ prompt on the directory machine so it can forward you directly to our Records Coordinator (Blake). If you are still not receiving the answer needed, please email me at roy@pope-young.org, and I will look into the issue.

New Measurers, Eh?

I want to welcome our ﬁrst batch (ﬁrst of two classes) of newly appointed measurers from Saskatchewan, Canada (see photograph). Our Director of Records, Tim Rozewski, and Kyle Lehr (B&C-Director of Records) taught this course in Regina, SK.

I would also like to thank Pat McKenzie (P&Y Records Committee) for assisting the instructors. I hope these newly appointed measurers learned a great deal and are ready for the challenge of measuring and signing up new members. Welcome aboard!

Closing

In closing, please ensure the oﬃce AND records have your current address, email address, and phone number. It really helps them when they are trying to send important correspondence or need to ask a 2-minute question/answer. If you’re unsure if your contact information is correct, please log into the website and click on your info to conﬁrm.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and your hunts fare well. I can’t wait to see many of you at the Phoenix convention in April of 2025. Until then, shoot straight and hunt ethically.

Measuring and Scoring Antlers Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

AFigure 11-A•Mature caribou racks show a usual pattern of ﬁve main features:

1. Main Beam (E, H-1, H-2, and H-3)

2. Brow Palm (F-1 and G-1)

3. Bez Point (F-2)

4. Rear Point (F-3)

5. Top Palm (F-4, F-5, G-2, and H-4)

ll North American caribou belong to a single genus and species (Rangifer tarandus) that includes the domesticated reindeer. Many varieties of caribou have been described, but for B&C and P&Y records-keeping purposes, only five categories are recognized—Mountain (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Woodland (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Barren Ground (Rangifer tarandus granti), Central Canada Barren Ground (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), and Quebec-Labrador (Rangifer tarandus caribou). See the Category Boundaries, Figure 1, for descriptions of their ranges. While certain categories display more pronounced features than others, and individual caribou racks vary widely in conformation, all caribou have the same basic antler structure. Thus, the scoring system is identical for all five categories. Caribou occur throughout the northern reaches of the North American continent, including Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory, and all Canadian provinces. The Woodland caribou is the only caribou that is native to a few of the Lower 48 states—and only along the Canadian border. In response to declining numbers across their southern range, the few remaining animals have been transplanted to British Columbia, where efforts continue to hopefully one day rebuild these populations.

Central Canada Baren Ground caribou are eligible for entry from Baﬃn Island, the mainland of Northwest Territories and Nunavut as well as northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan(Figure 2). Caribou from other Artic islands north of the mainland of Northwest Territories and Nunavut are ineligible for the record books. Pope and Young Club classiﬁes caribou harvested in Greenland as Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou. Boone and Crockett does not accept caribou from Greenland into its records program.

Mature caribou antlers show a usual pattern of ﬁve main features as illustrated in Figure 11-A:

1) A main beam, E, that arises from the skull and grows outward, upward and backward, and then forward to the tip.

2) A brow palm, F-1, often referred to as a shovel and commonly found on only one antler, projects in a perpendicular fashion from the main beam (not from the bez) forward over the face as a single, short spike, branched tine or a broad, multi-pointed palm.

3) A bez point (pronounced “bay”), F-2, growing forward from the main beam just above the brow palm, can have two or more branches and often shows some palmation.

4) A rear point, F-3, usually develops as an unbranched spike projecting backward from about the middle of the main beam.

5) A series of distinct, separate points develop at the top of the antler main beam, with the beam often showing distinct palmation at this location.

Accurately measuring caribou antlers can be time-consuming. It requires close attention to instructions, as techniques and metrics used are not common to other antlered game.

Main Beam and Point Lengths

The length of the main beam and antler point length measurements (NOTE: for a point to qualify, it only has to be “4/8” long. Caribou is the only antlered species where it is not a 1” point rule ) are taken with a flexible steel cable or a quarter-inch wide, flexible steel lip-end tape. The use of a round, flexible steel cable greatly speeds up the measuring process while still yielding an accurate measurement. However,

Figure 2•Central Canada Barren Grund caribou (brown) boundary locations for record-keeping purposes.

Figure 1•Boundary locations for the ﬁve categories of caribou accepted by the Pope and Young and Boone and Crockett Clubs.

Figure 11-G•Examples of rear-point projections, which may be blunt and triangular in shape; occasionally the rear-point projection will not qualify as an actual point.

only the quarter-inch wide, steel ring-end tape can be used for circumference measurements.

For measurement of length, the cable is positioned along the outer curve of the beam or point. The end of the measurement is marked by attaching a mini-hook clip or an alligator clip to the cable at the proper spot. The cable is then removed and held in a straight line against a folding carpenter’s ruler or straightedge to determine the measured length. The lip-end tape is often faster to use when antler points are generally straight, as the lip-end can be easily hooked on the end of the antler point and the tape stretched across the point’s base line. When using a quarter-inch wide, lip-end tape on a curved point or antler beam, mark with masking tape those locations where you must pivot the measuring tape along the line of measurement.

The next step is to measure the main beam lengths. The score chart indicates the end of the beam length is the most distant point of the main beam. In determining which points of the antler tops are to be regarded as the main beam tips, both antlers must be studied. These points should be the longest forward-projecting points. Most caribou show the main beams growing forward with the tips over the top of the skull. On many caribou antlers, the main beam tip is the lowest point on the forward-directed main beam. The main beam tip always projects forward.

The measurement for determining the length of antler main beam (E) is illustrated on the score chart and in Figure 11-A. The measurement line starts by hooking a ﬂexible steel cable or lip-end tape under the edge of the antler burr in the exact center of the antler and running it to the beam tip, maintaining it along the center of the outer side of the beam. It can be measured either from the tip to the burr or from the burr to the tip. Either way should result in the same measurement if the correct line is chosen. The line of measurement across the top palm

follows the most massive structure to the beam tip. Do not measure through the center of the top palm; stay on the center of the main beam out to its tip. (Note main beam length location of Figure 11-A) The length of main beam is recorded in the box on Line E of the score chart.

Measurement of the length of brow palm (F-1) and bez (F-2) is similar to point measurements in deer and elk. Point base lines are established for these points where they join main beam material. Before marking the base lines, however, ﬁrst aﬃx masking tape to the bases of the points. The edge of the beam, and hence the starting location for the base line for the brow palm, may be quite forward and somewhat under the brow palm itself, so care must be taken when marking the brow palm’s base. The length is then taken from the center of the brow’s base over the outer curve to the tip. This measurement may be taken either on the outside or the inside of the brow palm, depending on the curvature of the brow.

Since the brow palm and bez may possess multiple branches, there may be several choices for placement of the measurement line. The correct choice is the line that extends into the most distant projection of the point. Figure 11-E

illustrates some possible F-2 measurements. Particularly on the bez, the greatest length may be up one of the points that branches from the bez prior to its tip. It is also important to note that both the brow palm and the bez must project from the main beam itself. On occasion, a brow palm-like structure comes not off the beam but off the bez as illustrated in Figure 11-F. This situation occurs most often with Central Canada Barren Ground caribou antlers, but there are examples in all caribou categories. In such a case, that structure cannot be treated as a brow palm but rather as points on the bez—the brow palm is missing, and the condition should be noted in the Remarks section. The length of brow palms (or first point) is recorded in the box on Line F-1 of the score chart. A zero is recorded for the obvious absence of a brow palm. The length of bez (or second point) is recorded in the box on Line F-2 of the score chart.

Rear points (F-3) are often missing on caribou. If the rear point qualiﬁes as a point in terms of being longer than wide at some point one-half inch or more from the point tip, its length is measured from its tip to its base line on the main beam. Often, the rear point may be quite blunt and triangular in shape. Figure 11-G

Figure 11-E•The correct choice for F-2 measurements on typical bezes is the line extending to the mostdistant projection of the point.

Figure 11-F•Occasionally a brow palm-like structure comes off the bez, not off the beam. In such a case, that structure cannot be treated as a brow palm but rather as a point

points on the bez.

Measuring and Scoring Antlers Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

Figure 11-H•Measurement of the individual points F-4 and F-5 (second-longest and longest top-palm points) extends beyond the base line (green) to the lower edge of the beam.

illustrates these cases. If a projection does not qualify as a point, it is obviously not counted or measured as a point.

Credit can be given for only a single rear point on each antler. On rare occasions, an extra rear point (not a branch of the rear point) may develop on one or both antlers. In such cases, choose the more normal one to measure as the rear point. The other will receive credit only in the point count for the antler. The length of rear points is recorded in the box on Line F-3 of the score chart.

Measurement of the individual points F-4 and F-5 (second-longest and longest top-palm points) diﬀers from other caribou point measurements in several ways. These two points are measured over their outer curve to the lower edge of the main beam, rather than to a base line established on the top edge of the main beam. Commonly, these points are part of a noticeable palm formation, with a portion of their length hidden in the palm. For that reason, they are measured to the lower edge of the main beam. The ﬁrst part of this measurement is in the usual manner, from the point tip to the top edge of the main beam (where a base line would be drawn in the other antlered categories). Then the measurement is continued at a right angle to the main beam axis to the lower edge of the beam with the entire length being recorded. Figure 11-H illustrates this technique. Note that the measurement is continued to the midpoint of the lower edge of

palm, which is often keelshaped. A common error is to not take the lengths of F-4 and F-5 to the bottom edge of the top palm.

Figure 11-B•There are three separate spread measurements taken for caribou: tip-to-tip spread (A), greatest spread (B), and inside spread (C). Use a wall and a carpenter’s level with a C-clamp to make the right-angle measurements necessary for both the greatest spread (B) and the inside spread (C). The only spread measurement in the ﬁnal score is the inside spread (C) so long as it is not greater than the longer antler. If the inside spread is greater than the longer antler length, enter the longer antler length for the spread credit.

One additional consideration to keep in mind when measuring the second-longest top-palm point (F-4) is that it cannot be a branch of the longest top-palm point (F-5). It must arise from the top edge of the palm or the main beam as a separate point. This instruction is necessary as the longest top-palm point may have an oﬀshoot point that extends further from the main beam than the actual second-longest top-palm point. If this point branch was designated as the secondlongest point, it would create a false measurement for both G-2 (width of top palm) and H-4 (circumference at smallest place between two longest top-palm points) by directing these lines of measurement to a point fork, rather than the true palm area. The lengths of second-longest and longest top points are recorded in the boxes on lines F-4 and F-5 of the score chart, respectively.

Spread Measurements

The tip-to-tip spread and greatest-spread

measurements (Figure 11-B) are supplementary data and not ﬁgured into the ﬁnal score. They are recorded on the score chart as they indicate the general conformation of the rack and, with other measurements, give a useful picture of antler formation.

The tip-to-tip spread measurement (Figure 11-B, A) must be taken using a folding carpenter’s ruler or some other straightedge. This measurement is simply from the center of the tip of one antler to the center of the tip of the other and recorded on Line A on the score chart. The length of main beam must be taken prior to the tip-to-tip measurement to ensure the furthest forward-facing projection has been identiﬁed as the beam tip.

Because caribou racks are so large, the greatest-spread measurement (Figure 11-B, B) is best taken by laying the rack on a level ﬂoor against a wall or some other perfectly vertical surface and sliding one of the antlers snugly against the wall so that the skull’s length is parallel to the

11-C•Measure down a half-inch from the squared-off tip of the projection. If the width is less than a half-inch, it can be counted as a point (green line). If width is greater than the length, continue measuring farther down the projection to see if there is a place where the length exceeds the width, therefore making it a point.

wall. Then place a carpenter’s level, making sure it is plumb, against the outside edge (whether it is a point tip or the main beam) of the opposite antler at the greatest distance from the wall, and measure the distance from the wall to the carpenter’s level. The greatest spread is recorded in the box on Line B of the score chart.

The inside spread of main beams (Figure 11-B, C) must also be taken with a folding carpenter’s ruler, using the brass extension to complete the measured line. Care must be exercised to properly position the ruler for this measurement. The line of measurement must be at a right angle to the long axis of the skull and parallel to the skull cap. Thus, if one beam should be positioned higher than the other, it will be necessary to use a carpenter’s square or straightedge against the higher antler to properly locate the line.

The actual measurement will reﬂect the greatest distance between the inside edges of the two main beams at their center. Make sure this measurement is taken between beams and not between the top palm material. If the main beams roll inwards or tilt outwards, the inside spread is taken to the centers of the main beams.

Rarely, one antler will curve inward in the normal fashion, while the other will ﬂare outward. In such a case, subjective judgment must be exercised, choosing the point of measurement on the ﬂaring antler where it begins to diverge from

the normal curvature as found on the other antler. The inside spread of main beams is recorded in the box on Line C of the score chart.

Note that spread credit, also on Line C of the score chart, cannot exceed the length of the longer antler main beam. If the inside spread measurement does exceed the longer main beam, record the longer main beam length (rather than the inside spread measurement) in the box on Line C of the score chart for spread credit. An inside spread greater than the length of the longer antler is sometimes seen in Quebec-Labrador caribou racks, but rarely in other caribou categories.

Point Determination and Count

While caribou generally display the five features mentioned above, no other antlered species shows greater variety in the development of antler points. For this reason, there is no such thing as an abnormal point in caribou. The point definition in caribou differs from the general definition used for all other antlered game. For purposes of determining points in caribou, a point is any projection at least one-half inch long, and longer than wide at any length of onehalf inch or more, measuring from the tip. Any projection meeting this definition is considered a point (Figure 11-C). Some bulls may have more than 50 points. Especially on the brow palm and bez, points may be quite short and curved. A projection is measured over its outer curve when determining its length; width is taken perpendicular to the center line of the length measurement.

The total number of points including the beam

tip, but excluding any points on the brow palm, is tallied ﬁrst. Next, the point totals on each brow palm (when present) are determined separately from the points for the rest of the antler and entered on the appropriate line on the score chart. Care must be taken not to count the brow palm points twice (once as brow palm points and again as points on each antler).

Figure 11-D illustrates the proper point count for three situations dealing with brow palm configurations. On the left diagram, there is only one point on the brow palm. On the middle diagram, two points would be recorded. The right diagram displays three separate points. The reason for this is that the brow palm length for the brow palm on the left would be recorded to the upper tip of the palm. Thus, that tip is then the brow palm and not a separate point off the rest of that palm. In the other two diagrams, one (center) then two (right) other points occur. Again, the top tip counts as one, and the lower structure counts as either a second, or second and third points. If the brow palm, bez, rear, or top points are missing on one or both antlers, record them as zeroes (0) or dashes (–) on the score chart to properly identify the point sequence. Since many caribou have only a single brow palm, or a brow palm and a spike, there is no difference penalty for lack of symmetry on brow-palm measurements.

MINIMUM SCORES

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO SCORE CARIBOU

•Copy of the current score chart for caribou for the appropriate organization

•Pencil and pen

•Masking tape

•Quarter-inch wide steel ring-end measuring tape

•Quarter-inch wide steel lip-end measuring tape

•6-foot ﬂexible cable with mini-hook clip or alligator clip

•Folding carpenter’s ruler with brass slide extension

•Carpenter’s level with C-clamp or 2 carpenter’s squares/stair jigs

YOU MAY ALSO NEED:

•Small carpenter’s square or credit card

Figure

Figure 11-D•Proper point count for three situations dealing with brow-palm conﬁgurations.

Measuring and Scoring Antlers Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

Widths of Brow and Top Palm

The width of the brow palm (G-1) is measured in a straight line from the top edge to the lower edge at a right angle to the main axis of the brow palm. This measurement is best taken with a small pair of carpenter’s squares, also referred to as boss squares (available from B&C and P&Y). This measurement can be diﬃcult on caribou since brow palms display a variety of conﬁgurations. Various brow-palm formations and the corresponding G-1 measurements are illustrated in Figure 11-I. Use the one that most nearly matches the antlers you are measuring as a pattern to follow. Within limits, the width of the brow palm must not duplicate its length nor should the width measurement be primarily one of measuring air space without palm material.

If the brow palm is not noticeably palmate but does show some ﬂattening and/or enlargement indicative of palm formation at its tip, the width is recorded across the ﬂattening. If the brow palm is a single spike point with no palmation evident at the tip, a brow-palm width credit of one-eighth (1/8) inch is entered for G-1 to identify the character of this point regardless of the actual point width.

Because of the great variation of caribou antlers, the brow-palm width measurement is often more complicated than the score chart illustration. In order to take the width measurements of the brow palm (G-1), two parallel lines must be established.

If the axis of the brow palm is markedly curved and also shows palmation at the tip, the width of the brow palm is taken at a right angle to the tip (Figure 11-J). This prevents the

inﬂated measurement that would result if the measurement location were based primarily on the curvature of the axis of the brow palm rather than its actual palmation.

A good method for establishing the two parallel lines is best done using two carpenter’s squares positioned parallel to the main axis of the brow palm. The width is then measured at right angles between these parallel lines. Figure 11-I illustrates various parallel lines and G-1 measurements. The width of palm is recorded in the box on Line G-1 of the score chart.

The development of bez palmation is most common in Woodland and Quebec-Labrador caribou and is less so in Mountain and Barren Ground caribou. When the original committee chaired by Sam Webb was ﬁnalizing the scoring system for caribou, it rejected the idea of crediting bez palmation because of the great variation in the conformation of bez points.

The width of the top palm (G-2) is measured on the outside of the antler from the midpoint (keel) or center of the lower edge of main beam to the midpoint (keel) or center of upper edge of palm between upward-projecting points at the widest part of the palm. Unlike brow-palm width (G-1), which is a straight-line measurement, the width of top palm is a curved line that begins and ends at midpoints of the palm edges and is taken in contact with the outside surface of the top palm. If the conformation dictates, it may be taken at the same place as the fourth circumference (H-4) if this is the widest area of palm. However, since it does not need to be between the longest and second-longest top points, it can occur at other

Figure 11-K•Location of G-2 measurement; depending on the formation, it may be the same location as the H-4 measurement.

Figure 11-J•If the axis of the brow palm is markedly curved and also shows palmation at the tip, the width of the brow palm is taken at a right angle to the tip.

Figure 11-I•Examples of G-1 palm formations.

Measuring and Scoring Antlers Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

Figure 11-L•If there is no second-longest top-palm point, the G-2 width of the top palm and H-4 are both taken at the same location, halfway from the longest top-palm point to the beam tip (E).

Figure 11-M•If there are no top points present, width of top palm (G-2), circumference at smallest place between rear point and ﬁrst top point(H-3), and circumference at smallest place between two longest top points (H-4) are all taken at the midpoint of a line which follows the length of main beam line from the center of the rear point base line to the beam tip.

locations on the top palm (Figure 11-K). The G-2 measurement must be taken in contact with antler surface and cannot cross over an open bay (open air). As noted, the G-2 measurement is taken between upward-projecting points. Thus, points projecting downward from the bottom edge of the main beam are not considered when determining the location at which to take G-2, nor

may a downward projecting point abnormally inﬂate this measurement. The width of top palm is recorded in the box on Line G-2 of the score chart.

Circumferences

Four circumferences are always taken on caribou regardless of the conﬁguration of the antlers. The four circumferences (located at H-1, H-2, H-3, and H-4 and illustrated in Figure 11-A) should be taken only with a ring-end measuring tape. The tape is positioned in the general area of the indicated measurement by looping it around the main beam. Pull the tape together and slide it back and forth along the beam until the smallest circumference measurement is obtained. If you use a lip-end tape to measure circumferences, overlap the tape at a full 10-inch increment to simplify the procedure. Be sure to subtract the amount of overlap (in this case, 10 inches) before recording the measurement. H-1 circumference is taken at the smallest place between the brow palm and the bez. If the brow palm is missing, H-1 is taken between the burr and bez at the smallest circumference. H-2 circumference is taken at the smallest place between the bez and the rear point; H-3 at the smallest place between the rear point and the top palm. Should the rear point be absent, the H-2 and H-3 circumferences are taken at the same location: the smallest place between the bez and top-palm points. If, however, there is a bump that does not qualify as a rear point, H-2 and H-3 are taken at the smallest place on either side of the bump as if it were a point. H-4 is taken at the smallest place between F-4 and F-5, the two longest upwardprojecting points of the top-palm structure. If the top palm is cupped, the tape is not in contact with the antler material on the inner concave surface of the top palm. When taking this measurement, do not depress the tape into the cupping. As previously noted, the second-longest top point cannot be a branch of the longest because it would artiﬁcially increase this fourth circumference.

In the unusual case where no second-longest top-palm point has developed (Figure 11-L), a zero is entered for the second-longest toppalm point value, and the G-2 width of the top palm and H-4 circumference are both taken at a location that is half the distance from the beam tip to the location where the length of the

longest top point (F-5) crosses the main beam measurement line. If no top points are present (Figure 11-M), a zero is entered for both Length of Second Longest Top Point (F-4) and Length of Longest Top Point (F-5). Width of top palm (G-2), Circumference at smallest place between rear point and ﬁrst top point (H-3), and circumference at smallest place between two longest top points (H-4) are all taken at the midpoint of a line which follows the length of main beam line from the center of the rear point base line to the beam tip.

The circumference measurements (H-1, H-2, H-3, and H-4) are recorded in their appropriate boxes on the score chart if all scored tines are present.

Final Score Calculations

Now that you’ve taken the last measurement, you are ready to calculate the final score. Start by calculating the differences between the measurements listed on the score chart from Line Item D through Line Item H-4. Subtract the smaller measurement from the larger measurement for each line item, regardless of which side is smaller or larger, and enter the difference in the appropriate box in Column 3. Add the totals of Columns 1, 2, and 3.

Note that the boxes in Column 3 for the differences between the number of points on each brow palm (D), as well as the lengths (F-1) and widths (G-1) of each brow palm are blackened out. The reason: either the right or left brow palm is frequently missing on a caribou rack, and the trophy is not penalized for this situation.

Now complete all the empty boxes in the lower left-hand corner of the score chart to calculate the final score. The spread credit from Line D is transposed to the blank labeled Spread Credit in the lower left-hand corner. Then, transpose the totals for Columns 1, 2, and 3 to the boxes indicated in the lower left-hand corner of the score chart. Add Columns 1 and 2 together and insert that figure in the box for the subtotal. Then subtract the total of Column 3 from that subtotal to arrive at the final score. If your final score exceeds the minimum score and meets the other entry requirements for one or both of the organizations, you can obtain a list of local Official Measurers by going to their respective websites at www.boone-crockett.org or www.pope-young.org.

Big Game Species Profile

Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

By Mike Schlegel

Scientific Classification

The scientific community categorizes all caribou and reindeer under the species Rangifer tarandus, which includes three distinct subspecies: Barren Ground (Rangifer tarandus granti), Central Canada Barren Ground (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), and Woodland (Rangifer tarandus caribou) The Pope and Young Club and the Boone and Crockett Club have further identified five caribou categories for their record program, including the Mountain Caribou and the Quebec-Labrador Caribou, in addition to the three previously mentioned. These categories are based on geographic distribution rather than genetic differences. Despite this, from a DNA perspective, the Mountain and Quebec-Labrador are considered Woodland Caribou. Caribou, particularly the Central Canada Barren Ground caribou, is significant in history and culture. The word caribou comes from a Micmac word “xalibo”. It translates to “the one that paws through the snow for its food.” Caribou have a keen sense of smell that helps them find food through the snow in winter. There is a strong connection between caribou and the indigenous people.

Description

Like all members of the deer family, the Barren Ground caribou have a split hoof. The caribou hoof is larger and much more concave than other deer species. This adaptation is advantageous for swimming, traveling on the tundra, and pawing through snow. Both sexes grow antlers; those of the male are much larger than the female. The main antler beam of a mature bull sweeps forward and has ﬂat vertical palmated front brows, ‘bez’ points that project forward, plus a point projecting oﬀ the back side of the antler. The forward end of the antlers can be palmated with several upward points. Like other antlered members of the deer family,

Big Game Species Profile

Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

antler growth begins in late spring and ends by mid-August. Most pregnant females will keep their antlers until after they give birth in June.

Central Canada Barren Ground caribou are similar in appearance to Woodland caribou but are somewhat smaller, lighter in color, have shorter legs, and have smaller antlers. Caribou coloration varies in whites and browns. The color contrast is the most pronounced during the summer, while in the fall, they appear to be a more uniform light brown, and in the winter, their coloring contrast fades during the winter. The outer hair is hollow in winter, providing insulation from extremely cold temperatures. Under the coarse hair is a layer of wool, providing warmth. Barren Ground caribou are "slightly larger and darker" in Canada. Mature bulls

average 250-300 pounds, while mature cows average 175-250. Calves average 13 pounds at birth and will double their weight during the ﬁrst two weeks.

Life History

Caribou are migratory animals and may travel 750 miles during their yearly movements. Because they tend to stay in large herds, caribou tend to constantly be on the move. This is an adaption that prevents overutilizing the forage. During summer, willow, sedges, tundra forbs, and mushrooms are the main food items. They shift to lichens, dried sedges, and shrubs during the fall, winter, and early spring.

Caribou herd names originate from their traditional calving grounds. The Northwest Territories identiﬁes nine herds of Barren

Ground caribou: Porcupine, Cape Bathurst, Tuk Peninsula, Bluenose West, Bluenose East, Bathurst, Beverly, Ahiak, and Qamanirjuaq. Many of the herds move between seasonal habitats in diﬀerent management organizations. The Porcupine population uses habitat mostly in the Yukon and has calving grounds in Alaska, but in some years, it ranges into the Northwest Territories. However, both record-keeping clubs classify the Porcupine herd as Barren Ground.

Calving occurs over a two-week period in late May and early June, which reduces the impact of predation. Newborn calves average 13 pounds at birth and are mobile a few hours after birth. They double their weight within two weeks. The herd begins to migrate as its food source becomes more abundant.

The rut begins in mid-September and runs into early November, varying by herd location. Bulls compete for cows; ﬁghting is minimal however, injuries are common. When in good body condition, cows can breed when 16 months old, but the norm for ﬁrst breeding is 28 months. A single, nonspotted calf is the norm; twins are rare. Cows breed every year. However, if in poor body condition, they produce a calf every other year. Soon after the rut, the older bulls begin to drop their antlers. Young bulls and cows don’t drop their antlers until April, and pregnant cows shed after calf drop.

Natural Mortality Factors

Predation: Wolves, grizzly bears, and golden eagles are the main predators and can signiﬁcantly reduce calf survival.

Insects: Parasites such as warble flies have been shown to significantly influence Barren Ground caribou behavior., body condition, pregnancy rates, and ultimately, productivity and survival. Harassment by insects, primarily mosquitoes, black flies, and warble flies, rarely causes direct mortality. However, caribou often run for miles seeking relief from the insects, which reduces their ability to build body fat for the upcoming winter. Shortly after birth, cows and calves unite in large herds to avoid predators plus escape biting insects. Caribou also seek wind to lessen the effect of insects. When insects begin to die out, these large groups splinter into small groups, feeding on willow leaves to regain body weight. The effect of insect harassment is correlated with weather conditions. Warmer summers

favor insects, and this has great eﬀects on caribou.

Disease and Parasites: Caribou are susceptible to various diseases and parasites and are commonly localized. For example, brucellosis is a bacterial infection that causes abortion, weak calves, and stillbirths. Overall, the infection rate is quite low; however, in speciﬁc herds, the infection rate can be signiﬁcant enough to reduce the herd size.

Foot rot is a bacterial disease that causes lameness, making the infected animal more susceptible to predation. Like brucellosis, the overall infection rate is small but can be prevalent in speciﬁc herds. As with the insect problem, foot rot is most prevalent during warm periods.

Parasites: “Parasites are known to inﬂuence the population dynamics of caribou

Big Game Species Profile

Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

(Albon et al., 2002).” There is a variety of protozoan, nematode, and tapeworm parasites that infect caribou. The most signiﬁcant protozoan parasites are Besnoitia tarandi, Neospora caninum, and Toxoplasma gondii. All three can cause abortion and weak calves. Also, the life cycle for these parasites is the same: the host(s) for the adult stage of the parasite can be a wolf, coyote, fox, lynx, or cougar. The infective stage is passed in the feces, develops, and encysts on vegetation. The caribou ingests the cyst, and it develops, eventually migrating to muscle tissue and encysting. One of the host animals then consumes the infected muscle, and the cycle begins again. These parasites are common in caribou populations throughout their range populations.

Echinococcus and Taenia are tapeworm parasites common to caribou. They have the same lifecycle as the previously mentioned protozoan parasites. Echinococcus canadensis develops into a cyst, normally in the lungs of caribou. This, in turn, makes

the infected caribou more susceptible to predation due to reduced lung capacity. The various species of Taenia encyst normally develop on the liver or mesentery without causing symptoms to the host species, i.e., caribou. They are common across the range of caribou populations.

The warming trends during the past several years have resulted in changes in forage, composition, quality, and quantity. In addition, the impact of parasites and diseases may become more signiﬁcant during warming periods.

Population Status

Figure 1 shows the geographic distribution of Central Canada Barren Ground caribou populations. Caribou populations are known to exceed 100,000+ animals. They are also known to be somewhat cyclic regarding population numbers. Unfortunately, during the past several decades, many caribou populations have crashed regardless of their classiﬁcation. In April

References

wildlife@gov.nt.ca

S.D. Albon, A. Stien, R.J. Irvine, R. Langvatn, E. Ropstad, O. Halvorsen. The role of parasites in the dynamics of a reindeer population. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci., 269 (2002), pp. 1625-1632

https://www.gov.nt.ca/ecc/en/services/barren-ground-caribou https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S2213224418301366

COSEWIC. 2016. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Caribou Rangifer tarandus, Barren-ground population, in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xiii + 123 pp.

http://www.registrelep sararegistry.gc.ca/

https://wcvm.usask.ca/learnaboutparasites/parasites/ neospora-caninum.php

https://wcvm.usask.ca/learnaboutparasites/parasites/ echinococcus-granulosus.php

https://pcmb.ca/health/

https://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/species/ﬁles/ barrenground_caribou_recovery_strategy_ﬁnal_8april2020.pdf

https://www.hww.ca/assets/pdfs/factsheets/caribou-en.pdf

https://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/sites/species/files/ barrenground_caribou_recovery_strategy_final_8april2020.pdf https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/are-baffin-islandscaribou-numbers-growing-researchers-plan-to-find-out/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribou_herds_ and_populations_in_Canada

https://www.northerncaribou.ca/herds/barren-ground/ahiak/ https://www.northerncaribou.ca/herds/barren-ground/ cape-bathurst/

Caribou subpopulations of the Central Canada BarrenGround Caribou DU. Map by Bonnie Fournier, GNWT.

FIGURE 1

Big Game Species Profile

Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

2017, the Northwest Territories Species at Risk Committee assessed the status of Barren Ground caribou, specifically the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula, Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West, Bluenose-East, Bathurst, Beverly, Ahiak, and Qamanirjuaq herds. They concluded these herds warranted ‘Threatened’ status. The analysis of available population survey data documented an overall decline of 85% for all but one herd. The data also suggests that the decline in two of the major herds has stabilized, but at much lower numbers, 85% below the previous highs. Table 1 represents the most recent population survey data for the major Central Canada Barren Ground caribou in the Northwest Territories. The Porcupine herd was not included as the majority of this herd inhabits Alaska and is classified as Barren Ground by both Pope and Young and Boone and Crockett. The Species Risk Committee identified the following as

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Table 1. Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) Population Data

High Count/Low Count/Most Recent/Percent Herd Year Year YearChange*

Cape Bathurst19,20019921,90020094,9002021 -74%

Bluenose-West140,000198718,000200918,5002021-87%

Bluenose-East120,900201019,300201819,3002018-84%

Bathurst472,00019866,20020216,2002021-99%

Qamanirjuaq496,0001994253,0002022253,0002022-49%

Southampton30,40019975,400198712,3002015-60%

Tuktoyaktuk Pen3,30020061,5000183,1002021-6%

Beverly/Ahiak276,000199413,6002011103,4002018-63%

Boothia Pen6,70019954,80019856,700199540%***

Lorillard+Wager Bay41,000200228,300199541,000200245%***

Coats Island4,200197850019915001991-88%

Bafﬁn Island235,00019913,10020144,9002014**-98%

*High vs Most Recent **Second Count ***Low vs Most Recent

P & Y is looking for archery memorabilia! Custom arrows, knives, bows, collectibles, or any archery gear that members would be willing to contribute to Pope and Young’s Silent Auction.

The Silent Auction will be held at the 2025 CONVENTION AT RENAISSANCE PHOENIX GLENDALE HOTEL & SPA IN GLENDALE, AZAPRIL 9TH - 12TH, 2025. The Silent Auction is a signiﬁcant fund-raiser, which helps Pope and Young carry out its mission. All donations are tax deductible!

SEND DONATIONS:

Please contact Edna Harlan at 507-867-4144 or email her at EDNA@POPE-YOUNG.ORG for shipping arrangements.

the main threats to caribou populations: Climate change. The most significant effects of the recent change in weather patterns on caribou and their habitat are melting permafrost, unseasonable freezeup and thawing, longer fire season, shifts in the traditional green-up, icing events, and changes in vegetation, plus hotter and dryer summers. Development. Human encroachment into caribou habitat changes behavior, movement patterns and time, forage availability, and provides access for hunters and predators. Forest fires. Hotter and dryer periods result in more and larger fires, which in turn impact the fragmentation of seasonal habitats and forage composition and availability. Predation. During low-population periods, harvest and predation become significant sources of mortality. Hunting can be regulated; however, when predation is a major source of mortality, predator numbers often need to be reduced.

The recent declines across their range have caused great concern. The many jurisdictions involved in caribou management are working to better understand the cause(s) of the decline. They are also working together to regulate hunting and predator mortality and regulate and monitor industrial development.

Hunting

Bowhunting methods vary for Central Canada Barren Ground caribou, but setting up an ambush seems to be the most productive method. Caribou are migratory animals and, in some areas, have taken the same migratory trail for hundreds of years, wearing a deep path in the earth. Setting up on one of these trails could result in numerous opportunities.

Timing for a hunt should be considered. Because of the unpredictable movement of caribou herds, an area can be void of

Big Game Species Profile Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

Table 2. Central Canada Barren

Ground Caribou Entries, All-Time By Score

ScoreEntries

400+ 2

380 – 399 7/810

360-379 7/8 42

340 – 359 7/879

320 – 339 7/8130

300 – 319 7/8 147

Total 410

Table 3. Central Canada Barren

Ground Caribou Entries, Last 10 Years

ScoreEntries

400+ 0

380 – 399 7/81

360-379 7/82

340 – 359 7/81

320 – 339 7/89

300 – 319 7/88

Total 21

Table 6. Top 10 All-Time Centeral Canada Barren Ground Caribou

Table 4. Central Canada Barren Ground

Caribou Entries, Top 10 Locations, All-Time

Location Entries

MacKay Lake, NWT145

Humpy Lake, NWT33

Desteffany Lake, NWT 27

Little Martin Lake, NWT22

Warburton Bay22

Artillery Lake, NWT15

Courageous Lake, NWT13

Point Lake, NWT13

Contwoyto Lake, NUN9

Nejanilini Lake, MAN8

Total 307

Kill DateScoreLocationSt/Pro Hunter

9/8/94420 6/8Humpy LakeNWT Al Kuntz

9/16/97405 3/8MacKay LakeNWTDan Gartner

9/6/18394 6/8Contwoyto LakeNUNAllen Bolen

9/3/90388 4/8Little Marten LakeNWTAdrian L. Erickson

8/31/96387 3/8Little Marten LakeNWTJames Gopffarth

8/19/86387 1/8Bafﬁn IslandNWTRandall J. Kiessel

9/2/97385 5/8Munroe LakeMANThomas A. Koepke MD

8/29/02382 3/8Point LakeNWTN. Guy Eastman

10/1/95381 6/8MacKay LakeNWTTom Taylor

9/12/87374 3/8Warburton BayNWTDuane Hicks

Table 7. Top 10 All-Time Centeral Canada Barren Ground Caribou - Velvet

Kill DateScoreLocationSt/Pro Hunter

9/3/05384 4/8Humpy LakeNWTRodney Cockeram

8/21/08383 5/8Point LakeNWTTyler Allred

8/22/00380 4/8Humpy LakeNWTRobert Barrie

8/24/01374 1/8Warburton BayNWTRobert G. MacCuish

8/23/99372 1/8Little Marten LakeNWTRoger Stewart

8/19/96 372 MacKay LakeNWTJohn Sebert

8/19/96 371 MacKay LakeNWTGeoff Sagen

8/30/19370 5/8Contwoyto LakeNUNErnesto Santana

8/26/07370 5/8MacKay LakeNWTHoyt Michener

8/20/00370 3/8Humpy LakeNWTBruce Barrie

Table 5. Central Canada Barren Ground

Caribou Entries, Top Locations Last 10 Years

Location Entries

Baralzon Lake, MAN8

Contwoyto Lake, NUN5

Trebell Lake, NWT3

Farnie Lake, MAN2

animals for most of the year before they move through it. Research should be done to ﬁnd out when the caribou have moved through the area in the past and when they will most likely be there when you are going to hunt. A lot of good luck is also important.

Any bow and arrow combination capable of harvesting a whitetail deer is suitable for taking a Central Canada Barren Ground caribou.

Pope and Young Club Harvest Records for Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou

Tables 2 and 3 display the total All-Time records and entries during the last 10-year period by score. There are 410 All-Time entries, 68% of which score between 300 and 340. Given the population decline, the 21 entries during the last 10 years are not surprising. Again, the majority of the harvest, 81%, is below 340. Also, of the 410 entries, 409 were taken in Canada and one in Greenland.

Tables 4 and 5 show the All-Time top 10 and last 10-year kill locations. In Table 4, the top 10 locations (307) account for 75% of the 410 total entries, and the top three locations account for 67% of the 307 total.

Table 6 displays the Top-10 All-Time Central Canada Barren Ground caribou kill information. Of the 10, eight were taken in the Northwest Territories, eight of the 10 were killed prior to 2000, and six were taken in September. The Top-10 velvet entries are shown in Table 7. Nine of the 10 were taken in the Northwest Territories, only three were taken before 2000, and nine were killed in August.

Score: 420 6/8

Location: Humpy Lake, Northwest Territories

Date: 1994

Hunter: Al Kuntz

Pope & Young wants your nominations

Every two years at the Pope & Young Club convention, four awards are given to individuals and/ or groups for outstanding commitment to bowhunting and conservation.

THE AWARDS:

POPE & YOUNG CLUB CONSERVATION AWARD

Given to recognize achievement by a person or organization in the promotion of the future of bowhunting and hunting, the image of bowhunting and hunting, and the conservation and wise use of our natural resources.

POPE & YOUNG CLUB STEWARDSHIP AWARD

Given to a bowhunter or bowhunting organization that by their actions has conveyed a positive, good-citizen image to the hunting and non-hunting public.

LEE GLADFELTER MEMORIAL AWARD

The Lee Gladfelter Memorial Award recognizes a wildlife professional who, through their eﬀorts, has made a signiﬁcant contribution to bowhunting and wildlife conservation.

POPE &

YOUNG

CLUB WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AWARD

This award acknowledges a wildlife law enforcement oﬃcer for outstanding work related to wildlife violations regarding the Club’s 29 recognized big game species.

GLENN ST. CHARLES OUTSTANDING MEMBER AWARD

A very prestigious award presented to a very deserving member. A member who has volunteered their time and eﬀort in support and promotion of the Pope and Young Club.

Please send your nominations to ADMIN@POPE-YOUNG.ORG by JANUARY 31ST 2025

CONTEST TIME!

SHOW OFF YOUR SKILLS.

Contests are open to all. You donot need to be a “professional"photographer or craftsman to participate. You donot need to be present to win. All entries will become the property of the Pope & Young Club an d will be used t o rais e funds to help preserve, promote and protect bowhunting.

PHOTO CONTEST

Category (Circle):

Wildlife(color)

Black & White

Trail Cam

brought to you by

Bowhunting (color) Youth Photographer

Trophy Photo

Youth (pic of kid(s) in the outdoors)

Visit pope-young.org for additional information on each category. Photo(s) must be 8 x 10 mounted foam core. Photos in multiple categories must be printed for each category. Submissions can be dropped o at the Convention Registration desk. Email photos will NOT be accepted. Photo(s) will not be returned.

KNIFE CONTEST

Visit pope-young.org for additional information on each category. Photo(s) must be 8 x 10 mounted foam core. Photos i n multipl e categories mus t be printed f or each category. Entries must be received at the offic e by Marc h 24, 2023. Email photos will NOT be accepted. Photo(s) will not be returned.

Custom Hunting Knife. All materials welcome (with the exception of illegal components). Submissions can be dropped o at the Convention Registration desk.

ARROW CONTEST

Must submit a set of at least 6 arrows. All materials welcome (with the exception of illegal components). Submissions can be dropped o at the Convention Registration desk. will

Custom Hunting Knife. All materials welcome (with the exception of illegal components). Entry forms must be received in office by March 24 , 2023. Submissions can be sent to the office by this date or dropped off at the Convention Registration desk.

Must submit a set of at least 6 arrows. All materials welcome (with the exception of illegal components). Entry forms must be received in office by March 24 , 2023. Submissions can be sent to the office by this date or dropped off at the Convention Registration desk.

What contest(s) will you be participating in: Photo Knife Arrow

Name: ________________________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________

Phone: _________________________________________________________

City, State: __________________________________

Feel free to provide any additional information you would like us to know about the knife/arrows. For mor e information, visit pope-young.org/Contests or call t he offic e at 507-867-4144.

biennial convention 34th APRIL

REGISTRATION OPTIONS

FULL CONVENTION - Steak Option - $730

FULL CONVENTION - Chicken Option - $635

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Attend all ticketed convention meals, with a package discount. (Does not include o site tours or activities)

•Daily Admission to the Big Game Display, Seminars, Workshops, Vendor Area and Auction Areas Wednesday through Saturday.

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•Friday Luncheon or Ladies Luncheon

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•Saturday Luncheon

•Saturday Night 33rd Big Game Awards Gala

A LA CARTE REGISTRATION

Customize your Convention experience by picking what you wish to attend. You must purchase either a 4-Day - 1-Day pass to enter the Convention.

Each pass will give you access to the Big Game Display, Seminars, Workshops, Vendor Area and Auction Areas. Passes do not include any meal tickets, o -site tours or activities.

PASS OPTIONS:

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Children’s Friday Lunch

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Friday Awards Banquet - Child

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Saturday Big Game Awards Banquet (Steak option)$195

Saturday Big Game Awards Banquet (Chicken option)$135

Saturday Big Game Awards Banquet - Child

$50

MEMBER INFORMATION

Are you a Pope & Young MEMBER? Yes [ ] No [ ]

If yes, please circle membership type: YOUTH GENERAL REGULAR SENIOR

If No, $45 Membership fee

RESERVED TABLE - $1000 EACH

VIP seating is a table reservation only. With table reservation, you will receive; preferred seating and bucket ra e tickets. You are still REQUIRED to purchase Convention Passes and individual meal tickets. You will be responsible to ﬁll all 10 seats.

Contact Edna Harlan @ P&Y o ce to reserve your table. Phone: (507) 867-4144 or email: Edna@pope-young.org

TOURS AND ACTIVITIES

Lake Pleasant Dinner Cruise - TBA

Number of Tours:

Price includes services, lunch and transportation.

Reboot and Rejuvenate Spa Day - TBA

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Desert Botanical Garden - TBA

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State Farm Stadium -TBA

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Visit pope-young.org/convention for detailed information on each tour

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MEMBERSHIP FEE:

VIP TABLE:

Subtotal:

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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If yes, please state the name of your guest: ___________________ Cost of additional Measurers Breakfast - $75

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Noska’s Notes

By Frank Noska

A Twofer on CBGC

n 2007, I traveled to the Northwest Territories to bowhunt Central Barren Ground caribou for the ﬁrst time. There were a few caribou around, but they were not plentiful. One day the guide and I were in the boat, slowly cruising in a large lake, looking for caribou. We spotted a small herd of caribou with a couple of mature bulls in it. After studying the lay of the land and the general movement of the caribou, I chose a particular spot on the shore and asked the guide to let me out there. Using the land’s topography, I started closing the distance on the caribou. With the openness of the terrain, I had to choose my path carefully to stay out of sight of the caribou. Before long I was getting close and “in the game”, I like to say. After maneuvering myself in front of a mature bull, I nocked an arrow and

waited motionless. When I ﬁrst saw antlers come over the horizon, I slowly drew my bow and focused on where I wanted my arrow to hit. The broadside shot materialized, and in an instant, my arrow was in the air. The arrow disappeared into the side of the bull. I hustled a few yards to higher ground to keep my eyes on the bull I had just shot. He slowed, lost his balance, and went down quickly. As I walked towards the downed bull, my guide appeared and said, “Your bull is over here.” I could see the bull I had just shot lying in the tundra, but the guide pointed in the opposite direction. I pointed “my” bull out to the guide, and he pointed to another bull lying dead about 150 yards away on the shoreline. It was then that we realized I had shot through one caribou and into the other one, hitting both bulls with

one deadly arrow. Big smiles adorned both of our faces. Feeling extremely fortunate to have two unused caribou tags in my pocket, I think my smile may have been a little bigger. It is sometimes better to be lucky than good.

In 2022, I went after a third Central Baren Ground caribou. This time, I traveled to Nunavut. After talking to the departing hunters from the previous week, it was apparent that there were not many caribou in the area. Over the week, I did see a few caribou but never had a stalking opportunity. Some of the riﬂe hunters in camp did connect on bulls, but nothing big that would even make the Pope and Young minimum score. I was the only bowhunter in camp, and I knew my chances of getting any size caribou were low. On the last day

My ﬁrst CBGC caribou was taken on August 30, 2007. The arrow went through this caribou and into the second one.

My second CBGC taken on August 30, 2007.

My third CBGC. I took him on August 31, 2022, the last day of the hunt.

of the hunt, when my guide and I were slowly cruising the shoreline in the boat, I spotted a group of three small bulls on a faraway hill. We secured our boat to the shore and took off on the long trek towards the bulls. They were bedded on an open hill. There was a long strip of trees below them that I thought I could use to stalk closer and hopefully remain undetected. I asked my guide to stay where he was and let me do the long, difficult stalk through the trees alone. He was happy to sit where he was and let me do my thing. I don’t think he was confident I could “pull it off”. Slowly working my way quietly up through the trees, my only hope was that the caribou would still be there when I arrived. Constantly reminding myself that most stalks are unsuccessful because of going too fast, I did not get in a hurry. When I was just below the curvature of the hill where I thought the caribou was, I slowed my stalk even more. Seeing the tops of velvet antlers, my adrenaline and hunter instinct kicked into overdrive. Getting as low on the tundra as possible, I crawled as close as I dared to, staying just below the eyesight of the bulls. Then one of the bulls stood, turned broadside, and stared at the strange object, me, sprawled out on the ground! In one fluid motion, I drew my bow and slowly raised up on my knees. Luckily, the confused caribou continued to stare, which gave me the time to aim and get an arrow flying in his direction. Watching that bull stumble and go down, I felt very lucky to end this hunt successfully. When the other hunters saw my guide, and I motor into camp in our boat with caribou antlers sticking out, they were also surprised and happy for me. While not a big caribou by any means, harvesting my third CBGC on such a difficult hunt and on the last day made it extra rewarding. This hunt emphasizes the adage, never give up, especially when bowhunting.

SKULLS

34 th Recording Period Partial Listing

Entries that have been accepted into the Records Program since the publication of the last quarterly journal.

ALASKA BROWN BEAR WORLD RECORD 29 4/16

SCOREHUNTER/OUTFITTER

AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

24 11/16Eric Bethune/Jonah Stewart Wasilla, AK5/29/2023L. Schiferl

22 2/16Timothy Vance/Alaska Skookum GuidesDog Salmon River, AK10/7/2015D. Allen

20 4/16L. Grant Foster/Ray Williams Iliamna River, AK9/7/2019R. Hall

BLACK BEAR WORLD RECORD 23 5/16

SCOREHUNTER/OUTFITTER

AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

21 14/16David M. Allen/Wayne Bass Whiteﬁsh Lake, MAN6/14/2023G. Damuth

21 8/16James H. Murkley Chippewa County, WI9/3/2014K. Zimmerman

21 7/16Clay S. Taylor/French River Bear OutﬁttersFrench River, ONT6/8/2023L. Desmarais

21 3/16Derek J. Reukauf Allegany County, NY10/1/2023K. Schilling

21 0/16Kory T. Van Dorf Delta County, CO9/19/2019R. Walter

20 14/16Luke J. Kilmer Steuben County, NY10/21/2023C. Route

20 9/16Autumn M. Pratt Crawford County, MI9/11/2023J. Ohmer

20 7/16Pasquale Zinno Graham County, AZ8/28/2023P. Dalrymple

20 6/16Kenneth R. Rogers Bell County, KY10/27/2018D. Weddle

20 6/16Jason Miller Smoky Lake, ALB6/9/2022L. Rayment

20 5/16Steven Kreuger/Raleigh Lake Resort Ignace, ONT9/10/2023E. Conradt

20 4/16Dustin Neuendorf Jackson County, WI9/10/2023M. Miller

20 2/16James L. Strickland/Tom Walunas Porcupine Mountains, MAN5/23/2023D. Boland

20 1/16Erin Nustvold Prince Of Wales, AK6/8/2023S. Parkerson

20 1/16Dustin J. Martin Lamoille County, VT10/4/2023C. Smiley

19 15/16John Adams Pinal County, AZ8/19/2005R. Tone

19 15/16Greg Johnson Waterhen, MAN9/19/2023B. Dixon

19 14/16Kory Michalke Itasca County, MN9/3/2012D. Boland

19 14/16Alan Wojak Moosehorn, MAN6/8/2023R. Tastsides

19 13/16Alden J. Bosben Florence County, WI9/12/2015K. Rimer

19 12/16Gary J. Ladner/Kisslinger Outﬁtting Smeaton, SAS5/22/2023B. Plaga

19 11/16Steven L. Stuebs/DesJardins Dauphin, MAN5/22/2023M. Miller

19 11/16Marcia Kohl Crow Wing County, MN9/12/2023D. Dickey

19 11/16Scott Parkhurst Cattaraugas County, NY11/16/2023M. Parah

19 10/16Sam trammell/Chris Lavoie Vermilion Bay, ONT5/31/2023J. Moore

19 10/16Jacob Williamson Pierce County, WA9/28/2023J. Flowers

19 8/16Matthew Gilbreth Rio Grande County, CO9/4/2023R. Rockwell

19 7/16Matthew Gunville Marinette County, WI9/7/2022R. Loberger

19 6/16Mitch Campbell Sweet Grass County, MT9/11/2022Q. Locke

19 6/16Allen Pederson/Troy Mansﬁeld Sioux Lookout, ONT8/25/2023J. Lunde

19 5/16Alison Brown Kitsap County, WA9/25/2022K. Krause

19 4/16Christopher A. Baker Logan County, AR9/13/2013E. Vaught

19 4/16Devon McMenamy Lewis County, WA11/3/2019T. Knebel

19 4/16James S. Dykstra/Neapews OutﬁttingCamperville, MAN5/30/2023S. Zirbel

19 3/16John Quade/Bear Creek Lake Nipigon, ONT8/28/2023A. Zuhlke

19 2/16Tim S. McCraven Linn County, OR11/14/2012J. Stone

19 2/16Dalton Gallina Purdon Lakes, BC5/23/2021L. Verbaas

19 2/16V. Bruce Clark/Wilderness Family OutﬁttersWollson Lake, SAS1/25/2022C. Anderson, Jr.

19 2/16Shauna Woodward/Canadian Wilderness OutﬁttersMinitonas, MAN8/30/2023M. Clausen

19 2/16Matthew E. Bartlett Addison County, VT10/5/2023C. Smiley

18 15/16Kermit Johnson/Bear Creek Lake Nipigon, ONT8/26/2023A. Zuhlke

18 14/16Mathieu Tremblay Zec Forestville, QUE5/18/2021E. Tremblay

18 12/16David Osmand Peace River, ALB9/12/2022B. Watson

18 11/16Rosey Roseland Prince Of Wales Island, AK5/9/2023B. Ameen

18 11/16Shane Dolezal/Muskeg Country OutﬁtterCrawford, MAN5/30/2023S. Holman

18 10/16Nathan Lauerman Boise County, ID6/26/2023B. McCarthy

18 10/16Marius Cyr Saddle Hills, ALB9/16/2023M. Nadeau

18 8/16Eyad Yehyawi Ft. McMurray, ALB5/23/2000J. Miller

18 8/16Ricky L. Banta

Fremont County, CO9/7/2023W. Lisac

18 7/16Kaden McArthur Clearwater River, ALB5/10/2022S. Keithley

18 7/16Andrew Miles Orange County, NY11/3/2022S. Cowles

18 7/16Sheralee Dolezal/Muskeg Country OutﬁttersHorod, MAN5/29/2023S. Holman

BLACK BEAR CONTINUED

SCOREHUNTER/OUTFITTER

WORLD RECORD 23 5/16

AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

18 7/16Daniel Kimmel Pennington County, MN9/17/2023R. Collier 18 6/16Charlton Quade/Bear Creek Lake Nipigon, ONT8/26/2023A. Zuhlke 18 4/16Trevor Embry Copper River, AK6/10/2023H. Mansavage 18 3/16Jarin L. Wilbourn Coldfoot, AK9/17/2023T. Thomas 18 3/16Chris Cook Goodsoil, SAS9/18/2023C. Ferrell 18 2/16Beau Baggett Garﬁeld County, CO9/8/2023B. Taylor 18 1/16Timothy J. Strohecker/Lone wolf OutﬁttersCarswell Lake, SAS5/29/2023T. Anderson 18 1/16Louie Kitcoff Wabigoon River, ONT6/6/2023A. Baxter 18 0/16Zac Jones Carbon County, UT8/24/2022D. Leo

GRIZZLY BEAR

SCOREHUNTER/OUTFITTER

WORLD RECORD 27 1/16

AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

22 3/16Samuel J. Mullen Atigun River, AK5/27/2022P. Nelson

21 0/16Samuel J. Mullen Atigun River, AK5/21/2023P. Nelson

19 0/16Nicholas S. Muche Chandalar River, AK5/22/2023G. Colbath

POLAR BEAR

WORLD RECORD 26 10/16

SCOREHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

21 7/16Gary Colbath Arctic Bay, NUN3/28/2022P. Martin

COUGAR WORLD RECORD 16 1/16

SCOREHUNTER/OUTFITTER

14 6/16Bridger Stratford Missoula County, MT12/12/2023J. Reneau 14 4/16Neil Formanek/Canyons West Elko County, NV3/7/2023T. Humes 14 3/16William Guderley/Canyon Rim Garﬁeld County, CO12/4/2023R. Tastsides 14 1/16Bill Nichols Caribou County, ID9/1/2023R. Atwood

14 0/16Ryan Storms Caribou County, ID9/15/2023D. Atwood

13 14/16Todd Seymanski Judith Basin County, MT12/23/2020S. LePage

13 13/16Tim Vance/Ram Creek Howell Creek, BC11/20/2023A. Hill

ANTLERS

BARREN GROUND CARIBOU WORLD RECORD 448 6/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

347 5/8362 3/8Nicholas S. Muche North Slope, AK10/22/2023G. Colbath

330 4/8334 4/8Jonah M. Stewart North Slope, AK10/23/2023N. Muche

326 6/8340 0/8Trevor Embry North Slope, AK10/9/2023T. Thomas

CENTRAL CANADA CARIBOU WORLD RECORD 420 6/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

323 7/8333 1/8L. Grant Foster/Adventure NorthwestContwoyto Lake, NUN8/25/2015S. Baier

CENTRAL CANADA CARIBOU VELVET WORLD RECORD 384 4/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

306 5/8323 1/8Jim Winjum Farnie Lake, MAN9/19/2023S. Koelzer

304 6/8312 5/8Rob Stout/Adventures NWMartin Lake, NWT9/7/2006A. Cramer

302 4/8316 2/8Jim Winjum Farnie Lake, MAN9/17/2023S. Koelzer

301 6/8320 5/8Timothy Vance Baralzon Lake, MAN8/28/2023R. Mehling

WOODLAND CARIBOU WORLD RECORD 375 0/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

227 0/8235 7/8Greg Spurgeon Howley, NFL10/11/2023J. Fields II

WOODLAND CARIBOU CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 375 0/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

221 2/8255 3/8Jim Winjum Grand Lake, NFL10/3/2023S. Koelzer

TYPICAL COLUMBIAN BLACKTAIL DEER WORLD RECORD 172 2/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

150 6/8152 7/8Forrest Miller Jackson County, OR11/12/2022L. Jones

133 1/8140 2/8Josh Jones Pierce County, WA9/17/2020R. Spaulding

132 0/8134 7/8Travis Van Dyke Cowlitz County, WA9/1/2023R. Evans

118 2/8124 3/8Gage Woodard Lane County, OR9/2/2023T. Rozewski

TYPICAL COLUMBIAN BLACKTAIL DEER VELVET WORLD RECORD 148 5/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

125 2/8127 2/8Eli Edwards Trinity County, CA8/19/2023H. Wilson

TYPICAL SITKA BLACKTAIL DEER WORLD RECORD 116 3/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

79 2/887 1/8Zach Welch Kodiak Island, AK9/12/2023T. Embry

TYPICAL SITKA BLACKTAIL DEER VELVET WORLD RECORD 109 7/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

106 0/8109 6/8Zac Jones Kodiak Island, AK8/1/2023C. Ashcroft

TYPICAL COUES’ DEER WORLD RECORD 130 1/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

100 2/8103 2/8Greg Spurgeon/Frank NoskaSonora, MEX12/30/2023J. Fields II

98 6/8106 3/8Mark A. Kruse Sonora, MEX1/2/2024L. Jones

96 1/8 97 7/8Drew McCartney Sonora, MEX12/8/2023D. Willems

95 1/8 97 4/8Nicholas S. Muche/SalpuidoSonora, MEX1/5/2024G. Colbath

TYPICAL COUES’ DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 130 1/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

93 5/896 5/8Greg Spurgeon Sonora, MEX12/29/2023J. Fields II

80 3/883 1/8Greg Spurgeon Sonora, MEX12/28/2023J. Fields II

80 2/881 4/8Anne E. Grace/Ward’s OutﬁttersSonora, MEX1/24/2024R. Grace 70 6/876 0/8Tammy Kerby Cochise County, AZ1/11/2022J. Walton

TYPICAL MULE DEER WORLD RECORD 205 6/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

191 3/8195 4/8Travis Yawn Baker County, OR9/8/2023R. Spaulding

182 2/8198 0/8Steve King San Juan County, NM1/1/2024J. Willems

176 0/8186 5/8Kevin P. Adamson Grand County, UT8/23/2023D. Nielsen 171 1/8176 1/8Tristan Morris Grant County, OR8/28/2017D. Morris 169 6/8178 1/8L. Grant Foster/Xtreme OutﬁttersSummit County, UT8/24/2017R. Hall 168 2/8175 1/8Travis Isaacs/Antler Canyon OutﬁttersGraham County, AZ1/6/2023M. Titus 162 6/8170 3/8Clint Cepica Malheur County, OR11/23/2023R. Spaulding 161 0/8166 1/8Steve Poznanski El Paso County, CO12/26/2020R. Rockwell 160 7/8164 6/8Justin Long Duchesne County, UT11/29/2023D. Nielsen 158 5/8164 4/8Donald L. Gould Vermilion River, ALB9/14/2023N. Napora 158 4/8163 4/8Attila Darazs Madden, ALB10/9/2023C. Dillabough

155 5/8159 3/8Derek Ehlers/Tyson MackinWillow Creek, ALB10/3/2023J. Detjen 155 0/8162 1/8Tim Bradley Larimer County, CO11/22/2023J. Bradley

154 1/8168 1/8James G. Smith Mellette County, SD9/17/2023D. Pochant

153 7/8164 0/8Dennis H. Dunn/Diego ParrasSonora, MEX11/17/2023K. Hatch

152 7/8160 6/8L. Grant Foster/Xtreme OutﬁttersSummit County, UT8/20/2016R. Hall

152 1/8161 7/8Rob Stout Claresholm, ALB9/21/2012A. Cramer

148 7/8155 0/8Chad Osborn Grant County, WA12/3/2020R. Spaulding 148 2/8151 4/8Justin Walker Caribou County, ID11/18/2022J. Eder 146 6/8148 6/8Alan Holway Okanogan County, WA11/20/2023R. Spaulding 145 0/8162 5/8Ian S. Guthridge Nye County, NV8/11/2023G. Hernandez

Location:Morris Cty, NJ

Date:10/31/2023

PRESERVE. PROMOTE. PROTECT.

Species: Typical Whitetail Deer Score:130 2/8

Hunter:Antonio Semiao

Location:Monmouth Cty, NJ

Date:11/24/2023

PRESERVE. PROMOTE. PROTECT.

Species: Typical Whitetail Deer Score:128 5/8

Hunter:Fernando Semiao

34 th Recording Period Partial Listing

Entries that have been accepted into the Records Program since the publication of the last quarterly journal.

TYPICAL MULE DEER VELVET WORLD RECORD 218 2/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

174 6/8178 4/8Corey Chandler Avonlea, SAS9/3/2023W. Howse

171 4/8182 1/8Brandon J. HockenberryGunnison County, CO9/10/2020E. Foster 162 6/8176 7/8Joseph Hallum Park County, CO9/3/2023R. Long

NON-TYPICAL MULE DEER WORLD RECORD 291 1/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

201 4/8205 5/8Todd M. Seymanski Bighorn County, MT11/19/2023S. LePage

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER WORLD RECORD 204 4/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

193 6/8197 4/8Aron West Des Moines County, IA10/29/2023C. Coble

185 2/8194 3/8Steve Hoelz Jefferson County, WI11/25/2022T. Senft

181 4/8185 0/8Caleb Brown Crawford County, IL10/29/2023T. Yetter

179 3/8189 6/8James A. Switzer Clay County, IN11/10/2023J. Fields II

177 1/8181 2/8Trent Heathman Chase County, KS9/14/2023M. Peek

173 2/8182 4/8Jeff Cooper Hocking County, OH11/11/2023R. Elkins

172 7/8182 7/8Kyle Bauer Rice County, MN9/18/2023D. Boland

172 4/8177 6/8Jarrett B. Mattingly Washington County, KY9/14/2022R. Estes

172 0/8180 4/8Matthew P. Feivor Kenosha County, WI11/12/2023G. Martin

167 6/8181 0/8Caiden Dodson Fountain County, IN9/25/2022C. Coble

167 6/8177 0/8Kip Vanskyock Jay County, IN11/6/2023J. Fields II

167 0/8178 6/8Jason R. Peters Adams County, WI10/24/2020S. Zirbel

166 5/8178 2/8Logan R. Wentworth St. Louis County, MN10/19/2021B. Goebel

166 5/8179 0/8Chad E. Priest Lyon County, KS11/11/2021D. Razza

166 1/8173 3/8William C. Hussung Harrison County, IN10/30/2023S. Taylor

165 2/8173 7/8Jacob Lentz Green County, IA11/1/2021T. Kalsbeck

165 1/8170 3/8James C. Smith Marion County, KY11/5/2023D. Weddle

165 0/8174 3/8Jesse M. Ash ton Union County, IA10/31/2023J. Lunde

164 6/8170 0/8Daniel Hickey Suffolk County, NY12/22/2022R. DiBene

164 3/8184 1/8Roger A. Azar Montgomery County, IN11/3/2023G. Howard

164 1/8172 4/8Lucas Karls Manitowoc County, WI10/28/2023S. Zirbel

164 1/8177 2/8Justin Knapik Lake County, IL11/10/2023R. Tastsides

163 1/8168 2/8Josh O. Jones N. Saskatchewan River, ALB 11/23/2023D. Bromberger

162 6/8174 5/8Erin Carter Athens County, OH11/2/2023L. Culbertson

162 4/8167 4/8James Stobb Chippewa County, WI10/22/2023S. Ashley

162 3/8179 5/8Craig Stickfort Lucas County, IA10/1/2022C. Coble

162 2/8172 7/8Donnie Stinson Wayne County, KY9/2/2023D. Weddle

162 0/8179 7/8Shan Akin Sumter County, GA9/11/2023W. Cooper

161 3/8174 2/8Matthew Himsel Putnam County, IN10/10/2023J. Moore

159 6/8171 4/8Parker Hess Jackson County, WI10/21/2023M. Sedelbauer

159 5/8164 4/8Mark W. Gullickson McHenry County, IL10/28/2023R. Tastsides

159 2/8168 5/8Riley Knapp Butler County, KS11/17/2023S. Zirbel

159 1/8164 1/8Sean Stephens Knox County, OH10/30/2023M. Olson

158 1/8173 0/8Ethan T. Kohls Jeneau County, WI10/7/2023R. Walter

158 1/8169 7/8Michael Skipper Cumberland County, NC11/29/2023A. Crowe

158 0/8162 4/8Caleb Freeman Hancock County, IN11/2/2023J. Moore

157 6/8173 6/8Rodney Beer Steuben County, IN10/31/2021R. Harris

157 6/8164 1/8Brandon Simpson Hardin County, KY10/22/2023D. Weddle

156 3/8164 6/8James C. Ritter Hendricks County, IN11/20/2021T. Wright

156 0/8161 7/8Mike Harmon Richardson County, NE11/15/2020S. Woitaszewski

155 5/8167 5/8Aaron Easterling Morrow County, OH10/6/2023M. Olson

155 4/8163 1/8Kent Deutsch Dunn County, WI11/11/2023S. Ashley

155 3/8168 3/8Dan Lehner Dodge County, WI11/1/2023A. Zuhlke

155 0/8157 0/8Ted Clifford Whitley County, KY10/16/2023D. Weddle

154 6/8160 3/8Lennie J. Collins Delaware County, IN10/31/2023T. Wright

154 6/8169 1/8John S. Edwards III Clay County, IN11/7/2023J. Fields II

154 6/8164 0/8Michael J. Timblin Fond du Lac County, WI11/15/2023M. Miller

154 2/8159 0/8Anthony D. Visco Montgomery County, NY10/24/2023G. Hennel

154 1/8159 5/8Tristan J. Bower Allegan County, MI11/2/2023D. Temple

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

154 1/8173 0/8Tyler Mercer Kent County, MD11/8/2023R. Newton III

153 6/8161 1/8Greg Lewis Green Lake County, WI11/4/2022W. Resch

153 4/8155 4/8Harley Davis Richland County, OH11/4/2023A. Cramer

153 4/8163 3/8Dustin Dola Sandy Hook, MAN11/11/2023E. Parker

153 3/8160 6/8Jason Larson Ashland County, WI11/13/2023J. Lunde

153 2/8167 5/8Tyler Winslett Callaway County, MO10/31/2023C. Wahl

153 0/8157 3/8Ronald J. Pockl Jefferson County, OH10/17/2023T. Crawford

152 7/8168 7/8Jesse Mitchell Madison County, OH9/29/2022M. Olson 152 7/8158 1/8Chris Malinzak Kent County, MI11/7/2023B. Novosad

152 6/8156 6/8Douglas Collins Pike County, MS11/28/2023A. Crowe

152 4/8163 0/8Joseph S. Willard Rockingham County, NC10/25/2022J. Pope, Jr.

152 3/8155 5/8Sean Somers Kalamazoo County, MI10/1/2018A. Blaske

152 3/8168 2/8Aaron Chistensen Chisago County, MN11/18/2018C. Ferrell

152 3/8159 2/8Thomas A. Hahn Sauk County, WI10/29/2023S. Zirbel

152 2/8173 1/8Kenneth Memmelaar Coshocton County, OH11/7/2018D. Erickson

152 1/8160 5/8Andrew Johnston Clark County, WI11/14/2008P. Jensen

152 1/8155 1/8John Ronchetto Jr. Jackson County, MO11/23/2023J. Blystone

152 0/8167 5/8Katie Mead Madison County, IA1/10/2022D. Panthen

152 0/8158 7/8Jon Halpin Wayne County, NY10/7/2023D. Grifﬁth

152 0/8160 6/8Ron Kaderly Buchanan County, MO11/9/2023J. Blystone

151 7/8156 6/8Martin Meyer Fulton County, IL11/4/2023S. Carls

151 6/8158 4/8Dan Buzicky Buffalo County, WI10/2 7/2023J. Squires

151 5/8162 3/8Brent A. Webster Vermillion County, IN10/23/2015J. Fields II

151 4/8168 0/8Wade Luthi Richardson County, NE11/5/2022R. Spaulding

151 4/8163 0/8Jesse Bulanda Lake County, IN11/5/2023R. Graber

151 3/8158 1/8Dennis Stockmann Ringold County, IA10/28/2016S. Zirbel

151 3/8154 4/8Justin Bastian Waupaca County, WI10/26/2021T. Heil

151 3/8154 3/8Justin Nelson Tripp County, SD11/1/2023M. Clausen

151 3/8161 6/8James T. Severson Columbia County, WI11/10/2023A. Zuhlke

151 1/8159 7/8Don Strangeland Hamilton County, IA11/14/2020J. Miller

151 1/8161 3/8Justin Strong Christian County, KY11/2/2023R. Cooling

151 1/8159 2/8Kyle Brown Lorain County, OH11/4/2023M. Olson

151 0/8160 4/8Henry A. Miller Lincoln County, KY9/14/2023D. Weddle

151 0/8155 0/8John R. Wuest Dimmit County, TX12/2/2023D. Brimager

150 7/8163 6/8Jesse Bilstein Holt County, NE11/9/2023P. Luth

150 5/8156 2/8Sean Matheny Porter County, IN10/31/2021R. Graber

150 5/8168 6/8Travis Smith Cherokee County, TX11/25/2023R. Kroll

150 5/8171 1/8Jesse Heath Ashtabula County, OH1/5/2024R. Elkins

150 4/8165 4/8Shari L. Hooker Juneau County, WI11/12/2023J. Ramsey

150 1/8155 6/8Jake Winland Monroe County, OH11/8/2022J. Riebel Jr

150 1/8168 5/8Michael L. Graves Benton County, TN11/3/2023S. Easley

150 0/8154 4/8Kurt A. Shroyer Shelby County, OH10/1/2023W. Bellman

150 0/8155 4/8Neal Roberson Tift County, GA10/18/2023W. Cooper

150 0/8153 2/8James B. Logan Paulding County, OH10/22/2023R. Miller

150 0/8156 4/8Jason R. Sweere Calumet County, WI10/29/2023S. Zirbel

149 7/8154 7/8Shea Lamb Sumter County, GA9/15/2017W. Cooper

149 6/8156 0/8Adam Spies Hamlin County, SD10/27/2023J. Converse

149 4/8158 5/8Drew Lipponen Wright County, MN10/29/2021R. Goebel

149 4/8158 3/8Dale Broeckert Crawford County, WI11/11/2022D. Peterson, Jr.

149 4/8156 5/8Kirsti Edwards Mahaska County, IA11/4/2023R. Krueger

149 3/8160 7/8Chad Wilkens Walworth County, WI10/31/2023S. Zirbel

149 3/8164 3/8Eric R. Rebedew Green Lake County, WI11/1/2023M. Miller

149 2/8166 4/8Dillon Wiewel Adams County, IL10/30/2015J. Schmidt

149 2/8152 1/8Hannah Whiting Douglas County, IL11/7/2023C. Coble

149 1/8160 5/8Luke Sillery Putnam County, IN10/7/2023J. Fields II

149 0/8152 7/8Peter Amaral Fulton County, IL11/6/2023L. Desmarais

148 6/8156 1/8Alec Reinhardt Goodhue County, MN10/10/2023R. Goebel

148 6/8152 2/8Tim Bass Faulkner County, AR10/18/2023L. Walt

148 5/8155 0/8Kyle Hawkins Iowa County, IA10/16/2023C. Coburn

148 5/8152 5/8Tanner J. Branch Monroe County, WI11/5/2023J. Ramsey

148 4/8159 6/8Leonard S. Flanagan New Castle County, DE10/6/2010J. Melvin

148 4/8152 0/8Chandler Jones Houston County, MN11/10/2023J. Lunde

148 3/8154 7/8Gavin M. Stover Jackson County, MO1/5/2023J. Blystone

Species:Desert Bighorn Sheep Score:183 4/8

Hunter:Ricardo Longoria

148 3/8156 3/8Nathaniel Lockwood Putnam County, IN11/12/2023J. Fields II

148 2/8150 6/8David J. McCarl Greene County, PA10/30/2021J. Kennedy

148 1/8157 7/8Adam Drzonek Columbia County, WI11/7/2023A. Zuhlke

147 6/8160 2/8Christopher Groger Venango County, PA11/8/2023P. Herrnberger

147 6/8156 2/8Derek Boutin Marion County, OH11/19/2023J. Ohmer

147 4/8153 2/8Derek Sortland Pembina River, ALB10/7/2023D. Bromberger

147 4/8157 3/8Daniel Andre Van Buren County, MI10/29/2023A. Blaske

147 4/8152 7/8Trevor Wittmus Wabasha County, MN11/1/2023S. Zirbel

147 4/8154 1/8Chris Darbyshire Estill County, KY11/5/2023D. Weddle

147 4/8158 4/8Timothy Burkins York County, PA11/8/2023L. Myers

147 4/8150 4/8Will Moulton Warren County, IA11/10/2023J. Squires

147 2/8153 7/8Adam Harris Montgomery County, OH10/16/2021M. Hentrick

147 2/8165 7/8Justin J. Hopkins Clark County, IL10/14/2023J. Fields II

147 1/8153 6/8David Carter Athens County, OH10/29/2022M. Cain

147 1/8150 3/8John McCauslin Cass County, MI11/13/2022A. Blaske

147 1/8148 6/8Tyler J. Shulters Lenawee County, MI10/4/2023J. Knevel

147 0/8164 4/8April Laufenberg Grant County, WI10/16/2023A. Crum

146 7/8157 0/8Brent Dettman Lucas County, IA11/16/2018L. Streiff

146 5/8156 4/8Karl Willers Goodhue County, MN10/30/2015C. Collins

146 5/8154 0/8John Pullen Sumter County, GA12/19/2020W. Cooper

146 5/8152 0/8Joseph D. Schoﬁeld III Hart County, GA9/10/2023M. Goode

146 5/8158 7/8Mitchell Simonar Kewaunee County, WI9/16/2023B. Ihlenfeldt

146 5/8157 2/8Darwin D. Arndt Blue Earth County, MN11/9/2023L. Schoewe

146 4/8153 5/8Marius Cyr Cold Lake, ALB11/4/2023M. Nadeau

146 3/8151 2/8Tarin Viney Adams County, WI10/24/2023S. Zirbel

146 2/8155 3/8Rob Stout Coshocton County, OH11/11/2011A. Cramer

146 1/8153 0/8Emmerson Mallory St. Joseph County, MI9/10/2023W. Pettett Jr

146 1/8152 0/8Jason Raab Madison County, NY10/18/2023M. Parah

146 0/8148 2/8Matt Andvik Pembina County, ND9/4/2021J. Zins

145 5/8162 6/8Kurt Utter Sauk County, WI10/28/2023D. Peterson, Jr.

145 5/8153 3/8Michael Dobrsenski Menard County, TX11/11/2023G. Damuth

145 4/8146 5/8Dustin Baker Pepin County, WI11/13/2022S. Fish

145 4/8152 6/8Preston Holt Anne Arundel County, MD1/6/2024R. Newton III

145 3/8158 5/8Emily A. Banigan Jo Daviess County, IL10/8/2022T. Anderson

145 3/8149 5/8Preston Fischer Lucas County, OH10/31/2023B. Nash, Jr.

145 3/8150 0/8Carson Hinkley Iowa County, WI11/13/2023D. Peterson, Jr.

145 2/8149 7/8Lauren La Pointe Louisa County, IA10/1/2023J. Miller

145 0/8152 4/8Michael Engram Lee County, GA11/19/2023W. Cooper

144 7/8152 7/8Curtis Kyhl Grayson County, TX10/1/2023D. Sherpy

144 4/8159 2/8Jordan Coulter Licking County, OH10/28/2023R. Elkins

144 4/8151 2/8Jesse Barkhurst Hocking County, OH11/6/2023J. Riebel Jr

144 3/8157 6/8Darrell Bussert Dakota County, MN10/30/2021R. Goebel

144 3/8151 0/8Garrett Jones Dougherty County, GA10/4/2023W. Cooper

144 3/8145 5/8James Seabolt Worth County, GA10/9/2023W. Cooper

144 3/8155 5/8Mike Kieffer Dubuque County, IA11/2/2023M. Casey

144 2/8168 5/8Paul J. Hopkins Edgar County, IL11/21/2023J. Fields II

144 1/8147 0/8Kodie Engel Erie County, NY10/6/2023K. Schilling

144 1/8152 1/8Amer Keilani Halton, ONT11/14/2023S. Swinhoe

144 0/8154 2/8Kyle Mesecher Henderson County, IL11/5/2014C. Belknap

143 5/8149 3/8Troy Hampton Calhoun County, MI10/16/2023A. Blaske

143 5/8150 4/8Justin Popp Benton County, MN10/28/2023S. Grabow

143 5/8145 7/8Sam Sobotta Trempeleau County, WI11/5/2023S. Godfrey

143 5/8151 0/8Kory Michalke Martin County, MN11/14/2023D. Boland

143 4/8148 2/8Andrew Johnston Clark County, WI9/27/2022P. Jensen

143 4/8158 4/8Casey Liegeois Wayne County, IA11/6/2023S. Zirbel

143 1/8153 7/8Jonathon Lewis Macon County, MO10/30/2023L. Barr

143 0/8146 2/8Brian Haase Waushara County, WI11/12/2022T. Heil

143 0/8146 2/8Anthony Gruber Richland County, WI11/1/2023J. Lunde

143 0/8151 3/8Jathan Payne Jefferson County, IA11/2/2023D. Pfeiffer

142 7/8151 2/8Gunna A. Winchell Columbia County, WI11/11/2023J. Ramsey

142 6/8154 7/8Obed Fritz Peoria County, IL11/7/2017A. Pierson

142 6/8145 5/8Tim Bauer Marathon County, WI9/20/2022P. Jensen

142 4/8149 3/8Dustyn Dorothy Webster County, IA10/23/2016J. Miller

Location: Sonora, Mexico Date:10/15/2021

PRESERVE. PROMOTE. PROTECT.

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

142 4/8145 0/8Jeff Longest Iroquois County, IL10/31/2023R. Graber

142 4/8159 5/8Steve Strickland Olmsted County, MN10/31/2023D. Boland

142 4/8146 5/8Scott Corley Lincoln County, MO11/10/2023J. Grote

142 2/8154 6/8Ross A. Edwards Marshall County, IL11/3/2019A. Shofner

142 2/8150 7/8Steven B. Pitsch Barry County, MI10/11/2023B. Novosad

142 2/8157 4/8Shinjin J. Braden Scott County, IN11/17/2023S. Taylor

142 0/8145 5/8Asa Soppe Wood County, WI10/29/2023P. Jensen

142 0/8152 1/8Scott Roepke Trempealeau County, WI10/29/2023M. Sedelbauer

142 0/8151 0/8Tyler Henneman Green County, WI11/1/2023S. Gobeli

141 7/8147 2/8Adam J. VanDenBogart Outagamie County, WI10/20/2023S. Zirbel

141 7/8155 1/8Damon W. Henry Wilson County, TX10/23/2023R. Collier

141 6/8148 2/8Brandon Shedal Buffalo County, WI10/29/2023S. Zirbel

141 6/8150 4/8AJ Kazmierczak Fayette County, OH11/5/2023M. Olson

141 5/8144 6/8Matthew Myrick Harrison County, MO10/19/2019J. Blystone

141 5/8146 2/8James V. Brown Yell County, AR10/20/2023L. Walt

141 5/8152 2/8Brent A. Webster Vermillion County, IN11/10/2023J. Fields II

141 4/8153 2/8Adam Harris Montgomery County, OH11/4/2023M. Hentrick

141 4/8145 0/8Bryan Brown Jasper County, IN11/5/2023R. Graber

141 3/8151 6/8Charles A. Paxton Parke County, IN10/28/2023G. Howard

141 2/8148 3/8Paul M. Garmon III Irion County, TX11/23/2016L. Wood

141 2/8155 0/8Michael L. Mosley Grant County, AR10/30/2023L. Walt

141 1/8150 1/8Robert D. Brewington Washington County, IN11/3/2023S. Taylor

141 1/8151 5/8Nick Turner Fulton County, IL11/12/2023L. Hansen

141 0/8150 1/8Michael A. Bradley Wood County, WV10/5/2023J. Riebel Jr

141 0/8154 1/8Nathaniel Lemieux Lawrence County, OH11/2/2023M. Olson

140 7/8150 4/8Tim Spath Adams County, WI10/28/2023A. Zuhlke

140 7/8162 7/8Anthony Schmitt Floyd County, IA11/1/2023J. Miller

140 7/8143 6/8Carl Harmon Knox County, OH11/11/2023R. Elkins

140 7/8145 2/8Josh Kobelka Brandon, MAN11/12/2023S. Holman

34 th Recording Period Partial Listing

Entries that have been accepted into the Records Program since the publication of the last quarterly journal.

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

140 6/8148 6/8Kyle Vanden Bosch Gentry County, MO11/2/2017E. DeYoung

140 6/8162 7/8Jesse Johnson Fairﬁeld County, OH11/8/2023M. Olson

140 5/8147 4/8William Shepherd Jefferson County, AR10/5/2023B. Davis

140 4/8144 2/8 Anthony Glasso/Big Buck Down Outﬁtters Muscatine County, IA11/3/2022J. Kennedy

140 4/8143 5/8Logan Blaut Highland County, OH10/28/2023M. Olson

140 4/8147 1/8Christopher Greiman Midland County, MI10/29/2023K. Farmer

140 4/8148 1/8Thomas Dequattro Polk County, MN10/30/2023J. Lunde

140 4/8154 2/8Bob Rimsza Daviess County, MO11/7/2023E. Fanchin

140 3/8149 4/8Aaron M. Johnston Washington County, WI10/28/2021R. Walter

140 3/8147 5/8Steve Ravet Kewaunee County, WI10/29/2022B. Ihlenfeldt

140 3/8141 7/8Kevin Shannon Monmouth County, NJ11/8/2023M. Kronyak

139 7/8145 5/8James S. Dykstra Van Buren County, IA11/4/2012S. Zirbel

139 6/8143 5/8Michael J. Peetz Sauk County, WI10/29/2023J. Ramsey

139 5/8143 1/8Eugene Busa Jr Plymouth County, MA10/25/2023C. Rehor

139 4/8146 4/8Alexander Harris Steuben County, IN11/3/2023R. Harris

139 4/8146 3/8Eldon Bushman Chain Lakes, ALB11/14/2023D. Powell

139 3/8145 4/8Clayton Lommen Hennepin County, MN10/28/2022J. Squires

139 3/8147 5/8Robert Bozek Osage County, KS11/12/2023D. Erickson

139 2/8142 0/8Nick Grady Webster County, IA11/8/2023C. Ferrell

139 0/8144 5/8Phil Sheldon Iron County, MO10/13/2019C. Hill

139 0/8152 1/8Cody Gruenhagen Sherburne County, MN11/2/2022B. Goebel

139 0/8141 7/8Jason Ripp Shawano County, WI10/28/2023S. Zirbel

138 7/8145 4/8J. Camp Newton Boone County, MO11/21/2020B. Harriman

138 7/8146 5/8Brady Schmidt Pottawatomie County, OK10/29/2022S. Zirbel

138 7/8141 4/8James E. Klein Jr. Manitowoc County, WI11/3/2023E. Jones

138 7/8149 0/8Mathew Deﬁbaugh Russell County, KS11/18/2023T. Mollett

138 6/8156 1/8Steven C. Bauer Fulton County, IN10/3/2023R. Graber

138 6/8144 6/8Steve Andrews Bureau County, IL11/7/2023R. Willmore

138 6/8144 6/8Webley Weingarten Polk County, WI11/9/2023J. Lunde

138 6/8152 0/8William A. McCullough Clarke County, IA11/10/2023A. Cramer

138 5/8150 4/8Thomas A. Hahn Sauk County, WI10/28/2022S. Zirbel

138 4/8146 0/8Barry Cymbaluk North Saskatchewan River, ALB 10/28/2023D. Bromberger

138 4/8140 7/8Elijah Ostwald Sheboygan County, WI11/9/2023S. Zirbel

138 3/8144 5/8Patrick Athen Fremont County, IA10/25/2022D. Paul

138 3/8145 3/8Brad Golden Morrison County, MN10/28/2023S. Grabow

138 3/8144 5/8Ron Miller Clinton County, MI11/4/2023L. Hansen

138 3/8146 5/8Michael Wellman Wayne County, OH11/25/2023M. Olson

138 1/8146 7/8Ross A. Edwards Marshall County, IL11/5/2022A. Shofner

138 1/8155 6/8Randy Lemke McDonough County, IL10/8/2023S. Zirbel

138 1/8140 1/8Paul G. Grannes Redwood County, MN11/2/2023K. Fredrickson

138 0/8148 6/8Bandi Henke Eau Claire County, WI10/2/2022K. Rimer

138 0/8142 5/8Scott Douglas Belmont County, OH11/6/2023G. Douglas, Jr.

137 7/8142 4/8Daniel J. Nelson Copiah County, MS10/14/2023R. Steverson

137 7/8141 6/8Corey Earl Oconto County, WI11/1/2023S. Zirbel

137 6/8152 0/8Nate Tejchma Marion County, MO11/4/2022E. DeYoung

137 6/8141 7/8Matt Appel Dunn County, WI10/29/2023J. Squires

137 5/8147 3/8Joshua D. Schlesser Plymouth County, IA10/27/2023J. Weltz

137 4/8151 7/8Jeff Niemann Mercer County, MO11/7/2019J. Lunde

137 4/8152 6/8Rex Blackburn Guilford County, NC9/20/2023J. Pope, Jr.

137 4/8142 4/8Eric Schaffner Buffalo County, WI10/7/2023S. Godfrey

137 2/8142 7/8Jacob Jones Simpson County, KY9/21/2023C. Adams

137 1/8147 3/8Scott Scarborough Lucas County, IA11/16/2019J. Melvin

137 1/8140 0/8John Pullen Sumter County, GA10/14/2023W. Cooper

137 1/8144 6/8Mark W. Gullickson Boone County, IL11/5/2023R. Tastsides

137 0/8140 7/8Christopher Dillman Pulaski County, AR11/10/2023E. Earls

137 0/8146 5/8David D. Lynch Brazos County, TX11/17/2023J. Culpepper

136 6/8140 5/8Craig D. Smith Nelson County, KY9/6/2023M. Stevens

136 6/8139 6/8Adam Morris Pike County, AR10/3/2023L. Walt

136 6/8152 1/8James Flannery Worth County, MO11/1/2023S. Zirbel

136 6/8142 5/8Christian Roberson Madison County, VA11/2/2023L. Schiferl

136 6/8138 2/8Conner Stevens Wake County, NC11/11/2023A. Crowe

136 5/8139 3/8Garett Schuster Pettis County, MO10/30/2023J. Blystone

136 5/8139 6/8Dwight Gunderson Rock County, WI11/12/2023D. Peterson, Jr.

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

136 4/8144 3/8Jesse M. Ashton Polk County, WI11/7/2007J. Lunde

136 4/8146 5/8Dillon Quinn Hardin County, IL11/12/2020S. Quinn

136 4/8150 6/8Lucas J. Maben Perry County, PA10/23/2023T. Holmes

136 4/8150 5/8Randy DeWitt St. Louis County, MN11/15/2023C. Ferrell

136 1/8140 3/8Jess M. Kettner Waupaca County, WI11/4/2019T. Heil

136 1/8141 2/8Chris Pickett Bristol County, MA10/2/2023C. Rehor

136 1/8145 5/8Collin Sager Richland County, WI10/29/2023S. Zirbel

136 1/8137 2/8Adam Nerby Pierce County, WI10/31/2023J. Lunde

135 7/8139 0/8Ashley Reichert Crawford County, IN10/20/2023J. Moore

135 7/8142 6/8Joseph Kucowski Harrison County, OH10/31/2023M. Titus

135 6/8147 1/8Jeremy Kuehn Barron County, WI11/6/2022J. Olson

135 6/8140 0/8Austin Waniger Manitowoc County, WI9/27/2023S. Zirbel

135 6/8145 1/8Nick Helling Dubuque County, IA10/28/2023M. Casey

135 5/8147 2/8Joseph Eder Sheboygan County, WI11/11/2022S. Zirbel

135 5/8138 0/8Nicholas Kunkel Chester County, PA9/19/2023M. Titus

135 5/8149 1/8Johnathan Bloomberg Huron County, OH10/6/2023M. Olson

135 5/8141 5/8Anthony DiQuinzio Westchester County, NY11/6/2023S. Cowles

135 4/8139 4/8Kyle Carney Floyd County, GA9/9/2023S. Quinn

135 4/8142 2/8Dayton Cannon Bleckley County, GA10/12/2023B. Bond

135 4/8139 6/8Harlan Legried Columbia County, WI11/4/2023A. Zuhlke

135 3/8142 7/8Joey B. Ardrey Pottawatomie County, OK11/7/2021B. Holt

135 3/8141 4/8Nicholas Iannacco Kane County, IL11/4/2023R. Tastsides

135 3/8141 4/8Ryan D. Pomrenke McHenry County, IL11/9/2023G. Wegner

135 2/8151 0/8Ronald F. Lax Douglas County, KS11/7/2022R. Detloff

135 2/8138 5/8Lance Huber Mecosta County, MI11/2/2023L. Hansen

135 2/8143 2/8Jake Van Frachen Brown County, WI12/17/2023T. Karl

135 1/8144 7/8Corey Vogel St. Clair County, IL11/2/2021M. Umbdenstock

135 0/8139 7/8Brian Kirchner Chisago County, MN9/26/2023J. Lunde

135 0/8140 5/8Mitchell Fucile Richland County, WI10/28/2023S. Zirbel

134 7/8139 1/8Cayden Bateman Madison County, OH12/29/2022M. Olson

134 7/8136 6/8Cory Trepanier Dane County, WI11/1/2023D. Peterson, Jr.

134 6/8136 5/8Eyad Yehyawi Linn County, IA10/26/2023J. Miller

134 4/8137 0/8Don Finck Trempealeau County, WI11/1/2021M. Sedelbauer

134 4/8142 1/8Martin Henry Jefferson County, AR12/6/2023L. Walt

134 3/8138 0/8Jessie Mourer Venango County, PA10/2/2023P. Herrnberger

134 3/8141 0/8Nicholas R. Jeffers Gallia County, OH10/20/2023J. Riebel Jr

134 1/8143 1/8Nicholas Noonan Rock County, WI11/3/2022S. Zirbel

134 1/8143 5/8Logan Watts Williams County, OH10/29/2023R. Harris

133 7/8137 5/8Samuel Polk Lampasas County, TX11/26/2020R. Skinner

133 7/8139 3/8Zachery Sears Lake County, MN12/14/2021M. Harrison

133 7/8138 3/8Brian Kunze Clark County, WI10/14/2023B. Laufenberg

133 7/8139 5/8Tomyy Smith Licking County, OH11/6/2023R. Elkins

133 7/8140 2/8Michael J. Henningsen Jefferson County, WI11/12/2023G. Wegner

133 6/8137 6/8Triston Goodnite Meigs County, OH10/3/2022J. Riebel Jr

133 6/8138 4/8Robert B. Butler Kent County, DE11/6/2023J. Melvin

133 5/8139 0/8Bret Heckenberger Monroe County, IL11/11/2015M. Umbdenstock

133 5/8141 4/8Andrew J. Kleehamer Clark County, IN11/3/2023M. Verble

133 5/8140 0/8Dennis Parker Clark County, IL11/23/2023J. Fields II

133 3/8138 2/8Dale Goytowski Dane County, WI11/11/2022D. Peterson, Jr.

133 2/8137 0/8Dennis W. McLeroy Fulton County, GA9/19/2023R. Register

133 2/8135 1/8Peter H. Jene Crawford County, WI11/6/2023S. Zirbel

133 1/8139 3/8John P. Morris Lawrence County, IN10/2/2017S. Taylor

133 1/8138 0/8Adam Beason Logan County, AR11/21/2022L. Walt

133 1/8135 3/8Jeffrey S. Leucuta LaPorte County, IN10/30/2023R. Graber

133 0/8141 5/8Scott Weber Dunn County, WI11/2/2023S. Ashley

133 0/8138 4/8Tanner C. Delvalle Schuylkill County, PA11/16/2023R. Conner

132 7/8144 5/8Ashley N. Barnes Trimble County, KY9/7/2023S. Taylor

132 7/8143 7/8Kenneth A. Sharp Coffey County, KS10/30/2023J. Blystone

132 7/8137 4/8John P. Baunach Jo Daviess County, IL11/1/2023F. Achilles

132 7/8139 2/8Cameron Taylor Woodruff County, AR11/10/2023J. Harmon

132 6/8140 1/8John P. Hott III Hardy County, WV10/1/2023C. Teets

132 6/8135 4/8D. Michael Flint Jr. Carroll County, MD10/29/2023A. Gray

132 6/8137 5/8Grant L. Ward Randolph County, GA12/3/2023D. McGrath

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

132 5/8146 5/8Dan Hassemer Manitowoc County, WI9/16/2023S. Zirbel

132 5/8136 0/8Jacob Jones Trousdale County, TN11/9/2023C. Adams

132 4/8140 3/8Casey Liegeois Mercer County, MO11/2/2023S. Zirbel

132 3/8148 4/8Brent Dettman Lucas County, IA11/4/2017L. Streiff

132 2/8135 4/8Rob Stout Coshocton County, OH11/5/2000A. Cramer

132 2/8135 3/8James “Jim” Walton Madison County, MT9/27/2023Z. Walton

132 2/8133 7/8Collin Mathews Shelby County, TX10/26/2023B. Bartlett

132 1/8138 3/8Bubba Sonnier Hardin County, TX10/2/2022G. Adams

132 1/8142 5/8J. Ammon McKinney Madison County, AL10/26/2023T. Fisk

132 1/8139 1/8Seth J. Myers Preston County, WV10/31/2023D. Razza

132 0/8136 3/8Jonathan Myrick Jackson County, MO10/16/2018J. Blystone

132 0/8135 3/8Marvin Gibson Trimble County, KY10/14/2023T. Apostolopodos

132 0/8133 7/8Corey Ullenbrauck Marathon County, WI10/29/2023T. Heil

131 7/8136 0/8Christopher Dellger Buffalo County, WI10/31/2023S. Zirbel

131 6/8136 3/8Jason J. Asmus Wood County, OH11/14/2011L. Wood

131 6/8141 0/8Gregory W. DeGrand Washtenaw County, MI11/2/2021B. Nash, Jr.

131 5/8147 3/8Kevin T. Powell Chautauqua County, NY10/8/2022P. Herrnberger

131 5/8136 6/8Bailey Barﬁeld Crisp County, GA11/10/2023W. Cooper

131 4/8133 7/8Timothy Chmielewski Marquette County, WI11/9/2020M. Miller

131 4/8133 7/8Michael Davis Archer County, TX10/8/2022L. Young

131 3/8138 2/8Paul M. Garmon III Irion County, TX12/6/2009L. Wood

131 3/8143 0/8Matt Baker Pike County, AR9/23/2023L. Walt

131 3/8135 1/8Sophia Waszak Waushara County, WI11/10/2023G. Martin

131 2/8142 1/8John P. Morris Lawrence County, IN10/30/2015S. Taylor

131 2/8134 5/8George F. Raymond IV Delaware County, NY10/7/2023S. Cowles

131 1/8137 0/8Bret Heckenberger Randolph County, IL11/10/2016M. Umbdenstock

131 1/8148 4/8Eric Arnold York County, PA11/8/2023R. Newton III

131 0/8143 6/8Jeremy McInery Dakota County, MN11/19/2020C. Collins

131 0/8132 2/8Luke Wolfert Dunn County, WI11/1/2023E. DeYoung

130 7/8139 7/8Justin Blackford Rogers County, OK11/19/2022J. Aldrich PRESERVE. PROMOTE. PROTECT.

Species:Polar Bear

Score:24 0/16

Hunter:Rick Popovitch

Location:Resolute Bay, Nvt., CAN

Date:04/24/2019

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

130 6/8138 7/8Nick Parker Clark County, IL11/10/2022J. Fields II

130 6/8134 3/8Brandon Welker Hardin County, KY10/18/2023D. Weddle

130 5/8135 2/8Benjamin Bottcher Early County, GA9/25/2023D. McGowan

130 5/8145 2/8Tyler Huckabay Clay County, AR9/27/2023L. Walt

130 5/8145 1/8Adam M. Drefcinski Portage County, WI10/29/2023R. Loberger

130 5/8140 0/8Alex J. Renninger Berks County, PA11/13/2023R. Conner

130 4/8134 2/8Joe Soumar Windham County, VT10/15/2022M. Parah

130 3/8136 4/8Lowell T. Hertzles Seward County, NE11/1/2023B. Trumbo

130 2/8134 7/8Joshua Whirley Hubbard County, MN9/21/2022M. Harrison

130 2/8132 7/8Dan Genrich Peoria County, IL10/29/2023T. Yetter

130 2/8136 3/8Samual R. Mateer Branch County, MI11/3/2023M. Seedorff

130 2/8133 4/8Jacob Willems Rice County, KS11/7/2023D. Willems

130 1/8138 1/8Jason R. Sweere Allamakee County, IA10/26/2020S. Zirbel

130 1/8135 1/8Matthew Radomski Ulster County, NY10/22/2023S. Cowles

130 0/8143 2/8Lee Walt Lincoln County, AR10/1/2023L. Rochelle

130 0/8142 0/8Timothy Talley Noble County, IN10/22/2023R. Harris

130 0/8138 7/8Al Messner Griggs County, ND11/8/2023J. Zins

129 7/8145 2/8Evan Balzer Sheboygan County, WI10/30/2023M. Miller

129 7/8134 0/8Anthony Carlyon Hennepin County, MN10/30/2023J. Lunde

129 7/8132 4/8Joe Mattison St. Croix County, WI11/22/2023K. Rimer

129 7/8134 3/8John D. Hill Guilford County, NC11/23/2023A. Crowe

129 6/8139 0/8Grant Parker Harnett County, NC9/23/2023J. Pope, Jr.

129 6/8134 7/8Adam D’Angelo Barbour County, WV10/17/2023G. Dearth

129 5/8132 4/8Martin Handley Erie County, NY11/3/2023K. Schilling

129 4/8138 5/8Jeff Eder Milwaukee County, WI11/13/2022M. Miller

129 4/8144 1/8Jesse Hasty Hancock County, OH11/5/2023B. Nash, Jr.

129 2/8137 7/8Matt Andvik Pembina County, ND9/21/2019J. Zins

129 2/8134 3/8Scott Douglas Indiana County, PA10/7/2023G. Douglas, Jr.

129 2/8133 5/8Dutch B. Boykin Orangeburg County, SC11/2/2023A. Boykin, Jr.

129 2/8138 4/8Michael Tucker Vigo County, IN11/7/2023J. Fields II

34 th Recording Period Partial Listing

Entries that have been accepted into the Records Program since the publication of the last quarterly journal.

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

129 2/8132 3/8Patty Walt Lincoln County, AR11/24/2023L. Walt

129 2/8133 2/8Brian Heaton Edwards County, TX12/31/2023D. Nielsen

129 1/8130 5/8Thomas Maxson Tippe Canoe County, IN10/31/2023G. Howard

129 0/8131 3/8Tom Arndt Jackson County, WI10/14/2023M. Sedelbauer

129 0/8140 4/8Brian Walker Washtenaw County, MI10/21/2023T. Morang

129 0/8138 2/8Jeff Walcott Schuyler County, IL10/30/2023S. Zirbel

129 0/8133 3/8David Fizer Saratoga County, NY11/10/2023G. Hennel

129 0/8137 6/8Bradley Pauley Boone County, WV12/7/2023E. Richmond

128 7/8131 2/8Matt Schuster Pettis County, MO10/18/2020J. Blystone

128 7/8140 4/8Justin Kincy Clarke County, IA11/11/2020J. Miller

128 6/8131 5/8Waylon Kincaid Clay County, WV10/7/2023S. Rauch

128 6/8131 2/8Danny Farris Hardeman County, TN10/7/2023S. Easley

128 5/8135 2/8Bob Barlau Jackson County, WI11/4/2023K. Rimer

128 4/8136 3/8Jason G. Hebner Clark County, IN11/7/2023S. Taylor

128 3/8138 7/8Rob Stout Coshocton County, OH11/5/2008A. Cramer

128 3/8132 1/8Casey J. Hatch Clay County, SD11/14/2023T. Urban

128 1/8133 2/8Arron M. Johnston Washington County, WI11/1/2011R. Walter

128 1/8136 7/8Nathan L. Andersohn Weld County, CO11/18/2023S. Hargrove

128 0/8133 2/8Douglas E. James Ingham County, MI10/20/2023M. Heeg

128 0/8136 1/8Richard Tucker Pike County, OH11/5/2023D. Kelly

128 0/8130 4/8Carolyn Feldt Howard County, MO11/8/2023M. Murray

127 7/8134 1/8Ty Gilbreth Arkansas County, AR9/23/2023L. Walt

127 7/8133 5/8Michael A. Bradley Meigs County, OH11/21/2023J. Riebel Jr

127 6/8131 1/8Troy Dickens Allen County, KY9/9/2023C. Adams

127 6/8133 5/8Connor Flanagan Orange County, NY10/28/2023D. Erickson

127 5/8133 6/8Jesse R. Kniﬂey Clark County, IN11/1/2023S. Taylor

127 4/8139 2/8Jason J. Craig Van Buren County, MI10/11/2023A. Blaske

127 4/8129 4/8Steven Parrish Brunswick County, NC10/15/2023D. Clayton

127 4/8135 3/8Tony Payne Atchison County, MO10/31/2023J. Heidel

127 4/8130 5/8Greg Harbison Crawford County, IL11/9/2023J. Fields II

127 3/8130 6/8Matt Andvik Cavalier County, ND10/29/2017J. Zins

127 2/8129 0/8Scott Homrich Hillsdale County, MI11/14/2010W. Pettett Jr

127 2/8130 6/8Hunter Pederson Polk County, WI10/21/2023J. Lunde

127 1/8135 0/8Jared Hook Dane County, WI10/30/2022D. Peterson, Jr.

127 1/8130 6/8Carter Rohde Marquette County, WI9/18/2023S. Zirbel

127 1/8143 6/8John E. Gravely Jr. Caldwell County, MO10/23/2023J. Blystone

127 0/8134 4/8Bryan M. St. Clair Knox County, OH11/13/2018J. Riebel Jr

127 0/8133 0/8Eric Anderson Hancock County, GA9/25/2023R. Register

127 0/8129 1/8Michael Davis Archer County, TX10/6/2023L. Young

127 0/8133 3/8Justin Weber Pierce County, WI11/2/2023S. Ashley

127 0/8136 6/8Nick Parker Vigo County, IN11/4/2023J. Fields II

126 7/8134 4/8Kody Allen White County, IN11/5/2023C. Coble

126 7/8146 2/8Mike A. Miller Clark County, IL11/18/2023J. Fields II

126 6/8132 0/8Brad Blackwelder Licking County, OH1/6/2023M. Headen

126 6/8135 0/8Eric “Shoob” SchumacherRichland County, WI10/29/2023S. Zirbel

126 6/8136 7/8Mark Baker Marquette County, WI11/4/2023M. Miller

126 5/8129 0/8Dominik Price Meigs County, OH10/4/2021J. Riebel Jr

126 5/8130 2/8Colton Anderson Faribault County, MN11/19/2022J. Olson

126 4/8146 1/8Kim Sternard Ross County, OH10/29/2023E. Jones

126 4/8132 4/8Brandon Huntington Clark County, IL11/15/2023M. Parah

126 3/8133 1/8Cody Schadel Schuylkill County, PA10/25/2023R. D’Angelo

126 2/8136 0/8Craig D. Smith Nelson County, KY9/10/2021M. Stevens

126 2/8132 6/8Todd S. Segar Calhoun County, MI10/21/2023M. Seedorff

126 1/8137 6/8George J. Barkhurst Hocking County, OH11/3/2021M. Olson

126 1/8129 6/8Stan Killebrew Hamilton County, IN11/2/2023J. Fields II

126 1/8128 6/8Landan Verbeeck Cook County, IL11/5/2023R. Tastsides

126 0/8138 4/8Bryan Cobban Henry County, KY10/25/2018M. Stevens

126 0/8132 5/8Branden R. Rize Washtenaw County, MI11/3/2023J. Knevel

125 7/8133 5/8John P. Morris Lawrence County, IN11/11/2016S. Taylor

125 7/8146 3/8Danny Reaser Lorain County, OH10/10/2023M. Olson

125 7/8142 3/8Justin Rogers Nacogdoches County, TX10/23/2023R. Wood

125 7/8134 6/8Andy Heyroth Manitowoc County, WI11/4/2023T. Karl

125 7/8135 6/8Donald Marquardt Manitowoc County, WI11/9/2023S. Zirbel

TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 204 4/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

125 6/8138 1/8Richard J. Lang Marathon County, WI9/23/2021P. Jensen

125 6/8127 4/8Al Messner Griggs County, ND11/12/2021J. Zins

125 6/8140 7/8Logan Pettz Ray County, MO10/18/2023R. Krueger

125 6/8131 1/8Gregory R. Hennel Schenectady County, NY11/3/2023J. Dowd

125 6/8129 6/8Josh Mosher Wexford County, MI11/7/2023B. Novosad

125 5/8128 6/8Eric Brock Tompkins County, NY10/5/2023M. Compton

125 5/8144 4/8Stephen C. Crossway Livingston County, NY11/4/2023J. Dowd

125 4/8145 6/8Randy Heckenlively Thayer County, NE10/28/2023R. Hochstein

125 4/8129 6/8Dan Jergens Miami County, OH11/15/2023M. Hentrick

125 3/8127 0/8Bryan Jensen Juneau County, WI10/27/2023D. Peterson, Jr.

125 3/8130 3/8Brett Walker Putnam County, WV10/30/2023E. Richmond

125 3/8131 5/8Sheldon T. Borden Bradford County, PA11/17/2023S. Zirbel

125 3/8129 0/8Cody Rinehart Carroll County, GA12/21/2023S. Williams

125 2/8130 6/8Cade M. Leasure Belmont County, OH11/14/2014D. Yoho

125 2/8127 7/8Cassandra Lustﬁeld Lincoln County, MN11/5/2022J. Converse 125 2/8130 2/8Scott Freiermuth Dunn County, WI10/27/2023S. Fish

125 1/8131 0/8Scott Homrich Hillsdale County, MI10/26/2012W. Pettett Jr 125 1/8140 4/8David J. Petrie Guernsey County, OH11/4/2023M. Olson 125 1/8132 6/8Scott Walter Beadle County, SD11/18/2023S. Rauch 125 1/8127 0/8Orest Popil Vermilion River, ALB11/30/2023N. Napora 125 0/8131 1/8Gregory W. DeGrand Washtenaw County, MI10/15/2023B. Nash, Jr. 125 0/8133 6/8John “Jack” C. Culpepper IIIBrazos County, TX12/27/2023J. Culpepper

NON-TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER WORLD RECORD 327 7/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

208 5/8211 6/8Michael Reitz Dunn County, WI11/16/2023S. Ashley

203 0/8206 6/8Cory Crews Reno County, KS11/8/2023W. Cooper 197 6/8203 7/8Jack Daniel Seneca County, OH10/12/2023W. Ogden 195 3/8199 4/8Derek Donohue Pepin County, WI11/4/2023S. Zirbel 195 2/8201 0/8Thomas D. Oeltjen Fillmore County, MN10/29/2023D. Boland 188 6/8191 0/8Jeffrey Hammerand Dubuque County, IA11/24/2022M. Casey 187 4/8207 1/8Ernie Santan Brown County, IL1/9/2024C. Coble 186 7/8192 2/8Tim W. Woods Washington County, IN10/28/2023S. Taylor 184 2/8189 2/8Bryan Plant Cascade County, MT9/5/2023S. LePage 181 6/8189 5/8Jacob Spencer White County, IN10/28/2023R. Graber 173 7/8179 0/8Douglas Seibert Livingston County, MO11/2/2023S. Carls 173 7/8184 3/8Arren Harrington Lee County, IA11/14/2023J. Olson 172 6/8178 1/8Rob Stout Coshocton County, OH11/8/2017A. Cramer 172 0/8180 6/8Warren Parker Lincoln County, AR9/25/2023L. Walt 171 6/8179 4/8Gage Gorseth Pottawattamie County, IA10/13/2023K. Wohlers 171 2/8182 3/8Greg Winchester Gregg County, TX11/10/2023R. Kroll 171 2/8178 5/8Michael Brown Logan County, WV11/14/2023E. Richmond 166 6/8175 2/8John C. Culpepper Pottawatomie County, KS11/14/2023J. Culpepper 157 0/8169 7/8Nathan L. Martin Cooke County, TX10/7/2023E. Stanosheck 157 0/8162 4/8Troy Berg Winnebago County, IA10/10/2023J. Olson 156 7/8162 3/8Eric A. Gagnon Dukes County, MA11/7/2023C. Smiley 156 2/8166 3/8Troy K. Barnes Trimble County, KY9/3/2016S. Taylor

NON-TYPICAL WHITETAIL DEER VELVET WORLD RECORD 271 0/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

191 2/8202 6/8Steve M. McMichael Ohio County, KY9/6/2023D. Weddle 164 0/8174 1/8Caleb Kizer Marion County, MO9/17/2023D. Hollingsworth

TYPICAL AMERICAN ELK WORLD RECORD 430 0/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

399 4/8411 7/8Tyler N. Johnerson Hill County, MT9/10/2023F. King

372 1/8384 6/8Mark Horning Douglas County, CO9/10/2023R. Rockwell

TYPICAL AMERICAN ELK CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 430 0/8 SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

367 4/8371 7/8Kurt D. Rued Beaver County, UT9/11/2023F. King

363 5/8374 0/8Todd Seymanski Bighorn County, MT9/28/2016S. LePage

357 5/8369 5/8Adam J. Smith Lewis & Clark County, MT9/24/2023D. Keene

357 0/8360 3/8Doug Roffers Las Animas County, CO9/26/2023S. Zirbel

355 3/8375 2/8Ronald M. Santillan/AEOCoconino County, AZ9/16/2023E. Fanchin

352 7/8381 6/8Caleb Campbell Fergus County, MT9/9/2023F. King

352 0/8368 4/8Alex Spahn Cocnino County, AZ9/22/2023R. Tone

350 3/8366 1/8Aaron Barney/G4 OutﬁttersJohnson County, WY9/25/2023D. Nielsen

350 2/8358 0/8L. Grant Foster/CA RanchGallatin County, MT9/12/2018R. Hall

346 7/8354 3/8James Walton/Unbranded OutﬁttersWhite Pine County, NV9/10/2023Z. Walton

346 5/8378 5/8Cody Campbell Larimer County, CO9/16/2023R. Rockwell

343 0/8351 5/8Brandon Wojcik Fergus County, MT9/29/2023S. LePage

340 0/8347 5/8Steven Fossel Pueblo County, CO11/12/2023M. Trujillo

339 4/8343 5/8L. Grant Foster Gallatin County, MT9/15/2017R. Hall

337 2/8349 5/8Mike Swank Bighorn County, MT9/20/2022C. Collins

331 5/8342 2/8Nicholas A. Hahn Petroleum County, MT9/23/2022J. Staten

330 5/8350 0/8L. Grant Foster/Frontier OutﬁttersCatron County, NM9/6/2023R. Hall

329 0/8340 5/8Cory Wittwer Larimer County, CO9/14/2023L. Kline

328 5/8337 1/8Nou Yang Fergus County, MT9/20/2023S. Thao

326 1/8352 5/8Mike Sheruda/ECO Clearﬁeld County, PA9/30/2023D. Mitchell

325 5/8337 7/8Ben Lipke Socorro County, NM9/13/2019L. Harlan

325 5/8332 3/8Steve Poznanski Saguache County, CO9/23/2023R. Rockwell

325 2/8335 2/8Mark Beeler Carbon County, WY9/9/2022C. Rotering

325 2/8337 4/8Brandon L. Stolba Jefferson County, CO9/7/2023R. Rockwell

320 6/8329 2/8Nicholas Berg Catron County, NM9/8/2023K. Rimer

320 6/8329 2/8Trevor Wittwer Larimer County, CO9/13/2023L. Kline

314 5/8344 3/8Omar F. Fisher Judith Basin County, MT9/9/2023D. Keene

312 2/8318 2/8Edward Lamb Park County, MT9/26/2022F. King

311 1/8322 7/8William Johnson Catron County, NM9/19/2023J. Smith

310 3/8321 6/8Zach Cottrell Park County, WY9/17/2023R. Niziolek

310 3/8325 2/8Jacob Allen Lane County, OR10/1/2023T. Rozewski

308 5/8321 0/8Rob Stout Eagar County, AZ10/1/2004A. Cramer

308 3/8323 4/8Justin Doll Petroleum County, MT9/6/2020S. LePage

307 5/8321 1/8Rob Stout Catron County, NM9/7/2003A. Cramer

306 7/8316 5/8Jeff Mask Linn County, OR9/24/2022D. Sanford

304 7/8311 7/8Pao K. Moua Ravalli County, MT9/19/2023S. Thao

304 3/8312 3/8Carter Parsons Lane County, OR9/2/2023J. Knoebel

304 3/8334 2/8Chia Yang Cascade County, MT9/25/2023S. Thao

301 4/8311 4/8David R. Johnson Park County, MT9/12/2023C. Smiley

301 2/8311 7/8Brad Baldwin Larimer County, CO9/30/2023C. Anderson, Jr.

299 6/8314 0/8L. Grant Foster/Frank AndersonGallatin County, MT9/21/2015R. Hall

297 2/8304 7/8Stanly Miles Wallowa County, OR9/27/2023L. Jones

297 2/8305 3/8Nathan L. Andersohn/Jicarilla ApacheRio Arriba County, NM9/29/2023S. Hargrove

293 6/8304 4/8Mark McMahon Socorro County, NM9/19/2023D. Sherpy

292 5/8301 4/8L. Grant Foster/Frank AndersonGallatin County, MT9/12/2019R. Hall

290 3/8304 1/8Nicholas Erickson/Shadow ValleyYavapai County, AZ9/23/2023S. Cowles

290 2/8295 3/8Stephen LePage Fergus County, MT9/12/2023D. Keene

288 3/8306 0/8Ryan Stahovec Otero County, NM9/24/2023J. Ohmer

287 7/8293 3/8Charles W. Rehor Coconino County, AZ9/23/2023L. Desmarais

286 3/8294 5/8Justin Long Uintah County, UT9/17/2023D. Nielsen

285 2/8343 2/8Jeff Mask Linn County, OR9/17/2023T. Rozewski

282 3/8289 0/8Edward Lamb Park County, MT10/4/2020F. King

279 2/8289 2/8Robert Thennis Fergus County, MT9/12/2023D. Keene

277 3/8288 6/8John Stubecki Millard County, UT9/17/2023M. Compton

277 2/8286 3/8Matt Palmquist Malheur County, OR9/26/2023D. Willems

275 4/8283 5/8Randy D. Stolba Jefferson County, CO9/12/2023R. Rockwell

274 4/8279 1/8Levi Nelson Fallon County, MT9/11/2023W. Muth

271 4/8295 1/8Matt Andvik Pembina County, ND9/25/2022J. Zins

271 1/8281 6/8Matt Shearrow Grand County, CO9/19/2023J. Squires

270 6/8283 4/8Mark Murphy Toole County, MT9/12/2023J. Brown

268 4/8280 5/8Bryan Rose Grant County, OR9/28/2023J. Knoebel

268 2/8283 7/8Wayne Vinton Linn County, OR9/16/2023R. Stahl

TYPICAL AMERICAN ELK CONTINUED WORLD RECORD 430 0/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

267 5/8271 3/8Jonathon Richter El Paso County, CO9/29/2023R. Rockwell

267 3/8270 3/8Justin Walker Lemhi County, ID9/29/2022J. Eder 264 2/8269 0/8Robert Godfrey Rocky View County, ALB9/7/2023K. Brayford 263 6/8275 2/8Brett Bueltel Carbon County, WY9/10/2019W. Hepworth 262 7/8269 3/8Nicholas Batchelder Granite County, MT9/11/2023K. Rimer

ALASKA-YUKON MOOSE WORLD RECORD 249 1/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

179 7/8180 6/8Rob Stout Upper Nisling River, YUK9/17/2022A. Cramer 170 1/8174 5/8Scott Bengston/Alaska Pike SafarisYukon-Koyukuk, AK9/12/2023P. Barwick

CANADA

MOOSE WORLD RECORD 222 1/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

189 1/8192 0/8Mathieu Tremblay Matane, QUE9/27/2023E. Tremblay 173 0/8176 5/8Michael Barnard Essex County, VT10/2/2023D. Robillard

169 0/8176 2/8Casey Polson Gadsby Lake, ALB10/9/2023D. Powell 160 0/8164 3/8Joseph E. Copeland Tucker Lake, ALB10/4/2023R. Stahl 155 2/8161 5/8Ray Pastway Barnes Creek, BC10/7/2023L. Verbaas 141 4/8144 2/8Ryan E. Hammond Strathcona, ALB10/9/2023R. MacDonald 141 1/8147 6/8Elizabeth Thomas Lamont, ALB10/1/2023D. Meyer

SHIRAS’ MOOSE WORLD RECORD 192 0/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

161 0/8163 2/8Stacey L. Greathouse Grand County, CO9/15/2023E. Lowery 153 1/8156 3/8James Klassen Albany County, WY9/9/2022D. Pawlicki 148 1/8152 0/8Kevin E. Vecchiarelli Grand County, CO9/9/2023B. Smith 147 6/8159 4/8Jason Klassen Albany County, WY9/1/2023D. Pawlicki 142 2/8147 0/8Tanner Paulek Hinsdale County, CO9/9/2023G. Siggins 137 6/8141 7/8Talon L. Faler Sublette County, WY9/29/2023R. Skinner 136 3/8139 6/8L. Grant Foster/Terry PollardSublette County, WY10/10/2017R. Hall 128 0/8130 6/8Dan Evenson Weber County, UT10/25/2023S. Godfrey

MUSKOX WORLD RECORD 127 2/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

108 0/8110 1/8Anna C. Hall North Slope, AK9/18/2023N. Muche

103 2/8105 3/8Dominique E. Watts North Slope, AK9/15/2023N. Muche 97 4/8 99 1/8Rob Stout/Bowhunting GreenlandNarsarsuaq, GRN9/19/2019A. Cramer 97 0/8105 5/8Richard N. King Paulatuk, NWT10/19/2023F. King

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE WORLD RECORD 91 4/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

79 2/879 6/8Matthew Swartz Luna County, NM8/8/2022C. Scott

76 2/876 4/8Ronald N. Ream Harding County, SD9/15/2002R. Nail

74 4/876 3/8Matthew M. Gagnon Beaverhead County, MT8/27/2023F. King

74 2/874 7/8Allen Clark Powder River County, MT8/17/2023J. Kinsey

73 0/874 0/8Mark Kronyak/Toby WeaverLea County, NM8/15/2023J. Stankiewicz

72 0/873 1/8Neil Blohm/Keith RileyLea County, NM8/20/2023R. Krueger

71 6/872 4/8Todd Seymanski Bighorn County, MT9/6/2023S. LePage

70 4/871 1/8Levi Nelson Campbell County, WY8/16/2023W. Muth

68 6/869 5/8 Craig Heidemann/Broken Coulee Outﬁtters Medicing Hat, ALB9/22/2023K. Schilling

67 6/868 2/8Ronald Le Beaumont Albany County, WY9/2/2022R. Burtis

67 0/867 5/8Bryce Baker Stanley County, SD9/1/2023M. Clausen

34 th Recording Period Partial Listing

Entries that have been accepted into the Records Program since the publication of the last quarterly journal.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT WORLD RECORD 53 4/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

48 6/849 2/8Joshua B. Mortensen Juab County, UT9/20/2023K. Lehr

48 4/848 6/8Cameron Michell/Chad ValenteVermilion, BC9/16/2023C. Scott 41 2/842 1/8Trevor Embry Kodiak Island, AK9/13/2023H. Mansavage

BIGHORN SHEEP WORLD RECORD 209 1/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

182 1/8183 1/8Aaron Louks El Paso County, CO11/28/2023L. Streiff 170 3/8170 5/8Scott Homrich Canmore, ALB11/16/2023J. Kinsey

167 4/8167 6/8Jonah Stewart/Frank Canmore, ALB11/25/2023J. Mancuso

161 1/8162 2/8Harvey Swanson/Mark TurnerEl Paso County, CO12/2/2022D. Smith

158 4/8160 5/8Ray Aderholt Kananaskis, ALB11/14/2022J. Laceﬁeld

146 2/8146 4/8Josh R. Aylesworth/Sangre De CristoSaquache County, CO8/18/2023R. Rockwell

DALL’S SHEEP WORLD RECORD 174 0/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURER

145 1/8146 0/8Rob Stout Palmer Lake, NWT8/11/2023A. Cramer 142 7/8143 3/8 J. Camp Newton/Dan Reynold Outﬁtters Ogilvie Mountains, YUK8/3/2023R. Niziolek

DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP WORLD RECORD 186 4/8

SCOREGROSSHUNTER/OUTFITTER AREA/ST/PROV DATEMEASURE

166 3/8166 4/8Paul Vice/Martin Leon Sonora, MEX2/7/2024A. Clark 162 1/8163 2/8Scott Homrich/Martin LeonSonora, MEX1/28/2020R. Cooling

157 6/8158 5/8L. Grant Foster/Gaspar BautistaCarmen Island, MEX5/27/2023R. Hall

Species:Rocky Mountain Goat

Score:48 4/8

Hunter:Cameron Michell

Location:Vermilion, BC, CAN Date:09/16/2023

PRESERVE. PROMOTE. PROTECT.

OWN THE COLD

NEW HYPERDOWN COLLECTION

SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN WARMTH AND LIGHTWEIGHT PACKABILITY.

A RIPSTOP FACE FABRIC PROVIDES ADDED PROTECTION FROM RUGGED GLASSING TERRAIN.

Super Slam Hunting

By Kurt Ebers

Chuck Adams

One of Chuck’s trail cameras recently captured a big grizzly bear less than 75 yards from his house in Wyoming. You never know what might show up!

Try a Trail Camera

I noticed fresh, really big deer tracks last year near a spring ﬂowing from my property. It was early August after the mule deer had migrated to higher, cooler elevations. So I surmised this was a whitetail. There aren’t a lot of whitetails in my area, and they seldom get very large.

During the next few weeks, I watched the area with binoculars at dawn and dusk. No animal. But fresh, big tracks continued to appear on a regular basis near the spring. My curiosity increased.

I ﬁnally strapped a Browning Strike Force trail camera to a tree overlooking the spring. Bingo! The very next morning, I had the mystery deer on an SD card, along with two raccoons, a bobcat, and several rabbits. All these critters had visited the spring in the

middle of the night.

The buck jumped out at me on my computer screen after I transferred the digital image—a 5x6 whitetail of exceptional size for my area.

I never saw that buck during the September archery season, but I’m itching to hunt him again this year. I’m sure he’s still around; he’ll probably be even bigger, and maybe he’ll appear during legal shooting hours. This is the stuﬀ that bowhunting dreams are made of…and thanks to a trail camera, I know exactly what to dream about.

If you haven’t used a trail camera, you should try one. Some bowhunters do not think it’s fair to monitor big game on camera, and it is not legal to do so in some states during archery hunting season. Real-time

cameras that use cell service are especially frowned on, and I have no problem with that attitude. Trail cameras without real-time capability are legal in my home state of Wyoming, and I deﬁnitely use them during spring black bear season to monitor bruins that visit my bait barrels—especially wise old bruins that usually show up in the dark. Trail cameras have not helped my one bit in shooting a spring bear, because I’m picky and I’ve never harvested a Wyoming bruin in the spring. But seeing the trail camera photos is always a hoot. Last spring, a sow with a rare four-cub litter visited one of my barrels!

Even if you do not wish to use a trail camera to locate huntable animals, the resulting images can be fascinating.

Chuck has never shot a spring black bear in Wyoming, but he has used trail cameras to snap photos of dozens of bruins that visit his bait barrels.

I have two cameras strapped to trees along the river near my home in Wyoming. I never hunt that area, but I love to see what walks by. Recently, an awesome grizzly bear appeared only 75 yards from my house. Thank goodness for the high, bear-resistant fence around my yard!

My cameras have also captured photos of bobcats, mountain lions, raccoons, skunks, elk, moose, and even a great horned owl with a cottontail in its talons. For pure entertainment,

a trail camera cannot be beat!

A wide variety of trail cameras are sold at sporting goods stores and on the Internet. Prices vary a lot, but I favor simpler ones without extra bells and whistles. As long as a camera takes sharp photos and accepts an SD card with a fairly high GB capacity, I get the pictures I need.

If you really want to know what’s wandering your woods, try a trail camera. The technology is amazing!

Just last spring, Chuck was amazed to see a sow black bear with four cubs on a trail camera SD card. Such a sighting is rare.

This great horned owl had just nabbed a cottontail rabbit when a trail camera near Chuck’s home captured the event.

Adventure Bowhunter

By Tom Miranda

Bulgaria’s Magical Mountain

When I think about bowhunting the rut… visions of grunting and chasing whitetails are the ﬁrst that come to mind. However, these rutting deer are soon replaced by a crazed bull moose walking into bow range… And how can I forget the roaring red stags of New Zealand or the bugling Rocky Mountain elk?… Or the sound of a rutting impala ram racing through the veld… grunting with every leap? I remember a woodland bull caribou hypnotized with love and grunting with every step as he walked into handshaking distance… There’s no doubt that the rut is a magical time to be bowhunting. Yet, as I glass here on this mountain, my image of the rut has changed forever. On this magic mountain in southern Bulgaria— rutting wild fallow bucks gather. Hundreds of bucks… chasing, grunting, and croaking.

Deep in the mountains of eastern Europe are caves lined with the bones of Neanderthal man. Caverns hide some of the ancient history and legends of the old world. Archaic

Awesome fallow buck

Tom Miranda poses with his fallow buck taken in Bulgaria during the peak of the rut.

temples still stand worn from eons of weather and wind…… burial sites are littered with stone carvings of spacemen and creatures that look… not from this earth. These mountains have always been mysterious. The remote peaks were named in the mythology of the Greeks and woven through the tales of ancient gods.

Fallow Deer Backstory

Likely the most underrated game animal in Eurasia… the fallow deer runs free in most areas of its range. With its unique palmated antlers and dense winter coat, the European fallow was an essential source of food, clothing, and tools for prehistoric man dating back at least seventeen thousand years.

Fallow deer are native to Europe, but the species have been relocated to the four corners of the globe. Interestingly…. two historical herds of relocated deer still exist. One is in Sweden, and the other in Ireland, where a herd of 400 plus fallow deer descends from the original herd introduced in the mid-17th century. Persian fallow deer are mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as “Yahmur.” They are listed as the third animal species that may be eaten.

Male fallow bucks are much larger than the females. This trait… known as sexual dimorphism, is thought to have evolved over thousands of years and likely results from the fact that the most successful mating of the species occurred between large males with a dominant rank in the herd and the obvious female preference for larger, stronger males.

Migrating Fallow Bucks

Large animal migrations are considered a wonder of nature. In North America, the caribou migration is well documented. Caribou herds travel to summer calving grounds in the spring and winter feeding grounds in the fall … with some herds covering a thousand kilometers or more. In Africa…… antelope migrate to the Serengeti to follow the

Mountains near Kardjaly, Bulgaria— near the Turkish border.

Fallow buck ruts on the mountain.

Miranda takes a break in the shade near a rutting pit.

Adventure Bowhunter

summer rains to fresh grazing and water. Often in mountain country, moose, deer, and elk migrate into the high country to escape the heat of summer and the onslaught of pesky summer ﬂies and mosquitoes. Moving out of the high country as fall brings cooler weather and the rut.

The fallow bucks of the Balkans also migrate into the mountains during the summer as large female groups raise their young in the lowlands. As fall approaches, these bucks return to the female range to gather at

on the darker-coated animals.

Rut Hunt

The mountains we are hunting are adjacent to a large lake, and the surrounding valley is where the female fallows spent the summer raising their young. The adult males all move into the high country for the summer. As October rolls around, these males descend onto several mountain peaks overlooking the lake. As the males gather, they scrape, ﬁght, croak, and grunt. The clash of testosterone and aggressive behavior sends rutting sounds echoing down the valleys. The females slowly begin to sift up from the lakeshore, and the romance begins.

It’s incredible to see 5-10-15 huge male fallow bucks grunting in a circle over one or two females. And 10-15 separate groups of the same— dotting the mountainside. The eons of rutting on this mountain had created a “browse line” of old rubbed and broken trees and deep rut pits exposing the rocky escarpment areas. As a “layman” fallow hunter— all the bucks looked huge, and with the rut pits some 100 yards from cover, the strategy was to hide in a group of trees or rock outcrop and wait on a big buck to run a circle of scrapes into a closer 50-yard shot. It would seem the craziness of this rut would allow a bowhunter to walk into a group unafraid; however, standing and walking toward the group disturbs the female, and the entire bunch moves away.

historical rut pits. Their grunting calls attract the females into these pits where breeding competition is keen. Fallow deer are unique as a deer species in the fact that they have a vast variance in their coat color. There are four main variants: leucistic, common, masculine, and melanistic. The Leucistic is the lightest colored and nearly pure white. The Common is more a buﬀ brown… with the Menil a darker brown, and Melanistic is very dark, almost black. Most fallow deer have spots, yet as the animals age, the spots are much easier to see

The grunting and croaking are deafening, akin to the excitement of ﬁve mature bull elk in a shouting match. Imagine being on the stand with a half-dozen shooter bucks in pursuit of an estrus doe 100 yards from your tree stand. Exciting and frustrating! This is the amazing rut on Bulgaria’s magic mountain.

Making My Move

Of course, my career is as a TV producer, so my job is documenting hunts so viewers might experience the adventure from the comfort of their living rooms. I spent the ﬁrst couple of days ﬁlming this fantastic rut. Oh, yes, I am still hunting, but I am picky about what encounter will make the best—most

Miranda watches a mature fallow buck step from cover.

Water erosion created this cavern through the mountain.

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Adventure Bowhunter

By Kurt Ebers

exciting footage. By day 3, we had collected plenty of video, and it was time to push in and ﬁnish the deal.

The first morning, we recognized an active rut pit flanked by a rock crop on one side. If I could sneak out to the end of the crop, the shots would be 100 yards and under. So, on day three, we went to this area first thing in

mountaintop sarcophagus was

entire spectacle was unfolding some 90- 100 yards distant.

Finally, one of the bucks veered oﬀ the pack and began heading toward our position. The buck was quartering towards me. He stopped at 50 yards, grunting and croaking. My shot angle was downhill, plus or minus 30 feet below and 50 yards distant. The buck grunted in our direction a few times, then turned almost a hundred and eighty degrees, paused, and began croaking. I went to full draw, and just then, the buck swung his head around and started licking himself. I held the draw for several seconds... picked a spot, and released the arrow. The sound of the bow ﬁring raised the buck’s head, and the arrow slipped in…. the steep quartering away shot was perfect. My prize ran 70 yards and fell to his resting place.

Gotta Love Adventure

One of the biggest reasons I enjoy traveling and bowhunting is the adventure of the unknown and history. This fallow hunt was a side trip, added to my Balkan chamois bowhunt I had booked with Safari Season, a Bulgarian outﬁtter specializing in hunting the mountain chamois and red deer found in eastern Europe. Collecting the mountain animals of the old world is a unique challenge of its own, and the side trips to bow hunt other species or visit ancient ruins, museums, or old book shops are always on my radar. Ancient ruins abound in the Balkans. At Tatul, archeologists unearthed an ancient Thracian surface tomb that dates back to at least 4000 BC.

the morning and worked our way out to the natural rock wall’s end as the sun rose. My cameraman, Vladimir Donchev, and I settled in to wait on the rut pit to become fully active, and within an hour, the rut show was on. Several fallow bucks were shooters, and even a completely “snow white” doe appeared, one we hadn’t seen in three days of ﬁlming. This

In comparison, the Great Pyramid of Giza is thought to have been built almost 1500 years later. However, recent discoveries have changed these theories, pushing the dates these ancient ruins were constructed back some ten thousand years. The ritual of burying prominent leaders or deities on the top of a hill and overground is extremely rare…. ancient sources mention only Orpheus and Rhesus as two buried this way. However, both are mythological ﬁgures who may have never existed.

This

thought to be carved into the rock for Orpheus, the music god of mythology, who charmed animals by playing his lyre.

Museum relics depict alien beings circa 4000 BC

HMembership Column

By Stephen LePage

ello Pope and Young Club Members

I would like to thank everyone for their patience while the oﬃce resolves our issues. I would also like to thank everyone who has contacted me and alerted me to any and all issues regarding membership. We understand your frustrations and are working to address our shortcomings to make our club even stronger! Since we are

getting caught up on membership, I will remind everyone that if you have been a General member for five consecutive years, have attended a convention or volunteered for Pope and Young Club, have had sufficient activity in state, local, mentoring or conservation activities and have harvested three different species or three pope and young animals, then you are eligible to

apply for Regular membership.

The application for Regular membership is readily available on the website: https:// www.pope-young.org/userﬁles/2338/ PDFS/Regular%20Application%20 Revised%20Jan%202023.pdf

I encourage all eligible members to apply.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

Sincerely, Stephen LePage

P&Y Membership Chair, 406-535-5636

Stephenandamylepage@yahoo.com

WALES CANYON RANCH

Wales Canyon Ranch sprawls across 759± acres of untamed Rocky Mountain landscape in Beulah, Colorado. The ranch offers excellent Big Game hunting and ranching opportunities. Diverse wildlife enjoys habitat with bedding cover, feeding areas, and abundant water sources on and around the property. The ranch has unobstructed views of Pueblo Reservoir, Greenhorn Mountain range, and Pikes Peak. Open meadows and varied vegetation provide stunning views. The rugged beauty of Wales Canyon, along the southern border, enhances the property’s charm, with deep canyon walls and natural features for exploration and adventure.

Renowned for its wildlife diversity and trophy-quality Big Game, Wales Canyon Ranch is a haven for hunters seeking exclusive experiences. Mule Deer, Elk, Turkey, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, and occasional Pronghorn roam its varied terrain. The property qualifies for the Landowner Preference Program for Elk and Mule Deer. There are Private Land Only Bear licenses and OTC Pronghorn and Turkey tags. The ranch is also suitable for ranching activities, with an operational gathering pen and ample grazing meadow grasses.

Wales Canyon Ranch invites those seeking a private hunting retreat, recreational escape, or promising ranching opportunity. The ranch is about 40 minutes from Pueblo and a little over an hour from Colorado Springs.

NEW MEMBER RECRUITMENT PROGRAM

THIS APPLIES TO GENERAL MEMBERSHIPS ONLY (no renewals, noyouth memberships)

Thediscounted membership,when submitting a record book entry, isstill in eﬀect and DOES count toward this program!

SIGN UP NOW!

Forupdatesabout this programand currentleaderboard, sign upfor our NEW Monthly O icial Measurer Newsletter (email address required).

Email records@pope-young.orgor call our main oﬃce at 507-867-4144 to update your measurer contactinformation, or signinto our websiteand update it there!

Forupdatesabout this programand currentleaderboard, sign upfor our NEW Monthly O icial Measurer Newsletter (email address required). Email records@pope-young.orgor call our main oﬃce at 507-867-4144 to update your measurer contactinformation, or signinto our websiteand update it there!

DON’T

FORGET!

DON’T FORGET!

All of our current Fair Chase Aﬃdavits, Membership applications, online membership forms, and membership ﬂyers have a space for “Referrer” or“Sponsor.”

Be sure to putyour name and OM ID in those ﬁelds in order toreceive credit. Find one online at https://pope-young.org/membership-options

All of our current Fair Chase Affidavits, Membership applications, online membership forms, and membership flyers have a space for “Referrer” or“Sponsor.” Be sure to putyour name and OM ID in those fields in order toreceive credit. Find one online at https://pope-young.org/membership-options

JOIN US ONLINE!

Besides our social media platforms for the club, we have a Facebook group for Oﬃcial Measurers only,join the conversation and share your successes.

Ken Rimer WI67

Stan Zirbel WI67

Michael SeedorffMI 6

Stan Rauch SD 6

INCENTIVE PRIZES

P&Y Logo cap

Oﬃcial P&Y“OM Challenge Coin

Ozonics Micro Scent Eliminating Car Charger

OMEmbroidered Vest

Clothing Package TBA(up to $350value)

Dialed Archery Bow Sight

Compound Bow (Value up to $800)

$ Gift Card to Bass Pro/Cabelas

Free Full Convention package for ($ value)

NOTE: This program is for Oﬃcial P&Y Measurerswho are active members. To participate, please make sureyour own membership is active!

Matthew OlsonOH40

Stan Zirbel WI67

Matthew OlsonOH40

Steven Taylor IN35

Tim Rozewski OR22

Steven Taylor IN35

Tim Rozewski OR22

William BellmanOH22

Dale Weddle KY21

Philip Herrnberger PA 11

Russ Spaulding WA 11

Philip Herrnberger PA 11

Tony Heil WI11

Russ Spaulding WA 11

Lee Walt AR10

Tony Heil WI11

Lee Walt AR10

Bucky Ihlenfeldt WI 9

Merritt ComptonNY 9

Bucky Ihlenfeldt WI 9

Merritt ComptonNY 9

Gerry Wegner WI 8

Jerry Gander WI 8

Jeff Best MI 7

Mark Miller WI 7

Gary Martin WI 6

LeRoy Hansen MI 6

Gary Martin WI 6

LeRoy Hansen MI 6

Stan Rauch SD 6

Jerry Lunde

Jerry Lunde WI 6

Earl Conradt WI 6

Drake Atwood ID 5

Aaron Smith MI 5

Douglas EricksonNY 5

Jason Zins ND5

Douglas EricksonNY 5

Jason Zins ND5

John Ramsey WI 5

Zack Walton CA 5

John Ramsey WI 5

Zack Walton CA 5

Shannon QuinnGA4

Jack Fields II IN 4

Garry BrandenburgIA 4

Robert Newton IIIMD4

Jack Fields II IN 4 Garry BrandenburgIA 4

Robert Newton IIIMD4 John Ohmer MI 4

John Ohmer MI 4 Bernie Goebel MN4 David Keene MT 4

Bernie Goebel MN4 David Keene MT

Krueger NE 4

Gary Wegner WI 4

Nicholas MucheAK 4

Ed Fanchin AZ 4

John Gardner CO4

Wade SteffenhagenUT 3

Robert Tastsides IL 3

Richard Pﬂanz IN 3

Chad Coburn IA 3

Lonnie DesmaraisMA3

August Gray MD3

Shawn GrabowMN3

Bobby Dye MS 3

Timothy DonnellyMO3

Stephen LePageMT 3

Chad Collins MN3

Donald HaseleyNY 4 Christopher Scott PA 4 Jason Converse SD 4 Ben Bartlett TX 4 Steven Ashley WI 4

(Jack) Culpepper III TX 3 Craig Mitton UT 3 Thomas Karl WI 3

In Memory

Membership

John Stone General Member

Lebanon Oregon General Member Since 1991

New General Members

Martin Henry AR

John Adams AZ

Josh Aylesworth CO

Robert Crask CO

Brandon Stolba CO

Andrew Carney GA

Cory Crews GA

Richard Davis GA

Charles Ledger GA

Cody Rinehart GA

James Seabolt GA

Tony Berg .IA

Justin Else .IA

Nick Grady .IA

Arren Harrington .IA

Marion Heintz .IA

Anthony Caliger .ID

Brennan Kurth .ID

Ryan Storms .ID

Timothy Strohecker .IL

Joel Biltz .IN

Brandon Grolich .IN

Floyd Schmucker .IN

Marc Sovik .IN

Samuel Ventura .IN

David Feldbauer KS

Jacob Addison KY

Jamie Davis KY

New Regular Members

Gary G. Colbath AK

Richard R. Snyder AK

Jerry Thorson AZ

All Lifetime Members

Andrew R. Abbring .IN

Joel Adam TX

Louie Adams, Jr. TX

Eric Ahlgren AZ

Chris Albrecht GA

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Mark Elkins KY

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Mike Rogers KY

Kyle Spalding KY

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Cody Perilloux LA

Eugene Busa .MA

David Flint Jr .MD

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Derek Boutin MI

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Tony Gierke MI

Curt Konkle MI

Scott Mather MI

Mark Meeker MI

Caleb Miller MI

Jamie Reed MI

Richard Richardson MI

Thomas Russo MI

Kaden Rysdam MI

TJ Smith MI

Kevin Wetherbee MI

Andrew Grooms .MN

New Lifetime General Member Jay Osting Ohio

Ryan Johnson .MN

Colt Kelly .MN

Dustin Martin .MN

Justin Popp .MN

Brenda Theis .MN

Logan Pettz .MO

Corey Hall .MS

Raymond Gross, Jr. MT

Stephanie Prater MT

Logan Tyson MT

Tanner Vesledahl MT

Allen Pederson .MY

Jason Ballou NC

Jeffrey Rex NC

Conner Stevens NC

Jason Faleide ND

John Steiner ND

Randy Heckenlively NE

Charles Albanese NJ

George Allen NY

Eric Brock NY

David Fizer NY

Owen Haney NY

Kevin Powell NY

Robert Ripp NY

Thomas Rutherford NY

Michael Tomaino NY

Dalton Leutnold OH

Joe Thomas OH

Luke Wrasman OH

Sherman Johnson OK

Alan Smith ONT

Clint Cepica OR

Cody Herzog OR

Casey Lewis OR

Jeff Mask OR

Travis Yawn OR

Austin Good PA

Christopher Groger PA

Alec Hendal PA

Brian Krawchyk PA

Tony Payne PA

David Reese PA

Mark Trafford SAS

Chris Fowler SC

Charles Theo SC

Josh Fox TN

Shanna Jenkins TN

Michael Davis TX

Jeffrey Oglesby TX

Justin Rogers TX

Justin Shelton TX

Greg Winchester TX

Katlin Bell UT

Daniel Crane VA

Curtis Fretz .WA

Josh Jones .WA

Travis Ashenbrenner WI

Tanner Branch WI

James Flannery WI

Camden Gelhar WI

John Hanson WI

Michael Henningsen WI

Peter Jene WI

Karlee Ketelboeter WI

Casey Liegeois WI

Jeff Niemaan WI

Tyler Nikkila WI

Jerold Olson WI

Derek Pederson WI

Jason Peters WI

Brian Reed WI

Doug Roffers WI

Carter Rohde WI

Brady Schmidt WI

Matt Shearrow WI

Jeff Walcott WI

Brent Wenninger WI

Drew Wudtke WI

Jacob Zirzow WI

Elijah Collins .WV

Trevor Ridgway .WV

Stephanie Melzer .WY

Matt Swartz .WY

Shelley Plymale, Jr...........CO

Reed Burres .IA Jim Elder .ID

Todd Grimm .IL

Mark Verble .IN

Randy Cooling MI

David Allen NC

Lisa M. Ameen..............AK

Bob Ameen AK

Loren Paul Ameen AZ

David N. Andersen WI

Nathan L. Andersohn CO

Gerald Shane Anderson ALB

Naomi Anglin TN

Ted Archibeque CO

Ted Arnold .IL

Jayson Arnold TX

Mitchel C. Arnold CO

Ronald Grenadier MI

Greg Duncan .MS

Robert G. Skinner TX

Kenneth D. Asbury CO

Bud Aultman .WY

Lawrence B. Avison III MI

Randy John Babey..........ALB

Howard Baccash CT

Jim Bachle CA

Jared Hook WI Raynald Groleau QUE

Melissa Bachman SD

Eric Bachofner MT

Sylvester Baier ALB

Bruce Baird................TX

Greg Baisden .IN

Al Baldwin CA

Keith Balfourd MT

James E. Balise .MA

Roy David Banaszak MI

Chris Barker BC

William K. Barlow SC

John Barton, II NC

Brent Bartsch .MN

Adam Bartsch BC

James V. Barwick OK

Dr. William H. Basil WI

George Bassolino NY

David C. Bastow PA

John D. Bazey .MN

Keith Joel Beam WI

Jeffrey Becker .IL

Erik Bedard ONT

Mark Beeler WI

Dave Beeler WI

Gregg Bekelja PA

Daryl L. Belik ND

Don Bell MI

Brian Keith Bell AK

David A. Bender, Jr. OR

John Benike .FL

Bobby D. Benison .MS

David Benitz AK

Marilyn Bentz SD

Brian P. Benyo OH

Robert Bergquist .WY

Derek Berry CA

Brendan Bersey TX

Tate Bestor CO

Fred Biasiello WI

I. Patrick Bischoff KY

John Blackall TX

Jonathan Blanchette ALB

Larry Bley WI

Rockie L. Bliss CO

Chris Bobo CA

J. Dean Bodoh WI

Gary F. Bogner MI

Donald W. Bohlken .IA

Matthew Donald Boisen CO

Allen Bolen UT

Charles Booth TX

Tim Bottari NV

Joan Holland Bottari NV

Joshua Bourne CO

Paul Bovee TX

Kevin Bowden NJ

John B. Bowman .WV

John Edgar Bowman TX

Jason Bowman NC

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Jim Boyer NV

Frank Bozich PA

David Bradbury KS

Garry L. Brandenburg .IA

Russell Branum AR

Stephen Carl Breininger PA

Carl E. Brent AK

Chuck Brewer CO

Bill Bridges AL

Jerry Bridgewater, Jr. TX

Alan Brimacombe ALB

Amos B. Britenstine OH

Alan Brock GA

Ginger Brockman NE

Dean Bromberger ALB

Edward A. Brown GA

Douglas Brown MI

Nick Brown KY

Steve Bruggeman .MN

Robert E. Brush NJ

Tim Bufﬁngton TX

Glen Bullard TX

Marc E. Bunting KS

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By Marilyn Bentz

Top Four Reasons To Take A Bowhunter Education Course

State

or Local Regulations

Regulations can and do change. Most states still publish booklets of regulations every year. And many states will even highlight what’s new or changed. Regulations are also published online. Bowhunters intending to hunt out of state should start early in their quest for the regulations in the state where they are going and continue to check so that they are aware of when the new regulations are posted. The internet is a wonderful tool for this and will reﬂect changes more rapidly than printed materials. Eleven

states currently require a bowhunter education certiﬁcate, and/or other states may require proof of a previous bowhunting license from any other state. To check state bowhunter ed requirements or state contact information, go to www.nbef.org.

All NBEF/IBEP courses (in-person and online) oﬀer full reciprocity from state to state and even country to country!

Special Hunts

If you hold an NBEF/IBEP bowhunter education certiﬁcate, you may qualify for a special hunt or zone within a state.

Many states have urban bowhunts open to residents and non-residents of the state. States may also contain federal land requiring completion of a bowhunter education course. Many of these hunts will oﬀer special access and opportunities close to home. Be sure to check the requirements for participation in these hunts, as often, an orientation course or special meetings before the hunt will require in-person attendance.

Update Your Credentials

‘Been a while since you took a course?

While the anatomy of a deer doesn’t change, you may want to take a course as a refresher for important safety tips on tree stand safety or to refresh your orienteering skills. Even experienced bowhunters report being pleased by the vast amount of information presented. By taking the course, you become a model for your fellow hunters, especially if your success in the ﬁeld increases, which usually happens after you take the course! If you take an online course, you support the National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF), a 501©3 nonproﬁt, as it provides a small stipend for the NBEF.

Volunteer to Perpetuate the Sport

COVID forced states into providing online courses and answer the call of the public wanting information on the how’s and why’s of getting into the sport of bowhunting. Unfortunately, it was also a time when many instructors felt the need to retire from teaching. Now that COVID restrictions have been lifted, states are offering both in-person classes and online courses or a combo of both, and the need exists once again for experienced bowhunters to lend their time and knowledge to perpetuate the sport of bowhunting. If you don’t care to teach or lead an entire class with a team, perhaps volunteer to

help or teach just one segment or perhaps assist with a ﬁeld day course.

Finally, here are some additional points to consider: A bowhunter education certiﬁcate may just set you apart from other bowhunters vying for a competitive hunting area. You are special because you took the time, made the eﬀort, and cared enough about your sport to go the extra mile to learn all you could about that sport. It is called commitment! Whether brushing up on tree stand safety techniques, refreshing your knowledge of shot placement, or enhancing your conservation knowledge, you cared enough to give it your best SHOT!

The Adventurous BowWoman

By Deb Gay, AKA Deb Hamel, Children’s Author

HOW I WENT FROM HIGH HEELS & PEARLS…to Camo!!

Learning the Rules of the Forest

I left the comforts of my designer dressing room to go to the North Country Camp in New Hampshire for the weekend. I am going to learn how to be a hunting partner! This shall be interesting, I prefer shopping, heels, pearls and fabulous perfume!

Apparently, I failed the ﬁrst weekend out. I got 5 “F’s” because:

1. I screamed really loud when I stepped in wildlife poop while wearing high heel Croc sandals in the wooded acreage. Then loudly asked what kind of poop it was. My husband looked and said, “It’s from a coyote.” I hadn’t thought about coyotes! Are they there still and going to attack me?

2. I had wandered off into a different field than my husband because there was a beautiful butterfly I decided to follow. Wait! I was just with him a minute ago. Where is he? Where am I? This area of woods didn’t look like the last one, and I was confused. I was lost. Even though he was right there. Somewhere. I wanted to yell, but he said “no, being loud.” And then he appeared, “Hey, there ya are my little archer!”. He looked at me and just shook his head. I was in tears, looking like Tammy

Faye with mascara running down my face, scared of the woods.

3. I did not scootch in and duck while riding in a 6-wheeler through winding trails to check all tree stands and game cameras. I got snapped by tree branches. When those branches whipped me, tiny little pine needles were all over me. One of my good gold hoop earrings fell out, my Coach sunglasses got a scratch, and I spilled Coke a few times. Wait—THIS is probably where the stupid tick I found on my neck came from!

4. I wore my Calvin Klein Euphoria perfume, a cute blingy tank top, and Capri’s. We had just begun dating after not seeing each other for 38 years. I WAS going to learn about archery and how to use my bow and arrow, no matter what! I was going to see what was up with this bowhunting and the diﬀerent poops and to look through the woods for animals while looking down for tracks and something on the tree called a rub.

WHAT THE HECK IS A RUB? He’s lucky I adore him and want to learn all this, or I would be back up at camp watching House Hunters on HGTV.

I prefer shopping, heels, pearls and fabulous perfume!

One of my good gold hoop earrings fell out!

I am not sure what I think about bowhunting. Treestands, HUGE bears walking below.

There we were, way up in a tree. I put on some lipstick, crossed my legs, and looked adorable

You are a bowhunter now, and I am glad you were here to share this with me!

The Playboy Mansion

I now have my own gorgeous turquoise blue Eva Shockey bow

My enthusiasm over learning and now becoming an archer have led me to write ten children’s books.

The Adventurous BowWoman

5. I talked too much and said ‘gross’ a lot. I asked if bears really sleep all winter. I was apoplectic when he said Mom bears shun their babies at two and turn them loose.

These adventures in nature were to acclimate this impervious, surface-loving, uptown girl to the great outdoors. I’m looking forward to next week when I learn how to climb a treestand, sit still, be quiet, and not fall out. I’m also looking forward to camo paint on my face! I’m going to do a seventies Burt Reynolds black mustache!

First time ever, sitting in a tree stand – a mama and a cub appear below us…. Deb’s Meltdown

I am not sure what I think about bowhunting. Treestands, HUGE bears walking below. I know I enjoy being with Doug, but up in the treestand oﬀ the ground?

I love shooting at targets, feeling the muscles strain to pull that arrow back, and hearing the sound of THWAP when the arrow leaves my bow.

After spending time in the woods, I now enjoy nature. I enjoy hearing noises and ﬁnding out what makes them, whereas when I started ten days ago, if I heard any noise, I just knew it was something out there that would kill me. I have also found that capturing moments and images on my Nikon is really great!

This was another practice run—not New Hampshire bear hunting season, but close! There we were, way up in a tree. I put on some lipstick, crossed my legs, and looked adorable. Doug sat on the other side of the tree behind me. He whispered, “Don’t move; a mama and a cub are coming to your left! They’re coming down the trail we walk in on.”

I am thinking, “Oh, good. They are coming in on the trail we walk in on. It is close to getting dark, and we will be walking out that trail in half an hour. This is just great! I hate this. I’m starting to question him as well!”

I could not look at them because he said not to move. I started hearing noises. She could smell me. He was right!

At one point, mama stood up – on her hind legs! I saw that! She was not happy. I wasn’t either. I started thanking God for my life and prayed my kids would not forget about me

once Mama ripped me apart!

Once they left, I saw at least seven other bears below me during our sit. Doug whispered, “Sow,” “Two-year-old,” and “Boar.” “Yeah,” I whispered, “I’m bored too!” Whoops, that wasn’t what he said.

These bears are kind of cool. I am amazed; they are very cat-like. They walk cautiously, stopping to sniﬀ the air. They are very patient and will just look around if they hear a noise and stay still. I was not expecting how silent

At one point, mama stood up – on her hind legs!

I am a great shot at targets.

they were. That made me more scared: How many more of these beasts are out there sniﬀing me, waiting for me to climb down? Great, now I have to pee!

The cub and mama bear returned! The cub was so cute, acting like a nut-job, and it looked just like it was in cartoons, trying to prove it was one of the big boys. It growled, and then it ran up a tree a little bit. I kinda slipped and said, “Awwwwweeeeeeee….”. Yeah, out loud.

Meanwhile, mama bear was right there with her nose in the air, giving me the side eye. They were within 10-15 yards of us. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, but it was also the scariest thing I had ever seen.

Mama bear stepped on a log. When she did, the other end of it went up in the air a little bit and made a loud noise, slamming down. She jumped up, snapped her jaws, and growled. The cub bolted. They ran and walked away.

DOWN THE PATH WE WILL BE WALKING OUT OF THE FOREST ON IN ONLY SEVEN MINUTES!

That did it. I whispered to him, “THIS IS STUPID, this is nuts, I can’t do this, it’s dark in the woods, I’m going to die, you’re nuts!” As tears rolled down, I apologized, but I am brand new at this; the darkness and an angry mama lurking made me lose my mind for a bit.

Once I let Calgon take me away that evening back at the camp, I reﬂected on how spectacular God’s creations are. And yes, I will be going back out this weekend.

The allure of archery is almost unparalleled. There is so much to learn, such precision, silence, sounds, steadiness, and the elation of the shot when shooting targets and bowhunting. Being there, playing a cat-andmouse game, trying to spot them from afar ﬁrst before they see you, being so close you

hear them breathe.

I told him I felt bad he didn’t harvest a bear. Doug responded, “Deb, we won. It’s a matter of who spots who ﬁrst. Sure, they know we are there; their sense of smell is a ton stronger than humans, but they did not know where we were, and we were right above them! You did great staying still and being quiet; you are a bowhunter now, and I am glad you were here to share this with me!” That is a huge compliment from a lifelong avid sportsman.

Second Time practicing sitting in a Treestand

Driving in the six-wheeler through the forest trails, I stated, “Doug, I shouldn’t have worn yoga pants. I have little needles from trees stuck in my butt and legs, and it hurts.”

I thought we were going to drive right up

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like valet to the treestand; nope, we cannot have bears smell gas or hear us. Okay, well, wrong shoes again! He points up to the tree in front of us. I exclaim, “Cool, four seats, goes all around! I can still hold your hand, but won’t you whack me in the head when you pull the arrow back, right, or should I duck?”

“No, Deb, just sit still, be as quiet as possible,” he said, looking straight ahead, knowing I was teetering and toppling behind him in my adorable black Croc-heeled sandals. Now be careful, watch where you walk. There are roots and holes and.....” I interrupted with the HIGHEST, LOUDEST-PITCHED SOPRANO BLOOD CURDLING SCREAM. (Who knew you could get such a great echo in the middle of a forest!)

He whips around, clutching his heart. I stood there, wide-eyed, tears brimming, pointing, “But Dougah, it’s a toad. He’s HUGE. He hopped on my foot!”

Looking totally defeated, but in a very patient way, he said, “Yup, it is a toad. It IS a really big toad; I’ll give you that. I think you’ve

scared every bear, deer, and moose out of the woods for this season.”

Enjoying all the outdoor beauty & calmness that God created.

Another practice session out in the woods. I see now why he likes it out here and why he has all those bowhunting magazines all over. I love the winding trails and paths now. I love looking up to see branches intertwined with a canopy of gorgeous leaves in every color of green imaginable, as well as foliage season.

I have learned what it is like to just be outside, be still, no phone, no radio, just the sound of your footprints on branches and the ground … and the sound of birds. Blue Jays, red squirrels, chickadees, chipmunks, and crows are all doing their part to alert other animals of danger.

It is a whole diﬀerent way of being for me. I like noise, and silence is often almost deafening, but this is totally diﬀerent. I loved watching, learning, and sharing Doug’s bowhunting world. There is something about

spending time with your partner away from distractions and gaining an appreciation of their knowledge.

Earlier, while still at camp, I walked to the rear deck, where there was a deer in the backyard. It was nibbling apples oﬀ the ground that dropped from one of our trees. Its legs were tall and thin. I was stunned by how delicate and graceful it was. I cannot believe their legs don’t get broken more often; they are like toothpicks. I had never seen a deer so close, never watched one.

I have also learned what Doug means when he says to be quiet; deer are spooked easily. When I saw the deer, I whispered to Doug to come look, but he didn’t hear me. I turned around, saying his name louder. By the time he came into the room to look, that deer in the backyard heard me in the house, looked up, and started to run. I said, “It’s a small doe!” He said, “It’s the buck we saw on the cameras! Good job spotting it, though. Next time, be quiet so they don’t hear you.”

Fred Bear once said, “The best camouﬂage pattern is called, ‘Sit down and be quiet!” I need this on a T-shirt, so I remember to do it more.

I do enjoy learning about these nuances of archery. Holding the bow still, looking through the sight, learning what it is like to pull it back, enjoying the rays of sunshine streaming through the trees, warming my face. This is a sport that anyone can enjoy. My enthusiasm over learning and now becoming an archer have led me to write ten children’s books, ﬁve of those are in my “DADDY’S HUNTING SERIES”, I also have a “DADDY’S FISHING SERIES” and a new “DADDY’S FARMING SERIES.”

Later, in the archery shop looking for a harness for me, I whispered my measurements to Doug, thinking I had to give him my size up top, if you know what I mean. He laughed. I didn’t know why he laughed until we got to the display, and the guy said, “This one goes from 100 to 120; this one goes to

215.” I am thinking, “Wow, that’s quite a range in prices!”. Come to ﬁnd out, it is your weight. I had to give my weight! Typically, I shave oﬀ between 5 and 10 lb. when I tell someone my weight, but I was honest here because the harness is there to hold your weight. I could have killed them both! Of course, it was the only time it was quiet in the store, and I was yelling my weight.

So yes, I now appreciate wildlife, nature, and the outdoors. Don’t be too shocked, though. I still love my Gucci, Chanel, electricity, lipstick, and ’70 Mustang Mach 1’s… As well as all things great shoes, gorgeous dresses, and, of course, a great manicure!!!

The First Day of New Hampshire Black Bear Hunting

This was the big day! Day one of New Hampshire Black Bear season. There we were, sitting in a tree ... and no, not k-i-s-s-i-n-g.

My experiences out in the woods have been the inspiration for ﬁve of my children’s books.

The Adventurous BowWoman

HOWEVER, about fifteen acres away at the neighbors someone was k-i-s-s-i-n-g! An outdoor wedding, replete with a loud festive crowd and loud classical music. Thank you my Jesus, the noise took the focus off my whispering and my fidgeting and wiggling.

As I promptly learned, the timing could not have been worse for an avid hunter. Doug’s excited face for the ﬁrst day turned a bit upset, and there was a slight eye roll.

Up in the treestand for what seemed like hours, but probably was just 20 minutes, I heard something. “Hey,” I whispered to Doug. “Is that Sweet Child of Mine that band is playing at the wedding?” Indeed, it was! Classical version. I mused that the bride’s dad was walking her down the aisle to that song. I was correct; we soon heard the minister. Oh, we heard it all. You have no idea how happy I was; I could move, whisper, and put my lipstick

on the whole time because the wedding was already ruining the hunt.

There were no bears, deer, or raccoons; however, there was a wild howling pack of coyotes. Beautiful. I had not thought about that!

AND THEN there was this damn red squirrel squawking and almost mocking me! Every noise, every turn of a leaf, I just knew it was something coming to kill me. Then I hear a frantic chirping like a monkey in heat ...the damn red squirrel!! It was four trees away, the same height as me, and its tail was ﬂipping.

“Hey,” Doug whispered. “That’s a red squirrel. You will want to listen to nature; it will tell you when something is happening. Watch where it’s pointed; it sees something and is alerting us…it’s in attack mode!”

I mumbled to myself, “I know it’s a red squirrel. I cannot help but hear its primal scream. It pointed at me and started seven trees out, but it kept jumping a tree closer. It wants to attack ME!”

“Half hour down, 2.5 hours to go before dusk!” Crap! Dusk?

Darkness? Do we have to walk out to the field in the dusk? Uh oh. I am thinking that I am the only thing going to get killed tonight. Doug whispered. “You’re doing great! Three things against us — the neighbor just logged a lot of the forest, which is a deterrent, the wedding noise, and there is still a lot of natural food out there. But you are doing great! Are you cold?” Whispering through a slight trembling and cold body, I said, “Just my hands… and nose, and top of my thighs, and feet”. Ahh, he gave me some of those hand warmer packets you squeeze to make them hot. It was weird sitting so high up. I should not have sat cross-legged; my leg fell asleep. At least I had on new hunting boots! They were camo with a little bit of pink on the inside top. I need to remember to move the harness strap from the femoral artery, as it cut off circulation on my thunder thighs. Having my lipstick was a definite bonus.

Two takeaways from my first day of real hunting: well, he was hunting; I was just out there watching: 1) I climbed a tree and walked over slippery

The Adventurous BowWoman

logs and uneven surfaces, even with a disability from two strokes—awesome! I tried it, and I did it! Love and determination are powerful healers!

2) Classical music isn’t too bad if it’s a song. When they played “This Thing Called Love,” one line ﬁt perfectly as I sat high up in a treestand with black bears underneath me. “YOU GOTTA BE COOL, RELAX.”

Three years later – I LOVE ARCHERY, the woods, nature, wildlife!

We just ﬁnished our third season. The treestand for bear hunting is still up, but Doug has since built a tall, enclosed wooden structure with windows and ladders. I have named it “The Playboy Mansion.”

I now have my own gorgeous turquoise blue Eva Shockey bow, and I am a great shot at targets. I am not hunting yet! I have my Florida hunting and bow license and my New Hampshire bow license for deer and bear.

This would have been my ﬁrst bear season, but Doug said I was not ready yet.

Life is good in camo land. Oh yes, I still wear pearls and high heels…but I also just bought two ﬂannel shirts and three other shirts at Cabela’s! I actually LOVE that store, too.

What a sport archery is - and what a

POPE & Y OUNG

surprise that I tried this, stuck with it, and now love it. My experiences out in the woods have been the inspiration for five of my children’s books. The main character is a 7/8-year-old little girl who loves her Daddy and talking about his hunting day, about getting a bow and arrow for a birthday present, about moose, bears, racoons, finding sheds, foliage, food plots, going to an outfitter and cool things at camp!

“DADDY’S HUNTING SERIES” includes the following ﬁve books: DADDY BOUGHT ME A BOW & SOME ARROWS, DADDY’S HUNTING STORY,

There’s Still time to enter.

FIELD JUDGING CHAMPIONSHIP

Qualifying rounds will be held at the Pope & Young Convention on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

FIELD JUDGING CHAMPIONSHIP

Qualiﬁers will compete for the National Championship on Friday afternoon. The winner will be announced at the Saturday Big Game Awards & Gala.

Cost is $20 per entrant.

All participants will score 5 diﬀerent species from the observation deck.

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and FALL AT CAMP. It also includes the newly released DEBBER FINDS A DEER ANTLER (about shed hunting) and THE DAY WE SAW THE MOOSE. All can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and bookstores throughout the world!! CONCLUSION (as of July 2024): I am now FIVE YEARS into this bow-hunting archery adventure. Not only has my knowledge of the sport grown, but so has my participation in events at our camp or at other venues. My husband and I hosted a hunt for a young man

Endorsements from the back covers of Deb’s books:

“These delightful stories of a little girl named Deb and her Dad introduce hunting in a gentle and informative way. Through the eyes of an inquisitive girl, the stories explain how to safely use a bow and arrow and what a day hunting is like. The books help pass down the tradition of hunting to the next generation. Even if you don’t hunt, you will delight in hearing why Daddy doesn’t pack chips in his lunch when he’s hunting and wonder at the detail of how to use a bow and arrow.”

with

a debilitating illness as we were HUNT OF A LIFETIME Sponsors, opening our home and our grounds to him and his mom. He harvested a bear his ﬁrst day out!!

I have met Archery greats and Olympic Medal Archery champs, and a great friendship was formed with the late Ellie Scott, Frank Scott’s wife and close friend of Fred Bear. Ellie LOVED my DADDY BOUGHT ME A BOW AND SOME ARROWS book. I purchased through an auction a bracelet of small pewter-silver awards that were all Fred Bear’s and were made into a charm bracelet. I wear it often.

I have been fortunate to attend an Archery Hall of Fame Induction and become friends with some of the country’s best archers. I am enamored by archery and the archers I meet—all of whom have great stories—that is why I wanted to write these books. My stories are all based on real-life experiences yet told through the wide-eyed wonder of a little girl adoring her Daddy. Each of the children’s books I have written landed on Amazon’s Top 100 New Releases in their categories!

I have done a book signing sitting next to M.R. James and become friends with Richard Tone, T.J. Conrads, Chuck Gordon, Diane Miller, and so many others. Olympic Gold Medalist John Williams endorsed my book DADDY BOUGHT ME A BOW AND SOME ARROWS, as well as Hoyt Archery and Drury Outdoors.

I feel it is important and necessary to Preserve, Promote, and Protect archery,

—

“These books will help pass on the tradition of hunting to the next generation. Hunting is a deep-rooted foundation based in American history. Celebrating that through these children’s books isn’t just heart-warming, it is essential.”

— HOYT ARCHERY

“Love how you take the perspective from Debber. Females play a very important role in the growth of our hunting heritage, and helping young girls feel more involved in the outdoors is a win-win!”

— DRURY OUTDOORS

bowhunting, and all that wildlife and nature encompass to youngsters and future generations. It was great to see that my reasoning and allure were similar to a piece of Pope & Young Club’s Mission Statement, which says, “…introduce new participants to the spiritual awakening only bowhunting can provide.”

I am enamored by archery... that is why I wanted to write these books.

EDUCATOR NEWS FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH & GAME

I have done a book signing sitting next to M.R. James!