Remi Warren

Page 1

U.S. U.S. $5.00 $5.00

CAN CAN $7.00 $7.00

Display Display until July 15 Display until April 12 Displayuntil untilApril May12 20

www.remiwarren.com www.realhuntingmag.com


Follow the Hunt

www.followthehunt.com


CONTENTS HUNTING

REAL

May - June 2010

FEATURED ARTICLES

ON THE COVER

Bio Page

4

Get Your Black Belt in Sneaky Application Season

6

10

Archery in the Off-Season 14

The Tarantula

18

Father’s Day Gear Guide - 2009

24

Getting Out of the Rut Deer Slam Road Trip- The Slam you can Afford Part 2- Coues Deer

30

36

Remi with a monster Montana mule deer taken with a bow in September 2009. The buck gross scored 211 5/8 P&Y. His typical frame scored 202 1/8 placing it number five all-time in SCI with a bow.

Father’ Day Gear Guide - 2010 Macro Photography

44 50

Quick Tips for Hunting, Survival, & the Outdoors

53

Deer Slam Road Trip- The Slam you can Afford

60

Part 1- Blacktail Deer

Quick Tips for Hunting, Survival, & the Outdoors

53

Finding Big Deer Start in the Summer

69

Gear Review - Glacier Glove

72

Decoying Elk

74

Hunting Journal 2011 •

3


BIO:

H

unting has been a part of my life since I was born. After graduating high school I began working as a hunting guide in Montana and New Mexico in the fall and pursued a degree in Marketing during the spring and summer at the University of Nevada, Reno. My dream since I can remember has been to be a hunting outfitter, and at the age of 22 I started my own Outfitting business, Montana OutWest Outfitters (www.montanaoutwest. com) in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. My business has been featured on Realtree Monster Bulls, and I have also appeared on Outdoor’s 10 Best: Top Elk Destinations, talking about chasing elk in Montana. For the last three and a half years I have been a staff writer for Real Hunting Magazine. I worked my way up and became the managing editor and designer for over two years. I have also had my own articles as well as articles written about my hunts appear in Muley Crazy, Hunting Illustrated,

4 •

www.remiwarren.com

Trophy Hunter, Wild Sheep, Nevada Bighorns Unlimited, Outdoor Life Online, Buck Masters Rack Magazine, as well as other numerous online articles and newspaper stories. Hunting is year round for me, and even though I am a guide and outfitter I find plenty of time to hunt for myself. I apply for and hunt in almost every western state. From August through December I hunt almost every single day either for myself or with clients, and I even manage to pull off a few hunts in January and the spring.

Personal Hunting Success

Most seasons I harvest around three to five quality animals from three or more states. In my hunting career (rifle and bow) I have chased and taken desert bighorn sheep, dall sheep, elk, bear, mule deer, antelope, Coues deer, whitetail deer, and blacktail deer but my true passion is trophy mule deer and elk hunting with a bow in hand. All of my hunts are unguided and often solo hunts. On top of taking my own animals, I guide clients, friends, and family to

countless trophy animals every year with both a gun and bow.

Pushing the Envelope

In my personal hunting career, articles, designs, and photography I constantly strive to push the envelope and be creative. I try to take a fresh new approach to the outdoors and the hunting industry. My sample magazine provides a look at some of my articles as well as designs. The articles, designs, photography, and ads are all my own original work. My goal is to combine my knowledge and expertise in the field with a critical and creative eye. I hope you enjoy-



6 •

www.remiwarren.com


T

hroughout kung-fu movies no ninja is worth his salt unless he masters the art of stealth. That being said, I have taken the liberty to combine five Chinese proverbs with out-of-thebox tricks to make you as stealthy as a ninja in the hills this fall. Think karate kid meets Saxton Pope & Art Young. All you have to do is remember these proverbs to obtain your black belt in stealth, or better yet a rack on your wall.

“The palest ink is better than the best memory.” -Chinese Proverb English Translation: Take a picture it will last longer One of the worst scenarios for a hunter is to spot a great animal across the canyon, plan out the perfect stalk, only to discover when you finally make it to where you thought the animal was, everything looks different. You thought you picked a great landmark but you don’t remember exactly which tree the big buck was bedded under. Things start to look strange and you begin to second guess yourself. You end up stalking the wrong tree, and now what seemed like a sure stalk from across the canyon just turned into a blown opportunity. If only we could look at our original view while we stalked-in we could prevent this from happening. Good news! You can! In today’s technical age almost every hunter carries some sort of digital camera or video camera in the field. Before you embark on the stalk, take a picture of your view of the area. The more angles the better. This will allow you the opportunity to refer back to your camera and look at the reference points you may have missed as the terrain begins to change. I have used this tactic on numerous stalks and found it to be a

lifesaver. It is especially helpful with stalks on animals far away, in unfamiliar territory, and on stalks where it is better to come over the backside of the hill (often the most successful way to stalk, but the easiest to miss the mark). Since most of us carry a camera anyway, we might as well use it to our advantage. Just make sure to put all the functions on silent before you get too close.

“The careful foot can walk anywhere” - Chinese Proverb English Translation: Walk quietly without killing your feet. We all know that stalking with your shoes off is the best way to stay quiet, but let’s face it, in real world hunting situations it is a pain in the butt to stalk through shale, cactus, stickers, and over long distances with no shoes. Sure there are products that slip over you boots, but it is the hard sole of your boot that makes the most noise, not the boot rubber itself. The truth is, nothing beats stalking in your socks- plain and

simple. To save my feet and stay quiet as a mouse, I wear a shaved down foam sandal in-between two pairs of socks. That’s right, killing deer in beach wear. It is just as quite as wearing only socks but twice as strong to protect your feet. The outer sock will keep your steps quiet and hold the foam of the sandal against your foot. By shaving the sandal down you retain your ability to feel the ground, preventing you from making alarming noises. Any soft thin flip-flop and big wool sock will do. I keep the flip flops inside a extra pair of socks in my pack. When it’s time to go stealth, I swap my boots for the “stalking socks”. I take these makeshift stalking socks on every single hunt, even backcountry hunts. They are light, easy to carry, and can dual as a great slip-on camp shoe when nature calls in the middle of the night. I have even walked a few miles in them at a time with no problem - a tough feat in just socks alone (no pun intended). Although the outer socks may get


worn down, it is easier to replace the old socks than your feet. By making it comfortable to stalk quietly, you are more likely to get those boots off and close the distance in silence.

“Be in readiness for unfavorable winds” - Chinese Proverb English Translation: Do what you can to keep your scent down.

8 •

Nothing is worse than getting into range and having the wind shift for a millisecond- just enough time to have your opportunity blown. With mountain hunting it is almost impossible to bet on the wind for the duration of a stalk. Therefore, it is important to do what you can to put the ball in your court. As western hunters it seems there is little we can do to control our scent, especially on long backcountry trips. Scent control clothing works great for stand hunting, but its effectiveness wears off after sweating the whole way up to your favorite glassing spot. Two-years-ago on a remote Nevada Mule deer hunt, I went 21 days of straight hunting in the hot sun without a shower. The word “ripe” is an understatement. Thankfully, there are products on the market to help with this problem. Some hunters may think scent can’t be controlled so why try? I try because every little advantage to swing the odds in my favor can be the difference between a rack on my wall and a blown stalk. I have tried almost every scent control product out there, only one has me sold. I like to use a combination of the Scent Killer wipes to clean my body and the Scent Killer spray to help suppress any human odor in the field. Although these products may www.remiwarren.com

not allow you to stalk from up-wind, they will give you an advantage for slight wind shifts that otherwise may get you busted. I carry a small bottle of the Scent Killer spray in my pack and spray down on every single stalk as I prepare for my final approach. When I sit down to switch my boots for my stalking socks, I pull out the bottle and give myself a good hose down. Sure it might sound funny, but it works. Just last year I stalked into a group of six bucks in a sage flat in central Nevada. The wind did a quick shift toward the deer and I figured the jig was up. All the bucks immediately began to sniff the air. Thanks to the quick spray down I did before closing the distance, my scent held out just long enough for the wind to shift back in my favor. The bucks continued to feed single file past me until I got the chance to sink my arrow into the biggest buck of the group.

“No matter how tall the mountain, it cannot block out the sun” - Chinese Proverb English Translation: Watch out for the sun’s glare off of your gear; you may not even notice it. Sometimes it is the little things

you don’t notice that cause the most trouble. A few years back, I watched my dad stalk a nice bedded muley across the canyon. As he got closer to the deer I temporarily lost sight of him as he ducked behind a small ridge. I immediately picked him back up a few minutes later. It seemed like he was using a bright light to signal me. As I looked through my binos I was nearly blinded by the light glaring off of his bow limbs. As he made his final approach, every time he used his binos or pulled up his range finder it was like he was signaling an airplane for help. Needless to say, the buck was well aware of his shiny presence and didn’t want to stick around to watch the gleam of a broadhead sail his way. When the two of us met up after the stalk he couldn’t figure out how the deer pegged him so fast. A quick demonstration made it obvious when seeing it from the deer’s point of view. As easy as this may sound to avoid, the glare is not so obvious when you are the one behind the refraction. Having the privilege to watch dozens of hunters and hundreds of stalks every year, I am convinced that the glare from optics and bows is the most unseen stalking mistake bowhunters make. To combat the glare and go invisible, I try to always keep my bow be-


hind my back when stalking in direct sunlight, especially if I have to move in the open. I also keep a hand over my bino’s or cover them up with my shirt during the stalk. When ranging the deer before the shot I shield the sun from the lens to make sure the glare is kept down. All it takes is one slight glare to mess up a perfect stalk. Last year while stalking in on a bedded buck I closed the distance and got setup for a chip shot. The buck was bedded broadside and had no clue I was there. I was about thirty yards away but wanted the exact range. I blocked the sun and tried to get a reading on my range finder but came up empty. Thinking my hand was blocking the laser I moved it. That was all it took to send the buck to his feet and staring in my direction. One glare from the lens of the range finder blew a methodical hour long stalk on a great buck.

“Wait long, strike fast” - Chinese Proverb English Translation: Stalking is a combination of patience and not being afraid to make your move.

for miles. I crawled toward him on my stomach with only three inch tall rocks to hide behind. I moved as slow as an army sniper, covering close to 100 yards in a couple of hours. The stalk started mid-morning and by the time I got to within 120 yards of the buck the sun was starting to set. I had been patient and moved slow all day, just waiting for the right opportunity. My patients paid off as the buck got up and began to feed down the hill. As soon as he fed out of sight below a small ledge I knew I was no longer in trouble of getting spotted. I got to my feet and literally covered the last 90 yards in a matter of seconds – the same amount of distance that earlier had taken hours. Being patient got me into position, but when the opportunity presented itself, I capitalized and scored, shooting the big buck at 30 yards. Whether it be an elk raking a tree, two bucks fighting, a deer feeding out of sight, a bedded animal dozing off, or just an animal distracted by something other than you, waiting for the right time to move can help you close the distance unnoticed. The proverb “Wait long, strike fast” can also be extended to picking high percentage stalks. It is important

to remember that not every animal is stalkable when you first spot them. Most hunters I know see an animal and want to go after it right away. If the animal is in a bad position to stalk you may have to wait for a more opportune moment, even if it means watching him for another day or two. As boring as that may sound when the opportunity arises the odds of success will swing in your favor. Just don’t be afraid to make your move once that high percentage stalk presents itself. So Danielson, now that you have the ancient Chinese tips needed to master the art of sneaky, all you have to do is get out into the field and practice your stalking techniques. Think of it as the “wax on – wax off” portion of the training. Like the proverb goes, “practice makes perfect.”

A huge mistake I often witness with clients in the field is they become too timid when stalking. They believe the only way to stalk is slow and quite, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes getting close and going unnoticed is all about moving at the right time. Sometimes being quiet is not as important as taking advantage of an opportunity when the animal is distracted. On a high country mule deer hunt a few years ago I stalked in on a monster buck that was bedded in the open with no cover Hunting Journal 2011 •

9


L

ast year a friend of mine asked me, how is it that I always seem to draw such great tags? The answer is simple – I apply for them. The theory is this: if you don’t apply you can’t get drawn. My secret to getting great tags is to apply in as many places as I can for as long as I can. Of course there is an element of luck involved, but in most cases it is persistence, having a plan and using a few simple application tricks to get that great tag in your pocket. Whether you are a trophy hunter looking for an animal-ofa-lifetime, someone who wants to hunt a new species not found near your home, or just a person looking for a good hunting opportunity and a new adventure, applying for hunts in other

10 •

states may be for you. As most hunters know, some of the best public hunting in the west is found within limited draw areas. Knowing the basics of applying and how to look for areas to apply for is the first step in securing a great tag.

Creating a plan:

When applying to other states it is important to have a plan and know your goals, otherwise, the whole process can be overwhelming. The application process is essentially planning for hunts now and in the future. Although the best way to look at it is long term there are still plenty of great hunts that can be drawn easily. Before you start to apply for tags you should figure out what your reasons for applying are. Do you want to hunt a premiere trophy area or do you want more opportunity to hunt? Also, the length of time you are willing to wait to draw a tag will play a factor in your application choice and narrowing down a state to hunt. For example, if you don’t want to wait 10 years or more for an elk tag than Utah and Nevada are probably not states that should be in your plan. However, if you think you may want to hunt there someday then now is the time to start applying. Knowing what you are looking for is a great way to initially

focus your search. Start by picking the species you want to hunt and then find a state that matches what you are looking for. If you are interested in chasing elk further narrow it down to the opportunity you want. If you want to kill a record book bull than you may want to apply for Utah or Nevada and plan on hunting there in the next 10-15 years. On the other hand, if you want a decent elk hunt and still have a great chance at a big bull than Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico may be more your speed. Although these states still have hard to draw areas you can find a number of good hunts with better than average bulls and draw them in one to three years. Of course their top trophy units may take 10 or more years to draw. If sheep hunting is something on your bucket list, I suggest applying in as many states as you can afford and start building points. The more places you have your name in for a oncein-a-lifetime hunt, the better your chances are of actually getting the tag in your lifetime. It is important to know your budget and apply accordingly. Some states have high application fees while others allow you to purchase and build points for a nominal fee (see Application Chart). Applying in other states can get expensive but it can also be done efficiently. I managed to apply for and build points in quite a few of the western states while putting myself through college, so it can be done. I created a plan of what I wanted to do and am now


reaping the benefits. I like to think of applications as a pay it forward plan. What I do now decides my future hunting success. The key is to stick to it and not get overwhelmed by the seemingly small odds at the beginning. When I first started applying for Utah it seemed like I would never have a chance to hunt there. Nine years later, I now have enough points to secure an archery tag for elk in a few units.

The Basics:

Since every state is so different, the key is to become familiar with each state’s system. The best way to do this is online. Spend some time on the state’s website, read through the rules and regulations and know how their draw works. It also helps to have hard copies of the regulations sent to you. Hard copies can make it easier to reference a certain area as well as the tag quotas, draw odds, and rules. Points: Applying in different states is a numbers game. The more places you apply and the more names you have in the hat the more likely you are to hit the jackpot. Some states use a bonus point system, some use a preference point system, some use a combination of the two, and some states use no points at all. Bonus points are extra chances you gain for past years of applying. States like Montana use bonus points where every point is one extra name in the hat. Nevada, which also uses bonus points, squares the applicant’s number of points. This exponentially increases your draw odds with each additional point. Preference point systems award tags only to those with the most points. This differs from bonus points in the way that only those with the most points are eligible to draw a tag. All those with fewer points are not considered. States with preference

points make it easier to plan a hunt because you will know when you can expect to receive a tag. Some states like California and Utah have a combination of bonus and preference points. The majority of the tags are awarded to applicants with the most points, but a portion of the tags are also set aside for a random draw. This guarantees those with the most points a tag while allowing everyone a chance to draw. New Mexico and Idaho on the other hand have no points system. Everyone is on a level playing field with an equal opportunity to draw. This can be great if you are new to applying but discouraging if you have been applying your whole life. How to decide where to apply: Once you have your plan it is time to research. The best place to start your research is online by visiting each state’s game department website. Almost every state has in-depth statistics online to help hunters. From draw odds to success rates, many states also include information on horn size, age class and even B&C scores. The key to starting out is to narrow down your search. A look at the state record book can give you ideas on counties to focus on. Also looking at draw odds can help you pick out the areas in high and low demand. Once you get an idea of where to concentrate, reference the areas success rates and harvest statistics. Knowing your goals helps direct your focus. If you only want a trophy hunt than look to areas with generally poor draw odds and lots of record book entries. If you want an area that is easier to draw, look toward areas with reasonable draw odds combined with high success rates and decent trophy quality. As a word of caution, it is best to stay away from areas with really

Once in a Lifetime || Ryan Warren and Remi Warren with Ryan’s 2009 B&C desert bighorn.

low success rates unless you can spend a lot of time in the area. There are a lot of great hunts in easy-to-draw areas, but you are at a disadvantage going in blind. I have done well in the past in easy-to-draw areas with generally low success rates, but they have never been as easy to hunt as the units with traditionally high success. Believe it or not, unrelated road trips can be a great way to find areas to apply for as well. I have found quite a few great spots to put in for by looking out the car window on a trip. Marking down places that look like great habitat then asking people at near-by gas stations or local sporting good stores about the quality of hunting in the area can help narrow down your search. Rural gas station brag boards can be a great way to find an area that you may not catch by looking at stats alone. Anytime I go somewhere on a long drive I always keep a note pad handy. I write down mile markers, Forest •

11


may mean doing things like adjusting your weapon choice, season dates, and unit choice. Remember, the only way to get drawn is apply. Trick 1: Always Gain PointsWhen applying for premiere hunts it is important to accumulate as many points as you can. Many states have application options that are cheaper to apply but won’t allow you to gain a point. Trick 2 This will hurt you in the long Buck || Patients run. You would be better off and apbuilding points for one state plying for than applying to a bunch of a archery states year after year and tag alchoosing to not accumulate lowed Remi points. the chance to take this Trick 2: Go Primitivenice CA mule deer last year. Another tactic to help you get drawn is to adjust your weapon Service access names, and places choice to the most primitive you feel that look good to research later. comfortable hunting with. Generally Talking to people on the ground muzzleloader and archery hunts have is the best way to get a real feel for units to apply in. Fish and game of- the best draw odds and often have the fices, hunting chat rooms, and local most advantageous seasons. By applying for archery hunts I have been mule deer, bighorn sheep, and elk able to secure permits in some top conservation groups and chapters units much easier than if I had been can be a great place to gain infortrying for a rifle tag. mation. Last year I drew one of California’s top mule deer units and harHow to get drawn: vested a great buck. By applying for Tricks to pulling a tag archery I got the tag in five years The trick to getting drawn is per(half the time it takes to get a rifle sistence combined with balancing opportunity and trophy quality. This tag). Some places like Arizona offer many of the premier areas for deer over-the-counter for archery Big Lope || Remi & Dan Warren with Dan’s hunters, which can 2009 80 inch Antelope also be something to look into. As a rule of thumb, the more primitive your weapon choice is, the more hunting opportunity is available to you.

Trick 3: Change the Date- Some states have units which have split seasons. One season is often during a prime time such as a peak migration or during the rut. The other is either earlier or later than prime time. These non-prime seasons generally have better draw odds and can still offer a great opportunity. Although you may have to hunt harder, there is still a great chance to harvest a trophy. A friend of mine drew a Nevada elk tag by applying for the second season hunt and still pulled out a great bull. I believe as long as you are in the field you have a chance. If you are in a great unit and hunt hard it is likely you can make it happen. Trick 4: Join Forces- applying in a party with someone who has more points than you can be a great way to get a tag earlier. This depends on where you apply but many states average the points and round to the nearest whole point. If you have one point and your friend has two that gives you 1.5 points together – rounded up you each will have two points. If you have two points and your buddy has four your party will have three points. The person with more points may be at a disadvantage in some cases, but splitting the cost of the trip is often incentive enough to sway them to apply with you. Just make sure that if you apply in a party there are enough tags offered in that unit for each member of the party. If you think applying in other states is something you want to do now is the time. Researching areas and applying is half the fun. It is essentially hunting for a hunt. The following Application Chart will help get you pointed in the right direction. For more tips and specific units on where to apply visit www.remiwarren.com Remember you can’t get drawn if you don’t apply - Good Luck!

RHM 12 •


Trophy Double || Remi with his 2009 Montana archery buck and his 2009 Nevada bull elk, which was featured in the October/ November issue of RHM. •

13


Story & Photos by: Remi Warren

14 •

www.remiwarren.com


I

t was as if it had been planned out from the beginning. All of the sudden, out of nowhere, a mature antelope buck materialized in front of my blind. Warily he walked toward the waterhole to grab a sip of water before a long day of chasing does drained all of his energy. I slowly reached for my bow fearing the buck would catch the slightest movement inside my blind and bolt like lightning before I ever had a chance to draw back. As I got into position I focused on a single spot behind the shoulder, drew back, and then released… THUD. The arrow hit perfectly in the kill zone of my foam target. My imagination had been working in overdrive, but I felt confident that had it been the real deal my arrow would have hit its mark. I know hunting foam archery targets may not have been the hunting story you were expecting, but realistic practice in the off-season may be the key factor in determining how your real hunting story plays out next fall. The difference between bringing home a buck and just sailing another arrow over his back may come down to the type of practice you get during the off-season. Looks real to me If it looks like an antelope and has horns like an antelope, well, it must be an antelope. Right? Wrong. 3-D archery targets offer you the opportunity to practice your shot placement in the off-season on targets that anatomically resemble the game you will be chasing. Of course practice on 3-D targets is not a new idea, but some things never change. With a bow shot placement is what counts. When you practice on foam targets you get a better idea of where the arrow should go, without having to shoot your neighbor’s cat. Most people, including myself, miss game because they don’t pick a spot. This can be one of the toughest things to learn how to do when you may only get one chance at a big game ani-

mal in a given year. It is really easy to pick a spot on standard block targets that come with dots to shoot at. When you practice on 3-D targets you teach yourself to pick a spot on the animal and not just shoot for a bull’s-eye. 3-D shooting may not be identical to shooting at a real animal, but it does create habits that will help you be more accurate when the moment of truth arrives. In real life deer won’t give you five shots to get familiar with the kill zone. Some of the best 3-D practice comes not from repetitively shooting at your deer target over and over, but by placing it in varied terrain and taking only a few shots at each location or angle. When the target is in an area that resembles a true to life hunting situation, external factors come into play. Things like the wind, hill angle, and brush obstruction make the practice more realistic. By only taking a few shots at the target in the new location you force yourself to focus on making the first shot count. Want even more practice? 3-D tournaments and archery leagues can give you the added pressure that mimics the demands of real hunting. It also allows you to shoot at different animal targets without having to fork out top dollar for targets of your own. Some tournaments include shooting outdoor targets in different hunting scenarios, others use indoor pop-up targets, allowing you to compete one-on-one with another archer. Both scenarios provide valuable practice no matter your skill level.

Practice small to go big Shooting at 3-D targets is great practice, but nothing compares to the thrill of bona fide hunting. Real animals move, they present difficult shots and they are unpredictable. After the big game season has come and gone, many small game seasons continue into the late winter months, with some even remaining open yearround. When you chase big game, you may only get a few shots a season, but when you practice on small game, you may get multiple shots in a single day. Hunting small game with your bow gives you practice you can’t get anywhere else. Small game animals are unpredictable targets and present difficult shots with the same pressure and excitement as if you were chasing deer or elk. From birds to rabbits to predators, many small game animals can be hunted to hone in your archery skills. I have hunted quail, doves, chuckar, pheasant, ducks, geese, grouse, rabbits, and predators, just to name a few. All providing the challenge and excitement that goes with bow hunting, while giving you practice for the next big game season at the same time. Waterfowl is one of my favorite small game animals to chase with a bow. After the big game season has come and gone, I can still get my


Left: Remi shooting a pop-up 3-D tournament where he took first place at the RMEF National Convention in Reno, NV. The importance of shot placement in a competition setting mimics that of shot placement in the field. It prepares you to make your first shot count under pressure and with limited time. Middle: Remi with a mixed bag of ducks taken by jump shooting creeks, rivers and ponds. Right: Judo tips and blunt points work great for small game and help minimize arrow damage or loss. This Judo tip quickly brought down the two mallards seen in the background.

hunting fix by taking advantage of the duck and goose season during the winter months. Hunting ducks combines elements of stalking, quick shooting, shot placement and range estimation. Chasing ducks with my bow not only gives me practice to keep my skills sharp for big game season but keeps me hunting as well. The nice thing about hunting ducks compared to other small game is that arrows float in the water opposed to losing your arrows in the bushes. When hunting ducks on a body of water there are fewer obstructions to block your shot. However, when you are in open terrain it makes stalking all the more difficult. When jump shooting the most important element is the stalk. You have to be able to sneak in and

16 •

www.remiwarren.com

make your shot count before the birds fly away. If you miss a shot at a duck, unlike big game hunting, it often isn’t long before you get a chance to correct your mistakes. Hunting small game also provides much needed practice shooting at moving targets. Something that may be extremely valuable when that monster bull elk comes in next fall and just won’t stop. No matter what small game you end up chasing it is a blast to try it with your bow. Most archery hunting is serious trial and error, but the lessons learned while chasing small game can carry over when it’s time to chase big game. Every bow hunting experience, whether it is small game or foam targets is one more lesson to take with you on your next excursion. A lot of the success for archers comes down to two main things, practice and experience. By taking your practice outside the normal elements of standard shooting you will gain experience that will help when it really counts. Archery season doesn’t have to be limited to the fall; in fact it is year-round. Whether it is chasing foam 3-D targets in the backyard or small game in the field, each experience and outing makes you that much

more prepared for the real deal. When that real antelope steps out in front of your blind or that monster bull comes bugling in on the move, you will be ready, because you will have been in that situation before. Even if it was just in your backyard.

RHM

All the off-season practice paid off last year when Remi took three bucks in three states with his bow.


www.REMIWARREN.com



A

s the dust from the bull hitting the ground settled, my nerves and excitement began to take over. From the moment I pulled the trigger I began to shake. Post shot buck fever you could call it. The action happened so fast all the excitement seemed to catch up to me when I heard the distinct thwack of a solid hit. We knew I had just shot a big bull in velvet but how big remained to be determined. As we walked up on the bull it was better than I could have dreamed. It was a monster in every sense of the word. His massive, furry, velvet covered antlers made it look more like a giant tarantula basking in the hot August sun than a trophy bull elk. Hunting elk in velvet is almost unheard of, and to walk up on a trophy of this caliber with a full velvet rack couldn’t be put into words. His long tan fuzzy tines seemed to stretch out like the legs of spider. From his brow tines to his royals, every point had the length of a true giant. Not to mention his mass that carried throughout the length of his beams. It was the largest bull I had ever seen on the ground, and to top it off he was in full velvet. I couldn’t believe the trophy I had just taken. My first encounter with this bull was actually six days prior, on the opening morning of my hunt. As the sun came up over the valley, my dad had spotted a bachelor group of velvet clad bulls meandering through the thick Pinion and Junipers below his vantage point. By the time I reached him to check-in later that morning, the bulls had just disappeared out of his sight. Hoping to cut the bulls off

before they reached their bedding area I quickly made my way up to the head of the canyon. Nearly out of breath, I reached the last spot I might have been able to catch a glimpse of the traveling bulls before they disappeared like Houdini into the thick cover over the ridge. As I neared a rock outcropping I caught a glimpse of two racks high above the juniper trees that concealed the elk’s body. There were two six point bulls both shooters in my book. My goal was to take a bull in velvet and the first one to step out into a clearing would do. I wasn’t about to get picky with a rare opportunity to take a six point velvet bull. I did however, really want to capture the hunt on video. While putting the video camera on the tripod, I looked up and the bulls were gone. I began to panic. For no apparent reason they decided to move on, right when I was distracted. Then, in an instant, I caught a glimpse of a bull moving off to my left. I rushed 50 yards down the hill and tried my best to steady the rifle on a small juniper tree while stand-

ing. I quickly ranged the hillside at 332 yards, and then I saw it. Just a glimpse of the monster bull’s heavy and massive rack was all I needed. I knew a brute was about to step out. Only having a small opening in the trees and a bull on the move, I knew I would have to act quickly. The cover in the area was so thick the bulls could disappear with a full step. I didn’t have time to wait. The bull’s body quickly appeared, moving through my only open window. In an instant, I put the scope on him and let one rip. The crack echoing back from across the canyon left some uncertainty in my mind. If I were to bet on the side of statistics, I would have to place it all on hitting a branch or tree, which far outnumbered the sheer inches of moving elk I was praying to make contact with. After finding the elk’s tracks in the sand like dirt, it was apparent that the miss was clean, but I still kicked myself for the rookie move. I should have known better. I should have cow called to stop the bull instead of taking a rushed shot.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

19


I was frustrated knowing that in most hunting situations you rarely get a repeat. I could have had a big bull in velvet opening morning, and a simple cow call could have changed the whole outcome. Of course it may not have worked either, but having stopped so many elk with it year round made me feel like history would have been on my side. Three more days of heat waves, heavy cover, hundred degree temperatures and hard hunting ensued, without a single glimpse of another elk. Not to mention, a loose rock that sent me tumbling down the mountainside thrashing my new gun and knocking the scope out of sight. However, after re-sighting the gun, I was ready for action once again. The next morning I found myself positioned behind the glass, staring at what little openings lent themselves to being scanned in the thick covered hillsides. As the day heated up to a temperature well past uncomfortable, I decided to head up to a spring to see if I could spot something coming to the water. I climbed up the mountain and found a seep that would be perfect for elk. The only downside was, it was littered with wild horses, or feral horses as I prefer to call them. While

20 •

www.realhuntingmag.com

glassing up the big white stallion that was acting like he owned all the water in the area, I moved my binoculars just above him and spotted a glimpse of a six point bull moving through an opening about 600 yards away. It caught me by such surprise I almost lost it. I wasn’t expecting to see a bull moving in the heat of the day, and I wasn’t expecting to fill the view in my binoculars with a bull elk while looking at horses. As quickly as the bull appeared he was gone. I moved in on where the bull was headed but my limited view meant if I were to see him again, it would be close. As I neared the ridge he was on the wind started to swirl. I acted fast and decided to slip back out before getting winded and blowing it. That evening my dad and I went

back up to where the bull had evaded me the same morning. When we got to our vantage point the wind was in our face. I was in the middle of explaining to my dad where I had seen the bull earlier in the day. Unpredictably the wind did a quick 180, mid-sentence, and started blowing at our backs. All of the sudden a bull busted out below us on a dead run across the only opening toward the heavy cover. We cow called to stop the bull but he put the brakes on right behind a tree before walking off and disappearing. We followed his tracks for quite a ways until the wind shifted. Trailing a bull from up wind never really seems to work, so we backed out in hopes that he would remain in the area. That next morning found us back


in the same area but to no avail. Once again heat waves and horses were all that were on the morning hunt menu. That evening my buddy Mike Marchese drove out to hunt with me before heading out to chase mule deer with his bow in a neighboring unit. My friend Jon Lesperance also headed out that night, driving all the way from Phoenix to hunt with me before heading out to hunt deer as well. The next morning the three of us headed out to hike to where I saw the bull a few days earlier, while my dad went to glass where we saw the big bull on opening day. As we approached the top of the mountain, it was pretty uneventful as far as elk hunting goes, but we were having a good time nonetheless. As the day heated up, we decided to hunt back toward camp staying high to see if we might catch something bedded. Before we continued on, I pulled the video camera out from my pack and gave it to Jon. We joked around about how we are now ready to actually kill something because we have our camera man ready to film. We continued walking up the ridge about 70 or 80 yards when some horses started moving up

the draw below us about 250 yards away. Mike mentioned how he wished the horses were elk because it would have been perfect. We stood there B.S.-ing about the horses for a minute when I decided to glass around. I was thinking in my head how great it would have been to see an elk right here. Then, all of a sudden, my view was filled with a bull bedded on a knob, his velvet covered horns shining in the sun. “There’s a bull. Get down.” I whispered We quickly got behind a small juniper tree to pull out the spotting scope. As we were looking at the bull, a decent six point, Mike said that there were two bigger ones off to the right in the shade. We immediately turned our attention to the two huge bulls bedded under the mahogany tree. Both were nice but one was a true monster. He looked big and that was all the examining I needed. I ranged the bulls at 480 yards, a shot I may have made but not one I was willing to take with the wind ripping in our face. I noticed a ridge RHin M between us and the elk that would give me a 200 yard shot if I were lucky enough to find an opening to shoot across the canyon. It was a bit of a risky move in the thick terrain but I was willing to try. I figured the chance at a slam dunk shot was better than chancing a long shot with gusting winds. The horses were still in between us and the elk, so we tried to stay high enough to spook the horses in the opposite direction. Jon and I moved

in on the bulls from tree to tree on the open hillside, while Mike stayed at our vantage point to watch the bulls. As we got to the bottom of the canyon and out of sight of the elk, the horses spooked making the elk stand up out of there beds. Nervous that they were going to slip away Jon and I sprinted to the top of the ridge across from the bulls. Luckily, I happened to pick the perfect spot to come up the ridge for a shot. There was one clear opening in the trees about the size of a basketball to shoot through, and standing in the middle was the big bull. His massive spider like rack looked almost unnatural on his head as I focused in for the shot. I ranged the bull at 190 yards, rested my rifle on the crook of a tree and checked to make sure I wasn’t going to hit any branches. I asked Jon if he had the elk in the camera, but it was more of me asking than waiting for an answer, because no matter what I was pulling the trigger when I had it steady. I focused on a spot right on the shoulder, controlled my breathing and slowly squeezed the trigger. “Thhhwaaaaaap” The familiar sound of a solid hit echoed back as the bull dropped where he stood. Still seeing dirt flying above the brush I knew he was still kicking. While guiding elk hunters I have seen my fair share of dead elk get up and disappear, and I wasn’t about to take a chance of that happening. I couldn’t fully see his body at this point but I knew where it was through the brush. A couple more

Hunting Journal 2011 •

21


solid hits and it was over. The big bull was down and it all happened within ten minutes of spotting him. We closed the distance so quickly that I didn’t have time to get worked up, but after the echo of the first hit the excitement took over. After the bull was down Mike called my dad to tell him that were had a huge bull down and to get up as quick as he could (of course with more expletives than publishable). As we walked up on the bull, its size continued to grow, and in turn so did our excitement. It truly didn’t look real. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. Whether it was the bull’s velvet, the sheer size of his horns or both; it just looked unbelievable. It really would have been easier to believe that it was a giant tarantula lying on the ground than a monster 382 velvet covered bull.

RHM

22 •

www.remiwarren.com


MontanaOutWest


W

ith Father’s Day around the corner and budgets tightening up across the country, we at RHM have scoured the web for some awesome hunting gear that won’t break the bank. Because you can’t leave dear ol’ dad hanging, we recommend 10 hunting essentials at the best prices possible. Our picks have something for every budget. It’s time to break out your paper route savings, and give back to the man in your life who introduced you to the outdoors.

Nikon Scope, Camera and Binocular Window Mount About the item: This tripod mounts safely onto your truck window with the help of the padded gripper. It has a standard tripod adjustable head and is able to accommodate a spotting scope, camera, or binoculars. Price: $29.95 Regular price: $54.95 Where to find it: www.sierratradingpost.com search Item #1695A Comments: The window mount makes checking out those distant blobs with your spotting scope a cinch. It’s perfect for scouting and a must-have accessory for any vehicle. The downside – road trips will now be twice as long because Dad will constantly be pulling over and putting the scope on distant antelope off the side of the road. I guess you can’t blame him, the window mount does make it easy.

24 •

www.remiwarren.com


Flambeau Canada Goose Masters Series Decoys About the item: This is a floating, weighted keel decoy with a flocked head and a feather detailed body. For the price, it comes with four of the full-sized decoys.

Guide Gear® Pro Series Pop - up Blind About the item: This water-resistant nylon-blend blind is the perfect concealment from those wary deer and elk. The patented blackout lining helps conceal Dad’s movement while controlling scent by blocking the wind. The blind has three ports and four windows for visibility. It features shootthrough fabric so you don’t spook the game while lowering the window. The blind’s pop-up feature makes setup a cinch and it collapses small enough to fit in a pack.

Price: Talk about a steal. We found it on sale for $41.96 Regular price: $147.95 Where to find it: www.sierratradingpost. com ,search decoys and they will pop up or use Item #87274 Comments: By the time the geese figure out these decoys aren’t the real deal, it’s time to set down the shotgun and go pick them up. The downside – you’ll probably have to keep reminding the old man that those were the decoys you set out so he doesn’t shoot them.

Price: $49.97 Regular price: $80.00 Where to find it: www.sportsmansguide. com enter WX2-119481 in the catalog quick order box. Comments: nothing beats a blind that sets itself up, and for the price, you can’t go wrong. The downside – Dad is going to be so excited to use his new blind that he will probably try it out in the living room, where it’s likely to stay for more than a month as he watches all his favorite hunting DVDs and TV shows from the comfort of his easy chair, inside of his new blind.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

25


Traditions® Tracker™ 209 Slide Muzzleloader About the item: This muzzleloader has all the features of a top-of-the-line gun, at a fraction of the price. This .50 caliber synthetic stock muzzleloader comes with a 24-inch blued performance barrel. It is accurate out of the box and has an adjustable Lite Optic™ sight which helps in low light conditions. It uses a 209 primer that will ignite even in damp conditions. Price: $139.97 Where to find it: www.sportsmansguide. com enter WX2-128927 in the catalog quick order box Comments: This is a great gift to possibly extend your dad’s time in the field. A lot of states have muzzleloader-only seasons, but he can’t take advantage of it if he doesn’t have the gun. The downside – with this gift you will essentially be saying, “Look Dad, you are just too good of a hunter, way better than me for sure. The elk and deer don’t even stand a chance. I think it’s time you start hunting with a muzzleloader. I mean Jim Shockey’s got nothing on you.”

26 •

www.remiwarren.com

Parkers Perfect - Stops Fogging, Pre-Moistened Towelettes About the item: These wipes keep your eyewear, scopes, binoculars and even the inside surfaces of your vehicle’s windows clean and prevent them from fogging in all conditions. They are packaged a lot like the wet wipes you use after eating ribs, which makes them super convenient. The package contains 100 pre-moistened towelettes. Price: $5.88 Regular price: $19.99 Where to find it: www.cabelas.com bargain cave. Search Item:OG-712371 Comments: TDad won’t be able to give you the excuse that his scope was fogged up again with these wipes in his pack. This is one of the handiest products on the market for keeping your optics or eye glasses, clean and fog-free in the field. They store easily in your pack or pocket and they are light-weight so you can take them anywhere. The downside – dear ol’ Dad may have to come up with a new set of excuses as to why he missed that monster buck.


Sceery Bad Attitude Bull Elk Bugle Kit Real Hunting Magazine About this item: About this Item: This is a bi-monthly hunting publication with unbeatable tips and tricks, gear reviews, gift guides, stories from hunters like you, youth sections, pictures, a chance to have your next hunting story told, poaching and wildlife updates, the list goes on and on…

About the item: This perfect pitch bugle makes it easy to produce all bull sounds from squeals, grunts and locating bugles to screams and roars of the herd bull. It comes with the bugle tube, latex reed, lanyard and a detailed 55-minute instructional video. Price: $19.88 Regular price: $29.99

Price: $20 Regular price: $25.00

Where to find it: www.cabelas.com bargain cave. Search Item: OG-221913

Where to find it: In your hands or online at www.realhuntingmag.com

Comments: We guarantee your dad will not have a bad attitude when he sees this gift. The bugle is high quality and simple to use. It’s hard to find elk bugles for under $20 these days, so this is a great deal. The instructional video is good and worth the money itself, provided you can find a VHS player to play it in. The downside – you will have to endure dad’s seemingly endless practice period both in the house and in the car.

Comments: It is the gift that keeps on giving. Each issue is like Father’s Day all over again. Plus, buying him his own subscription will keep him from stealing your issue every month. For the price it can’t be beat, six gifts of outstanding hunting knowledge for less than the price of a shaver… HA… he will laugh at other fathers who get the shaver. The downside – this gift will be near impossible to beat. Come Christmas, your father will constantly comment on how you out did yourself last Father’s Day. If you have siblings you will be the envy of your father’s affection for at least a year – two, if you buy him the two-year subscription. Sibling jealousy will be most apparent at family gatherings like Thanksgiving, when you, the child who can do no wrong, is constantly bragged about for your generosity and gift-giving prowess.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

27


Hot Shot Camo Hunting Gloves About the item: These are the perfect hunting gloves. They provide warmth as well as dexterity when you need it. You can quickly and quietly get your itchy trigger fingers out when the moment of truth arrives. The gloves are as warm as it gets with 40g of Thinsulate and a zip pocket for a heater pack. They have fold-away mitts with a thin glove inside. The thumb can also come out for added dexterity. The palms also feature a grippy rubber material. Price: We found these babies for $9.95 Regular price: $40.00 Where to find it: www.sierratrading post.com search the product name or Item #84485 Comments: The gloves are one gift dad is guaranteed to love. We have yet to meet someone who enjoys cold hands. Nothing is better than a glove that is warm and still allows you to use your hands without taking the glove off. The downside – for that price, it almost feels like stealing. A feeling all too familiar with Sierra Trading Post’s shoppers.

28 •

www.remiwarren.com

Puma® 3-blade Knife About the item: This ultimate hunting knife has it all – a knife, gut hook, and bone/wood saw which all fold into the handle and fit perfectly into the included nylon belt sheath. All the blades are impressively made of 440 surgical stainless steel. Price: $24.97 Regular price: $55.00 Where to find it: www.sportsmansguide. com enter WX2-156945 in the catalog quick order box Comments: This knife blows the standard Fathers Day Swiss Army knife out of the water. For an extra $5 you can get your pop’s initials engraved in the blade. The downside – you will find yourself begging Dad to let you gut and skin his animals, just so you can try out his sweet knife.


A Hunt with your Child Coupon About this item: This coupon entitles your dad to one free hunt with his son and or daughter in the place of his choosing. Price: Free Where to find it: On this page! Comments: Nothing says, “I love you, Dad” more than asking him to go hunting with you, no matter your age. Throw it in a handmade card and you are golden. For added pizzazz, comb ine it with a hunting picture of the two of you. Dads are notorious suckers for a good picture. The best part is, it costs nothing but the experience is priceless. The downside – come on, there is no downside to getting out and hunting with dear ol’ dad.


Story and photos by: Remi Warren If you ask most mule deer hunters when the optimal time to hunt for big bucks is, the obvious answer is during the rut. The rut apparently is a magical time when once previously invisible, nonexistent bucks come out of the woodwork in pursuit of a hot doe. While this may be partially true, there is some error in this logic. Those nonexistent bucks may seem to have appeared out of nowhere, but they were around before the rut, and, most likely, will still be around after the rut. The fact is, big bucks exist outside of the rut, and by adjusting your tactics you could have a chance at that buck of a lifetime. It starts with honing in on big bucks before and after the main rut hits to understand buck behavior. The idea behind this is not to make you discount the rut completely, but to keep you from placing all your eggs in the rut basket. If you only focus on the rut, you will miss out on deer behavior that can be just as good, or even better, than the rut itself.


Bachelor Bucks

In my opinion, hunting early season bachelor bucks can be one of the best times to find and pursue trophy mule deer. During the summer and early fall months, mule deer bucks will group and travel together. These groups can range in numbers anywhere from a couple of bucks to over twenty. Many of the deer in the group share the same general age class, so when you find one big buck it is likely there is more then one trophy within the group. However, some bachelor groups will consist of smaller bucks that have been joined by a larger buck. This larger, dominate buck will travel alone and join younger age class deer for security and safety in numbers. The large buck is not as loyal to the group dynamic and will disappear from the group when trouble brews. The big buck will slip away from the habits of the group only to join another group after an intermitted break from the social deer scene. These types of behaviors are important to remember when hunting bachelor bucks, because it may determine how the bucks are to be hunted. The velvet advantage The velvet advantage comes into play when hunting bachelor groups. Velvet causes deer to spend more time in open areas to protect their sensitive antlers from the thick brush they will call home later in the season. During this time of year, the deer are the easiest to spot because they tend to gravitate in groups toward more open areas. Unlike the rut the deer group by gender, which makes it easy to look over numerous bucks at one time.

Beat the heat The main drawback to hunting bachelor bucks is the hot temperatures of August and September. The hot weather during this time of year limits the majority of deer movement to mornings and evenings. However, this doesn’t mean the deer can’t be hunted all day. As the day progresses, the sun moves across the sky, and in turn also moves the shade. Of course this is obvious, but what it means is the deer must re-bed in order to keep up with the shade. By putting some serious time behind the glass during midday you will be able to locate the bachelor groups you didn’t find during the early morning. When glassing, concentrate your efforts on areas that remain shaded most of the day such as north slopes, timber pockets and cliff bases. When hunting in the early season, think of areas with the coolest temperatures. One of the best

Top to Bottom: This buck Remi took was in a bachelor group of 12 monster bucks. He watched the deer bed from over five miles away before stalking in. Remi took this buck by ambushing a bachelor group of seven bucks. He was able to cutoff the deer as they moved from their bedding area out into a sage flat to feed in the evening.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

31


ways to beat the heat is to gain elevation. Some of the highest buck concentration will be in the area’s highest elevations. This means the regions the deer are hanging in during August and September may not be the same as during the rut. Move in for the kill No one ever said getting within bow range of ten bucks is easy. However, bachelor groups tend to be the most patternable when it comes to mule deer behavior. If you watch the deer you can devise a plan of ambush. This tends to be the most effective method, especially when the deer move from the bedding area to an open feeding area, or vise versa. The ambush allows you to try and cut the deer off in between where they are and where they want to be. A successful ambush involves a combination of knowledge of where the deer may be going and flexibility. It is important to adjust your plan as the deer do. Just because they have followed the same pattern for three days doesn’t mean they will do it exactly the same on the day of your ambush.

By using the heat to your advantage, spotting and stalking bachelor groups can also be extremely successful. With the hot temperatures the deer will bed longer than any other time of the year. The best time to stalk bedded deer is when the buck’s bed is shaded long enough for you to complete your stalk. Most great stalks are ruined by deer that are re-bedding in order to get out of the sun.

October Bucks I would classify an October buck as a buck in between the bachelor herd and the rut. This transition period for mule deer is much like middle school for teenagers. They are caught in between being with their cronies and chasing ladies. By this time, the bucks have lost their velvet and no longer want to stay out in the open. Since they no longer follow the safety in numbers rule, they retreat into heavier cover where they spend the majority of their time alone. This is the main reason big bucks

may seem nonexistent before the rut. It isn’t that they disappear; it is just that they hold different habits while in the transition period. Where to look To hunt deer successfully, look where they hide. During the October phase, many bucks move from the alpine opens to a midlevel range where there is more cover. They choose the heavier cover to feel safe because they are often alone. To remain safe these deer hold a smaller localized pattern that they are familiar with. They will bed where they can keep an eye out for predators while remaining close to some sort of cover. This localized area will have everything the buck needs: food, water and cover. If you spot a good buck in a bachelor group that disappears when he sheds his velvet, odds are he is still close by. Look for a more covered and secure area that might be a little lower in elevation than where the bucks were in the bachelor group. During the bachelor group phase, deer


will hold larger patterns and move greater distances to water, food and bedding. Concentrate your glassing in areas where the buck will have cover as well as food and water near by. How to hunt them October bucks are a serious spot and stalk game. The longer you let your eyes do the walking the more likely you will be to spot that big buck going about his daily routine. Good optics and a lot of patience are a must this time of year.

I couldn’t see with my eyes, even as close as 15 yards. More still hunts are unsuccessful not because the animal isn’t there, but because the hunter rushes. They feel like they have seen everything so they blow through the rest of the hunt.

Although I find glassing to be the most successful method this time of year, still hunting is another great option. Since the deer will be in heavier cover, still hunting is a way to effectively hunt an area that can’t be glassed.

When glassing, it is important to get comfortable. When using your binos, sit down and support your back against something solid. Lock your elbows into your body or brace them on your legs. Think of how a tripod works; the more points of your body you have on the ground, or a solid rest, the more stable you will be. If you are wearing a ball cap, hold the binoculars to the brim of your hat. This is just one more touch point for added stability. The more comfortable you are and the more stable you are, the easier it is to spot deer.

To still hunt effectively you can’t just walk through a big bucks bedroom hoping to kick him up. Taking your time is the key. When still hunting always start with the wind at your face. Take one step then glass in every direction with your binoculars. Even though you may not be able to see far, binoculars while still hunting help you pick out the tiniest details. I have been saved numerous times by catching a hair patch of a deer that

If you choose to still hunt it is a good idea to have another hunter posted watching the backdoor. Big bucks have a knack of circling hunters and going out where the hunter came in.

Getting Steady

Top to bottom: Jason Warren and Brett Hinckley pose with two awesome 195+ in. October bucks they harvested. These bucks were taken by spot and stalk. Brett’s buck was in the bachelor group with Remi’s buck earlier in the season (top photo two pages back). Brett found this deer in the same area just a lower elevation. Remi poses with a buck that was taken by still hunting heavy timber

Hunting Journal 2011 •

33


Migration Bucks

Bachelor groups once again When hunting migration bucks, Even after the regular season deer will often be together in comes to an end many states have heavy concentrations. Since the hunts that extend past the rut and deer are living close together the into the winter months. The majorbucks will again group up. The ity of these hunts target areas that rut has passed and safety in numsupport large mule deer herds on a bers is the name of the game once seasonal winter range. This can be again. The deer will fall into patan awesome time to pursue trophy terns and habits much like bachelor bucks. With a little research, areas bucks in the summer months. Once can be found that allow hunters again the deers routine becomes the opportunity to hunt deer during more an effect of the environment this stage. than anything else. The big bucks will be out in the open longer beHow to find the big buck cause this is where the majority of When looking for migration bucks the food source is. first remember these deer are in the area because the weather has How to hunt the migration forced them out of their mounNot all deer migrate at the same tain home. Bucks at this time are time. This means that an area that focused on winter survival. This may hold two deer one day may means sunny hillsides are your hold 50 the next. When looking best bet. Look for canyons that for deer during a migration hunt, provide not only forage and sunlook for areas that deer will be able light, but a natural wind break as to survive the winter. pay close well. Keep in mind trees provide attention to where you have spotprotection from snow for bedding, ted deer in the past, even if it is but fully timbered draws may not only a few. As more deer migrate provide enough sunlight for subdown they tend to go to the areas stantial forage. Look for draws that where other deer already are. Keep provide not only a food source but tabs on those areas where you cover as well. have seen bucks, even if the bucks you see are small. As the migration progresses the big bucks will come down later, grouping up with the smaller deer that have already established an area.

Optics

34 •

www.remiwarren.com

When it comes to mule deer, optics can be worth their weight in gold. If you are purchasing new optics go with the best that you can afford. When looking to buy or when comparing different binoculars go to the store at dusk and ask if you can test them outside. Low light/ outdoors is really the only way to compare optics. All binoculars look great when staring at the mounted elk 20 feet away in the store.

Big bucks do exist outside of the rut. Chasing bachelor groups, October bucks, and migration bucks can not only increase your chance at that buck of a lifetime but extend your hunting season as well. Of course, hunting during the rut definitely has its advantages, however, it is not the only time of year to find that monster buck. By chasing deer during different times of the year you have a chance to target deer behavior you don’t see in mid-November. Those big bucks are out there, and by adjusting your tactics, harvesting a big buck doesn’t have to be dependent on a good rut.

Breaking it Down When glassing I systematically dissect the mountain. I like to first glass the spots most likely for a deer to be, such as openings and springs. Next I scan the entire mountain in a sweeping fashion looking for deer that stand out and are easy to spot. After that I dissect the mountain into quadrants. At this stage I look for the deer that may be in the shadows or in cover. I take my time and meticulously inspect every part of the imaginary quadrant before moving on. At this stage I use a combination of glassing through the spotting scope as well as looking through the binoculars. Being able to glass efficiently is the number one key factor to finding monster bucks.


State Info: This chart includes application deadlines, Fish and

Game contact information, and some suggested units to look into. This can help serve as a research starting point to hunting big bucks in other states. By applying in other states you may be able to extend your hunting season by hunting deer when your state does not have an open season. For more information on hunts and season dates check out each states website.

Top to Bottom: Dan Warren took this high racked buck on a migration hunt. Remi took this great buck in late December on the winter range. He watched where a few little bucks were hanging out and a week later took this buck in the same place. This deer was in a bachelor group of 16 bucks.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

35


DEER SLAM ROAD TRIP

THE SLAM YOU CAN AFFORD Story & Photos by Remi Warren

“Poor man’s sheep hunt is right,” I thought to myself as I made it up the cliff face to where Jon was throwing out an encrypted form of hunter sign language. It looked more like gang signs to me, making me glad that we had moved north away from the border for our tenth day of the hunt. We wouldn’t want the border patrol to mistake Jon’s, “I see a buck and what are you going to do,” hand signal as some trafficking related gang code. We spent the majority of our week only a stones throw away from Mexico on the Arizona border. However, we opted to migrate north after being chased out by drug smugglers, border patrol warnings and the final straw, AKA machine gun fire a few canyons away. We had found an awesome spot by chance, with tons of huge Coues deer but what we didn’t know was that it was also one of the worst areas along the border for drug trafficking. Some people might think it would be stupid to hunt in that area, but I rationalized it the same as hunting in grizzly country. As long as you are aware of the threat and do what is necessary to avoid confrontation you will have no troubles.

36 •

www.remiwarren.com


Jon Lesperance

REmi’s Journal

HUNTING

Coues Deer

Part II


Coues at Home || The top photo is a picture Jon took through his spotting scope of the trophy buck Remi chased before harvesting his deer. Remi took the other picture 70 yards away with no cover left to get closer. Even though it is a desert, little springs, like the one below are abundant in the steep washes throughout Coues country.

The story of my deer slam lays not so much in the deer itself but the journey to get it. A Coues was the last of the deer species I needed to complete my deer slam with a bow, and it all boiled down to the last afternoon of our 10 day excursion. Throughout the week we encountered many unforeseen events and had a few close opportunities at deer. Even if I didn’t get another chance at a buck, the trip would have been a success. We had seen some awesome country and some killer deer to boot. My friend Jimmy had got a shot at a great buck. Jon had a pack train of drug smugglers walk underneath him only feet away and lived to tell about it. I had an awesome opportunity to witness two Coues bucks fighting and rutting around at close range. To top the trip off, I had learned so much about Coues deer in the ten days I was there; it is easy to see why they have such a cult following in the southwest. After only a few days of chasing them in the hot Arizona sun it becomes apparent why they have been dubbed one of the most difficult deer species to harvest, especially with a bow.

About the Coues

Coues deer, pronounced “coos” in the U.S., are a desert sub-species of whitetail that inhabit Arizona, a few places in southern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico. Arizona is the top trophy producer of Coues deer followed by Mexico. Some of the highest deer densities in Arizona are found in the southern units along the Mexico border. We concentrated our hunting efforts in areas that the Arizona fish and game outlined as having high deer densities. Coues are generally found in higher elevation habitat from 4,000 to 10,000 ft. They are smaller than a regular whitetail with the bucks standing less than three feet at the shoulder and weighing an average of 100 pounds. Field dressed they weigh in around 80 pounds.

Unlike most northern deer who rut in mid-November, the Coues deer rut happens in mid January, making it the perfect time to chase them with a bow. Coues deer inhabit some of the nastiest country I have ever found. It is big, steep, hot, chalked full of cliffs and everything in it bites. Their small size makes them next to impossible to spot because they can hide behind nearly any bush or cactus. The Coues deer’s elusive nature and ability to vanish right before your eyes makes it a serious game of hide and seek, where glassing is imperative to your success.

The Story

My Coues deer road trip began after a friend of mine, Jon Lesperance, moved down to Arizona for school with his wife. We decided to give it a shot the second week in January, during peak rut. Our hunting party consisted of Jon, another friend Jimmy McLennan and me. Jimmy and I flew down to Phoenix where we loaded up Jon’s Isuzu with bow cases, packs, tents, targets, coolers, and food for a week of hunting, before heading toward the border with a road map and some secret directions from a past hunting client of mine. None of us had been in the area before, let alone hunted Coues deer, but we had all done some online research combined with the help of a Coues deer hunting book by Duane Adams. The book gave us some valuable pointers, but the real learning experience came from crawling through the cactus and a weeks worth of hard hunting. The trip boiled down to the last afternoon of the last day. After making it to the top of the mountain, Jon and I glassed the canyon below us. The sun by this point had heated up the day close to sixty-five or seventy degrees, but the strong breeze and shade from a cliff above kept us cool as we glassed. We spotted a few does but hadn’t seen


anything new for a while. All of the sudden, about 350 yards away, I spotted some does that had just come over a little draw below us. We looked them over and determined that there were no bucks with them. Then as quickly as the does appeared, a huge buck materialized out of thin air and started chasing the does up the hill at almost a dead run. I decided to try and make it back over the top and cut the deer off before they crossed into the other canyon above us. Along the way I could see they had run over half a mile from where they were before. By the time I reached the top, I had completely lost the original group of deer. The hill was so steep I had to fight to keep from sliding down the mountain. As I made my way to where I thought the deer might be, I slowly crept up over the ridge, scrolling each new piece of land like a book. The further I moved toward the edge the more land below was revealed. As I crested the top, I used my grunt tube in case the deer were close. The grunt tube had saved me all week and now I was relying on it to help ease deer I may have glanced over. As I neared the edge, two does walked out below me and looked back my direction. I laid down, out of sight, and continued to grunt. For no apparent reason the does trotted over the ridge and away, with no buck in tow. I grunted one more time before hearing what sounded like a faint grunt below me. I wasn’t sure of the sound because of the wind but I decided to get to where the does had crossed in case there was still a buck in the area. While moving to get in position, I skirted along the edge of a little outcropping. Directly below me I spotted the shine of a buck’s antler about 90 yards away. It wasn’t the big buck we saw earlier, but it was in a perfect place for a stalk. I noticed a finger in the ridge that would conceal me above the buck and put me into shooting position. I quickly dropped my

Everything Bites

Prickly Pear

Agave

Don’t Forget Tweezers || It just goes to show that Coues country is out to get you. Picking cactus spines from your thumb is probably the mildest place you can get them. Plants like the Ocotillo, pictured left, will grab you all day long. The long spears of the Agave plant are the most dangerous and will go through even the toughest boots with ease.


The Road to a Slam|| No trip is complete without encountering a giant Paul Bunion along the way. Food seemed to be an afterthought as the groceries for the week got jammed in what little space was available inside the car. The trip couldn’t have ended better, with a nice Coues on the ground.

pack and made the final stalk above the deer. As I approached the spot where I planned to shoot from, I slowly peaked over the edge and ranged the buck. He was 56 yards away but straight down. I stayed crouched out of sight and drew back. As I pulled back, the arrow caught on my rest and came off the string. The hill was sloped so much that I was canting my bow to the right too far for the arrow to stay on the rest. It looked level to the eye, but gravity doesn’t lie. I quickly put the arrow back on the string, leveled my bow by looking at

40 •

www.remiwarren.com

the bubble level on my sight and drew back. I slowly stood for the shot. The buck was still there, perfectly broadside. I bent at the waist and put my forty yard pin low on his chest to compensate for the severe down hill angle. Focusing on the spot I released. Thwack! Almost instantly, the buck hit the ground and began to role down the mountain. The angle of the hill was so steep the arrow went through the buck’s spine and out, just above its belly. My adrenaline was pumping as I made my way down to the buck. In my excitement I had forgotten to take it slow. I lost my balance and slid right down into an Agave plant, whose sharp spears actually pierced through my boot and into my foot. Not to mention the four other small punctures the plant left in my leg. It

hurt but the excitement of walking up on my deer made all the stinging disappear. As I got closer I couldn’t believe how small his body was. It really sank in when I moved the deer whole, with ease, to set him up for pictures. As I packed the buck out over my shoulders I couldn’t help but think about how blessed I had been to get the chance to harvest four different deer species with my bow. I had experienced the different terrain and challenges that may be present in harvesting a grand slam of sheep, but at a fraction of the cost. The most rewarding part was I had attained my goal. It proved a deer slam can be a reachable achievement for the average hunter with limited financial resources. It gave me a greater respect for all deer by learning first hand the differ-


ence between the deer species and the challenges each present. I learned new tricks and tactics to take with me while chasing mule deer or whitetails back home next season. In all, I feel it has made me a better hunter by testing my skills and teaching me to adapt.

A Slam of Your Own

Arizona is the place to go for a Coues deer hunt. The archery tags are over the counter and are good for almost the entire state. The nice thing about the tags is that they allow you to harvest a Coues deer or a mule deer, your choice. The archery tag allows you to hunt a split season. It generally opens August 22nd to September 11th and again from December 12th to January 31st (always consult regulations

for individual unit season dates). The split season gives you plenty of options and opportunity to work the hunt into your schedule. You are only allowed to harvest one deer per calendar year; however, the same license is good both seasons within that year. If you aren’t a bow hunter, rifle and muzzleloader tags must be drawn through an application process. Some of the early hunts have almost 100% chance of drawing a tag, while some of the later hunts may take a few years to draw. Either way, applying is the only way to secure your chance to hunt these awesome deer with a gun or muzzleloader. When deciding where to go, start your search by looking in areas with high deer densities. Some noted areas include units 36A, 36B, 36C, 34A, 34B, 33 and 32. The Arizona fish and

Welcome to the Southwest|| Jon glassing for deer on an old mining truss above a creek of turquoise. The sunset among the Giant Swarrow cactus in the flats is an unbeatable sight. The three amigos, from left to right, Jimmy, Jon and Remi stop for a picture after a long hike back to the truck.

game website as well as other Coues deer sites may be a valuable research tool. The book, How to Hunt Coues Deer by Duwane Adams provided us with useful information, and helped narrow down areas to try out. We hunted five different units and found deer in every area we hunted. It may take a few days to figure out what to look for, but you will be amazed at how many deer there are once you are able to spot them. Most canyons in the southern units held deer, but just like hunting any deer, some areas are better than others. The key to Coues is to glass and be flexible. Get to a vantage point where Hunting Journal 2011 •

41


In the End|| Remi enjoys the campfire as it cuts the nighttime chill of the desert before the last day of the hunt. Remi is giving thumbs up for, “a slam completed” after walking up on his buck. Jon and Remi take a picture with the buck before carrying him out in the traditional over the shoulder fashion.

you can overlook a lot of country from one place. Get familiar with an area by hunting it more than once. The better you know where you are, the higher percentage stalk you will be able to perform by knowing the lay of the land. It is important to remain flexible when hunting any new area. If you aren’t seeing game, move around till you locate a spot that you are seeing animals. The caveat to this is to make sure you give every location a fair shake of the stick. Don’t write off an area you have only seen during mid-day, while lazily glassing for a few hours. Often hunters spend more time moving around in new areas than actually hunting them. They get frustrated because they don’t see any game, but they don’t realize they have

42 •

www.remiwarren.com

spent more time looking for an area then actually hunting an area hard. Using your judgment is the key. If you feel you have exhausted an area, don’t beat a dead horse, be mobile and find a new spot. Since Coues deer live in the desert, water is important to their survival. Keep this in mind when looking at an area. If there is no water, there are probably no deer. If you find an area with lots of game, note major water sources in the area such as tanks and springs. You may have some luck sitting water holes if they are being hit hard by the deer. One of the best things you can do when hunting any new species or area is to stack the deck in your favor. Anytime you hunt in an unknown area, you already have the odds against you. Add in the fact that you

are hunting a species you know little about and your odds of success drop even further. Hunting during the rut will help increase your odds of success dramatically on these tiny deer. Other tricks, like using a grunt tube to stop, calm, and call deer, will help stack the deck in your favor as well. Making connections and getting help from people who have done it before will help you narrow down a good area. Don’t discount good advice, on my trip we used a combination of tips from people we met and knew, combined with the thorough research that Jon put in before the hunt. It is important to use what you know and what you have learned. Hunting Coues deer is like hunting mule deer and whitetails combined. You should glass like you are hunting mule deer, but incorporate whitetail tactics and behavior into the mix. Tricks like grunting while stalking, proved priceless on the Coues deer


psyche. Don’t be afraid to still hunt or call the Coues deer like you might whitetails on a river bottom, or glass them from miles away like trophy mule deer in the high country. The key to success on any species is to adapt to what works. By taking bits and pieces from other hunting experiences and piecing them together as you learn about a new species, you will move yourself up the learning curve faster toward success. The most important factor in being successful is to get out and try. Hunting the different deer species is an obtainable goal for most hunters, and can open up new hunting possibilities that you won’t get at home. It will test your skills as a hunter and be just as rewarding as hunting all the species of sheep. A deer slam truly is a slam the average hunter can afford.

RHM

Cost Breakdown

License & Tag $376.50 Travel Expense $200 Food $150* Gas for the week $120* Motel $70* Average total cost for the Coues deer hunt is $690 per hunter based on a group of three hunters.

* This story was part two of a two part series. Part one of, The Slam You Can Afford, covered Columbian Blacktails in California. The article can be found in the October- November 2008 issue of Real Hunting Magazine. If you missed the issues it can also be found online at www.realhuntingmag.

* If you go with friends some of the costs can be split such as the food, gas, motels and travel expenses. I flew half way which is why my travel expense wasn’t split. If you and a few buddies drove down the whole way, the travel cost may be even cheaper but you may also have higher motel costs along the way (which can also be split). Overall it is a relative estimate but will give you a ballpark on what to expect.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

43


I

t’s back! Remember that gear guide that saved your shinny-little-tookus last year and made you the gift giving champ of 2009? Well, we at RHM have done it again. We have compiled a list of such awesome, awe-inspiring, paramount gifts it is almost like we got inside your dad’s head. Lucky for you we got your back, all the footwork has been done. Now if only there was such a great gift guide for the barely remembered holidays like Canadian Boxing Day, you would be set for life.

Ghost Blind About the item: The blind works by reflecting exactly what is in front of it. The blind literally disappears in even the most vacant landscapes and its 75-degree set-up angle eliminates sun glare or the possibility of the animal getting spooked by its own reflection. Not to mention the optional backpack straps, which make it a breeze to haul in and out of the woods. Price: $299.00 Where to find it: www.ghostblind.com or 1-877-751-HUNT Comments: This blind is crazy, it really does just disappear in any terrain. If you need more proof that it works just check out some of the pictures on their website. The Downside – If you think dad has trouble finding his car keys and the TV remote wait until he has a blind that is nearly invisible. Plus the purchaser of this gift may be held accountable every time dad vanishes into thin air when it is time to do chores.

44 •

www.remiwarren.com


FSurefire G2 Nitrolon Flashlight

Tony Jones Elk Call About the item: Handcrafted elk call made by Tony Jones in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. Each call is individually carved from various woods where beauty and practicality fuse together to bring you a quality sounding call at an affordable price. The open reed style is easily controled and can produce a great range of elk tones. Price: $20.00 Where to find it: www.howardhillarchery. com & www.theelusivemoose.com

About the item: This light-weight flashlight provides a brighter and further reaching beam than what the traditional headlamp puts out. This Surefire flashlight has an incredibly bright bulb and indestructible design at a fraction of the cost of other brands. Surefire is known throughout the military, law enforcement and self-defense community as being one of the brightest lights for its size. Available in tan, black, green and yellow. Price: $39.00 Where to find it: www.surefire.com Comments: Fact- Dads love flashlights. Fact- There is no such thing as too many flashlights. Fact- This light is as close as it gets to legally becoming a lightsaber. The Downside – Sorry kids, say good bye to sneaking out of the house. There just aren’t enough shadows to hide behind when dad turns on his high beams.

Comments: nothing beats a hand-made elk call, and for the price, you can’t go wrong. The Downside – This elk call will probably be used year-round as a wake up call, an I am here in the crowd call, an alternative to the radio, a noise maker at all your sports/ school functions including graduations; and almost always followed by a loud “that’s my kid!” There will be no mistaking the association between you and the guy always blowing the elk call.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

45


Hanwag Alaska GTX Boots from Lathrop and Sons About the item: These leather & Gotex, un-insulated boots have a very solid sole and aggressive tread pattern perfect for any terrain or hunting condition. The boots also come with a Lanthrop and Sons high-country foot bed which is engineered with the comfort and feel of a custom orthotic. Price: $281.40 - $597.40. Price varies depending on package and customization, such as custom fitting for each foot. Where to find it: www.lathropandsons.com Comments: The Hanwag Alaska GTX boot coupled with Lathrop and Sons High Country Insole is a legit, no break-in period, backpack hunting boot. The fit, comfort, feel and function right out of the box is unrivaled. The Downside – You will have trouble keeping up with pops as he attacks the aggressive game filled terrain that your blistered feet only dream about. He will be at the top of the mountain filling tags while you are somewhere behind tending your sore little piggys.

46 •

www.remiwarren.com

DEAD DOWN WIND BAR SOAP About the item: Dead Down Wind Scent Prevent Bar Soap contains the power of NONAOZYME technology, which prevents the production of human odor and allows your body to start with a zero scent environment. Price: $4.00 Where to find it: www.deaddownwind.com Comments: Not only will it improve your dad’s success in the field, but his hunting buddies back at camp will thank you. The Downside – This scent eliminator still does not combat the patented dad move of breaking-wind in the truck while headed to a hunting spot then hitting the window power locks so there is no escaping it. Looks like you will still have to endure that one on your own.


Elk Nut’s Playbook

RipPod About this item: The RipPod is a combination hiking staff/monopod that attaches directly to your gun, bow, or camera for added stability. Its carbon fiber construction is strong and super lightweight. It provides a quick rest when nothing is available and assists the hunter in increasing accuracy and consistency. Plus the topof-the-line hiking staff aids in stability and helps reduce the felt weight on your back when hiking with a pack. Price: From $119.99 for just the carbon fiber hiking staff to $219.97 for the whole package including rifle attachments. Where to find it: www.outdoordna.com Comments: This product is twofold because it is functional as a hiking stick as well as a rifle rest. Plus the better dad shoots the less you have to hear about the monster that got away.

About the item: Whether you are a veteran elk hunter or have never set foot in elk country, this book will give you a variety of tips and tactics to help you put a bull on the ground. The book is a pocket size (4x7”) guide designed to help elk hunters make decisions while out in the field. One of the main tips Elknut’s Playbook emphasizes is distinguishing the different types of elk sounds. Price: $18.95 Where to find it: www.elknut.com Comments: This book can definitely teach an old dog some new tricks. Remember if you give a dad some elk you feed him for a meal, but if you teach a dad how to kill an elk, you become the favorite child. The Downside – You will have to buy one for yourself because once the ol’man discovers all the secret tips inside he will be keeping it under lock and key. Let’s just say that all those lessons you got about sharing as a toddler just flew out the window.

The Downside – Your dad will probably make you refer to him in conversation as dead-eye-dad and may not respond to any other title. I guess you can’t blame him; he will be wildly more accurate and of course won’t be afraid to prove it.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

47


Glacier Glove Backpack and Chest Pack Combo About the item: The Combo Pack comes with a Universal Chest Pack that can be used on by itself or with another pack. The backpack comes with water resistant fleece lined pocket for sunglasses, rod holder, hydration bladder pocket, Self-stowing rain cover, waist belt, foam fly holder, and tons of other high quality features. Price: Regular $129.99 on Sale for $74.95 Where to find it: On sale at www. sierratradingpost.com search Item #2474W or go to www.glacieroutdoor.com Comments: This pack has everything you need for river fishing or backcountry day trips, and best of all it can be used right now. No waiting till fall hunting season, dad can hit the river with it tomorrow. The Downside – No more using the excuse that your homework got soaking wet and destroyed because your dad used your school backpack as a fishing pack over the weekend.

48 •

www.remiwarren.com

Gunmaster Rifle Cleaning Kit About the item: This rifle cleaning kit includes a three piece brass rod with a handle, a brass accessory adaptor, two bore brushes, two mops, one tip for patches and 50 cleaning patches. Price: $11.99 Where to find it: www.dactec.com Also available at most sporting goods stores. Comments: Try topping the gift off by cleaning his gun for him to make it just that much better. The Downside – Sorry girls but don’t be surprised if you come home with a new boyfriend to find dad sitting in his easy chair in a dimly lit room with a lamp shining down on him while he sits in silence cleaning all his guns. Of course this is in conjunction with him asking you where the shovel is just-in-case he needs it to bury something.


A Hunt with your Kid Coupon About this item: Back by popular demand. This coupon entitles your dad to one free hunt with his son and/or daughter in the place of his choosing. Price: Free Where to find it: On this page! Comments: Once you give him this coupon it will be hard to outdo. If you gave it to him last year it is time to reup. It’s a new year, a new season and you owe it to your old man to hunt with him at least once a year FOREVER. Plus if you forgot about Father’s Day this is a great thoughtful gift in a pinch. Slap it together with a card, possibly a picture from last season and call it perfect. See, we told you this gear guide had your back. The Downside – You are going to have to cut this coupon out of your prized RHM magazine, which we hear is like cutting off your little toe. For many it is just too painful so they choose to just buy another copy and give him the whole magazine.


Journal

HUNTING

T

he

Remi’s

marco lense on a camera allows the camera to focus on close objects and can provide a depth and view of your hunting trip not captured in a standard photo mode. You can take pictures of the other things you find along the trip that make the journey memorable. Plants, rocks, gear, insects, food, animals, even getting a unique view of a hunter in the field makes for some great macro shots Almost every camera out there has some sort of macro feature. When looking for the macro feature on your camera, look for the standard macro symbol which is a small flower. Some cameras also have a super macro setting for getting even closer to your subject. The focus distance of your macro setting will vary from camera to camera so try it out at home first. How to shoot great Macro Shots: Set your camera to macro mode. If using an SLR type camera setting a larger aperture is helpful. If using a point and shoot most of the options are automated. Lighting- make sure your subject is well lit. Remember that if the lighting is

50 •

www.remiwarren.com

low on a point and shoot with an automated macro it will leave the aperuture open longer to gather more light. If the camera is not steady then the picture may turn out blurry. To help light your subject try diffusing your flash with a tissue or piece of paper. Getting steady – a tripod works great but if you don’t happen to have one try setting the camera on something and using the photo timer to take the picture. That way the picture is hands free and steady. Review the photo- check the photo on your digital camera and zoom in to make sure the picture is totally

focused. With Macro many parts of the picture should be blurry with the one focal point in crisp focus. If your photo is blurry try taking the picture a little farther away or switching to super macro mode. Get creative – Macro allows you to get angles you can’t get with a regular shot. Try as many angles as you can. Remember the rules of composition and the rule of thirds. Focus on something that draws the eye of the viewer. With macro the camera is focused so tightly on the subject it blurs the background which creates a unique effect when the subject is properly framed in the photo. Hint: If you are using a SLR camera with a large zoom lens you may be able to set the camera to macro and still take great pictures from farther away. I have used this technique to blur the background on a wildlife photo while keeping the subject in perfect focus. The best part about taking pictures in macro is the ability to take something that would look ordinary in a standard snapshot and turn it into a picture where the viewer gets so close they feel like they were part of the experience.

RHM


OCT / NOV2011 2009 •• Hunting Journal

51


52 •

www.remiwarren.com


B

oil water in a paper cup- believe it or not you can boil water in a paper cup. Just fill the cup full and then place it in the fire. The cup will burn down only to the water level. It is great for sanitizing dirty water or cooking an egg. For many bachelors out there, this revelation may mean the end of doing dishes. Hint: make sure the fire is big enough so if the water boils over it will not put the fire out. Also fully soaking the cup keeps it from burning down to the water line.

R

ock Steady- When glassing, it is important to get comfortable. When using your binos, sit down and support your back against something solid. Lock your elbows into your body or brace them on your legs. Think of how a tripod works; the more points of your body you have on the ground, or a solid rest, the more stable you will be. If you are wearing a ball cap, hold the binoculars to the brim of your hat. This is just one more touch-point for added stability. The more comfortable you are and the more stable you are, the easier it is to spot game.

M

oving Archery Targets- a package of balloons, a slight breeze and a body of water make for great archery practice on moving targets. Blow up a balloon then place it on the surface of the water up wind of the shooter. The balloon will drift past creating a great moving target. It is like skeet shooting for a bow. Hint: This can also be done on the ground. For ground shooting use blunt tips and make sure there is a good backstop to catch your arrows.

S

ighting in your bow & tightening your groups- Aim small miss small. When sighting in your bow or trying to tighten up your arrow groupings, place a small one inch diameter white sticker on your target. The smaller size of the white sticker helps you aim more precisely. The white color is easy for your eye to pick up and contrasts great against your pins. By using the small white dot you will tighten up your groups and make it easier to tell where you are really hitting. You may surprise yourself at how accurate you are when you have a small focal point that is easily picked up by your eye to aim at. Hint: The top to a bottled water also works great by wedging it in missing chucks of a beat up target.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

53


RHM


Hunting Journal 2011 •

55



Hunting Journal 2011 •

57



Hunting Journal 2011 •

59



Hunting Journal 2011 •

61






W

hen field judging mule deer, take a picture through the spotting scope on your digital camera then review the picture and make yourself a “ruler-to-scale” from a small stick or piece of paper. Put your stick or paper up against the screen and make it the size of the deer’s ear. This will represent approximately eight actual inches (may vary from area to area). You can measure the circumference of the antlers by using the deer’s eyes. Make a “circumference ruler” by making a stick the same size as the on-screen deer’s eye ball, this will represent approximately 1.3 actual inches. Since you can’t see all the way around the antler in a photo, compare the “circumference ruler” to the deer’s antler – a 1.3” diameter equals a 4”circumference (if the antler is larger than the ruler its circumference is greater than four inches, if it’s smaller it is less than four inches). For the width measurement, the natural alert position ear span is 20-22 inches (depending on age and body size). Once you have made your “rulers” use them to measure the antlers on the screen. It can be extremely accurate if you are able to get good pictures. Hint: You must make a new “ruler” for each new picture or zoom level since you will be making them to scale.

A

garbage bag can be used not only as a game bag to keep blood from soaking your pack, or a poncho in the rain, but also as a mattress. For a good night’s sleep and added insulation from the cold, stuff the bag with pine needles then top it off with either fir boughs or ferns to keep it soft. Hint: lay on it to pack it down and then add more padding until full. For a larger bed use two bags. Get creative, whatever looks soft generally will work. By putting the foliage inside the plastic garbage bag you can use damp or wet material without soaking your sleeping bag.

D

id you forget your spotting scope tripod, shooting sticks or camp stool? No worries, three sticks of the same size wrapped together with rope or parachute chord is a great fix. Put the three sticks in a bundle and wrap the rope four to eight inches from the top, making sure to wrap in between the sticks as well. Tie the rope off and spread the legs apart. It is steady and works in a pinch. Forget carrying shooting sticks all the way to the top of the mountain, this solid rest can be made on the spot and is adjustable so you can shoot standing up. Hint: when making a stool, a flat rock works great as a seat.

N

eed fishing tackle in a pinch? Parachute chord, shoelaces, or nylon cord can be unraveled to create fishing line. The center of most parachute cord is white, this works best as the line closest to your hook, while the outside strands are stronger and colored and should be used to extend the line. Licking the loose fibers or getting the fibers wet helps keep the new strands together. Unravel the cord to thin strands and tie each thin strand together with a simple knot to lengthen the line. For a hook, take a small stick and carve it down to look like a short toothpick. Tie your line to the middle of the stick. Place the stick inside of your bait parallel with its body (grasshoppers work the best). The hook works by getting pulled sideways and lodging in the fish’s throat. Hint: This method can be very effective for catching fish, but it is important to remember these are not regular hooks so you don’t want to set the hook right away. Let the fish take and swallow the bait. The fish will generally grab the bait then go to the bottom to fully swallow, so make sure there is plenty of slack. Once the fish has swallowed the hook, give it a quick pull to set it and bring the fish in.

66 •

www.remiwarren.com


When Surviving, Use What You Find: This spear was made for pig hunting out of an old tent stake I found while 30 miles in the wilderness through the jungle and mountains in the central Dominican Republic. I forged the spear by heating the metal in a fire.



A

s the sun started to set, the intensity of the July heat began to dissipate as the shadows across the sage covered pocket grew. The evening wind picked up across our high mountain lookout as we glassed for movement below. We continually scanned the open areas, hoping to catch a glimpse of what the area had to offer. We were looking for clues, clues that would help us harvest a trophy mule deer in the months to come.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

69


Out of nowhere, bucks began to emerge below us in the ever-growing shadows. The area, only minute’s earlier void of life, revealed what we were looking for - a bachelor group of trophy bucks feeding out into the open. There were twelve to be exact, all shooters in my book. My adrenaline began to pump at the sight of the monster deer. Having only seen smaller bucks in the other areas, these deer were a welcome sign. Even though it was still summer, I was well on my way to harvesting a trophy in this area. Scouting deer in the summer is a great way to learn about an area and find the big bucks within it. Aside from the rut, bucks are the most vulnerable during the summer months. The bucks are grouped up, they spend a lot of time in the open, and their patterns are fairly regular and predictable. Summer scouting also has its advantages because the deer are largely unpressured at this time. They are more focused on feeding than eluding hunters. Although scouting just prior to the season allows you to locate the deer before you hunt, summer scouting is an overall better tool to locate where the big bucks are. It provides you with a better gauge of the areas trophy quality by allowing you to see what is around before the pressure hits.

70 •

www.remiwarren.com

Whether you are an archery hunter or a rifle hunter, what you find during the summer will help you hone in on big bucks during the season.

Deer in the Pocket: where to look for the big boys Summer scouting is all about glassing and locating the pockets that hold deer. You can start by looking over a topo map of where you plan to scout. Look for areas that hold both water and ample food. I like to look for and concentrate on areas that have numerous pockets by one another. I consider a pocket a self sustaining bowl where deer could live for months at a time. It is important to remember that 90 percent of great looking deer country may have no deer or only younger animals. What you are looking for is that single bowl, canyon or break that holds big deer. The reason I look for deer habitat with several good bowls in one area is that the deer will travel between the pockets to keep from over browsing a particular hillside. If there are numerous pockets in close proximity to one another, you will have a better chance of locating deer in one of the pockets since the area will be able to sustain a larger deer population. Once you find a group of deer that peak your interest, learn the area like the back of your hand. Know the surrounding one to two square miles. It is likely the deer will stay in this broader area for the rest of the season. By becoming familiar with the surrounding areas, you give yourself options of where the deer might be when the hunting season rolls around.

From Summer to Season: deer that remain in the summer range Even though I found the group of the twelve huge bucks in July, they stayed in the same area all the way through the mid-October rifle season. I took a friend of mine back to that spot for the rifle season, where we got in on one of the big bucks but never had a clean shot. Sure enough I was back the following summer where I scouted and later harvested a great buck out of the area with my bow. As a bow hunter, the deer I find during mid-to-late summer remain in their pattern and hold the same general area when the archery season rolls around. As long as the deer still have velvet on their horns they will remain vulnerable in the area where you found them earlier in the summer. If you find deer in lower elevations the area may not receive enough snowfall to force the deer to migrate. If so, odds are they will be in that general vicinity during rifle seasonas long as hunting pressure remains minimal. Even if they do receive a lot of hunting pressure they may still be in that area. However, they may go nocturnal, remaining in heavy cover during daylight. Summer scouting can be particularly productive in general hunting units that receive a ton of hunting pressure. As soon as the season starts, it may be near impossible to locate a trophy deer. Scouting in the summer allows you to find where the deer are residing before the pressure hits. The big bucks will be easier to find during the summer and will give you an idea of what to expect from the area. Being able to hone in on an area you know already has big deer will help you focus when the pressure from the season hits.


Summer Sleuthing: clues for later in the season Even if you will be hunting deer later in the season you can scout effectively during the summer. Keep in mind, deer may migrate as the season progresses. The clues you find in the summer can help you pinpoint where the deer will be later in the year. Old sign is a good indicator that the animals remain in the area at different times of the year. If you find a pocket during the summer that is full of deer, look for signs that indicate those deer will be there come October and November. Old rubs are a sure sign the area is also used during the rut. If you find a bachelor group during the summer in an area with a lot of deer rubs and older sign, it is a sure bet the deer you are seeing during the summer are the same ones who inhabit the area come November. While summer scouting a general area in Montana, I had spotted a group of deer in the high country that far exceeded my expectations. However, there was no sign the deer would be staying in the area for the rifle season, it was too high and they would be forced down by late October. Knowing this, I studied logical trails and travels routes, locating clues as to where the deer go during rifle season. It paid off when one of my clients harvested a great 5x6 buck out of the area in early November. Shed antlers can also be a good clue as to where deer may be later in the season. If you find a lot of sheds in an area that is holding deer during the summer, it is a good indicator that the animals will still be in there come late rifle season. If you find an awesome shed in one area but no summer deer,

remember that area. It may be a clue the deer will move to this area later in the year. On one summer scouting trip I found an area on the map that had it all, it was a lower elevation pocket, perfect for deer. I scouted the area hard during the summer but didn’t see a single buck. However, I did manage to pick up a decent shed on almost every trip, including one that was the largest I had ever found up to that point. I returned back to that spot with a friend of mine the last week in November of the same year, where he harvested a monster 216 inch buck. Even though I didn’t see any deer in the area, recognizing the clues I found while scouting during the summer lead us to a giant buck. By scouting during the summer, you increase your chance of locating a trophy of your own. Some of the most productive scouting trips can take place in late June, July and August. The summer is a great time to figure out what kinds of monsters are lurking around in your hunting area. By honing in on what you find and paying attention to the clues around you, you will be prepared with the knowledge of where to find that big buck when the season rolls around.

Deer Sleuthing || Clues found during the summer, like big sheds and old rubs, can help you pinpoint an area to hunt during the late fall season. Summer scouting paid dividends for Remi as he packs a monster buck out of a pocket he located while scouting in early July.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

71


H

unting day-in and dayout I run into just about every type of weather condition possible, and good gear can make or break the experience you have for the day. Keeping your hands warm is important not only as a factor of your comfort level but can affect your performance as well. Last year I did a simple study to see how cold hands affected my shooting. I shot groups of arrows on a cold day with warm hands then shot with cold hands. The colder my hands were the larger my groups got. While duck hunting late season there have been days when my hands got so cold and wet it was impossible to reload my shotgun. I have missed out on some great shooting because I didn’t have a waterproof glove. For big game hunting I like gloves that are comfortable while I am being active yet warm when I am stationary glassing, calling, ect. For waterfowl hunting, waterproof combined with warmth

817RT || Remi snapped this underwater shot of a huge cutthroat in the cold Feb. water thanks to the waterproof glove.

72 •

www.remiwarren.com

is important. When wearing hunting gloves I like some sense of dexterity. I like the glove to be thin enough that I can perform tasks like shooting and reloading, without having to take the gloves off. This last season I found some gloves that I put to the test. In nearly every hunt condition imaginable, they performed. The company is called Glacier Glove. They are best known for their top quality Neoprene gloves but they make gloves for pretty much any activity- from fishing and hunting, to climbing Everest- no joke. For big game/ upland bird hunting, I used their 722RT High Performance Fleece Glove. For waterfowl hunting/ cold weather fishing, I used their 817RT Waterproof Neoprene Hunting Glove. 722RT High Performance Fleece Glove Specs: This glove is made of wind resistant fleece and features a textured silicon palm for added dexterity and grip. The cuff of the glove is made of neoprene which give it a great fit while maiking it comfortable and warm. Put to the Test: I hunted close to ninety days straight with these gloves and never had any problems. They are durable, comfortable and perform well. They don’t get too hot to wear while hiking but still keep you warm when you stop, which is probably why I liked them so much. They are light weight and don’t take up a lot of space. They fit well and are thin enough to shoot either a gun or bow as well as use your hand for most tasks without having to take them off. Price: $29.99

722RT || Gloves in action after a surprise early September snow storm.

817RT Waterproof Neoprene Hunting Glove Specs: These gloves are made of waterproof 2mm neoprene and have a fleece lining for added comfort. The hands also use Touchrite techonology which aids in their dexterity. Put to the Test: Cold days on the water proved that these gloves were top notch. I used them while duck hunting the river in sub zero temperatures. I had no problem hunting all day as well as picking up birds and placing decoys. They are comfortable and warm, and their fleece lining really makes you forget they are neoprene. They have a great feel and are easy to shoot and reload with. Because they are waterproof they also make great fishing gloves. Price: $34.99 Find them at www.glaciergear.com 323BL Combo Pack Glacier Glove also makes some phenomenal fly-fishing packs as well. The Combo Pack comes with a Universal Chest Pack that can be used on most life vests, any backpack or by itself. The backpack comes with water resistant fleece lined pockets, rod holder, and hydration pocket. This is as good as it gets. Perfect for wading or hiking into a backcountry fishery. Plus it makes it easy to take your fishing gear on your next bear hunt. For my full review of this pack go to www.remiwarren.com


www.montanaoutwest.com


74 •

www.remiwarren.com


A

s the sun began to set over the mountaintop meadow we could hear the bull bugle back to us from a thick mess of timber and oak brush. It was so dry, stalking was out of the question and calling had little effect over the stubborn bull. We knew he was there but he never came out into the meadow until dark. This did us no good. We needed something to entice him into the open, some sort of secret elk weapon he hadn’t seen before. I looked at my hunter and said, “It’s time to bust out Kiki!” I had never got such a puzzled look in my life. You see Kiki is the name of my Cow Elk Montana Decoy; she is the temptress of all elk temptresses. Sometimes calls alone just aren’t enough, sometimes a bull needs to see what he’s working with. The next day we setup in the same location but this time we put Kiki out in the middle of the meadow. As the sun started to drop in the sky I began my calling sequence just like the days before. Without warning there the bull was, out of the timber and heading straight for the decoy. When he got about 20 yards away from her he immediately stopped and just stared her down. Before the bull could figure out what was going on it was over. Another wary bull had fallen victim to my seductive decoy. Over the years I have tricked numerous elk into range with the help of my Montana Decoys. The three situations I most often employ the decoy are when hunting a meadow, hunting a waterhole, and calling in cover. The following tips are what I do to create success with the help of an elk decoy.

Bringing them out into the open: Oftentimes we as hunters find high country parks with more elk sign than we know what to do with, but rarely see elk feeding in them, or when we do see elk out in the open they are too far away to get a shot off. I don’t know how many times I have setup only to have the elk come out on the other side of the meadow. Most bulls, especially in areas with high pressure, may come to the edges of these parks before dark but often won’t step out into the open during daylight. When setting up to hunt a meadow I first go to the downwind side, using an elk cover sent to mask my smell (where permitted by law). Although one decoy will work, for large meadows I use multiple decoys, making it look like a group of cows. This is beneficial because when using multiple decoys you can angle them differently to catch the bull’s eye wherever he comes out at. The next step is to setup where you will be hidden but still have a shot. Don’t be afraid to create a blind

if there is nowhere else to hide. Positioning yourself for the shot is imperative to your success when using a decoy. Once setup I start calling about an hour or more after I have been there. If you think you entered quietly or it is close to sundown you may not have to wait this long. I call sparingly just to let the bulls know there are cows in the area. I stick with cow calling and make it sound like there is

Dangerous Appeal: A few call shy bulls that fell victim to “Kiki” The Decoy.


more than one different cow (try three or four different cow calls). If you are hunting with a partner it is best if they go back into the timber behind you and bugle. This imitates a bull trying to communicate with the cows in the meadow. Oftentimes the bull may stay in the timber and go to the bugle; this means that both hunters can have an equal chance at success. When hunting decoys in the open remember to keep alert. Seventy percent of the elk I get to come out into a meadow come strait to the decoys without making a sound. This is because the bull can see the cows so he doesn’t have to call to locate them. Satellite bulls are notorious for coming into the decoys silent, especially if you have a buddy bugling in the

timber behind you. When a satellite bull knows that he can’t win cows by fighting he will come in to sneak one of the cow decoys away from the bugling bull (your buddy) in the timber. Targeting this kind of elk behavior can help you become successful on bulls that ordinarily won’t present a shot when using calls alone. You can check out a video I made where I use the decoys to draw a bull across a fence and out into an open meadow in New Mexico. The footage is on my montanaoutwest youtube channel titled Elk Hunting with a Montana Decoy. Stand over water: Oftentimes the decoys can make a great confidence booster to

Hiding Out: I made this blind to hide us while using a decoy near a waterhole. We had one bull walk within eight yards of us at this location.

76 •

www.remiwarren.com

wary elk coming into a waterhole to wallow or drink. I setup the decoy across the water from the trail that I think the elk is most likely to come down. If possible place the decoy downwind of where the bull is expected to come from. I like to place a tree stand above the water, or a ground blind between the trail I think the bull will come in on and the decoy. The reason I want the decoy downwind is that many times the bull will try to circle around in order to catch the decoy’s scent. By placing yourself between the decoy and where you believe the bull will come from you increase your chance for a shot. Using a decoy over water is particularly effective at helping direct elk to the wallow you are sitting on when there are several Stay Concealed: It is important to remain hidden when decoying a meadow. The elk will often see the decoys but still go to where the calling was coming from.


wallows in the same area. By using light cow calling in conjunction with the decoy you are able to entice the bull to your location. Elk are social by nature and feel more comfortable when they see other elk. The visual sight of the decoy sends a message to other elk that the area is safe from danger, making them more likely to commit to your setup. Calling them in: When calling with two people I have the hunter sneak in as close as possible to the bugling bull then setup the decoy while the caller stays back. The hunter should then

position himself between the bull and the decoy so he has a broadside shot when the bull comes in headfirst to the decoy. The caller should remain about a hundred yards back to help draw the bull into a line of sight with the decoy. When setup like this the hunter at the decoy should use some light cow calling to help coax the bull his direction and make the bull aware that there is some distance between the bugling bull and the cows. If a call shy bull hears bugling and then sees a cow inbetween him and the other bull his instincts may be to round up that cow and heard it off. By using a decoy the hunter can be given a

chance at a bull that won’t come into a bugle alone. When the decoy is used in combination with calls and scents it adds a realistic element to the setup. The more senses you can trick the more likely you are to get a shot at a bull. By using cover scents, calls, and a decoy you will have a better chance of tricking the eyes, ears, and nose of your next bull. With many bulls across the West becoming call shy, decoys can be that ace up your sleeve, the difference between bringing in that bull and going home empty handed.

Fired –up: This bull came into 12 yards after raking a tree as the caller stayed back another 30 yards calling behind the decoy.

Hunting Journal 2011 •

77


Hunt

PICTURE


This Issue’s

PHOTO SPOTLIGHT


PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Post Falls, ID PERMIT NO. 32


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.