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Hunting Guide

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF

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2018 Montana Hunting Guide

2018 Hunting Guide

2018 Big game hunting forecast

A special publication of Lee Enterprises, the Missoulian and the Ravalli Republic.

Copyright 2018 publisher

Mike Gulledge

editor

Emily Petrovsik

cover photo production & design

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

by Jerrin Uecker, Blackwall Film Company Dara Saltzman

table of contents Big game forecast...................................p. 2 Fair chase..............................................p. 11 Successful waterfowl hunting..............p. 12 Chronic wasting disease......................p. 13 Effects of chronic wasting disease......p. 15 Portrait of a young hunter....................p. 16 Fires and elk food.................................p. 17 Hunting checklist..................................p. 19

Are you ready for hunting season? Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks can help. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP’s provides online information about hunting access, including our popular Block Management Program. Through the program, we coordinate with landowners to provide hunting access to more than 7 million acres of private land.

The interactive Hunt Planner map allows users to look at information for various species, including hunting districts and regulations. The hunt planner interactive map is a great way to access our block management information, so if you’re planning a hunt in a certain area, you can see if there are Block Management Areas available to expand your opportunity.

And, as always, you can contact our helpful staff at any of our regional offices around the state. They’re happy to help and can often get you pointed in the right direction with just a few simple tips.

Montana has some of the longest hunting seasons in the West, healthy herds of game and access to millions of acres of public land. However, hunters must be mindful of fire danger and of private landowners who are facing grass shortages, poor crop production and fatigue from monitoring for fire.

Hunter harvest helps to reduce wildlife densities on a stressed landscape, and perhaps to help lessen winter depredation on hay stacks or winter range.

Here are a few things hunters can do to show respect for private landowners during this dry season:

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SOUTHWEST MONTANA From the Pintler Mountains on the west side of the region to the Absaroka Beartooth, southwest Montana is defined by high mountain rugged country and an abundance of public land. Big game thrives here, particularly elk.

In general, hunter success last year was average or above. Typically, elk hunter success during the general season improves dramatically with snow, which gets elk moving and makes them easier to track.

South of Butte - from Mount Haggin to the Big Hole Valley elk numbers are robust and consistent with last year’s numbers, according to FWP Region 3 wildlife biologists.

South of Bozeman and in the Bridgers, elk numbers are strong although elk distribution can be challenging to hunters. Hunter numbers have increased, including during archery seasons, so hunter crowding can be an issue, according to Region 3 biologist Julie Cunningham.

For the Livingston area, elk and mule deer numbers are very good — above population objectives in most units, according to Region 3 biologist Karen

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2018 Montana Hunting Guide

Photo by Joe Weston A mule deer eats foliage off the side of a hill. Even after a tough winter the current mule deer population estimate of about 386,000 is up about 20,000 from the previous year, and well above the long-term average of 285,000..

Loveless. Antelope were hit hard by the tough winter and numbers are down, consistent with districts to the east in Region 5. Access north of Livingston is similar to the Townsend area in that there is very little public access, including during the general and shoulder seasons. So even though there are over-thecounter antlerless licenses, hunters should secure access ahead of time. South of Livingston, there is good access to forest service land but little access on the low elevation public lands so hunters have to work a little bit to get to the public land elk opportunities.

South of Helena elk numbers are also strong. HDs

390 and 391, which are both well over objective, both have some form of a shoulder season (hunters should check the regulations for dates and for what licenses are valid). Elk in those two districts are also found largely on private lands, so hunters should work on securing access to private land early, said FWP biologist Adam Grove. There was a regulation change this year as well in HD 380 that allows hunters to harvest spike or antlerless elk the first three-weeks of the general rifle season off National Forest land in the designated north and south portions of HD 380 only (again hunters need to check their regulations).

Around Helena, elk hunting is largely weather dependent, said FWP biologist Jenny Sika. If we get snow during hunting season, elk hunter success increases. If not, hunters have to work harder and success drops. But in general elk numbers are good throughout the area.

Surveys showed slight growth in elk population across the Gravelly Elk Management Unit relative to 2017, returning the population to just above management objective. As usual, hunters should expect to encounter a lot of other hunters in this area during the initial two weeks of the general rifle season, and

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6 snow accumulation will most influence elk distribution and hunter success. Hunters should be aware that grizzly bear conflicts continue to increase across the Gravelly, Centennial, Snowcrest and Greenhorn mountains. This year has been particularly bad in regard to livestock depredations. Hunters hunting in the Gravelly Elk Management Unit are encouraged to take proper bear-safety precautions while hunting and camping in this area. Although no conflicts have been documented to date, public reports of grizzly bears in the Tobacco Root Mountains are increasing, as well. Hunters are encouraged to be bear aware in this area. Area closures of Forest Service land in the Gravelly Mountains, resulting from ongoing wildfires, are expected to last into the archery season. Hunters should inquire with the Madison Ranger District regarding closures prior to travelling to the Gravelly Mountains.

Some hunting districts in southwest Montana have elk shoulder seasons. These antlerless-only seasons are focused on private land and are typically outside of the general big game season. Hunters interested in shoulder seasons should make sure they read and understand the regulations because each hunting district is different. And, as always, hunters must get permission to hunt private land.

Mule deer population surveys indicate varied trends across Region 3. Near Townsend, mule deer numbers continue to rebound from recent lows.

Across much of south-central Region 3, mule deer populations showed increase for the fifth consecutive year and are approximately three time higher than the recent low point observed in 2013.

Population surveys indicate higher white-tailed deer populations across the southern portion of Region 3 than the past three years. However, the majority of white-tailed deer are distributed within valley bottoms that are mostly privately owned. Hunters will need to obtain landowner permission for most white-tailed deer hunting. FWP recommends seeking permission well in advance of the hunting season and prior to livestock producers returning stock from summer pasture. Public land white-tailed deer harvest opportunity does exist but is less abundant and may require hunter-research to identify.

Antelope surveys of hunting districts 320 and 321 showed increased populations. As a result, license quotas for Hunting District 320 were increased. This will likely result in a few more hunters afield in this district. License quotas remained the same for hunting districts 321 and 330. Antelope hunter participa-

2018 Montana Hunting Guide tion will be greatest during the initial weekend of the season. Hunters seeking less competition in the field are encouraged to hunt after the opening weekend.

NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA Last winter was tough and hunters in some areas in north central Montana may see fewer animals, but overall game populations remain strong.

On the Rocky Mountain Front south of the Teton River, for example, overall numbers of mule deer continue to fair better than 20 years ago, said Brent Lonner, FWP wildlife biologist. However, there may be some gaps.

“Given the difficult winter,” Lonner said, “fawn to doe ratios were low and hunters should expect to see a bit fewer spike bucks. But as long as last winter doesn’t become an annual trend this should not have an impact on long-term population trends.”

The same holds true for mule deer in the Little Belt Mountains, said Jay Kolbe, FWP wildlife biologist in White Sulphur Springs: “Mule deer fawn survival and overall numbers were about average.”

As for white-tailed deer, the winter seemed to have little overall effect.

“Even after the strong winter,” Lonner said, “I observed record or near record numbers of whitetails in hunting districts 444, 422 and 450.”

Fewer whitetails call the Little Belts home, but Kolbe said he is seeing twins and some triplets this year.

For elk, the trend continues to be up.

“Elk recruitment and production did not seem significantly affected by the winter,” Kolbe said. “Antler growth looks great this summer.”

The same holds true along the Rocky Mountain Front.

“Overall, observed numbers of elk in the Sun River herd are very similar to last year,” Lonner said.

“Hunting regulations for elk in this area will remain nearly identical to last year with general opportunity being good, pending fall weather conditions.”

SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA The 2017-18 winter was tough on mule deer in south central Montana. Fawn recruitment was poor and adult mortality was elevated, resulting in low spring counts. In general harvest might be a bit lower than last year.

Buck harvest continues to run well below average in the southwest part of the region, even though overall populations are only slightly below long-term

average. The area south of the Musselshell River and northwest of Billings is an exception, with mule deer numbers remaining above the long-term average.

Despite low fawn recruitment following the 201718 winter, white-tailed deer numbers remain well above objective. Harvest is expected to be quite good again this year, particularly along the Musselshell River and Flatwillow Creek.

Elk numbers remain high and above objective in all areas of south central Montana, except east of Billings where numbers are near objectives and the upper main Boulder River, where numbers are slightly below objective but stable.

Along the north side of the Beartooth Mountains, elk numbers remain high despite some loss of calves during the 2017-18 winter.

Shoulder seasons resulted in some shifts from the normal elk distribution in both the early and late season. Due to abundant precipitation this spring and early summer, the elk remain widely scattered and forage is abundant.

Access is the limiting factor for elk harvest in all areas of south central Montana.

The winter was tough on antelope throughout south central Montana. Fawn production this spring was below average.

Antelope numbers remained strong in the hunting district northeast of Harlowton and between Harlowton and Columbus. However, other districts saw moderate declines. The hunting district south of the Yellowstone River between Columbus and Big Timber showed the most dramatic decline. The decline also was noticeable northeast of Roundup. Hunters should expect to cover more miles of country to find antelope than in the past couple of years.

Range conditions are excellent, however, with ample spring and early summer precipitation throughout south central Montana. Assuming we have an “average” winter, the region should see good fawn production next spring.

NORTHWEST MONTANA In the northwest corner of Montana, the last two winters have brought harsh conditions and deep snowfall across much to the region, creating challenging conditions for recruitment of big game populations in some areas.

The snowpack in many areas was above-average late into winter, making for difficult hunting conditions a year ago and low survival rates in some areas for elk calves and deer fawns.

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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Photo by Brett French Hunters hoping to participate in shoulder seasons this fall or winter should secure permission on private land now and purchase an elk-B license for private lands.

For elk, calf recruitment appears lower than previous years. In general, cow-to-calf ratios were observed to be lower this year in Hunting Districts 121, 140 and 150. This marks the second year of reduced calf recruitment in these districts.

Northwest Montana is unique white-tailed deer country. While most of the state is dominated by mule deer, that’s not the case up here. White-tailed deer can be found from river bottoms and agriculture land to evergreen forests and high country. However, the last two winters have hurt fawn recruitment. The long, harsh winter and heavy snowpack across much

of the region have resulted in some fawn and adult deer mortalities. Adult survival, even in severe winters, is generally good but based on the recruitment observed this year, the white-tailed deer population is likely down somewhat in some areas of northwest Montana. White-tailed deer numbers have been most impacted in the North Fork of the Flathead River in recent years and this year recruitment in the upper Swan was below average. The harvest is expected to be similar or decline slightly this fall. The overall harvest trend has increased since the 1970s.

Mule deer counts in the region were hampered this

spring by maintenance issues and availability of the survey helicopter. FWP staff struggled to identify age classes of deer observed but only 17 fawns per 100 adults were observed during a flight of the Fisher River, a common area for mule deer, but this likely underestimates the level of recruitment in the area.

Mule deer harvest has been on a decline in recent years. FWP has launched a multi-year research study of the population and its nutrition, habitat use and mortality rates in an attempt to better understand factors affecting mule deer populations in Northwestern Montana.

8 WESTERN MONTANA Elk counts in western Montana were down slightly this spring, due to a combination of factors including a good harvest last hunting season and difficult conditions for counting elk during the annual flights.

Numbers of brow-tined bull elk may be a bit lower this year than last because of recent hard winters coupled with a good bull harvest last fall.

Once again, dry weather and fires in the region will contribute to more elk in irrigated crops on private land. Hunters hoping to participate in shoulder seasons this fall or winter should secure permission on private land now, and purchase an elk B-license now for private lands where B-licenses are valid.

Look for the 002-00 regional B-license, new this year, and please read the regulations for your area carefully.

White-tailed deer numbers have been on an upward trend, but last year’s hard winter—and two hard winters in a row in the western part of the region—have dampened fawn survival. So, the whitetail population is likely holding steady overall, rather than increasing. It’s a good sign that we’re still seeing twin fawns this summer. Dry weather and fires in the region will tend to concentrate deer, like elk, in irrigated crops on private land even more than usual.

Opportunities to hunt mule deer are somewhat limited in western Montana. Many districts require the hunter to have obtained a permit or B-license through the statewide application process. Hunters with buck permits or hunters hunting in districts where a special permit is not required for a buck should plan to go high in the mountains to match their stamina with the biggest bucks. An emerging opportunity for hunters in Region 2 is to hunt mule deer on private lands, where numbers generally are growing. Again, pay close attention to the regulations to make sure you are properly licensed to hunt mule deer.

Antelope hunting is a minority sport in western Montana, where numbers have increased to about 400, following transplants by FWP to the Deer Lodge vicinity in the 1940s. Hunting is limited to a few hunters with permits obtained in the statewide drawing process.

More information on antelope, deer and elk numbers in western Montana, look online at the Region 2 Wildlife Quarterly, fwp.mt.gov/regions/r2/ wildlifeQuarterly.html and at Region 2 headquarters in Missoula.

2018 Montana Hunting Guide

Photo by Brett French Elk counts in western Montana were down slightly this spring due to a combination of factors.

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Sunday, September 23, 2018 SOUTHEAST MONTANA The badlands, farmland and rolling prairie of southeast Montana are home to a vast number of animals, including strong populations of mule and white-tailed deer, variable antelope numbers and a growing number of elk.

Mule deer in the region recovered rapidly from their low point in 2012, and since 2016 remain at one of the higher densities seen in southeastern Montana since current surveys were initiated in the 1980s.

Following back-to-back severe winters in 2009-10 and 2010-11, mule deer numbers bottomed out at 61 percent of long-term average. Spring 2018 surveys indicate populations are 29 percent above long-term average.

“Drought conditions last summer, combined with a long, cold winter that stretched into late April contributed to some winter mortality,” said FWP biologist Melissa Foster. “Our spring surveys indicate that deer populations are about 11 percent below last year, but that’s not concerning because our deer population is still very strong. In just five years, we’ve gone from extremely low to extremely high deer numbers.”

“The age structure of the population continues to improve,” Foster said. “Early in that recovery, the population was heavily skewed toward younger age classes; we had lots of yearlings, lots of 2-year-olds, but fewer mature deer. That’s perfectly natural. It’s a result of the boom in production following the population decline.”

“With fewer mouths on the landscape, almost everyone enters winter in good body condition,” Foster explained. “They’re able to find winter browse and thermal cover, resources are essentially unlimited and fawn production and survival rates are extremely high.”

Going into the 2018 hunting season, biologists expect that there will be strong cohorts of 3- to 5-yearold bucks on the landscape. Deer in the 6- to 8-yearold range will still be relatively few and far between, as these age classes would have survived as fawns or been born following the severe winters when fawn production and survival rates were low. The number of 5-year-olds this year should be modest, as they would have been born in 2013, a year with healthy fawn production but fairly low numbers of deer.

Numbers of 3- and 4-year-olds will be better, and there will once again be high numbers of yearlings and 2-year-olds. Buck numbers as a whole are phenomenal; the region-wide average was 46 bucks:100 does following the 2017 hunting season.

“We are still at a high point for deer numbers,”

Foster said. “At 29 percent above the long-term average, habitat degradation is already beginning to occur.

The drought last year means that deer entered winter with fewer fat reserves than prior years. Huge numbers of mouths on the landscape means that it will be more difficult for deer to find good winter browse and thermal cover.”

Habitat is important, and high numbers of deer can have an effect.

“Deer can and do have the ability to eat themselves out of house and home,” said John Ensign, FWP Region 7 wildlife manager. “When deer numbers are high like they are right now, they impact winter browse. As that browse component declines, so does the number of deer that the landscape can support.”

“It’s counterintuitive,” Foster said. “But the best thing that we can do oftentimes to improve deer numbers is to harvest more deer.”

Good harvests can mean better deer health through the winter and into spring because the habitat can better handle the pressure. This often equates to higher adult survival, as well as increased production, health and survival of fawns born the following spring.

“The antlerless mule deer quota has been at 11,000 since 2017, which means there’s plenty of opportunity for hunters to fill their freezers while helping to maintain herd health,” Ensign said.

Whitetail numbers have held steady in southeast Montana. Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) outbreaks have been localized in scale and small in magnitude since 2012. Local hunters will recall the last major EHD outbreak in 2011, which caused heavy mortality in whitetails throughout many parts of Region 7.

Region-wide, whitetail buck numbers are also very strong at 67 bucks:100 does following last season.

“We are at a good place right now with whitetail numbers,” Ensign said. “As deer densities increase, the risk of major EHD outbreaks increases. The disease is transmitted by a biting midge. When you get deer in close proximity, it’s an ideal situation for disease transmission.”

“It’s impossible to stockpile wildlife, including whitetails,” he said. “Whether in the form of disease, drought or harsh winters, Mother Nature always intervenes.”

Hunters who do their homework by scouting and visiting with private landowners should have success locating good areas to hunt whitetails.

Antelope populations are variable across southeastern Montana. Herds in central and eastern Montana

were hit hard by harsh winters in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The rate of recovery since then has been mixed in Region 7. Antelope numbers in the southeast corner of the state continue to be strong. During summer surveys, biologists observed more than six antelope per square mile in the southeast corner of the state, which transitioned to a little over three antelope per square mile in the more northerly portions of hunting district 705, and fewer than two antelope per square mile throughout the rest of Region 7.

“The message here is that the extra windshield time to reach the southeast corner of Region 7 is absolutely worth it,” Foster said. “Hunters will find better densities and good public land opportunity in this remote portion of Region 7.”

Summer production surveys indicate that southeast Montana antelope numbers have increased 89 percent from the low in 2012 to a recent peak in 2016 and have since leveled off. Despite a drought last year followed by a tough winter, fawn recruitment was robust this summer. Buck ratios are also strong at 59 bucks:100 does prior to this hunting season.

FWP is offering more either-sex rifle licenses than in the previous few years, allowing more sportsmen to enjoy the opportunity provided by the current strong buck numbers. Doe-fawn licenses remain relatively low at 1,500, where they have been since 2016. Again, those wishing to harvest an antelope in Region 7, especially a doe or fawn, will have the greatest opportunity in the southern portion of the region.

These are good times for elk hunters as Montana elk populations continue to be strong across most of the state. In many hunting districts, however, access to private lands can be difficult, which can affect hunting success given landownership patterns and distribution of elk.

Even if you didn’t draw a special permit this year, remember that Montana offers numerous opportunities to hunt for elk with just a general hunting license.

The most recent winter surveys indicated that elk in southeast Montana are continuing moderate growth and gradual expansion into unoccupied available habitat. FWP biologists observed strong calf recruitment (53 per 100 cows) and an excellent composition of bulls (43 per 100 cows).

The Missouri Breaks (Hunting District 700) and Custer Forest Elk Management Unit (HDs 702, 704, 705) remain the two “core” elk populations. Outside of these areas, elk numbers across the region are low, distribution is spotty and elk are primarily found on private land where public hunting access is limited.

10 Bull hunting is by permit only in HDs 700, 702, 704, 705 and the far western portion of 701. In HD 703 and in the rest of 701, hunters can pursue eithersex elk with a general license.

New as of the 2016 hunting season is the 007-00 B license. This license is valid for antlerless elk throughout Region 7. During the archery-only season it is valid on all land types, and during general rifle season it can be used on all lands except for the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and the Custer National Forest.

Beginning in 2018, the general elk license will now be valid for spike bull or antlerless elk in HDs 702, 704 and 705. Previously it was only valid for antlerless elk. This change provides more opportunity for sportsmen, reduces accidental harvest of spike bulls, and is not expected to have a measurable impact on bull numbers. See regulations to determine which lands the general elk license is valid for during the archery and general seasons.

Additional antlerless opportunities exist in the region via a general and/or B-license, and hunters are encouraged to review the regulations for more details on those opportunities. It is important for hunters to note that there are no elk shoulder seasons in any of the hunting districts in Region 7.

2018 Montana Hunting Guide NORTHEAST MONTANA Mule deer populations are high across the region but vary depending on the hunting district. Overall, numbers seen during spring surveys showed regionwide population at 46 percent above average.

Winter mortality was variable across the region during the 2017-2018 winter with the highest impacts seen in localized areas around Malta and Havre.

Although a long, tough winter was observed throughout the region, the eastern portion did not experience near the snow accumulation as seen throughout the western portion of the region in areas where near record snow depths and extreme cold temperatures were observed.

White-tailed deer are on the increase across the region, but still just below average. Populations in the eastern part of the region in more of the prairie/cropland habitats are doing better than populations along the Milk and Missouri Rivers. Although whitetails are recovering in recent years, still expect lower deer numbers in areas along those rivers.

This year, Region 6 will be one of the areas of focus for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) detection, so hunters in the northern districts will be asked to voluntarily provide deer heads at certain locations.

Elk hunting opportunities in most areas in Region 6 are limited to licenses/permits awarded through special drawings. Those hunting districts where elk hunting is allowed on a general license are mostly areas with small and scattered elk populations and very limited elk hunting opportunity.

Overall, survey results found elk numbers in the Missouri River Breaks were down from the last survey, while elk numbers in the Bears Paw herd were up from last year. Elk calf numbers in both herds were near average during the surveys, indicating typical winter mortality.

Elk shoulder seasons will occur in northeast Montana from Dec. 15-Jan. 15. Hunters interested in participating in this hunting season will have had to already drawn a shoulder season license (License 696-00 or 699-00) to hunt during this shoulder season. General season elk licenses are not valid during the elk shoulder season in FWP Region 6. The Missouri Breaks shoulder season license (699-00) is not valid on the CMR Refuge.

Make sure you’re familiar with the regulations for the area you plan on hunting.

In general, antelope populations were negatively affected by this past winter, and in most cases populations remain below long-term averages. 20 18

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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Could fair chase be your ticket to private land?

Montana Fish WildliFe & Parks While all the buzz lately has been about public land access, let’s not overlook the reality that many of us will be seeking to obtain or maintain permission to hunt private land this fall. It’s simply a matter of logistics and percentages.

Nearly 30 percent of Montana is state or federal public land. This ranks Montana as number 10 nationally for public land as a percentage of the total landmass.

That’s a lot of land to roam around on, but this also means that 70 percent of the remaining land is private, which means it best be in the family, pay to play, or you’re asking permission.

If you’ve been at this game for a while you know the game has gotten tougher. There is less private land available to hunt for a number of reasons beyond our control. What we can control is ourselves.

A guy who has uncanny ability to gain access to some of the best hunting ranches in Montana, finally divulged his secret. He had a bumper sticker made that

read, “Eat Montana Beef.” Clever, but we’re all not hunting, or trying to hunt prime grazing country and asking ranchers who made their living selling beef to let us on. How about a bumper sticker that reads, “Fair Chase Hunter?”

Asking and getting permission to hunt someone’s

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land is a developed skill, that starts with not waiting until the day before the season opener, but is more than that. It’s about respect. The owner must like and respect you. You must be able to project that you respect their land and the privilege to hunt there, respect its wildlife, and his or her rules. That’s a lot of ground to cover talking through a screen door, and actions speak louder than words. But, I’m a Fair Chase Hunter says a lot in few words.

It means you carry with you the respect they seek in how you go about your business. It says you’re the least likely of anyone knocking at their door to shoot up the place, leave trash or gates open, go where you’re supposed to go, and abide by their rules. It says you respect yourself and the game, and they should respect you as well.

We seal deals with a handshake. Try speaking Fair Chase the next time you go to make a deal.

To learn more about an overall conservation and hunting ethic, visit www.huntfairchase.com. 20 18

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2018 Montana Hunting Guide

Ready on Opening Day Six tips to prepare for a successful waterfowl opener

By Brad Fitzpatrick Ducks Unlimited It’s safe to say that most waterfowlers spend the better part of the off-season looking forward to opening day. We envision a sky black with ducks, imagine them dropping into our decoy spread, and feel ourselves firing the first shot. That anticipation can quickly turn into frustration, however, when we blow that shot. As a former competitive shooter, I know all too well that missing practice means missing targets (or birds).

That’s why it’s important for every serious duck hunter to take time during the off-season to sharpen their shooting skills. Here are six things you can do to get ready for the big day.

1. Know Your Gun Few hunters take time to evaluate their shotgun, but doing so is a simple way to increase your shooting success. The first step is patterning. Begin by gathering targets—you can pay for pre-printed paper targets, but drawing a 30-inch-diameter circle with a large “aiming point” (black dot) in the center works just fine. Take the time to determine how your gun performs at different ranges with various chokes and loads. Practicing at the skeet and sporting clays range will also help you evaluate how well the gun comes to your shoulder. Will it hang up on heavy hunting clothing? Consider a thinner recoil pad. Does it feel comfortable each time you raise it? If your gun comes with shims, you may want to adjust the length of pull and cast for a custom fit.

2. Break Some Clays In fact, break a lot of clays. And do so regularly in the days leading up to the opener. I am a member of a shooting club that offers skeet shooting twice a week, and prior to opening day you’d better believe I’m at the range those days. But while several of my buddies are shooting target over/unders, I’m toting my camo-clad semiauto duck gun. Why? Because that’s the gun I’ll be carrying into the field. While the basic principles of good shooting apply regardless of the firearm, it’s important to practice with the same gun you’ll be using in the blind. Shoot some of the same shells you’re planning to hunt with as well. A small investment at the range will pay big dividends when those birds are looming over your decoys.

Stock Photo It is important for every serious duck hunter to take time during off-season to sharpen their shooting skills.

3. Get Schooled I know a lot of hunters who think they are great shooters without any additional instruction, but if you are serious about sharpening your skills, find someone who really understands shotgun sports and have them evaluate your shot. Chances are, he or she will be able to spot problems you never noticed. Even experienced shooters will benefit from an extra pair of trained eyes and some pointers to help correct minor mistakes before they lead to major misses. Don’t have time for one-on-one training? Gil and Vicki Ash’s Optimum Shotgun Performance School offers a library of online video tutorials that provide sound advice for improving your shooting skills.

4. Practice from a Low-Gun Position Competitive shooters sometimes call for targets with their gun already mounted, but unless you plan to sit in the blind with a gun on your shoulder all day, you’ll need to be prepared to mount and fire in a hurry. Many shots are actually missed before the trigger is pulled,

and that’s due to incorrect gun mount. Since your eye acts as the rear sight on a shotgun, you must have the gun positioned properly if you want to consistently hit targets. This becomes even more challenging when you’re standing in slippery marsh mud and mounting your gun against a thick hunting jacket. That’s why it’s essential to practice your mount frequently in the weeks leading up to opening day. A low mount may cost you a few targets at the range, but learning to properly, consistently, and quickly mount your gun will help give you more hits when it counts.

5. Play Games Not all ducks will approach your blind at exactly the same speed and angle as a skeet target, so it’s important to prepare for a variety of approaches. That’s why I throw in a little extra practice with a clay target thrower in my backyard. I prefer to shoot doubles—sometimes 20 or 30 in a row—because it helps me learn to focus on one target at a time. When large flocks come into your spread, the excitement can cause many hunters to shoot wildly, switching from one target to another to try to hit their limit. The result, however, is often misses and cripples. Shooting true pairs (targets thrown at the same time) will help teach your brain to focus entirely on one clay before switching to the next. I also like to play a game called “Chips,” wherein I break a single target and then focus on shattering any chips of that target that remain in the air. This trains you to keep your gun on your shoulder after the shot and encourages follow-through—crucial to any shotgunning endeavor.

6. Hunt Doves In most states the dove season opener precedes that of waterfowl, and I can’t think of any better way to prepare for successful duck hunting than by spending some time in a dove field. Doves are among the fastest birds, which means they’ll expose any weaknesses in your shotgun game in a hurry. Hitting these speedy birds consistently requires smooth gun mount, a hard swing, and consistent follow-through—all key points to becoming a better shot. In addition, high bag limits (15 doves per day in many states) mean more shooting opportunities for relatively little expense. Besides, who doesn’t like a dove breast with a little cream cheese and a jalapeño pepper? 20 18

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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Agencies, scientists battle chronic wasting disease

By BRETT FRENCH french@billingsgazette.com As Montana deer and elk hunters prepare for their favorite fall hunts, there’s a black cloud hanging on the horizon.

“Chronic wasting disease is the biggest problem facing deer and elk on the landscape right now,” said John Vore, Game Management Bureau chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Vore was one of several scientific and agency officials attending the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s recent meeting in Bozeman where CWD was one of the main topics. Conservation organization and hunting trade representatives also spoke, and the CWD talks were decidedly dark.

The disease Chronic wasting disease is caused when proteins in the brains of cervids — which includes deer, elk and moose — misfold. When those misfolded proteins, which may protect the brain in their unaltered form, contact other proteins in the brain they also misfold.

Unable to rid itself of the proteins, the brain sees a buildup that eventually creates holes in the brain tissue.

CWD is always fatal. It may take one-and-a-half to two years or more for symptoms of the disease to appear. There seems to be no genetic resistance to dying from CWD. “Even animals more resistant eventually develop the disease and die, it just takes longer,” said Jonathan Mawdsley, science adviser for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Last year, CWD was discovered in Montana’s Carbon County in mule deer and whitetail deer. States and provinces surrounding Montana, not including Idaho, have also identified CWD in wild deer herds. Across the nation the disease has been found in 23 states.

“One question we get a lot is: ‘Hasn’t it always been there?’” said Krysten Schuler, a wildlife disease ecologist at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at New York’s Cornell University.

She’s not sure, since many of the animals that are infected die from wandering into traffic or are more easily killed by predators. But based on the number of animals becoming infected and detections in new areas, CWD seems to be “escalating to a level that we’re now seeing it,” she said.

Photo by Brett French Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ technicians Jessica Goosmann, left, and Sean Flynn cut lymph nodes from the head of a mule deer doe harvested during Montana’s first chronic wasting disease hunt, which started on Dec. 15, 2017.

Testing Here’s the scary part that every hunter should note: There is no negative test for chronic wasting disease.

The best lab tests, which can only be performed after

the animal is dead, can only show whether the disease is present or not present.

“There is no negative result … because of the long incubation period,” said John Fischer, the director of

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2018 Montana Hunting Guide

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the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study and a University of Georgia professor of veterinary medicine.

“Even the best test we have will not identify an animal in the early stages of the disease,” said Matt Dunfee, director of special programs for the Wildlife Management Institute and CWD Alliance.

There is no live animal test. There is also no test that hunters can perform in the field, and development of one may not be possible. Tissue from a dead deer has to be sent to a qualified laboratory for testing, which may take one to three weeks to process requests.

Contagious While waiting for test results, hunters are being advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to not eat the meat and to not eat the venison if the animal tests positive for CWD, even though there’s been no evidence that the disease can make the jump to humans.

“It’s possible, but we’re not really sure,” Schuler said, adding that current studies have had very small sample sizes.

She also said that it’s possible that prions, the infectious agents, could stay in humans who eat CWD-infected meat and adapt over time to become more infectious.

“It may take several iterations in humans before it becomes infective,” she said.

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Other concerns Schuler also said that there could be a very small percentage of people susceptible to the disease. But with the proliferation of blood transfusions and organ transplants — and other types of tissue sharing by humans — she said, “I don’t think we should write it off and say it’s not a possibility.”

Mawdsley pointed to similar diseases — such as kuru, which was found in New Guinea people who ate human brains as part of a funeral ritual — can take 50 years to incubate. Symptoms in humans may look similar to dementia and diabetes, he added.

Here’s another possible problem. The proteins are shed by infected animals into the environment — via their blood, saliva and urine. Those infectious prions can survive for as many as 16 years in the soil and can be ingested by plants. What happens if the prions work their way into wheat or corn and from there onto the American dinner table?

“CWD is unlike anything we’ve seen before,” Mawdsley said. “There’s a great deal we need to know. There are huge questions we need to have answered. All state agencies need additional support. There are very few labs set up to study these diseases, we need to think about the feed and care of them.” 20 18

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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Chronic wasting disease’s effects are far reaching

By BRETT FRENCH french@billingsgazette.com Deer and deer hunters often move across state borders.

A mule deer doe captured and fitted with a GPS collar in Wyoming was tracked traveling 250 miles into Idaho and back. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming car license plates are regularly seen on vehicles parked at Montana trailheads and walk-in hunting areas during the deer and elk season.

Such mobility helps expl ain why chronic wasting disease has been found in deer in 23 states and two Canadian provinces. In the worst-infected areas of Wisconsin, CWD has been detected in 30 to 50 percent of the tested adult buck whitetail deer. In one year the prevalence of CWD in whitetail deer in Michigan climbed from nine animals to 61, and the disease had jumped to counties miles away from where it was initially found.

These details were just part of the information conveyed during a meeting of wildlife agency, hunting industry and conservation organization officials in Bozeman last week, hosted by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Together, the groups are trying to educate the public while highlighting the need for investment in scientific research to better understand the disease.

“Our industry honestly believes that CWD is the single largest threat to deer and deer hunting,” said Chris Dolnack, chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Hunter hauling While captive deer breeding facilities in the Midwest, southern and eastern states have been pointed to as transferring CWD from state to state as captive deer are sold and shipped for breeding, wildlife officials note that hunters are just as likely to be responsible.

“We have a lot of people moving deer at 55 to 60 mph down the highway,” said Krysten Schuler, a wildlife disease ecologist at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at New York’s Cornell University.

The deer Schuler referred to are ones in the back of a successful hunter’s pickup truck or trailer.

Deer spinal tissue and brains are known infectious agents if the animal has chronic wasting disease.

were sold to residents, and more than 33,600 to nonresidents.

“Hunters move way more carcasses than the captive cervid industry,” said Grant Woods, creator of GrowingDeer.tv.

Because of that fact, 41 states now have carcass transportation rules, according to Brian Murphy, CEO of the Quality Deer Management Association.

Repercussions The impacts of CWD’s spread are many.

If the disease causes deer numbers to decline — drops of 20 to 25 percent have been documented where CWD is present — fewer hunting licenses will be sold. Fewer hunters mean less dollars — not only for trade organizations that sell ammunition, camouflage clothing and archery equipment — but also for the state wildlife agencies that collect a large portion of their funding from hunting license sales.

“Deer are a lot more than an antler delivery system,” said Ryan Bronson, director of conservation and public policy for Vista Outdoor, an outdoor gear manufacturer based in Utah.

Outbreaks of CWD can also drop property values, especially lands purchased in trophy deer areas by hunters specifically so the landowner can have exclusive access to the animals.

“People invest in these properties because they are trophy whitetail areas,” Murphy said.

On the radar In Montana, when CWD was detected in Carbon and Liberty counties last year, the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks mandated that only deer parts — minus the head and spine — could be moved from the areas in an attempt to contain possible CWD contamination.

“Right now in Montana it’s new on our radar,” said John Vore, Game Management Bureau chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “What we’re worried about is that over time it will lose momentum.”

That happened in Arkansas, where — only a year after CWD was found — 25 percent of hunters in the CWD zone were unaware the disease existed, Murphy said.

“CWD fatigue is a real thing,” said Kelly Straka, supervisor of the Wildlife Health Section at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “But the second we adopt a fatalist attitude, we’re done.”

Dollars Because hunting is big business, and Americans are always worried about generating more income, everyone should be concerned about chronic wasting disease and do everything they can to ensure it doesn’t spread, officials agreed.

In Montana, the sport generated an estimated $324 million in 2016 and supported about 3,300 jobs, according to an FWP study. Nationally, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated that America’s 14 million hunters generate $22.1 billion in sales, creating 700,000 jobs.

“If hunting were a company, the money spent by sportsmen would put us in the Fortune 500,” Dolnack said.

As an example of interest in deer hunting in Montana, last year more than 211,000 deer licenses

Fighting apathy In spite of what’s known about the always fatal disease and its repercussions, Dan Forster, vice president and chief conservation officer for the Archery Trade Association, said, “most people do not take it seriously.

“We need to invest in the things we know help battle this disease,” he added, such as research and surveillance.

To that end, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., introduced legislation last year seeking $60 million for state and tribal wildlife agencies to research and manage CWD. The bill, which would amend the federal Animal Health Protection Act, has languished since its introduction.

In an attempt to build momentum for such funding of research and education of the public, Straka said the entire hunting community needs to take up the fight against CWD. “Let’s move away from the blame game,” she said. “We’re all accountable to not make things worse.” 20 18

16

2018 Montana Hunting Guide

A portrait of a hunter as a young man of a tail slashing through the water.

I’ve been watching it for the past 15 minutes waiting for the rest of the class to finish their tests and practical exam.

By THOMAS PLANK thomas.plank@helenair.com In Montana Wild off Highway 12, a sturgeon bellies up to the glass and slides against it, the bony whip

I never took a hunter’s education course in Colorado, where I grew up.

My dad wasn’t a hunter; he enjoyed fishing and the outdoors, but one incident involving chest waders, the Niobrara River and a deer that wasn’t quite dead seemed to have blown out the hunting candle for him. I decided that I wanted to learn how to hunt; in all honesty I’m not sure I’ll ever succeed in downing an elk or deer, or even a bird.

So learning with the youngest groups of new hunters seemed to be the best way to handle my ignorance.

In January I took a three-day class with a score of 10-15 year-old new

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hunters and realized that “ignorance” might be the understatement of the century when it comes to what I don’t know about hunting.

First, the difference between a mule and a whitetail deer can be told by a number of things, but foremost is that mule deer ears are huge.

Though I could tell you that a whitetail deer has a big white tail.

Oh well, at least I knew deer have antlers and not horns.

Wayde Cooperider, the outdoor skills and safety supervisor for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, is a big man with an old-school mustache. He booms as he explains what, exactly, the right way to go about preparing a firearm for the hunt, how to decide what to pack, and, to me, that the most important part of this is impressing safety onto the students.

The students were sleepy for most of the Saturday class, which ran nine hours, non-stop, with hands-on and in-class demonstrations of loading weapons, trigger control, fielddressing technique and all the major points of safety that are drilled into new hunters. (Wear orange! Never shoot at a skylined animal! Call TipMont if you see poaching! Don’t wear bloodstained clothing into stores!

Always be wary of bears! Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot! Never point a firearm at something you don’t intend to shoot!)

I spoke with parents who were going through the process and sitting in on classes.The parents were so passionate that it seems to radiate off of them. The kids are bouncing around, answering questions and looking at me like I’m a teacher who decided to sit down with them during lunch.

Marci Gohn and Fred Fessenden were gracious enough to answer the litany of questions I had about hunt-

ing. Gohn never took hunter’s safety as a youngster but said, “I’ve been hunting my whole life.”

Gohn said that it was a “big deal” when her older son took hunter’s ed, and that she was using this class as a way to get a credit for a concealed weapon license. “We want to know how to help and instruct and help out where we can,” Gohn said of why she and her husband were spending their weekend at Montana Wild.

Fessenden said that he remembered taking hunter’s ed when it “was more hands on,” with live fire and more tramping around in the snow.

“I missed out on live fire as it was too cold that January to shiver at the range,” he said.

Gohn agreed that a more hands-on experience would be more helpful.

“Kids have different learning styles,” Gohn said. “A lot of them are more hands-on.”

Both Gohn and Fessenden see hunting as “family time,” when they can go and teach their kids important lessons in the wilderness.

“It’s learning survival for the future,” Fessenden said.

Harvesting meat for eating is something that Gohn remembers as being deeply important to what her family would survive on for the year.

I just hope that I’ll have something to put in my freezer by the end of this year that isn’t beef.

For me, I exited hunter’s education with three things: new hunter’s orange, a card saying I was able to purchase a hunting license in the state of Montana and a sense that I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.

But I can say I have a renewed sense of excitement about starting to learn it. 20 18

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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Bitterroot study: Fires produce elk food as nutritious as alfalfa ByBRETT FRENCH french@billingsgazette.com Mountain fires can spark the growth of new vegetation that, for a short time, can provide as much nutrition to elk as irrigated agricultural fields.

That’s one of the insights of a recently published study that took place in the Bitterroot Valley. “…Recently burned (1-6 year prior) dry forests at higher elevations provided forage quality approximately equivalent to that of irrigated agriculture,” wrote Kristin Barker of the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Montana, the lead author of the study.

She collaborated with three other scientists over two years (2014-2015) to track 45 collared cow elk (48 in 2015) and the vegetation they ate to examine how nutritious feed was for resident agricultural elk versus those that migrate to higher elevations in the summer.

“The objectives of our study were to determine which native vegetative communities provided forage of similar quality to that of irrigated agriculture during late summer and whether female elk that exhibited different migratory behaviors had access to different qualities of forage during late summer,” according to the study published in the “Journal of Wildlife Management.”

“Fire is the big disturbance factor that a lot of the Western ecosystems evolved with,” said Tom Toman, director of conservation programs for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, based in Missoula.

Wildland fire can remove the buildup of pine needles on the forest floor, opening up the ground so grasses, forbs and browse species that elk like to eat can grow, he noted. RMEF conducted its first prescribed burn in 1986, he said, and has continued to use fire as a management tool, sometimes in conjunction with forest thinning.

Complicating factors The study is significant in that landowners — especially those raising cattle — would prefer to keep elk out of their fields so they don’t eat crops like alfalfa and corn. Some elk also carry the bacteria that causes brucellosis, which can cause young female cattle to abort. Keeping elk and cattle separate, especially in the spring when elk give birth, can help prevent the disease from spreading to cattle. Birthing material is suspected of being the main way that elk infect cattle.

Elk that gather on farm land also make it difficult for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks to reduce elk populations to the agency’s objectives, since public hunting is the main way FWP has to decrease elk numbers.

Some private landowners don’t allow public hunting so elk will congregate on those lands during the hunting season. Once the season is over, the elk may disperse to surrounding lands, including those private properties where public hunting was allowed, frustrating the landowners who allowed public hunting.

Toman also said that some new landowners may not even be running cattle or working their fields very often, meaning humans aren’t pushing elk off the landscape like traditional ranchers and farmers in the past. One family that eliminated livestock on their ranch saw the local elk herd jump from 30 to 300,

Photo by Brett French

Recently burned forests provide quality forage for elk herds.

he said, as “word got out” among the elk that the land was a sanctuary.

“Elk are a smart animal and if they don’t have to walk to the top of the mountain, it makes a lot of sense,” he said.

Baker’s study may point to one possible way to urge some elk to leave agri-

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cultural fields — using prescribed fires in certain forested areas to spark the growth of more desirable vegetation.

“We did find burning has a benefit under some circumstances and for a certain amount of time,” said Mike Mitchell, a University of Montana professor and leader of the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. Mitchell was one of the co-authors of the study, which also included the unit’s Jesse DeVoe and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist Kelly Proffitt.

Seeking sustenance In the past, and as studies of elk and deer in Wyoming have shown, wildlife migrate to higher elevations in pursuit of newly growing vegetation, which contains more protein. This has been termed “surfing the green wave.”

Good nutrition in cow elk is essential to calf production.

“If summer nutrition is bad, they won’t have a calf,” Toman said. “It takes summer nutrition to drive that elk herd.”

As predator populations have grown — with more grizzly bears, mountain lions and wolves in places like the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem — some elk have chosen to forego the summer migrations in the region, as well as elsewhere.

“It appears that agriculture on winter ranges is changing the cost and benefit” for elk to migrate, Mitchell said. “Why leave because this is a pretty good gig.”

In the Bitterroot Valley, the elk studied were divided into three groups. The majority of the animals (49 percent) were in the middle — sometimes migrating into the North Sapphire Mountains and sometimes not. Another 24 percent were classified resident elk, while 27 percent were deemed migrants.

“The elk populations in Montana have these historic patterns of migration,” Mitchell said. “But it turns out to be more complex than we thought.”

Deciding whether to migrate or not “appears to be based on nutrition,” he added. But even the attraction of irrigated alfalfa, which Mitchell compared to “ungulate candy,” may not be enough if there’s heavy competition for that resource, he said.

“It’s a bit of a gamble because they don’t know what’s available on the summer range,” Mitchell said.

More info needed Some of the outcomes of such reliance on agricultural fields could be that better nourished cow elk that don’t migrate could produce healthier calves. As that resident elk population grows, fewer elk would learn to migrate.

On the other hand, migrants may be able to expend less energy because they aren’t walking from bedding areas to ag lands to feed every day, the study noted.

More work is needed to help give researchers better insight to elk behavior, Mitchell said. And, as the study points out, scientists need a better understanding of how different logging techniques and thinning practices may compare to fire management for opening up the forest to grow higher quality elk forage. 20 18

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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Hunting checklist Gear: □ Licence/tags □ Rifle/bow □ Ammo/arrows □ Sights □ GPS/Map/Phone/Com-

pass

□ Knives □ Rangefinder □ Shooting stick/bipod □ Saw □ Hatchet/axe □ Wind checker □ Binos □ Calls/scents □ Bear spray □ Survival kit □ Headlamp (with extra

bulbs/batteries)

□ Orange flagging □ Toilet paper □ Baby wipes □ Hand sanitizer □ Duct tape □ Decoys (if applicable)

□ daypack/pack □ Broad heads □ Ropes/cord □ Tarps □ Stone/steel sharpener □ Game bags □ Basic gun cleaning kit □ Cooler □ Latex gloves □ Hand warmers □ Fire starter □ Cart/drag □ Game lift system □_______________ □_______________ Personal gear: □ Rain gear □ Good boots □ Gloves □ Hat (warm and sunhat) □ Sunglasses □ Inner and undergar-

ments

□ base wear

□ Wool/synthetic socks, shirts, □ pants □ Food/high energy snacks □ Thermos □ Water purification □ Personal medication(s) □_______________ □_______________ Camping gear:

Other things to consider: □ Does someone know

where you’re going and when you’re expected back?

□ Do you have your tags/

regulations/license?

□ Am I prepared for the

worst possible conditions?

□ How am I going to move

the animal once I get it down?

□ Sleeping bag and pad □ Tent □_______________ □ Shower kit ______________________ □ Toothbrush/toothpaste □ More food □_______________ □_______________ ______________________ 18 20 □_______________

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To hunt successfully,

2018 Montana Hunting Guide

YOUyour MUST KNOW YOUR GROUND, pack and your quarry.

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