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Field Dressing in Warm Weather

By Rob Chaney rob.chaney@missoulian.com Early-season hunters face some serious trade-offs.

They enjoy better odds of encountering big game in the woods, but steeper challenges getting those animals on the dining room table.

Outfitter clients may have a pack string available to haul their elk steaks out of the mountains. A hunter on private land might benefit from the rancher’s tractor to pull the 500-pound carcass to a waiting truck. But the thousands of do-it-yourself, public land hunters have to lift that burden on their own.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks education direc- Education coordinator Thomas Baumeister demonstrates the tor Thomas Baumeister has some tips for lightening gutless field dressing method.

Thom Bridge for the Missoulian the load.

“This is the dream,” Baumeister told a roomful for wildlife management. The season only applies to of expectant big-game hunters at Missoula’s Fish, private land where elk often bunch up in large herds.

Wildlife and Parks regional office, showing a slide Adding more hunters to the landscape should enof tenderloin chops ready for the grill. “But nobody courage those elk to disperse back into their historic talks about how you get that big elk back to the trailpublic land ranges. head and to your table. We get to get our hands dirty “We’re going to learn a lot in these first few years,” tonight.”

Gevock said. “We’re just a week into it. But we know A new elk “shoulder season” closed on Sept. 1, this is only a supplement to the general season.” replaced by the general archery season and some rifle opportunities in extremely remote backcountry hunting districts. But all those hunters must meet both the ethical and legal obligations of warm-weather game handling.

“If you’ve hiked 5 miles in and the temperature is in the 90s and you get a chance to take an elk, you have to ask yourself some questions,” said FWP Region 2 Supervisor Randy Arnold. “The first is: Should you? Am I capable of getting this animal out and keeping it edible? You can harvest an elk, but you really have to plan ahead.”

One of the more difficult steps in the gutless method separates the Before heading into the woods, early season hind quarter. archers and rifle hunters should investigate the locaThom Bridge for the Missoulian tion of nearby commercial meat processors. Those who prefer to process their own game should come General season hunters benefit from the colder equipped with cooler and ice. weather in October and November. Tuesday’s “The shoulder season is similar to early season antelope hunting,” said Nick Gevock of the Montana workshop offered several tips on both traditional and newer butchery techniques.

Wildlife Federation. “You’ve got to be really attenTraditional field dressing starts with cutting open tive to getting animals field-dressed immediately. I the deer or elk’s abdomen and removing the internal hope hunters are calling ahead of time and seeing if organs. This vents the carcass from the inside and there’s space in the meat locker.” gets rid of the quick-spoiling soft tissues and digesGevock said interest in the elk shoulder season was growing statewide, and could have real benefits tive juices in the guts.

But it leaves much of the meat uncooled – especially the side of the animal insulated by its own skin and the ground. The big humps of muscle along an elk’s shoulders and thigh can hold lots of heat.

The animal needs to be quartered quickly and lifted off the ground to ensure those areas get lots of air circulation.

Baumeister suggested more hunters try the “gutless method.” Start by cutting the hide – either down the chest or along the backbone, and removing it from the top front and back legs. That first half of the hide becomes a work tray that keeps the rest of the meat off the ground.

The front legs of deer and elk aren’t attached with a ball-and-socket joint like human arms. Instead, they’re held on by a flap of tendons and ligaments that separate with a few quick knife strokes.

The back legs do have ball-and-socket joints. But they also come off easily by drawing the knife along the lines of muscles that attach the leg to the hip bones. Then a careful dig with the knife tip separates the ball from the socket and the whole thigh comes off like a big roast. The pieces of meat go into game bags.

Baumeister recommended a careful choice of knives for gutless butchery. He preferred relatively short blades that can be easily resharpened. Other game handlers preferred a new type of game knife with disposable, surgical-quality blades.

He also warned that anyone using the gutless method must take care to keep proof of sex on one of the legs. That’s managed by preserving some of the hide with sex organs attached to one thigh as the carcass is dismantled.

Hunters are required to keep all unspoiled parts of all four quarters, plus the backstraps and the tenderloins. They are not required to keep neck or rib meat, although Baumeister noted those can be the best-tasting parts of the animal with proper cooking.

The hide and head aren’t part of the requirement.

But many hunters attach their licenses to the antlers or legs – only to get in trouble when those parts get separated from the meat on the way to the commercial butcher.

“You become very selective about what you bring out,” Baumeister said. “The dressed meat is about one-third of the animal. But the hind leg on an elk can weigh 80 to 100 pounds.”

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Elk Hunt Through a Young Hunter’s Eyes

By Zach Kinzler A 15-Year Old Hunter from Bozeman As I touched off the release and watched my arrow soar through the air at a bull elk, I was praying I had just shot my first bull. My goal for the hunt was a bull, any bull, the size did not matter. I had encounters where I could almost touch elk, but had never let an arrow fly at one before. I always knew that the day would come but had no idea this was it. It was September 7, 2015. I was 15 years old.

It seemed like it was weeks ago (it was only three days ago) that the 3:35 school bell rang when I sprung up from my seat and headed out the front door of Bozeman High. I saw my dad and the truck filled up with hunting gear. I sprinted over and jumped in and my dad asked, “Are you excited?”

My response, “Does a bear crap in the woods?”

We headed out for the Eastern Montana Breaks for a guided elk hunt with Kelly Burke and Burke Ranch Outfitters out of Glasgow. I had no idea what to expect because I had never hunted in the “Breaks” before. It was my mom’s birthday and she gave me and my dad the green light to go hunting. My dad told me someday I would understand how lucky we were.

We met up with Kelly in Malta. We headed out of town and onto a dirt road. As we were driving, Kelly and my dad, Travis, started catching up on how their lives had been since they had seen each other last, over 10 years ago. We rolled into a dark camp around 10:30.

Most of our fellow hunters were sleeping since we all would be getting up at 4 a.m.

Four in the morning came quickly. As we walked outside of our tent the smell of eggs and bacon hit my nose. We ate together as strangers. We all had the same goal: to take a wapiti. The group consisted of Taylor, Justin, Scotty, Marty, Mark, a.k.a. “The Captain”, Gene, Kelly and the camp cook Bob. After breakfast we all headed our separate ways.

The first day of the hunt we saw a lot of elk but didn’t have a chance for a shot. One bull was killed that first day and that was by the “Captain.”

Everyone was very excited to hear his story at dinner. The Captain stood up and said, “I’m gonna tell you guys how to get an elk.” He went on for about an hour. It was hilarious. After all the stories were told and everyone was stuffed full of pork chops we hit the sack.

The next day of hunting was like the first day, we got into a lot of elk but something would happen: the wind would change or something else unlucky.

I was starting to think my goal of a bull might be unattainable.

On the last day of our hunt, we had some chances all morning but never got a shot. I didn’t know what everybody else was thinking. All I thought was, “Wow, this really sucks to see so many elk but not get a shot”. We were seeing hundreds of elk but having no luck at getting a shot.

Kelly was still really positive which kept me feeling

hit my release. I made a good shot at about 20 yards.

The rabbit was dead so I ran over and grabbed it.

Kelly jumped out of the truck and gave me a high five. Then he proceeded to clean it. I asked Kelly, “Can I keep the rabbit’s foot for good luck?” He cut off the rabbit’s foot and put it in a plastic bag and we put it in my hunting pack. Then we headed back to hunting.

We eventually spotted eight elk grazing on a huge butte on public land about two miles away. I asked Kelly if it was worth it to go after these elk. He responded, “You can’t win if you don’t play!”

We decided to head after the elk. I don’t think anyone of us really thought we had a chance. After walking about 300 yards out into the field, five horses came and started running all around us. We thought our hunt was over because the horses were making so much noise, but miraculously it didn’t scare the elk. After the horses left, we kept walking toward the base of the hill when all of a sudden two cow elk popped right over the top of the hill. We all dropped to our knees just waiting for the rest of the herd to pop over, but they never did. The two cows just kept walking and walking until they walked right past us.

We then had to belly crawl over 800 yards across the sagebrush prairie. The mosquitoes were terrible, the cactus seemed to keep finding my hands, and my knees were killing me. With each crawling motion I kept worrying about rattlesnakes. After we made it across the open prairie by army crawling, we were hidden behind the hill and we started walking again to the base of the butte. It was getting dark so the walk was rapidly turning into a jog and then into a run.

Right as we made it to the top of a huge butte, we peaked over the hill and saw about 20 cows and Photo courtesy of KELLY BURKE – BURKE RANCH OUTFITTERS a few bulls 100 yards away. We decided to walk up the other side of the hill and around to try to get up good. After lunch I shot my bow with The Captain, behind the elk. We started walking up the side of Justin and Scotty. They had me shooting from my the hill when all of a sudden Kelly slowly stopped knees, behind trees, from my bottom. I could feel walking, sat down, turned around and said, “There’s myself gaining confidence. I was prepared for the a bull. Get an arrow.” There were more elk than we evening hunt. I was dialed in, even more than usual. originally saw. I grabbed an arrow and knocked it. I I had been practicing for this hunt for years. slowly scooted forward on my knees, drew back and On our way to our last hunt of the trip, the truck focused my sights on the bull who was 45 yards away. came to a jolting stop and Kelly said, “There’s a rab- I took a deep breath and released. It was just like I bit!” I hopped (no pun intended) out of the truck, had practiced hours before with the guys at camp, from my knees, at 45 yards. The arrow flew smoothly knocked an arrow with a blunt tip, pulled back and

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through the air with nothing in its path. As it struck the bull elk, he turned and ran.

I turned around and looked at Kelly and whispered, “How big was it?”

He replied, “You just shot the herd bull out of 200 elk.”

Needless to say, I was shaking so bad it was unbelievable. I never looked at the antlers before I shot; I just knew it was a bull.

Then the waiting started. We sat on top of the butte and we watched the sun set.

The black night set in and the sky started to dance. The northern lights were going at full throttle; the sky was ablaze with screaming color. The coyotes were howling. Never having experienced this before, I soon realized why they call Montana the “Big Sky State.” It seemed like nature was almost cheering me on. I layed back with my dad and Kelly and just enjoyed the beauty that was in front of us.

After waiting an hour, we popped over the hill and we saw the majestic elk. His huge antlers showed over the sage brush. I immediately dropped all my stuff and ran down and jumped on top of him, my elk! I cannot describe the feelings that flooded over me. After the three of us made it down to the elk, the reality of it all set in. I had just experienced a hunt of a lifetime.

We made it back to camp at 2:30 a.m. I had been up for almost 24 hours. I had hiked 10 miles. I had cut my tag for a 6 x 6, 350+ bull elk. And guess what? All the lights were on at camp. The guys came out and gave me high fives and were dying to hear my story. Those strangers we had breakfast with on that first day, waited up for me. Marty, Taylor, Scotty, Justin, Gene, Bob, Mark “The Captain” and Kelly. Thanks. And a special thanks to the guys at Extreme Performance Archery in Bozeman for setting me up.

And the lucky rabbit’s foot? It will be in my ■ pack for every hunt until the day I die!

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Trey Curtiss, A Natural-Born Hunter

By Julie Cowan wordcritter@gmail.com When you talk to him, Trey Curtiss sounds much older than his 22 years. Blame it on his dad, who introduced him to hunting at age 6. Blame it on Montana with its sweeping landscapes and hunting opportunities in every direction. Blame it on the fresh air and the miles of backcountry he’s trekked in search of the wily and elusive elk, or bear or deer or whatever wild game he is hunting – or planning to hunt – at the moment.

Actually, don’t blame it on anything. He’s young, but he just gets it. And he has “gotten it” ever since age 6 when he went on that first elk hunt with his dad, blazing through snow up to his waist.

For Trey, it’s not about the biggest, baddest weapon or the biggest antlers (though he’s had more than his fair share of wall-hangers). It’s about the experience of being out there, his ability to put meat in the freezer, and his opportunity to teach other hunters about the importance of conserving the land and the animals he values so much.

He hunts with bow or rifle, and he’s not much into the techiness of the weaponry. He’s tanned his own game hides and processed his own antlers for mounting because it’s all part of the entire experience. And of course, he cooks his own meat, being the starving college kid and all that.

“It’s about the challenge,” Trey says, “and the fact that we live in such a developed world, yet we have so many opportunities to hunt and provide for ourselves.”

Indeed, he has. “When I was 5 or 6, Dad asked me to go on a hunt with him,” Trey says. “After that first day, every time my dad went out to hunt, I was ready to go!”

Uh oh. His dad just created a monster before he knew what hit him. Okay, a cute, 6-year-old monster, no doubt. Trey’s dad Dave remembers well that first hunt he took his young son on 16 years ago.

“He’d been pestering me to go,” recalls Dave Curtiss, whose family has lived on wild meat exclusively, save for one “dry year” when they had to buy beef. “I told my wife, ‘I’ll take him, but he’s going to see it’s not playtime and he’ll grow into it.’

“It was cold. The snow was up to Trey’s belt

buckle. We’d break trail for him as much as we could. It didn’t slow him down a bit.” Trey has never missed an outing since, mostly hunting with his dad. It was truly a father’s dream. “I always say that I couldn’t find a good hunting partner until I made one,” says his dad. “He was always in my boot steps.” Both literally and figuratively.

Trey Curtiss heads out to hunt elk in Montana’s Sapphire Mountains during opening weekend 2016.

Photo courtesy of TREY CURTISS

Trey always tries to go with a hunting partner, but sometimes people aren’t available to hunt, so he’ll head out on his own.

As Land Tawney describes Trey, he’s a “22-yearold kid who is a badass of elk/bear/deer/antelope hunting.”

Tawney, president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA), a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving hunting and fishing on

wild, public lands, has spent a lot of time with Trey, ironically in an office. Trey is an intern at BHA – where he is working on stream access issues – and the two naturally have shared a lot of conversations about hunting. “I always love to talk about hunting!” Trey says with a soft laugh. He’s working toward a degree in natural resource conservation from the University of Montana.

Tawney says that Trey’s natural sense about hunting and all that it offers belies his age. “His approach to hunting is what makes him tick,” Tawney explains. “He is already an accomplished hunter and he’s so young. He’s a better hunter than me.”

Tawny describes most hunters’ goals in the first years are to just get out there and get something, anything. It evolves into trophy hunting and then later, the more experienced phase where hunters have learned to appreciate the hunt for the whole experience rather than just killing a trophy for the wall. The vastness of the landscape, the ambience of a backcountry sunrise, the front-door view from a creekside camp, the ruggedness of the mountain peak – oh, the unplugged solitude of it all. It’s that wholeness of the hunting experience that ofttimes takes hunters years to learn.

Not Trey. “He skipped all those steps,” Tawney says.

When most kids his age were out trick-or-treating, Trey bagged his first big game animal – a 6 X 5 muley buck – on his first hunt. It was after school on Halloween with his dad and his dad’s friend.

It was a mixture of emotions, Trey says – euphoria, solemnness, thankfulness. But mostly it was pride. “I felt like I had some pretty big boots to fill with my dad and all,” he says. “I felt like I had accomplished something big.”

“He was absolutely speechless,” his dad recalls.

“He had had six years of work for that one moment.

He had sat back and watched his brothers and sisters hunt, so he had earned that right.”

Trey is the middle child of seven, all of whom hunt. His youngest brother, Hunter, (chuckling, Trey admits to a twinge of jealousy at his brother’s very cool name) is on his first fall hunt this year at age 12, accompanying Trey and their dad on opening weekend.

2016 Montana Hunting Guide Their dad couldn’t think of a better role model than Trey to help mentor. “He’s so ethical. He’s passed on so many animals, I can’t tell you how many. He won’t take a shot unless it’s a slamdunk.” You can tell in his voice how proud he is of the time and effort Trey has put in to be not only a good hunter, but one who cares about the land and the legacy he hopes to pass down as well as the responsibility he has as a hunter.

“He cares as much about seeing other people be successful,” says Dave. “He’s very giving.

“And he also understands the volatility of hunting, trapping and fishing.” It only takes one bad egg to give hunters a bad name.

“Hunters need to realize we’re a minority in the population,” Trey points out. Population statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau for spring 2015 compared to U.S. hunting numbers at that same time, according to statista.com, show 16.67 million hunters in this country – roughly 5 percent of the population.

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Trey Curtiss, left, mentors his brother, Hunter, by bringing him on this successful pronghorn hunt along the Rocky Mountain Front.

Both Trey and his father filled their tags on this 2015 outing.

Photo courtesy of Trey Curtiss

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In this time of social media, he warns hunters when talking about hunting on the internet. People who grow up with a different background have misconceptions about hunting.

“Educate rather than alienate,” he says. “There’s no reason not to be proud, but tread lightly. Focus on the effort put forth (before, during and after a hunt) and the need for meat.”

His best advice for new hunters: Find a good mentor and partner to help you learn the best gear and impart hunting knowledge. Learn the signs and smells, and invest in good boots and a good backpack. “Try to find an appreciation for the hunt rather than just going out and killing something.”

Most importantly, he urges all hunters to get involved with conservation and land management issues. Attend meetings. Support public lands staying public. Just going to the table and collaborating with all parties involved is an important step in preserving our hunting way of life.

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A Hunter’s Checklist

By Mark Ward captain@montanaoutdoor.com  Small bottle of hand sanitizer – it’s almost 100 percent alcohol, can be used to help start a fire when placed on toilet paper  Cellphone in your vehicle – it just might save your life, plus doubles as a camera  Toilet paper, small bucket, and shovel in your vehicle – when nature calls  Hunting license and tags (yes, check it again to make sure) so you can hunt when you get there.

 Range finder – better chance if you know your distance  Electrical or duct tape – to tape your license onto the carcass (after you validate it by cutting out the month and date)  Hunters orange sweatshirt or vest and cap – it’s the law, 400 square inches above the waist  Compass or GPS unit – if you want to get back to camp  Garmin GPS unit loaded with the up-to-date Montana mapping System from huntingGPSmaps.com  Map of your hunting area – so you don’t trespass or get lost

 2016 sunrise/sunset tables – so you know when you can start and have to stop

 Sighted in rifle and ammo – one-shot is the best hunt

 Good pair of hunting boots and warm socks plus an extra pair of socks – there’s nothing worse than wet or sore feet

 Ammo carrier – makes things easier in the heat of the moment and keeps your cartridges clean

 Sharp knifes, and a pack saw – one for the hide, one for quartering

 Bottle of smoke so you know which way the wind is blowing

 Sharpening stone or steel

 Orange marker tape – it helps you get back to camp and can help mark the site of your kill

 Game bags and a spray can of Pam – they keep flies off your game after you field dress it

 Five to 10 feet of rope – hundred uses

 Rain gear – dry is better than wet

 Small flashlight – helps before dawn or after sunset

 Extra clothing – it would be nice if you could take layers off as the day warms up

 Head lamp for hands-free in the dark

 Plastic tarp – to place your animal on when cleaning or to cover up when transporting  Binocular – they give you an edge and are safer than glassing from your rifle scope

 Matches in waterproof case and small candle – it will help keep you warm if you need to start a fire  Energy bar – it helps you keep going and is light to pack  Leatherman tool – thousand uses

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A Hunter’s Checklist  A good spare tire, jack and tire wrench – ever been stranded?  Two pairs of gloves – in case one pair gets lost or wet  One pair of rubber dishwashing gloves – use when field dressing your animal  Two one-gallon jugs of water – many uses, including washing hands and washing out carcasses  Sunglasses – if you get in a snow situation, you won’t be squinting all day  Warm cap – most body heat is lost through your head (with or without hair)  Also put supplies into a fanny pack: a pocket first aid kit, small package of trail mix, small water bottle, pocket-size emergency blanket, plastic garbage bag (cut armholes and head hole and you have a rain proof vest) small packet of fire starter, short piece of nylon cord to help drag game out, waterproof matches and a throw away cigarette lighter. Finally, an extra set of vehicle keys.

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Captain’s Vehicle Checklist

By Mark Ward captain@montanaoutdoor.com This is a list that experienced hunters have helped me put together. Many things can happen when you are hunting in the backcountry and I hope this list of maintenance and survival items to put into your hunting rig will be helpful. The main thing of course is to make sure that your vehicle has been properly serviced to avoid a break down. This list will also help you be prepared for the unexpected. Good Luck! Feel free to cut this list out or print it out for future reference.  Service your vehicle: Change oil, check antifreeze level (strength of the antifreeze should be 30 degrees below zero or better), battery fluid levels, transmission/tranfer case levels  Inspect serpentine belt (fan belt) replace if worn or cracked (save your old one for a spare  Inspect your tires and check tire pressure, including your spare tire  Tire chains – make sure they fit and are in good condition  Two vehicle ramps. (It makes putting tire chains an easier task)  Flashlight with extra batteries for your map, GPS, compass

 Tool box (make sure all your tools are in order)  Jumper cables or jump start power pack  Assorted nuts, bolts, washers, mechanic’s wire, duct tape, electrical tapewire ties  Extra oil, antifreeze, automatic transmission fluid, radiater stop leak  High lift jack or come-a-long  Tow straps or tow chains, heavy rope  Snow shovel, ax, bucket, tarp  2x6 that is 1 to 4 feet long (may help to put under tires if you are high centered)  Old carpet to lie on if you have to get under your vehicle  Ice chest with fresh water and food like jerky, dehydrated fruit, energy bars  Old sleeping bag, blankets, firewood If you get stuck or break down, stay with your rig. You are more likely to be found in your rig and with the right emergency supplies you will be safer.

When packing your rig,try and put the items you would use only for an emergency in first and the items that you will more than likely use in last.

If you have anything to add to the Hunters Vehicle Checklist please e-mail ■ captain@montanaoutdoor.com.

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Lands, Fish and Wildlife Belong to the People

By Land Tawney 5th Generation Montana, Father, Husband & CEO Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

tawney@backcountryhunters.org “Dad, do you hear that?”

“Yes, Cidney.”

“Those are elk, dad. I’ve never heard them in the wild, only on TV.” Out of the mouths of babes comes gold. Last year on an antelope hunt, my then 7-year old daughter and I both heard that unmistakable, spine-tingling bugle of a big bull elk. That memory will be etched in both of our minds for the rest of our days. For those who have heard it, you’re probably reliving it right now as you read these words. If you haven’t ever heard it? Put it on the bucket list.

Montana has the longest general rifle season for big game in the West. This is in part because of the vast public lands that lie within our borders.

Elk, deer, moose, grouse, cutthroat trout and numerous other species all flourish on lands and waters that belong to all of us.

If you are like me, you might not have reliable access to privately owned lands. I didn’t grow up on a ranch, I didn’t marry into a ranch family and I haven’t hit the lottery – so public lands and waters are where I do 90 percent of my recreating.

This unique idea – that the lands and the fish and wildlife belong to the people – is as American as apple pie and hot dogs. It’s what separates us from almost every other country in the world. Many of our ancestors traveled across the pond to get away from the tyranny of the crown, where not only was there taxation without representation but lands and waters – and the fish and wildlife that inhabit them – belong to the privileged few. If you were caught stealing the king’s game you could be punished – in some cases by death.

Punished by death. Let that sink in a bit. Think about your favorite piece of public land (mine’s

money year in and year out. And we can increase it.

In addition, our public lands provide clean water and clean air vital to us all. Simply put, our public lands are the cornerstone for our way of life. We are lucky to have them.

None of this happened by accident. While the Declaration of Independence set us on the path we are on now, it took the assassination of a president to solidify it. I’m speaking of the untimely death of President William McKinley and the swearing in of Theodore Roosevelt as our 26th president on Sept.

14, 1901. A hunter and conservationist held the highest office in the land, and he was determined to conserve our American landscapes for future generations.

Famously, Roosevelt established more than 100 million acres of forest reserves, precursors to our national forests, for all of us to benefit from and enjoy. He did so in the face of opposition by western senators who wanted to privatize these lands for short-term economic gain. Our very own Copper King, Sen. William A. Clark from Montana, was one of those who opposed this plan.

We are lucky that Roosevelt prevailed. Fast forward to today, and we now have roughly 640 million acres of public lands in America (about 29 percent of the total land area). Nearly all of that (95 percent) is managed by four agencies: the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife This Tawney family moment, brought to you by your public lands.

Photo by LAND TAWNEY Service. We all own that land. Here in Montana, 35 percent of our land base is in public ownership. if you would be caught and punished – or how it Thanks to Roosevelt, a sportsman who appreciated would feel to be barred from accessing it at all, the value of our lands and waters, we all live like standing outside a fence plastered with signs that kings! say “no trespassing.” That’s not an America where As you head into the woods and prairies this I want to live. fall to pursue your quarry of choice, revel in the Our public lands not only provide us with places thought that you hold title to a vast estate. Get to hunt, fish, hike, camp and pick huckleberries some exercise, put some wild meat in the freezer, and morels. They also drive more than $646 billion and make some moments that will be etched into ($3 billion right here in Montana) in economic your memory – and maybe the memories of your kids or grandkids – for the rest of your lives.

■ activity each and every year. We can count on this the Bob Marshall Wilderness). Think about those cherished moments: the wind on your neck, afternoon sun or a nap in the shade of a fir tree.

Think about the freedom those lands provide us in practice and in mind. Now, think about being in that same place and how it would feel to be looking over your shoulder the entire time, wondering

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Made in the Usa

Mark Ward patiently waiting to shoot a goose.

Photo courtesy of MARK WARD

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Photo courtesy of MARK WARD

2016 Montana Hunting Guide

15

Waterfowl Season Opener

Photo courtesy of MARK WARD

By Mark Ward markward.mors@gmail.com Opening of waterfowl season in Montana is a chance for family and friends to get together for a fun weekend of hunting and fellowship. That is why for the past 18 years we have got together up in Charlo at Jaye and Linda Johnson’s farm. The goose hunt blind is long and normally made to house at least 20 hunters. The primary focus is goose hunting, with an occasional flock of ducks that come in and check out our 100 plus decoy display. Friday evening after setting up the blind the hunters break in their shotguns with trap shooting.

The alarm clock goes off early Saturday morning, but with all the anticipation that is in the air I don’t think many goose hunters actual need an alarm to

get them out of bed, after all its opening of waterfowl season in Montana. The anticipation builds as we set up the decoy display by headlamps. By a half an hour before sunrise we are all seated in the blind ready for the first flock to arrive.

Some years they come early, other years depending on the weather they might begin flying a little later. One hunter is the designated goose caller and another hunter is appointed the pit boss. The pit boss will let all the hunters know when they should start shooting at each flock that comes into the decoy spread and gets close enough to shoot.

After the morning hunt we return to the Johnsons to have lunch and relax until it is time to do it all over again in the evening and then again the next morning.

Now that we have all those geese, here is a recipe from Paul Lindsoe of Three Forks that will make your good breast taste like corn beef: Ingredients: 5 tsp. Morton Tender Quick meat cure (blue bag), 1 tsp. ground black pepper, 1 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. ground bay leaves, 1 tsp. allspice , ½tsp. garlic powder.

Directions: Rub on dry mixture and let sit refrigerated in a zip seal bag and turn daily.

Let sit for 5 days per inch of thickness.

Duck breasts take three days and geese take five.

Cook as you would a corned beef meal with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. It is unbelievably good, my favorite way to eat waterfowl. We use a crock pot. This makes awesome Reuben sandwiches the next day, too.

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White-Tail and Mule Deer Populations Holding Strong

By Adam McCaw adam.mccaw@gmail.com For the hunter wishing to chase mule deer, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 2 Wildlife Manager Mike Thompson has two words: “Go east.”

“Private landowners in the eastern portion of our region are seeing higher numbers on agricultural land, actually to the point where numbers have caused some damage,” Thompson said.

As for the white-tailed hunter, make sure those skinning knives are sharp.

“White-tailed deer numbers are growing and their range is expanding,” Thompson said. “People are seeing more and more whitetails on public land in higher elevations, away from the basins. For people that are happy to harvest a doe or basket-rack buck for the freezer, hunters should be optimistic.”

Both whitetail and mule deer populations in FWP’s Regions 1 and 2 are holding strong or increasing for the 2016 hunting season.

Two mule deer crest the horizon at sundown. Two mule deer crest the horizon at sundown.

Photo by Thom Bridge

In northwest Montana, whitetail deer hunters should see an overall increase in the number of bucks aged 3 and older. There is an increase in this age class of bucks across FWP Region 1, due to a rebounding of severe winter mortality in 2007 and 2008. For six years in a row, fawn numbers have been at good levels which should also help with increasing overall numbers.

However, mule deer populations remain low.

Hunters must be willing to seek out remote areas within Region 1, but the opportunity of encountering a mature buck exists.

The whitetail deer outlook for Region 2 points to a potentially high harvest for the fall due to a strong fawn production in the spring of 2015. Thankfully, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease hasn’t affected whitetails since the outbreak in 2013, but until each year’s hard frost, the potential for EHD still exists.

Compared to historic levels, mule deer populations remain low, but are increasing on private lands. FWP’s “Big Game Forecast 2016” reports that good mule deer bucks are finally moving into some areas where limited buck permits have been in place for about 15 years. One thing that deer hunters in Region 2 should be aware of is that many hunting districts require a special permit to hunt any mule deer. Reading up on the regulations is wise before heading afield.

In the Bitterroot Valley south of Missoula, mule deer numbers observed during the spring show an increase, especially in Hunting District 270. Winter mortalities may not have been as significant as pre-

vious years. However FWP biologists did observe some doe mortality in the farmlands during the summer, potentially due to stresses caused by hot, dry weather. Quality bucks were observed during summer field work in HD 270. For areas outside of that district, average buck harvest is expected.

Throughout the valley, whitetails are abundant in certain pockets and over-the-counter doe licenses are available in HDs 260 and 262.

For the Blackfoot Valley, mule deer populations are holding steady, but not impressive. Whitetails are seeing an increase in numbers or are staying the same due to back-to-back mild winters in the mountains northeast of Missoula.

The Upper and Lower Clark Fork drainages are seeing increases in whitetail deer with the exception of the Clark Fork bottoms between Missoula and Frenchtown. There, recovering populations of whitetails from a 2014 outbreak of EHD have been slow. Mule deer populations in the Upper Clark Fork seem to be increasing, with concentrations gravitating to private agricultural fields in the Deer Lodge Valley. In the Lower Clark Fork, mule deer numbers are holding steady, but remain comparatively low to past populations.

Be sure to obtain landowner permission before venturing onto private land and check Block Management access regulations.

Regional information was found in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park’s “Big Game Forecast 2016.” For more information about deer and other big game, log onto montana.gov or http://fwp.mt.gov/news/ newsReleases/hunting/nr_2475.html ■

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2016 Montana Hunting Guide

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Montana FWP Workshops

By Tom Kuglin tom.kuglin@helenair.com Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is holding a series of workshops in Helena this fall, called Plan to Hunt, that are designed to give novice hunters hands-on training for the field.

The free workshops through December will be instructed by FWP and local conservation organizations. No pre-registration is required.

“It’s primarily geared to the person who is thinking about or interested in hunting but hasn’t taken that step to actually doing it,” said Thomas Baumeister, FWP education bureau chief. “Secondarily it’s people that maybe have tried it in the past, it didn’t work out and are interested in trying hunting again.”

Hunters are often tight-lipped when it comes to information. Baumeister also sees some social apprehension when it comes to new hunters asking questions and appearing unknowledgeable.

Plan to Hunt aims to break through some of those apprehensions and provide an educational forum.

Here are the topics, times and places for the workshops:

• Packed and sighted-in

Sept. 15 – 6 p.m. – Capital Sports, 1092 Helena Ave., Helena See what gear is in the pack of Montana’s hunters and the firearms and archery equipment you need for the animals you are pursuing.

• From field to freezer

Sept. 29 – 6 p.m. – Montana WILD, Helena Learn the steps – from field dressing, to transport, to wild game processing, that help you move an animal from the field to freezer. This workshop includes hands-on field dressing and other demos.

perts to help ensure you are ready for opening day.

• Locally grown and served

Oct. 25 – 6 p.m. – Location TBD Local hunters and farmers will show you how to take your harvest and turn it into easy, healthy and creative wild harvest meals. Enjoy a meal as you learn.

• Celebrate the hunt!

Dec. 9 – 6 p.m. – Montana Wildlife Federation, 5530 North Montana Ave., Helena A post-season potluck filled with locally harvested and gathered ingredients. We’ll share stories, talk about what we learned and plan for the 2017 season, all while enjoying food and refreshments.

For more information, call 406-444-9946.

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• Pre-season questions

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Electronic Licenses

By Tom Kuglin tom.kuglin@helenair.com A legal change made during the 2015 Legislature allows anglers and hunters to now carry electronic copies of certain licenses on their smart phones.

Senate Bill 46 easily passed both chambers legalizing electronic signatures for hunting and fishing licenses.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has responded by allowing licenses to be downloaded as a PDF and saved on a smart phone. The electronic version can then be presented to a game warden upon request.

Regulations only apply to licenses that do not require tagging of a carcass. Paper licenses are still necessary for tagging big game animals, while the electronic license legally satisfies non-tagged animals such as upland game birds and general fishing and conservation licenses.

Older statutes written during a non-digital age mean some challenges as new technology arises, but allowing

electronic licensing is a natural response to how people use their mobile devices, said FWP Licensing Bureau Chief Hank Worsech. He recommended hunters and anglers pre-download licenses before going into the field where cellphone reception may not be available.

To download an electronic license, first go to fwp.mt.gov, and click on the “Menu” button at the upper left. Then from the list provided, click on the MyFWP option. Sign in and click “Get Status,” showing all applications and purchased licenses. At the end of that list will be a link to “request a copy of your non-carcass tag license.” Follow the link to submit email address to have the PDF copy emailed.

FWP will continue to issue paper licenses as well required paper carcass tags. “So don’t discard your paper license once you have an electronic copy on your smart phone,” Worsech said. “But if you happen to forget your fishing license, the version on your smart phone will be Talor Toavs from Wolf Point with a nice whitetail buck shot sufficient for our wardens.”

■ in Eastern Montana.

Photo courtesy of Mark ward.

2016 Montana Hunting Guide

21

Elk Numbers Across Western Montana Look Promising

By Adam McCaw adam.mccaw@gmail.com A population of roughly 30,000 elk call Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 2 home, but roughly half find their way to private land during the hunting season. Elk numbers are strong throughout the region, but distribution is constantly fluctuating. With changing climate patterns, the recovery of large carnivores, altering agricultural practices and sometimes a checkerboard of hunting access, hunters should be ready to find changes to the regulations, and make checks prior to going hunting.

Elk numbers for the Bitterroot River Valley are either at or above population objectives in all hunting districts except HD250. That area surrounding the West Fork of the Bitterroot River has seen a population increase this year, but is still below objective.

In HDs 204 and 261, where elk are particularly

abundant, FWP hopes for high success for antlerless elk license holders. Hunters with a Permit to Hunt from a Vehicle may now harvest antlerless elk on their general license in all Bitterroot districts except for HDs 250 and 270.

Bull numbers during spring surveys were average to above average throughout the Bitterroot, except for HD240. With HD270 still receiving high hunting pressure, FWP encourages hunters to practice safe shooting around concentrated elk herds, private property, and other hunters.

For the Blackfoot River Valley, all of FWP’s elk counts this year were the same or higher than in past years, and generally speaking are at or above objective valley-wide. However, bull harvests were lower in some districts along the Blackfoot and higher in others.

The Upper Clark Fork is seeing high numbers of elk, but on private land that number is higher than desired. Hunters should be aware that a B-license is mandatory in order to take part in any of the shoulder seasons that are available in certain Upper Clark Fork hunting districts. Some of those B-licenses were only available for hunters who put in for the June special license drawings.

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Others can be purchased from any license agent until Oct. 21. But first things first, permission should always be secured first before purchasing Blicenses because access is not guaranteed. Thanks to the cooperation of landowners in the Upper Clark Fork, several block management areas exist.

The greatest challenge for elk and elk hunters in Region 2 is the Lower Clark Fork. The terrain in the Lower Clark Fork is densely forested and quite rugged in most areas, providing excellent habitat for mountain lions and wolves, atop a limited forage base for elk. Increasing numbers of elk are also finding their way to large parcels of private farm land. In the Burdette Creek area, elk remain in extremely low numbers, but unexpectedly, there are early indications of elk populations making a comeback in other scattered, remote habitats.

“The summer we have had seems dry, but we have had a fair amount of moisture at the right times to keep deer and elk on public land, which is not always the case,” said Mike Thompson, Region 2 wildlife manager. “Combined with the fact that our numbers are as high or higher than last year, that points to a good hunting season. This is a great year to get some time off and a great year to get a kid outside and sharpen their skills.”

Regional information was found in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park’s “Big Game Forecast 2016.” For more information about elk and other big game, log onto montana.gov or http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/hunting/nr_2475.html.

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Elk Archery Success Mark Ward markward.mors@gmail.com Last year was an elk archery hunt that still lingers in my mind when I daydream about hunting. My main objective was to try and bag an elk as I headed east to hunting district 621southeast of Malta near Fort Peck Reservoir – it didn’t matter much to me if I got a cow elk or bull elk.

That in itself is a tall order, as getting an elk with my bow did not happen during the previous three years. The elk tag I drew was for either sex and I was optimistic this year that I would fill my freezer with a cow if not a bull. I was prepared to take the first quality shot at any elk that came within 40 yards.

As it turned out that shot was at a 6-point bull elk and it didn’t take long to happen. On the Saturday of the opener it was overcast and windy as a cold front was moving in. It had rained lightly the night before with thunderstorms around midnight. The

conditions were ideal. Gene Ripley from Outlook Montana and I were guided by Marty Low from Kalispell. Low has been guiding for Burke Ranch Outfitters for only three years but is a seasoned archery hunter.

As we began our morning hunt the decision was made to walk up a ridge that would give us a great view to glass a wide area in the hopes of spotting elk and then make a plan to stalk them. As I came to the edge of this boulder lined ridge that dropped straight down, I caught a glimpse of an elk.

All I could see was the top of its horns.

I quickly Photo courtesy of MARK WARD

backed away and motioned to Low. I explained to him that there was an elk bedded down and that I had ranged him at 26 yards. The wind was in our favor blowing at 15 miles per hour. Low explained to me that he would throw a rock in front of the bull in an attempt to get him to stand up.

As I stood with my bow drawn Low hurled a rock that landed about 10 feet in front of the elk. The bull stayed bedded down only turning his head from left to right. Low threw another rock; still no movement. After a few more unsuccessful attempts with rocks Low decided to go 30 yards up the ridge and cow call. As Low got in position I moved within 20 yards of the bull and drew my bow.

This time the plan worked. The bedded bull elk slowly stood up giving me an ideal shot and I took advantage of it as my arrow hit both lungs. The bull ran 150 yards over the next ridge and it was game over. Two hours into the archery season and I had bagged a 6-point bull, my first with a bow.

■

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