Montana Hunting & Fishing News - August 2015 by Western Hunting & Fishing News

HUNTING & FISHING Montana

News

August 2015

5 EXPERT TIPS FOR ELK SUCCESS BOWHUNTING FOR MULE DEER Antelope Warm Up CRANKING FOR BIG BASS

Snake Rigging Walleye

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4 - Hunting & Fishing News

Triangle Theorem: 5 Expert Steps For Elk Success www.gohunt.com By Darren Choate Originally published at

Regardless of the date on a calendar, elk move to and from three core resources during their daily routine: 1) bedding areas, 2) feeding areas and 3) water sources.

Additionally, elk tend to take a direct route from one resource to another. When connected, these three core resources and direct travel corridors that elk utilize on a daily basis form a triangular shape. Although, use of these resources and travel corridors may change on a daily basis — and throughout the year during normal migrations — these “elk triangles” can be used by hunters as a means to predict elk movement and increase the chances of a successful harvest.

I was introduced to the concept of elk triangles by a US Forest Service (USFS) wildlife biologist. His ability to identify core resources utilized by a given population of elk was uncanny. As I grew to understand his abilities, I saw the practicality of the theorem as a tool to improve my own scouting techniques. After several years of application, my elk hunting/guiding success rate increased dramatically.

The elk triangle theorem at work

The objective of the theorem is to develop a comprehensive map that depicts a true

representation of elk movement in the area you will be hunting. Once completed, your map will have several triangle-like shapes, which define elk hotspots. Resources identified should include, but are not limited to the following: Identification of core habitat resources. Direction of travel to and from core resources. Times of sightings at each resource and travel corridors. Number of elk sightings. Sightings of bulls and antlerless elk. The ultimate goal of the theorem is to fragment a unit or region into several smaller, more manageable areas to scout.

Five-step process to get started Step 1: Get out your map

Paper maps — USFS or preferably topographic — are fine, but if you are used to the computer, then use a good mapping application.

“The ultimate goal of the theorem is to fragment a unit or region into several smaller, more manageable areas to scout.” There are several products available online that offer a full line of features that include topography-satellite imagery switching, public-private land ownership overlays, GPS point and route entry, and much more. The maps found in goHUNT’s INSIDER unit profiles are perfect for this first step! In the West, hunting units can be enormous. In fact, some hunting units comprise several hundred square miles. Trying to scout an entire unit can be overwhelming, if not impossible. Therefore, I suggest breaking a hunting unit into logical subunits. Use major roads, power lines, waterways, and other natural features as your initial boundaries. Once you have a list of potential subunits, try to identify the core resources within those areas. (continued on page 8) August 2015

Gun Rack Review www.ammoland.com

cratched in pencil on the old faded cabin door read, “Nothing of value, please do not break in.” Opening the door to my old get-away, the musty air lay heavy on my lips with each breath. Dead flies lined the windowsills. Rotted tiles strewn the carpet, which was brown, either as an original color or from the years of boot tracked mud. This little cabin was home for nearly eight weekends per year, and above the worn Coleman stove, was the altar, the gun rack. Each season I would watch dad’s trusted 870 be pulled from an old sheath and rested on the rungs, waiting for the odd Remington Slugger to be chambered for a swift punch through a whitetail’s chest. For some, gun racks are a thing of beauty and memory. In most other situations, gun racks serve functional convenience. Here is a look at five that deserve a place in your home, truck or cabin retreat.

Winchester Run Around Susan 12 Gun Rotating Gun Rack Wood

A lazy Susan is a turn table piece for food. I have one in my house made of slate for cheese. While a gun rack has nothing lazy about it, the idea of the Lazy Susan is great for a gun rack. Winchester’s Run Around Susan 12 Gun Rotating Gun Rack offers this 12 gun rotating rack for rifles and shotguns at an affordable price. Although it weighs 25 pounds, the circumference is 24 inches, and this is a telescoping system. This could fit in most gun cabinets but is also a great standalone piece in your hunting room. But be conscious if you have little kids (or irresponsible adults) to keep it safe. The materials of this rack are plywood and steel with soft felt contact points for the barrels. So fill it up and rotate away as you pick the right gun for the morning hunt. http://goo.gl/KOaNKc Editors Note: In this age of heightened gun safety, we can not mention all the great gun storage tools...without reminding readers to check state laws regarding legal gun storage and taking proper gun safety measures to assure that no untrained children or adults get access to unsupervised firearms. (continued next page)

6 - Hunting & Fishing News

LOCKDOWN 6 Gun Handgun Rack

Want to keep your pistols organized in the gun cabinet? Ringing up at a cheap $16.99, the LOCKDOWN Pistol Rack is about as simple as it gets, just a 14” by 7” by 5” steel rack coated in vinyl for quick organization and no marring of your gun. “These vinyl coated metal handgun racks are extremely handy for use in your gun vault or at the shooting range to provide a safe place to rest your handguns. The individual channels are specially designed to cradle the grip and barrel of the gun and are wide enough to accommodate most wide body pistols or magnum revolvers.” I should note this supports full sized pistols best as subcompact pistols just don’t fit, they fall through. http://tiny.cc/ucpcxx

Allen Wall Display 4-Gun Rack Wood

Do you like the classics? Who doesn’t? You can’t beat em. They worked back in the day and still do the job today. Much like the rack mentioned in the introduction, the Allen 4-Gun Wall Rack provides the classic deer camp feel, keeps your guns off the floor, safe from being tipped over. Padded with felt on the notches, each holder is 4.5” deep for control and protection. At less than $50.00 you could not build it yourself cheaper. http://tiny.cc/c0qcxx

Big Sky Racks Overhead Gun Rack

Everyone’s greatest fear of keeping their guns in the car on a trip is the risk of having the car broken into. If you have not had this thought, and piled a few more bags onto the gun case, you are kidding yourself. Big Sky Racks Overhead Gun Rack is a possible solution not just for anti-theft, but also for freeing up some space in the car. This overhead gun rack system does require you to tap into your ceiling of the cab, and comes with these self taping sheet screws. Make sure you have double wall roof before you install. “The Big Sky BSR-2 Gun Rack is for overhead, horizontal mounting in cars, camper shells, boats, airplanes, vans, closets and trunk lids. It holds two guns and deters theft by keeping long guns out of sight.” The dimensions of the rack is 15.875” x 17.5” x 3.5”, is built from steel and keeps your guns protected with dense foam and in place with nylon straps. http://tiny.cc/6frcxx

Hatchie Back Seat Gun Sling

This polyester back seat gun sling claims to be tear resistant, and from reviews on social media, seems to hold up to its promise. The name of the product does exactly what it says, holds gun off the back seat. This is...convenient as it can hold two shot guns or rifles, and we all know just how organized our trucks become during hunting season. “Hatchie has you covered with all your vehicle’s accessory needs. Constructed of durable 3mm Neoprene the sling features 2 large cargo-type pockets for shells and gear. Sling straps around headrest and securely fastens to bottom of seat.” The installation is simple, just slip the heavy duty straps over the head read of the driver and passenger seat and Presto-you have yourself a nifty life gun carrier. This system is built with padding and non slip lining to protect your guns. http://tiny.cc/rtrcxx August 2015

Triangle Theorem: 5 Expert Steps For Elk Success (continued from page 5)

Once you have a few areas defined, venture into the woods. Concentrate your efforts on one subunit and systematically scout each subunit until you feel you have enough information for the hunt. Step 2: Identify well-used water sources

In my opinion, water is the single most limiting factor when it comes to elk movement and habitat utilization, especially in the regions of the West that are facing severe drought conditions. Elk are more likely to migrate from an area completely due to a depleted water source than by other changes to their habitat resources. For the hunter, water sources are the easiest points of the triangle to identify; most can be spotted simply by looking at a good map. However, do not assume anything. Get out and check possible water sources in person to make sure they still actually hold water. Periodically, recheck water sources to make sure they still hold water. You can gain quality information about elk activity by investigating areas near water sources used by elk. Analyze the sign around the water source by looking for tracks and, hopefully, at least one well-used trail. Trails are usually more defined near water sources. Use these trails as potential sides to define a triangle. Step 3: Find the feed You can analyze your map and search for elk sign all day long, but in my mind, visual confirmation of elk in their natural habitat provides quick and easy validation and it is the most satisfying of any scouting discovery. In most elk habitat, feeding areas are highly visible and elk are usually in or near these locations early in the morning and late afternoon, making it a great location to glass, if possible. On your map, look for a vantage point that overlooks a potential feeding area. If you have hunted this area before, you probably have a handle on where to look. If not, look for open areas with ample forage and that are located near water sources. Do this for each subunit defined. Prior to the hunt, put your optics to work. Pay close attention to where elk enter and exit feeding areas and try to estimate where they may be going. This will help to give more definition to your triangle sides. 8 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Step 4: Get to the beds Across the West, elk reside in a diverse set of habitat types and bedding grounds in each habitat vary significantly; therefore, it is my opinion that this can be the most difficult point on the triangle to identify. In fact, you may have to go back to your map and use the data you have collected for a little assistance. When you checked your water source(s), you should have identified at least one well-used trail and established which direction elk travel as they come to or leave water sources. Likewise, while glassing feeding areas you should have noted which direction elk came into or left the feeding area. Examine your map. You should have several almost complete triangles. Interpolate the sides of the triangles to see if they point to a potential bedding area. Note that elk may travel several miles in between any of the three major resources and that elk generally travel by following some topographic feature, whether it is a ridgeline, specific elevation contour or drainage. Try to estimate where elk may be bedding by studying the topographic features near any intersections you have found. Investigate your hypothesis by any means possible until you are positive that you have closed in on a bedding area. Again, annotate each on your map. Step 5: Unravel travel corridors After you have identified the three points of your triangle, you may find it helpful to connect the three points with straight lines as a way to estimate where the true travel corridors exist. Analyzing travel corridors will provide useful data such as which direction elk are traveling, the sex of the elk using a trail and how recently elk may have traveled it. For this step, try working further away from the resources or points that you have already identified and examined for elk sign. During your investigation, pay close attention to the size and direction of tracks. It is quite possible that bulls are using different trails than the cows, depending on the season. Trail cameras have grown in popularity as a tool for scouting for elk. Most importantly, trail cameras keep on working when you have to go back to work and continue to work on a 24-hour basis. Try hanging a trail camera on a travel corridor to confirm your findings and to compile new information. Trail cameras can provide a wealth of data including: Date of sighting, Time of sighting, Number of sightings, Sizes of bulls

Put the Elk-Triangle-Theorem to the Test Most hunters hunt places that are merely a name on a map. These “spots” are just a vague location — not a true indicator of where elk reside and interact in their habitat on a daily basis. Since I started following the elk triangle theorem, I hunt high probability areas based on empirical data collected while scouting. No matter how far you get putting together your triangle, I am confident that the data you collect and compile will help you when your hunt finally rolls around.

August 2015

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have hunted with many guides over the years, none more skilled and meticulous than Terry Scott, who outfits for huge mule deer in the Red Deer Valley of Alberta. Terry’s specialty is getting bowhunters within 60 yards of giant bucks in farm country that is flat as a pool table in many places. The man is good at what he does. Every September his hunters kill bucks in the 170- to 190-class---on the ground, spot and stalk, with a bow. Here’s how he does it. Pinpoint the Bucks At sunup in September and early October, Terry glasses bucks as they move off feed fields and work toward bedding areas. He watches them for 30 minutes or 3 hours—however long it takes for the deer to bed down on a grassy hillside or in a copse of trees. “Sometimes a buck group will stop for a while, but get back up and move to another bed where the visibility and wind are better for them,” he says. “They might do this 2 or 3 times in a morning. Keep glassing until they bed where they’ll stay put for several hours or all afternoon.” See and Control But it’s not quite time to charge off yet on a stalk. Pick apart the terrain and cover between you and the bucks with binoculars and spotting scope. Look for does and small bucks—Terry calls them “spoilers”—that might see or smell you and blow up your stalk. Plan a circuitous route that will take you around any spoilers, and watch your target buck(s) as much as you can. If the big bucks move, you can adjust on the fly. Or if a doe walks into your line, you can stop, back out and circle. “It’s all about staying sharp, seeing as much country as you can and controlling the situation,” says Terry. Let the Wind Settle The early-morning wind in open country is finicky. As Terry glasses bucks and plans a stalk for an hour or more, there is more to his madness. He lets the sun rise and the wind settle, until it blows mostly in one direction. “I rarely take off until the wind gets steady, that’s the only way you can reliably stay downwind of a big buck and any spoilers out there,” he says. But Wind is Good A steady midday wind is good because it sways and bends standing wheat, alfalfa or grass and covers your moves. Terry wears a brown-and-green Ghillie Suit that blends perfectly with the early-fall cover; the fabric strips move against the grass and in the breeze for maximum concealment. Stalk and Close Take off and go, quickly at first. Use draws and the backs of hills for cover, but remember, sneak where you can peek at the bucks and see what’s going on. When you’re bowhunting, the last 200 yards are the toughest on the plains. The first time you stalk a bachelor group of 5 or 6 bucks with Terry you’ll swear there is no way to get within 100 yards of the deer. But you probably will.

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Lie flat on your belly in a low spot, and rest your bow on your back (no arrow nocked yet). Put all your weight on your elbows, and pull your body forward. Inchworm to a bush or hill lip until you feel close. Stop, ready an arrow, rise up slowly on your knees in the grass and zap a buck with your range-finger. If a buck is within 60 yards and especially 50, take that shot so long as you have practiced at those distances and are confident. Terry can get you close, but only so close. “Long-range shots are the norm when you stalk the giants up here,” he says.

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August 2015 11

Snake Rigging Walleye By Jason Mitchell The author Jason Mitchell lifting a beautiful walleye. Tweaking spinner harnesses can help you catch more and bigger walleye this season.

W hether you are running a spread of planer boards on the Great Lakes or hitting a milk run of points with bottom bouncers on one of the Missouri

River reservoirs, you would be hard pressed to find a more effective presentation than a spinner harness. The combination of vibration, flash and profile combined with the speed makes this classic walleye weapon so effective through the dog days of summer. On the Great Lakes, anglers are often running spinner harnesses high in the water column with split shot or through the middle of the water column with trolling weights like Baitfish Trolling Weights or classic Bead Chain Keel Sinkers. On many inland bodies of water, three way rigs and bottom bouncers are often used to follow structure. Three ways more so in river systems or over basins and soft bottoms while bottom bouncers shine on rock, tight breaks, and sharp contours or along weeds. Like many anglers, I started out relying on crawlers to tip many spinner harnesses. Crawlers can be fished through such a wide spectrum of speeds and what walleye can resist the squirming undulating action of a big fat crawler pulled through the water? Over the past ten years, like many anglers… my harness tipping has evolved to include a lot of soft plastic and pork crawlers. My own personal evolution away from live bait began on torrid bites where I literally couldn’t have enough crawlers in the boat and soon realized that I could catch the same amount of fish tipping with soft plastics. Over time, my confidence in using soft plastic and water-soluble crawlers soared. Soft plastic tipping options for spinner harnesses were convenience in a bag, with no messy worm bedding or ice. There is a lot to like about not needing live bait. I started out rigging the soft plastic crawlers just like I rigged the real counterparts. The front-hook ran through the nose of the crawler (with a little bit of slack line on the back hook) so that the worm would pull straight through the water. Over time, that evolved into the snake rig that I have had so much success with over the past few years. With real night crawlers, it is important to have some slack between the front The author’s “Snake Rigging” method curves or warps a soft plastic worm and back hook so that the crawler like the rig pictured so that the worm can roll straight through the water. zigzags through the water at faster If the line between the front hook trolling speeds, an extremely effective and back hook is too tight, technique for triggering big fish. the crawler drags in a shape where the worm will often break and pull through the water unrealistic.

12 - Hunting & Fishing News

Soft plastics however offer much more possibilities for rigging and action. By keeping the line between the front and back hook tight and imparting a curve on to the soft plastic crawler or worm, the action changes and comes alive. This type of rigging requires a bit more speed, often between 1.7 to 2.2 miles per hour. With the curved worm and the faster speed, the harness begins to zigzag through the water in a very realistic action that looks like a snake swimming in the water, the snake rig. I have had tremendous luck with this snake rigging from mid to late summer and especially so for larger walleye. I theorize that the zigzagging swimming action is more difficult for small fish to hone in on and catch with their smaller mouths where big fish don’t have an issue. This has been my go to weapon the past couple of summers when I need a big fish when using spinner harnesses. Bigger fish just like this particular action. With the right combination of speed and warp, the goal is to get the soft plastic to come alive in a seductive and realistic swimming action. Often necessary to run the snake rig next to the boat just to make sure that it is working properly. This rigging tweak can help you catch bigger walleye this season or at least give you another very effective alternative to classic live bait options. When fish are really off or if the bite is such where you have to feed the fish or let the planer board fall back, the real night crawler often trumps everything. There are other bites however where the fish drag and choke up on the spinner and want the spinner moving faster. When the bite is good or excellent, soft plastics take over. By hooking a soft plastic crawler with a little bit of slack between the front and back hook, you have an easy to hit target that moves straight through the water. This classic approach works many days. By just hooking the soft plastic worm with one hook in the nose, you create a fast fluttering action when the spinner is pulled through the water. By rigging the soft plastic worm with the snake rigging method where the worm is curved like a banana, the worm begins to swim behind the harness.

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www.MAGZTER.COM Jason Mitchell designed the popular Pro Walleye Series spinner harnesses for Northland Fishing Tackle that feature extremely bold color combinations, alternating bead patterns to mimic bait fish and metal speed clevises for better blade rotation through a wider spectrum of speeds. All of these rigging options have their place and I have seen days where each look is desired by fish. This season, experiment with these methods and vary your rigging to catch even more and bigger walleye. For more from Jason Mitchell visit www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com

Read on your tablet or smartphone; whether it is Apple (iPad/iPhone/iPod) or Android (Samsung Galaxy, Motorola Xoom, Dell Streak, Google Nexus-S, etc.)

ADVERTISING - Rick Haggerty (406) 370-1368 Publisher - Amy Haggerty - Helena, MT.

huntingfishingnews@yahoo.com www.huntingfishingnews.net The entire contents is © 2015, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does the printed material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Volume 12 Issue 6 cover photo: ©natureguy | canstockphoto.com

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Big Crankbaits Often Catch Bigger Bass In Summer www.yamahaoutboards.com Of all the lures in Todd Faircloth’s tackle boxes, the ones he does not talk about very often are his big, deep diving crankbaits. That’s because the Yamaha Pro knows how effective they can be during the warm weather months.

“Deep diving crankbaits are not easy to use because they really tire you out,” explains Faircloth, “but I like them because I think they attract larger bass than jigs or Carolina rigs do. If you can convince yourself big crankbaits are worth the effort it takes to fish them, you’ll realize they’re effective from late spring through early autumn on lakes all around the country.” The best deep diving crankbaits today can reach depths of around 20 feet. They’re large lures and usually have a strong wobbling action that makes them hard to retrieve, especially for hours and sometimes days at a time.

“There isn’t a lot a fisherman can do that makes using deep diving crankbaits much easier,” acknowledges the Yamaha Pro, “except use certain types of equipment. I recommend bass anglers use slower reels, such as those with 5:1 gear ratios, and that those reels have larger, over-sized handles. Those two features will definitely ease arm and wrist stress caused by continuous cranking. “The other item I suggest fishermen use is a longer rod of at least seven feet in length. One of the real keys to successful deep cranking is making long casts, especially with the wind at your back if you can, and a long rod will always give you extra distance and make retrieving easier.” In most cases, he uses 10-pound fluorocarbon line, but in shallower water, or on lakes with a lot of heavy cover like his home waters of Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend Reservoirs, he will change to a heavier line just to avoid break-offs.

Faircloth tries to make his lure look and act erratic during his retrieves, which means not only changing speeds and jerking the lure occasionally with his rod tip, but also trying to richochet the crankbait off cover or the bottom. With the prime strike zone usually located between 12 and 18 feet, he concentrates primarily on offshore structure like main lake points and creek and river channels. With his electronics, he’s also looking for stumps, laydowns, or rocks that make these types of structure even more attractive to bass.

“The majority of bass I catch with this technique always hit the crankbait after it deflects off something and suddenly changes direction,” he emphasizes. “That’s why making long casts is important in deep cranking. With a long cast, the lure stays deeper longer and has the chance to hit more cover, but even if the lure misses specific cover, bouncing and grinding it along the bottom can be just as effective.” That’s the technique Faircloth used earlier this summer for his top-10 finish in the Toyota® Texas Bass Classic on Lake Fork, an event won with the same deep cranking technique by fellow Yamaha Pro Keith Combs. Faircloth has also recorded high finishes during Bassmaster®...

“Deep cranking works because the lures not only get down into the deeper strike zone bass usually have in summer,” continues the Yamaha Pro, “but also because the lure itself is larger and more closely matches the size of the forage bass eat this time of year. These lures measure between three and four inches in length, so they’re much larger than the crankbaits we throw in shallow water. “Summer bass are also schooling fish, so when you bring a crankbait through a group of bass like this, there’s a certain amount of competition among those fish to grab the lure first, before another fish can get it. That’s the type of situation you always hope to find when you’re deep cranking, and when you do, you can catch fish on every cast. They’ll nearly always be quality fish, too.” August 2015 15

Top-5 Factors Causing Deer Population Declines By Kip Adams

H unters throughout the whitetail’s range are complaining of declining deer populations. Not all hunters, of course, but enough to draw newspaper

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headlines, DNR deer management plan audits, and legislation aimed at growing deer herds. Are these declines real, and if so, what are the driving factors? We can look at current antlered buck harvests and compare them to buck harvests a decade ago to monitor the presence and degree of changes in herd size. Changes in buck harvest can be a good index to changes in the actual herd size, and they are a great index to hunters’ perceptions of the actual herd size. A state-by-state analysis would be much longer than this article allows, so I’ll assess it on a regional basis and divide the U.S. into the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast regions. (You can review the state-by-state information in our 2015 Whitetail Report). The 2013-14 deer season is the most recent data available for use in comparing all states, so I’ll use data from that season and compare it to 10 years prior in the 2003-04 season. Deer populations were at all-time highs in many states a decade ago, so this analysis can compare current hunting opportunities with those often considered “the good ole days.”

Antlered Buck Harvest by Region

The Southeast shot nearly identical numbers of bucks in 2003 and 2013. The difference was only 17,794 bucks (1 percent). The Northeast also shot nearly identical numbers in 2003 and 2013 with a difference of only 18,011 bucks (3 percent). Amazingly, these regions shot nearly equal numbers of bucks, but the age structure was vastly improved in 2013. In 2003, yearling bucks constituted nearly 50 percent of all bucks harvested, and bucks 3½ years and older only accounted for just over 20 percent. However, by 2013 those numbers were nearly equal at 36 and 34 percent, respectively! Think about that for a minute. These two regions are shooting approximately the same number of bucks today as in 2003 but are shooting many more that are 2½, 3½, 4½ and 5½ years old. Wow, that sounds pretty good to me. The Midwest however is a very different story, as the buck harvest declined by more than 125,000 bucks from 2003 to 2013. It was the first time since at least 2009 the buck harvest in this region dropped below 1 million bucks. I believe there are five main reasons for the declines experienced in several Midwestern states. 1 – Hemorrhagic Disease We had a record hemorrhagic disease (HD) outbreak in 2007 and another in 2012. The Midwest lost tens of thousands of deer to HD and many states haven’t fully recovered from it. 2 – Severe Winter Weather We experienced severe winter weather during the past few years. Severe winters in the Upper Midwest can increase adult mortality, reduce fawn survival, and impact antler growth the following year as bucks have to recover the additional weight lost during the severe winter. This leaves less nutrition for antler growth.

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3 – Intentional Herd Reduction Several states were intentionally reducing their deer herds over the past decade. Many states were aggressively harvesting antlerless deer, and when you reduce the herd the buck harvest declines. In the Midwest today, only one state wildlife agency (Indiana) says it is trying to reduce the deer herd, the others are either trying to stabilize or grow their herds. 4 – Falling Fawn Recruitment Eight states in the Midwest measure fawn recruitment rates today. In my opinion, every state should be monitoring this important statistic. Back in 2005 only five of the eight states measured fawn survival, and it has dropped in all five from 2005 to 2014. You can blame it on predators, nutrition, climate change, or whatever you’d like, but the reality is far fewer fawns are surviving today than they did a decade ago. Approximately every other fawn born is a buck fawn, so fewer fawns means fewer bucks are recruited into the herd. 5 – Habitat Loss The last reason is arguably the most important in this list, and it is habitat loss. From 2007 to 2014 the U.S. enrolled 9.1 million fewer acres into the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)....The CRP is the most successful federal wildlife habitat program, and it pays landowners a fee to convert highly erodible cropland and environmentally sensitive acreage to wildlife habitat. It can include grasses, trees, windbreaks, shelterbelts, buffer strips and more. In most cases, CRP acres provide exceptional wildlife habitat, and this is especially true in the intensively row-cropped Midwest where cover was already the limiting habitat component. As a whole, the United States lost over 25 percent of its CRP acreage from 2007 to 2014 as the land was put back into agricultural production, largely as a result of record high corn and soybean prices, and the Midwest alone lost over 5 million acres of CRP! North Dakota lost over 1.5 million acres, and Kansas lost over 700,000 acres....every state in the Midwest lost acreage. The Northeast lost 17 percent of its CRP and the Southeast lost 20 percent. However, cover is not as critical a limiting factor in these regions as it is the Midwest, so the impact on deer populations is less noticeable. What Does All This Mean for Hunters? Overall things are pretty good for hunters in the Northeast and Southeast. This doesn’t mean all hunters in these regions are having their best years of all time. Rather it means as a whole the regions are doing well. State wildlife agencies collect data at the wildlife management unit level while we hunt at the property level. There can be a big difference between those, so we shouldn’t assume all other hunters’ experiences are similar to ours. While things may be good in the Northeast and Southeast, it’s a very different story in much of the Midwest. I say “much of” because some states like Kansas have more deer today than a decade ago and others like Kentucky are shooting a lot more bucks today than a decade ago. However, most Midwestern states are dealing with changes in their deer herds and habitats, and this results in disgruntled hunters. Deer management is in a very different place today than a decade ago. As deer herd size has changed, so have harvest goals, and many hunters are frustrated by this. Unlike short-term impacts of HD and severe winter, major habitat loss in the Midwest will plague deer herds for years to come. This article is reprinted with permission from the website of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), a non-profit wildlife conservation organization dedicated to ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. To learn more about deer hunting and managing deer habitat,visit www.QDMA.com. August 2015 17

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Iyett’s innotMontana, big game hunting season but if you are after a big-game fish, look no further than to target a northern pike in August. Summer fishing gets no better during these long days than chasing after a huge northern pike, and once you’ve hooked into one, you’ll know why. You can chase after pike with big spoons, crankbaits and even gaudy spinnerbaits during these hot days before things start cooling off in September.

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On bright, calm days set-up along ambush spots near deep weedlines close to shore tossing spoons and spinnerbaits towards the deeper weedlines. This is where you will be able to tangle with a feisty pike. However, if the reservoir you’re fishing is experiencing windy, choppy conditions, resulting in shoreline turbidity, which occurs a lot during the summer, the pike will move to more off-shore weedlines where the water is calmer. So for summer northerns, start with deep weeds, the brighter the sun light, the deeper down (but on the outside edge) of weed lanes. This is where the pike will be. Work jigs and trailers along these weedy drop-offs until the sun drops and the wind dies down, then hit the grassy areas near shore with floating plugs and cisco imitating lures that are sure to produce good numbers of fish.

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Toss your favorite lure to weeded edges like this one for more pike action. Photo: www.pikemasters.com

Pike Pointers • Late-season pike will roam much lower in the water column. Start deeper then work your way towards the shallows. • Follow the bait to find big late-season fish. In waters with a strong panfish forage base, seek out shallow bays that attract them and you’ll find pike. • In waters dominated by open-water forage, shallower rocky points can be great pike spots. • Because current attracts and concentrates fish, incoming creeks and rivers are a plus, and you’ll want to fish these points. • If you are not finding fish shallow, focus on pike staging areas, like deep water close to spawning bays. • Once you hook onto a giant, hold on! It will be a full-on ride. Take plenty of pictures, then let it back into the water column. Keep the smaller pike, as they are much better to eat.

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Summer Pike Gear PIKE PERFORMANCE: Pike can rarely resist a flashy spinner pulsing overhead. Here are a few pieces of gear for you to try now. Spinnerbaits - Yep, these highly versatile baits are mainly used for targeting bass, but northern pike will attack a moving spinnerbait consistently, plus spinnerbaits are highly versatile, they can be buzzed atop weedbeds without being hung-up or lost. Generally speaking, you’ll catch more pike using a slower retrieve, which gives these ambush predators more time to lock onto the target before they lunge from cover to strike.

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TOP MONTANA LAKES FOR PIKE Fort Peck Reservoir, Flathead River Sloughs, Fresno Reservoir, Seeley Lake, Nelson Reservoir, Pishkun Reservoir, Noxon Reservoir, Tiber Reservoir, Tongue River Reservoir

Mepps Cyclops -If you’re throwing spoons for pike, try a blue/silver red eye Mepps Cyclops. A tried and true performer on northern pike. Glass Minnow - Rapala Husky Jerk No. 14 in a glass color works well for tossing into and around weedbeds. It imitates a cisco that the pike feed on in many of the top waters in Montana. You can also toss this lure with good success as it works for pike, walleye, and smallmouth bass. Smithwicks - Saavy pike killers - blue and silver, chartreuse or a white, black silver combo are good colors right now. Mix in an orange color to imitate the pikes favorite forage, the perch. Rapala - T-13 in orange and white colors, SR-9 crawdad color or hammered nickel spoons with orange stripes all work well to catch pike. Just cast these to the shoreline or brushy areas where the pike hold up.

Pishkun Reservoir MFWP photo

The Montana State Record northern pike was caught out of the Tongue River Reservoir in 1972 by Lance Moyer, a 37.5 lb. giant. Wouldn’t this be a great record to break? August 2015 19

Say Hello To Success: Where to chase the Fish this Month Brought to you by

As we head into the last few weeks of our summer fishing season, the “Fish Rush” seems to slow a bit. The long hot days are taking a toll on the water temperatures, and most of our big game fish are heading to the deep depths of lakes and deep river pools, and the coolest water they can find. It’s time to change up your methods a bit until the cooler weather sets in. Fish early or fish late for the best catching opportunities here in the West. The bugs are still out in full force, and this does attract a good trout bite on our pristine Montana rivers. Late summer grasshoppers are at the top of the list, and the big brown trout that inhabit Montana streams will start a pre-spawn ritual and become very territorial and aggressive. All is good in the fishing world right now, so get out and enjoy the long summer days while they last. Here is a look at a few prime fishing waters to consider in August.

TARGET - BIG BROWN TROUT

Let’s start off with a few spots to target those big, bad browns that are so colorful this time of the year. -Madison River The greatest challenge to area anglers is going to be figuring out how the browns are behaving depending on water temperatures. They will be changing positions daily and holing up on the banks or hanging behind the eddies until the water levels drop. Once the water level drops to around 1000 CFS these browns will start to get more territorial in pre-spawn mode. Mid-August will be the hot time for hoppers. Anglers can nymph fish

Forrest Fawthrop, owner of Walleye/Trout Hunter Outfitters and client with large rainbow.

as well as dry fly for good success. If the water is still running fast, to get the fly in position, use a split shot or dead weight for a longer dead drift. You can expect a flurry of action early at dawn or late into the summer evenings until well after dark. -Bighorn River The Bighorn River will be exceptional throughout August. It’s mostly nymph fishing here, but streamers and dries will all take trout here. Red and orange San Juan worms, Woolly Buggers, Pheasant Tails and PMD emergers will catch big browns and rainbows in the warming August waters. Rapalas, spoons, and spinners can work well for anglers in the deeper runs or when fishing the Bighorn at night. Consider floating the lower stretch of the river from the FAS at Two Leggins 6-1/2 miles south of Hardin on Hwy. 313 to Yellowtail Dam Afterbay. This area of Montana is full of beauty with plenty of spots for overnight camping for you to enjoy.

-Marias River Pre-spawn action for brown trout this month on the Marias will be excellent. Fish the first 3 or 4 miles of water below the Dam at Tiber. Anglers access the river at the Loma Bridge FAS, 10 miles north of Fort Benton off of Hwy. 87. Fly fishing is prevalent, but a lot of spinners work such as a Panther Martin for brownies. Large brown trout can be found in good numbers that average around 3 lbs. and up. The upper stretch of the Marias River between it’s origin and Lake Elwell has a good number of warm water fish as well. Walleye, bass, catfish, and lots of whitefish can be caught in good numbers. Further down river, expect northern pike and smallmouth bass to be caught. -Yellowstone Park Streams In and around Yellowstone National Park (YNP), you can expect some good August stream fishing. Summer fishing on both the Lamar River and the Yellowstone between

Buffalo Ford and Yellowstone Lake can be great now. By mid-August expect things to be hopping with trouts favorite bugs - “hoppers and beetles.” Slough Creek, in this portion of the Park is another good bet. The main Yellowstone River below the lake, because of it’s easy access gets pounded pretty well by anglers. Still, it can be worthwhile and you can fish some of its most remote stretches like Black Canyon, if you’re willing to walk a bit. The Firehole and Gibbon Rivers will start to turn off this time of the year. Be sure to check for area river closures if the water temps get too high for an extended period of time. Advisories are in effect in most of these rivers before September.

TARGET - BASS NORTHWEST MONTANA -Thompson Lake Let’s change it up a bit and look at a few summer bass fishing spots. The heat can make it tough on bass anglers. They are feeding mostly at night, so you’ll want to focus on the early morning bite, or you can fish after dark using top-water Buzzbaits or spinnerbaits. There are opportunities to catch kokanee as well by trolling or dropping a jig below 50 feet using a maggot or corn on a Swedish Pimple or Glo-Hook. -Flathead River Smallmouth are best found below Kerr Dam to Perma in the Flathead. Fishing access at the mouth of Robertson Creek on Hwy. 200. This area is just below the Flathead Indian Reservation with about 4 miles of fishing out of the reservation boundaries. Again, you’ll want to fish early or late for the good bite.

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-Noxon Reservoir Noxon is another great summertime destination with good numbers of smallmouth or largemouth bass. It’s an excellent place for fishing as well as camping in the summer. Spinnerbaits or Twister Tails on jigs will get the attention of a bass. You can also enjoy fishing for northern pike, walleye, and rainbows on this great reservoir. Look for rock structures and submerged weed beds using crankbaits, plastic worms and spinner blades. EASTERN MONTANA -Fresno Reservoir Summer walleye fishing will be good now at Fresno. Most of the fish will be caught now from around 20 to 25 feet. Bottom bouncing a spinner and crawler combo during the day should land a few walleye between 1-1/2 to 5 lbs. In the evenings look to run crankbaits along the edges of the lake or by vertical jigging in weedy areas for good numbers of fish. The key to good fishing is finding schools of bait fish right now, and fishing a bit deeper until you hit the bite. -Nelson Reservoir The walleye fishing has been pretty good recently on Nelson Reservoir. Crankbaiting silver/black or just silver Rapala’s trolled between 10 to 15 feet of water seems to be picking up the walleye in the 20 inch category. Bottom-bouncing a worm harness should be option number 2 here in the summer. This Malta area reservoir will be great to fish. Just bring your bug spray with you.

Ricky Haggerty with a magnificent Western Washington salmon.

-WESTERN MONTANA Salmon & Seeley Lakes Don’t overlook the lakes that line the area around Seeley Lake. This area offers up exceptional fishing now for big northern pike, bass or kokanee salmon. Spinnerbaits, Husky Jerks in a perch pattern or weedless spoons will attract these heavy hitters that are cooling off under weeded edges of the lakes. There are plenty of camping sites around Seeley Lake. Fish early before the pleasure boats hit the lake.

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Idaho Fish & Game While the 2015 Chinook salmon season is winding down in some river sections, there are still more than 300 river miles open for salmon fishing enthusiasts in the Clearwater, Snake, and Salmon drainages. As of Monday, July 6 the following river sections are open: Upper Salmon River: Fishing hours are from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time. - Copper Mine to Pahsimeroi River: Copper Mine boat ramp approximately 2.5 miles upstream from the mouth of the Middle Fork Salmon River, upstream to a posted boundary at the mouth of the Pahsimeroi River... - Pahsimeroi River to Sawtooth Hatchery: From a posted boundary at the mouth of the Pahsimeroi River, upstream to a posted boundary about 100 yards downstream of the weir at Sawtooth Hatchery south of Stanley.... -Clearwater River Drainage: ...From 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time starting July 20. - Orofino to South Fork: From the Orofino Bridge upstream to the South Fork Clearwater at Kooskia. The daily limit is four salmon per day, no more than one of which may be an adult. - Middle Fork Clearwater: From the South Fork upstream to the confluence of the Lochsa and Selway rivers. The daily limit is four salmon per day, no more than one of which may be an adult. - Lochsa River: From its mouth to the Twin Bridges immediately upstream from the confluence of Crooked Fork and Colt Killed Creeks.... - South Fork Clearwater: From its mouth upstream to the confluence of American and Red rivers. The daily limit is four salmon per day, no more than two of which may be an adult... Salmon Hotline at 1-855-287-2702.

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The Secret To Summer Smallmouth By Babe Winkelman

s many of you know my favorite species to chase during the summer months is the smallmouth bass... With that said the summer mouths provide a challenge as more sunlight floods each body of water and continues to warm the water. Vegetation continues to flourish meaning more cover for fish. And as they say, where there is cover bait fish should be nearby. This means target weeded areas, using spinners or top water bait to provoke those smallies out of their hiding place. If you find the fish are just not in these dense vegetation areas, slide to a deep weed line edge out from shore. As you troll along be sure to station the boat 10 yards or so outside of that weed edge allowing you to cast your bait in the prime striking area. For this approach I like to cast erratic crank baits that ramp the fish up and trigger active fish. When a lake poses more of a rocky terrain, I like to target underwater points and bars. These spots range in depth but often deep water is nearby. This makes these locations promising as the summer heat takes its toll on area waterways. Once again casting crank baits is a tactic I like to use for these locations. But as I work the deep edges of the rock points and bars I switch to my go to tube jig. No matter the location be willing to adapt. No one day is the same but what I have learned is be willing to change your presentation, your retrieve, or even the body of water you are fishing. I hope these tips prove to be helpful and increase your smallmouth success this summer. ...donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to share your catches on my Facebook page! 22 - Hunting & Fishing News

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During the dog days of summer walleyes tend to relate to deep

structure or scatter across basins and flats as they chase the bait fish. With scattered fish, locating them can be challenging and frustrating. When faced with this situation, I like to cover as much water as possible which means lead core trolling is the name of the game. Many think lead core fishing is a complicated process, but it is a relatively easy thing to do. For those unfamiliar with lead core, it is a line with two parts, an exterior sheathing that is woven around a lead wire core. The main advantage and the reason I use lead core during the middle of summer is it allows me to get crank baits down to any depth I would like without having to use heavy weights, deep divers or down riggers. Well now you’re probably thinking how do I know how much line to let out? Well, lead core changes colors every 10 yards allowing you to gauge how many colors to let out in relation to water depth. The rule of thumb is 4-5 feet of depth to every color of lead core, so about 3 colors if you are fishing in 15 feet of water depending on lure, leader length, wind, and trolling speed. Lead core comes from 14lb to 45lb test, but due to its visibility a fluorocarbon leader 10 to 20 feet is used to attach the artificial baits. When it comes to a good lead core rod I like the St. Croix Eyecon trolling series rod. This has a tip that is sensitive enough to ensure the bait is running properly, a soft tip to absorb strikes, yet is backed by a strong durable backbone allowing you to land a fish of any size. For the states that allow two rods to be used I use the combination of 5’ rods off the back and 9’ off the sides. Paired with my Eyecon rod I like to use Cabela’s DepthMaster reels to hold the lead core. These reels are extremely durable and come standard with a line counter allowing me to get my bait in the sweet spot time and time again. As far as the rest goes, use your locator to find those deep structures, basins, or expansive flats. In these areas you should see bait fish at various heights in the water column on the screen of the locator. By using this tactic you should be able to pattern walleyes on any lake you are fishing, learning the magic color and the perfect depth to be running. With a little trial and error you will become a proficient lead core fisherman. So try this tactic out and you will be impressed with the results. Good Fishing.

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Rainfall 2015: Good Deer Health & Big Antlers

By Mike Hanback

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ll this rain we’ve been getting here in Virginia—and across the East and Midwest—is great for deer, and at this stage of the pre-season, barring any big breakouts of disease, I’m predicting a banner hunting year in most all of whitetail range. It is mid-July and the woods and fields are greener and lusher than I have seen them in years. The corn is emerald and tall. The habitat’s natural food and cover are in peak condition, and have been since spring. For months deer have consumed nutritious forbs and new-growth browse, which are high protein. © Bruce Macqueen | Dreamstime.com The woods are a jungle of green, with good cover everywhere. With does healthy and producing good milk from eating right, they have dropped a good number of fawns. All the lush cover has helped hide the little deer from predators, so fawn recruitment should be good to great across the country. To reach their genetic potential, both rack-wise and body-wise, bucks need an abundance of nutritious food, which they have this year. Research conducted in South Texas found that spring rains explained 70% of the year to year variability in buck antler size. The study found that there can be a 20-inch shift in rack score from a wet year to a dry year! The wet spring/summer of 2015 will also have a positive effect on the health and antler growth of immature bucks on down the road, especially if next spring is wet or at least not in drought. Biologists say that buck fawns born during a wet spring with lots of food, and when the mothers are healthy, will begin solid skeletal growth. It takes 3 years to complete skeletal growth in a deer, so a couple of good, wet years allow a buck with potential to get off to a big start. From a hunting perspective, one thing to keep in mind though: The more good food that is available for deer, the less bucks have to move to eat. The less they move, the tougher they are to see and kill. We know we’re going to have good crops and browse…if it’s a good acorn year too in your area, seeing and shooting a good buck, especially with your bow, could be tough. But heck, that makes it more fun and challenging. How’s the habitat looking where you live and hunt? Editor’s note: The Rocky Mountain West has been dry for the most part this year. A mild winter followed by a dry spring has helped deer and elk numbers to increase in most areas. Periodic rainfall this summer has helped to maintain the green grasses and forage that these animals crave. August and September will be the test out west. Area hunters are hoping for a bit more moisture and no EHD outbreaks towards the end of summer, if this pattern occurs - look for a great hunting season ahead with a substantial increase in good bucks available. 24 - Hunting & Fishing News

August 2015 25

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RMEF Grant Assists Idaho Wolf Management Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

he Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) accepted a $50,000 grant from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to help firm up the state’s ability to maintain management of its wolf population. “This is the fifth and final year of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s five-year monitoring period to evaluate the status of Idaho’s wolf population,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “The RMEF grant is designed to ensure

wolves remain delisted so Idaho can continue to monitor the population and implement effective state-based management practices.”

The grant funding will be used to target two primary activities. The first is to hire a wolf tracking expert to assist in locating non-documented wolf packs while also assisting in collaring those packs in conjunction with a helicopter capture operation. The second activity is to document mid-winter pack composition through aerial tracking and remote camera work.

Idaho wildlife managers documented a minimum of 770 wolves in 2014 which is more than 400 percent above minimum recovery levels.

The total includes 104 packs with an additional 23 border packs counted by Montana, Wyoming and Washington that established territories overlapping the Idaho state boundary. IDFG suspects there are even more packs but did not include them in the 2014 count due to lack of documentation. “As per requirements under the Endangered Species Act, Idaho will continue to manage its wolf population under federal oversight until May 2016. We also know that wolves and other predators have a significant impact on elk in some parts of Idaho. Funding for this project allows the state to better address predator populations by maintaining state control of wolf management,” added Allen. In the last three-plus years, RMEF awarded approximately $350,000 in grants specifically for wolf management, including $50,000 for Montana earlier this month.

28 - Hunting & Fishing News

HUNTING & CONSERVATION NEWS

11 th Annual Banquet

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FWP Seeking Public Input On Elk Hunting Seasons Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public comment on proposed guidelines to establish elk hunting seasons before or after the existing archery and general rifle seasons.

The additional seasons, called elk shoulder seasons, would be used where needed to reduce elk populations. The primary intent of a shoulder season is to help reduce the population in a hunting district or group of hunting districts. A shoulder season could occur between Aug. 15 and Feb. 15 outside the five-week general rifle season and six-week archery season.

Comments will be taken until 5 p.m., Aug. 10. To see the proposal and comment, visit the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov Click “Submit Public Comments”, then click “Hunting & Trapping” Written comments also will be accepted at: FWP – Wildlife Division Attn: Public Comment P.O. Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701 For information, call 406-444-2612, or visit the FWP website at www.fwp.mt.gov

Comment Sought on Proposed Habitat Project on Sun River WMA MFWP Fish, Wildlife and Parks seeks public comment on a draft environmental assessment on a proposed habitat project on the Sun River Wildlife Management Area west of Augusta on the Rocky Mountain Front... This proposed project is one attempt to improve elk winter range on the WMA by improving habitat and forage that has become less desirable and available due to conifer expansion (primarily Douglas fir) over the last several decades. One of the primary objectives of this project is to alleviate over used portions of the WMA by modifying elk distribution through improved winter range habit on other portions of the WMA. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m., Aug. 10. Send comments to: Sun River WMA Habitat Project, FWP, PO Box 488, Fairfield, MT 59436 or by email to blonner@mt.gov

Lewis & Clark Chapter Friday, August 21, 2015 Lewis & Clark Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall

Begins: 5 pm Dinner: 7 pm Card Games, Hat Raffle, Poker Game, Score The Buck Game, Women’s Rose Raffle, Numerous Firearms, Live & Silent Auctions, Bottomless Beer Glasses, Entertainment, Great Food & Tons Of Fun! Banquet Tickets:

Tickets can be purchased at New Members: $65.00 Bob Ward’s, (Dinner & Membership) Active Member & Guests: $30.00 Sportsman’s Warehouse Youth Meal (12 & Under): $10.00 and Capital Sports. General Raffle Tickets: $100.00

Special Table Packages Available - Reserve Yours Today!

Monarch Table: $1,200.00 Non-Typical Table: $700.00 Typical Table: $450.00 VIP table for 8 8 meals 4 MDF memberships Springfield Armory .45 XDS 4 bottomless beer glasses Chance to win a firearm!

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REGIONAL NEWS Colorado Hunting Licenses Over-the-counter (OTC) and over-the-counter with caps (bear and elk) licenses are available for sale online, by phone at 1-800-244-5613 or CPW locationsand license agents... Over-the-counter with caps licenses (bear and elk) are licenses that are limited in number and only available first-come, first-served starting at 9amMDTon July 21. The list of over- the-counter withcaps will be online. Please note that over-the-counter with caps rifle bear licenses have season participation rules. Within the 2015 Big Game Brochure, please see page 59 for bear and page 33 for elk.

Unlimited over-the-counter licenses are licenses that are unlimited in number and available in a range of units and seasons. There are unlimited over- the-counter licenses for cow and either-sex archery elk, bull elk in the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons, either-sex elk in the plains, either-sex archery pronghorn, and doe and either-sex whitetail deer.

Walleye Stocking: By The Numbers

Anglers are never far from a lake where they can catch walleye in Minnesota. Fish stocking keeps it that way. Stocking walleyes involves taking eggs from waters that have reproducing walleye populations and releasing newly hatched fry or small walleye fingerlings into lakes that don’t have reproducing populations. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources pays for its stocking effort with fishing license and walleye stamp dollars. This year, the process started April 8 in the Pike River near Tower, used eight egg-take sites and ended April 26 in Fergus Falls. Curious about walleye stocking? Here’s a snapshot, by the numbers. 2015 stocking effort -Eggs taken: 4,655 quarts of eggs, or 582 million eggs, close to the 10-year average. -2015 stocking plan: 286 rearing ponds get 115 million fry and 272 lakes get 296 million fry. The goal for fingerling stocking is about 140,000 pounds. General walleye stocking stats -Length of a walleye fry: about 1/3-inch. -Length of a walleye fingerling: 4- to 6-inches. -Lakes stocked with walleye (each lake usually every other year): about 1,050, all over the state. -Lakes where, without any stocking, anglers could still catch walleye: 260, mostly in the northern half of the state. -Estimated percentage of walleye harvested that result from natural reproduction: 85 percent, with about half from popular walleye lakes like Lake of the Woods, Leech, Red and Winnibigoshish. -Cost of an easy way to support walleye stocking: $5, to buy a walleye stamp, sold wherever Minnesota hunting and fishing licenses are sold. 30 - Hunting & Fishing News

These licenses are restricted to certain units and manners of take. For more information, please see the maps off the Mapspage or the 2015 Big Game Brochure (pages 30, 34-37 and 49). These licenses are listed in the online system without a hunt code or by asking for the specific OTC license by phone or in person.OTC whitetail deer licenses are only availableat CPW offices. Leftover limited licenses and OTC turkey licenses will be on sale in personat CPW locationsand license agents, and by phone at 1-800-244-5613,starting 9am MDT on Tuesday, August 4. They will be available for sale online starting at midnightMDT on August 5. Leftover limited licenses are licenses that have gone through the draw process and still have quota remaining. The list of leftover licenses available for purchase will be available online... If you have any questions, please contact CPW at 303.297.1192.

Upland Game Hunts Start U

tah’s upland game seasons begin on Aug. 22. That’s when the white-tailed ptarmigan hunt starts. The upland game seasons won’t end until the snowshoe hare hunt ends on March 15. That’s almost seven full months of hunting. In addition to providing hunters with lots of opportunity, Utah’s upland game also provide a lot of diversity. Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the DWR, says you can hunt white-tailed ptarmigan high in the Uinta Mountains one day, and then the next day, find yourself hunting chukar partridge on the rocky slopes of the west desert. “Utah offers a wide variety of upland game hunting,” Robinson says. You can get a quick feel for that opportunity and diversity by looking at a new quick-reference calendar. The calendar is found on page 56 of the 2015–16 Utah Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook online here: http://wildlife.utah.gov/wildlife-news/51-rules/guidebooks/1669-201516-utah-upland-game-and-turkey-guidebook.html Great hunt for kids Upland game hunting is also a great way to introduce young people to hunting. Many of the state’s upland game species can be taken with small firearms. And most of the hunts aren’t strenuous.

REGIONAL NEWS Time To Enter Second Super Hunt Drawing Eight hunters will win the opportunity of a lifetime to hunt through

Idaho’s second Super Hunt drawing. Entries for two elk, two deer, and two pronghorn hunts along with one moose hunt will be drawn, as well as a “Super Hunt Combo” that will entitle the winner to hunt for all four species - elk, deer, pronghorn and moose. Entries in the second drawing must be received at the Fish and Game headquarters by August 10, with the drawing set for mid-August. With every entry in Fish and Game’s Super Hunt drawings, hunters get a chance at winning the hunt of a lifetime, and their entry fee helps assure hunter and angler access to and across private lands. Winners can participate in any open hunt in the state for deer, elk, pronghorn or moose, including general hunts and controlled hunts, in addition to any general season or controlled hunt tags they also hold. All other rules of individual hunts apply. Super Hunt entries are $6 each and Super Hunt Combo entries are $20 each. No license is needed to enter either drawing and there is no limit to the number of entries. Hunters may enter the drawings at license vendors, Fish and Game offices, on the Internet at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/buy_online or by calling 800-554-8685. Entries can also be mailed to Fish and Game License Section, P.O. Box 25, Boise, ID 83707. Orders must be received at Fish and Game no later than August 10....

Okanogan County Limited-Entry Deer Hunt Applications Due Aug. 14 Eighteen lucky hunters will have an opportunity to hunt for deer this

fall on the 6,000-acre Charles and Mary Eder unit of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area in northeastern Okanogan County. Hunters can submit an application for the “limited-entry” deer hunt on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/scotchcreek/ or by contacting the WDFW northcentral region office at (509) 754-4624 or headquarters at (360) 902-2515. The deadline to apply is midnight Aug. 14. Eighteen applicants will be chosen during a random drawing and will receive access permits to the Charles and Mary Eder Unit of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area near Oroville. “This is part of our effort to provide quality hunting opportunities in Washington,” said Matt Monda, WDFW northcentral regional wildlife manager. “This drawing is open to the general public without any additional fees beyond the cost of a hunting license and the standard tags.” Of the 18 access permits available this year, six will be reserved for bow hunters, six for muzzleloaders and six for hunters using modern firearms. Hunters are allowed to take only one deer, as authorized by their general hunting license. Deer-hunting seasons for the area are Sept. 1-30 for bow hunters, Oct. 3-11 for muzzleloaders, and Oct. 17-27 for hunters using modern firearms. The results of the drawing will be available on WDFW’s website the last week of August. Hunters who are drawn will receive an access permit and a boundary map in the mail. August 2015 31

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WILD TURKEY ENCHILADA SKILLET Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 1-1/2 c wild turkey cooked (cubed) 1 onion (chopped) 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 10oz can green or red enchilada sauce 1 4oz green chili’s (chopped) 1 jalapeño pepper (diced) Crushed seasoned taco chips Shredded cheese Cilantro Sour cream Oil In skillet add oil with onion, sauté until tender, add soup and sauce, pepper, chili’s and then cooked turkey. Simmer, sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Serve with sour cream. Garnish with seasoned taco chips. 32 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Early Season Archery

By Babe WInkelman n just a few weeks many of you will be hitting the field in hopes of tagging an early season buck. Do not wait until the rut to try and bag a trophy buck. Early season archery can actually be your best chance as the woods have little pressure, bucks are roaming in bachelor groups, and they are less afraid to step out in the open to feed. This means during the early season your tactics might be different than hunting the heart of the rut. Here are some things I like to take into consideration when developing an early season game plan. The most important thing to keep in mind when archery hunting early season is that deer are following their late summer patterns which usually do not change until early to mid October; depending were you are located in the country. With that said, during the months, even weeks leading up to the season I do extensive scouting, by glassing deer and utilizing trail cameras.* By utilizing trail cameras I can better pattern deer activity; learning the areas they are traveling and times they are moving. Taking time to pattern a deer and fully understand it may be a time consuming process, but will be beneficial to your chances of early season success. Another key piece to being successful in the early season is finding the primary food source. During the late summer deer will usually feed at the same food source day after day, so finding that source is important and will increase your odds of being successful. A food source can consist of acorns, soybeans, corn, or a food plot* you may have planted. I have found that if acorns are abundant that deer, especially bucks, will be more apt to stay in the forest where they have cover. As for placement of a stand setting up between woodland food sources and crops is a great strategy. When finding the primary food source it usually means their bedding area is not far away. During their late summer feeding patterns bucks tend to bed close to the primary food source they are using. Intercepting them between the food source and bedding area can be a great location for hanging a stand. Other things that need to be taken into consideration when finally setting a stand are wind direction and scent control during your sit. Also make sure your bow is shooting correctly and that you are comfortable taking shots at a variety of different ranges. Get out there today, prepare, pattern, and the shot will be left up to you. Good luck this fall and shoot em straight. *Check state regulations on trail camera use and food plots.

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Aim Small, Miss Small By Babe Winkelman

Consistency is essential to being good with a bow and to achieve this consistency you must practice in the off season. As you practice this off season I want you to keep a few things in mind as you sling arrows down range.

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Last thing to keep in mind is work on aiming small. Far to often we get comfortable with hitting the large circle of the target and have the mentality that if I am hitting the target now it should be good enough to shoot at my sought after game this fall. Practice shooting at the smaller outside circles of the targets and hone in on tight groupings. By teaching yourself to aim small you will find that your missed shots will still be very accurate missing your intended shot location by mere centimeters instead of inches. I hope you will take something from these tips and strengthen your shooting ability this summer. As you practice and become more consistent you will find that your accuracy is dead on. So get out and practice, practice, practice and make that shot count this fall when that bruiser steps out! Good Hunting.

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The first thing to take note of is the distance you practice at. Far to often you get bored shooting that 20 yard shot and increase your practicing distance. This is fine to do but if you are not producing accurate and consistent shots at 20 yards you are not doing yourself any good by moving further from the target. So practice those 20 yard shots until your groupings tighten to the size of a silver dollar or so. Once you have mastered this then work on shooting from further distances. The second thing to keep in mind is the release of the arrow. This is by far one of the most important components to being an accurate archer. As you release the arrow you want to avoid jerking or torquing the bow as it will result in poor shots. This usually happens from the archer quickly squeezing or jerking the trigger of the release causing the entire body to move. So as you practice this summer work on lightly squeezing the release trigger. You will be surprised how your groupings will become tighter.

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BOB WARD’S SPORTS & OUTDOORS NEW GEAR REVIEW

SITKA® Gear Elevated II Pattern Camo Extend your hunting season concealment

New for 2015, is SITKA’s GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Elevated II pattern, the new and improved version of SITKA’s Elevated Forest pattern. While utilizing the same technology and methods of concealment as their previous Elevated Forest pattern, the Elevated II pattern has been fine-tuned to better handle the changing seasons so it functions more as an all-season pattern while also allowing for further engagement distances. By compensating for the transformative nature of the canopy from late summer to early winter SITKA® has made the Elevated II pattern the ultimate camo for extending your hunting season and your concealments effective range—putting you another step ahead of the game. Founded in 2005, SITKA® Gear is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. SITKA® Gear exists to elevate the standard against which all other hunting brands are measured – in product design, content authenticity, customer service, and environmental stewardship. This hunting season, use the best...SITKA® Gear from Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors.

The SilencerCo Harvester Sound Suppressor Because Silence is Golden

Now that you can hunt with a sound suppressor in Montana,

allow us to introduce The Harvester. A lightweight, accurate, and dependable direct thread suppressor specifically designed for big game hunting rifles. The benefits of hunting with a suppressor are tremendous when considering the senses a hunter uses. Preserving hearing helps in situational awareness. Plus, suppressors reduce recoil and increase accuracy making you a more effective hunter. As the lightest centerfire suppressor available, the Harvester offers best shot over shot precision performance from thinner barrels combined with magnum class durability due to a fully welded, hardened, tool-grade stainless steel baffle design.

Gold Tip Hunter Pro Arrows The toughest arrow you’ll ever shoot.

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and conditions. You demand tough, accurate arrows. Gold Tip’s Hunter family of arrows provide the versatility to meet the demands of every level and challenge you may come up against. Providing speed, stability and strength, thanks to Gold Tip’s Smart Carbon technology and 100% pure carbon construction, the Hunters have become the “go-to” hunting arrows for many thousands of bowhunters. See the Gold Tip Hunter Pro Arrows today and see why they make our cut for a number one choice in arrows.

See these and other fine products at one of the 5 Montana Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors stores near you in Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Butte and Hamilton or shop 24/7 at www.bobwards.com 34 - Hunting & Fishing News

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August 2015 35

Summer Scouting By Bob Humphrey Yamaha Outdoors Tips

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*Manufacturer’s suggested retail price shown. Prices may vary due to supply, freight, etc. Actual prices set by the dealer. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Availability subject to production, stocking, and Demand. MSRP for base Kodiak model. Kodiak 700 EPS SE shown from $8,899. Professional rider depicted on closed course. ATV models shown are recommended for use only by riders 16 years and older. Yamaha recommends that all ATV riders take an approved training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Never carry passengers. Never engage in stunt riding. Riding and alcohol/ drugs don’t mix. Avoid excessive speed. And be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Shown with optional accessories. ©2015 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaOutdoors.com 36 - Hunting & Fishing News

know that pre-season scouting is an integral part of a successful hunt. While many limit their scouting time to the days and weeks leading up to opening day, more enterprising individuals never quit. For them, scouting is a year-round proposition, and often tied in to other outdoor activities. You too can work toward a more successful fall season by incorporating some off-season scouting into your summer adventures. Gone Fishing While you’re out fishing, think waterfowl. Puddle ducks prefer to feed in those same shallow weed beds where you cast for bass. When cruising or trolling down the river look for coves, backwaters or sloughs where ducks might feed or stage during the day. Out on the lakes and bays, those shallow reefs you avoid while boating might be prime feeding areas for divers. Even narrow strips of dense cover alongside your favorite trout stream could attract upland game birds come fall. Hike It’s sometimes said the best way to endure a long hike is by looking only a few steps ahead rather than far down the trail. While your eyes are trained there, you should also be looking for sign like tracks or game crossings. Observe terrain and topography to predict where certain features might funnel deer movement. In more open country, make note of brushy draws and pockets of cover that might provide daytime bedding cover. On the Trail Much the same applies when riding the trails on your ATV. You should always have a GPS and a topo map with you. Mark waypoints and other locations that might be worth further investigation as the season draws closer. You may also find a quicker, easier way to access un-pressured back-country areas...

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BEYOND THE RECORD-HIGH DUCK NUMBERS www.deltawaterfowl.org

T he 2015 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey revealed last week that the spring duck population is at a record high, but returning birds initially found a lower pond count in key areas

of the breeding grounds. So, while there will be plenty of ducks to be had, reduced breeding success might result in wary flocks containing more adult birds this fall. “The age ratio should skew toward older ducks this season, simply because I expect production to be much lower than previous years,” said Dr. Frank Rohwer, president of Delta Waterfowl. “That will challenge hunters, since adult ducks are much more difficult to decoy than juveniles.”

Still, the annual survey, which has been conducted jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service since 1955, is otherwise cause for celebration. It puts the breeding duck population at a 49.52 million, slightly higher than last year’s population of 49.15 million and 43 percent above the long-term average.

The survey marks the highest estimates ever recorded for mallards and green-winged teal. Mallards increased 7 percent to 11.64 million, 51 percent above the long-term average. Green-winged teal populations grew by 19 percent to 4.08 million, 98 percent above the long-term average. “This year’s population estimates are not due to great conditions this year, but high because of several consecutive years of great production,” Rohwer said. “All the stars aligned in 2014: There was water in all the right places and at all the right times. Despite the declining pond conditions, the data indicates great population carryover from the last few highly successful breeding seasons.” The May pond count registered 6.31 million — 12 percent lower than last year’s soaking wet conditions, but still 21 percent above the long-term average. In the U.S. portion of the prairie pothole region, which consists of eastern Montana and the Dakotas, conditions were drier than previous years until significant rains fell in May and June. The Canadian portion of PPR, which encompasses much of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, also saw reduced pond estimates. But unlike in the United States, a lack of rains later in spring led to deteriorating conditions for breeding ducks. Drier wetland conditions can impact duck distribution and production. Several species — notably pintails — will overfly the prairie if their preferred small wetlands are dry when they are settling in spring. “When birds pass over the prairie pothole region and settle farther north, they typically do not have as high of reproductive success,” Rohwer said. “Pintails and mallards tend to continue north when they don’t find sufficient seasonal and temporary wetlands on the prairies.” However, ducks that did settle in the Dakotas were likely able to capitalize as wetland conditions improved later in spring. Rains in May and June improved wetland conditions, which should aid duck production in many areas of the U.S. prairies.

“The rains we got in May and June across the eastern Dakotas will probably benefit late nesters like blue-winged teal, gadwalls and scaup,” Rohwer said. “It’s also likely to spur renesting attempts and aid in duckling survival.” By contrast, most areas of prairie Canada have not received the timely spring rains that occurred in the U.S. prairies. As a result, pond conditions have declined. “The widespread drier conditions in prairie Canada later in spring will negatively affect duck production,” Rohwer said.

In addition to record highs among the breeding populations of mallards and green-winged teal, the gadwall estimate (3.83 million) is the second highest in survey history, and the blue-winged teal estimate (8.55 million) is the species’ third highest ever. Population estimates for wigeon (3.04 million), canvasbacks (757,000), redheads (1.2 million), and scaup (4.4 million) are similar to 2014. Northern shovelers showed the greatest decline, falling 17 percent to 4.39 million but remaining 75 percent above the long-term average. Pintails continue to be a source of concern, declining for the fourth straight year to 3.04 million birds, 24 percent below the long-term average. The survey data is a reminder that it is a fine era to be a duck hunter. Liberal season frameworks — with the longest allowable seasons and highest daily duck limits — will certainly continue. Record breeding populations of mallards and green-winged teal, along with very high numbers of blue-winged teal and gadwalls, certainly promise the prospect of good duck hunting this year. “While we anticipate decreased production and fewer young ducks in the fall flight, hunters should look forward to a strong fall flight,” Rohwer said. 38 - Hunting & Fishing News

August 2015 39

40 - Hunting & Fishing News

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1a.) First, I review state profiles to get a breakdown on what I can expect to pay for fees and I make note if they are states where I need to front money or not. The days when I need to have five internet tabs open plus confusing regulation books are finally gone. I can now have easier access to all the information I need in order to make an informed decision on where to spend my money and hard earned bonus points. Author with his Montana archery (continued page 42) muler deer

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How the creators of INSIDER use INSIDER (continued from page 41)

1b.) Next, I study species profiles to get a deeper level of understanding on information I need to know for my species of choice. From there, I can weigh my options and I will know if this state is right for me. 2. How do you use INSIDER to find hidden hunting opportunities? I have found the Unit Profile filtering device to be worth its weight in 180” mule deer bucks. I was looking for additional opportunities in December and January to extend my hunting season. Last fall I started researching areas for over-the-counter archery hunts in Arizona for mule deer. With the filtering tool, I selected Arizona — Mule deer — Late archery (over-the-counter season). The Unit Profile filtering showed all units in Arizona where I could hunt late season mule deer over-the-counter. This provided me with a fantastic starting point and gave me a lot of options to look over. I then started to mark down units to look at that are on the fringes (foothills) of wilderness areas because I was looking for bucks migrating out of the high country in search of does that would be at lower elevations. After selecting 8 to 10 units that fit my personal criteria, I could then dive into the Unit Profile descriptions to see what units were better for deer numbers and quality bucks. INSIDER provided me with new hunting opportunities that I otherwise would not have known existed. In the past, I relied on state regulation handbooks to sort out this information, but that would only get me so far before I would have to scroll the internet trying to gather this information for late season opportunities on my own, which was tedious and also not always accurate. 3. How do you use the mapping, terrain photos and other visuals offered on the unit profiles? I have never stepped foot in a lot of the places I want to apply and hunt. Now, I just click over to check out a Unit Profile page and read up on the relevant information and data I want to learn more about. Then, I go to the map of that unit, expand it, and view the unit using a satellite view. This is where I start my hunt planning. I can dig as deep as I want. When hunting remote units, for example, I check all of the area services along my route which quickly tells me where the last gas station is. Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere without gas on a hunting trip is never fun. I have never seen that information anywhere else before. 42 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Terrain photos are another really helpful feature that I use. It shows me exactly what a unit looks like in real life. I use these photos to help me determine a unit’s “glassability.” It gives me a great look at the vegetation and allows me to assess whether this could be a great bowhunting unit. Another unique feature is being able to utilize Google Street View. This is a huge feature that does not get used nearly as much as it should. You can get a view of the terrain by dropping the “little orange man” on any road of any unit. Being a bowhunter, I can once again quickly gain a better understanding of the general habitat and terrain. My preferred habitat to hunt is slightly open terrain that I can glass, yet still has enough broken terrain for a stalk. So utilizing this helps to narrow down units that I will be most successful in. This is a great advantage when you have never stepped foot in a unit. 4. How do you leverage the insights from expert hunters written in each Unit Profile? When looking at a hunting area, utilizing the insight from the hunters in the Unit Profiles saves me a lot of time. It is very reassuring to know that these were written by hunters with boots on the ground and real experience in these units. I have cross-checked the information on certain units and determined that the expertise shared is not only accurate, but also incredibly helpful when planning my own hunt. With this additional knowledge, I am able to take a closer look at units that I might have skipped over in the past. I live and breathe backcountry bowhunting. These profiles help me decide what units have lots of public land plus the section on access is very valuable to me. I look for units with few roads and lots of wilderness or backcountry so that I can have a better chance to get away from the crowds and hunt bucks on my time. I do not want to feel pressured to make a poor stalk because two other camps are hunting next to me. 5. How do you use INSIDER to decide where to burn your points? As someone with a science background, I love looking at statistical information. Bowhunting is already hard enough and harvest success trends are important to me. I place a lot of weight on harvest success when deciding which units to apply in. If an area has a low number of tags and high harvest success, I know it will be a unit to consider. I also pay special attention to rugged backcountry areas with a low success rate — these are the units that have great odds at locating a mature buck. These are great units for me personally because I take into account my physical ability, mental attitude and skill set when looking at backcountry hunts. I like to compare neighboring units and analyze the access, judge the difficulty of the hunt based on amount of backcountry, and weigh that against the harvest success to see if it is a unit I want to burn my precious bonus points. Key points I look at when deciding where to burn my points: harvest success for archery, amount of backcountry, judge the amount of physical difficulty based on terrain or lack of roads (I feel the more difficult the better), terrain photos to assess glassing and stalking conditions Overall, I find INSIDER to be a great tool for me as a bowhunter and a huge timesaver when researching for new opportunities or trying to find an area to apply. If you have not given INSIDER a look yet, I recommend checking out the free State Profile preview, Unit Profile preview and Species Profile preview. Read more about all the benefits at http://www.gohunt.com/insider August 2015 43

HUNT PHEASANTS & CHUKARS Think About September Through MARCH!

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R arely is a pheasant hunt considered to be stealthy. Dogs

are running everywhere, hunters are yelling back and forth, and whistles are blown to get the dog’s attention. There is little regard to noise control as hunters freely slam truck doors. If any birds fly off, they will likely be on the other end of the field well before the hunt ever begins. Nobody seems to care which way the wind is blowing. Often, a typical hunt starts with hunters reaching the waste-high grass field, and beginning to walk. It does not matter if the wind is in the dog’s nose or not, hunters expect their well-trained dogs to perform. This is not how to have a successful pheasant hunt. Pheasant hunters need to treat a hunt as if they were pursuing an old gobbler, or a mature whitetail buck, and success would happen more often. When it comes to pheasant hunting, far too many hunters seem to forget the basic do’s and dont’s of hunting. If you have hunted pheasants before, you know how smart they really are. They give turkeys, whitetails, and other big game animals a run for their money as to which one is most crafty. Like turkeys, pheasants can’t smell, but have exceptional vision, hearing, and strong legs. Do not fool yourself into believing you can be carefree, and expect a pheasant rooster to hold tight until you are ready to flush it. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, do not slam truck doors, dog box doors, or tailgates. Every pheasant around will hear and feel the jarring, and take off. Chances are the birds will never take flight, so you will never know they ran off, or where they are. You should not talk loud while among other hunters when pheasant hunting. To keep from alerting pheasants, as you prepare to start the hunt, keep voices down. No matter how hard you try to keep quiet, and not spook the birds, they are eventually going to realize something is not the way it should be, and leave the area. Do not waste time getting started on the hunt once you arrive at your hunting destination. Dogs are very important for a successful pheasant hunt, but they can also ruin a hunt pretty quick. When a dog is let out of his dog box, he is full of energy and ready to run. To keep your dogs from running wildly through the hunting grounds before it is time, let the dogs run a little bit before leaving the house. Another thing you should do is keep the dogs on a lead until you are where you want to start the hunt. Slow and steady is the best approach to pheasant hunting; one of two things will happen if you get in a hurry while pheasant hunting. First, the birds will stay on the ground and run off. Or, secondly, the birds will stay put. This will do you little good though, because you are moving too fast, and you and your dog will walk right past the birds. ©Steve Oehlenschlager|Shutterstock.com

The best approach is moving in a zig-zag pattern. Do not walk a straight line.

44 - Hunting & Fishing News

If you pass through some cover that looks like it should hold pheasants, work it again. There is no pattern to follow. Hit all the spots you can. Stop periodically while walking. This will cause the birds to feel they have been spotted. In return, they will become jittery, and take flight.

A dog is there to smell the birds, and to point or flush them. A dog serves little purpose if he can’t smell. Try to work into, or at least quartering into the wind. This will allow the dog to smell the birds. Keep noise to a minimum. Walking into the wind will carry noise back and away from you. But, hunters still need to be quiet. Do not yell to your hunting partners. Instead, have hand signals that indicate if a hunter needs to move one direction or the other, or if there is a bird in the area. Early in the season you can find pheasants most anywhere, including grass fields, cattail sloughs, cornfields, roadside ditches and brush draws. They may be in light or heavy cover. Public hunting areas, though crowded, produce a lot of birds. Here are some early season tips: -Be ready in the morning as soon as legal shooting hours begin. -Look for dense or hard-to-reach cover that would discourage all but die-hard hunters. -For the close range shooting likely in early season, most hunters prefer improved cylinder or modified choke shotguns with high brass size 7 or 7 ½ shot. -Read the contours of the land, looking for places where habitat changes; crops, trees, shrubs, cattails, ditches and fence lines. Many veteran pheasant hunters would rather hunt in late season than fight the early season crowds. Waiting till after Thanksgiving will result in a very fun and productive hunt. Although the birds get smarter real fast you can still have good success in late season. Here are some late season tips: -Look for wetlands and other very dense cover areas. As the season progresses, birds seek heavier cover. -Try to find offbeat spots, such as a small clump of trees and brush in the middle of a section. Most hunters are not willing to walk this far to work a small piece of cover, so these spots sometimes load up with birds. -When the snow starts to fall everything changes. Check any road ditches with dense cover, such as cattails and shoulder belts. Ditches give the birds easy access to the gravel needed to grind food in their gizzard. -Bring your hip boots or waders. If you cross water barriers that block most hunters, you may find some exceptional hunting opportunities. Work grassy ditches, sloughs or other brushy cover adjacent to newly harvested crop fields. If you watch as a cornfield is being picked you will often see birds flying into these areas. -For long range shots often required late in the season, use a modified or full choke shotgun with high brass, size 4, 5 or 6 shot. When choosing either a flushing or pointing dog for pheasant hunting, you need to consider a few things. Pheasants are a nervous bird that does not stay still for long. They are liable to move on a pointing dog of any breed. It is always good to have your dog, whether it is a pointer or flusher, that stays within 20 yards of you. Even a pointer will flush a bird from time to time. It is nice to be close enough to get a shot off, but anything further than 20 yards is too far of a shot. Whichever type of dog you choose, spend plenty of time with it prior to pheasant season. Use a training collar, or a lead to jerk the dog back when he gets too far out. Teach him to move different directions by following commands from a whistle, and hand signals. Do not scream, or get carried away with the whistle. A perfect pheasant hunt should go something like this. A hunter pulls up near his hunting area, and quietly exits the vehicle. After the dogs are let out of their box, they are attached to a lead, and the hunters and dogs move to where they will be starting. Once in position, the dog is freed. The dog will not go far, because it ran his energy off at home before leaving. With the wind blowing in the dogs face, he quickly smells a rooster, and comes on point. With the hunters just a few yards away, two roosters flush, one is shot. The other bird doubles back, and is harvested when the hunters make another pass through the corn stubble. Get out and enjoy pheasant hunting this fall. Just make sure to think about how you go about it a little differently than what you have in the past.

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BE IN CONTROL AT YOUR PRONGHORN WATERHOLE P

By Mark Kayser

ronghorn are distinctive in the fact that they have no close relatives anywhere in the world. Classified in a separate group, Antilocapridae, they are the only surviving member of this group. It may be lonely, but the unique pronghorn races through life as North America’s fastest land animal with speeds exceeding 50 mph for short bursts. Why do they need this speed since no living predator in North America matches that speed? They are escaping from the predators of the past including the now extinct American cheetah that roamed the plains 20,000 years ago. You needn’t worry about their speed since you can’t match it even with a featherweight pair of Cabela’s Silent Stalker sneakers. You need be worried about a pronghorn’s remarkable eyesight, often equated to a six- or more power binocular. Combine these Nikon-quality optics with perfect placement of 2-inch diameter bulging eyes and you have a prey species with an eyesight visibility of nearly 360 degrees. Keep this in mind when trying to decide on what strategy you want to use this pronghorn...season. If you pick a strategy that doesn’t match your skills you’ll quickly be met by a wide-eyed pronghorn and that 50-mph escape. Nowadays, when I’m facing a pronghorn hunt, I usually consider the easy route by hunting over water or possibly in the midst of an attractive food site. Besides being easy on the body, hunting these pronghorn-rich areas is lucratively successful, especially when hunting over water. They come to you and when they arrive to drink you have several minutes to range, draw, settle and make a perfect shot. Like most large mammals, pronghorn need water almost daily. They could skip, but rarely do and over the course of a 24-hour period gulp approximately three quarts or more per day. That volume may jump during oppressive late-summer and autumn heat. You also have overall climate going in your favor when hunting pronghorn over Western water. Most Western pronghorn neighborhoods have one thing in common: scant water. A few areas may have a glut of water depending on livestock water development, but for the most part consistent water sources have consistent pronghorn action. The reason is that the bulk of pronghorn country receives less than 15 inches of rain a year, some less than 10. Despite the attractiveness of water, keep an eye open for any green spot on the horizon. These oases attract pronghorns for food value. Manicured or irrigated alfalfa plots dependably attract pronghorns and if you scout regularly you will likely note a pattern on how pronghorns enter a field or travel within the perimeter. The same is true of Editor, Rick Haggerty with his waterholes. Watch enough of them and you’ll see a few that stand out for activity. Make a firsthand visit and you’ll 2013 Montana pronghorn taken be able to see which side of the waterhole receives the most attention based on tracks in the mud. near a water hole. In the West waterhole encounters increase with the scarcity of water in desert-like conditions, but don’t scout too early. A sudden downpour can change a waterhole strategy overnight and you may need to find a new ambush location if you discover potholes filled everywhere. More than once I’ve returned to a great waterhole location only to find pronghorn watering in every puddle on a two-track road.

Landowners, range managers, BLM employees and conservation officers all hold a wealth of knowledge when it comes to keying in on a pronghorn pool party. Checking water is a daily ritual for livestock producers and its guaranteed they’ll have the lowdown on where pronghorns are hydrating daily. Once you garner this information you can scout the area firsthand and look for the highest concentration of pronghorns and tracks. This will be the best spot to setup for a shot at a watering pronghorn. To zero in on the best location study prevailing winds and look for a downwind location to place a stand, or blind. If you decide to use a ground blind it’s best to stake it at least a week before hunting and longer is better so animals forget its presence. Do the same if you build a blind as pronghorns notice anything out of place, especially near water where predators pounce. If you can’t get your blind set in advance, don’t worry. Pronghorn are not as leery as whitetails when they see a new object. I’ve had a few avoid a blind set the first day on a waterhole, but they acclimate to it exponentially faster than whitetails. Today’s array and variety of portable ground blinds cozy up well to pronghorn waterhole ambushes. Geodesic designs supported by sturdy poles will withstand most Western winds. Nevertheless, stake it stoutly. Montana winds are no friend to ground blinds. Use long trapping stakes or even steel fence post to ensure your ground blind stays grounded. The key to a ground blind is to have a dark interior. Most of the newer models are lined in black to accentuate the shadows, thus hiding your movement inside better. Limiting the amount of open windows also leads to a darker blind. Lastly, wear dark clothes inside to blend perfectly. Portable blinds aren’t the only options to bushwhack a pronghorn. If you don’t have a portable blind handy, pit blinds can be dug adjacent to a water hole (with permission and not on public land) and camouflaged with native vegetation. You can also utilize burlap, woven wire and natural brush to build a sturdy homemade blind. My good friend Doug Gardner, at Gardner Ranch Outfitters near Broadus, Montana, introduced me to the high-rise option of hunting pronghorns. Over the years he’s placed stands in windmills, cottonwood trees and even high creek banks overlooking muddy pockets of water.

Elevated blinds have one major advantage: pronghorns seldom, if ever, look up for danger.

This characteristic came from evolving in an open-country environment with little need to look up for a surprise attack. A working windmill also has the advantage of moving parts in a steady wind. This movement camouflages your own movement when drawing on a drinking animal. Just don’t put your stand too close to the moving blades or the surprise will be on you. Pronghorns are made for bowhunting and you can hunt them in the manner that fits you best. For me, I like the wait-and-see approach whenever possible. My last pronghorn took three days of waiting. When he finally approached the water at dawn I was waiting with my Mathews bow. When he relaxed and started to drink I had all the time necessary to make an archery pronghorn memory. CONTACT INFORMATION To keep up with Mark Kayser visit him on Facebook looking under

Author, Mark Kayser with bowhunt pronghorn Mark Kayser, Public Figure: (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Kayser/119789001392664?ref=ts&fref=ts) 46 - Hunting & Fishing News

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August 2015 47

TIPS FOR TAKING TASTEFUL HUNTING TROPHY PHOTOS By Stephanie Mallory

Yamaha Outdoors Tips

Y ou’ve enjoyed a successful hunt, and you can’t wait to share photos of your trophy animal on social media. Before you start clicking away with

your camera or smartphone, take a few steps to ensure your photos are clear, classy and respectful of the fine animal you want to show off. Renowned outdoor photographer Bill Konway has some tips for ensuring your photos showcase your trophy animal in a tasteful and appealing manner.

Photo: Stephanie Mallory

“Whether you’ve taken a big-game animal, waterfowl or small-game animal, if you’re shooting a photo of it, it’s worth shooting it well,” Konway said. “If you’ll take a few minutes to prepare your animal and select the right location, you’ll have a photo that can be the envy of all your hunting buds.”

Konway provides the following tips for enviable trophy game photos: -Wipe excess blood from the face, nose, mouth and body of your trophy. Unscented baby wipes or even a bottle of water can help in removing blood from the hide or feathers. -In the case of big game, push the animal’s tongue back into its mouth, or remove it entirely with a sharp knife. -Those who want to go the extra mile can place glass taxidermy eyes over the deer’s eyes. Glass eyes are a worthwhile $20 investment if you shoot these types of photos regularly. -Position the animal so that it is entirely unobstructed by busy horizons, power lines, trees and other objects. Sometimes lying on the ground and shooting upward provides the best angle, at other times, shooting down from above the hunter and trophy works best. -By all means be sure to place your bow, gun, ATV, Side-by-Side or other favorite hunting items in your frame. But, make sure the gear or vehicle does not block or shade the key features of the animal you want to show off. -When photographing antlered animals, make sure each and every point can be seen. Turn the head both directions and tip the nose up or down to determine the best view. Although the pose might look unusual from one angle, it may be perfect from the camera’s angle. In the case of a turkey, always try to make the beard, as well as the spurs, visible if possible. Photo: Bill Konway -Make the most of the light you have. Overcast lighting makes for the best photos, but obviously it’s not always available. Waiting for morning light after an evening kill will typically result in better photos than trying to shoot in the dark with a flash stuck on the camera. If you’re forced to shoot in the dark or with a flash, be sure to instruct the hunter to raise his or her hat brim a bit to eliminate the shadow across his or her face. You can also turn the camera upside down so the camera’s flash comes from beneath the hat, giving better shadowless light on the hunter’s face.

-Study the hero photos you see in hunting magazines for ideas of which poses work and which don’t. Look at the screen on the back of your camera. If it doesn’t look too good there, it’s probably not going to look too good as a print or as a post on social media. -As they say, practice makes perfect. Shoot a bunch of photos and try several angles. You’ll eventually learn what works and what doesn’t. Photo: Bill Konway 48 - Hunting & Fishing News

If you’ll follow these tips, you’ll end up with classy, head-turning photos that you can proudly show off wherever and whenever you want.

August 2015 49

50 - Hunting & Fishing News

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Visit our website at www.tiresupplysc.com for $10.00 off alignment and $5.00 off oil change Get up to $100 Back Mail-in Rebate : Via mail-in rebate when you purchase a set of four select Hankook Tires. For complete details, visit www.hankooktireusa.com/greathit2015. ©Hankook Tire America Corp.

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Resow your wild oats.

2015 Subaru Outback® SRB, 3.6R Limited

Remember fun? The 2015 Outback® brings it all back. Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with X-Mode™ has the capability to take you almost anywhere. At 33 mpg,* it’s the most fuel-efficient midsize crossover in America.¥ It’s what your adventurous side has been waiting for. Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

PLACER MOTORS 406-442-2603 | 1-888-433-0119 See our full line of Subaru vehicles.

1515 EUCLID AVENUE, HELENA, MT. 59601

Subaru and Outback are registered trademarks. *EPA-estimated fuel economy for 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i models. Actual mileage may vary. ¥ Based on EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2015 model vehicles within the IHS Automotive, Polk Non-Luxury Midsize-CUV segment. Actual mileage may vary. 2015 Subaru Outback ® SRB, 3.6R Limited shown.