Western Hunting & Fishing News - August 2020

HUNTING & FISHING WESTERN

NEWS August 2020

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WHAT’S A WALLOW?

Photo credit goHUNT.com

Checking out a wallow. Photo credit Brady Miller

EARLY SEASON ELK TACTICS: How To Effectively Hunt Elk Wallows

By Trail Kreitzer Originally published at

www.goHUNT.com

ith many states kicking off their archery hunt in early W September, opening day of another new elk season is almost here. One of the most common questions

that we get about archery elk hunting is, “When is the best time to hunt?” It’s a valid question. Everyone dreams of a rut-crazed bull crashing through the timber toward your calls and if you want to hunt the rut then there are definitely dates that are better than others. Generally, Sept. 15 to 25 are going to be the best days to hunt rutting bulls throughout the West. For obvious reasons, those dates are also going to be higher in hunting pressure within most elk units.

This raises another question: with most states opening the first week of September, can I hunt early—before most of the hunting pressure—and still find success? I think you can and I’m going to cover one early-season method that can be very productive, which is finding and hunting an elk wallow.

Simply put, an elk wallow is a wet muddy spot that bull elk visit and utilize to coat themselves in mud and their own urine.

Essentially, they are trying to make themselves into a walking advertisement to attract cows that will be coming into estrus in the coming weeks. The pungent odor and caked on mud are tell-tale signs of rising testosterone levels and a signal that the rut is close. A wallow can be made in a wet meadow, a seep, a spring, a pond or, even, a stock tank. In really arid and dry environments, I’ve even seen bulls use their antlers to rake and dig out an area in the dirt, urinate in it and proceed to roll around and coat themselves as much as possible.

TIMING

Research and experience suggest that bulls begin wallowing a couple of weeks prior to most cows coming into estrus and they will continue to wallow throughout the rut.

As the rut winds down, wallowing decreases until, eventually, it dies out pretty much altogether. What that means in practical terms is that bulls begin to strip their velvet in mid-August, cows come into estrus typically around the middle of September and prime time for hunting

a wallow is approximately the last week of August into the first two weeks of September.

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HOW TO FIND A WALLOW

Without a doubt, Google Earth is a great way to start scouting for well-established wallow sites because they are often visible from an aerial image. First and foremost, I start scanning for areas that look like they meet the criteria for quality elk habitat.

Think about north-facing timbered slopes adjacent to feeding areas with a nice mosaic of edge habitat: food, water, cover—repeat.

Once I have areas that look appealing, I begin cruising the bottom of the drainages looking for areas that have green wet meadows and seeps that may bleed into the mainstream.

Green vegetation and small open water can be often easily picked out and, pretty quickly, you’ll start to find those spots.

Small, flat wet benches and tucked away pockets of water on timbered slopes are particularly appealing.

When you find them, mark them on your GPS or phone app and, if possible, visit those spots prior to your hunt.

When visiting those spots, look for other signs that will give you more clues to the quality of that wallow. Think about the amount and size of rubs, trails and other elk sign. A trail camera on a wallow can tell you a lot about the frequency, timing and how many bulls may be using it. Another great way to find a wallow is simply to follow a herd. A bugling bull pushing cows will often make an early morning or evening stop at a wallow to freshen up. I have often followed a bugling bull to a wallow I did not know existed and later hunted that wallow with great success.

STRATEGY FOR HUNTING WALLOWS

I remember a phone call I took a couple of years ago from a Midwesterner who had been traveling to Wyoming to scout and hunt general season elk for a number of years.

He opened the conversation by saying, “I have a problem.

I get trail camera pictures of really big bulls from July to about the first week of September and then they are gone and I can’t seem to find them again.” I asked, “So when are you trying to hunt them?” He responded by saying that of course, he’s hunting the best dates—Sept. 14 to the end of the month.

I laughed a little and said, “Well, why are you using trail cameras to scout and see big bulls, but, then, hunting ten days later than when they stop appearing on your cameras?”

“I want to hunt the rut,” he blurted out.

I understand his desire, but I also have to ask whether you want to hunt the rut or if you’d rather kill one of the big bulls that you saw during scouting or saw via trail camera.

The reality is that the tail end of August and the first week of September is a critical time frame for hunting and harvesting a bull.

During that time frame, bulls will often be relatively close to where they have spent their summer months feeding; however, at any minute, they can up and leave not to return until after the rut or the summer months. A well-established wallow in that home zone can be a great place to set up and kill a bull that you have scouted during the early season.

Even after the rut has kicked in and bulls are attending cows, they will continue to wallow; however, by that point, it could be many miles from where they spent the summer.

This means that timing is critical and hunting a wallow early can be a great time to harvest a bull. Speaking of timing, most activity is within a few hours after light or a few hours before dark. A bull might wallow mid-day if it’s in close proximity to a heavily timbered bedding area, but, for the most part, the best times of day are morning and evening to ambush a bull at a wallow.

The wind is also key, so establishing the most likely approach the bull is going to take is a critical detail. Look for trails to and from the wallow and think about the direction the wind is blowing. A bull is going to approach that wallow with the wind in his face if he can. With that to consider, try to place yourself in a spot where the wind is not blowing across you to him before he even gets there. (continued on page 36)

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POOR MAN’S HUNTING GUIDE: DIY HUNTING TIPS FOR ELK Montana Decoy www.montanadecoy.com here are major benefits If you are a non-resident T to hunting deep in the looking for a trophy bull, be backcountry, penetrating prepared to wait many years to remote wilderness, and creeping into barren deserts.

The advantages are psychological, strategic and financial. Off the grid, there’s still a place for the guy who likes to earn his trophy, rather than pay for it.

In this article, we provide tips on where to go, what to take, and tips for success.

We know that hunting in the backcountry can be physically and mentally taxing, and most of your time will be spent huffing up and down mountains in search of elk. By packing less, and therefore conserving energy, you can maximize your efforts to make the trip worthwhile.

Public Land Hot Spots for Elk For many outdoorsmen and women, elk hunting is often the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of “western hunting.” Chasing the famous wapiti has become a legendary pursuit that the great writers and pioneers of western hunting have ingrained in our minds. Your typical youngster starts with a whitetailed or mule deer, and your seasoned vet might end his career on a giant bull elk.

But getting to that point could, as mentioned, take a lifetime as even some of the best units in the following states don’t always yield results. Such is hunting.

JOIN

build enough points to draw a tag in an area where they are plentiful. Then you can either spend a lot of money paying an outfitter or plan a DIY elk hunt on public land. The latter option requires work, but only makes the reward so much sweeter.

Prepare yourself to trek into terrain that will make others turn around. As for the best hunting tips for elk, we can’t stress enough the benefit of going beyond the crowds.

Your fellow hunters are essentially the competition. And while you should root for anybody to ethically harvest a fine elk, the mere presence of humans is going to drive herds deep into the mountains.

That’s where you must go.

One of the best DIY elk hunting tips we can give you is gaining a sound knowledge of the area you’ll hunt.

A sound knowledge of the area you are planning to hunt is paramount. It will take research, scouting, and backup plans for the backup plan. Here’s a primer on the best areas where over-the-counter (OTC) elk tags are easy to come by, terrain is harsh enough to allow bulls to grow big and hunting pressure remains fairly low. (continued next page)

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POOR MAN’S HUNTING GUIDE: DIY HUNTING TIPS FOR ELK (continued from page 7)

Colorado Public Land OTC Elk Hunting

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Colorado is divided up into hunting areas called game management units (GMUs). And since the elk population continues to thrive in the Rocky Mountain state, over-the-counter elk tags are easy to get. Because tags are so accessible, the hunting pressure can be higher than any other western state. However, if you’re a serious bowhunter, there’s a good chance you thrive on overcoming that pressure.

Hence the drive to go farther than your competition.

That’s why having a sound knowledge on your hunting area is so important. First, you have to know the boundaries of the unit. There are no “accidents” when it comes to traipsing across boundary lines into other units, or worse, private land; even if you legitimately think you’re in the right spot.

Using the Hunting GPS Maps system onX is super helpful, as is making a preseason trip to scout. OTC elk hunting tags will go on sale early August.

Before you even start researching, you have to be honest with yourself. Are you ready for a Colorado backcountry elk hunt? Do you have the basic gear? Are you physically fit?

Do you have the mental toughness? These answers will help you determine where to plan a Colorado DIY elk hunt, and where to focus your research...

Oregon Public Land OTC Elk Hunting 720-0620-002

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8 | Hunting & Fishing News

Oregon is home to two varieties of elk - the Rocky Mountain elk in the eastern part of the state and the Roosevelt’s elk near the Pacific Coast, in the Blue and Cascade Mountain ranges. The state is divided into wildlife management units that collectively span millions of acres. OTC elk tags are available in just about every unit.

Many hunters head to Oregon every year in pursuit of a Roosevelt’s elk because they are the largest of the four subspecies. Named after one of our most adventurous presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, focus your attention on the Siuslaw and Alsea units in the Siuslaw National Forest where the population thrives. This area is rich with those elements, dense timber and steep mountains, that make the Roosevelt’s elk particularly hard to hunt, making the reward for a successful hunt pretty great.

Unlike Colorado, planning the best DIY elk hunt in Oregon relies less on research and more on strategy. The Roosevelt’s elk favors a disposition you’ll see in whitetail deer. They are far less nomadic than their Rocky Mountain cousins and will follow somewhat of a pattern until hunting pressure drives them elsewhere, just like a whitetail.

Go scout, if you can. Locate areas with fresh sign, find a well-concealed spot, and plan to sit and wait when the season rolls around. For the DIY bowhunter, one of the best tips for hunting elk in Oregon is put in the legwork before the season. Put less time into research (there is not much information out there anyhow) and more into scouting.

The archery season runs from late August until late September.

Idaho Public Land OTC Elk Hunting

Idaho is divided into 28 elk zones that each consist of one to nine hunting units. The Gem State is almost the exact opposite of Colorado in terms of elk and hunter numbers.

But this is by no means a deterrent to hunt Idaho. Fewer elk meaning fewer hunters meaning less hunting pressure and more forest to yourself. It’s pretty great to roam around the backcountry for a week and not have to encounter another human outside your party.

(continued on page 38)

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Pre-Season Whitetail:

How To Scout And Find Bucks

By Mike Hanback Big Deer Blog www.bigdeerblog.com

ears ago, an Ohio bowhunter by the name of Chad Moore Y wrote and told me about the dream buck he had just shot.

The tale of the take was impressive: the 6½-year-old

9-pointer with the drop tine and beams like Red Bull cans at the bases scored 186 non-typical. The story of his hunt was pretty simple and straightforward.

Chad didn’t use a big or flashy technique to kill the giant.

He just did a lot of good things right: the scouting, the trail-cams, the tree-stand placement, the scent control… He kept at it day after day, until the monster popped up in his bow sight one afternoon. Then, heart thumping and knees shaking, he held it together and made the shot.

That is usually how it works. Most of the time, substance over style is how you get the brutes. So fit together these tips and tactics into one solid game plan tweaked to your land. Then, hunt hard and smart day after day. When you get your shot, be cool under pressure. The...season, which is just around the corner, might be the season of your life.

PHASE 1: SEEING IS BELIEVING

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Forget the rut for now and focus on the early season, the second best time to shoot a whopper. Bucks have two weaknesses now. Singles, doubles and bachelor’s groups (generally a couple of small guys hanging out with a shooter or two) are still visible in open areas, and they are still locked into tight summer bed-to-feed patterns.

Step one, find them; step two, pin down their travels so you can capitalize on those weaknesses.

It begins with having the right tools. If I had to choose between buying a new bow, gun or binoculars, I’d want them all, but I’d go with the glass. You need a full-size 10×42.

Also, you can’t really count tines or gauge beam mass without a spotting scope on a tripod. A 20×50 or 20×60 model is the way to go.

On these sultry late summer evenings, drive out to your land an hour before dusk and glass a field of alfalfa, clover, wheat or cut corn from a good distance away. No crops on your land? No worries. On one of my ...places I glass a lot of does and bucks in fields that haven’t been planted for years.

After those fields are hayed for the last time in late summer, deer hit them hard to feed on the new, green forbs that pop up, especially if we get some rain. You might also find your buck mingling in a clear-cut, or in a wide log road, in a power line right-of-way…you get the picture.

Spend as many evenings on the job as you can.

The more times you spot the same buck(s), the better.

Have you been committing the biggest scouting sin—not glassing in the mornings too?If so, grab a cup of Joe and get out there at sunrise this weekend. Watch deer walking edges and tree lines, cutting across swamps, slinking in ditches and the like as they make for their bedding areas back in the woods. This reveals another link in their routine.

Once you’ve glassed a stout 8- or 10-point a few times, look for the corner, ditch or chute in the tree line where he most often pops out into the feed or leaves it at sunrise.

Mark these entry and exit points on an aerial photograph.

You’re off to a great start.

PHASE 2: TRAIL-CAM TACTICS

One summer Iowa bowhunter Jay Gregory glassed a stud in the soybeans on several evenings. The buck was coming out of deep cover in a river bottom. Gregory sneaked in there and set a few cameras on the best trails he could find.

Throughout September he got some awesome pictures.

My Lord, that giant will score close to 200, he thought.

One October day he got the shot he really wanted.

The buck crossed the river near his bedding area in broad daylight at 8:00 am. Gregory moved in with a tree stand and killed him a short time later. He scored 198.

There are three morals to this story:

1) Late-summer visuals coupled with trail-camera photos take your scouting to the next level, and double your chances of patterning and shooting a monster.

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2) “Once you spot an old buck in a field, sneak in Photo courtesy bigdeerblog.com

and set cameras on trails in a nearby riverbed or creek bottom,” says Gregory.

“As summer deepens, mature bucks spend a lot of time hanging out near water in low areas. If you get lucky and set your cams in the right spot, you can find out exactly where he’s bedding.”

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3) Night pictures of bucks are cool, but once you snap a big boy on the prowl in early or afternoon shooting light, move in and hunt your best stand for the kill. Sometimes a titan will only move in good light for a few days each fall; a cam picture can help you be in the right spot at the right time.

PHASE 3: THE GROUND WORK

You still need to get out and do some good old ground pounding. How else can you set a stand or blind and expect that brute you’ve been glassing and photographing to walk within 25 yards of it?

Scout one day around lunchtime, when deer are bedded.

Spray down with Scent Killer. Walk across a field or cutover to a tree line where you’ve watched a fat 8-pointer step out.

Check the wind; it should blow out of the woods. Sneak 50 to 100 yards back into the wind and timber. Don’t go much deeper than that, or else you’ll bump deer. Some does and bucks loaf super-tight to the feed this time of year.

Back in there, look for this early sign:

Rubs: Big rubs start popping up around September 1.

Soon after stripping their velvet, dominant bucks post mega rubs on aromatic pines or cedars, hardwoods or even fence posts to tell does and other males, “This spot is mine!”

Find a cluster of arm-size rubs on a ridge or in a river bottom near a crop field and you’ve found some segment of a big deer’s core area—hunt there into October.

Droppings: Lots of fresh pellets or clumps in a thicket or

swamp tell you animals are bedding there. If they’re dry and light brown, look for the nearest cornfield or oak flat where the deer are feeding and plan an ambush. If the scat is moist and greenish-black, check a nearby clover or wheat plot or maybe an apple orchard. Also look for pellets beneath mast trees where deer feed.

Tracks: Lots of so-so tracks indicate a lot of deer. A deep, splayed, three-inch print tells you a heavy buck is with them (size of his rack, nobody knows). Look for buck tracks along the edge of a field or in a muddy creek or river crossing.

Beds: I sometimes carry a tape measure to check tracks and also beds. My field research says a full-grown buck’s bed in matted grass or leaves is roughly 45 to 50 inches long, while a doe or young buck’s is 40 inches or so.

You can never get too much info.

You’ve got about 6 weeks to put this 3-phase plan to work before bow season, good luck!

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BIG PROP CRANKBAIT TACTICS

By Jason Mitchell www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com

n past articles, we have shared some effective trolling Imotor. tactics that incorporate the use of a bow mount trolling Particularly early in the year, creeping along

with a bow mount trolling motor to pull crankbaits is simply deadly particularly in shallow water or when slow speeds are critical. Using the bow mount trolling motor is also more precise to steer and stay on tight contours and by pulling the boat from the front, tight turns are also easier. Many anglers set the speed or compensate for wind or current with a kicker motor on the transom but steer from the bow with the electric.

There are many advantages to all these tactics but as summer moves along and the sun begins to bake… something else begins to happen.

I have found over and over that mid to late summer walleye often respond to different types of triggers.

Fish react and respond much differently in early August than early June. Early in the summer for example, fish might not let you drive over the top in six feet of water. Mid to late summer however, you can often catch fish right below the boat much easier. Fast speeds also become a trigger. Amazingly, big motors rumbling and big props turning can also sometimes become an important part of the presentation. When surface temperatures climb into the low eighties, the heat often coincides with more algae in the water which often gives the water an additional stain. I personally believe a couple of things happen, the stain or color in the water lets you get away with more in regards to driving the boat over the top of fish but also the heightened level of metabolism that coincides with hot water temps seem to put walleye over an edge where they become so aggressive that they almost seem fearless.

Dog days of summer often creates an image of deep fish and no doubt that some if not many walleye can be deep on many systems but there can be some tremendous bites happening up shallow on some of the hottest days of the summer. Something I believe that happens a lot in mid to late summer as the water begins to layer and set up with thermoclines or at least concentration baitfish that require either cool water or highly oxygenated water is a reversed feeding window where fish slide deep over open water to eat and then move up shallow to warm up and speed up their metabolism.

12 | Hunting & Fishing News

Regardless of why some walleyes decide to lay in six feet of water when surface temps are baking come the hottest days of summer, prop wash trolling can often trigger these fish.

What I find amazing is some of the nuances for this type of fishing. Typically, you can throw any type of finesse right out the window. Cast to these fish… nope.

Slide by the fish with the electric trolling motor… nota.

You can literally pull your hair out trying to catch these fish. Run over the top of the fish however with a big motor rumbling while a fourteen-inch stainless steel prop turns literally three feet over the top of the fish at a clip of three miles per hour and BANG. Some of the most violent strikes you will ever see from a walleye.

Why and how? I can only guess that there are times when the fish are so cranked up that a prop actually attracts the fish and the turbulence created by the big prop is a trigger. Have seen this shallow water phenomena over and over. Putting a deep diving crankbait on a short leash right behind the prop at a blazing speed in less than eight feet of water has produced a lot of big walleye for me over the years.

Here is also what is crazy in my opinion. Try revving a long with a kicker motor at three miles per hour and catch a few fish. Rumble along with a big outboard at three miles per hour and catch even more. I know nobody wants to rack up hundreds of hours onto a big primary motor while trolling but there are times when the big prop turning right over the top of fish just lights them up. The prop obviously still has flash just turning in the water in neutral so the turbulence created by the prop must also be a factor.

I have caught fish as close as ten feet behind the boat and have also caught fish while letting out line but the sweet spot seems to be fifteen to twenty feet behind the boat.

Deep diving cranks like Salmo Free Diver 9, Salmo Sting DR, Rapala Jointed Shad Rap, Reef Runner Little Ripper, Bomber Long A, the old-style metal lipped Hot n Tot and Salmo H5F Hornets have all been deadly lures with this tactic. This isn’t a situation for shallow billed jerk baits or subtle vibration lures.

The basics are put a deep diving bait on a short amount of line right behind the boat. Burn that lure fast through five to eight feet of water and hang on.

When walleyes hit the crank in this situation, you will often tell yourself that the strike and initial fight is too violent to be a walleye. These walleyes will impress you.

What also typically happens as this pattern develops is massive algae blooms. Several burner hot days with little to no wind where you feel like you are baking all day in the boat. What ultimately happens is the algae will start to collect at the surface of the water and can almost develop a crust that has an unpleasant smell and is very unappealing. As this algae bloom gets really bad, trolling crankbaits can become impossible because the slime simply slides down the line onto the bill of the crank, fouling it up.

A few things I do to combat the algae fouling up lures is to angle the rod tips down into the water so the algae collects on the rod tip instead of sliding down the line. What can also help is using a fluorocarbon leader that is twice as heavy as the braid you are using for your primary line. Connect the two lines with a big ugly surgeon knot or leave the tag ends long on an alberto knot and the knot will also collect some of the algae.

There comes a point however where the algae can get so bad that you can no longer troll crankbaits effectively. When algae slides down the line so much and fouls up the lure, I have also had success running a big three-ounce bottom bouncer at fast speeds right behind the boat with a crawler harness. The key to getting the harness to run without twisting for me is to tie the harness with heavy twenty-pound mono and using the plastic quick change clevises as they seem to turn better on the heavier line.

Running deep diving crankbaits like the Salmo Sting DR on a short leash right behind the prop can be a deadly walleye tactic come mid to late summer.

Photo courtesy Jason Mitchell.

Typically upsize the beads and use a deep cup Indian Blade for the faster speeds. Both crawlers and Gulp! work well but often I like how Gulp! lifts the harness up at the faster speeds. When trolling harnesses at fast speeds right behind the prop, I find that by curving the Gulp! crawler with the two-hook crawler harness often triggers bigger fish. The curved worm swims and zig zags through the water and small fish just seem to have a harder time getting their mouths around it. The harnesses behind the heavy bottom bouncer becomes my go to over cranks when the algae is at the very worst.

There are a lot of reasons why walleye can be up shallow during the dog days of summer and what I find on many lakes when algae begins to crust up on the surface is a tale of two extremes. Seems like fish are really deep over classic rock structure or surprisingly shallow right under the crud. What amazes me about these speed trolling tactics in shallow water is the effectiveness in that you can really struggle but by simply using the big prop and fishing fast, the results can be dramatic like a light switch.

This tactic hasn’t worked for me in shallow water that was really clear but in dirty water… the prop wash fishing can be effective during the dog days of summer.

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Hunting & Fishing News | 13

You’ll find bull rushes and cattails in most ponds and lakes as well as in the backwaters in the river, with the bass, walleye, bluegill, perch and pike in these areas waiting for an easy meal.

Livebait anglers using bait rigs or jigs tipped with worms, minnow or leeches works in and around the openings of the vegetation as do baits suspended under a small bobber.

Some of the more popular livebait rigs that work well when fished along the edge of the weed line are livebait, slip bobber rigs and jigs.

Smaller clear water ponds weed up quickly, author Gary Howey uses Northland Reed Runner Spinnerbait to run along the top of the weeds to entice bass to come up and attack his bait. (Outdoorsmen Productions photo)

IN THE WEEDS

By Gary Howey Northland Fishing Tackle www.northlandtackle.com

t’s that time of the year that some anglers love to see Ibecome arrive, while others hate to see it. It’s when the fish active, but getting to them on some bodies of water is a nightmare.

As summer progresses, the water temperatures are on the rise as is the weed growth with the first growth starting in the shallower water, and soon covering all of the shallow water on out into the deeper water..

If the body of water you’re fishing is clear, weeds make it almost impossible to fish and can quickly cover much of the entire lake or pond.

For those of us who plan to do much fishing this summer, we need to learn to fish the weeds or fish one of the larger deeper lakes or reservoirs.

One livebait rig I’ve used to fish along the edge of the weeds includes the Northland Roach Walker sinker that allows my line to slide through, a snap swivel attached to the line below the slip sinker and a 10″ to 12″ snell with a # 2 hook tied below the snap.

Tipped with one of those baits I mentioned earlier, this rig is deadly during the summer months and when fished during cold fronts.

As the fish picks up your bait, you can drop back your rod or feed the fish line, as your sinker is not tied directly to the line, the fish feels little resistance and is more apt to hold onto the bait.

The rig works well when vertically jigged in the pockets between the reeds and rushes or along the weed line.

Slip bobber rigs fished long the edge of the weed lines are also very effective, this rig is made up of a slip bobber like Northland’s Lite-bite slip bobbers, a bobber stop above the slip bobber to set the depth, a small split shot (weight) with a small hook tipped with a minnow, leech or part of a worm.

These rigs are easy to cast and by using the wind, allow you to present their bait naturally in the areas the fish are waiting in ambush.

In this column, we’ll talk about the different ways a summer angler can go about fishing in the weeds.

Other baits that work well in these areas for bass and pike include; Northland’s Reed Runner spinnerbaits or their Buzzard Buzz baits and Weedless Jaw-breaker spoons.

All types of aquatic weeds grow in the waters of the upper midwest and depending on the body of water that you’re fishing; they’ll come and go at different times.

If you’re into fishing with plastics such as the Northland Impulse soft plastic baits you can rig these baits to make them work through weeds without being hung up.

In the ponds, lakes and streams that are shallower or clearer, weed growth occurs earlier and heavier than those weeds found in areas with the dingier, dirty water.

Bodies of water in our area have several types of weeds including; cattails, bull rushes, lily pads, cabbage beds, hydrilla, as well as both native and invasive weeds.

Baits like S Texas rigs work well in the weeds, Texas rigs include a bullet type weight that your line runs through, and attached to the end of the line is a large bass hook.

Slide your plastic bait, worm, crawdad or salamander clear to the top of the hook eye and then the point of the hook is placed back into the plastic so it is just under the surface of the bait.

At times, some vegetation is good as it produces oxygen and during the heat of the summer is the place fish find comfortable oxygen levels.

When a bass hits, the angler can set the hook hard, forcing the point of the hook through the plastic and into the fish’s jaw.

Fishing the weeds is a tough proposition as weeds are abrasive and will end up snagging your line, which quickly weakens your line, so you’ll need to go with a heavier line than you generally use.

Carolina rigs also work well in weeds, similar to the Texas rig, with a bullet type sinker with a snap swivel tied to the end of your line where you attach a 10″ to 12″ leader with a smaller bass hook; and then thread your plastic bait onto the hook in the same manner as the Texas rig.

Weeds aren’t just hard on line, but once you hook a fish in or near the weeds, they’ll go deep into the weeds and you’ll need some heavy line to drag them out of it.

14 | Hunting & Fishing News

Rigging it this way allows the plastic bait to float up, making it more visible to those fish hugging the bottom.

To make these baits more weedless, you can peg the bullet weight using a toothpick to keep the weight from sliding and tangling in the weeds.

Cabbage beds and lily pads are another common weed found in our waters, growing from the bottom up, spreading out along the surface.

These weeds provide fish with a place to slide underneath, avoiding the sun, find cooler temperatures and because the majority of the weeds are on the surface, they can cruise beneath the weeds waiting for something to drop in for lunch.

In these types of weeds, a Northland Weedless Jaw-breaker spoon works over the top of the weeds. A surface bait, buzzbaits or spinnerbaits will often bring the fish up out from under the weeds to get at your bait.

Try casting your buzzbait, spinnerbait or weedless spoon into the open pockets in the weeds or areas where the weeds lie just below the surface and then by holding your rod high, cranking hard on your reel, you’ll be able to keep the bait running along the surface just above and through the weeds.

With the weedless top-water bait, you’ll want to cast it right into the weeds, let it set a second or two and then slowly work it back across the top of the pads and floating vegetation.

It’s a good idea to pause your bait from time to time, as this gives the fish a chance to zero in on the bait.

Bass know when the bait splashes down and follow it across the weeds, coming up through the weeds to nail your bait.

Photo credit huntwyo.com

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Once the water boils around your bait, you’ll need to set the hook hard, as you need to force the fish up to the surface and out of the weeds, skipping it along the top of the weeds to keep it from being hung up.

THE ULTIMATE FISHING EXPERIENCE.

With Northland Reed Runner spinnerbaits or their Buzzard buzz baits, the key is to getting your bait up on the surface, working in open water and then skipping over and across the weeds. When using spinnerbaits, when coming into an open pocket, it’s a good idea to let your bait drop, to helicopter down into the opening.

You’ll need to hold your rod high as your spinnerbait’s blade revolves on the drop slowly into the open pockets and as the bait comes to rest on the bottom , rear back on your rod, crank hard on the reel allowing your bait to spin, moving fast enough to slide up over and hop across the next clump of weeds.

When using a Texas or Carolina rigged plastic worm, cast into the open pockets and then work the bait right through the middle of the heaviest cover.

Because these baits are weedless, you won’t need to worry about snagging up as the hook is buried inside the plastic worm.

In the summer, the best fishing happens early morning and late afternoon when the sun is at its lowest point when the fish are on the prowl.

Summer fishing can be hot in more ways than one, but once you’ve figured out how to fish the weeds, hot summer days on the water will be a lot more enjoyable.

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Hunting & Fishing News | 15

Boise Man Catches New Catch/Release State Record Grayling From Mountain Lake In The Sawtooths

By Martin Koenig, Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Photo credit Brian Brooks for IF&G

Brian Brooks released this 16.2-inch Arctic grayling over the July 4 holiday to earn a new catch/release state record!

Congratulations to Brian Brooks of Boise on landing a new catch/release state record Arctic Grayling. Brian hiked high up into the Sawtooth Mountains to Alpine Creek Lake, where he landed and released the 16.2-inch Arctic Grayling, beating the previous record of 14 inches set by Lanson Stavast in 2018.

Grayling are stocked in a handful of high alpine lake throughout Idaho’s backcountry. They grow slowly in these high, cold lakes, and any grayling over 12 inches should be considered a big one. Anglers interested in catching grayling can use the Idaho Fishing Planner to find waters that may have them.

Most grayling live in high alpine lakes that require strenuous hikes, so come prepared to hit the trail and break a sweat.

Girl with kokanee from Lake Pend Oreille. Photo credit Roger Phillips IF&G

KOKANEE ON A BUDGET: No Downriggers, No Depth Finder, No Problem

By Brian Pearson, Idaho Fish and Game Anglers don’t have to break the bank to try their hand at kokanee fishing

hen people think of kokanee fishing, many envision W big boats with state-of-the-art electronics and multiple downriggers. For anglers who haven’t fished for kokanee

before, but are interested in trying, this perception can make the barrier to entry seem expensive.

While these tools used by serious kokanee anglers make it easier to find and catch fish, that doesn’t mean you need any of them to pursue these landlocked salmon.

Now is a good time to give it a whirl: Kokanee fishing tends to be at its best through mid-summer, so if you want to try out kokanee fishing without breaking the bank, here’s how to get started.

Barebones trolling

Anglers with a small watercraft capable of trolling (whether powered manually or by a motor) and standard fishing tackle already have most of what they need to start fishing for kokanee.

“There are guys catching kokanee out of kayaks and canoes,” said John Cassinelli, Southwest Region Fisheries Manager.

“The boat doesn’t have to be big — as long as you’re able to troll.”

Anglers need to buy some kokanee-specific tackle, which includes a variety of spinners, spoons and soft plastic tube jigs called “hoochies.” Colors vary from reds and pinks, to fluorescent orange and green and others. Most folks like to troll their lure with some flashy pop gear, or a dodger, to attract fish and increase strike potential. Adding some scent or bait to your lure – white shoepeg corn is a favorite – may also increase your odds of hooking a fish. Visit your local tackle shop for recommendations on the best lures for the water you plan to visit.

An electronic fish finder is a useful tool for kokanee fishing because it allows you to locate schools of the fish, but it’s also an investment. Fish finders start at about $100 and go up from there. Luckily, the power of observation can help compensate for the lack of advanced electronics.

16| Hunting & Fishing News

Anglers should start by looking for kokanee around large points, across the face of dams and off the mouth of any major spawning tributary, and then follow the lead of anglers who are catching fish. If you see other boats fishing for and catching kokanee, that’s a good place to start. Don’t crowd another boat, but when you see a cluster of boats working a portion of a lake or reservoir, it likely means they’ve found a school of fish.

Doing some research beforehand helps, too: ask your local tackle shop for tips on where and at what depths anglers are catching kokanee, and check out online fishing forums, where you can often find helpful information from other anglers.

After finding where the fish are, two of the most important aspects of trolling for kokanee are depth and speed.

Early in the summer, kokanee can be found near the surface, but tend to move into deeper waters as temperatures rise.

Kokanee feed almost exclusively on zooplankton, which are microscopic invertebrates that drift in the water column.

In mid to late summer, kokanee are often found at 30 to 60 feet or more in their search for cold water and the best supply of zooplankton.

Getting your lure to the depth of the fish is best done with the aid of a downrigger. Manual downriggers can be purchased for less than $100, but you can troll successfully without them. With kokanee at shallower depths in the spring and early summer, downriggers are less important. Even as the fish move deeper later in the season, you can get your lure to depths of 30 to 60 feet without one, using tackle you likely already have in your tackle box.

If you are trolling without a downrigger, the amount of weight you are using, the amount of line you have out, the diameter of your line, and your trolling speed will determine the depth of your lure. A quick internet search will yield numerous helpful charts that explain how these are related. In order to get a good estimate, you will need to know how much line you have out, which makes a reel with a line counter extremely useful. If you have a way to check your speed, about 1.5 mph is a good place to start.

One easy setup that can be used for trolling for deeper-water kokanee without a downrigger involves using a cannonball weight on a sliding sinker sleeve that leads to a swivel... followed by a 18-24 in. leader to a dodger, and another 6 in. of line from the dodger to the terminal gear. The slider allows an angler to easily adjust their weight for a given trolling speed to get the right depth. It also allows the rod tip rather than the weight to absorb the energy from a hooked kokanee (which are notoriously soft-mouthed), and that should lead to fewer fish coming off the hook. Check out this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG6_0T4XxwM) on Fish and Game’s YouTube page for more tips on tying your kokanee setup.

Another option: jigging

If you want to avoid trolling altogether, vertically jigging spoons, bait, such as shoepeg corn, a piece of worm, or both, can be productive if you can locate a school of fish particularly later in the summer. Again, if you are without a fish finder, look for areas where boats (and likely kokanee) are concentrated and start there.

Drop your jig deeper than you think the kokanee are likely to be, then gently jig with your rod while slowly reeling your line (just a few turns at a time). Hopefully you will catch a fish, then try to immediately return to that depth. You can hit a consistent depth by flipping your bail and counting how many seconds you let the jig sink, then count how many times you turn your reel handle on the retrieve.

If you have a two-pole permit, you can also fish a drone rod and let the motion of the boat do the jigging, or use bait on that rod and manually jig with the other...

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ALL ANGLERS WHO ENTER 11 or more LAKE TROUT QUALIFY for BONUS $-the higher your total - the higher the bonus category - every day counts: Mon-Sun (69 total days) Fish the entire lake- Check in stations and times listed on the website -click on events at the top of the page-times will be listed there and are subject to change.

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Telephone 406-883-2888 Ex. 7294 or 406-270-3386 Applications will be available: Zimmers Tackle-Pablo, Sportsman & Ski Haus-Kalispell, Walmart-Polson Bob Ward & Sons-Missoula, Sportsman’s Warehouse-Missoula, Snappys Sports Senter-Kalispell, FWP-Missoula and Kalispell, Bretz RV & Marine-Missoula, CSKT NRD Offices-Polson, Westland Seed-Ronan We ask that all boats from out of the Flathead area be inspected for AIS.

Everything will be subject to changeCOVID concerns may cause issues that will have to be addressed as we move closer to the event.

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18| Hunting & Fishing News

Summer is for Dry Flies – Tips for Productive Dry Fly Days

By Zach Lazzari Mystic Outdoors www.mysticoutdoors.com fter the long winter, there is nothing better than summer A dry fly fishing. The trout are hungry and need to pack on calories before the next round of winter approaches.

Sometimes they are easy and willing, eating big stoneflies without hesitation and other times, they are flat out selective, picking mayflies and caddis out of foam filled eddies and slackwater.

HUNTING WITH BIG DRIES

The big bugs are ridiculously fun to fish. Salmonflies, golden stones, green drakes, hexagenia mayflies, grasshoppers, cicadas and other terrestrials are calorie rich and they bring big fish to the surface. It’s hard to pass on these limited windows of opportunity that draw difficult fish from their secret hiding places. In some cases, the hatches are so thick, the fishing actually becomes difficult as trout are gorged or revert to eating drowned adults below the surface.

The big dry flies don’t necessarily end with the hatches either. Trout will have that instinct to grab a big fly for a long time after the fact and while it’s not something every trout in the river will tackle, some of the big fish will continue eating the big fly patterns. This creates a situation for a hunt that is similar to streamer fishing. Stick with the big dry flies and work them hard all day. Dedication is the key here and numbers are not the name of the game. Stick with it, dead drift them, twitch them and prepare to move one or two big fish.

Photo credit Ryan McSparran Also look for windows of opportunity that make these insects more available than normal. Green drakes love a light drizzle, salmonflies fall helplessly when the wind blows and hexagenia mayflies hatch within an hour of dark.

Time your approach and the big dries will produce.

WHEN TO SIZE DOWN

An interesting overlap occurs that creates confusion, especially during the early summer. Big bugs like salmonflies are crashing the surface but the fish aren’t interested in your patterns. Oftentimes, they are focused on caddis, golden stoneflies and smaller yellow sallies. When the big bugs are present but the patterns don’t produce, it’s time to try a smaller version. I’ve fished a size 16 elk hair caddis through a salmonfly hatch and had incredible, red hot fishing while other anglers drifted big foam bugs with little success.

Downsize sooner than you think and test out the small sallies and caddis patterns when the big bugs are present but not producing. (continued on page 36)

2505 S. Garfield St., Missoula, MT | 406.543-6966 | TrailHeadRiverSports.com Hunting & Fishing News | 19

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22| Hunting & Fishing News

Photo courtesy Vortex Optics

WHY YOU MISSED THAT DEER

By Adrian Alan Vortex Optics www.vortexoptics.com t’s opening morning. Your heart jumps as you spot a deer, but you’re cool, calm and collected. You carefully move your rifle into position. You place your crosshairs on the vital area and track the deer as he walks. Your safety comes off.

He stops. You’re stable. You’re set. This deer is as good as yours. BANG! As the shot goes off, you lose sight of the deer in your scope. You look up to see him running his way through the woods as he disappears out of sight.

Success! You’re PUMPED. You suddenly remember to breathe again, unload your rifle, and after a few minutes, make your way over to the spot you shot your deer to begin your track. But as you walk up, suddenly your stomach drops. There’s no blood. You begin to walk in circles.

You ask yourself “Was this the spot? I couldn’t have missed him!” But after 20 minutes of walking around in circles you finally accept the truth – YOU MISSED. It can happen to the best of us, and it can be puzzling to analyze when everything seemed so perfect. In the next series..., we’re going to discuss the two areas that account for the majority of missed shots – shooter error and equipment problems.

I

MARKSMANSHIP ERRORS

Without a doubt, the most likely reason you missed your deer was because of a marksmanship error. Conceptually, shooting is a simple task. Place your sights where they need to be and press the trigger without moving your sights.

If you do this, you will hit your target every single time.

This is called trigger control. Unfortunately, many hunters smash their trigger. It is not a recipe for a good shot.

You want to become intimately familiar with the trigger pull of your rifle. The best way to do this is through dry-fire.

Carefully unload your gun, and triple check that it is unloaded.

Make sure there is no live ammo in the room with you and pick a “safe wall” where a round would not harm anyone were the gun to discharge. Safety is paramount here.

Bring your finger to the trigger and just touch it. Don’t let it move at all – you just want to “index” your finger in this position so you know where the trigger is. Now slowly begin to add pressure. Some triggers will “creep,” some will move then grab again and then maybe move some more.

Some triggers will not move at all. Keep adding pressure a little at a time, then a little more, then a little more, feeling every imperfection your trigger may have until suddenly – CLICK – the trigger breaks.

Reset your gun and do that again – and again – and again.

As you press the trigger, concentrate on how your hand is holding the gun. Your trigger finger should be the only thing

moving – your hand should not tighten or relax as your trigger finger moves. Your finger should be pulling (some people do better with the term “pressing” the trigger straight to the rear – putting no other muscular input into the gun.

Watch your sights as you do this and after your “shot.”

This is called “follow through” and is as applicable to shooting as it is to throwing a football, swinging a golf club, or baseball bat. In dryfire, when your trigger breaks, your crosshairs should not move at all. When shooting live rounds, recoil will push you up and off target. Shooters should “ride the recoil,” staying on the gun and in the scope, driving the gun back to the target (or where it was standing), chambering another round and preparing for another shot if necessary.

Next time you’re at the range, watch other people shooting.

It’s easy to pick out a shooter neglecting follow through.

They’re the ones who pop their heads up off the gun immediately after a shot to look down range (as if they could see a hole in paper from 100 yards away!) Often, poor follow through, like poor trigger control, will result in a shooter moving the gun before the bullet leaves the end of the barrel.

To train follow through, be deliberate during dryfire or live fire.

It’s almost as if for a moment, you are out of the game and just there for the ride. That’s ok. Relax. Stay on the gun for a second or two even if the deer has taken off running – then break your head from the rifle to track the deer.

Now you can watch where the deer goes, how it is running, and re-engage if it stops.

Finally, taking a shot from an unstable platform will not help accuracy. Use whatever you can to brace and stabilize your position – a pack, a tree, a fence, your tree stand, shooting sticks, the window of your blind, anything you can use to stabilize your rifle. Avoid having objects contact the barrel directly – this can affect accuracy. Instead rest the stock on an object for support and don’t press too hard into

them. Your sights will naturally move a little unless you are rock-solid steady. So long as you are holding your crosshair within the deer’s vitals, ignore the slight movement, and make a smooth, steady trigger press without disturbing the sights.

EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS

I meet a lot of whitetail hunters at our sight-in days shooting lightweight, magnum caliber rifles – 7mm Mag, .300 Win Mags, I even had a hunter come in once with a .338 Lapua. I don’t mean to bruise anyone’s ego, but for a lot of whitetail hunters, that may be too much gun...

By this I mean the recoil from your rifle could be affecting your ability to consistently put rounds on target. Recoil aversion can develop into a case of the “flinchies” (more formally called a pre-ignition push), where your body is moving the gun before the round leaves the barrel as a result of your subconscious trying to avoid the “pain” of a loud, hard-kicking gun.

Get the notion of “stopping power,” “knock down power,” or “energy transfer” out of your head – those are myths.

Last fall I hit a 3-year old buck squarely with the front end of my Toyota Tundra at 45mph. The buck flew across the road, stood up and ran away like nothing happened.

My truck hit that deer with about 377,000 ft-lbs of energy, 100 times the energy of a 300 Win Mag at the muzzle.

Energy alone does not kill deer. You need enough energy to ensure adequate penetration, but the placement of your round is the critical factor. A .243, 6.5 Creedmoor, or .308 are all excellent whitetail calibers and easy to shoot. I have even taken deer with a well-placed .223 round, and at shorter distances, the .223 can be an excellent round for youth hunters if they can put their round in the vitals.

Larger calibers are beneficial when shooting through a shoulder, but unless taking an anchoring shot is part of your plan, don’t base your entire strategy around missing your target – the vitals! (continued on page 34)

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Hunting & Fishing News | 23

Finances

Photo credit Brady Miller

WHAT CAMP STYLE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

By Jake Horton Originally published at

www.goHUNT.com

o matter what species you are hunting you probably have N thought about where you are going to sleep on your hunt.

Sleep is very important and can truly affect your experience

out West no matter if you are hunting the heat of Arizona or the frigid temperatures of Montana. When considering where you are going to spend your nights, it is important to think about your finances, the weather, location, species and, most importantly, your ability and experience. All of these topics and more influence where you stay the night and what is the best decision for you. Some people are minimalist and can sleep all night in a hammock five miles deep in grizzly country with no issues, but not me.

Call me a chicken or unrealistic, but when hunting in grizzly country I would prefer — and typically do — hike five miles deep every day rather than worry about every cracking branch at night. That might not be you and you might be fearless in the backcountry, which allows you to sleep through the night without a second thought. Overall, looking at each topic and being honest with yourself will set the right expectations and, ultimately, make your hunt more enjoyable, especially when you lay down your head for the night.

24| Hunting & Fishing News

The first topic I consider with every hunt experience is finances. Being a married man, my financial decisions always start and end with talking through the finances with my wife and getting her approval. Finances are a super important part of being able to go hunting every year so every big purchase is talked over and budgeted for in advance. It is important to understand and think about how much you are willing to spend on your sleeping quarters. Can you afford to buy a camper or a pop-up camper? Does that work with your hunt or are you willing to sleep in the bed of your truck or back of an SUV in order to save money? Will you be interested in an ultralight backpacking tent or a hammock or do you need to plan on getting a wall tent packed into your hunting areas on the backs of horses? What are the costs associated with all of these styles and how does that fit into your budget? Some things require sacrifices or long-term planning in order to make your experience align with the one you are after. After you look at the financial portion and come up with options, you need to analyze the weather where you will be hunting during the time of year you plan to be there.

Photo courtesy goHUNT.com

Weather

Weather is an interesting part of hunting and can completely change your experience. Planning for the worst will make your hunt have an opportunity to be the best.

It is important to plan each hunt differently in advance and be OK with last minute changes as they come up. For example, if I am rifle hunting in the high country of Colorado during the fourth rifle season I expect it to be frigid. Now, this doesn’t always happen, but when it does, I am glad I have the right gear. Do the sleeping quarters I am planning on work during those weather conditions? If it rains, will I be off the ground enough to not have my tent flooded? Does my tent need a floor if it rains? Do I have a sleeping bag for the cold weather that is lightweight enough to pack into my spike camp? Though the weather in the high country is unpredictable, it is important to do your best to imagine the worst case scenario. Some of my best elk hunts came a day after the high country dumped its first 8” of snow on the ground. If I wasn’t prepared then, I would be back at the truck trying to dry out my gear and missing some great opportunities.

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When you are thinking about the species you are hunting it has more to do with the location where your hunting species live than anything else. Some animal species live in the remote areas that need you to be 10 miles from a trailhead or 3,000’ or 4,000’ vertical above the trailhead. When this happens, you do not have a choice but to camp in the backcountry. If hunting an animal such as bighorn sheep that live on the steepest peaks, physically, you do not have a choice to base camp and, instead, need to camp with some elevation already gained out of a packed in camp or a tent. With a species like that you just need to understand that unless you are superman or superwoman, you typically, physically, can’t be day hunting out of a trailhead for bighorn sheep without horses. Other species like elk or mule deer are location dependent. Some drainages or wilderness areas almost require you to bivy camp in the backcountry if you plan on hunting every morning and evening and be into elk or mule deer by first light.

People who day hunt from the trailhead are way behind or worn out by the time they wake up listening to bugling bulls near their bivy camp. There are several places I hunt that only require a two to three mile hike into the elk habitat so I choose to stay in a camper, get a good night’s sleep and make a pot of coffee every morning, but this is not always the case. For this specific elk hunting spot, I choose to do this because even though I have to get up 45 minutes to an hour earlier I hunt every morning and every night and sleep like a baby. This makes my hunting experience more enjoyable for me.

Your ability and experience

The most important thing to think about above all else when deciding whether you will stay at a base camp in a camper, truck or tent or if you plan to hike in and bivy camp in a sleeping bag, tent or hammock is your ability and experience. (continued on page 29)

Hunting & Fishing News | 25

FWP Releases Region 6 Mule Deer And Whitetail Deer Population Trend Numbers Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

ontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists have completed M their 2020 post-season and winter aerial surveys of deer populations across Region 6 in northeastern Montana, along with some spring ground surveys. The surveys indicate above average numbers for mule deer and stable populations of whitetail deer across the region.

Mule deer

For mule deer, 11 trend areas in Region 6 are surveyed two times each year from the air: once after the hunting season and once in early spring. The post-season survey was completed in December and January; however, the spring surveys were not completed due to concerns with the COVID-19 virus and distancing guidelines that are unavoidable in a plane. Instead, ground counts for mule deer were collected by area biologists to estimate over-winter survival. While total deer counts tend to be variable across Region 6, FWP biologist Ryan Williamson of Outlook said the 2020 surveys indicate mule deer continue to do quite well.

“Mule deer numbers continue to remain well above average across the region,” Williamson said.

The post-hunting-season surveys showed the region-wide mule deer trends at 79 percent above average, and 15 percent above the previous year’s survey. While regional numbers indicate above average mule deer levels overall, differences are seen across the region and in isolated areas as well.

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According to Williamson, mule deer numbers from individual mule deer trend areas range from average to well above the average.

“Region-wide, the fawn numbers continue to do quite well,” Williamson said. The post season survey showed 61 fawns per 100 adults across the region, which is above the average of 55 fawns per 100 adults. Although the mule deer numbers are variable across the region, there was little difference between the eastern and western portions of the region.

Additionally, spring ground classifications of mule deer herds and estimated fawn ratios indicate good over-winter survival.

Data collected during mule deer surveys are only one factor in deer management recommendations. “The prior year’s harvest, weather and habitat factors, as well as additional input gathered from landowners, hunters, the general public and other agencies are all considered by the Fish and Wildlife Commission for season and quota setting decisions,” Williamson explained.

Winter mortality was likely minimal across the region during the 2019-2020 winter based on observations and reports.

“A small amount of winter mortality was observed throughout the region, but no significant mortality events were observed due to the generally mild winter throughout the region.

The mule deer appeared to have over-wintered well and came into spring in good shape,” added Williamson.

For 2020, the general hunting districts will be managed under the liberal regulation for mule deer, which includes either-sex for a general deer license (A-tag), as well as additional antlerless B-licenses. Hunting district 652 is the only limited-permit district for bucks.

The B-licenses application deadline was June 1 and any surplus B-licenses will go on sale early August. “With liberal numbers of antlerless mule deer B-licenses and the need for hunters to play their role in helping to manage deer numbers, there are plenty of opportunities for hunters to fill their freezers this fall,” says Scott Thompson, Region 6 Wildlife Manager.

Whitetail deer

White-tailed deer densities continue to remain stable across the region as well. Williamson said surveys have been completed in five areas across Region 6. Due to more uniform habitat, the white-tailed deer surveys tend to look at deer density, as opposed to total numbers, for trends.

The 2020 survey show white-tailed deer density averages 10.6 deer per square mile across the trend areas, which is right at the long-term average of 10.7 deer per square mile. The surveys did see a decrease from the 2019 survey of 9%.

White-tailed deer densities tend to be more stable in the eastern part of the region, but winter severity continues to play a role in concentrating deer into the trend areas.

“Although the winter surveys were slightly down, the “prairie deer” are still near average and have remained stable in the last decade,” Williamson said. “The western trend areas along the Milk River continue to improve with overall densities now at 7% below average along the Milk River.”

A single-region antlerless whitetail B-license will again be available for over the counter purchase starting Aug. 10.

The licenses will be limited to one per hunter. Additionally, 3,000 antlerless whitetail B-licenses will be available this fall with applications due at the June 1 deadline.

Any surplus licenses will go on sale in early August.

“We feel this level of antlerless white-tailed deer harvest is needed to maintain populations at the current average levels. We don’t want to return to the extremely high numbers of whitetails in some areas of Region 6 that we saw a dozen years ago,” Thompson adds...

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WHAT CAMP STYLE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

(continued from page 25) Can you physically hike in four to five miles every morning and hunt every day or do you need to stay in the backcountry in order to have your best chance? Are you OK with this decision or is it not something you want to do? Not everyone can physically carry a camp on their back and you might need to hunt one to two miles from a truck or camper to have the best experience. If that’s the case, then choose to do that! Your backcountry experience level is important to decide where and how you will camp as well. If you are in bear country, do you know the best way to store your food?

If the weather is going to be raining, do you have the gear to keep you dry and to get out of bed? It’s important to be honest with yourself because it sounds like a great idea to sleep deep in the wilderness, but not everyone is going to enjoy that experience. Think twice and have a great hunting experience, especially when it comes to sleeping.

It is important to think through the situation for every hunt you plan to go on as well as to practice for it if you can.

If it is your first time with new gear or a new setup, then you owe it to yourself to take a summer practice hike two miles in and spend the night. Learn what feels right or wrong and decide what gear you need to make the experience what you want it to be. Hunting, in general, is usually a great experience to look back on but can be brutal on your body, mind and spirit during the act. Over preparing mentally, with gear, and physically can make the difference.

Sleep is also crucial so do what is best for you in order to have a great experience. Don’t be afraid to change it up or spend a night in a hotel during your hunt to reset. It’s all about your experience so make it what you want it to be.

Good luck this fall.

Hunting & Fishing News | 29

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Scouting With Donuts...

By Tom Cooper

Author Tom Cooper with a bouquet of Indian Paintbrush picked for his wife Tana.

ver the years I have greatly O improved and refined my annual scouting for big game animals. I focus

mostly on elk, but I routinely hunt for mule deer and on occasion moose.

This article is about scouting, because I believe scouting is the most important factor for successful hunting; I think it’s more important than either physical conditioning or target practice. Bakery treats only enter the picture because successful scouting actually requires more motivation than hunting.

Going hunting is motivation on its own. Treats can provide considerable motivation for scouting. Now, I am not saying that eating bakery goods is the key to a successful hunt. Rather, my point is productive scouting is more likely, if a treat is available when the scout is over. Some of you might think I am simply trying to encourage and motivate new, 12-year-old hunters.

While it works well for our youngest hunters, I can tell you treats really motivate us old hunters too.

As a retiree, the amount of time I spend in the woods is mostly a matter of establishing a balance of personal and family priorities. Year-round, I hunt, scout, or hike (just another word for scouting if you are a hunter) one or two, sometimes three days each week.

But I really do understand many hunters don’t have the options I currently enjoy.

So, how can any of us increase the productivity of scouting? Easy, just put a bakery stop at the end of your scout.

The first couple of treat stops might make you feel guilty. Sure there are too many calories, not enough fiber, and way more carbs than most of us need.

But you have to keep in mind you are only doing it in the name of productive scouting, already described as my most important factor for hunting.

How does a bakery stop actually “improve” scouting? First, in anticipation of a bakery stop, when you set that alarm the night before, you might just move the wake-up 15-30 minutes earlier (more time in the woods).

Second, since the anticipation of a treat always outweighs the reluctance associated with consuming too many

calories and carbs, you are more likely to walk a little farther or faster and climb a little higher to compensate (more quality time in the woods). Finally, because of your anticipation of the taste and smell of fresh baked goods, you tend to focus on big game animal tracks, droppings, and rubbed trees rather than mountain tops, wild flowers, or geologic formations. Ok, so most of that is really good stuff too, just not for this article.

You probably noticed, my discussion has not addressed topo maps, GPS equipment, or trail cameras relative to scouting. That’s because I haven’t found any of these help motivate me to get my sorry behind out of bed.

However, anticipation of bakery treats seems to help (a lot). Further, I have not addressed scouting new territory versus your tried and true locations.

It’s simple, where is the closest bakery or donut shop? Scout somewhere around there! Back in my Air Force days, we scouted various areas of Quantico Marine Corps Base, Virginia.

Since it was all new territory to us, we picked an area on the southwestern boundary, because across the street was a convenience store that advertised fresh bakery goods (cream and jelly filled). Based on this initial decision, over the next two seasons we routinely scheduled this area as our designated hunting spot and enjoyed many great bakery treats.

And yes, we harvested several whitetail deer in the process.

Unfortunately, I can’t offer any guidance about your choice of sticky buns versus cinnamon rolls or between apple and raspberry fritters.

That is a problem all of us face regardless of whether scouting, hunting, or just socializing. I can tell you getting to the bakery too late will limit your choices. Experience shows sticky buns and cinnamon rolls seldom last much past 11:00am.

Even the giant healthy muffins are gone by 10:30am. But a variety of donuts (frosted, cake, and jelly filled), maple bars, and fritters are almost always available well past noon.

So, did you really understand my message?

Is it about scouting (for hunting), or about the sweet goodness of fresh bakery goods?

Answer: folks.

It’s always about hunting

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Hunting & Fishing News | 31

A BASIC GUIDE ON HOW TO HUNT RUFFED GROUSE

By A.J. Derosa Project Upland www.projectupland.com

landscapes ranging from wet areas to elevation based on the regions you are hunting. It also involves a lot of walking, so be comfortable.

Other clothing that can make life easier and more evolved in grouse hunting can include such things as brush pants.

They are purpose-designed to keep those thorns and thick cover from tearing you up more than need be as grouse like thick and vicious escape cover. You may also want an upland vest or upland jacket that gives proper locations for stuff like shotgun shells and bagged birds.

A Grouse Dog

Photo courtesy Project Upland

Get an accelerated education on ruffed grouse hunting for this fall hether you live in ruffed grouse country or are inspired W to take a trip to covers around the United States or Canada, it’s important to have a basic understanding of

how to hunt ruffed grouse. A simple look at the basics can start the wheels turning into more advanced techniques and ideas for successful ruffed grouse hunting.

Ruffed Grouse Hunting Gear

This can be as simple or as complicated as you choose.

For some a simple shotgun with a proper choke, some blaze orange and a decent pair of boots and the world of grouse hunting is at your fingertips. For others it can progress to birds dogs, expensive side-by-sides, and tech clothing that considers every detail of the hunt. Both are correct, one is not better than the other. This is a user-based experience.

Now as much as many would like to tell you otherwise, a grouse dog is not a requirement. Does a well trained bird dog certainly make ruffed grouse hunting a bit easier on life and bird recovery more efficient? Sure. But just getting into something as complex as grouse hunting does not always mean diving in head first until we get some of the basics under our belts. If the opportunity presents itself, you should certainly try and hunt ruffed grouse over someone else’s bird dog. On those occasions, be mindful of the etiquette and safety of hunting over someone else’s bird dog...

Once you start thinking about taking the plunge into the exciting world of bird dogs check out the breeds available.

Different breeds do things differently and not all people have the same wants or needs. It’s important to make those choices based on what you intend to hunt and what daily life looks like with a bird dog in your life...

Understanding the Ruffed Grouse

The ruffed grouse is often considered the “king of upland birds.” This tag is often credited to the thick and difficult shooting cover that ruffed grouse inherently live in. It’s not impossible and some basic advice from articles like Overcoming the Shy Trigger Finger can help you ignore the trees. But before you even go that far, check out the Ruffed Grouse – Upland Game Species Profile (https://projectupland.com/upland-game-birds/ruffed-grouse/) to get a basic overview of this iconic bird.

A Grouse Hunting Shotgun

About the only real requirement of having a shotgun for ruffed grouse hunting is that you can shoot it straight.

It does not matter how cheap (or expensive) it may be.

Most people will pick between a 12-gauge to a 28-gauge and some will venture as low as a .410 caliber.

Considering the basic idea of what works well for you is often hatched out on a skeet range. For instance, I am a small framed person; put a 12-gauge in my hands and my shooting accuracy starts to decline.

Replace that with a 20- or 28-gauge and my numbers start to come up again. Use what works for you...

In a perfect world, you want to be able to choose the chokes that go in that shotgun. Ruffed grouse hunting usually starts with some very close shooting in the early season in thick foliage — calling for cylinder, skeet, and improved cylinder chokes. As the season progresses and the leaves fall, shooting can start to extend range — situations where the improved cylinder and modified chokes make more sense.

Ruffed Grouse Hunting Clothing

Blaze orange is always a must. Make sure you meet the state requirements on the amount of blaze orange you wear and grab a hat and/or vest to make that happen. Safety is a huge factor in any kind of upland hunting; add in dogs, some other hunters and everyone needs to be aware of locations.

Past that, a pair of solid waterproof boots can be crucial.

Ruffed grouse hunting can take you through diverse

32| Hunting & Fishing News

Photo courtesy Project Upland

Identifying Ruffed Grouse Habitat

If you cannot identify where ruffed grouse live it will, of course, be pretty difficult to find one of these birds. Getting a really good understanding of ruffed grouse habitat is crucial to finding birds. You can read deeper into this with How to Identify Ruffed Grouse Habitat (https://projectupland.com/ bird-hunting-articles/ruffed-grouse-habitat-2/) by biologist Ryan Lisson. Your understanding of this will evolve over time, and it’s important to take the time to look around your cover after you have seen a ruffed grouse. Ask yourself the questions: why was this bird here? Was it food, cover, something that sticks out that you will find elsewhere?

With time, you will begin to accelerate in this aspect and expand your areas to hunt.

Ruffed grouse hunting tends to be a public land pursuit, whether it’s state or federal property or land that allows public access like logging country. Logging country and logging in general play a critical roll in good ruffed grouse hunting. Many hunters will often look for logging cuts that have occurred usually in the past 20 years. Based on how fast or how slow that cover comes back can affect how soon or how long the cover is viable.

Shooting Ruffed Grouse

The difference between a ruffed grouse and partridge is that one was in the air while the other was standing on the ground (or a tree limb). In a cultural sense, many passionate ruffed grouse hunters do not look kindly upon shooting “partridge” on the ground. Bear in mind the famous words of George Bird Evans singing in the back of our minds, “Be worthy of your game.”

However, many of us have evolved from young days when this was a normal part of hunting life, part of growing into being a ruffed grouse hunter. This is a user experience and wherever you are on the path to being an upland hunter, you should enjoy it for what you want it to be as long as you follow the laws in the process. At some point we all decide to start letting them get up in the air, or require a staunch point from a well broke bird dog. Just to make it clear, you should never shoot a ruffed grouse on the ground when a bird dog is involved for safety reasons. Keep that ethical idea stored in your mind for hunts with bird dogs.

Practice should be a cornerstone to however you decide to shoot these birds. Skeet shooting was in fact invented by some passionate ruffed grouse hunters and makes a great way to familiarize yourself with your shotgun...

Hunting Ruffed Grouse without a Dog

For those of you who venture into hunting without a bird dog, you will have to change your methodology a bit. Instead of walking up onto pointed birds or hunting ruffed grouse with flushing dogs you will have to alter a bit of your behavior to increase your odds. The Art of Pausing on an Upland Hunt is a critical piece of advice that can make birds that feel safe in escape cover get nervous enough to surrender their positions with an unexpected flush. After that, you will have to put in some extra work when recovering downed birds...

Add the American Woodcock to your Hunt

The American woodcock is often hand-in-hand with the ruffed grouse. This migratory species will pass through grouse covers as they head south to winter. They can make for easier shooting and added excitement through a long day walking...

Where to Meet Other Ruffed Grouse Hunters

Interested in picking up someone to mentor you or just talk about grouse hunting? The Ruffed Grouse Society is a very welcoming organization that has many events set up for just that type of interaction. Check out a list of their events to find “birds n brews” dates and your local chapter. Ruffed grouse hunters are a diverse bunch and all sorts of people are ready and willing to help someone else pursue their passion.

Eating Ruffed Grouse

Ruffed grouse is considered one of the mildest and most sought-after game bird meats. Its light flavor is easily accommodated to people’s differing tastes; it can be eaten in many different forms. From a simple, oven roasted bird to more advanced recipes, the ruffed grouse is sure to be good table fare.

Ruffed grouse can be plucked, skinned, breasted, and prepared in other ways. It can be aged and freezes well.

We suggest checking out our friend Hank Shaw from Hunter Angler Gardner Cook to get some great recipes...

Where to get more Ruffed Grouse Content

We will constantly be adding more content under the ruffed grouse hunting category. We explore more advanced techniques, cultural articles, the history of ruffed grouse, and of course the critical conservation issues that threaten the future of this beloved upland game bird right now...

Project Upland www.projectupland.com.

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Hunting & Fishing News | 33

WHY YOU MISSED THAT DEER (continued from page 23)

Un-zeroed rifles are another big problem. Just because you shot a deer last season and put the rifle in the safe doesn’t mean it’s good to go this year – you need to confirm your zero, especially if you worked on your gun or changed ammo.

Military and law enforcement snipers are constantly checking their “cold bore” shots and confirming how their rifle is grouping. Like them, your first shot is the most important one – make it count.

For most hunters, I recommend a 50-yard zero, which will result in the bullet striking within 2-3 inches from your point of aim from the muzzle, out to about 200 yards. A 100-yard zero will actually result in a shorter distance you can shoot without having to compensate for bullet drop due to the flatter trajectory. It is also easier for the average shooter to fire a good group and make scope adjustments at 50 yards...

Along with a zeroed rifle, having a basic knowledge of ballistics – at least understanding the relationship between your sights and the path of the bullet -- can be important in certain situations. Years ago, I was a new hunter in search of whitetail in a hilly spot of eastern South Dakota. I came across some does down in a valley about 125 yards away.

I snuck up to the top of the ridge and went prone, laying my rifle across my pack in a rock-solid position. I was hunting with a borrowed .243 that was zeroed at about 50 yards.

Thinking the extra 75 yards past my zero distance would result in greater bullet drop, I held several inches higher on the deer and made a clean trigger press. I watched the dirt kick up behind the deer as the bullet went over her back.

What I didn’t know at the time was due to the parabolic arc of the bullet, my point of impact was actually about 2” higher than my point of aim at 125 yards. I compensated for

something I didn’t need to worry about. Conversely, when you start pushing beyond your “maximum point-blank range,” all sorts of factors start to matter – range, wind, bullet design - and small errors you make are compounded. Equipment like laser range finders and BDC reticles become extremely helpful, and of course, knowledge and experience are critical.

Poorly mounted optics may be the biggest issue we run into with our hunting customers. Optics and guns do break from time to time – but for every single piece of “broken” equipment, we see HUNDREDS of optics that were improperly mounted, or mounted using cheap, low-quality rings. Rings are like tires to a car – you wouldn’t buy a Ferrari and then put cheap tires on it. If you did, you certainly couldn’t expect Ferrari-level performance.

Low-quality rings, or improper scope mounting cause a number of problems – the scope can shift during recoil, internal mechanisms can bind or be damaged, scope tubes can be torqued or even crushed, and reticles can break.

This can cause zeroes to wander and scope adjustments to be off. Buy quality scope rings, use an inch-lb torque wrench and read the directions! There are lots of videos on this on the Vortex YouTube channel that will show you how to mount a scope properly.

Rifles need to be carefully setup for the individual who will be using it. If your gun does not fit you properly, your accuracy will suffer. Length of pull, comb height, and eye relief are all things that can vary greatly from one shooter to another.

This is especially important if you are trying to introduce a spouse, child, or friend to hunting for the first time.

Ensure the rifle is setup for them – not you – so everyone can have a memorable experience.

There are of course a multitude of other things that can result in a missed deer, but by looking at these basic equipment and shooter issues, you can drastically increase the odds of landing your next shot squarely in the vitals.

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34| Hunting & Fishing News

Create Hunting Gear Checklists For Your Upcoming Trips

By Zach Lazzari Hunting Gear Outfitters www.huntinggearoutfitters.com his is an excerpt from “Create Hunting Gear Checklists For Your Upcoming Trips” by Zach Lazzari.

T

Personalize your own lists and create one for each of your trips this season. Here are a couple of examples to get you started: Day Trip Hunting Checklist Day pack or underloaded multi-day pack with meat hauling capabilities Backpack rain cover Butt pad for glassing Hiking poles Optics - binoculars, spotting scope, rangefinder, tripod Binocular chest harness Clothing - boots, socks, base layers, mid-layer, rain jacket and pants, heavy layer, gaiters, hat, sunglasses Field dressing knife, replacement blades and/or sharpener Game bags Hunting License Water bottle or bladder Micro water filter, SteriPen or purification tablets First aid and emergency kit (incl. lighter, waterproof matches, survival kit, etc.) Smartphone/GPS with maps Toilet paper (in ziplock) Lunch, trail snacks and supplements Hunting weapon and ammunition Species specific calls Headlamp with spare batteries...

Backcountry Multi-Day Hunting Checklist Multi-day backpack with rain cover Tent, stakes and groundcloth Sleeping bag - 30 degree for summer, 0-degree for late season Sleeping pad Clothing - boots, socks, base layer, mid-layer, rain jacket and pants, heavy layer for late season Extra protection - gaiters, warm hat, spare underwear and shirt Hiking poles Optics - binoculars, spotting scope, rangefinder, tripod Butt pad for glassing Binocular chest harness Water bottle or bladder Water filter plus backup purification Smartphone/GPS with maps Battery pack with ultralight solar panel for recharging phone, GPS and headlamp Game bags Hunting License Field dressing knife, replacement blades and/or sharpener Cook system (incl. stove, pot and fuel) First aid and emergency kit (incl. lighter, waterproof matches, survival kit, etc.) Headlamp Backup headlamp or ultralight emergency light Toilet paper (in ziplock bag) Food - dehydrated meals, breakfast items, trail snacks, coffee pouches, supplements & other high density calorie foods as desired Hunting weapon and ammunition Species specific calls To read the complete article visit Hunting Gear Outfitters https://huntinggearoutfitters.com/blogs/hunting-tips-tactics/ create-hunting-gear-checklists-for-your-upcoming-trips

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Hunting & Fishing News | 35

Summer is for Dry Flies – Tips for Productive Dry Fly Days (continued from page 19) HIT THE SMALL STREAMS

Summer means the small streams are open and that window only lasts a few months in some areas. Get out your Royal Wulff, Humpy and Adams dry flies to tackle the fish that will eat just about anything. Some small streams have big trout and others are ripe with opportunity for a day of walking and catching as many as you want on a single fly.

RECOMMENDED FLY RODS

Dry flies come in all shapes and sizes. So do the rivers where we love to cast them. Depending on where you tend to fish dry flies most often, we have a few recommendations.

The flagship M Series rods are extremely popular among stillwater anglers and nymping fanatics. But anyone who has fished one will tell you that these rods are outstanding dry fly sticks – particularly when fishing big bugs on larger rivers. For that Salmonfly hatch on the Gunnison, bring the extra power and reach of the M Series.

For smaller waters and delicate presentations, we love to recommend the Au Sable series. These fly rods are highly accurate and have incredible touch in those light line situations.

Finally, you can’t go wrong with the Reaper X for pure versatility. This medium-fast rod can handle big winds and hopper-dropper rigs, but is just as adept at delivering a size 20 parachute adams to a rising brook trout.

Zach Lazzari is a fly fishing guide and an outdoor writer based in Montana...Zach is also the blogger behind The Busted Oarlock.

36| Hunting & Fishing News

Trail Kreitzer with archery bull elk taken off a wallow.

Photo courtesy goHUNT.com

EARLY SEASON ELK TACTICS: How To Effectively Hunt Elk Wallows (continued from page 5) You may have to set up below, above or to the side of a wallow and the bulls likely approach to ensure that he does not wind you.

One of the biggest benefits of hunting a wallow is that it puts you in control. You get to pick the location you want to set up in and you know the yardage to your intended target. How close or far away should you set up? First, consider your ethical shot distance. Can you hit a softball-sized circle at 40 yards every single time, arrow after arrow? Personally, I think 40 yards is better than 20 yards because you can get away with more movement and scent. If you have plenty of cover and clear shooting lanes, then closer is better. Get as close as you can to make an ethical shot, but stay far enough away that you can reduce the likelihood of getting busted while drawing.

Concealment is important when setting up on a wallow.

Cover gives you the ability to draw your bow and execute a shot. There are a few methods to find cover or concealment.

One is to put in a treestand. A treestand is a great way to hunt over a wallow. Getting up off the ground puts your scent up higher and away from an approaching bull. It also offers good cover. Elk are a lot less accustomed than whitetail deer to spotting an awaiting hunter in a tree. The only real issue with a treestand is that they are heavy, bulky and, in many cases, would require a lengthy pack in.

Ground blinds are another great option. A pop-up blind will work, but, again, they are heavy, bulky and tough to pack in.

A natural ground blind is my favorite option. It’s one reason why I like to pack a small saw like the Outdoor Edge Grizz Saw. I can use it to cut shooting lanes or limbs and branches to create a natural blind. You can also use the available natural cover.

One of the best blinds I ever had was about 40 yards above a wallow in a patch of regenerating aspen. I was able to weave some together and cut others to create shooting lanes. About an hour before dark I had a great 7x6 walk in and I watched him wallow for a few minutes before I was able to arrow him as he stood broadside at 40 yards.

Ambush hunting on a wallow may not be the most glamorous means of harvesting a bull, but it’s very effective, especially during the pre-rut and rut. It’s one more method to consider and you can’t eat glamour anyway!

POOR MAN’S HUNTING GUIDE: DIY HUNTING TIPS FOR ELK

(continued from page 8) shooting lane while he is focused on the decoy and not you. What decoy you use The statewide success rate on elk is personal preference, but any of the hunts is about 20-25%. This is partly choices we offer work well in just about due to the lower numbers but also all situations. If you are covering a lot of because many hunters don’t get far ground, the features of the new Eichler enough from the road. They prefer Elk decoy make it even easier to carry easy access, which we will say again, and set up when time is a concern. is the exact opposite approach if you As does the Back Country Elk, which want to up your chances. To be is super lightweight. In dense cover, perfectly honest, the real work begins the broadside pose of the RMEF Cow Elk when you have to quarter and haul a increases the chance a bull will see bull out of the mountains. But it’s a it among patches of thick timber. labor of love like you’ll only experience The relaxed and confident feeding pose a few times, if that, in a lifetime. of Miss September can work to your Year after year, Unit 66A sees a Unit 66A is one of the best units to hunt elk in Idaho advantage on public land where hunting success rate on bulls that is hard to despite both a large number of nonresident hunters pressure is high and the elk are call shy. argue with despite both a large number and wolves. of nonresident hunters and wolves.

Elk Decoys to Pack With almost 172,000 acres, most of which is forest, this Decoying elk has become vital to success for the DIY elk OTC Idaho elk hunting unit produces some of the larger hunters in the states above. Whether it’s the hunting bulls harvested in the state each year. But be prepared for pressure in Colorado, the thick timber in Oregon, or the a feast or famine type hunt, where you could go four days wolves in Idaho, calling elk is tough. The Eichler Elk decoy without seeing a single elk only to unexpectedly stumble on is perfect for public land bowhunters chasing bulls in a number of good bulls on the fifth. That’s why we always hard-hunted country and demanding terrain. Other elk carry an elk decoy during the archery season, no matter decoys you will want in your pack include Miss September, where we’re hunting. You just never know when you’ll RMEF Cow Elk, and the Back Country Elk. These elk need to draw an old herd bull away from his harem. decoys, with stakes included, weigh no more than a couple Public Land Bowhunting Elk Decoy Tactics pounds and fold down into a disk so that they take up little space in your pack. For hunters going deep into the Bulls will begin to round up cows in mid-August. He’s hoping backcountry, shaving a few ounces off your pack load may that she’ll pick him as a breeding partner once she’s ready be important. to breed. It is a perfect time for elk decoying tactics.

Preparation plays such a large part into the success of an To appeal to all the senses of a mature bull, combine calling, elk hunt. Check your physical fitness, scout if you can, and scents, and decoying tactics. In the early season, use cow get your head set for any situation that may arise while elk scent, though not cow-in-heat because it is used in a you’re out there. Appeal to all five senses of a mature bull limited period during the rut. Also, keep handy a cow call. in the early season and you may find yourself in the Your setup will vary on whether you are hunting timber or moment you’ve prepared for. meadows, but the basic idea is to lure the elk past your

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