HUNTING & F ISHING WESTERN
NEWS
JUNE 2022
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4 | Hunting & Fishing News
Here are a few things to know about the team approach to elk calling, and some things to think about as you practice for the season:
The Pros
One of the primary benefits to a team approach to elk calling is the ability to draw an elk past the shooter, without giving away the shooter’s exact location. Elk have an uncanny ability to pinpoint the location of a sound. If a bull responds to a hunter’s cow calls or bugles, you can bet that bull will come with his eyeballs glued to that exact spot. Even if a bull comes from a long distance, it’s often surprising his ability to pinpoint the very spot from where those calls originated. In our guided scenarios or when you have a hunting partner, the shooter can be positioned slightly in front of the caller in an attempt to draw the elk past the shooter’s position unnoticed. Photo credit Ryan McSparran
Off-Season Elk Calling Practice And The Team Approach By Ryan McSparran Dark Timber Lodge www.darktimberlodge.com
f you’re planning an archery elk hunt...take the time IAnd to practice your elk calls! Don’t let yourself get rusty. don’t wait until the season gets too close. Just like you should be practicing with your bow year-round, never go too long without putting an elk call in your mouth. On our guided elk hunts in Colorado, we’re fortunate to be using a “team” calling approach. The guide is the designated caller, attempting to work a bull toward the shooter (or shooters). Whether or not you plan to hunt with a guide this season, the team calling approach is one we’d highly recommend.
The Cons
As with anything, this team calling approach has its drawbacks. If the shooter is positioned out in front of the caller, communication between the two can sometimes be difficult. Miscommunication can quickly lead to botched opportunities. Elk rarely read the script. It’s not uncommon for elk to approach from a direction you didn’t expect. Or sometimes they hang up out of range, necessitating a move or a change of tactics. This can be difficult when even a short distance separates caller and shooter.
Practicing for the Hunt
As you keep up your calling practice during the off-season, this can be a great time of year to try new diaphragms and figure out which ones work best for you. Mouths come in many shapes and sizes, so there’s not a one-size-fits-all “best” call for everyone. Pick up a few and spend some time trying them out. Once you land on a diaphragm or two that works well for you, take the time to become comfortable and confident. (continued on page 36)
Hunting & Fishing News | 5
Let me tell you: when we got to Montana, it didn’t matter if he was in great shape or was going to hold me back because it was the experience we had together that made the trip great.
BONDING
The number one reason you should take your dad on a western hunt this fall is for the bonding. We all have memories of our dads during the early years, but most likely we have moved out and don’t talk to our parents as much as we used to or should. On my trip to Montana, I bonded with my father more in 10 days than I have in years past. We shared laughs, ran out of gas, almost got stuck, pushed our bodies hard and got into elk together every day. All photo credits Jake Horton
A Father And Son Western Hunt Experience By Jake Horton Originally published at
GOHUNT.com
ith Father’s Day on the horizon, it is easy to remember W some of the best outdoor memories with our dads. As an East Coast hunter, thousands of memories flood back
to me: when I shot my biggest buck, my first deer, caught my first bass, when I missed a long shot and he encouraged me that I would have another chance. And countless other memories. It’s amazing that when I think of my dad, my most notable memories are from when we shared time outdoors together. I think that memories of our dads taking us hunting are so prominent because of the sacrifice of our fathers. To take a new hunter hunting — whether as an adult or as a child — it becomes about their experience and not the father’s or mentor’s experience. Over the past few years, I have transitioned from a eastern whitetail hunter to a Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer hunter in the West since I moved to Colorado. My father, who is 59 years old, still lives in Pennsylvania and avidly hunts whitetails, but has not been out to the Rockies in over 30 years. I consider myself a hard western hunter who pushes my body to the maximum everyday afield; however, in 2019, on Father’s Day, I asked my dad to go out and join me on a Montana elk rut hunt in September. I gave him the option to archery hunt or to go along for the ride. He chose to go along for the ride and, honestly, it was the best memory we share to date. I truly feel that you should take your father on a western hunt at least once if you have the option, but make sure to set both your father’s and your expectations correctly. Being a western hunter who pushes my body to the maximum with limited time off of work, the thought of taking my dad out west for a Montana elk hunt inevitably seemed like he would slow me down. Originally, I invited him because I wanted him to have a great experience, but as the dates got closer, I worried that he would hold me back. My dad is in good shape for his age, but not in tremendous shape. He is on his feet all day going up and down stairs, but doesn’t work out religiously or at all anymore.
6 | Hunting & Fishing News
Towards the end of the week, he was starting to get a little worn out so he would stay back an evening hunt or two and cook dinner for our camp. Though I didn’t harvest an elk in 2019, I felt as though the hunt I had with my dad made it worth it. He got a great experience with his boy and I had a great experience with my dad.
SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR DAD
Expectations are something that can make a hunt, hike or trip more memorable. When we set realistic expectations and achieve those expectations, our trip feels like a success even if we don’t harvest an animal. Before someone’s first western hunt in the Rockies, it is important to set expectations so they know what they are getting themselves into. This is especially true when taking our fathers who may not be young men anymore, which applies even more when taking someone from a lower elevation state in the East. Your dad needs to expect that the elevation gains are intense and it will be hard on his body. Be sure to tell him the worst case scenario so that he is prepared for a better scenario. Tell him how brutal the weather can be and how tough the hiking is and if he still wants to go and spend time with you, then make it happen. Your expectations are easier to set up for success. There is a possibility that your dad may slow you down a little bit, but you can always leave earlier for your hike than you normally do in order to counter this. When your dad needs to rest and you should rest, break out the binoculars and maybe find an elk or deer that you would normally walk past. It’s important to understand when taking and mentoring a new hunter in the West — even your old man — that it is about their experience because it makes them want to come back and remember the trip as enjoyable. Ultimately, your father has sacrificed so much to make you a good person, hunter and outdoorsman that a little slower paced hunt is still a hunt.
Final thoughts
Overall, taking your dad out West may affect your hunt; however, in my opinion it will only make it more memorable. As long as you are doing it for a good reason, his expectations are that it will be a hard hunt, and you expect to be a little slower paced, then you will have a great time. Remember: your father has given up so many of their hunting days to take you out. The week of your western season will never repay the debt we owe them. I hope this Father’s Day you get to talk to your dad or son about a western hunt.
How Guides & Hunters Use OnX Maps To Increase Opportunity By Zach Lazzari Antler Canyon Outfitters www.antlercanyonoutfitters.com
hen you head out on a guided hunt and your guide W is constantly checking his cell phone, rest assured that he is likely using the device as a GPS tool to your advantage. Even on a wilderness hunt, this tool is excellent for navigating using imagery, detailed property boundaries and reading the terrain. Take note of the way your guides are using the unique OnX app and take those lessons home for future hunts.
FIND ACCESS WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY Outfitters and savvy hunters are utilizing the distinct property boundaries alongside accurate GPS location tracking to access public lands more effectively. The property boundaries eliminate the questions about where public and private boundaries are located and they make it easy to really know where you stand (literally) in relation to boundaries. Traditionally, the safest bet was to access public lands from established trailheads or large, well known boundaries but now hunters are using slivers of land to sneak into prime spots. They are also connecting state, forest service, BLM and other types of public lands to be more effective at assessing terrain that was once questionable with intensive study of maps. The ability to study and make decisions on the fly is really a game changer for all hunters.
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SAVED MAPS FOR OFFLINE USE While OnX is most often utilized on smartphones, it remains viable outside of service areas and is compatible with GPS devices as well. Saving maps for offline use on a smartphone is easy and you can still use the GPS tracking feature to show your location against the map and boundaries. Knowing where you stand on DIY or guided trips is always comforting and having that point of reference for future map study is a bonus. Saving maps at 10 square miles is ideal for focused areas but you can also use the 100 square mile feature to work a larger area.
UTILIZING LAYERS Customizing maps to fit your hunt is easy and the OnX layers will show you only the features that are important. The layers are somewhat different for every state but you can view public lands, private lands, game units and hunting district boundaries, roadless areas, possible access points, historic wildfire and burn areas and trails and recreation sites. The game management areas will often link through to specific regulations pages and pertinent info. Additionally, state specific programs that offer walk-in access, block management and any public access opportunity on private lands has a layer option. Lastly, the CWD or Chronic Wasting Disease layer shows the distribution of CWD as a precautionary measure for hunters in areas where the disease is prolific. For more information on guided hunting opportunities in Arizona with Antler Canyon Outfitters, please don’t hesitate to send us a message https://antlercanyonoutfitters.com/ contact-us/ or call Toby directly at (928) 205-8911.
Hunting & Fishing News | 7
Explore Your Wild Side.
Three Bear Recipes You Can’t Resist
By Josh Kirchner Originally published at
GOHUNT.com
ith the end of spring approaching fast across the West, W I have one thought that still remains strong: bears! The more I hunt bears and talk about hunting bears,
the more it is brought to my attention that it is a sorely uneducated topic. Not in terms of the hunting part really, but in terms of consumption. I am constantly surprised by how many people out there who are hunters and don’t know that you can eat bears. Not only that, but they are unaware of how delicious they are! So, in light of that, I have put together three simple recipes that will surely change your mind if you’ve ever questioned the validity of bear meat.
Bear chili Inspired by you.
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The entire contents is © 2022, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without prior consent. The material and information printed is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. Nor does this material necessarily express the views of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. All photo & editorial submissions become the property of Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure, Inc. to use or not use at their discretion. Volume 19 Issue 6 Cover Photo: jill@ghostbear.org | depositphotos.com
8 | Hunting & Fishing News
Who doesn’t love a good chili? I know I do. I am probably partial, because of my Arizona residency and my obvious love for Mexican food, but that is neither here nor there. You can serve this enchilada All photos credit Josh Kirchner style or just straight from a bowl. This is a recipe taken straight from my dad. He acquired this through an old friend in New Mexico. The only difference is that I have swapped beef with bear meat. Since I was a child, this recipe has been in constant rotation in my family’s kitchen. I highly suggest that you take this for a spin. INGREDIENTS: 3 lbs ground bear meat 12 to 14 red chili pods 25 chili pod seeds 3 garlic cloves (diced) 1/2 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon cumin 3 tablespoons butter 2 beef bouillon cubes 1/4 cup onion 6-quart stock pot STEP 1: Clean pods and put in blender with seeds. Add warm water and soak for 20 minutes. Once that is done, add in your garlic cloves and blend. STEP 2: Brown your bear meat and then add that to the stock pot. STEP 3: Once your meat is sitting in your pot, add in the rest of the ingredients. Add water until the pot is about three-quarters of the way filled. Mix everything together thoroughly. STEP 4: Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly. STEP 5: Once it reaches a boil, turn your temperature down and simmer with a lid on for one hour, followed by another hour without a lid. Make sure to stir occasionally. In the words of my dad, “Now you have a masterpiece.”
Bear burger Nothing beats coming home from a long day at work or even an exhausting hunt and having a good burger. I’ve never met someone that didn’t like this ever so popular serving. They are easy to make, delicious, and just downright hit the spot. Serve them at sporting events or a relaxed evening at home. It doesn’t matter. This was inspired by me watching my dad make meatballs when I was a youngster. I just decided to make it into a burger, rather than a meatball. Make sure to cook this well done as you should do with all bear meat. INGREDIENTS: 2 lbs ground bear meat (makes eight quarter-pounders) Your favorite hamburger seasoning Parmesan cheese Temperature gauge. STEP 1: Add in a generous amount of hamburger seasoning and parmesan cheese on top of your ground meat. I generally throw enough on to cover the whole top completely. From here, you are going to want to knead the seasoning into the meat until it is combined evenly. If there looks like there isn’t enough, add more seasoning or cheese as you go through and knead. STEP 2: I like to use a scale after this to break the meat up into quarter-pound patties. If you want them bigger, that is fine. There are no rules here! STEP 3: Whether you cook this on a grill or in a pan, that is entirely up to you. Personally, I like the burger better on the grill. Whichever way you choose, make sure you cook the burger until it is well done. I will cook the patty until the inside temp reaches 170 degrees. You don’t want to risk getting trichinosis. STEP 4: Add whatever fixings you would like and enjoy! I like cheese, avocado, lettuce, red onion and a bit of honey BBQ sauce!
BBQ shredded bear
This is a super versatile recipe that you can go a few different ways with. I have it labeled as a BBQ-flavored recipe, but you can incorporate any type of seasonings to do your own thing with it. For example, this would work fantastic for making a taco or burrito dish. My mom actually made tamales for Christmas out of this last year. They turned out phenomenal. The main thing is to break that meat down to the point that it will easily shred apart. Personally, I do this in the crockpot. Set it and forget it. From there, the world (or bear) is at your fingertips.
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ELITE 3654 US HWY 12 EAST, HELENA | 406-449-3111 INGREDIENTS: 2 to 3 lb. bear roast 1 yellow onion 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 1 box of vegetable or beef broth Your favorite BBQ sauce Temperature gauge. STEP 1: Chop up all of your peppers and onion. I like to do the peppers in long strands and the same with the onion. STEP 2: Place your bear roast in the crockpot and add in all of your peppers, onions, and broth. Feel free to add in any additional seasoning you might like as well. Place the lid on. STEP 3: Set the crockpot to high and enjoy your day. I will let this cook for eight to nine hours until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees. Use your temperature gauge to probe the meat. At that point, the meat will shred apart easily. You can do this with a fork or you can actually purchase claws specifically for this purpose. STEP 4: Once the roast reaches the right temperature, remove it from the pot and place it on a tray to shred it up. Once that is done, try to get all of the peppers and onions out of the pot and drain the broth out into the sink. Put the meat and peppers/onions back in the pot and add in your favorite BBQ sauce. I like honey BBQ. Stir this up as you add the sauce and until you can see that it covers all of the shredded meat evenly. STEP 5: Throw this on a bun, in a tortilla, or just on a plate with nothing, and enjoy! Time to eat!
Hunting & Fishing News | 9
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7 Things That Can SAVE YOUR BUTT In The Backcountry
By Zach Lazzari Kawdy Outfitters www.kawdyoutfitters.com
T
hings can get a little wild in the backcountry and it pays to have a few critical things for general safety. A few of these are common within first aid kits but you should always check twice to make sure your lifelines are available and ready for use in the field. Blister Pads It’s the little things that can wreak havoc on a hunt and blisters are one of them. A little hot spot on your foot can turn to a full-blown blister. Once this happens, walking becomes difficult and painful. Carry blister pads, moleskin or your preferred blister preventative. Our go-to choice are the Compeed or BandAid brand pads. They’ll stay put for days and they offer excellent protection. The key in any situation is to apply a pad or moleskin before a blister forms. As soon as you feel a hot spot, cover it up. This will keep you walking comfortably throughout the entire hunt. Duct Tape A little duct tape goes a long way and many experienced backcountry travelers will tell you they won’t leave home without it. You can patch tents and fabrics, hold anything together and make temporary repairs to just about anything with some tape. Duct tape is available in small rolls, but even that can sometimes be too much. Instead, make several wraps of duct tape around your water bottle. Alternatively, it can go on a tripod leg, a trekking pole or any smooth round surface. Wherever you keep it, this is an easy way to pack some tape without carrying an entire roll. Hand Warmers Keep a few of these in your first aid kit but don’t break them out when your hands are a little cold. Save them for emergencies where you catch a real chill and need to warm your core. Do a few minutes of rigorous physical activity and hold a warmer against your chest to fend off the dangers of hypothermia.
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Photo credit Ryan McSparran
Emergency Satellite Beacon The compact nature of emergency beacons make them an excellent tool to bring along. You can even send off text messages with certain models and plans. Keep your battery charged and buy an insurance plan to accompany the rescue signal. QuickClot Working with knives, broadheads and other sharp objects is a necessity for hunters. While accidents are rare, they do happen. Carry some QuickClot in the your First Aid kit to stop bleeding during a serious emergency. It’s not heavy and can save your life. Quick Calories Backcountry hunts are physical and can drain your energy. When your body hits a wall, it’s amazing what a sudden boost of sugar can do. Another great thing to carry in your emergency kit is a couple of sugar-rich snacks. Honey sticks, candy bars, and anything that gives you a quick boost can make a huge difference when you’re worn out. Reliable Hunting Partners It’s not something we often consider, but having hunting partners who are on the same page and will plan, communicate, go slow and work together is huge in the field. If you plan on hunting with other folks, get to know them first and learn to work as a team when necessary. Here at Kawdy Outfitters, we are fortunate to have an outstanding team of world-class guides. If you’ve been fortunate enough to hunt with any of them, you know how helpful it is to have a solid team in the backcountry. Plus, it’s just more fun when you get to hunt with great partners! Contact Us With Questions If you have questions about hunting in northern British Columbia, or about our guided hunts specifically here at Kawdy Outfitters, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can explore the rest of our website at www.kawdyoutfitters.com for more information. Or contact us with questions at 1-250-306-8624 or 1-250-540-1179 (Oct 15 – July 1) or 1-250-651-1189 (July 1 – Oct 15). Written by Zach Lazzari Zach is an outdoor writer, a hunting and fly fishing guide, and very proud to be a part of the Kawdy Outfitters team. You can follow Zach’s adventures at www.bustedoarlock.com.
All photos credit Josh Kirchner
Don’t Let The Wind Beat You When Shooting Your Bow By Josh Kirchner
Originally published at
GOHUNT.com
spent any good amount of time shooting a bow, Icanfyouyou’ve know how absolutely infuriating shooting in the wind be. Sight pins dance around like a pinball hitting all sides of the target and our blood boils from frustration. This is not the time to try and sight in a bow. However, as painstaking as it can be, shooting in the wind is a very necessary skill for a bowhunter. Things are rarely perfect in the field and wind is a common obstacle you’ll encounter. So, in order to be as ready as we can be, knowing how to shoot in the wind is a must. Here’s a few things to keep in mind the next time the wind blows.
Remove your quiver In general, I’m a huge fan of just leaving my quiver on at all times. In fact, I think it’s rather silly to practice without a quiver because we hunt with our quivers on. For the most part, at least. There are plenty of folks out there who take their quivers off when in the stand, blind or even on stalks. Wind is a great reason to take off a quiver as well. Quivers actually act as a sail. They have a knack for catching the wind and blowing you right off target and the difference in feel at full draw is quite dramatic. By taking off your quiver, you’ll open up a whole lot of space for air flow through your bow. The result is less pin movement on target, which translates right into better shooting. Just know where your arrows are and keep them at the ready. You never know when you’ll have to make a follow up shot in the field. Canting Most bow sights these days have a bubble level on them. These are there to ensure that we are holding perfectly level at full draw. This is known as your second axis and is something that needs to be set up properly beforehand. By not holding level, we will experience left/right variances in impact points. If the bow is canted/tilted to the right when the shot breaks, the arrow will go right. If the bow is canted/tilted to the left, the arrow will go left. It’s all because of the natural arc of the arrow in flight. By offsetting that arc, you’ll push the arrow one way or another. This is valuable intel when it comes time to shooting in the wind. (continued on page 35)
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Hunting & Fishing News | 11
Here are 10 tips to get you started:
Photo credit Idaho Department of Fish and Game - Panhandle Region Black bear with huckleberries in the background
Top 10 Tips For Idaho Spring Black Bear Hunting By Roger Phillips, Public Information Supervisor Idaho Department Of Fish & Game
provides hunters the opportunity to hunt black bears Ibigdaho during the spring so you don’t have to wait until fall to start game hunting. All you need is a 2022 hunting license and bear tag. People typically hunt bears by pursuing them with hounds, baiting them or spotting and stalking.
If you have hounds, you’re probably already a seasoned bear hunter and need no explanation why they’re a worthy game animal. If you don’t have hounds, or if you don’t want to set up a bait station, bear hunting doesn’t require any equipment you don’t already have for deer or elk hunting. You just need to learn how to hunt a different animal.
12 | Hunting & Fishing News
1) Know what habitat bears occupy during spring. Bears are often mistakenly described as a carnivore, but they’re actually omnivores with plants making up most of their diet. This is especially true during spring when they’re coming out of hibernation and eating newly sprouted plants. Bears are actually similar to deer and elk in that they “surf the green wave” of vegetation as it begins sprouting up. 2) Know the baiting rules. Baiting may seem simple: Put out something bears like and wait. And it is that simple, but you have to do it legally. Hunters need a permit to bait bears, and there are rules regarding when, how and where you set up a bait station, as well as what bait you can use. See the 2022 Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet for all the details about spring bear hunting. 3) Know what units are open. Most of the state is open for spring bear hunting, emphasis on most, but some do not have general seasons. Some roads may be closed or inaccessible during spring, so check with your local land management agencies when those open. 4) Spend some time searching with binoculars or spotting scopes. A black bear against a green hillside can be fairly easy to spot, even from a mile or so away. You’re likely to increase your odds of tagging a bear if you know there’s one in the area and see it before it knows you’re there. Spot-and-stalk hunting is always an exciting way to pursue game. 5) Respect their senses. Bears have an incredible sense of smell and are intelligent animals. They also don’t live in herds, make much noise (in general) and tend to be pretty shy animals by nature. Hunting them is a challenge, but not impossible. Hunters killed about 3,600 black bears in Idaho in 2021, and it’s the state’s third most-popular big game animal behind deer and elk. 6) Make sure the bear is not a female with cubs. It’s illegal to harvest a female black bear with cubs. Pay attention and make sure it’s a legal bear before you pull the trigger. 7) Know the difference between a grizzly bear and a black bear. This is especially important if you’re hunting in eastern or northern Idaho, which have both, and they have also been spotted in the Clearwater area. There is no hunting season for grizzlies, so don’t assume any bear you spot is a black bear if you’re anywhere near grizzly country. Fish and Game has an online brochure with information about hunting in grizzly country. 8) Be prepared to process the hide. This means knowing how to skin a bear so it can be made into a rug, whole mount or partial body mount. It’s different than skinning a deer or elk — same basic concept, but different methods because you will want to leave the head and paws attached. Also remember you must leave evidence of sex naturally attached to the hide, and hunters must check in a harvested black bear to Fish and Game within 10 days of harvest. 9) Have a game plan for the meat. Bear meat can be very tasty, so assume you’re going to eat it. Like all game, the key to getting the best tasting meat is to keep it clean and cool. Skin the bear as quickly as possible to cool it, and get the meat on ice if temperatures are warm. 10) Build on what you learn. Many bears are taken each year by deer and elk hunters who stumble upon them, but in order to see and find bears on a regular basis, you have to learn their habitats, habits and tendencies. One of the best and easiest ways (relatively speaking) to do that is simply getting out in the woods during spring, learning the landscape, learning bear behavior and gaining experience Like many states, Idaho has a variety of opening and closing dates, but most hunting units close May 31 or June 30. Hunters can check page 72-73 of the Idaho Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet for details.
Here are a few tips for early summer fishing on high mountain lakes:
All photos credit Ryan McSparran
Early Summer Fishing On Alpine Lakes By Ryan McSparran Mystic Fly Rods www.mysticoutdoors.com
s summer approaches, that means high alpine lakes A are beginning to open up to anglers. While rivers may be experiencing runoff conditions, high country lakes are
waking up from their winter slumber, and this is a great time of year to start exploring. Fishing alpine lakes early in the summer can be a ton of fun. These waters can take some extra hiking to access. But the fishing is often well worth the effort.
FIND THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME Knowing which lakes are accessible can be a challenge. Some high country trails will be free of snow in May. Others may not be accessible until early July. This year, our low snowpack in Colorado means that even high elevation trails should be passable earlier than normal. But sometimes there’s only one way to find out – go for a hike! In many cases, it takes a bit of trial and error. With no reliable information on when or where alpine lakes are becoming free of ice, it takes a little experimenting and good luck. If you know a trail is heavily timbered and shady, it may hold snow later than a trail that’s on an open or south-facing slope. If you’ve got a pair of snowshoes, it might not be a bad idea to pack them along. THINK ABOUT YOUR FLY SELECTION When the ice begins to clear away from high altitude lakes, trout will be looking for food in a serious way. Because these waters tend to be remote and see very little fishing pressure, fly selection usually isn’t technical. However, your effort to reach a high alpine lake will be rewarded if you come prepared with appropriate bugs. This time of year, the ground in high alpine basins will be saturated with water from melting snow. The banks of these lakes at or near timberline will often be strewn with drowned worms and other invertebrates. Many timberline lakes in Colorado are also home to scuds, which become a staple food source for trout throughout the summer. Spend time fishing leech patterns, worm patterns, scuds and other still-water flies. Also consider the fact that hatches of aquatic insects happen much later at high elevations. (continued on page 36)
Hunting & Fishing News | 13
Bottom bouncers are an incredibly effective tool for catching walleye on a wide variety of natural lakes and reservoirs come midsummer. As water temperatures climb, don’t hesitate to use speed to cover water to find scattered fish and also use speed to trigger fish. All photos credit Jason Mitchell www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com
Bottom Bouncer Basics For Walleye
By Jason Mitchell www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com
C
ome mid-summer, bottom bouncers are probably my ... go-to presentation to catch walleyes day in and day out on many different fisheries. The reason bottom bouncers are so effective is the simple versatility. You can speed up to cover water at over two miles per hour with a bottom bouncer. You can also slow down at a mile per hour or less. You can fish deep water or shallow. You can run plain snells and live bait. You can run half crawler Slow Death style hooks that have become so popular over the last decade. You can run spinner harnesses with blades. All these options enable the angler to fish slow or fast, with subtleness or vibration with flash. You can fish shallow or deep. Through this entire spectrum, bottom bouncers are forgiving in that you can slide out into deeper water or move up shallow and keep your presentation near the bottom if need be. You can also simply put the rod in the rod holder and the rod simply loads up with a fish. Bottom bouncers are so simple to use and so effective. I have often joked that bottom bouncers are a guide’s best friend because you can catch a lot of walleye with a bottom bouncer regardless of experience or feel. Last, bottom bouncers are simply fun. Feeling a hard strike on a bottom bouncer and setting the hook is right up with catching a fish on a jig. Bottom bouncers can also help you really learn what you are fishing. Great tools for really fine-tuning bottom transitions and feeling rock, gravel, etc. which ultimately greatly aids your boat control and understanding of a location, the wire on a bottom bouncer transmits so much valuable information.
As a rule of thumb, we recommend an ounce of weight for every ten feet of water. Choosing the right weight is important so that you can keep the bottom bouncer along the bottom upright and close to the boat. There are exceptions of course, there are times when we will run lighter bottom bouncers behind the boat at faster speeds particularly along shallow flats but this is the basic starting point. An ounce for every ten feet of water will enable you to easily fish the bottom bouncer below the boat at about a forty-five-degree angle. This keeps your presentation close to what you are seeing on your electronics. As you change depths, you can always let out more line or pick up line. Usually, if there is any doubt, error on the side of heavy because heavier bottom bouncers are much more forgiving with not only depth but speed. Often, we simply catch more fish with bottom bouncers by simply speeding up to cover water to find active fish and triggering fish. Since I do like to run bottom bouncers at faster speeds, I am also a big believer in using heavier snells. This is not a case for finesse. If I must fish slow with light line, I often prefer to slip bobber or live bait rig. Heavier snells hold up to faster speeds so much better. If your snell or harness is getting twisted, you are using too light of poundage on your snell. I find that fourteen or even twenty-pound snells track behind the bottom bouncer much better at the faster speeds and enable you to use speed to find and trigger fish. Snell length can really vary. Most spinners are tied with a five to six-foot snell but I often prefer to use a shorter three-foot snell when fishing around weeds or using slow death style hooks. Of course, there are exceptions. Long eight to twelve-foot snells can be deadly in clear water or over a real soft bottom. When dealing with clear water or high numbers of incidental pike, I often tie snells with Fluorocarbon and offset the sinking characteristics of fluorocarbon by using a float in the snell or spinner harness. Perhaps one of the hottest trends we are seeing in our travels is the popularity of subtle harnesses that include small metal props, mylar blades like Mack Blades or plastic props like Northland Fishing Tackle Butterfly and Wingnut Blades. These blade options are more subtle than a traditional metal spinner blade and turn at much slower speeds which is deadly whenever you must turn the boat a lot to stay on structure. In clear water, using a simple plain snell is extremely deadly and is underrated at times. From the basic simple snell that has a single hook, you can experiment by adding a single bead or a handful of beads and a float. The next step with vibration is the prop options described above and of course classic spinner harness rigs are a solid option when more vibration and flash is needed. I personally like to lean heavily on spinner harnesses whenever the water is dirty or stained either from wind, water color or algae blooms. Spinner harnesses can also shine when the fish are extremely aggressive as a turning blade can be seen and felt from much further away. On most inland lakes, deep cup Colorado blades have long been the most popular and offer the most thump or vibration at the slowest speeds. Indiana blades shine at slightly faster speeds of over a mile and a half per hour and willow leaf blades shine over open water and fast speeds but put off noticeably less vibration.
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As water temperatures climb through the summer, speed is your biggest trigger, especially when using bottom bouncers and snells. If we are missing fish, we often find that we improve our batting average by simply speeding up. There is often no need to drop the rod back or feed line, simply drag the fish and let them choke up on the bait. When the water temperatures are over seventy degrees, we often see the fish grab onto the bait and as the bait keeps moving, the fish simply do not want the bait to get out of their mouth. When the rod loads from a fish, simply drag the fish until the rod starts to load even more and as you feel the fish shake, set the hook with a sweep of the rod or use the momentum of the boat to hook the fish… this is why a rod holder will often out fish you holding the rod in the summer when you are using bottom bouncers. Bottom bouncers and spinner harnesses can be run with no live bait as well which can be extremely deadly at times. Gulp! crawlers and minnows or traditional soft plastic fluke and worm profiles are much more durable than live bait and really shine around weeds or small nuisance fish. I often find that I can catch bigger walleye by ditching the live bait options and using soft plastics. One of my favorite tricks for improving the size of walleye I catch with harnesses is using soft plastic or Gulp! behind a harness and hooking the soft bait with a two hook harness so the bait is warped or curved like a banana. These curved soft baits zig zag and swim through the water at over a mile and a half per hour and really seem to trigger the larger fish and the added movement seems to keep the smaller fish from being able to get their mouths around the bait. For rods and reels, I prefer to use a baitcasting set up. I personally like to use a stiffer seven-foot medium heavy bait casting rod as the stiffer rod loads up and pops the bottom bouncer through rocks and snags much better especially if you have the rods in the rod holders. Stiffer rods are also needed to hook up fish at slower speeds below the boat. Scheels currently has a perfect bottom bouncer rod in their Walleye Series that is a seven-foot casting rod in a medium heavy action. For holding the rod, nothing beats a good baitcasting reel with a flipping switch which are getting harder to find. Quantum still makes a reel with a flipping switch called the Accurist PT. For running bottom bouncers in rod holders or when guiding, Scheels has an exclusive low-profile line counter reel that is incredible for keeping bottom bouncing simple and easy.
Bottom bouncer rigs are so incredibly effective on so many fisheries right now. In fact, if I could only use one presentation alone during the month of July, it would be hard to beat a bottom bouncer teamed up with either a spinner harness or some type of rig. You can slow down a bottom bouncer and fish a plain snell with live bait for example if the bite gets tough after a front or in the middle of the day when there is no wind. You can trigger fish with speed and harnesses or go with more subtle hybrid rigs like Butterfly Blades and cover a lot of water on the other end of the spectrum. Bottom bouncers shine around rock, gravel and sand. Bottom bouncers are one of my favorite presentations for running weed line edges as the bottom bouncer serves as a large weed guard collecting a lot of the weeds while the harness runs clean behind. There are few tools that will help you catch more walleye right now under so many different conditions.
Prop rigs like Northland Fishing Tackle’s Butterfly Blade are simply deadly as they turn at much slower speeds than traditional spinner blades which keeps the presentation off the bottom and out of snags particularly when you have to turn the boat a lot to stay on tight structure.
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Early Season Reminder: Fish Handling Tips By Cat Toy
By Mystic Outdoors Ambassador Cat Toy (@cattoyflyfishing) Mystic Outdoors www.mysticoutdoors.com rout are a very elegant and stunning fish that many anglers T are fond of. They are a very delicate fish that require conscientiousness and careful handling. Poor handling of
trout or being unaware can result in casualties of healthy fish. Their chance of surviving after being released is determined by how we handle and take care for them. Here are some key recommendations to remember the next time you are on the river to increase their chances for survival. ...These moments are important to be mindful of how long to toil a fish before a swoop in the net. The quicker you can get the fish in, the better chance for survival. Avoid playing the fish to the point of exhaustion. Prolonged fights increase the stress levels on the fish with a less chance of survival particularly when water temperatures are high. Carry a thermometer and check water temperatures during those hot summer days and low flows. Water temperatures headed towards 68 degrees Fahrenheit and above are not optimal conditions to fish. Rubber basket nets are choice compared to the old-fashion string nets in protecting the fish from disease and bacteria. Removing the protective mucous layers places the trout into susceptibility in decline of health. Always wet hands first before handling trout. Be conscientious not to squeeze the trout. Squeezing too hard can cause trauma to internal organs and possibly result in death after release. Never place fingers in the gills or hold the trout by the lip. Fingers in gills can insult the trout’s breathing structures as well as holding by the lip can injure or break its jaw.
Keep the fish wet! Fish breathe through their gills in moving water. Prolonged exposure out of water is oppressing or suffocating the fish. Keeping the trout in the water maintains its capability to still breathe. Once the fish is in the net, keep the basket submerged underwater while reaching down to unhook the fish. Always carry a pair of hemostats for use of unhooking the trout. Try to unhook the fish when it is in a more relaxed state and cradle the underbelly of the fish. Remember to not squeeze the fish for a better grip in unhooking. Once your hemostat has a good grip on the hook, gently reverse the curve of the hook out of the fish. Thrashing while unhooking can cause injuries, and bleeding to the face and mouth of the fish.... Fishing barbless causes less physical trauma and removal is effortless. Again, with a grip on the hook with your hemostats, reverse the curve of the hook out of the fish. Bonus with barbless hooks is that it is very easy to unhook from your clothing and anything else you may accidentally get hooked into. Many anglers marvel over a big catch which means taking a photo to share with friends...First and foremost, avoid placing a trout on the dirt, rocks, and sticks on the river banks. This is harmful causing damage to their outer protective slime as well as dirt sediment in their eyes and gills. No fingers in those delicate gills. With taking photos, be hasty with the fish out of water. Trout calm down by cradling them and supporting their weight. Cradle underneath just behind the head and at the wrist of the tail. Keep the trout in the water, lift up very briefly out of the water for the picture shot. Always use two hand with large trout. Your hand cradling just behind the head is right where the heart and many other essential organs are located. So, don’t crush the heart as a fish may soon swim away and die shortly thereafter. As always with release, ensure the fish are properly recovered before freed back into the water. Release the trout facing it upstream and when the fish has responded with a sure recovery...
Hunting & Fishing News | 17
from anything that would resemble civilization, but also heaven for a diehard backcountry hunter. Opening day and the opening weekend came and went with little action. I saw very few deer and only a couple of bucks that required a little extra attention. The biggest was a 160” young 4-point that ultimately got a pass. It was five days of difficult hunting with low clouds and blowing snow, but my resolve remained strong. I had another 10 days to hunt and was certain I would turn something up. During the second weekend, I was fortunate to have another five days off from work and planned to hunt country that was lower in elevation as I just didn’t see what I had expected to up higher when I got a break from the weather.
All photos credit Ryan Honea
Decision Time – Learning When To Make Your Move While Hunting By Ryan Honea Originally published at
GOHUNT.com
ou’ve just spent the morning at a phenomenal Y vantage point, looking over miles of terrain trying to find that buck that gets your heart racing. Occasionally,
we find him, but usually morning turns to afternoon and afternoon to evening and we head back to the tent at night hoping that tomorrow brings new opportunities — and bigger bucks. I think it’s safe to say that most of the time or, in fact, nearly all of the time, the bucks win and we have to regroup with a change of strategy, location or renewed commitment to our pre-hunt plan. However, on occasion, we do find the buck we’re after and the decisions we make in the moments right after we do typically dictate the success or failure of the day. My 2021 Nevada mule deer hunt was a straight-up struggle. I drew a tag in a unit that had a decent reputation and I was interested in trying something new. I have my bread-and-butter units in Nevada, but really wanted to test my mettle in a new unit to see if I could deliver a good result in an area I had never been to. Preseason scouting was very difficult — to the point that I was excited to see five deer in an entire day. It was very slow. There is no question that significantly warmer than normal temperatures and drought were affecting the deer and my typical approach simply wasn’t delivering good results. I scouted hard, spending about 12 days in the field. I went high and low, spending hours behind my binoculars and spotting scope. The terrain was typical of Nevada: lots of sagebrush with spotty cedar at mid-elevations and pines up above 9,000’. I developed a plan to get high on opening day; over 10,000’ where I would be able to see down the north and south sides of the range I planned to hunt. If you’ve never hunted central Nevada, it feels like you’re on the moon. It’s so remote and removed 18 | Hunting & Fishing News
I chose a small range with a north-south orientation that was roughly six miles long. I invited my dad to come and be a second set of eyes; he’s still my best hunting partner so I was looking forward to spending a few days in the hills with him. We were up before first light, having hatched a plan that would end with my dad picking me up at the southern end of the range late in the day after I had traversed and hunted from north to south. I left as the very first rays of the morning light began to beat back the dark of night. I worked my tail off all year long to stay in excellent physical condition and was able to make short work of the hike to the top of the range. The country was absolutely beautiful and every time I stopped to glass, I was convinced that I was going to see deer. There were long, small drainages that led away from the ridge I was on and I knew there was water there from digital scouting. Chukar were frequently squawking at me. There was gorgeous brush toward the top of the ridge and a handful of cedar trees that eventually transitioned to sage as the elevation lowered. Despite the beautiful country and my resolve, I wasn’t seeing any deer. I did see many wild horses that are incredibly territorial when you come across them. I’ve been charged by more horses, specifically studs that were upset I was in their turf, than I ever did bears while working in Bristol Bay, Alaska. They are an absolute nuisance and horrible for the native species of Nevada. The presence of so many wild horses had me seriously questioning my decision to hunt in lower country. As I continued south on the ridge, I jumped a couple of bucks below me. I was absolutely stunned at how tight they were staying. I had walked no more than 75 yards past them while making a small loop to glass into a little drainage off the top, but they didn’t bust until I got on top of them. Neither of them was a shooter
but they did generate a bit of excitement to what was an uneventful morning. As I continued to head south, my motivation stayed high even though I could sense that my focus was slipping. Instead of literally scouring the terrain, I started to notice that I was seeing the country/terrain through my binos and the effort to dig up a buck was waning as I was brushing over areas too quickly. I began to tell myself to “Stay in the game and good things can happen.” I reached the end of the range and sat down to glass roughly two miles out in front of me. Just then, there was movement. It was about a mile out and I knew right away that I needed to get my scope on this buck as he was moving into a small drainage and I only had about 30 seconds before he would be out of sight. I carry my spotting scope on the outside of my pack so I was able to get it set and on him in about 15 seconds. I knew right away that he was the type of buck I was after, considering how scouting and the start of my hunt had gone. I was now faced with the “right after” that I mentioned previously in this article. Do I move quickly or do I take my time getting to him? Do I come across high or low? Do I anticipate when I think he’ll bed again or do I get there as soon as I can? Anyone that has spent a decent amount of time in the hills chasing bucks has certainly asked themselves these very questions. It’s so important that over the next few minutes you put aside the adrenaline of finding a good buck and really, really analyze the situation. For me, especially in the situation I was in during this hunt, I typically choose to be aggressive. I don’t mean aggressive in the traditional macho sense, but, rather, aggressive in that you’re making moves and not waiting for the buck to make his. This isn’t to say that I haven’t decided to be patient and let the situation play out in other instances, but I prefer to avoid the anticipation of what the buck will do — and in some ways — force my preferences on him.
there so quickly, I wouldn’t have had a chance at this buck as he was very difficult to see once he bedded down. I slowly wiggled down, shuffling my feet and then my rear end, moving a couple of feet at a time, reaching the location I had planned to shoot from roughly 25 minutes later. I propped my rifle up on a stout sagebrush that I had kept in front of me as I snuck down the ridge and squeezed one off at 313 yards. It was the end to a challenging hunt, but I couldn’t have been happier with the result and now have another beautiful European mount on my wall at home. My experience has been that after you’ve found a good buck, you typically have a “window” of 15 to 30 minutes where the buck is comfortable in his setting and isn’t going anywhere too quickly. This window is where I choose to be aggressive. It only works because, in this window, I know where the buck is at and what he is doing, allowing me to execute a plan without having to wonder if what I am doing is going to spook the buck. Of course, this isn’t always going to work or be the right tactic, but it’s worked many times for me and might just work for you, too.
I’m a huge advocate for being fit in the backcountry — not because I like to preach or look good at the lake, but because I truly believe it helps you be a better hunter. I had already covered six miles that day, but absolutely flew across the range to close the mile gap to the buck. I knew that I had adequately glassed the terrain between us and quickly got to 400 yards. To a lot of hunters, it may seem crazy to be so aggressive, but, for me, it is critical to make a move while I know where the buck is at, helping me make decisions as I get closer. The longer you take to get there, the greater the chance the buck has moved beyond your reach or into a different location than where you had previously anticipated. If you can’t be certain of the buck’s whereabouts as you get closer, how can you effectively make decisions? Now, this isn’t to say that being aggressive is always the best path – it’s important that you take a moment and think through the scenario and make a move most suited to your current situation. It just so happens that moving quickly usually aligns with mine. I was able to slowly crest the small ridge that the buck had just fed down and peeked over — just in time to see him bed. I’m certain that had I not gotten Hunting & Fishing News | 19
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THE TOP FOUR SHOOTING POSITIONS EVERY HUNTER SHOULD KNOW
Hunting is a dynamic endeavor. Terrain and vegetation change with every step, potentially affecting your shooting opportunity. When a shot presents itself, your ability to read the landscape and quickly transition to the best shooting position is critical for success. Learn and practice these fundamental techniques for the most stable, accurate and ethical shots on game. General Rules: • The further the rifle from the ground, the less stable the shot. • Get a rest. An auxiliary rest will increase stability for enhanced accuracy. • If you have a sling on the rifle, wrapping your arm through and twisting, creating a “hasting sling,” will snug the system up for your shot.
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Prone: Landscape permitting, getting prone is your ticket to stability and long-range success. With most of your body contacting the ground, there are less variables influencing the shot. Longer shots require increased precision. Take time to find a spot to get prone if a longer shot is required. To Execute: • Lay down on your stomach. • Snug the butt of the rifle into your shoulder pocket with your support arm elbow contacting the ground just left of the rifles forend (right-hand shooters). • Square your body directly behind the rifle with your toes facing out. Ideally, you’ll be positioned directly in line with your target. This is easily accomplished on flat ground without obstructions. In the field, torso and leg position will likely be modified in some capacity due to conflicts with hill slope, brush, rocks, and other environmental factors. • Press face firmly into the comb of the stock, maintaining a solid cheek-weld, and look directly down the sight. Modified Prone: Use a bipod, backpack, or natural-terrain feature like a log, stump, or rock to assist with support of your rifle’s forend. Jackets or other substantial items in your pack can serve as rear support for the buttstock.
22 | Hunting & Fishing News
Sitting: Sitting crosslegged with knees elevated, heels touching with knees elevated, or legs straight away from the body and bent, you will gain a more elevated shooting position (compared to prone), steady the shot, and maintain a low profile to stay hidden from game. Many hunting situations like ground hunting for deer, turkeys, and predators may start and finish in these handy variants of the sitting position. Short- to moderate-ranges best suit the sitting position. To Execute: • Pick the sitting position to best fit you and the situation. • Snug the rifle into your shoulder pocket with your support arm hand under the forend of the firearm. • Tuck your elbows inside of their corresponding leg just below or at the knee. • Press outward slightly with elbows while squeezing your legs together. This creates tension and helps eliminate movement. • Press face firmly into the comb of the stock maintaining a solid cheek-weld and look directly down the sight. Modified Sitting: Add shooting sticks or a full-size pack positioned vertically as a rest for the rifle’s forend for increased stability.
Kneeling: Mitigate prayer-shots by taking a knee. That’s right, the good old knee connected to your body makes a handy rest, provides more stability compared to shooting offhand and will get your sights over obtrusive brush, grass, and other groundcover. And it’s fast to get in and out of, a benefit when time is of the essence. Kneeling can conceal you better as well. A person standing on two legs exposes more of their profile and looks, well, like a person – not what you want when trying to stay hidden from game. For the sake of this discussion, we will cover the “High Kneeling” position. This version (There are several formal kneeling shooting positions) is the most used and most versatile for hunters. It is impossible to eliminate a degree of wobble, so kneeling is best for short- to medium-range shots. To Execute: • Drop your right knee to the ground (right hand shooter). Your left knee will naturally come up and provide a rest for the elbow of your support arm. Getting your elbow to a spot where it extends just beyond the knee is best. Avoid placing the point of your elbow directly on the knee. • Snug the rifle into your shoulder pocket with your support arm hand under the forend of the firearm. • Press face firmly into the comb of the stock, maintaining a solid cheek-weld, and look directly down the sight. (continued on page 38)
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When your hunt means ranging big game at 1,000 yards and beyond, your laser rangefinder needs the horsepower to go long and the toughness to stand up to the field. The Diamondback™ HD 2000 laser rangefinder gives hunters 2,000 yards max range, and 1,400 yards on game. 7x magnification helps you see farther, and an HD optical system means you can pick apart the landscape and stay pinpointed on your quarry. The red OLED display stays clear in low light, and to match any hunting environment, the Diamondback™ HD 2000 has two target modes (Normal and Last), two ranging modes (HCD and LOS), and is tripod adaptable.
Open country or in tall timber, precision and speed mean the difference between filling your freezer and tag soup. The Viper® HD 3000 laser rangefinder gives you the tools to act quickly and confidently, with a 3,000-yard max range and a stunning HD optical system that lets you pinpoint big game faster at distance. Four target modes (Normal, First, Last, ELR) and two ranging modes (LOS, HCD) mean you get the flexibility to range any shot on any hunt, making the Viper® HD 3000 perfect for the treestand and the mountains.
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UPGRADING YOUR RIFLESCOPE
Returning to my home range the next weekend, the rifle verified my worst nightmare. At 350 yards I was low, really low. I regret not confirming that shot distance closer to the season but I had made that shot several times over the past few months in practice. Regardless it is a mistake I will never make again.
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I knew I needed a riflescope that would not only increase my effective range, but something not too technologically advanced that I would have difficulty learning to use it. The advances made in riflescope technology have come far in the last twenty years. A mentor of mine, who shoots the latest and greatest, made the analogy that I didn’t want to jump from a stock 2000s Dodge Dakota to a brand new 2022 Dodge Ram 2500 with all the bells and whistles. The learning curve would have been too steep for my liking and ultimately would have been a trial of frustration. Finding a scope in between those two was a necessity.
By Matthew Clark Originally published at
ith...hunting season right around the corner, the mind W of the hunter begins to think about the gear that either made the hunt or cost an opportunity at successfully harvesting.
Having a critical eye on my gear list was pivotal for me going into last season. I made several long-overdue upgrades and additions to my gear list. Although I can look at my list and highlight several items that helped me be more successful and comfortable in the field, the upgrading of my riflescope is number one by far.
Photo credit Brady Miller
Although raised in a hunting family, the technological side of hunting for us seemed to stop in the early 90s. We used fixed 3-9x40 scopes that were usually sold as a kit with our rifles. Bipods attached to picatinny rails were not even a thought, levels were for carpentry, not marksmanship, and shooting past 300 yards was damn near considered unsportsmanlike. For a long time that is what everyone around me hunted with and nothing seemed out of place. But this was a farce and ultimately became limiting. This technical shortcoming came to a head in the fall of 2018 on a solo black bear hunt in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Near dusk, I had just about given up glassing a small, high mountain meadow when I spotted the unmistakable, jet-black rump of a bear moseying over a ridge almost 300 yards upwind. With limited time before the legal shooting light ended, I made the risky choice to make a bee-line towards the bear. Cresting the ridge the bear had disappeared over, I stopped and, using a conifer for partial cover, I surveyed the collie-lined landscape. After a few minutes of not turning the bruin up, I was about to call it quits when I looked down into the meadow bottom and located the bear meandering through some tall grass. I quickly made my way to a firm shooting position, with a downhill angle and what I estimated to be 350 yards, I released the safety, racked a round, counted my breaths, settled the crosshairs, and squeezed the trigger. With no reaction from the bear, no sound of a hit, and no other signs of a successful shot, I ejected the cartridge and prepared to shoot again. Thinking I hit low, I held about 3 inches above the vitals and shot. Again, with no reaction from the bear, I made up my mind to not shoot again. The bear moved off to the other side of the meadow and darkness fell. In the AM I would check for blood just to confirm the misses and followed its tracks for a half-mile without signs of distress.
24 | Hunting & Fishing News
After researching many of the available riflescopes in my budget and asking some of the most successful Western big game hunters I know what riflescopes they use, I decided on the Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x56 (34mm) EBR-7C MOA. This scope doubled my effective range and gave me the ability to hit steel plates up to 1,000 yards with relative ease (a distance that I would only ever practice at to make close shots that much easier). The faith that comes with being able to hit a target consistently at such a range gave me the trust in my weapon that I had never known. Each sound of the lead hitting the steal validated that I had chosen the right set-up. Not only was I able to hit my target consistently but others who had not practiced with my setup could easily hit bullseyes. This was great for my confidence going into the 2021 season.
If you have never used a riflescope with adjustable turrets, I could not recommend a better scope. Although having several mentors assist me with the set-up and zeroing of this new riflescope, I found the process to be painless and knew what they were doing with a read of the owner’s manual and some YouTube university. That being said, no amount of reading will ever beat out practice behind the rifle. Becoming familiar with this instrument was critical to my success in the field this last season and when it came time to settle the crosshairs on animals, I was able to take one deer at 350 yards and an elk at 550 yards. There is no doubt in my mind that without the upgrade to this riflescope likely both critters would still be on the landscape.
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The Story of Travis Townsend
Photo credit Tom Cooper
By Tom Cooper
f you’ve read a few of my stories, published in Hunting Iharvested and Fishing News, you might recall, I enjoy naming big game animals. It’s my personal thank
you to the animals I kill. I don’t ask other hunters to understand why, just accept the fact we all have reasons for staying in the hunting game, and part of mine is knowing I can recall the names of many of my animals. This story is about a Whitetail buck taken during the 2021 season. Any guesses as to the buck’s name? Ok, the story title gives it away somewhat. Travis was not a large buck, a young 4x4. For me it was an exciting hunt, because of the circumstances encountered throughout that late October morning. After several days of hunting elk during the Montana gun season, I decided to try my luck for a Whitetail. Besides my over-the-counter buck tag, I drew a Whitetail doe tag for Montana’s Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This WMA, located just north of Townsend (see the connection to Travis?), on the south end of Canyon Ferry Lake, is limited to archery, shotgun, traditional pistols, and muzzleloaders. A few years back, brother Bill and I purchased a 50 caliber, in-line, muzzleloader to use at this WMA. Since then, we’ve taken several bucks and a couple does. Hunting with the muzzleloader requires a closeness you don’t experience with most rifle hunting. On this occasion early in the season, my expectation was to fill my tag with the first doe providing a broadside shot.
Find the Honey Hole About two weeks before the gun season, I hunted the area with my bow and found a spot providing great views of open, grassy meadows in three directions. One small Cottonwood tree is surrounded by brush and a few Russian Olive trees. I recognized it as a good spot to ambush deer moving from the hay meadows to the east, towards the Missouri River brush to the west. 26 | Hunting & Fishing News
I parked well before daylight, because I didn’t want to get caught by deer already moving. Unfortunately, my plan, though a really good one, wasn’t worth a hoot on this day. First, I did not remember my shooting sticks until the vehicle was a quarter mile away. Next, through the brush in the dark, with no visible moon, I made several bad decisions en route to my spot. The more I became aware of exactly where I was supposed to be, but wasn’t, the faster I went. The further I wandered from that wonderful spot where I was supposed to be, already leaning against my lone Cottonwood glassing for deer, the more intense the situation became. Finally, still not quite legal shooting light, I recognized a one-acre circular meadow surrounded by Cottonwoods. I was well north of where I wanted to be, with no way to reach my intended destination before legal light.
Late and Sweaty Well, I just put it in gear and returned to my ambush spot in about ten minutes, nine minutes after legal shooting light. I don’t know how many deer I bumped during my circumnavigation of the WMA, but I remember 8-10. In addition of course, I was now sweating profusely; I had scattered my scent in a 360 degree circle around my treasured spot. The possibility of seeing deer at all seemed to be fading as daylight improved my visibility. To cool down, I shed both my pack and a layer of clothes. Oh, did I mention it was starting to sprinkle? Because I was consumed with cooling down before every deer in Broadwater County headed for Canada, I leaned my muzzleloader against the Cottonwood (without my shooting sticks, I needed that tree). Then, using binoculars, I made the circuit checking each of my meadow views. There was nothing to see, and I wasn’t surprised, it was my fault. I started to think about going home early, because the weatherman said to expect steady rain by 9 or 10 AM and it was almost 8 already. Now it was more like raining, not sprinkling. As I returned to my tree, gun, and pack, I glanced at the first meadow view again. There was a buck standing broadside at 40 yards! I took one step to
get close enough to my gun and the tree needed for a rest. With the muzzleloader up, I saw the deer was actually behind a bush from the front shoulders on back. And he was looking at me. I said very quietly “please take a couple steps.” Wow, he did! I held just behind the left shoulder and definitely heard a “whaamp” as the smoke limited my vision momentarily. Then, there he was turning hard right, running straight away from me. And he was quickly joined by his twin. I couldn’t believe he was running away, no limp, no head or tail down, just a running, bounding Whitetail. I watched as he and his buddy raced past a small Russian Olive tree out there about 100 yards, then they both turned 90 degrees to the left into thick, orange-colored brush, about 150 yards away, maybe.
What Blood Trail? I had to reload and it took me well over five minutes. In a light, but steady rain, I walked straight to the bush where he stood when I shot. I couldn’t find any blood, but spotted two tufts of hair. My plan was to follow on a line with that Russian Olive, then into the orange brush. At about 60 yards, I found several drops of blood, getting wet from the rain. I poked a stick to mark the blood and crawled on hands and knees for a dozen yards; no more blood. I followed my line, searching for blood, to the Russian Olive tree. Figuring he was maybe 8-10 feet from the tree when he ran past, I stayed that far away. I found two more places with blood, then another blank stretch. Walking slowly to the orangish brush, I found a well-used game trail leading into the brush. For about 50 yards, I followed the trail, but there was no blood. Next, I spent 20 minutes walking a cross-cross pattern covering maybe 60 by 60 yards, but it turned up absolutely nothing, no deer or blood. Now it was getting real wet, and Tom’s frustration level was high. Was I going to lose my buck?
Start Over, and do it Again Returning to my last blood marker stick, I found blood, just a few drops. He had moved a little left of my original
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line. Back to my hands and knees, and a few more drops of blood. Following this new line, I found blood two or three times, but it ended at the same game trail I had already checked out. This time though, just a few yards into the brush I spotted a less-traveled path veering to the right. Following that trail, I found blood about two feet off the ground on tall grass. Then it stopped again. A couple steps back, I found more blood on tall grass to the right of the trail; before this blood, it was on the left. I remember thinking he was circling, maybe he was going to lie down. I quickly scanned the area ahead and there he was, dead under a big Cottonwood. Whew and thank you! As always, I butchered my buck using the no-gut approach. In a quick hour and 15 minutes, I had two each: hams (hinds), boned-out front shoulders, back straps, and tenderloins. And, I name my animals at the kill site; it’s a rule. Travis Townsend is now known far and wide as the Rain Deer. The first trip, I carried everything except the two hams. At my vehicle, yes in the continuing rain, I decided to assemble my game cart and use it for my second trip, because it was getting colder, and I was already wet. On the return trip, I stepped off the distance from my stand to the orange brush – 165 yards. Overall, it was a relatively easy pack effort. Of course, one of the reasons I hunt the Canyon Ferry WMA is because it’s flat.
Patience is Easier When You Write the Story When I butchered him, I found my lead slug had entered barely behind the left shoulder, but did not exit on the right side. Apparently when he took the two steps I asked for, he turned towards me a little because the remainder of the well-mushroomed slug was against the hide on the right side, probably 8 inches further back. Clearly, I hit the left lung, but maybe not the right one. The slug exited the rib cage far enough back that it probably hit the liver. Anyway, with just one hole, the blood trail was not an easy one for me. Persistence is the key. Look for blood. Mark it when you find it. When you lose the trail, return to the last mark and start again, it’s a rule too. Hunting & Fishing News | 27
GEAR REVIEW Keen Women’s Voyageur Mid Hiking Boots
The Voyageur Mid is a rugged cruiser with its windows down for ventilation. Stripped of its waterproof barrier in favor of mesh lining, the Voyageur Mid allows for more ventilation on hot summer days. The aggressive outsole has 4mm lugs to bite into the terrain, providing excellent traction while the ESS shank provides torsional stability for a secure ride from valley to mountaintop.
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Simms Men’s Flyweight Access Wading Boot
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exchange for maximum output, relentless grip, and standup stability and comfort. Optimized for best-in-class wet-slip resistance, the exclusive-to-Simms Vibram Idrogrip Flex outsole is engineered with a rubber compound that is softer and therefore grippier than the sole materials in other Simms wading boots. With a sole optimized for wet-slip resistance, the Flyweight Access Wading Boot is the ideal choice for those who prioritize traction.
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Katadyn Hiker Microfilter
The Hiker Microfilter is ideal for camping, trekking and backpacking. It’s lightweight, compact and the
easiest way to make safe water. Featuring a unique .3 micron pleated glassfiber filter that will remove 99.99% of bacteria, cysts and sediments and a ribbed housing for extra grip. The mechanism itself is simple where approximately 48 strokes of the pump will equate to 1 liter of drinkable, filtered water. Features: • Low maintenance cartridge • A fast water flow with 1 liter of water per minute • Ergonomic pump handle makes the use comfortable and easy to pump • The activated carbon core reduces unpleasant tastes and odors from water • Ribbed housing ensures a better grip Style: 8018270 • Includes: Prefilter, bottle adapter and carry bag
Old Town Canoe Sportsman 106 Kayak The Old Town Sportsman 106 paddle kayak marries
stability and performance in a compact fishing kayak that’s light enough to car top! Sneak up on the fish in the quietest pontoon-style hull on the market. Features: • One forward-facing and two rear-facing flush mounted rod holders plus cup holders in the deck on each side of the seat, hold your water bottle or small fishing gear • Dry storage for additional gear in the sealed bow hatch • Under seat storage for tackle box and custom tackle box included • Universal transducer mounting system allows for quicker installation of your fish finder Style: SPORTSMAN106
MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 Person Backpacking Tent
Designed for backpackers who need a tent that can do it all while still being compact and lightweight, MSR ‘s Hubba Hubba NX 2 person tent feels as light and efficient to use as it does to carry. From its spacious interior to its quick setup, this tent redefines lightweight livability. And now it boasts premier durability features, including virtually indestructible Easton® Syclone™ poles and MSR’s long lasting Xtreme Shield™ waterproof coating. Whether you’re setting out to climb the Sawatch Range or circumnavigate Mount Rainier along the Wonderland Trail, the freestanding, 3-season Hubba Hubba NX tent lets you enjoy the full backcountry experience, including time spent in the tent. Style: 10316
See these and other fine products at one of the 5 Montana Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors stores in Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Butte and Hamilton or 24/7 at bobwards.com. Free shipping on $49.00 or more with some exclusions.
28 | Hunting & Fishing News
BUILT FOR LONG RANGE AND THE LONG HAUL. RAZOR HD LHT ®
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Western hunting demands an optic built for long range and the long haul, and the Razor® HD LHT ™ 4.5-22x50 FFP delivers. You still get the core of the Razor® HD LHT ™, including a stunning HD optical system and rugged build in a hunting scope that’s among the lightest in its class. Where the Razor® HD LHT ™ 4.5-22x50 FFP distances itself is in offering more magnification, and a first focal plane reticle featuring the XLR-2 reticle system, which is intuitive, easy to use, and illuminated. You also get the Vortex RevStop™ Zero System for a reliable return to zero after dialing in the field, and a locking elevation turret that keeps your zero safe.
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7 THINGS YOU CAN EXPECT ON YOUR FIRST ANTELOPE HUNT By Ryan McSparran Table Mountain Outfitters www.tablemountainoutfitters.com All photos credit Ryan McSparran
he American pronghorn is a completely unique species, T found only in North America. They’re not related to African antelope, or any American cervids like deer or elk.
In fact, you’re likely to spook antelope in the dark, doing more harm than good. On a mule deer hunt in the exact same sagebrush country, we’re already out there glassing as soon as it’s light enough to see. But on an antelope hunt, we usually won’t begin hunting until after daylight.
This one-of-a-kind creature is fast, has excellent vision, and is equal parts cagey and curious. Antelope are beautiful, and undoubtedly provide some of the most action-packed big game hunting anywhere in the west.
Once the sun is up, antelope become much easier to see. They will occasionally bed down, but will continue feeding and moving all day. Unlike deer hunting, when the first and last hours of the day are “prime time”, most antelope hunting happens between those bookends.
In fact, “antelope” as we refer to them colloquially, are the only horned animal that sheds its horns annually.
Being the unique animals they are, antelope hunting in Wyoming comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. If you’ve never hunted antelope, you might be surprised at what it takes to be successful. Here are a few things you can expect on your first antelope hunt:
2. It’s a Numbers Game You can expect to see a lot of animals. Get ready to practice patience. In this open terrain, you can see for miles. And densities are high in most of Wyoming antelope country. Don’t be surprised if your guide doesn’t want to run off after the first buck you see.
1. Antelope Are Active All Day Pronghorn do not run on the same schedule as most other big game animals. They usually bed down at night, and they remain active throughout the day. On a pronghorn hunt, there’s very little advantage to heading out before daylight.
Antelope can be very difficult trophies to judge on the hoof. Your guide may want to wait, and see a buck from multiple angles before making a decision to try and stalk. In addition to waiting for a quality buck, you might also need to be patient to locate one that’s in a stalkable position.
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Hunting antelope is often a numbers game. You may have to look at quite a few antelope before you find the buck you want to pursue. 3. Vision is Their Best Defense Antelope have excellent vision. It’s not unusual to see antelope a half-mile or more away go running for the opposite horizon. Whether it’s a human shape breaking the skyline, or the opening of a truck door, if these animals see something they don’t like, they’ll boogie. And they can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. When you find a buck you want to pursue, your guide may continue driving, or circle around to stop the truck somewhere out of sight to begin the stalk. 4. Antelope Are Naturally Gregarious Even though antelope can seem extremely skittish and will run at the first sign of danger, they are also very social and curious animals. If they see something that appears to be another antelope, or if they’re not sure what it is, they may actually walk toward it to find out. 5. Prepare to Stalk In Open Terrain It probably comes as no surprise that you’ll be hunting antelope in open country. But what might be surprising is just how conducive it is to stalking with a rifle. At first glance, Wyoming antelope country might seem flat and featureless. But you’ll soon realize that the terrain here has a surprising amount of topography. Sagebrush coulees, deep draws, hills and folds in the landscape make great places for game to hide – and they are also great for planning a stalk. When you and your guide spot a buck that you’re interested in, you may need to be patient in planning the stalk. You’ll need to find a route that will conceal you from the antelope’s line of sight until you’re within range. Don’t be surprised if you walk a mile to approach an antelope that’s only half a mile away.
METAL DETECTORS AND ACCESSORIES
No matter what treasures you seek, Minelab has the right metal detector for you. For treasure seekers or to strike gold. For underwater or not. For beginners, intermediate or advanced. 6. Antelope Are Small Targets An antelope might seem like a small target at 300 yards. And that’s because they are. Antelope are small in stature, standing little more than three feet at the shoulder and less than five feet long from chest to rump. From the top of its back to the bottom of its brisket, an antelope buck might be less than 15 inches. That means the vital area is usually less than nine inches in diameter. With that in mind, don’t skimp on rifle practice. You want to arrive on an antelope hunt with complete confidence in your weapon and your optics. Ideally, you’ll be comfortable shooting out to 300 yards and shooting consistent groups inside that small vital window. When you practice with your rifle, make sure you spend time practicing with your bipod or any other accessories you intend to use. Once your rifle is sighted in, get off the bench rest and spend some time practicing in more realistic positions. (continued on page 38)
Minelab detectors are engineered for discovery. In fact, our R&D team is 50 engineers strong. That’s what makes our hand-held metal detection technology the best in the world. It has been for 35 years. We welcome the challenge of ‘difficult’ terrain. Magnetic minerals, iron-rich soil and deep water are no match for our innovation. Every product that bears the Minelab badge is built rugged and precise. We’re ISO 9001 Certified and we manufacture to military-grade standards.
Let us help you find the best match for your next adventure.
www.minelab.com Hunting & Fishing News | 31
Hunting & Conservation News Proudly Sponsored By
Republic Services of Montana
Photo courtesy Mule Deer Foundation www.muledeer.org
World’s Best Elk Callers To Compete For $45,000 In Cash, Gear Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation www.rmef.org
he Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will host the 32nd T annual RMEF World Elk Calling Championships, presented by Sportsman’s Warehouse, at the RMEF Elk
Camp & Mountain Festival on July 22-23, 2022, in Park City, Utah. Participants will face off for the opportunity to win more than $45,000 in cash, hunting gear and other prizes. “Last year, we had some amazing head-to-head competitions that resulted in talented, new champions crowned in five different divisions,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “We look forward to more dynamic calling showdowns this summer and invite elk hunters from across the country to join us and participate.” The field will be seeded based on past performance with bracketed, head-to-head competition in all divisions– professional, men’s, women’s, voice, youth and pee wee. When narrowed down to the final eight competitors, the format will switch to double-elimination in the pro, men’s and women’s divisions while voice, youth and pee wee will remain single elimination from start to finish. A number of past champions expected to compete include 10-time individual winner Corey Jacobsen as well as daughter Jessi, 2021 women’s champion, and defending professional division winner Cody McCarthy while defending men’s champ Tony Gilbertson will jump up a level to compete in the pro division. Devoted public lands advocate, elk hunter and RMEF life member Randy Newberg will again serve as emcee. There are no entry fees and the competition is open to any qualifying person. Go here https://www.rmef.org/events/ wecc/ to view the rules and register. All contestants must pre-register by Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 5 p.m. (MDT). Admission at the Canyons Village is free to the public both days. In addition to presenting sponsor Sportsman’s Warehouse, other sponsors include Bow Spider, Browning, Eberlestock, Gerber, Hoyt, Leupold, Montana Decoy, Nosler, Schnee’s, Swagger and Traeger.
32 | Hunting & Fishing News
MDF Lauds Enactment Of MAPLand Act Mule Deer Foundation www.muledeer.org
resident Biden signed the Modernizing Access to our Public Land Act into law. This historic P legislation will enhance recreational opportunities
on public land by investing in modern mapping systems that allow outdoor enthusiasts to access the information they need using handheld GPS technology ordinarily found in smartphones. MDF worked with several partner organizations including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation to secure enactment of this important initiative. The U.S. Senate passed the MAPLand Act unanimously on April 7th following an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 15th. “The Mule Deer Foundation believes that the MAPLand Act will make more information about our public lands available, which will improve access to our public lands, and also better distribute use across the landscape, reduce user conflicts, and improve recreational experiences,” said MDF President/CEO Joel Pedersen. “MDF is grateful to this Administration and this legislation’s congressional champions for putting forward and enacting a law that will positively impact all user groups.” The MAPLand Act would improve digital mapping of easements and rights-of-way across private lands, making it possible for the public to identify places to hunt, fish, and participate in other forms of outdoor recreation. The bill also requires land management agencies to provide information about seasonal allowances and restrictions for vehicle use on public roads and trails as well as boundaries of areas where hunting or recreational shooting is regulated or closed. MDF thanks the congressional champions of this legislation for their efforts to secure this critical priority: Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), Senator Angus King (I-ME), Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Representative Blake Moore (R-UT), Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO), Representative Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Representative Kim Schrier (D-WA), Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AR), and Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).
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Ways To Make Coffee While Camping By Montana Decoy www.montanadecoy.com
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offee is an essential part of the hunter’s diet. On a typical day, we’re up early and start with coffee. By midmorning, we need a pick-me-up. Just after lunch, one of two things tend to happen. We’re either pulled down into the depths of a nap or fueled further by caffeine, ie coffee. Today’s to-go cups are so efficient in maintaining the temperature of their contents that they allow us to keep coffee hot for much longer periods. So whether the hot black liquid originates in a kitchen, coffee shop, or gas station, you’re good to go. But what do you do when your hunting adventure requires camping? Easy - you choose and over time perfect one of the various methods for making coffee. Though it could sound intimidating, there are plenty of ways to get to the comforting warmth and waking of the body that only coffee provides. Knowing the various ways to make coffee while camping will keep you sufficiently caffeinated no matter where you’re hunting. INSTANT COFFEE Instant coffee is probably the easiest method. It’s lightweight and really only requires a burner, some butane, and water to boil. For the hunter with the less “esteemed palate” who is looking to shed critical ounces, instant coffee is probably your best bet.
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Simply remove the packets from the box to reduce bulk in your pack. To make it, boil water, dump in the grounds, stir, and when it’s an acceptable temperature, drink. This is a coffee that is rather palatable. Plus, your mindset is different in the woods where foods you may not otherwise consume taste pretty dang good. BAG COFFEE It’s pretty much the same as instant coffee except it comes in a bag. Like tea. Simply heat your water and steep. Upon reaching your desired strength, remove the coffee bag and toss it in the fire or trash bag. This method is also very packable and lightweight. THE PERCOLATOR Our grandfathers used a percolator. (Or made cowboy coffee - pour grounds in water and boil.) Even today the percolator holds its place among the various ways to make coffee while camping. While they may add a little bulk and some weight to your pack, using a kettle-style percolator is environmentally friendly as it requires no paper. Simply add water to the lower chamber, a suitable amount of grounds in the upper chamber, and set over a fire or burner. Let it percolate for about seven minutes and then rest for two to three minutes more. Remove the small basket in the kettle that holds the grounds and it’s ready to drink. FRENCH PRESS Using a French Press is another simple, straightforward method. Again, if you can spare a little added bulk and weight with the press, a bag of coffee, and a way to boil water, you’re almost guaranteed good taste with every cup. While the water is boiling, add about two to three fingers worth of grounds to the press. Pour in your boiling water, let stand for five minutes, press, and drink. Jetboil makes a great French Press-style system that’s designed specifically for camping. ESPRESSO MACHINE If you’re car camping, have the means for coffee-making equipment that requires electricity, and must start your day with a quality cup of coffee, then the portable espresso machine is for you. Simply plug, make, and pour. If the machine comes equipped with a frother, bring milk to make lattes or cafe au lait. If you think your friends will be unimpressed. Guess again. A quality coffee drink on a cold morning before a hunt is something of a luxury non-hunters couldn’t understand. Let’s circle back to the to-go cup real quick as an important reminder. You could always carry a simple mug with you. But if you’re on the go pretty soon after wake up call, having a hot coffee ready to drink when you reach the first glassing spot is somewhat of a reward.
Hunting & Fishing News | 33
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oe antelope behavior makes a noticeable change D as spring turns to summer in Wyoming. Antelope are typically on high alert. There is very little they do not see, hear or take an interest in. During the last few weeks of May and beginning of June however, some of their skittish behavior fades away. Pronghorn does seemingly adopt a far more lackadaisical mood. Could it be the heat?
Like other mammals such as deer and elk, antelope leave their young in a secure location. They are often gone for hours, returning only to feed them a few times a day. Daybreak is the best time to view them nursing and then again in the pale light of dusk before they bed down for the night.
That is a good guess, but this shift in attitude is more than just heat exhaustion. In the spring, large herds of antelope break out into smaller groups, dotting the plains and sage covered hills of Wyoming. The buck antelope will wander their own way and smaller groups of does will meander together. By the end of May and beginning of June, whether it be hot or not, the does are nearing the end of pregnancy. A thick belly can be noted and their energy level is certainly impacted. They are content to wander, lounge and graze. Female antelope delivery their babies and jump right back into action. Their keen eyes and incredible bursts of speed are some of their protective mechanisms, but these moms aren’t running far. Not without their babies. They may look thinner and have obviously delivered their young, but where are the babies?
Doe antelope will lure predators away from the site where their newborn lays.
34 | Hunting & Fishing News
Instinctively laying still in the sage, this antelope fawn barely twitches an ear.
Fawns are bedded down in the thick sage and bushes. They instinctively know to remain still and quiet until their mother returns. Antelope fold their spindly legs up underneath them and lay low, but don’t think they wont spring into action when threatened by a predator. Antelope young are born ready to run! Its great fun to watch this circle of life continue and to see healthy antelope herds maintained by conservation and ethical hunting practices.
A doe antelope leads her triplet fawns across Wyoming grasslands.
Don’t Let The Wind Beat You When Shooting Your Bow (continued from page 11)
One of the most frustrating parts about shooting in the wind besides pin movement is the wind can carry arrows off center a bit. Obviously, that varies based upon how strong the wind is, but it’s true nonetheless. We can use canting to mitigate these variances. If you’re fighting a left to right wind, try tilting your bow a bit into the wind (left). This will change the flight path of your arrow and push it to the left. The beauty about doing this is you’ll still be able to hold right on target. There is no eye balling how much to aim off center. Instead you’ll be pushing the arc of your arrow into the wind and, by doing so, mitigate the effects the wind has downrange. Keep in mind that there is a fair amount of experimentation that needs to happen here before taking this into the field and applying it to an animal. Knowing how much to tilt that bubble off center is vital for a well placed shot. Don’t disregard that. Bow set up A few years back, I finally pulled the trigger on the carbon bow I had been wanting. Being a backpack hunter, the weight savings was very appealing to me as was just the overall aesthetics of the bow. It was a smoker! The bow shot fantastic until the wind started to blow. Right then and there, I had a “What did I do?” moment. Because it was more lightweight, the wind had an even greater effect on it. The story of the three little pigs is a fantastic analogy here. Out of the three houses built, the big bad wolf blows down only two of them: the ones made from straw and sticks. The lesson learned is that lightweight houses couldn’t handle the wind. The last house being made of brick, though? That didn’t budge. Sorry if I ruined that story for you, but the same thinking can be applied to our bows.
By applying more weight to our bows, they will stand up much better to the effects of the wind. This could mean switching from a carbon to an aluminum bow, which is what I did, or simply adding weight to our stabilizer. Either way, the goal is more weight. The same can be said for arrows. A heavier arrow has more wind resistance than a lighter one. The point is that no matter what type of bow or arrow, we need to create a more sturdy platform. By doing so, our pins will be dancing around much less on the target. These results will carry right into normal shooting as well, not just for windy days. Don’t get too crazy here… Before folks start going out and trying to create anchor-like bows, I want to say something. Yes, shooting in the wind is frustrating. And, yes, there are things we can do to our bows and arrows to mitigate the effects it has. However, never ever sacrifice performance in the name of trying to buck the wind. For stabilizers, make sure you’re not adding so much weight that your bow is suddenly imbalanced or it’s a pain in the neck carrying it around. The same goes for arrows. Don’t shoot something so heavy that it has negative effects on arrow flight or stretches your pin gapping from here to the moon. Find a happy medium. (continued next page)
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Off-Season Elk Calling Practice And The Team Approach (continued from page 5) Try making one cow call every day. Pick up the call once each day and try to get a perfect cow call on the first attempt. Keep practicing until you can do it consistently on the first try.
Make A Plan
If you’re hunting with a guide this year, you can rely on their expertise in the field. They know the terrain and the way elk typically behave in that area. Trust them. If they tell you to stay put and stay silent, do it. When you’re waiting on a bull, it can seem like an eternity. It’s important to stay patient in calling situations. If you’re hunting with a partner this year, go over some communication basics and situations. Will you rotate being the caller and shooter each day or with each opportunity? Work these things out well before the hunt, so that things operate as smoothly as possible in the field. Most importantly, don’t be the partner that didn’t practice calling until right before the hunt! Start now and be confident by the time September arrives.
Sometimes, Not Calling is the Best Strategy
On over-the-counter elk hunts where bulls quickly become call shy, more calling can actually be detrimental. There are times when NOT calling is the best strategy. In fact, this past muzzleloader season I found myself in this exact situation. A bull was fired up, but he had cows and wasn’t interested in leaving them. With a good idea of where that bull was headed to bed with his cows, we circled around and snuck in on them. While the bull occasionally bugled from the bedding area, we closed the distance to 60 yards. Eventually, the bull presented a shot and we were able to watch him crash within sight. If you’re not familiar with how elk sound or if you’re not confident in your own calling, don’t call. Hunting silently is perfectly fine and can be very effective.
Practice Good Trailhead Diplomacy
Sometimes, hunting silently is the best thing you can do. We do quite a bit of hunting in over-the-counter elk units here in Colorado. In these situations, it’s important to be aware of the broader picture and how you are impacting the other hunters in the woods. You certainly can’t control how everyone around you is hunting - but you can adapt your own style to today’s reality that every hunter is carrying a bugle and wants to call in a bull. Don’t be “that hunter” who’s cracking off a bugle every five minutes. Instead, take some time to think about what’s going on around you. What’s the situation in terms of hunting pressure? How are the elk responding? Then, think about how you can hunt that situation most effectively. We find that hunting silently is often the best approach in these situations. It doesn’t put you at odds with the other hunters in the area. And it actually gives you an edge when trying to put a bull on the ground. When you’re in the elk woods next September - especially in an over-the-counter area - take stock of the situation before you go bugling your head off. You just might find, that the silent approach is the deadliest.
Elk Hunting in Colorado with Dark Timber Lodge
If you’d like to learn more about our early season elk hunts in Colorado, visit www.darktimberlodge.com. We offer over-the-counter archery and rifle hunts on the spectacular Uncompahgre Plateau. No applications or preference points are required. Right next door, we hunt one of Colorado’s premier elk areas in unit 61...For specific availability or details, please call Adam directly at 208-691-3014 or send us a message. We’d love to help you plan a memorable Colorado elk hunting experience!
36 | Hunting & Fishing News
Don’t Let The Wind Beat You When Shooting Your Bow (continued from page 35)
Just get closer While we are out there sending arrows into the wind, it’s important that we be honest with ourselves. It’s a time when we need to reevaluate our shooting. We all have an effective shooting range, but that range decreases when the wind is gusting. So, what is that distance? That’s something you need to find out for yourself. Time on the range is the only solution. For me, my effective shooting range decreases by about 20 yards. As hard as it may be for our egos to swallow, this is valuable info once in the field. It’ll remind us to try and just get closer to that animal. Remember: bowhunting is about getting close. The good news is that wind is quite beneficial to do that. The noise created by the wind will cover up the noise of an approach, giving you that window you need. Stronger in the end For years I would not shoot my bow when the wind was howling outside. I didn’t like not being as accurate. Shooting in the wind, though, is all part of bowhunting. I was doing myself a disservice by not figuring out ways to make it work or at least ways to make it work better. We are as strong as our weakest link and while it may not be too fun, taking on the frustrating task of learning to shoot in the wind will make us stronger and more effective in the field. It’s another tool in the toolbox. Practicing the things we don’t like to practice are often the very things that make us that much better.
Early Summer Fishing On Alpine Lakes (continued from page 13)
While major dry fly hatches might have happened months earlier at lower elevations, you may not see these bugs on the water until mid-summer at a remote wilderness lake. BE PREPARED FOR CHANGING CONDITIONS Early summer in the mountains can bring anything, especially when you venture up to timberline. You could see rain, snow, hail or sunshine. Some of the best alpine lakes require some effort to reach. So bring your hiking boots and a backpack with the essentials. Pack your rain gear, a few spare layers, a first aid kit, snacks, water and water treatment. Fishing with a light line fly rod can be a ton of fun on these types of waters. But when you’re up high, wind is always a possibility. So consider taking a 5-weight or even a 6-weight fly rod to help you battle windy conditions. This summer, get out there and explore those little blue dots on the map! Ryan McSparran is an outdoor writer, and a fly fishing and hunting professional based in Colorado.
Get On Target Fast 7 Things You Can Expect On Your First Antelope Hunt And Stable
(continued from page 22)
(continued from page 31)
7. It’s Excellent Wild Game Meat Antelope is easily one of the best wild game meats in North America. Antelope tends to have a lighter pink color than venison, and a more finely grained texture. On average, it’s very mild and tender. Of course rut behavior, wounding and other factors can influence meat quality. But ounce-forounce, we’ll take antelope over just about any other wild game meat. The only downside to eating antelope is their size. An average buck will yield 30-40 pounds of boneless meat. But at such high quality, you’ll want to treat each package like bricks of gold in your freezer. Like most wild game, antelope is very lean. Quality cuts like the backstraps and single-muscle roasts benefit from being served medium-rare. The sirloin roasts, necks, shanks, and other cuts that contain connective tissue are great for slow cooking. And antelope burger is outstanding in any of your favorite ground meat recipes. Antelope Hunting with Table Mountain Outfitters
If you’d like to learn more about the guided antelope hunting with Table Mountain Outfitters, please have a look at our ANTELOPE HUNTS PAGE https://www. tablemountainoutfitters.com/hunts/antelope/. We’d also encourage you to purchase a Wyoming preference point for antelope now, while they are still on sale. You can purchase preference points through the end of October. Even if you don’t yet have plans to hunt in Wyoming, purchasing a preference point now will make planning a future hunt much easier. CLICK HERE https://wgfapps.wyo.gov/ elsapplication/ELSWelcome.aspx to get started. If you would like to speak with us about availability or anything else, we’d love to help answer your questions! Please give us a call at 307-632-6352 or SEND US A MESSAGE at TMOHUNTS@gmail.com. We look forward to helping you plan the ultimate Wyoming hunting adventure! Come live THE LIFE with us.
38 | Hunting & Fishing News
Modified Kneeling: Substituting shooting sticks, a full-size pack positioned vertically, downed log, or other terrain feature as a rest for your knee increases stability. If using auxiliary forend support, bring your right knee up (right hand shooters) to support the buttstock. This provides front and rear support.
Standing Offhand: The most difficult from an accuracy standpoint, least practiced, and often needed, the offhand shot is one to be comfortable with. A quick opportunity or the need to use height to your advantage may make an offhand shot your best or only option. The least stable, reserve offhand shots for shorter ranges. To Execute: • Building your base with an athletic stance (feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent). • With your left foot forward (right-hand shooters), angle your body toward the target. Your position should feel natural when bringing the gun up and getting on target. • Press face firmly into the comb of the stock maintaining a solid cheek-weld and look directly down the sight. • Experiment with support arm position on the forend. Move it fore and aft, finding the optimal position for stability when looking through the optic. Of note, a rearward support-hand position can provide the ability to suck your elbow into your body, creating an additional contact point for increased steadiness. • Looking through the optic, the reticle will be moving. It will take practice to manage that movement. Ideally, the reticle will appear to have a rhythmic element to its motion - rhythm you can time and use to your advantage. Begin your trigger press prior to the reticle crossing where you want it when the gun goes off, timing the shot so it breaks on target. Familiarity with your trigger and how it breaks is extremely important. If you have an acceptable sight picture - meaning you are confident the bullet will hit within a margin of error to be an effective shot - you are good to go. Modified Offhand: Use standing-height shooting sticks (or a field-procured standing-height stick suitable to serve as a shooting stick). Leaning into an adjacent tree/boulder - or resting the rifle on an available fencepost - can greatly aid stability. Final Thought: Regardless of shooting position, practicing, and learning to “call your shot” will make you better. Calling your shot means analyzing and mentally cataloging your mechanics and sight picture the moment the gun goes off. Were the crosshairs low left? High right? Dead on? Make that call before evaluating the target. You may be surprised what you can predict, information you gather, and things you identify for future refinement being intentional with every shot. No shot taken at game will be the same. Infinite variables are at play. Make time to practice the different shooting positions at the range, and if possible, in-field conditions. You will become a more effective hunter.
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