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3 Reasons Not To Overlook Late Season Elk Hunts All photos credit: Ryan McSparran
n recent years, archery elk seasons in September have IBetween steadily become more popular. It’s easy to see why. the mild September weather, bugling elk, and the
chance for an exciting encounter within bow range, hunting elk with a bow can be a great experience. Along with that growth in demand, many over-the-counter archery hunts are becoming more crowded. And limited tags are becoming harder to draw. Meanwhile, there are excellent opportunities for hunters willing to hunt during the later rifle seasons - many of which are undersubscribed.
Late season hunting comes with its own set of challenges. The weather can be bitterly cold. Access is also an issue. Many Forest Service and BLM roads become difficult or impossible once the snow flies. And unlike the over-the-counter rifle seasons here in our home state of Colorado, 4th rifle season and later rifle season tags require drawing a limited license.
By Ryan McSparran Caribou Gear Outdoor Equipment Company www.caribougear.com
Even as cows migrate toward winter range, bulls will stay high on the mountain or in places where they feel safe. Don’t assume that a late season hunt means hunting on winter range. Bull elk will stay in their high elevation haunts or on steep canyon walls as long as the snow allows. Find vantage points where you can glass timber edges, old burns, or the edges of aspen stands. Focus on steep slopes where bulls have both food and safe cover. It’s often a game of patience and persistence to glass up a late season bull. When you spot one, it’s time to plan the stalk. Late in the season, bulls aren’t likely to move far if they are not bumped. Just this year during Colorado’s 4th rifle season, we watched a bachelor group of six mature bulls follow the same routine each morning. This late season behavior provides great opportunities to plan and execute a stalk.
On the other side of those challenges however, hunters can encounter some very productive elk hunting.
Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t overlook these opportunities: 1. BETTER HUNTING WEATHER First, late season hunts can provide more favorable weather than the general or over-the-counter rifle seasons earlier in the year. And by “favorable”, we’re talking about sub-freezing temperatures and snow. During cold weather, elk will spend more time on their feet during the day. It’s not unusual to find them on sunny, south facing slopes where they can graze. It’s often much easier to locate elk this time of year than during the mild days of October when they often stay bedded in heavy timber throughout the day.
2. HUNT BULLS ON THEIR OWN TERMS November can be a great time to pursue bull elk. Removed from the pressures of the rut, bulls will drift off alone or in bachelor groups. Without a dozen set of eyes around, this is a perfect time for spot-and-stalk hunting tactics.
4| Hunting & Fishing News
3. HIGH SUCCESS COW HUNTS When hunting cows during a late rifle season, you may focus on the transition zones toward their winter range. Spot and stalk hunting tactics will also serve you well. Find vantage points where you can cover ground with your optics. Where you find one cow this time of year, you’ll likely find a bunch. These late season cow hunts often boast higher success rates than hunts earlier in the year. With the onset of cold weather and migration out of rough country, cows often become more visible, spending more time on the open, south-facing slopes.
Consider these things when planning a late season elk hunt: 1. Accessible Public Land When planning any late season hunt, first consider areas that offer accessible public land throughout the elk’s migratory transition zones. For example, if a unit’s public land is all above 9,000 feet and the valley floor is entirely private, this could be a concern. It might be fine for hunting bulls if there’s little snow. But it might be difficult to hunt cows in December. Units with accessible public land in a variety of habitat zones will give you more options, depending on weather, snow depth, and other seasonal variables.
2. Quality Cold Weather Gear Next, you’ll need to consider the necessary gear before attempting a late season hunt. Quality boots, quality clothing, an adequate tent and sleep system are all factors that you’ll need to think about. Hunting during cold weather is a ton of fun if you’re prepared for it. If you’re not prepared, it can be miserable.
3. Don’t Forget Game Bags
Where to Find Late Season Hunting Opportunities Here in our home state of Colorado, there are some excellent late season hunting opportunities for both bull and cow elk. Montana also offers some great late season dates.
Here are a few late season elk hunting opportunities to consider: 1. Colorado’s 4th Rifle Elk Season Here in Colorado, elk licenses for the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons are unlimited and sold over the counter. No application or drawing is required. These rifle seasons provide a great deal of opportunity. But they’re also known to attract big numbers of hunters. Hunting during the later 4th rifle season is a great way to avoid some of that pressure and catch elk moving during cold weather. The 4th rifle season dates are later in November and offer a great opportunity to hunt bulls alone or in bachelor groups. And since this season is limited by drawing only, you’ll be competing with fewer hunters than you would during the OTC rifle seasons. Even though you must apply for a limited tag, all but just a handful of Colorado’s 4th rifle season tags can be drawn with fewer than two preference points, even if you’re a nonresident. In fact, many units can be drawn with no points at all. Next year, consider applying for one of these late bull elk hunts. (continued on page 38) ©KENETREK, LLC 2021
Occasionally we hear hunters say they plan to leave the hide on their elk quarters during cold weather. If you like your game meat, this is a bad idea. Don’t underestimate the insulating power of an elk hide – even if the weather is cold.
On your late season hunts, you don’t have to worry about insects. But you certainly want to remove that hide and get your quarters into protective and breathable game bags as soon as possible. A quality game bag will allow the meat to cool fast and form a protective rind.
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From the morning sits in the late season Whitetail stand to chasing after hounds hot on the trail of a Colorado Cougar, your boots are arguably the most important piece of gear you will use. Stay out longer, hike further, and perform better with Kenetrek Pac Boots. Built with the mountains in mind, our supportive leather uppers and high traction K-Talon outsole will keep you upright, while wool felt liners and extra insulation in the bottoms will keep you toasty warm in temperatures down to -20F.
FINDING AND HUNTING COUES DEER Rifle tags for coues deer are limited and you must apply. The OTC archery hunts open the door to a great desert hunt in December and January during the rut. Chasing Coues deer with a bow is very difficult but hunting the rut helps by creating more opportunities on deer while they are slightly more vulnerable.
All photos credit: Ryan McSparran
Arizona’s Underrated Opportunity:
COUES DEER ARCHERY HUNTS
Don’t mistake the rut for an easy ticket however. You still need to find the water sources, find higher density areas, and glass like crazy. Glassing the first and last light is absolutely critical for Coues deer. They tend to pop a little more when the low light reflects off their backs. Once found, you can build out your strategy and really plan a stalk. Like whitetails, these deer are alert, suspicious and difficult to approach.
By Ryan McSparran Antler Canyon Outfitters www.antlercanyonoutfitters.com
A
rizona offers over-the-counter (OTC) archery hunts for both Coues Deer and Mule Deer. Most folks are dazzled by mule deer, and for good reason. However, Coues Deer are extremely challenging and often underrated. You can hunt both species on the same archery tag and their territories often overlap but focusing on Coues Deer is a rewarding experience. Finding a unique OTC tag like this one is also just plain difficult. You can punch a mule deer tag in numerous western and midwestern states but the romance of chasing coues deer across desert mountains is a very limited geographical possibility.
Expect to move extra slow while weaving through brushy terrain to gain a shooting vantage.
Arizona just happens to offer the best odds for archery hunters without requiring an application or bonus points. THE GREY GHOST Coues Deer are a sub-species of the whitetail family. They run on the smaller end, typically weighing under 100-pounds. The deer are tough as nails and are built to live in the land of cactus and brush. Mule deer stand out in this country and use the open visual to their advantage but coues deer retain that elusive whitetail nature and they work through the big desert landscape while maintaining a very low profile. Their elusive nature has earned them the Grey Ghost nickname and it is well deserved. The toughest stretches of desert in southern Arizona are dominated by the Coues deer. They also overlap with mule deer in a number of areas as well. 6| Hunting & Fishing News
Antler Canyon Outfitters focuses on areas with strong numbers to present a higher number of opportunities. Knowing the annual and habitual movements of the Coues Deer greatly amplifies your odds of success. Our multiple camp locations also offer the flexibility to rotate through the most productive hunting areas available. If you’d like to chat with us about planning your Arizona Coues deer hunt, please contact us online at www.antlercanyonoutfitters.com or call Toby at 928-205-8911.
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How to Tan a Deer Hide DIY The Easy Way By Andrew Jackson Outdoor Empire www.outdoorempire.com
talking a deer then harvesting the animal is satisfying, but your job doesn’t end when you pull the trigger or S release the bowstring. That fallen deer is a wonderful bounty of resources. The meat can feed a family for a long time, bones and antlers can be used to make tool handles, and of course, there’s the deer’s hide. You can use deerskin as decoration or as a source of leather for furniture and clothing. However, you have to tan the deer hide first. Believe it or not, buying your own tanning solution is cheaper than having a commercial tanner process your deer pelt. That will set you back $50, $100, or more, and only save you a little labor! Why not tan the hide yourself? You don’t even have to buy tanning solution if you want to use the natural method of tanning a deer. Deer Hide Tanning Basics Tanning a deer hide is when you stop the decomposition process of the deer’s skin and then treat the skin with both chemicals and physical activity to turn it into a smooth, soft, comfortable piece of leather. Animals start to decompose immediately after they die, so you have to start work on the deerskin as soon as possible if you want to salvage it. If your deer falls in a sunny area, move it into the shade immediately. Keep an eye out for nearby boulders in the shade too. You don’t have to tan the deer hide all in one go. However, you do have to perform the first three steps in order to arrest the decomposition process.
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How to Tan a Deer Hide
What You Need Dead deer Skinning knife Scraping tool Five-gallon bucket Non-iodized salt Soap A wood surface such as a sawhorse, bench, or railing Tanning solution Neatsfoot oil (continued on page 35)
To learn more visit fwp.mt.gov/passiton Hunting & Fishing News | 9
Pheasant Hunting In South Dakota South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks
HUNT THE GREATEST IN SOUTH DAKOTA ith rolling hills and endless prairies, South Dakota W is home to some of the best pheasant hunting in the country. With abundant public land hunting
opportunities, pheasant hunters have access to some of the greatest spots to chase birds and work their dogs...pheasants and pheasant hunting are solidly ingrained in the South Dakota culture...Whether you live in South Dakota or are here for the hunt, you will never forget that South Dakota is where you hunt the greatest land, live the greatest traditions, and make the greatest memories.
TRADITIONAL PHEASANT SEASON Daily Limit: 3 rooster pheasants Possession Limit: 15 rooster pheasants, taken according to the daily limit. The limit accrues at the rate of 3 birds a day, and 15 birds may not be possessed until after the fifth day of hunting. Open Area: All of South Dakota except the following: Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Brown County is open Dec. 13, 2021-Jan. 31, 2022. Renziehausen Game Production Area and Game Bird Refuge in Brown and Marshall Counties, Gerken Game Bird Refuge in Faulk County and White Lake Game Bird Refuge in Marshall County are open Dec. 1, 2021 - Jan. 31, 2022.
Since 1919, the tradition of pheasant hunting has brought friends and families together. Every fall, opening weekend brings unprecedented enthusiasm, excitement, and activity to cities and rural communities across the state.
Shooting Hours: 10 a.m. Central Time, to sunset all season. Central Time is used for opening shooting hours statewide.
LIBERAL SEASONS
Residents: Small Game License, any Combination License, Youth Small Game License or 1-Day Small Game License. Nonresidents: Nonresident Small Game License or Nonresident Youth Small Game License (each valid for two 5-day hunting periods; start dates must be identified before license issued). Multiple licenses may be purchased to hunt more than the two 5-day periods allowed by one license. 2021 Pheasant Outlook South Dakota is enjoying increased pheasant abundance.
2021-2022 Traditional Season Oct. 16, 2021 - Jan. 31, 2022 Like us on
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email: huntingfishingnews@yahoo.com The entire contents is © 2021, 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 18 Issue 7 Cover Photo: twildlife|depositphotos.com
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The 2020 pheasant season was spectacular in South Dakota, with hunters harvesting over 1.1 million birds. In addition to abundant bird numbers, hunters also enjoyed an extended season open until January 31, 2021 and took advantage of this opportunity harvesting over 27,000 birds in January alone. While 2020 was incredible, 2021 is shaping up to be even better. More Habitat For Birds Habitat is key for enjoying great bird numbers now and for years to come. The Habitat Stamp went into effect July 1, 2020 and GFP has been putting these dollars to work. Habitat projects already completed include high-diversity grass seedings, woody habitat improvements and expanding the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to provide additional hunting access to more habitat. Help From Mother Nature Favorable weather conditions over the winter months has South Dakotans seeing birds in record numbers...
10| Hunting & Fishing News
Where To Hunt South Dakota has incredible amounts of quality public land across the landscape. On your hunt you’ll find Game Production Areas, Walk-in Areas, Waterfowl Production Areas and more. These lands are open to public hunting and ready for hunters to enjoy. Learn more about the lands in South Dakota at https://gfp. sd.gov/hunting-areas/ or pick up a Hunting Atlas at any license agent.
PLAN YOUR HUNT
Do-It-Yourself Adventure Are you looking for a DIY adventure, but aren’t sure where to start? South Dakota is home to abundant pheasant hunting lands and opportunities. It can be hard to narrow down where you want to go. Check out the pheasant distribution map to see where the primary range is found across South Dakota. You can also learn more about the different types of areas to hunt in South Dakota at: https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/recreation/ hunting/region-breakdowns. Full-Service Experience South Dakota is home to numerous hunting lodges and guided hunt opportunities. If you are looking for sure fire action, this could be the type of hunt for you. Learn more about lodges and guided hunts in South Dakota at https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/ recreation/hunting/lodge-hunt
Photo credit: schlag|www.depositphotos.com
PREMIERE OUTDOOR DESTINATION • South Dakota is one of the few places in the world where you can bag the upland bird trifecta sharp- tailed grouse, greater prairie chicken and pheasant - all on the same hunt! • Excellent walleye and panfishing on the Missouri River and in the Glacial Lakes region presents the perfect opportunity to rest your legs and wet some lines! • Many state parks offer camping sites, camping and modern cabins and lodge opportunities to complete your outdoor adventure as well as offer fun for the whole family!
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Hunting & Fishing News | 11
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THE SPECIES
Perhaps the most difficult part of planning a hunt in northern British Columbia is choosing a species of focus. In some cases, like with Stone Sheep, the single species is by far the primary target. Our sheep hunts tend to be focused, as do our sheep hunters. We self-enforce a policy of only taking mature rams at 8.5 years or older. Meanwhile, most of our other hunts are true combo hunts. You might think of mountain goat country being a long way from moose country. But here, that’s really not the case. Our mountain goat, moose and mountain caribou can all be in pretty close proximity – making these ideal combination hunts. When specifically targeting mountain goats, we use horses to access high basins above timberline where we can then glass and hike the steep ridgelines.
All photos credit: Kawdy Outfitters
What Will You Hunt Next Year And Beyond? By Zach Lazzari Kawdy Outfitters www.kawdyoutfitters.com
s we enter the final quarter of 2021, it’s time to make A your hunt plans for 2022 and beyond. As you think about your goals for the next couple of years, it might be time to consider a multi-species dream hunt in some of the most beautiful terrain on earth.
Planning ahead is critical for these hunts. First, you must look at timelines and species opportunities. After choosing the best week and species for your ideal hunt, it’s time to really prepare. This requires gear checks, physical training and plenty of time shooting. As we approach the end of another year, it’s time to begin planning for the possibilities ahead.
Moose and mountain caribou make up our most popular combo hunt here in northern BC. These moose are extremely large. We’re just a stone’s throw from the Yukon border. But on the BC side of the line, they are considered Canadian Moose. Those Alaska-Yukon moose genetics make them some of the largest Canadian moose found anywhere. Our mountain caribou are big and beautiful, with often stark color contrasts between their dark bodies and white manes. These resident caribou move from the valleys up toward the high plateaus during the rut. These magnificent caribou draw hunters from around the world and for good reason. In addition to these primary species, our hunters often carry tags for incidental species like wolf and wolverine. Each year, we have hunters get lucky and take one of these big Canadian wolves.
KNOW THE TERRAIN AND BUILD YOUR PACK
After choosing the focus species and booking a hunt, it’s time to understand the terrain, weather and the upcoming hunt. Our hunters will fly into one of our three primary base camps, where you’ll have time to organize gear and repack your backpack. From there, hunters will usually depart on horseback for one of our satellite camps. In some cases, you may hunt right out of the base camp. 12| Hunting & Fishing News
TRAIN AND SHOOT
The two things that will make you a better hunter in northern British Columbia are shooting abilities and physical fitness. Hit the range as much as possible and get yourself dialed at ranges up to 500 yards. Having longer distance abilities and confidence is critical when an old stone sheep ram is standing broadside across a deep drainage. Hunters should be prepared to cover rugged terrain with steep inclines. This is British Columbia, so there’s always potential for rain, cold weather and even snow. Sheep and goat hunts are especially challenging due to their vertical environments. Horses provide a major advantage but always plan on hiking. Spend plenty of time in your boots before the hunt, bring quality, lightweight rain gear and know how to utilize your layering system. Bring high quality binoculars for spotting and viewing. In most cases, a daypack with 1,800 to 3,000 cubic inches of capacity is ideal. Unless you’re told otherwise, you’ll be hunting from a fixed camp each day, so a large, overnight pack is not necessary. Bring what you need, but don’t overdo it. In addition to weight limits on the float plane, you’ll want to save your back on those long days of hunting. To learn more about the gear we recommend and additional packing tips, please take a look at our gear page https://www.kawdyoutfitters.com/ information/gear/.
Train physically by hiking, running and building endurance in your legs. Hike with your hunting pack and practice shooting while winded. If you can hike uphill until winded and setup on a steady shooting rest, harvesting the animal you want can quickly turn from a dream into a reality.
Contact Us to Begin Planning your Hunt
If you’d like to learn more about hunting with us in British Columbia at Kawdy Outfitters, please explore the rest of our website at www.kawdyoutfitters.com. For details and availability, please contact us. We’d love to help you begin planning your adventure!
Hunting & Fishing News | 13
Late Season Trout Tips By Zach Lazzari Mystic Fly Rods www.mysticoutdoors.com
ate season fly fishing means cold water temps, shorter Lfreezing days and slower pace on the water. Anglers can expect temps, and the fishing will shift into full winter mode. This crossover season is often difficult as the fish adjust feeding patterns and holding zones based on the unpredictable conditions. Although the weather can swing from full blown sun to raging blizzard, the late season is a great time to power through the elements and chase down a trophy trout.
GEAR UP If you plan on fishing for more than an hour or two, bring a full pack and throw in some layers and gloves. You might be wearing short sleeves one minute and a winter coat the next. This is especially important on float trips and hike-in trips where you are hours from the vehicle. I’ve had a few trips turn miserable because I underestimated the weather. The late season can deliver BWO hatches and midges that call for light tippet and small flies. That said, if I have to choose one fly rod, it’s a 6-weight. I use a floating line most days and carry a short sinking head for streamers. On some days however, it’s a sink tip and streamers all day with a 6 or even 7-weight rod. In this case, you are rolling the dice on a big fish. The floating line system is more versatile and makes it possible to transition between dry flies, nymph rigs and streamers but the sink tip is aggressive and worth the effort when a big fish moves.
Photo credit: Mystic Fly Rods
CALORIES ARE THE KEY Calories are critical, especially for brown trout in the late season.
The spawn is taxing and the bigger browns are especially prone to attack a large calorie source regardless of water temperature or condition. This is why a dedicated sink tip is worth the time. You aren’t likely to catch high numbers but a brown trout that is seeking a calorie rich meal to recover energy might strike when it wouldn’t otherwise. If the streamer game isn’t happening, dead drift a big stonefly nymph with a trailing general attractor nymph through the tailouts until something connects. I typically don’t switch to a dry fly game unless I visibly see fish eating on the surface.
RECOMMENDED RODS For late season nymphing with the option to throw streamers or even an occasional dry fly, look no further than the all-around performing JXP 6-weight. This rod has the backbone to deliver heavy rigs, yet enough finesse and sensitivity to play big fish on extremely light tippet. Photo credit: Mystic Fly Rods
READ THE TEMPS, FIND THE FISH Water temps dictate where the trout sit and how they act in the late season. It’s an odd time of year because you may still find fish holding in a shallow riffle but they will also drop into deep, slow tailouts. It’s not always dependent on the water temperature in the exact moment either but more on the temperature swing and consistency. A sudden, dramatic drop in temperature will essentially shock the fish and push them into slow water while a gradual decline will keep them more active in a variety of water types. When the temperature dips below 50-degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to shift your focus towards the slower stuff and protected pockets where the trout aren’t expending much energy in their holding patterns.
14| Hunting & Fishing News
Zach Lazzari is a fly fishing guide and an outdoor writer based in Montana. Zach has fished and guided in Alaska, Colorado and Patagonia. Zach is also the blogger behind The Busted Oarlock.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 15
Northland pro-staffer Brian “Bro” Brosdahl comments: “The new Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon is a fantastic design, built to drop down in the water column fast while tumbling in a distinctive fashion. It’s a real walleye killer, and effective on jumbo perch, too. I had the chance to field test the spoon and was really impressed by how it calls fish in.
Photo courtesy Northland Fishing Tackle
Northland Fishing Tackle Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon
“Because the shape of the Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon has so many different angles, it reflects and refracts light and colors in every direction. It’s a good search lure. So, if you’re hole-hopping, this is the spoon to fish. It’s a great bait for shallow and deep water. Add in the loud brass rattle and you’ve really got something. Drop it down, one quick hop, and then shake it in place to stir up the fish.”
®
™
www.northlandtackle.com
ll-too-often lures are described as “deadly”. A Death to the fish, because so many are caught in the clutches of these baits. But how about a lure
that’s both deadly and, well, dead? Like in the shape of a coffin? That’s precisely what the lure designers at Northland have embalmed. Northland is proud to introduce a radical new design in ice fishing spoons. Shaped like an actual casket, the Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon™ is anything but dead in the water. It’s flat-sided profile produces a tantalizing tumbling and gliding action throughout the water column. The specially angled, flat sides not only generate its unique action, but also dazzlingly reflect light, drawing fish in from afar. Bolstering its robust action and flash, an internal brass rattle yields audible cues, appealing to the lateral line senses of various fish species. And the cherry on top is the Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon’s clever flicker tail, which mimics a baitfish’s tail on every pump. Gold Shiner Purple Wonder and UV Electric Perch (top to bottom)
UV Pink Tiger, Super-Glo Chub and Sneeze (top to bottom)
Bro adds: “The Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon is just a great idea and design, and what’s going to amount to another deadly weapon in the arsenal.” In preliminary testing across the Ice Belt, the Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon has already proven effective on walleyes and jumbo perch. From shallow water flats to deep basins and humps, it’s radical design draws fish in like no other. For anglers Bubblegum Tiger, Wonderbread and Super-Glo Redfish (top to bottom) searching for a new bait to draw fish in, there’s no better choice—the Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon just gets the job done.
THE BEST FISHING BRANDS!
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E arly ICE S afety
2021 FALL MACK DAYS
Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
LAKE TROUT FISHING EVENT
on FLATHEAD LAKE September 16 th to November 14th Fish The Entire Lake
UP TO
By Jason Mitchell Pictured is Ice Team Pro Scott Seibert with a great early ice crappie. Photo courtesy www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com.
Jason Mitchell Outdoors www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com
E
arly ice is a coveted time for ice anglers. Anglers have been waiting to get out on the ice and are excited for a new season to begin. Early ice is also often some of the very best fishing of the winter. Combine the good fishing with the excitement of getting out on the ice and invariably, some ice anglers will push their luck. We have seen a trend over the past few years driven by social media where some anglers almost seem to make getting out onto questionable ice some sort of contest. A show of bravado if you will on who can step foot onto the ice first and post some fish pictures onto their Instagram account. This desire for attention can sometimes prove deadly and dangerous. We all want to learn about where to catch more fish or how to catch more fish but with so many young and new anglers entering the ice fishing community, let’s start out with how to be safe on the ice. There is a saying that no ice is safe. The implication of this simple sentence is to simply keep your guard up and never assume too much. The reality is that some ice is safe. We just can’t assume. The reality is that conditions can change. Sometimes this change is unpredictable. Accidents can happen to the most seasoned ice anglers. An accident can happen simply by walking back to shore at lowlight and having fog move in where you get disorientated. You have a lake map app on your phone, you argue. Well, imagine your phone is dead from scrolling on social media all day. An accident can happen by simply driving fast with an ATV across the ice to get home and in the headlights appears a new pressure ridge that didn’t exist four hours earlier. We have been on some reservoirs where freak methane gas pockets open and create round pools of thin ice and these methane gas pockets change from year to year. Of course, many of the situations that can be extremely dangerous can be predictable. Moving water is always bad. That moving water might be a culvert under a submerged road or a bridge causeway. Could be an incoming stream or bottleneck between islands. There are basic ice thickness charts that show the recommended ice thickness for certain activities. Three inches of good ice is generally recommended for walking out on the ice. Five to six inches of good ice is generally recommended for snowmobiles and small ATVs. (continued on page 36)
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(Fridays - Sundays only) 32 lottery drawings-$2,000-$400=$28,600 and $4,500-$500 to $50 for merchandise prizes Top twenty angler prizes $950-$200=$10,800 Captains-$250-(4 prizes),Smallest lake trout $250-(2 prizes), Largest lake trout $500 Top lady anglers-$300,$200,$100. $100-by total fish entered Youth-(17-13) 1st- $200,2nd $150, 3rd $75,4-5th $50 (12 & under)1st-$100, 2nd $75, 3rd $50 Fri-Sun.Weekend Prizes-4 @$100 & 1 @$200 per weekend Golden Angler Award-(70 & older)-$300, $200, $100, 2@$50 determined by total fish entered Bucket Days-3 days of single/team-heaviest 4-fish-10/1-Friday, 10/16-Saturday & 11/7-Sunday SIBERIAN COOLERS-1ticket for every ten entries Fri-Sun Prizes and rules listed on the website www.mackdays.com BONUSES: ALL ANGLERS WHO ENTER 11 or more LAKE TROUT WIN The higher your total - the higher your bonus-every day counts: Mon-Sun (60 days) Bonus amounts are listed in the rules page on the website-subject to change Check the rules, prizes, check in sites, & register online at
www.mackdays.com
Telephone 406-883-2888 Ex. 7294 or 406-270-3386 Applications will be available: Zimmers Tackle-Pablo, Westland Seed & Sports-Ronan, Walmart-Polson, Sportsman’s Warehouse-Missoula, FWP-Missoula and Kalispell, Sportsman & Ski Haus-Kalispell, Bretz RV & Marine-Missoula, Bob Ward & Sons-Missoula, Snappys Sports Senter-Kalispell, CSKT NRD Offices-Polson We ask that all boats from out of the Flathead area be inspected for AIS.
Special permits available for the south half of Flathead Lake available wherever fishing permits are sold.
What about sight feeders like walleye, bass, pike and panfish? How important is scent in their constant search for food? Sight feeders primarily use their sense of sight to find food, but scent also plays a role. For these species scent becomes a confidence factor. Things that look like food and also smell like food, are going to get treated like food. The Fishing 411 TV crew first got serious about using fishing scents several years ago when I met Steve Lynch of Pro Cure Bait Scents. I was fortunate enough to be invited to tour their facility in Salem, Oregon. What I learned is that Pro Cure has been making fishing scents and bait products since 1984. I also learned that for fishing scent to work effectively, the first step is to eliminate unnatural scents on lures and baits that can actually spook fish. Photos courtesy www.fishing411.net
www.fishing411.net
Species like this steelhead have a very refined sense of smell that helps them find food. Using natural scent products like Pro Cure Super Gel has helped the Fishing 411 Team consistently catch fish everywhere they travel.
ishing scents have been around almost as long as F there have been fishermen. I’m pretty sure even Peter, Andrew, James and John from the Bible were using fish scent to help feed their families.
It’s no secret that fish have a highly advanced sense of smell. Some species like salmon can actually detect scent in the water down to parts per billion! Other species like catfish depend almost exclusively on their sense of smell to find food.
ELIMINATING BAD ODOR As fishermen our hands, baits and tackle are often contaminated with a host of unnatural scents such as gasoline, sunscreen, insect repellent, tobacco odor and many other scents that do not attract fish. The way to control these unnatural scents is to wash your hands, fishing lures and tackle products in a mild solution of a scent free soap such as Lemon Joy. It’s important to select the “non-ultra” or bleach free formula. Once your lures and tackle are scent free, applying a natural scent product greatly increases the effectiveness of any hard bait, soft plastic, cut bait and even live bait. MATCHING THE HATCH
I learned a lot from Steve Lynch, but perhaps the most important piece of information he shared was the idea of using natural scent products that are made from real baitfish... Using Pro Cure’s Alewife Super Gel when targeting salmon and...trout makes your lures and baits smell exactly like what the fish are naturally feeding on. For another species like smallmouth bass that routinely feed on crayfish, using a natural crayfish scent is going to produce the best results. This tidbit of knowledge quickly had me researching respective bodies of water to determine what forage species are the most prevalent at different times of year. For me the light bulb finally went off when I started using Gizzard Shad Pro Cure Super Gel...in the late fall. At this time of year Saginaw Bay walleye are feeding almost exclusively on Gizzard Shad. Literally from the first day I first started adding this scent to my crankbaits, catch rates skyrocketed. 18| Hunting & Fishing News
To prove the Super Gel was the difference we started running Super Gel on one side of the boat and simply clean washed lures on the other. The baits that were treated with Super Gel consistently out produced the clean lures two to one!
CLEAN UP
The Fishing 411 crew first started using Pro Cure scent products for trout and salmon fishing. The success they enjoyed had them quickly applying the same scent practices to walleye, bass, pike and even panfish.
IS SCENT WORTH THE EFFORT?
A LONG LASTING SCENT STREAM The goal when using scent products should be to establish a natural and also long lasting scent stream in the water. Unfortunately, most scent products on the market are water soluble and wash off your lures almost as quickly as they are applied. Super Gel is a greasy and sticky emulsion that once applied to hard baits, soft baits, cut bait or live bait puts out a natural scent stream for 30 to 40 minutes before it needs to be re-applied.
At the end of a busy day of fishing with natural scent products, lures, attractors and other tackle that was treated with scent must be cleaned before storing. Lemon Joy and a soft scrub brush will remove most of the scent residue. A squirt of WD40 and a little light brushing will also cut the greasy residue. For stubborn clean up projects, drop the lure in a jar with a little liquid WD40 and swish it around for a few moments before washing again with Lemon Joy. Bad Azz Hand/Lure Soap another product produced by Pro Cure is also a handy way to keep your hands free of unnatural scent. This soap can be applied without water like a hand sanitizer and does an excellent job of keeping your hands ready for handling lures and gear.
To get the desired benefit from fishing scents requires making sure your lures are as clean and scent free as possible before applying scent. At the end of the day, using scent also means you have the obligation of cleaning those lures. Yes, using scent products is more work. Cutting corners is not the answer when it comes to using scent products. Start with clean lures, use natural scent products, pick scents that match the hatch and take the time to clean lures between bites. Those who follow this regiment will be amazed at the rewards of using fishing scent. Those who cut corners, simply don’t have the faith it takes to give fishing scent an honest try.
2022 Lund 1775 Adventure Sport
Hands down a favorite scent for salmon fishing is Super Gel Bloody Tuna. When using cut plugs like this SpinFish, we fill the hollow bait with as much Super Gel as we can get inside! This sets up a long lasting and natural scent stream in the water.
BLOOD & FISH SLIME In the process of catching fish, your lures are going to get contaminated with blood and fish slime. Taking a few seconds to clean the lure after catching a fish, then re-applying fresh scent before resetting the lure will also pay huge dividends. Most anglers are in a big hurry and immediately reset a lure that just caught a fish. Taking the simple step of cleaning the lure and adding fresh scent works magic at keeping the bites coming.
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Hunting & Fishing News | 19
Your Montana Toyota Dealers are
PA SSION ATE in their support of the outdoors, and groups such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation with its mission to conserve wildlife habitat and open space.
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PUBLIC ACCESS For hunters, anglers and others who enjoy experiencing the outdoors first-hand, it means everything. No access means no recreational opportunity.
You cannot hunt if you do not have access to quality habitat. Creating and improving public access is core to the mission of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Since 1985, RMEF and its partners completed 1,120 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Montana with a combined value of more than $200.8 million. These projects protected or enhanced 881,941 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 347,180 acres. How large is 347,180 acres? That equates to approximately 263,015 football fields (end zones included). RMEF works with landowners, state and federal agencies, sportsmen and women, and many other partners to acquire private land and convey it to a public agency so it is open to all for hunting, fishing and other recreational activities. Public access tools include land acquisitions and exchanges, access agreements and other means.
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1,120 PROJECTS
OPENED OR IMPROVED
347,180 ACRES OF ACCESS
Photo credit: Dark Timber Lodge
5 Tips For A Successful Mule Deer Hunt
3. KNOW THEIR SENSES
By Ryan McSparran Dark Timber Lodge www.darktimberlodge.com
Mule deer rely heavily on their senses and you can blow a stalk when they see, hear or smell you. Prioritize the wind above all else to prevent being winded. If you think a deer sees you or hears you, stop and do not move until the animal resumes normal behaviour. Freezing on the spot will often save the stalk. Just flat out stay still and wait it out. If you are spotted, keep your eyes down and do not move. It’s a waiting game.
just about every part of the state. Here are a few of our tips for hunting mule deer:
4. PUT THE STOP ON THEM
e love hunting big mule deer bucks. And there W might be no better place to do it than right here in Colorado. There is potential to find big mule deer in
1. SLOW DOWN Slow down and glass. Then glass some more. Mule deer blend into the landscape and you must glass hard to find them. A buck laying in waist-high scrub oak or sagebrush is difficult to spot. Find a good vantage point; look for travel paths and glass until your eyes hurt. Cover ground as necessary but really take your time when you have a good view. Study the brush; pick apart the tree line and study rock outcroppings until you have the area thoroughly covered. Look for game trails and water sources as well to find travel routes. 2. WORK WITH THE LANDSCAPE The landscape will play tricks on your mind and you can easily lose sight of deer. Once you spot a mule deer, observe landmarks in reference to the position. This becomes increasingly important during the stalk. You can use these landmarks as a guide during the stalk. Using a rangefinder to measure the distance between the animal and the landmarks increases the value of your reference points. 22| Hunting & Fishing News
Every now and then you won’t see a deer until you’ve already spooked it. Make a loud whistle or grunt and setup for the shot. A mule deer’s curiosity can be your best friend. These deer will often stop and turn broadside to look back. Be ready to take advantage of that curiosity. This may be your best chance to take a clean shot. 5. FIND YOUR BUCK Depending on the area you are hunting, you may not want to take the first buck you see. There is nothing wrong with passing on any number of animals. Wait until you find a buck that gets you excited. Glassing, hiking and looking for a great buck is half the fun. Watch and study the ones you find and look in odd places for that monster. The biggest bucks tend to have slightly different habits and you will find them in some surprising places. For more information on mule deer hunting in Colorado, please give us a call at 208-691-3014 or email: timbertotable@hotmail.com
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You’re Not Lab Aging Your Mule Deer? Here’s Why You Should By Robby Denning Originally published at
www.goHUNT.com
ule deer are one of the most fascinating animals on the M planet. I’ve felt that way since I was about 10 years old when my father started taking me hunting. His stories about
big mule deer bucks really hooked me; stories of giant bucks lying prone as a hunter walked by only a stone’s throw away, the days spent searching for a certain big buck, or just the glimpse of a big and wide 4-point as he ducked into the cover forever. Part of this fascination has lead me to learn all I can about my chosen quarry. I want to know everything that can help me become a better hunter. While reading books from expert hunters, studying published research, and spending time listening to other successful mule deer hunters are all good and necessary, I want to know more about the bucks that I’ve killed. Accurately knowing the age of a big mule deer buck has taught me a bookful about big mule deer behavior. THE IMPORTANCE OF DEER AGE Age is one of the three most important factors in predicting how big a buck will grow, along with genetics and nutrition. As much as age is talked about, it’s the one factor that is hardest to determine. That is because there is only one practical method to accurately determine age and few people have access to it. You cannot just look at the antlers, teeth, or body in order to figure out the birth month and year of a buck no matter what you’ve been told at the check station, bar, or forum. Only by cementum-age analysis can you accurately determine the age of a buck. WHAT IS CEMENTUM-AGE ANALYSIS? Cememtum-age analysis is a process done by a qualified lab that looks at the cementum growth of a tooth. Cementum is the outer layer of a tooth that is regenerated yearly. A lab technician can age a mammal by counting the rings in a tooth sample just like counting tree rings to age a tree. It is considered the gold-standard in aging mammals.
Rob Denning with an Idaho mule deer lab aged seven years.
As I write in my book, Hunting Big Mule Deer, older bucks are a subset of the mule deer species. I say this because they behave differently than the rest of the herd. Where they live, where they bed, when they feed, and how they react to hunting pressure are only a few of the differences I’ve noted. Knowing how old bucks were when I killed them is just one more piece of the puzzle in figuring out how to tag my next one. In addition, lab aging allows me to see patterns in peak antler growth in different states and units. For example, some of the best Idaho and Wyoming bucks that I’ve killed have been only five years old, yet my better Colorado bucks have been six years old. By aging, I can also get a feel for how different management strategies are affecting the bucks. Aging also brings another level of satisfaction to your mule deer hunting experiences. If you’re interested in lab aging your mule deer, whitetail, elk, moose, or antelope, you need to save the lower jaw bone. Even jawbones that are years old can be tested. You can either ship the lower jawbone, cut it off behind the front row of teeth, or remove the front two teeth (see picture below). Removing the front two teeth is only recommended if the jawbone is fresh or you’re very patient.
WHY LEARN THE AGE OF A BUCK? By aging my own mule deer, it has helped me refine my hunting skills as I really do know the true age of bucks I’ve taken. This one piece of information allows me to differentiate behavior between older mature bucks and younger less-experienced bucks (which, by the way, can still have big antlers).
Photo credit: Matson’s Laboratory
Robby Denning, co-owner of Rokslide with a great Idaho mule deer.
24| Hunting & Fishing News
You can learn more about the lab aging process, information on shipping and associated costs here: http://wescout4u.com/how-big-is-my-buck/ Also, you can find out more great hunting information by visiting Rokslide https://www.rokslide.com/forums/forum.php.
Photo courtesy Kawdy Outfitters
Hunting Mountain Caribou In British Columbia By Zach Lazzari
Kawdy Outfitters www.kawdyoutfitters.com
Preparing Physically Physical fitness is critical for a mountain caribou hunt. These animals occupy high elevations and steep terrain is a challenge for access. Accessing the high country by horseback and plane is a major advantage when the opportunity exists. Train hard before this hunt so you can cover ground and stay on top of these active animals. Expectations Early season velvet hunts require glassing, tracking and searching in mountainous country with combinations of heavy timber and exposed plateaus. Later season rut hunts expose bulls above timberline as they gather and chase cows. Mountain caribou actively feed and move throughout the day so prepare for a full day hunt as they bed down less frequently than most mountainous big game species. You can hunt throughout the day and stay in the action until you find and harvest a trophy bull.
Gear High elevations mean unpredictable and inclement weather. You may encounter sun, rain and snow within a single day. Dress in layers and pack high quality raingear. Raingear is high priority for busting through wet brush without soaking your clothes. Boots with ankle support help on the steep hills and can prevent ankle rolls and injuries. Expect cold weather during the later season and bring your warmest clothing. Snow and freezing winds will test your best gear above timberline. Combo Options Mountain caribou occupy the same territory as numerous other species and combo hunts are possible in BC.
Stone sheep, moose, and mountain goat are present and you may leave with more than one trophy. Working with an outfitter to plan a combo hunt and determine your primary and secondary focus is helpful. Advanced planning is required for licensing, weapon choices, exporting your harvest and determining the number of horses, plane weight limits, etc. For more information on mountain caribou hunts and combo hunts in British Columbia with Kawdy Outfitters, please contact us by phone at 1-250-306-8624 (Oct 15 – July 1), 1-250-540-1179 (Oct 15 – July1) or 1-250-651-1189 (July 1 – Oct 15). Or email us at hunting@kawdyoutfitters.com. Also explore the rest of our website at www.kawdyoutfitters.com.
GET THE B&C PLATE AND SUPPORT YOUR HUNTING HERITAGE!
Select Boone and Crockett Club’s license plate the next time you register or renew a vehicle in Montana and help us preserve your hunting heritage for future generations, maintain big-game records, promote hunting ethics, and continue our youth conservation and hunting education programs on Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front. B&C receives a $20 sponsor fee for each plate.
Thank you for your continued support!
www.boone-crockett.org
All photo credits: Josh Kirchner
THREE REASONS WHY BACKPACK HUNTERS NEED TO OWN ABy DEHYDRATOR Josh Kirchner Originally published at
www.goHUNT.com
hen my wife and I first moved into our house 10+ years W ago, we were graciously sent home with all sorts of gifts from family and friends. Everything from furniture to
food for our empty pantry. A lot of these things were put to great use, especially food, but some stuff just got lost in the abyss of our garage. One of those items that fell victim to being forgotten was a dehydrator that my mom gave me. I had never had any interest in owning one, but as a new homeowner who really didn’t own much of anything, I took it home with us. It never got used and ended up being sold in a garage sale shortly after. Looking back now, there is a part of me that wishes I had kept it. As I sit here today, my wife and I use a dehydrator on a regular basis. Owning one isn’t even a debate for us, especially with me being a backpack hunter. Here’s why.
They’re idiot proof
When I broke down and bought my first dehydrator, I remember setting time aside to learn how to use it when we got home. I planned to sit down with the directions and learn how to operate this new piece of machinery. After the fact, I was both pleased and disappointed in a way. The disappointment came from the fact that there really weren’t many directions at all. Plug it in, set the desired temperature and turn it on. “That’s it?” I said. Yup, that’s all it takes to operate a dehydrator, which led to me being pleased about the whole thing. This was truly a “set it and forget it” piece of equipment. The starting line and finish line are the same no matter what temperature you set the thing to. Lower temperatures will, of course, mean longer run times to dehydrate things, but that’s the only variable. Someone isn’t going to “over dehydrate” something. The subtitle says it all. They are idiot proof and perfect for folks who are short on time, but looking to make some healthier types of snacks and/or meals they can stow away.
Eat better, feel better
In today’s day and age, people seem to be more concerned about their health than ever. More folks are questioning what they are putting into their bodies and a dehydrator can help with that. It gives you the ability to prepare and preserve healthy snacks and meals and avoid running to the nearest burger joint. Not to mention food for hunting trips and backpack hunting trips especially. Too often, I’ve taken the easy route and shoved a bunch of sugar junk in my backpack. A person can only handle so much of that and easy routes aren’t always the best routes.
26| Hunting & Fishing News
You can really go nuts here with different foods to dehydrate like dehydrated apple slices, jerky and fruit leathers — these are a few favorites worth mentioning. Sprinkle some cinnamon on those apples in the dehydrator to spice ‘em up. Bring along a packet of almond butter to go along with them in the field and you’ve got one heck of a snack. I did that last year and loved every second of it. You can even make your own dehydrated dinners. I’ve had success doing so with chili and spaghetti, those being my personal favorites. Spread the meal thin on your dehydrator trays and let the machine run until the food is nice and crispy (chili can take anywhere from eight to 12 hours). When it is all done, throw it in a mylar bag or even just freezer Ziplocs for storage. Once in the field, just boil up your water and pour it right into the bag. I usually leave it for about 20 minutes to rehydrate. Now, you’ve got a home cooked meal in the backcountry. You’ll just flat out eat better owning a dehydrator and putting it to use.
Save some coin
Everything seems to get more and more expensive with each passing year. From food to gas to hunting gear, the numbers add up over time. Putting a dehydrator to work can absolutely help save some coin in the food department, whether we’re talking in the field or at home. Next to gas, tags and any gear purchases, food is the biggest ticket item on a backpack hunt. The number will fluctuate with each individual, but it’s definitely not something to disregard. Let’s take a look at bars as they are a popular snack among backpack hunters. The average price for a bar is between $1.50 and $3.50. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but eat five to eight bars a day for a week and it starts to. By taking the time to cut up some fruit or make some jerky at home beforehand, you’ll decrease your snack bill significantly. All with the flip of a switch on your dehydrator. •$7.50 to $28.00 a day potentially just in bars = $75 to $280 for a 10-day hunt •$10.00 to $15.00 a day potentially just in dinners = $100 to $150 for a 10-day hunt How about dinners? Freeze dried/dehydrated meals sit between $10 to $15 per meal. So, for a 10-day hunt, you’re looking at between $100 to $150 just in dinners. For the price of two pounds of ground meat (hopefully wild game from your freezer for free) and some other simple ingredients, a person can make a pot of chili for about $15 if they’ve already got the meat. That pot of chili will yield in upwards of five to eight servings. That’s five to eight dinners that you can dehydrate for your hunt — more than half the dinners for a 10-day hunt for the price of one you’d buy from a store. Spend less on food and spend more on tags to go hunting.
Closing thoughts
The first time I ever dehydrated my own food for a backpack hunt was during the spring. I packed into a new area solo for the night with a bear tag in my pocket. Sitting in my glassing spot that evening, eating bear chili that I made at home from a bear that I shot the previous year while glassing for bears was the epitome of “full circle.” Not to mention, I knew exactly what was in my dinner as far as ingredients go. There wasn’t anything in there that you would have trouble pronouncing and I felt great afterwards. Nowadays, I try to always put the dehydrator to work before season for both dinners and snacks. As I do that, I often wonder who ended up with that old dehydrator my mom gave us. If they’re a hunter, maybe they’ll read this and fire it up for their next adventure.
Recipe: Elk Stroganoff With A Kick
Over 41 Years Of Experience Handling Wild Game
Photo credit: Jillian Sanford
By Jillian Sanford Originally published at
www.goHUNT.com
hen I was growing up, this dish was always one of W the many staples in my family. Talk about good ol’ comfort food! As I grew up, I discovered a love for cooking and baking. You could always find me in the kitchen with my great grandma baking cookies and breads, making soups and so much more. I am one of those cooks who just basically throws a bunch of things in — a dash of this, a dash of that — and calls it good: no measuring cups required. So, with that caveat — season this to your liking. If you think it might need a little more creole seasoning or pepper, add it in! A quick shout out to goHUNT’s Store Manager, Bryan Campos, who killed a giant OTC bull elk in Colorado last year! Thank you for sharing some ground elk with me for this recipe. Grocery list -2 pounds of ground elk (or whatever ground wild game meat you have in your freezer) -1 green bell pepper (chopped) -Half of a white onion (chopped) -1 tablespoon minced garlic -1/2 cup olive oil -2 large cans of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup -1 tablespoon granulated garlic -1 tablespoon of ground pepper -1 1/2 tablespoons of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning or more (season to taste — I add more since I like a little extra kick) -2 one-pound bags of egg noodles -Splash of milk -Dash of salt To get this dish going, get a large skillet and add olive oil to the pan. Heat the skillet on medium to high heat and wait until the oil is nice and hot. You will know when it’s time to add the minced garlic, bell pepper and onion to the skillet when it flows smoothly “like water” and quickly coats the bottom of the pan. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until peppers are just tender and onions are a tad clear. Time to add the good stuff. Add your elk, deer, bear — whatever it might be — into the skillet and cook down until the meat is browned. Season the meat. Add all the spices: the granulated garlic, ground pepper, creole seasoning and salt. Time to get the noodles going. In a large pot, add water, some olive oil and salt. On high heat, bring to a rolling boil and add 1 full bag of egg noodles and half of the other. After that, add the two cans of cream of mushroom soup and that splash of milk into the skillet and stir until everything is incorporated. Cook on low to medium heat until you can maintain a thick simmer. Check your noodles! When they are done, strain and throw them back into your pot. I add some butter in just to keep the noodles from sticking. Grab a plate, throw some noodles on there and add the stroganoff on top. Or you can dump the skillet into the pot of noodles and stir it all together. Either way, it is going to taste the same. I have always cooked for the masses so, if you have leftovers, I promise it heats up pretty well...
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Hunting & Fishing News | 27
It’s Just Like Riding A Bicycle By Tom Cooper Author Tom Cooper with his electric mountain bike.
o, think you need an Electric Folding Mountain/Hunting S bicycle, do you? Maybe you do and then again maybe you don’t. I want to tell you about my criteria and my initial experiences. I suspect the criteria I used to decide to buy such a bike is different from that of a 35-year-old. However, I don’t plan to criticize a younger person’s criteria because it suggests I might know more than I really do, and of course I really don’t. So, I’ll start by describing my criteria for an electric bike, then we can move on to the more interesting stuff.
Electric Bike, A to B Generally, I’m one who likes things pretty straightforward. In this case, I settled on just one significant criteria for a hunting bicycle. The primary purpose of my electric folding mountain bicycle is to transport me from point A to point B as quickly and quietly as possible.
I wasn’t looking for a bike to use for exercise, maximizing speed, or hauling heavy loads. At age 73, I am more interested in spending my time in the woods more efficiently, but still quietly, and creating as little disturbance as possible. I hike, scout, and hunt a great deal year-round. But, as time passes, I notice I don’t cover as much ground as I used to. Hunting season provides the most significant challenge. I park my vehicle to make a planned hunt, and that usually means a walk back to my vehicle after my hunt. Typically for a day’s hunt, I expect to cover 2 or sometimes 3 locations in the same general area. However the time it takes to walk back to my vehicle (frequently 1-3 miles) impacts my capability to hunt multiple locations. Does the previous sentence make sense? I hope so because it is important. Assuming I haven’t harvested an animal, I try to head for home by early afternoon. Taking a warm shower, resting in a comfortable chair, eating a healthy meal, going to bed early, and a good night’s sleep make hiking or hunting the next day (and the next, next, etc) possible for this 73-year-old. Folding Fits the SUV Ok, now we know why I decided on an “electric” mountain bike. I still need to explain why I wanted “folding”. While I had been reviewing bicycle options for over a year, I didn’t make a decision to place an order until mid-November 2020. Most of you undoubtedly recognize by then Montana’s 2020 hunting season was just about over. Well you’re right, but what you don’t know is my wife and I travel to St, George, Utah in February and March each year. We started about ten years ago and I admit to loving to hike the red rocks in the area (dinosaur tracks, hidden arches, petroglyphs, volcanic evidence, etc.). Since we usually take my wife’s small SUV, space is limited. Therefore the folding part of my criteria was very important for exploring southern Utah (and it won’t hurt when I load all my gear into my SUV either).
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Her SUV has excellent clearance and 4-wheel drive, but it is still my wife’s vehicle and I simply don’t take it to the places I might take my mid-sized rig. Hence the routine is the same as hunting in Montana -- I spend too much hiking time getting to and from the areas I want to explore, reducing the amount of time I get to spend exploring. When my bike arrived, I knew it would make its first real outing on our trip to southern Utah. Since we had a little snow and ice in December and January, I only rode the bike around the neighborhood a couple times. Not a good decision. Another limitation involved an antibiotic I was given for minor surgery in early December. Apparently, I am allergic to the drug. For me, the symptom is ruptured tendons, and it translated to torn calf muscles, yes in both calves, almost at the same time. Since I wanted to be healthy by mid-February, I didn’t ride anymore before our trip. Again, not a good decision. But, the bike folded nicely and fit on top of the rest of our gear in the back of her SUV. Do not Forget the Key The first day in St. George I was up early, and headed for the red rocks and a spot I wanted to explore because the Google Earth map shows a couple of ponds (apparently year-round springs). I wanted to verify their existence, because water holes frequently are petroglyph sites as well. I parked just off the main road, leaving me about a mile and a half from the ridge I wanted to climb. My new bike would be perfect for getting me there quickly and quietly. Except someone left the battery key back at the condo. So, I walked to the ridge and explored as much as possible without finding access to the top, then walked back to the SUV. Lesson number one: don’t forget the key. Either Your Bicycle is Lost or You Are The second day we headed northeast of St. George to a high desert plateau to look for a pictograph described as the “Yellow Man”. We parked next to an old windmill where I unloaded and unfolded the bike. Since there was limited cell service, I had my short range radios and could maintain communication with my wife. I rode off just like I knew where I was going, but I didn’t. At the first fork, I turned left (wrong), and rode ¾ mile to the end of the road. After an hour of searching for the Yellow Man, I gave up and started back to my bike. I was on a Juniper-covered ridge and knew the bike was below me. So, I was zig-zagging my way down the ridge expecting the road if not the bike. Half an hour later, I called my wife to tell her I was fine but the road and my bike were both lost. When I saw the windmill over the treetops, I strolled over to my wife and her SUV. I enjoyed a bottle of water, then walked the road to my bike, and returned. Lesson number two: don’t lose your bike. It’s a “Mountain” Bicycle The third day, I decided to try another approach to access my red rock ponds. This time I rode my bike about two miles along an old road trace to the ridge; that put me within ½ mile of the ridge top. Unfortunately, I encountered a couple of sheer cliffs I simply could not tackle. Returning to the bike, I headed back to my wife’s SUV. Just over ¼ mile from her vehicle and the main road, my road trace transitioned from all sand to rocks and bedrock. When I hit a baseball-sized rock, the front wheel jerked to the left, and I corrected hard back to the right. Things seemed ok, except my binoculars had been flung over my right shoulder to my back and the strap was on my Adam’s apple. I reached with my left hand to pull the binoculars back into place. This time the front wheel hit a slightly smaller rock, but jerked hard to the right. At this point, only my right hand was on the handle bar, and it was not enough. I saw a bush and a boulder on the side of the road. The front wheel went directly into the bush and the bike stopped. But, I did not! I hit the boulder with my chest and bounced back a bit.
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Finding myself on all fours in the red dirt, I noticed breathing was a problem. Once I managed a few calming breaths, I decided to ride back to the main road, because I didn’t really know how badly I was hurt. But I knew I was hurt, and alone. Thank goodness after a short, careful ride I was at the SUV, and the main well-traveled road. Now, I realized I did not have my glasses, and I was pretty sure where they were. About this time, a Utah Game Warden happened along. After hearing my story, first he offered to call an ambulance, but I declined, advising I would probably go to an urgent care facility after I talked with my wife. Then he suggested we use his vehicle to find my glasses. Finding the crash site was easy; you don’t forget a boulder when you see it at 4-5 inches. We found my glasses in the middle of the road, slightly bent, but not broken. After thanking the gentleman for his timely arrival and assistance, I headed to the condo to explain to my wife why I was covered head to toe in red dust. Lesson number three: it’s a mountain bike, learn to ride it in rough terrain. Lesson Number Four Just one final, amazingly important point: was I wearing a helmet? No, I was not! Let me be clear, if I had hit the boulder with my head, I could not have written this story. This time it didn’t happen. Another such incident and it might. For me there will not be another incident without a helmet. I had brought one to St. George, but left it at the condo. I don’t know why. Lesson number four: wear a helmet! The folks at a St. George Urgent Care facility were just great. Turns out I had a broken rib on my right side. The doctor said to expect healing to take at least 6 weeks and told me walking is fine, hiking/climbing is out. After lots of ice and heat, and a few pain medications, I started to heal a little. I went on one moderate hike, without my bike, before we returned to Montana. Learn to Ride As you can see I learned several lessons on our St. George trip in 2021. My advice to those of you considering an electric mountain bike, practice in a more difficult environment than your backyard or a paved neighborhood street. Just because you learned to ride a bicycle in the neighborhood when you were eight, does not mean you know how to ride an electric bike in the mountains when you are 73. If you have never ridden an electric mountain bike, learn to ride it on good trails and gravel roads first. More challenging rides can follow along. The one thing I haven’t really addressed is how the bicycle performed, and the answer is it works just as advertised; it is quick, quiet, and folds easily. But, you still have to learn to ride it. Don’t forget the key, keep both hands on the wheel, and for God’s sake wear a helmet.
Hunting & Fishing News | 29
Tips To Keep Your Muzzleloader In Working Order No Matter The Weather By Brady Miller Originally published at
www.goHUNT.com Silver marker reference marks also added to several places on the rear peep sight assembly.
Tape your ramrod Before you head into the field, tape your ramrod (or scratch it up) where the final seating depth of your powder and bullet sits at its packed level. This is essential for safety and accuracy. If you do this method, use the same jag and ramrod at the range that you will use while hunting. That way you know exactly how much you’re packing the powder to keep things consistent. All photo credits: Brady Miller
uzzleloader hunts are a blast! But… there is a chance M for things to go south if you’re not prepared. Below are several things I have done to ensure my muzzleloader is in
working order every day of the hunt no matter the weather. Keeping powder dry and not a giant mess Unfortunately, this lesson was hard-learned on my first backcountry muzzleloader hunt. I went to reach into my bag where I kept my powder tubes and I noticed powder everywhere. A few of the tube caps somehow popped off and there was loose powder in the bottom of the bag! What can go wrong on a hunt will go wrong. It only took one occurrence to learn my lesson. From that day on, any time I was out hunting with a muzzleloader, each powder tube I taped shut with electrical tape.
Along the lines of keeping powder dry, I will also place each sealed powder tube in a ziploc bag. Create reference marks on your open sights You never know when you might fall or bump your muzzleloader. Having reference marks on your front sight and back sight could save your bacon on a hunt. Once I have the sights dialed in at the range, I will mark several small sections with a silver marker in places as a reference in case something gets bumped.
30| Hunting & Fishing News
Silver marker reference marks on the front sight.
Keep your barrel dry and debris free I tape my rifle barrels to prevent debris from entering the barrel, and on a muzzleloader, it’s even more important as a way to keep things out of the barrel and to keep your powder dry. With a bigger bullet, comes a larger area for debris or water to get into the barrel. And if you’ve already loaded powder and a bullet down the barrel, you really want to make sure you keep everything dry.
On the CVA muzzle brake I was using last season, I just put the piece of electrical tape through the first opening on the brake. If you’re shooting a different style muzzle brake, you can just wrap it around all the side ports of the brake down the open vent side. And if you shoot with no brake, I still suggest taping the barrel. I prefer electrical tape because I usually have a surplus of it rolling around in my truck and I always pack it in my kill kit. Another great way to keep your muzzleloader dry is to use a sleeve over the entire weapon. This will help to further protect it from the elements and even when using the sleeve, I still tape the barrel. I use the goHUNT Gunslicker Protective Cover which I also use while rifle hunting.
Keep bullet tips protected This might not be that important for some muzzleloader bullets, but bullets with very long tips, it’s a great idea to protect them from getting dinged up in my opinion. I use PowerBelt ELR bullets in my muzzleloader and to protect the polycarbonate tip, I place my bullets in empty powder tubes when I’m in the field. And to further prevent them from shaking around, I will place a little piece of foam at the top of the tube. On the larger 160 grain magnum Blackhorn powder tubes, I can easily fit two of the ELR bullets per tube. This is also very handy when making a stalk and you need to toss some bullets and powder tubes in your pocket in case you need a backup shot.
Keep primers dry No matter what type of ignition system you have on a muzzleloader, keeping your primers dry is also a great thing to be aware of. I store my CVA Veriflame Adaptors that have primers in them in another one of the empty powder tubes. And just like the tubes I keep my powder in, I will also place electrical tape on the cap.
Stay organized All of the items that I need for a muzzleloader I keep in their own “muzzleloader bag.” That bag I keep everything organized in is a Stone Glacier Swing Out Pocket. I’ll keep my powder funnel, primer tool, powder tubes, bullets, bullet starter, extra electrical tape and primers in this bag. In Conclusion With muzzleloader season on the horizon... hopefully these tips will help keep your muzzleloader in prime shooting condition for that shot of a lifetime. There’s a bunch of other ways to keep a muzzleloader and all the components in working order on hunts, but these are a few that have helped me out the past few years.
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Hunt Safe: Survival Tips For Big Game Hunters
By Roger Phillips, Public Information Supervisor Idaho Department Of Fish & Game very hunting season, hunters get lost or disoriented, E caught outdoors in cold, wet weather, or experience some other unexpected hazard. While most escape no
worse than tired, chilled and hungry, the hazards in Idaho’s woods shouldn’t be underestimated. Hunters can take precautions and prepare for unexpected situations. Know the area you’re hunting Always be conscious of your surroundings, prominent points, river or creek drainages, and occasionally turn around and look behind you so you will remember what it looks like when you’re coming back. If you’re on a trail, don’t hesitate to put a temporary marker at intersections. Things can look different on your return, especially if you return in the dark. Don’t rely solely on electronics Devices like GPS, cell phones and two-way radios are handy, but dead batteries and other malfunctions render them useless. A map and compass are less likely to fail, but you also have to know how to use them. Tell someone your plans and set a check-in time Often hunters are out longer than expected, especially when they are pursuing big game animals far from a road. You may want to set an absolute deadline and have someone who can alert the authorities if you haven’t returned, or contacted someone by that time. Ditto for your hunting partner. Hunters often get separated, so set up a rendezvous time and place and decide in advance when a third party will seek help if you or your partners do not return in time. Watch for extreme weather changes You’re more likely to get lost or turned around in poor visibility when it’s raining, foggy or snowing, which are also conditions when it’s potentially more hazardous to be lost in the woods. Cold, wet weather can mean the difference between an uncomfortable situation and life-threatening one. Remember even on clear days temperatures can change dramatically. A warm, sunny afternoon can quickly drop to subfreezing after dark, and daily temperature swings of 30 to 40 degrees are fairly common during fall. Dress for, or carry clothes, for the worst weather you’re likely to encounter It’s also common to quickly go from warm and sunny to raining or snowing. Dressing in layers is a good way to account for weather changes, and wearing a daypack means you can stash clothes when they’re not in use and keep them handy when you need them...
Photo credit: Ben Studer IDFG
Avoid cotton clothing, which is comfortable when dry, but provides no warmth when wet. Modern, synthetic fabrics will insulate even when damp or wet and will typically dry faster when they get wet. They are more comfortable in nearly all conditions than cotton. Wool is also better than cotton, and modern merino wool is itch-free and comfortable in a wide range of temperatures. Be prepared to build a fire Whether matches, lighter or other devices, carry a fire starter that’s weatherproof, and it’s good to have a backup. Know how to start a fire in all weather conditions, but remember cold weather doesn’t end fire season, so never leave a fire that’s not completely extinguished. Bring a flash light or headlamp and extra batteries They’re valuable for navigating in early mornings or after dark and keep you from getting lost, as well as just being handy for a variety of purposes.
If you get lost, warmth, shelter and water should be your priorities. You can go days without food, but staying warm and hydrated are critical to your survival. You’re not going to starve if you’re out longer than anticipated, but it’s never a bad idea to carry extra food with you. Commercial survival kits provide most of the essentials, but many are overkill, so don’t carry more than you will likely need. Think about exactly what you would want for an extended stay in the woods and keep those items with you at all times. If you get lost, admit it to yourself and prepare to spend the night out. Build a fire for warmth and set up shelter. Wandering around will make it harder for search and rescue personnel to find you. It also fuels your anxiety, preventing you from thinking clearly and making good decisions. Don’t forget your vehicle and ATV Have your vehicle ready for the backcountry and prepared for minor breakdowns, such as flat tires or dead batteries. A separate survival kit for your vehicle is a good idea. Keep a dry set of clothes in your vehicle This isn’t necessarily a survival matter, but being soggy and wet can range from uncomfortable to miserable. Changing into warm, dry clothes for the drive back to home or to camp is a big bonus for a small amount of effort.
Hunting & Fishing News | 33
Hunting & Conservation News Proudly Sponsored By
Republic Services of Montana
Interior Announces Largest Expansion Of Fishing And Hunting On U.S. Fish And Wildlife Managed Lands And Waters U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
he Department of the Interior announced today that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) T has opened new or expanded hunting and sport fishing opportunities across 2.1 million acres, the largest expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities in recent history.
The increased recreational access, which covers 88 National Wildlife Refuges and one National Fish Hatchery, is consistent with the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative, a locally led and voluntary, nationwide effort to conserve, connect, and restore 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. “Increasing access to outdoor recreation opportunities is essential to advancing the Administration’s commitment to the conservation stewardship of our public lands,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.
“Responsible hunting and fishing helps to promote healthy wildlife habitats while boosting local recreation economies.” “Today’s announcement furthers a rich tradition of providing quality outdoor recreation experiences to the American people on our public lands,” said Service Principal Deputy Director Martha Williams. “By expanding these opportunities, we are enhancing the lives of millions of Americans while stimulating the national economy to which hunting and fishing contribute significantly.” The Service manages hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations while also offering other wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands. 34| Hunting & Fishing News
This final rule opens or expands 910 opportunities for hunting or fishing (an ‘opportunity’ is defined as one species on one field station). This final rule represents the most significant opening and expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities by the Service than ever before. Today’s action brings the number of units in the Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System where the public may hunt to 434 and the number where fishing will be permitted to 378. The Service finalized these changes in time for the upcoming 2021-2022 hunting seasons. A complete list of all refuges and hatcheries is available in the rule. View an online list. https://www.fws.gov/home/ feature/2021/2021-2022-Station-Specific-Huntingand-Fishing-Final-Rule-Narratives.pdf In addition, this final rule continues efforts to revise refuge hunting and fishing regulations to align with state regulations where the refuge is located. This year’s rule also includes revisions that ensure whenever refuge regulations depart from state regulations, for safety or conservation compatibility reasons, these extra regulations are consistent across all refuges in the given state. The Service worked closely with the states in preparing this rule.
Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities contributed
more than $156 billion in economic activity
in communities across the United States in 2016, according to the Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, published every five years.
More than 101 million Americans — 40 percent of the U.S. population age 16 and older — pursue wildlife-related recreation, including hunting and fishing. There are 70 national fish hatcheries visited by more than one million people each year. Hatcheries offer opportunities for viewing the operations and learning about fish, as well as activities such as fishing, hunting, hiking, sightseeing, nature study, birdwatching and photography. The rule also formally brings the total number of National Fish Hatchery System units open to hunting or sport fishing to 22. The National Wildlife Refuge System is an unparalleled network of 567 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts. There is a national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas. The Refuge System receives more than 61 million annual visits. National wildlife refuges provide vital habitat for thousands of species and access to world-class recreation, from fishing, hunting and paddling to nature watching, photography and environmental education.
How to Tan a Deer Hide DIY The Easy Way (continued from page 9)
Skin the Deer The first step to tanning a deer hide is to get it off the deer! When you’re skinning the deer, try to damage the hide as little as possible. At the same time, cleave the skin from the meat as close to the skin as possible. This will make the next step easier. Once you have the hide off, leave it in a shaded area, preferably on a cool rock, with the fur down. Wait until the pelt is cool to the touch before proceeding. Flesh the Hide Even the most skilled deer skinner will leave chunks of flesh and fat attached to the hide. You need to scrape these off. There are fleshing beams that make this process easy, but you can do it on the ground if necessary. Use a tarp if you can. The best way to flesh the hide is to scrape it with a fleshing tool. If you don’t have one, then you can use a knife, but be careful not to cut into the hide! A sharp rock can also be used to scrape off all the flesh bits. Scrape the entire hide. There’s a nigh-invisible membrane layer that will block the tanning solution from penetrating if you leave the hide unscraped. Salt the Hide Once the skin side of the hide is clear of anything except for skin, you want to coat it with non-iodized salt. Sea salt works great for this purpose. It can take anywhere from three to five pounds of salt to salt a whitetail deer hide. Bigger or smaller breeds of deer take more or less salt. Completely cover the skin side of the hide in salt. This will stop the decomposition process because most microscopic life responsible for decomposition can’t survive a heavily salted environment. The salt will also pull moisture out from the hide. This also helps stop decomposition but can make a mess. Fold the deer hide once, skin to skin, and roll it up. Then, put it into a plastic bucket so it doesn’t leak everywhere. 24 hours later, unroll the deer hide, remove the old salt, apply a second covering of salt, and return it to the bucket. Once your deer hide has been salted and all the moisture is gone, it’s basically preserved. You can put off the rest of the tanning process until you’re ready to tackle it. Pull the hide out of the bucket after another 24 hours and either let it air dry until it’s a good day to tan outside or proceed to the next step immediately. Soak the Hide We’ll need to soften the hide now. Mix a half pound of table salt per gallon of water in enough water to submerge the hide. Use hot water when adding the salt so it dissolves better, but let the water cool to room temperature before putting in the hide. Completely submerge the hide in the water and leave it for about six to eight hours. If you want to keep the fur, you don’t want to leave it in the brine solution too long because it’ll eventually cause the fur to start falling off the pelt.
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Wash and Rinse the Hide Let’s get the hide all clean and ready for the tanning solution. Wash the hide in soapy water. Normal dish soap will work fine, as will castile soap. Then rinse the hide until all the soap is completely gone. Set the pelt on a deck railing or similar surface and let it drip dry. When it’s only slightly damp, then proceed to the next step. Apply Tanning Solution Now it’s time to apply the tanning solution. Commercial tanning solutions are inexpensive and easy to use. You can also use the deer’s own brain... Lay the hide fur side down. Make sure it’s not sopping wet and there are no pieces of meat you missed. Check the edges carefully. Then put on some gloves... Apply the tanning solution directly to the skin side of the hide. Spread it around with a paintbrush or with your gloved hands. Make sure to cover every inch of the hide with the tanning solution. Work it in by massaging the hide with your hands. We want to permeate the hide with the tanning solution. If you’re using a commercial tanning solution, then follow the bottle’s directions for how long to let the solution work. It might be a day, or it might be five days. It’ll smell, so don’t store the hide in your bedroom for now. Stretch and Soften the Hide Once the tanning solution has completed its work, the deer pelt will be stiff and unpleasant. It’s time to stretch and soften the hide. There are multiple techniques you can use to do this. A simple method is to spray the tanned hide with water to loosen the fibers, then pull it back and forth on a sawhorse, log, bench, or railing. Apply plenty of pressure, and do this movement at various angles until the hide is as soft as you want it to be. Traditionally, deer hides were stretched on a drying rack. If you want to use this method, then build a square frame larger than the hide by four to six inches on all sides. Punch holes all around the deer hide, less than an inch in (though not right next to the edge), and string line through those holes to pull the hide against the frame. This will stretch the deer hide, so you’ll need to tighten the line occasionally. You will also need to use a stick to loosen up the fibers more. Use the stick to apply pressure and rub it around the entire hide... If you want a suede-like finish, then apply a fine-grit sandpaper to the softened hide. You may also want to oil the hide as a final step, which also helps soften it. Neatsfoot oil is the traditional oil used. (continued on page 38) Hunting & Fishing News | 35
E arl y ICE S afet y (continued from page 17) Twelve inches of good ice is recommended for vehicles. What doesn’t get mentioned is that these are minimum suggestions and there is no room for error. Three inches of good ice will support foot traffic but when you encounter an inch of ice because an acre of lake was kept open three weeks longer because of a few hundred Canada geese… problems can arise. No question, one of the most important tools to have on early ice is a spud bar. A spud bar is simply a long heavy pole with a chipper blade on one end. A spud bar allows you to continually check the hardness and thickness of the ice. One good hard whack on the ice with a spud bar will usually chip at least an inch of ice. If water starts to come up from where you chipped with one strike, you need to back up. If you see water after two hard whacks in the same spot, you are typically dealing with three inches of ice. You can also tell if the ice is hard or soft with a spud bar. Usually at early ice, the ice is good but warm spells, rain and snow can deteriorate the quality of the ice even at early ice. Good ice will chip where poor ice will be mushier. If you are the first angler on the ice and you need to pick your way across ice that could be questionable, you absolutely need a spud bar. Other necessary tools include ice safety equipment should the worst happen. It has been over twenty-five years since I have fallen through the ice but I cannot begin to explain how terrifying falling through the ice can be. What also doesn’t get said is how exhausting the whole process is. Simply pulling yourself out of the ice took everything I had and I was in the best shape of my life. Safety equipment is even more important if you fish alone. Float suits are available and very affordable and offer peace of mind. Suits that have floatation like the Ice Armor Rise Float Suit simply buy you a lot more time. Other safety items I like are ice picks you can wear around your neck. These ice picks can simply be used to pull yourself out of the ice. A task that can be extremely difficult if you are trying to pull yourself out with just your fingernails. If you don’t have ice picks, at least put a Phillips screwdriver in your pocket or have something you can use to poke into the ice and pull yourself with. Another tool to have in your sled is a simple rope. Clam makes an emergency throw rope that is a slick contained throwable rope for emergency purposes. If nothing else, have a fifty-foot rope and a boat cushion that you can tie to the rope in case of an emergency. Ice cleats really should be part of every ice angler’s equipment list as well. Ice cleats won’t help you if you fall through the ice and probably won’t prevent you from falling through the ice but early ice is often very smooth and slippery. The reality is that you are more likely to slip and split your head open than fall through the ice. Some boots like the Korkers Polar Vortex have interchangeable soles that have cleats built right into the sole. My favorite cleats however are the BOA cleats that can fit over any boot and are more aggressive. If you must walk across the ice, especially early ice… do yourself a favor and get yourself a good pair of cleats. Early ice is often a slimmed down affair where we are basically dragging out the bare minimum of equipment. I often use a small plastic sled or a one man flip over shelter for dragging my gear. If you don’t need something, you leave it at home. Must have items include a small tackle box, a few rods and perhaps a five-gallon bucket and your flasher, only the essentials.
36| Hunting & Fishing News
Early ice is a coveted time of the year for ice anglers. The author Jason Mitchell outlines some safety equipment that could save your life including float suits. Photo courtesy www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com.
I often use a hand auger or a K-Drill to cut down on weight. One small modification that I like to do with my sleds and Fish Traps for dragging by foot is to put eye bolts into the tub or sled and use a longer tow rope with clasps on the end so I can remove the rope if needed. If you are hoofing it out on foot to your favorite fishing spots and you must walk any distance, add more length to your tow rope. I like to use at least fifteen feet of rope where I can drape the rope over my shoulder. I fully understand the allure of early ice and can’t wait to get on the ice myself. Early ice is simply a magical time. We are excited to get back on the ice. We know the fishing will probably be good if we can get on the ice. Nobody has touched or harassed these fish for a few months. The fish are just waiting for us. I get the desire. We also must be responsible and safe as well. There is an old saying that the fish will be waiting for us when we get there. The fish aren’t going to go anywhere. Make sure you are diligent on safety and don’t assume too much. Check and test the ice so you know firsthand. Have the proper safety equipment so that if the worst ever happens, you have the equipment that can save your life or the life of somebody else. Accidents can happen and do. Even if you are really experienced, accidents can happen. People do like to throw out the phrase that no ice is safe. That is a disclaimer to avoid any kind of responsibility. The reality is that some ice is perfectly safe. Some ice is very dangerous. Know the difference between the two and respect the ice enough to never assume. Be scared enough of the ice so that you have that respect. Drilling one hole at the boat ramp to find twelve inches of ice and then proceeding to drive a full-size pickup all over the lake is not being scared enough to respect the ice. Driving a UTV out on the lake just because you see somebody else on the lake with an ATV and never checking the ice until you get to your fishing spot is not respecting the ice. Last thought, pressure ridges or ice heaves get more vehicles than anything else. Do your due diligence around ice heaves. Never slow down over them, stop on them or drive parallel. Check them with your auger and spud bar. Fresh ice heaves are dangerous. Stop well before hand and get out and check them. Don’t assume. If you can see water or fresh cracks, that is an accident waiting to happen. Good news is that ice fishing is an extremely safe activity if you use common sense and respect the ice. Don’t get complacent if you are experienced and be diligent if you are inexperienced. Good luck this winter.
3 Reasons Not to Overlook Late Season Elk Hunts (continued from page 5)
2. Late Season Cow Hunts in Colorado If your priority is bringing home elk meat and you’re willing to give up the chance at a bull, Colorado offers some antlerless late season hunts. These late season cow hunts often boast high success rates compared to the regular rifle seasons. The season dates vary from one unit to another, but many of these late season hunts extend into December or even January. Like the 4th rifle season in Colorado, late rifle seasons require hunters to apply in the annual big game draw. Applications are due the first Tuesday in April. But don’t let the application process deter you. Even as a nonresident, many of these late season hunts can be drawn with no preference points. If you’re willing to save a preference point or two, you’ll have even more options. Additionally, cow elk permits may be available in cases of game damage on agricultural lands. These can be great opportunities for kids or first-time hunters. Check with local landowners about these depredation tags, or contact your local game warden for possible opportunities.
3. Montana’s General Rifle Season Dates Montana offers some of the most generous season dates of anywhere in the west. With a general license, you can hunt during the early archery season and then return for the rifle season if you haven’t filled your tag. If you’re able to take the time away from work and family, this offers the best of both worlds. What’s more, Montana’s general rifle season runs to the first of December. This provides hunters the chance to hunt solitary, post-rut bulls after the cows have drifted toward winter range. To draw a general license in Montana, you must apply. But with such a long season to hunt, it is worth the effort. Your general license in Montana even includes your upland game bird and fishing licenses. Montana’s application deadline is March 15. If you’re a nonresident, there’s a good chance of drawing a Big Game Combination License or Elk Combination License with no preference points. However, the demand seems to increase every year.
Don’t Overlook Late Season Advantages We know; it’s fun to hunt during the rut. And purchasing an over-the-counter rifle tag here in Colorado might be the easier thing to do. But consider applying for a late season opportunity. You might just find fewer people and some great elk hunting conditions.
38| Hunting & Fishing News
How to Tan a Deer Hide DIY The Easy Way (continued from page 35)
How to Use a Deer’s Brain to Tan a Hide Naturally Did you know that a deer carries the chemicals you need to tan its own hide?...Making a deer-brain tanning solution is not for the faint of heart, but it minimizes waste and is an even cheaper method of tanning a deer hide. Make the Brain Oil Tanning Solution All you need to turn a deer’s brain into a tanning solution is a saucepan, source of heat, and a cup of water. Cook the brain in a cup of water until the brain starts to break down. It’ll eventually liquefy, but you’ll need to mix the liquid to ensure that it’s completely smooth. Apply the brain soup to the hide the same way as a commercial tanning solution by covering the entire hide and working the goop into the skin. Roll up the hide, put it into a plastic freezer bag, and store it in the fridge for 24 hours. Remove the excess brain mixture and soften the tanned hide as above. Smoke the Hide The traditional way of finishing a brain-tanned deer hide is to smoke the hide, which helps preserve the leather. You’ll need to sew the hide’s sides together so there’s only one opening. Tie the other side of the hide to a support structure, which can be as low-tech as three sticks tied together at the top. Build a small fire, preferably in a hole in the ground about a foot wide and half a foot deep. Cover that fire with the open end of the hide. Keep the fire smoking by adding smoke chips. Smoke the hide for half an hour, then flip it inside out and smoke again for half an hour so both sides are equally smoked. Then you can unsew the hide. Congratulations! You tanned a deer hide naturally. Removing the Fur If you don’t want a deer pelt and instead want deer leather, AKA buckskin, you’ll need to remove the hair. This will also allow the tanning solution to more effectively permeate the fur side of the skin. All you have to do to remove deer hair is to use a fleshing knife (which is somewhat blunt) or a hide scraper while the hide is dry but not yet tanned. Scrape the hide against the grain. It’ll take more force than you expect over most of the hide, but be careful about tearing through the delicate belly section! If you remove the fur (and the top layer of the epidermis) and tan the deer pelt using the deer’s brains, then you made buckskin. Deer Tanning Technique Variants There are variants on these deer-tanning methods. For example, some people soak the hide in an acid bath for half an hour instead of salting the hide. To do this, use one cup of vinegar in five gallons of water. Also, when using the brain solution, you can soak the deer hide, wring out the liquid, let it dry, soften it, then repeat the braining process. You can even use egg yolks as a brain substitute! No matter the variations you use, as long as you end up with a supple yet tough deer hide, you’ve tanned the deer hide successfully...
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