Vol. 52 #1 Fall 2024 Issue

Montana Bowhunters Association PO Box 426 Helena MT 59624 Return service requested

Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 120 Bozeman, MT 59718

Teen Bowhunters Camp Highlights 2024 Carp Safari Highlights

Regional News!

OFFICERS

REGIONAL REPS DIRECTORS AT LARGE

MBA

www.mtba.org

Regional Representatives Region 1

Al Kelly

Officers

163 Scenery Rd, Libby, MT 59923 ...............................406-293-2900

griffguyal@gmail.com

Mike Iten

795 5th Avenue West N, Kalispell, MT 59901 ...........406-366-5727

itenmike338@gmail.com

Region 2

MBA

Marlon Clapham

4455 Hoover Lane, Stevensville, MT 59870 ................406-777-2408

PRESIDENT

Ken Schultz 302 Wyoming Ave • Billings, MT 59101 schultzy@iwks.net • 406-598-8550

mbaregion2@gmail.com

Kevin Robinson

2110 Wylie Ave, Missoula, MT 59802 .......................406-531-8243

kmrmt00@hotmail.com

Region 3

Liberty Brown

275 Vigilante Tr., Bozeman, MT 59718 ......................406-581-7216

Robin Mestdagh

mbareg3@gmail.com

Justin Doll

Stephanie Prater 416 Entrance Ave • Lewistown, MT 59457 mthuntress406@gmail.com • 406-461-6949

1150 Vega Rd, Helena, MT 59602 .............................406-839-6371

mestdagh.montana@gmail.com

Region 4

1ST VICE PRESIDENT

3908 16th Ave S, Great Falls, MT 59405 ....................406-939-0804

j.doll6190@gmail.com

Mark Schwomeyer 201 Big Sky Lane, Lewistown, MT 59457 ........................406-350-0173

2ND VICE PRESIDENT

Jess Wagner 201 Big Sky Lane • Lewistown, MT 59457 406-939-3458 • Jess_wagner2@hotmail.com

markschwo@gmail.com

Region 5

Ben Buller

4143 King Ave East, Billings, MT 59101 .....................406-672-5616

Region 6

Tristan Manuel

buller_ben@yahoo.com 48538 Anderson Rd, Havre, MT 59501 ......................406-399-5114

Region 7

Bob Morgan

HiLineTraditional@gmail.com

PO Box 1995, Colstrip, MT 59323 .............................406-749-07064

robertredface@gmail.com

TREASURER

Mandy Garness 5901 Western Dr • Great Falls, MT 59404 camoquilter@gmail.com • 406-750-9953 SECRETARY

Jerry Davis 725 Middlemas Road • Helena, MT 59602 pipelinejerry@gmail.com • 406-475-2226

EVEN YEARS

AT LARGE DIRECTORS

Cliff Garness

5901 Western Drive, Great Falls MT 59404 - obsession_archery@yahoo.com..................406-788-9009

Jake Garness

5901 Western Drive, Great Falls MT 59404 - powderslayer22@gmail.com.....................406-750-4444

Guy Stickney

32 Cottonwood Way, Miles City, MT 59301 - wallguy31@yahoo.com...............................406-951-2506

PAST PRESIDENT

Stephen LePage 2574 Divide Rd • Lewistown, MT 59457 mbaregion4@yahoo • 406-535-5636 MAGAZINE EDITOR

ODD YEARS

Julie Jensen

Jackie Doyle

873 Leese Lane, Stevensville, MT 59870 - jackie.c.doyle92@gmail.com................... 406-274-3716

Brian Koelzer

80 Jansma Lane, Manhattan, MT 59741 - Rocknrollbowhunter3@yahoo.com.......... 406-570-7997

June LePage

2574 Divide Rd, Lewistown, MT 59457 - junelepage1@gmail.com.......................... 406-366-2605

Mike Shepard

351 7th Ave East N, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 - michaelshepard7@gmail.com....... 406-250-9806

391 Coral Drive • Belgrade, MT 59714 701-361-9197 • jjensen44@mac.com ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Claudia Davis 725 Middlemas Road • Helena, MT 59602

EDITORIAL COMMENTS

The MBA Magazine is a quarterly publication of the MBA and is intended to inform, entertain and educate its members on happenings within the organization and to bowhunting in general.

PUBLICATION DATES AND DEADLINES

FALL ISSUE, DEADLINE, July 15 WINTER ISSUE, DEADLINE, October 15 SPRING ISSUE, DEADLINE, January 15 SUMMER ISSUE, DEADLINE, April 15

Stories, photos, or cartoons should be sent to Julie Jensen at 391 Coral Drive, Belgrade, MT 59714 or email jjensen44@mac.com. All materials are the opinion of the author unless otherwise stated, and are subject to being edited. All submitted or published photos may be used by the MBA in the newsletter,

and MBA Photo Album and/or on Facebook. Any questions as to policies of MBA please contact the President.

MEMBERSHIP INQURIES

Please send new memberships or renewal memberships to MBA Administrator, Claudia Davis, PO Box 426, Helena MT 59624 or call 406-404-6168, or register online at www.mtba.org, or ask a member.

406-404-6168 • mtba@mtba.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 52 #1 Fall 2024

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12 BLAST FROM THE PAST

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Ken Schultz

Marlon Clapham

14 MBA TEEN BOWHUNTERS CAMP HIGHLIGHTS

1ST VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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Stephanie Prater

Jackie Doyle

2ND VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

16 2024 CARP SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS 18 GET TO KNOW YOUR BOARD MEMBERS 19 BRIDGER BOW SHOOT 20 CONVENTION DONORS 22 GENE WENSEL AUCTION 23 BUSINESS & CLUB MEMBERS

Jess Wagner SECRETARY’S MESSAGE

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Jerry Davis TREASURER’S MESSAGE

Mandy Garness PAST PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Stephen LePage

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REGIONAL REPORTS

FWP COMMISSIONER CONTACTS

DAL REPORTS

24 MBA MEMBERSHIP FORM 25 MEMBER GALLERY

On the Cover Montana Bowhun PO Box ters Ass 426 ociation Helena MT 596 24 Return service requested

Loren Cantrell 2024 Black Bear hunt in Saskatchewan

Non-Profi t Org. U.S. PO STAGE PAID Permit # 120 Bozema n, MT 59 718

Teen Bo wh Camp H unters ighlights 2024 Ca rp Safari Highlig hts

Regiona l News!

OFFIC ERS REGIO NAL RE DIRECT PS ORS AT LARGE

Fall 2024

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MBA

Committees Legislative: Co-Chairs: Jess Wagner/Justin Doll Jerry Davis • Paul Kemper Liberty Brown • Steve LePage Stephanie Prater

Financial: Chair: Mandy Garness Al Kelly • Claudia Davis (contractor)

Landowner/Sportsman: Chair: Stephanie Prater Tristan Manual • Jess Wagner Justin Doll • Bob Morgan Mark Schwomeyer

Nominations: Chair: Brian Koelzer Al Kelly • Jackie Doyle

Awards: Chair: Cliff Garness Liberty Brown • Steve LePage Brian Koelzer • Al Kelly Robin Mestdagh

Membership: Chair: Steve LePage Mandy Garness • Nick Siebrasse Ron Aasheim

Convention 2024 (Region 4) Chair: Cliff Garness Mandy Garness

Magazine: Chair: Cliff Garness Jake Garness • Julie Jensen Brian Koelzer • Kevin Robinson Rick Miller • Jackie Doyle Stephanie Prater

Carp Shoot: Chair: Kevin Robinson Steve LePage • Jerry Davis

Bow-Ed: Chair: Mark Schwomeyer Tristan Manual • Al Kelly

Youth Membership and MBA Teen Bowhunter Camp Chair: Jackie Doyle Kevin Robinson • Robin Mestdagh

Governance Chair: Jerry Davis Al Kelly

PTMAE Chair: Jerry Davis Kevin Robinson • Steve LePage

Tentatives Chair: Stephanie Prater Jess Wagner • Justin Doll Steve LePage • Mark Schwomeyer

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OFFICER REPORTS

PRESIDENT - KEN SCHULTZ 1ST VICE PRESIDENT - STEPHANIE PRATER 2ND VICE PRESIDENT - JESS WAGNER SECRETARY - JERRY DAVIS TREASURER - MANDY GARNESS

PRESIDENT’S

1ST VICE

Greetings All,

MESSAGE

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

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J

hope this article finds everyone in good health!

When writing this article, we are in the middle of a hot spell. It’s hard to believe that the opening of Antelope archery season is just around the corner. When you step outside today, you think how it may cool down enough to harvest an animal and keep it from spoiling. Let’s hope it cools down quite a bit before August 15th.

une was a busy month for the Montana Bowhunters Association. We had the Carp Safari, Teen Camp, Bridger Bowman Shoot, and a board meeting. I want to say a big ‘THANK YOU’ to the board members and volunteers who worked these events, the BLM and landowners who hosted the events, and all the attendees who made them great—and a success!

July is kind of our downtime - we spend lots of time on the water with the dogs, oars, and a fishing rod in hand instead of the bow. We did get out and do a little bowfishing and gopher shooting with judos which was a blast. Soon we will be prepping for the fall archery seasons to start and of course, the legislative session is on the horizon…. but right now it’s been nice enjoying the cooler-than-normal slow summertime rhythm.

Most tag results are in, and I hope you succeeded Ken Schultz in your drawings. I know Antelope rifle tag drawings are not in yet, so good luck. I’ve seen some of the FWP changes to the Mule Deer hunting regulations and I am happy they have stepped up and started making some changes to restore the Mule Deer populations. As we all know, several factors have contributed to the decline. Disease, excess over-thecounter doe tags, and predator population increases have been major factors in the decline. Many folks have argued that the FWP should shut down Mule Deer hunting during the rut. That’s a hot topic that they’ll have to deal with.

The FWP is looking at increasing Mountain Lion tag distribution in some areas. This can be a critical change that will impact mule deer preservation.

I hope you all are getting outside to enjoy the outdoors and have a pocket full of tags for the fall season.

Good luck this fall and remember to share your stories and photos with us!

>>---------------------> Stephanie Prater Stephanie Prater

Our MBA Convention in Great Falls was a smash hit this year. Thank you to the Heritage Center, our sponsors, booth participants, and volunteers for all their support. A special “Thank You” goes out to Cliff and Mandy Garness for leading the charge. We had tremendous prizes for all the auctions again this year. It’s getting tougher to find donations from some of the bigger organizations. If you’re reading this article and want to donate or host a booth at the convention, contact one of our board members and they will get you in touch with the right person. We were sold out on dinner tickets before the convention, so we had to scramble to provide for the walk-ins. Our next convention will be back in Great Falls at the Heritage Center in 2025 and if you plan to attend, get your tickets purchased early so you don’t miss out.

The Carp Shoot at Canyon Ferry went over very well this year. Kevin Robinson and his Team did a phenomenal job coordinating everything. Kevin put a tremendous amount of time into this activity, making trophies, and signs and organizing the shoot. This year over 2100 carp were shot. To me, that’s crazy!! Unfortunately, where do you dump 2100 carp without making a tremendous mess? This will have to be worked out before our next shoot.

I assume this newsletter will have some great pictures, so check out Kevin’s article!

With that, I’ll leave you with this reminder to “Shoot Straight and Always be a Straight Shooter”!

Ken Schultz

Fall 2024

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OFFICER’S HEADER REPORT

2ND VICE

Jerry Davis

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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ello from Region 4. I decided my priority this spring would be bear hunting, and I managed to get out for a few days.

The bear hunting was unproductive, and the only bears I saw were spotted from the road while I was driving. I did make a point to bear hunt in some new country though, and based on the elk sign I saw, I think those areas will be worth revisiting during archery season.

Summer is flying by, and I don’t think I’ve ever spent less time in the woods than this year. I enjoy the scouting part of the process almost as much as the hunting. I have been hanging and checking cameras, but not nearly as much as I’d like. I typically have a big bull found by now that I plan to hunt, but it’s looking like this year I will be hoping to stumble into something once the season starts.

One morning while I was out hanging cameras I walked up on a 370-class bull. He was feeding in a meadow and was totally unaware of my presence despite my Labrador running all over the place. I’m almost positive I have a trail camera photo and a shed from the bull, so it was cool to sit and watch him in person for a few minutes.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a permit to hunt in the district that he lives in. Despite feeling unprepared for the season, I am getting more excited for September every day. I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer. Archery season will be here before we know it!

Sincerely,

Jess Wagner

Jess Wagner

SECRETARY’S MESSAGE 2024 Teen Bow Camp

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ince my last column, I was invited to attend this year’s MBA Teen Bow Camp. It was an extraordinary experience watching young bowhunters enjoy the outdoors, rain or shine. Jackie Doyle is our MBA board representative and one of the organizers of this now annual event. Region 1 members Becky and Jerry Doyle are co-founders and organizers of the event. In previous years, Marlon Clapham has attended the camp, and I believe he is also a co-founder.

However, he wasn’t present at this year’s event.

I want to thank Ed and Phyllis Evan for allowing this year’s camp to be held at their place outside of Lewistown. Thank you, Ed, for the sightseeing rides. Also, a big thank you to Region 4 Board members Mandy, Cliff, and Steve Garness, as well as Region 4 member Dr. Amy LePage, who provided instruction on backcountry first aid and played the role of a big bull elk during the simulated hunt.

Becky, Jerry, and Jackie ran a tight ship, and their knowledge and skills were invaluable contributions to ensuring that these young bowhunters had a great experience. Having only been bowhunting since 2006, I also gleaned a lot of useful information from the camp. The food was excellent, thanks to Becky’s planning and instruction. The teenagers were responsible for most of the cooking and cleaning. Thanks again, Teen Bow Camp, for the invite.

Secretary Position I now would like to address my position as Secretary for the MBA Board. I will not be running for this position next year, so we need someone to step up and take the position. It will have to be someone who already sits on the board as that is a requirement of our bylaws.

“Section 6.6 President, First Vice President, Second Vice president, Secretary and Treasurer to be Members of the Board The president, first vice-president, second vice-president, secretary, and treasurer of the corporation shall be regularly elected members of the Board, who shall have served at least one year on the Board prior to election as an officer.”

The position may require the individual to spend an evening or two writing board meeting minutes. It is not a difficult task, and it is made much simpler with the use of technology.

So, existing board members, please consider it. It is a very rewarding and, more importantly, a critical part of the board’s activities. I believe that welldocumented meeting minutes play a crucial role in helping our organization achieve its goals.

Permit to Modify Archery Equipment (PTMAE)

LIBBY

32032 US Highway 2 406-293-7797 LesSchwab.com

Lastly, I have been in contact with Disability Rights Montana to garner their support for a bill that would fund modifications to archery equipment (PTMAE) for those with a disability through a voluntary donation on a hunting license, much like the Hunters Against Hunger Program. As I write this, Disability Rights Montana has not made a commitment to support, but I will continue to work with them.

Jerry Davis 4

WWW.MTBA.ORG

OFFICER REPORTS

PAST PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Hello MBA members.

I

have been fortunate to attend a couple of carp shoots this summer and they have been a blast. My daughter took a bunch of non-bowhunters to the MBA Carp Safari. It was a great way to show some college kids what we bowhunters are all about and take care of some invasive species along the way. Even though none of the students had ever shot a bow, I believe every one of them killed a carp. Speaking of introducing youth to bowhunting, I was able to help with setup of the MBA Teen Camp. Although I was not able to attend the entire event, I was told that it was a success and that the kids enjoyed the event.

Mandy Garness

TREASURER’S MESSAGE

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Sincerely,

Stephen LePage MBA-Past President

Stephen LePage

t’s been a busy summer! I hope you’ve had some adventures and are ready for the fall.

We started our journey in New Zealand, and it was an incredible experience! After being medically cleared for activity following back surgery, I found myself getting stronger each day of hiking. It was perfect timing to have my guide/trainer, Logan, encouraging me to keep going over the next hill chasing tahr, fallow, and red stag. Cliff will provide you with details, but I’ll say, if you have the opportunity, take your bow and go.

Our success in harvesting carp over the years has been hit and miss, but let me tell you, the stars aligned this year for the Carp Safari! The weather was beautiful, and the shallows were boiling with fish on Saturday! I have no idea how many times I drew, and my sides ached from laughing as we were surrounded by friends, family, and a whole crew of college students—most of whom had never held a bow—blasting away at the carp.

I would like to thank the Bridger Bowmen for their camaraderie and support. They invited us to team up for their two-day shoot in July and generously donated $2000 to the MBA to continue protecting our archery season. I hope you had the opportunity to speak with Brian, Mark, and Ken. The same weekend, we participated in the MBA Teen Camp, which was held in Grassrange for the first time. Keeping young people engaged in bowhunting should always be foremost in our minds. If we can keep the kids who participated involved, we’re set!! They were kind, engaging, energetic, and an absolute bright spot in my summer! They were eager participants in first aid class, fire building, calling, hiking, navigation, and hunt planning.

They helped with camp chores and cooking, and practiced their shooting skills on the 3D range, including some tree stand and blind shots. Hopefully we will be seeing some writing from them as Kevin Robinson generously provided each of them a youth membership, and I offered to add a year if they submit something to be published. It will be further west again next year, but there are plenty of scholarships available, so if you know a young hunter (13-17) who would like to participate, please let us know. I believe the volunteers enjoyed themselves as much as the kids did, so if you have a little time, we’d love to have you join us at camp as well.

I would also like to reach out to the membership for a couple of people to participate in the finance committee and/or the banquet. We need to build a customer service team to assist with raffle tickets, merchandise sales, and banquet ticket distribution. No experience is required, just a smile!

During the off-season, we would never refuse help with managing ongoing tasks related to memberships and bills. QuickBooks experience would be beneficial but not necessary. Please call me so we can discuss any questions.

If you see Cliff, please back me up. My arrows are not a collection for display…they were meant to fly!! ; )

Mandy Garness

Fall 2024

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REGIONAL REPORTS REGION 1

Al Kelly

AL KELLY

return the next day. I didn’t want to pack meat solo close to where I had spotted a sow and cub grizzlies. When I approached the kill site the following morning, I was elated to find that the meat hadn’t been disturbed.

MICHAEL ITEN REGION 2

Spring is a close memory and as I’m writing this, it’s mid-July with temperatures in the 90s. Hunting season is one and a half months away! I have been enjoying my summer hiking with my daughter to high mountain lakes, packing our fly rods. While my hunting season is full, I am going to be assisting on a couple of hunts, which I’m looking forward to. My nephew, who has never hunted, and I will be going on a fall bear hunt in early August in Washington state. I’m also helping a friend whose daughter drew a youth bull tag in Utah. She can hunt the rut in September with a rifle, and I was asked if I would call for her. I’m almost more excited about that hunt than my own!

MARLON CLAPHMAN KEVIN ROBINSON REGION 3 LIBERTY BROWN (NO REPORT) ROBIN MESTDAGH (NO REPORT) REGION 4 JUSTIN DOLL (NO REPORT) MARK SCHWOMERYER (NO REPORT) REGION 5 BEN BULLER (NO REPORT) REGION 6 TRISTAN MANUEL REGION 7 BOB MORGAN (NO REPORT)

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AL KELLY MICHAEL ITEN

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appy hot days, friends. As I write this, the weather outside is boiling, or at least it feels like it. Of course, we can all look forward to cooler weather and hunting season because it’s right around the corner. With that said, some of us were lucky enough to draw some pretty great tags this year, including a coveted moose tag for myself. I’m a little excited! I take that back, I’m EXTREMELY excited. I hope others have also drawn some tags to anticipate harvesting. Once you get those, don’t forget to submit photos for the member gallery.

I have had many friends in our county contacting me. In our tiny corner of the world, everyone knows who’s has received tags and most are willing to assist in locating potential animals to harvest.

This is much appreciated as it is most likely a oncein-a-lifetime tag for me. One of the advantages of being an MBA member is the opportunity to connect with numerous dedicated hunters in your region and throughout the state who know their areas very well. I appreciate receiving tips, advice, and offers to make the packing out of the moose I hope to get easier than anticipated. All in all, I am one excited puppy and am looking forward to this hunting season with great anticipation.

The carp shoot was stellar this year. Thanks again to Kevin and his crew for organizing it.

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Michael Iten

Al Kelly

T

REGION 1 REGION

The fishing was great, and the friends and family were even better. Be sure to support the events organized by the MBA when you get the chance, such as the Carp Safari, the Annual Convention, and the Teen Bow Camp, among others. Great fun and connections with friends across the state are definitely part of the experience.

I’m looking forward to meeting other members who reside in Region 1. We can have a Region 1 MBA get-together on Tuesday, August 27th at 6:00 at Bias Brewing in Kalispell. Your first pint is on me.

Hope to see you there.

WWW.MTBA.ORG

his year in Region 1, the end of the spring bear season was extended from May 31st to June 15th. Apparently, FWP wanted to make the season dates uniform throughout the state. What a welcome change! Our spring season was cooler than usual and brought a heavy amount of precipitation.

This year, I was unable to get out and pursue bears due to several reasons; however, I managed to get out in June. I revisited an area where I had previously missed a very mature boar. Thankfully, this spring I was able to connect with a nice-sized boar and made it happen. I made it back to my pickup at dark with the first load and decided to

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MARLON CLAPHAM KEVIN ROBINSON

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s we get started with the summer months, it has already been way too busy. First the Montana Matters Event at the Hamilton Fairgrounds in early May turned out to be the bestattended so far. There were well over 1200 folks turned out to explore more than thirty booths set up for the youth to enjoy some hands-on activities.

We had just under 400 kids wandering from booth to booth. The Montana Wild from Helena sent over the NASP Program instructors to set up alongside the MBA Archery booth and the La-Port. Jackie

Michael Iten

and I set up the balloons on the targets, while Don assisted the NASP guys with their setup, and Merri and Libby managed the La-Port.

The Western Montana Fish & Game Association also invited us to their Expo. Kevin, Jackie, Justin, and I, along with some volunteers from an Archery Club in Missoula pitched in to help.

It was one of the best turnouts they have ever had.

Next was the Carp Safari, and the weather and the carp cooperated to the max. There were 80-plus shooters who turned in fish, contributing around 2200 to the bucket. My lovely wife, Merri, took home the individual trophy with 50 carp. So that was fun for us. Kevin will have more information on the carp, I’m sure.

The Teen Bowhunters Camp followed next.

I wasn’t there—haying season, you know. But Jackie will have a full report on that subject as well.

Then it was off to the Montana Matters Camp on the River of No Return in Idaho at the Magruder Ranger Station. We had 22 youths in attendance. We shot bows at 3 D targets for hours on end. They fly-fished tied flies and got to use them.

REGIONAL REP0RTS

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Marlon Clapham

Played with the snakes on the bridge; they were everywhere. Listened to the old-timers around the campfire tell stories of the wilderness and how they came to be. None of the kids had any emergencies.

That’s not to say we didn’t have any. The only emergency we suffered was the cook who wanted to shoot the bows. She didn’t bend her elbow, and the string struck her forearm, and she received a bright purple bruise from her elbow to her wrist, 3 inches wide. I took pictures for the Bow-Ed class. It was a little warm over there; it reached 102 in the shade for three days in a row. The river got a lot of use every day.

Lastly, if you drew any special big game tags, you should know by now. After 53 years of putting in for a moose, I finally drew one. And to top it off, so did Merri after 20-plus years. And to top that off, there are only 2 available for that HD 261, which is right in front of our place. We have been driving on the back roads to look for winter sign and to check if the roads are passable with the Subaru. As of yet, no moose have been spotted by us. But our daughter Cecelia and Zac drove on a road we haven’t taken yet and saw a cow and calf this afternoon. A friend drove a different route and spotted 3 cows and two calves a few miles apart.

My knee surgery went well, and for the last two days, I have been without the knee brace and crutches. The leg gets tired, so I have a lot of work to do there.

Good luck to all of you this summer and stay safe. Hunting season is just around the corner.

And I don’t want to hear any complaints about the heat. It’s only a few weeks, and we will be scraping frost. Enjoy the summer while it lasts.

Keep-Em Sharp and Shoot-Em Straight.

REGION 6

reetings from Region 2. It’s in the heat of the summer as I write this, but those cool morning September bugles will be here soon enough. I hope everyone is shooting regularly and getting gear dialed in for our favorite time of the year.

We had great attendance at several of the events in May and June. A big thanks to Marlon, Jackie, and all the volunteers for making those events a success. Those youth events are important as they attract kids from hunting and shooting families, but there are also a few participants from families with no archery background. It’s really cool to see all of those kids getting so excited to pop those balloons and shoot the flying discs out of the sky (or at least attempt)! In my short time volunteering for the MBA, I have witnessed the introduction of archery to hundreds of kids. It’s a great initiative that our organization does year after year.

Also back in June the 24th annual Carp Safari took place. I get conflicting information on the exact year when the first Carp Safari took place.

Scott Reed has 2001 in his notes, so I’m sticking with that.

Speaking of Carp Safari numbers, 2114 fish were counted. The temperature was 80 degrees, and the winning team caught 290 fish! It was a great weekend.

I really hope you have a successful archery season this fall! Aim small, miss small! Please remember to send the MBA all your photos of your adventures!

Kevin Robinson

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Tristan Manuel Brothers and sisters of the bow, tands are hung, cameras have been set up all summer, and high hopes of a mature whitetail presenting the perfect shot fill my mind. I am sure many of you feel the same way I do, whether you are preparing for an evening sit on the river bottom or chasing bugles through the elk woods.

Wherever your feet take you this season, remember to keep those broadheads sharp, respect the land, and the game we pursue. I look forward to seeing some of you in the field this year and hearing your success stories later on. Remember to pick a spot and always practice fair chase. Shoot straight!

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Tristan Manuel

Marlon Clapham

Kevin Robinson

REMINDER:

Mailing Labels ShowYour Membership Renewal Date Fall 2024

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DIRECTORS AT LARGE

JACKIE DOYLE CLIFF GARNESS JAKE GARNESS BRIAN KOELZER JUNE LEPAGE MIKE SHEPARD GUY STICKNEY

DIRECTOR’S AT LARGE

“Life is like a bow and arrow. Your ambition is the bow. The string your motivation and the arrow your goal.”- Shawn Gary Cupid I hope you all had an amazing summer and got lots of practice in. I wish you all the best of luck in the upcoming season.

Jackie Doyle

Cliff Garness Jackie Doyle

A

nother summer has barely begun, yet we can already feel the days of summer slipping away, making way for the upcoming hunting season. While this spring/summer has not been as busy as others in the past, it was still a busy one. Mandy and I spent 14 days in New Zealand hunting, touring, and sightseeing. Then, we enjoyed the Carp Safari, which was a great time as always.

Kevin did another outstanding job, so thank you, Kevin! I truly believe he must have asked the Carp Gods to give us great shooting opportunities, as it was one for the record books. I helped out at the Teen Camp for a few days and had a wonderful time. I was the “elk” one day, and I must say, it was not as easy as I thought to switch roles from chasing the elk to being the elk and calling in the hunters.

I had to call and lead the students through the woods to help them to apply what they had learned in previous days. They utilized their skills in calling, watching the wind, shooting, blood trailing, and other techniques to locate their “elk,” which was me and a previously set up elk target to shoot at and then subsequently track the blood trail. I have not been able to participate in many archery shoots this summer, but I have been shooting frequently at the Great Falls Range and in the backyard. Hopefully, everyone got some tags this year and is looking forward to seeing success photos in upcoming editions.

Everyone, stay safe, shoot straight, and have a great rest of your summer. shoots.

Cliff Garness Region 4 DAL

I

hope everyone is having a great, busy summer and the tag lords have been good to you. I drew a cow tag! WOO HOO! With that, this year I intend to chase a dream of mine to go after the big mule deer in the northern prairies of Montana with my bow. I have been working countless hours since the beginning of April. I have not had much time for scouting, but in August, I intend to put the boots on the ground.

I have harvested some good whitetail bucks in the last couple of years and need a change of pace. A couple of years ago, I got my personal best bull elk and got that checked off the bucket list. I am super excited to do backpacking trips into different country with my new PEAX tent I bought last year. It’s time for a new adventure, different scenery, and new experiences.

I have been doing a little bit of e-scouting after work hours and watching countless hunting videos on YouTube making a list of things to do and not to do. I have been looking at different areas trying to figure out how to access and go about moving into a new area while doing the least harm to get the best results.

Finding good areas for deer along with the time of the day they are moving or not moving and how they act has been a struggle. It all factors into how I plan to move in on one of these big old mature bucks. It has been a bit of a mind game thinking about all these things at the same time. I have a gut feeling that a lot of it will be trial and error. I may not harvest one the first year, but I am going to go in with high hopes and give it my all to accomplish this dream of mine. Wish me luck! I hope everyone drew the tags that they were hoping for and have an amazing, exciting season with lots of stories and pictures to come with it! Good luck to ALL!.

Jake Garness

Jake Garness Region 4 DAL

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Brian Koelzer

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

D T

hey say that time flies when you are having fun. The time is certainly flying but the fun part is certainly up for debate. Somehow its already mid-July and hotter than the dickens. I’m still not sure what “the dickens” are...?

Something tells me this short report will be full of more questions than answers.

Spring started with a very poorly thought-out mule deer “plan” being laid out in front of the board. There is no question that the mule deer need help in MT but under the ideas presented everyone except the mule deer were going to benefit. There was much discussion, and it seems to have quieted down for now.

May found seven other MBA members and I pointed north to Saskatchewan. A grand adventure it was despite the worst weather I’ve experienced in 30+ Canadian hunts. Six of us were successful with two bears in the mid 20’s, two in the upper 19’s and two in the high 18’s. Everyone in the group had an opportunity at a P&Y bear. The companionship and stories shared was icing on the cake for everyone involved.

June presented some interesting weather here in the southwest corner.

Sunshine mixed with snow that was mixed with rain and high winds made for some guessing games at work and in the field. I did make it out spot and stalking some bears and on the last night of the season I found myself within 15 yards of a dandy MT boar. Just as I was putting tension on the string and anticipating that next step that would expose his vitals, he suddenly got nervous and dropped below me. He crossed the creek and angled up the opposite hillside out of my life forever. That particular evening, I saw 2 griz, 4 blacks, 4 mountain goats, and numerous deer and elk. Pretty good day in the woods for this guy. I’m still of the opinion if we can chase bears with dogs in this state, we should be able to bait them as well…

June is also an excellent month for fishing and my 5-year-old son Bo loves fishing! Last summer he wasn’t too sure about grabbing on to a fish but this year he was all in. The first evening we went out I caught a small brook trout and after taking the lure out I handed him the fish and told him to turn it loose. Apparently, he interpreted that into throwing the fish 20 feet into the air before crashing into the water. We had a good discussion about the technique of returning a fish to water and all the following fishes were returned with much less fanfare.

Last but not least the MBA partnered with the Bridger Bowman for a two-day 3D shoot east of Bozeman out Jackson Creek. It was an epic weekend of launching arrows, meeting new people, and overall, just a great time. It’s a family friendly event and it brings my withered heart a lot of joy to see kids out shooting bows and chasing stray arrows. I’m hoping this annual event can continue to grow and flourish.

Now July is upon us and my goodness is it warm. I appreciate these temps and the wind when I’m in Wyoming trying to spot and stalk an old sagebrush mule deer but here at home this heat is almost unbearable. That European girl who is so mad about the climate is probably the only one enjoying the current conditions.

The late spring rains and cool June has made excellent forage in my neck of the woods and the critters have got to be happy right now. Most my work is at around the 6500 or so elevation level and the woods look like a rain forest.

Hopefully we can keep from burning down the next two months and archery season can start without a hitch.

Alaska, Wyoming, Kansas, and Montana are all on the ticket for me this fall. Lots of fun to be had but the time is always short. Hoping for another family adventure or two now that my kids are just teetering on the edge of being old enough to tag along without too big of meltdowns. My youngest son Schafer was “shooting” a big doe out our living room window yesterday morning with a coat hanger. I think I’m raising them right and that is a large part of the reason that I’m still on the board of directors. My vision for every one of you is that your children and grandchildren get to experience the same things I was fortunate enough to in my upbringing.

Montana is certainly the “last best place” and if I had my way it would stay like that for quite some time.

Get out there and make some memories.

uring summer vacation, trips to the lake are a highly anticipated event for my college friends and I. Packing a few coolers and planning the weekend breeds excitement each time even if we know Canyon Ferry pretty well by now. In an effort to make our lake days more active and share some of my favorite pieces of the MBA, I invited all of my buddies to the Carp Safari. Explaining that you can shoot carp with bows was really the only challenge. After a quick safety lesson and pep talk, they were off into the water! We helped five of my friends shoot their first fish and what enthusiasts they are now! A great event put on by a great organization fostered a core memory for my friends and I to laugh about and share photos of for a long time. I would encourage anyone to share their favorite hobbies with someone new and enjoy the last little bit of summer with good company.

June LePage age June LeP

Brian Koelzer >>>————-> Fall 2024

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DIRECTORS AT LARGE -CONTINUED

J

ust turned the old age of 75. It seems like yesterday I was with my dad with a 35-pound fiberglass Ben Pearson long bow and wooden arrows hunting a deer. On that trip, a small whitetail spike walked right up to me, and the story is told my arrow sounded like a German MG42 machine gun due to the buck ague I had. I was HOOKED for life, and that was in 1961 when I was 12.

Boy have things changed. Not sure at times it is for the better. The Bowhunter Education Program is not what Richard Parker and I worked on many years ago.

WE need to get back to more face-to-face times, teach Ethics and Bowhunter Responsibilities as Bill Wadsworth laid out in his initial program. Teaching via a computer ain’t the way, but I am old and have my opinion.

Mike Spepard

I’ve been watching several possible target bucks, and my hand is healed enough to be shooting my Schafer longbow again. The dry conditions have me very concerned for our fall. Maybe another monsoon stretch by then—who knows? I pulled a B tag whitetail and am happy to at least get that. Be safe, shoot straight an always be ethical.

Mike Shepard

Ye Olde REALLY Bowhunter Region 1

MBA FALL 2024 UPDATE

W

ell, Summer 2024 is flying by. Hopefully, everyone made time this summer to shoot their bow whether it’s at one of the various 3D shoots or just in your backyard. Summer 2024 has been busy for me, but I have still gotten in some quality backyard shooting anyway It’s shaping up to be another good year in Eastern Montana. Much of the area received some decent rains albeit even if in places it was a little too late for some of the hay crops in the region. Now it has gotten hot and fire season is kicking off with a bang. Spring and summer rains are a double-edged sword, so there are significant fuel loadings across much of the region. A strong fire season will probably ensue. My hope is that it is a safe fire season.

By the time you read this, the seasons will be changing yet again. Hopefully, the fire season is winding down. Fire also will have changed the landscape. It will be time to change from planning, preparing, and scouting to hunting. I hope you have some great and exciting plans for this fall.

Speaking of change, my plans for this upcoming season will be a big change for me. For the past 18 years, I have spent September in what have now become some of my favorite Montana landscapes. This fall I won’t be heading there for my annual reunion. I found out in March that I was one of the unlucky few that didn’t draw this opportunity. This is a big change from when I first started hunting this area as a general season. Yesterday, while mowing my yard, I finally had time to think about this. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness and loss. I felt like I wouldn’t be able to see and catch up with an old friend. But then I thought about this fall’s plans and a sense of anticipation and excitement flooded back. I will be making my way into a new country in pursuit of a new quarry. How will this go? It is anyone’s guess. But it is going to be challenging and fun. It’s just what I need.

As bowhunters, we deal with change constantly. Fires, weather, game animal and predator distributions, hunter distribution, habitat, and vegetation conditions, timing of the rut, and water availability. These are just a few of the factors that can affect a hunt and can change daily. Season types and dates, tag quotas, draw odds, land access, unit boundaries, and game populations can and do change also.

When I first started bowhunting, I remember thinking “When I get this technique mastered; when I learn this area and the game animal movements within it; when I (fill in the blank) – then I will be able to repeat this success over and over again.” We all must find our own recipe for success, but this hasn’t worked for me. Don’t get me wrong, these skills and knowledge all do contribute to success in bowhunting, but what is not accounted for in this thinking is the inevitable uncontrollable changes that happen. Just about the time I think I have something mastered in bowhunting, the game changes. Maybe the game won’t be there this year... Maybe game populations crashed due to last year’s hard winter…

Maybe the elk won’t be calling this year… Maybe there will be lots of water out on the landscape this year… Maybe you won’t draw the area this year.

As I have gotten older, I have realized that the successful bowhunter learns to “control the controllable” and be aware, adaptable, and persistent to the inevitable uncontrollable change. That’s it. So where am I going with this? Obviously, this isn’t meant to be a manifesto on being a successful bowhunter. Heck, we could have a healthy discussion about what success even is in bowhunting. I am not here to tell you the answer to that one either. That is up to you to decide. My point is that what we learn from bowhunting can usually be applied in life, and in this case to dealing with change.

Soon the seasons will change again and with that change, a new Montana legislative session will be ushered in. Eventually, this will be followed by another Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks season setting. Change is constant. That’s why I am proud to be a part of the Montana Bowhunters Association. A community of Montana bowhunters that together we can be aware, adaptable, and persistent with the inevitable uncontrollable change that we are seeing in Montana bowhunting yet work together “to control the controllable” to preserve and protect bowhunting. Please reach out and let me know the changes you’re seeing out there this year that are positively or negatively impacting your bowhunting. Good Luck and Happy Hunting this fall!

Guy Stickney

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Guy Stickney

› PLAN AHEAD FOR ACCESS › RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY › PRACTICE SAFE HUNTING BEHAVIOR › TURN IN POACHERS – CALL 1-800-TIP-MONT

LEARN MORE

› GRATITUDE GOES A LONG WAY fwp.mt.gov/itsuptous

Fall 2024

11

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Blast from the Past 1992 This issue’s Blast from The Past comes from 1992. There wasn’t much going on around the state, and this is what I dug up.

Jerry Taylor was our President for half the year. Due to the election, Dave Campbell was the elected President. The Banquet was in Great Falls. Our membership numbers were around 1400. The board had very few vacant spots.

Because it was quiet, there was talk that the MBA wouldn’t pursue paying a lobbyist for the upcoming Legislative Session.

Some thought that we could save a few bucks, but the rebuttal was that we needed to stay on top of other issues that might come up. Some argued it would be a serious mistake and a move backward in our quest to be a serious voice in the legislative process. Some commented that threatening or restrictive legislation was rarely introduced, so being comfortable that none are being introduced is ridiculous. We must take a proactive approach and stay on top of issues.

There was a movement for a Tentative Archery Equipment Restriction Proposal. As you may imagine, this proposal has prompted many interesting discussions. First, for reasons unknown to me, rumors have been rampant that the MBA initiated this proposal through the FWP. This was not true. The MBA surveyed our membership in 1989 on the questions about either/or Justin Dollseasons options and possible equipment restrictions.

Of the respondents, 86% said the MBA should pursue legislation (law) that would impose restrictions similar to the guidelines of fair chase by the Pope & Young Club. The results of this survey were presented to the general membership at the banquet in Missoula in April 1989. Our president at the time, Buddy Lundstrom, requested formal direction from the membership in the form of a motion and it was supported by an overwhelming majority. The MBA then introduced and supported legislation in the 1991 Legislature which allowed the FWP Commission to adopt archery restrictions if they felt there was a need. Since the MBA has, and hopefully always will be, very open in our dealings with FWP, they knew of our position and support for these restrictions. After surveying sportsmen this fall, asking the same questions we asked in 1989, acted in a direction they felt the majority of Bowhunters wanted.

At the same time, another proposal was brought up about dealing with issues for elk. Dick Robertson from Hamilton

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introduced the 900 permit to hunt elk. There were two parts to this proposal. One was that the 900 Archery License would be for the archery only. The other, the 902 Archery License, was for the two-season, or both weapon hunter. The 900 licenses would allow the holder to hunt almost statewide for either sex during both archery and general season. The holder of this license would limit themself strictly to hunting with archery equipment. The 902 licenses would allow the holder to hunt either sex animals during the archery-only seasons but would be required to abide by any restrictions or limitations established by the FWP. When this proposal was brought to the general membership it had many mixed feelings. There were a lot of good ideas brought up and discussed along with some negative thoughts.

I took this next bit from the past from a letter written by Dr. Saxton Pope in 1923. As the MBA looks to the future, I thought this piece hit home for us.

All that we have done is perfectly possible to any adventurous youth, no matter what their age.

Nor is it that which is written here the finish, for even as I scribble, we are on our journey to another hunt, and bowmen seem ever to be increasing in numbers.

May the gods grant us all space to carry a sturdy bow and wander through the forest glades to seek the bounding deer; to lie in the deep meadow grasses; to watch the flight of birds; to smell the fragrance of burning leaves; to cast an upward glance at the unobserved beauty of the moon. May they give you strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last.

Dr. Saxton Pope 1923 That’s about all I have for this issue, Hope you enjoyed it. Till next time.

Marlon Clapham

Newly Signed Historian.

BUSINESS MEMBERS

Flaming Arrow Archery Nicole Tindale 1282 Hwy 2 East Kalispell, MT 59901 406-752-0702

1282 Hwy 2 East, Kalis Flaming Arrow Archery Nicole Tindale 1282 Hwy 2 East Kalispell, MT 59901 406-752-0702

1282 Hwy 2 East, Kalispell

Fall 2024

13

TEEN BOWHUNTERS CAMP

“Archery is like a journey; it begins with a love for shooting a bow and a passion for watching our arrows fly.”

-unknown Teen Bowhunters Camp was yet again an educational learning adventure for everyone who attended the camp. This year we had lower numbers due to sickness, family death, and other things. That didn’t stop us though. We had a total of 12 campers that ranged from age 9-16. It was the best group of kids you could have asked for.

This camp is hands-on and very interactive. At camp, the kids learn everything from cooking and camp clean-up to shooting out of a tree stand and scouting. As always, we had a 3-D course they got to shoot and a fun long-distance shoot. They saw all sorts of critters from birds to elk to bear. Watching these campers learn was rewarding in more ways than one. We had a return camper who was a group leader this year. He helped with the littles group and did a fantastic job.

Each camper got to go on a mock elk hunt and upon return learn how to start a fire with flint and steel. We had seminars with First Aid with DR. LePage, Elk calling with Jerry Doyle, Dylan Benson, and myself Jackie Doyle. There was Pope and Young scoring with Jerry Doyle and David Benson, a FWP Game Warden presentation, and a CWD presentation. Every day was filled with learning and exploring.

Every night concluded with hunting stories around the campfire just like hunting camp. Passing down the decades of experience that was at camp this year was truly a blessing. This group of young adults is going to carry on the tradition in a way we will all be proud of.

Beckie Doyle arranged each group and duties around camp.

Having her lay out each day with a schedule for who was doing what was a very important part of camp. Beckie and Jerry Doyle started this camp back in 2015. This was the 7th annual camp. We would be at year 9 but due to Covid-19 we had to cancel camp two years in a row.

Without Beckie and Jerry, this camp would not be possible. They both put in lots of work behind the scenes that folks don’t see along with Marlon Clapham. So, a huge THANK YOU to them.

Here are some things some of our campers had to say about camp:

“Teen Bowhunters Camp is the best camp I have ever been to.” - Easton Fryer “I loved having help figuring out how to tune my bow and being able to shoot right.”-Abby “Learning how to call and hunt elk.”- Tyler Benson “Being able to make new friends and shooting the 3-D course was awesome.”- Wyatt Every year TBC is in a different part of MT. Next year for the 2025 camp we will be going to Fawn Creek in Libby, MT. The following year 2026 will be in the Bitterroot Valley. The exact location is TBD. I have a few big surprises in store for the upcoming camps that you will not want to miss out on. We love it when people volunteer to come and help at camp. Every year we need guides/mentors for each group.

We usually have 3-4 boys’ groups and 1-2 girls’ groups. We need an EMT/Paramedic and volunteers to help set up and take down things.

We need volunteers to help teach seminars, help with tree stand set up, and 3-D course set up. There are also a variety of other things with the workday that follows Sunday morning for the Landowner of the property we have camped on. If you’d like to be part of the upcoming camp, please feel free to reach out to Beckie Doyle at 406-242-0498 or Jackie Doyle at 406-274-3716.

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TEEN BOWUNTERS CAMP

Lots of hard work, dedication, and teamwork went into this camp. Thank you to everyone who played a huge part in making this camp possible.

THANK YOU TO: Landowners of the McCartney Creek Ranch, Mr. and Mrs. Ed and Phyllis Evans Beckie and Jerry Doyle Jerry Davis Cliff and Mandy Garness Dr. LePage David and Dillon Benson FWP Game Wardens Mr. & Mrs. Garness A Big Thank you to all our sponsors and those who donated to this year’s camp!!

See you all at next year’s camp!!

Jackie Doyle Fall 2024 15

2024 CARP SAFARI

This year’s Carp Safari was a doozy! 80-degree days combined with a great shooting added up to a total of 2144 hand counted carp! Thank you to all those who participated. No Carp Safari event would happen if it weren’t for the help of our MBA team and the folks that donated prizes, this year was no exception. A big thanks to Claudia and Jerry Davis for wrangling the merch and flipping the burgs, Teri and Al Kelly for snapping the pics and checking for ticks, the Garness clan for always kicking ass, Justin Doll for counting the fish and being a dish and Steve LePage for being my go-to guy. Steve is like that off brand, less expensive tire that the guy tries to sell you at the tire shop. You’re not quite sure that it’s going to “be great in all conditions” like the salesman claims. The tread is a bit strange, and the shape is odd but sure enough that sucker is awesome and gosh darn it, that salesman was right! Thanks Steve!

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2024 CARP SAFARI

5

2024 Carp Safari Awards 1

6

YOUTH SMALLEST FISH Cade Rennaker -2lb 12oz

LARGEST FISH 2 YOUTH Colin Woodhouse -13lb 4oz MOST FISH 3 YOUTH Remi Licht -69

4

LARGEST MIRROR CARP (new category) Jeff Klein -14lb 6oz ADULT MOST FISH

5 Meri Clapham-50

8

ADULT LARGEST FISH

6 Jerod Smith-13lb 8oz

SMALLEST FISH 7 ADULT Evan Johnson 2lb 2oz MOST FISH 8 TEAM Team Koppas-290 fish!

CARP PRINCESS 9 2024 Lyla Rennaker

3

2

1

9

Fall 2024

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GET TO KNOW YOUR BOARD MEMBERS

GET TO KNOW YOUR BOARD MEMBERS Tell me a little about yourself. Where did you grow up, and what do you do for a living?

I was raised on our family ranch east of Miles City, close to the town of Ismay, which gained notoriety for changing its name to Jo, Montana in 1993.

Although it has since reverted to its original name, I occasionally mention that I’m from Joe Montana. My education journey took me from Plevna Schools to Montana Tech in Butte, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in engineering. In 2003, I relocated to Miles City for my first job after graduation and have made it my home, working as an engineer for the Bureau of Land Management.

When and how did you get into bow hunting?

As a young boy, I loved to hunt for anything that I could with my BB gun.

Naturally, I was drawn to any weapon I could get my hands on. This included a youth compound bow. I loved to shoot and hunt small game with it. However, my start in bow hunting for big game didn’t happen until college when I was introduced to elk hunting by a friend.

Did you have success with a bow right away? Tell me about your first animal taken with your bow.

I did, but not without significant time and effort. I was fortunate enough to harvest a cow elk in October after stalking in on a feeding herd. I will never forget the feelings and emotions of that first harvest. Pretty sure I skipped a fair amount of class. I was definitely guilty of skipping some classes to go elk hunting. I think elk hunting was a big part of why I didn’t make it as an engineer at Tech!

What is your favorite animal to hunt with a bow, and why?

This is an easy one. Unquestionably elk. The sights, sounds, and weather of archery elk hunting can’t be matched. I like everything about it.

Tell me about the animal you’ve harvested with a bow that you’re most proud of.

The funny thing after my last answer is that it’s a mule deer. In the summer of 2014, a large mule deer buck crossed the highway in front of me after dark.

I had noted the location and noticed some BLM lands adjacent to the sighting.

After telling my brother about the buck, he spent a couple of days looking for the buck in the very broken badlands country. He reported back to not waste my time. Late September I decided to take a day off from chasing elk and thought what the heck, I will give that buck a try in the morning even though I had never set foot in the country before. At first light, I was perched on a lookout in the

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Guy Stickney Region 7 badlands country, my best guess as to where he might live. I caught a glimpse of the buck making his way to bed in a deep wash. It was very hot that day. After stalking to 20 yards with no shot due to the steep wash, I was determined to wait him out. Long story short, I ran out of water and decided I couldn’t wait any longer. I tried throwing a rock over him to stand him up. The buck blew out before the rock had even left my hand. I drew my bow and as mule deer typically do, he stopped and gave one last look which was his undoing. I’m not sure I have ever been as focused for a shot. I still don’t know what the range was, probably 45ish yards which isn’t a long shot for good archers, but it was for me. The rest of the day was hot; hot like 97 F. Keeping the meat good and getting him out was something. I thought I was going to have heat stroke. I will never forget that last load walking a knife blade ridge out about midnight with the air now cooled. My mom also ended up in the hospital that day. She was fine, but it was a very memorable day.

What are your hobbies outside of bow hunting?

I don’t have any. Haha. Actually, I do a little skiing in the winter and enjoy fishing and shed hunting.

Fixed blade or mechanical, and why?

Oh, a controversial question! I’m a fixed-blade guy. I have had really good luck with the performance of fixed blade broadheads, especially on elk. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. However, I understand there are tradeoffs with everything, and for some hunts, mechanicals could make sense.

What do you see as the biggest threats to bow hunting in Montana?

To me, right now by far the biggest threat to a dedicated bow hunting season is technology. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-technology. But the technology that makes harvesting easier and increases archery success rates just makes the argument that much harder as to why a dedicated archery season makes sense for a state. It also tends to blur the lines between weapon types.

Technology has never been more fast-paced and cutting-edge than it is right now. Bow hunting is supposed to be hard and that’s why it made sense in the first place to provide and retain a dedicated opportunity that is both liberal and favorable in season timing. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that in our quest for archery success.

Thanks for the interview and welcome to the MBA board!

BRIDGER BOW SHOOT

BRIDGER BOW SHOOT

Fall 2024

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CONVENTION DONORS

Black Eagle Arrows

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CONVENTION DONORS

Fall 2024

21

GENE WENSEL AUCTION

Bid online at mtba.org Gene Wensel Auction Montana Bowhunters Association (mtba.org) Gene is one of the Montana Bowhunter Association’s founding fathers, and a true bowhunting legend. As many of you may already know, Donna has been in a memory care home with advanced dementia for several years and the costs associated with her care have been enormous.

We would not have the bowhunting opportunity that we do in the state of Montana if Gene had not been sitting at the table back in the early 70’s when the concept of the MBA was born. For all he has given to archery and bowhunting worldwide; his impact has been immeasurable. This is a fine chance to give back to someone who has directly or indirectly touched all our lives when we’ve been afield looking for that perfect spot to ambush a whitetail buck. Let’s see what we can do for Gene and Donna and let the bidding begin!

All donors are personal friends of Gene’s which makes this auction even more special. Both prints from Cecelia Clapham come with a signed certificate of authenticity.

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MOOSE PACKAGE

The Montana Bowhunters Association is proud to have put together two outstanding auction packages with all proceeds going to Gene and Donna Wensel.

WHITETAIL PACKAGE

GENE WENSEL AUCTION

CONTACT NUMBERS

Region 1

Region 5

Vice Chair

CommissionerRegion5@mtfwp.org (406) 438-2551 Billings, Montana

Pat Tabor

Brian Cebull

CommissionerRegion1@mtfwp.org (406) 438-1714 Whitefish, Montana

Region 2

Region 6

Jeff Burrows

Lesley Robinson

CommissionerRegion2@mtfwp.org (406) 438-1148 Hamilton, Montana

Commission Chair

CommissionerRegion6@mtfwp.org (406) 301-0787 Dodson, Montana

Region 7

Region 3

William Lane

Susan Kirby Brooke

CommissionerRegion7@mtfwp.org (406) 438-0143 Ismay, Montana

CommissionerRegion3@mtfwp.org (406) 438-0460 Bozeman, Montana

Fish & Wildlife Commission Members

Region 4 KC Walsh

CommissionerRegion4@mtfwp.org (406) 438-3625 Martinsdale, Montana

fwpwld@mt.gov/aboutfwm/commission

BUSINESS & CLUB MEMBERS

Become a Business Member of the MBA and be listed on this page every issue! For membership visit www.mtba.org.

Active as of August 2024 B2 Builders

Brady Brown

31 Midway Bridger Rd

Bozeman

MT

59715

brady@b2buildersmt.com

406-600-2926

Big Sky State Games

Liana Susott

Box 7136

Billings

MT

59103

liana@bigskygames.org

406-254-7426

Buffalo Jump Archery

Judy Adams

P.O. Box 5581

Helena

MT

59604

adamsjg2000@yahoo.com

406-539-3936

Elk Creek Family Outfitters

David Hein

1021 Toole Circle

Billings

MT

59105

heinline@bresnan.net

406-670-4366

Flaming Arrow Archery

Nicole Tindale

1282 Hwy 2 East

Kalispell

MT

59901

flamingarrowarchery@gmail.com

406-752-0702

Frontier Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Michael Jensen

45 Broken Spoke Ln

Great Falls

MT

59404

mjensen@frontierpt.com

406-781-6318

Hamilton Advanced Dentistry

Daniel Wharton

129 Copper King Ct

Hamilton

MT

59840

dwharton@hadmt.com

JB’S Les Schwab Tire

Kellen MacDonald

PO Box 744

Libby

MT

59923

kellen.r.macdonald@dealers.lesschwab.com 406-293-7797

Kutawagan Outfitters

Brennan Schmidt

Box 70

Choiceland

SK

S0J 0M0

brennanschmidt@hotmail.com

306-428-2032

Mountain Copper Creations

Jim Clapham

4085 Old Marshall Grade Road East Missoula

MT

59802

mtncop@mtncoppercreations.com

406-880-9411

Mountain Top Traditional Arrows

Rod Kelley

51 Brown Rd

Sand Coulee

MT

59472

rodmt406@gmail.com

406-736-9999

Philipsburg Coffee Roasters, LLC

Kevin Lorensen

100 Stevie Lane, #767

Philipsburg

MT

59858

sales@philipsburgcoffeeroasters.com

406-317-3026

Pronghorn Custom Bows

Herb Meland

2491 W 42nd St

Casper

WY

82604

pronghornbows@bresnan.net

307-234-1824

Schafer Silvertip Custom Bows

Dave Windauer

357 Roberts Rd

Columbia Falls MT

59912

schafer@cyberport.net

406-892-0580

Toelke Traditional Archery

Dan & Jared Toelke 31345 Lost Creek Ln

Ronan

MT

59864

toelketraditional@gmail.com

406-253-4949

Trophy Blends Scents

Bruce Hoyer

PO Box 466

Belt

MT

59412

info@trophyblendscents.com

406-403-2231

Twite Realty

Mark Twite

8015 Indreland Road

Missoula

MT

59808

newhomes@montana.com

406-880-1956

Wilderness Survival Systems

Angela Keck

2544 S Dakota St

Butte

MT

59701

angela.l.keck@gmail.com

406-660-2001

Zinks Big Sky Archery Targets

Terry L & Dylan Zink PO Box 1272

Marion

MT

59925

zinksbigskyarcherytargets@gmail.com

406-253-4670

Fall 2024

23

HEADER

Do you enjoy bowhunting and our bowhunting seasons in Montana?

Join the MBA to preserve, promote and protect bowhunting!

What the MBA offers you: Expanded hunting opportunities through working with FWP and commissioners to preserve and expand bowhunting seasons Unified voice during legislative sessions to protect seasons and access programs while opposing efforts which seek to limit the role of FWP in managing wildlife Fellowship with others who are interested in shaping the future of bowhunting

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP One Year $25.00 Three Years $67.00 Life $500.00

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP One Year $30.00 Three Years $85.00 Life $750.00

JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP (Under 18) One Year

Quarterly magazine keeping you informed on local, state, and national bowhunting issues, bowhunter education, events, and great hunting stories

$5.00

CLUB MEMBERSHIP One Year $45.00 Three Years $120.00

BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP One Year $45.00 Three Years $120.00

OVERSEAS MEMBERSHIP

Add $10.00 a year to membership choice for added mailing costs

Join Today!

Memberships run January 1 to December 31 each year.

Visit the MBA website at: www.mtba.org

Please send new memberships or renewal memberships to MBA Administrator, Claudia Davis, PO Box 426, Helena MT 59624 or call 406-404-6168, or register online at www.mtba.org, or ask a member.

Name:____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street: _________________________________________ City: ________________________ State: ________ Zip:___________ Email: ______________________________ Date: ____________________ Telephone: (_____) __________________________ INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $25.00 o Three Years $67.00 o Life $500.00

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $30.00 o Three Years $85.00 o Life $750.00

CLUB MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $45.00 o Three Years $120.00

BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP* o One Year $45.00 o Three Years $120.00

JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP (Under18) o One Year $5.00

OVERSEAS MEMBERSHIP* Add $10.00 a year to membership for added mailing costs

MBA HATS o $15.00 each + $5.00 postage MBA Patches* o $2.50 each please send______patches DONATIONS o $_________________

PAYMENT TYPE o Check

o Money Order

o Credit Card - o VISA o MASTERCARD TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED ______________

Credit Card #_____________________________________________________ Exp. Date___________ CVV ____________ Signature________________________________________________________ This is a gift membership from________________________________________________________________________________ 24

WWW.MTBA.ORG

RON NAIL

GAIL DELP 2023 Bull

STEVE SUKUT Spring Turkey

Our future-twins-one is bedded MIKE SHEPARD

ERIC PAVLACK Muley Arrowed in his bed at 10 yards, Hellraiser heads 2419 arrows, 90# PSE

MANDY GARNESS

ERIC PAVLACK Best Whitey 92# Pse 2317 and Montec heads STEVE SUKUT Pronghorn RON NAIL Life member Official Pope & Young scorer from Reg 1

JEFF HUFF 2023 Bull ERIC PAVLACK Biggest Ever 60# Schafer, 2315 arrows and snuffer heads

ERIC PAVLACK FALL of 2023 Hoyt bow, 2312 and Montec heads, 17 straight sits in my tree

Fall 2024

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