Vol. 45 #4 Summer 2018 by Montana Bowhunter's Association

MBA Regional Representatives

Region 1 Al Kelly PO Box 219, Libby, MT 59923 406-293-2900 alman@frontiernet.net

Region 2

Region 3

Region 4

Region 5

Region 6

Region 7

REP VACANCY

Neil Maier 16200 Roman Creek Rd., Frenchtown, MT 59834 406-546-6013 nam56@yahoo.com REP VACANCY

Brian Koelzer 80 Jansma Lane, Manhattan, MT 59741 406-570-7997 rocknrollbowhunter3@yahoo.com

Barrett Haugan 560 Clovehitch Rd., Belgrade, MT 59714 406-539-0602 btreasurestate@aol.com

Stephen LePage 2574 Divide Rd., Lewistown, MT 406-535-5636 mbaregion4@yahoo.com

Roger Licht PO Box 189, Stanford MT 59479 406-566-2693 — Cell 406-366-1580 Licht.Roger@yahoo.com

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

Richard Lewallen 4234 Audubon Way Drive, Billings, MT 59106 406-690-0854 rpdlew@aol.com

Nathan Veit P.O. Box 288, Malta, MT 59538 406-654-7640 nathanveit95@yahoo.com REP VACANCY

Bob Morgan P.O. Box 1995, Colstrip, MT 59323

406-749-0706 robertredface@gmail.com REP VACANCY

AT LARGE DIRECTORS

EVEN YEARS

Jerry Davis 725 Middlemas Road, Helena, MT 59602 - pipelinejerry@gmail.com

406-475-2226

Seth Rogers 1425 Prickley Pear, Billings, MT 59105 – srogers@lamar.com 406-670-5435

Rich Smith PO Box 51428 Billings, MT 59105-1361 - muleybum@gmail.com 406-850-3010

Drew Steinberger 1901 Mountain View Drive, Great Falls MT 59405 - drew@prcountrycomforts.com 406-351-2152

Cliff Garness 5901 Western Drive, Great Falls MT. 59404 - cgarness@sletteninc.com

406-788-9009

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

ODD YEARS

Paul Martin 110 Sage Lane, Kalispell, MT 59901 - paulhmartin99@gmail.com

Ray Gross 355 Antelope Drive, Dillon, MT 59725 – raygross0144@gmail.com

406-261-4456

406-660-1019

Kent Brown PO Box 160803, Big Sky MT 59716 - kdbrown7@msn.com 406-321-1059

John Grimstad 2031 Poly Drive, Billings, MT 59102 – twingrim@bresnan.net 406-252-3620

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 Al

or Teri Kelly at PO Box 23611, Billings, MT 59104 or email teray1979@yahoo.com. All materials are the opinion of the author unless otherwise stated, and are subject to being edited. All photos will be placed in the MBA Photo Ablum and can be viewed at the annual conventions. Any questions as to policies of MBA please write the President.

MEMBERSHIP INQURIES

Please send new memberships or renewal memberships to MBA Tresurer, PO Box 23611, Billings, MT 59104 or call 406-697-7668, register online at www.mtba.org or ask a member.

www.mtba.org

MBA officers

PRESIDENT

Marlon Clapham

4455 Hoover Lane • Stevensville, MT 59870 mbaregion2@gmail.com • 406-777-2408

1ST VICE PRESIDENT

Steve Schindler 134 Sawney Drive • Glasgow, MT 59203 sas@nemont.net • 406-228-9024

2ND VICE PRESIDENT

Mark Schwomeyer 60 Hruska Ln • Lewistown, MT 59457 markschwo@gmail.com • 406-350-0173

TREASURER

Jenn Schneider PO Box 23611 • Billings, MT 59104 mtba@mtba.org • 406-697-7668

SECRETARY

Beckie Doyle P.O. Box 136 • Conner, Mt 59827 mybluewalker@yahoo.com • 406-531-4060

PAST PRESIDENT

Joelle Selk

6963 York Road • Helena, MT 59602 jselkmt@gmail.com • 406-422-6798

MAGAZINE CO-EDITORS

Teri and Al Kelly PO Box 219 • Libby, MT 59923 teray1979@yahoo.com

WEB DESIGNER

Liberty Brown Branding Iron Marketing Brandingironmarketingllc.com • 406-581-7216

MAGAZINE DESIGN K Design Marketing, Inc. 1613 South Ave. W. • Missoula, MT 59801 kim@kdesignmarketing.com 406-273-6193

Well thank gosh that winter is over and we’re finally starting to see some sunshine! Turkeys and bear are on everyone’s mind for the spring hunt, and hopefully some of those turkeys and bears will be in the path of a few arrows. It was a long and busy winter; the convention was awesome as usual and next up is the Carp Shoot which is one of my favorite events. I’d like to thank the Libby Archery Club for their donation of the Corn Hole game set that we used as our region one game for the convention. It was great fun to have as a game and we raised some cash for the MBA. Locally we have a couple of 3D shoots coming up, which should be great fun and are always a good way to not only spend time with family and friends, but also a great way to support the clubs and organizations around your area.

As usual, I’m always looking for stories and articles for the newsletter as well as harvest photos, so send them my way!

Have a great spring and we’ll see you at the carp shoot!

Treasurer’s Convention Report

Treasurer’sMessage

Hoping your newsletter found you while the sun was shining and all your summer plans are starting to fall into place. It was a long winter, but our new baby kept us busy inside the house anyway and we are eager to get out and enjoy some warm weather. The convention numbers have been recorded and wouldn’t you know it, we made a bunch of money again! With record attendance at somewhere around 220 banquet attendees, we hauled in a little over $20,000 in profits for the bottom line. As always, we appreciate everyone who came out and enjoyed the comradery and spent time and money to support this cause so near and dear to all our hearts.

We also appreciate those who mailed in for raffle tickets, who gave time to help gather donations, brought in new members, and shared Facebook updates. All these things add up and the last few years of convention profitability certainly shows our organization has the support we need to keep on protecting our seasons because the threat is persistent. Thank you for letting us continue to serve you, keep renewing your memberships, and talk someone else into becoming one. Jenn Schneider

Teri Kelly

Teri Kelly, with Alyse and Lily Wyman

PRESIDENT - MARLON CLAPHAM

1ST VICE PRESIDENT - STEVE SCHINDLER

2ND VICE PRESIDENT - MARK SCHWOMEYER

TREASURER - JENN SCHNEIDER

SECRETARY - BECKY DOYLE

President’s Message

Another Convention has come and gone. The folks in Region 2 worked very hard to make the 40 th Convention one to remember by bringing in remaining three founding fathers, Bob, Jerry and Gene, who was the featured guest speaker at the dinner was special. There were a lot of young members in attendance that never got to know these gentlemen when they were building the MBA into strong organization that we are today.

Gene spoke for over a half hour and kept everyone young and old laughing at his stories from his youth growing up back east and his early years becoming a bowhunter. I think everyone wanted to hear a bit more.

Once again everyone across the state pulled together and solicited so many donations for all the raffles and auctions and door prizes, there were plenty of prizes and items of interest to everyone. Neil Maier and Bob Rector organized everything for the raffles and auctions and made sure the convention stayed on the agenda time line. The Region 2 convention committee wanted to try some new fundraising ideas. They bought an ATV to raffle, we are still selling tickets so get with your area rep. and get your tickets. Jackie Doyle put together a rose raffle for the ladies, like the hat raffle for the men. Everything in the raffle was donated, even the roses, so 100% profit.

The Youth committee put together an indoor shoot for everyone to raise money for the MBA Youth Bowhunters Camp. Everyone who participated had a blast. I thing they have a new understanding for the Geneses Bows they had to shoot. A lot of friendly competition went on all afternoon. They made a couple hundred dollars for the Youth Camp.

Some of the highlights from the convention included, Roger Peffer has retired from the awards committee, going out with a bang. Our Bowhunter of the Year, Bridger Kamp with a tremendous year of bowhunting success and accomplishments in school and our Paul Schafer Award recipient Mitchel LePage is one upcoming bowhunter we best be watching. It won’t be long and the bulls around Lewistown will be in serious trouble. Our Special Achievement Award went to a very deserving fella who has been a mentor for bowhunters from Lewistown for many years. It’s nice that those he has helped recognize how much he has done for them. We also gave a Special/ Lifetime Achievement Award to our three founding Fathers for setting the ground work for the MBA. We have what we have because of their foresight for the future of Bowhunting in Montana.

Fairmont went the extra mile for us again this year, letting us set up the targets in the foyer. They made sure we had enough food so we didn’t have to turn anyone away from the dinner. I think we sold over a hundred and sixty dinners. Our numbers have been on the increase for the last three years. That’s very encouraging for the MBA.

Next year’s convention goes to Region 4, and Great Falls will be hosting the event at Best Western Plus Heritage Inn. Cliff and Mandy Garness are going to chair the committee and they already got things in motion. They will keep us updated for any help they might need. The convention is planed for March 29 – 31 2019. Keep your calendars clear for that date.

I would like to take this time to thank all the Board of Directors for their service over the past several years. We have had several Reps. step down to let some new blood into the system. Mike Sheppard, Tim Roberts, David Moon and Roger Peffer have stepped down. So, I THANK each of you for the work and the time you put into the MBA to assure the future of Bowhunting in Montana. THANK YOU!

We are still in the process of going through the ballot write-ins and the approval process through the Board. When we get through I’ll have to notify the membership with an email. I assure you that we have some enthusiastic young members stepping up to the challenge of being on the board.

The MBA will once again be stepping up to help get the youth into shooting bows. We are setting up at the Youth Conservation Education Expo at the Teller Wildlife

MBA Committees

Legislative:

Jerry Davis, Chair

Steve Schindler • Ray Gross

Marlon Clapham • Richard Lewallen

Tentatives:

Ray Gross, Chair

Paul Martin • Mark Schwomeyer • Steve Schindler

John Grimstad • Kent Brown • Marlon Clapham

Financial:

Jerry Davis, Chair

Jenn Schneider • Seth Rogers

Ray Gross • Neil Maier

Landowner/Sportsman:

Mark Schwomeyer, Chair

Neil Maier • Bob Morgan • Barrett Haugan

Nominations:

Steve Schindler, Chair

Al Kelly • Paul Martin

Awards:

Marlon Clapham, Chair

Al Kelly • Steve Schindler

Rich Lewallen • Marlon Clapham

Membership:

Marlon Clapham, Chair

Jenn Schneider • Seth Rogers • Ray Gross

Kent Brown • Barrett Haugan • Kent Schultz

Joelle Selk – Membership Assistant

Convention 2019-Region 4:

Stephen LePage, Cliff & Mandy Garness , Chairs

Committee to be determined

Region 5 —2020 Fairmont

Region 3 —2021 Fairmont

Magazine:

Al & Teri Kelly, Co-Chairs

Steve Schindler • Joelle Selk

Brian Koelzer • Jerry Davis

Website:

Liberty Brown • Jenn Schneider • Lyle Hebel

Beckie Doyle • Steve Schindler

Carp Shoot: Joelle Selk, Chair

Roger Licht • Stephen LePage

Bow-Ed: Al Kelly, Chair

Brian Koelzer • Bob Morgan • Mark Schwomeyer

Ray Gross • Marlon Clapham

Youth Membership:

Becky Doyle, Chair • Roger Licht

This is a new committee and will involve the youth from every region for their input. All area reps. will try to recruit youth from their region to get involved with the MBA’s decision making process. This will mostly be done through the e-mail contacts. They may want to attend the Board Meeting on occasion and we can get them ready for the future. We will try to keep their ages from 16 to 25 or so.

Reg. 1 – Vacant

Reg. 2 – Jackie Doyle, Callie Stevens

Reg. 3 – Vacant

Reg. 4 – Vacant

Reg. 5 – Vacant

Reg. 6 – Vacant

Reg. 7 – Vacant

Reg. 8 – Vacant

Steve Schindler

Joelle Selk

Marlon Claphman

Refuge. We are one of the founders of this event and it continues to grow each year. The MBA goes up to the Magruder youth camp and we set up the archery range for the kids to shoot everyday. Five Valley Archery Club brings up a dozen 3D targets for the kids to shoot and everyone has a ball. We do a bunch of fishing with the kids and all most everyone catches a few fish. The MBA Youth Bowhunter Camp will be adding five more youths this July. There is a full report in this news letter.

Well I don’t know about you but I think I’m officially tired of this winter. As I write this we have another two inches of new snow. I really felt for you folks across the High Line and the Low Line, record low temps wind never stops blowing snow in record levels. When it stopped snowing it rains and rains. Maybe we will have a good summer with lots of carp and good fishing with few forest fires, fingers crossed.

Well I rambled on long enough, hope to see everyone at the Carp Safari, and bring along a bunch of SUN SHINE and leave the wind at home.

Keep-em Sharp and Shoot-em Straight

Marlon

Marlon Clapham

First Vice President’sReport

Aplace to hunt, for most of us this is a dilemma that is ongoing and for the most part an unending endeavor. For the most part we are very lucky in Montana because we have the block management program as well as other programs that ensure our access. But… ah there is always a but, the Habitat Montana program administered by the Mt. FWP is constantly under fire. I am not sure why because it does not use any tax money, it uses sportsmen’s dollars to help not only Sportsmen to have a place to hunt, but also helps the landowners by paying them a rather large sum of money for conservation projects on their land. Additionally, it provides the FWP an easement to ensure we have a place to hunt, and to keep the ranch a working ranch and not a huge housing development. UNFORTUNATLY, at this time we have a land board who for the most part is adamantly against sportsmen spending sportsmen’s dollars and helping not only Montana ranchers but sportsmen as well.

It’s time for Montana sportsmen to stand up and Bark. This land board is comprised of elected officials, for instance there are 5 members of the land board and two of them Gov. Bullock and Attorney General Tim Fox have been on our side, but with a 3 to 2 vote we are losing. The other three members of the land board are Matt Rosendale, Corey Stapleton, and Elsie Arntzen and why these three consistently have it in for Montana Sportsmen is anybody’s guess. I don’t believe this is a partisan plan but just personal agenda’s by the 3 no votes.

We can all agree that lands open to hunting are shrinking every year, we need to keep and maintain programs that help us keep hunting. Programs such as the block management program, habitat Montana are all designed to do just that. So far this land board has nixed two very good Conservation easements and there are a few more on the horizon, do yourself a favor and write a letter to them AND e-mail them telling them to support conservation easements that have been vetted and have good sound conservation goals. All these conservation easements have gone thru a vetting process thru the Mt. FWP Commission. Not all requests get approved by the FWP Commission some simply just don’t qualify, but the ones that do qualify are good solid deals for us as sportsmen, only to be killed by three members of the land board who are not hunters and who appear to have personal agendas against the Sportsmen of Montana. Here is the address for the Land Board:

DNRC Headquarters

Montana Land Board

1539 Eleventh Ave. Helena, MT 59601

Also e mail them. landboard@mt.gov

Second Vice President’sReport

The robins are back, elk are shedding, turkeys are gobbling, and the geese are fighting at 4am! Yep it’s officially spring. Just finished up lion season with a successful outing with fellow bowhunter and your region 4 rep. Stephen LePage, also my 6-year-old son Archer enjoyed his first lion tree with a triple! I hope this is sign of things to come.

Bears and morels are just around the corner and I don’t know which I’m more excited about. I’ve got a few plans for bears this spring, one of them involves a self-bow Bob Morgan and I have been working on. We have jumped into spring headfirst with 20 kids in our bowhunter education class. It’s great how eager these young kids eager to learn. Many of them already have a few stories to tell and a fair bit of advice. Our field day is also full and I often find myself wondering how all of these bowhunter are going to disperse. The next big event to look forward too will be the carp shoot. Hopefully you’ll can make.

Until then peace out from region 4

Mark Schwomeyer

Secretary’s

Message

Finally, the weather has broken and spring bear is here! Hopefully I can call one into bow range in the next couple months.

I wanted to thank you all for supporting the Teen Camp Fundraisers we had at the convention. Things are shaping up for a great camp in July! We will be drawing a couple youth from some youth events across the state and we will have some returning campers. Can’t wait! I’m battling some health issues lately as well as taking care of my husband so hoping to be recovered in time for the Carp Safari! See you all in June.

Get your hunt on!

Beckie Doyle

Beckie Doyle

Steve Schindler

Mark Schwomeyer

REGION 1 AL

REGION 2

REGION 3

BRIAN KOELZER

BARRETT HAUGEN

REGION 4

STEPHEN LEPAGE

ROGER LICHT

REGION 5

RICHARD LEWALLEN

KEN SCHULTZ

REGION 6

NATHAN VEIT

REGION 7

BOB MORGAN

How did everybody winter this year? I did well as evidenced by how many of the calories I put away for winter are still with me. But alas, the weather has turned the corner and I and my boys (furry boys) are stretching out our hiking time. The days are longer and the list of things to get out and participate is growing fast. We sure are lucky to live in a land of such great opportunity. And what a great time of year. So, I am here to remind you to get out and have some fun, after all it is fun season.

The MBA crew in the Bitterroot Valley is already hard at work putting together the Youth Elk Camp in Sula. Rich Hjort went down last year with Youths Cody Crace and Jay Riddle from Libby and a great time was had by all. Rich is going back to guide and the Libby Archery club is sponsoring another youth from Libby. If you know a youth that would like to participate let your local representative know. Bear season is open and it won’t be long before bears are out and about. Harvest a bear save an ungulate. We have some local folks who are putting the “trap a wolf save lots of ungulates” to work. My friend Fred puts several of those land sharks in his traps every year. That is a whole lot more deer and elk for you and me to hunt. Thanks Fred.

Hope to see many of you at the Carp Safari. Enjoy your summer.

Al Kelly

Hi All - Man it has been a busy spring with the convention getting ready and lastminute details. I want to really thank the convention committee for a lot of help in planning. Also, a special thanks to Brian Koelzer and Joelle Selk for their great support and keeping things on line with deadlines for printing and newsletter and Teri is fantastic on keeping the newsletter going and keeping us up to date on time lines for news articles. I want to thank everyone that helped gather items for silent auction, live auction and door prizes for the guest speaker’s presentations. There were also a lot of great items for the regional games.

This was a humbling experience and without good help it would not come off like it did. I hope everyone had a good time.

ATV ticket sales are past the half way point. Expenses are covered with the present sales so if we can sell them all we can make some good money. If you want any more tickets, or more importantly, if you know of any one that would like to buy some tickets let me know and I will send some to you. The season for motor cycles and ATV’s is going to be hitting its stride and there are some people looking for new machines. Now is a good time to sell some tickets. I need to have all ticket stubs and money in by August 1st so I can make an accounting of all the tickets and make sure I have all the stubs. The drawing will be held on August 15th. Once that happens the winner will need to work with Five Valley Honda/Yamaha of Missoula to get the paper work completed and we can get the ATV to the winner.

The Carp shoot is coming up fast on June 9th Several 3-D shoots are already on tap around the state. The Teen Bow Hunter camp is right on its heels in July and planning is moving forward on this event.

Neil Maier

Al Kelly

Neil Maier

3

BARRETT HAUGAN

Well spring turkey season officially kicked off this weekend and even though it still feels more like winter than spring I’ve seen a few pics of friends holding up big toms while standing in a snow drift. Not often you wear your whites for turkey. For the first time ever, the Gallatin Valley has an over the counter turkey tag instead of a lottery drawing. Pretty neat that from initial introduction efforts 20 years ago we’ve gone from having no birds to an over the counter opportunity.

I’m having a hard time even thinking about spring bears as any self-respecting bruin should still

IKoelzer

be sleeping in this lousy weather. From what I’ve seen in this neck of the woods this has been a tough winter on the wildlife. Record snows and fluctuating temps have made foraging quite a task. The antelope have been hit particularly hard around here and I know one land owner who has had over sixty does in his alfalfa field so far.

The convention was another huge success and I’d like to give Neil Maier a huge thank you for doing a fantastic job of chairing the weekend. Gene Wensel was entertaining as always and throw in great food, great people, and a great venue you can’t help but have a fantastic time. A huge thank you to the

t is always a pleasure seeing everyone at the convention. I’m very happy it keeps getting bigger and better. Thank you all for making it possible. I hope everyone has enjoyed the never-ending winter. Regardless of the weather I hope you have been getting outside looking for antlers, scouting for bears and turkey. Anything other than shoveling snow. Winter always plays a huge part in determining next year’s harvest quotas.

That being said everyone should be very respectful towards the wildlife this spring and give them their space. Deep snow and tough winter conditions can make it very difficult for their survival. But please get out there and get your vitamin D, exercise, shed antlers, Turkey tags punched and bear tags filled. Most important, get a kid outdoors and teach them the greatest way to live their life. Good luck out there and be Safe!

Barrett Haugan

Barrett Haugan and Taylorwho says you can’t hunt with a two year old!

Top Right - Gracin

Middle Right - Taylor

Bottom Right - Taylor Spotting

board members who give tirelessly from set up to tear down as well. It truly is a group effort and we’ve watched it grow substantially over the last few years!

As I write this I’m 48 hours away from having major surgery on my right elbow. Not being able to shoot my bow means spring bear is not happening for me this year but if all goes well I’ll be back in the saddle for August 15 antelope. Exactly 17 days after getting cut on my wife and I are headed north to the top of Saskatchewan in search of a huge black bear for her. She’s hunting and I’m just tagging along with my arm in a sling. it just so happens she will be nearly 5 months pregnant at the time of her hunt. We’re going to be quite the pair and if all goes well I may have to write a story about the crippled and pregnant bear hunt!

Good luck to all of you on your springtime adventures and remember carp safari will be here before we know it so get signed up!

Brian Koelzer

Dan Moore

Brian

Stephen LePage

Well I am pretty sick of winter, as I am sure all of you are. I have not heard of much winter kill around here, but I have not been out looking. At the time of writing this, the turkeys are strutting and gobbling, but to get after them a bowhunter would need both snowshoes and waders.

It will not be long and we will be out shooting in the yard, chasing turkeys and sticking carp! Although I have a bad case of cabin fever, this time of year is perfect to reflect on past hunts and plan future adventures. Which reminds me, I wish you all the luck in the upcoming moose, sheep and goat drawings.

I would also like to thank everyone at the convention, both the people putting it on and the people enjoying it. Your support of the club through attendance of these events is invaluable to the goals of the Montana Bowhunters Association.

Sincerely,

Stephen LePage

As I write this it is still winter here in central MT with lots of snow. It’s been hard to get out on scouting trips and horn hunting, even hard to ice fish. Hope everybody got their permits in and are dreaming of hunts this fall. One thing that broke up the winter was the MBA banquet this year at Fairmount Hot Springs, lots of people and a good time. Hats off to Neil and everybody else that helped. Spring is here, they say, and spring turkey and bear are not far away hope everybody gets out and enjoys spring time in MT. The carp safari is in June at Canyon Ferry Lake this is a fun family event hope to see you there. God bless our troops.

Roger Licht

Greetings Everyone,

Hope everyone survived the long, rough winter we endured this year. I know I’m looking forward to the arrival of the Global Warming someday that everyone is predicting, or maybe just the nice weather ahead. With that said, I’m very thankful for the incredible moisture that came with the snowfall especially after the dry summer we suffered through last year. I know the growers/farmers in this area are excited about this year if they can just get their crops in the ground!

The first round of tags are in and now comes the next 2 rounds. Make sure everyone checks out those dates so you don’t miss an opportunity to apply in your favorite areas.

Looking forward to spring actually starting with Turkey and Bear season opening on the 14th of April. Time for you slackers like myself to get our bows out and dust them off begin the practicing. Those of you who never stop shooting year-round are always on your game.

Also, coming this Summer are several fun events for our members and friends like the Canyon Ferry Carp Shoot and the 2nd Annual MBA Teen Bowhunter Camp to participate in. Be watching for exact dates so you can mark on your calendars. Please let all your friends know. We would Love to have a great turnout.

Like always,

Shoot Straight and ALWAYS be a Straight Shooter!!!

Scultz

Hi I’m Nathan Veit. I am 22 years old and work for the rural electric company in Malta, MT where I have lived all my life. I have bowhunted since I could start at the age of 12 and am excited to represent the other bowhunters in my area of the state.

Thanks for your consideration.

Ken Scultz

Ken

Stephen LePage

Nathan Veit

IBOB MORGAN

t’s a beautiful day in Montana I’m headed to the forest to look for some elk antlers and deer sheds. Lots of snow down here as I write this so I’m going out on my snowmobile.

It was a great turnout for the convention this year with our guest speaker GENE Wensel. He told lots of stories about when he was going up bow hunting. Reminded me of when I grew up with my four sisters and my younger brother. My uncle showed us how to make bows out of willow shoots, and arrow’s also. That kept us busy for years, and I got hooked on bows.

That’s where the corny bird game came from that I had at the convention. We used to take corn cobs and put three feathers in the end of them and throw them at each other, probably turkey feathers or chicken feathers or maybe pheasant feathers. The crowd seemed to enjoy the corny bird game.

A big thank you to all the donors this year thank you, thank you”, thank you. It’s always a great time at the convention each year. We had a record crowd I believe this year.

I got to go lion hunting with the boys from Lewistown, we found some tracks and I don’t know who got more excited, me or the dogs. We all had a great time, of course I got to meet more characters, maybe next year.

Let’s just enjoy our time in the outdoors and keep shooting and good luck to everybody and remember this is the day that the Lord has made let’s rejoice and be glad in it.

Bob Morgan region seven give me a call if you want to visit.

Thank You

Bob Morgan

Marlon Clapham with Teen Bowhunters

You have heard these words before Dedication, Riding for the Brand, Above and beyond going the extra mile. These are words that best describe Marlon Clapham.

Six years ago, at a meeting for our first ever youth expo to be held at Teller Wildlife Refuge I met Marlon Clapham for the first time. I thought whoa who is this guy with the Afro hair doo. I was soon to learn that evening of his dedication to the Montana Bowhunters and the youth that he dedicates most all of his free time to. Marlon spoke with a passion that night about our youth and what the Bowhunters could do to help promote our youth not only for the expo but for the rest of the year through further instruction.

Fast forward to 2016. One of the summer camps that we sent from 10 to 20 kids each year had become booked full long before our May youth expo. So, we looked around and came up with a plan to do our summer camp at a location closer to home here in the Bitterroot Valley. We ended up securing the Magruder Ranger Station from the U.S. Forest Service for a mid-July week that year and each year since. For those of you not familiar with the location it is located between the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness and the Frank Church Wilderness. These areas total some 3.4 million acres of the largest wilderness in the lower 48 states.

Marlon has been there to run the Montana Bow Hunters portion of this camp for the past two years. He has done this by himself committing a week for this camp. He even constructed a shower for us the first summer at Magruder for all to use. Marlon is multi-talented as any one can tell you that is associated with him. This camp consists of 20 kids and the time spent each day over a 4-day period is broken down into segments of 4-hour blocks with 5 kids at a time. While doing this the kids are exposed to all forms of archery shooting and the use of ladder stands and body harnesses. Shooting from these ladder stands while in the body harnesses etc. Then Marlon takes the kids back for evening shooting after dinner when possible. This year Marlon will be doing double duty the week of July 15th -22nd as we have added another camp at the Scripps Ranch up the West Fork the ladder part of that week. So, once he is done at Magruder he will have to pull up and relocate to the Scripps Ranch for an all-day event on Saturday the 21st of July.

So, if you are able to help Marlon at these camps please contact him. I know he would really appreciate the help and you can expect a VERY rewarding time working with our youth.

Now Marlon and his crew have come up with another camp held a few weeks after the Magruder camp. It is called the Teen Bowhunter Camp July 26- 29, 2018. What a camp! I got to visit it last year and it is a real hunt experience. Call it the real deal. As you will do it all from start to finish. A real bow hunt scenario.

So, call it what you will, dedicated, committed, riding for the brand. Marlon fits all of those. So when you get the change congratulate him and help him when you can.

Tom Powers

Youth Conservation Education Expo

See Page 14 & 15 for information on the upcoming Teen Bowhunter Camp and Youth Conservation Expo

KENT BROWN

JERRY DAVIS

CLIFF GARNESS

MANDY GARNESS

JOHN GRIMSTAD (NO REPORT)

PAUL MARTIN

RAY GROSS

SETH ROGERS

RICH SMITH

DREW STEINBERGER

CDirectorsAt Large

ongratulations and thanks to the convention crew for all their hard work at the convention. It was a great time.

While at the convention, a friend and I were discussing the whitetails’ ability to jump and evade an arrow and I wondered if it might be possible to quantify the potential for movement as it relates to arrow speed and target distance. The problem, of course, is that sound travels a heck of a lot faster than our fastest arrows (1125 fps at 68 degrees F.) so there is always a time interval between the time the sound arrives and then the arrow. This interval, of course, increases with yardage, allowing more time for a reaction by the deer as distances increase.

In order for a deer to lunge, it first has to drop from the standing position to preload its leg muscles. The only force allowing this drop is simple gravity. Using some dreaded mathematics, we can estimate the distance an object can drop if we know the time: distance = ½(a)(t2), where a = acceleration (32ft/sec2). Although dropped objects start slowly, the speed of the drop rapidly becomes remarkable and covers 16 feet in only one second. I don’t think even a wooly mammoth could drop 16 feet, but it’s obvious that a whole lot of unwanted movement can occur as this time interval increases.

There are several things we need to know. The first is the travel time of sound to different target yardages (easy). Another is the flight time of the arrow to each distance. To get this, I consulted a local archery pro shop for information. He estimated that the average compound hunting setup consisted of a 65# bow @ 29” draw, 400 gr., 29” arrow with 2”x1/2” fletching. Your setup may vary significantly from this, but using a calculator from the Internet, I was able to find the estimated arrow velocities at target yardages of 10 yd. to 70 yd. and thus calculate arrow flight times for each distance. I then did the same for a recurve/longbow at 170 fps and selfbow at 155 fps, with 500 gr. 29” arrows with 5”x 1/2” fletching for each. Again, your setup may vary.

So we now know the time for sound and then the arrow to reach the deer. But there is a roach in the pudding. We need to know the amount of time for the deer to process the sound and initiate a reaction. As far as I could see, no one seems to know this factor for certain.

Here is where we leave the firm foundation of physics and fact and step gingerly into the murky, tepid waters of WAG (Wild-Ass Guesswork). One hunter in an Internet video estimated that a deer’s reaction time was 1/10th of a second. My own subjective estimate of their reaction time is QTH (quicker than hell), while human responses seem to be more on the order of STS (slower than….. well, you get the idea). Whatever the time, this survival reaction likely does not require higher thought processing. For example, STS humans have an innate burn reflex that causes us to remove our hands from hot objects as quickly as a mere 15 milliseconds , before we even realize it is hot. This is because the burn stimulus from your hand is intercepted in the spinal cord and acted upon without ever consulting your brain. I have to think that whitetails, having evolved in the presence of fearsome predators, would have some sort of similar pathway for reacting without conscious thought to danger. In the absence of any data, however, I have decided to use the 1/10th second processing time for this purpose, even though it is 6X slower than the human burn reflex.

So at each target distance, the WAG reaction time of 0.100 sec. is added to the travel time of sound and that total is then subtracted from the travel time of the arrow to arrive at the amount of time for bad things to happen. Have I lost you yet?

If you look at the spreadsheet, the last two columns are the most important to consider; the available reaction time and the maximum potential drop of the animal due to gravity. Even for a blazing fast compound, the values are sobering. At a mere 30 yards, a deer in full escape mode could drop nearly 4”. We’ve all walked up to a 3D target and admired the arrow in the small center ring (well, some of us more than others), but under this scenario and our assumptions, that arrow could potentially end up in the very top of the lung area of a living deer, leading to a marginal blood trail and poor chance of recovery. As the target distance increases, the situation deteriorates rapidly with a potential drop of nearly 10” at only 40 yards. At some point, the deer will load its leg muscles and begin to twist and lunge leading to all sorts of unwanted consequences.

I’m certainly not picking on compounds, here. We all face the same challenges, just at different ranges due to our differing arrow speeds. For example, at a mere 20 yards, a recurve faces a potential 8” drop and a selfbow 11”.

This brings up a million dollar question: “Do you purposefully practice in the preseason by aiming low in anticipation of a drop?” If so, do you curse at yourself when your arrow strays high into that small center ring as a lousy shot? If we do aim a little low and allow a maximum reactive drop of 3” to keep the arrow near the center of the lungs, then we might be looking at a maximum safe target distance of only 28 yards with a compound, 15 yards with a recurve and 12 yards with a selfbow with the above arrow speeds and assumptions.

This subject is rife with unknowable variables: 1) Will the animal even react? 2) If so, how quickly and how violently? 3) Is the deer “wired” or under hunting pressure? 4) Is the WAG value reasonable? 5) At increased yardages, will the diminished sound of the bow elicit a response? 6) Add your own.

Sound, by the way, responds to the “inverse square rule” (1/X 2) which means that if you double the distance from a source of sound, the amplitude will be reduced to 1/4th instead of only ½. Thus at 70 yards, even though the time interval is dangerously long, the sound amplitude is decreased, adding yet another variable. Keep in mind, however, that the arrow also continuously creates sound as it spins toward its target. The change in pitch of this sound due to the Doppler Effect, as the arrow approaches the deer, is also likely to increase alarm in the animal as well.

Even if a deer does not react violently, the time interval at longer distances allows for inadvertent catastrophe. For example, at 70 yards with the compound, the time interval for disaster is nearly ½ second. The deer might merely look up in curiosity and not move (get out the camera for Hero shots); orient slightly toward the sound (brisket/shoulder shot) or take a single innocent step forward (paunch shot). Even a STS human could cause a lot of mayhem in ½ second.

Again, recurves/longbows and selfbows face the same challenge. Hearing the sound of my selfbow at 70 yards, a deer could go get a double espresso, come back and still have time to react.

Of course, all these figures and calculations are in themselves meaningless. There are simply too many variables and WAG’s to look at these as concrete facts. I think, however, that the pattern of results, no matter how imperfect the data, is still important. Think of it as yet another factor to put into your quiver of worries, doubts and concerns as you contemplate a shot. It could mean the difference between posing for Hero Photos or crawling around on your hands and knees in the dark, looking for non-existent blood and seriously questioning your decisionmaking abilities.

Hope you have a great summer –

Paul Martin

Kent Brown

Some good news about the Horse

Creek Conservation Easement

Rumor has it that the State Land Board will not be reviewing the Horse Creek Conservation Easement because they have no authority to do so. Governor Bullock alluded to as much during the Land Board Meeting in March.

From the DNRC website – “State trust lands are managed by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Trust Lands Management Division. Timber, surface, and mineral resources are managed for the benefit of the common schools and the other endowed institutions in Montana, under the direction of the State Board of Land Commissioners”. FWP conservation easements on private land are not State Trust lands and do not benefit common schools and the other endowed institutions in Montana. These conservation easements are purchased with Habitat Montana dollars, money generated by sportspeople of Montana therefore it certainly appears that the Land Board has no authority of over such conservation easements. It appears that authority to approve or disapprove FWP conservation easements lies with the FWP Commission.

Montana’s Hunter Advancement Pilot Program – A Landowner and Sportsperson Collaboration to Address Hunter Ethics, Private Land Access and Wildlife Management

Since 2010 One Montana, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to moving Montana forward through rural-urban partnerships, has been facilitating a working group called Common Ground. MBA is a member of that group which is a partnership of Montana landowners, outfitters and sportspersons who have been working together over the last several years to solve difficult issues concerning access and land stewardship in Montana.

One such issue is that of over-objective populations of elk on private lands where landowners do not allow public hunting.

One of the key factors that landowners often state as a reason for not allowing public hunters on to their property is hunter behavior/ethics. Another factor cited is that hunters lack an understanding of farm and ranch operations and often disrupt agricultural activities or cause damage to landowners’ property.

We have all seen the negative stories when large groups of elk congregate on private land and unethical hunters go into a shooting frenzy that leads to wounded game, damaged agricultural equipment by errant shots, and trespassing without permission.

But many landowners in Montana are confronted with large numbers of elk on their properties that cause damage to crops and fencing. Public hunting could help address those problems but as stated above many landowners do not allow any public access for good reason.

With the cooperation and participation of private landowners not already in Block Management the Montana Hunter Advancement Pilot Course and Program is an endeavor to address these issues.

The program’s mission is to provide advanced hunter education that increases hunter competence, ethical hunting behavior, private land access and knowledge of agriculture and land stewardship.

The goals of the course are:

• To educate hunters to a higher level of understanding of landowner issues and concerns, including but not limited to, respect for private property, use of roads (or not), weeds, safety, intrusion on landowner’s time, etc.

• To educate hunters regarding the economics of ranching/farming and the impacts that wildlife have on ranching and farming.

• To increase hunter knowledge of all aspects of the hunt, including ethics, shooting, care of game, woodsmanship, first aid, survival skills, etc.

• To build mutual respect and cooperation between landowners and the sportsmen community.

• To increase the potential for better wildlife management opportunities for landowners and more quality land access and hunting opportunities for ethical hunters. In other words enhance access to private lands previously inaccessible to hunters.

With a successful program there should be benefits to landowners, hunters, and wildlife management.

Benefits to Landowners:

• A well-trained, qualified pool of hunters to draw from when considering who to allow on their property. Currently, many landowners may not wish to allow general public hunters onto their property as they have no way of knowing the competence or ethics of those individuals.

• Opportunity to communicate with selected hunters prior to hunting so hunters will be informed of all landowner expectations, ranch rules, property boundaries, safety zones, etc.

• Ability to use an online hunter management/reservation system to minimize the “hassle factor” of dealing with hunters asking for permission via phone or in person on a daily basis.

• Landowners select the species and sex of the animals to be hunted; the time periods that hunting is allowed; the areas of the ranch where hunting is allowed; the number of hunters allowed; what, if any, roads may be used; requirements for road use such as washing vehicles for weed control prior to hunting , retrieval, etc. Landowner may still grant access to other hunters.

• Opportunity to control wildlife populations under strict guidelines in a safe environment with well-‐ trained respectful hunters.

Benefits to Hunters:

• Opportunity to access previously inaccessible private and/or “land locked” public lands.

• Creates an opportunity for a higher quality hunting experience.

• Increased knowledge level on all aspects of hunting.

• Opportunity to develop positive, mutually beneficial relationships with landowners.

Benefits to Wildlife Management:

• Creates an environment for managing wildlife to desired levels through limited, managed access by hunters who have completed the Montana Hunter Advancement Program.

At this time The Montana Hunter Advancement Program is administered by the Common Ground working group and not by the FWP. The intent is in that future administration of this program will be by a non-governmental organization, possibly spawned from the Common Ground working group. This non-governmental organization would work with but separate from FWP and would not require regulatory authority from FWP or the Legislature.

Participating landowners will be allowed to set their own access rules, similar to Block Management, and they may charge a small access fee subject to approval of the administering entity. To date no participating landowners has asked for access fees. Access fees are only meant to cover costs of allowing public access, i.e. weed control, fencing, road damage, etc.

Reservations for hunting by those certified through the Montana Hunter Advancement Program will be available online.

As of this writing the dead line to apply for the initial Montana Hunter Advancement Program course has closed and there are over 120 applicants for the 30 slots. Those lucky 30 applicants will know before April 28th.

The course entails about 40 hours of class room and field instruction over 7 weekends between April 28th and June 10th with each weekend at a different location. There will only be a rifle option this year but if the program is successful there should be a bowhunting option next year. Graduates will have to achieve a minimum of 80% on the final written exam and have attained satisfactory scores on the field experiences

Continued on page 12

which include a shooting proficiency evaluation. Students must attend all class presentations and scheduled field exercises.

By the time you read this the candidates for the course will have been selected and the course will be underway. In my next column I will convey the critique of the program by candidates and instructors. In the fall or winter edition after hunting season I will convey the critique of the candidates and landowners who participated.

Montana’s Hunter Advancement Program can only be successful if there is cooperation and participation from landowners who need and want qualified hunters and hunters willing to go the extra mile to become qualified. If successful this program will provide a lot of opportunity to hunt places we haven’t been able to hunt in the past.

Carp Safari

Hoping all of you are ready for a little spring fun at our annual Carp Safari with weigh-ins and awards staged at the Hellgate Campground Group Use Area. As for me, I am honing my skills and improving my equipment in hopes of having some success. Good luck to all.

Jerry Davis

We reside in Great Falls and are excited to once again be involved in the Montana Bowhunters Association. Cliff served as a Region 4 Representative for several years and gave up his position for other commitments, both personal and career related. Due to Cliff’s other career commitments, we have decided to “tag-team” for the director at large position, as we have a passion for the outdoors, including bowhunting and recognize and support the accomplishments of the Montana Bowhunters Association through the years. We both grew up hunting and are raising our boys to enjoy the outdoors as well.

Cliff and Mandy Garness

OFF SEASON HUNTS AND 3D SHOOTS - With another convention under our belts and you have filled all 5 wolf tags, some of us get to go to other states or maybe even other countries to hunt some kind of critter. Most of us have to put up with this winter that just won’t go away, so we have to get a little creative in between snow storms and take in the Big Sky Sporting Clays to shoot some pheasants. Yes, we know this isn’t wild birds, but it’s more about getting out with family and friends that haven’t done this before. Of course, to use your bow and arrow to try and knock one of those birds out of the air is quite challenging, so you might want someone to pack the shot gun for back up. This turned out to be fun and a good opportunity for all, like Zach getting his first rooster bird with the shotgun, and yet none of us claiming the Howard Hill shot on a bird.

Of course, I can’t go without mentioning our secret weapon, Shelby, our German Shorthaired Pointer, she is a treat to hunt with and will probably recover the bird if you hit it or not, oh yes smoked pheasant is out of this world. With the end of March, we have to switch gears for the upcoming 3D shoots, like the Flathead Valley Archers Membership at the MBEF property that had to be postponed to the 7th & 8th of April to lose the foot of snow in the parking area. Starting off the season with a great turnout and some familiar faces showing up made things even more enjoyable. Speaking of 3D shoots, my good friend Larry Rattray for some time has been wanting to revive the Mission Valley Archery club. Larry, now president of the club, scheduled a one day shoot for April 14th. A lot of the Flathead Valley folks showing up for support, one club helping another is good stuff in my book. Please watch for upcoming shoots on a website. OK, get out, shoot a turkey, look for a bear, and don’t forget to get your permits in. Something we like telling the youth groups we attend is to always do the right thing when nobody is looking

Paul Martin

Spring is trying to spring. Here in Dillon there is some greening up, but as I write this, it is the middle of April and snowing. I floated the Beaverhead yesterday and it was good to be outdoors. The amazing thing is spring bear season is just a few days away and before long it will be archery antelope season, then elk and deer. No wonder I can’t get all my work done. Hunt and fish, hunt and fish, it wears you out. But as soon you get back from a trek in a day or so you’re anxiously planning another. It’s great living in Montana!

Ray Gross Dillon, Montana

Paul Martin with Zack, and Dawson

Flathead Valley Archers Membership - Al Kelly, Ruth Miller and Raven

Flathead Valley Archers Membership -Martin family at the shoot

Flathead Valley Archers Membership -shooting at the alligator

Ray Gross

Hats off to the convention crew! It was another great one at Fairmont. Never thought I’d be so happy to say the ticks are out, but after this winter, I’m happy with all that comes with spring.

Now it’s time to turn my attention to turkeys. Good luck to everyone enjoying our spring turkey and bear seasons.

Seth Rogers

My name is Rich Smith and it’s my understanding that my name was a ballot writein for an open at-large board position in the recent MBA election. Although I am not certain as to which person or persons are responsible for perpetrating this notorious deed, let me assure you that, since I have been approved, I will consider it an honor to serve on the MBA board. As requested, the following is a brief biography that I hope will provide members a sketch of my background:

I have been a hunter for many years. However, I didn’t begin bowhunting until fifteen (15) years ago. I got my start by visiting Northwest Archery, a shop that was located near Seattle not far from where I worked. It took only a couple of conversations with the late Glen St. Charles to convince me that I should give bowhunting a try. Since that time, I have hunted nearly exclusively with a bow (the one exception is that I join an old friend of many years, who is not a bowhunter, for an annual muzzleloader hunt in Idaho). From the start, bowhunting became a very important part of my life and very quickly became a lifestyle. Not long after purchasing my first bow I joined Washington State Bowhunters and the Traditional Bowhunters of Washington.

IOver the years I have been a member of the following bowhunter organizations:

• Washington State Bowhunters

• Traditional Bowhunters of Washington (life member)

• Compton Traditional Bowhunters

• Pope and Young Club (associate / general member since 2006)

• Traditional Bowhunters of Montana

Additionally, upon making the decision to move from Washington State to Montana in 2012, I immediately joined the Montana Bowhunters Association even before making the actual move.

In general, while having concerns about the impact the advancement of technology could have on future of our archery seasons, I believe that it is critical that bowhunters remain united regardless of whether they shoot a stickbow or a wheelbow. As a sidenote, I personally shot a traditional bow exclusively for many years but now also own and shoot a compound bow due to some physical issues I was experiencing.

I am also deeply interested in conservation issues. I joined the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 1995 and became a life member in 1997. For the past three (3) years I have been a member of our local RMEF banquet committee. I have also been a member of the Mule Deer Foundation since 1997.

In the past I also served as an at-large board member of the Washington State Bowhunters. I served in that position for about two years until I resigned after my son passed away, which required me to give family concerns my complete attention.

Finally, whenever possible, I have made every effort to attend local MBA meetings, infrequent though they have been. I have also attended MBA conventions and was a volunteer when the convention was held here in Billings in 2015. I should also mention that I have never been cited, much less convinced, of a game law violation (I mention this because it was mentioned in passing during a telephone conversation about eligibility for this MBA board position).

I hope this helps. If there are any further questions I can answer, or any concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rich Smith

406-850-3010

muleybum@gmail.com

’ve lived in Montana my entire life, growing up in Forsyth and now residing in Great Falls. My interest in archery started when I helped a friend decoy in an antelope when I was 15. A few years later my dad got me a bow as a present for reaching the Boy Scout rank of Eagle, but I didn’t really get into bowhunting until college.

After graduating from the University of Montana in 2005 I went to work for a little company in Colstrip called Montana Decoy. This career move really fueled my passion for bowhunting, especially elk, and I’ve been hard at it ever since.

As I’ve progressed as a hunter I’ve taken a bigger interest in the issues of our sport. As a result, I decided to get more involved and take this interest more serious by becoming a life member of the MBA. I look forward to sharing my perspective, learning from others, continuing to grow and ultimately giving back to the lifestyle I am so passionate about.

Thank you again for the opportunity

Drew Steinberger

Rich Smith

Drew Steinberger

Volunteering with the MBA Teen Camp

By Rich Hjort

I volunteered to serve as a guide for the MBA Teen Bow Camp in 2017. The Libby Archery Club had sponsored a youth for the weeklong camp and since I’m retired and I could fit the camp into my schedule I decided I’d volunteer.

Cody Crace was the young man the Libby Archery Club chose to sponsor so he and I were riding down together. Due to a cancellation in another region, a spot was open so we also got to bring another young man from Libby, Jay Riddle. It was time to go so the three of us loaded the wall tent and the rest of our gear and headed to Sula Montana.

The two young men I brought with me were seasoned more than I first thought they would be and as it turned out, there were definitely leaders in the groups at the camp which was great to see. At the camp we had a lot to do each day, hikes, learning about the tree stand safety, swimming in the creek, elk bugling lessons, and shooting… a lot of shooting. There was also a gentleman who had a pro shop at the camp, so everybody was able to get their equipment checked and tuned.

My team, Team Bear, had the opportunity to meet up with Kendra McKlosky from MT FWP Hunting Access Coordinator for Regions 1 and 2. We were able to go out and put up signs for a new BMA that was being put into service. Kendra was very informative and a lot of fun with the kids and it gave the kids a new perspective on private lands and land stewardship. We took another day and helped the landowner who so generously gave us access to camp. The camp members, volunteers and family members all helped to remove some old barbed wire, the kids all worked very hard.

The summer fires were burning all around us at that time and we had a great deal of smoke and we had to be extremely careful of open fires. Spending time in the woods with these young adults gave me hope for our future of archery hunting. I would share a camp with any of the kids that attended this camp, what a great bunch! It was pretty neat to hear their stories and successes, Hyme got his first grouse, Gunner shot a nice 6-point elk, Hunter shot his first bear and all of these kids were on Team Bear with me.

This camp was definitely a highlight of my summer and I look forward to this year’s camp. I’ll be volunteering again this year at the camp which will be held July 26-29, 2018. I look forward to meeting and sharing the hunting experience with a new group of kids.

Teen Bowhunter Camp July 26- 29, 2018

The Teen Camp Committee has been hard at work putting together this year’s camp. We have reached out to the other Outdoors groups across the state to help finance the camp. We have been met with an overwhelming response. I have had conversations with everyone who we contacted about our camp and they all felt that it is a great thing we are doing for the youth.

For this year’s camp we will be adding some new activities to the agenda. Not only will we be concentrating on elk hunting, but we are going to add some backcountry survival training. Such as shelter building, fire starting with flint and steel, fishing with minimal gear and a few other helpful items.

We will also be adding a few more campers, so more of our teens will be getting an opportunity to participate. We would like to see teens from all across the state attend the camp, one or two from each region would be great. So, if there is a youth in your area that would like to attend have them request an application. They can call me at 1-406-777-2408 or email me at mbaregion2@gmail.com and I’ll send application to them. We have a deadline of mid June so act soon.

The date for the MBA Teen Camp is July 26-29, 2018

This issue takes us back to 1978, Jerry Karsky was the current President. It was a Tentative year and fairly queit as far as most hunting districts go. The region 2 Manager wanted to put Bowhunters on the same rules as gun hunters, that is, that bowhunters could only hunt the male species unless they drew a cow or doe permit. The Fish and Game Commission quickly and unanimously vetoed this proposal. It seemed that game numbers were down, the general season hunters were being cut back and the landowners at large think thought there was too much hunting already. The bowhunting season was 37 days long, one more day than the general season hunters. Bowhunters were able to hunt either sex and the general season hunters only the male species (unless they drew special permit).

Many general season hunters felt that the bowhunters had way too liberal of an Archery season, so it was dropped to ask for an extra two weeks for the bowhunters while the general season hunters were taking a cut in their seasons. With the thought that it might cut our own throats, the Commission felt it was wise for the Bowhunters to sit tight on their existing seasons.

Another point of interest that came up came from the Ravalli County Sportsmen Club. The club recommended to the commission that the early bow season be abolished and replaced with one general big game season where all sportsman hunt at the same time and could choose between gun or bow. The Commission was not to receptive of the proposal and voted it down.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision which upheld the State’s right to manage its wildlife resources confirmed Montana’s position as having the largest discrepancy in license fees for residents and nonresidents. Residents were able to hunt elk with an $8 license, where as a nonresident license paid $225. Alaska’s non-residents paid the second highest fees after Montana.

A Montana Bowhunter harvested a new state record bull elk scoring 369-2/8. Then later it was discovered that a fella from Seattle harvested a bull that scored 371. Two record breaking bulls in one season.

The 1ST Annual MBA Banquet was held December 9th at the Heritage Inn, in Great Falls. The guest speaker was Roger Rothar and they showed movies of Fred Bear “The Restless Sprit” and Art Young hunting Grizzly, Dall Sheep & Moose in Alaska. The banquet tickets were 12.50 a person or 25.00 a couple.

Blast from the Past 2018 Youth Conservation & Education EXPO

MBA Member Spotlight

Doug Krings

Where do you live? Lewistown, MT

What do you do for a living? Steel Construction

What is your age (and can I publish this)? 38

When did you start bowhunting?

Actual Hunting? Probably about 4 or 5 for small game. I don’t remember not hunting, if that makes any sense.

Tell me about your first bowkill. It was a small antelope buck out of a pit blind I made. I wanted a specific buck, but one day after a long sit I decided to draw back on a lesser buck before calling it a day – Then I let go sort of accidentally. I was very proud of him anyway.

Describe your dream hunt.

I like hunts that last more than a week where there is no cell service.

– Chasing moose, caribou, or mountain goats. Really any hunt with endless backcountry, lots of time, and cool fall weather

Why do you support the MBA?

Every bowhunter should support the MBA. Why wouldn’t you support the MBA, or the TBM and BHA for that matter?

How many bows do you own?

Quite a few. Still need a few more to complete my collection.

What one piece of advice would you like to pass onto a new bowhunter?

Bowhunting isn’t supposed to be easy. Set the bar just high enough to where you clear it every once in a while.

Who is your bowhunting mentor or idol?

My dad – Doug Krings Sr.

Tell me about your favorite bowhunting memory?

My dad called in a nice bull for me on a warm September morning to 8 yards. He got to watch me shoot it, and we spent the rest of the day hauling it out

Who are your favorite bowhunting partners?

I wouldn’t want to forget anyone.

Do you have a funny or exciting story to share?

I called in a nice bull to a couple of my friends a few years back. This particular set up I was using a decoy, and decided it was too difficult to hold my bow and the decoy. At some point I set my bow down, and backed away. I lost sight of the bull for a while, until all of a sudden he appeared, and stood next to my bow. I learned that day, elk don’t like it when you walk towards them at with a decoy at a very close range.

Tell me about “the one that got away.”

Man, I have a lot of those stories. Most of them get away. The most memorable of these, are some really big whitetail I’ve hunted. They always seem to get away.

Do you have any secret bowhunting tricks to share?

Wear wool socks.

If you have a member you would like to be featured in “Member Spotlight”, please contact Steve LePage at mbaregion4@yahoo.com