Summer 2011

VOL. 38 #4 SUMMER 2011

inside this issue: Officer & Regional Reports 2011 Convention Highlights Beginner’s Luck Congressional Wolf Action Bowhunting Elk with a Pregnant Wife

www.mtba.org

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 2 WWW.MTBA.ORG

www.mtba.org

MBA

MBA

Regional onal R Representatives epre p esent e tatives a Region 1

PO Box 219, Libby, MT 59923..............................................406-293-2900 alman@frontiernet.net 3160 Airport Road, Kalispel, MT 59901 ................................406-261-4456 paulhm@dishmail.net

Al Kelly Paul Martin

PRESIDENT Jason Tounsley 8630 Longmeadow Dr. • Billings, MT 59106 jtounsley@msn.com • 406-679-1434

1ST VICE PRESIDENT Joelle Selk 6963 York Road • Helena, MT 59602 jselkmt@3riversdbs.net • 406-475-3023

2ND VICE PRESIDENT Jesse Nelson 407 N. Teton • Bozeman, MT 59718 sharpstx@gmail.com • 406-580-1952

Region 2 Region 3

Paul Roush II

5106 Mainview Dr., Missoula, MT 59803..................................406-544-2169 montanaarchery@hotmail.com

Lucas Zemlicka

26 Sheridan Ave., Bozeman MT 59718 .................................406-580-9560 lucaszemlicka@hotmail.com 44 Sundance Trail, Bozeman, MT 59781.................................406-539-3195 lyle@pixelelk.com

Lyle Hebel

Region 4 Region 5

Cliff Garness

Great Falls, MT ....................................................................406-788-9009 obsession_archery@yahoo.com

Ernie McKenzie

Billings, MT......................................................................... 406-690-7110 mbarepr5@hotmail.com 3536 Summerfield Circle, Billings, MT 59105......................... 406-699-0126 region5mbarep@hotmail.com

Brad Zink

Region 6

Don Stein Mark Weber

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

PAST PRESIDENT Jim Gappa Billings, MT jsgappa@msn.com • 406-655-8263

MAGAZINE EDITOR Denver Bryan 18 Gardner Park Drive • Bozeman, MT 59715 denver@denverbryan.com • 406-539-9272

WEB DESIGNER Tracy Watt, Wordman, LLC tracy@mywordman.com • 406-721-0754

MAGAZINE DESIGN & PUBLICATION K Design Marketing, Inc. Kimberly Kinsinger 15275 Thayer Rd. • Lolo, MT 59847 kim@kdesignmarketing.com • 406-273-6193

Region 7 Region 8

Rex Rogers

1625 Northern Heights Drive, Havre, MT 59501 ....................406-265-8099 dr.camo@bresnan.net 2885 Old Highway Road,Chinook MT 59523...........................406-357-4119 mweber@itstriangle.com Colstrip, MT ......................................................................406-740-3077 rr_tradbow@yahoo.com

VACANT

AT LARGE DIRECTORS EVEN YEARS Cory C. Benge Pete Iacavazzi Levi Johnson Steve Kamps Roger Peffer Steve Schindler Steve Sukut

P.O. Box 10024, Bozeman, MT 59714 – bengebow@yahoo.com.......................................406-220-3337 Billings, MT – pciacavazzi@hotmail.com ..........................................................................406-599-5786 105 West Main, Winnett, MT 59087 – lkj@midrivers.com................................................406-366-2247 P.O. Box 192, Lincoln, MT 59639 – kamps@linctel.net ....................................................406-362-4907 2517 9th Ave So Great Falls, MT 59405 – regorp77@msn.com ........................................406-452-0911 134 Sawney Drive,Glasgow, MT 59203 – sas@nemont.net...............................................406-228-9024 900 Hall Terrace, Glasgow, MT 59230 – sksukut@nemont.net..........................................406-228-9898

ODD YEARS Adam Barker Denver Bryan

1020 Valley View Dr., Great Falls, MT 59405 – adam.barker@ge.com ................................406-461-2792 18 Gardner Park Drive, Bozeman, MT 59715 – denver@denverbryan.com .........................406-539-9272

Ray Gross

355 Antelope Dr., Dillon, MT 59725 – Ray_gross@bresnan.net.......................................406-683-2046

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.

PUBLICATIONS DATES AND DEADLINES FALL ISSUE, DEADLINE, July 15 WINTER ISSUE, DEADLINE, October 15 Stories, photos or cartoons should be sent to Denver Bryan, 18 Gardner Park Drive, Bozeman, MT 59715 or email to Denver@denverbryan.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 Album and can be viewed at the annual conventions. Any questions as to policies of the MBA please write the President or Vice President.

MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES Please send new memberships or renewal memberships to MBA Treasurer, PO Box 23611 Billings, MT 59104 or call 406-697-7668 or ask any member.

Spring 2011

3—

6

from the EDITOR PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Jason Tounsley 1ST VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Joelle Selk

7

2nd VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Jesse Nelson SECRETARY/TREASURER’S MESSAGE

Jenn Schneider

8 9 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 31

LEGISLATIVE REPORT – Joelle Selk REGIONAL NEWS BEGINNER’S LUCK – Doug & Nick Bell 2011 CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS STATE WILDLIFE OFFICIAL HAIL CONGRESSIONAL WOLF ACTION MBA SURVEY ARCHERY BISON OPPORTUNITY BOWHUNTING ELK WITH A PREGNANT WIFE– J.D. Jones BULLETIN BOARD BUSINESS MEMBERS MEMBER GALLERY

About

THE COVER

MBA member Mark Johnson with a nice Montana Merriam’s gobbler’….

Moontana

W BOWHUNTER BOWHUNTE R — 4 WWW.MTBA.ORG

B

owhunters, we have lift off. After years of ranchers, hunters and conservationists, not to be confused with extreme environmentalists, trying to remove a recovered wolf population from the Endangered Species List, Congress recently acted and did just that. When environmental groups couldn’t agree among themselves on a proposed ‘compromise’ to manage wolves at higher minimum populations levels than were originally specified and a judge’s ruling once again created another loggerjam, enough was enough. Enter a rider being attached to the recent must-pass U.S. budget bill and wolf management in Montana and Wyoming was ceded to both states. The speed in which this sea change legislation came about was truly amazing.

Anyone who says ‘politicians don’t listen’ is usually frustrated and that fits the description for most of us who have dealt with the wolf issue. Fortunately, our voices were heard and the will of the people in Montana and Idaho, who actually have to live with wolves in their backyard, did eventually prevail. Many would argue that it was the uncompromising attitude of the environmental groups who kept litigating this issue ad nauseum that led to this outcome. Either way, it’s been a long hard road and hopefully we’re now on the way to realizing a little more balanced management of wolves in Montana. You’ll find more details on the new status and management of wolves in this summer issue.

Finally, spring is in the air and hopefully here to stay this time.

This means two things for sure. The Canyon Ferry Carp Shoot along with the Bear Shoot and MBA Championship up on the Clearwater River are just around the corner. I hope to see many of you there.

Denver Bryan

Montana Bowhunters Assoc. and Helena area bowhunters present:

Have You Been “Carpified ?”

C A N YO N F E R RY C A R P S A F A R I J U N E 1 1 , 2 0 1 1 H E L L G AT E C A M P G RO U N D C A N YO N F E R RY L A K E , H E L E N A M T •

Bowhunting only - everyone welcome!!

•

Help Carp Management in Canyon Ferry Lake

•

Never been Carpified? -Help available from semi-professional Carp Ninjas

•

Send in Registration form by May 31

•

Evening meal included in pre-registration

Good Things to Know: - A l l s h o o te r s n e e d a v a l i d f i sh i n g l i ce n s e - B o a t s m u s t b e r e g i s te r e d w i th c o r re c t n u m b e r o f l i f e j a ck e t s - B o a t s m u s t b e c l e a n u p on a r r i v a l a n d c l e a n e d p r i o r t o e n te r in g a n o th e r b od y o f w a ter - B o w h u n ti n g on l y . Br in g l o t s o f a r r ow s - C ar p Sa f ar i w il l ru n S a tu r da y f r om su n r is e u n t i l 5 p .m .

Individual shooter - preregistered Individual shooter - day of shoot 2-person team - preregistered 2-person team –day of shoot Shooter - under 15 - preregistered Non - shooter meal ticket - prereg.

Camping at Hellgate

$15.00, meal included $15.00, meal not included $30.00, meal included $30.00, meal not included $ 5.00, meal included $ 8.00, fee for meal $ 8.00/night paid on-site

Nice camping spots right on beautiful Canyon Ferry Lake

price (don’t worry, it’s not carp) •

3D Targets available for those of us who can’t even hit thousands of spawning carp

• •

H o w t o g e t p r e r e gi s t e r e d : Mail attached form by June 4, 2011 Mail payment to: Joelle Selk

6963 York Road Helena, MT 59602 (Make checks out to MBA)

•

Need more forms or info? jselkmt@3riversdbs.net Phone#: 406-422-6798

P R E R E G I S T R A T I O N F O R M C a n y o n F e r r y C a r p S a f ar i J u n e 1 2 , 2 0 1 0 C a n y o n F e r r y L a k e, H e l l g at e C a m p g r o u n d , H e l e n a

Individual Sho o t e r s Shooters under 15 Meal ticket -non-shooter 2-person team

$15.00 x ______ = $5.00 x ______ = $8.00 x _______ = $30.00 x _______ = Total>>

Make checks out to MBA and mail to: Joelle Selk– MBA 6963 York Road Helena MT 59602

$__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________

List names of shooters:__________________________________ ____________________________________________________

Summer 2011

5—

First Vice PRESIDENT’S message I

recently participated in a panel comprised of sportsmen’s

PRESIDENT’S

A

message

very contentious 2011 Legislative session has come to a close and it is time to look forward to the season setting process that begins this summer and takes us into winter. First on the list for the MBA will be working towards a bison archery opportunity, an opportunity we now have as a result of SB184.

This bill, sponsored by Senators Van Dyk (D) and Balyeat (R), will allow the commission to include archery hunting equipment as a legal means of taking bison. Additionally, the recent delisting of wolves along with legislative action pushed by the MBA in 2009 should allow for an archery hunting opportunity for them as well.

There is already some discussion about additional constitutional initiatives by Montana sportsman in the future; mostly dealing with the number of non-resident hunting licenses sold in our state. It seems that 17,000, the number most commonly thrown around is short of the actual number by several thousand.

There is a lot of work to be done by the MBA and unfortunately we have recently lost a few board members (Brendan Burns, Jason Widaman and Mark Seacat) to the nottoo-uncommon strain of today’s busy lifestyle which doesn’t leave them enough time to contribute to the MBA at the level they feel it deserves. I would like to thank them for their time and contributions. Without this type of commitment the MBA would cease to exist.

On the bright side we have gained three new board members and I am sure their enthusiasm and dedication will fill the gap left by the outgoing directors.

Thank you to all MBA members who responded to legislative alerts that Joelle & Company sent out. Few things are more effective in protecting our archery hunting opportunities than bending the ear of our elected officials.

Jason Tounsley Montana — 6 BOWHUNTER

WWW.MTBA.ORG

groups at the Montana Wildlife Federation Convention.

The panel was organized to convey our organizational activities and to initiate a discussion about common goals and ways our groups might collaborate on key issues.

The panelists represented the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Ducks Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, MT Bowhunters Association, Trout Unlimited, and Wild Sheep Foundation. Along with our activities, each panelist presented their highest priority issues and their view of the future of hunting and fishing in Montana.

The discussion was interesting in terms of the breadth of issues we sportsmen face. Common goals centered on access and fostering habitat. In discussing the MBA’s priorities, I visited our mission of uniting Montana’s bowhunters in the preservation and promotion of the sport. While our mission seems very simple, it is in practice incredibly complex, because hunting opportunities do not exist without adequate access, habitat and effective wildlife management. This message resonated with all groups and we acknowledged the struggle of maintaining access without developing a “pay to play” system.

To a certain degree, sportsmen do “pay to play” through their license dollars. The tricky part for us in Montana is finding a reasonable level for those license fees to create an equitable system for both resident and nonresident hunters. We certainly saw the friction during the session in terms of balancing permit numbers with the need to generate revenue for FWP. That singular topic is perhaps the most difficult to reconcile, and one which we need to keep on the “front burner” as we resume discussions with the Commissioners.

This legislative session brought out the acute frustration of many groups. There are multiple causes for this: wolves, landowner rights, the economy and the gradual changes affecting our hunting and fishing heritage. These struggles require us to take up the discussion anew and step up our efforts to create more effective partnerships with landowners, other sportsmen and state and federal management agencies. I once read an inspirational quote which said, “The answer to “How?” is “Yes.” While we may not know the immediate answer to all of these issues, we must continue to say “yes” to ongoing dialogue with all the affected parties in order to develop a satisfactory compromise. Our “yes” discussion begins now, with the Commission, with landowners and with each other.

This effort is central to the maintenance of access and habitat, and to the sustenance of our hunting and fishing culture in the years to come. I hope you all actively engage in helping us find the solutions which will preserve our proud Montana heritage.

Joelle Selk

Legislative:

Y

et another Convention has come and gone. Kalispell’s convention delivered an action packed event with back to back seminars, exciting venders, great displays and unprecedented prize packages. A big “thank you” goes out to Paul Martin and the Kalispell crew for the hard work they put into a great convention. For those who were unable to attend you truly missed out on a great event. For me, it is always nice to break the boundaries of email conversations and just sit down face to face and have real conversations.

I urge every member to take a second to familiarize themselves with all of the venders that participated in this year’s convention. When an opportunity arises support these vendors and let them know you appreciate their participation. Without their continual support and contributions, the MBA wouldn’t be the organization that it is.

On a local level, our region 3 meetings have had great attendances of late and I want everyone to know that we appreciate it. We represent “you” the members in all regions around Montana. Having well attended meetings helps us get member feedback which we need in order to represent you. I encourage every MBA member to attend their next regional meeting and take the opportunity to get involved and let your regional representative know your input.

Joelle Selk, Chair Adam Barker • Steve Kamps Cliff Garness • Jason Widaman Mark Weber • Jesse Nelson • Mark Seacat

Tentative:

Steve Kamps, Chair Adam Barker • Jason Widaman Brendan Burns • Don Stein • Joelle Selk Paul Martin • Rex Rogers Mark Seacat • Jesse Nelson

Financial:

Steve Sukut, Chair Mark Weber • Paul Roush Jenn Schneider

Landowner/Sportsman: Lucas Zemlickas, Chair Cliff Garness • Don Stein Cory Benge

Nominations:

Ernie McKenzie, Chair

Awards:

Jesse Nelson

Pete Iacavazzi, Chair Roger Peffer • Jenn Schneider

SECRETARY/ TREASURERS’

Membership:

Steve Schindler, Chair Rex Rogers • Denver Bryan Cory Benge • Lucas Zemlicka

message T

he convention in Kalispell was a success!

A big thanks to everyone who attended and Paul and his crew for all of their hard work. You may have noticed that membership renewal notices haven’t been sent out yet. We are working on a new membership management system that should greatly improve the renewal process and communications with our membership. Until then, please bear with us and email or call me if you have any questions. Thanks for your patience and have a great summer!

Paul Roush II, Chair Jenn Schneider • Cliff Garness

Convention 2012:

Lucas Zemlicka, Chair Jenn Schneider • Joelle Selk Ernie McKenzie

Magazine:

Denver Bryan, Chair Joelle Selk • Al Kelly Lyle Hebel • Rex Rogers • Steve Sukut

Jenn Schneider (406) 721-5857

Merchandise:

TOYOTA

Website:

Lyle Hebel, Chair Denver Bryan • Paul Roush Joelle Selk • Rex Rogers

CULVER’S

Carp Shoot: Joelle Selk, Chair

Bow-Ed:

2302 MCDONALD AVE. • MISSOULA, MT 59801-7305

CHARLES CULVER President

Al Kelly, Chair Don Stein

Summer 2011

7—

LEGISLATIVE REPORT By Joelle Selk

2011 Legislative Sessions Report

I

t seems I’ve been preparing to write this report for weeks. Just when we thought we’d succeeded in either passing or killing the last bill on our watchlist, the rules changed and we’d be running after it again. This was a marathon, and we owe ourselves a huge pat on the back for containing the damage of this session’s assaults on our hunting heritage. We’ve included a partial list of our high priority bills in this newsletter, and I will send out the full list by email.

As I wrote in my 1st VP Report, the session was fraught with frustration. The manifestation of that frustration was a slew of bills which sought to limit the authority of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and, by extension, the Commission.

We fought the tendency to express our frustration by shackling FWP, and fought every bill which sought to limit their management abilities. Now that the session is over, we will redouble our efforts at collaborative partnerships with the Commission and other sportsmen’s groups.

These partnerships are the cornerstone of our Montana management model, and we want to retain our place in the discussion. Dan Vermillion’s confirmation to the Commission will ensure continuity in our discussions, particularly in regards to topics such as the permits in the 22 Outside the Breaks districts.

There was a definite highlight at the federal legislative level in the reinstatement of the wolf delisting rule. The budget bill included a rider which reinstated the delisting rule of April 2, 2009. That rider details the following: “Before the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this division, the Secretary of the Interior shall reissue the final rule published on April 2, 2009 (74 Fed. Reg. 15123 et seq.) without regard to any other provision of statute or regulation that applies to issuance of such rule. Such reissuance (including this section) shall not be subject to judicial review.” What all that legal language represents is a clear path to delisting and the resumption of state wolf management. We will see the USFWS delist the wolf this summer, and we will hunt wolves this fall.

I want to express my appreciation to the MBA Legislative Committee, who tirelessly reviewed and vetted the bills we were involved with this session. Many hours went into that effort, and I am in their debt. I’m hoping they ask me for beer rather than money in return! Of course, the full measure of our impact lies in every member’s willingness to pick up the phone or draft an email to legislators to express their support or opposition for each of those bills on the alert. So, thank you, to each and every one of you, for that effort over the past four months. You are the heartbeat of the MBA, and the reason why we are one of the most effective bowhunting organizations in the nation.

I wish all of you a fantastic summer and a fruitful bowfishing season!

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 8 WWW.MTBA.ORG

Bill #

Sponsor

Priority Status

Status Date Title

Stance

SB 184

Kendall Van Dyk

1

Signed by Governor

4/18/11

Allow for bow and arrow bison hunt

Support

SB 400

Chas Vincent

1

Tabled in Committee

4/11/11

Revise big game licensing laws

Oppose

HB 285 Bill Harris

1

Tabled in Committee

4/8/11

Revise elk hunting permits for limited drawing districts

Oppose

HB 361 Ted Washburn

1

Failed Third Senate 4/1/11 Reading 19-31; dead

Requiring the issuance of archery-only elk permits at 2007 levels

Requested exclusion of Breaks

HB 151 Ted Washburn

1

Tabled in Committee

1/28/11

Revise laws related to special elk permits

Oppose

HB 173 Ted Washburn

1

Tabled in Committee

1/27/11

Allow artificial light on arrows for certain hunts.

Oppose

HB 148 Douglas (Doug) Kary 1

Tabled in Committee

1/27/11

Allow motorized access to public lands for game retrieval

Oppose

SB 255

2

Transmitted to Gov; Gov. plans to veto

4/19/11

Establish criteria for commission decisions FWP

Oppose

HB 272 Kelly Flynn

2

Vetoed by Governor

4/13/11

Eliminate ability for FWP to use hunting access fees to acquire fee title lands

Oppose

SB 157

Kendall Van Dyk

2

Tabled in Committee

4/6/11

Establish hunters against hunger donation program

Support

SB 414

Chas Vincent

2

Third House Reading Failed 45-54

4/19/11

Provide for control of wolves

Oppose

SB 402

Joe Balyeat

2

Transmitted to Governor

4/19/11

Provide for spring wolf hunts

Support

HJ 1

Mike Milburn

2

Filed with Secretary of State

3/24/11

Resolution urging federal legislation removing wolf from ESA

Support

HB 321 Krayton Kerns

2

Tabled in Committee

3/23/11

Nullify Endangered Species Act

Oppose

HB 309 Jeffery Welborn

2

Tabled in Committee

3/23/11

Clarify prohibition on Oppose recreational access to ditches

SB 301

Rick Ripley

2

Tabled in Committee

3/25/11

“Moratorium on land purchases by dept. of fish, wildlife, and parks”

Oppose

SB 136

Joe Balyeat

2

Governor’s Proposed 4/29/11 Amendments Adopted

Revise residency requirements for hunting

Oppose Member

HB 537 Bill Harris

2

Tabled in committee

3/11/11

Reinstate outfitter-sponsored response hunting licenses

SB 119

Steven Gallus

2

(S) Bill not heard at sponsor’s request

1/19/11

Allow rifles for spring turkey season

HB 339 Liz Bangerter

2

(H) Signed by Governor

4/15/11

Eliminate limit on sale of Oppose Class B-13 youth nonresident big game combo licenses

HB 372 Ted Washburn

2

Signed by Speaker

4/26/11

Clarify preference system Oppose laws for nonresident permits and licenses

HB 607 Jeffery Wellborn

2

Transmitted to Governor

4/26/11

Clarifying procedure for sale of B10 nonresident big game combo licenses

SB 212

Rick Ripley

2

Governor’s Proposed 4/26/11 Amendments Adopted

Clarify FWP authority to Oppose manage wild buffalo or bison

HB 363 Mike Cuffe

2

Signed by Speaker

4/18/11

Provide for use of wolf license money

Oppose

SB 237

2

Vetoed by Governor

4/21/11

Revise laws relating to brucellosis surveillance

Oppose

2

Tabled in Committee

2/5/11

Managing bison as livestock Oppose

Jim Peterson

Ron Arthun

HB 214 Bill Harris

Oppose

Oppose

MBA

regional NEWS

Paul Martin

Region 1

Region 2

AL KELLY PAUL MARTIN

A

nother MBA convention is history.

It was a lot of work for a few and a great time for all who attended. Thank you to Paul and his team for doing a great job…. and to all who donated and supported the event. If you have yet to attend a MBA convention and banquet make plans to participate when it is in your neck of the woods.

It is getting to be that busy time of year.

Turkey and bear seasons are underway. Get Denver some pictures and stories for the magazine. It is also time to start lining out your tag applications and plans for the fall hunts. The best time of year for bowhunters will be here before you know it.

The MBA carp Safari is not far off either. This year’s event is shaping up to be an extra good time. I hear tell that the carp herds are doing well, with no wolf predation to worry about, and need some culling. As always it will be a lot of fun and a chance to show support for the MBA.

Al Kelly

T

he Convention has come and gone like some kind of a title wave. Well over a year ago past MBA president Jim Gappa appointed yours truly to be the chairman for the next MBA Convention.

From that day on the next year of my life was consumed by all that needed to be done in order to accomplish this task, a particular challenge if you haven’t done such before. The first two things that needed to be secured were a location and keynote speaker. With help from others

I gathered a list of well known people in the archery world to contact. After a number of phone calls and letters and not receiving responses you get an idea of just how important some of these people are. Fortunately and out of the blue, Mr. Dyrk Eddie called me upon learning that I was looking for a guest speaker and suggested that I give Dr. Jack Frost a call. Stranger things have happened but this was the person who I most wanted for our Convention. After a little phone tag Mr. Frost returned my call and when I asked him if he would consider being the guest speaker for our MBA Convention in March, he immediately accepted and said it would be an honor. As they say, the rest is now history. I thank all of the people who helped with and attended the 2011 convention. Dr. Frost gave an excellent presentation at the banquet and received a standing ovation from young and old alike. Aside from the convention, the MBA continues to deal quite successfully with many difficult challenges facing Montana bowhunters these days and I would like to leave you with the following quote, “There can only be light at the end of the tunnel if someone supplies the batteries”

Paul Martin

W

PAUL ROUSH II

ell it has been a busy spring. The legislative committee was exceptionally busy this year and I would like to thank them for all of the great work they did.

The annual MBA convention is just a few short weeks behind us now and it was a lot of fun. Paul Martin and his crew did a great job. I would like to thank Paul for trusting me with the convention by allowing me to be the Master of Ceremonies which made the event even more enjoyable for me. Jack Frost I would like to thank you for taking time out of your schedule to share your stories and adventures with all of us. I enjoyed your company very much. For those of you who missed the convention, it was worth it just to listen to Jack and all his stories and advice. The next convention will be in Butte next year and I am excited to see what Lucas and his crew have planned. It already sounds like they are hitting the ground running.

The next few months will be very busy here in Region 2, particularly for me. Not only am I on the Board of Directors for the MBA but I am the President of the Five Valley’s Archery Club here in Missoula as well. We are currently in the process of hosting our first 3D shoot of the year to be held at Malony Ranch here in Missoula. In May we will be hosting another 3D shoot at Lolo Hot Springs. Then come June is the granddaddy of them all…the 34th Annual Bear Shoot at Clearwater Junction. Over the last 4 years the club has partnered with the MBA as the major sponsor for the Montana Bowhunters Championship that is held on that same weekend for MBA members only. This shoot was started to

continued on page 10

Summer 2011

9—

REGION 2

continued from page 9

believe that 3D archery shoots are the best practice that any bowhunter can do in preparation for the hunting season.

raise awareness about the MBA, gain new members and give back something to our existing members in the way of MAJOR FUN. If you have never been to a 3D archery shoot you owe it to yourself to come and have the most fun of the year outside of hunting season. We have 400 to 500 shooters on this weekend and they are all there for one reason, to have fun with family and friends and to get ready for the upcoming hunting season. I

Also, Joelle is working on the Annual Carp Safari on Canyon Ferry Resevoir.

This shoot is great fun and you get to hunt before September 5th! You can do it in a boat if you have one or just take a leisure stroll around the lake and shoot carp from the banks. Either way its great fun.

I challenge all of our members to get at least one new member this year. Our strength is in numbers and we definitely need the strength. As I stated before there

Region 3

seen a good increase in site traffic and overall use. If you have any suggestions or comments on how to improve the site please feel free to contact your MBA regional rep or me directly.

I

LYLE HEBEL LUCAS ZEMLICKA

would like to begin by thanking everyone that testified or submitted comments to help table the recent flurry of bills in the legislation. Well done!

I am excited to represent Region 3 and work alongside fellow Region 3 Rep Lucas Zemlicka. As this is my first regional report, I would like to introduce myself and discuss some of my goals for Region 3 and the MBA. I am a Montana native. I live and work in the Bozeman area as a designer and web developer at a Bozeman advertising agency. I graduated from MSU in 2004 with a degree in Graphic Design which I will apply in my position as Region 3 representative. I have been an avid archery shooter and hunter nearly all of my life. Nearly two years ago my wife and I welcomed a new baby boy into the world. My son is one of the main reasons I became more involved with the MBA as I want to help ensure that he has plenty of hunting opportunities in the future.

Early this year, I worked with the MBA to recreate the web presence of the MBA to better meet the needs of MBA member and the MBA. The new site has been up for nearly three months now and we have

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 10 WWW.MTBA.ORG

In addition to improving the MBA online presence I am looking forward to helping prepare for the 2012 MBA convention to be held in Butte. Our last Region 3 meeting brought some interesting ideas to the table for the convention and additional planning should lead to a fantastic convention in 2012. If you’re in Region 3 and want to participate in the convention planning please contact Lucas or myself.

I will also be working with Rex Rogers to help implement a better member management solution into the MBA. This new membership should help increase membership enrollment and member notifications.

See you at the carp shoot.

Lyle Hebel

O

nce again its spring time here in Montana which means turkey and bear seasons are open and elk sheds are on the ground. So much to do and so little time, but what a great time of year to be in Montana!

With the legislative year now behind us, I think Montana bowhunters faired pretty well in the end. Joelle and the gang worked very hard and put in some serious hours this legislative session and it showed. We were able to kill a few bad bills that threatened some hunting

was a lot of work in Helena during the legislative session and without members to represent the legislators and the Fish & Game commission would not listen to us as much as they do. So please help us strengthen the Montana Bowhunters Association and help sign up a new member or two.

Paul Roush II

Lucas Zemlicka

opportunities while helping to get SB 184 passed through the legislature. SB 184 allows the use of archery equipment during the bison season and creates another great opportunity for Montana bowhunters . Thanks to everyone who wrote e-mails and made phone calls to the legislatures throughout the year. It does make a difference.

Don’t forget to sign up for the carp shoot at Canyon Ferry on June 11th. If we can get some nice weather it’s going to be a great time. If you have never been to the MBA carp shoot I highly recommend it.

I can’t think of a better way to spend a sunny warm day in Montana than being on the water shooting hundreds of arrows at carp.

The 2012 MBA convention will be in Butte next March and were already in the planning stages. If there are any changes you would like to see at next year’s convention by all means give me a call or e-mail. I would love to hear from you.

Lucas Zemlicka

Region 4 CLIFF GARNESS

A

s I write this, the snow is falling again, it is mid-April and I am not sure why I expect anything different. My wife and I are beginning to pack for our trip north for black bear, which is less than a month away. This time I will not be shooting, only videoing, as she tries to take her first bear with a bow. We will be hunting with an MBA sponsor for the last several years, Kutawagan Outfitters.

I shot my bear with Kutawagan several years ago when I won the hunt at the Great Falls convention. My wife’s only goal for a bear is to get one “a little bit” bigger than mine. I am hoping for a color phase bear for her.

Here in Montana, I am hoping that we get a good break in the snowfall soon, so that our family can get into the woods and look for black bear. There have been some stories of a few out and about but the white never seems to leave long enough where I hunt to even try to look. Hopefully this will change long before the last few days of the spring season.

For any of you that missed the banquet in Kalispell at the end of March, you missed a good time. Several members from Region 4 won good prizes in various raffles, games and auctions including bows, targets, arrows, hunts and a GPS. Congratulations to all folks who bought or won something at the banquet. Paul Martin and his crew put on a heck of a banquet. Thanks Paul!!

A big THANKS also to all donors who donated items for our banquet this year.

If you get the opportunity, let these folks know we appreciate their support.

Archery shoot season is upon us once again and there are shoots going on somewhere in the state on virtually every weekend, so please, check out the MBA website and magazine for shoot information; www.mtba.org, various club websites and www.3dshoots.com.

Legislation has been interesting this year and I encourage each member to be aware of what is going on in the legislation when it comes to our seasons, opportunities, woods and waters. If you don’t voice an opinion, you’re not only limiting yourself but also our future generations. Someone was looking out for each of us to get the generous seasons we have now, and now is our time to continue fighting for future generations. In the next legislative session, please take 5 minutes to cut and paste from the MBA emails and let legislators know your views on various bills. In the Tentative session coming up, make time to attend area meetings and voice your opinions. YOUR voice needs to be heard and it does make a difference.

Good luck with all of the various state draws and hunting success in the spring seasons. Please send in harvest photos and stories to myself or the editor of the MBA magazine, Denver Bryan. If you have any area concerns, please email me at obession_archery@yahoo.com.

Cliff Garness

Summer 2011

11—

Region 5 Region 6 DON STEIN MARK WEBER

BRAD ZINK

H

ello, my name is Brad Zink. I am the new MBA region 5 rep.

Boy, it has been a long winter. It is time to break out the bow. I am ready to get out and look for bear and turkey as I’m sure you all are.

I was not able to make it to this year’s MBA banquet in Kalispell but I heard it was a great time as usual. Good Job, guys.

How crazy has the legislature been this year!? This was a year for sportsman to take a beating. We as a group need to keep abreast of the legislative activities. If we let the anti-sportsmen have their way, Montana will be completely inaccessible to almost everyone. If you have any ideas or comments for our legislature, please contact your local elected officials. I would like to personally thank our legislature committee. It takes an enormous amount of time to keep an eye on our law makers and they are doing a wonderful job.

THANKS! Have a great summer enjoying what we all love!

Brad Zink

Mark Weber

S

pring is finally here, which means flooding for many areas in Region 6. It’s just a fitting end to the long and miserable winter we have endured.

Deep, long-term snow and cold has taken its toll on area herds. Winter kill is an issue in many areas of the region.

The extent of the die-off becomes more dramatic the farther east you travel.

I contacted Region 6 biologists recently to try to get some idea of how bad the wildlife has been affected. The news was mixed, with the exception of the antelope numbers in the Glasgow area, which was grim at best.

I was first reminded that the quotas printed in the current regulations are estimates, and while it will most likely not effect archery permits, rifle permits may be reduced in the eastern hunting districts. The official counts will not take place for antelope for a few months yet, so it is impossible to say for sure how bad the winter toll has been. A hint to the extent of the damage done was shown by a recent aerial survey along the Burlington Northern right-of-way from Harlem to Glasgow. Over 1,000 antelope carcasses were counted. These animals were hit by trains as they travelled the tracks having

no other open corridors. Many more are turning up on the fields and prairies as the snow releases its grip on the landscape.

Mule deer herds were also hard hit, particularly north of Highway 2. Again, it’s too early to tell the extent of the damage but herd numbers will definitely be down.

On a brighter note, while whitetail deer numbers also suffered, numbers going into the winter were far over objectives for some time now and this may actually bring deer numbers closer to landowner tolerance levels.

Elk numbers do not appear to have been affected by the winter, which is the one really good bit of news that I received during these conversations.

I can’t stress enough that the farther east you go the harder the hunt you can expect this fall.

I hope you have all been out stretching a string to get in shape for upcoming seasons. It’s never too early but can easily get to be too late!

Mark Weber

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Region 7

Region 8

REX ROGERS

I

t would be wrong to not start this column off with discussion about the 2011 legislative session. Never before have I witnessed a session where we as bowhunters faced such potential for loss.

It was amazing to watch bowhunters came together and voice their opinion of what was the right direction for game management in Montana. I must say that as of this writing it appears bowhunters have for the most part carried the day and congratulations are due to those who participated in the process.

For those who were less active in this session I hope that you recognized how much work went into this session and prepare yourself for future Legislatures and Tentative sessions when it will be your turn to carry the torch. Take time to thank the MBA Legislative committee for the huge amount of volunteer time they applied to this task.

Winter is slowly releasing the string on spring and the hills are alive with hen talk, some of it from turkeys and some from hunters. Success on turkeys for me is getting out and enjoying the time afield. Based on this I am seeing many successful bowhunters here in region 7. With some even getting their turkey.

Rex Rogers Rex Rogers

JOELLE SELK

I

n the wake of the Legislative session’s final days, it’s time to turn our attention to creating wakes on Canyon Ferry Lake. On June 11, we’re hosting the Canyon Ferry Carp Safari (the 9th year, in case you were wondering), and we look forward to once again practicing our skills on those millions of wily carp. Bowfishing is a great way to combine the best aspects of fishing and bowhunting. You get to repeatedly pick a spot, shoot, and hopefully hit your quarry. If you wade in the shallows, you can also practice your stalking skills!

For those of you new to the sport, there are multiple sites to get you started.

AMS Bowfishing, Three Rivers Archery, and Muzzy each offer many products and bowfishing tips, and your local sporting goods store likely has many items in stock as well.

One of the things I appreciate about the sport is that it requires minimal investment to gear-up. It’s easy to commandeer an old bow – either compound or traditional – and with a few modifications, you can shoot carp.

While some folks purchase specialized reels to increase their “reload” speed, all you need is a $15 screw-on reel.

My friend Lee Wigen tells me that in his youth, he used coffee cans for the reels! Just a good example of good ol’ Hi-Line ingenuity! Otherwise, all you need are 2 or 3 fiberglass arrows with points and safety slides, some string, and polarized sunglasses (which are an absolute requirement to see the fish under the water’s surface). You don’t need a boat, although it does give you greater flexibility and mobility on marginal days. Carp love the shallows, and there is plenty of shallow shoreline for primo wading and carp stalking on the lake.

Our registration form is included in the magazine, and if you need

additional forms, you can download one on our website http://mtba.org/ montana-resources/archery-events.

The pre-registration deadline is June 4th, and the cost of your meal is included in your preregistration fee. We always accept entrants up to the day of the shoot, but the meal cost is extra. The Bureau of Reclamation website is a great informational site, featuring marina and boat launch details, reservoir inflow/outflow, and camping sites. Information specific to Canyon Ferry is available at http://www. usbr.gov/gp/recreatin/cfrrec.cfm. We have the Hellgate Group Use Area reserved for camping (potable water, but otherwise it’s a primitive group camping area), and there are multiple other sites at Hellgate available for tent or motorhome use.

We’ll host a delicious meal after the weighin and many awards and door prizes will add to the fun. As always, we’ll crown a new “Carp Princess” during the awards ceremony, an honor which many young women dream about, and only a select few will ever win.

Please submit your nominations to me and I will submit them to the Carp Safari awards committee for their consideration. I look forward to seeing each of you and anticipate a great weekend of fun in the sun!

Joelle Selk

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Summer 2011

13—

At Large

DIRECTORS ADAM BARKER

S

nowing outside and it’s mid-April. The turkeys are still in a deep freeze and the bears haven’t so much as rolled over in their dens around here yet. Another late, cool and wet spring is shaping up but I’m already looking for summer. The cold keeps hanging around and most folks seem a little grumpy.

There are some bright spots. I just completed all my permit applications and that gives me hope that this could be the year for my sheep tag! This time of year also reminds me of how lucky we are to live in Montana. After coming off a tough year for sportsmen in the legislative process, when everything seems to be under attack, I still can be upbeat as I can go into FWP and walk out with tags for elk, deer, antelope, lion, bear, turkey, upland birds, small game and fishing. And that is EVERY year!

I can even take advantage of an unlimited sheep opportunity if I so choose.

Having all that opportunity available for any resident of Montana is truly something not to be taken for granted. That makes all the hours on the phone with members, legislators, FWP personal and other sportsmen groups worthwhile. The expense and time away from the family are all sacrifices made on a volunteer basis, and I can say it is money and time well spent. I’m extremely impressed with the success of the MBA this session and am very proud to be a member. The individuals of this group and other like-minded groups in the state are second to none. Please take the time to send in comments to your local reps when needed as they are trying to represent the majority as best as possible. Good luck in the draws and I urge you to buy a wolf tag!

Adam Barker BRENDAN BURN

T

his will be my final post as an MBA rep. As some of you may have noticed my involvement has been pretty slim over the past year. Not much to blame that on but lack of time and focus.

There doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel, so I will step back and let someone else do a better job.

I have had a great time being a part of the MBA board over the last several years. Being involved with some of the tougher issues bowhunters are facing has given me a real appreciation for the behind the scenes work that goes into keeping the opportunities we all cherish. There are some real unsung heroes on the board who do a great job and truly make a difference.

Thanks to all the members for giving me the opportunity to help out.

Stay involved and good hunting.

Brendan Burn Montana — 14 BOWHUNTER

WWW.MTBA.ORG

A

STEVE SCHINDLER

s I write this report it’s near the tax deadline and we still have quite a bit of snow around. However, after a wild run it’s leaving pretty fast and probably safe to say that winter is over.

Speaking of wild rides, can you believe what the state legislature put us through? I’m pretty sure the guys on my e mail list are tired of hearing from me, asking for this and that, but the stakes were pretty high and we did fairly well. We didn’t kill all of the idiom that took place this session and it might take a few years to get back to normal or what we perceive to be normal. It appeared to me that the biggest problem we had this session was the idea that wildlife is a commercial entity and that it is alright to do what we can to turn a buck, or should I say a dollar. Next time we elect our legislature, let’s ask some pointed questions as to how they feel about issues that affect the average bowhunter in Montana. The guy who has the best idea on how to run and fund our schools may be the worst to decide how we hunt and where.

Today is also the opening day of the 2011 turkey season. Most places I hunt turkeys are either underwater or at a minimum too wet to get around. Nothing ruins your welcome like leaving big ruts and making a mess out of things. It won’t be too long and it will be dry enough to get around and see what’s going on out where the turkeys gobble. A few of the guys I hunt turkeys with are going to try the new turkey broadheads that will lop off the head if properly placed. I bought a few and am anxious to try them out. The way I see it, one might as well aim for the largest vital area which might be the head and neck.

An issue hunters are going to have to deal with over the next few years is how we regulate nonresident hunters and to some extent guides and outfitters. I see a little bit of a division in the outfitters this year. The outfitters can be divided into two categories; the backcountry outfitters and the private land leasing outfitters. In my mind the two should not be regulated the same.

There’s a big difference between the two. This is an issue we have to deal with and will in all likelihood be discussed in PLPWs (private lands, public wildlife councils) , and CACs ( citizens advisory committees) meetings thru out the state. All parties have to be at the table and all concepts have to be hashed out.

Another issue that we will have to look into is the permit system in the 23OD or 23 other hunting districts other than the Breaks. It is very clear that the Breaks hunting districts have overwhelming support for a permit system, except for at least one guy who we all know and love. However, in the other 23 districts in Montana where permits are now required there is some controversy over how to best manage these districts. Blanket policys never really seem to work well so we might have to incorporate several different management strategies for these districts. Yeah, I know the state doesn’t want to hear such talk but it has to be part of the conversation if we are going to come up with something that will work for the majority.

Steve Schindler

I

STEVE KAMPS

hope you all had a great spring and got out to hunt some bears.

Steve Kamps

The MBA and Legislative Committee have had an amazingly busy winter with allthe bad bills this session.

We’ve tried to keep you up to date with our Legislative Alerts and informed on our stances with our Legislative Watchlist.

If you haven’t been getting these, then we don’t have yourcurrent email. Please let your Area Representative know your email so wecan keep you up to date on what’s going on in bowhunting around the State.

I want to thank Joelle Selk, our Legislative Chair, for all the hard work and volunteer time she put in this winter on Legislative matters. She received a Special Achievement Award at this year’s Convention for her devotion to the MBA and her time consuming work on the Legislative Committee, and it was certainly well deserved. Thank you Joelle.

On the positive side of this year’s Legislature, with a lot of help from Senator Kendall Van Dyk, the MBA was able to get SB184 the archery bison bill passed. Thanks to all of you who sent in your support on this bill and got it passed. This bill allowed by law for archery equipment to be used to hunt bison. The next step is to work with the Commissioners and FWP in the coming months to put this opportunity in place in the Fish and Game Regulations.

Thank you to all of you who took the time to let our Legislators know what you thought on this year’s bills. There are some very powerful forces at work in the Legislature and sportsmen don’t always fair so well. That makes it all the more important to belong to organizations like the MBA that stand up for the rights and ideals of sportsmen and in our particular case, bowhunters.

You won’t agree with each and every position the MBA takes that are based on input from the majority of our members, but I will guarantee you will agree with most of them.

I hope you all realize that staying involved and renewing your MBA membership every year are the only ways to make positive changes in the future. We intend to survey our membership further on many pressing issues for Montana bowhunters soon, so send in your dues, stay involved, and have your voice as a member be heard.

As of this writing, the federal legislation to delist wolves in Montana was approved. Hopefully this means we will have a wolf season this fall, and hopefully sportsmen can persuade the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commissioners to adopt a season with an aggressive wolf quota rather than a conservative one. We need as much relief as possible and as soon as possible.

The USFWS also approved the 10J Rule request that the MBA supported for removal of a majority of the wolves in the West Fork of the Bitterroot. TheFWS is currently going through the environmental analysis stage of affirming and finalizing this

decision. Hopefully they make the right decisions, and this will help with the struggling ungulate populations there. That coupled with a wolf hunting season this year might bring things back into balance there and elsewhere around the State. Keep voicing that you want aggressive and responsible wolf management now that management is back in the hands of the State, and eventually we will get things turned around.

Looking forward, the Fish and Game Tentatives season will be in full swing this December. If any of you members out there have ideas for more positive changes to our archery seasons, let myself, a Tentatives Committee member, or your Regional Representative or Director At Large know. That’s what we are here for.

Hope to see you at the Carp Shoot or the Montana State Bowhunters Shoot/Bear\ Shoot this summer. And enjoy all that bowhunting here in Montana has to offer. That’s what it’s all about.

Steve Kamps Steve Sukut

I

STEVE SUKUT

was given a poke in the ribs the other day by a fella who read my DAL report in the spring issue of Montana Bowhunter. “Looks like you were off a bit with your remark about possibly getting five feet of snow!” Yeah, I was off a bit. Ultimately we got over 105 inches of snow, which is pushing nine feet. That’s unheard of and a new record. And yes, the deer and antelope suffered severely. There are carcasses thawing out and rotting in the sun almost everywhere you look.’

But I was driving out along the Milk River last night, looking at the flood, and sure enough, there were some deer still running around. So Mother Nature did what Mother Nature always does: took the weak and left the strong. I wish Mother Nature would teach pronghorn antelope the downside of trying to outrun a 70 mph freight train by sprinting straight down the tracks, but maybe some kind of evolutionary process will kick in and the ones left over are a bit smarter than the ones splattered all over.

Speaking of evolutionary processes- what the heck kind of a Legislative Session was that? I’ve never seen such a flood of bad bills. I would imagine that many if not most of these came about as a response to I-161, since many of them directly benefited the outfitting industry. At this time, thanks to hard working outdoorsmen both within and outside of the MBA, almost all of the really bad bills have been beaten down, and it is hoped that Gov. Scheitzer will veto a few more.

So we may be okay, but rest assured, this will all happen again.

We have to be very careful who we vote for, and this means at all levels, be it local, state, or national elections. Most candidates are exactly what they appear to be, so take a good hard look at what they’ve said in the past, what they do, and how they behave. If it quacks like a duck….

Steve Sukut

Summer 2011

15—

At Large

DIRECTORS continued from page 15

Cory Benge

There is a plethora of 3-D shoots in Montana this year so get out with your families and friends and throw some arrows down range. And don’t forget to haze your shooting companions just before they come to the shooting stake. This technique always seems to get me a point or two when shooting with my friends; not with them but definitely on my score card.

I hope most of you have already had the chance to get outdoors and chase some turkeys this spring as well as picked up a few sheds. Me? I’m always working on it. My best to you all and remember to please email me with your thoughts, concerns and ideas. My email is always open! bengebow@yahoo.com

Cory Benge

F

A

COREY BENGE

pril 15, 2011 is a day we can all be thankful for and one of the reason is this…. “Montana wildlife officials heaped praise on U.S. Senator Sen. Jon Tester today as a Congressional measure he helped craft removed gray wolves from the list of threatened and endangered species in Montana , Idaho , and parts of Oregon , Washington and Utah.” Finally a step in the right direction for Montana bowhunters! As a matter of fact, everyone who enjoys all that Montana wilderness has to offer will reap the benefits of what Senator Tester helped us do! My hat is off for Senator Tester and his staff and I am smiling from ear to ear as I sit here and write my spring 2011 report.

Now, let’s look at this from the business side of things. Yes, with the hand played by Senator Tester we have finally, after long, time-consuming and costly efforts by many good organizations, turned the tide and are moving in a favorable direction regarding wolf management. However, the fight isn’t over and we need to ‘sleep with one eye open’ because there are still organizations out there that are willing to lie, cheat, steal and spend a lot of money to fight for what they believe in, which is very different from what the MBA and similar organizations are working towards. It is up to us, the Montana sportsmen and specifically the Montana bowhunter, to continue to educate ourselves and stay active. We need to continue to share information with other like-minded individuals in regards to protecting our hunting privileges of here in Montana.

The carp shoot at Canyon Ferry Reservoir will be here before you now it so get out in the backyard and start shooting your bowfishing rigs. This year I hope to bring my business partner to be ‘carpified’ as well as get some great video footage of all of you slinging arrows at fish. This event continues to be one of my favorites and Joelle Selk does a great job of hosting this gathering of Montana bowhunters. Let’s try and beat last year’s total of carp hauled in and make a local farmer very happy with “free fertilizer.” See the ad for the carp shoot in this issue of Montana Bowhunter.

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 16 WWW.MTBA.ORG

ROGER PEFFER

INALLY, spring is on it’s way! Time to get out and look for sheds and maybe find a bruin? It has been a long and hard winter in Montana this year and a lot of animals have suffered.

This is especially true in the northern half of Regions 4 and 6.

I predict we will have some reductions in deer and antelope tags in some of those GMU’s. It may take a few years for those populations to bounce back. Although grizzlies are now coming out of their dens there is still a lot of snow in the mountains and food resources will probably be limited until the weather warms and bears can focus on newly-sprouted grasses. I am eager to go black bear hunting but that may prove challenging until a little later in the season. If you have never had bear- it is very tasty and can make some great sausage. Just make sure you cook it thoroughly to avoid any chance of trichinosis, a nasty parasite that infects muscle tissue. See the FWP website for more information about trichinosis in Montana bears.

The Montana legislative session has been chaotic at best.

Many issues have been bounced around and Joelle Selk and the rest of the legislative crew have done a tremendous job trying to stay on top of the insanity of constantly-changing bills related to hunting. I have been generally disgusted with what I have been seeing. Several legislators have demonstrated they simply have no support of Montana hunters and the FWP. Make sure you let them know how you feel about this through your e-mails and your future votes.

In March, MBA had a booth at the Great Rockies Sports Show in Great Falls. We met many bowhunters from the area and I want to thank all of the new members who signed up at the show. Please feel free to contact MBA board members if you have any questions about bowhunting issues and the MBA. Brian Patterson from Great Falls won the Russell Green River skinning knife we had as a raffle prize for the membership drive.

Congratualtiions Brian! Thanks to all those who helped run our booth.

The MBA Convention was a fun time in Kalispell. My hat is off to Paul Martin and all of the people who helped make the convention a success. You all did a great job. I also want to thank the vendors who attended our convention and donated to our organization. It is always nice to see all of the new equipment and gear. Montana is blessed with many very talented bowyers who make beautiful bows. What a great bunch of folks! It is always fun to take some to the shooting lane and test them out. Thanks also to all of the members who attended. MBA

appreciates your support. Next year the convention will be in Butte.

Being in such a central location we should get a huge attendance from throughout the state. Keep an eye on the magazine for the date of next years convention. It is a must attend event!

There are many 3-D shoots coming up all over the state. Check the MBA magazine and website for information about shoots in your area. My wife and I plan on attending several shoots this summer. She is a great shot with her rifle but is still working on being comfortable with her bow. I hope her confidence in her shooting skills improves and she decides to bowhunt this fall. I have a perfect spot for her to shoot whitetail doe at 15 yards when she decides she is ready. Don’t forget to come out to the Carp shoot in June. It is sure to be a great time for everyone. Buy your carp arrows now! Don’t forget to submit your successful hunting photo’s for the magazine.

Get out and shoot your bows. Take a kid out. Scout your hunting areas. Have fun. Be safe and shoot straight.

Roger Peffer Mark Renner

MARK RENNER

B

eing a newly elected board member I thought I’d give you all a little background on myself.

I grew up a Navy brat and lived all over, even spending a 2-year tour in the Philippines. Although my father was a steelyeyed Navy fighter pilot, he was not a hunter.

Archery hunting and hunting in general was something that wasn’t presented to me until I moved to the great state of Montana in 2003.

During my first summer in Montana my father-in-law (Jim Wantulok) decided to teach me how to shoot a bow. Jim handed me an old Mathew’s compound and taught me the basics – form, form, form and more about form. I practiced day in and day out until I became a pretty good shot.

Not being able to get in-state tags or my bow stamp that first year I tagged along with Jim on his elk and deer hunting adventures.

The very first time an animal came within 20 yards of us, I was hooked and I couldn’t wait to get my tags and go hunting the following year.

I’ve become - as my wife says – “OBSESSED” with archery hunting. It doesn’t matter if its just target practice at the local archery shop or a day in the field during archery season. I can’t wait to get my bow in my hands.

I was able to harvest a small four-point whitetail my first year and I’ve been hooked ever since. I remember taking the shot and immediately Jim yelled out “nice shot.” We waited for about 20 minutes to track the small buck. It was a magical moment for Jim

and me that I will never forget. I can’t thank Jim enough for introducing me to the sport.

I’ve been lucky enough to harvest a total of 2 bulls, 4 antelope bucks, 6 whitetail bucks and one turkey (along with a few rabbits and some prairie dogs) in my short hunting career.

If there is one thing that I’ve learned having spent so much time in the field, it’s that archery hunting is not about killing; it’s about becoming one with nature – a serene and magical bond between you and your surroundings.

I’ve had more spectacular days in the field that didn’t result in a kill than I’ve had kills – most of which have been with my two sons, ages 8 and 10. Although I’ve never taken an animal when I was with them – hunting with young kids is tough – it’s always cool to get them out in the field and watch as they learn and explore the sport that I love so much. I am anxiously awaiting my oldest son’s 12th birthday so I can share the experience of him harvesting his first animal with a bow.

The reason I wanted to become more involved in the MBA is because I see the challenges we face as archery hunters with regards to our seasons and available tags. Some of the bills that have been introduced to our legislature over the last few years are doing what they can to reduce or eliminate our rights as archery hunters and hunting in general. I’m concerned that our archery seasons are in jeopardy and may not be around for my children when they get older so I decided to try to make a difference.

Not many of you know the story behind the MBA but it was formed because a few dedicated archery hunters opened up the hunting regulations and realized that there were no dedicated archery seasons. That small group of archery hunters formed what is now known as the Montana Bowhunters Association.

They were successful in getting our first dedicated archery seasons.

The MBA is the only organization in Montana that fights for our rights as archery hunters and is dedicated to keeping and expanding our archery-only seasons. If you’re not a member, I highly recommend that you become one and support the mission of the MBA.

Mark Renner

Summer 2011

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S ’ R E N N I BEG

K C U L

By Do ug a n d

N ic k Be ll

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a rookie.

With Dad, I’ve been here before. I’ve gone to bed late, gotten up early, traveled long distances in the dark and hunted all day.

I’ve walked forever in search of game and waited even longer in ground blinds for game to come to us. I’ve seen lots of beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and I’ve braved blizzards and heat. I’ve seen God’s creatures before and after the har vest, and I’ve posed in lots of pictures. I’ve been on many successful hunts but have never carried a weapon - until now.

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 18 WWW.MTBA.ORG

Turning twelve last year was the birthday that I had been waiting for. After completing the hunter safety course in my home state of Montana I was now old enough to legally hunt. Finally, it was my turn to be “the shooter.”

Like Dad, I chose to hunt with archery equipment.

My setup included a Mathews Ignition compound bow (45-lb. draw weight), Easton Axis graphite arrows and 100-grain 2-blade Magnus Stinger BuzzCut broadheads.

After shooting lots of arrows and passing the weeklong bowhunter’s education course, I was ready to go.

Mom pulled me out of school early one Friday in midSeptember and we hit the road. I was going on my first archery elk hunt! Meeting Dad an hour outside of town we continued on our trip to a friend’s ranch near the Missouri River Breaks. He’d been scouting our hunting area for a few days prior to my arrival. We sent Mom home with a giant wolf spider Dad had caught for my younger brother. “Don’t forget to do your homework!”

Mom yelled as she drove off.

The alarm clock startled us at 4:30 A.M. the next morning. After a bowl of Frosted Flakes and a Twinkie,

Denver Bryan/ Images on the Wildside

“

The plan he briefly explained, was to call one of the bulls toward him, providing me with a shot.

“

we loaded our daypacks, grabbed our bows and headed off into the dark.

Dad’s scouting helped put us in the lap of some bugling bulls at first light. I was surprised when Dad unexpectedly suggested he sneak behind me 50 yards and start calling. The plan he briefly explained, was to call one of the bulls toward him, providing me with a shot. Envisioning numerous panic-stricken scenarios, I delayed him as long as possible with multiple “what ifs.” But with opportunity slipping away, Dad gave me a reassuring thumbs up and disappeared deeper into the woods.

Fortunately, my first trial as the shooter didn’t result in a face-to-face encounter with a big bull elk looking for a fight. In fact, I never even saw the buglers as they slowly moved off, clashing antlers and raking trees. Dad said a young 5x5 and a spike slipped in silently behind him but I never saw them.

The weather that day was hot and dry with temps forecast to climb into the 90’s. Sneaking up on elk was out of the question so we began the 2-mile trek back to camp.

As I caught up with Dad midway back, I found him pondering an oddly shaped 2-foot ‘rock’ at his feet. “Look” I said, “a bone!” “That’s right” he rejoiced, lifting the heavy object from the ground. “We’ve just discovered our first dinosaur fossil!” After a short and unsuccessful search for additional bones we continued on to camp. Dad’s daypack was a lot heavier than mine the rest of the way out.

We lay around camp, napping miserably in the midday heat. The constant clatter of giant red-winged grasshoppers from the worst infestation in years prevented any serious sleep. After shooting my bow a few times, we grabbed our Ground Swat camo gear and set out for the evening hunt. We were headed, Dad said, for a ground blind on a water hole. “On a day like this,” he assured me, “the elk will be thirsty.”

Our plans changed as we crested the final hill a mile from the pond. Binoculars confirmed what we suspected with the naked eye; the elk had beaten us to our destination and foiled our sure-fire plan. Dad grumbled something about wasting too much time back aat camp when we should have been hunting.

We dropped into the timber but never really had a chance. The parched grass crunched like popcorn with every step. Supercharged, wind-aided hoppers crisscrossed our path, occasionally slamming into us. We set up and called a few times without luck. “We’ll get’em tomorrow,” D said in an encouraging voice.

Dad I shivered the next morning as we slipped off the ridge in the pre-dawn darkness toward bugling bulls far below. As th eastern sky brightened, we found ourselves across a large the sa sagebrush flat from elk in the timber beyond. The waterhole an Primos ground blind lay midway between us and our and qu quarry.

Though he wasn’t accustomed to hunting over water in the morning, Dad figured it was worth a try. Doubleche checking the wind, we crouched and maneuvered through a shal shallow depression to the face of the stock dam. A moment late and with a sigh of relief, we entered the blind. later I wasn’t five minutes before we heard the bugle on the tree It line. Frantically scrambling to position chairs and ready our gear, I nocked an arrow, kissed it for good luck and peeked out the window. “They’re coming!” I exclaimed as fifteen cows and their bull broke free of the timber and headed for our water hole.

This was it! This was the chance we’d been hoping for. With the wind in our face and the sun at our backs, we were perfectly positioned for an ambush. With any luck a close shot at an unsuspecting elk seemed assured.

Our optimism faded slightly as we watched the lead cow walk by just out of my bow range, taking the rest of the herd to the far end of the pond. Following behind the cows, a large 6x6 herd bull nervously kept watch over his harem as they drank and slowly moved away.

A shot opportunity was growing more unlikely by the minute when, from the same tree line, we were jolted by another thundering bugle. A 5x5 satellite bull was now on the scene. The herd bull growled as he left his cows and advanced toward the challenger. “This is good,” Dad said. “We’re gonna see a fight!”

For fifteen entertaining minutes we watched the two bulls at 100 yards, shredding every juniper bush within their reach. Screaming repeatedly, they circled around and around without fighting. The cows like us, just watched and waited, wondering what would happen next.

My prayers were answered as the two bulls grew tired of the standoff and made a beeline for the ground blind, presumably headed for the wallow at our end of the pond. “Wait for the big one!” Dad instructed as they closed the gap.

The 5x5 led the way through the marsh grass passing within twenty yards of my shooting window. The 6x6, still upwind, walked straight at the blind oblivious to its occupants. I had visions of him thrashing our blind the way an elk did last year; shattering the poles and ripping the fabric but this time with us inside!

19—

continued on page 22

Summer 2011

33nd Annual Convention HIGHLIGHTS

2 0 1 1 AWA R D W I N N E R S

Josh Snyder

Schafer Award Nomination

Dear Josh, Being your grandfather makes me proud and happy. You and I have done many things together, and I know you well. I’ve enjoyed all my times with you, especially the last 10 hunting seasons, and I treasure you as a hunting partner.

You’re only 14, but you are already a good outdoorsman and bowhunter. Your abilities, and the wonderful person you are, reflect what you have learned from your parents and your relatives, people who taught you and spent special times with you. Up until now, the bowhunter you are, and the man you will become, has been mostly a family project. But your personality and talents are also a result of the effort you have put into your learning opportunities. Each day, when you’re away from your family, you can behave as you wish; that involves your choices about how you want to live. At those times, when you make your own choices, you act according to what we call ethics.

Ethics is a difficult thing to describe and to recognize, especially for young people like you and others at your age, but it is very important.

You cannot see it or touch it, but you can observe it in action by watching what people do. Ethics is a personal, internal compass or GPS that guides your choices and the things you do, especially when nobody is around to see what you are doing. Each person behaves differently, often under the same circumstances, and because humans are not born with internal guidance, they learn their behavior from others.

You learned ethics from the people in your life and from the experiences you have had; this began when you were born, and will continue until you die. So it’s always important to spend time with good people and to be careful about what you do. Your choices and actions set the direction of your life; they are not only important to you, but also to your family, our society, the nation, and to the world.

The Montana Bow-hunters Association considers good ethics important to the future of bow-hunting, so it has created the Paul Schafer award. The award is given to young bow hunters who show exceptional behavior. I believe you are at the Honor Roll level of young bow hunters, and that you are worthy of the Paul Schafer

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 20 WWW.MTBA.ORG

award, so with this letter I am nominating you. Whether you win the award or not, I want you to know how much I respect you for the person you are.

At your dad’s side, you faced a charging bear when you were five years old. You have killed nine big game animals with traditional equipment during your first three seasons. This winter you took a large lion, with one arrow, after a 3 mile chase in deep snow; in fact, the majority of your kills have been with one arrow.

But these achievements do not necessarily make you an ethical bowhunter, or worthy of the Paul Schafer award; there is more. The Schafer award asks for excellence. You must follow the hunting laws and respect the land where you hunt, and those who own the land, whether it is public or private. You must also respect the animals you hunt, and take them in fair chase, and you must always be the best hunter you can be. I have been watching, and you do all of these things well.

You’re a young man that any adult would be happy to have as a son. You’re an honor roll student, a starting lineman each year on your football team, and you care for your family’s horses and chickens as part of your daily chores. A man’s share of work is normal for you whenever something is to be done, and you’re always kind and polite. You live each day with good ethics.

You practice faithfully with your hunting equipment and take care of it, you keep yourself strong and in good condition, and you help care for the meat of the animals you kill. You are understandably excited when you are successful, but you are equally excited just to be hunting, whether you kill or not. With your excitement comes a contagious happiness that makes every hunt a pleasure for those you are with. You are a good example of what a hunter should be, and while you were learning from me, I have learned from you.

The ethics of being a good bow-hunter, and a good man, is in what you do, and in how you do it. In the end, you must feel right about what you have done. If you receive the Schafer award, look into the hearts of the people that reward you; know that you have won their respect, and know you owe them your honor. They have passed their own tests as bow-hunters, and many of them are responsible for the opportunities you enjoy.

Give back to them by growing in your ethics at every opportunity, and by always being the good example you are now.

You are one of my favorite hunting partners..

Grandpa Bob/Bob Windauerners

33nd Annual Convention HIGHLIGHTS

Joelle Selk Special Acheivement Award Nomination I would like to nominate a fellow MBA member for the Special Achievement Award. This member has provided many years of dedicated service to the MBA and its members in many different ways. This member is always ready with new ideas, is always one of the first to volunteer with events and projects and is often the last to leave at the end of the day.

This member has played an active role in the MBA serving in various positions including 2nd Vice president, regional representative and chair of the carp shoot. This member has been instrumental in attending legislative meetings with her tireless efforts to promote and protect the MBA and the sport of bowhunting. As part of the Legislative Committee this member spends time reading and prioritizing the up to 200 bills each session that are introduced and keeps members informed about the issues.

In conjunction with the legislative committee, she determines what bills affect bowhunters and how, and she then continues to follow bills through the lengthy process of amendments, again keeping members informed of progress and changes. Not only is this time consuming but it’s probably boring as hell.

As the chair of the Legislative Committee, Joelle brings an over-riding understanding of the passions and values of bowhunting to the table when decisions are made. Her patience and diligence ensures the committee and the membership are able to remain in the forefront of upcoming changes.

Joelle Selk has worked hard for the MBA and I know she’ll continue to work hard for many years to come. The effort she makes go a long way to ensuring that the MBA will continue to be a quality organization.

Al Kelly

Summer 2011

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BEGINNER’S LUCK

continued from page 19

D k Eddi Dyrk Eddie receiving i i an award d ffor hi his participation i i i and generosity to the 2011 Convention at his home here in Kalispell along side of his world record SCI Stone sheep. Thanks again Dyrk.

A H U G E “ TH A N K YO U” T O A L L O UR D ON OR S AN D S U PPO R T E R S ! !

Dr. John D “Jack” Frost Cory Benge Jeff Kennedy Orv Riley Don Scharfe Dan Evans Mark Renner Rob Heart Sean Dunn Anthony Debrito Jerry Kawasaki Rocky Jacobson Willem Frost Frank Brisendine Dave Mumby Jeff Smith Bob Blair Eric Rauhanen Kevin BurlesonJohn Fossil Gene & Barry Wensel Joelle Selk Jenn Schneider Charlie Johnson Roger Peffer Lucas Zemlicka mli ka Gary ry CCarvajal arvvaja ajal & Charlie harlie CCulver ulve Warren Haugestuenn W a n & Carol Haugestue

Montana

Phil Tucillo Dyrk Eddie Al & Teri Kelley Tony Stephens Bob Morgan & Bob Allen Steve Sukut Don Stein — Dr. Camo Jesse Nelson — Hoyt Clyde Thomas — Western Trailers Dan Toelke — Toelke Traditional Archery Dave Windauer — Schafer Silvertip Bows Aaron Lasco — Spirit Quest Archery Neil Jacobso — Bear’s Paw Bows Herb Meland — Pronghorn Custom Bows Joshua Albanese — Bowskin Billy Lewis — BMT Mark Seaca — Mystery Ranch Backpacks Paul Lindsoe — Headwater Seat Covers Rob & Jan Smollack — ASAT Denver Bryan — Denver Bryan Photography Judy Adams —Buffalo Jump Archery Noel Jacobson —PPL MT Thompson Falls Doug Campbell —Campbell Custom Knives Roy Taylor —Screaming Eagle Treestand Ron Aasheim —MT FWP G. L. Hamilton —MT FWP Jim Williams —MT FWP

BOWHUNTER — 22 WWW.MTBA.ORG

At fifteen yards and closing, Dad whispered, “Draw.” Turning to his left the herd bull stopped and bugled, confirming the location of his cows. Broadside at twelve yards, I now had him at full draw.

Waiting patiently for the shot, Dad finally whispered “Shoot!” “I can’t!” I replied. More emphatically, Dad again whispered “Shoot!” “I can’t!” I repeated. “He’s between the windows!”

The bull continued his advance toward the blind with only a thin layer of shoot-thru camo mesh between me and 800 pounds of agitated bull elk. At 8 yards, and with me bracing for impact at full draw, he stepped to his right towards the other bull. Stopping him in my shooting lane with a pleading squeak, I picked my spot and let ’er rip!

The arrow covered the short distance quickly. Holding my breath, I watched intently as my bull thundered out of sight over the stock dam, my arrow buried deep in his left side.

Glancing back at Dad, I found reassurance in his eyes. “Unbelievable,” said Dad, “Just unbelievable. Grandpa would be so proud of you!”

We stayed in the blind another hour, giving the broadhead plenty of time to do its job. Reliving every minute of the hunt and rehearsing the shot over and over in my mind, I couldn’t wait to find my first bow kill.

The blood trail started on top of the dam. The broken fletched end of my arrow wasn’t far behind. But scanning ahead, across the sagebrush flat, my elk was nowhere to be seen. We weren’t done yet.

The blood drops grew closer together as the animal slowed to a walk, leading us into the head of a wooded draw. Abandoning the trail and circling far downwind we systematically picked our way back up the draw. Growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of sign, we were almost to the end of the draw when Dad smiled and pointed ahead.

Lying motionless only 20 yards away in the bottom of the ravine was my elk. Slowly picking our way through the remaining junipers my eyes never left the beautiful 6x6 bull. Respectful silence and a quick prayer soon turned to full-scale jubilation as we celebrated our good luck. After twenty minutes of hootin’ and hollerin’ and hugs and highfives, it was time to get to work.

Authors The Bell Boys, Doug, Nick and little brother Jake.

STATE WILDLIFE OFFICIALS HAIL CONGRESSIONAL WOLF ACTION Montana wildlife officials heaped praise on U.S. Senator Sen. Jon Tester today as a Congressional measure he helped craft removed gray wolves from the list of threatened and endangered species in Montana, Idaho, and parts Oregon, Washington and Utah “Finally,” Joe Maurier, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks said when he learned that the brief 104-word measure passed into federal law along with the budget bill that will fund the federal government through September. “Our thanks go out to Sen. Tester for providing FWP with the authority to once again manage wolves under Montana’s highly regarded wolf conservation and management plan.”

Wolf management in Montana will once again become the full responsibility of the state when the new rule is published in the Federal Register, which must occur within 60 days. The new law also excludes the Congressional delisting action from judicial review, which scuttled delisting in 2009 and 2010.

Governor Brian Schweitzer, too, said he welcomed the delisting of the wolf through the budget resolution.

“Enough is enough – Montana must have the ability to manage wildlife, to do our job, to seek a balance among predator and prey,” Schweitzer said. “We need the authority to respond to the challenges wolves present every day. This is a common sense measure that will ensure good management of wolves through Montana’s existing plan, which allows for healthy numbers of wolves and safeguards the interests of ranchers and sportsmen.”

Maurier said FWP will begin to prepare a hunting season proposal for the FWP Commission to consider.

“Wildlife management is about seeking a balance, in this case a balance between wolves, other wildlife, livestock producers and other interests” Maurier said. “Montana played a pivotal role in the recovery of the Rocky Mountain gray wolf and the expectation is that Montana will play an important role its future. FWP is prepared and ready to meet that challenge.

We are committed to the responsible conservation and management of the wolf to ensure that the population remains vital and recovered in Montana.”

With delisting Montana wolves will be reclassified under state law as a species in need of management. The new classification offers wolves legal protection much like other managed wildlife. Delisting also brings more flexibility to protect livestock and domestic dogs. Similar to lions and black bears, a wolf seen actively biting, wounding, chasing, harassing, or attacking livestock or domestic dogs could be killed. Such incidents must be reported to FWP in 72 hours.

The recovery of the wolf in the northern Rockies remains one of the fastest endangered species comebacks on record. In the mid 1990s, to hasten the overall pace of wolf recovery in the Northern Rockies, 66 wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho.

The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years and well distributed throughout the recovery area. The goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has increased every year since.

The northern Rockies “metapopulation” is comprised of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. About 1,650 wolves, in 244 packs and 111 breeding pairs live in the region, where wolves can travel about freely to join existing packs or form new packs. This, combined with wolf populations in Canada and Alaska, assures genetic diversity.

At least 566 wolves inhabited Montana at the end of 2010, in at least 108 packs and 39 breeding pairs, Maurier said.

continued on page 25

Hoyt has brought out the perfect hunting takedown recurve bow.

The Fred Eichler Signature Series Buffalo recurve is packed with deadly accuracy and sweet shootability. This is a high-tech stickbow with key traditional features, including a double-radius shelf for ideal clearance and point-and-shoot ergonomics for instinctive accuracy. Buffalo blends tradition and modern high performance; featuring a 19” machined aluminum riser and Hoyt’s advanced Paralever Limb System which is derived from the Hoyt Formula - the most successful target recurve in 25 years! Buffalo is the new force in traditional bowhunting. This bow is available in 60” and 62” lengths and in 5lbs increments from 35 to 65 lbs.

Fred Eichler says about his signature bow, “With custom features and the perfect length and balance, the Fred Eichler Signature Series BUFFALO is my dream bow. I worked with Hoyt’s engineers to create a perfect balance of sweet shootability, accuracy and speed, with the features most demanded by traditional shooters. It’s also whisper quiet. I love hunting with my Buffalo and you will too!”

Only active MBA members are eligible for this drawing if they mail in the membership survey on the previous page by July 1, 2011. The winner and survey results will be announced in the next issue of Montana Bowhunter.

The Montana Bowhunters Association is interested in your feedback in order to better represent the organizations’ membership. Please complete and return the membership survey, including your name and address.

Personal information will only be use to verify current membership and for raffle entry. Results of the survey and drawing will be announced in the next issue. Entries must be a current or new MBA member to be eligible for raffle, Non addressed surveys will not be eligible for prize drawing. Opinions portrayed in this article, survey questions and the results are in NOT connected or representative of the donating manufacture’s opinion.

Summer 2011

23—

MONTANA BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP SURVEY WIN A 2010 HOYT BUFFALO RECURVE!!

ARCHERY BISON OPPORTUNITY

By Jesse Nelson Being an American icon, bison have taken center stage politically since Montana started a general hunting season for them in 2005. The Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) calls for a target population of 3000 Yellowstone bison; the current population is about 3,700. Driven by weather in the winter months bison follow their natural winter migration paths north into the Gardiner Valley (HD 385) and out along the Madison River toward the headwaters of Hebgen Lake and the West Yellowstone Basin (HD 395).

The Montana Legislature in 1995 designated Yellowstone bison as a “species in need of disease management” giving that responsibility to the Department of Livestock (DOL). The DOL serves as the lead but works in conjunction with other state agencies for operations in Montana outside of Yellowstone National Park. The IBMP was negotiated and signed by five state and federal agencies. The purpose and need as described in the final Environmental Impact Statement is to “maintain a wild, free-ranging population of bison and address the risk of brucellosis transmission to protect the economic interest and viability of the livestock industry in Montana.” The IBMP is jointly implemented by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Montana Department of Livestock, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MT FWP), Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Nez Perce Tribe, and the Intertribal Buffalo Council The IBMP dictates how bison leaving Yellowstone National Park (YNP) are managed.

Bison are hazed back to YNP, captured and held for return to YNP, shipped to slaughter or hunted by sportsman/Indian Tribes. Hunting occurs as a general hunt or a Tribal treaty hunt. Tribal hunting is a treaty right of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Nez Perce Tribe, Shoshone Bannack Tribes and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. Tribal treaty hunts are not regulated by MT FWP and each tribe has its own set of rules and regulations. General hunting is regulated by MT FWP. For the 2010 season, 44 either sex licenses were issued and distributed over two hunting districts and three time periods between Nov. 15 and Feb. 15. From the 44 either-sex licenses, 10 were allocated to Montana Tribes and the remaining 34 were awarded to sportsmen through an application process that in 2010 had 7,754 applicants. In addition to the 44 either-sex tags, 2nd choice applicants were placed on a roster for up to 100 cow/calf licenses that MT FWP could draw from once 60 bison or more were present in open hunting areas.

The only variable in this bison management equation is the Montana sportsman’s limited opportunity. Further reducing this opportunity only places bison in the crosshairs of the tribal hunters or the slaughter pens.

The only allowed means of taking a bison is center-fire rifles using 150gr bullet or larger, making bison the only MT big game species for which archery equipment is restricted. Out of six states and two Canadian provinces that offer fair chase bison hunting opportunities, MT is the only one that excludes the use of archery equipment.

In 2010, I was one of the successful either-sex license applicants for the West Yellowstone hunting district. The hard winter in 2010 provided a higher harvest for the first time in a couple years. This opportunity is not a guarantee of success. Weather often dictates how the game is played. It has been more common over the last three years for the hunter to enjoy a nice cup of “tag soup.” The location of these hunts draw a large number and variety of recreational users that directly places this hunt under national and international scrutiny and demands the utmost respect and behavior from a hunter.

The Montana Bowhunters Association is interested in your feedback in order to better represent the organization’s rganization membership. Please complete and return the survey including your name and nd address. Personal information will only be use to verify current membership and for raffle entry. ry y. Res R Results ul of the t survey surv and drawing will be announced in the next issue. Entries must be a current curr rren nt MB M MBA mem member mb ber to o be eligible. Non-addressed surveys will not be eligible for prize drawing.

Opinions Op Opin ns portrayed d in n this th s article, ar survey questions and the results are in no way connected to or representative rrep esentative of the don d donating onat ng manufactures’ opinion.

Montana

4 WWW.MTBA.ORG BOWHUNTER BOWHUNTE R — 24

MBA SURVEY ARCHERY BISON OPPORTUNITY The MBA has been actively pursuing an archery opportunity for bison. Do you support these efforts?

YES

NO

The current bison hunt takes place at locations that are heavily used by the public, placing the hunt directly in the public’s eye. Is this current opportunity a good fit for an archery hunt?

YES

NO

If archery equipment is allowed, should some equipment restrictions beyond the general regulations be considered much like the firearm restriction that currently exists?

YES

NO

During the first bison hunts successful applicants were required to take an instructional class. Should the MBA work to implement a required course before a hunter may use archery equipment?

YES

NO

Should it include a proficiency test?

YES

NO

NAME

ADDRESS

Cut out this page and

Mail back this survey to: Montana Bowhunters Association ATT. Survey Department 407 N Teton, Bozeman24— MT 59718

Summer 2011

STATE WILDLIFE OFFICIALS HAIL CONGRESSIONAL WOLF ACTION continued from page 23 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had announced decisions to delist the wolf twice since 2008, with each decision successfully challenged in federal court which jettisoned the wolf back on to the federal list of endangered species.

FWP has led wolf management under the federal guidelines since 2004. Delisting allows Montana to manage wolves in a manner similar to how bears, mountain lions and other wildlife species are managed, guided by state management plans, administrative rules, and laws.

To learn more about Montana’s wolf population, visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov. Click Montana Wolves.

FWP Fact Sheet

Congress Delists Montana Wolf Population Congressional Action Delivers State Wolf Management Within 60 days of the enactment of a new federal law, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior will once again reissue the wolf delisting rule first published in April 2009. Unlike delisting rules issued in the past, this Congressional action also excludes the rule from judicial review.

The reissued rule: • is effective upon publication in the Federal Register.

• delists all wolves in Montana, Idaho—and in portions of Washington, Oregon and Utah • does not delist wolves in Wyoming.

• authorizes Montana to manage wolves under the state’s federally approved Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.

Wolves are recovered in the Northern Rocky Mountains • The Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf population first met the biological recovery goals in 2002. The Northern Rockies “metapopulation” is comprised of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

• At least 1,650 wolves live in the region, where wolves can travel about freely to join existing packs or form new packs. This, combined with wolf populations in Canada and Alaska, assures genetic diversity.

• At least 566 wolves inhabited Montana at the end of 2010 in about 108 packs, 35 of which were breeding pairs.

• To avoid relisting, Montana will comply with federal regulations to manage wolves in a manner that will guarantee that the state maintains at least a minimum of 150 wolves and 15 breeding pairs.

• The Montana wolf population increased by about 8 percent in 2010.

Wolf Delisting and Montana • Delisting allows Montana to manage wolves in a manner similar to how bears, mountain lions and other wildlife species are managed, guided by state management plans and laws.

• FWP and the respective Indian Tribes will have full legal authority for wolf conservation and management in Montana when delisting takes effect.

• Upon delisting, the line separating Montana into the northern Endangered Area and the southern Experimental Area no longer exists.

• The wolf will be reclassified under Montana law as a “species in need of management” statewide.

• Montana laws allow wolves to be legally killed only: ° during an official hunting season authorized by the FWP Commission. ° if the wolf is seen killing or threatening to kill dogs or livestock. to ° protect human life. ° as authorized by FWP to resolve wolf-livestock conflicts.

2011 Wolf Hunting Season • The FWP Commission will consider establishing a wolf-hunting season and harvest quotas for a 2011 season.

• Officials expect the season will be similar to the framework proposed for 2010.

• Montana’s approach to wolf management will be a rigorous, science-based effort to manage the total number of wolves that can be taken by hunters while maintaining a balance among all wildlife, their habitats and the people who live in Montana.

• That balance will include managing for a recovered wolf population while addressing livestock depredation and impacts to other wildlife.

• Quotas would be tracked by requiring successful hunters to call 1-877-FWP-WILD to report their harvest within 12 hours. When a management unit quota is filled, the season would close upon 24-hour notice.

• The wolf population would be carefully monitored before, during, and after the hunting season to assess how it responds.

• Wolf season dates would likely correspond to Montana’s early back country and general big game rifle seasons.

• FWP may ask the commission to consider a wolf archery season to run the same time as Montana’s deer, elk, lion, and black bear archery seasons.

• Wolf hunting license fees are set at $19 for residents and $350 for nonresidents.

2010 Wolf Hunting Season Proposal • The 2010 wolf hunt, which was blocked by a federal court order, proposed a total harvest quota of 186 wolves to reduce the wolf population by 13 percent, in conjunction with anticipated reductions due to livestock depredation and mortalities from other events, like accidents and natural causes.

• The 2010 wolf season framework included: ° 14 wolf management units designed to ensure a widely distributed harvest and yet still target areas where impacts on prey, like elk and deer, were of concern and where recurring livestock depredations were anticipated. ° subquotas in three areas to limit harvest during early season backcountry hunts, including the area directly north of Yellowstone National Park.

2009 Wolf Hunting Season • During Montana’s first regulated wolf hunt in 2009: ° a harvest quota of 75 wolves was established across three WMUs. ° hunters harvested72 wolves between Sept. 15 and Nov. 16. ° as hunters approached the overall harvest quota of 75 wolves, ° FWP closed the hunt about two weeks before the season was scheduled to end to ensure the quota would not be exceeded.

Wolf monitoring ° • Throughout the year, FWP works to determine the status of known packs, verifies new wolf activity, determines if a pack produced pups, and how many survived to the end of the year.

• FWP is required to report the minimum total number of wolves, the number of packs of two or more wolves and the number of breeding pairs to the USFWS for five years after delisting.

• FWP monitors wolves for routine health and disease. FWP also collects tissue samples and uses radio telemetry information to monitor genetic diversity and wolf dispersal.

continued on page 28

Summer 2011

25—

At 7:00 pm Jeff and Ashlyn jumped in their pickup and drove six miles out of town to a nearby wildlife management area. They were still in their pajamas but with shoes on when they pulled up to a boat ramp on the Missouri River. At this location, the river is the boundary between the Elkhorn and the Big Belt Mountains hunting districts. The Elkhorns are one of the most coveted, drawing-only permits for bull elk hunting in Montana. This permit is very difficult to draw and the Elkhorns are full of big bull elk. The Big Belts are open for general “brow-tine” hunting.

Bowhunting Elk With A Pregnant Wife

by J.D. Jones

Soon after stepping out of their pickup on the Big Belts side of the river, Jeff pulled out his call and blew a challenge bugle. Immediately, a bull bugled back maybe a quarter mile away. It was fairly faint but they both heard it. Jeff decided that they should walk down the ramp and onto a gravel bar near some willows to see if they could hear the elk again. Ashlyn could barely waddle but it was only about 30 yards away from the pickup. When they reached the gravel bar, Jeff bugled again and the bull immediately bugled back only this time he was a lot closer.

It was September 17th and the middle of Montana Montana’s ’s elk archery hunting season. A mild cold front was blowing through central Montana and my son Jeff had decided to take Friday off to bowhunt elk. He is a cardiac ultra-sound technician in Helena.

His wife Ashlyn, was eight and a half months pregnant with their first son. Jeff returned home from work about 5:30 P.M., cooked dinner for Ashlyn and was in the process of cleaning the kitchen. Both of them had put on their pajamas to lounge around the house before bedtime. Jeff, as usual, was talking about elk hunting and trying to decide where he wanted to hunt the next morning. Somewhere during the conversation Ashlyn mentioned that she sure would like to hear an elk bugle.

This was all the encouragement Jeff needed as he had recently watched several large bulls bugling in the Elkhorn Mountains near their home in Townsend.

Jeff encouraged Ashlyn to step near the willows just in case the elk came out on the far bank, the Elkhorn side. He was just about to call again when a 340-350 B&C class bull charged out of the brush on the far side of the river. The bank was fairly steep and the water deep but the big bull hardly slowed down and jumped into the river and began swimming straight across to them. Only his head and big rack were visible above the water.

Jeff told Ashlyn to kneel down in the nearby willows but in her condition this was impossible. She simply stood behind him as he knelt down. About half way across the big bull began to feel the bottom.

When he got his legs under him, the bull lunged ahead towards them. With water spraying off his sides like a freight train the bull roared another bugle at them from only 30 yards away. And he kept coming! When the bull reached the willows, he stopped at seven yards and started quartering away from them. The bull looked the other way and stood his ground for several seconds. The cool evening air was filled with the musky smell of rutting elk mixed with water. The excitement was intense!

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 26 WWW.MTBA.ORG

Denver Bryan/ Images on the Wildside

About this time it occurred to Jeff that this could be a dangerous situation for his pregnant wife. He started thinking about yelling, standing up, covering his wife or running when the big bull saved him the decision and slowly started pushing his way through the willows. Water was still dripping off the bull as he moved back onto the gravel bar and headed down river and out of sight. Jeff grabbed Ashlyn’s hand and they hustled back to their pickup.

It was at this time that they called me from their cell phone. Two people talking and yelling at the same time was difficult to comprehend. I finally got Ashlyn to take the phone and give me her side of the story. Her quote was: “J.D., this is the most amazing and exciting wildlife encounter of my life!” She was so excited that I suggested she settle down a bit so she

Denver Bryan/ Images on the Wildside

wouldn’t go into premature labor. When she finally gave the phone back to Jeff his first statement was, “Dad, you wouldn’t believe what just happened!” After a few seconds of silence on Jeff’s end, his next statement was, “Dad, he was a legal bull!” Then there was the realization that he hadn’t even taken his bow on their little outing.

Jeff started repeating, and is still repeating to this day, that he had a 350 class bull standing broadside, slightly quartering away at seven yards and not looking in his direction for 5 seconds….and he didn’t even have a bow!

When the excitement settled a bit, I did offer some words of consolation. First of all, the bull didn’t attack or injure anyone.

Secondly, this was probably the “trophy” bull elk encounter of their lifetime. Thirdly, this is probably the best bowhunting elk story of the 2010 season that does not involve blood. And finally the moral of this story; if you take your pregnant wife out to hear an elk bugle, don’t forget your bow!!

This could have been the end of the story but it really wasn’t.

After spending a sleepless night with thoughts about a soon-to-arrive new son, his wife Ashlyn in labor and big bulls, Jeff was up at 4:30 A.M. with high anticipation. He slammed down a few cups of coffee and a recently-unfrozen burrito and then returned before daylight to the scene of their “close encounter” the day before. It was a perfect morning with mist hanging over the Missouri River and light frost on the nearby grass. This time, he had his bow. Nervously, he let out a bugle but there was no response. He spent all morning moving up and down the river, occasionally cow-calling and bugling but he never heard a single elk. He returned to the site where the big bull had crossed the river a couple more times during the day. It all seemed like a dream but the massive tracks in the sand brought it all back to life. Jeff spent the rest of the afternoon with Ashlyn awaiting the arrival of his friend, Steve from Rapelje, who he planned to hunt the Big Belts with the next day.

Saturday September 19th promised to be another perfect elk hunting day with a cold crisp morning and plenty of frost in the high mountain meadows. Jeff and Steve hiked in the pre-dawn darkness for two miles to reach a ridge of sagebrush, broken timber and small meadows. Jeff had glassed this area a week earlier and spotted elk.

At this point, Steve was getting tired so he decided to wait at the beginning of the ridge while Jeff moved further up it. Jeff heard an elk bugle along the ridge as daylight arrived. He hiked a few hundred hundred yards further before stopping to cow call. After one cow call three separate bulls bugled a quarter mile further down the ridge. Jeff dropped down into the timber and made a loop up a draw to the general location where he had heard the bulls. He set up in open timber with shooting lanes in all directions and waited.

This was only Jeff’s second year of bowhunting. In September of 2009, he had called in a mature bull but in his mind a poor set up had cost him a shot. 2010 had already been a great archery season for Jeff. He harvested his first animal with a bow, a B license cow elk from a tree stand located near a spring the week before. Here he was again, waiting and watching for his chance at a bull.

His cow call sounded good as it echoed down the ridge.

Immediately, two bulls answered from opposite directions. He soon spotted an elk moving thru the timber off to his right, a cow angling toward him 35 yards in the distance. She went past him and over a small ridge. A second elk soon followed along the same trail. It was a brow-tined bull that Jeff was not going to pass up. He drew his bow when the bull stepped behind some trees. When the bull stepped broadside into the clear he settled his 40 yard pin behind the animal’s shoulder and released. There was a loud whack as the arrow hit home and the bull was gone in an instant. Jeff waited 30 minutes before following the trail but the bull only made it 150 yards. The arrow had passed through both lungs.

After tagging and field dressing the elk, Jeff reconnected with Steve who then hiked back to the pickup to assemble a game cart that he had bought the week before. ‘Assembly required’ is usually not a good sign, especially when it occurs in the field. Jeff returned to the elk and began skinning and quartering. With his small daypack, he packed the loins and tenderloins back out to the truck.

After a short rest at the pickup, both men hiked two miles back to the elk with the assembled cart. With elk quarters loaded in the cart, they started the trip back down the mountain. About half way down the cart began to fall apart. Steve hadn’t followed the assembly directions to the letter nor had he tightened any of the nuts which were lost along the trail as the cart fell into pieces. It was a grueling afternoon as they finished backpacking quarters, boned meat and cart pieces off the mountain.

Jeff later admitted learning some important lessons on this very special and successful weekend. First off, always take your bow with you, no matter what the circumstances.

Secondly, scouting pays off. His prehunt scouting placed him where he was eventually successful. And thirdly, if your equipment requires assembly, make sure you assemble it at home beforehand.

Ashlyn and Jeff bess bull swimming the Missouri River to answer his call.

Jeff & Ashlyn Jones before their son was born.

Summer 2011

27—

2011 Montana Archery Shoots Date June 4-5 June 11 June 12 June 18 June 18 June 18-19 June 18-19 June 25-26 July 2 July 16-17 July 30-31

Host Club Libby Archery MBA Marias Valley Archers Sweet Grass Archers Five Valley Archers Five Valley Archers Makoshika Bowmen Bear Paw Bowmen Mission Valley Archers Great Falls Archery Makoshika Bowmen

MT Location Libby Canyon Ferry Shelby Chester Clearwater Jct Clearwater Jct Makoshika State Park Havre Polson Monarch Makoshika State Park

Shoot Description 3D Carp Shoot Outdoor Targets Carp Shoot MBA State Shoot Bear Shoot 3D Barber Ranch 3D Kings Hill Shoot 3D

Contact Ph. # 293-8738 422-6798 460-0649 355-4488 544-2169 544-2169 687-3412 265-4572 314-0015 788-9009 687-3412

Barber Ranch Shoot

MBA Summer Regional Meeting Schedule: Region 1 - (Kalispell) August 4th at 7:00 pm at FWP meeting room in Kalispell.

Region 1 - (Libby) June 4th at 4:00pm.

Fawn Creek camp ground is north of Libby on the Fisher River.

Region 2 - May 16th at 6pm at the FWP region 2 office in Missoula.

Region3 - June 8th at 7:00pm at Mystery Ranch Backpacks, South off of Griffin on Evergreen Drive.

Region 4 - Will be at the Black Eagle community center in Great Falls on May 24th at 7:00pm. Contact is Cliff Garness.

Region 5 - Will be at 6:30pm at the Billings Rod and Gun Club on March 14th.

Contact is Ernie McKenzie.

Region 6 - The Red Door Lounge in Billings at 6:30 on Monday, June 6th.

Contact is Don Stein.

Region 7 - Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 7:00pm at the Colstrip Archery Club.

Contact is Rex Rogers.

Region 8 - TBA – Joelle will send out a meeting notification. * Regional rep contact info/phone no’s can be found on page one of this magazine.

their 13th annual Barber men Archery Club will again be hosting On June 25 - 26, 2011, the Bear Paw Bow e, MT. Although a small club, tiful Bear Paw Mountains south of Havr Ranch- 2 Day Archery Shoot in the beau events in Montana. With the t has became one of the premier archery our Barber Ranch- 2 Day Archery Shoo ion spot for well over 300 vacat y , the shoot has become an annual famil concept of ‘family sport and fun’ in mind what of an international some me beco grow every year. The shoot has shooters and families and continues to boring states. ters as well as shooters from several neigh event with equal amounts of Canadian shoo Barber on private land 25 fact that it is hosted by Frank and Bettie The Barber Ranch Shoot is unique in the e service, electricity or phon cell bles civilization. There are no phones, miles south of anything that closely resem one. There are 80 ming beco ies famil all becomes a “mini city”, with amenities on location. Once there, the site There are also several “fun” oximately four miles of mountain terrain. targets set over four courses that cover appr from all ages 1 to 80 years Shooters include all classes and all styles, shoots for all to participate in the evenings. and all enjoying a free ther toge etitors, families and friends shooting and everything in between. There are comp dinner is provided to beef of n Baro BBQ the club. This traditional free as desserts, salads and drinks. barbeque on Saturday night, provided by ided by the club and family members, such prov is meal the of inder rema club members attempt to solicit as The ies. all shooters and their famil door prizes and bonus prizes. Each year es, raffl s offer club the ds, awar and ns etitio this is a tedious and labor intensive On Sunday afternoon, following the comp NE leaves with at least one prize. Although RYO EVE that re ensu to ions are try to r orde in ble thing, no matter how small. All contribut many local and national donations as possi hants are more than eager to donate some merc trailer. local club most as large time the on the s h logo wort dged with their corporate effort by club members, it is well course site. Special sponsors are acknowle the nd arou ers bann and bers. ram mem prog t the acknowledged in the shoo unity improvement issues voted on by local charities, scholarship funds and comm help us maintain the “family” aspect Proceeds from our shoots are donated to hearing from you and hope that you can to ard forw look We m. en.co owm pawb Please check out our website at www.bear of the archery experience.

FWP Fact Sheet

continued on page 25

Cost & Funding • Federal funding is secure through September 2011 • Montana will continue efforts to secure federal funding and combine it with revenue from the sale of wolf hunting licenses, private sources, and other in-kind contributions.

Wolves, livestock & pets upon delisting • Montana livestock producers can non-injuriously haze or harass a wolf if it is too close to livestock or domestic animals on public or private land. The incident should be reported to FWP in 72 hours.

• Similar to lions and black bears, a wolf seen actively biting, wounding, chasing, harassing, or attacking livestock can be killed on public or private land, as allowed by Montana’s defense of property statute. The incident must be reported to FWP in 72 hours.

• USDA Wildlife Services investigates reports of injured or dead livestock to see if they are wolf-related and carries out both nonlethal and lethal control of wolves at FWP’s direction.

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 28 WWW.MTBA.ORG

Federal oversight for five years • Montana must monitor the wolf population and annually submit population status reports to USFWS for five years.

• USFWS will monitor how each state carries out its management plan, regulations, and state laws.

• USFWS will also examine any change in state plans or laws to determine whether they would jeopardize the population and could relist the gray wolf if it finds the changes are significant and could jeopardize Montana’s population or the tri-state regional population.

Wolves can be relisted • Three scenarios would cause the USFWS to initiate a status review to determine if relisting was warranted: 1) if at any time the wolf population falls below wolf population recovery levels of 100 wolves and 10 breeding pairs in either Montana, Idaho, or Wyoming.

2) if the wolf population in either Montana, Idaho, or Wyoming falls below 150 wolves or 15 breeding pairs in any of the states for three consecutive years.

3) if a change in state law or management objectives would significantly increase the threat to the wolf population.

By Ron Aasheim / Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (406-444-4038 or visit RWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov

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2720 Palmer St, Unit C • Missoula, MT 59808 406-546-2641 • www.hydragraphic.com

ALL Shooters must be a member of the Montana Bowhunter Association, you can sign up at the shoot.

For more information call Paul Roush, (406) 544-2169 or EMAIL at fvac@LIVE.COM

Summer 2011

29—

BUSINESS 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 May 2011 24/7 MUSCLE & FITNESS

Kelly Kimzey

ARCHER’S ROOST

Steven Battaglia

ATLAS CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Tony Nieter

435 South Atlantic

Dillon

MT

59725

406-925-3485

PO Box 429

Hardin

MT

59034

406-672-5945

46 Village Loop Road

Kalispell

MT

59901

406-253-7027

BE THE DECOY

Mark Renner

PO Box 5151

Bozeman

MT

59717

www.bethedeccoy.com

BIG SKY ARCHERY

William Farris

120 Pollywog Lane

Belgrade

MT

59714

www.bigskyarchery.com

BRUCE’S QUICKLUBE

Bruce Metcalf

1111 E Front St

Butte

MT

59701

406-782-6124

2710 Broadwater Ave

Helena

MT

59602

406-449-3111

84 Williams Drive

Dillon

MT

59725

406-380-0986

PO Box 9936

Kalispell

MT

59904 www.mtcrownphoto.com

BUFFALO JUMP ARCHERY

Judy Adams

C. DOUGLAS WEBB

C. Douglas Webb

CROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

M & L Layne

DAHL WHOLESALE

Chris Dahl

PO Box 384

Drummond

MT

59832

406-449-1517

DR. CAMO

Don Stein

1625 Northern Heights Dr

Havre

MT

59501

406-265-8099

FIRST CLASS OUTDOORS, LLC

10 Grassy Flat Road

Roundup

MT

59072

661-317-0001

FIVE VALLEYS ARCHERY CLUB

PO Box 5083

Missoula

MT

59806

406-544-2169

FLATHEAD VALLEY ARCHERS

PO Box 1282

Kalispell

MT

59903

5348 Florence Carlton Loop Florence

MT

59833

406-273-2210

1105 Spurgin Court

Missoula

MT

59804

406-327-4800

GREAT FALLS ARCHERY CLUB Rick Maynard/President

PO Box 3653

Great Falls

MT

59403

406-453-1158

K DESIGN MARKETING, INC.

15275 Thayer Rpad

Lolo

MT

59847 www.kdesignmarketing.com

LEWIS & CLARK ARCHERS

PO Box 6271

Helena

MT

59604

LIBBY ARCHERY CLUB

PO Box 755

Libby

MT

59923

MAKOSHIKA BOWMEN

PO Box 781

Glendive

MT

59330

MONTANA HISTORICAL SOC LIBRARY

PO Box 201201

Helena

MT

59620

POLSON AMBULANCE, INC.

PO Box 838

Polson

MT

59860

2491 W 42nd St

Casper

WY

82604 www.pronghornbows.com

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION David Allen

5705 Grant Creek Road

Missoula

MT

59808

406-523-4500

ROYAL ELK SEWING

703 Goldenwest

Belgrade

MT

59714

406-388-9780

115 Rocky Cliff Lane

Kalispell

MT

59901 www.spiritquestarchery.com

3312 Rome Lane

Stevensville

MT

59870

406-370-5311

1299 Fort Ellis Road

Bozeman

MT

59715

406-924-4494

31345 Lost Creek Lane

Ronan

MT

59864

406-676-5150

3170 MT Hwy

Philllipsburg

MT

59858

406-859-0297

1865 Hwy 2 E

Havre

MT

59501

406-265-4572

Dan Tracey

2214 Tschache Lane

Bozeman

MT

59715

406-586-0100

Bernie & Dorothy Smith

3036 Cheyenne Drive

Colstrip

MT

59323

406-748-4119

John Wilson

945 Lorraine St

Billings

MT

59105

406-256-4909

Rich Wormington

280 HWY 14A E

Lovell

WY

82431

307-548-6292

GAME TRAILS WILDLIFE STUDIO GARRAMONE BUILDERS

Steve Brett Don Garramone

Sam & Kim Kinsinger

Tim Brester, Eric Henslin

PRONGHORN CUSTOM BOWS

Herb Meland

Marvin Hansen

SPIRIT QUEST ARCHERY SIMMONS SHARKS

Dave & Brandy Oligee

SPORTSMENSACCESS.COM

Joe Esparza

TOELKE TRADITIONAL ARCHERY

Dan Toelke

TROPHY’S ONLY TAXIDERMY WESTERN TRAILER & MARINE SALES

Clyde Thomas, Jr.

WHOLESALE SPORTS #144 BOZEMAN WILD THINGS PRESERVED TAXIDERMY WILSON BUILT CONSTRUCTION YELLOWSTONE BOWS

Montana

BOWHUNTER — 30 WWW.MTBA.ORG

406-377-1572

406-883-5778

ROBBIE & CADE DOCKTER with a nice speed goat.

NATHAN CASTAGNE with a big boar black bear near Lincoln.

NATE PECKINPAUGH with his 2010 bull.

KEEGAN LINSOE working over the local gopher herd.

LOGAN SLUGGETT with his first bowkill whitetail buck up on the Musselshell.

SONNY TEMPLETON with a nice 5x5 whitetail buck.

LEVI JOHNSON with a nice Montana bull out of a ground blind.

“I know there are bears around here.” ...JESSE NELSON

TODD BAHMILLER with his 2010 whitetail buck.

Summer 2011

31—