Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

Photo Credit: Simon_Pixabay

California is a state of limited opportunities when it comes to species like pronghorn, elk and bighorn sheep.  Some of those opportunities are getting better and some are not.  

While some species aren’t doing so well in California (and in other states), the elk are doing well. Elk numbers are on the rise and California will be (hopefully) increasing opportunities for hunters. The proposals are not solidified as of now but soon we should know if the proposals will be adopted. The Commission should be voting on these proposals within the next few weeks.  

California is looking at adding numerous new elk hunting zones to increase opportunity throughout the state. They are also looking to add over 100 new elk tags. This will have an impact on not just the areas that will be newly open for elk hunting, but throughout the state. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is expecting this to help point creep on certain tags and spread-out applications for the current tags. This could mean improved draw odds for elk tags in California.  

While elk are doing well in California, the bighorn sheep are not in one of the Hunt Zones. Pneumonia has hammered one of the herds recently to go along with years of drought. This will result in some changes to tag allocation in one if not more Hunt Zones. California allocates tags as a representative of a population of rams in a herd. California allocates tags to harvest only 15 percent of mature rams in a herd population. So, if there are 33 mature rams in a herd, they will allow for 5 tags. If that mature ram number is cut significantly by pneumonia and drought, expect a significant reduction in tags. With that being said, look for some big changes to tags this year for bighorn sheep and for the coming seasons.

Keep an eye out for more on these species in the Eastmans’ Bowhunting Journal i137 and on Eastmans’ TagHub.

Photo credit: Jessica Rockeman

Currently IDFG is tracking 182 mule deer fawns and 149 elk calves throughout winter and early spring. These youngsters were captured in the fall/early winter and fitted with tracking collars. Which will allow biologists to follow their what, where, when and how, in regards to mortality rates for these two species. The more we know and understand about what “happens and when” the more we can contribute to the implementation of countermeasures. 

As of now, approximately 30% of the mule deer fawns and nearly 10% of the elk calves have already died statewide. These numbers don’t jump out too much, but they are concerning. We can see very similar numbers over the past five winters, however, the scary part is March and April are often the toughest months for these critters as their fat reserves are minimal and they need time to transition from fall forage to spring forage which can result in a high mortality rate if we have rough weather in March and April. 

Long story short, this makes for a potential killer recipe. Not to mention areas like SE Idaho where we know the snowfall and record cold temperatures are crushing deer and elk populations, for example, Unit 69 near Idaho Falls is showing roughly 45% mortality of fawns and Unit 75 is at a whopping 67% fawn mortality! What does this mean for deer and elk in the Gem State? Well, that is a multi-faceted answer. But we can assume that 2023 hunting in many areas will continue without major changes, however, with die-offs we can be assured that only the fittest animals survive, this is typically mature bucks and does. 

If you aren’t paying attention to numbers of fawns it might seem like things are okay this year, but in 2-5 years we will see the disparity. Thus, we need to strongly consider how we as sportsmen and women hunt these areas. IDFG tries to preserve animals with permit reductions, season closures, etc. However, it is inevitable that you will find areas offering permits for animals that you and I as hunters should strongly consider how we hunt/harvest. Just because you have a tag for a doe or buck doesn’t mean you should fill it on a healthy doe or young buck… It is up to us to hold the line in some instances and teach others the same. Shooting a dry doe or old, saggy-eared, gray faced buck won’t affect numbers very much, it might even help. But shooting young bucks or a doe in her prime will have a noticeable impact on herd health in many areas throughout the state, especially over the next couple years. 

We will keep you posted as reports come in later in April. Right now we can hope and pray for a mild-ish spring and keep tabs on the SE Idaho units as snow melts off.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission Meeting, 15-16 March 2023

During today’s meeting in Aurora, the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission addressed many topics; to include Preference Point Banking, Group Averaging, and Big Game License Allocations. Prior to this meeting, CPW’s Staff conducted public outreach on these topics, which could be implemented as early as the 2024 big game hunting season. The results of the public comments gathered were: 

Staff Recommendations discussed during today’s meeting follow: 

–Based on the 2023 comment form results, 69% of resident hunters ranked status quo as their least preferred option, showing that residents want CPW to take some kind of additional action on license allocation. Furthermore, 86% of residents and 74% of non-residents ranked a 75/25 (R/NR) across-the-board allocation as either their first or second choice. 

Photo Credit: harrycollinsphotography

Results are now available for the Arizona mid-winter draw.

Results are only available through a portal account and can be found here: https://www.azgfd.com

Successful applicants who have been watching their checking accounts closely may have already noticed a charge from AZGFD for the amount of their tag. Now by logging in to the portal you can see full results including the tag and hunt numbers.

If you were one of the lucky applicants who now holds a coveted AZ tag you have already completed the hardest part of your quest. According to the department there were over 225,000 applicants for less than 25,000 permits. So at the macro level every tag holder had to beat out 8 competitors for a chance to pursue Grand Canyon state elk or goats in 2023.

Those fortunate enough to hold buck and bull tags are looking good. The state is experiencing tremendous winter moisture on the heels of an above average monsoon. This is good news for the author of this article and everyone else with a tag in their pocket.

Photo Credit: Mike_Pixabay

Wyoming Pronghorn – Disease & Winter Mortality: Worth Applying? – Todd Helms

“This year, we are going to be at the lowest license issuance since I started tracking it in 1998,” Binfet said. “And it probably goes way beyond that.”

Wyoming is a notoriously harsh place to call home; drought ridden summers followed by extreme winters can make survival almost impossible for even the hardiest critters, like pronghorn. When you factor in disease outbreaks such as the most recent one south of Pindedale, which has claimed 200 pronghorn and counting, it simply stands to reason that tag numbers will be cut and hunting opportunities will be decreased, and rightly so.

This is the time of year when I’m helping folks make decisions on Wyoming applications, heck everyone one in our office does, but what I’ve been telling folks this year hasn’t been popular when it comes to “antelope”. Even my own dad was a bit incredulous about my application advice for speed goats in 2023. 

In short, buy points if you’re a non-resident. Most areas of the state are going to see more tag reductions and that means higher drawing odds and this year the trophy quality is more than likely not going to be worth the point spend in the best areas. Guy just finished up his Wyoming pronghorn analysis and it looks bleak. Taking his advice and going with what I’ve been observing, now is the time to bank points and wait for conditions to improve and antelope numbers to rebound. Remember, pronghorn do the bulk of their horn growing during the winter and when winters are harsh, like this one, they put more energy into survival than horn growth. 

photo credit: Christopher_Boswell

One of the best things about being a Wyoming resident is having the opportunity to speak your peace regarding wildlife management, especially hunting season dates and proposals. Well, for the next two weeks Wyoming residents get to do exactly that. 

I’ve posted the meeting dates and places below but for more information regarding proposed regulation changes follow this link https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/Public-Meetings

Keep in mind that our winter this year has been very hard on the animals we love and it’s up to us as stewards of both the wildlife and the land to make the right decisions and sometimes that means swallowing a tough choice like tag reductions or season dates being cut back. Any way you slice it Wyoming’s wildlife aren’t out of the woods yet as far as winter is concerned. 

Also, remember that if you cannot attend meetings in your area you can still weigh in online at the link above. 

Meeting Dates and Places

Photo credit: WirestockMisdemeanor: Up to $1,000 fine, 0-6 months in jail, 0-3 years license revocationMandatory 1 year license revocationIdaho Code 36-1201(c) states: “License to be Carried and Exhibited on Request. Have the proper required license, temporary license, authorization number or other information required by rule, on his person at all times when hunting, fishing or trapping and produce the same for inspection upon request of a conservation officer or any other person authorized to enforce fish and game laws.” Idaho Code 36-401 states in part “No person shall hunt, trap, or fish for or take any wild animal, bird or fish of this state, without first having procured a license”

Idaho Code 36-1201(c) covers both your hunting license and tag. The part that covers the tag is the “other information required by rule”.  With this code, you are required to carry it “on your person” as opposed to “in your possession”.  This is specific for a reason. I can think of a bunch of scenarios where someone could get in hot water because of this code.  

I know a lot of people who carry their tag in their backpack and that has caused some problems for them. One situation I know of happened to a friend of mine. He used to keep his tags in his backpack lid.  Over the course of the season, he damaged his backpack and had to use his back up pack.  

When he swapped out his packs, he forgot to transfer over the license and tags. Long story short, he ended up killing a bull elk about five miles from the trailhead. He went to tag the bull and realized he did not have his license or tag with him. He did the right thing and called the Game Warden and told him what he did. This ownership of the error kept him from a citation.  

A more common situation I could see happening is still with people keeping their tags in their packs.  People often drop their packs on the mountain, when making the final stalk on an animal. If you forgot to grab your tag and license from your pack, you’d be in violation. Now let’s say that your stalk was successful, and you shoot a nice 165-inch muley. Well, under Idaho law, you could be charged with felony unlawful possession of a “trophy” mule deer because of the score and the misdemeanor violation of not having your license on your person. It’s a slippery slope when it comes to the application of some of these laws and you might not be charged that way, but you could.  

To stay out of these situations, I always keep my license and tags in my bino harness. That bino harness goes on whenever I am hunting, and it only comes off when I am done hunting, this way my tags and my license are always on my person.  

Photo Credit: wirestockc

The Utah legislature passed a bill on Wednesday that would radically change the rules on cougar hunting. HB 469 would make for an open season on cougars 365 days a year and you don’t need a tag, just a hunting license. As you can imagine critics are outraged by this bill that would basically treat a lion like a coyote. Utah currently has no shortage of coyotes. 

Anti-hunting groups claim this bill is not based around science or actual real numbers where proponents of the bill are more interested in saving Utah’s diminishing mule deer herd. Also attached with the bill are changes to the recent trail camera rules, outfitters, guides, and land acquisitions to ensure public access in the future. 

Faith Jolley of DWR said that “recent studies on select mule deer populations have indicated that cougars cause deer populations to fail to meet management objectives and increased harvest of cougars on those units has correlated with an increase in adult doe survival and growing the deer population”. She added that cougar numbers have increased over the past decade in the majority of Utah’s hunting areas. 

The Utah Houndsmen Association would like to see the bill struck down claiming that lions are needed for the ecosystem but the main concern is how the legislature circumvented to public process that’s been in place. The bill would go into effect May 3rd if signed into law by Governor Cox. 

Cougars on the Loose

Photo Credit: Pilens

It seems only a short while back I typed up a report on a poaching case with a father and son duo killing a sow grizzly and receiving their just penalty, for more on that story click here. This story seems much simpler and is a first time conviction for JT Johnson, who shot a cranker velvet buck during archery season with a rifle! But is it really more simple? 

We have seen time and time again that many trophy poachers are serial poachers. Of course we all want to hope for this lesson to be learned and that JT will take his five year hunting ban, pay his penalties and come away a changed man. I can say with confidence that many will hope and pray for this outcome. However, the premeditated plan to shoot and retrieve a large mule deer buck with a rifle during archery season is clearly a symptom showing a lack of fear of consequences and no respect for the animal or the sportsmen and sportswomen who legally hunt and pursue fair chase big game.  

My goal with writing these articles is to bring awareness of these issues along with other topics in hopes that sportsmen around the globe can continue to unite and in this case take a stand against unethical hunting practices. I don’t know JT Johnson personally, but I have read many reports about poaching cases over the years, nearly all of them uncovered a long history of poaching. Maybe in this case it was caught early and will be snuffed out. That we can hope for! Actively taking a stance for ethics starts with teaching and exemplifying them to those around us, young or old. The future of our heritage depends on it. Good luck in the draws. I hope you enjoy your prepping and planning season. 

The post Velvet Fever! Idaho Poacher Convicted appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Photo Credit: Aaron Brewer

Arizona Game and Fish has given a deadline of March 6 to update credit cards on file for their elk and antelope drawing.

Use the link below if you need to change the card on file for your application.

If past experience holds true, successful applicants may see a charge for the amount of their tag on their credit card statement as soon as Tuesday, March 7. So, make sure the information for the card used to complete your application is current and then start watching those online bank statements Tuesday. Draw results will then be available through portal accounts 1-2 weeks after cards are charged.

If you are lucky enough to be charged for a tag, tell us about it in the comments.

https://www.azgfd.com/march-6-deadline

Photo Credit: WildMediaSK

A pair of bills that deal with shed antler hunting season in Wyoming are getting closer to becoming law. The first one will prevent non-residents from shed hunting until one week after the season opens, giving residents a week-long head start. For example, if the shed hunting season opens on May 1 at 6 a.m. on public lands, non-residents will have to wait until May 8th and 6 a.m. until they can shed hunt in the state of Wyoming. This includes Jackson Hole. The point is to give residents a fair chance to get out over the course of a full weekend without the non-resident pressure. 

The second bill would require non-residents to purchase a conservation stamp to hunt antlers in the state of Wyoming as well. The license is valid for the entire year and would cost a non-resident $21.50. For reference, the average price of brown elk antler is $20 a pound. A medium sized 6-point bull elk antler weighs 5-6 lbs, so that antler is worth $100. In my mind a $21.50 conservation stamp is a small price to pay when you factor in the price of shed antlers.

Both these bills passed the Senate unanimously and they each have the support of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. There are still a few more votes that need to happen before these bills reach the Governor’s desk. 

What’s your take on this?  

https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org

Well, we have gone from what I called, “a good old-fashioned winter” to a harsh winter over the past three or four weeks. With snow packs piling up and low temperature records being shattered, this winter in Wyoming has been one for the records books. 

The town of Pinedale has reported almost 60 straight days with a low temperature of below zero degrees fahrenheit. That has to be some kind of record. Earlier in January my personal weather station recorded a low, windchill temperature of -51, a personal record for me and certainly an extreme for my home in Park County, Wyoming. And have you seen the images of the snow drifts in the neighborhoods of Casper? Although alarming, they are impressive in a painful kind of way. It brings me back to my roof shoveling days as a kid in Jackson. 

As for the wildlife, nothing is known for sure at this point, other than the outlook does not look good. I have gotten reports of die offs in pretty heavy numbers in western and southern Wyoming: massive herds of antelope smashed by trains, elk and deer hung up in fences and trapped along the freeway and elk desperately trying to survive in neighborhoods and on golf courses around Jackson and Star Valley. The aftermath of this winter could be something to behold. So far, this winter has only been eclipsed by that of 1982 some are saying, and that was a bad one, unless you were an eleven-year-old skier. 

As for areas of relief, there aren’t many. The northwest corner of Park County, where I live, seems to be the lone standout for cold temperatures and right about 100% snowpack, leaving us with a winter that is just a tick worse than average. The rest of the state however is not as lucky by a long shot. 

Photo Credit: JosephL_Pixabay

For some time now you’ve probably been following the 2021 corner crossing case in Wyoming that involves four Missouri hunters who used a ladder to cross from one corner point of public land to another like jumping diagonally from one black square to another of a checkerboard. The hunters were using the onX app when they propped their stepladder over the fence posts and stepped through private airspace from public land to public land.

Those hunters were trying to access additional public land for hunting, but they were eventually charged with criminal trespass by a private landowner who alleged the hunters trespassed onto his private land and violated private airspace. The case went to court, and the hunters won, but now it’s moving to a U.S. District Judge who may ultimately decide the fate of millions of acres of public land access across the nation that are “corner locked.”

This issue is huge in Wyoming, Nevada, and Arizona … and now Colorado is jumping into the discussion. Colorado House Bill 1066 has been introduced which would allow lawful passage between these checker-boarded public land parcels bordering private property.

Technically, it’s possible to cross from one public parcels to the next without touching the private dirt; however, corner-crossers do move through the air space above the privately owned land. Believe it or not, it’s that question of trespassing through private air that is really at the center of this corner-crossing issue. Even though there isn’t a law here in Colorado making it illegal to step over private land to reach public land, property owners have pushed to prosecute corner crossers.

In 1979, the Colorado Supreme Court addressed a similar issue of whether members of the public can trespass on private property while floating on a public river. However, no state appeals court or law has directly addressed whether corner crossing is considered trespassing.  Without clear direction from the Colorado legislature or state courts, corner crossing remains an unresolved issue.

Photo Credit: duallogicTrespass on Private Property: Misdemeanor: Up to $1,000 fine, 0-6 months in jail, 0-3 years license revocationMandatory 1 year license revocationIdaho Code 36-1603(a) states “No person shall enter the real property of another and shoot any weapon or enter such property for the purposes of hunting, retrieving wildlife, fishing or trapping in violation of section 18-7008, Idaho Code.” Idaho Code 18-7008(2)(a) states in part “A person commits criminal trespass and is guilty of a misdemeanor, except as provided in subsection (3)(a)(i) of this section, when he enters or remains on the real property of another without permission, knowing or with reason to know that his presence is not permitted”Idaho Code 18-7008(1)(f) states “”Permission” means written authorization from the owner or his agent to enter upon private land, which shall include the signature of the owner or his agent, the name of the person being given permission, the appropriate dates that the permission is valid and a general description of the property; OR another form of permission or invitation recognized by law.”Idaho Code 29-105 states “All contracts may be oral except such as are specially required by statute to be in writing.”

Most people think that you are required to get written permission from the Landowner or his Agent before hunting in Idaho.  This is not the case, but it is a good thing to do. Most state Fish and Wildlife Agencies highly recommend that you get written permission because it can prevent legal headaches in the long run. Those agencies even offer a permission slip template that you can use. Idaho is a verbal contract state and because the 18-7008 statute does not SPECIFICALLY state that the permission must be written, verbal permission works.  

I’ve hunted my fair share of private land and almost no landowner has wanted to do a written permission slip. Most of the old timers consider it a slap in the face to ask for their permission in writing.  For these guys, their word is their bond, and a handshake means more to them than any permission slip.  I even had a guy rescind my permission when I asked for it in writing. However, if you get oral permission instead of written, you are just opening yourself up to potential legal problems.    

I know of a case where a landowner gave permission to a hunter for archery and rifle season. One thing led to another, in that case, and the landowner ended up crawfishing on permission. He did this after that hunter hunted all of archery, and even killed a nice buck in the rifle season. A couple days after the buck was killed that landowner called Fish and Game and falsely reported the guy. Now that guy is wrapped in a long court battle because of this. I believe he will prevail in the long run, but it has been an expensive fight.  

I look back on all the times I’ve gotten permission, and this could have happened to me at any time. It’s a scary thought that it could really happen to anyone. If you cannot do a written permission slip for whatever reason, I would recommend recording the conversation with the landowner/agent. This way you have some protection if they crawfish later on. Idaho is a one-party consent state for recording, so you can record those conversations without worry.  

There are many ways you can get yourself in hot water for “trespassing”.  If you wound an animal and it goes into private, you cannot just retrieve that animal without permission. This is all on top of the obvious, where you just hunt on someone’s land without permission. You are responsible for knowing the boundaries. With today’s mapping services, there really is no excuse for not knowing if you are on private or not. Bottom line, if you are flirting with the private boundary, make sure you are 100% before you pull that trigger.    

Photo credit: CreativeNature_nl

You might have a similar reaction to mine, a soft chuckle and… come-on, really, a coyote? I visited my cousin a few weeks back, as we walked the property behind their house she mentioned the coyotes being aggressive, running towards them barking, acting aggressive when they ride horses through, etc. I acknowledged her but inwardly I was very doubtful and even dismissed the idea for something more realistic in my mind, such as a female coyote trying to bait a domestic dog into the pack. We have all heard of and or seen this happen. 

However, a few days later I was reading through the IDFG news and what did I see? Headline news of a coyote attacking a skier in northern Idaho! Huh!? I laughed to myself and decided to search further and you guessed it…coyote attacks are legit and happening more and more on humans. 

There are a pile of reasons, many people point towards rabid animals when they attack humans but research would argue this in regards to coyotes. The attacks are more likely a result of over interaction with humans and lack of management through hunting and trapping. Which results in less fear from the coyote towards humans. And sadly enough the first recorded (adult) human fatality, from a pack of coyotes was back in 2009 in Cape Brenton Highlands National Park, Canada. 

Wow! A fatality from a pack of coyotes attacking is unthinkable for many of us. Investigation into this incident pointed towards coyotes adapting to hunt larger prey due to a lack of small game available. They even concluded that coyotes were effectively hunting and killing moose in this region! That is hard to imagine, but in recent years I have seen video of large groups of eagles killing mature elk in Montana, it is safe to assume there is power in numbers and that was the conclusion for the Cape Brenton victim. 

Now let’s be real, none of us should walk around in fear of our lives due to coyotes attacking here and there. It is very rare and highly unlikely to happen. However, the skiers in north Idaho or the mother in Alta, Idaho who was bitten in her own front yard, likely have a different outlook. Nonetheless, we have a God given instinct to look out for our own. Using common sense, being watchful and continuing doing what we already do…managing predators. Will all prove to keep us sportsmen and sportswomen at the top of the food chain where God himself intended us to be.

Photo credit: Getty Images

With the current temperature sitting at 0 and hitting a balmy high of 2 above today, I have to say that my concern for our big game herds is very real. The only solace I have is that for the last few weeks in my region, much of the snow melted off with some better temperatures. However, the cold streak we are experiencing now has iced things over, which will make it tough on the mule deer for the next week or more, even with the temperature on the rise.

This has produced a rise in deer feeding by Wyoming citizens. There is only one problem, a mule deer will struggle to digest much of the food offered at feeding stations. Wyoming Game and Fish sent out a notice to the Lander region about the issues mule deer face when fed forage that isn’t part of the natural landscape this time of year. 

To quote one of the mule deer specific sections from the newsletter:

“Unlike elk, mule deer are highly selective foragers due to their specialized digestive system. Mule deer digestive systems contain specific bacteria that help break down only the plants they eat and are adapted to. The bacteria adjust slowly to match their diet through each season, and in the winter their gut contains the appropriate bacteria to digest only their winter diet of woody materials. Any human-provided food sources, including hay, apples, corn, etc. are simply not digestible and cause an abundance of lactic acid, acidosis, dehydration, and ultimately death.  Fed mule deer often die from starvation with full stomachs of food they cannot digest.”

Also from the Wyoming Game and Fish Website:

Courtesy of Center for Biological Diversity

Forest Service Guns Down “Feral” Cattle – Todd Helms

Aerial gunning of roughly 200 “feral cattle” in New Mexico’s Gila National Forest is set to begin today amid concern and opposition from the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association and others. The announcement of this plan was made by the Forest Service on February 16th and was met immediately with a lawsuit from the NMCGA for stoppage of the plan due to the agency’s failure to provide a 75 day notice. 

Sigh. . . There is so much I want to opine about on this one so hold onto your hats because I’m climbing my soap box. 

I’m betting it’s because cattle aren’t “cool”. Horses are the glamorous invasive species and it’s not acceptable to shoot them out of an airplane or even slaughter them. Which makes no sense considering there’s a market for horse meat around the globe. Both species are highly destructive to habitat and pose potential threats to public land recreationists and motorists. So why the division? 

I discovered much of the same nonsensical policy when creating the Eastmans’/Wingmen Sage Grouse film project when it came to the treatment of the West’s Cheatgrass epidemic. The Forest Service is authorized to use a highly effective herbicide to control and eliminate Cheatgrass but the BLM is not, it’s a head scratcher much like euthanizing feral cattle but not feral horses.

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay_David_MarkUnlawful Means of Take: Misdemeanor: Up to $1,000 fine, 0-6 months in jail, 0-3 years license revocationIdaho Code 36-1101(a) states “It is unlawful, except as may be otherwise provided by Idaho law, including this title or commission rules or proclamations promulgated pursuant thereto, for any person to take any of the game animals, birds or fur bearing animals of this state.”Idaho Administrative Rule 13.01.08.410 is where you’ll find the specific weapons restrictions.  It is in an Administrative Rule so it is easier to change with the times rather than in a “Statute” which requires a Legislative act.  

Idaho is one of the more restrictive states when it comes to weapons. For instance, in 2022 Idaho House Bill 507 finally allowed Idaho hunters to use mechanical broadheads and lighted nocks. Idaho was the last state to allow the use of those accessories. Idaho has a 16-pound weight limit on rifles and that includes the scope, sling, magazine, bipod cheek riser or anything other attachment to the rifle. Idaho muzzleloaders are restricted heavily as well. They must be open/peep sights, loose black powder, and must not use a Sabot style projectile. There are too many more restrictions to list so follow the link below to check them out for yourself.  

https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/big-game

https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/13/130108.pdf

This law seems straight forward but it can get more complicated when you look at how it’s unusually violated. Most people see the “take out of season” and envision a poacher who is shooting deer in February, but that’s not the case. Most of these violations come from people not knowing the species and sex regulations in the area they are hunting.  

Take Unit-5 for example. In Unit-5 with a “General Deer Tag” you can hunt antlered whitetail deer from October 10 to Dec 1.  There is also antlered mule deer open from November 1-14.  If it is November 20th and you shoot a mule deer buck not knowing it closed on the 14th that will qualify you for this code. This also happens in areas where there is a “Two-Point” restriction and where the antlerless take is for youth only.  

Photo Courtesy of Pexels-Mariana Bobina

We are well into the new year and for many it is easy to feel like winter and her sting of cold might be nearing an end. However, this is far from a reality in the Rockies. Late-winter and early-spring often bring the toughest storms and that is exactly what we don’t want to see for our big game herds. Currently IDFG is implementing feeding plans for quite a few areas in the SE portion of the state. Yet again, we see heavy snowfall and tough conditions for deer and elk. This area’s deer took a big hit just a handful of years back and are still trying to recover, and from what I hear there’s more snow and cold temperatures in the near future. Winter conditions are expected to be so severe that it could be the worst winter kill in decades. I sure hope we don’t see another event like that, but the writing is on the wall. 

Looking at the snowpack in these areas it is easy to see that conditions are less than ideal and there are legitimate concerns for the deer and even the elk there. Keep in mind, IDFG’s policy on winter feeding is a more “hands off” approach. They don’t want animals to become dependent, nor susceptible to outside issues such as communal disease, vehicle collisions, harassment from people, etc. Thus, when we see feed sites going up left and right, it brings concern. 

This is a reminder for all of us how sensitive big game populations are, especially during winter. It never hurts to keep tabs on these situations before you apply either. Events like this can be very localized as well, so don’t assume your hunting spot isn’t affected just because the area in general didn’t see much impact. Also, when we have special conditions such as heavy snows that cause hardship on the herds, let’s be good stewards and keep a distance when we recreate, skiing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, shed hunting, etc. Educate those around you and let’s do our part to ease the pressure. 

The post Harsh Reality…Winter Can Be A Killer appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Photo Courtesy of Pexels-Aaron

Your State Will Be Next! 

This Friday, February 17th, Lorna Smith, a new commissioner to the WDFW, will present a radical new model of game management in Washington state. Past readers of this blog recall that in 2022 the WDFW commission canceled the annual spring bear hunt in Washington, claiming lack of scientific evidence for the hunt, despite 48 years of data and the elk population being significantly below target.  The main reason for the cancellation of this hunt had to do with the commissioners that our governor has appointed, the majority of whom are anti-hunting. This appears to be the next move in this high stakes game of chess for our hunting heritage.

This radical new model of game management is straight out of the playbook of Wildlife for All, an anti-hunting organization whose entire premise is to “focus on biodiversity conservation, not management of consumptive uses.”  The other group involved is Washington Wildlife First, whose website explicitly states their mission is to “Elevate Conservation over Consumption”.  Their website also actively pushes for adding commission members who align with this new way of thinking. The playbook of these anti-hunting, extremist organizations is to load up wildlife commissions with people who think the same way and then, from within, make these changes. Washington sits at ground zero in this battle.  

Items on the agenda to be discussed on Friday include a multitude of topics, all of which fall in line with this new way of thinking. Setting the stage with topics such as: “Washington wildlife is part of the Public Trust”, “Changing faces, changing values, changing funding support”, and “including other species as a protected species, i.e. coyote, ground squirrel”.  It is clear that this monumental shift is a direct attack on hunting and trapping and will be detrimental to science based wildlife management in the state. 

Interestingly enough, under Wildlife Management Issues, one of the first topics talks about Best Available Science, which was conveniently ignored when deciding to eliminate the spring bear hunt. I wonder what else falls under that category or stands to be ignored.