Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

Recently the Wild Harvest Initiative released results of a Wyoming Wild Meat Sharing survey. Yep you heard that right, a survey on how many people share their fall bounty with family and friends. Some may find a survey like this pointless but I do find it quite interesting! 

Out of 4,641 respondents, the data showed that 74% were successful in harvesting  wild meat through hunting. 54% harvested a single species, 27% harvested 2 species. Of the successful hunters 93% harvested big game and 24% have harvested small game. 47% of these hunters harvested their animals only on public land while 17% only harvested on private land. 

Results show that 93% of successful hunters in Wyoming share a significant portion of their meat with others and more than half of the beneficiaries are outside the hunter’s household. This illustrates the societal benefits and importance of recreational hunting because hunting in Wyoming and much of the West is much bigger than just a recreational opportunity but feeding families and giving the state food security from a healthy and renewable resource. 

www.theoutdoorwire.com

The post Arizona OTC Final Deadline – TONIGHT appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Hunt mule deer with Ike and Guy Eastman during an October snowstorm. The guys are hunting in prime big buck habitat; open sagebrush country and aspen pockets. The weather should get deer up and moving out of the deep cover on this web episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV.

The post Hunting Big Bucks – Deer Hunt with Ike and Guy Eastman appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Hunt bull elk with Pro Membership Sweepstakes winner Toney. This is a late season hunt in Utah. Toney’s first elk hunt doesn’t disappoint! Learn more about the Pro Membership Sweepstakes here: www.promembershipsweepstakes.com

The post Big Bulls in the Late Season – Elk Hunting appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t at least crack a smile when more ground is opened up for hunting. Well, anyone worth knowing anyway… relax, that was a joke. I know I openly applauded when I read about Wyoming’s recent acquisition of almost 3K acres in the Bighorn Mountains. 

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission recently approved the acquisition of the “Ellis Ranch” and the property will be managed as a WHMA (Wildlife Habitat Management Area). That means that the new property will be open to the public for hunting and fishing and that in fact is the exact intent behind the purchase. 

“Maintaining and expanding access for hunting and fishing is a top priority for Game and Fish,” Brian Nesvik, Game and Fish director, said. “This property not only provides the public with access to previously landlocked, federal land, but it also allows us to effectively manage big game in the area.” 

My family and I will definitely be taking advantage of this new opportunity in the coming year and I rejoice in the fact that my home state makes things like this a priority. For those of you who hunt and fish this area be sure to check your onX Hunt App for updated information on this new property in the coming months. 

A draft bill in the Wyoming legislature is proposing to give more authority to Wyoming game wardens in issuing trespass citations. As it stands currently a Wyoming sheriff’s deputy must issue trespass citations. In Wyoming this can be cumbersome to say the least as quite often sheriff’s deputies can take over an hour to respond to the scene of an infraction due to the state’s extremely rural nature. 

To be clear, the proposed legislation would only grant citation abilities to wardens when a person is “traveling through” private property without permission. This is intended to steer clear of the current “corner-crossing” issue in Wyoming as traveling through would be defined as physically occupying the surface area of private property. 

So, my question to you… Is this proposed legislation a good thing or do game wardens already possess all the power they need? 

Source Link

This review features BlackOvis.com. It’s a one-stop shop for all of your backcountry, outdoor gear. Boots, optics, clothing – you name it, they have it. Ike Eastman shares all his favorites, including their Rewards Points System and Arrow ID Customizer. Be sure also to check out all of the Black Friday deals they have going on for the ENTIRE MONTH!

The post Black Ovis Review – All The Hunting Gear You Need! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is investigating the illegal poaching of a desert bighorn ram off Highway 141 between Gateway and Grand Junction near the Gunnison River. Wildlife officers responded when a rock climber spotted the ram and found a mature desert bighorn. A rifle bullet was recovered from behind the front shoulder of the ram. The investigation is ongoing.

“The ram was shot and left there with nothing removed from it,” said CPW wildlife officer Kevin Duckett in their news release. “There is a desert bighorn sheep hunting season in that unit, but it does not start until Nov. 1, and this ram was killed prior to the season and left to rot.”

There are very small numbers of desert bighorns here in Colorado with their total population estimated at only 540 statewide. CPW offers extremely limited opportunities for hunting these sheep with only about a dozen tags available annually. These tags already have extraordinarily small draw odds, and poaching reduces the herd size which may result in even fewer available tags in the future.

Duckett said the ram had a ⅝ to ¾ curl of its horns. Fines could exceed $25,000 for the illegal take of a bighorn ram over half-curl. Willful destruction of a big-game animal is a felony in Colorado and can result in a lifetime suspension of hunting and fishing privileges. Convictions could result in fines and jail time, depending on the charge. Personally, I hope they throw the person that did this in jail and let ‘em rot, just like they left this ram to rot.

As you may recall, last spring hunters in Washington lost their spring bear season when the Commission voted 5-4 in favor of not having a spring bear season.  The commission is meeting again on November 18th to discuss development of a spring bear policy.  This despite over 48 years of data supporting that the spring bear hunt does not negatively impact the population.  Interestingly enough, no public comment will be taken at this meeting.  

Spring bear hunts are one of the easiest hunts for the anti-hunting crowd to go after.  Well funded, multi-media campaigns that incorrectly portray what really goes on during these hunts make it easy for the well-organized anti-hunters to make their voices heard loud and clear.  

We as hunters need to stay on top of these various meeting dates and comment periods.  It is more important than ever to make your voice heard even if you don’t live or hunt in the state that is impacted.  The anti-hunters are utilizing technology to solicit huge numbers of comments from people that have nothing to do with the States under attack.  Washington, Oregon and California are the easiest targets right now.  

The National Park Service is reevaluating former grizzly bear reintroduction plans for the Cascade mountains in Washington state. If the plan is approved, Washington’s Cascade Mountain range will see grizzlies reintroduced to the region. 

“…the plan could bring in 5 to 10 bears every year, with the hope of reaching a population of 25 — a “minuscule” number…”

Now, I could offer you an opinion filled diatribe about why or why not this is a good idea. Afterall, I live and recreate in grizzly bear country and know the realities of “coexisting” with the big bears. However, I will defer to the federal government on this one, afterall, they know best. Just look at how much the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is benefitting from its “miniscule” grizzly rehabilitation or its “miniscule” wolf reintroduction. 

“Grizzlies are “nature’s gardeners,” spreading nutrients and seeds and helping the ecosystem, said Kathleen Callaghy, Northwest field representative for Defenders of Wildlife, a conservation group.

A district court judge in Helena has put a halt to the current regulations to a few districts in Montana as of Tuesday. The changes are follows:

According to a release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the changes outlined in the temporary restraining order are as follows:

Montana FWP director Hank Worsech is prepared to defend that the department has proven they can manage wolves and the state has a stable population of wolves. The state’s management is based on facts and science and will make legal arguments on November 28th. 

Court order changes Montana wolf hunting season, effective immediately (kbzk.com)

In a post covid world my gut says that it is a fair statement to say we are all a little more sensitive to any headline that has something to do with disease. In my circle of friends CWD and Brucellosis are the two wildlife related diseases that tend to get the most attention. Yes, EHD is a big one too, however that tends to be cyclical and the whitetails and antelope recover over time with solid management. 

Along that vein an elk in the Bighorn mountains of Wyoming has tested positive for Brucellosis. Brucellosis was first identified in this region in 2012 but has not  made an appearance since 2016. That is a significant amount of time not to have a positive test, however with this disease’s relationship with cattle it can produce fear fairly easily when positive tests do happen. 

On the bright side, in most areas elk tend to be in different portions of their range when cattle are on it, therefore limiting how much exposure cattle get from elk. I know, many of you are cueing up your pics of elk and cattle in the same areas to roast me on social media. But I submit to you this, elk on their winter ranges don’t typically end up in the same places that cattle are put to pasture for the winter. In the areas where it does happen there have been late season tags that are designed to mitigate interactions. In fact, I have a late season cow tag not far from where this bull tested positive. 

Bearing all this in mind, I would urge all of us as hunters to ask our respective management agencies to keep testing but not make knee jerk reactions that could take years to recover from. What say you? 

Bow hunt public land mule deer with Brian Barney on this episode of Beyond the Grid by Eastmans‘. This is a DIY hunt in the late season in Brian’s home state. Brian is the host of the Eastmans’ Elevated podcast where he shares hunting tips and strategies with a new episode each week. Listen anywhere podcasts are available.

The post Bow Hunting Deer DIY with Brian Barney appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Using llamas for backpacking or hunting can help you go further and faster in the backcountry. @wyomingllamas owner Scott Woodruff and hunter Scott Reekers break down the basic step of how to use a llama for a backcountry adventure.

The post How to Use a Llama for Hunting or Backpacking appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

If you want to hunt archery deer in AZ next year, be sure to set your alarm for 12:00 AM MST on December 1st. Tags are only available online via the following website: http://otcarcherydeer.azgfd.gov/. This will be the first year that non-residents will be subject to a cap on the number of tags available to them.

In August of this year Arizona developed a new harvest threshold system for regulating over-the-counter archery deer harvest. Starting in 2023 non-residents will also have another change to cope with: a 10% cap on the number of over-the-counter permits available for non-resident purchase. Until now, there has been no limit on the number of archery deer tags sold for the state’s general units. However, due in part to a very successful media campaign by the department, there has been a sharp increase in demand for these tags. This increase in participation prompted the implementation of both these measures.

The total number of tags available to NR’s will be 10% of the 5-year average of annual total OTC tags sold. For 2023 that number is 2,890. This is only slightly fewer than the number of tags sold to NR’s in 2020 (the last year for which I have data), which was 3,093. In theory, this shouldn’t put much limitation on those who want to acquire tags. However, we have seen in other states, that when limits are put in place, the perception of scarcity sometimes leads to an increase in demand.

The post Arizona Limits NR OTC Tags appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Animal rights activist groups are at it again in Montana regarding wolf management.  Thankfully, the Sportsman’s Alliance (click here) is on top of it and making us all aware of what is happening.

“WildEarth Guardians and Project Coyote have filed suit in Montana state court to end wolf hunting and trapping under the framework established by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission.”

“In case after case, what we see is the animal-rights industry using wolves to raise money even though wolf populations are exceeding population targets in nearly all cases across their range,” said Todd Adkins, vice president of government affairs at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Filing one frivolous lawsuit after another attacking hunters, trappers, and wildlife managers means big dollars for their radical agenda.”

The Sportsmen’s Alliance is currently reviewing options on how to best assist sportsmen with this latest attack on sound wildlife management in Montana.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon filed an appeal to challenge the Bureau of Land Management’s purchase of 35,000 acres south of Casper, Wyoming along the famed North Platte River. That appeal was granted and the sale has been red-lighted, for the time being. 

Public land advocates were not happy to hear about this challenge and subsequent halting of the addition of so much acreage which would be open for hunting, fishing and recreation. I was disappointed as well but figured there had to be more to the story than the purchase being halted because BLM failed to “adequately consider impacts on the recreational setting and fishery along the North Platte River,”.

“Gordon said in the press release. “My concern has always been that the process was not followed. This gives BLM the opportunity to address that concern, and I am pleased they have agreed to complete a public comment period, do further environmental analysis and consult with state agencies.”

Okay, but what about the purchase putting more than 35K acres into publicly accessible land? Well, I did some digging with a few folks in the know, who’ve asked to remain anonymous, and it seems this is only a formality, the sale should indeed move forward and put that acreage into public use. I will endeavor to keep you abreast of any future happenings on this but given the amount of calls and texts I received regarding this issue, I thought it prudent to update all of you with the information I uncovered. 

Full disclosure, this will be an op-ed, perhaps a bit of a rant even, but I can’t help it, so here we go! 

Recently a mountain lion was discovered chilling in a basement egress window well in a Cheyenne, Wyoming suburb. The homeowner reported the incident to Wyoming Game and Fish and game wardens were dispatched to deal with the predator. So far so good… 

Once on the scene the wardens attempted to coax the lion out of the window well with a ladder. This effort was met with resistance from the now upset lion, who apparently didn’t appreciate having her nap interrupted. Subsequently, the wardens were forced to tranquilize the lion, remove her through the home, not sure why they couldn’t lift her out of the window well, and relocate her into some nearby mountains. All’s well that ends well… or is it?

Here’s where my questions/opinions begin…

Guy Eastman is hunting mule deer in Montana with our 2018 hunt winner. Tag along with David Matthias and Rod Paschke of Sizzlin’ S Outfitters. You could win this hunt too! All of our subscribers to the EASTMANS’ HUNTING JOURNAL magazine are automatically entered in a drawing for this hunt each year.

The post Mule Deer Hunting in Montana appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

The current elk management plan was approved in Utah in 2015. The plan was updated in 2020 and is set to expire at the end of 2022. Things have changed drastically in the demand for hunting licenses in the state of Utah since 2015. “The demand for elk hunting in Utah has continued to grow over the years,” DWR Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus said. “In 2014, the over-the-counter any-bull elk permits sold out in 77 days, and the spike-only elk permits sold out in 84 days. 

In 2022, the any bull elk permits sold out in five hours and the spike elk permits sold out in only nine hours. We are proposing several strategies to respond to these dramatic increases in demand for general-season elk hunting opportunities, as well as find ways to address continued ‘point creep’ in the limited-entry system.” This plan will go into effect in 2023 and will hold in effect until 2032 with a mid-plan review in 2028. The changes are as follows:

GENERAL-SEASON HUNTING CHANGES

LIMITED-ENTRY HUNTING CHANGES

“The major theme for the elk plan committee — and the resulting proposed plan — has been to increase elk hunting opportunity, while maintaining quality, through increased challenge and creativity,” Mangus said. “We believe these proposed changes will help reach those goals. The recommended changes are all related and provide synergy to the overall management plan, with the general-season hunt changes providing additional opportunities and the limited-entry changes helping maintain the quality of the hunt.”

Some other new hunts being presented are general antlerless elk archery only hunts as well as more general elk hunts. Some new limited-entry elk hunts will also be proposed. These hunts will great effect trophy quality over the years as Utah seems to be moving towards an opportunity state much like its surrounding western states.