Dan Pickar reviews the Refine EKO, Bear Archery’s 2022 flagship bow. Get a close look at what makes this bow unique before Dan speed tests it with a chronograph. Improved vibration reduction and the new Align Lok technology are highlights on this bow.
The post NEW FOR 2022 – Refine EKO Compound Bow by Bear Archery appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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FWP released data from 2021 which concludes that wolf populations in Montana are stable at about 1,141. This has been the case since 2017, where populations have been stable or slightly up on any given year since then. Harvest was good in 2021 but the amount of trappers in the field was down compared to years prior. Population estimates have been as high as 1,256 in 2011 to as low as 1,113 in 2017 which shows that populations have been very stable over the past decade.
The state legislature approved legislation in 2021 which gives hunters and trappers more tools to harvest wolves such as an increased bag limit and extended season. Ultimately the goal is to get populations down a bit as they are well above the minimum recovery goals. The state is run on a quota system so when a quota is met the season is closed. The law is being followed and ultimately, FWP wants to keep wolves off the endangered species list.
Wolf populations are estimated as there is no exact way to count a population of the super elusive animal. FWP uses an integrated patch occupancy model when data is pulled from a variety of sources to produce population estimates. One of the sources comes from hunter harvest surveys where deer and elk hunters are asked if they saw wolves while hunting and where they were. I can imagine population estimates are still lower than actual numbers just for the fact that wolves are just plain hard to count.
All that said, animal rights groups are constantly pushing to take away state’s rights to manage wolf populations. The actual number of wolves could be three or four times the “estimate” and it still wouldn’t be enough for these groups. They will not stop there either, next on the list will be lions, coyotes, bobcats… we are seeing that push in every state that has apex predators like bears, wolves and cats. There has never been a more critical time to have your ear to the ground for game and fish public comment, meetings and any opportunity to provide your support for state management of all apex predators, especially wolves.
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function rafflepress_getParameterByName(name, url) { if (!url) url = window.location.href; name = name.replace(/[\[\]]/g, "\\$&"); var regex = new RegExp("[?&]" + name + "(=([^&#]*)|&|#|$)"), results = regex.exec(url); if (!results) return ""; if (!results[2]) return ""; return decodeURIComponent(results[2].replace(/\+/g, " "));}function insertIframe( ID, src, minHeight) { var wrapperID = 'rafflepress-giveaway-iframe-wrapper-'+ID; var iframe = document.createElement('iframe'); iframe.setAttribute('id', 'rafflepress-'+ID); iframe.setAttribute('class', 'rafflepress-iframe'); iframe.setAttribute('src', src); iframe.setAttribute('frameborder', '0'); iframe.setAttribute('scrolling', 'no'); iframe.setAttribute('allowtransparency', 'true'); if (minHeight) { iframe.setAttribute('style', 'min-height:'+minHeight); } iframe.setAttribute('onload', 'rafflepress_resize_iframe_'+ID+'(this)'); document.getElementById(wrapperID).appendChild(iframe);}// phpcs:disableinsertIframe( '33331115','https://blog.eastmans.com/?rafflepress_page=rafflepress_render&rafflepress_id=13&iframe=1&giframe=false&rpr=&parent_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.eastmans.com%2Ffeed%2F&63060&rp-email='+rafflepress_getParameterByName('rp-email',location.href)+'&rp-name='+rafflepress_getParameterByName('rp-name',location.href),'' );// phpcs:enablefunction rafflepress_resize_iframe_33331115(){ iFrameResize({ log: false, onMessage: function(messageData) { if (messageData.message == 'rafflepress_loaded') { var el = document.getElementById('rafflepress-giveaway-iframe-wrapper-33331115'); var className = "rafflepress_iframe_loading"; if (el.classList) el.classList.remove(className); else el.className = el.className.replace(new RegExp('(^|\\b)' + className.split(' ').join('|') + '(\\b|$)', 'gi'), ' '); } } }, '#rafflepress-33331115');};The post Hunting Boot Giveaway! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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The new Ozonics HR500 ozone generator makes scent elimination easier than ever before. In this review, Brandon Mason and Dan Pickar share their hunting experiences using Ozonics. This new design is 40% quieter while destroying as much scent as previous models. Minimize your movement even more by using Ozonics new app or handheld remote control to run your HR500.
The post Ozonics HR500 – One Touch Scent Elimination! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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This review features Leupold’s VX-6HD 4-24X52 CDS-TZL3 rifle scope for hunting and competition shooting. This scope is built for any hunting scenario featuring a wide range of 4-24 power, minimalist lens covers, and glass that has optimal performance in challenging lighting conditions. Todd Helms breaks down each unique feature of this VX-6HD rifle scope.
The post Feature Packed Rifle Scope! Leupold VX-6HD Series appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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The high country has plenty of things to be afraid of, the worst of which in my humble opinion is the summer electrical storm. The high peaks and ridge lines tend to attract the high powered bolts, making them unsafe places to ride out that type of storm. There is not much worse for rattling the sanity than having the crack of lightning hitting on the same ridge that I’m glassing from. I have had the misfortune of hearing static electricity gathering on the barrel of my rifle while a storm gathered to the west of our glassing point. We left that high point immediately and got to a lower elevation as quickly as possible to avoid the greatest threat in the high country.
Unfortunately this summer on August 2, here in Wyoming two campers were not as lucky as I was on that September hunt. On a trip to Enos Lake in Teton county, one hiker was killed and another seriously injured by lightning strikes. Teton County Search and Rescue responded and were able to bring the interagency helicopter to the scene twice to evacuate the man who was killed as well as the seriously injured man. The next day two other hikers who were experiencing trauma related to the entire experience were evacuated by helicopter with two Search and Rescue personnel who had stayed with the hikers to help manage the situation.
This is a terrible tragedy that we hope doesn’t happen again. Sources available don’t provide enough information to determine if the campers were taking unnecessary risks and we won’t assume they were in the face of tragedy. We will simply let this be a reminder that there are best practices for avoiding lightning strikes. Here are a few of them:
Don’t camp directly on a ridgeline, in particular on the highest points on the ridges. Ridgelines are notorious for lightning strikes and having a tent right on the edge with poles serving as grounding points is not a great plan. Pay attention to weather reports, knowing when the big storms are coming in will help plan when to head lower to avoid the lightning and in turn stay safe.Water is also a place where lightning likes to strike. Steer clear of the edge of large bodies of water, especially when on a ridgeline or in the alpine during a storm.For more on lightning strikes check out Mike Eastman’s books inside of Eastmans’ TagHub. He covers lightning in depth and how to avoid it.
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This review highlights the Premier Series MgLite rifle built by Bergara. Hunter’s don’t have to compromise performance for weight with this ultralight, packable rifle. Some of its features are an XLR Element magnesium chassis, proprietary CURE Carbon barrel, TriggerTech trigger and AICS detachable magazine. Eastmans’ Hunting Journals Todd Helms tests out Bergara’s guarantee to produce groups 1.0 MOA or less at 100 yards with quality, match-grade factory ammunition.
The post Ultralight Hunting Rifle Review – Bergara Premier MgLite appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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When it comes to spot and stalk archery hunting, few people are as consistently successful as Eastman’s Brian Barney and Dan Pickar. Join us for an in depth talk with Brian and Dan as they show you the tactics that help them find and take big bucks and bulls
Try the Hunt App risk free: https://smart.link/5dc2effd4795c
The post Western Spot and Stalk Tactics with Eastman’s- onX Hunt Masterclass appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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800+ species of wildlife. That’s a big number for me to wrap my little pea-brain around! And $10.5 million, largely from sportsmen, to foot the bill – LOVE IT!
Once again, hunters and anglers prove they are the largest conservationists and true advocates of our wildlife and land resources, just like we have since the turn of the 20th century when the Boone and Crockett club started.
According to Oil City News, “Game and Fish highlighted projects that reconnected over 94 miles of stream to benefit native cutthroat and other species.” This was done in partnership with various entities including nonprofit organizations, private landowners, and the Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resources Trust Fund.
“Terrestrial projects involved work on 725,896 acres of land. Examples included herbicide treatments to prevent the spread of invasive grass.”
© Eastmans
By harrycollinsphotography
For the past 14 months, the Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce has debated some of the most contentious issues in wildlife management for the Cowboy State. Everything from license allocations to landowner licenses and habitat improvements have been at the table for this group. Throughout the entire process, members of the taskforce noted how many of these issues are intertwined with one another often remarking “when you pull one string with a change, the whole ball unravels.”
To try and encompass all the different impacts of a recommendation for license changes within deer, elk, and pronghorn in the state, the Taskforce put together a plan they referred to as the “Comprehensive Proposal.” Within the proposal were 6 independent pieces presented as a package to the Taskforce which they voted and made recommendations on in the August Wildlife Taskforce meeting.
They are as follows:
© Eastmans
Ike Eastman reviews Eberlestock’s new Recon Modular Harness System bino pack. This binocular harness is modular and designed to be customized to your specific needs. The Recon features magnetic closures, an easily adjustable harness are some of Ike’s favorite features. It boasts an easy to use MOLLE webbing system that makes changing out accessories easy and keeps them snug once they are in place. Accessories include a rangefinder pouch, bear spray holster, hand-warming muff, and more.
The post Customize Your Bino Pack! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department will be issuing several special licenses for Mule Deer, Coues’ Deer, Elk and Gould’s Turkey through a special lottery the week of August 15. The tags will be issued through what the department is referring to as a limited-entry permit-tag draw. Each of these special permits allows the holder to harvest the designated species and does not count against annual bag limits. This process will be different than the regular draw; no bonus points will be used in the process and therefore no bonus points will be issued for unsuccessful applicants. Under the rules of this special lottery applicants may apply for as many of the hunts as they choose but are limited to a single application for each hunt. Applications cost $13 for residents and $15 for non-residents.
Among the permits being offered are 3 Elk tags, 4 Mule Deer tags, 4 Coues’ deer tags and 1 Gould’s Turkey tag. The season dates are generous, extending for several weeks and covering nearly the entire rut period for both deer species. The opportunity to hunt rutting desert mule deer with a rifle is rare and allowing seasons to extend into January is unprecedented in the state. Some lucky tag holder is going to have the opportunity to look over a lot of deer in very open country before deciding where to hang their tag. Some of these deer hunts are in more desirable units than others.
Be sure to check out this year’s MRS and TagHub to help prioritize your selections accordingly. The elk hunts offered are in blue chip quality units but the season dates (Dec 15 – February 15) are not desirable for Arizona hunting conditions. For avid turkey hunters, the opportunity to hunt most of Arizona’s Gould’s population from April 1 to May 30 may be one of the most valuable opportunities ever offered.
The application period opened Monday, August 8 and will close at 4:59 on Friday, August 12. Visit the AZGFD website during that time frame for more information on how to apply.
© Eastmans
It was a tumultuous and eventful rulemaking season in early 2022 for Arizona. Among the most impactful changes were modifications made to the non-permit (OTC) tags for archery deer. During the last several years the state has seen steady increases in both tag sales and harvest from archery deer hunters. Under the previous Arizona Game and Fish Department guidelines, the increased harvest led many units to be converted to a draw only permit process. As more and more units were converted to this model, the OTC hunters were limited to fewer units and harvest became even more concentrated. Eventually this would have led nearly all units to become draw only.
To remedy this the Arizona Bowhunters Association and local sportsmen worked with AZGFD to develop a plan to establish a harvest threshold or quota for each unit. As these thresholds are met, the unit will close to archery deer hunting. This model mirrors Arizona’s system for other OTC opportunities.
What this means for sportsmen is that anyone hunting OTC archery deer will need to check online (https://harvest-tracking.azgfd.gov/) or via phone 623-236-7961 to verify that the threshold for the unit they plan to hunt has not yet been met. The harvest threshold count begins in August and applies to all three archery seasons including January. If the threshold is met during the August season the unit will not reopen during December or January. If you are planning a winter escape for warmer weather and rutting Coues’ deer, remain flexible and make sure those plans are written in pencil.
Because this is a new process and system there will likely be some bumps in the road as it is implemented. The important fact to keep in mind is that this was implemented to preserve OTC hunting opportunities in our state, and without it OTC archery deer hunting was on its way out. As you head out in the field this year be sure to double check the regulations and remain flexible as the season unfolds.
© Eastmans
This review features @Kryptek‘s new Obskura camo pattern. Ike Eastman and Brandon Mason break down the thought process behind the pattern’s design and share their favorite Kryptek layers. Get all the details on the Kryptek system the Eastmans’ team hunts with at www.kryptek.com/eastmans
The post Camo for Any Hunt! Kryptek’s Obskura Review appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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If you pay attention to the news, which I wouldn’t recommend, you’d think the entire western U.S. is on fire, raging out of control, flames reaching to the sky, burning up vast swaths of landscape. Well, let’s take a closer look since hunting season is right around the corner and fire closures have a definite impact on hunting plans.
If you visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ you can see exactly how many fires are active across the western states we cover, how large they are and percentage of containment and if you dig you’ll find a treasure trove of information, including historical data.
There are around 60 wildfires currently burning in the 11 western states we cover in our MRS and TagHub. That looks like a lot but when I gander back at last year, it’s about the same or less and that doesn’t compare with 2006’s record breaking 10 million plus acres incinerated!
https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2021_statssumm/historical_data21.pdf
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Add this one to the list of “piss poor” policy decisions coming out of this administration. On Tuesday, July 26 a committee of unelected bureaucrats chose to shut down Dall’s sheep hunting in two entire hunt units within the mostly federally managed Brooks Mountain Range in northern Alaska. Having hunted this area personally, I can honestly say, it is one of the most majestic and rugged locales on this continent.
The Federal Subsistence Board (FSB) voted unanimously to “restrict hunting by all users for the Brooks Range Dall’s sheep on Federal public lands.” This affects Alaska hunt units 24A and 26B for the 2022-2024 wildlife regulatory cycle.
Despite public and state opposition to the proposal, which clocked a more than 11:1 ratio against the restriction including the State Game and Fish Department and conservation groups such as SCI, the FSB board voted in favor of the restriction.
For some time now, we have been hearing rumblings of this board being used by “Green” groups to eliminate hunting in Alaska and now I guess we have our answer to that question.
© Eastmans
This gear review features Seek Outside’s Peregrine 3500 backpack. Scott Reekers gives this fully loaded backpack the dunk test! This backpack is built for multi-day hunts in any weather nature can storm up. No rain cover needed! It boasts a UltraPE 400 fabrics making the packages waterproof and YKK Aquaguard zippers that are highly water resistant. Compression straps, large side pockets, additional load shelf and a top lid are some of the other features that make this a well-rounded backpack.
The post Waterproof Backpack?! Seek Outside Peregrine 3500 Review appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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Sage Grouse are an icon of the West and unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock the past few years you know that states like Wyoming, the energy industry, game and fish departments (both state and federal) and groups like the Audubon Society have been going full court press to help the birds not just maintain but grow in number.
Unfortunately, growth hasn’t been the case overall and the big birds continue to struggle. However, the fight is far from over even in the face of, “Wildland fire, invasive annual grasses, conifer encroachment, and drought…”https://cowboystatedaily.com/2022/07/25/liz-cheney-bob-budd-sage-grouse-management-continues-to-be-critical-for-wyomings-future/
Of course the greatest fear concerning Greater Sage Grouse is an ESA listing. Such action would likely bring catastrophic results to western states and our country as whole via the effective killing of western economies; think billions of dollars being stripped away thanks to closures of public lands to energy development, livestock production and, yup… public access for just about any reason.
Not a bird hunter? What about pronghorn, mule deer or elk? Other multiple uses? If the Greater Sage Grouse is listed on the ESA you stand to lose access to hundreds of thousands of public land acres, period.
© Eastmans
Bow hunting elk on a public land, over-the-counter tag with single digit success rates might be as tough as it gets! Dan Pickar breaks down his strategy for hunting a bull with cows on high-pressure, low elk density, public lands on this episode of Beyond the Grid by Eastmans’.
The post Bull at 6 yards!! – Bow hunting Elk on Public Land appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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