Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

It’s upon us, by the time this issue comes out elk season will be going hot and heavy.   Big bulls will be getting fired up, and start making noise.  These days and trips to come for us elk hunters are going to be heaven on earth.  Hopefully they will be filled with encounters, and the opportunity to try to arrow one of the big bulls we all dream about.  I know you die hards have been practicing religiously, and can close the deal If given the chance.  The key to that phrase is getting a chance, and to earn one you have to be good at locating elk.   The more bulls you can locate during your hunt the better you odds of killing one. 

Do your homework

Spend as much time as you can studying the country you will be hunting.  I swear I should be getting royalties from how much I mention Google earth.  It’s just such great program for us hunters to utilize.  It’s truly second to being there.  Along with this you should be looking at maps of roads, and topo maps.    Make yourself plan for where you will access country and where you will hunt.  Give yourself multiple options of places you want to check out.  Learn and memorize the country you want to hunt, and it will give you a leg up when you get there. 

When I am looking for new elk country I like to find big drainages or ridge lines that separate two different drainages.  I like to look for big country that connects to other pieces of big country.  I like to look for possible feeding meadows both on south sides and north sides of the mountain.  I look for water, as that is a huge reason why elk live where they do.  Elk need water daily, and it plays a big part in the rutting activities.  

I will also look for the flow of the country I am hunting.  What I mean by this is how the elk will move through country.  How the elk access water and feeding, and how they move to different drainages.  Look for saddles or dominate ridge lines, and try to paint a picture of what the elk are doing.  Plan to move along your flow of country if you are not seeing elk, chances are they are within a couple drainages.    

Dan Pickar is bow hunting mule deer in Idaho on this web episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV. This is a DIY open country hunt. It takes days of glassing and patience to turn up a good stalk opportunity.

The post BOW HUNTING open country BUCKS! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Calling elk on public land can be the most difficult task for any bowhunter. It is rare to see a 330 bull come in to calls like you see on TV, especially on public land. 

The easiest bulls to call are satellite bulls. The only problem is these are rarely the biggest bulls in the area. Big, mature herd bulls with cows are the hardest to kill simply because they are surrounded by a lot more eyes and they won’t want to leave their cows. 

Remember, all of the calling tactics listed below work best if the person calling is back 50-100 yards from the hunter, depending on cover. You can call solo and be effective, you’ll just have to be more careful using the terrain to hide your calls and direct your calls back behind you.

Pre-Rut

The post Deer scoring – the easy way! How to Field Judge Mule Deer with Mike Eastman appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

If you’re anything like me you are searching for the perfect hunting arrow. The deal is, each and every archer is different, which in turn makes each arrow different. Everyone’s draw length, poundage and performance is different.  Also, every bowhunter’s needs are different.  Do you plan on hunting Elk or moose, or are you a deer and antelope guy? Do you hunt where there is a lot of wind or in the timber where it’s fairly calm? You see, each arrow is archer- specific. Ultimately, you want an arrow that is going to fly true and penetrate deep with hopefully a pass- through, leaving a good blood trail.  Follow along as I break down the components of a hunting arrow and give you the information to build your ultimate hunting arrow. 

Spine

Spine—a shaft’s lateral stiffness— is the most important factor when building your arrows. Your spine is the flex in your arrow flexes as it absorbs the energy from your bow. A properly spined arrow bends back and forth as it’s released from the bow, creating perfect arrow flight. Your spine needs to match your setup or you simply are not getting the best performance out of your arrow or your bow. When you have the correct spine, your arrows react to the bow and create the most forgiving setup. 

There are a couple of ways to match your spine to your setup. All arrow manufacturers make a spine chart with poundage and length. This works, but there are so many factors that affect spine. Say you have a 70-pound bow;, well, a lot of times that bow is pulling 73 pounds,; thatwhich makes a huge difference in your spine.  Also, if you shoot 125- grain heads on the front, that affects spine as well. Now you can always adjust your spine by cutting your arrow. The shorter you go the stiffer the spine needs towill be. I like to use the shortest arrow I can. The reason I do that is the shorter the arrow the less wind drift will affect it. Okay, I am getting off topic here, but you want to find the perfect spine for your bow. You can test this by shooting different length arrows through paper to find the most consistent paper tear.

When it comes to hunting elk, the classic scenario you see on TV is calling a big bull into 20 yards, nostrils flaring and spit flying, all to make an easy shot. Any seasoned elk hunter knows it rarely happens this way, especially on highly pressured elk on public land. Calling in a big bull is harder now than ever on public land, so the odds are stacked against you. And a lot of times those smart old herd bulls are rarely in the mood to fight off a bull and instead just push their cows away and leave. Heck, many big old bulls won’t even bugle! So what do you do? Obviously, there are a lot of different paths you could go down here. Sitting wallows might work, or maybe a well-used trail. Some guys set up tree stands over wallows, which can be effective. Or maybe you’d rather call elk and don’t mind covering a ton of country to find a bull that wants to play. All are effective methods and everyone has their own preference. My style changes based on the area and state I’m hunting, but I mostly rely on spot-and-stalk tactics. I’ve found a lot of success over the years, and the areas and habitat I hunt dictate how and when to stalk elk. What follows are techniques I’ve learned over 15 years hunting elk; they’ve proven effective and they’ll work for you too. 

The Wind

The most important component to putting together a successful stalk is the wind being in your favor. There’re just no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Of course, you often have thermals to consider in the mountains, but sometimes you don’t because of prevailing winds. In the summer and early fall, most of the weather we get here in the West comes from the southwest, west, or northwest. That said, I prefer to hunt west-facing slopes if possible, especially when I’m in the mountains, where the wind can be the most squirrely. Of course, changing weather patterns and game movement can nix that reasoning, but it’s something to keep in mind when you’re hunting that will give you the edge needed to seal the deal. I love hunting in a strong wind to cover my movement. I can count the number of times on two hands that I stalked in windy or rainy conditions and filled my tag, no matter what species I was hunting. I always consider good wind as a prerequisite to a successful stalk, acting to cover some if not all of my movement. 

Stalking the “Thicks”

As you can imagine, stalking elk in thick brush and timber is challenging and not usually recommended. Most of the type of forest I’m talking about is found in northwest Montana and northern Idaho. Alder, devil’s club, huckleberry brush, mountain maple and moderate forest canopy make for a tangle that no sane man likes to walk through. Stalking through this stuff is just not realistic and will not increase your odds of success. In the very odd case that conditions are right, still hunting with a bow in the “thicks” can be productive. A scenario that comes to mind is if you can locate a bull that’s very vocal to move in on and have some favorable weather to work with; that could work. Strong/gusty winds or rain, or both, are two factors I look for, and prefer, that can give you the edge while stalking in close for a shot. Obviously, if the winds are swirly, you’d better sit tight and not try anything. Stalking near moving water as cover noise can also be your ace in the hole. Anything you have to work with to cover your noise is necessary to make a successful stalk in these conditions. Take the path of least resistance. Many times that means walking on game trails. If you’re in a zone that has solid elk numbers, there will be some freshly beat-down elk trails with soft dirt to walk in. 

Learn how to judge trophy elk before you make a stalk or shot. Mike Eastman shares his strategy to field judging elk. Taking these tips to the field could make the difference on the next time you go trophy elk hunting.

The post Easy trophy scoring on the hoof! How to Field Judge Elk with Mike Eastman appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

In this review hunter, Todd Helms tests out the Lochsa, the first hunting boot made by the legendary White’s Boots. White’s Boots has been a go to boot for wild land firefighters for decades. They’ve applied their experience to build a comfortable and rigid boot specifically for hunting.

The post Brand NEW White’s Lochsa Hunting Boot! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

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

Public land elk rut action! Go elk hunting with Eastmans’ Brandon Mason. The rut turns on and makes for some heart-pounding bow hunting! Then Brandon returns during rifle season to hunt for his son’s first bull!

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The post Public land bonanza! Elk hunting DIY Teaser appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

This hunting gear review breaks down the features of the BRAND NEW Mountain Optics Harness made by Sitka Gear. Ike Eastman runs through all the features that make this harness more comfortable and versatile than ever! This harness has pockets for days and molly webbing to make it easy to add and remove accessories. The removable bino straps make it easy to share optics between hunting partners.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE SITKA BINO HARNESS

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Weather is arguably the single biggest influencer on hunting success or failure. In the short term, it determines how we dress for a hunt, what gear we’ll take along, where we’ll choose to hunt, and even whether or not we even can hunt. Even the most prepared hunters would be foolish to venture out into a blizzard to fill a tag on opening day. But weather has already been at work this year to affect the outcome of our hunting experience this fall. From late-winter snows to spring and summer thunderstorms, the moisture die has been cast to determine where browse will be plentiful and where it will be scarce. The overall long-term weather patterns have been setting up to reveal which areas will have early or late snow, and if cold winter temperatures will arrive early or late.

     This is my 40th year working in meteorology. After 20 years in broadcast meteorology, I spent eight in forensic meteorology and two in fire meteorology before working at Cabela’s headquarters for a decade providing long-range weather outlooks and short-term weather threat analysis to help guide decisions about what hunting and fishing gear would be needed where on a seasonal basis. As an avid hunter and angler, I understand the importance and impact of timely weather information on outdoor recreation. I also authored a book in 2008 called “Trophy Bucks in Any Weather” to explain how weather influences big-game animal behavior.

     The purpose of this article, which I wrote in June of this year, is to set the table with the meteorological and climatological “lay of the land” as we enter fall hunting seasons in the U.S. Information was gathered from multiple U.S. and global weather agencies to ascertain what hunters may encounter in the field this fall as a result of weather across the U.S. over the last several months, and probability that the pattern will shift into a La Nina configuration during the fall.

Montana: If you’ve drawn a Montana tag, you’re fortunate. From a water and browse standpoint, Montana is faring better than most other western states this year. Rainfall in most drainages and basins is near or a little bit above where it was last year. But the forecast calls for above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation through August across the state.

     The areas drying out the fastest are in the southern part of Montana extending from Custer National Forest in the southeast, west through Gallatin National Forest north of Yellowstone, to Beaverhead National Forest in the southwest. These areas along and south of Interstate 90 will be the driest parts of the state. Fortunately, browse conditions entering the critical antler-growing period were still pretty good across most of Montana, so there should be no shortage of decent bucks and bulls to harvest this year….

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The post Williams Gun Sight Giveaway! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Join Guy Eastman as he goes mule deer hunting in western Kansas. Guy is shocked when they turn up a true monster mule deer buck. This is a muzzleloader rifle hunt which means Guy has to get in close to seal the deal on this beast! This buck scores well over 200 inches! Watch this hunt unfold in this classic web episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV.

The post GIANT MULEY makes Guy Eastman speechless! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

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CHECK OUT THE KESTREL BALLISTICS PRODUCT!

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On July 8, 2020, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals filed its ruling on the appeal taken from the US District Court in Montana related to the delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly bear population in the case commonly referred to as Crow Indian Tribe v. State of Wyoming.  Since that time, many pro-bear and anti-hunting publications declared the ruling a major victory for stopping the delisting of the bears under the Endangered Species Act.  However, nothing further could be from the truth.

If you read the opinion, which is quite dry but informative, it shows how wrong all the groups are that oppose the delisting of Yellowstone’s grizzly population.  The opinion–which at times can be dry and difficult to read–is actually well-written and does not side with continued listing of the Yellowstone grizzly population as many would have the common reader believe.  In fact, the Ninth Circuit provided a roadmap which if followed would gut any new and arbitrary issues that the people opposing delisting may try to raise based upon science, leaving only emotional reasons to stand in the way of the delisting.

The opinion starts out quoting the University of Montana’s fight song:  “And the squeal of the pig will float through the air; From the tummy of the grizzly bear.”  Not only is that the best line from any fight song in the history of mankind, but reading it at the beginning of the opinion hints at what is to come.  It’s no secret that one big proponent of the delisting of the grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area is the farm and ranch community.  After laying out the history of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and its specific relation to grizzly bears, Circuit Judge Mary M. Schroeder (writing the opinion for the three-judge panel) turned to the issues related to the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s long-standing and invested study of the Yellowstone grizzly population.  Specifically at issue was the FWS’s 2007 and 2017 comprehensive plan to study the specific population for potential delisting.  That’s where things got interesting.

By way of background, FWS first identified in 2007 the Yellowstone grizzly population as a distinct population segment within the meaning of the ESA.  After litigation ensued, the FWS was required to consider further issues before being able to delist the specific population, which it did again in 2017.  More litigation followed with the same result—the district court judge in Montana vacated the delisting.

The critical oversight made by those that would have readers believe this is a major victory for the anti-delisting crowd is that this opinion did not affirm the Montana judge’s vacating of FWS’s delisting efforts.  This opinion merely remanded the case back to the same judge for further consideration on specific issues.  The Ninth Circuit held that the Montana judge incorrectly applied certain sections of the ESA and relieved the FWS of the obligation that it must consider the impact of the delisting on the remnant grizzly population.  The FWS only need to determine whether the delisting will not further threaten the rest of the population.  This is a much easier task.  

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In this review, Dan Pickar tests out Leupold’s new RX-FullDraw 4 Rangefinder. This super fast rangefinder was designed with bow hunting in mind. Take the guess work out shots with the built-in Archer’s Advantage software. Enter a few simple bow ballistic measurements into the rangefinder and the built-in Flight Path indicator will mark your arrow’s maximum heigh on it’s trajectory. Dan demonstrates just how effective this technology is in this video.

The post Leupold RX-4 Full Draw Rangefinder Review appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

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Go bow hunting for public land elk during the rut! Eastmans’ Dan Pickar is surrounded by bugling bulls on this early September DIY bow hunt. When it come to bow hunting, you just never know what can happen! Dan proves that on this backcountry hunt.

The post SCREAMING BULLS IN YOUR FACE! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.