Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

Well, Wyoming grizzlies didn’t waste any time this year making their presence felt. Unfortunately, it came in the form of a mauling. Wyoming resident Spencer Smith was hunting shed antlers in northwest Wyoming on May 1st when he came face to face with a large grizzly who didn’t take kindly to being surprised and did what grizz do best resulting in Smith being airlifted to a Billings, MT hospital. 

Thank goodness Smith was in possession of a satellite communication device from which he sent an SOS which was received by the Park County Sheriff’s Department. Wyoming Game Warden Chris Queen found Smith and helped get him loaded onto the medivac chopper. 

Those are the facts and I am glad Smith is going to be “okay”, he will, no doubt, have many obstacles to overcome on his path to healing and we here at Eastmans’ wish him a speedy and full recovery. That said, Smith’s unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder to anyone intending to recreate in grizzly country. Please be bear aware and take all necessary precautions. 

The post Grizzly Mauls Shed-Hunter appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Last year I wrote an article unraveling Nevada’s draw system to help you build a plan for getting a tag. This year my goal is to paint a picture of how I would use Eastmans’ TagHub to build that strategy and hopefully help you draw that Nevada tag that you have been waiting for!

As an unapologetic mule deer hunter that is the species that I will cover. Using these tactics inside of TagHub will work for any of the species that we cover for each state but bear in mind that success rates in states like Nevada, that manage for trophy quality in elk, will show higher success in those areas.

The first step is to decide the “when” on your hunt strategy. In our filter, we have set up TagHub to make it easy to find hunts based on the season dates, and as it turns out the best time of year for me to hunt would be any of the early October hunts. I have plans to hunt my home state of Wyoming in mid September and a trip to Nevada in early to mid October would best fit in before my late October Wyoming elk hunt.  

Setting my filter for non-resident with the any weapon option shows me what is available and when I add the filter for October- Early I can see all of the hunts available in that time frame. The first filter map shows me what those look like based on our long standing and trusted MRS rating system.

But how do I sort out which units had the best trend for success? Simply change from trophy forecast to the three year success heat map and it becomes easy to see which units have been successful for a long time. 

Season postponements, closures, restrictions on non-residents, yup, the times they are a changin’. This spring has been one for the history books for sure and if you’re like me seeing it in the rearview mirror will be a welcome sight. That said, as much as I hate to even type the word, I feel that I owe it to you to report on the most recent COVID 19 news regarding hunting out West. So here’s a state by state breakdown of the most recent information I could find for you. Note: most states have created a COVID 19 update page on their game and fish website and checking there is still the best option for up to the minute information. 

Arizona – Things appear to be status quo in Arizona. Spring hunts are at full go with only localized closures of state run facilities, be sure check before you head out. Arizona has cancelled or altered the following: AZGFD Outdoor Expo(cancelled), April Commission meeting (telephonic). The state COVID 19 Update site can be visited here https://www.azgfd.com/agency/covid-19-related-updates/

Colorado – The Yuma County turkey season delay will extend through May 2nd with no word if that season will actually open. Other than that it appears that outdoor activities are open and acceptable in Colorado even if some state run facilities are closed. https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/COVID-19-Response.aspx

Idaho – Idaho has suspended non-resident sale of quite a few hunting licenses including bear and turkey but not to the extent that applying for tags is inhibited. The state’s COVID 19 update page is quite impressive and you need to look it over if Idaho is on your list this spring. You will also need to call to make an appointment for some services as offices are closed until April 30th. https://idfg.idaho.gov/covid19

Montana – Well the good news is that non-residents can now purchase spring bear and turkey licenses but the bad news is that there’s still a 14 day quarantine period in effect for folks visiting the Big Sky State. A phased reopening of Montana is underway. http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/covid19/nr_0025.html

Montana FWP released a plan to gather 10-12 individuals to serve on a citizen group to provide guidance for the new Elk Management Plan in Montana. According to FWP, the group will be tasked with developing an issue statement about elk management and define meaningful and enduring principles that may guide future elk management decisions. This group will be diverse and represent a variety of stakeholders. 

Elk in Montana are in a tricky situation so this advisor group will have a lot to consider when it comes to elk management and to keep hunters and landowners happy. In 2009, populations were estimated to be around 134,000 animals. A decade later they are projected to be 136,000. It’s not that simple though. Some areas of Montana (eastern half) are over objective but many areas (western half) are under objective, and this has been the case for over a decade. What gives? 

The western part of the state has way more public land and the elk hunting areas are mostly general. This being the case and with population hubs like Kalispell, Missoula, Butte, and Bozeman, you’re going to have people that can hunt close to home so pressure is high. It’s the land of opportunity for the general tag hunter if you’re a Montana resident. Toss in high populations of grizzly bears and wolves and all of a sudden it becomes difficult for a population to make a living let alone increase in numbers, specifically in regions 1 and 2.  

The eastern half of the state consists mostly of private land making for limited access and limited entry elk hunting areas. Predation from grizzly bears and wolves is far less if not nonexistent in some of the far east elk areas. The eastern part of the state gets less snow as well so elk have easier winters. Top that off with plentiful agriculture and alfalfa fields and also haystacks during winter months. This just makes life much easier if you’re an elk out in eastern Montana. This gives you the perfect situation to grow an elk population quickly. 

It’s the October rifle season and you’re headed West to hunt elk. There are a couple things you should have. The first thing I like to do is get my hands on a forest map and highlight the boundaries of the unit. Having a hard copy of your area that you can take in the field is very handy. This map will also show you open roads, campgrounds, trailheads and trails in your hunting area.

The last thing I do before I go in to hunt an area is look again at Google Earth and my planned routes. I have Google Earth and the onX Hunt app on my phone so I can reference aerial images at any time. I have found that most of the areas I hunt are high enough in elevation to have cell service, but if I’m not sure I preload my area maps before I take off for my hunt.

October Habits

Finding a big bull elk in mid-October can be the most difficult task of your hunting season. Bottom line: you find them where you find them. That can vary from state to state, habitat to habitat and year to year…

Topography

Each year one lucky subscriber goes deer hunting with Guy Eastman in Montana. This hunt with Sizzling’ S Outfitters shouldn’t disappoint. Hunters can expect to get a chance at mature mule deer bucks. In this episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV, hunt winner Art Jaenke has his chance at a monster stolen from him the night before opening day! Every current EASTMANS’ HUNTING JOURNAL subscriber gets a chance at the hunt drawing every spring.

The post Lucky subscriber goes deer hunting with Guy Eastman in Montana! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Bowhunting antelope can be tough! Brandon Mason is hunting the checkerboard public lands of Wyoming. Antelope have great eyesight and are naturally curious. Brandon uses that to his advantage to sneak in close on this web episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV.

The post Sagebrush sneaking! Bow Hunting Public Land Antelope appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

There are numerous articles that recommend optical equipment for glassing big game. The standard theory down in the southwestern states is to carry big, heavy 18×50-plus binoculars, so you can watch a deer wiggle his ear in the heavy brush two miles away. However, when you’re backpacking in the northwestern backcountry, everything is on your back, and weight is crucial. Personally, I feel these huge binoculars aren’t necessary for finding mule deer.

Glassing With The Grain Of The Terrain

Even from the highest point, there may be areas you are unable to see well, such as a slide partially obscured by the tree line, or sets of basins where you can only see one side, or just small portions of them. You feel you don’t have a clear view of some of the best habitat that you know holds bucks. If these problems sound familiar, you may be glassing against the grain of the terrain.

Western terrain is made up of small creek drainages that have their beginnings in a snowbank, or a high basin spring. From there, they run down into another creek and eventually into a river at the valley floor. When you get to the head of one of these drainages, spend most of your time glassing the high pockets, slides and knife ridges that run up to the peaks.

The Method

This seems like a bit of a joke and it is to some degree, but there is also some very solid truth built into this short and overly simplified statement. Elk are roamers and need plenty of open, varying country to roam in. Over the past 25 years, I have found elk in some very obscure and off-the-wall places. For instance, I once found two big bulls in a fight to the death while antelope hunting over 30 miles from the nearest pine tree. On another occasion, I found a herd of elk while turkey hunting in the tobacco country of Eastern Kentucky. While hunting ibex in the Altai Mountains of northern Mongolia I even shot at a jet-black wolf that was stalking a 360-bull. While these may be extreme examples, I think you get the point, but if not, the point here is you just never know exactly where you might find a big bull elk, even within the confines of your hunting unit.

Getting to know your elk area is one of the most powerful tools you can employ to find more elk. Just by hunting an elk area even for a second time can increase your odds at killing a bull drastically. Learning a new elk area can be a difficult process, a process that takes time, effort, and a bit of a plan that makes the most use of your time in the field.

In my experience, it takes a good three or four seasons to even begin to fully master your elk area’s full potential. This learning curve can be somewhat reduced by employing some simple techniques and strategies that will put you ahead of the curve the next time you head into a piece of elk country with a tag in your pocket.

At-home scouting is probably the most useful tool to make the best of your time before the elk season even begins. Employing some solid at-home scouting tools such as custom and digital maps, Google Earth, state game and fish proclamations and web forums can put you way ahead of the game right from the comfort of your man cave no matter where you live…

Guy Eastman goes elk hunting in Colorado. Antler growth is strong after a wet spring making for great fall hunting opportunity. Fall rain showers add to the advantage creating the perfect conditions for stalking and hunting elk in this web episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV.

The post Loaded with trash! Elk Hunting Colorado with Guy Eastman appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Probably one of the most debated topics among hardcore big game hunting enthusiasts is the best gun, caliber and bullet setup for taking down big bull elk. The Eastmans’ staff and I scoured the industry and came up with what I believe are the best half dozen elk rifle setups. These rifles fit the bill as true elk gravediggers. This is a grouping that completes the spectrum for any budget and performance requirement. Keep in mind, these setups are all different and could easily be mixed and matched to suit your personal needs and expectations.

These guns and loads are based on what we would personally choose, optics are up to you! Here is how we came up with the tough decisions that created the lineup…

Rifles | We wanted to select a good spectrum of rifles that would suit every budget. Whether you have $800 to spend or $8,000, there is a semi-custom or a production gun in here that will probably fit your budget. There are some very good guns available on the market today, but when you have to boil it down to only a half dozen, the decisions get very difficult.

Caliber | The .30 caliber is considered the best all-around caliber for elk but there are other excellent choices as well. The big 7’s edge out the 30’s in B.C. and sectional density but if you want the absolute best elk caliber look to the .338. However, the .30 caliber and its variations have probably crushed more elk bone, creased more elk lungs and blown out more elk hearts over the past 20 years than all the other calibers combined. Oh, and yes, we did include the 6.5 as well, not the Creedmoor though.

Bullet | We chose a pretty wide array of easy to find and readily available elk bullets for the group. We also went with the heaviest loads that are readily available for the cartridges chosen in order to maximize performance on tough old bulls. Thanks to ammunition manufacturers such as Hornady and Federal Premium, and a lot of others, today’s factory ammunition is better than ever and leaves little wanting.

Have you ever visited or traveled through a wildlife refuge and found it is closed to hunting and fishing? Or maybe it’s open to waterfowl hunting but you can’t shoot turkeys or grouse? I sure have and it always left me scratching my head. A large portion of wildlife refuges are waterfowl production areas and some can be hunted, but also have plentiful resources of big game and fishing that have been untouched for decades. The Trump administration analyzed all the refugees across the county and took a look at what was closed and what was open and for what reasons. They found many areas that could be approved upon and came up with about 50 from all over the country. 

What refuges are going to open you might ask? There are more than 100 of them across the country from Bombay Hook in Delaware to San Diego Bay in California. For a full list of the refuges that are opening click here. Four in Wyoming, two in Montana, three in Colorado, and two in Idaho. Washington leads the pack with seven new openings. A lot of the openings just make sense, for example, Hart Mountain Refuge in Oregon will open to waterfowl and expand upland game bird hunting to new areas already open to other hunting. And then you have other refuges like Fallon National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada that is going to open migratory bird, upland and big game hunting for the first time. The opportunities this is going to create for sportsmen are unprecedented and a huge win for the conservation world. There are even three refuges in Georgia, Texas and South Carolina that will be open to alligator hunting for the first time. These are just to name a few. Once again, check out the link for the new openings in your state. 

As you can expect there is opposition from environmental groups that claim the administration is trying to make up for the areas that it deregulated, like Bears Ears and Grand Escalante, for public use and possible energy exploration, however, most folks are in favor of the regulation change. Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam said in a statement the timing is perfect since Americans hunkered-down during the pandemic are looking for more areas to recreate.

 I would rather see our public lands be opened for “we the people” to use rather than be off-limits to recreation. Money used to run these refuges ultimately comes from you, the taxpayer and even more-so, hunters and fishermen. Hunters and Fishermen are the most taxed and prodded for cash of any group in the outdoor recreation industry and are the true conservationists. 

Well, that’s my opinion, what about yours? What do you think of this opening up move on refugees across the nation? 

In this backpack review, Scott Reekers tests the heavy hauling ability of the redesigned Pop Up 38 backpack by Mystery Ranch. Known for durable and tough backpacks, Mystery Ranch takes their innovative pop up frame system another level with this redesign. Designed as a day pack, but with the Overload Shelf System, Scott finds the Pop Up 38 to be plenty big for a 2 or 3-day backcountry trip too! This backpack could be just what you need for this hunting season.

The post 65 LBS! Testing Pop Up 38 Load Carry – Mystery Ranch Backpack Review appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Without a doubt, a full moon can be an elk hunter’s worst nightmare. Taking the moon phase into account when planning your elk hunt is probably one of the most foolproof practices to ensure that you have good elk movement and rutting activity during daylight hours. This is a guide to help you plan your hunt around the dreaded full moon this fall. Keep in mind, these are purely predictions and things can and often do change. Additional uncontrollable factors can alter these predictions; factors like snow, temperature and cloud cover can intensify or reduce the effects of a full moon significantly…..

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

As the Coronavirus “Pandemic” continues to impact our lives more and more states are closing spring hunting seasons to non-residents. This move was addressed in a previous blog post by Guy Eastman as he made some predictions about fall hunting seasons. While we here at Eastmans’ don’t think that fall hunting seasons will see any impact western states are shutting down non-resident hunts for bear and turkey as we speak. 

Montana just announced yesterday that spring bear and turkey hunting is closed to non-residents but they will be refunding previously purchased tags.- Click Here To Stay Up-To-Date On MT

Oregon has closed all hunting and many other outdoor recreational activities to non-residents. No word on tag/license refunds. Click Here To Stay Up-To-Date On OR

Washington has postponed spring bear and turkey seasons until “at least May 4th.” Click Here To Stay Up-To-Date On WA

Go elk hunting with Santa Claus, sort of, and Guy Eastman. Eastmans’ 2016 hunt winner Mike Roduner is hunting or his first bull elk in the middle of a rut fest in Colorado. Antler growth that fall was prime too! It was tough to narrow it down to just the right bull on this episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV.

Go On This Elk Hunt!

The post Santa Claus goes elk hunting with Guy Eastman! Colorado Rut Hunt appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

As we have seen more strict lockdown procedures in recent days many states are not allowing nonresident hunting and fishing. Not only could this be bad for hunters and fisherman, this also trickles down to local economies being hit which include outfitters, guides, local hotels, restaurants and other tourism based businesses. Montana currently has a stay at home order but outdoor recreation is exempt. Outfitters are canceling spring hunting and fishing trips that are scheduled for the near future as they are classified as nonessential business. This is going to be a hard hit on the seasonal workers that rely on these trips to pay off their boats or other financed equipment. Because of the uncertainty, outfitters aren’t taking people fishing or hunting and clients are also canceling ahead of time. Luckily under the Covid stimulus signed by President Trump, a number of provisions are set to cover outfitters to bridge the financial gap via loans,  while guides may claim unemployment.

Currently, the largest threat to the industry is uncertainty. This is all new territory so nobody knows what is really going to happen. Every outfitter is in limbo until restrictions are lifted. Unfortunately, May, June and July are the biggest months in the fishing industry and this revenue can’t be made up for later in the year. Another concern is if clients will have the resources to rebook trips even after restrictions are lifted. The owner/outfitter of Stillwater Anglers in Columbus, Montana says “The million dollar question is, for whatever you want to call normal is going to look like, when is that going to return?” Everyone is very hesitant to book trips for the summer. 

However, cases of Covid have been slowing down the last couple days and people are becoming more stir crazy because most areas have not seen the doom and gloom effects that the mainstream media is trying to push. The number of deaths from Covid has also been uncovered as not real Covid deaths as well. As more and more fake news is being uncovered I do believe President Trump will lift restrictions and things will get going again. Let’s be real, how long can you have stay at home orders in place when largely, the effects of the virus are not being seen? Business and life must go on, and destroying the economy over Covid-19 is simply not worth it.

CLICK HERE TO HELP BE PREPARED

Guy Eastman goes elk hunting with Russell Pierce in Colorado. Hunting the second phase of elk rut has it challenges, but they manage to locate a monster bull in this episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV.

CLICK HERE TO WIN THIS ELK HUNT

The post A monster’s last bugle! Elk Hunting with Guy Eastman appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

In this review, learn how using a Kestrel Ballistics Weather Meter can improve your shooting and maximum effective range. Hunter Brandon Mason breaks down how to set up, calibrate and use Kestrel’s 2700 and 5700 ballistics weather meters. The 5700 is featured packed with the addition of Hornady’s 4DOF system making it the Cadillac of Kestrel’s.

The post Kestrel Ballistics Meter Review – How to Become a Better Shooter appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Utah wildlife biologists just unveiled their 2020 plan last week suggesting to cut over 9,000 general season deer tags. The not so bad news is there will still be 80,725 total general season buck tags available! So that’s still a good amount of opportunity if you ask me. Doe tags would also be decreased, from 2,220 to 1,175.

Premium, limited-entry, and management buck deer permits would remain the same under this proposal. Another new addition this year are HAMS hunts, similar to what we have seen in other states like Arizona. A HAMS hunt is handgun, archery, muzzleloader, shotgun only season. This calls for 15 new permits for limited-entry buck deer tags in the late season. No scopes will be allowed on any of these weapons and no hunter orange is required. We’re not sure which units will be included in this hunt but the criteria to be considered for the HAMS hunt are areas underutilized by hunters, areas with high potential of human conflict, and migratory deer populations that don’t get hunted during standard seasons. The formation of this hunt began with multiple individuals who suggested a desire for a more primitive style of hunting using less technology. I think this is great and Utah DWR has made some great moves providing more opportunities for folks across the state.

These changes are based off the fact that buck to doe ratios and fawn recruitment have declined over the past four years. Furthermore, this is based off of the state’s objective of 15-20 bucks per 100 does. Back in 2015 and 2016, the deer population was over objective so tags were increased in response to those numbers. Populations are back down to the objectives of what the state biologists set them at 5 years ago. In addition, fawn recruitment objectives set by biologists are 60 fawns per 100 does which allows for a population to grow. Currently, the state average is 53 fawns per 100 does. This leaves the state of Utah with 321,000 deer total, which is 51,000 deer less than last year. 

Biologists claim the decrease was due to drought conditions in 2018 and a hard winter in 2019. The southern, southeastern, northeastern, and northern parts of the states showed to have taken the biggest hit. There will be 19 out of the 29 units that see decreases in tag allocations for the general season.