Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

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Wyoming Preference Point Transfer Bill

Thank you for taking time to listen to me about my son Tyler and his Wyoming Preference Points. Tyler and I have hunted Wyoming since he was 14 and have been buying mule deer points together for 9 years and were looking forward to drawing in 2021. Tyler died January 19, 2021. I have made several requests to Wyoming to transfer Tyler’s points to his wife, back to me or another family member and they are very clear that this is not allowed under current regulations.  

Pursuing this further with Senator Lummis’ office they referred me to Representative Cyrus Western from Sheridan that had sponsored a Bill to make these very changes in 2021 (https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2021/HB0130) but the legislative session ended before it could get traction.  

I have spoken to Cyrus and he is willing to re-submit the Bill in the 2023 Session that begins in January and welcomed me to work on public opinion in support of the Bill. Unfortunately, under current regulations Tyler’s points will be wiped out as he did not buy a point for 2020 or 2021.  This Bill will fix that and make preference points transferable to family members which supports more hunting in Wyoming by hunters that have taken time and spent money to invest in the opportunity of drawing a tag.

I realize it’s most likely too late for Tyler’s points but am hoping this change can and will benefit others in the future. ” – N. Jones via email

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission License Distribution Workshop

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is in the process of considering changes to policies and regulations that could potentially impact how big game hunting licenses are distributed in the state. Some of the topics being considered are resident and non-resident elk and deer license allocation, preference points, weighted points, and Over-the-Counter (OTC) elk licenses. This process began a-while ago with Phase 1 below, collecting feedback from hunters. Phase 2 was recently completed, and then this unofficial License Distribution Workshop was scheduled so CPW members could update/educate the Commissioners on the status of issues being considered. Phase 3 will occur next month when the Commission considers potential changes/solutions.

February and April 2022 – CPW conducted a survey of hunters to assess their perspectives about the topics listed above and held focus groups to help inform the development of alternative strategies. The Big Game Attitude Survey was mailed to randomly selected resident and non-resident hunters.May and June 2022 – CPW hosted stakeholder workshops and public meetings to provide opportunities to review and discuss possible alternative strategies.September and November 2022 – The Parks and Wildlife Commission will consider proposed policy and regulatory changes with opportunities for further public comment.

During this License Distribution Workshop, CPW members updated/educated the Commissioners on the following topics:

Making changes to license Allocations (proportion of licenses for Resident vs non-residents), Limiting Over-the-Counter (OTC) license distribution, Changing how Preference Points are used,More substantial changes to the Draw System.

The Commission is considering whether any changes are warranted and if so, whether changes should be implemented incrementally or all-at-once (before 2023 Big Game season). This was a 4:56 minute Virtual Meeting with no public comments.

I imagine if you currently apply for licenses and/or hunt Colorado you are already aware of our more pressing issues. From a hunter’s perspective, many of our limited draw hunts require massive amounts of preference point to draw, and point creep is exacerbating this problem. Also, many residents are dissatisfied with how many licenses are set aside for landowners, youths, and non-residents. If you decide to hunt an Over-the Counter (OTC) unit to avoid all that, you’ll likely encounter overcrowding. 

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Easy Digiscoping! Magnetic Mount by MAGVIEW

This review features the MAGVIEW magnetic spotting scope and binocular attachments. Eastmans’ Dan Pickar tests them out on an early season scouting trip for elk. Using your phone’s camera grid makes it simple and quick to attach your phone to snap photos and videos.

The post Easy Digiscoping! Magnetic Mount by MAGVIEW appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

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WYOMING 2022 Hunt Forecast- Wyoming Elk: (A-), Wyoming Mule Deer: (C-), Wyoming Pronghorn: (C+)

By harrycollinsphotography

With fall just around the corner and the velvet antlers getting ever harder, the pieces are beginning to fall into place giving us a better outlook on what this hunting season may in fact hold for those of us who intend to head afield in the Cowboy State. 

Coming off a very mild winter, wet spring and damp warm summer, things tend to be looking up for the big game herds in Wyoming for this fall’s hunt. The elk herds in Wyoming continue to fare very well in most regions, while the mule deer herds continue to struggle as expected. Wyoming’s antelope herds look to be somewhat of a mixed bag for this fall as drought conditions have finally eased statewide in comparison to the past few years. 

Elk hunters in Wyoming should see very solid results this fall on good to large bulls. With a very robust elk herd on the map, Wyoming continues to deliver a very solid elk hunting experience for those lucky enough to have a tag in their pocket for the fall season. Elk numbers in Wyoming should be as good as ever this fall with trophy quality about as good as it gets. The bulls in the higher elevations should be of very good quality with plenty of bulls to choose from this year as our elk herds have continued to expand in most areas of the state. The elk hunting in the more arid portions of the state should be solid with herd numbers near the Game and Fish objective levels. The good moisture levels seen this spring and summer should have the bull quality at a much higher level than the past few years have seen with some elk herds possibly even moving back into some of the more traditional ranges after being displaced by the drastic drought conditions of the past few years. Overall, I would put the elk hunting forecast level in Wyoming at a very solid “A-” for the 2022 hunting season. 

As good as the elk forecast is, the mule deer outlook is so often the other side of the coin and this year should be no different. With mule deer numbers in a drastic decline statewide, the deer in Wyoming and the entire West for that matter continue to struggle. With numbers down drastically, the moisture levels and habitat improvements should actually have buck quality and antler growth on the upside for this fall, particularly when compared to the past few years. The largest bright spot should be the high-country bucks on the western side of the state who have stood to benefit the most from a mild winter and wet summer. Last year was a very solid season for high-country buck deer and this year should be even better, as the drastic winters of 2016 and 2017 are now, finally, five years behind us. The deer in the more arid portions of the state continue to struggle with numbers and quality. Although, I do expect this year to be better than last for bucks in the lower elevations, these hunts will still lack in quality and abundance again this year. In a nutshell, deer hunting in the Regions of G, H and K should be much improved, along with hunt areas 141 and 130. The remaining general regions and hunt areas should be about the same as last year. As a summary, I would grade the mule deer hunting in Wyoming this fall to be a very shaky “C-” at this point in time. 


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NEW FOR 2022 – Refine EKO Compound Bow by Bear Archery

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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Wolf Populations in Montana

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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Hunting Boot Giveaway!

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Ozonics HR500 – One Touch Scent Elimination!

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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Feature Packed Rifle Scope! Leupold VX-6HD Series

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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Lightning, An Indiscriminate Killer

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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Wyoming Receives $6 Million for Elk Habitat, Research, Public Access Work

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2022

MEDIA NOTE: For more information, including a high resolution image,
contact Mark Holyoak, RMEF, 406-523-3481 or [email protected]
This news release is also posted here.

Wyoming Receives $6 Million for Elk Habitat, Research, Public Access Work

MISSOULA, Mont. — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners allocated $6,046,939 in 2022 grant funding to conserve and improve wildlife habitat, enhance public access and assist scientific research in Wyoming. RMEF directly granted $310,656 that leveraged an additional $5,736,283 in partner dollars.

“This funding is extremely critical and goes on the ground for 20 different projects across the state including wildfire restoration, aspen enhancement, invasive weed control, stabilizing stream bank erosion, conifer thinning, water source improvement and three research projects,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “Other projects include conserving more than 2,200 acres of elk habitat, providing funding to improve elk hunting access on private land and more than a dozen projects that support hunting, recreational shooting and outdoors-related endeavors.”

There are 22 RMEF chapters and more than 7,600 members in Wyoming.

™
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Ultralight Hunting Rifle Review – Bergara Premier MgLite

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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Western Spot and Stalk Tactics with Eastman’s- onX Hunt Masterclass

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

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$10.5M in Habitat Projects

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.”

 

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Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce Rejects 90/10

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: 

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Customize Your Bino Pack!

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.

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“So You’re Saying There’s A Chance!” – Arizona Offering Special Draw

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.

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Changes In Arizona Deer Hunting Regulations!

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.

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Camo for Any Hunt! Kryptek’s Obskura Review

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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WildFire Update 2022

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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