Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

I’m not going to lie – my stomach turned when I read this. On the surface it seems like a good thing to protect our wildlife and land resources from development. However, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been used for decades to further political agendas rather than actually do what it was set up to do.

Sportsmen truly do want necessary protections for wildlife and land so that we don’t revert to the Industrial Revolution days of highly polluted bodies of water and air, yet we hate to see unreasonable and intolerable regulations crush many of the jobs people depend on.

Finding the correct balance is a tough thing and we each have a different opinion on what that may be. I just wish the federal government would allow states to regulate themselves and their own resources and keep big brother out of it.

What say you?

The post WILDLIFE AGENCIES TO CANCEL TRUMP ENDANGERED SPECIES RULES appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

This hunting tip on kill or field dressing kits breaks down the gear you need to build your own. Fieldcraft Survival’s Kevin Estela shares his favorite choices for knives, ropes, and other accessories for a versatile kill kit to carry while hunting any big game animal. Customize your kill kit for each hunt or scenario with these tips.

Survive an unplanned night outdoors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJnV3…

Build your own first aid kit for hunting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4arGV…

Catch up with all of Fieldcraft Survival’s hunting tips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list…

The post Hunting Prep – Field dressing kit appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

I am blessed to know many of the finest mule deer hunters in the country. Some of them you have heard of, like Brian Barney and Guy Eastman. Then there are some that you haven’t and probably never will because trophy mule deer hunters are often a secretive group who don’t want their names drawing attention. Which brings me to what I consider the best perk of my job, it is learning about how these consistent killers have grown over the years and regularly put big bucks on the ground. This article is all about the tactics that I or some of the best I have ever met employed to kill mature, grey faced, strong scoring mule deer almost every single season. 

Tactic 1- Live With The Deer!

Every good mule deer hunter does their best to live with the deer. They scout in the summer, they hunt them in the fall and they go to winter range to find out which grey faced brutes lived through the deadly game of high country hide and seek. Finally, they spend the spring watching the transitional ranges to learn their travel routes to help find bucks when the snow gets deep and it’s time to leave the high basins. 

When time is limited or geographic distance makes regular observation impossible, summer scouting needs to take priority. Two of my biggest high country mule deer were scouted ahead of time. I knew those bucks were living in the basins I killed them in and they were not killed by accident. In 2018 I spent more time scouting than I did hunting because I killed my buck the second day of the season. 

Regularly spending time observing and learning the patterns and behaviors of big mule deer will lead to more trophies taken. This tactic is what separates the average hunter from the guys who take the upper echelon of mule deer regularly. 

Guy Eastman hunts for a Dall’s sheep in the last wilderness of the Northwest Territory. Guy is retracing the hunting adventure pioneered by his grandfather Gordon Eastman in the Mackenzie mountains. He is joined by his brother Ike Eastman for this journey to hunt mountain caribou and Dall’s sheep. This shot film builds on the story told in YETI’s 2021 film tour featuring the Eastman family.

The post Eastmans’ Hunting Journal Updated: EHJ 188 appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

“Hey bud, guess how many miles we’ve put on today looking for a buck on public?” 

“I don’t know, a lot.”

“Yeah, odometer says 253 miles and that doesn’t count how many we’ve put on our boots.”

“Wow! I’ve never seen so few antelope in this region and the fact that we haven’t seen a single buck on public is disturbing.” 

If you’ve hunted northeastern Wyoming for antelope on public land in the past couple of seasons you’ve probably seen the same thing that I have and had the same conversation as above. The recent downturn in pronghorn numbers in many areas of the state makes the poaching and waste of four animals, three does and a buck, egregious in the extreme. I’ll spare you my internal rant but you can imagine how incidents like this make my blood boil! 

It’s a deer hunting bonanza! Over 45 western buck hunts in an action packed 20 minutes from the Eastmans’ Hunting Journals archives. This video features mule deer and whitetail deer hunts.

The post 45+ Deer Hunts in 20 Minutes! Eastmans’ Hunting Journals appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

This review features Weatherby’s Mark V Backcountry 2.0 Carbon hunting rifle. This rifle features the industry’s lightest carbon fiber stock, redesigned bolt and improved carbon fiber barrel. Todd Helms has put this rifle to the test and found it to be a tack driver. He hit three of three successful shots at 1000 yards on an MOA steel plate. This rifle is meant to tackle any hunting adventure you can dream up! It’s available in a wide variety of your favorite Weatherby cartridges. Learn more at www.weatherby.com

The post The Weatherby Backcountry 2.0! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Stop Moving The Recovery Goalposts!

It seems that grizzly bear attacks and altercations are rampant this year. Recently another group of hunters in Wyoming shot and killed a charging boar grizzly while they were elk hunting. In Montana a small group of hunters have killed a sow with no cubs when she charged them as they were breaking down an elk they had taken. With general seasons either ongoing or about to open across grizzly country in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, there will surely be more conflict to come between hunters and grizzlies. This is not good for hunters OR bears. The question that many are asking is why more conflict and what can be done to stop it? 

Well, the answer is complex and it’s not limited exclusively to hunters being in bear country. 

There are more bears in the GYE (Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem) than at any time since recovery efforts began. In fact, there are more than enough bears to warrant a delisting from the ESA (conservatively over 1000 in the core area alone) IF the goal posts weren’t moved and the definition of “recovery” changed to suit the interests of radical environmentalists and animal rights activists who make big money off of ESA litigation, think millions of dollars. 

Don’t just take my word for it… https://www.rmef.org/elk-network/equal-access-to-injustice/

According to an article in the Oil City News new areas in our home state of Wyoming have been identified positive for CWD. Deer areas 144, 148 and elk area 41 are the new positives. CWD has been a hot button issue across the West for many years and the most recent aggressive testing is another chapter in the evolving discussion around management. 

The question that is toughest to answer for big game managers and biologists is how long have the prions been here and is our testing just confirming something that has existed for eons? Or are we experiencing a boom and do we need to take strong measures to make sure that we can curtail its growth into the future?

Wyoming on one hand has taken a test and see approach for the most part while Colorado has moved their seasons for mule deer hunting to potentially harvest more mature mule deer. The desire in Colorado is to remove the carriers, i.e. the older animals from the herd and therefore cut down cases over time. This change, along with the covid world we live in pushed application numbers to very high levels in 2021 in Colorado. We could potentially see an age class reduction across Colorado with this strategy, ultimately putting the state’s mule deer royalty status in jeopardy.  

Wyoming on the other hand has chosen to test and see over time with the exception of the management of feed grounds. Elk feed grounds, in particular the refuge in the Jackson Hole area have become political lightning rods from just about every walk of life. Brucellosis has been a concern for years on the feed grounds, easy predation for wolves after their reintroduction, and now CWD are driving management conversations as well as litigation. 

What does all of this mean? Well it means that it would be wise for every one of us to start submitting our comments to game and fish entities letting them know how we feel about CWD and herd management. Those who seek to end hunting are certainly submitting their comments, it’s past time for us to make our voices heard.

This review highlights Wyoming Whiskey’s high quality product and how they are stepping up to help save our mule deer. Eastmans’ Hunting Journals has teamed up with Wyoming Whiskey and the Mule Deer Foundation of Wyoming for a brighter future for mule deer conservation. Ike Eastman hand selected a single barrel of whiskey. About 150 custom Living Legend bottles are available. Join the Mule Deer Foundation at their Wyoming banquets for a chance to take home a bottle of this LIMITED edition Wyoming Whiskey small batch. Proceeds will directly benefit mule deer conservation in Wyoming.

Find an event near you here: https://muledeer.org/wyoming/?fbclid=…

The post Drink Whiskey to Save Mule Deer! Wyoming Whiskey Review appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Reports like these are tough to take. This one made my stomach turn, thinking of the chaos this particular father and son hunting trip ended up being and ultimately ending in an unexpected death of the father.

Hunting in the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming for elk, they were hiking back to their vehicle when one of the rifles went off as the father handed his son the rifles so he could scale the rock face his son just traversed. One of the rifles went off and shot the father in the upper right chest. He later died at the hospital in Worland, WY.

When I think of all the near catastrophes I’ve encountered in the field over my lifetime, I am so thankful that the situations never lead to dire consequences. This recent hunting accident is a solid and sobering reminder not to take anything for granted when hunting safety is concerned. Firearm safety, camping safety, traveling safely, etc., are nothing to overlook.  When times are good and things are running smoothly it is easy to get careless. Make sure you have your wits about you while in the field so you have many GOOD memories to share with loved ones in the future.

Our hearts go out to this family in their loss…

The post Man Killed In Hunting Accident appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

The morning of the 30th was very slow, but it was when we finally heard our first bugle.  A faint bugle, it was not far from us, but it was down in a timber pocket, and we could tell that he was at the very bottom. We quickly made our way closer to where we thought he was; it was right then when Levi saw the legs of an elk going through the timber on the other side of the coulee that we were on. I figured it was one of the small satellites that we had just called in, but Levi had sworn that it was a different bull and encouraged me that we should go after him.
There was a big grass meadow, and for some reason we both decided we would walk straight across it. When we got to the other side of the meadow, still in the wide open, I looked up and spotted one of the small satellites up on the ridge about 150 yards away.
I looked back at Levi and laughed and said, “I told you it was just one of the small bulls that we just saw.”
Levi was still sure that the bull we were looking at was not the bull that he saw the legs of. I told him otherwise and almost had him talked into heading back to the Suburban to go to town for lunch….

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Bow hunting the elk rut might be as good as it gets! Watch twenty elk bow hunts in less than twenty minutes. This video is packed with bugling bulls and close encounters to get your heart pounding!

Bow hunt big public land bull elk with Dan Pickar on this web episode of Eastmans’ Hunting TV. It’s a DIY hunt during the elk rut in Wyoming. Warm weather early season weather adds to the challenge, but Dan manages to get into bow range of a herd bull.

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

Accuracy on the range or in competition means the difference between hurt pride and lost money or a big smile and a fat check. These stakes are low in comparison to making a poor shot in the field, hunting big game. A steel plate, if hit poorly, isn’t going to crawl off and suffer until a brutal death overcomes it at the claws and fangs of some predator if it’s lucky or infection and rot if otherwise. We owe it to the animals we hunt to be the best marksmen and women we can possibly be and that means mastering our hunting rifles and the fundamentals of shooting accurately from field positions. This also means using support aides such as shooting sticks, bipods, backpacks, trees and limbs, even rocks or your own body to steady your aim and ensure a clean kill. 

It is my opinion that if you cannot put at least 8 of 10 rounds into an area half the size of your target animal’s vital zone at a given distance then you aren’t proficient enough to pursue that animal to that distance or beyond. 

For example, if I can put 9 of 10 fired rounds into a 5” circle at 400 yards from the prone position and 5” is roughly half the size of a mule deer buck’s vital zone, I’m good to go for that animal at that distance. However, if I’m only 6 of 10 on that same or a larger target at 500 I don’t have any business shooting at a muley buck at 500 yards or beyond. I’m just not comfortable with only a 60% lethality rate for hunting and quite honestly, I don’t think you should be either. 

Now that we’ve covered accuracy standards and being intentional about your practice it’s time to dive into the five most widely utilized field shooting positions and discuss some fundamentals for each one. Again, these are my opinions and there are many different ways to employ each of these positions, the important thing is not that you have textbook form for each position but that you can quickly, easily and accurately shoot from each or as many as you can master. 

Note: I’ve listed the field shooting positions in order of most stable to least stable. I’m also assuming the use of support aides such as sticks or bipods as the entire point here is to be as stable as possible. 

“But, but, I “feel” like a Wyoming resident.” Feelings are apparently not good enough for the Wyoming Game and Fish residency requirements. Shocker! 

Of course I’m being more than a little saucy here but the fact remains that poachers will do and say just about anything to avoid the long arm of the law. Thankfully Craig L. Hunt of Morgan Utah and his “feelings” will pay the price for illegally obtaining over two dozen resident Wyoming deer and elk tags thanks to the stalwart efforts of Wyoming Game and Fish investigators and wardens. 

Hunt is staring down over 20 years in prison and almost a quarter of a million dollars in fines for his “feelings”. Wonder how he feels now? 

Seriously though, I truly do not understand what makes people think that they can steal from the residents of any state by poaching their wildlife and punching a black eye onto the face of honest sportsmen and women. I personally waited the required year to become a Wyoming resident and it was well worth it. 

How long do you think it should take before residency status is granted, for any state? 

Learn how to cook salmon with two easy recipes. Mike Eastman uses simple ingredients to create mouth-watering cedar plank salmon on his Traeger grill. Brown sugar makes one recipe kid-friendly and a vodka brine adds some zing to his other favorite fish preparation.

RECIPES BELOW Get your own cedar planks here: wildwoodgrillingoutlet.com

Mike’s favorite wild fish supplier: sizzlefish.com

Mike’s famous BBQ deer burgers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_PZD…

The post How to cook Mike Eastman’s favorite salmon appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

A grizzly bear mauled a hunter west of Cody, Wyoming on Saturday, October 2nd. The hunter was subsequently flown to Billings, MT for treatment of his injuries. The Wyoming Game and Fish is investigating the incident at this time. The bear, a sow with cubs, was killed by the hunter and his partners and her cubs were euthanized by the Wyoming Game and Fish. 

This incident serves as a stark reminder as to the reality of hunting in grizzly country. The hunter was attacked after a close range encounter with the sow and is lucky to be alive. This is due in large part to him being with other hunters. We here at Eastmans’ extend our thoughts and prayers to him and his family and wish him a full recovery. 

If you choose to hunt in grizzly country this fall please remember these tips to stay safe. 

Source Link: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regional-Offices/Cody-Region/Cody-Region-News/Hunter-injured-in-Wyoming-grizzly-bear-attack

Filmed in the 60’s on the Jackson Hole Feed Ground

The battle of the elk feedground issue in Wyoming continues. The Sierra Club, Western Watersheds Project, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, and the Gallatin Wildlife Association “challenged the U.S. Forest Service for continued permitting of winter elk feeding at the Alkali Creek feedground in the Gros Ventre drainage, Dell Creek feedground in Sublette County and Forest Park feedground in Lincoln County”.

They claim, “the Forest Service has continued to ignore science, ignore legal directives, and put Wyoming wildlife at grave risk of catastrophic disease outbreaks,” said Connie Wilbert, Director of Sierra Club Wyoming.”

On the other side of the fence was a post made by former Game & Fish commissioner Mike Schmid, “Pay attention folks , especially all that love our mule deer and Elk. CWD is the new boogeyman that is being pushed to close our elk feed grounds and the folks behind it are winning. The unintended consequences of closing these feed grounds will be devastating to our mule deer with increased competition on their crucial winter range. It will also create much more conflict with our ranching community as elk move onto to private lands to winter, getting into their hay supply and possible transmission of brucellosis, two of the main drivers behind the feeding program.”

This topic seems to keep heating up, especially on the federal level. Will things trickle down to the state level as well with it being pretty contentious already? Time will tell, but it sure looks like the fight is ramping up! Which side are you on?

The post Elk Feedgrounds Shut Down by Environmental Groups appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Rifle Seasons are either right around the corner or already here in some places and that is when the vast majority of hunters hit the field. Every state is different in what is required in the field. It is worth taking the time to talk through three of the most common things you should be studied up on and so you aren’t outside the law!

Bottom line is that it is your responsibility to know the regulations in the state you are hunting and in the area you have a tag. A little bit of work before the hunt ensures you won’t have to deal with a headache later.

The post Most Common Game Violations appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

As hunters we tend to feel like we are a little more prepared for the worst-case scenario than the average human being. In some senses, we probably are, in particular in our abilities to acquire our own sustainable protein. But what if being prepared is far more than just having a year’s stash of meat in the freezer? What if being prepared is a lot more like “prepping”? 

I submit to you that being prepared is a mindset in all circumstances rather than just how much food and ammunition you have in your basement. For instance, until I had hunted with a friend who served in the special forces and had done two tours in Iraq as a medic, I had never considered the importance of bringing a tourniquet and wound pack on a rifle hunt. He brought them along and it changed my mentality about such things and there is a tourniquet with me on every hunt and in both of my vehicles.

This change in mindset is what propelled me to reach out to Mike Glover of Fieldcraft Survival several years ago when I first encountered his social media. I knew that the Eastmans’ Audience would love what Fieldcraft has to offer. Fieldcraft Survival has media, live teaching, and products that are designed to help the everyday American live a prepared life under all circumstances. 

Glover and his team teach that preparation is a mindset that gives you the ability to not just survive a situation but rather to be the backbone of preparedness in your family and community to help it thrive. That begins with training and we had the privilege to have three instructors from their team come to our home base and teach our team pistol fundamentals. We had beginning shooters up to experienced handgun shooters and every one of us walked away with new skills and mindsets that made us much more capable with a pistol. 

However, they don’t just teach pistol courses. Want to take your marksmanship to the next level with your rifle? They offer that too. Want to learn about basic first aid and safety? Got you covered. Want to learn how to navigate land with nothing but a compass and map? That is on the list as well. If it involves being more prepared Fieldcraft Survival has it covered and Kevin Estella who has been a contributing author to EHJ has been growing the courses offered every opportunity he can.