This review features the new Digital React bow sight made by Trophy Ridge. Eastmans’ Hunting Journals Dan Pickar breaks down all its features. The sight is micro-adjustable and the display is easy to read even in bright sunshine. Dan calibrates the sight and puts it to test at distances out to 60 yards.
The post NEW Digital React by Trophy Ridge appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
Eastmans’ Bowhunting Journal Feature Cody Vine
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has announced the deadline for updating credit card information and purchase of point guard as 11:59 PM MST on March 1. If history is any indication, this means the behind-the-scenes portion of the draw will have been completed by that time and all that will remain is for payment to be processed for those lucky souls who were drawn. So, starting on March 2 start watching those bank statements and credit card accounts for any charges from AZ Game & Fish Dep.
Once those charges begin popping up, keep a few things in mind:
Resident elk tags incur a charge of $135 (the $13 application fee is deducted when you apply) and a nonresident elk tag will run $650.Resident antelope tags = $90, Nonresident = $550There is no correlation between when your card is charged and what hunt choice was drawn.Link to AZGFD
Photo Credit: Vic Schendel
As I reported in my blogs on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management in Wyoming in the spring (click here to read) and summer (click here to read) of 2020, the Wyoming Game & Fish management plan contains some potential management strategies that are very concerning, especially since there are still many factors we still don’t know for certain when it comes to CWD prevalence and lethality.
The Game & Fish is continuing the discussion on possibly moving hunting seasons later and/or targeting mature buck harvest on the winter range. While I commend the Game & Fish for their increase in surveillance and testing of animals to gather more information on CWD, there is still so much we don’t know with 100% surity and management strategies like this are very alarming.
What I’m about to line out is not popular to bring up, but I need you to hang with me here and walk through this logic. I’ve been dealing with the CWD topic in my career for over 20 years and until 2020, I hadn’t been asking the right questions on this disease and I’m concerned that those in game & fish departments around the country aren’t asking them either. I know the professionals I’ve talked to haven’t been and they didn’t seem to think their peers were either. Here we go…
It appears that the Elk Mountain, Wyoming corner-hopping case has taken yet another turn as it heads toward the April 14th court date. The owner of the Elk Mountain Ranch has now filed a civil suit which potentially comes with a fresh criminal charge. The new civil suit declares that the four Pennsylvania bowhunters “committed a civil trespass” and that Iron Bar Holdings, the company that owns the sprawling Elk Mountain Ranch, is pursuing reimbursement “to the fullest extent of the law.”
The plot twist in this case stems from the claim of private ownership of “airspace” above private property. The current interpretation of the law is ambiguous and with burgeoning recreational use demands across the West the decision of the court in April could very well be a watershed moment in the private property rights vs. public access debate.
What hangs in the balance of this entire case is the possibility that over 1.5 million acres of landlocked public property could either be “opened-up” or “closed-off”. While our collective attention has been diverted to the events in eastern-Europe at this moment, the corner-hopping case in Wyoming stands poised to change the face of public access forever. We here at Eastmans’ will do our best to keep you posted, er, um, informed.
Source:
https://wyofile.com/corner-crossers-face-new-civil-suit-as-prosecutor-tries-to-add-charge/
Wolves have been placed back on the Endangered Species list in the Great Lakes region, West Coast states and southern Rocky Mountains. The wolves in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming remain under state management, for now. That footing is tenuous at best however as witnessed by the following…
“The court ruling does not restore protection to wolves in the northern Rockies, as wolves in that region lost their protection prior to the delisting rule challenged in this case. However, in response to an emergency petition from the Center for Biological Diversity and its partners, the Fish and Wildlife Service determined in September that protecting the species in the northern Rockies may be warranted based largely on new laws in Idaho and Montana that authorize the widespread killing of wolves.”
As I stood in our booth at the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah this news was made known to me by an industry friend. I had previously written a blog about the “possibility” of this decision but hadn’t expected it to come through so quickly. I should not have been surprised. As word of this spread around the show the collective mood was one of “phew, at least Idaho, Montana and Wyoming dodged that bullet.” My question is, have we?
The last couple lines of the above block quote clearly indicate the intentions of groups such as, Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Humane Society of the United States, Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association and Oregon Wild, just to name a few. It is only a matter of time until these radical groups bring court cases aimed at stripping Idaho, Montana and Wyoming of their rightful and balanced wolf management capabilities.
Hunt for trophy mule deer with Mike Eastman in one of his favorite hunt areas. Mike is competing with his son Ike to see who can bring home the biggest buck with only a few short days of hunting season remaining. Deep sagebrush makes great cover for smart, old deer, but Mike has the patience and experience to pick them out.
The post BIG, old BUCK DROPS! Trophy Deer Hunting with Mike Eastman appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
Many years ago a friend and I decided to do a last minute hunt for some antelope does. He was a local and I was from a town about an hour down the road. In those days doe/fawn tags were much easier to come by and it was a bit easier to knock on doors in season for access. We put on our most polite attitudes and found a rancher who needed a bit of help himself. He was an outfitter but was short of help that day and needed a couple of pieces of his property checked for bucks for his morning hunt. We had doe tags and he allowed us access only asking us to report back what the numbers were after our hunt on a separate piece of property past where he asked us to look. Sure enough a few bucks were on the property he asked us to check and we brought home meat for the freezer. It was a win for everyone.
So how as a DIY hunter do you get access to private property? Here are some of the best ways in the modern era to gain access out West and have a great hunt.
Start early and have your plan in place well before hunting season. The days of door knocking in season are over as many places now post “No Hunting” signs just to limit the number of people knocking on the doors. The best bet is to make arrangements as soon as you draw a tag and be prepared that a trespass fee might be asked. If you are from out of state this is simply a land owner wanting to make sure you are serious, and people with skin in the game tend to make the best guests. Follow the rules and pay attention to details. Leaving the wrong gate open can damage a relationship and really hurt the land owner’s pocket book. One cow hit in the road can turn into a long line of repercussions, including access to the property being denied for years to come just to avoid headaches. A land owner would rather have you ask a few questions, pull up a map and get the details right than have a mess on their hands. When in doubt on road conditions, just walk. Climbing that slick hill and tearing up the two track with chains just to cut 400 yards off your hike isn’t worth it. More Hunter Management Areas have been lost due to vehicle abuse of rules than any other reason. Use common sense, if you wouldn’t want somebody to do it on your property then use your better judgment and don’t do it.Last but not least, and perhaps the most important thing, express gratitude. Thank you cards at the end of the season go a long way or even a pre-arranged stop in after season just to say thank you can make the difference for access the next season.
CONTENT COMING SOON…
The post Eastmans’ Hunting Journal Updated: EHJ 190 appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
This review features the new Digital React bow sight made by Trophy Ridge. Dan Pickar breaks down all its features. The sight is micro-adjustable and the display is easy to read even in bright sunshine. Dan calibrates the sight and puts it to test at distances out to 60 yards.
The post Trophy Ridge Digital React Bow Sight Review appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
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The post Vortex Optics – Spotting Scope + Tripod Giveaway – $2,500 value!!! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
In response to the Carbon County corner hopping case Wyoming legislators are currently seeking to shore up the law so a concrete definition can be formed around what constitutes “corner crossing”.
HB0103, if passed, would amend Wyoming’s hunter trespass laws seeking to eliminate a gray area in the current law regarding passing through the airspace above private property.
As things stand, interpretations of Wyoming’s current law blow either way when it comes to air space. Private property-rights advocates claim that it is impossible to not pass through privately owned airspace when corner crossing, thus hunter or criminal trespass occurs during corner hopping.
At the moment HB0103 has 11 sponsors and is moving forward in the Wyoming legislature and has been fitted with teeth to the tune of up to $1000 and six months in jail for persons found guilty… IF it gets passed.
Just a reminder that if you plan on collecting shed antlers this spring in Utah and plan on going shed hunting between Feb 1st and April 15th, Utah’s Antler Gathering Ethics Course is a requirement for you to be in the field.
Moose, elk and deer drop their antlers during the later months of winter. This is a hard time of the year when it comes to animal health and available forage. If you spook animals and cause them to run a long distance they burn up unnecessary energy and can die. Of course, one person bumping big game animals may not be a big deal but when you have droves of people continually bumping and spooking big game animals, it wears them down unnecessarily.
You can find the free online course on Utah’s DWR website which will help you to understand how to shed hunt during the late winter months. If you wait until after April 15th then you don’t need to complete this course. Shed hunting from Feb 1st to April 15th was previously illegal in the state of Utah but due to the nature of the law and the inability to enforce it, the course was instituted and is mandatory for all shed hunters. After you take the course you can gather antlers in all public areas throughout the state of Utah except Wildlife Management Areas. And of course on private land. Make sure you gain access before venturing onto private property.
If you find a dead head, Utah requires you to take pictures of the skull from a variety of angles and not touch it, just in case it may have been poached. You will need to report the find to your local DWR office and a warden will investigate before awarding you the antlers.
The post Utah: Ethics Course Required For Shed Hunting appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
Gov. Polis’ Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg hired a wolf advocate with anti-ag ties, Dr. Rebecca (Becky) Niemiec, to lead Colorado’s Bureau of Animal Protection (BAP).
Niemiec is currently a wolf reintroduction and “humane food choice proponent” as an assistant professor in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department at Colorado State University. Niemiec conducted a study that advocated for the introduction of wolves to Colorado and is currently leading a half million-dollar National Science Foundation grant in partnership with the City of Boulder and Mercy for Animals focused on promoting plant-based food choices. Mercy for Animals seeks to, “construct a compassionate food system by reducing suffering and ending the exploitation of animals for food.” So, it sounds like her position boils down to; wolves are good, it’s ok for wolves to eat other animals, but it’s not ok for us to eat them.
Niemiec is moving on to lead BAP, and their published mission reads, “The protection of companion animals and livestock is a matter of statewide concern. Therefore, it is the mission of the BAP to administer and enforce the provisions of the Animal Protection Act to prevent the neglect, mistreatment, or abuse of animals in Colorado.” The BAP Manager will oversee approximately 100 Commissioned BAP Agents who work outside of the State system and who respond to complaints of animal cruelty and neglect. Certainly, no one wants to see animals abused, but this sounds a bit too Orwellian, especially since we don’t know what Niemiec’s interpretation of “animal abuse” is.
In the press release announcing her hire, Niemiec said, “I look forward to exploring how the BAP Program can use education and outreach as our primary tool to take a proactive approach to prevent animal abuse, rather than a reactive approach once that abuse has occurred.” She continued, “My goal is to support the majority of Colorado ranchers and pet owners who love and care for their animals while addressing those rare instances in which animal abuse and neglect require an appropriate response to ensure the health and safety of the animals are met.” This raises a similar question, what does Niemiec consider an “appropriate response”?
Niemiec’s appointment sends a concerning message to AG producers. Terry Fankhauser, executive vice president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, said, “The message being sent by the governor is agriculture being a mortal enemy of the Department of Agriculture and the state. That message is being heard loud and clear. We are under attack.”
A Natrona County, Wyoming resident will be forced to pay $45,070 in restitution, forfeit all weapons used in the poaching and will not be able to hunt or trap for five years in Wyoming and 48 other states which are members of the Wildlife Violator Compact. Authorities were first made aware of the malfeasance when a citizen provided a tip via the “Stop Poaching Hotline.”
The ensuing investigation showed that the suspect had been illegally taking mule deer and pronghorns to prop up a failing beef jerky business, passing the game meat jerky off as beef and selling it both in Wyoming and online.
Poaching incidents like this can escalate to high levels, impacting wildlife on a large scale if not discovered and snuffed out quickly. This is why we as sportsmen and women must be vigilant and willing to police and report our ranks when we suspect wildlife violations.
Most states have poaching hotlines to report suspected violations, a quick Google search will uncover the contact information.
Photo Credit: (Wyoming Game and Fish)
A wicked stretch of Highway 26 near Dubois, Wyoming is a pinch point for wildlife and racks up over three-quarters of a million dollars in wildlife related accident costs each year. This has prompted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to produce a mitigation study and propose mitigation measures to save wildlife, people and property.
The proposed mitigation measures include wildlife over-and underpasses between mileposts 58 and 64.5. The project is expected to pay for itself within the first 25 years of its existence and provide safe passage for both wildlife and motorists into the next century.
It seems to me that projects like this are a no-brainer and I applaud the hard working folks who make mitigation of wildlife/vehicle accidents a top priority. As we continue to watch our mule deer herds spiral downward across the West I truly believe that projects like this one are not only worthy of public support and funding but necessary if we hope to turn the tide. You can help by purchasing a Wildlife Conservation license plate and joining/donating to western conservation organizations.
Colorado sportsmen and women have banded together to soundly defeat BS… I mean, SB22-031 the bill that would have prohibited the hunting and trapping of cougar, bobcat and lynx(already illegal), in Colorado.
The bill died in committee with a 4-1 vote. Committee members clearly noted the number of phone calls and emails they received and rightly acted according to the will of the people.
This is not only a huge win for the hunters and trappers of Colorado but it is clear proof of just how powerful our collective voice can be. Organizations and individuals banded together to defeat this blatantly anti-hunting/trapping bill by standing unified and shouting NO! That is how government of the people, by the people and for the people is supposed to work.
This is the power of unity within the hunting community, when we set aside our differences and rally behind a cause we are a force to be reckoned with and rightly so. The pillars of North American conservation rest solidly upon the money and dedication of North American Hunters, Anglers and Trappers, we are the voice in the wilderness that speaks for wildlife because they cannot speak for themselves.
The post Hunters Win Big In Colorado! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.
The Carbon County, Wyoming corner hopping saga involving four Missouri hunters and the Elk Mountain Ranch continues to evolve as claims of hunter harassment are now being brought into play.
“Ranch employees spied on them to the point they couldn’t relieve themselves in private, stalked the group, harassed them in their tent, swore, yelled and intimidated them and caused one deer they were pursuing to run off, according to the allegations.”
We may never know the truth of what happened last fall in Carbon County but one thing is for certain, the results of this case could change the landscape of public access in western states dramatically.
If in fact Elk Mountain Ranch employees are guilty of hunter harassment then the slope toward a dismissal of the trespassing charges just got greasier. However, if the Missouri hunters are lying or even embellishing the truth, a big old black eye is about to be painted on public land advocates. Right now this is a classic case of “he said, she said” and the truth lies somewhere beyond the horizon.
I personally hope that no matter the outcome of this case sportsmen and women remember that both private landowners and public land supporters are in the same boat when it comes to wildlife conservation and the future of hunting. We need respect, open discourse, understanding and grace if we are to do what is right for wildlife in the increasingly complex private vs public land debate.
The 2021 Montana legislature passed HB 468 to allow the hunting of black bears with hounds during the state’s spring bear season outside of occupied grizzly habitat.
This decision has come with challenges and questions from both hunters and state wildlife biologists and managers. Is hunting bears with hounds “fair chase”? Will this new practice have too much impact on black bear populations? Can spot and stalk and hound hunters “get along”? These questions and more are facing Montana bear hunters as we move closer to the spring black bear seasons.
Please bear with me while I set up my soap box…
I’d first like to address the question of fair chase. Anyone who has ever pursued anything with dogs, be they hounds, bird dogs or retrievers, will and should openly scoff at the notion that hunting game with dogs is not fair chase. We are not talking about the red days of running stags into water with a pack of 50 dogs and letting them brutally savage the exhausted game as it dies an agonizing death. Those times and practices are thankfully and rightfully behind us. Today’s houndsmen in particular, are vital participants in the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and whose dedication to their pursuit should be greatly respected.
If you are of a mind to question hound hunting as being fair chase then you need to tag along with some houndsmen, especially on a bear hunt. Of all the legal methods of taking black bears, doing so with hounds is one of the most rewarding and surest ways of taking only mature boars thanks to the up close and personal nature of the end of a pursuit. When houndsmen approach a bayed bear they can determine sex and maturity very quickly and make a decision to harvest or not.
This past winter the predator impact on ungulate populations in the state of Washington has been front and center. This blog will give you a couple of updates on what is going on and how you might be able to get involved.
After much pressure from sportsmen, in late January, the Wildlife Commission opened up a public comment period to consider a spring bear hunt again in 2022. The public can make comments online right now at the following link https://publicinput.com/SpringBearPetition102. I would encourage everyone reading this to put down a quick comment supporting the spring bear hunt as it is scientifically based and will not negatively impact the population. This will go to a decision probably in the next six weeks so fast action is needed. We know the anti-hunters will be making their voices heard, hunters need to continue to do the same. If the spring hunt is approved the season will run from May 1st to June 15th. This is a very important hunt as it helps reduce the predation on the ungulate population.
In the Blue Mountains of southeast Washington, a recent survey(2021) of elk calves discovered that only 9 of the 125 calves that were fitted with radio collars survived. The survey determined that predators accounted for most of the calf deaths. Of those it was determined that 70% of those predation mortalities were caused by cougars. Such a high mortality rate puts the long term health of the herd in jeopardy. Local county commissioners have made a petition to the WDFW to extend the cougar season in this area to increase the harvest. A recent predator study showed the Blue Mountains had a considerably higher density of cougars than any other area in the state. The Blue Mountains have historically held some of the biggest bulls in the state and the population right now is only about 50% of what it historically has been, hovering around 3600 animals which is down from 5700 in 2016.
The predator population in the State has been increasing since the mid 90’s when hunting with dogs and baiting were prohibited by an Initiative vote of the people. While Washington may not be a destination state for deer and elk hunters, perhaps it is time to shift the perspective and realize that Washington is probably one of the top states in the continental US for predator hunting. We have generous seasons and plenty of targets for those who get out there. The fall bear season that is open statewide has a bag limit of two bears and a season that opens August 1st. The early cougar season runs September 1st-December 31st, followed by a late season of January 1st-April 30th in units where the harvest guidelines have not been met. Both of these hunts offer a great opportunity to get out there and help the local deer and elk herds at a time where other hunting opportunities might be limited.
The controversial and high publicized changes to the deer and elk regulations have been passed by the Montana FWP Game Commission. Many residents expressed their concerns about the “rushed” changes but the commission declared too much work had already been done on these changes so they passed them, with the addition of a few amendments. Nearly all of Montana is going to see hunting district boundary changes and many are going to have number changes. The 900 archery elk license has been discontinued and each unit managed individually with the intent to address the elk populations on private property that the general public does not have access to hunt. The one thing that most folks did approve of, who were there for public commenting, was to require all permits to be first and only choice so if you draw that permit you are restricted to hunt in that permit only. Region 4 saw the biggest changes but they were mostly for private property. Permits were reduced and changed to unlimited which will give the outfitters and landowners a little more freedom to sell hunts where the general public is not allowed to hunt.
It was also noted that mule deer numbers are declining in most areas with Regions 2 and 7 getting the most attention. Due to the Region 2 deer permit areas being moved to general, seasons were shortened to three weeks to prevent over-harvest. Biologists noted that areas where elk populations are thriving, mule deer populations are declining. This has also been suggested in studies from the past when it comes to declining mule deer numbers. Mule deer always seem to avoid thriving elk populations.
In short, Montana has shuffled the deck and you’ll want to stay tuned to TagHub for up to date information as things shake out and pay close attention to Montana FWP press releases and their website. One thing is certain, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
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