-The Associated Press
State officials sought Tuesday to revive gray wolf hunts in the Northern Rockies, even as they entered talks with environmentalists whose lawsuit restored the endangered status of the animals. On Tuesday, Montana asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to commit by Sept. 10 to the state’s plan for “conservation hunts” beginning this fall.
Montana’s “Fish, Wildlife & Parks” [FWP] director, Joe Maurier, spoke yesterday to a group of Conservationist and other groups stating that Montana has “a recovered wolf population and we will appeal.” The statement to appeal is a result of the August 5th district court ruling that returned the region’s recovered wolves to the federal endangered species list.
Director Maurier advised attending groups that “Montana will appeal the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by Sept. 5,” a 30-day deadline mandate under the current appeals process.
Currently, 525 wolves reside in Montana. The FWP had intentions of reducing Montana’s population to about 450 dogs by years end using a combination of methods, including hunting.
Under the recent ruling though, Montana’s efforts to maintain authority to manage the wolf population has been halted.
“The endgame for Montana is to regain state management and a delisted wolf species,” Bob Lane, FWP’s chief legal counsel stated. “We are committed to come out with state management and we won’t concede that point.”
Lane also said FWP will petition the USFWS to allow for a conservation hunting season; to provide authority to remove wolves in some areas where they are impacting other wildlife populations; to provide for a more aggressive response to livestock depredations; and to down list wolves from “endangered” to “threatened” in the northern portion of Montana.
All hunters know that a quality hunting knife is worth its weight in gold. It is a vital piece of equipment that must not be over-looked. A quality hunting knife is normally heavier [though not always] in weight than a traditional kitchen knife and usually come equipped with a sheath or pouch to carry it. Most hunters will carry a combination of knives afield as blade shape plays a vital role when field dressing an animal.
To determine which knife is correct for you, we must begin with the type of hunting you will engage in. A knife suitable for cleaning a rabbit may not as easily dress out an Elk. I personally carry along a kit [one of many offered] by Outdoor Edge. It contains all the blades necessary for game preparation.
Once we determine what species we will hunt, we consider the blade design needed to field-dress the animal. For example, a moose will not only require a “caping” blade to make surgical incisions, but will also require a “deep-bellied skinning knife equipped with gut hook” and also a “bone saw” or “cleaver” for quartering the carcass. Remember, when decision making, that the knife needed afield may not be the knife needed at home when preparing the “quarters” for final packaging and storing. While it is possible, a “caping” knife is hardly suitable for “boning/filleting” or a “skinning” knife considered acceptable for “carving” roasts, when a butcher’s knife is the wiser choice. Plan to purchase knives for both afield and for home preparation.
In addition to the design of the blade, the butcher should consider the entire knife’s design as well. The knife should be well balanced for easy wielding and the handle should be made to fit the hunter’s hand. The tang should run the full length of the knife, including through the handle. Other style knives are double edged stabbing design. Gut hook knives for “zipper-like” hide separation. As well as assorted Bowie, skinning, and drop point knives. A good hunter identifies the type of knife that best fits their needs and uses them correctly.
The hunting knife comes in many shapes and sizes and can be useful in variety of jobs. When buying a hunting knife, the hunter must choose the one that best fits the needs of a hunting excursion. They are important pieces of gear that should accompany every outdoorsman into the wild.
Why would we want to have an understanding of deer habits you might ask? Answer: the male “Buck” is the trophy all hunters covet when deer hunting. A quick look at harvest rates across the country indicate the majority of deer taken annually are bucks. The female “Does” are managed very carefully, state by state, and only a limited number of them are legally harvested each season, and for good reason.
Learning the habits of deer will certainly increase the chances of you “filling” your tag. Generally speaking, if you plan to just walk into the woods knowing little to nothing about the animal you stalk, you will likely spend a peaceful quiet day enjoying the surroundings but failing to bag, or even spot, a deer let alone harvest one. To increase odds in your favor, you must observe habits that deer exhibit which will likely increase your chance of a successful hunt.
First and foremost, we need to find where the deer community dwell. We want to locate areas more heavily populated by Western Deer and avoid the areas they do not. Before ever stepping foot into the forest, I like to research areas that I believe will have higher concentrations of deer. I do this at home from my computer. Water is an essential all deer yearn for. When I know which “Big Game Unit” I will be hunting, I locate that units topography on websites such as “Google Maps” and search the landscape for water sources shown from aerial views. If you can find a water source, you can be certain wildlife drinks from that source.
Western deer require adequate food sources, shelter, coverage for hiding and areas uninhabited by human activity. Learn what diet Western deer adhere to. Research what foods in the area they consider enticing then locate the area where those foods are plentiful. Areas of shelter and coverage can be researched from your computer, similar to your search for water. I also find that speaking with the local forestry and/or DNR personnel result in tips and locations to the whereabouts of trophy animals.
Next, we need to learn the Western deer’s schedule. Deer perform certain activities at different times of the day. Grazing in fields and pastures predominantly occur during dusk, late evening and/or dawn. On lowlight days under heavy cloud-cover, deer tend to be spotted in wide-open areas as opposed to their presence in the same location on a bright and sunny day. Deer conduct watering activities under cover of darkness. They do this to avoid human contact and predators. Western deer will likely repeat their habits over and over again provided no unsuspected interference.
Find scrapes and rubs. Deer season, in most parts of the country, occurs coincidently with “the rut”. Bucks create “scrapes” and/or “rubs” to attract does. In addition, some claim it to be a sign to warn off other bucks. During the rut, bucks are mainly interested in mating, often going without food, water or rest for long periods of time. Keep in mind that a “scrape line” will be checked by a buck several times a day.
Throwing together all the knowledge you have gained through research and visual cues should greatly improve your odds at harvesting the deer of your dreams!
You are the archery enthusiast. Eager to finally go out and buy your very first compound bow. But wait, have you asked yourself, which bow should I purchase? Or which compound bow best fits me? Hopefully this article will be able to help you lay down a shortlist and help you to locate the right compound bow. After all, making the right decision is tantamount to either hitting the target or missing it entirely. These days, almost every product on the market comes in different shapes, brands, colors & sizes and from this list, the compound bow is no exception. Bows come in a variety of difficulty levels – perfect for every level of proficiency.
There are two main types of compound bows. One is the dual cam which features two elliptical cams on each end of the compound bow. The other type is the solo cam which has a single cam on top and a round wheel at the bottom. The first step in purchasing your bow is choosing which type among the two you would more prefer. Most archers prefer single cam compound bows because of its efficiency, supreme accuracy, better acceleration and is quite easy to maintain. Once the cam design is determined, the next question to ask is, the cost of or how much money you are willing to spend. Price variations are generally determined by the materials or by the simplicity of the bow itself. Next up for consideration is determining your draw length. Compound bows, unlike traditional recurve bows, can only be drawn back a particular distance. It is very important to remember that determining your draw length is essential in proper shooting. Compound bows are designed to shoot only at the full draw position. And to be able to shoot at full draw, you will need to know what your draw length is.
So how exactly do you measuring your draw length? There are a couple of methods to determine a person’s draw length. To measure your draw length, stand with your back to a wall stretching your arms out against the wall. Measure the distance from the end of your middle finger to the end of your other middle finger, basically the length of both arms, hands and chest. This measurement, minus 15 then divided by 2, is your draw length.
Another way to find out is by making a fist with your bow hand, extend it in front of your body and touch your closed fist against a wall. This is similar to what you do when you shoot an arrow. Holding this position, ask someone to measure the distance from the wall to the corner of your mouth.
Lastly, it’s always best to start off with a lightweight compound bow when shooting. Choosing a weight that is easier to draw at first will help build your arm muscles after you’ve shot several hundred arrows.
NRA – ILA American Rifleman Hunting RSS