Birds and the Opener

Sage grouse and blue grouse were pleniful this weekend in areas south of Dillon. I saw at least a dozen birds over the weekend. A few out of state hunters were out for the opener with dogs in tow. I didn't see any Montana residents hunting in the area for birds. Archery yes, birds no.

I did hear of reports from hunters who went for sharptails in eastern Montana that the hot weather kept dogs moving slow and birds in deeper cover. Overall it seems like the hot weather did make it difficult for bird hunters.

Elk Season off to a slow start

The archery elk season seems to be off to a slow start due to warm weather and a full moon on the opener. Hunters I talked to this weekend reported seeing and hearing a few elk but not many. A lot of people were also in the woods with the Labor Day weekend the same as the archery opener. So with the increased traffic and the warm weather elk and deer are at the top of the timber pockets in the highest basins.

Antelope Season Has Begun

Hey it's Hunting Time!!!

Yeehaa, time to start chasing the little critters around. Here a one buck I let walk this past weekend. After looking at this photo I think I blew it. But it was the first day and he was at 35 yards. Yeah I should have taken the shot.

Elk Drawing Results Available

The drawing results for Elk are now available on the FWP website. I didn't draw my permit this year either. Bummer. I also didn't get my second choice ;(.

Maybe you'll have better luck than I did.

Remember the Antelope drawing will not be completed until August 6th. A short time to plan on if you draw the 900 archery antelope tag. The bison drawing will not be completed until September.

Drawing Results for Deer are Available

The drawing results for limited entry deer are now available on the FWP Website. I didn't draw AGAIN. That's ok I'm JUST KNOW I'm going to draw the Elkhorns this year for elk. The drawing results for elk should be available in the next few days. Antelope results won't be available till August 6th.

Crossing my fingers!

Deer Hunting at the Marias River State Park and WMA

The FWP Commission recently approved a limited-access deer hunt at Montana's new Marias River State Park and Wildlife Management Area, southwest of Shelby.

Hunters have until Aug. 7 to apply online or by mail. Applications are available at all FWP regional offices or via the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov <http://fwp.mt.gov/default.html>.

Click "Marias Deer Hunt Access <http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunteraccess/marias.html>."
"At meetings last winter, area residents stated their preference for a limit on the number of hunters using the new property," says Gary Olson, FWP wildlife biologist.

Access to the new Marias River State Park and Wildlife Management Area will be allocated as follows:
Archery Season - Sept. 5-Oct. 18, 2009
· 10 archers for the first 2 weeks
· 10 archers for the 3rd and 4th weeks
· 10 archery hunters for 5th and 6th weeks

General Season - Oct. 25-Nov. 15, 2009
· 10 rifle hunters for the 1st week
· 10 rifle hunters for the 2nd week
· 10 rifle hunters for the 3rd and final week

Each of the 60 hunters randomly drawn will be notified by letter of their access. Public access remains open for all other species - antelope, birds and fishing. Maps of the property and general area rules are available online or at FWP’s Region 4 office in Great Falls.
For more information call the FWP Region 4 office at (406) 454-5840.

Points to remember:
· Hunter may apply only once per year.
· Hunters may apply for either the archery season or the general rifle season, but not both.
· No party applications accepted.
· Hunt periods will be allotted at the time of drawing and are not transferable.
· Hunters must include their full name, address, phone number, ALS number and desired hunt method (archery or rifle) on the application.
· Successful applicants will be contacted with hunt access information and authorized permission before the start of archery season.
· Successful applicants may use any deer license valid in Hunting District 406.
· All hunting will conform to regulations for hunting district 406, which has a three-week deer season.

River Fishing Report

Beaverhead
Provided by Frontier Anglers
The Beaverhead is fishing great, lots of big fish! PMD's are hatching and the dry fly activity is picking up every day. The nymph fishing has been fantastic. Yellow Sallies are popping in full force and the fish are looking up.

Fly pattern suggestions: Size 16-18 PT Crusers, size 14 T-Bur stone, Size 20 Tailwater tiny's in olive, yellow, red, and rust, Size 18 Split case PMD's, Size 16-18 Tim's Sparkle Spieder, Size 16-18 L-PMD-F, Size 16-18 PT flashback, Size 18 Tungsten Dead head LGF, Size 18 PMD Challenged, Size 16-18 CDC PMD dry, Size 18 Quigley Loopwing Dun, Size 18 LT. olive Smidget.

Big Hole
Provided by Montana Troutfitters
The river is now flowing at 1730 and it's come down a lot in the last few weeks. The salmonflies are done but we have had great reports from people using attractor dries throughout the river. Some of the favorite patterns have been golden sallies, trudes, and pretty much any other green, yellow, or even purple patterns. There are a lot of natural bugs on the water right now so it is important to have a large selection of flies with you. Gray and Green drakes, caddis, pmds, and flying ants have been some of the most predominant but you never know what might be the ticket. I haven't seen the river in this good of shape in a while. There is plenty of water right now so it's a great time to escape the crowds and float the upper sections. Unfortunately, you probably won't be the only one chasing fish on the Big Hole because of the 35 inch behemoth they pulled out above Eastbank a few weeks ago. Check the story in the Montana Standard. The guy probably deserved it as much as anyone since he's been floating it since he was 14 years old and he's in his 50's. But to say it was big is an understatement.

Fly pattern suggestions: Cat Puke Orange and Black: 4-6 Mystery Meat Salmonfly: 4 Henry's Fork Salmonfly: 4-6-8 Berrett's Rubberlegged Salmonfly: 4-6 San Juan Worms (assorted colors): 8-10 Rubberlegs Tan, Chocolate, Black: 6-8 Pheasant Tails: 14-16-18 Anatomay Hares Ear: 12-14-16 Yellow Yummy: 2-4-6 Homewrecker Yellow: 2-4-6 Sex Dungeon Yellow and Natural: 2 Yuk Bug Red Belly & Black: 2-4

Big Horn
Provided by Big Horn Trout Shop
Can you say big water? The Horn is flowing at 12,200 cfs. This is historically some of the highest flows we've seen. But the fishing is phenomonal from a boat. Trying to wade the river is almost pointless. The high water is making this almost impossible. Consider floating Afterbay to Bighorn or even all the way to Mallards. Take your time, too, or you'll end up being done with your float very quickly. The key to successful fishing is getting your nymphs down to where the fish are, so some guys are fishing 1x or weighting the line to get it down quickly.

Fly pattern suggestions:
Scuds, Sowbugs in sizes 14-16 and San Juan Worms

Bitterroot
Provided by River Otter Fly Shop

The Bitterroot is in prime dryfly form right now! There are a variety of dry flies that will work right now from Goldens to PMD's, Sallies to Drakes, pick one and go! The entire river is fishing well. The lower river should fish very very well in the clouds.

Fly pattern suggestions: Golden Stones, Bitterroot Stones, Green Drakes, Sallies and PMD's BlackfootProvided by River Otter Fly Shop After a few days of funk, the Blackfoot is back to fishing well. You should be able to fish dries all day. Look for Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies and PMD's; they should be the hatches to match. The water is clearing a bit, so you may need to drop down to 4x or even 5x for your small dries. If you have a bright sunny day and there are no bugs out, try fishing a small heavy dropper under a dry fly. Look for fish eating Mayflies throughout the day. Especially when there is a bit of cloud cover. These fish will not be picky; just get the right drift.Fly pattern suggestions:Golden Stones, Green Drakes, Sallies and PMD's

Boulder
Provided by Montana Troutfitters
The whole river is still really high and although clear, it makes for some really hard fishing being backed up into the brush. I would let her be until the flows start coming down. Other river options might be a safer and more productive bet. When it does start shaping up again, get a raft and hit this if you know how to row a boat. As with many other waters around the state right now, if you are attempting a float make sure that the oarsman is very comfortable with high technical water because many sections can be fairly tricky. Try weighted stones, hares ears, and streamers and make sure to hit any slack water along the banks because fish will be trying to escape the heavy current. Fly pattern suggestions:Tungsten Black Retriever & Brown Lab: 6-8 Mega Hares Ear: 6-8 Lightning Bug: 10-12 Mega Prince: 4-6 San Juan Worm: 10 Mega Hare's Ear: 6-8 Delektable Coppertone: 6-8 Delekta's Big Red: 6-8

Clark Fork
Provided by River Otter Fly Shop
The Clark Fork is fishing well with the upper stretches consistent with Golden Stones, Mayflies and Caddis. The lower reaches have been fishing better and better as the water levels drop. Again, Goldens, PMD's and Caddis are the flies to play with out there.

Fly pattern suggestions:
Golden Stones, Green Drakes, Caddis and PMD's, Any Streamers!

Gallatin
Provided by Montana Troutfitters
It's coming down and clearing day by day which has made the fishing pretty good, but watch for heavy rain which can blow it out quickly right now. Up the canyon around Big Sky has been popular lately and there have been some good reports of salmonfly action up high. Others have been fishing nymphs and attractor dries in the valley and doing well, too. As you probably know, the higher up river you go the clarity gets better and better. However, the fish don't need much visibility to eat. Many people are deceived by muddy water that is still very fishable. Caddis and PMDs are thick so go throw some dries in the evening after work. Nymphing will be your mainstay so bring black rubber legs, golden stones, yellow sally nymphs and pretty much any mayfly nymphs. Just remember the river is still big and dangerous, so be careful wading.
Fly pattern suggestions: Yuk Bug Brown, Black, Red Belly: 6-8-10, Mega Prince: 4-6 Mega Hare's Ear: 6-8 Mega Pheasant Tail: 8-10 Lightning Bug: 12-14 Copper Johnson Blue, Red, Black, Yellow: 10-12-14-16 Ugly Bug: 6-8-10 The Turd: 6-8-10 Cone-nan The Barbarian Black, Olive, White: 4 Sex Dungeon Black, Yellow: 2

Jefferson
Provided by Montana Troutfitters
The river continues to get clearer and clearer and it is totally fishable right now with over two feet of visibilty even down low. A few people have been out and had decent reports on streamer fishing picking up a lot of good cookie cutter browns and rainbows with a few big fish in between. Crawdads are the best bet fished deep and twitched through the good runs. Higher sections on this river are often overlooked and they can provide a good escape and chance to try a new float. There is almost always a monster (30" plus) pulled out of here every year so it might be a good time to go play the big brown lottery and put in some time for the fish of a lifetime.Fly pattern suggestions: Sex Dungeon Natural, Yellow, Black, Olive: 2 Mike's Flankhead Rainbow: 2 Articulated Fathead Tan, Olive, White: 2 CFO Streamer Tan & Olive: 4 Mike's Wounded Rainbow: 2 & 1/0 Bearded Clam (why not right?): 6 Yuk Bug Red Belly: 2-4 and whatever big concoctions that you might have aborted at your own vise...

Kootenai
Provided by Kootenai Anglers
River Discharge: 9,000 cubic feet per second.River Temperature: 55 degreesRiver Condition: 8 - foot visibility, below mid-range flowHatches: PMD's and some Tan Caddis. BWO and Little Blue quills.
Fly pattern suggestions:
PMD"s and Tan Caddis, parachute adams, gray sparkle duns. Other: prince, pheasant tails, black and olive wooly buggers, bunny buggers, da-bomb Guide Report: fish are very active with the warmer water temps. Fishing Conditions Forecast: Flows are slowly decreasing to 7,000cfs for the summer.

Madison Upper
Provided by Rivers Edge
The Salmon Fly hatch continues on the Upper Madison. Look for most of the bugs to be between Lyons and McAtee bridges. The dry fly action has been mixed, depending on the day.There are a lot of naturals around and that should keep the fish looking up for quite a while. Try going below the hatch and fish large attractors and golden stone patterns to get away from the crowds. Look for Caddis and PMD's to provide good fishing opportunities along with the salmonflies. Large stone fly nymphs and Caddis patterns should be the ticket above the hatch in the wade section. Fly pattern suggestions:
Nymphs Yuk Bugs - #4,#6Bitch Creek - #6Olive Hurless Nymph - #8Braided Stone Golden or Brown - #6 TNT Caddis - #16Super Pupa Olive - #16Serengold Chart. - #16Copper John - #18Streamers Black and Olive Buggers #4-6Sex Dungeon Black - #4Natural Circus Peanut - #4Dries Half Down Salmonfly - #6Gorilla Salmonfly - #4-#6Cat Puke #4Stimulator #6-#10

Madison Lower
Provided by Rivers Edge
Flows on the Lower Madison continue to drop, but remain above average and the fishing has been holding steady. Look for the best fishing to be nymphing in and around the weed beds and the deeper runs. Large numbers of Caddis are still around and the best dry fly fishing will be late in the evening. Sculpin and crayfish patterns trailed by smaller beadheads will be the most productive though reports of fish eating large attractors may provide an opportunity to catch some larger fish on dry flies. Look to fish early or late as the crowds of non anglers are starting to become overwhelming during the middle of the day.

Fly pattern suggestions:
Nymphs Bush's Dad - #10Clouser Crayfish #8Zirdle - #6San Juan Worm - #10Dropper Nymphs Soft Hackle Hare's Ear - #16Yuba Pupa - #16Lightning Bug Silver #16-18Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail #16Pheasant Tail #12 or #14Riverborn Worm - #10TB Flashbug - #18SH Lightning bug - #18Dries CDC Caddis Tan - #16Elk Hair Caddis - #16Corn Fed Caddis- #18 Parachute PMD - #16Streamers Olive Sculpzilla-#6Olive and Tan McCune Sculpin-#6Clouser Crayfish #8Deaddrift Crayfish #8

Missouri
Provided by The Trout Shop
As good as it gets on dries? Don't wait until the river drops, but when it does.... Caddis, PMD's, and Yellow Sallies are thick. Spent caddis save the day. PMD spinners are necessary at times. Riseforms are abundant. Flows coming into the system are slowly declining. The flood pool at Canyon Ferry Lake is 24.8% full and slowly declining. At some point, PPL and the Bureau of Reclamation will get the green light to stop spilling water. The river will go wild. When?

Rock Creek
Provided by Rock Creek Trout Bums
Good hatches of PMDs beginning early in the day should get you into fish pretty much right when you get to the water. If the weather remains even semi-sane, your day should continue productively with little yellow sallie stoneflies, smaller hoppers and caddis. Water levels have dropped to the point where wading is a good option although with flows still above 900 cfs, it's not a cake walk by any means. Remember, never fish your hopper farther from the bank than a hopper could jump.

Ruby Provided by Five Rivers Lodge
The water has been clearing up here although still murky. Guests have been doing well fishing PMD's and Caddis in the evenings. Fishing has been very good with trout being landed in the first few casts of hitting the water.

Stillwater
Provided by Montana Troutfitters
The river is still high at the moment, however the upper stretches have good clarity but lots of water volume. It can be a little frustrating because even though you can fish you will be pinned up in the brush having a very hard time casting. I would highly recommend other places at these flows unless whitewater is your goal. But look for the river to get really good here soon as it continues to drop. Try large stones and streamers with attractor nymphs off of the back. Keep in mind that this can be a dangerous float so do not attempt it unless you are comfortable with rowing more technical water and wait untill it slows back down. With that said, some friends fished it a while ago and said fish were eating rubber legs, big prince nymphs, and Mega Hares Ear so it should be great when it clears in a week at least. Fly pattern suggestions: Delektable Hurless Gray & Olive: 8 Mega Hares Ear: 6-8 Mr. Rubberlegs Goldenstone: 8-10 Rubberlegs Olive, Brown, & Tan: 6-8-10 San Juan Worm: 10 Copper Bead Mayfly: 18-20 Lightning Bug: 16-18 BHFBPT: 14-16-18-20

Yellowstone
Provided by Rivers Edge
While the river is still big, it fished well yesterday up in the Paradise Valley for the first time this summer. Nymphing with bugs close to the bank was the ticket and they had to be fished deep. There were signs that the Salmonflies had already passed through, but we have guides today on the way to the upper river trying to catch the last bit of them. We'll know tomorrow if they found any up there. Remember if you go to the Yellowstone it is still a big powerful heaving river and you should only be on it if you are confident on the oars.

Fly pattern suggestions:
Streamers Black Buggers #4Olive Buggers #4-6Yuk Bugs #6Girdle Bugs #6Nymphs Soft Hackle Hares Ear #12Prince Nymph #12-14Soft Hackle Copper John #14Flashback Hares Ear #14Dries Cat Puke #4Royal Stimulator #6Gorilla Salmonfly #4

Yellowstone Park
Provided by Montana Troutfitters
The park has been fishing well lately and everyone we have talked to has been catching fish on a regular basis. Have seen consistent evening caddis hatches and some rusty spinners starting to show their heads. Not much new on the Madison--olive streamers are working and fun to fish. Gibbon has been busy but productive with caddis, PMDs, and trudes. Try a Prince nymph for a dropper. Firehole is fishing the best in the park. The Slough is fishable with some Caddis and dry fly action. Lamar and Soda Butte are still about a week off.

Special Drawing Results Available July 15

The special drawing results for deer, elk, bison and antelope should be available this coming week (July 15) from Montana FWP. Be sure to check the FWP website to see if you get drawn for any limited entry hunts.

Good luck in the draw and let us know if you were successful in drawing a permit. I know I'm crossing my fingers to see where I'll be hunting this fall!

Details For Wolf Hunt

The Montana wildlife commission voted Wednesday to allow the hunting of 75 wolves in the state or about 15 percent of the Montana population. The hunt is scheduled to begin in mid September. However, legal challenges are almost certain to try to block the hunts. Montana's top wolf biologist Carolyn Sime said, "We're signaling our commitment to being responsible wildlife managers."

Hopefully we'll see this hunt happen sometime this year. As most hunters have seen, unchecked populations of wolves will bring down populations of deer, elk and other game animals. If only the animal right's groups would look at the overall impact the wolves are having on the Eco-system, I think they would agree that we need to manage all game species.

35 INCH Big Hole Monster Brown Caught by Area Angler

WOW WHAT A FISH....Gotta Read this story too.

Story By Justin Post
of The Montana Standard

Bob Kingston and Gary Keeler of Butte bought their first raft as teenagers and have been floating the Big Hole River ever since.

Now in their mid-50s, the longtime fishing buddies have their best fishing story yet.

On Friday evening, Kingston caught what appears to be the elusive, monster brown trout that has been the talk of many area anglers in recent years.

The beast measured 35 inches and made its way to the raft cooler following a roughly 30-minute battle between man and fish, said Kingston, who is having the trout mounted. The fish weighed slightly over 20 pounds after it was wrapped in a damp towel in preparation for the taxidermist.

“He just kept going wherever he wanted,” he said of the fight.

Kingston caught the fish with a five-weight fly rod rigged with eight-pound leader and two stonefly nymphs above Mallon’s, west of Wise River, after launching from East Bank.

“I was just throwing my fly right by the bank and it gobbled it up,” he said.

Keeler rowed the boat to shore and remembers Kingston saying he might never land the fish.

“It was a big log,” Keeler said. “We’ve never seen one like that.”

A survey crew with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks caught a similar fish while electro fishing in the same area of the 153-mile river in the fall of 2007, said Jim Magee, a fisheries biologist with the agency.

The crew snapped a photograph at the time of a surveyor mugging with the lunker, and the photograph soon was being circulated among anglers who hungered to have the fish on the end of their line.

“The size is so much different than what we normally see,” said Magee, a 15-year employee with FWP. “That was an anomaly. That was a big fish.”

Markings on Kingston’s fish are similar to the one caught and released during the 2007 FWP survey, which means Kingston — a 55-year-old optician at Big Sky Optical in Butte — may have landed the much-discussed fish.

“That’s the trout of a lifetime,” said Bob LeFever at Fran Johnson’s Sporting Goods in Butte.

Longtime fisheries biologist Dick Oswald remembers two brutes he surveyed while electro fishing the Big Hole in the late 1980s.

He never heard of an angler claiming to have caught either one of those fish, which included a 20.5-pound trout nicknamed “Big Mamma” that lived in a deep pool above Melrose, and an 18-pound trout dubbed the “Hogback Hog” below Glen.

Oswald said those fish lived over 10 years and presumed that Kingston’s fish could have been around the same age.

To reach those portly sizes, Oswald said the big browns eat other fish while also having “unique genetics” that allows them to focus on gobbling fish rather than slurping caddis and mayflies from the surface like an average brown that would likely reach a maximum length of 19.5 inches.

“These things have to be freaks,” he said. “Those fish are exceptions in many ways.” Kingston, who has snagged big steelhead on Idaho’s Clearwater River, agreed he may have caught the fish of a lifetime when it comes to fly fishing the Big Hole River.

“I’ll probably never catch one that big again in my life,” he said.

The state’s record brown trout weighed 29 pounds; it was caught in 1966 at Wade Lake.

Drawing for Sheep, Goat and Moose Available

The drawing for sheep, goat and moose are now available on the FWP website. I did not draw. Maybe you'll be luckier than I was. Well you still have an opportunity in the supertag drawings.

Carping Good Time

The Montana Bowhunters annual carp shoot was a big hit with the winning team collecting 162 carp. Man that's a ton of carp. Also think about how many times you have to shoot to come up with that many fish!

I took my canoe and and an electric trolling motor to cruise some of the back bays in search of the elusive carp. I tell you I must have shot at least 100 times. FINALLY, thanks to some help from a bowhunter in Anaconda, I learned to shoot shoot 1 foot to 1 and a half feet below the fish! I shot 3 of them slimy buggers and I earned every one of them. THANK YOU DAVE!

If you're going to shoot carp here's what I would recommend:

1. Use a recurve You will acutally get more shots with this set-up and shooting a tab or glove


2. Lighten up If you end up using a compound lighten the poundage on the bow. You certainly don't need to be cranking out 300 plus feet per second shoot at angle into the lake bottom. Not unless you enjoy having your arrow stuck in the mud and trying to wrangle it out.


3. Give up the Sites The sites on your bow are pretty much useless trying to look through a peep with the glare of the water is very difficult. So bag the sites and shoot instinctively.


4. Pair up with a Buddy You can take turns on spotting fish gives you a break from time to time


5. Join Montana Bowhunters It's a fun group of people that enjoy shooting and getting out to the field!

Salmon Flies are Here

Salmon Flies have been spotted on the Lower Madison and rumors are running amoung the tight lipped crowd on the Big Hole that these big bugs have arrived there as well. We'll of course confirm this later this weekend or on Monday! Good fishing.

Tongue River Reservoir Fishing Day 3

It rained hard all night. It looks like it's starting to snow. Temps dropped down to 35 degrees. Definitely put the bite down. I decided to head out and not fish in the snow and sleet.

I checked out the Tongue River Reservoir Marina. It has just about everything you can think of for a well equipped convenience store. It also has minnows, night crawlers, and leeches for sale. They rent pontoon boats too. They also have a varitey of lures, hooks, and assorted fishing gear.

The state did a great job of creating this campground lots of spots including 40 with electrical. If you are looking for more remote camping go below the dam. The spots there are by the river and there aren't as many people around. There was only one camp trailer parked below the dam.

Tongue River Reservoir Fishing Day 2

Woke up last night to a constant rain. The tent campers decided to call it quits. I can't imagine that they got away without getting wet. The water must have come up 4 inches last night. Wow.

I fished today below the dam with my fly rod just to check it out. I only managed to catch 1 walleye. I came back up to the lake and grabbed my bow to shoot some carp in the back bays. I rigged everything up and found a great back bay loaded with carp. You can simply wade into the shallows and shoot them from the shore or in 1-2 feet of water. On my first shot my arrow hit something and broke the nock off. Urrrgh. So my bow fishing is over for the day.

I did fish the lake later that evening. I caught 3 crappie, 2 small mouth bass, 2 sunfish. The bite was very slow! Windy today too.

Tongue River Reservoir Fishing Day 1

This is the first time I fished the Tongue River Reservoir. What a fishery! I caught 10 fish from the bank the first time I had fished this place. I caught 4 Crappie, 3 Sunfish, 2 Bullheads, and 1 Walleye. The water is very high and fishing from the bank is challenging as there isn't really a flat spot where the water meets the land.

Due to heavy rains the water is coming in very fast here and going out very slow. I think someone told me that over 4,000 cfs is coming in every day and they are letting about 400 cfs out of the reservoir. So conditions the conditions you'll find at the lake will be high water with the back bays flooded and high.

The bite for crappie is slow. Due to the recent colder weather the water temps are going down not up. Bummer.

The Lakes Are Fishing Hot

Many higher mountain lakes are beginning to lose their ice and the fishing on them is very, very good. On Sunday I fished Hyalite Lake above Bozeman. I caught 7 cutthroats and 1 grayling.

The grayling that I caught was 18 inches long and I couldn't get both my hands around the girth. It was a great fish unfortunately I didn't have my camera. Bummer!

All the cuts were about the same size from 15-17 inches. They were biting below the surface on some soft hackles and san juan worms.

So look around at some lakes in your area and get out and it em!

Good Bear

I saw this bear up close and personal last week. Nice bear looks like a mature boar with wide feet, long legs, blocky face and straight back. I got up to 30 yards on this guy. Unfortunately he was on the Blackfeet Reservation. I could hunt him for $1,500.

Blackfeet Nation Fishing Trip

In the nearly fifteen years I’ve lived in Montana, one of the things that’s been on my to-do list was: “I should go up north and fish on the Blackfeet Reservation.” Like many of you, I’ve heard of the monster rainbows that inhabit the lakes on the Blackfeet tribal lands. As the years have gone by, I just never got it done. During this past winter, I vowed this year was going to be different, so I contacted Joe Kipp of Morning Star Outfitters.

Joe is member of the Blackfeet tribe and guides both fisherman and hunters. Yes, non-members can hunt on tribal lands, too—contact Joe at 406-338-2735 or Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife at 406-338-7207. Only members of the Blackfeet Nation are allowed to guide on tribal lands. Joe was one of the first guides when the program was set up in 1985. He has a lot of experience and knows intricacies of fishing the lakes that will put you in the right place to catch these monster fish.

The Blackfeet Fishery took a hit during the drought years that led to many lakes being unfishable due to low water conditions. The drought kept pressure on the few lakes that were open and impacted the amount of trophy fish in the lakes.

However in 2007, a full time fisheries biologist, Toby Taber, was hired to more closely monitor the Blackfeet Fisheries. There are more than 1,200 miles of streams and 11,000 acres of lakes occurring on the tribal lands, so Toby has his hands full. One of the items on Toby’s agenda was to conduct a fishery population survey on thirteen of the lakes on the Blackfeet Nation. As a result of this survey, many popular lakes such as Duck, Mitten, Mission, and Kip were stocked in 2008 to much higher levels than in the past years, in some cases doubling the number of fish that were stocked. This should pay off handsomely in the future given the fish growth rate is approximately one inch per month for the first two years in the fishery.

The day I fished with Joe I landed four fish, ranging somewhere in the 2-3 lb. range. As Joe said to me, “You don’t travel this far to catch 2 lb. fish. Let’s go look for some bigger ones”. This fisherman was very happy catching fish in the 2-3 lb. range!


One of Joe’s clients who fished the day before landed 50 of these rainbows! Why do I always hear, “Should have been here yesterday!” He had a tough time casting as his arm was still fatigued from fighting those big rainbows.

Hiring a guide for one or two days can be a great way to learn the lakes and how to fish them. This can also save you time and in the long run, money. It may also send you home with some fish instead of a stringer of frustration. I know the day I spent with Joe Kipp will be a memorable one for me. The fishing was great, but so was the opportunity to explore the Blackfeet culture and visit some beautiful parts of the nation. Thanks Joe!

If you fish without a guide, be prepared to bring all your gear—tippet, leader, weight, hooks, etc. as the local IGA has a very limited amount of fishing equipment. There are no fly shops located in Browning. However, Duck Lake Lodge has a good assortment of locally tied flies and is located three miles from Duck Lake. Visit their website at http://www.montanasducklakelodge.com/ . Be sure to allow for time to purchase a tribal fishing license. These can be obtained from guides, Teeples IGA and Duck Lake Lodge.

If you plan on fly fishing take a sinking fly line. Not only will it help get your flies down to the fish, it will also help you cast easier in the ever present wind. For flies, look at bringing black and brown leeches in sizes 2-6, scuds, and wooly buggers in an assortment of colors.

One thing is for sure: this country is wild, open and beautiful. It’s hard to find a better view than when fishing in one of 20 lakes that this area has to offer. So take the time to head up north and spend some time fishing on the Blackfeet Nation. I’ve never fished someplace I had a harder time leaving.

Blackfoot Reservation Fishing Report

We've all heard of the MONSTER fish that the Blackfoot Reservation holds. So I thought I'd up date you on what is happening up north. It's not too late to catch the big fish in the shallows!

Joe Kipp of Morningstar Outfiitters filed this fishing report to SportsmensAccess.com.

I will be fishing with Joe on Monday, so check back here to see how we do!

Fishing Report

Mission Lake
Fishing is slow but consistent. Water is good color and fish are +5 lb. This is Joe's recommendation for the best place to catch a monster. He also cautioned that you will get few hookups, but the ones you do hook into will be big.

Kipp Lake
Kipp is full for the first time in many years. The water is the color of tea. The bite is on with fish in shallows. The average fish here are in the 3-1/2 lb. range. This is also a place where you can hook into a monster.

Hidden, Dog Gun, Mittens and Four Horns Lakes
All fishing fair. The water quality is good with some fish in the shallows.

Duck Lake
Fishing is fair now with most fish still off the color change. Water quality (visibility) is the best of all the lakes and sight fishing should start in a few days.
The fish will be smaller than Kipp or Mission but the clarity of the water will allow for more fish to be caught.The average fish here are 2-1/2 lb. The biggest fish tend to "only" be in the 4-1/2 lb. range.

ONLY 4-1/2 lb. Really? What a bummer, huh!

Last Weekend for Spring Gobblers

This is the last weekend to hunt spring turkeys as the season closes Sunday, May 17th. Reports from the field have indicated that bird activity has remained good, but birds have become less responsive to calls as the season comes to a close.

Remember to visit our website and search the database if you don't know where to go.

Some Black Bear Units Close TODAY!

Field reports from Region 1-3 indicate that bear activity picked up this week. One hunter I spoke with reported that he looked at nine different bears in the area he was hunting in--Region 3.

The third week in May is typically the week with the highest harvest in Montana. Warmer temperatures and increased moisture have had a positive impact on forage that are important to bears this time of year. If you are hunting in Region 2, take precautions if you are in the Blackfoot Watershed and the Clearwater Drainage. Both these areas continue to have a lot of grizzly activity. The bulk of the activity is taking place in the Seeley Lake, Lincoln and Helmville areas, with a few grizzly bears reported downstream between Potomac and Clearwater Junction.

Throughout Montana bears are foraging along streams, rivers and grazing in lower meadows and fields. Reports indicate that most bears being spotted are in lower elevations due to the heavy snow pack in the mountains.

Check the bear regulations as units 100, 102, 104, 105, 108, 280, 290, 300 close this Friday, May 15th and others remain open either through May 31st or through June 15th.

Weekend Fishing Report

This looks like a great weekend to go fishing. So go out and get it done!

Visit the website for an up to date report of area rivers with direct links to fishing reports from across the state. Here's a sample of what you'll find on the rivers and lake.

Looks like Fort Peck is hot and fishing very well. If your up for a drive this one would be a great pick for a lake to fish on. Lake Ridge Motel and Bait Shop reported that fish were really biting in the weeds and brush along the shoreline. The water is up over 12 feet. They reported seeing some lunkers brought in throwing jigs into the bruch and weeds along the shoreline.

Visit our website and go to Current Conditions Fishing to get current updates of fishing reports from around the state.

Missouri River

Flows have been holding around 8200 cfs. Water temps are up to 46 coming out of the dam which should do good things for the fishing.The Baetis have been out in good numbers, as well as March Browns down low. Higher flows have kept the dry fly action to a minimum so far. Warmer temps this weekend should put caddis on the water soon which might change the dry fly picture. The best shot at any dry fly fishing has been late in the day.There is a fair amount of water coming out of the tribs adding some color to the lower reaches. So far it's still in fishing shape through the lower reaches.Persistent streamer fishing can produce some big boys. Nymphing is still offering the most consistent option for numbers.

Big Horn River

Water flows are at 3,600 cfs. Water temperatures are starting to climb slowly. Starting Wednesday at 4PM, river discharges will increase to 4,000 cfs. Fishing is good on Sowbugs, Scuds, Baetis and Midge Pupa. Streamer fishing has been fair depending on the day. There are fish feeding on Single Midges, Midge Clusters, and Baetis Duns in the afternoon.

Bitterroot

The whole river is on the drop, but its not going to last long. You should see fishing through Friday and maybe Saturday when the warm weather hits . Fishing with nymphs will probably be the most reliable, but you might see a little afternoon action with dries. The spring mayfly hatches have still been going strong and the caddis are out down low.

Blackfoot

Flows are holding relatively steady for the moment around 4100 cfs. It's green enough to catch fish, but it just hasn't turned on much this spring. Big Leggy Nymphs in the soft water might get you a few. Look for fishing to pick back up in late June with the Salmonfly hatch.

Rock Creek UPDATED!!! from ROCK CREEK TROUT BUMS visit them at www.rockcreektroutbums.com

Skwalas are gone, and though the march browns were good, but are now getting scarce. There have been a FEW caddis, but not many yet – it’s just been too darn cold for much bug action! The water has been like a roller coaster, but has remained clear. Floaters have gotten some good action under water; no wading is advisable on the lower end (because of the flow) but the upper end has been good with even some dry fly action on the warmer days. Any dry fly action has been between 1 and 3 pm. Then it just turns off.

Koocanusa

The Koocanusa Fishing Derby is this weekend. For more information, check out the Koocanusa Resort website.Canyon FerryRainbow fishing has been good on the north end. The hottest spot for shore anglers has been off the Outhouse between the Dam and Yacht Basin and around Shannon boat ramp. The Rainbows are being caught on egg sacks, bead-headed nymphs and flies. Walleye fishing is slow, with some action off the south dikes. TiberThere are not many people fishing. A few Northerns are being reported as well as the occasional Walleye. The weather has been pretty windy all week.

Fort Peck

Water is up over 12 feet with all the run-off. Fishing is very good for Lake Trout and Walleye. Throwing jigs into the weeds is producing nice, big lunkers! This is a great time to hit the lake near the dam.

Madison, Yellowstone, Gallatin, Beaverhead

The caddis hatch is officially upon us, despite the weather! They're out on the Madison, Yellowstone, Gallatin, Beaverhead, and should be showing up soon on the Big Hole. So now is the time before all of the rivers come up and get dirty, to get out there and enjoy some fine dry fly fishing. You'll want to check the river reports before heading out as fishing is day to day depending on temperatures.

Enter to Win Montana's Top 20

Don't forget to visit http://www.sportsmensaccess.com/ to win 20 flies selected by Montana Troutfitters. Chris Kumlien the store manager picked this flies out as his favorites!

They include everyday dependable flies like:

• Prince Nymph
• Hare's Ear Nymph
• Black Wooly Bugger
• Elk Hair Caddis
• Adams Nymph

And some surprises like the:

• Hot Wire Mayfly
• Bushes Crayfish
• Gummy Stone
• Electric Butt Caddis

There are 11 more! So get to the site and enter to win.

Beaverhead Sportsmens Association

On Thursday I attended the Beaverhead Sportmen's Association meeting in Dillon. Approximatley 50 sportsmen attended. Also at the meeting were a number of FWP personnel including, Pat Flowers, Curt Alt, 3 area biologists, and Quentin Kujala.

The meeting was called by the association to bring attention to:

• low bull to cow elk ratios across southwest Montana


• Lack of quality of mule deer buck hunting


• High numbers (500-700) elk harboring on private land prior to the hunting season.


• The effect of HB 42 requiring area bioligist to manage elk to a specific number not the biological carry capacity of a hunt district.

Since Region 3 contains 50% of the elk in Montana these issues are critical to the future of quality elk hunting in Montana.

Incidently HB 42 was passed two legislative sessions ago by Debby Barrett, now sentator in the Montana legislature. She is also a rancher in this area. She also introduced a bill this session that would take the management of elk out of the hands of FWP and put it in the control of the Montana Legislature. Tell me that this isn't a bad idea. Politicians managing our ELK!!!

The conclusions from the meeting were:

• The area of SW Montana will likely moved to brow tined bull only


• Validation of an area will be considered to manage hunter numbers


• Game manager need to work with land owners to move elk out of pivots prior to the opening of general hunting season and on to public land.

There will be more to come from this for sure! Look for an article in Big Sky Outdoor News and this blog!

Spring Time is Bear Time

May means that spring black bear season is in full swing. We’ve had a handful of reports from the field that bears were seen outside of their dens in the first two weeks of April. As the warmer, longer days of May arrive black bears will be out in full force.

I spoke with, Jamie Jonkel, bear biologist for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks about black bears. Jamie shared with me that large boars are the first to emerge from dens usually coming out sometime in March or early April. He also shared that the largest numbers of bears come out of hibernation in May. So waiting till May to hunt black bears is a good strategy if you are looking to see a larger number of bears.

The best bear habitat in the state is in region 1, followed by region 2. The wet, dark, thick, forests in these regions make great habitat. Consequently these forests support a higher density of bears. The Northwest corner of the state, the Bitterroot Range, and the Seely Swan area are some of the best bear habitats in the state. This FWP map shows the typical black bear range in Montana.

Map Courtesy of MFWP

When looking for spring bears look for drainages with a south facing slopes. Then use your optics to look for snow chutes with pockets of green vegetation. Most major drainages will have at least one area like this. If you find the green you find the bears. Jamie let me know about two of the most important foods emerging spring black bears look for, Glacier Lilly and Spring Beauty, pictured here.

Glacier Lilly

Spring Beauty

Cow Parsnip

He went on to say that, “bears will focus on these snow chutes until creek and river bottoms start to green up with grasses, Skunk Cabbage, Cow Parsnip, young Nettles, and Horsetails.” Be sure to look for these key bear foods.

Jamie also suggests a few precautions when looking for spring black bears:

1. Know what kind of bear you are shooting

The highest mortality for grizzly bears comes from hunters. Visit FWP website to take the bear test or to refresh your identification skills. Here is the link: http://fwp.mt.gov/bearid/default.html

2. Take care not to shoot sows

Every year hunters shoot large sows with cubs. If you do you are almost guaranteeing the cubs won’t survive. Take care to avoid shooting any sows as they will not always have cubs traveling with them. Black bears sometimes stash their cubs in trees and return for them later. These large sows are some of the best cub producers. Shooting them hurts bear recruitment. It is estimated that shooting an older sow like this takes not only her out of the population but also on average, seven cubs that she would have given birth to.

Recently I found a great black bear video produced by the late Duncan Gilchrist, Spot, Study, Shoot. It outlines the key traits to look for to determine whether the black bear you’re looking at is a sow or a boar. The video goes on to say that, “determining boars from sows is no more difficult than telling boys from girls in humans.” After watching the video I would have to agree. It identifies key traits to look for in bears to determine if the bear you are looking at is a shooter or not. Here’s a sample:

Young adolescent bears
These bears are more difficult to tell the sex of, just like in humans. This is typically not the kind of trophy a hunter is looking to take. Characteristics of a young bear are:
-Upright narrow ears
-Teddy bear look
-Fluffy fur
-Long legs

Mature Sows
These bears are the ones we definitely do not want to shoot as they are great cub producers. Taking them out of the population means reducing huntable numbers of black bears. They are characterized by:
-Prominent rear end
-Short neck
-Pointed snout
-Short front legs
-Back line is sloped forward

Trophy Boars
These are the kind of bears we are looking to harvest. The characteristics to look for are:

-High front end
-Back is straight or higher in the front than it is in the rear
-Big square snouts
-Square faces
-Wide front shoulders compared to the head
-Wide ear spacing, if you can put four ears between the ears you are looking at a trophy bear


You can order, Spot, Study, Shoot, at Outdoor Books and Videos, 405 Dutch Hill Road, Hamilton, MT 59840 or call 406-961-4314. Or by going to Ebay and search for Spot, Study, Shoot: Bear Hunting by Duncan Gilchrist. At $14.95 it is an investment worth making.

Now that you know, the areas that have good bear density, the habitat to focus on, and some key characteristics in identifying a boar vs. a sow, the only missing ingredient is you out in the field!

Turkey with Three Beards

One of our subscribers took this Tom Turkey a few weeks ago. Kind of odd that it had three beards. I personally have never seen a turkey with three beards!

22 Incher...

Fishing was tough over the weekend with unpredicable weather and high winds. I fished for two days and landed one fish worth talking about a nice 22 inch rainbow from and area lake.

Wouldn't you like to know where? Anyway here's the fish...

Joe from Belgrade if you are reading this I owe you man! I caught this one on the fly you gave me a year ago. You are the MAN!!!

Caddis on the Stone

Yesterday we had reports that the caddis flies were on the lower part of the Yellowstone River around Livingston. Now's the time to get your gear ready and book a trip or fill your fly box with a good caddis seclection.

We recommend elk hair caddis, goddards caddis, peacock caddis. To name a few of my favorite flies. You may also want to pack some caddis emergers. Look for flies in the evenings, so plan on a float or wading from 3pm on given warmer weather. Which could totally be a question mark.

New Law Change Spring Black Bear

A new law passed by the Montana Legislature now allows hunters to purchase a black bear license after April 15 at FWP offices, but hunters must wait five days before they can participate in the spring hunt. Only one black bear license is issued to an individual each year. Montana’s spring black bear season runs until May 31 in most districts.

Spring Turkey

We saw plenty of turkeys this past week. Unfortunately not on places where we had permission to hunt. Bummer! But that's hunting.

Bears Gone Wild!

Here's what you don't want to have happen when you release MR. GRIZ. I wonder if the guy that released this fella went to MSU?

State tiger muskie record nullified

A Harlowton man's state record for tiger muskie was short-lived. State game wardens discovered Steven Salazar did not purchase a required $5 warm water fish stamp until the day after he caught the big fish, the Billings Gazette reported on its Web site.

Salazar caught a 32.4-pound tiger muskie at Deadmans Basin Reservoir north of Ryegate on Friday. It would have broken the state record by just over 3.5 pounds. However, further investigation found that Salazar didn't buy his warm water fish stamp until Saturday morning. The state's computerized licensing system time- and date-stamps all license purchases.

"Everything has got to be legal for it to be a state record," said Bob Gibson, a spokesman for the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.The nullification means Marty Storfa of Billings still holds the state record with a 28.87-pound tiger muskie caught at Deadmans Basin in July 2006.

Salazar, 19, said he had been fishing from the east shore of the lake for several hours Friday before the big fish bit. He fought the fish for 45 minutes, bringing the muskie close to shore four or five times, but each time the fish ran back into deep water. Another fisherman tried to help with a big net, but the muskie would not fit. Salazar said an angler who helped him beach the fish shot it in the head. "That was a little shocking," Salazar said Monday. The shooting piqued the curiosity of Harold Guse, an FWP regional warden captain. Shooting a fish is illegal if it is in the water. It's legal, but not necessarily safe, if the fish is on shore. Salazar said the fish was on shore when it was shot.

Tiger muskies are a hybrid cross between northern pike and muskellunge, neither of which are native to Montana. Tiger muskies were brought to Deadmans Basin from Wisconsin starting in 1998 to prey on white suckers, which were competing for food with more desirable trout and kokanee salmon, according to Ken Frazer, regional fisheries manager for the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Wife Bags Big Gobbler!

Ok so how'd you all do for the opener of Montana Spring Turkey Season?

Score wife 1, Joe 0.

I called this nice tom in on our bluebird opener on Sunday at about 4pm. He responded right away to calls when we were cruising some new country looking for roosting sites. We ended up jumping a hen. Then quickly set up the decoys and called. He came in on a string to 15 yards. It was my wife's first turkey and first big critter. She was excited and so was I.

I had a feeling we could get him close but had no idea we could've have reached out and spit on him. I had my bow but wanted her to get the first opportunity. She took one shot and it was all over but the flapping.

If you want to have a great time take out a first time hunter. We got on some private land because of it AND because we asked! Nice bird!!! Well done Ris!

B&C President Admonishes Wolf Activists

Modern wildlife management through regulated hunting has never pushed any species to threatened or endangered levels, and there’s no science to suggest it would happen with wolves, either.

The Boone and Crockett Club is offering this simple, historical fact to activist groups threatening new lawsuits designed to forestall state management of gray wolves.“We’re calling upon activists to look at the impeccable track record of modern wildlife management, end litigation and join hunter-conservation groups in celebrating the completion of wolf recovery,” said Lowell E. Baier, president of the Club.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service set May 4 as the next target date for turning gray wolf management over to states. Last month, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar endorsed removing restored populations of wolves from the list of threatened and endangered species. His announcement celebrated another vanishing-to-flourishing wildlife success story. It also meant that states might soon use hunting to manage wolf populations alongside other resident species.

That’s the perfect scenario, says Baier.“It’s time to get on with what’s best for both wolves and people. All other game species and their habitats are being carefully managed on balance with biological and cultural carrying capacities.

Now that wolf populations have reached and exceeded population goals, they need everyone on board to ensure the balance of protection and management required for top predators in healthy ecosystems,” he said.Baier added, “Lawsuits that block state management authority are not about state borders determining population management, or genetic interchange or more science needed. They’re about activist groups not wanting wolves hunted. And that ignores the reality that America is well past the day when one species, especially an alpha predator like the wolf, can be left unmanaged.”

Well SAID PRES!!!

Stream Access Law Passes House!

The stream access law clarifying the right to access streams and rivers in Montana passed the house today by a vote of 96-3. This law will now go to the governor's office for signing. The law was put together by a coalition of ranchers, conservations groups and other interested parties. This is a good law for all concerned. We got this one right!

Update to Stream Access Law

The stream access law HB 190 passed the senate with ease and is scheduled for a hearing today at the house. This is the last stop for the bill. It gained approval in the house earlier in the month so it is anticipated that it will pass with ease! We'll keep you updated along the way.

Gophers Out

As reported a few weeks ago gophers are out in full force. Did some plinking on them yesterday. It was a target rich environment for sure. I know the eagles and hawks were happy for a meal! Don't forget to take a brick of ammo too. You could go through 500 rounds easy!

Bison Application Changes

This year bison hunters must apply by May 1 for this fall and winters bison hunt.

The moose, sheep and goat application now include bison . In another change, while bison hunters will continue to have the option to apply for one of two areas for an either-sex bison, north of Gardner (395-00) or near West Yellowstone (385-00), hunters will not have the option of applying by time periods this year.

The cost for applying for a bison license will be the $5 drawing fee. The drawing will be conducted in September once the Commission sets the final Bison quotas and seasons. If you are successful in the Bison drawing you will be required to purchase the bison license for $125 prior to hunting.

Stream Access Law

HB 190 is winding it's way through the Montana Legislature and is scheduled for the it's second reading after being amended by the Senate Fish and Game Committee. It made it out of committee by after being amended by a vote of 7 Yays and 2 Nays.

The second reading is scheduled to occur today 3/30/2009.

We'll keep you posted!

World Record Shiras Shed For Sale

The World Record Shiras Moose shed that was found in Flathead County in 2007 is for sale. If you are interested please call Steve at 406-253-9294.

Huge Victory for Trout Unlimited!

March 25 marked a huge victory for Trout Unlimited and for conservation. Rep Rehberg VOTED NAY AGAIN!!! He did not respond to my letter or email regarding this issue.

None the less the House of Representatives passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, a landmark public lands protection bill that would ensure access and opportunity for hunters and anglers today and for generations to come.

Passage of this bill does more for hunting and fishing and outdoor recreation than any other measure in the last 15 years.

By a landslide vote of 285-140, the House of Representatives moved this bill over the finish line.

Now the bill will go to President Obama for his signature on Monday, March 30th.

According to Trout Unlimited....This victory would not have been possible without your help. Your continued engagement and efforts to communicate this bill’s importance to your Members of Congress paid out huge dividends. We were able to get landslide votes in both chambers which shows the hard work and perseverance you gave over the last 18 months. Trout Unlimited Thanks You!!!

Because of your help, we have successfully protected over 2 million acres of public lands. We have protected places like Copper-Salmon in Oregon, the Wyoming Range in Wyoming, the Wild Monongahela in West Virginia, the Owyhees in Idaho, the Eastern Sierras in California and so many other special places. We have also permanently protected the National Landscape Conservation System, a network of highly valuable public lands of acute interest to anglers and hunters. Included in that system is the famed Gunnison Gorge of Colorado, one of the best trophy trout fisheries in the West, and the Steens Mountain region, an irreplaceable hunting and fishing destination in eastern Oregon.

Many of the bills in the Omnibus have tremendous fish and wildlife conservation merit, have local community support –including ranchers and farmers who are partners in watershed groups – and have been developed in a bipartisan manner.

Passage of the Omnibus, which includes nearly 160 bills, is truly historic and one that will be considered an outstanding achievement for generations to come.

Rehberg Votes Against Sportsmen!

Denny Rehberg voted against Ominbus Public Land Management Act of 2009 supported by Trout Unlimited, RMEF and various sportsmens groups across the country. The vote was only two votes shy of passing. It needed a 2/3rds majority to pass. Leadership will likely bring this to a vote again in the coming days.

Let Denny know where you stand on this bill and ask him to put sportsmen first and energy companies second! http://www.house.gov/rehberg/contact.shtml

While it doesn't affect Montana directly it would protect the following :

• The Wyoming Range Legacy Act that would protect 1.2 million acres of Wyoming hunting and fishing paradise from unnecessary and unneeded oil and gas drilling. It's estimated the range sits above six hours worth of oil and only 24 days worth of natural gas—resources we can live without, given the above-ground resources that will produce hunting and fishing opportunity for generations to come.
• The Copper-Salmon Wilderness Act that would protect the headwaters of the Elk River and, by extension, the pristine lower reaches of the river that provide some of the best coastal salmon and steelhead fishing on the West Coast.
• The Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act that would permanently protect 450,000 acres as wilderness, including acreage in the headwaters of the Owens and West Walker rivers, (the Upper Owens being one of the top destinations for anglers and hunters in the entire state). It would also protect land in the San Gabriel Mountains vital to sportsmen who crave fishing and hunting destinations closer to Southern California’s urban centers.
• The National Landscape Conservation System, a vast network of federal real estate that includes fishing destinations like Colorado’s famed Gunnison Gorge and hunting destinations like Oregon’s Steens Mountain Region.
• The Wild Monongahela Wilderness Act in West Virginia, that would protect about 40,000 acres of backcountry in that state that provides some of the Eastern Seaboard’s best native brook trout angling and excellent deer and upland game bird hunting.
  

For more information on this important bill, visit www.tu.org. Thank you for your help with this vital issue, and thank you for your continued support of Trout Unlimited.

RMEF Banquet Upper Yellowstone

The Upper Yellowstone Chapter of RMEF put on a great banquet on Friday night at the Livingston County Fairgrounds.

I didn't win anything after numerous tries but many others did. I also had a great time talking about elk and elk hunting. When do you get enough of that? .

The RMEF 25th Anniverary Rifle went for less than $1,000. There were some other great values too.

Check out the Event Calendar for the banquet in your area....

http://www.sportsmensaccess.com/index.php?page=events

Good News for NW Montana Wetlands

Ken Salazar the Secretary of the Interior approved $6.6 million for a wildlife habitat conservation project in Northwest Montana.

The Migratory Bird Conservation Commision charied by Salazar, approved funding for the Glaciated Valleys of Northwest Montana Project. Salazar said last Thursday that the project will receive a $1 million dollar grant, $2.8 million in matching funds and $2.8 million in non-matching funds.

The project seeks to protect wetlands and associated fish and wildlife in Northwestern Montana.

Gophers Are Out

I saw the first gophers of the season yesterday. So it's almost spring. Break out the .22's and bows and go out and shoot some gophers.

Attention Horn Hunters

Remember horn hunters...WMA's are closed through May 15. So avoid getting a ticket for tresspassing. A new law under review currently in the legislature would make tresspassing on a BMA have a penalty of losing your hunting priviledges for one year. Legislators aren't making up this rule because no one is tresspassing. I turned in someone last year who rode up a BMA with horses and a pack saddle to collect horns. Blew right by the sign. Didn't give a squat who was watching.

The areas are meant to give wildlife, primarily elk, a wintering area free from human presence and keep them off neighboring ranch land.

WOLVES DELISTED!!!

Sometimes the politicians get it right... Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s announced today agreeing with the decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in January to remove gray wolves from the list of threatened and endangered species in Montana, Idaho, and parts of Utah, Washington, Oregon. Wolves will remain a protected species in Wyoming.

Wolf conservation and management in Montana will become the full responsibility of the state when the decision takes effect 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register, which is expected within a few weeks. Just in time!

If you've been in the woods this past year you know the impact of wolves on elk herds this year. Now it’s time for the state to take over management of the wolf just like it should've been in the first place.

USFWS originally announced the decision to delist the wolf in January, but the new administration decided to review the decision as part of an overall, government-wide regulatory review when it came into office.

Federal officials said the USFWS decided to delist the wolf in Idaho and Montana because they have approved state wolf management plans and solid programs in place that will ensure the conservation of the species in the future.

At the same time, USFWS determined wolves in Wyoming would still be listed under the Endangered Species Act because Wyoming’s current state law and wolf management plan of shoot'em on site doesn't cover a management plan according to the Feds.

With delisting, the flexibility to protect livestock and domestic dogs is provided in Montana law. Similar to lions and black bears, a wolf seen actively biting, wounding, chasing, harassing, or attacking livestock or domestic dogs could be killed.

Such incidents must be reported to FWP in 72 hours.The transition, however, may face court challenges. Several groups say they will closely scrutinize the latest federal delisting decision and may renew legal challenges to block it. "We belive this decision is on solid biological and legal footing, " Maurier said. "If challenged, FWP will defend the delisting decision.

Legal challenges could affect the sale of hunting licenses for a 2009 wolf-hunting season previously adopted by Montana’s FWP Commission. Officials said none would be offered for sale until Montana is confident a wolf-hunting season could occur.

In the mid 1990s, to hasten the overall pace of wolf recovery in the Northern Rockies, 66 wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho.The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years and well distributed throughout the recovery area.

The goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has increased every year since. The northern Rockies "metapopulation" is comprised of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

About 1,600 wolves, with about 95 breeding pairs, live in the region now. MORE THAN 5 TIMES THE ORIGINAL STATED number.

About 420 wolves inhabited Montana, in 73 packs and 39 breeding pairs at the end of 2007, Maurier said. The population is expected to increase slightly when 2008 minimum estimates are finalized.

Top Trophies Great Rockies Show Kalispell

Here are the top trophies for Montana hunting at the Kalispell show. Two of the most consistent complaints were heard were, the abundance of wolves and the lack of game in the area.


The heavy snows last year and this year have made their impact felt on mature deer with only a few nice whitetails brought in. One mule deer came in that scored over 180 but it was taken out before I could get a photo of it.

Here are the top trophies....


This was the best bull elk brought in with a score of 317 6/8 it was taken in Flathead County in 2008 with Archery equipment.



The trophy below was 1st place in the youth division. It scored 167 and was taken with a rifle in Flathead County in 2007. This non-typical whitetail was taken this year with a rifle in Pondera county and scores 179 4/8

This next whitetail was found in 2008 in Lake County and scores 183 4/8.

This ram was taken this year with archery equipment in Blaine County and scores 184 5/8.

This one may still be wandering around! This moose shed was is a World Record Shiras Moose but only one side was found. It was found in Flathead County in 2007.

Predator Call Give Away

Be sure to enter this month's drawing for a predator pack calling sportsmen's dream. This one is a must for Montana Hunting.

We're featuring Walt Earl Sr.'s DVD's, diaphram calls, and call pouch. Also to be given away is the call the Walt likes to use the, Crit'R-Call. So don't miss out on this one visit our home page at http://www.sportsmensaccess.com/

Smith River Permits out Today!

I DREW A PERMIT!!!

I can't believe it I actually drew the permit. Now I have to see if there is going to be any water in the river in August. This was my second choice I never thought I would draw so now we'll see.

This year, 5,704 people applied for a permit to float the Smith, and 915 received the permit they sought, a 16 percent success rate.

Total applications this year were behind last year’s record of 5,820. Of this year’s applicants, 4,785 were Montana residents; 919 were nonresidents.

To see if you were one of the lucky one's LIKE ME check on the FWP web page: http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licensedraw/results.aspx

Beginning March 18, the Smith River reservation line, (406) 454-5861, will be in operation Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon. Here you can pick up any cancelled launch dates. You can also use this number if you need to cancel a launch date.

50 Years Of Predator Hunting Wisdom

What do you ask a guy that has been predator hunting longer than you been alive?

I had to ask myself this when I decided to write about Walt Earl Sr. Walt has been actively working in predator control for over 50 years and at 70 years old Walt is still going strong.

Walt started his career at 19 years old as a government trapper. He held that position for 22 years. Then in 1980 because of some changes in government rules he decided to leave the federal workforce and turned his career turned to predator control for the private sector. That was 29 years ago. Today he conducts seminars across the country and Montana. He also conducts a hands on predator control school where he teaches his methods to students. Visit www.olcoyote.com for more information on the school and the product and calls he uses.

Some people might say why hunt coyotes? Over 10,200 sheep and lambs were killed in Montana by coyotes in 2008. On sheep alone, coyotes accounted for 67% of the predator caused losses or $700,000 according to the USDA News Release this month. This is more than all other predators combined!

The day I met him we drove to a local ranch that was losing calves to coyotes. As we pulled up to the ranch I looked it over and thinking where I would set up to call. Walt pointed out where he had patterned the coyotes that were living on the ranch. “The coyotes here are living in very close territories. The proximity of the territories is determined by the amount of food and cover available in the area. Obviously here there is a lot of both”. He pointed out the different places each breeding pair was and where they hunted.

Walt’s tactics are typically different than an average predator hunter. This is the way Walt makes a living and is paid to reduce the predators on a ranch. “Some fur hunters may not like that I hunt coyotes all year around” Walt shared with me. “I think if they were in my shoes having to make a living doing this they would probably do the same thing.” In my opinion I agree with Walt, I would do the same things he is doing if I were in his shoes.

I was here on Walt’s invitation which I sincerely thank him for. I wanted to glean some of the wisdom and knowledge that he has from the 50 years of chasing predators, so time to learn.

We checked some snares that he had set up and saw one female coyote sitting out above a fence where Walt had caught the “Dog” or male coyote. “She’s hanging out where I caught him a few days ago. “ Walt shared. As we neared the location we saw eagles circling and some magpies fly off. All of this told us something was in the snare. As we approached we could see that it was a snowshoe rabbit. Now we know an additional reason the female coyote was hanging out there. Between the coyote, eagles and magpies that were all eager for a meal there wasn’t much left. I asked Walt if we would call to the female. He told me, “90% of the time if a coyote sees you it won’t respond to the call”.

We went checking snares and set up for a calling session where the ever changing wind was making our choice of calling location tough. First the wind was blowing from the south, then switched to the north and then back again. Nevertheless we found a place where the wind was consistent and we set up for a calling set.

The first thing I noticed as Walt started his barks and howls on his diaphragm call was how loud my calling was compared to his. I asked him about this. He let me know, “most people call way to loud”, “I think you want to challenge a coyote but you also want to invite him to some see what you are, not scare him off”. He went on to say, “if you get an answer back, call a little softer, maybe not so course or tough. It’s like telling the coyote that maybe I’m not as mean and tough as I thought I was before he answered.” Earlier I had let Walt know that I archery hunted and he brought up this question, “What happens if you bugle and bull answers you, then you let out a big, mean, deep bugle, like you’re the baddest bull in the woods?” I replied, “Usually the bull will gather up his cows and head off in the other direction.” Walt let me know that it was the same thing with coyotes.

During the day we saw three coyotes and called in one location. “No sense in educating the coyotes and making it tougher for me tomorrow.” Walt shared. With the shifting wind and tough open approaches the coyotes definitely had the advantage this day.

Here are Walt’s top Common Mistakes hunters make when calling and tips on choosing a calling location.

Walt’s Top Five Mistakes
1. Most people call too loud (Guilty as charged)
Remember a coyote can hear a mouse in the grass so he can hear you calling

2. Don’t expose yourself to the calling area
Keep hidden using the terrain to shield yourself from being seen

3. Don’t park too close to the calling area
Park at least one mile away

4. Always be aware of the wind
Don’t set up and call if the wind isn’t in your favor. All you do is educate the coyote
5. Watch your own scent
Don’t wear cologne, deodorant and clothes with heavy detergent odors
“We here to kill the coyote not ask it out” Walt let me know

Walt’s Tips on Choosing a Call Location
1. Call any place
Sincerely these coyotes are smart and they can be anywhere

2. Locate coyotes
Hunt coyotes like you would if you were turkey hunting. Know where they hang out and where they live before you call to them

3. Plan your route calling route
When you approach give care not to be seen as you enter the area and look at the
wind as before you make your way into their territory. If it’s not right don’t do go into their territory and educate them.

4. Select the right call for the right time of year. For example;
December through March I use a bark and howl
June through August use the kiyi (but locate the den first)
September through November use the fawn in distress and fawn in distress with coyote giving chase

5. Shoot straight and don’t miss
Cause we all miss at some point.

As a predator hunter myself I had a couple of questions I had wanted to know the answer to…Here are my questions with Walt’s answers:

Q: If you get a howl or bark back what should you do?

A: “Don’t be the aggressor. Howl shorter or bark and yip softer. Don’t be the biggest and
baddest.

Q: Is it possible to get mange from coyotes?

A: No mange is only species specific coyotes to coyotes, wolves to wolves etc.

Q: Should you cover your face when calling?

A: I don’t, and none of the noted callers in the country like Randy Anderson, Les
Johnson, or Wiley Carol did. But I do cover my hands. Cause your hands are moving
all the time and the white on the back of your hands flashes from the movement.

Q: After you shoot a coyote should you let it lay while all the fleas and ticks come off of it?

A: I put them in a black plastic bag and spay in this stuff called Ortho Home Defense, it
kills whatever comes off them.

Q: Do coyotes use the same den each year?

A: No then use a new den each year.

When I asked Walt about calling he told me to remember that all coyotes sound different and there is no such thing as a perfect howl. So go out there and try. See what happens and learn from it. He told me that in 1976 he and the rest of the government trappers were sent a free Crit’r Call from Major Boddicker and he’s been using one every since. Walt produces some diaphragm calls he uses for barks, howls, and kiyi’s. They are very effective.

After spending a day with Walt I felt like I was the one who really benefited from taking the day to spend with him. It was a great day! Check out his website and think about attending one of his predator schools. I know I’m trying to see how I can fit it in my schedule.

If you’ve have any questions for Walt visit his website at www.olcoyote.com where you’ll find a place to send him an email.

Good luck and Shoot Straight!

Joe Esparza