Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure » GENERAL

Safely And Effectively Remove Your Elk Ivories COURTESY STUDIO PANDORA

bigskyoutdoornews — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:59:36 +0000

The safest and best way to remove ivories is to use a small pocketknife. Push the blade between the gum and the ivory and cut the gum deeply all the way around. Slice the gum from the bottom of the tooth down to the jaw line (vertically) in a few places.

If you are removing the ivories at home, use a 2×2 or something similar. Place the 2×2 against the side of the tooth, and hit the opposite side of the 2×2 with a hammer to loosen the tooth from the jaw. (If you are removing the ivories on location, use a thick, short branch, and rock, and complete the same steps.)

When the ivory appears to beloose, use your fingertips to hold the ivory firmly from the top, twist and pull out.

Cut or scrape away the large chunks of excess gum but avoid scraping the ivory that is exposed. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be cleaned perfectly.

Avoid putting the ivories in a zip lock or plastic bag, as this will cause the gum on the ivory to rot and create an unpleasant smell.

After returning home, bury the ivories in table salt for a couple of days. This will cure the gum and remove any moisture. Proceed with air-drying in a little dish for a couple more days,
away from direct sunlight.

For the best results to keep the natural beauty of the ivory, avoid the following, as it will ruin the ivories and make them unsuitable for jewelry making.

*Never spray or soak ivories in chemicals
such as bleach, peroxide, etc. to clean.

*Never soak the ivories in tobacco or coffee.

*Never boil in water.

When removing ivories, never use pliers, or any similar tool, as this will put deep scratches and chips on the ivories. Although the ivories can still be used in jewelry, they will have visible, permanent damage.

After the ivories have dried, avoid storing them in direct sunlight or UV light, as this can fade the coloring.

Following this process will ensure your ivories can be made into a beautiful piece of jewelry for you or your loved one.

For more information on elk ivory removal or elk ivory jewelry options, contact:

Studio Pandora Custom Jewelry Design or visit their website at
studiopandora.com.

Primos Bugling Seminar with David Holder Tuesday, August 9 · 6:00pm – 9:00pm

bigskyoutdoornews — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:29:13 +0000

Primos Bugling Seminar with David Holder

Tuesday, August 9 · 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location
Bugs N Bullets Sports Shop
40 Sportsman Way
Butte, Montana

Primos pro-staff member, David Holder, will be coming to the store to show us how to use the calls, give us hunting tips, and tell stories. The seminar will last 2-3 hours and the store will remain open with huge discounts on in-season hunting gear! After the seminar we will be giving away more than $1000 in Prizes!!!! See you there!

Bob Ward & Sons Shooting Events Sat. 8/14 & 8/15

bigskyoutdoornews — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:31:23 +0000

Don’t miss the Seventh Annual Bob Ward & Sons Shooter’s Saturday, August 14th.
Demo day for Rifle, Shotgun and Handgun enthusiasts. Deer Creek Gun Range – 10am – 4pm

Shooter’s Sunday, August 15th.
Rocker Gun Range 10am – 4pm

Call (406) 728-3221 for information

Concealed Weapons Courses Offered In May

bigskyoutdoornews — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:27:29 +0000

Utah Concealed Firearm Permit
FOR NON-RESIDENTS
Good in 30 States!
Register Online at
www.cfputah.com
We provide Fingerprinting, Notary, Passport Photo, Copy Of Drivers License and a Pre-printed Envelope to the BCI.

The Utah BCI requires an Application Fee of $65.25, which is NOT included in the class fee.

Cost: $80.00 Prepaid $100.00 At The Door
& Get a $10.00 Gift Card For The Store Where You Take Your Class

LOCATIONS DATES/TIMES
BILLINGS
Cabela’s MAY 15 4:30 – 7:30pm
4550 King Avenue E.
Billings, MT 59101
Tel: (406) 373-7300

BOZEMAN
Wholesale Sports MAY 16 1:00 – 4:00pm
2214 Tschache Lane
Bozeman, MT 59718
Tel: (406) 586-0100

HELENA
Wholesale Sports MAY 17 4:00 – 7:00pm
2990 North Sanders St
Helena, MT 59602
Tel: (406) 457-7200

MISSOULA
Wholesale Sports MAY 18 4:00 – 7:00pm
2323 N Reserve St
Missoula, MT 59808-1327
Tel: (406) 523-9000

Course by: @ a moments notice llc
KEVIN FAHERTY CFP INSTRUCTOR
License Number I101674
cfputah@gmail.com
www.cfputah.com

Free Family Blackpowder Shooting Match – April 17th

bigskyoutdoornews — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:31:48 +0000

You are invited to a Free Family Public Day
Blackpowder Shooting Match
April 17 – 10am to 3pm
7350 Zaugg Road, Bonner

Introduce the family to:
Shooting a blackpowder rifle (must be 12 or older)
Tomahawk throwing skills
Fur trade – Mountain man era – rendezvous
Contact: Fred Beyer 258-6526
Hellgate Civilian Shooters Association

Avalanche Safety For Snowmobile Riders

bigskyoutdoornews — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:39:01 +0000

Avalanche Safety For Snowmobile Riders MFWP

Snowmobile riders have unique avalanche risk-factors built into their sport—speed and power.

Avalanche experts say sled riders need to recognize and compensate for the unique risks built into their sport.

Every snowmobile rider should carry a shovel, probe, and avalanche transceiver, know how to use them and practice regularly. There are other simple behaviors that will reduce the risk of death by avalanche too.

For example, in Montana many avalanche deaths could have been avoided if only one snowmobile rider was on the slope at a time. This simple precaution can save lives. Additional fatalities could be prevented if snowmobile riders avoided the risky sport of ’high marking.’

Experts at Montana’s avalanche centers also say that the number of fatalities due to avalanches could be reduced if all snowmobile riders:

carried rescue gear,
knew how to use it, and
took avalanche training.
Avalanche training helps a snowmobile rider to prepare to make informed decisions based on real data instead of wishful thinking. For information on available training, go to Montana’s avalanche Web sites. Use the search words: Montana avalanche information.

The state’s three avalanche information Web sites can also be valuable training tools themselves for those who routinely check the reports and view the video and photo illustrations of avalanche conditions.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’s Parks Division Recreational Trails Program supports the Montana Avalanche Centers with RTP grant funds. In 2010, Montana’s three Avalanche Centers will receive grants totaling more than $74,000. For more information on RTP grants go to the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov on the Recreation tab and click on Grant Programs.

January Means Smith River Permit Applications

bigskyoutdoornews — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:15:00 +0000

January Means Smith River Permit Applications – MFWP

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Headlines – Region 4

When the new year arrives, it will be time to start thinking about summer floating trips on the Smith River.

Applications will be available Jan. 4 at all Fish, Wildlife and Parks offices or on the FWP website: www.fwp.mt.gov. Applications must be postmarked or submitted no later than Tuesday, Feb. 16.

FWP’s online licensing system might be just the ticket for anyone who wants to apply at home, but an ALS number is required.

For those folks who previously bought a hunting or fishing license, the ALS number is printed on the license top. For those without an ALS number, the online system will assign one.

To apply online, starting Jan. 4 go to the department’s web site. Then under the state parks logo click on Smith River permit.

Applications are also available at any FWP regional office.

Starting in 2010 a new Smith River management plan will take affect. The plan includes two changes next year: A first come, first served policy at the river’s Camp Baker launch site and a pet prohibition for floaters.

The Camp Baker policy states that official registration and campsite selection for floaters will begin 7:30 a.m. the day before a scheduled launch.

The no pet policy prohibits dogs and other pets on all Smith River floats.

The management plan is also online under state parks at the FWP web site.

Typically, several thousand floaters annually apply, with about 800 getting the permit they seek. The peak float season runs from early May to early July. For more information contact the FWP Region 4 office at (406) 454-5840

Elk Harvest During 2009 Season Up From Last Year, Below Five Year Average in Southwest Montana

bigskyoutdoornews — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:19:23 +0000

Elk Harvest During 2009 Season Up From Last Year, Below Five Year Average in Southwest Montana – MFWP

Friday, December 04, 2009
Headlines – Region 3
Harvest of elk and white-tailed deer during the 2009 general big game season in southwest Montana was up from 2008, but below the five-year average. Harvest of mule deer was lower than in 2008, as well as below the five-year average.

Overall eight percent of hunters checked game through the six check stations with 616 elk, 254 mule deer, and 110 white-tailed deer. About 12,319 hunters stopped at a check station.

In 2008, hunters checked 482 elk, 299 mule deer, and 87 white-tailed deer. About seven percent of 11,789 hunters who passed through a check station had game.

2009 season totals for hunter numbers and harvest of elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer were down from the five-year average of 15,068 hunters, 732 elk, 435 mule deer, and 140 white-tailed deer. The percentage of hunters with was less than a percentage point below the five-year average of 8.7 percent.

The Twenty Year Caribou

bigskyoutdoornews — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:29:54 +0000

Jennifer Marshall With Caribou

The Twenty Year Caribou – Photos and Article By Rob Marshall, Helena, MT.
Hunting with her grandfather and dad from a very early age from south east of Helena to eventually all over Montana, Jennifer learned how to hunt and fell in love with one of our oldest heritages.
Like most of us she couldn’t wait until the next fall when opening day would approach. And over 20 years ago in the midst of hunting fever, she visualized a dream of one day going on a caribou hunt to the far north with her father.
After hunting deer in the mountains east of Townsend, taking Muley’s in the southeast foothills of Montana, going “cowboy up” in the mountains and taking an elk with one shot, and dropping three dandy whitetail bucks with a slug shotgun, she still had the caribou waiting in her sights.
After 20 years, and well, five straight days of miserable rainy cold days and hard long hikes across swampy and sponge like ground with strong and cold blowing wet winds and constant intermittent storms, traveling 3 miles in 2 foot waves on a freezing lake in a small 12 foot v-bottom boat, and a couple days later dropping off a steep rocky hill several hundred yards and crawling the rest of the sneak on hands and knees 200 yards through a bog, she FINALLY realized her dream. Honestly, I’m not sure what was longer, the 20 years, or the five days after we finally arrived to camp Lac Arbeque in Northern Quebec.
And here is how our hunt went….
We touched down in Montreal on September 24th Thursday evening and relaxed and readied our gear for the next morning’s departure north. On Friday morning we met with the guide service for a briefing and then dropped our gear off to be weighed. By early afternoon we were airborne on a 3+ hour flight towards Schefferville and arrived there just before dark and took buses to the float plane hub were we would leave first thing the next morning on September 26th Saturday.
Our first encounter with weather was when we woke up on Saturday morning. A two to three hour delay getting out of Schefferville, which impacted Saturday’s hunting. We divided our gear and figured out what groups would fly in which of 4 Otters available.
Just over another 3 hour flight north of Schefferville into camp 32 on Lac Arbeque where we would live for the next week plus. Our first evening was spent settling in to camp. The next day the 27th of September, Sunday brought good weather and we were off on our first real caribou hunt. We prepared for our first hunt and climbed aboard the float plane and taxied the lake and were soon up and in the air flying over seemingly endless small lakes that dotted the swampy landscape below us. Flying yet further north looking for caribou for another two hours, approximately 50+ miles north east of camp, we located caribou and set down on a lake to begin the first hunt.
During the day we had several caribou encounters, some nice bulls where spotted during the day. Jennifer’s brother Steven shot the first bull around noon time. We had a group of 5 hunters and 2 guides and the pilot stayed with the plane. Steven’s bull was a double shovel and decent bez with good tops and a nice back scratcher on one side. Jennifer and I had a couple nice bulls come by us at 200 yards but they were not trophy class bulls. Our first day of herds of caribous traveling past us at close range was surreal and memorable. We made our way back to camp after almost a full day of hunting, with one nice trophy bull aboard.
September 28th Monday morning, we wake up to a storm that has hit the entire region with driving rains and high winds. On Monday the rain stayed pretty constant and visibility was maybe a few hundred feet throughout the day. There was no flying due to low visibility and VFR rules applied. At times the ceiling dropped to 200 feet. At some point in the afternoon a few of us geared up for a hike north of the camp. We saw a small number of caribou, but no trophy class bulls.
September 29th Tuesday early morning, the weather only got worse. Prior to first light the sound of the rain on our cabin increased and the winds picked up. It was very foggy and mist and rain kept us socked in tight. It never stopped raining as we entered the second day of constant driving rain. The weather forecast was for it to continue for 2 more days at least. According to our camp director and guides it had been several years since being kept down like this for 4 days or more.
Again a few of us wanted to hunt and geared up for heavy wet weather. A guide and a pilot both wanted their caribou tags filled for meat. On Wednesday the 30th I was with a guide when we had a close encounter with several caribou and we filled 3 tags within 20 minutes not too far from camp in a down pour.
Somebody once said “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” We danced around puddle after puddle, because it was raining and raining.
We received a report that some camps north of us that had been there longer were actually getting ice and snow and some camps were getting over a foot of snow and running low on fuel and food. So at the moment, our camp was doing really well with plenty of food, drink and fuel.
September 30th and no let up. The sound of the rain on the tin roof was becoming monotonous and the high winds continued. There were lots of naps and card playing. Folks from West Virginia, Idaho and Minnesota that were in camp with us, and the French-Canadian and Labrador locals all learned how to play euchre. The camp cooks were incredible and I gained 7 pounds back during the week. With having a warm cabin and a nice bathroom, a hot shower, a kitchen and great meals, it kept things somewhat comfortable for being in the middle of nowhere. Many conversations and even more hunting stories passed our time. I couldn’t imagine what those who where in tents north of us were going through, everything outside was just soaking wet, a giant wet sponge.
October 1st and it’s still raining, and coming down steady. The winds have let up a little and though there are still two foot waves rolling on the lake the white caps have subsided. Our guide decides we can take a boat NE out of camp to the other end of the lake about 2-3 miles, and then trek into the foothills to find caribou movement the hard way. In a small V-bottom boat which was not the best ride in the world under those conditions, very cold in the low 30’s with blowing rain, we headed NE against the waves. Jennifer, Uncle Steve and I end up being the only ones to go from our cabin and we headed out with Medrick and Tommy.
We landed on a small sandy beach (not a whole lot of sand in this part of the world) and made our way across a large swamp, sinking at times a foot into the sponge like bog as we made our way. We finally reached the bottom of the ridge and started up out of the swamp covering. About a mile to the top, we started encountering caribou. Many close calls and several hundred caribou later there were no trophy class bulls, but many good sightings at less than 40 yards, and some good bulls, but just not good enough.
A few hours later, the weather starts to improve and break a little as we head back, soaking wet and cold. With the winds down and the water calmer it makes the boat ride a little more tolerable.
October 2nd, Friday morning, we wake to silence, no more rain, no more wind. Still low visibility but it’s starting to clear. At breakfast we are briefed by the camp director. Today is the day we were originally scheduled to fly back thru either Schefferville or Lac Pau and head to Montreal to go home. However, with the storms basically holding everyone down in all camps across northern Quebec from Leaf River to Labrador, there are logistic problems with too few planes and pilots to move everyone at once.
So the decision is made for us to hunt two more days while priority hunters that had been here even longer than us by the time the storm hit, are to go out first. Since we are on a guaranteed hunt for 2 trophy bulls each, they want us to tag out if at all possible.
Friday late morning it has cleared and visibility is above a few hundred feet and we are informed to gear up and make ready to head NE about 80+ miles. By early afternoon we are flying over several small herds and starting to get into a larger number of caribou. After flying over 100 miles NE and then crossing back south we start spotting several nice bulls and locate a lake to put down on just ahead of the movement.
At this point in the trip since departing Helena, Jennifer and I have made 24 take offs and landings, with several more still to come. We head up the ridge away from the plane and cover close to 2 miles across the bog and swamps to the larger part of the herd movement. Again, several hundred caribou and some dandy bulls, just no trophy bulls can be located. We end up coming back across the bog and swamp to the ridge above the lake we landed on and the movement there had picked up. We have now spotted several bigger bulls with a couple possible trophy bulls headed our way. We are into the late afternoon and are starting to run out of time. Earlier in a location to the east of us Uncle Steve took a good trophy size bull. The guide and Steve were quartering this animal and heading back to our location.
It’s now Friday late afternoon when first Jennifer spots a nice trophy bull, and then the guide and I see the trophy caribou headed in our direction. The guide takes Jennifer and me in the direction to head off the bull and get into position for a possible shot. We actually close the distance to 100 yards and the decision is made for me to shoot. This is a nice caribou bull with good tops. One shot and the bull travels only a few yards and goes down. I have taken a decent trophy bull with good tops, double shovel and small bez with back scratchers on both sides. This is a good representation of a Labrador caribou bull from this region. We spot a couple more bulls after quartering and capping my bull, but the guide insists they are not trophies. We head back to the plane to load up and go back to the camp. This was a good hunt.
It’s October 3rd Saturday early morning and our last day to hunt. Five hunters and we still have 7 trophy tags unfilled. We would head out this morning the earliest of all days we have hunted so far. Our game plan was to go in the direction we went yesterday as there was increasing movement in that area. After about 70+ miles and just over an hour, we were seeing many caribou and we spot several good bulls and one really good trophy bull. We set down on a lake nearby. This caribou bull has Jennifer’s name all over it. We head up the ridge away from the lake and quickly hit the top of the hill and have caribou streaming past us. We literally have to walk between the caribou to get on top to the point of the ridge. We are now glassing SW right above another smaller lake below and in front of us. On the next ridge over you can now see the large bull cresting the top and heading down into the field below. This field is about 600-700 yards out in front of us, above the small lake. As we wait for him and a couple other small bulls and several cows to slowly make their way across the field, he and another small bull and four cows bed down at 580 yards away.
We are positioned on a rock outcrop right above the bedded caribou and the big trophy bull. The guide makes the decision to leave Bob (Jennifer’s dad) and me behind and take Jennifer on a sneak to get a better position and closer to have a shot on the bull when he stands back up. Jennifer and Medrick (the guide) head down the ridge to the right to walk across the swamp and skirt the lake and move closer to the bull. All of this is in full view of Bob and I as we sit on the large rocks situated 500 yards above everything that is about to unfold. I am now videotaping the entire hunt from about 450 yards above them
They have now dropped down the ridge and are making their way across the swamp, and the bull is laying quartering away from their movement. The sun is reflecting nicely off his tops and you can see this is definitely a trophy class bull. They have now made it out of the swamp and are coming into the field 250 yards away from the bedded caribou. There are four cows that bedded about 40 yards to the west of the two bulls.
Medrick led the way with Jennifer right behind. As they came thru the bottom of the field, there were several bushes that were 2-3 feet high that covered the field and they moved slowly and quietly thru those bushes and stopped behind a small clump of pine trees, about 200 yards in front of the bulls. The wind was not exactly in their favor as it moved off to the SW, the caribou were more to the west.
They were now less than 200 yards when Medrick decided they should start crawling. Hands and knees in the spongy wet bog, they carefully moved about 20 yards at a time. Somewhere about 100 yards away the cows in the back, which Medrick and Jennifer could not see, stood up and were nervously sniffing the air and staring directly in the direction of the two hunters. The bulls remained bedded but were now turning their heads east and alerted. Another move and Med and Jennifer are now within 75 yards and the cows are starting to nervously walk off, from my position above I thought Med and Jennifer could see this, but later I found out they never did see the cows.
Another move and they are now approximately 60 yards out from the bedded bulls. The cows are now moving quickly out of the area and the bulls stand and are looking around.
I can see hunter orange and not sure exactly what Jennifer is doing, and I can see the bulls plainly and the bigger bulls antlers still reflecting the morning sun. The big bull is quartered away looking at the cows that have now walked away quickly. The bull is offering no shot and time seems to be growing longer and longer. If the bigger bull starts walking away there will be no shot offered. The smaller bull walks past the bigger bull and behind him and the bigger bull turns perfect broadside to Jennifer, again time just seemed to take forever, nothing happening yet.
Probably only a minute or two passed, but seemed like a half hour, and then – the bull dropped to the ground…………. Seconds later – finally the repeat of the rifle could be heard.
One shot, and twenty years raced by, Jennifer had taken her trophy caribou bull with a successful sneak from 500 yards! Very nice tops and good mass on the main beams with a back scratcher and big thick bez on this old bull. This is a very nice trophy caribou that will look great on the wall and many memories that will come for years. We hurried down the ridge and across the swamp to meet one happy hunter and a happy guide. We helped cap and quarter the caribou bull and head back across the swamp and back to the top of the ridge and had lunch. The whole time several more caribou could be seen moving directly above us and off to the east. We made plans to get back to the plane and fly to our last spot and an attempt to harvest our last caribou.
Back on the plane and headed towards camp we actually put down less than 10 miles from camp and found what would end up being over a thousand caribou. Bob was yet to fill a tag and Uncle Steve wanted to tag out. Making it to the top of a ridge above the lake that we sat down in, we were quickly covered up with caribou that headed NE above us in two groups at 100 and 200 yards. One nice old bull, not the biggest trophy we were looking for, but with only an hour left Bob decided to harvest a wide old bull that had a great white main. The bull came out of a small ravine and Bob put him down. There was a similar nice bull with big bez and long main beams right behind that Uncle Steve ended up taking. The guides quartered those bulls as we moved forward a few hundred yards to glass for possible trophy bulls coming off the ridges In front of us to the west.
Medrick had finished first and came back to take me north about a half of a mile to watch a movement coming off another ridge. We saw some nice bulls but nothing close to a trophy class. We had run out of time and were not going to take another caribou.
As we headed back to the plane, we all watched to our west as the sun was setting. Several hundred caribou came off the ridge in front of us and were jumping into a lake to cross it. Watching that many caribou together swimming across the lake was something to behold – you would have had to be there – it truly was something amazing to watch.
Now back in the Otter and flaps down we climbed up out of the lake and flew right above the big herd crossing below us, and headed back to camp.
Looking back now, there were so many memories and moments those are amazing and will last a lifetime.
Between 5 hunters in our cabin, we took 6 bulls, 3 of which were really good trophy representations from the Labrador herd. The other cabin with 6 hunters tagged out with 12 bulls, but several of those were smaller bulls.
Because of being able to only effectively hunt less than 3 full days, and having 4 unfilled trophy tags, we get to come back to finish our trophy caribou hunt over the next couple years. We look forward to returning, and hopefully with good weather.
I think Jennifer’s 20 year wait was truly satisfied when she finally held those large caribou bull antlers in her hands. Her smile was – priceless, while her dad was clearing his eyes to take more pictures of his daughter’s trophy caribou. I of course enjoyed every moment from behind the video recorder.

Here’s A Gift Idea: Over 100 Chances To Win A Gun!

bigskyoutdoornews — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:57:55 +0000

Gun raffle supports Montana Pheasants Forever’s conservation
initiatives. – Montana Pheasants Forever

Looking for a gift that keeps on giving? How about Montana Pheasants Forever’s 2-Guns-A-Week raffle. There’s just one month left to purchase tickets for the raffle which offers a chance at winning 104 firearms in 2010 and supports Pheasants Forever’s wildlife habitat mission in Big Sky Country.
Tickets for the raffle, which is being supported by Don’s in Lewistown, are on sale now for $50 each. A maximum of 3,000 tickets will be sold, or one gun for every 29 tickets sold, and 100 percent of the proceeds will support Pheasants Forever’s conservation efforts in Montana. The impressive gun list, valued at approximately $70,000, includes firearms by Weatherby, Benelli, Browning, Remington, Ruger and more retailing in the $700 to $1,500 range. Winning ticket numbers will be placed back into the pool of tickets, so by purchasing just one ticket, you’ll have a chance for all 104 firearms!
Tickets for the Montana Pheasants Forever 2-Guns-A-Week raffle are available through your local Montana Pheasants Forever chapter or by sending $50 per ticket (payable to Pheasants Forever) to P.O. Box 2157, Missoula, MT 59806. For questions regarding the raffle, contact Jon Lee at (406)721-9919 or via e-mail Jon@MontanaPF.org. For more details and the complete gun list, contact log onto www.MontanaPF.org.
Each week starting January 4, 2010, there will be two gun drawings for the Montana 2-Guns-A-Week raffle. Winners will be posted the Monday of each week at www.MontanaPF.org. Proceeds will support Pheasants Forever programs, including wildlife habitat development, land acquisitions and youth and education programs.
“We’re excited to give folks a chance at 104 guns in 52 weeks, a raffle ticket at the cost of just 48 cents per week,” said Jon Lee, Pheasants Forever National Board member and a longtime Montana Pheasants Forever supporter, “But we’re even more excited to see their support for wildlife habitat in this state. The success of the first raffle is due solely to those who are committed to benefitting upland birds and other wildlife in this state, and that support has created another fun opportunity.”
Since the first Montana chapter of Pheasants Forever formed in 1987, the state’s 18 chapters and 2,000 members have raised and spent over $2.3 million to complete over 950 habitat projects, conserving, restoring and enhancing over 32,500 Montana acres for pheasants and other wildlife.

Jami Sindelar With Turkey

bigskyoutdoornews — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:02:28 +0000

Jami Sindelar Of Missoula With First Turkey

FWP Seeks Public Comment On Open Water Fishing Contests

bigskyoutdoornews — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:12:42 +0000

FWP Seeks Public Comment On Open Water Fishing Contests

Monday, November 30, 2009 MFWP
Fishing

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on fishing contests proposed for the open water season of 2010.

Participants in these contests must comply with state fishing regulations, including daily and possession limits. Most contests require catch-and-release fishing and participants in these contests may not keep any fish.

Applications for contests may be approved, denied or approved with conditions that may help to minimize fish mortality, regulate harvest, reduce user conflicts or require additional access site maintenance when needed.

Information on the proposed contests is on the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov on the Montana Fishing Guide page, or call 406-444-2449.

The public may comment through Dec. 25 in writing to FWP Fisheries Division, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620, or by email to npodolinsky@mt.gov. Here is a list of the proposed summer fishing contests for 2009: Proposed 2010 Open Water Derbies

FWP Region 1 March 12-May 2 Spring Mack Days on Flathead Lake

Apr. 25 ABA Qualifier #5 West Side Montana on Noxon Reservoir

Apr. 24-25 ABA Qualifier #5 West Side Montana on Noxon Reservoir

May 1-2 Montana BASS Federation Qualifier on Noxon Reservoir

May 14-May 15 Annual Koocanusa Resort and Marina Salmon and Trout Derby on

Lake Koocanusa

May 8 Whitefish Lake Mack Assault on Whitefish Lake

June 5 Lower Stillwater Perch Tournament on Lower Stillwater Lake

June 12 ABA Qualifier #3 West Side Montana on Noxon Reservoir

June 13 ABA Qualifier #4 West Side Montana on Noxon Reservoir

June 19-20 Fathers Day Fishing Festival on Thompson Chain of Lakes

July 10-11 Tobacco Valley Rod & Gun Club Annual Fish Derby on Lake Koocanusa

July 17-18 IEBC Noxon Reservoir Tournament on Noxon Reservoir

July 24-25 ABA Qualifier #5 West Side Montana on Noxon Reservoir

July 24-25 Clark Fork BASS Anglers on Noxon Reservoir

Aug. 7- 8 EMBA Invitational on Noxon Reservoir

Aug. 7-8 12th Annual Great Montana “Mac Attack” on Flathead Lake

Aug. 27-29 Whitefish Jigfest on Flathead Lake

Aug. 27-29 Montana BASS Federation Qualifier on Noxon Reservoir

Sept. 25 McGregor Mac Mania on McGregor Lake

Oct. 1 – Nov. 14 Fall Mack Days on Flathead Lake

Oct. 2-3 1st Annual Fall Rainbow Derby on Lake Koocanusa

Oct. 10-Nov. 27 Snappy’s Whitfish Fall Classic on all of Region 1 Waterbodies

FWP Region 2

June 12-13 Mister Pike Classic on Seeley Lake and Salmon Lake

FWP Region 3

June 13 Livingston Firefighters Kids Trout Derby on Sacajawea Park Lagoon

June 24 Three Forks Carp Tournament on Three Forks Pond

FWP Region 4

May 21-23 Fort Benton Spring Classic Fishing Derby on Missouri River &

Marias River

June 12 Canyon Ferry Carp Safari on Canyon Ferry Reservoir

June 12-13 Tiber Walleye Tournament on Tiber Reservoir

June 20 Father’s Day Fish Derby on Newlan Creek Reservoir

June 26-27 Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival on Canyon Ferry Reservoir

July 17 Broadwater Rod & Gun Club Walleye Derby on Canyon Ferry Reservoir

Aug. 7 Camp Mak-A-Dream Walleye Tournament on Canyon Ferry Reservoir

Aug. 7 John Arnold Fish Derby on Hauser Lake

Aug. 14 MRF Carp Rodeo on the Missouri River

FWP Region 5

May 8 Yellowstone Challenge on Yellowstone River

May 8-9 Montana TBF Invitational on Bighorn Reservoir

June 2-4 Northwestern TBF Divisional on Yellowtail Afterbay Reservoir

June 26 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yellowstone County Fishing Derby on Lake

Elmo

June 26-27 Western ABA Invitational on Yellowtail Afterbay Reservoir

July 10-11 EMBA Invitational on Bighorn Reservoir

Aug. 21-22 Billings Yellowtail Fall Finale on Bighorn Lake – Yellowtail Dam

Oct. 2-3 Mid-Yellowstone Smallmouth Bash on the Yellowstone River

FWP Region 6

April 17 Tough Guy Walleye Tournamant on Fort Peck Reservoir

May 22-23 Fresno Challenge on Fresno Reservoir

June 5 11th Annual Milk River Catfish Classic on the Milk River

June 5-6 Montana BASS Federation Qualifier on Fort Peck Reservoir

June 5-6 Rock Creek Walleyes Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir

June 12 Fishin for the Cure on Fort Peck Reservoir

June 26-27 10th Annual Pikemasters Public Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir

July 8-10 23rd Annual Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament on Fort Peck

Reservoir

July 17 Women’s Hell Creek Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir

July 24-25 Jordan Hell Creek Walleye Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir

Aug. 7 Walleyes Unlimited Women’s Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir

Aug. 7-8 Fall Classic Walleye Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir

Aug. 21 Salmon/Lake Trout Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir

FWP Region 7

Apr. 24-25 Western ABA Invitational on Tongue River Reservoir

June 12 Savage Fire Dept. Cat Fishing Tournament on Yellowstone River

June 12-13 Powder River Cat Fish Fest on the Powder River

July 17 North Eastern Montana Monster Cat Roundup on Yellowstone River

Triple W Gator

bigskyoutdoornews — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:51:51 +0000

Water Master Raft

bigskyoutdoornews — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:30:45 +0000

Honda Generators – Power When You Need It

bigskyoutdoornews — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:46:38 +0000

FWP Block Management Region Contacts

bigskyoutdoornews — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:36:05 +0000

BY MFWP

Hunters interested in obtaining access to more than eight million acres of private lands enrolled in FWP’s Block Management Program may contact the regional FWP office in the area where they plan to hunt, or check the “Hunting” pages on the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov.

Gaining access to hunt on a Block Management Area is easy. Just follow these steps:

-contact the FWP regional office where you plan to hunt

-use the current year’s regional list of BMA cooperators to select an area where you’d like to hunt and -choose the name or number of a BMA in that area

-make arrangements to hunt by following the instructions provided by FWP regional staff or in the regional BMA tabloid or map.

Please keep in mind that landowners voluntarily enroll in the Block Management Program and they retain the right to deny access to their lands for cause. Due to weather conditions, it is possible that some

BMAs may temporarily or partially close for a time. Hunters can confirm the availability of BMA lands through the FWP regional office in the area where the BMA is located.

To contact FWP regional offices for more information on regional hunting opportunities on BMAs call:

Northwest— FWP Region 1 in Kalispell: 406-752-5501

West-central—FWP Region 2 in Missoula: 406-542-5530

South-central—FWP Region 3 in Bozeman: 406-994-3288

Central—FWP Region 4 in Great Falls: 406-454-5862

East-central—FWP Region 5 in Billings: 406-247-2974

Northeast—FWP Region 6 in Glasgow 406-228-3700

Southeast—FWP Region 7 in Miles City: 406-234-0930

EAGLE SATELLITE – DISH TV

bigskyoutdoornews — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:48:34 +0000

MONTANA CHEVY DEALER

bigskyoutdoornews — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:43:04 +0000

Sagebrush News: Turkey Tracks

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:21:55 +0000

BY CHUCK ROBBINS

Wild turkeys are not Montana natives. Merriam’s subspecies first arrived in central Montana from Colorado in 1954; with subsequent releases near Ekalaka and Ashland. As the flock grew so too did the trap and transfer operation and in 1958 Montana ordered a first ever hunting season; hunters bagged about 90 birds, statewide.

Meanwhile, Flathead Valley sportsmen, apparently miffed at being left out, anxious to get their own flocks established imported Eastern subspecies from Pennsylvania. By the late 1980s the Flathead flocks had grown to become a nuisance. Early Flathead hunting was by permit only; however, in 2002 FWP issued the areas first over the counter tags.

The best Merriam’s habitat consists of about one-half ponderosa pine woodlands, the rest a mix of grasslands, deciduous trees and shrubs, scattered openings, riparian areas and deep rugged canyons; the more edge the better. Eastern prefer a similar diversity with or without the ponderosas. Both are eclectic eaters, nuts, seeds, fruits, tubers, flower heads, green leaves, insects, you name it. I once found a bunch of jakes (young gobblers) squabbling over the remains of one very dead, real rank cow. Cultivated grain ranks high, as do snowberry, bearberry, hawthorn, serviceberry, chokecherry and rose hips; young and old alike seem to relish the sport of chasing down grasshoppers.

Easterns west of the 100th Meridian are unique, which makes the Flathead flocks special. Hunters wishing a change of pace and some say a bigger challenge might consider trying Eastern. For what its worth, to me the “challenge” thing seems a bit overblown. I have hunted individuals of both who, for days on end, would strut and dance, limb hop and gobble like to choke to death, often for hours on end, yet would not come no ��matter how sweet or raucous the hen gibe. Conversely a single muted cluck often brings Tom running, regardless the pedigree; the sort of response always begs the question was it really self-defense?

Seriously, one big difference between the two is the Merriam’s propensity to wander—I swear some of our southeastern birds hold second mortgages in Wyoming and South Dakota; and the most important gear item is good glass.

Either species, a good strategy is hit ‘em hard and often with a variety of calls, until Tom hints otherwise. You call, Tom gobbles—call right back, even cut him off a few times but change gears quickly should he suddenly go shut mouth.

Should it become obvious Tom’s not moving, then it’s your move; give him something else to think about. Be aware gobblers do hang up, refuse to cross even the shallowest ditch, the tiniest crick, the most broken down barbed wire, anything stands in Tom’s way is a potential block; flip side, don’t bet on it. So play it by ear. Tom hangs up, do an end run, tease him from the backside.

Shock and awe is good—coyote howls, crow caws, owl hoots, sometimes just slam the truck door or rattle the fry pan (though it seems Tom’s getting smarter and, with the latter two, days are numbered). Once he opens, close in fast, set up, hit him with a run of clucks, cuts and yelps; then shut up, let Tom dictate the next move. As a rule, with Merriam’s more and louder is better. Eastern? Well, I keep telling myself coy is best, but I sure wouldn’t bet the farm.

Decoys work, but can be dangerous to your health, be alert, use blaze orange and above all watch your backside. One final piece of advice, employ a variety of call types, if nothing else they’re fun to play with when Tom’s not…