Attention Idaho Wolf Tag Buyers

Some recently issued 2012 wolf hunting tags include an incorrect telephone number for the reporting hotline.

About 4,200 tags were issued to 3,780 individuals for 2012 were printed with the incorrect number.

The correct reporting hotline number is 1-855-648-5558.

Hunters may buy two wolf tags per calendar year. They are required to report killing a wolf within 72 hours, and they must present the skull and hide to an Idaho Fish and Game office within 10 days. They may call the hotline or a local Fish and Game office to report a kill.

For information on wolf hunting and trapping seasons go to the Fish and Game website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getPage=266.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Attention Idaho Wolf Tag Buyers

Use Personality Traits to Harvest Mature Bucks: Part Two

Different Personalities

Individual mule deer personality has been overlooked for too long. This may be because many hunting styles don’t allow or require a hunter to identify the personality traits of their prey, or it may be due to the moral complications that arise within most empathetic humans (including me). Either way, it is a handicap to ignore such powerful, deterministic attributes of individual animal behavior.

Let me be clear, I do not use the word personality to imply that deer are somehow, mentally or emotionally, equal to humans. I’m using it loosely to describe “the organization of the individual’s distinguishing character traits, attitudes, or habits”, as stated in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Each individual will demonstrate behaviors that we would classify into categories like: reclusive, timid, nervous, aggressive, social, laid back, etc. The value in making these personality distinctions is apparent when making critical decisions during a stalk.

Personality cannot be precisely measured, and a particular buck may not fit squarely into the same category when two different people are observing him. This is because personality is an impression that the buck has on the observer as the buck interacts with both the environment and other mule deer. So it is both social and environmental.

Example

I once watched a bachelor group of 5 bucks do their thing on an alpine slope for two straight weeks. There was one forked horn buck, two average size four-point bucks, one big four point buck, and one monster three by four buck. Over the course of these two weeks each buck demonstrated distinct personalities and preferences, and they did not change from day to day.To differentiate between age class traits and personality traits, I can only compare within age classes. The two larger bucks had similar sized antlers and similar body characteristics (drooping briquette, grey face, swollen belly, sway back, thick subcutaneous fat layer) that made them class four bucks. Here are some of the observations I made.

The big four-point buck was a bully, plain and simple. In the morning when it was about time to bed, this big buck always made the decision about where to go. If a couple of other deer bedded down, he would just keep on going to the place he wanted to bed, and the other deer would eventually get up and follow him. He always used the nicest beds. And when he wanted a different one (even if it wasn’t better) he would simply walk over to another deer and literally kick him out. I never saw him away from the group (even other years), but he was a jerk, so it was like he was not content being grumpy on his own, he needed others to pick on.

The Huge three by four buck was much more laid back. I only watched him kick another buck out of its bed once, and that was  because when he had gotten up to stretch his legs and pee, one of the small four point bucks laid in his bed. While bedded down, he was much more relaxed than the big four point – frequently closing his eyes and laying his head on the ground. He never engaged in sparing challenges with the other bucks. One time another buck came up to him aggressively and almost clashed antlers with him, but when he didn’t flinch, the oncoming opponent veered to the side like a trick high-five. On really hot days, when nice cool beds were taken, this buck would wander down the hill a bit and bed on his own, or lay in a marginal bed near the group. This was surprising since he had the heaviest body and biggest antlers of the group.

So what if mule deer do have personality?

When we recognize that mule deer are not simply a pile of senses wrapped in leather – that each individual may react to similar stimuli in different ways – then we are one step closer to predicting what that trophy buck in the spotting scope will do.

Using the same two bucks from earlier – the bully 4×4 and the laid back 3×4 – let’s construct a stalk for each and identify some of the differences. It is 11am; you are sitting behind the spotting scope, just below skyline, looking down on an alpine meadow. The meadow is mostly Alpine Knotweed (2’ tall) growing straight out of a rock field, there is a small patch of (5-10) White-bark pine trees off to the side, and the whole thing is tilted like a church roof, breaking into cliffs below. There are 5 bucks, just as before, and they are all bedded in those trees to escape the already hot sun. On a day like today the thermals will be ripping straight uphill so a stalk from above just may do the trick – but there is no cover and the rock is to noisy.

Jerk buck (4×4): Since a stalk from above is out of the question I’m going to have to get creative. I know that mule deer like to get up and stretch periodically throughout the day. Maybe I can ambush him when he walks just a short distance away from the group. This would allow me to stay 80-90 yards away, and I could probably get there by slithering through this 2’ high Alpine Knotweed meadow. But which way will he walk when he gets up and stretches? Generally, bucks will walk out into the meadow they just fed in, so this might just work! But I’m worried because all those young bucks are so busy milling around and randomly feeding out into the meadow. They would bust me long before that grumpy old buck would get off his rear. Maybe I could ambush the whole group when they move out to feed in the evening. Mule deer normally side-hill away from their beds so if I just got down there and waited for them they might come right by me. He is so uptight though he’s probably going to be fighting the younger bucks to lead the front of the pack. If that happens, and I pop up out of the grass right in front of them, they’re going to split before I reach my draw anchor. I guess I could wait till tomorrow and see if they bed somewhere a bit better. Maybe I’ll see which direction they are feeding in the morning and get into the nearest bedding site before they do. He should be the first one to arrive. I’m running low on food and water is half a mile away, but it’s worth it if I want to kill this old grump.

Mellow buck (3×4): Now imagine you want to kill the huge 3×4 buck. Since the situation is the same, and he has similar age-class related similarities with the big 4×4 buck, I am going to run into a lot of the same obstacles. It is still going to be nearly impossible for me to stalk in from above, so that is out of the question. The younger bucks are still going to be on edge and milling about, so I can’t hang out close to the group for very long. He likes to sleep in his bed a lot so maybe I could spook the rest of the deer off while I move in fast and hope that he is slow enough to get a shot off. That is way too risky though – it may take a week to find another buck of this caliber. If I watch him long enough he may move to a bed further away from the group. If he does move to a far away bed I will need to be closer so that I can capitalize on it right away before he moves again. Ambushing him in the evening when they side-hill out into the meadow might work – he is so laid back he will probably bring up the rear of the group and I could remain hidden until the others pass by. Bingo! I like this. If I set up for this ambush I will be ready to take advantage of either situation: if he relocates to a far away bed, or if he comes out into to meadow behind the rest of the group. And, if I never get a chance at him today, I can slip out after the sun goes down without spooking a single one of them.

Of course, hind sight is 20/20, but these are the sort of things to think about when you are planning a stalk. I will talk about this more later, but I like to give myself several hours to plan a stalk and this is why. The more time spent figuring your buck out and running scenarios of possible stalking strategies, the more likely a stalk will be successful. The last scenario was based on a situation I experienced several years ago. I wanted to kill the big 3×4 – don’t ask why, he’s just my flavor – and I killed him by sneaking down in the meadow, at the same elevation as he was bedded, and waiting (7.5 hours) for the group of bucks to pass before rising out of the grass and putting my arrow through his heart.

To go back to part one of this guide, click here.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Use Personality Traits to Harvest Mature Bucks: Part Two

Use Personality Traits to Harvest Mature Bucks: Part One

Alpine buck age classes

Alpine bucks are not all the same – and this fact is not to be taken lightly. They can be grouped by age, and then again by personality. Yes that’s right, I said personality. Most toddlers can’t use the toilet (age class trait), but only so many like to hit, or cuddle with the dog, or have screaming contests (personality). But for now let’s just explore some of the traits of each age class.

Class One: Greenhorns, first timers, rookies; whatever you wish to call them. They are young and dumb and stick together in the hills. They wander at random times of the day and visit water more often. When these young bucks are hanging out with older bucks they will almost always get stuck bedding out in the sun or in hotter beds when shaded spots are limited.

Class Two: Middle age bucks are a couple of years older. They have seen the world, they know not to underestimate their predators, and they are nervous – all the time. They will rarely sleep in the middle of the day, and are constantly moving around and surveying their surroundings.

Class Three: Then there are the elites, the dominant bucks, those bucks that are right at their prime and a bit cocky about of it. They know the mountains well and use everything to their advantage. They are relaxed and will often lay their heads on the ground and sleep soon after laying in a new bed. It’s not uncommon to see a doe without a fawn hanging out with these bucks on the upper slopes. They know to duck and hide when danger is afar, and to never return to an area if they have seen danger there before.

Class Four: Lastly there are the old bucks, the regress bucks, the ones sporting thick, knobby antlers with plenty of trash. Generally these old boys are overweight and lazy. They don’t like to move unless it pays off in food, safety, or sex. They know the land better than the rest and are often the hardest to find. Once you do find one of these old dogs though, they are the easiest to pattern and stalk. Unlike younger bucks, these guys follow a much tighter routine. Their old age has made digestion harder and their rumen larger, so they spend more time in each bed chewing and re-chewing their cud until it is small enough to exit the rumen and enter the rest of the digestive tract, and finally allow for another meal to be consumed.  In their beds their eyes droop with lethargy and loose skin folds over their legs. When danger appears they are slower to react and will think twice before jumping from their bed in a full sprint.

The right buck

Stalking a buck is very hard on your body – and mind if you are unsuccessful. After a failed stalk it is common to be deathly dehydrated, sore, hungry, and ticked off. To shake that off and go on another stalk is not an easy thing to do. That is why it is very important to choose your battle wisely and stalk the right buck, in the right situation.

Aren’t all high-country bucks good bucks? You bet they are! But they are not all equally hard to kill. Some bucks are very hard to kill because they are paranoid, only bed for short periods of time, and hang out in groups more often etc. That kind of sounds like a young forked horn or three-point doesn’t it? You got it. I would say a young buck is harder to kill in the high country than an old sway-back. That works out pretty good for the hunter now doesn’t it. The only exception are the class 3 bucks that have big horns but are still edgy. It’s up to you if you want to take one of these on, but if you can find an even older buck you will have a much easier stalk.

Why old bucks are less difficult to kill:

• More relaxed (In bed and when feeding)
• Bed for longer periods of time during the day (longer time to digest food)
• Feed later in the morning (easier to locate)
• less social (hang out on their own more)
• Hold their ground when danger approaches (hoping it will pass)
• Don’t “jump the string” (slower reaction time)

To continue on to part two of the Cliff Hunter’s guide for using personality traits to hunt mature bucks, click here.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Use Personality Traits to Harvest Mature Bucks: Part One

By Waterfowlers, For Waterfowlers: Hard Core Decoys

Breaking news – it has just been announced that Hard Core Decoys is now owned by Hard Core Brands International, LLC and Jim Shiefelbein…click here to read the press release.

Not every company can live up to its tagline, much less its name. Hard Core Decoys, manufacturer and supplier of premium waterfowl decoys, is one that can. Hard Core Decoys makes decoys for the true “hard core” waterfowl hunters out there, the ones that hunt 99% of the days open for waterfowl season, missing that 1% for a brother’s wedding or a friend’s homecoming. That much was evident as I spoke with Vice President Mike Galloway on the phone: he was on the road in the Mississippi Delta, looking out for birds in the midst of a hunt. I was lucky enough to catch him for the low-down on just what Hard Core Decoys is all about.

“What sets us apart from our competitors is that our products are made by waterfowlers, for waterfowlers,” Galloway says. Every member of the staff, from the creators and manufacturers to (of course) the pro staff who put the decoys to the test out in the field, participates in the pursuit of the elusive game. “We’re not just some conglomerate that absorbed a decoy maker. We’re the guys who are part of the sport,” Galloway continues. “When we make decoys, we don’t just pick one body and put four different postures on it. Each one of our decoys is dynamic and as close to reality as possible.”

Galloway is drawn to the sport, and by extension the industry, for the camaraderie and the social nature of a waterfowl hunt. “I love to deer hunt, but that’s basically a solo activity,” Galloway explains, continuing that “waterfowl hunting is a communal activity. While you’re out there, you share stories or a cigar with your buddies in the covert. You watch that Mississippi Delta sunrise together, and if there’s anything in this world that will make you believe in God, it’s that.” On his own dedication to the hunt, Galloway adds “in pursuit of waterfowl, you’re actually hunting. There’s serious thought involved – you mess up a single thing or improperly position a single decoy and those birds aren’t coming anywhere near you. It’s chess and it’s checkers: you’ve gotta think, but you’ve also got plenty of action and in the end you’re having fun.”

Hard Core takes that deep sense of community and the “team hunt” attitude into their products. They make decoys not only that the consumer wants, but that they want. “We wouldn’t put our name on a decoy that we wouldn’t use or stand behind ourselves. Our decoys perfectly recreate resting postures, sleeping postures and every possible true waterfowl position – no detail or expense is spared in the creation of our products,” Galloway asserts.

Everything Galloway told me about over the phone was backed up by Rick Carone, one of Hard Core’s pro staff and an expert waterfowl hunter who I spoke to after interviewing Mike. He sang the praises of the decoys themselves, saying “partly, they’re the perfect replication of a real goose. And what’s more, they’ve got so many different poses that it allows you to make your decoy flock so much more dynamic and realistic. Not all decoys do that.” Then, touching on the camaraderie alluded to by the Hard Core VP, Carone detailed a “wounded warrior” hunt they took an Afghan vet on during his recent return to the United States.

“Mike [Galloway] sent an email around to all of us asking if we’d be able to lend a hand, and he immediately got an overwhelming response in support,” Carone says. Echoing what Galloway had just told me minutes before, Carone added that “we went out to hunt with the vet and shared stories, from war and from hunts. We thanked him for his service, got his own opinions on what was happening overseas and then some. It wasn’t just about the birds but about the fact of being out on the hunt with your friends, new and old.” Straight out of the battlefield and into the wetlands, Hard Core remains dedicated to those who dedicate themselves to the pursuit of difficult game.

In addition to their personal commitment to their work, they go beyond the call of duty and back up their products with promises unique to the industry. For one thing, they absolutely guarantee delivery to retailers. “That’s a huge thing in the decoy market,” Galloway explained to me, “a lot of the times companies oversell and under deliver. Not so with us.” Adding to that, Galloway says “if you have an issue with one of your decoys, we guarantee that when you call Hard Core you will be speaking directly with a member of the Hard Core team who will help you out, not some call service in India.”

One thing you can’t say about Hard Core is that they’re static or stuck in their ways. Galloway could hardly contain his excitement over the phone, telling me that very soon they’ll be “blowing the doors off the outdoor industry.” As much as I pried, Galloway’s lips were sealed about the details.

Whatever happens in the year to come, you can be sure to hear about it first on Outdoor Hub.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - By Waterfowlers, For Waterfowlers: Hard Core Decoys

Winter Rabbit Hunting, Making the Most Out of Winter

The snow falls as does the temperature.  After a stretch of several months with a revolving door of human activity, the fields and forests now more closely resemble a ghost town.  There’s no reason to go out there anymore.  This is the perception of those that do not seek out the cottontail rabbit.  They sit huddled in their warm homes, left to reflect on their exploits in October and November.  Their guns and bows have been put away in storage, and their attention has shifted to football, shoveling snow, and maybe the occasional trip to ice fish or snowmobile.

For me and others like me that follow beagle dogs in snow after the ubiquitous cottontail rabbit, this is the season that we live for.  There was a time when small game like rabbits were the object of all hunters young and old alike, but the proliferation of the white-tailed deer has changed the focus of the American hunter.  I hunt deer too, but secretly I relish having the winter to myself, or seemingly so, to run my beagles after cottontails.  After months of sitting quietly in a tree or in a blind waiting for luck to chance my way, I’m ready to get out into the stillness of a frozen world and listen to a chorus of excited hounds in full chase, ready bust the brush to make something happen, ready to holler and laugh with a companion at a shot made or missed on a returning rabbit.  The season is mine.

Perhaps it is the seeming loneliness of the cold winter landscape that adds to the bond felt between my hunting companions, mostly close family members, and myself.  We are out there, the only humans within sight partaking in a unified goal.  An effort we take very seriously and attempt with great intensity, yet at the same time one we address with the light-heartedness and total enjoyment that makes undertaking such a task in relatively harsh conditions fully enjoyable.  Our faces get beaten red from the chaffing winds and the bright sun bouncing off the snow-covered ground.  If the snow gets too deep, the legs throb from lifting and setting back down of tall heavy boots.  We work up a sweat that soon chills the body in an attempt to roust our quarry from their hiding places.  But the broad smiles we share cannot be hidden, even as our lips crack and bleed in doing so.  Like minded hunters make for a fun hunt even when the rabbits are not running.  The season is ours.

And then there are the beagles, the true stars of the show.  For those that have never hunted behind beagles, ones that come from hunting lines that have been raised to hunt, you simply cannot realize the drive of these little hounds.  Pound for pound, I’d put a beagle against any other hunter, man or beast, for pure drive after game.  I see what these dogs run through time and time again, never ceasing, never giving up, and I am filled with love and admiration at a fellow living thing that not only feels the passion for the chase as I do, but one that exceeds it.  The effort I put into hunting rabbits pales in comparison to that put forth by the beagles.  Similarly, the great pleasure that I derive from hunting rabbits also pales in comparison to that which my beagles get.  I don’t know if dogs can technically smile, but one look into my beagles’ eyes after running a rabbit tells me that they’ve achieved a happiness that the human spirit, burdened with our responsibilities and troubles, can never hope to reach.   To hear a brace of beagles running a rabbit in a frozen swamp, the music of their voices piercing the crisp air and knowing that they will circle that wily critter back to you, is to know heaven.  One cannot feel cold when he knows that as that distant howling gets louder and closer, the object of the chase is coming your way and you need to start scanning for the little brown jet through the brush.  The moment of truth approaches and the heart begins pounding as the realization of the coming shot approaches.  The season is theirs.

And I would be remiss in failing to mention the cottontail rabbit, a creature which is prey for so many hunters, man and beast.  Such a simple creature that lives a simple  life, eating and breeding as much as it can in a short amount of time, as if knowing more than any other creature that its time on this earth is short.  No game animal so closely matches the tenacity and drive of its pursuers as the cottontail rabbit does to the beagle.  So closely matched are the two that the existence of one without the other seems like it would put the universe out of balance.  And while the cottontail seemingly has the world against it, Nature takes care of her own.  Don’t pity the rabbit, for it will quickly make a fool out of you if you think twice about pulling the trigger on one.  I’ve emptied a 12 gauge autoloader at racing rabbits only to see them waving that cotton-ball tail at me as if giving me the middle finger as they ran off laughing.  You bet I feel respect and admiration for those rabbits we chase, and it’s probably not a stretch to say I feel a love for them too.  This season is all of ours.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Winter Rabbit Hunting, Making the Most Out of Winter

« Previous Page