March 2015 Volume 3 Issue 6

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ordelheide-Dental/533072000093520

Publishers Notes By Raf Viniard

Publisher & Editor: Raf Viniard

406-407-0612

Photographer, Print Manager

Tina Scott

406-830-7500

Field Editor: Mitzi Stonehocker

406-544-1868

Sales & Marketing, Lincoln County

Kori Erickson

406-293-1478

Director of Social Media

Misty Loveless

406-250-4191

Flathead Valley Rep: Vacant

Missoula Sales Rep: Vacant

Pro Staff Writers & Photographers:

Angela Gerych Pastor Jim Sinclair

Dan Helterline Zach Butcher

Paul Fielder Montana Mitzi

Toby Bridges Sam Martin

Toby Walrath Jason Badger

Tony Rebo

Editorial Policy: Montana Woods N Water

(MWW) reserves the right to refuse to publish in any form of content that does not include the author’s name, complete mailing

address, and/or valid phone number or e-mail address. Anonymous submissions will

not be addressed or published. MWW reserves the right not to publish anything we

feel is not in good taste or appropriate.

Contact Us

Montana Woods N Water

171 Clark Creek Loop

Plains, Montana 59859

406-08-0576

www.montanawoodsnwater.com

Email: raf@montanawoodsnwater.com

Front Cover Photo Provided by:

Montana Mitzi

The Elk Shed

28 Days Until Bear Season & 24 Days until Turkey Season!

They are getting ready are you?

Opening Day:

Spring Turkey

11 April 2015

Spring Bear

15 April 2015

2

HUNTING

Pictured above is Zach Butcher of Plains, MT with a black bear he took with a bow. Even though bear season is not open yet I convinced Zach to share some of his lessons learned harvesting a bear with a bow. But first let’s gather some information from some other professionals to better help you hone in on that black spring bruin.

I received an e-mail from our local game warden and he has not yet seen any black bears moving about. From the Grizzly bears GPS tracking they are starting to see where some Grizzlies are starting to move about. As snow flurries still occur off and on at the higher elevations it won’t be long until bears start making their appearances. Officer Troy Hinck stated, “Bears are all about food, if they have green grass and carcasses they will be fine with a little snow.”

I also spoke with Erik Wenum, the Region 1 Bear Biologist with the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Here is some of the information he shared.

Bears went into hibernation in good shape due to there being plenty of huckleberries last fall. With the milder winter they will still have some fat retention going into spring. Chimney dens like hollow dead trees will warm up first and with them still having a long outer coat of hair these type of dens will warm up faster. As each day gains about 1.5-2.5 minutes of daylight this will also spur the bears to come out of their dens. Once they are up, they are not likely to go back to bed even if the nightly temps drop to freezing or an unexpected snowfall graces us. The first bears to emerge from their dens will be adult males. Usually the middle to the last week in April. Due to warmer than normal temps a few bears may emerge a little early.

When looking for bears focus on the south and east facing slopes. Until green grasses start showing up, a bears primary food source is carrion or dead animals that did not make it through the winter. Greenup normally happens about mid to late May. With bears already having plenty of reserves they will not be in bad shape... Cont. on page 4

Bears & Bows - By Raf Viniard

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ATTENTION !!

This is quite possibly the most important ACTION ALERT we will send you this Legislative Session.

HB212 has passed through the Legislative process and is now headed to Governor

Bullock for him to sign into law OR veto! MT-SFW has been working hard in support of this bill and NOW we really need your support.

We are advising every Montana hunter, trapper, angler, rancher and property owner to

individually contact Gov. Bullock and encourage him to sign HB 212 to ensure these Montana traditions will be solidified.

Here is how to contact Governor Bullock:

Call toll free - 1-855-318-1330 or Email- governor@mt.gov

PLEASE forward this to all your contacts who hunt, trap, fish, farm, ranch and live a rural lifestyle. HB 212 provides concise amendments to clarify "harvest" in parts of Title 87 of our Montana Constitution as it relates to fish and wildlife. To read the bill in its entirety click this link - http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2015/billpdf/HB0212.pdf

Thank you for your participation!

Yours in Conservation,

Keith Kubista

...going into the green up. Sows with cubs will be the last ones out of the den. Cubs will only be about 4-5 weeks old and weigh from 1.5 to 2.pounds. A sow will hang very close to the den until their young are ready to follow and forge.

Erik reminds bear hunters to take that little bit of extra time and make sure it is not a sow with cubs. Sows will usually be more nervous acting because of the cubs and do not display that large blocky head of a male. Sows will usually stay localized and not roam as much as a male. If you accidentally kill a sow that is lactating make sure you call your local warden for instructions. Cubs can be rescued and nurtured to a point that they can be released this fall back into the forest.

Cubs only have about a 50% survival rate. In Region 1 we have about one bear per square mile and hunters only harvest about 5%. Our average for Region 1 is about 250 bears per season. Currently, Region 1 hunters harvest over 50% of the total bears harvested in Montana.

Now that we have the facts from Erik, let’s look at some of the tactics Zach Butcher uses to bag a bear with a bow.

I look for bow country where you cannot shoot across a drain with a rifle...a little thick and plenty of cover. Bow is a short range weapon and the area you hunt must be conducive to that style and type of hunting.

First, you need to find some good bear sign, scat, diggings, chewed or clawed trees. I like to sneak down

gated logging roads. I feel bears have better eye sight than most people think but their hearing and sense of smell are very good. Make sure the wind is in your face and not blowing out in front of you or across the area you are hunting...keep the wind in your favor.

Keep your movements small and slow when stalking roads or heavy cover that borders a clear cut or dark timber. Bears like the ability to move in and out of cover. If you are spotted by a bear, freeze and let things settle

down, the bear may not have seen you. Glass your surroundings before taking that next step and if a bear is spotted, plan your stalk keeping the wind direction in mind and doing so quietly. Stalking a bear across rock slides is not a good idea...just too much noise under foot.

I like to hunt areas that rifle hunters can’t see very far...I just like a tighter hunting area. Old logging roads in deep ravines next to a running creek that is bordered by dark timber is ideal. The sound of the creek helps mask any noise you may make and having some cover on the sides of the roads gives you points to move to undetected.

Just because you are not seeing bears one day in an area that you know holds bear, don’t give up. Stay committed to that area. Hunt areas and drains that give you the advantage.

Zach also wanted to remind everyone to start inspecting and shooting your bow now. You probably haven’t pulled it out since last September to chase elk or deer. Next month we will talk about what to look for when inspecting your bow and some of the awesome new broadheads that Trophy Taker has come out with this year to cut a nice hole in that black bruin.

4

HUNTING

This bear is approximately 40 yards away and the

wind is in your favor. The bear has not seen or

smelled you. Would you attempt to take this shot

with your bow?

5

6

FISHING

Of Springs Past, Present and

Future

Sam Martin

March is here, the ice (hopefully) is gone from our

waterways and anglers are readying their kit for action.

As we prepare, however, there are many questions that

plague us. Where the heck are all the fish at during this

cold time of year? What are they biting? When should I

hit the water? Why do they act the way they do? Well,

comrades of rod and reel, I may have some answers for

you.

Let us rewind the clock a few years and settle in on the

time of the BASS Federation Nation Divisional, held here

in our beloved state on Noxon Reservoir. The air is

uncomfortably cold, the water doubly so. From pre-

fishing I had found some fish braving the temperature

swings of the shallows but, for the most part, every bass

had remained in the comfortable stability of the frigid

depths.

Now some may be thinking that this helped to narrow

down my search and tactics. Unfortunately, this was far

from the truth. Try my best, I failed to determine a

pattern by tournament time, which, needless to say,

seriously impacted my moral. I had thrown every slow

moving bait I could think of; dropshot, Carolina rig,

weighted Senko. Nothing was making a difference.

To my well-read mind, this was a paradox. Every article I

had ever plowed my eyes through had told me that fish

in the cold spring months were deep and lethargic, only

willing to gobble up the slowest of artificial snacks. Why,

I wondered, why were the experts so wrong about this?

Is it me, or what?

Continued page 8

7

FISHING CONTINUED

8

With these questions nipping at my scalp, I begrudgingly

entered the first day of competition.

The morning was cold, as expected. I and my army of

equipment boarded my assigned boat for the day,

captained by a quiet man of about fifty from out of state.

We exchanged pleasantries and proceeded on our way.

After a brief run we came to my boater’s location of

choice and began fishing. As I untangled my mess of rods

to get at my dropshot, I noticed however my boating

partner pick this miracle picked up a generous looking

crankbait and begin casting parallel to the sharp, rocky

bank we were now drifting down. I laughed to myself,

thought what an odd choice as he begin the tedious

process of finesse fishing.

The first fish of the day went to me. It wasn’t anything to

shake an Uglystick at, but it none the less built my

reassurance that I was fishing the right way. Then, to my

great surprise, my boater caught a fish. Initially I thought

this was a fluke and continued on my merry way, but as

we continued my partner began to catch more and more

fish, out pacing me significantly. Without bothering to

ask why this was happening I immediately tied on a

similar bait and found that I too could share in this

miracle.

After the day’s weigh-in I asked my boater why that

tactic had been so successful. He informed me that those

fish were feeding on small baitfish who were moving up,

as the bass were, in “pre”-preparation for the spawn.

Bully, I thought, I’ll do the same thing tomorrow.

The next day I informed my new boater, like a fool, of the

successful day I had had and what I was fishing with. We

both agreed that repeating this would be our best course

of action, so we made the short hop to the spot from the

day before and immediately began to repeat the parallel

cast tactic. Much to our mutual surprise, nothing

happened. Nothing bit despite our being able to see fish

on the sonar. In a rut, I turned back to my old friend the

dropshot and began casting around the edge of the

rocks. Immediately I caught a good fish, and then

another, and another! As before I didn’t question why

this was working I simply went on catching fish.

That night, after a meal of microwaved unmentionables, I

sat in the back of my Ford Explorer, retying my baits and

thinking on the course of the previous pair of days. How

could one spot be so different in so short a time? It was a

perplexing thought certainly, but I decided that I would

wait till the next day to make any decisions on the topic.

And sure enough, on the final day of competition I caught

all my fish shallow on spinnerbaits and stout-lipped

crankbaits. Though I did not do as well as I had

previously, the success was undeniable due to my

boater’s good results.

Alright, so what the heck am I getting at? The purpose of

this anecdote, dear readers, is to highlight the volatile

and often unpredictable nature of fish during the frigid

pre-spawn period. Temperature fluctuation of

sometimes less than a degree can cause fish to behave in

a way we would never think of. Sudden warm spurts will

drive them shallow only to be driven off the next by the

inevitable return of the cold.

The point is that during spring you need to be ready to

move about and not be afraid to change baits often. For

example, now a days I like to get a small tackle box and

put one of every type of bait in it. Throughout the day I

will give each bait it’s turn at every spot so as to ensure I

cover all my bases. Yes, I know, this all sounds like quite

the pain, but if we didn’t love this

sport we wouldn’t

be out there in

the awful cold

in the first

place.

9

Redneck Ball, 28 March 2015, 5:00PM

Lakeside Motel & Resort, Trout Creek, MT

Live Auction - Kevin Hill Auctioneer, 7:00PM

Music by Dave & Deb Oliver

This is a one of a kind show will not be seen anywhere else! Get your tickets early at one of the following locations:

D & D Liquor, Thompson Falls, MT Lakeside Motel & Resort—Trout Creek, MT

Trout Creek Community Improvement Association

This is expected to be a sell out event! Proceeds benefit:

10

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MARCH 20th @ 1200 - Western States Fur Auction - Park County Fairgrounds, Livingston, MT

· MARCH 21st - 23rd - Missoula Great Rockies Sport Show - Adams Center - U of M - Missoula, MT

· MARCH 27th - 29th - Bozeman Great Rockies Sport Show

Brick Breeden Fieldhouse - Bozeman, MT

· MARCH 29th @ 1230 - District 6 Spring Membership Meeting - Havre, MT

· APRIL 18th @ 0900 - District 2 Spring Membership Meeting - FWP, Spurgin Rd, Missoula, MT

· APRIL 18th @ 1000 - District 2 Spring Membership Meeting - FWP, Kalispell, MT

· MAY 3rd @ 0900 - MTA Board Meeting - Yogo Inn, Lewistown, MT

See You There!

12

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15

Camo Sweetheart Ball Sponsors Please thank these sponsors by shopping with them for making

the Camo Sweetheart Ball such a success! Thank you!

Thank You!

Big Bull Sports

Bob Hosea—The Bob Factor

Bruce Hunn

Cabela's (Missoula)

Dale Fricke Holsters

Desta's Nails

D&D Liquor

Ed’s Outdoors

Gambles

Harvest Foods

Healthy Massage—Daphine Boles

Lakeside Resort & Motel

Levi Thrift Store

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Montana Outdoor Radio Show

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Plains Trap Club

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Scuz Busters & Diversified Services Judy Woolley

Shear Attitude

Sportsman's Warehouse

The Printery

Tires Plus

Tom & Shelly Rummel

Trout Creek Community Improvement Association

Whistle Creek Pottery Ellen Childress

OUTDOOR VETS

16

Donna & Doug Chase owners of the non-profit organization Magazines For Troops (MFT) is based out of Lakeside,

MT. MFT was started in their home by adopting a soldier serving in the middle east. Word soon spread of their

effort to send magazines to our men and women serving on remote assignments. At the peak of the war they were

serving over 270 military units shipping thousands of boxes of magazines. There are about 40 magazines in a box

and cost $12.65 to ship one box. Donna said, “We don’t have a shortage of used magazines but we constantly

struggle to have the money to ship them.” MFT needs your financial support to continue this patriotic undertaking.

Go to their website and make a donation just to send one box a month for our troops. Montana Woods N Water

donated leftover publications. Donate today! To learn more, call Donna at 406-844-2474.

17

Baldy Mountain Outfitters

Outfitter License # 23173

Phone: 406-291-7656

Welcome to Baldy Mountain Outfitter

Located in Plains, Montana

We offer high quality hunts that fit the clients ability and needs.

Our guides give 100% to make sure that the clients have the best possible hunt.

We are out in the hunting areas before daylight and stay till the last shooting light

to get the best chance of finding the big one.

We have access to large areas of public and private land to hunt.

WWW.BALDYMTNOUTFITTER.COM

Deer ● Elk ● Bear ● Mountain Lion