Charges filed in connection with killing of record bighorn | Great Falls Tribune

By MICHAEL BABCOCK • Tribune Outdoor Editor • August 29, 2009

State investigators filed felony and misdemeanor charges against a Whitehall taxidermist and two other men this week in connection with the shooting of a record bighorn sheep in the Missouri Breaks last fall.

An undercover Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks agent shot the sheep after purposely missing it a number of times over the course of a couple days, according to court documents.

Since last fall, the killing of the ram, which reportedly measured 204 inches on the Boone and Crockett scale, has been a hot topic on the Internet, with chat-room rumor mills churning out all kinds of speculation and accusations regarding the death of the bighorn ram and the actions of the undercover agent.

On Monday, the state filed charges in Chouteau County District Court against John E. Lewton of Whitehall, accusing him of felony unlawful possession of a game animal, two misdemeanor counts of hunting without landowner permission and a misdemeanor count of outfitting without a license.

On Wednesday, the state filed charges against Lewton in Jefferson County District Court, accusing him of felony unlawful sale of a game animal.

Also charged were Blake Trangmoe of Glendive and James Reed of Rexberg, Idaho. Each of those two men faces two misdemeanor charges of hunting without landowner permission, a misdemeanor count of outfitting without a license and one felony count of unlawful possession of a game animal.

In documents filed by the state, the Attorney General’s Office alleges that Lewton claimed to have accompanied a number of bighorn sheep tag holders while they hunted in Montana during the last 10 to 15 years.

FWP undercover agents began investigating Lewton in 2005.

When the undercover agent approached Lewton last year and told him he had a sheep tag, Lewton told the agent he took the last nine holders of the “governor’s sheep tag,” which is auctioned off by the state every year, hunting for their sheep.  Click Link Below For Full Story!

via Charges filed in connection with killing of record bighorn | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune.

Craig Daily Press / Businesses: Hunters will come despite recession

By Nicole Inglis

August 31, 2009

Since the fall, the stock market has taken a dive, home foreclosure rates doubled and many businesses struggled.

But the recession might not stop the annual pilgrimage of big game hunters from pouring into Craig, local business owners and representatives said.

Hunting season stretches from mid-August to January, but the four main hunting seasons bring a boon to local businesses from October to mid-November.

Archery season began Sat­urday, and while Dream Archery owner Rick Harmon said his store was packed Friday, he is a little concerned about the economy hurting business.

“Oh yeah, I’m worried about it,” he said. “Everyone’s got to worry.”

Still, he said, it’s hard to slow down avid hunters.

“It’s kind of like a religion here,” he said. “That, and a lot of people here hunt to survive. It’s the way they feed their families; they don’t buy any other meat.”

Patrick Jennings, sales director at the Holiday Inn of Craig, said most of the out-of-state hunters book their rooms for the following year before they check out of the hotel.

“Out of 152 rooms, we have about 90 rooms per day already booked up for the main hunting seasons,” he said. “We’re expecting it to be a little slower, but hunting season is always real good for us.”

The Holiday Inn may face some challenges, he said, but not because of the economy. Two more brand name hotels — the Hampton Inn & Suites and Candlewood Suites — have moved to the area, increasing the number of hotel rooms available by about 75 percent.

Jennings said the competition could be a problem but that out-of-state hunters still will come to Craig if they draw tags for the animals and areas they want to hunt.

“There’s still the biggest elk herds in the country here,” Jennings said. “Hunting is a pretty big boom for us. People take it pretty darn seriously.”

Randy Looper, who owns Elk Run Inn, said most of his returning guests booked their rooms last year, as well.

“I’m sold out during the four main hunting seasons,” Looper said. “The only difference is, I normally have a huge waiting list, and this year I only have a two- to three-person waiting list.”

Looper said the difference isn’t the economy: It’s the animals.

“The hunting has stunk the last few years,” he said. “Last year it was warm, so the elk didn’t come down to the lower elevations. There were people who didn’t even see an animal the whole time they were here.”

But, he said, if out-of-town hunters get the tags they need for the area, financial barriers won’t stop them.

Most spend between $8,000 and $20,000 for a hunting trip.

“Money really isn’t anything to them,” he said “People will still come from Wisconsin and New York. Hunting is what makes this town. If you take that away, there really isn’t much.”

Angela Cordova, an employee at Dark Horse Discount Liquor and a hunter, said the store’s business increases by about twice as much during hunting season.

“People will still come from Texas and New York,” she said. “They’re very dedicated to this town and the businesses. We hope that doesn’t change.”

However, she said, hunters might cancel their trips if they are denied tags. She said there were no tags this year in the area she usually hunts.

Robin Sloan, member of Bears Ears Sportsman Club, said she and her family did get the tags they hoped for, but many hunters did not.

“If you draw a tag, you’re going to come,” she said. “But it all has to do with the changing migration and the number of tags. If they don’t draw, they don’t come.”  Click Link Below For Full Story!

via Craig Colorado / Craig Daily Press / Businesses: Hunters will come despite recession.

Supreme Court to hear hunting video case

August 25, 11:30 PM Baltimore Hunting and Fishing Examiner John Van Ness

On October the sixth the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the United States vs. Stevens case. The outcome of this case has the potential to affect every form of hunting video sold or broadcasted in the United States. Depending on how the court rules, hunting television shows, DVD’s and even personal pictures of hunting trips on the Internet could fall under a federal statute that was intended to prevent the trafficking of media depicting animal cruelty. A portion of the video content in this case involves catch dogs trained to hold a wild boar while hunting. The court will have to decide if this is a form of animal cruelty and if this law is constitutional. What is disturbing is how the language of the original law could create a precedent that includes hunting as a form of animal cruelty and therefore interstate commerce of media depicting hunting would be illegal. Further than that, the long term implications of a Supreme Court ruling that hunting falls into this category could open a floodgate of state and local lawsuits from animal rights groups attempting to ban hunting. Though it is far outside the realm of this case and the original law, it is a safe bet that the groups dedicated to ending hunting and all animal use are salivating at the thought of using a Supreme Court ruling to file injunctions against hunting seasons.

Robert Steven’s videos do include dog fighting scenes and other unsavory images. He also advertised his video wares in “Sporting Dog Journal”, a magazine devoted to illegal dog fighting. That some of the content depicts scenes that do fall under the statute of animal cruelty is not in dispute. This is not a court case about animal cruelty or hunting but rather is about what constitutes speech protected under the First Amendment. There are limits to the Bill of Rights; unprotected speech is something like child pornography. Everyone can agree that that kind of media is undoubtedly harmful to individuals and society. The original intent of this particular law was to outlaw distribution of pornography that involved cruelty to animals, a noble purpose. However, the first application of this law happened to be this case and unfortunately it has ramifications that go well beyond the intent of the original law.  Click Link Below For Full Story!

via Supreme Court to hear hunting video case.

Trail camera takes guess work out of hunting : Outdoors : Memphis Commercial Appeal

By Bryan Brasher (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal

If you’ve paid much attention to the outdoors page lately, you’ve probably figured out that I’m a big fan of infrared trail-camera technology.

To me, checking new photos on a trail camera is like opening presents on Christmas morning.

You find something different every time you open a file — and if you use them properly, the cameras can be almost as much fun as hunting itself.

Besides high-powered rifles and self-climbing tree stands, trail cameras are the greatest tool we have as hunters today.

You strap one to a tree in a carefully chosen area, and it snaps photos continuously, leaving no doubt about what’s roaming around the nearby woods.

Cameras take a lot of the guess work out of your hunt and enhance the overall experience.

Still, some people refuse to use them — and I wonder if they truly realize what they’re missing.

Many old-school hunters buck the new trends in hunting technology because they feel like they’re cheating.

The way they see it, their great grandfathers didn’t use trail cameras, so they shouldn’t either.

But that seems like a lot of backwoods grandstanding to me — and I wonder if their great-grandfathers might agree with me if they were still around to ask.

Sticking to “old-school principles” is one of the oldest ways for one human to feel superior to another.  Click Link Below For Full Story!

via Trail camera takes guess work out of hunting : Outdoors : Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Judge Will Consider RMEF Support of Wolf Hunting

MISSOULA, Mont.—U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy on Friday granted a motion allowing the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to enter an amicus curiae brief supporting state-regulated wolf hunting in Idaho and Montana.

The move means RMEF positions will be considered against an emergency injunction filed by 13 environmental groups asking the judge to stop a planned hunt and return gray wolves to the endangered species list.

A hearing is scheduled for Monday and Molloy’s ruling could follow soon afterward.

The Elk Foundation’s amicus curiae brief is posted here:

* RMEF’s Amicus Brief – Wolf delisting – filed 8.28.09.pdf

* Wolf Delisting Declaration and Exhibits to RMEF’s Amicus Brief Filed 8.28.09.pdf

“We’re grateful that Judge Molloy has agreed to hear our side of this issue,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Once you cut away the hysterics and hyperbole, this is a straightforward wildlife management issue. State wildlife agencies have proven their professionalism and capability to balance predators with other resident species. They’ve been successfully managing wildlife for decades and we have total confidence in them.”

The Elk Foundation’s brief reinforces four main points:

* Historic success of modern, hunter-based conservation in North America.

* Viewpoints of hunters who continue to pay for the big-game resources that made wolf recovery possible.

* RMEF-funded research, along with other scientific and anecdotal evidence, showing that wolf populations are fully recovered and that, where wolves are present with elk, wolves are having detrimental impacts on elk.

* State wildlife agencies are best suited to manage wolves alongside other species.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:

Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

via 2009 News Releases.

Michael Waddell on Hunting Techniques – West Virginia Outdoors News

Columbus, Georgia

Chris Lawrence

He’s one of the best known names in the hunting industry today and Michael Waddell says while practice with your bow is important, quality is better than quantity.

“I think a lot of people think just practice, practice, practice with a bow and arrow makes perfect. I’m a little bit in disagreement with that,” said Waddell during a recent edition of West Virginia Outdoors.

Waddell is the host of television’s Bone Collector Series. He says his time on the road keeps him far too busy to get very many opportunities in front of a 3-D target. Therefore, when he is able to get in a few shots, he tried to make them count.

“I might now have but 20-minutes on a Saturday, so I try to get good solid practice,” said Waddell. “Even if I only shoot ten arrows I try to make sure that my form and my habits in that small time frame are as efficient and as good as I can.”

Waddell adds there’s a difference in shooting 3-D targets and actually drawing down on a live whitetail in the woods.

“You know the deer’s 25-yards, you practiced all summer and you ask yourself, ‘How did I shoot over that deer?’ or ‘How did I hit him that high?’” explained Waddell. “Video has proved deer react, so I get in the habit of holding heart to top of the heart with my pin once I’ve got an accurate distance. Very rarely do I shoot one in the heart, I usually shoot them through the double lung.”

Deer almost always react to the “thwack” sound created when you let go of the bow. Typically a deer will drop into an alert, crouched position. Waddell says the number one mistake hunters make is failing to aim low while hunting and compensate for that immediate drop.  Click link below for full story!

via West Virginia Outdoors News.

Afield: Get out, scout for mourning dove season | StarTribune.com

By BILL MARCHEL, Special to the Star TribuneLast update: August 23, 2009 – 12:55 AM How about a robin hunting season?Or sparrows, or cows? They’re just as challenging to hunt as mourning doves are. — To a farmer a “dirty field” is not a good thing. A farmer’s dictionary would tell you a “dirty field” is one with weeds sprouting between neat rows of crops. How many weeds are necessary for a field to be designated “dirty” is open for discussion.To a mourning dove, a “dirty field” is a good thing. A weedy field can provide a hungry dove a smorgasbord of delectable seeds such as foxtail, Johnson grass, pigweed and others.Thus, to a mourning dove hunter a “dirty field” is a good thing, too.Last week, on an evening cool enough to foretell the coming of fall, I searched for just such a field.The Minnesota mourning dove hunting opener is slightly more that a week away Sept. 1, and scouting for a prime hunting location is by far the most important aspect to ensuring a productive first-day hunt.My evening foray began at a familiar location. I initially found this particular dove hunting spot while scouting before the 2005 season. Back then the area had everything a mourning dove requires: food, water and shelter.  Click link below for full story!

via Afield: Get out, scout for mourning dove season | StarTribune.com.

Idaho wolf tag sales brisk as judge considers hunt | Seattle Times Newspaper

By JOHN MILLERAssociated Press WriterBOISE, Idaho —Matt Yost has hunted elk, deer and antelope for years on a college buddy’s sheep ranch in Idaho’s Southern Mountains, not far from the resort region of Sun Valley.After a wolf pack killed 19 domestic rams there recently, Yost was at Idaho Department of Fish and Game offices in Boise on Monday adding the predator to his list of possible targets.It was the first day Idaho wolf tags went on sale for a hunt slated to start next Tuesday. By mid-afternoon, the state was reporting about 4,000 tags sold, as hunters motivated by curiosity, novelty – and in some cases frustration with predators’ impact on wildlife and livestock – shelled out $11.50 for a wolf tag.This year, Yost’s friend with the sheep ranch had made a special request.”He called me and said, ‘If you’re going to show up, you’d better have a wolf tag,” Yost said.The federal government lifted Endangered Species Act protections from most wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains in May and now Idaho and Montana are gearing up for first open gray wolf hunts in the lower 48 states since delisting. Idaho last week approved a 220-wolf hunt, about a quarter of the state’s estimated 1,000 wolves, with limited hunting due to begin on Sept. 1. Montana approved the shooting of up to 75 wolves starting in mid-September.It’s still uncertain if hunts will even proceed.Thirteen environmental groups that have sued to overturn the federal delisting will get a hearing next Monday – one day before Idaho’s hunt would begin – where U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula will hear their arguments on why a wolf hunt should be halted.  Click Link Below for Full Story!

via Local News | Idaho wolf tag sales brisk as judge considers hunt | Seattle Times Newspaper.

Squirrel Hunting Opener 2009

By Joel Walters

My very first hunting trip as a kid was to a woodlot in search of squirrels, and I still get excited when the middle of August rolls around. Later will come dove, turkey, deer, and rabbits, but first always comes the hunt for bushy tails. I woke up admittedly a bit late this past weekend and quickly got dressed and headed out the door to a new place for me. On my way down to Adair WMA in Boone County, Kentucky I saw several deer, including a nice 8 pointer in velvet. Pulling in the drive past the Big Bone Baptist Church (no, I am not making this up) I was greeted by the sight up four other vehicles already parked in the small lot. Public land is always a gamble, so I decided to make the best of it and head to the furthest reaches of the property. I broke down the barrel of my Walther .22 caliber air rifle and inserted a Crow Magnum pellet into the barrel. After levering the barrel back, I jumped over a low wire that keeps vehicles from traveling down an old gravel road heading into the property. I eased down a steep hill, searching the beech trees that line the road for any movement. Soon I was at the bottom of the hill and noticed an old barn quietly moldering in the overgrowth. I continued down the gravel road, looking for a likely patch of hickories. The road travels down a small creek valley with thick brush coming in from both sides. After about ½ a mile, I looked to my left and saw a deer trail heading up another creek that fed the larger creek that ran along the gravel road. I jumped the creek, and started up the draw. Soon I was ducking and diving my way through massive tangles of multi-flora rose. As I detached my sleeve from a particular adamant briar vine, I saw a squirrel jump from a beech to a hickory about 40 yards away up the hill and to my left. Watching my steps carefully, I worked my way further up the draw on a path to intersect him. When I got about 20 more yards, I finally noticed a large electric fence. I was at the back of the property and would need to be very careful of where I shot a squirrel. On the public side of the property, honeysuckle, autumn olive, multi-flora rose, and any number of other entanglements seemed to snarl my plans. On the private property across the way was nothing by mowed pasture between majestic patches of hardwoods. I didn’t see that particular squirrel again, but I edge my way along the electric fence using a deer trail. This property is overrun with deer due in large part to the archery only regulations. I had never seen deer trails that looked so much like a cow path before. Pausing for a moment in a good vantage point, I scanned a small patch of hickories in front of me. Soon I saw the movement of a gray squirrel jumping from one tree to another. As he squirmed his way up a branch, I eased off the safety and placed the crosshairs on his head. Pifffff, and the squirrel was headed back down the limb the way he came. My first shot had been bad, and I couldn’t get cocked and loaded again before he was long gone. I continued on the deer trail, making occasional detours around the worst briar patches. It was kind of like making your way through a deciduous jungle where a machette would not have been out of place. On my hands and knees I crawled my way through patches of honeysuckle and autumn olive. As I reached a more open meadow, I was soon soaked to the skin with the heavy dew and sweat from the exertion. Detangling myself from another in a long series of briar patches, I was beginning to think it wouldn’t be too bad to just lay down and live here rather than take another step. Maybe a pack of boy scouts would wander by, find me, and take pity on me. Finally hope came in the form of a barking squirrel a few dozen yards in front of me. With renewed focus I eased into a more open section of hickories. As I scanned the tree tops, movement to my right caught me eye as a small gray squirrel eased down a tree in stops and spurts. Before I could draw a bead, he had jumped across the electric fence and onto the safety of the private property. I slowly made my way down hill. The sun was getting higher and was baking my brain along with the dew from the meadow and turning the day into a real humid scorcher. After about half an hour of stalking through the small patch of woods, I convinced myself that the squirrel I had seen was the same one I had heard barking earlier and started to walk more quickly. About three steps in, I heard a squirrel jump through the trees ten yards away. I quickly flipped off the safety and searched for the squirrel in my scope. He made it about 25 yards quickly through the treetops before stopping to check his back trail. I put the crosshairs on his chest and squeezed. A branch slowly descended from the canopy, but no squirrel. I ran up the hill and searched the area, but didn’t see any sign. Thoroughly disgusted and disgusting to boot (I was a sweaty mess), I hacked my way through the meadow back to the gravel road and from there to my truck. The parking lot was more full than when I had left, but I wished my fellow hunters luck as I kicked on the air conditioner full blast and headed home.

Elk Hunt Forecast for 2009- RMEF

MISSOULA, Mont.—Elk and elk hunting opportunities are plentiful across the U.S. and Canada, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has just released its annual roundup of hunt forecasts for 27 states and provinces, newly posted at www.rmef.org. “Elk herds are in great shape across most of the West, thanks to a mild winter and normal moisture. And, of course, the ongoing habitat stewardship projects supported by our members and volunteers have helped, too,” said David Allen, president and CEO of the Elk Foundation. This summer, RMEF passed the 5.6 million acre mark for elk habitat conserved or enhanced. Storylines within the Elk Foundation’s 2009 elk hunt forecast include the amazing herd growth following elk restoration efforts in Kentucky, wolf impacts on elk and hunting in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, massive elk populations in Colorado and the trophy bull reputations of Arizona and Utah. Here’s a condensed look at forecasts from top states and provinces for total elk populations. To see all the reports in their entirety, including contact information for respective conservation agencies, visit www.rmef.org. For even more hutning including sidebars, see the Sept./Oct. 2009 edition of the RMEF member magazine, Bugle. Alberta Elk Population: 20,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: N/A Nonresidents: $298 and must be accompanied by an Alberta resident Hunter Host or licensed guide. Southwestern Alberta has a reputation for big bulls where elk are managed to ensure that plenty of bulls live long enough to reach their full potential. A little farther north, some impressive bulls are killed each year in the Peace River area. Warmer and drier than normal conditions over most of the province brought elk through the winter in great shape. Expect good hunting prospects this season for trophy bulls and cows. Arizona Elk Population: 25,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 35 to 40/100 Nonresidents: $151 hunting license (nonrefundable to enter drawing) plus $595 elk permit. Arizona has one of the finest reputations in the nation as a trophy-producing destination. Any unit has potential for big bulls. More specifically, the units surrounding Flagstaff have been good. Units 1 and 27 on the east side, and 3A, 3B and 3C around Pine Top are units to consider as well. Arizona has seen favorable conditions for elk over the past several years and elk populations are stable in most regions. Elk numbers are increasing in the east-central portion of the state but additional antlerless tags are not being issued because biologists want more elk in this area. British Columbia Elk Population: 50,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 20/100 Nonresidents: $189 hunting license, plus $277 elk tag. Must hire a licensed guide, or in certain cases may be accompanied by a resident hunter. Coastal British Columbia saw significant snowpack but nothing terribly out of the ordinary for wintering elk. Over the central and southern portions of the province, snowfall was normal to slightly below normal. Elk herds are burgeoning in productive habitat. Elk are especially abundant in the Kootenay region, an attractive area for trophy hunters where bull harvest is limited to animals carrying at least six tines on at least one antler. Many trophy areas in British Columbia offer rifle hunting during the rut, an option that has become increasingly rare in North America, with a few notable exceptions. California Elk Population: 1,500 Rocky Mountain Elk, 6,000 Roosevelt’s, 3,900 Tule Bull/Cow Ratios: 20 to 90/100 Nonresidents: $143 nonrefundable hunting license plus $1,163 elk tag. The state’s coveted elk tags are in short supply, making general drawing odds slim. There are three auction tags: one for Grizzly Island, one for Owens Valley and one multiple-zone tag in which recipients can choose to hunt one of the three sub-species. A proposal is afoot to allow nonresidents to purchase landowner tags for 2010, a move that could increase access for those who can afford an outfitter. Lucky residents who pull an elk tag can expect excellent conditions this fall. Elk populations are stable to increasing in all areas. Elk are also increasing in the Lake Pillsbury region, where a new hunting area may be opened next fall. Colorado Elk Population: 280,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 25/100 Nonresidents: $546 bull tag, $251 antlerless. Colorado offers a bit of everything. Limited-entry, tough-to-draw tags provide a legitimate shot at a world-class bull in some units, such as those in the northwest corner of the state, but hunters need 15 to 20 preference points to draw. Over-the-counter tags are widely available, giving hunters a shot at a bull. Most will be spikes and raghorns but mature bulls can be found in these hard-hunted units. The state also allots a plethora of antlerless licenses—though around 10,000 less than last year—giving meat hunters excellent odds. Hunters should have more opportunity at mature bulls this year as the harvest was generally down last year because of weather. Idaho Elk Population: 107,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 10 to 50/100 Nonresidents: $142 hunting license plus $373 elk tag. Have wolves eaten all the elk in Idaho? Not even close, says Brad Compton of Idaho Fish and Game. “We still have some good elk hunting. Wolves have had an impact on our herds in some parts of the state, but they’ve not been decimated like it’s been publicized.” Elk populations are fairly stable statewide with areas of western Idaho trending upward, while wolves have had the biggest impact on the Lolo and Sawtooth zones on the Idaho/Montana border. For 2009, caps will occur on tags offered in the Sawtooth and Diamond Creek elk zones. Idaho elk hunters enjoy around a 20 percent success rate on average. In an area such as the Lolo zone, elk are holing up more often in security cover. Compton suggests hunters who enjoy hunting whitetails in cover should try the same tactics for elk. Kentucky Elk Population: 10,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 35 to 40/100 (branch-antlered) Nonresidents: $130 hunting license plus $365 elk tag. Kentucky’s herd in the 16-county elk restoration zone could soon hit 11,000 animals. Giant typical and nontypical bulls are killed each season, making the state’s elk hunt wildly popular. With such robust numbers, Kentucky is upping its tag offerings by a large portion this season, boosting available licenses by more than 50 percent. The state will offer 250 bull permits and 750 antlerless permits, with 10 percent of the tags going to out of staters. Those who don’t draw can look to landowners who auction their permits or to auctioned Commissioner Tags. Montana Elk Population: 150,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 5 to 25/100 Nonresidents: $593 for regular drawing, $1,500 for outfitter sponsored tags. Elk populations in Montana remain at or above management objectives in most areas, but many hunters will have to work harder to find elk this fall. Quentin Kujala of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks says tough wintering conditions in portions of western Montana decreased the number of yearling animals. Some areas will no longer offer over the counter, either-sex tags. Wolf impacts near Yellowstone National Park appear to be stressing elk populations. Anecdotal evidence from popular hunting grounds in the Snowcrest, Ruby, Centennial and Gravelly ranges suggest that wolves are dispersing elk in ways that make for tougher hunting. Finding a mature bull will remain tough in the region between Butte and Boulder, where extensive road access keeps bull/cow ratios extremely low. All in all, though, Treasure State hunters can expect a fine season. Nevada Elk Population: 11,000 Bull/Cow Ratio: 40/100 Nonresidents: $142 hunting license plus $1,200 bull tag or $500 antlerless tag. With a 14 percent increase in adult elk numbers and a slight boost in bull/cow ratios from 2008, Nevada’s elk are thriving. Most areas have seen modest herd expansion with fairly rapid growth in Elko County. About 75 percent of the state’s elk are located in the eastern part of the state, where massive fires have converted brushlands to grasslands, hurting mule deer but boosting elk numbers. All of the state’s elk tags are issued by lottery. No matter where you hunt, the outlook is as good this season as it’s been in years. New Mexico Elk Population: 80,000 Bull/Cow Ratio: 45/100 Nonresidents: $547 standard bull tag, $772 quality bull tag. For elk hunters, the “Land of Enchantment” lives up to its nickname with great opportunities to hunt elk in unique habitat, with potential for big bulls. From a management perspective, units fall into two categories: “quality” units that are managed for bigger bulls with low hunter densities, and “opportunity” units that have higher tag allotments to give more people a shot at an elk. Hunter success rates typically run from 35 to 50 percent in the quality units with many of the bulls killed being 6 years old or older. But hunters in the opportunity units do very well by most standards. Success rates run from about 12-30 percent. Overall, the state’s elk population is stable to slightly increasing. Oregon Elk Population: 120,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 12 to 30/100 Nonresidents: $439. Oregon’s elk population trend has been stable over the past decade. The state’s herd is split almost equally between the Roosevelt’s sub-species in the west and Rocky Mountain to the east, groups that see notably different management. For the most part, general season hunting with over-the-counter licenses reigns in the west, while limited-entry regulations dominate in the east. Bowhunting is the exception, with most areas open to archers carrying a general tag. “Conditions should be fair to good, similar to last year,” says Test. Success rates are higher in limited entry units, but hover around 10 percent for general season hunting. Saskatchewan Elk Population: 15,000 Bull/Cow Ratio: 20/100 No nonresident tags available. Saskatchewan’s elk fared well last winter. Snowpack across the province was variable but didn’t adversely affect elk populations. During the winter of 2008, two elk in the Nipawin area were found dead. Both tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), the first confirmed cases of the disease in free-ranging elk in the province. However, wildlife officials have been monitoring CWD for nearly 10 years after a mule deer in the Manitou Hills tested positive. Although the disease has the potential to adversely affect elk numbers, massive die-offs aren’t likely. CWD has plagued elk in several states, including parts of Colorado, without the disastrous effects some biologists predicted when it was discovered. Elk populations remain healthy and growing across the province, with a fine hunting season predicted for this fall. Utah Elk Population: 67,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 15 to 80/100 Nonresidents: $65 hunting license, plus $388 general tag, $795 limited entry tag, or $1,500 premium limited entry tag (allows hunting in all weapon seasons within a unit). Utah is viewed by many hunters as one of the top destinations for trophy bulls, especially after last fall’s “Spider Bull” became the new world’s record nontypical. Elk enjoy rich habitat with populations stable or trending upward across the state. Permits are limited but over-the-counter bull tags are available if you’re willing to take a spike. New for 2009 is a regulation change that also allows the harvest of spike bulls in limited-entry units with an over-the-counter tag. Fewer unlimited areas allow hunting for any bull. Most of these are found in designated wilderness areas on the north and south slopes of the Uinta Mountains, where success rates run around 15 percent. Washington Elk Population: 58,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 12 to 20/100 in most units Nonresidents: $396. Bull/cow ratios are at management objectives nearly everywhere. Couple that with a snowy but manageable winter where no areas suffered above average mortality, and hunters should expect a favorable hunting season. Bull/cow ratios in some Blue Mountains areas are running the highest in the state. Overall elk numbers remain stable in the Evergreen State with slight increases in the northeast and some decreases in the southwest where managers have moved aggressively to trim the herd in the Mt. St. Helens area. Washington still offers over the counter bull tags for Roosevelt’s elk in the west and Rocky Mountain elk in the east. Bulls in the west must have at least three points on one antler, while spikes-only can be taken on a general tag in the east. Wyoming Elk Population: 105,000 Bull/Cow Ratios: 11 to 40/100 Nonresidents: $577 for regular drawing, $1057 for special drawing, $288 for cow/calf. Cowboy State elk populations are at or above objective and elk hunting opportunities have never been higher. Antlerless tags are abundant. Hunters can anticipate an exceptional elk season, with a few exceptions. Jeff Obrecht of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department cautions that access to the elk-factory Laramie Peak area is problematic with public lands highly fragmented and private lands heavily leased. Reduced forage on winter range left elk struggling in the southwest. Bull-to-cow ratios remain low east of Jackson where biologists are observing just 11 bulls to 100 cows. Leftover tags (after the drawing in 2009) went on sale on a first-come, first-served basis in early July. One of the most notable changes in elk country for 2009 could be a wolf hunt in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Stay tuned to the respective state wildlife agencies for news and details. RMEF is a vocal supporter of state-regulated hunting to manage restored populations of gray wolves. For more info, visit www.rmef.org. About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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