Where have all the mulies gone? | Great Falls Tribune

By Michael Babcock

The mule deer — the signature deer of the West — is in trouble in Montana and Fish, Wildlife & Parks is cutting back on hunter opportunity to halt a slide in the deer's numbers that began a couple of years ago.

The decline in the number of fawns each year is cyclical, however, and game managers expect the deer herds to come back in three or four years.

Biologists blame a decade or more of drought and untimely winter-like storms that occurred in spring of 2009. Coyotes and mountain lions also kill mule deer but when deer numbers are down, that impacts the number of predators as well.

In northcentral Montana and several other FWP administrative regions, biologists this year are suggesting heavy restrictions on mule deer harvest for the next two years. In Region 4, for example all general deer A licenses will be for antlered mule deer only or either sex whitetails. Other restrictions are recommended in Regions 1, 2 and 3.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commissioners will adopt final hunting regulations when they meet in Helena on Feb. 11. They will not set quotas until sometime in the summer. That allows biologists to complete their winter and spring deer and elk surveys.

While the decline is just about region wide for northcentral Montana, Quentin Kujala, head of the wildlife bureau for Fish, Wildlife & Parks says the problem goes beyond Region 4.

“We are hearing the same comments from regions 1, 2 and 3,” he said.

“All four had responding adjustments in tentatives this year toward a more conservative antlerless harvest,” he said. “In the comments we have received people are appreciating those moves and in some cases calling for more conservative moves.

“In eastern Montana Region 5, we have made some adjustments but as a region the problem is not as widespread as regions 1 through 4. In the far eastern regions (Regions 6 and 7) the message is a little more scattered.

“But it certainly is on a bigger scale than only one region,” Kujala said.

Tom Stivers, a FWP biologist in Lewistown, said mule deer numbers are down in virtually all of central Montana and south of the Snowy Mountains, too.

FWP game managers noticed the decline a year ago and they began cutting back on the number of B tags — tags reserved for antlerless deer. Hunters began complaining last fall that they failed to get a B tag in areas where they have gotten them for years.

Before that, FWP was generous with B tags and there were a number of hunting districts where surplus B tags — those not taken during the application process in the spring — were sold over the counter.

“Did we go too far with B tags?” Kujala said. “One of the greatest challenges in wildlife management when it comes to mule deer is when you couple the ebbs and flows in a dynamic system.

“Everybody has a different perception of where populations are and then there are season structures and the inherent timeline of season setting. The challenge is trying to match harvest opportunity with the situation.”

Kujala said there clearly are cycles in the mule deer populations and he said 10 to 15 years would be a good generalization.

“We can talk at great length of how to think about cycles. They are intrinsic with mule deer and how they respond to things like the weather or how they impact their environment,” he said. “But is easiest just to recognize that there is an event when you look back you can see the ebb and flow.

“Anyway you look at it the system has a potential to be just behind the curve,” Kujala said. “Increased liberalization might be behind the curve and the same with conservatism. By the time you match the population that might be the population that was there last year.”

Stivers said that mule deer numbers were high in the hunting districts he manages two and three years ago.

“But fawn recruitment dropped off and that is a sign that things are going to happen,” he said. “We still had good numbers of deer in all those places and we were in a biennial season setting structure so you cannot go to bucks only except every two years.”

“There still are deer out there and some hunting districts are in better shape than others,” Stivers said.

“I don’t think this trough is going to be as pronounced as that one in the mid-90s,” he said.

“Region 4 and some others have taken some late snows and there have been extreme conditions when the fawns hit the ground,” Kujala said. “Then there is the drought. Even though we have had better summer moisture the last few years, in some regions the drought has hung on. That shows up in fawn mortality and late in the fall. There have been more than enough weather events to impact fawns.”

“Region 1 (northwest Montana) has been talking about winter conditions and Region 6 had a lot of winter weather last year. The mule deer population is manifesting that dip.

There also are predators.

“That always is a question,” Kujala said. “Classical theory tells you that prey drive the predators. At low levels, predators can impact the lows, dragging them out.”

“Lots of things add up to this,” Stivers said. “And this also is in line with the reduction in numbers that occurs every 10 to 12 years.

“Dry summers effect lactation and fawn survival,” Stivers said.

He explained that mule deer eat forbs or browse and are more sensitive to dry summers.

Elk can shift from forbs or browse to grass in winter but mule deer cannot.

“The mule deer are left with nothing. Oftentimes there are two years like that back to back and you get low fawn recruitment,” he said.

“It is cumulative wear on females and fawn recruitment drops. Dry summers are often followed by slightly worse than normal winter affects.

“Coyote numbers also are high right now,” he said.

Neither Kujala nor Stivers would point at one factor or another as having been the driving force behind the decline.

Stivers said, “People overlook the significance but the No. 1 thing that drives mule deer population is how green the summers are.

“The real thing that drives mule deer and antelope are forbs — the broad-leafed plants such as dandelions, clover, all the milky sap plants. There are lots of small broadleaf plants in the understory of the prairie.”

“At this point in time, the sense would be to see it more as a mule deer thing than a trouble thing,” Kujala said.

Reach Babcock at triboutdoors@greatfallstribune.com or by calling 791-1487.

via Where have all the mulies gone? | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune.

Public-Land Trophy | Outdoor Life

by Travis Faulkner

We’ve all seen pictures and even video clips of thick-boned titans trotting around with racks that would probably make Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett go into cardiac arrest. In the real world, many of these top-heavy bruisers live behind high-fences and dollar signs that would make an AIG executive with no government bailout money squirm. However, it’s still possible to tag a heavy-racked monster from public land areas that doesn’t require a month’s salary or expensive guides to hunt. Just ask Lynn Hensley who recently connected with a double drop-tined dream buck that sported 18-points with a 22-inch inside spread.

Let’s face it; a whitetail that survives long enough in the wild to grow pop can thick bases and extra long points is a different breed of animal that commands respect. Hensley completely understood that it would take a lot of work and long hours in the stand to generate a close encounter with a deer of this magnitude. In fact, for three years Hensley hunted the same tract of Daniel Boone National Forest land in southeastern Kentucky. The area primarily consisted of vast stretches of open hardwoods country, rocky cliffs, clear-cut entanglements, and laurel thickets. Who would have thought that an area with no agricultural farmland, manicured food plots, or strict management plans could produce such a phenomenal buck? Nonetheless, Hensley knew the buck was there and that was enough to keep him in the woods throughout three seasons.

Finally, the opportunity he had been waiting on for so long presented itself during the Kentucky rifle season. Hensley had decided to move setups and try an overgrown thicket near an old gravel back road. Just after daylight, the hunter caught a glimpse of movement from a large bodied deer in the middle of the brushy cover. He quickly picked out a narrow opening and patiently waited for the whitetail to enter. You can bet that Hensley’s heart skipped a beat when the buck’s massive rack came into view. Without hesitation, he rested the crosshairs of his scope on the sweet spot and gently squeezed the trigger. The giant 18-point buck hit the ground like a rock and ended three long years of hard work for Hensley.

via Public-Land Trophy | Outdoor Life.

Take time to enter lottery for moose hunt – Bangor Daily News

By John Holyoke

BDN Staff

Take time to enter lottery for Sometime in June, hundreds of prospective moose hunters will head to L.L. Bean in Freeport to find out if this is finally the year they get to enjoy the hunt of a lifetime.

Of course, if you want to be included on the list of lucky hunters, you’ve got to enter the state-run permit lottery. And there’s no time like the present to take care of those simple logistics.

I know, I know. You’ve got plenty of time between now and then. You’ll get around to entering the lottery eventually.

Unfortunately, I’ve heard that before. Several times, in fact. Truth be told, three close acquaintances, two of whom I’ve actually gone moose hunting with, have missed out on past lotteries because … well … they just never got around to entering.

Believe me: You don’t want that to happen to you. Think of how sad you’ll be. Or, if that doesn’t work, think of how much grief your hunting buddies will give you. (If you want proof, I’ve got a couple of hunting buddies who can provide it).

This year a total of 3,140 moose permits will be allotted to hunters. No more than 10 percent of those permits will go to non-residents. The rest are for Mainers.

This year’s two primary moose seasons will run from Sept. 27 through Oct. 2 and from Oct. 11 through Oct. 16.

Additional hunts with fewer permits outstanding will be staged from Nov. 1 through 6 in Wildlife Management Districts 2, 3, 6 and 11, and from Nov. 1-27 in WMDs 15, 16, 23 and 26. A Maine hunt for Maine residents will be staged on Oct. 30, preceding the monthlong November season, in WMDs 15, 16, 23 and 26.

The simplest way to register for the permit lottery is to go to the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Web site — www.mefishwildlife.com — and use the MOSES system.

Since the state has moved toward on-line lottery registration, and has stopped mailing out application forms to those who registered in past years, a number of people have voiced frustration with the process.

And while the DIF&W wants as many people as possible to register via the Internet, it understands that some folks just don’t have Internet access.

For those, there are a couple of options. First, the state will accept paper applications that you print off a computer and mail to them.

If that’s not an option, you can visit the DIF&W office in Augusta and fill out an application.

Finally, the DIF&W will send you an application if you send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to them at this address: Moose Permit Application Request, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, 41 State House Station, 284 State –Street, Augusta, 04333-0041.

The deadline for entry via the Internet is 11:59 p.m. on May 14. Paper applications must be postmarked by April 1 or delivered personally to the DIF&W before 5 p.m. on April 1.

For Maine residents, one chance in the lottery will cost you $7, three chances cost $12 and six chances cost $22. Non-resident fees: $15 for one chance, $25 for three, $35 for six, or $55 for 10. Non-residents are allowed to purchase multiples of 10 chances at $55 each. Maine residents may only purchase seven or fewer chances.

Resident hunters who are selected in the lottery will then be required to pay a $52 permit fee before their hunt. Non-residents pay a $484 permit fee.

via Take time to enter lottery for moose hunt – Bangor Daily News.

LBL Quota Turkey Hunt Applications Available Online February 1-28

Written by Karen Orange

PADUCAH, KY – Applications will be available online February 1, for the first six hunting days of the 2010 Turkey Season at Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area.

Three quota hunts in both Kentucky and Tennessee during the first portion of the season require a prior application. In Kentucky they include a two-day youth hunt for hunters (under age 16 on the Kentucky portion of LBL) March 27-28, a two-day hunt April 8-9, and a two-day hunt April 17-18. In Tennessee they include a two-day youth hunt (for hunters 6-16 years old on the Tennessee portion) April 10-11, a two-day hunt April 12-13, and a two-day hunt April 17-18. No hunting is permitted between these dates.

The non-quota hunting season, which does not require a prior application, is one 14-day hunt, April 19 – May 2 for Kentucky and two 7-day hunts in Tennessee, April 19-25 and April 26 – May 2.

The Quota Hunt application fee will remain at $5 for an online application. Hunters can apply online at www.lbl.org February 1-28. Applicants can check the website at www.lbl.org near the middle of March to see if they were drawn.

Land Between The Lakes is managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in partnership with “Friends of LBL,” to provide public lands outdoor recreation and environmental education. We encourage visitors to review our website at www.lbl.org each season, and throughout the season, for our Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, and temporary trail and road closures. Additional LBL information is also available on our website or by calling 1-800-LBL-7077 or 270-924-2000. You can find out more about “Friends of LBL” at www.friendsoflbl.org.

via LBL Quota Turkey Hunt Applications Available Online February 1-28.

Kentucky Afield Radio Live on MyHuntingandFishing.Com

Here at MyHuntingandFishing.Com we are proud to announce that as of 1/24/10 Kentucky Afield Radio is once again streaming live on Sunday evenings from 6 to 8pm.  Hosted by Tim Farmer of Kentucky Afield Television, this program offers expert advice from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife personnel, tips from well-known sportsmen and women, as well as giving callers a chance to ask questions about their favorite subjects associated with wildlife-related recreation.  If you have any questions at all about anything hunting or fishing call during the show toll free at 1-877-592-4868.   Kentucky Afield Radio presently airs on the following stations:

• WFKY Froggy 104.9 Frankfort
• WKCM-AM 1160 in Hawesville
• WBGN-AM 1340 in Bowling Green
• WNBS-AM 1340 in Murray
• WLYE-FM 94.1 in Glasgow
• WLXO-FM 96.1 in Lexington
• WGOH Grayson – First Hour

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources – Kentucky’s Spring Turkey Season To Open April 17

Jan 20, 2010

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky’s 2010 spring wild turkey hunting season will open statewide Saturday, April 17, and close Sunday, May 9. The youth-only season will be April 3-4.

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission, at its August meeting, recommended April’s second Saturday as a permanent general season opener, but their proposal has not yet completed the legislative approval process.

The new license year begins March 1 and already hunters are beginning to plan hunts. Therefore, as in the past, this year’s opener will fall on the Saturday closest to April 15.

The 2010 Kentucky Hunting Guide for Spring Turkey and Squirrel will be posted online at fw.ky.gov Thursday, Jan. 21, and printed guides will be available at license vendors within the next few weeks. Hunters should be sure to check the guide for complete hunting regulations, including bag limits, licensing requirements and equipment guidelines.

via Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources – Kentucky’s Spring Turkey Season To Open April 17.

5 charged in illegal commercial hunting scam – Billings Gazette

Gazette Staff |

A Kentucky man has been sentenced for running an illegal commercial hunting business that utilized public Block Management Areas between 2005 and 2007 in northeastern Montana.

Robert Nelsen, 60, of Bowling Green, Ky., was fined $5,555 and was ordered to pay $1,050 in restitution after pleading guilty. He also had his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges revoked for eight years. When he was apprehended, Nelsen had more than 30 pheasants over his limit.

Four other men were also charged as a result of the investigation, some of them associates and the others clients.

Records show the men hit the Block Management Areas 93 days in 2005, 122 days in 2006, and 21 days in 2007. The Block Management Program opens private lands to public hunters. Landowners are paid by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for allowing access.

“Unauthorized commercial ventures are not allowed on BMAs,” said Mike Herman, Region 6 warden captain, in a statement.

“We’re seeing an increase in this type of commercial activity in the northeastern corner of the state,” Herman added. “For the sake of the everyday hunter and the program, we’re trying to control it. We don’t want Block Management Areas to become ‘slip in and slip out’ access points for an unlimited number of commercial ventures.”

Nelsen pleaded guilty in Montana 15th Judicial District Court to a felony count of outfitting without a license. He also was convicted on the misdemeanor charges in Roosevelt County Justice Court: wasting and abandoning a game bird, discharging a firearm from a public roadway, three counts of hunting game birds without permission, three counts of accountability (for the conduct of clients), three counts of acting as an outfitter without a license, and seven counts of killing and/or possessing more than the legal limit of game birds.

Nelsen’s associates and clients included William McCarley of Auburn, Ky., Perry Bond of Louisville, Ky., Chris Riopelle of Denver, Colo., and James Booth of Davie, Fla.

McCarley was convicted on a misdemeanor count of violating Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission regulations for illegally shooting a hen pheasant and was fined $135.

Bond was convicted on a misdemeanor count of hunting during a closed season for shooting a hen pheasant. He was fined $135 and was ordered to pay $25 in restitution.

Riopelle and Booth each received deferred prosecutions with fines and restitution attached to two misdemeanor counts of retaining the services on an unlicensed outfitter. They each paid a $575 fine and $500 in restitution and for a period of one year.

via 5 charged in illegal commercial hunting scam.

Outdoor Channel Inks Exclusive Multi-Year Deal With Lee & Tiffany Lakosky /PRNewswire-FirstCall

Stars of 'The Crush with Lee & Tiffany’s; to Have Expanded Presence Across Outdoor Channel's Network, Web Site and at Industry Events

TEMECULA, Calif., Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTD), America’s leader in Outdoor TV, today announced that it has entered into a new multi-year partnership with Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, the network’s hallmark outdoor couple. Under the terms of the agreement, the Lakoskys will exclusively endorse Outdoor Channel programming on air and online with promotional spots and brand IDs; make appearances on the network’s behalf at top trade and consumer shows; and provide fresh weekly content for its growing Web site, www.OutdoorChannel.com.

The new agreement reflects Outdoor Channel's ongoing investment in top-notch talent within the outdoor category. In addition to its quality programming, Outdoor Channel has become a popular digital destination for outdoor enthusiasts and provides its avid fans with opportunities to engage with its talent at leading events. The annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas from January 19-22 will be among the Lakosky’s; upcoming Outdoor Channel appearances.

“Lee and Tiffany are clear Outdoor Channel fan favorites, and we are pleased to extend our relationship with the Lakoskys to elevate the Outdoor Channel brand,” said Tom Hornish, COO for Outdoor Channel Holdings. “They are a tremendous asset to our pro-staff roster and represent a growing segment of the outdoor industry – married couples who participate in outdoor activities together.”

“Outdoor Channel is a perfect fit for us with its proven history in delivering the best outdoor entertainment. We're happy to expand our scope of work with the network as we return for more adventures and introduce an added level of engagement with Outdoor Channel’s digital platform and promotional events,” said Lee Lakosky. “This is an ideal opportunity to stay in front of our fans on air, online and through appearances to showcase all facets of our action-packed hunting lifestyle,” added Tiffany Lakosky.

Lee and Tiffany Lakosky are a youthful and energetic hunting duo. The couple has devoted themselves to the outdoor lifestyle and is extremely skilled in the art of hunting. They spend countless hours sharpening their skills, challenging each other and actively managing their land for trophy whitetails in eastern Iowa. Mr. Lakosky has always had a passion for hunting but that passion escalated in 1994 when he harvested his first Pope and Young whitetail. Mrs. Lakosky was introduced to the sport only six years ago and, at the time, thought that it would be a fun and interesting addition to her life but never imagined that it would turn into the passion that it has become.

Lee and Tiffany Lakosky star in “The Crush with Lee & Tiffany.”

About Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.

Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTD) owns and operates Outdoor Channel, America's leader in outdoor TV, and Winnercomm Inc., an Emmy Award winning production and interactive company. Outdoor Channel offers programming that captures the excitement of hunting, fishing, shooting, off-road motorsports, adventure and the Western lifestyle and can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, as well as on a dynamic broadband website. Winnercomm Inc. is one of America's largest and highest quality producers of live sporting events and sports series for cable and broadcast television. Winnercomm also owns and operates the patented Skycam and CableCam aerial camera systems which provide dramatic overhead camera angles for major sports events, including college and NFL football. For more information please visit www.outdoorchannel.com.

SOURCE Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.

RELATED LINKS

http://www.outdoorchannel.com

via Outdoor Channel Inks Exclusive Multi-Year Deal With Lee & Tiffany Lakosky — TEMECULA, Calif., Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ –.

Record buck on view this weekend – Springfieldnewssun.com

By Jim Morris, Staff Writer Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Area residents will get their first up-close look at the Stephens buck this weekend, Jan. 23 (4 to 9 p.m.) and Jan. 24 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) when Brian Stephens of Clayton and taxidermist Rick Busse of Piqua put it on display at the Cincinnati Hunting & Fishing Show, part of the Cincinnati Travel, Sports & Boat Show.

The buck, when officially scored on Jan. 30, will have the largest main beams of any whitetail ever recorded. It will also be a nontypical record for muzzleloaders in Ohio.

The boat and travel portion of the Cincinnati show opened on Friday, Jan. 15 and will continue through Jan. 24. The show is closed today, but reopens Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 5 p.m. at the Duke Energy Convention Center on Fifth and Elm Streets.

The show features hunting and fishing seminars, including Joe Thomas, Frank Scalish, Tom Clay, Ryan Thomas and Tom Dietz.

For show schedules and other information, visit hartproductions.com.

via Record buck on view this weekend.

Wild hogs could be past point of elimination in Ohio – Dayton Daily News

By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer

Ohio could be past the point of being able to eradicate destructive wild hogs from the state, a federal wildlife specialist said.

The swine, popularly dubbed “Hogzillas” capable of growing to 500 pounds or more, have taken a foothold here as they have rapidly spread across the United States in a population explosion, a new survey shows.

So far, Ohio’s animals are apparently free of diseases that could harm people, said Craig Hicks, a wildlife disease biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture based in Reynoldsburg.

But they remain a serious threat to native wildlife and the environment, and hunters should still use caution when harvesting them, Hicks noted.

“Their existence here can only wreak havoc on the natural environment,” he said. “We may be beyond the point of removing all feral swine from Ohio.”

In 2009, the first year of an ongoing program to test the wild hogs for diseases, Hicks examined samples from 14 swine killed by hunters. Tests came back negative for classical swine fever, swine brucellosis and pseudo rabies.

That doesn’t mean hunters shouldn’t be vigilant, he added.

As with deer or any wild animal, hunters should wear rubber gloves when handling raw meat and properly bag discarded pieces after field dressing, Hicks said. Hunters should also wash their hands and clothing. And, as with any pork product, the meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

The total number of wild Ohio hogs — a mix of farm escapees and much larger European boars that fled game hunting camps — is 500 to 1,000, according to estimates.

They’re in 26 of 88 counties including Belmont, Gallia, Guernsey, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Washington in the southeast.

They’re also in Adams, Brown, Butler, Darke, Preble and Shelby counties.

Reports also have located them in Auglaize, Champaign, Fayette, Logan, Mercer and Pickaway counties, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

As wild hogs have spread, they have developed permanent populations in more regions, said Jack Mayer, a scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C.

In a Scripps Howard News Service report, Mayer said he’s tracked the spread of the pigs to 44 states. America’s wild pig population more than doubled in size and range in the past 20 years. Two decades ago, 500,000 to 2 million roamed the United States. Now the population is 2 million to 6 million. In 1982, they were documented in only 17 states.

Mayer said that when a wild hog community is large enough, it reaches a critical mass and gains what scientists say is a permanent foothold.

Twenty-one states fall into that category of having an “established” hog population. When the population is smaller, it can still be removed by hunting and trapping.

Twelve states have so-called “transitional” or “emerging” populations including Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Wildlife experts have said the hogs are increasingly running roughshod in rural areas, suburbs and even a few cities. They’re digging up cemeteries, gardens and lawns, causing car wrecks — and occasionally attacking people.

In 2009:

• A wild pig attacked a St. Petersburg, Fla., woman in her backyard in April, goring her leg. Seven months later, an Avon Park, Fla., driver was killed when her sports utility vehicle flipped after colliding with a wild hog.

• In Detroit, a wild pig wandered through downtown, making its way to the home of a family in nearby Warren, Mich.

• In September, in a Redding, Calif.-area subdivision, an estimated 100 feral hogs tore out landscaping and turned lawns into muddy messes.

According to the Scripps Howard report, no national strategy or program exists to corral what is a cross-border problem. Without federal intervention and enforcement of laws that limit transporting animals, the battle against the pigs — which each year cause an estimated $800 million in property and crop damage and 27,000 auto collisions — could very well be lost, Mayer said.

The USDA’s Hicks said wild pigs are challenging to kill.

“They’re a pretty smart animal, and they learn from our mistakes,” he said. “They are prolific breeders. In our southern counties, trying to find them on a large tract of land can be difficult.”

via Dayton Daily News.

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