Fish Rap: Fall is here, and you better go fishing
I have to agree about fishing this time of year. Especially fly fishing, I love the fall air and the lower water levels. It is so relaxing to be on or in the water casting a line. And Idaho has so many great places to go fly fishing. As I’ve heard from many others, ‘it’s not all about catching’. When a fish takes your fly, it is just the icing on the cake for the experience.
An Idaho Statesman writer wrote, “It’s the best time of year to fish as far as I am concerned.”
Think about it: In the spring we have high water and bugs. During summer we have blazing heat and crowds. But in fall, the weather is great, the water is in prime condition, and the crowds have thinned.
Go ahead, take your pick of where you want to fish. Reservoirs are starting to produce good fishing again, and you can often have your pick of the camp spots. It’s a great time to pick up a big fish because they’ve been feeding all summer long.” Click to read the Idaho Statesman story.
See the original article at SilverSageRealty.com
2008 Idaho Wilderness Elk
This nice 300 class bull elk was tagged last week by one of our hunters. The hunt this year was extremely tough and we had to pull out all the stops to plan a spot and stalk. I was able to get into the area about 1.5-2 hours ahead of our hunters to test the wind and find the herd.  As luck turned our way the elk began moving toward the creek below us and a few small openings presented shot opportunities. Due to some last minute changes and set up issues the hunter wound up using me for a rifle rest and I was not able to get the shot on video. I am very bummed as it was a perfect set up for video.
 |
Brent Martell is an Outdoors International Pro Staff Member and regular contributor to our blog and newsletter. A rabid archery elk hunter, he resides in Meridian, Idaho. |
More Idaho Bull
Chris Debban - 1st archery harvest
He finally scores!!!!!  Well, I tried to kill off my buddy for 8 days but he is a little too tough or stupid, not sure which, to give up.
As with most hunts you have fun, get frustrated, think about heading home early, and then you can’t wait to go do it again. This year was a tough hunt with hot and dry conditions, quite bulls, and way too much wolf activity to make a guy feel comfortable in the dark. We had high hopes for the hunt but after a few days things were looking rough us. I wound up with the flu and Chris’s knee was bugging him but we kept at it. We hunted high for 6 days and then finally got a weather break.Â
The first day of cooler weather I called in nice 260-280 bull but as I was about to send an arrow to the mark I decided to let Chris take the shot….he of course did not have a shot and the whole deal blew up!  The next day I called in 2 bulls, this was our last chance. The first bull to come in is the one you see in the picture, the second was about 20 yards back charging hard and was about a 270. Everything seemed to come unravelled in a matter of a few seconds. The first bull saw Chris draw and darted off, the second one saw him let his bow back down and he was gonzo. I didn’t get video of any of it because I was pulling my bow back to tag that second bull. Geesh. OK, the first bull is confused and hanging up at 70 yards.  After a little gentle persuasion and creative directional calling he came back in to 30 yards.  I still don’t have my video camera in hand! What is wrong with me?Â
Shortening up the story a bit this young bull wound up in the creek at the bottom of a steep ravine and our work was cut out for us. A hunt and bull to never forget.
Tasting Failure.
Success is sweet and failure is bitter. One thing most sportsmen know is the bitter-sweet taste of an outdoor adventure.
Â
Many moons ago I was invited to archery elk hunt with a guy in his secret area. I think our connection was in the fact that I had the same morals regarding the preservation of a secret spot. He was and is a die hard outdoorsman and I can’t help but admire him.
Â
I had decided to only take a branch antlered bull so right off I put the odds against me. We hunted hard for 10 days and I really can’t remember how many elk I encountered and the number of times I screwed up. I was able to get close enough twice to reach out and touch an elk, I witnessed an epic battle between two of the largest bulls I have ever seen while a satellite bull snuck up behind me at 5 feet.  I heard more cow and calf elk talk than I could ever imagine, and I missed the largest bull I had ever had a chance to shoot at.
Â
It was one of those cold, foggy, alpine mornings that make’s you feel lucky to be alive and chasing elk. We had spotted a herd of elk the night before on a small plateau at 9000’ and left them alone in hopes of finding them in the same spot the next morning. The elk read the play book and were in the same area and luck brought fog in to cover up our movements. I wandered around in the fog until I dropped in below the herd which was now incredibly vocal. My brother and friend were above them. The herd bull’s bugle sliced through the dense fog in such a way I could feel the power. My heart was racing and I could barely breathe.  At this point the fog limited vision to 40 yards and my range finder was useless. Out of the fog a cow materialized and at 5 yards she turned and headed down a trail in the draw. Hmmm, I’ll bet the herd comes this way?! As I headed down the same trail to look for an ambush point I heard thunder and that thunder was growing louder by the second. I froze and watched 30 animals crashing through the fog on a collision course. I tucked in behind a 6 inch lodge pole and literally closed my eye’s and held my breath. Within a few seconds I was able focus on the outer edge of the fog’s density and see a massive 360 class bull. I drew and shot 40 yards! The arrow was on a perfect path and I was already telling the tale to my friends as we packed out that herd bull. As instantly as my celebration came so did the heart wrenching agony of failure. My arrow on a perfect flight path struck a log at heart height. The bull being at 50 yards simply charged off after his harem. In the excitement I had not noticed the fog burning off and thinning out.  I was now able to see 60 yards although in the fog it was more difficult than I had thought to tell distance. I choked back the emotions and swallowed my pride. This is the first time I have written about the hunt.
Â
It was going to be a tough experience in many ways, our friendship did not strengthen, my brother and I fought with each other, and I discovered a few more things about myself I didn’t want to know. However, this experience changed my elk hunting methods and gave me the tools to be more successful and in some ways a better person. I was or did really taste the bitter-sweetness. I have reflected back on the hunt and the experience many times and even though I still feel disappointment from certain aspects I also feel success from the things I had learned and continue to learn.
Â
Â
|
Brent Martell is an Outdoors International Pro Staff Member and regular contributor to our blog and newsletter. A rabid archery elk hunter, he resides in Meridian, Idaho. |
Check the Reg’s!
Have you picked up your local or state hunting/fishing regulations yet? It seems like every year there is something new we don’t know about. A few years ago the archery rules had changed and I was more than a little in the dark about the changes. It didn’t negatively effect me but what IF it had. I could have been facing a fine, license suspension, jail, etc if I was using equipment that had not been approved.Â
It might be a good idea to put 2008 Reg’s on your shopping list. It is on mine, if I can find it.
Big cat grabs dog from Colorado home as owners slept!
- The Associated Press
Edition Date: 08/05/08
IDLEDALE, Colo. – A mountain lion crept through an open door into a house outside Denver, snatched a Labrador retriever from a bedroom where two people were sleeping and left the dog’s dead body outside, wildlife managers said Tuesday.
No one else was hurt in the home about 14 miles southwest of Denver.
Wildlife officials later trapped the 130-pound male cat using the dog’s body as bait and fatally shot it.
Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman Tyler Baskfield said the cat entered the house through open French doors early Monday and fled with the Labrador after the owners woke up.
“The people got up and looked around and saw the mountain lion’s tail leaving the house,” Baskfield said.
Mack and Jacquie Anderson told Denver television stations that their 12-year-old Labrador named Scout was killed by the lion. Another dog sleeping in the room wasn’t harmed.
Jacquie Anderson said they were awakened by a commotion in the room at around 4:30 a.m. and, when she got up to check what was happening, she realized the big cat was in the bedroom. She exclaimed that there was a mountain lion in the room and she believes that led it to run out the open doors with Scout in its mouth. The dog weighed 72 pounds.
The couple said the dogs didn’t bark to warn them of the mountain lion.
The owners agreed to use the dog’s body for bait. Baskfield said mountain lions often stash their kills and return for them later.
Although wild animals ranging from raccoons to bears might amble in through open doors and windows, “it is kind of strange for a large predator like that to come that close to the house,” Baskfield said.
Colorado has an estimated 3,000 to 7,000 mountain lions.
NRA-ILA: Here today, gone tomorrow- 2nd Amendment
The Supreme Court has ruled, affirming what you, I, and the Founding Fathers already knew — the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right!
While this is great news, this ruling is only as good as a future Supreme Court allows it to be. The work of five Supreme Court justices today can very easily be undone by five Supreme Court Justices tomorrow–especially if those judges were to be appointed by an anti-gun President and sent to an anti-gun Senate for confirmation!
It is expected that our next President may have the opportunity to appoint one, two, or maybe even three Supreme Court Justices!
While you and I will never be able to directly vote to approve or deny a judicial nominee, we can make sure that those appointing and ratifying these future guardians of our Constitution understand and agree with the individual right afforded us by the Second Amendment.
In short, I want to help you protect our gun rights not only for yourself, but for your children and quite possibly, even your grandchildren.
How?
By making sure you are currently registered to vote.
Registering to vote is the single most important step you can take right now to protect our rights, as only currently-registered voters are able to cast their ballot on (or before) Election Day.
And, registering to vote is EASY!
In what can only be described as NRA-ILA’s most aggressive voter registration drive effort ever, we are providing NRA Members and gun owners with a special voter registration website. This site will serve as one-stop-shopping for all of your voter registration needs.
By clicking this link, you will find voter registration applications that can be completed on-line and downloaded, critical election dates and voter registration deadlines, information on early and absentee voting for your state, and much more.
In November’s elections, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The future of our gun rights literally hang in the balance!
If you have recently moved or haven’t voted in recent elections, you need to re-register. If your voter registration is current and up-to-date, please forward this e-mail and our special voter registration link to your fellow firearm owners.
Take this one, simple step that will help preserve our gun rights today and for future generations. Register to vote TODAY!
Â
Yours in freedom,
Chris W. Cox
NRA-ILA Executive Director
|
Brent Martell is an Outdoors International Pro Staff Member and regular contributor to our blog and newsletter. A rabid archery elk hunter, he resides in Meridian, Idaho. |
Part 3: Rifle Prep
Recently I was at my gunsmiths shop discussing the work he was doing for me. Like a couple pigs in mud we were rootin around the spare parts bins and grunting away about our latest exploits. The conversation turned to a discussion about a rifle leaned up against the wall that looked very much like my brothers, which had been stolen. The story on the gun is that some old gal owned it and brought it in for cleaning and repair. The rifle was loaded and the safety on the fire position! It wouldn’t fire so I guess why bother unloading it and putting it on safe. OK, so now we are discussing the condition of most guns he receives and part 3 of the equipment prep is born.
A gun or weapon is a tool and tools need to be maintained, even a shovel. I am not suggesting we dig with our guns but interestingly enough the gunsmith did have a story about a good ol boy who’s rifle was sitting on the bench. That rifle was used as two tools: 1. to shoot the deer he was hunting 2. to clobber it because he wanted to save a round since the first one didn’t kill it. Well, his truck also needed some maintenance because when he whacked the deer in the head with the butt of a loaded rifle it FIRED and hit the fender. Now, if you are like me your brain says……why was he so close to his truck when he shot the deer? Anyway, I didn’t get to ask the question because by then the next story was coming up and I already forgot what I was thinking.
The gunsmith offered up some suggestions on new and old gun ownership and maintenance. So here it is:
- Treat all guns as if they are loaded and always point the barrel in the direction you would want a bullet to go.
- Inspect the gun from crown to butt. Look for damage to the bore, crown, stock, bolt face, bolt, safety, scope, scope rings, magazine, carry strap mounts, trigger and guard etc.
- Clean your weapon and make sure it is properly lubed. Most people do not know how to properly clean and maintain a gun. I suggest you take it to your gunsmith annually for a thorough inspection and cleaning if you are not an expert at this. I cleaned my pistol before taking it in for repair and he said it was OK, for crying out loud it was perfect!!! Tip: most barrels do not get properly cleaned and have a build up of copper and lead in the rifling’s. Most triggers are not cleaned properly because they are hard to get to.
- Smith work: a good smith will ensure the stock is properly relieved or reinforced to provided consistent accuracy. Trigger work, crowning, bolt facing, head spacing, indexing, and blue printing are extra steps to insure your gun is working properly for accuracy as well. In fact most gun parts are stamped and have a lot of metal filings, rough edges, and milling debris. A good gunsmith will disassemble the gun and clean up the parts so they are working properly and the debris will not interfere with firing pins, hammers, or safeties. Hint: target triggers are not generally accepted for hunting purposes. Most smiths recommend 3 lbs or more.
- Shooting. Nothing makes up for time with the tool. Have you ever watched a roofer work with a hammer or nail gun. They sure make it look easy. Have you ever roofed with a hammer or nail gun, it sure AIN”T easy. To be good you have to know your gun and know what you are doing. Remember we are talking about shooting an animal and we own it to them, ourselves, and our sport to make sure we are dispatching them quickly and painlessly as possible.
- Ammo. I used to spend a lot of time with reloading to get the right case, powder, and bullet combo to work well. Today most ammo is pretty good right out of the box. It is up to you decide which works best for your rifle. It is expensive but, in my opinion, worth shooting different brands and weights of bullets to find the one that performs best. I still reload but that is simply because I know what works and I have all the stuff. Also, the gunsmith mentioned that if you reload and have more than 1 gun of the same caliber DO NOT mix brass. I actually had this exact issue: no two guns are alike and the expansion of the case will differ and can cause extraction issues. Worst case is that you can get too much pressure from not enough expansion in the case and blow up the gun. All my cases are in separate lots now.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2068729_maintain-hunting-rifle.html
http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntalaska.maintenance
|
Brent Martell is an Outdoors International Pro Staff Member and regular contributor to our blog and newsletter. A rabid archery elk hunter, he resides in Meridian, Idaho. |
Part 2: Bow Prep
Randy Ulmer and Chuck Adams I am not, however, I can usually hit the broad side of a barn if my target is close enough to it. Most people who bow hunt are pretty fanatical and know what they need to do and when to do it for hunting season. However, I have noticed we all seem to be a lot busier these days and we spend less time than we should or can with our equipment.
I recently purchased a “new to me” bow and have been going through the set up and tune. What a pain this is; tying in nocks, peeps, drop away rests, sighting in, setting Center Shot, Axle To Axle, Brace Height, and Cam Timing. Good grief, I should just take it to the bow shop! Nope too stubborn and broke now that I have a new bow. Cabela’s credit card will definitely be buried with me when it is my time to go the sacred hunting grounds. With my old bow, I look it over, shoot it, if it needed something I took it to my friend at the shop. However he is not there now and the thought of a new or old bow not being dialed in and leaving me stranded hits home. The new bow has definitely brought me back to the do it yourself days and quite frankly I am grateful. Why? Because I know my new bow now and if something goes wrong in the field I will know what to do IF I can fix it. Obviously if something is damaged beyond emergency or field repairs I am in trouble. Having an extra bow, extra limbs, or extra cams with me is unlikely.
So here are few things to check and keep checking throughout the season:
Bow
- Check idler. Look for damage on the string channel etc.
- Check idler alignment.
- Check QCC (quick clip connectors) for cracks, alignment, and damage. http://forums.mathewsinc.com/viewtopic.php?t=56163
- Check idler axle for smooth operation etc.
- Check String, even one damaged strand can lead to disaster, replace it! The string should be replaced every year or two max.
- Check cam. Look for damage on the string channel etc.
- Check cam timing.
- Check Cables and yoke ends.
- Check serving anywhere you have serving. Fix or replace.
- Check all bolts. Quiver, sights, rest, stabilizers.
- Check limbs. Look for any damage to ends, axle points, cups.
- Check cable guides, roller or slider for damage or wear.
Release Aid
- Primarly just make sure the strap and buckle or velcro is in good condition and the jaws and trigger are in proper working order. I happen to have a spare.
Arrows
- Check all the arrows in your possession. If you shoot carbon make very certain they are not cracked, shows signs of stress, or are damaged anywhere and that nocks are in good or new condition. Nocks are cheap. I had a arrow blow up on a shot at the largest muley I have had a chance at. It was 10F, the arrow exploded due to a crack I had not noticed. It could have been a disaster if that broken arrow decided to penetrate my arm vs scattering in front of me. Bad nocks can cause a dry fire situation and that will most likely wind up destroying your bow. I happen to have hunting arrows and practice arrows. Make certain you have the correct spine for your set up. I have seen a lot of problems associated with incorrect spine.
Tuning
- If all is in good condition, simply shoot your bow. I suggest shooting the broadheads to see how and where they fly. A properly tuned bow and arrow combo will almost always result in broadheads and field points having the same point of impact (POI). If you are having broadhead flight issues now is the time to figure out what the problem is instead of a few days before the hunt. HINT: bow shops are slammed from Mid August to October here in the west. If you need to start from scratch try paper tuning first, then walk back method, then broad head tuning, and broadhead walk back.
- Links for viewing a diagram of walk back tuning:
http://forums.mathewsinc.com/viewtopic.php?t=85432
http://backinspec.com/Walk_Back_Tuning.mht
Shooter
- If you start shooting now your form and muscle memory will be ready for archery season. It seems like I shoot well right off the bat but then I tend to get out of whack before coming back to shooting well again. So for me, I need to shoot enough to NOT THINK the shot. That usually means several hundred rounds in a few weeks in the 50-60 yard range. Generally, if I shoot tight consistent groups without worrying about “what if I miss” thinking I am good to go.
|
Brent Martell is an Outdoors International Pro Staff Member and regular contributor to our blog and newsletter. A rabid archery elk hunter, he resides in Meridian, Idaho. |
Equipment Prep: Part 1 of 3
Equipment: According to Webster’s equipment: 1. the equipping of a person or thing. 2. the state of being equipped. 3. the set of articles or physical resources serving to equip a person or thing: as (1) the implements used in an operation or activity, (2) skip this part- something about farm stuff, (3) mental or emotional traits or resources.
Well, I don’t know about you but I need to equipment myself with a pen and paper or computer generated list. The List includes anything and everything I need to do, pack, or check before heading off to the hills….banjo’s or banjo music is optional. So what I am babbling about this time is the need to get your STUFF out and make sure it is where you left it last (the wife may have moved it, sold it, or thrown it out) and make sure it is worthy of another season of abuse. This is the part where you get to look at your STUFF and then decide which kid to beat for poking a hole in the water bladder, ripping the shoulder harness off your Blacks Creek pack, shooting your last few rounds of 06 ammo from WWII, and stinking up your Danners. It seems like I pretty much forget about the condition of things at the end of the season so that I don’t have to add up the expenses after the fact. This is mental trickery at its best and besides new gadgetry always comes out just before the next season. I would prefer to look like I just stepped out of Cabela’s but generally I look like I stepped right out of Hank’s Trailer Park Hunting Supplies and Xsesories.
Since money is not made on trees any more (it comes from a machine or some plastic card thingy) I resort to being much thriftier and using duct tape as often as possible. However, duct tape does not fix everything, I realize that is blaspheme, but bear with me here…..binoculars are hard to make with duct tape. So if your last pair were stolen and you must get new ones, one does what one must! I hope she reads that “stolen” part. My point is DON’T wait until the last minute and either not find what you need or pay a lot more than you should. Additionally, if you wait until the last minute making simple repairs is no longer an option and the emergency run to Cabela’s is now your only choice. Even if by design that really is not a smart move because the store may not have what you need.
So take some time NOW and plan your equipment replenishment, repair, replacement, or add on. By doing this now you should be able to shop accordingly and save yourself and the family some last minute hustle and frustration.
Here is what I do: I inventory all of my clothes and equipment and store them in large plastic containers. They stack nice, keep out the critters, and almost always remain where I left them last, unless I left them where they didn’t belong! By going through each container I will discover if I lost a glove or broke something from the season and forgot about it. I am also able to check consumable items such as scents, soaps, and batteries. By now I have a list of items I must think about repairing, replacing, or ignoring.
Here are two lists (I modify the lists depending on the hunt, travel method, etc)
This 1st list is  a quick version for general categories or a single day hunt where everything is packed and ready:
- Bow
- Back Pack
- License and Tags
- Clothes
- Optics
Â
THE LIST (used for inventory and organization):
- Knife(s)
- Water Bladder
- Backpack
- Flashlight
- Headlight
- Rope (550′ cord)
- Camera
- Vid cam/film
- Batteries
- GPS
- Range Finder
- Bino’s
- First Aid
- Saw
- Calls
- Bugle Tube
- Lighter
- License and Tags
- Face Mask
- Maps
- Bow
- Arrows
- Release
- Decoy
- Tool Kit
- Bow Sling
- Pistol – Holster
- Ammo – Xtra Mag
- Pants
- Gloves
- Jacket
- Boots
- Socks
- Underwear
- Thermals
- Shampoo
- Soap
- Lotion
- Pit
- Scent Spray
- Blind
- Sleeping Bag
- Pillow
- Book
- Tree Stand(s)
- Ladder
- Game Bags
- Water Purifier
- Stove
- Tupper Ware
|
Brent Martell is an Outdoors International Pro Staff Member and regular contributor to our blog and newsletter. A rabid archery elk hunter, he resides in Meridian, Idaho. |
