The deer feeding operation in the Gunnison Basin is continuing; but Colorado Division of Wildlife managers expect that the program should end by mid April.

As of the end of March, the DOW was feeding about 9,100 deer at 114 sites in the Gunnison area. Earlier in the month the number of deer being fed peaked at about 9,500 at 131 feeding sites. Even though temperatures are slowly warming and south-facing hillsides are starting to be exposed, a thick crust of snow two-feet deep still covers much of the basin.

“Based on our population estimates, we have been feeding nearly half the deer in the Gunnison Basin and we believe this has been a very successful operation,” said J Wenum, area wildlife manager in Gunnison. “There was concern in January that catastrophic mortality could occur. We still have some winter weather to go and have experienced some losses in big game, but the feed operations have helped many animals get through a record winter”

Heavy snows in late December and early January completely covered nearly all of the available food sources in the basin. Extremely cold temperatures followed and wildlife managers were concerned that a major portion of the estimated 21,000 deer in the basin might die. In early January the Colorado Wildlife Commission authorized the feeding operation.

Based on aerial and on-the-ground observations throughout the winter, wildlife managers estimate that mortality rates throughout the Gunnison Basin were above the long-term average.

“Winter mortality is a normal and necessary part of the natural cycle. Mortality rates are different every year,” Wenum said. “The higher mortality we observed this year was anticipated and is not surprising based on the conditions this winter.”

In order to meet deer population management plan objectives, the DOW is recommending that the number of deer hunting licenses for the 2008 season in the Gunnison Basin be reduced by about half. At public meetings regarding license numbers in Gunnison on March 28, local residents, hunters and outfitters generally agreed with the numbers recommended by DOW’s Gunnison staff.

License recommendations will be considered by the Colorado Wildlife Commission at its May 1 meeting in Grand Junction.

Every day since Jan. 10 about 20-30 DOW personnel and about 80 volunteers have worked on the feeding effort. Workers have endured deep snow and brutal cold to deliver nearly 600 50-pound bags of feed daily to more than 100 sites. As of March 31 the DOW had fed 30,100 bags of feed – more than 1.5 million pounds.

“A lot of people have put in a lot of hours and a lot of hard work. This was not easy,” Wenum said.

Pellets were also fed to nearly 600 pronghorn that live in the basin. Feeding those animals met with varying success.  Pronghorn are very skittish and many of the animals would not eat the feed. Consequently, wildlife managers estimate that about half the population has probably died.

“Eventually, good numbers of pronghorn did take to the feed, so we should have a good core population of animals in the basin to begin rebuilding following this winter,” said Brandon Diamond, terrestrial biologist for the DOW in Gunnison. “We’ll be watching the pronghorn closely to see how they fare this spring and summer,”

Hay was provided to about 3,200 elk, but only to keep them away from ranchers’ hay stacks and major roads. Using a helicopter and snow-cats, the DOW delivered about 14 tons of hay to three large herds every day. Elk are hardy animals and survival is typically high even during harsh winters. No changes are recommended for the number of elk hunting licenses.

As the weather has warmed during the last two weeks, some natural food sources have become exposed and animals are moving to traditional range. Wildlife managers are now evaluating all feed sites on a daily basis and will cut back as conditions allow.

Officials estimate that the Gunnison feeding operation will cost about $1.75 million.

Anyone interested can make a tax-deductible donation to the program at any DOW office or at the web site, http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers are investigating the shooting of two wolves on April 1 by a private landowner west of Ashton.

He contacted the local conservation officer shortly after the incident, which still is under investigation.

On March 28, gray wolves were removed from the endangered species list and management passed to Idaho Fish and Game. They are managed as big game animals, similar to black bears and mountain lions.

The state Legislature recently amended state law, with the signature of the governor, to cover wolves actively preying on livestock and domestic animals, including pets. The law allows them to kill wolves that are molesting or attacking their animals. No permit is necessary, but they must report it to Fish and Game within 72 hours, unless the site is remote.

The intent of the new law is to allow people to protect their private property, while ensuring the protection of wolves that are not causing problems, similar to existing state law for depredating black bears and mountain lions.

The livestock owner or agent has to decide whether the wolf is actively “molesting” or attacking livestock or domestic animals. Molesting means “the actions of a wolf that are annoying, disturbing or persecuting, especially with hostile intent or injurious effect, or chasing, driving, flushing, worrying, following after or on the trail of, or stalking or lying in wait for, livestock or domestic animals.”

The law allows anyone to protect their animals using any nonlethal method they deem necessary. But it doesn’t allow a livestock owner, employee or agent to kill a wolf if it is merely in the vicinity of their animals but not molesting or attacking them.

It is also illegal for anyone to pursue and kill a wolf away from the site when the wolf no longer is molesting or attacking the livestock or domestic animals.

The law requires livestock owners to get a permit from Fish and Game to kill wolves not actively molesting or attacking animals.

Any legal black bear or mountain lion tag holder may take that animal during the appropriate hunting season. No seasons yet exist for wolves, but Fish and Game is planning the rules for wolf seasons.

If the livestock owner or agent kills a wolf or mountain lion, they must contact a Fish and Game. Wolves must be reported within 72 hours unless access is limiting; cougars must be reported within 10 days. The person is encouraged to preserve the site for inspection.

Though state law doesn’t require reporting killing a black bear while protecting livestock, it is in the livestock owner’s best interest to report it as well.

The northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf was officially removed from the federal endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on Friday, March 28.

A coalition of 11 environmentalist groups, including the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and Natural Resources Defense Council, have said they will file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior to keep the wolves on the endangered list.

The group plans to file the suit on April 28, 60 days after the FWS announced their intent to delist.  The coalition is taking a wait-and-see approach before filing for an injunction on the killing of wolves in the interim.

Idaho, Montana and Wyoming now take control of continued conservation management for the species.  According to the FWS, for the past several years, the recovery goals for the wolf population in this area have been exceeded.  Wildlife officials say the population is increasing by 24 percent annually.  The three states are currently planning wolf hunts for the fall.

According to the FWS, there are currently more than 1,500 wolves and at least 100 breading pairs in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  The three states and the FWS will work together to monitor the wolf population for the next five years as part of the Act declaring the delisting.  If annual reports and FWS analysis show recovery levels dropping to threatened or endangered levels, the population could once again be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The FSW designated all of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, the eastern third of Washington and Oregon and a small corner of north-central Utah as the northern Rocky Mountain wolf District Population Segment (DPS) as part of the delisting.

The gray wolves of the Western Great Lakes DPS were delisted in 2007.  The population of gray wolves in the southwestern United States remains federally listed as endangered.

- U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance

People who think that because wolves will now be managed and therefore hunted, this means the end to the wolves. Not the case at all. It just means that the state can now manage them just like they do all other big game animals. There are certain numbers of population that the states must maintain for wolf management or the wolves will fall back into an endangered species. The states are not dumb enough to let this happen, so wolves are here to stay. But we can now control them and trim some of their numbers down, especially in areas where they are way over populated and really causing a lot of damage to elk herds and to ranchers. The population objectives have been met and exceeded in every way and no longer need to be protected.

I have bowhunted in New Mexico for fifteen years and, like so many hunters, I live for the elk hunt every year. The 2007 season looked promising for harvesting a nice bull thanks to the record amounts of moisture the state had received over the previous winter and spring. As the draw date approached, I prayed fervently for success.

June 15th finally arrived and, like a child on Christmas morning, I sprang out of bed and went directly to the computer to discover what gifts we had received. All of my fellow hunters must have been just as anxious because I was unable to access the draw results on the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish website until late that evening. It was worth the wait though. My husband and I, along with our elkaholic hunting buddies, had pulled the coveted Quality/High Demand bowhunt from September 19th to the 24th in our favorite unit.

In our group’s repository of good hunting spots, we had a waterhole that was everyone’s favorite to hunt in the evenings and, with half a dozen hunters, each one of us had just one opportunity to sit in that tree stand. Mine turn fell on day two. On that afternoon, my spirits were high as I made the twenty-minute drive to a location that, through the years, has become an old friend and memory-maker, but I had never bagged an elk out of it. The weather couldn’t have been better; it was hot, dry and calm. I was feeling lucky as the magic hour neared, at twilight when the elk materialize out of the woods, but in spite of the good conditions and earnest prayers, nothing happened.

Darkness settled in and I sat there bummed that my best chance at a big elk was gone. I lumbered to the ground and immediately saw a camo-clad figure hastily exit the woods from behind the tree stand, where the elk should have been. I stood quietly at the base of the tree watching the unknown hunter for several minutes. None of my guys would have been in the area - we respected each other’s space. Even on the outside chance that this dude was from my camp, he would have come over and accompanied me back to my vehicle.

Slowly, I began the trek to the alligator juniper where my Ranger was parked. I began to worry when I realized that he was on the same heading. What made it worse was that I never heard another vehicle drive up. Pausing at a respectable distance, I contemplated the situation as the beam from his flashlight searched for who-knows-what around my vehicle. It was dark and all I had to defend myself with was a bow and some arrows. As a woman, I had to consider my safety. Was he a friend or foe? How effective would my bow be as a club? OK, he might take me out, but he wouldn’t enjoy it one bit. After a last minute prayer, I got a burst of confidence and headed on in with my mini-mag flashlight illuminating the way.

He was securing his gear on a red four-wheeler parked on the other side of the tree from me. I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was one of my hunting partners! Gary was a lovable character and prone to off-the-wall hunting strategies, but this time he had gone way over the line. I was incredulous and asked, “What’s going on?” He casually replied, “I thought I would give you at least some excitement tonight.”

At this point, I was too mad at him to continue the conversation and knew I would regret using my bow as a club. I couldn’t believe he would mess up my only evening at the “honey hole” and then scare the be-Jesus out of me on top of it! I vowed to never forgive him. He had frightened me so bad that I cried on the drive back to camp, but the guys would never know. I had every intention of handling this like a man.

Arriving at camp with my composure fully regained, I unloaded my gear, changed clothes and joined everyone to exchange stories. Around the warmth and security of the campfire, I dealt with it - like a woman. (I couldn’t help myself) After venting to everyone about my feelings concerning the events of the evening, they all agreed that I could go there again the following day. I’m glad they love me.

The next morning’s hunt proved unsuccessful, so that afternoon I found myself once again in my favorite tree stand. The weather was a carbon copy of the previous day. I love sitting in tree stands to commune with nature, to drink in the serenity and for the quality of the quiet time. It really was ok if no elk came in, but I still begged God for a big bull with every fiber of my being. The only elk I had ever harvested was a small, broken-antlered bull seven years earlier.

After the sun had descended and shadows dominated the landscape, I heard the deep bellowing screech of a big bull elk pierce the silence like a knife. He was back up in the woods behind me. Adrenaline instantly kicked in and my body began to tremble. It had taken years to control the shaking, but I felt confident I could make the shot if he would come into the waterhole during daylight. The big bulls usually came in after dark.

The bull was getting closer, blasting out intimidating screams every few minutes. Another bull was now answering his challenge and seemed to be on his way to the waterhole as well. Trying to stay calm, I closed my eyes and envisioned a T-Rex dinosaur stalking in. I was now standing with my release clipped to the serving, frozen in position, wondering which side of the stand he would come in on. I heard the sound of footsteps behind me and caught sight of a small cow elk out of the corner of my eye on my left side. She was cautiously advancing to the water’s edge. I knew this was one of his cows and my heart started racing. Very slowly, three more cows followed and joined her at the water.

Eyes closed, I concentrated on breathing slowly, in and out. Suddenly, the most blood-curdling scream I have ever heard in my life erupted from less than ten feet directly beneath me. It was immediately answered by the other bull that was now at about the same location where I had heard the very first bugle. Relieved that I had not instantly died of fright, I kept telling myself to not look down at him because seeing his antlers would mess up my concentration, but I couldn’t stand it any longer.

I turned my eyes slowly as far as they would go in their sockets, then inched my head down. All I saw were the two end tines on his right side. They were massive and each looked to be about eighteen inches long. That was enough; all I could think of was that he was a King’s Outdoor World Calendar Bull! He walked out fifteen yards in front of me and drank. I heard the long deep sipping as he filled his belly, but couldn’t take a shot because there were pine boughs in the way.

Suddenly, something spooked him and he bolted. My heart sank, but he only went a short distance. Not wanting to leave his cows, he stopped next to them. I now had a forty-yard broadside shot and he was fully preoccupied with the other bull that was closing in. I took the opportunity to draw, but it was like I had lost all of the strength in my right arm. Finally, after a desperate struggle, it broke over. The bull let out one last mighty roar as I aimed and released.

The shot felt and sounded good, but I was too excited to see the point of impact. The bull and his cows shot out across the open mesa. It was one of the most agonizing minutes of my life, as I prayed like crazy for him to fall. When he had covered about eighty yards, I saw his back end hunker ever so slightly. Within seconds he stumbled and my heart stopped. I was going to get this one! Finally he folded and dropped. There was a few seconds of kicking and then, silence…I just kept whispering to myself, “Oh my God, I did it!” I waited until dark then climbed out of the tree and walked slowly out to him with my little mini-mag flashlight illuminating the way.

In the silence of the night, with only the sound of crickets and the pounding of my heart, I reached his motionless body, bent down and gingerly caressed his side where the arrow had entered. I made a double lung shot and the arrow had completely passed through the body. I felt so honored to have been able to engage this magnificent animal and win.

On the way back to camp to gather the reconnaissance team, I picked up my husband from his hunting spot. We arrived at camp and he announced to the guys, “Guess what, Debra shot a bull, but there isn’t much of a blood trail.” There was an audible moan until he added; “He only went a hundred yards before he dropped.” They were all very relieved. I had a newfound respect for Gary’s offbeat hunting tactics and God’s way of answering prayers. As everyone bustled around camp collecting everything needed to retrieve my trophy, I went over to my friend and gave him a big hug and a kiss as I thanked him for messing up my hunt the night before.

My 6×6 bull elk scored 388 7/8 Safari Club International, 376-5/8 net Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young. He is the highest scoring typical Rocky Mountain elk ever taken by a woman unguided with a bow on public land.

It was about nine years ago when Jeff, my husband, and Brad, my Dad, came down with an illness. The illness was called “turkey fever.” The two men in my life began showing many strange symptoms of this fever. They started waking up in the very early morning, covering themselves from head to toe in camouflage attire and then hiding for hours in a bush to watch turkeys fly out of the roost. They would tell us girls about how they needed to “put the turkeys to bed” at night. This had us worried if the guys would ever snap out of this crazy fever. When they got home they would strut around the house, clucking and gobbling as if they were a turkey themselves. The turkeys they were hunting were even labeled with names like “Brush Beard” and “White Ghost.” These two turkeys have since joined the family and are mounted on our wall.

You can imagine my surprise when Jeff informed me one cold January evening that I had drawn out on my first turkey hunt. Dad and Jeff were so excited to get me out turkey hunting, but I have to admit that I was a little worried that I might catch the turkey fever myself. At the time, I was nine months pregnant with our little boy, so that made it even more difficult to muster up too much excitement. Jeff was also a little concerned and wondered if I would be feeling up to hunting six weeks after the baby would arrive. I decided that I would probably be feeling better by then, and I assumed that there wouldn’t be too much hiking involved.

Our son Huntington arrived in February, and we all settled into our new life with another little one in the house. It was very nice to draw out on a hunt that was close to Mom and Dad’s house. While we were caring for a newborn, Dad was out doing all the work for me. He spent countless hours “putting the turkeys to bed” in their roost and watching them fly down from the roost in the early morning hours. He knew all about the flock’s feeding patterns, and he had even picked a perfect bush for our set-up. Thankfully, Mom was willing to watch the new baby and our two-year old, Brooklyn.

The afternoon before the opener, Jeff decided that I should practice shooting the shotgun. I had been on several big game hunts, so I felt comfortable shooting a rifle, but a shotgun was a different story. It did give me some piece of mind to know that my target would hopefully be on the ground, not flying in the sky. We stopped at the gravel pit before leaving town. I shot two shells. Jeff must have been satisfied with my pattern because after that we were on our way to my parents house.

Opening morning seemed to come too early, especially after several feedings with the baby in the night. I did feel some excitement running in my blood that morning as I layered on my Mountain Shadow camouflage. As we drove up the hills in the truck, I sat between my two favorite men. I felt lucky to be spending some one-on-one time with them in the beautiful mountains. I was starting to feel a little nervous about the kill shot. I apologized in advance to them if I missed the shot. I knew Dad had spent a lot of time spotting for me so that I could have a successful hunt. I also didn’t know if we would be able to make it back later in the season to hunt. Opening day might have been my only chance. They reassured me that it was all about the fun of the hunt, not just shooting a turkey.

We parked the truck and started walking in the dark with our flashlight down ravines, over rocks, and around fences. It seemed a bit crazy, but I was getting excited as my heart started to beat faster. After climbing up a big side hill, we descended into a huge valley on the other side. In the cool crisp air I could see Dad’s breath as he explained and pointed to the large cluster of trees where he watched the turkeys fly up to roost the night before. I was amazed at how quiet we had to be. I wondered if the turkeys really had the kind of intelligence and sight that my Dad and Jeff tried to convince me of. We spotted which bush we thought would be the best location for our set-up and then started crawling through the frozen ground and bushes, being as quiet as possible. All three of us positioned ourselves under the bush.

The dim light of the early dawn was starting to faintly show the beautiful green-tinted mountainside, we didn’t have much more time. It wasn’t long before we heard, “Gobble, gobble, gobble.” One gobble after another, some from behind us, then more to the side. I knew one thing for sure, there were a lot of turkeys roosted in the huge maple trees near us. As Dad and Jeff became very excited with all the turkey calls, I enjoyed the view of the valley below us. The patterns of farm fields, roads, water, and farm houses made quite a sight. It was neat to be above it all, glancing down.

The turkeys became louder as the morning light glowed throughout the beautiful valley. I had one of the best turkey callers around right next to me, Jeff. He started some soft yelping and the turkey continued to gobble. I don’t know if I was prepared for what would happen next. Suddenly, the large turkeys started flying out of the huge maple trees and landing fifty yards in front of us. I could tell Dad and Jeff were dying of excitement, and I was getting pretty nervous and hoping for a good opportunity to shoot. Luckily, I had my gun propped up on a stand and I was prepared. There was only a small window where I could move my gun and see down the barrel because my gun was pointed up toward the hillside. There was a dozen or so birds gobbling, strutting, and spurring each other right in front of us! They were rapidly getting closer as they responded to Jeff’s calls and started to chase each other around the decoys. Their purple, green, and brown feathers glimmered in the sunlight and, for the first time in my life, I thought a turkey was pretty. Dad and Jeff whispered to inform me which of the turkeys were jakes and mature toms. One tom appeared to have a really long beard. The flock started to scatter a little bit and headed for the ridge quite quickly. As the big tom separated slightly from the rest, he stopped for just a second only about fifteen yards away on the ridge line. He then started heading to the other side of the hill when they both said, “Shoot him!” I tried hard to squeeze the trigger slowly, but I knew I only had a split second before the tom would be out of sight and over the hillside. “Boom!” I shot and then saw feathers flying in the air. Dad and Jeff said, “You got him, you got him!” They were yelling, hollering, and hugging me with excitement. They were so excited for me to bag my first turkey, and so was I. It was 6:30 a.m. on opening morning and we already had a turkey down! It was over so fast, just like I wished so many of Jeff’s hunts would have ended. I thought to myself, “That was easy.” To make things even better, when we got up to examine the tom it was a really nice one. It was pure luck. It just happened to be the biggest tom that gave me the best shot. He had a ten-inch beard! We were able to spend some time enjoying and watching the rest of the turkeys feed and strut around across the valley. The rays of sunlight were now highlighting the dew on the grass, bushes, and trees and we had plenty of time for some great photos in our Mountain Shadow.
We hiked out with the beautiful tom over our shoulders and headed for home. Mom was surprised to see us back so early. It was a successful hunt, and we had a lot of fun together. Thanks Jeff and Dad! Although my symptoms are a little more mild, I must admit I think I caught a little of the “turkey fever” myself!

Look at that hair!
By David King

I pulled another photo from the archives. Wow, check out the plug for Ritz Crackers! This particular photograph takes me back to 1972 and shows me as a baby with my mom camping. It seems that no matter what we did growing up, my mom was always there with us. As I reflect on the theme of this issue, Women in Hunting, I couldn’t help but think back on my childhood and the influence my mom had on me. Wherever my dad took us in the outdoors, my mom was always a trooper and packed all of us kids up to make it a complete family adventure. Even though my mom never actually came with us on our hunting trips later on, she supported us in whatever we did and tolerated the dead deer hanging in the garage. It is this influence that I think makes Women in Hunting a very important topic. Something about being in the outdoors builds unity, support, respect, and confidence that everyone, young and old, needs to experience. As our time becomes more important to us and the demand of jobs and family increase, having your wife or girlfriend to share in the time and experience seems to be a big key in why women seem to be taking to the field more than ever. I hope you enjoy this issue and realize the impact that women are having in the hunting and outdoor industry. Their stories are inspiring and prove that they belong and can hold their own when it comes to baggin’ trophy animals. I hope that this introduces even more women to hunting.

We had a great run of shows the past few months and the excitement of our crazy $10 subscription is going strong. Those of you who are buying Hunting Illustrated off the newsstand have no excuse now - pony up a few bucks and subscribe. You can spend $10 bucks on about three gallons of gas or you can get a full year of reading, seeing the photos, and learning about hunting monster mule deer, trophy bull elk and much, much more.

The results are in and we have the winners. The King’s ShadowCamo Photo Contest results are featured in this issue. Thanks to the many great photos that were submitted in. Keep them coming.

Anyone have some Ritz Crackers?….I’m getting hungry.

It’s all About the Shooting

First off, I would like to tell you that you have a great magazine. Now, I would like to comment on the article, “Is There Life Beyond the .30-06?” I know that the author shoots what is best for him or what he likes best, but his remark about WSM’s was given without thought. If we were to stick with what is proven, then we would still be packing clubs and spears to the woods. Please don’t put down progress. That said, I would like to know what my bullet drop would be with a Browning 7mm WSM 160-grain Nosler partition with a zero of one-inch high at 100 yards and, if I set my Leupold 4×12x50 scope at 6x for that zero, would this affect my zero if I changed the power setting up or down? If so, how does shooting up or down a hill affect the point of aim?

Jamie – Franklinton, LA
P.S. I also own a .30-06 Rem and I love them both, although I am still getting used to the 7mm WSM.

First of all, to determine bullet drop for the 7mm WSM, you need the muzzle velocity of the load you are shooting. Once you have this muzzle velocity, you can then get the ballistic coefficient of the Nosler partition and with these two numbers get a perfect world, perfect weather, sea level drop chart. As for the question of whether zero changes when the power level of the scope is changed…Assuming nothing is defective with the scope and you are using the same center crosshair at the same range (also assuming that the scope is the B&C or the Varmint reticle), bullet impact will be the same for anything from 4X to 12X. Power level does affect impact point if you are “holding over” a target beyond your zeroed range. This is the case because your field of view shrinks as you increase the power selector therefore changing the relative size of whatever you’re shooting at and its surroundings. This is why Leupold puts the small and large triangles on the power selector of scopes with stepped reticles. For their system to work, you must have the scope set on one of the two triangles (determined by what cartridge you’re shooting). If you vary the power selection, you vary the point of impact (not drastically, but some).

Next, shooting up or down hills is a tricky game. The answer to the question is yes, it makes a BIG difference on where you need to aim. This is even more important out here in the West where shooting off hills becomes shooting off cliffs. I think in that split second before buck fever sets in, more shots are missed because the hunter shoots over the top of an animal that is below him. Line of sight distance means nothing when shooting up or down a hill. I have killed several deer shooting down steep hills. In fact, my buck from 2007 was at a line of sight range of 340 yards; yet, to hit him, I had to use my 200-yard zero and hold a bit low. Horizontal distance is mainly what determines how much your bullet drops.

As for the WSMs, I am not against them, they have simply not proven themselves to me yet. Browning/Winchester had some serious problems when they introduced these short magnums - I know this because I had to send back several of them that I had sold to people. I do believe they have worked through these problems, yet some WSM rifles still have feeding problems, something that I don’t want in a hunting situation. By the way, the 7mm WSM would be my choice of the WSM’s as it ballistically makes the most sense. Progress is what I am all about. Impulsive, not so much. The 300 Win Mag came about in the 1960s - just one or two years before clubs and spears.

Carl Hermansen
Shooting Editor

Carl, I enjoyed your article on “The .308 Winchester, The Cartridge of the Century” in the Feb/Mar 2008 issue of Hunting Illustrated. Due to a revitalized interest, use and multiple exposure of the .308, it is only going to gain popularity and limelight exposure. Its accuracy, mild thump and, as you said, “ease of reloading” will continue to spur more active users in all facets of shooting sports and hunting applications. One large disappointment in your user results was in the provided reloading table. If you had really delved deeper into the offerings of projectiles available for this marvelous caliber, you would have wanted to experience the Barnes Triple Shock 168-grain match load. In my experience, this is undoubtedly one, if not the most, accurate flying rounds available today for this incredible rifle combo. If you doubt me, I would challenge you to put some together. It would even be nice to publish the 100-yard, three-shot group findings. Just a thought. I look forward to your next column, keep up the good work.

Roger Glazier – via email

Carl Hermansen, my name is Wade and I am sixteen and live in Lehi, UT. I have also had a ton of good luck with the .308. Mine is not as fancy as yours, but it still gets the job done. I have been using it strictly for hunting deer, elk and antelope. I have been using the Barnes Triple-Shock X 150-grain from Federal. I have had excellent success with this bullet and have harvested two deer, two antelope and an elk. What I would like to ask you though, is what load you would recommend for the Ruger M77. I would also like to use this rifle for predator hunting. Do you think that this would be a good caliber for that and what load would do the least damage to pelts? I am starting to get into the reloading scene and could use some helpful tips with this caliber. Thanks.

Wade McAllister – via email

Wade, fancy is certainly not what it takes to have a great shooting setup. In fact, my most expensive and fancy .308 that set me back $1800 shot worse than my $750 Remington 700. Handloading is THE ticket to getting a rifle to shoot. The .308 is absolutely the perfect caliber for you to start into the handloading arena with. The Barnes Triple Shock is a very accurate slug. In fact, in terms of accuracy, it is in the top two of all the hunting slugs I have tried with the other slug being the Nosler Accubond. The only drawback to the Triple Shock (that I know of) is with bullet expansion on impact. I have spoken to several hunters that have had Triple Shocks just punch holes through game with poor bullet expansion. However, if you have had good results, stick with it. If you want to try something new, give the Nosler Accubond a try. I’m not sure of the choices in commercial ammo, because I never buy boxed ammunition. For elk, I would use a 165-grain and for the deer and antelope a 150. Start with Reloder 15 powder. As for predators, pelt bullet selection is a bit weak in .30 caliber - most predator guns are chambered in .22 or 6mm. FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) slugs do the least damage, but the chances of wounding game is greater with them. I am a huge V-Max fan for predators and have had great luck on pelts using them in my 220 Swift. Give the 110-grain V-max a go and let me know what you think. Another one to try is the slug I mentioned in the article - the 125-grain Berger. Good luck!

Carl Hermansen
Shooting Editor

I have a great life. I very much enjoy being a stay-at-home mom to our two busy boys Hunter and Hatch and our sweet, baby girl Sierra. I also very much enjoy being wife to my husband, Nate, who owns and operates five separate businesses - not the least of which is Alpine Antlers. Alpine Antlers takes Nate all over the world filming wildlife and his clients’ hunts. He works long, hard hours so that I can be at home for my kids. So, when he gets a chance to go on a film shoot or a hunt for himself, I miss him, but I don’t mind that he gets to go do something he loves.

The last couple of years as our kids have gotten older, Nate has taken all of us with him on a few of his film shoots. We went to beautiful Alberta with him last year where he got a 205-inch archery buck that is featured in Burly Bucks 2. This year, we have spent a number of weeks out in the field with him as he filmed various hunts.

I like to hunt and fish myself. I grew up in a family where my dad and brother hunted, and it felt very natural for me to hunt as well. I apply for premium tags, and have drawn Utah and Colorado general deer tags in the past. I’ve hunted the weekends on occasion but, as other female hunters will attest to, it’s hard to get out to hunt when you have young kids at home and your mule deer expert hubby is already out hunting with his Dedicated Hunter tag that he didn’t fill during the archery or muzzleloader seasons. Not that that is a bad thing - I am happy that he gets to do what he loves. However, 2007 was a little different. I was very excited for the Colorado hunt. Nate had a spot where he had seen some really big deer, and we were both excited about this area. I called my dad who graciously agreed to watch the kids in our camping trailer during opening day of the late season rifle hunt. I had one day to hunt. The kids had already been gone from school for a week during September and would be missing another week in early December for our Kansas whitetail hunt. We didn’t want to be gone for very long. In addition, that Saturday was the only day my dad could watch the kids, as he had other obligations for the rest of the week. No pressure.

It was a chilly November morning. We set the alarm for earlier than we normally would since I had the baby to feed before we left. Hunter got up to come with us. Nate, Hunter and I left long before first light. We hiked to the top of the mountain and got to where we could sit and view the canyons below us before the sun came up over the horizon. I sat on the east side of the peak and glassed my side, while Nate sat on the west side and glassed in the other direction. As the pre-dawn light grew brighter, I could make out a number of deer on the slope below me. Hunter, sitting next to me, spotted some others on a distant slope. No antlers. We were also beginning to see orange dotting the canyons below us.

Just as the sun dawned over the mountains in front of us, Nate whistled. Hunter and I crept over the top of the hill, and Nate pointed to his Geovid binos. He had them set up on his video tripod, focused in on a buck. He whispered that it was a 3×4, but it looked like a nice one. I took a peek. The buck had his head down and was eating, but I could see that he had wide horns that went out past his ears. He looked great to me, so when Nate asked if I wanted him I said, “You bet! Let’s go get him.”

Just as we were getting the camera set up, some hunters took a shot north of us in another part of the canyon. My buck and the does around him started to trot south toward the thicker cedar trees. Having spent a lot of time in this area, Nate knew where the deer would go when pressured. Amazingly, he thinks like a mule deer buck.

“He’ll be heading up higher into the trees. We’ll need to run to stay ahead of him,” he whispered.

So, we grabbed our stuff and dropped down on the other side of the peak. We ran south along the back side of the ridgeline for a good half mile. Nate can hike and run on a mountain like nobody I have ever seen; so, needless to say, Hunter and I were quite a distance behind him. The ridge was steep and Hunter was having a hard time, so I grabbed his hand to keep him from sliding down the soft, loose dirt and shale. By the time we got to where Nate was, he was lying prone on the top of the ridge with his camera already set up and glassing for the deer. Hunter and I laid down next to him and I got my gun ready. Sure enough, Nate spotted the buck stepping out of the cedars directly down and in front of us about 300 yards away (Didn’t I say that Nate thinks like a mule deer?). I saw him a few moments later. He looked magnificent! He was wider than I had first thought and more massive, and his antlers seemed to just go straight out and up. He sure was pretty, glistening in the early sunlight. I definitely wanted to take that deer!

I got the scope up on him. Nate had the camera on and ready and I took a shot. Wham! Got him! I took another shot to be sure. The buck ran back into the trees behind him. I saw some hunters making their way up the canyon, so Hunter and I headed down to locate the buck. We found the blood trail and saw the buck in a thicket. We waved to Nate to come down.

This was one of those deer that grows as you walk up on him. We lifted his head off the ground and he was monstrous! Yes, he was a 3×4, but the three-point side was cooler than the four-point side! My buck has long main beams that curl in and measure 27-inches long. His G-2 on the three-point side is bladed and measures a crazy eighteen inches. However, the most astounding part was that he had a full 35-inch wide outside spread! We - that is - I would never have thought he was that wide. Nate, on the other hand, had suspected he was wider than we originally thought and was giddy with excitement. Hunter thought he was pretty cool, too.

We were a long way from the truck and ended up spending most of the day packing the buck out. My dad and Hatch were excited to find out that I had gotten a deer, but really surprised when we showed them how big the buck was. Sierra was just happy to see her momma.

With one day to hunt, we made great use of it. Granted, it did help to have one of the top mule deer men in the hunting industry “guiding” me. But, even if we hadn’t gotten such a nice deer, it would have been a fun, memorable hunt anyway because I was able to experience it with my wonderful husband, my dad and my kids close by.

Watch for Vicki’s exciting Colorado mule deer hunt in the soon-to-be released Burly Bucks 3 by Nate Jacobson and Alpine Antlers Enterprises.

There are many states that have decided to coordinate efforts to feed starving deer throughout the west due to extreme winter conditions. Efforts have been underway in northern Utah, Idaho and Colorado. Authorities are hesitant to launch a winter feeding program as there are consquences to doing so, but in extreme conditions in certain parts of the west programs have begun. Feeding must be done correctly to allow for proper food digestion, but it also creates a bad habits for deer and may keep them longer on the winter range looking for handouts as well. However, due to the conditions in some parts, winter mortality will affect herd conditions to such a level that feeding is a must.

Biologists say Colorado is experiencing brutal weather in many areas, with Gunnison Basin listed as the worst. Snowpack levels are among highest ever recorded with many weeks of winter remaining. At the same time, nighttime temperatures are falling as low as 35 degrees below zero. Pronghorn antelope and mule deer are hardest hit. Emergency feeding is underway for approximately 6,500 deer and 500 antelope at 105 locations on federal and private lands.

About 2,500 elk are being fed weed-free hay dropped from helicopters. Though elk are faring better than deer and antelope, some biologists worry about fewer births and greater calf mortality next spring.

According to some experts, feeding is not the answer, but just a temporary band aid. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation cautions that in general, some winter mortality is normal. It’s nature’s way of balancing herds with their habitat. But when too much winter range is lost to urban development or invasive weeds, a harsh winter can be a catastrophic reminder of our obligation to conserve land. Wildlife habitat is being lost at alarming rates as cities sprawl and ranchettes consume open spaces long used by wintering elk and deer. If we don’t act urgently to protect habitat, eventually the balance will tip so far against wildlife that severe winterkill will become the norm, not the exception.

Fortunately for the winter of 2007/2008, concerned sportsmen and women along with cooperating famers and ranchers have contributed thousands of dollars to help in the emergency feeding programs. How much of an impact this will have on the 2008 hunting season will be determined as hunting licenses and opportunities may be decreased in some areas due to the harsh winter mortality rates.

Wolf Delisting Rule Target Date of March 28

As you read this updated news on the delisting of the wolf, there is a good chance that the target date of March 28, 2008 will go through. However, that is a big if as pending lawsuits could delay the effective date of the final rule. On Thursday, February 21, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services filed a rule that would remove gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains from the federal endangered species list. The rule was then posted in the Federal Register on February 27, and will go into effect 30 days later on March 28. If the rule takes effect, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana will take full management responsibility for wolves. Each state has an approved wolf population and management plan that will maintain population and breeding pair objectives and allow wolves to be managed as a native species similar to other big game.. The Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to monitor wolf recovery for five years after the delisting rule takes effect. The Service would consider putting wolves back on the endangered species list if populations drop below 10 breeding pairs or 100 wolves in each of the three states – Idaho, Montana and Wyoming – and would be reviewed should populations drop below 15 breeding pairs or 150 wolves for three consecutive years. Wyoming must maintain seven breeding pairs outside Yellowstone National Park. Any major changes in state laws, diseases, or other concerns could also cause relisting.

Biggest Mule Deer in 35 years!

In the previous issue of Hunting Illustrated (Best of 2007, Feb/March 2008) we featured the much hyped Kyle Lopez buck. At the time of printing, the buck had not been officially scored. It was also stated that the buck was the largest non-typical mule deer taken in the last 20 years with its green score of 303 5/8 B&C. The exciting official score has now put the Lopez buck into an even higher class. With an official score of 306 3/8 net B&C, the buck is now the new #2 all-time for Colorado and a pending 12 or 13 in the world. It also surpassed the Artie McGram buck taken in California in 1987. The last buck to score higher is the Colorado state record that scores 306 7/8 taken in 1972. This makes the Lopez buck the biggest mule deer taken in the last 35 years!
For those of you who came and visited us at our booth at the Hunting and Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City were able to see Kyle and his buck in person.

Did you Know
Brought to you by Boone & Crocket

Did You Know…that there are approximately 832 non-typical mule deer listed in Boone & Crockett that make it over the all time minimum score of 230. Compared against non-typical whitetail that make it over the all time minimum of 195, that amount is an impressive 2,959. However, there are only an estimated 302 whitetail deer that score 230 or better listed.

Wolves Spread to Oregon

Another Idaho wolf has wandered into eastern Oregon – this one a radio-collared female wolf from the Timberline Pack. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists just found the two- to three-year-old wolf in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest near the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. The biologists had received reports of wolf activity in that area and were searching for missing wolf radio-collars from Idaho. Idaho Fish and Game biologists had put a radio-collar on the wolf – identified as B-300 – northeast of Boise in August 2006. Oregon biologists observed only a single wolf. But it was the fifth confirmed wolf to be found in Oregon. In March 1999, a radio-collared female was captured near John Day and returned to Idaho. In 2000, a collared wolf was found dead along Interstate 84 south of Baker City, and a wolf without a radio collar was found shot between Ukiah and Pendleton. In July 2007, a mature female wolf was found dead from a gunshot wound in Union County. All four wolves were from Idaho.