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Marcus Strange

Mule Deer on the Monument

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(Photo by Marcus Strange)

Bowhunting bugling bulls in September is by far my favorite thing to do. One B on that list is glassing up mule deer bucks, on public land, in the rut. Instead of hunting closer to home this year, I took the show on the road and hunted mule deer in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. It was a not only a great opportunity to spend time with one of my favorite species, but experience one of the most incredible pieces of public land our country has to offer. The Breaks monument is aptly named. The hallmark of this landscape is sharp, rapidly descending coulees and canyons, all moving towards a river bottom that must be experienced to be believed.

I spotted a solid looking three-point buck around noon with a group of does a half mile away, again at1pm at 60 yards, and again at2pm at 300 yards. Unfortunately, he was on parcels of private land that were not huntable (this is a challenge when hunting the fringes of the Breaks). I gave up on him and set up to glass one of the many other canyons.

(Photo by Marcus Strange)
(Photo by Marcus Strange)

After glassing one vantage point, I started to work my way along the rim of the canyon when I saw something that made my heart drop and leap at the same time. It was the tips the buck’s antlers moving through the grass. Defying all logic, this buck had left food, water, does, and was walking right towards me.  Shaking off the shock that threatened to overwhelm me, I took up a vantage point on the rim of the canyon and waited.

It seemed as if I sat there for an eternity, surrounded by an eerie silence. The clatter of a rock being dislodge pierced the silence and I quickly pivoted my rifle on its rest towards the sound. The buck, cautious, sniffed the air and froze, his eye’s locked on my position. In a heartbeat I ran my shot list; pick a spot, watch it to keep it, breath in, breath out, relax, squeeze.

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(Photo by Marcus Strange)

I heard the shot, felt the recoil, and watched with relief as the buck stopped in his final resting place. Joy and sorrow always fill me with each animal I take. Sorrow as the loss of life, joy at filling a freezer and accomplishing a goal. As I dressed out my deer, a snowstorm rolled in and I hiked out in the dark and driving snow.

While each hunt is unique, the ability for anyone to go and have their own experience is not unique. It is a privilege offered to each American, thanks to the Antiquities Act and other public lands protections. Click HERE to learn about how you can help protect your public land heritage.

 

Crucial Companions: The Herds and the Bird

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When snow blankets vegetation in the foothills and mountains, big game animals like mule deer, elk and pronghorn depend on sagebrush lands, the same habitat that sustains greater sage-grouse. Wildlife biologists point out that healthy habitat is key for healthy wildlife populations. For sportsmen and women who roam sagebrush country each fall, the connection between sage-grouse and other wildlife is clear. They know what’s good for the bird is good for the herd. That’s why they want to conserve sage-grouse and their habitat.

Montana-Sage-Grouse-Map

Sage-grouse used to number in the tens of millions across the West, but now number an estimated 200,000 to a half-million. Sage-grouse are seen as a bellwether species for the health of sagebrush lands. And sage-grouse conservation plans developed by the states, Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service with input from locals on the ground are the way forward for Western big game.

 

Sage Grouse. Photos by Bob Wick, BLM
Sage Grouse by Bob Wick, BLM

But the fate of all the work and collaboration that went into the plans is uncertain as the Trump administration considers major changes. These plans helped convince the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that sage-grouse didn’t need to be added to the endangered species list. Failure to move forward with the conservation efforts could lead to the very outcome the plans were intended to avoid – a listing of the bird and the restrictions that come with it. Governor Bullock and other Western governors have said wholesale changes to the conservation plans aren’t needed and have voiced support for focusing on sage-grouse habitat to rebuild the bird’s population

The Bureau of Land Management is collecting public comment on the sage-grouse conservation plans until December 1st. It is important that they hear from sportsmen and women from around the West. Tell them that they should give the plans a chance to work. Go to: nwf.org/beherdforthebird to take action.

 

Hunters Crucial for Wildlife Management

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Montana hunters have been giving a great deal of attention to elk in recent years, and for good reason. This year the statewide elk population is estimated at 176,000, an all-time high. We have more than 80 hunting districts where elk are over the targeted “objective” population established by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, which is developed in consultation with landowners based on their tolerances for elk.

The discussion goes on and on about what to do to better manage wildlife. Shoulder seasons that span roughly six months long, second elk tags for cows only and cow elk hunting for all five weeks on a general license – all of these are thrown out as solutions to our elk population and distribution issues. But one method is time-tested, and proven, to lead to sound wildlife management – putting public hunters on the ground to hunt public elk.

A prime example is an area just south of Dillon in Hunting District 325, where FWP struggled for years to manage the elk herd. The adjoining public lands had fewer and fewer elk in them, but the center pivot hayfields on one ranch in the area was overrun with hundreds of elk. Sometimes close to a 1,000 elk were on the ranch, and the landowner charged a fee for elk hunting, both cows and bulls. But finally, after nearly a decade, even the landowner had enough when hundreds more elk showed up, further damaging crops and fences. The rancher three years ago started to allow public hunters.

The response was overwhelming. People were happy to show up and kill a cow elk. Some would drive from all over Montana. And because the landowner was allowing public hunters during the general season, the property qualified for a game damage hunt that started early and ran late. People would take vacation days to come kill an elk, and last season they killed more than 300 elk, according to the area FWP biologist. Two large, adjoining ranches cooperated as well, although they had been allowing hunters for several years.

It helped not only with population control, but also elk distribution. Hunters reported seeing dramatically more elk in the Blacktail Mountains, which are public land and offer good elk hunting. And after three seasons, far fewer elk are showing up on the fields. In fact, this season they have yet to call a hunter off the game damage roster.

At the same time, the hunting district’s population remains healthy. But those elk are in different places, with far more on public land and accessible to public hunters.

The bottom line is that hunters have to be part of the solution to these issues of elk overabundance. It’s not a big mystery. We’ve known it for years. Now it’s time to start the constructive conversations with landowners in other parts of the state struggling to manage their wildlife, and craft some access solutions that benefit landowners, hunters and wildlife.

 

Nick Gevock is the Conservation Director for the Montana Wildlife Federation.

Montana Wildlife Federation – Gear Lists

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Marcus is the Central Montana Field Representative for MWF and a passionate big game hunter. For Marcus, making sure his gear is ready prior to the beginning of each hunt is nothing short of ritualistic. Finding the balance between functionality and weight is critical to a successful hunt. One must avoid carrying unneeded gear, but be prepared. Thus, Marcus carefully selects his gear to fit the hunt. Here is his suggested gear list for big game hunting.

Clothes

Marcus’s boots of choice are the Danner Powderhorn. They are a solid, all-around boot that performs equally well chasing elk through the mountains or hiking to a tree stand along a river bottom. For camouflage, he wears King’s Camo. It’s a high quality, low-cost camo that can be found through many different dealers across Montana. Whether one believes that camouflage is needed or not, having comfortable clothes while hunting is essential. The one rule for Marcus is to avoid cotton due to its tendency to absorb water and cause chafing.

Pack

The ideal pack is one that can be used as a daypack or as a multi-day pack. Marcus uses the Sky 5900 from Stone Glacier, an expedition pack that can convert down into a daypack. If you’re looking for a less expensive option, check out ALPS Outdoorz or the King’s Camo Mountain Top 2200. Whatever pack you choose, make sure that it can handle the weight of a pack out.

Day Hunt

For Marcus’s day hunts he carries these basics:

Multi-Day Hunt

For a multi-day hunt, Marcus’s list is a little more involved. The attached Excel sheet is a complete list of everything Marcus uses for a seven-day backpack trip. This is a good starting point and checklist for you to use as you plan your next adventure. Download the file and adjust it to fit your needs. If you have any questions about gear contact Marcus at mstrange@mtwf.org. Good luck out there and shoot straight!

Click the link below to see Marcus’s full list. 

Marcus Strange-2017-Backcountry-Hunting-Gear-List-V1_0

Montana Wildlife Federation – Gear Lists

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waterfowl sunrise

Montana Wildlife Federation’s John Bradley was nice enough to share what he took out to Eastern Montana on an early season duck hunt on public lands. Often overshadowed by its superb big game opportunities, Montana has some of the country’s best waterfowl hunting, It’s critical that we as hunters do our part to protect this treasured resource. The best gear will be useless without clean water, intact nesting habitat and wetlands, and healthy populations of waterfowl. To learn more about how to get involved, visit montanawildlife.org or contact John at jbradley@mtwf.org. Now here is the gear that John is using:

Clothes

Waterfowl hunting in Montana can range from 80 degree days in early October to below zero days in late December. The clothes you need vary greatly on the temperature. In the early season, I use Cabela’s Northern Flight Neoprene Waders, LaCrosse Alphaburly muck boots, Drake Waterfowl ¼ Zip Pullover, and an old camo baseball cap.

In colder weather, I supplement the gear above with merino wool base layers and I add my Cabela’s Northern Flight Jacket as a shell. I try to avoid throwing on a cotton sweatshirt at all cost. Cotton absorbs moisture and takes a long time to dry, two things that can make for an uncomfortable duck hunt on a cold morning.

Decoys

I tend to use less decoys than most, mainly because I often hunt alone and hate making multiple trips to the vehicle.  My early season spread includes a dozen Avian X Blue Wing Teal Decoys (Texas Rigged), six Avian X Mallard Decoys (Texas Rigged), and four Cabela’s Northern Flight Canada Goose Floater Decoys.

Day Hunt

For an early season hunt I carry these basics. Some of the items serve as a back-up and stay in the vehicle.

  • License: Montana Resident Waterfowl License, Federal Duck Stamp
  • Gun: Benelli M2 Field in 12ga, Remington Model 11 in 20 ga
  • Ammo: Kent Faststeel 12ga #2s and  Kent Faststeel 20ga #4s
  • Calls: Zink Calls’ “ATM Green Machine” Duck Call, Zink Calls’ “Call of Death” Goose Call
  • Dog:  Ida, 5 Month Old Yellow Lab (not adviseable)
  • Dog supplies: Dog Food, Water, Crate, Lead, Whistle, and First Aid Kit
  • Binoculars: Vortex Diamondback 10×42
  • Headlamp: Cabela’s Alaskan Guide Series QUL Headlamp
  • Miscellaneous: Bore Snake, Wind Checker, Cushion Knee Pad

This is not a definitive list for every waterfowl hunter out there, but I’ve had good success over the years with this set up. Keep an eye out for more gear lists from the Montana Wildlife Federation as our staff head to the rivers, the fields, and the mountains this fall.

Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas

Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas is a passionate conservationist who has been fishing and hunting his entire life. Whether it’s floating a small stream chasing trout, pursuing elk in the high country, or waiting in a blind for ducks to set their wings, Jeff is always trying to bring more people afield to show them what we are trying to protect. He loves being in the arena, and he will never shy away from conversations about the beautiful and unique corners of Big Sky country.