Severe Winter Is Taking A Toll

Bobwhite Quail

Upland birds and tough winters do not mix well. Especially deadly are deep, crusted snow combined with lengthy periods of severe cold--the sort of conditions eastern Montana has been experiencing nearly non-stop since mid-November. The bad news is things can and often do get worse in late winter and early spring. Typically late winter and early spring produce some of the season's heaviest snow falls; toss in ice storms, sleet and hail and what you have is a deadly brew only the hardiest birds lucky enough to live in the very best habitat can survive.

Crusted snow restricts birds’ ability to forage. Prolonged cold increases daily nutritional requirements and over time consumes fat reserves necessary to weather such harsh conditions. Birds able to concentrate around hay stacks, tree rows and farm yards usually fare best. In some popular pheasant hunting spots, such as Plentywood and Froid, locals carry on extensive winter feeding programs—screenings gleaned from grain elevators and such. So long as the feed doesn’t run out and predator sinks don’t develop such feeding probably helps but lacking habitat can be like putting a band-aid on a bleeding artery.

Other wildlife, such as, antelope, mule and whitetail deer, suffer as well.

The National Weather Service in Glasgow, MT. reported thru January: Wibaux had accumulated 39.9 inches of snow, Glendive 26.2, Bloomfield 38.0 and Sidney 42 inches. Snow accumulation throughout eastern Montana is above normal and snow is predicted to continue with no-end in sight.

Biologists expect severe impacts to upland game bird populations in some locations. On the heels of the tough winter last year all this doesn’t bode well for upcoming season’s overall hunting prospects. Especially in light of last season, one many of us ranked among the worst in years.

As for the photo: No Mr. Bobwhite does not own a Montana Zip Code. Just thought a nice pix might help keep the dreaded shack nasties somewhat at bay anyways...over and out...

Upland Bird Hunting: Season's Greetings

(click to enlarge)

Bird season is well along and as usual we've done most of our hunting on public and private lands enrolled in Montana's wonderful Block Management Program. And as usual a fair share of knockin' doors....the results of which have been as usual mixed--some good, some not so hot and some...well, nothing less than remarkable...Here are some out-takes from this season and seasons past on some of the more colorful events... 

You can hunt the river bottom above the house but not below. Apparently sensing our curiosity the rancher went on to explain. Ain't much up above the cows have got 'er grazed pretty thin but down below the pheasants is pretty thick and I wanna keep all I got. OK.

New Year's Eve, one more day left: tooling down a backcountry road outside Choteau as the sun is about to set on what has been a really tough day of wind, wild flushing birds, out of control dogs and impossible to run down landowners suddenly roosters everywhere--crossing the road, in the wheat stubble, in the ranch yard itself. No posters, a no brainer so...The nice lady answers the door says, Hello, can I help you then evidently noting my obvious bird hunter attire, adds..If it's hunting the answer is no. My husband and I feel the 15th (December, until a few years ago the traditional end of the Montana bird season) is long enough and so our season is ended. But if you want call us and set up a date for next season, no problem. Game Management. As you might expect we do indeed make the call  and not all that surprising the nice lady answers says, Sorry my husband and I think the bird numbers are way down this year and so...Well, thanks anyway.

Way out in the middle of nowhere are the Sweet Grass Hills, miles and miles of nothing much but, well, sweet grass and the occasional lonely ranch complex. Again looks good (no birds this time but lots of CRP better still no sign of other hunters ). So I knock and in due time the door opens, just a crack mind you and a not so friendly lady says, You wanna hunt go round to house out back my son's home I don't deal with hunters anymore...SLAM! At the house around back I hear obvious sounds of life but...knockin' loudly first on the front door, then the back, then the patio doors brings no response. OK lady your turn. Naturally she passes on the invite. Proving once again you don't ask you won't know only works if the askee cares to play.

Some landowners make it clear without asking partner you just ain't welcome:

Every other fence post splashed in FRESH orange paint usually equates to why bother? But not always so I tend to make it a project to be sure and test the waters anyway. OK mostly a waste of time but too much fun to pass up...sorry.

Others resort to clever signs to relay basically the same message:

South of Malta scrawled in ominous looking blood red paint, Go Ahead Hunt, But Watch the Damn Bull He's A Killer! One would think even the riffraff might have second thoughts, eh? A billboard outside Dillon in the Sweetwaters warns: No Tresspassing; No Hunting; No Fishing; No Hiking; No Peddlers; No Salemen; No Nothing; Don't ASK!!! C'mon man, you expect us true blue sports to ignore that one, no chance.

Speaking now really clever, the ranch gate over Waterloo way: the one with the six foot long pile of rocks with cowboy boots sticking up at the foot end and a wooden grave marker complete with worn cowboy hat tacked on at the head; the message loud and clear: Here Lies the Last Sonofabitch Left the Gate Open!

Among the most common posters are those read No Tresspassing, No Hunting Without Written Permission. OK but..Since at least 9 of 10 have no contact info (yes I know by design) lacking GPS and a plat book in your back pocket...OK you win.

Sorry I'd like to but I got the place leased...Really tugs at the ol' heart strings, eh? Sort a like, Ah shucks, I just told so and so to go ahead and the boss (pin the blame elsewhere, right?) only allows one party at a time, come back later maybe we can fit ya in.

Landowners with tales to tell of wrecked gates, cut fences, livestock shootings and other dastardly hunter deeds have every right to deny or grant access as they please; no excuses asked, none necessary. But some deeds it would seem the statute of limitations should have long since run out, to say nothing of those where the culprit was actually caught red-handed, yet continue to haunt generations mostly responsible orange clad hunters. No, we haven't let anybody hunt for 20 years or so, not since the sonsabitchin' poacher's truck burned up and our wheat field too. Fish and Game caught the bastard and fined him good, but that did it for us. Really, sorry for your loss but we live in Dil..Ah-h forget it.

Onward and upward.



Montana Upland Bird Hunting: Update

(click to enlarge)

Compared to other seasons this one I'd have to say has been tough. I read a veteran bird hunter's opinion the other day stating overall bird numbers have been in decline for the past four seasons. Judging our hunting experiences I find that hard to argue, although there isn't much official information out there to prove or disprove the idea.

Based on our last expedition up Shelby way assuming lack of bird hunters equates to lack of birds since we saw just three other bird hunters, well what's to argue? But of course all of this is pure conjecture since very little useful upland bird hunting information is deseminated by FWP; other than a few snippets on the general state of pheasant futures prior to the opening trying to find information on, say, the sharptail or Hun prospects for any given area is pretty much a waste of time. Actually getting any official word on the Hun prospects is, frankly speaking, a joke..."We don't monitor Huns so until reports start coming in from hunters have really no idea"...is, has been, FWPs stock answer for as long as I've been asking regardless who is on the receiving end. OK, but why keep such hunter reports a secret, even if it is late breaking news, at least it would be some clue as to what is or is not happening.

Sorry, I guess this sudden change in the weather has left me in a bitchin' mood...enough is enough...right!

Montana: Upland Bird Hunting

Obviously Annie gets right into it...more often than not a little too much into it.




We just returned from a two-week swing through eastern Montana. Our mission to search out and destroy as many wild birds--roosters, sharpies, Huns--as possible. Bearing in mind however our gang is aging fast and not nearly as lethal as a few seasons ago--two geezers, Kate (12th season) and of course the indefatigable Annie--Reigning Queen of Terror on the High Plains--"as possible" holds severe limitations. The trip came off without a hitch except for way too many too hot afternoons to say nothing of severely depressed bird numbers in most places and though it pains me to admit sometimes downright pathetic shooting...nothing like the deep slump of last mid-season but still not so hot...Anyway, we camped the first night at Issac Homestead WMA hunted a little in the morning to no avail (birds seemed to be around but mostly in the still standing corn which was everywhere...

Camp 2 was at Intake on the Yellowstone River. A nifty camp and even better just one other rig. The highlight though was dear sweet Annie ferreting out and rolling on a really dead catfish head. I'm here to tell you in case you never been "really dead catfish" STINKS to HIGH HEAVEN. Even after a thorough scrubbing in the Yellowstone we smelt the little bitch for at least a week after...enough about that. Next morning we found a few birds but none even close to Hail Mary range so...we decided to give it another go next day...end result deja vue all over again.

Camp 3: Medicine Lake where we rendezvoued with our pals Barb and Gig and their CA buddy Sam (our age, a really nice guy and one I wouldn't have any problem sharing a camp with again). We hung out there for about a week, hunted many different spots up and down the road, all the way to Whitetail even. Most afternoons were way too hot, I found myself in the throes of what would become a really painful knee problem and while we went hard most days the birds were scarce, wild as hell and the shots few and far between...oh well twas a good hunt despite all and a fine time had by all...what more could you want.

Camp 4: Our plan was to eventually kick Med Lk and haul ass for Malta but G&B reported "sucks, worst ever" so...instead we headed to Fort Peck. Turns out a good move as is a really nifty place. First night we had but a single neighbor in a huge campground...with electric to boot...and all for 8 bucks per...thanks to our golden ages...I know, a sick joke, but...Actually the hunting there was as good as up at Med Lk, the killing was about on par also but where else can you tour a nifty interpretive center...dinosaurs even...gaze upon an awesome inland sea, delve into one of more interesting sites in all of Big Sky, enjoy a fine camp and gourmet camp food with your best buddies, celebrate yet another gd birthday and like I said all for a measely 8 bucks per...hell can't beat it.

Camp 5: Deadman's Basin near Harlotown where dear sweet Annie found not only a much dead antelope head to roll upon but pointed a small covey huns to boot. Had an interesting though much strained conversation with our only neighbor a rancher/sugar beet grower from Joliet...strained only because nearly deaf, I doubt he heard much of what we said...we all laughed a lot though so what the hell...

As a sort of added bonus the drive to Dillon did not feature off the charts wind for a change, although we did lose the spare tire off the Bird Huntin' Haus...proving once again beyond a shadow of doubt you really can't have it all...

...which of course means a lengthy and tedious comb-out job...which of course in not high on her list of favorites..thus one would think she would learn to avoid the sticky bastards, but as Gale points out "no way, I think the little bitch really loves the attention...sounds about right to me...

 




 
 
 



Guide Wars Over At Last...

...hopefully that is. At least it is my plan to not do anymore trips this season. Enough is enough...right?

Anyway, when I started this blog I really didn't think I'd be able, willing, whatever to post every day but did think no more than a couple days between was more than doable but...What I didn't consider was after guiding, especially during multi-day runs, how downright worn out (brain-dead?) some leave me...like no way. So this summer there have been lots of holes. Well, summer is now all but officially dead, my trip book is blank thus my plan for the immediate future is to post on a daily basis excepting those days when we are on the road and have no internet connection.

Since my last post we have been trying to get out bird hunting every chance. Most days we have but the hunting so far has not been up to par. This morning we decided since it was going to get into the 70s this afternoon for the sisters' sake we'd best get out early, make a short hunt for sage hens and, regardless, call 'er good. While it wasn't quite crack of dawn we did get out early enough the temperature was still in low 40s although the sun was well up and the Big Sky cloudless...Not at all hot but for our dark heavy-coated girls way too sunny.

No surprise but after just an hour or so both were fagged. Kate seemed especially hot, so we called it good even though nary a sage hen had been sighted. Oh well, said Gale, look on the bright side, no birds to clean either. 

Hard to argue, eh?

On the way out of town we saw several buck antelope herding harems. While not much has come off on schedule this year obviously the antelope rut is right on...

Hunting Season Officially Arrives Tomorrow and...

...as usual I can hardly get my head around the idea of big game hunting in mid-August. But yes, it's true with a 900 antelope archery tag in hand come dawn Sunday morning you are good to go. Most years the season opener dawns way more summer-like than fall-like but if yesterday is any indication this year could be different...like 180 different as the temperature struggled to climb even into the 60s and as mentioned previously snow in the high country was the prediction...don't know if that really materialized but mid-60s in mid-August...well as I said felt pretty much like mid-October is supposed to feel.

Alas this time around I won't be participating, having somehow totally forgot to apply for any big game tags...that's right none, nada...thank goodness Montana law allows me to buy a deer/elk tag over the counter or for the first time since I turned 12 many, many moons ago, no big game hunting for this lad. Scary as hell, you got it but hopefully not terminal.

Taking advantage of the chilly day we took the sisters to the woods hoping they might get into a blue grouse or two...did not happen but they did uncover a roost site in a bunch of pines...several days (weeks) old but still...we declared the mission a success of sorts and after all we did get a little workout and the heady smells in the damp pines did get our juices flowing for what surely will turn out a fine fall bird season...don't they all?who needs a moldy ol' elk or deer anyways...right? Right.

Upland Bird Photography

Spring, from about now through May, is the best time to photograph upland birds (any bird for that matter). Because it's breeding season birds, especially males, make a point of dressing in their finest. With love on their minds males are far less cautious than usual and with a little planning and a lot of stealth you can often get right next to them...as was the case the day I shot this handsome male blue grouse.

While he strutted and clucked about a pine covered hillside here in southwest Montana, moving slowly I simply followed along clicking away as the opportunities arose. Certainly aware of my presence he acted oblivious was still doing his thing as I walked away after shooting several dozen frames.

Other's such as sharp-tailed and sage grouse act similarly oblivious as they strut about traditional "dancing grounds" (leks). In most cases even a two-ton pickup in their midst fails to draw much more than a cursory glance.

Turkey gobblers are a bit more cautious, less oblivious and some are downright difficult to approach. But set up a simple blind, put out a decoy or two and even Ol' Two Toes, reputed wariest Tom T. ever strutted is likely to come callin...especially later, once his gals have gone to nesting.

Regardless to get good photos usually means screwing on a telephoto lens...I shot the blue grouse with a 300mm f2.8 lens, mounted on a sturdy tripod. In this case because of the relative darkness beneath the pines even at midday the fast f2.8 lens allowed me to use a high enough shutter speed to stop whatever movement. Today's digital slrs boast an incredible range of ISOs. Which means you can ramp up the ISO to compensate for low light and still obtain decent noise free photos. In other words you can get away with slower lens.

High quality telephotos in the 200mm to 400mm range are both widely available and affordable. Aftermarket brands such as Tokina, Sigma and Tamaron get high marks for both quality and affordability...in most cases hundreds less than you'd expect to pay for, say, Nikon and Canon lenses.

As with most photographic subjects the closer you get the better but ethically speaking there is indeed a need to draw the line far enough away so as to not disrupt the bird's natural behavior.

How-To Photograph Flying Upland Gamebirds in Winter

Recipe: To (2) bird-crazed German Wirehaired Pointer(aka Deutzche Drahthaar aka GWP) Sisters, Add (1)snowy sagebrush sea. Stir in one to several sage hens. Allow Sisters to Cover as much of the sagebrush sea as necessary in order to uncover the sage hen(s)and establish staunch points and/or a single staunch point with classy back. With SLR camera in hand, armed with 200mm lens and ready to fire, stride quickly into position and upon flushing bird(s) fire away...naturally at will since the more you shoot the better your odds of getting at least one passable shot. It should go without saying but should you fail at first by all means send the Sisters, try and try again. Good luck!!!

And yes the winter is indeed already starting to get a little old...not a crisis mind you just a bit irksome.

Good By and Good Riddance...Hooray!!!!

Riding into the sunset of what turned out a not so hot year, always the eternal optimist I look forward to a big turn around in 2010...good luck, eh?

Oh well, the past year did at least start off with a bang, as we spent the entire month of January bird bumming around the Arizona outback in search of quails and such. Staying the month was not only a big surprise to both Gale and me an even bigger surprise was how easy life with two dogs and a small trailer turned out. I can't recall a single significant crisis the entire time.

From there however things took a distinct downturn culminating I guess with the very real slap in the face the day my Medicare card arrived in the mail...like holy shit, you really are getting old...In between we endured getting screwed big time by outfitter buddy...OK I won't go there only because I don't want to lower myself to his lowlife friggin' level...2009 was without question our worst fishing season, if not ever, certainly in recent memory...not only did we not get out that often it seemed every time something happened to dust the deal...cows trashing our favorite little crick...everywhere we went others beat us to it...favorite campsites already taken...but the topper was the fishing for the most part bordered on grim...the only really good day I recall was the day Gale landed a really big cutt up at No Name Lake...you guessed it, Johnny on the Spot was none other than a guy from Idaho...why not...the bird season started out slow then picked up to more or less tolerable, then we endured a grim week west of Havre but later enjoyed a really fine week up Malta way...then winter hit and hunting around home mostly hit rock bottom, of late we hardly buy a bird just for the dogs to point...

On another track our photo/writing careers pretty much tanked, lots of rejected queries, very few photo sold, Great Places isn't selling worth crap, news the other day I'll only be writing 8 Sagebrush News columns instead of 12 and then yesterday I found out a feature piece scheduled for Nov/Dec09 has been bumped at least to May/June 2010. I'm afraid to ask same editor what might happen to the conservation feature submitted recently...and then there was the royal screwing we got from our doctor buddy...OK, enough, by now I'm sure you get it and understand quite clearly why I headlined this rant thusly...Happy New Year...we can only hope...right? Right.

Milk River Wildlife Management Area

This a shot of the Milk River Wildlife Management Area near Hinsdale. The line of cottonwoods in the background delineates the Milk River. The Milk is one of Montana's longest and least known (to anglers) rivers, born on the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains on the Blackfeet Nation it swings north into Alberta then back into Montana where it eventually joins the Missouri River below Fort Peck Dam west of Wolf Point...a run of about 730 miles.

The Milk is popular throughout its length with local anglers but you won't find many anglers from outside the region. Pike, smallmouth bass, sauger, walleye and catfish are the most sought after gamefish, but the Milk holds many surprises. Fort Peck Reservoir, while not technically a part of the Milk River system boasts something like 50 gamefish and provides primo fishing for trophy pike, smallmouth bass and walleye to name just three of the most sought after.

Deer and upland bird hunters, however, paint a different picture. Known far and wide as a world class whitetail hotspot, hunters from all over arrive each fall hoping to slay the "buck of a lifetime." And while upland bird hunting pales somewhat nonetheless the Milk River corridor is certainly no secret...especially amongst rooster lovers. While much of the Milk flows through private land there are many WMAs, as well as Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) and several National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) scattered throughout provide decent to sometimes primo rooster hunting opportunities. In addition Montana's popular Block Management Program has a strong presence all along the river free to hunters for the asking. By the way, many WPAs and most BMAs are open to hunting whitetails and other game species, including waterfowl.