Bird Hunting

An Overview of the Blue Lakes/Pine Forest Range

Online Editors — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:36:28 -0400

Situated in far northwestern Nevada just south of the Oregon border, Blue Lakes are the only alpine lakes in the region, and their value to anglers in the area is immeasurable. But, perhaps more importantly, is the value to the region for sportsmen all over America—it’s perhaps the best region to visit if you’re a chukar hunter, and if you’re interested in mule deer, pronghorn or bighorn sheep hunting, this is the corner of Nevada you’ll want to hit in search of big game.

Presently, the Pine Forest Range, including the Blue Lakes, is dotted by Bureau of Land Management wilderness study areas. Some of these areas might warrant that wilderness designation, but others are likely better off being released from WSA designation to allow for some much-needed conservation work that is simply not allowed in WSAs.

This is prime sage grouse country that is threatened now by invasive vegetation—primarily cheat grass, which is the first vegetation, native or exotic, to establish itself after a disturbance, like a fire, for instance. Recovery work in WSAs is limited, which means a WSA impacted by an exotic vegetation invasion can’t be adequately treated.

The lakes themselves provide a high-quality backcountry fishing experience in a designated wilderness study area, with rainbow trout and the unusual tiger trout (a sterile hybrid of a brook trout and brown trout) on the angling menu. An open shoreline lends itself to sight-casting to surprisingly big trout, and it’s a modest hike, meaning toting a float tube into the lakes is not unheard of. Presently TU and Field & Stream are working with local sportsmen, elected officials and agency staff to reconsider the WSA situation in this region, with the hopes of protecting Blue Lakes and the watersheds that drain off the Pine Forest Range—many of these streams have the potential for Lahontan cutthroat trout reintroduction.

As it is, the area is a destination for upland bird hunters who love to chase the wily chukar, and for many, that’s enough to warrant protection. Throw in the fishing component, and Blue Lakes and the Pine Forest Range are high-quality sporting destinations that deserve long-term protection.

What’s in Blue Lakes and the Pine Forest Range?
Fishing assets: Rainbow trout, brown trout, Lahontan cutthroat trout, brook trout, tiger trout.
Hunting assets: Chukar, sage grouse, mule deer, bighorn sheep,
pronghorn.
Other: This is a recreational paradise for desert-loving hikers, cyclists and off-road enthusiasts.

Threats: This area is threatened by a cheat grass invasion that has surpassed epidemic proportions. Additionally, unsustainable populations of wild horses and burros overgraze the fragile desert flora.

Also, limitations on what can be done to improve or recover wildlife habitat in designated wilderness study areas hinder any large-scale efforts to make habitat more welcoming to important game animals.

An Overview of the Cabinet and Yaak Mountains

Online Editors — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:31:28 -0400

It might be tough to believe, but Montana hasn’t protected any of its pristine backcountry fish and game habitat as wilderness in over a generation—the last attempt to create wilderness in the Treasure State was vetoed by President Ronald Reagan over 25 years ago. That’s not to say wilderness doesn’t exist outside those areas already protected in Montana —far from it. But politics and a host of factors have come into play, leaving some of the most deserving fish and game habitat in the state essentially unprotected and exposed to various forms of incursion, be it from mining, oil and gas or even just unneeded road construction.

Field & Stream and Trout Unlimited, sensing an opportunity, have rallied behind U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, the product of a collaborative series of negotiations and meetings that will hopefully result in the creation of new wilderness across Montana, including areas in the state’s northwest corner in the fabled Cabinet and Yaak mountains.

To make the effort even more palatable to a vast array of public lands users, the bill also includes a logging component that will put Montanans to work salvaging quality lumber from managed, low-country forests that are feeling the full brunt of the West’s mountain pine beetle infestation, as well as concessions to off-road vehicle and snowmobile enthusiasts who use public lands in the region as well. By protecting new wilderness in the state, Sen. Tester is ensuring the long-term viability of hunting and fishing—these areas are healthy and populated with native west slope cutthroat trout, trophy herds of elk, moose, mule deer and pronghorn, as well as upland game birds like ruffed, blue and spruce grouse. Wilderness, it turns out, is a great place to fish and hunt, and by setting aside irreplaceable public lands under our nation’s highest protective status, we’ll protect our rights to access, fish and hunt in these remarkable places now ... and for generations to come.

What’s in the Cabinet-Yaaks?
Fishing assets: Native west slope cutthroat trout, native bull trout, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout.
Hunting assets: Elk, deer, moose, bighorn sheep, bear, wolf, lion, ruffed, blue and spruce grouse.
Other: This region rests along the Montana-Idaho-British Columbia border and includes high-priority recreational country for sportsmen as well as off-roaders and snowmobilers. Designating this land as wilderness while conceding other, lower-quality public lands for extractive uses, like logging, makes this effort unique.

Threats: Protecting as wilderness these and other high-quality backcountry areas will prevent unnecessary hard-rock mining and segregate important fish and game habitat from future road or motorized trail incursion. Protecting this area also protects downstream water quality.

An Overview of the Gila Mountains

Online Editors — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:26:31 -0400

Situated in far southern New Mexico, the Gilas boast some of the most remote backcountry fish and game habitat in the Lower 48. More importantly, this range of rugged mountains is home to one of the nation’s most rare salmonids, the native Gila trout.

Once on the verge of extinction, TU and other conservation groups, in cooperation with state and federal agencies, have worked to restore these beautiful native fish to their home waters.

Additionally, the area provides outstanding opportunity for anglers pursuing a host of game fish in the middle and lower reaches of the Gila River. Fortunate anglers can catch smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout and even catfish in the warmer, lower reaches of the river.

Hunters, too, have reason to visit the Gilas—huge elk and deer populations grace this country, as does a prime population of wild turkeys. On the Gilas dryer and lower slopes, quail are common and provide excellent sport for the upland bird hunter.

The mountains, too, shelter some of the region’s priceless cultural artifacts, including remote cliff dwellings from an ancient Native American civilization that to this day puzzles modern archaeologists.

Unfortunately, the area is being impacted by excessive and illegal off-road vehicle use. Pioneered trails are bisecting big game habitat and contributing silt and sediment to the Gila’s trout streams.

Cross-country travel is creating a spider web of improperly maintained trails that wash out during storms and rut deeply, permanently scarring otherwise habitable land for game and fish.

Properly maintaining legal trails is important to the Best Wild Places project—there are no efforts to close legal routes. But illegal and unofficial routs that impact habitat—and hunting and fishing opportunity—must be closed and reclaimed.

It will fall to sportsmen and ORV users themselves to police bad actors and protect this place forever.

What’s in the Gilas?
Fishing assets: Native Gila trout, smallmouth bass, brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, largemouth bass, catfish, suckers and various warmwater species in lower reaches of the Gila River drainage.
Hunting assets: Elk, deer, turkey, quail, varmints.
Other: Remains of ancient Native American civilizations, ample camping and touring opportunities, hiking, geocaching, cycling, etc.

Threats: Increased presence of illegally “pioneered” off-road trails that impact habitat and hunting and fishing opportunity.

An Overview of the Outlaw Triangle

Online Editors — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:34:02 -0400

The Outlaw Triangle is one of the most unique sporting regions in the lower 48. It's actually composed of two special places, the Little Mountain region of Wyoming, and the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam in far northeastern Utah. It's called the Outlaw Triangle because Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid used the area as a hideout in the late 1800s.
The trophy trout fishing in the Green below Flaming Gorge Dam actually extends all the way downstream into the way to the Colorado border, but the first 20 or 30 miles or so of this prized tailwater could rightfully be included in the West’s “top 10 list of best trout fisheries.” Huge brown and rainbow trout chase flies and lures in the three “sections” of the river, giving the Green the reputation as a trophy fishery. Couple that with the splendor of the canyon, and the need to protect this special place is magnified. Trout Unlimited and Field & Stream are working to achieve “Scenic” designation for this stretch of the Green, simply to ensure that it remains the pristine angling paradise it is today for generations to come.

Currently there is a proposal to pump 250,000 acre-feet of water out of the Green River annually, then to pipe it across Wyoming and down to the front range of Colorado. If this were to happen, both the fishery on the reservoir, and the tailwater would be dramatically threatened.

If the Green is vital as an irreplaceable fishery to anglers, the Little Mountain region of Wyoming, just a stone’s throw to the north of the river, is just as important to hunters. Home to trophy herds of elk and mule deer, as well as the occasional moose and thriving herds of pronghorn, Little Mountain is one of the Intermountain Region’s most-prized destinations for big game hunting. In addition to its massive herds, the region also boasts sage grouse and, in its aspen-cloaked slopes, ruffed grouse, making it an all-around destination for hunters.

Little Mountain isn’t without its attraction to the backcountry angler, either. Several populations of native Colorado River cutthroat trout swim in hidden streams on Little Mountain, making for some unique adventure for the “cast and blast” sportsman interested in a truly special experience in a remote, yet accessible public lands paradise.

Unfortunately, Little Mountain has captured the interest of the natural gas industry—proposals exist that would transform this sportsmen’s dreamscape into something significantly less. Trout Unlimited is working with local stakeholders in the communities of Rock Springs and Green River—many of them industry workers themselves—to craft a plan that would allow for responsible natural gas drilling while protecting the unique resources of this treasured landscape.

Even with a glut of natural gas on the market, however, and with prices reflecting that, industry in the West, and on Little Mountain in particular, is aggressively pursuing new “inventory,” presumably to ensure a long-term future for drilling on public lands in the West. While TU and Field & Stream aren’t opposed to developing our domestic resources, there is legitimate concern that irresponsible planning and extraction will continue to erode our sporting opportunity, which is a huge part of the Western culture and heritage.

What’s in the Green?
Fishing assets: Trophy rainbow and brown trout, a few lake trout a few cutthroat trout, and native whitefish.
Hunting assets: Big bucks and big bulls haunt the rims of the canyon. Ruffed and blue grouse, excellent fall waterfowl hunting.
Other: The Green is one of the best backcountry floats in the nation, winding through a largely inaccessible canyon, apart from just a handful off put-in and take-out points.

Threats: Continued development in the region is stressing the viability of the resource. Keeping it like it is today is becoming a larger priority for all sportsmen and women in the region. Currently there is a proposal to pump 250,000 acre feet of water out of the Green River annually, then to pipe it across Wyoming and down to the front range of Colorado.

What’s on Little Mountain?
Fishing assets: Native Colorado River cutthroat trout.
Hunting assets: Deer, elk, pronghorn, sage grouse, ruffed grouse, bear, lion.
Other: It’s a recreational retreat for surrounding local communities.

Threats: Oil and gas drilling on Little Mountain could sully otherwise healthy native trout streams and bisect irreplaceable big-game habitat, infringing on opportunity for all who fish and hunt.

An Overview of the Roan Plateau

Online Editors — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:21:50 -0400

The Roan Plateau in western Colorado is the “line in the sand” for the Western sportsman who values intact fish and wildlife habitat and a unique sporting opportunity amidst a sea of industrial development. The Roan, which comprises only 1.5 percent of the entire Piceance Basin, rests above significant reserves of natural gas, but also provides refuge for trophy mule deer, elk, grouse, bear, mountain lion and pure strains of Colorado River cutthroat trout.

Unfortunately, against the wishes of sportsmen, surrounding communities, and Colorado’s federal delegation, the Roan was leased for gas drilling in 2008. Trout Unlimited and a host of conservation groups who recognized the value of the Roan for future generations, immediately challenged the leases in court, and that’s where the issue rests today—in the hands of a judge.

One important note: Trout Unlimited and Field & Stream have never opposed drilling for the gas beneath the Roan. Instead, we’ve proposed several ways to drill for the gas using state-of-the-art directional drilling techniques, phased in leasing, drilling and reclamation and plans to protect the Roan’s fragile streams. In these streams swim a unique strain of Colorado River cutthroat trout that has evolved isolated above an impassible waterfall. These fish are pure-strain cutthroats, and their environment is already pretty austere. Drilling for natural gas, particularly in this area, where industry oversight when it comes to safety and environmental protection has been lax, might be the one thing that would wipe out these priceless fisheries.

Working with hunters, anglers and guides and outfitters, Field & Stream and TU will not give up the Roan to wholesale drilling without a fight. With a glut of natural gas on the market today, and with technology available to ensure drilling won’t harm fish and game habitat, we see no need to sacrifice any further.

In addition to its fisheries, the Roan is home to excellent big-game hunting opportunities for deer, elk, bear and lion, as well as grouse and wild turkeys. It truly is a sportsman’s oasis in a sea of industrial activity.

What’s on the Roan?
Fishing assets: Native Colorado River cutthroat trout, brook trout.
Hunting assets: Elk, deer, ruffed grouse, blue grouse, black bear, mountain lion.
Other: The Roan is important for recreation, not only for sportsmen, but for hikers, campers and others. It’s also used by area cattlemen for grazing, and by hunting outfitters and guides as a deer and elk base camp.

Threats: Unnecessary and intrusive natural gas drilling threatens the water quality on the Roan, as well as the big-game habitat atop the plateau.

BREAKING NEWS: Recent Signups Keep CRP Acreage Near Cap

Online Editors — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:01:04 -0400

by Bob Marshall

Fish, wildlife and sportsmen got good news Friday when Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, announced recent and future sign-ups of 5.65 million acres in the Conservation Reserve Program, keeping that keystone conservation program close to its current authorized cap of 32 million acres.

But in an interview with Field & Stream, Vilsack also urged sportsmen to keep the momentum going by urging their congressmen - particularly House members - not to swing the budget axe on conservation funding in the new Farm Bill currently under consideration.

"(Sportsmen) should take some confidence or relief in the numbers we're announcing today, because it shows this administration is committed to CRP and to the outdoors recreational opportunities CRP creates and enhances," Vilsack said.

"(But) they ought to be engaged in encouraging members, especially in the House, not to reduce our commitment to conservation in the future - mainly because it works."

The Conservation Reserve Program, which pays farmers who enroll in the program to not plant marginal acres, is widely considered the most effective federal conservation program ever. The resulting grasslands not only provide essential upland nesting cover for waterfowl as well as numerous terrestrial species, but it also helps reduce soil erosion and improves water and air quality. It has also been a popular economic boost to the agricultural community, pouring $1.8 billion dollars into farmers' pockets annually.

But the program has come under stress in recent years. First commodity prices soared, drawing some farmers back to planting that non-tilled land. The USDA said it expected to see up to 6 million acres pulled out of CRP this year as contracts expired.

Sportsmen were still reeling from the impacts of that shock when some in congress targeted conservation spending as a way to trim federal spending.

Working with conservation groups, the administration found a way to fund an additional 1.75 million acres in two sign-ups set for this summer. The first will be targeted at highly erodible acres, the second at sensitive grasslands, wetlands, and wildlife habitat.

"When you add what we've just enrolled with the 1.75 million we'll get this summer, that will give us 5.65 million, pretty darn close to the 6 million we're losing, and right at 29.2 million - not far from what the cap is right now," Vilsack said.

He also urged sportsmen to tout the broader economic and environmental benefits of the CRP when pushing congressmen to preserve funding.

"In 2011 we were able to calculate the reduced nitrogen (because of CRP acres) going into streams (from farm fertilizers) by 623 million pounds, and reduced phosphorous by 124 million pounds," he said.

"When you look at carbon sequestration, we calculated that CRP is equivalent to taking 10 million cars off the road.

"So, this program doesn't just help wildlife, and outdoor recreation, and the farming community, it also has a very significant positive impact on the environment."

What Are the Prime Locations for Trapping Pigeons?

Online Editors — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:56:20 -0400

by Chad Love

I've previously blogged about the importance of using live birds for training and how it's smart to use a mixture of both pigeons and pen-raised birds. While I try to mix it up between the two, I have to admit that pigeons are what I use the most. Why? In theory, off-season training with live gamebirds sounds great. In practice, however, there are some issues.

First off, live gamebirds can get expensive. In my area, adult quail generally will run you four to five bucks apiece, chukars and huns will go slightly higher, and pheasants will set you back up to $13 per bird. On top of the initial expense, trying to keep gamebirds healthy, alive and in re-usable condition can sometimes be a struggle. Not to mention the fact that you can't take a bunch of quail out to a remote field, turn them out and then expect them to find their way home.

You're pretty much restricted to one training location and a johnny house/callback pen set-up if you turn out free-roaming quail. And if they're not adequately flight-conditioned enough to, well, actually fly away from your dog, then it pretty much defeats your purpose.

That's why so many of us rely on pigeons, both trapped and coop birds, for our training. They're free (if you can trap them) or cheap (if you have to buy), they're very hardy, easy to keep and raise, and are strong fliers. If they're adequately homed or imprinted on your pen or coop, even normal barn pigeons will (mostly) find their way back home from distant training sites. You can either buy barn pigeons or homers on Craigslist (barn pigeons normally got for two or three bucks a piece, culled homers a bit higher) or you can choose to trap your own.

I'm cheap, so I trap my own. Which is why I've been driving around town lately looking for likely pigeon-trapping locations. I just received two commercial pigeon traps made by SW Cage (available from Gundog Supply). I'll be talking more about the traps and my pigeon-trapping experiences in a future blog, but for now I have to figure out where and how to place them. That's where you come in.

I need some suggestions on where to trap for maximum skyrat catch rates. Any ideas? Downtown buildings, old grain elevators, underpasses or bridges--I've seen a few pigeons in these spots in my town, (which doesn’t have a huge pigeon population to begin with) but I'm not sure I've seen enough to make placing a trap worthwhile. Do you have a surefire, under-the-radar pigeon-trapping spot or technique? I'd love to hear it.

Should Young Hunters Start With Deer and Turkeys?

Online Editors — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:50:13 -0400

by Phil Bourjaily

Here’s me, on the set of the Gun Nuts TV show, holding my pick for the ideal youth turkey gun: a 20 gauge 870 Express Jr. with a red dot sight.

It is short, light, doesn’t kick much with the right loads, and it’s easy to hit with. My younger son shot his one and only turkey with it, and I have since taken it from him and killed turkeys with it, too. While you don’t have to put a $500 Zeiss Z-point on a kid’s gun, I think some form of red dot sight (and a lot of target practice before the season) is the best way to be sure a kid doesn’t miss.

Which brings me to my real point: for a lot of kids now, deer and turkeys are the first game they hunt. I am not sure that’s a good idea. Even though sitting in a blind and plinking a turkey someone else calls in for you is easy, killing a turkey is still treated as a big deal. Kill a turkey – or a deer – and a lot of people shake your hand and treat it like it’s a big deal. If you don’t get one, or you miss, well, you failed. It’s not good for kids to attach that kind of pressure to a first hunting experience. It should be about enjoying the outdoors, learning to hunt, and, ideally, bringing home some game. A friend of mine took a kid years ago who missed two turkeys in the same morning. He never went turkey hunting again after that.

I started my sons and a few other kids on youth season ducks. We always had enough chances that everybody who started with me killed at least one duck.

Really, squirrels are the very best animals for kids to start on. They are lots of them, so if you miss one, you don’t have to wait long to find another. Usually you can find at least one stupid squirrel that will sit still on a branch and let a kid shoo t it. People don’t generally tend to ask “get your squirrel yet?” as they do with deer and turkeys so a kid who is unsuccessful doesn’t feel as if he or she failed, which is the last thing we want in a first hunting experience.

Call Better: Try These Two Turkey Yelps

Sarah Smith — Mon, 21 May 2012 10:44:49 -0400

by Dave Hurteau

Yes this is Whitetail365, and I know that the spring turkey season is either over or nearly so depending on where you hunt. But most of you whitetail nuts are also turkey hunters, and it’s never too late to become a better caller. So here’s a quick video (in truth it goes on a bit too long, sorry) describing two ways to yelp on a mouth call, as shown to me by a couple of damn good callers.

If you you’re not into turkey hunting but do enjoy tongue twisters, I invite to say “Philip films for Flextone” ten times fast.

Food Plots for Bird Hunters: How Should I Plan My Covey Garden?

Sarah Smith — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:31:10 -0400

by Chad Love

Wildlife food plots are an integral part of many a deer hunter's strategy, especially on smaller acreages where a few small food plots can make a big difference in your hunting success. But what about bird hunters, or, for that matter, gundog owners looking to improve bird habitat on their land or training grounds?

Now, obviously, planting food and/or cover plots on large public WMAs or hunting preserves is fairly routine, but what about those of us small landholders who are just looking to get a few more birds around our houses or small acreages? Could a few small, upland bird specific food plots make a noticeable increase in the birds you hunt or train on?

The folks at Pheasants and Quail Forever think so, which is why they're selling food plot seed designed specifically for bird hunters.

From the Quail Forever website:

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever has launched the expanded Signature Series of food plot mixes for spring. PF/QF biologists across the country have developed a tremendous variety of grain and green-browse mixes to meet the food and cover needs of pheasants, quail and wildlife. These proven, field tested mixes will now be more readily available to chapters and retail customers throughout pheasant and quail country. High-energy grain food plots are an essential wildlife management practice. When designed and placed correctly, these areas reduce bird mortality and help bring hens through the winter in peak condition for breeding. The nine Signature Series grain mixes include sorghum blends (Blizzard Buster, Covey Rise, Winter Shield, etc.), and diverse recipes like Winter Survival Mix, Rooster Booster or Dove & Quail Mix (blends of corn, sorghums sunflowers, buckwheat, millets, and more) that fit almost every planting situation.

Since many of our members are active big game hunters, we have also developed an expanded line of five Bird and Buck Green Browse Mixes. These forage offerings are irresistible wildlife magnets that attract and hold big game. They also create a leafy, insect rich structure that provides high quality brood habitat for upland birds. PF/QF Clover & More, Whitetail & Gamebird Mix, Deer Kandy and Whitetail Forage Brassica Mix make great bugging areas for pheasant and quail chicks, while hauling the deer and turkeys under your bow-stand.

The folks at QF tell me all the varieties are selling very well. Intrigued, I recently ordered a 25-pound bag of Quail Forever's "Covey Rise" seed mixture and I'll be planting it around my house and on my in-laws' quarter-section farm in the hopes of luring and holding a few more quail this fall, not so much for hunting, but for the enjoyment of having more of my absolute favorite bird hanging around the yard, as well the opportunity and convenience of being able to let the pup get into a few more wild quail prior to the season.

It will be an interesting experiment. I have absolutely no experience planting anything other than a vegetable garden, and I have no powered implements with which to plant, so I'm soliciting advice. My half-baked plan for a couple small one-acre plots is to chain an ancient, rusty, seized-up discer to the back of my truck, weight it down with some scrap iron, put it in four low and simply drag it around and around until I've sufficiently loosened the soil, then broadcast the seed by hand. A real farmer I 'aint... I'll also have to build some temporary fences to keep out the cows, but that shouldn’t be too much trouble.

And if all goes well, I'll have some nice cover later this fall in which to run the dogs and maybe shoot a few birds out of. But it's me we're talking about here, and when I'm involved things seldom all go well... See any potential pitfalls with this plan, aside from destroying my transfer case? Any suggestions? Anyone else ever planted a food plot for the birds and dogs rather than the deer? Have any of you ever used the ATV-based ag implements? How did it all turn out?