Photo by Wende Carroll

Once again Dennis provides us with a double meaning of “After the Ride”!  Even though I can only imagine myself in his boots, I do feel that he is a little more comfortable where he is living as it starting to come through in his writings.

I do look forward to his posts, even if they are infrequent!

Give Dennis a read and afterward post a few comments for him!

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ recently acquired 245-acre Foys Bend Fisheries Conservation Area east of Kalispell will be open to limited permission-only public hunting starting Friday November 27 th. Deer, upland bird and waterfowl hunting will be available through the end of the big game season on November 29. Deer hunting is limited to use of shotgun, muzzleloader, traditional handgun, cross bow, or archery. After November 29, the area will be open to upland bird and waterfowl hunting through January 15, 2010 based on standard Montana hunting regulations.

Because of the anticipated high demand for deer hunting, allocation of permission will be by a drawing system for the remainder of the big game season. Hunters should come to the FWP office in Kalispell on Tuesday November 24 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. to sign up for the drawing that will be held shortly after 9 a.m. Hunters must be present to be drawn for a spot. After the big game season hunters will be able to sign up on a first-come-first-served basis. Hunter numbers are restricted to one party of no more than four people per day, and any one individual may access the property as a hunter or a party member only one day/week and not on consecutive days.

For more information, contact FWP at 752-5501.

BILLINGS — The past weekend was mild, windy, and warm in south-central Montana, making for pleasant days afield, but not necessarily the best for successful hunting.   Data from four check stations combined showed overall hunter success dropping from 40% on the same weekend in 2008 to 35% this year.   Hunter numbers were down slightly from 2008 levels, and harvest of all animals except mule deer were similar to last year.   Mule deer harvest was down 19% from 2008.   Check stations at Laurel, Columbus, and Big Timber showed results similar to 2008, but at Lavina all indicators were lower than last year.   For the entire hunting season so far, overall hunter numbers, animals harvested, hunter success in the region are below last year’s levels.

At the Laurel Check Station, FWP wildlife research specialist Jay Watson said that hunter success rates were on the low side at 30%. Mule deer bucks comprised 62% of the mule deer harvest with 83% of these being 2 years old or older. Seventy-four percent of the whitetail harvest was does or fawns. White-tail buck harvest is picking up and should continue to improve as the rut begins.

At Columbus, FWP biologist Shawn Stewart checked 177 hunters over the weekend ( down 6% from the same weekend last year).   Only 43 mule deer were checked in, which was down 25% from last year.   65% of the mule deer were bucks with nearly 80% of the bucks being 2 years old or older. Thirty white-tails came through the check station – up 43% from the same week last year. Sixty Percent of the white-tails were antlerless deer. Also checked in were 4 elk, 2 antelope, and 1 bighorn.

At the Lavina check station, the number of hunters checked to date is 49 lower than last year, and 10.6% below the long-term average. Harvest of mule deer, white-tailed deer, antelope and elk are 41.0%, 29.1%, 65.0% and 41.8% below the long-term average, respectively. Since 1993, an average of 314.3 big game animals checked through the Lavina check station in the first three weeks of the season while this year we have checked only 183 animals.   Does and fawns have made up 36.6 % of the mule deer harvest and 59.9% of the whitetail harvest through the first 3 weekends.

At Big Timber, many hunters mentioned the high winds were keeping deer down in the coulees and brushy draws where they were tough to spot. One hundred seventy-two big game hunters checked in – the highest for that date since 2004 when 188 hunters came through. Fifty-four percent of hunters were successful, the lowest success rate since 2005. Thirty-four whitetails checked through – the highest number since 2004 when we also checked 34 whitetails along with only 32 mule deer compared to 51 on the same date last year. Twenty-two percent of harvested mule deer, 56% of whitetails, 33% of antelope were does, and finally, 50% of harvested elk were cows. Antelope and elk harvest were both well above last year for week 3.

You can view the Region 5 Check Station Summary at the bottom of the page here!

Photo by Tom Roche

The One lucky winner, and a guest, will win a Montana Fly Fishing Adventure on some of Montana’s most renowned blue ribbon trout rivers with Andy Watson, the official action photographer of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). The trip includes airfare from any major US city, 3 nights lodging in Bozeman, MT, licenses and two days on the water with Andy. Actual trip dates to be determined by winner and Andy.

Enter to win here!

Photo by Jason Grose

Montana’s bison hunt attracted 10,363 individual applicants for the either sex bison licenses for the Nov. 15 – Feb. 15, 2010 season, including 909 nonresidents. Of these applicants, 34 residents and two nonresidents were successful in the drawing.

Of the 16 additional licenses offered to Montana Indian Tribes, only eight were accepted, the remaining eight are included in the 36 licenses issued to residents and nonresidents.

FWP placed 99 residents and one nonresident on a cow/calf license roster. The cow/calf licenses will only be issued if a sufficient number of animals migrate into Montana from Yellowstone National Park.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 9, Bitterroot Hunting Districts 204, 261 & 270 are open to antlerless elk hunting with a general elk license until set harvest quotas are reached.   Hunters should be aware that this year’s harvest quotas have decreased from the past few years and are different from the quotas listed in the hunting regulations.

For HDs 204, 261 & 270 north of Rye Creek, antlerless harvest will close upon 24-hour notice when cow elk harvest from HD 270 reported at the Darby hunter check station reaches 25.

After 25 more cow elk from HD 270 are checked through the Darby station, HD 270 south of Rye Creek will close to antlerless harvest with a general elk license.

These quotas are not reflected in the hunting regulations because they were printed before the changes in quotas were made.

Hunters should check the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Region 2 Web page: fwp.mt.gov/r2 for the latest HD 270 cow harvest before heading to these Bitterroot districts, or call the FWP office during business hours (Mon.-Fri., 8am-5pm) at 406-542-5500.   Harvest totals will also be posted at the Darby check station.

Hunters who hold a special antlerless elk permit (awarded through special drawing) for one of these districts, youth hunters ages 12-15, and disabled hunters with a Permit to Hunt from a Vehicle (PTHV) can hunt for antlerless elk during the entire big game rifle season (Oct. 25-Nov. 29), even after quotas have been met.   Check the hunting regulations for specifics.

A new state habitat enhancement program is providing eastern Montana landowners incentives to extend their participation in the Conservation Reserve Program, a federal offering that in part improves wildlife habitat.

Through the Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement Program, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently funded five new projects located in Carbon, Garfield, Hill, and McCone counties.   The new habitat program provided additional incentives to landowners to extend their CRP agreements, enhance enrolled acres in a manner more productive to pheasants and other game birds, and to open those lands to upland game bird hunting.

Nearly 2,000 CRP acres have been enrolled in 3- or 5-year contracts under the Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement Program. Two of the five projects are located on 2009 Block Management Areas, which offer public hunting access to private lands. Upland game bird hunters must abide by Block Management Area requirements. For specific information about these Block Management area use rules, refer to the Region 1-5 Hunting Access Guide, available from any FWP regional or Helena headquarters office or upon request at the FWP Web site (http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunteraccess/blockman).

The remaining three projects offer an additional 1,000 acres of walk-in upland game bird hunting. Each project area is marked with special signs.

For details visit FWP’s Web site at fwp.mt.gov , Click “ New Opportunities for Upland Game Bird Hunters “.

For more information call Debbie Hohler at 406-444-5674, or E-mail to dhohler@mt.gov.

The hunting districts listed have Surplus licenses or permits available. These have been issued on a first-come, first-served basis since August 10, 2009. Licenses and permits must be purchased online at fwp.mt.gov or over the counter at local license providers or by mail-in application.

Updated October 26, 2009, 8:30 a.m.

You can view the list and download the PDF here!

Bears are still out and active throughout big game hunting season in much of Montana and they are extending their ranges in some areas where populations are growing.

Hunting is a prime time to encounter a bear, especially if your are calling game, using scents or have harvested an animal. Here are a few important safety tips for hunting in bear country:

• Always carry bear pepper spray, have it close at hand and know how to use it.
• If you are going to be alone in bear country, let someone know your detailed plans; better yet, don’t go alone.
• While hunting, pay attention to fresh bear sign.
• After making a kill, get the carcass out of the area as quickly as possible.
• When field dressing the carcass, keep your can of bear pepper spray within easy reach.
• Use special precautions if you must leave and then return to a carcass, including placing the carcass where you can easily observe it from a distance when you return.
• Do not attempt to frighten away or haze a bear that is nearby or feeding on a carcass.

For details on how to hunt safely in grizzly country, check the Deer, Elk and Antelope Hunting regulations available online and at FWP offices, or go to FWP’s Living with Wildlife web page.

In this “Live Hunt” update, Mark Seacat of Mystery Ranch, provides us with some great insight into his recent trip to eastern Montana.  This seems to be an annual family hunting trip to chase the speed goats.

Read the story and look at the pictures here!

Don’t forget to leave a comment for Mark!