Excerpts from “An “Autobowography” of the Past 55 Years of Archery”
--By Tom Dorigatti
The last blog was about a great spot and stalk on a giant pronghorn buck. The stalk was too
successful, and I not only got too close; I also thought I didn’t have the angle and passed up a sure shot because of past rifle training, not realizing that an arrow would not have ruined the animal’s meat from stem to stern. I’m now better prepared to handle the up close and personal situation needed for me to get close enough to a pronghorn to put him down. Read on…
Equipment: Here is a listing of equipment used during the 1969 Bow Hunting season:
Bow: Bear Kodiak Magnum recurved bow, 50#@28” draw length. Dacron String, no bow sights, combination gap shooting/instinctive.
Arrows: 2016 24SRT-X aluminum with index nocks and Chartreuse Feathers fletched full helical. Spare arrows were 11/32 Matched set of Bear Port Orford Cedar arrows, brown in color, with white feathers fletched full helical. Those spare arrows are going to come into play, but not for the reason you may think! Read on….
Broadheads: 125 grain Bear Razorheads with inserts. Everything hand sharpened.
Release style: Fingers on the bow string, apache style, with Bear 3-fingered shooting glove.
Quiver: 4-arrow Kwikee Quiver, mounted on the riser.
Arrow Rest: Arrow shot off the shelf of the bow.
Clothing: State law required blaze orange hat and blaze orange vest or jacket. I wore Levis and
standard hunting boots. No Camo gear whatsoever.
Hunting style: Spot and stalk.
My First Pronghorn Taken with a Bow.
OK. I now know to look around me for does hiding in the grass. I am (or me and Jim are) $75
ahead due to my magnificent “skid shot to the head” of a fox. I know that it is OK to take a Texas rear-ender shot with a bow and arrow from behind a big game animal. I’m ready for anything now, correct? Well, almost. This is the last week of pronghorn season in that area. I get out of school by 3:30PM and can be out in the hunting area easily by 4PM. I have all the gear in the car and my wife picks me up at the school saving me a ton of time. I get to the hunting area, change into my jeans and orange top and orange hat, and off I go to try to spot and stalk a buck “anagoat.” It isn’t long and I’ve spotted a good enough buck that I decide he is a taker and that I had a good stalking angle on him. This time, the stalk went really well. I got to within 20 yards of him and set up for the shot. He raised his head but doesn’t panic. I let the arrow fly and it is a good shot; I’m going to nail this sucker….NOT! I am not kidding you, that animal turned right away from my arrow just before it got there and it slips right by him. He moves to about 30 yards, about the limit of my effective range, and turns broadside again. I drew back on him and made another shot I was sure was going to double lung him. Once again, he turns away from the arrow just before it gets there! This time, however, he takes off well out of range. He pulls the same stunt as the monster I talked about earlier; he adds insult to injury by just walking away from me! I go pick up my arrows wondering just what the heck was going on. I then realized that I didn’t have any more sharpened aluminum arrows with me. I had that set of wood arrows with the same style of broadheads on them back in the car. Those wood arrows shoot really close to the same at close distances as those aluminums, so I figure, OK. I’ll use the wood arrows for the next stalk if I get so lucky as to find a buck to stalk.
About a half-hour later, I find another buck and pull a nifty trick on him by going around and
coming over the top of a hill from behind him. He is less than 15 yards and he, too, doesn’t panic and take off; he just stands there like, “Where did you come from, and what do you want”? I drew back, let the arrow fly, and double lunged this one! He went about 40 yards and piled up. I had my first pronghorn with a bow! Finally! He wasn’t a monster by any means, but I had pulled a successful stalk and made a good solid killing shot. I hadn’t overshot; I hadn’t hit him in the horns; I hadn't skidded one by him, and I hadn’t hesitated. All was good, including the perfect arrow placement! Not too bad for shooting without any sights on the bow at all, a Kwikee quiver and in Levis and blaze orange! In retrospect, I did figure out what the problem was with the aluminum arrows, or at least it is my best guess. The aluminum arrows were bright silver in color with no non-reflective coating on them. The Port Orford cedar arrows were a dull brown in color and offered no means of glare or reflections. What I think went on with the two previous misses with the aluminum arrow was that the pronghorn, since they have such precise vision, actually saw the arrow coming at him and turned away from it just in time. That is the only explanation I can think of for the animal turning away like that and not taking off in a hurry. I wasn’t the threat, but that “thing” coming towards him was, so he turned away from the only threat he saw. Another lesson learned: “Do not hunt with bright silvery reflective arrows. You must dull them down somehow.” Believe me when I tell you that those arrows did get dulled down.
Keep reading the blogs and excerpts from my upcoming book. This 1969 bow hunting season was far from over!
Tom Dorigatti, author of “ProActive Archery”, “The Puzzled Archer”, and “The Puzzled Cyclist.”
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
DU, Partners Celebrate Louisiana WMA Enhancement Project
LAFAYETTE, LA - Louisiana residents and visitors will have improved and increased opportunity for waterfowl hunting and wildlife watching on the popular Sherburne Wildlife Management Area. Ducks Unlimited has partnered with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to create additional wetland habitat on the South Farm Unit of the WMA, which will open new areas for public waterfowl hunting and provide increased habitat management capabilities. Project partners gathered today at the WMA to celebrate the site improvements.
"This project is the first one in the state supported in part by Louisiana DU license plate sales," said Mike Carloss, DU manager of conservation programs. "This gives DU members and supporters a terrific, tangible example of what supporting Ducks Unlimited means for them in Louisiana."
Located between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, south of US 190, Sherburne WMA provides many metropolitan residents the opportunity to enjoy hunting and other outdoor recreation. This project not only improves waterfowl habitat on areas already open to hunting, but also opens two new units for pursuing waterfowl.
"Sherburne is a favorite duck hunting spot in this part of the state for wildlife management area users," said Robert Barham, LDWF secretary. "Projects such as this improve habitat and expand opportunities for public hunting, and are great examples of cooperative efforts that enhance what we as a department can do with limited resources."
Partners gathered to dedicate the project to the late John W. Barton, Sr. of Baton Rouge. Barton was a dedicated outdoorsman, Ducks Unlimited supporter and friend to all who met him.
"John had a large impact on me, but he had an even a larger impact on wildlife and the people who enjoy wildlife," Jeffrey Svendson, DU Diamond Life Sponsor and friend of the Barton family, said. "This is a great project to honor him and his strong belief in wildlife and wetlands conservation. Projects like this wouldn't happen without a lot of people like John willing to donate time and money for the preservation of our great outdoors and all the critters that live in it."
Partners on the project include LDWF, Ducks Unlimited, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the Irene W. and C. B. Pennington Foundation, friends of John W. Barton, Sr., Wetlands America Trust and The Mosaic Company, which has operations near Baton Rouge and contributed to the project.
"We were excited to partner with Ducks Unlimited in restoring critical habitats for waterfowl in Louisiana," said Gary N. "Bo" Davis, Mosaic Senior Vice President of Phosphate Operations. "By enhancing water delivery to the habitat at Sherburne, the function of the Atchafalaya Basin will be greatly improved. The health of the basin is crucial, as it captures overflow that would otherwise flood the Mississippi River, one of America's most important waterways."
"This project is the first one in the state supported in part by Louisiana DU license plate sales," said Mike Carloss, DU manager of conservation programs. "This gives DU members and supporters a terrific, tangible example of what supporting Ducks Unlimited means for them in Louisiana."
Located between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, south of US 190, Sherburne WMA provides many metropolitan residents the opportunity to enjoy hunting and other outdoor recreation. This project not only improves waterfowl habitat on areas already open to hunting, but also opens two new units for pursuing waterfowl.
"Sherburne is a favorite duck hunting spot in this part of the state for wildlife management area users," said Robert Barham, LDWF secretary. "Projects such as this improve habitat and expand opportunities for public hunting, and are great examples of cooperative efforts that enhance what we as a department can do with limited resources."
Partners gathered to dedicate the project to the late John W. Barton, Sr. of Baton Rouge. Barton was a dedicated outdoorsman, Ducks Unlimited supporter and friend to all who met him.
"John had a large impact on me, but he had an even a larger impact on wildlife and the people who enjoy wildlife," Jeffrey Svendson, DU Diamond Life Sponsor and friend of the Barton family, said. "This is a great project to honor him and his strong belief in wildlife and wetlands conservation. Projects like this wouldn't happen without a lot of people like John willing to donate time and money for the preservation of our great outdoors and all the critters that live in it."
Partners on the project include LDWF, Ducks Unlimited, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the Irene W. and C. B. Pennington Foundation, friends of John W. Barton, Sr., Wetlands America Trust and The Mosaic Company, which has operations near Baton Rouge and contributed to the project.
"We were excited to partner with Ducks Unlimited in restoring critical habitats for waterfowl in Louisiana," said Gary N. "Bo" Davis, Mosaic Senior Vice President of Phosphate Operations. "By enhancing water delivery to the habitat at Sherburne, the function of the Atchafalaya Basin will be greatly improved. The health of the basin is crucial, as it captures overflow that would otherwise flood the Mississippi River, one of America's most important waterways."
Thursday, February 27, 2014
The Story of the Great Fox Shot
“The Story of the Great Fox Shot”
Excerpts from “An “Autobowography” of the Past 55 Years of Archery”
By Tom Dorigatti
Welcome back, readers. In the previous blog, I told about pulling a nice stalk on a big buck pronghorn only to be foiled by a pair of pronghorn does I hadn’t seen that were lying down watching out for that big buck. The 1969 hunting season was continuing like the 1968 hunting season, with me making rookie mistakes. Let’s pick up the continuance of the fall pronghorn season and my adventures with trying to bag my first pronghorn with a bow and arrow.
Equipment: Here is a listing of equipment used during that 1969 Bow Hunting season:
Bow: Bear Kodiak Magnum recurved bow, 50#@28” draw length. Dacron String, no bow sights, combination gap shooting/instinctive.
Arrows: 2016 24SRT-X aluminum with index nocks and Chartreuse Feathers fletched full helical. Spare arrows were 11/32 Matched set of Bear Port Orford Cedar arrows, brown in color, with white feathers fletched full helical.
Broadheads: 125 grain Bear Razorheads with inserts. Everything hand sharpened.
Release style: Fingers on the bow string, apache style, with Bear 3-fingered shooting glove.
Quiver: 4-arrow Kwikee Quiver, mounted on the riser.
Arrow Rest: Arrow shot off the shelf of the bow.
Clothing: State law required blaze orange hat and blaze orange vest or jacket. I wore Levis and standard hunting boots. No Camo gear whatsoever.
Hunting style: Spot and stalk.
The Story of the Great Fox Shot.
Jim and I didn’t get another good opportunity for a spot and stalk that day. It seemed that about every time we’d find something worth going after, they would “make us” or whoever’s turn it was would manage to screw up worse than the pronghorn buck and the buck would get away. We nevertheless had fun because we saw a ton of huge “goats” that first day out. Guns were firing all around us, but always in the distance, because “road hunters” didn’t want to hoof it out away from the main course and into the Bad Lands where we were hunting, and of course we were thankful for that, too. The bigger bucks were out where we were, or so it seemed, anyway. Either way, we didn’t run across other hunters and that made our lives easier.
The next morning we were out bright and early and while coming back from yet another failed attempt at a spot and stalk by Jim on a huge pronghorn buck, we spotted a fox. He was about 30 yards or less away, and we could see his head and the upper half of his body because he was in a small ditch. He was stopped, looking right at us, but apparently he didn’t know we had spotted him, so he just froze and wasn’t moving. I drew back the bow and launched the arrow. I hit well short (hey, for once, I didn’t over-shoot, hoo-rah!), and the arrow skidded along and out of sight. A big old cloud of dust went up, and Jim shouts, while looking thru his binoculars, Great shot, Tom! You nailed him right in the head; he’s flopping around out there! That was one helluva shot! I had no more made a good shot on that fox than the man in the moon. It was a super fantastic clear lucky shot; lucky in that the arrow skidded just right and ricocheted to nail him in the head before he could move and run off. But hey, Jim and I split that $75 bounty so what the heck. I did break down and tell Jim that I saw the arrow hit short and skid/ricochet into the fox. He was busy watching in binoculars and hadn’t seen the arrow on its way in the direction of the fox. Glance offs might not count for score in target shooting, but hey, in bow-hunting, sometimes a skidder is as good as a double lunger! We didn’t have to chase that fox at all. He went down immediately. Hey, I didn’t hit him in the ears; I didn’t hit him in the horns and knock him down, and I didn’t shoot over the top of him either. I’m making some progress here!
Stay tuned for the next story about a great stalk on yet another huge pronghorn buck….
Excerpts from “An “Autobowography” of the Past 55 Years of Archery”
By Tom Dorigatti
Welcome back, readers. In the previous blog, I told about pulling a nice stalk on a big buck pronghorn only to be foiled by a pair of pronghorn does I hadn’t seen that were lying down watching out for that big buck. The 1969 hunting season was continuing like the 1968 hunting season, with me making rookie mistakes. Let’s pick up the continuance of the fall pronghorn season and my adventures with trying to bag my first pronghorn with a bow and arrow.
Equipment: Here is a listing of equipment used during that 1969 Bow Hunting season:
Bow: Bear Kodiak Magnum recurved bow, 50#@28” draw length. Dacron String, no bow sights, combination gap shooting/instinctive.
Arrows: 2016 24SRT-X aluminum with index nocks and Chartreuse Feathers fletched full helical. Spare arrows were 11/32 Matched set of Bear Port Orford Cedar arrows, brown in color, with white feathers fletched full helical.
Broadheads: 125 grain Bear Razorheads with inserts. Everything hand sharpened.
Release style: Fingers on the bow string, apache style, with Bear 3-fingered shooting glove.
Quiver: 4-arrow Kwikee Quiver, mounted on the riser.
Arrow Rest: Arrow shot off the shelf of the bow.
Clothing: State law required blaze orange hat and blaze orange vest or jacket. I wore Levis and standard hunting boots. No Camo gear whatsoever.
Hunting style: Spot and stalk.
The Story of the Great Fox Shot.
Jim and I didn’t get another good opportunity for a spot and stalk that day. It seemed that about every time we’d find something worth going after, they would “make us” or whoever’s turn it was would manage to screw up worse than the pronghorn buck and the buck would get away. We nevertheless had fun because we saw a ton of huge “goats” that first day out. Guns were firing all around us, but always in the distance, because “road hunters” didn’t want to hoof it out away from the main course and into the Bad Lands where we were hunting, and of course we were thankful for that, too. The bigger bucks were out where we were, or so it seemed, anyway. Either way, we didn’t run across other hunters and that made our lives easier.
The next morning we were out bright and early and while coming back from yet another failed attempt at a spot and stalk by Jim on a huge pronghorn buck, we spotted a fox. He was about 30 yards or less away, and we could see his head and the upper half of his body because he was in a small ditch. He was stopped, looking right at us, but apparently he didn’t know we had spotted him, so he just froze and wasn’t moving. I drew back the bow and launched the arrow. I hit well short (hey, for once, I didn’t over-shoot, hoo-rah!), and the arrow skidded along and out of sight. A big old cloud of dust went up, and Jim shouts, while looking thru his binoculars, Great shot, Tom! You nailed him right in the head; he’s flopping around out there! That was one helluva shot! I had no more made a good shot on that fox than the man in the moon. It was a super fantastic clear lucky shot; lucky in that the arrow skidded just right and ricocheted to nail him in the head before he could move and run off. But hey, Jim and I split that $75 bounty so what the heck. I did break down and tell Jim that I saw the arrow hit short and skid/ricochet into the fox. He was busy watching in binoculars and hadn’t seen the arrow on its way in the direction of the fox. Glance offs might not count for score in target shooting, but hey, in bow-hunting, sometimes a skidder is as good as a double lunger! We didn’t have to chase that fox at all. He went down immediately. Hey, I didn’t hit him in the ears; I didn’t hit him in the horns and knock him down, and I didn’t shoot over the top of him either. I’m making some progress here!
Stay tuned for the next story about a great stalk on yet another huge pronghorn buck….
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Illinois Whitetail Alliance update
Spent a short period of time at the Illinois Deer & Turkey Classic today and, as near as I could tell, the most interesting deer-related thing going on in Springfield was the Illinois Whitetail Alliance.
Members of the new deer advocacy group had a 2.5-hour meeting with Department of Natural Resources director Marc Miller on Friday. While I don’t know what will come of that meeting, I can say the Alliance is on its way to shaking things up in Illinois.
Let’s face it, Illinois deer hunters are an unhappy lot in the wake of a 2013-14 hunting season that saw the deer kill decline by 18 percent.
This year’s preliminary kill total of 148,569 for all deer seasons was down 32,242 and marked the eighth straight season of population decline. It was also the lowest gun season total in 23 years and lowest total deer harvest since 1999.
Faced with those facts, a group of Illinois hunters has formed the Illinois Whitetail Alliance. The goals of the organization, whose founding members include former Department of Natural Resources Director Brent Manning, are outlined in a proposal recently released to the public.
Manning praised the DNR for a recent announcement about possible regulation changes. But he added, “Many other recommendations have been made with the best interest of Illinois’ deer herd in mind. The entire Alliance proposal is well thought out, and deserves consideration.”
Alliance member Kevin Chapman, a past Illinois Bowhunters Society president and Springfield conservation legislation watchdog, said one goal is to be proactive, instead of reactive.
“In the past it seems like everyone has wanted to sit back and complain about what the DNR did,” Chapman said. “I don’t think an organized group has wanted to take the initiative to make suggestions.
“Many in the Alliance have been involved with Illinois deer management issues for over 20 years, and have witnessed the rise and fall of Illinois deer hunting. Most hunters are passionate about the future of one of the state’s greatest natural resources. That’s why some of the best deer management ideas in the past have come from the hunting public, including the current statewide two-buck limit.”
Hunter’s passions have not been lost on DNR upper management. As Manning noted, in a recent press release the DNR said it “plans to revise deer population objectives for more than 40 counties beginning with the 2014-15 deer season, following a two-year review of Illinois deer management.”
“In these counties our strategy is shifting from deer herd reduction to maintaining or increasing deer populations,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller.
DNR is also considering limiting over-the-counter firearm permits and seeks hunter input at www.surveymonkey.com/s/IDNRdeerSurvey.
But the Alliance is asking for greater changes, as outlined in a presentation Chapman will make Saturday (4:30 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.) at the Illinois Deer & Turkey Classic.
He is also scheduled to speak March 2 at 12:30 p.m. at the Elmwood All Outdoors Show in Elmwood.
Chapman believes in parts of Illinois the deer herd may be down by as much as 50 percent with a statewide average of 30 percent.
For proof he points to the continued decline in deer harvest totals and in deer-vehicle accident totals (DVAs). Based on 2012 numbers, DVAs are down 25 percent or more from the peak in 2003 – which Chapman notes, “was really before we even started seeing the effects of EHD in 2012 and 2013).”
“I know DNR has to balance this between all stakeholders, but whatever the magic number is, I think hunters are taking notice that the herd is below the acceptable level they want to see,” Chapman said.
Alliance members were scheduled to meet with Miller after Heartland Outdoors went to press.
The plan outlined by the Alliance heading into that meeting included the following five points:
1) Enact an immediate five-year moratorium on any new legislation or administrative rule change that could result in the expansion of any deer hunting season, add any additional weapons, or increase the deer harvest in any way. After five years, an independent review of the deer management program would be performed by a qualified source.
2) Reduce the pressure on the overall deer harvest, particularly on female deer, by implementing the following:
a) Eliminate the current late winter deer season (LWS)
b) Move all future antlerless-only (A-O) seasons to mid-September
c) Implement a one-buck and one-doe limit in counties where an additional A-O season is not needed
d) Eliminate all over-the-counter (OTC) gun permit sales, and OTC archery sales after November 1
3) Implement a statewide one-buck limit, all seasons combined.
4) Implement new regulations on non-resident (NR) permits including an immediate elimination of the OTC A-O permit, unless the NR has purchased a regular combo permit.
5) Enact stricter penalties for deer hunting violations that involve “willful intent” which would result in a two-year suspension of hunting privileges for the first offense, five-year suspension for the second offense, and permanent loss upon the third offense.
Members of the Illinois Whitetail also include outdoor writer Les Davenport, whitetail habitat consultant Don Higgins and biologist/forester Lee Mitchell.
Hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 74,355 deer during the 2013 firearm season, 3,546 deer during muzzleloader season and 3,012 during the youth season. All totals were down from 2012.
Bowhunters shot 57,290 deer, compared with a harvest of 59,805 in the 2012-13 archery season. Late-winter and special CWD deer seasons had a combined harvest of 10,366, down from 14,723 in 2012-13.
Chapman concedes many other Midwestern states experienced similar harvest declines this year.
“I think everybody kind of adopted the same principles. It’s the same story everywhere,” he said. “All the other DNRs are just realizing we did a little too much and now we need to tweak it back the other direction.”
Chapman said he hopes the Alliance can help the Illinois DNR reach the same conclusions as it reviews deer management.
Alliance members urge hunters to contact their local legislators. The group also has a Facebook page with 1,615 members.
- Jeff Lampe
- Heartland Outdoors
Members of the new deer advocacy group had a 2.5-hour meeting with Department of Natural Resources director Marc Miller on Friday. While I don’t know what will come of that meeting, I can say the Alliance is on its way to shaking things up in Illinois.
Let’s face it, Illinois deer hunters are an unhappy lot in the wake of a 2013-14 hunting season that saw the deer kill decline by 18 percent.
This year’s preliminary kill total of 148,569 for all deer seasons was down 32,242 and marked the eighth straight season of population decline. It was also the lowest gun season total in 23 years and lowest total deer harvest since 1999.
Faced with those facts, a group of Illinois hunters has formed the Illinois Whitetail Alliance. The goals of the organization, whose founding members include former Department of Natural Resources Director Brent Manning, are outlined in a proposal recently released to the public.
Manning praised the DNR for a recent announcement about possible regulation changes. But he added, “Many other recommendations have been made with the best interest of Illinois’ deer herd in mind. The entire Alliance proposal is well thought out, and deserves consideration.”
Alliance member Kevin Chapman, a past Illinois Bowhunters Society president and Springfield conservation legislation watchdog, said one goal is to be proactive, instead of reactive.
“In the past it seems like everyone has wanted to sit back and complain about what the DNR did,” Chapman said. “I don’t think an organized group has wanted to take the initiative to make suggestions.
“Many in the Alliance have been involved with Illinois deer management issues for over 20 years, and have witnessed the rise and fall of Illinois deer hunting. Most hunters are passionate about the future of one of the state’s greatest natural resources. That’s why some of the best deer management ideas in the past have come from the hunting public, including the current statewide two-buck limit.”
Hunter’s passions have not been lost on DNR upper management. As Manning noted, in a recent press release the DNR said it “plans to revise deer population objectives for more than 40 counties beginning with the 2014-15 deer season, following a two-year review of Illinois deer management.”
“In these counties our strategy is shifting from deer herd reduction to maintaining or increasing deer populations,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller.
DNR is also considering limiting over-the-counter firearm permits and seeks hunter input at www.surveymonkey.com/s/IDNRdeerSurvey.
But the Alliance is asking for greater changes, as outlined in a presentation Chapman will make Saturday (4:30 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.) at the Illinois Deer & Turkey Classic.
He is also scheduled to speak March 2 at 12:30 p.m. at the Elmwood All Outdoors Show in Elmwood.
Chapman believes in parts of Illinois the deer herd may be down by as much as 50 percent with a statewide average of 30 percent.
For proof he points to the continued decline in deer harvest totals and in deer-vehicle accident totals (DVAs). Based on 2012 numbers, DVAs are down 25 percent or more from the peak in 2003 – which Chapman notes, “was really before we even started seeing the effects of EHD in 2012 and 2013).”
“I know DNR has to balance this between all stakeholders, but whatever the magic number is, I think hunters are taking notice that the herd is below the acceptable level they want to see,” Chapman said.
Alliance members were scheduled to meet with Miller after Heartland Outdoors went to press.
The plan outlined by the Alliance heading into that meeting included the following five points:
1) Enact an immediate five-year moratorium on any new legislation or administrative rule change that could result in the expansion of any deer hunting season, add any additional weapons, or increase the deer harvest in any way. After five years, an independent review of the deer management program would be performed by a qualified source.
2) Reduce the pressure on the overall deer harvest, particularly on female deer, by implementing the following:
a) Eliminate the current late winter deer season (LWS)
b) Move all future antlerless-only (A-O) seasons to mid-September
c) Implement a one-buck and one-doe limit in counties where an additional A-O season is not needed
d) Eliminate all over-the-counter (OTC) gun permit sales, and OTC archery sales after November 1
3) Implement a statewide one-buck limit, all seasons combined.
4) Implement new regulations on non-resident (NR) permits including an immediate elimination of the OTC A-O permit, unless the NR has purchased a regular combo permit.
5) Enact stricter penalties for deer hunting violations that involve “willful intent” which would result in a two-year suspension of hunting privileges for the first offense, five-year suspension for the second offense, and permanent loss upon the third offense.
Members of the Illinois Whitetail also include outdoor writer Les Davenport, whitetail habitat consultant Don Higgins and biologist/forester Lee Mitchell.
Hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 74,355 deer during the 2013 firearm season, 3,546 deer during muzzleloader season and 3,012 during the youth season. All totals were down from 2012.
Bowhunters shot 57,290 deer, compared with a harvest of 59,805 in the 2012-13 archery season. Late-winter and special CWD deer seasons had a combined harvest of 10,366, down from 14,723 in 2012-13.
Chapman concedes many other Midwestern states experienced similar harvest declines this year.
“I think everybody kind of adopted the same principles. It’s the same story everywhere,” he said. “All the other DNRs are just realizing we did a little too much and now we need to tweak it back the other direction.”
Chapman said he hopes the Alliance can help the Illinois DNR reach the same conclusions as it reviews deer management.
Alliance members urge hunters to contact their local legislators. The group also has a Facebook page with 1,615 members.
- Jeff Lampe
- Heartland Outdoors
Thursday, February 20, 2014
That First Real Bow Hunting Season, circa 1969, Nice Pronghorn…BUT..
Excerpts from “An “Autobowography” of the Past 55 Years of
Archery
By Tom Dorigatti
Ok
readers; let’s turn back the clock some 45 years to 1969. I had moved to Casper ,
Wyoming and was teaching at East Junior High School
in Casper , Wyoming
Hunting Season, October, 1969.
I
managed to get lucky and get a pronghorn (antelope) permit for the Poison
Spider hunting area West of Casper for the fall of 1969. Since the indoor target season wasn’t going
to start until November, I still had some time to go hunting. I was quite successful in finding some BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land and also got
permission to hunt on some private land if need be. I still had a 50# Bear Kodiak Magnum recurved
bow (compounds weren’t available in our area just yet) and I also had my
matched wooden hunting arrows, along with some 2016 24SRT -X
aluminum shafts that a club member, Art Cox had given me. He had given me two dozen of them, so I took
one dozen and made hunting arrows out of them after having tested them to see
how they flew. They flew just great out of the Kodiak Magnum! HMMMM…2016’s flying great out of a 50# Kodiak
Magnum with 125 grain Bear Razorheads on the end, and the same arrow flying
great out of a Bear Polar target bow at 35#@28”? I only mention this in passing…or is there a
reason for me mentioning this? Well of course there is, but that, too is
another story to be told. Read on.
I was
still shooting bare-bow (no sights) for hunting, with fingers on the string,
since I felt more comfortable hunting in this manner. (In 1969, release aids weren’t yet in the
game of archery and bow hunting). In the
early fall, I had met another fella that was a bow hunter and he also had a
pronghorn permit for the same area.
However, he worked late during the week, so he could only hunt on
weekends. The hunting season always
opened on a Saturday, so Jim Lewis and I were out there early on Saturday for
the opening day. It is important to know
that in Wyoming
Nice Big Pronghorn Buck,
BUT...problems arise!! HRUMPH!
Jim and
I both knew that the road hunters would be all over the place. We had pre-scouted and found a spot a few
miles away from the beaten path. This was where several large bucks were
frequenting. The pronghorns did go for
water early in the mornings and late in the evenings, but neither Jim or I
wanted to sit at a waterhole or windmill and fight the mosquitoes and boredom,
so we elected to go into the back territory and spot and stalk our “goats”.
At first light, the rifle shooting started off in the not so far
distance. We had spotted a couple of
really nice bucks and I decided to try to pull a stalk on one of them. There was plenty of higher sage brush, a
couple of deeper gulches, and some other “stuff” that would provide cover. In addition, the wind was in my favor. I had about 300 yards or so of stalking to
do. I was able to move reasonably well to within about 80 yards or so before
things got a bit dicey. I then had to
basically start to do a slow belly crawl, moving a few feet, stopping, watching
for rattle snakes and other creepy crawlers, cacti, rocks, scorpions, etc, and
then moving a few more feet onward. All
the while, this buck kept feeding and his head was away from me. I knew full well, however that their vision
was very acute and sensitive to movement and that they also had uncanny
peripheral vision, too. Thus getting up
super close behind one would be tough, but not impossible. I got to within about 30 yards or so when the
buck turned dead broad-side to me, still grazing and oblivious to my presence. I then moved maybe at most another 2-3 yards
and I heard this snorting off to one side of me. That buck didn’t lift his head; that buck
didn’t turn to look over my way; that buck simply put it into high gear and
high-tailed it right outta there muy
pronto like somebody had lit a fire under his butt! I remember thinking quickly, that buck didn’t
snort, his head was down, so what the….and then I looked over and about 15
yards away, still lying down were two doe antelope, looking right at me! I hadn’t seen either one of them; I was so
intent on stalking that buck (and watching for rattle snakes, ha), that I
hadn’t seen those two does lying down.
That ole buck wasn’t as stupid as I thought he was; he felt safe because
he knew he was safe…guarded by those two does!
Oh, how I wanted to shoot one of the does out of spite, but of course,
that would have meant the end of my season by taking a doe. Not hardly; not on opening day.
Yet
another lesson learned about bow hunting…or was it one forgotten and re-learned
as in “pay attention to what is around you”?
Seems I’m screwing up by the numbers on my quest for my first big game
animal with bow and arrow, doesn’t it?
Just the previous year, I had skillfully stalked to within 20 yards of a
huge mule deer buck and taken the shot.
The arrow had gone right where I was looking too. Nailed him in the antlers and knocked him off
his feet. I thought I had a spine shot,
but no, he is only stunned and got back up, violently shaking his antlers
trying to get the arrow out of them and stop it from rattling around! He ran off, all the while acting dizzy and
shaking his head. I saw him a few days
later, but couldn’t get close enough for another shot. Yes, the arrow was still stuck in those
antlers, too.
The saga
of my first full season of bow hunting will continue in the next episode….
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
DU Pleased NRCA Providing Innovative Ways to Conserve Grasslands
BISMARCK, ND- Ducks Unlimited applauds USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) increasing its efforts to work with landowners in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) to conserve grasslands and wetlands. Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Robert Bonnie announced today that NRCS is committing up to $35 million over the next three years for prairie conservation in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.
"We are pleased to see NRCS renewing its commitment to grassland and wetland conservation in the PPR, which is so critical to waterfowl production," said DU CEO Dale Hall. "We're seeing unprecedented pressures to convert native prairie and drain wetlands. We need to look for new ways to make conservation programs more economically competitive and attractive to landowners."
Conservation Reserve Program acres have dropped substantially over the last few years and these trends are expected to continue. "This investment by NRCS will keep grasslands and wetlands intact by helping farmers and ranchers conserve working lands for livestock production, hayland and wildlife habitat," Hall said.
As part of the 2014 Farm Bill, NRCS will offer private landowners a mix of financial and technical assistance opportunities to restore wetlands and grasslands and help mitigate a recent regional trend of conversion to croplands.
The farm bill also includes a "Sodsaver" provision, which reduces crop insurance subsidies for farmers and ranchers who convert native grasslands for crop production.
Thanks to a NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant awarded in 2011, DU and several other project partners are also working on a pilot project in North Dakota to create new carbon credit opportunities for landowners who permanently protect grasslands. The project partners are currently validating this program and hope to have it available to producers in late 2014 to early 2015.
"We are pleased to see NRCS renewing its commitment to grassland and wetland conservation in the PPR, which is so critical to waterfowl production," said DU CEO Dale Hall. "We're seeing unprecedented pressures to convert native prairie and drain wetlands. We need to look for new ways to make conservation programs more economically competitive and attractive to landowners."
Conservation Reserve Program acres have dropped substantially over the last few years and these trends are expected to continue. "This investment by NRCS will keep grasslands and wetlands intact by helping farmers and ranchers conserve working lands for livestock production, hayland and wildlife habitat," Hall said.
As part of the 2014 Farm Bill, NRCS will offer private landowners a mix of financial and technical assistance opportunities to restore wetlands and grasslands and help mitigate a recent regional trend of conversion to croplands.
The farm bill also includes a "Sodsaver" provision, which reduces crop insurance subsidies for farmers and ranchers who convert native grasslands for crop production.
Thanks to a NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant awarded in 2011, DU and several other project partners are also working on a pilot project in North Dakota to create new carbon credit opportunities for landowners who permanently protect grasslands. The project partners are currently validating this program and hope to have it available to producers in late 2014 to early 2015.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
2014 Snow Goose Season
As the 2013-14 hunting season comes to a close,
spring snow goose season is ramping up.
"During the 2013 Midwinter Survey, biologists counted 4,614,000 light geese, a 15% increase relative to the 2012 index of 4,021,200, and a record high for the third year in a row." - US Fish and Wildlife Service
Feeding flocks of snow geese are in constant motion. Decoy spreads set in feeding fields should mimic this motion. This is best accomplished with wind sock and motion decoys.
FoxPro Systems Super Snow Crow Pro: $799.99
Suggested Snow Goose Sound CD's -
Snow Reaper: $24.99
Snowbait: $24.99
"During the 2013 Midwinter Survey, biologists counted 4,614,000 light geese, a 15% increase relative to the 2012 index of 4,021,200, and a record high for the third year in a row." - US Fish and Wildlife Service
It seems as though the 2014 season should be a good one. If
you're new to snow goose hunting or just looking for the latest and greatest gear,
here is a guide to assist you in having a successful season.
Getting Started:
When snow geese start to move into your area it is crucial that you DO NOT hunt the roost;
this is the cardinal sin of goose hunting. You can hunt all season around the
roost or once on the roost.
Weather plays a key role in the success of a hunt, so plan accordingly. It's very difficult to decoy
snow geese on calm, bluebird days. The best days are windy with low
cloud cover. A strong wind creates a lot of movement in the decoys and forces
the birds to fly low. Bad weather also seems to disorient the flocks and makes
them more willing to decoy. Snow and Blues are known to migrate year-round on a south wind. Don’t be afraid to hunt all day as they also tend to migrate in the middle of the day.
Decoys:
There are a lot of snow goose decoys on the market these days and every hunter as their preference on brand, type, and how to set up. This is simply a guide as to what products we have had success with in past years.
Dakota Full Body Decoys
Dakota's full body snow and blue goose decoys are pricier than some prefer, but they are a great looking, durable decoy that you'll have for a long time.
They come in 2 body styles, a relaxed upright or a feeding posture. What makes this decoy so appealing to hunters is its ease of use. The decoys are constructed as one-piece body, with no removable parts, and a one-piece motion system that can be attached or easily unattached with one step. That means there are no lose head connections or having your decoy blow over or off its base.
Avery Greenhead Gear Decoys
Avery's NEW Pro Grade line of snow and blue goose decoys has everybody talking. These decoys have tremendous detail and are reasonably priced.
The full bodies were created, tested & approved by the world’s most respected
snow goose hunters! Rock solid one-piece construction eliminates broken heads
and body splits while the New RealMotion® II System offers hassle-free set ups
and pick-ups. Snap back RealLegs™ along with anatomically perfect bodies with
highly detailed paint schemes provide unprecedented realism. Four unique bodies
ranging from 19” to 22-1/4” in total length.
Tip: If you only have a small spread, leave a lot of space
in between decoys. You can make 100 decoys look like 150 by spreading them out
or you can make them look like 50 by packing them tight.
Tanglefree Slammer Socks
Typically, having a large spread works to your advantage. Using Tanglefree's Slammer Socks is a great way to build that massive spread you've always dreamed of.
Developed in conjunction with professional guides, the
Slammer Socks are the next generation of wind socks. Built with durable, light
weight components, these decoys will allow you to fool one of the most
difficult birds to decoy. These socks are designed to last and are great for
use in any weather conditions.
CLICK HERE for the full line of Slammer Socks!
Sillosocks
Feeding flocks of snow geese are in constant motion. Decoy spreads set in feeding fields should mimic this motion. This is best accomplished with wind sock and motion decoys.
New improved printing and fiberglass mounting pole are now included.This decoy proved deadly on our hunts this spring. Used alone on a short fiberglass pole or on a rotary machine these are a must for any hunter. - Snow Goose Flapper: $24.99
A perfect solution for no wind days. Combined with the flapper decoy these have proved to be deadly on waterfowl in the field. The diameter is around 14 feet from tip to tip and comes with a speed control and remote to adapt to wind conditions.
- Tornado Rotary Machine 4-arm: $299.99
The Sidewinder machine will give your Sillosock flyers a new look. This 12 volt machine moves 2 Sillosock flyers horizontally. It looks like geese jostling for position right before they touch down. They also do this when the are feeding as they jump over the top of each other looking for food. - Sidewinder: $129.99
CLICK HERE for full line of Sillosock products
Also, check out our full line of Deadly Decoys HERE
Haydel Blue & Snow Goose Call: $11.99
Zink Storm Snow Goose Call: $103.99
Hamms Snow Goose Call: $114.99
RNT Quackhead Snow Goose Call: $19.99
A perfect solution for no wind days. Combined with the flapper decoy these have proved to be deadly on waterfowl in the field. The diameter is around 14 feet from tip to tip and comes with a speed control and remote to adapt to wind conditions.
- Tornado Rotary Machine 4-arm: $299.99
The Sidewinder machine will give your Sillosock flyers a new look. This 12 volt machine moves 2 Sillosock flyers horizontally. It looks like geese jostling for position right before they touch down. They also do this when the are feeding as they jump over the top of each other looking for food. - Sidewinder: $129.99
CLICK HERE for full line of Sillosock products
Also, check out our full line of Deadly Decoys HERE
Calls:
Haydel Blue & Snow Goose Call: $11.99
Zink Storm Snow Goose Call: $103.99
Hamms Snow Goose Call: $114.99
RNT Quackhead Snow Goose Call: $19.99
Bring those circling snow geese within gun range, with extreme volume capabilities in the all NEW SUPER SNOW CROW PRO from FOXPRO. This caller comes standard with 100 high quality FOXPRO sounds and can store and access up to 1000 sounds. This is the BEST electronic snow goose caller on the market!
FoxPro Systems Super Snow Crow Pro: $799.99
Suggested Snow Goose Sound CD's -
Snow Reaper: $24.99
Snowbait: $24.99
Blinds:
You must make your blind disappear, and we mean disappear,
like nothing’s there. This can be done by keeping blinds well mudded and setting
up in low spots or areas of a field with taller vegetation.
Tip: Hunt the weather. If possible, hunt on days with wind.
The harder the wind blows, the farther down wind you should position the blinds
in the spread.
After The Hunt:
Clean your birds quick and easy with the Wild Wing Slinger from Deadly Decoys!
Be patient and persistent. There is a reason these birds
live long lives – they are wary. However, there is nothing like having several
hundred to several thousand geese circling and descending upon your spread.
Have fun and good luck!
If you have any questions feel free to shoot us a message HERE. If you are planning on buying more than five dozen decoys, give us a call anytime to discuss discounted pricing.