Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2024 i Game & Fish West

I had just finished settling into my stand when the ruckus started in the cedar thicket off to my right. Though it was still dark and I couldn’t see what was causing the racket, I just knew the breaking branches and hollow thuds had to be coming from a buck chasing a doe. It was, after all, the second week of November in Virginia, and the rut was cranking. The noise continued intermittently for the next 10 minutes before the cool woods went silent and the darkness turned to gray. When it was light enough for me to clearly see the iron sights on my flintlock, I issued a few grunts from the tube that hung around my neck. Moments later, I heard him coming. The buck, a wide 8-point,…

For every chase-filled, buck-laden, rut-crazed day I’ve had while hunting in November, I’ve had probably two dozen that were as dull as televised golf. Truth is, as much as I love bowhunting whitetails in November, I must also admit that it can be one of the most frustrating periods of the deer season. Why? Because the rut, by its very nature, ebbs and flows. It can also be heavily impacted by external forces, with hunting pressure at the top of that list. Over the years, I think I’ve become much more efficient and effective during November hunts because I’ve learned some hard lessons about what to do, what not to do and when to do either. Like most things, I think experience serves as the best teacher. Here’s what experience…

If you spend much time hunting in the backcountry, you really should have a hunting app on your phone. I utilize HuntStand, but you can also try popular apps like onX Maps. Download your hunting area on the app and carry a power source for extended use. Next, consider a GPS. My choice is Garmin’s affordable and functional inReach Mini 2. The rugged unit offers GPS-supported tracking, navigation, texting and SOS signaling if required. Moving to analog gear, I have carried a Brunton ECOmpass for decades. It includes rulers on each side (standard and metric), a high-contrast azimuth ring for quick direction confirmation and a large baseplate for route planning. Depending on your map-reading ability, you can go with a highly detailed topographical map or an off-the-shelf public-land map. I…

The Bridger-Teton and Medicine Bow-Routt national forests check the boxes for habitat across elevations, wilderness, food and high bear population. Kootenai, Payette and Boise national forests are also excellent large tracts with quality habitat and bear numbers. Each of these areas offers large amounts of forested land and many have adjacent state forests and BLM-managed lands. Most of these forests also have contiguous, publicly accessible walk-in areas that are private tracts of land commonly managed by state wildlife agencies for the purpose of hunter access. These lands are often overlooked and can provide great habitat and hold a lot of animals. Lastly, conservation lands with public easements are another great place to scout. In the Bridger and Med-Bow forests, these lands normally have easements focused around water resources, and where…

THIS WELL-BALANCED BINOCULAR PROVIDES PREMIUM EUROPEAN GLASS IN A DURABLE PACKAGE AT A REASONABLE PRICE POINT. Among hunters, the Zeiss name is synonymous with exceptional optics. The German company relies on nearly 180 years of experience manufacturing various optical systems to produce high-quality riflescopes, spotters and binoculars. Extraordinary glass doesn’t come cheap, and Zeiss optics have an equal reputation for being on the pricier side. Most of Zeiss’ top-end offerings run well above the $1,000 mark. At least that was the case until the new Conquest HDX binocular line debuted this fall. Hunters can now get premium German glass in several classic configurations right around $1,000. The new Conquest HDX series includes seven models: 8x32 mm, 10x32 mm, 8x42 mm, 10x42 mm, 8x56 mm, 10x56 mm and 15x56 mm. The…

BEST STATES FOR WHITETAILS We crunched the data—such as harvest records, trophy potential, season length and public access—to rank the top deer hunting states in the nation. To see which ones lead the list, read “America’s Best Whitetail States.” LIVE FROM THE RUT Things are heating up in the whitetail woods. Our experts provide timely info on whitetail activity to help you tag a buck in our weekly “Regional Rut Update,” running through the end of November. NEW DEER AMMO These hard-hitting loads won’t let you down when that monster 12-pointer comes into view this season. Prepare for a successful hunt with “Best New Deer Loads.” THE FFS DEBATE Forward-facing sonar has had such a tremendous impact on bass fishing that some bass tournament circuits are changing competition rules in…

In Colorado earlier this year, the state Senate narrowly confirmed a vocal anti-hunter to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, the body that governs the state’s wildlife-management agency. The Kansas legislature passed a law this year that gives authority to appoint Wildlife and Parks commissioners to various elected officials, including party leaders of the state’s House and Senate and the Kansas attorney general. Vermont’s state Senate approved a bill in March that would have radically transformed the Fish and Wildlife Board from an independent rule-making body into an advisory board to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, the very agency that it historically has had the authority to govern. While that bill died in the state House, it revealed surprising support for considering changes to traditional fish-and-wildlife management. In general,…

From a young age, we are taught not to drag our feet when it comes to getting stuff done. However, I would argue that some situations benefit from purposeful procrastination. Take mule deer hunting, for example. Many hunters chase muleys during the early- to mid-autumn time-frame for a variety of reasons. Some can’t resist the urge to pursue these icons of the West as soon as they possibly can. Others are keen to bag a buck before it has shed its antler velvet. Others still endeavor to fill their mule deer tag as quickly as possible in order to engage in other fall pursuits. However, those who allow the masses to vacate the mule deer woods before they launch their own efforts are often rewarded with some of the best…

Last season I switched to cellular trail cameras to scout for ducks. Before that I ran standard trail cameras, but I grew frustrated with missing great hunting opportunities because I couldn’t check the cameras often enough. Moultrie Mobile Edge cameras changed that. Now, instead of scouting after morning hunts or sacrificing hunting days to scout, I let cellular cameras do it for me. Track storms, wind direction and intensity; monitor water levels; and keep an eye on food sources. Understanding the relationship of these things will tell you where and when to set trail cameras. In skinny creeks and confined sloughs, I let duck numbers build before hunting them. Those spots might only be hunted a couple times a season. However, as soon as ducks start grazing on fresh, sprouting…

A trickle of water wound down the middle of the lush swale, and just as I hopped across it, a ringneck cackled into the air in front of my young wirehair. Upon landing, I closed my side-by-side, planted both feet and raised the gun to my shoulder. BAM! BAM! Yeah, it took both barrels, but the rooster fell, landing in the streamside brush. My dog stood on his hind legs to wrestle the bird from a tangle of thorny branches before proudly prancing back to deliver it to my waiting hand. South Dakota? Nope. Iowa? Afraid not. Kansas? Wrong again. That bird dropped from the clear, blue Big Sky of Montana, though the same scene could’ve played out in a number of Western states with huntable populations of pheasants. They’re…

It was a shock to most of the shooting world when Springfield Armory introduced the Model 2020 Waypoint bolt-action rifle. Unveiled in 2020 (hence the model number), with COVID raging across the world, the new rifle from Springfield was a bit of good news. Later came the Model 2020 Redline with a shorter barrel and minimalistic stock. A few months ago, Springfield announced another version of the Model 2020 called the Boundary, a traditionally styled hunting rifle with a few well-designed twists. The Boundary is built around the same action and comes with the same 3/4 MOA precision guarantee as the Waypoint. This push-feed action features an extractor positioned in the face of one of the bolt’s two lugs. Set 90 degrees to the centerline of the bore, the extractor…

Shane was just 15 when trail cameras hit the market, but he was already obsessed with hunting big bucks and knew right away that a camera would help him bag a giant. He had to have one. His father, on the other hand, was more skeptical. “I don’t know if I like the idea of having to buy batteries and film for it all the time,” he told Shane. “Well, Dad, don’t you always tell me that a big buck’s best defense is not letting you know that he even exists?” “Yes, I believe that. But you know how you can tell if a buck exists without a camera?” “How?” said Shane, anticipating what his father was about to say. “It’s called scouting. Spending time in the woods. Reading sign.…

Not all that long ago, suppressors were not very common. You likely didn’t know anyone who had one, and you rarely saw one at the range. That’s changed. Suppressors are now one of the most popular firearms accessories, and they’re frequently used for recreational shooting, competition and hunting. If you’re thinking about purchasing a suppressor for hunting, there are some things to consider: namely, legal concerns, your rifle’s characteristics and what you require from your suppressor. LEGAL LOGISTICS Suppressors are legal to own in 42 U.S. states, and legal for hunting in 41. First things first: check your state’s regulations. If you purchase a suppressor in your name, only you can use it; others can only use it if they’re in your company. However, if you purchase through a trust,…

It was opening morning of the Kansas firearm deer season, and there was a very real chance that a whitetail buck larger than any I’d seen in my life stood less than 200 yards away. I had just entered a box blind set on the ground atop a sandy knoll, and if I had spooked any deer at the nearby feeder on my walk in, I hadn’t heard them run off. So far so good, I figured. By headlamp light, I carefully extracted from my pack anything I might need to have close at hand for the duration of the hunt and gently set it on the spare metal folding chair inside the blind. I grabbed the already loaded detachable box magazine, inserted it into my Mossberg Patriot and slowly…

Suddenly, the surroundings did not seem right. A mountain fog had drifted in, and with no sun to guide my direction, I needed to stop and reassess my hike. Having planned ahead, I had with me several navigational tools to help put me back on the right path. My old GPS, a standard compass and a National Forest Service map of the area soon pointed me back to camp as the fog got thicker and the sun set. The first rule of venturing into terrain, known and unknown, is to let someone know your exact route and destination. Include your expected time of return, along with the trailhead location where you’ll park. If possible, travel with a partner. These small but often overlooked details provide a starting point and pathway…

It’s still possible to draw a nonresident general Montana deer tag every other year if you purchase preference points. Hunt eastern Montana on a combination of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcels, state trust lands and the Custer National Forest. Again, play the nonresident preference point game and look at a Wyoming general tag for Region Q. Although mule deer numbers are down statewide, hard hunting can produce results, and this area holds some of the largest swaths of BLM land in the state. Idaho hunting units at the southern end of the panhandle, including 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20, offer hunts into November with general tags allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The Nez Perce-Clearwater and Bitterroot national forests provide plenty of hunting opportunities. New Mexico big-game licenses…

The rut was long past, and the first week of November brought a mix of temperatures, from unseasonably warm to frigid. During the week-long hunt, we encountered snowstorms, rain and vibrant sunshine, but despite the varying weather, a group of bulls had found sanctuary in a small but dense pocket of cedars hidden in a broken terrain pasture filled with blue grama grass. This was our golden ticket to a successful hunt. Though the grass had frozen several times, it still held a slight green tint. Because snow didn’t cover the ground for the entirety of the hunt, the elk could find and munch the grass, easily digging down to it when snow was on the ground. Food sources like grama grass and even bromegrass and ryegrass provide ample forage…

Mr. Around Him was definitely going around him via the road ditch! Our hunting guide, Milton Around Him, a proud Native American from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, took a sliding detour off the road and around a stranded motorist on the ice-covered highway. For the past couple of days, winter’s first attempt had brought a downpour of rain instead of snow, resulting in sheets of ice everywhere. Despite the road of ice before us, I had convinced Milton to show me a new deer hunting location on the opposite side of the reservation. As we sped down the highway at a gripping 15 mph, the car ahead of us started sliding backward down a slight hill, forcing Milton to take the ditch. Luckily, the ice-covered grass provided better traction,…