The state Game Commission meets in Albuquerque this week and will get an update on a temporary ban on trapping in parts of southwestern New Mexico where Mexican gray wolves have been reintroduced.  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The state Game Commission meets in Albuquerque this week and will get an update on a temporary ban on trapping in parts of southwestern New Mexico where Mexican gray wolves have been reintroduced. The commission meets Thursday at the University of New Mexico's Continuing Education Conference Center. The trapping ban on public lands was ordered last year by then Gov. Bill Richardson while researchers study what risk traps and snares pose to wolves. The commission also is to hear an update on rules governing the allocation of antelope hunting permits to private landowners in New Mexico. Some sportsmen contend that more antelope licenses should be available through the state's public lands hunting lottery system. The commission's membership has changed because of recent appointments by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.

North Dakota Outdoors North Dakota Game and Fish Department Doug Leier   When you’re talking fishing, it really doesn’t matter where you’re at.   Bait shop, coffee shop, boat landing or campfire, there’s plenty of stories, from forgetting to put the plug in, to a storm brewing up from out of nowhere, to the one that got away.   A lot of times, when the people involved in the conversations  know that I work for the North Dakota Game and fish Department, those “ones that got away” stories often lead to “Why doesn’t the Game and Fish Department…?”   Over the past few years, one of those “Why doesn’t Game and Fish …?” questions that comes up fairly frequently is something like “Wouldn’t fishing be better if we had a statewide minimum length limit for walleyes?”   Rather than try to answer that question myself, I’ll refer to Scott Gangl, the Game and Fish Department’s fisheries management section leader. Gangl authored an article in North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine last year, which covered that very subject.   When a walleye population has few young fish due to poor reproduction or stocking success, but those fish are growing well, a minimum length limit could help protect young fish to grow to a size that would provide more benefit to anglers. Of course, for any fishing regulation to be effective, angler harvest must have more of an effect on the population than other natural sources of mortality.   Lake Sakakawea’s walleye population today meets two of the criteria for a minimum length limit – low natural mortality and good growth. But Sakakawea’s walleyes in 2014 do not exhibit any signs of a population in need of a minimum length limit, such as low reproductive or stocking success, or high fishing mortality. In fact, natural and fishing mortality combined has been around 30 percent on Sakakawea in recent years, which is sustainable when compared to more heavily fished populations.   In addition, the combination of natural reproduction and good overall stocking success since 2010 has produced abundant young fish that are growing well and should reach a desirable size in another year or two.   The walleye population in the Garrison Reach of the Missouri River – from Garrison Dam downstream past Bismarck to the headwaters of Lake Oahe – and in Lake Oahe itself, is currently quite a bit different than Sakakawea’s. While small fish are abundant following strong natural reproduction in 2009 and 2011, a major decline in forage abundance after the 2011 flood has decreased their growth rate. A lack of food, teamed with a robust northern pike population, has also increased natural mortality. Given the current situation, anglers are encouraged to harvest some smaller walleye to prevent fish from dying. Thus, a minimum length limit is not advisable on this population.   At Devils Lake, rising water levels have led to strong natural reproduction in recent years. Currently, there is no shortage of small fish in the population, and growth rates have decreased substantially since 2008. Since overall mortality rates are not excessive, it would be better to allow harvest of small walleye at Devils Lake rather than restrict it with a minimum length limit.   While a few lakes and reservoirs in North Dakota do have special restrictions, those are unique. In the name of balancing angler opportunity with biological support, it makes more sense on both levels to provide anglers consistency for most waters across the state, rather than restrict anglers categorically based on social pressure.   Don’t forget, water conditions and fisheries populations have, can and will change. Which is why Game and Fish biologists conduct consistent research, evaluate scientific evidence and monitor waters, so future changes are never totally out of consideration. 

The offseason is the time to hone your archery skills. Don't miss the buck of a lifetime because you didn't. by Mike Strandlund, Editor, Bowhunting World You’ve dreamed for years, planned for months, and spent weeks in the woods. The moment’s finally arrived: An awesome trophy buck is slinking along a trail, a boulder’s throw from your stand. With confidence built on hours of practice, you slowly raise and draw the bow. But you’re shaking with excitement, and suddenly confused. How should you aim? A pin finally settles on the shoulder, but you’re just not sure. Maybe I’ll be lucky, you think, as the arrow lurches into flight. But only your hopes die today, as you see the shaft sail harmlessly over the buck’s withers and a bowhunter’s chance of a lifetime crashes away. You can only stare after the bobbing flag in heartbreak and disbelief. For each tale of hunting glory, for each animal taken with a bow, there are a dozen stories like this. I’ve got several of my own. The first arrow I ever shot at a deer missed by three feet, even though it was an easy shot. The biggest, closest buck I’ve ever seen lost a handful of hair but not a drop of blood when my broadhead took him low in the brisket. In the first analysis, these misses are puzzling. I practice a lot, am a pretty fair shot, and shoot only within my effective range. But when you examine the factors involved in shooting an arrow at game, you begin to see the wide difference between target accuracy and hunting accuracy. The archer on a target range shoots with no pressure, in a controlled situation, and repeatedly under the same conditions. But when he faces game, it can be at any distance or angle; the archer’s physical position or mental condition may be the worst for shooting an arrow. A friend of mine who has a room full of archery trophies, who regularly shoots quarter-size groups at 20 yards, discovered this the hard way when he completely missed a standing deer at 10 paces. Keys To Bowhunting Success There are two things of paramount importance in bowhunting. The first is perseverance. It’s easy enough. You learn to enjoy (or at least endure) boring sits and grueling stalks, or you concede to second-rate success. The other crucial key is the ability to come through at the moment of truth – to make the shot. Months, even years of preparation, as well as thousands of dollars and precious vacation time may be invested in the hopes you can execute a task that takes mere seconds. Many bowhunters work so single-mindedly on getting within range of an animal that they don’t plan what to do once they get there. But preparation will maximize your chance of success at the climax of the hunt. The average bowhunter can train himself to be better than a tournament archer at scoring on game. This level of excellence is accomplished through practice that is systematic and simulates the real thing. An ambitious bowhunter must train mentally and physically, as well as gain shooting knowledge and woods wisdom, all of which will contribute to his odds of success. I Know I Can, I Know I Can Job One is mental preparation. Once an archer has a working knowledge of bow-shooting fundamentals, the most important things for consistent accuracy are control, concentration and confidence. Train yourself to focus attention and be sure of yourself in any situation – but without being cocky or careless. Your attitude should be, I know I can do this job if I give it my fullest effort. Prepare yourself to face a living, moving, ready-to-bolt target at an uncertain shooting angle. I don’t think a bowhunter ever quite gets used to it. Most archers are aware that the vital zone of a big game animal can be much harder to hit than a target of the same size, but they don’t give it enough thought. Have you ever found yourself within 20 yards of a trophy animal beyond your wildest dreams? If not, take it from a hunter who learned the hard way: Be prepared. Strandlund’s First Law of Bowhunting reads that the size of an animal’s antlers is proportional to its chances of being missed by arrows. A corollary to that law is that if the animal walks by a bowhunter who has mentally rehearsed the encounter, chances are it will take a ride in a pickup truck. If we weren’t thrilled by the approach of a game animal, we wouldn’t have much reason to hunt. But bowhunters must learn to control that excitement. First, don’t psych yourself out. You must realize it won’t kill you to blow the shot (unless you’re hunting polar bear, which requires a frame of mind that I cannot explain here). Another method for developing control is visualization. As you practice, visualize the real thing. Olympic athletes and champions in all shooting sports use this technique to rehearse mentally as well as physically. Pretend that each of your practice shots is at a trophy buck. By the time you are in a real deer-shooting situation, you’ll feel that you’ve been through it a thousand times. It will take away much of the pressure and strangeness of a close encounter with a desirable animal. To visualize, muster all your imagination and make yourself believe you are in a real hunting situation. Imagine you see the animal approach, stop, and offer only a few seconds to shoot. Raise and draw as if it might see you. Pretend that each and every arrow is your only shot at that buck of a lifetime. If you do it right, you can simulate the pressure you’ll experience in an actual hunting situation. Your heart rate will even increase. Train yourself to shoot accurately under that stress. Visualization includes not only imagining you are in a real situation. It includes imagining a perfect shot. It’s the power of positive thinking, and it’s been proven to work. Practice Techniques It was in a bar in northern Wisconsin that I first heard it: Bow season’s coming up. I guess I got to get out and sight in my compound. I’ve heard similar statements a couple of times since, and am always baffled. I don’t think it’s a widespread problem. I believe most of us know that we can never attain decent accuracy with archery gear without long hours of practice. But for hunting success, practice must emphasize quality as well as quantity. Practice in a way that enhances your shooting in a hunting situation. The most important bowhunting fundamental is consistency. For an accurate shot, you need a rock-steady anchor point, string release, and follow-through. In the heat of the moment, this is where the bowhunter makes the most mistakes. A buck has an uncanny ability to make an uncertain shooter lower his anchor point, pluck the string, and lurch after the release. But if you’ve established an absolute shooting style, practiced like a robot, and prepared mentally, it can be just like target shooting. Experiment with equipment and shooting techniques. Make any needed changes before you begin serious preseason practice. A surprising number of bowhunters fail to tune their bows and arrows as well as they can, then blame their equipment or themselves for lousy shooting. If your hunting arrows don’t fly like your practice shafts, try changing broadheads, fletching, and spine until they do. Because broadheads are expensive and a bother to shoot at targets, most bowhunters don’t experiment enough with them. Examine your shooting style to see if you need any changes. I improved my instinctive shooting immediately when I switched to a string hold with three fingers beneath the arrow nock. A common mistake is for a hunter to make too much motion as he shoots, either raising the bow in the air as he draws or moving his head and bow arm about as he aims. All game animals are attuned to spotting close-range movement as the most critical sign of danger. If you’re careful to hold still and draw with the bow in shooting position, the only movement visible from the animal’s perspective is the elbow of your string arm extending outward.

Turkey Hunting – Share the passion by Mia Anstine I am currently preoccupied with life, loss and healing. For now - A repost of a story shared a couple of years ago because Turkey Hunting starts in just 17 days in our neck of the woods. I love sharing the outdoor passion, hunting, fishing, hiking, exploring, with the kids.  It is so rewarding to hear them [...] Read more of this post

North Dakota Outdoors North Dakota Game and Fish Department Doug Leier   You’ve made your list and are checking it twice, anticipation for fishing is growing faster than your lawn this spring. Current license – got it. Life jackets – check. Next stop, open-water fishing 2014. The only thing holding you back from a day on the water is Mother Nature, but that’s spring in North Dakota.   The past 20-plus year wet cycle has produced marvelous fishing in North Dakota. From Devils Lake to Lake Sakakawea and in hundreds of spots between, great opportunities exist for fishing in rivers, streams and local impoundments. Safe to say it’s been a heyday for anglers.   It’s interesting to observe human nature any time a few weeks or even a month of dry weather pops up, and we immediately wonder if the next dry cycle is upon us and threatening many of our lakes? The truth of the matter is, we really won’t know that until it happens, and in most case there’s not much we can do about it.   One threat that anglers can do something about, and need to address, is aquatic nuisance species, which will likely present a continuing threat from here on out.   North Dakota already has some of these invasive species. The common carp, introduced in this country before people knew how much they could damage local fish populations, is probably the most familiar.   Carp have disrupted North Dakota fisheries for decades, but not every water has them, and the state’s laws are designed to greatly minimize the potential that we humans will spread them to those clean waters.   Carp aren’t the only threat, though. Over the years as fishing opportunities have expanded, so have the battles against new invaders across the nation and our state. A decade ago I was writing about salt cedar or tamarisk along the Missouri River System. Now it’s zebra mussels from the east and silver carp in the James River.   In a way, the ANS threat is like a summer storm on the horizon while you're enjoying time in or on the water. We know the storm is on the way, but it’s hard to say where the impact will be worst, and if it misses altogether, when will the next threat arise.   History has shown us the threat of aquatic nuisance species is worthy of concern. Thirty years ago, when zebra mussels were first discovered, did anyone understand how devastating the infestations would be in the Great Lakes region?   And in the past 10 years, these mussels have moved to other waters. Resources needed to slow or stop just zebra mussel expansion could have been better used elsewhere, but without a multi-state conscious effort to slow the spread of all ANS, they would be hurting many more waters than is currently the case.   That’s why rules and regulations are on the books.   Now that open-water fishing is upon us, it’s a good time to take a more thorough look at ANS so we can minimize or prevent their future appearance in North Dakota waters.   North Dakota ANS Regulations All aquatic vegetation must be removed from boats, personal watercraft, trailers, and fishing and hunting equipment such as fishing poles, bait buckets, lures, duck decoys, and waders before leaving a body of water. That means "vegetation free" when transporting watercraft and/or equipment away from a boat ramp, landing area or shoreline. All water must be drained from boats and other watercraft, including bilges, livewells, baitwells and motors before leaving a water body. Live aquatic bait or aquatic vegetation may not be transported into North Dakota. All water must be drained from watercraft prior to entering the state.

When I was a young man, there were two kinds of deer drives — those that worked, and those that didn’t. Now it's time to put a little more thought into it. by M.D. Johnson When I was a young man, there were two kinds of deer drives — those that worked, and those that didn’t. Here, the word worked translated into a deer or multiple deer in somebody’s truck at the conclusion of the drive. Simple as that. And as for the strategic aspects of these drives? Many I’ve been on were conducted from Point A to Point B simply because that’s the way they’ve always been done. Others involved large groups, yes literally, banging on pots and pans. Did these drives move deer? They sure as hell did; but did these same drives result in notched deer tags? To be honest — sometimes. All too often, drives like the ones above were successful purely by luck — a right time and right place kind of chance meeting. Conversely, many of these same drives ended in failure because (1) too much of the drive’s planning was based on tradition — “I’m going to stand by the oak cause that’s where I always stand,” says Uncle Ernie — or (2), attention wasn’t paid to the details. Deer drives can work; however, maybe it’s time to put a little more thought into those good old line-’em-up-and-have-at-’em runs through the timber, for as many an Old Man has told his young charge — old age and treachery will beat youth and enthusiasm every time. And trust me, consistently driving whitetails to the waiting gun is all about treachery. The Drive Master If the drivers are pawns and the standers knights, then the Drive Master is king. His word is law. If he says stand, you stand. If he tells you to wait 20 minutes, you don’t start moving in 15. And if he warns you not to shoot in that 75-degree arc, you don’t shoot. I don’t care how many inches the buck has atop his head; there’s a reason why the man said don’t shoot that way. The Drive Master’s primary responsibility is to ensure everyone’s safety. He does this by command, by command enforcement, and through his knowledge of the property being driven. True, he cannot physically be present when every trigger is pulled, nor should he have to be; however, his presence via direction and instruction should be omnipotent. Knowledge is key to the Drive Master’s effectiveness. His knowledge of the terrain allows him to organize the movement of the drivers and the placement of the standers. The coordination of transportation, too, is his responsibility, and he will typically assign vehicle drivers and drop-off/pick-up locations prior to each push. It’s vital the Drive Master possess leadership qualities, and then assume command of every aspect of every drive. Here, command entails delivering a concise pre-drive presentation. It doesn’t have to be formal, but complete instructions are important. Ideally, this talk will include a map, time for watches to be synchronized — NOTE: Timing is important to both success and safety — and an emphasis on compasses, even on short drives. Finally, command enforcement. The Drive Master must be willing to enforce his instructions, even if it means taking someone aside and speaking with them in private. Or, as I’ve seen happen in the past, removing them from the drive altogether. The Drives Because every situation is different, it’s impossible to state a hard-and-fast deer drive rule of thumb that applies to the physical how-to factor across the board; however, there are some guidelines that can and do apply regardless, and they can result in everyone involved seeing more deer and better bucks. 1. Appoint a Drive Master based on the profile above. 2. Don’t attempt to drive too large an area. Trying to work 100 acres with two standers and three drivers is usually an exercise in futility. Better, if your numbers are few, to cut a large block into smaller — perhaps 10 to 20 acres — sections, and work those slowly and thoroughly. 3. Go slow. Moving too quickly often frightens deer to the point where their escape routes become unpredictable or, as is often the case, forces the drivers past bucks that have learned the hunker-and-hide tactic. 4. Be quiet. Your mere presence in the timber is all that’s necessary to get most whitetails up and moving. An occasion thwack on a hickory with an old stick is okay, but leave the pots and pans back at camp. 5. Maintain a constant space between drivers, and adjust that space to the terrain. An even spacing between drivers is a safe spacing. As to adjusting the distance, 75 yards might be appropriate in the open timber while swampland might cut that to 75 feet. And while we’re at it, normal voices will suffice. No need to holler and scream (see #4). 6. Post standers based on their abilities. Is there an escape route that could present a 125-yard shot? If so, maybe the practiced hand with the scoped muzzleloader gets the nod there. Or, if it’s a short-range thicket crossing, then put the Foster-style slug man there. Here, the Drive Master needs to know not only the escape routes, but be able to match the shooting abilities of his standers to these routes. How? Pre-drive discussion.

It is 12:20 pm August 1 2012, Harare Airport, Kevin and I waiting for our dear friend’s aircraft to land. Dakota McArtor is flying in on a connection flight from South Africa from the States; he is joining us on a 14 day hunt. Finally he is at ZIMRA’s desk clearing the Rifle; great is the joy when we shake hands, upon asking him if he is looking forward to this he responded “more than you guys could ever imagine”   Dakota is our American partner and dearest friend; he will be with us for the next 16 days to conduct a hunt with Colorado Buck – from the Television program Where in the World is Colorado Buck.   The drive out to Lake Chivero, just outside Harare on the Bulawayo road, where we will be staying the night, is a pleasant short drive as Dakota is talking about how he looked forward to this trip. We decided to stay overnight before we head out to the hunting area, as the rest of the hunting group will only join us later that evening.   What a pleasant surprise when Gary the proprietor of the lodge we staying at offers to take us with later that afternoon for some Falconry over dogs... I have seen this before but never part took in it... Love it, as Gary said hunting is hunting.   Back to Harare, 21:20 pm, awaiting our client’s arrival...we are relieved, when I see them walking through customs. After a brief hello and hand shakes ... oh almost forgot photo session, we headed out to the overnight accommodation we arranged for the clients. 5:45 am, clients having breakfast and trying to connect to the Internet, in order for clients to check mail etc. before we head out... Packing the two vehicles proved to be not as difficult as we anticipated, all lending a hand, which is what is great about our clients – not scared to dirty their hands. We brought both our four door hunting vehicles on this trip as the road trip down to the hunting area is roughly 4 to 5 hours drive and we needed our clients to travel in comfort.   Kevin arrived in Makuti a little while before we did, Dakota; Andrew – Colorado’s cameraman and I had to stop and run some errands. When we arrived Clients were sitting on the porch enjoying the view. We had a late lunch and lounged around for a while before heading out to pick up the game scout and to the area set out to sight the rifles. This we believe is very important as the airlines are not as careful as one hope they would be with the gun cases. We stayed in a lodge in Makuti, this is adjacent to area where Kevin and Dakota will hunt with Chris and Christine Woods, Chris is the proprietor of Cross Canyon Arms in Utah, for Buffalo, Leopard and some plains game. Colorado and I will be hunting lower down in the valley in the Nyakasanga area for Buffalo and Tuskless Elephant.   Wake up call at 04:30 am – Day One, breakfast before we headed out. Kevin and Dakota set out with the clients to check on some previously identified areas where some Leopard tracks have been spotted and activity identified, also to set up trail cams. The rest of the day was spent looking for fresh bait. Leopard hunting over bait requires you to keep the Leopard in the area with fresh bait.   We on the other hand set out to Nyakasanga, where we met up with the local PH, trackers and game scout. The areas that we hunt is within Zimbabwe’s Wildlife Management Areas (Parks) and this is a requirement that an authorised game scout accompany you on your hunts to ensure hunts are conducted in a fair and ethical manner.   We drove a while looking for fresh Buffalo and Elephant tracks, the morning did not yield any good tracks and we decided to stop under a group of trees on the bank of the Nyakasanga River (dry this time of the year) and proceed on foot looking for an Elephant herd spotted there earlier in the week. After about an hour and half’s walking we got onto fresh tracks and followed however the wind was not in our favour and as we were about to adjust our strategy we spotted a small group of young Elephant but we were winded and they took off. We still pushed ahead to see if we can find more tracks, we came across a fresh Buffalo track, only one set of very large tracks... definitely an Old Daggaboy.     We followed the tracks, at one stage we were so close to the Daggaboy I could smell him however he did not get to be this Old by being stupid.... we saw where he actually laid up... got up and were feeding again... we got closer but the Jess were thick and got his tracks where he actually turned to look back at us... then the next tracks indicated that he got out of the area... with some speed... next time Old timer... we returned to the vehicle a few miles back and had a well deserved late lunch...

Try something different—and fun!—during the summer off-season. by Clint Stone   At its heart, bowfishing is fun. Modern bowhunters have turned venal as day traders, if the fascination with slams and draconian quality deer management schemes is any indication. So it has become necessary while selling the idea of bowfishing to appeal to readers’ logic or, perhaps, to some Calvinistic-like principle. There’s the obligatory bit about keeping the shooting eye sharp and string-tugging muscles toned. The author would also be remiss for failing to reveal that carp (the most popular bowfishing target) are a non-native, invasive species, directly competing with desirable game fish, rendering bowfishing a guilt-free enterprise. All of this is true, but at its heart bowfishing is simply fun. Hoot and holler, smoke a cigar (only to keep mosquitoes away, of course), share the adventure with friends, or, better yet, bring the entire family, tikes included. Hardy Asian carp manage to live in waters uninhabitable by more discriminating fish, meaning they’re seldom difficult to locate. I’ve shot them from desert lakes to mountain trout streams, though there’s more to bowfishing than carp. Depending on location, targets of opportunity might include native non-game buffalofish, suckers, gars, or ocean sheephead and stingrays. With more imagination bowfishing can assume big-game dimensions, trophies such as paddlefish (Midwest), alligator gar (South), shark (Louisiana), or alligators (Florida), which all provide unique challenges and bragging-size prizes. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Bowfishing can literally turn into year-round sport, but the best time for easy, nonstop shooting is normally during the spring carp spawn. From April through June, depending on latitude and altitude, carp invade the shallows of river riffles and side channels, lake and reservoir bays, even municipal pond storm drains and feeds. They splash and wallow in shin-deep water, sometimes flopping onto shore during their heedless frolicking. Carp are easily approached while spawning and often present “flock-shooting” ease. Summer bowfishermen are rewarded by patiently stalking or poling shallows or shelves for feeders. Consult area conservation officers for hotspot tips and rules of engagement in your state. At its most basic, bowfishing involves donning waders or old duds and jumping right in—an approach especially welcomed during hot summer months. Shooting from a boat is fun and sometimes more profitable, but not absolutely necessary in most waters. You’ll need some basic gear, first a bow that you won’t mind getting wet and muddy. The inherent resistance of water and the heavy scales and bone of “trash fish” calls for heavy fish arrows, normally something weighing 1,500-plus grains. This, in turn, calls for an arrow rest designed to accommodate that extra weight, plus barbed points to keep fish from sliding off an arrow after a hit. The arrow is attached to stout cord, stored and paid out smoothly from a bowfishing reel, that also allows retrieving your arrow (and fish) after the shot. Bowfishing accessories come in various styles, price points, and function. Any old bow serves as a bowfishing platform, but specially designed bowfishing bows often prove more viable. These are compounds with non-corrosive hardware and specialty, smooth-drawing cams, or metal-handled recurves with necessary accessory taps. Compound designs allow more deliberate aiming, and more power for shooting into deeper water or at the biggest targets (most notably from boats). Recurve designs are best for shooting in shallow water or where a quick-draw is needed for moving targets, like when wading for spawning carp. While bowfishing arrows are pretty standard—heavy solid fiberglass, fancy models with carbon or aluminum sheaths—points come in more variety. This is a matter of price verses ease of use and durability. For casual shooting, especially in soft-mud bottoms, budget-priced points work fine, but removing fish from arrows is normally more time-consuming. More expensive tips are typically more durable—important when shooting near rock or stumps—and include designs that make removing fish fast and trouble-free. All fish arrows should be equipped with an AMS Safety Slide that keeps the retrieval line safe from tangles and potentially dangerous bounce-backs. Reels are the biggest variable in price and function. The inexpensive drum reel stores hand-wound line on an open, large-diameter spool, which attaches to the bow via stabilizer mount or tape-on feet. They get the job done in shallow waters where ranges are intimate, but involve slower retrieval and added bulk or weight. Mid-priced, stabilizer-mounted, close-faced spinning reels offer extra-fast arrow retrieval after misses, drags to help fight bigger fish, and compactness. Just remember to push the “cast” button before every shot or risk losing arrows to break-offs or, worse, a dangerous arrow bounce-back. Finally, the AMS Retriever Reel includes trigger-activated rollers that stack line neatly inside a side-mounted bottle during retrieval, offering zero friction during the shot with no release buttons to push before shooting. The last bits of useful advice is to invest in quality polarized sunglasses, which help penetrate surface glare and allow you to better spot submerged targets. Remember to aim low when targets fin into view. Aiming low assures compensation for image refraction though the water. (Image refraction is akin to light bending as it passes through a prism.) Objects always appear higher than they actually are, depending on water depth and shot angle. There’s no set formula to offer. Experience is the best teacher, though a couple companies have recently introduced special bowfishing sights to tackle this phenomenon. While big-game bowhunting proves ultimately rewarding, the process itself often involves tedium or drudgery. Not so with bowfishing. From the moment you wade into cooling waters to the moment when you finally connect on your first fish, bowfishing is all about start-to-finish enjoyment.

We are speaking with Dead Ringer About Their Line of Broadheads

Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.   BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The state wildlife agency started selling tags for $11.50 Idaho residents Thursday, one day after the predators were taken off the endangered species list. Out-of-state hunters will have to shell out $186 for a wolf permit. The decision to delist puts wolves under state management, and Idaho officials are now setting quotas and rules for this season's wolf hunt. Hunters took the backcountry two years ago to hunt wolves after the predators were delisted the first time. Hunters killed 188 wolves during that first public hunt, short of the state limit of 220. Officials in Montana are also gearing up for a wolf hunt this fall.