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Looking Back, Looking Ahead

By FUR-FISH-GAME Editor, John D. Taylor

One highlight of this year was Willa’s blossoming into a fine bird dog, as evidenced by this South Dakota trifecta, a sharptail, and Hungarian partridge and a rooster pheasant.

At the end of this month, I’ll put my 52nd hunting season behind me and suffer through another eight months before No. 53 comes around. Spring gobblers will offer a distraction, and I look forward to summer horseback riding in the Black Hills, and fishing. But these things aren’t like following a brace of English setters, shotgun in hand, over the prairie for sharptails; or roaming that same landscape or the Black Hills with my rifle for deer, elk or pronghorns.

Every year after hunting season I experience a clash of feelings. On one hand, I’m glad it’s over. I’ve pushed myself physically and mentally for five months to get afield, to experience another autumn. On the other hand, there’s a huge sense of loss, of missing the thing I love to do most in life. I get sad, sometimes morose for a week or two before snapping out of it.

How or why hunting became so important, I don’t understand, but it’s been this way since my first season, when those seven cornfield rooster pheasants flushed over me and my “Black Bart” H&R single-shot .410 popgun.

Looking Back
Reviewing this season makes me smile. Willa, my youngest English setter, really blossomed this fall. Last year, she wasn’t holding her points and ended up busting birds because she was using her legs, not her brain. Woopie… watch the pretty birds fly! She had a few glorious moments, but her performance left me unsatisfied.

Over the summer, I bought some chukars and started working her on holding points with the help of a neighbor, Jon Baum. The training worked. I also witnessed several point and honors – where one dog finds birds, establishes a point, then the second dog arrives and points, honoring the first dog’s find – between Willa and 12-year-old Ellen. Thing was, when Hungarian partridge coveys flushed under those, I couldn’t shoot straight. Those screeching enigmas always seems to discombobulate me.

Shooting was another a high spot this year – sort of.

When the forearm on my beloved Webley & Scott Model 700 12 bore came loose in early October, I panicked. This shotgun, a.k.a. the Birmingham Beauty, is extremely special to me. I bought it from Woodcock Hill, a Pennsylvania English shotgun importer, after a try-gun fitting by pro Glenn Baker. Try-gun fittings are like custom tailoring. The pro analyzes your gun mount, measures you with an adjustable stock to learn the stock dimensions that fit you just right, then you shoot the try-gun to verify it. With these numbers, you can find shotguns that offer a better fit and will improve your shooting.

Because Beauty fit me so well, she rained birds when I did my part. Beauty was also Evan’s gun, coming to me as he blossomed as a gun dog. He was one of my best English setters. His saber-like slashing run through bird fields and grouse woods was a joy to behold. He could literally set birds – maneuvering the birds, especially rooster pheasants, me and himself into a shooting position. How he learned this, I don’t know, but it was magic and happened regularly.

With repairs likely to take a while, I decided it was time to for a new shotgun, a backup to Beauty, one that could handle steel shot. An extensive internet search uncovered several candidates, but the stock dimensions on a Dickinson Arms Estate 12 gauge side-by-side from Fieldsports in Traverse City, Michigan, almost perfectly matched my try-gun dimensions. I was reticent about a new gun, but the weekend after it arrived via an FFL transfer to the Gun Vault in Edgemont, South Dakota, I took it hunting over Willa and Ellen. Two pointed sharptails went up, two sharptails came down. Yowza! As the season progressed, the Dickinson continued to prove itself worthy.

That “sort of” about my shooting came during deer season. With two western Meade County whitetail tags – one antlerless, one any whitetail – in my pocket, on opening morning, I hunted a Walk-In where I’d seen a nice buck. Two hunters hunted over top of me, proving that even way out in the boondocks, deer openers are not for the faint of heart. These guys popped up over a hill between two wooded draws I had been slipping up towards, and they shot something. I don’t know what they dragged out, but it didn’t make me happy.

Sunday I hunted state ground close to home. Again, I was first in, well before dawn, walking back an access road, and about to slide over the hill to hunt, when another pair of hunters blew past me in their pickup. They bolted out of the truck, one going right, one left. So, I decided to go up the middle, work the far hillside of a huge valley along the fence line separating state land from private property. Adding insult to injury, while climbing the hill, both got into deer and had shooting.

About 9:30 a.m., slipping along the far hill’s fence line, movement in the valley caught my eye. Trotting, walking, trying to slip away, was a deer. Binoculars said it might be a buck. I first ranged the deer at 450 yards, a whitetail rack buck. Scooting down the fence line another 20 yards to avoid a view-blocking swale, I lay prone, my Model 70 .25-06 rifle steadied on the bipod. I ranged the buck again, 264 yards. He was walking fast, about 75 yards from the fence. If he crossed the fence, I couldn’t shoot him.

He wore a massive high-and-tight rack, with tines that looked a foot long. That distance should have been a gimme. However, prone, I couldn’t form a proper cheek weld on the stock and get my eye into the scope. The vision of this buck kept going in and out. Foolishly, I hurried the shot, missing once, then again. The buck leapt the fence, trotted uphill, and paralleled the fence line 50 yards out, like he was thumbing his nose at me.

A couple of days later, I hunted the area again, looking for “Mr. Big.” At first shooting light, I saw a doe and a small buck 20 yards inside another public land fence line. The buck, lying down, offered no shot. The broadside doe did. I ranged her at 220 yards, sat down, used the fully extended bipod legs to steady the rifle, and dropped the doe. At the report, the small buck bolted. But a third deer’s head popped up over the private land side of the fence. Mr. Big, again, saying hello and up yours.

The final Saturday of the season, I filled my second tag with a doe. That buck haunts me, and I’m hoping he and I cross trails again next fall.

Looking Ahead
January is time to wonder what if, what lies ahead.

FUR-FISH-GAME celebrates its 100th anniversary of continuous publishing, producing a monthly printed magazine, this year and I am especially thankful to be part of it. This is an anomaly in the publishing industry, because most other national outdoor magazines have lost their print edition and gone digital. Or at the very least they've reduced the number of magazines they send out. I believe FUR-FISH-GAME owes its longevity to its many, many dedicated and loyal readers, as well as holding true to its principles of offering the practical outdoorsman the kind of material they can relate to. This is an effort that will continue, I guarantee.

Personally, I have many hopes and some concerns.

An immediate hope is that we get enough snow this winter, along with spring rains, to help ranchers and farmers, and maintain the bountiful sharptail populations I saw all fall. Here on the Northern Plains, mni wichoni (Lakota for water is life) is particularly true, whether it’s gamebirds, deer, elk, fish, grass or crops. Moisture creates better grass, which means better habitat and more insects, both of which sharptail chicks need to grow. Bird numbers were up in my coverts, brought about by two wet years in 2022 and 2023. This helped Willa come into her own. I hope for another good season.

A concern focuses on health. Like everyone, I’m aging. I fight this every day by maintaining a 15-year-old’s sense of humor, so the campfire scene in “Blazing Saddles” still makes me chuckle. And when I climb a hill chasing deer, pheasants or turkeys, or even rising from the sofa at home, I tell myself I’m not three score and four years old, but 35. Yet when I looked around at the last National Trapper’s Association convention in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, I saw a great many gray heads and gimpy seniors just like me there.

I recently found out I have severe osteoarthrosis in my right hip, and a moderate level in the left. It hasn’t affected my hunting – yet – but an hour on my horses is all I can do. Bicycling is out, jogging gone. A hip replacement seems to be the answer, yet I’m very reticent about this. If I knew I could ride half a day again, follow the dogs more easily and climb the Black Hills like I used to, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But I’ve heard several success stories and a few hip replacement horror stories. The doctors tell me I’m good candidate for this because I’m active, but what happens if things go bad?

My greatest hope, linked to a huge concern, is that the world learns from the mistakes of the past regarding the natural world and does better in the future. I am concerned for the future of this nation, especially for the natural world we all love.

Some people believe the past is where the future lies, that we can continue to live without concern for what humans do to planet Earth, to nature, to each other. I’d argue this is foolish, extremely short-sighted. Can anyone honestly say they’ve not seen significant changes in their local environment? Whether it’s urbanization chewing up wildlife habitat, too many people competing for limited resources in densely packed communities, resource extraction raping and pillaging formerly pristine wild areas, CWD, avian influenza, mass die offs and the extinction of certain species, or simply more devastating weather, all of this is linked to the impact of human beings on this planet.

Scientists, who’ve been raising alarms about this for decades, describe this epoch of time as the Anthropocene – a time when humans are the major influence on the planet, not geology. Since the Industrial Revolution, human beings act like someone turned loose to shop the internet with an unlimited credit card. We spend, spend, spend, never worrying about paying the environmental consequences bill. Neither you nor I may live to see the overwhelming full impact of this, but future generations will.

If we want to offer those generations some of the wonders we’ve known – particularly in the outdoors, especially with wildlife and the wild places we all love – we need to find a way to live within our environmental budget. I’d also argue that leaders whose only ideas of “nature” are golf courses or city parks are not fit to lead the world toward such a future. We need leaders who have had hands on experience with the real world, real nature, real wild places and wildlife.

My final hope is that you and yours enjoy blessings and goodness in this coming year. May your outdoor experiences bring you joy and satisfaction.

Early Deer Harvest Roundup

Early accounts of deer harvests show both declines and increases. Photo: ODNR

Several wildlife agencies have summarized early reports of deer harvests. In Missouri, for example, the Missouri Department of Conservation reports that 159,120 deer were harvested during the November portion of firearms season. Of these, 82,613 were antlered bucks, 13,203 were button bucks and 63,304 were does. Top counties were Franklin, with 3,530 deer harvested; Texas, with 2,935; and Howell, with 2,741. MDC says the harvest was less than last year’s 193,885 total during November’s firearms season, and about 15% below the five-year average. Less than ideal weather, a bumper acorn crop and a late start to the season influenced the harvest. For ongoing preliminary harvest totals visit extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table/.

Over in Illinois, more than 54,000 deer were harvested during first weekend of the state’s firearm deer season, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. By comparison, hunters took 53,348 and 52,354 deer during the first firearm weekends in 2023 and 2022. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deerhunting.html for more information.

In Ohio, hunters harvested nearly 27,000 deer during the gun opener, according to Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Hunters checked 26,667 whitetails, including 9,602 bucks and 17,065 antlerless deer, on Monday, December 2, the opening day of the weeklong gun season. This is the highest harvest for opening day since 2012, when 29,297 deer were recorded. From 2021 to 2023, hunters checked an average of 19,439 deer during the gun opener. Top three counties included Coshocton (1,053), Tuscarawas (954), and Knox (881). Visit https://ohiodnr.gov for more information.

Further west, in Nebraska, the firearm deer harvest was down 2% from 2023 and down 24% from the 2019-2023 average, according to Nebraska Game and Parks. Yet this was more successful than expected. Firearm permits were reduced 13% from 2023 in response to declining deer populations. Still the mule deer buck harvest increased 9% from 2023, while whitetail buck harvest fell 2%. Antlerless mule deer harvest declined 10% from 2023, while antlerless whitetail increased 2%. All harvest levels were down significantly from the five-year average. Total deer harvest for the firearm season has declined each year since 2019, due to drought, severe winters and increased permit quotas in 2019 and 2020. Visit https://outdoornebraska.gov/about/press-events/news/firearm-deer-harvest-down-2-statewide/ for more information.

Deer Poachers Busted in Two States

Above, the 18-point trophy buck antlers collected as evidence in the Ohio poaching case.

In Ohio, Christopher J. Alexander, 28, of Wilmington, pleaded guilty to 14 counts in the illegal taking of an 18-point trophy whitetail buck in Clinton County on November 9, 2023, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This included: illegal taking or possession of two deer, hunting without a license, hunting without a deer permit, selling illegal deer antlers, spotlighting, four counts of hunting without permission, tampering with evidence, theft and falsification. In December he was sentenced to pay the maximum restitution for the 18-point trophy buck, $35,071.73 – the largest restitution for a single whitetail in Ohio’s history. Restitution increased to $39,696.73 when $4,625 was added for a second unlawfully taken eight-point. Alexander was also sentenced to complete five years of community control, serve six months at STAR Community Justice Center, lose his hunting privileges for 10 years, and forfeited all property seized as evidence, including the trophy deer’s antlers. Finally, he was ordered to pay $1,000 in fines, $1,000 to the Turn In a Poacher (TIP) program, $2,000 in restitution to media outlets, and all court costs.

Three accomplices also pleaded guilty and were sentenced in the case:
Corey P. Haunert, 29, of Hillsboro, pleaded guilty to six counts that included attempted tampering with evidence, three counts of aiding a wildlife offender, hunting without permission and falsification. He was ordered to pay $500 in fines, $500 to the TIP program, pay additional court costs, serve 90 days in jail, suspended, complete 200 hours of community service, and complete three years of community control. His hunting license was revoked for three years, and he forfeited a tree stand and crossbow.

Kristina M. Alexander, 37, of Blanchester, pleaded guilty to obstructing official business and aiding a wildlife offender. She was ordered to pay $500 in fines, pay $500 to TIP, pay additional court costs, serve 60 days in jail, suspended, and complete one year of monitored time supervision.

Zachary R. Haunert, 31, of Lebanon, pleaded guilty to aiding a wildlife offender. He was ordered to pay $250 in fines, $250 to TIP, pay additional court costs, serve 60 days in jail, suspended, and complete one year of monitored time supervision.

Following a nearly two-year investigation by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), 71 charges were filed against three Chester County residents – a father and his two adult sons – accused of poaching dozens of trophy bucks in Chester and Delaware counties.

Carl Nelson III, 70, of West Chester, is facing 35 charges, including a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Carroll Nelson IV, 44, of Downingtown, is facing 11 charges including a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Mark Nelson, 40, of West Chester, is facing 25 charges, including a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. All three defendants also face extensive hunting license revocations, significant fines, court costs and restitution if convicted.

The Game Commission began investigating the case after receiving a tip concerning the unlawful taking of large whitetail bucks out of season, at night and over the limit of one buck per hunter per year, during a span of years. Nearly 50 mounts and antler sets – most of them trophy class – were seized from the three, and this broad investigation remains open to determine whether additional people are involved. Report poaching and wildlife crimes by calling the PGC’s Operation Game Thief toll-free hotline at 1-888-PGC-8001. When it comes to poaching, PGC says, if you see something, say something!

California Condors Take First Flight

Four captive-raised and endangered California condors into the wilds of
northern Arizona in late September.

Partners in Arizona and Utah’s California Condor conservation efforts, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), gathered at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in late September for the successful release of four captive-raised and endangered California condors into the wilds of northern Arizona. The Peregrine Fund and the Bureau of Land Management hosted the event in conjunction with National Public Lands Day. Cheers erupted from an enthusiastic crowd at the viewing site as each of the four birds took to the skies. The 18-month-old birds came from captive breeding sites where they were raised by foster condor parents. Wild condors fledge at about six months, so these birds were well prepared. This release is the 28th release of condors at Vermillion Cliffs and marks a return to normalcy after an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) killed 21 condors, 20 percent of the population, including eight breeding pairs, of the Arizona-Utah flock. Condors breed very slowly, so having the birds released was a huge step in regrowing the population. HPAI was unexpected, but a more persistent threat, says AGFD, is lead poisoning. This is why AGFD can’t get a self-sustaining population of condors off the ground. The agency is trying to help the condor population by educating hunters about using lead-free ammunition and giving them incentives and discounts to help reduce lead on the landscape. By 1982, just 22 California condors remained. A captive breeding program to initiate reintroduction of the species seemed the only hope. This began in 1992 in California, and 1996 in Arizona. In 2024, about 560 total condors exist, with two California populations, a population in Baja Mexico and the Utah-Arizona flock, which has less than 100 birds.

Sale or Transfer of Federal Land to States Opposed

Hunter and angler access and wildlife habitat management could be at risk if federal lands, like BLM acres, are transferred to states following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Photo: Isa Macouzet/Unsplash

Recent efforts from states to obtain federal lands is putting hunter and angler access and wildlife habitat management at risk, says the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP). In August, Utah officials petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Utah’s case that argues for the transfer of 18.5 million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to state ownership. Amicus (friend of the filer) briefs were submitted by Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. While the Utah filing is limited to “unappropriated lands” managed by the Bureau of Land Management, their brief attempts to justify and rationalize transferring or selling all federal public lands. If the U.S. Supreme Court decides to take up this case, it’s very possible the decision could set a precedent that makes all 640 million acres of federal public lands, including National Parks, vulnerable to transfer to state ownership. “This is a lose-lose situation for states and all Americans for which these lands are held in the public trust,” said TRCP’s chief conservation officer, Joel Webster. “There have been several efforts over the past four decades to sell or transfer federal lands. None have been successful, and all have been unpopular. States simply do not have the resources to manage the vast acres that make up federal lands.” Currently, lands managed in trust by states in the West, including Utah, are legislatively mandated to generate revenue to support trust land beneficiaries, such as public schools. This means that most state lands are managed for maximum profit, often benefiting private interests. Public access is also not guaranteed on state trust lands. And long-term conservation of these lands to benefit fish and wildlife populations is not secure. If granted ownership of federal lands within their borders, states would be underfunded and understaffed to manage them. They also lack any clear mandate for what that management should be since these lands would no longer be governed by federal multiple-use laws. Without the resources or mandate to manage world-class hunting and fishing destinations for wildlife or recreational access, these important areas could be sold to the highest bidder.

Pheasant Genetics Study on Public Hunt Areas

California is studying if released pheasants could be interbreeding with wild pheasants and what that might do to reduce wild bird populations. Photo: Jack Seeds/Unsplash

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) collected genetic tissue from hunter-harvested wild pheasants at select state-operated wildlife areas and federal refuges during the state’s wild pheasant season to determine the genetics of wild pheasant populations, and learn if inbreeding – mixing farm-raised and released pheasants with wild birds – in isolated populations impacts the wild birds. Mixing stocked birds with wild pheasants can suppress wild pheasant populations. The birds become more susceptible to disease, predation and their reproductive capability is reduced. The research may inform future CDFW efforts to transfer wild pheasants from one part of the state to another to increase genetic diversity and grow populations where abundant upland habitat exists. In 2023, CDFW collected tongue samples from 39 hunter-harvested pheasants at the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area and from 52 pheasants at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, California’s two top wild pheasant producers. In 2024, CDFW collected at seven other areas include wildlife areas and two national wildlife refuges. The tongue clip provides genetic material, while inflicting no meat damage.

Avian Influenza is Back

Several wildlife agencies are currently investigating whether highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is behind numerous reports of sick and dead waterfowl.

Avian Influenza has reared its ugly head again in birds in several states.

In Oklahoma, for example, a commercial poultry flock in Adair County was confirmed by the state’s Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to have been infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

HPAI is particularly deadly to poultry, and in, some cases, fatal to wild birds, including waterfowl, quail and pheasants. So, hunters, particularly those with domestic poultry or pet birds, should lessen the chance of spreading the virus to domestic bird populations. Also, state officials are asking for reports of 12 or more wild birds found dead or sick in one area, particularly if within 6 miles of any poultry production facility. Reports this to Oklahoma’s USDA APHIS office at (405) 521-4039.

Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri are also experiencing similar situations. Nebraska Game and Parks officials located waterfowl die-offs and sick birds at water bodies from Niobrara to Alma recently. About 300 dead or dying snow geese were collected at Harlan County Reservoir. HPAI was confirmed in two cases. Learn more about the disease in Nebraska or make a disease report at OutdoorNebraska.gov.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is also monitoring reports of sick and dead geese and ducks across the state. MDC is actively collecting birds to determine the cause of illness and suspects HPAI to be the cause. HPAI spreads as birds along the North American flyways intermingle with infected birds from Europe and Asia. The viruses are transmitted from bird to bird through droppings, saliva, and nasal discharges. Although HPAI does not present an immediate public health concern, MDC recommends not touching dead geese, waterfowl or other bird species. And don’t let pets come in contact with dead birds to prevent the spread. Report any sightings of dead geese to MDC online at http://short.mdc.mo.gov/4KD

Waterfowl hunters should dress game in the field whenever possible or at a location away from poultry or other birds. Dispose of waste in trash bags and through trash collection or a permitted landfill. Bald eagles and other raptors are particularly susceptible to avian influenza. This could help prevent raptor mortalities. Visit https://agriculture.mo.gov/avian-influenza.php for more information.

Coyote Catalog Available

North Dakota wants to connect coyote hunters and trappers with landowners having coyote problems.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NGFD) and North Dakota Department of Agriculture are again opening the “Coyote Catalog,” a statewide effort designed to connect hunters and trappers with landowners dealing with coyotes in their areas. Landowners can sign up on the Department of Agriculture website, ndda.nd.gov. Hunters and trappers can sign up at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. Those registered with the Coyote Catalog in the past must register again to activate their name on the database. Throughout winter, hunters or trappers may receive information on participating landowners and should contact landowners to make arrangements. The Coyote Catalog will remain active through March 31. For more information, contact Ryan Herigstad at Game and Fish, (701) 595-4463 or rherigstad@nd.gov; or Michelle Mielke, at the Department of Agriculture, (701) 328-2233 or mmielke@nd.gov.

ATA Grand American Drew 3,058 Trapshooters

The American Trapshooting Association’s Grand American shoot, held at the
World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois, saw a 13%
increase in attendance this summer Photo: Arkansas Game and Fish

More than 3,000 target shooters from all 50 states, four Canadian provinces and five countries helped propel the 125th American Trapshooting Association’s Grand American competition to one of its most successful. The shoot was held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex (WSRC) in Sparta, Illinois, from July 31 to August 10. WSRC is operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Trapshooters shot 4 million program and practice targets during the event. Of the 3,058 total trapshooters at the Grand, 99 came from Brazil. In addition to trap, WSRC threw more than 200,000 sporting clays targets during the Grand. “Things went very well during this year’s Grand, and the coordination between us and the ATA was exceptional. I’m excited about what the future holds for the Grand and the World Shooting Complex,” said WSRC Director Skip Klinger. The Grand American has an estimated economic impact of $25 to $30 million in the region. WSRC has hosted the competition since 2006. The largest and oldest shooting event of its kind, the Grand features more than 20 events and attracts more than 5,000 competitors and spectators from across the globe annually. The 2025 ATA Grand American is set for July 30 to August 9 at the WSRC. Klinger said Grand competitors and spectators can expect an even better experience in 2025.

ACE Reauthorization Act Helps Outdoorsmen

One element of the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act is the
North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which will help ducks like this
pintail find more habitat. Photo: Daniil Komov/Unsplash

The America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act of 2024 passed the House of Representatives in early December in 366-2 vote. The legislation aims to boost funding and provide vital enhancements to conservation programs benefiting fish and wildlife. The ACE Reauthorization act was sponsored by Representatives Wittman (R-Va.), Kiggans (R-Va.), Dingell (D-Mich.), and Thompson (D-Calif.) and would reauthorize multiple programs that benefit hunting and fishing including the National Fish Habitat Partnership, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the Chesapeake Bay Program, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. It also helps address threats like chronic wasting disease. Reauthorization would provide technical improvements, administrative streamlining and increase authorized program. The original ACE Act was passed in 2020. Many of its authorizations expired in 2025, necessitating the reauthorization. The legislation is endorsed by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Ducks Unlimited, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the National Wildlife Federation, American Sportfishing Association, the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and the National Audubon Society. ACE Reauthorization now heads back to the Senate, which passed a different version of the Reauthorization by unanimous consent earlier in 2024.

Mule Deer Foundation Launches Blacktail Deer Foundation

The Mule Deer Foundation is spinning off a separate group, the Blacktail Deer Foundation, dedicated to Columbia and Sitka blacktail deer conservation. Photo: Pedro Lastra/Unsplash

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has dedicated thousands of man-hours, funding and conservation work to the Columbia blacktail deer and Sitka blacktail deer, and recently it announced significant strides in expanding its conservation work for these subspecies. In 2022, MDF hosted a Blacktail Deer Summit to evaluate current conservation efforts for the species. During this summit, partners discussed the needs and future of blacktail deer conservation. It became evident greater attention and focus were necessary. With MDF’s significant growth in membership, funding and expanded sponsorship opportunities, MDF decided to launch The Blacktail Deer Foundation (BDF). BDF is starting off strong with a dozen "boots on the ground" conservation projects and more than $6 million of dedicated funding in blacktail deer range. This includes field biologists, fundraising staff and 11 active chapters across California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. Another 32 new chapters of The Blacktail Deer Foundation have also been chartered. BDF will seek to capitalize on the grassroots chapter building, on the ground conservation projects, and localized fundraising efforts. To join BDF and get involved, visit www.blacktaildeer.org, email THubbs@muledeer.org, or call (801) 973-3940.

Bob Gilsvick Tribute

Bob Gilsvik, autographing a book at a 2001 NTA Convention. Photo: Eric R. Schweinhagen

By Tom Miranda

The world recently lost an iconic trapper and writer, and one heck of a guy. Noted FUR-FISH-GAME columnist, author and outdoorsman Bob Gilsvik passed away in October 2024, a month before his 91st birthday.

Bob grew up in North Minneapolis, served in the military, and married Patricia Kearns. In 1972 they moved with their children to Grand Rapids, Michigan, so Bob could pursue a career as an outdoor writer. He wrote FUR-FISH-GAME’s trapping column for roughly 13 years, participated in making a number of FUR-FISH-GAME trapping videos, and freelanced outdoor articles for many other publications. A member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, Bob authored four books, “All Season Hunting” (1976), “The Complete Book of Trapping” (1976), “A Guide to Good Cheap Hunting” (1979) and “A Modern Trapline” (1980)

Bob started his FUR-FISH-GAME writing with the February 1983 issue as the magazine’s monthly “The Trapline” columnist. “The Trapline” was a popular part of the magazine, and Bob’s writing wizardry and trapping knowledge quickly cemented him as a favorite author for many. His monthly column was a magazine centerpiece, documenting the trials and tribulations of being a trapper in colorful yet simple language.

Although his writing made him semi-famous in trapping circles, he made appearances at very few events or trappers’ conventions. As a result, not many trappers or readers became acquainted with the man, himself.

This changed when FUR-FISH-GAME began making trapping videos.

I thought of Bob as the magazine’s trapping spokesperson and I felt any trapping video produced by the magazine wouldn’t be complete without him.

I got Bob’s phone number and called him to make a pitch for his participation.

Initially, he wasn’t interested. In fact, he was deadset against being included. He was more comfortable on his trapline or at the keys of his typewriter. Performing in a how-to trapping video just wasn’t in the cards, he said.

It took several calls, much coaxing and a little luck, but Bob finally agreed to appear in the videos.

I’m so glad he did. In these videos, Bob’s Minnesota accent, knowledge, sense of humor and persona are all on display. Readers watching the videos could now put a voice and a face to Bob’s writing. As a result, his column became even more popular. With this fame, Bob began coming to trappers’ conventions, greeting fans and autographing his hardcover books.

Although Bob faded from the limelight in the mid 1990s, he remained an avid trapper and outdoorsman as long as his body would carry him into the wilds of northern Minnesota. While time marches on for us all, let’s remember Bob as a fun-loving and kind-hearted trapper who cared enough to share his trapping wisdom with us all.

In his September 1995 issue Trapline farewell column Bob wrote:
“I remember a couple of years ago when traveling with a pro trapper friend, Rally Hess. Rally said he never thought he’d be driving to a convention with the trapping editor of FUR-FISH-GAME, and I said, I never thought I’d BE the trapping editor. Certainly the thought never entered my head when I was 12 years old starting out… FUR-FISH-GAME has always been a down-to-earth magazine. Where else can you find articles on fishing for suckers, catching snapping turtles, and hunting squirrels? Readers often ask for reprints of some of the classic trapping articles. I enjoy them, too. My only complaint is that Dailey, Nelson, Butcher and the rest were a little stingy with the how-to information. But that’s the way it was in those days. If you wanted to trap, you pretty much had to figure it out on your own.”

Bob Gilsvik spent many years helping trappers old and young alike figure out how to trap. He shared the good times and the bad times on his trapline, with a wit and self-deprecation that truly endeared him to readers. Bob was right there with ‘em.

Knowing Bob was out there, trappers never felt alone.

With his passing, running the trapline might feel a bit more solitary for a while for the rest of us. But he’s no doubt looking down on us and nodding along with our frustration and victories.

Thanks, Bob. And happy trapping.

Special Set for Otter

100th Anniversary Historical Article from January 1967

by Herbert Lenon

Somehow down through the years trappers have come to believe that otters are just about impossible to trap. Certainly, otters are a bit more difficult to trap than mink but that is primarily because there are fewer otters than mink. Also, the range of the otter is usually greater than that of mink, so the time elapse is greater between trips. As I have so often written, I have never found one of those super-duper sets to which otter, mink, fox or any other animal will consistently come. But this set I am about to describe is good for otters, raccoons, mink and muskrats. The set is designed to get the otter’s feet down like the trapper wants them, and water fluctuations of 8 to 12 inches don’t put the set out of order.

This set as made for otters is made the same for raccoons, mink and muskrats. The only difference is the scent and attraction used for each animal. To make the set for otters, find a location near where otters pass by regularly. Otters have a "home" den where they spend much time and the nearer you trap to this place the better.

When you have decided on the area, locate a place in the stream or body of water where you can set your trap back from the bank in about 8 inches of water. The bank must be rather straight up and down and should be at least 2 feet high. It can be much higher without effect on the set. Dig a common "pocket" or water hole set. This hole should be about 6 or 7 inches in diameter and a foot or so deep, with about an inch of water in the mouth of the hole. Dig a second hole, the same diameter and depth, about 18 inches above the first pocket. Set the trap 8 to 10 inches out from the mouth of the hole, and 3 to 4 inches off center to either the right or left. It should be under 8 to 10 inches of water. Place a good amount of scent, (the size of a bean or even larger,) back in the lower hole about 8 inches and on the roof of the hole. Then place the same quantity of scent in the upper hole, but just inside the upper lip of the hole. Pin a small fish to the bank about two or three inches above the top hole. The fish gives the set both extra luring distance and something to attract the otter’s eye. It will keep the otter’s eye off the trap placement should the trap be visible. The trap should be well camouflaged unless set is in rippling water. Otters, like mink, have a very keen eye and a very suspicious nature.

The principle of the set is simply this: Otters swim with a corkscrew action. They fold their front feet against their body, kick out with their hind feet and use their tail for added speed. They can really swim fast.

The usual habit of setting traps in shallow water results in the otter springing the trap with its chest or body while its feet are still folded against the body. The otter will attempt to climb the bank to see into the high hole. In so doing, he claws the bank with its front feet and lowers his hind feet to the bottom to push upward, thus stepping on the trap. The trap is under several inches of water, so it isn't set off by the otter's body as it swims into the set. The trap is also out from the bank where the otter's rear feet will hit as it climbs upward to the upper hole. If water rises even a foot or more, the set will still work, for the upper hole is not covered, and otter will still push off the bottom if he is a large one.

If you live where freezing nights are not common, the old "Dirt Hole" set will get them. I have caught many otters in dry dirt hole sets.

Making The Set For Mink
In making this same type set for mink or muskrats, it is not made for the same purpose as when made for otter. The purpose is to make a set that will continue to work even if the water level raises 8 to 10 inches.

Dig the first hole so there is an inch of water in front but no water back in the hole. Make it about 4 inches in diameter and a foot or less deep. A foot above this hole, dig another hole of the same size. Place the scent back in the bottom hole several inches on the roof of the hole. Scent the upper hole just inside the upper lip. Pin a small, light-colored feather about three inches above the upper hole. Set the trap with the pan out about 5 inches from the mouth of the hole, an inch or two to right or left of center. Use brush or twigs to act as guides. Have them 6 inches apart, thus guiding the mink over the trap. I have heard a lot of experts say that guides scare mink. They never did for me. I figure a mink spends its entire life traveling through grass, weeds and brush and it should not scare him. If the set is made for muskrats, use muskrat scent. In place of the feather, use a bright red piece of apple or bright flag roots.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Foothills Trappers, Fulton Montgomery Trappers Fur Auctions
The Foothills Trappers and the Fulton Montgomery Trappers will hold three fur auctions in 2025: The first takes place January 4, at the 4H Training Center, at 556 Middle Line Rd., in Ballston Spa, New York. The second and third will take place on February 1 and on April 12, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post, 131 Mohawk St., Herkimer, New York. Call Paul Johnson (315) 867-6565 or Neal Sowle (518) 883-5467 for more information.

Pennsylvania Trappers Association District No.10 Fur Sale
District No.10, of the Pennsylvania Trappers Association will hold a fur sale on Saturday, January 18, at Stockertown Rod and Gun Club, 206 Lefevre Road, in Stockertown, Pennsylvania. No Commissions. For more information call Bob Counterman (610) 759-9203 or visit patrappers.com/districts/district-10/.

Idaho Trappers Association 2025 Calendar
The Idaho Trappers’ Association (ITA) will hold fur sales on January 17 and 18 and March 8 and 9, at the Elmore County Fairgrounds, in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. ITA’s Summer Convention will take place June 13 and 14, at the Lemhi County Fairgrounds, in Salmon, Idaho. And ITA, in conjunction with the National Trappers’ Association, will hold their annual banquet September 6, at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino, in Fort Hall, Idaho. For more information on any of these events, contact Rusty Kramer, ITA President, at (208) 870-3217.

Indiana State Trappers’ Association Fur Sales
Two Indiana State Trappers’ Association (ISTA) Fur Sales will take place: The first, on January 25, at the Old Friendship Church, in Linville, Indiana; the second on February 8, in Peru, Indiana, at the Miami County Fairgrounds. You must be an ISTA member to sell. Lot numbers can be purchased prior to the sale date. Doors open at 8 a.m. Sales begin at 9 a.m. local time. (Note: Linville is in the Central Time Zone and Peru is in the Eastern Time Zone.) Fur buyers from several states will be in attendance. The events include food, trap raffles, 50/50 contests and other activities. Come for the fun and enjoy the largest fur sales in Indiana. For more information call or text Byron Tiede at (219) 863-3803.

Upper Peninsula Trappers’ Association Kids Workshop and Convention
The U. P. Trappers’ Association will host its 20th Annual Trappers Workshop for Kids and beginning trappers on Saturday, February 1, in Hermansville, Michigan. Free trapping supplies will be available for all kids attending. And kids will be building items to take home and use on their own traplines. Other activities include trapping demos, a fur buyer and a supply vendor. Contact Mike Lewis at (906) 774-3592 or visit www.uptrappers.com for more information.
Also, the U.P. Trappers’ Association will hold its U.P. Trappers Convention and Outdoor Show July 11 and 12, in Escanaba, Michigan, at the U.P. State Fairgrounds. Camping and food will be available on the fairgrounds. Activities will include demos, mini raffles, can raffles and a new “kids cave.” Contact Roy Dahlgren (906) 399-1960 or email trapperroy@outlook.com, and visit www.uptrappers.com for more information

Illinois Trappers Association
The Illinois Trappers Association will be hosting a fur sale Saturday, February 15 at the Krile Auction House in Strasburg, Illinois. Doors open at 7 a.m., with the first lot to go under the gavel at 9 a.m. All fur will be sold in trapper graded lots. There will be help available to grade fur. All fur is to be skinned or dry. However, otters, bobcats and badgers may be sold on the carcass. Prices were excellent last year, with the buyers asking for more fur. Buyers once again from Illinois and surrounding states are expected to be in attendance. Food will be provided. Contact Ryan Ruhl at (309) 368-2523 or bhfdto@gmail.com for more information.

New Mexico Trappers’ Association Fur Sales and Rendezvous
The New Mexico Trappers’ Association (NMTA) will hold two Trappers’ Fur Sales, one on February 28, another on March 1, at the Torrance County Fairgrounds in Estancia, New Mexico. NMTA’s rendezvous is scheduled for June 13 and 14, at the Mountain View Christian Camp, in Alto, New Mexico. Contact Shelly (575) 649-1684 or gypsytrapper@yahoo.com.

West Virginia Trappers Association Fur Auction
The West Virginia Trappers Association will hold their annual spring fur auction February 28 through March 2, at the Gilmer County Recreation Center, 1365 Sycamore Run Road, in Glenville, West Virginia. Vendors will be present throughout the weekend. Consignment for finished fur starts at 9 a.m., Friday, February 28, and again on Saturday, March 1, at 9 a.m. Dealers’ lots are graded at the end of each day. The Fur Auction will be held Sunday, March 2, at 1 p.m. Contact Jeremiah Whitlatch at (304) 916-3329 or visit www.wvtrappers.com for more information.

The Independent Furharvesters of Central New York
The Independent Furharvesters of Central New York will hold a fur auction Saturday, March 1, at the Pompey Rod and Gun Club, 2035 Swift Road, Fabius, New York. Check in furs at 8 a.m., auction starts at 9 a.m. Contact Ed Wright, (315) 427-7136 for more information.

Coming in February

Features
Snowshoe Hare Hunting in the Rockies - Noah Davis, a transplanted Pennsylvanian explores hare hunting near, Missoula, Montana, in the Rocky Mountains.

Willow Stakes - Phil Goes shares the trials and tribulations of trapping muskrats when fur prices are down and decides it’s about more than money.

Vintage Composite Recurve Bows - Jeff Goddin explores the world of hunting with and finding vintage recurve bows, the kind Fred Bear’s generation used.

An Elk for Kenna - Judd Brooks, our “Gun Rack” columnist, takes his three children on a cold weather elk hunt, and daughter, Kenna, finds her elk.

The Conundrum - Steve Griffith has a hard choice to make: Hunt birds over his Lab, Hattie, or chase deer with his bow.

Fishing Through the Ice - C. E. Bradley, F-F-G’s 100th anniversary celebration continues with this story about pickerel fishing through the ice from January of 1928.

Other Articles
• My First Year Beaver Trapping- Stephen Baxter shares what he learned about beaver trapping during his first season in the effort.
• Trolling for Walleyes: Through the Ice? – Chris Schroeder tells how to troll or walleyes through the ice.
• Getting the Most from Your Primitive Muzzleloader – Randy Smith explores traditional muzzleloaders and shares how to become accurate with them.
• Three Generations Build a Canoe – Layne Wardell and three generations of his family share the experience of building a wooden canoe.
• Muskrats Under Ice – Andrew Zysek looks at trapping prime muskrats after ice forms on the marsh.
• Just a Minute... – Gordon Walthers asked his brother and father to wait just a minute to shoot a photo of a deer his father tagged, a minute that changed their lives.
The Versatile Shooting Stick – Chris Zorn tells how to make a DIY shooting stick for better rifle accuracy
• Looking Back- Drew Summer recounts some of the memories he he wishes he could forget when he did dumb things.