Team Fur News
The Hobble Gobble Adventure
By FUR-FISH-GAME Editor, John D. Taylor
Taylor sure loves to chase spring gobblers, even after a hip replacement. Photo: Randy Fath/Unsplash
Back at the end of January, English setters Theo and Ellen and I went looking for some new sharptail coverts. It seemed as though there were more birds east of us, we went exploring the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands near Phillip, South Dakota. One gravel lane led into the back end of a block of promising looking grasslands, so I took it.
The extremely rutted gravel road hadn’t seen any maintenance for ages. Rubbernecking the countryside—cornfields adjacent to grasslands, and a series riparian zones with cottonwoods and brush leading down into a larger creek bottom, great habitat for sharptails, pheasants, and deer, I thought – I missed one big pothole and thought I’d take out 2012 Expedition Brandy’s front end. But we bounced through it, the dog crates levitating in the back for a moment. Then, a glance to my right showed movement. A double take revealed the biggest winter flock of mixed gobblers, hens and jakes – 100 birds or more, I guessed – I’d ever seen, feeding in a cornfield.
Yowza! Mental note, mark this place down for spring. My South Dakota Game Fish and Parks map said the area was a blend of grasslands and walk-ins, several thousand acres of public land. We hunted a block of grassland and moved no birds, but the place looked “gamey,” and I vowed to return.
* * *
Late in the afternoon on February 17, hip surgery specialist Dr. Kenneth Milligan, of Monument Health, in Rapid City, South Dakota, swapped out my arthritic right hip joint for a man-made variety. Kindly nurses monitored me post-surgery, and by the next morning a couple physical therapists had me up and walking the hallway, using a walker.
For about two weeks after the surgery, I used a walker to hobble around the house, to and from the office, and go for short hourly walks down our driveway. Not long afterwards, the walker was replaced by a cane. I joked with friends that while I hoped I get a cool cane – preferably a 19th century sword cane with a gnarly lion’s head or some other menacing topper – my wife Nancy is cheap and opted for the $2.75 medical variety she found at a thrift store instead. They chuckled.
In March, a little more than a month after the surgery, I cane-hobbled through five stations of a Black Hills Shootist Association cowboy action event. It felt really good to be out in the sunshine, having some fun.
Also, when South Dakota’s prairie spring turkey season tag draws took place, I applied for four spring gobbler tags, including one for the new spot, vowing that even if I had to hobble along after them, I’d hunt turkeys. I received all four tags.
* * *
Saturday, April 11, was South Dakota’s turkey opener. I spent Friday night sacked out in the back of Blue, a new-to-me 2021 Ford Expedition that replaced Brandy before the surgery, on grasslands in the new spot. It was Blue’s maiden voyage and most of what worked during the nine years I'd spent sacked out for turkeys, deer, elk and pronghorns in Brandy worked with Blue. Yet all the new creaks and moans as she settled in from the hour-and-a-half drive felt weird. Still, the night was cool, and with the windows cracked, I slept reasonably well.
For almost a week and a half prior to this, I was walking fine without the cane, including mile-long walks with the dogs in the morning, a regular exercise before hip replacement. A couple weekly physical therapy sessions went well, too. I took the cane along turkey hunting but had no intention of using it.
Up at 4 a.m., dressed, breakfasted and ready to hunt at 5 a.m., I started the mile walk across pastures and grassland, no cane, towards the area I wanted to try first. About 20 minutes into this march, gobblers started hollering.
One group five birds gobbled up a storm way over to the west. At first, they sounded close, in the distant creek bottom, but then got far, far away. Two different sets of birds? I started towards them when a second group of three toms fired up. These birds were really hot, southeast of my location, and closer, in some cottonwoods adjacent to the creek bottom. Then a third group of gobblers – I'd spotted them roosting from the road Friday night – lit the dawn in the creek bottom way to the north of me.
Who do I chase?
Given my hip, I decided to go for the closest birds, the second group, about a mile and a half away, it seemed. I hot footed it towards them feeling almost certain if I could get within 100 yards, I stood a good chance of tagging one. Since it was my first time hunting the area, my GPS made sure I obliged property boundaries.
The closer I got to this second group, I realized they were in a tributary draw, surrounded by cornfields, up from the creek bottom, on the opposite creek bank. In gobbler desire, I’d also crossed a fenceline, according to my GPS, wandering onto private property. I quickly reversed course, but time had passed, gobbling ceased, and those turkeys were now on the ground.
Through binoculars, I could see them, moving across the cornfields, up along the creek bottom. I realized that I could likely intercept them if I crossed the creek and got on the edge of the cornfields and public ground. So, I trucked across the landscape, aiming for the creek bottom.
The creek oxbowed. Big 10, 20 or more acres were contained in one oxbow, bluffs marked the creek’s turn, then another oxbow began. Bank beavers made dams in the creek and most of it looked about 4 feet deep, with no areas to cross. However, I found a spot where the creek was a foot-wide, 6-inch-deep trickle across a 75-yard mud flat. The footing looked secure. Carefully, I slid down the bank, found fairly solid ground in the first 6 inches of bottom, and took a step. I was about to take another step, across the water, when I began sinking – fast – into the mud. It was quicksand, just like in the opening of “Blazing Saddles,” but with no rail to step on. I put my other foot down, trying to turn around and get out, and it, too began sinking.
Panicking, I grabbed some creekbank willows stems and slowly managed to turn around, but not before I was thigh deep in quicksand. Adrenaline, fear, worry about popping out my hip replacement and being stuck in the creek for days before anyone would find me, sparked the energy to heave one leg after another slowly out of the muck.
I got out, but the experience scared the bejabbers out me. A turkey would have no problem crossing the creek – one brief flush.
Determined to go on, despite the gumbo muck (cornfield erosion) covering my pants, sinking into my Bean boots and socks, I headed back towards those western gobblers, at least a couple miles away now.
The wind picked up, and hearing calls of any kind, even gobbles, was tough. I crossed a big grasslands pasture, hoofed along the creek bottom, heading towards what I hoped were gobblers. Drying mud made my boots and pants heavier than usual.
When I saw three turkey hunters, kids, hoofing half a mile away, across the top of the pasture, I realized they’d probably been hunting the turkeys I was heading towards. It would be slim pickings if any. But knowing the lay of the land might help future hunts.
I carefully continued on, glassing for turkeys running the creek bottom, until I came to fence marking the end of the public land. It was time to sit down, rest under a big lone cottonwood, and figure out the next move. As I sat there, I heard some birds landing in the tree’s limbs. Their burbling call said sharptails, my totem bird, good luck always. I peeked around the big trunk, and one cansiyo (Lakota for sharptail) head tilted, eyeballed me from a limb. I waved and said thank you, before it flushed, taking the second sharptail with it.
After half an hour or so of resting while drying mud flaked off, I decided to try the third group of gobblers I'd heard earlier, on the other side of the creek. No more creek crossings for me. I hoofed it back to the truck, took a break, ate lunch, changed pants, and to rest my hip, took a drive to check another potential spot.
When I relocated to the other side of the creek in late afternoon, I walked about a mile along the bank and heard a gobble from the bottom. I went after the bird. He was in an oxbow of the creek, on my side. A small draw screened my movement down into this oxbow, and binoculars showed two strutters displaying along the edge of the creekside brush for hens inside the brush. They were 300 yards out.
I slipped along the creek brush until I was about 100 yards from the strutters. I found a good calling spot and sat, gun up, waiting for a response. After 45 minutes of soft and infrequent calling, none came.
Wondering what happened, I continued along the creek bottom. Again, the strutters were following hens following the creek bottom, way up. To get in front of them, I made a big loop out of the creek bottom, across the prairie, then back to the bottom, where I expected the turkeys to appear. Another 45-minute sit, and nothing happened.
It was getting late, so I hunted back along the creek bottom. I set up and called occasionally, no response. It seemed like the birds crossed the creek and I was on the wrong side... again. A log jam offered a potential crossing, but my quicksand experience nixed that. Time to call it a day. I’d hunt tomorrow, maybe get a shot.
On the way back to the truck, as the sun set, in another big oxbow on my side of the creek, I spotted a hen roosted in the top of a cottonwood. Was she alone? A few moments later, two more turkeys flew up, including a lonely gobbler announcing his desire to all creation. In another nearby cottonwood, a group of birds flew up. Eight turkeys, two gobblers total. The birds I encountered earlier? They were only three quarters of a mile from the truck. I knew where I’d be hunting in the morning.
Suddenly, they flushed and ran away, one longbeard lagging far behind. I wondered if I’d spooked them. Maybe they were going to a preferred roost in the other oxbow. They shouldn’t go far.
At 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning, on the way to the second oxbow, I heard a gobbler fire up nearby. It was the lazy longbeard from last night. He was in a cottonwood on the opposite side of the creek, not far from where the other birds roosted last night, and he was quite lonely, gobbling his head off. I could see him, and figured I might be able get to him, maybe get a shot, but it wouldn’t be easy. It was open and sunrise was coming on fast.
I began a sneak closer. About 100 yards out, I set my sights on a cottonwood along my side of the creek, where I could call from, maybe 50 more yards ahead. Since the tom was facing away, gobbling at the birds he separated from last night, I thought I could make it there. About 75 yards from the roost, he spotted me, flew down and ran, gobbling across a big opening towards where the other birds went last night.
I pulled out, tried two calling spots on the second oxbow, but got no response after two hours. I wanted to know the lay of the land along the creek bottom ahead, maybe get into the third group of gobblers I'd heard Saturday morning, so I hoofed it up the bottom. From the prairie above the creek, I had a good vantage point to see things. No turkeys, until I got to where the third set of birds would have been. Then came a distant gobble.
I set up at three locations, trying to tempt this bird. The first two were total busts, and I intended to call it done. But climbing a bluff, I spotted a gobbling tom in ranch pasture on the other side of the creek, headed towards the bottom. If his line of travel was true, I should be able to call him to his edge of the creek, maybe get a shot. The setup was perfect, but the tom never showed.
During the long hike out, I estimated I’d hiked 12 miles on Saturday, eight more on Sunday. The new hip works. I saw a slew of deer, mostly whitetails and one muley, ducks, pheasants, sharptails and other wildlife in this rich riparian zone full of activity in country where water is life.
Turkey vengeance is mine, sayeth editor John. And I vow to return, be on the right side of the creek for a change, and tag a gobbler in this new spot. It might take a while, but that will be fun. I do love to chase spring gobblers.
CWD Updates From Several States
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources biologist Olivia Sciandra retrieves lymph nodes from a deer in northwest Alabama. The deer appeared healthy but later tested positive for CWD.
Alabama’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) shared 2025-2026 chronic wasting disease (CWD) monitoring results. ACDNR says the good news is CWD remains localized in the northwest region, with eight additional positives in Lauderdale County and one in Colbert County. Overall, 2,886 deer were sampled last fall, with 937 samples from the state’s CWD Management Zone. ACDNR’s Wildlife Health Program Coordinator, Olivia Sciandra, said the 2025-2026 positives bring total detections in the CWD Management Zone to 21 since 2022. As a result, ACDNR has not changed the existing CWD management zone. Since 2002, ACDNR has tested 27,488 deer for CWD, following the detection of CWD in bordering Mississippi and Tennessee in 2018. Alabama’s first positive was confirmed in January 2022, in Lauderdale County. Currently, the other surrounding states of Florida and Georgia have positive CWD cases. More than 35 states and four Canadian provinces also have confirmed cases of CWD. Visit www.outdooralabama.com/CWD-Info for more information.
In Wisconsin, during the 2025-2026 hunting season, 17,759 deer were sampled for CWD, and 2,006 samples tested positive. Some 87% of these detections were in the southern farmland zone. A full breakdown of CWD by zone and year is available on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’s Summary of CWD Statewide Surveillance webpage, https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/cwd/summary/zone.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) found another CWD-infected mule deer in Cimarron County, prompting ODWC to implement its CWD Response Plan and establish a selective surveillance area in Cimarron County. The deer was harvested about 3.5 miles west of Felt, near where another CWD-positive deer was confirmed last year. Oklahoma's first wild deer infected with CWD was confirmed in June of 2023, in Texas County in the state’s Panhandle region. ODWC has monitored CWD in hunter-harvested deer and road kills since 1999. Visit www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/resources/deer/cwd.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGFD) tested 1,224 animals for during the 2025 sampling season, and confirmed 16 CWD positive deer, 11 mule deer and five whitetails, all taken by hunters. CWD appeared in units 2B and 3D2, where it was previously unknown. NDGFD says it will use this information to guide CWD management moving forward. Visit gf.nd.gov/cwd.
Shoot Like a Girl Shows Growth
A woman learns about archery techniques at an Odessa, Texas Shoot Like a Girl event in 2025.
According to Shoot Like A Girl’s 2024-2025 annual report, the organization, a leader in firearms safety education and shooting sports continues to show success in its mission to empower men, women, families and communities in the shooting sports. During 2025, Shoot Like A Girl (SLG) saw 17,000 people attend its events nationwide. According to the report, 64% of guests recruited others to try shooting, 71% spent more time shooting and enjoying the outdoors, 45% of guests reported an improved attitude or opinion of firearms, 27% of guests expressed interest in hunting, and 26% of guests plan to attend a shooting or safety course. Also, there is a growing trend of families experiencing shooting sports with male participation rising to 32% of 5,655 signed-in guests. Visit https://shootlikeagirl.com/.
Montana Shed Hunting Changes
Montana now charges a $50 license fee for nonresidents who want to hunt for shed antlers on wildlife management areas. Photo: Jon Sailer/Unsplash
In 2025, the Montana’s legislature approved shed antler hunting regulation changes for nonresidents. The new law mandates a $50 nonresident shed hunting license to hunt sheds on state wildlife management areas (WMA) and prohibits nonresidents from picking up antlers on WMAs for the first seven days they are open in the spring. Most WMAs open to the public at 12 p.m. on May 15. However, some have different opening times. Nonresident shed hunters should review the regulations for each WMA. The new law doesn’t impact resident shed hunters or nonresident shed hunters who are not on a WMA. Also, Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department says shed hunters should remember that Montana is bear country, much of it grizzly country. Shed hunters should make noise, go with a partner or group, and carry bear spray. Block Management Areas (BMA) are not open for shed antler hunting. These private lands require landowner permission. Also avoid areas with wintering wildlife. Human activity can cause unnecessary stress for wildlife.
New FUR-FISH-GAME Work Shirt Available for Presale
Our 100th anniversary is behind us and now we're getting back to work. That's why we're releasing this FUR-FISH-GAME Red Kap work shirt for presale now. The shirts won't start shipping until May 7th. With the 65/35 poly/cotton blend, this shirt pretty much tells wrinkles to take a hike, leaving you looking neat, cool, and ready to take on any task. Find it HERE. Or wait for the ad to appear in our July issue.
Endangered Black-Footed Ferrets Released In Northern Arizona
Arizona has released 19 endangered black-footed ferrets at three sites in northern Arizona, bolstering the wild population. Photo: Kerry Hargrove/Shutterstock
Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) personnel released 19 endangered black-footed ferrets at three sites in northern Arizona, in early March, bolstering the wild population of one of America’s most imperiled mammal species. AGFD released 13 ferrets in Aubrey Valley and the Double O Ranch near Seligman, Arizona, and six at Garland Prairie near Parks, Arizona. The ferrets came from captive breeding programs at the Toronto Zoo and the Smithsonian National Zoo, before being transported to the Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado, run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There, the ferrets learned to hunt and survive in the wild before being released. There are 35 ferret release sites across the U. S. The black-footed ferret is North America’s only native ferret. Once abundant across the West, ferret populations plummeted in the 20th century due to habitat loss and disease. The species was thought to be extinct until a small population was discovered in Wyoming. By 1986, only 18 ferrets remained. Then, wildlife managers capturing these ferrets and created a captive breeding and reintroduction program. Today, about 300 black-footed ferrets live in the wild in the U.S. Their biggest threat is sylvatic plague, a bacterial disease carried by fleas that infects both ferrets and their main prey, prairie dogs. While the released ferrets are vaccinated against the plague, their offspring will be vulnerable. The ferrets and their offspring will be closely monitored by biologists.
Mille Lacs Lake Yellow Perch Limit Reduced
Mille Lacs yellow perch limit was reduced from 10 to five fish in February, to maintain safe harvest levels. Photo: New York Public Library.
The daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake was reduced from 10 to five in early February. The regulation will be in place through November 30, 2026. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) adjusted the limit to help maintain a healthy perch population for the future and to stay within the state’s share of the harvestable surplus. Perch are a key species in Mille Lacs Lake, a primary food for predators, especially walleye. The last two years, the perch harvest was more than double what it was in earlier years, since 2012, according to Brad Parsons, MDNR fisheries section manager. To conserve the fishery, the state and the Ojibwe Tribes cooperatively establish an annual safe harvest level for each entity. This year, the state’s share of the perch harvest is 36,500 pounds. As of mid-January, the state harvested more than 17,000 pounds of perch, hence the limit reduction. Updated Mille Lacs Lake regulations are available at mndnr.gov/millelacslake.
Mexican Wolf Count Completed
Current counts say there are more than 300 Mexican wolves in the wild. Photo: Medic1480/Shutterstock
The Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team, along with the Arizona’s Game and Fish Department and the New Mexico Department of Wildlife, have completed the annual population count of Mexican wolves. The agencies documented a minimum of 319 Mexican wolves in the wild at the end of 2025, up from the minimum count of 286 in 2024. This is a consistent growth pattern for more than a decade, and it moves the recovery program one step closer to getting the downlisting of the Mexican wolf under the 4(d) subsection of the Endangered Species Act. This would add greater flexibility for management actions intended to reduce conflict while continuing recovery of the subspecies to the point of delisting. The goal of every recovery program is to use the best scientific criteria to recover a species so the species is no longer in need of ESA protection. The criteria to support Mexican wolf downlisting is an average of 320 wolves documented per year during a four-year period.
Vermont Reduces Moose Permits
The high number of moose in the northeastern Vermont has stimulated a dramatic increase in winter ticks, causing moose health problems. As many as 90,000 winter ticks have been found on one moose. More than half of moose calves die some winters due to blood loss caused by the winter ticks. Photo: VFWD/Josh Blouin
Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) has proposed issuing 85 moose hunting permits in Vermont’s Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) E in the northeastern corner of the state in a continued effort to reduce the impact of winter ticks on moose in that area. This is a reduction from the 180 permits approved by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board in 2023 through 2025. No permits are recommended for the rest of the state. VFWD moose project leader Nick Fortin says WMU-E’s moose population is significantly denser than in any other part of the state. This supports high numbers of winter ticks which negatively impact moose health and survival through low birth rates – many calves don’t survive their first winter due to ticks. Reducing moose density (fewer moose) reduces the number of tick hosts, which should result in better moose health. VFWD proposes 60 either-sex moose permits and 20 antlerless permits for WMU-E, with an expected harvest of about 42 moose, 6% of WMU-E’s moose population. This approach was informed by years of field research and statistical analyses in peer-reviewed publications, also results from similar efforts in Maine and New Hampshire.
Iowa Surveys Owl and Nightjar Populations
Iowa’s MOON surveys document owl and nightjar populations across the state. Photo: Michael Campos/Unsplash
Due to a need for data on the status of nocturnal birds – particularly owls and nightjars – in 2016 Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) began the Monitoring of Owls and Nightjars (MOON) survey. Eight owl and three nightjar species breed in Iowa. MOON gathers current population data, documents population changes over time and links species to habitat management. Currently, 13 total survey routes, most within state Bird Conservation Areas (BCAs), are being monitored, using 10 stops on driving routes surveyed twice annually between April and June. Surveys take place at night under 50% or more moonlight to increase nightjar detection. At each stop, surveyors listen for owls and nightjars for six minutes, then broadcast Eastern screech-owl and barn owl calls and listen for four more minutes to detect those two species. MOON surveys have documented barn owls, Eastern screech-owls, barred owls, great horned owls, common nighthawks, Eastern whip-poor-wills, and chuck-will’s-widows. More years of MOON data and additional habitat data are needed to draw specific links between night bird populations and habitat management, but MOON has identified four routes where Eastern whip-poor-will and chuck-will’s-widow are declining. Visit www.iowadnr.gov.
Human Foraging Behavior: Follow the Crowd?
Researchers tracked 74 ice anglers in Eastern Finland during fishing competitions and found that they tended to crowd around successful anglers. Photo: Tyler Delgado/Unsplash
According to research in “Science” magazine on foraging, human foragers tend to “mooch” off others who have found success. Researchers, for example, tracked 74 ice anglers in Eastern Finland during fishing competitions. The researchers gave the anglers GPS trackers and head-mounted cameras to record their movements and catches. Then the team compared the anglers’ behaviors to cognitive models and simulations that conceptualize how people take in information to determine their foraging strategy. In general, the ice fishers tended to approach and stay near other fishers, especially when their own catches were unsuccessful. The pattern was particularly pronounced in women, likely due to social norms. In a related “Perspectives” article, cognitive psychologists Peter Todd and Thomas Hills wrote that copycat foraging behavior may be an “evolutionary gateway to a broad range of other cognitive advances,” including thinking about what others are thinking. Awareness of others’ thinking, likely shaped the evolution of intelligence, Todd and Hills argue. See the full article in Science, Vol. 391, No. 6784, “High-precision tracking of human foragers reveals adaptive social information use in the wild” at https://www.science.org/toc/science/391/6784.
Illinois Bobcat Take: 627 Cats
Illinois hunters and trappers tallied 627 bobcats last fall. Photo: Michael Jerrard/Unsplash
At the conclusion of the 2025-2026 Illinois bobcat season in February, 627 bobcats harvested by hunters and trappers. Hunters tallied 405 (62%) bobcats. Trappers accounted for 222 (34%) of the harvest. Roadkill salvage by permit holders accounted for 27 cats, (4%). The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) issued 2,000 permits for the season with 9,700 bobcat lottery applications. Jefferson County reported the most bobcats harvested, 33. Macoupin County was second with 28 bobcats. IDNR continues to monitor the bobcat status and will evaluate the program as new data becomes available from research. For more information visit huntillinois.org/bobcat.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Connecticut Trappers’ Association
Connecticut Trappers’ Association will hold their Fall Rendezvous October 10, at the Tolland County Agricultural Center, 24 Hyde Ave, in Vernon, Connecticut. Gate opens at 8 a.m. The event features vendors, demonstrations, a trap setting contest, raffles and more. Contact Cameron Kelsey (619) 997-2345 or Scott Kneeland (860) 234-3192.
Upper Peninsula Trappers’ Association (Michigan)
The UP Trappers’ Association will hold a Trappers’ Convention and Outdoor Expo July 10 and 11, in Escanaba, Michigan, at the UP State Fairgrounds. Camping and food available on the fairgrounds. The Expo offers demonstrations, mini raffles, can raffles, and events for the youngsters. The Expo features Heimo and Edna Korth doing demonstrations and visiting with their fans, along with other top name demonstrators and vendors. For vendor spaces or information, contact Mary Theoret (906) 241-6155 or mltheoret@gmail.com and visit www.uptrappers.com.
New England Trappers’ Weekend
The New England Trappers’ Weekend will be held August 13 – 15 in Bethel, Maine. Contact Neil Olson cell - (207) 749-1179, home - (207) 875-5765
Pennsylvania Trappers’ Association
The Pennsylvania Trappers’ Association, District No. 10, will hold their fall convention September 11 and 12, at West End Fairgrounds, located at 570 Fairground Road, in Gilbert, Pennsylvania. For more information call Bob Counterman (610) 759-9203.
West Virginia Trappers’ Association
The West Virginia Trappers’ Association will hold their annual convention September 18 - 20, at the Gilmer County Recreation Center, 1365 Sycamore Run Road, Glenville, West Virginia. Gates open at 9 a.m. Friday, and 8 a.m. Saturday. The event includes demonstrations and seminars at various times both days, food and vendors. Free Trappers Education Classes begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, with registration at 8:30 a.m. Primitive camping is available. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Visit www.wvtrappers.com, the WVTA Facebook page, or contact Jeremiah at (304) 916-3329.
Vermont Trappers’ Association
The Vermont Trappers’ Association will hold its annual rendezvous September 19 and 20 at the Orleans County Fairgrounds, in Barton, Vermont. Visit www.vttrappers.com or call Ben Vicere, (802) 779-7021, for more information.
Coming in our June 2026 Issue
Features
• From A Gimme To A Grind - When Lucas Byker’s son Gus’s moose hunt takes an unexpected turn for the worse, some lessons are learned.
• Trapping With Helen - Pat Donnelly shares his experiences trapping with his daughter, Helen, and tips on taking kids on the trapline.
• A One-Two Punch For Summer Bass - Will Bowen offers sold tips to help anglers capitalize on summer bass fishing.
• A Matter Of Respect - Wade Robertson tells how a kid earns the respect of his elders afield.
• Skinny Water Carp And Bass - Rob Dankowsky shares now to catch carp and bass in the shallows. 38
• Umiat – Alaska Game and Fish biologist Patrick Valkenburg seeks and finds winter meat on a moose hunt in Umiat, on the Colville River, with some odd twists.
Other Articles
• Early Archery Tune-Up – Robert Young says don’t wait till August to get your bow ready, start now.
• The Secret Spot – Jesse Zimmerman, his father and son Merritt find ruffed grouse on a deer scouting mission.
• Trapping With Heimo And Edna Korth – Richard P. Smith talked with Alaska trapline legends Heimo and Edna Korth and shares some of their adventure.
• Grizzly Tracks In Duck Country – Noah Davis reacts to finding grizzly tracks in the snow during a Montana waterfowl hunt.
• A Case For Backpack Hunting – Chad Incorvia lays out why backpacking into remote areas to hunt works for him.
• Poling Ponds For Panfish – Brandon Mitchell relates how using modern, 20-foot-long, carbon fiber poles helps him catch more panfish.
• Pressure Canning Fish And Game - Benjamin Niedbalski shares how and why canning fish or game can be a good way to preserve treasures from the field.
• Hunt Quietly and Efficiently - Richy J. Herrod shares tips for slipping through the woods, mountains and fields.
• Two Ladies On The Trapline – William C. Canfield shares a tale about how, when his wife stepped in to make a trap check for him while he was called to work, she had a bit of a surprise.
End of the Line Photo of the Month
Frankie Phillips, Wood County, Ohio
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