Category: Outdoors

09APR

Airguns 101: Part IV

This week we’re going to wrap up the four-part series on airguns. This article will be a wrap-up/summary on airguns.

If you need further convincing that airguns have hit the modern shooting world with a big splash and is not just a fizzling fad among a group of old senile bald-headed men looking for a new source of entertainment, check out the offerings at your favorite outdoor store. Or go online and look at all of the airgun offerings. I’ve heard there is a new airgun company that opened up at the old Nampa Rod & Gun Club in Nampa. I have to go check that out. Or check out Pyramyd Air, which is a large online airgun store.

Or check the true litmus paper — the free market. I test a lot of airguns, sponsored on hunts and conduct seminars by airgun companies. You’d think I knew all of the airguns companies out there but I learn of a new company every time I open a catalog. If airguns weren’t popular, then why would so many companies be jumping on the airgun bandwagon?

So let’s get started. We’ve learned that there are three good platforms to choose from.

1. CO2

2. PCP (Pre-charged Pneumatics)

3. Break barrel (BB)

They are broken down into these three classifications due to their power source. You’ll have to choose which one works best for your desired application. To help you make a decision here are my thoughts.

What I am about to say is not totally true but generally is.

1. CO2s — good to train kids. They’re not as powerful so you can set up a shooting range in your garage with the proper backstop and targets.

2. Break barrels — These are the most economical, the most powerful and a great option for hunting. If you get a mid-priced BB like the Umarex Synergis (yes, it is an under lever but I’m putting it in the break barrel category), you will have a shooter that is accurate and powerful enough for small game hunting. If you buy a BB with a magazine then you’re not digging pellets out of your pocket every shot. But, over time you will have malfunctions with the plastic magazines so you preppers may want to go with the single shot BB. Although you can still slip in a pellet by hand.

3. PCPs — are the most expensive to shoot due to the fact that you’ll need auxiliary air tanks, pay to fill them, etc. I’d suggest buying a Umarex Readyair Airgun Compressor. It’s the most economical air compressor that I’ve found. I have no doubt, in due time if you really get into airguns, that you’ll end up buying a PCP. The .25 cal. Gauntlet has an MSRP of $329.99 and has worked great for me. The Marauder has an MSRP of $539.99. But if you want to burn money you can blow up to nearly $3,000. I just can’t afford that plus, I get super groups out of the above two PCPs so I don’t know what more those expensive ones could bring to the party?

SCOPES

I didn’t touch on scopes in the other three articles. In the old days every one told you that you had to buy airgun compatible scopes, that due to the unique recoil of an airgun that they would break a regular scope. I think this applies to BBs but not the other two models. But still, to be safe check before you buy a scope for your airgun. A lot of the cheaper airguns come with cheap scopes. So you may want to upgrade your airgun scope.

Since we’ll be shooting small game with a small kill zone, you’ll want at the very least a 3-9x but a 4-16x is better. I’ve found Riton Optics scopes to be economical and yet they have a crisp view.

PELLETS

As covered in the last airgun article, if you want tight groups you have to use good pellets. JSB is the best. If you’re plinking and flinging out hundreds of pellets per day, I’ve had good luck with Crosman and Sig Sauer pellets.

SAFETY

As my daughter would say, “Dad, you’ve never been known as Captain Safety,” but despite the voices of the haters, I want to throw out one word of caution. I don’t want to make you paranoid but I think that it would be prudent to take a jug of water and periodically wash your hands since you’ll be handling lead pellets. And for sure wash before you eat or suck your thumb if you’re so inclined to thumb sucking.

I don’t have any data to support this paragraph but I think that it only stands to reason to do this.

Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana. He also writes for various outdoors magazines and teaches outdoors seminars at stores like Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Bass Pro Shop.

03APR

Forest Service closes Lead Draw Trail to prevent target shooting-hiker conflicts

It was a case of an accident waiting to happen.

Before the worst could become reality, the Caribou-Targhee National Forest implemented an emergency trail closure this week for the hiking/horseback riding Lead Draw Trail just south of Pocatello. The area is also a popular unofficial shooting range. The unusual closure halts trail use but continues to allow recreational target shooting.

“With the number of reports we’ve heard regarding near-misses between target shooters and hikers, I could not in good conscience keep the trail open as it currently sits,” said Kim Obele, Westside District ranger. “It was only a matter of time until we had a tragedy and someone was seriously injured.”

Most of the reports have been circulated on social media by hikers who talk of bullets flying too close for comfort, sometimes across the trail or in their direction.

“It seems like with more people recreating and more new users coming out, there are more conflicts happening with that area,” said Sheila Larsen, recreation manager at the Westside Ranger District. “We don’t want to wait for an accident to do something.”

The temporary trail closure expires July 31. By that time, the Forest Service hopes to have a permanent solution.

“This time we don’t have a plan that we’re trying to sell to the public,” Larsen said. “We’re asking people to be part of the conversation to help us figure out what is the solution. Is it rerouting the trail? Is it closing it to shooting? Is it something else?”

Larsen said the Lead Draw Trail is generally not frequented by seasoned hikers because of its unofficial status as a target shooting range. Last year, the Forest Service issued an informational video and service announcements after poor behavior and particularly close calls along the trail. Firefighters battled a blaze at Lead Draw in June 2020 caused by an exploding target. In October 2020, a Pocatello hiker went to a local TV station to talk about target shooters sending bullets in her direction as she hiked down the trail.

“People have gone there and had an incident there, and they don’t go back,” Larsen said. “It’s the new users that go because they’re not aware that it is an unofficial shooting area.”

Larsen said fortunately the Mink Creek corridor south of Pocatello has several stellar trails for hikers and others. The Forest Service is pointing outdoor recreators to alternate nearby trails such as the Crestline and Walker Creek trails. Although the trail itself is closed, access to the Lead Draw area will not change.

“This is kind of non-conventional to close the trail and keep the shooting,” she said. “But looking at all the opportunities for hiking around Pocatello, there’s so many and there’s not a lot of safe opportunities for safe shooting.”

The Westside Ranger District is encouraging public comments and suggestions. Contact Sheila Larsen or Robert Harris at the district by calling 208-236-7500 or via email at Sheila.larsen@usda.gov or robert.e.harris@usda.gov.

02APR

Forest Service closes trail to prevent target shooting-hiker conflicts

It was a case of an accident waiting to happen.

Before the worst could become reality, the Caribou-Targhee National Forest implemented an emergency trail closure this week for the hiking/horseback riding Lead Draw Trail just south of Pocatello. The area is also a popular unofficial shooting range. The unusual closure halts trail use but continues to allow recreational target shooting.

“With the number of reports we’ve heard regarding near-misses between target shooters and hikers, I could not in good conscience keep the trail open as it currently sits,” said Kim Obele, Westside District ranger. “It was only a matter of time until we had a tragedy and someone was seriously injured.”

Most of the reports have been circulated on social media by hikers who talk of bullets flying too close for comfort, sometimes across the trail or in their direction.

“It seems like with more people recreating and more new users coming out, there are more conflicts happening with that area,” said Sheila Larsen, recreation manager at the Westside Ranger District. “We don’t want to wait for an accident to do something.”

The temporary trail closure expires July 31. By that time, the Forest Service hopes to have a permanent solution.

“This time we don’t have a plan that we’re trying to sell to the public,” Larsen said. “We’re asking people to be part of the conversation to help us figure out what is the solution. Is it rerouting the trail? Is it closing it to shooting? Is it something else?”

Larsen said the Lead Draw Trail is generally not frequented by seasoned hikers because of its unofficial status as a target shooting range. Last year, the Forest Service issued an informational video and service announcements after poor behavior and particularly close calls along the trail. Firefighters battled a blaze at Lead Draw in June 2020 caused by an exploding target. In October 2020, a Pocatello hiker went to a local TV station to talk about target shooters sending bullets in her direction as she hiked down the trail.

“People have gone there and had an incident there, and they don’t go back,” Larsen said. “It’s the new users that go because they’re not aware that it is an unofficial shooting area.”

Larsen said fortunately the Mink Creek corridor south of Pocatello has several stellar trails for hikers and others. The Forest Service is pointing outdoor recreators to alternate nearby trails such as the Crestline and Walker Creek trails. Although the trail itself is closed, access to the Lead Draw area will not change.

“This is kind of non-conventional to close the trail and keep the shooting,” she said. “But looking at all the opportunities for hiking around Pocatello, there’s so many and there’s not a lot of safe opportunities for safe shooting.”

The Westside Ranger District is encouraging public comments and suggestions. Contact Sheila Larsen or Robert Harris at the district by calling 208-236-7500 or via email at Sheila.larsen@usda.gov or robert.e.harris@usda.gov

29MAR

Nearly 34,000 trout coming to Southeast Idaho fisheries in April

April may be known for its finicky spring weather in Southeast Idaho, but here is a “forecast” anglers can really rely on to plan their outings. Personnel from Idaho Fish and Game’s hatcheries in the Southeast Region will be releasing nearly 34,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout at the following locations throughout this month:

  • Crystal Springs Pond: April 5-9 (375 fish)
  • Edson Fichter Pond: April 5-9 (950 fish)
  • Jensen Grove Pond: April 5-9 (4,500 fish)
  • Bannock Reservoir: April 5-9 (500 fish)
  • Bear River at Oneida Narrows: April 5-9 (750 fish)
  • Portneuf River below Center Street Bridge in Lava Hot Springs: April 5-9 (330 fish)
  • Crowthers Reservoir: April 12-16 (2,200 fish)
  • Weston Creek Reservoir: April 12-16 (1,500 fish)
  • Chesterfield Reservoir: April 12-16 (19,200 fish)
  • Crystal Springs Pond: April 19-23 (375 hours)
  • Bannock Reservoir: April 19-23 (500 fish)
  • Hawkins Reservoir: April 26-30 (1,680 fish)
  • Bear River at Oneida Narrows: April 26-30 (1,000 fish)

Here is a quick summary of what you need to know about some of these fun fisheries!

Bannock Reservoir: Located within the Portneuf Wellness Complex near the county fairgrounds in Pocatello, this community park offers trout fishing at a 6-acre pond with many recreational amenities nearby. There are sand volleyball courts, a playground, soccer fields, basketball courts, a swimming area with beach, running and biking trails, and an amphitheater for community events. Multiple docks provide fishing access at the pond.

Chesterfield Reservoir: Known for BIG fish, this 1200-acre reservoir in Caribou County is a popular spot to plan a great fishing trip.

Crowthers Reservoir: Tucked away on the northern edge of Malad City, this 23-acre reservoir provides a nice local fishing spot.

Crystal Springs Pond: This 5-acre, spring-fed pond in Springfield offers good fishing opportunity for all ages and abilities. A large parking area and paved path around the pond provides easy access.

Edson Fichter Pond: This 3-acre pond is located just minutes from downtown Pocatello and offers local anglers of all ages a convenient escape close to home. Nestled within the 40-acre Edson Fichter Nature Area, this pond features several docks and a trail for access around the pond. Your dog is welcome to be your fishing buddy — if leashed while at the pond and on the trails. However, if they need to cool off or would like to practice their retrieving skills, there is a “puppy pond” built just for them on the same property. 

Hawkins Reservoir: Located near Downey, this 40-acre reservoir provides good trout fishing opportunities for Yellowstone cutthroat trout, rainbows and cutbows. Bring your boat or fish from the banks. The Bureau of Land Management manages nearby amenities including campsites, picnic shelters, and picnic tables.

Jensens Grove Pond: This 55-acre pond is located within Jensen Grove Park along the greenbelt in the heart of Blackfoot. Park activities and facilities nearby also include a skate park, playground, restrooms and picnic areas.

Weston Creek Reservoir: Located about 9 miles southeast of Malad City, this 111-acre fishery is a great place to catch a trout, but you may want to bring along your bass gear as well.

The number of trout actually released may be altered by weather, water conditions, equipment problems or schedule changes. If delays occur, trout will be stocked when conditions become favorable.

26MAR

Dead jackrabbits found near Boise Airport confirmed to have rabbit hemorrhagic disease

On Thursday, Idaho Fish and Game and Idaho State Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of rabbit hemorrhagic disease, a fatal and highly contagious disease that affects animals in the rabbit family, which includes domestic and wild rabbits, hares and pikas. RHD does not infect humans or non-rabbit species.

The two RHD positive jackrabbits were part of a larger group of rabbits found dead southwest of the Boise Airport in Ada County in early March. This is the first known case of RHD in Idaho. Testing was conducted in coordination with the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center and the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.

Anyone encountering a dead wild rabbit is asked to leave the carcass in place and report it online, or by calling Fish and Game’s Wildlife Health Laboratory at 208-939-9171 or a regional Fish and Game office, which can be found at idfg.idaho.gov/offices.

RHD symptoms can include sudden death, bleeding from the eyes and bloodstained noses caused by internal bleeding. Infected rabbits may develop a fever, respiratory distress and lack of appetite. RHD can be transmitted between rabbits by contact with infected carcasses, blood, excrement or contaminated surfaces, which may include cages, clothes, food and water.

If you suspect your domestic rabbit may have RHD, contact your veterinarian immediately and notify ISDA. RHD is a mandatory reportable disease in Idaho and should be reported to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture at 208-332-8540. Owners of domestic rabbits should also never handle dead wild rabbit carcasses.

To help prevent the spread of RHD in the wild, people should take the following precautions in addition to reporting dead rabbits to Fish and Game:

— Do not touch any dead rabbits you may see near the area where the disease has been found.

— Do not release domestic rabbits into the wild.

More information on RHD can be found on the USDA APHIS website at https://bit.ly/3d7APqZ.

24MAR

Airguns 101: Part III

As hunters, we all know that we have to experiment to find which ammo shoots the most accurately in our big game rifles, right? We check different manufacturers, grains of bullets and designs.

A while back, I was setting up a Mossberg Patriot Revere .30-06. I mounted on a Riton RT-S MOD 5 4-16×50 WIDE FOV scope. I planned on this set-up to be a shooter.

But after testing several brands of ammo, I still couldn’t get the results I wanted. Finally, after testing 13 different manufacturers and grains of bullets, I got what I wanted.

We know this on our firearms but something that surprised me was that it is just as important to test various manufacturers, shapes and weights of pellets if you want your airgun to shoot accurately.

Like I said in the first article in this four-part airgun series, in the beginning I could not get better than a 1½-inch group at 15 yards. Finally, I got some good airguns and my groups improved immensely, but my quest for accuracy was not yet complete.

With airguns, we’re hunting small game that has small kill zones, so it’s imperative that we get superb accuracy out of our airguns. In my quest for accuracy, I then learned that which pellet you choose is as important as buying an accurate air rifle. You just cannot get a good group with substandard pellets.

As an outdoors writer I get to test a lot of pellets. Luckily I met the JSB crew at the SHOT Show and everything fell in place. From what I’ve tested, JSB hands down makes the most accurate pellets.

Sig Sauer splits the 2/3 place with Crosman. Now we were cooking. Good gun + good pellets = hitting the mark.

Why does accuracy vary so wildly between manufacturers? Here’s my theory. One air gun company in particular makes super lightweight alloy pellets. That way they can boast speeds of up to 1,450 feet per second.

They may travel along fast … you just don’t quite know where they’re traveling to! They are highly inaccurate. So what good is speed if you don’t hit where you’re shooting? Remember: Accuracy trumps speed.

I don’t know why but the Diabolo (actually the dome shaped, which I guess is a Diabolo hybrid) shoots the most accurately for me. Looking at them you wouldn’t think that they are aerodynamically stable but they say the skirt stabilizes them in flight. I don’t know. I’m not an engineer; I just know what shoots best for me. One last comment on this point. I’ve found that whatever pellets shoots the most accurately for me in one gun does so as well in my other guns. So pellets one, two and three rate the same in all of my guns.

You may ask, what about the polymer-tipped pellets? You’d think with the point they’d fly faster, be more accurate and penetrate better thereby having better killing properties. I agree. But that’s not totally true. Again, the dome-shaped Diabolo pellet is the most accurate design.

Now to address better killing properties. Yes, I’d have to assume and agree that the polymer tip will penetrate better than a flat-nosed pellet. Although I never have tested both on gel to see how well each penetrates. But the problem is, all of the polymer-tipped pellets that I’ve tested aren’t as accurate as the Diabolo shaped pellets. So what if they penetrate better if they don’t hit in the kill zone?

Again, accuracy trumps all.

Another downfall of the polymer-tipped pellets is that they won’t work in airguns that use a magazine. They protrude out too far and jam up. Used to, this applied only to the CO2 and PCP airguns. They’d work fine in break barrel airguns but now more and more manufacturers are offering break barrels that utilize a rotary magazine. I commend the industry for experimenting and trying to make new designs but the polymer tips just aren’t fitting into my world.

What about the semi-hollow point pellets? I haven’t done extensive testing on them so this is just my gut feeling. I don’t think that an airgun spits out pellets fast enough to make a hollow point perform and expand like they do in your trusty ol’ 30-06. Although, I took the Umarex .50 cal. Hammer axis deer and hog hunting last year. I dug the bullet out of the axis deer and it had mushroomed and performed great.

I’m going to have to test the hollow-point wannabees in the smaller calibers before you take what I’m saying as the gospel.

Moral to the story: Shoot good pellets or you’re going to get frustrated with the inaccuracy of your airgun.

Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana. He also writes for various outdoors magazines and teaches outdoors seminars at stores like Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Bass Pro Shop.

17MAR

Airguns 101: Part II

As we continue our quest into airguns today, let’s talk about what model to get. There are three popular models of airguns. Let’s cover those and try to decide which one would best meet your needs.

They are broken into three groups depending on their power source.

CO2

CO2s derive their power from a CO2 canister that you insert into the gun. The bad deal with CO2s is that as the pressure drops, so do your pellets/BBs.

Most CO2s only spit out pellets at 600 to 800 feet per second, so not really a viable option for hunting. I assume so as to conserve power, most of them are .177s. So why even buy a CO2? Well, they do serve two purposes that I can think of.

1. If you want to run pests out of your garden such as deer but don’t want to kill them, CO2 BB guns are great for that. Plus as far as I know most all of them are semi autos so you can scatter a whole herd of deer.

2. If you have small children that you are wanting to get into hunting and shooting they are the best choice. It takes someone strong to work a break barrel and PCPs are expensive.

Sig Sauer makes CO2s that mimic their real firearms, which makes them great for training (smart idea). I teach a lot of Airgun 101 seminars. I was conducting one last year in Reno at the Safari Club International convention. A lot of grandads and dads who want to get their kids into hunting and shooting bring the kids to my seminars. I had the Sig MCX on my demo table. It looks, feels and has the same features as the real SIG AR. As you can imagine, all of the kids were telling grandad to buy them an MCX.

CO2s are great for getting kids into shooting. Sig makes a lot of cool targets. Spinners, flippers, shooting galleries, etc. So if your kid doesn’t want to hunt but wants to shoot or plink tin cans, CO2s are the ticket.

BREAK BARRELS (BB)

BBs are the most popular model and for good reason. Some boast speeds of 1,450 fps; remember, a .22 only flies along at 1,250 fps. So they’re a good choice for hunting. They’re also the cheapest to operate. Break the barrel, insert a pellet and you’re good to go. Preppers like these.

BBs get their power by compressing a spring or a cylinder usually filled with nitrogen. They have a unique recoil. They kick backward and then forward. To get any degree of accuracy, you need to use the “artillery hold.” Hold it tight as normal with your strong hand but only cup your off hand and set the forestock in it. Let it slide backward and forward when you shoot. Hold your off hand in the exact same spot every time or it will affect your point of impact.

With a BB you can shoot pellets with polymer tips. PCPs and CO2s use magazines and the polymer tips jam up in them.

The major pain with hunting with a BB is that every shot you have to dig in your pocket, open a can, pull out a pellet and load it. I have a small canvas pouch that I can dump pellets into which does speed up the process immensely. But, a few companies have come out with air rifles that utilize a rotary magazine. This is great. Buy two to three extra mags and you can hunt and shoot high speed.

PRE-CHARGED PNEUMATICS (PCPs)

These are my most favorite air rifles because they’re the most accurate. I get 3/16-inch groups with some of mine. So they are the ultimate hunting airgun. They don’t travel as fast as a BB, most of them probably 900-1,100 fps but accuracy trumps speed.

They are powered by compressed air, which is stored in a tank on the gun. Most of them will hold 3,000 pounds per square inch. Yes, I said 3,000 psi, not 30 psi like your truck tires. That’s some serious air pressure. The PCP regulates the air for each shot so whether your tank has 3,000 or 1,800 psi it shouldn’t affect the trajectory of your pellet.

PCPs are also the most complicated of the airgun family. To charge one you must have an external air tank. These cost about $350. Not that it is expensive but to fill the tank you have to run to a skindiving shop and pay them $6-$8. This can be inconvenient as you have to work around their schedule. Plus, on a busy day of shooting I’ll go through two tanks in two-thirds of the day. So if you’re hunting with one, you’ll want two tanks.

You can buy hand pumps that resemble a bicycle pump but they’re major pain to operate. Let’s just say — if you go this route, you can cancel your gym membership!

But, have no fear. Umarex saved the day. They have a compressor called the Umarex Ready Air which you can plug into a 110 outlet or to your truck battery out in the field.

Well, once again we are out of space before I am out of words, but we had better knock off or the editor will have to cut the obituaries for this week.

Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana. He also writes for various outdoors magazines and teaches outdoors seminars at stores like Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Bass Pro Shop.

17MAR

Forest Service denies heli-skiing permit in the Centennial Mountains

The Forest Service has rejected a company’s application to explore heli-skiing in the Centennial Mountains after concerns over impacts on denning grizzly bears and avalanches emerged.

The U.S. Forest Service considered two permits — a temporary special use permit and a research permit — submitted by Rocky Mountain Heli, which was first registered on Dec. 7 in Montana.

A temporary special use permit would have allowed Rocky Mountain Heli to try heli-skiing in the Centennial Mountains for a limited period this winter.

A research permit would have authorized information-gathering on Idaho’s Sawtell and Reas peaks. The company sought to collect weather and snowpack data on different slopes by fixed-wing aircraft and snowmobiles. The research permit would not have authorized heli-skiing.

Elizabeth Davy, Ashland/Island Park district ranger for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, said Tuesday she is no longer considering Rocky Mountain Heli’s bid to establish a heli-skiing operation on the Idaho side of the Centennial Mountains.

Davy said she decided against issuing either of the permits because she worried about the impacts of heli-skiing on grizzly bears. She also worried about safety risks posed by avalanches.

“I said it’s not worth it for this type of use and for how little use (Rocky Mountain Heli) would have in the Centennial Mountains,” Davy said.

Several public comments on the project acknowledged grizzly bear research that Davy’s team wasn’t aware of, she said. Davy presented the information to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the agency agreed helicopter activity could harm denning bears.

Andrea Zaccardi, senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, said her organization shared several scientific studies about the impacts of helicopters on denning grizzlies with the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

The research suggests noise from low-flying or landing helicopters can wake bears from hibernation, Zaccardi said. Grizzlies have been known to abandon their dens or seek shelter elsewhere in the winter, which biologists have said can “cause injury to denning females and possible mortality of cubs.”

“We are happy that the FS recognized the potential threat of heli-skiing in the Centennials and determined that protecting the wildlife there was of most importance,” Zaccardi said.

Davy also said she thought heli-skiing posed a safety risk, as several areas proposed for use were avalanche-prone chutes. Avalanches could threaten other people recreating in the area, she said.

“We’re very pleased that she made that decision,” said Hilary Eisen, policy director for the Winter Wildlands Alliance. “That area is just not an appropriate place for heli-skiing. Between use conflict and wildlife conflict and impacts to nearby wilderness areas and potential wilderness areas, it just didn’t make sense there.”

The Centennial Mountains run east to west along the Montana-Idaho border. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and several special designations exist on the Montana side of the range, including a recommended wilderness area and a national wildlife refuge. The designations limit opportunities for recreation.

The Caribou-Targhee National Forest lies on the Idaho side of the range. The area has few special designations and is a popular destination for snowmobilers and skiers.

Davy began working with heli-skiing permit applicants about a year-and-a-half ago, she said. Rocky Mountain Heli first proposed exploring heli-skiing in five zones, but three were abandoned because they overlapped with wolverine denning territories.

Jeremy Henrichon, the registered agent for Rocky Mountain Heli, said the company still wants to pursue heli-skiing in the Centennials but needs to learn more about wolverines and grizzly bears in the range.

“We’re definitely looking at the zones and studying them with our team,” Henrichon said. “We’re also taking feedback from the Forest Service and trying to figure out what zones to go in and stay away from.”

Henrichon said interest in a heli-skiing operation in the Centennials arose in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to some popular areas outside of the Lower 48 was restricted amid the pandemic, so Rocky Mountain Heli wanted to expand bookings to the Centennials, he said.

Henrichon’s goal is still to keep bookings open and available to the public, and he wants to offer Bozeman locals a discount.

Rocky Mountain Heli also hopes to increase knowledge about the snowpack and avalanches in the Centennials, Henrichon said. The company’s team has several of the country’s top snow-safety experts and guides, he said.

Henrichon hopes to make information from the company’s avalanche studies and test pits public so all backcountry users can reference them. He also intends to consult with other use groups in the area to “see if there is a way we can make it work for everyone in the area.”

15MAR

Idaho lake produces another state record perch

Congratulations to Adam Mann of Mosinee, Wisconsin, on landing the latest record yellow perch from Lake Cascade. After being weighed locally on a certified scale and inspected by a Fish and Game biologist, Mann was awarded a new certified-weight state record for his 3.22-pound perch that was 16.25-inches long.

Mann landed the monster perch while ice fishing on March 9. As an avid ice-fisherman, Mann and several friends made the long trek to Idaho in search of trophy perch. Although fishing had not been hot that day, they had been finding a some large perch throughout the day.

While he ice fishes three or four days a week back home in Wisconsin, this was Mann’s first time on Lake Cascade. He hooked the fish using a tungsten jig tipped with a nightcrawler.

Mann described seeing the giant fish as it came up through the ice.

“It was incredible, I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said.

Lake Cascade has been a bright spot in Fish and Game’s fisheries management since it was overhauled in the early 2000s to restore perch populations after they crashed in the 1990s. Fish and Game removed literally tons of predators (mostly northern pikeminnows), and transplanted about 850,000 adult perch to seed the lake. Those initial transplants rejuvenated the lake and restored its famous ice fishing, which has resulted in numerous state and world’s record perch.

Mann’s new record of 3.22 lbs topped the previous record of 2.96 lbs held by Skye Coulter, which was set in 2016. Lake Cascade has produced three catch/release records and two certified weight records since 2016, all between 15 and 17 inches!

While conditions can be challenging, the largest perch seem to be caught in February and March, shortly before the ice breaks up.

12MAR

Nonresident deer tags already sold out; earliest in recent history

Nonresident regular deer tags for the coming hunting season have already sold out, the earliest in recent history, Idaho Fish and Game announced Friday.

Fish and Game expects that nonresident whitetail only tags will sell out soon.

“Fish and Game has sold out of nonresident deer and elk tags for the past five years, and sell out dates have consistently gotten earlier,” the department said in a news release. “Nonresident tags go on sale on Dec. 1 for the following year.”

“This was the first year that the (Fish and Game) Commission implemented a percentage cap by game management unit for nonresidents,” said James Brower, Upper Snake Region communications manager. “They had to choose basically where they had to go.”

Brower said caps for nonresidents was between 10 and 15 percent per game management unit. The overall number of nonresident deer tags remained the same.

“What did change was the number that could hunt in any particular unit,” Brower said. “That likely added to the urgency for nonresidents to get the spot that they wanted. Some of those units were sold out within a very quick period of time.”

About 2,900 nonresident elk tags are still available out of a total of 15,716.

Last year, nonresident tags for elk sold out June 17, deer tags sold out June 26 and whitetail only tags July 26. Previous to that, nonresident tags sold out in August or later during the fall.

Idaho resident deer and elk tags are not limited by quotas.

Fish and Game said there are still ways for nonresidents to obtain a tag. They can:

• Apply for a controlled hunt, and if selected, a nonresident can buy the controlled hunt tag. (Nonresidents are limited to 10 percent of all controlled hunt tags.)

• Buy a returned nonresident tag, which if available, will go on sale at 10 a.m. on April 22 on a first-come, first-served basis. Tags available will be published online at 10 a.m. on the Tuesday preceding the sale. Afterward, returned tags will be sold (including elk tags) on these dates: May 20, June 24, July 22, Aug. 5, Sept. 2 and 16, Oct. 7 and 21 and Nov. 4.

• Hire an outfitter if the outfitter has nonresident tags available. Fish and Game sets aside 1,985 tags for outfitters.