Xtremeidaho – Page 13 – Visit Southeast Idaho

17FEB

Last call for varmint hunting

For the next two columns I was about to write a couple of turkey articles but since I went varmint hunting recently, I had to do one last varmint hunting article for the winter. On this hunt, a buddy and I were checking out a new ranch. The rancher had invited us down so it was more of an exploratory visit/scouting trip than a hunt this time.

But isn’t that how a lot of our hunting/fishing trips are when we visit a new spot for the first time? Which is why we scout before hunting season. On a side note, you need to scout even if you’ve hunted an area for years. What if the past summer there had been a forest fire? Or what if they logged that area? Things can change even if you have hunted the same area for decades.

As a whole, we’re on the tail end of varmint hunting. It’s best to start varmint hunting in October/November on into the first of February. Also, you’re competing with the ranchers who are thinning out coyotes in their calving areas. Hungry coyotes converge on calving areas, which is not good.

Here’s another unique twist. I was talking to a rancher a good while back and he said that the year before ravens had killed 20 of his calves. Right after birth, the ravens would swarm a helpless newborn calf and peck their eyes out. For the life of me I can’t understand why there are rules/regulations/restrictions on hunting crows and ravens. They terrorize wildlife. And if sage grouse populations are so fragile why is the No. 1 enemy not being dealt with?

Anyway, moving on, coyotes should be paired up by now. If a coyote responds to your calling, you most likely to have two or more coming in. Last time I told you that someone in your party needs to carry a shotgun. It’s probably still a good idea to carry one but more than likely this time of year coyotes are going to be call shy and more wary. All the young dumb ones have been shot or educated. So you most likely will have longer rifle shots. So you’ll want a flat shooting rifle that can reach way out there. So be ready for some longer shots.

Speaking of long-range shooting, if you’re making long shots, you’ll need a rest. And not a quarter-inch limb on a sagebrush! Right now I’m testing two tripods. The Vortex Summit and the Vortex High Country. So I’d recommend packing along a tripod.

Since they’re mating or just getting done, I’d start out with a howl to locate them. More than likely if there’s one around, he’ll answer. Especially early in the morning. Now, whether he comes in or not is another question. He may set down out a good ways and yip at you.

And of course, they’re coyotes, so they’re going to be hunting at night on into the morning. So you should be able to find them out feeding. A lot of times a good place is if there is a hay field (or any grassy field) and sage brush around it. They like to hunt mice in these fields at night.

And again, I’d for sure use decoys this time of year. If they’re not coming in because they’re gun shy then decoys may ease their nerves.

And lastly, after a storm they should be out hunting. Like right now as I type this article it is snowing.

Good luck.

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.

12FEB

Fish and Game schedules big game measuring day in Southeast Idaho

It’s time to see how your latest trophy animal measures up! Idaho Fish and Game is hosting its annual Big Game Measuring Day on March 24 at the Southeast Regional Office located at 1345 Barton Road in Pocatello. Measuring for Boone & Crockett (rifle/pistol), Pope & Young (archery) and Longhunter Society (muzzleloader) will be conducted by certified measurers for entry into the big game record books. The service is free.

Interested members of the public may bring their antlers, horns, and/or skulls to the regional office in Pocatello on March 23 by 5 p.m. but no later than 9 a.m. March 24.

Items brought for measuring must be free of flesh and skin, and must have been air-dried for 60 days. Please note that air-drying is not the same as freezer storage.

Information required at the time of drop-off includes: hunter name; date of harvest; location of harvest, including big game unit, county and state; owner name, address and telephone number; and guide’s name and address, if applicable.

Idaho Fish and Game has implemented health and safety protocols associated with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Stay Healthy Order. Patrons entering the building are asked to use the marked entrances and exits, to adhere to social distancing guidelines of 6 feet or greater, and to wear a mask.

All items must be picked up sometime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on March 25, unless special arrangements are made to pick up items at a different time.

Not sure your item is record worthy? Bring it on by anyway!

For more information, contact the Fish and Game office in Pocatello at 208-232-4703.

12FEB

Proposals for 2021-22 big game season open for public comment; virtual open houses will be held Feb. 16–25

Fish and Game will be setting new seasons for upcoming deer, elk, pronghorn, black bear, mountain lion and wolf hunts in March, and hunters can now see proposed season and changes and provide comments. The comment period deadline is Feb. 25. There will also be a series of virtual open houses Feb. 16 to 25.

The easiest way for hunters to review proposals and weigh in will be visiting the big game proposals webpage at idfg.idaho.gov/big-game. The proposals are posted by region and separated by species within each region.

The public comment process will also include virtual open houses hosted by Fish and Game’s staff for each of its regions, along with one statewide open house.

In addition to the virtual open houses, regional Fish and Game staff will also host call-in sessions to provide people without internet access an opportunity to weigh in on the proposals.

Virtual Open House Schedule

All virtual open houses will start at 6 p.m. local time. Links to each virtual meeting will are available at idfg.idaho.gov/big-game.

Panhandle: Feb. 18

Clearwater: Feb. 24

Southwest (McCall): Feb. 17

Southwest (Nampa): Feb. 22

Magic Valley: Feb. 23

Southeast: Feb. 16

Upper Snake: Feb. 18

Salmon: Feb. 24

Statewide: Feb. 25

Call-in Session Schedule

All call-in sessions will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. local time. Before participating in the call-in sessions, the public is encouraged to review the proposals at idfg.idaho.gov/big-game.

Panhandle: Feb. 23

Clearwater: Feb. 17

Southwest (McCall): Feb. 22

Southwest (Nampa): Feb. 24

Magic Valley: Feb. 24

Southeast: Feb. 18

Upper Snake: Feb. 23

Salmon: Feb. 17

Big game seasons will be finalized by the Fish and Game Commission during its March 17-18 meeting in Nampa.

12FEB

Herd of elk escorted across closed Highway 20

As the saying goes, the third time’s a charm.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Idaho State Police with the help of Idaho Fish and Game and others, shutdown U.S. Highway 20 near Sugar City for just under 15 minutes and played crossing guards to about 170 elk for the third winter in a row.

“It seemed like they knew the routine,” said James Brower, of Idaho Fish and Game who was at the scene.

Brower said almost like clockwork, the elk came down from the Teton River Canyon at the same time as the past two years. They massed just south of Sugar City near where the Teton River, Idaho Highway 33 and U.S. Highway 20 meet. The elk had definite ideas about where they want to spend the winter.

“The Sand Creek (Desert) is where they want to be,” Brower said.

Fish and Game offered up snacks to the 500- to 700-pound animals in hopes of keeping them away from the highway. Madison County Sheriff’s deputies also helped patrol the area hoping to keep them off the roads.

At about 2 p.m. Tuesday, the elk gathered in a field near Highway 20. With a little coaxing, and a closed highway, the elk marched across the road heading west.

“They came out into the open and we didn’t have to encourage them too much,” Brower said.

“This was a well-coordinated effort and we would like to thank (Idaho State Police), (Idaho Transportation Department), Madison County and all of the many landowners involved in making this happen safely,” said Doug Petersen regional conservation officer.

Brower said one of Fish and Game’s biologists who “is good at counting large groups” counted 171 elk.

Brower said this is the third year in a row that the elk moved from their historic wintering area in Teton Canyon and have followed the river down toward Sugar City and Rexburg.

In 2019, six elk from this herd were struck and killed on Idaho Highway 33 shortly after midnight.

Signs were erected this past week in the area to minimize disturbance to the elk, but some people have gone out of their way to harass the animals.

“Several snow machines were documented chasing a group of elk along the Teton River on Sunday afternoon,” Brower said. Chasing wildlife is illegal. He said some minors were detained in the incident.

“Please be respectful and give wildlife some space, especially during this time of year when they are extremely vulnerable,” Petersen said.

Last February, large groups of elk were escorted across the highway on their way to the Sand Creek Desert. The elk remained there until spring when they trickled back toward the Teton River canyon.

Brower said there are more elk wintering in the Teton River canyon but they hope they don’t have any major winter travel plans. But elk are known to sometimes move into the area south of Sugar City.

Officials urge the public to keep their distance and motorists to slow down while driving through the area.

“Motorists should continue to use caution in the area and keep an eye out for wildlife crossing roads,” Fish and Game said. “It is possible for additional elk to be in the area next to the highway and they may decide to cross on their own at any time.”

Fish and Game said it will continue to monitor the situation.

Fish and Game has three emergency conditions that can trigger winter feeding. Those include preventing damage to private property, such as damage to haystacks; public safety concerns, such as elk congregating near a busy highway; and harsh winter conditions.

09FEB

Do I need a scope on my turkey shotgun?

I’ve been in South Dakota the last two weeks. I got out just in time before the Arctic Blast hit. It is -14 there this morning. I’m sure if you live in South Dakota, spring is the furthest thing from your mind. But flying back into Boise on Friday night I was greeted by warm weather. Saturday, I woke up and came to the realization that I had narrowly escaped the second Ice Age and spring may only be two to three months off here at home!

Which brought up the next thought: Turkey season is right around the corner. If you’ve never turkey hunted in Idaho you have to check it out. While we don’t have the big numbers like they do down south, The National Wild Turkey Federation and Idaho Fish and Game have done a great job getting them established here. And hunting them in the mountains has a different flair than hunting them in a cornfield in Nebraska.

There is a lot to cover. Hopefully I can write about a few different angles over the next few months in preparation for the upcoming turkey season. For today though, let’s cover a big one: Do I need a scope on my shotgun?

As a kid, I used my old double barrel 20 gauge for everything. Dove, quail, crows, ducks, geese and turkey hunting and used 2 shot for the last three species.

Things have changed. No longer will one shotgun cover everything. Manufacturers would have you believe that you need a different shotgun for every hunt (and according to Katy I am a willing victim).

You may say, hold on, Tom — all I have to do is buy extra barrels and chokes and that’s the same as having multiple shotguns. And you’re partially correct. Except, that when using a shotgun on turkeys or varmints, you’ll want a scope or good sights since the patterns with the modern shells are so tight.

In the old days, 30 and maybeeee 40 yards was your maximum range. Now with some of the modern shells 60 yards is not out of the question. So due to the tight patterns and how far that you will be shooting you have to have a scope or sight. And no, a couple of BBs on your ventilated rib do not qualify as a sight for these loads.

I’m about to test a Savage Renegauge and a Mossberg 930 and I’m mounting a Vortex SPARC Solar Red Dot Scope on both of them. In fact, I am mounting it on the Mossberg today and the Renegauge as soon as it arrives.

The Vortex SPARC Solar Red Dot uses solar power but if adequate sun shine isn’t available it uses a CR2032 battery when necessary. The SPARC gives you 10 daytime illumination settings and two night vision compatible settings. That will cover everything that I will encounter.

You may still not be convinced that you need a red dot scope or a good sight. Let’s talk more on this. With super tight turkey chokes and HEVI-Shot turkey loads that I use if I’m not using a sight/scope, then I’ll either miss my bird or worse yet, wound him. I’m pulling this number out of my tail but the sweet spot of your pattern may not be more than 18-inches wide!

So it is imperative to be able to aim your shotgun, about like a rifle. And this isn’t dove hunting. You’ll want to aim at a specific body part. Of course the best shot is a headshot but if you aim at the head, half of the BBs fly harmlessly over his head. So you’ll want to aim about 8 inches below his head, at his neck. That way the main pattern will be zeroed in on the heart up to the head which equals a dead bird.

So as we wrap up on the gun aspect of turkey hunting there are four things I’d advise you to consider.

1. Buy a good semi auto like the Savage Renegauge or the Mossberg 930.

2. Mount on a Vortex Red Dot Solar Scope.

3. Hunt with a good Turkey Choke (they give super tight patterns).

4. Use good turkey loads. I’ve tested I think nearly all of the turkey loads offered and HEVI-Shot smokes everyone else.

Upcoming articles will cover sighting in your turkey gun and turkey gear. But I am going varmint hunting tomorrow and am going to test out my new Foxpro call and if Katy’s ankle gets better surely we have to go snowshoeing Saturday. Oh, and I have a lot of new Pautzke fish scents to test ice fishing. So, who knows what little Tommie will be writing about next week!

P.S. Don’t forget to buy your sweetie some flowers for Valentine’s Day or I may have one less reader!

03FEB

Ice fishing 101

OK, I’m not a hard-core died-in-the-wool ice fisherman. I’m a fair weathered ice fisherman. Well, I guess there’s no such thing as a fair weathered fisherman or you’d never go ice fishing. It’s always cold or there’s no ice. Let me give you a couple of examples.

I used to have a few ice fishing buddies who were a little warped. On the longest day of the year, they liked to go up to the mountains and ice fish all night. I just didn’t know if that sounded like a good time.

Well, anyway, they talked me into going with them on New Year’s Day.

A vendor had given me a big party tray. I thought I’d take it for snacks. One of the buddies had an ice fishing hut that he was quite proud of. The rest of us were going to be setting on 5-gallon buckets.

As we were setting up a big-time mountain wind gust hit. Buddy No. 1 was in his ice hut setting it up. When the gust hit, he went skidding across the ice. He was inside screaming for help. We all ran over and grabbed a corner of the hut and were able to slow it down.

In the meantime, all of our gear was blowing across the lake. Luckily there was a barbed-wire fence on the other side of the lake that caught all of our gear. We got his hut staked down and then headed across the lake picking up gear. All the way across there were little red frozen marbles.

Finally, I figured out it was frozen little tomatoes off of my tray. You wouldn’t believe how far the sausage slices had pinwheeled across the lake. And slices of cheese ended up in all kinds of random places.

We finally gathered all of our gear and got set up. After all of that excitement, I can’t even remember how the fishing was.

Another unique trip: It was getting late in the season and warming up but a buddy talked me into going ice fishing. We hit a small reservoir which had some awesome bluegill fishing. The problem was, the snow had melted so there was about ½-inch of water on top of the ice. If a fish hit and all three of us ran over to check the rod the ice would start dipping down and consequently more water would run out of the hole so the water was now 2-inches deep. Only one of us at a time could go reel in a fish.

Although the fishing was good, after a while we figured it was getting semi unsafe. We had an eye for the obvious.

So now that I’ve painted such a pleasant picture of ice fishing, what gear will it take for you to get into it? Really, it is quite simple to get into. To begin, you’ll need an auger. You can buy a hand auger pretty cheap but if you really get into it you’ll want a gas auger.

To save someone from stepping in a hold we are limited to holes no larger than 10 inches. For rods tip-ups are the cheapest. Or they have miniature little rods that are something like 2-foot long.

It’s nice to have a V stick to set them in so you can see them tip over. Don’t expect aggressive hits. If you get a little tap start reeling. If you’re not looking, you’ll miss a hit.

To find the fish can be tough. Up at Cascade I always have good luck asking at Tackle Tom’s. Following the crowds is smart, too. Find out where the fish are in the water column. Usually drop down to the bottom and then reel up a couple of feet. You can have up to five rods so start fishing at different depths until you locate them and then zero in with all five rods.

Most people use little ice fishing jigs tipped off with meal worms or worms. This winter I’m going to use some Pautzke Fire Gel, which is a gel that has fish smell attractant. The longer I fish, the more stock I put in attractants. I’m also going to use some Pautzke Crappie Fireballs.

One other thing you’ll need is an ice scoop to scoop ice crystals out of the hole after you drill it and to scoop out ice as it forms in the hole. Also, a big deal is a sled. I use the cheap little red kid’s sled. With a sled you can throw all of your gear into two 3 to 5 gallon buckets and put on the sled. Tie a rope to the sled and then you can pull it across the lake.

If you’ve never ice fished it will freak you out at first. As you’re fishing the ice cracking will make weird harmonic sounds. If the ice is 4-inches thick everyone will tell you that it is safe. I like it a little thicker. But when it gets too thick, it is hard to drill through.

I feel like that I am hardly getting started and we are out of room. Good luck and be safe.

Carry a rope in case someone breaks through the ice. Wear thermal base layers like XGO in case you get wet. Carry a tent heater to keep warm.

29JAN

Don’t be stingy, get the right hiking socks

After we first got married, Katy periodically referred to me as the eternal tightwad. I told her that I wasn’t a tightwad, that I didn’t have much as a kid and that I’m just thrifty. She put both hands on her hips and said, “Well, you’ve carried it to a new level. You’re not a kid anymore and have a good job. Quit buying cheap stuff.” OK, maybe I had carried it to a new level. Then one of my good buddies was of the same mindset as Katy. They soon had me persuaded.

So with the above said, over time I’ve learned that for our outdoor activities, you don’t want cheap gear. It’s stupid to buy a cheap rifle that will malfunction isn’t it? You spend a lot of money, effort, vacation time and hard work to get in a position to be able to take that one shot and then if it misfires or is inaccurate all that hard work is in vain.

When I first started hunting in the mountains, I had cheap boots and socks. I have long since changed that. Now I wear good hiking socks. If your feet are aching, you’re sunk and can’t hunt hard.

I remember years ago hearing about good hiking socks but never gave it much mind. Then I tested some. Wow! I was sold. I don’t want to exaggerate and say that it is like walking on carpet but … it almost is.

I remember one elk/deer hunt decades ago in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness area that was a tough one. By the time I made it out, I could hardly walk due to all of the blisters. Two horses and a mule had rolled down the mountain into the river so I had to walk more than was planned — over 40 miles in five days in bad country.

For hiking, I don’t like super heavy weight socks, just medium weight. Super heavy weight socks make my boots fit too tight. But I do like heavier weight socks like last week when we were duck hunting with Knives of Alaska and the High Road With Keith Warren crew. My wading boots are a little more bulky fitting than my hiking boots and I’m wading in cold water. Same with fly-fishing. So for these situations I wear heavy weight socks to keep my feet warm and so my boots don’t fit so sloppy. But for hiking I like medium weight socks.

So why is it so important to wear good hiking socks when hiking in the mountains? A couple of reasons:

1. You want socks that will wick away moisture so you don’t get blisters.

2. They pad your feet and are more comfortable.

Another trick that will help: If you’re going to be hiking in the mountains all day, throw an extra pair of socks in your backpack. When you stop to eat lunch, slip them on. You won’t believe how that will refresh you. It’ll feel like you took a break and a shower.

When backpacking I keep a clean pair in my tent to sleep in at night. Even in the summer it gets a little chilly at 4 a.m. so wearing a pair of XGO base layers and a pair of hiking socks helps take the edge off of the cold.

You may erroneously think, “Hold on, why worry about moisture-wicking socks? My boots are waterproof.” While you’re correct that your boots won’t leak water, where you err in your thinking is that your feet are going to be sweating and making themselves wet. So you want to wear good hiking socks to wick away the moisture so you don’t get blisters.

If you’re of the same mindset that I was 30 to 40 years ago, change your thinking and break down and buy a good pair of hiking socks. I guarantee you that you will love them and next time you see me that you’ll thank me for twisting your arm. There are a lot of options on the market. But buy some good ones. Right now I’m testing some Browning socks that are testing out great. You’ll want to wear them year-round for all of your outdoor activities.

Happy trails!

23JAN

Forest Service says company exploring heli-skiing in East Idaho

The Forest Service reports that an effort to allow heli-skiing for the first time in the Centennial Range near Island Park is still stalled at the beginning of the process.

“We’re still working on the application and what it would take for me to even accept that application,” said Caribou-Targhee Forest Service ranger Liz Davy.

Davy said the Forest Service was approached about a year and a half ago by the Yellowstone Club, a private group in the Big Sky, Montana, area, with the idea of taking clients heli-skiing to five different areas in the Centennial Range.

The Yellowstone Club dropped their interest in the proposal, but another company has taken up the idea.

After consulting with a Forest Service biologist, three of the areas were taken off the possibility list.

“We necked it down to two because of conflicts with wildlife and concerns of what use in those areas would do to wildlife, primarily wolverine,” she said. “There’s a lot of concern from our wildlife biologists about the effects of helicopter use on denning bears and wolverines.”

The two possibilities remaining are the Sawtelle Peak area and the Reas Peak area.

While things are still in the preliminary idea stages and no permits have been issued, Davy said she has already received “hundreds of comments and most of them are not supportive, but also a lot of them are form letters.”

The organization Winter Wildlands Alliance erroneously posted on its website that “the Caribou-Targhee National Forest is about to issue a permit for commercial heli-skiing on the north side of Mt. Jefferson and several of its neighboring peaks in the Centennials” and requests followers to write the Forest Service.

Davy said her office may issue a research permit this winter season to allow guides from the company to snowmobile into the area and explore its safety, potential landing and pick-up sites and avalanche potential. But many questions remain before her office will even accept an application for heli-skiing.

“The next step would be for them to complete a full-blown application that addresses our questions,” she said. “We may have additional questions as this rolls along. I have to decide whether I will even accept the application or not. I have criteria that I use to evaluate applications. If it meets all the criteria, I can accept the application.”

Once an application is accepted, the Forest Service will conduct an environmental analysis which includes taking public comment.

Davy said heli-skiing is controversial in the places it’s allowed in the Rocky Mountains. Heli-skiing operations have been operating out of Jackson, Wyoming, in the Bridger-Teton National Forest for decades. A day of heli-skiing is advertised at $1,550 per person.

21JAN

Icy addiction: Would be ice climbers advised to find a mentor

Ice climbers call it “The Pain” or “The Screaming Barfies.”

It’s a pain that often comes after several minutes of climbing in the cold with arms raised high and a lack of blood flow to warm the fingers.

Men and women will lay in the snow and moan and cry when the blood returns to their cold fingers, nerves in the hands scream in agony as if on fire. Fortunately, the pain subsides after several excruciating minutes with no lasting effects.

“That’s ice climbing,” said one long time climber. “The misery index is much higher than with other types of climbing.”

But for many climbers, the attraction to climb ice scratches the itch to get outside during the winter, to possess more cool gear or to keep in shape during the off months.

“I like being out in nature in the winter, climbing these beautiful formations,” said Idaho climber Sam Roundy on Facebook. “The ice climbing community seems a little more open. … There is certainly more risk of having stuff fall on you. … It’s not a bad way to spend a day.”

While the allure of rock climbing seems to be captivating a generation and making its way even into the summer Olympics, ice climbing’s popularity is growing at a more glacial pace, at least in East Idaho.

During a recent ice-climbing outing in Teton Canyon, Sheldon Christensen of Idaho Falls gave out a gleeful shout halfway up a frozen water flow.

“I love ice climbing,” he said. “But I have four young kids and don’t get out as much as I’d like.”

Popularity in East Idaho is also limited due to access. Another limiting factor is the added equipment required, costing hundreds of dollars more than regular rock climbing gear.

Rexburg ice climbing expert Scott Hurst said his favorite places to ice climb require hours to get to or the need for snowmobiles. Two popular ice climbing destinations include Teton Canyon east of Driggs and Hyalite Canyon near Bozeman, Montana.

“My favorite place to climb hands down is Hyalite Canyon because of the variety and there’s lots of ice,” Hurst said. “The two times I’ve been there this winter, I climbed different stuff than before. It’s fun and engaging. There’s quite a bit in Hyalite Canyon, we’re talking hundreds of routes. Water ice easy to water ice hard.”

The Hyalite Canyon ice climbing guide book boasts of more than 150 ice routes in less than 3 square miles. Each winter, Bozeman offers an ice festival inviting hundreds of climbers for clinics, classes and socializing for most of a week. Sadly, the pandemic canceled this season’s festival.

Because Bozeman is more than 3.5 hours from Idaho Falls, that puts Hurst on the lookout to discover ice flows worth sinking crampons and tools into closer to home.

“Some of my favorite stuff that I’ve been climbing on has been really obscure and stuff that’s around and doesn’t get climbed on much,” he said. “There’s some stuff up Indian Creek. It’s fun, but hard to get too so you don’t go to it all the time. There’s some stuff in the Lost River Range. I’ve been to several, like the north face of Borah Peak.”

Many climbers want to “give it a try,” but experts advise that just like rock climbing, potential ice climbers need to get good tutoring and understand that while there are similarities to climbing rock, ice climbing is a different game.

One of the world’s most famous ice climbers, Will Gadd, said in a recent online blog, “Realize that falling off while leading an ice climb will likely result in a minimum of badly broken leg, ankle, head, pelvis, neck, back or all of this list, and set your mental dial and approach to the day appropriately. It’s not rock climbing.”

With rock climbing, falling is normal, often encouraged when trying hard. The No. 1 rule in ice climbing — at least when leading a route — is don’t fall. Remember that ice climbers have lots of sharp, pointy pieces of metal hanging from their harnesses, boots and in their hands that can go where you don’t want them to should you fall.

Hurst, who has taken hundreds of Brigham Young University-Idaho students ice climbing while serving as the school’s Outdoor Activities director, said instruction is key.

“Get some good instruction to begin with, that makes a big difference,” he said. “With your initial experience with ice climbing, it will be hard for you to master the technique. Once you have the technique down it will be a piece of cake.”

The technique involves learning to ascend the ice flow by kicking in front points of crampons and hammering in the picks of your ice tools. One expert ice climber describes it as “kick, kick, swing, swing, repeat.” While it sounds simple, it can be challenging and thrilling at the same time. Different kinds of ice also presents different challenges.

“One thing people do is work harder than they need to at it,” Hurst said. “(Such as) swinging the tool too much, hanging on your arms too much and not trusting your feet.”

Hurst also said people can get into trouble trying to lead routes before mastering basic skills. He recommends that climbers get mentoring from skilled friends, at festivals, such as the one in Bozeman or from guide services.

“The biggest thing with ice climbing is to go with someone who knows what they are doing and appreciate cold fingers and cold toes,” he said.

20JAN

Varmint hunting 101

For the most part hunting is over. Yeah, there may be a couple of late season depredation hunts around the country, but still it’s pretty much done for the winter. But back away from the edge. Before you jump, read on.

If you put your guns away for the winter now, you’re missing one of the most fun hunting seasons the outdoors has to offer — varmint hunting. It can provide for some high-speed shooting. And no two hunts are ever the same. One time a coyote will come within 200 yards and set down and allow a shot. The next set-up you turn around and one is coming in at Mach I at 20 yards.

To be successful, you’ll need some specific gear. Let’s cover that.

DECOYS

When a coyote comes in, he’s heard a lot of noise and is expecting to see something. It makes him a lot more comfortable if you offer a visual. Due to their light weight and portability I use Montana Decoys. I like to set up their coyote decoy and a rabbit or an antelope fawn or a deer fawn. Motion decoys are also great. Most of them are just a white rag on the end of a wire that twirls around.

CALLS

I’ve gone the route with cheap calls. Break down and buy a FoxPro. They’re the best. In the old days we used hand calls. Electronic calls are a 100 times better. You can set them out 30-40 yards away from you so the varmint is focusing on the source of the sound and doesn’t see you. Also, if he’s coming in and you’re using a hand call you have to keep calling right up until you take the shot. That takes a lot of juggling.

Electronic calls will have remote controls so you can change sounds, raise/lower the noise level, etc. from afar.

CAMO

Match your camo with the terrain that you’re hunting in. I don’t have a particular manufacturer that I favor. I just buy what matches the terrain where I’m hunting. Usually, for varmint hunting here in Idaho you’ll want a sagebrush pattern.

GUNS

Now for the big one. The AR platform has taken over the varmint hunting scene and for good reason. A semi-auto allows for fast follow up shots when multiple coyotes come in. With a bolt action the follow up noise of racking the bolt allows them to pinpoint your location. But if all you have is an old bolt action, don’t despair. Last year my brother-in-law dropped three coyotes in rapid succession.

What caliber to use? There are 20 different good calibers but the most popular is the .223/5.56. Use a good expanding varmint round unless you’re saving the hides. For scopes, I’d recommend a 4-12x or a 4-16x.

Shotguns? Yep, I counted two years ago and 40 percent of my shots were within shotgun range. How many times do you look around and here comes a coyote at Mach I with his tail feathers on fire at 20 yards? If I have two or more shooters with me I always have someone carry a shotgun.

I use a semi-auto. In fact, right now I’m waiting on a Savage Renegade to arrive. You’ll also want something more than a plain old bead. I just received a Vortex SPARC Solar Red Dot to put on the Renegade. With the modern coyote loads their pattern is so tight that you’ll need to aim at a body part plus, beads aren’t accurate.

For shells the best that I have found is the HEVI-Shot Dead Coyote loads. The HEVI-Shot crew member told me that she had rolled a coyote at 70 yards. DOA. Unbelievable.

So as we close, don’t waste your Saturdays in a mall. Pick up your rifle and go varmint hunting.