Don't put off until tomorrow...

I think it was Benjamin Franklin that once said, "Don't put off until tomorrow, that which can be done today."  ...probably all of our parents, spouses, and bosses have told us that from time to time as well!  :-)

Well... add me to the list, because I'm telling you!

If you're like me, things can get pretty crazy around the house, with work, with the kids, with commitments that we've agreed to and promised other people, etc. and we lose track of time.  While we're able to juggle most of our "important" responsibilities, sometimes the "other" things we need to remember to get taken care of get overlooked - namely prepping for the upcoming turkey season!

As we head out of February, and start into March, for many of us across the U.S., we have some turkey seasons kicking off between mid-March and early April.  Among all the other responsibilities in your lives, don't forget to:

1) Take the decoys out of the closet and make sure the stakes are there, and see if any need a little TLC or whether they might just need to be flat-out replaced;

2) Pull the blind out and see if everything is working right, and if anything needs to be fixed;

3) Double check your bow or shotgun and make sure things are shooting the way they should be, and that your groups or patters are still looking good;

4) Archery hunters - if you use the "head chopper" style broadheads (Bullheads or Gobbler Guillotines), make sure they're ready to go, and that if any need replacing, that you send them in or arrange for any warranty replacements (...something that yours truly needs to get working on!!!!); 

4) Go through your turkey vest to make sure it has everything in it that you need, and that it's organized in a manner that will be useful and handy when you get out into the field; and - maybe most importantly -

5) Double-check with the landowners that own the land you might be wanting to hunt on, and make sure you're still good-to-go, have permission, that you won't be messing up anything that they have planned out there this spring, and that you offer to help them take care of whatever it is they might need taken care of out there.  ...take care of your landowners, and they'll be more likely to continue taking care of you!

Over the next few weeks, if you can start taking care of odds and ends now, you'll be more prepared - and more relaxed and unstressed - when the season actually rolls around.

Oh...and if there happens to be a youth, a significant other, or a "new hunter" that might be interested in tagging along with you this year, start putting the plans in place to TAKE THEM!!!!  :-)

Scouting for Mountain Merriam's

Few hunting experiences rival that of being set up within 100 yards of a thundering gobbler on the roost on a clear, crisp spring morning.  Give that bird the striking beauty of white-tipped tail feathers and put him in the rolling foothills of mountain west, and its no wonder why the popularity of turkey hunting has grown so dramatically over the last decade or so.  Nevertheless, as exciting as that is, there’s one thing that’ll kill the excitement and passion of would-be turkey hunters to crawl out of their cozy beds at unspeakably early hours and head to the hills each spring, and that’s a lack of finding birds, let alone ultimately being able to put their tag on one.

Merriam’s live in a variety of mountain habitats, with different habitat types having differing levels of productivity in terms of spring, summer, and fall food and cover for the birds found there.  Different levels of productivity in habitats ultimately equate to different populations of birds, and where those birds might be found.  In some areas, Merriam’s are abundant, and scattered evenly across the landscape.  In other areas, however, populations are small, highly scattered, and few and far between.

So what should we be looking for, and how do we go about finding spring Merriam’s and focusing our scouting efforts to maximize our success?

Right now, most birds are concentrated on their winter ranges, so scouting should focus in those areas.  In most areas, Merriam's are associated with Ponderosa Pine forests and/or Oak brush habitats.  In both of these areas, winter food largely consists of pine seeds and/or acorns, along with a variety of grass seeds.  Most often, Merriam's will congregate in areas where pines/oaks have had good seed/acorn production and areas with the least amount of snow as possible – typically around south and southwest facing slopes and ridges, and/or the bare, wind-blown tops of ridges.

For both forest types, look for large expanses of diverse tree cover; you want a good abundance of very mature stands (big, old trees) mixed in with various patches of middle-aged stands, young saplings, and good grass cover.  Look for dense patches of younger trees next to open stands of large, mature trees.  Depending on the year, sometimes the older trees produce more cones and/or acorns, sometimes the younger ones; by having both in close proximity to one another, wintering turkeys don’t have to move as far to find food, and thus can conserve energy.  Often in these areas, turkeys congregate and stay in one general “area” all winter.  Also, because the canopies of the dense patches of timber often catch the bulk of winter snowfalls, snow depths within the stands stay fairly minimal, making finding food easier for bird lucky enough to find these areas.

Many State wildlife agencies have databases of where turkey populations can be found, and Colorado is no different.  When starting your scouting effort, get on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website (or State wildlife agency of choice) and go through their on-line maps and other resources.  From there, decide on a few places you think you might want to check out (based on where you live, drive times to get where you’re interested in, access points, etc.) and get the appropriate land agency maps (typically U.S. Forest Service maps).

Armed with your maps, it’s time to start looking at the habitat characteristics of the places you’re interested in.  Besides actually combing the ground looking for the types of areas we just talked about by burning up your boot leather, don’t overlook spending time on sites like Google Earth, Bing, or TerraServer, and pick apart satellite and aerial imagery.  When coupled with topo maps, it’s often possible to narrow down the areas you’re interested in checking out right from the comfort of your home.

Once you’ve done as much “remote” scouting as possible, hit the hills confirming – or finding – the areas like those I mentioned above.  While many productive turkey areas can be found in fairly remote areas, Merriam's along Colorado’s Front Range also congregate in peoples' back yards!  ...I helped with a turkey transplant effort back in the late 90's in Boulder County and trapped the birds in the subdivisions west of Boulder!  Why people’s backyards?  Two words: Bird Seed.  In areas where turkeys have learned to coexist with humans, Merriam’s have learned to take advantage of winter bird feeders, and in some cases, the generous – but misguided – winter feeding of the turkeys themselves.  Be mindful of private property, but if you find high-quality habitat areas where public land backs-up to private property turkeys have been using, you may have found a place that will hold birds year in and year out!

Across much of the central to northern Colorado Front Range, habitats are generally what I would classify as marginal to "OK," so we don't have large numbers of birds.  In the winter, those birds can be concentrated in a few pockets scattered across THOUSANDS of acres of habitat, and often in lower elevations on private property.  As spring comes, the birds move back up in elevation and make their way to their summer and early fall areas.

In the "southern" Foothills (Rampart Range and south), habitats are better, so we have larger populations of birds, with birds scattered across the landscape a bit more.  While some birds travel to lower elevations in winter, other birds (depending on the habitat) simply shift activity to wherever the pines and oaks had the best mast production that year.

For us here in CO, our season usually starts JUST as most birds are heading out of their winter areas.  If you head out and start scouting now (looking for tracks and scratchings), take note of where the birds are now, and then start looking for areas of diverse habitat either nearby, or higher in elevation along long valleys or ridge lines.  Look for areas that have aspen stands, willow-lined creek bottoms, patchy shrubs, tall grass, etc. – the more diversity the better.  As the spring green-up starts, hens will start looking for – and moving to – potential nesting areas, with the diverse habitat areas being the preferred nesting areas for most hens.

By knowing where the birds are now, and where the hens will want to be come early April, you’ll be able to know where you need to be the night before opening day, waiting for the evening fly-up, and listening for the first gobbles of spring to tell you right where you need to be the next morning!

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You can learn more about turkey hunting and watch instructional videos on demand covering such topics as: Understanding and Using Turkey Calls (including the Box Call, Slate Call, Diaphragm Calls, Locator Calls, and Specialty Calls); River Bottom Rios (including Scouting, Sign, and Habitat); and Understanding and Using Turkey Decoys by purchasing a Turkey Module Subscription ($19.95 for three months of unlimited access) or Full Access Subscription ($49.95 for a full year of unlimited access). Click HERE for more details.

Scouting for Spring Turkeys???

So there you were in your blind goose hunting, or settling down for another set while doing a little winter predator management, and there out in the field was a flock of turkeys.  A quick look reveals that a number of them are some really nice gobblers, and your mind flips a switch and starts drifting toward crisp spring mornings, turkey calls, and thundering gobbles. 

As turkey applications come due, and licenses start going on sale across the country, the image of that winter flock burns in your mind, and you start planning your hunt, choosing hunting areas, getting the appropriate landowner permissions, and knocking the dust off that turkey vest hanging in your closet.  But…are you sure that the flock you saw this past winter will be in the same area come April or May?  Depending on your area, and the type of birds you’re hunting it may – or may not!  Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. If you’re in areas of diverse and plentiful agriculture, with that agriculture mixed in with tracts of timber, at least some of the birds in the winter flock you found are likely to be around in spring.  In areas of mixed agriculture and woodlots, there’s not only good winter food, but early spring food and potential nesting areas are also likely around, so the hens don’t need to move very far to stay in good habitat.  Where the hens are, the gobblers will be – so keep an eye on the birds from now until the season opener to follow the subtle movements across the landscape, and secure the appropriate landowner permissions accordingly.  But... even in these types of habitats don’t be surprised if some birds do move long distances on you.  A number of years ago I killed the nice two year-old tom pictured here in Upstate New York, and to my surprise he had a leg band.  A call to the N.Y. Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) revealed the bird had been banded just a few months prior during winter, a full seven miles from where I killed him!  …and that was in the heart of dairy country, and great agricultural and timber habitat!!!
   
2. If you’re hunting in areas out west where the Rios and Merriams roam, do not count on the winter flock you found to be in the same place come spring, unless you have some really great habitat you’re dealing with!  In most cases, winter flocks of Rios and Merriams travel moderate to long distances to distinct winter ranges, and then move with the snow line or spring green-up back to completely different spring and summer ranges.  In many cases, these areas can be many miles apart. When the snow starts to melt, and the first green shoots start popping up, hens will start moving toward their preferred nesting areas, dragging the toms along with them.  Make sure you scout these birds – or more accurately, the habitats and areas – where the birds want to be, rather than where they are – or were – this past winter. 

For hunters heading out this spring to chase some river bottom Rios, you can really dive into these concepts and learn about habitats, seasonal movements, and what to look for to maximize your scouting and hunting success by checking out our Turkey Module on the Roe Hunting Resources website.  We have an entire video series just on these topics, along with several more and a turkey forum, that’ll help you “…Make the Right Call” on your turkey hunt this spring.

Alaska intervenes for moose

As sportsmen and women, we know that our hunting license dollars go to not only help manage our Nation's wildlife resources, but protect those resources as well.  The LA Times just printed an article discussing the record snowfall in Alaska and its impact on moose:

Alaskans can add one more woe to the problems that come with a long, cold winter full of heavy snow: weary moose.

It's actually gone beyond weary, wildlife advocates say, because moose are starving, perishing on railroad tracks and slamming through automobile windshields along highways where they go to escape the deep snow.

"It's belly deep, shoulder deep for these moose," Gary Olson, head of the Alaska Moose Federation, said in an interview. "The calves are the worst off. We've gotten reports of calves that have just given up, and the ravens are already picking at them, and they're still alive."

The state Department of Fish and Game this week announced approval of a permit for the federation to begin a diversionary feeding program for snow-stranded moose, allowing the clearing of plowed trails and the placing of bags of healthy feed as a respite until spring.

"We are authorizing this extraordinary step due to public safety concerns. We hope the diversionary feeding stations will lure moose away from roads and will reduce moose-vehicle collisions and other dangerous encounters," Tony Kavalok, assistant director of the state Division of Wildlife Conservation, said in a statement.

At least twice in the last decade here in Colorado, we've had to provide supplemental winter feeding for deer and elk to help them through tough winters, and pull them away from areas of conflict due to excessive snow and ice.  In Colorado, those efforts were funded largely by folks like me and you, and the money we spend on our hunting and fishing licenses each year.  Kudos to you, and keep up the good work! When wildlife is in trouble, more often than not, the bulk of the "financial rescue" comes from the hunters and anglers of this great country, and Lord willing, that'll never change!

Wolves to be Reintroduced in Colorado?

“U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may use wolves to control elk in Colorado.” Headlines like that have been popping up all over the newspapers, chat forums, and other places these past few weeks since Federal officials announced that one of the alternatives in a proposed plan for managing the Alamosa, Baca, and Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in south-central Colorado included using wolves to help manage the elk population. Given the problems in ID, MT, and WY and the issues with, and surrounding, the Yellowstone wolf reintroduction over the last decade or so, it’s no wonder a wide variety of Coloradoans – and especially hunters – have gotten fired up over the announcement.

But…what are the realities of wolves being introduced (or reintroduced, depending on who you talk to) into Colorado through this plan? Should hunters, livestock owners, and other interested parties be stocking up on torches and pitchforks just yet, or is there another way to look at this?

Now, I am ABSOLUTELY against wolves being introduced into Colorado. In my opinion we don’t need them to help with management of ANY game population ANYWHERE in the State, and don’t believe the State’s terrain and overall habitat in relation to roads, people, livestock, and game populations, are conducive to a SUCCESSFUL or MEANINGFUL wolf introduction. I believe an introduction would cause WAY more harm than ecological “good.” …and I’ll fight tooth-and-nail right along with everyone else if the Feds, or anyone, gets stupid and tries!

With that said, though, I’d submit that we should consider this:

The Feds MUST include “wolves” as an option. They simply must. Period. With the enviro’s doing what they’ve been doing with the ACTUAL wolf issue in ID, MT, and WY, and what they’ve been doing with, and in, the courts regarding the issue, the Feds can't NOT put them as “an option.” And while they list wolves as an option in the proposed Refuge plan, the Feds admit that wolves aren’t a “preferred” alternative.

If folks remember what transpired with the Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) issue, wolves were put on the “options” list fairly late in the game ONLY because the enviro’s pitched a fit. NO ONE in the Park Service actually thought it would ever see the light of day (OK, maybe a few...), it was just there largely as an appeasement to the enviro’s. Hunting by PUBLIC hunters was actually on the list as a higher option alternative, until, again...the enviro’s pitched a fit and were able to bring it down slightly to “volunteer sharpshooters.” And that is what we have today – and to my knowledge, using the sharpshooters has been successful enough in helping manage, and scatter, the elk herd in the Park that they no longer have to do it every year.

The Alamosa, Baca, Monte Vista NWR deal is WAY more controversial, and WAY less “contained” than RMNP is, or ever was, with a heck of a lot more potential for cattle and other livestock impacts than RMNP ever had. If it couldn’t work in RMNP, there isn’t a chance in HADES that it’ll be viable for the San Luis Valley. The Feds know this.

In my opinion, the only way that wolves would be introduced at the NWRs would be with a Federal Administration that blatantly and utterly disregards CO, effectively extends the State a formal “____ YOU!”, and moves forward in direct opposition to the State. …and it would likely be only ONE OR TWO people at the very top making that call.

With the relationship that the Feds have – and NEED – with CO right now (for a variety of reasons) – in my opinion – that wouldn’t happen; at least not on the NWRs. Even if they TRIED, CO would launch full-scale lawsuits to shut it down, and we’d be in for YEARS of litigation before anything happened. That would put us into a different Federal Administration, which would FURTHER reduce the likelihood of wolves being introduced. Given what the Feds have had to go through with wolf issue in ID, MT, and WY (all the time and money fighting in the Courts), and knowing that any CO effort would be 10X’s WORSE (because we all now have direct EXAMPLES of what the problems ARE and CAN BE – not just “hypotheticals”…), I tend to believe the Feds must know that any effort to bring wolves into CO in THIS manner, on THESE properties, would be political, and Agency, suicide.

Should people be fired up? Sure, why not. Should people be contacting their Legislators and other officials? ABSOLUTELY!!! …keep the opposition strong, and let our Legislators know that we’re watching, we’re organized, and we’re not going to be forced to swallow anything like this very easily. Should people be WORRIED? For THIS issue? …not in my opinion.

For me, I plan to stay on top of the issue, help make sure the organizations I'm involved with stay up-to-date on the latest news and information regarding this issue, make sure my Legislators know how I feel, and stay ready to jump into the fray IF "option C" looks like it starts gaining any traction.  Until then, I'm going to keep my mental and emotional investment "throttled back" on this, and hover around a "strong idle." ...IF the time comes to punch the gas and "red-line" it, I'll be ready!

How about you?

Made in the USA...?

As I sat contemplating on how I would “introduce” the new Roe Hunting Resources Blog – The Straight Shot – over the past several weeks, I thought I’d try to come up with some eloquent way to impress you all with my literary skills and deep thoughts, but…well…that didn’t happen. I figured if the name of the Blog itself was going to be The Straight Shot, I ought to be pretty “straight” with the content and how I present it, so…let’s jump right in, shall we?

Made in the USA... How many discussions and opinions have been rendered regarding that little phrase?!?! I know, a BUNCH! But what I’ve been curious about these past couple of weeks is, how much stock do people put into the phrase, “Made in the USA” these days? We all say we want to buy good ol’ U.S. of A. products and merchandise, but when it comes down to it, do we? Should we? As we put the latest gee-whiz-bang widget down on the counter, and pull out our wallets and pocket books, did “Made in the USA” have a part in our decision to purchase that product, and if so – to what extent? If not, …why not?

Here’s why I ask…

Over the past year (and really over the last several weeks) – between the new gear from the trade shows, to my own personal quest to check out some new products that I, of course, have a need for – I’ve come across some products that have the ol’ “Made in the USA” “endorsement” stamped on them. Some of the products are of extremely high quality. Other products are of a quality that’s about on par with “foreign” made products. Others…well…let’s be nice and just say they were of a “lesser” quality than what made the original “Made in the USA” slogan so great. Ok… they were junk. As far as cost, some of the products are very expensive (…not accounting for quality just yet), some are a little more expensive, and still others are more in line with what everything else is being sold for in their “product class” these days.

All that got me to thinking… Made in the USA used to mean something – it used to stand for something. USA Steel and tools are two that come to mind; “back in the day” no one came even close to the quality that USA workers, and our technology, put out into the world marketplace. Medicine and healthcare are two others. …and NO I’m not talking about “universal healthcare”…that’s a different Blog. Or two.

Some of the “Made in the USA” products I’ve been looking at are highly technical, highly precise, pieces of machined and assembled products that exude every drop of what “Made in the USA” used to mean. But they’re expensive as sin! Other products are of decent quality, but again, they’re expensive as sin! Most of the “Made in the USA” products that are inexpensive, are inexpensive for a reason; they’re horribly made – in both design and manufacturing. But yet they stamp the “Made in USA” slogan on their packaging and in their advertising as though that’s the “Gold Seal of Approval” of why folks should buy their product.

I have to admit, I’m pretty torn; on one hand, I want to buy “Made in the USA,” but on the other, I need to be frugal with my money. I want to buy high quality products, but in some cases, manufacturers – shall we say – “abuse” the “Made in the USA” slogan and use it simply as a marketing tool to make up for a crappy product. I know we live in a “buyer beware” sort of world (…and I actually embrace that), but… really? Is this what we as consumers are left with?

How much more should I have to pay for a truly high quality product that, is truly, “Made in the USA?” The question, really, I guess, is how much more am I willing to pay?

If a product is truly “Made in the USA,” but has the same quality as something that’s made overseas, should I really pay more for it? Is it my “Patriotic duty” to buy it – and pay more for it?

But, if it’s a junk product, should “Made in the USA” make up for design and manufacturing “shortcomings” and justify its purchase? 

What do think? Let us know in the comments below.

To learn more about me, Chris Roe, and Roe Hunting Resources, go to http://RoeHuntingResources.com.