Mushroom hunting is something I greatly enjoy for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I absolutely love the taste of morels. I don’t care if you fry them, bake them, sauté them, or whatever, I think they taste incredible. Secondly, mushroom hunting is something the whole family can participate in together. My five and six year olds aren’t too good at sitting still and keeping quite. Luckily, mushrooms won’t spook at the screech of a little kid like a deer and turkey will. Third, mushroom hunting is active. Walking through the woods is my favorite type of exercise, and after months of winter inactivity, it feels great to get out and stretch the old legs.

Good areas to look for morel mushrooms include south facing slopes, around fallen logs, and certain types of trees. South facing slopes are prime spots early in the season because they warm up first. Decomposing logs are generally worth a second look. If you have any elm and/or ash trees on your hunting grounds, be sure to finely comb those areas. Apple trees, especially apple orchards, are always worth a look, and are often hot spots.

A few tools of the trade include a walking stick, a knife and a mesh bag. Walking sticks are important because they allow you to scoot leaves and brush around without having to bend down. I don’t know the science behind it, but experts say to use a knife to cut the morels off at the stem instead of pulling them completely out of the ground. Supposedly this helps them regenerate. A mesh bag sort of works the same way. The theory is a mesh bag allows spores to fall from the mushrooms as you walk through the woods, thus the spreading the bounty for future years. A good Google Earth map of the area you’re walking is a good idea too, so you can mark finds and return for years to come.

I can eat morels by the pound on their own, but combine a pile of morels sautéed in butter with a plate of fresh fried crappie filets, and well, you have a meal fit for a king. Thankfully, the two seasons overlap. Fishermen are busy filling live wells with crappie as the fine tasting panfish are heading to shallow water to spawn. Any of the major reservoirs and most farm ponds in Indiana are primed to give up good messes of crappie right now. Floating a minnow under a bobber near shore or pitching jigs will work. If you keep working the bank, especially one comprised of pea gravel, you should find a school of fish. Once you do, it shouldn’t take too long to land a limit.

While you’re busy fileting your fish, let your morels soak in a pan of salt water. This will drive out any insects that might have been calling the mushrooms home. Once your filets are crackling in oil, drop your mushrooms in hot pan of butter. In just a few minutes, two of nature’s finest treats will be ready for you to enjoy.

See you down the trail…

“It becomes somewhat predictable that the harvest would fall in line close to where it has the past couple of years,” said Chad Stewart, deer management biologist for the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. “It appears in some areas the deer population is in fact down, but those areas aren’t many. Overall, the deer herd is thriving in our state.”

Over the years, deer numbers have increased greatly in Indiana. So much so, efforts have been made to reduce the numbers significantly in certain high population corridors of the state. Liberal antlerless kill quotas have been set up to help control the population, and the one buck rule was implemented to encourage the killing of does.

Fourteen counties had record harvests: Boone (460), Crawford (1,925), Decatur (727), Floyd (712), Jennings (1,962), Marion (329), Montgomery (1,204), Randolph (667), Shelby (396), Sullivan (1,917), Vermillion (1,380), Vigo (1,507), Wabash (1,798), and White (1,233). It was the third straight record year for Boone and Sullivan, and the second straight for Jennings, Montgomery, Randolph, Shelby and Wabash.

Steuben County led the state for the seventh straight year with 3,532 deer reported. Switzerland County was second with 3,309, followed by Kosciusko (3,123), Noble (3,025), Dearborn (2,885), Franklin (2,876), Harrison (2,680), Washington (2,605), Parke (2,561) and LaGrange (2,523).

As always, firearms season accounted for the majority of the overall harvest. Firearms hunters killed 79,717 deer during the 16 day season, which ran November 12 – 27. The overall firearms harvest was down 7.5 percent from 2010. (2,523). Muzzleloader hunters killed 19,571 deer during the 16 day season which ran December 4 – 19. Archery hunters killed 27,747 combined between the early and late seasons. This includes deer taken in urban deer zones. Youth hunters killed 2,319 deer during their special season.

We had a warm fall and a mild winter. According to a DNR press release, the Indiana State Climate Office reported above normal temperatures 21 days in November 2011, with eight of those days being 10 degrees or more above normal, making it the ninth warmest November since 1895. It was also the third wettest November in history and the wettest in the past 26 years.

“Both of those can have an effect on not only deer movement in November but also hunter participation,” Stewart said. “It’s certainly one potential reasonable explanation for the smaller harvest during firearm season, which contributes a great deal to the overall harvest, but it’s impossible to say if the decreased harvest is a function of smaller deer populations in some areas or weather factors keeping hunters and deer at bay.”

In my opinion, the best news to come out of the past deer season is proof that Indiana is retaining and gain hunters.

According to the DNR, “Hunters purchased 276,398 deer licenses in 2011, the most since the DNR began its computerized point-of-sale license system in 2006. It was a 3 percent increase from 2010 (268,485 licenses). All categories showed increases from 2010, led by military/refuge licenses at 23.5 percent and muzzleloader 9 percent, plus a 5 percent increase in youth licenses.”
Youth hunting licenses increased by 5 percent.” There’s the best news I’ve heard in a while.

See you down the trail…

I’ve never been good at waiting. Sitting still is something I can handle for about an hour, and then my feet begin to dance. On a recent hunt out west, I discovered a whole new way to look at turkey hunting.

Glassing for big game is utilized much more in the vastness of western states. Hunters spot and stalk game by first locating them with optics, and then attempting to close the distance to what is necessary for an ethical shot. I have learned to apply these tactics to eastern turkeys, and really enjoy it. Perhaps my calling is not where it should be and maybe some traditionalist would frown on running and gunning, but I love to move when I hunt and stalking turkeys is no easy task.

Being a mobile turkey hunter requires doing you homework. Learning where birds roost and where they spend their days feeding is the key to intercepting turkeys on travel patterns. As deer hunters, we do this very same thing nearly every time we hunt. I do not use a ground blind very often when turkey hunting, because I like to be able to hit the road when need be, but using a blind along a turkey travel route is a sound method.

I hunt both deer and turkeys on some creek bottom ground mixed with hardwoods and agricultural fields. A steep, wooded ridge runs along the opposite bank of the creek on my neighbor’s property. This ridge is the roosting hotspot of a vast majority of the turkeys I’m after. During deer season, I watch these birds nearly every time I sit in a particular stand along the creek. It only took me a few hunts, after the crops were down, to realize the birds were very easy to pattern.

Each morning they fly down and gather in the southeastern corner of the field before spreading out to feed. The southern border of the field runs along a smaller ditch which is lined with brush. This smaller ditch makes a roughly ninety degree turn to the south about two hundred yards west of where the birds gather in the field. While the turkeys do spread out to feed, they eventually work their way to this point before heading out into the larger fields to the south. It didn’t take a lot of thinking to realize sitting on the point would serve as a great ambush location for a turkey hunter.

Thinking outside the box can help us hunters discover new ways to fill our tags. If birds are hanging up on you this spring, or if you just feel like trying a new approach to turkey hunting, then why not use some of your deer hunting skills to take your tom. Challenge yourself to try something new, and you’ll find there are many enjoyable ways to take a tom.

See you down the trail….

Rubber sole waders or boots, like these from Chota are the best alternative to felt.

Missouri is wade fishing state. We have many beautiful warm water streams and enough cold water fisheries to make our Midwest neighbors green with envy. Felt soled waders and wading boots are usually found in high numbers in states where cold water fisheries draw out of state anglers, like Missouri. Anglers can transport invasive species in felt from out of state waters, which is exactly why they had to be banned.

If you were to wear felt soled waders duck hunting in Louisiana and an invasive species burrowed up in your felt, then you packed up your waders and traveled home to trout fish Taneycomo, that invasive could release into the lake. The invasive could over time change the fishery. It’s hard to imagine a Louisiana weed destroying the Lake Taneycomo, but it could happen.
“Didymo” (Didymosphenia geminata) or “rock snot,” is the main reason why Missouri has banned felt soles. This invasive alga forms large, thick mats on the bottoms of cold-water streams and rivers, reducing the quality and quantity of food vital to fish such as trout. Didymo also clogs water intakes and boat motors. It interferes with fishing gear and eventually makes fishing nearly impossible.

According to Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Biologist Mark VanPatten, “Didymo is kept in check naturally in other parts of the country and world by lower pH, or acidity, levels in the water. Missouri’s wealth of limestone creates higher pH levels in the water. These higher pH levels can allow didymo to spread unchecked.”
It would be devastating to see the beautiful little smallmouth creeks of the Ozarks and our trout rivers choked with rock snot.

“Porous-soled waders and wading boots, worn by many trout anglers, appear to be a likely pathway for the spread of didymo,” VanPatten explains. “The soles hold moisture for days and can harbor cells of this alga. Individual cells cannot be seen with the naked eye and only a single cell is needed to establish a stream-killing colony. Anglers who visit waters with didymo can, unknowingly, transfer these cells to the next stream they visit.”

Rubber soled waders are the answer. Although wearing the old fashion rubber soles meant there was a good chance you were going to slip and fall in the water, today’s technology has greatly improved the gripping power of certain soles. Also, screws in studs have become a popular answer to the question of how to maintain stability while protecting the resource. Many wader manufactures are now producing boots with soles specifically designed to ensure stability without rubber soles.

“Preventing the spread of this invasive species is critical. There is no way to control or eradicate didymo once it gets established in the state,” VanPatten said.
If you plan on wade fishing in Missouri this year while wearing waders, you can’t do so in felt soled. It’s now against the law. You must replace any felt soled waders you have. In the end, the investment is worth it. Our streams deserve your support.

See you down the trail…

Brody the bear.

There will be a number of seminars taking place both Saturday and Sunday. John Legrand will be sharing deer and turkey hunting tips he’s picked up over many years of hunting Missouri. TW Norman, who is a member of the Christian body building team Extreme Team, will demonstrate feats of strength. Jim Wilson will be on hand to share food plot secrets. A crew from Bowfisher magazine will be talking about the popular sport of bowfishing. And, I will be giving a seminar on hunting public land, based on years of learning how to maximize public properties for hunting success.

A number of other attractions are also set to make the Deer Classic a fun and engaging experience. Brody, a live 1500-pound Kodiak grizzly bear, is back by popular demand. Jeff Watson, Brody’s trainer, will be presenting Brody to the crowd, while delivering a message of bear awareness. A big buck contest will honor some of the giant whitetails taken across the state. For those who are interested in knowing what your buck scores, simply bring your rack, or mount, to the classic and a certified scorer will figure out just how big that buck is. The annual 3-D shoot will again allow for some skilled, or lucky, shooters, to gain or retain serous bragging rights.

I love sport shows. I think a big part of it is because back when I was little, my parents would allow me to take a day off school each year to go with my grandpa for an annual outing to the Chicagoland Sport Show. I looked forward to these trips like it was a second Christmas. We made many fond memories on those special days. I was always spoiled with a few new lures or maybe a tackle box, but what I really loved was the atmosphere. I don’t know where else you can surround yourself with so many other people who love to hunt and fish. What makes the Deer Classic so special, is the fact that it brings together a crowd, of which most, are all dedicated to the same thing, hunting deer in Missouri.

“We do everything we can to make the Missouri Deer Classic a family friendly event, based on celebrating our great state of Missouri. It’s so wonderful to see the kids engaged in all that’s going on at the show. It’s our goal to try and make sure we have a little something for everyone, from an eight year old tagging along with mom and dad, to the most serious deer hunter around,” said Ron Roper, the presenter of the Deer Classic.

One thing about sport shows I really appreciate is the opportunity to learn about new outdoor opportunities. Outfitters from around the region will be on hand to introduce you and I to many different hunting destinations, and perhaps a new method of hunting. Most are making smoking deals, if you’re interested in booking next year’s getaway, or that trip of a lifetime, the Deer Classic might be the place to do it.

See you down the trail…

Brandon Butler with Senator McCaskill of Missouri. Waiting to see how she votes?

Last week, I headed to Washington D.C. in support of restoring the Gulf of Mexico. The National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited and the Louisiana Wildlife Federation have formed a joint venture called “Vanishing Paradise.” The goal of Vanishing Paradise goes beyond returning the Gulf back to where it was before hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. The goal is to begin restoring the Gulf to what it was once, long before we changed the Mississippi River from a long, flowing marsh to deep, straight shipping ditch.

Now, I don’t live anywhere near the Gulf of Mexico, so why am I so concerned about this cause? Well, for the same reasons you should be. The Gulf of Mexico is a major wintering ground for much of North America’s waterfowl population. It’s also where the majority of our seafood comes from, is a recreational paradise and remains a true natural treasure of our continent. The Gulf of Mexico wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate, and politics as usual may just let it happen.

Right now, there is a bill before the U.S. Senate called the RESTORE Act. Here is how it is explained on the Audubon website. “The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunity, and Revived Economies of the Gulf States Act of 2011” (the “RESTORE Act”). This Senate bill paves the way for Congress to do what voters expect: hold the parties responsible for the Gulf oil disaster accountable for restoring the Gulf by investing fines owed by BP and the other parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill into the Gulf region. The RESTORE Act will help rebuild and strengthen the environment and support America’s economic recovery.”

So in a nut shell, here’s what’s going on. Currently, when the government fines companies for creating manmade disasters, like the Gulf oil spill, the funds collected from those fines go into our general federal fund. This means that when the BP fine is collected, instead of allocating those dollars to the restoration and enhancement of the Gulf, the money will be dispersed nationwide. It may be used to fix roads in Delaware, build a prison in Montana or pay unemployment benefits in California.

There are a few things that can happen with the BP fine. BP can either litigate or settle. That will impact what they have to pay. Also, it must be determined if the oil spill was truly an accident, or if BP was negligent. Once these factors are settled BP will likely pay anywhere between $5-$20 billon dollars in fines. This money should go to the Gulf of Mexico region. Many senators though, have their greedy hands in the pot and are doing all they can to grab a chunk of dollars so they can go back to their constituents and say, look at what I got for you.

Undoubtedly, they’ll fail to mention they stole it form our southern neighbors. Personally, my vote would go to any senator who has the courage to do what is right by our nation. Those who could look those dollars in the face and turn and walk away, knowing the Gulf region deserves our endearing dedication to giving back so little of what we’ve taken away.

I had the privilege of meeting with numerous senators and their legislative representatives on Capitol Hill. It was politics up-close and personal. I am fired up about this issue and can’t wait to report on who voted which way, and what their reasons for doing so were.

See you down the trail…

Jim Zumbo and Brandon Butler

Many recognize the name, because of Zumbo’s was the longtime role as hunting editor of Outdoor Life. He has also published over 20 hunting books, including the popular, “To Heck With…” series. “To Heck with Elk Hunting” helped inspire my move out west.

Last week, at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Elk Camp in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jim Zumbo received the RMEF’s highest honor, the Wallace Fennell Pate Wildlife Conservation Award. The award honors special contributions of lasting significance for the benefit of elk, other wildlife and their habitat across North America. A bronze sculpture was presented to Zumbo during the 28th annual RMEF convention.

According to the Elk Foundation, Zumbo joined RMEF in 1985, a year and a day after it was founded. The outfit was still teetering in infancy and Zumbo gave it only a 50/50 chance of lasting out the year. But he felt the spirit of the founding leaders, wrote a $600 check and became one of RMEF’s earliest life members. In 1986, he volunteered for duty on the organization’s first board of directors. It was the first of two terms that Zumbo has served on the RMEF board.

Aside from being a prominent member, Zumbo was also a contributor. He was among the earliest contributors to “Bugle” magazine. Zumbo’s endorsement helped build RMEF credibility among its most important audience – elk hunters. Still today, he continues to benefit the organization by spreading the word at sportsmen shows, in magazine articles, books and on television.
“Few people have done more than Jim to communicate the importance of conservation in elk country,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “But his influence also has helped to keep this outfit grounded. RMEF was founded by average elk hunters and they’re still the core of our membership. Jim never lets us forget that.”

The awards namesake, Wallace Fennell Pate, was RMEF’s first president and chairman of the board He dedicated his time, energy and financial resources for the betterment of wildlife in North America. Pate, now deceased, became a national role model for groups or individuals concerned with natural resources conservation. Pate’s son, Jack, attended the recent ceremony and spoke about his father’s devotion to RMEF and conservation overall.

Jim Zumbo has meant so much to hunters for nearly half a century. His words have inspired generations of American sportsmen. His advocacy of conservation has led to countless others joining in the fight to preserve and restore our wild landscapes.

It’s hard for me to believe that I am privileged enough to call Jim Zumbo a personal friend. Just a few short years ago, I just hoped to one day meet the man. Now, he flashes a great big smile when he sees me coming and calls me by my name. It’s proof to me, that so many we hold in esteem are in the end just like us. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the accolades and respect earned over a long and illustrious career, because most of them do. Especially, Jim Zumbo.

See you down the trail…

This year marks the 58th straight that the Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show has opened its doors to our state’s outdoor enthusiasts. As the weather keeps hinting that spring is coming early this year, the boat show offers a perfect platform for picking up the gear you’re going to need to chase those spring crappie and summer bluegills, as well as offering you plenty of chances to book a trip with one of the countless outfitters on hand.

The first weekend of the show, February 17 – 19, is highlighted by the annual Indiana Deer, Turkey & Waterfowl Exposition. The “Deer Expo” show is always so packed that it can be tough to make it up and down the aisles. But that shouldn’t deter you. The reason for the crowding is simple, the show is awesome. I travel to a number of deer and turkey hunting expos each year, and I can honestly say that Indianapolis is hands down my favorite.

The show has such a great mix information and entertainment. Along with rows and rows of booths featuring outfitters, retailers and manufacturers, the show hosts an impressive lineup of seminar speakers. This year, celebrity seminar speakers include Tom Miranda (big game hunting), Dave Canterbury (wilderness survival), Bill Epeards (turkey hunting) Billy Molls (Alaska hunting), and many more. I will be back at the show speaking for the fifth year in row. I will once again be presenting a seminar on hunting public land in Indiana. I’ll be on the stage Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so if you make it to the show, please stop by and say hello. For a complete schedule of seminars at the Deer, Turkey & Waterfowl Exposition visit www.indianadeerandturkeyexpo.com.

One thing about sport shows I really appreciate is the opportunity to learn about new outdoor possibilities. For instance, again at this year’s show, a portion of grounds are dedicated to quiet sports. This category includes such pastimes as paddling, hiking, fly fishing, mountain climbing and more. You get idea – no shotgun blasts, no boat motors, just peace and quiet. I don’t know about you, but I can never get my fill of peace and quiet.

Another great aspect about heading to the sport show is finding so many opportunities to learn about new and exciting fishing and hunting destinations. Countless booths manned by outfitters and resort owners promoting their properties to the public. Most are making smoking deals, if you’re interested in booking next year’s getaway, or that trip of a lifetime.

I hope you’ll consider making a trip to the Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel Show this year. If you do, make sure to bring a kid, or two. Let the buzz in the air excite them about going fishing and hunting this year. Maybe even spoil them a bit with a new rod and reel, or maybe a deer call. Have fun, and don’t forget to try some beef jerky. It’s always a highlight for me.

See you down the trail…

Antlers are a big part of why many hunt. I’m not saying it’s right, but it is the truth. The antler craze just seems to get worse every year as more and more companies market the killing of trophy deer. Well, in Indiana you can only kill one antlered deer a year (with the exception of urban zone and special application hunts), but you can pick up as many shed antlers as you can find. So, if trophy antlers are your thing, then strap on your boots and put some leather to dirt. You never know what you might come across.

I admit to loving antlers myself. Not nearly as much as I love food, especially medium-rare back straps covered with sautéed Vidalia onions, baby portabellas and blue cheese crumbles then lightly drizzled with Worcestershire sauce, but I do love antlers none the less. Shed are nice because they can be accumulated quickly and put on display in various manner. I have shed elk antlers on the mantle above my fireplace, shed whitetail antlers on my desk at work, and a pile of shed mule deer antlers on top of my gun vault in my man cave. Some turn them into chandeliers; others throw them in the rocks outside their house. My neighbor has a chain of sheds hanging on his front porch. Sheds are great for decorating.

They are also great for educating. Sheds let us know which bucks made it through the season and help keep us motivated until next September. Four hours into a freezing cold late season, many of us fall under the impression not a single deer made it through the season. Sheds prove they did. Find a promising shed and I guarantee you’re more likely to get out and put up a trail camera come August and plat a food plot in June.

So where do you look for sheds. They show up everywhere. I once found one in the middle of a gravel road. A buck must have jumped the fence and jarred it loose right there. Bedding areas, feeding areas, fence lines and trails connecting such are key locations. Bedding and feeding areas are prime because this is where deer spend a majority of their time. Fencerows are often successful spots because often follow fence lines and also jar antlers loose when jumping them. Ditches are the same way.

Antlers could just as easily fall off while a buck is traveling to or from these areas. Walking major trails on the property you’re shed hunting may turn up some antlers. Mature bucks though usually stick to traveling in the thickest of cover, even in the off-season. Be sure to worm your way through the tight spots on your property.

South-facing slopes attract deer during day light hours looking to take advantage of the sun’s warmth during cold months. If you can locate a bench – a level shelf of land running through a declivity on a south-facing slope – you’ve located a high probability shed hunting location.

Shed hunting not only often turns up prized antlers, it gives you a great excuse to get out and exercise in the winter. So if you’re wondering what to one weekend afternoon this month, get out a nd shed hunt before squirrels eat the antlers.

See you down the trail….

“It’s a wonderful time to be in our industry,” said Sandy Chisholm of North American Arms, a handgun manufacturer. “We’ve seen tremendous enthusiasm on the part of sellers and buyers, and we see the prospect of a very good year ahead.” Many agreed with that assessment of the market and of the SHOT Show.

The SHOT Show is the largest trade show in the traditional outdoor industry. It’s so large in fact, it’s the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas, a city known for huge trade shows. This year, over 61,000 people attended the show. There were over 1,600 exhibitors showcasing their goods in booths, and 2,400 media members walking the floor to find out about the latest and greatest.
The SHOT Show is owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Revenues from the show support NSSF’s many programs that carry out its mission of promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports.

“The SHOT Show allows NSSF to do many good things for industry, shooting and hunting,” said NSSF President and Steve Sanetti. Added Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer, “We have worked hard to make sure SHOT is a great selling and buying experience, and it has resulted in our best show ever.”

Crowded aisles and jam packed booths, may annoy some, but most people enjoy the experience of being part of such an abuzz environment of like-minded individuals. Manufacturers, sales representatives and dealers alike, left the SHOT Show looking forward to financial gains in 2012.

Todd Vance of Vance Outdoors in Columbus, Ohio, said. “We had our best-ever year in 2011, and we’ve started off this year great and expect to be up.” In his store, Vance said buyers are interested in concealable handguns, home-defense firearms, ammunition and tactical rifles, particularly new .22 caliber models.

Sig Sauer, a popular handgun manufacturer, reported having its best first day at SHOT since the company began keeping sales records.
“The market is stimulated,” said Bud Fini, vice president of marketing, who added that the company’s shooting academy is seeing many new gun owners. “First-time buyers, that’s where the expansion is coming from,” Fini said.

So I’m sure you’re wondering what products jumped out at me. First of all, tactical gear is king right now. There were so many AR-15 manufacturers; I wouldn’t even know where to begin. And if a company was there who wasn’t making an AR platform rifle, then chances are they were selling accessories or associated products, like clothing, bags or ammunition.

One piece of inventive gear I’d like to get my hands on is a set of clothing from Sitka Gear in their new Optifade Marsh Pattern. What makes this camouflage pattern so impressive is that it is designed to mimic what waterfowl sees from the air. So it’s patterned on the top of brush, not the base of brush. This makes perfect sense to me.

Another trend that was all over the SHOT Show, that I’m not too excited about, is zombies. I don’t really get it, but a lot of other people must, because there were zombie guns, zombie ammo, zombie targets, and actual zombies walking around; there were zombies everywhere.

All in all, it was awesome to see many people enthused by the shooting sports. For those of you who fear the end of times for our passions of shooting and hunting, I assure you, we’re fine.

See you down the trail…