Well folks, the Fat Lady sang on the evening of June 15 - spring bear season is done. The old bruin - that giant of a black bear boar I’ve been telling you about - won the match this time around. Up here you can’t bait black bear because of all the grizzlies - which are off limits to hunting. So when hunting black bear, you are down to spot and stalk.

There’s an old burn above my place that big boar has been calling home. I spent mornings and evenings glassing, but turned up only small blackies and grizzly. The second to the last day the big boy walked down my tracks. I guess he was giving me the old claw in the air.

I measured his paw print; it’s just over 7″ wide. I will pick up the cat and mouse game with him again this fall.

I noticed a sow grizzly with a last year’s cub pulled in just a quarter mile above my house. I’ll bet she makes this her summer home. The cow elk are calved out and the grizzly are taking their share of the young elk. We’ve also had three older grizzly cubs about that apparently were kicked out by mother this spring. They must be two or three years old took and took an elk calf down just below the house. Mother taught them well, so we probably won’t have to worry about them becoming garbage bears.

Now, about those wary wolves! I was going to Cooke Sunday when I came up on a young wolf - last year’s pup - in the middle of the gravel road. He was only a mile from the homestead. He wasn’t spooked at all. He walked up the hill about 150 yards and stood on a rock to watch me. I had no camera with me. I should fire myself for that. Never leave the place without the cameras! I live in one of Wyoming’s designated a trophy wolf areas. Only five permits will be issued for a fall wolf hunt in the area this year. But a lawsuit against the delisting of the wolves has been filed, and everybody’s waiting for the outcome. So, the hunt so it might not happen.

I’ve been working on my new Pronghorn book. I’ve got about two-thirds of it done; just finished a section on how to find watering holes and antelope near them. A section on stalking antelope and the five points to cover before the stalk is also done. There’s also been progress on a section I find particularly interesting - about hunting trophy antelope after the rut. That’s the most effective time to find a trophy buck. The format of the antelope book is going to be along the same lines as my first book, Hunting High Country Mule Deer. That one just came out in paperback a few weeks ago. It’s priced at only $14.95 and I will sign the copy for you.

Well, that catches you up on my news for now. Take care, folks.

Holy grizzlies! The old boy, the big grizzly boar that had visited us earlier, came back this evening as it was snowing. He walked through my yard, then turned and headed down the road, crossing the creek. I got photos of him walking past and crossing the creek. The bruin, I think, is looking for some love; mating season is starting, you know.

I guess him at 7 1/2 feet and 500-600 pounds. Jack, my 3-year-old grandson, got to watch him walk down the road - great stuff. Jack had a good three days up here with Bertie and me. Not only did he get to see grizzlies but up close and personal, there were also mule deer and herds of elk moving up the creek to summer range. He is all buzzed up on the wildlife.

It’s snowing and raining right now. We have over 8″ of snow and it’s been coming down for four days. The power went off all day Thursday because of the heavy, wet snow. I tell you what; the creek is surging down the mountain bank-to-bank. Rumor has it the snow pack on top is still over six feet. Because of the weather I haven’t gotten back above the place to look for that big black bear boar we spotted. I’m still itching to do some black bear hunting. Looking at the weather forecast for next week, it looks as if it could be favorable for bear scouting.

Yesterday I went up and broke through to the bear country above the house. Grizzly bears are plentiful in the country around my place, but it’s not yet legal to hunt grizzlies in Wyoming. Even so, I know of at least one huge black bear boar that has also been hanging around up there, and I’d love a chance to hunt him.

No one had been through yet this spring. I got stuck a couple times, but with two four-wheelers, we managed. I should see a black bear or two during the next few weeks; I plan to check on the country every evening for the next month.

Last spring above the house I spotted that big old black bear boar working his way up the creek. You know he has to be big and tough to live in that neighborhood with all those grizzlies. From his nose to his tail, the old bruin has to be at least seven feet, or even larger. My wife, Bertie, was with me and she commented about how much country he could cover at just a normal walk. That’s a good indication of a big bear.

This spring has been late; it’s the middle of May and I still have three-foot snow banks on the north side of my log house. Up high, the runoff is just starting. The grizzlies are hanging low, waiting for the snow to melt and open the high country up. As you can see, I have had at least one or two grizzlies wander through my place. Three nights ago just as the sun went down, a seven-plus foot grizzly boar walked right up to the house. Bertie was impressed by his size, especially considering the long, hard winter we’ve had.

Last week a cow elk got tangled in a barbwire fence and died. It wasn’t six hours later and a sow and two cubs were feeding on the carcass - right next to the road. This time of year we don’t have too much traffic, so within 24 hours the bears pretty much will clean the cow up.

The grizzlies came out early this spring; the first one we spotted was out on the 15th of March. We still had winter at that time, with four feet of snow. I guess some of those old boys want to get an early start on the season. It seems as if they’re moving up and down the creek, looking for winter kills. My neighbor had a $1,500 grill - one of those stainless steel ones - an old grizzly just stomped it into the ground a month ago. His homeowner insurance wouldn’t pay for grizzly damage!

Bertie packs bear spray whenever she takes her daily walks. Last August I was working in the corral at about 9 a.m. one morning and three-year-old bear walked right past me as it headed up the creek. You have to be on the lookout in that country, for sure.

The last few days we have had 70 degree weather; the snow is rolling down the creeks. I will keep you posted and let you know if I find that huge old black bear boar - the season runs for almost a month.

Wow folks what a controversy issue! I have received many e-mail on this hunting tag letter of Mike Veile in the last issue of the Eastmans’ Hunting Journal. It is a hot issue with information pro and con on the subject. You need to go to www.monstermuleys.com and you can see 150 post. I suggest read a few of them and your find that most are write by knowledgeable hunters. Then make your owen judgment on the issue of conservation money been raised by special hunting tags. Let me know what your views on it.

CHAD ERICSSON

Mr. Eastman,
Thank you for publishing Mike’s article and bringing it to the reader’s attention. I know Mike well. He is a hard core hunter and very passionate about the future of hunting.

While Mike and I don’t agree on everythinng, I agree with him 100% that conservation tags (or anything similar) are nothing but poison for the future of hunting.

These tags take away opportunity from the hard working hunters and give opportunity to those with big, fat bank accounts. If we continue down this path, the first people that are going to lose interest are the blue collar folks that make up the solid hunting base and are the backbone of the Western culture. That is bad for hunting and bad for everyone involved.

In my 24 years of hunting, I have personally changed from a shoot anything with horns hunter to a hunter who will hold out for a respectable buck or bull. It is not because I want to be better than someone else or kill the biggest buck on the mountain, it is because I enjoy the challenge. On looking back at all of my harvests, the most memorable ones are not the one’s with the biggest antlers.

I see more people that think hunting is about killing a record book animal and not about the experience. What kind of an experience is it to pay to hunt an animal on winter range with a caderie of outfitters spotting and tracking the animal so someone can show up and pull the trigger?

I think as a hunting fratenity, we need to embrace those folks that are truly overjoyed at harvesting an animal regardless of the size of its antlers. That is where most of us started out and that is where our future is.

With all that being said, do I want some areas that are managed for quality animals, definitely, but we all need to have an equal chance of obtaining those premium tags regardless of our income or financial status.

Thanks for listening.
Chad Ericsson

Chad thanks for the kind words we here at Eastmans’ just think that all views should be put on the table. I wanted to hear from the hunters out there as to there views on this hunting trend.
Mike Eastman

KEN BROUGH

Although I share Mr. Veile’s concerns about how expensive access to some quality hunting tags has become, it was apparent in reading his letter that his real intent was to attack the SFW organization and it was also clear he has personal issues with people within that organization. His attacking, insulting and negative comments went to far and such things are only bad for hunting interests. His letter was very baised, not objective, and did not correctly represent that group nor others involved in auctions tags efforts and achievements. I am disappointed that it was deemed so worthy of special attention in your magazine. Does Eastmans’ also have issues with the SFW organization? SFW was certainly not the first to start the trend of auction tags. It is interesting that he singled them out instead of FNAWS. I do not agree with everything about SFW, FNAWS, Muledeer Foundation, and the other groups like them and do not believe they are perfect, but they have done alot of good for hunting with the money they have raised. Mr. Veile left all that out of his letter and gave no credit where credit is deserved. The RMEF he belongs to is a good organization but is not as much different from SFW has he would like to think. RMEF did not lead the charge against the wolf issue that is causing major problems with elk in Wyoming. Instead it was the SFW organization. RMEF certainly has fund raisers, administrative costs, fancy offices, etc but he seems OK with them managing resources raised instead of only state agencies as he advocated in his last paragraph. The handful of tags that groups auction off to raise money to improve hunting is a very small percentage in the true picture of things. Yes, I am jealous like Mr. Veile that I can not afford to buy one of those tags but I am glad those dollars are helping hunting causes. If Veile wants to complain and have a discussion about restriction of access to tags the real issue that he only barely touched on is outfitter and landowner tag allocations. Weather these allocations are right or wrong the states that have those programs greatly reduce DIY hunters access to tags multiple fold over any auction tag allocations. Outfitter and landowner allocations can certainly be accused of special interests issues and have lead to higher overall cost of access to tags in those states. And how about the preference point systems that prevent young hunters from having access to quality tags in some cases until they are old, if ever. Not exactly a fair and equal chance at tags as Mr. Veile advocates.

I hope Eastmans’ will allow someone equal space for a fair discussion of the auction tag issue, use of the money raised and organizations like SFW than Mike Viele did.

Respectfully,
Ken Brough

Thanks for your reply and interest in this subject. At the Eastmans’ Journal’s we feel that this issue has struck a nerve in the hunting community. If you go to www.monstermuleys.com you will see 150 post. Hunters are not only voicing their opinions but give will written views on the subject. Thanks again for your response to this controversy topic. I will post this on my blog. Also we are gathering other responses to this heated subject and will post some of them.
Mike Eastman

TOM KLUMPKER

Mike,

One thing I can agree on in Mike’s article is that hunting is gradually becoming a rich mans sport, but not necessarily for the reasons he has put forth.

First of all the conservation tags given to organizations are for the most part bringing huge sums of money into our Game Departments which have enabled them to do much work to improve wildlife and wildlife habitat to increase Joe Blow’s chance to hunt. Here in New Mexico a tremendous amount of money has been rasied by these organizations, most of it coming back to the State and is makaing a big difference in keeping and improving our wildlife’s well being. FNAWS, RMEF, SCI and many other organizations are for the most part totally committed to proliferating our wildlife. Mike needs to re-acess his thoughts on this front. His demeaning accusation that these “parasitic special interest groups advocating this type of tag distribution have become the most effective anti-hunting organizations in America.” To the contrary! These orgaizations depend mostly on donated hunts by outfitters, for the most of their dollar support and they for the most part are greatly enabling Mikes chance to hunt in the future. They do so much good such a fighting the real anti hunters, habitat improvement and etc. and etc.

Next, Mike needs to re-think his thoughts on landowner tags. These do split the pie smaller on allocating licenses but are a very helpfull and important segment of landowner’s managing to keep wildlife numbers at a much higher level than they would if they didn’t receive any compensation for providing much of the water and riparian areas on their private lands that our state’s wildlife so vitally depend. the NM Game Dept. has been very smart in recognizing this need and has provided more wildlife in the end and therefore more tags available to everyone.

Outfitter tags to my knowledge are only allocated in Montana and I know of none in New Mexico and Arizona where I outfit. Most of our hunters go into the non-resident drawings which are very tough.

Controlled tags to increase quality are first and foremost allocated by the great majority to residents with only a small percentage going to non-residents. As hunting becomes more popular it gets harder and harder to draw the quality tags, even for residents. Take Arizona for example, and as its population explodes so does the demand for the best tags.

I think Mike needs to step back and take a reality pill, as hunting is the great motivator for most of us and it is vitally necessary to get along and work with our organizations and game departments, and not fight amongst ourselves. I for one applaud most of these conservation organizations as our game department’s struggle to make ends meet and keep or wildlife healthy.

If Mike wants to help save our hunting, not only in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming but as well as here in the Gila in New Mexico and over in Arizona, he better be stumping for bringing some sense into the wolf situation. We are looking at maybe only two or three years of good hunting before the wolves take our wildlife numbers down, primarily our elk, here in the Gila. Our license allocation in unit 16B in the Gila Wilderness where I hunt has lost 100 rifle bull elk tags two years ago and 67 archery bull elk tags for the upcoming season. This is a significant decrease and the only reasonable explanation is due to the wolves, who are not only hammering our elk and few remaing deer but our ranchers cattle.

Yes Mr. Veile there are many more important things effecting your chance to get a good tag!

Thanks Mr. Eastman for airing this issue as there is alot of misconception and mis trust between the sportsmen for especially outfitters, the landowner tag system and a real hate for non- residents, whom by the way pay almost 50 % of our game department’s budgets.

I realize you cater mostly to the DIY hunter, but I feel my outfitting business provides a necessary and vital service to mostly non-resident hunters who don’t have the stock or aren’t young enough to extreme backpack hunt in the Wilderness areas I hunt. Besides that our industry brings in a tremendous amount of revenue to our local economy and our state, as well as mentioned above a tremendous amount of money into our game departments. I serve as the Southwest Director for our New Mexico Council of Outiftters and Guides, and we keep a close ear to the ground on all of these issues and we want to help protect everybody’s great right to hunt.

Sincerely,
Tom Klumker

First thanks for the e-mail you bring up some good points. But I think Mike veile’s also brings up several points that go further then just about conservation. I think if you take and fill a room full of hunters. And then said we need more money for management of the big game in lets say XYZ. So we can either raffle off tags and have special conservation permits go to the highest bidder. Plus these tags can be used anytime during the year even on the winter ranges. Or we keep an level playing field with no special tags. But we will need to raise everyones tags and permit fees even maybe double. Which way would the hunters vote? I personnel think a majority of the group would elect the fee increase. And keep a level playing field no matter your financial statues. I think Mike wants a level playing field for hunting tags for all.

Tom I wonder how Ducks Unlimited raise so much money and they have no high dollar tags. It’s done with a grass roots movement. For years the RMEF raised money that is matched with federal money basically the same way. By dinners, raffles and bidding on art work, hunting items and outfitters donated hunts.

I agree with you on the wolf issues all hunters and stockmen are going to loss. I live in the wilderness up here in Wyoming and I have wolfs literally in my back yard. They have really taken the elk population down. But their is nothing we can do the federal government has control over the management. Thanks again for the input Tom and good luck on this years fall.
Mike Eastman

A THREAT TO HUNTING WE CAN ELIMINATE
By Mike Veile (Eastmans’ Hunting & Bowhunting Subscriber)

As a passionate western hunter, I want to elevate the debate on threats to our treasured pastime. One in particular I see is special interest big game tags allocated outside the normal process. These include landowner, outfitter and so-called ‘conservation’ tags. It’s my position that said tags cheat the public and reduce the ranks within the hunting fraternity. Conservation of wildlife and preservation of hunting rights need a growing number of participants, not an atrophying, disenfranchised rabble which these tags inherently create.

My greatest concern is with conservation tags. These are tags given to various organizations which auction them off; organizations that allege their altruistic motivations. The justification is the money raised by the sale of a $20,000 tag. But $20,000 tag buyers expect huge, abundant and easily accessible animals with no hunting competition - a recipe that excludes you. The objective becomes maximizing auction dollars, not improving public hunting.

Advocates point out that one deer tag sold for $150,000 is worth it. But thousands of hunters must give up their hunts to produce an experience that a $150,000 deer tag bidder will purchase. Additionally, the misconception is it’s ‘just one tag’. In Utah, it has grown in one form or another to hundreds. When game agencies eliminate hunting for thousands, they in turn must increase public tag and licenses cost. Utah has more conservation tags than all other states combined, as well as the highest resident tag prices coupled with depressing drawing odds. Sadly, other states seem poised to follow.

The Utah group Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife is the infected carrier of this diseased philosophy and the quarantine of state borders has failed, allowing its spread into Idaho and Wyoming. While this organization was not the first, they are the worst, and others have climbed aboard this gravy train. Each organization retains a portion of the tag dollars and increases their take by charging anyone interested in bidding with attendance and membership fees at their banquets - which include numerous costly games of chance. They tout the attendance of the banquets as validation of the concept. But as Utah’s only legalized form of gambling, it likely plays a larger role.

By now, members of these organizations reading this are screaming that they need this money for their good work. But if the money comes from giving up public resources, there is no altruism involved. Every state has a well trained and modestly paid staff, beholden to oversight and public opinion. Why should we carve out a portion of agency funding through conservation tags to subsidize middle-man, armchair biologists who have overpaid consultants and lobbyists? Lobbyists whose only purpose is to flatter state legislators for more tags. A true hunting conservation organization doesn’t loot from precious resources.

If auction tags are so needed, the state agencies should run the auctions and raffles themselves online. But should tags be auctioned off in the first place? We have special tags and licenses for youth, the disabled, military, and landowners. Why do the affluent need their special allocation? Wyoming’s governor said it best - hunting should embody not only the principle of fair chase but, also that of fair chance.

A few years ago the famed ungulate biologist Valerous Geist stated in a Bugle article that the reason hunting and game management works in the US vs. Europe is that even if you are the ‘Emperor of China,’ you have an equal opportunity at participation. These tags defy that principle and cause successive generations to quit hunting. The parasitic special interest groups advocating this type of tag distribution have become the most effective anti-hunting organizations in America.

Imagine if existing auction tags were not distributed to the so called sportsmen or conservation organizations. There would be no way they could increase their dollars or artificially inflate banquet attendance. They couldn’t be sycophants to the wealthy bidders. There would be no way to direct, or have the authority to distribute the generated funding and pay their ‘consultants.’ If it were only the state agencies that auctioned the tags keeping the money, do you think these organizations would still clamor for more tags to auction, or simply work for more animals?

Also, consider the allocation of marketed landowner and outfitter tags. These tags likewise reduce the number of hunters in the West. Any controlled tag given to entities for sale induces them to lobby to restrict public tag opportunity. Conversely, a balance is struck when clients for the outfitters or unit-wide landowner tags compete in the public drawings. If opportunity is restricted, the chance of a paying client drawing a tag diminishes. So they must balance tag numbers with reasonable quality.

Utah produces the greatest number of 400 class elk through extremely limited public tag distribution, yet has numerous special interest tags exempted from drawings, points or waiting periods. I wonder how many would advocate this management philosophy if the only way to obtain these coveted elk tags was through the public drawing process.

I support controlled tags to increase quality, as long as opportunity is equal. Also, resources funded by the sale of licenses and taxes should be managed by professional, accountable agencies. I support funding our resources and personally spend about $500 every year in application fees without even obtaining a tag. I support conservation organizations that raise money and increase membership through volunteer efforts. The threat to hunting can be countered only by demonstrating significant, diverse numbers of participants. State agencies should employ policies that perpetuate hunting and not be influenced by the interests of a vocal minority. If hunting is our true motivation, we should all work to eliminate special interest tags.

Thank you so much for coming to Grand Forks. Those I spoke to were very impressed with your lecture. This was absolutely great information that I could have listened to for several more hours. Eastmans’ is first class in

many regards. I can’t say enough about what you guys do. I have every TV show recorded on my digital recorder. Some shows I have watched over and over. It seems like every time I pick up one of your journals I learn something new. On another note Mike, I really don’t’ understand your treatment and poor time slots on the Outdoor Channel. So many shows now are on private ranches that haven’t been hunted and guys are shooting deer like shooting a turkey or a pig. I’ve really have had it with shows like that.

I mean really how much skill does it take to sit in a tower stand and shoot bucks on a private ranch under a feeder. Your shows are just so much better than that!!!!!

I am having my ‘Legends‘ print framed, matted and placed my work space. Also I am really pumped to try out the Francs Peak area for my first high country mule deer. I’ve got some great pics of some nice bucks in
that area. Thanks again for coming and please say thanks to your wife for being such a nice gal. Good luck in South Dakota too.

Mike,

I really enjoyed your program on February 25th in Ellensburg. Reminds me of when your dad used to come to the Jr. High Auditorium to show his hunting films. It was always a must see occasion. Keep up the good work.

Gary

As a sportsman you understand the great tradition and heritage that Wyoming provides. Our state is home to some of the greatest recreational land in the world. It is why we hunt here, fish here and live here. There is great pride in being a sportsman and an even greater pride in being a Wyoming Sportsman.

It is with that thought in mind that I have agreed to serve as statewide spokepersons for Sportsmen for the Wyoming Range. The Sportsmen for the Wyoming Range is a group of like- minded sporting groups and individuals that have joined together to protect our heritage. In the next several weeks you can look for news stories, billboards and other advertising talking about this crucial effort.

It is time as sportsmen that we use our vision today to shape the future of our sport for our grandchildren. Nowhere is this long -term vision more important than in the Wyoming Range. If you are like us and you dream of taking a 30-inch mule deer buck or completing a cutt-slam goal, then you know about this place. The range has one of the best populations of trophy mule deer bucks and cutthroat trout in the state. They don’t get that way by accident: it takes habitat.

The Wyoming Range has produced a great many trophies while accommodating a true multiple use mandate, allowing for both motorized and primitive access and it’s a premier spot for snowmobiling as well. Not often do these values coincide as seamlessly as they do in the Wyoming Range.

Unfortunately, the Wyoming Range is in trouble. We as sportsmen need to stand up and protect true mixed use for this paradise. The Bridger-Teton National Forest has offered 44,000 acres of prime wildlife and fisheries habitat to oil and gas companies. Already, some 150,000 acres in the range are under lease and await continued development. Providing for our nation’s needs is an important part of Wyoming’s economy.

In fact we strongly support energy development in Wyoming and believe its continued benefits cannot be ignored. But, we also believe that there should be some places where world class habitat should be left to sportsmen. Places where we and our children and their children can hunt, camp and fish forever. The Wyoming Range is such a place.

That is why we are proposing:

1. No new oil and gas leases on PUBLIC lands in the Wyoming Range
2. A process that would allow for trade-outs or buy-outs of existing oil and gas leases at fair market value (agreed to by leaseholders) and a retirement of leases that are traded or bought

This is a smart, common sense solution that protects our oil and gas industry, landowners and sportsmen.

If we are going to be successful, we need the help of sportsmen all around the country. We need the help of sportsmen like you. Sportsmen have always stood up to be counted when it comes time to protect wildlife and fisheries habitat. That time is upon us.

Join us by sending in the post card included in this mailing and by logging on to www.WyomingRangeSportsmen.org . Let us know you support this one-of-a-kind effort. Please stand up and be counted for your outdoor heritage.

We already have the support of many state and local sporting organizations. Now it is up to you!

Write and tell us about your personal stories and send photos of those great experiences. Together we can make a difference and protect our sportsmen heritage for generations.

Sincerely.

Mike Eastman
Publisher
The Eastman’s Journal
Powell, Wyoming

P.S. Don’t forget to log on to www.WyomingRangeSportsmen.org and send in your post card. We need your support!

High fenced game ranches are not hunting, period. He states in his article
that hard earned days of scouting and chasing “fenced” animals, represent no
differences for you know the general vicinity of the animals. Hard earned
days of scouting and “living” with the animals IS hunting. It is easy to
forget and this man may need some reminding, that “hunting” in itself is
what the sport is all about, not merely the killing of record book animals.

It is in the times and adventures that we all share while hunting that IS
what the hunting traditions carried on by the Eastman family is all about.
Not the chasing of fenced animals that have no way of escape, 7500 acres or
not. Guy and his family have in no way driven a wedge into the community of

“real” hunting. These animals were not merely put on Earth to be shot every
time, like the guaranteed kills present on high fenced game ranches. Half of
the fun of hunting is when the smart ol’ big ones give you the slip and
defeat us who reside higher up the food chain. Guy, we ask you and your
family to please NEVER change your stance, values, and ethics of our great
hunting community, and please disregard those who pretend to “hunt.” Thanks
to you and your family with all that you do for hunters in pursuit of “fair
chase” animals worldwide.

Sincerely,
Sean and Kurt