Idaho Hunter Stats Show Drop in Elk and Mule Deer Harvest, Bump in Whitetails in 2023

For the first time since 2013, statewide elk harvest came in below 20,000.

It didn’t take a whole lot of rubbing the crystal ball to forecast a less-than-stellar mule deer harvest in 2023 because of the severe winter that preceded it. And with last fall’s harvest stats now available, the story that commenced after one of the worst eastern Idaho winters on record can be told.

Ironically, it may have been the opposite weather that contributed to the lowest elk harvest since 2013. Warm fall weather with little precipitation often creates poor hunting conditions, but weather or not, the statewide elk harvest dropped nearly 2,400 animals compared to the prior year.

But not all deer and elk harvests were down. White-tailed deer harvest had a modest bump—and the first increase in four years—signaling herds may be recovering from a large disease die-off in 2021.

“It was kind of a screwy year,” said Toby Boudreau, Deer and Elk Coordinator. “I think everyone expected the mule deer harvest to drop significantly, but we’re hopeful the mild winter will speed up their recovery, or at minimum, get it off to a good start.”

The elk harvest is a bit of a head-scratcher. Anecdotally, Fish and Game heard reports from experienced elk hunters who were not finding elk in their usual spots during fall, and suspect weather may have been a significant factor. Read more

Hunting

New Elk Harvest Record Set by Wyoming Hunters

Wyoming hunters had one of the most successful elk hunting seasons on record in 2023-24, with nearly a five percent increase in harvest compared to the previous season, according to the latest elk harvest survey report. During the season, hunters spent more than 480,000 recreation days in the field and harvested nearly 29,000 elk. Over the last decade there has been an increasing trend in elk harvest. Read more

Hunting

Kite Fishing 101 with Tigress Outriggers and Gear

Kite fishing is gaining popularity in the offshore fishing community as anglers note the productive results behind a very exhilarating fishing strategy. Tigress has designed many options to give anglers all the gear they need to succeed when trying this method.

The kite keeps live baits on the water’s surface, creating a realistic presentation for surface-feeding fish. As anglers deploy the kites, a large surface area across the ocean gets coverage as the bait fish entices the target predator to come up for a quick bite. This technique is most known for catching sailfish. However, kite fishing will attract other species, such as dolphins, mahi-mahi, wahoo, king mackerels, and tuna.

Offshore fishing often comes with a wide variety of winds and sea conditions. Like the traditional kite, the wind will play a role in the kite’s ability to fly. One of the fantastic features of the kites offered by Tigress is no matter the wind circumstances, multiple kite selections are available and fine-tuned for each type of wind, whether light or strong. The options available are the Specialty Lite Wind Kite, the All Purpose Kite, and the Hi-Velocity Kite. Read more

Fishing

NSSF Praises Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon for Protecting Second Amendment Privacy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, praised Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon for signing the NSSF-supported Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, Senate File 105. This law protects the privacy and sensitive financial information of people purchasing firearms, firearm parts and ammunition in Wyoming.

The law prohibits credit card processors from using firearm or firearm-related Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) when citizens make lawful retail purchases of firearms, firearm parts or ammunition with credit cards. The law also prohibits government or private entities from keeping any registry of privately-owned firearms or the owners of those firearms created or maintained through the use of a firearm-retailer specific MCC.

“Wyoming is showing, again, that ‘woke’ Wall Street gun control ideas won’t infringe on the rights of its citizens. Free exercise of Second Amendment rights can only be assured when leaders step in to guarantee those lawfully purchasing firearms and ammunition can do so without interference from financial institutions colluding with government agencies,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel. Read more

Gun Control

Prime Archery’s First Youth Model

The Prime NXT, The “I want to Shoot the Same Bow as Mom and Dad” Model

Memphis, Michigan —Prime Archery®, by G5® Outdoors—the leading manufacturer of premium archery equipment, is proud to introduce the Prime NXT. A compound bow specifically built for youth shooters that can be closely compared with Mom and Dad’s setup.

The NXT features Prime’s Center Grip riser design which results in a bow that’s simple to aim, even for the most inexperienced shooters. It’s constructed with aluminum limb pockets, has a machined aluminum riser, and doesn’t utilize any plastic in the areas where it counts.

The bow makes it extremely easy to adjust draw weight and draw length without the use of a bow press, as youth shooters hit their growth spurt. Prime’s EZ Grip training tool is included with every NXT and a complete bow package is an option for those interested. The complete NXT package includes a G5 Meta peep sight, 4-pin tool-less sight with light, whisker biscuit-style rest, and a G5 Head-Loc quiver.

FEATURES: Read more

Archery

SAF Files Brief in Biden Admin. Pistol Brace Appeal

The Second Amendment Foundation has filed an Appellant’s Brief in 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in response to the Biden administration’s appeal of SAF’s lower court victory in its challenge of the administration’s “final rule” regarding pistol braces, seeking oral arguments apart from other cases with which the SAF case has been consolidated. The case is known as SAF v. ATF.

Joining SAF are Rainier Arms, LLC, and two individual citizens, Samuel Walley and William Green. They are represented by attorney Chad Flores at Flores Law in Houston, Texas. Defendants are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and its director, Steven Dettelbach, in his official capacity; United States Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The case is on appeal from U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

“The Final Rule enacted in 2023 constitutes a marked departure from the BATF’s past position about whether brace-equipped pistols still constitute ‘pistols,’” noted SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “As we explain in our brief, for over a decade, the agency took the position that brace-equipped pistols did not constitute short-barreled ‘rifles.’ Between 2012 and 2014 in particular, ATF issued no fewer than 17 classification letters about one specific arm brace or another, all opining that arm brace designs did not convert pistols into short-barreled rifles. But that suddenly changed under the Biden administration.” Read more

Gun Control

Breda America Introduces Two Competition-Ready Shotguns

Breda America, a Banshee Brands Inc. brand of superior shotguns introduce the Breda B12i/T4 and Breda B12i/T4 X Competition Grade 12 ga. shotguns for the 2024 competition season.

Easton, Md. – Breda America, a Banshee Brands LLC, brand and renowned Italian manufacturer of firearms, proudly unveils its latest innovations catering to the discerning needs of competitive shooters worldwide. Introducing the Breda B12i/T4 and the Breda B12i/T4 X Competition Grade shotguns, meticulously engineered to elevate performance standards in the realm of 3-gun competitions.

Designed from the ground up as a competition-ready platform, the Breda B12i/T4 boasts unparalleled firing cycle speed, surpassing most factory shotguns on the market. Trusted by elite shooting teams in IPSC competitions across standard and modified divisions, this shotgun delivers exceptional speed, precision, and reliability under pressure.

Key features of the Breda B12i/T4 and Breda B12i/T4 X Competition Grade include: Read more

Firearms

The Shotgun Combo Gauge Assures Proper Gun Fit

Available for the first time in a single package, Robert Louis Company’s patented Shotgun Combo Gauge is an accurate and convenient device that measures Length of Pull (LOP), Drop at Comb and Heel, Angle of Pitch, and Cast on any gun. Made of aircraft aluminum, gauge measurements can be read in both metric and inches, and numbers are bold and easy to read.

Proper gun fit leads to winning scores and the Shotgun Combo Gauge assures that all of your measurements are accurate and tailored to your needs; the guess work is completely removed!

For the target shooter, especially with the increasingly popular adjustable combs and recoil pads, the Shotgun Combo Gauge brings precision, repeatability and portability at an affordable price.

The Combo Gauge is currently in use by most of the shotgun manufacturers, gunsmiths, gun fitters, hobbyists and clay target shooters worldwide. Read more

Firearms

Spring and Summer Cast & Blast Doesn’t Get any Better: Fishing Tom Guide Service

That Southwestern Louisiana is a sportsman’s paradise for both anglers and hunters is no secret. Did you know that you can now successfully experience both world-class inshore fishing and hunting for wild hogs and coyotes on the same trip by booking a cast & blast adventure with Fishing Tom Guide Service?

“We get on popular inshore fish species like redfish, flounder, sheepshead, tripletail, trout, bass, and other prized saltwater and freshwater species all year around,” said Captain Tom Adams. “Our area is also full of wild hogs and coyotes. We have the land to hunt them and know where they are. Combining both fishing and the hunting in one trip makes for a truly unique and exciting adventure!”

Captain Adams and his crew have fished and hunted this area their entire lives and know the bayous and marshes of Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes like the back of their hands. On their highly sought-after fishing trips, anglers fish aboard a 24-foot Nautic Star center console boat equipped with a 250 HP Mercury outboard motor that gives gets you safely where you need to be in a hurry. The boat is fully equipped with all the latest electronics to help locate the most productive fishing spots each day. A wireless trolling motor allows the boat to move through the area’s tranquil waters without disturbing the sought after fish. State-of-the-art rods & reels will be on hand along with tried-and-true terminal tackle and bait. Read more

Fishing, Hunting
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