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Digging Up Memories

By FUR-FISH-GAME Editor, John D. Taylor

Photo: Jorge R. Gonzalez/Shutterstock

Ah, April... warmer weather, the arrival of Spring, even if the vernal equinox says that took place back in March. April is the real spring. Hendricksons hatch on gurgling trout streams, apple tree buds break open to grow new leaves, turkeys gobble wholeheartedly. The whole world smells all moist and rich and full of the growth that is ready to explode in the months ahead.

When I was a kid, April at the Taylor family manse – our house was really a rancher with a fixed-up basement and a back porch that my father turned into screened-in patio – April meant the trout opener and spring gardening in the backyard.

Since we lived in a small suburban development, the backyard was bordered by a hedge of bridal wreath and Russian olive bushes, planted shortly after they'd bought the home. There were maybe 20 feet of bridal wreath bushes, then a similar stretch of Russian olives, a pattern repeated to create a boundary between our house and the neighbors below us. The hedge also extended halfway up the boundary between the neighbors’ homes to the left and right of our place.

My parents bought the house, one of the first three built along Blymire Road, above the high school in 1963, when my sister was born. As time went on, those Russian olives, thanks to rich York County soil, and perhaps a little septic tank help, grew into more than bushes. They became trees, eventually, about 20 feet tall, with long spiky thorns.

While they were growing, little Johnny liked to hang out underneath the Russian olives, playing with his World War II Army men, Civil War soldiers, and I think there were some cowboys and Indians in there, too. Great battles were waged under those bushes as they grew into trees, clashes between the blue and the gray. Breastworks were created from broken branches and scooped out dirt, sort of like the Petersburg, Virginia siege – although I wouldn’t have known Fredricksburg from Antietam, Chickamauga from Vicksburg, in those days. The Japanese and the Marines fought each other at Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal there, too. (I had books about great battles of WW II, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal, back then.)

By the time I reached my teenage years, the Army men were forgotten relics of childhood, some of them entombed beneath the Russian olives. Replacing the Army men were trapping supplies and blackpowder.

According to my trapping bible of the time, Paul L. Failor’s “Pennsylvania Trapping and Predator Control Methods,” you were supposed chunk up a dead groundhog, put it into quart Mason jars, and bury the jars to “age” the groundhog as trapping bait. It was supposed to be really potent stuff.

So that’s exactly what I did. The Mason jars were easy to come by, since many still canned garden produce and fruit. And since I was working part time, I could afford them.

I shot some groundhogs, chunked them up, fur and all, put the chunks in the jars and buried a case of canned groundhog, cardboard box and all, under the Russian olives to await autumn and trapping season. I only used a few of the jars that season but figured the rest would be even better the next season.

The blackpowder came a little later. I worked part-time in a York Mall bookstore during college. My boss, widow lady, Augusta “Wally” Walters, a Southerner, frequently invited bookstore employees to her home for social gatherings. At one gathering I learned that her husband, Thurman, enjoyed firearms. He hadn’t completed building a .45 caliber Pennsylvania (often erroneously called Kentucky) long rifle-style blackpowder rifle from a kit before he passed away. Wally said since I was a budding outdoorsman, I should have the kit and complete it, that Thurman would have liked that.

It was percussion-ignited piece, so I couldn’t use it in Pennsylvania’s early 1980s primitive arms season – strictly flintlocks – held in winter. But I appreciated the gift, wanted to honor Thurman, and built the kit, even blued the rifle barrel. I also got into blackpowder shooting pretty heavily for a time. I bought a pound of real blackpowder, a brass powder flask, a powder charge measuring tool, percussion caps, a ball starter, a box of .45 caliber balls and some other gear. I got pretty consistent with putting balls on target and had fun with that rifle.

Blackpowder being volatile, I dug a hole at the dryest corner of the patio near my bedroom window, by the dwarf apple tree, and slid an old plastic newspaper box with a lid on it into the hole. This would store my blackpowder, supplies and percussion caps safely.

Time moved on.

I graduated from college, left home, got married and started living my own life, not connected to my parents’ world. A German shorthair puppy named Jack came home and became my best buddy, and upland bird hunting grew from a passion into a way of life. Most thoughts of blackpowder shooting and trapping were pushed to side, as things I used to do, things a kid does.

Several years later, I was visiting with my folks for dinner and my mother asked me to help my father remove the Russian olive hedge. They – mostly my mother – wanted a white fence across the back, instead of just the hedge, for a bit more privacy. Sure, I said. This would be the first step preparing for the new fence.

Dad and I dug up and yanked out a good many Russian olives, the root systems weren’t as deep as we thought, although a couple involved using ropes and my Bronco II for some leverage. The bridal wreath bushes were going to stay, go in front of the fence. Time constraints negated my further help.

The fence was installed, and a few more years passed. My mother decided that the dwarf apple tree in the corner by the patio needed to go. She wanted that apple tree there so I could look out my bedroom window and see robins in it in the spring. But by that time, it had matured and wasn’t producing apples or robins anymore. My father cut it down and eventually dug out the stump and roots.

One night a few years later, I received a phone call from my mother, with my father listening in, and occasionally adding some commentary.

“John,” she said, “we keep finding these quart mason jars buried down by the fence. You father hit one with the shovel the other day, broke the glass, and it let out a terrible stink. Do you know what they are?”

Stymieing a laugh was hard to do, recalling how deeply I’d buried those canned groundhog jars, but I explained what they might have been and apologized for making them suffer the smell.

Another question came up, “So, what was in the plastic newspaper box that was buried by the corner of the patio, by the apple tree,” my father asked. “We found a bunch of moldy stuff in there.”

“Oh, that was where I kept my blackpowder stuff. I didn’t want it in the house, for fear it would blow up. The powder is long gone, but I have the powder flask, the balls, the ball starter and some other stuff. That might be the possibles bag I sewed to put stuff in. I guess I forgot that when I moved out.”

I visualized both of them shaking their heads wondering about the sanity of their errant son, and another recollection quickly flashed through my mind.

One time during high school, I’d just finished a shower in the guys’ bathroom in the basement while my powerful stereo blasted Led Zeppelin IV. Thinking I was all alone at the time, I put a towel over my head like long hair, pranced out of the bathroom in my birthday suit to the stereo, and cranked “Black Dog” even louder.

While I air guitared to Robert Plant’s vocals, “Hey, hey mamma said the way you move...” my father came down the basement stairs to tell me to turn the volume down. When he opened the door and witnessed my exuberance, the look on his face would best be described as, “That couldn’t be the fruit of my loins.”

My dad is gone now, and I miss him, especially when doing the home repair projects he was so good at. In addition to the screened-in patio, he turned the basement into a beautiful living space. My father encouraged his kids to see the world and not necessarily settle down so close to home, like he had. I think a job offer in Colorado in the 1970s was something he wanted to take but couldn’t because it wouldn’t have suited my schoolteacher mother.

For most of my life, I lived close to home, in York and later Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania. But that changed in 2013, when we moved to the North Dakota prairie, followed by other locations on the Great Plains.

My mother, still in the home they built, and I talk often across the miles between Pennsylvania and South Dakota.

I hope both of them eventually recognized that their outdoor crazy kid didn’t turn out too bad. He just heard the beat of a different drummer – Led Zeppelin’s drum master, John “Bonzo” Bonham mostly! – and followed his heart to where it felt most at home. Eventually that home became FUR-FISH-GAME. And I can't imagine a better place to be.

Public Lands Staffing Cuts

A National Park Service ranger checks a canoer in
Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri. Photo: NPS

Cuts in land management agencies will likely hurt outdoor recreation access, says the Outdoor Alliance (OA). Cuts at the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service have laid off more than 5,000 people. These reductions will make it harder for agencies to care for public lands and ensure safe, enjoyable outdoor experiences, says OA.

During the last decade, staffing at land management agencies has steadily declined, despite visitations increasing. Since 2010, the National Park Service has seen a 20% reduction in full-time staff, despite a 16% increase in visitation during the same period. The U.S. Forest Service has been facing ongoing budget shortfalls, which include a recent hiring freeze for seasonal workers, further straining its ability to maintain trails, campgrounds, and recreation sites.

These additional cuts will have significant consequences for outdoor recreation. They could mean long lines or closures of popular trails, parks, forests and other recreation infrastructure. Contracts for trash removal, toilets and campgrounds have been stalled and could prevent Americans from getting out and enjoying their public lands safely this summer.

Beyond recreation, these cuts could also hamper emergency response efforts and wildfire prevention. Seasonal employees play an essential role in wildfire preparedness by clearing hazardous fuels and assisting with initial attack efforts — reducing their ranks could increase the risk of uncontrolled wildfires on public lands and in nearby communities.

Without adequate staffing and resources, outdoor experiences, the health of public lands and the outdoor recreation economy will suffer, OA says. To learn more, visit www.outdooralliance.org.

$1.3 Billion For Conservation and Outdoor Access

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently announced that more than $240 will got to support conservation and connect people with nature in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently announced more than $1.3 billion in apportionments to support conservation efforts and connect people with nature has been received by state wildlife agencies and other government entities. For example, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin combined have received more than $240 million. This critical funding is generated by manufacturers who paid federal excise taxes last year on ammunition, firearms, archery and angling equipment, and a fuel and small engine taxes. The funds are disbursed to partner fish and wildlife agencies through grants by USFWS’s Office of Conservation Investment. This state-industry-federal partnership was established almost a century ago with the support of concerned sporting and conservation organizations, sporting manufacturers and conservation professionals who recognized the need to conserve fish and wildlife and their habitat. Since 1937, more than $29 billion has been distributed through annual apportionments to monitor and manage our nation’s fish and wildlife resources, support hunter and aquatic education, and improve access for outdoor activities like hunting, fishing and boating. Through these combined funds, agencies have supported monitoring and management of over 500 species of wild mammals and birds, annual stocking of over 1 billion fish, operations of fish and wildlife disease laboratories around the country and provided hunter and aquatic education to millions of students. These funds have also supported operations and maintenance of more than 800 target ranges and opening of over 36 million acres of land to hunting and angling. For USFWS’s final apportionment of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration grant funds for Fiscal Year 2025 visit www.partnerwithapayer.org/funding-sources/.

Taxes: For The Birds and Other Wildlife

Donating a portion of your Iowa tax refund to the Fish/Wildlife via the Chickadee Checkoff helps support wildlife diversity efforts, like the wood thrush project and the Bumble Bee Atlas.

Taxes aren't fun, but in Iowa there is a small thing you can do to feel better about the process. Donating a portion of your state tax refund to the Fish/Wildlife Fund – a.k.a. the Chickadee Checkoff – for wildlife conservation can help support thousands of vulnerable wildlife with research, habitat development and education. The Chickadee Check-off was put on the state tax form in the early 1980s. It’s a vital funding source for the Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Program. More than 5,300 Iowa taxpayers generously donated $134,000 to the program during 2023’s tax season. The program does not receive general state taxpayer funds and is primarily supported through the voluntary check-off and Natural Resources License Plates. If every Iowa taxpayer gave just $1 that would mean $1.6 million for wildlife. Two non-game wildlife projects the Chickadee Check-off supported in 2024 include the Wood Thrush Project and the Bumble Bee Atlas. Wood Thrushes declined nearly 50% decline since 1966, so Iowa joined other states to band and radio-tag 34 of the birds in Iowa and put transmitters on 28 of those. The Bumble Bee Atlas helps biologists learn more about the impact of these insects on ecosystems. During 2024, Iowa volunteers recorded the location of almost 1,200 bumble bees representing 10 species, research that continues.

Northeast Minnesota Elk Restoration

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have kicked off an elk restoration effort in the northeast portion of the state. Photo: Unsplash/Andrew Ly

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, in coordination with other tribal entities, local governments, landowners and other stakeholders, have kicked off the Northeast Omashkooz (elk) Restoration and Management Plan. MDNR is working to support the Fond du Lac Band to restore elk to the Fond du Lac Reservation and the surrounding portions of the 1854 Ceded Territory. The Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa also retain treaty rights and cooperate in co-management in this ceded territory, and the 1854 Treaty Authority has been participating in restoration planning efforts in support of those bands. Throughout the restoration effort, MDNR will also maintain or increase elk populations in northwest Minnesota. The Fond du Lac Band’s 2021 elk restoration proposal calls for moving 150 elk from northwest Minnesota in small increments over the course of many years to the reservation. MDNR supported work to advance this proposal, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of existing herds in the northwest. Landowner and other public support and supporting the health of other big game populations in the region was also an important consideration in this effort. Historically, tens of thousands of elk lived throughout most of Minnesota. Currently, a small population of elk roams northwestern Minnesota lands owned and managed by private landowners, MDNR, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To ensure elk populations remain stable in northwest region, only a sustainable number of elk will be captured and moved to the northeast each year. State elk harvest and elk translocations will be balanced during this time to ensure that neither unduly affects the elk population in the northwest. The first round of elk releases in northeast Minnesota is being planned for spring 2026 and captures and releases would continue until a self-sustaining herd is established. Visit mndnr.gov/elk for more information on Minnesota elk research and management.

Vermont Habitat Stamp Raises $415,000 for Conservation

The Vermont Habitat Stamp raised $243,888 in 2024 and leveraged another $171,266 in federal matching funds, totaling more than $415,000 for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s (VFWD) land conservation and habitat improvement efforts. The Habitat Stamp is designed to allow anyone who cares about wildlife to help improve habitat for diverse species on private lands and the department’s 130,000 acres of Wildlife Management Area (WMA) lands. Habitat Stamp funds also go toward land acquisition projects to expand or create new WMAs and to make improvements on existing WMAs. In 2024, VDFW spent $129,385 from the Habitat Stamp Fund to improve wildlife habitat on 96 properties in 62 towns. This will benefit native pollinators, songbirds, amphibians, bats, whitetail deer, turkeys and other wildlife. The Habitat Stamp was inspired by the Vermont Migratory Waterfowl Stamp and Federal Duck Stamp. Both raise funds for wetland conservation from waterfowl hunters who are required to display a stamp along with their license. The Habitat Stamp is a way for conservationists who do not typically purchase a hunting, fishing or trapping license to contribute to the state’s habitat conservation efforts. Visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Iowa Osprey Doing Well

An osprey on her nest.

Ospreys experienced nationwide population declines in the mid-20th century, largely due to DDT, an insecticide that weakened eggshells and stymied reproduction. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) began an osprey restoration program in 1997. Young birds from Minnesota and Wisconsin were translocated to strategic locations across the state. These releases ended in 2016, because ospreys were becoming well-established in three areas –the Iowa City to Waterloo corridor, Des Moines and vicinity, and Spirit Lake and vicinity (although this area is the least stable). There are also two nesting pairs on the western border of Iowa south of Sioux City. IDNR’s current osprey objective is to monitor nesting activity, using mostly volunteers. These volunteers are assigned to a particular nest (or nests), and new nests are reported opportunistically. Volunteers visit each nest multiple times during the breeding season to gather information on whether the nesting pair is successful, and if they fledge their young. Of 50 osprey nests monitored in 2024, 39 were active and 11 were inactive. Seven new nests were also reported. Of the 39 active nests, 25 were successful, with at least one fledging surviving. Five nests failed, and nine had no outcome reported. Altogether, 64.1% of monitored nests were successful and 47 young ospreys fledged, a number well up from 2023’s 48.5% of successful nests with 26 young fledged. Going into the future, IDNR will continue to monitor osprey nests with the partnership of volunteers. Want to help monitoring? Visit vwmp@dnr.iowa.gov.

It's The Little Things - FREE FUR-FISH-GAME Sticker

Continuing now through at least September 30th you will receive a free FUR-FISH-GAME sticker with every book or merchandise purchase. Stickers are made in the USA, measuring 6 inches X 2 inches. While supplies last. Here's a link to purchase 4 stickers for $1.69 (postage included): Order Stickers

West Virginia Hunters Tagged Nearly 2,500 black bears in 2024

West Virginia hunters harvested nearly 2,500 black bears in 2024. Photo: Danika Perkinson/Unsplash

West Virginia’s Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) recently announced that hunters harvested 2,479 black bears during the combined 2024 archery, crossbow and firearms seasons. The preliminary harvest for the combined 2024 seasons was lower than the 2,830 bears taken in 2023. As predicted by the 2024 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook, the archery/crossbow harvest remained consistent with the previous year. However, the overall bear firearms harvest was lower than in 2023, despite a higher harvest during the September and October season segments. During the first segment of the 2024 archery and crossbow seasons (Sept. 28 – Nov. 24), hunters harvested 899 bears. Of these harvests, 431 were taken with vertical bows and 468 were taken with crossbows. The top five counties for archery/crossbow harvests were Fayette and Preston (55 each), Webster (48), Boone (43), Nicholas (42) and Wyoming (40). During the firearms season, hunters harvested 1,580 bears. This included 611 bears taken during the September and October seasons, 166 bears during September, 20 bears during October and 57 bears during the concurrent antlerless deer/bear season and 368 during the three early firearms seasons. Hunters harvested 271 bears during the concurrent buck-gun bear season and 697 bears during the traditional December season. One bear was harvested with a muzzleloader during the Mountaineer Heritage Season. The top five counties for firearms harvests were Nicholas (167), Boone (153), Kanawha (115), Fayette (109), and Logan (92).

Biologists Help Genetically Unique Cutthroat Trout Survive

A rare Hayden Creek cutthroat trout. Photo: CPW

Nearly nine years after wildfire and flash floods threatened to wipe out a genetically unique strain of cutthroat trout from tiny Hayden Creek, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) biologists are finding hopeful signs their efforts to save the fish succeeded. Recent surveys of creeks where CPW reintroduced the trout found evidence they are surviving multiple years – a huge milestone in any wildlife restoration project. More important, CPW biologists found newly hatched Hayden Creek cutthroats (HCC), evidence the trout are naturally reproducing in some streams and thriving.

In July of 2016, a wildfire on Hayden Pass, south of Coaldale, charred 16,754 acres, including the Hayden Creek drainage. During the fire, CPW aquatic biologists, hatchery staff and U.S. Forest Service personnel donned fire-resistant suits, strapped on heavy electro-shocking backpacks, carried oxygen bottles, nets and water tanks and headed behind fire lines to pull off a daring rescue of the rare cutthroat trout from the Hayden Creek’s South Fork. They removed 194 HCC before returning to safety outside the fire zone. Later, rainfall runoff washed thick, black sludge into Hayden Creek and ultimately poured into the Arkansas River, damaging fish and habitat for miles in that waterway. After this, Hayden Creek surveys found no fish remained.

The 194 survivors were placed two groups: 158 rescued cutthroats were placed in an isolation unit at the Roaring Judy Hatchery near Gunnison, the remaining 36 fish were released in nearby Newlin Creek, in the Wet Mountains, about 10 miles southwest of Florence, in hopes they would survive in the wild.

The hatchery staff planned to keep their 158 survivors as a brood stock and spawn new generations each spring. But since there wasn’t room for all 194 fish, CPW began looking for HCC acceptable waters in the Arkansas River drainage. Biologists wanted remote creeks to protect the HCC trout from human interference, comparable in size and habitat to Hayden Creek with year-round flow.

Newlin Creek was the first water deemed suitable, and the 36 trout were released there. However, in October 2017, a 10-hour marathon fish survey found none of the 36 HCC remaining in the creek.

The restoration effort eventually expanded to 13 other streams across the Arkansas’s drainage. Since the first stocking in 2018, more than 8,000 HCC trout have been released in Newlin along a 1.5-mile stretch of water. To date, nearly 135,000 HCC trout have been stocked along 25 miles of water in 18 streams, ponds and lakes. Other streams stocked with HCC trout also show good signs of survival and multiple age classes, marking the effort a success.

Hunters Help Collect CWD Samples

Montana hunters are helping Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks monitor CWD. Photo: Steven Cordes/Unsplash

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) submitted 9,066 samples for chronic wasting disease testing in 2024-2025 hunting season. This is the largest number of CWD samples ever collected in a single year in Montana. Many samples were collected by hunters themselves. Of those samples, 335 tested positive for CWD, including 202 whitetails, 127 mule deer and six elk. More than 4,521 samples were submitted from FWP’s 2024 priority sampling areas in southwestern, central and central-eastern Montana. Hunters are a vital part of CWD monitoring and management in Montana. Hunters can visit FWP offices and CWD sampling stations to have their samples collected or they can collect and submit their samples themselves. In 2024, 1,138 retropharyngeal lymph node samples were collected and submitted by hunters. These lymph nodes are where much of the infectious protein first accumulates in infected animals. The samples help FWP identify where CWD is, estimate its prevalence and update management strategies – which can include increasing total tags or either sex/antlered tags in certain CWD-positive hunting districts. The goal is to reduce herd densities. Since 2017, when CWD was first discovered in the wild in Montana, FWP has tested an estimated 51,556 samples statewide. CWD is a fatal disease that can affect the nervous system of deer, elk and moose. Transmission can occur through direct contact between animals or through contact with bodily fluids of infected animals, including urine, feces, saliva and blood. Carcasses of infected animals likely serve as a source of environmental contamination, allowing animals that come into contact with them to also become infected. There is no known transmission of CWD to humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that hunters who harvest an animal in an area where CWD is known to occur have their animal tested. If the animal tests positive, the CDC advises against eating the meat

Ohio Stocked 46 Million Fish in 2024

Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources stocked more than 46 million fish in the state’s waters in 2024 to improve fishing for anglers.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife stocked more than 46 million fish in Ohio’s lakes, ponds, rivers and streams in 2024. Eleven different species of fish were stocked during the spring, summer and fall at 228 locations statewide. Annual fish stockings play an important role in providing fishing for Ohio’s 849,000 licensed anglers ODNR operates six state fish hatcheries that raise sport fish for stocking, enhancing recreational opportunities for anglers. While most of Ohio’s fish populations are sustained through natural reproduction, stocking expands and diversifies fishing opportunities in waters where existing habitats do not support some fish populations.

The 46 million fish stocked included:
• Fry (less than 1 inch long): saugeye (15.6 million), walleye (13 million), yellow perch (2.1 million), and hybrid-striped bass (1.1 million).
• Fingerling (1 to 2 inches long): saugeye (7.6 million), walleye (4 million), yellow perch (1 million), and hybrid-striped bass 748,217).
• Advanced fingerling (6 to 12 inches long): blue catfish (151,663), channel catfish (61,899), and muskellunge (23,139).
• Yearling fish (7 to 12 inches long): brown trout (23,233), channel catfish (24,647), and steelhead trout (466,152).
• Catchable fish (6 inches or longer): channel catfish (6,271), bluegill (12,233), brown trout (2,603), and rainbow trout (83,994).
Visit wildohio.gov for more information.

North Dakota Offers Wildlife Food Plot Seed

North Dakota’s Game and Fish Department is offering free seed for the 2025 growing season to landowners interested in planting wildlife food plots for pheasants.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is again offering free seed for the 2025 growing season to landowners interested in planting wildlife food plots for pheasants. Instead of a traditional corn or sunflower food plot, NDGF is offering a seed mix that provides increased plant diversity, including flowering plants from spring through fall, which will attract insects, the major diet component of pheasant chicks. Additionally, the mix will provide needed cover during spring and summer, as well as a winter food source. Other wildlife species will also benefit from this mix. Most Game and Fish food plots are part of the department’s Private Land Open To Sportsmen (PLOTS) program, but this food plot campaign does not require a PLOTS contract. Participating landowners are encouraged to allow reasonable public access, which could mean simply providing permission to hunters from time to time, putting up “Ask Before You Enter” signs around the area, or not posting the surrounding land. Additionally, participating landowners cannot charge a fee for hunting. NDGF will provide enough seed to cover up to a maximum 5-acre planting at no cost to the landowner. Landowners interested in receiving seed must sign up online by April 4. Seed will be available in May at NDGF offices in Bismarck, Jamestown, Devils Lake, Harvey, Dickinson, Williston and Riverdale. NDGF private land biologists can provide technical assistance on food plot location and site preparation. Landowners interested in additional financial incentives may be considered for the PLOTS program as well. More information is available by contacting a private land biologist at any NDGF office, or email ndgf@nd.gov.

They'll Come To You

100th Anniversary Article from January 1954

Editor Note: At the time this article was written, raptors were considered much like coyotes are today – undesirable predators of game and other species – and were shot, trapped and destroyed at random. The thinking of the time was this was beneficial to game populations, especially small game. At places like Hawk Mountain, in Pennsylvania, migrating raptors were shot in large numbers, a disgusting and needless slaughter. More enlightened conservation efforts coupled with federal and state laws protecting raptors brought an end to this slaughter. Readers are reminded that killing raptors remains illegal, and to regard this article as a product of its time, not a recipe for modern conservation. Also, check local laws before night hunting predators.

By Russell Tinsley

We were crouching low in our brushy stand, Bill and I, studying the overcast sky with intent interest. We had been watching for perhaps 15 minutes, when Bill quietly nudged me and motioned excitedly toward a tiny speck going through some adept aerial maneuvers far to our right. Immediately, I recognized it as a hawk by its characteristic aerial tactics. And better yet, I could tell the predator was hunting.

The falcon was soaring toward us from the west and would pause at well-spaced intervals, circle a couple of times, and then continue on, looking for breakfast. Lucky for us, he began one of his wide, sweeping arcs just as he passed over our stand. That's when Bill cupped two fingers over his mouth and began calling. Immediately, the hawk fidgeted and began dipping lower with every gyration. I shifted position and eased the safety off my shotgun.

Bill toned his call down to a series of little sobbing squeals that really seemed to fire the bird up. He titled over into a corkscrew dive and came down fast.

"A blue darter," Bill whispered. "I'm going to bring him in." The hawk was covering the countryside with long sweeping figure-eights, crisscrossing back and forth, trying to locate the painful squalling.

Bill brought one more loud piercing squeal through his fingers before fading away to a painful sob. It was a genuine call of distress. The hawk came in at a terrific clip, skimming close to the ground. When he crossed over us, I jumped up and let him have a load from my scattergun.

Animal calling isn't always easy. Not by a long shot. Many times, I've trudged home, mouth sore from calling all day and conspicuously without game. And yet at other times, I've had hawks to come zipping in seconds after I started calling. It all depends on the hunter. How patient he may be and how well he can match wits with a cunning and crafty creature like the hawk. That's what makes it one of the most unpredictable, and at the same time one of the most exciting sports I have ever encountered.

Animal calling is rapidly gaining in popularity. Witness the number and variety of calls flooding the sporting goods market today. When I first became an ardent animal calling fan, you probably couldn't have found a single call in most of the larger sporting goods stores. However, today it is rare indeed if you don't find at least one type call in every store that stocks some form of sporting goods equipment.

Foxes answer the same call that causes the hawks to come breezing in – the call of a rabbit in distress. These are the only two creatures in Texas that respond regularly to a call to my knowledge. Most times, if they are around, coyote will answer the same call, but since these cunning animals are limited in Texas and found most abundantly in Mexico, I will ignore them in my discussion.

The advantages of letting the creatures come to you are obvious. First, animals possess a nervous system that is instinctively alert to sounds and noises that no human mind can comprehend. The snapping of a small twig or the slightest rustle of clothing on brush means danger to the instinct of an animal and will send him scurrying to the seclusion of his den. Second, the animal has the advantage of knowing the country far better than the hunter ever will. A fox knows every nook of brush or vine-tangled runway that will offer hiding in case of danger, and the slightest hint of something suspicious, he will ghost away, never to be seen by human eyes.

Also, any animal is equipped with far superior eyes, ears and smell systems than humans. A fox can smell you for unbelievable distances and can see or hear you for distances that seem incredible. If one sees, smells or hears you, you may as well go looking for another target. Your chances of seeing that creature again are almost null.

Thus, when you let the animal come to you, it will be he, not you, that will be moving about and making the noises. Since you are standing still, it will be much easier to glimpse him before he sees you. Then the odds of bagging game are decidedly in your favor.

The best method for reproducing the call of a rabbit in trouble, Bill believes, is by placing two fingers over one side of your mouth and sucking air. This produces a high piercing whistle that a hawk or fox can hear for half a mile. The best approach is to start with several loud painful squeals and then taper down to a few sobbing sad moans. If they're going to come at all, this brings them in fast.

Bill can use the difficult finger call, but I can't. For my own use, I prefer the relatively inexpensive reed vibrating call that can be purchased in most sporting goods stores. If you can't duplicate the squeal with fingers or find a reed call, there are several other good substitutes.

One way is to cut a small mesquite limb about the size of your little finger, split it, insert a piece of cactus skin scraped good and clean, and blow through it. Other methods are blowing on a blade of grass, through a slotted turkey quill, or by using one of those little imitation criers found in baby dolls. The doll crier was my favorite before I was introduced to one of the reed affairs.

Any sound that half-way imitates a squealing rabbit will usually bring in a fox or hawk, providing they can hear the call. A still day or one with a slight breeze is best. If the air is moving at all, get downwind from the general locale of game. One point that can never be overemphasized is to watch the general direction of the wind and let not the tiniest thread of scent betray your presence. The scent of a human is a danger signal that no animal ever disregards.

If you don't know where to find foxes or hawks in reasonable abundance, inquire of local ranchers, farmers, trappers or hunters. Usually just about anyone that knows the country can provide this information. Perhaps the two best sources are the local game warden and the state game commission representative in your region, if there is one.

Once you find the general locale of game, find a suitable stand downwind that is well-concealed. Most times the foxes and even the hawks will approach from downwind. But it pays to keep your eyes open and stay alert. An anxious one will sometimes come in from any direction that's handy. One day while Bill and I were hunting foxes, one of the critters almost ran over me.

We were calling and watching the country downwind. Suddenly, we heard an unexpected snarl behind us. A red fox was advancing fast from upwind. I know he could smell us, but he was so eager he just kept coming fast. Since we were well-screened from sight, we just let the fox come on. When he was about 20 paces away and still coming strong, Bill suddenly jumped up, and the fox planted his forefeet in a cloud of dust. He slid several feet, pivoted and grabbed ground, trying to get out of there pronto. When he got good and stretched out, Bill anchored him with a load of buckshot.

After you've found a good stand, make yourself comfortable and begin calling. Just keep this little rule in mind: Don't make any movements, whatsoever. If you must move in a dire emergency, make your movements slow and even. A fox will notice a jerky movement much faster than he will one that is slow and natural. Foxes and hawks possess very keen and observant eyes. Since a fox is very cautious and silent, he many times spots you before you glimpse him and then he'll backtrack, leaving you holding an empty bag. That's why it's important not to make any unnecessary movements.

When you're calling hawks or foxes, there's no use waiting around if you haven't produced results in 10 minutes. If they're going to come at all, they'll come in a hurry. But if one of them does answer your call and you nail him, don't move from your position. Keep calling a few moments more. A second one many times shows up.

If you want to experience some real sport, try calling them up at night with a light. But I'd check my state's game laws before pulling this little stunt. In many states, it's illegal to use a light when hunting at night.

You can usually hunt hawks throughout the year, and in some parts of the country, the same goes for foxes. Most landowners will welcome you if you ask to kill foxes on their land. The fox takes a heavy toll of chickens, rabbits and other small animals.

The same holds true with hawks. Some of them help conservation by killing rodents, but the majority are hard on game. the bird-eaters such as the Coopers hawk and the blue darter are the ones that respond most eagerly and quickly to the call of a rabbit in distress, strange as it may seem. Also, it's true you can't call a hawk off the limb of a tree. He's not hungry and only sits and stares at you.

Find a fox or hawk that's really wobbling from hunger, and just about any call will bring him within shooting range. When they get hungry, they get anxious and careless, and really come close. This point was proven several months ago when Wayne Weems called up a fox where Howard Hill, the famed archer, could finish him off. This whole show was viewed by the television audience all over the country. What TV viewers saw had all the elements of a staged production. But it wasn't planned and, as anyone that has called foxes will tell you, it was completely unrehearsed.

The prey that can be called isn't limited to rabbit hunting creatures, by any means. Quail, armadillos, crows and other creatures can be called if you are fortunate enough to master the technique. This is a good deal harder than calling foxes or hawks because these creatures won't answer regularly. Crows are about the easiest of the lot since most sporting goods stores stock crow calls. But there isn't any commercial call that will bring up creatures such as quail. You have to bring them in by whistling with your lips.

I can't call quail, but I have seen hunters who can. One particular old-timer I know can place an oak leaf on his palate and imitate a lovesick hen quail's call until half the rooster quail population within a half-mile radius will be whistling and strutting and dragging their wings all around him. But hunters such as this are the exception instead of the rule.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Connecticut Trappers’ Association Spring Fur Sale
The Connecticut Trappers’ Association will hold a spring fur sale, April 5, at Fin, Fur and Feather Club, 213 Chewink Rd., Chaplin, Connecticut. Doors open at 8 a.m. The sale is open to members and non-members. No commission. Contact Scott Kneeland (860) 234-3192 or Cameron Kelsey (619) 997-2345 for more information.

Foothills Trappers, Fulton Montgomery Trappers Fur Auctions
The Foothills Trappers and the Fulton Montgomery Trappers will hold a fur auction April 12, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post, 131 Mohawk St., Herkimer, New York. Call Paul Johnson (315) 867-6565 or Neal Sowle (518) 883-5467 for more information

Central Maine Trappers
The Central Maine Chapter of the Maine Trappers’ Association will hold its annual Spring Fur Auction April 27, at the Palmyra Community Center, 768 Main St., Palmyra, Maine. Doors open at 7 a.m. For more information, contact Ted Perkins at (207) 570-6243.

Texas Trappers and Fur Harvesters Association
The Texas Trappers and Fur Harvesters Association Spring Rendezvous will be held April 25 - 26 at the Mashburn Event Center, 1100 7th Street NW, in Childress, Texas. For more information visit www.ttfha.com

New Mexico Trappers’ Association Fur Sales and Rendezvous
The New Mexico Trappers’ Association (NMTA) will hold its rendezvous June 13 and 14, at the Mountain View Christian Camp, in Alto, New Mexico. Contact Shelly (575) 649-1684 or gypsytrapper@yahoo.com.

Upper Peninsula Trappers’ Association Convention
The U.P. Trappers’ Association will hold its U.P. Trappers Convention and Outdoor Show July 11 and 12, in Escanaba, Michigan, at the U.P. State Fairgrounds. Camping and food will be available on the fairgrounds. Activities will include demos, mini raffles, can raffles and a new “kids cave.” Contact Roy Dahlgren (906) 399-1960 or email trapperroy@outlook.com, and visit www.uptrappers.com for more information

New England Trappers
The New England Trappers (NET) will hold their NET Weekend August 14 - 16 in Bethel, Maine. Contact Neil Olson (207) 875-5765 or (207) 749-1179 for more information.

Idaho Trappers Association 2025 Calendar
The Idaho Trappers’ Association, in conjunction with the National Trappers’ Association, will hold their annual banquet September 6, at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino, in Fort Hall, Idaho. For more information on any of these events, contact Rusty Kramer, ITA President, at (208) 870-3217.

Coming in May

Features
Jakes: The Most Challenging Turkey... - Bruce Ingram shares his respect for and tactics to deal with the oddball behavior jakes often bring to spring gobbler hunts.
The 28 Gauge: Mystique and Reality - Garhart Stephenson explores the sub-gauge 28, and shares his experiences with what it can or can’t do.
Bowfishing: Carp, Gar and More - Chris Smith shares his tactics for bowfishing with carp, gar and catfish in mind.
Ozark Squirrel Hunting - With a May through February season, it’s easy to understand why Missouri squirrel hunters, including writer Jacob McIntosh, are so passionate about squirrels.
Navigation - David Darlington looks at the rules of land navigation and how he broke a few but found his way home anyhow.
A Coastal Chronicle: Alaska Bear Hunt - John Witte drew a spring black bear tag and shares his southeast Alaska adventure hunting coastal bears.

Other Stories
• Tidal Muskrats – Cameron Kelsey looks at what it took for him to capitalize on a largely unused muskrat resource.
• Wolves of the Birchwood, Chapter 9
• Choosing and Using Binoculars – Fred Schindler helps readers get the right binocular for the right task.
• Fast and Light Beaver Trapping – Jeff Wolgast tells how he streamlined his beaver trapping efforts to make things more efficient and effective.
• With a Nudge From Mother Nature – Rachel Langley took her father on his last deer hunt and created a memory to last a lifetime.
• Trout on Black Moshannon (100th Anniversary article) – Steven V. Seldak tells what it was like to trout fish Black Moshannon Creek in Pennsylvania in 1927.
• Keep the Faith – Phil Goes offers turkey hunters a reason to go on, even if their season isn’t turning out the best.