Photo submitted by Paul Baxter

Photo submitted by Paul Baxter

Thanks and Happy Hunting

Photo submitted by Paul Baxter

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CASPER, Wyo. - A police officer didn’t think much of a call to shoo off a bothersome “kitty cat” at a home in Casper, Wyo. Then the officer arrived at the home of Beverly Hood. It was no ordinary domestic feline — but a male mountain lion weighing 80 to 90 pounds.

Officer Mike Ableman says he ran for cover inside Hood’s home when he saw the cougar.

Hood says she was inside when she first saw the mountain lion lying on her porch Monday. Hood says the lion hissed at her, but she wasn’t scared.

She called 911, animal control and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Hood reported that she had a bothersome “big cat.” A dispatcher told Ableman that it was a house cat.

A game warden tranquilized the mountain lion and the animal was relocated.

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Deer project starts off with 13 caught, killed

Associated Press - September 23, 2008 10:55 AM ET

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Helena police trapped and killed 13 mule deer in four days last week, as part of a pilot project to reduce the number of deer within city limits.

Chief Troy McGee says the last of the carcasses were taken to a meat processer on Monday.

All of the venison is being given to Helena Food Share for distribution. The food bank is paying for the processing.

The pilot project aims to cut the city’s growing deer herd by 50 animals over the course of several weeks. Officers began the nighttime work last week, baiting a half-dozen box traps with apples and a mix of grains and molasses.

Officers kill the deer with a bolt gun, which uses a blank cartridge to fire a cylinder into the deer’s brain. It does not fire a projectile.

Information from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com

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To me, a hissing male mountain lion on my front porch constitutes a threat - much more so than mule deer eating my shrubs. In my opinion, the mule deer in Helena should be relocated and the mountain lion shot on the spot. Modern-day priorities seem to exibit a love affair between agencies and predators.  It is almost as bad to kill a predator as it is to cut down a pine tree.

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The Mule Deer Hunt is coming up soon. HURRY and get your HUNTING GRUB

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Buy in bulk and save money.

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Oregon has a hunter access map through google. Here is the link:

More than 50 percent of Oregon’s land is public. Hunters can use the access map to locate private lands where ODFW has established cooperative management agreements with landowners to provide hunting access to the public.

The map provides online links to harvest statistics and regional hunting reports. It provides the size and a description of the area.  Special regulations, such as mandatory hunter check-in and check-out, are noted.

This report comes from the chief of Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Quentin Kujala.

The rifle season starts October 26 and about 160,000 hunters are expected. Locals are praying for snow to drive the deer into the low country.

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Region 1 — Northwestern Montana

Near Kalispell and the surrounding area, white-tailed deer herds are stable and experienced a normal winter in the east half of the region and a harder winter along the Idaho border. White-tailed deer are plentiful in the Swan Valley, the Salish Range and the Lower Clark Fork Valley. Hunting access is good but involves stalking game in heavy coniferous habitats. Mule deers populations are slowly increasing with good fawn production. Hot spots for mule deer include the Cabinet and West Cabinet mountains, the high country of the Lower Clark Fork, the Whitefish Range and the subalpine areas of the Mission and Swan mountain ranges. Mule deer hunters typically are more successful at the higher altitudes.

Region 2 — Western Montana

Near Missoula and the surrounding area, mule and white-tailed deer numbers are trending upward. Mule deer are being seen at lower elevations in numbers not seen in the past 30 years. Hunters can take advantage of additional whitetail permits, and if the weather cooperates, the season has the potential to be very good.

Region 3 — Southwestern Montana

In the areas near Bozeman and north of Yellowstone National Park, mule deer recruitment in general was moderate to good. In some cases, numbers are healthy but remain below historic highs.

Region 4 — Central Montana

Hunting near Great Falls and the surrounding area reflect ample opportunities for both white-tailed deer and mule deer. Mule deer populations are stable and reflect strong overwinter adult survival but declining fawn production and survival. White-tailed deer and mule deer are present on both private and public lands. Signs are pointing toward a good deer hunting season this year but somewhat diminished opportunities in the succeeding year owing to poor fawn survival.

Region 5 — Southcentral Montana

In Billings and the surrounding area, deer populations remain high, with a good distribution of older age bucks available. Mule deer numbers are higher than last year in many hunting districts. Hunters can expect significantly reduced white-tailed deer numbers along the Musselshell River between Melstone and Roundup and adjacent areas due to a blue tongue outbreak in August and September of 2007. White-tailed deer numbers continue to grow in most other areas of Region 5. Hunters are encouraged to enquire about surplus whitetail “B” licenses and access opportunities at FWP’s Region 5 office in Billings.

Region 6 — Northeastern Montana

Mule deer and white-tailed deer numbers are very high in Glasgow and the surrounding area. Mule deer populations have mostly recovered from the low levels earlier in the decade and are exceeding population objectives in many hunting districts. General-tag deer hunters on public land should see plenty of bucks and does in habitats as geographically disparate as the Bears Paw Mountains and the Richland County breaks. White-tailed deer numbers are also quite high, and where access is secured through Block Management, hunting on private land should be very good.

Region 7 — Eastern Montana

In Miles City and the surrounding area, both species of deer wintered well and benefitted from abundant spring forage. Populations along the Yellowstone River, between Glendive and Sidney, are 20-30 percent above the long-term average. The ratio of white-tailed deer bucks to does is 40 bucks per 100 does. White-tailed populations along the Yellowstone River between Miles City and Hysham showed some mortality due to last fall’s, blue tonguee disease. Mule deer populations are about 17 percent above the long-term average, with a good percentage of mature adults. Hunters should find ample opportunity to harvest mule deer.

Are you just itching to get out there and do some deer hunting? October 11 marks the begining of the Washington State rifle deer hunt. According to reports, the bowhunters have had a good time of it. You rifle hunters get out there and find us a big buck. We always appreciate stories and pictures to go with them. Go to our contact page or send your stories and pictures to: foremleader@muledeerfantic.com

CLICK HERE for Washington State hunting Regs.

Saturday, September 27, marks the opening assault on Texas Mule Deer as bowhunters take to the woods and hills. Mule Deer numbers are up according to some reports. I’m not sure there is any state that can match Texas in terms of the number of bowhunters, so get out there early and shoot a big buck. You’ll likely be competing with 99,999 other hunters, but then Texas is a big place.

  Happy Hunting and May the Force be with You.