HUNTERS - SCI Illinois

WI SCI HUNTERS – November/December 2016 1

DR. MATT’S DR. MATT’S BOW BUCKBOW BUCK

HUNTERS

Students & Educators Thank SCI

Chapter Updates & Events

Humanitarian Services for Namibia School

Legislative & Conservation News

Worldwide Hunt Reports

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SCI CHAPTERS IN WISCONSIN AND ILLINOISNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

Randy Maye’s Kiwi Tahr

Randy Maye’s Kiwi Tahr

2 WI SCI HUNTERS – November/December 2016 WI SCI HUNTERS – November/December 2016 3

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HUNTERSOn the cover: Cuba City’s Dr. Matt Andrews arrowed this southwest Wisconsin buck and made the mistake

of calling your SCI editor who made him and Bill Taylor pose with various props, including the orange vest. And

that’s member Randy Mayes with his tahr (see story, page 24).

In this issue:

6 SCI Region 16 Report by Regional Rep. Charmaine Wargolet

6 Education: Science Teachers Recognize SCI Member’s Efforts

8 Lake Superior Chapter Report by President Cyndy Boyce

9 Badgerland Chapter Report by President Kirk Willard

9 Southeastern WI Bowhunters Chapter Report by President Alex Valley

10 Northeast Wisconsin Chapter Report by President Mark Jablonic

10 Archery Up, But Bowhunting Lags

12 Wisconsin Chapter Report by President Matt Yunk

12 Education: SCI Supports Trap Team

14 Illinois & Chicago Chapter Report by President Brandon Goodwin

14 Federal Legislation Introduced

15 Education: Outdoor Heritage Expo Students/Teachers Say Thanks

18 Members Win Top TV Honors Nationally

18 Hunters Rights: Chapter Logos in Dan Small Public Outreach Ad

19 In Memorium: Dr. Vic Connors

19 Education: Milio’s Supports Youth

20 Humanitarian: Members Deliver Blue Bags to Namibia Schools by Monica Kamal & Steve Spaeni

21 Olympic-size Leverage

22 Dog Tracking Deer by Jeremy Moore

24 Hunt Report: Kiwi Tahr by Randy Mayes

26 Hunt Report: Boar by Andrew Parker

27 Hunt Report: Lake Trout by Randy Mayes

28 Hunt Report: Leopard by Jeffery Belongia

Editor/Publishers: Mark & Coni LaBarbera

HUNTERS is a bimonthly publication for members of SCI chapters in Wisconsin, plus bonus electronic circulation, which includes some of the world’s most avid and affl uent conservationists who enjoy hunting here and around the world. They have earned a reputation of leadership on natural resources issues and giving to pro-tect and support the future of hunting and conservation here and abroad. To share your message with them, send ads and editorial submissions to Mark LaBarbera at [email protected].

Submission of story and photos means that you are giving SCI permission to use them free in SCI printed or electronic form.

Issue Deadline__January/February November 20March/April January 20May/June March 20July/August May 20September/October July 20November/December September 20

New AdvertisersThe number of advertisers allowed in WI SCI HUNTERS magazine is limited. If you would like your ad to be considered for publication, contact Mark at [email protected]. New advertisers who are accepted and prepay for a 6x schedule receive substantial discounts as listed below. All amounts are net U.S. dollars.Ad 1x 6x TotalSize Size Rate (Prepaid)1/4 Pg. 3.5”w x 5.25”h $150 $600/yr.1/2 Pg. 8.25”w x 4.75”h $200 $800/yr.Full Pg. 8.25”w x 10.75”h $250 $1,100/yr.Covers 8.25”w x 10.75”h $300 $1,300/yr.Deliver ads with ½” margin on four sides, plus ¼” for bleeds.

Send ad fees to Treasurer Gary Knaack, 4005 Towne Lake Circle #10209, Appleton, WI 54911. No attempt is made to verify the accuracy of ballistic information or hunt reports submitted. Ads in this publi-cation are not considered endorsements or approval of such advertiser by Safari Club International.

Offi cial Magazine of SCI Chapters in Wisconsin and Illinois

November/December 2016

Join today!Join today!SCI Chapterswelcome you!

New members and your families are always wel-

come at SCI. Visit these websites and join a

chapter to start your adventure. Members enjoy

great fun, meet new friends, make a difference in

their community and help the future of hunting,

plus you will discover new deals and opportunities

that improve your hunting skill and enjoyment. We

invite you to join online today.

Badgerland Chapter

President Kirk Willardwww.scibadgerland.com

Illinois & Chicago Chapter

President Brandon Goodwinwww.sci-illinois.com

Lake Superior Chapter

President Cyndy Boycewww.sci-lakesuperior.com

Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

President Mark Jablonicwww.scihunterexpo.com

Southeast Wisc. Bowhunters Chapter

President Alex Valleywww.scibowhunters.com

Wisconsin Chapter

President Matt Yunkwww.sciwi.org

SCI Region 16 Representative

Charmaine [email protected]

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Region 16 Report:

D.C. National Board Meeting Newsby Charmaine Wargolet, Regional RepI wanted to start out with some brief comments on the past summer National Board meeting. It was held in beautiful, sunny San Diego, which brought record attendance. We had a quorum for the Board meeting, and the meetings were productive and informational. A few highlights are:1. In early August the SCI Guides and

Outfitters committee held the first “Crucial Conservation” workshop. In attendance were representatives from Wild Sheep Foundation, Dallas Safari Club, Conservation Force, RMEF and more. It was an attempt to get everyone working together to get the hunting message out. Seeing all these organizations working together gives us hope for hunting’s future.

2. The most signifi cant thing to come a bou t i n M e mbe r sh ip i s the launching of the one button auto-matic renewal option. When a member initially signs up, they will

have the opt ion to have the i r membership automatically renewed with the renewal fee charged to their credit card each year. This may be a real help in our chapter membership retention. Existing members will have the same option when they renew.

3. The SCI National convention will be in Las Vegas for the next two years, 2017 and 2018. But then it is moving to Reno for 2019 through 2021. Then back to Vegas. Reno has been working very hard to get our conven-tion back there and are pretty much rolling out the red carpet.

4. The D.C. office has a lot going on! Much too much for me to put in this article, so watch the Safari Times and the e-publication, Crosshairs, for all of the things they are doing on behalf of us members and hunters everywhere.

5. SCI-PAC again gave me two checks f o r W i s c o n s i n c a n d i d a t e s . One check to Ron Johnson for $1,000, (previously they had given

one for $2,000), and one check for Paul Ryan for $2,000. Both candidates were grate fu l fo r the contributions. Pictured is Wisconsin board member, S teve Van L ieshout presenting check to Senator Johnson.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome two new chapter presi-dents who just started their respective terms this past July 1. Alex Valley is

the new president of the SE Wisconsin Bowhunters Chapter, taking over where Mike Pjevach lef t of f. Mike did an awesome job at the Bowhunters helm, and we all want to thank him for his years of great service!

Matt Yunk is the new president of the Wisconsin Chapter and has some big shoes to fi ll. Mike Betters did an excel-lent job, and I know everyone in the Wisconsin Chapter is grateful for his inspiring leadership. Best of luck to both of these capable gentlemen. I know they will do a great job!

Next issue of HUNTERS, I will have a full report on the Regional 16 meeting. It promises to be a good one with each chapter in Wisconsin and Illinois repre-sented by your elected SCI volunteer leaders.

Lastly, if this reaches you before the election, please get out and VOTE! If it is past, I hope you went to the polls and exercised your freedom to help choose the leaders of this great country. I am writing this with my fi ngers crossed and a prayer on my lips, that we manage to elect those that help us keep our hunting heritage alive and well.

Good luck in those cornfields or wherever you deer hunt this season!

Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers awarded top honors at their annual convention in La Crosse to SCI Life Member Mark LaBarbera of the Outdoor Heritage Education Center group for his dedication and long history of working to connect students with natural sciences.

Grand Casino HinckleyHinckley, MN

April 7 & 8, 201719th Annual

Lake Superior ChapterBanquet & Fundraiser

Lake Superior ChapterBanquet & Fundraiser


Lake Superior Chapter Reportby Cyndy Boyce, PresidentIt is hard to believe that the end of the year is nearly here! Where did 2016 go? I hope that you all had a fantastic year full of new memories and safe travels. Just as the busy hol iday season gets into ful l swing, the hol idays mark the busy point for the Chapter. We have all circled April 6, 7 and 8, 2017 on our calendar, I recommend you do the same.

The 2017 Banquet is coming together very nicely and donations are coming in. Your board is working hard to create an event that you will be excited to attend and auction items YOU will WANT to have the winning bid on. We are excited to have two great speakers for our event. Friday night’s speaker is Founder and owner of Viking Tactics, Sergeant Major Kyle E. Lamb, who is a former U.S. Tier 1 Special Operations Forces Operator who served in the elite group U.S. Delta Force. Sergeant Major Kyle E. Lamb has served more than 21 years in the U.S. Army, 15 of which were in Special Operations. Saturday

night’s speaker is Kayne Robinson who is a former president of the National Rifle Association. He is also the former assistant chief of police in Des Moines, Iowa. Kayne Robinson is also a veteran of the Vietnam War. Both of these well respected men will leave you on the edge of your seats.

Registration for our event is now available – please check our website {www.sci-lakesuperior.org} for a link to the online registration application. If you would prefer to have a registration form mailed to you, please send me an email: [email protected] and I will get one in the mail to you. Please register early and make your hotel reservations now. Grand Casino – 800-472-6321, use code LAK0406. Just like 2016, our event will offer a speak Three-Day pass which includes an exclusive opportunity to have dinner with our vendors, and hear hunt reports from fellow members on Thursday evening.

As the auction program is completed, these items will also be listed on the

Lake Superior Chapter Website, watch for updates on the Lake Superior Chapter Facebook.

I have heard and seen some amazing trophies taken by our members, many of their hunt reports are currently posted on our website. Several of these hunt reports are from members who purchased hunts at our banquet. These hunt repor ts are so impor tant to complete, so thank you for taking the time to send in photos and your reports. I am a bit tardy in completing my own hunt report from our trip in August, but I will get it online shortly.

Embrace what is left of 2016 and I hope that the holidays find you with family and friends, warm, safe and enjoying the best things in life.

Badgerland Chapter Reportby Kirk Willard, PresidentFor many, I am sure, it is our favorite time of year. The birds are fl ying, dogs are fl ushing and retrieving, the turkeys are scratching, the deer are readying for ru t and the winter, musk ies are smashing top water lures, and arrows are flying. By now if you have a food plot in I hope it is growing, your deer stand is anchored, and you are hitting a quar ter with your r i f le shots. I have already heard stories and seen pictures of successful hunts both in Wisconsin and from out West. This is the time of year many sportsmen and women and our families become most active, practicing the ultimate conserva-tion of animals through the hunting o f t h e s e wo nd e r f u l r e n ewa b l e resources.

Growing up very near to our eventual 26th President’s ranches in North Dakota I was subjected to Teddy Roosevelt’s grand philosophy at an early age and one as a hunter today I am incredibly appreciative of. An important point to be made for our membership; while we are actively enjoying the outdoors let’s be sure we are sharing the importance of hunting and fi shing to the sustainability to our wildlife, as they say take advantage of the moment, especially with those that aren’t familiar with the concept or don’t understand it. As the lyrics of a great Big and Rich country song go, “I’m the only John Wayne left in this town.” That can never describe the membership of Safari Club International. Think of the influence we have if and when every

hunter stood up to defend our right to hunt, fi sh and trap.

Lastly, do not forget to attend your chapter membership meetings, sit in on a Board meeting, and get those chapter Christmas parties on the calendar. I look forward to these events to hear all the great stories and partake in the sharing of the memories, certainly adds to my favorite time of the year, I am betting yours as well.

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SE Wisconsin Bowhunters Chapter Reportby Alex Valley, PresidentAs the fa l l winds br ing in cooler temperatures this time of year and the warm evenings of summer have given way to crisp leaves, frost covered sunrises, cut corn fi elds, and watching animals wake up around us, I can’t help but daydream about the next hunt.

This is the time of year that we as hunters live for; a time when stories of perfectly executed shots as well as missed opportunities keep each of us hanging on every word. A time when vacation days and sleep are at a premium and weekends are fi lled with family, friends, and memories that we will never forget. A time when trophy pictures and text message descriptions of hunts fi ll our phone but will never fully explain what the hunter experienced when he or she pulled the trigger and recovered their animal. But most of all, this is a time when refl ection and antic-ipation of the future go hand in hand.

As I write this, I can’t help but think of the experiences that I have been fortu-nate enough to have while in the outdoors and how truly blessed I am to be able to enjoy the freedoms that we are afforded in this great nation. I refl ect

upon the many memories of successes and failures while afield; each one equally unique and special to me in some way, and each one filled with lessons learned.

While I reflect on the places I have been and dream of the experiences that lie ahead, I am cognizant that hunting and the way of life that I love would not be possible without the work of SCI and the dedication of those fi ghting to keep our hunting heritage alive. With that said, I see a number of paral le ls between my personal experiences and the Southeast Wisconsin Bowhunters Chapter.

Along with all of the other SCI chap-ters, our chapter has played an integral role in fi ghting for the preservation and expansion of hunting r ights while ensuring those opportunities will exist for generations to come. We have met terrifi c members, sponsors, and donors along the way and been fortunate enough to develop lasting relationships with them. We have shared the conser-vation aspects and our passion for hunting with those who have not been exposed to it. Most of all though, our chapter along with the other SCI

chapters, has become a voice for the hunter and conservationist - a voice that I am proud to say represents me personally.

As I begin my journey as President of the Southeast Wisconsin Bowhunters Chapter, I reflect on the accomplish-ments to which we have been able to contribute, and I look forward to what our future holds. I am truly blessed to have not only extremely valuable board members to work with, but a lso members and sponsors that share my passion for the outdoors. I am excited to see what we can accomplish in the future and I am confi dent that not only our chapter, but the other chapters across this country and SCI as a whole, will continue to be a voice for hunters - a voice that I can be proud to say represents you and me.


For more information or to purchase tickets call 920-735-9718 or visit

We will be hosting all of our Outfitters and Vendors at the Outfitters and Vendors at the

WISCONSIN STATE HUNTING EXPO located in Shopko Hall.

Our Hunt Chairman Cal Ort is hard at work procuring hunts for our

Saturday Night Live Auction.

Cal has been acquiring hunts and outdoor adventures from around

the world including some right here in our own backyard.

If you are looking for a certain type of hunt or adventure please contact Cal at 920-250-2484 and he will see

if he can find it.

Our Annual Hunter’s Banquet, Live Auction and Raffles will be held at Stadium View Bar & Grill in Green Bay, WI on Saturday February 25th.

We will have shuttle service

on Saturday afternoon for your comfort and convenience.

With the purchase of a banquet

dinner ticket you will also receive your free pass to the your free pass to the

WISCONSIN STATE HUNTING EXPO.

Trophy Competition will be held at the Trophy Competition will be held at theWISCONSIN STATE HUNTING EXPO.

We will have Official SCI Scorers at the Expo to measure your

trophies and help you enter them into the SCI Record Books.

NE WI Chapter Reportby Mark Jablonic, PresidentLet me just begin by saying, I NEVER get in a tree stand without a safety harness. It’s my hard and fast rule. There are so many different ways you can screw up your hunt or get injured while you’re hunting, the last thing I want to do is stack the odds against me. One less thing to worry about. I had made plans with friends, Jeff and David Hoppman, to get stand sites on my hunting land ready for deer hunting. Well, in my haste to get out the door and meet them, I forgot to pack my safety harness and didn’t realize it until we had already driven 200 miles to my hunting land.

Now, I probably could have found one somewhere. But if you’re like me, you know what it’s like, you’ve hung these stand in those spots forever and never even came close to a problem. No big deal. I guess the odds caught up to me.

There’s an old adage that came about when hunting from tree stands was in its infancy. You only hung a stand as high in a tree as you felt comfortable in falling from it. That’s probably why the highest I place my stands is 15-18 feet up. Luckily I was still going up the tree when I slipped on a step. I know exactly what happened and thought about it briefl y as I started my fall. There was that brief instant where I knew I was going to fall. This was going to happen and there was no stopping it. No rewind. No going back. Then comes the realization that at some point you’re going to hit the ground. I was amazed at how many thoughts ran through my mind in that

very short period of time. I was lucky there were no logs or rocks beneath me and it had rained, a lot. I relaxed and awaited my impact. The landing was actually soft.

As I lay there assessing my situation, I realized that I was unhurt. I told Jeff and Dav id, “ Ho ly !@#$%, I ’m f ine!” Sometimes we need little reminders from the hunting gods. I escaped with only a scratch on my arm. Should’ve bought a lottery ticket. But then, maybe I just won it. By the time you are reading this we will be full tilt into fall hunting seasons. Please be careful as you pursue those things that you are passionate about and hunt safely. Take an extra moment if you need to and use your head. Don’t learn a lesson the hard way.

Cal Ort took one of our young hunters, Jack Kapral, out for a whitetail deer hunt at Singler’s in Shiocton WI over the Labor Day weekend. Young Jack suffers from a childhood disease that made it very difficult for him to get off a good shot at a buck that they have been hunting for two years there. Cal will be taking Jack and his dad, Joe, out again sometime in the near future.

The Northeast Wisconsin chapter is looking for a conservation project for the chapter to do in 2017. If you know of a worthy project, please bring it to the attention of a board member so we can discuss it.

A message to our new members. We’d love to see you at some of our monthly meetings. Watch for your yellow card. You aren’t obligated to do anything

but come, eat some great food and tell some believable lies about your hunting season. That goes for our long time members as well. This chapter and the work is does is for you. We’re here to help protect your rights as a hunter, but we need your input. We want to hear your stories of where you’ve been or where you’re going. We’d like to hear what’s important to you. What you would like to see changed or happen.

Time to start thinking about our Hunter’s banquet, to be held during the Wisconsin State Hunting Expo, on February 25, 2017 at Stadium View Bar and Grill in Green Bay, WI. Tickets to this event will go fast. Don’t be left out like some people were last year. Give then to your buddies as a Christmas present. They’re sure to be thankful. Auction items are already posted on our website www.scihunterexpo.com.

We’ve had an election. As I write this I don’t know who won. Whoever it is, I hope they share some of the same thoughts on our rights as we do. Be thankful for what you have and where we live. Now go outside and play.

Archery Up , But Bowhunting LagsThe Archery Trade Association (ATA) has recently launched Bowhunting 360 on Facebook, targeted at recruiting and re-engaging new and existing bowhunters. The site launch is a direct response to ATA Board, staf f and member concerns regarding the recent downturn in the bowhunting market.

Bowhunting 360’s launch accompanies a redesign of Archery360.com, which delivers written and visual content to new and beginning archers who seek news, how-to, lifestyle, technology and entertain-ment pieces about archery. Together the sites address the industry’s urgency to strengthen sales and promote archery and

bowhunting. ATA is the organization for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. Since 1953, it has been dedicated to making the industry profi table by decreasing business overhead, reducing taxes and government regulation, and increasing participation in archery and bowhunting. It owns and oper-ates the archery and bowhunting industry’s largest and longest-running trade show worldwide

Archery 360 launched in November 2013 in response to the sport’s popularity in movies, TV shows, popular culture and the London 2012 Olympic Games. Since then,

Archery 360 has exposed millions to archery while building a nearly 150,000-member Facebook community, and generating 38 million YouTube views on a “Dude Perfect” video collaboration. The ATA hopes that Bowhunting 360 will have an equally wide-spread impact.

Bowhunting 360 and the redesigned Archery 360 site equip beginning archers and bowhunters with resources to try archery and bowhunting right away. This redesign includes updated aesthetics, online curriculum and lessons, and a more robust store locator to help archers fi nd the nearest a r c h e r y s h o p.To l e a r n m o r e v i s i t Bowhunting360.com and Archery360.com.

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Wisconsin Chapter Reportby Matt Yunk, PresidentWith the 2016 deer season right around the corner, I thought I would share some Wisconsin hunting facts I recently lea rned at a Hunt ing Works for Wisconsin meeting I attended. About 88% of Wisconsin hunters pursue deer, and with 895,000 resident and non-res-ident hunters taking the fi eld each year, that’s a lot of deer hunters. Wisconsin is ranked second among all states for total number of hunters. Wisconsin hosts 131,000 non-resident hunters who spent $314 mil l ion here. Annually hunters spend $2.5 billion in Wisconsin. With those kind of numbers, we as hunters, are very valuable to the state.

With banquet season coming up, you will see a save the date ad in this issue of HUNTERS. You should have received

yours in the mail from us already, so if you have not

m a r ke d i t o n yo u r calendar yet, please

take the time to d o s o . T h i s ye a r i s th e W i s c o n s i n

Chapter’s 40th annual banquet

and it will be held March 10-11 at the

Grand Geneva Resort and

Spa. Plan to spend the weekend with us, enjoy the spa and other amenities the resort has to offer, as well as a good time with family and friends. Online registration is again available this year and is up and ready for you to register for both the hotel and the banquet. Sharon (my wife) handles the registra-tion for the banquet and is available to answer any of your questions. We have upgraded the steak option this year to a nice fi let and added a shrimp cocktail appetizer. Our Friday fi sh and chicken fry, with all the trimmings, will be served family style at your table, so there will be no lines to eat this year. We hope this will make it easier for all of you. We will also be assigning seats for both nights this year, so seating will work better for you and your group. If you plan on attending, please do me a favor and register early. It will really help Sharon out and makes life for us much nicer. In fact, go jump on the computer right now and get yourself registered. Our website is very easy to use, so go to www.sciwi.org and get it taken care of.

Banquets of any size are a lot of work to put on, so if you would like to lend a hand we sure would appreciate your help. We have lots of jobs, big and small, if you would like to be a part of the team, please contact myself or

Janean at the Wisconsin Chapter offi ce and we will fi nd a place for you that fi ts your interest. Even if you could give an hour or two to sell raffl e tickets, it’s a big help. We have a great group that works hard to put this banquet on, but we all would like a little more time to enjoy the event ourselves. Give it some thought.

December 2 is the date for our annual Christmas party. This year it will again be held at Alioto’s. This is a fun event and shouldn’t be missed. Please plan to attend.

I hope everyone has a successful season this year and I look forward to seeing the pictures and hearing the stories at one of our upcoming events. Good luck, and remember join and renew like your way of life depends on it. SCI need you, and you need SCI!

SCI Supports Youth TrapshootersOne of the successful youth programs suppor ted with money ra ised at Wisconsin SCI Chapter events is the We to s h a C e n t r a l H i g h S c h o o l Scholastic Clays team. Here are more photos sent from very appreciative and grateful youth team members as a way of saying thank you to the chapter’s board, as well as to everyone who

actively participated in the chapter’s fund-r a i se r s . G e ne rous members and donors are one of the keys to being able to help more youth participate safely in shooting spor ts. Thank you!

HUNTINGWORKS

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MOHEE Youth Say ThanksLogos on banners all around the event are nice, but the thank you messages from students and educators have a special way of letting volunteers, mentors and sponsors know that the Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Center is worth our time, talent and treasure.

Videos captured the excitement. The DVD shared with sponsors is a powerful testament to the fact that events like MOHEE create life-long memories and a positive lasting impression about the shooting sports and other outdoor activities. It also teaches both students and chaperones that hunters and ang le rs ca re deep ly about passing along outdoor skills to

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Illinois & Chicago Chapter Reportby Brandon Goodwin, PresidentI would like to report that our Annual Trap Shoot held on August 28th was once again a tremendous success. To everyone that attended we would like to say thank you and we hope to see you next year! On a sad note I must repost on the passing of Dr. Anthony F. Castrogiovanni of Rockford, IL who passed away on August 27th, 2016 at the age of 83. Dr. Castrogiovanni was a long time member and supporter of SCI Illinois & Chicago and will be missed by all of us.

Back to hunting- As the season progresses and we move into colder temps make sure you have winterized all your motorized equipment (added Sta-bil to fuel tanks, Checked and charged batteries, drained boats, etc.) and it’s also a good idea to check your hunting & family vehicles to make sure your winter emergency items are all working and up to date. Every year we hear stories of not only hunters but people who are trapped in a vehicle waiting for help that didn’t have some basic items to keep them warm and signal for help, a blanket, a few water bottles, lighter, fl ashlight, a few energy bars and a couple road fl ares can be life savers even in the lower 48. I have some friends that are very experienced

water fowlers that got into some rough weather in their boat returning to their truck while hunting on a remote river. Their boat took a wave and capsized, they both were able to make it to shore because the river was only 5’ deep but they were soaked and the temps were dropping and the sun was going down. They lost the day pack with their phone and truck keys in it so they had no way to call for help or start the truck to keep warm once they got there. Luck for them when they reached the truck after a mile hike the local Game Warden was waiting to check them. He called for help and everything worked out good this time, they were able to recover the boat and their shotguns the next day but their other gear and decoys all fl oated away down river. They were very lucky. I know we don’t always let people know where we are going or when we plan on being home but this little bit of information could really save a life someday. And that goes for every type of hunting even if you’re just going to the back 40 of the family farm, let someone know. Don’t let a small acci-dent turn into a major manhunt.

Also remember that when you take women (wives, girlfriends) and children hunting latter in the year in most cases they will not be wearing clothing of the

same quality or level of protection form water and cold as you in most cases. So make sure when they say they are cold and you think “I feel fi ne” maybe those $350.00 boots you’re wearing are a little better than what they have on. Be courteous and take them in to warm up, they will be more likely to go back with you next time if they know you are concerned with their comfort and making sure they have an enjoyable hunt. A trick we use that might extend new hunters time in the stand is to take a standard Therm-o-cell and remove the repellant strip and light the unit, once lite place it inside the front of your jacket and it generates heat like a hand warmers. There are lots of tricks we pick up throughout our time in the woods and passing that along to the next generation before they learn the hard might keep more of them from giving up. And they might just want to spend more time with you in the woods. Good luck and safe hunting!

$1.3B Federal Wildlife Bill Introduced by Emily Ronis, TWSIn a major step towards securing increased funding for conservation efforts, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 5650) was introduced in the House of Representatives on July 6.

Congressman Don Young (R-AK ) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) intro-duced the bipar tisan bill. I f passed, the legislation would dedicate $1.3 billion in federal funds annually to state conservation programs, as recommended by the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish & Wildlife Resources in March 2016.

The Panel, comprised of conservation, industry, and former government leaders, was formed in Sept. 2014 by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to evaluate current conser-vat ion fund ing mechanisms and make recommendations for improvements. They

determined that $1.3 billion in annual federal funds is needed for states to successfully imple-ment their State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs).

States designate ‘Species of Greatest Conservation Needs’, including threatened, endangered, rare, and declining species. SWAPs are then designed to direct conservation actions that ensure the conservation and appropriate management of those species. Proponents of the bill believe that improved funding will facili-tate delisting threatened and endangered species, and will help prevent the listing of others. Across the 50 s tates, approx-

imately 12,000 species have been identifi ed as conservation concerns and would benefi t from H.R. 5650.

Currently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helps fund state conservation efforts through the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, which has typically received $40-70 million federal funds in recent years. If the introduced legisla-tion is passed into law, the annual $1.3 billion would fund the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account, which is authorized by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937. The funds would then be distributed to the states to use towards the conservation of a variety of wildlife species, in addition to conservation education and recreation programs.

The bill calls for funding to be sourced from revenue from energy and resource development on federal lands and waters.

Photo © The White House


the nex t generat ion so they can become future stewards of the environ-ment and champions of conservation.

The letters and photos on these pages remind us that we are making a difference in the lives of thousands of youngsters.

We remember our fi rst day afi eld, our f irst hunt, our f irst encounter with competing emotions as we walked up to what was living just minutes before, but soon would be a plate full of protein and the family’s sustenance.

We know that MOHEE and smaller events are a valuable way to introduce many youth and adults to new outdoor skills and a whole new world, one that connects them to nature, but that this is only one step in the right direction. So MOHEE also provides direction on

where to go from here. Participants learn about

on-going opportunities, like Learn to Hunt of ferings, hunter and aquatic e d u c a t i o n , Wo m e n o n Ta rg e t , Becoming an Outdoors-Woman and programs where they can learn fire-arms, ATV, boating and snowmobile safety.

As you can see in the few samples here from hundreds of letters received from MOHEE students, the shooting sports are among the most popular activities at the youth expo. Volunteer safety instructors keep busy all day on more than 20 BB gun shooting posi-tions and a dozen archery lanes, and they hear gratitude and feel the enthu-siasm from the students. We simply want, with these letters and images, to share those sentiments with the spon-sors and cash donors who are making it al l possible. From the mentors, parents, students and educators, please accept our sincere thanks!

16 17


Members Win Top TV HonorsNew York—SCI members Mark LaBarbera and Dan Small won two First Place awards in the prestigious AGLOW Excellence in Craft Competition for the Outdoor Heritage Education Center’s “Wild Turkeys in Wisconsin” TV special.

The Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) is a dynamic organization of the nation’s top writers, editors, publishers and other media professionals who educate and inform audiences throughout North America and the world.

Outdoor Heritage Education Center in col laboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the National Wild Turkey Federation and Hunting Works for Wisconsin success-fully developed, edited, produced and aired this 1-hour TV that showcases Wisconsin’s successful restoration and management of wild turkey populations, plus helps communicate effectively with hunters, landowners and the public regarding turkey population ecology and management issues. It also showcases great partners like NWTF, as well as the forest industry.

“Rarely does a show win top honors in both the Hunting and the Open cate-gories,” said Dan Small, host and co-producer, “but the judges apparently recognized that this was a conservation success story with broad public appeal, and not j u s t f o r v i e w e r s i n Wisconsin.”

The show includes more than 17 v ideo segments that are being used independently and to g e th e r i n va r i o u s combinations as outreach tools for social media, workshops, educators, partners, constituents or other year-round uses. SCI members are familiar with OHEC from teaming up on projects like Loaner Guns, Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo, National Archery in the Schools, and other proj-ects. OHEC’s mission is “To increase the public’s understanding, apprecia-t i o n a n d s e n s e o f stewardship for natural

resources and professional resource management, as well as related activi-ties like hunting and fi shing.”

Badgerland, Northeast Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Chapter have also worked with Dan Small Outdoors to support similar public outreach through the award-winning “Deer Hunt Wiscon-sin” specials that air each November on TV and online year-round.

The favorable comments about the program received from stakeholders, as well as media and natural resource professionals, is especially gratifying because the time available to produce this one-hour program was dramatically reduced due to personnel changes and transitions at WDNR. OHEC received the signed agreement to proceed during late fall 2016 instead of June 1, and worked around the lack of spring back-drops for filming, and helped coach some DNR exper ts who were not comfortable in front of the camera. DNR’s Krista Pham and Mark Witecha were key cooperators. Former DNR upland bird program leader Scott Walter helped init iate the project before accepting a new position with the Ruffed Grouse Society.

Dan Small hosts the show. It includes national leaders from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Sustainable Forestry

Initiative and Vista Outdoors, plus repre-sentatives from Wisconsin retailer and tourism industries. They talk about the success and value of Wisconsin’s natural resources and management of those resources.

“Wild Turkeys in Wisconsin” was publicized on social media, print and TV. Various members of the Wisconsin Outdoor Communicators Association ran press release promoting the show and its airtimes. Dan Small Outdoors Radio promoted the show. Outdoor News publicized the turkey special. DNR’s Witecha appeared with Dan Small for 90 minutes on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “The Larry Meiller Show.”

The turkey special aired on Fox Sports North, Fox Sports Wisconsin and Madison/SW WI FOX 47, as well as public access television stations, inc lud ing WDSE T V in nor thern Wisconsin and northeastern Minnesota, plus on Vernon County Community Access.

Watch Deer Hunt Wisconsin TV Special! Set your DVR for Dan Small’s award-winning one-hour show:

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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BROUGHHT TT TO YO YOUUOU BYBY:BY:

Dan Small & Mark LaBarbera

Milwaukee Public TVMil k P bli TV (MPTV 10.1)( 0 )Nov. 3 - 9 p.m. & Nov. 5 - 9 a.m.

WI Public TV (Digital Channel, e.g. 21.2)

To be announced

Fox Sports WI (all of WI on cable)Nov. 10 - 10 p.m.; Nov. 11 - 8:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.

Nov. 12 - 6 p.m.; Nov. 13 - 9:30 a.m.

Fox Sports North(Western WI, plus MN, ND, SD & Northern IA)Nov. 10 - 9 p.m.; Nov. 11 - 9 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 12 - 5 p.m.; Nov. 19 - 11 a.m.

Fox 47, MadisonNov. 12 @ 6 a.m.

WDSE Duluth/SuperiorTo be announced

WRPT Hibbing, MNTo be announced

BBROROOUGHUGHUG T TT TT TTTO OOOO

Official Deer Nutrition Supplier of DHW TV

2016

Official Clothing of Official Clothing ofDHW TV 2016

In Memorium

Dr. Victor ConnorsJune 9, 1947 – June 6, 2016by Mark LaBarberaHunting and conservation lost a good man this summer when Dr. Vic Connors passed away in his garden. A world-renowned doctor of optometry who worked in Middleton, he was a nation-ally recognized leader in the world of hunting dog trainers and handlers. SCI members and others knew Vic as Co-Founder & President of the Friends of Poynette Game Farm. He advocated for the DNR to increase and maintain historic production levels of 75,000 pheasants per year released on more

than 90 public hunting grounds. And he supported the current administration’s decision to invest in building a reliable new hatchery at Poynette, across from the SCI-supported Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo.

His support of conservation, hunting and good dog work, was only part of

what made Vic so popular, admired and lovable.

Born in Wonewoc, Vic was one of few Wisconsin leaders who touched so many lives worldwide. His humanitarian service, inspirational leadership and contagious enthusiasm were evident in his volunteerism. A brief sampling of his generous sharing of time, talent and treasure includes:

• President, Middleton Chamber of Commerce

• M e m b e r, M i d d l e to n P a r k s Commission

• Pres ident, Wor ld Counc i l of Optometry

• President, American Optometric Association

• President, North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association

• CEO, Optometry Giving Sight in the U.S.

• President, Wisconsin Optometric Association

• WOA Optometrist of the YearVic was a loving husband, family

man, hunting dog trainer and friend. His wife Ginny continues to serve as an offi cer of the Friends of Poynette Game Farm (www.FriendsofWIhunting.org), a place he loved dearly, and where his legacy and spirit survive.

His vision and passion to educate and support upland game bird hunting, field dog handling and conservation continue to inspire generations of volun-teers, hunters and philanthropists toward lives of community service and selfl ess generosity.

Milio’s Helps EducationWiscons i n -based M i l i o’s Sandwiches places a priority on help ing community-based health and education programs run by non-profi t organizations. Members, vo lunteers and participants young and old appreciate Milio’s support for outdoor heritage education ef for ts that teach healthy, life-long sports and conserva-tion ethics.

Recently, outdoor sports mentors and their students received Milio’s gift certifi cates at the Izaak Walton clubhouse

in SW WI where SCI and OHEC loaner gear helped Benton and Shullsburg High School students learn about the fastest growing letter sport in America: trapshooting. Educators and students have added the Platteville Milio’s to their favorite places to frequent.

“At Mi l io’s, we don’t measure success simply in term of how profi table we are,” says the company, “We under-stand that companies also need to be good neighbors. That’s why we partic-ipate in some of the soc ia l and environmental causes that affect the communities we serve. Milio’s delivers… to our neighbors.”

Student trapshooters Corwin Emery, Jack Charles and Reid Scott won Milio’s gift certifi cates.


Olympic Wins Create Opportunities

SCI members realize that the Olympics are not old news. Instead, it is an opportunity that SCI HQ, local chapters and members’ businesses can use in 2017 and beyond to promote the positive aspects of guns and shooting sports.

Olympic medal winners and other USA Shooting Team members are willing partners in such promotions. They can come to corporate events, fundraisers and youth expos to sign autographs, be in photo-graphs, meet with donors and young shooters or give inspira-tional speeches.

The Nat iona l Shoot ing Sports Foundation celebrated the achievements of three USA Shooting Team women who won medals at the Summer Olympic Games in a full-page ad that ran nationally in the USA Today newspaper.

The ad sa id, “Congrat-ulations to the USA Shooting Team and Our Three Olympic Medalists,” and featured photo-graphs of Ginny Thrasher, gold medal winner in 10m air rifle; Kim Rhode, bronze medalist in

women’s skeet and f i rst summer Olympian to medal in six consecutive Olympic Games; and Corey Cogdell-Unrein, bronze medalist in women’s trap. Rhode is an SCI member from California.

The ad also featured a photograph of the entire U.S. Olympic Shooting Team and accompanying text, “Our USA Shooting athletes are among the world’s elite, but the shooting sports are for everyone. Join the mil l ions of American who safely enjoy recreational shooting,” following by the l ink to NSSF’s online database of thousands of shooting ranges across the country at wheretoshoot.org.

NSSF, which has drawn attention to past Olympic shooting medal winners in similar ads, is a proud supporter of USA Shooting, the non-profit organization that is the national governing body for the sport of shooting. USA Shooting suppor ts the nat iona l team and prepares athletes to compete in the Olympics and Paralympics. To learn more, visit USAshooting.org.

Humanitarian Report:

Blue Bags Delivered to Namibiaby Monica Kamal & Steve SpaeniNamibia and working with the kids was phenomenal!

We were able to share and provide close to 100 books, school supplies (markers, color pencils, scissors, crayons, pencils, paper), 20 soccer balls, jerseys and socks for everyone, scarves, trinkets and much more for the fi rst through sixth grade students of Mt. Etjo.

To those of you who have helped with this, we want to thank you!

We just want to share how we enjoyed this project. You should have seen how excited the kids were to take home a book with them! We wish we had more for them. Some of these kids don’t go home except for four times per year because they live over an hour away. They felt it was Christmas for them.

In addition, with the donation money we provided a large TV to connect to a computer for the kids to learn more about technology. We did a presen-

tation on some of the same and different animals between Namibia and Wisconsin on the TV for them to see how to use it. We lef t a bunch of pictures we had taken.

Thanks to all who helped with money and donation items. Here are a few pictures for you to share. We have more but want to get this thank you out right away.

We are working with the kids to write letters back and forth with the elemen-tary school in Madison that Steve works at and I volunteer at. We took letters to Mt. Etjo and are returning letters from Mt. Etjo. Hopefully this will help foster a sister school relationship.

Thanks again!

Miller Hydro-Dipping SkullsBob Miller and his son, Robert, opened a new gun store in Benton and are dipping guns, phone cases, dash-boards, rims, and anything you can think of, including skulls and antlers, using camo fi lm and an immersion tank. Georgetown Taxidermy’s Jerry Donar said demand for dipped European mounts is growing among his clientele. Check with your taxidermist and our SCI advertisers fi rst, and see www.face-book.com/miller. This dipped and donated bovine skull shown here by the Millers sold at a local conservation auction.


by Jeremy MooreI recently wrote an article in hopes of making a couple di f ferent points regarding our approach to training your dog as a tracker. I wanted to point out to my fellow SCI members that when it comes to tracking, or what we prefer to call “game recovery,” the dogs them-selves have the majority of what is

needed from a “nuts and bolts” aspect already inside of them. We, as trainers and handlers, are simply trying to bring that out. I also wanted to give members a reminder not to make comparisons necessarily to any of our dogs that we are training in regards to progress from a timeline perspective, as all dogs move forward and at times backwards in training with varying rates. I also hoped to make it very clear that training a game recovery dog is something that is not only effective and effi cient, but also relatively simple or, dare I even say, easy.

In this article my intentions are to help convince you that you and your dog have what it takes to at least give it a

try. So I thought it might help to elimi-nate a few excuses I hear all too often like “My dogs not bred for that.” I truly believe that inherent traits impact and infl uence a dog’s ability to be a compe-tent game fi nder or game recovery dog. However, the nice part about that is the fact that I really don’t believe the specific breed matters. In fact, as it

relates to the actual ability for a dog to fi nd or locate game that may otherwise be lost, I not only disregard the specifi c breed, but I believe that most dogs are capable, right down a “rescue” dog from the shelter that you may or may not know exactly what their genetic lineage even consists of. The reason I say this is simply because a dogs actual ability to use their noses effectively is just so great, despite pedigrees or titles. In researching a dog’s ability to smell, there are so many things that I’ve found interesting but a few things really stood out:

• All dogs possess up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses. (Humans have about 6 million);

• The part of a dog’s brain that is designated to analyze smell is, rela-tively speaking, 40 times greater than ours; and

• A dog’s sense of smell overpowers our own by orders of magnitude—it’s 10,000 to 100,000 times as acute, The ability for a dog to use their nose in relation to vision would

be like what you and I can see at a 1/3 of a mile, your dog could see as well at more than 3,000 miles away.

I ’m b y n o m e a n s discounting a nice pedi-gree. I believe 100% in quality breeding is worth every penny and I wil l always put a great value on what I believe pedi-grees’ can offer, health, trainability, disposition, confirmation, etc. But I really don’t think that the pedigree itself limits just about any and all dogs abilities to smell.

To recap my last article, I posed to you a short checklist of questions you should ask yourself if you were still on the fence as to whether or not you and

your dog could do it. If you answered yes to one or more, I urge you to fi nish this month’s article and give it a shot. Commit to following the simple first steps I’m going to outline later in this article one or two times per week over the next four weeks and then decide if you think you and your dog are inter-ested in, and capable of, continuing on with training. So ask yourself:

• Do you have a dog? • Does your dog seem to use its

nose around the house or yard? • Does your dog show you signs of

intelligence and a willingness to please you?

• Do you have an interest using your dog to help in game recovery?

If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, I would say you have what it takes to do it. Now it’s putting it all together and executing the plan, keep reading!

Step 1. Keep it simple and bring out their natural predator-prey instincts-

If you’re reading this and deer season is open, put out a message that you are looking for a fresh deer liver. If you can’t get a hold of one, a beef liver will do. Have a helper hold onto your dog. Simply drag the liver quickly away from the dog and after you get a good head start have your partner let the dog go. Almost instinctively, your dog will take off on the line for you. When they fi nally get caught up to you and the liver, let them lick on it some and give them a ton of praise. Repeat this a few more times (3-4) with each repetition allowing a l it tle more distance. Follow this session later on that week with one similar, except at one point with one of the repetitions, don’t let the dog watch. Cover their eyes of keep them in the house or kennel until you’ve made the drag.

Step 2. Add in additional scent elements- The liver has a very distinct, strong, appealing scent. That will peak interest early on and help ensure s u c c e s s , b u t i t w i l l n o t a l l ow

introductions to other scent clues that may be found while on the track. In this next step, I like to switch to using real deer hides and a scent that I make myself called “Blood Trail”. Don’t be confused, our Blood Trail scent is not simply just blood. Think about it, if there’s strong visible blood on a track, I don’t need the dog. Instead, it’s when there is none or very little that I need the dog. Repeat step one using the Real Hide and Blood Trail scent and continue to lay the trail without your dog watching you. At this point, be sure to leave your dog something to fi nd at the end. My personal choice is a deer-hide wrapped canvas bumper.

Step 3. Wounded deer don’t

always run straight- So, we have to start to teach our dogs to work turns, angles, backtracks, etc. Once our dogs is taking tracks confi dently in straight lines, it is time to keep the honest and remind them to not outrun their noses. By incorporating simple turns to start, then more turns and different scenarios of the line, our dogs will have to force themselves to slow down in order to continue to successfully follow the line. You will be amazed at how naturally your dogs do this if you just set them up correctly and give them the chance.

Step 4. Don’t pass on a real training opportunity- The next time you harvest a deer (as long as you know the animal will be recovered) be sure to bring your student along and allow them to have that experience and success. Don’t be critical or concerned if your dog struggles. The most neces-sary skill of any trainer is PATIENCE. Use this as a great training opportunity and help your dog fi nd success with the real thing. You will be amazed what this king of experience will do for a dog and their handler’s confi dence.

I challenge you to follow these four steps and see what happens. Will that alone make you and your dog a great tracking team? No, probably not “great”, but I would argue that it will undoubt-edly increase your chances of fi nding a deer that otherwise may not be recov-ered. If you try those simple steps and have some success I wouldn’t stop there though. Instead, I would continue to work on other chal lenges and scenarios that you’re likely to encounter in the fi eld.

For much more information on training and training products available for game recovery be sure to check out our website (www.dogbonehunter.com) and social media outlets. Best of luck in the woods!

by Jeremy Moore try So I thought it might help to elimi • The part off a ddog’s b

Tracking


Finally, he stood up a n d g a v e m e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y I w a s waiting so long for. He was quartering away…per fect. With a l i t t le “mind over matter,” I was able to stop the shaking. I drew back, took aim and let fl y. He whirled away from me at the shot, and I saw my arrow fl y harmlessly in front of him. I would like to blame it all on him turning at the shot, b u t f a t i g u e a n d adrenaline have a way of a f fec t ing a shot as well.

The wind was really let out of my sail. I had worked so ha rd to finally get a shot and I blew it!

He ran abou t 20 yards and was looking all around to see if he could figure out what had just happened. After what seemed like an eternity, he started raking his horns in the bushes in an aggres-sive, maybe territorial manner. (Tahr here were in full rut mode.) With his head down and him being distracted, I was a b l e t o c l o s e t h e distance to about 60 yards. At this time, he was in the thick brush. My only hope was that he might mosey closer and into one of the few openings. I watched him for another 30 minutes until fi nally, he came into an opening. He was broadside at 54 yards. I drew back, took my time and settled in. I let fl y and was relieved at the sight and sound of my arrow hitting its mark!

After the shot, my guide John Leath showed up. I had not seen him for three hours. He had been further down the rav ine and was ab le to ge t an occasional view of the ram as all this was going on. We were both shaking terribly from the cold but elated that I had fi nally scored. John was happy for me but was also pleased, as this was

his fi rst bow hunted tahr he had guided any of his clients to, he told me.

By the time we got pictures and got it skinned out, it was dark. We packed down the mountain using head lamps. What a rewarding feeling it is to get back to the truck knowing that you made it (without getting hurt) AND you had sealed the deal on a very well earned trophy!

Mike was also successful on his hunt. He took a tahr, red stag and fallow deer.

I can’t say enough good about Kiwi Safaris and the guides we both had. They really know how to take care of you! They have a great lodge with excel lent food as wel l. This is a memorable adventure to take your wife or entire family on, even if they are not

hunters. You can see and hear lots of wildlife right from the lodge. Every direction is absolutely beautiful scenery. There are many other things to see and do that are a short drive from the lodge.

The country is also very “traveler friendly”. After your hunt if you would like you can just rent a car and go. It is not over crowded or terribly over-priced. There are so many things to see and do in this small country that are all within easy driving distance. OK, it would be better if they would drive on the “right” side of the road, but other than that, I would recommend this trip, especially this outfitter, to anyone! Learn more at http://www.kiwisafaris.co.nz/ or contact Rodon (Rodie) Tourle [email protected].

Hunt Report:

TAHR WITH KIWIby Randy Mayes My friend Mike Alff and I hunted the south island of New Zealand with Kiwi Safaris. Our hunt took place in early May of 2016. I was doing an archery hunt for free-range tahr. Mike did a rifl e hunt for tahr, red stag and fallow deer.

Kiwi Safaris’ tahr hunts are unique in that they do not use helicopters. All of their property is accessible by truck, ATV or foot. I chose the boot leather option.

I must say that I under-estimated the level of diffi culty in my archery tahr hunt. Getting to within 200-300 yards (rifle range) was certainly a challenge but it is doable for a wide range of physical abilities. Getting to within 60 yards or

less was certainly a step or two up on the diffi culty meter!

I had many “near” opportunities each day. Most of their tahr hunting is done in an area called “Dry Creek.” This is an immense, non-fenced property totaling a b o u t 3 5 ,0 0 0 a c r e s ! We s a w approximately 30-40 tahr each day with many of those being mature rams.

In the afternoon on the third day of my hunt, we spotted another single, mature ram. I had stalked up on him by myself for the last 100 or so yards so. I got to within 58 yards while he was bedded down. I could not shoot until he stood up. By this time I was totally soaking wet, partially from sweating after the 1500 vertical foot climb to get

there, and par tial ly from crawling through the thick vegetation which was soaking wet from the previous night’s rain. I laid there waiting for him to get up for 2 ½ hours! I was absolutely freezing! Not so much from the cold air (it was in the mid-40’s) but from being soaking wet and having only a light shirt on. I had given my daypack with warm, dry clothes to my guide so I could stalk and crawl a little easier.

There were several times that I was shaking so severely, that I caught the attention of the ram causing him to look intently in my direction. After having some intense stare downs with me, he would eventually calm back down and go back to relaxing.

Member Randy Mayes shot his free-range tahr with bow and arrow.

SCI Member Mike Alff shot a tahr, red stag and fallow deer with Kiwi Safaris.


pushing them along. Sizing up the sow I catch a glimpse to the west and see a long grey nose, a reddish brown rump and in between a tall ridge of wiry hair. The boards legs wheeling on a dead run, immediately I know that’s my boar, or at least the one I want. He is not slowing, but I have a window and I fi nd him with my 270WSM and he buckles and drops in his tracks. I put another in him for good measure and walk up to look at my reward. I was pleased to say the least.

This was my fi rst hunt through SCI and my fi rst guided experience. I was impressed with Arron, Justin and Josh. Aaron and Justin worked those swamps hard and there is no doubt in my mind that without their efforts we might not have had the success we did. The lodge was very comfor table and welcoming. Greg “Moose man” Johnson has put together a great prop-erty with ample opportunity and Arron Justin and Josh make sure that you experience the hunt the way you want too. Professional, courteous, person-able and organized. Four hunters, four boar, with all meat processed and ready to hit the road Sunday by noon. Future bookings for other hunts will certainly have the bar set high by my f irst experience.

by Andrew ParkerOur fall 2016 Russian Boar hunt started at the annual SCI Banquet in Hinckley, MN in April of the same year. I found myself aimlessly raising my arm during the live auction for a hunt at Bear

Mountain Lodge in Negaunee, MI to hunt Russian Boars. Shortly thereafter I was greeted by Aaron and Justin, two of the guides from Bear Mountain, where we spent a good portion of the balance of the evening discussing the hunt to come. I would be accompanied by my father (Steve), f r iend and co-worker (Wally), and Wally’s son in law David. By the end of the evening we had tentatively booked the hunt for mid-September.

On September 16 we arrived at the lodge and were greeted, walked through orientation, practice fi red our weapons and were out in the grounds within and a little over an hour. Raining rather heavily the boars found refuge in the thick covers of the swamps that cover about ~30-40% of the property. Four hunters were accompanied by three guides and we broke into groups of two hunters with a guide for our initial scouting. For the next 2-3 hours we attempted to still hunt and spot and stock boars. A few glimpses were all any of us saw. Even with guide Justin

laboring through the swamps where wa te r l e ve l s ros e s i g n i f i c a n t l y throughout the day’s rain. Soggy and hungry we all met back in the lodge for dinner, review of the afternoon hunt and change to some dry cloths. Following

dinner, with plenty of daylight remaining, we all returned to the grounds. Wally and David would hunt from a blind while Steve and Aaron would spot and stalk, while I took a perch in a tree stand in the heart of the swamp. Rain subsided and the boars were eager to move. Within a ½ hour of getting set-up a shot rang out from the South where Wally and David had set-up in the blind. Wally had put a heart shot on a nice boar. Not 15 minutes later another shot rang out to the South and then another. David and Jason, another guide, had spotted a monstrous sow and David had connected. Two boars down with plenty of daylight left. I know I was expecting some action, but as the sun sank closer to the horizon, the heart of the swamp got dark quickly. I found myself climbing down as darkness consumed the forest and met my Father and Justin at the grounds entrance.

We found David and Wally loading their bounty in the back of Aaron’s pick-up who was off to get the pigs processed. A quick glance at each and

a congratulations to a productive evening.

The next morning Steve and Aaron went one direction while Jason and I went the other. Justin returning to his dreadful roll of “brush buster” and “swamp donkey”. Doing his very best to present Steve and me with an oppor-tunity on a big boar. We walked, stalked, sat in stands, and still hunted until noon where we returned to the lodge to regroup and have some lunch. After lunch we headed back out where Justin and Steve headed south while Aaron and I headed north. Now on opposite ends of the property and the weather improving drastically we fi gured the swine might start getting itchy again to get out of the swamps. Within an hour we heard Steve shoot. A few moments later we got word, “boar down” and I was ecstatic that my father had fi lled. Three boars bagged, one to go. Aaron was eager and fi gured there were pigs in the swamp to the south and west of where we were set-up. He says, I’ll be back and takes off. I can hear him maybe 200 yards behind me splashing, busting brush and making a back and forth pattern(s). Maybe 15 minutes later I am blessed to see 6 pigs trotting out in front of me. Five are very young with a medium sized sow

Hunt Report:

Lake Trout Fishing with SCI supporters MJ Charters and Bear Mountain Lodge has become an annual event; it’s that good!

by Randy Mayes This year we took our f i f th tr ip to “Stannard Rock” in Lake Superior with MJ Charters/Bear Mountain Lodge. The fi rst time we went, I had purchased the “Cast and Blast” trip that was donated to the SCI Badgerland annual fundraiser. That included a day of fi shing and a boar hunt. I did the boar hunt in the winter and got a monster Alpha Boar. Then, we did our fi shing the next summer. We have done the fi shing almost every year since then and always look forward to it!

Our group used to make an annual trip salmon fi shing on Lake Michigan. It was fun and we caught lots of fi sh but it was all trolling. We wanted to do something different so we tried the “Stannard Rock” adventure. I call it an adventure because it is a 50-mile (one way) boat ride out on Lake Superior! The other unique thing about this trip is you don’t do any trolling. You drift across “reefs” that are 15–60 feet below the surface. The lakers congregate at the tops of these reefs. Each person casts and works jigs and spoons to entice the big “red fins” to bite. The fishing is done with medium-weight 6-foot rods and spinning reels. All of the gear is provided.

A lot of the fish are “eater-sized” which is in the 3–5 pound range, but there are lots of “tankers” out there as well. Every year they take many fi sh over 20 pounds. Even the smaller fi sh put up a fi ght on the light tackle but you get anything over 10 pounds on and it’s quite a fi ght!

In all of the trips we have taken, we have always gotten our full limit, which is fi ve per person. These fi sh are great eating! We stay at Bear Mountain Lodge the night before going out and the night after fi shing. The staff at Bear Mountain clean all of your fi sh and grill some of them that night when you get back to the lodge.

They have a deck off the back of the lodge where you can watch the pigs come out into the clearing in the

evening. This is a great, relaxing way to spend a summer weekend! MJ Charters:www.fi shingstannardrock.com Contact Greg “Moose Man” Johnson at 1-800-676-9821 or at [email protected].

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Hunt Report:

Bear Mtn. BOAR


Hunt Report:

Tapestry Of A Leopard Huntby Jeff BelongiaI eased forward in my chair and softly felt the weld of the rifl e stock against my cheek, my right eye collecting the black crosshair of the Zeiss variable scope mounted atop the African Mauser

chambered in .300 Winches te r Magnum. Knowing that the 180-grain PMP sof t point bullet would pass through both shoulders of this or any leopard, I felt a smile come to my face. My plan was to drop this big tom like a bad habit. We would find him lying stone dead directly under the tree, no grunt, no growl, just thump as he hit the earth.

I would select a rosette on his shoulder as my target and slowly squeeze the life out of the trigger. What a perfect setup, I thought. The weapon was cradled on the fore end by a V-shaped sandbag resting on two horizontal Camel Thorn limbs, wired in

place on each end to steel fence posts driven deep into the earth, and the rifl e’s balance point nestled in the top strap of the aluminum tripod shooting stick. Without real effort I felt the steel of the trigger on the tip of my right forefi nger and gently pressed it.

“BOOM” I said sof tly to myself, imagining the cat standing on the limb, with his nose in the fatty flank of the

wa r thog we had met i cu lous l y anchored to the tree.

Lifting my head, I turned to my left to catch a broad smile on the face of my PH and friend, Kurt Duva l , owner of Namib ia Hunting Impressions. With a wink I whispered “Perfect.”

This had been a dress rehearsal, but as important as if it were the real show.

Kurt had done his job and I was certainly eager to do mine when the opportunity p re se n te d i t s e l f . W i th leopard hunting the attention to detail must be total and the execution of the plan meticulous. Kurt was smart to

set me in the chair to get a feel for the setup and to mentally

execute the shot. Having hunted in seven countries on the African

continent, I can at test to the expertise and professionalism of the

Namibian PH. Kurt Duval exemplifi es the character and dedication of the consummate PH. I am honored to call a number of these professionals friends. NAPHA has directed them well.

Planning for this hunt began the previous year when my wife Betsy, Kurt and I had been stalking two large kudu bulls late one afternoon on Kurt and Kate’s farm, Wolfsgrund. In the red sand I pointed out the spoor of the front paw of a very heavy cat. I immediately asked Kurt if he had a leopard tag available for the following year. You see, 2016 was to be someth ing of a milestone for me and African hunting. The trip would mark my 50thAfrican safari in seven different countries and my 30th tr ip to Namibia. At that moment leopard became the focal point of my 50th safari.

Spending time with Kate and Kurt at their beautiful home on Wolfsgrund is a true delight. Kate’s culinary talent and food presentation would make Epicurus salivate like Pavlov’s dog. The dining tables are set with the perfection of a fi ne restaurateur. Wine pairings add to divine f lavors woven into carefully selected and exquisitely prepared entrees, making meals as visually satisfying as they are palate pleasing. It became immediately apparent to me on my first hunt with the Duvals in 2009 that my wife, Betsy, and Kate would bond like kindred spirits.

I had fallen in love with the “Jewel of Africa” during my first visit in July of 1987 to a farm Lichtenstein Nord owned by Uli and Ann Rusch. It was through their generosity that I, as a young husband and father with very limited “disposable” income, was able to visit in those early years. We have become family as a result of many hours and experiences together.

Over the years I have met many wonder ful people and I have had many i nc red ib l e hunting adventures

in S.W. Af r i ca . I remember the occupation of UNTAG and the election. I remember a night at Okaukuejo having a sundowner with Volker Grellman and Peter Capstick, and talking with them about the elephant video the two were working on. I will never forget the incredible dune trip across the Namib, or the gin clear waters of the Okavango. The sun shines differently on the African continent. Its smells, sounds, and vistas are unique. Each time I visit there stirs a primal feeling deep in my soul that tells me I have come home.

During my 2014 vis i t, we radio collared a 64 kg male leopard on the

Rusch farm in the Khomas Hochland from which the researchers are still receiving data. The look on Betsy’s face as she actually got to “pet” a live, albeit tranquilized, tom leopard spoke volumes regarding her newfound appreciation for wild Africa. Since then two additional leopards have been caught, collared and released on the Rusch farm. I understand that a great deal has been learned regarding a leopard’s habits.

In the early years it was rare to see leopard sign, but now it is a common occurrence a c r o s s m o s t o f Namibia. This is a direct result of the

great management practices for the game animals by the landowners in the country. This is also the result of the value a leopard can bring when they can be hunted and exported. The “if it pays, it stays” philosophy works.

The trail camera had shown the images of a very large male feeding on our offering. Two days prior to my arrival this cat had killed and partially eaten a bovine calf that Kurt had accepted from the landowner as our starter bait. We were actually hunting a neighboring farm as Kurt, and his European client,

had successfully hunted and killed a huge male leopard on Wolfsgrund the previous month. That calf was now history and we replaced it with a fat female warthog. The camera also told the story of a female leopard feeding, as well as a brown hyena’s investigation of the bait site.

Each time bait was replaced we followed a specifi c routine. There was

a l w a y s a n e w scenting of the area

using the intestines and offal on the tree

and around the bait site, precluded by a “drag” in all directions.

A u g u s t c a n b e windy with weather fronts moving in and

out on a seemingly rhythmic basis. This

year was no exception and we had to be ever conscious of the wind’s

direction. We avoided the temptation to rush this;

patience was our ally. We did not sit the blind for the

f i r s t f e w d ay s . I t wa s important to get this feline

comfortable with our setup. Knowing that this cat had

been hunted the year before by another well-known PH gave Kurt

and I concern that this leopard had been “educated” and we knew this cat would not be an

easy mark. Even though we had another male occasionally

feeding on bait number two we decided to concentrate on Mr. Big. The odds were against us but what a

challenge this hunt presented. Our fi rst sit in the blind came on day

fi ve. Anticipation was at its peak and all my senses were on alert. This cat was feeding earlier each night and we needed him on the tree during daylight hours. Unlike other countries, Namibia does not al low ar ti f ic ial l ight and basically NO shooting one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. This was the proverbial “one hand tied behind your back” scenario. Not a problem as I knew the rules going into the fi ght.

Day Seven’s check of the bait and trail camera showed a beautiful photo of Spots standing on the limb over the warthog in broad daylight. The problem was that it was 6:50 a.m. Now the d i lemma of when to s i t became paramount. We could not risk a late night or very early morning entry into the kloof and our blind and take the chance of alerting a feeding leopard. We would have to sit the whole night in order to be present as the sun rose and hopefully catch this cat unaware.

At 4:30 pm as we entered the kloof. Naftali and Alfeus our Kavango trackers stopped suddenly and peered up the valley toward our bait. Something was sitting on the limb next to the bait. This something was big and black. I heard Naftali identify it to Kurt as a bat! “A BAT!” How large are these bats? It must be Count Dracula! As it fl ew off the limb towards our position I identifi ed it as a Black Eagle. Later I was informed that the Okavango has large bats indeed, an honest mistake. We entered the blind prepared to be ever vigilant with a sincere hope that our cat would feed in the next two hours, if not it would be a long night.

At 6:15 pm we heard a cacophony of chatter coming for the Rock Hyrax; was the guest of honor coming to dinner? My pulse quickened as my ears strained for every sound. Kurt looked me in the eyes and I noticed an upward crease in the left corner of his lip. He held back a full smile as did I. Optimism permeated the hide.

Hurry, I thought, it is going to get dark soon. A bit more talk from the elephants closest living relative and s i lence again captured the ear ly evening. We sat without a whisper for the next 11 hours. Daylight slowly fi ltered into the canyon about 5:30 am. Fighting the urge to sleep my eyes strained to see the bait tree.

With each passing minute a hazy collage became increasingly clear. A voice in my head was attempting to summon our cat to the bait tree. Using all my powers of telepathy I willed this leopard to a certain destiny, but to no avail. Easing my face on to the rifl e and peering through the scope I could now easily make out the bits of offal still stuck to the bark of the tree. I was ready, but our cat wasn’t.

At 8:30 am we radioed Kate at the farm for a pickup. It would be 45



minutes before she arrived. I attempted to “walk off” the stiffness that had set into my legs from the nearly 15 hours I had spent in a seated position. The fresh spoor of a brown hyena along the Kop je lead ing toward our b l ind explained the excited Hyrax and the warning chatter we had heard from them in the early evening.

Over the next three days our cat never fed. We freshened the bait and nurtured an optimism that all true hunters possess. A hunter’s quarry must have a chance to escape, or never show, or the effort is not truly hunting.

Lady Luck has smiled on my hunting endeavors many times. I have taken two leopards incidental to hunting plains game on previous safaris. I had never sat in a leopard blind or baited one prior to this hunt. This time I paid my dues. We spent 47 hours in that blind, most of it never speaking a word to each other. It is uncanny, at times, between certain hunters. We almost know what the other is thinking. It is that way with me and Kurt.

The hunting gods willing there will be another leopard hunt for me. It will take place in Namibia and I will be optimistic regarding my chances.

About the AuthorJeff Belongia is a 62-year-old invest-ment banker living in Brookfield,Wisconsin with wife Elizabeth (Betsy).They have two grown sons. Jeff hashunted on f i ve cont inents andcommutes annually to Namibia. Hecommutes annually to Namibia Hespent 15 years on the Board ofDirectors of SCI Wisconsin Chapterand two years as its President. Heunderstands why his eyes faceforward.

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