Alberta Outdoorsman - Venture North Outfitting

FEBRUARY 2009 $6.95
THE VOICE OF ALBERTA'S HUNTERS, ANGLERS & TRAPPERS
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OUTDOORSMEN
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Alberta Ouldoorsmen Magazine
is published twelve limes a year by
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#100, 10642-178 Street
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5S 1H4
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Volume 10, Issue 10 - February 2009
Publisher/Editor- Rob Miskosky
Regular Contributors
Bob Adams • Brian Bildson
Wayne Clark • Brad Fenson
Kelly Hymanyk • Richard Mellon
Don Meredith • Rob Miskosky
Fred Noddin • Claudio Ongaro • Duane Radford
Duane Rosenkranz • Bob Scammell
TJ Schwanky • JB Struthers
Neil Waugh • Kevin Wilson
REGULAR COLUMNS
6
Outdoor Pursuits
No Accident...
10 Outdoor Issues
Outdoor Issues and events in Alberta
16 Fishing Phile
Alberta Outdoorsmen Pro Staff
Pierre Frigon • Gord Trenholm
Jim Renaud
Sales Manager- Paul Milberry
Marketing Director - Gaye Williams
Art & Web Development - Graham Edwards
Design & Layout - Sportscene Publications
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That Finest Fishing Line
18 Rubs, Scrapes & Tangle
The Trouble With Ice
20 Fishing Lines
Alberta Magazine
Publishers Association
40 Photography for the Outdoors
What is There to Photograph in Winter?
42 Black and White
Kudos to the Sierra Club and Ecojustice
44 Seasonal Targets
Canis smarticus elusivus
46 Covers & Riffles
Border Battle Back On!
48 Alberta Adventures
Getting Aggressive With Elk
50 The Lighter Side
When You Think You've Heard It All
52 Alberta Fishing Holes
Quality Rainbows at Peanut Lake
54 Spike Camp Musings
The Hunters' Rendezvous
56 Tips for the Outdoorsmen
Quick-Strike Rigging
Dream Season
60 Backyard Ballistics
Headspace
66 Fish & Wild Game Recipes
Oven-roasted Elk Steaks
www.albertaoutdoorsmen.ca
Duane Rosenkranz took this photo of a coyote
mousing near Edmonton. Coyotes begin
mating in February and become a favourite
target of predator hunters. You can read more
about hunting coyotes on pages 28 and 44.
The AFGA's Raison D'etre
58 Trapline Trails and Tales
This magazine is a proud member of Ihe Alberta Magazine Publishers
Association, abiding by the standards of the Canadian Society of
Magazine Editors. Visit www.albertamagazines.com
ABOUT OUR COVER
MORE OUTDOOR STUFF
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28
36
62
64
Trail Cameras: More than a Hobby
Letters
Hills of Opportunity
AFGANews
DUCNews
When the Going Gets Tough...
The One-Day Ram
Alberta Borders and Beyond
Classifieds
v
28
.«• * •
- photo Duane Rosenkranz
_^
www.albertaoutdoorsmen.ca
by Kevin G. Wilson
hifting awkwardly, I struggled to
advance in the heavy snow.
Conditions were tough for both
bman and beast. Thigh high drifts
'and frigid temperatures made it
difficult to move. Every step was
a chore. Ice crystals shimmered across the
horizon as the early morning sunlight pierced
frost-laden branches. Winter had secured its icy
grip and that meant all things wild had to work
overtime to survive. Ironically, winter's
impositions created ideal conditions for
predator hunting. Opportunists extraordinaire,
coyotes are easily enticed to the prospect of an
easy meal. Compound this inclination with
desperation caused by a tough winter, and the
offer of a free meal is irresistible.
It was mid-winter and most forest-dwellers
were laying low. Despite bluebird skies, a
biting northwest wind nipped at my face as I
settled in for the first calling session of the day.
We'd left the pick-up in a farmyard only 300
metres away but my back was already damp
with sweat. Unavoidable, to cover any ground
at all required exertion. Seems no matter how
slow one moves under these conditions, you're
burning calories every step of the way.
December, January, and February offer up
some of the finest coyote hunting of the year.
Yes, these wild canines can be taken at other
times, but they're much more cooperative
when the going gets tough. Alberta is known
world-wide for its trophy deer and waterfowl,
but it's also fast gaining notoriety as a
destination for serious varmint hunters.
Historically, bounties and higher fur prices
served to keep coyote numbers in check. As
remuneration dwindled, so did the ambition of
many profit-seeking fur collectors. In turn,
coyote populations have spiraled out of control
creating a Utopia of sorts for the pursuit of
predators. Biodiversity is all about balance but
unfortunately a distinct imbalance is hard on
small game, upland birds, and even ungulate
populations. Only by culling coyotes can we
even begin to offset this dilemma. Our goal
was to do our part in conservation by taking
out a few of the problem dogs that were
causing my producer friends ongoing grief.
Joining me on this
frosty day was my
populations in
good friend, Kyle
Alberta have
Horvath. A welder
by trade, Kyle
spiralled out
shares my passion
of control
for smaller caliber
rifles and calling coyotes.
The day previous I'd placed a few calls.
Gathering valuable intelligence, these
conversations confirmed access to several
important properties. My favourite coyote
haunt is well-established dairy country and any
time you get dairy cows, calving operations, or
even chicken farms, or hog operations, you
will invariably find yotes lurking about.
Several landowners I know were complaining
at infmitum about their coyote problems.
Several said they'd seen up to eight at a time
skulking around their yards. With a roster of
these properties on the list, our strategy was to
hit one after the other all day long with the
notion of making a dent in the population. As
we were to soon find out, the only barrier was
lack of mobility.
It makes me shiver just reminiscing about that
morning. A biting breeze ripped at our faces as
we gingerly eased the truck doors closed. We
had only taken a few steps when I glimpsed
movement beyond the corral. It was a whitetail
doe. Posturing defensively, I knew that could
only mean one thing. Springing into action, Kyle
and I quickly used a low spot to sneak closer.
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29
Alberta is
fast becoming
known as a
destination for
Unfortunately,
as Kyle
extended his
bipod, the
culprit, a mature
coyote hunters. C0yote, snapped to
attention and
immediately bolted for cover.
Struggling to advance in the deep snow, it
became evident that our options were limited.
On the bright side, we knew that if we couldn't
move easily, the coyotes would likely be
experiencing the same challenges... and that
meant they would be hungry. Deeply cut game
traits were evident everywhere. Deer had
^^^__«_^^^^^^^_l pounded troughs
| into the snow and
were using them
daily to travel
between bedding
and feeding
» locations. The
•"* snow hadn't yet
crusted over so it
^ seemed logical
that the coyotes
would favour those
f same trails. In turn,
Kyle and 1 moved to a familiar clearing, a
place where I'd experienced success in the
past. Carefully placing my rabbit decoy in the
centre of the clearing we backed away, took
cover in some nearby trees and waited a few
minutes before beginning to squeal the
abhorrent cries of a rabbit in distress. The
response was fast and, frankly it caught me off
guard. A coyote, likely the same dog we had
seen harassing the doe, came rocketing up the
nearby game
trail and
stopped 40
metres away. I
don't often
miss, but I
have to admit
that one got
the better of
me. A chip
shot on any
other day, I
flinched and
sent the bullet
just over his
back.
Reprimanding
myself incessantly, I couldn't believe I'd just
missed what could only be described as a
gimme!
On a positive note, that encounter confirmed
our suspicions; the deep snow and cold
would be our biggest asset on that cold day
in January. Motioning for Kyle to join me,
it was obvious what we had to do.
"Can't believe I missed... it won't
happen again," I offered sheepishly. "On
the bright side, that coyote just told us
how every dog in the country will likely
react today. Let's move and try again."
Every step off of the main game trails was
strenuous in the deep snow but we now had a
plan. I knew of a steep ravine that held a few
active den sites. If we were going to be
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30
www.albertaoutdoorsmeaca
successful, we'd have to move in tight to
where they live. With that place in mind we
fought the temptation to call again before
reaching our destination. A half hour later we
were in the zone. Plodding our way to a stand
of old-growth
spruce trees,
the pounded
deer trail we
were walking
was littered
with fresh
coyote tracks.
Setting up
strategically,
Kyle sat
against a tree
looking one
direction and
I faced
another. With
the legs of
my bipod stretched out I took extra care to sit
accordingly should a coyote materialize in
another direction requiring me to reposition.
Rifle in hand to minimize necessary movement,
I nodded to Kyle sitting a stone's throw away
and then commenced calling. Anticipating that a
coyote may run straight down the deer trail
again, I shouldered my 22-250 and pointed it
directly down the trail. With only 50 metres of
visibility, a coyote could sneak in from any
direction but I figured this would be most
probable. On cue, in less than two minutes, a
young coyote stood statuesque against the
snowy backdrop only 30 metres away. I took
extra care in aiming as I settled the crosshairs
on his chest, and gently squeezed the trigger. He
collapsed instantly.
Moving to another property, we played the
same game. Spotting two coyotes on the edge
of another ravine, we eagerly scrambled along
the slope and set up on another heavily used
deer trail. Within five minutes another dog
came in, this time sneaking slowly but eagerly
nonetheless. Kyle launched a bullet from his
.243 to hit that one at a mere 18 metres. It
became obvious that our long-range sniper rigs
were overkill on this particular outing.
That day will go down as one of my all-time
favourite predator hunts. We managed to score
on several coyotes that day. While more
hospitable conditions allow varmint hunters to
cover additional ground and, in turn take more
dogs, it was the tough conditions that made
that day so unique. Hunting those well-traveled
game trails funneled several directly into our
laps. All but one set-up produced close-range
encounters with coyotes on the dead run
clearly anxious for a feast. I have to admit that
hunt taught me a thing or two about varmints.
Specifically that when the going gets tough,
the coyotes get going... and that means
world-class opportunities await ambitious
varmint hunters willing to endure the most
difficult conditions. •