At the end of the day Wednesday, March 31, Idaho’s first regulated wolf season closes statewide.

The season already has closed in seven of 12 wolf zones, and as of March 29, hunters have taken 185 wolves. The harvest limit is 220.

“The season has succeeded in halting the growth of Idaho’s wolf population,” Fish and Game Director Cal Groen said. “It showed that Fish and Game is capable of monitoring and managing a well-regulated wolf hunt.”

The hunt also showed that fears of wholesale slaughter of wolves were unfounded, Groen said. Hunters exhibited good compliance with the rules and with check-in and call-in requirements.

Idaho Fish and Game set wolf harvest limits for each of 12 management zones. The season closes in each zone when the limit for that zone is reached, or when the statewide limit of 220 wolves is reached.

Idaho Fish and Game sold 26,428 wolf tags in 2009 – 25,744 resident and 684 nonresident tags.

Harvested wolves ranged in size from 54 to 127 pounds – males averaged 100 pounds, and females averaged 79 pounds. Of the wolves taken, 58 percent were male, and 15 percent were juveniles less than one year old.

About 86 percent of the wolves harvested were taken by resident hunters. Twelve of the wolves checked in were wearing radio collars.

Most wolves were shot in October and the fewest in January. Two wolves were taken in the Southern Idaho zone, and 49 were taken in the Sawtooth zone.

At the end of 2009, Idaho had a minimum of 843 wolves in 94 packs, and 49 packs are considered breeding pairs. The average pack size was 7.8 wolves. A total of 142 wolves are radio-collared.

In addition to hunter harvest, 138 wolves were killed in livestock depredation control actions and from other causes.

For more information on the wolf hunt in Idaho, visit the Fish and Game wolf management Web page: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/.

SALEM, Ore.—Thirty hunters won either a free 2011 Sports Pac or a Non-Resident Hunting License because they applied for a 2010 fall big game controlled hunt by March 15, 2010.

Twenty more 2011 Sports Pacs or Non-Resident Hunting Licenses will be given away to hunters that apply for (and are issued) a controlled hunt application by April 15, 2010.

ODFW and the vendor that manages its license sales system are giving away a total of 100 free 2011 Sports Pacs (for Oregon residents, a $164.75 value) or Non Resident Hunting Licenses (for non-residents, a $140.50 value) to encourage hunters to apply early for their 2010 fall big game hunts. (A Sports Pac includes a Combination Angling/Hunting/Shellfish License, a Combined Angling Harvest Tag, a Validation for Upland Bird and Waterfowl hunting, plus a General or Controlled Buck Deer, General or Controlled Elk, General Cougar, General or Controlled Bear and Spring Turkey Tag.)

The next drawing will take place April 19 and winners will be notified by mail. Hunters unsuccessful in the first two drawings (for hunters that applied by Jan. 15 and March 15) will be entered into this final drawing. Only one entry per hunter is allowed, meaning hunters that apply for several controlled hunts are still only entered once.

Hunters can apply for controlled hunts online, at a license sales agent, at ODFW offices that sell licenses, or by mail or fax order using the application found here or on page 15 of the 2010 Oregon Big Game Regulations.

Mail order/fax applicants should allow 7-10 days for their applications to be processed and issued. Remember, to be eligible for the drawing, the controlled hunt application must be issued, not just received, by the drawing deadline (April 15). Controlled hunt applications can be processed and issued immediately online and at license sales agents or ODFW offices.

The deadline to apply for a controlled hunt is May 15 each year. Most applications are received during the last few days. In 2009, only 68,849 of 426,921 total applications received were processed by April 15, 2009. The high volume of sales activity in the last few days prior to the deadline has led to long lines and slowed or crashed the license sales system at times, causing ODFW to extend the deadline in both 2008 and 2009.

The vendor that manages the license sales system is purchasing the Sports Pacs and Non-Resident Hunting Licenses for the winners. ODFW and the vendor will conduct similar drawings in 2011 and 2012, as part of a three-year pilot program to determine if the incentives are helping with early application. As of March 19 this year, ODFW has issued 47,328 fall big game controlled hunt applications compared to 37,761 on the same date last year.

Some of Oregon’s big game hunts are limited entry, including almost all rifle hunting of deer and elk east of the Cascades and pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and Rocky Mountain goat hunts. These hunts require a controlled hunt application.

Kim Herfut of Elk Hunting University offers the critical 5 Ps of a successful elk hunt in the March 23 lesson of EHU. Did you know the license application deadline is just eight days away, Tuesday April 6th! Justin Gindlesperger of Elk Hunting University has added some food for thought about purchasing a license in his article released today. It is Spring Break at EHU; make sure you are back at class on April 12th, when we will discuss using technology to aid in your scouting and hunting planning for the fall.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/ElkHuntingUniversity/

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

The morning after my 18 mile trail run, I went out with my headlamp on and caught my horse Shorty. He was not too keen on the idea of this bobbing light sneaking up on him but I got him saddled and loaded before the sun rose. I promised him I wouldn’t ask him to do anything I wouldn’t do. (I didn’t tell him about the 18 mile trail race the day before though)

We were headed to the Sutter Buttes, near Yuba City and Colusa. We would be riding along with the Colusa County Sheriff’s Posse
The Sutter Buttes are a small circular complex of eroded volcanic lava domes. South Butte, reaches about 2,130 feet above sea level. They are named for John Sutter, who received a large land grant from the Mexican government. The Sutter Buttes also hold the title of being the world’s smallest mountain range since they occupy an area only approximately 10 miles from North to South.

Since most of the Buttes is privately owned we were fortunate to be invited to take part in this ride. We would be riding out from a local diversified cattle and farming operation, but we met at a wide spot in the road to convoy to the site together.

We made the drive to Colusa in a little under 3 hours with 3 horses in the trailer. We gathered at the Stottlemeyer ranch and rode through some great cattle country before having lunch next to a pretty lake at the foot of some rocky spires.

Along the way we saw some old hog wallows but no fresh rooting. Here are some photos along the way:

Joe Goss on Jimmy, Colby Martin on Mokie and Paul Martin on TJ.

The Redbuds were blooming where we stopped for lunch. folks tied and picketed horses while we ate.

If you look close you can see a cave in the rocks above.

Joe Goss , Jimmy, Shorty and I  on the trail. 

Some riders on the ridge overlooking Live Oak and Gridley

Pirates Cove is a trail race I first ran last year with my good friend Rich Howarth. We ran the 20 K and he soundly trounced me. I was solo this year except for my friend Julie who showed up to cheer me on and get a bike ride in while I unraveled the trails. The course starts on the old site of Fort Cronkhite outside of the Golden Gate Harbor. It is well known as a facility that housed gun batteries pointed at the Pacific Ocean during WWII. The day’s course would take us to the top of the ridge, into Tennessee Valley, Then over to the shoreline of Pirates Cove, back up to Tennessee Valley then up a long fire road to a ridge that provided sweeping views of Sausalito, Waldo Grade and the Golden Gate Bridge.

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So with my buddy Kirk’s guidance, I ramped up my training after the Annadel Half Marathon with long runs on Sundays at the Lake Sonoma Recreation area. Northern California bowhunters will know how hilly this country is. To give an idea It is approx. 1000 vertical feet from the parking lot to the lake’s edge, so each loop I made, I had a climb back to the car. Over 5 weeks my long runs went from 8 to 10 to 12 to 14 and finally to 17.3 miles.

My Target race was the Pirate’s Cove 30 k (18 mile) Trail Race on the Marin Headlands, but I decided I would use the 10 mile Ilsanjo Classic as my “taper” run the Sunday before. My prep week for Ilsanjo was anything but well planned. 2 nights on the road and a lot of late nights would not be my recommendation for anyone wanting to perform well on the weekend.

I managed to get to the start of the Ilsanjo Classic with the sole hope of not falling below last years time of 1:37:44 on the course that ran through 3 different city, regional and state parks.

Sunday dawned with 37 degrees and a clear sky and frost in Two Rock. With bagel and coffee in hand I drove to the race with 30 minutes to spare. After paying my $10 race fee I met up with some friends and did a quarter mile warm up while the kiddies ran the Newt Scoot 1k. Each kid got a ribbon and a certificate for a free frozen yogurt.

We toed the line and took off as the RD clashed together two Deer antlers instead of the typical starter’s pistol. As we headed up the bike path in a congested mass of runners, my calves and shins felt heavy and tight. My chest was congested and I was regretting spending all day Saturday on my feet. However once we got off of the gravel enough of the faster runners had gone ahead, that it was open when we hit the singletrack at about mile three.

As we turned up Spring Creek, I felt in my element as the damp trail twisted around trees and rocks leading up to the uphill portion immediately below Lake Ilsanjo. I did hike the steepest part of the trail, but I was able to hit the dam spillway with some pep.

As I rounded the corner I came across a shirt tail cousin and his mountaineering wife, (Along with Sam from the Biggest Loser) out on a hike. As I passed I shouted “Love to talk but I’m racing!” Seeing some familiar faces gave me a boost, (along with the gel 10 minutes before), and the flatter section around the lake seemed to fly by. Along this stretch I managed to pass a couple of runners as the tightness left my calves, and the congestion left my chest between mile 4 and 5.

Along the Richardson trail section, by the SCTB Watertrough, I met up with my cousin once more. He gave me a high five as his wife shouted “HEY you are kinda muddy!” (which I was). That was enough to propel me down the fire road from mile 5 to 7 as I dropped 500 feet in elevation. Here I met up with a female runner who had taken a nasty fall the last time we ran this trail. She was cautious on the descent but passed me once the trail flattened out.

The last 3 miles was almost flat, and so was I. I picked up a couple more runners along the Gravel section and we sparred as my pace weakened. I just remember pink shorts in front of me (yes, it was a woman). I just tried to keep her in sight as we wound through the Oak Knolls parking lot and hit the asphalt bike path as half of Santa Rosa seemed to be out there with baby strollers and dog leashes as obstacles. I even had a woman ask “Are you training for the Human Race?” I shouted over my shoulder in response “we are racin’ NOW!” .

A quarter mile before the finish line came into view, I was determined not to get “chicked” and I turned on the Afterburners…I didn’t know I had it in me…I literally passed her like she was standing still. I crossed the finish line at a pace that, as one fellow racer said looked like I was “chasin’ someone who stole my mother’s purse”.

A quick look at my watch showed 1:31:24. Over 6 minutes faster than last years time. A new Personal Best for a 10 mile trail race.

Enjoy some Irish music from Gaelic Storm today…

It has now been more than a decade since Gaelic Storm’s career lifted off with their appearance in the blockbuster film Titanic. Since their big-screen debut 10 years ago, the band’s fan base continues to multiply with each new album, turning the one-time-pub-band into one of the premier touring acts in the Celtic/World music genre. Gaelic Storm’s compelling originals and fresh arrangements steeped in Celtic traditional melody combined with their unique blend of world rhythms continue to broaden the musical horizons of the Celtic music genre creating new standards for generations to come. Highlights from their decade-spanning career include seven Billboard Chart topping albums, a DVD, a full-length concert film featured on HD.net in 2007-2008, song placement on two EA Sports Games, a 2008 Hallmark greeting card featuring their song “Kiss Me I’m Irish”, countless television and radio appearances, and of course, an appearance in James Cameron’s Titanic. Gaelic Storm has sold out hundreds of theatres and performing arts centers and has now played to audiences totaling in the millions.

Gunnison, Colo.–Gunnison elk hunters will see significant regulation and license changes for the 2010 big game seasons. Two groups–archery hunters and second-season rifle hunters–are affected most by changes to license allocation and should plan carefully before arriving to the Gunnison area this fall.

“We want to make sure hunters accustomed to purchasing over-the-counter elk licenses are aware of these changes well before the start of the seasons,” said J Wenum, DOW area wildlife manager for Gunnison. “We don’t want hunters showing up here realizing they cannot purchase licenses or that licenses have been sold out.”

Beginning this year, archery hunters can no longer purchase over-the-counter licenses for Game Management Units 54, 55 and 551. All Gunnison archery licenses are allocated by the limited drawing only for the 2010 season. Therefore, bow hunters must participate in the spring drawing and have applications submitted prior to the April 6 deadline to obtain licenses for these Units.

In addition, the Division of Wildlife is planning to reduce archery elk licenses approximately 30 to 50 percent for the upcoming season based on guidance already given by the Wildlife Commission. The 2010 license allocation is based on a three-year average of license sales during the 2007-09 seasons.

Second-season rifle hunters will also see a change in license allocation in Unit 54. Similar to previous years, hunters may purchase over-the-counter elk licenses, but licenses will be “capped” and limited in quantity. Licenses are sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning July 13 at statewide DOW offices and license agents, and online on the DOW Web site.

Approved last year under the Five-Year Review of Big Game Season Structure, the Colorado Wildlife Commission implemented these changes to improve hunter harvest rates and to bring overpopulated Gunnison elk herds closer to objective.

During the past several years, the number of archery hunters has increased significantly in the Gunnison Basin. Increased hunting pressure has caused an early movement of elk into sanctuary areas–private ranches and wilderness areas–making animals inaccessible to both archery hunters and rifle hunters later in the season.

Wildlife managers are optimistic that reducing early season hunting pressure will improve overall hunter success and help to lower elk populations.

“Overall, these changes should provide expanded opportunities for rifle hunters to harvest antlerless elk,” said Wenum.

For a list and explanation of all 2010 Gunnison Basin big game regulation changes, please visit the following link: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/97D14105-03A3-40EA-9C26-010C3C41DCEB/0/GunnisonBasinChanges2010.pdf

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.