Wildlife Clubs Sponsor Calling Contest
By Nick Simonson
In an effort to attract sportsmen to the pastime of predator hunting and to control the growing number of coyotes in southeastern North Dakota, four wildlife clubs from the region will be sponsoring the Sheyenne Valley Coyote Calling Contest in conjunction with internet predator hunting supersite CoyoteHunter.net. The contest will be based out of the Eagles Club in Valley City on January 20, 21 and 22 and is part of a region-wide coyote hunting tournament series with a loyal following.
The four-club coalition, which includes the Barnes County Wildlife Federation (BCWF), the James River Sportsman’s Club LaMoure, Litchville Wildlife Club, and Future Pheasants Inc of Marion, hopes this event will raise awareness of and participation in predator hunting and work to remove a number of coyotes which prey upon small game, deer and occasionally livestock.
“There are a lot of coyotes out there,” said BCWF President Perry Kapaun, in regard to the burgeoning population of the furbearers in the area, “every morning this fall that I’d set up in the dark for goose hunting, they’d be howling,” he continued.
Kapaun expects a solid draw to the event, by both the tournament regulars and from area sportsmen; “we have a lot of early interest from local hunters,” he commented.
The Sheyenne Valley Coyote Calling contest serves as the final event in CoyoteHunter.net’s Coyote Classic Tournament Series, with entrants scoring points in each contest which build toward an overall series title. The event is open to 75 two-man teams, drawing out the best predator hunters in the region and skilled tournament veterans, but this shouldn’t discourage beginner or recreational predator hunters from entering the contest. At the Eagles Club in Valley City, following registration on the evening of Thursday, January 20, novice and experienced hunters alike will benefit from a quick overview of the contest, a rules meeting and dinner hour, where the sponsoring clubs will be serving free chili to all entrants.
The entry fee is $250 per team, and each team interested in vying for the largest coyote and smallest coyote taken in the tournament can pay an extra $15 per category for the winner-take-all prize in each class. The event itself will pay the top 10 teams a percentage of the net total entry fees, based on the weight of coyotes registered over the two-day hunt. CoyoteHunter.net will also be hosting seminars by coyote-hunting experts from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 22. The entry fee for the evening program is seven dollars.
Those considering entering the contest should be aware that the focus of the event will be on luring predators via calling skills and the chasing of coyotes is prohibited. Use of an ATV, snowmobile, or aircraft for pursuing coyotes is against the rules and all coyotes must be taken by a hunter in a position at least 50 feet away from the team’s car or truck. Furthermore, all entrants must possess the proper North Dakota hunting licenses and abide by all applicable laws and regulations. This format encourages ethical pursuit and development of tangible predator hunting skills. Full rules for the Sheyenne Valley Calling Contest can be found in the Talk Forum section of www.CoyoteHunter.net.
Entrants are encouraged to visit www.CoyoteHunter.net for more information including point allocation, placing, payout and more on what to expect from the event. Hunters are also encouraged to contact the BCWF with questions or for registration. Area landowners who are interested in allowing access to their property to help with the contest and the removal of coyotes from their immediate area should contact Perry Kapaun at (701)490-1797 to volunteer their land, or by sending a letter to BCWF at PO Box 148, Valley City, ND 58072.
NEXT MEETING…WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15TH, 2010…VC EAGLES CLUB
CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY…HORS D’OEUVRES AT 6 PM
MEETING AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS TO FOLLOW
PLEASE BRING A NON-PERISHABLE ITEM FOR OUR LOCAL FOOD PANTRY!!!
GAS & GROCERY TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE! TURN THEM IN AT L&H SHOE SHOP. PICK UP MORE IF YOU CAN SELL THEM FOR US! DRAWING HELD AT OUR MEMBERSHIP DRIVE JANUARY 5TH, 2011.
NOVEMBER MEETING HIGHLIGHTS:
NDGFD BIOLOGIST STEPHANIE TUCKER GAVE A FANTASTIC PRESENETATION ON ND MOUNTAIN LIONS. GREAT INFO ON THEIR HABITS, HABITAT, TRACKS AND REPRODUCTION. SHE STRESSED THAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS VERIFIABLE EVIDENCE TO INVESTIGATE A SIGHTING (ie: PHOTO, TRACKS OR SCAT) AND IF YOU HAVE THAT; BY ALL MEANS CONTACT THEM! LIONS ARE LARGE CATS SO BE AWARE OF PERSPECTIVE (a house cat can look like one in short grass). SHE EVEN GAVE US A QUIZ AT THE END.
BANQUET WAS DOWN A LITTLE THIS YEAR. WE NEED MORE DONATION VOLUNTEERS NEXT YEAR AND WE WANT YOUR INPUT IF YOU HAVE ANY NEW GAMES OR RAFFLE IDEAS!
VENISON FOR THE FOOD PANTRY HAS SO FAR PROCESSED ONLY 3 DEER. CONTACT GOOSE KAPAUN IF YOU’D LIKE TO DONATE A MUZZLELOADER OR LATE BOW KILL. 845-2970 / 840-0179
VC CARES WILL ALSO TAKE HOME PROCESSED VENISON IN NEAT, LABELED & DATED PACKAGES IF YOU ARE ROTATING FREEZERS. CALL ROSIE LARSON 490-1389.
NDWF CONVENTION…JAN. 28-29 BISMARCK DOUBLEWOOD. ANY INTERESTED DELEGATES CALL PERRY 490-1797. WE HAVE ONE DRAFT RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT.
MEASURE #2 FAILED BUT WE INTEND TO MOVE FORWARD AND BE PRO-ACTIVE.
INDOOR ARCHERY RANGE…OPEN HOUSE…SAT, DEC 4TH 10 AM –3 PM. AUDITORIUM BASEMENT, USE THE ALLEY DOOR ON NW CORNER. THEY WILL BE OPEN NOW ON MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT 7 PM. NEIL PPEDERSON 840-0173.
JUNIOR NATURALISTS DEC. 13TH EVENT IS ARCHERY AT THE INDOOR RANGE 6 PM. CALL KYLE 701-650-8715 TO PRE-REGISTER OR kyle.m.Johnson@vcsu.edu
HIDES FOR WILDLIFE…DONATE YOUR DEER HIDE FOR A CHANCE ON A RIFLE DRAWING. FOUR DROP OFF POINTS ARE VALLEY MEAT, SANDOON SALOON, AGRIBASICS-Wimbledon & SKIPPERS-Sibley.
SHEYENNE VALLEY CALLING CONTEST…JAN. 20-22…POSTERS ARE OUT NOW. FOR INFO GO TO www.coyotehunter.net
OTHER AREA PREDATOR HUNTS THAT WE HAVE DATES FOR : DEC 2-4 WINTER CLASSIC, Mandan—JAN 8 LaMoure—
JAN 6-8 ND CLASSIC, Dickinson, FEB 5 BCWF. OUR CLUB ALSO HAS GUN TICKETS TO DRAW FOR JAN 22.
NDWF AUTO/CASH BANQUET…TICKETS OUT NOW! GET YOURS BEFORE THEY SELL OUT! APRIL 2, 2011
SPEARFISHING IS OPEN: REGISTER AT gf.nd.gov
BUCK SHOW…THANK YOU TJ HANSEN AND COMMITTEE.
ICE FISHING DERBY…SEE POSTER BELOW! JAY HOLM CHAIR 490-1293.
DEVILS LAKE AND JAMESTOWN TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE AREA NOW ALSO.
Here are the results from the 27th Annual Buck Show in Valley City.
Juniors Class:
1st – Tanner Werkhoven – Typical Whitetail – 136 2/8 – 80.15%
2nd – Jenna Gullickson – Typical Mule – 150 4/8 – 79.21%
3rd – Dacia Eberle – Typical Whitetail – 134 2/8 – 78.97%
4th – Melissa Miller – Typical Whitetail – 129 7/8 – 76.40%
5th – Mark Miller – Typical Whitetail – 124 7/8 – 73.46%
6th – Derek Eberle – Typical Whitetail – 119 2/8 – 70.15%
7th – Will Diemart – Typical Whitetail – 119 1/8 – 70.07%
8th – Justin Undem – Typical Whitetail – 117 4/8 – 69.12%
9th – Ben Baasch – Typical Whitetail – 106 2/8 – 62.50%
Seniors Class:
1st – Trevor Quick – Typical Whitetail – 176 0/8 – 103.53%
2nd – Ed McGough – Typical Whitetail – 161 6/8 – 95.15%
3rd – Zac Coleman – Typical Whitetail – 160 1/8 – 94.19%
4th – Pamela Scouten – Typical Whitetail – 159 3/8 – 93.75%
5th – Wyatt Tulp – Typical Whitetail – 153 4/8 – 90.29%
6th – Nick Noot – Typical Whitetail – 148 7/8 – 87.57%
7th – Monte Anderson – Typical Whitetail – 147 1/8 – 86.54%
8th – Cody Wegner – Typical Whitetail – 145 7/8 – 85.81%
9th – Keith Zerface – Typical Mule – 161 7/8 – 85.20%
10th – Curt Johnson – Typical Whitetail – 143 2/8 – 84.26%
11th – Levi Robertsdahl – Typical Whitetail – 139 5/8 – 82.13%
12th – Bruce Storhoff – Typical Mule – 155 1/8 – 81.64%
13th – Dennis Moritz – Typical Whitetail – 136 4/8 – 80.29%
14th – Travis Tvedt – Typical Whitetail – 135 6/8 – 79.85%
15th – Kyle Schoefer – Typical Whitetail – 127 7/8 – 75.22%
16th – Clayton Risser – Typical Whitetail – 126 7/8 – 74.63%
17th – Roger Bischoff – Typical Whitetail – 125 2/8 – 73.68%
18th – Ken Clausen – Typical Whitetail – 124 4/8 – 73.24%
19th – Breanna Holm – Typical Whitetail – 123 5/8 – 72.72%
20th – Stacey Hoehn – Typical Whitetail – 121 7/8 – 71.69%
21st – Brent Sundlie – Typical Whitetail – 115 1/8 – 67.72%
The senior division saw a new #1 overall buck that has ever been brought to the Buck Show in 27 years. Trevor Quick’s buck scored 176 and is the biggest buck ever brought to the show. He will be getting it scored by an official Boone and Crockett scorer so that it can go into the official Boone and Crockett book.
Hanson says thanks to everyone that helped most of them don’t get enough recognition. He says the Barnes County Wildlife Club is fortunate to have so many people who are willing to volunteer their time for the show.
Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to attend a North Dakota Game and Fish Department advisory board meeting in their area.
These public meetings, held each spring and fall, provide citizens with an opportunity to discuss fish and wildlife issues and ask questions of their district advisors and agency personnel.
District 6 – Counties: Barnes, Dickey, Foster, Griggs, Logan, LaMoure, McIntosh, Stutsman and Wells
Date: Dec. 2 – 7 p.m.
Location: Eagles Club, Valley City
Host: Barnes County Wildlife Club
Contact: Perry Kapaun, 490-1797
Advisory board member: Joel Christoferson, Litchville, 973-4981
NEXT MEETING…WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, 2010…VC VFW CLUB
FREE BURGERS SERVED TO MEMBERS 6 PM TILL GONE…MEETING TO FOLLOW
OUR BANQUET/AUCTION IS COMING UP FAST! EARLY BIRD TICKETS NEED TOO BE TURNED IN BY OCT. 16TH FOR A $100 VALLEY MEAT CERTIFICATE. WE STILL NEED MORE HELP TO GET DONATIONS; CALL JILL 845-2087/2378. SET UP IS THE NIGHT PRIOR AT 5PM SO BRING YOUR FOLDER ALONG WITH ITEMS SO WE CAN ORGANIZE THE TABLES. PIZZA AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED.
WEB SITE WAS LISTED INCORRECT LAST MONTH. IT IS www.barnescountywildlifeclub.org
YOUR HUNTING & FISHING PHOTOS CAN BE SENT TO JOSH HOLM FOR POSTING AT josh_holm@hotmail.com
NEW PLOTS GUIDES ARE AVAILABLE FROM AREA VENDORS.
SIGHT-IN DAY IS SCHEDULED FOR OCT. 17TH—10 AM AT THE VC RIFLE AND PISTOL RANGE. RANDY 845-0151. THERE WILL BE SOMEONE THERE FOR HELP OR ADVICE IF YOU NEED IT.
INDOOR ARCHERY RANGE IS TENTATIVE TO OPEN THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER. FOR INFO CALL NEIL PETERSON 840-0173. OPEN SHOOTING AND LEAGUE.
FISHERIES PROJECTS UPCOMING INCLUDE A CANOE ACCESS AT THE HATCHERY AND A BOAT RAMP IN CITY PARK.
BUCK SHOW IS NOV. 22ND AT VC EAGLES. CHAIR TJ HANSEN.
HIDES FOR WILDLIFE DROP OFF POINTS WILL BE THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. CHAIR EUGENE PEDERSON 490-4219. FREEZE THOSE DEER HIDES FROM ARCHERY AND YOUTH SEASONS.
VENISON FOR THE FOOD PANTRY IS ON GO. CONTACT GOOSE KAPAUN AT 845-2970 FOR A CERTIFICATE OR TO DONATE FOR PROCESSING FEE.
WE HOPE TO HAVE A REPORT AFTER THE TRNP ELK REDUCTION.
1ST ANNUAL SHEYENNE VALLEY CALLING PREDATOR HUNT IS IN THE PLANNING FOR THIS WINTER. STAY TUNED FOR ADS. THIS IS A CIRCUIT HUNT AND WILL DRAW IN PROFESSIONALS FROM OTHER STATES.
JUNIOR NATURALISTS: CALL KYLE OR EMAIL HIM FOR SCHEDULES OF EVENTS kyle.m.Johnson@vcsu.edu OR CALL 701-650-8715. OCT. 18TH EVENT IS SETTING UP GOOSE AND DUCK DECOYS AT THE HATCHERY, 5PM.
BE SURE TO VOTE NOVEMBER 2ND! THE HIGH FENCE HUNTING PETITION WAS FULFILLED AND WILL BE ON THE BALLOT!
GAYLON HANSEN IS BACK IN TOWN AT THE LEGACY. WE’RE SURE HE WOULD ENJOY A SHORT VISIT OR PHONE CALL 845-1419.
OBITUARY: MEMBER LOIS TRANGSRUD PASSED AWAY IN SEPTEMBER. THE CLUB HAS SENT SYMPATHIES TO HER FAMILY.
NEXT MEETING…SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2010…VC VFW CLUB
FREE BURGERS SERVED TO PAID UP MEMBERS 6 PM TILL GONE
MEETING TO FOLLOW
WELCOME BACK EVERYONE! I HOPE YOUR SUMMER HAS GONE SLOWER THAN MINE!
WE WILL BE REQUESTING VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH THE ANNUAL BANQUET / AUCTION AT THIS MEETING! WE NEED THE MOST HELP WITH DONATIONS! WE’LL HAVE A LIST TO CHOSE FROM AND COULD USE ABOUT 20 PEOPLE TO HELP WITH THE FOOTWORK TO SPREAD THE LOAD LIGHTER. CALL JILL AT 845-2087/2378 IF YOU CAN HELP US BUT WON’T BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING.
EXTRA DOE LICENSES…THERE ARE STILL A FEW AVAILABLE. APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT VENDORS OR CHECK OUT UP TO DATE LISTING ON THE G&F WEBSITE.
INDOOR ARCHERY RANGE IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN OCTOBER. CONTACT NEIL PEDERSON 840-0173.
NEW WEB PAGE HAS BEEN SET UP BY JOSH HOLM: barnescountywildlife.org
BCWF SPONSORED 9 YOUTH TO NDWF CAMP AND 7 TO FISH CAMP THIS SUMMER. THANK YOU KELLI BJORNSON FOR COORDINATING THIS.
SUMMER EVENTS REPORT:
TAKE A KID FISHING DAY WAS GREAT! WE HAD A FANTASTIC GROUP OF 32 KIDS. THANKS TO CHAIR, GOOSE KAPAUN AND ALL THE HELPERS AND SPONSORS.
SUMMER WALLEYE TOURNAMENT WAS ANOTHER GREAT EVENT. WITH THE COOLER WEATHER WE HAD AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL RELEASE RATE. SEE WINNERS ON BACK PAGE.
JUNE HUNTER-ED CLASS HAD 24 GRADUATES. THANK YOU SKIP PEDERSEN AND ALL THE OTHER VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS FOR KEEPING THIS PROGRAM GOING!
NOTE: GAYLONG HANSEN IS CURRENTLY AT BETHANY HOME IN FARGO AS HE HAS BEEN BATTLING A HEALTH ISSUE FOR ALMOST A YEAR. HE IS IN ROOM 257…PHONE# 701-478-3910. WE KNOW HE WOULD ENJOY AN ENCOURAGING NOTE OR A VISIT IF YOU ARE IN THE FARGO AREA. CONTACT T.J…490-0929 OR RHONDA…490-1983 FOR UPDATES AS HIS LOCATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
J.A.K.E.S. DAY HOSTED A FULL HOUSE OF 96 INTERESTED KIDS (ALL AGES). IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL BUGLESS EVENING. THANKS STACEY AND CREW!
SUMMER PICNIC/FISH FRY HAD A GREAT TURNOUT. THANK YOU COOKS RON MANSON AND KIM FOELL. CORN CAME FROM LLOYD ANDERSON’S, BRUCE SHANENKO’S AND HENRIK VOLDAL’S. THANKS TO ALL WHO BROUGHT DISHES TO SHARE.
TRAP SHOOT FUN NIGHT WENT WELL. WINNER OF THE ANNIE OAKLEY SHOOT WAS BEN BAASCH! CONGRATULATIONS BEN!
YOUTH PHEASANT HUNT HOSTED 20 YOUTH. THANK YOU JIM ZERFACE, SPONSORS AND DOG HANDLERS.
OBITUARY: THIS SUMMER WE LOST MEMBERS LENNY HOFFART AND ROGER PLECITY. BCWF HAS SENT SYMPATHIES TO THEIR FAMILIES.
North Dakota state officials are encouraged that the National Park Service has started recruiting volunteers to help reduce the elk population in Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit.
The NPS announced details of the process July 19. Under the plan, volunteers will have an opportunity to harvest elk within the park using firearms. The plan includes having five teams, each consisting of one team leader and four volunteers, in the park each week for 12 weeks, beginning in November 2010. Therefore, a maximum of 240 volunteers may be needed.
“This is very close to the alternative we recommended to the NPS, and North Dakota citizens asked for,” said Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department Director. “We offer our support to the Park Service as this alternative is put into place, and we encourage North Dakotans to take the lead and submit an application.”
The NPS is the agency responsible for managing TRNP and is developing and implementing actions intended to reduce elk numbers in the park. The Game and Fish Department role as a cooperating agency is to provide technical advice and assistance to the NPS as it implements the process, and to facilitate the transfer of elk meat to the volunteers.
“We have worked to give North Dakotans an opportunity to help reduce the park’s elk population and keep part of the meat,” said Gov. John Hoeven. “Now we look forward to helping the Park Service succeed with this plan.”
In coordination with the park elk removal plan, Game and Fish has its elk seasons in units E3 and E4 outside the park open during November and December. In addition, the Department also plans to recommend an amendment to the proclamation that would allow licensed E3 and E4 elk hunters who were not successful during the regular season, to take cow elk outside the park in January.
Individuals who received a North Dakota elk license in the past are eligible to apply. In addition, participating in this elk reduction management plan does not eliminate someone from future consideration for a North Dakota elk license.
For more information on the application process, access the TRNPS website at www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Application_Instructions.pdf. A question and answer summary of the elk reduction plan is available at www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Elk-Reduction-FAQ.pdf. A link to the NPS website is also available on the Game and Fish website at www.gf.nd.gov.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists recently completed the 2010 pronghorn population survey, and census data revealed the statewide population is 37 percent lower than last year and down more than 50 percent from 2008 as a consequence of recent severe winter weather. Therefore, the Game and Fish Department will not recommend a pronghorn hunting season in 2010.
Bruce Stillings, big game biologist in Dickinson, said two severe winters with high adult mortality rates, followed by poor production, has dropped the statewide population estimate to 6,500 pronghorn. Since 2003, the statewide population has been at or above 10,000 animals, including two years with more than 15,000.
“We need to give these populations an opportunity to recover. Our numbers are declining with few yearlings observed due to poor production in 2009, which was the lowest documented on record, followed by last year’s tough winter,” Stillings. “Production was better this year, but still below long-term averages in all management regions.”
The aerial survey is flown in early July after young-of-the-year are born and visible. “We have to fly surveys to find out how many animals are on the ground,” Stillings said. “We actually count individual animals so there is no extrapolating.”
Survey results indicate the northern badlands population is doing the best, while pronghorn in the western Bowman management area are in the poorest condition. “Pronghorn in the northern badlands are at higher numbers due to experiencing only one severe winter over the last two years, while the remainder of the range had back-to-back severe winters,” Stillings said. “Pronghorn in the western Bowman management region have not only had back-to-back severe winters, but experienced an abnormally cold and wet spring in 2009, which resulted in an unprecedented low production in 2009.”
Northern Great Plains pronghorn are susceptible to dramatic population declines due to extreme winter conditions, Stillings said. The last two years have been a worst case scenario for pronghorn in North Dakota, similar to 1977-79 when three consecutive severe winters hit the region, resulting in closed seasons from 1978-1981.
“The last thing pronghorn need is another severe winter,” Stillings said. “A mild winter will increase adult survival and leave females in good condition for fawning.”
Biologists will continue to monitor pronghorn numbers in the future, and when the population returns to a level capable of withstanding a harvest the season will reopen. “The winter of 2010-11 will be pivotal in determining whether pronghorn begin to recover or if a series of closed seasons similar to the late 1970s are needed,” Stillings said.
The 2010 pronghorn season will be closed to both gun and archery hunters. Applicants who have accumulated preference points will maintain their current points. Individuals who have already purchased an archery license will be issued a refund.
