Hunting Ain't Easy

Bonus Episode: Saying hello to the California Fish & Game Commission

This episode is specific to some planning I'm doing around the 8/18/21 Fish & Game Commission meeting. While the specific date will eventually pass, the content and reason for this episode is timeless and we will do this again - so please listen up. 

 

8/18 is the next Calif. Fish & Game Commission meeting. There's nothing super controversial on the agenda, so it's an ideal time for hunters who want to become educated and active, to see, learn and join the process. 

Kevin Vella (NWTF) and I will host a pre-game planning session on Monday 8/18 so to help educate everyone on how these meetings work, what to expect, what not to expect and how we will join the meeting and participate. The best part about this is that we can introduce ourselves in public comment, let the Commission know that the hunting community is part of the "social" and the "science" that they need to balance. 

If you want to join us for this meeting or future pre-meeting prep sessions just message me on IG  instagram.com/HuntingAintEasy 

Commission meeting schedule and agenda are here: https://fgc.ca.gov/Meetings/2021

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management

Ep 11 Access to hunt Wildlife Refuges, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers in California

For this episode I talk with Devin O'dea from the California chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. While BHA is known to stir controversy and division at the national level, the work they're doing in CA is worth a good look and I believe deserves the support of the California hunting community. You don't have to be a member of the BHA to follow the work they do and put your voice behind the public land hunting initiatives they support. Better yet, if you're in the Southern California area there's a good chance their boots-on-the-ground effort to inventory and renovate hundreds of guzzlers could directly benefit your hunting. 

Give this a listen and get to know the local efforts that affect California hunters. 

California Chapter of the BHA

California State Game Refuges

National Wildlife Refuges in California

HR972 TEXT

BHA Blog covering HR972

BHA and TRCP authored report on hunting access on National Wildlife Refuges

BHA Opposition to 2021 bear hunting ban legislation

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management

Bonus Episode: Bear Series - Bear meat care, from the shot to the pot.

From the shot to the pot, California black bears offer more than a great hunt! Meat care is of utmost importance when it comes to closing out your successful hunt, and then enjoying the harvest in the weeks and months after killing. For many experienced hunters bear meat is the #1 protein for the entire family.  Yet too many people say that bear meat is stinky and gamey and gross. How is this? It all comes down to meat care, and starts with skin off, guts out, 4 quarters broken down and the meat cooled down ASAP.

Thanks to Brian Kyncy of Kyncy Guide Service for hanging on with me to talk about the importance of meat care after a successful bear hunt. 

Resources:

Randy Newberg demonstrates the gutless method

Brian Call on bear meat care, field to table

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management

Ep 10 Black bear series part 5 with Brian Kyncy, 4 decades of NorCal bear hunting and guiding

For Part 5 of our Black Bear hunting series we feature a great conversation with Brian Kyncy ( https://kyncyguideservice.com) a guide, hunter and fisherman with over 4 decades of experience in the woods of Northern California. Brian is passionate about bears and all their crazy quirks, possibly because he was charged by a black bear way back when he was just 11 years old.  In spite of having the opportunity to hunt with hounds taken away over a decade ago, Kyncy Guide Service continues to bring clients into the woods to find mature bears, slowly, quietly and effectively by patterning them around food, water and cover that bears stick to. During our call he shares stories and tactics that are sure to entertain you while putting some new tools into your how-to-hunt kit. We get into wallows, water, bear senses (the nose knows!) stand and ambush hunting techniques and how to tune into some of the critters that'll alert you to predators when they come into your stand area. 

Check out Brian and his family on IG @ www.instagram.com/KyncyGuideService and feel free to hit him up if you want some insights to finding NorCal black bears. 

Follow Hunting Ain't Easy podcast on Instagram www.instagram.com/HuntingAintEasy 

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management

 

Ep 9 California D-Zone Deer Hunting with Doug Dreher, aka The Sierra Stalker

CA deer season is coming in hot and we're all getting the itch to glass up bucks in the high-country! Doug Dreher is one of the most consistent (and persistent!) hunters in California. He's a self professed DiY, public land, OTC DZone hunter, and a weekend warrior on 9 out of 10 hunts! He generously shares his scouting and hunting on Instagram (www.instagram.com/the_sierra_stalker).  We chat about Doug's approach to scouting throughout the summer and early archery seasons, and we dig into his perspective on buck habits as the summer turns into fall.  

Doug shared a GREAT story about his 2019 hunt - not just the fact that he and his buddy Kirk knock down a DOUBLE on opening day as a September snow storm is rolling in - but also the backstory about this little honey hole where he found the bucks.  Based on Doug's experience, don't forget to pack your KARMA when heading into the deer woods. 

Follow the podcast on www.instagram.com/HuntingAintEasy

HOWL For Wildlife

#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management 

Ep 8, part 4 of the Black Bear Series with biologist and author Preston Taylor

For this episode I had the privilege of sitting down with Preston Taylor to talk about tracking of black bears as a scouting and hunting tactic. Preston is a professional wildlife biologist with a passion for wildlife and gets to spend a lot of time in the woods studying, tracking and observing behavior of numerous game animals. He recently authored the book "Tracking the American Black Bear" ( https://amzn.to/2VNYR5b ) and shares his passion for wildlife tracking, with a specific emphasis on how to interpret and follow bear markings, scat and tracks to get close to black bears in the wilderness.  

We get to touch on some hunting philosophy and policy issues, but really focus on his experiences and how a new bear hunter can build the knowledge and skill set needed to intentionally and successfully hunt California black bears. 

Hunting Ain't Easy on IG: HuntingAintEasy@instagram.com 

Preston Taylor on IG: tracker_longbows@instagram.com 

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management, tracking, cyber tracker 

Ep 7 Black Bear Series part 3 with Western Bear Foundation

The California black bear series continues (part 3 of 6)! I got to sit down and talk with Joe Kondelis of the Western Bear Foundation. For nearly 15 years Western Bear Foundation has been an active conservation org working to preserve, protect and support healthy black bear populations and the opportunity to hunt them. They're close to the issues of human/bear conflict, and the impacts that are taking place as unhunted apex predators (G-bears) expand their habit and exceed population targets. Joe has committed much of his life's work to being passionate about black bears and the issues that relate to their success on the landscape, and our opportunity to hunt them.  

Joe's experience with Western Bear Foundation connects to many of the lessons we can learn and apply here in the state of California as the hunting community comes together to become the thought, science and policy leader for issues that impact wildlife populations and hunting opportunity. 

Check out Western Bear Foundation and for just $30 join the roster of supporters as success in their mission will ultimately help CA black bear populations and hunting.  https://www.westernbearfoundation.org/  https://www.instagram.com/westernbearfoundation  

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management

Ep 6 California Black Bear Series part 2 with Seth Watts ”Black Bear Pursuit”

In the 2nd of several parts of our black bear series I get to spend some time with Seth Watts.  Seth runs the "Black_Bear_Pursuit" IG page and has been bit hard by the black bear hunting and scouting bug.  His IG page is one of the best out there for black bears, with some outstanding trailcam locations, some highly entertaining bears show up on his cams and they hang around long enough for us all to learn a few things. 

Seth's bear scouting and hunting is not in what most people would consider typical "ideal black bear" habitat - which just shows how much we have to learn about bears.  His prime spots range from 1500-5500 elevation typically and he sees more bears down low in late season.  We get into his approach to scouting, finding sign and habitat these bears frequent, and how he sets his cameras up to learn as much as possible. 

If there's anything you should do after this episode it's 1) consider lower elevation black bear habitat if you can find water, food and cover that bear love and 2) follow Seth @ Black_Bear_Pursuit on IG. You'll be inspired and entertained by the content he is sharing. 

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management

EP 5 California Black Bear Series - Biologist Jonathan Fusaro

Kicking off the Bear series I sit down with Jonathan Fusaro. He's a wildlife biologist, hunter and former researcher for the California Dept of Fish & Wildlife.  Jonathan's focus of study has been the Eastern Sierra Nevada region (Mono County and nearby zones including X8, X9a/b, X10 and X12.  We discuss some of his published work as well as some bear population surveys in CA which have not yet been published, then get into the habits and habitat and population estimates for these "east side" bears. Jonathan describes how he would approach hunting the high alpine zone just east of Yosemite in X12 as well as where he would look for bears feeding on pinon nuts in the late season. 

The bear hunt opportunity in the eastern Sierra zone is incredible, with healthy and growing populations and relatively low hunter pressure or harvest. If you're seeking a wild and scenic bear hunt in some of the most spectacular mountain or high desert habitat consider a trip to this area.  

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management

 

Episode 4 with Kevin Vella, NWTF Biologist

Our first guest on Hunting Ain't Easy is Kevin Vella, the Pacific Region Biologist for the National Wild Turkey Federation.  We cover 3 sections of discussion in this episode: 1) NWTF work in CA and how habitat mgmt for turkeys helps wildlife diversity and our big game populations 2) Insights into our allies and agencies such as CDFW, F&G Commission and where laws, rules and regulations come from.  3) our first "how would you hunt this" segment!  

Listen in and take some notes because Kevin drops some great knowledge that can benefit any CA hunter.  

While you're at it, check out https://www.nwtfcalifornia.com/ and drop your $35 to join their conservation efforts, you'll get a $25 coupon code in return, so net costs are just $10!.  Not a turkey hunter, no problem - NWTF is going great work in prime deer habitat so the herds and hunting improve too. 

 

California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting, bow hunting, archery, conservation, wildlife management