Two State-Record Elk Recognized on a Single Day

 Tuesday, June 14, 2016, proved to be a record-setting day at the Wildlife Department's Northeast Region Office near Porter. That's the day two hunters from Muskogee had their elk antlers scored, and they each ended the day as state record-holders.

    Oklahoma's Cy Curtis Awards Program has recognized the racks as the new state-record typical elk and the first state-record nontypical elk.

    Bob Hamlin is the owner of the new typical elk record, which scored 338 4/8 when measured by official scorer Russell Perry, a wildlife biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Hamlin's elk scored about six points more than the previous record of 332 1/8 held by Wayne Munn of Rush Springs.

 

Bob Hamlin 

  The first nontypical elk submitted for a Cy Curtis Award belongs to Jerry Jaynes. It scored 325 7/8 when measured by Perry.

    To be eligible for a Cy Curtis listing, an elk harvested in Oklahoma must score at least 270 in the typical category and 310 in the nontypical category.

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Bob Hamlin with his typical elk mount, recognized as the state record June 14, 2016, with a score of 338 4/8. (Photo Provided)

    Hamlin has heard the same thing many times over the past 22 years. "Everybody kept telling me it was the biggest one they'd ever seen." Even Hamlin admits that he was "fascinated by how big he was" after he brought down the 7-by-6 bull elk that would eventually capture the state record. The hunt was 22 years ago. And that's how long Hamlin has had the state-record elk hanging on his wall -- without even realizing it.

    In all fairness to him, Oklahoma only began recognizing a state-record elk in 2014. So Hamlin only missed out on the notoriety for a couple of years.

    Hamlin, now 81, recalls how it happened back in 1994. For at least a decade, he had entered the drawing for a Wildlife Department controlled hunt for elk. But he read in the newspaper that the hunter drawn for a Cimarron County elk hunt must secure a landowner's permission to hunt on private land. Since he had no permission, Hamlin had nearly convinced himself there was no need to put his name into the drawing. But on the last day for entering, Hamlin talked himself into it. And, of course, his name was drawn.

    Hamlin enlisted the help of the local game warden and was able to find a place and get permission to hunt. On Dec. 17, 1994, Hamlin walked to an area that had waist-high brush and no trees. Soon, a herd of about 50 elk showed up, and it looked to be all cows. "Then this bull came out; he was bringing up the rear end." Hamlin downed the 7-by-6 elk with a 250-yard rifle shot to the chest.

    He debated whether to have the animal mounted, because "I wasn't into the mounting thing." But at the urging of others, he did. "That was the best thing I ever did."

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Jerry Jaynes

Jerry Jaynes of McAlester with his nontypical elk mount, recognized as the state record June 14, 2016, with a score of 325 7/8. (Photo Provided)

    Jaynes took his 9-by-8 nontypical elk Dec. 15, 2005, in Comanche County. It was the final day of his Controlled Hunt, and he decided to hunt in a different area than where he was the previous day.

    "I had seen a lot of cows," he recalled. "But then I walked up on three bulls grazing." One of the bulls was slightly bigger, and it had a drop tine on one side of its rack. "That's why I decided to harvest that one." The elk was only about 40 yards away, but he had to wait for the animal to move into a clearing to get a good shot.

    "I thought he was a pretty decent elk. I didn't know it would ever be a state record."

    Jaynes, 54, said he had been entering the Controlled Hunts elk drawing for about 25 years before his name was selected in 2005. He's been on several Controlled Hunts for deer over the years. He's also hunted elk in Colorado several times, but has yet to take one there.

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    Oklahoma's Cy Curtis Awards Program began in 1972 and originally recognized white-tailed deer and mule deer only. Starting in 2014, the Wildlife Department's official hunter recognition program expanded its listings to include elk, bears and pronghorns that exceed minimum qualifying scores. For details on the Cy Curtis program and to learn how to apply for an award, go to the Cy Curtis page at wildlifedepartment.com.

    The Wildlife Department's Controlled Hunts Program gives hunters a chance to put their name into a drawing for some of the state's most-sought-after hunting opportunities. Controlled hunts for deer, elk, antelope and turkey are conducted in locations where unrestricted public hunting would pose safety concern or where overharvesting might occur.

    In the 2015-16 Controlled Hunts Program, about one in every 22 applicants had his or her name randomly selected for one of 5,760 permits available. The hunt locations are normally posted on the Department's website at wildlifedepartment.com by March 15, and the application deadline is May 15.

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Michigan: Bear and elk license drawing results posted; leftover licenses on sale in July

The Department of Natural Resources today announced that the results of the 2016 bear and elk hunting license drawings have been posted at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings.

Bear

A total of 6,896 bear licenses were available during the bear application period (May 1-June 1). A total of 99 leftover bear licenses are still available in the Bergland Management Unit for the third hunt period, which runs from Sept. 25-Oct. 26, and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis as follows:

• Holders of Lifetime Comprehensive Licenses who were not selected in the drawing may purchase leftover licenses beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, July 6.
  
• Unsuccessful applicants may purchase leftover licenses beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, July 13.
  
• Any hunter, including those who did not apply, may purchase a leftover license beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT)Wednesday, July 20.

Leftover bear licenses are available for residents only. Hunters, except for Lifetime Comprehensive License holders, are reminded that their preference points will reset to zero if they purchase a leftover license.

Elk

The first hunt period of the 2016 elk season begins Aug. 30-Sept. 2 and includes Sept. 16-19 and Sept. 30-Oct. 3. The second hunt will run Dec. 10-18. An additional hunt may be held Jan. 18-22, 2017, if the DNR determines the harvest insufficient to meet management goals.

A total of 60 any-elk and 140 antlerless-only elk licenses have been issued through the drawing.

Successful elk drawing applicants will receive detailed information about their hunt, including assigned hunt periods, elk management unit and type of license (any-elk or antlerless-only). Applicants are asked to be sure their mailing addresses are kept up-to-date with the Secretary of State. Elk hunters must attend a mandatory hunt orientation class prior to their hunt.

Increase the Odds

Hunters can increase the odds of getting bear and elk licenses by applying for the 2017 Pure Michigan Hunt drawing. Each application is $5, and applicants can purchase as many chances as they like. Three lucky hunters will win packages of licenses to hunt elk, bear, turkey, antlerless deer and waterfowl, plus a 2017 base license. Winning the Pure Michigan Hunt does not affect a hunter's eligibility to apply for or purchase other hunting licenses and will not affect bear preference points or weighted elk chances a hunter has earned. Apply for the Pure Michigan Hunt atwww.michigan.gov/puremichiganhunt or at a license agent.

First State-Record Elk Added to Cy Curtis Awards Program

Participating in a once-in-a-lifetime elk hunt at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in

southwestern Oklahoma was definitely a bucket-list item for Shawnee residents Mark
Thompson and Lance Carter. Both hunters harvested typical elk that scored high enough to be recognized as the first two elk in Oklahoma's Cy Curtis Awards Program.
    Thompson now holds the state record for his elk, which scored 307 6/8. Carter's elk scored 282 1/8.
    Thompson and Carter both live near Dale. "We live about two miles from each other as the crow flies," Carter said. Being from the same small town with children the same age, they got to know each other. Little did they know in 2013 they would share an unforgettable hunt.
    When both hunters realized they were drawn for a bull elk hunt through the Wildlife Department's controlled hunts program, they were shocked. Thompson's hunt was "amazing to say the least." The morning of hunter orientation, the temperature was a chilly 4 degrees with snow on the ground. With no wind and the sun rising, they could see elk on every ridge. Thompson decided then that he would be picky and get just the right bull.
    On the first morning of the hunt, Dec. 2, 2013, five of the hunters in his group tagged out by 10 a.m. Thompson passed up a bull elk early that afternoon, but he "knew the fun wasn't over yet."
    "I wanted to hunt longer. I knew the other guys had all tagged out and that afternoon I would be the only one hunting." After observing some bulls in a deep valley that afternoon, he set up for his shot. About 30 minutes before dark, three bulls came in close enough for a shot. He picked out a bull at 350 yards and harvested his state-record bull elk with a .300 Winchester Magnum.
    When he retrieved his elk, Thompson quartered it and packed it out himself. It took him two trips over a mile each in 20-degree weather with the wind blowing 20 mph. "I took my time so I didn't hurt myself."
   

Thompson took an iPad in the field with him and recorded much of his hunt with video and pictures. "I knew this would be the only time I would be able to have pictures of the whole elk and this was a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. I wanted to remember this."
    The next morning, Carter was part of a different group that was still out hunting. He successfully harvested his bull that morning with a broadside shot at long range. "The terrain is unreal, nothing like you would expect in Oklahoma," Carter said.
    The Wildlife Department established the Cy Curtis Awards Program in 1972 to recognize trophy game hunters in Oklahoma. For 42 years, the program recognized only trophy white-tailed deer and mule deer. But in 2014, the Cy Curtis Awards Program was expanded to include elk, pronghorns and black bears that exceed the minimum qualifying scores. The minimum score to be recognized in the Cy Curtis Awards Program for typical elk is 270. For non-typical elk, the minimum score is 310.
    For more details on the program and how to apply for an award, go to the Cy Curtis page at wildlifedepartment.com.

Pure Michigan Hunt winners hit the woods for fall hunting season

Every year Pure Michigan Hunt winners get to spend their fall hunting season living out a big dream - pursuing elk, bear, antlerless deer, turkey and ducks in Michigan's outdoors. For the most recent group of winners, the hunting adventure has begun.
On Sept. 14, Frank Zrepskey of Algonac successfully harvested a large 6 x 7 bull elk with the help of his guide, Gene Skiba, and sons. Zrepskey used his 30.06, given to him by Michigan Gun Owners as part of his Pure Michigan Hunt prize package, to harvest the elk.
“This elk hunt was great. The weather was perfect, we saw lots of game, and when the right bull came along, we were successful,” said Zrepskey. “The whole Pure Michigan Hunt contest win has been a great experience for me!”

Bruce Shaneour of Osseo also was successful in his elk hunt. He harvested a nice 6 x 6 bull elk on Sept. 27 in the Vanderbilt area with help from his guide, Kevin Johnson of Big Boys Adventures. [Pictured: Bruce Shaneour, left, and guide Kevin Johnson with Shaneour's Pure Michigan Hunt elk.]
“What a hunt! The elk were in full rut and bugling all around us. I’ve hunted elk out west a few times, but I’ve never had an experience like this,” said Shaneour. “Kevin Johnson and his team at Big Boys Adventures were excellent. It was the most phenomenal Michigan elk footage they’ve ever captured.”
Bill Kring of Cadillac is still awaiting his chance to harvest a trophy Michigan bull elk.
Bear season is also under way for the Pure Michigan Hunt winners.

This year, there was a Pure Michigan Hunt license transfer of a bear tag. Kring generously transferred his bear tag to a Michigan veteran from Manton. This veteran had the opportunity to hunt with Rob Nixon, on land southwest of Cadillac, and was able to harvest a 217-pound black bear. The veteran reports having a great time on his hunt and being "extremely happy" with his harvest. [Pictured, a Michigan veteran from Manton (left) with the black bear he harvested and guide Rob Nixon.]
New this year, Pure Michigan Hunt winners can now transfer one or all of their licenses to another eligible hunter of their choice or keep the licenses for themselves. This will allow anyone to buy as many applications as they want for themselves and others instead of needing to know someone else’s driver’s license number, address and birthdate to apply for the other hunter.
All three Pure Michigan Hunt winners have the flexibility to hunt many different times and places, with the ability to pick and choose hunt areas and seasons that fit into their schedules.
For hunters who dream of experiences like this, there's still plenty of time to make 2015 the hunt of a lifetime by applying for the Pure Michigan Hunt. Along with all of the hunting licenses, each winner will receive a hunting prize package valued at more than $4,000. Visit www.michigan.gov/puremichiganhunt for more information and to purchase applications.
Waterfowl season is coming up next for the Pure Michigan Hunt winners; look for more about their adventures coming soon.

North Dakota Upcoming Outdoor Events Calendar

Image via Wikipedia

Upcoming Events:

Dec. 11: Elk regular season - late part (Unit E1) closes

11: Moose regular seasons (Units M5, M6) close

31: Elk regular seasons (Units E2, E5) close
31: Any elk extended seasons (Units E3, E4) close

Complete List of Schedule of Events

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South Dakota - GFP Reports On Chronic Wasting Disease

PIERRE, S.D. – As part of its ongoing surveillance for the presence of chronic wasting disease in deer and elk in South Dakota, the Game Fish and Parks Department tested more than 1,700 animals from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011.

Eight elk and 25 deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease during the period. That compares to seven elk and 21 deer last year, and 14 elk and 21 deer two years ago.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal disease of the central nervous system found in elk and deer.

GFP began testing for presence of the disease in 1997 and has tested more than 23,000 wild deer and elk. A total of 173 cases of chronic wasting disease were found among the tested animals.

“We have learned that chronic wasting disease has a very low presence in South Dakota, and it has been very rare to find the disease outside of the area where it was originally discovered in the southwestern part of the state,” said GFP big-game biologist Steve Griffin.

This past year, 71 samples were collected from North Dakota hunters in cooperation with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.  Two mule deer tested positive in North Dakota over the past two years in an area north of Corson and Perkins counties in South Dakota.

“We will continue to cooperate with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department and with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on monitoring in both states to determine how prevalent CWD is in the area,” Griffin said.

“We will again be testing this fall,” he added. “One of our primary sources for tested animals is voluntary cooperation from deer and elk hunters in designated areas. The work that hunters do to assist us with this program has been vital to our success in monitoring CWD.”

Kansas Deer Hunters: JULY 8 DEADLINE FOR RESIDENT ELK, FIREARM EITHER-SPECIES DEER APPLICATIONS

Apply online for Elk and Firearm Either-Species/Either-Sex deer permits

PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) reminds resident hunters that 2011 Firearm Either-Species/Either-Sex Deer permit applications are due July 8. Applications are available online atwww.kdwpt.state.ks.us and must be submitted online or by phone, 620-672-0728. No paper mail-in applications will be accepted. These permits allow firearm hunters to take a mule deer or white-tailed deer of either sex. General resident permits cost $37.50. Landowner/tenant permits cost $22.50, plus internet processing fees. Unsuccessful applicants will be charged a $6.50 application fee and receive one preference point for next year's drawing.

There are two mule deer zones for resident firearm hunters. In the West Zone (Deer Management Units 1, 2, 17, and 18), 1,290 permits are allocated. In the East Zone (Deer Management Units 3, 4, 5, 7, and 16), 1,000 permits are allocated.

Applications for limited resident elk permits valid in units 2A (Ft. Riley), 2, and 3 (most of Morton County closed) are also due July 8 through online application. Ten Either-Sex and 15 Antlerless-Only Elk permits are allocated for this drawing.

A unlimited number of Hunt-Own-Land Antlerless Only Elk and Hunt-Own-Land Either Sex Elk permits will be available for most of Kansas, except a portion of Morton County, which is closed to elk hunting. A Hunt-Own-Land Elk permit is valid during any elk season, and the bag limit is one elk as specified on the permit. These permits will be available July 25, 2011, through March 14, 2012.

An unlimited number of general resident Antlerless-Only Elk permits and Either-Sex Elk permits will be available over the counter. These permits are valid in Unit 3 (most of Kansas except Fort Riley and Morton County) only. The bag limit for each unlimited over-the-counter elk permit will be one elk as specified on the permit. These permits are also available July 25, 2011, through March 14, 2012. While most elk in Kansas inhabit the Fort Riley area, some small populations may be found in western Kansas on private land. KDWPT recommends that hunters make sure they have permission to hunt before purchasing a permit.

General resident Either-Sex Elk permits cost $252.50, and landowner/tenant Either-Sex permits are $127.50. General resident Antlerless-Only Elk permits cost $102.50. Landowner/tenant Antlerless-Only Elk permits are $52.50. The fee to apply for an elk permit is $7.69. Those unsuccessful in the drawing for limited permits valid on Fort Riley will receive a bonus point.

Applicants for limited elk permits valid on Fort Riley must apply online or by phone, 620-672-0728, by July 8. For more information, visit the KDWPT website, www.kdwpt.state.ks.us, or phone the nearest agency office. Elk and deer season information may be found on the website at Hunting/When to Hunt/Big Game.

Nebraska-Application Period Underway for Deer, Elk and Antelope Draw Units

Remaining Permits On Sale July 11.  Bighorn and Super Tag Lotteries Now Open.  Landowner Elk permits Are Included in Draw Application Period.

The calendar says May, and your hand may be holding a fishing pole, but it's time for some advance thinking about your fall hunting activities.  Nebraska residents may currently apply for: one deer permit in any draw unit (Republican Whitetail, Republican Mule Deer and Desoto December Muzzleloader season units), one elk permit, and one buck or either-sex antelope permit in available units.  (One application is allowed per person per species.)  Landowners interested in elk permits should contact their district Nebraska Game and Parks office for application forms at this time.    In addition, two big game lotteries are presently underway for Nebraska hunters: a Bighorn Sheep Lottery and a Super Tag Lottery.  Both lotteries are open to Nebraska residents only, have a $25 application fee and can be entered online.  The winner of the bighorn sheep lottery will receive a historic hunt for a bighorn ram in the rugged Pine Ridge, with four nights lodging and guide service provided by Nebraska Game and Parks.  The recipient of the Super Tag lottery wins a permit with a bag limit of one elk, one antelope, one deer and two turkeys. This permit is valid during 2011 and 2012, meaning the winner has two years for fill it.  Once-in-a-lifetime bull elk permit holders are eligible to participate in this lottery. Both resident and nonresident hunters will want to mark July 11 on their calendars; it's the day when all remaining permits go on sale.  A complete list of opening dates and application periods can be found on our website, and our 2011 Big Game Guide will be posted there as soon as it becomes available. Hunters in search of big game animals will find that Nebraska's populations and hunting opportunities are about the best they have ever been in modern times. Record numbers of deer and turkey exist throughout the state, and even our elk population is thriving.  Permits for deer and turkey are easy to obtain, and our $5 youth permits make hunting affordable for aspiring young hunters.  According the staff biologists, the 20-year trend of increasing numbers of older bucks should continue in 2011.  Data from 2010 indicates that 75% of harvested whitetail bucks and 83% of harvest mule deer bucks were age 2 or older.  Thousands of acres of private land have also been opened up for hunting through ourOpen Fields and Waters program, which provides incentives to landowners in return for opening up areas of good habitat to public hunting and fishing use.  These lands will be included in the 2011 Public Access Atlas, which is generally available in August each year.  So as you are reeling in that largemouth or casting for walleye, be thinking about all the great ways you can extend your adventures in the Nebraska outdoors.  We are here to help you with that, so visit our website for frequent updates or follow us onFacebook or Twitter.  And as always - we'll See You Out There! Click here to buy your permits online.