Innehållsförteckning för September 2025 från Game & Fish West

I’ll be the first to admit that I have a lukewarm relationship with digital technology. I’m old enough to remember (and occasionally long for) a time when we weren’t so reliant upon it as a society, but I’m young enough to not be hopelessly perplexed by it. I’ve never been an early adopter of newfangled tech, but I see the value of it in certain situations (though social media could disappear tomorrow and I wouldn’t shed a tear). When it comes to hunting and fishing, some of the tech that is brought to market is admittedly gimmicky and short-lived, but there are plenty of mainstream, widely used examples that have cemented their place in our pursuits. We see cutting-edge tech in everything from range-finding binoculars and thermal optics to forward-facing…

In days of hunting’s past, a single strand of your grandma’s sewing thread tied across a deer trail told you all that you thought you needed to know about deer movement. The way in which the thread lay on the forest floor explained the direction the deer was traveling when it tripped the “trap.” Soon thereafter came the TrailTimer, which told you precisely when deer were using a particular trail. Thing is, both grandma’s sewing thread and the TrailTimer were one-and-done scouting tools. Times have certainly changed in the world of whitetail reconnaissance. These days, trail camera technology seems to advance by leaps and bounds every year, and these enhanced scouting tools are certainly helping deer hunters be more efficient and effective. However, not everyone agrees that they have a…

The morning air was calm when my buddy, Jody Smith, let out a gentle cow call. Fresh elk sign surrounded us on the warm September morning. Swiftly, a bugle came firing back through the coniferous forest. Moving to the side of the trail, before we could get set up, another bull bugled, then a third. We were surrounded by bulls, all within 50 yards of us. They were unusually vocal for Roosevelt elk. No words were exchanged; they weren’t necessary. Smith and I have spent countless hours together in the elk woods over the last 25 years. We both figured it’d be a done deal in a matter of seconds. For nearly 10 minutes, the bulls bugled back and forth. We called sparingly, figuring the bulls would surely move toward…

Like many game birds without much body fat, sage grouse breasts can easily become dry and tough when grilled or baked. One solution is to wrap the breasts (skin removed) in a strip of bacon before grilling. Consider affixing the bacon to the breast with wooden toothpicks. Various marinades that combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves and other spices to suit your taste can add to the dining pleasure. You can also try cooking the breasts and drumsticks in an InstaPot pressure cooker. Sauté the breasts, toss in some chopped onions and bell pepper, then add about a cup of chicken broth. Close the lid tightly and cook for about 25 minutes. Diners at my table have confused the results with chicken. Side note: In many areas inhabited by…

September’s end was staring at me square in the eye. Although I knew the Montana season extended into October, each passing day could curtail the breeding enthusiasm of elk already tired from weeks of rutting activity. When the afternoon bugling kicked in, so did my optimism. Then, as I hustled to catch up with the retreating bugles, my confidence began to wane. Instead of remaining on the same mountain as me, the herd dropped in elevation and crossed a large valley to ascend the adjacent mountain. They crossed a wide swath of private land in the process, which stopped me cold from any follow-up. Moping along the mountain, I sat down to reassess my options as the sun sank. With nothing to lose, I bugled to see how far up…

It was early September when Shane saw a flyer on the bulletin board down at McGhee’s Sporting Goods store: Father-Son Dove HuntSeptember 20Register Here “Can we go, Dad?” asked Shane. “I’ve never hunted doves.” It didn’t take much convincing. Shane’s father loved to hunt doves but rarely got the chance to go anymore. A couple weeks later, two dozen father-son duos showed up to a 100-acre wheatfield that had been designated for the afternoon hunt. After the safety orientation, Shane and his father, along with Shane’s friends Adam and Tommy and their dads, walked to the far side of the field, where they spread out in the shade of some trees that separated the field from a county road. Shane positioned himself on the far end of the line, figuring…

SEASON OPENERS September 1 kicks off hunting seasons in many states. From resident geese and early teal to doves and the first big game bowhunting opportunities out West, check out the “Hunting” section for the latest action from around the country. LIKE TWO GUNS IN ONE Check out our in-depth look at the Savage 42 Takedown rifle, which pairs one barrel for rimfire rounds and another chambered for .410 shotshells for a do-all, everyday survival/truck gun. SEEDING THE FUTURE Looking to introduce children to shooting and hunting? We have that covered under the “Learn” tab, with tips and gear to help ensure that our rich heritage continues for generations. READYING FOR DEER SEASON Don’t wait until the whitetail opener is upon you. See our “Learn” and “Gear” sections for the…

There’s no denying it: Calling in a bull elk has become more difficult over the past decade or more. Increasing public-land hunting pressure, savvy elk and better elk hunters all combine to make the endeavor challenging. To counteract these negatives, follow this roadmap to more effective calling. BUY THE BEST CALLS As with toilet paper, it does not pay to invest in a cheap product. Purchase the highest quality elk calls you can afford. Shop for models you feel capable of operating. Rocky Mountain Hunting Calls are my favorites, but many companies invest significantly to create calls that reverberate with true tones and work easily. Look for calls ruggedly built that mimic both cow and bull sounds. UNDERSTAND THE CONVERSATION Readied with reliable bull and cow calls, study the conversation…

Stay positive, pack positive. Have a kill kit ready for that magical day when you stand over a fallen elk. First, include first aid. Sharp tools and speedy work often equal nicks, cuts and the potential for far worse. Look to a lightweight, yet fully stocked kit to stop any blood loss, plus thwart infection. For a severe laceration, consider including a packet of QuikClot hemostatic device and a tourniquet to slow major blood loss. Next, bring latex examination gloves or the more durable nitrile-style rubber gloves. They protect you from anything nasty (CWD) and allow for quick cleanup afterwards. Bring three or more pairs, as they can tear easily from the hard work. Your main partner in this endeavor is a knife. Partner well. You have two options: a…

Is it September yet? The sound of bugling elk and the heavy rod thump of a thick summer-run steelhead keep me asking. Canyon float trips fill my memories, alongside elk encounters, but it’s those camp fish that shine the brightest. One evening, after a well-earned dinner on a memorable float trip, I strolled into the camp run in sandals, choosing my two-handed fly rod and hoping to work on my cast and swing before a more thorough effort the next morning. Just as I thought to myself, I think I’ve got this, a soft weight transferred through the line to the rod and then to my arm, followed by the sharp screech of the drag. I remember keeping the rod low, nearly parallel to the river’s surface, pulling away as…

For those looking for the tl;dr summary, Smith & Wesson hit an absolute home run with their Model 1854 Traditional Walnut lever-action rifle. Truly, the legacy brand did a fantastic job with both the design and production of this gun. It looks great, cycles and shoots well, is comfortable to handle and has some updated features over traditional lever-actions that are greatly appreciated. Stick with me for a few minutes and I’ll give you a quick yet complete rundown on this new Smith & Wesson lever-action rifle. LOOK AND FEEL The S&W Model 1854 Traditional Walnut Lever-Action Rifle isn’t a reproduction or reintroduction of any previous model of Smith & Wesson firearm. It’s a new design, named after the period Smith & Wesson patented the Volcanic cartridge for the Volcanic…

During the past half century, the most important advancements in the rifle world—at least for hunters—have been with ammunition. The terminal performance and flight characteristics of bullets have drastically improved, as has the quality of factory ammo, including the introduction of several very good cartridges. But some noted innovations have occurred with shotgun ammo, too. For example, new TSS loads are allowing hunters to effectively kill turkeys with sub-gauge shotguns, and at impressive distances. Amidst all this, we also sometimes overlook shotgun slugs, but today’s options are a far cry from what we once used. Federal Premium’s new Freight Train Copper Sabot Slug is a perfect example. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS My father had a 16-gauge Winchester Model 12 shotgun he used for squirrels, grouse, rabbits, turkeys and even deer. He did…

Kyler was surprised at how heavy the rifle felt in his hands. He had practiced gun safety with a lightweight .22. Then we switched to simulated shooting with a cool virtual reality trainer called GAIM, and while its electronic gun is made of wood and weighted to have the balance of a working firearm, there’s no substitute for the real thing, especially with a scope and bipod attached. Also inescapably real: the sting of cold steel to ungloved hands on a brisk November afternoon. Kyler wasn’t expecting the sharp recoil and the noise of the 6.8 Western, either. Even with a suppressor attached to reduce both, the 14-year-old was visibly rattled. It was Kyler’s first session at the rifle range ahead of his first deer hunt, but you could tell…

The screen on my Garmin Alpha hand-held dog tracker indicated Cameron, my hunting Weimaraner, was on point about 65 yards ahead. This was good news because the massive maze of sagebrush that lay before me had completely concealed the dog, and I was wondering where he could be. When I moved forward and spotted Cameron on point, I then slid to the side and slowly crept in. In a blur of wings and the kek-kek-kek sound of alarmed sage grouse, numerous birds launched out of the dense brush and began gliding away over the tops of the sage maze. Luckily, my swarm of 12-gauge shot found its mark and a bird plummeted back to Earth. At the shotgun’s report, Cameron disappeared into the sage brush but soon re-appeared with a…

I used to spend a fair amount of time slinking around Montana during fall, searching for a brown trout of gargantuan proportions—one that stretched 30 inches or longer. I never caught that particular fish, but I did manage one measuring 27 inches, and I caught it on a 5-inch-long articulated streamer called the Sex Dungeon. The Dungeon is one of Kelly Galloup’s most noted patterns—big and ugly and something I once thought necessary to catch brown trout during fall. It was only later that I learned you can take browns—and rainbows and cutthroats, too—while matching a variety of fall hatches, which are among the most productive of the entire year. In many ways, matching those fall hatches is more rewarding than slinging half a chicken over your head all day.…

Admittedly, in years past, I was never much of an enthusiast of spinning tackle. The one or two spinning outfits that I owned were usually buried deep within the rod locker, broken out only as a matter of last resort. Today, however, when looking for bass with live sonar, I commonly have up to four spinning combos arrayed across the boat deck, with at least two dedicated to different versions of a jig-head minnow. With no wiggling appendages or kicking tail, the shad-shaped profile of the jig-head minnow appears rather plain vanilla. Yet, few lures can match the effectiveness of the “minnow” for suspended bass, evidenced by the lure’s role in two recent Bassmaster Classic championship victories. Of course, the increasing popularity of the jig-head minnow is directly linked to…