Introducing the TBM Wall of Honor

As the Traditional Bowhunters of Montana nears 20 years as the organization is currently structured and even longer if you look back to the days meeting during the MBA Banquet and planning longbow safaris, we felt it would be suitable to recognize the contributions made to the organization by some of our outstanding members.

Traditional Bowhunters of Montana offer many different things to many different people. A lot of us look forward to the camaraderie of our annual gatherings while others look to us for leadership in promoting traditional archery and a high ethical standard. Our members are diverse and we all understand that in order to achieve our goals it takes all of us working together.

Accordingly, we would like to introduce the Traditional Bowhunters of Montana Wall of Honor. The inaugural class consists of three members that have made outsized contributions to the organization. These individuals have committed their time to make this organization what it is today, providing leadership, fellowship and skills that define the Traditional Bowhunters of Montana.

Each honoree will have their name permanently inscribed on a plaque to be displayed at all TBM events as well as a short bio on the website. Each honoree will be taking home an individual plaque commemorating the honor as well as a custom knife from Hammer Knives out of Havre, MT.

Mark Baker, Dick Robertson and Bob Morgan. Each honoree has their name on the plaque and also wen home with an individual plaque and a custom knife.

Mark Baker

It is fair to say that the TBM would not be where it is today without our first honoree. Mark Baker became the first President of the organization nearly 20 years ago under the condition that the organization become politically active. Now in 2022 we are a fully functioning 501 (c) 3, having worked diligently to defeat repeated attempts to force crossbows into our archery season as well as expanding to providing meaningful comment to FWP proposals that would affect traditional archery opportunity in Montana. It is fair to say that Mark Baker helped lay the groundwork for a strong 20 years of organizational success and we are looking forward to expanding on that success with his continued input.

Dick Robertson

There haven't been  many conversations in Montana about traditional hunting without this gentleman’s name coming up.  He has been incredibly generous throughout the years donating wisdom and bows to organizations such as ours.  If you shoot a traditional bow you have most likely heard the name Robertson Stykbow or you have hunted with one of his bows.  He has been a strong influence on the Traditional Community as a whole and we are very thankful for all that he has done. 

He was one of the founders of the Montana Bowhunters Association (MBA) as well as the TBM.

Bob Morgan

There is not likely anyone in this organization that could match the number of volunteer hours this man has given to the TBM community. He’s the first person to show up and last to leave, he’s always eager to teach young and old how to knap flint or carve their first selfbow, and you certainly won’t see him without a smile. 

He’ll likely be surrounded by a crowd, whether we’re in this banquet hall or at his campsite at the Summer Shoot A sincere thank you goes out to this man for his countless volunteer hours and expertly crafted donations.

The next one will be better..

Seconds after the first shot from my longbow hit 8 inches left at 10 yards, I heard Craig say, "Not bad, you almost look like you know what you're doing." After two more shots that similarly went wide, he asked to see the bow and shoot one. He repositioned himself next to me, drew back, and sent a hand-made wooden arrow directly into the yellow bullseye of the 20-yard paper target. Smiling as he handed me back my bow, he simply said, "Stop overthinking it. Focus on the spot you want the arrow to hit, and hit it." After a few more arrows and more coaching, I was grouping well at 10 and moving out to 20. After a few dozen shots, it was time for coffee. That's how it always went with Craig: coffee, some stories, some archery, and more coffee and stories.

Shortly after making the switch from compounds to traditional equipment, I quickly realized I needed someone to help me figure out what I was doing. After a quick google search, I found C&N Archery in Great Falls, and shortly after, I met Craig Compher. Craig spent his days making bows and offering free lessons and coffee to anyone that stopped in and wanted them. I often stopped by more to hear stories over coffee than I did to shoot bows. Whether he was telling me about the 6 point bull on the shop wall, his time as a 1st Air Cavalry radio operator in Vietnam, or going to Woodstock, I always looked forward to hearing it. After I switched to traditional archery, my son became interested as well, so of course, it was time to go see Craig once again. After buying my son a 30lb longbow from Craig, he emphasized multiple times that once he was a little stronger, he should come back and trade it in for something a little heavier free of charge.

This past summer, I expressed interest in building a bow, and Craig offered free lessons provided I bought the bow we created together. During the time I spent working on the bow, Craig also taught my son how to build bowstrings and take their bows on walks to thin out the prairie dog village that lived on his property. During the process, I wish I had been a better student. The bow turned out well enough, 52lbs & 27 inches, but I wasn't thrilled with my shaping of the handle. It stacks some, and I don't shoot it nearly as well as I do my recurve. Craig's response to my personal criticism was simple: "the next one will be better." We talked it over a little and agreed that I would make another, and he simply said, "I'll cut you a deal." Over the summer, we started talking a little about the upcoming hunting season. Both about me using our longbow to fill my deer tags and going to the Rocky Mountain Front, where he hunts elk. I was incredibly excited about the opportunity but let him know that I drew the Missouri River Breaks archery tag and had already committed to pursuing that tag with a friend this year. Craig responded in typical Craig fashion; he asked me if I wanted a cup of coffee and said we could always go next year.

That ended up being one of the few decisions that I wish I could take back in my life. While trying to focus my attention on the Missouri River Breaks and thinking I would explore some new country next fall, Craig became ill with COVID. After a hard-fought battle, he passed away on Monday, November 1st. I've found it's often hard to understand how much a mentor and friend means to you until you are faced with the realization that they're not going to be a part of your life anymore. I spent the remainder of my hunting season trying in vain to fill a tag with our longbow. Though I did not punch a tag with that bow this year, I am fully committed to taking an animal with the bow we built together. Until then, I'm just going to try and focus on what I want to hit and hit it.

Crossbow battle not over; more on the horizon

Aug 31, 2021 - Update: Senator Molnar pulled some strings to get his case reopened today after the initial dismissal on 29 August. Molnar and crew will receive an emergency hearing today 8/31 at 1:30 PM. TBM is currently working quickly to find a solution to this unexpected turn of events

Aug 31, 2021 - Traditional Bowhunters of Montana (TBM), a 501c3 dedicated to advancing traditional bowhunting values in Montana, is monitoring a lawsuit filed at the Russell Smith Federal Courthouse in Missoula, MT on August 24th. The plaintiffs, including state senator Brad Molnar (R - Laurel), contend that Montana violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not allowing them to use crossbows (which are not legal archery equipment) during the Montana archery-only season. In addition, the plaintiffs requested injunctive relief to allow them to use crossbows during the 2021 archery-only season.

The case was dismissed on August 29th by district judge Dana Christensen.

Molnar recently failed during the 2021 legislative session to get a bill passed that would allow crossbows into Montana’s archery season. TBM, along with the Montana Bowhunters Association, Montana Wildlife Federation, and the Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, led the fight against Molnar’s misguided legislation and were able to ultimately defeat the bill in the waning days of the legislative session.

Montana FWP already offers reasonable accommodation for disabled bow hunters in the form of the Permit to Modify Archery Equipment (PTMAE). The PTMAE allows archers with a documented disability to modify a vertical bow outside of the legal definition of archery equipment to accommodate their disability. Often the accommodations are custom solutions designed for a specific individual's disability. To date, nearly 650 hunters have taken advantage of the PTMAE and had great success in doing so.

In an alarming show of its intentions. Montana FWP, in its response to the filing, noted: 

“The Fish and Wildlife Commission, which is the body with the authority to set restrictions regarding archery equipment … is already in the process of considering the Plaintiff’s requests and has set the matter for its October 28, 2021 meeting … FWP concedes that because of the timing of the requests, it will not be able to act prior to the 2021 archery season, and without injunctive relief the Plaintiffs would miss the opportunity to hunt in the manner in which they have requested for this season. Therefore, FWP is not opposed to the Court granting injunctive relief.”

The federal district judge dismissed the plea by Sen. Molnar and his co-plaintiffs are looking to lobby the FWP commission to include crossbows in the archery-only season. TBM hopes the Fish and Wildlife Commission will act in the best interest of Montana bowhunters and deny the plaintiffs’ request.

Contact the Traditional Bowhunters of Montana at tradbowmontana@gmail.com.

Planning your hunting meals for a drought

As Montana and much of the western United States continues to see unprecedented fire danger, most Traditional Bowhunters of Montana members are anxiously awaiting the upcoming hunting seasons. Windswept and extremely dry prairie await us as we dream of slowly and meticulously working our way through the sagebrush with the hopes of drawing back and letting an arrow fly at a mature pronghorn buck. 

While preparing your checklist for your late summer and fall hunting camps, it is more important than ever to keep the dry conditions in mind. For those of you that like to enjoy a meal in the field it may be time to revisit what your menu may look like, both back at camp as well as for a day afield. With dry conditions continuing, it is not a good idea to use a camp stove or personal stove, so we ask that until conditions improve that you leave the Jetboil and dehydrated meals at home and consider some of these other options.

Breakfast

While I personally have done away with caffeine, I know many of you cannot get going for the day without a little jolt from a hot cup of coffee. There are plenty of alternatives that don’t require a boiling cup of water including caffeinated protein bars, chocolate coated espresso beans, energy “goo” and much more. You can round out your complete breakfast with either fresh or dried fruit, granola bars and if you have a cooler available to you can replace your hot oatmeal with overnight oats, no cooking required

Field Meals

After spending long hours chasing bugles or putting a long stalk on a bedded muley, we can all use a good meal to prepare us for the rest of the day’s hunt. Something that will put a pep in your step and carry through back to camp. Instead of firing up your backpacking stove to heat up some water for your Mountain House look for some other creative options that don't require a flame.

My go to protein punch in the fall is a hard salami sandwich made with taco size flour tortillas, cheese of your choice and then mayo and mustard packets. I will throw in a length of hard salami separately or some homemade elk jerky for snacking as well. Other common items include tins of fish such as sardines in mustard sauce, smoked baby clams or packets of flavored tuna. I have also been known to carry SPAM, vienna sausages as well as a variety of dried fruits and nuts.

Back at camp

When the day comes to an end a hearty warm meal back at camp can be a fantastic reward. Along with all the great stuff you can take out into the field that does not require a flame, there are plenty of options. Canned soups and noodle dishes can be easily eaten without heating them up, all the ingredients are already cooked through and are safe as is. Preparing things like a meatloaf or picking up a bucket of fried chicken from the grocery store can easily be left in a cooler and enjoyed straight away. 

If you really must heat something up there is another way instead of using a flame. Invest in a solar shower and you will find yourself with tremendously hot water if you return to camp shortly after the sun has gone down. While not fool-proof it can at least give you a fighting chance. Most solar showers hold about 5 gallons of water and consist of a black side and a clear side. When left in the sun throughout the day they can reach what seems like near boiling temperatures. This water can be used to heat up a can of soup or a meal that is stored in a zip lock bag. Get creative with it and you can enjoy a great warm meal without ever starting a fire.

In the end, it is incumbent on us to be responsible stewards of the land and in times of drought and severe fire potential that may mean making some sacrifices. Avoid using flames while you are out enjoying the hunt and you can be sure that you have done your part to limit your impact on the landscape and that everything will be there for another day.

Traditional Bowhunters of Montana oppose elk shoulder seasons on public land

It has been a busy week! Traditional Bowhunters of Montana submitted the following comments to FWP today July 30th, 2021.

The Proposal

The department is seeking comments on other concepts that could increase elk harvest and assist in meeting management objectives. One specific area FWP is seeking input on is to expand shoulder seasons in the 19 hunting districts where they are considering extending the shoulder season date to Feb. 15 to also include public lands in addition to private lands. The hunting districts are: 262, 290, 298, 314, 390, 391, 393, 411, 417, 502, 510, 511, 520, 530, 540, 560, 575, 580, and 590.

Traditional Bowhunters of Montana Comments

The Traditional Bowhunters of Montana (TBM) is an organization of nearly 200 members dedicated to preserving and advancing traditional bowhunting values in Montana. TBM is opposed to the proposal to extend the elk shoulder seasons on to public lands in hunting districts 262, 290, 298, 314, 390, 391, 393, 411, 417, 502, 510, 511, 520, 530, 540, 560, 575, 580, and 590.  

When elk shoulder seasons were initially approved, the intent was to find a temporary solution on private land that was monitored and analyzed. Elk shoulder seasons had two goals: 1) to reduce herd numbers and 2) drive elk off private lands onto public lands where the tolerance is much higher than on private land. 

Including public lands in the elk shoulder season in these districts will negatively impact the hunting experience of all Montana hunters by reinforcing that the only safe place for elk is private land, making them largely inaccessible to anyone unwilling or unable to pay a landowner for access. Over 50,000 archery stamps were sold last season. Continued harboring and pressuring elk to private land reduces access and opportunity for all hunters across the state. 

How much revenue is the state willing to lose from hunters who will take their dollars to other states where finding elk to hunt is not unreasonable? This proposal is lazy and is the next step to privatizing our shared, public trust elk herd. 

Instead of increasing the pressure on public land elk during a time of year where they are under immense pressure just to survive, the FWP Commission should revise the Elk Management Plan with all Montana stakeholders in mind. The Commission should be finding ways to drive elk from private lands, solving harboring issues, and updating outdated objectives that serve a select few instead of benefitting all that stakeholders invested in the health of our elk herd.

2021 Traditional Bowhunters of Montana Summer Shoot Recap

What a weekend! We just concluded the 2021 Traditional Bowhunters of Montana Summer Shoot and membership meeting this past weekend and what a time we had! There were lots of laughs, great camaraderie and a chance to catch up with friends that we may not have seen in a while. We wanted to thank everyone that helped setup and tear down the shoot, everyone that participated as well as. If you were not able to make it, know that you were missed and that we look forward to seeing you this winter at Chico.

A quick summary of the shoot

• A money clip was lost at the shoot, if you found it please contact us at tradbowmontana@gmail.com

• A pair of a prescription bifocal sunglasses were found on the lower course, if these belong to you please let us know

• During the member meeting we held elections to fill 3 spots (2 new board member positions and Jamie White’s first term had expired). Please welcome the new board members! 

  • Jamie White was elected to his second term, Congratulations Jamie! 

  • Garrett Sereday of the Gallatin Valley was elected to one of the new board positions

  • William Spahr of Great Falls was elected to on of the new board positions

• Along with our two 3D courses, we also had a 3.5 mile, 14 hole archery golf course setup! We offered prizes for three different categories, Best score, Closest to the pin and longest drive, the winners will receive gift certificates from The Footed Shaft! The winners are

  • Best Score: Barry Sluder (42!)

  • Closest to the pin: Walt Francis

  • Longest Drive: TBD: (we are waiting to get the stake out of the trailer after the shoot was cleaned up!)

• After dinner was done we auctioned off a couple of our older targets and then had a little fun with a long distance shoot. The winner of this year’s long distance shoot, for the second year in a row was Tim Johnson, congratulations Tim! Tim won one dozen custom cedar arrows from Dane Rider.

• Traditional Bowhunters of Montana is looking to generate revenue by applying for a custom license plate with the State of Montana. The first step to that is coming up with eye-catching artwork, we are inviting any members that are interested in designing artwork to submit artwork before the 2022 Winter Banquet. For more information please contact us a tradbowmontana@gmail.com

• We have formed a committee of members and board members that are exploring the possibility of hosting a youth camp next summer, where members would be able to participate as counselors, teaching woodsmanship, ethics and much more about the life we live to youth. If you are interested in participating in this exploratory committee please reach out to Paul Kemper and William Spahr.

• MEGA Membership Drive. This past legislative session made it abundantly clear that there is power in numbers. This past fight against the crossgun went down to the wire and we expect a tougher fight in 2023. With that knowledge, we have decided to make it a goal to increase our membership to 500! We are currently sitting just below 200 members. To help incentivize this, we are running a membership drive. There is a prize package for new members that has everything you need to get started including a Hurst bow, custom cedar arrows and all kinds of great gear. In addition to the new member package, there is a package for existing members as well. All they have to do is refer a new member and they will be entered to win a $950 gift certificate towards a Black Widow bow.

• Lastly, and probably the biggest development of the weekend. After a lengthy and robust discussion, membership unanimously voted to join the Montana Bowhunting Coalition (MBC). The MBC is a coalition of Traditional Bowhunters of Montana, Montana Wildlife Federation, Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and the Montana Bowhunters Association. This coalition will be working to promote and elevate the profile of the Permit To Modify Archery Equipment, work with the Fish & Wildlife Commission to ensure that crossbows are not considered a viable option during the archery season and lastly to work together to go on offense during this 2023 legislative session. If you have questions about the MBC please reach out at tradbowmontana@gmail.com, additional information will also be available on the website.

Traditional Bowhunters of Montana Opposed to Expanded Shoulder Season

Recently the FWP Commission requested comment on a proposal to expand late elk shoulder seasons in 19 hunting districts.

The Proposal

FWP is requesting comment on extending the late-season end date extensions to February 15, 2022, for all relevant license-permit types for antlerless elk shoulder seasons in Hunting Districts 262, 290, 298, 390, 391, 393, 411, 417, 502, 510, 511, 520, 530, 540, 560, 575, 580, and 590.

Traditional Bowhunters of Montana Comments Submitted July 26th, 2021

The Traditional Bowhunters of Montana (TBM) is opposed to the proposal to extend the elk shoulder seasons in hunting districts 262, 290, 298, 390, 391, 393, 411, 417, 502, 510, 511, 520, 530, 540, 560, 575, 580, and 590.  TBM is an organization of nearly 200 members dedicated to the preservation and advancement of traditional bowhunting values in Montana.

When FWP established the first shoulder seasons in 2015 they were not meant to be permanent fixtures. They were never intended to be a replacement for the already lengthy 11 week hunting season, and extending them is a bad faith move by FWP, countering the promises made to Montana hunters. At this point the data shows that shoulder seasons have been an abject failure and that they have not delivered on their promises of opening private lands to the public hunter nor have they forced elk on to public lands.

The long-term effect of embracing and extending elk shoulder seasons means that the department is effectively waging war on elk, eliminating opportunities for hunters by forcing elk to private lands early in the season and then incentivizing land-owners to harbor elk throughout the season. There is the additional lack of ethics in pursuing pregnant cow elk through deep snows of winter when every ounce of energy is needed to survive. Montana is better than this and should be the standard-bearer for the ethical pursuit of our shared public resource. 

This proposal falls well short of that and should be considered an embarrassment and a black mark on the department. A department that appears to have lost its way and is no longer managing elk for Montanans, no longer using the best available data and has given up trying to actually manage wildlife.