Dempsey Honors Tradition, Encourages Respectful, Responsible Hunting

For Loren Dempsey hunting is not merely a sport or even a hobby, it is a tradition introduced to him by his father and passed down by him to his son. Dempsey became involved at the age of four as he joined his dad in the tree stand and learned to shoot at age six. At age twelve he had completed hunter's safety and was hunting with both bows and firearms.

"I love to get outdoors for any reason; when you're hunting you're out in nature and can just enjoy the solitude," Dempsey comments.

With archery season in full swing, he has already brought home an elk, the biggest he's ever brought down with a bow. The animal will supply his family with 300-400 pounds of meat.

Growing up on game meat, he says that he prefers it to beef not only for the taste, but also because it is a leaner and overall healthier meat. And hunting season isn't over yet. Dempsey says he plans on getting a deer as well, and depending on how early in the season that happens, he may even get a tag for whitetail archery in North Dakota.

Archery season ends October 19 and the general season for firearms begins October 25, lasting until the weekend after Thanksgiving.

"I prefer archery over firearms because it's more of a challenge," admits Dempsey, "and I like a challenge."

Thinking over his years of experience it seems he has hunted the majority of game in Montana: whitetail and mule deer, elk, and antelope. At the age of seventeen he shot a moose and at nineteen he brought home a bear. Pheasant, grouse, partridge and turkey also make the list with turkey being another goal for this season as he always tries to bring one home for Thanksgiving.

"I'd love to go hunt Big Horn Sheep," he says as it is one of the few animals in the state he hasn't attempted.

However, Dempsey is all too aware of the changes that have come over the last few years. For instance the population of both whitetail and mule deer has dropped considerably in the last five years due to Epizootic Hemorrhage Disease or EHD. The viral disease first causes the animals to lose their appetites and their fear of humans. Deer then develop fever, rapid pulse and respiration resulting in unconsciousness and usually death. Hemorrhaging and a lack of oxygen in the blood cause a "blue" appearance in the infected animal's mouths which lends the disease to be called blue-tongue. The numbers have also suffered due to an increase of hunters in the area and heavy oil-field traffic. In an attempt to let the population recover, Montana Fish and Wildlife is not issuing any doe tags for mule deer this season and has reduced the number of mule deer tags sold over-all.

Trash has also become a considerable problem and Dempsey remarks that most of his hunting trips involve him picking up garbage in effort to keep hunting grounds, and nature in general, clean.

"Conserving wild-life and preserving nature so future generations can enjoy what we enjoy now is advice I'd give to any hunter," says Dempsey as he voices concerns over a lack of respect for mother-nature and land owners alike.

Current problems include hunting without permission or disregarding landowners wishes when permission is granted and hunters leaving gates open and off-roading in restricted areas, which causes rutting and serious damage to the land. These are just two examples of issues that have had to be dealt with. Consequently, many property owners aren't allowing hunters they don't know on their land if at all. Some land owners have started leasing hunting rights to their property in an attempt to manage the problems.

Dempsey advises against brush drives as well which involve people spread out and moving through the brush in an attempt to push deer towards the hunters. This causes animals to charge suddenly in the direction of hunters and often times promotes carelessness as shots are fired in the direction of the people flushing and haphazard shots are taken at the bolting animals.

"Brush Drives lead to wounded animals that run off and aren't found and then they're left to suffer," he notes. "Being in a tree stand is the best place to be because you have the element of surprise. They're just doing their thing and you can take a clean shot."

Dempsey openly admits that he calls the Game Warden regularly to report misconduct and does so to preserve the tradition that he loves and respects. A tradition he now shares with his son.