Following my last article about squirrel hunting, I received several requests for a recipe for cooking up these tasty little tree dwellers. So, I have decided to post one of the tried-and-true favorites in my house, Squirrel Tamales.
A hunter doesn’t have to be a taxidermist-in-training to cape their own animals; some practice and preparation can give a hunter many more options when they’re in the field staring at that animal of a lifetime, wherever it may be.
The success of any hunt falls on the shoulders of the shooter and their ability to properly place the bullet with accuracy. As marksmen and hunters, we want to be certain that we have done everything possible to make that first shot count. Having a well-fitted weapon system and good ammunition leaves it only up to the marksman to make it happen.
The success of any hunt falls on the shoulders of the shooter and their ability to properly place the bullet with accuracy. As marksmen and hunters, we want to be certain that we have done everything possible to make that first shot count. Having a well-fitted weapon system and good ammunition leaves it only up to the marksman to make it happen.
You likely have read about every possible scenario for waterfowl and specifically duck decoy spreads. The J-hook or “J” spread, the “U” spread, the “L” spread, and finally the “X” spread. Add to this the “C” spread or total chaos spread and that should about cover the possibilities. I have used them all and what I have learned over the years is if the ducks want in, they will come in, regardless of the wind direction, exposed hunters, poor sets, or movement.
I had packed the Aerolite for this hunt knowing the propensity for moisture where I’d be hunting. I was eager to see how it lived up to the claims of a durable, lightweight mountain hunting bag that retained its insulation value when wet.
When an arrow proves itself in practice and then again in a hunting situation, it’s an arrow that will be in my quiver for a very long time.
Our elk and antelope steaks are richer and more satisfying than anything you can buy at a steak house. They’ve simply got more meat in every bite, not to mention all the microminerals we ingest by eating animals that graze on a variety of plants.
My eye caught movement directly in front of me about 20 yards into the brush and my hand dropped to the grip of my pistol as my brain registered what my eyes were seeing. A chocolate color phased black bear, gaining speed straight towards me.
Recently at a Midwest waterfowl show, I saw the new Lucky Duck 4 Slot Motion Backpack and I was amazed at the attention it drew. Hardly a single person walked by without handling, exploring, commenting, and eventually buying one of three versions.
Whether you are a new elk hunter, or you have been elk hunting for years, there is a lot that goes into being effective at calling elk. With so many different calls on the market, it can be a daunting task trying to select an elk call because each one has its own unique design features that create a unique spectrum of sounds and fit within your mouth.
If you take the time to care for your meat correctly, you’ll have a happy processor, and it will be some of the best-tasting game you’ve ever prepared.
An avid rifle hunter switches teams, flinging arrows in the late season. Read about his steep learning curve and follow him on this adventure!
Hunters by nature have a bit of an independent streak; your average person doesn’t get their kicks from arising in the dark and tromping around Mother Nature with ten to twenty pounds of gear on their back. Not only do we enjoy it, we look forward to and prepare for most of the year to maximize our limited time afield. One category for consideration before the season starts is Emergency Preparednes
A rutting Texas whitetail offers a challenging, head-on shot. Your only available shooting position is standing, unsupported. Do you take the shot?
An avid rifle hunter switches teams, flinging arrows in the late season. Read about his steep learning curve and follow him on this adventure!
When Savage Arms released their Impulse straight-pull rifle in early 2021 I never imagined my 6.5 Creedmoor might be the first one to make it to the plains of Africa, or that my first-time hunting friend would claim first blood with it.
The Sig Sauer Tread Predator is a quality built low/no recoil semiautomatic hunting rifle with a lot to offer right out of the box.
The question becomes: how far do you want to go, and do you want your boots to be the reason you got there or the piece of gear that held you back?
The Handgun Hunter’s Competition is a shooting match that stresses practical handgun hunting scenarios. The match took place in Newcastle, Wyoming. 2021 was the inaugural event, but with the interest it garnered from participants it should be around for many more years.
If you’ve got a trip of a lifetime planned, are considering trying your hand at mountain hunting for the first time, or just in the market for an expedition-type pack the go check out Barney’s for some outstanding hunting packs.
Some officials and conservation groups are looking for ways to restrict or end deer farming in Minnesota to combat the spread of chronic wasting disease among wild deer populations.
An avid rifle hunter switches teams, flinging arrows in the late season. Read about his steep learning curve and follow him on this adventure!
How you fuel your body on a mountain hunt can make a tremendous difference in your physical and mental experience. Packing the right food for an extended stay backpack hunt is extremely important to ensure adequate repair, recovery, and necessary energy for the body.
It just so happens that the same wetlands that are frequented by ducks are also inhabited by another small, but fun water-bound species, the Snipe.
Mountain hunting isn’t for everyone. I’ve found the pendulum of morale and adventure are far more prone to swinging in great degrees with a pack… Read More »Stone Glacier Grumman Down Review
Many potential new hunters are becoming interested in hunting due to the food aspect, and as hunter numbers continue to decline it is more important than ever to help new hunters get into the field and enjoy the traditions that we love.
At only $200, the Fusion costs less than almost any other cellular camera on the market, and monthly upload plans start at $5 for 650 photos and go up to $20 for unlimited photos. Paired with a Stealth Cam solar battery for $70 and a memory card, you can run a self-sustaining camera anywhere on your hunting ground for less than $300.
Burris has brought 3 different thermal imaging products to the market and considering the price point and what you get, they’ve got a winner.
Melted cheese, crispy hash browns, rich eggs and wild turkey sausage make this dish a favorite in camp. But don’t wait to cook this over a fire — my family loves it so much we eat it for dinner at least once a month.
Looking for some Father’s Day gift ideas? We have got you covered!
Have you ever found yourself completely winded after reaching the top of a ridge? If so, you might make a workout plan to help you continue enjoying hunting longterm.
The Impulse Hog Hunter is a very accurate rifle, capable of taking game out to 400 yards without a problem. The straight-pull bolt operated effectively and actually got me on target faster for that follow-up shot.
Two Montana hunters were cited and fined this month for killing two wolves from a helicopter.
Leupold & Stevens—long famous for their rock-solid riflescopes—have stepped up their game of late, and their BX-5HD binocular offers an incredible value.
Below are ten tips for making the most of your next ground squirrel hunt.
A once-in-a-lifetime Bison tag is in your pocket, and the only two buffalo you’ll see in a week of hunting are walking toward dense timber. But there’s a problem; one bull is directly beyond the other. You have five seconds to decide: Do you take the shot?
Hunting black bears using bait is a fun and effective way to sustainably pursue and harvest black bears. Before you load up and head out to your next bear hunt, be sure to first read my top 5 tips for baiting bears.
If they hunted bears in China, this might be how they’d eat it…or at least, if bear was on the menu at Panda Express, this is how it would be served. Bear meat goes so well with sweet recipes, and this one works well to tenderize even the toughest cuts.
Last fall, Sitka Gear released a new hunting jacket, the Stratus, in two versions: one in Blaze Orange, the other in Sitka’s Optifade Elevated II camouflage pattern. I have been on some chilly hunts with first-rate results!
If you are a hunter who wants to help your chances, you will want to wear camo. If you want to optimize your camouflage you might consider a ghillie.
With a few quick scouting trips to a potential new turkey spot using these three simple signs, you can greatly increase your chances of taking a tom.
I have known hundreds of hunters over the years and I have to say turkey hunters are the most passionate, focused group of hunters I’ve ever encountered.
No matter what kind of hunting you do, working more effectively in low light can make your hunt better. The more light you use, the more you need. Know the law, some game regulations prohibit night shooting, but you can still get more hunting day by working in reduced light. Optimizing your biology and selecting appropriate technology can make every hunt better.
Coues deer make their home in the Southwest and provide a unique opportunity for serious deer hunters who are willing to spend hours behind their optics and brave vegetation that pokes, cuts, or stings, warm temperatures, and ghost-like deer habits under the semblance of fun.
I love to gain opportunities to duck hunt. Accessing public lands is where it starts, but like most, more places to hunt are better.
Given all of the things going on in our country sociologically, politically, as well as supply and demand wise, it could be very tough for those of us that live for the chase, and especially those that chase all year long.
South Africa’s Eastern Cape is beautiful, scenic, and teeming with game. The baboons would hole up in mid-level ribbon cliffs during the day, and descend to rob feed from lambing pens by night. A marauding baboon offers a lucky cross-canyon shot opportunity. Do you take the shot?
Hunters in Wisconsin have been waiting seven years to target gray wolves, and they made the most of what ended up being a shortened, three-day hunting season.
If you’re thermal-curious and have the budget, go buy one of these. If you’re a veteran night hunter looking to upgrade your set-up to something more streamlined? Believe the hype. The Pulsar Thermion delivers.
One of the updated models is the Upland Ultralight All-Terrain, which I’ve been using in 20 gauge. It’s lightweight, it’s beautifully constructed, and it comes up on-target every time game flushes. Read on for a close look at all the features as well as a few things that could be better.
I just don’t remember having the need, or the thought that perhaps, I might use more than shells and calls in my early days of hunting. But today we haul a ton of stuff simply because shell bag designers have put great thought into styles. Some use a backpack and others a bag, but whatever you use I know there will be some discussion about what you might consider hauling in for a hunt.
Over the years of hunting waterfowl, I have become a huge fan of water moving decoy motion. Lucky Duck’s newest decoy product is the compilation of ideas that provide waterfowl hunters an answer to stale, calm, and quiet spreads.
Most hunters who get their kicks from type two fun aren’t going to let a little weather get in their way and with the right gear, they can stay in the game longer to achieve it.
There’s a new cartridge on the block, and it’s one cool customer. Built to fulfill the desires of the classic .270 Winchester shooting crowd while meeting the demands of today’s long-range shooting and hunting protocol, the brand-new 6.8 Western steps into the arena and doffs its ten-gallon hat.
I was probably five or six when I got my first duck and then of course the right of passage required I clean the duck. I had watched my father who I can only assume learned from his father but I still today, do it as he taught me way back then.
This is a great dish for a cold Sunday in January. It’s rich and creamy with spices for the season. Prep it in the morning, pop in the oven and go to church or take the dog for a walk in the woods and it’ll be ready when you get home.
In my opinion, Lucky Duck leads the pack with the remote control of decoys. They have advanced the technology and are worth every penny.
If you’re reading this, then you’re likely an involved hunter. Here’s my challenge to you: take one new hunter out into the woods in 2021.
This time of year offers a great opportunity for one of my absolute favorite small game species: Squirrels. The leaves are off the trees, but these crafty little survivors can be quite difficult to get on the ground this late in the season.
A lot of hunting is waiting. Hunting season in most of the country comes with cold weather. Hunting can be exciting, there is nothing like finding the buck or shooting the duck, but when you have to sit in the cold it can lose some of its luster. Let’s beat the cold and harvest that game.
Your thoughts are turning to spring adventures. You’re planning a turkey hunt or two, of course, but what else? My advice: Look to the Lone Star State.
A traveling hunter is presented with an easy shot at his elusive quarry – but only at the risk of his own life. Should he take the shot?
At some point, any waterfowl hunter is attracted to the guns that have some type of wet fowl-weather durability. Browning’s Wicked Wing meets that tough demand with their Cerakote Burnt Bronze finish, synthetic stock and forearm, and a fully chromed bore.
If you’re a hardcore coyote hunter odds are you don’t just use e-callers. They’re a tried-and-true method for creating awesomely realistic sounds in real-time. You can even mix it up by using e-callers and diaphragm calls together. Interested? Then you should check out MFK Game Calls.
Your feet matter. There’s no reason to go through a hunt miserable from foot pain or to risk infection or injury. Invest in Kenetreks and you’ll not only be a happier hunter but your feet will thank you.
If you put a premium on killing big geese dead, you need to think long and hard about saving your pennies and investing in a case or two of this lethal load.
Fixed blade or a folding knife? 5 inch blade or a 10 inch blade? When it comes to choosing a knife to venture outdoors with here some things to consider.
Suddenly, I saw antlers showing at the edge of the timber. Josiah flopped down prone and readied for a shot as I ranged the bull at 205 yards. No shot offered, so I blew a soft cow mew. The antlers swiveled our way, and a moment later the bull answered with a bugle. Then he walked out of the timber…
It’s too bad that the waterproofing on the leather and nylon outside your boot wears off so quickly. This is the waterproofing that you need to renew to keep your feet dry.
Bullets have evolved considerably since their first use from homogenous pure lead to homogenous copper and brass. Along the way, velocities have increased from a few hundred feet per second (fps) to a few thousand feet per second. For the most part, hunters have strived for complete penetration on whatever game animal they are pursuing.
A once-in-a-lifetime bull elk gives a split-second opportunity for a risky shot. He’s running broadside through medium-thick old growth Quaking Aspen timber at roughly 60 yards. Do you take the shot?
It was great to take such a unique bull in conditions that do not provide many opportunities for success, using a technique that is so high risk. So many times, hunters are restricted by weather and are helpless. In this situation, I was able to draw on experience and a little luck and make something out of nothing.
This season, when you’re hunting public land, take a risk. Push past the perimeter sign. Move-in on bedding areas and put yourself in a position to kill a big buck.
If you’ve ever been on a spot-and-stalk or a long hunt toting a rifle without a sling you have probably found yourself realizing just how useful they can be. Check out our top five deer rifle sling picks.
Guns are meant to be used but require the same concealment as we do when hunting in tough conditions. I hunt waterfowl and know barrel flash, shiny things, and moving a gun around that is not concealed can cause birds to flare.
This hunt area doesn’t allow any motorized vehicles so you either walk, bike, or horseback it into your area. The area is very much a DIY and muscle power area.
hunting on public land isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a grind. Regardless of the weapon you choose to tote, you can expect pressure from other hunters, daunting terrain and days where the lenses of your binos detect no hide. In short, elk hunting public dirt can suck.
One of the most important skills an outdoorsman can practice and hone to a fine edge is the ability to glass a specific piece of country and pick it apart for the game species that call it home.
Two caribou tags, three guys, and two days to do it in. No pressure.
In my 50 plus years of duck hunting, I have learned one simple rule about blinds and that is: You will never get it in the right place the first time.
I was recently on a public land antelope hunt in Colorado. Like most Colorado tags, I had waited several years to draw this tag; five to be exact. I was very excited and enthusiastic about getting out and chasing around some speed goats.
Whether you’re day-tripping or bivy hunting, here’s a list of the essentials to pack.
Life is too unpredictable not to have something as lightweight and compact as these items, which could provide serious help in a life-threatening situation.
While I gathered information and advice from different people throughout the last several months, from lifelong Alaskan residents to gun writers, I tried to follow the old adage: Get the best you can afford.
The does turned and resumed their march in our direction. The buck stopped broadside at 223 yards and the rifle thundered. The wallop of the bullet exploding the heart was clear, and after taking a few steps the giant tumbled to the ground.
When choosing a hunting rifle, caliber is an important criteria. Hunting in the west, I want something that can take down deer, elk, black bear, moose, and anything else that I may go out after. Because of the terrain, I also need a caliber that will retain energy to take game at distances beyond 500 yards.
Once I had picked up the rifle from a local sporting goods store, it was time to add a scope and the various accouterments to turn it into a legitimate all-weather hunting rifle, capable of holding its own no matter what Mother Nature throws at it.
Are you tired of not being able to go to the range with your buddies? How about being sick of missing and wounding game? If you want to rid yourself of target panic and have the most successful fall of your life when it comes to making clean, ethical kills, read on.
I have processed many different types of game and fish from bluegill to bull elk and everything in between. I will say that cleaning frogs is by far one of the most challenging for me to this day.
Frog gigging is a great way to spend some hot summer nights. Although they task delicate and refined, the act of gathering them is just about as far from that as possible.
These are the things I do as a flatlander, it helps make the summer doldrums go by faster and keeps me eagerly awaiting the first hint of fall.
Smaller calibers and cartridges kick less. They tend to be accurate and are certainly easier to shoot well. Loaded with a premium bullet they penetrate deeply and create a devastating wound channel. They do everything a big, hard-kicking caliber can do, right?
Since we are so limited on the amount of time that we get in the field each year, it is crucial that we get to know an area as well as we can to maximize our chances of being successful. The OnX App can greatly help with that.
There are as many differing opinions on what makes a great western hunting rifle, as there are western hunters.
Highly recommend this pack for any outdoorsman in need of a tough, well-made pack from a respected manufacturer.
Even though they’re pigs, they still deserve a humane death, besides, the less time you spend looking for a hit pig is more time spent looking for more pigs!
When my new-for-2019 Mathews Vertix arrived with a QAD rest attached to the face of the riser and not mounted to the bow’s Berger hole, my mind was truly blown.
You wouldn’t buy a sports car then outfit it with discount tires, the same should go for your feet; footwear is literally where the rubber meets the rocks. Enter the Danner Thorofare.
Most small game hunters start chasing squirrels only when the leaves fall off the trees and they are easier to locate in the canopy. I too love to chase these fuzzy tailed critters in the winter months, but if you want a challenge and some early season fun, I would suggest you get into the woods when the leaves are still on.