In a time when content is king and new gun announcements come fast, the opportunity rarely arises to do a truly long-term gun review. One where you can get to know it, shoot it a lot, knock it around. I wanted to figure out what does and doesn’t work, set aside any marketing hype, and live with the gun.
Weatherby launched the SORIX, stirring the hunting and shooting communities. This shotgun promises to redefine what hunters and shooters expect from their firearms.
Retay recently introduced the Masai Mara Cerakote lineup of hunting shotguns. Designed to be durable, these shotguns are engineered to ensure consistent performance in even the harshest environments.
Browning’s X-Bolt 2 series has something to offer for various shooting styles. The action is smoother and bedded, the new stock is completely customizable, and the new magazine options keep your bullets’ precision unmarred.
A young hunter stalks within easy range of a big antelope, but the buck is facing him and he’s shooting a 1700s-era patched round ball. Should he take the shot?
A traditional bowhunter is offered a mid-range shot at a moving bull elk. Should he take the shot?
The author finds a good coues buck at last light. He has to sprint 1300 yards and then shoot steeply uphill through a thin screen of grass. Should he take the shot?
The author faces an edge-of-dusk opportunity at a huge buck, but he’s shooting an unproven prototype cartridge. Should he take the shot?
The Optic-Ready 500 Turkey is one of three new pump-action shotguns from Mossberg. Red dots sights have been used on shotguns in 3-gun competition for decades but Mossberg has raised the bar by lowering the red dot down into the receiver of the Optics-Ready 500 Turkey.
The ammunition I used is made by a family-owned business in the Pacific Northwest called G9 Defense, and if not for the distinctive capabilities of this stuff, I wouldn’t consider trying to kill a 600lb animal with a 10mm. But this ammo doesn’t behave the way other pistol ammo does.
Mule deer are the primary prey base for cougars in Oregon. If cougars exclusively ate mule deer, those 7,000 cats would eat 364,000 mule deer a year.
One of the barracuda turned and started swimming towards me then opened his mouth full of pretty intimidating teeth. The game had just changed.
The new upgrade to the M2 also includes a tweaked buttstock design featuring an extended AirTouch surface behind the trigger, aiding in grip with gloved hands in wet conditions.
Where predator or big game hunting typically revolves around getting one perfect shot on an animal, hunting wild pigs in the US is more about extermination.
A young hunter is presented with a make-or-break long-range shot at a big bull elk. The pressure is on and time is short. Will he take the shot?
An experienced hunter gets a close opportunity at a good bull elk, but the vitals are covered and his shooting position is unsupported. Will he take the shot?
A Hard-core hunter has a shot opportunity at a great public-land bull elk. He’s shooting a 6.5PRC rifle, which some consider too light for elk. Should he take the shot?
After 24 years of applying, a hunter finally draws a Limited Entry elk tag in Utah. A big bull comes to the call and stops head-on. Should he take the shot?
Count yourself lucky if you ever see a Rocky Mountain Goat in the wild, let alone hunt one. This high-altitude hunt is not for the faint of heart.
When you draw a coveted tag you’ve waited a lifetime for, the preparation starts the day you pull the tag.
If you are looking at an exotic destination for vacation and want to spend a couple of days hunting, look no further than the Hawaiian Islands.
Known for their awe-inspiring and challenging habitat, sheep are becoming increasingly popular to hunt so maximizing one’s opportunity if given the chance to pursue them is key.
Sheep hunting. Merely the words conjure up images of loopy-horned rams against a rugged backdrop of mountains carved into valleys by silty glacial runoff or clear mountain streams. Written and dreamt about by generations of outdoor enthusiasts, it’s easy to see why hunters’ love affair with the species only gets stronger over time.
Tips, tricks, and goose hunting fundamentals that every hunter should know.
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.
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
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?
In Part one of the Gear of SIG’s Hunter Games, we will only cover the SIG branded gear provided to each competitor.
Let me be clear, this is NOT about a pepper spray that you might carry for protection against bears. Bear Spray, is the name my gunsmith decided to use for this project.
There are pro’s and con’s to hunting spring bear from a river. You know how bird hunters say the reason they do it is for their dog? The reason I hunt from a river is for the river, not because it’s the more effective way to hunt, because it isn’t. Everywhere you can hike is going to be straight up, and thermals start rising in these river canyons very early in the day and don’t start coming back down until dark.
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?
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?
A World-Class Coues Deer Offers A Challenging, Long-Range Shot In High-Wind Conditions. The Hunter Is Using Cutting-Edge Long-Range Shooting Gear. Should He Take The Shot?
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?
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…
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?
A big muley on restricted land tempts the hunter to take a high risk shot if he moves to a narrow opening on public land. It’s a 300 yard shot with a 10 yard window for success – Do you take the shot?
There is nothing quite like the sound of an aggressive bull bugling while hunting during the peak of the rut. And hunting public land elk… Read More »Peak Rut Elk Hunting Strategies
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?
There are as many differing opinions on what makes a great western hunting rifle, as there are western hunters.
Have a special someone in your life that loves to hunt? Father? Husband? Shirttail relative? Here’s a list of items that range from inexpensive to costly, little to big, subtle to showy. All are geared toward the serious hunter. All are awesome. Listed in no particular order.
Pigs are not the dumb animal many think they are, but they are creatures of habit. Find the areas or foods they like and use it to your advantage. Change up the baits you use to lure them in and it can lead to more pork in the freezer.
The key to locating a spring black bear is covering miles targeting areas that are rich with succulent new vegetation.
This hunt was going to be from the Land Cruiser since there was no cover to even consider a stalk and the springbok was covering hundreds of yards each time we tried to get near it. After what seemed like an hour, Dolf decided it was time for me to use some of that ammunition.
Fitted with an AccuFit Grey Synthetic Stock that allows for both comb-height and length-of-pull adjustment and an exclusive Proof Research Carbon Fiber Wrap barrel, it became quickly apparent this rifle was designed for those looking to wander off the beaten path in search of big-game nirvana.
There is nothing that I enjoy more than being in places I have not been before and spending my time there in the outdoors hunting. I recently had the opportunity to spend the first weekend in October in North Dakota with Savage Arms on a duck hunt. leading up to the event, I started out with a bit of travel anxiety (not wanting to miss flights, not quite sure where I was going to end up once I got off of the plane, etc…) but it soon led to pure excitement of the hunt and eventually reminiscent happiness once it was over.
Christmas is right around the corner and instead of waiting for the last minute to buy the hunter in your life a gift, consider this your opportunity to find the perfect gift. To make the most of the holiday season sales, I picked 10 gifts that the hunter in your life is sure to love.
Last year I wrote an article about finding rests in the field. This article is about what a hunter can do when these options aren’t available.
There it is! An answer! The best thing an archery elk hunter could ask for. It was a reply to my location bugle, deep down in a nasty Idaho backcountry hell hole.
Elk hunters take to the field each fall with high hopes of notching their tag on a big bull elk (or even a small bull or cow). Often times success slips through their fingers through a comedy of errors. I’ll cover a few big mistakes that can wreck your hunt, that can easily be avoided.
Hunting hogs with handguns is challenging. It adds a layer of interest and skill to a pastime normally undertaken with rifles. If you holster a handgun instead of slapping a magazine into your AR-15, being close isn’t just a fun test of your talent. It’s a necessity.
The first time I hefted Browning’s new Cynergy, it left me feeling pleasantly surprised and excited to take it afield in pursuit of gobblers. The shotgun is lightweight, well balanced, carries pleasantly, and comes to the shoulder nicely.
As we loaded up the truck in preparation for the 45-minute drive to our hunting location, Wade and I were still reliving the unbelievable action we’d experienced the first day of the contest. 18 coyotes in a day was a personal best for each of us and we knew we’d put ourselves in a great position to win the National Coyote Calling Championship.
RexSpecs has upped the ante with their new K9 Vision Player by installing a video camera that records what your dog sees. This new unit consists of the goggles, battery and video camera all in one.
Sometimes a hunt comes down to luck. My hunt was about to end early with a broken bowstring until I found a buck at the last moment.
There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and more than one perspective on what makes a good brush gun. Ready or not, here’s my two cents.
October, taking advantage of primetime conditions during the early months of fall can lead to some of the best coyote-calling action of the season! Throughout this article, I’ll discuss the coyote life-cycle and how it relates to early season calling, the relationship between coyote populations and hunting pressure throughout the year, and how these coyote characteristics affect the early season approach to calling coyotes.
Amid the daydreaming, l work through the process of preparation, planning, and practice. Executing this process with efficiency and attentiveness will often be the difference between a successful or unsuccessful season of stacking fur. Throughout this article, I’ll touch on several key points in relation to this process. I’ll discuss how I use my time now to prepare, plan and practice for a winning season of calling and (hopefully) shooting coyotes!
Long-range hunting continues to gain in popularity. But just because you want to go long doesn’t mean dropping in bullets at 1,000 yards. Most deer hunters, for example, take their shots at 100 yards or less. Yet, if those same hunters could extend their range to 400 yards? Their chances at filling their tags would go up greatly.
