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Hunting

Deer, Hogs, and the Taurus TH10

The TH10 is the first of its kind for the Brazilian gun maker. It is a full-sized handgun that’s made to do work, and it does it surprisingly well.

Savage Axis XP Improving for a Young Hunter

It was a month before Christmas of 2021 and I was out looking for a rifle and ammo to go with it.  I’m sure most of you can recall that was not the best of times for firearm shopping and ammo was even worse. 

Baiting Deer 101: When, Why, and How

If we want to get right down to it, the truth is that baiting is any form of purposefully placed food designed to draw in animals. That means a feeder full of corn, a salt lick, a pile of apples, and a carefully planted food plot could all be considered baiting.

Hunt vs Shoot

If inches of bone or antler is what you need to feel successful in your hunting, then perhaps hunting isn’t for you. If shooting an animal from long range and calling it “hunting” is what you need, then perhaps you should try something else… maybe try actually HUNTING.

Waterfowl Headlamps – Technology At Its Best

I reached out to some high-tech companies to gain access to a few of their products that I considered among the best if not the best in the current marketplace.  I am not talking about hyped-up splash ads for headlamps but rather ones with a great deal of engineering, design, and durability meant to last for seasons.

Duck Boats and Blind Grass

In the world of waterfowl, “hide” is key. Ducks can see and hear, but getting a good hide is top of the list for a good day of hunting.

Easy Venison Fajitas

These venison fajitas are easily one of my favorite recipes. Not only are they delicious but they are easy to prepare and only take about 45 minutes.

Meet the Ultralight Crown Precision Elite AR10

For those that have been looking for an ultra-light custom AR10 built to your specifications, the Crown Precision Elite is for you. With its range of furniture options, BCG variations, barrel lengths, and personalized engraving, it is built to be set apart.

Boost Your Bowhunting Accuracy With Long Range Shooting

What long-range practice does is it makes those 40-yard-and-in-whitetail shots feel like chip shots, and when you head West, and a velvet-racked muley has his face stuffed in a herbaceous plant at 62 yards, you can draw, anchor, and execute properly.

Starting on the Right Foot

Today, when youth interest is waning in the outdoors it’s even more important to get them outside and involved in the hunting lifestyle early and often.

TAKE THE SHOT: AOUDAD FOR TWO

Two hunters are presented with back-to-back shots at big aoudad rams. The first is straightforward, the second steeply uphill and distant. Should they take the shots?

Why The Puffy?

Today’s PrimaLoft-filled puffy-style jackets are the ultimate western hunting garment. Here’s why.

5 Mistakes Hunters Make Booking Hunts

There is nothing more exciting than finally pulling the pin, or whipping out your pocketbook on that dream hunt you’ve been saving for. Your adrenaline is high, your anticipation is mounting, and you most likely are so excited that some very simple details might not come to mind when booking your hunt.

Tried-and-True: Hoyt VTM 31

I had a 2022 love affair with a pair of Hoyt bows, and when you fall in love, it’s hard to make the change. Hoyt’s new VTM 31 made switching worth it.

Lucky Duck’s New Goose Agitator

This is not something small or a ducktail painted to look like a goose, rather this is a full-size goose tail with a powerful pump capable of moving a lot of water.

The Savage Impulse – An American Straight Pull

The world of hunting rifles tends to be relatively stable. We have single shots, bolt actions, lever guns, and a few semi-autos. Nothing crazy, and most hunters don’t seem to want anything crazy anyway. Well, Savage decided to shake things up with the Impulse. The Savage Impulse is a bolt action rifle but isn’t your traditional rotary bolt. Instead, Savage went with a straight-pull bolt.

Loch Ness Roe Deer

My hunt for Scottish Roe deer…It was unknown to me but we would be hunting the highlands surrounding Loch Ness of all places. This detail added considerably to the memory of the hunt.

Waterfowl Camouflage

The variety of camouflage possibilities in today’s waterfowl market is huge.  What to wear and what to choose are both based on what store carries what and what you can get sight unseen on the internet. For this article, I will focus on waterfowl camouflage used primarily from October to February in marsh and timber settings. As well as fabric in most of these patterns is available allowing one to make their own outer gear. 

Once In A Lifetime

When you draw a coveted tag you’ve waited a lifetime for, the preparation starts the day you pull the tag.

Finding Grandpa

I watched helplessly as the struggle carried them closer to the trail’s edge and a long drop below.

Burris Thermal Scope Plus a (Not) Boring Rifle = A Great Night Hog Hunting Rig

I dropped down onto the other side of the ranch gate and onto the saturated soil. I was hunting private property south of Longview, Texas, in early April 2021, and it had been raining much of the last 24 hours. It had been raining pretty steady for the last three days of my time here in East Texas, which made the fields and pastures even more inviting to the feral hogs that so love to root up the ground.

Handgunning Hogs: 357’s & 41’s

This is going to be a 3 part article of calibers suitable for handgun hunting feral hogs and we will deal with those calibers that are typically used in revolvers.  I will attempt to cover each group of calibers sufficiently and provide some good examples and information.

Handgunning Hogs: 357’s & 41’s

This is going to be a 3 part article of calibers suitable for handgun hunting feral hogs and we will deal with those calibers that are typically used in revolvers.  I will attempt to cover each group of calibers sufficiently and provide some good examples and information.

Wader Leaks & How to Repair Them

I recently discussed waders and the many options available for purchasing the right wader.  Once you have a new pair reality sets in that all waders will leak sooner or later.  Aside from warranty to make the repairs, often you are forced to make the repairs yourself after the warranty has expired or to prepare immediately for another hunt.  This is how to make the best effort at repairing those waders. 

Wader Leaks & How to Repair Them

I recently discussed waders and the many options available for purchasing the right wader.  Once you have a new pair reality sets in that all waders will leak sooner or later.  Aside from warranty to make the repairs, often you are forced to make the repairs yourself after the warranty has expired or to prepare immediately for another hunt.  This is how to make the best effort at repairing those waders. 

Field Test: Stone Glacier Sky 5900 w/XCurve Frame

I’m a bit of a backpack fanatic and I’ve tested piles of them over the years. One of the things I’ve learned is there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each adventure — from the whitetail woods of the Midwest to the elk-rich Rockies — requires a particular pack.

Wyoming Handgun Antelope

Handgun hunting tends to make every animal a memorable trophy. Although I personally prefer to take my handgun game at more sedate or reasonable distances. Knowing that the XP is capable of making solid hits on game at rifle distances allows me to carry it as a backup for those rare instances where getting closer isn’t possible.

Know Your Duck Calls – How to Clean, Repair, & Rebuild

If you are like me you tend to buy calls, use them, like them, hate them and move on to the next one.  Calls take a ton of abuse and often we pay little or no attention to taking care of them both for maintenance and for adjustments.  I sat down with a good friend and someone that calls as well as anyone I know, to discuss the call components and how anyone can disassemble, adjust, and rebuild just about any call with a few spare parts.

Know Your Duck Calls – How to Clean, Repair, & Rebuild

If you are like me you tend to buy calls, use them, like them, hate them and move on to the next one.  Calls take a ton of abuse and often we pay little or no attention to taking care of them both for maintenance and for adjustments.  I sat down with a good friend and someone that calls as well as anyone I know, to discuss the call components and how anyone can disassemble, adjust, and rebuild just about any call with a few spare parts.

Tag A Pressured Public-Land Longbeard with Archery Tackle

When I show up to a public-land hunt area, even if the location seems to be void of other hunters, I treat the dirt and the birds on it like they’ve been hounded to death. I’ve used what I learned to harvest pressured public-land birds with my stick-and-string. Here’s what you need to know.

Michigan Rabbit Hunter’s Dog Bit by Wolf

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, or DNR, is reporting an incident where a wolf belonging to a known wolf pack attacked a dog in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Hands-On with the Primos Gen 3 Trigger Sticks

I don’t shoot hogs from a blind here in Texas so I often find myself shooting from strange angles or on uneven terrain. Last year I did a review of the BogPod DeathGrip carbon fiber tripod and while it provided excellent stability…. its 7.5 pound weight made it cumbersome to pack up and carry across different pastures thru the night. I wanted to explore how much of a tradeoff I’m willing to make between stability and maneuverability.

An Optics-Ready Hunter: The Devil Dog Arms 5 Tactical 1911 in 10MM AUTO

Earlier this year, Devil Dog Arms (DDA) announced that its 1911’s were available in optics-ready versions, and I immediately asked for their 5 Tactical model in 10MM, specifically cut for the Trijicon SRO optic. I’d used and reviewed DDA’s 1911’s in the past and they were first-rate—accurate, reliable, and solid. But I had yet to use one of their 10MM models.

The Reality of Chronic Wasting Disease

Our limited understanding of the history of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) only goes back to the 1960’s in Colorado where a captive deer at a research facility became the first animal where the disease was detected. Read that sentence again.

Go Bow-Mounted For Turkey

I love a good ground blind set for springtime toms. A semi-brushed-in hub-style blind paired with some realistic turkey fakes will create some solid in-your-face action. However, being cloaked in ninja gear huddled in a blind’s back corner while you work a bird with seductive hen talk isn’t the only way to skewer a spring longbeard.

Simple Gourmet: Peak Refuel Backcountry Meals

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I’m all for making food from scratch, and this column is normally all about crafting tasty meals from the animals you kill. But when you’re planning to add the challenges of backpacking on top of the challenges of hunting, I think you should keep it simple.

Sheep Hunting Prep Ideas Pt. 2

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.

Cooking in the Blind

One does not have to live through a day of waterfowl hunting on snack cakes, candy bars, apples, and jerky. I know cooking in the blind can be a full course meal as seen in some magazines, but here, we are talking about something good to eat, easy to pack in, easy to clean up and typically gets folks to ask for more. 

Waterfowl Waders – Prepare NOW For Fall

It is said a dry duck hunter is a happy duck hunter. For the many that hunt marshes, ponds, lakes, and rivers the need to enter the water is inevitable. Depending on the depth of the water you may opt for knee boots, waist waders, hip waders, or chest waders. 

Hogster Stimulus: Best Value in Thermal Optics Today?

Thermal optics have long been the domain of the, uh, not poor. While some people have a job that can justify the upfront cost, it has not been a realistic option for the masses. Granted, prices have gone down. But not down to the point of accessibility to the masses. Until now.

Sheep Hunting Prep Ideas Pt. 1

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.

Snow Mobility

If you live in a place with snow, you better be able to navigate it, otherwise your hunts are going to be restricted to places awfully close to home, or worse yet, put on hold until the season changes. er of options available today for methods of efficient travel over snow and I’m going to take you through the pros and cons of each that I’ve experienced.

Pulsar Thermion XQ38

For many of you reading this and just jumping into the world of thermal optics, do not fret, it is not as complicated as some may suggest. While Thermal scopes are not cheap, they are an absolute game-changer in the world of night hunting. 5 years ago, I would have never believed how powerful of a tool thermal would become in my hunting game.

Lifetime Decoys FlexFloat Decoys

The innovation of decoys starts with an idea.  We all have ideas and often act on those ideas with designs of our own, but in this instance, Lifetime has moved to an outer orbit with their lineup of FlexFloat decoys. 

Decoy Lines

There are so many possibilities and rigging your decoys should provide you years of service with little or no frustration.  Time should be spent hunting not untangling decoy lines. 

Take the Shot? A Mature Kudu Bull Offers A High-Speed Opportunity

Lunging for my rifle where it leaned against a bush, I slammed a cartridge home in the chamber. A big broken-horned kudu bull broke from the brush, racing full speed from right to left. Swinging with him, I watched my crosshairs catch up, swing through, and pass his vitals. My finger closed on the trigger

Dakota’s Packable Mallard Decoys

Dakota Decoys are a product of the Midwest and Missouri River Valley.  Bill Willroth, the owner of Dakota Decoys and an avid hunter and media personality orchestrates their design and development.  His show The Grind is a great way to learn and enjoy waterfowl hunting. 

Preparing a Youth for Their First Hunt

I work with youth and competitive sport shooting and often get the opportunity to hunt with them during the waterfowl season. In my state, we have a youth waterfowl opener that is a week ahead of the annual opening day. My good friend Scott offered that he had a young hunter, so we began to prepare for that first hunt. 

Straight Pull Safari with the Strasser RS14 Evolution

When you’re traveling halfway around the world for the hunt of a lifetime, you need to consider exactly what rifle to choose, especially when you are planning to hunt a variety of game.   I own several rifles in my personal collection, unfortunately, most are not ideal for African plains game

Go Lightweight Out West

Elk are great movers, and during the rut, bulls will cover massive amounts of terrain in search of love. Be ready to traverse terrain and make a quick shot if you want to head home with horns for the wall and backstraps for the grill.

Optics Matter!

When it comes to hunting gear, there are certain items you can skimp on — look for a deal — take the low-end route. Optics aren’t one of these items. Few gear pieces will make or break your success, especially when hunting the west, like quality optics.

Squirrel Tamales

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.

Dorsal Caping Your Trophy In the Field

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.