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.
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.
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.
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.
The Browning X-Bolt Speed SR delivered an awesome performance from a reasonably priced hunting rifle. Hence I wouldn’t hesitate a second to take this rifle out west for a trophy elk hunt or to Africa.
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.
Video review of the Elk Mountain Bell Tent including setup.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Today’s PrimaLoft-filled puffy-style jackets are the ultimate western hunting garment. Here’s why.
Mules are worth their weight in gold on steep or rough terrain while being exceptionally social and loving animals.
One of the barracuda turned and started swimming towards me then opened his mouth full of pretty intimidating teeth. The game had just changed.
Bears, raccoons, and even rock chucks (marmots), all produce fat that can be rendered. You’ll be surprised at how mild these fats taste.
House Bill 123 adjusts the start dates of shed hunting. It institutes that the non-resident season won’t begin until seven days after the resident season start.
Utah’s House Bill 469 proposes to legalize the hunting of cougars 365 days a year, without the need for tags or seasons.
Whether it was ducks, bucks, pheasant or other game, the renaissance of American hunting that began a few years ago is growing. That’s great news.
Passing that test is critical. You want your deep winter hunting boots to keep your feet warm and dry in any environment you are likely to encounter, all day long.
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.
The 80’s were an interesting and important time period for how elk were hunted.
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.
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?
The perfect gift for the hunter can be a daunting task, especially if they are well-equipped with gear and seem to have everything.
Be sure to go into each setup during the daylight and trim any low-hanging branches to keep from getting hung up or making unwanted noise.
Evaluating your gear before you head afield will help to ensure that you have a more comfortable and hopefully successful hunt.
Many hunters considered the 16-gauge a near-perfect gauge and it’s making a comeback.
As with everything, choosing a cartridge for suppressed hunting is full of good, better, and best options. 375 Raptor is the cartridge that I would place in the “best” category.
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?
Injuries and health issues are a part of life, and I know I’m not the first hunter to suffer an injury less than a month out.
Shaun had a laundry list of things he wanted to improve on: nutrient-rich ingredients, balanced macros, quicker cook times, and a higher caloric count.
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.
Today, we can use something called a Solunar table to help predict periods of activity outside of the normal crepuscular behavior of game animals. Most animals fall into one of three categories: Diurnal means
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?
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.
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?
I’ve been addicted to archery pronghorn hunting for 25 years, and my favorite method is duping a buck with a decoy.
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.
Factory ammo is available in cast or jacketed, with bullet weights from 325gr. to 410gr., and velocities running 1200fps to 1350fps.
Factory ammo is available in cast or jacketed, with bullet weights from 325gr. to 410gr., and velocities running 1200fps to 1350fps.
A young hunter gets a hard-won opportunity at a magnificent mule deer buck. It’s a long shot in challenging, windy conditions. Should he take the shot?
The 600 Lux is part of the exciting new CZ-USA 600 series rifle family. Each Lux rifle comes with a sub-MOA guarantee!
Alaska is known as a land of extremes, and the men and women who successfully live and hunt there are rather particular about what does and doesn’t work.
Perhaps the only thing better than learning from your own mistakes is learning from someone else’s.
If I find myself needing some factory ammo to hunt with I’ll be looking for Accurate, Deadly, and Dependable; Hornady Handgun Hunter.
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.
That is the reality with pistols. You can carry one your whole life and never need it, but when you do need it, you need it desperately.
Alabama is opening up online registration for the 2022 alligator season this July. A total of 260 tags will be awarded to hunters spread across five hunting zones.
When you draw a coveted tag you’ve waited a lifetime for, the preparation starts the day you pull the tag.
I watched helplessly as the struggle carried them closer to the trail’s edge and a long drop below.
After running the Pulsar Thermion 2 XP50 for around 6 months through many nights out in the field, I will share some of the features and my experiences with this optic. animals, thermal is king.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mississippi legislators passed a hunting bill that officially allows hunters to use air rifles and air bows for select game, during specific seasons on private land.
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.
I’d never heard of the 25 Sharps until I walked across the aisle at SHOT one year to the little booth occupied by the Sharps Rifle Company.
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.
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.
That was one of the furthest shots I’ve even made with a thermal optic, at night, on a hog. My guide and fellow hunters were cheering my shot, and I certainly felt good about it. But I also knew the REAP-IR made the shot possible.
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.
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.
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.
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.
After broadening some of their hunting rules at home in Montana to permit wolf-hunting from aircraft, several officials have gone on record to point out that federal laws still prohibit the practice.
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.
If you’re a hunter, the SnipePod can be a crucial piece of gear. It gives you a stable yet flexible base to take sitting shots over brush and grass, and it significantly less than any other sitting bipod on the market (and less than many prone bipods as well). For $145, that’s not a bad deal.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Weatherby, Inc. is happy to announce the new, expansive Mark V Hunter line of premium bolt-action rifles based on their well-travelled Mark V action.
Over the years I have experienced a wild variety of waterfowl clothing. Starting with those old cotton waffled long johns you can buy at the farm and home store. Not sure those ever kept me warm or dry.
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.
The author gets a surprise opportunity at a big mule deer. Full of adrenaline, his hands (and everything else) are shaking. The deer is close. Should he take the shot?
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.
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
practice of patterning a shotgun. This article provides some great advice for every shotgun enthusiast that wants to be a good competitive shooter.
It was the sixth day of an Alaska bison hunt that had thrown numerous challenges at us requiring an ever-evolving plan; we’d blown through Plans A, B, and C and were currently throwing a Hail Mary as our days afield came to a close.
This article is the second of two on thermal optics. In part one I discussed night vision, how I decided to invest in thermal optics, and profiled the iRay MH25 thermal scanner. In this article, I cover the Bering Optics Super Hogster thermal riflescope.
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.
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.
The first of a two part series, this article covers the scanning portion of thermal night hunting with a review of the IrayUSA Mini MH25 thermal scanner.
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.
If you’re in the market for a new pack that can be utilized for a variety of hunts, from day to multi-day excursions, give the guys at Stone Glacier a call.
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.