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.
Absolutely nothing else matters if we can’t hold the rifle steady.
This is how I set up a scope so it can receive the maximum reasonable amount of damage and maintain its zero.
Evaluating your gear before you head afield will help to ensure that you have a more comfortable and hopefully successful hunt.
Most people who spend their free time in the mountains chasing game know the importance of good footwear.
Sadly, bad things can happen on hunts, especially when roaming the backcountry.
Perhaps the only thing better than learning from your own mistakes is learning from someone else’s.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
An avid rifle hunter switches teams, flinging arrows in the late season. Read about his steep learning curve and follow him on this adventure!
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?
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.
A few seasons back, my buddy Terron introduced me to the idea of creating my own rubbing post complete with a licking branch. It forever changed the way I hunt.
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.
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.
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.
The desire to adventure while exploring new terrain and hunt big game species can be satisfied with embarking upon a destination hunt. And, there are many adventures to be had even during times of COVID.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Whether you’re day-tripping or bivy hunting, here’s a list of the essentials to pack.
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.
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.
In part three let’s take a detailed look at the remaining essential gear, as well as great backcountry rifle setups. Remember; good quality gear lasts longer, works better, and offers the best chance of keeping you alive when the chips are down.
This is the second article in a three-part series on the gear needed to be a successful wilderness-territory bivy hunter. In it, I’ll detail good gear and techniques for obtaining and purifying water, and carrying and cooking food.
To bivy hunt effectively, you must have the right gear. It’s got to be good stuff, and most importantly of all, it must be super lightweight because more often than not you’ll be carrying it all on your back.
Maybe you’re new to the game of bowhunting or maybe you’ve been toting a stick-and-string for years. Regardless, there are some things, quick fixes, every bowhunter should be able to do.
Black Friday is over, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spoil yourself. There’s some great new gear to be had, and with a few weeks until Christmas, you might as well drop a little hard-earned green on some great new gear. Here are a few of our picks.
The right gear is essential for good hunting. Check out these 11 must-haves!
When it comes to setting your ground blind, there’s a lot to consider, and I see lots of ground-blind goers foil their waterhole plans with poor placement.
Both target-panic-stricken bowhunters and those looking to take their in-the-field accuracy to the next level are starting to take advantage of the single-pin system.
You’ve arrived for your hunt and are eager to go check your water sources. This is what to look for.
When it comes to leftover tags, a little research can go a long way. I have a few tips that can help you wade through the bad units and come up with some potential great second opportunities.
