Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2015 i Field & Stream

I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK that if Theodore Roosevelt could see the current scam being peddled to American sportsmen he’d be fighting mad. I’m talking about the proposal to transfer ownership of federal lands to states. Make no mistake: This will lead to a loss of access to some of the country’s best hunting and fishing grounds, mean fewer opportunities for millions of sportsmen, and decimate the contribution that hunting and fishing make to our national economy. It will seriously threaten the North American model of wildlife management, which is based on the idea that wildlife belongs to the people, that hunters are the best way to manage our game populations, and that the ability to hunt, fish, and camp on public lands is the right of every American, not…

YOUR HUNTING AND FISHING COMMUNITY GREAT AND POWERFUL As a young boy, I was fervent about fishing, hunting, and trapping, so I read every outdoor magazine that I could get my hands on, with F&S being my absolute favorite. Your Feb. 2015 issue has reignited that spark and conjured up the ghosts of Ted Trueblood, Robert Ruark, and Ed Zern. Thank you for that. Rick Cypher, Thornton, Colo. I read with interest each of the “Great Family Stories,” and I saw myself in many of them. My own experience hasn’t been as tragic as Phil Bourjaily’s, but it has been just as funny as Dave Hurteau’s. T. Edward Nickens’s piece has me looking forward to spending more time in the great outdoors with my young grandchildren. Mike Guillot, Alex City,…

THE WILD CHEF POSOLE (pronounced poh-SOH-lay) is a Mexican stew that dates back centuries. It’s traditionally made by simmering pork with chiles and hominy (hulled corn kernels), but adding venison to the pot lends the stew a richer and more vibrant character. The chef and cookbook writer David Tanis calls for a combination of pork shoulder and pork belly in his fantastic recipe for posole, which we’ve adapted here by swapping in venison for the shoulder but retaining the unctuous pork belly. If you can’t find belly, just use some fatty pork shoulder. Dried hominy is widely available in the Latin section of supermarkets; if canned is your only option, however, drain and rinse it and add during the final half hour of cooking. 1 Drain the soaked hominy and…

TIP OF THE MONTH I have only had to shoot one turkey from my off-side shoulder (for me, the right), but the day a silent bird came in from the left, I was glad I had practiced the shot. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to scoot yourself around so you can shoot with your dominant hand without spooking a bird. If you use an optic, you’ll be able to shoot with both eyes open; otherwise, close your dominant eye. Use field loads when you practice because turkey-load recoil is bad enough on the side you’re accustomed to shooting from, and horrendous when you try switch-hitting.…

CONSERVATION NURTURING WETLANDS SANDY BURRIS SANDUSKY, OHIO As president of the Friends of Magee Marsh, Burris helps raise funds and organize volunteers to improve and maintain its namesake wetland, a critical 1,800-acre stopover for waterfowl on the southern shore of Lake Erie. Originally a private hunting property, the marsh now provides duck and deer hunting, trapping, and ice fishing opportunities to the public. Burris and her group are responsible for implementing a $300,000 renovation of the boardwalk that protects the integrity of the marsh and provides access for anglers, trappers, and others. They also remove invasive garlic mustard plants that prevent the growth of native browse. “With only 30 active volunteers, I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to do so far,” says Burris. BOOSTING HABITAT EDDIE KOCHMAN DENVER,…

MEOPTA MEOPRO HD Is that a hen, a gobbler, or a stump? A good binocular lets you spot birds from a distance without alarming them. This pair in 8x32 features “twilight optimized optics” for high light transmission early in the morning, when birds are active. $748; meoptasportsoptics.com QUAKER BOY ROAD WARRIOR At 17 inches long, this box call is almost too big to carry in the woods, but it’s perfect to keep on the console. That’s because it’s loud, broadcasting long distances to pry gobbles out of faraway reservoir toms. $70; quakerboy.com MUCK EDGEWATER HI Rubber boots are a necessity for hunting by boat. This Muck Boot’s neoprene upper makes it much lighter than an all-rubber boot, and it wears extremely well. $120; muck boot company.com…

EXPERTS If you simply walk up to a sporting clays station and call “pull,” you’re already one step behind. By employing a consistent, detailed routine that starts before a target ever flies, you’ll bust more birds, whether it’s in competition or at the ham shoot at your hunting club. Here’s what to do. 1 Point Taken Many shooters, especially those new to sporting clays, get confused about where to point the muzzle when calling for a target. The first thing you should do on the station is ask to see a trial target. At first, the clay appears as a blur, but your eyes quickly focus on the bird and it suddenly becomes clear. That focal transition point should be where you point the shotgun when you’re calling for a…

“Never stalk a turkey” has always been hunter-safety bedrock. But most accidents occur in the woods, and fanning and reaping are strictly open-terrain tactics. I couldn’t find documentation of a single accident involving either method. Neither could the National Wild Turkey Federation. McCarty, who has fanned or reaped hundreds of birds, has never had even a close call with either tactic. Bottom line: All turkey hunting has an element of danger, including fanning and reaping. So be smart. Never do either in the woods. Make sure you can see your target bird and the surrounding terrain well beyond shotgun range in every direction. Never try either method during a spring rifle season (or in Pennsylvania or any other state where stalking is illegal). And don’t assume you’re safe because you’re…

F&S Journal SOMETIMES I THINK there are 12 different stages of being a deer. There’s the deer of the imagination, in the weeks and even months before the hunt— the seasons. There’s the deer you don’t see— the deer of your desire— and thirdly, the deer you do see, and then decide whether to take—to attempt to take—or to let it go and search for another. Especially in the Texas Hill Country, where I hunt each year. The deer are not so large there as they are elsewhere, and truth be told as I age they become smaller, almost like air—as if you could fit them in an envelope, as if they existed more in your mind. It’s their terrain, where you find them, that is so huge, in your…

READER TEST For better or worse, portable electronics are increasingly taken afield by sportsmen. What’s an outdoor adventure without Candy Crush, right? But how do you keep your smartphone or GPS powered up when you’re off the grid? The answer is portable power chargers. We gave four experienced sportsmen four different models to use for an entire season to see which produced the most juice in the most portable and rugged package. BRUNTON RESYNC $168; BRUNTONOUTDOOR.COM THE LOWDOWN Based on performance, durable construction, and value, the 10-ounce Resync took the top spot. Corelli gave it high marks because “it came with the most accessories, including standard and micro USB cables, and a wall charger. Lots of value here.” Anselmo also liked that all required cables were provided. He said the…

“You don’t need to have played in the NFL to cover football, and you don’t need to have run for office to report on politics, but if you don’t fish a lot, the audience is going to call you on it,” says editor-at-large and FlyTalk blogger Kirk Deeter (p. 38). He strives to put a line out at least 150 days a year, mostly on the Arkansas, Colorado, and South Platte Rivers. “I used to pore over Tap’s Tips in my grandfather’s collection of F&S issues,” says photographer Peter Frank Edwards, who caught snapper and grouper alongside Islamorada legend Richard Stanczyk in between shots for “How I Fish” (p. 60). Edwards splits his time between Maine and Charleston, S.C., where he’s a contributing photographer for Garden & Gun.…

WEB SERIES IT WOULDN’T be fishing season without all the hardcore tactics, punk rock tunes, and on-the-road antics of Fishing editor Joe Cermele’s original Web series, Hook Shots, and this month marks not only the Season 7 premiere but also the show’s 50th episode. To honor the occasion, the original crew—Cermele, Capt. Eric Kerber, and F&S editor-in-chief Anthony Licata— ditched the Northeast for sun, fun, fish, and beer in the Florida Keys. Go to field andstream.com/hookshots to check out what the boys were up to while the rest of us were shoveling a couple feet of snow. Next, head over to Facebook and like the new Hook Shots page to fill your news feed with never-before-seen outtakes, extras, giveaways, and fly-tying videos. Cermele, Kerber, and some of your favorite guest…

ESCAPES HIGH POINT All of this ground is easier to cover if you start from a high spot and work your way down. The Forest Service cabin at Summit Ridge Lookout (recreation. gov) is about as high—6,096 feet— as you can get. It’s also a stone’s throw from the Wyoming border, giving you the option of hunting the east or west each day. GUT CHECK You’re going to burn a lot of calories hunting these gobblers, so swing by Donna’s Main Street Diner in Newcastle, Wyo., for heaping portions of delicious comfort food at great prices. I highly recommend the oatmeal pancakes at breakfast, and a “big and thick” burger and hand-cut fries for lunch. RUN THE RIDGE Forget the notion that Nebraska is flat. The Pine Ridge region is…

THE TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN I HOLD THE box call paddle like I’d grasp a newborn’s tiny hand—gently, between the knuckles of my first and second finger. “You don’t have to bear down hard,” Tony Quarino tells me. “There’s plenty of turkey in there. You just have to let it out.” I give the paddle a full swing, raking the bottom across the rounded edges of the sidewall rails, and there she is: YEE-awk, YEE-awk, YEE-awk. Those first three notes sound sweet and pure. But then the angle goes wrong, or I’m using too much pressure, because what comes next is more squawk than yelp, a yowling shriek that would send any gobbler scrambling for cover. I’ve never been even a decent turkey caller, but I aim to change that this spring.…

GEAR SMARTS Minnesota guide Tom Neustrom has filleted thousands of fresh- and saltwater fish in his 36-year career. He carefully considers handle design, blade length, and blade flex to select the perfect cutter for a given species. Follow his advice, and you’ll never hack up a walleye or crappie again. INCH TO THE EDGE FISH LENGTH 5" to 10" 10" to 15" 15" to 25" 25" to 40" 40"+ BLADE LENGTH 6" 71⁄2" 9" 101⁄2" 12"+ BEND TO THE BONE Nothing is more important than how a blade flexes, says Neustrom. Flex allows you to work along backbones and over ribs without unintentionally cutting either. Most of the work, he says, is done with the blade’s wider half, so you typically want a knife with 15 to 20 percent flex…

Idaho native Dave Fountain has been tracking down primitive arrowheads for more than 40 years. Check your local regulations, and follow his tips for rookies. Heave Ho Spring is the best time to look, says Fountain. “Farmers working the ground or the winter frost heave could bring arrowheads to the surface.” Go Native “Focus on ridgetops above major waterways”— common areas for tribes to camp—“and feeder creeks,” he says. “Ridges running east to west are the most productive, but you’d have to ask the tribes why that is.” Scan for Contrast “Look for a straight line—the edge of a head—or a difference in color—gray, reddish, or black— that stands out against the soil. Find a lot of chips and flakes, and you’ll find an arrowhead.”…

• BUYER’S GUIDE • READER TEST A few months ago, F&S contributor Mark Modoski and I talked our way onto a private lake for a dawn-to-dusk largemouth quest. We started the morning armed with everything from jerkbaits to Carolina rigs to Flukes, and by the time we backed the trailer down the ramp that evening, we’d put 25 bass (and a bunch of pickerel and walleyes) in the net. More important— maybe—is that in 11 hours on the water, and just as many hours off, we put the eight hottest new low-profile bait-casting reels through their paces, testing them for construction, comfort, functionality, performance, and more. Here’s how they stacked up. SHIMANO CURADO 200 I HG $180; FISH.SHIMANO.COM TOTAL SCORE 92 SPECS 7.2:1 gear ratio • 7.4 oz. • 14-lb.-test/100-yd.…

I RECENTLY RETURNED from the annual SHOT (Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade) Show in Las Vegas. It’s a four-day orgy of stuff you don’t need. Yet. But if the marketing guys push the right buttons, you’ll change your mind. Weird as it is, SHOT is a core sample of the American outdoorsman’s psyche. And what we secretly long to be is one of two things: an elite sniper, or the first member of a three-man SWAT team through the door. The identity of the enemy is unclear, but it doesn’t matter. What does is that we are up to the mission. We are professionals, immune to either fear or pity. We are competent, lethal, not to be messed with. And all that stands between us and our heroic best selves…

SKILLS Most anglers have the bluegill to thank for getting them hooked on fishing. Unfortunately, many also forget about this introductory species after they graduate from dipping worms on the shore of the local park pond. That’s a mistake, because not only are bluegills a blast on a light fly rod, but catching them hones your casting and presentation skills, which can help you catch more of the “grown-up” species later. HAUL FOR IT Bluegills will eat almost any wet or dry fly, but there is arguably no more enjoyable way to catch them than with small foam poppers. These flies are fairly air-resistant, forcing you to cast with a bit more oomph. It’s a great excuse to practice your double haul, which will come in handy the next time…

GEAR ↑ | TENZING TZ TP14 $299; tenzingoutdoors.com THE SPECS 1,700 cubic inches • 71⁄4 lb. • 12 x 131⁄2-inch padded seat THE SKINNY I’ve shot fall hens that have weighed less than this large pack-and-seat unit. But it’s loaded with luxuries many turkey hunters want—or don’t yet know they want. There are 19 pockets, diaphragm sleeves, an expandable gamebag, and enough pack space for an overnight trip. The integral aluminum frame has a built-in fold-down field chair with a comfortable padded seat and an air-cooled back pad, so even if there’s no nearby tree, you’ll have a rock-solid backrest. BONUS With a little top padding, like a rolled-up shirt or jacket, the foldout chair in the TP14 makes a stable elevated shooting rest for a rifle or muzzleloader come…

NEWS AND STORIES FROM THE EXPERTS • THE SEASON • THE WILD CHEF • RIFLES • SHOTGUNS • ESCAPES • ASK PETZAL • HEROES OF CONSERVATION • THE TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN MY BUDDY Jim Fee saw the first striped bass from the front casting deck. The fish went maybe 27 inches and paid us little mind as the pontoons of my raft drifted above its back in 3 feet of water. In the last quarter mile of our float, we’d seen channel catfish, short-nose sturgeon, and a fat smallmouth crashing bait near the bank. At first, the striper was just another species checked off, something cool to see. But then we spotted another, and another. In the blink of an eye, we were in a blitz. On all sides, clouds of…

SHOTGUNS NEW GUNS ARE LIKE modern cars. They are designed on computers, built by machines, and have less steel and more plastic than their predecessors. They lack individuality and character. My black-synthetic-stocked Beretta 3901 semiauto waterfowl gun is the firearms equivalent of my Honda CRV: Put the gun in a rack at duck camp, or the car in a crowded parking lot, and I’d be hard-pressed to pick out either one from all the others. But both are trouble-free, they pollute less (the Beretta runs on steel), and with minimal care they will run forever. So you give up some aesthetics with most new guns. What do you get in return? Choke tubes, 3- and 31⁄2-inch chambers, any-load capability, steel compatibility, softer recoil pads, easily alterable stock length, light weight,…

TIPS, TRICKS, AND ADVICE The shorelines of America’s reservoirs offer thousands of acres of public turkey woods, and the best way to hunt them is by boat. A water approach not only saves you legwork, but it can also help you get the drop on a giant gobbler. Here’s the game plan from launch to taking the shot. SHORE SHOT Run dawn patrol, call often, and storm the beach 1 | GET A VIEW Study aerial photos of nearshore topography to locate potential strut zones, such as log landings, agricultural fields, and flats along wooded ridges. Some reservoirs have open areas where gravel roads were cut off when the reservoir was filled, and they also make great strutting areas. Be familiar with the public area’s boundaries. 2 | WORK THE…

1 | Loading Curve For new shooters, the mechanics of loading a firearm and working the action can be daunting. Use snap caps to work through the steps before fumbling with live rounds in the field. 2 | Flinch Test When target shooting, have a buddy load one snap cap into the magazine with your live ammo. When the firing pin falls on the dummy round, you’ll know immediately just how badly you flinch. 3 | Action Check If you’re thinking about purchasing a used long gun, work snap caps through the action to make sure that they feed properly and the ejectors are in good shape.…

TACTICS Like fins on a Chevy or a ball game broadcast over a scratchy transistor radio, trout fishing with spoons seems like something from a bygone era. Truth is, this method is as lethal now as it was in the old days. In April, chubs and shiners are spawning in streams across the country, and the biggest trout in the system are gobbling them up. 1 | FLUTTER EFFECT Spoons shine in stretches where dead wood or boulders create mid-river hiding places. Cast quartering upstream and retrieve slightly faster than the flow. This will get the lure riding just above the bottom where the big fish hold. Pause the retrieve any time the spoon knocks off a rock or moves into a slack spot. The fluttering stop-and-go motion mimics an…

SKILLS Open Up Cross at the widest point; this area tends to be shallower and less turbulent. Spot Snarls Keep an eye out for strainers— fallen trees or bushes that can entrap you beneath the water’s surface— and never cross upstream of one. Crossing just downstream may grant you a brief reprieve from the current. Mind Your Middle Determining depth can be difficult, so use a trekking pole or makeshift wading stick as a gauge and for support. If the water level nears your waist before you reach the center of the river, turn back and find an alternate route. Prep Your Pack Before you cross, unbuckle your backpack, wear it on your front, and be ready to get rid of it before it can fill with water should you…

“PUT IN THE EFFORT TO CLIMB THE PLATEAU, AND YOUR REWARD I S LAKES FULL OF CUTTHROATS. NO PAIN, no gain—or, in this case, no panoramic vistas of alpine lakes, no streamside campfires, no rolling out of the sleeping bag and casting for a breakfast trout 20 feet away. That’s the accepted calculus of backpacking into wild fish country— pay your dues, and the payoff is solitude, serenity, and the best fishing in America. It’s a sweet deal, and here’s the best part: Fishing camps like this are not all in the West, and they’re not all about trout. Here’s a wish list of the best backcountry fishing spots across the country, from mountains to deserts to bogs to salt marsh. It’s all public land. Hit the treadmill, then get…

Richard Stanczyk WHEN I WAS 10, my parents bought a home on a canal in Miami. I had a 9-foot pram with a little 31∕2-hp Evinrude motor. I used to put-put out of there into Biscayne Bay. By the time I was 15, I was taking a 21-foot boat with a single engine all the way to Bimini. THE DAY OF the Christmas ball at my high school, my girlfriend begged me not to go fishing. She’d bought a special gown, and we were going to go to the Fontainebleau. But I went out that morning anyway and hooked a big blue marlin. I fought it into the night and ultimately broke it off. I MISSED THE dance. I FINALLY CAUGHT my first blue marlin off of the Bahamas when…

We spooled all the reels with 8-pound monofilament, matched them with 7-foot medium-action rods, and fished with each for at least an hour during the course of the day. With each reel, we separately flipped and pitched, measured maximum casting distance, and tested accuracy by repeatedly casting to various targets. We engaged the drags at various settings to feel for any hiccups or stuttering. During the process, we awarded scores of 1 to 10 for construction, comfort, drag, adjustability, and casting performance. Finally, we combined our scores for a maximum total of 100 points per reel.…

TACTICS Crawfish, baitfish, and hellgrammites in open water all avoid predators by scooting to the bottom. That’s why it’s so common for small-mouths to strike soft plastics on the drop. To increase the chances that you’ll flip the bail and have a fish on right away, try these tweaks to make your baits look even sexier on the descent. 1 WEIGHT LOSS Lightening up your tube jig-head creates a slower rate of fall, and the reduced weight makes it easier to swim tubes over deep weeds without getting covered in vegetation. If you’d normally use a 1⁄4-ounce jig-head, try 1⁄8 ounce. Opt for tube colors that match baitfish, such as golden or silver shiner, instead of crawfish, which aren’t apt to be near the top of the weeds. Cast across…