Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Game & Fish West

The buck was a dandy, especially for my 13-year-old son, who at that point had never taken a shot at anything larger than a 5-point. I tried to keep him calm while hiding my own excitement, which wasn’t an easy task with the two of us inside a 4-foot-square blind and the buck just 60 yards away. Jacob managed to slowly, and relatively quietly, get his rifle in position and rested on the edge of the sturdy blind’s wooden frame. I had the utmost confidence in him. We had practiced shooting from a tripod at a 100-yard deer target throughout the fall; this buck was only about half that distance, and the blind provided better support than shooting sticks. He had this. “When you have a good shot, take it,”…

As winter’s icy grip loosens from our favorite lakes, rivers and reservoirs, largemouth bass respond in predictable ways that make them more accessible to anglers and more reliable guests in the livewell. Steady increases in both water temperature and daylight hours trigger changes to bass metabolism and preferred locations as fish transition from relative lethargy to aggressive feeding postures. Across their range, winter bass seek thermal stability by collecting in deep water, where temperatures remain relatively stable even in the face of cold fronts that deliver wind, rain and snow. Bass are certainly catchable from the depths throughout the winter months—as any Northern angler chasing bass through the ice will attest—even though water temperatures in the 30s to low 40s suppress bass metabolism and the urgency to feed with regularity.…

Two sections of towering pines loomed ahead, a single 10-foot-wide mowed grass path running between them and extending beyond sight. In front of me, guide Parker O’Bannon stood on the forest edge, cautiously scoping out the two-track. It was mid-afternoon, and he was worried about spooking birds on our way into the property, a 2,300-acre parcel along Florida’s Nature Coast. It was one of several pieces of land, totaling almost 10,000 acres, owned and managed by Florida Outdoor Experience (FOE) near Chiefland. As O’Bannon had explained earlier, the path cut through the flatwoods—a distinctly Floridian mix of pines, palmettos, shrubs and grasses extending across a flat expanse—before eventually leading into a thick swamp. This bog harbored several turkeys, including some gobblers that trail cameras had captured walking and strutting along…

Looming over the flat, desolate landscape, the cone-shaped volcano was blanketed in snow, as out of place as a Walmart Christmas display in October. Before I could argue with him, my German wirehair was slipping and sliding his way up its flank, hooking around and out of sight. When I finally slogged my way to his elevation, I found him quivering, nostrils flaring, pointing into a small cave. Just then, a covey of valley quail erupted like bats in a National Geographic special. Mayhem ensued, a rodeo of stumbles, missed shots and even a few retrieves all the way back down to the valley floor. Ho-hum. Another day in late-winter paradise. February is a lost month on most wingshooters’ calendars—white, cold and full of fond memories from months with more…

If booking a trip with Austin Moser (austinsnorthwestadventures.com), he offers lodging for anglers at his property in Grand Coulee. If fishing on your own, there are plenty of places to stay in the nearby small towns of Grand Coulee, Bridgeport, Brewster and Pateros, with other options in between and on the outskirts. If looking for campsites or resorts, check out Bridgeport State Park, Rocky Flats, Marina Park, Rainbow Beach Resort and the Colville Confederated Tribes’ Reservation land. Restaurants are plentiful, but some close early in the winter, so plan accordingly.…

A relative newcomer to the hunting rifle market, Stag Arms was founded in 2003 and initially focused its efforts on the AR platform. Notably, Stag pioneered the development of the first left-handed AR, complete with left-side ejection. Since moving its headquarters from New Britain, Conn., to Cheyenne, Wyo., in 2018, the company has continued to develop American-made, competitively priced rifles for law enforcement officers, recreational and professional shooters, and citizens concerned about self-defense. However, one of Stag’s latest rifles, the Stag 10 Pursuit, was designed specifically for hunting with the goal of being as lightweight as possible without sacrificing accuracy. The Stag 10 Pursuit combines reliable functionality, impressive accuracy and appealing looks to meet the needs of discerning hunters. It is available in 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win. chamberings with…

STRAIGHT TALK (NO GUFF) WITH JIM SHOCKEY In a revealing G&F interview— “A Conversation with Jim Shockey”—the renowned hunter shares personal stories of his loves, losses and the field-to-table lifestyle. BASS CLASS A CLICK AWAY Stay sheltered from winter’s cold and improve your bass game by cozying up to our popular video instructional series, “Bass Crash Course” and “Beyond the Bait.” GREAT GUNS FOR HUNTERS We attended January’s hunting trade shows to seek out top gear for the upcoming seasons. “Best New Hunting Rifles for 2024” reveals some of the hottest firearms of the year. WHAT’S THE LATEST BUZZ? Read the hunting and fishing stories everyone is talking about under our new “Trending” category—updated weekly with links to our most popular content. SPRING TURKEY PRIMER Spring turkey season is just…

I love the shine of a new bass boat. While some folks are drawn to sports cars, I always do a double take at a new bass rig being towed down the highway. However, with the cost of a brand new, fully outfitted bass boat clearing six figures, investing in the upkeep of my existing rig seems the more fiscally responsible option for now. The 2004 Skeeter ZX225 in my garage was once a sparking thing of beauty; however, days spent in the sun chasing bass together have aged both of us, evidenced by the sunspots on my skin and the severe oxidation to the metallic blue gelcoat on the boat. Once the oxidation began a few years ago, the haze advanced further and became more apparent each year, particularly…

High-sticking the rod, I struggled to keep up with the big rainbow as it sped toward the boat. The instant my line went slack, I saw the twitching jig fall from the fat trout’s mouth a foot beyond the net. “How big was it?” I asked my buddy and noted guide, Austin Moser. “Twelve pounds—at least,” he shrugged. It was a rookie mistake, and I could feel it unfolding as it happened, but I figured my hookset was solid enough there was no way the big hook could slip out. It did. Fortunately, Moser had already caught a 17-pound trout that was in the box. A week prior to my arrival, he got clients on 17 1/2- and 23 1/2-pound rainbows right where I lost my fish. After a while,…

A fishing world record is a record, right? Usually, but it’s not always as simple as weighing a fish, as some of the freshwater-fishing world-record holders have discovered. Largemouth bass, small-mouth bass, walleye and musky represent what are arguably the most famous freshwater records in fishing history, but even they weren’t clear-cut for one reason or another. The controversies and disputes that surrounded them are interesting history, whether you’re a diehard record-chaser or just an angler with big dreams. PICTURES CAN LIE You might say that for a long time, the world-record walleye literally didn’t measure up to its place in fishing lore. As the tale is told, the 25-pound fish was landed Aug. 2, 1960, by a Tennessee angler who was night-fishing the upper reaches of Old Hickory Lake…

Stevens Arms has been around for a long time. The company was founded in 1864 and was acquired by Savage Arms in 1920. At that time, the merger made Savage the largest firearms manufacturer in America. Though operating in a semi-independent status until 1942, Stevens has remained a part of Savage since the acquisition. However, during a period in the 1990s, there were no Stevens firearms made. In 1999 Savage revived the brand, and last year it introduced the Model 334 bolt-action rifle. The Model 334 is available with a wood or synthetic stock and is chambered in .243 Win., .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor. With the Model 334’s suggested retail price of $389 for the synthetic-stock version and $489 for wood-stock version, the new rifle fills a gap in…

In 1915, Savage introduced the .250-3000 rifle cartridge. Also known as the .250 Savage, it’s generally considered the first factory American rifle cartridge to achieve 3,000 fps. It set the stage for several other successful .25-caliber cartridges, and for many years hunters relished these quarter bores. But, as of late, their charm has diminished. We’ll discuss why shortly, but first, let’s look at why hunters liked them so much to begin with. DUAL-PURPOSE APPEAL Part of the quarter-bore cartridges’ appeal involves sectional density (SD), the ratio of a bullet’s weight compared to its diameter. Historically, SD has been a controlling factor regarding the nominal weight of rifle bullets as they relate to caliber. Often, the most common hunting bullets—by caliber—have an SD of around 0.25. This is why the 100-grain…

The good news: more than three-quarters of Americans approve of hunting, fishing and recreational shooting. The bad news: that supermajority of supporters is declining, according to a survey of national attitudes concerning our field sports that was released last year. The slipping support comes after nearly 30 years of increasingly favorable attitudes toward hunting and fishing, and it has caused some conservation leaders to suggest that we participants need to do a better job of projecting the public benefits and personal joys of hunting and fishing to Americans who may have no familiarity with the activities. The “Americans’ Attitudes Toward Legal, Regulated Fishing, Target/Sport Shooting, Hunting and Trapping” survey was released in August by the Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation (OSCF), a non-profit organization that uses research to recruit a…

1 WASHINGTON: Wait for the temperature to come up at Potholes Reservoir,then prospect for papermouths in Lind Coulee and shallow bays. Stop in at Mardon Resort for local know-how. 2 IDAHO: At C.J. Strike Reservoir,watch the electronics to find bait balls and suspended crappies in 30 to 50 feet of water over the flats and humps. 3 CALIFORNIA: The fishing can be good in February and March at Clear Lake near Kelseyville. Early in the year, prowl the shoreline and throw small plastics at the docks. Try a 1/16-ounce jig head with a tri-color tube. 4 WYOMING: White crappies average 9 to 11 inches at Glendo Reservoir, where the main food source is shad. Prospect around Custer Cove, Soldier Rock and back in Whiskey Gulch. 5 MONTANA: At Tongue River…

While much of the West’s big-game species are hunkered down during winter, coyotes are focused on something more important than comfort. They are now engaged in a territorial battle for the right to breed. When the breeding season arrives, behavioral changes occur. Coyotes become more aggressive and offensive, protective and defensive, territorial and hungry. All this can give the savvy predator caller an added advantage when attempting to lure song dogs into shooting range. BASIC BIOLOGY Did you know that female coyotes experience estrus once per year, and are in heat for less than a week? And that male coyotes only produce sperm during the time females are receptive? When a male tries to breed a female that is not yet ready, she’ll threaten and reject him until the time…

Among the forage choices available to a bass, the spider would seldom be listed. However, tackle maker Bobby Garland proved just how effective a “spider jig” could be when hopped along the rocky shelves in the clear reservoirs of Arizona—especially in winter. It’s unclear what prompted the idea to rob a soft-plastic tube bait of its molded skirt material and fashion it above a Mister Twister Double Tail grub, but that’s precisely the source of Garland’s original spider jig design. The injection-molded skirt gave the spider jig an unusual appearance from traditional vinyl, rubber or silicone skirts and also gave the jig its namesake. Today, the original lure developed by Bobby Garland is no longer in production, but similar designs are offered by a handful of manufacturers, which are typically…

The hatchery-raised rainbow trout in Rufus Woods Reservoir are known as triploids. Triploids have three sets of chromosomes rather than the two sets that are normal for diploid fish. Triploids are sterile and do not reproduce, so their entire focus throughout their lives is on eating. In the right conditions, such as those in Rufus Woods where high-protein hatchery food combines with natural food, triploids grow big fast. Their large bodies and proportionally small heads speak to the voracious appetites of these fish.…

If you want to set a new record for a particular species of fish, the following suggestions might help you in your quest. Though some waters are famous for their propensity to grow big fish, other rivers and lakes off the beaten path also have the right stuff. We’ve included them, too. What constitutes a likely record producer? A lot depends on habitat, food sources, predation by other fish and water quality … and, of course, angler expertise. LARGEMOUTH BASS Best Bet: The word record is 22 pounds, 4 ounces and is shared by Lake Biwa in Japan and Montgomery Lake in southern Georgia. There’s probably bigger bass swimming in Lake Biwa, but Montgomery Lake has pretty well had it as a lunker fishery. Set your sights on California to…

If it’s waterproof and not yellow, bring it,” said Shane’s father as he topped off the Thermos and squeaked the lid tight. Outside, endless sheets of rain pounded the earth. But what was rain to a couple of duck hunters keen on taking a late-season limit? Surely it would let up soon. When it did, they’d be in the blind, shotguns loaded and looking up. The hunters turned off the kitchen light, closed the front door behind them and scurried to the truck. What was typically a 40-minute cruise to the pond turned into an hour-and-a-half white-knuckled journey as the windshield wipers engaged in a losing battle. Shane realized how bad it was when his father passed by the gate and then had to make a U-turn in the county…