Innholdsfortegnelse for June - July 2015 i Outdoor Life

JULY 4, 11:45 a.m. /Rogers, AR Instead of barbecuing for the Fourth, the Gallatin Valley Sharpshooters were killing time inside a convention center 1,100 miles from their hometown of Bozeman, Mont. It was the last practice day before competition kicked off at the National BB Gun Championship. The girls posed for portraits, then snapped their own. Mackenzie Stauch, 12, holds the phone for a quick selfie. The Sharpshooters went on to take 10th place among 51 teams. See p. 72.…

FIND A FIELD DOG AT THE POUND ▶ Many people overlook shelters when searching for a hunting companion. We found Bear, a black Lab– field spaniel mix, at our local shelter. Within a year he was treeing squirrels, flushing birds, retrieving them all, and having fun doing it. Angelica Smith Watertown, NY THE OUTFITTER ▶ Guiding is a great living, but if you think it’s difficult to kill a wall hanger every year, consider guiding and killing 45 of them. Tim Clark, via Facebook THE NEW MEDIA STAR ▶ Unfortunately, everyone wants to be an outdoor celebrity. Leave the cameras at home. Share your stories over the fire in camp. Take a kid hunting. Travis Ealy, via Facebook THE GUN STORE CLERK ▶ It’s a great opportunity to meet many…

JUNE 13, 1964 A RECORD-BREAKING FEAT The angler’s “heavy rod bent in a tight arc as the shark surged away from the pier with a huge hook embedded in its jaw. A multistrand, wire leader and 130-pound-test line connected the shark with the man, who was soon to set a world record.” On that June afternoon in 1964, South Carolina angler Walter Maxwell hooked into a 1,780-pound predator and fought for five hours straight until he landed the huge fish. We’re not sure what’s more amazing: that Maxwell caught the shark from a pier, or that the shark still holds the top spot after 50-plus years. You can find the full story behind the catch in our April 1984 issue (see box at right). JANUARY 1938 Although many anglers remained…

THANKS TO RECENT developments in sonar, you don’t need a 72 Viking convertible with multiple widescreen displays to count the scales on fish 100 feet below your boat. Instead, dozens of compact fish finders are now available that show what’s holding in the water column beneath your butt as well as on the bottom with near-photographic precision. These new devices don’t cost as much as a new car, either. But how do you pick the right one? An understanding of sonar fundamentals is the best place to start. BASIC TRAINING Like many developments in electronics, sonar has its roots in military technology. Terms in the marine electronics industry have more acronyms than the Pentagon, but fundamentally, sonar is an acoustic system that uses sound waves for detection and navigation. In…

LIKE REVENGE, a gun test is a dish best served cold. At least that’s what we tell ourselves every winter when we round up the newest shotguns and rifles and put them through the wringer. Instead of acting sensibly, like ducks, and heading south for warmer climes, our test team gathers in a remote part of Montana to pull triggers and see how the firearms hold up. When it comes to being smart (and warm) or being real, we go for real every time. This year we flocked to Glasgow, a small town in the northeast part of the state where editor-in-chief Andrew McKean lives. Operating out of an abandoned farmhouse—don’t ask—we spent a week subjecting the guns to temperatures that dipped to 30 below zero, thanks to the never-ending…

JAMES MARLOWE CAN’T STOP LAUGHING AT OUR AVERY DUCK DECOYS. I DON’T THINK THEY’RE PARTICULARLY HILARIOUS, AND NEITHER DOES CHRIS JENNINGS, WHO SCHLEPPED THEM 3,000 MILES FROM NASHVILLE, TENN., TO MARLOWE’S VILLAGE IN INTERIOR NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA. But every time Marlowe looks at the wigeon, scoter, and scaup decoys spread on the floor of his house, along with our other waterfowl hunting gear, he cracks up. “What’s with the toy ducks?” he finally asks. Jennings, who works for Ducks Unlimited, patiently explains that we’ll line the decoys out in the water just off the point in a lake where we hunters will be waiting to shoot real ducks that are attracted by the floating fakes. Marlowe understands, but he shakes his head. “We don’t use decoys,” he says, suddenly serious.…

My bull green-scored 404 ²/8, and after drying, it grosses 402 inches and nets 385 ¹/8 non-typical, placing it Number 18 overall in the Longhunter Society’s record book. It ranks as the biggest bull ever recorded as harvested with a flintlock. Formed in 1988 by the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, the Longhunter Society is like the Boone and Crockett Club, but for muzzleloaders only. Bringing recognition to those hunters who accept the challenge of using muzzleloading firearms and honoring trophy animals harvested with the same, the society also actively works to support conservation of all North American wildlife. The first Longhunter Society Big Game Record Book was published in 1992. Several updated editions have followed and serve as permanent archives of trophy-class big-game animals taken with muzzleloaders. Unfortunately (to…

ALPINE BOWLS Early in the season, mountain bucks seek relief from the heat by moving to the high country. The open terrain and fitful winds make stalking dif-ficult, so use good optics to find bucks. And use features like ridgelines and boulder fields to hide your approach. MATURE FOREST In heavy timber, cover prime ground very slowly. Once you know a buck’s core area, moving only 200 yards in a morning can be more productive than tromping heedlessly through large tracts of forest. Dissect bedding areas in fern patches, salal, and vine maple thickets, and be ready for a close encounter. REGROWTH TIMBER Patches of young timber surrounded by logged units can be buck hotspots, but hunt from cover. Put the wind in your face and move slowly through the…

TAKE A [DEER] STAND ▶ It was refreshing to hear Andrew McKean’s point of view on harvesting bucks [“Banking Bucks,” Editor’s Journal, April 2015]. It rings true with my experience as a deer hunter today in Michigan. EHD was horrible where I hunt as well, but thankfully we are on our way back. We can’t stand in judgment of hunters who are meat eaters or who shoot the first buck they see, and we shouldn’t let deer mangement divide us as hunters. I think as long as deer hunters follow regulations, they should enjoy the opportunity we have to enjoy nature’s resources. I applaud you for taking a less-than-popular stance on a widespread trend. Henry Wong Dimondale, MI MEAT LOVERS ▶ I’m a Wisconsinite with two young boys who are…

TIP When landing fish, leave a rod’s length of line between the tip and the fish. Point the rod skyward and the fish will slide alongside. FISHING@OUTDOORLIFE.COM The beauty of a small boat is that if the water gets snotty enough to keep bigger fishing craft tied at their docks, the guys with ’yaks and cartoppers can just go fish a nearby river or inland lake. But for the other days, here are 16 places to get into fish. As always, you need to put safety first when using a tiny boat on mammoth water. Monitor the weather, fish with buddies, and stay ashore if the water is too rough. LAKE SUPERIOR 1. Slate Islands, Terrace Bay, Ontario ▶ The Slate Islands, on Superior’s north shore, offer summertime kayakers and…

GARMIN 551DV Highlights: Photo-sharp DownVu scanning sonar with dual-frequency transom or trolling motor transducer; quickrelease mount with tilt and swive; intuitive user interface. Display size: 5 inches Display resolution: 480 x 640 Frequency: 50/77/200 kHz Max depth: 2,300 feet Split screen: yes Water temp: yes Price: $330 garmin.com HUMMINBIRD 678C HD DI Highlights: Quad cone and frequency coverage; Down Imaging and Dual Beam Plus for separate, side-by-side or blended displays; SwitchFire provides optimal detail control. Display size: 5 inches Display resolution: 480 x 640 Frequency: 455/800/200/455 kHz Max depth: 350 feet Split screen: yes Water temp: yes Price: $400 humminbird.com LOWRANCE ELITE-5 CHIRP Highlights: Elite Hybrid Dual Imaging, plus three CHIRP sonar ranges with two ranges selectable simultaneously; DownScan Overlay lets the user quickly differentiate fish from structure. Display size:…

REMINGTON V3 FIELD SPORT THIS NEW SEMI-AUTO is an outstanding mid-priced shotgun both in terms of the performance it delivers and the value it represents. The V3 has a 3-inch chamber and runs on a short-stroke gas-piston system similar to that of Remington’s flagship Versa Max gun; but, in truth, it is more refined. The V3’s action is robust, durable, easy to maintain, and soft shooting. The action is also compact. Its short length, in addition to the design of the stock, makes the V3 a natural shooter. It points fast, tracks smoothly, and breaks clays and downs birds with impressively consistent competence. With its good recoil management and 7.5-pound weight, it is a shotgun you can haul all day and put hundreds of rounds through without getting beat up.…

FISHING IS INEXORABLY CONNECTED to moments in time. Anglers are expert at living in the moment—both mind and body completely immersed in the situation at hand without a care given to future obligations or responsibilities. We are motivated by anticipation of the moment—that precise tick of time when a waggling bobber plunges below the surface of a mirror-calm summer pond; when a tripped tip-up flag instantly brings life to a frozen lake on a subzero day; or when a largemouth bass thuggishly attacks a surface bait in a sprawling bed of lily pads. “Yeah, that is totally it,” says 39-year-old Cobbleskill, N.Y., native Pat Cohen. “The toilet flush—when a big ol’ largemouth blows up on a topwater. And when it’s on a deerhair bass popper? Then it’s just crazy. It’s…

Squirrel hunting behind dogs has taken a big jump in popularity in the past few years. Unless you are familiar with this time-honored practice, however, you may question the need for canine help in acquiring the makings for squirrel gravy and biscuits. Just as veteran wingshooters can’t imagine flushing birds without a dog, once you’ve hunted squirrels with a good dog, you might never go back to still-hunting and spotting-and-stalking. “THE CUR IS KNOWN FOR A KEENER NOSE, WHILE A FEIST GENERALLY RELIES MORE ON SIGHT.” While many dogs of mixed ancestry have made great squirrel-getters, most squirrel dogs today fall into two groups: curs and feists. Both breeds have their origin in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and both have a loyal following. Which to choose? The answer can seem…

Pro trainer Chad Hines uses this simple pigeon course to introduce young pointers to birds and to help steady them on point. The prerequisite exercises are to introduce the heel command and train the dog to stand still on a place board. Hines builds his place boards with a piece of round plywood bolted to an old tire. Set up three place boards, and put a pigeon in a remote bird launcher upwind of each board. If you don’t own that many launchers, a crate and rope will work. Heel the dog, and walk it onto the place board. If the dog points naturally, that’s great. If not, sound the releaser’s beeper if it has one, or toss sticks or rocks at the releaser. The goal is to cue up…

A couple of years ago, while hunting deer on public land, I noticed movement on the next ridge and focused my binocular on the spot, about a half mile away. It was another hunter, lying prone, his blaze-orange vest obscured by his pack. I was alarmed to see him looking back at me not through a binocular, but through the scope on his rifle. I inched out of rifle sight, my cold shiver replaced by an angry flash. For better or worse, I resolved to confront the dude who was aiming at me as if I was an enemy combatant. Or a deer. Making sure my own orange vest was highly visible, I walked directly toward the hunter. I was surprised at how young he was, and it was hard…

It’s a timeless angling axiom: If you don’t occasionally get snagged, you’re not fishing in the right spots. In skinny water, most anglers free hung-up baits by reeling down to the rod tip and poking it free. However, when water depth and clarity limits your options, you might need a more strategic approach to lure retrieval. Consider these techniques—old and new, all tried and true. 1. BUMP YOUR BAIT ▶ Start by pulling a few feet of line off your reel, as you would if you were flipping. Grab the line between the reel and the rod’s first guide so that the rod dangles just above the surface of the water. Loosen the drag, and pull the line backward with the hand that’s closest to the first guide and shuttle…

In this world of 24/7 instant connection, smartphones are as essential as tackle boxes to most anglers. So Vexilar developed the SonarPhone as an alternative to traditional fish finders. It comes with a 200 kHz dual-beam (20/40 degree) skimmerstyle transducer and temperature sensor. By downloading the free SonarPhone app, you can use your smartphone or tablet as a sonar-unit display. A phone or tablet charger is included, along with an armband phonecarrier for easier viewing. You do not need a cellular signal for full functionality; it works via wifi. ($ 150; sonarphone.mobi)…

Bulrushesusually grow in 1 to 4 feet of water and can be successfully established along shorelines. These “buggy whips” provide good bass-spawning habitat and refuge for fry. How to Fish: Cast a spinnerbait or swim jig, or pitch a jig or softplastic before, during, and after the spawn. Spatterdockis a stoutstem, emergent-leaf plant that holds bass year-round. It is usually established in 2 to 4 feet of water but will expand into water 6 to 8 feet deep. How to Fish: Try a wacky-rigged stick worm. Water willowgrows along the shoreline in water up to 5 feet deep. Water willow and maidencane were two of the primary species reestablished in Lake Conroe, Texas. How to Fish: Cast a swim jig or pitch a jig at any time of year. Illinois…

EVOLUTION REWARDS specialization. Those collections of things—whether they are organisms or societies— that occupy defined niches and adapt when conditions require tend to endure. Darwin’s grand theory is reflected in the field of optics, and particularly riflescopes. Over the past several years, this category of sporting goods has become increasingly specialized, and submissions to this year’s Outdoor Life Optics Test are the fullest expression of that trend to date. This year’s field is so large, and so many submissions are designed for relatively narrow applications, that we felt it was unfair to evaluate them on a single set of criteria. Instead, we divided the field of 15 scopes into subcategories, based on their configuration and purpose. Scopes with low magnification ranges and small objective lenses, generally intended to be mounted…

A SI CLICKED “SUBMIT” ON THE LICENSE APPLICATION, A SENSE OF MELANCHOLY CAME OVER ME—WHICH WAS SURPRISING CONSIDERING I WAS CERTAIN TO DRAW THE UTAH TROPHY BULL ELK TAG. MY THOUGHTS DRIFTED BACK NEARLY TWO DECADES TO THE FIRST TIME I APPLIED FOR IT. OPTIMISM COMES EASYin one’s youth, and I was sure at the time that I’d get lucky and draw early. My “unsuccessful” notifications were met with surprise and strong disappointment those first few years. After that, I felt bitterness and betrayal at the rejections. I lived in the hunting unit, after all. Shouldn’t I be given the opportunity to hunt in my own backyard? By year 9 or 10, I had matured and become resigned to the idea that luck wasn’t on my side. I’d just have…

TIP To find blacktail bucks during early-season hunts, focus on shady, moist north-facing slopes. Glass the east sides of glades at sunset. Both my time and my water were running out. This was my last sit for the early blacktail season. Outside, the temperature registered 106 degrees; inside the ground blind, it was much hotter. Unable to stand the California heat any longer, I prepared to leave. At that moment, the movement of a velvet rack caught my eye. Soon after, the buck was in bow range, and my August blacktail tag was filled. Having spent a lifetime pursuing deer, I consider trophy-class Columbia blacktails the toughest game animals to consistently kill in North America. That’s not because deer numbers are lacking—they aren’t. Rather, my conclusion is based on 38…

THE BUDDHA, who praised the virtue of humility, would have loved the spinner. It is a simple target—just two steel circles connected by a crosspiece that rotates around a spindle. Because one circle is larger than the other, the target naturally comes to rest in a vertical position. All the shooter needs to do is hit the circles until they make one complete rotation around their axis. Like I said, simple. Well, humility can enter our lives in different guises, and whoever invented the spinner did a masterly job when it comes to providing shooters with what are euphemistically known as “teachable moments.” Barring good fortune, or preternatural marksmanship ability, Start practicing with the spinner at 10 to 12 yards. Once comfortable there, gradually increase your distance from the target.…