California Hunting Articles
Setting Goals for Hunters
It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. 2011 is long gone ...we're well into 2012. And with a new year comes hopes of better days ahead. It is a time when the slate is wiped clean, and we have the opportunity to make the new year better than the last. Many of us began 2012 with resolutions. For some, those included plans to eat healthier, exercise more, and hopefully to weigh less. For others, it may have included a promotion, a career change, or maybe the beginning of a new business venture. Very rarely, though, do you hear any of us diehard hunters talking about our hunting resolutions for the new year.
Pigging Out: Wild Hog Hunting
My doctor denies it exists, but I know I have it. I am even fairly certain that most big game hunters share the excess anxiety and unspent energy brought about by PSSS, or post season stress syndrome. Other than occasionally venturing to the woods to change out trail camera cards or batteries, this time of year brings about little contact with the ungulates that were the focus of most of my time, energy and thoughts over the fall and winter. I am left with a giant void in my schedule and a burning desire to fill it with a similar activity. Bring on the hogs!
For the Traveling Sportsman
Every year thousands of hunters across the continent book outfitted hunts. Some are booked in their home state or province; others require considerable travel by air. For those with the means, exotic trips abroad are a unique privilege. But regardless of where a hunter goes, the research, booking and travel aspects are imminent. Simple or complex, logistics are a part of the game. I've seen it more than once with first time traveling sportsmen.
Campfire Chef
Like many kids, I spent most of my warm weather weekends as a youth at a campground with my family. It wasn't exactly "roughing it" but it always seemed like an adventure, except for the food. Apparently there is some secret camper's code that says the only forms of sustenance allowed at a campground are hot dogs, potato chips and fire-blackened marshmallows, because that is what we had just about every time that we went. When I was a kid, I never gave it a second thought.
When Women Hunt
Sophisticates call them the fairer sex. In so many ways this is truer than most of us guys care to admit. Pride aside, I must concede. Historically dominated by men, hunting is an activity now seeing more women entering the ranks than ever before. Few men will say it, but I've witnessed it firsthand. Many women are more patient, less excitable, and yes, sometimes they even shoot better!
Nonresident's Guide to Western Hunting
A not-so concise look at the opportunities available to those who have decided to come out West for an elk, deer or antelope hunt and don't know where to start. This won't address bighorn sheep, mountain goats, or moose as those are typically once-in-a-lifetime hunts. This is also designed for DIY hunters, not for those looking for private land or outfitted hunts, as there are various other aspects regarding transferable tags that could also be addressed.
Building a Big Game Hunter
Teaching Children to Love the Outdoors Across the nation, there is a concern about declines in the number of hunters. In addition to a significant drop in license and tax revenues, there are worries that the decline could eventually change the relationship between humans and wildlife.
Staying Alive While Hunting the Wide Open West
I grew up hunting in the Midwest where a half-hour hike from the road was considered remote and wilderness was any 500-acre section with a single farm house. Getting lost was never a concern, even in an era before cell phones and GPS units. When I was 29 I moved my family to the West. Big game hunting suddenly became a much more serious pursuit, not because I became a more avid hunter, but because I realized that a mistake in the Rocky Mountains or the Western deserts could prove fatal.
Hunter Etiquette & Responsibility
Respectable hunters live by both a written and an unwritten code. Most of us acknowledge our responsibility to follow the formal and informal rules of etiquette. Webster's dictionary defines etiquette as, "rules governing socially acceptable behavior." Unfortunately there are those among us who choose to ignore etiquette, conducting their hunting activities with only self-serving interests in mind. At a time when our heritage activities are under constant scrutiny it behooves us to heed the importance of etiquette and ethics. As I contemplate this issue I can't help but conclude that it's really all about respect - respecting the law, landowners, the land, as well as non-hunters and hunters alike.
Hiding in Plain Sight
Then I saw him out of the corner of my eye. He had approached from behind and was standing 30 yards to my right and glared in my direction. His eyes seemed to search through every inch of the grass that I lay in, trying to locate the rabbit that lured him in. I remained still, waited for his shoulder to appear in my scope and squeezed the trigger. As I made my way to the coyote, I couldn't help but to admire the ghillie suit that had kept me hidden so well among the grass and wonder why I hadn't tried this before.
The Truth about Wild Hogs
Crawling on all fours through the nastiest tangled cover you can imagine, I wove my bow through the overhanging branches. Minutes before, my guide and I had spotted a massive Hungarian Razorback grazing through the timber. Anticipating that the huge boar might follow the most heavily used trail, we hoped to intercept him.
Planning Your First Western Hunt
The rangefinder read 202 yards. That was far longer than any shot this Kentucky boy had ever taken at an animal, but it was a shot that I had practiced routinely in the weeks leading up to this hunt. I slowly slipped into a sitting position and rested my Sako .308 across the shooting sticks. As I steadied the crosshairs of the Simmons scope just behind the front shoulder, I took a deep breath to settle my nerves. With the bark of the Sako, I watched as my first Wyoming antelope fell in his tracks.
The Other Hunting Rut
When the word "rut" is mentioned in a conversation among hunters, chances are the discussion will include talk of screaming bull elk, or big whitetail bucks, that for a brief period of time drop their defenses and act like teenage boys. There is another rut out there, however, that doesn't receive a lot of attention. This one affects the hunter rather than the animal and actually decreases our odds of success.
Elk Hunting High-Pressure Areas
A great deal of elk hunting here in Wyoming, and other states, is done not only on public land, but is also on lands where the hunter can simply buy a tag over the counter and head off into the mountains. Consequently these areas typically have a tremendous amount of hunting pressure and require different tactics if the hunter is to score consistently.
Elk Hunting Basics - A Guide to Hunting and Calling Elk
Truly one of the most sporting species, from their guttural bugles to their aggressive rutting behaviors, elk are simply an awesome animal to hunt. If you've ever interacted with a dominant bull, you know what I'm talking about. When a bull screams within earshot, it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up! But not every individual will come in on a string. Finesse and strategy are the name of the game with elk. Know when to speak, when to keep quiet, and which call to use when and you're on your way to a close encounter. Call too much and you may as well head back to camp.
Is Hunting Recreation or Commerce?
The battle between residents and nonresidents heats up. My grandfather still lives in southeastern Idaho, smack in the middle of one of the premier mule deer units in the country. When I was a boy, anyone who wanted to hunt the area, resident or non-resident-could go to the local hardware store and buy a license the day before the deer opener. Although the locals occasionally muttered about the number of "California hunters", the vast majority of men who took to the hills each fall lived within 50 miles.
The Bear Facts - 25 Things Every Black Bear Hunter Should Know
Despite divided opinion about the political correctness of bear hunting, it is something every hunter should try at least once. But a word of caution, if you want to make the most of your outings, there are a few key things you should know. The more knowledgeable you are, the better your chances of tagging a trophy.
Could You Survive Alone?
The man was in deep pain and knew his right leg was broken. While the bone had not pierced the skin, the foot was bent at an unnatural angle. He removed his sheath knife and cut his pants up past his knee, because he knew the leg would start to swell soon. He leaned back on the dark green moss and thought of how dumb he had been that day.
Passing it on: Youth and Beginner Hunts
Bringing a newcomer or youth on to the big game hunting scene is different than doing it alone or with your fellow long time hunting partners. Instead of just getting an animal or trophy being the goal, you are passing on important skills and a heritage. Whether your newcomer is young or old, you are also developing a relationship.
Field Dressing a Deer
The wind was light, but the air was cold as I walked from my tree stand to where I had hit the big buck with an arrow. I saw the arrow go through the animal’s body and knew it was a good solid hit the minute I released. Most bow hunters have the feel of a good shot or of a bad one, you just know if the arrow was released properly and you know if your form was good as well. In this case, I knew I would soon have meat on the table.