Firearm Hunting Articles
Deer Rifle Makeover
Just about every deer hunter I know has a rifle that he or she just won't part with. It might have been there for an exceptional hunt or memorable trip. Perhaps it was a special gift or the first rifle they ever bought. I have one like that too - but though it tugged at my heartstrings, each season, the option of retiring it was looking more and more attractive. Sure it was a well-made, quality rifle, but it had also seen better days.
Six Tips for Better Shot Placement
Hunt long enough and you'll see some weird things. My own list of odd occurrences seems endless. I've seen an arrow pass square through the center of a bear's chest with the bruin collapsing immediately. Then, not 20 minutes later, that same bear leapt to his feet and scampered away, never to be seen again. On another occasion I witnessed a fellow shoot a moose that collapsed on the spot.
10 Steps for a Successful Hunt
I have been hunting big game, mostly deer, for over forty years and I am still surprised by the lack of preparation most hunters take before the season starts. Most of my buddies simply throw some gear in the back of a truck on opening day and head for the woods. By the way, most of my friends are not very successful hunters either, because they don't do their homework or fieldwork. See, some serious planning is needed to insure your hunting efforts pay off and you get that big buck you've been after. Well, I suggest we prepare for our big game hunt both at home and in the field, and perhaps months in advance.
A Hunter's Guide to Crossing the Canada-US Border
There was a time when hunters didn't have to think twice about transporting game and firearms across the Canada/US border. Unfortunately, those days are gone forever. Now, more onerous firearms laws, fear of spreading game-borne diseases, and post 9-11 security concerns have made crossing the border with firearms, trophies, or game meat far more complex. Here's a quick run down of what a traveling hunter needs to know.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Choosing and Using Blinds and Stands
Blinds and tree stands are all the rage with today's hunter. Used for almost all big game species, ground blinds and tree stands, not to mention freestanding hides are huge on the deer hunting scene. These portable structures are the cats meow. All sorts of blinds allow us to essentially vanish inside a tent or box-like structure. Stands allow us to hunt at an elevation less easily recognized by game. Ground blinds are becoming very popular. Manufacturers catering to the discerning hunter offer a bevy of different designs.
5 Tips for Sighting in Your Rifle
So you've acquired a new hunting rifle. After saving your hard-earned cash and landing permission from your other half, the gun rests in your hot little hands. It looks great, feels great... it probably smells great... but more importantly does it shoot great? Now its time to hit the range and get this baby sighted in.
Understanding Mule Deer
Infinite volumes have been written about whitetailed deer. From their reclusive nature to their sex lives, virtually every aspect of their lives has been dissected. But, for those of us intrigued with variety, far less is written about their counterpart, the mule deer.
Antelope Hunting - Start to Finish
Pronghorn hunting is something every big game enthusiast should experience. From the wide-open grasslands they call home to their unique defense mechanisms, antelope present hunters with an appealing set of challenges seldom seen with other big game species. From securing a tag to planning your trip, getting out in the field, locating bucks and closing the deal, antelope hunting is an experience unto itself. If you've never tried it before, its time you started planning your own pronghorn adventure.
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.
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.
Moose Hunting Tactics
To the casual observer who happens to see a moose by the side of the road or in a park, these largest members of the deer family appear large, ugly and ungainly. And, I must admit that, in this context the description is apt. Yet, seen in its natural habitat of hinterland bogs and spruce forests, the animal is graceful and magnificently suited to a harsh environment. Those who have hunted moose know that they can appear and disappear like ghosts, that they can be both timid and bold. Hunting them is more than just a matter of technique, science or art; it's more like a passion.
White Ghost Of The Mountains
In the space between forests and sky, between earth and the heavens, is a place where dreams come true and memories are etched indelibly on the mind of the hunter. It's a remote land. Extremes of weather and the pitch of the terrain have made it unsuitable for human habitation and Nature, realizing that the severity would support no more than a handful of species, has singled out a select few to become the denizens of the mountain slopes. And so, as the eagle rules the skies, the white sheep of the mountains is master of the high places.
Tools of the Trade
While working in what my wife calls the "sporting goods department", but I call a garage, I received a phone call the other day. "He’s out playing with his toys, hang on" I over heard her say, as a bodiless hand thrust the phone at me through the cracked door. Muffling the receiver I yelled in pointless defense, "This is gear. Toys are for children."
Beginner's Guide to Big Game Handgun Hunting
If you desire to hunt with a handgun, without doubt, you need to do your homework. Many hunters who carry a rifle are not comfortable shooting with a handgun. Indeed, there are many reasons why one should hunt with a rifle but once mastered, a change of venue may be just what you are looking for. That's not to say hunting with a rifle is a cakewalk, it can be very challenging and in the favor of the game sought. When you pick up a handgun and decide to hunt big game, the bar is placed even higher.
The Rut Trap
Whitetails have extraordinary eyesight. Their ability to hear the subtle snap of a twig is uncanny, and their sense of smell is remarkably acute. Simply put, whitetailed deer are the perfect forest dweller. Throughout most of the year, their ability to elude danger is impeccable. With this reputation, they are the perfect big game species.
What Trophy Should Really Mean
When we hunt we must work hard, we obey the law, we are ethical, and we are reverent. Every animal taken - young or old, buck or doe - is a "trophy". They are gifts of the land.
Big Game Rifle Selection from a Female Perspective
Many years ago when I said I would marry Dan, I had no idea that our life together would turn me into the passionate hunter and shooting enthusiast I have become. Hunting, while a central preoccupation to him, was something I had never done before or been exposed to. So he was surprised when I jokingly notified him one fall day I would accompany him and his friends on a deer hunt and required a rifle, gear, and some instruction.
An Introduction to Trail Cameras
You've seen his tracks and they're huge! Nearby scrapes and rubs suggest he could be a monster buck. Now it's decision time. Which stand do you sit? If only you could lay eyes on him, or better yet, figure out when he uses that particular trail . . . you'd have it made!
Handgun Hunting the Alaskan Brown Bear
The stakes become high when the hunter becomes the hunted. Becoming the ultimate jackpot isn’t why you are there. In this game of bullet against claws, teeth and immeasurable strength, the victor becomes the king of the Alaskan tundra. There are no places to hide; there are no trees to climb out of harms way. It becomes a chance hand of how the cards are dealt. You pray they fall in your direction.
Of Bulls and Barrens
With four bulls tagged, this brought a satisfying ending to a spectacular hunt. With only 24 hours left before our floatplane would return to take us back to civilization, we spent much of it fishing for grayling and lakers. All told, our arctic adventure had been all we'd expected and much more. And now, as I sit at my computer, reminiscing of bulls and barrens, I can't help but think of when I will revisit that rolling tundra landscape in pursuit of those majestic bulls again.