Northwest Territories 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.
Lessons Moose Have Taught Me
In the first light of day and the last grayness of evening, there are imagined sounds which seem real and real sounds which might be imagined. And between the two is the muffled silence of the northwoods in autumn, sodden still from the pre-dawn drizzle and musty already with the change of the season. Somewhere in the distance drifted the faint song of high flying geese headed south. But my mind had registered another sound, the sharp snap of a twig behind the screen of alders that crowded the edge of the marsh.
4 Tips for Hunting Late Season Moose
We don't often hear about hunting moose in the late season. An undeniable romance focuses on calling and attracting bulls during the peak of the rut; but what about when all that hormone-driven activity subsides? Where do the moose go and what do they do? More to the point, how do we hunt them in the late season? Allow me to share the events of a late season moose hunt and offer four tips that helped me close a tag last fall. Whether we're talking about Shiras, Canada, or Alaska/Yukon moose, for much of the year bulls are reclusive by nature.
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.
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!
Capture Your Memories: Tips for Photographing Your Hunts
Every now and then I find a quiet place, plunk myself down, and leaf through my photo albums. Each holds a library of cherished memories. These sacred books are treasured diaries of my most personal hunting experiences and accomplishments. With today's digital technology, it's easier now than ever before, to capture and file those memories in perpetuity.
Surviving Mother Nature: Remember the FSFS Rule
Have you ever been in a survival situation? Most of us have not. Would you know how to survive in the wilderness in a crisis? Believe it or not, most of us would not. With the advent of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) we've been lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that we can escape any predicament by following our handy little electronic devices to safety. While basic wilderness survival skills were commonly learned by generations before us, recent generations are much less savvy in this regard. As hunters, our activities often take us into remote areas. It behooves us to learn the essential skills required to survive if we ever find ourselves stranded in the wild.
Hunt Year Round
When we talk about hunting season, most of us think about turkeys and whitetails, basically because they're the most accessible. Truth is there are loads of other opportunities for every month of the year. Following are a few suggestions.
Camp Food: Eating Right in the Backcountry
There are two schools of thought regarding the menu for a hunting, fishing or camping trip in a remote location - roughing it or eating well. On my recent Alaskan caribou hunt, we ate well - including tundra filet mignon cooked on an innovative grill which folds up to the size of a ruler!
Cold Weather Hunting
Cold-weather hunting is not for the faint of heart. I've seen guys throw in the towel after only a day or two, canceling their trip of a lifetime because Mother Nature dropped the mercury into the toilet. Sub-zero temperatures can make the outdoors a miserable place to be. Add wind and humidity to the equation, and things get nasty. Sure you can always hunt a heated blind, but if you need to brave the elements, some planning is in order. Gear up properly and the cold can be manageable. Venture out unprepared and you may as well write off your hunt.
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.
Preparing for a Caribou Hunt
You've saved the funds, cleared it with your spouse, and booked the hunt. Your caribou hunting dream is about to become a reality this fall. But between now and then, you've got a thing or two to do. Luckily, planning for an adventure like this is a whole lot of fun. It builds up the anticipation, gives you excuses to purchase additional equipment, and prompts you to visit the range more often. The excitement grows exponentially as that great day approaches.
To Hunt the Grizzled Bear
Working my way along a fast-flowing river, I glimpsed a patch of brown through the trees. Digging at something along the river's edge, there was my grizzly. As a resident hunter, I'd waited eight years before finally drawing a coveted tag in Alberta. It was early May and there were still patches of snow in low-lying shady areas. As quickly as possible I extended the legs on my bipod, lay out in a prone position and centered the crosshairs of my Leupold on his chest. At this time of year it's especially important to ensure that the bear is alone.
Cry Wolf: Guide to Wolves and Wolf Hunting Opportunities
Ah, the howl of the wolf. Is any sound in nature more primordial? That eerie call, echoing off the spruce and rock faces of a frozen northern lake on a frigid winter's night, can rouse a man from sleep and fill his head with images of tracks in the snow and gore on the ice. A wolf is a paradox. On one hand, it is a fearsome predator; on the other, a social animal that, when caught relaxed, is not all that different from the family dog.
Planning Your Outfitted Hunt
So you've saved your money and your significant other has granted permission to book a hunt. Perhaps it's a once-in-a-lifetime deal, or maybe you're one of the lucky ones that gets to do it every year. Regardless of your circumstance, a daunting decision remains... choosing an outfitter.
Preparing For The Taxidermist
A mounted trophy is the tangible reminder of a memorable hunt. It's there to be admired on long winter evenings and its there to provide the strength to carry on when the course of events are temporarily rocky. When I look up at any of my mounted trophies, I rarely see the individual animal; rather, I recall the events of the hunt, the people and the places, the exhilaration and the excitement.
Thinking about Bowhunting? Here's How To Get Started
It's probably safe to say that most of us began hunting with a rifle. As our skills evolve, we look for ways to rediscover the challenge. Inevitably we turn to bowhunting. But its not as simple as just picking up a bow and hitting the woods. A learning curve exists. As with any activity, there are right and wrong ways to get started. Suffice it to say, if you're thinking about bowhunting, here are a few tips to help put you on the right track.
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.
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.