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I started taking my son CJ with me hunting when he was 4 years old and right away I knew that he had the love of hunting, just like I do. He started hunting when he was 6 years old and got his first deer, a doe, when he was 7 years old. He was hooked for sure! Him and I have hunted every year for rifle and bow and alternative method and have harvested bucks and does throughout the years, but never have we doubled up on harvesting bucks in the same hunt on the same day. This hunt means a lot to me because it is CJ's last youth rifle hunt and the last day we were able to hunt together for rifles season due to my work schedule, and we got two bucks within minutes of each other. I will never forget this hunt with my son. we hunted hard for these bucks and I harvested the biggest buck of my 30 years of hunting and I got to share that with my son, CJ. 5
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PARAMOUNT OUTDOORS EHG GEAR Engineered Hunting Gear is specifically designed by HUNTERS for HUNTERS to relentlessly over-perform for you in the field. Whether stalking mule deer, elk and moose in the mountainous terrain; hunting elusive whitetails from a ground blind or tree-stand; duck hunting in wetlands; still-hunting thunder chickens; or chasing pheasant and quail in the prairie-lands, EHG hunting gear, headwear and accessories meld highly effective camo patterns with cutting-edge performance fabrications and tactical treatments while infusing scent-elimination, wicking and moisture transport technology into every piece we hand-craft for you. With the hunting industry’s best roster of camo partners, EHG brings the complete package to big game, waterfowl, upland and small game hunters. Mossy Oak, Kryptek, True Timber, Veil and Realtree are all featured and part of Engineered Hunting Gear’s unique “Tribe” of game-specific patterns. We’ve also assembled an incredibly talented team of EHG Tribe pro-staff members to weartest our apparel, headwear, gaiters and accessory products in the field, under all conditions and tactics, and then employ their feedback into every garment we make.
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ENGINEERED HUNTING GEAR: There Is No Offseason when you’re Always Outside. Paramount Outdoors’ performance fishing apparel & Engineered Angling Gear (EAG) is distinctly designed to fuel your passion for both freshwater or saltwater species. Whether wading thru streams and rivers for trout-andsalmon; plying in-land freshwater lakes and ponds for bass, walleye, pike and panfish; or navigating coastal flats for tarpon and bonefish or deep-sea fishing, Paramount Outdoors’ EAG line is specifically engineered to enhance your angling experience and land those lunkers. Uniquely licensed to strategically design & 9
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The news we’ve all been waiting for! We are blessed and honored to have @coltfordmusic, @brantleygilbert & @leebrice on our #ehgtribe!! These guys aren’t only great country artists but have a huge passion for the outdoors and are the most funny trio you’ll ever be around! The best only wear the best, Engineered Hunting Gear w/ @mossyoak . Visit the website today and check it out or visit a @costco today to get yours! #paramountoutdoors #AlwaysOutside #thereisnooffseason #ehg #ehgtribe #countrymusic #letsgetsomehuntindone EHGGEAR.COM
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The American Outdoor Revolution Magazines and American Hunting Revolution Brand was created by Chester Fausett (owner) and Misty Burns in 2017. Misty is the Director of Marketing & Design and Public Relations for American Hunting Revolution. Misty took a special interest featuring our Veterans and our youth in the outdoors, as well as, designing and creating a magazine for women and wanted a magazine that focused on everyday women that live the hunting and fishing lifestyle that instills those values in their children, as well as, reaching out to other women for encouragement to join the lifestyle and become part of this amazing movement that is sweeping our nation and getting more women into the woods to hunt and in the outdoors to fish; so, Racks & Reels Revolution magazine and brand was created. Misty knew that the women’s magazine would be a great outlet for many women of all walks of life to share their stories with our readers and to help other women to build strength and confidence through those stories and to encourage more women to chase their hunting and fishing lifestyle no matter where they live or what kind of career they work at daily. In the past few years of building this magazine to bring it to print in the late fall of 2019, Misty and Fayth Ann Janek have forged an unbreakable friendship and business relationship and have put their heads together with creative ideas and their own outdoor, hunting and fishing experiences of living this lifestyle; all of their lives. Fayth 14
and Misty have worked non-stop hours to bring women and youth girls - teens across our nation a magazine that puts women and youth hunters and anglers on the forefront of this industry. Misty is an avid outdoors woman in her own right. She started going rabbit hunting with her grandfather who was a born and raised Missourian when she was only 2 years old. She killed her first deer when she was 7 years old and has been hunting all of her life. She loves to fish and has fished in many places including Alaska where she lived for 2 years. Her favorite fishing is salmon and steelhead fishing and 2 years ago she took up bowfishing too. Her biggest passion in life are her horses. She has had horses all of her life and they are her greatest love; instilled in her by her late Grandfather H.B.. Misty donates time with her horse Trey to abused women and to young girls and teens that have been abused and bullied. She has also donated time with her horses to Veterans that are suffering from PTSD and has trained and donated dogs to Veterans with disabilities and that suffer from PTSD. Misty fully supports our Veterans and active Military, as her family has a large amount of both Veterans and active Military members and both of her grandfathers were World War II veterans. Misty is very passionate about our American flag, 2nd Amendment Rights, our Constitution and our great Nation. She loves art. Misty is a writer, photographer, painter and graphic designer; which comes in handy for the magazine and marketing company with ad design, business branding and website design. She resides in the Heartland of Missouri with her family, three dogs, one cat and three horses in a quaint little farming, hunting and fishing town. When she isn’t working on magazines and client projects you can find Misty enjoying her horses and the outdoors with her family.
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enormous numbers. Our publications are everyone. We are online and in stores! Together, our team has worked extremely hard and put our heart and soul into the magazines. We have expanded and also build websites and offer any professional business service you can think of. We are unique as we are the only company in the outdoor industry to offer numerous services under one roof. We BUILD and BRAND the OUTDOOR INDUSTRY! l also wanted to help others and give back in a BIG way. I wasn't sure how to. I try to give back any way I can but I wanted something that showed my passion to help others. I wanted something that was UNFORGETTABLE! I wanted to make HUGE difference. I am the Director of Sales and Marketing for the magazine and I have established a network of connections. I thought to myself, do this in a way that will make people's heart happy. Do something that will make a DIFFERENCE! I always have supported our Military and Veterans. I always have tried to help out as much as I can. I decided to utilize my own network and make a BIG difference. When I see someone more than deserving or that needs a little help..I reach out. After all, we all need a little help, sometimes. I was born and raised hunting and fishing. I took an interest in hunting and fishing as a child. I was fortunate enough to get my children involved in the outdoors. It's a family tradition for us! Opening day is always a holiday in my family! I have always been specialized in Sales, Marketing and Advertising throughout my career. I first met Misty when she asked me and Goose, my bird dog, to be on the cover of the Waterfowl magazine. I was beyond excited. It was an amazing honor! Shortly after, Misty and I became friends. Next she asked if I would like a position with the company. What?? Me? Yes, me! I was super excited to start working for such an awesome company and amazing people! I not only handle sales, I also obtain most of the content for our magazines. I am a people person and I love to include women, children, Veterans and those with special needs. I love to see them in the spotlight! They work hard and deserve it! We work non-stop, 24/7 to provide quality magazines and interesting content for our readers. We are a "think outside the box" company!
I have established professional business relationships with the industry's finest! The best people! The biggest hearts! I will utilize my network to make someone's day! Yes! This is perfect! I am honored to have the opportunity to offer hunts and charters OF A LIFETIME! I see people struggle. I see people more than deserving for the service and sacrifice they made for us. I work with the industry's most amazing VETERAN organazations. The BEST of the BEST! We work together to ensure that all opportunities are taken! The best part of all of this is that I am able to arrange it all and call the selected person and SURPRISE them out of the blue! The feeling that you get when you are able to do this is BEYOND incredible! It is one you never forget! It makes me always want to do more and give back in any way possible because the difference that it makes in a person's life is UNFORGETTABLE! I will keep doing and giving back for as long as I live. A little more KINDNESS, a lot less JUDGEMENT is my motto! Outdoor Chick Fayth Janek
During the years I have worked for Misty and Checker, our magazines have grown by 17
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then asks “so… are you excited” at this point you could have stuck me in the electric chair, and I would still have the smile of By: Ryan Libby a kid who got the coolest toy for Christmas that none of his friends received. She then asked the inevitable question, “how Bear hunting has been my passion for the past ten years much is this going to cost” and being like any other outdoor while living in Alaska. What started this addiction began enthusiast husband I replied with “oh not much I have most of years ago as a good friend John invited me to come hunt the gear I need already”. In other words this hunt gave me the with him in Fairbanks for spring Black Bear. From that day excuse to upgrade to newer Kuiu camo, new Lowa boots as forward I invested nearly all of my energy into hunting these well as more tidbits of gear that as I explained “would help amazing animals throughout Alaska both over registered bait make the trip more stations as well as spot and stalk in the lowlands to alpine tolerable and increase my odds” and looking back after the trip areas. Years of hunting these beautiful creatures would only I can say this was not a white lie but a true statement. offer me a slight advantage to this year’s upcoming adventure…Fall Kodiak coastal Brown During the spring bear season, I was able to hone some of my Bear. skills in preparation of my upcoming adventure to Kodiak. I paid closer attention to bears movements and patterns more so than I remember the day well. It was Friday the 21 st of February I did in the past. I was beginning to understand these animals and I was heading to Finger Lake to help a good buddy on a more primal level, even though I had harvested and Travis Price with a guided Ice Fishing trip. As I sat in my truck helped friends harvest dozens of bears over the years some of waiting on clients to arrive, I kept continually refreshing my which were contenders in size to the often-larger Kodiak brown cell phone on the ADFG draw tag results page to see if I had bear. When things start clicking and gears are in sync you do drawn any of the hunts I put in for. As I notice Travis pull up start understanding hyper analyzed characteristics of bears. in his truck covered in Fish Em LLC decals I must have The spring missed that the website had updated, and the draw results season took off without a hitch like it has for many years. We were posted. My phone instantly starts ringing as I look were on the bears quick even with a late winter thaw. Within down to see another good friend calling me with excitement days of setting the bait stations we had activity and over the in his voice. “Ryan you lucky SOB” he blurts “you’re going to course of the season we had taken 5 black bears and 1 brown Kodiak!” are the first words out of his mouth. I felt like my big bear prior to June 15 th with several opportunities where we brother had just opened my passed on bears. After reviewing thousands of trail camera prized Christmas gift as I sat there nearly deflated for what photos as well as watching movement in person I felt a sense felt like hours but was a mere split second. “Wait what?” I of understanding with how allowing the bears a “buffer zone” replied as Jeremy tells me to check the draw results online. so they do not feel as threatened by movement, scent and Oddly enough I had drawn the DB228 Wilde Creek fall noise. My hunting partners and I have really adjusted how we brown bear tag for 2019, a tag that had a 3% draw chance hunt bears over bait during the last few years and it has paid with only 7 tags being allocated between residents and non- dividends in both knowledge on bear habits as well as residents. As the initial shock wore off and the excitement productivity in selective harvesting. Heading into the fall bear filled my body as I knew this was a hunt I had been after for season on Kodiak the knowledge gained as well as physical quite some time and little to my knowledge this would be pre-season preparations I felt I was on the right path to conquer one of the most eventful hunts of my any challenges I would face on the island. life. As time slowly crept through the spring, summer and eventually Drawing a tag like Kodiak you always have to check, double fall anticipation and eagerness to hopefully put hand on hair check and have your wife check again behind you to make with my first Kodiak brown bear was in full swing. RJ and I were sure every aspect is planned out to the T. The first person I unsure if we would be able complete our first task of getting to called was a long-time friend and hunting partner RJ Kodiak with the Polaris Ranger and the 2500 Ram due to state Simington who also happens to be the owner of Pro budget cuts on the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System. We Taxidermy in Fairbanks. RJ had mounted several of my bears planned out alternative options of flying in to Saltery Lake which over the year and we had planned on hunting spring black would triple our expenses. Yet, thankfully with the state was bears this year so it would give us more time to plan out the able to pass a budget that kept the ferry system running from trip in detail. Calling RJ, the phone rings and he can hear my Homer Alaska to Kodiak. Crisis averted I kept thinking as RJ excitement as he picks answers “Taxidermy”. I knew RJ locked in dates for would be up to the task as he had just returned from the the ferry. Our plan was RJ would drive south from Fairbanks and Island last fall I would link up with him at my place in Big Lake. Our schedule after chasing goats with his son Tyler. The ball is now rolling was to depart Homer Oct 22 nd at 11 AM with a return trip of Oct like the boulder on Indian Jones with speed and force. After 30 th arriving back in Homer on the 31 st . The night of the 21 st a successful day of ice fishing and happy clients leaving for RJ pulled into my driveway and I was able to hug my family the day Travis looks to me and asks “so, are you ready for after loading up more gear than I expected to use (but better to Kodiak?” I was as ready as I could be at the time, but I felt be safe than sorry) just as RJ had done 6 hours prior. My wife confident as I had several months to plan and pick up new kissed me and said “be safe and good luck. You got this I know supplies needed for this adventure. Returning home, my wife it.” Jumping into the truck I looked at RJ and he smiled and with embraces me with a hug and tells me congratulations. She a grin said, “it’s go time”. The next five hours we joked and exchanged
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stories over the sound of the Cummins motor humming along the highway. Both of us were excited and it was nearly impossible to contain the emotions. We joked about our time in the military, RJ was in the Marines and I was in the Army. We talked about old hunting stories and all the epic adventures each of us had shared over the years and of course we talked about Kodiak. The 570-mile trip had taken a toll on RJ, so I did my best to talk and keep an eye out for any road hazards. We pulled into the city of Homer and drove down the Homer Spit around 4:30 A.M. to park and catch some sleep before boarding the ferry a few hours later. This was mistake #1 for us as the ferry to Kodiak is about 10 hours long and navigates some pretty dicey open water. 9 A.M. arrived and we headed to board the ferry. We were well rested from the cat nap in the truck that was loaded down like the Beverly Hillbillies. At the staging line were met by a woman who was long in the tooth with a five o’clock shadow. She was not amused by our Gilligan’s Island quotes about the 3-hour tour and hurriedly ushered us forward to the loading platform. This is where the childish nature of a Marine fully embraces “new things”. This was RJ’s first time on the ferry just as it was mine. But the sheer amusement with having his Ram 2500 with a side by side loaded on the bed (yes on not in the bed… a plywood flat rack was built so that coolers and gear could be stored below the deck and I am still amazed that RJ’s redneck ingenuity did not result in a lost side by side or worse). As the platform slowly lowered this monstrosity of a truck into the belly of the ship, we reach the bottom of the deck. Now RJ is in udder amazement as the turnstile begins to rotate 180 degrees. His eyes lit up like a child on Christmas day as he looks to me and says “Ryan, this is amazing”. Marines always are amused by the little things and that’s what I love about RJ the simplest things make that guy happy. After we get situated on the ship, we finally sit down to relax on what we figured was going to be a nice ferry ride to the island. As the ferry cleared the harbor the weather was tolerable. Light winds and mild 2-4’ seas. We were able to see whales breaching just a few hundred yards from the observation deck of M/V Tustumena a 296’ ferry built in 1964. A few hours into our journey we began getting into a bit rougher sea. Mistake #2… when your wife asks, “do you want to bring some Dramamine?” you don’t try to act like tough guy and respond, “it’s a ferry it can’t be that bad”. Just take the Dramamine and if you don’t use it so be it. I took option #2 and decided I would be a tough guy. About 6 hours into our trip we found ourselves bobbing like a cork in what I will call “not so friendly seas”. Apparently a 296’ boat will in fact make a grown man crawl into the fetal position during 20-38’ seas (which is apparently what we were going through). I managed to keep down my 12-dollar plate of Tustumena Turkey Dinner but barely. RJ on the other hand did not fare so well. The 6 pack of Monster energy drinks he had hydrated with over the 10-hour journey south had bested him like David and Goliath. I made a note to pick up Dramamine once we made it to dry land. RJ made a note to kiss the ground when he arrived on dry land. After pulling into Kodiak we managed to stagger down to the truck and offload the ferry in one piece even though we felt like we had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. We headed to the hotel and decided we would head to Fish and Game first thing in the morning to pick up my draw tag as well as register for the road system brown bear hunt as well as pick up our deer harvest tags. As we migrated from the comfort of our hotel room and headed to Fish and Game. After arriving to our surprise there was very few hunters also signing in to pick up their tags. Apparently, the storm we had just navigated through had canceled all in and outbound flights on Kodiak. The staff was wonderful at ADFG
and very helpful with answering questions and concerns that we had as this was my first time on Kodiak and any information, we got was welcomed advice. Our plan was to gather additional supplies and do some road hunting for deer as until the storm passed over the island. We covered all the major road systems taking in the sights all while looking for deer that were in accessible locations. Along our expedition on the island we encountered several small blacktail, about 30 feral cattle (yes not only does Kodiak have deer, goats and bear it also is home to about 1,100 feral cattle dating back to the 19 th century.) and more inclement weather. RJ made a comment while driving that the deer are small on Kodiak only because the wind won’t let them grow taller. I think he is spot on with his observation as we battled winds in excess of 80mph on several occasions that day and again during our time in the bush with rain walls that came in sideways. We continued to watch the upcoming forecast, and both decided the 24 th would be the best window to access the hunting area without mother nature punishing us too much, this would also allow us to have camp set and do some early scouting for the 25 th opener. The morning of the 24 th the weather finally shifted, and it turned out to be bluebird skies with very light wind. We arrived at the trailhead and carefully unloaded the side by side. We ran into a guide who was also taking a client into the area I had drawn a tag for who was putting on waders. RJ and I both looked at him oddly as he strapped a boat buoy to the back of his machine so naturally, we approached him with genuine curiosity. The guide asked if we too brought waders and explained the trail had some very deepwater crossings and he was going to float the ATV’s across and that is why he was wearing waders. Mistake #3, RJ decided to leave his waders at home. I, being the over packer that I am had mine in my Barneys frame pack, but I opted to keep them in the pack and would just wear my normal hunting attire for the trip in and would change only if necessary. We were just about to start our trip in when another local gave us some more intel on the area and he stated we should see several bears down low as the fish were still in the creek. He also told us that there were quite a few deer back in that area, so we were thankful that we opted to pick up our three deer tags each. The trail was fairly navigable for the first few miles and we were lucky enough to see two decent brown bears feeding on a deer carcass around mile 2 of the. Sadly, it was the 24 th and bear season did not open until the 25 th. This, however, gave us hope that if we were already seeing bears that we should see quite a few more where we were headed. Around mile 10 the trail started to get technical, so we eased the speed and now we realized why the guide and his client were wearing waders. We carefully chose our lines and 21
managed to push through without incident. At around mile 18 of 26 miles, the trail became impassible with the side by side due to a 5’+ beaver pond (which explained the buoy on the ATV) so we were forced to back track and look for alternate routes. After about a hour of looking at different route options we found a trail that would get us to our destination. A few knee-deep water crossings later we had arrived at Saltery Creek which is where we planned on setting up base camp. We dismounted the side by side and began walking around admiring the amount of late run Coho salmon that were quite abundant and even a few late run Sockeye salmon were still running up to their spawning grounds at Saltery Lake. The area was littered with bear trails walking down to the creek, so we found an area that was within viewing distance of a major trail system the bears used to access a shallow portion of the creek to feed on Salmon. With excellent weather we quickly erected the Cabelas Guide Model tent, set up the spotting scopes and dug in for a late afternoon glassing session. I glassed the South facing mountain as RJ focused on the North facing mountain across from us. To our surprise, we spotted only 1 Sitka blacktail deer and zero bears. We decided to head out on foot and do some scouting as well as possibly harvest a deer or two down low. As we planned out our scouting location, we agreed to move from our location on foot out towards the mouth of Ugak bay. Less half a mile from camp we encountered our first fresh set of tracks. It was a solid bear that would be worth trying to pattern as its track was 10” across and easily a 9’ bear. We continued down a path that lead us to the impassible beaver pond where we encountered an even larger track than before. We knew we were on the right track and bears were actively in the area. We spent the next 4 hours watching the fish migrate up stream and continued to search for more bear activity as the ground was still saturated from the rain the day prior and finding tracks would equate to recent movement. We finally decided to head back to camp and try our luck for some Salmon on rod and reel. Prior to the trip RJ asked if I could bring some fishing lures from home so I stocked up on Kodiak Customs spinners and also grabbed my fly rod and box to try my luck as well. I got RJ rigged up with an orange Kodiak Customs spinner and on his first cast he landed a very healthy Coho salmon. I sat back and watched RJ catch fish after fish nearly every cast so I decided I might as well get my line wet and join in on the fun. The 7wt Temple Fork rod was buckled over within seconds of launching a green and white Dolly Llama fly. We spent that evening catching so many fish that we nearly forgot what we had come to Kodiak for. The 25 th we were once again blessed with outstanding weather. A mild breeze but beautiful skies and temps in the high 40s. We headed down our trail to the area we had cut fresh tracks the afternoon prior and once again was greeted by several other sets of tracks along the way. We hunted through the afternoon seeing several deer but could not lock in on the bears we were stalking. Heading back to camp to grab lunch we crested a small knoll and caught a buck standing on the bank of the river. As I tell my wife often, I am an opportunistic hunter and if opportunity arises, I take advantage of it. I quickly shouldered my rifle and sent a Barnes TSX on its way. We quickly processed the deer and 22
headed the rest of the way to camp to get it hung in the only birch tree that was tall enough to hopefully discourage a hungry bear from grabbing an easy meal. We headed back out after lunch and once again found ourselves tracking a solid bear into its habitual feeding area but once again struck out. The next morning mother nature decided to grace us with a light shower throughout the day but not enough to fully saturate us. We headed back to the beaver pond and once again found fresh tracks moving along the same corridor so we set up on the highest ground we could find and played the waiting game. We spent a good portion of the day glassing the area and looking for movement however the bears once again did not cooperate. Heading back to camp to resupply on water and grab some lunch we stumbled upon another solid set of tracks. This time the tracks lead us directly to camp and directly to the corner of our bear fence. Thankfully, camp and the deer a hundred yards away in a tree were unscathed and the bear just seemed to be running through the motion traveling along the river looking for an easy meal. Day three is when things started going South and fast. We had received quite a bit of rain the evening before and it continued throughout the night with even worse weather forecasted for the following day. We decided to once again glass the hillsides before throwing on our wet weather gear and once again putting some miles on looking for a bear down low. Rain was steady and often in a full-on downpour throughout the day. Bear movement was minimal as we only cut a single set of fresh tracks which was from a much smaller bear than the larger bears we had been tracking. As we headed down towards the vantage point overlooking the beaver pond that had been a frequent stop for the larger bear of the area, we ran into a local lodge owner who operates the Saltery Creek Lodge. He stated he was out finishing up some construction before heading back to his home in Fairbanks. We briefly talked about bear sightings and explained the tracks we were seeing. He reassured us that the bigger of the bears was a problem bear in the area and by far the largest in that valley that he had seen this year. We chatted for a few more minutes then went separate ways. Arriving at the vantage point I decided to see if I could lure him out of his bedding area deep in the alder thickets by calling with my rabbit in distress call. We worked the area for several hours with zero activity due to the now torrential rain. RJ and I both decided it was in our best interest to head back to camp and try to dry out as weather was steadily getting worse. We arrived back in camp after a several mile hike to see that the river was slowly rising but not to the point of being overly concerned. That afternoon we spent sitting inside the side by side with the doors closed trying to shelter ourselves from the now 40-60mph wind and rain. By nightfall the rain had continued to fall at an alarming rate. Day 4 we woke to the heaviest rainstorm we had experienced so far on the island. In a matter of a few
hours we were scurrying to get camp broke down and felt it was now unsafe to be in the area we were located. The river had risen over 4 feet in just a few hours and was quickly swallowing up once dry land around us. I sent out InReach messages to our friends and family to let them know the situation we were in and that it was in our best interest to pack up early. We tore camp down in less than an hour and quickly loaded the ranger. The area that was once an ATV trail was now a 3-4’ deep raging river which then waterfalled into Saltery Creek so I remembered that I had my waders in my frame pack. I told RJ I would walk in front of the ranger whenever we encountered water to ensure we did not flood the machine or get ourselves into a more dangerous situation. The first quarter mile was averaging knee deep water as we pushed back towards the direction of the main trail head. Upon reaching what was once a small dry creek bed I told RJ to stop and I would walk out to test how deep the water was. Nearly instantly I was waist deep and we agreed crossing at that location would be far too risky so I would attempt to try a spot just up stream and see if it was any deeper. As soon as I stepped off, I was nearly shoulder deep and RJ quickly grabbed my arm to help me climb onto dry land. This has now turned from questionable to purely dangerous. We both weighed out options and decided to head up to a state fish weir camp site as it was the highest ground in the area. We quickly turned around and set up camp in the best area we had to work with. I sent out another InReach message letting everyone know we were going to hunker down another night and attempt to evacuate in the morning depending on water levels. I then pulled up the next 48 hours of weather on the InReach and told RJ we may have a window the next day before weather turns south again. Later that evening the weather finally let up and instead of hunkering up in the tent for the evening we made the best of the situation and decided to go see what was moving. Around 7 P.M. we were heading back towards camp when a large bear let out a warning huff just off the trail besides us. We slowly worked our way towards him but with shooting light quickly diminishing we were unable to verify the bears exact location. We decided we would head back in the morning and watch the area where we encountered the bear from a distance and hopefully get an opportunity. Day 5 we woke to a light sprinkle but far more tolerable than the day prior. We walked down to the creek that was once waist deep and we both were happy to see the water level had started dropping but it was still too deep to attempt with the ranger. We both agreed that we would spend half a day hunting as we are waiting on water levels to drop to a safe depth then we would attempt to evacuate once again. After checking the creeks depth, we headed back to the area where we encountered the bear the night prior. As we turned from camp, we noticed fresh tracks that were following our footsteps from the bears location directly to camp. It seems the bear had followed
us out the night prior as we hiked back to camp in the dark. Wouldn’t be the first time and I’m sure it won’t be the last. However, this was an eye opener that we were not the only apex predator in the area. That afternoon RJ managed to punch two of his deer tags and I had punched two more as well as we were heading back to camp to start our trip back to the truck. I was discouraged that we had to head out a few days early however, I was hopeful we could make it through the mountain pass and back to the truck safely. After loading up we reached the first creek crossing and with surgical precision RJ managed to cross without too much hassle. Our next obstacles would be the two deep mud holes a mile ahead that we were concerned had grown. Once again RJ navigated while I walked in front of the ranger to judge depth. We had successfully navigated through what we figured would be the hardest part of the trip. However, little did we know that what we had just crossed would be the easiest part of the drive out. Just a few miles up the trail we were surprised with a massive washout in the trail that we had to maneuver around by winching through knee deep mud. Around a mile up from that washout we caught up with another person on a side by side who told us the trail was nearly impassible ahead and he had a team of guys coming in from the other direction to help try and recover him. We decided to team up and make the best of it. We would work as a pair and do what ever we needed to in order to get out of this now very dangerous situation. Driving along there were land slides all along the mountain pass that had uprooted alders, removed massive boulders and more debris than I care to experience. As a group we built bridges out of boulders to cross massive washouts and often found ourselves with a chain saw having to cut new trails. One portion of the trail system had been completely erased by a creek and now featured a 5’ sheer drop off. At this location we ended up having to drive in the river down stream and then cut our way back up on to the trail using each other as winching points. Around mile 15 of the trail we managed to contact the rescue group that was coming to assist the other driver and they explained we had even more obstacles to conquer ahead. Most of the trail from this point forward was navigable with carefully selected paths however some areas RJ just had to stick his foot to the floor and send it and pray. About 2 miles away from the trucks the group of other riders stopped as a shooter brown bear was standing off the side of the trail. I looked at RJ and we both agreed it was a shooter however with the current situation at hand it was best we cut our losses and just try to make it back to the truck safely. The last ¾ mile to the truck was by far the deepest water we had been in underpower with the ranger. Water rushed over our laps and over the hood as we forded our way down the trail praying, we were taking the right line as not to flood the motor. To our surprise and comically that of the rescue group the ol’ ranger made it through even though we both knew that it was bound to swallow water due to the depth. We shook hands with the guys who came out to assist and decided to cut our losses for the day.
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Arriving back at the hotel with two days to still make this trip happen we started planning for alternative options. The rain had once again returned but we were going to make the best of it. We spent the next two days hunting an area where we had seen bear activity. The first day fizzled out due to high winds and rain but we still got out in the field rather than sit around a warm dry hotel room all day. We knew this area was going to be a tough area to hunt due to higher human traffic as well as minimal salmon running on this side of the island. We headed back into town to regroup, wash our gear and get a good night’s rest after having many sleepless nights in the field. It was now Thursday and our last day on the island. If talking about cutting it down to the wire was real, then this was it. We got up early and grabbed a quick breakfast before loading up all the gear from our hotel room into the truck as we were not officially checked out.
and steadied the crosshairs while slowly squeezing the trigger. The gun spoke with a thunder and echoed off the hillside as the bear spun a 180 grabbing at the entrance of the bullet. I racked another round and once again it found its mark causing the bear to tumble off the ledge into the river unintentionally. RJ and I devise a plan as to where we feel the bear will hang up and I begin walking down stream following the bear until it submerges under water, the force of the river has it wedged against a stump just a two feet below the surface of the water. RJ, thankfully overpacked just as I had and brought his inflatable raft which proved to be one of the most useful tools in our arsenal. We inflate the raft and lower it into the creek as I slowly let out rope to guide him over the area where the bear went under. With excitement RJ proclaims he’s got the bear by the foot as he ties a strap around the bears leg allowing us to tow it to shore.
Headed back up to the area where we felt we had the best opportunity and laced up our boots. Walking the area, we had found fresh bear tracks heading down to the creek that were most likely from earlier that morning as it had rained the night prior and today the weather was picture perfect. After setting up we finally had an opportunity present itself. This was not the monster I was after however it was a beautiful 7’ bear that I felt would be an honor to display in my home to accompany the stories I would tell about this epic adventure. I looked to RJ as I gave him the look that I was happy with the bear, raised my Montana Rifle Company 338 WinMag loaded with 250gr Barnes TSX
The hide was impeccable on the bear and I couldn’t be happier with the ending of this trip. With five deer, a Kodiak brown bear and a last minute black cross fox we both looked at each other with exhaustion and agreed that this was one of the wildest trips we had ever experienced. I can’t explain how thankful I am for the hospitality of those who I met on Kodiak, the willingness of RJ to join me on this adventure and the support of my friends and family who have always been there for me. The ferry home was rather uneventful, which is most likely because I took the Dramamine that my wife suggested.
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My First Buck
By, Holly Overman of Doe Range Blog It was my first deer season to hunt so I was very inexperienced. On a warm, sunny afternoon in November of 2014 my husband decided to join me on a hunt. Since it was warm I wasn't sure we'd see anything, but wouldn't know unless we're out there. After gearing up and spraying down, we headed out to the blind. While I got set up inside, he hung up a couple scent bombs. After he got in and settled, I got the gun up and ready just in case. I was using his 7 mm mag since I hadn't got my own yet. We spent some time talking and enjoying being out there together since it was early. While lost in the moment, I happened to look over at the tree line to my left and seen antlers peaking out. My heart began to race and all I could say was "Buck!". My husband quickly snapped me out of it by saying "Get Ready Baby". As he made his way toward us, I shouldered the gun and tried to steady my breathing. Once he got clear in my shooting lane, I aimed and pulled the trigger. He was about 25 yards away and dropped right in his tracks. I ended up hitting him high on the spine but at least I still got him. Excitement and emotions overcame me and I wanted to rush out there to him. However my husband said it's best to wait to make sure he expires. After what felt like hours, we packed up and went out to see him. Walking up to him, I could then fully see how beautiful he was. He might've not been a shooter but that didn't matter to me. I was ecstatic with what God blessed me with. He was a healthy 7 pointer and definitely in the rut stage. After admiring him and giving thanks to God, we took our stuff back and got the 4-wheeler. Had to get him back somehow for processing. I felt so blessed for this experience and thankful to provide fresh meat to fill the freezer. Sure it's nice to get that trophy buck but it's the meat that feeds the family. It was truly a hunt to remember. From getting my first ever deer to sharing it with someone special. I will always cherish every hunt because there's always something to learn. On this hunt I learned that it's not good to flinch when shooting because it can mess your shot up.
By: Lauren Griffith, Indiana Wildlife Rehab To be successful in Wildlife Rehab, you must know it is really important to obtain a permit. Anytime you’re rehabbing wildlife, you must contact the DNR and get proper permits. I didn’t find that out until we rehabbed the flying squirrels and had a bad experience. One morning I went to check on them before school and one was eating the other. We were not sure if it died or was killed by the other. But it was traumatizing. It looked like night of the living dead. The one was eating the others face. I ran out the room and said I she never wanted to see those again or any animals ever. It took about a year before I would get back into it. I set the tank outside and left it open, hoping the little guy would run away but when I came back from school he was still in there looking scared. I called for my mom. My mom thought she would teach me a lesson on not giving up. I brought him back inside and when she came home she refused to care for him. So we took him to the Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehab in Valparaiso, Indiana. I learned a few things thet day. They told me a few things I didn’t know. 1. They were both males and males are territorial so they shouldn’t have been together. 2. They were a smaller breed and full grown so they should have been fed more than the baby milk 3. If i had contacted the DNR for the proper permits (which is a very simple process I knew nothing about) then they would have told us all of that. We’ve worked with Vets and no one ever told us about permits. I did hear it was extremely difficult to rehab wild baby rabbits and should only be done by experienced rehabbers but I accomplished that multiple times with successful releases. I love Wildlife Rehab and all that is involved in nurturing and caring for wildlife. I learned step by step, first hand, the do's and dont's. Please be sure to contact your local DNR office or State Police before rehabbing. 25
Venison Lunch Meat
I recently realized I needed to start cleaning out the freezers to make room for game that would be coming in with the new seasons coming up. I decided to make some lunch meat from some of the deer roasts I still had in the freezer. I figured this would allow me to eat some wild game almost daily and make space at the same time. It’s also a great way to gift wild game to other people. And, with football season coming up, it would be great to use for sandwiches, wraps, or simple snacks at a football party you host or at a tailgating event. The beauty of this recipe is that the venison comes out tasting like some of the best roast beef sandwich meat you’ve ever had. You will want to shoot for medium rare-medium doneness on this to maintain tenderness and flavor. If you cook it too done, the meat will be tough and dry. You can also cook several roasts and freeze the meat after slicing in 2-3 serving bags for later use. I weigh out the meat into 8 ounce servings and vacuum seal the bags and freeze for later use. I find that if I freeze in 8 ounce servings I’m not thawing out more than I will eat in a couple days, and none gets wasted. INGREDIENTS: 2 Venison Top Round Roasts (2-3 pounds each) 2 TBSP Kosher Salt 1 TBSP Fresh Ground Black Pepper 2 TBSP Garlic Powder 1 TBSP Onion Powder ½ TBSP Smoked Paprika (regular paprika will work) DIRECTIONS: Start by removing as much silver skin as you can from each roast. This will help tremendously with tenderness in the final product. Insert the tip of a sharp fillet knife just under the surface of the silver skin and remove it in strips. Mix all the rub ingredients together in a bowl. Once you’ve removed as much silver skin as you can, coat each roast evenly with the rub. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Place the roasts in a 26
baking dish or casserole dish. When the oven is hot, place the dish with the roasts in the oven and cook on 475 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250 degrees. Cook on 250 degrees until an instant read thermometer registers 135-145 degrees for medium to medium rare. 45 minutes to 1 hour should do the trick. When the meat is to your desired temperature, remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board or cooling rack. Let the meat rest. I will even put it in the refrigerator overnight if I don’t have time to slice it right away. A meat slicer is great for this but if you don’t have one don’t worry too much. You can use a very sharp knife to slice the meat. It is definitely more labor intensive but it can be done. Just shave the meat as thinly as you can, remembering to cut against the grain. If you do have a meat slicer, simply follow the directions that go with your device and slice the meat as thin or thick as you prefer. The sky is the limit as far as serving goes. You can make sandwiches with whatever condiments and fixings you want. Or low carb wraps may be the direction you want to go. Whatever you choose, I’m sure you will enjoy this simple and easy new way to use some of the game meat hiding out in your freezer. And don’t just stop at venison or deer meat here. I’ve used turkey breasts, turkey thighs, and goose breasts to make sandwich meat and they are all equally great!
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fishing, right? Well just remember that you have the ability to turn that frown upside down with a little of what I’d like to call “creative imagination”. I’ve been pretty lucky with people I go fishing with. We get rolling with the some smack talking, gag playing, my fish is bigger than your fish, just having fun fishing.
Just Having Fun Fishing!!
By, Christopher Gilpin Hello everyone!! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy fishing schedule to read my little blurb. Have you ever fished with someone that took it so serious that they are tensed up and seems so angry because they’re not catching anything? Well it can definitely take the fun out of
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One of my recent funniest moments is when my fishing partner and I were pre-fishing for a tournament on Okoboji Lake Iowa during the October timeframe. For those that have ever fished in north Iowa during October knows that it is not very warm at all. We are wearing layers of clothes under our wind proof winter outerwear and gloves. Now whenever my fishing partner would catch a fairly large size bass he also says, “GET THE NET!!!… GET THE NET!!!” all excited like. I would have to drop everything to grab the net as quickly as I can so we can get the fish into the boat. Well …. nature called, so he is at the front of the boat…. let’s just say “taking in the scenery”. Of course I had fun idea and yelled out “GET THE NET!! GET THE NET!!” right in the middle of his scenery gazing. Now keep in mind, he is wearing layers of clothing and gloves. He stops in mid scenery and was yelling “ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?.... HANG ON.. HANG ON…” and he is trying to get
everything wrapped back in while he is doing a 360 looking for the net. Now by this time I’m almost on the floor rolling in laughter. He looks up at me in a calm manner “You were joking?” I am doubled over laughing at this point as he turns around and goes back to viewing the scenery and tells me, “You know you should never stop an old man in mid-stream, that’s just not healthy”, with I think some explicit wording but I couldn’t quiet hear it all over my laughter. Of course later that evening we were all laughing about it with the rest of the guys. One of the biggest bonuses was that, even though he didn’t think it was that funny at the moment, this became a memory that I’m sure we will tell over the years and I’m sure the story will get exaggerated. So while you are out there fishing by yourself or with your buddies, just have fun fishing and make those memories. Thanks everyone A fisherman that likes to have fun!!
overwhelming on the internet, let alone a good guide. There are guides that will take you fly fishing and put you on fish, which is what most first timers or even experienced anglers want, but it takes a great guide to actually teach you basic skills your first time out. I was extremely lucking when I found my guide, who turned resource, and now friend. Word of mouth. This method is preferred but not always 100%. My experience with a guide could be totally different than yours but word of mouth referrals are very helpful to a good guides continuing business. Your local Orvis store or their website. Orvis offers fly fishing 101 and 102 courses for FREE. 101 does not put you on the water but teaches you basic casting skills and the fundamentals of a fly fishing rod. I can’t tell you how many different Orvis stores over the United States I’ve been to over the past 1.5 years, probably close to 10, and I have never had a bad experience. They know there stuff! They know their local waters! They know and if they don’t they know who to ask! Facebook/social media can be a great resource and inspiration! I stumbled across a group, United Women on the Fly, founded by Heather Hodson. Do a search, you never know what you might find! Web searches is how I found my guide but as I mentioned this method doesn’t have to be your method. If you exhaust the above options check out the reviews but keep in mind that happy people rarely leave Yelp reviews, people that have had bad experiences are more likely to share their negative experience.
One day I was FB stalking and saw someone holding a beautiful fish with the caption “First time ever fly fishing!” And the next day I was looking for fly fishing guides in Western North Carolina. I’m the type of person who enjoys learning new things, especially if they involve the outdoors. So at 50 I set out for my guided day of fly fishing in Cherokee, NC with Levi from River’s Edge Outfitters. Ultimately, the past year and a half has provided me with something I never expected, new adventures and new friends! 10 tips 1. “Just do it!” Michael Jordon gets full credit for the phrase but it can apply to anything you want to do in life. Learning new things is scary, meeting new people is scary, going places alone is scary. If you have been thinking about learning how to fly fish, hopefully the next 9 topics will help ease you into it. 2. Find a guide/instructor-Finding a guide can be
3. Equipment is going to be your next thought, if you enjoyed your experience and want to pursue fly fishing any further. Most people, myself included, thought fly fishing was for fresh water creeks only, A river Runs Through It comes to mind. But that stereotype is so far from the truth! I know ladies that have use a fly rod/reel to catch Sailfish in the ocean! Salt vs fresh-each deserves its own article because each is an art of it’s own. I knew I wouldn’t be anywhere near salt water, and remember I didn’t know I could fly fish for Tarpon in the Florida Keys early on. So these tips are for fresh water. I bought my first 6 weight at Cabela’s for just about $100 and it included everything except the flies and has a life-time replacement, no questions asked, exchange policy! Good thing because I busted the tip off of mine the first time out in the ladies bathroom door. I still use this rod, its been replaced twice and if I’m not sure what’s in the water Another Orvis plug! A Clearwater 5 weight was my next and more expensive purchase. Again, unless you have lots of money, I would not start here but hey! If you can afford good equipment and aren’t worried about damaging it, go for it. Waders/boots are not necessary initially but a game changer when you take the financial plunge. I waded in shorts/leggings and a decent pair of sneakers for about 6 months before I purchased my women’s waders/boots for an Orvis outlet. Waders are a must for winter fishing in Idaho-again, remove the stereotype from your mind, fly fishing is a year round-world wide adventure! 4. Practice makes for more practice. Any experienced fly fisher will tell you that they are working on some aspect of fly fishing, primarily their casting technique. Any novice fly fisher will tell you that casting technique is the hardest component to learn. Wild trout are wild, skittish, and see/ hear you coming before you even get to the creek/river bank so a sloppy presentation preceded by sloshing into the bank’s water will scare every trout away for at least 100 feet, maybe more. 29
5. Patience is a virtue. If you don’t have any, you will learn some or you’ll just give up-DO NOT GIVE UP! Every angler, reel caster and fly fisher alike, wants to get fish in the net. Before you are able to net your first solo trout (or any other fish) you will catch more tree trout, blades of grass, get hung-up on rocks, etc. You will go through leaders and flies faster than you paycheck can hit your bank. Remember that fly fishing is about so many other aspects, especially the beautiful places it will take you. 6. Research your local waters. Explore local creeks, rivers, and ponds. I highly suggest to inquire at your local outfitter to learn about what’s close and easy to fish, it can decrease your frustration levels. My main resource in Arizona, yes you can fly fish for wild trout in Arizona, was the Orvis store in Phoenix. I went to a talk there about local waters (2 hours outside of Phoenix) and got some great tips. If I can learn to fish and catch wild trout in the the 3 foot wide shallow pools of Tonto National Forest in Payson, AZ, anyone can learn to fly fish. The additional resource I learned to use was state Fish and Game websites. They list stocking information, often included are GPS locations for the stocking, and what creeks support wild trout populations. I’m currently using Pennsylvania’s mapping program and find it very useful still but social media groups still rank top for access information and fishability of the creeks. Remember that trout, especially wild, will be more on edge when you walk up and start slinging flies at their backs. I’m not saying not to try but I suggest trying your casting skills at either a pond or an area of the creek where there is a stocking program. Trout are smart, they’ll lip your fly and spit it out quicker than you even knew they lipped it and NEVER try again. My favorite resources now are social media, especially United Women on the Fly, and local outfitters where I’m visiting. I have also joined a multitude of other Facebook groups for fly fishing however, remember, it’s EASY to get overwhelmed. Pick one creek and learn to fish it well before going to a new place and trying to learn another new place. 7. Connect with other people that fly fish. This item could prove to be your best resource for asking questions about anything related to fly fishing. With today’s extended social media resources, you’ll never run out of options. My fly fishing trail ran dry when I went on a travel nurse assignment in North Dakota last winter and during this time I learned to tie basic flies (yup, it’s never ending). North Dakota’s wind and cold made it pretty much impossible to fly fish there but nearby (a 5 hour drive) was Rapid City, SD and to the west Montana. How did I learn so much about fishing South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Colorado? I thought you’d never ask! Heather Hodson of Washington State founded the Facebook group, United Women on the Fly, which I stumbled upon by accident. I have fly fishing connections with novice and extremely experienced women that fly fish. I can now determine if an area I’m looking at fishing is fishing well or if I should even try fishing there. I have connections or at least a point of contact if I want to fly fish internationally-BUCKET LIST: Iceland! 8. Bugs AKA Flies was dropped to the number 8 spot because before you buy flies you have to commit to 1-7. What trout or fish in general will be eating at any time varies from creek to creek and season to season. Start basic! I started with a larger than I use now “dry” fly, they stay/float on top of the water. However, most trout eat greater than 75% of bugs under the water. A dry fly is often tied using an indicator/colored yarn to see it’s 30
position in the water, drift, and strike! Top water fly fishing is AMAZING! Bass anglers know what I mean! I added a midge fly as a dropper and thought I was going to scream, and did from frustration. When you are fly selecting the staff at your outfitter or Orvis or Bass Pro should be able to suggest a few flies that are currently working for them but they may not work for you. Watch videos on bugs AKA entomology and the habits of trout, you’ll be amazed. 9. Knots is another area to master but please pick a few to perfect before you get OVERWHELMED by your options. Knot tying, options, and perfecting could have its own article alone. It is, in my opinion, a very important topic but also an advanced topic. Start with a cinch knot and what videos. Every angler has their own “perfect” knot, you’ll find yours as well. 10. ENJOY YOURSELF! Fly fishing, I hope you find, will take you on a similar challenging, exciting, educational journey as mine. And on the adventure I hope you get to explore new places around the world and meet new friends! Fly Fishing has no limits, only the limits you place on yourself.
PANAMA CITY BOWFISHING By, Patty Reel Four years ago five women got together and booked an all ladies bowfishing trip in Panama City, Florida. Only four of us who are Prois staffers had met before. With two of us having never bowfished before. We went down on Friday and boarded our boat around 7 pm. Captain Jeff White of FishHunter Enterprise went over all the safety rules when you are fishing for Stingray. We started out across the bay in search of Stingrays. Captain Jeff got all of our bows ready made sure we knew how to properly use them and it was on! At the end of the night we had all shot a Stingray and all 6 of us had put an arrow in a 72 lb Southern Ray to get it on board. A one time trip has turned into an annual event. The ladies of Prois return every July for the most exciting rush of adrenaline and that is to stick a big Stingray and fight it to get it on board!
"ONE MORE CAST BABY!"
By, Arielle & Quin Shay American Angler Revolution Pro Staff I have never been more ready to get out on the water! We were never more prepared either. The night before our Big Sturgeon fishing trip we spent hours in the backyard catching worms! The amount of bait we have was substantial- most likely about 10 to 12 dozen worms! I gave up about an hour or two in, but he stayed out longer to get as many as he could. I was worn out, and my knees were killing me, and I might have touched a few to many spiders. If you know me, you know I don’t really care for spiders. He, on the other hand is so passionate about the outdoors, you have to beg him to come in. My favorite line is “One more cast baby!” Well, I guess we both hear that line a lot these days. It’s hard to get both of us inside. I digress. I was prepping the snacks, some of the gear, the GoPro and whatever else I could find to help out. Most trips, he sets up the poles and ties the initial knots so we both know we are good to go once we hit the water. Nights like these are hard, we can’t stop thinking or talking about the trip we are about to embark on. I don’t even remember falling asleep for our nap; but before we knew it the alarm was going off and we were ready to get on the road! Algonac is about an hour and a half drive from us, so we gassed up the truck and the boat; were off! The boat launch is in sight; and I’m getting excited to launch our new Aluma Craft 20”! She has an Evinrude 200HP on her that is a site for sore eyes. We have not named her yet as we have only had her for a few weeks. This is the first time we are taking her for Sturgeon. I’m getting my blue bag ready. This blue bag yall, is my saving grace. I have my life in there; clothes for all seasons, a first aid kit, hair spray, hats, lights, batteries, chargers, rain coats, knives, hair clips, medicine and so much more. I have carried around this bag fishing for over 4 years; the things I 31
accumulate. But let me tell you, one day I will need it. Many times my husband’s friends have had to wear my pink sweaters or purple headbands. These are the moments and photos that I live for! Now that we have everything in the boat, motor lowered, key in my hand, electronics hooked up, he launches the boat with me in it. This is one of my favorite things to do, launch the boat. You should see some of the launch owners talk about me “Man, that girl knows how to launch a boat!” In and out I say! I can load that thing like a boss… “Up a hill both way; come hell or high water” as our parents use to say. He goes to park the truck. Back to the dock I start to prep the poles and organize. He hopes on, loads the route on our fish finder and we start driving down the dark river. It’s about 12:30 AM; its dark out and it’s hard for me to see. I can barely see at night to start; and now we are on the water which has worse visibility. We both have head lamps on and I have a big flash light in my hand looking around for debris in the water as well as boats. We see some boats, but what blew my mind was the amount of Sturgeon we heard within a few feet of our boat jumping! Even if we didn’t catch anything, being able to hear those prehistoric fish just was worth the trip. We had to have heard hear over 50 jumping throughout the whole night. I am so amazed at how comfortable Quin is on the water, in the dark, in the middle of the night. He is what keeps me sane when I get a little nervous. I listen to what he says; he has never steered me wrong. A few miles down the river he finds a spot he likes, we drive around trying to find the perfect place to anchor. We have two anchors, one for the front and one for the back. Let me tell you about this back anchor real quick; it’s half a 5 gallon pail of cement with rebar for the handle! It’s a beast; that only Quin will throw. I drive the boat while he directs me on where the boat needs to be positioned. Once both anchors are down we get all the rods out and ready. When I tell you, you have to load up your hook with worms; I mean it. We most likely put 10 to 12 worms on each hook, every time. We like to use worm bedding instead of dirt so your hands and boat do not get as dirty. Keeps the worms 32
healthy and alive longer. We are using our heavy duty rods and some big hooks and weights. We both cast two rods on each side of the boat. Our boat is very comfortable for long late night fishing trip. You know you can wait a while for a fish to take your bait. I think the first hour we set the hook over 10 time each. Not reeling in anything. It’s very hard to tell if you are getting a sturgeon bite, it honestly looks like a perch bite. We are in 70 feet of water so you have to watch that tip real close. When you think you have a sturgeon on, you need to set the hook as you start reeling as hard as possible. Set and reel! I learned quickly that once you set the hook you need to reel in as if you have a fish. Half the sturgeon we caught, we had no idea they were on at first. You will hear a lot of “I got one, oh shoot it’s gone...” then right after that “it’s on again, holy crap, get the net” Then it happened; I saw my rod tip dip a few times real small, but real quick. I picked up my rod fast, set the hook and just starting reeling. I didn’t feel anything at first, but then out of nowhere, my reel started screaming and I could feel a fish. A nice fish testing me and my equipment. “I got one!” I screamed. Quin grabbed the GoPro and the net and starting taking video of this fish fighting me trying to stay down. As soon as he saw this 49 inch Sturgeon break the surface, he put the GoPro down saying “It’s a nice one” and landed it in the net. The smile on my face says it all. I was so happy to finally land my very first Sturgeon. The way these fish feel, it’s like touching a dinosaur. I have never felt anything like this in my life. The small ones are sharp, so you have to be careful, we wore gloves. We took a few quick pictures and released him back into the river. I took a minute to release him; holding his tail as he floated in the water. Wiggling him back and forth so he could get back his strength. I had to watch him a bit longer, before I released him. Not only to make sure he was strong enough, but also so I could try to capture this moment as long as I could. He’s gone, back down into the depts. to grow even bigger and let someone else experience his strength and fight. Once one Sturgeon was landed, it was on! The Shay’s now can say they have had Sturgeon in their new boat! With my hook baited again, it’s back in the water quick. A few bumps later Quin has a Sturgeon on! After we popped our Sturgeon cherry it was one after another. The rest of the night we steadily caught Sturgeon. The Sun is up, and it was cool brisk morning. We start to see
some yachts come out of the marinas. We like to night fish because there is not a lot of boat chop. You really have to watch those waves when you are anchored in the front and the back. My stomach is growling and I think it’s loud enough for the fish to hear. We start snacking a little then it happened folks, like it always happens, after hours and hours of fishing….. “I got one on. Well, I think I have one on… a big one” I Set the hook and steadily start to reel the line in. I felt something at first, but now it doesn’t feel like anything is on, so I start to lose focus as I think I am going to just bring in an empty hook. BAMB---- my rod bends and line starts flying out of my reel fast; like real fast. It’s pulling me towards the back of the boat, so I step up on the ledge to get a better angle. My reel is screaming and my pole is bending. I hear quin “It’s a big one, don’t lose it!” I fight this fish harder than I have ever faught a fish, putting that Ugly Stick and Penn reel to the test. When I think I am gaining line, he reminds me who he is and plummets for the bottom again. The sturgeon and I fight for first place and he is gaining on me. I hear quin is the background, “beat his butt, and don’t give him an inch!” So, I start to pump my reel and body up and down reeling him in as hard as I can. He is close to the back anchor and Quin doesn’t want me to get him messed up in the anchor line. You have to watch my YouTube video to see me horse this Sturgeon away from that line. I gain a bunch of line, and before you know it, this 5 in a half foot sturgeon is jumping out of the water a few feet away from the boat. He dives back down, my rod bends and my reel is screaming; I swear you can see smoke coming from it! About 15 minutes later, this huge Sturgeon reaches the surface again. He fights a little more when he sees the boat and the net, but finally we are able to get him next to the boat. The musky net is too small, this fish will not fit in. He is getting angry again and looks like he is about to try and dive back down deep. Quin grabs his tail and brings him right beside the boat for the final time. At this point, Quin is the strongest man in existence… he lifts this over 80 pound, 5 in a half foot Sturgeon into the boat all by himself. The net couldn’t hold him, and I couldn’t help as I had to hold the rod incases he tried to escape. Never in both of our lives have we seen such an amazing fish. The size, the weight, the overall mass of this fish was ridiculous. He felt like a shark; but at the same time like nothing I had ever touched before. Quin takes the GoPro out and tells me to lift it up. I tried for a minute to lift it onto my lap; but I couldn’t even get an inch off the ground.
The amount of different ways I tried lifting him; there was no budging. It was huge; it was as long as I was. Again, strongest man alive, Quin, lifts the fish up onto my lap so I could get my pictures. I had over 10 hours of horrible fishy bun hair, no makeup on, and couldn’t stop shaking. I didn’t even car, this is a moment forget. Trust me when I tell you I have never smiled so big; I was smiling though my eyes. We released the beast back into the river and not even 10 minutes later I have another big Sturgeon on my other catfish rod. Right side of the boat was happening that night. This was my second biggest fish of my life; a 4 in a half foot Sturgeon. This one was a feisty one, running all over the river pulling line, trying to stay away from the boat. My awesome husband helped me get another monster fish into the boat. I thought he would be upset or sad that I was out here catching all the big fish; but all I hear is “Baby, I am just happy to see us getting big fish in the boat! So happy for you, but the next one is mine!” It crazy how one side of the boat can have so much action. We have that happen a lot while we are walleye jigging. I will be standing there not catching anything and he’s up front bringing in keeper after keeper. Our first walleye tournament he brought in 2 huge walleye; an 8 pound and a 10 pound walleye! My side of the boat was getting small keepers all day. I digress. No matter the situation, we are always out there helping each other and cheering each other on. We released the 4 in a half footer back into the river and continued to catch a few more before we decided to head back in. My arms were jelly and we needed to get some sleep. We still had a long drive home. We caught Sturgeon for 2 days. Of course we are going to go back out the next day after an epic fishing adventure like that. Both days we caught a bunch of Sturgeon; nothing like the 4 in a half foot and 5 in a half foot; but the fact that we were finally able to get on them was outstanding. My husband has been fishing a lot longer than I have and this was the first time he got into them as well. There are some fishermen that will go their whole life and not have the kind of days that we had. That is now my favorite stretch of river. Thankfully I was able to get some amazing GoPro video and some photos that will last a lifetime. This is the kind of memories I want to leave behind for our kids. There are times when we go out for hours and come home empty handed; but the memories and stores that we get from those adventures are worth every penny. Going forward, our plan is to get out there and do it all over again as soon as possible. The Shays are out there to Slay the Outdoors. 33
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WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT YOUTH OUTDOORS & HUNTING he would allow me to bring my son out for the last two days of our season. With a gentleman's agreement and a handshake we sealed the deal and the hunt was on! Now my son knew what field I was talking about when I started explaining to him and he was counting the days until that Saturday. This had lit a fire in him again to hunt and get his first deer. Well Saturday comes along and well Texas weather did its thing and it was windy cold and raining high about 35 degrees a brisk north wind at 30 mph and rain. I was not willing to risk either of us getting sick for his first deer seeing as we had planned on just sitting on the fence line and brushing ourself in without a blind. I had to see the disappointment again in his eyes. Sunday morning woke up to the same weather but by about 2:00 pm the wind had died down some and the rain was just a drizzle so I told him get dressed and let's go. We get to the field about 3:00pm and park my truck next to some hay bails at one corner and walk about 400 yards down the fence line to a good brushy spot. We set up and its misting and wet nasty weather. I knew the location the deer came out in and we set up for a perfect 100 yard shot. Well as fate would have it those deer did not come out first but the deer in the back of the field did!!!
We live in central Texas and believe it or not we do not have a whole lot of deer in our area. We hunted our family place here in May, Texas hard all year and only seen a couple of basket rack bucks that we could not shoot (antler restrictions by TPWD), so we passed on them only to be skunked for the whole year. Picture sitting in a stand with a anxious 10 year old just waiting for a deer to walk out talking about why the birds are going to the feeder and what the squirrels are doing with the corn they are picking up, you know just the general father son conversations in a stand. Next thing I know he taps me on the shoulder and says "I see a DEER"!! His eyes where bright with excitement and anticipation of harvesting his first deer on our family place. Also within 100 yards of the spot I killed my first deer when I was about his age. Now came the moment of truth I look threw the binoculars and see horns!!! Wait buddy let me check to see if it's a shooter or not! I pull the
I put the range finder on them and they measured 252 yards. My boys says "I can hit it" he is shooting glasses down and look at him and I can see a colt competition AR in .308 that I built with a the disappointment in his eyes when I tell him adjustable gas block for reduced recoil and is very it's to small to shoot. The next 30 min we sit in protectant with it. So I let him take the shot. You could the stand watching this little fork horned buck hear the report of the rifle then the thud that you eat corn while I console him explaining why always want to hear after you take a shot on a we can not harvest this deer and why they put animal. He knew as soon as he heard that he first the laws in place and the consequences for not pumped and said I got it... The deer took two steps following the laws along with deer and expired. He made a perfect shot right behind the management. He finally understands even shoulder. It came down to the last day of that season though he may not agree with it he and I will never forget the look on his face when he understands. turned around to me and said "I GOT IT" We hugged and went and got his trophy. Remember to take a kid This went on 5 or 6 times during our season hunting they are the future of this sport and also to the point that I wanted to take our old Red introduce a kid to hunting and keep them off the Rider BB gun to run the dang little deer off but streets. Hope you enjoyed the story. we used it as a lesson for watching deer movements and seeing how they act different Signed days and what we could get away with while A Proud Dad he was at the feeder. Now fast forward to the Michael Seider last week of our general season. I drive by a field daily going to work and every day on the way home I would see 3 different groups of deer in the field. I finally caught the old farmer at it one afternoon and stopped to talk with him and explained our situation and asked if
FOLLOW OUR YOUTH PRO STAFF OUTDOOR ADVENTURES & HUNTS
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BRENNEN'S FIRST BUCK
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Brennen’s First Buck There is just something special about taking out a youth hunter out hunting and being a part of their first deer harvest experience. So, you can imagine my response when I was tagged in a post on Facebook in December of 2018 about a young man named Brennen Yingling. A family friend was looking for support to help make Brennen’s dream of getting a buck come true. Brennen was 12 at the time and was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia earlier in 2018. Brennen’s brother Cameron was also diagnosed shortly after Brennen. There were a lot of people that came together to make this hunt happen for Brennen. I was able to use my position and resources as a board member for the Sportsmen for Heroes Foundation to assist in organizing a hunt for Brennen at Extreme World Class Whitetails of Ohio. Field and Stream in Erie, Pennsylvania donated hunting apparel, Gander Outdoors in Mentor, Ohio donated a hunting knife set with a backpack and Great Lakes Outdoor Supply in Middlefield, Ohio assisted with a discount on thermals and boots for Brennen. Frontier Taxidermy offered to mount his harvest at cost of materials. I arrived at Extreme World Class Whitetails of Ohio on January 4 th , 2019. The owner’s Ron and Karen Douglas were very welcoming. Brennen and his family arrived around dinner time. Ron and Karen made us all feel like part of their family. Karen’s delicious home cooking was an added bonus! After dinner, we outfitted Brennen and chatted for a while. Brennen, his father Brad and I were very excited for the morning hunt. I can’t speak for them, but it was a sleepless night for me. The excitement kept me awake, it was like opening day jitters all over again, or that feeling on Christmas Eve when it’s time for the kids go to bed. Karen made breakfast; Brad was at the table already when I made my way downstairs. After breakfast, we all got dressed. Ron drove Brennen, Brad and I to the blind we were going to be hunting out of that morning. Brennen was equipped with his .243 rifle and I had my cameras. This was a hunt that I wanted to be sure to get on film. It is legal to bait in Ohio, so Ron threw a few bags of corn out to top off the food for the deer on that cold January morning. The first deer we seen were a doe and her fawn. They came running right to the corn. As the sun rose, the deer just started pouring out of the
woodwork. We were all amazed at the amount of deer that we were seeing. Some of the bucks had already dropped their antlers, but there were a few that had both sides still. Ron had a specific deer in mind for Brennen. It wasn’t long before the deer scattered. Then Ron looked out the window to our right and low and behold, there was the buck that he wanted Brennen to take. As soon as we seen this deer, we knew why the other deer ran. This buck was HUGE! He came in dogging some does, as to still be a little rut struck. He bullied the other bucks and pushed them away from the does and the corn. A true monarch. Finally, the Giant buck came into range for Brennen. Brennen was trying to stable the .243 rifle, but the buck fever was hard to battle. I was shaking like a leaf, and I only had a camera. Brennen was using a Caldwell Field Pod as well, this helped him steady the rifle a bit. Ron told him to shoot as soon as he was ready and had a shot. His rifle sounded; the buck started off. Brennen was able to get a second shot off. He hit the deer with both shots. The excitement and adrenaline had us all shaken up. We gave the buck a while to expire. We went back over the footage, it appeared that he had hit it well. After about 30 minutes, we made our way out of the blind and started the track job. The buck didn’t go 80 yards before piling up just over the hill. With the emotions running wild, we gave our high five’s and hugs! We took some pictures to savor that moment. The smile and happiness on Brennen’s face will last forever. There was quite the welcoming comity when we returned to the lodge. Brennen’s mother Jen, brother Cameron, sister Kimberly and Karen all came out to see the deer that Brennen had harvested. We all admired that magnificent deer as the hard work began. Ron got the deer quartered and in the coolers. We placed the cape and the skull plate in a couple of garbage bags to take the to Bret Roebuck at Frontier Taxidermy. It was my privilege to spend that time with the Yingling family. They truly are outstanding people. The boys are so upbeat and outgoing. Their positive attitudes and constant smiles are absolutely infectious. Brad and Jen have 3 amazing children, and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to share in that experience. I feel like I gained an extension to my own family that weekend. Hopefully soon, I will be sharing Cameron’s first buck story as well. Evan Gersper American Outdoor Revolution Magazine 37
Miracle Bull
By Caribou Chuck Knoll And Kent Kaiser
brought along. Gary’s family calls him “Pelon” (Spanish for “hairless pilot”). He is a 72-year old Niles native who had been itching to go to Alaska for years and yearned to shoot a big moose. He had failed to get a bull moose on three other guided trips in Canada.
We met in Fairbanks on September 8, the opening of moose season. The Niles, Michigan boys found success once again in Pelon and Kent flew by bush plane north almost 200 miles to a pristine and beautiful river above the Arctic Circle. They set up camp the wild reaches of northern Alaska, this time on a rocky gravel bar and began scouting the area for moose. I harvesting a giant bull moose. joined them the next day. The weather was gorgeous, in the high 40’s How do they continue to do it? Let me tell you: during the day and 30’s at night, with only a little rain. We were Spring Time found “The Legend” Kent Kaiser equipped with a 16-ft. inflatable raft. Kent is an expert at negotiating and me, “Caribou” Chuck Knoll, hunting all around whitewater rivers and has 40-plus years of experience in Alaska. We the country to solve the mystery of the turkey grand brought a Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 four-season tent, spacious slam – in only 60 days. The charisma and karma Kent enough for three large men, our equipment, and enough provisions and I share in our lifelong passion to hunt and have to last a few weeks on the river. Lewis and Clark experiences fire our enthusiasm. The On this trip we employed three very successful techniques next plan was success in Alaska! The plan was formulated for the 14-day excursion later that spring. for moose hunting. First, boot leather on the ground, general We two fellow Nilesites and childhood friends would scouting that produced a lot of information. Second, getting to a high be joined by a third adventurer, Gary Smith, who Kent vantage point to watch ponds under the shelter we built with spruce 38
poles and a tarp. Third, floating the river late in the afternoon to catch moose grazing and bulls following the cows at the river’s edge. Our initial scouting around the campsite quickly revealed we were sharing the area with many moose, wolves, grizzly bears, and caribou. The river encircled us, so we did not venture more than four miles from camp. I cannot explain the thrill of sharing a remote campsite with bears. Care and caution were our watchwords. You could never venture out alone without protection: a gun in one hand and baby wipes in the other! Most nights the moon was bright and the sky clear with the aurora borealis dancing its mystical shimmering greens and blues across the sky, accompanied by the symphony of nearby wolves. It is always a treat to witness this natural spectacle! The third night was special. At 2 a.m., a bull came up from the river, loudly grunting. My heart was jumping out of my chest as it seemed the beast was just outside the tent. Kent and I jumped out of the tent to see where the giant bull was, but the haze and darkness of the night hid the large animal. At sunrise we saw the bull’s hoofprints within 30 yards of the tent. Days later a grizzly bear laid down fresh tracks 20 yards from the tent as we slept, and another bear came even closer near the end of the trip. Almost a week into the hunt, we were seeing signs of moose around camp and from a high vantage point. We set up a scouting vista and spotted some big bulls. The moose were lazily moving around small lakes or working across large expanses of tundra. Kent and I agreed we would avoid carrying moose quarters over the difficult tundra if we could. While Kent and I scouted from our ridge vantage point, Pelon watched from the shelter. Then Kent’s eagle eyes spotted a nice bull moose across the river. I had agreed earlier in the week that Pelon would get the first shot at a bull. But at his age, could he keep up? I was pleasantly surprised to find he could more than keep up. He was in fantastic shape! I had worked very hard since my last Alaskan trip, when I was not in great shape. In dogged defiance of The Legend’s year-long marathon of constant shaming, I lost 40 pounds and could now go on 10- to 15-mile death marches. We quickly reached Pelon and helped him manuever down the large hill to an
overlook. That placed Pelon around 250 yards to get at the bull. He rested his beautiful 338 Browning BAR on a small spruce tree and took careful aim. The rifle roared several times as I watched with binoculars and a range finder. The moose shuddered, rocked and then fell! Wow! I was so excited for the man. We high-fived on the hillside and then finished the long trek down the hill. We climbed in our raft and rowed across the river. All three of us approached the mammoth creature, whose size was unimaginable, comparable only to a Clydesdale horse with very large antlers. This beautiful creature, the world’s largest member of the deer family, lay still at our feet. After tons of pictures, the thought moved from jubilation to work. How does one dissect a creature this big? Fortunately, Kent’s foreknowledge compelled him to bring an electric chainsaw filled with cooking oil so as not to taint the meat. All three of us had more than a century of collective hunting experience and we were all quite familiar with butchering deer. So, it made sense to treat the carcass like a big deer. We could not hoist this beast, so we did one side at a time. I found that the skin of an adult bull is over a half inch thick on the top of its neck, its heart was the size of a basketball, and its hooves the size of those of large Angus cows. The bull yielded meat quarters of 100-140 pounds each. The four trips to haul that meat to the bush plane was exhausting. I honestly believe it took me two days to recuperate from the sheer exhaustion. Pelon and his moose meat went back to Fairbanks, which left The Legend and The Caribou a few short days to fill a second tag. Kent, always excited to explore, wanted to float the river. Kent repeatedly said we would get a monster floating the river this late in season. I had hit the wall and I was very reluctant to add more work to the trip, but Kent's knowledge and experience told him we needed to be on the river. It took a boat oar across the back of my thick skull from Kent to make me realize I was wrong and he was right if we wanted the other tag filled. I again yielded to his persistent manner and minutes after Gary’s bush plane left, we were shoving off the bank and heading south. After only a few minutes, my excitement rejuvenated as we headed for another epic adventure. We had a lot of river to cover and Kent pushed us hard so that 39
we could meet at the rendezvous coordinate our pilot had furnished us. Day turned into early evening and we were back in hunting mode. Kent said, “It feels good tonight and the last two hours are always the best time to spot a moose.” As we swept around a riverbend, I saw the telltale sign of a moose silhouette downriver. I mentioned to Kent, “I think that’s a moose ahead” and his razor vision concurred. As we closed within 400 yards, we both determined it was a cow. We grew nearer, and from behind a mud bank, a colossal bull appeared, 70 inches wide! I had a Remington 700 in 300 Winchester Magnum set up on my shooting sticks. The bull was facing us and a chest shot was my target. I ranged the distance at 300 yards. Kent was attempting to zoom in on the giant with his video equipment. As he did, he silently settled the oars on the side of the raft. The forceful current began spinning us counterclockwise. My shooting position was now twisting me where I was aiming towards Kent. As he whispered, “I got him! Shoot!” I lost my window of opportunity. I said, “Turn the boat, I don’t have a shot,” and Kent maneuvered the boat. But ignorantly, I said, “Turn the boat” loud enough for the moose to hear me. Moose aren’t exactly happy with human vocal sounds, and this bull turned and ran up a steep bank and began to disappear into the spruce jungle. I squeezed the trigger at 110 yards, but I whiffed completely. To say I was dejected was a gross understatement. The Legend and The Caribou were blaming each other for the mishap. Well, mostly I was cussing and yelling. Kent looked at me sort of funny, shaking his head, knowing I would figure out what happened, and then we finally started laughing, figuring that was one lucky bull. We landed the raft and looked in vain for sign. After looking at the video in Fairbanks, I was convinced I had not wounded the bull. Maybe, someday, I will find him again. The next morning before dawn we were climbing in our raft for another trip on the river. The Legend said with words that rang with confidence, “We have all day to pull this off and I think it’s going to happen today.” After yesterday’s fiasco, I didn’t share the feeling, he made me laugh when he jumped in the raft 40
crooning, “Ain't no fat lady sang yet.” We would have all day to hunt before we arrived at our bush pilot’s runway. At the magic time, 11 a.m., we spotted moose along the river’s edge. Again, out of nowhere, a bull and two cows appeared ahead of us. The bull was outside of 290 yards and one of the cows had turned up her nose to his advances. As he looked to the other cow on the bank, he gave me a perfect broadside shot. The raft was now at 180 yards. This time I did not wait for Kent, who had told me the night before, “If you get a chance, take it and don't wait for me to film. Nor did I mention to him to right the raft. Instead, we used predetermined hand signals. It worked! I fired four shots, the first at 180 yards and the last at 100. All I remember seeing in my riflescope is massive brow tines, four on each side. The behemoth fell 30 yards from the bank. To say I was elated was an understatement, for this was truly a miracle bull, shot in the last few hours of a long trip. After all the hard work we put into getting Pelon's moose out, we were given a gift from God, who allowed me this magestic animal, placed so close to the raft. We celebrated with a long hug and a pat on each other’s back. I also learned a lesson instilled by my friend, The Legend: “Never give up!” My moose was a giant: 63 inches wide and enough meat to feed an army. It took us five hours to load the raft with four quarters, four separate bags of meat, and a heavy set of antlers. A native Alaskan would be proud. The Legend and The Caribou had struck again. Kent’s highly successful self-guided moose fly-in/ float hunting business, Alaskan Quest, keeps him quite busy. My 25-year career in law enforcement is ending. We have made many plans to explore and enjoy the last frontier as Lewis and Clark did in the west. Stay tuned, as we are planning a black bear hunt. And that will be just the beginning . . . ALASKAN QUEST
TOP WATER BAIT By, Chris Wiley It was my first time using top water bait and I just went out to try it out to see what happens. After about 30 minutes into trying it out I was gonna go back in but I decided to try it one more time, just a little further down.
am I gonna get the fish through the lillies or am I gonna loss it? Sure enough, after 2 minutes of fighting this fish through the lillies with 10lb braided line i got it in and now I'm hooked on top water baits for bass. The action you get from watching the fish come out of the water after it is awesome cant wait to get others and keep at it!
I made 2 casts and on the second cast, bam! fish on! Then I got thinking, 41
(and tears) I knew it wasn’t meant to be. In fact he survived He was seen on trail camera, and lived to be taken by another hunter whom I share the mile with. He was over the moon! Back at it, fast forward to November 10th. Sitting in the blind crossbow in hand. I had several small bucks, does and fawns out and about in front of me and I was in my glory. After the field cleared midmorning my son called me and we chatted for a while. As we were talking I turned to look right, and I saw a flash of antlers pass about 90yds away in the edge of the treeline. I told him I had to go, had to pay attention! When I got off the phone, I realized that the wind was perfect for a scent wick. I got out and crept to a cedar and hung one on a limb and got back into the blind. Not 10 minutes later, another flash of bone coming back my way! Knowing that the buck would come in on my other side--downwind--I kept my eyes focused to my left and the edge of the cedars. I still had no idea the size of the buck, nor did it matter right then as I was simply trying to bring him in for a look. We all know the adrenaline rush of hunting and I was hoping to be fooling one of the best noses in the business! He took his sweet time circling behind me, and it was over 10 minutes before he emerged to my left. As he came out into the CREP grass his nose was a freezer to fill. I’m happy for them all! I Heidi Bambach high in the air, lips curled back. And he was a took up muzzleloading to increase not beautiful mature typical 8pt. My heart began to only my time afield but my odds. Then I Many times in life we set goals. Whether pound faster and louder, my legs began to shake. added bow season so it gave me 3 months or not they are achievable depends Classic buck fever lol!! He walked about 20 yards a year to chase my dream. Addicted? YES! largely on us. In 2001, on opening day of into the field, nose still high. He then turned as if to gun season here in Michigan I was go back into the cedars and his rack shone in the Surprisingly, the biggest reward for all of blessed to kill my first buck. He was a sunlight. He was glorious! I knew he was going to this was the fact that I studied my quarry. dandy 8pt that popped out of nowhere. leave as he didn’t see any other deer, especially the I read, watched and listened to everything When he stopped straight in front of me related to the whitetail deer. I not only did doe he was looking for. I eased my crossbow up and at 80yds I only had time to get my took aim. I knew my yardage and he was at about 45 Remington 870 .20ga up on the window that, I took it to the next level by watching and broadside. Remembering the other buck, I put and patterning the local deer population. I of the blind, aim and squeeze the trigger. the crosshairs behind his shoulder. He put his head learned their available water sources. He spun 180 degrees and dropped on the back once more and lipcurled, and I let the bolt fly! I What seasonal crops were available at any spot. To say I was excited would be a saw it disappear into his left side and as he spin huge understatement! I had a shoulder given time, plotted their travel patterns. I right I saw the Lumenoc emerge on the right. learned what winds they would feed in mount done because everyone told me Complete pass through! He ran about 50 yards during shooting hours, and what winds he was the buck of a lifetime and I across the tall grass and then plowed headfirst into a readily agreed. Fast forward a few years would cause them to hold to the bedding heap on the edge. I had seen right where he went but area until after darkness had fallen. I and I got another awesome opening day couldn’t actually see him nor his rack. I waited watched weather patterns and pressure 8pt. Once again I had a shoulder mount impatiently for my son Dan to get there to help me, systems. I studied scent control and done because, “Nobody gets two nice as he wanted to help me track. I knew it was not prevailing winds to best set stand bucks like that!” A a few years later, locations. The more I learned, the greater going to be a hard job but wanted to share it with another opening day 8pt--seeing a him. When he arrived, we went right to where my my respect and love for this amazing pattern here? With no money for a bolt lay (still glowing) and followed the massive animal increased. What started out as a shoulder mount I had a skull mount bloodtrail across the clearing to where he lay. I HAD done. I jokingly said that it had become joke became not just what I did, but DONE IT!! My eighth eight!! I told Danny that I was literally who I was!! too easy to get big bucks, and I was going “pretty positive” he was an 8pt when I shot, but then to get five more so I’d have eight 8pts. while I was waiting for him I had started to second As I killed my seventh 8pt, I thought that Well, what started as a joke quickly guess myself. No worries! my goal might actually be reached. Those became a quest! who had laughed at me now were rooting I’ll never forget putting my hands on him for the for me! Opening day of 2018 saw me There were many times that smaller first time, thanking God for all his help. And looking sitting in my elevated box blind. About an bucks would travel through, and the urge hour after shooting light I had the biggest at pictures from that day, I don’t see the messy hair to shoot them was tremendous! But or the double hats I had on to stay warm. All I see is having been so blessed, and having does typical 8pt I had ever seen on the hoof the huge smile that so accurately reflects the joy and walk to within 60yds of me and stand that I could take for the meat allowed me pride I felt in that moment. Always believe in broadside! My heart nearly beat out of my to let them walk away after shooting yourself, your abilities, never be afraid to dream! As chest! My first year with my new them with my Nikon. Several times after we loaded him onto my truck, I couldn’t help but crossbow and I instinctively put the letting them walk, I would hear them wonder what I would do now. Maybe ten tens crosshairs on his shoulder as I always did being taken as they left my area. I was hmmmm? using a gun when it was a very large deer. totally okay with that, as we all have our Bad thing to do, as I failed to get full own idea of a trophy. Be it another hunters first deer, or a father of five with penetration and after 2 days of tracking 42
43
ARCHERY BEAR HUNT
location was an hour drive in the darkness of the Appellation mountains. Deer in the ditches and winding curvy unfamiliar roads. Then the person taking me, Ryan, hiked us thru the timber to our spot with just a head light. We started setting up. He started getting camera equipment ready only to realize that he didn’t have a battery. Handing my husband a knife with the instructions ‘stick her in between the ribs’ and he scampered down to the truck quick to get the battery. Longest 3 mins of my life let me tell you. Pitch black. Not knowing what to expect. 15 yards from bait. But he made it back without incident. Teaching Sarah Ann me things to look for along the way. Things to listen for. But The Outdoor Medic mostly just sitting in the quiet watching the world wake up. Being in the timber in Jersey isn’t much different from Iowa...except the bears. Morning hunt didn’t have any bears for Day 1: any of us. So because I’m one of those people who like to know what to do....here is my day 1 tip. Arrive at the airport over an The afternoon was met with refreshing the bait sites with hour before your plane boards. If you have never flown chocolate frosting and hot fudge. Seriously what Bear could resist before, make sure you get there in plenty of time to check that? The afternoon hunt was windier and didn’t result in us your luggage. Flying with a bow is a breeze. Also, it pays to seeing anything but on the way back in we saw 15 deer. One of be nice! We arrived to the airport at 0520. Our plane leaves the people in my group had tagged out so we had to go get the at 0616. Being first time flyers we got in line with our bear out of the woods. He had tagged a 300 pound sow. Beautiful boarding pass. TSA held us up and we got bumped to a bear. He was ecstatic and so was I. First bear I had ever seen in later flight. The airport staff were very stern about things the wild. We field dressed it and hauled it out. Glorious end to but also kind about helping us rebook a flight and giving us opening day. tips for making the next connections easier. Being a jerk gets you no where. Especially when people are just doing Day 3: their jobs. Traveling with anxiety is not easy, but doable. Since the people who take us have to work we get the morning to Even when things get frustrating. sleep in and enjoy ourselves. It’s so beautiful and peaceful at the First flight is a short one. The view from the sky is breath taking. Makes you really put your life into perspective and how big the world really is. You never know who’s life you may touch. My main focus is being open and a sponge to this experience. Definitely a once in a lifetime thing. Being a mom makes it tough. Such mixed feelings about leaving my kids. I know this is ok. To live my life while providing for them. They have to learn to live a little and enjoy this life. Second flight was out of a bigger airport. Definitely getting out of the Midwest now. This is a night flight. Awesome seeing all the lights. The city is big. The East Coast is fast. Iowa Nice is long gone.
cabin. My bow is right on. Tea on the porch in my hoodie was the highlight of my morning. Now for some exploring before we hunt tonight. The hunt tonight was in a swamp. Only thing we saw was a cute fox. He provided plenty of entertainment. The boys are disappointed I haven’t seen a bear. They worked so hard to try and get me on a bear. Late to bed and early morning again. Tomorrow is a full day of hunting.
Day 4: Today we hunted the swamp again. Instead of a fox we saw a cat. Plus the chipmunks and squirrels are like 400 pounds out here. Rain forecasted for the afternoon means not a long sit. Coolest thing was a cardinal landed on Dave’s pack not even 5 ft from me. The significance was that my grandma was visiting. Her love for Day2: cardinals became a symbol of her presence. Tomorrow morning After arriving at our cabin in Pennsylvania at 0115 local is my last sit before going to New York City to sight see. Gotta time, and being informed that we needed to be awake and make it count. Really thankful for my amazing guide, Dave, and ready to go at 0315....it was a short night. Traveling to the my husband for being the muscle and accompanying me on the 44
trip. Also to Tom and Richard and Nick from Zeus Broadheads and Steady Form for allowing me the opportunity to come out and experience East Coast hunting. Day 5: Lots of high winds and a late start. No bears. Leaving New Jersey is bittersweet. I am so ready to go back home. But I will miss the friends and the hunting. However, there is always next year. So what I have learned this trip...how to travel with a bow, about bear hunting, about different state hunting and most importantly....that Iowa is def one of the best states ever! I loved my time in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York but the Midwest is home. Thank you Easy Coast for giving this Midwest gal a good time.
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DREAM CATCHERS CHARTERS STURGEON STORY Captain Connor Barr
Driving along the shore of the famous Lake St. Clair headed to my usual launch for sturgeon fishing I did my normal routine as I prepped myself for this trip. Bait? check. wind? Northwest <6 mph great, Rods setup? check. Gassed up boat and truck? check. Ice, snacks, drinks? absolutely. Trusty 4 legged first mate? you better believe Cooper is riding shotgun just as excited as I am about going dinosaur fishing. Excellent, everything is going well and we're ready to rock I'm thinking to myself as I pull into the launch and park to prep the boat and wait on my clients. I'm expecting 3 clients all avid anglers but inexperienced with sturgeon and I am looking forward to it. as I'm prepping the boat and waiting I check the weather again and it seems to have a few pop up storms but nothing we cant handle. I spoke aloud "Wait, I told them to bring rain gear right? yeah I told them to were good." right on time the truck pulls in and out hops one guy. Unfortunately 2 guys had to bail very last minute. I assure my client that its ok less hands means more fish for him light heartedly. We get underway and start making way to our first stop of the night. NOTHING, pull the anchor and off we go to spot 2, and at least we got some action, sheep head, catfish and a sucker. Not our target species so off we go again to spot 3. anchored up got fresh bait on and put lines in. No sooner did I get my second line in place my client says "Fish over here!" I look over to see the St. Croix dancing and the game has started with sturgeon 1 of the night coming in at about 38 inches! The pressure lifted off me at that point and the metaphoric dark cloud disappeared..... but the actual dark clouds were moving in... as we're baiting the first rod the second rod fires off so boom I get the rod in his hands and were off to the races with dinosaur 2 coming in at 36 inches. no monster yet but 2 in ten minutes were doing just fine now! After the excitement settled the fish made a safe 46
recovery and we got all 4 of our rods in the water we sat down and watched the show that had started all around us. Lightning flared and shot across the sky to the north and the south of us in brilliant colors and zig zags throughout the sky and between the concern and checking the radar we sat in amazement. Luckily not a drop of water fell on us that night. A few farm animals later and we saw the tell tale signs of a sturgeon hitting and we were off to the races again! This one a little more feisty than the previous fish, barking drag and putting on an acrobatic show! Fifteen minutes later and a 48 inch fish comes in the boat and the release process begins. Shortly after the safe release of that fish out of the corner of our eyes we saw the St. Croix twitch and we watch and see the steady, tick... tick.... tick.... of line going out increasing in speed and my client tells me "your turn!". The hookset turned to drag barking and smiles on this captain's face because quite frankly it doesn't matter how many of these fish you catch that pull down and drag scream will never get old. Landed that fish and he was between just shy of 55 inches. As the weather raged miles up and down river of us we sat and continued to enjoy the show waiting on the next one. Finally after what seemed like and eternity, really only about and hour, it happens the line taps and the rod dances ever so slightly and I tell my client there's your big one! Little did I know how right I was. My client sets the hook and says "damn, I think I pulled it away from him!". Oh how wrong he was all I could do was say "REEL! reel reel reel reeeeellllll!" what I had seen that my client hadn't seen was the line go tight then go slack and in sturgeon fishing that means that fish is either going upstream or coming straight up! As my client just got the slack up the fish breached and I'm pretty sure both our jaws hit the deck as this massive just a hair over 70 inch fish completely cleared water
and came down with what sounded like the clap of the thunder we'd been hearing all night! That started the 45 minute battle of brawn between fish and man. Finally the fish tired and came up and that is when the surreal moment of landing this prehistoric beast hit us. All my sturgeon are out of the water less than 3 minutes and into my recovery cradle in the water, just long enough to get a few adequate pictures and measurements. As we recovered this monster we sat in silence absorbing every detail of this fish watching it move look around and breathe and I will be the first to tell you that it does not get old or any less amazing. Shortly after the fish left on his own accord (giving us a good tail splash farewell) we put lines in the water for one more go around and again it paid off with another 48 inch fish. Finally with sore arms and an endless smile on each of our faces we called the trip a magnificent success and a night that will not soon be forgotten! As I drove home that night I sat and I drove in silence and reflection, thanks to the good Lord I have been able to give someone an experience of a lifetime and that is a feeling that I have come to love and strive for.
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WHERE THE GIANTS ROAM By: Ryan Libby
Each year, as fall starts to flourish with often welcomed cooler temperatures, a sense of excitement fills the air. For many Alaskans, this excitement announces that moose season has arrived. For many Alaskanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, residents focus heavily on Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generous hunting opportunities to help reduce living expenses in a state that exceeds the national average for cost of living. With the leaves changing along with the transition from summer to fall moose season closes near. I begin to shift my focus from hunting interior black and brown bear as well as the caribou of the north and start training my thoughts to focus on moose. The tedious process of making sure the Argo is serviced and all repairs completed from our adventures earlier in the season traversing some of the harshest hunting grounds I have known to experience. Additionally, I begin stocking up on Bait Emâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 907 moose attractants, make sure the gear is ready and doing a few pre-season scouting trips to check conditions and get an idea on movement. Once the season starts in late August, I begin my quest to chase the giants of the north who can be more elusive than you would ever expect a thousand plus pound animal to be. Over the years my hunting partners and I have endured some of the most epic pursuits of Alaskan game and this season would be one of those pursuits. What amplified our success with these majestic and surprisingly stealthy animals began years ago as George and I began to heavily pursue interior black and brown bears in an area that we felt moose were far more impacted by predatory kills both on the calf and adult spectrum. Over the years as we harvested countless bears, we noticed more and more moose surviving during spring calving season through the remainder of the year. With the season picking up and several friends asking if I would be willing to help them with their tags, I embarked on what would be a season of absolute exhaustion yet supreme fulfillment. The late August weather started off warmer than
usual. Temperatures held into the 70s which in August in Alaska is rare. After the season opened, I helped a friend of mine notch his cow moose draw tag and three days later I harvested a nice fork horn meat bull for my family. This is when the season really started to build in intensity as the two previous hunts were rather uneventful and far less exciting. George and I begin to make plans for moose camp as well plans for some friends who were also going to be hunting at our other camp about 3 miles away. The plan was to head in a few times to do our usual scouting before the rut kicks off. The first trip in we were greeted by the howls of the local wolf pack satellite calling and responding to our calls as we were enjoying some food by the campfire after getting camp set up. These wolves have come close over the years but rarely posed any danger. As we sat in awe listening to the voices of a dozen wolves talk back and forth it really put things into perspective of how lucky we are to live in a place like Alaska. As the moon rose over the hills surrounding us, we continued to call from camp with expectations of pulling in a curious bull moose in the morning. As expected, we found plenty of fresh sign moving through the clearing as we watched the fog slowly lift from the meadow. As the season progressed George and I talked over the following week with expectations and planning for the following weekend trip into the bush we both agreed that the rut was on an upward swing and agreed that things would be getting very interesting the next trip out. Over the next few days the mundane tasks of once again checking over gear and getting equipment packed helped pass the time as Friday would soon be upon us. Friday arrived and welcomed us with
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cooler temperatures and excellent weather over the next few days. The plan was to bring three Argos in this trip as we had some friends who would be setting up just north of our camp and we wanted to ensure we had the space and tools to possibly move two moose out in one trip. We agreed to meet at the trail head and after unloading the machines later that afternoon we embarked on our adventure.
friends hoping to set them up for success as we called and raked the brush. Over the several hours we spent at the upper camp we began to see far more activity in the distance and felt that our assistance should yield at least one bull by morning and I felt it was time to head to the lower camp to get our site situated before evening arrived.
The ride in was like the countless trips into this I glanced over my shoulder and gave George a nod that it was time to make the two-mile same area we had made throughout the year. Navigating mud holes large enough to swallow a trip to the lower camp as activity was mid-sized pickup, the smell of the alders as we picking up and we knew we had a few potential maneuvered our tracked vehicles through the shooters working the lower stretch from thick brush filled your nostrils and to us it earlier scouting trips. We fired up both of smelled like home. After navigating several our machines and weaved our way down to challenging areas that we often refer to the $500- and $1000-dollar hole (due to the amount the lower camp stopping every now and then to apply more scent in hopes of of work it will take to get unstuck) we finally made it to what we call “Argo Country”. Hidden catching a curious bull’s attention. Pulling bogs with muskeg rippled like quicksand as the into camp, wind was shifting but still very 8-wheeled machines motored across the swampy much in our favor and from our experience clearings. Signs of game were of no shortage as once the rut kicks off moose often take far more risks as they become love struck. We we continually found moose tracks as well as many other game animals including some rather start setting up the Cabela’s Guide Model tent and tend to the fire while getting other large brown bears who had chose to take the necessities situated. Periodically stopping to same path as us. rake the brush as well as attempt my best moose temptress voice as I call out for any Sandhill cranes traversed the bogs with ease lovestruck bulls in the area. until they felt we had encroached on their
personal space as they majestically expand their wings and become airborne. We are now several Within the first hour at camp as I finally sit down by a small campfire to cook some miles in, and Denali gives us a glimpse of her massive snow covered peak. This is what Alaska dinner I stop and rake the tree next to me. is all about I think to myself as the Argo’s motor Not expecting things to go from 0-100 as whirrs along at a brisk 9mph. We finally reach quick as they did, I get a notion to look up. “George!” I try to whisper, “look across the the first camp where we will have our friends set up for the weekend. George clearing”. For those who don’t know George and I give them both the rundown on where we you wouldn’t guess he’s a die-hard hunter as have been seeing moose, what hours they tend he wears loafers in camp, usually adorns his to be more active as well as thoroughly saturate favorite T shirt and long johns for pants. George quickly brings his the air with Em’ 907 scent attractants. Swarovski glass to his eyes as I do the As we sit in camp with the optics covering both same. I look at the bull and instantly judge the hillside and valley George and I spot several him mid 50’s but at my angle I was unable to get a solid count on brow tines. I see two moose, some bedded some casually feeding on on the right, but I cannot see the left clearly, the foliage in the distance. Additionally, we I tell George. The bull slowly turns and watch several black bears feeding on the blueberries like vacuum cleaners on the distant walks back into the brush. This is when hillside. George and I spent a few hours with our things get a bit funny. George looks me dead in the face and said “time to put on the 50
walkin’ shoes” as he points to his Xtra Tuff boots. We begin our stalk from 670 yards out trying to conceal our silhouette as we cover ground across a mostly open clearing. We finally are at a standstill as we approached a 4’ drop off into a small creek just 220 yards from where the moose once stood just 10 minutes ago. I gingerly apply more scent to the brush around us to help mask our scent as well as lure the bull out of the thick cover that he was currently using to his advantage. I let out a few soft cow calls with George joining in. The two of us calling in unison was like a symphony of cows ready to claim their king. Mere minutes passed and once again the bull reemerges from his heavily wooded safety net. Instantly I count brow tines and motion to George 3x2 on my fingers. The bull is now statuesque as if frozen in place and only offering a frontal shot. Moisture fills the air around his head as he exhales and softly grunts “whuh” “whuh”. The bull is clearly looking to lock in on the cow he heard moments before but is not fully ready to commit. I start throwing my voice while calling to try and entice him to turn broad side. Finally, after ten minutes of adrenaline coursing through our body the bull makes his move and slowly turns broadside. With a crack the 338WM breaks the silence of the valley and echoes off the surrounding hillside. The distinctive sound as the 250gr Barnes TSX finds its target reports back and we know the hard work is now about to begin. We return to camp to grab both machines and return to the birch tree that the bull was standing under when the shot was made. The disturbance in the ground gave a solid impression on where the bull was so we both drew our side arms and began to track the moose into the brush. His trail was distinctive and very easy to follow as I took point. Not more than 40 yards from the point of impact the bull lay still and expired. No time to celebrate, when an animal of this size is on the ground the work can be timely and tedious. George and I admired the sheer
beauty of the moose took a few photos and hastily started setting up for field care. We managed to send an InReach message to the guys at the upper camp as darkness was soon to follow and having more manpower is never a bad thing. The biggest challenge would be for them to find the trail we made getting to where the moose was. After a few hours of work with our Havalon knives the moose was broken down into manageable quarters and game bags filled with beautiful meat. We embarked back to camp to download gear and hang meat before escorting our friends back to the upper camp around midnight. The northern lights danced as we traversed the backcountry to the upper knoll before George and I turned around to head back for a well-deserved night of sleep. We anticipated making the several mile trip back early in the morning as weather was turning south and with 1000lbs of additional weight we knew the trail may get a bit dicey in spots. As the sun rose, we loaded up and began our journey back to the trucks. I decided to load the entire moose into my machine as one of the other Argos had bent an axle on the way in and the third machine carried most of the gear we brought out. The first few crossings that have been known to cause problems were navigated without incident. About 3 miles from the truck however, my machine had a catastrophic axle failure that in turn took out the #2 axle, bearing and drive chain which reduced drive power on the right side to only 1 of the 4 wheels and also required me to remove the track on that side. With some assistance turning the machine still chugged through some very deep mud and terrain only requiring assistance on hard left turns by way of a tow strap with a machine in front helping. Arriving back at the trucks we finally had a moment to relive and really celebrate a truly successful trip. George and I had already 51
sent out a message via InReach to the team at All Seasons Argo in Anchorage letting them know that we had two machines that needed some work before we could head back in to help our friends fill their tag. Over the course of the next three days we managed to get both machines repaired. George had plans to head back in on Friday and hunt through the weekend to help our friends fill their tag and I would be on standby in case they needed assistance. Friday evening, I received a text from George that a moose was down and so my wife and I headed back up to the foothills to help with now moose #4 for the year. Recovery was very simple on this moose and we agreed to head back to the trucks in the morning. As we embarked back to our trucks we passed by the lower camp where just days before we had successfully harvested a beautiful 54’’ bull. As we motored along, I stopped and quickly through my binoculars to my eyes and I watched a potential legal bull bedded down 780 yards away. I told my wife that the bull may be worth taking another look at as she still had not punched her tag for the year. After a few quick calls the bull was on his feet and covering ground at a brisk pace. By this time my wife, George and myself decided to back up a bit to offer a potentially better shooting position for my wife. A few more calls and the bull was now sub 30 yards however as a group we agreed the bull was close to 50’’ but was only 2x2 brow tines and too hard to legitimately say he was legal as we were hunting a 50’’ or 3 brow tine area. Even though my wife was unable to fill her tag we felt blessed to have such a fantastic season as we were able to help several friends fill their tags as well as filled one of our tags for our family.
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53
Emergency Winter Survival
Article by, Maximumsurvival.net
Being in a survival situation outdoors can be tough in any season, but being lost in the wilderness in the middle of winter can be especially dangerous. The cold can cause hypothermia to set in very quickly if your not prepared and can interfere with your ability to survive. It can cause drowsiness, confusion and memory loss as well as affect your coordination. Hypothermia starts when your body’s core temperature drops below 95 degrees, which is only a few degrees below your normal temperature. This is why it can be so dangerous because it can happen very quickly, and once it starts you’re in deep trouble. The most important thing you can do in a survival situation in the cold is to avoid letting your body temperature drop below that 95 degree threshold. If you find yourself in an emergency situation in the winter, the first thing you should do is stay calm and don’t panic. The last thing you want to do is wander aimlessly, getting more lost and burning up energy. Look for a highpoint and try to find landmarks or a nearby highway where you might be able to find help. If you do decide to keep moving, place markers along the way pointing in the direction you are traveling so that if people are searching for you they know what direction you are traveling. If there is no visibility and you’re not close to any possible help, your best bet is to start building a shelter. The two easiest way to find shelter is to make a tree line or rock shelter. The base of a large tree like a pine 54
tree, will often have a snow free pocket around the base of the trunk or at least significantly less snow than the surrounding area. Try to dig down as low as possible and use things like pieces of bark or branches to create cover as well as insulate you from the cold ground. If you see any large boulders nearby, they often have natural partial shelters that you can get underneath. Use smaller rocks and boulders to create a windbreak wall on any exposed sides and plug any holes with snow or nearby debris. Staying out of the wind and keeping dry by creating a small pocket of protection like this can mean the difference of life and death. If these 2 options are not available and there is heavy snow, your best bet is to create a snow cave. Even though snow is cold it can make a great insulator and keep you safe from dangerously low temperatures. Keep in mind that this will take longer to build so start early before it gets dark. Look for a large mound of snow and dig a tunnel about 2 feet in and then hallow out a small area to sit in above it. The main hallowed out area of your shelter should be elevated a foot or two above the tunnel you initially dug for the entrance. This will allow for the coldest air to sink to the floor and the warmest air to be near the top of the shelter where you will be sitting. Try to block the entrance way with a bag or debris to stop any wind from blowing cold air in your shelter. You should also make ventilation holes by using a stick to poke into the snow above. For the best chances of survival when outdoors always make sure to tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. If you go missing, at least you have a chance of help coming to look for you who have a general idea of where you are. Also be prepared before you go anywhere remote and pack extra clothing in case what you’re wearing gets wet and bring a small survival kit that will provide you with some basic tools when you need them most.
familiar with the area and can provide a reasonably accurate fishing report and give you a lead on where it is safe to fish. 4. Bring Cellphone and Radio Bring a cell phone and a two-way radio with you. The radio should help cover you in areas where you can’t get cell service as readily. Having both options gives you a way to communicate with the outside world in case you run into trouble, so someone can send help right away. Any delay in getting rescue can prove deadly in some situations. Safety Tips Provided By, TACKLE SCOUT When you go out on the ice, you put yourself at risk for suffering frostbite, hypothermia, drowning or even carbon monoxide poisoning. Some simple planning ahead of time can help you mitigate these risks. Here are some ice fishing safety tips to use in your next trip so you can have a fun time catching fish instead of ending up in the local hospital. 1. Make Your Plans Known One major mistake you can make when ice fishing is to venture out on the ice alone without telling anyone where you’re going. If you plunge through the ice, slip and fall and seriously injure yourself, or have your vehicle break down on an isolated road, getting rescued will be extremely difficult if no one knows where you are. Always make your plans known to family and friends. Tell them when you plan to leave, where you are going and when you plan to return. This way, if something does happen to you, they know where to send help. 2. Fish with Friends Fish with family or friends whenever possible. You should never fish alone if you don’t have to. Accidents can and do happen, even to a person who is seasoned in the outdoors. It isn’t worth the risk just to get some solitude or avoid revealing your secret fishing spot. 3. Ask the Tackle Shops Always check on current weather conditions before heading out. Consulting with a local tackle shop is your best option here. They are
Assessing the Quality of Ice The worst thing that can happen to an ice fisherman is falling through the ice. If you have your doubts, take look at these statistics from the Minnesota DNR. Most deaths while ice fishing occur from breaking through the ice while on a snowmobile, ATV, or motor vehicle. The best thing you can do is to learn how to read and assess the quality of the ice before going onto the lake. 5. Minimum Ice Thickness Here are some guideline for various ice thicknesses. Note that these are just guidelines, as put out by the Minnesota DNR, and the final judgement as to whether the ice is safe, is you. Never venture onto the ice without knowing the conditions.
• Less than 3″ – Don’t do it! Never venture onto ice that is three inches or less in thickness. It isn’t strong enough to support an average person’s weight. There is a considerable risk of breaking through on foot. • 4″ – If ice is at least four inches thick, and not otherwise cracked, it is generally safe for walking. • 5″ – Generally safe for riding on the ice with an ATV or snowmobile. • 8″ to 12″ – Can generally support the weight of a small car. • 12″ to 15″ – Typically strong enough to support the weight of a small pickup truck. 6. Beware Current Be aware of where the current is running. Rivers, streams, inlets, outlets and channels always have weaker ice than deeper waters in a lake or reservoir because of the moving water underneath the ice. Typically, ice will be 15 percent weaker in areas with a constant flow of water than in areas where it is more stationary. 7. Never Trust the Ice Never completely trust the ice even if it is sufficiently thick to support your body weight and your vehicle weight. Always check your surroundings and avoid any areas where cracked ice is visible or currents underneath the ice may be present. 55
Driving on the Ice Under most conditions, driving on the ice isn’t a good option because thickness isn’t uniform across its surface. Ice may be strong enough to support a vehicle’s weight in some spots, but not in others. If driving is essential to get to your preferred fishing spot, there are a few things you should do to make sure you and your vehicle both stay safe. 8. Use Smallest Vehicle Possible Use the smallest vehicle possible to get to your destination. Lighter vehicles like an ATV or snowmobile put much less stress on the ice than a car or a truck. 9. Drive Slow, Unbuckle, and Keep Your Eyes Open Drive slow and keep a safe distance between vehicles. Unbuckle your seat belt and roll down your windows, so you have an escape path if your vehicle does fall through the ice. Avoid driving onto the ice at night. Even with the aid of bright headlights, it is much more difficult to spot areas where the ice is thin, cracked or slushy. You could drive past your turn off, and then it’s too late.
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Never drive (or walk) in areas where slush can be found within the immediate vicinity. That’s a clear sign of deteriorating ice. Such ice poses a danger because it will not properly support body weight or vehicle weight. 10. Use Proper Ice Fishing Gear Your favorite rod and reel aren’t the only things you should worry about packing along before hitting the ice. Part of staying safe means bringing the right gear with you on your fishing trip. From first-aid kit, to warm clothing, ice shelter, and portable heaters, there are some essential items you need to mark off on your ice fishing checklist before heading out the door. Dressing in the right clothing is important. You should wear a thick coat, insulated pants, thick socks and gloves and a protective cap that can cover your ears or face. This will help protect from frostbite and hypothermia. Always wear thick boots with deep tread designed for better gripping on icy surfaces. This will help prevent slip and fall accidents while walking on the ice.
You don’t need to hide inside just because the weather outside is frightful. With the right preparation, any time of year can be prime for camping. Here are ten survival tips for winter camping that will keep you from getting cabin fever. It gets dark much earlier than in the the summer, so plan your travels accordingly — especially if you are hiking to your campsite. Don’t head out alone. Handling a winter emergency by yourself can become too much to handle quickly. And camping can be more fun with a friend! Keep an eye on the weather forecast in the days before your departure, as winter storms can roll in unexpectedly. Leave your itinerary with a trusted friend so someone knows when you are expected to return, and who to contact if you do not turn up as expected.
Be wary of avalanche conditions and know what areas to avoid. When choosing your site, look out for heavy limbs or dead trees that could buckle under the weight of snow and ice and fall on your tent. Build a snow wall around your tent to act as a windbreak for added warmth. Set up your tent so the door is facing downhill and away from the wind. Pack a hot water bottle and tuck it into your sleeping bag before you go to bed for warmth that will last for hours. To make the most of these winter camping survival tips, make a checklist before you pack to be sure you don’t forget anything important. Lip balm, sunglasses, and extra flashlight batteries are just a few things you don’t want to find yourself without when out in the cold.
Pack extra food and clothing in case you get delayed. 57
40 HUNTER SAFETY TIPS FOR A SAFE HUNTING SEASON By Southern Land Exchange
With hunting season in full swing, the woods are full of anxious hunters, watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to take a shot at their prey. While hunting season is an exciting time for the outdoor enthusiast, it’s imperative that safety be priority number 1. When it comes to safety, the old adage is true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Tip 1: Always keep the barrel of your firearm pointed in a safe direction. Tip 2: Firearms should be unloaded when not in use. Tip 3: Don’t rely on your gun’s safety. Treat all firearms as if they’re loaded and ready to fire. Tip 4: Be sure of your target and what’s beyond it. Tip 5: Use proper ammunition. Tip 6: If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with care. Tip 7: Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting. Tip 8: Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting. Tip 9: Don’t alter or modify your gun, and have it serviced regularly. 58
Tip 10: Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you are using. Tip 11: Treat a misfire as though the gun could fire at any moment. Tip 12: Make sure the gun is unloaded before attempting to clean it. Tip 13: Do not use alcohol or drugs while handling a firearm. Tip 14: Never smoke in the proximity of a muzzleloader. Tip 15: Keep your finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger until ready to shoot. Tip 16: Never cross a fence, climb a tree or stand or jump a ditch with a loaded gun. Tip 17: Never hoist a loaded firearm into a stand. Tip 18: Never load a firearm until you are ready to use it. Tip 19: Always unload firearms before riding in any vehicle, including ATVs. Tip 20: Watch your muzzle so the other hunter doesn’t have to. Tip 21: Wear hunter orange so you can be seen. If you take a dog with you, make sure it also wears bright colors. Tip 22: Keep guns and ammunition separately and in locked storage. Tip 23: Don’t shoot unless absolutely sure of your target and what is beyond it. Tip 24: Know the range of your firearm. Remember, even a .22 rim fire can travel over 1-1/2 miles. Tip 25: Tell someone where you’re going and when you
plan to return. If you move from one area to another advise someone. Tip 26: Dress for the weather. Tip 27: Take a GPS or compass to prevent getting lost. Tip 28: Carry a flashlight while walking through the hunting area before or after daylight. Tip 29: Be familiar with the area you want to hunt. Tip 30: Carry a first aid kit. Tree Stand Safety Tips Tip 1: Be sure to select the proper tree before hanging a fixed-position stand or using a climbing stand. The tree should be alive and healthy without any noticeable rot or damage. Your tree should also meet the size specifications and restrictions set by the tree stand company. Tip 2: NEVER hunt from a tree stand without a secure and high-quality safety harness. It only takes one fall to suffer a serious injury or permanently end your hunting career. Tip 3: A strong and sturdy safety rope (or strap) should be attached to both your harness and the tree to prevent you from falling more than 12-inches. Tip 4: Continuously monitor and inspect your safety harness and tree stands before and during the season to check for wear and tear or possible damage. Tip 5: When hunting from a fixed position or hang-on stand always inspect the ladder steps and tree stand attachments to make sure everything is tightly secured to the tree. Tip 6: Always use a haul line to pull-up your gear, bow or unloaded firearm. Never climb with anything in your hands or attached to your back. Before climbing down, utilize the haul line to safely lower all of your equipment on the opposite side of the tree. Tip 7: Be sure to let family and friends know the exact tree stand location that you’re currently hunting. When at all possible, hunt with a buddy and always carry a communication device like a cell-phone or walkie-talkie that can easily be reached on your body at anytime. Tip 8: Follow the 3-Point rule, which says always have 3points of contact to your steps or ladder when climbing or descending from your stand. Tip 9: Be aware of slippery and hazardous climbing conditions that may result from rain, sleet, snow or ice and take the appropriate precautions. Tip 10: When using a climbing stand, make slow, steady and even movements of no more than 12 inches at a time. You should also make sure the climbing section and platform of your stand are attached together by some type of safety cord or rope. Following these important hunter safety tips will help ensure that you have a safe season. Happy Hunting! (Tree Stand Safety Tips courtesy: Summit Stands)
HUNTING THE BACK-COUNTRY One aspect of being prepared involves having a first-aid kit in your backpack to treat bruises, cuts, insect bites or even broken bones. The items that should be in a first aid kit will depend on one’s first aid training. However, one must be wisely selective in putting together a first aid kit that will fit in a small backpack, along with everything else we might need while hunting in remote areas. When I am hunting, I take two first-aid kits. One is kept in a small fanny pack that I carry in a small backpack while hunting. This kit has some essential items to allow me to handle any problems and get myself or others back to camp, where I have a much larger first-aid kit in a large fishing tackle box. The contents of my backpack first-aid kit include:
• Moleskin for blisters on the feet • Tape • Small bar of soap • Burn ointment • Razor blade • Antihistamine for insect bites • Triangular bandage • Small, folding scissors • Aspirin • Snake bite kit • Assorted bandages • Needle • Sunburn cream • Gauze roll • Steri-Pads (gauze flats) • Tweezers • Antacid • Safety pins • Neosporin • Q-Tips • 1 Ace bandage • Several disposable packets of antiseptic towelettes-one should also include any prescription medicine and an extra pair of glasses, if needed, for vision. If you are going hunting this year or planning any trips to the back-country, be prepared, be smart and keep it a safe trip. Be sure to also take a cell phone and a list of emergency numbers
First Aid Tips are Courtesy of Idaho State Journal. 59
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