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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 1
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 3
Fishing Cold & Deep......................................................................... 8 Fishing for Lake Trout
Power Fishing the Mighty Chinook..........10 Hail to the King, Baby!
The White Sturgeon ...............................................14 Not just caviar!
Flathead Lake Monster of Montana.........16 Northern “Nessie”
The Paddlefish..............................................................18
Fishing Florida..............................................................26
Paddlefish Record Shattered..........................19
Fishing Nevada ..........................................................30
Fishing for Walleye..................................................20
Explore the depths for Kamloops Trout
Anglers love the challenge—and the taste
Fishing Idaho.................................................................36
Fishing Alaska.............................................................24
The Ethical Outdoorsman..................................40
The new Trophy Fish!
Largest fish recorded in South Dakota
The “dream” fishing trip
Page 4 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
Need a vacation?
Great Basin National Park
What does it mean?
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Hunting Motivate your dog
Gun Dog Psychology..............................................44 The dog doesn’t need to be gun shy
Gun Dog Training Tips...........................................46 A Haven for a Deer...................................................48 Is Heaven for hunters
Preseason Planning................................................52 For Whitetail Deer hunting
What Was That?!?.....................................................54 How movement can ruin your hunt
Shhhh… Be Vewy Vewy Quiet…...................56 How noise can ruin your hunt Introducing Kids to the
Shooting Sports..........................................................60 Why Someone’s
First Hunt Is So Important..................................62 I Don’t Need No Stinking Compass
Land Navigation 101................................................64
DEPARTMENTS Editorial..................................................................6 Marketplace...................................................70
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ARTICLES Holy Crappies, Bass & Walleyes........22 Bink’s Pro Series Spoons From The Loading Bench......................58 The Mighty .375 H&H— who said it’s not a deer rifle Celebrating South Dakota’s 125th Anniversary........................................ 68 American Legacy Firearms
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 5
July - August 2014
Full Circle It always amazes me how things come around full circle in life. After going fishing with my Grandkids for the first time, it brought back memories of all the good times I spent with my Father and Grandfather as a child. One of my earliest and fondest memories is going fishing with my Grandfather. Grandpa wasn’t much of a talker. He was a quiet giant of a man, set in his ways, who thought the world of me. Our fishing trips always started the same way. We would start our morning around 5:00 am. Grandma would prepare us a large breakfast of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast. Then we would go out to the garage and load up the boat with our tackle and fishing poles. Then drive about twenty minutes or so, stopping by Grandpa’s favorite Gas & Bait Shop, on our way to our favorite fishing lake. Now that I’m older I realize it was Grandpa’s favorite fishing lake because it was so close to home. Grandpa was busy driving the boat at the same time making sure I was tying my fishing hook and swivel properly as I was shown by him before. I think the smile on his face was the approval that I needed to continue my task of getting ready for the day. As I’ve mentioned earlier Grandpa wasn’t much of a talker, but his body language spoke load and clear. I remember baiting our hooks with a simple night crawler as we started fishing. By mid-morning we had about ten or so trout on the fishing stringer. Then I hooked the “Big One.” It grabbed my line and made a run for it. With Grandpa’s coaching I fought that fish forever (probably like 10 minutes) and finally reeled that bad boy in. Grandpa reached in the ice chest and grabbed a cold beer for himself and a ice cold coke for me. I was too busy getting my monster fourteen inch brook trout off of my fishing hook to notice. Now I know it is not a trophy fish but when your six years old it sure felt like it. After my fish was on the stringer tied to the back of the boat I got my cold soda as a reward for the fight that I had just won. Looking back it wasn’t the cold soda that was my reward but the proud smile that Grandpa gave me. If I remember right, he smiled all the way home. This story became one of my Grandpa’s favorites. He always looked at me proud when he told the story of how we landed the “Big One.” Mind you it was caught by his little fishing buddy all by himself, don’t you know. The approval from Grandpa lives with me when I pass that same smile today to my Grandchildren when I take them fishing. Now I know how he must have felt, the feeling of being full of Pride and Love. Passing down what we learned from our Fathers and Grandfather to your own children is what life is truly all about. Be safe out there. ~ Jim Rogers
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 7
& By Steve Turley & Mike John Bell
Knowing the characteristics and locations of the fish you want to catch is just as important as having the right fishing bait and equipment. Lake trout fishing can be a rewarding experience, but these fish are only found in specialized locations in North America. If you want to catch a lake trout, or lake char as they are sometimes known as, you will need to find lakes with very cold water. Any lake water that reaches temperatures of 65 degrees or more will be too warm for these fish. The colder the water, the better it is for their survival. They are prevalent in Canada and the Northern United States, such as in the Great Lakes. Some coldwater mountain lakes in the West will also contain them. Lake trout become easily overfished because they grow very slowly, so depending on where you are fishing, you may only be able to catch and release. They are characterized by their forked tail. These fish have excellent vision, but since they congregate in such deep and dark waters, it is not utilized when they feed. Instead, they use their sense of smell to find their prey. Splake are a hybrid of brook trout and lake trout and are also considered to be part of the trout family. Their tail is less forked than that of a normal lake trout. Obviously, since cold water is important for the well being of lake trout, they often congregate in deep waters. However, if you are fishing a lake in an extreme North region like Canada, the water will always be cold enough for these fish to swim in both the deep waters and the shallows. They will also swim in the shallows in the spring after the ice melts off the top of the lake, and also in the fall to prepare for the spawning season. If you are going to try
Lake Trout Paul Vecsei flickr.com
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fishing in the shallows, try a trout lure such as a spoon. Vertical jigging or downrigging are great techniques for attracting fish in deep waters. Just make sure you don’t have too much depth so that your rig hits the bottom. Determine at what level the fish are swimming and then adjust your lure to a depth slightly less shallow than that. Fishing for lake trout is not an exact science. It doesn’t have an exact formula for victory. Plenty of variables play into consideration for productive fishing. Many people have thought that as long as you follow various rules on how to go about this activity, you are sure to reach your objective. This is not true. Many step by step procedures that discuss the things to do, tools to prepare and locations to go to do not ensure that you’ll catch your target. However, it is important that you know helpful strategies to aid you in doing this endeavor. Here are some successful strategies that will help you when you decide to go to the waters and catch lake trout. Lake trout are greatly determined by the type of season. Their behavior is greatly affected by the changes in their environment. It is best to use this information as a tool to know their weaknesses for better and more effective fishing. Early spring and the start of winter are best times to fish for trout. They are more comfortable with the water temperature that they can be seen on shallow waters of the lakes. You’d be surprised to see them swimming on coast lines, shoals and tributaries during this time. An effective fishing method to use will have to be dry-fly fishing. This is the time when trout target insects that thrive and float on the surface of the water. You can use flies that imitate these insects. Try to use fish flies with vibrant colors such as green, red or yellow. These attract these fish especially since they are the most appealing colors for spring.
Once the warm days of the summer begin, trout swim to the deeper parts of the lakes to avoid the warm water caused by the summer heat. The fish prefer cooler waters, often with temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, they sink deeper for a colder water temperature. In this case, it would entail a different fishing strategy different from the one you used during spring. Wet fly fishing is the best way to seize these elusive fish. Wet flies with a three-way sinker or down riggers are the effective weapons for these times. You need to let them sink to the bottom of the lake and drift through the water to create a more natural state. You can also do the “jigging” motion, creating vertical abrupt motions to emphasize movement. The darkness underneath makes it better to utilize flies that are bright colors and more mobile. This is also advisable during the winter season, wherein most lake trout are timid and often stay underwater for the duration of the season. It is best to find ways to attract them since they are likely not to be aggressive and immediately seize possible bait. In lakes where the water freezes, ice fishing can be done. The procedure of deep fishing done during the summer are also employed, but it would require a different technique of drilling holes on the ice and sinking your line deeper amidst frozen water. Autumn months are the breeding period for lake trout. Before spawning, they lean on feeding and frequent tributaries and coast lines to grab their meals. This is the opportune time to use live bait in order to catch them. They swim to shallow waters to feed. Using live bait such as smelts, minnows, and worms will work to your advantage. The trout are generally hungry and need to store food in their bodies to prepare them for spawning. Fishing for lake trout is an experience where flexibility, attentiveness and intuition work well with the different procedures and strategies. The success of your fishing escapade greatly depends on how determined you are to be victorious in the end. Perhaps combining two or more strategies will work better and produce favorable results than relying on one. So, are you now ready to fish for trout? Mike Bell is a trout fishing enthusiast, who through his writing enjoys helping others to get started in this amazing hobby too. If you wish to read additional articles by Mike Bell, visit http:// ezinearticles.com. Or watch ‘Trout Fishing Essentials’ on youtube.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 9
By Milos Pesic
Hail to the King, Baby! The King Salmon is correctly referred to as Chinook, which is the Alaska Native Word for King Salmon. It’s also known as Tyee Salmon, Quinnat Salmon, Spring Salmon, Chub, Hook Bill (for males), Winter Salmon, and Blackmouth. Chinook are anadromous fish native to the North Pacific Ocean and the river systems of western North America ranging from California to Alaska. They are also native to Asian rivers ranging from northern Japan to the Palyavaam River in the Siberian Far East, although only the Kamchatka Peninsula supports relatively persistent native populations. They have been introduced to other parts of the world, including New Zealand and the Great Lakes. A large Chinook is a prized and sought-after catch for most sporting anglers.
Page 10 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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T
he Chinook spends most of its life in the sea and returns to fresh water to spawn. Live Chinook have silvery sides and a blue-green back and top of the head. Its tail and the upper half of its body is spotted and it has a dark gray mouth. From juvenile and entering the ocean habitat it changes hues, first from dark blotched green then to dark blue green. Chinooks are prized for their red flesh, high oil content, firm texture, and rich flavor. Grillers love to cook up a good King Salmon, especially on an aromatic cedar plank. If salmon is on the menu of an upscale restaurant, it most likely will be Chinook. How did the Chinook earn the name “The King Salmon?” While typically averaging 10 to 50 pounds, some King Salmon can very well exceed 100 pounds. The first world record for the King Salmon was 126 pounds, a commercial catch near
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Petersburg Alaska. A more subsequent effort was made by Mr. Lester Anderson, and he caught a 97 pound King Salmon over at Kenai River in 1985. Immediately after that event, thousands of anglers, pros and regulars clamored up on boat expeditions and charters bound to Alaska’s fishing grounds to try their luck and mettle on landing a 100 pound King. By sheer size the Chinook Salmon deserves to be called “The King.” But it’s not just the size that earns the moniker. These fish are strong and fiery combatants. As soon as it senses the line it won’t give slack. At most it will try to circle or even go berserk often seizing the rod away from astonished anglers who thought they can manhandle the King. Beginners may find that a Big King is too much for them. Managing the lines could make the biggest difference
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 11
in taking down the King or losing him in a solid stream of curses. After hooking, you will most likely battle for over an hour as your salmon swims away very fast downriver, so you should be prepared for a wild ride your entire fishing experience. Also, make sure that your arms are strong enough to hold huge and heavy King Salmon. You don’t want your arms out of their sockets before you get your hands on your catch. Taking the best gear, knowing the best techniques, and having a good guide helps in landing the King Salmon. The Chinook can be found all over the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Canada and of course, Alaska is still the best place for any King Salmon fishing. King Salmon fishing whether in Alaska or in any other place, is considered to be a chance of a lifetime, especially if you hooked a record breaker. King Salmon fishing is absolutely power fishing at its best! So, take up the challenge, face the fight you’ve been preparing for and go get your trophy salmon!
The Chinook (or King) Salmon is the largest of all Pacific salmon, typically measuring 36 inches in length, occasionally growing to over 5 feet. Chinook Salmon often exceed 30 pounds—record fish are in the 120 pound range. Adult Chinook are identified by black irregular spotting on their back and dorsal fins and on both lobes of the caudal or tail fin. Chinook Salmon can also be identified by their black gum line, referred to as “blackmouth” in some areas.
Brian Bradfield holds a large male Chinook Salmon flickr.com
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Black spots on head, top of back, and entire dorsal
Bluish-green back
Inside of mouth & gums are dark gray to black. Silvery sides
Upper & lower part of tail fin have spots White to silvery-white belly
Few spots on fins
In its spawning phase, the coloring of freshwater Chinook Salmon can be an olive to dark brown, or deep gray to black, with red or copper accents. Males typically have more red coloration than females. Adult males (4-7 years) can be identified by their “ridgeback” and by a hooked nose or upper jaw. Females can be identified by their torpedo-shaped body, robust mid-section, & blunt noses.
The Salmon Run One of the most curious characteristics of the salmon is the upstream battle they wage to spawn. Only the strongest survive which may account for their size and strength. There are many theories as to why they return to their birth stream to reproduce. Many experts believe that their sense of smell guides them. After spawning, all Pacific Salmon die.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 13
By Robert Benjamin
Page 14 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
White Sturgeon can grow to be monstrous in size, in fact they are one of the largest freshwater fish of North America. The upper and main body area of these fish are usually grayish-brown or chalkybrown in color, and their underside is mostly cream or bone-white in color, depending on water conditions such as temperature and algae, and their main MidwestHuntFish.com food source.
White Sturgeon are not a very tasty fish, and hardly anyone likes eating them, but what does make them a great catch for many fishermen is the fact that they grow to be huge, and can put up a massive battle when caught, this gives them a trait as a desired catch among many sports fishermen as a trophy fish to hang on the wall. White Sturgeon seem to like living in bays and larger slowly moving rivers, where they tend to prowl the bottoms looking for food, almost in the same ways as other species of bottom feeding fish eat. As spawning time nears, they move towards more faster flowing rivers, and tend to spawn over the gravel bottoms of the clear water. White Sturgeon feed on small fish that they gobble up when foraging near the bottoms of the water they dwell in, other sources of food for them are; dead fish and other water dwelling creatures that have settled on the bottom, live mollusks, small eels, crayfish and shrimp. When pole fishing for White Sturgeon, make sure you use heavy duty fishing gear, as they will easily break a cheap or weak pole or reel, line must also be able to withstand a huge fish that is capable of putting up a strong fight. Some baits that may entice White Sturgeon are dead fish chunks, or even dough balls, cheese chunks, blood bait and other stink baits, as they often consume rotted, decaying fish and other such creatures that have died and settled to the bottom. Robert W. Benjamin has been an avid fishermen for years, in fact in 2010 he went on almost 50 different fishing trips, to ponds, lakes and rivers. Robert enjoys catching everything from panfish such as crappies and bluegill, to bullheads, catfish, eels, pickerel, walleye and numerous other fish. If you want to increase your chances of catching more of your favorite fish, visit the Fishing Stringer website at www.fishingstringer.com. MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 15
In 1955, a huge White Sturgeon was caught, but the sightings continued...
By Robert Benjamin
...In 1889, Capt. James C. Kerr and his crew reported that they saw a whale like creature approaching their lake steamer in the waters of Flathead Lake, Montana. One of the crew apparently fired his rifle at it and scared the creature away...
Flathead Lake, MT • HannahSchultz • Flickr.com
Chromer Sport Fishing • Flickr.com
Page 16 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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In 1949, the Polson family who was out for a picnic near the lake reported that they saw a very huge fish in Flathead Lake. It was more than a hundred meters from them but they could clearly see about six feet of its tail appearing above the water. It swam towards the southeastern part of the lake and it produced waves that were a foot high as it gradually went under water. On May 28, 1955, Leslie Griffith was able to catch a very big sturgeon near Dayton, several miles down the Flathead Lake. The sturgeon put up a very good fight as Griffith pointed out. When the carcass of the white sturgeon was measured, it was about eight feet long; weighing almost two hundred pounds. The remains of the white sturgeon were then brought to the Polson-Flathead Historical Museum. At that account, people in the area around Flathead Lake assumed that it was the end of the line for their own “Nessie” story. However many skeptics theorized that the large fish might have been pulled from the lake, but it might have been brought in to the lake from somewhere else. True to most theories, the slain sturgeon did not put an end to the stories of the Flathead Lake Monster. More sightings of the creature were reported every year. In 1993, there were more than twenty reported sightings of the Flathead Lake Monster. Among the most prominent records were those on July 13 and July 29. On July 13, a bank officer and a sales manager from Seattle claimed that they had videotaped their sighting of the Flathead Lake Monster. They said that the monster had a sturgeon-like head but its body seemed to be more akin to that of an eel. They said that the body seemed to be at least twelve feet in length. In the video, a dark shape emerging from the water’s surface can be observed. Two weeks after, an Illinois policeman with his family said that they saw a “Nessie” in the waters near the north side of Wild Horse Island. They said that they were on their boat when they spotted the creature fifty yards away from them. They said that it swam past their boat at a distance of about a hundred yards away. According to the officer, the Flathead Lake Monster had a shiny and slippery body. It had a head much like the size of a bowling ball and its body extended to about twenty feet long. There is a website that describes the Flathead Lake Monster and numerous other creatures of Cryptozoology in detail, this website is called Unknown Creatures and it may be found at www.unknown-creatures.com.
Wrestling a White Sturgeon to shore • Greg Bishop • Flickr.com
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 17
By Robert Benjamin
Paddlefish can grow to be a pretty large fish, often reaching 6 feet and weighing several hundred pounds, their main body resembles the body of a shark, and their overall color is dark tan to grayish in shade. Depending upon water conditions such as the overall temperature, the algae count and the fish’s main diet in its current area of living, the shades of color may lighten or darken. Paddlefish can live just fine in large reservoirs and deep rivers, where they swim slowly around the areas constantly foraging for food. Paddlefish swim with their mouths open, because they have a special lining in their mouths and throat that acts like a series of filters that captures small aquatic insects, tiny fish, zooplankton and other small critters and substances, which it eats.
Bill Harmon shattered a 35-year-old record when he snagged a 127 lb., 9 oz. paddlefish on May 7, 2014 at Lake Francis Case, SD.
When fishing for Paddlefish, you must use equipment that is heavy duty, and can handle a lot of fighting weight without breaking, this includes the rod, reel, line and hook. There is really no need in using bait or even a lure when fishing for Paddlefish, because they will not bite or go after anything that is much larger then a tiny insect, that is ant size or such. Anglers that catch them, do so by casting as far as possible in a known Paddlefish area, then reeling, and snagging them with very sharp, and large treble hooks.
Page 18 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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Robert W. Benjamin has been an avid fishermen for years, in fact in 2010 he went on almost 50 different fishing trips, to ponds, lakes and rivers. Robert enjoys catching everything from panfish such as crappies and bluegill, to bullheads, catfish, eels, pickerel, walleye and numerous other fish. If you want to increase your chances of catching more of your favorite fish, visit the Fishing Stringer website at www. fishingstringer.com.
PIERRE, S.D. – A Chamberlain man has landed the largest fish ever recorded by an angler in South Dakota. Bill Harmon shattered a 35-year-old record when he snagged a 127 lb., 9 oz. paddlefish on May 7, 2014. Harmon drew a permit for the Lake Francis Case paddlefish snagging season. His fish surpassed the old record of 120 lb. 12 oz. set by Don Gregg in April 1979 in the Ft. Randall tailwaters. Annual stocking efforts of paddlefish began in the early 1990s and have resulted in quality numbers of the species in Lake Francis Case. Jason Sorensen, SD Game, Fish and Parks’ fisheries biologist, noted, “One of the original goals of the paddlefish stocking program was to initiate a sport fishery for this species. Paddlefish are a long-lived species and the Lake Francis Case population has some very old fish. There is potential for anglers to harvest large paddlefish and Bill’s recent catch is proof of that.” Paddlefish are among the largest and longest lived species of freshwater fishes. Native to the Mississippi River drainage, these prehistoric fish once roamed freely throughout the network of rivers in the central United States. From the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers in the west to the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers in the east, paddlefish are believed to have made long seasonal migrations throughout the Mississippi River basin. The unusual appearance of paddlefish amazed early European explorers. Different from most fish species, paddlefish can best be distinguished by their very large mouths and a paddle-shaped snout that is about one third their body length. Paddlefish are bluish-gray in color and appear dark when viewed from above. Similar to many freshwater fishes, they are white on the bottom. Paddlefish lack scales and have smooth skin similar to catfish. Paddlefish feed primarily on zooplankton (microscopic “bugs”) by swimming with their mouths open and filtering zooplankton out of the water with their gill rakers. Since paddlefish do not feed on bait fish and invertebrates, conventional fishing methods prove useless to anglers pursuing paddlefish. Anglers typically snag for paddlefish using heavy-duty equipment and heavy fishing lines. To view a list of all of South Dakota’s state record fish, visit http://www.gfp.sd.gov/fishing-boating/state-fishrecords-list.aspx#UNRESTRICTED. For a fish to qualify as a state record, anglers must have the fish identified by a state fisheries biologist and weighed on a certified scale. Other qualifications can be found on the state record fish application: http://www.gfp. sd.gov/fishing-boating/docs/state-record-fish-form.pdf. MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 19
Walleye is one of the most popular fresh water species for eating. A shore lunch featuring walleye is a very difficult meal to beat, no matter what type of food it may be compared to. When many people think of the term ‘walleye’ they immediately think of Canada, but the truth is that walleye are found all throughout the northern half of the United States as well. Up here in the northern half of the United States, fishing for walleye is a very popular activity. This is true, I believe, because the walleye can be a very challenging fish to catch, and is also very delicious. Walleye is one of the most popular fresh water species for eating. A shore lunch featuring walleye is a very difficult meal to beat, no matter what type of food it may be compared to. When many people think of the term ‘walleye’ they immediately think of Canada, but the truth is that walleye are found all throughout the northern half of the United States as well. So where do walleye get their name? Simple. The name ‘walleye’ comes from the fact that their eyes reflect light, much the way a cats eyes do. This is the result of a light gathering layer within the eye that allows the walleye to see well in low light conditions. Obviously, because Mother Nature gave the walleye this equipment, they are more apt to feed at night. As a matter of fact many anglers attempt to
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By Trevor Kugler
catch walleye at night, although the cover of darkness is by no means a must for catching walleye. Being able to see well in low light conditions means that in many instances, walleye can be found in deep water, where there is less light. Seeing as how they are literally designed to see well in low light conditions, these are the best condition to catch these fish. Fishing is generally better on overcast days and when the water is choppy. When the water is very choppy the walleye can see quite well, due the design of their eyes. Here’s an interesting little trivia fact for you. Did you know that the walleye is the state fish of Minnesota? If you’re lucky that might get you a pie piece in trivial pursuit someday...
Walleye are fished for in a variety of ways. Casting or trolling with spinners or minnow-imitating plugs is always a good bet. Special harness rigs of spinners and beads, with a worm attached are often trolled. Jigs, either traditional or bucktails, are a favorite tactic of many anglers, and some even tip their jig with a live minnow. Another wonderful technique is to find a tributary stream that feeds a lake or river that contains walleye. In the spring and fall, walleye will enter these streams to feed and spawn. Using a gang hook rig baited with a live worm is a great technique for walleye at these times of year. The angler simply bounces the live worm rigged on a set of gang hooks along the bottom as it floats down the stream. The techniques can be deadly. However a person chooses to fish for walleye the point is that the walleye is an incredibly popular fish to try to catch. Whether it be sport or the dinner table seems to make little difference to the seasoned walleye angler. They simply love the challenge of catching them. The people of Minnesota would obviously agree, seeing as how they made the walleye the state fish.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 21
Holy Crappies... Striped Bass and Walleye
By Jim Hunter
Catch them all...and more on
Bink’s Pro Spoons In most of the clear water lakes, impoundments and other bodies of water around the world including oceans and seas, the easiest way to find fish is to find the schools of baitfish. In the freshwater areas of North America, often these schools of baitfish are shad. When you find the “balls” of shad on your depth finder, you will almost always find fish holding under these shad. Sometimes these massive schools of shad will be in deep water meaning 50 feet or more and the only effective way to catch the fish without the use of downriggers is to position your boat over the school and fish vertical with a jig or spoon. You can tell that well known guide Darrell Binkley of Bink’s Guide Service, Norfolk, Arkansas used his 25 years of experience when he developed, in our opinion, one of the most effective jigging spoons for vertical fishing that is available to the fisherman today. The Bink’s Pro Series Spoon is unique in that it is perfectly balanced so it falls with an action that fish Page 22 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
can’t resist and doesn’t hang the line on the hook. From what we’ve seen these jigging spoons are some of the highest quality spoons available today and are manufactured right in here in the USA. Bink’s Spoons are very attractive and realistic in appearance. The cast spoon is either painted white or metalized and overlaid with graphics which closely resemble bait fish. Then oversize eyes are added to give the spoon and even more real look. It has been documented that a predator fish will zero in on the eyes of its prey so it is reasonable to assume that the more visible the eyes are, the easier it is to for a fish to target the bait. The fishing spoon closely resembles a young of the year shad and when dropped into the water, it flutters from side to side while sinking, much the same as an injured shad. Any predator fish will hit the Bink’s Spoons without hesitation because of its striking resemblance in its look and action to a real shad. MidwestHuntFish.com
The Bink’s Pro Series Spoons come in sixteen colors and four sizes.
The 1/4 oz spoons also have an additional color, white with pink and black.
Our time with Bink’s spoons found that they are in fact very high quality, come in a wide variety of colors, and the paint job is very realistic. They are heavy and cast well in all sizes, and have a good wobbling action when retrieved. Besides being awesome Crappie bait the 1/4 oz spoon works well for all species of pan fish and trout. The smaller size caught bluegill like crazy. It cast easily on a spinning rod with four pound line. The bigger sizes are much heavier but work well for bigger fish. You can cast or jig them and the swivel attached to the bigger sizes helps reduce line twist. We definitely recommend these spoons.
Available at local tackle shops or Grab yours at www.BinkSpoons.com Looking for Distributors Call 309-721-6181
The Many Shad Spoon comes in silver and white and only in the 1 oz. size.
Darrell Binkley of Bink’s Fintastic Guide Service I’m inviting you to come fish with me and take advantage of my 25 years of fishing experience on Lake Norfork. I am a full-time fishing guide specializing in Stripers, Hybrids, Walleye & Bass and I fish 7 days a week, 12 months a year. I’m proud of what I do & I invite you to come do it with me! 870-499-7384
Which way did he go? Some fish, like the Tennessee Shad, have a dark spot on its side on the back half of its body. Often, predator fish will target this dark spot on the prey’s body instead of its eye and will misjudge the speed and direction needed to capture his meal. This is nature’s way of allowing fish, like the Tennessee Shad, to be more evasive as to help perpetuate the species. MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 23
A large silver salmon caught in Petersburg, Alaska.
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Well, the years pass as they do and many years went by before the perfect opportunity came along. Then one day I got a phone call from a friend with whom I had discussed going fishing to Alaska. He invited me along on his next trip. I jumped at the chance. We had a wonderful time. We caught fish every day until we were tired out from it. I remember sitting in the boat one day and we all reeled in our lines and sat for a while to eat our lunches because we were tired of reeling in halibut. We hadn’t been able to leave our lines in the water for more than a couple of minutes without having to reel in a halibut and we just wanted a break. We lunched and rested and talked for 45 minutes or so to take a break before we went back to work reeling in fish. An hour or so later, I latched in to a monster halibut that totally wore me out with an hour’s long fight. It weighed in at 168 lbs. We spent our mornings on halibut but then the afternoons were spent trolling for salmon. The salmon fishing was also superb. We hooked up time after time with jumping, running, fighting salmon. Many times we had two or three on at a time. I even remember netting one guy’s fish and then dipping the net a second time to get the other guys fish in the same net. What a hoot! How about taking along your kids or your spouse? There is no better way to spend quality time with family members than fishing. There always seems to be time to talk and get to know each other in new ways. The conversation tends to be different (and usually better) when we are out of our everyday setting. I have had some wonderful opportunities to connect or reconnect with family members or close friends while fishing. Does this kind of fishing trip sound like something you would want to try? I think every fisherman owes it to himself to go and have the experience of Fishing Alaska. Lots of people travel to Alaska each year for a vacation, whether it’s just a trip to see the sights and to experience some of those great Alaskan attractions, or whether it be a specific get-away from everyday life on an Alaskan cruise or to try the great Alaskan fishing. For many people, Alaskan vacations have been a once-in-a-lifetime goal but it is becoming more common for people now to return over and over as they get a taste of the greatness of the attractions that Alaska has to offer. People sample the beauty of nature in Alaska, with its bountiful wildlife and beautiful views, and they get a sense of freedom as they realize just how much empty space Alaska has to offer and how few people there are to take it in. Let’s face it, Alaska has many views and many experiences that cannot be had anywhere else in the world. I refer to things like the humpback & killer whales that make a game of putting on displays for the visitors and hundreds of glaciers that seem to calve on demand just to show off their stuff to those who come to see. I refer to the thousands of bears who just want to eat salmon and don’t care who is watching and photographing them while they do it. Even the plentiful presence of the thousands bald eagles everywhere seems to further ingrain this beauty and sense of freedom into our subconscious minds. Alaska is truly one of the last frontiers. The reality of things is that it likely will remain so. There aren’t all that many people who are willing to endure the harsh, dark winters there to make it a permanent home and so for the most part, Alaska becomes a summer playground for those who are attracted to its beauty, its grandeur, its freedom and its bounty. According to Alaska’s Resource Development Council statistics, 1 out of every 3 visitors to Alaska now is a repeat visitor. They say that almost all of these visitors came first on a cruise ship but are now coming on their own to see and do all of the things that they first saw from a distance on their cruise. They came once and got hooked by what they saw and now want and are taking the opportunity to explore and to experience more in depth, the things that interest them. So, whether your tastes are for wild and exciting or tame and quiet, an Alaskan Fishing Adventure is definitely something that should be on your list of things to do with your family or solo. You may find that you too may be hooked by what you see.
Alaska Jim is an avid outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman. He fell in love with the beauty, resources and bounty of the Alaskan outdoors and the excellent fishing there. His goal is to promote this hobby to others by providing tips and how-to information through his current website and blog. Check out his website at www.FishingTripToAlaska.com and pick up a free copy of his ebook, Alaskan Fishing Tips for Beginners and Pros!
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 25
lorida F Fishing
By Mae Reaves
Welcome to Florida. The sun is shining brightly, the beach is bustling, the water is glistening beneath open blue skies. Whether you fancy saltwater or freshwater sport, the fishing scene awaits! Florida’s fisheries alone contain more than 3 million acres of lakes, ponds and reservoirs and about 12 thousand miles of fishable rivers, streams and canals, and that’s not to mention the state’s 1,350 mile coastline and expansive offshore fishing territory. Recreational fishery resources provide sport for more nearly 1.5 million anglers annually—and for good reason. Page 26 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
Fellowship of the Rich Flickr.com
Off the coast, Florida offers endless exciting opportunities for larger catches and sport such as barracuda, blackfin tuna, sharks, mahi, flounder, cobia, kingfish and many more! Below, we’ll address these major features of the Florida fishing scene with tips on where, when and how to catch them. MidwestHuntFish.com
Mahi-Mahi These fish also have a very high table value and can be encountered year-round on the Treasure Coast. They can be caught as close as a couple miles offshore. These fish typically swim close to weedlines. They average around 10 pounds, but fish over 40 pounds are not uncommon! Fun fact: when one mahi is hooked, the rest of the school often follows it up to the boat, allowing for other anglers to get in on the fun.
Flounder Flounder can be targeted all year round on the Treasure Coast. Average flounder weight is from one to three pounds, but flounder over 12 pounds are not uncommon. Flounder are extremely aggressive, which makes them an easy target!
Mahi-Mahi by GotU Flickr.com
Flounder akangler Flickr.com
Blackfin Tuna NCFishes Flickr.com
Blackfin Tuna Tuna is easily one of the most sought-after catches off the coastline as these tasty fish make excellent table fare. Tuna up to 30 pounds are common along the Treasure Coast! They can be caught all year, but the best action is during spring and fall. Look for them on the edge of the Gulf Stream.
Barracuda These fish are agile and strong, averaging 20 pounds but exceeding 40! Best fishing for barracuda is generally during warm summer months from May to October. The barracuda’s sharp teeth make the use of a wire leader necessary.
Cobia
Barracuda kingbriani Flickr.com
The Cobia is a very tasty fish that often mistaken for a Shark due to its profile. It’s also known as a Black Kingfish, Black Salmon, Ling, Lemonfish, Crabeater, Prodigal son and Aruan Tasek. The best times for Cobia are Valentine’s Day through mid-March, and then again in June and July. Summer fishing takes place along beaches in less than 20 feet of water and can yield cobia over 80 pounds! MidwestHuntFish.com
Cobia off Florida Keys • Flickr.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 27
70” Blacktip Shark • rrehnlund • Flickr.com
Blacktip Shark These sharks average between 50 and 100 pounds. They swim in huge numbers offshore from February through May. They also respond well to chumming.
Kingfish A type of mackerel shaped like a torpedo with razor sharp teeth and generally ranges from 8-20 pounds. They are abundant year round and respond well to chumming. Considered good table fare when smoked or eaten on the same day they’re caught. Kingfish • Steady Breamin’ • Flickr.com
These are just some of the fantastic species found in Florida fishing waters. When embarking on an expedition, familiarize yourself with the bag and size limits on your catches. If you are unfamiliar with the waters, you may want to contract a guide for the occasion, to ensure you get the most out of your experience.
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Page 30 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 31
Baker Lake, Great Basin National Park • Chris Morris • Flickr.com
Cutthroat Trout
Lehman Creek, Great Basin National Park NPCA • Flickr.com Page 32 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 33
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 35
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Hell’s Canyon Snake River, Idaho
Steelhead Trout
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 37
The KAMLOOPS TROUT (Salmo kamloops) hails from Kamloops, British Columbia. In 1892, the larger, stronger trout was verified by Dr. Jordan of Stanford University. Over the next 30 years, small fish hatcheries were established to stock smaller lakes with Kamloops Trout and a commercial fishery was even started on the larger lakes in the area. Lakes such as Kamloops, Kootenay and Shuswap Lakes were producing fish that averaged about 10 pounds—there were stories of fish from 30 to 55 pounds. Fly fishers started to fish the newly stocked lakes. Kamloops Trout of 15 to 18 pounds were being caught from lakes after the third year of stocking. Salmo kamloops was becoming known to anglers around the world. One of the physical differences is that Kamloops Trout averages 150-154 rows of scales—significantly higher than the Rainbow Trout. It has fewer gill rakers, fewer rays in the dorsal & anal fins, and fewer branchiostegal rays (indented lines under the jaws). The head of the Kamloops Trout is wider and longer. The underside fins are a brighter orange, more like a Brook Trout, and the camouflage spots are more distinctive. Below, fishing South Fork Idaho
Page 38 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
Kamloops Trout
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Some anglers pursue white sturgeon, the prehistoric giant that can live for more than 100 years and reach a weight of up to 1,500 pounds. These unique game fish, the largest fresh water fish in North America, can be found in parts of the Snake and Salmon Rivers. Hooking and landing a sturgeon is a challenge, but guides from licensed outfitters can position the angler right over the big fish. Many Idaho residents and visitors alike favor testing their skills against the torpedo-shaped salmon and steelhead that frequent Idaho’s rivers, usually following an arduous trip from the Pacific Ocean. Popular rivers for salmon and steelhead seekers are the Clearwater, the Little Salmon, the Lower and Upper Salmon and the Snake River. Guides and outfitters are a great assistance in locating and catching these large fish.
Majestic Tetons
In addition to sturgeon, salmon and steelhead, the state provides opportunities for some of the best trout fishing in the world. Several areas around Idaho offer up other fish varieties such as whitefish, perch, walleye and northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, and other warm-water types. But, it is trout fishing that made Idaho famous. A large variety of trout, most of which are native to Idaho, are found in the rivers, creeks and still water locations throughout the state. Trout can be taken on bait, spinners and other lures, including flies. Some fishermen prefer lake and reservoir fishing from a float tube, kayak, raft or solid boat or from the shore, while other like trout fishing the rivers and creeks that flow throughout Idaho. Fishing from a drift boat is in style on the larger rivers, where the fisherman might be on his own or be aided by a knowledgeable guide. Wading and shore fishing are also employed on these streams. Fish size is not always important to the trout fisherman, who can hook and land up to 100 fish per day in waters such as the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Hefty trout are plentiful on the Middle Fork. Most are 12 to 16 inches in length. Idaho’s man-made reservoirs and natural lakes also offer up scores of trout to the patient angler. Some of the pristine and picturesque alpine lakes in the state are loaded with hungry trout who are tempted by a fisherman’s offering. Many of these mountain lakes are still unnamed. If you fly fish, Idaho is a fly fisherman’s paradise, with more than 10 designated Blue Ribbon streams to satisfy an angler’s craving for quality. Among the more famous dry fly tests are the Henrys Fork, the South Fork of the Snake, Kelly Creek, Silver Creek, the Big Wood River, the Teton River, the St. Joe River and the Boise River. Fly fishing guides can assist you on these legendary rivers, or you can tackle them on your own. Fly fishing for the wily trout is undoubtedly the best and most satisfying trout fishing method. If you would like to learn how to fly fish, guides who teach the unique techniques of the sport are also available. The variety of sport fish and the full range of water types are in Idaho. Quality fishing is everywhere you look. So is the unsurpassed scenic beauty of the state. The friendly people of Idaho are more than happy to help you find that fishing spot you will not forget. There is no doubt about it, Idaho is a fisherman’s paradise.
Granstrom, an Idaho resident and an avid fly fisherman, has the http://www. idaho-insider.com website. Visit his site for information about the different adventures the State of Idaho offers lovers of the outdoors. Then, visit Idaho to live out some of these adventures for yourself and your family.
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Steelhead Trout
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 39
By Thomas
E. Means Being an ethical outdoorsman goes much deeper that the written laws and regulations. It comes from your heart and soul and who you are as a person, it comes from your love for the outdoors. It’s about doing the right thing when nobody is watching and when they are watching as well. It’s about honesty, respect, caring and courtesy. It’s about how you value your time in the outdoors and that of others. Page 40 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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Being an ethical outdoorsman goes much deeper that the written laws and regulations. It comes from your heart and soul and who you are as a person, it comes from your love for the outdoors. It’s about doing the right thing when nobody is watching and when they are watching as well. It’s about honesty, respect, caring and courtesy. It’s about how you value your time in the outdoors and that of others. The ethical outdoorsman cares about the land and the resources and maintaining both for future generations. Outdoorsmen are the original conservationist and have always been good steward’s of the lands and its resources. Ethical outdoorsmen have been making a difference since the early 1900’s. At this time in our history, most of the deer, elk, turkey, antelope, bison and several other species of wildlife were all but wiped out by the early settlers and commercial hunters. That is when the sportsman and ethical outdoorsman spoke up and the congress listened. Sponsored by Senator Key Pittman of Nevada and Representative A. Willis Robertson of Virginia, the Pittman- Robertson Act was born, and then signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on September 2, 1937. This Act saved America’s wildlife and helped to reestablished populations that had been wiped out. Many outdoorsman groups, foundations, associations and organizations have done more to preserve and improve habitat than anyone. Groups like, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Whitetail Unlimited, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Pheasants Forever, The National Wild Turkey Federation, Bass Anglers Sportsman Society and hundreds if not thousands more groups spend millions of dollars and countless hours of volunteer work on habitat improvement and restoration that benefits all wildlife both game and non-game species alike. Many of these groups actually purchase large pieces of land to insure that they remain wild and undeveloped for future generations.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 41
The ethical outdoorsman respects the resources and does not abuse them. Waiting for the right shot for the quick clean harvest of wildlife, and does not take a bad shot that might wound an animal. Always following up on a shot for as long as it takes to either find the animal or be 100% sure that you missed clean. We owe this effort to the magnificent animals we hunt as they are a valuable resource. Plus, wounding an animal and not finding it will make you feel like crap, or at least it should. Respect the wildlife that you pursue and all other wildlife that you encounter. Enjoy the show that Mother Nature put on only for the outdoorsman. Experience the things that few people will ever experience. Always remember that they are all God’s creatures and we are privileged to be out there among them. It’s OK to say a prayer for the soul of an animal you have just harvested and to give thanks for a successful hunt. It’s also OK to have not filled your tag, but still have a great hunt and some great memories. Remember, it’s not about killing something but about the time spent in the outdoors enjoying all the beauty and splendor that Mother Nature has to offer. Take the time to see it all, enjoy the whole experience and you will learn something new each time out and make memories that last a lifetime. Respect your fellow outdoorsman. Always have the courtesy to give other hunters or fisherman their place. If you get to your spot and someone is already there, the ethical outdoorsman would back off and try somewhere else. Just like you would hope that they would do if you were already there.
Don’t go crowd another fisherman because he is catching fish and you’re not. We have all seen or had the guy that sees you catch a fish and comes right over and cast right out in front of you. Don’t be that guy! And if you hunt with a quad or side by side, always remember that you are not the only one out there. These ATV’s can be a great tool when used properly, or a great annoyance to others when abused. A great example of abuse happened to me and a hunting buddy a few years back. When hunting Coues Whitetail on national forest land near the border in southern Arizona, my buddy and I parked off the road at the top of a ridge. We hiked about 45 minutes down into the canyon and found a good spot where three draws all came together into the main canyon. We got set up under some small trees ready for the deer to start moving, when we thought we heard a quad. The sound of the quad kept getting closer, then from nowhere a quad rode up right next to us with a loaded rifle across the handle bars. We jumped out from the trees and scarred the hell out of him. We proceeded to inform the young man that he was breaking the law. He had no idea what we were talking about. We told him that on National Forest land it was illegal the ride off the roads, but he still didn’t seem to understand or care. He took off and rode down the next ridge over, then the next. We were so angry that we headed back to camp before we did something we would regret.
“Always remember that you are not the only one out there. Don’t go crowd another sportsman. Don’t be that guy!”
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The next morning we decided to hunt on a wilderness area that was nearby because there are no vehicles allowed at all. On our way out to where we would park at the boundary of the wilderness area, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw four quads coming behind us. We parked and started out onto the wilderness area when we saw all four quads riding out a ridge right out onto the wilderness area. Cell phones would not work and there was no game and fish or forestry service anywhere to be found. We were so totally pissed off that we went back to camp, packed our stuff and went home. These four jokers and their quads had completely ruined a hunt that we had looked forward to all year. So as an ethical outdoorsman, please know and follow the rules and the laws and be courteous of others. Catch and release is a great way to respect and preserve a resource. There is nothing wrong with keeping some fish to take home, but only take what you need. And always know the bag limits and size limits for the water you are fishing. Always release the big ones, the trophy fish. With the replicas you can have made now, all you need are a photo and measurements of the length and girth and you can have a mount made.
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Trust me, releasing a ten pound plus bass feels great and knowing that she will be there to lay her eggs again next spring makes it feel even better. Just make sure you have some good pictures. One more thing I would like to say about being an ethical outdoorsman is to always leave it as you found it. Pack it inpack it out, without a trace. When you leave the outdoors, you should not be able to tell that anyone was there. Pick up your trash, your shell casings, and anything else that you brought in or that anyone else may have left. There are many people and groups out there that would like to take away your right to hunt or fish or even own a gun and they are funded well and will stop at nothing. It is up to use, the ethical outdoorsman to take the high road and always show the best of the outdoorsman. And to teach the young outdoorsman the right way to grow into the next generation of ethical outdoorsman. There are so many things that make up an ethical outdoorsman. These are just a few of the more obvious. The best that you can do when faced with a situation that you are not sure what you should do, is to look inside and do what you know in your heart to be the right thing. Do this and you will be on your way to becoming an ethical outdoorsman. Outdoorsman and women are a very lucky group of people. They get to experience Mother Nature and the great outdoors in all of her splendor. They have the opportunity to see and experience things in nature that few people will ever see. And to make memories that will last a lifetime. Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 43
By Ken Devonald
To successfully train any dog, let alone one subjected to the challenges and temptations that face a gun dog, you have to be the focus of his world, at least whilst he is working or training. To get the best out of your relationship, it is important to reward the dog with whatever motivates it most.
How about Praise? Will this stop him in his tracks when old longears gets up and runs just slowly enough to keep out of reach? You can shout ‘Good Boy’ after him, but he will still be trying to work out how that rabbit can run so slowly but why he still can’t catch him. And whilst he is thinking that, he isn’t going to stop to have his ears scratched. So praising him at this point is, well, pointless.
Page 44 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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How about Treats? Food is often thought of as an effective training reward, and true enough, it will catch a dog’s attention. But in economics there is a concept of the law of diminishing returns. Put simply this means that if you have stuffed your face with biscuits and someone asks you to give up something you wanted to do in return for another biscuit, you aren’t going to want to give up what you wanted to do. So if you have a dog stumble across a jackrabbit then try rattling the biscuit bag - I can almost guarantee he will already be out of control and will not have any intention of returning for a biscuit after all he can get those for just sitting when he hasn’t got the chance of catching a giant rabbit! So give treats little and not very often - then it is like having a chocolate cake with cream when you have been dieting!
How about Punishment? How about Punishment? Will it work if you kick his backside or tell him off when he comes back, tired and exhausted after chasing that rabbit for ten miles just to try to catch it for you? No, he is going to think that is the last time I am going to run up to him when he calls me back.
Ken is a computer consultant with a keen interest in dog-training, especially training gundogs. He is also a keen (but lapsed) shooter and fisherman. Since he has recently taken employment after being a freelance for eighteen years, he finds he has some time on his hands, and has decided to create a website about his favorite subject, gundog training. Despite being told time after time that computer people make the worst possible trainers, he doesn’t really agree, believing anyone who likes spending time with a doting dog can train to any level they like. He intends this site to become a valuable resource for all gundog trainers whatever their history and standard, from brand new novice to the know-it, done-it expert from a professional background. You can visit his gundog training site at www.gundog-training.com.
What about Threats? What about Threats? I have tried these, including ‘If you don’t come back now you will NOT get your dinner tonight!’ and he has shouted back that rabbit was on his menu tonight, thank you very much! The only thing that motivates a dog to do as he should is embedded repetition of basic training. Basic training for the sit, enforced by the occasional treat, and gradually diminishing praise will make it automatic for a dog to sit. Then start challenging him. Take him where you know a rabbit or bird is hiding, but keep him on a length of rope. As soon as the hare gets up, give him the sit! command (not too loudly - you have him on a rope, so he isn’t going far enough to get out of earshot, and you want to be able to do this quietly when you do it for real!) Since he is on a lead, he can’t run and you can hold his attention. Repeat until the dog sits as soon as the rabbit moves. Vary it with rabbits, deer, pheasant, partridge, or whatever game you have in your hunting ground, and before you know it your dog will be sitting as soon as game moves, giving you a clear shot (or clear view, if you are just working the dog for pleasure). A word or two of warning - don’t leave the lead too slack, or you may find your arms yanked from their sockets, or a nice deep rope burn from the lead – stopping a 60-70 pound dog can be a bruising experience if they have too much momentum! Happy Hunting! MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 45
No one likes surprises, especially if it’s something like a Cherry Bomb blowingup right beside you. If that happens, we have a tendency to put the person who lit the fuse on our S-List. With a dog, they’ve got pretty sensitive hearing. But fear of a gunshot is not in their DNA. It’s usually our fault. We’ve screwed-up by not getting the pup used to the big bang when we pull the trigger. While there are breeds that are skittish, firing-off a rifle will probably make them soil their new mohair suit. So, in the interest of being good folk, don’t go and try to get your Lhasa Apso to become a member of the NRA. They’re just not built for it. Enroll them in a nice knitting club or teach ‘em some chess.
Flushers, Retrievers and Pointers
Now we’re talking gun dogs! The best conditioning takes place when they’re about 9-weeks old. But you can teach old dogs new tricks, too. Before we get started, here’s a list of extremely stupid and insane things to do if you want to totally fail at getting your mutt used to guns: • Keep them outside during thunderstorms. • Blow-off fireworks near the animal. • If the pup is eating, start unloading your weapon. • Take the dog to the Shooting Range. • Think that an old mutt can teach the new guy some gun dog tricks. • Randomly blow-off a few rounds just to get the animal’s attention. What is gunshot? It’s a noise. As you raise your pups, get them used to all kinds of sounds. Keep a radio or TV on near their isolated portion of the house. A good place is where you do your laundry. Someone’s always slamming things around where you do your wash. Snapping your fingers, a hearty clap, a bunch of slightly loud “Good dog” praises are other things to get them used to realizing they have ears. Go slow; you don’t want the dog to turn into a neurotic mutt.
By Jake Theron
Three things will make this fairly productive when getting the pointer to chill when it’s around a firearm: Playtime!
Take an unloaded gun or one of the kids toy BB rifles. Your best friend needs to see you carrying something as playtime begins. Drive the pup to a nice open field. Leave ‘em in the truck while you takeout some caged and moderately clipped game birds. It’s hide-and-seek time! Plant the fowl around the wide open space. Let the games begin. The little one is about to do some serious chasing of the birds.
Gun = Good
After a few weeks of these play sessions, hide the ammo, empty the chamber and leave a few guns lying around the house. This can be tricky if you have kids. You may only want to do this when the children are at school or the mall. Your goal is to desensitize the animal to the sight of fire arms. Put one near their food and water dish, or their favorite toys, on a low table, on their bed blanket, etc.
The mission is to build the dog’s self-esteem, get ‘em used to being a gun dog and most importantly, don’t rush things. Page 46 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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Jake Theron is an avid dog trainer and hunter who loves to give people his wisdom. He tends to spend most of his time nowadays either training his companions or fulfilling his need to spread his knowledge by writing for Versatile Dog Supply who is an online supplier of hunting dog equipment and gun dog supply. Visit them at www.versatiledogsupply.com!
Bassets are scent hounds that were originally bred for the purpose of hunting rabbits & hare. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound. However, the Labrador Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, English Setter, Coonhound, and English Springer Spaniel are believed to be the most popular breeds of hunting dogs in America.
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The flusher has been introduced to birds. Guns are part of its everyday life. It’s now time to get the dog used to the noise. Don’t start with a.44 Magnum. Go to the toy store; buy a pop gun or a cap pistol. You’re going to need to enlist the help of a friend. They’ll have to stand about a hundred-feet or so away. Bed a couple of live birds. Let the canine out of the truck. The animal knows the drill. Once they find a bird, the chase begins. As the fowl is taking to the sky, your helper has to fire just one shot. If the pup keeps chasing the bird, you’re almost there. If not, no big deal, just head to the next bird. Continue this a few times as your human companion gets closer-and-closer. Put away the toys and bring out a blank pistol, same routine. That’s it for the day. Lavish the dog with praise and head home. Tomorrow, same ol’-same ‘ol. This time with a 20-or-28 gauge rifle. In the span of a month, you’ll be able to cart-out the 12-gauge.
There’s always another season… MidwestHuntFish.com
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www.northernstatessupply.com Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 47
Deer, like any other species, require the essentials for life Those essentials are: • Cover/security, a place that’s gives them a sense of protection • Water, which is the essence of life • Food which is required for existence Therefore your property should have these three life supporting essentials because it determines their movement patterns. It attracts and maintains those deer and potentially that big buck that could be looking for that “green pasture” which is on your side of the fence. Scout out your land to find deer trails and begin developing your layout near a source of water in conjunction with a suitable area for bedding. Also look for areas where vegetation can be planted to entice the deer to remain close.
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By Heath K. Hylton
So you want to have a successful year deer hunting huh? Do you want that big buck to remain on your property and make it his home turf? There are some techniques and strategies that could assist you in keeping that big buck a part of the scenery on YOUR hunting refuge.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 49
There are several different layouts in developing your property that will promote a deer’s security and food/water source Those layouts are: • “Inside out”
• “Outside in”
• “Mixed”
The “Inside Out” layout consists of bedding areas located in the center of the property and food/water source on the outside near property line. The bedding areas should have a lot of thorny bushes and thickets and a large enough area to allow sunlight to penetrate the undergrowth. Tall grass will be beneficial as well to give deer a sense of protection to hide from predators. The “Outside In” layout is the opposite of the inside out layout but seems to be the best set up for hunting. Reasoning for this is obvious since developing food sources located in the center of your property will keep deer migrating that way. This set up will keep them away from the adjacent one looking for food. The “Mixed” layout is just that, mixed. There are both kinds of layout on your property which in the long run causes greater difficulty to design and hunt.
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A food source is vital for deer to remain on your property. They require different types of vegetation to keep their digestive system regular and working properly. There are several different types of vegetation in which to invest in and plant. The best time to plant these seeds are in late summer, the early part of August. The land is more feasible for machinery to plant and there’s minimal new weed growth. This avoids planting in the spring under excessive wet conditions (based on use of machinery) and fighting the growth of weeds. There are five types of seed that will keep deer returning to and remaining on your property year round. Those five seeds are as follows:
Sweet clover
Brassica
• Biologic Winter Bulbs and Sugar Beets which is composed of brassical root bulbs and nutritious green tops. They begin to eat the green tops in early to mid fall and partake of the bulbs shortly thereafter. • Frigid Forage Big-N-Nasty Brassicas which contains sugar beets, turnips, rape, and forage carrots. This forage is good for cold climates as in the northern part of the U.S. Therefore providing greenery for the deer into the wintery months even with snow on the ground. • Hunter’s Specialties Vita-Rack Winter Forage which consist of rape, turnips and clover. The rape and turnips are available for deer in the fall but the clover flourishes in the springtime to provide a lush field for deer to consume. • Imperial Whitetail Tall Tine Tubers is a type of turnip which is good for quick growth, with the ability to withstand cold, and deer love it!! • Imperial Whitetail Double-Cross is a blend of brassica, kale, and rapeseed with varieties of clover. It provides greenery for October and November and has bulbs in December for them to consume. The clover, as above, will flourish during the spring months and maintain an area for food attraction. In conclusion, considering the layout of the land, the essentials of life (security, water, & food sources) along with proper planning will develop that haven for deer which in return will provide hunters a heaven for deer hunting!
Forage turnip
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 51
By Heath K. Hylton Unsure of what to do to prepare for the upcoming hunting season? Don’t let the hunting season sneak up on you and be left empty-handed without getting that big buck. There are several things that should be taken into consideration when planning for preseason. Planning for preseason should actually be an ongoing activity during the entire year. I will explain later on why that is important but first I want to explain a couple of other things. Things that need to be considered and planned in advance before deer season begins Scouting out your property to determine the best area where the deer are bedding feeding, crossing water sources, and entering/exiting areas near open fields. Once you find that area of high traffic then you’ll want to set up a deer stand in that area. I will discuss the best time and situation to scout and build a stand to make your season a successful one.
SCOUTING YOUR PROPERTY Here are four “T’s” to remember: • Time of year • Type of weather • Technology use [motion sensor camera] • Tracing/Tracking [physically walking your property] The best time of the year to scout is during the winter months-early spring, from January to March prior to the upcoming hunting season. Why scout at this time? The movement patterns of deer are based on their food and water supply as well as the beginning of rut and hunting season. Our evasive four-legged friends will begin migrating in the fall, back to that same area that they habitat during the winter months. So scouting in the summer months will not lead you to where they will most likely be during the season. The best kind of weather that you should consider when scouting is on days that there is inclement weather and strong winds. This type of weather dissipates human scent faster. It should be done all in one day to reduce the occurrence of entering the woods and to keep detection as minimal as possible. Another way of keeping detection at a minimum as well as finding out a lot of valid information is by the use of cameras.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 53
By Jason Wall How many of us have been busted by big game that we never even knew they were there? Yeah I know, probably too many times to count, at least from my experience anyway. Having been busted all those times has taught me one thing. The slower I move the more game I see and the more chances I have of seeing them first rather than the other way around. I can remember one specific mule deer hunt. I must’ve been 18 or 19 years old at the time. I had been coming to the same spot every morning and had been seeing a lot of does and only a few small bucks, but I knew that there were some bigger bucks in the area. And it was only a matter of time before I was going to have one in my sights. I can still remember walking up to a small open meadow where they were usually feeding in the morning. And before I even knew what was going on, a nice 4 point buck (8 point buck in eastern terms) was blowing snot in anger and running off through the thick oak brush. I immediately started cussing myself because I knew if I had been slower and more quiet I would’ve had a shot at him. Well to make a long story short he headed up a fairly open hill in front of me and was about 400 yards away and I shot at him a few times but missed. I learned a very valuable lesson that crisp, cold morning. No matter where you’re at, move slowly. You’re never going to know for certain where a buck may or may not be. Times when I’ve been in a hurry and wasn’t paying attention are the times when I run into a buck or bull and miss my opportunity because I wasn’t prepared mentally or physically. I was merely tromping loudly through the forest not thinking that there may be a buck around the next tree or bush. Most big game animals have eyes that put our optics to shame. They can spot unnatural movement in an instant and they’re constantly on alert which already gives them a huge advantage over us. Try not to skyline yourself; this can be a huge mistake as animals that are down from us are constantly checking the ridge line for danger. Choose the route you take through the forest carefully. Try to find routes that give you concealment while at the same time being as quiet as possible. That is why scouting out your area first is so important. Knowing which routes to take and which routes not to take can be the difference between a successful hunt and tag soup. Every 15 or 20 steps stop, look and listen to your surroundings. I’m sure all of us have been within yards of a nice buck or bull and not known it until he busted off through the bushes. Moving more slowly and being more aware of our surroundings will make all of us better hunters. Be safe and good hunting my friends. www.RifleScopesPros.com is a professional online rifle scope dealer. We carry only the best rifle scopes - Leupold scopes and Nikon scopes. Visit us online! Page 54 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
The use of today’s technology such as motion sensor cameras has vastly improved scouting since it allows you to monitor activity for 24 hours, over a period of a week or more. Placement of camera(s) are critical. They should be set up in areas of food/water supply, main trails, and funnels. A funnel is the lay of the land which provides a narrow or restricted area for deer to pass from one place to another. Funnels can be either man-made (example: a fence line) or naturally developed in nature by other animals (example: beaver’s dam, line of trees, or a fallen tree). Cameras not only allow you to monitor deer movement patterns but also predators/trespassers that may be travelling through your property as well. It’s also essential to walk your property to observe the main trails and figure movement patterns. It allows you to track deer to find the highest traffic areas. This leads me to my next point which is determining stand location.
DEER STAND LOCATION When determining location for a deer stand it should be based on your scouting results. You will want to determine and set up your stand near deer movement patterns, food/water sources and bedding areas. However, make sure it’s in an area that’s easily accessible by foot or by some form of vehicle. There’s nothing like ruining that exciting hunt by having to drag/carry your lifeless deer for any kind of distance. If you are in an area that it is extremely hard to get vehicle access, then you can use a tarp, blanket, or sheet to place the deer on. Then it will make it a little easier to drag it out, especially if you have a buddy to help pull it.
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Make sure your deer stand is in an area that’s easily accessible by foot or by some form of vehicle. There’s nothing like ruining that exciting hunt by having to drag/carry your lifeless deer for any kind of distance. Once you find the best location for your stand based on accessibility and high traffic areas, you’ll want to determine optimal height of your deer stand. Usually a satisfactory height for a stand is approximately 20 feet high in tree. This height is tall enough to remain unnoticeable to deer but not too high to cause a lot of interference by limbs. However, if you do have limbs that are in your shooting lane, now is the time to cut those branches back, not the day before the hunt. The noise from cutting back those branches will definitely disturb the deer. So the best times to determine location of a stand(s) are a couple of months prior to the beginning of deer season. By doing so, it will allow human scent to dissipate and lower detection. Try to take one full day to determine stand(s) location instead of going multiple times to keep human detection at a minimum also. In summary, take a considerate amount of time to plan, scout, and execute that plan to have a very successful hunting year. Remember that this success is based on your year-round activity so don’t let your ideas and actions be idle for several months.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 55
By Jason Wall
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How many times have you spooked a deer or elk because a bush brushed up against your denim jeans, jacket or backpack? Or because your backpack or rifle sling make some weird squeaking noise? Or that twig that snapped under your boot? I raised my hand because it’s happened to me plenty of times. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to silence your gear before you start hunting. But by doing it each and every time it will become a habit and it will increase your odds of killing that big buck or bull. When I first started hunting elk when I was a teenager, I was walking through an open patch on a hillside and was making my way into a thick patch of pines. I was doing my best to be as quiet as possible because as luck would have it there was no wind and it was dead quiet in the forest. As I was about to step into the patch of pines in front of me my right foot got hung up on a piece of log that was sticking out and made a loud cracking sound. My heart immediately sank into my boots and I was cussing myself under my breath for not noticing that log. As I made my way into the pines I saw a big bodied two point elk turn around and start running full bore down the hill. I had just enough time to raise my rifle and watch a brown patch of hair flash through my Leupold scope. He was gone in an instant and it was too thick to follow him. I know if I hadn’t of hit that log with my foot I might have had a chance at him. It was the middle of the day and it was hot so he was bedded down. I actually found his bed as I continued walking into the pines. I learned a great lesson that day. Be very careful of every sound that you make and be especially careful of your footing. More noise is made by us hunters breaking twigs and branches under our boots than anything else. After that day I watch every step I make and I move a lot slower through the hills than I used to. Other things to remember are: Slamming your truck door: Always be careful how hard you shut your door, always try to ease it shut. You never know if there’s a buck or bull just around the corner from you that you can’t see yet. How many of us have had that happen? Check your gear before you start hiking or at home: Jump up and down with all of your gear on and check the noise level. By jumping up and down this will give you an idea of the loose items and noise makers with your gear. Make sure your sling is oiled and your backpack doesn’t squeak as you hike. Don’t wear jeans, plastics or loud fabrics: I can still remember laughing when I used to see those plastic orange vests for sale at K-Mart when I was younger. Even being young and naive I knew better than to wear a plastic orange vest that the deer and elk could hear from two miles away. Also I stopped wear denim a long time ago. Denim next to plastic is the worst thing to wear when hunting. Do you know how denim sounds when you’re walking through a patch of bushes or pine trees? It’s loud and unnatural. Don’t wear denim; instead wear cottons or fabrics that don’t make a whooshing sound when scraped against bushes or trees. Watch your footing: This one is most important. Every time a deer or elk hears a twig snap they instantly go into alert mode and wait for the next sound to come and are ready to bust out into a run if they have to. This one is also sometimes very difficult to prevent especially if it’s late October and there are crunchy leaves everywhere that sound like fortune cookies breaking. I recommend buying some “bear paws” which are hair like covers for the bottom of your boots. Or you can put some type of thick cloth under your boots when you’re going to be sneaking through a thick patch of trees or pines. This will greatly reduce the noise level. I hope these tips and ideas will greatly help your hunt this year.
www.RifleScopesPros.com is a professional online rifle scope dealer. We carry only the best rifle scopes - Leupold scopes and Nikon scopes. Visit us online! MidwestHuntFish.com
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This magnificent medium bore has been around for more than a century. The prestigious gun manufacturer Holland & Holland saw the need for this new caliber with the advent of the new smokeless powder cordite. In 1912 the .375 H&H was born. From that moment on it made a name for itself from Africa and India to the farthest reaches; where man would travel the .375 H&H would go and no animal was too tough. In the early days the bullet design was from a black powder era and they could not withstand the high velocity of the .375 without coming apart. The early solids helped to keep the new caliber on the right track until proper soft points where developed. Today there is no limit to what the .375 H&H can do; from groundhogs to elephants and anything in between, like the Whitetail deer and the black bear. Many people would say that the .375 H&H is overpowered for such game and that would be true with most of the loadings on the market today. However, at Nyati Inc. we have changed the rules to fit the game. Our loading puts the .375 H&H into a new category as the most versatile caliber in the world. That’s a bold statement from Nyati Inc., but true. If you look at their website, it should be apparent that the loading for the .375 H&H covers a full spectrum of field use. My first experience with the .375 H&H was not what I always thought it would be like. I expected it to hit like a ton of bricks, but after shooting the .416 Rigby for a time, the .375 was my new darling big bore. The more I fired it, the more I enjoyed the pleasant kick. I have been shooting big bores for many years now and when I have an opportunity to shoot the .375 Winchester model 70, it reminds me of my very first model 70. It was only a 22-250 but it was a Winchester model 70 and it could really shoot. Many years ago in the green fields and mountains of Pennsylvania, if I spotted a groundhog, aka whistle pig, within 500 yards, it was in big trouble. I miss those days. In Wisconsin, we can’t shoot whistle pigs, in fact, I have only seen a half dozen in the last twenty years. I lost my thought, back
Page 58 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
to the .375. The loading to convert the Mighty .375 is very simple, as always. I start with Accurate 5744 to reduce the heavy recoil down to Deer rifle recoil. No other powder can ever be used in place of the 5744 for this type of loading. If a 235 gr bullet at 2,000 fps is not a Deer load, then what is? How about a 300 gr bullet at 2,000 fps that sounds like a nice .444 Marlin load but with a much higher B.C. The perfect 30.06 load is a 150 gr bullet at 2,900 fps and it will develop about 2,800 ft lbs of energy. The 235 gr at 2,000 fps will develop about 2,087 ft lbs of energy and the 300 gr bullet will develop about 2,664 ft lbs with 19 ft lbs of recoil, about the same as a 308 Winchester sporting rifle. So, is the Mighty .375 H&H Mag. a true Deer rifle in the truest sense? I think so. If you add all the numbers in the correct sequence you will find that they correspond perfectly to the perfect Deer rifle. The perfect deer rifle could mean many things to many people. A new hunter at the young age of 12 could think that his grandfather’s old 25-20 would make the perfect deer rifle. His grandfather killed many deer with that rifle. Or, maybe the Kansas bean field hunter may think that a 300 Ultra Mag. with a 20 power Leupold scope is the only perfect deer rifle. The perfect deer rifle means so many things to so many different people. My perfect deer rifle when I was 17 was a Savage model 99 in 300 Savage caliber. By the time I was 21, it changed to a Remington model 760 pump carbine in 30.06 that has been my perfect deer rifle for many years and will be for many more. In the last ten years I have used some of the largest rifles in the world for hunting deer and bear in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and they were all down loaded to act like the perfect deer loads. Until the next time from the loading bench. Practice, Practice, Practice.
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From the Loading Bench Ed Hammond www.nyatiinc.com
Today there is no limit to what the .375 H&H can do; from groundhogs to elephants and anything in between, like the Whitetail deer and the black bear. Many people would say that the .375 H&H is over-powered for such game and that would be true with most of the loadings on the market today. However, at Nyati Inc. we have changed the rules to fit the game. Our loading puts the .375 H&H into a new category as the most versatile caliber in the world. That’s a bold statement from Nyati Inc., but true. If you look at their website, it should be apparent that the loading for the .375 H&H covers a full spectrum of field use.
MidwestHuntFish.com
Caliber
Bullet wt.
MV
ME
Powder wt. wt.
Gun wt.
Recoil Energy Recoil Vel. Powder ft. lbs. FPS Density %
Total Volume
.375 H&H 235
2,000
2,087.1
39
9
12
9
44
88.4
300
2,000
2,664.3
43
9
19
11
48.6
88.4
300s
1,300
1,125.7
27
9
7
7
30.5
88.4
Caliber counts! At Nyati Inc. we have changed the rules to fit the game. Our loading puts the .375 H&H into a new category as the most versatile caliber in the world.
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 59
By Ace Luciano For the last 15 years, I have dedicated myself to several different causes that have a common theme. They all focus on getting more youth involved in “traditional” outdoor sports. What is a “traditional” outdoor sport? There are several, but in my instance that means hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and trapping. As someone that has personally initiated over 1000 youths to hunting, shooting, and the outdoors, one of the most common questions that I receive is, “What is the best way to introduce a youth to shooting?” The short answer is, take them with you! As we move to a more urbanized society, this has become more difficult than in the past, but as a father to four young children, I can assure you that it can be done. There are some important factors to consider whenever a young person is around firearms, but if you keep the following three things in mind, you will ensure not only that a good time will be had by all, but also that the child has the best chance of developing a lifetime passion for the same things that you enjoy. Here are the three biggest mistakes people make when they introduce kids to shooting. • They make it about them and not the child. Remember-kids like things to be exciting, and they like things to be fun. Fun for you doesn’t mean fun for them. My number one “top secret” trick? I like to use reactionary targets. Pop cans or milk jugs filled with water...a spinning or resettable target...even balloons taped to a backstop all work great! • They “over-gun” or “under-gun” the child. An investment in the right equipment now means many, many years of fun ahead. Why take the chance of making it a negative experience for that youngster? The more children you have or plan on introducing to the shooting sports, the more economical it becomes to buy the proper equipment. It also sells well when they’ve outgrown it. • They aren’t flexible. Remember, kids have short attention spans. Watch them carefully for signs that they are bored or need a change of scenery. Never, ever become frustrated or raise your voice to a child learning to shoot a gun or bow. Aside from the added risks of error, it’s a great lesson in patience for all of us. Finally, I would like to address the issue of the right age to start a child in the shooting sports. The correct answer is, it depends on the child but you can never start early enough. The government, state or federal guidelines, are not good source of information or advice in this case. I’ve seen kids that were avid, safe hunters at age 7 and others that shouldn’t be anywhere near a gun at 17. By the time a child is 10 or 12, they have already become involved in school activities, other sports, and these days it seems they are becoming interested in the opposite sex at an earlier and earlier age. If your child is at that stage, you will have a much more difficult time than had you introduced them earlier. My kids were in the field and out on the water with me by the time they were 3 years old. The result? They all are passionate outdoorsmen (and women) that love to accompany me to this day. Follow this advice, and you will ensure a lifetime of companionship, responsibility, enthusiasm, and enjoyment with your child.
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Ace Luciano has been a consummate outdoorsman for over 30 years and has travelled the globe in pursuit of both game and fish throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Africa, Europe & Australia. He is a Read Head (Bass Pro Shops) & Mossy Oak Hunting Pro and a member of the Pro Staff of great companies representing Leupold Optics, Traditions Muzzleloaders, Browning, Barnes Bullets, Magnum Research, & BLACKHAWK! He was a semifinalist in the 2006 Field and Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge. In order to help pursue his passion, in 1995 he became a partner in the adventure booking agency World Game Hunts, Ltd. For the adventure of a lifetime, visit [http:// www.worldgamehunts.net.] Recruiting youths into the outdoors is a passion, and Ace is involved in numerous conservation organizations and youth projects. A 20 year veteran of sales & marketing, Ace has won the pinnacle sales award at every company for which he was ever employed and now shares his experience with other outdoor-related businesses. You can benefit from Ace’s sales & marketing expertise by visiting his website, www. BigGameAce.com. Whether you are looking for a new source of customers, keeping the customers you have from the competition, starting a pro staff program, or simply want to streamline your business and make more money, you NEED this “Ace” in your hand!
MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 61
By Jason Wall he first hunt that I ever went on with my father, uncle and cousins was great. My father ended up killing a decent 2-point mule deer (4-point in eastern terms). The weather was good, the hike wasn’t too treacherous for me, as I was only 11 or 12 at the time and we walked away successful. That day instilled in me an obsession and lifelong love for hunting and the outdoors. Granted we can’t always control if we successfully harvest an animal or not but we do have some control over the hunt. And some of these things should be looked at and taken into consideration for first time hunters. For example the length and difficulty of the hike, going out during good weather or bad weather, waking up too early or too late and making sure that they’re properly prepared with their gear and essentials. When I was in junior high school my father took my little sister and I hunting in the afternoon during the general deer season here in Utah. My little sister was very excited to go hunting with us because she could see our enthusiasm for hunting. That year there was a lot of snow on the ground and it was freezing cold. We got to the area kind of late and started hiking. Half way into the hike it started to get dark and we got lost because there was so much snow that everything looked the same.
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P LV heasant
odge
After a while we decided to make a fire and decide what we should do. As we were sitting by the fire we decided it was best to head downhill through a draw. After 20 minutes of hiking we made it to the main trail. My father made several mistakes that day with my little sister. She wasn’t dressed properly for that hunt, she was too young to take hiking into that particular area for her first hunt and getting lost and very cold didn’t help either. After that hunt my little sister would never go again and had zero interest in hunting. My father has told me how he regrets that day and that hunt with her. We all make mistakes but he got us out safely and I owe him for that and am grateful to him. One good thing did come out of that experience. It was a great learning experience for me. I learned what to do and what not to do with someone on their first hunt, even though I’ve made similar mistakes with some of my friends over the years. I plan to and hopefully will never make the same mistakes with my children when they get old enough to come along hunting with me.
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Someone’s first hunt really is important. It sets the tone of hunting in their mind—good or bad. I was lucky enough also with the first hunt I went on where I was actually hunting instead of just tagging along to successfully harvest a very nice 4-point mule deer (8-point in eastern terms). Again instilling in my mind how great hunting was and adding fuel to my already big fire and love for hunting. Let’s all do what we can do this season to see that the people we take hunting for the first time have a good experience. Of course we can’t control everything, but let’s try to control what we can, and do what you can to present a fun and positive experience.
MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 63
It’s never too early to start scouting for next year’s season. Turkey, deer and hog are on the menu for the average hunter on the prowl. It is summer in the Midwest and the humidity and heat will take its toll on the hardiest of hikers. Hopefully you’ll finish before the sun is high, close to your vehicle where your cold drinks on ice in your cooler are waiting. That’s if you can find your way back. I usually have a good sense of direction and remember which trails I take. But is this really a wise philosophy to adopt? Wouldn’t I be more secure in my trekking if I actually knew where I was at or could get back in the dark? This sudden realization left me wondering just what kind of outdoorsman I really am. Am I just a poser? I mean what difference does it make if I can make a fire by rubbing two sticks together, if I can’t navigate in the wild without the aid of a high tech device like a personal GPS unit. Let’s see, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. That’s a no brainer, and takes care of the morning and evening hours for directional hints. What about the daytime hours? I don’t live out in the plains so I can’t use the north/south pointing of the foliage of the compass plant like the early settlers did. But if I take my watch and, holding it level, point the hour hand at the sun and then sight a line from the center of the watch through half the distance from the hour hand to 12 o’clock I will be pointing to the south. That’s standard time. Crap, now I have to buy a watch. Cell phones really put the redundancy on that wrist accessory. At night I can find the north star by following the line from the two outside stars of the cup on the big dipper that point to a brighter than average star out in the sky in front of them. Or, if I can see a crescent moon high in the sky I could draw an imaginary line along the tips of the crescent to point towards the south where it intersects the earth. So I’m good to go. But just as a precaution I invested in a genuine military, lensatic compass, the Cammenga model 3H. It’s quite impressive to those with compass envy and I can add it to my list of potential weapons I carry with its impressive weight. Put that puppy in a sock and swing it. It was ten o’clock by the time I pulled up to my selected trail for the day. My plan was to walk a path around the creek bed a few miles away and pick up the trail on the other side where I’ve never been. It was flooded during the season but it appeared that a dirt path went through it to the other side. And notice I did say plan, and plan you must. You just can’t be out there walking willy nilly. What’s that rule? Let someone know what the plan is, and make sure it’s someone who won’t be walking with you. You should also plan for your turn-around point so you can get back to your car well before dark. If I know about how far I’m going to hike I just divide that distance by 2 which is about how fast I hike in mph and the result will be about the time in hours it will take to get back. Otherwise I just time the hike and turn back at the halfway time for a short hike, or a half hour early if it’s an all-day jaunt. That means if I started at eight in the morning and wanted to be back by five, I would turn around about noon. If you don’t mind counting your steps all day, you can get some ranger beads and count every left step until you reach a hundred yards, move one bead down and start again. At the end of nine beads, you move one of the upper beads down and, Walla! you’ve traveled a thousand yards, or meters if you choose. But I came out into the woods to scout not count. I strapped on my snake gaiters, hefted my day pack on and adjusted the straps to balance the load that contained plenty of water along with my usual assortment of survival gear, knives, fire starter, med kit, food, shelter, the list could be endless. You have to know when to say when or you’ll be lugging around a fifty pound pack on a day hike. I carry everything to practice for longer excursions and in the event I have to bug out. I know, it’s 2014, but I’m still betting those Mayans were just bad at math. Of course the reality is if anything ever did happen we’d never get of town to do any bugging out. The roads would be gridlocked and everyone would be on foot like herds of zombies. Hey, they say it’s a lifestyle. Sooner or later they’ll probably be right somewhere. The world’s food supply is only forty to fifty days out in reserves. Better stock up on guns and bullets also, and body armor while you’re at it, the list could be endless. And to paraphrase a quote I heard
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By Tim Forge
on TV, “They ain’t going to make it anyhow, they ain’t got no gang.” Regardless of the odds, I do have a bug out route planned. It involves bolt cutters, night vision goggles and some very offensive driving. See, now I’ve gone and said too much, go get your own plan, jeez. Anyways, I rifled through my front pack pockets to check my stuff. I had brought along a Garmin GPS device that I had borrowed from my daughter who uses it on her four wheeler excursions. She may not know what north looks like on a compass but if it’s electronic and has a screen or two; she’s a wiz at it. I also brought along my so called map of the area, and wanted to see what use I could make of it. My topographic map hadn’t arrived yet so I had to make do with a Google earth print out. There is just no substitute for a good map so you can keep track of where you are instead of waiting until you’re lost to figure out where you are. And that is exactly the point of your compass to help you navigate your progress in the wild. MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 65
I slipped my Big Jake cowboy hat over my head, turned on the GPS and marked my starting waypoint. Then I clicked on “tracks” which leaves an electronic breadcrumb every fifty four feet so I can reverse course at the end and retrace my path. Normally I start off taking an azimuth with a compass from a known position on my map so I can monitor my progress until I end up at my turn-around point, but I got a GPS, baby, I can go wherever I want. Then I strode on down the dirt path. Strange, I thought, now I could see all of the squirrels I hadn’t seen earlier in the year scurrying across the branches of the trees. When it was small game season this place was like a ghost town. I strolled down the dirt road and found that the water in the creek had lowered quite a bit, exposing the roadbed across to the other side. This was a pleasant surprise. I walked under the looming oaks, and cypress, enjoying the shade. Now this is my kind of hiking. It wasn’t long until I found a path that led to another path which I followed for about an hour out into the open pine scrub and palmettos until it eventually lead back into the woods heading for the creek. This could be a good place to set my game camera. I ventured deeper into the thicket that led deeper into tree cover. This looked like as good a place as any to take a leak, I’d been holding it for over a mile now. But something interrupted me; a low, deep growling grunt. The hairs on the back of my neck bristled. I whirled around, reaching for my K-Bar knife I always carry. Shit, what was that, a skunk ape? I hesitated. What was I going to do, go mano-a-mano with an eight foot hairy creature they can never get a decent picture of? I put the knife away, feeling slightly embarrassed. I should have pulled the Glock instead, what was I thinking. Maybe it was hog. I just couldn’t see through the dense palmetto thicket underbrush.
“Yeah, hog, that’s it, I tried to convince myself. You know they’re here, you just don’t see them very often. But one time when I had my son with me on a trail, we could smell them in the thick palmettos. Smell them? Oh really? My next door neighbor once had trapped a couple of hogs and kept them in a pen right next to our dividing fence in the backyard for three months. That’s a smell you don’t forget. Like dead rats in the attic, you never forget. I couldn’t smell anything unusual but the sound was down wind. It was getting a little creepy standing there. It was quiet…way too quiet.” I figured this would be a good time to mark my location so I fished the GPS device out of my vest pocket and like a conductor of an orchestra waved my arm to press the magic button that would lead me home. That’s when I noticed that the screen wasn’t on. Pressing the start button didn’t work either, and I realized what I had forgotten; extra AA batteries. For my coveted GPS was dead. Crap. I would just have retraced my steps using memory. I turned and headed back out, assuming I was on the return route. Ten minutes later I had a sense that I hadn’t been on this trail before. But I was sure this was the way I had just come from. And that’s the funny thing about memory, it isn’t worth a damn when the terrain all looks the same. I stopped and decided to walk back to the thick woods from where I turned around, to start again. I dragged a couple of big fallen tree branches and placed them down on the path in an x pattern so I would definitely know I had been here. I turned down a little side path but it didn’t go very far. Again I went back to the spot I remember being at, turned around and only saw one path leading out. I started walking but it didn’t look familiar. I looked at my map and figured I was south of the main trail. I finally pulled out the compass for a look. Shocked, I realized that I was still traveling south. I was beginning to feel disoriented. This can lead to making you doubt your mental facilities and give you that sickly, panicky feeling if you’re not aware of it. Kind of like that first time you got lost in a department store when you were a kid. What was needed here was calmness. After five minutes of frantic running, the trail dissipated under an oak hammock. This wasn’t working. Maybe I should follow the trail of Coors and Schlitz cans that were scattered along the path. No, too inconsistent. Those guys could have staggered off anywhere. I looked at my compass again and decided I would turn and head north even if I had to plow through the underbrush. Sooner or later I would have to cross that trail. I ended up at the original turnaround point and took a north azimuth and started walking. What seemed strange was that where the path appeared to end, around the outside of this sprawly bush was actually a continuation of it. How could I have not seen this before? How could my memory of walking into the thick trees from the trail been so off as not to notice turning right into it, instead of walking straight like I thought I had. After a few minutes of walking I realized I must be on the right trail because I was still heading north. An hour later I came upon the main trail before the last haul out to the truck. I started thinking how embarrassing it could have been if I had not brought a compass to convince myself which way to go. I could just hear the news report now. Hiker on bug out maneuver with fifty pound pack lost in wilderness. I felt a little sheepish. When you “ain’t got no gang” you have to look out for yourself.
So once I got back home, I made my daughter sign up for the Land Navigation 101 course. I told her she needed the skills…Just in case her technology failed. I also told her not to argue and that I would be coming with her to make sure she went. What?
Page 66 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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David Pritchett and Jopie Fourie with a lechwe.
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August of 2013, I had the opportunity to hunt in South Africa with Amanzi Safaris. I brought my Mossberg bolt-action .338. No plain gun, it is an NRA®-licensed Hunting Tradition rifle, embellished by American Legacy Firearms. During the six day hunt, I quickly grew to love my engraved and 24-karat gold plated rifle. Stalking the animals through the African bush with my beautiful commemorative rifle is an experience I will never forget. American Legacy Firearms builds this edition on a Mossberg 4x4. Although they are primarily designed for collectors, they are fully functional. I learned this first hand when I took my first animal on the first day of my safari. When I first saw the small herd of red lechwe, I was astonished by their beauty. After a moment of gratitude, Amanzi Safari’s Private Hunter, Jopie Fourie, spotted a massive trophy bull among them, and we began stalking the herd. We didn’t have to go very far before the herd paused, with the dominant bull perfectly broadside for me. That brief pause was all I needed. I took the animal with a single shot, my first big game animal. The performance and accuracy of my rifle far exceeded my expectations.
By David Pritchett Page 68 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
MidwestHuntFish.com
David Pritchett with a lechwe taken in South Africa. Rifle details: Top - NRR Top of barrel, below - NRR Left side closeup, bottom - NRR Right Buttstock
Firearms As we kneeled to take pictures, everyone kept complimenting my rifle. My companions had brought their own Hunting Tradition rifles, between us, four of the six available calibers were represented. Each rifle shot beautifully, with a degree of accuracy that astonished everyone present. On top of their deadly accuracy, we were routinely complimented on the rifles’ beauty. The engraved artwork on the wood is designed to show off North American game, but it worked just as well in South Africa. The wood is gorgeous, and finished with a heavy-duty clear coat designed to protect the wood. The detail throughout the metal is remarkable, and our rifles withstood all of the dragging through the bush and shooting that we could put it through. By the end of the trip, I couldn’t think of another gun I would have preferred to have with me. Each Hunting Tradition rifle is individually numbered, with the state of your choosing. Six calibers are available: .338 Winchester Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, .270 Winchester, .7mm Remington Magnum, .30-06 Springfield, and .2506 Remington. Built on a Mossberg 4x4, they MidwestHuntFish.com
feature Mossberg’s unique Lightning Bolt Action (LBA)™ trigger system. The barrel is free-floating, and the forearm is vented to avoid over-heating. On top of all of these material qualities, each rifle helps support the NRA®, commemorate the American tradition of hunting, and is helping to create memories that will last a lifetime. I am proud to own this rifle, which has earned its place among our family heirlooms. Only 100 of these rifles are made per state. If you want a beautiful rifle that functions at the top of its game, give American Legacy Firearms a call at 1-877-887-4867 and reserve yours today.
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014 • Page 69
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Page 72 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - July-August 2014
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