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Brianna Livengood is the Lion King! Check Out the 2016 ATA Show New Product Reviews
VOL 2 ISSUE 2 March/April 2016
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Articles Judy’s Reviews What to Choose By Judy Erwin Branham..................................................................................4 The Lion King
Brianna Livengood.........................................................................................12
Tina’s Thanksgiving Thriller By Candace Hubble........................................................................................18 Why Can’t We All Just Get Along By Kristi Lynn Hair......................................................................................22 Ole Suede
By Candy Yow..............................................................................................25
Treasures in the Field By Christy Turner.........................................................................................28 2016 Archery Trade Show Association- New Product Reviews By Joni Marie Kiser.......................................................................................32 HAVOC Calls The Shots By Kimberly Snyder......................................................................................38 La donce France/ Sweet France By Vera de Geus...........................................................................................43
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Judy’s Reviews What to Choose ATA Show – New Products 2016 By Judy Branham
Over 600 exhibitors who booked 229,000 square feet of booth space for this year’s Archery Trade Association (ATA) Show 2016 attended many events each day and evening. This year’s slogan was “20 years of Growth” as the ATA celebrated 20 years of new products, funding industry growth, creating a place for order writing and gaining customers, ensuring quality of buyers for venders, meeting customers face-to-face, and networking in the archery industry. Events such as the Hudalla Associates, Inc. Preshow and Customer Appreciation Night, the Outech Innovations XVIII party, and the Target the Heart Prayer Breakfast proved beneficial to many. Entertainment by various popular artists such as Nate Hosie of Headhunters TV, country singers Paul Bogart, and Dustin Lynch was provided. Celebrities signed autographs at meet and greet stations in product booths to promote diverse products from various companies. Seminars were given by experts in their fields. The show was a huge success again this year. My favorite event was the Target the Heart Prayer Breakfast where Jeff Danker of Major League Bowhunters gave a heartwarming testimony of how he began in the outdoor industry and almost lost life’s most important things along the way. His open honesty was exemplary. John Smithbaker of “Fathers in the Field” also gave an unforgettable presentation on faith, fatherhood and forgiveness telling how we can impact fatherless boys through hunting endeavors. Check out their website at Fathersinthefield.com. Following you will see some of my favorite new or improved products for the upcoming year for female hunters. Including Wilderness lingerie, Bear Archery’s new Crossbow line, Flambeau’s heated vests, electric outdoor bikes and much more; I am bringing you many exciting products for the outdoor woman/ family.
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Cool New Products for 2016
My first cool new product is by the Gateway Feathers Company “Printz Colors� exclusive on Rose City Archery arrows are the Fred Bear feathers shown here. Gateway has also introduced four new camo Printz feathers in green, blue, gray, and pink camo patterns. Check out Rose City Archery and Gateway Feathers products at www.gatewayfeathers.com and http://rosecityarchery.com. Gateway offers fletching glue and a feather waterproofing product also.
Flambeau offers an outstanding line of new products for 2016 for the outdoors person. From fishing to MAD turkey decoys and MAD calls, Tactical HD weapon cases, diverse Rambus technology spot, camp and flash lights, to Heated vests, socks, gloves, hand muffs, and insoles. Flambeau gear is top rated for comfort and ease of use. Their batteries are light weight and fit easily into pockets and/or slots inserted into the product. Older bulkier models of previous manufacturers are completely outdated against the Flambeau line of heated products. Heated insoles can be turned on or off remotely for ease of use only when needed; and they are comfortable while walking with the battery covered by the insole material instead of your heel having contact with the battery. The main complaint on the competitor, Thermacell insoles, is the uncomfortable battery placement right under the heel. Flambeau heated products battery life lasts from 4 to 10 hours depending on the setting of low to high. I have the camo heated vest and love it. This year they are offering a teal trim piping for the female vest that is very attractive; however not too noticeable for the hunting lady who desires to remain feminine however practical. Check out their products at flambeauoutdoors.com. Celestron Elements offers a hand warmer that doubles as a charger for your cell phone, MP3 player, cameras and more plus they have the FireCel Plus which is also a flashlight. They also carry the Thermotorch product line of flashlights with charging capabilities and hand warmers. Whichever device you prefer you can get all three; heat, power and light if you prefer. Check them out at celestronelements.com.
Another cool product from Traveling Tower is traveling hunting stands and blinds you can attach to your 4-wheeler or truck. When you get to your hunting spot just set it up to stay there or take back with you when you leave. This line of products has very diverse uses for all hunters including tree trimming. Hydraulic lift stands can be used for physically challenged hunters also. See their website at www.travelingtower.com.
Realtree has produced a great item for the outdoors person called the Magnetic Can Cooler and it comes in pink Realtree camo too. This can cooler will stay connected to your truck bed, lawn mower, lawn chair and much more. Whether on the beach, in a boat, tree stand or just by the camp fire this versatile product is great and will make a wonderful gift. Go to www.realtree.com
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Thermacell Mosquito Protection devices proclaim to be 96% effective. The company offers repellers with hip holsters, camp lanterns and patio shields of similar use for the consumer. Now with Realtree and Woodlands camo patterns Thermacell also has an olive colored and a brown earth scent repeller. New this year is a screw in tree hanger for hands free use in a tree stand. Go to www.thermacell.com/mosquito
Trail Cameras by Moultrie have technologically advanced to view images remotely with new free mobile apps for IOS and Android devices. Moultrie Mobile system help hunters organize analyze and share their photo collections with ease. Get notified by text as soon as you have an image and it works with most 2015 and newer game cameras. Check them out at www.moultriemobile.com
Browning trail cams new for 2016 offer a 2 inch color view screen including 10MP image and audio. Their claim to fame of offering “the very best image and video quality on the market today” is according to their 2016 Master Catalog. From the new Recon Force and Spec Ops night vision to the new Strike Force and Dark Ops night vision they seem to have it all covered for the hunter. Check out their website at www. browningtrailcameras.com
TINK’s joined forces with Dead down wind in the same booth this year. Dead down wind has an array of new odorless products for the archer and hunter from bow maintenance to field spray and more to add to its already impressive line of products. TINK’s offers a new product called BOOST 73 which claims to maximize nutritional and mineral benefits of your food plots and feeds. Boost 73 comes in vanilla, persimmon, sugar beet, sweet corn and crisp apple flavors. TINK’s 2016 catalog shows 60 natural minerals plus boosted digestion on 13 critical nutrients in BOOST 73. www.tinks.com
SPIRIT USA Archery carries two bow bags that interested me for our 4H Archery Clubs, SD3A and NASP. The “Elite 6 Bow Bag” holds 6 bows with a detachable accessory bag and shoulder strap, while the “Maximizer 120+ Arrow Storage” holds 120 arrows and has two accessory bags with an attached rolling rack. These bags are perfect for teams or individual families. Custom embroidery is available as well as many color choices. Constructed of durable Cordura® or water resistant Cordura® these bags should endure time. http://www.spiritarcherybags.com/
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Victory Archery has done it again “setting the industry bar” at this year’s ATA Show with the addition of several advanced new arrows in their already high-performance line of 100% carbon fiber arrows. Their slogan “The Carbon Experts Powered by Aldila, a Material Difference” is backed by their ability to control quality from the beginning of the process. Their ability to be precise with every aspect of their product is important to the company. Victory spine aligns all arrows exclusively giving their arrows the most consistent grouping and best arrow performance available today according to their catalog. Victory showcases eight new arrows for 2016; • the ultra-small diameter VAP low torque .166 series the most advanced arrow ever available • the RIP Extreme Velocity hunting arrow .204 • the 3DHV high velocity 3D archery arrow .204 • the GEN X .245 designed for junior archers • the new high performance target series arrows NVX 23 .314 series • the new high performance target series arrows NVX 25 .345 series • the new high performance target series arrows NVX 25HV .345 series • the new high performance target series arrows NVX 27 .383 series The new target series arrows now feature a new label ID box for ease of identification during competition. The Ultra-small diameter arrows provide for maximum penetration, stable flight and less wind drift. http:// victoryarchery.com/ DeLorme inReach Satellite Communicators are another cool product for 2016. These devices allow you to stay connected anywhere in the world no matter how remote the area. You can send and receive 160 character text messages with GPS coordinates to cell numbers or email addresses, trigger an interactive SOS, track and share your trip anywhere in the world. Through iridium satellite network this device claims to give 100% coverage anywhere in the world. http://www.inreachdelorme.com/
RAMBO Bikes presents the electric battery operated power bike with accessories for the outdoor person. I love the idea of ease of access, quietness and durability of the aluminum alloy frame. Check these out at www.rambobikes.com
MUCK Boots comfort has stayed at the top of my list where boots are concerned. Classy color and style combinations are offered for women of all ages. Men’s boots have a great selection also as well as youth. Any little girl or boy from infant wear on up would love a pair. MUCK Boots are made for anyone in the family who steps outside for any activity from gardening and farm chores, hunting, hiking or just heading to the mailbox every
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day. Their styles and array of colors are diverse enough for any lifestyle or region. MUCK offers stylish attractive boots for going out on the town as well, even flats for women. For 2016 new colors, styles and sizes go to http://www.muckbootcompany. com/ or http://www.muckboots.com/
LaCrosse and Danner companies offer new footwear for women in 2016 also as shown here. To research their products go to http://www.lacrossefootwear.com/women/ and http://www.danner.com/product/womens/.
Red Wing Shoes make Women’s Irish Setter hunting boots. For 2016 they offer the Vaprtrek, Ladyhawk, and Rutmaster 2.0. To research their products further go to http://www.irishsetterboots.com/USD/page/womens.
BEAR Archery unveiled its new line of “Bear X” Crossbows for 2016. For me this is a historical event as Bear Archery has engineered an entirely new crossbow featuring safety first, beautiful design and accuracy yet executes with ease of use. Safety comes first with their new 3XS adjustable trigger system which stands for “three times safe”. According to their 2016 catalog “The safety is always set when cocking the bow and it can be in safe or fire prior to cocking.” Having the only adjustable trigger on the market that can adjust between 3 to 5 pounds could be the safest and best trigger made. The stock has 3 inches of adjustability and the grip can be used as either a floor grip or shelf grip giving the crossbow the feel of dialing in your favorite gun. The unique Power V Riser design gives a seamless appearance that flows well to the rest of the bow. I love the look of the forward facing limbs (FFL) style. I shot the FISIX FFL at the ATA Show and enjoyed how easy it was to shoot not to mention how extremely fast it shoots. GrandViewOutdoors video explains the Bear Archery Bear X Crossbow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd853s3WtFM Bear also unveiled the new Cruzer Lite with adjustable weights from 5 to 45 lbs. calling it the “little brother” to the current Cruzer which adjusts from 5 to 70 lbs. The system comes already set up and is offered in yellow, green, orange, pink and Realtree camo. It weighs only 3.2 pounds with FPS of 290 compared to the Cruzer which weighs 3.6 pounds and performs at FPS of 310. Other differences are the peak draw weight, draw length range and axle-to-axle lengths are smaller than the Cruzer to accommodate youth or smaller framed archers. Bear is continually accommodating women with their new bow lineup of the Escape SD, and the Cruzer Lite as well as their continued production of the Bounty and Finesse compound bows. The Escape SD performs at 325 FPS, weighs 4 lbs., with peak draw weight of 40-55 lbs., draw length range of 23 ½ inches – 27 ½ inches. Axle-to-axle is 32 inches with 75% let off which is perfect for a woman my size. For women who are serious hunters of big game or just enjoy shooting archery, these new bows will work well. Check out all the new Compound bows at http://www.beararchery.com/
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Crosman introduced their new Benjamin Pioneer Airbow at ATA. According to their website you the consumer can “up your game with the fastest, most unique hybrid hunting weapon available! Generating more speed and power than a crossbow while being safer and easier to operate, the Pioneer Airbow by Crosman is a revolution of traditional archery equipment.” Jim Shockey of “Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures” is excited about this new product and looking forward to hunting big game with it. The Airbow shoots at 450 FPS firing up to eight consistent shots using a full size arrow on a full 3000 PSI. http://www.crosman.com/connect/introducing-the-benjamin-pioneer-airbow/ Many bow companies unveiled a record number of new bows for 2016 at the ATA Show. Companies such as Hoyt, PSE, Bowtech, Mathews, and many more have websites where you can see their products online. Another favorite product from ATA is the AccuBow performance training bow. Being a 4H Archery Instructor their bow interested me not only for myself but for archery students. The AccuBow has the ability to increase your physical capacity as well as assist teaching the archer to eliminate bad habits such as target panic, canting and rushing your shot. Adjustable from 10-70 pounds with a laser sight and can be dry fired at no harm to the archer or bow for practice use. Check out this innovative new archery product at http://www. accubow.com/
Note: Lots of new women’s apparel new for 2016 I will cover in the next issue. Five main companies will be covered from Yukon, Kryptek, First Lite, 10X, ScentLok, to Wilderness Dreams lingerie and more.
Photos taken by Judy Branham and submitted by AccuBow, Spirit USA, and Traveling Tower
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“The Lion King� By: Brianna Livengood
My quest for a mountain lion began about a year ago. I write blogs for the Custer County Tourism board, my hometown, and I saw a need for education about the importance of harvesting mountain lions. I have wrote before about education being so important to protect hunting for future generations. Many believe hunting a deer or elk is fine but hunting a bear or mountain lion is absurd and unnecessary. They do not understand that these have no natural predators which means that it is imperative for adequate population control to save smaller species.
I
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had seen a couple lions while driving but nothing close and only caught a glimpse. To ensure that I could provide accurate information I contacted a local outfitter whom I had went to school with. His name is John Evert with Lookin Up Outfitters. I had heard from a mutual friend and through others that he was very proficient in mountain lion hunting, I since have affectionately named him “The Lion King.” I messaged him on Facebook asking for help. He was glad to assist me and provided some excellent photos for me to use. Little did I know this was just the beginning of something that would change my life forever. I had asked John if I could buy him a beer for all his help. We continued to message each other almost daily. Our schedules were able to match up a couple months later. We met at a local saloon for one beer, but ended up staying out all night talking. During one of our conversations I asked if we would maybe trade out some hunting on my family’s private land for a mountain lion hunt for my dad, or myself. He said he was sure we could work something out. That night ended, unfortunately, but our conversations continued via messenger several times a day. Mid-April he messaged me asking if my dad or I wanted to go lion hunting the next day. I called my dad right away but he said he couldn’t go. I really wanted my dad to get one because he had been unsuccessful for three years. John called me and I asked about a thousand questions. I was nervous, I didn’t feel like I had prepared for this. He assured me that my draw weight and broadheads would be fine and told me I should go get my license, soon. I had already taken the online education course for mountain lions which is required to purchase a license. The next morning I headed out to get a tag and then to meet him. We spent most of the day driving and riding the four-wheeler looking for tracks. Unfortunately we did not find any but it was so much fun, I was able to see new country and that is good for anyone’s soul. We talked, we laughed, and it was a perfect day. Fast forward a couple weeks, we officially started dating. Throughout the summer we were together as much as we could be. We spent a good amount of time in the mountains looking for bears and elk as well as did a lot of fishing. Enjoying each other’s company and going on adventures made for one of the best summers I have ever had. Summer came to an end and he went to work, guiding for bear, elk, antelope, and deer in Colorado and New Mexico. We still were able to see each other about once a week or so.
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Before I started dating John I did not know anything about hunting with dogs. I still do not know much, but I have learned a lot. I have learned that these dogs are nothing short of athletes, Olympic athletes of the dog world, in my opinion. They love what they do. John works with them year-round to keep them in shape and ready to hunt and did I mention how much the dogs love it. It’s what they are born and bred to do. They trail lions/bears/bobcats for miles through country that a human can barely make it through. Steep rocky cliffs, creeks, thick forest, if it is a difficult place in the mountains, you can be sure that a lion crossed through there. If you would like to see some of the difficult terrain check out the videos on John’s Facebook page, Lookin Up Outfitters. One of the most fortunate experiences of my life was to be able to see these dogs work. It is truly an amazing thing that everyone should experience. As far as John’s dogs, I have heard numerous people say, “His dogs are the best of the best, can’t get any better dogs.” After seeing what they can do, I completely agree. I have noticed that people who have never been hunting with dogs think that for some reason this gives the hunter an unfair advantage over a “spot and stalk” or other method of hunt. This is completely the opposite. I have been bear, elk, deer, turkey, antelope, duck, goose, coyote, raccoon, and bobcat hunting. I may be forgetting something. Every kind of hunt is different, but hunting with dogs is a WHOLE different ball game. First you have to find a track. John wakes up at 1am to head out and look for tracks. He drives literally hundreds of miles a day looking for a track in the snow which is sometimes just a few inches to a few feet. He drives in a truck, on a 4-wheeler, or snowmobile depending on the conditions. He has stayed out all night, overnight, in temperatures well below freezing. I have seen the frostbite on his toes, no joke. So if you are lucky enough to find a track then you try to start the dogs. If you get to this stage the dogs somewhat take over. So for the sake of me trying to describe this to you as best as I can, let’s say that they do start trailing the lion. Each dog has their own collar with GPS so John watches on the handheld GPS to see where they are. You never know how far the lion is going to go. It could be a hundred yards it could be 20 miles. Some dogs come back and then start again, sometimes they go in circles, and lions do not travel in a straight line, unfortunately. After that hundred yards (very unlikely) to 20 miles or somewhere in between the dogs get the lion “treed.” This could be in a tree, on a ledge on the side of a cliff, anywhere really, that part is totally dependent on the lion and where he feels he should stop. So then the hunter starts the walk or climb to where the lion is treed. Remember this can be some pretty rough country. Sometimes, the lion spooks when it sees people so it runs and may or may not tree again. The hunter gets to the tree, there are branches everywhere, it may be ten yards up the tree, or it may be thirty. Shooting in an upward direction is different. I would guess that most people, like myself shoot in
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a straight line with slight variations. Not almost straight up into the air. So you take the shot and miss, lion jumps from tree and runs for miles and does not tree again until after shooting light. So you are done for the day. You spent over 16 hours chasing a lion and get to go back and do it again tomorrow. Still don’t think this is hunting? The situation above did not happen to me but it is some situations that John has been in and told me about. So now back to my lion story. Mid November John was back for lion season. The 16th was opening day for mountain lion in Colorado and we were lucky enough to have a big snow that day. The morning of the 17th John wanted to go look for tracks north of his house. He loaded the dogs and 4-wheeler on the truck and I loaded up my 4 year old daughter and off we went. It was her first time lion hunting. The area we went to didn’t have enough snow so we headed back. When we came back into cell phone range, Chris, who works for John as a guide sent him a picture of a track. John started calling hunters to see if any of them could get there. None of them could come because of the storm. The next thing that happened was a moment in my life I will never forget, John looked at me and said, “You have a tag, don’t you?” My eyes widened and shock and panic flowed through body. Yes I did have a tag, no I didn’t have it with me, I hadn’t expected to go lion hunting, my bow and tag were about an hour away from us, one way. I did have my Charter Arm’s .38 Special Lavender Lady. We headed to the grocery store to see if I could get a reprint of my tag. No luck. The system said I had to go to a Division of Wildlife Office. I called the local DOW Officer, Justin, who had also helped me with blogs, he said he would be able to issue me a reprint, but it was going to be a few hours. I took my daughter to my mom’s house because we weren’t sure how far we would have to walk to the lion. I gathered up my warmest hunting clothes, which happened to be at her house, left-over from bear and elk hunting season. We waited in town for Justin and it felt like hours. John’s friend Chip was not able to make it home due to the storm so he came and met us because he was planning on staying the night. Justin came and brought the tag but while we were waiting for him, John had asked if my dad would like to go with us. I called my dad and he was ecstatic, to say the least. We picked him up and headed to let the dogs out on the track. They trailed the lion for about 6 miles with Chris following them. The dogs had it treed near a trailhead. We got on the 4-wheelers and rode as close as we could to the location and then walked the rest of the way. The ride was a little nerve wracking, the trail was barely wider than the 4-wheeler. With about a 100 foot drop to the right of us. I just closed my eyes, John was driving, and prayed that I wasn’t going to die. The snow was up to my knees in some places and it was cold, I was getting close to running out of shooting light. We met up with Chris and got ready to head towards the tree.
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It was about a 450 yard walk to where the dogs, Red, Ruby, Bandit, Sparky, Dots and Zap had the lion treed. When we got to the tree and saw the lion, I was speechless. It was beautiful, big and way closer than I had ever been. We all took pictures and videos and then it was time to take the shot. The dogs were tied up and my coach, John, told me just where to aim. I had only shot my .38 one, maybe two other times. It is the firearm I have the least practice time with. I missed the first shot. Too low. I was shaking like crazy, adrenaline mixed with a little bit of fear took over. I took the second shot, hit but not well. Third shot missed. The lion jumped down from the tree. They released the dogs again and the lion went about 300 yards and the dogs treed it again. I ran after John who was following the dogs. He was telling me that I was jerking the trigger and I would miss every time if I kept doing that. I tried to gather myself as much as possible. When we got to the tree and tied the dogs it was time again. I took a deep breath, with John right behind me saying “Easy. Just squeeze, real easy.” I took the shot and the lion fell. We went after it again and I was starting to panic a bit that I had taken another poor shot. I was trying to keep up with John who was running after them. The lion lay on the ground. The fourth shot did it. I was still overwhelmed with shock, adrenaline, and another one came in excitement! I couldn’t believe it. Everything happened so fast and I was not planning to go that day. It is the most extreme, adrenaline packed hunt I have ever been on. In my opinion it could be one of the most exciting hunts in North America, based on my experiences. There is no sitting in a blind waiting, no calling and waiting, no walking around and hoping to see something come out. No, this is nothing like that. We took pictures and started the trek back to the 4-wheelers. I am so thankful that there were 4 guys there to carry it back. I got out of that. My plan was to drag it. Chip had videoed the kill shot and I have watched it about a thousand times so far, this is also on the Lookin Up Facebook page. The next morning I took the lion cape and skull to the Division of Wildlife Office to get it sealed and have them pull a tooth for age-data, the results will be back in the summer. I had won a gift certificate from Hawkins Taxidermy earlier in the year and I plan to use it for a full mount. I am enjoying eating the meat and my daughter likes it too! I had tried mountain lion before, it is a white meat similar to pork, except it is free-range, antibiotic/growth hormone/steroid free, which makes it taste even better! As for John and I, we are engaged to be married and it all started because of mountain lions with a simple Facebook message to a guy I went to school with.
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Tina’s Thanksgiving Thriller By Candace Hubble
About 7 years ago I met Tina at work and we instantly bonded over our love for the outdoors; her passion for fishing and my insane addiction to hunting led to hours of conversation and story swapping. After years of listening to my incessant outdoor adventures I guess she decided to try it out. At age 50 Tina bought a rifle (a shotgun and a mountain of hunting gear) and decided to start hunting. The following year she told me she wanted to learn to bow hunt & I was elated. We made a trip to the bow shop, got her all set up & she began practicing. She killed a doe and some hogs with her rifle but didn’t have many bow hunting opportunities that year. You should know that Tina is one of the most dedicated new hunters I have ever seen; researching, reading, practicing, and participating in every part of the hunt from start to finish learning as much as she can and it was about to pay off in a big way. Fortunately we were able to make a trip to a favorite place of mine in South Texas. My husband and I are always blessed to go on doe patrol (doe/herd management) and even more so to bring Tina with us. I knew the opportunities for her first bow kill would be abundant and it would be a trip to remember. Upon arrival we set up a ground blind and stalked for hogs that night; I chased a javelina with my pistol, but no luck on either. Thanksgiving morning as we were walking in the dark to the ground blind we spotted a hog. As we stood in a line next to each other, my husband, Tina & I waited for this hog to come into range. Tina’s comfort zone was 25 yards
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or less and as I ranged him she prepared for action. With our red lights on him he made his way closer but was facing us eliminating a good shot. At 18 yards Tina started backing up getting a bit nervous, but I was able to get her to stand her ground. At 16 yards he turned, Tina shot and we watched her lighted nock dart off into the thick South Texas brush. Everyone was so excited and I could see her smile even in the pitch black of night! She had just arrowed her first hog! The shot was good, just a bit high in the lungs, so after a quick look we decided to give him some time and set up in the ground blind for more hogs. Still beaming with joy from her shot, I was now in the shooters seat ready and waiting when a group of hogs started feeding in. I could hear them grunting and eating on the corn but didn’t have a visual yet. Finally, a boar came into view at 12 yards and I launched my arrow. He squealed and ran down the road, then 20 more seconds of squealing, followed by the squeal of death! My face lit up because I knew he was down! Tina changed seats with me hoping for more hogs but with possibly 2 dead hogs around the odds were against us. We finally exited the blind and immediately spotted my hog lying in the road; my first full blonde hog! We took pictures while my husband and friend made their way over to see our kills! My husband had already shot a javelina with his bow that morning too. We started crawling through the thick brush to look for Tina’s hog, and after about 60 yards of getting stuck and stabbed by the brush we found him! The excitement of her first bow kill will be a moment none of us will ever forget. As she walked up to him all of her hard work and hours of practicing were validated; it was also a very special moment for me. I was there for the ignition of the hunting spark, helping her get her first bow, providing the little knowledge I have, and standing beside her as she shot and recovered her first animal with a bow…I was a proud and overjoyed friend and fellow hunter! As we loaded up the hogs and made our way back through the ranch we spotted a group of javelina. Perfect! Tina had her bow in hand as I ranged the group at 35 yards. As we started walking toward the group 2 more javelina ran into the road at 26 yards. We stopped and she shot! Immediately upon her arrow slicing through the javelina she let out a squeal of her own followed by laughter and high fives from everyone! It was another moment I will never forget because she was able to see this shot in full daylight and watch him run just a few yards before expiring. She had just notched 2 of her first bow kills in one morning, Thanksgiving morning! What a great start! The evening hunt and next morning hunt didn’t produce much but the trip was already a success in my book! We set out for doe patrol with our rifles and Tina and I each helped out with herd management and putting meat in our freezer with 2 deer down. The weather was nice so we continued to search for javelina. Tina took a shot on her second javelina; a protective female who wasn’t giving up without a fight. The shot was a complete pass through and a bloody arrow was found but as we were tracking she made her presence known with the popping of her teeth (a sound that will definitely make you jump if you
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have never heard it before). With my pistol drawn during the tracking process because of the low visibility & maneuverability of the thick brush and a possibly wounded animal, I was unable to get a clear shot on her. After a short standoff we were able to get a better angle and put a finishing shot in the javelina for a quicker expiration and Tina had her second javelina & 3rd bow kill down! We sat back in the ground blind that evening waiting on the anticipated cold front; however, it arrived hours earlier than expected. Tina and I were on the opposite side of the ranch and the plan was to stalk towards where my husband was for hogs and javelina, but as the front arrived with high winds, freezing rain, and a 40 degree temperature drop, our plans changed and my husband was already making his way to pick us up to get back to camp. As we drove back in the dark, pouring freezing rain and winds we shivered in the Polaris but as we made the turn onto the last road everything changed! There in the road through the wind and the rain, illuminated by our red light was a large group of about 20 hogs feeding in the road. Tina had her shotgun loaded with buck shot so the hunt was on. As we stepped into the road we were slipping and sliding in the mud making too much noise so we stopped and stood. With the freezing rain stinging our faces the group of hogs slowly fed down the road to us. The wind was perfect and muffling any noise as Tina steadied her shotgun. She fearlessly let the group of hogs approach to less than 20 yards and shot, and then shot again and again. As hogs scattered and the adrenaline was pumping we saw 2 small hogs laying in the road; a boar and a sow. We checked the area for any other wounded ones but didn’t find any more. Our frozen bodies were soaking wet but had warmed up just enough from the adrenaline to enjoy the moment, take pictures in the rain and load up the hogs. One was quartered up and the small sow was left whole for a nice BBQ dinner! Tina was beyond excited with this crazy impromptu hunt and my heart smiled as I listened to her back at camp recount the stories over the phone to her family. The rain continued through the night leading to a long day of hunting in mud, drizzle, and cold, but we weren’t going to just sit at camp! As we made our way to one of the fracking ponds we spotted a coyote running across the dam and my husband quickly grabbed the rifle for a shot. At 140 yards on the run he was able to hit both back legs of the coyote and a few follow up pistol shots led to one less predator on the prowl. Successful team effort! The evening hunt was slow until dark when my husband dropped a hog and we added another round of pork to the cooler. Everyone was having success! We stalked for hogs into
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the night and set up for one more morning hunt. With no luck at first light we began stalking for javelina when I was able to get one down with my bow to end the trip with another animal down. With 5 hogs, 4 javelina, 2 deer and a 1 coyote down, it was one of our most successful hunts in south Texas but not because of the animal count; this trip was all about Tina. Not only was she able to get her first bow kill (and second and third), but she gained a vast amount of hunting experience, confidence in her own abilities and made memories to last a lifetime. This trip was exponentially greater than anything she could have read, researched or been told because experience in the field is priceless whether an animal is killed or not. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments and knowing another hunter has the passion and knowledge to carry on our hunting heritage is phenomenal. Whether you are a child or just starting to hunt at age 50 like Tina, all that matters is that you are in the field hunting legally, ethically, and enjoying each moment. Carry on the passion and let it shine so others see it; you never know who you might be inspiring!
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Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
By: Kristi Lynn Hair
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I am an avid bow hunter. I travel the U.S. in search of wild game to hunt. I am constantly challenging myself to: become better, work harder, hunt different game, conquer new land and achieve higher goals. In my mind I am my only competition. I don’t know about you. But, I want everyone to succeed. I’ve seen a disturbing trend recently that I’d like to address. Hunters versus hunters. It seems as if some think their style or way of hunting is better than another. For example, I’ve seen some bow hunters say hunting with a gun is cheating or it is too easy. Then folks state that a crossbow isn’t really archery. Those who shoot traditional bows are somehow more of a hunter than those who hunt with a compound bow. I’ve seen public land hunters very disgruntled at those who have the ability to hunt private land or whom own their own ranches/farms. Then you have the “trophy hunter” getting onto the “meat hunter” because they should have let that deer walk or given it a few more years. I’ve really seen a huge discord between hunters who choose to hunt at a hunting preserve versus those who only hunt in the wild. I’ve seen some debates between hunters turn very ugly resulting in insults, bashing, name calling & downright hate. It needs to stop. We need to respect each others differences. Just because someone hunts differently than you, doesn’t make them any less or any more of a hunter. Let me make this abundantly clear. We are all on the same team. Hunters need to unite. We need to become one voice. We are all in this for conservation. We all want to feed our families. We are all enjoying the great outdoors & passing down our heritage from one generation to the next. We are all maintaining traditions passed down from long ago. Who are you to tell someone how they should hunt? Where they should hunt? What weapon they should use? Or what animal they should shoot? Stop. Just stop. As long as you are hunting legally & ethically, I support you. I have a vision, that one day we will put all of our differences aside & become untied as one. Yes, one voice standing up for our heritage and our rights! We have enough anti’s, laws, government,
regulations, etc. trying to shut us down. What we do not need is pitting hunter against hunter. I ask you all to put your differences and grievances aside. Let us all start supporting each other. How nice would it be if we would all just support, encourage and love one another? After all, we do share the same passion ~ hunting.
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Instead of judging others choices in regards to hunting, become the best YOU. Introduce a friend or family member to our lifestyle. Educate the non hunters about: conservation, providing sustenance, exploring the great outdoors, passing down tradition, respecting and maintaining our heritage. Focus on ways we can involve more people in the outdoors versus pushing them away because they hunt differently than you. If we take all of our energy, focus on the positives that come along with hunting instead of choosing to be negative and bashing our fellow hunters, we can change the world, one hunter at a time.
I consider myself an avid bow hunter. I’ve also used a multitude of weaponry in order to understand the thrill of mixing up my arsenal. I shoot turkeys with a shot gun. Let me tell you, it’s not any easier or any less fun than using a bow! I harpoon gators. I stab wild boars. I use a rifle to shoot squirrels. Every single weapon I use has the same purpose. To kill what is on the receiving end & provide sustenance for my family. Just because the style of hunting is different, the end result is the same. Food on the table, from field to fork.
My point is this. Focus on you. Become the best hunter you can possibly be. Challenge yourself to explore new, unchartered territory, chase new game, become a better shot or pick up a new weapon. You are your only competition. Allow your fellow hunters to hunt: how they want, where they choose, use what weapon suits them & stop judging their choices. I pray that in the year 2016, I start to see more encouragement amongst fellow hunters, more building up, less tearing down. I pray for us all to become untied, not divided. I pray that we all understand we are all on the same team. I pray for forgiveness, restoration and healing among those that are divided. I pray that we all can just get along. “Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.” ~ Genesis 27:3 Hunt Hard & Enjoy, Kristi Lynn Hair
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Ole Suede By Candy Yow
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The snow crunched under the horses feet as we crested the ridge ahead of us, steam coming from their nostrils as they struggled up the steep trail ahead, Robert in the lead as always with the pack string, Randy & I following on our horses. As we reach the top we take a well-deserved break to catch their wind. We can see for what seems forever, distant mountains and valleys, full of wildlife that we are so anxious to find. The excitement of the trip carries us on to the next ridge and the next one after that, pretty much as far back as we can get to be closer to wildlife. No matter where we go the scene is almost always the same, our sure footed mountain horses and mules lined out to pack in our camp, then help us not only pack it out but hopefully our harvest as well. The horses seem as excited as we are to get to camp and start scouting. Just when we thought we wouldn’t reach camp before dark we top the final ridge and see where we will set camp, a nice valley with trees and a bubbling creek that will provide water for the horses and camp. Setting up camp we high-lined the horses and gave them the feed bags, with crunching and soft blowing of the their noses we knew they were glad to be in camp and rest too. Few things bothered the older horses; they might stomp or nicker at a bear or cat, as they knew
to save their energy. The younger horses would almost always keep us updated when a Bear would wander though camp with snorting and stomping. Thus only causing me to get less sleep as I held my breath listening for any trouble. Ole Suede knew the ropes and could cover any job asked of him. He had packed in and hunted with us in most the Western states, I can’t even begin to think of all the pack strings he has lead, and all the people he has packed an elk, deer or antelope out for. Its mind boggling to think of all the lives he has touched one way or another. Few things bothered him in the mountains except maybe a Bull Elk trying to seduce him! Robert and Suede had more than one Bull come in at a
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dead run, I think because he was a Buckskin, color of a Bull Elk, I think both did a little puckering before the bull winded Suede and turned off!! He didn’t much like arena riding, or dinking around trying to teach him new moves, didn’t care much about participating in our wedding either, but put him in the mountains and you could not ask for a better horse, partner or friend. Sort of like people, some were just made to be in the mountains, breathing the fresh air and listening to bugles, cow calls and wind in the trees. Robert leads most of our packs, much like Suede it is in his blood, he loves to pack, he loves to ride the mountains in fact I think he finds humor in” the rougher the trail the better.” No one loves riding and horses in the Back Country more than me, but I prefer to keep the trails a bit more passable in my wiser age. Whether packing in or hiking I am frequently the entertainment going up or down the trail. For sure there will be badgering back and forth, echoed by laughter and the occasional jabs thrown in. That aside we make a great team, getting in and getting our job done, while enjoying Gods Beauty. Our first trip in this year is going to be a somber one; you see Suede won’t be with us. His
gentle nicker in the moonlight as we saddle to ride before daylight, his soft breath on the way to camp with snow falling around us, his never ending grit and try in rough terrain. We will miss it all, I can’t recall how long its been since we went without him, I guess God needed a good mountain horse in heaven, as Suede left to go gallop the belly deep grass and jump the bubbling brooks in heaven. We are with heavy heart, as he left us way to soon,; He was born here, Randy Raised him from a colt, but we know where he will be and I guarantee he will be waiting there, ready to go, head high and fat as a tick. It will be good to have him kicking up his heels, and feel his soft breath on our shoulders again, until then, we miss you and our hunting trips will never be the same Old friend. Candy Yow Extreme Desire TV
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Treasures in the Field By Christy Turner
It’s kind of like a game, or maybe more like finding a hidden treasure. It is that exciting, thrilling, magical feeling you get as a kid on Christmas morning. What could possibly be that awesome? Well finding a deer shed of course!
A
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fter an intense deer season, which it always seems to be intense for me. All the what if’s, the should haves or maybe give that buck one more year and hope the neighbors don’t shoot him. Then you find his shed antler and know you made the right decision. After one season ends I am so excited and so looking forward to the next. Deer season is my favorite and finish it out with Duck and Goose. What are you supposed to do until spring Turkey season? We like to do a little Hog hunting and predator control in February and towards the end of the month and beginning of March we like to start shed hunting. I feel it is a good idea to not start too early. If they haven’t dropped their antlers yet and you’re out walking around I believe there is a chance you will scare the deer to the neighbor’s property where they will probably shed their antlers instead of my property. I like to make sure they have dropped before I start my treasure hunt. Some people make shed traps to help make finding them easier. I have seen several different ways to make these. It is basically a feed trough or bucket with either wire or even bungee cords. It just makes them have to turn their heads to reach the feed and easily knocks off the loose antler right there at the feeder. So no day long hikes searching and glassing the properties. We have cows and goats on our property that we hunt. So we just try and keep our feeders going well after deer season. We have a fence around each of our deer feeders to keep the livestock out. When the bucks jump into the feeder pen it sometimes jars them just enough if the antler is loose that it falls off in the feeder pen or as they jump out of the pen. I also like to walk our property fence lines and cross fences. Hoping when they jumped a fence they lose their antler. We have several different watering holes so I walk around them as well and any bedding areas I know of. After all that I don’t mind spending the day hiking and making almost a grid like pattern on the property searching. They say it is best to look on overcast days to help prevent shadows but if it is a pretty sunny day I always enjoy that! You should just keep the sun to your back and hopefully it will help light those tines up in front of you for easier spotting. I like to dress in layers because the longer you are out there and the
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walking and climbing with the sun shining you’re going to start getting hot. I always wear my snake boots with the warmer temperatures in March; those rattle snakes start their way out of their dens to sun bathe. I always have my back pack with me too. I carry bottles of water and snacks. It also will hold my sheds and any other treasures I may find like a heart shaped rock. When my kids are with me sometimes they get bored if it has been a while since we found a shed. They might climb up trees and read a book. Which works out great because they can see if there are any sheds on the ground nearby or they can still see me as I’m walking back and forth in my grid. I keep my binoculars with me too. We like to sit up on top of a ledge and just take a break from walking and hiking. The kids will eat their snacks and maybe even take a quick cat nap in the sun while I glass the hillsides. It sometimes gets frustrating when I think I spotted a shed when it turns out to really only be a rock or a stick. But I always have to double check! I would like to train our dog to shed hunt. I have seen some dogs that are amazing at this. I think they would be a whole lot more accurate than I am and we would have a higher success rate. Some years I feel like I find a pretty fair amount and some years it is hard and I bet I had walked right past some of them.
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I have our collection on top of our entertainment center as part of our home decor. My kids and I also like to make things out of the sheds. There are so many options, like jewelry, wind chimes, and wall art. We have painted them with craft paint and if they are bleached out from the sun and the elements and you want a natural look, we just wipe them down with a wood stain. It looks very natural. So get your family and friends involved and enjoy the outdoors hiking and searching for treasure. It is just as exciting as shooting a big buck!
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2016 Archery Trade Show Association New Product Reviews By Joni Marie Kiser
Author Joni Marie at the ATA show
Author Joni Marie with the stars of Bone Collector
I
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have been attending the annual Archery Trade Association Show for the past 6 years. This 3 day dealer trade show is the bowhunting industry’s largest, intended to promote commerce within the industry. This year it was held in the Louisville, KY Expo Center for their 20th Anniversary. If you can imagine a facility the size of 4 full football fields filled with 615 vendors showcasing everything that the archery community has to offer in new gear and innovations; then you can imagine that it can be rather overwhelming to take it all in. Almost 10,000 attendees poured through the doors, eager to see the hottest new products for 2016. I am an avid bowhunter myself and have been involved in the retail archery industry with multiple businesses for many years; so it is always an event that I look forward to. Here are some of the products that caught my attention in a variety of categories as I attended the show this year. Author Joni Marie and her
husband Dave at the show Broadheads Ramcat For the past several seasons I have bowhunted with the QAD Exodus broadhead. They are a tried and true, go-to broadhead for me; having harvested my past 10 animals with them. I have unshakable confidence in their performance on even the most thick skinned animals that I have taken: moose, brown bear and African game. However, this year at the ATA Show, two other broadheads caught my attention that I plan on giving a try this coming hunting season. The first is the Diamondback by Ramcat. In the past, the Ramcat Broadheads have been considered barbed and therefore illegal in Alaska (where I primarily hunt) due to their design. However, this year they have come out with a true fixed blade that is Alaska legal. It has an offset blade design and a 1 & 1/16 cutting diameter (making it a great choice for New Ramcat Broadhead both low and high poundage bows). Additionally, Ramcat also purchased the right to use Dorge Huang’s (Engineer at Firenock) FACT Concentric Technology on this head. The double inset O rings from his design ensures precision alignment and heads that wont loosen in your quiver - always staying perfectly tight. MSRP $42.49 for 3. www.ramcatbroadheads.com
Trophy Taker The new Trophy Taker A-TAC broadhead also caught my eye. This sturdy built fixed blade is composed of a solid stainless steel ferrule with an unvented single .080 thick main blade that fits through the ferrule and locks into place. As I said, I’ve been hunting with the Exodus - which offers a .040 thick blade - that up until now has been one of the thicker options on the market (many like the Slick Trick, which I also like, for example are .035). The A-TAC’s .080 thickness would make this a bone crusher and has got me very excited to try them on a thick skinned big game. This high quality design does come at a steeper price $99.99 for 3. I am, however, someone who is more than willing to pay a little more for better quality and engineering. www.trophytaker.com
Trophy Taker A-TAC Broadheads
Slick Trick Small game hunting just got taken up a notch with the new Rip Trick. Made by well-known broadhead company Slick Trick; the Rip Trick is a much more sturdy option than a Judo Point, its .035 steel blades and super steel ferrule offer a 7/8 inch cutting diameter and would be perfect for small game like rabbits or that squirrel that keeps making a fuss by your bait station tree stand. $26.99 for 3. www.slicktrick.net
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Optics Are you a sheep or goat hunter, trying to cut out every possible bit of weight on your pack trip? Celestron has created a crystal clear spotting scope that can easily fit into your pack without adding much weight. The ultra-small Hummingbird is multicoated, nitrogen purged, ED glass for bright, clear views with an adjustable zoom lens. Originally designed for bird watching enthusiasts to be light and able to pack in easily in a pocket; it might be the hunting solution that you’ve been looking for! We were pleasantly surprised at how clear the glass was and the dramatically smaller size was impressive. Cutting weight without cutting quality of the glass in a spotting scope is a sheep hunters dream! $319-$359 www.celestron.com Staying Warm There is nothing worse than getting a chill you can’t get rid of while sitting in a tree stand. ThermaCell released new items to deal with cutting the chill while hunting this year. In addition to their popular Headed Insoles from last year - they now also offer ThermaCell Heat Packs. These come in two sizes (hand warmer and pocket warmer) that can be adjusted to 3 different comfort settings of 104, 113 or 122 degrees. Unlike the Zippo brand pocket/hand warmers - the ThermaCell warmers can be put directly up against your skin due to their treated medical grade silicone exterior. These rechargeable warmers can even be controlled directly from your smartphone without removing it from your pocket/clothing. 6 hour battery life per charge. They aren’t cheap at $79.99 for 2 hand warmers - but since you can recharge them - you should be able to still get your money’s worth! www.heat.thermacell.com
Celestron Hummingbird Spotting Scope
Celestron Hand Warmers
The Elements by Celestron line up is also offering several items that work both to warm you up and provide additional functions. The Thermocharge 6 is a small rechargeable hand warmer that also double as an electronics charger (i.e. phone). This water resistant rechargeable lithium battery can provide up to 8 hours of heat or the slightly bulkier 10 version can provide up to 12 hours. The Thermotorch 5 is a rechargeable flashlight that can provide 6 hours of heat, up to 22 hours of light and is capable of charging your electronics. Hows that for multi-tasking? www.celestronelements.com Must have tools Love lighted nocks? The Nockturnal brands of lighted nocks have always been my favorite. They are more durable than other brands on the market and easy to use. With the new Nock Tool - they just got even easier. This tool allows you to quickly install, remove or turn off any Nockturnal nock with ease. I received a prototype of the tool last year at the ATA and used it all year. It works like a charm. I was thrilled to see that it is now in production and will be available for sale. These will be a must have in your archery tool kit. MSRP $6.99 www.nockturnal.com Compound Bows Each year at the ATA show there are a couple of bow brands that you hear everyone talking about. Each vendors booth you stop at, whether its a sight, rest, stabilizer company etc... is asking if you’ve had a chance to go over to the shooting lanes of Brand X and wondering what you thought. This year was no exception with us consistently hearing talk about the bows from Gearhead Archery and Xpedition Archery.
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Gearhead Archery T18/ T20/ T24 When you first see a Gearhead Archery bow you cant help but to be intrigued. The incredibly compact T18 bow is only 18 1/2 inches axle to axle (22 inches in total height including the cams). Its machined “waffle style” riser makes you think of a mini Mathews but its design, placement of the grip and shoot through riser design are completely different. Despite its small size, it actually weighs 2.9 lbs with is not too far off from Hoyt’s Carbon bows with are full size compounds. (the T20 and T24 weight slightly more and offer longer draw lengths than the T18). Its small size would make it easy to strap to a pack for hiking in or to shoot in a tight space. It is convertible from RH and LH in minutes which is unique for a compound bow and is rated at 325 Ft per second (IBO). Overall this sounded pretty sweet, and I was intrigued, so I shot it to see if its performance matched the hype. I cannot say that its draw cycle impressed me. It was smooth at first and then had a very stiff hump at the end to roll over. It had a solid back wall but that roll over was so stiff that it went directly from that to the wall feeling very abrupt with little valley. Upon release of the shot, however, there was little vibration and it was fairly dead in your hand. Enjoyable to shoot? No, Not for me. Innovative, interesting concept? Absolutely. It will be interesting to see where they Gearhead Archery Bows go with these bows in the future. But now the hardest part to swallow; the price. With a 7075 Aluminum machined riser its price tag is a steep $1249. Switch to the Titanium riser version and you’ll pay a hefty $1949. That being said, this is the archery industry’s first solid Titanium Riser - and with the price of Titanium and the innovation behind it, the price is somewhat understandable. www.gearheadarchery.com Xpedition Archery A few years ago when I was attending the ATA Show Xpedition Archery was the new brand that everyone was talking about. This year I noticed as I went around the show and met with other vendors, folks who owned other accessory brands they kept mentioning that they had “switched” over to Xpedition from whatever their long term loyal favorite had been. Relatively speaking; Xpedition is still one of the smaller bow brands. However, their annual sales numbers continue to grow at a very rapid pace and usually that causes bow brands to experience major delays in production as they get inundated with orders from dealers. What sets Xpedition apart is that they are owned by Applied Engineering, one of the largest machining companies in the country. They are machining their own risers and their capacity to “keep up” is tremendous. Their 92,000 sq. ft. facility in Yankton, South Dakota allows them to do all the machining and assembly in house - shipping from there direct to dealers. I owned a large archery store for many years, and can recall bow companies that experienced very rapid growth and the stress of having to tell Xpedition Archery’s new DefCon my customers on special orders that the wait to get their new bow was Green Finish going to be 3-4 months. Xpedition customers and dealers don’t have to go through those “growing pains” and that speaks volumes. Lead times are generally 2 weeks on a bow order. Applied Engineering has 48 years of aerospace aluminum machining experience and the quality of the machining is evident in their finished product - topped off this year by some beautifully done, unique finish options that had everyone at the show talking. When you are meeting with so many industry vendors throughout the show and hearing them say they’re
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switching to Xpedition you just can’t help but wonder why. Bows with smooth draw cycles, solid back walls, and deep valleys that are rated at impressive (and attainable!) speeds is your answer. If I can get the speed of a “speed bow” but with a comfortable draw cycle; then a bow brand has my attention. Check out Xpedition Archery at your local Pro Shop. www.xpeditionarchery.com Looking for a great bow for a beginner? The Hoyt Ignite is in its second season and is still as popular as ever. This bow goes from 19-30 inch draw and 15-70 lbs. of draw weight making it the perfect choice for everyone from youth shooters, to ladies who want to hunt, to guys who are looking for a good price point with good quality. Being able to get all set up for just a few hundred dollars is appealing to anyone who wants to dip their toe into archery without diving in head first. This year Hoyt launched some fun new color options (shown) in addition to their regular camos and black which refreshed this already popular beginner bows appeal! www.hoyt.com Traditional Archery I am a huge fan of Striker Bows. Made in Minster, Ohio by the skilled hands of Rick Ellis since 1998, these beautiful high quality wood long lows have no hand shock, are incredibly smooth drawing and are the type of bow you buy and keep for a lifetime. I know, because I own one and love it! However up until now they have only offered the one piece long bows in their more consumer friendly price point bows - the Sport and Classic. In order to get a take down version you had to do a custom bow that ranged in the $1200+ price point. This year for the first time they are offering a take down version of their Sport and Classic models in a more economical price point without sacrificing quality. This might just prove too tempting for me to pass up adding another bow to my collection this season! www.strikerbows.com
New color options from Hoyt Archery
Striker Bows
Silencers Tired of having your string silencers break after a few hundred shots? Ever have the rubber rot out and they just come apart? X Factor Outdoors makes a string silencer that you cannot break with your bare hand. Trust me, we tried. All 3 of us tried, over and over and it couldn’t be done. Now that is durable! Made from A-Tech Rubber Compound these silencers are Guaranteed for Life! And at only 13 grains, they are also by far the lightest option on the market. These will be going in my bowstring this season without a doubt. Check out www.xfactoroutdoors.com Cover Scent There are lots of cover scents on the market, and its hard to know which one to choose. There is a small, new, up and coming company called Be the Tree that may have just nailed it. Be the Tree is a full scent cover line up consisting of laundry detergent, cover scent spray, body wash, lotion etc... that smells like the woods. Literally. 3 of us tried on the product and then closed our eyes and tried to describe the scent. Words like Forrest, soil and earth came out in our descriptions. Seems like there couldn’t be anything better than that to help you blend into your hunting surroundings! www.bethetreellc.com New Camo Pattern Walking through the ATA show, the new Badlands camo
Badlands new Approach Camo Pattern
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pattern immediately caught my eye. This is one of the biggest changes that Badlands has offered to their line up in many years. Their new “Approach Pattern” uses what they call Phase Shift Technology; meaning the look of the pattern changes based upon your immediate surroundings. Their entire line up is available in their versatile new pattern with can transition from the Forrest to the tundra as you need it. There was a great deal of excitement at the show around the new pattern and with good reason. I think it is going to be a great seller for Badlands this year! www.badlandspacks.com Targets Do you ever get tired of shooting paper circles and want a little variety? It doesn’t get any more unique than some of the cool 3D target options available from Masterpiece Targets. From Bigfoot’s giant head, to full size bats handing upside down from a tree - these cool 3D targets are bound to keep your attention and make shooting even more fun. 3D targets can be pricy though, so what can you do for a more affordable option? The new Morrell Half Back Turkey is made from self-healing foam, so you can shoot it with field points, fixed blade or mechanical broadheads. This anatomically correct raised vital target can be shot on all 4 sides, is 100% waterproof and has an easy carry handle; all for around $100. Great value and great product from a great company. www.morrelltargets.com Joni Marie is founder/owner of Rockstarlette Bowhunting and is a Factory Pro Staff shooter for several National archery lines. She has hunted extensively throughout North America and Africa with her bow.
Morrell Half Back Turkey Target
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Havoc Calls the Shots By Kimberly Snyder
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There are many aspect to any type of hunting, knowing your area, knowing the vegetation, knowing the species, and many other skills acquired over time that enable you to not only grow as a hunter but to gain confidence and follow through with success. When a hunter embarks on the passion of Waterfowl hunting, one must find the X, know the vegetation, learn about the habitats of waterfowl and of course learn to communicate with the species. We as hunters, no matter what species we are searching for have used the same techniques from the dawn of time, decoys, camouflage, and of course calls. Over the years the decoys have changed, the camouflage has become more intricate and the calls have become not only a way to communicate but also works of art. After all if Mother Nature and animals evolve, we as hunters must evolve as well. I have been fortunate to volunteer and coordinate many youth conservation events in my area. The one thing you can’t help but notice is every child can’t wait to hold a duck call. What is it about a duck call that brings a smile to a child or an adult’s face? Blow a duck call well and you will learn to communicate with that flock, bring them so close that you can identify them right before you shoot, you can turn them back to you and sit them down right in front of you. Blow a duck call poorly and you not only learn to educate the birds but you can watch as they keep a safe distance from your blind. But even the best callers make mistakes and it will cost you birds every time. But learning to blow a duck call, holding that work of art in your hand and gaining the confidence as a hunter to not only communicate with the waterfowl but to set them down in your spread comes with patience, practice and time. But once you get that simple quack, once you start seeing those wings turn, you are hooked and you have found your voice to speak to the ducks. I spent many years searching for the right call and trying almost every call on the market. After much money and calls that weren’t easy to operate and required too much air for me to blow, I found Havoc calls. Havoc calls is located in Ethel, Arkansas and owned by Jeremy Powell. He has used his skills to create custom works of art that not only are easy to operate but fit all of your hunting needs and will last for generations, as you pass down your works of art to your younger hunters. The owner along with the staff of Havoc calls have a small hometown southern kindness and are always willing to assist you with creating your dream call as well as finding the perfect call for your hunting needs. With years of dedication to waterfowl hunting, Mr. Powell has kept the hunter in mind and created quality, detailed and custom calls that can be cherished for years. What better way to learn about the calls than to ask the staff of such a friendly and family oriented company. I took the questions to the directors/pro and field staff and here are some of the answers provided by the men and women at Havoc calls.
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Shawn Hurla: Pro Staff Director Shawn, “When did you start waterfowl hunting? “ “I started waterfowl hunting in 1984. I was given two dozen mallard floaters as a present and was bound and determined I was going to get them wet. Me and my father hunted a public area on opening morning of the ‘84 season, we didn’t have a clue what we were doing all we knew was it was duck season.” Shawn, “What call do you prefer to us and why?” “For me the OG duck call and the 747 goose call are always on my lanyard. I will admit the 747 is my absolute favorite. I love hunting ducks but Canada geese are my passion. When hunting geese I carry two calls a wood version that has a slightly deeper mellowed tone when hunting over water and an acrylic that has a lot more snap to the sound when field hunting dry ground. “ Blaine Jones: Pro Staff Blaine, “When did you start waterfowl hunting?” My wife actually introduced me to the waterfowl world when we started dating. I was an avid deer, turkey, and small game hunter but never had much interest in duck hunting. I talked her into a deer hunt one evening and she in turn talked me into a duck hunt a couple of weeks later. My first duck hunt was in December of 2008.” Blaine, “What helpful hints would you give to those that are beginners at duck/goose calling?” “Practice, practice, practice! Everyone starts somewhere. You are not going to pick up a duck call and be good right out of the gate. I was hunting with a close friend several years ago, and he normally called for us as I was still learning and he sat in the blind for several minutes as we watched ducks fly around at first light. I was waiting for him to start calling. Finally, I asked him if he was going to call or not and he replied with, “Nope, you are going to call today.” I laughed at him and asked if he actually wanted to kill ducks or watch them flair all morning. I started calling at the next flock that flew by and they turned on a dime. We both shot our limits that morning (and it was actually my first limit of ducks) and I called them all....I just needed that little push to build up some confidence in my calling. Practice year round, not just a few weeks before the season opener.” Katelyn Hurla: Field Staff Katelyn, “What is the most rewarding part of waterfowl hunting to you?” “The most rewarding part about hunting is to be able to hunt with my dad. Following in his footsteps has led me to becoming a strong and independent woman, and knowing that he’s following in his dad’s footsteps makes it even better.”
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Edward Gramza: Marketing Director Edward, “When did you start waterfowl hunting?” “I started waterfowl hunting at the age of 12. My aunt and uncle used to go to a farmers field in eastern Wisconsin where we would rent a blind for the day and try to shoot our 1 goose limit. While in college, I started going to North Dakota and got hooked on chasing birds.” Edward, “I know that Havoc calls also specializes in Turkey calls, Do you turkey hunt? If so what do you find to be the most enjoyable aspect of turkey hunting?” “I love turkey hunting! It is honestly one of my favorite things to hunt. Chasing an animal with a brain the size of a walnut is exciting and frustrating at the same time. They are very good at outsmarting you when you least expect it. The thrill of hearing the woods light up with the thunderous gobbles is enough to get my blood flowing.” Johnathan Watts: Pro Staff Johnathan, “What call do you prefer to us and why?” “I prefer the havoc rogue. I like it because of its raspy sound that I can get fast and loud 3.” Greig McAlpin: Field Staff Director Greig, “What helpful hints would you give to those that are beginners at duck/goose calling?” “When learning how to use a duck or goose call you need to practice like anything else. One thing I did when I started out was to put the calls in my truck so everywhere I went I would blow the calls while I was driving. People might look at you funny at a stoplight but they will appreciate it in the blind. The Internet offers a bunch of awesome resources for instructional videos on how to make different sounding calls. Greig, “What is the most rewarding part of waterfowl hunting to you?” “The most rewarding part of waterfowl hunting to me is spending time with my friends and family. I love the sun rises and the sun sets. Taking children out and getting them hooked on something that you’re passionate about is priceless. Waterfowl hunting is such a communal activity very rarely do people hunt solo waterfowling. It’s always awesome to share the special moments with friends and family.” Joe St. John: Field Staff Joe, “What is the most rewarding part of waterfowl hunting to you?” “The most rewarding part of waterfowl hunting is the memories made. I like to tell stories and waterfowl always leaves a good story behind, whether it’s the one about falling asleep in the sunshine and missing birds because of it, or falling into the river and minus zero degree weather or your buddy sleeping on a river bank at first light and a folded bird landing on him to wake him up. There is ALWAYS a good story.”
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Emily Kamura: Field Staff Emily, “What helpful hints would you give to those that are beginners at duck/goose calling?” “Something that I learned for calling in waterfowl is to really use your gut. You can start off by pressing your hand really hard on your stomach to help.” Jeremy Melichar: Field Staff Jeremy, “What call do you prefer to us and why?” “I’ve been blowing a short reed goose call since the day they had hit the market, full acrylic and never turned away, when coming to the duck calls I’ve tried multiple manufactures and styles but meeting Mr. Powell of Havoc Calls has turned me to a whole new level when it comes to chasing mallards, again to me personal experience I love acrylic and will never go another direction.” Erich Gnewikow: Field Staff Erich, “What helpful hints would you give to those that are beginners at duck/goose calling?” “PRACTICE! Always have your call in your car or truck. Blow that call! No one can hear you in your car and on long road trips, calling keeps me awake. If you can go visit a city park and listen to what the ducks are saying and talk with the ducks, try to mimic the sounds they are making. You’ll learn a lot.” Hunter Thiessen: Pro Staff Hunter, “When did you start waterfowl hunting? “ “I started hunting when I was 4 years old with my dad. I am named after my dad’s obsession with hunting and my middle name was supposed to have been Drake, but my mama wasn’t going to” let that fly”. Hunter, “What call do you prefer to us and why?” “I prefer to use a double reed OG acrylic, because you can get real soft when the ducks are pressured or on low windy days. Or you can get real high on a comeback call or when it is very windy.” No matter where you are hunting, what got you started or what you love most about it. The key to duck or goose calling is practice. Finding a reputable company like Havoc calls and talking with the staff you can learn how to pick the right call for you and how to not make the common mistakes of over calling, poor timing, forgetting to practice or failing to finish. The staff at Havoc calls is always there to assist you and can be found at www.havoccalls.com or you can e-mail them at info@havoccalls.com. Remember that you become great at anything with practice and having Havoc call the shots is your first step to learning to call the birds and taking home your limit.
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La douce France/ Sweet France By Vera de Geus
Due to Woman@Hunt I was invited to join a hunt in France on 24th of January, by Adventure Zone (Belgium). I live in the Netherlands, 40 minutes driving and I’m in Belgium (Antwerp), this hunt was just accross the border Belgium/France, so 2.5 hours driving. In many ways I’m blessed to live pretty central in Europe. What we would hunt was on my bucketlist! The -reeve’s pheasant-! It is named for the British naturalist John Reeves, who first introduced live specimens to Europe in 1831. The males measure 210 cm (83 in) long and weigh 1,529 grams (3,371 lb). The male has a white head and is brightly plumaged with a scaled golden white and red body plumage, on top the feathers are close to the color gold. The head is white with a black narrow band accross it’s eyes. The male has an extremely long silvery white
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tail barred with chestnut brown. Females measure 75 cm (30 in) long and weigh 949 grams (2,092 lb). They are brown with a more black/gold crown, greyish brown feathers. The females are about the same size as a common pheasant male. In Europe we find them in France, United Kingdom and Czech Republic. Some fly over from France to Belgium, but are not allowed to be hunted in Belgium. I brought both my pointingdogs and at 5.30 am I started driving! At 8 am I was reached the huntinglodge. First say hello to the huntingmaster and leave my dogs out, within no time they smelled pheasants so I had a little challenge to keep them on the parkinglot. Within half a hour the hunters came, a few from France but most came from Belgium. Due to language difference I was pleased to see the Belgiums coming as they speak French & Dutch. I don’t speak French and only understand a bit from the language. In the beautiful huntinglodge we had our breakfast and a get to know each other moment. The huntingmaster asked if I was going to stay on post or would go tracking. My answer was: tracking please! I had my Nikon camera with me so I was ready to handle my dogs while tracking and make beautiful shots with my camera and leave the other ‘shots’ to the hunters. It can be quite demanding to hunt with two pointingdogs, my Spanish pointer always hunts in a range of 40/80 meters but my Danish pointer he just takes off and use the terrain he sees fit. During the first driven hunt both my dogs came pretty fast to the first points. The weather was foggy and the females kept on the ground. After being pointed by the dogs, and when I stepped out a few, shot came and we had the first results. With the common pheasant male I’m used it cocks when it flies up but the Reeve’s pheasant male doesn’t make a sound, neither the female. My Spanish pointer had to search because a female was not kickdead. Once he found it, he pointed it again, I gave him the command to retrieve but he refused. The reason why he did it was because the female was to alive so to speak and he always respects that. No biting or falls behavior with game. The female walked away and I took my dog’s head in my hands to change his position. Once he saw the female walking away, I gave him the command to go after it. Once he had the bird, she went in a fight. She was clearly not ready to leave this planet yet. As angry as she was she slapped her wings hard against my dogs nosebridge. Luckily he had her in the middle so her claws could not reach his head. On his way back to me he had to shut his eyes a couple of times to avoid the clapping wing in his eyes. But he didn’t drop her, neither did he re-fetched it. I was very proud at him and the hunter who shot this pheasant was amazed by the work of my dog. My Danish pointer had several great moments of pointing too, but due to the distance he took, I could not make a good shot with my camera. Before we realize it was lunch time and we went back to the huntinglodge for a very good typical French lunch! We had fun, good talks and the men were impressed by the work of my dogs during the morning. Some decided to change position for the afternoon hunt, from post to tracking or from tracking to post. After the lunch I took my dogs out but the Danish pointer was limping with one frontleg.
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Oh my what did he do?! I asked a fellow hunter (who had gundogs too), please look how he’s walking what do you think? Can he stay in the car he asked me. Yes. Then leave him in the car. It was a extra confirmation I need. So the afternoon hunt I went with only my Spanish pointer and told my Dane to have a good afternoon sleep. And we were out again! We had beautiful forest to hunt, low blackberry bushes so that was pretty easy. Once my dog and I got at the end of a part of the forest, he saw a male lying and slepping with the wings, it was shot but not kickdead. Within a split second he flew straight forward, jumped over the fallen tree’s, through blackberry bushes high and low, reached the pheasant, took it in his mouth, came back to me, and in the middle of some blackberry bush he sat down to give it to me. His first retrieve male Reeve’s pheasant. Cloud 9 & Vera oh yes! All the points he made in that afternoon I stepped towards him, took the other direction once I saw the pheasant and stepped it out in the direction of the guns. A dog who points that steady is a match in huntingheaven. Some pheasants came from the ground because of the trackers and flew high in the tree’s, if we tried to get them out and start flying again, they just went a twig higher....Smart birdies! So it took not only from the dogs (mine and other dogs) some serieos work but also from us trackers! We had to work and frankly I love that. I love it so much to hunt small game with one or both my dogs where the game has mind of it’s own and not all goes like I or we think it should go. We were ready at 4.30 pm and our result was 87 pheasants! Once back at the car I took my Dane out and hooray the afternoon break did him good, he was not limping anymore! Back in the huntinglodge we had some drinks and cosy aftertalks, exchange hunts were a fact. That’s the nice part of hunting in new area’s and with new people. You meet new people and if you are lucky you get new invitations. The huntingmaster told to translate to me “I want her and her dog back, she knows how to track and handle a pointingdog!” That was my golden moment. In Dutch the Reeve’s pheasant is called “Konings fazant” which letterly means “Kings pheasant”. After this day and huge compliments from all hunters yes I was wearing a little crown thanks to this magnificent pheasant specie. I started driving at 6.30 pm and was home at 9.30 pm. I had a very long day, but looked back at a wonderful huntingday. I want to thank Adventure Zone, Louis Walrave (director) to invite me and took me on a day where I got to know the Reeve’s pheasant and the great huntingtrips Adventure Zone offers in several European countries. More information about this hunt please contact us! With hunting greetings. Vera de Geus CEO Woman@Hunt
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