Sportsman's News April 2019 Digital Edition by Sportsman's News

FREE April 2019 | Volume 15 | Issue 4

Chad LaChance: Fishful Thinker

Take it to the Bank

Gary Lewis: PacWest Outdoors

Bear Bait Theory

Amazing Beasts of the Kodiak Turkey Gear Roundup

The Newest Products Coming for 2019 Page 14

Get Your Pellet On

Sportsman's Warehouse exclusive Page 34 Kodiak Island’s allure to outdoorsmen worldwide is the stuff of legend. Monstrous old bears make it easy to see why.

Relentless Recovery: SEE MORE AND FIND DOWNED GAMED EASIER WITH LEUPOLD’S LTO TRACKER 2HD PAGE 8

SPORTSMAN’S NEWS 2322 W. Industry Way Cedar City, UT 84721

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Mike Deming President/Publisher 435-669-4624 mdeming@sportsmansnews.com

SENIOR EDITOR Kent Danjanovich 801-231-9838 kdanjanovich@sportsmansnews.com MANAGING EDITOR Dan Kidder 435-865-1680 dkidder@sportsmansnews.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lisa Deming info@sportsmansnews.com VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGERS Sam Staudt sam@sportsmansnews.com James Dobson jdobson@sportsmansnews.com Subscribers should contact Managing Editor for changes of address.

Sportsman’s News is published monthly. The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright 2019 © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the Managing Editor.

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April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Send Us Your Stories And Win A Hunt Of A Lifetime With

Backcountry BackcountryHunts.com Hunts This is an outfitter we have hunted with every year for the past seven years and look forward to every March. We have been able to harvest some extremely large Aoudad on 40,000 acres. One 33” whopper, 31.5”, 31”, 29.5”, and 28” rams. ~ the Sportsmans News Team

New Mexico & Texas Hunts (575) 361•1053 17th Annual

OUTDOOR WRITING CONTEST Grand Prize Package

• Winner will be chosen to join the Sportsman's News Team on a fully guided hunt in Texas with Steve Jones Backcountry Hunts the last week of March 2020. Included is meals, lodging, 1 on 1 guided hunt for 3 days for Trophy Aoudad in west Texas. This is a free range wild sheep hunt. License is included for the winner. Camp will be shared with the Sportsman’s News team and we will film the adventure for an episode of Sportsman’s News Television. • Contest will run from November 1st, 2018 through November 30th, 2019 with two stories selected each month and published on our website. One grand prize winner will be randomly selected from those entries and notified by e-mail. • Every published entry will receive a knife from Outdoor Edge and will be entered into the grand prize drawing. • E-mail stories and photos to info@sportsmansnews.com. • Stories should be between 900 and 1500 words and be sent as a MS Word document or pasted into an e-mail. • Photos should be high resolution JPG’s, TIF’s or PDF’s: if you have any questions regarding photos call (435)865-1680. • Stories without photos will not be considered for publication or contest entry. All stories may be edited for content and size. Published articles and photos become property of Sportsman’s News. All prizes are provided by Sportsman’s News Inc. Must be 18 years of age to win grand prize. All entries must include author name, address and phone number to be considered for publication.

WORDS FROM THE PUBLISHER By Michael Deming

WHAT’S INSIDE 4 Amazing Beasts of the Kodiak

One lucky winner got to hunt Alaskan Brown Bears like a Pro.

Relentless Recovery 8 Leupold LTO Tracker 2 now in HD. 10 Platinum Approved Outfitters

Choose a Sportsman's News Endorsed Guide for your next trip.

14 Spring Turkey Gear Roundup

The latest and greatest new gear from the NWTF Show.

18 Pro's Pick: Winchester SX4 NWTF

Special NWTF version designed for the turkey hunter.

pring has sprung and it’s time to overcome that cabin fever and get outside. For us here at Sportsman’s News, this means that it is video product review season. For those of you that aren’t familiar with this or what we do, let me give you a bit of an explanation. It’s worth your time to be in touch with this extremely valuable information. Each and every year, all the manufactures who sell products to outdoor enthusiasts roll out new and exciting products. They usually do a bunch of advertising and marketing to let you know that they are coming and do everything in their power to create the hype and get you to purchase these items. That’s how marketing work’s and it isn’t just for this industry, it is done with nearly every single product available for purchase. In today’s world, it provides sensory overload. Trying to figure out what is real and what is hype is a full-time job. However, the Sportsman’s News team has been helping with this dilemma for over half a dozen years now on a video platform. Each year, we pick between fifty and sixty products and put them to the test. What exactly does this mean? It means that we are taking these products to the field in a real-world environment and beating it up. If it’s clothing, we are checking to see that it does what all the marketing hype says it does and more. If it’s optics, we are checking the functionality at extremely low light as you would in a hunting environment when game is most active. If it’s a fishing rod, we are hooking it up to a truck and trying to break it. You get the drift. We want to see if the marketing is hype or reality. This is pretty valuable information when you are looking at spending $500 on a rain jacket or several thousand dollars on a set of optics. We know that you can’t make these judgements in the store, so we try to do it for you. Every month we will have between two and 10 items that we test and then videos are made and edited for posting to you, our viewers/followers. We post all of these on our Sportsman’s News YouTube channel, which can be found with the search of sportsmansnewstv, with no spaces. If you subscribe to this channel, you will automatically be sent these videos as we post them throughout the year. We have a great lineup in store for this year and we are already in the process of testing out these products and getting the evaluation videos done. There are six-years-worth of these video evaluations already on the channel. So, feel free to look around and see if you agree with our assessments. If there are products you would be interested in seeing us test during the 2019 year, please send us an email at info@sportsmansnews.com with a subject line saying, “Test Products”. We still have a couple of spots available for this year. The cover story of this issue was written by Chad LaChance who was the lucky winner of the $30,000 brown bear hunt with Larsen Bay Lodge through the Pro Membership Sweepstakes. He truly got the experience of getting to, “Hunt Like the Pros”, which is our motto with this program. This wasn’t an experience that he ever felt would be something he wanted to do or could ever justify spending that kind of money to do. I was fortunate enough to be along on this trip with Chad and film the entire experience. It was like watching your children get up on Christmas morning, but this was Christmas that lasted for over a week. Even if you aren’t a bear hunter, the raw emotion that comes out in this story is well worth the read. This show will end up on the above, mentioned YouTube channel later this year as well. So, now you have one more reason to become a subscriber. If you want your chance to win a hunt like this, log onto www.promembershipsweepstakes.com for details on how you can “Hunt and Fish Like the Pros."

20 ALPS OutdoorZ Deception Blind

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22 Barronett Ox 4 Ground Blind Set up is a snap with this pop-up blind.

24 Pacwest Outdoors: Bear Bait Theory

A pro shares his techniques for baiting bear in the PacWest.

Fishful Thinker: Take it to the Bank 28 Tips for success for the angler without a boat.

30 Pro's Tip: Whiskey Glazed Wild Turkey Breast A perfect way to prepare your trophy for the table.

32 Video Product Reviews 34 Camp Chef Sportsman Pellet Grill/Smoker

This feature-packed grill is a Sportsman's Warehouse exclusive.

37 Business Directory 38 Pro Member Update: Bad River Bucks and Birds

Win a chance to blast world-class upland birds in South Dakota..

40 Wild Game Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Antelope Backstrap Simple yet delicious, this delicacy is a must try.

42 Adventures on a Budget: Winter on the San Juan Fishing is hotter when the weather gets cold

45 Writer's Contest: For My Daddy

Fulfilling a dream of a father daughter hunt makes lasting memories.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chad LaChance Gary Lewis Joe Glotz Steve Mayer Becky L. Taylor

April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Amazing Beasts of the Kodiak By Chad LaChance

everence. That is the only word to describe my feelings immediand all its wildness, but never really thought I’d get a chance to visit, unately upon approaching the half-ton brown bear I’d just harvestless perhaps it was to fish. Kodiak is home to St. Paul Harbor, a place that ed. The ancient old bear’s final resting place was oddly serene; has provided safe mooring to fishermen since 1792. King crab, Opilio crab, she laid face down, half floating in the lake that had been her scallops, halibut, cod and rockfish have all been fished there, and though major source of salmon - and thus body fat - that sustained her the island was originally inhabited by native Sun’aq tribes, eastern Europefor two decades and probably 15 cubs. The evening air was dead calm, the ans came in search of otter and sea lions. Eventually becoming the second water clear as glass, and the bear was still and peaceful. My brain; well, my largest island in the US, Kodiak Island is the kind of place that outdoorsmen brain was a mess. I couldn’t decide whether to cry, rejoice or simply breathe worldwide dream about and I was no exception. deep and take it all in. This was the climax of the trip of a lifetime, and I was The key phrase in that last sentence was “dream about”, because Kodiak living it. Island is not an easy place to get to, which means it ain’t cheap. It took five Backing up a year, I was sitting in a business meeting when the publisher plane rides and two days to get there, with two of those planes landing on of Sportsman’s News rung my phone. I knew the number; after all, I’ve water. Bear hunting aside, just getting to a remote area of Kodiak Island is been a freelance writer for his magazine for nearly a decade. I figured I’d missed a deadline or perhaps was getting a new writing assignment but I could tell immediately Michael Deming’s tone was different. In short, he informed me that my name had been randomly drawn from the drum containing hundreds of other familiar yellow cards, all members of the Pro Membership Sweepstakes, and furthermore, that the prize I’d won was a Kodiak Island brown bear hunt. It was one of those very rare moments where I, a guy known for talking waayyy too much and too fast, was at a loss for words. I signed up for the Pro Membership Sweepstakes shortly after its creation, mostly just to support the aforementioned Mr. Deming’s new project. The idea of winning anything substantial seemed, as with most sweepstakes, far fetched. But, I figured why not, somebody is going win one of three grand prizes monthly, not to mention the bonus drawings, and besides, you definitely can’t win if you don’t play. To be honest, I was hoping to win one of the guns. Though I’m a life-long big game hunter, the idea of hunting a brown bear had never really crossed my mind. It’s kind of like the fact that I’m a life-long connoisseur of cars but have never seriously considered owning a Lamborghini; it’s just too far fetched to even dream about for a guy that fishes for a living. And I should add that I’d never even seen a YellowPro Membership Sweepstakes winner Chad LaChance stone grizzly, much less a coastal brown bear that found out first hand the level of emotion that comes with Kodiak dwarfs them, in the wild. bear hunting. His reverence for these beasts cannot be overFurthermore, I’d read and heard of Kodiak Island

stated, and it was truly a life changing adventure.

April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

an adventure. Upon arrival at our hunting headquarters, I felt like I’d already had travelled the entire world in pursuit of the rarest big game. Boss Man made had a great experience and we hadn’t even started hunting yet. It didn’t hurt a perfect shot to harvest a beautiful bear on this trip and he agreed; this trip was that, literally 20 minutes after unloading my gear from the float plane, I spotted near the very top of the list. Given his level of experience, including the African a truly monstrous bear high on a mountain ridge overlooking our camp. “big five”, that’s saying something. I’d never even previously been on a guided big game hunt. DIY, public land Our first day of hunting had my guide TJ and me still hunting our way along hunting had always fit my budget and I was fine with that. So, winning this trip a river bank and within a half mile, we had a sow and three cubs in sight. They was about as crazy as a guy could ever dream; I literally advanced to the very fed their way to within a 100 yards of us before TJ let her know we were there, pinnacle of big game hunting in one lucky draw, or so I was told by those in the at which point they split. That was my first of what turned out to be a bunch know. Now, as I sat looking at my second giant bear within an hour of arrival of close encounters. Over the next several days, we hunted both on foot and by at a lakeside camp surrounded by wild Kodiak Island beauty, I was starting to boat and saw tons of bears, some way off in the distance and some at point blank understand what they meant. This was not your average hunting trip, even for a range. One of those close encounters was somewhat comical as I was caught, brown bear. This was the best of the best, and I had won it. literally, with my waders down taking a leak. A young bear ambled out of the Mike Carlson is the owner of Larsen Bay Lodge. He is a member of the native shoulder-deep grass 25 yards away; while my rifle was 10 yards the other way. tribe and thus can outfit in places others I’m not sure who was more surprised. cannot. He’s a lifelong hunter, 30 years Another close encounter had a far more "The Sportsman's News Pro Membership Sweepstakes serious tone as a big sow with three cubs professionally, and as I came to find out, has a deep respect for nature. He also takes will give this hunt away again in 2021 for a hunt in wanted to argue. TJ warned her of our pressharing his passion for Kodiak Island and ence while she was about 100 yards away 2022. The quality of the bears in this region are so but instead of vacating, she sent her cubs its giant bears - literally the largest bears in the world - with others very seriously. the surrounding brush and closed the exceptional, that demand is very high, and being able into Listening to him talk about the bears, their distance. We were sitting next to a small to get a hunt here every four years, is unheard of." creek, and thankfully she stopped on the habits, and the region made it clear he loves his life’s work. His son was also one far bank, a mere 18 yards away. Both TJ - Michael Deming of our guides on this trip and the rest of and I had our rifles trained on her when our crew was made up of another guide, a she thought better of it and retreated. It was camp host and an over-achieving cook. The hunt was based in an out-post camp the first time in my entire life I’ve ever had to raise a gun in self defense. with a little cabin. No electricity I also had a couple of missed opportunities. One of those was a large boar that but we had a diesel heater and we spotted from the boat. We beached and set up a stalk, ultimately landing propane lanterns made for a homus within 20 yards, almost directly above him. Alas, all I could see through the ey feel. The food was exceptional heavy brush was his massive noggin staring back at me through the 2X scope. I by any standard, much less for a was not willing to head shoot and he never showed me his neck or body before remote fly-in hunt. There was no bailing out of the situation. Another stalk had us set up ahead of a bear apcell reception and that may be the proaching down the bank. It went perfect - for the guide and camera guy, both best part. Blissfully unplugged. of whom had a perfect view of him at close range. In my attempt to stay hidden, Mr. Deming was along to film I sat in the one spot where he was blocked from my view by the tall grass. and another hunter joined us as When I say we saw “The One”, experienced big game hunters will know what well. He was a 70-year old gentleI mean. We glassed a truly huge, fat and obviously old bear fishing a half mile or Frankie Carlson, "Boss Man", and man named Kent Fuller, but we so away. The bear worked our way and over the course of about an hour, ended Mike Carlson with a Kodiak beast. came to call him "Boss Man". He up almost within my effective range - almost. I knew that was The One, the bear

Harvesting a bear was only one part of this trip. Getting to experience the history of the 227 year old fishing harbor and the island’s native people and wildlife were all part of the grand adventure. April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The teeth tell the story of a long and hard life for this old sow bear. Cracked, broken and rotten, these teeth are critical to the bear’s ability to consume the 25 pounds of salmon per day needed to sustain her size. that really tripped my trigger and my heart rate was rising quickly. Then we made a mistake; I’m not sure if the bear saw us or heard us, but it didn’t matter. We were busted and I was bummed. The One got away and I was assured we’d not likely see that old bear again. Flashing forward two days and a whole bunch of bear encounters in between, we were glassing late in the day. Way off in the distance, I spotted a bear “snorkeling” (a fitting term to describe their head-in-water fishing) off a point. Almost immediately I recognized it as The One by a distinct light colored spot in the middle of the forehead, along with the overall girth. We set up and I sat there silently hoping the bear would make it to us before filling up on sockeye and heading out to take a nap. Sure enough, about 45 minutes later the bear rounded another point in the bank about 600 yards out. Now my heart was pounding for real. I was solidly positioned with my .375 H&H resting on my dry bag and I told TJ to keep me informed on the range as it approached. At 360 yards, it stopped to snatch a salmon and then turned broadside on the bank to eat it. I fired three shots and the bear rolled down into the lake. Nineteen seconds from my first shot, the old bear left this world. Turns out it was a massive old sow, rotted teeth and all scarred up, with pure white claws, a sure sign of age. The Alaska Department of Fish & Game biologist that examined her determined she was beyond breeding age and a perfect bear to take from the conservation standpoint. He also explained the increasing population of bears on the island and the need for harvest to keep the unique ecosystem in balance. Given that we observed dozens upon dozens of mature bears and even more cubs on this trip, I’d be inclined to agree with him. Was a Kodiak bear hunt on my bucket list? No, it was beyond even being dream-able. To be totally honest, I considered selling or trading the trip simply because, as primarily a deer hunter, I couldn’t fathom hunting giant bears. But when the universe aligned to hand me a once

April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

in a lifetime opportunity in the form of a sweepstakes win, it seemed like it was meant to be. Given that I had blown opportunities and even a second chance at the bear I really wanted, which turned out to be a huge and ancient old sow, I feel even stronger about it. Looking back, I can honestly say the trip was life-changing and I’ll be forever grateful to the bears, the island, and the people that made it happen. And to think, when I signed up for the Pro Membership Sweepstakes, all I was hoping to win was a gun.

There is something inherently cool about being dropped off in the middle of nowhere on Kodiak Island, unloading your gear, and then watching the floatplane fly off into the sunset leaving you to your adventure.

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April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Relentless Recovery and More: Leupold’s LTO Tracker 2 HD Thermal Imager

eupold made waves last year when it announced, and then expanded, its line of handheld thermal imagers. The LTO Tracker HD has been readily adopted by the hunting community, where it found success as both a scouting and game-recovery tool. What’s not to love about a compact, lightweight thermal imager that’s capable of displaying the heat signature of game, blood trails, and more – all at a price point that’s well below the budget-busting, military-grade thermals in the marketplace? New for 2019 is the company’s upgraded LTO Tracker 2 HD, which delivers many of the same great features provided by the original Tracker HD, as well as some game-changing enhancements that hunters, shooters, and homeowners will want to see. A thermal imager, in a nutshell, reads infrared light waves and displays them on its screen. Great for finding and recovering wild game, for sure, but that elk you just stuck an arrow in isn’t the only thing in your life that’s giving off an infrared signal. With a thermal sensor that can detect temperatures from -40°F to 572°F, the LTO-Tracker 2 HD’s list of potential uses is almost limitless.

Field Applications

The Tracker 2 HD serves as the next evolution of the Leupold thermal line and is designed to help you see through darkness, track an animal, and more. It delivers clear thermal images with a high-resolution 390x390 display and features increased temperature sensitivity thanks to its 320x240 thermal sensor. A 300-yard deer detection distance provides more efficient game recovery, and it improves identification at longer distances with a 7x digital zoom. We’ve all been there – trying to find the game animal that we know is down but hidden from the naked eye. With only a small blood trail to go on, your search could take hours – time that you might not have. Light’s low and you’re running out of options as the sun begins to set. With the Tracker 2 HD in hand, however, it’s a different story. Using its thermal imager, finding warm blood on cool ground can become much easier – especially if your search takes you into the nighttime hours. Where legal, the Tracker 2 HD can be used as a tool for locating and identifying game, too. The 7x digital zoom helps you get a closer look at your thermal target, and game animals will often stand out against the cool backdrop of the trees and other terrain. Chief among the new features on the Tracker 2 HD is the revolutionary “Beacon” mode. Designed to extend usability and help you track downed game more efficiently than ever before, Beacon mode quickly recalibrates the screen for increased detection in hot environments. When activated in one of three Hi-Bright screen colors, Beacon mode detects the warmest object in the active image and rebalances all the Hi-bright colors back down to grayscale. The result: The screen is a grayscale color under the Beacon thresh-

April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

old until a “warmer” spot is detected and displayed as a Hi-Bright condition. Remember: Always check your local rules and regulations before using any thermal imaging products in the field.

Home-Defense Applications

The very same features that make the LTO Tracker 2 HD an excellent tool for game recovery make it invaluable in the home. Recent handprints and footprints will often register on the Tracker 2 HD’s sensor, as well. With a Tracker 2 HD in hand, you could scan your driveway before approaching your car at night or check your backyard if you’ve heard a noise you aren’t sure of. And since its compact design is so lightweight and easy to carry, you’ll be able to take it wherever you need to. While you might have already heard about how coyote hunters have made great use of the LTO Tracker 2 HD, you might have missed the fact that it absolutely has its uses against the two-legged predators that present true danger to you or your family. It really does help you take ownership of the night. Though the LTO Tracker HD looks like a scope, the eyepiece is actually a screen – so you don’t have to press it to your eye to see the image. This allows you to essentially see in the dark while still having one free hand to manipulate other tools or defend yourself as necessary. From Search and Rescue to Camping, this affordable thermal device has already been put to use in creative ways. Last year, we received a letter from a police officer who used his original LTO Tracker to find a missing child, while another officer used the device to find a gun that was part of a crime scene. Campers have kept the device close by in order to know what’s rustling the brush by their tents at night, and ranchers have used the thermal tracker to count cattle more easily. Being able to see infrared images gives hunters, homeowners, ranchers, and first responders alike a distinct advantage in the field.

Built to Last

Leupold LTO Tracker 2 HD is designed to survive anything you can. It maximizes durability with a Gorilla Glass full-circle display and a lightweight aluminum housing. The easy-to-carry, compact design is only 5.5 inches long and weighs just 7 ounces. Simply put, it’s ready to go wherever your next adventure takes you. Find the Leupold Tracker 2 HD today at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse.

LTO-TRACKER 2 HD RELENTLESS RECOVERY

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Delivers clear thermal images with high-resolution 390x390 display

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April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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www.SNDreamAdventures.com April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Spring Turkey Products 2019 By Kent Danjanovich Senior Editor

pring turkey season is upon us and I had a chance to visit with a bunch of the manufacturers at the NWTF Convention in Nashville in February to see, first-hand, just what is new and improved for 2019. You can check out all of these great products and more this spring at your local Sportsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Warehouse in preparation for your hunt.

Zink Triple Pack Turkey Calls

This 3-pack of high-performance calls leaves you ready for most common calling situations by combining the X-Lady, Wicked Lady and Lucky Lady calls. A triple reed call featuring a heavy upper reed with split V cut, the X-Lady helps you deliver calls with great rasp. The Wicked Lady helps you crank out fantastic soft yelps, whines, clucks and purrs with its inverted-V style double reed design with unique W cut on top. The Lucky Lady helps you deliver a wide range of calls with its easy-to-use triple reed design with V-cutter top reed and strategically places notches in the middle and upper reeds. The Triple Pack also includes a Turkey Time University instructional DVD from Zink to help you improve your calling skills.

Goals of the NWTF:

Flextone Funky Chicken Gen 2

Turkey hunters learned long ago the effectiveness of using decoys to get those wary Toms to commit. During the spring breeding season, many hunters opt for hen decoys to attempt to lure the old boy into shotgun range. While love works some of the time, often the best decoy is another male decoy that seemingly threatens the opportunity of the Tom you are calling. This is where the Funky Chicken Gen 2 excels. A slim decoy that mimics a Jake, the Funky Chicken Gen 2 is an easy target for aggressive, older Toms.

Avian-X: HDR Jake

When the spring turns warm and gobblers are strutting, smart turkey hunters know the one thing that can get an old tom to rush into their setup is to make him mad with an inferior intruder. But it can be a delicate balance. Not all toms are as aggressive as the next and it's important to raise their ire without also intimidating them. AvianX's HDR (Heavy-Duty Realism) Jake is the perfect decoy for doing just that. You can increase the attitude of this ultra-realistic decoy with the head design that features a curled, aggressive posture or dial it back with a head design that is more submissive. Both heads are included with the HDR Jake.

14 April 2019 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

1. Conserve or enhance 4 million acres of critical wildlife habitat 2. Recruit 1.5 million hunters 3. Open access to 500,000 additional acres for hunting

Spring Turkey Products 2019 Montana FANATIC XL Turkey Decoy

The FANATIC XL is as light and realistic as it gets when it comes to an extended size, full-strut reaping decoy. Its large size and photographic realism create an appearance that's sure to rile up any gobbler that sees it. The included turkey foot reaping base saves time and easily stands on any surface. It easily folds up for convenient packing and works with other Montana turkey decoys. Just remember, this decoy is so realistic, you need to be careful you don’t fool the other hunters in the woods!

H.S. Strut Slingblade Box Call

As with any call, it takes practice and technique development in order to master perfect turkey sounds. Everything from positioning, rhythm and cadence can affect the tone of the call produced. For Spring 2019, H.S. Strut launches quite possibly the easiest-to-use box call ever created while maintaining excellent tone and sound quality. The new Slingblade Box Call is a single-sided box call that is constructed of a solid billet of American Walnut with an exotic Purple Heart lid. With only one striking side, the open-close operation is fool proof. The offside is taller, which stops the paddle in the same place every time. Like the open and closing of a door, rhythm and cadence is all you need to master. The hand-tuned Slingblade produces fine turkey talk every time.

Quaker Boy Grand Old Master Box Call

The Quaker Boy Grand Old Master Box Call is a perfectly crafted turkey call with a 5-piece wood bottom and cherry paddle that meets the needs of turkey hunters and is priced right. Popular demand has brought back this great call and we are glad they did. Right or left-handed operation, the Grand Old Master will cut the wind to those long-distance birds or tone down when you need to close the deal.

ALPS Vantage Bino Harness

Binos are an essential tool for many turkey hunters, especially those hunting in open country. The Vantage bino harness from ALPS OutdoorZ was designed specifically with the turkey hunter in mind by combining a secure and convenient means of carrying binoculars along with the other turkey hunting essential—calls. The Vantage harness features a padded back panel for comfortable all-day wear and the harness system is fully adjustable to accommodate everything from light camo to cold-weather clothing. The bino attachment straps are non-metallic to ensure optimal stealth, while an adjustable closure allows the system to be used with most binocular sizes. For easy bino retrieval, the case boasts a generous U-shape cut so optics can be pulled out even when wearing gloves. Coming in at under a pound, the Vantage Bino Harness is your go-to when you need to go in as light as possible.

April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Spring Turkey Products 2019 ALPS Grand Slam Turkey Vest

The ALPS Grand Slam Turkey Vest is the ultimate turkey vest on the market today. Featuring state of the art features such as the "sit anywhere" kickstand frame, fast-locking technology, thick padded fold away seat, a smart-phone sleeve that allows you to use your phone while it's still in the pack, a breathable game bag and a removable diaphragm call pocket among many others, this vest truly delivers. Other features include shell loops, H2O compatibility, side compression straps, two water bottle pockets, detachable shoulder straps and a protective and silent box call pocket.

ALPS Long Spur Turkey Pack

ALPS Long Spur is a versatile run-n-gun turkey hunting pack, complete with a removable 500 -cubic inch lumbar pocket, perfect for a set of light weight rain gear, snacks or extra calls. This pack also has removable call pockets that are attached to the front of the harness, insuring you that you will always have your calls ready to use. Two removable chest pockets include silent box-call and diaphragm-call pockets. Other storage options include two slate-call pockets, two mesh mouth-call pockets, five shell loops, locator call pockets and the pack is one size fits most, while weighing in at just over three pounds.

H.S. Strut Undertaker Chest Pack

The new breed of turkey hunter is mobile, agile and prepared to fool a wily old gobbler. The new Undertaker Chest Pack from H.S. Strut carries everything you need. Its unique, compact design is ready to hold all the essentials needed without the weight, bulk and added warmth of a conventional turkey vest. Plenty of room for turkey calls, ammo and accessories in a tight, compact pack that is firmly fastened to your core means less to weigh you down and more mobility when it counts. The Undertaker Chest pack provides quiet and durable "rapid-access" to accessories and gear. The pack sits comfortably on the chest of the hunter, secured by an adjustable, four-point harness. The molded drop-down front houses interior compartments with ample room for two pan calls, mesh pockets for three diaphragm calls plus more space for gloves, facemasks, binos, ammo, bug spray and even a cell phone. The exterior lower pocket fits a favorite box call and the exterior holsters hold multiple strikers.

Primos Turkey Starter Pak W/3 Calls

This pack has everything you need to get started on your next turkey adventure. The Turkey Starter Pak includes a Sonic Dome Mouth Call, Sonic Dome Slate Call, Slim Striker and a double-sided box call. The pack also includes a conditioning kit and carrying case. A great choice for those venturing into the turkey hunting world.

16 April 2019 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

THE RUGER

LC380 ™

The Ruger® LC380™ is the perfect pairing of the award-winning LC9™ pistol and the popular .380 Auto cartridge.

It features a dovetailed, high visibility 3-dot sight system, 7-round magazine and finger grip extension floorplate, manual safety, loaded chamber indicator and light recoil spring for an easy-to-manipulate slide. The LC380™ is the same size as the LC9™, yet offers reduced recoil making it Ruger’s lightest recoiling personal protection centerfire pistol yet.

Finger Grip Extension Floorplate Can Be Added to the Magazine for Comfort and Grip, Included FREE

Same Size as the LC9™ but with a Lighter Recoil Spring for Easier Slide Manipulation

Includes internal lock, Manual Safety, Magazine Safety and Loaded Chamber Indicator, Which Provides Confirmation of a Loaded or Empty Chamber

WWW.RUGER.COM/LC380

Dovetailed, High-Visibility 3-Dot Sight System

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April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

PRO'S PICK

Winchester SX4 NWTF Cantilever Turkey

or more than 150 years, Winchester Repeating Arms has created legendary firearms using innovative design, quality materials and precision manufacturing processes to deliver the kind of products we as sportsmen want and need. That same standard applied when the new Super X4 autoloading shotgun was introduced in 2017. Based on the proven Active Valve gas system, the new Super X4 offered enhanced ergonomics, easier to access operating controls, lighter weight, a more fluid swing, faster cycling speed and the proven reliability we have all come to expect from Winchester Repeating Arms. In 2018, Winchester debuted the purpose-built turkey gun, the SX4 Cantilever Turkey with Mossy Oak Obsession camo finish, adjustable rifle-style sights, a TRUGLO fiber optic front sight, cantilever optic mount, chrome plated chamber and bore, Invector-Plus chokes.

18 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The partnership that Winchester has with the NWTF is a special one. For both, turkey hunting is more than just a hobby, it’s a commitment to conservation of habitat and a tradition as old as America itself. Winchester knows shotguns and the NWTF knows turkeys, so the creation of a fantastic turkey gun built on the award winning SX4 platform was a natural. The SX4 is built on the bulletproof Active Valve system that was the core foundation of the SX, with improved balance, controls and internal operating components. Back-bored technology provides optimum shot patterns that are dense and even. The SX4 has a synthetic stock with improved ergonomics, a rounder pistol grip and textured gripping surfaces. It has a drop-out trigger group for easier cleaning. The fit and balance of a shotgun stock are critical factors of how well you are able to shoot it. To help with this, Winchester includes polymer lengthof-pull spacers that fit between the stock and the recoil pad. When adjusted properly, you will be able to shoulder your shotgun more smoothly and with confidence, while experiencing less felt recoil. Specially shaped rib structures located inside the recoil pad itself help direct and channel the recoil impulse, moving the comb down and away from your cheek, spreading the recoil forces over a wider area for further cushioning, making the SX4 one of the lightest recoiling shotguns on the market today. This was very evident when we did our testing with this model at the range with 1 ¾ oz. loads. Another great feature of this great turkey gun is the generously sized, reversible safety, located at the rear of the angular-profiled trigger guard. It is easy to reverse for a right- or left-handed shooter and the opening on the trigger guard is plenty big for easy access, even when wearing heavy gloves on those cold, spring mornings. This NWTF model features a 24” barrel with a cantilever rail, hard chrome-plated 3.5” chamber and bore, adjustable rifle-style sight with TruGlo fiber optic front sight and a full Mossy Oak Obsession finish. It has a 4-round tubular magazine capacity and includes an Invector-Plus Extended Extra Full Turkey choke with a camouflage front band. Through Winchester’s support, a portion of the sale of each NWTF Turkey gun is donated to the NWTF to support habitat improvements, conservation, development TSS at 20 yards and other worthwhile projects.

PRO'S PICK Browning TSS TUNGSTEN TURKEY

Specifically, Pattern Board is configured for three different gauges (10, 12 and 20), and offers a range of choke constrictions within each gauge (from 0.585” to 0.745”). The user can then select shell length (3” or 3½”), pellet size (No. 4, 5 or 6), type of Winchester ammunition (Double X High Velocity, Double X Magnum, Super-X or Longbeard XR) and the distance at which the shot is to be taken (between 10 and 70 yds.). Our testing was at 20- and 50-yards. Once all selections have been entered, Pattern Board provides actual patterning results using those variables for all four Winchester product lines. And clicking into your shot pulls up all three patterns that were shot using your customized selections. Pattern Board also breaks down how many of the load’s pellets are located within the 3”, 10”, 15” and 30” rings, respectively.

TSS Tungsten Turkey gives hunters a new edge in the field. Loaded with the densest shot available (60% denser than lead) and offered in duplex payloads, turkeys out to 70 yards don’t stand a chance. The really great thing about this new ammo is what it does for the smaller gauges. In the past, many have thought 20’s and 410’s were under powered for turkeys. But, with the new Browning TSS Tungsten, these small gauges can easily get the job done, greatly enhancing the experience for women and youth hunters. Available in 3- and 3.5-inch 12ga., 3-inch 20ga. and 3-inch .410 bore.

Winchester Long Beard XR

TSS at 50 yards

For millions of hunters across America, chasing wild turkeys is what they live for. Turkey hunters are fanatics about their shotgun, choke and ammunition choices and Winchester prides themselves at being the leader in the field. Long Beard XR just keeps achieving new heights, as it made a clean sweep of the NWTF’s annual Still Target Championships for 2018. Winchester loads won every division in the Championship and currently hold every world record set at the annual event. Quite an accomplishment.

Join us for a Canadian fishing adventure! June 24th - July 1st, 2019 Fully guided fishing on McIntosh Lake, part of the legendary Churchill River System which holds massive pike, trophy lake trout and scrappy walleye. Also includes float plane trip into and out of the lodge. All meals and lodging.

Long Beard at 20 yards

Long Beard at 50 yards

Another great tool is the Winchester Pattern Board. You can download the free app that allows you to select your gauge, choke, shell length, pellet size, brand and distance, then view the real pattern from that load as well as patterns from comparable loads. The best way to determine how a shotgun will pattern a given shotshell load at different ranges is to actually shoot a few through the gun and analyze the results—however, Winchester’s new Pattern Board app is not a bad second option. For those who won’t have the opportunity to take their guns out for a little range testing prior to turkey season, there’s no need to guess how Winchester’s various turkey loads will perform out in the field, as the company has already done the work for its customers and has made that information available to your computer or wireless device via winchesterpatternboard.com. Not a simulation, Pattern Board allows the user to input a number of different variables and then produces actual patterning results using those same variables as shot by Winchester staffers. With more than 3,000 patterns in its database, Pattern Board contains three patterns for each scenario the user can devise, for each of the company’s four gobbler-getting product lines.

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April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

ALPS OutdoorZ Deception Blind and Vanish Folding Chair

lthough not a blind for multiple hunters,Â ALPS OutdoorZÂ has created the perfect blind, specifically designed with the turkey hunter in mind. The uniquelydesignedÂ Deception blind is the only hub-style blind of its kind on the market. Featuring a low-profile of only 46 inches might make you a little skeptical at first, however, once you actually get into the blind, you will fall in love with the compact design, as you will realize how concealed you will be. The Deception blind is lightweight and perfectly suited for the ALPS Vanish Folding Chair as well, with its low-profile design and sturdy framework. The smaller, unique 4-hub design of the Deception blind makes for simple, quiet setups that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be done prior to the hunt. The aluminum hubs are constructed with engineered tips and pins and the frame uses strong, flexible fiberglass poles. Durable polyester fabric with blacked-out backing helps to keep you concealed. TheÂ DeceptionÂ also features a 270-degree Silent-Trac window system for limitless window positions and an extra-large door opening for easy access while carrying gear. An oversized zipper on the door ensures smooth and hasslefree operation. Two interior gear pockets keep things organized and ready for action. It includes stakes and tie downs to secure its position and a convenient shoulder strap carry bag makes for easy transport and storage. The Deception comes in Mossy Oak Obsession, making it perfect for spring turkey hunting anywhere in the country.Â MSRP $139.99 ALPS Vanish is a comfortable and lightweight folding chair, incorporating a low-profile design and powder coated steel frame. This chair might be light weight, but the 300lbs. weight compacity ensures a comfortable and sturdy sit. It is one of the few low-profile chairs you will find that not only takes care of the shotgunner, but even allows you to draw a bow from the seated position. The Vanish is very comfortable and features a folding design, a padded carry strap and carrying bag. MSRP $54.99 Check these and many other great ALPS OutdoorZ products at your local Sportsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Warehouse this turkey season.

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20 April 2019 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

The world’s most advanced riﬂescopes SIERRA3BDX™ • Illuminated digital BDC reticle synchronizes to your ballistic profile, and can be configured with up to eight holdover dots at distances out to 800 yards • Digital Focal Plane™ reticle scales with zoom like a First Focal Plane riflescope • HD Glass and SpectraCoat™ lens coatings • Levelplex™ digital anti-cant system

Barronett Ox 4 Backwoods Ground Blind

he Ox 4 hub blind is designed for hunters who want serious performance from a smaller package. It features their durable OxHide fabric, a unique bonded fabric that starts out with a rugged, no scratch black interior layer, then is covered with a soft, no-shine and color rich camouflage exterior layer. The interior fabric layer creates a dull black backdrop to conceal even the slightest movement. Built for the hardcore hunter, the Barronett Ox 4 Backwoods Hunting Blind sets you up for hunting success with excellent concealment and multiple window configurations. The Ninja adaptable window system, which allows hunters optimal heights and gaps for multiple setups, offers a full panoramic view as well as ample shooting options. It also has two smaller ‘peek’ windows located on the rear wall. Now let’s talk a little bit about the camo pattern. BLOODTRAIL Backwoods is a second-generation photo-realistic camo pattern. What sets BLOODTRAIL camos apart is the vertical orientation, large scale, variation in color and depth of field. With Backwoods the scale is even larger, making it effective on large items and the great detail makes it impressive at close range. The main focus within the pattern is the grouped colors of brown leaves, green pine needles and gray tree trunks to eliminate the “blob” affect when viewed from a distance. You’ll be amazed at how the BLOODTRAIL Backwoods camo pattern will disappear at any distance. Putting up the blind is a snap. All you have to do is take it out of the carry bag, grab the pull handle on the eyelet, located in the center of the wall or roof and pull outward until that section pops open. Then continue until all five panels have popped open. To take it down, just push in the sides and top, fold each section over and roll it up. Setup and take-down time are literally under one minute. And you can count on your Ox 4’s durability, as its heavy-duty poles and metal ball and socket hubs will perform for years to come. You can also take advantage of

the built-in brush holders to stuff some extra local vegetation into for added concealment and ground stakes and tie downs are also included for added stability. The Ox 4 weighs only 28 pounds and comes with a backpack carrying case. Its footprint dimensions are 60” x 60” and it stands 72” high. MSRP $249.99 Do yourself a favor and check out the Ox 4 and Barronett’s other great ground blinds at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse.

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www.jokerswildoutdoors.com 22 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Bait Theory from a Minnesota Public Land Bear Hunter

Story and photos by Gary Lewis

omma bear came in wary. Two small cubs had just walked into the bait, eleven paces from the base of my tree. I didn’t move a muscle. We were 11 yards apart. For 15 minutes the bears fed, then their ears perked up and they looked back into the timber. They had heard another bear. Momma decided it was time to leave before the big one killed her little ones. Forty-five minutes later, I connected on the big male when he showed himself back in the timber. That September, we hunted with Arrowhead Wilderness Outfitters in the Superior National Forest, in upper Minnesota. Our guides used a bait that consisted of mixed nuts, cookie dough and gummy bears. It was pleasant, did not attract flies and had a good mix of protein, salt and sweets. The bears knew when the four-wheeler came and went. All tree stands were set about ten feet high and the prevailing winds were considered. We only hunted afternoons. Because the previous summer’s berry crops failed, the males were hitting baits hard

After 39 years of outfitting for bears on national forest land, Brian Bachman has learned how to put bruins in front of his clients.

When a bear moves in to a bait site, it will probably come in slow and cautious. This boar fell to a 165-grain Nosler AccuBond when it showed itself at the edge of the trees - 23 paces from the base of the author’s tree.

24 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Tony Collins takes his stand on the first day of a hunt with Brian Bachman.

and the bigger animals were dominating the only reliable food sources. This translated to good success for us. Eleven of our 14 bears were boars. Fourteen of our 16 hunters tagged their bear. Bear hunters subscribe to a number of theories about why their baits work and there is no one best way to invite a bruin to dinner. Here’s Brian Bachman’s baiting theory, based on almost 40 years of experience in his neck of the woods. Brian Bachman is the owner of Arrowhead Wilderness Lodge. His company guides hunters from all over the world to their chance at a Minnesota bruin. He outfits for an average of 40 hunters over two five-day periods and plans to be finished with his bear hunts each September prior to the start of grouse season when the bird hunters take to the woods.

Approximately two weeks before the season opener on September 1, Bachman begins setting out his baits on old sites, adding a few new ones each year. Most of his hunting takes place on public land. For Bachman and his guides, morning is time to check the bait. Bachman’s hunters hunt afternoons and evenings only. “Eighty percent of our hunters try to shoot the first bear they see,” Bachman said. “Roughly twenty percent are bigger bears,” he said. “Our success is dependent on the food availability and the shooter’s ability.” Bachman’s favorite ingredients are mixed nuts, cookie dough and gummy candy.

Brian Bachman (left), Rod Martino and guide Ray Crow with Martino’s first black bear.

April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The Hunter

Eleven paces from the tree stand, this bait was freshened from a 5-gallon bucket. The author used an attractant to raise the amount of scent borne on the breeze. “If people will eat it, bears will eat it. I’ve tried everything.” Early in his career, Bachman used meat scraps. Now that wolves are prevalent in Minnesota, he doesn’t use meat anymore. He doesn’t like to use breads and doughnuts because of the mess. “Here in our forests, our bears mostly eat berries,” Bachman said. He believes his bears have a sweet tooth. “I haven’t got them to eat fish or dog food.” It’s important, Bachman believes, to vary the tastes. “I don’t want to use just one thing, because they will get tired of it. A variety keeps them there longer.” We hunted during a September when the berry crops had failed. There were no berries on the bushes and the bears were hungry, hitting the baits with regularity. “When there is a lot of food out there, they will come, but they are very intolerant and will just come at night or they won’t come because they don’t have to come. But when there isn’t a lot of natural food, they’ll put up with the human scent.” Bachman says you can’t fool them. They know they’re getting food from humans. To play to his audience, he likes to rotate guides on each bait as they freshen each site each day. That way the bears get used to more than one human’s odor. He keeps sites about a mile apart. “That usually keeps the bears separated,” he said. “I’ve shot 300-pound and bigger bears within a mile of each other within a day of each other. The big bears will be that close.” The first day of my hunt we went in about three miles on a 4-wheeler. On the second day the wind changed and Bachman moved me. I was struck by how close to a main road my second stand was. Around me, the canopy was thick and I could not see more than 23 paces in any direction. I was only 50 yards from a gravel road. “When I first started, I would carry the bait further in from the road or trail. As I got older, I didn’t feel like carrying the baits that far in or the bears out. The road doesn’t usually bother them, except they don’t like to cross the road.” Because these are public lands, bears are used to human scent, Bachman is not too worried about wind direction. He does place stands to take advantage of prevailing patterns. “Most of our clients are deer hunters and they’re conscious of wind,” he said. “There is human scent at each of our baits. The bears expect it, and the wind seems to swirl at the end of the day anyway.” Although he could get away with taking more bears per stand, Bachman usually only takes one bear per stand each season. After that, he’ll take the stand down. “Hunters pay me to put them on a stand and I only have a few days and I don’t want to risk putting them on a stand that might not produce for a day or two. Birds are often the first visitors On the other hand, the bears remember to a bait site after the guide walks that bait and come back next year.” away.

26 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Whether a bear comes into a bait or not depends a lot on what the hunter is or isn’t doing. “Smoking in the stand is really bad,” Bachman said. But smoking in camp is a problem too, because the scent lingers on clothing and gear. “Hunters that smoke can try to clean up as much as they can, but it doesn’t work very well. I have only had a couple of cigarette smokers actually get bears in all my years.” Bachman tries to position baits to present the best shot angles, even considering whether an archer is left- or right-handed. He says an optimum bow shot is when, Brian Bachman walks away from a bait broadside, the bear’s front location, headed back to the truck in early leg is extended. He prefers a afternoon, leaving a hunter on stand. quartering away shot where the arrow is angled behind the last rib, channeling the arrow into the heart. Baits are close, which can be tricky for a rifle hunter. In my case, the bait was 11 paces from the base of my tree. I had my scope dialed to the lowest setting 4.5x - and it was still not dialed out enough. I’d have preferred 2x or 3x. Bachman prefers hunters use low-power scopes rather than open sights. “That light-gathering ability of a scope can make a difference right before dark.” Bachman has a little experience with hunters bringing attractant scents. In his corner of the forest there are no acorns, there aren’t any big fish runs up the creeks. He prefers attractants that play off the local bears’ tastes - cherries, berries and honey instead of bacon, beaver or fish. Some examples of products to try include Moultrie Bear Magnet, anise or raspberry jelly or Bear Scents anise scent ball. On my hunt, I brought Northwoods Cherry Blast, a powdered attractant that comes in a canister not unlike garlic seasoning. I waited about 20 minutes after my guide, Paige Bachman, had knocked on the bucket with a stick and walked away. Paige disappeared down the trail, I heard the vehicle start and drive off. Then I shook out the Cherry Blast, a good 30 percent of the bottle and watched the flakes float through the shifting shafts of sunlight. It smelled good. Two hours later, the cubs showed up, the sow testing the wind. They telegraphed the presence of the boar. I believe that extra scent in the air brought the family group in earlier. And their presence brought the big bear. There are many ways to set the table for a dominant bear, but Bachman’s last advice is for the hunter. “You may only get one chance at a big bear. Shoot it the first good look it Guide Ray Crow tops up a bait bucket gives you.” with mixed nuts and party mix. The success of To contact Gary Lewis, Bachman’s recipe can be attributed to the mix of visit www.GaryLewisOutsalts and sweets. doors.com.

April 2019 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

Take It To The Bank

’m guilty. Bill Dance is guilty, too. Hank Parker is guilty and for that matter so is the majority of other fishing TV show hosts. We all know better, yet we still find ourselves doing it over and over again, and there appears to be no end in sight; most of us will not change our evil ways. We all started innocently enough, but now we’re pretty much all guilty. No alibi, simply guilty. What are we all so guilty of, you ask? Neglecting a huge portion of this great country’s anglers. Most of us got into fishing for a living by sharing whatever knowledge we’d managed to glean over decades of “fun fishing”, and figuring out that we could smile at a camera, talk somewhat intelligently, and fish at the same time. Well, we can all still do that, but we’ve lost touch with one major thing when it get’s back to the sharing of knowledge; most of you don’t have a boat. When was the last time you saw a fishin’ show filmed on the bank? I’d bet my favorite jerkbait that, if you have seen one anytime recently, it was on a river where boating was

Chad LaChance

PYBUS POINT LODGE

not an option. If a drift boat was an option for the host, they would have utilized it. Like I said, no excuses, but I can explain that it is easier to film a TV show out of a boat. It comes down to the fact that all our gear, fishing and filming oriented, is literally along for the ride. We can access more water to avoid other anglers appearing on film without their consent, we can change filming angles to avoid poor lighting, and the show generally ends up more dynamic because the scenery constantly changes. Fair enough. But what about the knowledge we share? Is what we attempt to communicate from the deck of the boat applicable to the far more common scenario of bank fishing? In a word, yes. Fish are fish, presentations are presentations and besides, most of the popular fish species live somewhere near the bank anyway. Furthermore, a well rounded angler will for sure apply the same fundamentals regardless of whether they’re on the boat or the bank. Having said that, there are a few things I change when I leave the comfort of the boat to fish, and there are also a few things that I definitely do not change. Boats make life easy on tackle. By that I mean my equipment is safer from damage and abuse. For this reason, one of the things I do is step my tackle down a bit in cost. My best rods and reels stay in the boat. St Croix makes rods in a wide range of prices; I choose the less expensive models for bank fishing because I may end up tromping through the bushes, laying them on the rip-rap, etc. So I carry rods from the Triumph, Premier, or Trout and Panfish series. Same with reels, which may end up laying in the sand or water. I choose something along the lines of an Abu Garcia Elite, Silver or Black Max. Very high end equipment is pure joy to fish with, but worrisome to carry on the banks of a river or pond. Along the same lines, my bank lure selection is void of anything rare or real expen-

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sive. Snagged lures are usually easy to recover in the boat, but not so much from the bank. I also significantly narrow my overall lure choices which works out fine because bank fishing typically involves less water to consider over a given day. It’s safe to say that, as an overriding concept, I keep my entire plan more simple and less expensive when fishing from land. What does not change is my approach to locating or catching fish. I still believe in accurate casting and line control, line watching for bite detection, and the same principles of lure selection. To that end, my abbreviated lure selection is well thought out according to my matrix-style plan of small/medium/large, light/medium/dark/ shiny, floating/suspending/sinking, and vertical/horizontal. I also fish the same style of spots or areas. Inlets, outlets, bridges, dams, and boat ramps are always good spots to try, so fish them from the bank. Happily, most of the time these areas are easily accessible from the truck too. I still really focus on transitions in the bank or bottom, edges, weed lines, isolated cover, etc. I tend to mix up my casting angles more than in the boat, and I always fish tight to the bank I’m on as well. If it’s legal and available, I like to get on a dock, seawall or something similar and cast back to the bank. Keep in mind that noise or vibration, and especially a headlamp if you’re night fishing, can spook fish so be sneaky, very sneaky!

If I plan to harvest fish from the bank, I carry the OtterBox Trooper cooler and ice. It has backpack straps for easy carry. My dinner catch is immediately dispatched and iced to ensure quality eating. Next time you’re watching your favorite fishing show, keep in mind the host has undoubtedly bank fished a bunch. Listen and observe because the majority of the information will apply regardless. That is advice you can take to the bank.

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PRO'S TIP

Whiskey Glazed Wild Turkey Breast By Joe Glotz

T inside.

his recipe is honestly one of my all-time favorite wild turkey recipes. The combination of whiskey, orange and honey make for a terrific glaze and compliment the flavor of the turkey to perfection. Because this dish is started by browning the meat on the stovetop and finished in the oven, it ends up with an extremely crispy skin without drying out the meat on the

Here is the cast of characters:

• 2 tablespoons butter • 1 turkey breast, skin on and brined

• Salt and pepper • 1 cup turkey stock • 4 tablespoons butter • 3 tablespoons honey • 6 tablespoons whiskey • 1 tablespoon grated orange rind • 2 tablespoons orange juice • ½ teaspoon cayenne You start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F and then melting butter on the stove top in a nice heavy bottomed skillet. Once it begins to bubble, you add the turkey meat, breast side down. Resist the temptation to move it as it browns. You

30 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

want to get some nice color on there and you don’t want the skin to tear. Moving it too soon will tear the skin. Once things are nice and brown you can rotate it a bit to get the outer areas. Then you flip it over. I highly recommend keeping the skin on your bird. Turkey feathers are quite easy to pluck as long as you do just a few at a time so the skin doesn’t tear. It is better to leave the skin on after you’ve harvested your bird, since attempting to remove it while the feathers are still on can result in a feathery mess. Nevertheless, if you don’t have skin on your turkey breast, simply layer it with bacon or lard before cooking. Most importantly, it is essential that you brine the breast meat before cooking it. I have a friend that uses a brine of simple filtered water from the sea, which has ample salt, then after 24 hours, switches to a bath of unsalted purified water. Or if you’re not feeling quite as adventurous, you can also us this simple turkey brine recipe:

Turkey Brine

• 16 cups water • ½ cup white wine vinegar • ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup granulated sugar • 1 cup salt • 1 tablespoon mustard seed

PRO'S TIP • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 tablespoon crushed black pepper • 3 sprigs thyme

• 1 bay leaf • Peel of 1 orange • Peel of 1 lemon

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. • Remove from heat and let cool. • Add meat and submerge, cover with a weight so it stays completely submerged in liquid. • For a whole turkey, refrigerate in brine for 24 hours. For breasts, refrigerate for 12. • Remove, pat dry and let rest on a rack for at least three and up to 24 hours before cooking. Now, back to our prep. You are going to deglaze the pan with your stock and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Once you’ve done that, turn off the heat and put the turkey in the oven covered in foil and let it cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt the remaining butter. Add the honey. Mix the honey in well as it begins to bubble. You want to keep the heat low, so the honey doesn’t over caramelize and burn. • Then add the whiskey. • Then the orange juice. • Then the orange zest. • Then the cayenne. • Let it bubble as you whisk until it is thick and a nice deep orange. Brush half of the glaze onto

the turkey until it is nice and blanketed in burnt sienna goo. Then cover it again with foil and return it to the oven. Then add the other half of the glaze about 20 minutes later. This time, leave the foil off when you return it to the oven and turn the temperature up to 400 degrees F. 15-20 minutes later, the internal temperature should read 140-150 degrees F. I highly recommend a digital probe thermometer as they are much more accurate than the dial thermometers. And voila, a beautiful, juicy, tender wild turkey breast, with a sweet and tangy whiskey glaze.

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April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Video Product Reviews

Leupold SX-5 Santiam HD Spotting Scope

dding a spotting scope to your arsenal is usually something that is done after you have numerous hunts under your belt, after you have an understanding about optics as well as know the need for looking at objects at significantly longer distances. So, you aren’t likely going to be okay with just looking at a spotter in the store at 50 yards to evaluate. Our team here at Sportsman’s News have put this spotter to the test in the real-world environment over the past six months and well, here is what we’ve found. This spotter comes in both an angled and a straight version. If you are looking at a spotter for the first time, you might not have a preference or know what’s going to fit you best. Straight spotters give you the ability to look straight through and are often easier to find your targets. The angled option is my personal preference as I can use a lower tripod when spotting and the natural angle makes glassing sessions more comfortable. When spotting out of my truck on a window mount, I can rotate the housing and cover more area without having to move the truck. The zoom on both the straight and angled versions are 27X to 55X, so your bottom magnification is 27-power, giving you a good field of view. However, on extremely hot days, you may find that even the lowest power will give you some problems, with heat waves being disruptive. On regular days and during prime hunting season this doesn’t pose much of a problem. The maximum power is great for spotting deer-sized game and judging them out to approximately 3-miles. The 80mm objective combined with Leupold’s Twilight Max HD light management system delivers a good amount of light in Scan this QR Code with your smart phone to view those early morning hours as well as the last few minutes of t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s daylight when game is most active. YouTube Channel. We found that both the zoom and the focus adjustment

knobs are well designed and extremely smooth to operate. The ridges on both allow them to be adjusted even with the most cumbersome gloves or mittens. When focused, the edge to edge clarity is amazing. This means that what you see on the edges is as clear as what you see in the center of the lens, a very good measurement for quality optics. Both the angled and straight versions tip the scale right at four pounds. The angled version is right at 15-inches long and the straight is 3/4 of an inch longer, but both units will fit in all pack spotting scope pockets we tried them in. The rubberized armour coating wears like iron and keeps your optics looking new. If something ever happens to your prized scope, you can rest assured that it’s covered by the Leupold Full Lifetime Guarantee. It will be taken care of, you can be assured.

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32 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Leupold RX-1600i TBR/W

nowing the exact distance to your target is essential for pinpoint accuracy, regardless of whether you are shooting a bow, muzzleloader or a long-range rifle. Last year we tested the RX 2800 and it performed unbelievably. So, this year, we are doing the same testing for its’ little brother, which has some very similar features, but is a less expensive

unit. The RX-1600i TBR/W is another compact rangefinder in the Leupold line and will range reflective targets out to 1,600 yards. This is always a question when we field test these products, but it delivered on this promise. The 6X magnification on this model makes those 1,000+ yardages a bit tough to hold steady on, but when you do, the equipment is capable. The RX-1600i processes extremely fast and spits ranges out quickly. Even at extremely long ranges, we were able to get quick feedback without multiple pushes of the button. On objects like trees, the advertised distance is 1,200 yards and we found that to be a conservative number by Leupold as we were able to exceed that number in our testing. This was the same with deer sized targets, exceeding the advertised number of 1,000 yards. As with most rangefinders, the RX-1600i will put readings out in both yards and meters and the red OLED display lights up well, even under extremely bright conditions. This rangefinder will also provide you LOS which stands for ‘line of sight’ reading. This is the actual yardage or meters in a straight line to the target. It’s also a dandy little computer and will give you what Leupold refers to as TBR or ‘true ballistic range’. This means that it will take into account the Scan this QR Code with your smart phone to view incline or decline and give you the corrected yardage or met h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s ters to hold. This takes the guesswork out of making a shot YouTube Channel. uphill or downhill.

Video Product Reviews

Taking this to the next level in the TBR mode, you can get holdover outputs in several options. These all require you to know certain data about the load you will be shooting and requires some input. The BAS output will give you the equivalent horizontal range and what I like to call ‘corrected data’. It will also display data in MOA and MILS. This eliminates the need to have to cut a custom turret for your rifle. You can zero your rifle at whatever altitude you will be hunting or shooting at and your corrected data is then output and you can make a quick change on your rifles’ elevation turret in the appropriate MILS or MOA. The RX-1600i has the ability to give a constant 10MPH full value ninety-degree wind measurement in these same measurements. It also has a bow mode, which delivers up and down compensation for shooting out of a tree stand or off of a ledge out to 175-yards. This is truly a great rangefinder and it performed extremely well in all of our field testing.

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Camp Chef Sportsman Pellet Grill and Smoker

By Dan Kidder Managing Editor

ot only is the Smoke Pro Deluxe Sportsman from Camp Chef the most versatile pellet grill on the market, it is a thing of beauty to behold. It sports a grayish silver Vain Finish that not only makes it a piece of art, it makes it easy to clean up and maintain. The Sportsman provides all of the features that are found on the SG model, including the Slide & Grill Technology to provide either indirect heat or direct flame, just by sliding a conveniently placed handle. Jets cut into the grease tray allow flames from the firebox to directly lick your meat, providing the flavor of flame broiling or slide the guard in place and slow-smoke your food, capturing the flavor of your chosen hardwood pellets.

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34 April 2019 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

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Pellet grills use compressed hardwood pellets for both fuel and flavor. The slow burning pellets are automatically fed from the hopper by way of a screw auger that leads directly to the fire box. A heating element ignites the pellets and an onboard computer maintains the correct temperature and feeds pellets as needed. Camp Chef pellet grills provide a superior pellet grill experience because they use a larger auger for more reliable and consistent feeding resulting in fewer clogs. Additionally, the squared barrel shape of the smoking drum provides superior convection heating and circulation of smoke to avoid hot and cold spots that can create uneven heating and smoking. Some other features of Camp Chef pellet smokers that set them apart include, an angled grease tray that catches drippings and diverts them to a bucket to prevent slick stains on your patio or a greasy mess in the bottom of your grill. Also, with a Camp Chef, you will never need a shop vacuum to clean out your grill. Over time, the fire box will fill with fine ash and needs to be emptied. On Camp Chef grills, this is accomplished by pulling a handle that activates a scraper and opens a chute to dump the ash into a metal cup located under the fire box. It simply dumps out the ash so it can be easily discarded. This will prolong the life of the heating element because let’s face it, if it is difficult to clean out, we are less likely to do it as frequently. The Ash Cleanout is so simple to use, your firebox will always run at peak efficiency. Another feature that sets apart a Camp Chef Pellet Grill is the ability to open a chute on the back of the pellet hopper to quickly dump your pellets. This means that if you last used mesquite pellets in your grill and want to switch to a milder flavor, such as alder, you can quickly empty the hopper and replace your pellets. No more vacuuming and scooping to change flavors. The Sportsman includes all of these features as well as a few extras that are unique to the Sportsman’s Warehouse exclusive grill. A 17.5-inch wide by 5-inch high glass window lets you keep an eye on your food without opening the cover and releasing heat. Dual temperature probes let you cook different meats at the same time and gives you an instant readout of their internal temperature. A probe inside the cooking chamber gives you the chamber temperature. All of these added up mean you won’t have to open the cover and allow your flavorful smoke and accumulated heat to escape. The Sportsman also features a window so you can see at a glance how many pellets remain in your hopper. It is large enough that you can even see it easily from across the patio, so you don’t need to climb out of your hammock to check it. The hopper on the Sportsman will hold 18 pounds of pellets, so you spend less time refilling it and don’t have to worry about a flame out from lack of fuel. The Sportsman is also compatible with the optional Camp Chef Side Kick or the BBQ Sear Box by removing the side shelf and screwing your accessory into the same bolt holes, making it the most versatile pellet grill on the market. The Sidekick allows you to use any of the Camp Chef single-burner, 14-inch accessories with a 30,000 BTU propane burner. This means that you can use the griddle, BBQ box, Artisan Pizza Oven, stock pot and much more. This VersaGrillity, as Camp Chef calls it, opens up a wide world of options for your outdoor kitchen. While the Sidekick is a great addition to your grill, it can also be used as a stand-alone, single-burner stove in your campsite. The BBQ Sear Box features a 16,000 BTU propane burner and an infrared heat dispersion plate to evaporate drippings and ensure a hard sear on your meat. The 180-square-inch enamel coated cast iron cooking surface can get up to 900-degrees F

36 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

for a hard sear and superb grill marks. It is the perfect way to finish a slow smoked steak and sear in those delicious juices. I use this feature frequently and have been hard-pressed to pay 50 bucks for a thick ribeye served on a 500-degree F plate from a high-end steak house. When you add the flavor of smoke to the equation, coupled with a perfect sear and excellent grill marks, you will find yourself dining at home much more frequently. The pellets from Camp Chef are made of the highest quality virgin hardwoods. This means that they are free of flavorings, waxes, oils or coatings. The flavor comes solely from the aroma of the hardwoods. For those charcoal purists, Camp Chef now offers a choice of charwood pellets with either cherry or hickory. This gives you that distinctive charcoal flavor as well as the addition of hardwood flavor. This is akin to those guys using their charcoal grill and adding wood chips, but with far more flavor imparted to the meat. Camp Chef offers their premium hardwood pellets in six varieties; cherry, apple, mesquite, alder, oak and hickory. They also offer a competition blend of maple, hickory and cherry for a robust profile that imparts the flavor of the woods but doesn’t mask the taste of the meat. It is a favorite for all around grilling of a wide variety of meats. All of the pellets come in 20-pound bags and the competition blend is also available in a 30-pound plastic bucket for moisture-free storage and easy dispensing. For an extra kick of flavor, you can add a pound of their herb blend to every pound of standard pellets to impart a subtle added layer of flavor to whatever you are cooking. The options are nearly endless with all of the premium hardwood pellet offerings they provide. Overall, the Sportsman provides a 3,778 cubic-inch cooking chamber with 776 square-inches of cooking surface. It is large enough for a turkey and I can attest that this is one of the best ways I have ever prepared Thanksgiving dinner. It is so good, people may want you to prepare this holiday bird in the middle of summer. I recommend the sage herb pellets if you do, as well as brushing the bird with melted butter and turmeric paste. Also, inject the bird liberally with Cajun Injector Creole Butter for an unbeatably delicious meal. The Sportsman is only available at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse or online at Sportsmans.com and is just one of the many pellet grill options available. One of the knowledgeable camping associates is standing by to answer all of your outdoor cooking questions and run you through the multitude of options available, from pellet grills, to propane smokers, to electric options. This is the one case where we can say that smoking is good for you and will forever change the way you eat.

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April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

PRO MEMBER UPDATE

Bad River Bucks & Birds There is just something special about swinging a Browning A5 at a cackling rooster springing from a corn patch on a snowing winter day in December in Draper, South Dakota at Bad River Bucks & Birds.

By Kent Danjanovich

The Sportsman's News Pro Membership Sweepstakes will give away this trip on April 10. Go to ProMembershipSweepstakes.com to enter to win.

The boys from Manheim Auctions have become regulars on the annual Pro Membership Sweepstakes trip to Bad River Bucks & Birds. As you can see from the smiles on their faces and the pile of birds at their feet, they’ll be joining us again this fall too!

Bad River’s pointing labs are some of the best in the business. It is always amazing watching them make incredible long-distance retrieves on downed birds.

HUNT AND FISH LIKE THE PROS

38 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Mike Highland was the lucky winner of this great trip in 2018 as part of the Pro Membership Sweepstakes. It was even more special to be able to take is 13-year-old son, James, along to share the adventure with and as you can see, they did a pretty good job of downing their share of beautiful ringnecks.

Host Kent Danjanovich and Pro Membership winners, Mike and James Highland take time out for a few photos after a successful afternoon hunt at Bad River Bucks & Birds. The operation is Draper, South Dakota is one of our original Platinum Approved Outfitters.

The Sportsman's News Pro Membership Sweepstakes gives away $300,000+ worth of trips like this every year. A new grand Prize every 10 days. Go to www.ProMembershipSweepstakes.com for your chance to be featured here.

PRO MEMBER UPDATE General Manager, Brett Waibel and his staff do an excellent job in every aspect of the operation at Bad River Bucks & Birds. The Hermann Ranch was established in 1905 and encompasses over 20,000 acres involved in crops, cattle and hunting.

The picture says it all. Wide open spaces, plenty of cover, lots of birds, what more could you ask for. Bad River Bucks & Birds also offers spring turkey hunting, summer prairie dog hunts, guided fishing trips on the Missouri River and Lake Oahe, fall whitetail and mule deer hunts, as well as pheasant, sharptail and prairie chickens.

April 2019 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

Presents Wild Game Recipes of Steve Mayer "The Wine Guy"

Bacon-Wrapped Antelope Backstrap

ackstraps are special. It is a very good friend that will part with some hard earned backstrap and just give it to you. If you are a non-hunter you will have to try to get invited over to dinner to enjoy this delicacy. This is a really simple recipe that will really elevate your backstrap dining experience. Works great with any game animal, you just have to adjust your cooking time for the size of the loin.

Ingredients

• Antelope backstrap • ¾ cup red wine • ¼ cup soy sauce • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce • 2 tbsp. brown sugar

Preparation Method

• 2 tsp dry mustard • 1 tsp cayenne pepper • 1 tbsp. minced garlic • Montreal Steak seasoning • ½ lb. Bacon

I like to wet age game meat in the refrigerator for a while prior to cooking. I do so by placing it in a zip lock bag with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkle of baking soda. Remove all the air and seal the bag. I will let this stay in the refrigerator for up to a week. This really tenderizes and breaks down the toughness in just about all cuts of game meat. Each backstrap is enough for three to four people, so judge your meat supply and dinner guests accordingly, and be sure to trim away all the silverskin and fat from the meat. In a bowl mix together the wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Pour into a gallon size zip lock bag along with the loin. Seal and refrigerate from 2-8 hours.

40 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Remove the meat from the marinade, there is no need to dry it and season the strap well with the garlic and steak seasoning on all sides. Wrap a piece of bacon around one end of the backstrap and start spiraling it around towards the other end. When you get to the end of a piece of bacon, lay another over it and secure with a toothpick through both ends and into the meat. Continue until the entire strap is “mummied” in bacon. Hit the outside of the bacon with a touch of the steak seasoning and you are ready to cook. You can either bake this roast or grill it. To bake preheat the oven to 400Degrees F. Place the meat on a rack over a foil wrapped cookie sheet. (Really simplifies the cleanup. For a rare roast, bake for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature is at 130 degrees. If you like it a little more done just cook a few minutes longer until a 140 temp is achieved. You could also place under a broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking to crisp up the bacon. If you prefer grilling, you will need a hot grill with indirect heat. Do not leave unsupervised during the cooking process as this bacon wrapped beauty can turn into a fireball very quickly. Cook times is similar above, and always rely on a quality meat thermometer to check doneness. Remove from the heat and let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes. Do not overcook game meat! It is at its prime when served rare to medium rare, and just gets tougher the more you cook it. Slice with a sharp knife and serve. I prefer a big, jammy California Zinfandel with this meal, or a crisp Pilsner on the beer side. Cheers!

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Adventures On A Budget

Wintertime on the Famous San Juan River

By Kent Danjanovich

ow from reading my articles for the past 15-years, you have probably picked up that I kind of like to fly fish. So, when I’m not chasing salmon and everything else in Alaska or northern pike and everything else in Canada, you just might find me searching out a good piece of fly water somewhere in the west. I have a bunch of buddies in southern Utah that share the same kind of passion as I do in the fishing world and discovered the magical waters of the San Juan River some 25-years ago. Since then, they have put together a group every February to again make the trek to one of the very best tailwaters in the country. Now I could write about this great destination from a lot of different angles, but as you can see, this article falls into our Adventures on a Budget section, which may seem like somewhat of an oddity for such a world-class fishery, but that is another reason why this special place is exactly that – “Special”. The San Juan River in New Mexico is a tailwater flowing out of Navajo Dam from the bottom of Navajo Reservoir. The reservoir covers about 200 miles in length from just over the border in Colorado below Durango, to about 20 miles outside of Farmington, New Mexico. The conditions make for pretty consistent year-round outflow temperatures, which is why the fishing on the San Juan is quite consistent year-round! Yes, a true tailwater. When the river was impounded in 1962, the water temperature mixed with the nutrients in the river made the perfect storm that resulted in a bug factory. Trout were stocked and immediately began to thrive. With nonstop food, trout eat constantly and grow big. This quality water section below the dam is low-gradient and easily floatable year-round. Add to that, the beautiful desert canyon scenery and it becomes a very unique fly fishing experience. The state of New Mexico realized this and the first three miles of the tailwater are a part of Navajo State Park and incorporate special catch and release fly only regulations. Before I get into a sample of a day of fishing, let me fill you in a little bit about what you can expect the cost of your trip to be. Like any adventure, you can "live like a king" or "cut corners where corners can be cut" to save a few bucks. This trip certainly can have a little of both. Our trip from St. George, Utah covers about 825-miles round trip. We usually travel three or four to a vehicle, so shared gas costs are somewhere in the $30 a piece range right now. On our trip this past February, we had a total of 12 in our party. We stopped at Costco for the big stuff and at the local grocery store in Farmington for the rest of our food items for breakfasts, lunches and snacks. We then reserved seating at the Fishheads Fly Shop Cafe for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. As far as accommodations, we rented a four-bedroom house that sleeps five and four motel rooms with two beds in each. The price on the house was $275 and the rooms, $104 each, so about $60 apiece per day (three nights). The house has a full kitchen, allowing us room for our groceries and cooking area, TV and plenty of room for everyone to get together to watch a ballgame at night. Now to finish on the expenses part of the story, it really all depends on what you want to do and what type of experience you want to have during your stay. If you are a first timer, I would definitely recommend doing a guided float trip to get a little more acclimated with the river and its secrets. The cost of a half-day guided drift boat trip is $310 for two fishermen, which includes your 4-hour float trip, flies, rods and reels included. A full 8-hour float trip includes lunch, flies, rods and reels (if needed) for $425 for two fishermen. The guides on the San Juan are excellent and it is definitely a river that can kick your butt, so a little expertise will go a long way for you in the future, believe me! (P.S – and don’t forget a good tip at the end of the day when you have a boat load of photos of big fish on your phone to take home to show your buddies.)

42 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Adventures On A Budget

Lastly, fishing licenses can be bought online or at the fly shop, with a 5-day license and stamps costing $34 for non-residents. Throw a few flies and strike indicators on top of that for your ‘on your own’ time on the river and you are about set. Ok, now on to the fishing side of the story. February 2019 was a little fickle all across the country. Out west, our cold and snowy weather seemed to wait a little longer than usually to finally show up and wouldn’t you know it, our four-day, three-night trip found us driving from sunny (cough! snow covered St. George!) through miserable conditions all the way to Farmington. The temps greeted us at about 35 F, dipping to 22 F that first night. Three new inches of snow made for a winter wonderland the next morning as we made our way to the put-in near Texas Hole below Navajo Dam. Eight of us would be floating on this morning and my partner would be Patrick Gass, a newbie to the San Juan, but an old acquaintance of mine from St. George. We quickly put our 5wts together, equipped with floating line and our guide, David, soon had us rigged with strike indicators and nymphing setups. It didn’t take long for both of us to hook into our first fish, Patrick’s a beautiful 15-inch rainbow and mine a sleek San Juan brown trout. Only a few hearty soles could be seen wading into the waters around Texas Hole as the clock ticked past 8am, but I’m sure by nine, it was surrounded. Fish could be seen surfacing here and there as we crossed our fingers that the weather would hold as long as possible. We slowly started working our way downstream, leapfrogging the other boats as we each worked some of the best sections of the river. Although we stayed with our nymph rigs throughout the day, other guides tried a variety of options, from streamers to leaches to jigs and even a few with dries. After we broke for lunch, the wind started to pick up and the snow returned, making for a little tougher go in the afternoon. We still were able to land quite a few fish, but that chilly, wet wind made for some cold fingers and tough drifts. Mending your line was also trying at times, with the lower than normal flows on the river (only 280 cfs) and winds blowing upriver as well. But you know what, by the time we got back to the house at 4:30pm and had a chance to hit the shower and change cloths before dinner, the only things I could remember were all of the great fish we caught and the good company that we enjoyed on the day – and did I mention the great prime rib dinner wasn’t bad either! Day 2 found myself and fellow Sportsman’s News Pro-Staffer, Rick Rosenberg, loading into our drift boat with our old pal, Bubba, longtime guide on the San Juan and the surrounding area. With the temps still cold and the wind expected to blow in the 20+ range,

44 April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

our outlook wasn’t too good. Bubba decided that it was going to be a green maribou jig day and rigged both of us up for a little straight-lining, with no indicators waving on the whitecaps (well not quite). This technique would have use using a variance of quick strips, then pausing to let the jig drop to the bottom. This hopefully would result in the fish pinning the jig against the sandy bottom, resulting in resistance leading to a solid hookset. With the wind expected to really start howling by mid-day, we decided to stay in the upper section of the river in sight of Texas Hole most of the morning. But by eleven, although cold, the wind hadn’t gotten any worse, so after we took a little break for lunch and a hot cup of soup, we headed down stream to brave the elements. By 1:30pm, we had made it about three-quarters of the way through our drift and the lower section had started to slow down for us, so Bubba made the call to blow through the rest of the drift and go back to the top and finish out the day there. And what a good call it was. We again launched the drift boat and floated over to the other side of the river. After Rick and I each hooked into a couple of good fish, Bubba re-positioned us back across on the opposite side of the river and told me to cast slightly upriver on an angle. After two quick strips, my fly line went taunt and I set the hook. As soon as I felt the resistance, I turn to Rick and Bubba and said, “This feels a little heavier than the rest”. Bubba grabbed the net and watched in earnest. With the water a little colored from the turning over of the reservoir, it took a few minutes for us to get our first glimpse of my prize – a gorgeous, hanging bellied 22 ½ inch San Juan River rainbow. Bubba eased the net under her and with a grin from ear to ear and gave me the biggest highfive of my life. I had finally experienced for my self the excitement of hooking into a true San Juan River monster. Wow! Well, there you have it. A tall tailed fishing story about a world-class fishery that a fisherman from any walk of life can enjoy, really just about any time of the year. The San Juan River is a cool place and can be a very affordable adventure so do yourself a favor and consider making the trek out west to one of the prettiest wild places you will ever see. And oh – the fishin’ isn’t too bad either.

Fishheads San Juan River Lodge 505-634-0463 www.fishheadofthesanjuan.com

Land of Enchantment Guides 505-629-5688 www.loeflyfishing.com

For My Daddy

OUTDOOR WRITER'S CONTEST Sportsman’s News Outdoor Writing Contest Finalist See pg. 4 for entry details.

By Becky L. Taylor

ctober 19, 2018 was opening day of elk hunting season. My dad, Crutch, drew his third cow elk tag, but this was his first-time hunting in Arizona’s Game Management Unit 5A. Dad was all set and ready to go at 5:00 am on opening day. My husband, Shon, my dad and me all piled into the truck early in the morning and headed out. We decided to sit near a water hole and a frequently-traveled area on that first morning to see what came around, to break my dad into the area slowly. You see, my dad can’t walk very far due to his diminished lung capacity and numerous other medical issues. He was a journeyman plumber here in Phoenix during his working years. A second-generation member of local 469, he spent 36-years in the industry. During that time, he was exposed to asbestos before they knew the dangers and the years of dust, debris and the extreme hard work over the years had taken its toll on his body. Thankfully, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has an amazing program called CHAMP (Challenged Hunter Access/Mobility Permit) just for people like my dad. Basically, it gives folks the chance to keep hunting, albeit with a little extra help. The hunter can legally shoot from a stopped vehicle if it is off the roadway. A specified person can retrieve the animal (and finish the animal if necessary) and tag it. Without this program, my dad would not be hunting much anymore and my dreams of hunting with my daddy would be over.

Day One

Shon drove us as close as he could to the area and Dad and I slowly made our way to the crop of oak trees where we were going to sit. I helped Dad set up on his swivel seat and we got comfortable on the forest floor. Our first morning of sitting and watching was filled with frolicking squirrels, chirping birds and a cool fresh breeze, but no elk. After lunch and a power nap, we headed back out in the truck and drove the roads. We were able to cover a lot of ground and we saw a nice buck, three javelina and more squirrels, but no elk.

Day Two

On the second day of the hunt, our friend, Greg Godbehere, came up to help my dad out with his tag again this year. Greg, Shon, our son Peyton, Dad and I all piled in the truck and headed to another waterhole to sit for a while. Greg got Dad set up in a great spot by some more oak trees. Peyton and I sat down in a ground blind and Greg took up residence right next to Daddy. After an hour or so of no action, Shon and Greg decided to do a series of lost calf/cow calls. They set up about 20-yards apart and really put on a show. Peyton and I would periodically sit up to see if the sounds we were hearing were still the elk calls or an actual elk. I even caught Greg and Shon peeking around looking in

the direction of the other, just to make sure it wasn’t an actual elk. Finally, we decided to hit the road and see what we could find. Our travels showed us some more beautiful country, squirrels, two outrageous bucks, a flock of turkeys in full strut and a coyote, but again no elk.

Day Three:

On the third morning, we again hit the roads in the truck, but in a different part of the unit. We had Peyton with us again this morning as Daddy said he was his good luck charm. As the daylight started breaking through the trees, we found ourselves bathed in a photographer’s dream. The light coming through the clouds and trees was a soft rose/gold color. The light bathed the forest and the truck in the most magical light I’ve ever witnessed. The elk must have been enjoying the lighting too and all of a sudden, there they were. We had finally found them. On the driver’s side, 100-yards out and moving slowly were two cows and a calf. Shon got the truck pulled off the road, then Dad and I got out of the truck as quickly as we could. We got all set up and just as Dad went to fire - Nothing. The safety was on! Unfortunately, the delay was enough for the cows to jump the fence and disappear. The calf got hung up in the fence for a minute, but then got free and took off after his mother. As I helped Daddy get back in the truck, I tried to reassure him and manage his disappointment. Shon quickly go us back out on the dirt road and we continued our search. One left turn and about a half mile later, Dad and I both spotted a cow between the trees, 150-yards out. Shon again got Dad into a great position. I jumped out of the truck and helped Daddy get set up. Looking through the binoculars, I was calling out to Dad, “cow, cow, big cow, another big cow, you’re good, Daddy” and then, “Boom!” I saw one cow flinch and the other three took off running. Dad set his gun back down and looked at me with tears in his eyes. I cried out, “You did it, Daddy! It looked like a great shot!” After what seemed like the longest thirty minutes ever had passed, Shon, Peyton and I headed out to find Daddy’s elk. The uneven, rocky, muddy terrain along with a stream and a fence line made it just too hard for my Dad to try to get out to his elk safely on his own. So, as allowed by CHAMP, Shon took Dad’s rifle to retrieve the cow. We found her about 75-yards east of where Daddy had shot her. She was down for the count. A beautifully placed shot that pierced both of her lungs made for a clean and humane end for this magnificent animal. At one hundred and fifty yards, through the trees, leaning on the open passenger door, off the side of the road, breathing oxygen, my daddy filled his third elk tag in his 69-years. This was by far his hardest hunt, both physically and emotionally. One phone call and twenty minutes later, the cavalry came in to help us pack her out. Greg Godbehere and Glen Jones showed up to help Shon and I with the heavy lifting. The three of them even took the time to educate 11-year-old Peyton on proper field dressing of an elk and they even gave me a chance to get my beautiful knife, made by the late and great Ray Everidge, dirty. We finally got her quartered, bagged and brought back to my dad at the truck. The look of pride and humility on my daddy’s face was something I will not soon forget. Then looking at my husband and our amazing friends, Greg and Glen and seeing the mirrored looks of pride on their faces as well, brought tears to my eyes. Hunting is so much more than just harvesting an animal. It’s the memories that are made in the process, the disappointments as well as the triumphs. The friendships made, re-established or strengthened. It’s teaching young people to respect the land and the animal’s life, giving thanks for both in the process. It’s a young girl’s dream of hunting with her daddy coming true again. It’s the look in a man’s eyes and seeing him believing in himself again and the knowledge that he can still do this and so much more. That sense and feeling of self-worth in a person is priceless. April 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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Articles inside

The Fishful Thinker: Take It To The Bank

Bait Theory from a Minnesota Public Land Bear Hunter

Camp Chef Sportsman Pellet Grill and Smoker

Amazing Beasts of the Kodiak