Sportsman's News August 2019 Digital Edition

FREE August 2019 | Volume 15 | Issue 8

The Upper Grey Reef of The North Platte River Chad LaChance: Fishful Thinker

Falling Water

Rangefinding Binos

Gary Lewis: PacWest Outdoors

Mearn's Quail

The latest breakdown of these ultimate multitools Page 14

Relentless Reach: LEUPOLD’S CLASS-LEADING RX-2800 TBR/W LASER RANGEFINDER 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 Steven Jackson sjackson@sportsmansnews.com Jared Lombardo jlombardo@sportsmansnews.com Subscribers should contact Managing Editor for changes of address.

Sportsman’s News is published monthly.

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August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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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

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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.

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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 The Upper Grey Reef of the North Platte Hot trout with Wyoming's North Platte Lodge..

Relentless Reach: Leupold RX-2800 TBR/W 8 Rapid and accurate ranging from a name you trust.

10 Platinum Approved Outfitters

4

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

14 Rangefinding Binocular Review

All of the skinny on the latest rangefinding binos.

Pacwest Outdoors: Captivated by Mearn's Quail 20 Gary Lewis heads to Arizona for these rare birds..

22 Mossberg MC1 SC - Extreme Testing Review The first pistol from Mossberg in a century.

Fishful Thinker: Falling Water 28

22

Remaining successful as water levels drop.

T

he Dog Days of Summer are here. The scorching heat makes doing nearly anything in the middle of the day almost impossible. However, it is the end of preparation time for those upcoming fall hunting and fishing trips and all the draw results for the western big game hunts have been posted. Social media is loaded with pictures of big bucks and bulls that are getting close to finishing their growth. The monsoon rains bring those cool afternoon showers and make for great fishing and hatches, once it clears. So, even though these days are tough, there is always something to look forward to when you are talking about the outdoors. This is a place we know and love and spend thousands of man days a year doing it between our whole team. So, we always find the best in every time of year.

Although I wasn’t fortunate enough to draw any coveted tags this year, I will be spending a ton of time in the field with a lot of our Pro Member Sweepstakes winners on some of the very best trips available. After seeing such good moisture throughout the summer, I’m pretty excited to see what our lucky winners are able to put their tags on. One specific trip that we do is in Southwestern Colorado on the famous Hill Ranch. It is a little slice of heaven and more like elk shopping than elk hunting. It took us a long time to get this opportunity and even on a severe drought year in 2018 we harvested a really good mature bull. Make sure you look at the picture collage on the Pro Member Update on page 42 of this issue. We are set to give this trip away each and every year. We have also committed to buying one of Mossback Outfitter’s premiere CWMU trophy elk hunts right here in Utah again. We gave it away last year for the first time and we will be hunting it the last week of September this year. We gave away a great Dall Sheep hunt with Scott McRae and Alaska Summit Guides and this hunt will take place this month. Scott had a cancellation at the last minute and as of print, he has an opening for this year and a great price. If you are in shape and can go hunting towards the end of August, give me a call and I’ll get you paired up with one of our best outfitters.

So, much to be excited about and if you didn’t draw any tags like me, but you still love that anticipation of hoping you draw, become a Pro Member. Visit us at our website at promembershipsweepstakes.com and sign up. We will give away over $450K in trips guns and gear over the next 12 months and every 10 days, you just might be a lucky winner.

Some pretty good reading in this issue as is every issue of Sportsman’s News.

We have been field testing some of the Rangefinding Binoculars over the past few months. Optics are something that is really hard to test while you are in the store, even if you can go out front and look around. We have taken nearly all the models sold at Sportsman’s Warehouse and put them into a realworld environment and have shared the results with you. If you are in the market for one of these great products, make sure you check it out.

29 Pro's Pick: Winchester SX4 20 Gauge

Everything you love about this shotgun now in a smaller bore.

30 Video Product Reviews 34 Trigger Time With Team Doubletap

29

The Pros Dry Fire

38 Pro's Tip: Tipping Your Outfitter Proper tipping etiquette for guided trips.

40 42 Pro Membership Update: Hill Ranches Business Directory

34

Ranching for Wildlife premium hunting in Southern Colorado.

44 Wild Game Recipe: Dove Schnitzel A great way to thin out an invasive species.

46 Adventures On A Budget: Big Lake, Big Possibilities Casting and Blasting in the Sportsman's Paradise.

46 Amateur Outdoorsman: Choosing a Shotgun Choke What to look for in selecting the right choke.

50 Outdoor Writing Contest: Sooner State Speed Goat Making the most of a once in a lifetime hunt.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gary Lewis Chad LaChance Jalise Williams John Felsher Steve Mayer Kyle Wright

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

3

The Upper Grey Reef of The North Platte River Wyoming’s North Platte Lodge

By Kent Danjanovich Senior Editor

W

yoming is famous for a lot of things; rugged mountains, pioneer trails, lots of open space, windy conditions here and there and an abundance of wildlife making it a hunter’s paradise. But the thing that sometimes gets overlooked is its extraordinary fishing opportunities. One such area of the state that calls to fishermen from around the world is the city of Casper and it just happens to be split right down the middle by one of the most famous trout rivers in the United States – the North Platte.

The North Platte River headwaters form and gather in the North Park area of northern Colorado. Flowing northerly, the North Platte River enters southern Wyoming where other important feeder rivers and streams feed it. The Douglas and Encampment Rivers, as well as the French Creek, all feed the North Platte River with snowpack run-off.

From the southern border of Wyoming to Seminoe Reservoir, the North Platte River is a freestone river and experiences heavy snowpack runoff from about midMay through the first part of June. It probably fishes its best just before and after runoff and then again in the fall.

Still flowing northerly, from Seminoe Reservoir to Alcova Reservoir, there are two Blue Ribbon tail waters. The Miracle Mile and Grey Reef sections have both been recognized as trophy tail waters that produce large rainbows, browns and cutthroats. Fremont Canyon below Pathfinder Reservoir is a new tail water that has been reestablished through negotiations with a landowner, Bureau of Reclamation and Wyoming Game and Fish. We will talk a little about all of them in this article.

The Grey Reef section gets a lot of press and with good reason. It just may be the best rainbow trout tail water in the lower 48. It has limited public access and is best fished from a boat. It fishes best from March through July then again in the fall months from September through November. Grey Reef is a typical tail water and is fished most using nymphs and streamers. Dry fly fishing is limited to sporadic activity in the spring to some good dry fly fishing in the fall on Trico’s and Blue Wing Olives. Nymphing is usually done with two flies with the top fly being an attractor fly such as a scud or San Juan worm trailed by either a midge or baetis pattern.

This section, which starts just below the Grey Reef Dam is home to the North Platte Lodge and The Reef Fly Shop. Trent Tatum and Erik Aune purchased the operation back in 2007 after both had worked at the lodge for a number of years.

During that time, they fell in love with the area and recognized the potential that laid before them. Now, not only do they offer visitors the very best in fishing opportunities, but also outstanding big game, waterfowl and upland bird options as well.

Let’s talk a little bit more about the fishing for now. The North Platte River is a diverse and prolific river that produces not only large quantities of trout, but just plain and simple – big fish. The largest trout caught weighed and measured, came from the Grey Reef section was a brown that weighed a whopping 22 lbs. Rainbows are commonly caught in the five-pound to double digit range, but most fish average 16 to 20 inches. Believe me, if you have not yet had a chance to experience the North Platte River, it should be placed on your to do list.

The Grey Reef stretch of the North Platte River formed below the Grey Reef Reservoir, has been recognized as a trophy Blue Ribbon tail water. The flush and

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August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

was finding my info in the system, Trent greeted me and gave me a tour of the shop and the RV hook-ups and guest cottages adjacent to the building. Then it was back into the car for a short drive around the corner to the North Platte Lodge.

Upon arrival, we grabbed my bags and headed to one of the rooms on the bottom floor. I dropped off my waders and gear in the locker room on the way in and then threw my bag on one of the two queen beds in room number two, one of four on the bottom floor along with two more on the main floor of the lodge.

After a little down time, hors d’oeuvre and mingling with other guests, our host soon called us to the dinner table. We were greeted first with salads, then perfectly cooked filets that you could almost cut with a fork and all the fixins’. After dinner, we were assigned our guides for our first day on the water and after a little more chit-chat, it was off to bed, with visions of rainbows and browns dancing in our heads.

The next morning, we all met for breakfast at 7am, then into our waders and out the door to our awaiting guides. Myself and fellow outdoor writer, Josh Bergan, would be sharing flow management, coupled with the artificial fly and lure only regulations, have produced an exceptional wild rainbow trout fishery and aptly referred to as the last untouched tail water in the west. Many say that Grey Reef fly fishing is what the Bighorn and San Juan rivers were like 15-years ago. This is the most productive and consistent stretch for large trout on the North Platte River. The upper 12 miles of the Grey Reef is said to be home to over 8,000 fish per mile. The 36 miles of river above Casper and 30 some miles below, offer world class trout fishing with a legitimate shot at a 10-pound fish.

First glance at this river reveals little difference between it and any other in the west, with similar flows, hatches and terrain. But the amazing thing you will immediately notice is – you really don’t have a lot of other fishermen to deal with during your day on the water, as I was able to see, first-hand, during my trip the second week in May. After landing at the Casper Airport, I grabbed my rental car and headed to the lodge, located about 30 miles southwest of Casper, in the small town of Alcova. I first stopped in at The Reef Fly Shop to pick up my two-day license and meet the crew. A total renovation of the fly shop was in progress and as one of the guides

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5

the boat with our guide, Rick Aune. With the Grey Reef Dam only a few hundred yards away, we jumped in the truck and headed to the put in.

Rick quickly had everything ready as he backed his drift boat into the water and I grabbed the bow rope as he parked the truck and trailer. I then headed to the seat up front and Josh settled in aft, behind Rick, who was of course at the oars. Rick then set up our rods with a three-fly string, with a bead-head pheasant tail at the top, a red annelid in the middle and a small baetis with a speck of foam trailing. We would change back and forth from one to two tin split-shot throughout the day and of course a moveable strike indicator above it all to accommodate the depth of each run.

Three or four boats were positioned near the put in, as guides were filling their clients in on the techniques they would be using before heading down river. Rick made his way around them and as we rounded the first bend, he told us to get ready on the left side as we hit the riffle on the gentle drop-off.

“Not too long of a cast is needed”, Rick instructed us and with a quick mend, my indicator dipped and I was hooked into my first North Platte fish of the trip. After a good fight, Rick slipped his net under the belly a beautiful 20-inch rainbow, with its coloration indicative of just coming out of the spawn with a bright red rainbow down its full length. With Rick taking us back to the top of the run each time we reached the bottom, Josh and I were able to hook-up on nearly a dozen fish a piece.

What a start to an amazing day on the river. And the most amazing thing to me was the fact that every fish that we landed was in the 17- to 22-inch range. Now I know that there has to be some smaller fish in the river, but literally every fish we caught fell into that range.

Josh and I each took turns with the hot hand and set-up, but by the end of the day, I don’t think either of us could complain too much. And it didn’t hurt that we were fishing with a great guide, one that literally knows every ripple in the river and I think even many of the fish on a first name basis!

Our drift on this day was about 7 ½ miles and by 5pm, we had found our way back to the lodge. Before dinner, our schedule for the next day was planned out as we would be putting back in where we had taken out and floating down another eight miles or so. At the end of our drift, we would then take a little trip to the other waters in the area; Seminoe, Pathfinder and Alcova reservoirs and Fremont Canyon for an extended overview of the watersheds.

After such an outstanding first day, our guide on day two, Eric Anderson, had his work cut out for him. But you know what? He proved to be up to the test. The clear blue skies made it a little bit harder to be stealth, but the fish still cooperated in grand style throughout the many great runs in this section of the river for myself and fishing partner on the day, Tia Troy of Lightning Bug Public Relations. And I finally landed my first nice brown of the trip as well. By the time we pulled into the take-out, our boat had landed well over 50 fish on the day. We quickly loaded up the boat and headed for a grand tour of the area.

The following is an overview of our next two hours exploring the area: Miracle Mile Fly Fishing – “The Mile” as it’s known to locals is actually a sevenmile-long tail water section of the North Platte (depending on Pathfinder Reservoir levels) with consistent, cold water from Seminoe Reservoir above creating ideal big trout habitat. A recognized, Blue Ribbon trout stream, the Miracle Mile holds some of the biggest trout in the lower 48. Springtime brings a giant migration of rainbow trout from Pathfinder. In late fall and early winter, the same migration occurs with

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August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

brown trout. It is an extremely fertile tailwater that offers anglers a chance to catch very large trophy trout. At approximately 4,000 fish per mile, averaging 16-21 inches and of course some real bruisers, fly fishermen will have plenty of opportunities to catch their fish of a lifetime. It is the largest continuous section of public water on the North Platte other than the section through the Medicine Bow National Forest. The scenery here is truly breathtaking and only about a thirty-minute drive from Alcova.

The North Platte/Fremont Canyon section is another awesome wade fishery just outside of Alcova, Wyoming. Great dry fly fishing for very sizable trout is possible almost all year in Fremont Canyon.

The North Platte flows through the Pathfinder Dam. It then makes its way through a small canyon before entering what is known as Cardwell. This section of the river meanders for approximately 1.5 miles through the meadow stream (Cardwell Access Area). The water consists of skinny riffles, seams and small pools.

The stream is not much bigger than a small mountain steam. This section is accessible to the public on both sides of the stream.

At the end of the meadow starts the actual Fremont Canyon. This has big boulders, deep pools and riffles. This hike is not for every angler, but there are huge fish lurking in the depths for the adventurous.

Sadly, my latest trip to the North Platte had come to an end. But believe me, it will definitely not be my last! And a return trip to the Miracle Mile and Fremont Canyon sections will be included in my next visit as well. We are proud to welcome the North Platte Lodge as our newest Platinum Approved Outfitter, as their operation is first class in every way. And remember, they are not just a great fishing lodge either. They offer some of the best big game hunting in the west on some of the most sought-after areas in Wyoming. Give them a call today at 307-237-1182 to talk about all of the possibilities. We will also be including them in our Pro Membership Sweepstakes in 2020, so keep an eye out for that opportunity as well.

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Relentless Reach: Meet Leupold’s Class-Leading RX-2800 TBR/W Laser Rangefinder

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t’s time; You’ve identified your target and settled on your shooting position. The only thing separating you from success – whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trophy elk or a 4-inch piece of steel that you’re trying to hit – is the hundreds and hundreds of yards that’s quite literally between you and your target. You need to know how far away that target is – fast – and you need to be able to trust that information.

Leupold’s latest rangefinder, the RX-2800 TBR/W, delivers the unparalleled combination of accuracy and speed that will help you get the job done.

Labeled the very best rangefinder that Leupold currently offers, the RX-2800 TBR/W has been designed to deliver unmatched long-range performance. As its name suggests, it’s capable of accurately ranging reflective targets out to 2,800 yards and with a long list of useful features, it doesn’t stop there. Soft targets, like deer, other game animals and some of the targets most commonly found in long-range precision rifle competitions, can be ranged at close to 2,000 yards, leaving the RX-2800 nearly unmatched in its class.

Modern long-range rifles and ammo now reach out farther than ever and the RX-2800 TBR/W makes hitting your target at those distances easier, possible. Powered by an Alpha IQ engine, it ranges farther, faster and more accurately than any other monocular you can carry. At 7X, it’s the most powerful Leupold monocular, with the optical performance you need to pick out long-range targets. It’s built with an impact-resistant polymer armor outside and a lightweight, skeletonized aluminum chassis inside, ensuring it lives up to the legendary Leupold standard for ruggedness and reliability. It sports a high-contrast, red OLED display and offers continuous range updates in Scan Mode to keep you on target as you track movement or scan an area.

The RX-2800’s defining trait, though, is the inclusion of Leupold’s unparalleled True Ballistic Range (TBR) technology. TBR takes into account the angle of your shot and your rifle’s ballistics to put you dead on target.

Other rangefinders will certainly spit out a number, but they won’t produce an accurate range to your target because they use basic trigonometry to calculate a straight-line, horizontal distance. When you’re going long, the angle matters and the RX series will deliver the information you need to ensure a successful shot.

“Despite what other brands may tell you, ballistics aren’t simply in the dial,” said Eric Overstreet, Product Line

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August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Manager for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “If you’re going to be hunting or shooting at elevation or in any kind of mountainous terrain, you absolutely need a rangefinder that’s capable of calculating ballistic solutions at angles. The RX-2800 TBR/W delivers on that in a package that’s been designed for the hunter and shooter that refuses to fail – because it won’t, either.”

The RX-2800 TBR/W also offers a windage feature that’s the easiest way to account for wind out to distances of 800 yards. It generates a hold point for a 10-mph wind at a 90-degree angle of your aim point.

And since it’s fully waterproof, you won’t have to worry about using it in adverse weather conditions.

When you’re faced with the shot of a lifetime or trying to improve your score on the precision rifle circuit, you’re going to need to know just how far away your target is and you’re going to have to trust that data. With the RX-2800 TBR/W laser rangefinder from Leupold, there won’t be any doubts.

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The Sportsman’s News Platinum Approved Outfitter is an outfitter book. These are outfitters you would be proud to refer to a friend. that has excelled in every aspect of their business. They put We know this because we are proud to endorse each one of these people and customers before profit. They do what it takes to make sure that they will be outfitters based upon our staff members personally visiting each one of these in business for the long haul and ensure that they have repeat customers. They practice operations. These outfitters have proven to us that they have what it takes to be good game management, which will ensure a top quality trip with them every time you “Sportsman’s News Platinum Approved.�

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13

Rangefinding Binoculars Field Review

By Michael Deming and Staff

T

wenty-five years ago, I purchased my first rangefinder. It looked a lot like a Kodak 110 camera which only a few of you reading this will understand what I’m talking about. The concept of turning a dial to make the images come into alignment which provided you a yardage sounds a bit archaic and I wouldn’t even consider it very accurate. It could have also been that my archery equipment was barely breaking the 200 feet per second barrier at the time or maybe it just wasn’t a very refined system. Regardless, you had to practice a bunch and lots of animals got away because the distance to the target was more guess than science.

Fast forward twenty-five years and the rangefinders will generate measurements in yards or meters, adjust for uphill and downhill calculations, gives you wind holds, store all ballistic data, and takes the guess work out of just about any shot you want to take. To say that they have revolutionized the shooting sports would definitely be an understatement. Putting these ranging devices into a set of binoculars is even better.

Being able to have at least a ten-power rangefinder and having the ability to hold it with both hands gives you a very stable platform. This isn’t a new thing as companies have been doing this for a while, but the technology is definitely getting better. It has also gotten more affordable and we here at Sportsman’s News have had most available models in hand and field testing them for the past few months. We wanted to provide real world experience on how far they actually range versus what they have advertised

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6/28/19 12:43 PM

and what to expect from a glassing experience. There is as broad spectrum of pricing here as well and based on that, we aren’t always comparing apples to apples. You will at least get a good idea on what to expect if you are in the market for one of these products. We had multiple people involved in the testing to gain multiple opinions, and not everyone always agrees. Some things are personal preferences, but getting ranges, specifications, and setups were a matter of fact and shown here. When we tested ranges, we went with items like trees and rocks instead of reflective. Every manufacture touts highly reflective targets, like buildings, signs, or possibly a white target with excessive ranges. I haven’t found many of these things in a real hunting situation where I needed these ranges to make a shot. So, this is real data. Here is our overview on some of the selected models we got to test.

Zeiss Victory RF 10X54- The Victory series is the top of the line for Zeiss which lets everyone know that they brought the very best to the table to give you a high-end optical experience and during our testing they didn’t disappoint. They provide great edge to edge clarity, crisp and clear colors and were at the top of the list in low light performance. They are available in 8X42, 10X42, 8X54, and 10X54, but during our testing we only have the 10X54 version which provided a bigger objective making for better light transmission. We received a test model back in 2018 when they first came out and I carried them during all of the 2018 season and have more experience with them than all the other versions; just to provide full disclosure. The specifications on this model are 7.68” high by 5.35” wide. They tip the scales right at 39.33 ounces, which made them the heaviest.

The one thing that should be noted about the initial view of these RF binoculars is that they don’t show any indication of being anything more than just binoculars at first glance. No odd shaped barrels, not overly large, or have protruding buttons which look extremely out of place. They are just a sleek looking set of binoculars.

Now let’s discuss what’s under the hood. When you open up the box, it’s very Model

Power

Dimensions

obvious that there is some smart technology and that is the Zeiss Hunting app, which is your platform to unleash the technology of this specific product and is paired via Bluetooth. The rangefinder itself claims being capable of ranging from 11 yards out to 2,500 yards and we assume that 2,500-yard number is on a highly reflective target because our field testing didn’t achieve this high of a number. We have gotten measurements out to 2,465 yards on trees and rocks during our field test. The app provides literally thousands of different ammunition and bullets in its database to match your current shooting system and if you hand load, you can plug in this data as well. You can have numerous different rifle setups as well as different loads for one rifle and swapping between them is as simple as clicking a few selections and pair the unit with the updates. You have a multitude of choices on what you are able to see in the binocular as well as the order you receive it once you do a range: yardage to target, angle range compensation, as well as MOA correction is my choice based on my current load data. The most important thing to note is that this is corrected data, which means that this unit has taken in the barometric pressure, altitude, angle of shot, and temperature and issued me the corrected data in order to make an extremely accurate shot. One special thing that Zeiss has done that others have not is the placement and adjustability of the rangefinding/set buttons. The ranging button is on the right side and the set button is on the left. They are placed perfectly for me as a right-handed archery hunter at the factory. I don’t need ridiculously long fingers to make things work when I have a bow in one hand and my rangefinding binos in the other. You left-handed bowhunters can have the same benefit, by making a change in the app and swapping sides electronically, you now have the range on the left side and the set on the right. This is a major wow factor for this set of rangefinding binoculars. Currently listed at $3,549.99 on the Sportsman’s Warehouse website makes it a bit steep on the pocketbook, but we feel that it is worth the price based on all it does and the quality of glass.

Leica Geovid 10X42 HD-B 3000- This product is the top of the line in the Lieca brand as well and performed as such. It comes in both an 8x42 version and a 10x42, but we only had the 10-power option available to us during the testing. Optically, the clarity and color of the Geovid HD-B 3000 are excellent. Leica has been around for over a hundred years and delivering high quality glass is in their DNA. I feel that you are dealing with a personal preference in brand, history, or customer service when you are comparing top of the line glass like Leica and Zeiss and you are truly splitting hairs to Weight

Longest Verified Range on Trees and Rocks

Price*

Zeiss Victory RF

10X54

7.68”H X 5.35” W

39.33 ounces

2,465 Yards

$3,549.99

Leica Geovid HD-B 3000

10X42

6.87” H X 5.375” W

33.58 ounces

2,575 Yards

$2,999.00

Leica Geovid HD-R

10X42

6.65” H X 5.375” W

33.30 ounces

1,202 Yards

$1,599.00

Vortex Fury HD5000

10X42

5.75” H X 4.90” W

32.30 ounces

2,832 Yards

$1,199.99

Nikon LaserForce ED

10X42

5.75” H X 4.85” W

30.90 ounces

1,908 Yards

$1,199.99

Sig KILO3000 BDX

10X42

5.75” H X 4.85” W

31.00 ounces

3,315 Yards

$1,199.99

*Prices accurate at press time and are subject to change without notice.

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

15

say that one is better than the other. Low light testing was excellent as well and the 42mm objective was almost as good as the Zeiss’ 54mm version.

The rangefinding ability of this product is excellent. I utilized this product for numerous years, and it appears that the quality keeps improving. The original version I used was a HD-B 2000-yard rangefinder. Testing this new HD-B 3000 version on a field type of target I was able to get 2,575 yard readings. This unit provides all the needed corrections through the onboard computer to get you complete corrected data for your load.

What this means is that it will provide you barometric pressure, temperature, and incline or decline as well as takes into consideration your personal load data to get you a solid shoot for distance. There are several ways of inputting your personal load data and one is referred to as a curve in their user manual. This lets you take your current bullet drop and match it to one of similar load data and use what has already been programmed in. This is never usually an exact match and I find this to be okay for ranges out to roughly 600 yards but is inferior out past that range. You have the ability to put your exact load data through the Leica ballistic calculator which is much more accurate and precise to your setup. Once done, it can be transferred onto a micro SD card and put into the rangefinding binoculars. It performed extremely well in all of our testing.

The buttons for both setup and ranging are both on the right side, and I occasionally pushed the wrong button since I don’t use it on a daily basis. This isn’t something that is a problem, but if purchasing, you should be aware.

One of the buttons is indented and the other rounded on top, so I’m sure your muscle memory would soon kick in. For those of you left handed bowhunters, this configuration does provide a problem to hold the bow in your right hand and get ranges, but several models we tested had the same issue. This model is currently listed on the Sportsman’s Warehouse website at $2,999.

Leica Geovid 10X42 HD-R- The HD-R line has been around for quite some time and has been a go to for lots of guides and outfitters. Probably one of the main reasons is because of the solid Leica brand and customer service history. They are one of the few RF binos that also come in a 15X version. Although I’ve used those in the past, our current test version is the 10x42 model.

Optically, this model is still a Geovid, which means great glass, color, and clarity. It doesn’t appear to have the low light level of brightness that the higher grade of Leica showed, but that shows that you get what you pay for. However, it performed well past legal shooting light and that’s all we are really concerned about.

The functionality on this model is what we would consider more basic and in line with giving you a great brand and an affordable price. This model is currently listed on the Sportsman’s Warehouse website at $1,599. This unit will give you yardage or meters, but you have to purchase the specific model you want up

16 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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front and since we are here in the United States, let’s assume that we are working in yards. It advertises that you can get yardage from 10 yards out to 1,200 yards and we exceeded that by a couple of yards (1,202 yards) on several occasions. Once you push the button for range, it will spit out the range to the target and a couple of seconds later, it will give you the angle range adjustment. That’s about the extent of what this rangefinder will do.

The one negative to this model is that the range button is on the top left side of the binocular. It is ideal for the left handed bow hunter but poses a challenge for the right handers. It is possible because I did it for years, but make sure you are aware when you make this purchase.

Vortex Fury HD 5000 10X42- Vortex has built a brand that says we are going to make a dependable product as well as something everyone can afford and if anything ever goes wrong with it, we will make it right.

That sums up the Fury HD 5000’s place in the market. It is priced at $1,199.99, which is Sportsman’s Warehouse's current website pricing as of print, making it one of the most affordable laser rangefinding binoculars on the market. I would have liked to see it with the glass and coatings used on the Razor series of binoculars, but that would have driven the price of these up significantly. However, the glass is very good and performed reasonably at low light. I never found a situation that would have cost me an animal during legal shooting light and that’s all I can ask. I did notice that for longer glassing sessions that I’m used to doing that I got a bit more eye fatigue. Vortex claims this unit will range from 5 yards out to 5,000 yards on highly reflective targets and 5-1,600 on deer sized targets. Hand holding them, I could consistently and easily get ranges in the 2,300-2,400 range and if I were to put them on a tripod, I could occasionally get a yardage out to 2,700 and the best range ever achieved was 2,832. This is still further than nearly anyone is ever going to shoot and for the money it is a great deal. This unit does have a vast array of menu adjustments as well and these buttons are on the right side of the optics. You can toggle between yards and meters without having to purchase a separate unit. You can also choose Line of Site (LOS) or Horizontal Component Distance (HCD), which adjusts for the uphill or downhill shooting. There are five different brightness settings as well as best and last target mode. This is important when you are shooting at longer ranges and a few yards could mean the difference between a hit or a miss.

Overall, they are a great product at a great price and Vortex will always repair or replace them if you have a problem.

Nikon LaserForce ED 10X42-The LaserForce EDs have been out for a few years and we have quite a bit of experience in using them. When we did this test several years ago, they were the best value on the market and at $1,199.99 they are right up there again. The ED glass performs very well and had very little eye fatigue over those long glassing sessions. When looking at long distances for long periods of time, I was able to compare the glass to these on some of the higher end optics. When it comes to fatigue and staying behind your glass for longer time, this usually equates to more animals found and Nikon delivered here.

The rangefinding capabilities of this unit is advertised as 10-1,900 yards and Nikon lived up to the promise of “Promise less and deliver more”. I could consistently get 1,900 yards on our field targets by hand holding them and got yardage back quickly. Putting

18 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

them onto a tripod didn’t achieve much more and the longest yardage I got was 1,908 yards. Being able to get a range quickly and get on target is the name of the game when it comes to harvesting animals.

The menu on this product is relatively simple and easy to operate as well. You have four different illumination levels, yards or meters, and horizontal distance or actual distance. This makes it very user friendly and easy to operate.

SIG SAUER KILO3000BDX 10X42 - SIG isn’t new to rangefinders and some of the top long-range shooters depend on them. In all honesty, I’ve had one in my pocket on every trip since they launched the KILO2400ABS model years ago. This is because of their dependability and ability to range in rain, sleet, snow, or fog and it’s never let me down when other rangefinders have failed in these conditions. They are new to the rangefinding binocular market, but they have taken some good glass and plugged in their already solid rangefinder engines as well as a mobile app to make this an extremely solid competitor in this arena. It provides some of the options only found on the highest end Zeiss in the test, but at a price seen on both the Nikon and Vortex. Currently selling for $1,199.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Optically, these binoculars have good glass, but there is room for improvement.

Remember, higher quality of glass as well as coatings is going to drive the prices up.

This being said, I was able to do long glassing sessions with marginal eye fatigue.

They are very clear and looking into the shadows at a mile-plus is what caused the strains. I was able to differentiate antlers from branches and look into those shadows in excess of a mile to do it.

However, the rangefinder and app combination is where this unit really shines. SIG is known for their electronics and they didn’t disappoint here and especially if you pair it with a SIERRA3 riflescope. The downloadable app gives you the ability to have numerous different rifles or load setups that can be easily transferred back and forth between the app, binos, and scope. This is completely corrected data as well. What that means is that it will take into account all of your input ballistic data, as well as angle, temperature, pressure, etc. All the same things that those really high dollar units do, but this one goes a step further when paired with the rifle scope. Instead of having a turret that needs to be adjusted, this will automatically light up a dot on where to hold. This is accurate out to approximately 800 yards as per their advertised information and we have validated this to that distance on numerous occasions. We did a full video review on the BDX (Ballistic Data Exchange) system in 2018, which is available on our YouTube channel (sportsmansnewstv). This was done with the rangefinder and scope, but it will work with the rangefinding binos as well.

The advertised maximum range on the KILO3000BDX is 5,000 yards on SIG’s website on reflective targets, 2,000 on trees and we were able to achieve 2,800 hand holding the binos and it comes back extremely quickly. Even on a tripod, we didn’t achieve much more and the maximum range ever on these types of targets was 3,315 with this setup.

Testing this equipment was very revealing to see how far this technology has come.

Being 51 years old, my eyes aren’t as good as they once were and I still like to shoot long range. The ability to hold my rangefinding binoculars with both hands and having the magnification at 10 power really helped me get a good range on those small targets out past 1,000 yards. Holding a regular rangefinder with one hand and only being 6 or 7 power is very challenging for me and would quickly hinder my ability to be accurate at those longer ranges. Regardless of your budget, there is a rangefinding binocular that will deliver what you need to get on target.

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4/23/19 10:03 AM

Captivated by Mearns’ Quail Hunt this rarest of North American quail in the deserts of southern Arizona Story and Photos by Gary Lewis

A

general named Crook with a weakness for bird hunting, found himself, after campaigns across the west, back in Arizona, his quarry, an Apache named Geronimo.

One of Crook’s key strategies was the use of selected Indian scouts to guide each column of soldiers. The scouts were kept one to two day’s march ahead of the army and up to fifty miles along each flank.

On May 20, 1883, Crook took his shotgun and wandered alone into the tall yellow grass. Distracted by the good hunting, he was an easy target for the Apaches. They surrounded him then seized his gun and his birds.

Some historians claim that this was all part of Crook’s brilliant plan, a daring risk to bring the Apaches to a place where peace could be negotiated. Others posit that Crook was simply following his compulsion to hunt when he was captured.

Regardless, Crook’s strategy of dogged pursuit and the tenacity of the Apache scouts had been so effective that the renegades surrendered.

Anyone that has hunted quail in Arizona knows how easy it is to forget everything except the next covey flush. We followed our compulsion to hunt and found ourselves in Arizona at the end of November.

Drops of dew clung to the tops of the yellowed chest-high grass and glistened on the cholla and the prickly pear.

“Lady, whoa.” The German shorthair keened and quivered. She looked at each of us in turn to make sure we were ready.

Bob and I had our guns loaded. Bill Valentine thumbed three rounds of No. 8s into his Browning. My dad broke his borrowed over/under and dropped two loads into the chambers. Clunk-clunk.

“This early in the season, the birds are out in the tall grass in the flats. Later in the day, we’ll find them up in the brush,” Mulligan said Lady cut back and forth, sometimes bouncing up on her back legs to catch a glimpse of her master. Then, at the mouth of a canyon, her head lifted and she sorted out scents borne on tendrils of wind.

I stayed low, while Bill took a deer Once thought to be extinct, the trail below the crest. Dad and Bob black, white, and mahogany-colored stayed close to Lady in the high grass. birds are found in huntable numbers She stiffened, locked up and a bird in wide flats with thick grass as high launched into the air, followed by anas a man’s belt buckle. other and another. At once, in a blur of wings and sound, almost a dozen quail were aloft.

Dad’s shotgun thumped and one bird crumpled. One came my way and flashed by, headed uphill. I swung my side-by-side, squeezed and watched the quail fall and roll. Bob knocked another down as it crested the opposite ridge.

One of the singles touched down next to Bill and he walked right into it, flushed and connected before the bird could put an oak tree between them. Ten minutes into our hunt, we had each bagged a Mearns’ quail from the first covey rise.

20 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

15-percent of Arizona land is privately-owned. There is a lot of ground open to the public. Guides are available, but with a couple of good dogs and a few days to make it happen, a first-time Mearns hunter should be able to find birds in the tall grass among the cactus and the scrub oaks.

Bob carried Dad’s bird down and handed it to him. Every bird is special, but this was Dad’s first Mearns’ quail and only the second bird he had taken after a hiatus of 31 years. For reasons I cannot fathom, my dad quit hunting when I was young. Now that he was back in the field, his eyes twinkled with delight.

For a moment, Mearns’ quail seemed almost too easy. Then Lady shouldered into the cholla and catclaw on the next point. She went rigid in the bottom of the draw and eight blurred quail broke away. Two quick shots. One bird folded going around an oak tree. I finished the two-hour morning hunt with four polka-dotted quail and a mourning dove.

Old Long-Toes

South of Tucson, harsh mountains rise steep out of the arid desert plane. The Huachucas, Santa Ritas, Sierritas and other high desert ranges of the Coronado National Forest are home to Mearns’ quail, a long-toed scratcher of the tall grass, scrub oak and cactus uplands.

Mearns’ quail have black and white heads which almost seem too big for their bodies, capped with a rusty crest. On the male, the brown and black checkered backs and flanks are spotted with white darts. Breasts are mahogany colored, blending to black at the rump, with a stubby tail. The female is cinnamon colored with brown, black and tan.

Harvest Data

The Arizona Game and Fish Department collects wings and hunt data to keep a count of quail harvested for hunter effort.

While on the hunt, watch for wing collection barrels. It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out the questionnaire on the Quail Wing Envelope. One wing must be left on the bird while in transit from the hunting area.

For license information, visit www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunting.shtml

Once thought to be extinct, Mearns’ are found in huntable numbers in wide flats with thick grass as high as a man’s belt buckle. For the birds to thrive in spite of bobcats, coyotes, hawks and long, hot months without rain, they require tall, thick grass, loose soil and overstory, qualities found in highest proportions when the land is grazed lightly.

Fifty- to 75-percent of the Mearns’ quail diet comes from wood sorrel and nut grass. Seeds, insects and acorns make up the remainder of their grocery intake.

Much of what they eat is found inside the drip lines of the oaks.

Mearns’ quail seldom travel more than 45-yards from the overhanging protection of trees. Tall grass is their best defense and the grass grows only when the summer rains fall. Their food may be found in abundance, but it is inaccessible to them if they have to travel out in the open, exposed to hawks and other predators.

Rain is the key to desert birds. Mearns’ quail want their rain in the summer.

Some years the rains come, other years are dry.

Precipitation informs the hunter.

Look at July, August and September rainfall. If there is good rainfall in a specific area, that can be a clue to better hunting.

Arizona’s Mearns’ season begins in November. Most hunters limit their kill rather than kill their limit. The average take runs between 1.1 birds and 3.1 birds per hunter.

On day three, on the shoulder of a ridge, Lady pointed a covey just for me. I missed one as it broke toward Bill and Bob over the valley. Reloading, I missed another with both barrels.

Crashing through thigh-high catclaw, clinging to oak branches on the steep slope where the rocks rolled like marbles, it was easy to understand how a hunter could forget himself, even with hostile Apaches watching from the high places.

Lady, our scout, her legs flecked with blood, ranged ahead, still hunting as we headed back to the truck – captivated all, yea nearly captured, by Mearns’ quail.

To contact Gary Lewis, visit www.GaryLewisOutdoors.com

Don Lewis (left) and Bob Mulligan after a morning hunt. For the birds to thrive in spite of bobcats, coyotes, hawks and long, hot months without rain, they require tall, thick grass, loose soil and overstory, qualities found in highest proportions when the land is grazed lightly.

Where to Hunt

Look for broken terrain, tall grass, oaks and catclaw. Much of the best hunting is on public land, ground shared with cattle ranchers. In the field, watch for bovines. Cattle grazing promotes the growth of the grass in succeeding years, but signs of over-grazing mean that the birds have moved on to better cover.

In good years, the grass is thick, which defines the best habitat, but confers little advantage to the hunter. A close-working pointing dog gives a hunter a definite edge.

If one is good, two are better, alternated so that one dog is always rested and ready.

Mearns’ hold better for a gundog than any other quail, yet they fly faster, more unpredictable when flushed. At the covey break, the quail scatter and the singles hold so tight that the hunter must almost step on them to get them to flush. The dry air and grass hold very little scent to allow the dog to find them again.

On our second day we passed checkpoints and dodged Border Patrol trucks hurtling along mountain roads. Agents watched us from the high country then turned their spotting scopes away.

Miles in, we found a canyon with tall grass and good cover that sheltered not only the quail we coveted, but the quarry the men and women in the green and white trucks were hunting. We found their spoor: empty refried bean cans, water bottles and backpacks.

On a windswept ridge, we stopped to look out over miles of manzanita, saguaro and oak, the ground cut by dry creek beds. Apache country.

Standing there with my dad, it was easy to remember the young man who took me grouse hunting for the first time when I was only three years old. It was good to have dad back in the field.

Oregonian Bob Mulligan spends a significant part of each year hunting Mearns’ quail in the dry climes of Arizona south of Tucson.

With one dog, he hunts slowly, economically which runs counter to a German shorthair’s nature.

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

21

Mossberg MC1SC – Extreme Testing Review

By Dan Kidder Managing Editor

I

have tested and reviewed a lot of guns. Some are brand new to the market and some are tried and true.

Never have I spent as much time or energy testing a new gun than I have on the new Mossberg MC1SC. I first saw the MC1SC with everyone else in the industry in January at the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas. Being a huge fan of my Mossberg shotguns, I was excited that this 100-year-old, ‘Made in America’, family owned business was offering their first pistol since their first gun a century ago. Additionally, it featured some innovative design characteristics that made it a truly unique offering to the pistol market, rather than a tweak to an already proven design, like so many new offerings. Its unique Safe Takedown System, with a simple press of a button on the backplate that allowed the plate to be removed and the striker assembly to slip out and the slide to then be removed, gave it an edginess that made it interesting, useful, and innovative.

Like most of the media present at Range Day at SHOT, I fired five shots, filmed a quick Instagram video and went on my merry way. Unlike many writers and bloggers present, I never write a review based just on five shots at the range. I have a strict testing and review protocol with a variety of ammo, running the gun through various tests.

This can only be done at home under very controlled and stringent parameters. I requested a Testing and Evaluation gun (T&E) and within a few weeks, the gun was waiting for me at the Cedar City, Utah Sportsman’s Warehouse to pick up and start testing. Unfortunately, the recordbreaking snowy winter, a national speaking tour, and only having an outdoor range further delayed testing until early April.

Testing Methodology To test this pistol, we put a variety of target and defensive rounds through it in varying weights and power factors. Starting with Colt Competition, 124 grain FMJ National Match, then Colt Defense 124 JHP, both from DoubleTap, then 115 grain FMJ polymer coated Syntech from American Eagle, 147 grain FMJs from Aguila, then onto the +P loads with some HST 124 grain from Federal, DoubleTap 124 grain +P Controlled Expansion, and finally DoubleTap +P loaded with 115 grain Barnes Tac-XP solid copper bullets. We then used some weak sauce bulk, reloaded 115 grain copper coated ammo picked up at a gun show, with no pedigree and no clue as to where it was loaded.

Once I was able to get the gun to the range for testing, it handled a wide variety of ammunition, from weak sauce range loads to heavy +P ammunition, with a single exception. The 124 grain +P DoubleTap Controlled Expansion made the gun come

22 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Our testing protocol was so comprehensive, it lead to a design change.

apart. It seemed that the very quick disassembly mechanism that made the gun unique was now its Achille’s heel. At least with this one single load. The issue was repeated multiple times and videoed. Houston, we have a problem.

This is where most testing would end and I even wrote an article detailing the failure.

But in an effort to be fair, I took to the Interwebs to see if anyone else had experienced this failure. Not a single mention anywhere in any of the forums. To provide Mossberg a chance to explain, fix, diagnose, or ignore the issue (how they handled it would be their choice) I forwarded the video and article to Linda Powell, a veritable icon in the shooting sports industry and my media contact.

I received an immediate response.

Mossberg was more than concerned.

They wanted more information. They ordered several thousand rounds of the same ammunition from DoubleTap and could not repeat the failure. They wanted to know if perhaps it was the way I was holding the gun. The video showed that I use the standard twohanded, thumbs-forward shooting grip that the majority of competitive shooters use. I posited that perhaps the lower air pressure of my range at 6,000 feet was a factor over their testing at almost sea level in Connecticut.

Perhaps I got a bad gun, slightly out of specification. The gun was shipped The MC1SC worked flawlessly with back and within the week, I had a all of the ammunition we tested with the replacement from Mossberg. Testing exception of the DoubleTap 124 grain +P resulted in the same issue on the new Controlled Expansion, which caused the gun. Mossberg still could not replicate gun to spontaneously dissasemble. the issue.

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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Many companies could have just ended the conversation right there. Nobody else had this issue. They couldn’t replicate the issue. Why spend any more time chasing a problem that wasn’t really a problem with anyone else? But Mossberg isn’t just any company.

I received a call from Richard Kirk, O.F. Mossberg’s Director of Marketing. He told me that the highest executives from Mossberg had viewed the video. They wanted to know if I would be willing to fly out to their factory in North Haven, CT to work with their engineers to try to replicate the problem. The NRA Show was just around the corner, so it was three weeks later and I was winging my way across the country from Utah to Connecticut to pay them a visit.

Once I arrived in Connecticut, I was treated like visiting royalty. They had arranged a driver to take me an hour away to the hotel where I was greeted by Powell. The next morning, we drove to Mossberg’s well-established factory. Check out next month’s Sportsman’s News to read about this factory and the history of Mossberg.

We met for a bit with Kirk and then Mossberg’s team of designers and engineers and then headed out for a tour of the facility. Once that was completed, it was time to get down to brass tacks and get to testing. Heading to their indoor testing range, they broke out the original gun I had tested and the offending ammunition they had ordered. After 550 rounds of the stout +P loads and a blistered trigger finger, I was unable to replicate the failure with the original gun or any other of the MC1SCs they had me try. That left a bad batch of ammo or the questionable theory of the air pressure difference as the only two viable options. Still, most companies would have called it a day at this point.

I spent the next day making my way from Connecticut to Las Vegas, from where I had flown, and then driving the two-and-a-half hours home to Utah thinking about what the issues could be. The engineers back in North Haven were also wracking their brains.

This journey was far from over. Little did we know it was an outside error that was a contributing factor to our confounding inability to replicate the failure. Even when you think you have calculated all of the variables; an unforeseen spanner can be tossed by a chimp out of left field.

When I returned home, I sent the few remaining rounds of the DoubleTap ammo to Mossberg for testing. Lee Cavanaugh, Mossberg’s Senior Design Engineer sent me 800 rounds of their batch of ammo. Additionally, their engineering team had looked over the design and found two very minor areas that could be modified to increase the tolerance

of the design. They sent me a replacement backplate and a different striker assembly with these modifications. My work was far from over. After firing 760 of the 800 rounds through the gun with the standard configuration, replacement backplate, replacement striker, and the modified backplate and striker together, I could not repeat the problem.

This could mean nothing other than I originally had a bad batch of ammunition. Or did it?

And now for that wrench wielding monkey. When we fired the ammunition through a chronograph, Mossberg in Connecticut and me in Utah, we got very different results.

The initial ammunition I was testing was coming in much faster than the batch that Mossberg had purchased. We assumed that I had a bad batch of ammunition and that was almost that. Fortunately, DoubleTap ammunition is just down the road from my office and I headed down to the factory to talk through the issue with Rhett McNett. He told me the ammunition was loaded to SAAMI specifications and the speeds we were showing from the initial batch of ammunition I tested were right where they were supposed to be. The speeds that Mossberg was getting were just at the bottom edge of the +P threshold, but far lower than they should be. They did correspond exactly to speeds of a special load they had created for an online retailer that was softer than standard +P. A little digging and looking into the batch numbers and it was discovered that Mossberg had inadvertently been shipped this special load instead of the standard load that I was using. I had the right ammunition, Mossberg had the wrong ammunition and that was why they couldn’t replicate the result. None of that helped solve the original issue of the gun coming apart with this readily available self-defense load. Back to the drawing board.

Rhett had their guys load me a new batch of the ammunition and I headed to the range. He also got the right stuff sent to Mossberg. After running the ammo through the gun with the modified striker assembly and backplate, not a single malfunction resulted. Mossberg reported the same outcome. Whatever issue was there was a result of the tolerances on those two parts and it only manifested on this one, very specific and specialized load of ammunition.

So why do I share all of this information with you? First, perhaps from an overabundance of hubris. Or, as I like to call it, pride in our process. The Sportsman’s News team has over 100 years of combined outdoor experience. We spend over 1,000 man-days a year in the field, testing gear and giving our readers the most thorough and complete information so you, as the consumer, can make the most informed buying decision. We may

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never have as many views or followers as the latest YouTube sensation or Instagram star who regurgitates the press release statistics and that is because we are more concerned with being informers rather than influencers. We don’t care about influencing your decision. We want to inform you so you can make your own choices.

The second reason I share all of this, is because Mossberg made a choice. They could have done as many other companies we have worked with and just turned a blind eye to the issue, written it off as an acceptable risk, and gone about churning out a defective product. Not only did they not choose that path, they went to great effort, expense, and risk to solve the problem. To me, that speaks volumes to the reputation of this familyowned business. I own many Mossberg products and they have never let me down in the years I have used them. Now I know why. They stand behind their products and their customers and go to extreme lengths to ensure that they are providing a quality product they can be proud to make and to use. Problems occur with every company and what sets them apart is how they correct the issue. Mossberg has demonstrated that they will do whatever it takes to fix any issue. After 100-years, they have shown they take great pride in their ‘Made in America’ commitment to excellence.

So now for the press release techs, features, and specifications. On the surface, the pistol is superior in every way to its nearest rival, the Glock 43. It has actual steel sites, an 18-degree off-square grip angle, no obnoxious trigger guard undercut, great texturing on the grip, all steel recoil rod, and a flat trigger that provides excellent feedback and breaks at right around 4.7 pounds on our test gun, but Mossberg says they come from the factory set between 5- and 6-pounds. All of this comes in a subcompact package. It comes with two Mossberg clear polymer magazines, one with an

The MC1SC comes with two polymer magazines, a flush-fit 6 round and an extended grip 7-rounder. It will also accept Glock 43 magazines.

26 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

extended grip baseplate holding seven rounds and one flush-fit that holds 6-rounds. It will also accept Glock 43 magazines and they sell for around the same price. This will give you a steel magazine insert if you are concerned with the plastic of the Mossberg magazines, but will limit you to 6-rounds. It also means that you can use some of the 12-round aftermarket magazines designed for the Glock.

The biggest selling point of the Mossberg MC1SC is that it can be rapidly dissembled without pulling the trigger by depressing a button on the striker backplate and sliding it off, then pulling out the striker and slightly pulling the slide back to release the slide lock and then pulling the entire slide assembly off the front. This is a huge selling point for this compact pistol as it is a safer method of disassembly, since the trigger doesn’t need to be pulled.

• Safe Takedown System ensures no trigger pull required during disassembly.

• Mossberg signature multi-angle slide serrations for positive slide manipulation.

• Standard snag-free dovetail white three-dot sights for easier target acquisition, windage adjustment and after-market customization.

• Stainless steel slide with upgraded Diamond-Like Carbon Coating.

• 3.4″ barrel with upgraded Diamond-Like Carbon Coating.

• Extended trigger guard for easy access.

• Mossberg flat-profile trigger with integrated blade safety.

• Reversible magazine release.

• Aggressive signature Mossberg grip texturing.

• Palm swell and grip angle provide superior ergonomics.

• Glass-reinforced polymer frame for enhanced durability.

• Mossberg Clear-Count polymer 6-round flush-fit and 7-round extended magazines offer low friction and high wear-resistance.

At just 22-ounces fully loaded and less than one-inch thick, the Mossberg MC1SC is a great choice for concealed carry. Its easy-to-manipulate controls, small size, light weight, and overall ergonomics make it a great fit for a variety of shooters. I have large hands and it works for me as well as for those with more diminutive digits.

Based upon the extensive testing, modification, and follow through, as well as the design and features, I highly endorse this pistol for those seeking a simple and reliable self defense pistol. There are few guns I can personally attest have been this thoroughly tested.

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August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

27

Falling Water

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he water is falling! The water is falling! Yes, I’m paraphrasing Chicken Little and like the fable from which this famous outcry has passed into the English language as a common idiom indicating a mistaken belief that disaster is imminent, the moral to my story is to not be the chicken jumping to conclusions.

My paraphrase is most literal in that the water really is falling. We’ve reached that time of year when our reservoirs have begun to drain in exchange for making our corn and grass grow. Some lakes are more affected than others, but just about all western reservoirs will experience their annual drops in the coming weeks. Falling or low water levels change the fishing and have a way of sending anglers into the same kind of hysteria that Chicken Little experienced. Like most versions of the tale, the outcry is lost in the wind.

Fishing reservoirs that are low or losing water is different and can admittedly be tougher. I field all kinds of questions from anglers blaming poor fishing on falling water levels. But disaster or at least fishing failure, is certainly not imminent. Anglers can still have great success on the big impoundments if they keep a few things in mind.

First and foremost; fish to your conditions. By that I mean, make your angling decisions based on what you are looking at right then, not what success you had last week or month. Falling water moves fish, all kinds of fish, around within the lake.

When it comes to dropping water levels, past performance of a spot in no way predicts future gains. Instead, try to fish spots that have similar water depths and structure or cover types as to the area you last had success on.

When you’re looking for new spots, consider fishing areas immediately adjacent to deep water. That deeper water may mean nothing more than a corridor out of the shallows; a submerged ditch for instance. Along the same lines, a high spot like a submerged roadbed or hump surrounded by deeper water can be golden. Also sample inlets, especially those with flowing water. If there is flowing water, fish all the way up to it. I’ve had a bunch of cases where the fish are nosed all the way into heavy flow this time of year. Rip rap or earthen dam faces can be key in late summer due to their rocky cover, deep water and even slope which allows fish to easily maintain whatever depth makes them happy, with minimal horizontal movement. As a general rule, steeper banks will fish more consistently, while shallower, flatter areas are more of a timing thing; time it right and you can get happy in a hurry.

Speaking of timing, the adjustment is fishing early, late or during low light conditions. Fish will make feeding forays into shallow water making them more catchable before they move out to deeper, safer water to rest. You can cover a lot of areas during these times, confident that your offering will be eaten if you get it in front of a fish. First or last light are great times to try new spots. Afternoon storm fronts can trigger a push shallow, as fish move into windblown areas for a feeding session, also making for a good time to try new areas. You may find that the bite turns on very quickly and then off just as quickly.

In that case, I generally recommend a move to deeper fish since they’ll be less volatile. That brings me to the next falling or low water scenario.

Chad LaChance

28 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Boating anglers may use sonar to locate suspended fish that are not really tight to any structure. Typically, its some form of pelagic baitfish (shad, smelt, alewives, etc.) that the fish are following. This usually becomes an exercise in depth control; the goal is to get your lure right at or slightly above the fish you mark on the graph. Trollers can do well here, as can vertical jiggers. I often vertically flutter a large chrome Johnson Sprite spoon this time of year for a wide range of species including bass, walleye, wipers/stripers/whites and pike.

At this time of year, you can expect that the fish are feeding to some degree. If you’re not catching them, change something in your presentation. As a late summer fishing guide, I’ll go no more than about 15 minutes without a bite before I change lures, depths or locations, speed or some other variable. This is the peak feeding season for most fish in our reservoirs and the water is as warm as its going to get. It all adds up to active fish for anglers to exploit. The old adage of, “find the bait, find the fish” is true at this time of year for sure.

For the record, the same basic ideas hold up for late summer low water river fishing. Access to deep water, timing shallow bites and the expectation of feeding fish are all still relevant. Fish in deep holes will be consistent, riffle dwellers will be a timing thing.

The water is falling. Don’t be chicken and conclude that the fishing is poor. The lakes may look different, the ramps a little longer, but fish are still there. It’s only the anglers that don’t adjust with the water levels that end up crying like Chicken Little.

PRO'S PICK

Winchester SX4 20 Gauge

By Kent Danjanovich

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inchester introduced its new line of auto-loading shotguns, the Super X4 (SX4) in the spring of 2017. Its platform continues with many of its predecessor’s, the ever popular SX3’s features, plus a few great changes and modifications that make the new generation even better.

When the SX4 was originally introduced, only 12-gauge models were available. Now, by popular demand, eight new 20-gauge models have burst onto the scene in an effort to reach out to even more hunters and shooters looking for their perfect, go-to shotgun, suitable for any application.

The Sportsman’s News Team has had the chance to “Test Drive” a number of SX4’s since their introduction and we have loved the functionality and dependability they offer, especially the shotguns’ quick cycling and Winchester’s Active Valve Gas System that automatically self-adjusts to cycle a vast spectrum of scattergun loads. But, the SX4 and especially the new 20-guage models offer even more great features.

The most glaring change is its balance. With a more forward-heavy center point in its weight distribution, the balance point has been moved a little more toward the forearm, which was very evident the first time we took it to the range. And with the even lighter weight of the new 20-gauge models (compact models as lite as 6lbs 4oz) the swing-through is very smooth, allowing you to lock-in quickly on flushing birds or fast-moving clays.

able to find the gun just right for you. But the best all-around model just might be the Universal Hunter. If you are adhering to your budget requirements, looking for one shotgun that can cover all of your shooting needs, I just don’t know if you can find a better solution than this gun. It comes in Mossy Oak’s Break-Up Country camo that is suitable for a wide variety of environments and comes with Winchester’s Invector-Plus choke tubes to cover lead, steel and even slugs if needed.

Yes, Winchester’s SX4 is definitely a hit with the Sportsman’s News Team. I have always been a little partial to the 20-gauge side of things and when the news came down that the SX4 line was introducing it, I couldn’t wait to try it out! So, if you are in the market for a new shotgun, do yourself a favor and stop by your local Sportsman’s Warehouse to see for yourself how well the new SX4 20-gauge handles.

Winchester’s SX4 has also incorporated a number of changes to help make its operation even better. The bolt handle, bolt-release button, trigger and safety have all been slightly enlarged, making it a little bit easier in real-time hunting situations for quick acquisition, especially on those cold days in the field or in your favorite duck blind. They also slimmed down the forearm and pistol grip, making it more compatible when using gloves and for smaller handed shooters.

With 20-gauge options in eight different SX4 models, you are bound to be August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

29

Video Product Reviews

Sig KILO3000 BDX Rangefinding Binos

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n 2018 SIG SAUER launched the BDX system, which is an acronym for Ballistic Data Exchange. It was revolutionary and was quickly the talk on all the trade show circuits, publications, as well as forums. It was an entire shooting system that combined your rangefinder, riflescope, and and an app on your smart phone. The downloadable app gives you the ability to have numerous different rifles and load setups that can be easily transferred back and forth between the app, binos, and scope. This is completely corrected data as well. What that means is that it will take into account all of your input ballistic data, as well as angle, temperature, pressure, etc. Once all of this information was dialed in at the range, you no longer needed your phone with you. You could take your rifle and rangefinder to the field and it was business as usual. Once you found your target, you would get into a good shooting position, take a good solid range on the animal and this range would light up a “hold for” blue dot on the retention reticle. As easy as range and hold on the target and squeeze. This system eliminated the need to adjust a turret and the system is designed to be accurate out to 800 yards and it performed flawlessly during our testing.

Now new for 2019 is the KILO3000BDX 10X42 Binoculars which has all of that same technology as the rangefinder did when this system was launched. However, having a binocular that you hold with two hands instead of a rangefinder that you only hold with one hand is far superior in my opinion. The difference between the 7X magnification in the rangefinder and the 10X power in the binocular is another great advantage.

Scan this QR Code with At 5.75” high by 4.85” wide and only weighing 31 ouncyour smart phone to view t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s es, this set of binoculars is very compact and feels good in YouTube Channel. your hand. They are listed as a 5,000 yard rangefinder on

SIG’s website on reflective targets, 2,000 on trees and we were able to achieve 2,800 yards consistently on rocks and trees under what we consider a hunting scenario and by hand holding the binos. On top of that, the data comes back extremely fast.

When testing these for optical quality, we found that they were very clear and even performed well in low light. I often spend hours a day glassing off of a tripod and looking over a mile away. I appreciated the screw in adapter to hold my tripod mount, but these long glassing sessions did yield some eye fatigue. This is usually improved by more coatings and better glass, but also creates a bigger price and at $1,199.99 this is a great price and value. It’s a complete shooting system overall that will have you consistently and easily hitting targets out to 800 yards.

See the full video product review online or by scanning the QR code.

Zeiss Victory RF Rangefinding Binos

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n 2018 Zeiss Sport Optics came out with the “New Victory RF Binoculars” and I was fortunate enough to be one of the first people outside the Zeiss company to have them in their hands. We did a thorough video product review on them as well as how to set up the entire ballistic profile on several rifle and load combinations to help you get the most out of these innovative new optics. Now that we are half way through 2019, we wanted to give you an updated video review and show you how they performed under all situations.

Being in the Zeiss Victory line of products, you expect the very best in the glass, coatings, and optically and throughout the last year, they have performed above expectations. We make a name and a reputation for ourselves finding and harvesting great animals and these optics were instrumental in that during all of the 2018 hunting season. Zeiss delivered four models when they launched which are the 8X42, 10X42, 8X54, and 10X54.

We tested the 10X54 model and purchased them at the completion of the review, but have yet to have any experience with the other models.

Our test model is 7.68” high by 5.35” wide and they tip the scales at right at 39.33 ounces (2 lbs ounces). Our initial view of these RF binoculars is that they didn’t show any indication of being anything more than just binoculars at first glance. No odd shaped barrels, not overly large, or Scan this QR Code with your smart phone to view have protruding buttons which you kind of expect in an t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s RF Bino. They are just a sleek looking set of binos.

YouTube Channel.

These are much more than rangefinding binoculars as

30 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

we experienced over the past year. The smart technology within the binos and the Zeiss Hunting app which is your platform to unleash the technology of this specific product and is paired via Bluetooth technology is amazing. The rangefinder itself is marketed as capable of ranging out to 2,500 plus yards, but in our year of usage we haven’t gotten a range that far, but 2,200-2,300 is always easily achieved and done in all sorts of weather conditions. Rain, sleet, snow, and fog play havoc on numerous products of this sort, but the Zeiss never caused us a missed opportunity. Our longest range on record with this model was 2,465 yards, which gets very close to Zeiss’ advertised range. When paired with the app, you can literally plug in thousands of different ammunition and bullet combinations within its’ database to match your current shooting system and if you hand load, you can plug in this data as well. When you range to your target it is important to note that this is corrected data which means that this unit has taken in the barometric pressure, altitude, and temperature, as well as all your input ballistic data and issued me the corrected data in order to make an extremely accurate shot. This is truly the best optics and rangefinder combination we have ever had the opportunity to put in our hands.

See the entire testing of this product in the Sportsman’s News video product review by scanning the QR code.

Video Product Reviews

ALPS OutdoorZ Commander Lite + Pack

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or those who have used the lightweight but supremely versatile ALPS OutdoorZ Commander Lite meat hauler, you already know what a great piece of kit it is. For those who haven’t, go do a search for our video review of this awesome meat shelf at sportsmansnews.com.

For 2019, ALPS OutdoorZ has upgraded their pack frame with a new bag that can be used on the frame by itself or attached to the fully loaded meat hauler for even greater carrying capacity. Each piece can be purchased separately or as a combination kit, so those desiring the entire setup can purchase it together and those who already have the Commander Lite can easily add just the bag. The Commander Lite frame can also be purchased by itself for those only desiring the meat hauler.

The bag features a roomy 47 liter carrying capacity and the main compartment features a full-length zipper for easy access to everything contained inside. A pair of overlapping open-top stretch pockets on either side, make easy access to water bottles or essential gear a snap. A large zippered spotting scope pocket lets you easily carry your favorite glass and keeps it protected from the elements and has two compression straps for locking down a tripod.

A water bladder pocket inside will hold your favorite reservoir and a dual pass through will direct your drinking hose to whichever side you prefer.

A stowable and removable drop-down rifle holder will keep your favorite bangstick from flopping around and allow it to be cinched tight to the pack.

Gear loops on the face, as well as included extension Scan this QR Code with straps, lets you add more gear to the outside and keeps it your smart phone to view t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s all tight and close to the body.

YouTube Channel.

The pack is made of a quiet and rugged material in

coyote brown and is coated to make it water resistant. To keep it completely dry in rainy weather, it comes with a full rain cover that stores in its own zippered pocket at the bottom.

The pack frame features adjustment for torsos of 17-23 inches, so it fits nearly everyone. A wide and comfortable padded waist belt keeps the pack at just the right height to properly distribute the load and comes with two zippered pockets that are perfect for calls and a rangefinder or windicator.

Sewn loops allow easy mounting of a clip style holster or bear spray.

The real benefit of this pack is its extremely light weight. The bag and frame combined weigh just 6 pounds and 11 ounces but will still easily haul 40-50 pounds of gear or meat.

See the full video review by scanning the QR code with your smart phone, or visit our YouTube channel, sportsmansnewstv.

Leupold VX-5 HD Long Range Riflescopes

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he new VX-5HD hit the market several years ago and was a big hit. It provides a 30mm tube as well as some of the best glass money can buy and all on an American made product. The highest magnification model was the 3-15X44, which was great, but out past 1,000 yards it was a bit tough to be precise.

Leupold heard what customers were saying and are launching a few new models for 2019 with the long-range shooters in mind. They have added a total of 3 new scopes in this line, which now have a 34mm tube to work with. There is a 4-20X52mm CDS-ZL2 that has your standard duplex reticle. It provides you with two full revolutions of the turret and a zero lock. The 4-20X52mm T-ZL3-Target that will allow for three full revolutions of the turret and has more of a target style adjustments and also has the TMOA reticle. Both of these models have a full 110 minutes of vertical and horizontal windage adjustment, which is pretty impressive. The last model is the 7-35X56mm T-ZL3-Target with the TMOA reticle. This is a serious long-range scope. It provides 55 minutes of elevation adjustment and 40 minutes of windage adjustment.

As with the other VX-5HDs that are already on the market, these are equipped with the Twilight Max HD Light Management System. This means that you have some of the best glass money can buy. It provides you with premium high definition glass and good edge to edge clarity. In our testing, it really allowed you to see well into the shadows where a big buck might be lying and those last minutes of legal shooting light are no problem, even at maximum magnification. It is a rear, or what most call a second focal plane, scope. This means that your reticle will stay the same size as you zoom through the power options. This allows you to see the majority of the target at long ranges, which is my preferred option. It has scratch resistant lenses and uses Guardion lens coatings that help to shed dirt and water. They are both waterproof as well as fogproof and these scopes endure a torture test that is far more extreme than you can Scan this QR Code with ever imagine putting it through during your time in the your smart phone to view field. When visiting the factory in Oregon in 2018, we got to the Sportsman's News see this process in action and it truly made a believer out of YouTube Channel. me on how well these scopes are made.

The one thing that is really impressive with these scopes, considering the quality of glass they have as well as their durability, is their overall weight. The would be consider very lightweight for what they are. They fall between 23.3 ounces and 25.9 ounces depending on the model you choose.

See the entire video review and field testing on this product by clicking on the QR code or visiting our YouTube channel at (sportsmansnewstv).

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

31

Video Product Reviews

Bergara B14 Ridge Special Purpose Rifle

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e have had the pleasure of shooting a good number of the Bergara rifles over the past few years and one thing is very consistent with them; ACCURACY! We have tested numerous calibers, which ranged from the 22-250 up to the .300 Win Mag and most had barrels in the 22- 24-inch range. However, we had yet to try one of the special purpose 18” (short barrel) versions in the B14 Ridge Series. It comes in both a .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor and we chose the latter.

Everything else is the same. It has a molded synthetic stock made of glass fiber reinforced polymer. It also has a Bergara barrel, which is very well known as an extremely high-quality barrel and manufactured in Spain. This specific barrel is a #5 Bergara 4140 CrMo steel barrel and is finished in matte blue. The box says it is an 18” barrel, but my trusty tape measure says more like 17.25” and the rifle has an overall length of 37.5 inches. The muzzle threaded to 5/8X24 to accept suppressors or a muzzle break. At 7.2 pounds without a scope, rings, or ammo, we definitely didn’t need a break, but a suppressor is always welcome on the ears.

Bergara makes their own actions with a two-lug design. It has a sliding plate ex-

tractor and a coned bolt nose and breech. It is extremely smooth as well as dependable. It comes with their own curved trigger and is preset at approximately 3 pounds.

This trigger is very crisp and has no creep. The rifle has been drilled and tapped to accommodate your standard Remington 700 style bases but do require larger screws.

This model comes with a hinged floorplate and this short action will hold 4 rounds.

These rifles are setting the market on fire because they are a high-quality rifle and at an affordable price. On top Scan this QR Code with of that, they have a 1.0 MOA accuracy guarantee at 100 your smart phone to view yards when shooting factory match grade ammunition. t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s YouTube Channel.

See our complete video product review on this special purpose short barreled Bergara Ridge rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor by visiting our YouTube channel (sportsmansnewstv) or scanning the QR code.

Sitka Gear Flash Shelter

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or protection from the elements above and below the tree line, Sitka Gear has created the Flash Shelter. The Flash Shelter is a specially designed tarp with six reinforced main tie downs and six evenly spaced intermediate tie downs.

These allow the shelter to be configured in a wide variety of ways from an A-frame to a half shelter, to protect you from sun, rain, snow, dust and wind.

The Flash Shelter is designed with a catenary curve to ensure that every edge can be tightened to prevent loose ends flapping in the wind, making noise and throwing rain inside. Reinforced pockets allow the handles of your trekking poles to be inserted to act as support poles. All of the six main reinforced tie downs come with 8-feet of orange tiedown cord with a reflective strand for high visibility at night.

The shelter itself is made of a 40D Ripstop Nylon impregnated with silicone for rugged strength and waterproofness. It is saturation printed in either Optifade Subalpine or Optifade Open Country, so the camo pattern is fully imprinted on either side.

This ensures that your shelter is camouflaged when seen from the top or from below. Not only does it provide shade, it provides a UPF of 29 to minimize exposure to UV radiation and provides protection from the sun, which is a real benefit at higher altitudes.

The 40D silicone impregnated nylon has a 1,500mm head pressure so it can block or deflect up to a 60-mph wind. If you set it as a wind block behind you while glassing, it will protect you from the blow and if you arrange it like a lean-to, you will get side and overhead protection at the same time.

To maximize space and minimize weight, the entire shelter

32 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

rolls up into a bag about the size of a standard Nalgene water bottle. It comes in two sizes, a 10-feet by 12-feet or an 8-feet by 10-feet. The 8x10 weighs just 19.3 ounces and the 10x12 weighs just 25.3 ounces. So not only is it a super durable shelter, it takes up minimal space and is worth far more than the weight in your pack.

The 8x10 is ideal for one hunter or maybe two if they are cozy and the 10x12 can accommodate two to three hunters easily.

For ultimate concealment, while protecting you from the rain, snow, wind and sun, consider adding the Sitka Gear Flash Shelter to your kit for your next high-altitude scouting trip in the backcountry.

Scan this QR Code with your smart phone to view the Sportsman's News YouTube Channel.

Vortex Razor HD 4000 Rangefinder

F

or judging distance to an animal or landmark in the field, having a rangefinder that reaches a greater distance is a useful tool. The Vortex Razor HD 4000 gives you accurate readings on an animal out to 1,600 yards, and on landscape objects like trees, out to 1,800 yards. When switched to Extended Laser Range (ELR) mode, the rangefinder will take longer but is able to range a deer-sized animal at around 2,000 yards and a reflective hard surface, such as a rock, at around 4,000 yards.

Nobody is expecting ethical hunters to try to make a shot at 4,000 yards, but Vortex created the Razor HD 4000 for the hunter trying to determine the distance he needs to cover to get into range of his game. This information allows him to determine how long it will take and also choose the best route to get within shooting distance.

The seven-power magnification of the Razor HD 4000 allows you to see more details of the animal and the terrain and the special coatings enhance clarity, light gathering, and protect the lens surfaces from scratching, dust, and moisture. The coatings also reduce color aberrance. The 25mm objective lens design increases field of view and optimizes the edge to edge eye box view. The field of view at 1,00 yards is 341.25 feet or 6.5 degrees.

The All Weather Capable (AWC) technology allows the Razor HD 4000 to return ranges even in adverse weather such as fog, drizzle, mist, and snow.

The Razor HD 4000 can operate in two modes; the default Horizontal Component Distance (HCD) or Line of Sight (LOS). HCD computes the compensated distance based upon the angle. If an animal is above you and you are Scan this QR Code with shooting upward, the computed distance is much shorter your smart phone to view than the actual range for an accurate shot. For those using the Sportsman's News a ballistic calculator that computes distance and angle, YouTube Channel.

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the LOS mode gives you accurate DOPE for your calculations.

The Razor HD 4000 will also measure your first target and then allow you to scan, locking in your nearest target distance. A quick click of the ranging button in normal mode will give you the range to the indicated target. Holding the button will allow you to scan for up to 20 seconds, sending you various distances.

The Razor HD 4000 is small and lightweight, measuring 4.49 inches long by only 1.34 inches thick by 3 inches tall, a n d we i g h s j u s t 9 . 9 ounces, so it is compact enough to easily stow in a pocket. It also includes a reversible pocket clip that can be quickly positioned on either side. The easy access battery compartment allows easy swapping of the single CR2 battery.

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W

hether you shoot in competition, conceal carry, law enforcement, military, etc, you should dry fire. Dry fire is a great way to practice without spending a lot of money on ammunition. There are many skills that can be learned and perfected in dry-fire.

People tend to steer away from dry-fire because it is boring. It can also tire you out easily. But, if you keep with it for a couple days, weeks, months or years, you will see the improvement in your shooting.

When dry firing, you want to maintain and grow your fundamentals. Without fundamentals, the entire shooting platform would fall apart. Thus, the fundamentals are a necessity in order to shoot faster, more accurately, and with a greater certainty of a hit. The fundamentals include the Fire Control Triangle and the Reactive Shoot Cycle. Both are needed to fulfill the needs of the fundamentals.

The Fire Control Triangle (FCT), has three parts; the stance, grip, and trigger control. The FCT starts with the stance. To achieve the ultimate stance, you must put your center of gravity forward, skeletal alignment, relaxation and isolation of tension and natural point of aim. The grip must minimize the

leverage of the gun, maximize the friction on the gun and increase bio-mechanical efficiency. The trigger control just needs to pull the trigger straight back and fire the gun within an acceptable disturbance of the sight picture.

The Reactive Shoot Cycle is the least number of steps to fire the shot correctly. When a shot goes amiss, it is most likely because you skipped a step in the cycle.

Here are the steps to follow: 1. Bring firearm up to or over to the target with sights aligned and pause.

2. See what you need to see to make the hit 3. Isolate the action of the trigger finger.

4. Let recoil happen.

5. Call the shot.

6. Active follow through, active recovery back to the sight picture and reset the trigger.

Now you can practice your fundamentals in dry-fire, but that will only get you so far. You still need to live fire. You not only need dry-fire fundamentals, you can also build other important skills. Other skills include reloads, shooting on the move, entering and exiting positions, draws, etc. People need these skills to shoot better.

But just shooting better isn’t the goal. You want to be the best, the greatest, so good that you would beat everyone else by 10%. Now that is a great dream, but unachievable without dry-fire. You don’t need to dry-fire for hours, but 10-30 minutes is enough time for the mind to be active and take in enough good repetitions to do some good. Any more than an hour of dry-fire and the body and mind gets tired and starts doing bad repetitions. This drives in bad habits and therefore makes your shooting worse. Dry-fire is great as long as it’s done in moderation.

Live fire is great as well. It tests your fundamentals and gives you a chance to practice what can’t be practiced in dry-fire.

36 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Not everything can be learned in dry-fire, that is why people shoot. They shoot to have fun, but they also want to learn to get better. Using drills helps the mind and body work towards a certain goal. Whatever that goal is, it’s up to you.

One of my favorite live fire drills is called the TPC 24. You will be using a timer. The target is a TPC gray bar. It starts at 7-yards.

It consists of three strings. In each string, eight shots are fired. The start position is in the compressed imminent threat position, which is at your chin level with two hands away from your chin. On the start signal, bring your gun up to the target and fire eight shots within the gray bar. You repeat this for two more strings. You will score this by ‘Hit Factor’. Hit Factor is when you divide the points by the time. Every hit inside the gray bar is 5-points and every hit outside the gray bar is no points.

Add up all your points and all your time.

Divide the points by the time and that will be your score.

I do this drill often and keep a record of all my TPC 24 scores so that I can see my improvement.

This drill tests your fundamentals that you have practiced in dry-fire or live fire.

It is such a great way to test your fundamentals and it is also a great way to

practice them. You practice seeing what you need to see; sight alignment by feel, good stance, grip, trigger control and other important fundamentals.

Dry-fire is one of the best tools to be a better shooter.

Everyone can benefit from dry-fire, whether you shoot once a year or every day. If you own a gun, pick it up and do some dryfiring so that if the time comes, you know how to use it and feel confident in your own skills. So, go out and shoot and have fun, but remember you can always benefit from live-fire as well as dry-fire.

About the Author:

Jalise Williams is 16-years-old and has been competing for five years. Jalise is currently the Single Stack and Limited 10 USPSA Ladies National Champion. She TacticalPerformanceCenter.com is the youngest Lady National Champion in USPSA History at the age of 15. She has won over 70 titles in Level 2 and above matches.

She is also Master Class in USPSA. She has competed on the Men’s Classic Team on Team USA for the Pan American Games. She competes in USPSA, IPSC, 3-gun and Steel Challenge.

She is an instructor, straight A student, a black belt in Jujitsu and an Go to news.sportsmans.com to accomplished pianist. download & print this drill

TPc 24

TPC 24 Drill From 7 yards fire 3 strings of 8 shots. The start position is in the compressed imminent threat position which is at your chin level with 2 hands away from your chin. On the start signal bring gun up to target and fire 8 shots within the gray bar.

You repeat this for 2 more strings. You will score this by Hit Factor. Hit Factor is when you divide the points by the time.

Every hit inside the gray bar is 5 points and every hit outside the gray bar is no points.

Add up all your points and all your time.

Divide the points by the time and that will be your score.

© Ronald E. Avery 2014

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

37

PRO'S TIP

How Much is an Appropriate Tip on a Guided Trip

By Michael Deming

Y

ou've saved and saved and finally spent the required fifteen thousand dollars on a five-day fully guided elk hunt. Now you get to hunt a pristine private ranch where elk aren’t pressured and the bugling goes from early morning until long after legal hunting light. You are looking at twenty plus mature bulls a day and having the time of your life. Every night you come back to a nice tent camp where you have great food, hot shower, and a warm wall tent to sleep in as you listen to the elk bugle throughout the night. Finally, on day three, you put the hammer down on a good bull and this is truly the icing on the cake for this trip of a lifetime for you. The guide takes great field photos, capes, and quarters your bull. The next day he hauls it to the processor for you and preps your cape for the taxidermist. This is the best experience you have ever had hunting and now the question comes of “what sort of tip should I give” and “who all gets a tip”?

Having hunted and fished all over the world for the past 30 years as well as having done my share of guiding both hunters and fisherman, I get this question frequently at camps. Most people have no idea of what is an appropriate tip.

T.I.P.S. is an acronym for “To Insure Prompt Service” and most people consider it more in the food service business than situations like mentioned above. However, good guides and staff at camp can make or break your excursion and the tip should be taken very seriously.

Let’s break down this elk hunting experience mentioned above to help you understand it a bit. You paid a lot of money for the hunt, but a good percentage of that went to the landowner for a lease to get you into this pristine hunting property. The outfitter and guides do a lot of work to make sure that your camp is extremely comfortable.

38 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The guide had you in elk each and every day and it was more like hunting in a zoo than stumbling around fifty thousand acres hoping to find elk. This is likely because the guide does a lot of homework on his own time to insure you are in elk each and every day. Your guide is usually up long before you are and getting the gear ready for the day or he may have even been out at night listening for bugles to make sure you were in the elk first thing in the morning. The camp cook was up several hours before you were even thinking of rising and making sure you had hot coffee and a

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August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

39

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John X Safaris Eastern Cape of South Africa T: +27 (0) 82 700 9866

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PRO'S TIP good breakfast before you left for the day. He or she also probably prepared you a lunch for the day. Once you harvested your bull, you got years of experience at taking high quality field photos to cherish this memory for life. Your guide also got your animal broken down and ready for the butcher, as well as prepped it for the taxidermist. Your guide was likely getting paid somewhere between $150-$300 a day and the cook probably around $150-$200 a day. So, they aren’t doing this to get rich, but more because they love the lifestyle and meeting new people just like you. The reward for that is their tip. A tip should be between 10 percent and 20 percent of the cost of the trip. Ten percent should be an absolute minimum on your trip unless you had an absolutely horrible experience from start to finish and then that is up to you. The outfitter/guide can’t control the animals or fish and your tip should not reflect your success alone. If everything that is within their control is the very best it could be, they should creep up that tip scale towards the top. If everything within their control is top notch and the trip was a success and beyond your wildest dreams, they should have definitely earned that 20 percent bracket.

How do you go about breaking that tip down between the guide or guides, cook, etc? I will often talk with the outfitter himself to see how their tip structure is set up within the company. It varies from operation to operation, so this is good information to know. If everyone splits tips, it makes it easy. Put your 20 percent in an envelope and hand it to the outfitter to distribute. If that’s not the case, you spend the majority of your time with the guide and he will get a good majority of the tip. Consider your cook and staff like you would while eating out. You would tip at breakfast lunch and dinner if you were eating out, so plan to do the same here. If I decided that this specific hunt was worthy of a 20 percent tip or $3,000 total, I would likely give the cook/staff between $500 and $750 and the remainder to the guide.

Costs of landowner vouchers shouldn’t be included in this tipping process for a total. An example of this would be that you didn’t draw this elk tag and had to spend an additional $5,000 for the tag. You would tip based on the $15,000 cost of the trip and not the $20,000 total that was spent.

This is a good rule of thumb in today’s market. Your guide doesn’t need another knife or your old worn out backpack. He likely lives off of tips and if you are planning on returning for a future trip, a good tip will be rewarded greatly.

If you are a poor tipper and a jerk throughout the week, chances are that you might just do some very long walks where nobody has ever seen an animal.

Day trips for fishing or bird hunting should be treated the same. These guides/ outfitters won’t be doing as much for you, but the cost of the trip is much less as well. Always take care of your guides and outfitters. They will take good care of you.

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PRO MEMBER UPDATE

Hill Ranches: of Southern Colorado Casey Barney, the lucky winner of this trip, has lived in Utah most of his life and has seen a lot of big bulls, but this is the first one he has ever been able to put his own tag on.

By Michael Deming

Paul Brown has been a long time guide for the Hill Ranches and was able to predict just about every move these bulls made during the hunt. He was all smiles and occasionally got Casey to have a smile; just not here. I guess harvesting the biggest bull of your life on the first full day of the hunt isn’t a good reason to smile.

Even on a severe drought year, this old bull packed on some great mass and had a whopper front end.

Elk shopping at its finest here in Southern Colorado. PhoneSkope and the Zeiss Harpia helped us capture a lot of this great footage for the Sportsman’s News TV show.

HUNT AND FISH LIKE THE PROS

42 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Arriving at lunch time on the first day and being served up a great meal like this set the stage for what was ahead of us. Everything about the Hill Ranches is top notch.

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 We were able to watch big groups of elk, like this, throughout our hunt. The bulls were rutting hard and bugling throughout the day. It is truly a hunter's paradise when you get to see unpressured animals in their natural habitat. This is a hunt we will give away each and every year and I’ll be there to make you smile, or at least try.

The Sportsman's News Pro Membership Sweepstakes will give away this trip again on February 28th. Go to ProMembershipSweepstakes.com to enter to win.

©KENETREK, LLC 2019

After some serious elk hunting and getting Casey on the bull of his lifetime, I finally got him to smile.

I’m sure he is smiling right now looking at that great bull on his wall.

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43

2/21/2019 10:56:10 AM August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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

Dove Schnitzel

D

ove hunting usually heralds the beginning of hunting season. Unless you are archery hunting deer, doves are the first season to open up. In fact more Americans shoot a gun on opening day of dove season than any other day of the year. It is a great sport for the whole family. The weather is still warm and there is not a whole lot of specialized gear needed. Doves can reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour, and on a windy day can make for some really challenging targets.

Mourning doves are the most common type of dove. They are in fact the most frequently hunted species in North America. They are found in almost every state I n America. The Eurasian collared dove is a larger bird and will really enhance the amount of meat your hunt can provide. They are considered an invasive species, are highly dispersive, and are rapidly spreading around North America. There is no limit on this variety of dove and they can be taken all year around in many states. As with any type of hunting activity, check your local hunting regulations before heading into the field.

This recipe is tailored for dove, but will work equally as well with quail, pheasant, or even teal. Brining the doves overnight is a must, as it really keeps them moist and tender.

Try this recipe and your shot-gun shooting out this season on some quick flying “grey demons”.

Ingredients Brine

4 cups water ¼ cup kosher salt

¼ cup brown sugar

10 dove breasts 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour Kosher salt and black pepper 2 large eggs ½ cup milk

4 cups bread crumbs Canola oil Butter

Recipe

44 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Preparation Method Put the salt, brown sugar, and water into a medium bowl, and stir until fully dissolved. Transfer the liquid to a gallon zip-lock plastic bag and add the doves.

Brine the dove breasts in the refrigerator, for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight. Remove from the brine and pat dry. With a sharp knife separate the two breast lobes from the breastbone. Place each lobe between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound them GENTLY with a meat tenderizer (mallet). Do not tear the flesh, and work toward achieving a nice ¼ inch thick medallion.

Next you need to set up your breading station. You will need 3 shallow bowls.

In the first one put the flour and season with salt and pepper. (I also like to add some garlic powder and paprika for additional flavor.) The second bowl is for the wet ingredients, so add the eggs and milk, and whisk together well. The breadcrumbs go into the third bowl. (I prefer the seasoned Italian variety, but use any breading you like.)

Dip each medallion into the seasoned flour, and then shake off the excess and into the egg bath. Flip over until fully coated and transfer to the breadcrumbs.

Cover fully with the breadcrumbs and press them onto the meat to evenly coat.

Heat a mixture of half oil and half butter in a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add some of the coated breast to the pan and cook until golden brown (about 2 minutes) and flip to cook the other side. Cook them in small batches to keep the heat in the pan constant, assuring a nice even doneness.

The dove meat adds an extraordinary richness to these cutlets. They are really exceptional in this recipe. Accompany them with some garlic mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. The meal pairs well with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a nice chilled India Pale Ale. This is a great way to break away from the traditional bacon wrapped doves, and well worthy of a full limit to prepare for your family and friends.

Cheers!

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

45

Adventures On A Budget

Big Lake, Big Possibilities Louisiana lake offers abundant opportunities

run in the spring of 2019, so we should catch a bunch of them this fall.”

Flounder migrate out of the marshes in the fall to spawn and spend the winter in the deep gulf waters. In the spring, they return, but some remain in the estuaries all year long. Good areas to intercept migrating flounder include the southern end of the ship channel, Oyster Bayou, mouths of marshy tributaries in Big Lake, along the channel and in West Cove.

Pinky the Dolphin

The ship channel continues another nine miles south of Big Lake until it hits the gulf. Twin parallel, mile-long rows of rock jetties line Calcasieu Pass. At the jetties, anglers can catch bull reds approaching 50 pounds, large black drum, trout, sharks, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead and other fish.

While fishing the southern end of the estuary, watch for Pinky, the famed pink dolphin. She likes to play in the bow waves of large ships running the channel between the gulf and the port of Lake Charles.

By John N. Felsher

A

bout 25 miles east of the Texas-Louisiana line, Calcasieu Lake earned a reputation for producing outstanding speckled trout catches, but its best days could still be ahead.

Known locally as Big Lake, the waterbody south of Lake Charles, La. measures 12 miles long by nine miles wide and dominates the southern end of the Calcasieu Estuary. The Calcasieu Ship Channel, a 40-milelong deeper, wider and straighter version of the old Calcasieu River course, flows through the estuary, connecting Big Lake and the Gulf of Mexico with several smaller lakes. Across the ship channel, West Cove thrusts into the marshes. Many people fish around Rabbit Island. The uninhabited marshy island also makes an excellent place to spot various nesting birds.

Like all things in nature, trout run in cycles. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Big Lake contributed several double-digit speckled trout to the Louisiana state record book. Three remain in the top 10, including an 11.16-pounder. The lake also added three big specks to the fly-fishing category. The amazing streak of giant trout played out, but the estuary still gives up quality fish.

“We had a freeze in 1989 and for several years following that, fishing was outstanding because we had so many big trout in the lake,” recalled Jeff Poe, who runs Big Lake Guide Service (biglakeguideservice.com, 337-598-3268) on the lake with his wife Mary and son Nick. “In the winter of 2017-18, we had another freeze that killed fish. After a freeze, nature makes a big reproductive push to replace everything that was lost.”

The estuary could be on the verge of repeating that incredible whopper run of two decades ago. Nature abhors a vacuum. When something creates a void in the system, nature quickly refills it with higher reproduction rates.

“Now, we are catching piles of small trout and a few really big ones,” advised Poe, who holds the Louisiana state record for specks caught on fly tackle with a 9.31-pounder. “We caught some trout in the eight-pound range in 2019, so there’s always a possibility of catching a big one. We just haven’t seen the great numbers of really big trout like we did a few years ago. Some days, we might catch 300 undersize trout to get a limit of keepers, but that’s good for the future.”

More than Trout

Anglers could catch monster trout along with giant redfish, black drum, sheepshead, flounder and other fish anywhere in the system. Full of oyster reefs, Big Lake averages less than six feet deep. Many anglers fish the reefs or watch for diving birds that could indicate schools of feeding fish.

For the best redfish and flounder action, head to the surrounding marshes. Sabine National Wildlife Refuge stretches across 125,000 acres between Calcasieu Lake and Sabine Lake on the Louisiana-Texas line. On the eastern side of the estuary, Cameron Prairie NWR and the East Cove Unit conserve more rich marshes. Several bayous flow through the marshes into Big Lake on either side of the estuary. Weirs block the mouths of some bayous to prevent excessive salt water from entering the marshes, but at times, anglers can pass through gates to fish beyond them. Even when blocked, the bayou mouths at the weirs usually provide good fishing.

“People can catch redfish along just about any grassy shoreline,” Poe explained.

“Sometimes, we see big schools of reds in the middle of the lake. They can be anywhere in the system. When the wind blows too hard, we fish some protected waters in the northern part of the system and catch redfish. We had a really good flounder

46 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Bass Casting

If people want a fresh change of scenery, they might want to try for largemouth bass. Grosse Savanne Lodge (www.grossesavanne.com, 337-598-2357) controls 50,000 acres of Southwest Louisiana and offers a variety of fishing and hunting opportunities. Besides guided trips on Big Lake, the lodge staff manages catch-and-release ponds stocked with bass and a 5,000-acre private marsh adjacent to Big Lake.

The luxurious 15,000-square-foot lodge itself sits about 24 miles south of downtown Lake Charles and can sleep about 20 people.

“We have bass ponds up to 500 acres,” detailed Karl Zimmermann, one of the lodge managers. “The marsh is fresh on the eastern side and salty on the western side up against the lake so we have options for people who want to book a saltwater trip, a bass trip or both.”

Grosse Savanne Lodge hired Dennis Tietje, a retired professional bass angler, to guide bass trips. The oldest manmade impoundment dates to 2012 and already produced some 10-pound largemouths.

“We have a new trophy bass lake under development and some other lakes in the works,” Tietje advised. “The new lakes only date to 2017, but we are already seeing four- and five-pound fish coming out of them. In another few years, we’ll be seeing some eight- to 10-pounders. The marsh also has premier bass fishing.”

Not far from the Grosse Savanne bass ponds, Lacassine NWR covers 34,724 acres southeast of Lake Charles near Hayes. About 16,000 of those acres encompass Lacassine Pool. The shallow impounded marsh allows public fishing from March 15 through October 15 each year. The thickly vegetated pool can produce some double-digit bass along with excellent crappie, bluegill and redear sunfish catches.

Small boats can launch into the pool, but people can also fish from the bank.

Adventures On A Budget com, 888-762-3391) on the western side of the estuary.

In the fall and winter, Lacassine and Sabine refuges both offer public waterfowl hunting. In Southwest Louisiana, hunters mostly kill blue-winged teal during the September season. During the regular season, which usually runs from early November through late January, sportsmen typically kill green-winged teal, gadwalls, pintails, wigeons and mallards, but the bag might include eight or nine different species on any given day. Area hunters also frequently kill specklebelly and snow geese.

Before You Go

People without boats can fish off the Cameron Jetties Fishing Pier near where the Calcasieu Ship Channel flows into the Gulf of Mexico or surf-fish the beaches along the Cameron Parish coastline. Many boaters launch their craft at Calcasieu Point Landing just south of Lake Charles or into the eastern side of Big Lake at Hebert’s Marina. On the western side of the estuary, many people launch at Spicer-Hughes Marina & Motel in Hackberry. For more places to launch, see www.visitlakecharles.org/creole-nature-trail/ fishing/boat-launches.

Each angler fishing the Calcasieu area can keep up to 15 speckled trout per day, each at least 12 inches long. No more than two trout per day can exceed 25 inches in total length.

Anglers can also keep five redfish per day, each between 16 and 27 inches long with one longer than 27 inches.

To fish Calcasieu Lake, anglers need a basic fishing license and a saltwater license. A basic non-resident license costs $60 and a saltwater license costs $30. Regardless of purchase date, all seasonal hunting and fishing licenses expire on June 30 each year.

Non-residents can also buy daily licenses for $17.50 per day. Residents or non-residents who hire a licensed captain like the Poe’s can buy charter passenger licenses good for three days for $10. See www.wlf.louisiana.gov/recreational-fishing-licenses for licensing more details.

A basic non-resident hunting license costs $150 and does not include big game. For hunting waterfowl, sportsmen need a federal migratory bird stamp and a Louisiana duck stamp. Non-residents can also buy a one-day small game and migratory bird license, which includes the state waterfowl stamp, for $29. People born in Louisiana, but who now live elsewhere can buy Louisiana Native five-day hunting licenses for discounted prices if they show the vendor their Louisiana birth certificate. For more information on Louisiana hunting licenses, see www.wlf.louisiana.gov/licenses-and-permits.

While in the Area

And Blasting

During waterfowl season, Grosse Savanne and several other lodges, including Big Lake Guide Service offer “Cast and Blast” packages. Guests hunt ducks in the morning, return to the lodge for lunch and then go fishing that afternoon.

“If someone wants to stay more than one night, we offer afternoon activities, which could include saltwater or freshwater fishing, sporting clays, afternoon goose, dove and snipe hunts,” Zimmermann said. “We also do eco-tours where we take people out for a tour through the marshes or rice fields.

We have a private wading bird rookery that a lot of people enjoy seeing. We hold alligator hunts in September, but tags fill up really fast.”

Right on Calcasieu Lake, the Big Lake Guide Service Lodge offers all meals and can sleep up to 12 people. At night, people might catch large speckled trout and other fish right off the lighted dock. For other hunting and fishing opportunities, contact Calcasieu Charter Service (calcasieucharters.com, 337-598-4700) on the east side of Big Lake or Hackberry Rod and Gun (hackberryrodandgun.

While visiting southwest Louisiana, take a tour of the national wildlife refuges.

Sabine offers an easy walking nature trail running through the marsh. People can stay in the comfort of their cars to navigate the Pintail Wildlife Drive through Cameron Prairie or drive through nearby Lacassine. Visitors could also drive all or a portion of the 180-mile Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, one of only 43 so designated scenic byways in the country. Depending upon the season, visitors anywhere in southwest Louisiana might spot alligators and some of more than 400 bird species that live at last part of the year in the area. The list could include various waterfowl, herons, egrets, sandhill cranes, pelicans, ibis and pink roseate spoonbills.

Lake Charles and surrounding towns offer various lodging packages ranging from the luxurious L’Auberge Casino Resort (www.llakecharles.com) and other casino resorts to more modest motels. Practically anywhere in the area, people can also find excellent food ranging from po’boy sandwiches to seafood platters or steaks.

Visitors might also wish to sample some local spirts at Bayou Rum (bayourum.com) made from Louisiana-grown sugarcane. Beer lovers could taste some brew at Crying Eagle Brewing (www.cryingeagle.com) or Rikenjaks Brewing (rikenjaks.com).

For more information on the area, contact the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Conventions and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-456-SWLA or visit www.visitlakecharles.org.

August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

47

How to Choose the Right Shotgun Choke

installation and removal. Third, there’s usually an exposed stamp or imprint indicating the constriction so you don’t have to remove the choke to tell what size it is.

Furthermore, they allow you the option of ported or non-ported. The former offers the additional advantage of venting gases to reduce recoil and muzzle lift.

The better ones use diagonal porting angled away from the shooter to reduce side blasts.

Variety

There is no one choke for all needs and there’s a couple different ways to address this.

Several companies sell sets of two or three tubes for short-, mid- or longrange shooting. Old timers probably remember the Poly-Choke, a single tube that allows you to change constriction with a simple twist. It and several others, are still around and offer a one-size-fits-all alternative.

Make and Model

By Kent Danjanovich Senior Editor

W

ith the vast array of after-market shotgun chokes available today, choosing the right one for your gun can seem a daunting task.

Here’s some information that might make that task a little bit easier.

Constriction Depending on whose list you use, there are about a dozen different choke constrictions to choose from. More open constrictions like skeet and improved cylinder are used largely by trap and skeet shooters and upland hunters. If you intend to use the same gun and choke for sporting clays and decoying ducks, you might consider a light modified choke.

Modified was once considered the choke of choice for steel shot and to a large extent, it still is. However, advancements in after-market choke tubes have brought us more and better options, like the improved modified, which reportedly patterns large steel shot better than modified.

And if you’re pass shooting at longer ranges, there’s the light full. If you’re shooting non-steel, non-toxic shot, you can go even tighter, to a full, for long-range pass shooting. Tighter chokes like the Xtra-full and Super-full are designed more for turkey hunters who are aiming at a stationary target rather than for wingshooting.

Material and Construction

Waterfowling is a rigorous sport, so you’ll want something up to the task. Better after-market choke tubes are manufactured from 17-4 PH grade stainless steel, then heat-treated to a high strength level so they resist wear. You should also look for a matte, Parkerized or black oxide finish to reduce glare.

Extended vs. Flush

There are several good reasons to consider an extended tube.

First, they tend to pattern better than flush-mount chokes because constriction occurs more gradually and uniformly in the longer taper and parallel section.

Second, extended tubes typically have a knurled or fluted grip allowing for tool-less

48 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

That just leaves you with finding the right choke for your gun, an area where gun makers have done a bit of a disservice to the consumer by not establishing an industry standard for choke threads.

With few exceptions, you need a different tube for each brand and in some cases for different models from the same manufacturer.

Fortunately, most choke tube makers have a choke for most brands and models.

Caveat

Bear in mind that every gun/choke/load combination shoots differently. If you already have a gun and choke, the easiest variable to change is the load.

Get together with your hunting buddies, swap loads and see which ones’ pattern best in your gun, with your new choke. And, make sure you talk to the experts at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse before making your decision.

OUTDOOR WRITER'S CONTEST

By Kyle Wright

I

Sooner State Speed Goat

pushed back from my desk and smiled in disbelief. My computer screen told me I’d just drawn a golden ticket, one of only twenty either-sex pronghorn rifle tags in Oklahoma’s westernmost county, the Cimarron, but I didn’t believe it.

My brother drew the same tag five years ago. I was insanely jealous of him then, and legitimately angry. He didn’t even know I’d put him in for the hunt. For years now, I’ve been responsible for entering my dad and two brothers in Oklahoma’s Controlled Hunt Program. At just $5 per person, it’s an unbelievable bargain. For less than the price of a fast food value meal, hunters have a chance to scout new country and target different species and maybe go home with a cooler full of venison.

So this would be my first rifle hunt for pronghorn in Oklahoma. It would also be my last. Would a once in a lifetime hunt yield a once in a lifetime antelope?

There are an estimated 1,200 pronghorn antelope in Oklahoma so the herd isn’t especially large, not when compared to herds in states like Wyoming or Montana, but it is stable and growing. And there’s nearly a ruler’s worth of difference between Oklahoma’s state record and the world record antelope taken in Arizona, but each of the top three bucks shot in Oklahoma were killed in Cimarron County where I’d be hunting so I had high hopes of taking a trophy.

I’d hunted pronghorn once before after drawing a tag in south central Wyoming’s Shirley Basin, and it was the perfect hunt. In fact, I refuse to sweep out my dad’s tent when we set up our annual deer camp every fall, leaving the two or three aspen leaves from that Wyoming hunt as mementos. But the trip still left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I shot an antelope buck the first day of our hunt, as did the other five members of our hunting party, but it took me four shots to kill him. So I had two goals for this hunt. One, to not shoot the first buck I saw. Mission accomplished. And two, to make a good shot on whichever antelope I settled on. Well, we’ll get to that a little later.

Most of Cimarron County is privately owned land so to insure there’s no poaching, those who draw the antelope rifle tag have to inform Oklahoma Wildlife Biologist Weston Storer on whose land they’ll be hunting. When I called Mr. Storer to let him

50 August 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Sportsman’s News Outdoor Writing Contest Finalist See pg. 4 for entry details.

know I’d be chasing speed goats with Chandler Henderson, a friend of my brother’s, he said, “I’m not sure what he knows about pronghorn, but he could sure put you on a big mule deer.” Chandler holds the state record for mule deer, a 191 7/8” monster he arrowed back in 2014. He’s also a heck of a nice guy. Chandler introduced me to an antelope he called Tallboy in our first phone conversation. He said he thought the buck might score 80”. That may not seem exceptional to those who hunt in states like Arizona or New Mexico, but a score of 80” would place this buck in the top 3 of Oklahoma’s state record books. Then Chandler told me he thought Tallboy’s horns would stretch the tape to 19”. That kind of length is world class, no matter what state you’re hunting. He’d been watching Tallboy for years, and he said he thought he finally had the old goat’s pattern pegged. September couldn’t come soon enough.

Migrating Swainson’s Hawks perched on pivots and loitered in cut cornfields, watching and waiting for their prey, just like I was from the passenger seat of Chandler’s pickup. We saw six bucks in the first two hours of the hunt and a dozen bucks by noon, one of which was Tallboy. He was lounging on land we couldn’t hunt, though, so we kept driving. We got onto some other goats and chased two young bucks across a section. Let me tell you, you haven’t lived until you’ve raced a pronghorn in a pickup, head hanging out the window, bugs in your teeth and binoculars glued to your eyes. I love to watch them run, and at speeds approaching 70 mph, they look like sprinters leaning in to the finish line, stretching to break the tape. One of the bucks we chased had the most beautiful cape I’d ever seen on a pronghorn, and if his headgear had been just a bit more impressive, I’d have been shooting at him.

Then we got the phone call. Tallboy was on the move and had been spotted west of Coyote Hill. Good thing, too, because the call came at the end of Chandler’s patience.

We hopped in the pickup and headed that way. Trouble was, Tallboy knew he was being hunted. So he ran to the middle of two full sections where he had every inch of 1280 acres of waist high CRP to plop down in and disappear. It was at that moment we faced the reality that he might very well be smarter than us. In the middle of a flurry of phone calls trying to figure out who owned what piece of land, Tallboy picked up a doe and settled down. We finally connected with the right landowner and got the green light to put a stalk on the buck. We duck walked the length of a couple of football fields through the CRP, then dropped to our hands and knees for a couple more. After that, we army crawled, popping our heads up every now and then to try to spot the goat we were hunting. We finally located him, long after he spotted us, of course. Once we both knew where the other was, Chandler took his time to judge the antelope. He looked long and hard through his binoculars and finally muttered, “Maybe 17.” His comment didn’t really register, though, because the minute he said that Tallboy disappeared.

He rematerialized at just over 200 yards, trilling at us, and Chandler convinced me to take a facing shot I didn’t have much faith in. I placed the vibrating crosshairs just under his chin and missed him clean. The goat ran off forty or fifty yards before his curiosity got the best of him. He turned broadside and looked back. A shock of tall grass covered most of his body, but not his shoulder, and in what felt like one motion, I found him in my scope, squeezed the trigger, and watched him fall. I then fell over myself, flat on my back in the CRP, and looked up to see two Swainsons’ Hawks wheeling overhead. I’d done it. I’d shot Tallboy.

Except, I hadn’t. Just after my second shot, Chandler’s phone rang. It was his dad.

“What’re y’all shooting at? Tallboy’s up here.”

Turns out, the old goat had walked into the middle of two full sections, picked up that doe and the buck I wound up shooting, and then slipped out the back door, leaving the two of them holding the bag. I left Chandler to argue with his dad and worked my way to where I thought I’d seen my antelope fall. It took a minute or two and another phone call to triangulate his location, but I eventually found him. I knelt down to admire solid mass, jutting cutters, and distinctive hooks. Chandler was bummed.

I was thrilled. He was a beautiful antelope, fully mature and a true testament to his species. But he wasn’t Tallboy.

So did that once in a lifetime draw yield a once in a lifetime antelope? You bet it did.

Discover the unsearchable Discover the forest

Find a trail near you at DiscoverTheForest.org

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