Sportsman's News July 2018 Digital Edition by Sportsman's News

FREE July 2018 | Volume 14 | Issue 7

Chad LaChance

Systemized Tackle Gary Lewis

22 Nosler in New Zealand

American Bison in the West with Rancho de Chavez

Who makes the best extreme cooler?

Page 34

Rancho de Chavez owner Steve Chavez loves to hunt and spent some time hunting his own ranch to harvest one of these very rare White Bison, which thrive on the ranch.

BX-5 Santiam HD: RELENTLESS RUGGEDNESS AND CLARITY FOR DIEHARD HUNTERS AND OUTDOORSMEN PAGE 8

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

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

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

Sportsman’s News is published monthly. The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright 2017 © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the Managing Editor.

SPORTSMAN’S WAREHOUSE 7035 So. High Tech Drive Midvale, UT 84047

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

WORDS FROM THE PUBLISHER By Michael Deming

WHAT’S INSIDE

4 American Bison in the West

Rancho De Chavez provides the nostalgia of big brutes.

Leupold Santiam HD Binoculars 8 Relentless clarity in every condition.

Platinum Approved Outfitters 10Choose a Sportsman's News Endorsed Guide for your next trip.

The 22 Nosler on New Zealand's West Coast 14 Chamois and wild cattle in the high country.

20 Fishful Thinker: Systemized Tackle Keep it simple.

Pro's Tip: Field to Table 22 Preparing your game for transport and storage.

ummer is in full swing and those long summer days are giving us plenty of daylight to enjoy the great outdoors, even after a full day of work. This is a great time of year to share our great outdoor activities with those people not as fortunate to have grown up with camping, fishing and hunting as a way of life. I had both a grandfather and a great uncle that ate, drank and slept the great outdoor experiences. My most memorable times as a child were going fishing and hunting with both of these great gentlemen. It is amazing how much we know yet take for granted when this is how we grew up. Take going fishing as just a basic example. Where do you go to fish? What kind of species do you catch? What do you do with those fish when you catch them? Can you eat those fish and if so, how do you cook them? Do you need a license to fish for them? What do you need to have in terms of tackle if you go fishing? How do I pick a fishing rod when I decide to buy one? What line do I need to put on it? How do I get line off this spool and onto the spool on my reel. What sort of bait or lures do I need? How do I tie the bait onto the hook? Where do you put the fish once you catch them? How do I prepare them to eat? Does this all sound a little overwhelming? This is just one tiny little segment of what we do as outdoorsmen and women that we take for granted. You will have a list for every little thing you do out in the woods. There is so much to learn and all of us who have been doing it for years, owe it to the next generation to share these skills. This is essential to the future of our sports. If every one of us took just one person to the woods this year for a hunting, fishing or camping trip, we can easily double our numbers and continue to share these great skills for generations to come. So with all of this in mind, enjoy your summer. This issue is jam packed with great information. We tackled the extreme cooler test again this year. It had been four years since we put a bunch of these extreme coolers to the test and it was good to see that every company out there is working hard to deliver a better quality product than they did four years ago and they are also reducing the prices. So, this is definitely a win for all of us consumers. We also posted the results of this test as well as the process on the Sportsman's News Facebook page. If you aren’t following us on this page, please give us a visit, a like and a follow. We share a lot of great product information on there, with real world testing along the way. On Saturday June 9th, 2018 we held the Sportsman's News DVD giveaway, which included a $20,000 Red Stag and Tahr hunt in New Zealand with Woodbury Lodge Safari’s on the South Island. Everyone who purchased an SNTV DVD from June 1st, 2017 through May 31st, 2018 and registered that purchase through www.sportsmansnews.com was given a chance to win this great trip. We want to congratulate Gregory Mapel for being our lucky winner on this trip. We also gave away a great Browning rifle that was won by Jim Henderson. If you weren’t fortunate enough to win one of these grand prizes, you will be happy to know that we just released the 2018/19 Giveaway. It will be another $20,000 plus package with “5” grand prizes which will consist of a Trophy Mule Deer Hunt/Canadian Pike Fishing Trip for Two/ $2500 Camping Package/ Browning Rifle/ Winchester Shotgun. See Page 15 for details and make sure you buy your DVD’s and don’t forget to register them. This contest will run through March 30th and we will do a great big TAX DAY GIVEAWAY on April 15th, 2019 and turn this day into something special for a few lucky followers of Sportsman's News. Best of luck to all.

25 Wild Game Recipe: Yellowtail with Teriyaki Glaze 26 Sig Sauer P365 Everyday carry in a micro compact with full capacity.

Pro Member Sweepstakes 28 Over $300,000 In Giveaways. Drawing Every 10 Days.

30 Browning Silver Field Shotgun

With Mossy Oak Shadow grass Blades camo.

Cooler Chill Off 33 We test the latest extreme coolers to see who lasts longest..

38 Browning Glacier Extreme Tent

The Sportsman's Warehouse 6-person tent for all seasons.

Big & J BB Squared Attractant 41 Lures animals like nothing else.

42 Pro Member Update: Yakutat Lodge Chromers on the Situk River.

47 Business Directory Video Product Reviews 48 A detailed look at some of the newest products. Pro's Pick: Browning X-Bolt Pro Long Range Hunter 54 Sub MOA performance from an off the shelf rifle.

56 Adventures On a Budget: Destination - Grand Canyon A visit to one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.

58 Hook Kids On the Outdoors Activities to get kids outside.

60 Get the Most of the Texas Coast Experience Port Aransas

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Gary Lewis Steve Mayer Chad LaChance Allison Jones Mark Kayser July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

American Bison in the West with Rancho de Chavez

The Hacienda has been featured in some of the finest home magazines and is a true pleasure as a hunting lodge.

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

By Mike Deming

n the beginning of the 19th century, the American bison roamed the plains by the millions. The massive herds were an extremely impressive sight. What we did to them as a society is utterly appalling and doesn’t show the hunters or should I say killers in a very good light. These majestic animals were taken to near extinction. However, protection and conservation have brought them back to huntable numbers for a select few and only in a small number of states. These are once-in-a-lifetime hunt opportunities, if you are fortunate enough to draw a tag, but for most it will only be a dream. Steve Chavez, owner of Rancho de Chavez just south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, has a love for bison just like I do. However, he has taken his love for these great creatures as well as his love for the great outdoors and put together a hacienda and ranch like no bison has ever seen. He put together a chunk of land that is close to 18,000 acres and established his own private herd on it. He has been doing this for a number of years now and has built the herd up to a point where he has huntable numbers, which provides the Sportsman’s News team with a unique opportunity to visit and hunt one of these magnificent animals. Since this is a private herd, you aren’t required to draw a tag or even have a New Mexico hunting license. On top of that positive piece of information, we would be hunting these bison on 18,000 acres of free-ranging, wild terrain and not some 1,000-acre, high fence enclosure. We set the date for late March to do our evaluation trip, but could have done it any time during the year since this is a private herd. You can read about an outfitter and their operation on the internet or through their website and even talk to past customers, but nothing really prepares you for an operation. You just have to see if for yourself and Rancho de Chavez is one such place. We rolled up to the gate of the ranch late in the afternoon on a Friday. You could see the roofs of several buildings back in the distance, but we couldn’t tell exactly what was in store for us. The large metal gate opened electronically and we followed the narrow winding road through the pinions and junipers to a point where it came to another gate. The house was in the background at this time as well as the detached garage and the huge backdrop of the valley below. The gate then opened, we drove in and parked the truck. We were greeted by Season Elliot and not only is she Steve’s significant other, but she handles the logistics of the hunters and guests coming to the ranch and she and I had talked a bunch. She informed us that Steve was

A fully stocked wine cellar in the hacienda is available for an increased charge when doing a trip to Rancho de Chavez

Enjoying an evening sunset, fine dining, and great camaraderie are enjoyed by all who visit Rancho de Chavez.

Much of the hacienda is decorated with traditional Spanish décor.

running a bit late as he has sixteen other businesses that require his attention, but he would make it in plenty of time for dinner. Season gave us the complete tour of the main hacienda. The main ranch house was built in the 1970s by the Ball family (Ball Mason Jars) and the home reflects lots of little details of this heritage and one item that caught my eye was a hand-carved Ball Mason jar inlayed into the banister. Steve kept these unique items as well as the primary footprint, but he added to it significantly to bring his own Spanish ancestry into the design. It is a true Spanish hacienda, with all the bells and whistles and not even the photos can do it justice. There is a unique chandelier in the courtyard area which once hung in Jennifer Lopez’s house. It has its’ own wine tasting room and on the wall, hangs an original Picasso. Who hasn’t been to a hunting ranch with a Picasso? The bar has tiles in the ceiling and part of them are filters for the clean air filtration system that allows you to smoke cigars and the person next to you can’t even smell it. The other tiles are part of the sound system. So, this place is as good as you can possibly imagine. If it is possible, Steve has it there. However, this isn’t a piece for architectural digest, but rather a piece on the great hunting opportunities at Rancho de Chavez, while still enjoying the finer things in life. Steve showed up just before dinner and joined us in the bar for appetizers and drinks. By the time dinner was served, it was obvious that even though he is the owner/outfitter of record, this isn’t your average mom and pop operation. Steve has built this place and provided the opportunity to hunt because

Book your Bison hunt now to secure available dates. Contact Season Elliott at contact@ranchodechavez.com or 505-884-3503 www.ranchodechavez.com July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Rick Yingersoll of Colorado has made multiple trips to Rancho de Chavez and he took the opportunity to fill his freezer with a couple of 2-3 year old bison bulls, which make some of the best table fare ever.

Joe and Josh Lujan are a father and son duo who teamed up at Rancho de Chavez to put the smackdown on this giant old bull. This is the type of bull the Sportsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s News team has purchased for the Pro Membership Sweepstakes giveaway.

July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

he loves it. The weekends at the ranch with fellow hunters is a getaway from all of his other business ventures. By the time we had finished dinner, I felt like Steve and Season were old friends and we were catching up from years gone by. I could tell that this was going to be an exciting weekend. We were to be joined on this hunt by two past customers of Rancho de Chavez; Ricky Yingersoll and Bert West, both of Colorado. Ricky loves the meat of the bison and was planning on shooting two meat bulls in that 2-to-3-year-old range, while Bert loves the exotic types of animals and was going to take this opportunity to hunt an Asian water buffalo. Rancho de Chavez has numerous different kinds of animals as well as the native New Mexico animals on the ranch. When you have 18,000 acres of land to cover and you are looking for a few hundred bison, it can seem like a daunting task. However, full-time guides, Raul Sisneros and John Lucero, work year-round for Steve and keep an eye on the herds and the general area where they are spending most of their time. We rolled out about 7 a.m. to start our search. By nine, we had found one small herd of mostly cows, but none of those 2-to-3-year-old bulls. Raul climbed up onto an old windmill for a vantage point to look across the flat cactus covered plateau and quickly found some of the missing animals. It took several stalks to get things right and a clear shot, but Ricky was able to put both young bulls down before the herd gathered and left. This is usually when the hard work starts, but after a picture taking session, Raul and John went to get the front-end loader and a trailer for packing. This made packing out two bison rather simple. However, the hard work of breaking down two large animals and getting them into coolers took a good majority of the afternoon. We were able to spend several hours looking for the Asian water buffalo, but had no luck turning any up.

Bert West (middle) has been a guest at Rancho de Chavez multiple times and harvested this huge water buffalo. Ranch experts and guides Jonn Lucero (L) and Raul Sisneros (R) got Bert in on this great trophy of a lifetime. The next morning, Bert was chomping at the bit to find the big water buffalo that John had been talking about. These animals are very aggressive and the possibility of a charge before the shot or even after from the remaining herd adds a bit of excitement to the hunt. With great weather, no wind and a larger than average hunting party, Steve decided that it was time to bust out the UTV’s. These things are fully equipped, military grade Can-Am utility vehicles. With three different machines all loaded to the hilt, we looked a little more prepared for a military assault than a day of hunting. However, it made getting around the large ranch and turning up our target species a bit easier. Within a couple of hours of searching, we finally spotted the big bull we were looking for, but he had also identified us as a foe. Having a small platoon consisting of cameramen, guides, onlookers, along with a hunter has a tendency of making it hard to sneak up on something, but after a couple of hours of cat and mouse, we finally got a good setup. Bert made a fatal shot on the huge Asian water buffalo bull, but he wouldn’t go down. We scrambled through the cedars to find another clear shot and finally put the animal down for good. These animals are enormous and would provide a full freezer for Bert. Since we just had the privilege of eating aged ribeyes from these animals the night before at dinner, I was a bit envious of what was laying on the ground in front of us. Once again, the daunting task of processing an animal of this size can be a bit overwhelming. This time, a skid steer with bucket and tracks showed up and reduced the task to something manageable. With Bert and Ricky done and Raul and John preoccupied with field dressing, skin-

Covering the 18,000 acre ranch is easy with a fully tricked out pony of the 21st century. This Can Am makes bison hunting so much easier.

ning, and breakdown, the rest of us jumped in Steve’s truck to go look for a bison for me. Since this isn’t a high fence operation and the bison do have the ability to roam, one will occasionally leave the herd and head out. Steve said that there had been one lone bison that was miles from the group that had been seeing occasionally. He wanted to see if we could find this lone bull and make a play on him while he was still on the property. This part of the property is more rolling terrain with coulees and draws, but not much elevation to get above and see into; so we had our work cut out for us. We had driven around for nearly an hour when we spotted a group of Himalayan yak. We were evaluating them and considering shooting one of these instead of a bison, since I’ve never harvested a yak, when suddenly we caught movement back in the cedars that wasn’t the color of a yak. As it passed through a small opening, all I could see was a huge head and large hump. “It’s him”, I said. They were only about 500 yards away and the wind was heavy in our face. The herd of yak and the lone bison had moved away from us and made our first 300 yards a relatively easy approach. Since I was shooting an antique Winchester model 94 chambered in .32 Winchester Special and open sights, I wanted to be inside of a hundred yards. That last hundred yards was a bit tricky getting from bush to bush and not being seen, especially with two cameramen and Steve. I was scanning the terrain hard for legs or feet through the trees when I caught movement to my right. We were busted and the bison was staring us down. I slowly raised my rifle and pulled the hammer back. Andrew and Sam both confirmed that they were recording and I squeezed the trigger. I felt like I could see my bullet as it went through the neck hair and underneath my target. This large animal had deceived me and the shot was closer to two hundred yards than the hundred yards I had

Owner Steve Chavez (L) and Mike Deming (R) the Sportsman’s News Publisher filled the freezer with a bison cow. wanted. The animal bolted on report of the rifle, quickly catching up to the group of yak, but then slowed back down. We closed the distance once again and this time I made sure I was around a hundred yards when I squeezed the trigger. One precise shot behind the ear and this magnificent animal was down for good. I had succeeded in harvesting another bison in my lifetime and this time, I had done it with a relic. This was my great grandfather’s rifle and belonged to his grandfather’ before that. It was over a hundred years old and one shot behind the ear, just like my grandpa always said, did the job. No meat wasted and a quick, humane kill. There were high-fives all around and when we walked up to the animal, I finally realized that I had shot a cow. Thinking we were after the one lone bull down here, I never paid attention to identifying the sex. I was so caught up in the excitement of the moment and hunt that I was just taking it all in. Steve was okay with it and with this hunt, harvesting a cow wasn’t a problem as either sex can be harvested. This cow was extremely large and would provide some great tablefare for me and my family as well as a memory that will last a lifetime. Steve Chavez and his operation at Rancho de Chavez is something special. It’s definitely worthy of being a Sportsman’s News Platinum Approved Outfitter and we will be coming back here in the future. We will be giving away a premium trophy bison hunt and 3-days of luxury accommodations for our Pro Membership Sweepstakes next year. Make sure you are a member for your chance to win this great trip at www. promembershipsweepstakes.com. And, if you would like to experience a first class hunting and outdoor experience and are tired of waiting to draw a tag for bison, you can book a great hunt with Rancho de Chavez at www.ranchodechavez.com July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

If you’ve heard the name BX-5 Santiam HD before, it’s because Leupold initially launched the line in 2017, with a 15x56 binocular designed for extended glassing and finding the most distant targets. The generous eyebox on the 15x56 model was designed for long glassing sessions, and the elite optical system ramped up light transmission and redefined low-light performance, clarity, and resolution at extreme ranges. Its success set the stage for the arrival of models meant for daily carry and use. “We received an excellent response to the BX-5 Santiam HD 15x56 model,” said product line manager Zach Bird. “We’re ecstatic to bring the 8x42 and 10x42 models to the market for 2018. They’ll deliver the same high-end, relentless performance worthy of the Leupold brand name.”

See the Unseen

Relentless Clarity: Leupold’s BX-5 Santiam HD 8x42 and 10x42 Binoculars

elentless isn’t an adjective to be used lightly – quite the opposite, really. To be called relentless means you’re incessantly dedicated and have a grit that differentiates you from the pack. Diehard hunters and outdoorsmen often display these traits and typically demand the exact same kind of dedication from their gear, optics included. Leupold has long answered that call, and for 2018, is further redefining its binocular line with new BX-5 Santiam HD 8x42 and 10x42 models. You can’t shoot what you can’t find – something hunters know full well – and if you’re going to settle your crosshairs over a 360-class bull elk or that bighorn sheep you’ve waited decades to draw a tag for, you’ll probably have to spend hours glassing first. That kind of scouting calls for binoculars that deliver the kind of elite clarity that’s both easy on the eyes and capable of helping you differentiate antler tines from the surrounding brush in low-light conditions. This type of optical clarity isn’t easy to come by. Fortunately, the 8x42 and 10x42 BX-5 Santiam HD models deliver it in spades. “The BX-5 Santiam HD line is purpose-built for the relentless, diehard hunter that may need to glass for hours on end,” said Tim Lesser, vice president of product development for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “Whether you’re picking out a sheep on a distant ridgeline or hunting to the very last minute to get a look at that once-ina-lifetime trophy bull elk, this is the binocular you’ll want at your side.”

Redefining Elite Optical Performance

Let’s talk features. The BX-5 Santiam HD line features a lightweight housing that is shrouded in a rubber armor coating that helps protect the binoculars and ensure they’re easy to grasp. A large, tactile focus dial is easy to use and find, even with gloved hands. A diopter focus paddle is included to allow consumers to precisely focus the binoculars, compensating for differences between their eyes. They look good, they feel good, and they’re designed to deliver the very best in optical performance.

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The heart of that game-changing optical clarity? Leupold’s Twilight Max HD light management system, which is featured in the entire BX-5 Santiam HD line. Twilight Max HD – the same system associated with the company’s award-winning VX-5HD and VX-6HD riflescopes – allows users to glass longer during the early predawn hours to well past dusk. Twilight Max HD combines exceptional light transmission and glare management to provide vivid images and top-of-the-line optical performance in low-light conditions. Even optics that transmit a high percentage of light won’t produce a detailed, usable picture if glare obscures the target – and Twilight Max HD successfully minimizes that, ensuring that the maximum amount of usable light reaches your eye. It’s engineered to be the industry standard for performance and provide vivid, bright, and high-contrast images during the hours that big game is most likely to be on the move. It’s an optical breakthrough that allows you to hunt earlier, hunt longer, and find that once-in-a-lifetime trophy.

A Lifetime of Performance

Out of the gate, two colors will be available for the BX-5 Santiam HD 8x42 and 10x42 models: Shadow Gray and Sitka Subalpine. The Santiam HDs will ship with an assortment of accessories and are designed to serve you well for as long as you continue going afield. The sturdy, durable frame is as rugged and relentless as you are, while its lens coatings shed dirt, oil, and fingerprints. Should you run into any trouble, you can rest easy knowing that the BX-5 Santiam HD line is backed by Leupold’s legendary Full Lifetime Guarantee. Do your worst – this is a binocular that’s built to take a beating and keep performing at the elite levels that the most relentless among us demand.

BX-5 SANTIAM HD

BX-5 SANTIAM HD TWILIGHT MAX HD LIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM EDGE-TO-EDGE PREMIUM RESOLUTION WIDE FIELD-OF-VIEW FOR ALL DAY GLASSING FOGPROOF, WATERPROOF, AND GUARANTEED FOR LIFE

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July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

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.” AFRICA HUNTING

ALASKA GUIDED FISHING

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ALASKA GUIDED FISHING Halibut, Yelloweye, King, Silver, Pink, and Chum Salmon, Ling Cod, and Dolly Varden. Fresh and saltwater fishing adventures.

Pybus Point Lodge Juneau, AK 1-(800) 94-PYBUS • www.pybus.com

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Becharof Rapids Camp On the banks of the Egegik River on the outlet of Becharof Lake in the Bristol Bay region. Uninhabited, untouched, and pristine with the area a veritable salmon factory. All five species of salmon plus rainbows, Arctic char and grayling.

360-532-7594

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10 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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Join us for a Canadian fishing adventure of a lifetime!

Fully Guided Fishing On Mcintosh Lake, Part Of The Legendary Churchill River System Which Holds Massive Pike, Trophy Lake Trout And Scrappy Walleye

775-741-4539

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ALBERTA

Ranchland Outfitters offers First Class Waterfowl Hunts and Big Game hunts in Alberta, Canada. If you are looking for an Outfitter that cares about each hunt, look no further. Ranchland Outfitters is a First Class Waterfowl and Big Game Outfitter.

www.ranchlandoutfitters.com 877-924-8440 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

CANADIAN HUNTING

MANITOBA FISHING

COLORADO HUNTING

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Book your Bison hunt now to secure available dates. Contact Season Elliott at contact@ranchodechavez.com or 505-884-3503 www.ranchodechavez.com

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COLORADO WATERFOWL

Stillwater Outfitters is Colorado's oldest and largest Waterfowl Outfitter. We have exclusive hunting leases on over 50 farms on the beautiful Front Range of Colorado. Our goal is to provide the trip of a lifetime without any drama. We also offer Turkey and Trophy Whitetail Deer hunting.

• Colorado's Largest and most productive waterfowl Outfitter • Exclusive Leases on over 50 Farms on the Front Range of Colorado • World Class Guides and Equipment • Hunts are conducted in spacious in-the-ground pit blinds

303.659.8665

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Canada’s Best Fishing Lodge Of The Year! Five Star Main Lodge Featuring Fully Guided American Plan Packages Plus Remote Outpost Camps on 4 Lakes

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Day and all inclusive hunts available!

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12 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SportsmansNews.com Logon to our website for a full list of endorsed outfitters with photos, descriptions, and details about each.

July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

The 22 Nosler on New Zealand’s West Coast

Photo by Gary Lewis

Hunting chamois up above the clouds By Gary Lewis

he first rule of mountain hunting is - don’t give up your elevation. The second rule is you’re always going to give up elevation. The third rule? It’s gonna hurt. When I heard about the new 22 Nosler, I was both surprised and pleased and, of course, I had to try it. The cartridge and its first rifle was introduced at SHOT 2017. I needed to know – does the 22 Nosler come in a bolt-action? “We have one for you, Gary,” Mason said when I put the question to him. Mason Payer is one of my longtime friends and also a longtime employee at Nosler. A certain bolt action in a Model 48 was on loan to another writer and when it showed up at the plant, Mason rung me up. “What do you think,” I asked, “should I take it to New Zealand?” And from that moment, a 22 Nosler was headed from the West Coast of the United States, to the West Coast of the South Island. I’d put it to the test. And then some. We were shooting two episodes of Frontier Unlimited on the South Island, one for chamois and one for deer. That’s what I thought. I didn’t count on hunting scrub bulls, wild cattle, way up in a national park. Remember those scenes from Isengard in the Photo by Gary Lewis

Pog Cameron, of Pure New Zealand Hunting, glasses for chamois from the top of one mountain to another. Lord of the Rings? Yes. There. The loan of a Model 48 is not taken lightly. Nineteen-forty-eight was the year John Nosler brought the Nosler Partion to market, the year that changed everything in bullet design, in how we hunt big game. I knew John Nosler and when I hold one of these rifles, I think of my friend and I know his memory goes with me into the mountains. Next question? What bullet? I tend to subscribe to the heavier bullet approach. So, I confess to a little trepidation when Mason said he’d send me with the 55-grain E-Tips. Fifty-five grains! That sounded like a bullet for a rockchuck, a bullet for a coyote. Okay, though, I know the E-Tip and I know what I must do. With this small caliber, I’ll keep shots under 300 yards. Put the crosshair on bone. These rifles are stocked with some of the finest wood going on rifles these days. And I’d have to take care of it. For that reason, I carried a Grays Harbor Unders gun sleeve with me to protect the wood stock as it slid in and out of the helicopter and in and out of the truck on hunts for stag and fallow deer. But let’s start, where I started. With a bare rifle. I had to go to Portland, so I took the rifle in to the offices of Warne Scope Mounts (Tualatin, Oregon) to get fitted with scope mounts. Since I had a scope with me, Randy Parks and I fitted the Sig Sauer Whiskey5.

At The Range and In The Air While the 22 Nosler was developed to run in an AR-style rifle, it has also been chambered in a bolt-action Nosler Model 48.

14 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

A few days before my trip to New Zealand, I spent an hour at the Central Oregon Shooting Sports Association Park east of my home town of Bend. It was a calm day and I had 20 rounds allocated to the project. Bore-sighted already, I skipped that step and moved to the paper. With the 55-grain ETip, I zeroed the rifle (100 yards) with 10 rounds and then proceeded to shoot three-shot

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Photo by Gary Lewis

stopped me getting on the airplane and thanked me for coming to her land. “Ah. Welcome, honored hunter, to our country,” she said. In four trips to New Zealand, that has always been the attitude. “Thank you for coming.” “Shoot some rabbits for us.” “Shoot a few feral cats.” There are no predators in New Zealand, so it is completely up to humans to keep animal numbers in check. I am happy to be part of the solution.

The Gates of Haast

For the first few days, I kept the Model 48 in a case, but then we had a chance to hunt scrub bulls in the rainforest. And we’d go by helicopter. These are wild cattle, several generations removed from the first beeves that escaped the fall muster. They are the closest thing to dangerous game in New Zealand. The current estimate is there are 80 head in this part of the Mount Aspiring National Park. Want a mental image? Think Isengard in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Then think huge Herefords that tip the scales at over 2,000 pounds. Don’t laugh. These are wild animals with herds to defend and they are adept at taking to the bush when they hear helicopters or men on horses. And like some of our more famous wild bovines, they have the equipment to stomp you into next Sunday. What happened was nothing shy of a Kiwi Rodeo. We were flat on a gravel bar on a river bank and the cattle were across the water. We wanted a shot at a bull, not a cow. To get us the shots we wanted, the pilots tried to herd them toward us. It was the most incredible display of helicopter flying I have ever Starting at the river’s edge, this helicopter hunt was cut short, as many are, witnessed. And then a bull separated from the herd and faced us head-on across by a swiftly moving storm from off the ocean. the river. One hundred yards. Fifteen-year-old Chisel, shooting a .257 Weatherby with 110-grain AccuBonds, groups until the box was empty. My best three shots measured in a one-inch group. was the primary and I was the backup. Pretty light bullets for this kind of work. I held A few days later I climbed on an airplane. the crosshair on the bull’s forehead, ready for the shot, but then the bull turned, still In Auckland, I had a brief visit with the police at the airport where they issued me a quartering to us. license. The only difficulty I had along the way was carrying my rifle case and luggage At Chisel’s shot, the bull hunched up and lunged forward. It would not take one through a narrow hallway to our rented flat in downtown Auckland. They’re going to more step. My crosshair was high in the lungs when I broke the trigger, the impact of have to repaint that hallway. the E-Tip a split second behind the fatal AccuBond. Chisel couldn’t have made a better After a night in Auckland, we boarded another plane for Queenstown. A stewardess shot.

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Photo by Gary Lewis

Way up in the National Park, a few small herds of wild cattle have established a foothold. The only way to get to them is with a helicopter or a multi-day horseback ride.

We collected one more bull, this one for 13-year-old Finney, also shooting a .257 Weatherby in a Blaser RS. We harvested meat, skins and heads, then loaded back up in the choppers and punched downriver into the dusk.

Chamois Shape

For the last two years, I have tried to stay in shape for the chamois hunt I knew was coming. On the cover of my gym journals, I paste the picture of a chamois and at the end of every workout, I tell myself that the last 40 minutes are keeping me in chamois shape. We would go in by helicopter, get dropped on a mountain top and do our best till weather or night chased us out. The West Coast of New Zealand sees as much as 30 feet of rain each year, so the next bank of clouds is never far away. The pilot left us on the knife edge of a long ridge. When the little bird was a speck in the distance, we set up the glass and began to look. Because a chamois is spotted doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t guarantee a stalk. We looked at two decent bucks and lost them to the other side of the hill. We stalked a big one at the shoulder of the ridge, closing the gap from 700 yards down to 70 and then bumped it before we could get into position. My guides were Pog Cameron and his brother, Daniel. Daniel that spotted the next shooter buck. It was bedded on a little finger ridge and when we belly-crawled to the edge of the cliff to look down, he had spotted us. Which brings us to the fourth rule of mountain hunting. They see you before you see them. I had the leisure though, to look him over with the spotting scope, get the range and make a good shot. I skinned down on my back, turned over and snugged the rifle into my shoulder.

18 July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

Photo by Gary Lewis

An agile goat-antelope, chamois are found in the mountains of Europe from Spain to Austria and the Caucasus. Brought to New Zealand in the early 1900s, they are hunted in the highest tops of the mountains. One-hundred-forty yards. The bullet punched in high on the right shoulder and broke the left front shoulder. In the scope I saw the buck rear up on its back legs and I had another one in the pipe already, so I punched it again with an insurance shot, watching it tumble down the ridge and out of sight. Chamois live at the very tops of the steepest, least accessible mountains. We had to lose elevation to retrieve the animal and then climb back up to a spot where the helicopter could pick us up. Down and up. Down and up. And up. It hurt. But it was a good hurt. Gary Lewis is the host of Frontier Unlimited, a TV show available on Pursuit Channel and Hunt Channel.

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5/21/18 6:58 AM

Systemized Tackle - Keep it Simple

ant to gain a ton of fishing experience, fish with loads of random people and spend your days in a really cool office? Well then, I have just the summer job for you Chad LaChance - fishing guide! As soon as you get your guiding permit and insurance, everyone you fish with becomes an expert, your equipment all works perfectly all the time and fish simply jump in your boat. It’s awesome - and a giant lie! But, given that fishermen as a lot are known as liars, giant lies are just part of the mystique of being a professional fishing guide. Jokes aside, guiding fishermen truly is a rewarding way to earn your kibble - you do get a cool “office” and sometimes you even get clients that can really fish. Having been a guide for 14-years, I can tell you those are rare. Why am I telling you this? Surely, it’s not to bust up on clients; after all, most of them can at least handle a spinning rod, but very, very few can fish at more than what I’d call a basic level, regardless of what they tell me during our pre-trip phone briefing. And this is not necessarily to be unexpected; we promote our trips more around angler education than trophy trips or grocery gettin’ (in fact our trips are purely catch and release to protect our resources). It’s likely true that those with very high skill sets

20 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

have boats and don’t hire guides in most cases. I tell you all this to set the stage for my system. See, catching fish can be easy, but it’s always a lot harder to get someone else to catch fish, especially if you don’t know that person’s fishing skills or habits. We guide for smallmouth bass and walleyes using strictly artificial lures, mostly casting and as a guide I can park my boat on top of a school of fish and tell you what to do, but it will still be up to you to put them in the boat. Over the course of a season (April - October), we run the gamut on presentations, our water levels will fluctuate 40+ feet and on many days we’ll bounce around between species even. Yet, I have two anglers in a bass boat and can only haul so much tackle. And, said tackle has to be useable by anybody (literally), durable and affordable too . So, I’ve simplified and I’m describing it to you next because, if this breakdown of tackle can work in my scenario with a huge range of anglers and conditions, it will certainly work for you as well. Our most common presentations are jerkbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, finesse jigging and dropshots. One of those five will catch fish on any given day here. We’ll add a few more specialized techniques from time to time, but those five do the heavy lifting and the system is built around them. Once those are somewhat standardized, we can move to rod combos to present them on and keep in mind we’re limited on both boat space and budget. My guide rods are St Croix Avid X, Mojo Bass and Eyecons. The Avids are the lightest and most sensitive; they are 6’9” medium-light power, extra-fast action and handle

the jigs/dropshots. The Mojo Bass rods are 6’8” medium power, extra-fast action and handle the jerkbaits and most topwaters. The Eyecons 7’ medium power, fast action and built on an overall slower blank; handle all the crankbaits and occasional topwaters. These rod lines represent the middle range of St Croix’s offerings, with a balance of performance and value. Notice I only carry two powers? That’s accomplished without sacrificing feel by choosing my lure selection to fall within the physical weight range of these power ratings. Yes, there is a bit of sacrifice involved (I’d love to have my entire lure selection available daily, you know, just in case!), but it works. Reels are very easy. All my guide rods have #30 Abu Garcia Revo SX spinning reels on them. They are workhorses with plenty of line capacity, smooth drags and fast enough retrieve speeds to keep us efficient. They represent a great balance of price and performance. Line is simple too, at least these days. I used to differentiate, putting 10# braid on the Avid X’s and 15# braid on everything else and before that I even ran fluorocarbon on the jig and crankbait rods. I learned that most (not some, most) anglers don’t control slack line enough to fish fluorocarbon (or nylon mono) without tangling it, where-as braid is far more slack-line tolerant. Deep hooking jig fish was also an issue; braid increases the sensitivity level exponentially. These days I use 15# Trilene Braid across the board. It is bombproof, handles easily on spin-

ning tackle and is supple enough to use with anything from light jigs to robust cranks. In most cases, I adjust the presentation with a Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon leader about 12-18” long; 8# leaders for jigs/dropshots, 15# for jerks/ cranks and 15# Trilene XT mono for topwaters because fluorocarbon sinks. See, simple. If this matrix of three rod/reel/line combos can cover my entire season of guiding for different species with all sorts of anglers, I’m certain it’ll work for you as well. After all, it’s been 14-years in development and testing.

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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22 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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ou have hunted or fished hard on a trip and were successful at obtaining some quality, hormone free, natural animal protein for your family. Now it is time to make sure that precious commodity is processed in the best manner available to ensure fine dining down the road. Most fishing and hunting trips are not located in the back yard, so the transportation of the meat to your home should be a very serious concern. No one will take care of it as well as you can. Here is my way for converting my success in the field to prime dining on the dinner table. I always take my go-to cooler with me when I travel. I affectionately call it “the tomb of doom”. My better half, Eileen, calls it hillbilly luggage. We never leave home without it. I use a 50-quart lightweight model that I have upgraded with stainless steel hinges and latch. I take a black sharpie and print my name, address and cell phone number in large lettering right on top. I pack a roll of heavy duty food grade plastic wrap, along with quart and gallon size freezer Ziploc bags. A folding fillet knife, Leatherman, a plastic trash bag and a roll of duct tape round off my setup. Be it some form of venison or fish, I like to portion it into packs that feed our household. Give the meat a nice tight wrap in the plastic wrap. Do not skimp here. Try to seal the meat so it is really covered well. You do not want any air in the packaging. Then I usually put this into a quart Ziploc and freeze. Most hotels will allow you to use their main freezer, just ask the front desk. A lot of outfitters will vacuum seal and freeze your fish for you and this is great too. To transport fish or game meat it has to be frozen. The airlines do not allow ice or dry ice. Their primary concern is that your cooler does not leak any liquid. Careful packing will satisfy anyone inspecting your cooler and they will; oh yes every time, they will. When I pack the meat to go home, I line the cooler with a plastic trash bag. I then stack the frozen packs into the bag and weigh to 49 pounds. Take a cell phone picture of the full cooler in case there is a dispute later. I then cinch up the bag and usually have room to add a jacket or other bulky piece of clothing on top for extra insulation. I duct tape it well, including covering the hinges and latches. They usually will open it when you check in and then tape it back up. I figure if they see my over-taping they will put on some extra themselves. Check that baby as baggage and you should be good to go! Back at home I finish what I call the triple wrap. I remove the Ziploc and cover the

PRO'S TIP

plastic wrap in a layer of heavy-duty foil. Then I wrap the foil with a waxed butcher paper and label for the big freezer. This triple wrap really works well and extends the freezer time of food dramatically. I heartily recommend it. Eileen and I put this to good use on a recent trip to Loreto in Baja Mexico. I have fished Loreto for 30 years or so, but had not been down there in a while. We wanted to get in on the yellowtail fishing that is always so good there in spring time. I researched the local guides and decided to use Juan from Mijito Sport Fishing. After seeing a photo of a down rigger on his panga, I thought he was going to work out well. And it did work out really well. We could target the schools of yellowtail that were picked up on the fish finder down around 125 feet. We boated nine nice yellowtail between 20 and 35 pounds, before we ran out of bait. We ended up having to buy another cooler down there to transport the rest of the fillets. July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

24 July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

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

Yellowtail with Teriyaki Glaze

like thick yellowtail steaks and cook them rare. Farmed Yellowtail or Hamachi is one of the fish most prized for sushi. The wild fish is also excellent table fare and this recipe really highlights the flavor and texture of this great fish.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yellowtail Fillets 1 to 1½” thick • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper • ¼ cup soy sauce • ¼ cup white wine

Preparation Method

• ¼ cup mirin (Japanese cooking wine) • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1 ½ teaspoon sugar • 2 tablespoons butter • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Trim the steaks, removing any dark areas. Salt and pepper to your liking and let them rest, covered, at room temperature while you make the sauce. In a small pot

bring the soy sauce, wine, mirin and red pepper flakes to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sugar. Continue stirring and let simmer to reduce for 5-minutes or so. Add the butter and stir until it melts and incorporates into the sauce. Remove from heat. You will need a cast iron or regular fry pan, large enough to fit all the filets. Heat the oil in the pan over high heat until it almost reaches a smoking point. The oil will start to shimmer. Add the steaks to the pan and immediately reduce heat to medium-high. Let them sear for a minute or two, checking the bottom of one for a deep golden brown color. Flip the steaks and add some of the sauce to glaze the fish or all of it for a saucier version. Cook about a minute more after flipping, spooning some of the sauce over the top. Remove from heat and serve. Wash this delicacy down with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a nice Pilsner on the beer side. Happy travels and cheers!

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Sig Sauer P365 Micro-Compact By Dan Kidder Managing Editor

t isn’t often that you hear the words micro-compact and high-capacity in the same description and the very few times that it has been tried, the result was dismal. That is, until Sig Sauer took a stab at it. Blending the stealth, every day carry or tiny backup capability of a micro-compact with a full 10- or 12-round magazine full of ammunition, the P365 is large on capacity, but is barely noticeable tucked into an appendix carry inside the waistband holster. The specs are impressive coming in with a 3.1-inch barrel to give it a maximum overall length of just 5.8 inches. It is also just 7/8 of an inch wide and only 4.3-inches tall. When I say micro, I mean it is so small that it vanishes into your favorite mode of concealment. At only 17.8 ounces unloaded, it doesn’t pull down your britches either. The biggest hang up on carrying a micro-compact pistol has been the ability to control it and the limited capacity. Sig has addressed both issues by off-setting how the magazine stacks to create a hybrid between a single and a double stack magazine. This ups the round count without making the grip thicker. To put it all in perspective, the nearest competitor to the Sig P365 is the Glock 43. While both are 9mm, the Sig is smaller and lighter than the Glock and has a capacity of 10+1 or 12+1 rounds if you get the optional extended magazine and the Glock is limited to only six in the grip and one in the pipe for a total of seven. Prior to shooting the Sig P365, I had two major concerns. The first was a result of what I encountered reviewing the Glock 43. Because of the tiny size of the Glock 43 single stack magazine, it was difficult for a guy with giant mitts like mine to hold it steady while shooting and it tended to squirt around inside my hand, making accurate shots nearly impossible. I hit the target, but my group was pathetic. I didn’t have that problem with the Sig P365. Groups were excellent even when stretching the range and increasing the speed of the shots on target. This greater accuracy was due in part to the better grip angle and design, but also to the lighter trigger. The Glock trigger came in at an average pull of 5-pounds and 6-ounces in testing. The Sig P365 was at a crisp and delightful 4-pounds and 8-ounces. The grip features an aggressive stippling out of the box without modifications and there is plenty of room in

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the trigger guard for use with even large-fingered dudes wearing gloves. There is also no trigger guard undercut to wear a boil on your finger. Slide serrations, both rear and at the muzzle, provide more versatility that is desired in a defensive handgun. The P365 comes standard with XRAY3 steel-bodied tritium night sights, both front and rear, with a green sleeve around the front vial to provide faster acquisition in daylight. It comes standard with a single, flush-fit, 10-round magazine and a second extended grip, 10-rounder. Optional 12-round magazines with a longer pinky rest are also available from Sig Sauer. The second issue that concerned me, as with any pistol this small in full sized 9mm that is also rated for +P ammo, was the controllability. Sig designers tackled that concern as well and came out with their own line of ammunition, optimized for the P365. The Sig Elite 365 ammunition has been topped with the impressive and proven capabilities of the V-Crown bullet, with a powder designed to minimize recoil while providing 282-foot-pounds of energy on target. With a muzzle velocity of 1,050-feet per second, this is an impressive fete, considering the 3.1-inch barrel. To even further improve accuracy, they also created their 365 FMJ/Elite ammunition, designed to give you identical recoil, velocity, energy transfer and point of impact as their carry ammo, but with a less expensive full metal jacket bullet. This way you can practice with ammo identical in performance as that which you carry. All told, the P365 lives up to its name as a gun you will be willing to carry every day of the year. It provides excellent performance in a size and weight that makes it an easygoing companion. I liked it so much that I bought it and I am carrying it; sometimes as my primary and sometimes as my BUG. The P365 is a real winner in my book. Pick one up if you can find one.

July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

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28 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Browning Silver Field Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades Shotgun By Kent Danjanovic Senior Editor

There’s a good reason you see all those Buckmark decals on the back windows of so many pickup trucks and SUVs driving down the road. The name Browning is synonymous with no-nonsense, high-performance autoloaders having superb design with unmatched handling. And with an easily recognizable semihumpbacked receiver silhouette, Browning’s Silver shotguns perfectly honor that historic legacy. Sharing the same proven Active Valve gas operation as Brownings’ Gold, the Silver Field semi-auto loader is one of the softest recoiling and easiest shooting guns available today, delivering up to a 50% decrease in felt recoil over the competition. Browning’s Active Valve system makes the Silver one of the most versatile and reliable shotguns around, able to fire a wide range of factory loads under the most

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30 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

extreme conditions. Also, its Back-Bored Barrel Technology ensures your shot patterns are tight, dense, even and consistent. The self-adjusting Active Valve gas system in the Silver autoloaders uses gas from fired shells to operate the action instead of contributing to recoil. When shooting light loads, most of the gases operate the action. With magnum loads, only a small amount of gas is necessary to operate the action, while the remaining gases are vented through the Active Valve and out the top of the forearm and away from the receiver for clean, reliable operation. Because the gas piston and Active Valve operate independently, less pressure is exerted on the gas piston for greater longevity and more efficient operation than other gas-operated autoloaders. And, because the Active Valve expels unnecessary gases, it naturally reduces felt recoil before it ever reaches your shoulder — without the need for heavy hydraulic recoil dampers, sticky gel pads and gimmicky

gel stock inserts. Superior recoil reduction from the Active Valve also equals faster, more accurate follow-up shots and all-day shooting comfort regardless of the loads used. Yes, the Silver Field is a proven design with features that have withstood the test of time and the new Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades Field will definitely give your duck blind a little extra style. It’s semi-humpback design is a reminder of its predecessors and its sleek lines and quick accent to your shoulder will put a smile on your face as you watch bird after bird fall from the sky! The pleasure of owning a Browning shotgun is derived partly by legendary traditions of excellence started by John Moses Browning a century and a half ago. The original Automatic 5 shotgun established a standard that was never truly supplanted. And today’s Browning shotguns are derivative of all the great inventiveness of their founder. Not all guns suit everyone perfectly, but I believe there just might be a perfect Browning shotgun for you – and the Silver Field might just be the one.

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The Extreme Cooler: Why Do They Cost So Much And Are They Worth It? By Michael Deming

hen the first extreme coolers hit the market, they were close to four hundred dollars. I thought to myself; who in their right mind would spend that kind of money on a cooler? Pretty sure that was my grandfather’s voice creeping into my head from years of saying everything we purchased was a waste of money. For years, I didn’t even consider ever buying one. As time went on, I started to evaluate the value of one of these types of coolers and if the investment would be beneficial in the long haul. After all, I went through numerous inexpensive units for years due to broken hinges, handles, latches or just plain broken down - period. An early season mule deer hunt in Nevada was my biggest eye opener on this issue and provided me serious ammunition to consider investing the dollars for one of these expensive ice haulers. We loaded up several of our inexpensive models with all the food, drinks and ice we would need for the next ten days on the mountain. We had frozen jugs of water and lemonade to get the most out of our space and cubed ice filled all the open airspace in each cooler. We rolled into the last small town prior to dropping off the grid and checked the status of our coolers. Enough ice had melted in the back of our trucks, with full sun exposure that we were able to fit several more bags of overpriced ice into each cooler. Off we went on our two-hour trek to the camp spot we had chosen. This consisted of thirty minutes of good paved road, one hour of okay dirt road and the last half hour was horrible dirt/rocky road. We set up camp and placed our coolers into a great shady spot, out of the hundred-degree, full sun. It was still mid-eighties in the shade, but the best we could do. By day three, we had successfully harvested one archery buck, but unfortunately all of our ice had disappeared, including our blocks and frozen jugs. The successful hunter emptied one of the coolers and made a run into town to fill up on ice. When he arrived into town two hours later, he spent nearly eighty dollars on ice to fill the cooler, due to costs being double of what we had paid at home. He also had used almost a half a tank of fuel to get there and back to camp and at over $3.00 a gallon, this one unexpected trip for ice totaled nearly $130.00. Three trips like that would have paid for an extreme cooler and over the ten-day period of time, we did just that. When we returned from our trip, I promptly invested the necessary money to make sure my ice lasted as long as possible on future trips. So, here is the big question - Which one of the extreme

coolers on the market do you spend your hardearned money on? Since there are a lot of choices out there and spending the money to buy one isn’t a reality for most, we here at Sportsman’s News decided to give them a real-world field test to see how they perform. Some of the following coolers we have a little more experience with than others, just because some of our team members own them. However, each one of the coolers tested were brand new, current models available at Sportsman’s Warehouse and we put them through the same exact testing. Features and benefits for each cooler are spelled out with each model below and the chart shows a side-by-side comparison to each. Ice retention is a huge factor in purchasing a cooler as well as the empty weight, so we put a lot of emphasis on this portion of the test and we will let you decide which one is best for your needs. Coolers ranged between 65 quarts and 75 quart, with not all of the companies making the same sizes for the comparison. We pre-chilled each cooler the night before the test, which meant that we put two frozen gallon jugs of water in each cooler for 12 hours prior to starting the test. Every cooler in the test received two (2) tenpound blocks of ice and then were filled to the brim with cubes of ice to eliminate any airspace in the coolers. The results of our testing are posted below. Please take into

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

consideration that the smallest cooler in actual measured capacity is 13 quarts less than the larger 75 quart coolers. All six coolers tested were placed on the west side of our office building here in Cedar City, Utah. The layout of this building allows for morning shade, but full sun from about 1pm through sunset at just after 8pm. The overnight low temperatures during our testing period was around 47 degrees and the daytime highs were in the upper eighties. There was one foot of space between each cooler and measuring the external temperature of all throughout the test, the internal coolers saw no benefit from having coolers on each side of them. The coolers were opened every morning to check ice status, as well as every evening during the testing period. The water was never drained from any cooler and the testing was identical for each cooler. Final findings of when each cooler ran out of ice can be found in the table below.

measuring tape on the top of the cooler, which is great for checking the measurements on the daily catch. It is certified bear proof by the IGBC. This cooler weighs in at 34 pounds, empty. When we loaded it up with ice, it held the largest capacity of two (2) ten-pound blocks and 62 pounds of cubed ice. The measured capacity of this cooler was a true 75 quarts, so we aren’t sure how it handled two additional pounds of ice compared to the other 75 quart cooler in the test, but it is a fact. This cooler had ice in it for a full 12.5 days.

Canyon Cooler Outfitter 75

Grizzly 75

Grizzly Coolers are the ones that I have the most experience with because I purchased the one that was discussed in the beginning of the article nearly ten years ago when the company was called IRP. They have proven to be extremely durable and well-constructed and have never failed me. Grizzly Coolers are made in the USA through a rotomolding process. They are available in several different colors. Our test unit is white and in the 75-quart capacity. It has built-in rope handles as well as molded-in side handles and three heavy duty rubber latches, which have to be stretched to be latched. This process is easy for adults but can be difficult for younger children. It has four large rubber, nonskid feet, which does a good job of keeping the cooler stationary whether you put it down in the back of a truck or on the deck of your boat. There are also tie-downs which will still allow you to access the content of the cooler when tied down. It also has oversized drain plugs on both ends of the cooler, which is a great feature for draining water without having to move the drain plug to the downhill side. It has a molded-in, 30”

34 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The Canyon Cooler series was developed out of Arizona, where the temperatures soar and ice is a major commodity. Our test cooler is a 75-quart outfitter series, which comes in a couple different colors. It is built with the rotomolded process in the USA. It has built-in rope handles and three very easy to close latches, which can be done one-handed by anyone. The airtight seal on this unit was obvious as the first time we opened the cooler, the drain plug had to be removed to allow the lid to come open. There are no built-in anti-skid rubber feet on this unit, which makes sliding the cooler around very easy, but when you want it to stay put, there are tie down slots which allow you to still access the contents of the cooler. The cooler was originally designed for rafting trips down the Grand Canyon and this easy slide and tie-down setup works well for this. The smooth lid also makes for a great seat in a raft. It has one drain plug on the right side of the cooler. The internal design of the cooler allows two shelfs (sold separately) to be added, which will keep sandwiches and other items up and out of melted ice. This cooler is IGBC certified and weighsin empty at 30.50 pounds, making it the lightest cooler in our test. When loaded with ice, it took two (2) ten-pound blocks and 60 pounds of cubed ice. The measured capacity of this cooler was exactly 75 quarts and it held ice for 13 days.

Yeti Tundra 75

Yeti doesn’t need much introduction, as most of the world knows who this company is and what they do. Yeti started making coolers in 2006 and has continued to forge along making new and innovative products dedicated to the outdoor industry, leaving most cooler companies trying to figure out how to catch up. These coolers are made in the USA and our test model is a 75-quart, rotomolded cooler. It comes with tie-down slots as well as non-slip feet. It has built-in military-grade polyester rope handles, as well as molded-in side handles for easy carry. There are two heavy-duty rubber latches which are stout and easy for most adults to latch, but a bit tough for the younger children to get in and out of. It has one drain plug on the side of the cooler, but the Vortex drain system allows water to be drained from a flat surface without being lifted on one side or the other once this plug is pulled. This unit is IGBC bear certified and tips the scales empty at 34 pounds. When loaded with ice, it took two (2) ten-pound blocks and 60 pounds of cubed ice. The measured capacity of this cooler was 75 quarts and it held ice for 13.5 days.

Pelican Elite 70

The Pelican brand has been around since the 1970’s and is probably known by most for their various hard cases. In our case, most of our camera and gun cases are Pelican cases. Our test model is a 70-quart unit, which is built through an injection molding process. It is available in various color options. It has four built-in cup holders on top of the lid, as well as measuring tapes in both inches and centimeters. There are two heavy duty built-in handles on the sides, but no rope handles. These molded-in handles are great tie down/anchor points as well. It comes with four raised, non-slip rubber feet. There are two latches that keep the cooler closed and they are a push button, lift type model, which is simple and workable for any and all ages. This cooler is IGBC bear certified and the empty unit tipped the scales at 33.29 pounds. When loaded with ice, it took two (2) ten-pound blocks and 55-pounds of cubed ice. The measured capacity of this cooler was 70 quarts and it held ice for 13.5 days.

Manufacturer

Grizzly

Canyon Coolers

Yeti

Pelican

Lost Creek

Otter Box

Model

Grizzly75

Outfitter75

Tundra 75

Elite70

65QT

Venture65

Advertised Capacity

75 Quarts

70 Quarts

65 Quarts

Measured Capacity

75 Quart

70 Quarts

62 Quart

65 Quart

External Dimensions LxWxH

31.875” x 15.125” x 17.875”

28.25” x 16.75” x 18.25”

33.50” x 17.50” x 17.875”

36.00 x 20.30 x 21.00

29.50” x 18.50” x 15.375”

40.00” x 18.76” x 18.83”

Internal Dimension - L xWxH

27.50” x 12.25” x 13.25”

22.00” x 12.50” x 13.75”

25.625” x 10.75” x 12.875”

23.50” x 11 x 14.3”

22.875” x 12.125” x 12.00”

26.72” x 10.60” x 13.30”

Weight (empty)

34.00 lbs

30.50 lbs

34.00 lbs

33.29 lbs

35.20 lbs

32.95 lbs

Certified Bear Proof

Yes

Ice Test-total capacity

20 lbs block/60 lbs cube

20 lbs block/62 lbs cube

20 lbs block/60 lbs cube

20 lbs block/55 lbs cube

20 lbs block/45 lbs cube

20 lbs block/55 lbs cube

Days with Ice

12.5 Days

13 Days

13.5 Days

14 Plus- 4.75 lbs left at 14 days

(Started May 25th at 11:00 AM.)

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

but for one person to move around a fully loaded-down cooler on a hard surface, it’s pure genius. It is the heaviest cooler that we tested, weighing in at 35.2 pounds and it did hold the least amount of ice. Being rated at 65-quarts, it held ten full pounds less than the other 65-quart cooler in the test. Fully loaded with ice, it held two (2) ten-pound blocks of ice and 45-pounds of cubed ice. The measured capacity of this cooler was only 62 quarts which is why it was only able to hold 45 pounds of cubed ice. It was 3 quarts smaller than advertised, but still held ice for a full 13.5 days which is amazing considering it had the least amount of ice to start with.

Otterbox Venture 65

Otterbox is new to the cooler game, but they have been protecting our phones and devices for years and I’ve put those products to the test. This cooler is an injection

Lost Creek 65

This brand is new to the cooler world and is just hitting the shelves of Sportsman’s Warehouse this summer. This newcomer in our test is a rotomolded style cooler and is a 65-quart capacity. It has some great features that most outdoorsmen and women will like, of which, the lowest price in the test is probably the one thing well worth mentioning. It has heavy-duty rope style handles as well as molded-in side handles. It has molded-in tie down slots and also non-slip rubber feet. The latches are heavyduty rubber and require a good pull to stretch them into the lock-down mode, which makes it tough for young children. It has a ruler with both inches and centimeters molded into the lid. It comes with multiple drain plugs; a large one on one side and a smaller one on the other. One of the most ingenious things about this cooler is the built-in wheels. They are smaller, rollerblade type wheels, so not great in the sand,

36 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

molded style cooler and our test model is a 65-quart capacity type. This cooler has molded-in style handles and no rope handles. These make for great tie-downs and the four, non-slip rubber feet, help keep your cooler in place. The latches on this cooler are one of my favorites of all the coolers tested. They are very simple and easy to use and anyone can open and close them with ease, which usually insures they do get shut, which extends the life of your ice. This model has a built-in dry storage tray, which keeps your sandwiches out of the melted ice. It has one drain plug which is sized to fit a garden hose and allow you to drain the cooler and funnel your drained water wherever you put the end of the hose. The one unique thing about the Otterbox line is the multiple accessories available for these coolers. Drink holders, bottle openers, drag handle and wheel assemblies are just a few. The wheel assembly is designed to fit multiple sizes of Otterbox Coolers and their extra-wide wheels will allow a fully loaded cooler to roll across the sand at the beach with one person pulling on the drag handle. This cooler weighed in at 32.95 pounds empty and loaded up with ice it handled two (2) ten-pound blocks and 55-pounds of cubed ice. The measured capacity on this cooler was 65 quarts which is just what was advertised. It still had ice at 14 days when all others had ran out and we weighed the remaining ice at this time which was right at 4.75 pounds. Overall, every one of these extreme coolers performed extremely well during our testing. Getting ice to last this long is more than most of us can expect. When you are in the field, people are going to be getting in and out of these coolers throughout the day, which is definitely going to reduce the amount of time your ice is going to last. So, expecting double-digit days out of your ice isn’t realistic under these types of circumstances. However, there are things you can do to help get the most out of your ice and extreme coolers as well as eliminate unwanted trips to town. The obvious is to first make sure you always pre-chill your cooler and freeze all the food you can for extended trips. If you are putting warm drinks into a cooler, it is going to rapidly diminish your ice as it gets the drinks internal temperature down. Secondly, you need to keep your cooler in the shade at all times. One thing we started doing on our trips is to take a second cooler with us and fill it with ice only. We often put dry ice in this cooler to really keep the temperature down. The only time this cooler is ever opened is when we need to pull out a bag of ice or two to fill up the daily use coolers. Remember, reducing a few of those unnecessary trips to town to get more ice will save you a lot in ice and fuel costs, helping to justify the cost of one of these extreme coolers. Now load up that cooler and enjoy some time afield.

The Otterbox still had 4.75 pounds of ice remianing after 14 days, when all of the other coolers had run out of ice.

Tips to get the most from your extreme cooler • Pre-chill your cooler with ice prior to loading. • Store spare ice in a separate cooler with dry ice. • Move your cooler throughout the day to keep it in the shade. • Chill your canned beverages before placing them in the cooler. • Pre-freeze any meat that will be used several days later. • Avoid empty air space in your cooler. • Don't keep your filled cooler inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up. • Block ice will last longer than cubed. • A good mix of block and cubed to fill empty space is ideal. • Make sure the latches are properly sealed • Limit how often you open the cooler to take out items. Especially if you have kids who will frequently be getting inside. July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Browning Glacier Extreme Tent

icking the right tent for your situation is a big decision. There are so many questions to ask and if you haven’t spent a lot of time in a tent, you don’t even know where to start. Do you need a freestanding tent, three or four seasons tent, double wall or single wall. The questions go on and on. Over the past six months, the Sportsman’s News team has had the opportunity to test the ALPS Glacier Extreme tent with the Browning camping label. According to the statistics, this 10’ by 10’ double walled, four season tent is a 6-man tent. A hundred square feet of space with an additional 66 square feet of vestibule space is a little crowded for six full sized guys and gear, but you can make it work in a pinch. However, this tent is absolutely perfect for two guys and gear. We tested this tent in just about every weather condition you could imagine. It withstood fifty mile per hour winds, eighteen inches of snow and a couple of major rain storms. The tent is in as good of shape right now as the day it came out of the box. This tent is built for what it says, “Extreme Conditions”. The tent floor is made of 210D Oxford with 2000mm coating. What that means is this bathtub type floor is super heavy duty and will withstand many years of use regardless of where you pitch it. It comes pre-sealed, so you can take it right from the store to the field without any other preparation. The pole system is made of four 25mm poles with a center hub. These poles provide for a good amount of flex in high winds, yet are lightweight and durable. The tent itself is well ventilated on the sides and the top allowing for unwanted moisture to escape. The straight side walls allow for full usage of the 100 square feet of available space. We had plenty of room for two full sized cots and all of our gear for a ten day excursion. The fly is also made of 210D Oxford and is a nice light gray in color. I like this feature because it allows for plenty of sunlight to come through the tent during daylight hours. The fly has numerous tie down points and reinforcements to make sure it stays where you pitch it during inclimate weather. The steel stakes are a great addition to this package and we had no problem with them in the rocky soils of Utah and Wyoming during our testing. The one minor complaint that we had is that

the tent won’t fit back into the original bag once you have used it. So, we recommend picking up an oversized waterproof bag to complete your setup. Overall, this is one of the best and most durable tents that we have ever tested.

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Big & J Industries BB2 Long Range Attractant

Long range minerals! Deer need minerals. But a mineral is only good if a deer can find it. Only BIG&J® minerals attract deer from far and wide!

By Michael Deming

hile hunting whitetails in Kansas with one of our endorsed outfitters nearly a half dozen years ago, I was introduced to Big and J Industries BB2. This was a product that Wes Atkinson of Atkinson Expeditions was using to lure in whitetails to get pictures and video of to see what was available on his leases. I enjoyed visiting the camera sights almost as much as I did hunting since we were able to see so many bucks hitting these spots. In spots where he had used regular grains, there wasn’t nearly as many photos and the same bucks didn’t frequent those feed sites. So, we chalked it up to the fact that his was really a good product. After several years of using this product, Wes discovered that his bucks stayed around and grew substantially better antlers where he used this feed/attractant. So, wherever legal, he uses BB2. I figured that if it worked for whitetails, we might as well give it a shot on the mule deer and elk here in Utah since this type of product is legal to use in our state. My first attempt with the BB2 here in Utah was on a premium limited entry elk hunt. I started hauling the twenty pound bags deep into the mountains where I was seeing good numbers of bulls from a long ways away. I would dump twenty to forty pounds onto the ground and set up a camera and come back to visit those locations after several weeks. Sure enough, the elk loved it just as much as the whitetails in Kansas. I had one bull that frequented the bait site that would literally lay down at the pile and eat and sleep without ever moving. Another site had absolutely no elk or deer on it when I pulled my cards from the camera, but seven different bears were frequenting the site which made sense why there were not many deer or elk in the area. I’ve since seen numerous bear visits into different BB2 setups. The mule deer come from near and far to enjoy this nutritional supplement as well. The smell is what brings the animals into this product. Storing a few extra bags in your garage will tell you just how strong the smell can be with this product. This is truly a long range attractant which packs a lot of nutrition once they get there to start eating it. The contents of a bag of BB2 contains processed grain by-products, grain products, refined soybean oil, sodium tripolyphosphate, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate and potassium sorbate. Each bag contains at least 18% crude protein, 8% crude fat, 7% crude fiber, .8% calcium, .7% phosphorus, .25% salt and a maximum of .5% sodium. I’m not a scientist with the ability to break this stuff down and see all the contents, but what I can tell you is that after using it for the past six years, it works on absolutely everything. So, when you want to get some quality trail camera pictures of the animals in your area and want to have a good chance of keeping them coming back, make sure you pick up a few bags of BB2 by Big and J industries. We utilized it in our shed hunting timeframe this year to keep the animals concentrated into specific areas as well. The results were awesome and we will continue this process in the future.

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There are many mineral products, but most are just gloriﬁed salt. Of the true minerals, only one is also a long-range attractant – LEGIT from BIG&J®! Its intense apple aroma draws deer from farther away. And, its high calcium/phosphorus content keeps deer coming back.

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PRO MEMBER UPDATE

verybody seems to have a story of some kind when it comes to fishing. I am sure you have heard the lines, “This one is big, but you should have seen the one that got away” or “The fishing is OK, but you should have been here yesterday”! It doesn’t seem to matter who it is or where they fish, fishermen have always got a story to tell. Well, here at Sportsman’s News, we have taken the storytelling to the next level by implementing great opportunities through our Pro Membership Sweepstakes and our annual Writer’s Contest. Through both of these programs, lucky winners have a chance to experience some of the best hunting and fishing trips imaginable, in many cases giving them a chance to fulfill lifelong dreams. And in the case of our Writer’s Contest, an annual event since Sportsman's News was born 14 years ago, a little “storytelling” just might land you a trip of a lifetime. Each month, at least one story is plucked out of our stash of entries to be published and then have a chance to become our Grand Prize Winner. And yes, this is a true drawing, as we are not necessarily looking for the best written or sensational one, but a story that is special in its own way to the writer and also has a couple of good photos as well to help tell their story. Because we receive a pretty even split on hunting and fishing stories, we try to alternate the winning trip each year. For 2017, the Yakutat Lodge teamed up with us to offer the winner a trip for spring steelhead and for those of you that know anything about steelhead fishing, the Situk River in Yakutat, Alaska, is one of the best in the world. In fact, one of the entries that was published talked of many of the great rivers of the world and of course, the Situk was included in his story! With the trip taking place April 17-21, 2018, the contest closed with the November 2017 issue, to give the winner a chance to make plans and secure fights. It was my pleasure to contact the lucky winner, Jesse Riding from Logan, Utah and to say he was a little excited would be an understatement. Although Jesse is well traveled in the fishing world, he had not had much experience with steelhead and had never been to Alaska in search of them. We talked for an hour, as I tried to answer all of his questions and further fuel his expectations of the great trip he had just won. April couldn’t come soon enough and finally, Jesse and I were loading the Alaska Airlines plane in Salt Lake City for our trip through Seattle, then on to Anchorage, Cordova and finally landing in Yakutat. Fellow Sportsman's News Pro-Staffer, Brooks Hansen, would also be joining us on this trip to help film for our SNTV DVD line-up. When we landed in Yakutat, we were greeted by Amanda, guest coordinator/manager for the lodge in the airport terminal and she gave us our room keys to drop off our gear before we headed to the main lodge to fill out a few forms and then sit down for a great meal, while taking in the NBA playoffs on the big screen. Our guides, Aaron and Kraig dropped by before we headed to our rooms to fill us in on our next day’s schedule. We would be meeting at 4:30am to head out to the launch at Nine Mile Bridge. It would be a little bit earlier than we were used too, but they assured us that the early bird would definitely catch the worm – so to speak in this case! When we arrived at the put-in, a few other drift boats were already in the water preparing to start their day. We all grabbed our rods and reels and our guides set them up for a little jig action to start with. Although we were all avid fly fishermen, the Situk River

Jesse Riding of Rainy’s Flies is all smiles as he and his guide, Cody Kunas, display one of many nice steelhead during our stay at the Yakutat Lodge. The lodge is one of our long-standing Platinum Approved Lodges and Jesse actually won this trip in our Annual Writer’s Contest for 2017.

42 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Yakutat Lodge on the Situk By Kent Danjanovich is a little more favorable to spin casting techniques, that usually produce a little more accuracy in the cast and don’t need as much room for those back-casts, especially on the willow-lined banks of much of the Situk. Aaron and Kraig assured us that once we had a few fish under our belts, we could try our luck with our fly rods if we wished. Like most places in Alaska, you always need to be prepared for wet conditions. Unfortunately, the spring of 2018 was a little lean on moisture, as evidence of the low water conditions. The river was running at only 97cfs on this day and would have the fish staging in certain sections of the river, with every fisherman chasing many of the same fish. This was again why we were hitting the water early in hopes of finding them first, before the sun got high in the sky, sending the fish to more protected areas beneath those before mentioned willows. Jesse and Brooks would be in the boat with Kraig on this day and I would be drifting with Aaron Shook, probably the most talented guide on the Situk, with over 20 years of experience chasing steelhead and salmon. We would be blowing through the upper half of the river, since most of the fish they had been seeing had not quite made it out of the lower section yet and the fall fish had not really started moving back into the river out of Situk Lake. As on most rivers, guides name many on the best holes and the Situk definitely falls into this category. Soon we were rounding a bend in the river and Aaron whispered to me, “I hope the Cadillac Hole is open” and to his amazement, it was. Aaron quickly maneuvered our boat into filming position and Kraig anchored his drift boat at the top of the run. Jesse and Brooks then dropped their jigs into the water and anxiously watched their strike indicators float down the seam in the current. Now it was just a matter of time. On Jesses’ third pass, his indicator went down and the circus began. Line could be

Brooks Hansen, Marketing & Media for Camp Chef, did a little fishin’ himself on this trip as part-time cameraman.

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PRO MEMBER UPDATE

heard zinging from his reel as our first steelhead of the trip darted up and down the river. Aerial acrobatics then ensued as guide and fisherman did their best to get the ‘Spring Cromer’ in the net. Finally, after a great battle, Kraig eased the net under a beautiful 12-pound Situk steelhead as Jesse beamed with pride from ear to ear! Four more gorgeous fish would be landed before we left the hole, as Jesse ran his total to three and Brooks finally broke the ice as well with the first steelhead of his career. By midday, the sun had given way to rain clouds and a constant drizzle soon followed. Four o’clock found us at the take-out, loading the drift boat for the short drive back to the lodge. A total of 12 fish had been landed by our group for the day and yes, I was even able to get into the action with two great fish as we reached the last mile or two of our drift. Fresh fish were coming in on the high tide, letting us know that more great days on the water were ahead of us. Another great steak dinner was awaiting us when we arrived back at the lodge. Over dinner, we talked it over and since big rains were forecasted for that night and the next day, a little ocean fishing for halibut sounded pretty good to all of us. Even though pretty good winds accompanied those rain showers the next morning, we were able to land three nice halibut on our ocean adventure. We even did a little trolling for kings, but it was still a little early in the season, but still a great part of the overall experience at the Yakutat Lodge. Day three again found us drifting down the Situk. Jesse and I would be together on this day and boy did we have a day! A dozen big steelhead came to the net, with at least that many more eluding us. Many different techniques were use by our guides, Kody Kunas and Kraig Holdren, on this day including jigs, spinners, rubber worms, aero puffs and yarn balls. We even let Brooks hook into a couple, in between manning the camera to catch the action for the future show. The rain continued to show itself, but in this case, it was actually helping out our cause, as the river now was running at about 200cfs and counting. Our last day on the river again didn’t disappoint. Thirteen more beautiful steelhead made it to our nets, ranging in length from 28- to 39-inches. Brooks had the hot had on this day, but Jesse wasn’t far behind. Unfortunately, our day had to come to an end a little early, as we had to head back to the lodge to pack and catch our 6:20pm flight back to Seattle. But what a trip it had been, especially for our lucky Writer’s Contest Winner, Jesse Riding, a trip I know he will remember for the rest of his life.

Well, there you have it – another great adventure courtesy of the Sportsman’s News team and in this case, one of our long-standing Platinum Approved Outfitters, the Yakutat Lodge. And if you are looking for a great Alaskan adventure of your own, you will find no better place to quench your thirst anywhere in Alaska in my opinion. New ownership took over in the fall of 2016 and many upgrades have taken place along the way. And, oh did I mention that the fishing isn’t too bad either! Give them a call today at 800-925-8828 and check them out on the web at www.yakutatlodge.com. Our next Writer’s Contest Winner will be joining me for a five-star upland bird hunt to the Tumbleweed Lodge in Harrold, South Dakota this December, so get your stories in and who knows, you may just be our next lucky winner.

Kent Danjanovich even got into the action with this nice “Chromer” while drifting the Situk River, possibly the best steelhead river in North America, with the Yakutat Lodge.

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Video Product Reviews

Sitka Gear Kodiak Jacket

his jacket was named after a fairly well-known island in the hunting world, that is best known for its’ huge brown bears and abundant blacktail deer that roam the island. Anyone that has ever had the pleasure of visiting this hunters’ paradise will also vouch for its’ inclement weather as well. When this weather hits, believe me, you are definitely going to need Sitka Gear’s Kodiak Jacket. This jacket is designed for those bad weather days when the rain just won’t let up, but you can’t afford to spend the day in the shelter. This is a knee-length, 3-layer Gore-Tex jacket. You can literally sit in the pouring rain for days on end without getting wet. The extra length on this jacket provides a waterproof barrier whenever you want to sit down on the wet terrain and glass for game. It comes with a full hood which keeps the water off of your head and neck. The design in this hood is excellent as it still allows for good peripheral vision when in use. When glassing, the well thought out cuffs will save you from getting wet as well. They have a stretchable rubber, combined with a Velcro strip. This allows you to get a water-tight barrier around your wrist and not have water running down your elbow and into your base layer. When you get up to continue your hike, even if the rain has stopped, the surrounding foliage is drenched for hours if not days and the long length of this jacket continues to keep you dry as the runoff comes off below your boot level. When you find your target and it’s go time, you have the ability to button the extended length of the jacket up and turn it into a regular length rain jacket. If you are doing this and making a move, the ventilating pit zips will allow unwanted body heat to escape. These are approximately 17-inches in length under each arm and do a great job of ventilation. There are two waterproof chest pockets and two hand pockets which, based on their design, cause the water to run off of your elbow instead of down your

wrist and into the pocket. It has one internal zipper chest pocket which is a great place to store your phone or electronics. This is a very well thought out garment that is specifically designed for the hunter or outdoors person who will spend a lot of their time in rain gear and in the wet conditions. It comes in both Subalpine and Open Country camo patterns.

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

Sig Sauer Electro-Optics BDX System

early all of us carry a rangefinder as well as have a riflescope. Some of us are well trained, long- range shooters and some of us still utilize good old-fashioned Kentucky windage/holdover in hopes we hit that target that is out past our zero. Imagine you are sizing up the buck of a lifetime with your riflescope, with your good buddy by your side, ready to give you the range. You are nice and settled in behind the rifle and this buck is big. He is 30” plus and has points coming from everywhere. However, your good buddy gathers the range data three different times and each time, it is hitting 520 yards. The wind is dead calm and the buck has no idea that you are anywhere in the country. Unfortunately, there is a big canyon between you and him and there is no way to get closer. You don’t shoot enough to have gotten a custom turret for your scope and you just don’t like messing with the dials. You know the exact yardage, but the holdover is a guess and you have about a 12” kill zone on the buck of a lifetime. Well there is a solution to this scenario. Sig Sauer’s Electro-Optics division has developed a family of products which can eliminate this problem for all hunters without breaking the bank. Now just think, if you could just hit that range button and the crosshairs were right where you needed them to be, you could take the guesswork out of this stressful situation. That exact product is what we are talking about here and ready for you to use. Hit the range button on the rangefinder and it transmits the appropriate holdover and lights up one of 76 different hold marks within the riflescope. In our testing, the results were quick, accurate and unbelievable. Every shot was right on target, which means that the ballistic data as well as the exchange of this corrected data to the riflescope was complete. It totally took the guesswork out of where to hold and better yet, it eliminated the need to adjust the turret. This reduction in time and steps could be the difference between filling a tag or going home empty handed. Scan this QR Code with Nearly everyone that spends a lot of time in the field your smart phone to view t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s knows that they need a rangefinder as well as a riflescope YouTube Channel. and why not make it a Sig Sauer Electro-Optics BDX. The

48 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

rangefinders look identical to the previous versions of these Sig rangefinders and process data just as quickly. You would think this added technology would increase the price, but this isn’t the case. The rangefinders will be available in the KILO1400BDX, KILO1800BDX, KILO2200BDX, KILO2400BDX and KILO3000BDX. The SIERRA3BDX riflescopes will be available in 3.5-10X42, 4.5-14X44 and 6.5-20X52.

Bergara Premier Approach Rifle

art hunting rifle, part tactical sniper rifle with a dash of competition gun thrown in for good measure, the Bergara Premier Approach is a factory rifle that is built and performs like an expensive custom rifle. By factory rifle, I mean that it has parts made in small batches in a factory. That is about where the term factory ends. Each model of the Bergara Premier line has its own builder assigned to just assemble that specific model. Bergara starts with the best barrel in the business and has added an action that is unbelievable in reliability and performance. They have created a 360-degree feed ramp to the chamber by tapering the bolt and chamber into a cone shape for more reliable and smoother feeding and ejection. Using a double lug bolt for serious engagement and bombproof reliability, the Bergara Premier action builds on the proven performance of double lug systems that have gone before it. The rifle was designed by Dan Hanus, who worked in his previous life as a rifle builder for the Marine Corps Special Weapons Division, which built M40A1 rifles for Force Recon Snipers. The furniture was developed by former Navy SEAL Ryan McMillan, who brought his expertise in the field and the legacy of the McMillan name and heritage to the table.

Video Product Reviews

The stock is reminiscent of the M40 and made of a reinforced fiberglass and features the proprietary Bergara Camo paint pattern. The barrel and action are painted in Cerakote and the internals are nitrided for supremely smooth performance. As sweet as the barrel and action are, the trigger blows anything you have ever pulled out of the water. It is a Triggertech Frictionless Trigger. Utilizing several innovative additions to the standard trigger, Triggertech removes the friction of the trigger bar rubbing on the sear, to give you a steady consistent pull through the entire motion of the trigger. Additional technologies make it an amazingly crisp and responsive bang switch. It is user adjustable without dissembling the rifle from 2-4.5 pounds by simply adjusting an Allen screw behind the trigger. The real test of any rifle is how well it shoots, and each one of the Bergara rifles comes with a target that was shot from the shoulder, not in a vice, to prove that you didn’t get a “Monday Gun.” Sub MOA accuracy out of the box isn’t a goal, it is a guarantee with a Bergara. At the end of the day, "Guarantee" is a big emphasis with every employee at Bergara willing to stand behind their product, but definitely not in front of it. Click on the QR code to see the video of how well this rifle performs.

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

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Video Product Reviews

Zeiss Victory Harpia Spotting Scope

his spotting scope was given its’ name because of the Harpy Eagle, which is one of the most powerful raptors. This name is very unique as well as fitting for this new super premium spotting scope, one of the most powerful optics hitting the market in 2018. Zeiss has done way more than increase the size of the objective lens on this unit. It has launched something that is an entirely new way of thinking when it comes to spotting scope design and output. The most exciting thing about this new scope is that the zoom is no longer in the eyepiece. Since the inception of spotting scopes, the zoom had always been controlled in the eyepiece on a variable range spotting scope. At low magnification, you were able to get the greatest amount of light transfer through the scope and into your eye. However, increasing the magnification quickly reduced the amount of light. At low light when the animals are most active, your highest magnifications were reduced until more light became available. The new design of the Harpia spotter puts the zoom within the objective body of the scope, which gives you a wider angle throughout the zoom ratio, but more importantly allows for more light to pass through. This Scan this QR Code with provides a constant 72-degree angle of vision throughout your smart phone to view the Sportsman's News the zoom process. You just have to see the difference to YouTube Channel. believe it. Because these adjustments are on the body, it also makes your focus and zoom rings right at your fingertips, where they belong at all times. There will be two different models of these scopes available for 2018. The Harpia 85 will have an 85mm objective and will weigh in at 4.75 lbs., while the Harpia 95 will weigh in at 5.06 lbs., so definitely not a lightweight backpacking setup. The edge-to-edge clarity and color fidelity are as good as you can get. The 3-time magnification zoom is going to give you a 22-65 magnification with the 85mm objective and a whopping 23-70 magnification with the 95mm objective. Since this is a super-premium spotting scope, Zeiss has put the best of all glass as well as coatings which include their highest grade of Schott Fluoride lenses, ZEISS HT (high transmission) glass, T* light transmission lens coatings and LotuTec protective coatings. The ZEISS Victory Harpia spotting scopes are “Made in Germany” and are available as an angled version only. Some additional features were well thought out with this launch, including that the baseplate is form-fitted to match up with the standard Manfrotto head mounts; however, they are also drilled and tapped to accommodate your standard 3/8” screw-in adapter if this type isn’t what you use. Since you have a great piece of glass, Zeiss is also launching several accessories to adapt your mirrorless cameras to this scope for high quality photos and video. They will also have smart phone adapters as well. You can also rest assured that your Harpia is covered by Zeiss’s limited lifetime transferable warranty and 5-year no fault policy.

50 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

MARK

Simple, ONE BUTTON Takedown

While the heavily redesigned Ruger® Mark IV™ maintains the same classic outward appearance as the Ruger® Mark III™, it incorporates a significant improvement customers will love – a simple, one-button takedown for quick and easy field-stripping. A recessed button in the back of the frame allows the upper receiver to tilt up and off of the grip frame without the use of tools. The bolt simply slides out of the receiver and the barrel can be properly cleaned from chamber to muzzle.

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July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Video Product Reviews

VX-Freedom 3-9x40 CDS Riflescope

s a 21 year-old man with little to no hunting background, getting started in the world of riflescopes can be quite intimidating, and with all the big names in optics, it’s easy to get lost in the shelves worth of product in big box stores. This year with the new VX-Freedom Riflescope line, Leupold has decided to take the guessing out of the game and provide people like me with a simple solution that will not only exceed my expectations, but set the standard once again for what to expect from a low-cost riflescope. From a glance, it’s easy to see why so many hunters trust and stand by Leupold for all of their optics needs. It’s a 5th generation family-owned company that’s been operating since 1907, and manufacturing riflescopes since 1947 right here in the United States of America. It’s a company, that unlike other manufacturers, has a warranty that will actually last a lifetime, because they will still be around to maintain that warranty, and every single riflescope they make goes through the same rigorous testing procedure to ensure its durability. When you buy Leupold and you see that gold ring, you know it’s made with purpose and made to last a lifetime.

The new line of VX-Freedom Riflescopes offers short-to-long range options for any kind of hunting, at an affordable price for the entry level hunter. The test model we are working with is the VX-Freedom 3-9x40 CDS, which is equipped with the Leupold CDS or Custom Dial System. This system makes it possible for the entry level riflescope to have a custom turret with your specific ballistics to your rifle, something usually only found in riflescopes worth thousands of dollars. Made of a durable and lightweight 6061-T6 aircraft quality aluminum, the VX-Freedom is built to be a workhorse riflescope that you can depend on, season after season. The main tube is one inch, so it will work with many legacy rings and be more compatible with more rifles, so you never have to compromise to enjoy quality. The VX-Freedom 3-9x40 CDS is also waterproof and fogproof so that you can take it with you in the field in any conditions, without worry of inclement weather or unexpected accidents. One of my favorite features of this riflescope is the ¼ MOA finger click, which allows for click adjustments for windage and elevation. Not only is this finger click absolutely accurate and reliable, but the repeatability and dependability that this brings to a riflescope of this class is unbeatable. The obvious elephant in the room is the price for this piece of hardware, and Leupold has made that the easiest part of buying this product. With such a low price point, Leupold has made it possible for anyone from the average Joe, up to the seasonal backcountry expert, to find a riflescope that fits their every need while keeping their wallet happy. Leupold has really hit a home run with the VX-Freedom Scan this QR Code with your smart phone to view line and they’ve made it easier than ever for an unsure t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s hunter like me, who simply wants to find the best piece of YouTube Channel. glass at a price I can afford, to find the right scope for me.

Kenetrek 400 Mountain Guides with K-73 Outsole

f you’re looking for a boot designed for the most extreme terrain imaginable, look no further. The Kenetrek 400 Mountain Guides with the new K-73 Outsole is the perfect boot for you. This boot is designed to withstand the most treacherous terrain imaginable. From lava rock and loose scree to heavy snow, you can depend on this boot to get you where you are going comfortably and safely. The Kenetrek 400 Mountain Guides features a brand new outer sole called the K-73. It has the same great features of the previous Vibram Outsole but the K-73 is made of a durable and reliable vulcanized rubber that’s designed to grip to rugged surfaces better than its predecessor did. There is 360-degrees of an open tread pattern with a deep relief to dig into any mucky surface. This allows debris to slide right through the tread and cling to the ground beneath you creating a non slip surface for you to safely walk on. The traction teeth and lugs on the K-73 are designed to grip onto anything from jagged or smooth rock. There is also a reinforced rubber sole guard wrapped around the toe of the boot designed to resist heavy abrasion. If the sheep you were hunting knew that this boot exists, they would’ve already migrated to somewhere you won’t be. That’s how serious this boot is. Hiking through scree fields carrying a heavy load in your pack not only keeps you upright in these boots but it feels more like a walk in the park. The improved K-73 Outsole makes sheep hunting easier than its ever been before. The Kenetrek 400 Mountain Guides contains 400 grams of Thinsulate material designed to keep your feet dry in hot weather and moderately warm in

52 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

cold weather. It is a 10 inch boot made with a one piece vamp of 2.8mm premium fullgrain leather. One of the great things about the leather on this boot is that the lower portion is one solid piece. The entire boot was created with minimal stitching in mind ultimately eliminating any failure points. The boot also contains a lightweight flexible Windtex membrane meaning it is waterproof, windproof and breathable. The boot contains a sturdy 7mm nylon midsole that runs the full length and width of the boot and provides extra stability. The midsole provides some flexibility but its extremely sturdy and designed to keep you upright on the most irregular surfaces. Any standard shoe will want to bend with the surface you’re on but the Kenetrek 400 Mountain Guides will stay pretty stiff when uneven pressure is applied to the midsole on an uneven surface. This is especially helpful when hauling heavy gear in your pack on a long sheep hunt. The avid hunter will become familiar with this boot rather quickly as opposed to the average individual. Be prepared before wearing them right out of the box because it may take you 50 or so miles before you get a chance to break them in and you wouldn’t want that to cost you on a big sheep hunt. The boot was also created with premium lacing hardware designed to withstand and last. The last thing you want to happen on a big hunt is have a lace snap or an eyelet pop off. Weighing in at 4.5 pounds makes moving a lot easier without having to drag your feet around, especially while carrying 50-plus pounds of hunting gear or hauling a 200-plus pound animal to your pickup truck. It has the bulky features of a traditional rugged country boot that is meant for the trail less traveled and is still light weight and maneuverable enough to get the job done while being comfortable enough to wear on a leisurely hike. The amount of movability, safety and durability the Kenetrek 400 Mountain Guides with the K-73 Outsole provides is incredible. This boot is so dependable that you can count on it in virtually any situation. I highly recommend adding this rugged boot to your inventory. For more in depth details on the Kenetrek 400 Mountain Scan this QR Code with Guides with the K-73 Outsole, scan the QR Code and watch your smart phone to view the video product review we’ve done and see how this boot t h e S p o r t s m a n ' s N e w s YouTube Channel. truly stands up and stands out.

Video Product Reviews

Vortex Viper HD Binos and Spotting Scope

he difference between a successful hunt and getting skunked can be simply the difference between seeing an animal and not seeing an animal. The same is true for getting a big trophy animal or just getting some meat for the freezer.

Viper HD Binoculars Nearly every hunter in the west knows the feeling of defeat when you spend all day beating the bushes trying to run across a deer, only to spend your entire hunt chasing a ghost. A better solution in the west is to get up high and let your glass do your work for you. For the guy spending 1-2 weeks in the field hunting each season or 20-30 days out of season scouting his unit, the Viper HD binos from Vortex can save you hours of wasted time looking for an animal. Featuring fully multi-coated lenses with highdensity, extra-low dispersion glass, not only will the Viper help you find an animal more easily, but will give you a good idea of the quality of the critter within shooting range. The HD glass provides excellent clarity – delivering optical performance that Scan this QR Code with knocks on the door of top-tier options, but doesn’t carry your smart phone to view the price tag to go he Sportsman's News along with it. The BaK4 roof prism tYouTube has a dialectric Channel. phase coating to enhance color clarity and accuracy. Argon purging ensures your binos stay fogproof - no matter the weather conditions.

isn’t something that you want to shoot. From my office in Cedar City, I can see an American flag 2,590 yards away with my binos. I can tell that it is an American flag and that it is waving. With a decent spotting scope, like the Viper HD, I can count the stars on the flag. A good spotting scope can let you know in advance if that elk you are seeing through your binos is worth the hours of walking it will take to get you in rifle range. Featuring the same glass and coatings as the Viper HD binos, the Viper HD spotting scope has excellent light gathering and clarity. The ArmorTek coating protects the delicate optics and makes it easier to grip in damp weather. Together, the Viper HD binos and spotting scope provide the hunter with an affordable way to kill more and better-quality animals without breaking the bank. Click on the QR Code here to see all the great features of these essential tools.

Viper HD 20-60x85 Spotting Scope While a pair of binoculars are a must-have for hunting in the west, a good spotting scope can prevent you from spending hours chasing a deer just to discover he

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July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

PRO'S PICK

Browning X-Bolt Pro Rifle Long Range Hunter

he X-Bolt Pro hit the market in 2017 and took the production rifle to an entirely different level. We had one of the first available units in hand and utilized the Fall hunting season to really put it to the test. After a full season of shooting this rifle, I would say that Browning has eliminated the need to spend $5,000-plus dollars to get a lightweight custom rifle which shoots sub-MOA accuracy and has me putting a “for sale” sign on most of my custom rifles. In 2018, they took this high-quality rifle to the next level and introduced the X-Bolt Pro Long Range. The new ‘Long Range’ rifle looks identical except for the addition to the fluted heavy contour barrel. This replaced the lightweight sporter on the X-Bolt Pro. On the 6.5 Creedmoor caliber, it ads about 1-pound 2-ounces in total weight as well as 4-inches onto the barrel, making this rifle an even more amazing long-range weapon. These semi-custom rifles are from the top tier X-Bolt family of hunting rifles. Browning has reduced the weight of this rifle significantly by utilizing a full carbon wrapped stock with a compressed foam core. The receiver is made from stainless-steel and is glass bedded and drilled and tapped for the X-Bolt scope mounts. As mentioned before, the barrel is a fluted heavy type, which

54 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

adds weight and inches to its’ little brother the X-Bolt Pro. However, this is a great addition if you spend more time at the range than hauling it around the field, as the barrel doesn’t heat up as fast. Browning does a proprietary lapping process which eliminates the need for a long break-in period, getting you out of the range and ready for the field quicker. It comes with a threaded muzzlebreak as well as a thread protector to shoot with or without the break. It has a spiral fluted bolt and knob. All metal surfaces are covered with an extremely durable Burnt Bronze Cerakote finish. Currently this rifle is available in eight of the most popular calibers which include, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 WSM, .300 WSM, .26 Nosler, 7mm Rem Mag, .28 Nosler and .300 Win Mag. All the barrels on these eight rifles are 26” and weigh in at 7-pounds 3-ounces up to 7-pounds 8-ounces. After having the X-Bolt Pro in our possession for nearly a year now and seeing what it was capable of, we were pretty excited to get our X-Bolt Pro Long Range in .300 Win Mag out for some testing. We have a .300 Win Mag and a 6.5 Creedmoor at our disposal in the X-Bolt Pro versions, so it was going to be good to see a side-by-side comparison on two identical calibers. Browning X-Bolt rifles have proven to be extremely accurate since we started shooting them five years ago. Neither of these rifles proved to be any different. We topped them with top of the line optics and started shooting for groups. Premium ammunition is always the way to go when you are looking to get the most out of your high-end rifles. Although point of impact varied with each different bullet we put through these rifles, one thing was certain; they are extremely accurate. Sub ½” MOA was attained with both rifles. Regardless of what bullets we shot, we could achieve Sub 1” MOA accuracy. A clean barrel would throw your first two shots off of the bullseye and is common with most rifles. Each rifle maintained solid accuracy for 40 consecutive shots without cleaning. About the only place we could find a difference is getting the rifle barrel heated up. If you sat down at the range with time being important, you could actually see a deviation in the groups on the X-Bolt Pro after fourteen rounds. This created an extremely hot barrel and touching it with the bare hand would not be recommended. We ran a whole box through the X-Bolt Pro Long Range and didn’t see any deviation in groups due to the barrel being hot. We were comparing like for like calibers and barrel lengths with this setup and the only real difference is the contour of the barrel. When you looked at some of the smaller calibers like the 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor, you would be picking up an extra four inches on each barrel, which is going to give more muzzle velocity and downrange energy. The 6.5 Creedmoor in this caliber is a very sought-after rifle for many long-range shooters. This caliber is fairly inexpensive to shoot and the minimal recoil allows you to call your own shots. Although we didn’t have this caliber in this test rifle, we do in the standard X-Bolt Pro and can still call our own shots. The additional pound of weight on the front-end and longer barrel can only be a bigger asset. Overall, these rifles are unbelievably accurate, dependable and durable. If you spend more time at the range than you do in the field, I would highly recommend the Browning X-Bolt Pro Long Range. If you don’t get too far from the truck on your hunts or you are just a beast and the added pounds don’t bother you, this is a great investment as well. However, if you are a backcountry hunter and every ounce counts, you can go with the standard X-Bolt Pro with the lighter barrel and overall weight and achieve identical results. As mentioned, for the first 14 shots, we didn’t see a difference. Either way you go, these are great rifles and worth every penny. I don’t see the need to spend the additional $3,500 it would take to get a custom rifle, which likely won’t deliver better results than these Browning X-Bolt Pro’s. Save the money and spend it on high quality ammunition and practice, practice, practice!

July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

Adventures On A Budget

visit to the majestic Grand Canyon has long been a popular summer travel destination for families and outdoor adventurers, but a vacation to this popular national park doesn’t have to break the bank. Whether you’re venturing into the more rugged and quiet North or looking to take advantage of the amenities and biking trails in the South Rim, check out these budget-friendly tips for exploring the 17th U.S. National Park and one of the most iconic summer vacation spots in the country.

Travel

By Car: The most adventurous way to find yourself looking out over the vast Grand Canyon walls is to road trip. Pack up the car, load up the cooler and hit the road. Road tripping paired with camping will save you money on lodging and allow you to manage your food and beverage budget appropriately. Admission here for a vehicle with up to four passengers is $30 USD. If you plan to visit other National Parks within the next year, consider buying an annual pass for $80. The pass has an added benefit of placing you in shorter «passes only» entry lines. By Air: If flying is your preferred method of travel, book a flight into the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport or Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It’s still roughly a two- to five-hour drive to the canyon’s South Rim, which can be done in a rental car or if you’re looking to avoid driving completely, hop on the Flagstaff Shuttle and Charter where transportation from Flagstaff to the South Rim of the canyon is $189 for the first three people and an extra $45 per person for each additional passenger. Getting from Phoenix to the South Rim of the canyon is $450 for the first three people, and $45 per person for each additional passenger. A free shuttle service also operates within the South Rim, making it easy to travel within the park without renting a car. The shuttle circles through the lodging area, popular overlooks and visitor center. This air-plus-shuttle combo will save you money on gas, especially if it’s a long drive to the canyon from your home. By Train: Train travel is an excellent way to the explore the West, and an even cooler way to arrive at the Grand Canyon. Amtrak offers service from Flagstaff to Grand Canyon National Park and a one-way ticket for a coach seat begins at $65 per person. The Grand Canyon Railway has been operating for more than one-hundred years and offers rides in their beautifully restored cars complete with service atten-

56 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Destination – The Grand Canyon By Allison Jones

Adventures On A Budget dants on hand to share stories of the train’s history. A round-trip ride on this historic train starts at $65. First class cabins and a luxury parlor with food and beverage service are also available for rental.

Lodging

There isn’t a shortage of places to stay during your visit to the Grand Canyon. Whether you’re looking to rough it or more interested in plush accommodations while in the park, there are plenty of affordable lodging options to choose from -- but reserve early -- campsites and lodges book up quickly during the park’s peak season. Camp: The most affordable way to stay in the Grand Canyon is to camp; the park has a handful of campgrounds available for tent and RV camping. Centrally located in the South Rim, near the Grand Canyon Village and within a short walk to stunning views overlooking the canyon, is the Mather Campground. Tent-only and RV campsites (non-electric) can be reserved for $18 per day during the peak season. The campground is also located in close proximity to showers and a general store. If camping is your designated form of lodging in the park, be sure to book your campsite in advance and purchase your camping supplies outside of the park to avoid paying higher prices. Lodges: The Grand Canyon’s North Rim is home to a handful of excellent hiking trails and water adventures. The Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim is the only lodging offered in the area and features a handful of cabin rentals and motel rooms located close to the canyon’s rim. A giant main dining hall serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and the property operates a complimentary shuttle to the Kaibab trailhead twice a day. Rental rates being at $130 per night. Only ten percent of visitors make it to the park’s North Rim, which means this is the place you should head if you’re looking to hike and paddle in solitude. If you’re visiting the South Rim, book one of the many rooms at the Yavapi Lodge, which is centrally located and sprawls out amid the many biking and walking trails that weave throughout the South Rim. Nightly rates begin at $190. Save on bike rental fees by bringing your own bike or visit Bright Angel Bicycles and Cafe at Mather Point, located near the visitor center, where you can rent a road bike and helmet for $35 per half day. There is much to see within a day’s drive of the Grand Canyon. Unless you're making a day trip from Las Vegas (it will be a very long day), try to combine your visit here with many other spectacular places in the region. Zion National Park in Utah is a relatively short, scenic drive from the North Rim and offers outstanding hiking opportunities. Page (90 miles NE of the South Rim) is a starting point for float trips on the Colorado River or vacations on Lake Powell. South of Flagstaff is the gorgeous city of Sedona, with its famous red rock landscapes that have inspired generations of artists. Yes, the Grand Canyon is one of those destinations that everyone needs to visit at least once in their lifetime and it’s a great adventure that doesn’t have to break the bank!

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Activities to Hook Kids on the Outdoors By Mark Kayser

ou want your kids and your grandkids to embrace the outdoors, right? Unfortunately, countless distractions seize their attention. If you want to get them involved at an early age, consider implementing these 10 activities to hook kids on the outdoors.

TAKE A KID HUNTING Whether your targeted child is old enough to hunt or not, you can introduce them to hunting simply by taking them along. Plan accordingly and take them on a hunt when the weather forecast shines. Spring turkey hunting is the perfect match. ENROLL THEM IN A HUNTER SAFETY COURSE If your child is old enough, enroll them in a certified hunter safety course. Not only will this teach them firearm safety and respect, but they will also get an introduction into hunting. It instills in them the importance of wildlife management and the hunter’s role in conservation. ENROLL THEM IN SHOOTING SPORTS To impress upon them the significance of being a good shot and to continue the firearm safety lesson, enroll them in any number of shooting sports programs. Your local shooting range may have a program or consider others offered by the NWTF Jakes program, 4-H Shooting Sports, the Boy Scouts of America and the National Archery in the Schools Program. PLAN A WILDLIFE OUTING Even if you can’t go hunting, you can plan a wildlife outing. Consider visiting a national wildlife refuge, a nature park or even a zoo. Many offer weekend classes on nature to compliment the adventure.

INCLUDE THEM IN HUNTING CHORES Preseason hunting chores include everything from putting up treestands to planting food plots. Take your youngster along and give them a role in the preparation. Make safety a first priority if they climb up the tree with harnesses and lifelines that fit. GET THEM THE RIGHT GEAR; GO SHOPPING For a comfortable, safe and enjoyable experience, outfit youth with the right gear. Clothes should fit like a glove. Boots should keep their feet warm. Backpacks should provide enough room for essential gear. Add a first aid kit to their equipment list for any mishaps. TAKE THEM CAMPING OR TO HUNTING CAMP Few memories outlast those from a childhood camping trip or even a visit to hunting camp. It creates an unforgettable set of experiences to connect hunting with the overall excitement of the outdoors. TAKE THEM SCOUTING When you plan a scouting trip take your new hunter along. Outfit them with a quality binocular and give them full access to the spotting scope as you look for game. Check trail camera images onsite to further spur the excitement of the hunt for them. COOK WILD GAME WITH THEM Whether you have freshly-taken game or pull a package from the freezer, cook a wild game meal with your new hunter. Research a recipe you know they’ll enjoy and add in a favorite dessert to top it off. It will inspire them to enjoy future bounties of the hunt. VOLUNTEER FOR A CONSERVATION PROJECT Hunters raise more money for wildlife and conservation than any other segment of America. To encourage a future commitment to conservation, volunteer with your youth on a local conservation project. Plant trees, clean up a public hunting area or help build waterfowl nesting structures. The outdoors and hunting can compete with everything out there grabbing the attention of youth. It’s up to you to plan activities that introduce them to this natural and captivating experience.

58 July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

MOMENTUM

FRANCHIUSA.COM

INTRODUCING THE FRANCHI MOMENTUM RIFLE FLUTED BOLT BODY, 3 LOCKING LUGS

Feels right: like no other rifle before, the Franchi Momentum was created from the ground up on ergonomics, fit and feel. With its 150-year tradition of crafting fine Italian firearms, Franchi knows that when the gun feels right, the day, the camaraderie and the whole outdoor experience will also feel right.

HAMMER-FORGED PRECISION BARREL, THREADED MUZZLE

Features: Contoured stock giving perfect hold in 5 common shooting positions; glass-smooth action; 1-piece bolt body; adjustable trigger (2-4 lbs.); recoil- soaking TSA pad; free-floating, hammer-forged barrel; threaded muzzle.

The Momentum is available as a rifle only or as a scoped package. Available in the following calibers: .243 Win, .270 Win, .30-06, .308 Win, .300 Win Mag & 6.5 Creedmoor.

July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS

Get The Most Of The Texas Coast

he original island life destination, Port Aransas, located on Mustang Island has 18 miles of shoreline and wide, sandy beaches—with everything you need to plan the perfect beach vacation. But this is no ordinary island. Just ask the locals and vacationers who’ve ranked it one of the best beaches in Texas! This gulf coast island offers year-round outdoor activities, from sport fishing and parasailing to birding, dolphin watching, kayaking and the only seaside links-style golf course in Texas. Stroll through town on a rented golf cart, explore the shops, galleries and enjoy an array of restaurants, from “cook your catch” to roadside taco stands to fine dining. You’ll find year-round festivals and events, including the annual BeachtoberFest, the Whooping Crane Festival and Texas SandFest. And with a new wave of luxurious vacation homes, cottages, hotels (or glamping!), you can find the perfect place to stay, from a family vacation to a low-key getaway. One of the few island destinations that has something for everyone, come discover why Port Aransas and Mustang Island is a vacation favorite. Port Aransas is welcoming anglers back to its channels, back bays and public piers starting in June to catch their favorite species -- from trout, redfish, black drum and

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flounder to tarpon, Spanish mackerel, shark and sheepshead. Located on 18-mile-long Mustang Island, Port A (as it is affectionately called) is also gearing up for two signature tournaments: • The 25th Annual Fishing Break Tournament, welcoming individuals and teams from June-22-23rd: www.annualfishingbreak.com/ • The 83rd Deep Sea Roundup, a family friendly saltwater fishing tournament, claimed to be the oldest of its kind on the Gulf Coast, from July 12-15th; www. deepsearoundup.com/ Fishing tournaments actually take place throughout the entire summer, ranging from kids and women-only to billfish and redfish tournaments, with one nearly each weekend.

Fishing

Known to casual and serious anglers alike as the “Fishing Capital of Texas,” Port Aransas offers challenges and a string of rewards for everyone. Virtually every type of angler casting around for a hot spot will find their own paradise here. You can even bring your fresh catch to a local eatery and have them cook it up, just the way you like it, while you sit back and enjoy dining waterside.

Bay & Shallow Water Bay fishing is also outstanding in the waterways surrounding Mustang Island, where limits of redfish, flounder, black drum and trout are common place. Pier & Jetty For those that prefer to keep their feet dry, Port Aransas has four public, lighted fishing piers and the popular south jetty for around the clock casting. Deep Sea Launch your boat from one of our many marinas or hire a private charter for the fishing trip of a lifetime. Tackle the deep blue waters on an offshore excursion and reel in kingfish, sailfish, marlin, tuna and more. Fishing Tournaments Competitive fishing is big business in this little town. ‘Port A’ hosts over 20 fishing tournaments during the summer months ranging from kids to women only and billfish to redfish tournaments.

Boating

Fishing isn’t the only way to go overboard on fun in the sun! Port A may be known as one of the best places in the country to take a dolphin tour, but they’re not the only characters you’ll see out on the water. Water Sports Had enough relaxation? Get some action on the water! There’s always time for kayaking, parasailing, surfing, kiteboarding, SUP, or sailing. Bring your own gear or rent from an expert. Themed Cruises Hop aboard one of our themed day cruises! Enjoy pirate adventures, spot and talk to the sea mammals, experience mermaids, or book a party boat and coast along the island’s shoreline. Regattas Our spunky little town is also a stop for many of the area’s sailboat regattas. Every

Fall you can catch the Harvest Moon Regatta as sailors navigate from Galveston, Texas to Port A. The Corpus Christi Yacht Club hosts the Port A Regatta every spring, where the waterborne go from the Corpus Christi marina to our island.

Stay

Port ‘A’ offers a large variety of accommodations. Whether you prefer a cozy beach cottage, conventional motel room, luxury condominium or the privacy of your own beach house, the island offers coastal digs to fit your needs. In addition, there are numerous hotels, vacation rentals and a great selection of RV parks and campgrounds for those who prefer to sleep under the stars. Free of charge, Port A’s top fishing spots include: • Aransas Causeway: Located between Aransas Pass and Port Aransas, along Texas Highway 36 with miles of accessible waterfront paralleling two channels. The Shrimp Boat Channel (aka Aransas Channel) is north of the east-west road and the Sailboat Channel runs along the south side. Numerous pull-off entrances allow vehicles to access the shore. Camping, bank-fishing, and kayak-launching are allowed along both channels. • Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trails Park: Located near Port Aransas’s ferry landing on Texas Highway 361, anglers will find a wooden boardwalk and a paddling trails sign beside a parking lot on the road’s east side. This popular kayak launch spot also provides bank fishing along a channel flanking the highway. • Port Aransas South Jetty: This drive-up fishing spot offers free parking along the rocks. • Port Aransas has shown a swift recovery since Hurricane Harvey struck its shores in August 2017. Over half the island’s fishing guides are now operational, while 18 miles of beachfront are in mint condition and most hotels and restaurants are now open. To learn why Port A is a world-class fishing destination you can also check out portaransas.org/ for more information.

July 2018 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

62 July 2018 | SPORTSMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWS