EARLY FALL 2014
MISSOURI:
Hunting, Fishing Camping & Hiking
MECCA
Scent and Common Sense
TREE STAND
SAFETY
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 1
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Bow Hunting Find yourself an
Early Season Hot Spot.............................................. 8 Seeing is Believing..................................................10 Open Pattern Predator Camo
Big Game Hunting Scent ....................................................................................28 & common sense Just the
Bear Facts.........................................................................36
Tree Stand Safety .....................................................12 Check & re-set stands
Lesson Learned...........................................................14 Surviving a tree stand fall Marketing in the
Bowhunting World....................................................16 160 Inch Accident......................................................20 Show-Me State Success
Grand Slams...................................................................40 Not just for baseball The Majestic
North American Elk.................................................44
Page 4 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Hunting
Fishing
Missouri Mecca............................................................24
Fishing Missouri.........................................................26
Hunting Wyoming
Wind is Your Friend..................................................58
Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Hiking
Greys River.......................................................................32 Never a truer statement than
Be Prepared.....................................................................42
Table Rock Lake
Walleye respond to wind direction
Fishing Arkansas......................................................60 Bull Shoals - A fisherman’s dream
The reward is worth the difficulty
The Pheasant Hunter.............................................50 Missouri’s
Waterfowl Hunting Triangle.............................52
DEPARTMENTS Editorial..................................................................6 Marketplace................................................... 66
ARTICLES NRA Special Edition Revolver............34 American Legacy Firearms From The Loading Bench......................46 The Colt Bulldog Gatling Gun Bandboyz Outfitters ...................................64 Skilled outdoor fanatics!
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 5
September-October 2014
An American Tradition Whenever autumn roles around hunters start to reminisce and relive the old great memories in their minds of the past hunts, past scouting experiences and just being out there enjoying the greatest outdoors in the world. When the days start getting colder and the sun starts setting earlier than usual, we sportsmen start getting that awesome excited feeling deep down in our gut. We start getting antsy with anticipation and start having dreams involving elk, deer, bows, rifles, muzzleloaders and the great outdoors. This is the season all hunters look forward to all year long; we’re just like kids waiting for Christmas. Once you get a taste of hunting it becomes a lifelong addiction and obsession. Hunting to hunters is much more than a hobby; it’s a lifestyle, a religion, a way of life. It’s who we are and what we live for (next to family of course). We can taste it on every breath we take, hear it in our ears every time we take a step outside, and see it with our eyes when we’re awake and asleep. Hunting is an American tradition. As Americans, it’s who we are and what we’re made of and autumn holds a special place in the heart of every hunter across this great nation. A hunter’s greatest memories are being out with his family and friends scouring the hills for game that we’ve come to love, respect and admire. No other person knows more, admires more or has more respect for the animals he hunts than a hunter. I urge everyone this hunting season to go out as much as you can and take advantage of the great outdoors. Please be careful, hunt hard and may you all have the best of success! ~ Jim Rogers Cover Photo: Ron Reslow, BHP staff Photo Credit: BowHunterPlanet
Magazine Team
CEO/PRESIDENT: K.A. Lesnar OPERATIONS MANAGER: Hosea Bennett COMPOSITION MANAGER: Catherine Krause Compositon: Dan Brauer - Jesse Bierman - Rosti Voznyuk
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EDITOR/SALES MANAGER: Jim Rogers SALES: Adryanna Rogers MARKETING: Ashley Boomgarden
Contributors BHP Staff: -Aaron Cloyd -Jason Dumas -James Noteboom -Dave Thomas
James Fackrell Ed Hammond Razvan Jr Kenneth L. Kieser Davidson Manning Paul Marsh Ryan K. McSparran
Bennett A. Michaels Scott Richardson Jim Rogers Bradley Routh Ted Takasaki Anderson Wasd
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EARLY SPRI NG 2014
RIVER MONSTERS:
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2014
PRE-SP EarlyAW Spr N
BASS ing FISHING
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 7
t are e year that mos d the time of th dreams an t ur ou yo ab of m nters drea ent the buck hu t om m os y m an at th at and e of the season e in the woods That is the tim is a magical tim It e. s. do es s cc idwest usually ou su tr ve ason in the M trail of an es e se th er expecting to ha rly on de t e ho th , , woods g to be had ea rolling on by be in the deer e great huntin to m a could come st e so ith tim is t W e ea er e. gr Th riv r to ar ber is a ember. While Novem g for Novembe re we hit Nov d of fo tin ea ai be w ah th l bs el on w m um s ll th nt t hu your one fu ve some grea ck and twiddle starts at least hot spot and ha don’t just sit ba on so as on se as rly se ea e in th is a urself an g. The summer you can find yo some scoutin ps of little planning do ou d gr an t d fin ou t rival. can usually ess is to ge u cc yo s su ld es on fie as November’s ar ng n se all glassi d are ofte tim to having early every night an d much time at d en ally an sp re The first step u ch ps yo ea ou if s gr d chelor od source watch deer an mid-summer ba into quality fo er e th ur es ga po great time to th r to g ee le in D ab nd . r habits. Fi ion you are ite regularly ei at qu th rm s by fo ck in ch bu e at th ce w y ni atel your you could set on but unfortun so predictable upcoming seas ason starts. e se th e r th fo ugh the first e ng tim pi e m th pu d by oo od bl tember on thro go e ep h S uc will te m la gets th u to yo id ly and August re from m ust may not do eing back in Ju t open anywhe se e as es in July or Aug er w g, w id tin u M ra e yo st th ons in cks that n be fru many of the bu rly sightings ca Most bow seas it once ly on those ea . By that time le er serious about so ob t d ct ge O se t ba of bu t ck us bu e ug a A few days et d rg an ta r property in th ng in July d and trying to e still using ou ting and glassi se ober I ou ct s sc O have relocate ck ur of bu yo ys e y und that th first few da nting. Enjo e fo oi th pp ve g sa ha rin I di s du as ar l ng wel r the ye to get on seei mber it’s time lls around. Ove es I can count ttern in Septe September ro me are the on pa fra n e ca I tim r at th be eptem et buck early to mid S I locate a targ opens. Once on as se r ou when serious.
w where o n k ld u o h s u o y r e summe th in r e li r a e w rces. a u s o u s o d y o t a fo h d w e r r g in fe s e U g their pr in it x e d n a g a stand in r t e te g n e to e r d a e e r n e e u d o y e th rget buck ta t a th d e fi ti n redictable e p t id a e v th a n h o u e o z y li a e c it n p O urce to ca o s d o fo d e r r fe e r gain. a e m ti d n set up on his p a e m ti him work d e h tc a w e ’v u o y pattern e first attempt right spot on th e th in and t se d an d all summer Setting your st been pressure t no er the ov ve l al ha e er nc de int is trou po is is crucial. The th at do The window to you want to e your stand. the last thing ov m en ld th d an t up, care in the wor place as you se ing without a ov g m tin d er an al up by cks en smaller catch these bu n’t make it ev do ; is it as is small enough d of time. presence ahea them to your
Page 8 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 9
When choosing a food source stand location for your early season hunts keep in mind that you will be hunting this stand in the evenings as the deer are heading towards the food. Hunting a field edge in the morning during early season is risky business and often times accessing these areas in the morning can turn into an early morning deer drive. Hunting the evenings means there are two things you need to keep in mind: you will likely be exiting the stand while deer are in the field and you will likely have multiple deer in the field as you wait for that big buck to show up closer to dark. Often times people set their stands directly on a field edge in this situation but those stand locations have two fundamental flaws. First off, they are often times nearly impossible to exit without clearing the entire field. If you do that the first few times you sit the stand you may as well forget going back out again as it doesn’t take deer, especially older bucks, long to realize what’s going on. Secondly the stands on the edge of the field often provide little cover and tend to leave the hunter exposed to the deer that are out in the field feeding. Being within sight of all those eyes can make it hard to get drawn on your target deer once it approaches. To solve both of those issues try to look for a suitable stand location that is set back
By Dave Thomas Predator Camo brings amazement to the eye. When I first laid eyes on predator Camo I thought it will never work. Little did I know how wrong I would be. I was at work one day and while working on a project with a co-worker I noticed he had a picture of a deer on his desktop. Instantly I looked over at him. I said “Bob are you a hunter?” He smiles and said for 30 years. I got excited because I knew I had someone to talk hunting with. It was Bob who introduced me to Predator Camo. He said you have got to see this stuff it’s like nothing you have ever used. A week later Bob had brought in his outfit for me to view. He started teaching me on how the open pattern worked. It was starting to make sense the shading and shadows the concept of the open pattern. Bob explained to me how the broken pattern is not just a hunting thing but also used in military to break up objects. Not knowing what you are looking at is what gives this a big edge in Camo technology. At this point I was calling Frank Hood. I was driving home from work when I cold called Frank at Predator. I said simply Frank I have been looking at your patterns and I want to test them in the field this season for our BoneDriven show. At that point our partnership was born and the BHP team and BoneDriven team would have a chance to bring this product to the consumers. Shipment day! The gear got to my house. Ron Reslow came over as well to check it out. The quality was very high and the feel of the clothing was even better. What stood out most was the Camo itself—completely amazing. We started testing the product on a ranch for a pig hunt. 3D deception was the pattern. What we did not expect that day was to blend in so well that the camera could not find us. After seeing the footage I knew then this was one if the best patterns I had ever seen/used. Not only was the pattern amazing but the clothing was very well made. Quiet, comfy and warm are just some aspects of this gear. Since that day we have explored all of the color patterns and clothing offered and find all of them to be exceptional in the field. We spent a week in Ohio during the rut testing out brown deception and fall gray in the stealth series. We stayed warm, dry and invisible the whole time. We were never seen or winded the entire trip. Deer moved in every hunt but none of them knew there were predators in the trees. It was without any doubt our warmth and ability to adapt to the environment was solely on Predator Camo. I have been working in this industry since 2009 but have been a hunter way before that. When you find a product that works you can’t help but tell people and get excited about it. This is one of those products. Don’t take my word for it test it out yourself visit predatorcamo. com to learn more. Seeing is believing!
Page 10 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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into the woods anywhere from 5 to 20 yards. This will allow for some cover between you and the field edge and also allow you the ability to slide down after dark and move through the woods if there are deer in the field as you exit. Having that “backdoor exit” can be a lifesaver if the buck you’re after doesn’t show for the first few days of the season. Be mindful as you push into the woods though, you don’t really want to push back in too far. Again, these deer are still living the good life and have not yet felt hunting pressure. You don’t want to get way back into the woods and risk bumping deer out of the area. If you’ve done your homework ahead of time with scouting and glassing you should have a good idea of the deer’s patterns. Trust your information and let the deer come to you. There’s no need to force the issue the first week of the season. As with any stand setup, wind direction is also going to play a major role in where you hang your stand and how you attack the food source. On a smaller food source, like a 1 or 2 acre food plot, if the prevailing wind doesn’t work with the deer’s main entry trail don’t be afraid to set up on one of the other sides of the field. Let the deer hit the field and then feed towards you as the evening wears on. All too often people get overly focused on the particular
run the deer are using and feel as though they have to hunt along that run, even if the wind may not be perfect for it. In my mind it is far more important to have the wind in your favor than it is to be by that one particular run. Try to find a location that gives you a bullet proof wind situation and the deer may well stay in the field long enough to wander within range even if you are sitting on the opposite side they entered on. This feeding pattern behavior will usually last through the first 10 or so days of October and then the deer will begin to change their habits and will become much less visible (commonly known as the October Lull period). These predictable patterns make the first few weeks of the season a great time to be in the woods and allow you a good chance to get yourself on a great buck. Over the last few years I have had pretty good luck being able to pattern some good bucks in September and have found myself in the middle of the action right off the bat in October. If you are able to pattern one of your target bucks in the weeks leading up to the season opener then don’t let this window of opportunity pass you by as you wait for November to arrive. Do your scouting homework and use that information to put yourself in an early season hot spot.
As with any stand setup, wind direction is also going to play a major role in where you hang your stand and how you attack the food source. On a smaller food source, like a 1 or 2 acre food plot, if the prevailing wind doesn’t work with the deer’s main entry trail don’t be afraid to set up on one of the other sides of the field.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 11
When it comes to preparing for an upcoming deer season my “to-do” list can get pretty long. My summer consists of running trail cameras, planting and maintaining food plots, scouting, improving habitat and shooting my bow. Each of these tasks are important and they all serve a distinct function but there is one more thing that I do every summer that is far more important than any of those chores. Regardless of how busy I am or how behind schedule I am there is one task that never gets put off until next year: checking and re-setting all our tree stands. If you are a hunter there is a really good chance that you either know somebody who has taken a fall from a tree stand or you yourself have taken a fall. Personally mine came several years ago as I was descending from my stand. I was in a crooked tree and was using three separate climbing sticks. As I made the step from the top stick to the middle stick the step came loose and spun around the side of the tree. Just like that I was left hanging, thankfully both my hands were holding onto steps and I was able to hold myself for a moment and gather myself before dropping to the ground below. I was lucky and escaped pretty much unscathed but looking back on it now it is definitely a reminder of what can happen each and every time we take to the woods. 2014 Page 12 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
That incident happened when I was a young, tough, invincible college kid so the mental impact was pretty minimal at the time (I was invincible, even falling from a tree couldn’t hurt me!!). These days I am a husband to a wonderful wife and a father to two amazing children. The thought of what could have happened that day or what could happen on any given hunt are a lot more meaningful than I realized as I sat on my butt that day looking back up at the stand I had been in just seconds before. Those thoughts and the realization of what could have been are what I think of each and every summer and are why we go around and check all of our stands. We hunt private land and many of our stand locations remain set all year long and stay in the same trees for several consecutive seasons. Throughout the course of a year anything can happen to a tree stand or the straps that hold it up. They have to endure the heat of summer and the brutal cold of winter. They get chewed on by squirrels, soaked by rain, frozen by ice and snow and stretched by tree growth. It’s easy to see how any of those factors could compromise the integrity of the stand and leave it substantially weakened and prone to failure. MidwestHuntFish.com
If you leave your stands out all year long at a minimum you should go to each and every one and loosen the straps, inspect them for wear and then re-set them in the tree. This gives you a chance to check straps for damage or wear and it also allows you to adjust the stand to the new diameter of the growing tree so it is properly and securely set. While you are inspecting the straps take time to inspect the nuts, bolts and cables as well. Look for rusted hardware or frayed cables and replace as necessary. The straps should also be replaced from time to time as well as the extended exposure to the elements will weaken them over time. Even if they still look good visually, after a few straight years in the elements all straps should be replaced. Don’t forget to check your step sticks for all the same signs of wear as well. They are subject to the same conditions as the stands and should also be inspected and re-set. We often tend to overlook the steps and think mainly of the stand itself when thinking of tree stand safety but take it from someone who knows; your steps can be just as dangerous and deserve the same maintenance and care as your stand. MidwestHuntFish.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 13
P By BH
Lastly, doing these inspections in the summer allows you to see the tree at a time when it should be full of leaves and looking healthy. If you are checking a stand and notice the tree is not doing well or is dead take the time to move the stand. I know how important being in the right tree can be but if the tree is in danger of coming down is it really worth the risk? We had a stand in a tree that came down a few years back and thankfully nobody was in the stand at the time. Standing there looking at the carnage it was hard to believe it had happened but sure enough the bottom of the tree had hollowed out making it weak. We definitely dodged a bullet on that one but it was a great reminder to keep an eye on the tree itself when checking your stands. All of your stand inspections (and climbing in general) should be done while using the proper safety gear. Today’s hunting market is full of awesome safety vests and harnesses, most of which come with a lineman’s belt, and there is no reason not to be using a good climbing safety system. By adding a lifeline to your stand you can stay tied into a fall restraint system the entire time you are off the ground. Not using all, or at least some, of these safety systems in inexcusable. It simply doesn’t make sense not to. Take the time to inspect all your stands this summer and make sure that you are using the proper safety equipment. It provides you the peace of mind that you owe yourself, your loved ones and all your friends and family. No matter how great the hunt is, no matter how big that monster buck is, it can never be a successful hunt if it isn’t a safe hunt. Hunt hard, hunt safe, hunt again another day! Page 14 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
on er Jas Blogg
s
Duma
It was the fall of 1994, a full week of bow hunting scheduled for a boy and his father in northern Michigan. I was 14 years old and had looked forward to this trip for an entire year. This was the first year I was truly hunting on my own for the entire week. Although, as young as the age of 12 I began to hunt alone. This was my chance to get a deer on my own the area we were hunting was located in the northeast portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. My family at one time owned 1,200 acres and a saw mill in Hubbard Lake. In the days leading up to the trip my dad had asked if I would like to take a buddy along on the trip. Knowing only a few friends who hunted, I asked my buddy Jim to come with us on the trip. Full of excitement, we waited for Friday and the beginning of our trip. We arrived late Friday and spent the evening at the local bar enjoying dinner and shared hunting stories from years past. My dad was super excited as he had placed a stand in a new location that looked very promising. The next morning we went out for a short morning hunt and had seen some deer, none within shooting range. We decided we should spend a few hours baiting the spots in preparation for the much anticipated evening hunt. After baiting the stands we went to lunch and caught the end of a college football game before returning to camp for a mid-day nap. The evening drew near and we decided to head out a little early.
Jason Dumas, left with childhood buddy Jim
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Firefighter Jason Dumas & Dad
The location of the fall was an eerie sight with a trail of toppled trees and debris.
Happy 54th Mr. Dumas!
My dad dropped Jim and I off at the roads edge and we walked about 400 yds. to our spots from the drop off location. My dad was hunting about a half mile up the road and had about a 150 yd. walk to his stand from where he parked. I arrived in my stand and settled in for the evening hunt. I was full of anticipation! This was in my opinion the “honey hole” of the property. In fact, stories have been told after hunting this spot that the trees seem to turn into deer at dusk. My excitement and anticipation would be cut short. 15 minutes after getting into my stand, I heard what sounded like a car horn beeping, coming from the area where my dad dropped Jim and me off. At first it was several excited sounding horn bursts. I thought holy cow, my dad had already dropped the big one, 10 minutes into the hunt. I must remind everyone, this was before the era of cell phones. I assumed he was so excited that he couldn’t wait and wanted me to come out of the woods ASAP! I began to climb down wondering what he could have possibly shot to be this excited. As I began walking towards the drop off location the horn stopped, then blew again, only this time it was a steady blow as if someone was laying on the horn. Suddenly my heart sank. I knew this was something much different than originally thought. I knew he was in trouble! I meet up with Jim as I made my way to the drop off spot and he too knew something wasn’t right. We both began to run, and as we got closer, we could see my dad slumped over the wheel of the minivan with blood dripping from his mouth. I ran to the driver’s side of the van and said “dad what’s wrong?! He replied “I fell” He was barely conscious and with the assistance of Jim we rolled him into the back seat. My dad then said “you’ve got to drive me to the hospital, NOW!” Never really driving a vehicle before, I jumped in the driver’s seat and began to drive. After reaching the main road, I began to hear my dad moaning with each bump in the road. He said “Pull over, I’m not going to make it” I said “Yes you are” and drove on. I knew where the hospital was after making several trips to town with my dad over the years. The drive would take over 35 minutes and I had a heck of a time keeping the van on the road. My dad lost consciousness several times while en route to the hospital. Upon arrival at the hospital, I ran into the ER and explained the situation. Everyone in the ER looked puzzled and couldn’t figure out how I drove, especially after watching the van come to a sudden halt in the emergency drop off area because I shifted the van into park to stop the van rather than applying the brake. MidwestHuntFish.com
The hospital staff removed my dad from the van and began assessing his injuries. I used a pay phone with the help of a nice woman in the waiting area of the ER. I called my mother and explained what had happened. She immediately hung up the phone and said “that’s not even something to joke about” because of my jokester side, she assumed this was another bad joke! I called back and began to cry and she realized it wasn’t a joke. Suddenly the ER doctor approached me and said we may have to fly your dad to the U of M due to his injuries. I was in shock! I relayed the information to my mother and sat along with Jim in the waiting area of the ER. Thankfully we had some distant relatives in northern Michigan who drove and picked us up, taking us to their cabin. My uncle who would have normally been on the trip and my mother arrived that night. The next day my uncle visited the location of the fall and described an eerie sight. He found a trail through the ferns where my dad had crawled and dragged himself back to the van. Along the trail, several items were found including a flashlight, release, and portions of clothing. Several trees were toppled over as my dad attempted to drive the vehicle out of the woods. All in all my dad sustained 4 broken ribs a broken collar bone and a punctured lung from the fall. He wasn’t wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. Safety wasn’t a major concern in this era as tree stand hunting was still very new to the sport. The fall from about 20 feet was enough to almost kill him. Ever since the accident, I will not hunt without a safety restraint. You owe it to your family, yourself, and the industry, to lead by example and encourage safety in the field. This incident had a huge impact on me and directly affected my career choice after graduating high school. I now work as a career firefighter and chose this occupation after my experience as a boy. I vowed to select an occupation that would allow me to help people, after finding out the hard way how important emergency services are when accidents happen. I would have done anything to get help from a first responder, unfortunately that was not an option on that day in that location in that era. This incident could have been much worse. My dad had the will to survive that day and proved it by crawling 150 yds. to the van with life threatening injuries to make sure I didn’t find him in the woods dead from the fall. Please, please, please! Always wear a safety restraint when hunting from a tree stand. Lessons have been learned from accidents like the one described above. Please learn from this and stay safe! Since the accident my dad has given up hunting, as the experience still haunts him if he is alone in the woods. My dad just celebrated his 54th birthday, make sure you celebrate many more and practice Midwest Hunting & Fbirthdays ishing - September -October safe 2014 •hunting. Page 15
We all know who Uncle Ted, Lee and Tiffany and
Michael Waddell are, and most people who even remotely following hunting shows can tell you what brand of bow they shoot. Most recently Ted Nugent has signed to shoot Mathews, as well as Lee and Tiffany, that my friends, is called marketing. Now I am going to throw a disclaimer out there before I even get started, I am not bashing by any means, Mathews, or any other company that has marketed so successfully that in some people’s eyes, they are the only choice when it comes to a high end bow. Mathews makes a phenomenal bow, no one in their right mind can argue that, what I am going to talk about is my personal journey from being a Mathews “Fan Boy,” to opening my eyes to a whole new world of greatness from many companies, and maybe, just maybe open a few others’ eyes with my experiences.
G N I T E K R E A TH MIN
G G N I N D I L T W T W R O NN O O B W U B HU H M O O B TE ER O N EST ES D T M L JA FIE Y B HP B
Page 16 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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James Noteboom
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Mathews Creed XS Image from BowHunterPlanet.com
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 17
I did not purchase my own bow until about 2002; I would always use my father’s old bows. Anyone remember Proline? (Made in my hometown of Hastings, Michigan) My first purchase was a Browning Stalker; I will be blatantly honest as to what drew me to that bow, the Buckmark. One of the most popular symbols in the hunting world is the Browning Buckmark, and not being able to go with high end bows, or even know where to find them at that time, I went into Gander Mountain, with my price point and purchased what was most familiar to me.
Their marketing worked.
James Noteboom - BHP Field Tester Image from BowHunterPlanet.com Page 18 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Now the Browning Stalker was a decent bow for my needs at the time, right around $300, and I killed a couple deer with it. But in 2009, after a good six seasons of use, it was time to move on. By this time, I had been watching quite a few hunting shows, joined some forums, and all I heard about was Mathews and Hoyt. I knew I couldn’t pony up the $900 for the bow plus setup, so I went to forum and started searching. With about $500 to spend, I had one bow in mind, and I knew I could probably find a decent deal on a used one, a couple weeks later, the Switchback arrived. Again, the Mathews Switchback, to this day, is one of the best hunting bows ever created, hands down, so I am definitely not saying anything negative about it. The Switchback was night and day better than my Browning, smooth, much faster and I felt way more confident in the stand. But, this is not the point, the point is, I had blinders on, I only wanted Mathews, you couldn’t talk me into something else, it was marketed to me as the best and that was what I wanted. At the time, I honestly can say, regardless of the functionality of the bow, a small part of me wanted to be able to tell my buddies or fellow hunters, when they asked what I shot, I wanted to scream from the rooftops, “I SHOOT A MATHEWS!!” Mathews marketing is second to none; you cannot argue, that to this day, shooting a Mathews has some sort of status symbol to many hunters. In 2010, I made a new friend; my wife had joined a Mom’s Group and had come home to tell me that one of the ladies husband’s was into bow hunting as well. Of course, after meeting and getting introductions out of the way, the conversation turned to hunting, and “What bow do you shoot?” Of course, I proudly told him about my Switchback, but was surprised by his follow up, “I shoot Darton.” “Darton, what the hell is a Darton,” I thought to myself. I think the Mathews Z7 was out at the time so I honestly was going to assume that was his answer. Now this guy is more into bows and bow hunting than anyone I have ever met, so over the next year, we talked more and I was exposed to more bows and gradually began to see, wow, there is a lot of cool stuff out there that I would have never considered. A whole new world had been shown to me, I got to shoot bows from companies such as Darton, Strother, Athens, Xpedition, Bear, PSE, Ross, APA, Prime. All with slightly different styles and strong points; but yet all engineered and manufactured with excellence. If I needed to be able to break down a bow in the field, no problem, that was available. If didn’t care for the waffle pattern on my risers, but still wanted speed, low hand shock and quietness, no problem. Snow camouflage on a bow, you bet! So last year, this same friend had talked me into buying a Darton 3800, I had seen videos of the bow shoot 337FPS through a whisker biscuit, I had a chance to shoot one, did my research, it honestly sold itself. Another great thing about Mathews is the resale market, after 4 years, I sold the Switchback for what I paid for it. I got the Darton all setup and took her to the range, the speed, the quietness; I could just not imagine the difference. Absolutely no arrow drop, no arch at 30 yards, at 40 yards I was automatic. The confidence this bow has given me is phenomenal. MidwestHuntFish.com
Darton 3800
In 2010, I made a new friend. Of course, the conversation turned to hunting, and “What bow do you shoot?” He said, “I shoot Darton.” “Darton, what the hell is a Darton,” I thought to myself. I honestly thought the Mathews Z7 was going to be his answer. ...This same friend had talked me into buying a Darton 3800. The confidence this bow has given me is phenomenal.
I am very fortunate, not many hunters get the opportunity to get to put their hands on bows from all these different wonderful companies. Like I said, Mathews is a awesome company, nothing will ever change that, I just wanted to tell my story, hopefully let my experience help get a few hunters to go to the mom and pop shop and test a couple bows that they may not have heard of, or get on Youtube and watch some video reviews of a couple new bows. There are some great companies out there, maybe some from your own state, I live in Michigan, so supporting companies such as Darton, Strother, Quest and Prime (all Michigan companies), makes it that much better for me. Xpedition is another company making a huge splash in bowhunting world, anyone that gets a chance to shoot one, absolutely loves them. I had a chance to shoot the Xterra and Xcentric. Both very smooth, fast and had great back walls, everything you would be looking for in a bow. I think the design and light weight puts them over the edge for me. I especially love the Xcentric, the technology on this bow is phenomenal. The handle is great; the wood inlay fit my hand perfect. I would definitely recommend anyone looking for something new, to head to the archery shop and give it a try. We all understand marketing, and how it affects our thoughts and opinions, some companies have more marketing dollars than others, but just because a company is not plastered all over every hunting show, doesn’t mean you aren’t missing out on a something that will absolutely blow your mind! Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 19
2010 Missouri bow season started out like any other. Warm temperatures, lots of leaves on the trees and plenty of mosquitoes. So hunting the early part of the season was nothing but normal to us that hunt it every year. September in the Show-Me State is usually dry and hot so I like to focus on water sources. Since we hunt public land, we are out there with all the other hunters in the area, so we try to go to hard to reach places where most won’t venture and it usually pays off. I hung my first stand over a pond that I have harvested many deer out of in the past and began the season with high hopes. During the next couple weeks, I got a feeling that there was something different going on this year, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I would see a few deer in the mornings and a few in the evenings, but nothing I was interested in shooting this early in the season. Here in my county, like many other counties in Missouri, we have a four point on one side rule. Now this means a legal buck has to have at least four points on one side to be a legal harvest. Although this has made it harder to take a buck every year, I think it has helped our bucks get some age on them plus grow some bigger racks. So, in my opinion, it has been a beneficial rule and will make for better hunting in the future. Page 20 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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By Bradley Routh
As September winded down and we moved into October, I still wasn’t seeing the kind of deer I was after. I had passed on a few decent 8 pointers that many hunters would be happy to take, I just knew there were better ones to be had. October is the time of year where our bucks start making rubs and rub lines and that is normally our next plan of attack. So I found a rub line in the same area we usually do every year and hung my stand. I hunted hard and again saw a few deer, but none I launched an arrow at. It was starting to get a little discouraging, but like the dedicated hunter I am, I kept going back. As the end of October was quickly approaching, I knew it was time the bucks were going to start getting frisky and the ground scrapes would start appearing. Again, I scouted a spot where we have found plenty of scrapes in the past and sure enough, there they were. So I moved my stand and began the scrape hunting phase of the season. Now hunting scrapes along with some grunting and a little rattling, has resulted in many exciting hunts. But again, this year, it was slow going. I saw some small bucks and a few that were borderline, but not what I wanted. Now some people might think that I was being too picky when it comes to bucks, but my trail cameras showed the rest of the story. I had pictures of several bucks that were in the 140 to 150 inch range and I had my heart set on one of those. MidwestHuntFish.com
Bradley Routh shows off his 163 5/8” 13 point buck harvested with a Montec G5 broadhead on public land in Missouri
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3-blade Montec G5 broadhead offers incredible bone-splitting strength, consistent, target-point-like accuracy and deep penetration in even the heaviest game animals.
November crept up on us and I knew with rifle season just a few weeks away there would be many hunters coming in to our public hunting areas and the bucks we were seeing might be harvested by someone else. So the urgency was felt and I had to make a decision and make it fast. Now November 7th was a rather warm day for November, so I decided to take a break from the stand and do some scouting. I knew those bucks had to be somewhere, I just didn’t know where. On my many pre-season scouting trips, there was an old logging road that I never checked out. I don’t know what made me do it that day, but I decided to walk it and see what it had to offer. After walking better than a half mile, I discovered a pond that I never knew existed. As I scouted it, I found deer track after deer track on the banks and also some giant rubs. As my heart began to pound, I walked a little farther around the pond and found several ground scrapes that were bigger than any I found all season. This was the spot, the mother load of buck sign. It had all the things I look for to harvest big deer. Water, rubs, tracks and giant scrapes, I was in deer heaven. So I decided to go get my stand and hang it over that pond. I made way back to that glorious spot trying to be quiet and leave as little scent as possible. I finally got my stand hung and it was getting late so I decided to come back in the morning and see what would come in. I got to the stand about 45 minutes before light, got all my gear set up and settled in for the excitement to come. As the sun began to rise, the ducks came flying in. Not only did I find and incredible deer hunting spot, I found a place to take some ducks! Seven o’clock rolled around and the wind began to pick up and I was beginning to doubt my decision to hunt this spot, but I told myself “It is early, hang in there.” It was an unusually hot morning for November and by 7:30, I felt the sweat begin to roll. It crossed my mind again that maybe I made a mistake with this spot, but I stayed in the stand. I worked my grunt call and rattle bag a few times, but with the wind, I wasn’t sure Page 22 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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if a deer could hear me or not. As I sat there scanning the wood line, I heard something running through the woods to my left. It was a few minutes after 8:00 by now and it was warming up fast. I glanced to my left and spotted two does running through the pine thicket and thought to myself, “if they come into range I’m going to try and take one.” But this was November, and when you see does running it means only two things. Either someone spooked them or something was chasing them. My attention quickly fell to looking behind them and sure enough, there was another deer. At that time I couldn’t tell how big it was, but I knew by the body size it was definitely a buck. To this day, I don’t know what made that buck turn, but he left those two does and made a direct line to the pond. I had previously ranged the distance to the pond bank with my range finder and I had a perfect twenty and thirty yard shot. As he made his way to the pond, I could start seeing his rack, and what a rack it was. I didn’t have time to count points, but man was it wide. He made his way through a thick cedar grove and worked his way to the pond and stepped out where I had ranged it at twenty yards. Now, I was pretty confident in my Mathews Switchback XT and at that time I was a Muzzy Broad Head shooter. But my buddy just started shooting Montec G5 and he asked me to try one and see what I thought. I had shot them at the target a couple days earlier and they shot great, but I hadn’t proven them with a kill, and that doubt was in the back of my mind. As he stepped into my twenty yard zone, my adrenaline was going crazy. This was the biggest deer I’ve ever seen, at least with my own two eyes. I already had my Scott release attached to my string and slowly began to draw back when my shoulder started to make a snap, crackle and pop noise. There was a sharp pain and I couldn’t draw it back. I remember telling myself that if I didn’t draw it back now this hunt was over. So I gave it one more try and even though it caused me some pain, I got it to break over. I slowly moved my twenty yard pin and placed it right behind the bucks shoulder and slowly squeezed the trigger. As the arrow left my bow, I could feel it was a great shot. I watched the arrow go through the deer and ricochet off the pond bank. The buck took off at high speed and doubled back where he just came from. Over the blowing wind, I listened and thought I heard MidwestHuntFish.com
him crash, but I just wasn’t sure. So I remained in my stand for another hour replaying that shot over and over again. Each time, I second guessed the shot and began to get worried. “Did I miss him,” “Did I shoot him too far back. “All these thoughts running through my mind, I had to get down and find out. I slowly climbed down and made my way to where I shot him and there was no blood. I looked for my arrow and couldn’t find it. So I decided to walk the same direction he went in hopes to find my arrow or some blood. As I glanced around, I saw my nock sticking out of the leaves and as I pulled it out, it was covered in blood. A wave of relief came over me like I had never felt. Now I had to find the blood trail. As I looked around, not five yards from where I found my arrow, I found blood. I looked in the direction the deer ran and saw what I thought was a main beam sticking up. But it couldn’t be, main beams don’t stick up that high, or at least they don’t around here. The closer I got, the more points I began to see and my knees went weak. I had just harvested a monster. I didn’t know how big it was, I just knew it was the biggest deer I’d ever seen taken from around our area. I quickly ran over to it and was dumbfounded. I began to count points and it had a total of thirteen. Both brow tines were split and one would have had three, but it was broken off. “Oh my gosh, what have I done,” was what came out of my mouth. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and called my dad and told him to bring the four wheeler and come help me drag this deer out, it was a giant. I then called my buddy at work and told him I just harvested a monster. Of course, being my buddy he didn’t believe me. I sent him a text with a picture and that changed his mind completely. When my dad arrived, his eyes got as big a saucers. It was truly an amazing time. As I took my giant buck around (my taxidermist scored him a total of 163 5/8 inches) to show him off, people just couldn’t believe I took him around here, or on public land, but I did. It was amazing that all the hard work we put in during the pre-season, on all the places we normally hunt, that it was by scouter’s luck that I found this spot and harvested my biggest deer to date. Wow, I relish knowing I may never take another one, at least around home, that size in my lifetime. It is truly a proud moment in a hunters life, even though this time, it was totally by accident. Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 23
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I moved to the Show-Me-State about thirteen years ago, and suffice it to say that I figured my outdoors life had come to a screeching halt. You see, I love to hunt, fish, camp, and hike, and those are not the first things many of us bring to mind when thinking of Missouri. I remember my epiphany moment vividly. I was travelling with my wife one day, complaining about the lack of interesting outdoor diversions. You see, I was searching for the same outdoor pursuits I had enjoyed in Alaska and Colorado, our previous two residencies. Well, it does not quite work that way. I realized it at that moment, and made the following vow, “I will not only quit complaining about Missouri, but will actively seek the things that will make me happy in the outdoors, and I will stick to this pledge for six months.” That vow opened up a world I had no idea existed. You see, Missouri is blessed with outdoor riches that may not rival the majesty of Alaska’s Denali, but offer unparalleled opportunities for the Midwestern outdoors person. All I needed to do was look around. The first thing I found was the magnificent clear water fishing of Missouri’s Ozark Mountain region. You see, due to some rather unique geography, Missouri has a spring system that feeds some of the clearest cold-water streams in the United States. These streams get infusions of cool to cold water from sources underground that support awesome rivers full of trout and smallmouth bass amongst other species. Not only that, many of these systems, like the famous Current River or the less famous but extremely wild Eleven Point River, are protected in National Parks and Wild and Scenic River ways.
Missouri’s Table Rock Lake is certainly famous. Main Species you can find there are Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill & Carp. The lake plays host to everything from important Bassmaster Tournaments to Cable Television Shows. There is a reason for this. It is one of the best bass fishing lakes in the United States. The lake holds almost equal numbers of largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. During the summertime, look for large mouth in five to ten feet of water, and smallmouth and spotted bass in ten to thirty feet of water. The lake’s water is gin clear; it is common to be able to see the bottom in fifteen feet of water. This necessitates two things. The first is light line. Eight pound line is the norm, and you shouldn’t use anything a whole lot larger than ten pound test mono filament. The second thing this clear water means is that you must approach the bass as stealthily as possible. This means not waving your rod unnecessarily, not banging your tackle box on the boat, and not motoring too close to the structure you are planning to cast to. Soft plastics such as tube baits and Carolina Rigged soft plastics are the most popular way to fish the lake. Casting crankbaits and P age 26 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 spinnerbaits is also a popular way to fish.
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If you are a fly or spin fisherman, this Ozark region will amaze you with its riches. You can go days on some of these rivers and count but a few fellow river travelers. This is especially true during the non-summer seasons when Missouri offers some of its most outstanding weather. Missouri even offers several “trout parks” where novice and more experienced fishermen alike are almost assured of filling their daily limits of four rainbow and brown trout. The tranquility is sacrificed a bit in these parks, but the beauty remains. If the solitude of an Ozark stream does not quite strike the fancy of the fisherman in Missouri, he or she has some quite superior options for fishing large reservoirs. Here is a partial list of species that are in abundance in one or more of these impoundments: all the black bass species, white bass, stripers, musky, catfish (blue, flathead, channel), brown and rainbow trout, panfish of all sorts, walleye, crappie, and many more. There is great fishing at lakes like Taneycomo, Lake of the Ozarks, Mark Twain, Norfolk, Bull Shoals to name but a few. There are large tournaments at some of these lakes for bass and walleye. Hunting in Missouri is outstanding too. We have come to enjoy greatly, pursuing whitetail deer, turkey, small game like squirrel and rabbits, as well as birds and other upland game. Northern Missouri has some superior trophy class whitetails. The northern region also supports healthy populations of
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pheasant, quail, turkey, and more. There seems to be a natural rhythm to the seasons in Missouri that constantly offers the outdoors person a quality outdoor experience. Many of those experiences for us involve camping. My family usually likes tent camping, and in pretty remote areas. Missouri has eight designated Wilderness Areas, concentrated primarily in the southern regions of Missouri. If you are more the RV’er type, or just wish to have some amenities like a shower or laundry, there are lots of improved camping facilities catering to your desires. Perhaps one of the greatest features of Missouri is the opportunities for hiking and biking. For the hiker, Missouri has what may someday rival the Appalachian Trail system. The Ozark Trail is a work in progress, offering some very long stretches, but still requiring a few sections to be connected. Also, Missouri has the Katy Trail, an old rail bed that crosses most of Missouri and is open to hiking, biking, and even in a few sections, horseback travel. Whether you are a resident of Missouri, or perhaps looking for a great place for some outdoor pursuits, take a look at what Missouri has to offer. This article may whet your appetite for more. If so, use the resource below for some additional in depth research. Missouri outdoors information, and much more, can be found at Family-Outdoors.com.
There are other species in the lake besides black bass that are worth casting a line to. Walleye are stocked heavily in the lake, and can be taken by trolling crankbaits, as well as casting jigs and live bait such as minnows or nightcrawlers. Walleye tend to hold in fifteen to twenty-five feet of water in the summer. Night time fishing is best during the warm months. Another popular species in the lake is White Bass. The best time to fish for these feisty fish is in the spring when they make their annual spawning runs. During the rest of the year, they can be caught in water that is approximately twenty feet deep. Catfish are also abundant everywhere in the lake. Channel Catfish are most common, but large blue catfish can also be caught. Rainbow trout can be found in deep water in the upper lake in the White River Arm and Roaring River arms. Trolling is the best method for trout fishing in Table Rock Lake, but there aren’t enough to make fishing for them truly worthwhile. If you want to catch trout, it’s best to take the time to drive to either the White River or Roaring River themselves. The clear waters of Table Rock Lake hold some of the best fishing to be had in the Midwest. Whether you like smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, or catfish, this is a great lake for you. Davdison Manning is an avid outdoorsman spending over 100 days per year pursuing his passion for fishing, many of them in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas. He details many of his favorite spots on his website http://family-outdoors.com/ Check out his assessment of many fishing areas around the U.S. at http://family-outdoors.com/ FISHING_PLACES.htm His other pursuits include many days spent in the field camping and hunting. Davidson loves to share his knowledge of the outdoors in the hope of Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 27 helping others to find their own connection to the outdoors.
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It is, by far, one of the quickest vanishing acts in nature and anyone who has spent much time hunting whitetail deer has seen it more than once. One moment you’re holding your breath, pulse pounding, as your quarry slowly makes its way into range. Then, in the space of a few loud heartbeats, the animal’s muscles tense, its ears cock, and with a few graceful bounds your deer waves a tail in farewell and is quickly out of sight. Sounds familiar, huh? What caused this wake-up call in the middle of your dream hunt? The most likely answer is your scent. Whitetail deer are remarkably equipped for sensing danger in their environment. Their senses of sight and hearing are amazing survival tools. If you’re moving around a little too much, or making unnatural noises in or near your stand, your chances of a successful hunt are reduced considerably. But walk into the woods without keeping the human scent factor in mind and you might as well go in turning cartwheels and banging a drum. A snoot full of human scent will cause any deer, from the smallest fawn to the most majestic buck, to make tracks for the next county. Scent reduction is desirable while deer hunting with any type of weapon, but is of paramount importance when armed with a bow or handgun. When hunting with these weapons, a big factor in your success will be remaining undetected long enough to get an opportunity for a close shot. So, how can you reduce the chance of human odor standing in the way of your deer hunting success? Even with the many scent “elimination” products available today, which I’ll write more about, it’s impossible to completely eliminate unwanted human scent. But they can be a great tool to help reduce the chance you’ll be winded by game. The use of these products along with some common sense may just reduce your scent to a manageable level and give you the edge you need to bag that whitetail deer. The single most important factor in not being defeated by scent on your next hunt is to pay the utmost attention to wind direction. The wind can be your staunchest ally or your ultimate enemy. It is imperative that the area where you expect to see deer is upwind from your stand. If not, no matter how slight the breeze, you are most probably in for a long and uneventful hunt. Your best chance to harvest a whitetail is to keep the animal upwind from you, or at least in a crosswind, at all times. If possible, have several stand locations so that no matter the wind direction, you’ll be in a downwind position to hunt a likely area. A common mistake made by deer hunters is that of contaminating an excellent stand site by hunting it in the wrong wind. Be patient and wait for a favorable wind before hunting your favorite stand. Once deer have been spooked from an area by human scent, it could take them quite a while to feel comfortable visiting that location again. Develop a scent elimination ritual each time you deer hunt. Wash your body thoroughly prior to every hunting trip with scent eliminator soap. There are some excellent and fairly
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inexpensive body wash products available that will greatly reduce human odor. The brand I use is called “Scent Killer.” It’s available in both bar and liquid form, and also as a shampoo. Once you have showered with a scent elimination product, don’t undo all your efforts by drying off with a fabric softenerscented towel, causing you to now walk the woods smelling like flowery fresh laundry. Instead, wash the towel, and your hunting clothes in one of the laundry detergents designed to reduce human scent. Wash every stitch of fabric you plan to wear or carry into the woods. When leaving for your deer hunt, bring along a good quality scent neutralization spray to apply just before you begin your trek into the woods. All of these scent elimination products are readily available at sporting goods stores which carry hunting products, or by mail order over the internet. Another tactic available to the serious hunter is the endless line of scent reduction apparel available today. If you’re willing to spend the money, modern hunting clothes have been produced using activated carbon impregnated in their fabrics. The clothes are designed to trap and absorb human odors before they escape into the environment and, ultimately, into the nose of your prey. Virtually any hunting apparel item you can think of is available using this technology. It may be a good idea to do some research before you invest in any of this clothing as the jury is still out on whether it’s effective enough to be worth its considerable expense. A full set of these clothes for hunting in cooler weather (shirt, pants, socks, jacket, boots, hat, and gloves) can easily set you back 300 to 500 dollars. After doing everything you can to minimize your scent prior to your hunt, use some common sense on your trip to your chosen hunting area. Do not smoke or ride in a smokefilled vehicle on your way to your hunt. Avoid stopping at a restaurant or other public indoor venue on your ride. You will absorb odors in any indoor public place you visit. After your car trip and before entering the woods spray your body thoroughly with a scent eliminator spray, paying particular attention to your hands and feet. Wear scent reduction boots and gloves if you have them. When walking to your stand, always approach slowly, quietly, and, if possible, with the wind in your face. You never know if a deer has arrived at your stand site before you. Try to limit the touching of plants and limbs as much as possible on your way in. No matter how complete your efforts at scent reduction, you will leave some scent trail as you make your way to your stand. Remember that nothing you can do will totally eliminate your natural human scent. The most important thing to remember is to play the wind. It should be pointed out that hunters have been taking whitetail deer throughout history without any of the new-fangled high-tech aids I’ve mentioned. The best any of these products and tips can do is to reduce your chances of being busted by the wily nose of a whitetail and having to sit through that vanishing act one more time.
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The first step to getting really clean and scent-free is taking care of the external portion of your body. Scent elimination starts with the body - internally. Before your hunting trip you will need to shower with scent free soap and shampoo. Do not use any soap or shampoo that is not scent free. Then, you need to use some scent free deodorant or just do not use any deodorant at all before your hunt. Finally, there is now an easy and extremely effective way to eliminate odor from your breath. Gumoflage is a scent elimination gum that will eliminate your bad breath, smoker’s breath, and just plain scent emitted from your breath into the air. Use it or something like it. Yeah you.
Washing your clothes in a non-scented laundry detergent helps to eliminate all odors in your clothes. This concentrated, unscented detergent should be phosphate-free and contain no UV brighteners. There are a few soaps specifically aimed at the hunter, but you can find other name brand and even some generic “scent free” soaps will work just as well. Just check the label for the above requirements. After your clothes are washed you need to dry them. There are some dryer sheets on the market that will give you a scent that is normally found in the woods. Sounds like a good idea, not sure if the deer would agree though. After your clothes are dry you need to store them in a container of some kind to keep human scent locked out. Washing your clothing and storing them in scent free containers is one of the easiest and most important steps you can take in the process of scent elimination. You should use a scent free soap on your boots to wash them. You can store your boots with your hunting clothing in a scent free container. I always use a cover scent spray on the entire boot including the soles once I am ready to start my trek through the woods. Your tree stand and any other equipment you carry into the woods also need to be scent free. It’s not easy task to cover up all the human scent you carry with you, but the less noticeable your scent is, the more likely you will see good, quality deer.
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Scent control is absolutely crucial when hunting, so we wanted to turn you onto the most advanced and effective scent elimination system available today. A 24”x12”x 12” gear bag that has a ozonator built in to one end pocket. When turned on, this ozonator pumps activated oxygen through a ceramic diffuser into the main compartment of the bag. The activated oxygen is unstable so it bonds to and kills all of the bacteria on your gear, including the ones that cause odor. Basically the bag completely treats the contents, rendering them scent neutral. This entire process takes less than 15 minutes. Of all the one’s tested we found that the Akando Bag was the most effective, most portable easiest to use, and quickest way to be scent free. The “Stealth in Pursuit” bag form Akando comes with a DC power inverter, allowing you to eliminate your scents in your car, truck, boat, or wherever your hunting adventures take you! At around $120, it is a quarter of the price of other ozone systems we’ve seen. We highly recommend the Akando Bag with SIP technology. Why? Because we simply believe is the most advanced and effective way to completely eliminate scents from clothing and gear. Learn more at www.akandogear.com. Photo: Akando Gear
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Akando Ozone Scent Eliminating Bag: Our patented scent elimination duffel bag is the most advanced scent elimination product available today, it combines the science of ozone with our high quality gear bag to make the fastest and easiest scent eliminating tool there is! And its available at less than half the price of other ozone products! SIP Ozone Unit: Have a closet or box that you store all of your hunting gear in? With the SIP Ozone Unit, you can turn any compartment into a deodorization chamber, you can mount in anywhere. Get the power of ozone for a third of the price of other units, Mounting hardware included!
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Akando “SIP” Ozone Unit
Akando “SIP” Scent Elimination Bag
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 31
The Greys River in western Wyoming is a place of legend for hunters across the globe, and is without a doubt, the state’s mule deer hunting capitol. The area boasts more record mule deer than anywhere else in Wyoming, and ranks number five in the world for producing trophy mulies. When you mention the words, “Greys River” to hunters, it elicits images of heavy horned bucks in rugged country. The country in the Greys River region is certainly rugged. Steep canyon walls, high elevation peaks and rocky ridgelines make this ideal habitat for monster mule deer. With its headwaters in the Wyoming Range about 45 miles south of Alpine, the Greys River flows north for over 60 miles before joining the Snake River. Bordered by the Salt River Range on the west, and the Wyoming Range on the east, this wild and scenic area is a paradise for both hunters and fly fisherman.
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In addition to providing great habitat for mule deer, the region is also home to a healthy herd of resident elk that live along the river year round. The Greys River elk herd has been growing steadily over the past several years. The area holds some impressive Wyoming bulls and a high bull-to-cow ratio has drawn the attention of elk hunters worldwide. “The Greys River area is one of my favorite places to hunt,” says hunting guide David Dandridge of SNS Outfitters. “It is big, rugged country and it is a challenge. But those big mule deer get me excited more than anything else, and there’s nothing like being up there on horseback in that beautiful country.” The peaks surrounding the Greys River reach upwards of 11,000 feet elevation. The area is dominated by steep timberline basins that tumble down into black timber, grassy hillsides, parks and isolated meadows. For hunters who
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venture into the heart of this wild country, the scenery is as memorable as the hunting, and the two are an inseparable part of the adventure. For many visitors to this area, it may be hard to decide the best part. Starlit horseback rides to your hunting area before dawn may be just as meaningful as leveling your sights on a trophy mule deer buck or bull elk. One thing is for certain. Those who visit the Greys River area of Wyoming almost always find an excuse to come back. Veteran Wyoming hunting guide Guy Palmquist recently said, “Hunting in this area is an absolute thrill and it never gets old.” I couldn’t have said it any better. Ryan McSparran is a Denver, Colorado-based writer and hunting guide. Ryan specializes in Wyoming mule deer hunts, elk, and antelope hunting. Ryan produces quality content and written materials for organizations in an effort to boost online and industry presence.
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 33
Serving as the most well-known protector of our 2nd Amendment rights,
The National Rifle Ass has been committed to preserving and protecting the right to keep and bear arms since 1871.
It not only supports training, safety, and education towards firearms, but it has been a great motivator for freedom among Americans.
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From the NRA’s official seal to the immortal phrase “Molon Labe” (meaning “come and take it” in Greek), this Ruger stands for patriotism and justice.
Presentation Cylinder NRA’s official seal
Backstrip “Molon Labe” (meaning “come and take it” in Greek)
Every sale supports the NRA Page 34 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
All National Rifle Association/NRA images and logos are trademarks of the National Rifle Association used under license.
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sociation For More Information call American Legacy Firearms at 1-877-887-4867
Since 2011, American Legacy Firearms has created three distinct projects showcasing different dynamics of the NRA. This year, we are proud to present our newest project – the NRA Revolver!
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Only 100 will be made for each state Built on a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum, it comes with a handmade French-fitted carrying case and is a great addition to any firearms collection. http://americanlegacyfirearms.com/nra-special-edition-revolver MidwestHuntFish.com
Handmade French-fitted carrying case Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 35
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By Bennett A. Michaels
How well do you know Black Bears? Here’s four practical facts that will increase the success of your hunt of these often misunderstood and misrepresented bears. In elementary school, we learned that bears hibernate. Movies give us the impression that bears often attack humans. We may even have notions that bears in campsites are less dangerous than bears in the wild. Nevertheless, when hunting black bears, it is important to know the appearance, behavior, and habitat of these huge creatures.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 37
Here are some black bear facts that are as interesting as they are practical, when hunting in the field with riflescopes:
What is in a name? Black Bears can be white, tan, brown, grey, blue—and black. Black Bears’ bodies can actually include a rainbow of colors, ranging from white to black. Most of the Black Bears in the Eastern US and Canada tend to be black. However, those in Western regions tend to have fur that includes a wide range of colors. Even cubs within one litter can range in color!
Bennett Michaels is an expert on optics and outdoor accessories for today’s outdoorsman. He is an avid outdoorsman himself.
While bears are not typically aggressive, they will become as such if they feel threatened. Besides feeling personally threatened, bears will also become defensive if they believe their food source or cubs are threatened. In one scientific study of bears in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, only 6% of bears’ aggressive actions towards humans, resulted in actual contact. Bears will usually give warning signs before they attack. Watch out for these signs: • lowered head • extended lips • chomping teeth • low growl
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Animals that hibernate remain in a deep sleep throughout the entire winter. Indeed, after bears enter their dens before wintertime, they fall into deep sleeps, the temperature of their body falls, their breathing slows down, and their metabolism decreases. However, bears will venture outside before winter is over, to find some food or another den in which to stay. The bear tends to take this action if its den is not comfortable, or if a day is extraordinarily warm.
It might seem logical for animals as large as black bears, to consume huge mammals. However, about 75% of a black bear’s diet includes plants, while only about 25% of its diet includes small mammals. Black Bears rarely attack animals, especially humans. Common foods of bears include: • berries • honey
• birds • insects
• fishes • leaves
• grass • squirrels
Secondly, several misconceptions exist about black bears being very aggressive. Bears rarely kill prey themselves. Instead, they typically eat leftover carrion from predators such as wolves. Usually they prefer fresher meats to rotting meats. Who can blame them, right? In fact, if bears find the carcasses of animals, sometimes they only consume the freshest portions. Finally, bears rarely attack humans. If bears enter your campsite, they are probably looking for food. In that situation, let them do what they do.
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When hunting any animals, such as black bears, you must know the game. These aforementioned tips can make your bear hunting more than bearable!
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 39
For most people, the term grand slam is closely associated with the great American past-time of baseball. But for us hunters, the term has a whole different meaning. For the novice amongst us, the term grand slam refers to harvesting all the subspecies within a species. While there are many slams, one of the most highly sought after and prized is the North American Grand Slam of Sheep. Comprised of four distinct subspecies, each is magnificent and awe-inspiring in its own way.Here is a quick rundown for you to dream about as you plan your Grand Slam of North American Sheep. Ranging from Canada to New Mexico, horns of these brutes can reach 40+ inches in length and weigh over 30 lbs. Muscular and compact, it is the largest of the four sheep that comprise our slam. With its white muzzle and rump, the rams inspire awe as they race toward each other at 20 mph in a clash of titans. Rising on their hind legs, they slam heads in a show of dominance and for the right to mate with the ewes. Put this sheep high on your list as you begin your own grand slam.
There you have the list of the species comprising the North American Grand Slam of Sheep. Add your own “slam” or feel free to share your stories on our website at The Hunting Broker member forum (http://www. thehuntingbroker.com) Remember, time in the field is a gift, savor it!
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We head north to Alaska for the second leg of our grand slam. Dall Sheep generally frequent high, dry, alpine ridges with escape routes readily available. There pure white hide blends in with their snowcovered environment. While not as large as the Rocky Mountain Bighorn, male Dall Sheep can still reach 300 lbs. with horns reaching 40 inches in length. Taking eight years to reach full length, these sheep are the only pure white sheep living in the wild.
Crisscrossing the North American continent we head to the deserts of Nevada, California and down in to Old Mexico. Smaller than its cousin the Rocky Mountain Bighorn, these sheep typically have a flatter and wider spreading set of horns. As its name implies, the Desert Bighorn is adept at surviving in harsh, drought-like conditions. The Desert Bighorn uses two mechanisms to cool itself in these harsh environs - perspiring and panting, which is unusual for desert dwellers. With eyes that can see up to a mile away, these sheep are elusive and will test any hunters abilities.
Last, but certainly not least in our slam, is the Stone Sheep. You will be headed back north to British Columbia and the Yukon in search of this last leg of your slam. Slate grey in appearance with a white face and neck, this sheep usually seeks treeless ranges with good visibility in all directions to enable it to spot approaching predators. Interbreeding with the Dall Sheep creates, the Fannin Sheep which is also considered to be a Stone Sheep.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 41
That’s the Boy Scout motto...
By James Fackrell
and never was a truer statement spoken before. I heard that statement a lot when I was in Boy Scouts but never paid much heed to it or fully understand the value in that statement until I started big game hunting when I was 14 years old. Even now being 31 years old I still forget to bring very, very important equipment with me when I head off into the hills to pursue the wild beasts. Last year my father was lucky enough to draw a limited entry elk tag for a unit that we’ve hunting for more than 10 years and had to sit and watch all the big mature elk cruise on by without being able to take one. However this year was different. We knew exactly where to go where we knew we could and would harvest an elk that would score between 300’-350’. This was what we had been waiting 10 years for. The day finally came. Opening morning was very uneventful with nothing to be seen or heard. When evening was finally upon us, out came the big bruiser we had been looking and hoping for. The only problem was he was 1500 yards away a little too far for a Remington 30.06. Well we knew he’d be there tomorrow so we headed back to camp. The following day found us in position waiting for the bruiser and his harem to make their way out to feed. It wasn’t too long into the late afternoon that he screamed out his first bugle of the day and was headed out for a fight and food. I had purchased a ‘Carlton’s Estrus Call’ the week before and at the opportune time my father told me to give it a couple of squeezes. Well it worked like magic and got the bruiser into a frenzy of bugling and raking. After he had made his way out into the open he immediately started fighting with another bull that was a little smaller than him. All the while my father was taking aim. After the bruiser had won his fight my father squeezed off the first round hitting directly home, then fired off two more shots to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere, which you know they do if you’ve ever hunted elk before. It took us an hour to get over to him and find him. We both let out our woots to celebrate and give thanks to the elk god for the awesome beast that lay before us. Then the work began. We quartered him up in about 40 minutes and night was approaching fast. When we finished, it was dark enough that we had to use flash lights to see our way out of the woods. Then it happened, it started to rain and then the rain turned to half snow-half rain. We’d been hiking for about an hour when we realized that we had taken the wrong ridge and we didn’t know exactly what ridge we were on but we knew we weren’t headed in the right direction. At this realization I checked my pack. I reached for my GPS, but the battery was dead. I must have left in on, a quick check revealed no spare battery. I dug around some more looking for my compass & map. No luck. I swallowed hard when I realized I had also forgotten my first aid kit as well. My Dad was not impressed.
BE P REPARED
Page 42 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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“Then it happened, it started to rain and then the rain turned to half snow-half rain. We’d been hiking for about an hour when we realized that we had taken the wrong ridge...” We were at least 3 maybe 4 miles away from our truck and we were getting cold and wet fast. At about the time we decided to make a fire to warm up before we kept hiking I realized that I had left my lighter and matches in our horses’ pack saddles which were in the truck. Just then my heart sank to the ground. I stood there thinking to myself, “How could I have done this? I never forget this stuff.” Well there was no time to sit and bellyache and go over all the “woulda,” coulda” and “shoulda’s.” We had to get outta there fast and at least keep hiking until we made it to a road. After 3 or 4 hours of hiking we finally hit road and knew exactly where we were at that point but we were still an hour from the truck but at least we knew where we were. Neither one of us admitted it until the next day but we were both extremely close to hypothermia and completely exhausted from hiking most of the day and well into the night. We were definitely blessed that night. The next day we brought the horses in and got that bruiser of an elk out which is another story for another time. This, by the way, was a complete rodeo in its own right. Something I learned that night that I want to pass on to everyone that reads this and that’s make sure you check, check and recheck your packs and always make sure you’re always prepared. No matter what! The weather in the mountains has a mind of its own and is very unforgiving. That night we came very close to ending up as headlines.
Be safe, and always be prepared!
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 43
By James Fackrell
If you’ve ever sat on a crisp, cold morning and watched an elk bugle, screaming to the tops of his lungs letting the mountain know who the king is, or if you’ve ever watched elk fight for dominance, then you’ll understand and know why elk are the most majestic big game animals in North America.
It’s safe to say that the most awe inspiring big game animal roaming wild in North America is the North American Elk. I began hunting elk when I was just 18 years old and learned very quickly just how majestic elk are and how difficult and intelligent they truly are. The summer before my very first elk hunt I made sure to put in lots of scouting hours and in a few different places. I had been consistently watching a small herd consisting of 6 cows and a spike bull for about 2 months prior to the hunt so I thought for sure I should be able if nothing else take a spike bull on opening morning. Well the night before the hunt arrives and right before the light left the sky, my buddy and I spot the same herd I’d been watching not 50 yards from our camp. “This oughta be easy I thought.” Opening morning arrives and we climb out of bed and strap on our gear and head over the hill about 200 yards from our camp where I’d watched the herd come in and out to feed at first light. We take position on the hill and just as it was starting to get light we hear a 4-wheeler come barreling over the hill straight to our position. I imagine the expression on my face when I looked at the gentleman on the 4-wheeler looked something out of a horror movie. Oh well, can’t cry over spilled milk. We took off down the hill and needless to say the rest of the day was one of the toughest days of my hunting life. My buddy ended up getting a migraine an hour after first light and went back to camp, slept for a couple of hours, woke up, stuck his head outside of the tent and watched 5 spike bull elk run about 20 yards past our tent. That’s not what I wanted to hear after I’d been hiking all day. I hunted for 6 more days and came close to taking a big 2 point but he was too fast for me. After that day I gained a whole new respect for elk. It took me 5 years after my first hunt until I was able to harvest my first elk. What a great day and great memory that was. I encourage everyone who has the chance to go out and hunt elk, take pictures or just simply enjoy their beauty and majesty. Page 44 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 45
By Ed Hammond Recently I had a unique opportunity to load for a very special weapon one made right before the turn of the century the Colt 1877 Gatling Gun. It all started when David Hill a good customer of mine called me about a new gun he had purchased and was wondering if I could load some practice ammo for his new toy. When David said he had a Colt 1877 Bulldog Gatling gun I was taken aback I wasn’t sure I heard what I heard I asked him to repeat the last thing he said and sure enough, he said Gatling gun. I never loaded for a pre-1900 gun of any type, let alone a Gatling gun. What joy for me to load for such a unique American treasure. The history of this weapon is pure legend and there is not enough space in this wonderful magazine to do it proper justice.
Page 46 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
The original Colt 1877 Bulldog Gatling Gun as appearing in the book “The Art of the Gun: Selections from the Robert M. Lee Collection”
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Thanks to an interesting quirk of US gun laws, the Gatling is not considered a machine gun – so anyone who can possess a bolt action rifle can own and shoot one of these. The crank handle is considered a trigger, and each partial turn fires a single round. Since a single discrete motion doesn’t fire multiple rounds, it’s not subject to the registration and transfer tax of a machine gun under the NFA.
Recently I had a unique opportunity to load for a very special weapon one made right before the turn of the century the Colt 1877 Gatling Gun. It all started when David Hill a good customer of mine called me about a new gun he had purchased and was wondering if I could load some practice ammo for his new toy. When David said he had a Colt 1877 Bulldog Gatling gun I was taken aback I wasn’t sure I heard what I heard I asked him to repeat the last thing he said and sure enough, he said Gatling gun. I never loaded for a pre-1900 gun of any type, let alone a Gatling gun. What joy for me to load for such a unique American treasure. The history of this weapon is pure legend and there is not enough space in this wonderful magazine to do it proper justice. The Bulldog broke a lot of ground regarding Gatling gun design. It was the first Gatling gun to have 5 barrels, whereas both earlier and later models would feature more. It was also the first model to allow the operator to crank in an opposite direction of firing in order to clear a jam; previous guns would need their rear portions disassembled to accomplish the same task. In a battlefield scenario, this benefit would be immeasurable. It was the first to feature the barrels enclosed in a receiver. Finally, it was the first to move the crank firing mechanism from the side to the rear; this eliminated the gear train and increased the rate of fire by about 30%. When this gun was made it was so far ahead of its time it was a quantum leap in gun technology. The average gun was lucky if it could fire ten to fifteen rounds per minute. The new Colt had a theoretical rate of fire of 1,200 rounds per minute, although 400-600 rounds per minute was more likely in combat. On the range it could fire close to a 1000 rounds per minute with a good loader on hand. The effective range was well over one half mile. At that range, according to published US ordinance data of 1882 Sandy Hook test grounds, three one inch oak boards could be penetrated and twenty inches of sand. The new test round at the time for all military use was the M1881 which was a .45/70 500 gr. Lead round nose projectile. It was very effective at ultra-long range and still is. I had a few hundred cast rounds in stock just for this type of weapon, these where from my early years when Nyati Inc. was starting out with lead test rounds for all their low recoil testing. The only thing I needed to do was size and lube the rounds before placing them in a charged casing. When Mr. Hill called I was thrilled to take on the project little did I know the amount of research it would require. After a few hours of intense work on the computer I was getting MidwestHuntFish.com
the answers I was looking for. All of the testing of the Sandy Hook test range are public information and easily accessed, and a great source of information for the Springfield Trapdoor rifle. The next step for me was to start some testing on the new information I acquired you have to remember I will be using smokeless powder instead of black powder. The replacement powder is the accurate # 5744. After a few hours firing new loads and choreographing everything I had the new load for the Gatling gun in hand. Now it was time to get down working on loading a few hundred rounds of state of the art 20th century old time ammo. With 25gr. of accurate #5744 smokeless powder will drive a 500gr cast bullet at 1,250 fps and will be effective out 3,500 feet. I still have a hard time with these numbers. They come from that ordnance publication written so many years ago. Much testing would need to be done to confirm. Oh I’m sorry I forgot to mention that this Colt is a reproduction recently manufactured for Colt. They had a run of 50 weapons with accessories like tripods and carriages to go with the guns. This gun was # 29. The # 1 gun sold for whopping $198,000! This gun was not that costly, but still very expensive nonetheless. Hard to imagine that the two hundred rounds that I loaded will be gone in 12 seconds flat. I wish I could be there to see it fire those rounds even for 12 seconds. It must be awesome to see that old legendary gun fire that much that fast. From the Loading Bench Ed Hammond
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 47
The Gatling gun is one of the best-known early rapidfire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. Invented by Richard J. Gatling to show how futile war was. It is first known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat. Later it was used in the Boshin War, the Anglo-Zulu War and still later in the assault on San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War. Its design still survives today in modern combat. The Gatling gun’s operation centered on a cyclic multibarrel design which facilitated cooling and synchronized the firing/reloading sequence. Each barrel fired a single shot when it reached a certain point in the cycle, after which it ejected the spent cartridge, loaded a new round, and in the process, allowed the barrel to cool somewhat. This configuration allowed higher rates of fire to be achieved without the barrel overheating. Though the gun was developed during the Civil War, it saw very little action. General Benjamin F. Butler bought 12 and Admiral David Dixon Porter bought one. Even with only a dozen guns in the field, what little action Gatling’s gun saw made it infamous on the battlefield. It wasn’t until 1866 that the US Government officially purchased Gatling guns. In 1870 he sold his patents for the Gatling gun to Colt. Gatling remained president of the Gatling Gun Company until it was fully absorbed by Colt in 1897. In 1893, Gatling patented a Gatling gun that replaced the hand cranked mechanism with an electric motor, a relatively new invention at the time, achieving a rate of fire of 3,000 rounds per minute. The hand-cranked Gatling gun was declared obsolete by the United States Army in 1911. Decades later, after World War II, the mechanical concept was resurrected and wedded to electricity-driven cranking in the M61 Vulcan.
The original Colt 1877 Bulldog Gatling Gun as appearing in the book “The Art of the Gun: Selections from the Robert M. Lee Collection”
“It may be interesting to you to know how I came to invent the gun which bears my name. I will tell you: In 1861, during the opening events of the war…I witnessed almost daily the departure of troops to the front and the return of the wounded, sick, and dead. The most of the latter lost their lives not in battle but by sickness and exposure incident to the service. It occurred to me if I could invent a machine—a gun— which could by its rapidity of fire, enable one man to do as much battle as a hundred, that it would, to a great extent, supersede the necessity of large armies, and consequently, exposure to battle and disease be greatly diminished.”- Richard J. Gatling (September 12, 1818 – February 26, 1903) Page 48 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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By Razvan Jr
Page 50 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Out of all the bird game hunts, pheasant hunting has the most prolonged and tumultuous history behind it. Since these birds were first introduced in Europe in the 10th century they have been a popular target for hunting enthusiasts all over. After a period of extinction in Britain, the bird was introduced to areas in Asia and later in the United States, today counting as many as 45 million birds in the U.K. and the U.S. alone. This is a mere consequence of the popularity it enjoys amongst hunters of all ages, as well as dedicated programs to ensure that the future generations have the chance to hunt pheasants without the fear of extinction. First, pheasant hunting is a sport of patience, quiet movement, skill and steady hands. Every aspect plays an important role in the overall success and therefore all should be considered golden rules. While patience is not a particularity of pheasant hunting, being an essential attribute of any hunter, quiet movement is. These birds have highly sensitive hearing and sight and your every step can alert them if not done in a silent manner. It has been said that, once learned properly, moving slowly and deliberately, while making very little noise, will win you 50% of the “battle,” so have this practices until flawless. Skill is far more important in pheasant hunting than in other types of hunting because these birds are very agile and fast flyers, sometimes having unusual and sinuous movements while in the air. Fortunately, you can always pick an ally to aid you; your trusty hound is invaluable in such conditions. Letting your canine friend take care of chasing the bird around can facilitate your mission as you will be focusing only on the shooting itself. Even with the dogs tiring the bird, bringing it down is not easy, and here
is where natural skill as well as experience come in handy. However, difficult the entire process may seem, the reward is often enough to forget all the difficulties and start all over again, sometimes with a boost of excitement and motivation. The most satisfying thing about pheasant hunting is believed to be seeing your hound with a bird in his mouth coming towards you. And everyone who has hunted at least once alongside a hound knows that upbeat feeling. Last but certainly not least, pheasants are hunted for their meat as well. Although tough and dry in its natural state, modern cookery uses moist roasting or farm-raised female birds. Many restaurants have begun to offer their clients pheasant specials and the recipes have turned out to be a stunning success wherever they’ve been introduced. All things considered, being a pheasant hunter today is much more than a simple occupation or hobby, as it offers you irresistible thrill, an extraordinary experience, delicious meal resources, and the chance to be amazed every single time.
Razvan Marian Jr. is a pheasant hunting enthusiast and has plenty of years of experience in the field. He is now sharing his pheasant hunting tips with others at www.pheasanthuntinginfo.com.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 51
Page 52 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Top waterfowl hunting areas are the result of many factors: flyways, refuges, natural and man-made lakes, rivers and plenty of row crops. Flyways guide ducks or geese on their ancient flight annually while lakes or rivers provide water and refuge and row crops fill empty bellies. Yet waterfowl travel patterns sometimes change when large lakes are built within the flyway, the case in Northwest Missouri where hunters are enjoying some of the best duck or goose hunting in the Show Me State’s history. Smithville and other lakes built in the past 40 to 50 years have changed flight patterns while creating new hunting opportunities in west and central Missouri. Ducks and geese visit the state in large numbers. Mild winters and improved habitat make it possible for ducks and geese to stay longer while gorging on Missouri’s row crops. Geese and ducks have always passed through the Show Me State while traveling to southern wintering grounds. The biggest factor is likely the Missouri River on our western border and the Mississippi River that runs close to the eastern border. Both are ancient waterfowl highways as noted by Lewis and Clark who made entries in their journal of the abundant waterfowl sighted throughout the Missouri River regions.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 53
Changes have occurred throughout Missouri’s history to change waterfowl haunts. Swan Lake, located in the northeastern side of the state was once a Canada goose hunting mecca that we hunted in the 1970’s and 1980’s, attracting 90 percent of the incoming Canada goose population. The hunting is still good in this area, but with fewer geese because of the triangle. “Geese and ducks stay in northwest, Missouri longer,” said Doreen Mengel, Wetlands Water Bird Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “There are more habitats available for ducks and geese in Missouri. Geese especially fly different directions now including from Swan Lake where they only get about 50,000 geese annually compared to the old days of 200,000 geese and many now visit Squaw Creek. But they both have good populations of ducks annually.” Waterfowl use the triangle between Squaw Creek, Swan Lake and Smithville Lake where some flocks trade back and forth. This has provided hunters with much longer seasons, especially in recent years when the winters remained mild and fowl had little reason to travel any further south. “There is little wonder why these key spots have been resting areas for generations of migrating fowl,” said Kory Cribb,
Missouri waterfowl hunting guide and owner of Falling Feather’s Game Calls. “With modern science and proper management these spots will continue to flourish. With major waterways like the Missouri, Mississippi, and Grand Rivers, not to mention the countless smaller waterways in between, it is a no brainer why this area is known by some hunters as the golden triangle.” Throughout November and December during a mild winter, the secondary waterways Cribb mentioned like small ponds and small rivers hold good numbers of ducks throughout the triangle. These added spots ducks choose, close to row crops are more reason for this area’s successful hunts. “Places like the Northwest Missouri triangle have literally altered parts of the Mississippi flyway for waterfowl hunting,” said Danny Guyer, owner of Iron Duck Hunting Guide Service and life-long Missouri waterfowl hunter. “Squaw Creek was once one of the best Canada goose hunting areas in Missouri. But the geese have traveled south and now places like Smithville Lake, located about 30 miles north of Kansas City has the geese. The birds only fly as far as they have to. Recent weather warming trends give ducks and geese less reason to leave.”
Missouri hunters have an annual bonus of several hundred thousand snow geese for fine fall and spring hunts. The north end of Missouri, east or west pulls clouds of these elusive birds. Many guides hunt over big fields of snow goose decoys, rags and silhouettes. But the most amazing snow goose hunt of my 50 year experience was over 2,000 full bodied white goose decoys with four speakers blaring goose chatter in a Northwestern, Missouri cornfield. White geese from every direction honed in on our field; wind milled and dropped into the decoys. “Snow geese have responded to the agriculture practices that are going on in Missouri,” Mengel said. “They benefit from shifting between agriculture fields. Geese may feed in a field for two or three days and then move to another field with different grains.” Some hunters follow the snow geese to feeding fields and set up decoys overnight. The following morning returning geese find hundreds of decoys in their feeding area. Many guides use this technique to provide quality hunts. “We had three million snow geese migrate through Squaw Creek in 2011,” Guyer said. “I think two million the year before.” People drive annually from miles away to see these massive flocks that cover three Conservation lakes. Hunters throughout the area are blessed with great goose hunts. “The snow goose hunting is incredible,” Vandemore said. “You don’t have to look very hard to find birds. Just take a drive and you might see five thousand in one field and two thousand in another. I have a lot of repeat customers for the spring season.”
Page 54 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Several public waterfowl hunting areas are available in Missouri because of the 1/8 of one percent Conservation tax that has generated funding to purchase sloughs and other suitable waterfowl areas. Ducks Unlimited has been a big part of this resurgence. The Missouri Department of Conservation has developed waterfowl habitats that draw larger numbers of geese and ducks annually. There are plenty of public waterfowl hunting areas throughout Missouri because of this funding and plenty of hard work. The Northwestern area of the state features a combination of the Missouri River and Squaw Creek Federal Wildlife Refuge, an area that attracts big flocks of ducks, Canada geese and snow geese. The region around Mound City offers excellent hunting at Missouri Department of Conservation areas Nodaway Valley Wildlife Area and Bob Brown Wildlife Area.
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 55
The Squaw Creek Wildlife Area, close to Mound City, Missouri has long become an annual fall pilgrimage for hunters, some famous, some not. The best hunters rose from this group, most unknown to the world. Yet, in many ways some contributed to the very existence of modern day waterfowl populations while others were just damned good hunters. “Doc J. Bruce McRae, a passionate waterfowl hunter introduced the Hall of Fame idea in a town meeting,” said Joe Laukemper, Hall of Fame President. “This eventually led to the Hall of Fame banquets and inductions. Waterfowl hunting legends of the area are awarded plaques and their names are posted with past members. Our organization became bigger; soon we were receiving all kinds of antique waterfowl hunting equipment, pictures and other items requiring a permanent building.” “The Waterfowler’s Hall of Fame will continue to add decorum by building oak cases for various items,” Laukemper continued. “We have cases of the stuffed waterfowl species that pass through the area. We even have decoys from foreign countries and other unusual items. Many ask where the Hall is going. Not sure, but we plan for it to last while there is interest in duck and goose hunting and maybe longer.”
Kenneth L. Kieser with awards from the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. The big plaque is for his Chesapeake Market Hunting story, which took first in outdoor writing for the northern end of the country.
Page 56 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
Geese and ducks on the eastern side of the state mainly follow the Mississippi River down to the St. Charles area. In between in the north-central side are Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) areas, Grand Pass, Fountain Grove and Swan Lake, Thomas Hill, Long Branch Lakes and several city reservoirs give waterfowl good stopovers. M.D.C. areas in south-central Missouri include Montrose, Four Rivers and Shell Osage offering excellent public hunting opportunities. Southeastern Missouri features Eagle Bluff, Otter Slough, Duck Creek and Ten-Mile Pond. “We have excellent habitat in this area through the MDC and private land owners,” Vandemore said. “Less ducks go to Arkansas and more winter here. There are more birds here every year. I, in fact, believe that this is the new Arkansas for ducks.”
• For more information about Missouri goose and duck hunting or public hunting areas, contact the Missouri Department of Conservation by visiting their website at MDCConservation.com or call (573)516-4115. • To hunt with Missouri waterfowl guide Danny Guyer at Squaw Creek & Smithville, visit his website at ironduckhunting.com or call (816)-210-3969. • Kory Cribb starts guiding at Squaw Creek and then moves south or into Kansas when freezing temperatures return. Visit his website at www. fallingfeathersgc.com or call (573)-216-8751. • Tony Vandemore at Habitat Flats around the Swan lake area. Visit their website at habitatflats.com or call (660)-734-3195. MidwestHuntFish.com
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 57
A walleye never feels the breeze on its face. But rest assured, he loves the wind. That’s a fact too few anglers take into account – walleyes respond positively to changes in wind direction. How many of you pull behind the nearest island or the downwind side of a point when the wind blows? Trying to present bait precisely while buffeted by strong winds can be a monumental task. Serious problems with effective boat control can result. But, haven’t you wondered why the bite died on a spot when the only apparent change from the last time you were there is the way the wind blows? Walleyes follow food and the location of the most active feeding can change overnight with a change in the direction of the wind. That’s because plankton, the tiny microscopic animals at the bottom of the food chain, are blown mercilessly by the wind. Baitfish follow the wind to eat the plankton. Walleyes and other gamefish are close behind. A steady wind in one direction over the course of a day or two is bound to ignite the fish on structure located on the windward side of a lake. Even a sudden strong wind can turn on action on reefs, points and islands because wind is an ally to walleyes in two other ways. Waves break up light penetration and stirs up the bottom to create a mud line. That gives walleyes an advantage when invading the shallows in search of an easy, quick meal using their keen eyesight and developed lateral lines. For those reasons, anglers must learn to put up with a little discomfort and factor in the wind as a way to locate actively feeding walleyes. Good equipment is a must. The first and most important tool is a boat that can handle big waves and wind, like the boats from Lund. These boats have been designed to allow the boat to drift perpendicular to the wind, thus allowing you to spread your lines across the gunnels of the boat and fish different depths. If you plan to fish big water, consider having two bilge pumps installed. Be sure to have all the required safety equipment onboard. Means of boat control are critical. Make certain your trolling motor and gasoline kicker motor are powerful enough to handle the task.
Page 58 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
Add two good anchors and plenty of rope. Or, add a MinnKota Talon shallow water anchor to your boat. With a press of a button, this device sends a pole down to the bottom and anchors your boat in one place. Combine this with a regular anchor and your boat won’t move. Two drift socks are also a plus. Start by using what you know about walleye location during the time of the year you are fishing. Are they near spawning flats in spring? Are they holding deeper on breaklines? Where have trollers been taking them near structure? Next, look at the lake and find the nearest points, islands and reefs that are taking a pounding by the wind. Try anchoring to avoid spooking fish and maintain control if wind speed is extreme, wave action is heavy or when targeting the shallows. Fan cast crankbaits in order to probe the structure quickly. Choose baits that will dive to the bottom as you retrieve them. Rattling baits and bright colored ones, like firetiger, can be good in dingy water. Once you’ve caught some active fish, try using a slip float to extract a few more out of the spot. Depending on how the wind is pushing water over the structure, trolling lures may allow you maintain better boat control, cover more water and present baits to larger numbers of active fish. If forward trolling, use Off Shore planer boards to run lures shallow and away from the boat. Put the wind at your back. Depending upon wind speed, you might be able to shut down the kicker and use your bow mounted trolling motor in order to control your speed.
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By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson
Back-trolling with the kicker motor lets you follow the contours of the structure precisely. It’s a tactic that shines in windy conditions. Use bottom bouncer rigs or jigs to check out shallow breaklines. Make sure your weight is heavy enough to stay in contact with the bottom and to keep control of the bait. Allow no more than a 45-degree angle between the line and the water’s surface.
Drift socks allow you to slow the boat while drifting over structure with the wind. Use your electric trolling motor either on the rear or the bow to move from deep water to shallow to deep again until fish are found. Wind can be your ally when you learn how to use it to your advantage. Don’t blow it!
Wind activates predator fish like walleyes, so learning to safely and efficiently control your boat on wind-driven spots can help you catch many more fish. Here, Ted Takasaki is using a drift sock (white thing at lower left) and bow-mounted electric motor to position his boat over a likely walleye hideout. There are other tools you should know how to use, and Ted covers them all in this article! (Photo courtesy of Ted Takasaki)
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 59
Arkansas Bass
Brown Trout
Page 60 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
Bull Shoals has to be on your fishing bucket list for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, white bass, rock bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, walleye, yellow perch, rainbow trout, brown trout, crappie, andMidwestHuntFish.com bluegill.
By Paul Marsh
The little known Bull Shoals Lake can be found right on the border of Missouri and Arkansas. Normally, I would not begin an article with a list. However, when I list all of the species for which you could fish Bull Shoals, the argument as to why it has to be on your fishing bucket list, is already half made. Bull Shoals has fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, white bass, rock bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, walleye, yellow perch, rainbow trout, brown trout, crappie, and bluegill and undoubtedly I am forgetting a few. You might be able to come up with some lake somewhere with this diversity of fishing options, but I’ll be darned if I know where it is. Another aspect of Bull Shoals that is hard to beat is the surrounding beauty and the pristine water. Nestled into a relatively gentle and rolling portion of the Ozark Mountains, the setting for this lake is idyllic. Couple this with the fact that the water in this lake is crystal clear and you have a fishing destination that you just do not want to miss. Just north a couple of hundred miles from Bull Shoals Lake is a lake that gets a lot more attention - Lake of the Ozarks. It has “Party Cove,” great fishing, and a “strip”
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with big gaudy hotels. If you need a Party Cove or a fancy hotel, you probably ought not to put Bull Shoals on that list after all. Instead all you will find for the most part just nice “down-home” types of people. There are hotels, places to eat, and a few tourist oriented establishments, but it’s all relatively low-keyed. As a matter of fact, Bull Shoals Lake often feels almost empty. Once when our family spent a week there, a professional walleye tournament was being conducted and we still had vast stretches of water all to ourselves. Despite not having the glitz of the lake further north, Bull Shoals is set up for fishing. There are excellent fishing guides, reasonable boat rentals, good tackles shops, and more. With just a little bit of advanced planning, you should have no problem being able to reserve a boat or hire a guide, or whatever it is you wish to do. I’d feel like I was leaving something out if I did not mention the fishing just below Bull Shoals Lake. One of the best trout fisheries in the country starts where the lake ends. This stretch of the White River holds an embarrassing number of trophy brown trout, not to mention an awesome number of large stocker rainbow trout.
Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 61
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Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 63
We had the opportunity to spend an enjoyable 3 day hunt with the Bandboyz and found that are definitely a unique group of outdoor fanatics where bird hunting, dog training and education comes together. They’re Outfitters for waterfowl & upland bird hunting, gun dog training and even fishing. From the Gulf Coast of Texas to the Dakota’s and they bring it all together with unmatched skill and enthusiasm. The Boyz have just finished an outstanding 2013-14 waterfowl season hunting from the costal bays of Port Aransas Texas, to the Red River Valley in Texas and Oklahoma and their home base here in South Dakota. The Bandboyz hunting methods are very innovative and effective. As the day went by we found out they are extremely good at what they do. What is amazing is that they spend the time to share their knowledge and experience with you along the way. The Boyz take the time to answer questions, explain techniques, and even listen to advice and concerns. They even find time to train great gun dogs and even help other dog owners make their best hunting buddies even better. We even worked with my couch potato Goldie and got her running like a pro, well a lazy pro anyway. I’ve never felt so comfortable on a guided hunt than I did with Ed and the guys. It was an experience I won’t forget.
Come join the fun and have the experience of a lifetime. Their rates are more than reasonable, they are top notch guides, provide an awesome experience, spend the time to help you be a better Wingshooter, and listen to experience. All good things in my book if you ask me. Call and reserve your hunt today, they tend to fill fast come season!
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Page 64 • Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014
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Want to Hunt With the Bandboyz? Ed & the Boyz have been chasing snow geese for over 30 years and the 2014 spring snow goose conversation season was a blast. They had some great hunts on the Red River in Texas, Oklahoma and South Dakota. Seeing those geese massing in huge numbers on the private land they hunt was breathtaking. Now the Boyz are gearing up for the Fall Snow Goose Season. I for one can’t wait. If you’re looking for an incredible hunt, these are the guys who can deliver it. No matter your experience or skill level Bandboyz will make the most of your hunt. They only hunt on prime private land between roosts and big water where the geese stage to move north and you will see massive numbers of geese. Your hunt will be in the middle of 1,500 to 2,000 full body and windsock decoys with multiple rotary machines, dozens of motion decoys and multiple e-callers. From the layout blinds to the Arctic Cat UTV’s & ATV’s you will be surrounded with the best equipment an outfitter can provide with a goal of giving you a goose in your face, up close hunting experience. For anyone, gunner or photographer, this is a once in a lifetime adventure. For the conservation season they offer one day hunts and multiple day hunts. All hunts include lodging, if required, 10 minutes from the fields. Your morning will start about 4AM with a briefing about the days hunt. You will follow them to the field; upon arrival they provide Arctic Cat UTV’s that will take you to the field. Once there they will explain why the
Damn, That Dog Can Hunt… Bandboyz Outfitters exclusively use Gun Dogs from High Caliber Labradors. Ask ‘em why and they’ll tell ya. High Caliber Gun Dogs can hunt, plain and simple. A combination of proven bloodlines and outstanding training produce some of the best Gun Dogs anywhere. They’re a small kennel located in the southeastern part of South Dakota; right in the middle of “Pheasant Country.” High Caliber Labradors is legendary in the Dakota’s for producing top quality Labradors that are outstanding hunting companions and great family pets. They understand that your dog is a large investment for your hunting adventures. High Caliber Labradors takes great pride in producing pointing labs that possess all great qualities including, looks, natural instincts, and desire. Here’s a taste of what they have to offer you:
For More information call: High Caliber Labradors 605-695-LABS (5227) www.highcaliberlabradors.com highcaliberlabs@yahoo.com
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By Jim Rogers decoys are setup the way they are and why adjustments are needed throughout the hunt. You will be able to help with the decoys, learn how to put up motion machines and decoys then they will assist you in preparing your blind so you blend in like a piece of the field. When finished you will be ready for the horizon to fill with snow geese, thousands of birds piling into the decoys right at your feet and squawking sounds that will stay in your ears for days! Since the start of the conservation season in 1996 snow geese have become very weary and very well educated birds with their average age being 10 years. Bandboyz has stayed one step ahead of the geese always presenting new ways for these wary birds to want to land next to you. They are totally dedicated to the hunt and they put every effort into sharing their knowledge and making your hunt a successful and educational experience. What impressed me the most about these guys is two things. One, the time and enthusiasm they have for new hunters, young and old. They truly take the time to explain everything as they go along. And two, the eagerness and willingness to learn something new from an experienced hunter they are guiding for.
Gundog Training Gundog training is a 2-3 month program that consists of obedience, collar condition, and introduction to guns and birds. This program is designed for young dogs that are going to be used as gundogs. Basic commands (here, sit, heel and kennel) will be taught. Force fetch is optional in this program but can be incorporated. Program is designed for all sporting breeds. Retriever Training For dogs wanting to achieve APLA titles, Retriever training is a program that is a minimum of 5 months with test locations and dates in mind. All dogs will have to successfully complete obedience, collar conditioning, and force fetch. Once the basics are completed the dog will be run on marks and concepts will be taught accordingly. Hunt tests are attended within reasonable travel distances. Transportation and handling fees are applied to dogs that are running hunt tests. Dams & Studs Need a hunting partner now? Want the best training, solid bloodline, and experience to boot? No problem. High Caliber had Dams and Studs fully trained and ready to hunt. These dogs are bred to hunt. Midwest Hunting & Fishing - September-October 2014 • Page 65
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