ISOutdoors enjoying the outdoors and sharing it with you
SEPTEMBER 2016
BOW HUNTING for pronghorns
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SEPTEMBER 2016
CONTENT Bow Hunting for Pronghorns
COLUMNS
Crank bait For All Depths
from the Stump
Summer Traveling Tips
bIg game
Teaching Youngsters Fly Fishing Desert Mule Deer Muy Grande
baSS fIShIng gun revIew fIShIng the amerIcaS women outdoorS
publisher Brock RAY
The Electro Mundo Gruppe 202 1st Avenue East Oneonta, AL 35121 205-625-5473 reproduction, in whole or part, retransmission, redirection or linked display is prohibited without written permission from the publisher
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One of the most unique of all bowhunts, the whimsical pronghorn antelope is a quarry that is perfectly suited for getting your bowhunting season off with a bang. The first step is finding an outfitter who understands the watering secrets of the pronghorn antelope on their hunting land. After feeding in the warming light of morning they require a drink of water. In many of the dry ranchlands where these animals are abundant most water
holes are not naturally occurring. Rather, they are often the result of windmill pumping efforts. Outfitters excavate pit blinds around these water holes where two to three times a day a pronghorn antelope will come to quench their thirst. If you can shoot an arrow into a pie plate at 20 to 30 yard distances, when hunting here
Bowhunting For Pronghorns You can jump start your hunting season with a late season antelope hunt. by Brock Ray
your odds of killing a record book pronghorn antelope buck are no worse than 50/50. Pit blind hunting for pronghorn antelope is sometimes called cake walk easy, but it is anything but a sure thing. For starters, the weather needs to cooperate, which fortunately in the desert of northwestern Colorado it usually does. As a rule of thumb, the drier it is,
the better the hunting is. Dry weather makes these animals more dependent than ever on the water holes. Light rain or even a day of rainfall rarely impacts predictable pronghorn antelope movement patterns to the water holes. Conversely, when several weeks of heavy rain occurs it creates standing water and abundant drinking opportunities for the pronghorn which reduces visitation to the water holes. Pit blind
ISOutdoors hunting gives bowhunters all of the advantages. Concealed from sight in dim light surrounded by intense, reflective sunshine, it is impossible for the keen-eyed pronghorn antelope to see you there. Add to this the advantage of knowing these animals need to come to water to drink a couple times a day, and you have a wonderful bowhunting setup. In terms of intelligence, most wildlife behavior experts rate the pronghorn antelope well behind the white-tailed deer and the elk. The creatures of the wide open spaces of the western United States seem to rely on keen vision and hearing and a herd mentality where their incredibly nervous disposition is one of their most important assets for survival. While their popular name, pronghorn antelope seems to imply these animals are antelope, in reality they are not, at least in the same sense that a gazelle or impala are true antelope. The nearest genetic relative these animals have in North America, is the Rocky Mountain goat, another animal that is remarkably undistinguished for it intelligence. One of the smallest animals classified as big game, pronghorn antelope average www.isoutdoors.com
weight is 80 to 110 pounds. In my opinion their venison is good, somewhere in quality between whitetail and snapping turtle. The inky black, pronged horns of these animals are really not a horn at all, at least not in the technical definition of the term. These so-called horns are really a super fiber of hair which is shed annually and then re-grown. Pronghorn antelope are highly gregarious herd animals. When seen in groups of 5 to 15, you will notice that while some of them are grazing or watering, others are looking about, quickly moving their heads from side to side to detect trouble. Pronghorn antelope have a reputation for being as curious as they are nervous. One of the oldest methods for getting within shooting range of these bounding animals is staking a white handkerchief to a stick atop a hill where it will blow in the breeze. Sooner or later noisy pronghorn antelope will circle around, their curiosity aroused by
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ISOutdoors this new moving object in their world. Early season bowhunting for pronghorn antelope can be accomplished in three ways. There are always opportunities to spot-and-stalk wherever these animals reside. It is tough but can be done. These are very sight and audible oriented, relying on their noses far less than an elk or whitetail. When stalking, moving slowly with the sun to your back, using natural cover to hide you is usually the best approach during the early days of the hunting season. Windmill platform hunting is another popular method used by archers. It is a variation of water hole hunting, and offers the advantage of seeing lots of animals moving about the sagebrush. Windmill platform hunting is fun--if you want to know how venison felt when the Indians were sun baking it into jerky. When windmill platform bowhunting you should always have two quarts of water and a quart of sun-block 100, or is it two quarts of sun-block 100 and a quart of water. Well, take along two quarts of each just in case. Pit blind bowhunting for pronghorn antelope is the easy way to go, just ask anywww.isoutdoors.com
one who has tried to spot-and-stalk or sit atop a windmill parching their brains. Of course, these cool, shaded abodes are not without hazard. While you are seated there looking out at the pronghorn antelope milling about in front of you like an Easter Day parade, remember that you do not have an exclusive lease on that comfortable blind. You are subject to acquiring roommate with diamondback-pattern hide and a rattler on its tail. Before entering a pit blind thoroughly check. Pit blinds are also more confining than treestands. Bowhunters accustomed to pulling their bows by pushing the bow upward and the string down will discover that a pit blind does not have enough overhead space to permit this. Truthfully, if that is the only way you can draw your bow, you probably are shooting more poundage than your muscles can comfortably pull. A good rule of thumb for pulling a hunting bow is it should be possible for you to comfortably draw it while raising it between your legs. If you cannot do this, either reduce the poundage of your bow, or spend a few afternoons each week at your local gym pumping some iron.
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Desert Mule Deer—
Muy GrandĂŠ by Bob Foulkrod My destination was Rancho Grande Hunting Lodge located near the town of Hermosillo in the Mexican state of Sonora. In the business of offering world class hunting, owner Nayo Balderrama is internationally famous. This high desert ranch is optimal habitat to the heavily antlered desert mule. Nayo is a personable chap who intimately understands the desert mule deer roaming his property. He also is quite the host. Once there, I immediately knew I would like this place. His hunting lodge, if that really is an adequate way of describing such luxurious accommodations, rivals exclusive spas and resorts. Meals at Rancho Grande Hunting Lodge are especially spectacular. To show the folks back home
what I mean, one night at supper I posed with a newspaper-size tortilla which, after the camera got the shot, I wolfed down and then had another. It was the dead of winter where we were hunting and mornings begin with a stunning, golden sunrise and crisp, cool air occasionally as cold as freezing. However, by early afternoon, it is always in the 60 to 70 degree range. This is one hunting trip where there are no negative consequences if you forget your rain gear. Were it not for the prospect of encountering a rattlesnake or the occasional bed of scorpions when the sun is shinning brightly overhead, I would have to say it is picture perfect hunting.
It’s a little more difficult getting a firearm into Mexico than it is getting these hunting tools into Canada or most African nations. A firearm transportation permit issued by the Mexican Consulate in US is required. Mexican law permits only two firearms per hunter, and 100 rounds per gun. I carried my favorite shooting stick; a Browning A-Bolt .300 Mag, and under 100 rounds of Winchester 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip ammunition. Actually, I was hoping to need only one round for the hunt, and about ten times that number for practice shooting at the lodge before we began in the field. Over dinner the first time, Nayo explained to me how we would hunt for a trophy desert mule. “We have lots of big bucks with “muy grande” wide racks on the
ranch, but because this is such a vast track, finding a suitable trophy animal is not always easy,” spoke Nayo as I savored my dinner. “We will begin early spot and stalk hunting. I have a special hunting pickup truck with an elevated box where you and I will ride so we can glass greater distances. The deer here are used to the truck, and rarely appear to pay it any attention. Once we spot the right buck, we’ll
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hit the ground to stalk within shooting range.”
pointed, I acquiesced while he softly said vamanos to the driver.
The mule deer is the western cousin of the more widely distributed whitetail. The mule deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. The other most noticeable differences between whitetails and mules are the color of their tails, configuration of their antlers, size, and their gate. The mule deer’s tail is black tipped. Mule deer antlers “fork” as they grow rather than branching from a single main beam. Generally speaking, a mule deer is about 10 to 15 percent larger than a whitetail of the same sex and age. Instead of running gracefully as does the whitetail, the mule deer moves with a bounding leap called stotting. More like a bunny hop, as these animals run all four feet coming down together.
The next morning began as the first with a glorious sunrise followed by a parade of big desert mule deer ready to die for a chance to be put in the crosshairs. The sun had climbed high in the cloudless sky when we rounded a high point in the terrain where we stopped to glass. Seven hundred yards away we spotted a trio of does. Moving in the contrasting shade of a mesquite, we spotted a huge buck. This was an incredible animal.
During winter desert mule deer blend perfectly into this overwhelmingly brownish world. It did not take long the first morning to spot a monster sized buck. I was ready to dismount and begin hunting when Nayo informed me that we were looking for a bigger buck. “He is a nice one, but we want you a muy grande,” he said as he lowered his binoculars and flashed a toothy smile at me. A bit disapwww.isoutdoors.com
Nayo and I began a slow stalk to reduce the distance between us and the big buck. We began by dropping behind the crest of the hill, crouching low as we moved through the low growing vegetation. We were fortunate that the mule deer had not moved since and after a ten minute maneuver we were within 300 yards of the animals. Setting up my shooting sticks, I watched buck move under the shade of the mesquite tree. This was the break I needed. The crosshairs already on the animal, I immediately set my aim on the shoulder of the buck and squeezed off a round before the animal could wheel back around. The mortally hit animal shuttered before it fell to the ground.
ISOutdoors B A S S
F I S H I N G
Crankbaits
Crankbaits are one of the easiest lures to use because they have the action built into the bait. The places you use by Bonita Staples (Courtesy of www.crankbaitcentral.com) crankbaits, how you different styles available, some with add your technique to that built-in acrattles, some with longer lips that dive to tion, and your retrieval speed can make 16 feet. The Smithwick Deep Suspending the difference between you and the Rattling Rogue and the Rebel Deep Minother anglers on the lake. now run about 10 feet and the Bomber
For All Depths
We will start with the long, slender minnow-type baits typically called jerkbaits. You can do more with this bait than just jerk it through grass. There are several
Deep Runner Long A will get down to 16 feet. These work great along the edges of grass, along tree lines, creek channels or fishing for suspended bass in open
ISOutdoors B A S S
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water. Since they suspend, or float up, you can crank them down and stop, then crank again. This action can entice bass when the fishing gets tough. At this point I had better back-up and give you some ground rules. When I refer to a specific depth that a lure will run, it is based on using 12- pound line. If you use lighter line it will go deeper while a heavier line will go shallower. The further you cast a lure, the better the chance it will reach the proper depth and the longer it will be in the right depth zone. You need to match the rod to the bait you are casting. The heavier the bait is, the stiffer the rod needs to be. I like the Falcon LFC-1-176 rod or Falcon FC-4-17 for the lighter crankbaits. It’s also best to cast side arm, so you keep the bait closer to the water and are not affected by the wind as much as if you cast overhand. When you crank back, keep your rod tip down close to the water. This is less tiring on your arms. The first four or five cranks need to be fast and then crank in a medium speed, steady retrieve, stopping when the lure hits something and then starting up again until you get the lure back to the boat. Some of the medium-diving baits are the www.isoutdoors.com
Bomber A series, Bagley’s Kill’r B, Bill Norman’s Deep Little N and DD-14, Storms lightnin’ Shad, Excalibur Fat Free Shad, Rapala Shad Rap and Manns 10 and 15 Plus. When I say that these are mediumrunning baits, I’m referring to the eightto 14-foot range. That does not mean that you can’t fish them in shallow water. One of the best techniques, is to throw a Bomber 6A or 7A or a Norman DD-14 up near shore and let it dig into the bottom all the way back to the boat. The lure bouncing off of the bottom, darting from side to side will trigger a strike when a steady retrieve from a shallow runner won’t work as well. The deeper divers like the Mann’s 20 and 30 Plus, Bagleys DB3, Excalibur Fat Free Shad, Bill Norman’s DD-22 and DD22+4 and the Storm Deep Lightnin’ Shad are for the 16- to 30- foot range. You can work the treetops along creek channels and long points or submerged roadbeds. These are harder to crank back and will wear you out if you try to crank too fast.
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Keep your rod tip down and reel back at a slow, steady speed. After you cast the lure out, reel quickly about five turns. This will get the lure down to the right depth and then you can slow down to a steady, easy, slow speed back to the boat. You need to use a long rod, 7-1/2 to 8 feet (Falcon LFC-4-18 one-piece rod) to get the distance on your cast to get the full depth that these lures are capable of reaching.
I left the most universal crankbait to the last and that’s the lipless crankbaits. These baits can be used from shore to just about any depth you want to fish. The best known is the Bill Lewis RatL-Trap, then the Cotton Cordell Spot, which is now the Super Spot and the Rapala Rattling Rap which is now the Rattlin’ Rapala. Some newcomers are the Berkley Frenzy Rattl’r, Bagley’s ShadA-Lac, Mann’s Maniac and Luhr-Jensen Sugar Shad. They come in sizes from 1/8ounce to 1-1/2 ounces with the 1/4-, 1/2and 3/4-ounce sizes the most commonly used. www.isoutdoors.com
If you learn how to work these baits in grass, treetops, laydowns and stickups, you’ll be surprised at the numbers and sizes of bass you can catch. Throw close to shore, hold your rod tip high and start reeling as soon as the bait hits the water. You can work these baits over the tops of grass, rip it through the grass or stickups, down the side of a laydown or just about anywhere you can put a spinnerbait. As far as colors, I prefer to stick to natural bait colors, shad, shiner, perch and crawfish, but some of the new photo finishes and colors like firetiger might make a difference under certain applications and conditions. I’ve worn the finish off of a few of these crankbaits in Tennessee shad over the years. Experiment and take chances, especially in places where other anglers aren’t throwing them. It might surprise you how well they will do.
ISOutdoors WOMEN OUTDOORS
Teaching Youngsters to Fly Fish by Kandy Cane Odds are you remember the time you were first taught how to fly fish. I was mentored by my grandfather, PawPaw Cane. He grew up fly fishing the waters around Jackson Hole where he made a living running an auto junk yard. When I was only seven years old he passed along to me an old Fenwick made, fiberglass rod and off we went to the river. By day’s end I had caught my first trout on a dry fly. Taking your children or grandchildren fly fishing is a rewarding, outdoor family activity that can make a difference in the rest of their lives. If they learn some key skills beforehand, children as young www.isoutdoors.com
as I was when I started can be landing trout with fly rods with surprising ease. Introducing kids to fly fishing takes some planning. Always choose a stream where getting along banks and riverbeds is safe and easy for those with short legs. Laurel and alder brush-free stretches of water are essential, as fetching flies from the trees is frustrating enough for adults, much less kids. Feeder streams and those that cut through meadows are perfect starter waters for little tikes because stream flows are typically slower and shallower. Just as important as where you start to teach fly fishing, is outfitting that child with the correct tackle. Matching young anglers to a fly rod that fits them is
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crucial. Most fly rod manufacturers offer novice-level rods tuned to the beginner’s skill set. Some fly rod companies design down-sized versions youngsters may find advantageous. The fly rod grip should fit easily in their hand, and rod length should be no more than one and a half times the child’s height. A comfortable rod for kids spans somewhere between 7’ 6” and 8’. Fly rod design differs greatly. Some blanks have a lot of backbone which makes them rather stiff, while others flex through their entire length. A good rule of thumb for choosing a fly rod
action is to go with a more flexible rod for novices whereas expert fly casters may enjoy success with more rigid rods. As they progress you can move them to rods with greater loading capacity, but for now, go the spaghetti rod route, which usually is the lower end of the scale in terms of price. The same is true of fly reels. For stream trout fly fishing, the cheapest single action fly reel holds line and functions in the same overall identical way as one cost $500. If you part with a few extra dollars, then put it into buying a really great fly line. Fly line selection is critical for casting
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ease. Virtually everyone starts out with a versatile floating line. I recommend a good weight forward line that is brightly colored line so it will hold your students’ attention and teach them how to read water. For generations fly fishing sages have advocated casting motion arching between a ten o’clock and two o’clock swath overhead. But for children, you need to me more flexible (no pun intended) when it comes to back casts. In my experience, with young, starting out fly fishing, they should stop their backcasts somewhere near the twelve o’clock position, or directly overhead. And the forward cast should land lightly upon the water every time. While we all do it more than we should, when teaching kids to fly fishing false casting should be avoided. Before going to the water, a little dry land fishing practice comes first. Extend their fly line tautly down in the grass before the student holding their fly rod in hand with the tip pointing to the far end of the fly line. Teach your child to raise their rod to the twelve o’clock position with a crisp, deliberate motion, www.isoutdoors.com
wait for the line to load, and then drop it back down where it lay in the grass previously. Explain to them the need for keeping backcasts high. Be patient, because everyone starting out fly fishing does not understand that rhythm is more of the key than is the power stroke. Once a child masters this simple casting technique without a leader and fly, they are ready to go fishing. Fly selection is key if beginning fly rodders are going to catch fish. While the contents of a well-stocked fly box will certainly be of interest to youngsters, you know that using the right fly pattern and the correct time is quite important. On the other hand, if you knot on a #22 Light Cahill, they may not see the fly on the water once it is cast. I recommend starting them out fly fishing with a highly-successful, brightly-colored attractor pattern such as a Royal Coachman or Bivisible. It’s a well known fact that women are better fly fishers than are men, and who better to teach the next generation of fly fishers than you?
ISOutdoors CANINE CARE
Summer Traveling Tips By Drs. Foster & Smith If you plan on taking your dog along on vacation, that weekend get-away, or other summer traveling, here are a few things to remember to make sure you canine companion enjoys his time away from home with you. Always bring food and water from home for your dog. The last thing you want is a dog with digestive problems when you are on the road. You may bring your dog’s regular dishes, or there are convenient travel dishes available. Frequent water breaks are essential for ensuring that your canine remains adequately hydrated while on the road. Many places including campgrounds do not allow dogs. Once you have planned your route and destinations, call ahead
to make sure it is okay to bring your pet before you leave. There are several books on the market which contain a state-bystate listing of hotels, motels, and inns that welcome pets. It is not a given what motel or campground will allow, so contact these places before you arrive so there are no surprises. Every summer a handful of people loose their dogs when they on the road with their four-legged companion. Before leaving home, double check to make sure your dog’s nametag is up-to-date and readable. It could me the difference in Fido making it home, or finding himself in a new home. Pack a lead and tie out. Attach the lead before you open the www.isoutdoors.com
ISOutdoors CANINE CARE
door for your dog’s safety. The last thing you want is a pup bolting from you vehicle into the dicey traffic zipping about at an interstate rest area. Children get bored and testy on long car trips, and your dog is not so different. When you pack, do not forget your dog’s favorite toys. Also, pack a first aid kit for your dog. It is always a good idea to have one handy, just in case. Cover the seats. A shedding dog will change the appearance of your car seats forever. Hair is tough to get out. Car seat covers are an excellent investment if you want to retain the value of your vehicle and keep it looking clean. It’s a good idea to provide your dog with plenty of exercise before you leave. Frequent stops on long trips to allow dogs to relieve themselves and drink are essential. Clean up after your dog to keep the great outdoors great and out of consideration for others. When in unfamiliar surroundings, always keep your dog leashed, no matter how well behaved you may believe your pup to be. Travel on an empty stomach. Car sickness is more likely if your dog has a full stomach. If the trip is long, feed a smaller www.isoutdoors.com
amount than normal at least two hours before you leave. Restrain your pet during travel in a harness, pet seat, carrier, wire cage or plastic crate. It is the safest way to travel for both you and your dog. NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A HOT CAR even if you park in the shade. Pets are unable to control body temperature as efficiently as humans and just a few minutes in a hot car could cause irreversible damage or death. For more dog care information, articles or dog care supplies, visit www.drsfostersmith.com
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