Sportsman's News December 2019 Digital Edition

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Einstein Finally Meets His Match

December 2019 | Volume 15 | Issue 12

Northeast Utah Late Season Muzzleoader Hunt with Sportsman's Hunting Adventures

Chad LaChance: Fishful Thinker

Troy Holm and Mike Deming. Big mature mule deer are one of the toughest animals to put into the record book, but when you get to hunt old smart ones like this buck we named Einstein the score doesn’t matter when you hunt with friends and family.

Rod Buying Guide

Gary Lewis: PacWest Outdoors

Eastern Oregon Steens Bighorn

Page 10

Christmas Gift Guide

Must-have gear for the Outdoorsperson in your life Page 16

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PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Mike Deming President/Publisher 435-669-4624 mdeming@sportsmansnews.com MANAGING EDITOR Dan Kidder 435-865-1680 dkidder@sportsmansnews.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lisa Deming info@sportsmansnews.com VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER Jared Lombardo jlombardo@sportsmansnews.com

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2

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

WORDS FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Michael Deming

WHAT’S INSIDE

4 Einstein Meets His Match

Northeast Utah Late Season Muzzleloader with Sportsman's Hunting Adventures.

Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 10 The newsest Eagle has landed.

12 Platinum Approved Outfitters

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

16 Christmas Gift Guide

The Sportsman's News team has tested and recommends these great gift ideas.

20 Pacwest Outdoors: Eastern Oregon Steens Bighorn One Oregon teen had two weeks to get in sheep shape.

22 North Haven Resort

Big pike, five-star accomodations in Manitoba.

26 Business Directory 27 Pro's Tips: Traveling Overseas to Experience the Great Outdoors What you need to know to see the world.

M

erry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our loyal readers.

This issue brings us not only to the end of a great year, but an entire decade. How things have changed during that past decade. I can sit back at my desk and reflect on all the water that’s gone under the bridge. Ten years ago, the economy was totally in the tank and the future of Sportsman’s Warehouse was questionable, which provided us that same questionable future here at Sportsman’s News. There were roughly 26 open stores and expansion was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. Here we are ten years later and Sportsman’s Warehouse is literally “killing it” as my kids say. There are over 100 stores around the country and the website is one of the best in the industry and selling products everywhere. All I can say is “Wow”! The management team at Sportsman’s Warehouse is as good as it gets and as I travel the country meeting with customers and outdoor enthusiasts, they feel the same way. They are so happy to see all the new stores popping up and like the mix of products available in their already existing stores. It makes me excited to see what the next ten years likely holds. All I can say is hang on and don’t get in the way.

The Christmas issue always has a gift guide put together by my team here at Sportsman’s News. This isn’t items that were priced well and as a matter of fact, that doesn’t have anything to do with our choices of putting them in the pages of Sportsman’s News. Your mailbox and inbox will be stuffed with plenty of deals like that during this holiday season. I ask everyone on my team to pick a couple of products that they have used in the field throughout the year and have now earned a space in their pack for every outing. These pieces have been put to the test and had a pretty hard-core beating to say the least. We know that if you pick one of these items, the person who opens it up this holiday season is going to be pretty darn happy.

If you have that one special person in your life that literally has everything, you might want to consider buying them a Pro Membership Sweepstakes membership for one full year. The price on this is $297 or $27 a month. We will give away more than $400,000 worth of grand prizes during the 2020 calendar year and a bunch more bonus prizes along with it. We give away a grand prize every ten days on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of every month. These are everything from world class trophy mule deer to Dall sheep in the Brooks Range. If it’s on your bucket list here in North America, chances are, we probably have it on the schedule. We even occasionally offer a trip to New Zealand for Red Stag and Tahr. The excitement of seeing these drawings every ten days and the chance of winning a trip of a lifetime is a gift that will be remembered all year. We can provide you with a special gift certificate to put in that special loved one’s stocking.

I truly hope everyone enjoys this holiday season and we here at Sportsman’s News would like to wish you the very best. Bring on 2020 and let’s do it again.

Fishful Thinker: Holiday Season 31

The perfect time to start thinking about gifts for the angler in your life.

32 Pro's Pick:Camp Chef Smoke Pro XXL

The first vertical pellet grill from Camp Chef with twice the cooking area.

34 Trigger Time With Team Doubletap Developing A Skill.

38 Pro Membership Update: Brush Creek Outfitters Great hunting with all of the luxuries of a resort.

40 Adventure on a Budget: Sunshine State Ducks St. Johns River creates abundant waterfowl habitat.

44 Outdoor Writing Contest: Two Beards for Mom

A turkey outing with Mom nets two beards and one bird and memories that will last a lifetime.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gary Lewis Chad LaChance John N. Felsher Rob Hristov Benjamin Mahoney

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

3

Einstein Finally Meets His Match

Northeast Utah Late Season Muzzleoader Hunt

By Michael Deming 4

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

T

he buck was lip curling and full on rutting a single doe. He was on her nonstop for the better part of an hour. At nearly a mile away, it was obvious that this buck had only one thing on his mind. His body size was nearly twice that of the doe we were watching. My Zeiss Harpia 95mm spotter was providing me with a great birds’ eye view of the event.

Although we knew this buck was mature, it was only day one of our hunt and we were looking for something with a little larger head gear to burn my brother’s 15 bonus points on. We figured he was 28” wide and in the mid 170’s. He was definitely good by most hunters’ standards however, we were on an outfitter evaluation hunt with Sportsman’s Hunting Adventures newest property, we wanted to spend as much time as possible learning the dirt and seeing what the unit had to offer. Since winter had come early and we had nearly a foot of snow on the ground already along with signs of rut, we figured we were making the right decision to pass on this guy.

We called the other guide who had a mule deer hunter from Michigan with him.

He had only harvest one other mule deer in his life and this guy would definitely be an upgrade. Danny Jenkins (guide) answered my call and said that they would be interested in making a play on this buck and since we were already in position, we would be their eye in the sky. Gary (hunter) has bad knees and couldn’t make the long hike to the buck from where they were setup.

Danny thought the buck was so focused on the doe that he could likely drive Gary to the bottom of the basin and sneak in on flatter ground. However, this is when the buck showed his true age and knowledge that earned him the nickname of Einstein.

We watched as the truck dropped over the ridge nearly a mile from the buck.

Whether he heard the tires, saw the truck or just that big buck’s sixth sense kicked in, Early snows in the high country and bitter he immediately froze and cold temperatures were the forecast going into fixed his eyes on the truck. the hunt and being in early November, we thought Once the truck got to the bottom and out of site, he the rut would tip the odds heavily in our favor. walked to the thickest cover available and sat tight. The hunters closed the distance to the buck and as they had to go through the last thick cover before getting out into the open and would likely see him going up the opposing hillside, he slipped over the top.

I called Danny to let him know that his opportunity had passed and the buck was gone. As they turned to walk back to the truck, the old buck came back over the top and bedded just to the point that he could see when the truck pulled back out of the basin. He had obviously played this game before and knew it well. I said, “that’s Einstein type of smarts right there” and the line stuck.

This hunt came about because I wanted to add more mule deer hunts to the Pro Membership Sweepstakes giveaways. We had already hunted elk with Sportsman’s Hunting Adventures and we give away a hunt with them every year. They are one of our endorsed outfitters already, but I won’t buy any hunts for our sweepstakes that we haven’t personally been on. A new ranch or hunting opportunity has the potential to be either really good or really bad. My brother was sitting on 15 bonus points here in Utah. We seldom get a chance to hunt together, but this would be The first day yielded a sighting a good chance for him to burn his points, of “Einstein” at a little over a mile. do a late muzzleloader hunt together and The Phone Skope got me a good check out this new hunting opportunity picture of those back forks and for the future. So, we put the plan in mothis potential shooter. tion and he drew the tag which would

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This large stand of Aspens was one of the primary homes for Einstein and when we finally moved in for the shot, he was finishing his last siesta. take place October 3th through November 7th. This would be the beginning of the rut and if we got lucky, maybe some hard-core rut activity would be in the mix. As luck would have it, winter definitely came early with lots of snow in the high country. Things were shaping up to put everything in our favor on this hunt.

We arrived on October 31st with the intentions of hunting till the end of season or at least until we found a big, mature deer that was worthy of Troy’s 15 bonus points. We put that threshold at a buck over 185” B&C, which would be Troy’s biggest buck ever or something that was at least 30” wide. Old Einstein didn’t meet these standards, but his antics told me that he was long in the tooth and had beaten many a hunter over the years.

At first light on day two, I saw a big framed deer with huge backs feeding in the sage. It was extremely low light at the time, but I was sure this buck would meet our standards. As the sun started to peak over the horizon, I could start to identify more character of the buck. Once again, it was Einstein and no does in site. He was totally out of the basin and one ridge over. I called Danny again and the game was one for him and his hunter. We moved around the other side of the mountain to look at more country and play spotter for their hunt.

It took nearly half an hour to get into position. We were well over half a mile away from where we had last seen Einstein and as we rolled up to a lookout, I saw Mr. Smarty Pants sneaking out of the aspen grove and back over the top without even as much as a slow down or a glance as most muleys do as he crested the hill.

I told Troy that if we couldn’t find something bigger, we might want to

6

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

make Einstein our target buck as he was starting to really catch my attention.

He was by all means a worthy adversary, but he just hadn’t grown to the size we wanted. At this point, he could possibly even be regressing.

We spent the next few days covering the ranch and living behind our optics.

We never could turn up a true giant, but the number of younger bucks was off the charts. The hard winter of 2018 may have taken a toll on some of the older age class of bucks. When the rut ends in late November and winter comes right behind it, those old breeder bucks are very susceptible to winter kill.

Danny and Gary had tried to seal the deal on Einstein nearly every day of the hunt but hadn’t even come close to getting within Gary’s 200-yard maximum effective range with his muzzleloader. We made the decision to put a mass effort on old Einstein the rest of the hunt unless something else caught our attention.

On day five, we found him right back where he had escaped to on day one.

He had about 20 does and was checking all of them frequently. Danny had spotted him, so we gave them the go and just spectated for this outing. They had moved down the ridge nearly 400-yards and were within 400-yards of the buck and his does. As the sun rose, he stayed out longer than usual, but 20 sets of eyes are tough to sneak up on. He and a few of his does finally disappeared over the ridge and out of site from us. Fifteen minutes later about half the does come trotting our way and with a buck in the back. I was able to get my spotter on him and even a bit of video footage. He was shaped like Einstein, but I just didn’t feel like it was him. He just looked smaller.

When we looked at the video over lunch, Danny thought it was him and made the play for the afternoon to go and set up on the area that we last saw this buck. I told Troy that we should sit across from the back side of the ridge where we saw him disappear. If I was right, Einstein would likely be in the same stand of aspens we had bumped him out of on day two.

I had Gary Wilson, our guide, drop us off way back from this side of the basin. Troy and I snuck through the sagebrush for the better part of a mile to put us in position without being detected. We settled into the shade with a good view of the entire hill. If he was here, we would definitely find him. About an hour before sunset, a few does popped out of the aspens I expected him to be in, but nothing. I kept watching the entire hill, while focusing more on the does by his aspen pocket. I finally put my spotter up and looking at over a half a mile caught Einstein chilling in the shadows. I whispered to Troy, “I got him and we need to go”. We would have to slip back over the hill undetected and move another 800-yards downhill. This would put us cross-canyon at approximately 400- to 500-yards.

That’s a long shot for most muzzleloaders, but my new CVA Paramount topped with Zeiss V6 in 5-30 was shooting 2-3” groups at this distance. I knew the gun was capable and if things were good, Troy would have all the time in the world to make this shot from a prone position.

Walking up to a buck of this caliber is truly a special experience and after watching this buck for most of the week it was even sweeter. Troy Holm made a great shot at 458 yards with the new CVA Paramount Muzzleloader topped with a Zeiss V6 5-30X50 Riflescope.

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As I pushed the pack up to the top of the hill for Troy to rest on, I could see Einstein and all his glory in the setting sun. Our game of chess was escalating and the final moves were about to play out. I ranged the buck at exactly 458-yards as I reached up to adjust the turret on the scope. With minimal wind, Troy was going to be able to hold right on this buck as soon as he gave us a broadside shot. We just needed to hope his sixth sense didn’t kick in. He finally turned broadside and I heard the safety slide off. Troy said, “are you ready”? I had been filming the entire time and was definitely ready. Looking through the camera at 30X zoom, I saw the 45 caliber Powerbelt 280 grain ELR round strike him in the kill zone. The buck was able to make it back up to his hiding spot in the aspens, but I was sure we had sealed the fate of old Einstein.

My brother and I enjoyed this special moment on the mountain before heading down and back up to recover this old warrior.

When we got to the buck, it was nearly dark. I found him first and I could see those huge G2’s sticking out of the grass. I yelled at Troy and he came running. “Einstein is Dead!” It was an extremely fulfilling and sad moment all at the same time. We had competed with this guy on his home turf and finally won the war. His teeth were nearly gone and his old roman nose showed years of battles with other bucks. I’m sure he had beaten many hunters over his lifetime, but this time he had finally met his match.

The Pro Membership Sweepstakes will give this hunt away in the future. As of 2020, this will be a Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) which means the winner can hunt with any weapon and we will be hunting the last five days of the season. I’m not sure you will get your Einstein, but I’m sure he passed plenty of genetics around the area and there are a lot of 3- to 4-year-old bucks that have huge potential. If you want your chance to win this hunt, sign up at www.promembershipsweepstakes.com.

Troy takes it all in as we set this old warrior up for photos. It’s one of his biggest bucks to date and a memory that will last forever.

Troy Holm, Mike Deming, and Guide Gary Wilson of Utah worked as a team to make this a successful hunt. Beating Einstein on his own turf couldn’t have been done without the help of everyone.

8

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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benelli suPer blAck eAgle 3

F

the newest eAgle hAs lAnded

or 2019, Benelli released their newest improvements on their already popular Super Black Eagle line of waterfowl semi-automatic shotguns.

The SBE3 offers a series of ergonomic and operational improvements that were tackled after identifying areas of improvement from years of use in the field by shooters of their previous SBE2 line.

While many gun companies take on upgrades to their products based on design for the sake of design, Benelli took a different approach in their upgrade program.

This approach saw changes made based on feedback and eschewed changes for the sake of change. This approach kept every feature that shooters had come to appreciate from these shotguns, and only made modifications where they were requested. The new design is the culmination of 10 years of work to improve ergonomics, reliability, comfort, and functionality with an eye toward creating the perfect waterfowling gun.

The first noticeable change is to the Comfort Tech stock. The idea of splitting the stock and adding shock absorbing chevrons to disperse recoil had already proven itself to serious waterfowlers and in their upgraded Comfort Tech 3 iteration, this stock is improved to even better distribute the felt recoil across the entire stock. The engineers also added a Combtech cheek pad to mitigate the slap of the stock against the cheek, making the gun even more comfortable, especially when firing high brass 3-and-a-half inch shells.

The functionality improvements may not even be noticeable with a cursory examination but include an improved design to the carrier and loading port to provide better cycling and easier loading. They have created a two-piece carrier latch and beveled the feeding gate make it easier to load and cycle the gun with heavy gloves.

As for reliability, the SBE3 continues to be powered by Benelli’s Inertia Drive System for optimal performance and reliability. The ID system makes the gun less sensitive to lighter loads, and also requires much less cleaning, oiling, and maintaining in the field than standard gas driven guns. Benelli has fired as many as 500,000 rounds through these guns without cleaning and maintenance. So when you take the gun into a damp blind or lay it in the bottom of your boat, you aren’t going to worry if it will perform when the greenheads start coming in. It also means that you can use even the lightest 2-and-three-quarter loads to save your shoulder during a long day of ruffling feathers without suffering from feeding issues.

Benelli also made the bolt release and safety larger and gave an outward angle to the drop lever, so all can be easily manipulated with gloves.

When all of these improvements are combined, it is obvious that serious consideration was given to enhancing performance and not to redesign for the sake of selling a new and novel thing that many gun manufacturers are prone undertake.

Every modification was based on feedback from the end user.

To say that Benelli has designed the perfect waterfowl gun may be a bit of an overambitious statement, but the new Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 is pushing pretty close to that line.

10 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The SBE3 comes in 17 different configurations, including three versions that a perfect mirrored design for left-handed shooters. They even provide a version with a 24-inch rifled slug barrel. They are offered in Realtree Max-5, Shadow Grass Blades, Mossy Oak Bottomland, GORE Optifade Timber, GORE Optifade Marsh, black synthetic, and a beautiful satin walnut. Each version is adjustable for length of pull as well as for drop and cast, to allow you to custom fit the gun to shooters of most sizes. They even offer a SteadyGrip version in Mossy Oak Bottomland that is fixed with a pistol grip for those who have mobility challenges or who just want better control. They come with 26 or 28-inch barrels, and the SteadyGrip and rifled slug versions have a 24-inch barrel.

The Crio treated barrels use extreme cold to help realign the steel for optimal and consistent patterning that makes them extremely accurate and allows for use in extreme environments without worrying about degrading performance.

Other features like the Benelli Progressive Comfort stock helps alleviate felt recoil by using interlaced gel fingers in the butt to dissipate recoil energy, and Quadrafit inserts help make the gun even more comfortable. The SBE3 also comes standard with extended Crio chokes in IC and M, and flush fit chokes in C, IM, and F, with a multitool-like choke wrench, all in a custom fitted plastic hard case.

All of the features aside, the SBE3 really shows itself when you shoulder and swing it. It has a very comfortable and instinctive swing and point of aim, and just flows through the target as if it were self-guided. Shooters of these guns will be amazed at how instinctively they find their target and how quickly and fluidly they can be mounted. Every effort to achieve amazing comfort has been considered by the Benelli designers so they are ideal for long sessions in the field with bountiful birds. Though they are designed for the hardcore waterfowler, I can attest that they also make great upland guns as well as clay busters. From Spring turkey to when you put it away at the end of the season, this gun is a great all around performer for any shotgun sport.

If you are looking for a reliable and comfortable semi-auto shotgun with outstanding performance, look no further than the newly redesigned SBE3 from Benelli. It is sure to impress. You can see the full line of Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 shotguns at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse.

When you chase an obsession to extremes, this is what you take with you.

The Super Black Eagle 3.

Experience it at a Benelli dealer near you, or visit BenelliUSA.com.

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

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14 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

15

Christmas Gift Guide Phone Skope

Today’s phones have excellent cameras but lack the ability to really zoom in very far. When you own a set of binoculars or a spotting scope, you can get the most out of these optics and phone combination with a PhoneSkope adapter.

This is a two-piece unit. The first part is the case for your specific phone and the second part is the adapter to your optics. This allows you to extend the range of the camera on your phone by taking photos through your binoculars or spotting scope. You no longer have to share stories about the animals you saw without sharing the photo you captured.

Vortex Razor UHD 12X50 Binoculars

Having a pair of binoculars is one thing, but a pair with extra magnification and with great low light performance puts you a step above the competition. The edge to edge clarity is excellent and overall quality can usually only be found on optics with a much higher price tag. Once you put these onto a tripod, you can sit for hours with minimal eye fatigue and look for that next trophy of a lifetime. This new UHD Razor series is available in other magnifications like the 10X42, but the 12X50’s are the perfect combination of magnification and size for the hard-core western hunter.

Garmin GPSMAP 66i GPS and Satellite Communicator

For those venturing deep off the beaten path, finding your way and being able to keep in touch with those back home are both important capabilities. Typically, this requires two different tools, but with the Garmin GPSMAP 66i, you have the best of both worlds in a single device. Featuring all of the detailed TOPO mapping and navigation tools you expect from a Garmin GPS, the GPSMAP 66i also includes Garmin’s inReach Technology to allow texting, tracking, and two-way communication with location sharing. A subscription is required for the inReach satellite texting capability, but flexible plans are available. A bright 3-inch display is readable even in direct sunlight and it can pair with your smartphone for even more robust mapping, weather, and texting capability.

Wheeler AR-15 Armorer’s Professional Kit

The Wheeler Delta Series AR Armorer’s Professional Kit contains all of the tools a gunsmith or armorer needs to complete a full rifle build, make repairs or perform maintenance on AR-15/M16 platform rifles. Each of these Delta Series tools is designed with application specific features to perform specific functions with precision and ease. Each tool is constructed of the highest quality materials to deliver the best performance at a great value. It includes an AR bench vice so you can easily work on your build without it sliding all over the table. For those who just want to properly maintain their favorite modern sporting rifle or those who are getting into building their first black gun, this kit is a great choice.

16 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

WELD DONE.

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Christmas Gift Guide Camp Chef Cast Iron Skillets

Nothing cooks as well as cast iron and nobody makes cast iron skillets better than Camp Chef. They are available in 10, 12, and 14-inch diameters and all feature an easy grip textured handle and two side pour spouts. They come pre-seasoned and ready to cook with and are the perfect cooking pan for over the campfire, in the oven, or on the top of the stove. With time, they will become a non-stick cooking powerhouse and great for everything from biscuits to fried chicken. With a little care, they only improve with age.

OtterBox Trooper LT 30 Cooler

A stellar soft cooler with the ability to transform into a backpack, the Trooper LT 30 Cooler from OtterBox features 30 quarts of internal space, which is perfect for an 8 pack of your favorite cold beverage. The internal lining is food grade to eliminate odors, and it seals up airtight for use as a dry bag to keep out water, dust, and air.

A side pocket for items like keys or a wallet will even accommodate the OtterBox dry box, and the cooler has a built-in removable bottle opener.

Even though it seals up tight, the compound latch system is a breeze to open and close, even with only one hand.

Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Earmuff

Protect your hearing from harsh noises with the Impact Sport Earmuff.

It has the ability to block damaging sound to a safe 82dB but will also amplify sound like range commands and normal conversation for maximum awareness and safety. The automatic 4-hour shutoff will conserve the battery life of the 2 included AAA batteries.

The earmuffs are water resistant and include a leatherette headband for maximum comfort. The low profile doesn’t interfere with cheek weld on most rifles and shotguns.

18 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Christmas Gift Guide Helinox Chair One

Now this is a cool item for just about anyone’s stocking this Christmas. With its innovative and award-winning design, Chair One is the go-to product for all kinds of adventures.

Smaller than a wine bottle when compact, this chair is assured to be your new favorite traveling buddy. With total weight at only 2.1lbs, Chair One is structured with advanced DAC aluminum poles, holding up to 320 lbs. You can also add rocker feet (sold separately) to add even more comfort and enjoyability in the backyard or on the mountain. Weather and UV resistant.

Humminbird HELIX 8 Chirp Mega SI+ GPS G3N

And if that fisherman on your list this year has REALLY been good, there is the HELIX 8 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N, featuring an 8-inch display, MEGA Side Imaging+, MEGA Down Imaging+ and Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar. It includes GPS mapping, built-in Bluetooth, Ethernet networking capabilities, AutoChart Live with depth, vegetation and bottom hardness mapping and Humminbird Basemap built-in. Now that’s a fishfinder!

Costa’s Diego

Taking its name from a great fishing destination, sunny San Diego, this frame is up to the task whether you are chasing Yellowtail or the mighty Bluefin. Diego is the most technically advanced performance frame Costa has ever developed, with capability in every detail. The Costa team left no feature behind with this frame, creating the next evolution of performance. Features include an innovative vented hinge system to maximize airflow, a vented nose pad to reduce fogging, integrated top and side shields that block light and flexible and keeper-ready temple tips that enhance fit. The new style is a large fit and comes in three frame colors, including matte black, matte midnight blue and matte gray.

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

19

Eastern Oregon Steens Bighorn

Two months to sheep shape for a 13-year-old hunter

Photo courtesy Jason Kamperman

By Gary Lewis

“

N

ah, can’t be.”

Jason Kamperman took a screenshot. According to the ODFW app, Kamperman’s son Reed had drawn a sheep tag in the Steens. He shut his phone down, waited a minute and powered it up. He checked the app again. Same thing. Sheep tag for the boy. August.

Jason’s mind raced. It’s hard for a fireman to take 11-days off in the middle of the summer. But not impossible.

Thirteen-year-old Reed Kamperman was at a friend’s house, playing a video game when Jason walked into the room.

“Game’s over.” Jason put the phone in front of his son. Not only had the youngster drawn a sheep tag, he drew the very hard to get Warner Unit youth tag for mule deer.

The teenager said he was stunned, but then his mind began to race. He had been in the Steens the year before.

“I knew how hard it was going to be.”

What he didn’t realize, was the importance of this once-in-a-lifetime tag. That idea began to seep in after the first scouting trip with friends and family from central

Photo courtesy Jason Kamperman

Scouting for sheep in the Steens. Jason Kamperman (at the binoculars) and 13-year-old Reed made five scouting trips before the season opener in August.

20 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Glassing for bighorns on a chilly summer morning.

Oregon, including Mike Chamberland, Wayne Chamberland, Chris Clark and Randy Parrish (Reed’s grandfather).

Jason, 49, who is a mountain biker, a runner and a skier, began to get up before work everyday to get into sheep shape. And Reed, a middle school football player and a wrestler, started on a fitness plan which included regular trips with a pack up Bend’s own extinct volcano - Pilot Butte.

From mid-June through the first of August, the Kampermans made five scouting trips.

For this hunt, the Kamperman’s chose a bolt-action 7mm-08 and the 140-grain Nosler AccuBond. Twice a week, Reed shot the rifle, learning the holdovers at 200, 300, 400 yards and beyond. Jason was careful to see Reed shoot at closer distances too.

Five days before the season, the Kampermans set up camp in the desert. One day it rained, the next day brought snow and then sun. Before long, the crew had several bands of sheep spotted, but the day before the season opener, the sheep disappeared.

By day 4 (day 9 of the trip), the midday temperature hit triple digits.

The crew had spotted two very good rams and Reed wanted to hunt them from the top down. To get there, father and son took a bumpy, winding road up the slope, then stopped, hiked over and started down.

The younger Kamperman stopped and looked down. An arrowhead. He picked it up and looked it over. It was almost complete, with

a slight chip on the tip. A few days before he had found a Nosler cartridge another hunter had lost, both artifacts left by hunters who had gone before him. But to the 13-year-old, the goal was to see the rams he had spotted from below.

On hands and knees, father and son looked over the rim and into the basin below. Two rams were feeding in a small grove of aspens that had survived the fire that had scorched the junipers all around.

It only took a glance to see which of the animals was biggest. Reed tipped the scope caps open and settled the crosshair. One of the hard things to remember after months of practice shooting on level ground, is the hold to take when the angle is steep, uphill or downhill. Reed’s first bullet went over the big ram’s back. And when the ram ran a little-ways and stopped, Reed shot and missed again.

Two downhearted hunters found no sign the ram had been hit. Now the temperature was close to 100-degrees.

Two hours later, father and son found the big ram again, one canyon to the south.

Jason spotted it first. Not more than a hundred yards away.

“There.”

Reed eased his rifle up around a boulder and settled the bipod in a notch where, in times past, a young hunter might have drawn a sinew-backed bow and loosed an obsidian-tipped shaft. The ram was quartered toward him.

“Aim right in front of the shoulder,” Jason breathed.

Reed tipped the safety to “fire,” settled the crosshair low on the shoulder and squeezed three pounds of pressure on the steel arc of the trigger.

Struck, the ram ran headlong, tripped and rolled 50-yards down the slope, coming to rest against a juniper.

Photo courtesy Jason Kamperman

Photo courtesy Jason Kamperman

Father and son at the end of a long odyssey in the desert. But the 13-year-old also had a summer deer tag to try to fill.

Minutes later, Reed knelt beside his Steens Mountain ram and ran his fingertips around the curl to trace the growth rings.

Thirty-one days later, back in southeast Oregon, the young Kamperman settled his sights on a three-point mule deer and filled that tag as well.

The young Kamperman may never have a summer hunting season like this one again, but he will have a wealth of experience to draw upon and discipline learned on his feet and on his belly in the Steens and the Warners.

It can happen. Any hunter who applies can draw a bighorn sheep Thirteen-year-old Reed Kamperman drew a tag. Everyone has an equal chance in the random drawings available California bighorn sheep tag in Oregon’s Controlled in many western states. The thing most hunters don’t understand is Hunt drawing last June. The young hunter tagged this how little time there is to prepare between mid-June and mid-August. ram on the fourth day of the season.

If a person thinks they are in good shape, they also have to be mentally tough. A lot of hunters quit before they get into the places sheep live.

“It’s tough,” the 13-year-old said. “You have to get in really good shape. Even with the shape we were in, it was pretty hard and brutal.”

To order a signed copy of Hunting Oregon, send $24.85 (includes shipping) to Gary Lewis Outdoors, PO Box 1364, Bend, OR 97709 or visit www.GaryLewisOutdoors.com.

Photo courtesy Jason Kamperman Thirteen-year-old Reed tagged this 2x3 mule deer. He shoots a bolt-action 7mm-08 with a Leupold scope and 140-grain Nosler AccuBonds.

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

21

North Haven Resort

W

hen you have the opportunity to travel throughout North America to fishing destinations as much as I do, you come across all kinds of operations. From the top of the line to the bottom, I’ve just about seen it all. Most offer great fishing, but many lack in other areas. Some have great accommodations and food, while others just get by in these areas. Many have knowledgeable guides, but their boats and equipment could use an upgrade. The list goes on and on.

But, every once in a while, you come across a place that truly has it all – great accommodations, superb food, top of the line boats and equipment, knowledgeable guides and unbelievable fishing. One such place is found a little north of the border in Manitoba, Canada and the name of the place is North Haven Resort located on Utik Lake about 350-miles north of Winnipeg.

North Haven Resort is truly an exquisite five-star fishing resort surrounded by Canadian wilderness in every direction. Only accessible by air and the only property located on 35-mile-long Utik Lake, the resort was built to offer guests the best world-class fishing, luxurious accommodations, five-star service and tranquil seclusion imaginable.

It all began back in the early 2000’s when businessman, Dennis Punches acquired the property and decided to build a high-end fishing lodge on Utik Lake. You see, Mr. Punches was the owner of North Star Resort and they had been offering flyouts to their guests on Utik

22 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The lodge and facilities at North Haven Resort are second to none. There is even a full-time message team on site available at the end of your day on the water.

Lake because of its abundance of large northern pike.

The process was not an easy one, as all of the equipment and materials had to be either flown in or brought in via an ice road during

Renee Wagler and guide Jordan Harder with Renee’s first Master Angler northern pike of the trip, a nice 43 ½ -inch bruiser.

the frigid winter months. Finally, the resort was ready to open its doors in the summer of 2008 and as they say – the rest is history. Sadly, Mr. Punches passed away in December of 2017, but his legacy and love of the outdoors lives on at North Haven Resort.

Today, North Haven Resort is considered by many to be the premier fly-in fishing lodge in Canada. I had the chance to meet David Brahm, the director of marketing for the resort at the SCI convention in Las Vegas in 2017. Plans were soon made for a visit to their operation in hopes of them becoming one of our newest Platinum Approved Outfitters and Lodges. And as you can guess, our first trip to the resort was nothing short of amazing.

Soon, talks began to include North Haven as part of our ever-growing Pro Membership Sweepstakes and final plans were made for our return visit, June 24-29, 2019, with the eventual winner of the drawing, Renee Wagler of Indiana and her invited guest, her husband, Travis.

I would be joined on the trip by fellow Pro-Staffer, Steve McGrath and the four of us would first overnight in Winnipeg before heading to the alternate airport in the morning for our chartered flight to the resort. By 8am, we were landing on the runway on the island adjacent to the island that is home to North Haven Resort. As we exited the plane, a group of guests took our place as they were finishing their trip and we then loaded onto the awaiting pontoon boat for the short boat ride between the islands to the dock. With the beautiful main lodge hovering above us, we made our way to its entrance, with the staff lined up to welcome us and a full breakfast, made to order awaiting. Eight others would be sharing the lodge with us during our stay and after a great first meal

and a few more introductions, we were off to our cabins to get ready for our first day on the water.

Our guide for our stay would be Matt Sobiera, a veteran Canadian guide and experienced fisherman of the area. Renee and Travis would be

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

23

in for lunch). Steve hauled in the biggest of the morning, a heavy, 39-inch beast that literally inhaled his lure. By lunchtime, we had boated over fifty fish between us, so the break for lunch gave us both a chance to catch our breath and get to know our Pro Member guests a little better.

Travis Wagler was actually the first to sign up for the sweepstakes, but soon after, Renee joined as well. And of course, within two months, she became a grand prize winner (how come the ladies always seem to be the luckiest). She told Travis she was going to take her best friend along on the trip, so when she started making plans, to Travis’ joy, he finally realized that

The shore lunches at North Haven Resort are spectacular, as your guides prepare three types of walleye, salads, fries and even homemade cookies!

Dinnertime at the resort is truly amazing, with exquisite creations prepared by their exceptional staff.

Appetizers are waiting for you when you arrive back at the lodge each night and oh, did I mention the desserts? with guide, Jordan Harder, another multi-year veteran of the lodge and Utik Lake. We would go our separate ways on this first morning, but again hook-up for shore lunch at about 1pm.

Matt wasted no time in putting us on fish. Rapala’s and spoons splashed their way along the many weed bed lines and explosive takes were the norm all morning as northern after northern came to the side of the boat (and of course a few walleye mixed

he was that best friend she was taking about!

Matt and Jordan then commenced to go through the motions on a wonderful shore lunch. If you

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haven’t had the chance to partake, well let’s just say you are really missing out. And the shore lunches at North Haven Resort are even more spectacular than you can imagine. Fresh walleye is prepared in three different offerings before your eyes, vegetables, salads, fries, even Jordan’s homemade cookies (well, that’s what he told us!) and ice-cold beverages all laid out on linen-covered picnic tables in the middle of the wilderness. Wow! That afternoon the winds picked up a little and the skies darkened a bit, but the bite continued. By the time we made it back to the lodge at 5pm, all of us had Master Angler pike under our belts ( northern pike over 41-inches in length), with Renee and Travis each landing multiple big ones, with the biggest, a beautiful 43 1/2 -incher by Renee, of course.

After a great meal, we talked our day over with the other guests and found that they had all experienced a great time on the water as well, with the biggest caught a monster, 49 1/2” northern that would tie for the largest caught at that point in the season. After a couple of quick games of shuffleboard and dessert, it was off to our rooms for a great night’s sleep.

Our second day found the skies clear and the temps warming up quickly. By mid-morning, we were starting to find the big boys suspended in the middle of the bays in the cabbage patches. As Steve fought a nice fish to the net, another even bigger pike made a swirl just as Matt lifted the net over the side of the boat. I quickly grabbed my 9wt Redington fly rod and landed a red/white Rainy’s CF Whistler on the water.

Seconds later, the big boy engulfed it and I was off to the races. Northern pike on the fly is a real treat and has become one of my favorite pastimes over the years for sure.

After another great shore lunch, we tried our luck at lake trout, but unlike our first visit to the resort, we weren’t able set the hook on any. We would be jigging in about 90ft of water, with large tube jigs. We did have a couple of takes, but none resulted in hookups.

Oh, well, it was then back to catching plenty of pike and walleye all afternoon.

Days three and four didn’t slow down any, as all of us were starting to show a few signs of tired arms, sore shoulders and sunburned faces. Our last afternoon found both of our boats fishing the waters of the same large bay. Steve would spend part of the time on Renee’s and Travis’ boat, filming their successes, as Matt and I searched for a few more big ones for the camera. Matt had me tie on a large, dark colored spinnerbait with a lot of flash and on about my fourth cast, ‘BAM’, that fish we were looking for annihilated my lure. Jordan quickly moved their boat over in order for Steve to get some footage and soon Matt eased the net under my biggest fish of the trip.

Four more Master Angler pike would come to our boats that, our last afternoon as we brought our latest trip to the North Haven Resort in Manitoba, Canada to an end.

North Haven Resort, located on legendary Utik Lake is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. It is no wonder they have so many returning clients each year. Their amenities are almost endless, as not only do they offer great accommodations, dining and everything to do with the fishing experience, but they also have a great exercise room, sauna, hot tub, game room and full massage therapy available as well as a board room for corporate groups. Why not give them a call today to talk about all of the possibilities at 866-531-3848.

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

25

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PRO'S TIP

By Dan Kidder Managing Editor

A

mericans are spoiled with wild places. We don’t always recognize how abundant wilderness is for us in the USA. Those who live near big cities may not always appreciate how abundant our woods, forests, deserts, swamps, mountains and streams really are. But no matter where you live in this country, it is a relatively short drive to the great outdoors.

I used to live in New York and even for those in Downtown Manhattan, they are just an hour or two away from beautiful and lush arboreal forests and rolling mountains. The Catskills, Adirondacks and many more beautiful ranges of mountains crisscross this densely populated state. Thousands of lakes and streams, rolling countryside and excellent trout fishing are never very far away.

The same is true for every state in this country, from California to Maine and from Michigan to Texas, we are provided so many outdoor opportunities that we can’t possibly experience them all.

But as blessed as we are in this country, we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to recreating in the great outdoors. A year ago, I had the opportunity to hunt moose, whitetail and roe deer in Finland as a guest of SAKO Rifle. Visiting this beautiful country with her warm people and cold evenings left me even more determined to travel further afield looking for outdoor adventures in other lands. It also opened my eyes to the many different and diverse legal challenges with hunting and fishing in other nations.

I thought I had done my research pretty well and having served in the military, I was aware of how important proper vaccination records could be when heading overseas. Since my immunization records were destroyed in a flood, I opted to have all of the major vaccines re-administered so I had proper documentation. Once I arrived at the airport in Reykjavik, Iceland, my entry point into the European Union, I presented my passport, visa application, customs declaration and immunization paperwork,

only to have my passport quickly stamped and a hearty "welcome to the EU". Nobody even cared about my vaccines. This was a surprise, because of how much of a deal immigration officials had made of them years previous when I entered Africa or the Middle East.

And this is a big thing to consider if you opt to travel abroad. Some countries care a great deal, some don’t care at all and some only care depending upon where you are coming from. If in doubt, contact the US embassy in the nation you are visiting. They will be able to advise you on necessary visa requirements, immunization regulations and any other information you will need to know to make your entry into that country as easy as possible.

Since I was visiting a rifle company and would be shooting their gun, I didn’t have to travel with a firearm on this trip. We take for granted how easy it is to travel across state lines in the US with a hunting rifle, with very little restriction in most states. Travelling with firearms into other nations can be a very big deal.

The first step is to gather the serial number of your rifle and fill out a U.S. Customs Form 4457 (Certificate of Personal Effects Taken Abroad). This form needs to be filled out in advance and in the presence of the US Customs officials. You will need to make an appointment and pay them a visit. This can be done at most major airports prior to your flight but leave yourself Because I wasn't aware of the a few hours to get it completed before immunization requirements for the your departure. This form will allow EU, I got all of the shots. you to bring your rifle back with you December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

27

PRO'S TIP when you return to the US. I would also include any optics that are on the gun, as some international treaties make the importation and exportation of some optics a regulated affair.

Once you have cleared the domestic hurdles to travel with a firearm, you will need to determine the regulations and rules of the country to which you are travelling.

Many overseas outfitters will have this information, and in some countries, you are required to hire a professional hunter or guide to hunt there. Of course, to fly with a gun anywhere, it will need to be in a locked case and the ammunition must be in a secure container, not stored in the same case as the gun. Make sure you use TSA locks that can be opened by TSA to inspect your gun.

The bottom line is to properly do your research. Find out from your hosts what the nation you are visiting requires and comply fully. I have known friends who have bought a very expensive plane ticket, spent hours on a plane and then were turned away upon arrival and sent home without getting to experience their adventure sim-

ply because they failed to follow all of the required rules. This can happen even if you are not travelling with a firearm if you fail to fill out the proper form, get the proper visa or make some minor mistake.

You also need to learn the regulations regarding shipping back trophy animals. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) sets strict regulations regarding the importation of certain trophy animals. I know one hunter who faced a felony charge from the US Fish and Wildlife service for telling the customs inspectors at the Canadian border that he was driving a friend’s brown bear to his taxidermist. Months later he was visited by federal agents because he failed to fill out the proper form and even the outfitter in Canada wasn’t aware of the regulation. He was able to work out a deal with them to avoid prosecution, but the outcome could have been very serious.

Even if you aren’t hunting or fishing and just looking to hike or camp in one of the

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We have plentiful trout in the U.S., but there is something exotic about those found in Patagonia, like this Brookie taken on the fly with Rio Monso Lodge by the Sportsman's News team. stakes of a winner unable to enjoy their prize because they have a criminal record or have received a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) conviction. Many nations will not permit you to enter if you have a previous criminal conviction, even for a minor offense. If you have been convicted of a crime, you will need to make sure you are eligible for a visa before you purchase your plane tickets.

Another thing to make sure is in order is your passport. Make sure that it is current and has at least six months before it will expire. Many nations will not permit you to enter if your passport is nearly ready to expire.

PYBUS POINT LODGE This monument to the Winter War is tucked away off the beaten path in Helsinki. I would never have seen it if I hadn't opted to go exploring on my own. Sometimes the best sight seeing is done on foot. exotic locations across the globe, you need to do your research and be aware of potential issues that may arise. I am thinking of those American hikers who inadvertently crossed over into Iran and spent years in prison trying to get things sorted out.

Check with the State Department about any places you may be travelling and also look for travel advisories. These bulletins will show up-to-date information about potential health issues, civil unrest and possibilities of war, kidnapping, murder or other dangers.

One thing I always do when travelling to underdeveloped countries and really anyplace outside the US, is carry an Adventure Medical Kits Suture & Syringe Medic kit. This provides sterile surgical tubing, IV needles and other items for places that may not have sterile supplies available. I also take out travel insurance. This insurance can cover issues from lost luggage, canceled flights, lodging and even medical emergencies and evacuations. All of this for a couple of hundred dollars. To me, it is well worth the peace of mind it provides in case of an emergency. Depending upon how far I will be from civilization, I also carry a trauma kit as well as a Garmin inReach Mini so I can contact rescue services.

It is also prudent to check with your mobile phone provider to see if they offer International calling as part of your plan or if they have the option to add it on to your plan for the period of time you will be travelling. Many phone providers have arrangements with overseas companies to let you purchase service on a day by day basis while you are in that country. If you will be travelling across multiple national borders, you may need to purchase a variety of calling plans or even disposable mobile phones for your trip.

Another area that can often be overlooked is for those who have had brushes with the law in the US. Every year, we run into a case with the Pro Membership Sweep-

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www.Pybus.com December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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PRO'S TIP To find some inexpensive flights to international destinations, enroll for free in Scott’s Cheap Flights. This service scours the multiple airline websites and sends you emails of upcoming sales. Sometimes you can find flights to exotic locations for thousands less than you would normally have to pay. (ScottsCheapFlights. com) All of this seems daunting, but it shouldn’t dissuade you from considering a trip abroad to experience all that the many nations on the globe have to offer. I am already saving and planning a fishing excursion in Iceland for next year. Also on my list is canyoneering in Nepal, fly fishing in Patagonia, SCUBA diving in Belize,

hiking in the Australian Outback, caving in Mexico and of course no list would be complete without an African hunting safari. You can hunt several animals from multiple species for less than the cost of a Colorado trophy elk hunt.

The world is vast and the adventures are waiting, but it will take proper research, planning and a few precautions. If you do it right, the memories you create will make every step of preparation well worth it. So, tap into your inner Hemingway, get a great camera to capture the spectacular views and start preparing for an adventure of a lifetime. Heck, throw a dart at a map if you need to. No matter where it lands, there are amazing outdoor adventures waiting to be experienced.

My two favorite reasons to travel are local food and animals. In Helsinki, they served Sachertorte for breakfast, and in the Turku Archipeligo they hunted with wolfhounds and these fierce little longhaired Daschunds.

Catching a sunset in a place on the other side of the world can be its own reward. Here, I watch the sun set over the Baltic Sea. I missed the Northern lights, but that just gives me a reason to return.

W

Intelligent Rod Buying

hile learning the outdoor industry and building my fishing guide business, I spent five years working in the fishing department of my local Sportsman’s Warehouse. It gave me a chance to learn a bit about how the products are marketed, merchandised and sold and most importantly, gave me insight into the knowledge level and buying tendencies of ‘Average Joe Angler’. I figured, hey, if I was to make a living in the outdoors, I needed to establish a base level of its average participants’ understanding of their hobby and some retail time would help that.

So, what did I learn? A lot, but a point that has always stuck out to me is how rare it is that selecting a product involves actually thinking through the specific use or utilizing the information provided by the manufacturer on the product or its packaging. In short, Average Joe most often made buying decisions apparently based on emotion, cosmetics, packaging or brand familiarity, rather than logically applying products’ features to their angling need.

This is not a knock on the buying public in any way; it’s merely an observation of common habits. Let’s look at a specific buying example and I’ll toss out a better way to select said product such that we end up with a product that we can be confident will work for our needs. Yep, let’s buy a spinning rod. First, a bit of back story as to why this is on my mind.

For the last 13-years, I fished the same manufacturer’s rods exclusively for all my

Chad LaChance

angling needs. Therefore I knew the ins and outs of each model and their best application. Well, for 2020 and beyond, I switched to a new rod company, Abu Garcia (whose reels I’ve been using exclusively for many years) as part of an effort to consolidate my business and simplify my tackle selection and pairing process. When you fish professionally all over the country for all kinds of species, you need a huge range and volume of tackle. While working through the selection of all my new rods, I leaned heavily on the concepts I’m disclosing in this column.

Back to buying a spinning rod. It should start with a need or application. So, as specifically as possible, what are you going to use the rod for? When I asked customers that, I’d often get something like “lake fishing” or “mostly trout, but bass and walleye too, plus I like panfish”. Let me be candid; lake fishing encompasses many angling possibilities and no single rod will really cover all those species, at least not effectively. It comes down to compromise.

While “lake fishing”, do you primarily use live/dead bait like night crawlers or PowerBait? If you do cast lures, how much do they weigh and how do you retrieve them? If you mostly fish for trout, it is highly likely that you’ll utilize lures that are physically lighter in weight than a bass fisherman might gravitate to, so you’ll each be better served with different rods. The more specific you can be with what you’ll utilize the rod for and then use the manufacturers’ stated specs in selecting the rod, the better the performance you’ll end up with. And for the record, an expensive rod that is poorly chosen is not as effective or fun to fish with as a less expensive rod better chosen to match the angling.

Lobbing bait out in a lake is better handled with soft, forgiving rod blanks. There is no real need for super sensitivity (it’s real bait, the fish will eat it!) and the weights will typically be on the light side. Conversely, walking a pond bank casting a spinnerbait for bass is much better handled with a stiffer, more accurate rod, though sensitivity is still not an issue. Tickling small jigs along the bottom for any species requires a rod that is very sensitive and often accurate too.

So, we know what we want to use our new rod for; how do we actually choose it? Power, length and action, those are the basic variables available to you and they should be considered in that order of importance. Any decent manufacturer will print them on the blank.

Power rating reflects how much weight the rod is designed to cast, expressed in fractions of ounces. Length is obvious, while action is expressed in speed - slow, moderate, fast, etc. Your power needs are determined by the weights you intend to cast, length by how far you need to cast, how accurate you need to be and/or how much line control you desire. Action is determined by how much sensitivity you need, casting style or your retrieves.

Looking only at Abu Garcia’s Veritas line of spinning rods, they range from medium-light (1/8oz-1/2oz) up to medium-heavy power (1/4oz-3/4oz). There is some overlap; put the most common weight you cast in the middle of the rod’s stated range. Lengths range from 6’3” to 9’6”; short rods are more accurate and controllable, longer rods cast farther and allow more line control. 6’6” - 7’6” is a good compromise for the majority of angling, specialized techniques aside.

Actions can be moderate up to extra-fast. Casting live/dead bait, trolling or continuously winding lures means slower, moderate actions. Conversely, jigging or finesse techniques are best handled with very crisp, extra-fast action rods. Fast action rods are generally the most versatile for lure fishing.

If you really think about your intended use, assess your favorite lures and techniques, apply the information above and then read the labels as you shop, you’ll end up with a rod that is better suited to your needs and becomes a great value, simple as that!

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

31

PRO'S PICK

Camp Chef SmokePro XXL Vertical Pellet Grill

By Dan Kidder Managing Editor

I

have been loving the Smoke Pro Pellet Grills from Camp Chef. In all, I have reviewed more than 10 of them and I use the Woodwind once or twice a week. Once you discover the ease of use and maintenance of these grills, you won’t really have any use for any other kind of grill. I haven’t lit up my trusty charcoal Weber or my propane gas grill in years. Everything I could want to do, I can accomplish with my pellet grill, except for one thing. If I want to hang long strips of ribs or links of sausage, I had to fire up the propane Camp Chef Smoke Vault, soak wood chips, keep feeding it damp chips, and frequently check it and manage it.

Well, new for this year is the Camp Chef Smoke Pro XXL Vertical Pellet Grill. Now I get the larger cooking chamber of the Smoke Vault with the exceptional ease of use of a pellet grill. It has 1,950 square inches of cooking surfaces with four smoking grates, three jerky trays, and hanging sausage hooks. We fired this bad boy up at a local BBQ joint and we were able to smoke 4 full-sized pork butts and two full beef briskets, all at once.

Special thanks to Pork Belly’s Eatery and Catering in St. George, UT. The temperature range on the XXL is smaller than on Camp Chef’s other pellet grills, in part because of the larger surface area of the larger cooking chamber. This allows it to cool more rapidly from outside ambient air. But also, it makes it ideal for smoking at lower temperatures. This so-called “cold smoking” allows you to impart more smoke flavor to meat over a longer smoking time, without actually cooking the meat. It has a range from 150 up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another benefit of “cold smoking” is that it slowly renders out the fat, for succulent and tender meat. It also allows you to smoke things that would melt under higher heat, such as hard cheeses. Adding cubes of sharp cheddar to your brats will blow away your guests.

The ease of use from the Smoke Pro pellet grills is in the control unit. A computer uses sensors to measure the temperature of the main cooking compartment and automatically adds pellets via its large auger to maintain the preset temperature. The firebox holds the pellets and a heating element ignites them and maintains a constant heat and smoke. The vertical shape of the cabinet allows the smoke to waft upwards and a vent in the side al-

32 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

lows a controlled amount of smoke to escape and fresh air to circulate for a nice convection current that perfectly coats everything with just right amount smoke and heat for perfectly smoked meat.

The XXl also features n 18-pound pellet hopper, and dual temperature probes, so you can load the hopper with pellets and walk away and prepare a salad for those people who like such things. We all have those strange relatives who would rather eat food’s food than real food. Pop back out on the deck and push the big green button to see the internal temperature of one of your pieces of meat. Press it again and see the internal temperature of your other probe. A third press gives you the cooking chamber temperature. Additionally, you can clean the ash out with the pull of a lever.

This ease of use means that I can set the grill temperature and go take a nap, watch the football game, or even run to the store, and I know that my smoker is going to keep on running without any issue as long as the hopper is full and feeding pellets.

Once I have achieved the level of smoke that I desire, a simple turn of the knob to the desired cooking temperature will finish cooking my meat and provide a perfect crust on the outside with a beautiful smoke ring on the inside.

This perfect combination of cooking and smoking was once the sole domain of very patient pit masters who could tease their charcoal or wood fires with just the right amount of heat and air and required constant attention. Now, with the Smoke Pro Pellet Grill, you can set it, walk away, and come back to perfectly smoked food.

The ability to smoke large quantities of meat at once, or to smoke and cook longer foods like full racks of ribs or sausages, make the XXL the go-to choice for those who cater events, cook for a large family, restaurants who may not have room for a large industrial smoker, or those who like to make large batches of jerky or sausage.

For Christmas this year, we will be cooking hams and a beautiful smoked turkey on this baby. If you are considering this as a Christmas gift, make sure that it is an early one, because Christmas dinner can be cooking on the patio and everyone can enjoy more time with the family and less time futzing over the goose. And I have cooked a goose on my pellet grill, and it was amazing.

The large size, ease of use, perfect smoke flavor, and versatility, all make the Camp Chef Smoke Pro XXL our Pro’s Pick. If you love good meat as much as the crew at Sportsman’s News, you will want to check it out too. Look for it at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse.

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The new Sportsman’s series pellet grill is digitally controlled and features a viewing window, Camp Chef’s patented Ash Cleanout, and Smart Smoke Technology.

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v risto r H n e ss te

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Developing a Skill

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Learn more at www.doubletapammo.com 34 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

ny responsible gun owner needs to put some thought into achieving some level of proficiency with a firearm. Depending on the level of commitment and personal needs and desires, he or she must set a goal to achieve and maintain. Regardless of the personal mission (self-defense or practical competitive shooting) we need to understand that if we desire to improve and progress in a specific skill, we need to create our training plan. Random practice without structure will not bring the desired results and most of the time, will implement so called “bad habits” and even degrade your marksmanship skills.

Handguns are the most difficult firearms to master, because you have just one point of control – the handgrip, while with a rifle, shotgun and etc. you can create at least four points of control – stock, right hand grip, handguard and cheek. That makes the handgun marksmanship a process that requires a relatively good level of kinesthetic awareness. Kinesthetic awareness is the ability of the shooter to feel, control and separate the involvement, tension and stiffness of the different muscle groups and tendons in his body. Once developed, this sensitivity must to be maintained. A quick example is one of the most common mistakes we see with a lot of pistol shooters – many have the problem of isolating the movement of the trigger finger during the trigger pull, without adding additional pressure or other side effect to their grip on the gun.

It is understandable that many gun owners do not have or do not want to invest too much time in training and development of their marksmanship skills and level of proficiency with their firearms, but in order to achieve a satisfactory result, a certain level of commitment and a good understanding of the process of developing a skill are required. Yes, there is a specific and very organized process to develop a skill. There are principles that are equally applicable in every martial art or athletic discipline. Before we start, let’s review the different level of competence:

1.

SUBCONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE - Can’t do it and doesn’t know why or how.

2. CONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE - I know what I should be doing, but I can’t do a damn thing right – yet.

3. CONSCIOUS COMPETENCE - If I think about it, I can do it, but when I don’t focus on it, it comes and goes.

4. SUBCONSCIOUS COMPETENCE - I can do it without thinking, but I really am not aware of what I am REALLY doing at any given moment in time. Good performers are here, but it does not automatically make them good trainers.

5. LEVEL 1 AWARENESS – (Dr. James Loehr – The New Mental Toughness Training for Sports). - I am aware that I am aware of what is happening while I am doing it and I can monitor it without consciously trying to control the processes. (Allows for correction and refinement during the processes).

Level 1 awareness is a complete mastery with full in-depth understanding of the principles, techniques and mental aspects of the desired skill and is not required for everyone. Even the top performers and professional athletes and martial artists will be great with No. 4 – Subconscious competence. That, most of the time, is the desired level of mastery, the ability to perform a certain skill right, without thinking about it.

Conscious competence, No.3, is the minimal level of achievement that somebody can claim he or she has achieved at their skill. The problem is, in order to perform that skill on that level, the shooter needs to rely on the conscious mind to control the process correctly. In situations of high level of stress, the conscious mind can be distracted easily and then the performance degrades. Another problem is that the conscious mind can focus just on one thing at a time and that can cause slower execution or compete loss of track. On the other hand, your subconscious mind is the real multitasker, it can manage hundreds of thousands of processes at the same time. The key to efficiency is to be able to perform precisely several actions at the same time, that will lead to getting the task done sooner, not necessarily faster.

Let’s take an example with the fast first shot from a draw, a skill of significant importance for self-defense situations in a gunfight.

Presenting the gun to the identified and confirmed threat must be performed in a rapid fashion but at the same time, the shooter must maintain constant pressure on the grip, while confirming reasonable sight picture, while preparing the trigger, isolating the movement only of the trigger finger, while maintaining reasonable shooting stance that can be mobile according the situation. If we rely, consciously to manage right execution of all that processes while our life is in danger and the adrenalin is at higher levels, can we consider that we will be precise?

Most probably not and the statistic proves that fact. That is the

36 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

main reason why a relatively competent, qualified shooter cannot hit an easy and close target in dynamic situations and under stress. It’s one thing is to perform a specific shooting drill in a preset “sterile” range environment, but a completely different one to be able to react and perform in unexpected and unpredictable circumstances. That’s why if the skill is engraved in your subconscious mind, it will just happen as it was trained.

So, as we’ve defined our mission and have decided to develop a subconscious skill, let’s look at the actual process of development. In this article, we will focus on handgun shooting skills, but the principles are really universal.

First, we need to have a clear “IMAGE” of the specific skill. We need to know how it looks and feels when it is executed correctly. We need to be familiar with the step by step process of the correct performance. Then we will start to do that specific action with a high level of AWARENESS, CONTROLED by the conscious mind because it is something new for us. We need to do every repetition very slowly first, so we will be able to PROCESS - are we doing it right? We need to stay AWARE that we are doing it right each and every time and if not, we must correct the mistake immediately. We cannot afford the luxury of sloppy repetitions, because at that point, we are training ourselves to be bad performers.

Developing a bad habit, because of lack of awareness during training, will take at least three times more effort and time to be corrected later.

Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect!

By controlling each repetition and striving to be close to perfection each and every time, we are starting the process of ACCLIMATION and burning the skill into our subconscious mind. That can take weeks, months and even years and requires patience and consistency. When we start feeling more confident, we will start to connect the specific skill that we are working on with the series to other skills required in order to be successful in our mission. Let’s say if we are training for the draw, we start to incorporate the draw with trigger pull at the end or pivot and draw or draw while moving, etc. Again, we must stay aware that the skill is executed correctly.

Once we’ve built that solid foundation, we need to focus on efficiency.

We need to be able to recognize which muscle groups and tendons are involved in the process and use just those. This will lead us to spend less energy and be able to perform the skill with less effort. These actions will form the second level of the skills hierarchy - ISOLATION OF TENSION, CALMNESS ,AND RELAXATION which will lead to efficiency.

Once we figure this out, it’s time for the second to last level of the pyramid of our skills hierarchy and that is ACCURACY AND PRECISION to the result of the performed skill.

In shooting, there is a difference between both.

Accuracy is to be able to hit the desired target in an acceptable area and precision is the ability to do that each and every

time with a predictable result. In other words, precision is the ability to repeat a specific action, performed exactly the same way over and over again. At that point we can claim that we “own” that skill at that level.

Now it’s time for the top, the last level of the hierarchy is called SPEED. How fast we can perform the skill with the desired results?

How fast we can draw from the holster and hit the target in the combat effective zone, for example from a distance of 15-yards? An important consideration here is that ACCURACY AND PRECISION doesn’t like to work together with SPEED. They simply hate each other. The only way to make them cooperate is by ISOLATION OF TENSION, CALMNESS AND RELAXATION where efficiency come in play again.

There are many shooters that can perform a certain skill at certain speeds and they can do that in a repetitive manner. Every time when they try to go faster, their performance degrades. They are afraid to make mistakes and perform badly and they go back in their safe speed of performance, their safe zone. They claim that they hit the plateau and many of them get discouraged. They need to understand that in order to progress, they need to push, to get out of their comfort zone of speed. Yes, there will be mistakes. It’s absolutely normal, something will break down at that new speed of performance.

That is not a failure if you are able to identify what exactly is breaking down. Failure is when you are not aware and you do not have a clue.

That’s the point when you can look for professional help, take a class or ask a professional instructor for advice. If you identify what the problem is, you can then use awareness and concentration to fix the problem on that same new speed. Do not reduce the speed, because you will return back to your comfort zone and you will never progress.

Yes, there will be multiple unsuccessful attempts, then suddenly it will happen right. Then again unsuccessful attempts, then it will happen right twice in arrow. Mistakes will come again, but then you will be able to perform it right more often and more often, until you will be able to repeat that skill ten times in arrow at that new speed.

Guess what? Congratulations! That is your new normal, your new comfort zone. Now work on ACCURACY AND PRECISION at your new normal speed until it’s polished to perfection. What is coming next?

It’s time for a new challenge, new speed! It is time to repeat the cycle, then again and again. That is how we progress. Ron Avery, the director of training of Tactical Performance Center and my mentor used to say, “Make your mistakes fearlessly. They are your path to progress!”

About the Autor: Rossen Hristov is lead instructor and doctrine developer at Tactical Performance Center and a USPSA Grandmaster.

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

37

PRO MEMBER UPDATE

Brush Creek Outfitters Pro Member winner Rick Dickerson from California was so excited to win this hunt. His wife, DeAnn, won the following giveaway and they paired up to use her rifle and enjoyed the 5 star lodging and cuisine at the world class destination.

By Michael Deming The Lodge is the main destination for check in, meals, as well as the downstairs is a world class spa and resort.

The Sportsman's News Pro Membership Sweepstakes will give away this trip again in September of 2020. Go to ProMembershipSweepstakes.com to enter to win this great hunt with Brush Creek Outfitters.

“The Farm” is a great destination for Weddings and other special occasions .

This is a field to table experience and what this means is the food you eat and the beef are raised right here on the ranch.

A fresh blanket of snow on our last morning turned this place into a winter wonderland.

HUNT AND FISH LIKE THE PROS

38 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

The sunrise from our own private cabin was a great place to enjoy the relaxing time once the elk was harvested.

The Sportsman's News Pro Membership Sweepstakes has given away over $ 1 MILLION worth of trips like this so far. A new grand prize every 10 days. Go to www.ProMembershipSweepstakes.com for your chance to be featured here.

PRO MEMBER UPDATE

Rick enjoyed the overall experience, but most importantlty put his Wyoming tag on a good bull the first day and filled his freezer for a year of good eating.

The Cheyenne Club is inside the Farm and the finest dining anyone could ever imagine. The wine list is exquisite.

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

39

Adventures On A Budget

Sunshine State Ducks St. Johns River creates abundant waterfowl habitat Story and photos by John N. Felsher

M

any people call central Florida “America’s Playground” for good reason, particularly as an escape from brutal northern winters. Besides the beaches, Disney World and a host of other theme parks, sportsmen can find a different kind of winter recreation within a reasonable drive from Orlando.

“I’ve hunted ducks in eastern Florida for more than three decades,” commented Dan Daniels, a dedicated waterfowler with United Waterfowlers-Florida (http://unitedwaterfowlersfl.org). “Eastern Florida has many public places where people can hunt. Sportsmen can pretty much hunt ducks wherever they like in the main river channels and the natural lakes associated with the St. Johns River.”

The St. Johns River rises from springs west of Vero Beach and flows slowly northward for 310-miles before entering the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville. The watershed covers more than 1,888 square miles. The upper basin spreads across an immense wild swath of natural lakes, swamps, marshes and labyrinthian backwaters in the rich wetlands of eastern Florida.

These wetlands create abundant waterfowl habitat. In general, since navigable waterways belong to the public, sportsmen can hunt waterfowl on thousands of acres of lakes and natural channels. However, for safety and conservation reasons, some areas specifically prohibit hunting or discharging firearms. In addition, waterfowlers can also hunt several wildlife management areas, but some public properties require special permits, operate under a quota system or only allow hunting for limited hours on specific days. Always check the regulations before hunting anywhere.

“The Upper St. Johns River is one of the Atlantic Coast Joint Ventures focal waterfowl areas due to its vast amount of waterfowl habitat,” advised Mark McBride, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist based at T.M. Goodwin Public Small Game Hunting Area in Fellsmere. “Almost the entire St. Johns River is huntable. There are some posted areas, but otherwise, almost everything within the mean high-water line is public water.”

Approximately 20 waterfowl species, including some rarely seen in most other states, regularly winter in Florida. Ring-necked ducks, blue-winged teal and mottled

Daniel Felsher and Byron Hennecy pick up the decoys after a duck hunt in the marshes along the St. Johns River.

40 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Steven Felsher admires some green-winged teal and gadwalls he harvested. Teal and gadwalls make up a large portion of the ducks bagged in the marshes along the St. Johns River in eastern Florida. ducks generally rank among the common waterfowl in the peninsula. In the marshes, sportsmen might also kill green-winged teal, pintails, shovelers, wigeon, gadwalls, diving ducks and a few mallards. In wooded areas, sportsmen might also bag wood ducks and hooded mergansers.

“Blue-winged teal and mottled ducks are the two most harvested ducks on the river,” McBride detailed. “T. M. Goodwin and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge are areas most likely to hold pintails and wigeon, although these birds are occasionally found on the St. Johns floodplain too. The upper basin of the St. Johns system has many impoundments, including Goodwin, that winter lots of ducks. Impoundments that have a lot of hydrilla usually attract a good number of ring-necked ducks.”

One of the premier public waterfowling areas in Florida, the T. M. Goodwin and associated Broadmoor Marsh Unit, include 6,482-acres of moist soil units and restored wetlands in Brevard County. Intensively managed to provide quality waterfowl habitat throughout the winter, these properties allow limited hunting on certain days.

The Upper St. Johns River Marsh WMA traditionally offers some of the best public waterfowl habitat in the state. It sprawls over 120,386-acres of the river basin west of Melbourne. Many people hunt small pockets off Lakes Winder, Poinsett or Washington. The Puzzle Lake and Moccasin Island areas usually hold some ducks.

“The St. Johns River can be hit or miss due to water levels, but when conditions are right, hunting can be good,” McBride explained. “The Upper St. Johns River Marsh WMA encompasses most of the impoundments and the main river channel where hunters can find birds and have unlimited access. The most popular stretch for waterfowl hunting on the river is between State Routes 46 and 520 east of Orlando.”

One of the newest public hunting areas, the Charles H. Bronson WMA covers 11,672-acres within the Bronson State Forest along the St. Johns River in Seminole and

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Byron Hennecy calls ducks while hunting from a boat equipped with a pop-up blind in the marshes west of Melbourne, Fla. With a pop-up blind, waterfowlers can set up practically anywhere and possibly hunt several spots in a day.

Orange counties south of Lake Harney. Not far away, people can also hunt the Little Big Econ WMA on the Econlockhatchee River, a tributary to the St. Johns near Geneva. Not far away, people can also hunt the Buck Lake WMA in Brevard and Volusia counties and Salt Lake WMA in Brevard County.

With so much public land available, do-it-yourself sportsmen can usually find a good place to throw decoys, but they may need to locate the birds first. Many river waterfowlers scout and hunt from boats that come equipped with pop-up blinds.

With such a rig, hunters can pick a pond, toss out a few decoys, raise the blind and begin hunting in minutes. If nothing happens there, sportsmen can easily pick up the decoys, move to another location and resume hunting. Frequently, waterfowlers hunt several spots in one day to keep up with the birds.

“Scouting is critical,” Daniels counseled. “I usually look more for spots with good habitat rather than actual birds. I’ve hunted some spots that I’ve never seen a bird, but on opening day, it’s covered with ducks. Usually, we hunt out of a boat with a pop-up blind, but sometimes we just hide in the grass. We might leave the boat in one spot and walk to an inaccessible pond to hunt.”

Without a fancy pre-rigged blind, some sportsmen simply run a small boat into tall reeds or cover it with native vegetation. Bend cattail stalks or canes over the boat or pile cut brush and branches on the deck to break up the outline. Some hunters park their boats and walk some distance away to crouch in available native vegetation to shoot puddle ducks.

The St. Johns River runs through several large lakes that can also provide good hunting including Lakes Dexter, Woodruff, Jesup and Harney. Larger lakes naturally attract more divers, such as ring-necked ducks, scaup, some redheads, canvasbacks, ruddy ducks and common mergansers. Along the wooded shorelines or in the grassy flats, sportsmen would more likely bag hooded mergansers, wood ducks, teal and other puddle ducks.

To the north, Lake George covers 46,000-acres near Deland. Nearly surrounded by public hunting lands, the second largest freshwater lake in Florida sits adjacent to the 383,000-acre Ocala National Forest. Across the lake, Lake George WMA covers 39,642-acres. Many people hunt the open waters of the lake in boat blinds, but waterfowlers without boats can wade across the mostly hard, sandy bottom and hunt thick vegetated patches along the shorelines.

“Larger lakes within the river system, such as Lake George, can hold lots of ducks if submersed vegetation is plentiful,” McBride explained. “The managed marshes like Goodwin and Merritt Island NWR are popular and provide the most consistent action, but hunt days are limited and hunters might need a special permit. Merritt Island NWR is an iconic waterfowl area on the East Coast. It typically winters lots of pintails and wigeon. The Indian River Lagoon is a great place to hunt diving ducks. People mostly bag lesser scaup, also called bluebills, but they might also get canvasbacks, redheads, an occasional sea duck and other birds mixed in.”

Technically not part of the St. Johns system, Merritt Island NWR covers 140,000-acres of salt marshes, estuaries and freshwater impoundments along the Atlantic Ocean near Titusville. Established in 1963 as a buffer zone for the John F. Kennedy Space Center, the refuge typically holds a good variety of ducks in the winter.

42 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

“Merritt Island NWR has a long history of waterfowl hunting, even before NASA or the refuge were established,” commented Stan Howarter, a wildlife biologist for the refuge. “After NASA purchased the land, one of the commitments was to make land available to waterfowl hunters. The land is owned by NASA but managed for wildlife by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”

People can hunt waterfowl on about 36,000-acres of the refuge on designated days by permit. Some units limit hunting pressure with a quota system. People can also hunt parts of the Indian River and Mosquito lagoons, but the Banana River remains closed to all hunting.

“The most popular hunting areas are Peacocks Pocket, Shiloh 5 and L Pond, but these are for quota hunts,” Howarter recommended. “The quota system allows for better quality hunts in those areas. Biolab is probably the most popular area without a quota permit. It’s a big area with quality habitat. People can spread out in the area.

People shoot a lot of blue-winged teal on the refuge. The second most common duck is lesser scaup. Historically, this area has also been a great place for wigeon and pintail. People also kill a few mallards. A fair number of mottled ducks live on the refuge.

Occasionally, someone gets a true black duck.”

Even as far away as Orlando, people in eastern Florida can experience what few other waterfowlers ever see -- a space launch! At times, NASA prohibits access to parts of the refuge because of a launch. For more information about hunting Merritt Island NWR, see www.fws.gov/refuge/Merritt_Island/visit/rules_and_regulations.html.

Also near, but not part of the St. Johns River watershed, the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes can provide good gunning opportunities for waterfowl. Linked by the Kissimmee River, the chain of lakes spreads across more than 100,000-acres south of Orlando. The Kissimmee River eventually flows into Lake Okeechobee, another excellent waterfowling spot.

The 22,700-acre Lake Tohopekaliga, locally called Lake Toho, anchors the northern section of the chain while the 44,000-acre Lake Kissimmee caps off the southern part east of Lake Wales. People can hunt the main lakes and other navigable waters or some WMAs in the area. The area usually produces good numbers of divers and teal with some gadwalls, wigeons, pintails and mallards.

Throughout the Florida Peninsula, visiting sportsmen might add a few species to their “bucket lists” of birds they would like to shoot, such as mottled ducks. People might also kill hooded mergansers, whistling ducks and perhaps an occasional sea duck.

“Many waterfowlers like to visit different areas of the country to possibly shoot species they might never see around their home states,” Daniel remarked. “It’s common for waterfowlers to travel to Florida and scratch one or two bucket list species off their lists. In the salt marshes, people kill a lot of mottled ducks. On larger water bodies, people might kill a sea duck, like a scoter, which is another relatively new species for this area. In the past decade, we’ve seen a lot more resident black-bellied whistling ducks, which most people in the United States never see.”

Once called “Florida ducks,” mottled ducks love salty marshes. The non-migratory birds resemble hen mallards and rarely stray far from the Gulf of Mexico or southern Atlantic Ocean coastlines. Since mottled ducks live in their marshes all year long, they rarely come to decoys and can easily spot blinds. The wary birds habitually fly past

Daniel Felsher calls to ducks while hunting in a backwater pothole off the St. Johns River near Geneva, Fla. The St. Johns Watershed offers thousands of acres of public waterfowling places.

Before You Go

Steven Felsher, Daniel Felsher and Byron Hennecy set up a boat blind for a duck hunt in the marshes west of Melbourne, Fla. With a popup blind, waterfowlers can set up practically anywhere and possibly hunt several spots in a day. blinds just beyond shotgun range, but sportsmen sometimes kill a passing duck that ventures too close.

Some people paddle the sloughs and winding channels in canoes or kayaks to jump mottled ducks. With a small, quiet paddle craft, sportsmen can sneak up on isolated potholes where the birds like to hide. Without a small boat, most other hunters could never reach these potholes.

“Outside of south Florida, east-central Florida is probably the second-best place to bag a mottled duck,” McBride advised. “The shallow St. Johns floodplain is home to a large population of mottled ducks. Black-bellied whistling ducks are becoming more common throughout this area as well.”

Formerly called “tree ducks,” black-bellied and fulvous whistling ducks look like no other North American waterfowl. With long legs and necks, whistling ducks somewhat resemble geese and frequently walk on land or perch in branches. Whistling ducks typically breed along the lower Texas coast and southwestern Louisiana.

Most migrate to Mexico or parts farther south to spend the winter. By the time duck hunting season begins in most states, whistlers disappear. In recent years, however, they spread northward and eastward. A resident population now lives in Florida all year long. The highly gregarious birds can become quite numerous in local areas and frequently gather in huge flocks.

This black-bellied whistling duck landed in a decoy spread. Black-bellied whistling ducks are becoming more common in parts of Florida, giving waterfowlers another species to hunt.

Adventures On A Budget

When visiting the Sunshine State to hunt ducks, bring raingear and traditional warm, dry waterfowling clothing, but sportsmen might not need the heavy stuff even late in the season. Sometimes, though, a freezing cold front combined with the humidity and the chill wind coming off the Atlantic Ocean can make an unprepared waterfowler miserable on a harsh winter day.

“In Florida, don’t become preoccupied with cold weather,” Daniels quipped. “Birds come down here whether it’s cold or not. It’s not unusual to hunt in short sleeves even late in the season. Cold weather helps, but it’s not absolutely necessary to successfully hunt ducks in the Sunshine State. In can get very cold at times, but people might not need their heavy coats. People will probably need their raingear. We can get some nasty thunderstorms during duck season.”

When weather conditions stays warm, the bugs come out. Marsh mosquitoes can become quite vicious, so bring enough insect repellent. Warmer weather may also bring out larger pests. Even in late season, waterfowlers might spot many big alligators. The prehistoric reptiles commonly lurk around the blinds waiting for a free duck meal to fall out of the sky, but they seldom bother humans. However, they love grabbing a dog for a quick meal. A giant gator can quickly take down an adult Labrador retriever with little trouble, so many Florida waterfowlers leave their dogs at home.

Anyone who wishes to hunt waterfowl or other migratory birds in Florida must purchase the appropriate state hunting licenses and a migratory bird permit. Sportsmen wishing to hunt waterfowl also need to buy a Florida waterfowl permit and a federal migratory bird stamp. In addition, some public areas only allow quota hunting by permit. For license information, see myfwc.com/license/recreational/hunting.

For maps, season dates and additional information about specific wildlife management areas, see myfwc.com/hunting/wma-brochures. Another good source of information, the Guide to Waterfowl Hunting in Florida lists popular duck hunting spots, publishes waterfowl identification photos and hunting regulations.

While in the Area

After hunting ducks in the morning, sportsmen might want to try their hand at hitting snipe in season. Walk the marshes and shoot at the little speedsters as they flush. In addition, most hunting properties that offer good waterfowl hunting also hold large numbers of wild hogs that could make an excellent bonus to any Florida adventure.

Sportsmen might also want to experience a “blast and cast,” shooting ducks in the morning and fishing in the afternoon. The entire St. Johns River system offers some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the nation. Throughout the system, anglers frequently catch double-digit bass. Some of the biggest fish hit in late winter during the waterfowl season.

Freshwater anglers might also make good catches of sunfish, crappie and catfish, plus other species. For something different, head south around Miami to tempt hard-fighting South American peacock bass and many other exotic species available nowhere else in the United States. Of course, from any place in Florida, sportsmen can find pristine beaches and saltwater action after just a short drive to the coast.

People tired of spending money at tourist attractions might visit the oldest continuously inhabited Europeanestablished city in the continental United States. The Spanish founded St. Augustine on the northeast Florida coast in 1565. Once guarding the town, the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest and largest masonry fort in the continental United States, dates to 1672.

With so many lakes and waterways coursing through this area, people not familiar with the terrain could become easily lost, especially in the darkness. Many channels look identical. Moreover, what may look like a wide main channel on a GPS system, in person might leave a boat stranded on a mudflat. Sportsmen need to be careful when running the St. Johns system.

Whether someone wants to bag a bucket list bird not found near home, see a rocket launch or just enjoy some good shooting in beautiful scenery, eastern Florida can offer the do-it-yourself waterfowlers an enjoyable experience over a vast territory with abundant public hunting opportunities. Waterfowlers just need to find where the birds want to go.

December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

43

OUTDOOR WRITER'S CONTEST

Two Beards for Mom

By Benjamin Mahoney

S

ince I was a young boy, I have been in love with turkey hunting. I was born on April 30th, which coincidentally, is the day before opening day of turkey season in my home state of New York. Every year for my birthday, I would ask for new turkey hunting gear and then I would stay up late getting everything laid out and ready for the following morning.

My mother, who had the task of raising 4 children on her own would always be supportive of my addiction and on many occasions, she would proclaim that someday, she would come with me to see what I get so excited about. This went on year after year as I matured from a young boy into a grown man, so in the spring of 2018 I finally decided to hold Mom to her word.

44 December 2019 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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

It was the evening before season opener and as I sat eating my slice of birthday cake, I asked her if she would like to come with me in the morning. As usual, she said that she would love to someday and as she tried to pawn it off on another year, I interrupted her. After some coaxing, I managed to get her to call into work the next day and go with me into the turkey woods.

Morning came early and found us sitting on the edge of a big hay field that borders a heavily forested hillside. The sun hadn’t crested over the trees yet and as the dew rose up off the young hay sprouts, I let out the morning’s first yelps. I hadn’t even finished my third yelp when a gobble came rattling up through the woods just out of sight.

I looked at Mom and smiled as if to say, “aren’t you glad you came?” It wasn’t long before the old long beard came waddling up the logging road, looking for the hen that he had just heard.

It had been an early spring, and the freshly sprouted leaves were already thick, making it difficult to see. This mature old bird wasn’t stupid. When he got into sight, he decided to look around before coming any closer. Once he had surveyed the area for several seconds without seeing any hens, he turned to head the other way, so I pushed the safety off my old Remington 870, lowered the bead onto his neck and squeezed the trigger. I recovered from the shot just in time to him launch off the side of the hill and take flight out through the thick canopy of maple leaves. He was well out of sight when I heard a very loud thud followed by an even louder crash.

Assuming that I had hit him, I jumped up and ran down over the hill in search of what I thought would be a dead turkey. When I made my way down to where the turkey had fallen, I found a spot at the base of an old oak tree where the leaves had been disturbed. There were turkey feathers everywhere but no turkey. I stood there for a minute to scratch my head and catch my breath but when I looked down I saw something strange. There, lying in the leaves, was a beard; perfectly intact. After several more minutes of scratching my head, I came to the conclusion that as the old bird flew down through the canopy of maple leaves, his vision was blocked and he flew straight into a giant oak limb, knocking him out of the sky and somehow breaking off his beard.

Throughout a lifetime of hunting, I have seen many strange things happen but this one topped the list. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. When I got back to the top of the hill, I told my mom the story and showed her the beard. I’m not sure why it seemed so funny but we couldn’t help but laugh. When I told her that we should now keep an eye out for a hen with 1-inch spurs, we laughed and laughed some more.

Even though we had fun, I was a little let down by the whole incident, so I asked her if she wanted to come back with me again the next morning and try again. She agreed, so the next morning we came back to the exact same spot. Once again, we were out there before sunrise and just like the morning before, a gobble came echoing up from down over the hill. Twenty minutes later and here came old mister long beard. I was half expecting this to be the same bird but when I got a glimpse of him, I could see that this gobbler was still sporting his beard. I let him strut his way right into our lap before taking the shot. Thankfully, I didn’t miss this time and the old bird piled up.

To this day, we still talk and laugh about the old turkey who got away, how he got clothes-lined by an oak limb and lost his beard. So, if you are like me and have a mother who is willing to go out and experience a day afield with you, don’t put it off for another year. You never know, you may just make a lifelong memory with her.

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