Sportsman's News October 2015 Digital Edition

SportsmansNews.com

October 2015

Volume 11 Issue 10

The Place To Be When The Season Is Over Out West

By Mike Deming

W

ith the last load of meat in the cooler and those big chocolate colored antlers atop the load, we could finally savor the moments of another successful season. Late November is a bitter sweet time of year for me. All the scouting, planning, setup and execution is done. However, it also means the last of the big game hunts are over - over in most of the Rocky Mountain states anyway. continued on page 2

Guide and co-owner Cole Wolff with annual customer Brandon Kitchens and his largest buck to date.

Page 8

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

DAVINE SPRINGS continued from cover

In the south and the east, most of the best hunting is just starting to heat up. However, looking at all the states and opportunities can be as daunting for the western hunter as an eastern hunter trying to figure out the draw process in the western states. Some states require a draw, but the majority of them allow you to purchase one or many deer tags over the counter. In some cases, you can shoot additional animals, which aren’t available to us western hunters in our states. Best of all, it extends your season well into the following year.

Figuring out where to go and when, is the first task you must consider. I’ve been making the trip to Texas once our seasons have closed for over twenty years now. It is one of the largest states and the majority of its residents live, eat and breathe hunting. There are thousands of different hunting operations, catering to everything from standard whitetail deer and hog hunts, all the way to the most exotic of hunting experiences. A person can actually hunt nearly every animal you can hunt abroad and at a fraction of the cost when all things are considered.

We have had the experience of visiting a good number of these operations and DaVine Springs Ranch, in Central Texas, has proven to be one of the very best operations we have ever seen.

This family run operation is headed up by Lane Wolff and is the quintessential home-away-from-home. The first time we pulled into the grand gated entrance of the DaVine Springs Ranch, we were all immediately impressed.

The ranch is a sprawling plot of land with all the amenities of home and then some. After passing through the main gate, we passed through a series of internal gates. I felt like we had rolled into South Africa when we got into the main pasture. Just about every type of animal one can experience in that part of the world was visible as we drove the long winding road. When we rolled up to the ranch house, a series of UTV’s were lined up in military style formation out front. The chairs, pool table and lounge area were equally as organized and professional. You only get one chance to make a first impression and Lane and his family had done quite a job. We then opened the door to the lodge, revealing a collection of some of the most impressive whitetail bucks I’ve ever laid eyes on. Some had been shot by the family, but a good majority of them were shed antlers from bucks which were still alive on the ranch. One impressive buck taken

by Lane himself was north of the 300” mark and had everything a trophy hunter could ever imagine.

I was being joined on this hunt by my good friend, Mike Barrick. He lives near me in Utah and has told me numerous times about his desire to

This big velvet buck is roaming the hills of Davine Springs ranch for the hunting season of 2015 waiting for one lucky hunter to harvest him.

Everything at Davine Springs is well organized and displayed with military precision. harvest a big whitetail. After looking at all the photos Lane had been sending me, I knew this hunt was right up Mike’s alley. Branden Kitchens, who has hunted with Lane and his crew for many years, was also at camp for the week. He had seen a huge typical whitetail earlier in the year and was destined to put his time in, hoping for a shot.

The first morning, everyone was raring with enthusiasm. We all sucked down a cup of coffee and headed off to the blinds. Most operations in Texas hunt out of tower blinds. For the western hunter who isn’t familiar with this type of hunting, it is a different experience. It is a box or in some cases a chair on stilts.

I’ve had the opportunity to sit in just about every kind of tower blind imaginable - some are homemade boxes and more than a bit scary to climb into, but they all get you up in the air where you can see down into the thick underbrush, where the big whitetails call home. The tower blind we were getting into would be considered more of a high rise condo, than it would a blind. The sturdy steel frame and steps put us up in the air nearly twenty feet high and the oversized blind was ideal for housing myself, Mike Barrick and Lane. Three grown men in a tower blind is usually a bit crowded, especially when you throw a camera and tripod into the mix, but we had more than enough room for our first morning’s sit with this deluxe setup.

We were in the blind nearly an hour before legal shooting light. Lane had picked this particular location to start off our hunt, because this is where the trail camera pics had come from with a particular buck which had caught Mike’s attention the night before.

We had gone through all the photos Lane had acquired over the past few months. Our target buck had a great main frame, but also had numerous stickers and kicker points, which Lane felt would push him into that 190” B&C range. Definitely the caliber of buck we would be looking for on this hunt.

As the darkness gave away to gray light, we started to see images in the field we had set up on. It was too dark to make out antlers on any of them, but we at least knew there were deer in the field. The deer were funneling out of the field in droves as the horizon lightened up. Lane was pretty sure the buck we wanted was at the far edge of the field, but going into the trees. By the time we hit legal shooting light, there were only a few bucks left in the field and none were the caliber we were looking to harvest. We sat in the blind until 9am and then decided to head back to camp for breakfast. Since we were hunting in mid-December and the rut had died off, the deer were only moving to feed at first and last light.

During the middle of the day, we would tour the ranch and check out the exotic and domestic species availcontinued on page 6

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

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

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

SENIOR EDITOR Kent Danjanovich 801-231-9838 kdanjanovich@sportsmansnews.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Eric Christensen 435-879-1212 echristensen@sportsmansnews.com MANAGING EDITOR Dan Kidder 435-865-1680 dkidder@sportsmansnews.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lisa Deming info@sportsmansnews.com PRODUCTION MANAGER James Dansie jdansie@sportsmansnews.com

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October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Words From The Publisher

By Michael Deming

T

he Sportsman’s News Pro Member Sweepstakes is in its’ 6th month and it is a very exciting time for us here at Sportsman’s News. We developed this Publisher’s Clearing House-style giveaway for the outdoorsmen and women of the world over the past couple of years. We officially launched it early this spring and as I sit down to write this column, we have given away just over $120,000 worth of trips, guns and gear.

We do a drawing every ten days for a major prize and then give away several bonus prizes as well. With just under 400 members, the odds for some of these great trips are way better than nearly any big game drawing one applies for.

I personally know about each and every one of these trips because they are the very best trips we have experienced here at Sportsman’s News over the past eleven years. We booked the very best dates available two years in advance for the winners to experience these trips of a lifetime. So, it is very exciting for us to know what these lucky winners are in for.

A few of our winners have already been on some of these trips and have had tremendous results. You will soon start to see some teaser videos on our website at SportsmansNews.com about their

exciting adventures as well as the full feature show on the SNTV DVD series.

Some of these folks are experiencing a trip that was completely out of their realm of possibilities without the Pro Member Sweepstakes. All the members tell us how exciting it is to be able to see a new drawing every ten days.

One of our winners just arrived back from a Brown Bear Hunt with Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures. At the end of his 10-day trip, he still hadn’t pulled the trigger on a bear. Wade Renfro extended Mr. Steele’s trip and several days later, he was able to put his tag on a true trophy of a lifetime. That wouldn’t happen with a lot of outfitters, but this is a perfect example of the quality of outfitters we work with and we work with them because they put people before profit and truly care about the clients. All of the trips we are giving away with our Pro Membership Sweepstakes are with outfitters just like Wade. Sometimes hunting is just hunting and things don’t always work out, but a great outfitter will always do their best to make things happen and these are who we are affiliated with for all of our endorsed outfitters.

In the late summer of 2016, we will be giving away a Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunt in Sonora Mexico with one of our Platinum Approved Outfitters, WRO Mexico. One lucky winner is going to get

the opportunity to hunt one of the most sought after sheep species in North America in January of 2017.

So, if you become a Sportsman’s News Pro Member right now, you will be in on that drawing August 10th of 2016 as well as 35 other drawings.

We gave away a Dall Sheep hunt this year, so for those sheep fanatics and those of you that would like to be, but just can’t afford it, the Pro Member Sweepstakes is an inexpensive way to get another shot at a sheep or two each year. You can see a complete list of all the winners as well as trips, guns and gear to be given away over the next 12 months by looking at the membership tab on the Sportsman’s News website.

Your membership is for one full year from the day you enter.

We have made sure there are a lot of additional perks for our members on top of getting five tickets in each drawing for a full year. Each member gets an annual subscription to Sportsman’s News Magazine as well as all eight SNTV DVD’s we produce throughout the year. Both of these are mailed to your house. We also pay for you to have a digital subscription to Eastmans’ Hunting Journal and Bowhunting Journal as well as three states of drawing notifications to Huntdraws. com. When you book a trip with one of our Platinum Approved Outfitters, you will be given a 5% discount off of their trip. This savings alone will likely cover the cost of your membership. These benefits and more are available to our members, so log onto Sportsmansnews. com and become a Pro Member today.

You just might be a winner.

WHAT'S INSIDE

5

3 Pro Member Update 5 Words From The Publisher 8 Down Without The Letdown 10 Platinum Approved Outfitters 14 Shotgun Roundup Camo XKG Series 22 King’s Adventures On A Budget: Duck 24 Hunting Essentials 30 Vortex Extreme Challenge 32 PacWest Outdoors: The Shack 38 Pro’s Tip: Killing Whitetails Thinker: October 42 Fishful Browns Pick: Bushnell Night 44 Pro’s Vision 45 Speedcross 3 Bowhunting Shoe 46 Barebow! Sagas: Lightning Buck 49 Business Directory 50 Video Product Reviews A7 Roughtech 54 Sako Wild Game Recipe: Creamy Pheasant

56 57 Wheels Afield: Mazda CX 5 Contest: The Eight-Day Eland 58 Writer’s Pro Member Recap: Pybus Point 60 Lodge

www.facebook.com/ sportsmansnews Become a Fan of Sportsman's News for Fan Only contests and post comments about Sportsman's News.

Tell your friends.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Wade Bourne Vic Wheeler Gary Lewis Jason Herbert Chad LaChance Dennis Dunn Steve Mayer Andy Lightbody Eric Boley

6

SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

DAVINE SPRINGS

sausage, burgers, steaks and just about anything you can imagine was cooked continued from cover to perfection by Chef Bryan. able to hunt. Before the evening hunts, The evening hunt yielded a good we would partake in some world class, number of buck sightings and lots of Texas barbeque, put together by Bryan shot opportunities, but none on our Wolff, who is Lane’s dad. He is truly target buck. Lane was confident in a barbeque pit master and a trip to staying at our current location for the DaVine Springs Ranch is worth it for morning hunt to kill our buck, but was the food alone. Brisket, pork chops, open to switching things up if it didn’t pay off in the next day or so. Who are we to guide the guide, so we were up for whatever Lane suggested.

We w e r e back in our blind, first thing in the morning and with the moon being a little brightBrisket, pork chops, sausage, burgers, steaks and just about anything you can imagine was cooked to perfection er, we could easily see

by Chef Bryan.

what was in the field. Lane whispered to Mike that our target buck was actually bedded in the field. We just needed him to stay in place until legal shooting light. More deer funneled into the field and a good majority of them were bucks. The approaching low pressure system and the post rut was driving the rut-weary bucks to food and we had a show unlike anything I had ever seen playing out. Over a dozen bucks were in and around the field.

The clock seemed to grind to a halt.

We finally hit legal shooting light, but with us filming for an episode of SNTV, we still needed more light and the cloud cover wasn’t helping. Eight minutes later, the big buck got to his feet, as if he had listened to our conversation and knew it was time to depart.

I gave Mike the thumbs up that I was okay to film and had the big bruiser center frame. He knew something was up and used every bush possible to conceal his movement. Mike moved to the side window, while we all adjusted position to get the shot on film. Just before he departed the area for good, he gave Mike a quartering away shot, which proved to be a fatal mistake.

Mike dropped the big boy in his tracks and secured his trophy of a lifetime. As we walked up to this giant, there was truly no ground shrinkage and the big boy would have definitely made the 190’ threshold had he not broken off a few inches fighting during the rut.

Branden Kitchens and Cole Wolff were in another part of the ranch, seeing large numbers of deer as well. The

big typical was late to move and since we were taking care of Mike’s deer, their ride was late to pick them up. It proved to be impeccable timing for this to all come together, as Branden put a Tikka T3 tumble on the 180” whopper as he made his way across an opening at nearly 10am.

When we rolled in to pick them up, Branden was grinning from ear to ear, with his largest whitetail ever. His statement to me was, “DaVine Springs Ranch is the best place I’ve ever hunted” and after seeing what they have to offer, we have to agree. They truly have what it takes to be one of our Platinum Approved Outfitters and should be on your bucket list of places to visit during your lifetime. When all the western hunts have come to a close, you can still have a hunt or two in your future in Texas, with great trophy potential. The great state of Texas allows young hunters the ability to hunt with their parents or an adult without having to be at least 12-years or even older in some states.

The Wolff’s can provide a great hunting opportunity for families because of this and you can truly provide your kids with a hunting experience which will have our heritage deeply rooted in their blood for life. We have committed to having one of these hunts in our Sportsman’s News Pro Members Sweepstakes each and every year because we can’t imagine a year without getting to visit the Wolff’s and DaVine Springs Ranch.

To book your own adventure, visit www.davinespringsranch.com or give them a call at 254-534-0102.

Davine Springs co-owner Lane Wolff guided Mike Barrick of Cedar City, UT to this trophy 187-inch whitetail beast.

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

The Darkroom: Down Without The Letdown

Y

ou want warmth without weight?

For 125 million years, the answer has been down. You know, feathers.

It was somewhere in northern China, 60 million years before T-Rex walked the earth when a small dinosaur, called Dilong paradoxus sprouted feathers – single-filament proto-feathers, to be precise. Scientists say they weren’t for flight, but insulation.

Fast forward through a few eons of evolution to 1953 and you’ll find the highly complex filament structures of waterfowl down, in the sleeping bags of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on Everest’s South Col. It wasn’t long until the miracle fluff found it’s way into cold-weather mountaineering gear of all kinds, unlocking access for climbers and skiers to the harshest places on the planet.

But, for all down’s powers, it has its kryptonite: water. Just a tiny bit of moisture collapses the structures that loft and trap air, crippling down’s ability to insulate. And to make matters worse, it takes a very long time to dry.

So, how do birds keep from freezing to death? For one, they’ve evolved contour feathers that layer like shingles, which they cover with a waxy oil excreted from their preen glands to create a waterproof shell. And birds have no sweat glands, so their down won’t wet-out with exertion.

It’s a little trickier for humans.

A GORE-TEX ® membrane can waterproof the outside of your down jacket from rain and snow and will breathe well enough to handle the output of your many, many sweat glands. But, if it’s cold and you slip on a creek crossing or your packed-

up jacket gets hit with a water bladder leak, you could be in serious trouble.

The U.S. Army saw the threat and in 1983 commissioned the company that would become PrimaLoft® to create a waterproof alternative to down. What they invented was a patented synthetic microfiber, comparable to down in warmth and durability that retains its insulating ability, even when drenched. But, it fell short of down’s characteristics in terms of loft, compressibility and lightness. Each new generation of PrimaLoft has closed that gap, but down still edges synthetics in those comparisons and that left room for innovation.

That’s why scientists and outdoor gear makers spent the last two decades trying to develop hydrophobic treatments, that could coat down’s filament structures and help them stand up to the surface tension of water. In the last two years, a couple of these products have made it to market, but we tested them in Gore’s state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and found unsettling problems with durability, especially after washing.

We couldn’t, in good conscience, send you into extreme conditions with a promise to keep you warm when wet, if we couldn’t deliver on that promise 100%. So, we poured our efforts into lab- and field-testing every water-resistant down product and prototype available. But, there was nothing we could really stand behind.

Then PrimaLoft sent us prototypes of their Down Blends.

The first time you see PrimaLoft Down Blend, it just looks like a pile of little white tufts. You grab a handful and a bunch of them escape, spinning out and floating on the drafts your hand just made and there in your palm is maybe the softest, coziest thing you’ve ever felt - which makes it easy to forget how advanced and effective this material really is!

To understand what you’re actually holding, it helps to think of each little cluster as the Terminator – in Arnold’s words, “a cybernetic organism, living tissue over a metal endoskeleton.” The little cluster’s “endoskeleton,” though, is the elegant filament structures of waterproof-treated down. The “living tissue” is hundreds of ultrafine synthetic fibers that intertwine with the down’s microscopic structures, to form an intimate bond. This is more than just down on steroids.

In fact, the bond between down and synthetic fibers is so strong that when it was tested by international labs that verify whether insulations meet industry standards, they found hardly any synthetic material. The initial report put the mix at 95 percent down. But, that wouldn’t explain its unique ability to insulate when saturated. So, they tried another test, this time using a chemical compound that dissolves

feathers, but not synthetic fibers. What was left was pretty astonishing: a pile of synthetic insulation equal to 40 percent of the clusters that had been dissolved.

It’s this 60/40 bonded mix that allows PrimaLoft® Down Blends to give you insulation, even when soaked, while performing nearly identically to down in terms of compressibility, loft and warmth-to-weight ratio. And if you drench it, relax. It dries four times faster than untreated down.

So, after 125 million years, we finally have down without the letdown. Last year, Sitka became the exclusive hunting launch partner for PrimaLoft® Down Blend. The pieces for brutal cold that will keep you warm when wet – no matter what – are: Kelvin Down Ultra Lite Jacket - NEW for 2015 • Kelvin Down Hoody • Blizzard Parka • Blizzard Bib Pant • Boreal Jacket • Boreal Bib Pant

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS |October 2015

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Finding the Right Semi-Automatic Shotgun

By Kent Danjanovich Senior Editor

T

here are plenty of great shotguns on the market today and what it really comes down to is what features catch your eye and how much you are willing to spend. As in many other major purchases, choosing the right shotgun, one that just may be with you for the rest of your life, is an important decision. Since I am a little partial to semi-auto’s myself, I have taken a little time to try out a few of the best options available on the market today and the following are just a few of my favorites and all are available at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Benelli Super Black Eagle II Benelli’s are very popular in the shotgun world and for good reason. They have a well-deserved reputation for reliability and ruggedness. For over two decades, the Super Black Eagle has been Benelli’s flagship semi-auto shotgun. As the first auto-loader chambered for 3 ½” 12-gauge magnums, the original ‘SBE’ and the updated ‘SBE II’ have been the choice of especially waterfowlers for years.

First, let’s talk a little about its features, starting with its ComforTech, recoil-absorbing stock. A series of chevrons angle down the right side of the butt stock that work in tandem with the gel cheek insert pad along the stocks ridge and then culminates with the ultra-soft gel recoil pad. This recoil system, along with Benelli’s In-line Inertia system, significantly helps to soften the felt recoil, even when shooting heavy loads.

As far as handling, the Super Black Eagle II is one of the smoothest transitions from rest to shoulder that I have ever experienced. To put it plainly, it just fits my shoulder perfectly and the trigger is honed and ultra-crisp. The safety is positioned in the customary, behind-the-trigger location (as opposed to the newer Vinci models) and the trigger guard is large enough to accommodate gloves when cold weather is a factor.

As mentioned earlier, I like a somewhat raised ventilated rib and the SBE II offers one that sits flush to the receiver and then features a Hi-Viz front sight that helps to zero-in on your target in a hurry.

Benelli’s Crio System combines cryogenically treated barrels and choke tubes to create smoother and more uniform surfaces that stay cleaner longer. It is a freezing process that relieves the stresses caused by hammer forging, creating more even-grained, slick surfaces that give less resistance to wads and shot, which provides a more uniform shot pattern, resulting in more downed birds. Each choke kit comes with four chokes and a wrench.

Now for use in the field. As far as heavy loads go, I have never experienced a miss-fire while in the field or exploding out of a layout blind. It even does well with good AA loads on the range. But, this gun is not really built to handle light loads on a regular basis and if that is what you are buying it for, then the Super Black Eagle II is probably not the shotgun for you.

The Super Black Eagle II from Benelli is available in black synthetic, Realtree Max-5, Realtree APG and satin walnut finishes with a MSRP starting at $1,569.

Browning A5 Many of us grew up dreaming of one day owning a Browning Auto-5 “Humpback” - the first mass-produced auto-loading shotgun. To refer to it as “a classic” would be something of an understatement. In production from 1902 to 1999, it’s been manufactured - at various times and in varying model numbers - by FN, Savage, Remington and of course, Browning.

I have owned both the Model 11 Remington and the standard Auto-5 for years and love them both, so I was pretty excited when I heard about the “reintroduced” A5. And, I love the slogan Browning came out with for the new version back in 2012, “This ain’t your Grandpa’s Auto-5.”

Indeed it isn’t. First off, it’s got an aluminum receiver and a lightweight barrel profile, which combine to make it livelier than the old Auto-5’s. The distinctive humpback profile is still there, which is still pretty tough to beat when it comes to lining up the sighting plane without having to fight your head down on the comb.

But, the action is considerably different. The old long-recoil (or barrel recoiling) system has been replaced with a short-recoil inertia system called “Kinematic Drive,” which requires no adjustments for light, heavy or anything in between loads. This is a big change from their standard gas-operated system, but Browning feels that the short-recoil operated action is so reliable in the A5, they back it with a 5-year/100,000 round guarantee.

The new A5 has other bells and whistles as well: a lengthened forcing cone, the Speed Load Plus feeding system that automatically sends the first shell you push into the magazine, directly into the chamber and a Turnkey Magazine Plug that allows the magazine plug to be removed quickly (unlike most shotguns on the market today).

Also worth noting is the Invector-DS choke system. The tubes have a gradual taper and brass seal at the base that prevent gas and fouling from getting between the barrel and tube. The upshot? The tubes don’t require nearly as much scrubbing and maintenance as conventional ones, so your cleaning time is greatly reduced.

Also, I found that the A5 cycles flawlessly. Unlike the old Auto-5, no adjustments of old friction rings are needed. You can run light 2-3/4-inch, 1-ounce loads, 1-1/8 ounce target loads, heavy high brass hunting rounds and hyper velocity steel.Where other semi-autos need a deep cleaning after eating a lot of ammo, the inertia system directs gases and fouling down the barrel and away from the action, keeping things noticeably cleaner, the biggest difference from its gas-operated grandpa.

All in all, the new A5 has the classic profile of the original. A lot of guys shoot a humpback configuration better than almost anything else and I’m one of them. The new enhancements, both major and minor, have put the A5 back in the game in a big way. Available in gloss walnut finish, black Duratouch camo, gloss oil walnut, Mossy Oak Bottomlands, Realtree Max-5, Mossy Oak Break-Up Country and Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades with MSRP starting at about $1,500. continued on page 16

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continued from page 14

Winchester SX3 Now as you know, the name Wi n c h e s t e r h a s b e e n a r o u n d since the days of the old west.

They have produced many g re a t f i re a r m s o v e r t h e y e a r s a n d t h e y a re s t i l l d o i n g i t t oday. One of those great guns is the SX3.

The first issue in this line was introduced back in 1974 as the Super X1. It was al l steel with a pretty hefty price tag at the time and eventually ended its p ro d u c t i o n r u n i n 1 9 8 1 . Wi n chester then introduced the SX2 in 1999 and although it

resembled its predecessor, major changes were made to lighten it a n d i m p ro v e t h e g a s o p e r a t i o n system. Because of these improvements, the SX2, chambered in 3 ½”, was capable of handling all types of loads.

W h e n Wi n c h e s t e r ’ s f a c t o r y closed down in Connecticut in 2006, so came the end of the SX2 (although they still may be produced in the FN line). But w h e n t h e f a c i l i t y re - o p e n e d i n 2007, the new SX3 version was introduced with the most glaring improvements being improved handling, even lighter weight,

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less felt recoil and the tag of being the fastest firing auto-loader ever made.

Now even though a lot is made about the fact that it is so fast, for most practical applications, this will never really come into play. But it is nice to know that those follow-up shots, when needed, will be there in less than a blink of an eye! And along with that quick follow-up shot, you w i l l n o t i c e a l o t l e s s f e l t re c o i l because of the Inflex Technology combining with the Active Valve Gas System, with the Pachmayr Decelerator Recoil Pad. The SX3 is also back-bored, a process that significantly improves shot pattern when paired with a good choke system. The Invector series of chokes that are offered with this gun are also top notch.

What I like best about the SX3 is that it is truly a simple gun.

As with all gas operated guns, there is more carbon to deal with than piston guns. But, the tradeoff for a gun that always goes boom is worth a little extra cleaning time. The SX3 comes apart fast and there is not much to it. No complicated pins and levers to break down, it just opens up and lets you get in there and clean with ease. I am an advocate of keeping a clean weapon. That being said, in the interest of finding out just how well this gun would operate, I let it go for one entire season with nothing more than the occasional spray of gun oil. I was surprised to see that after a few cases of shells a n d b l o w i n g r a i n , s n o w, i c e , dirt and whatever else, I never had a malfunction. Now that’s performance that I’m looking for – how about you?

Shooters of Super X3 shotguns are like members of a strange secret society. They don’t say too much or brag too much - they just go about their business, taking m o re d u c k s , g e e s e a n d u p l a n d b i rd s i n w o r s e c o n d i t i o n s t h a n most others (it must have something to do with that old west nostalgia or something).

Gas autoloaders do what recoil operated guns simply can’t - control recoil before it ever touches your shoulder and there is no better gas system than the Active Va l v e f o u n d i n S u p e r X 3 s h o t g u n s . T h e A c t i v e Va l v e s y s t e m consists of a gas piston with an internal valve that self-adjusts to fire a wide range of loads.

The gas piston and valve operate independently, exerting less pressure on the piston for greater longevity and efficiency than other gas-operated autoloaders.

Wi t h l i g h t l o a d s , m o s t o f t h e gases from the fired shell are used to operate the action. With heavy loads, excess gases are vented from the piston. When firing the heaviest magnum loads in 3 1/2″ models, a portion of the gases are also vented forward out of the Quadra-Vent ports in the forearm for maximum efficiency.

3 ″ m o d e l s f i re e v e r y t h i n g f ro m light, 1-oz., 2 3/4″ target loads to 3″ magnums, while 3 1/2″ guns h a n d l e l o a d s f ro m 1 1 / 8 - o z . , 2 3/4″ field loads up to heavy 3 1/2″ magnums.

To put it simply, the SX3 is one of the most reliable, fastest shooting, s o f t e s t re c o i l i n g a u t o l o a d e r s i n the world. It is available in a wide variety of models including, field, sporting, waterfowl, turkey, deer and coyote in a host of finishes with MSRP starting at $999. continued on page 18

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

SHOTGUNS

continued from page 16

Beretta A400 Xtreme Unico Competitive shooting and upland hunting are the heart and soul of Beretta’s shot gunning efforts - but there’s little doubt the world’s oldest firearms company knows how to make a good semi-auto for the duck marsh. The new A400 Xtreme Unico, which has a 3 ½-inch chamber, has been designed inside and out to hold up to the rigors of hard-core waterfowling.

How would you like a semi-auto shotgun that shoots any type of 12-ga shell? One that can fire four shots in less than one second, and that is softrecoiling and leaves your shoulder feeling perfectly comfortable, even after a marathon duck-hunting session in the marshes or a long day at the clay range?

The A400 Xtreme does this and much more. Add its superior resistance to salt

spray, flawless fit and finish and the best materials in the world and you’ll see why this shotgun is the definitive choice for the serious waterfowl hunter.

The A400 action is truly revolutionary in the history of the semi-automatic shotgun. Thanks to the proprietary Blink technology, it shoots 36% faster than any other system, meaning that your followup shots will always be faster than any high-flying duck, goose or clay target.

It is low-profile and light weight, giving you superior natural pointability. It has built-in rails, so that you can even equip it with the optics of your choice for turkey season. And its reliable feeding of any type of 12-gauge shell, lead or steel, mild 2 ¾” to hard-hitting 3 ½” magnums, gives the A400 the versatility of a do-it-all shotgun.

Yes, 3 ½-inch guns are here to stay and gunmakers continue to introduce new models, as Beretta has done with the A400 Xtreme. The discomfort caused

by magnum duck loads has prompted manufacturers to come up with various methods to reduce felt recoil. This can be accomplished by using recoil-absorbing pistons or softer butt pads or by incorporating some type of flex and give in the stock. Whatever the solution, the goal is the same: to spread out the force of the recoil over a longer period of time, though this all still happens in the blink of an eye, reducing the sharpness of the blow the gun inflicts on the shooter’s face and shoulder. The other option is to port your barrel, though your pals in your duck blind will hate you for it, believe me!

The A400 Xtreme features not one, but several of today’s most advanced recoil reduction systems right out of the box.

Laboratory tests have shown two distinct peaks in recoil. The explosion of the ammunition is the first; the impact of the bolt against the receiver is the second. Kick-Off 3 is a third hydraulic damper that cushions this stress on the mechanical components and further reduces recoil. Also, the A400 Xtreme is designed to recoil parallel to the cheek mount, which also reduces felt kick while giving you faster follow-up shots. The new A400 uses Beretta’s “kick-

off” technology, which relies on springloaded shock absorbers to mitigate recoil.

Two of these shock absorbers are located within the stock, allowing it to compress about ³⁄₈ of an inch during recoil and one is located just behind the receiver and is compressed by the rearward travel of the bolt assembly. This system works extremely well, soaking up some of the pounding that would normally be transferred to the shooter. Altogether, these recoil-reduction devices decrease felt recoil by 70%, meaning that you can enjoy a longer day at water’s edge or at the range without as much discomfort.

In hand, the A400 Xtreme Unico has a lively feel. It weighs in at 7 pounds 11 ounces, which is fairly standard for a 3 ½-inch semi-auto, but it shoulders and swings like a lighter gun. The combination of the slick gas system, good trigger and excellent ergonomics makes the A400 fast on the draw. It not only gets on target quickly, but you can run a fully loaded magazine dry before your first empty hits the ground.MSRP starting at $1,750. continued on page 20

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

SHOTGUNS

sure is regulated based on the length of the shell. continued from page18 The Versa Max Sportsman is a workRemington Versa Max Sportsman horse shotgun designed for today’s I grew up shooting Browning Au- American Sportsman who wants the to-5’s and Remington 1100’s. And to ultimate in auto-loading technology tell you the truth, I loved them both. and performance, but doesn’t require a And because of that introduction full-featured gun like the groundbreakinto shot-gunning, I am still more ing original. than a little partial to gas-operated Obviously, some of the bells and semi-autos. Remington introduced whistles of the full-priced Versa Max its Versa Max auto-loading shotgun- have been left by the wayside in ofback in 2010 and now also offers a fering the Sportsman version. So, Sportsman’s model that has a great what are they? Well, you don’t get the price point. adjustable drop-and-cast feature, the The heart of the Versa Max operat- over-molded grips, the hard carrying ing system remains unchanged in its case or the length-of-pull shim kit.

Sportsman version. In short, its’ a Plus, with the Sportsman, you don’t get twin-piston gas-operated 12 gauge the Hi-Viz sights (just a straight front PACK2¾-, - FEATURE ICONS: that’ll handle 3- and 3½-inch bead/mid-bead setup) or the five-pack shells. The gas ports are just ahead of of various Pro-Bore choke tubes (just the chamber and set to accommodate one mod choke). But one feature that all three shell lengths. Cycling pres- the Sportsman does still give you is

the very effective SuperCell recoil pad.

Personally, the lack of stock adjustment flexibility doesn’t bother me.

I’ve done all right with out-of-the-box shotguns fitting me my whole life as most people do. And a straight bead/ mid-bead site setup is all I ask for. And in most cases, five chokes is a little bit of over-kill anyway and I can always pick up another choke at my local Sportsman’s Warehouse. The Versa Max is a hunters’ gun and that is where you will see it – in the field or getting dirty in a blind.

I’m not a big fan of 3½-inch loads, but I will admit that there’s a reasonable argument for owning a 3½-inch gun— namely, that you can shoot anything with a “12” stamped on the brass. But, when you factor in the improvements in premium steel shot loads over the past few years, the case for the 3½ inch isn’t as strong as it used to be. Be that as it may, in taking a look at any auto-loader set up to handle a wide range of shell lengths, the first thing is to see if it’ll run

them reliably in a mix-and-match order.

Even when alternating an assortment of traditional lead target loads, magnum turkey loads, 3 ½” steel waterfowl loads and the lightest dove loads, the Sportsman ran through them all, without a hitch.

One thing about the Versa Max that may require getting used too is the fact that the shell carrier hangs down below the receiver a bit. If you’re used to a flush-fitting carrier, this may be a bit disconcerting, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be. And the oversize cross-bolt safety button is easy to access, even with gloves on.

I actually took the Sportsman out on opening day of dove season this month and despite its 7.7-pound total weight, the Sportsman was lively enough from a handling standpoint for us to bring down plenty of birds, while handling the light loads without any problems.

The Sportsman is available in either a hammer-forged steel black oxide finish or the same in camo with an MSRP starting at $1,045.

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

King’s Camo XKG Series

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t is not fun to think about how far hunting gear has developed over the past 20 years, because I realize how much older I have grown as well.

I remember hunting with my father as a boy and not one piece of clothing we owned had camouflage or was designed to last in the elements like todays camo clothing. King’s Camo has designed a variety of patterns to match any landscape you want to blend into. Extreme King’s Gear Camo is a series of clothing that you can wear in a layering system, to match the season you are hunting.

The base layers are the first set of the series, an essential that is often overlooked. The XKG base layers are made of 100% Merino wool. Merino wool is a very soft, comfortable material that will stretch and move with the body. It also has a very effective moisture wicking ability, to pull your sweat away, helping to regulate your body’s temperature while also drying very quickly. Merino wool is a natural odor controlling agent and a very good choice for a base layer, as it is close to your skin. It is light and breathable, plus King’s designed it with flat lock seams to prevent unwanted itching and rubbing of your skin as you ascend up the mountain. Base layers are very important, because as temperatures start to drop later in the year, they will help to make your journeys to the hills more comfortable.

The next step in the system includes their Ridge pant, the Hightop ¼ zip and ¼ zip Hoodie. These are all designed to fit over your base layer. King’s uses a 4-way stretch polyester material, which is very soft and quiet. The tops have

a tapered fit, with a longer tail on the backside to cover your full length, even when sitting down to spot animals. The tops also will continue the moisture wicking process with ultra-breathable, fast drying polyester. The XKG Ridge pants are made from the same 4-way stretch polyester, with a blood resistant finish. King’s has reinforced the hand pocket and articulated knee for added strength and flexibility. The cargo pockets have a soft, yet sturdy snap lock and there is an extra thigh cargo pocket for added storage.

The third and fourth pieces of the system are designed for later season hunts, when cold weather dominates the land. The Transition jacket is a mid to outer shell that wears well in mild to cold temps. The Transition jacket is made with 100% nylon and a synthetic loft of 80-grams and can be stuffed into the chest pocket. It’s perfect to keep in your pack to pull out for added warmth when needed. A Lone Peak soft-shell jacket can be added to finish the series and is made from 100% polyester TriLaminate shell. This jacket is highly water and wind resistant, with two side-hand pockets and one chest pocket.

The XKG series from King’s Camo is a great choice to cover a variety of hunting trips, without a high price tag.

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Duck Hunting Essentials Enjoy high-quality hunting without breaking the bank

By Wade Bourne

B

ig bucks! No, not the kind that grow antlers, but what many duck hunters spend to fund their sport: private clubs, fancy blinds, pricey shotguns, super-sized decoy spreads and more. This is one undertaking that can suck up money like a bowling ball in quicksand.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Hunters can experience quality duck hunting while sticking to a budget.

Penny-pinching hunters may have to hunt a little harder and smarter, but they can still find high-quality waterfowling.

So, if the recession has left a lasting impression, your credit card is maxed out, your kid’s college tuition has skyrocketed and you can’t afford 24-carat duck hunting, don’t despair.

The quality of a hunt doesn’t always rate proportionally to its cost. Here’s how to cut corners to hold duck hunting expenses down and still enjoy great shooting.

Hunting Spots for Budget-Minded Hunters For starters, forget the private clubs and leases. Owning or leasing a prime duck spot can cost a prince’s ransom.

However, there are plenty of options available to budget-minded hunters.

All you have to do is find them.

First on the list are public areas:

wildlife management areas, refuges, public reservoirs and natural lakes, free-flowing rivers and streams, military reservations, state and national forests, BLM lands, utility company lands and Ducks Unlimited projects.

Public areas? Aren’t they always overcrowded and hyper-gunned?

Some are, but others aren’t. The bestknown areas with the most ducks can be mob scenes. However, other areas that don’t draw as many birds may still offer good shooting. This is where the “hunt a little harder” part comes in. Finding such spots takes some legwork, but they do exist and can be uncovered and enjoyed at little or no cost.

Another option is figuring out how to outhustle the competition on heavily pressured areas. This may mean going in earlier, walking in deeper or staying out longer. For instance, when I was in my late teens and early 20s, a friend and I hunted a public wade-in area

Adventure On A Budget

in west Tennessee where spots were available on a first-come, first-served basis.

One hole in this flooded bottom drew ducks like a magnet. To claim it, my pal and I would wade in two hours before shooting time. We had some long, cold waits for sunrise, but we also took many limits of greenheads there.

Other hunters weren’t willing to get out so early, so we routinely claimed this prize.

Budget-conscious hunters shouldn’t rule out hunting on private lands.

Good shooting may be available to those who find landowners willing to grant hunting permission. This is especially true after heavy rains push backwaters into croplands or pastures that aren’t normally flooded. Ducks throng to such “new water” and some landowners will grant hunting permission. You’ll never know until you ask.

Also, don’t overlook private ponds and watershed lakes. Small waters can draw surprising numbers of ducks.

Glassing from public roads is the best way to find these places. True, some landowners will turn you down, but others might grant hunting permission.

Float-hunting is almost a lost art, but sometimes small rivers and streams can hold good numbers of ducks. This is especially true during a freeze, when shallow wetlands are locked up and the birds shift to moving water.

One other point: you don’t have to be in the heart of the flyway to experience good duck hunting. In fringe areas, ducks may be fewer in number, but hunting pressure will also be reduced.

As a result, a hunter who finds a few ducks outside a popular flyway might have them all to himself.

Budget Blinds I’ve hunted from duck blinds whose owners had invested small fortunes on

electricity, plumbing, full kitchens and even lounge areas. But these features certainly weren’t necessary for hunting success. Many of my best hunts have come as I’ve huddled in brush, leaned against trees or sprawled in muddy fields or on sandbars. In other words, a fancy blind or pit is a wonderful amenity, but not a requirement for duck hunting success.

To the contrary, hunters can disappear from the birds’ prying eyes with only a minimal disbursement of dollars. Highly effective blinds can be constructed with a few poles (cut your own), some camo netting, plastic zip ties and natural vegetation.

Indeed, one of the best blinds I ever had was one a partner and I constructed in shin-deep water in a flooded soybean field. We drove four corner poles, attached shooting rails across the front and back and then stacked long bushy oak branches teepee-style against the rails. Circling ducks never saw us as we huddled beneath the brush.

A layout blind is another excellent option for budget-minded hunters.

Some initial investment is required, but a layout blind’s twin advantages of mobility and full, fast concealment more than justify its cost. Layout blinds can be used in open fields, mudflats, sandbars and other spots where ducks like to work and hunters without layout blinds have difficulty hiding.

Then there is the no-blind (and nocost) option: concealing yourself in natural cover. On-site cattails, saw grass, willow trees, tree trunks and other natural vegetation can provide the best of all concealment when it comes to avoiding detection by circling ducks. Just remember, you need cover overhead as well as in the front and back. Also, a marsh seat or shooting stool is handy for lowering your profile and saving your back as you hunker in natural cover.

Low-Cost Decoy Spreads The decoy spread is another area where hunters can cut expenses. While continued on page 26

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

DUCK HUNTING continued from page 24

there’s no question that hunting over a large spread of realistic decoys is effective, just a few good decoys set in the right place can also entice ducks to come in. In my opinion, being on the ‘X’ is more important than having a four-star spread. In many cases, a couple of dozen decoys will suffice.

In situations where ducks will be working close or there’s no competition, standard-size (less expensive)

decoys will fill the bill. When purchasing decoys, alert hunters can save big bucks by looking for catalog or website “hot buys,” online postings and even estate sales. You can buy used decoys and touch them up and you can also save a few dollars on rigging costs by purchasing heavy nylon line (brown or black) and making homemade anchors (pour small paper cups full of concrete or mold weights from melted scrap lead).

And then there are black plastic bottles. Years ago my hunting partners and I collected several dozen one-gallon milk jugs, dipped them in cold roofing pitch thinned with gasoline and let them dry. Then we rigged these jugs with line and anchors and scattered them among the regular decoys in our, large openwater spread.

By doing so, we

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greatly increased the size and visibility of our setup for very little expense.

The ducks loved this spread. They would land right beside the jugs with no hint of suspicion.

Saving Dollars on Equipment Besides blinds and decoys, duck hunters use a broad range of other gear and with almost every purchase, there is an opportunity to cut costs.

For instance, hundred-dollar acrylic or wooden calls are nice to own, but many companies make $25 plastic calls that play beautiful duck music.

There may be some prestige in shooting a handsome over/under shotgun or a high-dollar autoloader, but more ducks have probably been taken with field-grade pump shotguns than any other type. Pump guns such as the

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Remington Model 870 have been favorites with duck hunting guides for decades.

Since lead shot was banned for waterfowl hunting, ammo companies have marketed a range of nontoxic shot alternatives, including modern alloys that are even denser and more effective than lead. However, these shells are expensive, costing $2 to $3 apiece.

In my experience, less expensive steel continued on page 28

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

DUCK HUNTING continued from page 26

shot loads are capable of cleanly taking ducks at reasonable ranges. At the ranges at which most decoying ducks are taken, steel shot loads will perform nearly as well as their more exotic counterparts at a fraction of the cost.

Waders are one area where duck hunters shouldn’t scrimp on quality.

Tough waders with good foot insulation and features including pockets, shell loops and D-rings are recommended. Most hunters prefer neoprene waders for their flexibility and warmth, but nylon waders cost less and still offer great service.

Hunters frequently need a boat to pursue waterfowl, but new camo-covered boats and outboards can definitely be budget-busters. Instead, consider buying a used rig and camouflaging it yourself. Just be sure to buy enough boat to hunt safely on the waters where you’ll be hunting. Also, for two-man hunts on smaller, quieter waters, a canoe or johnboat and paddles are a low-cost alternative to a larger boat

and motor. Both canoes and small johnboats can be transported on top of cars or in pickup beds, thus saving the expense and maintenance of a trailer.

Duck hunters commonly use camo clothing, a blind bag, binoculars, a thermos, flashlights, decoy gloves, mechanical decoys and other accessories. But none of these items is an absolute necessity. Consider what you would like to have and what you can afford and then assemble your gear accordingly.

Save Money; Hire a Guide For some hunters, saving money may actually mean hiring a guide for a couple of hunts each season instead of hunting on their own. This may sound incongruous at first—spending money to save money—but it’s actually not.

Comparing the cost of a guide to buying gear and all the other expenses involved with hunting on your own may tilt favorably to the first option.

Also, when hunting with a guide, the odds are favorable that you’ll be hunting in a good spot, in a quality blind and over a hunt-tested decoy spread.

As a result, if you can hunt only a few days a season, a guide may be the best value for your limited hunting dollars.

Strategies for Hunting Ducks on a Budget Finding hunting spots and having the essentials are important, but it all comes down to what you do with what you have. Budget-minded hunters should look for a niche—a place, strategy, or time that other hunters don’t know about or won’t interfere with. Waterfowlers on a budget need to make up in knowledge and ability what they lack in cash and there are several good ways to do this. One obvious way is to find a hunting spot that’s not overrun by competing hunters. Such spots are out there, but, again, they take some legwork to find.

For instance, I know a group of young Tennesseans who drive to Arkansas several times a season to hunt on a small state wildlife management area that receives little gunning pressure. Several years ago, they found a spot where a few ducks were working and they’ve enjoyed many good shoots there since.

Another dependable strategy is learning where ducks go under various weather and water conditions and moving with them. After a heavy rain, fresh floodwater rising into fields or bottomland woods can attract large numbers of ducks. During a hard freeze, ducks may shift to rivers and lakes where water is still open. On a big lake, try setting up on an upwind point at the mouth of a feeder creek where trading ducks can see your decoys. On rivers, just run until you

flush ducks (usually in a pocket or an eddy next to the bank) and then set up where they were resting.

By learning where and when to hunt, waterfowlers can stay in the action. This may require wading far back into thick cover on a public area where ducks have been pushed by hunting pressure. It may mean timing hunts to coincide with weather changes. It may mean scouting doggedly to find outof-the-way beaver ponds and sloughs where birds like to loaf.

When it comes to hunting strategies, cost-conscious hunters should remember two C’s: complacency and creativity. You must replace the first with the second. Don’t do what everybody else is doing and become comfortable with leftovers. Instead, try to find ducks that other hunters aren’t pressuring and then figure out how to hunt them.

Have the Right Mindset Hunting ducks on a budget involves being frugal rather than frivolous. It means spending on necessities, but not gimmicks. It requires making up in effort what you conserve in cash outlay. Overall, duck hunting on a budget involves a mindset of thriftiness, but not an acceptance of mediocre shooting. There was nothing secondrate about the hunts my partner and I enjoyed so many years ago on that Tennessee wade-in area or on scores of similar hunts since. More dollars don’t necessarily equate to more ducks.

Waterfowlers who hunt on a shoestring can still fill their duck stringers and the satisfaction of doing so has them laughing all the way to the bank.

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Vortex Extreme Challenge

Team Sportsman’s Midvale, Utah Versus the Nation’s Best Shooters

Sportsman’s Warehouse and their Midvale store manager, Heather Jaxx and her staff were extremely helpful in gear recommendations as they offered several excellent choices.

The gun builds started almost a year before the competition took place. Most of the items were purchased from the

By Vic Wheeler Midvale, Utah store. A pair of savage long-range precision rifles were purmack! The sound of steel ringing chased to start the process. Scope rings at 1,720 yards. We’re talking about and bases were purchased to complithe Vortex Extreme. The 2015 Vortex ment the scopes. Ken and I opted for Extreme! This isn’t for sit at home couch the Viper PST in 4-16X. We went with potatoes. You better be in shape, both the mil/mil scope in first focal plane. physically and mentally. This competi- This scope wasn’t the top end model in tion lies up in the foothills of Whites the Vortex line-up, but has had several Valley, Utah (twenty miles north of Trem- excellent reviews. A bonus was a scope onton, Utah). It is now in its fifth year that was affordable. The glass was crisp and is still hosted by “Spirit Ridge Rifle and clear, but that’s only the beginning Golf”. A custom rifle and Vortex Scopes of what it takes to make a scope great. would be offered to the best shooters Our team was about to prove the scopes on the mountain. This was a team shoot worthiness. with two shooters per team. If one player Ken and I had the Midvale store mount shoots well and the other doesn’t, your the scopes on two custom Savage rifles. proverbial ship would be sunk. Targets One was chambered in 260 Remington on the course ranged from a 230 yard and the other in 243. Steel Vortex rings offhand, to an astounding 1,720 yards were utilized to mount the scopes to (That’s 40 yards shy of 1 mile) one-piece, 20 MOA tapered picatinny Shooting positions were not from the bases. The fit was flawless. We were both comforts of a bench. You were required excited to say the least. to sit, kneel, stand or lie prone. Steep The next part would be matching our angle shooting was the norm, just like loads to the same trajectory out to 1,200 hunting. Target animals made of wood yards. Ken’s 243 (6mm) Winchester lay out in the woods with vitals made would be pushing the 105 grain Hornady of steel. Miss the vitals, as small as 3” match bullets (bc.520) at just over 3,020 and score a zero. Sixty-one professional fps. My 260 (6.5 mm) Remington would teams from across the country would be be utilizing 140 grain Hornady match competing for this years’ title. Sponsors (bc.580) ammo at 2900 fps. The lower from the manufacturers of bullets, rifles, ballistic coefficient of the smaller bullet clothing, hunting gear and scopes would would mean we would have to push it all be present. This year Ken and I would faster to match the trajectory curve of the be representing Sportsman’s Warehouse 6.5 mm, 140 grain bullet. This took some in Midvale, Utah. time and testing. It finally happened and both guns were hitting identical on paper and steel out to 1,200 yards.

Fast forward to the “Vortex Extreme” challenge. It was August 8, 2015. We had drawn the 6th start time of the day, 6:20am. The temperature was a cool 50 degrees and the rain had just stopped a few hours before. Visibility was low as the fog had set in.

This created a 2-hour delay at the first shooting station.

The Team of Vic Wheeler and Ken Lamb took It also literally iced us, as we 4th place in the 2015 Vortex Extreme. had to do push-ups and walk

S

to stay warm. But this was August and the fog lifted to reveal clear sunny skies. The cold start turned out to be very hot within an hour. We had 7.1 miles of rough terrain with seven shooting stations to complete.

The only luxury would be the wind, as it continued to rise with the sun. But this was canyon wind and it was gusting. It was blowing to the left at our position. At the target, it was blowing to the right. This created tough conditions that would cause misses.

You’ve mastered shooting? After shivering at station one, we had a big hill to climb to get to station two. Try holding steady after dragging a 40 lb. pack up 1,200 vertical feet, with an incline of 30°.

The clock is ticking away! Your heart is still pounding. We’re talking about an

obstacle course (required) that was appropriately named, “Widow Maker”.

Two canyons away await the steel plates.

The crosshairs were dancing as our hearts were racing. This pace continued for the remaining five stations. It would take four hours, lots of nutritional supplements and about two gallons of H2O each to finish this grueling course.

How did we do? We finished 4th overall. That’s not bad when you’re shooting

against deep pocket, sponsored teams.

We had a limited budget. It wasn’t what we had set our goals on (top 3), but was decent considering the competition. One highlight for our team was cleaning one of the long-range stations. The targets were 600, 700, 800, 900, 1,000 and 1,200 yards. We were given one shot each per target over the span of six minutes and never missed. A low was missing the vitals on an antelope at 441 yards and a coyote at 213 yards. The crosshairs were really dancing and our eyes were blurred from sweating. Another highlight was engaging and hitting a 24” target at 1,720 yards. It took over three seconds for the bullets to arrive on that target. There were only four people of 122 to do this.

It took 21.5 mils of scope adjustment to do this. In simple terms, that equates to 1,294” or 108 feet of bullet drop/rise above the target for a hit. This wasn’t an issue as our Vortex scopes had 23 mils. After the tournament, we checked the rifles zeros at 100 yards. They were perfect and that’s no surprise. To sum it up, the Vortex PST didn’t give up anything to the higher end products. Our Vortex scopes proved they were worthy! It’s my belief that with Vortex, we had the edge. The scopes were never the cause of a miss.

The misses were shooter errors. It’s no wonder Sportsman’s Warehouse carries the full line of Vortex products.

The staff at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Midvale, Utah were and are very conscientious of marksmanship and ethical hunting scenarios. The folks behind the gun counter are also shooters and hunters themselves. They will help you with your gear selection and mount your scope continued on page 54

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

The Shack

Each day began at 6:30 with breakfast - coffee, pancakes and bacon.

At 7am guide and client climbed the ladder to the roof where they glassed until lunch time. At lunch they went back down the l a d d e r, f i x e d sandwiches The shack, as seen from the side of a ridge.

SPAM was a staple - ate them and table. The roof of the shack was the high- climbed back up to glass till dinner. After dinner they’d go back up the ladder to est point in the valley. glass till dark.

There was a moment when Waterman It was a confluence of paths, a To keep in touch with home, Watercame to grips with the situation.

For betcoming together of trails, a valley ter or worse, he was in bear camp with man brought a satellite phone. And on between two mighty, white-capped a man who he had just met. And they the second day, after a short conversaridges. And in the center was a tion with his wife, he forgot to turn the would spend a week together. shack.

Chris Kempf had been a bear hunt- phone off. And the battery, his lifeline ing guide for 36 years, as many years as with the world back home, went almost

By Gary Lewis 36-year-old Waterman had been alive. dead. “My wife was not impressed when It would have been hard to find a hand I told her on the third day that I couldn’t ach Waterman saw it from the with more experience. Kempf didn’t call her anymore.” air, from the back seat of the Su- waste a lot of time.

For the first few days the weather per Cub flying in from Aleutian was uncharacteristically sunny for the “You want to see a bear?”

Outfitters’ Sandy River lodge.

There were two bears in the open, Aleutians, with breezes up to 15 miles At first he thought it was a storage a male and a female, better than a per hour. building, but there were no other build- thousand yards away. Kempf had been There were no signs of other people, ings in sight. He figured that out after watching them for the last three days. no planes that crossed the sky, no hum the plane touched down on a riverbank For the next four days, Waterman would of distant traffic. There was only the that doubled as an airstrip. see them again and again and never distant mountains, a thousand yards of After a few quarter-mile trips between were they more than ten feet apart. muskeg swamp and alder patches and the shack and landing area, Waterman “Like they were on a honeymoon,” little runoff streams that cut through began to grasp the scale of the land.

Waterman said, “and I guess I’m a bit spongy, moss-covered tundra.

In a huge valley between two moun- of a romantic.”

And there were bears that showed tain ranges, the shack stood on a bit of “We’ll see more bears,” was all Kempf up unannounced, a patch of brown higher ground in a massive flood plain. had to say. against a snow field, buff-colored blurs The structure was about 12 feet by 15 Waterman, who works for Nosler, of movement through stands of trees. feet, one room with four bunks and a had his choice of rifles and he opted for They fed on grass and bedded out in a Nosler Model 48 the sunlight and vanished again as fast Photo courtesy Zach Waterman in 338 Winchester as they appeared. Kempf swiveled his Magnum stoked scope to evaluate.

A bear might be big enough, but its with 250-grain Partrajectory might be too difficult. If a titions.

In the weeks be- bear was on the move, its course might fore the hunt, he be calculated and maybe an ambush made several trips could be set.

Waterman was struck by the magnito the Central Ore g o n S h o o t i n g tude of the great land and the clear air.

Sports Association What he guessed was 800 yards was range east of his actually a distance of two miles.

Kempf saw it first. The boar walked hometown of Bend, Oregon, and zeroed the skyline and then took an impossible the rifle for an inch path down through a slide and picked Guide Chris Kempf glasses from the top of the shack. high at 100 yards. his way through a boulder field. For Photo courtesy Zach Waterman

Z

two hours, they watched him and then he bedded. Through the spotting scope they could see his hair blowing in the breeze and as the daylight faded from the sky, the bear still had not moved.

At ten the next morning the bear was still laying in the same spot. Kempf and Waterman began their stalk.

It was an hour to cross a thousand yards of the flood plain then a hard push uphill through a shale slide and into the alders. Sometimes, Waterman said, he stuck in the alders, the small trees grew so tight together that they would catch on his backpack and pull against the rifle slung on his shoulder.

“The stubborn alders were constantly trying to push me the opposite direction of my travel, whether it was uphill or down,” Waterman said.

He looked back down the hill at the progress they had made and he saw the bear. It was at least a nine-and-a-half footer, Kempf said, and, while they were stalking it, the bear had slipped around them down the mountain.

The hard push across the plain and up the slope had burned his legs and his lungs. That night they watched the shooting light go away at midnight.

Then they turned in.

Breakfasts and lunches begin to diminish in style and substance. More coffee, more pancakes, less bacon, more SPAM. Bears appeared and vanished.

Stalks fizzled in muskeg swamps and tangles of alder.

Several times they found spots where boars had killed and eaten smaller bears, cubs and yearlings. It happens at this time of year, Kempf told Waterman, as the sows will come into heat if they don’t have offspring around.

A big boar walked down out of the clouds. Kempf swore under his breath.

“That is one of the top three biggest bears, I’ve ever seen,” he whispered.

And they made their plan. As they watched, it dropped a thousand feet down the mountain to flat ground.

The hunters grabbed their packs and tried to get out in front of the bear. They forded a river, crossed a swamp and made it to the base of a hill. They were too late.

That night, the weather changed.

Wind whistled in the eaves of the shack and sent searching fingers of cold into continued on page 34

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

THE SHACK

continued from page 32 the cracks. The heater fought back the chill, but as the clouds scudded across the stars, they began to wonder if the plane, due the next day would be able to land.

On day seven, the Super Cub appeared on the horizon, but there was too much wind and the pilot dipped a wing then banked and the sound of the engine was lost in the gale.

On day eight, the plane made another appearance then the pilot decided against landing.

Kempf woke first on the ninth day.

Chances were good the plane would be able to land on this morning. He climbed the ladder with his binos to take a look before he put the coffee on.

Waterman sat up in his bunk, put his head in his hands and said, “Please come down with some good news.”

Kempf came back down the ladder.

“Git your stuff on, we gotta go!”

Waterman, his reactions honed from eight days of failed stalks, darted out of his bunk, booted up in his waders

and shrugged into his pack. He bolted a round in the Model 48 and began the long slog.

The bear was a thousand yards away, headed in the same direction as the last bear. They figured they had 45 minutes to go 2,000 yards to get in front of him.

Ahead of them there was a knoll, a spot Kempf knew well, but to get there they had to wade creeks and deep channels cut through the ancient swamp.

After a short wait they saw the bear.

Waterman ranged it at 450 yards. They moved again to cross another swamp.

Crossing a narrow ditch, Waterman fell down, slipped in the mud, and his muzzle went into the water.

The hunter scrambled up onto another knoll.

Close now, Waterman peeled the tape off the muzzle of the rifle and pulled the bolt out to look down the bore. Dry. He put the bolt back in, slipped a cartridge into the chamber and dropped down on his backpack.

The bear was a shadow among alders. Seventy-five yards. Now he was in the open, moving at an easy walk.

The crosshair found the shoulder and

TRAVERSE X

Waterman, in the Photo courtesy Zach Waterman scope, eased into the pressure on the crisp trigger, took the recoil and slammed another round in.

Out in the muskeg, the bear spun and snapped.

As soon as he stopped - his opposite shoulder side on - Waterman hit him again. The bear It was two days after the plane was supposed to pick turned and Wa- him up that Zach Waterman connected on this brown terman, who had bear. two more rounds, let the bear have both of them. It didn’t to keep the plane away, had held long enough for him to complete his hunt. go far.

Now the wind seemed to calm. There The guide and the hunter gave the bear 30 long minutes before walking over. was a hide to pack back to the shack. And Kempf gave Waterman some time alone a plane to catch. with the bruin to soak in the immensity To order a signed copy of A Bear Hunter’s of the moment.

In the breeze, the bear’s long hair was Guide to the Universe, send $24.80 (includes the only thing that moved. The same S&H) to GLO, PO Box 1364, Bend, OR 97709 wind that seemed to conspire against him or visit www.GaryLewisOutdoors.com

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

What it Really Takes to Consistently Kill Mature Whitetails

By Jason Herbert

F

inally, our paths crossed. I had imagined this moment in my mind for months. The mature buck slowly entered the picked December bean field. Cautious with his every move all fall, I eventually found the flaw in his system. I slowly raised my muzzleloader, momentarily losing sight of him in the blinding snowstorm. I found him in the scope and with a smooth alignment of the crosshairs behind his shoulder, my squeeze of the trigger resulted in a huge smoke cloud. The buck stumbling out of the field. I felt that my shot was solid, but at the angle he gave me, possibly a bit back, so I elected to wait until the next morning to take up the track. The snow was supposed to stop and I knew he couldn’t have gone far.

After a restless attempt at a night’s sleep, I work early to grab a cup of

coffee and pick up my dad to find my buck. I was excited - I hadn’t seen this deer since September, when he briefly showed up on one of my trail cameras. Other than that, I would have never known he existed. Now, as I crested the last hill, he lay peacefully on his side, nestled up against a big oak tree. I grabbed his antlers and thanked God for an amazing animal and memorable hunt. I’d rather be lucky than good any day and this scrappy 9-point wasn’t my biggest buck, but one of my most memorable because I earned him. It wasn’t luck.

My approach to whitetail hunting, like many other hardcore antler addicts, is a 365 day a year program. To guys like us, deer season never really ends. We spend all year studying and preparing, making plans and putting them into action. Truly consistent mature buck hunters are obsessed with the game and live it. This lifestyle isn’t for the weak of heart and the uncommitted.

But, for those few who live for the rush of connecting with a giant buck and who anticipate new trail camera pictures like a kid at Christmas, with the help of my good friends Jarrod Erdody and Justin Hollandsworth of NextBuk Outdoors, here’s how it’s done.

The Winter Months (January-February) While most deer hunters are busy watching football and recovering from the holidays, there’s a lot to do this time of year. First and foremost, some areas of the country still have

Pro’s Tips

open seasons. So, if there is a deer season open, diehards will be out hunting. For most, the season is over and it’s time to begin thinking about the next. The winter months are a great time to do some post-season scouting.

Post-season scouting is beneficial for several reasons.

First, it is a great time to invade deer bedding areas and really see what the deer were doing during the season. Generally, there might be a bit of snow on the ground and the evidence of their activity should be everywhere in the form of rubs, old scrapes, tracks, beds and droppings.

With or without snow, this is still a great time to be nosy, with little to no consequence. If the season is over, nobody should be out hunting, so worrying about bumping a buck isn’t a concern. Also, nine or ten months from now that human scent in the sanctuary will be a distant memory for that old buck. Post-season scouting is really a great low-impact way to sneak a peek at how the deer were living during the season.

Another fun and productive deer related task in the winter months is predator hunting and trapping.

Across the country, coyotes, wolves and now cougars are harassing our deer herds. Generally, wolves and cougars are pretty protected - but it’s almost always coyote season!

Killing coyotes is no easy task and it is an entirely new topic in itself. But know this - predator hunting is fun and VERY helpful to the deer herd.

This is also a great time to access new hunting spots, because many landowners are more apt to say “yes” now that the season is over. Look for ways to help at the properties and earn the chance to hunt. Also, now is a good time to attend trade shows, purchase new gear, apply for out-of-state tags, plan fall hunting trips, etc. We like to start planning habitat improvement projects in the

winter months and if the snow isn’t too deep, we’ll begin the projects as well. While most are hibernating on the couch, the really determined deer hunter ’s season begins the day after his last season ended.

Early Spring (March-April) Early spring is time to strap on the boots and get out in the field! Shed antler hunting this time of year is a sure fire way to beat cabin fever and get a jump on the next season. Sheds tell us a lot about the deer herd - like what bucks survived the winter and where they were spending time. Plus, sheds are great to collect and looking for them is fun.

Jarrod loves whitetail sheds, but doesn’t obsess over them like some people. When asked about what he does during March and April, Jarrod added, “This is the best time for a Midwestern whitetail guy to be in the woods learning! I’m looking for spots to hunt, scouting to assess quality. On ground I know I can hunt, I’m scouting for specifics now. Everything’s laid out for you - trails, rubs, scrapes, bedding. Figure out your entries and exits, trim stuff as needed. The average Joe is doing nothing related to deer hunting now and that is a big mistake.”

Also, this time of year is a great chance to start habitat improvement projects, if I haven’t yet- like creating continued on page 38

Tue Apr 7 13:52:10 CDT 2015 - 18287Y1519_CAMO_non Bleed.ps

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

WHITETAILS

my treestands are hung by now, but if not, I wait until a big rain is coming and do it during the storm or simply wait until the season starts and hunt the sets right after I hang them.

Hopefully at this point, a few shooter bucks have been identified and a plan for an early season assault is starting to come together. It is very hard at this time of year to not act overzealous. As Jarrod puts it, “This is when all my non-serious hunting friends start calling and asking you what plans are for the fall. They want to get out and hang stands, walk the woods and scout for their November spots. Mistake.”

continued from page 36 cover, setting up food plots, making trails, pruning fruit trees, etc. Nothing helps take off the holiday weight like a few early spring days running a chainsaw. Each year, my dad and I choose a new project to tackle. This spring, we cut several trails connecting our treestands - for us and the deer to use.

Late Spring (May-June) There’s a lot to do in the late spring, so make hay while the sun shines!

Or in this case, get the garden in, kill your turkey, find your mushrooms and get your food plots planted.

Justin said it best, “Right now it’s about finishing up my early summer food plots.” There are two styles of food plots to plant- summer plots to help keep the deer around and aide in their healthy growth and fall plots to attract them for hunting purposes.

Most hunters plant some of each plot, in late spring and then again in late August or early September. That being said, in heavily pressured areas, hunting directly over a food plot is not a good idea. I prefer to hunt well downwind of them, knowing that a mature buck will scent check the plot from quite a distance, looking for does and making sure it’s safe before he enters. I use food plots as a part of my plan - as another food source to keep does around.

This is also a wonderful time to start prepping tree stand locations, continuing to get access to more ground and establishing mineral

sites - where legal. In all honesty, this is probably the slowest time of year for hardcore deer hunters. Jarrod reminded me to tell everyone to start to get into shape by running, hiking, etc.

Summer (July-August) “I like to do all of that other stuff in early summer, so I can spend every possible minute glassing bean fields at dusk during July and August.” Justin spends a lot of windshield time in his truck, driving with his binoculars in the summer evenings, picking out what farms he has access to that are holding shooter bucks. He adds, “All that other stuff this time of year just distracts me from my scouting.”

Jarrod always reminds me, “You can’t kill a buck that isn’t there.”

His sentiment is similar to Justin’s

this time of year - it’s time to start finding out where the big boys are hanging out. That being said, just because a summer buck haunt is located, doesn’t mean he’ll be around in the fall. Some bucks do completely change their habitats and territory in late summer, once their velvet is shed.

For whatever reason - maybe they weren’t as dominant as they thought, maybe they sense the upcoming season, maybe preferred food sources change - who knows, but some bucks do relocate during the late summer months.

Now too, many people are now running trail cameras and planting late summer food plots that will attract the deer in the fall. If running trail cameras, put them in high traffic areas where the deer will expect a lot of human traffic - like farm field gates, creek crossings, crop fields, etc.

Remember, with all that there is to do during July and August, it is not a good time to go traipsing through the woods. Tread lightly if scouting or hanging treestands, because the animals will become less tolerant of human pressure as the summer wears on.

Pre-Season (September) Now is the time to start to “gear up” for the hunting season. I like to pre-wash all of my clothes in scentfree detergent and store them for the marathon that is about to begin. I make sure my bow is shooting well and that all the rest of my gear is in working condition. Hopefully, all of

Pre-Rut (October) We all agreed that October is the best time to kill a “local buck” that we’ve been watching all summer.

And also, we are all “deer hunting weathermen”. We monitor the weather religiously, looking for what winds work well for us AND the buck. We watch moon phases, the barometer, temperature shifts, etc., anything that may change his routine or make him do something to create a moment where he’s vulnerable.

It’s also very important to not hunt rut stands until the rut is really happening. Many eager hunters are jumping right into bedding areas when the time just isn’t right. There’s not much prettier than a sunrise through colored leaves in the October deer woods, but patience is key.

I generally don’t hunt mornings until the last full week of October. Usually at this time of year, big bucks aren’t on their feet much in the morning and more often than not, I’ll just bump feeding does in the dark on the way to my stand. So, I either sleep in or duck hunt (or reluctantly catch up on my “honey-do” list at home). Discipline and knowledge of the deer ’s behavior are important during this time of year.

Jarrod offered some sage advice.

“Game Time! But be careful in October. I think it’s your best chance to kill the buck you’ve been scouting, but your timing needs to be just right.

Moon phase and weather is critical.

Watch for when the moon peaks during daylight hours, specifically evening. I usually reserve one or two hunts for specific bucks for the days continued on page 40

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

WHITETAILS

continued from page 36 when ‘everything is right’. Consistent success can also be attributed to those who have control of their schedule. This is a BIG reason I’m self employed.” He also mentioned how important it is for hunters to not over-check their trail cameras right now, “Cell cameras are awesome!”

Rut (November) The magic time of year that most of us dream of, if we are not working, we are hunting. The rut is a crazy, fun and unpredictable time of year for the deer and hunters. Jarrod reminded me of the importance of being mobile and having an open mind. “Don’t be afraid to start over. When you have the ability to scout property, there’s no fear of starting over, it’s actually fun! I killed a 150” buck in Iowa in 2012 after two weeks of unsuccessfully hunting two other properties that I couldn’t find a good buck on.

Two days on an entirely new property was just what the doctor ordered.”

Justin feels the same way and in fact, these guys almost never hang treestands for more than a few sits.

They both depend on their portable treestands and sticks to continue to help them be mobile and hunt fresh sign.

Post Rut (December) Much of the competition is dwindling now, as many people have shot deer, are burned out or afraid of the cold. But, there’s generally still plenty of hunting to be done and several bucks to kill! I personally love the late season for the sole reason that it is easy to pattern deer. Where I hunt in Michigan, the major rut is done, it’s cold and the deer are thinking about one thing - food. I like to scout preferred food sources and sit crosswind on them in the evenings. More often than not, I’ll see deer. Usually the biggest bucks show up last, if they show at all. Often, if I know one is still in the area, I’ll backtrack from the food a bit and try to find him on his feet near his bedding area before shooting hours run out. I generally

don’t hunt mornings much during the late season, because usually the deer are bedded back down, conserving calories by the time the sun rises.

And after all that, there are jobs to hold down, bills to pay, family responsibilities, etc. Being a big buck hunter isn’t for the weak and it generally involves creating a lot of time where there isn’t any, like when we should be sleeping. But, this is what we live for, the best buck is the next buck.

Closing Thoughts Talk to ten different deer hunters and you’ll hear ten different strategies for killing deer. I asked the guys to give me a few last thoughts.

Jarrod said, “Be a good shot, stay in shape, scout more than you hunt and hunt where big bucks are.”

Justin said, “Everyone always thinks that a good spot will have a good buck on it - and that’s not always the case. Always be scouting with trail cameras and glassing

fields. Find the bucks. Always be looking for new ground to hunt.”

I think it’s really important for people to consider the deer ’s needs and not always ours. Many people will hunt a wind that is good for them. But, how does the buck feel about that wind? Is it good for him?

I like to hunt what wind is best for him and make it work for me. Also, I want to remind people to keep realistic standards. I am limited to hunting Michigan - and just Michigan each year. In Michigan, a 2 ½ year old buck is considered a mature deer. So, my standards are that I try to kill a few does and at least one 3 ½ year old buck each fall. I’ve killed six, 3 ½ year old or older bucks in Michigan my whole life and I’m super proud of each of them.

I know that when Jarrod and Justin travel to a big buck state, say Iowa or Kansas, they generally don’t shoot anything less than 140”- with most of their targeted bucks measuring on the 160+ side. They are after 4 ½ year or older bucks. That being said, neither of us is more or less proud of their deer than another. What makes us proud is when our hard work, determination and well calculated plans pay off - that to us is the real trophy of deer hunting. When we’ve matched wits with God’s ultimate survival machine, a mature whitetail buck and came out on top, that’s the ultimate!

For more from Jarrod and Justin and the hardcore big buck killers that they run with, be sure to check out their website and tactical hunting videos at www.nextbukoutdoors.com.

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Browns Of October

I

Chad LaChance

’m a sucker for large predator fish, and the more aggressive the better. I live for the ferocious strikes, especially visual ones occurring on or near the water’s surface, so much so that my life-long dream is to fish great

white sharks by casting three foot long topwaters that resemble rubber seals. I mean, geez, how cool would that strike be? Alas, that scenario ain’t likely, but a guy can dream, right?

They may not be great white sharks, but mature brown trout living the thug life in October have about the same mindset when destroying large plugs.

Every fall while filming Fishful Thinker TV we visit a couple of brown trout destinations and without fail, some of the most aggressive strikes we get on film each year, regardless of species, occur on these trips. And while most of us have no access to seal infested shark waters, a very high percentage of you fine readers do have access to brown trout, and there is no better time to fish them than in October.

Brown trout are fall spawners. Most fish feed heavily while preparing for their spawn. Add to that the concept of hyperphagia – the annual fall feeding binge nearly all fish and game experience – and you compound the brown’s desire

to chow. Given that brown trout are piscivores (fish eaters) more than other trout and that they are already feeling froggy heading into the spawn, you have the makings of a big bait beatdown.

That doesn’t play well with others attitude I mentioned above may be the reason their strikes on big plugs are so ferocious; it may have more to do with the spawning rituals - the effort to establish dominance and territory – than feeding. I think this is especially true of pre-spawn browns; post-spawners are just in a bad mood.

Either way, you want to see a serious brown trout attack? Get an 8” floating minnow plug and jerk it along aggressively just under the surface over a gravel flat in early October. Hold on to your rod.

Before we go farther into this topic, I’d like to clarify that we target pre and post-spawn browns. When they are spawning – which is obvious when you see it – we leave them alone. That’s our ethic, you make your own decisions.

The good thing is that they, like other fish, don’t all spawn at the same time; you can typically find fish staged adjacent to spawning areas that are either green or done. The body condition of the first fish or two you catch will tell you which because pre-spawners will

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October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

be gloriously colored, fat bodied thugs and post-spawners will be beat-up and scrawny looking. This will matter when we discuss retrieve details.

Fishing the browns of October is, in my mind, the epitome of “power fishing” – the use of large baits on relatively heavy tackle, fast presentations, and covering water looking for the most aggressive fish. It’s a happy coincidence that this type of fishing pairs well with the commonly blustery fall weather.

Fall brown trout are a blast in both rivers and lakes. Lake fish can be located around inlets, outlets, and windblown rocky or gravel shorelines. I look for

points, ridges or humps, outside weedlines, channels adjacent to inlets, or gravel flats; places where browns can stage before and disperse to after the spawn. In rivers, channels, holes, and undercuts slightly up or down from large gravel bars get my attention.

As I already hinted to, large lures (at least by trout standards) are a major part of the way I fish fall browns. My selection is limited to 5-9” floating and suspending jerkbaits, 4-6” soft jerkbaits, swimbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Yes, it sounds like we’re going bass fishing.

Tackle may remind you of bass fishing, too. The lightest stuff I carry for October browns is a medium powered St Croix Avid spinning rod/Abu Garcia Revo STX20/10# Berkley NanoFil and it goes all the way up to the swimbait rod – a ‘Croix Legend Tournament with a Revo Beast and

25# Berkley Trilene XT. Most of the time I end up with the medium-heavy power, fast action Avid spinning rod/ Revo STX30 combo spooled with 20# Trilene TracerBraid tipped with a 12”, 15# Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon leader and tied to large jerkbait. For suspenders around deeper water, the Cutter 110 is a good size and exceptionally erratic while a #13 minnow plug is a great choice for shallow water floaters.

If aquatic vegetation is causing you grief, try rigging a 5” or 6” Gulp! Jerkshad on a un-weighted or keel-weighted hook – I use the Fusion19 hooks for their slick coating and very durable points.

This rig can be jerked along aggressively, then suddenly stopped and allowed to settle into the weeds without snagging them.

A very versatile choice and often the first I grab is the same 5” Gulp! Jerkshad only rigged on a ¼ oz jighead. This can be aggressively worked in a rod tip-down manner similar to a hard jerkbait for a horizontal retrieve over flatter structure or shallower water, or with the rod tipup and snap-jigged for a snap/drop retrieve. The later is great in deeper water

for covering more of the water column, and especially for working deep river runs and pools.

In general, if I know I’m fishing prespawners I work more aggressive retrieves; more erratic and with dramatic pauses regardless of the specific lure.

For post-spawn browns, more rhythmic, constant retrieves that are easy to catch can be better. As with any such details, daily experimentation to let the fish tell you what they want is critical.

Since you have heavy tackle, you can and should force the issue during the fight. That is great for the releasing the fish strong, but can make them tough to handle while unhooking. We de-barb hooks and use a Frabill Conservation Series net which has a flat bottom and fish-friendly coating to facilitate easy releases.

This column does not sound like typical trout fishing, but the browns of October are not your typical trout. Kype jaws and pronounced teeth don’t develop in fall for no reason; they are the clue about the apex predator that lives inside the brown trout, coming out in fall just to make some lucky angler’s day!

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Bushnell Equinox Digital Night Vision

N

ight vision optics adds an entirely different level to your scouting. In many states, spotlighting isn’t an option and it can also disturb the game.

Trophy animals have a tendency to be very nocturnal, so being able to observe them in their own habitat, without knowing you are there, really tips the odds in your favor.

Any night vision worth its’ salt is usually out of the price range of most people.

However, Bushnell has changed this with the new Equinox by using some new and innovative technology, while making it affordable to everyone. This is a hand-held monocular, using CMOS sensors much like your video camera.

These infrared sensitive sensors take existing light through the objective lens and amplifies it through the CMOS sensors

and then transfers it to the LCD display.

These images on the display are magnified either 4.5 or 6 times depending on the model you purchase. If that isn’t enough magnification, you can increase the size of your image even more with digital magnification. This can be adjusted from 1X magnification out to 3X magnification at .1X increments. This provides a good quality image which can not only be viewed, but can also be recorded in either a picture format or video to share with your buddies or on social media.

The unit itself is fairly compact at 8” long and 4” wide and weighs in at 27-ounces.

It operates off of 4-AA batteries. Videos and photos can be recorded onto a micro SD card up to 32GB (must be purchased separately). The unit has no internal memory, so make sure you get a micro SD card prior to heading to the woods, if recording images is your desired usage. It

has a tripod mount screw and it is highly recommended that you use this when recording video or photos, especially when there is no ambient light available from the moon or stars. You have the ability to adjust the brightness level of your nighttime video based on the amount of light available. This is done through an adjustment of the frame rate. It adjusts from the standard 25 frames per second (fps), down to 15 fps and then down to eight, which is the slowest and brightest.

However, it does provide a bit of a ghost affect if the target is moving. During the daytime mode, you only have one frame rate, which is 30 fps. However, you still have the ability to use it during full sunlight to record. When recording to the SD card, video and photos are recorded in standard definition, which is 640x480.

Photos are saved in .jpg format and videos are as an .avi format.

During all of our testing with this product, we found it simple to use after a few

days of operation, making it easy to be able to remember what buttons were where on the unit in the dark. Seeing images at several hundred yards was possible, but determining exact trophy quality at the longer ranges wasn’t as easy. However, it did give us a good enough reference to know where we wanted to focus our efforts. This unit is affordably priced and a great toy for the avid hunter. Make sure you use a tripod or window mount. We would love to see a future unit with HD recording ability as well.

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October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

45

SPEEDCROSS 3 Bowhunting Shoe

I

am continually looking for gear that is better than what I currently use. I tested out the SPEEDCROSS 3 from Salomon this fall. Salomon shoes are well known for their trail running performance. They have since transitioned as a crossover shoe to the early season archery hunting crowd. The SPEEDCROSS 3 are very light and have some great soles for keeping your grip on almost any landscape your feet may encounter. Salomon has incorporated some design features that make this shoe feel like you are wearing slippers, yet grips the ground like football cleats.

The SPEEDCROSS 3 is built to last for many runs on the trail. They started the process with injection molded EVA midsoles to give the shoe some great cushioning and stability. I felt very comfortable when walking in rocky desert sagebrush or in the timber on the mountains.

If you’re expecting the same feel as a traditional hiking boot, then you’re

in for a shock. This shoe definitely flexes when stepping on logs or rocks, but not enough to cause discomfort. The Ortholite foot bed and heel cup really take the impact from your weight very well. When I would strike down on my heel, it felt like a shock on a vehicle that takes the weight and stabilizes it.

The material that surrounds the foot is the one feature that impressed me the most. The weave of the nylon is extremely durable. One problem that can come into play with a shoe like this for a hunting application is that sticks, rocks and other forest debris can play havoc on the outside of the shoe or boot. The SPEEDCROSS 3 handled these obstacles with flying colors. Sensifit technology hugs your feet when you walk up, across a side hill or in any direction, eliminating any slip inside the shoe. The peed lace has its own compartment on the top of the tongue to keep the lace in place, another of my favorite

features.

The Contagrip sole really caught my attention when I first put them on. I was curious at how well the lugs would perform under hiking conditions. I was blown away with the traction I was able to have in many types of terrain.

It was a pleasant feeling to think my feet would slide back a few inches when climbing a hill and my foot locked into place. It also held the same traction in muddy dirt and the sole design shed the mud from the sole. Weighing only 24 ounces, it was nice getting back to camp without that feeling like I

had 10 lb. workout weights strapped to my ankles. I love to cover many miles of country in the early season and the lightweight and secure fitting that the SPEEDCROSS 3 offers makes it perfect for stalking and trying to be as light on your feet as possible.

46

SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

The Lightning Buck Makes A Triple Play

I

n 1985, I invited my two sons to join me for their first antelope hunt. Destination: Steve Gorr’s hunting camp at the Smith Sheep Ranch near Douglas, Wyoming. About 10 days before their new school year got under way, Bryant, Reagan and I piled our camping and hunting gear into my Blazer and sallied forth for Pronghorn Country.

It was, in fact, their very first bowhunt for any big-game animal and to say they were excited doesn’t tell the half of it. We had spent the summer attending every 3-D archery competition we could find on the weekends and I had even insisted that the boys practice

shooting off the roof of our garage at targets on the lawn below. I made them shoot broadheads, as well as their normal field points, so there would be no last-minute surprises when the arrows began flying in Wyoming.

I gather that nothing very unusual or exciting happened during our first two days at the Smith Ranch, because sifting through the sands of my memory bank

has yielded no concrete recollections.

Day 3, however, turned out to be one of those days that just stays in your mind forever and not even Father Time has a chance of prying it out of your cerebral cortex.

Just before daybreak, Steve delivered Reagan to the vicinity of the water hole he’d been staking out; I drove Bryant to his “hot” location; then I managed to

follow Steve’s hand-drawn “map” to within a couple hundred yards of the new windmill from which he wanted me to try hunting. It was a very tall one, surrounded by some pretty hilly terrain (for antelope country, anyway) and I was able to park my rig not far away, out of view of the shallow basin in which the windmill was situated.

The early-morning sky was cloudless and I pretty well resigned myself to the thought that the sun was unlikely to show me any pity all day. Before the long climb up to my roost (I was guessing about 35 feet or a bit more), I paced off the distance to my water hole. It was just 20 yards to the nearest corner where an animal could drink, but it was fully twice that to the farthest corner. The pond was larger than most I had seen on the ranch and the long axis was running straight away from the windmill.

If a Pope and Young buck chose that farthest nook of water for his daily pitstop, it would be a challenging shot, for sure, for a barebow shooter like myself.

Unlike today, virtually everybody back then shot a bow with three fingers on the string, and 40 yards was a demanding shot for nearly anyone — especially from the top of a tower.

In the course of the warm morning hours, a number of antelope came and went from my watering hole. They alternated, more or less, with sizable flocks of sheep. It seemed to me as if the antelope had a certain disdain for the domestic livestock and didn’t really care to mingle with them much. Several small bucks had come in, but nothing I could get excited about. This time I really wanted to hold out for a trophy animal, even if it meant going home without any at all.

Spending a whole day up in the sky, without being able to move around more than a few inches, requires a frame of mind — or shall we say, a mind-set — that only the passions of the hunt can nurture. The often-spinning blades of the windmill are right at your back as you constantly scan the long, 360-degree horizon that surrounds you.

The platform you sit or stand on may be comprised of only a total of four or five square feet and your freedom of motion is extremely limited. It is a healthy idea to slip several acrophobia pills into continued on page 48

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

BAREBOW!

continued from page 46 your oatmeal before you leave camp in the predawn half-light. Windmill sitting is not for the timid. And it can be rather terrifying, if a stiff breeze comes up and you’ve been unable to disconnect (temporarily) the water-pumping rod from the assembly attached to the rotating blades!

As the heat of mid-afternoon arrived and old Sol did his level best to melt the iron of my will and the metal of my patience, nature’s call became more than my one-pint pee-bottle could handle.

Glad for an excuse to descend from the heights and stretch my legs a bit, I found the warm smells of Mother Earth and her pungent sagebrush almost overwhelmingly welcoming. I had waited to climb down until there were no antelope anywhere in sight. Hoofing it quickly back to my Blazer, I chose a spot on the shady side to add a bit of fertilizer to the Wyoming landscape and then hurried back to the water hole — hoping desperately to regain my lofty perch before any more “speed-goats” came over my horizon into view.

When I had just three feet of ladder left to climb, my searching eyes happened to “nail” the head-and-horns silhouette of a dandy buck standing on the high skyline above and behind me. Had I already been “nailed,” as well? That was the big question. Ever so slowly, I completed the ascent, shrank my silhouette down as small as possible and began the motionless waiting-game that was to become a three-hour, two-sided vigil. Through binoculars, I saw my quarry bed down in full view of both me and the water hole. I could tell that his horns would most likely qualify him for the archery

records book, but it was their special character that made me really want this buck — even if he didn’t quite meet the Pope and Young standard.

The solid ebony of his horns turned to ivory at the tips and after rising about six inches above his ears they turned over, inward and pointed nearly straight down. The set of horns looked like a perfect heart-shape and really struck me as unusually beautiful. This buck possessed class and a certain aristocratic air. I vowed I would do whatever it might take to win this contest that had just begun.

He had bedded right at 4pm, some 400 yards away. Around 6:30, he got up and started walking at right angles to my line of sight. A secondary ridge-line soon obscured him from my view for a while, but before long he reappeared, having circled around to a point about 100 yards off to the right of the big pond. At that moment, the water hole was largely at the mercy of about 40 bleating sheep, so the buck just stood there for a while, simply watching the noisy goings-on. Once the majority of the sheep began trailing off and away, my quarry came in most hesitantly the remaining distance to the water’s edge — about halfway between the nearest and farthest corners of the pond.

For some reason, though, he would not drink. He stood nervously, watching the other nearby sheep that were still, quite obviously, a source of irritation to him.

Then, suddenly, he turned and walked back the way he’d come, deciding to postpone the quenching of his thirst until he felt more comfortable about taking the risks involved. Never are wild animals in greater danger, of course, than when they try to take a drink. What maximizes their vulnerability is not just the fact that with head down at ground level, their vision is greatly impaired, but also that it is a situation in which the sounds occurring within their heads, as they guzzle water make it much harder for them to hear any approaching danger. On top of that, while they’re drinking, they are not breathing regularly either, so their olfactory protection is significantly reduced. Thus,

all three of their top sensory defense weapons are temporarily more-or-less disabled.

My handsome buck retired to a distance of around 75 yards and bedded down in the sage. Since I could see him easily from my lofty platform, escaping the notice of his much keener eyes was my biggest challenge — for the moment.

What was starting to worry me even more, however, was the storm coming in from my left side. I was beginning to hear thunder in the distance and soon the bolts of lightning began striking ridge-tops only a few miles away. The odd thing was that there was little to no wind. Things were eerily silent. I had the feeling the storm was being born, so to speak, right around me. The sun had disappeared and black clouds were massing over my head. The absence of wind was really unnerving.

A lightning bolt suddenly descended to a hilltop just a mile away. When my scalp began to feel a bit creepy underneath my camo cap, I realized the situation was becoming downright dangerous. Then, just at the very moment I made the rational decision to abandon my metal lightningrod of a windmill, Mr. Pronghorn rose from his bed and started trotting toward the water hole. Nary a sheep was left. He made a beeline for the farthest corner of the pond and immediately lowered his head, his spine pointing directly toward me. This time he seemed in a hurry, not even bothering to make the usual feint with his head before settling in for a long drink. By now the angriest of the dark clouds were nearly overhead and I knew all I wanted to do was get the shot off and then get down out of that tower before I got turned into a crispy critter.

The broadside shot I had hoped for was clearly not going to be there. It was now a very narrow target at 40 yards and I really didn’t want to hurry the shot. I knew that — if I made a poor release and missed him — I’d be “fried,” as they say, but then I might be fried, regardless, if I didn’t hustle down out of that windmill.

Not wishing to have spent 12 hours up there for nothing, I decided that staying a few seconds longer was worth the risk. As the arrow left the bowstring, my princely Pronghorn snapped his head up to gaze in the direction of the sound. The broadhead — angling steeply downward — clipped the hide on the bottom edge of his jaw, entered the top of his rib cage and exited under his left armpit.

Instantly, as my shaft passed through his vitals, he did a backward somersault and landed with all four legs churning, carrying him from zero to 50 in two seconds flat. I remained on my platform only long enough to time his short, lightning-quick death-run. In the five seconds it took, he covered 83 yards (actual paced distance). As I hurried down the ladder toward the welcoming earth, I could feel the electricity in the air. I simply knew I had to get away from that tower as quickly as possible.

Only once before — many years earlier — had I experienced this foreboding sensation. Two college mountaineering buddies and I had just completed climbing the face of the Crestone Needle in Colorado. Hauling ourselves up onto the summit rock, we looked at each other and saw that everybody’s hair was standing straight up! Each of our steps literally sizzled underfoot, as if we were on a hot griddle. Fortunately, there was an easy way off the top of the peak, but

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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I doubt we were much more than 100 yards below the summit when it got nailed by a huge lightning-ball of fire.

The Wyoming speed-goat had not escaped my own brand of lightning, but — as I high-tailed it for my rig — the hill behind me, on which he’d bedded for much of the afternoon, was struck hard by another one of Zeus’s javelins. Five or six minutes later, I had maneuvered my Blazer around the pond and across the sage flat to where my prize Pronghorn lay waiting for me, stone dead. Just as I was swinging him up into the back of my vehicle, another bolt hit simultaneously with the thunderclap and stripped the wooden platform right off the top of the tower I had spent all day making friends with.

All that remains to tell is the wonderful story of my triumphant return to the ranch that night. By the time I finished working out how to drive the roads backward that were traced out on Steve’s hand-drawn map, it was pitch dark. I finally turned onto the gravel road leading to our tentsite, wondering what sort of luck my sons had had up in their windmills that day. Two small figures suddenly appeared in my headlights, trudging up the road to greet the dad they had started worrying about.

As I pulled up alongside and lowered my window, I heard two voices in unison ask, “Well, did you get one, Dad?” “He’s in the back,” I replied. “Hop in and tell me all about your day! Did either of you get one?”

“We sure did!” Reagan answered.

“We both got one! We were back in camp by 2:30 this afternoon!”

“What took you so long?” Bryant wanted to know, breaking into a broad grin.

After hanging my buck in a tree, we all drove into Douglas for a big steak dinner, some major tale-swapping and a celebration of our family’s totally unexpected triple-play. What a fabulous father-son bonding experience that Wyoming hunt proved to be!

About a month after returning home, Bryant wrote up the story of our hunt and I mailed a copy to M. R. James, the founding editor of BOWHUNTER Magazine. M. R. liked Bryant’s story well enough to buy it and the following early summer my son became a published author at the tender age of 16. The boys sure had done their father proud, in more ways than one!

The BAREBOW! Sagas – Adventure and Misadventure in the Wilds of North America Dennis Dunn doesn’t just tell hunting stories, he shares his dreams, his victories, his disappointments, his wisdom and he teaches from his knowledge and experience. The BAREBOW! Sagas will not only acquaint you with the sweet taste of success and the bitter agony of defeat; it will convince you that well-regulated hunting sustains the use of wildlife and gives the animals increased value to justify their conservation and preservation. In this series, Dennis takes you along on his quest for the North American Big Game 29 Super Slam. A bow, a string, an arrow – no trigger, no peep-sights, no pins – just fingers, guts and instinct. That’s hunting BAREBOW!

50

SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

2015 New Video Product Reviews

Sitka Dewpoint Raingear

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oaking wet, freezing, uncomfort- the market as a serious, lightweight and able and miserable are all words packable rain suit combo. Sitka worked to describe my experience when with scientists from W.L. Gore to invent I have been unprepared for a dose of a new 3-layer, light GORE-TEX material.

Mother Nature. I learned quickly that This new material is one the toughest fabhaving a pair of good rain gear in my rics offered by Sitka Gear. Mixed with the pack on various hunting trips is a must. I GORE-TEX layers is a 20 Denier, stretch didn’t realize that being cold and unpre- woven nylon rip stop, to help move with pared could affect your decision making, your legs when climbing over deadfall until I experienced some trip-changing or crossing oak infested canyons. When thunderstorms. A good drencher rolling traditional hunting clothes get wet, the through your hunting area can bring material sticks to your skin and restricts some of those big boys out your movement. This can be of cover earlier than they are enormously frustrating and used to. But, if you’re soaked render your trip short. Wearand miserable, the chances ing these new garments on that you will tough it out and the outside of your regular keep hunting are very slim. clothing prevents all of the I can’t think of a more deproblems caused by torrential serving place to test and de- Scan this QR Code with your downpours. And you know smart phone to view the velop rain gear than the wilds Sportsman's News YouTube what - I think I appreciate of Alaska. Sitka Gear has Channel. Video Available this raingear even more after brought Dewpoint raingear to after October 4th. it rains. The reason is every

branch and leaf on the mountain is holding water and walking by and rubbing against them, results in soaking you just like the actual rainstorm. By wearing the Dewpoint suit, I can push right through and keep hunting without getting myself drenched.

The Dewpoint top is made of the same material as the pants. The seams are laser cut and micro taped to ensure maximum durability, breathability and maintain 100% waterproofing. The features are kept minimal with a full front zip, for easy take on and off. Two hand pockets still allows for some small gear in the jacket, while keeping down the total weight. The top also has zippers in the arm pits to help regulate temperature as the weather fluc-

tuates. One more chest pocket is perfect for small calls or your cell phone.

The chest pocket also serves as your storage for the entire top and can be packed into itself to help conserve space in your pack.

The Dewpoint raingear weighs less than 23-ounces and packs very small, not taking up much room in your pack. Its material is designed to withstand the fierce weather of wild Alaska, built to withstand many miles through thick alders which can punish lesser clothing. It truly is a suit that serves all seasons. Dewpoint raingear can withstand the harshness of Alaska and will serve you effortlessly in the lower 48 wilderness as well.

become fog proof, waterproof and shockproof. These may seem like standard features, but in dense moisture, you will notice a significant difference from older scopes that fog up, making your intended target nothing but a blur when trying to find it in your scope.

The windage and elevation turrets use 1/8 MOA adjustments for sighting-in the rifle scope. The turrets have a spring-loaded instant zero-reset, which allows you to zero your scope and then just lift the adjustment knob, rotate the knob to the zero marking and reengage the knob. Nikon also improved the Monarch 5 by giving the tube an easier mounting space. The 1-inch tube can be mounted to virtually any rifle, including the longer magnum calibers.

The Monarch 5 comes with a lifetime warranty and Nikons ‘No Fault’ policy.

The ‘No Fault’ policy is your security blanket and reassurance that Nikon will stand behind their scope. If you send in your scope for repair, Nikon will repair it or replace it for free.

Nikon Monarch 5 Riflescope

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oday’s innovations and technol- know the distance for each glass etched ogy are constantly improving marking before they pull the trigger. to meet hunting and shooting The Advanced BDC glass etched reticle demands. Shooting over 500 yards is now includes windage markers, giving slowly becoming standard practice. users a solid aim point when trying The older equipment was effective, but to judge wind drift. This system will required lots of practice behind the fire- help take the guesswork out of figuring arm and a high level of skill to pull off elevation and bullet drop, depending an accurate shot at long range. Today’s on your caliber of choice. Nikon also firearms are deadly accurate out to 1000 offers a Spot On app for you to develop yards and further. Nikon’s Monarch a deadly accurate firearm. series is one of the best choices in their Extra Low Dispersion or ED glass class for optic clarity and performance. combines two lenses of different optiThe Monarch 5 4-20x50 ED rifle cal characteristics to correct chromatic scope includes Nikons Advanced BDC aberrations. This combination will reticle. Learning to properly use and deliver a crisp, clear image so you can take advantage of the technology built pin point your reticle on the intended into the Advanced BDC reticle will help target. MONARCH Eye Box technology you become a consistent and delivers a massive ocular more accurate shooter. The lens for a maximum, high various aiming points built resolution sight picture and into the BDC reticle can be also gives user a long eye used with Nikons Spot On relief for heavy recoil magBallistic Match Technology, num calibers. The lenses are to give exact aiming points fully multi-coated to provide at various yardages. Spot On a bright, clear color image.

Scan this QR Code with your allows users to match their smart phone to view the The Monarch 5 is nitrogen ballistics with the Advanced Sportsman's News YouTube filled and comes with sealed Video Available BDC reticle and they will Channel. rings, which helps the scope after October 11th.

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

51

NOW FREE!

Scan with your smartphone for details.

Nikon No-Fault Repair/Replacement Policy* for Binoculars, Riflescopes and Fieldscopes

Dedicated to Quality, Performance and Total Customer Satisfaction.

If your Nikon Binocular, Riflescope or Fieldscope requires service or repair not covered by our Limited Lifetime Warranty, just send it to us and Nikon will repair or replace it. * Excludes products with electric components, lost or stolen products and intentionally caused damage.

For details, visit: NikonSportOptics.com ◊Nikon No-Fault Repair/Replacement Policy and Limited Lifetime Warranty for Binoculars, Riflescopes and Fieldscopes. For full details of the Nikon No-Fault Repair/Replacement Policy and Limited Lifetime Warranty, visit NikonSportOptics.com

*Participating Nikon authorized dealers and resellers only. Instant Savings amount deducted from dealer or reseller’s selling price. Offer valid for new eligible products only that are sold between August 13, 2015 and September 20, 2015 to retail customers by a Nikon authorized dealer or reseller within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Void where prohibited by law. All products are subject to availability. For eligible products and further details, please visit www.nikonpromo.com. †Actual selling price determined by dealer or reseller at time of sale.

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All Nikon trademarks are the property of Nikon Corporation.

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52

SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

2015 New Video Product Reviews

Sig Electro-Optics Kilo2000 Rangefinder

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IG is a very well-known name in on four measurements per second in the outdoor community and with scan mode. Because of this high speed a great reputation for building processor, the unit had to be governed top of the line products for the avid down to the four measurements per outdoors person. They have taken the second, so that the human eye could same approach that has made them so read the display, according to Andy successful and developed their Electro- York, President of the Optics Division.

Optics division, which has a complete This compact rangefinder is comline of optics. plex on the inside, but very basic and The KILO2000 Rangefinder is one easy to setup and understand for the of their first offerings and during our user. It will provide you distance testing, it delivered on all measurements in either claims and is truly a top of yards or meters and will the line rangefinder, at an provide you both line of affordable price. sight (LOS) measurements The 7x25mm monocular or angle modified range style rangefinder touts a (AMR). Line of sight is the 2000 yard range ability – yes, actual distance to the target over a mile! We consistently and angle modified range this QR Code with your got ranges on reflective tar- Scan takes the up or downhill smart phone to view the gets like rocks out past 2800 Sportsman's News YouTube angle into consideration, yards. The processor on this Channel. Video Available telling you what distance to after October 11th. unit is extremely fast, taking shoot for, which is ideal for

Savage A17 Rifle

those of you shooting a custom turret or etched reticle scope. It is accurate to .5-yards out to 500 yards, 1-yard from 500 to 1000 and 2-yards beyond 1000 yards. It ranges all the way down to 5-yards without doing any internal adjustments, making it ideal for the person who shoots both archery and long range rifle.

The LUMATIC OLED display comes preset to automatic when you get the unit, which has 20 different light intensity levels. A small ambient light sensor is located in the objective of the rangefinder, which will adjust the intensity of the light to match the situation - bright for those middle of the day uses and low for the twilight times, when a bright setting might blow your night vision out. The intensity levels can be set manually, but we found no need to use them

because the auto setting was spot on. It comes with a diopter adjustment to get you a crisp focus and a hefty 6mm eye relief adjustment to accommodate those wearing glasses. It operates on one CR2 Lithium battery.

rel provided excellent groups at 100 yards. The bolt of the A17 is all steel and chrome plated to provide very smooth operation.

One 10-round rotary magazine is included with the rifle. The flush-fit magazines overcome the problem of tilt, common with rimmed cased cartridges, which can result in mis-feeds.

While the A17 will accept and fire the majority of .17 HMR ammo on the market, CCI has created a special cartridge designed specifically for the A17. The 17-grain varmint tipped round advertises velocities 100 feet per second faster than standard HMR rounds. But in our testing, we were achieving speeds 200 feet per second faster than those advertised by CCI, for an average in excess of 2,800 FPS. The soft, lead tipped bullets provide

excellent penetration and expansion and the cartridges were very accurate, providing sub-MOA performance at 100 yards.

Our test model of the A17 came preinstalled with a Bushnell Banner 3.510x36 scope, with a Multi-X reticle.

It also included six turret adjustment rings, for creating a specific adjustment zero, for a variety of different ammunitions and bullet weights.

Hand adjustment knobs for elevation let you quickly adjust your scope on the fly for varying ranges.

This combination of custom designed scope, superbly crafted rifle and specially designed ammunition makes the Savage A17 a reliable rifle for varminting or just plinking and gives you a much faster bullet, delivering optimum force to your target.

I

n 2009, all makers of semiauto .17 HMR rifles issued a recall, because the rifles were expelling super-hot gases from their actions, because of the velocity of the hyperpowered little rounds. From then until now, nobody has made a .17HMR semi-auto. Savage Arms took on the challenge to make AccuTrigger for enhanced accuracy a safe and accurate semi-automatic and trigger control. It is adjustable rifle for the speedy cartridge and this by the user, with the included trigger year they have introduced the A17, adjustment tool from 2.5-6-pounds. with all of the features Savage owners To overcome the problems encounhave come to appreciate. tered with previous .17HMR semiFeaturing a black synthetic target autos, Savage incorporated a delayed stock with a beefy forend and a blow back design to prevent the rapid lower comb (1 ¼-1 ½-inches of drop) expansion of gasses from escaping for good eye relief, the A17 offers the chamber too quickly. While comfortable ergonomics this imperceptibly slows and a manageable length down the action, it was of pull of 13 ¾ inches. At not slow enough to notice only 5.41-pounds, the stock and I was able to launch length and weight make a rapid string of rounds this gun a good fit for the downrange as quickly as I majority of shooters from could pull the trigger. This adults to even younger Scan this QR Code with your gives an easy follow-up smart phone to view the shot for varmint hunting marksmen.

Sportsman's News YouTube The action is smooth and Channel. Video Available and is just a lot of fun. The features Savage’s popular after October 18th.

22-inch button rifled bar-

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

53

2015 New Video Product Reviews

Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent

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ne passion my family shares is plications other than camping. With my finding our way to the moun- job, I’m constantly in the hills scouting, tains to enjoy a break from the camping or hunting all year. I already grind. I love sitting around the fire and have too many things to remember watching my kids cook marshmallows to bring with me on these and tin-foil dinners. We enjoy the beau- trips, especially on a family ty and weather that summer camping camping trip, making sure trips offer us. But, along with this little the kids have all of their beslice of heaven, the great outdoors can longings as well as my own. also bring with it those irritating bugs Usually, we camp by lakes that share the mountain space. I hate and creeks where some of having to spray smelly bug spray on these bugs are rampant. It clothing to keep the pesky seems like bug insects at bay. spray is always Sawyer has developed f o rg o t t e n u n some insect fighting prodtil it’s too late. ucts that will make your next With Sawyer ’s trip outdoors more comfortPermethrin, I can able. Odorless Permethrin spray all my kids insect repellent is designed Scan this QR Code with your clothing and it smart phone to view the to spray on clothing and gear Sportsman's News YouTube will last through and will last more than one Channel. Video Available most of our sumtrip. It is ideal for many ap- after October 18th. mer trips with-

out them complaining of the smell from traditional bug sprays.

The synthetic ingredient not only repels, but kills ticks, chiggers, mites and mosquitos just to name a few. I’ve had to dig a tick once out of my leg while on a pack trip. Having to do this really made me appreciate products like this a lot more. Early season scouting is when most of these problematic insects are active. There really is nothing more irritating than trying to film a big bull up close, trying to remain still, while mosquitos attack my back through my light summer clothing. And, most ticks wait on game trails to find a host to attach themselves to. Well obviously, hunting

is many miles of hiking game trails for access where the animals are.

To use Sawyers Permethrin insect repellent, simply spray it on your clothing and let dry for two hours. This single application will last up to six washes and up to 42 days in direct sunlight on your gear. The Permethrin is odorless and will not stain or damage clothing, fabrics, plastics, finished surfaces or any of your gear. I like to spray everything I can whether I’m camping, fishing, scouting or hunting. You can even spray your tent or canopy around camp to develop a wall of protection.

The 12-ounce bottle will treat one outfit, which they define as a shirt, pants and socks with two applications. Sawyer recommends that you treat your clothing and gear outside and to avoid getting the Permethrin on your skin or eyes. Do yourself a favor and try some on your next outdoor adventure.

Each one has SWAROVISION, which is field flattened lenses, which provide an unbelievable depth, even at extremely long ranges. The fluoride HD lenses provide the most vivid color you can imagine. Everything in these optics provide a top-shelf viewing experience and if you like

taking photos through your scope, Swarovski has adapters specific to your SLR, which allows you to use your top of the line camera and the ATS/STX modular spotter as your high power lens. It is truly the last spotting scope you will ever need to purchase.

Swarovski ATX/STX Modular Spotting Scope

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h e r e i s n o q u e s t i o n t h a t to go after, this isn’t the setup you Swarovski is at the top of want in your pack. The modular nearly everyone’s list when system allows you to pull off the l o o k i n g t o p u rc h a s e a s p o t t i n g heavy duty, 95mm objective and scope. This brand is brought up in stick on a compact and lightweight, every optics conversation and for 65mm objective for your trek up good reason. They are innovators the mountain. This is a piece which in the industry and have made all needs to be purchased separately, optics step up their game to keep but is much cheaper than buying up. This is exactly the case with the an entirely different spotting scope.

ATX/STX spotting scope line.

The different variations to this T h i s m o d u l a r s p o t t i n g s c o p e setup are abundant. The ATX/STX setup allows you to tailor your refers to either an angled eyepiece spotter to your desired setup and be of the module or a straight. The obready to go in a flash. When you are jective side of the module comes in spotting from the truck and off of a three different versions. The 95mm window mount, who doesn’t want objective is my absolute favorite the biggest objective and the most and something which is always in magnification possible? You are my truck. This big glass setup gives usually looking several you a 30-70 magnification. miles away and the truck If you use the 85mm objeccan carry just about any tive or the 65mm objective load, so weight isn’t an modules, your magnificaissue. The 95mm objective tion is going to be 25-60. and the 30-70 eyepiece in Yo u c a n t ru l y m i x a n d either straight or angled match to have the best is the perfect setup for Scan this QR Code with your setup for all situations. phone to view the t h i s t y p e o f s i t u a t i o n . smart All of these modSportsman's News YouTube However, when you find Channel. Video Available ules have the best that that trophy of a lifetime after October 25th.

Swarovski has to offer.

54

SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Sako A7 Roughtech Pro Rifle

By Dan Kidder ManagingEditor

A

satin smooth trigger and an action so slick you think it was lubed with butter are the hallmarks of a Sako rifle. The A7 continues that tradition with the addition of an amazingly unique synthetic stock that reduces weight and adds an aggressive gripping surface.

The Roughtech stock is made from an aluminum reinforced frame covered with a high tech polymer interlaced with a subdued spider web pattern for positive grip in all kinds of environments.

This design makes it very light and abundantly strong to avoid potentially

This X-ray shows the aluminum reinforcement in the stock.

accuracy-impeding flex of the stock.

A high recoil dissipation butt pad comes standard with two butt pad spacers to adjust overall length of pull.

The single-stage trigger on the A7 is user adjustable from 2-4 pounds of pull.

It is finely machined and has nearly zero perceptible creep. Each press of the trigger is crisp with just enough over-travel to provide sufficient follow through for an accurate shot.

The cold hammer forged fluted stainless steel barrel reduces the overall weight of the gun and minimizes vibration for more accurate shooting and

consistent groupings. It is free-floated and tapped with A5-style Weaver bases already installed to the receiver.

The 70-degree rotation bolt provides faster cycling of the action, and is also as smooth as can be for minimal drag.

The bolt features dual locking lugs and a plunger style ejector for reliable functioning with each cycling of the bolt.

Our test model is a 7MM Remington Magnum with a 1 in 9.5-inch rate of twist. Recoil on this heavy hitter was very manageable, thanks in part to the butt pad.

This gun is more than capable of subMOA groups and consistently reaching out to distances in excess of 1,700 yards is well within its range given the use of

proper optics and ammo.

The A7 comes with a three–round (3+1) detachable polymer box magazine designed to prevent accidental dislodgment.

For years, the fine craftsmanship of Finland’s Sako Rifles has been the go-to choice of professional shooters intent on performance, and the A7 Roughtech Pro continues that reliability and delivers consistent accuracy, shot after shot.

VORTEX EXTREME

Heather Jaxx came in to help Ken and I out. We approached Heather with the idea of shooting this tournament and having the store sponsor our team. Although she wasn’t able to provide the whole sponsorship, she helped a ton.

She found a few hats and shirts to match our attire and was completely supportive (with a big smile) through the whole process. A big ‘Thanks’ to Sportsman’s Warehouse in Midvale Utah for sponsoring our team. All in all, Team Sportsman’s Midvale, comprised of Vic Wheeler/ Bountiful, Utah and Ken Lamb/Moroni, Utah had a successful tournament at the “2015 Vortex Extreme”.

continued from page 30

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professionally. The two row reloading section has a large variety of hunting and match bullets, brass, primers and gunpowder. Again, the staff will be there to help and answer questions. Reloading components have been hard to find everywhere, but Ken and I have been able to purchase all of our reloading supplies from the Midvale store. If the product is not in stock, it usually shows up in a few weeks or sooner.

But it takes a lot more than a big store to make things happen. That’s where

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Your truck can only take you so far. It’s up to your optics to do the rest.

This is the moment we work for.

ZEISS TERRA ED and TERRA 3X. A legendary line of optics from a legendary brand.

The new TERRA line has already won plenty of industry awards. Now it’s time to bag some real trophies.

TERRA combines German design and legendary ZEISS performance with best-in-class image quality and clarity into a tough, durable package. See your local ZEISS dealer for details or visit zeiss.com/sports.

55

56

SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Digital Edition Only Special Content

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

Creamy Pheasant

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or upland bird hunters across the United States, the fall season means pheasants! The common or ring-necked pheasant is one of the worlds’ most hunted birds. They are found throughout North America and have adapted well to farmlands and fringe areas. Pheasant are challenging to hunt and make for some mighty tasty table fare. They are incredibly lean and care must be taken not to overcook or dry out the meat. This is a great recipe to showcase your gamebirds for your family and friends. You will see why pheasant was regaled as the food of Kings.

This recipe is also stellar with quail, chukar or chicken.

Ingredients Brine • • •

1 cup water 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Recipe • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 pound of pheasant meat cut into bite sized pieces (3/4 inch) 1/3 cup flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 stick of butter split 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 8 ounces chopped mushrooms 1 large chopped onion (1cup) 1 red bell pepper chopped 2 cups sour cream ¾ cup chicken stock ½ teaspoon thyme

Preparation Method

I use pheasant breasts for this recipe. You will need 2-3 large birds to yield the pound of boneless, skinless meat. Brining is essential to keep the finished

dish moist and tender. Prepare the brine by adding the salt and brown sugar to the water while stirring until fully dissolved. Place the breasts and the brine in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate at least an hour. I recommend an 8-hour brine. Rinse the meat and slice into bite sized pieces (about ¾ of an inch).

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a plastic bag, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces in the flour mixture until fully coated.

Bring a large frying pan to medium-low heat with five tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add about half of the pheasant and brown each side for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Remove the cooked meat to a plate and then brown the next batch. Keep the temperature low, being careful not to burn the flour. It is normal for some to stick to the bottom of the pan. After all the meat is browned and reserved on a plate, add a splash of water, wine or beer to the pan. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape the stuck-on browned flour or “fond” off the bottom of the pan. This holds a ton of flavor and is incorporated back into the sauce. Add the rest of the butter and when melted, add the mushrooms, onions and bell pepper. Sauté’ the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes. The onions will start to turn translucent when they are ready.

You will need a casserole dish or ovenproof pan large enough to hold everything. Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the pheasant and vegetables.

In a bowl, mix together the sour cream, chicken stock and thyme. Blend together well and pour over the meat and vegetables. Stir to mix well. Cover and bake in the pre-heated, 350 degree F oven for ½ hour. Remove from the oven and spoon over wild rice or a rice pilaf. You can finish it with a sprinkling of chives if you want and maybe some crushed red pepper for some heat. Serve with a side salad and some fresh vegetables for a hearty meal. Unbelievable!

I have paired this dish with a nice creamy Chardonnay. Some excellent California Chardonnays, along with other special wines, hand-picked to go with your fish and game dishes are available on my website www.wildgamewine.

Check it out and get in on the great deals on our end of summer wine sale.

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

Mazda’s CX-5

For 2016 it is mighty and mini, with some great comfort improvements.

A

t first glance, your immediate comment about the 2016 Mazda CX-5 is likely to be, “what’s it going to be when it grows up?” For the truth is, the CX-5 is really a mini SUV. But here is where looks can be deceiving!

The CX-5 made its debut in 2013 when it replaced the very-slightly larger CX-7, which many of us rated as sluggish and generally non-responsive, even though it had a pleasing body style. The CX-5 has been on a favorable roll ever since, and for 2016 gets a minor exterior revamp with a new grille and some cool looking LED headlights. Seventeen-inch wheels are the standard on the base-model Sport and mid-priced Touring, with nineteen-inch wheels are standard on the top-of-the-line Grand Touring version to give it even a more flashy design.

Based on a 106.3 inch wheelbase chassis, and sporting an overall length of just over 179 inches, the styling of the little SUV is sporty and doesn’t look like a shoebox with wheels. Optional roof-rails are also offered, and adding a real roof-rack as an after-market add-on is a personal choice that would greatly increase carrying capacity of the vehicle for gun gear, duffle bags and other camping/fishing equipment.

The CX-5 series comes with a choice of front-wheel drive (FWD) or All-Wheel Drive (AWD). Opt for the AWD feature and the vehicle comes standard with a 2.5 liter Sky Activ four-cylinder powerplant that kicks out 184 horsepower and 185 lbft of torque. It’s mated to a super smooth six-speed automatic transmission that has a “drive-mode” selector that allows the driver to tailor the driving response to your individual likes or moods. Flipped into the Sport Mode, the little SUV is sprite, responsive and a heck of a lot of fun to drive and hammer!

In spite of the short wheelbase and a width of just over 72 inches, the CX-5 and

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a well tuned suspension system likes to rev, run and corner well at both low and high speeds. It won’t win drag races with a 0-60 mph best of 7.9 seconds, but the engine is smooth, the transmission is even when up or downshifting, and at 75-80 miles-perhour highway speeds, it is exceeding quiet.

Mazda has added more/better insulation for 2016 across all model lines. Some of the other vehicles in this small class are saddled with engines that rev so high at the freeway speeds that they sound like over-caffeinated food blenders!

In the fuel economy department, the CX-5 with the 2.5 liter engine is rated at 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.

With a 15.3-gallon (regular unleaded) fuel tank, you’ve got an honest highway cruising range of over 450 miles. Even in the city, or when you’re in the back-country and on the trails, it’s 350 miles of outdoor fun before refueling.

While some may feel that you have to always have 14-20 inches of ground clearance in order to hit the off-road trails, the little CX-5 with its 8.5 inches of clearance is perfectly happy in the dirt with the AWD that uses an active torque split system that automatically adjusts the power between the front and rear axles to take advantage of the best traction and control. Gravel roads and some rutted trails out to a favorite prairie dog hunting location was a breeze!

Even some steep, slippery-slope climbing to some mountain beaver ponds for brook trout was easy.

Inside the CX-5, there is room for 5 occupants, but 4-adults are going to fit best. Driver seat is 8-way electric for great

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positioning, and even the back seats have large “tush cushions” for added comfort.

The way the back seats are positioned, there’s actually pretty good rear passenger legroom. But, because of its small size, when the back seats are occupied, you’re only going to have 34.1 cubic feet of cargo space for your sporting gear. With the seats folded flat, you’ll have almost 65 cf and that’s on par with other vehicles in this class.

Order up the top-of-the-line Grand Touring model, and there are enough options, whistles and bells in the luxury department to rate some pretty lavish appointments; keyless entry/ignition, driver-assistance safety features, speed-adjusting radar cruise control, Bose sound system, 7-inch touch screen, auto headlamps and wipers, backup camera, lane-drift sensors/warning, and an intuitive multifunction control knob in the center console that enables the driver or front passenger lots of feature controls.

The CX-5 is rated to pull up to 2,000 pounds with an optional tow package, and for dragging small boats, pop-up campers or a flat-bed trailer with a couple of ATVs, you’re going to find that the updated little SUV may be mini, but it has a lot of functionality and might!

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Digital Edition Only Special Content

The Eight-Day Eland

By Eric Boley

A

t the sound of the shot, it was absolute pandemonium. Eland were running everywhere, like a covey of quail being flushed from cover.

My PH, Bennie Boshoff, had to jump sideways as a huge bull barreled past him.

He was yelling that I had missed and in all the confusion, I wasn’t convinced my shot had been true. Here we were, on day eight of my safari to Namibia and I may have just blown my chance at a trophy Eland bull.

My good friend, Dr. Brian Tallerico, had purchased the hunt at an auction and had offered to let me buy it from him when he decided he couldn’t use the hunt himself. For years I had dreamed of going to Africa. When I mentioned the chance I had been given to purchase the hunt to my wife Jodie, she said, “Let’s do it. It’ll be a great way to celebrate our 25th anniversary.” Included with the hunt package was the trophy fee for a trophy Eland, a management Eland and five nights for 1-hunter and 1-observer. Jodie and I decided to extend our safari to ten days to ensure we would enjoy the entire experience and have time to do everything we wanted while we were there. In addition to Jodie and me going, we invited my father-in-law, Dennis Mortensen, to accompany us and he quickly jumped at the chance. We spent the next year planning and saving until it was finally time to travel to the Dark Continent.

The trip from Wyoming to Namibia was a long one, but the anticipation of the adventure made it more than bearable.

We flew from Salt Lake to New York on a red eye. From New York we made the long flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.

From Johannesburg we flew to the capitol of Namibia and two and a half days after leaving home, we landed in Windhoek.

As we deplaned and my feet touched down on the tarmac, tears came to my eyes. After decades of daydreaming and years of saving, I was finally on safari in Africa, accompanied by my best friend, Jodie.

When I purchased the hunt, my impression was taking an Eland would be easy. The hunt included the taking of two Eland and was originally only for five days, so I figured we would see multiple Eland and have our pick. I figured finding an antelope the size of a Brahma bull would be easy. In my mind, I pictured Eland out grazing in the open fields.

Boy, was I ever wrong. My PH, Bennie Boshoff of Duiker Safaris, explained that these huge antelope were very reclusive and liked spending their time deep in the bush. I still wasn’t convinced it was going to be very difficult to shoot something the size of a small car, but after eight days of hunting, I was a believer.

Over the course of our hunt, we’d seen a few Eland, usually as they ran away from us through the bush. We’d tried sitting in blinds overlooking water and salt licks. We’d followed fresh tracks every day for many miles. I was amazed at the trackers’ ability to stay on the same tracks through all types of terrain. When the tracks became confusing, I was fascinated to watch them figure out the trail.

We had been close a few times. On day three we tracked a herd for several miles, starting where they watered during the night. That day we closed the distance and got close enough to see their horns above the bush. but the wind switched before a shot presented itself and the herd stampeded away.

Another day we tracked a group of Eland into a big copse of bush. The wind was wrong, so we swung out wide and were able to get in front of the herd. We knew we were ahead of them, because when Eland are relaxed and walking, their hooves

make a very distinctive clicking noise.

We could hear them coming and could even hear them pulling leaves off of some of the brush as they walked and ate.

Our eyes strained to pick out the gray/ tan bodies in the brush and just as the herd was about to step into the open, we felt the breeze hit the back of our necks.

The herd exploded going the other way, again never giving us a shot. On several days we had seen young bulls and a few cows out in the open, but a mature bull or a management Eland continued to elude us.

So, there we were on ‘Day 8’. We’d tracked a herd for several miles that morning and had actually gotten within range of a young bull, but never caught up to the main herd. Bennie suggested returning to camp for lunch and picking Jodie and Dad up for the afternoon hunt.

As we were heading to camp, Bennie said he wanted to check another area where Eland liked to bed down during the day.

We parked the truck, making sure the wind was right and headed into the bush.

After about a mile, Bennie and my tracker, Dom, slowed their pace. Bennie told me to watch where I put my feet and to make no noise. We crept forward slowly and cautiously. Bennie lead the way, with Dom on his heels and me bringing up the rear. One minute we were creeping forward and the next Dom’s head hit me in the stomach, as he suddenly stopped and I almost ran over him. I’m a pretty big guy and Dom wasn’t much more than four feet tall.

Dom snapped his fingers to get Bennie’s attention and then excitedly pointed through the brush at something I couldn’t see. Bennie told me to stay low and he and Dom whispered excitedly to each other in their native tongue. Bennie whispered that Dom had spotted an Eland bedded about 150 yards ahead of us. The Bushmen’s eyes are incredible and over the course of my safari, I had come to realize that I could trust them.

Bennie said we were going to have to crawl to get closer. Crawling in Africa is much easier said than done. Everything there either sticks or scratches you. We slowly made our way forward. About 100 yards into our crawling stalk, Bennie stopped and pointed to a spot about 60 yards in front of us. He explained there was a bedded bull and that I would need to stand up and shoot offhand. He was

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

afraid trying to set up the shooting sticks would make too much noise and scare the bull.

I still couldn’t see the bull, but finally, using my binoculars, I was able to make out an ear, an eye and then the base of a horn. I still don’t know how Dom spotted the bull, especially without the aid of binoculars. I quietly clicked the safety off on my rifle and then slowly rose to a standing position, while bringing the rifle to my shoulder. As I stood, the bull jumped to his feet. I quickly found the bull in my scope and squeezed off a round.

At the shot, chaos reigned. A huge Eland bull came charging right past us and almost ran over Bennie. Eland were running everywhere and Bennie was yelling that I had missed. I told Bennie that my shot had been good and I was sure the bull had dropped in its tracks.

We made our way up to where the bull had been standing and laying there was a beautiful old bull. After eight days of hard hunting, I finally had my trophy Eland in the salt.

Bennie explained that the light colored stripes on the bulls sides were the markings of a Livingston Eland. I marveled at his beautiful markings, his long spiraling horns and the beautiful red tuft he had on his forehead, only found on old mature bulls.

After taking multiple photos and admiring the bull, I was amazed as we loaded the huge bull into the back of the truck. Not an ounce of meat from any of the animal is wasted in Africa as every part is utilized to sustain life and livelihood. As we pulled into camp and were met by the skinners, I caught the eye of my wife as she came to greet us. She had a huge smile on her face and wished me a happy 25th anniversary. When I dreamt of Africa, Eland wasn’t one of the animals I daydreamed about. Now that I’ve hunted them, the Eland is one of my favorite trophies. It was a hardearned trophy and as the years pass and I look at the beautiful mount in our home and relive the adventure, I will always remember that first safari in Africa and how my wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary.

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015

Digital Edition Only Special Content

Pybus Point Lodge

Chalene and Steve McGrath, along with Gordon Warren and Jeri Hilton display their colorful catch of yelloweye rockfish.

By Kent Danjanovich

W

ith our PRO MEMBERSHIP SWEEPSTAKES now in full bloom, each month we will be bringing you a little recap of our latest trips with our lucky winners. This month’s recap is of our trip to Pybus Point Lodge on Admiralty Island in southwest Alaska, with winner Gordon Warren and his guest, Jeri Hilton. Gordon was the winner of this great adventure from our drawing on May 10th.

Scott Jorgensen and his Pybus Point Lodge have been an important part of our Platinum Approved Outfitters program since 2008 and were one of the first lodges that we contacted about hosting a trip for two for our PRO MEMBERSHIP SWEEPSTAKES; a 6-day, 5-night fishing adventure the week of August 12-17, 2015.

Fellow Sportsman’s News Pro-Staffer, Steve McGrath made the trek north with me, as we met up with Gordon and Jeri in Juneau on the night of the 11th. As this was the first in-person meeting with our new winner, we met in Juneau to over a few more of the events for the coming days. We would meet the next morning at 7am at Ward Air, the floatplane service used by Pybus Point Lodge and conveniently located next door to the Juneau International Airport.

Unfortunately, the weather would have a little say about our departure plans, as low-hanging clouds and fog soon engulfed the airport and Juneau area.

Although the conditions were perfect at the lodge, we would be stuck in Juneau until nearly 4pm.

It was a welcomed sight when our pilots entered the waiting room and said, “Its time – lets go”! All twenty-seven guests listened for their seating assignments and within minutes, we were off. Now if you haven’t had the chance to visit Pybust Point Lodge, let me tell you, the flight is nothing short of breathtaking, especially when flying at low altitudes. You are literally surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscape in the world during your short, 35 minute flight to the lodge.

With the northernmost tip Admiralty Island starting only about 15 miles from Juneau, the million acre island, sixth largest in the U.S. is literally your flight route.

The island is home to the largest concentration of brown bears in the world and Sitka deer are also very plentiful. As we flew along the edge of the island, a large group of bears could be seen working over a beached whale that had been washed to shore. Water spouts could be seen as far as the eye to could see along the calm seas of the Inner Passage to our left as humpbacks and killer whales fill the waters of the area.

Almost too soon, we found ourselves losing altitude for our approach between an island and the mainland as we entered Cannery Cove, the setting for the picturesque Pybus Point Lodge. Scott and his staff met us at the dock and busy deckhands working on our luggage as Scott’s wife, Jody, informed each of us of

our cabin arrangements. Each cabin includes two bedrooms, with either two twin beds in each or one queen. Each cabin offers a stunning harbor and mountain view, a small living room, fireplace for heat and a private bath and shower.

They have also now built the first “Yurt”, sort of an igloo shaped living structure, adjacent to the other cabins and they hope to include more of in the near future.

Since our late arrival didn’t give us much time for fishing our first evening, we each headed to our rooms to settle in before enjoying our first delicious meal of the trip. The beautiful main lodge is built of old-growth pine logs and houses one of the most gorgeous dining tables that you will ever see. After dinner, Scott filled us in on our next day’s schedule and our boat and captain assignments. Our captain would be John Diamond, one of my favorite captains at any of the lodges that I visit in Alaska. The plan would be to venture north to Misty Cove in search of silver salmon and possibly a late running king as well.

Breakfast time arrived at 7am and by 7:30am, we were all excitedly loading into our boats. Myself, along with Oregonians Bob Klossen and Brad Keele would join our sweepstakes winner, Gordon Warren and his guest, Jeri Hilton. As I looked around, all eyes were bright and full of excitement for their first day on the water.

After about an hour and a half boat

ride through the calm waters of the Inner Passage, we found ourselves hooking lines to the downriggers, preparing to do a little trolling for salmon. No bait would be needed, only pink and blue “hoochies” on 9ft. Ugly Stik’ rods with Shimano reels.

And it wouldn’t take long for the action to begin.

Gordon was the first to hook-up and he soon found himself muscling a feisty, 10 pound silver to Captain John’s waiting net. Jeri was next to get into the action, landing her first of many bright coho’s during the next four hours. Although we didn’t luck out and land a king salmon, 24 chrome-bright silvers made their way to the fish box. It was then off to one of Captain John’s favorite halibut holes.

One of the things that I really like about fishing at the Pybus Point Lodge is that all of their halibut fishing is done with jigs as your captain positions the boat along pinnacles on the ocean floor and then uses his motors to slowly move along the shelves.

A little piece of pink salmon usually tips the J-hook before you let your line out to the bottom. Once there, it is then a matter of varied jigging motions as you try and entice a big flat-fish to your rig.

I was the first to hook-up and it didn’t take Gordon long to follow suit. The result were two 35-pound halibut flipping on the bottom of our 28ft. Koffler boat. Jeri,

Captain John Diamond and Sportsman’s News Pro Memeber Sweepstakes winner, Gordon Warren of Las Vegas, Nevada with a whopper yelloweye.

October 2015 | SPORTSMAN’S NEWS

was obvious, Gordon was having the time of his life and would continue to adorn that broad smile as he experienced amazing results, not only on his first day of the trip, but throughout the week. Yes, being a PRO MEMBER definitely has its privileges!

Our second day of the trip again found Gordon and Jeri on my boat, as well as Steve McGrath and his wife, Chalene.

Since this would be my last day at the lodge before I left for the Kenai River and another story, we decided to really make it a multi-species day, hitting multiple areas for halibut, lingcod, yelloweye and black sea bass.

Our first stop filled half of our limit of halibut, as Gordon and Jeri both managed to land a nice keeper.

I was also fortuSilver salmon were plentiful on Day 1 as Jeri and Gordon were joined by Oregonians, Bob Klossen and Brad nate enough to hook into the bigKeele for a great day on the water with Pybus Point gest halibut of the Lodge.

Bob and Brad soon had their fish aboard and we then heading back in the direction of the lodge for our evening festivities.

Once there, the deckhands made quick work of the processing of our days catch, cleaning and trimming each fish and then vacuum sealing each before placing them in the big freezers to ice up for our trip back home.

I am still not sure how many fish each landed, but Gordon and Jeri could be heard playfully arguing of the numbers throughout the evening hours. But it

GizzMoVest

Protection for your Rino GPS

W

hat’s the first accessory most people buy with a new cell phone? Usually, its’ a hard case to protect the new investment.

The same step should be made when purchasing a new GPS. GizzMoVest is a fairly newcomer to the outdoor industry, with some great new molded vests to add some life and protection to your electronic gear. GizzMoVest is a fullyenclosed, molded case that sandwiches your Rino and can be synched tight with a lanyard.

These extremely tough-textured rubber molds have some serious grip. The feel was the first thing I noticed when installing it on my Rino.

This is a very important feature when I have my high dollar GPS in hand.

The tactile grip stays ‘grippy’ whether wet or dry. When using a pair of gloves, it even seems the case actually sticks to the fabric on my gloves.

I also noticed extra grip when trying to pull my GPS out of my coat pocket.

This really gave me added insurance when walking around and forgetting to stuff it far enough into my pocket.

The lanyard can fit over your neck for transporting or the convenient belt clip can be used as well. The stainless steel belt clip is virtually unbreakable and can be removed easily with a coin to allow a more compact case.

GizzMoVest has raised the rubber molding around the screen for added protection for the view screen. This design is great for guys like me who like to use their equipment and not baby it.

I can set my GPS down next to me when glassing and feel safe that if I bump it, the molding will do its job. The molded case has markings on the outside of the case to indicate where the buttons are on the GPS. This feature requires me to press fairly firmly to use my GPS commands.

I would like to see this area of the GizzMoVest

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trip, a 65-incher with an estimated weight of 140 pounds. But, because of the slot limit in southeast Alaska, I had to release it after the 30 minute battle. Next we would head to yelloweye waters.

The limit on yelloweye is one fish per day and two for the season. Again, jigs are used to catch them as you keep your line in contact with the rocky ridges and then mooch your line up and down in varying ‘jerks’ in hopes of hooking into one. All four of us managed to land fish in the 12 to 20 pound range and along the way, we were also able to land a couple of Tiger yelloweye as well and a host of other bottom dwellers. Next it was off to lingcod waters and some quick black sea bass action.

Gordon, Jeri and Chalene had the hot hand on the sea bass, as each hooked into fish after fish on spincast outfits while using ‘buzz bombs’ at various depths. We were able to land a couple of small lings, but the big ones on this day either broke us off or came unhooked before we got them to the surface. But all in all, another great day was definitely had by all. In fact, I can still hear Gordon uttering ‘thank you’ after every fish that he caught and

for the opportunity of being able to win such a great prize for becoming a member of the Sportsman’s News PRO MEMBER Sweepstakes.

You too can have the chance of winning a great trip like Las Vegas resident, Gordon Warren, by becoming a PRO MEMBER at the Sportsman’s News. It only takes a few minutes to sign-up at www.sportsmansnews.com and the cost is only $27 per month. As each adventure is given away, another takes its place 12-months down the line, so even though you didn’t get in at the start, you will still have a 12-month window for a chance to truly win a trip-of-a-lifetime.

As for this trip, Pybus Point Lodge again came through in the clutch.

They have been one of our Platinum Approved Outfitters for many years and we are proud to give them our full endorsement. Do yourself a favor and give them a call today to talk about everything they have to offer and the best possible timing for your trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Pybus Point Lodge on the Inner Passage of southeast Alaska, www.pybuspoint. com or call 800-947-9287.

improved because when using heavy winter gloves, it is very frustrating not to be able use the buttons effectively. However slipping the gloves off is a minor problem for the few times I would use the GPs in such extreme cold conditions.

The GizzMoVest case does not float or make your GPS device waterproof.

However, most GPS models are completely waterproof and users can attach

a keyflob to the lanyard if floatation is desired. The extra size of the case was not distracting or too bulky for the GPS. In a matter of seconds, users can install or take their GPS out of the case. One of the best qualities the GizzMoVest has to offer is the “MADE IN THE USA” sticker. In my opinion, the GizzMoVest is a simple and very effective way to protect your GPS.

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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS | October 2015