Petersen's Hunting- April-May 2016

7/25/2019 Petersen's Hunting- April-May 2016

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TROPHY ELK40 0 INCHES

BACK-TO-BACK

DOESARE W E KILLING

TOO MANY?

HUNTINGHORSEBACK

DO-IT-YOURSELF

FIELD TESTFIND THE RIGHT

HIKING POLE

HANDLE A HORSE

START A FIRE

QUARTER AN ELK

MAKE A LONG SHOT

DIY

ESSENTIAL

SKILLS


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Designed under the discerning ear of our bird-obsessed team, the calls that come out of

the Zink workshop speak the worlds most devastating language. www.zinkcalls.com


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The first of its kind with devastating-realism, from the head and feathers

to a breeding posture that puts longbeards right where she wants them.

Learn more about the new Avian-X LCD Laydown Hen and our full spring line-up at...

www.avian x.com

New from AVIAN-X LCD Laydown Hen


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13Go Big or Go Home?

Big buck kills soared in 2015.Is it science or are

hunters being picky?

DAVID HART

44Stranded in Scotland

A group of hunters facethe ultimate challenge:

Hunt to survive.

SIMON BARR

52Must-Know Skills

Channel your inner woodsmanwith these DIY skills.

CRAIG BODDINGTONDAVID DRAPER

JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

KEITH WOOD

62Utah Trophy Elk

A draw of a lifetime, a fleetingshot, and 400 inches of bone.

JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

44CASTAWAY!

No food, no shelter, and

a powerful hurricane.

Could you survive?

APRIL MAY 2016 | VOL. 44 | NO. 2

Tweed

Media


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s shown are recommended or use only by riders age years and older. amaha recommends that all riders take an approved training course. or sa ety and training in ormation, see your dealer or call the a ety Institute at - - -2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always avoid paved surfaces. Never ride on public roads. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing; never carry passengers; never engage in stunt riding; riding and alcohol/drugsdont mix; avoid excessive speed; and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. For Side-by-Sides: Always protect the environment and wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Read the owners manual and product warninglabels before operation. peci cations subject to change without notice. ro essional riders depicted on a closed course. odels shown with optional enuine amaha ccessories. amaha otor orporation. . . . ll rights reserved.

For your nearest Pro Yamaha dealer and to learn more about the full lineof Yamaha ATVs and Side-by-Sides, visit YamahaOutdoors.com

WOLVERINE

NATURAL BORN HUNTERS.

The 2016 Wolverine and full line of new Yamaha ATVs & Side-by-Sides.One of the wilds most tenacious and aggressive creatures, the Wolverine is designed to traverse extreme terrain with superior handling,

unparalleled off-road capability and all-day comfort. It features Yamahas legendary, ultra-durable Ultramaticautomatic transmission, exclusive

On-Command4WD, fully adjustable long travel suspension, best-in-class terrainability, and so much more. Plus, just like the full line of new

Yamaha ATVs and Side-by-Sides, theyre all Real World Tough. The 2016 Wolverines. Hunting is in their bloodline.

KODIAK700VIKINGVIKING VI WOLVERINE GRIZZLY


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14BULLET BOARD

NOSLER .277 140GRAINBALLISTIC TIP

JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

16RACK ROOM

NEW MEXICOBIGHORN SHEEP

MASOUD YOUSEFI

16CARTRIDGE CORNER

30 NOSLER

JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

17VERSUS

TO SUPPRE SS OR NOTTO SUPPRE SS?

MOLNAR KLAUBERT

JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

18NEW GEAR

A BACKPACKING TIPI,PORTABLE STOVE, & MORE

KALI PARMLEY

22FIELD TEST

HIKING STICKS: WHICHARE RIGHT FOR YOU?

KALI PARMLEY

6LETTERSHeres what Hreaders have to say.

10FROM THE EDITORCan you survive?

MIKE SCHOBY

24OPEN COUNTRYHunting from horsebackcan be beneficial. Heresa dummies guide topicking your noble steed.

JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

28GUNS & LOADSRemingtons 200 years ofexcellence reigns supremewith the Model 700 action.

CRAIG BODDINGTON

40WHITETAILSShooting does is trendyand fills the freezerbut should you?

JEFF JOHNSTON

72BYGONES

A trophy polar bear forthe record books.

BOONE & CROCKETT

30SPECIESSPOTLIGHTThe Alaska brown bear is

big, beautiful, and deadly.CRAIG BODDINGTON

34FARE GAMETurn your game meat intomore than steak with thissausage making how-to.

DAVID DRAPER

30 3424

40

APRIL MAY 2016 | VOL. 44 | NO. 2

28

Hunting (ISSN 0146-4671)April-May 2016, Volume 44, Number 2. Copyright 2016. Published 8 issues per year with three double issues (March,April/May, June/July, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan) by Outdoor Sportsman Group, 1040 6th Ave., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018-3703. Periodical po st-age paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change (Form 3579) to Hunting, P.O. Box 37539, Boone, Iowa50037-0539. Return undeliverable Canadian addressess to: 500 Rt. 46 East, Clifton, NJ 07011. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 41405030.


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06 P E T E R S E N S H U N T I N G . C O M | A P R I L M A Y 2 0 1 6

An Outdoor Sportsman Group Publication

PUBLISHERKevin E. Steele

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR Mike Schoby

ASSOCI ATE EDITOR Kali Parmley

ART DIRECTOR Tim Neher

GROUP ART DIRECTOR David A. KlecknerSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Anschuetz

COPY EDITOR Mike Brecklin

FIELD EDITORS

EXECUTIVE FIELD EDITOR Craig Boddington

WESTERN FIELD EDITOR Joseph von Benedikt

CONTRIBUTORS

Michael Waddell, David Hart, David Draper,

Jeff Johnston, John Hafner, Dusan Smetana,

Tom Martineau, Lee Thomas Kjos

ENDEMIC AD SALES

NATIONAL ENDEMIC SALES

Jim McConville (440) 791-7017WESTERN REGION

Hutch Looney (818) 990-9000

WHERE TO GO / MARKETPLACE ADVERTISING:

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CORPORATE AD SALES

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Carl Benson (312) 955-0496

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DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING/NON-ENDEMIC

Anthony Smyth (914) 693-8700

www.petersenshunting.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS INQUIRIES:Should you wish to change your address,order new subscriptions, or report a problem with your current subscrip-tion, you can do so by wr iting Hunting, P.O. Box 37539 Boone, IA 50037-0539, or e-mail us at [email protected], or call TOLLFREE 1-800-800-4246.BE AWARE THAT PETERSENS HUNTING ONLYACCEPTS SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTS FROM AUTHORIZED AGENTS!WE MAY NOT HONOR REQUESTS FROM UNAUTHORIZED AGENTS, ANDYOU THEREFORE MAY LOSE YOUR MONEY IF YOU BUY FROM AN UNAU-THORIZED AGENT.If you are offered a subscription to Petersens Hunting,please call 1-800-800-4246 to determine if the agent is authorized.For more information on subscription scams, please visit www.ftc.gov.

Subscription rate for one year is $19.94 (U.S., APO, FPO, and U.S. posses-sions). Canada add $13.00 (U.S. funds) per year, includes sales tax andGST. Foreign add $15.00 (U.S. funds) per year.

Occasionally, our subscriber list is made available to reputable firmsoffering goods and services that we believe would be of interest to ourreaders. If you prefer to be excluded, please send your current addresslabel and a note requesting to be excluded from these promotions to:Outdoor Sportsman Group1040 6th Ave., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018-3703

Attn: Privacy Coordinator

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CONTRIBUTIONS:Manuscripts, photographs and artwork must be submit-ted to the editorial department with a SASE. The Publisher assumes noresponsibility for loss or damage to unsolicited material. Please send to:

Petersens Hunting, Editor, 2 News Plaza, Peoria, IL 61614.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

LETTERS

Thanks for your near-perfect timing in

publishing Dwight Van Brunts article on

Africa. You should be inundated with letters

complimenting that article.

Robert Ruark described how the hunters

horn sounds for some, and Mr. Van Brunt

described how that call inevitably leads some

of us to Africa and the quest for dangerous

game. How each individual arrives at that

point is the question rightly posed at the

beginning of the article and should be cause

for many of us to reflect on our journeys past

and our hopes for the future.Most importantly, though, the article

provides an incentive for people to consider

Africa, to expand their horizons and con-

template the challenges of hunting danger-

ous game from our big bears to the big five.

W H

Pasadena, Maryland

Your recent issue on hunting in Africa was

spot on! I have been blessed to hunt Africa

two times and will be returning this summer.Pursuing game there is a hunters utopia. The

game and the adventure are plentiful, sur-

passing any expectation, and experiencing

life there brings fulfillment to the soul.

I am so happy that by hunting I am

creating many jobs in an area where jobs are

not easy to come by. Aside from employing

the well-known trackers and skinners, my

hunting activity allowed the safari outfitter

to offer employment to housekeepers, land-

scapers, secretarial staff, cooks, scullery

assistants, taxidermists, and taxidermists

assistants. In fact, on my last safari, I noticed

an older gentleman chopping wood for our

evening fire. The man looked to be about

sixty and was attacking the wood with

fervor. He worked hard every day with a smile

and always had a warm greeting. This man

only had one arm. My PH told me that the

woodchopper was a good worker with a

family, and without this job, he probably

would not find another source of income.

The taxidermy shop, which is owned

by the safari outfitter, employs about fif-

teen apprentices to the taxidermist. A

few of the apprentices have already gone

off to head their own shops. Its a great

success story. Im proud to call myself a

hunter. Not only does our hunting help

to conserve the beautiful wildlife of this

world, but also it has humanitarian ben-

efits beyond measure. I hope everyone has

the chance to hunt Africa and see just howmuch of a positive impact our sport has

on the world.

T M

Lancaster, California

RESTORED IS NOT ORIGINAL

Justin Karnopps Guns & Loads column in

the November 2015 issue on the restoration

of his grandpas .30-.30 was good, and I am

glad he salvaged his familys Winchester 94.

Turnbull and others can do amazing things

in restoration.Here is the rub: Restored is not original!

Teaching younger readers there is an equiv-

alency is wrong! If you dont believe me, ask

George Madis or Felix Bedlan.

E C

Oroville, California

Erle, You are correct: restored is not original.

(Even though the definition of restore isrepair or renovate so as to return it to its

original condition.) Even so, Justin said no

such thing in his article. In fact, he stated

that certain restoration processes do dimin-

ish a guns historical appeal and value. He

specified that applying restoration to a gun

simply preserves and enhances the fire-

arm. It is true youll never have an original

firearm after restoration, but that doesnt

mean you shouldnt shoot for near perfec-

tion. Kali Parmley, Associate Editor

AFRICA:

A Hunters Utopia

Write us at HUNTING LETTERS, 2 News Plaza, Peoria, IL 61614, or [email protected] include your ful l name and town and state of residence.Letters may be edited for brevity or clarity. Personal replies are not possible.


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Copyright 2016 by Outdoor Sportsman Group

All Rights Reserved. No pa rt of this book may be reproduced without

written permission.

His a registered trademark of Outdoor Sportsman Group, in

the United States.

The Publisher and authors make no representations or warranties

regarding the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the informa-

tion contained in this publication. Any reliance or use of the information

is solely at your own risk, and the authors and Publisher disclaim any

and all liability relating thereto. Any prices given in this issue were

suggested prices at the press time and are subject to change.

Some advertisements in this magazine may concern products that are not

legally for sale to California residents or residents in other jurisdictions.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jeff Paro

EXECUTIVE VP, GROUP PUBLISHER,

HUNTING & SHOOTING Mike Carney

SENIOR VP, TV OPERATIONS,

GROUP PUBLISHER, FISHING Steve Hoffman

VP, FINANCE & OPER ATIONS Derek SevcikVP, CONSUMER MARK ETING Peter Watt

VP, MANUFACTURING Deb Daniels

VP, CONTENT DEVELOPMENT Todd Smith

VP, DIGITAL SALES David Plante

SENIOR DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION Connie Mendoza

DIRECTOR, PUBLISHING TECHNOLOGY Kyle Morgan

OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP DIGITAL

DIRECTOR, DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT Berry Blanton

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For questions regarding digital editions, please [email protected]

COVER PHOTO:TONY BYNUM

MEDIA

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TELEVISION

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FISHING

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HUNTING

bowhunter.combowhuntingmag.comgundogmag.competersenshunting.comnorthamericanwhitetail.comwildfowlmag.com

SHOOTING

gunsandammo.comhandguns.comrifleshootermag.comshootingtimes.comshotgunnews.com

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That first crack of thunder sounded like abomb just fell on Ramshorn Peak. Blackclouds rolled in and the wind shook thetrees. I had ventured off the trail on my own,

gambled with the weather and now I wastrapped in the forest. Miles from camp.Surrounded by wilderness and watchingeyes. I knew that if I was going to make itthrough the night I needed to find shelterand build a fire... fast. As the first raindropsfell, I reached for my Stag Hunter Knife.

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I am worried about the next generationof hunters. They seem overly fascinatedwith technology while neglecting basicwoodsmanship. Many are more in tunewith how to program a trail camera than

in actually knowing how to follow agame trail. They can boil water as longas they have a stove with a pietzo igni-tion switch, but they re helpless if theyhave to light a real wood fire. Dont even

get me started about building a shelterfor the night with a hatchet and naturalmaterials at hand.

In my youth, my favorite book wasHow To Stay Alive in the Woodsby Brad-ford Angiers. It was written in 1956 andis full of useful skillsfrom determining

true north with a leaf and needle tomaking shelter out of branches to catch-ing fish with a trotline. The grocery list

for a six-month British Columbia canoetrip was probably a bit impractical, butI still read the book from cover to coverprobably 20 times between the ages of10 and 20. And I ll admit I still reread achapter or two each year. Impracticaland archaic in today s age of high-techtools? Hardly.

On an elk hunt in my late teens, I hada pack full of the latest high-tech gear,including an early GPS, a bivy sack, andmilitary freeze-dried MREs. I was havinglunch in our main camp when a herd of

elk strolled through. I grabbed my bowand, in the rush to pick up the fresh trail,left my pack. Since the elk werentspooked, I didnt plan on venturing more

than a few hundred yards from camp.Ten miles later I lost the trail and realized

three things: 1) It was quickly getting

dark, 2) I had no survival gear, and 3) Iwas hopelessly lost.

As the sun set behind the mountain,I stuffed my cotton shirt and pants fullof grass, laid some pine boughs againsta ponderosa, and filled the space witha huge pile of dry pine needles. Burrow-ing deep inside, I shivered my waythrough a cold September night in thehigh country with no fire. At dawn I gotmy bearings from the rising sun andstarted my long hike back to camp. Ieventually made it and then assessed

my decisions from the previous 24 hours.Clearly, I did many things wrong. I

didnt leave a note in camp as to mydirection of travel. I didnt grab my packwith it I would have been warm and fed.Possibly most important, I didnt havethe basic items, such as matches, knife,and compass in my pocket. But I did doa few things rightthings I learned from

reading that old book. I stopped when Iknew I was lost, I used natural materialsfor insulation, and I determined my loca-

tion by using the sun.While modern technology is a fan-tastic thing, it can go down, be lost, or,in moments of excitement, simply leftbehind. But what is never left behind areknowledge, determination, and basicwoodsmanship skills.

In this issue we are focusing on DIYhunting and survival skillsfrom show-casing the 20 skills every hunter shouldknow to chronicling a really cool sur-vival hunt on the Hebridean Islands ofScotland, where putting meat on thetable is far more important than puttingantlers on the wall.

I hope you enjoy this issue and pos-sibly even learn a thing or two along theway. But if you already know everythingwe cover here, please pry the iPad out ofsome kids hands and pass this issuealong. It just may save their life.

Can You Survive?

FROM THE EDITOR


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AS WE CELEBRATE TWO CENTURIES IN AMERICA, ITS HUMBLING TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE GROUND

WEVE COVERED. FROM THE INFANCY OF OUR NATION, WEVE JOURNEYED WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF

THE WAY, HELPING SHAPE THE COURSE OF AMERICAN HISTORY. REMINGTON COUNTRY IS

MUCH BIGGER THAN A PLACE, AND FOR THE PAST 200 YEARS, ITS BEEN OUR HIGHEST

HONOR SUPPORTING YOUR FREEDOMS, AND YOUR WAY OF LIFE.


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HUNTING NEWS | TIPS | INSIGHT

T Y B D?Its a good year to be a taxidermist. Just askHarry Whitehead. A taxidermist in Nicholasville,

Kentucky, for 30 years, the 2015 season is shaping

up to be his best ever.

Id say the number of deer heads broughtto my shop was up 30 percent this year, he says.

The average size is up, too. I used to mount a lot

of 140-inch deer, but this season, the averagewas closer to 150.

Whitehead isnt alone. Far from it. Countless

hunters throughout whitetail country made a trip

to the taxidermist. Thats nothing new, of course.

But this year? Big bucks were everywhere. It seemed

like every social media outlet and every website

dedicated to deer hunting was crammed with beam-

ing hunters posing with giant bucks.

They came from the obvious places, like Kansas,

Illinois, and Ohio, including the 300-inch, non-

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16/76


typical giant taken near JunctionCity, Ohio, by bowhunter Dan Coffman.

Although details were few at press time,its reported to be the biggest buck evertaken by a bowhunter. A 14-year-old Okla-

homa girl killed the states fourth-largest

buck and the largest taken by a woman.It scored 179 7/8 Boone & Crockett points.

Even states that arent known for

producing trophy-class whitetails werecranking out a run of big deer. A WestVirginia hunter killed what is likely to be

the new state record typical whitetail,

green-scoring 191 2/8, and a Louisianabow hunter arrowed a 172 6/8-inch pub-

lic land giant, possibly the second-largest

bow kill in the state.

Part of the plethora of big bucks hasto do with social media itself, figures Qual-

ity Deer Management Association Direc-tor of Education & Outreach Kip Adams.

We seem to be sharing our deer a lot

more on social media, he says, and a

photo of a really big deer gets circulatedover the Internet, so it may seem like

there are a lot more big deer being killedthan in the past. With that said, I really

do believe we are starting to see a trendtoward really big deer thats been in theworks for several years. I think a number

of things came together this last season.

Kansas Whitetail Adventures ownerGene Pearcy agrees. There was food andcover everywhere in 2014 where I hunt in

Kansas. The deer didnt have to travel

This season was exceptional.

season. Ohios was lower, as well.

from any data we might have.

there might be a link.

a positive impact on local deer herds.

140-grain

Bullet BoardB U L L E T B A S I C S

Noslers Ballistic Tip was the first big-game bullet

to successfully utilize a polymer tip, which aids

expansion, and boosted aerodynamics beyond

the norm. Combined with the designs modest

boattail, the tip makes for a bullet that is good

for distance yet accurate. At its tip the jacket is

very thin, further enhancing the effective expan-

sion. The jacket thickens to prevent complete

fragmentation so the bullet maintains enough

integrity and weight to enable the bullet to

drive through vitals.

T E S T I N G G R O U N D

The bullet pictured flew 561 yards up a steepArizona mountain and impacted a mature coues

whitetail buck in the rear portion of the ribs,

angling forward through the vitals.

F I E L D P E R F O R M A N C E

Impacting at an estimated 1,850 fps, the bullet

passed through some 17 inches of stomach,

diaphragm, vitals, and ribs before coming to

rest against the hide just behind the off shoulder.

S T A T S

Retained weight of the recovered projectile is

106.7 grains, or about 76 percent of original

weight. Average expanded diameter is 0.55inch, not quite double original bullet diameter.

With a BC of .456 this Ballistic Tip scores better

than the usual hunting projectile, yet its not in

the same league as long-range super-bullets

touting BCs above .600.

N O T E S / O B S E R V A T I O N S

In my experience, the bullet performs beauti-

fully in most factory ammo and is easy to gain

excellent accuracy in handloads. Current Ballistic

Tips hold together better and perform beautifully

on deer-size game.Joseph von Benedikt


17/76

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Theyve changed the game, says

Watterson, who is also experiencing aspike in business this year. Hunters

now know whats out there. If they knowthere is a 140- or 150-inch deer running

around, they are less likely to shoot the

first 120- or 130-inch buck that comes

by. Im up 20 percent over last year.

I had 70 deer between 140 and 160brought to me, including three or four

between 180 and 190 inches, so it cer-

tainly seems like this year was a verygood one.

One good year doesnt necessarily

make a trend, but Whitehead and Wat-

terson are convinced the most recentdeer season is a look at the future.

Ive been a taxidermist for 15 years,

and every year seems to be a little better

than the last, says Watterson. I think the

increase in leasing is also playing a role

in this. When people pay good money to

hunt, they are less likely to shoot the first

buck they see. Others also realize that if

they want meat, they can shoot does and

save their buck tags for something worth

shooting. David Hart

of yearlings, according to data com-

piled by the Quality Deer ManagementAssociation. That number has been fall-

ing ever since. Just 33 percent of the ant-

lered bucks killed in 2014 were yearlings,

the lowest ever recorded. Incredibly, the

yearling buck kill in Arkansas was justeight percent of the total buck harvest in

2013. Whats more, the average age ofbucks being killed by hunters has in-

creased dramatically in recent years.Thirty-four percent of all bucks killed in

the 23 states that record age structure

were 3 years old or older. More thantwo-thirds of the bucks taken in Arkansasand Louisiana were at least 3 years old.

It seems like everyone is practicing

trigger management, says Adams. Theyare passing up younger bucks and shoot-

ing older deer. It makes sense that asmore deer make it to 3, more deer will

also make it to 4 or 5, when they can

really reach their full potential.

Whitehead and Ohio taxidermistCasey Watterson credit another factor to

the increase in giant bucks in recent years:

trail cameras.

WHERE:New Mexico

WHEN:August 2012

RIFLE:.270 Weatherby Magnum

HUNTER:Masoud Yousefi

RACKROOM

30 Nosler

H I S T O R Y

Based on the .404 Jeffries case, just as its 26- and

28-caliber siblings, the 30 Nosler is a standard-

length cartridge (fits in .30-06-length actions)

with no belt and a rebated rim, which gives it

considerably more capacity than the equal-length

.300 Win. Mag. Offering conceivably the best

engineering of the entire crop of fast .30-caliber

magnums, the 30 Nosler is shorter than the .300

Weatherby, .300 Remington Ultra Mag, and .300

H&H yet is as powerful. Its both more efficient

and more powerful than the aforementioned

.300 Win. Mag. and offers considerably more

horsepower than short .300 magnums.

A P P L I C A T I O N

No hooved game is out of the 30 Noslers reach.

While near-sighted hunters will consider it too

much for deer-size game, it does give an advantage

in heavy wind or on dicey shot presentations.

Outstanding performance can be found on elk,

moose, and the largest African antelope, and

with careful shot placement, the cartridge will

do just fine on big bears.

Due to its high muzzle velocities, careful thought

should be put into bullet selection. Tough bonded

or monolithic bullets, such as the Swift Scirocco

II and A-Frame, Barnes TSX, Hornady GMX, and

Federal Trophy Bonded Tip and Trophy Copper,

and Nosler Partition and E-Tip, are good options.

B A L L I S T I C S

Heavy bullets will get the best out of the 30

Nosler. So far Ive shot 180- and 200-grain Nosler

AccuBonds (3,200 and 3,000 fps respectively)

and 210-grain AccuBond Long Range (3,000fps) bullets out of it. All performed admirably,

with the 200-grain AB carving tiny, sub-half-

MOA groups out of the Nosler M48 Heritage

rifle. Exiting the muzzle with just over 4,000

ft.-lbs. of energy, it carries 1,500 ft.-lbs. of

elk-dropping impact all the way to 800 yards.

Zeroed at 200 yards, it drops only 6.2 inches at

300, 17.8 at 400, and 35.7 inches at 500 yards.

Joseph von Benedikt

Rack Room winners will receive an Aimpoint hunting sight.Enter your trophy photo at PETERSENSHUNTING.COM/RR

Hunting bighorn sheep is often a

once-in-a-lifetime experience for many

hunters. The chances of drawing a tag

are slim, and even when luck is on your

side, the chance at a trophy are few due

to the grueling nature of the hunt. For

Masoud Yousefi, his luck was on the rise

four years ago.

In 2012, Masoud would draw a tag for

a New Mexico Rocky Mountain ram in a

newly added unit with one catch: sheep

had never been hunted there before.Placing his luck on the scouting abilities

of one of the top outfitters in New Mexico,Masoud found himself glassing for sheep

on the Culebra Range at 12,700 feet.

After days of hard hunting, it would be

from that peak that Masoud would con-

nect with a ram at 400 yardsmakinghistory as the first ram taken in that unit.


19/76

AGAINST SUPPRESSORS

Installing a suppressor on ones favored

hunting or shooting tool is much en vogue

today. But for most shooters, its simply

impractical.

Although the advantages in protecting

ones hearing and aiding alertness in the

field are undeniable, the cost of a good

suppressor is prohibitive and the applica-tion process onerous and expensive. Plus,

even the lightest, most svelte suppressors

are bulky and will add nearly a pound to

ones rifle.

Sticker shock alone turns most hunters

away from owning a suppressor. When the

product is a cylindrical piece of metal with

threads in one end, a little hole in the other,

and a bunch of baffles in-between, it just

doesnt seem worth the $700 to $1,400 price

typical of a good suppressor, especially with

the $200 cost of a Federal NFA tax stampatop it. Most hunters prefer to spend the

money on another rifle, and when one con-

siders that a Kimber, Sako, or other upper-

crust rifle can be had for the cost of a can,

one may hardly disagree.

Add to that the headache of filling out

appropriate NFA forms, getting notarysignatures, fingerprint cards, passport

photos, and so forth, followed by six months

to one year of waiting for approval. Brand-

new foam ear plugs cost a quarter. Stick a

set in the pocket of your camo trousers,

take your lovely new Sako out of the cabinet,

and enjoy a day in the woods or at the range.

Finally, while suppressor use duringsome types of hunting is practical, such

as while riding the high rack of a pickup in

Texas or Africa or while on stand over a

whitetail food plot or during a driven hunt

in Europe, adding one to the end of a

mountain rifle is almost a travesty. Doing

so adds weight and awkwardnessthe last

thing a hunter needs when scaling the Rocky

Mountains for alpine mule deer or Ger-

manys Alps for chamois. Molnar Klaubert

IN FAVOR OF SUPPRES SORS

Unknown to most Americans, suppressors

were not made a National Firearms Act (NFA)

regulated item because they are the favored

tool of assassins and spies. Thats a notion that

didnt exist until Hollywood created it. Among

other reasons, purchasing a suppressor was

originally made difficult and expensive in an

effort to curb the poaching rampant duringand after the Great Depression. Yep, officials

were concerned that it was just too hard to

catch out-of-work fathers attempting to feed

their starving children.

One has only to venture outside the U.S.

to realize that shooting and hunting with a

suppressor not only is the civilized thing to

do, but also is practical and accepted. Itprotects ones hearing and the hearing of

those nearby. It makes it possible to stalk

game without muffs or plugs installed,

increasing the hunters awareness anddecreasing reaction time. It makes it easy to

communicate while teaching new shooters

about safety and shooting skills.

Arrive at a European range without a

suppressor, and youre likely to be thought

rather uncultured and positively impolite.

You can walk into a hardware store in many

countries, including those where firearms

are heavily regulated, and for the price of an

expensive dinner purchase a can to screw

onto your rifle and walk right out.

Shooter perception in America has under-

gone an awakening. Currently, suppressor

ownership is one of the fastest-growing trends

among shooters and hunters. When the $200

cost of the required tax stamp was estab-

lished, it was equivalent to the price of a new

car. That cost hasnt changed, and inflation

has brought it within reach of the average

shooter. Obtaining suppressors via a trust has

streamlined the purchase process.

So step down from your high horse and

get yourself a suppressor. Big game wont

thank you, but your ears will.

Joseph von Benedikt

THE QUIET

RIOT DEBATEHUNTING WITH A SUPPRESSO R:IS IT WORTH THE COST AND EFFORT?


20/76

W E I G H T, S PA C E, A N D P O R TA B I L I T Y are three important factors

when choosing the right tent for your hunting adventures. Insert Seek Outside

and their Ultralight Tipi. Thats right. Theyre going old school but with an

updated twist: a portable backpacking tipi. Made from high-quality, lightweight

materials, including a two layer DX40 Dyneema Reinforced canopy, the tipis

start at 4 pounds, 2 ounces and work their way up from there. Heres the best

part: Its equipped to house a titanium wood-burning stove (see next page).

Choose from a tipi for four all the way up to one that accommodates 24.

Is your mind blown yet? $639$2,500; see kou ts ide.c om

pitchperfectKALI PARMLEY


21/76

A P R I L M A Y 2 0 1 6 | P E T E R S E N S H U N T I N G . C O M 19

NEW GEAR

STAYING WARM in the backcountry is a beautiful but rare thing. However,

not anymore, thanks to Seek Outside and their portable, packable Titanium

Wood Stove. Weighing as little as 20 ounces, the stove packs flat for easy

carry and includes a roll-up pipe that fits nicely through the stove port located

on the companys Ultralight Tipi. It stands 12 inches and is made to heat y our

tipi and will burn for hours. $324$445;see koutside. com

B A C K C O U N T R Y F O O T W E A R is a very important piece of gear. No one

wants to end their hunt early because of a blister or twisted ankle. Made of

breathable GORE-TEX membranes and 100 percent waterproof, the Cabelas

Western Guide Hunting Boots by Meindl breathe fresh air in thanks to Air

Revolution technology. Not only that, but soft, flexible uppers help prevent

uncomfortable pressure and sore areasno blisters, baby.$399; cabelas.com

W E A R A B L E T E C H N O L O G Y is a hunters new best friend. Using GPS

technology, the Garmin Fenix 3 is able to show weather forecasts, barometer/

altimeter readings, record distance, and so much more. It even offers a TracBack

feature for a safe return to camp. Pair the Fenix 3 with your phones Bluetooth

to show texts, calls, and emails. This watch does everything except shoot

lasers. Hopefully, that comes with the next update. $499$799;garmin. com

T H E S T R Y K E R S T O V E and four-piece cook set assure eating well in

the backcountry. Weighing in at just 18.3 ounces, it boils water in less than

two minutes. Matchless ignition and added wind protection help make this

a must-have for the wilderness hunter. Connect the cook set frying pan us ing

the adapter (sold separately) and saut wild mushrooms to go with those

fresh backstraps. $68 (stove),$58 (cook set),$27 (adapter) ; campchef.com


22/76


23/76


24/76


BOGPOD QSTICK

The Q-Stick by Bog-Pod serves double-duty as both a hiking stick and a monopodshooting stick. Thanks to its trademarkedSwitcheroo Shooting System, users canquickly switch between the shooting rest,foam-covered bino rest, camera adapter,and a compass. Made of lightweight alu-

minum, the Q-Stick is strong and durable,

holding my weight with no evidence ofbending from the pressure. Consisting ofthree sections and a thick rubber handlefor easy gripping, the pole has rapid-adjusttwist locks to change the length of the pole

to fit all heights and needs.Weighing in at 15 ounces, the pole is a

little heavier than the others tested, but dueto its multiple function use, strength, anddurability, this pole reigned supreme amongthe rest in my test.

Height: 29.568 in.; Weight: 15 oz.

$120; bog-pod.com

CABELAS HIKING STAFF

If youre looking for a less-expensive option

to keep you on your feet, Cabelas offers theirHiking Staff at an affordable price. However,my tests found that although lightweightand durable, these sticks are best suited for

simpler hunting trips, not the mountainside.Made of ultralight aluminum, the sticks

felt durable, but the double quick-lock

system that controlled the length of thepole was known to loosen and change theheight of the pole while in use. A quicktightening of the screws fixed the problem,

but concerned me about its use in thebackcountry. The pole comes completewith a tungsten tip to dig deep into icyterrain or a rubber tip cap to resist slippage.

The adjusting wrist strap was a nice feature,

as was a wide head that could serve as arifle rest if needed.

Height: 2650 in.; Weight: 8 oz.

$35; cabelas.com

BLACK DIAMOND ALPINE FLZ TREKKING POLES

True trekking poles, the Alpine FLZ poles are

available in three different sizes and start atjust 10 ounces each. Dont let their lightweight scare you. These poles are strong,and I could feel the durability as soon as Ibegan my testing. On steep inclines, the poleshad no problem digging deep and sticking

thanks to their Flex Tech Tips. Additionally,

the poles rapidly expand with the FlickLockmechanisma lever found at the top of thepole. Best part: The trekking poleshave a one-pull, speed cone deploymentthat snaps into place with a metal lock,making it almost impossible for the polesto contract without warning.

Although not specifically shooting sticks,

the poles have a natural cork grip and awide rubber head that could serve as a quickshooting rest in a pinch.

Height: 3755 in.; Weight (per pair): 2021.5 oz.

$140; blackdiamondequipment.com

Trekking and hiking poles are pieces of equipment that often are overlooked or

discounted by hunters. However, when your feet hit falling shale as you climb a moun-tainside chasing a bighorn sheep or as your body slips while traversing steep inclines

covered with loose dirt in pursuit of a monster Colorado bull, youll be searching for

that extra piece of stability. Not only that, but they also double as shooting rests when

your crosshairs bounce back and forth over the vitals of a trophy class muley.

We gathered trekking, hiking, and shooting sticks and put them to the test to see

which fit the bill for your next hunting adventure.

KALI PARMLEY

Extra support goes

a long way when

chasing game in

rough terrain.


25/76

FIELD TEST

Mik

eA

nsch

uetz


26/76


Many hunters dont have the financesto spring for a guided horseback hunt

in the West, but hunting elk or evenalpine-country mule deer deep in wil-

derness without a horse can be anexercise in foolishness. So whether

you borrow a neighbors animal, rent a much-ridden equine,or take the plunge and purchase a horse outright, here are ahandful of tips to help you survive and succeed.

CINCH UP

Keep your saddle cinch tight. Few things are worse than lurching

to the side as your formerly predictable equine companion takes

an unexpected flying leap over a log or creek and having yoursaddle roll, dumping you in said creek and dragging your prizedsaddle and rifle through the rocks and deadfall as your shockedpony dashes away in fright. Check that cinch frequently and keep

it snug, especially on round-backed horses with low withers.It doesnt hurt to use a breastcollar to keep your saddle from

creeping rearward while climbing long, steep slopes, and insome cases a crupper (strap that runs rearward from the sad-dle and loops around the tail) can keep you from riding your

chargers ears if you ever have to Snowy River off a steep ridge.

New to horses? Follow this sage adviceto DIY horsemanship success.

GUN TOTING

Traditionally, horsemen hung rifle scabbards on the side ofthe horse, passed beneath the stirrup leather and slanted tokeep the rifle from sliding out. This works beautifully withslab-sided, rifles such as a lever-action Model 94 Winchester.

Modern scoped bolt-action hunting rifles are much bulkier,and while you can hang one in this traditional position, beaware that it will be uncomfortably large beneath your knee,making long stretches in the saddle unpleasant.

Another place to hang a rifle is off the pommel pointingstraight down alongside the horses shoulder. While less com-mon, its still a traditional way to carry a long gun, and its amethod I prefer when carrying my scoped bolt-action rifles.

GANGSTA YOUR BOOTS

Few things are worse for hunting than cowboy boots, and fewboots are less suitable for riding than hunting boots. Cowboyboots have defined heels that prevent your foot from slippingthrough a stirrup and getting stuck; hunting boots have bulky,flat-bottomed soles that seem engineered to enhance theirability to stick in a stirrup. Getting thrown and having a boothang up in a stirrup as you go off is absolutely life-threatening.

Since carrying two pairs of boots and switching back andforth isnt practical, the solution is to loosen the laces of yourhunting boots before mounting so that even if your boot hangs

up (if you fall off ) your foot will pull out of the boot. Its betterthat your panicked horse races frantically away with one ofyour boots than for you to go bouncing along with it.

STALK ON FOUR HO OVES

Horses have four feet, and their gait is far less alarming to wildgame than the sound of a human heading up a trail. Numeroustimes Ive had elk bugle at me while on horseback, and notuncommonly a lone bull will move in for a closer look. Ridingslowly through elk country and blowing a soft cow-call on occasion

is a great way to cover a lot of ground without unduly alarming

its inhabitants and, in some cases, to ride right in amongst em.

When tying up to stalk, two horses left togetherare far quieter than one left alone. Plus, with gamein the bag, you can mount up and ride home.

DUMMIES GUIDE TO:

DIY Horseback Hunting

JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

OPEN COUNTRY


27/76

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tip. This tip resists aerodynamic heating and creates the PERFECT MEPLAT.Combined with its secant ogive profile, AMPjacket and optimized boattail,the ELD-Xbullet delivers flat trajectories, match accuracy and unparalleledlethality at ALL practical ranges.

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28/76


O P E N C O U N T R Y

TIE ONE ON

packing meat.

your horse when it jumps a log.

BAIL AND BANG

securely for those times when you hunt alone.

TAKE TWO

by nature very sociable, and rare indeed is the mount that will

stand contentedly munching bark when left alone tied to a treein the wilderness.

With two horses, once youve got meat on the ground, you canload the pack animal, swing aboard your saddle horse, and ride

to camp rather than hiking and leading one meat-laden horse.

DAYPACK SADDLEBAGS

Nothing says greenhorn more effectively than carrying your

own daypack while riding a horse. Spring for a quality set of

saddlebags. Carry water, food, spare ammo, camera, first-aid kit,

and so forth in the bags. Just in case you get tossed and becomehorseless, keep a weatherproof lighter or waterproof matches

and a compact headlamp in your pocket and a knife on your belt.Not to say that you cant have a daypack with you, too. In

fact, I often hang one from the saddle horn opposite the side

where my rif le hangs, where it s easily accessible and partlybalances out the load, minimizing the saddles tendency to list

to one side. Just be sure that the handle atop it can take the

weight without tearing out and dumping your daypack.


29/76

Americas most trusted scent-elimination system, Scent-A-Way MAX, features

supercharged odor scrubbers that aggressively attract and attack human bacterial

odors, while neutralizing the broadest possible spectrum of environmental odors.

Its bioengineering at its best, for serious hunters like you.


30/76


Hey, we all have our favorite rifle actions.Some of us go for classics like Mausers andPre-64 Model 70s. Others, both hobbyists

and custom makers, gravitate to the Rem-ington Model 700 action. There are goodreasons for this. The Model 700 action is

strong and, mated with a good barrel, is likely to deliver excep-tional accuracy. It is also available. Manufactured continuously

since 1962, it is the best-selling and one of the longest runningof all bolt actions. There are millions of them out there.

If you happen to be a lefty,you are probably even more

likely to gravitate to theModel 700 action. Over the

years, Remington has beenvery kind to us downtrodden

and neglected left-handers,but even so, not every imag-

inable cartridge and con-figuration has been available

in a left-hand action. Still,there are plenty of actionsout there, whether the basisfor a full-up custom job or a

simple rebarreling.I was just a kid when I got

my first Model 700. It was a

.264 Winchester Magnum,only slightly used when Iacquired it in 1966. It was a

right-hand action. Like mostlefties back then, I started with right-hand actions, reaching over

the top to work the bolt. That rifle, along with almost everything

else, went out the door in a burglary in about 1981. By then, Idacquired a couple of left-hand actions. I preferred the convenience

and the obvious safety factor of being on the correct side of the

The southpaws best friend!

action in case of a catastrophic failure. Since I had to start over,

I made a conscious decision to switch to left-hand actions. Mynext two rifles were purchased from a left-hander who had lost

the sight in his left eye and was switching to right-hand actions.One was a Model 700 in 7mm Remington Magnum.

I have no idea how many rifles Ive owned since then thatwere based on Model 700 left-hand actionsbut almostcertainly more than all other actions combined. Several have

been from name makers. I had a gorgeous David Miller 7mm

Remington Magnum on a left-hand ADL (blind magazine)

action. And my first KennyJarrett rifle was a .30-06 based

on a left-hand RemingtonBDL action. One of my first

synthetic-stocked rifles wasa .338 Winchester Magnum

by Chet Brown, also basedon a left-hand BDL action.Donna and I share the afflic-tion; the Remington 700 is a

favorite action of Kerry andCarole ODay of MGA, andweve enjoyed using several

of their rifles over the years.Other rifles have been a

simple rebarreling, and some

have been more complex.The cool thing about thestandard Model 700 action

is that, unlike many others,the bolt and magazine box

are long enough to accommodate .375 H&H-length cartridges.

There are also short M700 actions, and there have been afew runs of left-hand short actions. Unfortunately, these areuncommon. Ive only had my hands on one, made into a

really cool .350 Remington Magnum by MGA.

Today Kenny Jarrett makes his own actions, but for many years,he preferred Remington M700 actions because it wasnt difficult

to make them shoot well. Boddingtons first Kenny Jarrettrifle was chambered to .30-06.

Te Model 700 Action

CRAIG BODDINGTON

GUNS&LOADS


31/76

A P R I L M A Y 2 0 1 6 | P E T E R S E N S H U N T I N G . C O M 29

G U N S & L O A D S

The standard-length actions, well, Ive used them as thebasis for a bunch of rifles in chamberings that just werent avail-able in left-hand form. The first was a .458 Lott back in 1983,

pretty much at the urging of Jack Lott himself. It was open-sighted and stocked in a nice piece of wood from E.C. Bishop.Ill be totally honest: It was too light and kicked too much. I

should have kept itand I also should have learned my lesson.

The next was a .416 Hoffman, built by Randy Brooks ofBarnes Bullets back in 1985. This was before the .416 Remington

and before the rebirth of the .416 Rigby, when Barnes wasjust about the only source for.416 bullets. I used it to take

several buffalo and my firstelephant, but in that period

I did several safaris in theOkavango, so it was my con-

cept of a swamp rifle. Thestock was synthetic, and itweighed around six pounds.Although light and handy in

the mokoro(dugout canoe),

the recoil was ferocious. Ieventually surrendered andput a muzzlebrake on it. Thismade it more manageable to

shoot, but it went throughscopes and mounts like armyants through sugar.

Just before I made theswitch to left-hand actions,I had a brief fling with a right-

handed M700 in 8mm Rem-

ington Magnum. I loved the

cartridge, and in the mid90s a left-handed M700 .375became the basis for a left-handed 8mm Remington Mag-

num. This was a very specialrifle. Rebarreled with a 28-inch

Pac-Nor barrel and stocked inEnglish walnut by our greatPaso Robles gunsmith, NormBridge, it was my concept of a

long-range elk rifle.Although it accounted for

a number of elk, I must admitthat I used it to miss the biggest

elk I ever got a shot at. Thatwas my fault, not the rifles.Although it was heavy, I lugged

it on several mountain hunts,including my first Marco Polo sheep hunt in 98 and my second

mountain nyala hunt in Ethiopias high country in 2000. That riflewas incredibly accurate, producing the best group Ive ever shot,

an honest .052 inch. Do the maththats one-twentieth of an inch!In full disclosure, that was just one group out of many. I suppose

it was a fluke, since I could never come close to duplicating it, butI could count on that rifle to group between a quarter- and a half-

inch, so of course I had great confidence in it and used it a lot.

Ultimately, I decided, sensibly, that, at nearly 12 pounds

with scope, it was just too heavy to carry in rough country.Honestly, Ive always been more of a fast .30 guy and pretty

much equal opportunity. I ve used .300 Winchester Magnumsand .300 Weatherby Magnums with equal satisfaction, and a

factory left-hand M700 in .300 RUM was spectacularlyaccurate. But there was one .30-caliber magnum I hadntused, so about a dozen years ago another left-handed BDL

became the basis for a .300 H&H. Also with a good Pac-Norbarrel, this turned into another quarter-inch rifle. It shot

equally well with 150- and200-grain bullets so, unchar-

acteristically, I bypassed mycustomary favorite: the180-grain .30 caliber.

I used it for my first desert

bighorn in 2003 with the 150-grain bullet, a difficult quar-

tering-to shot at about 330yards. Later, with 200-grainbullets, it made a couple of

trips to Africa and the SouthPacific and, of course, per-formed perfectly.

Its been a little whilesince Ive made a project

rifle on a Model 700 action,but Im sure there will bemore. In the used-rifle mar-

ket, the M700 remains themost available left-handaction, and while it is notinexpensive, it is much

more affordable than manychoices. In my experience,

mate a 700 action with agood barrel and its going

to shoot.Most of the time, it s also

going to feed. Like all push-feed actions, in the rebarrel-

ing process a radical changein cartridge dimensions mayrequire work on the rails or

follower. But heres the deal:

So much is made of con-trolled-round-feed versuspush-feed, especially in rifles

that might be used for dan-gerous game. I can assureyou most of this hullabaloo

comes from right-handed shooters. Until fairly recently,we lefties have had almost no left-hand controlled-round-

feed actions to choose from, and weve done just fine with

Browning A-Bolts, Savage 110s, Weatherby Mark Vs, and, ofcourse, Remington Model 700s. The Model 700 feeds with

perfect reliability, and although Im not quite sure why this isimportant in a sporting rif le, it feeds upside down and sideways

just as well as a 98 Mauser. Try it and youll see !

Boddington used a Remington M700 BDL rebarreled to.300 H&H to take his first desert bighorn in 2003.


32/76


T

he sight of any fresh bear track islikely to send shivers up onesspine, but when you see the foot-

long track of a coastal brown bear,your imagination goes to work.Add in a freshly caught salmon,

still flopping and hastily abandoned, and suddenlythe dense alders seem a lot more sinister. You arein the presence of giantsand youre on their turf.

Although numerous worldwide subspeciesand races are identified, there is just one brownbear: the long-clawed, dish-faced Ursus arctos,ranging in the Northern Hemisphere from thePyrenees of Spain discontinuously eastward towestern Canada and our Northern Rockies. Sizevaries regionally, depending largely on diet andlength of hibernation. Biologically, the grizzly bear

and the brown bear are the same animal, but thecoastal bears are blessed with a high-protein fishdiet much of the year and, thanks to the warmJapanese current, enjoy a milder climate andshorter winters nap.

As hunters, we have always distinguished thecoastal Alaska brown bear from the interiorgrizzly simply because they get a whole lot bigger.

In fact, the Alaska brown bear is considered thelargest grizzly/brown bear in the world. That said,the coastal brown bears of Russias Kamchatka

Peninsula are only slightly smaller, and the extinct

Large and in charge

all you needto know about the brown giant.

California grizzly is believed to have been bigger.Just how big is a matter for some conjecture. Aswith all bears, spring and fall weights vary con-

siderablyreferences suggest 800 to 1200 pounds,with outsized boars occasionally reaching 1,500pounds. Thats a lot of bear!

A big bear may approach 10 feet from nose totail and stand nearly five feet at the shoulder. The

standard hunters reference for bear size is usu-ally the squared hide. This is done by laying afresh skin out flat and measuring nose-to-tail,then front paw to front paw (usually the largermeasurement). These numbers are added andthen divided by two. Depending on where one ishunting, an eight-foot bear may be good, and anine-foot bear is always good, but a few bearssquaring 10 feet are taken every year, and oncein a while a genuine 11-footer pops up.

Since hide measurements are impossible toverify, all record book systems use skull measure-

ments, length plus width. Although irrefutable,skull size does not always match body size, but askull in the upper 20s is big, with the Boone andCrockett minimum for the all-time book a whop-ping 29 inches. Long a popular campfire argument,it isnt clear whether the polar or the Alaska brownis the largest bear. The polar bear is rangier, while

the Alaska brown is probably heavier. Largest

recorded skull sizes are very similar.

Donna Boddington took this 10-foot bear on AdmiraltyIsland with guide Alisha Rosenbruch-Decker (left).

Thats a big bear anywhere, but unusually large inthe ABC Islands and Southeast Alaska.

Alaska Brown Bear

CRAIG BODDINGTON

SPECIESSPOTLIGHT

BESTHUNTING

OPPORTUNITIES

Kodiak Island and the

Alaska Peninsula are

the most famous

areas for the biggest

brown bears, but

current populations

are high and there are

big bears throughout

the range. Realisti-

cally, coastal brown

bear hunting is much

more successful than

hunting interior

grizzlies, but Alaska isAlaska, so its always

a matter of having

some luck with the

weather. Aside from

area, the next

question is spring or

fall? Both have their

advantages, but

although my best bear

was taken in the fall,

spring seems to offer

more consistent

weather, and the long

daylight is a plus.


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The brown bear is hunted primarily by glassing

or, in thicker cover, spot-and-stalk techniques.Although baiting is not allowed, it isnt uncommon

to find a bear on a moose kill, which it will usu-ally defend. By any means, this is an exciting hunt

with at least a hint of danger, and the Alaska brownbear is a magnificent creature, rating placementon any short list of the worlds great game animals.

I have been fortunate to hunt them several times,

both spring and fall, and although I wasnt alwayssuccessful, I count each brown bear hunt among

my favorite hunting memories.

NATURAL HISTORY

Although we consider the Alaska brown beartogether with the polar bear as the worlds largest

predators, technically the Alaska brown bear is anomnivore. They are hard on moose populations

and, if they plan ahead, probably look forward tothe annual salmon run. However, they also feed

on grass, tubers, and berries in the autumn months.The primary mating season is late May and

June, but only a percentage of sows are availablein any given year. Cubs, born during hibernation,

will stay with the mother from two to four years,

so on average, sows will mate only about every

three years. The average litter is two, but thenormal range is one to three cubs, with more

possible in good years. Females are sexuallymature between four and eight years, males

between five and nine. While obviously a slow-breeding animal, the brown bear has a long life

span. In the wild, 25 years is normal; a big boarI took back in 1981 was aged, by tooth section,

at 27. Females tend to live longer, with sowsoccasionally reaching 30 and more.

Like many predatory species, male bears prac-

tice infanticide, theoretically to bring the mother

into heat more quickly. Male bears are thus amajor factor in cub mortality, but otherwise, the

brown bear has little danger from other predators.The boar plays no role in raising cubs, but sows

are highly protective of their young. As far asdanger to humans, bears attack for threeprimary reasons: territorial intrusion (meaning

you got too close), defense (usually meaning yougot too close to or between a sow with cubs), and

predation (meaning you are going to get eaten).This last is clearly the most ominous and, fortu-

nately, least commonbut over the years severaldeer hunters have been jumped while calling, so

its not a good idea to hunt alone in bear country.Others have been attacked while packing meat,

and others have been harassed at random. In bigbear country, stay alert, avoid presenting a target,

and carry bear spray.

The front foot of the Alaska brown bearcarries claws like four-inch stilettos. The hindfoot, longer with shorter claws, leaves atrack that may be a foot long.

S POTL IGHT

BROWNBEARFACTSPOPULATION

Since no official agency

differentiates betweencoastal brown bear

and adjacent interiorgrizzly populations, its

tough to tell the exactnumber. Nor should

they,because one daya bear is a grizzly,

the next day he stepsacross the boundary and

is a brown bear. World-

wide, there are some200,000 brown/grizzlybears; the Alaskan

population is estimatedat 32,000. Because of

better food conditions,the coastal and island

populations are denserthan in the interior, so

there are probably atleast 15,000 Alaska

brown bears.

MOST

EXPENSIVEHUNTS

The famous areas,

Kodiak Island and theAlaska Peninsula, are

hunted by quota, withthe Peninsula hunted

only every other year.

LEAST

EXPENSIVE

HUNTS

For nonresidents there

are no cheap brownbear hunts, but huntsin Southeast Alaska

and the ABC Islandsaverage less than

on Kodiak and the

Peninsula. Althoughthe reputation is for

smaller bears, the actualaverage is similar, and

there are big bearsthere. My wife, Donna,

took an honest 10-footer on Admiralty

Island in 2013.


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TessRousey

ubed meat gets a bad rap. Consider the much-maligned hot dog and its vile reputation as the

endgame for pig lips and ani. The truth is, thecraft of turning ground meat into a sublime

sausage is high art, even when it comes to thelowly wiener. And while it may be art, making

sausage is not difficult. With a little equipment and some basicknowledge, hunters can turn deer, elk, and other venison intosomething so much more than the usual steaks and burgers.

First, lets tackle the misconception that sausage is madefrom suspect ingredients. Like any worthwhile endeavor, youget out what you put inor put more simply: quality in equalsquality out. While sausage is a great use for butcher scraps andtougher cuts like shoulders and the neck, it pays dividends totrim judiciously, removing any bloodshot material, stringysinew, or otherwise poor or damaged meat. As for the deers

intake and output ports? Best leave them for the dogs.

Making sausage takes skillbut that doesnt mean its difficult.

Another ingredient that cant be skimped on is some type

of fat, and that goes double for sausages made from otherwiselean game meat. We all know fat adds flavor, but its also es-sential for creating the proper texture. The No. 1 complaintwhen it comes to sausage made from deer is that it is often toodry, and biting into a game sausage without enough fat addedwill feel a lot like getting a mouthful of sand. To prevent that,plan on adding as much as 30 percent fat, which can come inthe form of ground pork fat, beef tallow, or even bacon.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of different typesof sausages from around the world, but they all fall into one ofthree categories: fresh (think loose breakfast sausage or links ofItalian sausage), smoked, or dry-cured (generally in the form of

hard salami). The borders between these types are often blurred,especially the line between smoked and cured, but there are acouple rules. Fresh sausage, either cased or loose, is left uncooked

until it comes time to prepare it for the table. Dried sausagesare always made with some type of curing agent, generally avariation of sodium nitrate, to prevent bacteria growth duringthe weeks (or months or years) it takes them to cure.

There is a singular rule covering all types of sausages, andthats keeping everything cold. Abundant fat and the pri-mary bind (more on this later) are essential to creating theperfect sausage, and each of these elements is threatened

when the meat temperature gets too warm. The slightestamount of heat during the sausage-making process will cause

the proteins and fats to separate. This is called breaking, andit results in a sausage that will dry out when cooked or cured.To prevent it, place the meatalong with the grinder throat,auger, and bladein the freezer for 30 minutes before grind-ing. It also helps to grind the meat into a bowl placed insideanother bowl or tub filled with ice.

Te Lost ArtOf Sausage Making

DAVID DRAPER

FAREGAME


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Once the meat and fat are ground and the seasonings add-ed, its time to mix everything together. This seems like a sim-ple step, but its actually one of the most importantright upthere with keeping your ingredients cold. Mixing is more than

just incorporating the ingredients; it also creates what is called

the primary bind, a complex network of proteins that holdsthe meat together during the cooking and curing process. Youll

know youve achieved a primary bind when the sausage mixbecomes sticky to the touch and has a shaggy appearance.

While some sausage can be left loose, its when the meatis stuffed into a casing that it transcends mere burgers. There

are a number of casing types available, but naturalthosemade from (cleaned and sterilized) animal intestinesare by

far superior, with that distinctive snap they make when youbite into them. The style of casing will also depend on thesausage. Whichever you choose, be sure to prep them accord-ing to their directions, including soaking them in warm water

for at least 30 minutes. Also, keep everything wetthe stuffer

tube, the counter, your handsto ease the stuffing processand reduce the chance of blowouts. Getting it just right takessome skill, but with practice youll be creating perfectly stuffed

links in no time.These steps may seem basic, and to some extent, they are.

Theres a bit more to it, such as the blend of seasonings and salt,but at its core, sausage making is simple, even if what comesout is not. Like any type of cooking, creating sausage is partlyalchemy, where meat, fat, and flavor all come together to createsomething so much greater than the sum of its parts.

VENISON JALAPEO COUNTRY SAUSAGECombine the venison and pork cubes in a large tub. Whisk thedry ingredients together and distribute evenly over meat.Mix thoroughly.

Grind the meat through the grinders wide or coarse plate.Run half the ground meat back through the grinders fine plate.

Add the diced jalapeos and half the ice water to all theground sausage. With a mixer (or your hands), mix thor-oughly until the sausage starts getting sticky and forms theprimary bind. If necessary, add more water, a little at a timeuntil a fistful of meat squeezes through your fingers.

Stuff into hog casings and twist into either 6-inch links or12-inch loops.

Hang or place on drying racks in refrigerator overnight to dryand to let flavors develop.

To cook, saut or grill over medium-high heat until well-browned,but not bursting, until the internal temperature reads 155.

INGRED IENTS3 lbs. venison, cubed

2 lbs. pork shoulder,cubed

3 tbs. kosher salt

1 tbs. onion powder

1 tbs. paprika

1 tsp. black pepper

tsp. allspice

tsp. nutmeg

cup dry milkpowder

cup diced jalapeos

1 cup ice water


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R

ecently, I ve heard several well-intended friends

proclaim I should take a bunch of does off my

hunting property. Weird thing is, they said itwithout ever having seen my property. Whenpressed, one buddy admitted he didnt havea clue how many deer I had, the propertys

carrying capacity, or even how a robust doe harvest mighthelp the hunting.

It seemed hed watchedtoo many hunting shows.

Fact is, whitetail popula-tions are leveling out in some

areas and even falling belowwhat professional game man-

agers consider ideal in others.In these areas, harvestingdoes is detrimental to theherd and to hunting.

In this column Ill explainthe impact doe harvests haveon habitat and how to tell the

difference between proper-ties that need deer reductionand those that dont.

THE SCIENCE OF

SHOOTING DOES

Taking does controls impacton habitat more so than tak-ing bucks because each doekilled also eliminates thepotential to produce futuredeer. Conversely, taking abuck eliminates only thatdeer and not necessarilypotential offspring becauseother bucks will breed in its place. Doe harvesting helps balance

the buck-to-doe ratio, which makes it easier to hunt trophybucks. This is because bucks must work harder and travel more

to find a mate in areas with less does.

Shooting does is encouraged by state gamedepartments and trendy among hunters.But should it be?

Also, where the buck-to-doe ratio is in balance, more does willbreed on the first estrous cycle, which produces a consistent fawn

birthing period. This consistent fawn drop allows those fawnsa greater survival rate because predators have a brief surplus offood. After a couple of weeks, when the predators are looking forfood again, fawns are stronger and more capable of escape. Andhigher fawn survival rate means more bucks will survive.

All this means that inplaces where there is a sur-plus of deeror more deerthan the land can carry foroptimal health of both theherd and habitatoftenhunters can improve their

lands trophy potential bytaking more does. The trickis knowing if your huntingproperty has a surplus or ashortage of deer.

Brian Murphy is a wildlife

biologist and the CEO of theQuality Deer ManagementAssociation (QDMA). Hes

one of the worlds foremostexperts on whitetails, white-

tail habitat, and how the two

relate to hunting. While aby-product of the groupsmission is older bucks withlarger antlers, its not its pri-

mary goal. Rather, its goal is to promote a healthy deer herdby way of regulated hunting.

For the last 25 years, most of America has been in a surplus

deer situation wherein the habitat in many regions could not

When Should

Hunters Shoot Does?

JEFF JOHNSTON

WHITETAILS

Sometimes harvesting does isdetrimental to your propertybut knowing when to pull the

trigger is the question.


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WH I T E TA I L S

carry many more deer without negative

consequences. Therefore, QDMAstressed a simple, win-win situation fordeer and hunters, and that was to take

does and protect young bucks. Harvest-ing female deer decreases the population,

while satisfying hunters by increasingthe nutritional value of the land and the

age at which bucks are harvested, there-

fore increasing its trophy buck potential.However, the times, at least in some

areas, are changing.

We are in a new era of antlerlessharvest, Murphy says. It used to bethat the shoot every doe you can andthree more was the right method, but

now its not for some areas. Particu-larly the Midwest.

Factors such as designed overhar-vest, predation, two severe diseaseoutbreaks, severe winters, and habitatloss of CRP acreage combined to ham-

mer deer herds, Murphy says. Some ofthe most severely hit regions were

southern Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, and

Nebraska. Some of those areas docu-mented the first long-term deer declinesin decades. Some harvests were down

49 percent over the last decade.So hunters and agencies in those ar-

eas, and potentially others, must adjust.

Obviously, state game managers havethe resources to conduct local herd stud-ies, but how does the average hunterknow if the herd hes hunting is healthyor if he should or shouldnt take does?

Deer are good barometers of thehabitat, Murphy says. If deer are eatingwell, it means the habitat can support

them, and so you probably dont need toshoot a bunch of does.

So how do you tell if the deer are eat-ing like kings and queens?

Simple, he says. After harvesting deer,weigh them. Then age them [via its teeth

or a professional.] Call your state gameoffice and see how the weight compares

to same-aged deer in the area. [For max-imum herd health and trophy potential]

you want your deer in the top 10 percentof the weight range. If so, it means the

deer are eating well and healthy. Assum-

ing age and genetics are adequate, thisarea will produce big antlers.

Murphy also suggests an easier,albeit less scientific, way for hunters

to know if they should take more does

on their hunting property.If youre seeing multiple deer every

time you go out, then you probably needto shoot some does. If you are seeing zerodeer in three or four trips, be cautious

about shooting does.

Pay attention to the number of fawnsper doe that make it into the fall huntingseason. When running trail cams, note

the average fawn number per adult doe,

Murphy says. Ideally, there should beone fawn per doe. If you only see onefawn for every two to three adult does,

your deer numbers may be down.

On the other hand, some people inmany areas should still be aggressivelyshooting does. Look at the property. It mayneed a sledge hammer, it may need a tackhammer, or it may need no hammer at all.

In most cases, shooting or not shoot-ing a couple does for the freezer isntgoing to disrupt any overall manage-ment goals. But hunters should know

their property and the health of its herdbefore mowing down a bunch of does

just because it s en vogue.


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044

P A G E

P E T E R S E N S H U N T I N G . C O M | A P R I L M A Y 2 0 1 6


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as Hur r i cane Joaqu in h i t the i s l an d wi th h i s fu l l b ruta l i t y,one thought came to mind: I hope we surv i ve the n ight .

Cold, biting windwhipped across my face as I sat huddled in pitch-blackness, arms

wrapped tightly around my body, fighting for warmth. Rain poured sideways into our

makeshift shelter, hitting exposed skin with stinging force. A ripping noise echoed down

the shelterour makeshift roof made from an abandoned tarpaulin had just broken

loose, exposing us to the elements.


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Waves splashedaround The Verle Anne,

a leftover landing craft from the FalklandsWar. The well-trodden vessel rocked backand forth as it made its way to the privateIsle of Taransayan uninhabited islandoff the western coast of Scotland. I raisedmy camera to capture the moment shared

with six other huntersall of us unawareof what lie ahead once we reached shore.

Beginning our journey on the nearbyIsle of Harris in five-star luxurymarbled

bathrooms, Egyptian cotton sheets, anda five-course mealall six of us wereunder the impression that our journeyto the neighboring isle was to partake ina hunt for red stag. Little did we know

that our five-star luxury was a cruel tease

and we would soon be starving and learn-ing to survive against the elements withall odds stacked against us.

Theres something quite magicalabout hunting on an uninhabited island

on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.Something that awakens a primal senseof raw adventure. Dotted across theScottish shoreline are around 140 un-inhabited islands in total, but only one,Taransay, boasts a resident herd of reddeer. The 3,500-acre island has a popu-lation of approximately 50 stags, 100hinds (females), and 40 calves. Thebleak, treeless island is pristine, with

white sandy beaches, rolling meadows,and gargantuan volcanic rocks.

Once our small group had been depos-ited on the rocky shoreline, the organizers

revealed the true nature of the trip. Wewere participating in a social experiment.We were now marooned on the island forthree days and two nights with just theclothes we were wearing, a knife, and our

rifles. No tents. No sleeping bags. If wewanted shelter, we would have to makeit. If we wanted to eat, we had to hunt.

It was also revealed that one of myfellow hunters was not a hunter at all

he was one of the worlds leading sur-vival experts, Conrad Allen.


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af ter f i ve grue l ing hours o f swi r l ing wind an d bad for tune,the hunt ing pa r t y wou ld r et u rn em pt y -h andedonce more .

Spi r i t s were low.


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The group setout combing the isle forvessels for drinking water, items to fashion

a shelter from, and a suitable place for ourbase camp. With the tail end of Hurricane

Joaquin set to hit the island in a matter

of hours, we had no time to waste. Aftercombing the beachs rich spoils of flotsam

and jetsam, we had enough driftwood tomake a fire, some tarpaulin to make a

basic shelter, and an old biscuit tin to useas a makeshift pot for boiling water.

Three hunters were assigned to hunt-ing duty and set out to bag the firstnights meal. The three hunted until thevery last glimmer of light had disap-peared, but it was in vain. The deer were

pre-rut and extremely skittish, meaningvenison was off the menu. None of us

Petersen's Hunting- April-May 2016

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Transcript of Petersen's Hunting- April-May 2016