Outdoor Life - Hunting RSS

Study: Wolves Not the Cause of Elk Population Decline in Wyoming

Alex Robinson — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:32:03 -0400

Any hunter who's spent time in wolf country can attest to the predators’ influence. We see wolf tracks, find old kills, and often times we spot fewer game animals. But exactly how wolves affect big-game populations is still greatly unknown. Yeah, wolves eat elk. But, do they kill mostly adults or calves? Do they eat enough elk to wipe out a whole herd? Do they pressure elk into hiding in the timber or force them off their feeding patterns? Are wolves even one of the main factors in elk population dynamics?

New research from the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Wyoming is starting to shed light on some of these questions. After three years of studying the Clark's Fork elk herd (about 5,000 animals) in northwest Wyoming, lead researcher Arthur Middleton found that wolves might not be as detrimental to elk populations as many outdoorsmen think.

His research shows that the Clark's Fork herd's fate is based on a complex set of variables including habitat, weather, hunting, bears, and wolves.

"There's a pretty popular notion that elk are always responding to wolves. And that's a fairly logical perception because wolves are always hunting elk … But wolves hunt an elk population. That [hunting pressure] doesn't always affect individual animals."

Photo: Elk traveling across their winter range in Yellowstone National Park, USGS.

The Study
Middleton and a coalition of biologists GPS collared wolves and elk west of Cody, Wyoming in and around Yellowstone National park. In a study area of about 1 million acres, they monitored interactions between predator and prey. Over three years they observed the animals in January, February, and March - when wolves typically put the most stress on elk. The study was funded by a variety of organizations and agencies including Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Boone & Crockett Club, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Safari Club International.

The researchers set out to test the theory that wolves were responsible for decreasing elk populations in ways besides direct predation. In other words, they wanted to find out if pressure from wolves was running elk out of their regular feeding patterns and keeping cows from putting on enough body fat to rear calves in the spring.

The research started at a critical time for the Clark's Fork herd. Calf-to-cow ratios in the migratory herd started dropping in the mid-90s, about the same time wolves were introduced. Those ratios have remained low since 2002 and overall elk numbers decreased. Middleton found about 15 calves to 100 elk in the migratory Clark's Fork herd. In the resident herd, the ratio was about 35 calves per 100 elk.

Hunters and wildlife managers were alarmed by the drop in elk numbers. Doug McWhiter, a Wyoming Fish and Game biologist who manages the area, said elk numbers are stable now, but hunting opportunities had to be cut. Cow tags were reduced and hunting units in the area were switched from general over-the-counter licenses to limited quota in 2010. Hunter opportunity was reduced by 50 to 75 percent, says McWhiter who helped with Middleton's research.

"We can maintain these elk numbers but we had to severely limit hunting opportunity to do that," he says. "That in itself is difficult for people to understand."

Photo: The Agate wolf pack in a stand-off with a bull in Yellowstone, NPS.

The Findings
Middleton and his crew found that a new wolf pack does not mean certain doom for an elk herd. In fact, elk have adapted to living with wolves.

"From my time in the field, I can say that most days in the life of a cow elk are pretty boring," Middleton says. On average, elk encountered wolves once every 9 days. The highest wolf-encounter rate for any individual elk was once every four days. And, even though elk were encountering wolves, they weren't overly stressed or run to starvation.

"We didn't see any reduction in rate of feeding and we didn't see them shift into timber. Those two behaviors were said to be [metabolically] costly, but we just didn't see [the elk reacting that way,]" Middleton says.

Elk did move slightly more when wolves were within 1 kilometer, but not by much - they only traveled an extra 30 meters per hour when wolves were in the area.

The researchers also found that the number of wolf encounters had no impact on the amount of elk body fat. Body fat is a critical measurement for cows' ability to rear calves.

So if the wolf-hunting-pressure theory was busted, what was happening to the Clark Fork's herd?

Middleton says it comes down to habitat. The area has suffered a 20-year decline in habitat across the herd's summer range. If an elk can't put on enough body fat in the summer and fall, then it will struggle through the winter, regardless of predators, Middleton says.

"We looked at a suite of factors that could explain late-winter body fat and the only thing that did explain it was autumn body fat. In other words, whatever they get over the summer determines where they end up in winter," he says.

Of course, wolf predation does affect overall elk numbers, but in a separate study Middleton found that wolves weren't even the top calf predators. He found that bears typically take out more elk calves than wolves do. During a June monitoring period grizzlies killed an elk calf every two to four days and black bears killed a calf every four to eight days.

Photo: Wolf on an elk kill in Yellowstone, PLOS Biology.

Backcountry Observations
Collecting data that shows an elk herd can thrive in wolf country and then getting people to actually believe that data are two different challenges. Hunters and outfitters who have spent their lives in the backcountry - before and after the wolf reintroduction - have already made plenty of their own observations.

Tim Doud, owner of Bliss Creek Outfitters out of Cody, says the elk decline goes hand-in-hand with the wolf reintroduction. Clear and simple.

"The elk population numbers have certainty decreased and it is because of the wolves. That’s the only reason in my eyes," he says. "Now I’m not anti-wolf. I don’t think they should be wiped out or anything like that. But we do need to hunt more of them. Most people don’t see what I see. They don’t see the horrific, suffering death of an elk whose hindquarters have been chewed away and can only lay there and die slowly. That’s a real shame. Most people … go to Yellowstone to see the pretty dogs."

Ron Lineberger owns Butte Creek Outfitters with his wife Theresa and guides elk hunters in the Wyoming backcountry. Over the years he's seen elk behavior change, and in many ways his observations match Middleton's research.

"Elk behavior has totally changed, but the elk are not gone. Everyone loves to blame the wolf because it’s easy … [Wolves] did change the dynamic for the environment and they’ve changed the way a lot of animals have evolved. It has led to a bit of catastrophic natural adaptation…

“There has been a succession of fires, which destroyed natural elk habitat. Grizzly bear numbers have gone up and the elk have moved to survive. They have moved to more agricultural and human habitat areas. It’s not just the wolf that’s caused the change. People just look to put the blame on one thing. Yes, elk have moved to areas that haven’t seen elk for 200 years. But there are large portions of healthy elk populations that have moved to private land, which makes them unhuntable … Think of it this way: the elk are picking their poison. Either deal with hunters in the low country for 6 weeks, or stay in the high country and deal with wolves and bears year round.”

The takeaway? Adapting to environmental changes is key to the success of a species, and an elk hunter.

“The hunter has to adapt as well,” Lineberger says. “Hunting elk also relies on a lot of factors that we have no control over. The fact that they have become more alert thanks to the wolves, certainly makes it tougher, but hunters must adapt to that. We are no different than any other animal. We must adapt to survive."

Deception, Tornadoes, and the Humane Society of the United States

Alex Robinson — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:20:21 -0400

The Humane Society of the United States, the largest, most well-funded anti-hunting organization in the country, has come repeatedly come under attack by the agriculture-backed group The Center for Consumer Freedom and one of their spinoff organizations, Humane Watch, for how HSUS bilks millions of people out of money under the pretense of running local shelters.

As Humane Watch often points out, less than .5 percent of HSUS’s nearly $200 million budget goes to hands-on, local shelters in the form of grants.

HSUS’s counter to this charge is often along the lines of “we assist shelters with training, supplies during emergencies and education material.” They like to tout the work of their disaster team, which, they would have you believe, swoops in behind a tornado, hurricane, earthquake or other disasters and perpetuates a God-like calm and organization to all the disparate animal-welfare groups working on the ground.

The problem is, not even that claim seems to be true, at least when it comes to some of the most recent and deadly disasters. When a barrage of tornados ripped through Oklahoma for several weeks in a row, decimating the lives of the state’s citizens, leveling entire communities and, yes, separating livestock and pets from their owners, the HSUS was nowhere to be found.

The largest “animal-rights” group in the country, one that champions companion animals to the public, didn’t even bother to show up in the Sooner state as far as I can tell. There’s no mention of it in any of the press releases (and believe me, they never miss a chance to toot their own horn), nor does using the search function on their site return any results. The only time I found any mention of assisting Oklahoma pets was a quick blurb that basically said: “Our trucks are packed and ready to go to Oklahoma, we’re just waiting for someone to ask us to help.”

Forgive my drollness, but I didn’t realize one had to be invited to help people and pets whose entire lives were just, literally, uprooted. With “friends” like the Humane Society of the United States, companion animals don’t need enemies.

The truth is, every year the HSUS does bilk millions of dollars out of millions of ignorant people across the country who mistakenly believe their donations will keep cute puppies and kittens alive and off of a shelter’s death row. In reality, that money goes into feeding a very large pot-stirring machine that appropriates that cash into more fundraising endeavors, the wallets and retirement pensions of its employees (someone always makes a profit, even at non-profits) and to lobbying efforts in states across the country.

These lobbying and ballot-initiative moves are often an effort to end hunting everywhere. And, HSUS loves to use dogs as a stepping stone to do just that; from sweeping kennel-reforms that would put most legitimate breeders out of business to tethering and housing ballots to successfully ending the pursuit of game with hounds.

When it comes to the HSUS, there are lots of problems, and most of them boil down to various levels of deception – and that deception is being used to fund a well-oiled political machine bent on ending your hunting one discipline, one season, one law at a time.

Study: Speed Not the Biggest Factor in Cheetahs' Hunting Success

Alex Robinson — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:41:23 -0400

Cheetahs might be the fastest terrestrial hunter on the planet, but it has only recently been discovered that speed is not the most important factor to the big cats' hunting success. A study conducted by the Royal Veterinary College in London determined that: “Grip and maneuverability, rather than top speed, were shown to be key to hunting success. Hunts involved considerable maneuvering.”

This information came from a 17-month study that saw three female and two male adult cheetahs make 367 hunting runs while fixed with GPS and motion sensing collar. While several runs exceeded speeds of 58 miles per hour, none saw cheetahs top out at the fastest recorded times of 75 mph. Speeds such as this have only been documented on captive cheetahs running in a straight line.

One interesting fact to come from the study deals with cheetah acceleration.

“The greatest acceleration and deceleration values were almost double values published for polo horses and exceeded the accelerations reported for greyhounds at the start of a race. The acceleration power for the cheetahs was four times higher than that achieved by Usain Bolt during his world record 100 meters run, about double that for racing greyhounds and more than three times higher than polo horses in competition.”

That’s fast!

Committee OKs Controversial Grazing Permit Bill

Alex Robinson — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:45:14 -0400

The House Committee on Natural Resources on June 12 endorsed the proposed Grazing Improvement Act of 2013, which would double the term of grazing permits to 20 years on more than 250 million acres of federally managed public lands.

Committee members voted 27-15 to send the bill -- HR 657 -- to the full House for consideration. The bill was introduced in February by Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho) as companion legislation to S. 258 in the Senate, also introduced in February by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

The Grazing Improvement Act seeks to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 "to improve the management of grazing leases and permits" and to "reduce the burdens of National Environmental Policy Act review of expired permits" on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

The BLM administers about 245 million acres of public lands with livestock grazing authorized on 157 million acres, while ranching is permitted on about 97 million of the 193 million acres managed by the Forest Service.

The bill also proposes to allow grazing to continue under existing terms and conditions on more than 8,000 permits administered by the Forest Service and nearly 18,000 grazing permits managed by BLM, while a "NEPA backlog" of 4,200 pending grazing permits is addressed.

According to Dustin Van Liew, Public Lands Council Executive Director and Director of Federal Lands for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the measure "will contribute greatly to providing a stable business environment for federal lands ranchers who face increasing uncertainty as to the future of their livestock grazing permits."

Van Liew says ranchers can no longer afford the regulatory and litigious environment created by "excessive application of NEPA." "If we lose ranchers," he said, "we lose the stewards of the land, job providers in the West and a crucial part of American livestock production."

The bill is opposed by a wide range of environmental and conservation groups, who have derisively dubbed the bill the "Grazing Entrenchment Act," and say it does little to improve the habitat of federally leased grazing lands.

In addition to extending permits from 10 to 20 years, the Sierra Club says the bill "would further entrench domestic livestock grazing on federal public lands to the detriment of fish, wildlife, watersheds and other public values."

According to the Sierra Club, the BLM grazing program is subsidized by taxpayers by nearly $50 million a year while the Center for Biological Diversity estimates the costs to U.S. taxpayers for public lands grazing on all federal lands is roughly $500 million annually.

Brian Ertz of the Western Watersheds Project writes in a March Wilderness News column that extending permits from 10 to 20 years is merely a ploy to avoid confronting growing public opposition to intensive public lands grazing.

"The permit/lease renewal process is one of a few opportunities the public has to weigh in on management in favor of wolves, bighorns, fish, buffalo, pygmy rabbits, mountain springs and streams, etc. etc. etc. and where federal land managers are legally obliged to listen -- and managers should listen: the conditions of public lands on-the-ground are disastrous across the West," he writes. "Whether you’re a public lands advocate, a wolf supporter, a bighorn sheep enthusiast, an angler or hunter, a Yellowstone buffalo activist, a recreationist or in any way interested in public lands -- this bill affects you."

For more, go to:
-- House Committee Advances Grazing Improvement Act
-- Grazing Improvement Act Passes House Natural Resources Committee
-- BLOG: Crapo, Risch sponsor Grazing Improvement Act
-- Oppose the Grazing Improvement Act!
-- Natural Resources Bills in the 113th Congress
-- Grazing Improvement [Entrenchment] Act Gains Legs, Threatens Hundreds of Millions of Acres of YOUR Public Land
-- H.R. 657: Grazing Improvement Act

How to Wax a String and Lube Your Crossbow

Alex Robinson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:41:08 -0400

If you snap a crossbow string, you'll not only blow the hunt but possibly do permanent damage to the bow. Bowhunting Editor Dr. Todd Kuhn explains how to properly wax a string and lube your crossbow.

Intoxicated Man Throws BBQ at Bear, Gets Mauled

Alex Robinson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:04:50 -0400

An Alaskan man was mauled by a black bear over the weekend after he threw meat at the animal. The man was at the lake, north of Anchorage, for a church picnic, Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen told the Anchorage Daily News.

“He’d been drinking,” she said.

The man, who's name has been withheld, left the picnic to go for a bike ride. He came across the bear and threw it a pice of meat, which the bear ate. The man threw the bear another piece of meat and then…

“That’s when it kind of went ballistic,” Ipsen said. The bear mauled the man leaving him with a punctured jaw and scratches on his back.

Park rangers later found the bloodied man washing himself off at the campground, said Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh.

“He wasn’t terribly coherent,” he said. “He was unsure of where the attack actually happened.”

The man was treated and released from an Anchorage hospital. He could face charges of illegally feeding wildlife.

Coolest Taxidermy Photos from Instagram

Alex Robinson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:36:20 -0400

Taxidermy has become the latest pop culture fad and everyone, from hardcore hunters to hipsters, is uploading their best mount photos to Instagram. We rounded up the 21 coolest shots.

3 Cocking Tips for Better Crossbow Shooting

Alex Robinson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:04:05 -0400

There are three simple cocking tricks you can employ to increase your crossbow accuracy ten-fold. Employ these and watch your groups shrink exponentially.

1. Shorten the Cocking Rope
Factory cocking ropes are designed for knuckle draggers. For us average guys, they're simply too long. Attempting to cock a crossbow with a factory-cocking device puts you at serious risk of shoulder injury, and almost guarantees you'll cock the bow crooked. By all means, adjust the length of your rope so it matches your cocking stroke.

2. Mark Your String
Few crossbow enthusiasts realize just how easy it is to get a crossbow string cocked off-center. Uneven rope lengths on either side of the arrow track leads to the string being latched off-kilter in the trigger mechanism. Once this occurs, your arrow will not be pushed from the bow in a uniform manner, resulting in horrible arrow flight.

To ensure you've cocked your crossbow straight, mark each side of the serving when the bow is at rest. Once cocked, checked your marks to make sure the string is equidistance from the arrow track on both sides. If it's not, uncock (in a safe manner) and re-cock it.

3. Mark Your Cocking Rope
Place a line on the center of your cocking rope. Line the center of the rope up with the center seam in the stock or whatever anchor point you've established for the rope cocker. This ensures you start with the rope in the center and minimizes crooked cocking.

BLM Extends Comment Period On Fracking to August 23

Alex Robinson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:11:38 -0400

The Bureau of Land Management has extended the public comment period on its proposal to revise hydraulic fracturing regulations on federal lands to Aug. 23.

The new proposal, published May 25, would modernize regulations and establish baseline environmental safeguards for a process -- fracking -- that is already used to drill 90 percent of wells on federal and Indian lands.

Fracking involves injecting pressurized water into rocks at fault lines to release natural gas for extraction. The BLM's proposed rule changes would be the first update of the federal fracking regulations since 1983.

Following the Department of the Interior's public forum on hydraulic fracturing in November 2010, the BLM released its first proposed rules in May 2012.

During the comment period that followed, the agency received more than 177,000 public comments and feedback, prompting the BLM to withdraw its initial proposal.

Three primary components of the original proposal remain:
* Require operators to disclose chemicals used
* Verify that fluids used in the process are not contaminating groundwater
* Confirm operators have a water management plan for handling fluids that resurface.

To comment during this extended period:

-- Mail: U.S. Department of Interior, Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 2134 LM, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, D.C., 20240, Attention: 1004-AE26.

-- Online: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments at this website.

For more, go to:
-- BLM extends public comment period on proposed fracking rule change

-- BLM wants public feedback on new "fracking" rules

-- BLM Extends Public Comment Period on Proposed Hydraulic Fracturing Rule

-- House Natural Resources Committee Compares Effectiveness of Federal and State Local Species Conservation Practices

-- API: Comment Period Extension for Fracking Regulations Justified

-- Fracking rule comment period extended

-- A balanced plan: Congress shouldn't nullify oil reserve blueprint

-- Conservation, access - It’s time to focus on protecting Montana’s currency

-- Daines offers North Fork preservation legislation

Taking Care of Taxidermy: Tips from the Reigning World Champ

Alex Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:03:15 -0400

If the name Dale Manning sounds familiar, it should. He’s a regular part of the OL Optics Test team, and he’s among one of the best taxidermists in the country. In fact, the world.

Manning, who owns Custom Bird Works and Big Game Connection taxidermy in Missoula, Mont., won the “Best in World” in the waterfowl category at the 2013 World Taxidermy Championships in May. His flying snow goose, according to internet message boards, wowed everyone in attendance.

I stopped by Manning’s shop in April to drop my harlequins and Barrow’s goldeneye off and watched as Manning tried out a new technique for making the legs look more realistic. He was carefully layering powder on the orange legs, trying to get that perfectly realistic look for which all taxidermists strive.

“You know how when you look at the leg, you’ll see lighter skin in the cracks and folds of the skin?” said Manning. “That’s what I’m trying to replicate here.”

The seemingly innocuous detail is what makes a world champion. “When you get to this level every little thing matters. Everything has to be perfect,” he said.

Often a taxidermist goes into competition with several pieces to better his odds, but this year Manning went with just his single snow goose. “I’m putting all my eggs in one basket this year,” he said, noting that his associate, Tyler Hoffman, entered four pieces in the Professional Division, which is a step below Manning’s Master Division. Hoffman brought home the “Best of Category” in waterfowl, too. To say they did well on one of the largest stages is an understatement.

Unlike most taxidermists, who usually stick to one discipline, and rightfully so, it’s very difficult to be excellent in multiple categories, Manning is also recognized for his big game work. In 2007, he and Hoffman entered a polar bear in the world championships, which features entrants from around 20 or so countries; they won the “Collective Artists” award, as well as first place in the “Large Mammals” category. Manning also produced a full-body ram leaping down a rock outcropping that cleaned up at the state level competition, garnering nearly every award possible.

To say I’m stoked to get my mounts back is also an understatement. I routinely check out the pictures on Manning’s website, which just gets me more excited – Manning himself doesn’t help the situation when he texts me pics that tease the promise of what’s to come (although, I continually reference those photos, too).

With my mounts in the not-too-far-distant future, and with a world champion on the other end of the telephone line, I thought to ask about proper care of mounted birds. Here are a few tips from the master:

Keep it dusted: Manning recommends regular dusting and cleaning of mounts so that the dirt doesn’t build up. How often depends on how dusty your place is – if you live on gravel road, odds are you’ll have to brush it off more often. Use a feather duster to knock the excess dust off.

“There’s an odd old wives’ tale about using a fresh piece of white bread to clean the dust off birds,” said Manning. “I’m sure it will work, but it will also leave the oils, crumbs and whatever else is in that bread behind. It might also make it smell good to your dog.”

Use lacquer thinner: Don’t use water to remove residual dust and bring out the shine of a bird’s feather, but instead lightly soak a rag with a little lacquer thinner and wipe it over the mount. “Lacquer thinner evaporates from the feather, leaving just a clean mount with bright colors behind,” he said. “Water will matte the feathers and mess them up.”
Keep it out of the sun: Feel free to display your mounts prominently, but take care where you put them. “Direct sunlight will definitely bleach and fade feathers. If you want to keep the original richness and vibrant colors, keep it out of direct sunlight,” he said.

Watch Fido and Fluffy: Kids throwing a ball through the house can knock a mounted bird off the wall or its base, but Manning points to pets as major culprit of destroy memories. “Dogs and cats always seem to get bird mounts,” said Manning. “And, you can’t really blame them if you leave it where they have access to it.”

Repairs are possible: Whether the kid, cat or a natural disaster damages your prized mount, often times it can be salvaged. “Birds are more forgiving than people think,” he said. “Most of the time they can be spruced up; broken tails, wings necks and feet can all be fixed or repaired to one degree or another.”

Deer Hunting: Soft Mast Progress Report

Alex Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:37:42 -0400

If it seems like I’ve been blogging about soft mast for whitetails, it’s for good reason. Whitetails are slaves to there stomachs and it’s the smart deer hunter who pays close attention to what whitetails are eating. And, when it comes to what whitetails eat, few foods can compete with soft mast.

By soft mast I mean fruits and berries that typically mature in the early fall. Soft mast is typically high in sugar content and wandering whitetails can get hooked in a hurry. Anything within reach is ripped from the tree and once fruit starts falling, it’s scooped up like candy from a piñata.

Due to a complete soft-mast failure last year, we’ve been watching the soft mast crop formation intently all spring. Last year, an early season warm spell brought out the blooms and a few days later a freeze wiped them out. We planted additional food plots to make up for the early season shortfall, but hunting season just wasn’t the same without a fruit crop to hunt.

This season we had beautiful blooms and no apparent frost damage. We’ve been holding our breath ever since. I am pleased to report that in most regions, the fruit has set and unless something dramatic happens (heavy hail, wind, pests etc.), we’ll be hunting soft mast come October. Our apple, pear and cherry trees are loaded with fruit the size of my fingernail and I couldn’t be happier. The berry bushes have also set fruit and so have the most of the fruit bearing brush species.

But this is about more than hunting over soft mast this fall. We plant plenty of food plots including some fall annuals for hungry whitetails. Early in the fall our whitetails will have plenty of early fall soft mast to keep them busy. This season we will plant late-season, freeze-resistant annuals to pick up the slack when the soft mast is cleaned up. Unlike some food plot forages, which shuts down in cold weather, some plantings are tailor made for the late season. Brassicas and forage such as turnips and radishes really come into their own after a good hard freeze and that’s exactly what we will be planting to pick up where the apples left off. No point competing with bushels of early season fruits and berries.

Smart deer hunters not only know what deer eat but what they will be eating during the hunting season. Get out there now and check your soft mast crop; it’s right there waiting for you. Don’t wait until the week before bow season and run every mature deer out of your hunting property. There is a 95% chance the fruit will still be on the trees come fall so do your homework now and forget about all that week before scouting.

Oh, and one more thing, you still have to check out the hard mast crop (acorns, beechnuts, etc.) but that will come later in the season.

The Sportsman Vernacular Survey: Whitetail Deer or White-tailed Deer?

Alex Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:59:47 -0400

Last week North Carolina State University graduate student Joshua Katz posted a series of maps depicting where a list of 122 words as used by region. Katz’s map set the Internet on fire garnering 17 million views in the first 24 hours! That got us thinking about all the different ways sportsmen have of describing the same thing. Even though Yankees, Southerners, East Coasters, and West Coasters all have the same passion for the outdoors, we can't seem to agree on how to describe that passion. So, take our survey and see how your sportsman vernacular from matches up with the rest of our readers.

7 Best Solar Panel Chargers Tested and Ranked

Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:42:49 -0400

Times sure have changed. A generation ago, when sportsmen headed into the bush they carried a map and a compass for navigation, and in case of an emergency, they had matches and maybe a flare. Nowadays, many sportsmen won’t leave the truck without a GPS, smartphone, and video camera.

These technological tools have their benefits and applications, but only as long as they have power. Losing juice on your phone during a great game of Angry Birds is annoying, but relying solely on a GPS with limited battery life to get you back to camp is a dangerous proposition. Enter the portable solar panel.

As solar technology has continued to improve, both products and prices have been shrinking. Manufacturers today are producing affordable, portable solar-power units so small and lightweight, you might even forget you’re carrying them. We gathered seven different units—each costing less than $200—to determine which is the best choice for the modern woodsman.

Rating Key: ★ ★ ★ ★ - Excellent; ★ ★ ★ - Very Good; ★ ★ - Good; ★ - Fair

1. JOOS Orange

The JOOS Orange is built like a luxury tank, its polycarbonate case protecting the internal components. Two valuable features are the collapsible legs, which allow for easy angling toward the sun, and a security hole, which lets you lock the unit to something stationary. The Orange is compact (8.6 by 5.8 inches) but a little heavy (24 ounces). It was the fastest charger in the test, taking a nearly dead iPhone 4S to a full charge in an hour. The internal battery pack stores energy for later use, but the unit also charges devices directly. The only thing it lacks is a carry case or bag.

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★
Portability: A
Durability: A+
Chargeability: A+
Ease of Use: A+
Versatility: A-
Price/Value: A
Price: $149 / solarjoos.com
Final Word: Rugged construction and simple operation make this unit a top choice for remote power.

2. Brunton Explorer2

The Explorer2 is a true go-anywhere solar charger. It weighs under a pound (14.8 ounces) and folds down to a compact 4.5 by 9.5 inches, but unfolds to 27.25 by 9.5 inches. If you’re going for a day hike with only a small pack, the unit will fit nicely. It charges directly but only has a USB output—fine for most handheld devices, but for larger items you’ll need a separate power system. The four solar panels increased the charge of the 4S by about 35 percent in one hour. Corner grommets allow the unit to be strapped down or hung up. At under $100, the Explorer2 is a great value.

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★
Portability: A+
Durability: B
Chargeability: A-
Ease of Use: A+
Versatility: A-
Price/Value: A
Price: $96 / bruntonoutdoor.com
Final Word: Nothing flashy here, but you can get a ton of functionality from under $100.

3. Bushnell SolarWrap 250

The scroll-like SolarWrap 250 earns points for creativity. The paper-thin solar panel rolls up into a protective case that measures 9.5 by 2.5 inches (unfurled, it measures 9.5 by 15). The USB outlets are on the ends (under caps), so you can charge from the battery while on the move without risking damage to the panel. The SolarWrap doesn’t charge directly, but it packs a punch once the internal lithium ion battery is charged. That took all day, but then it brought the phone from 50 percent to full in one hour. The lightest unit in the test (9.5 ounces), the SolarWrap is a good choice for the backcountry.

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ½
Portability: A+
Durability: B
Chargeability: B
Ease of Use: A-
Versatility: B
Price/Value: A
Price: $70 / bushnell.com
Final Word: Easily the most innovative solar panel on the market. Lightweight and highly portable.

4. Gomadic SunVolt

Size matters. The SunVolt is large, which is both good and bad. At 13 by 12 inches, the panel is powerful but heavy (4.3 pounds). Given its size, you’d expect the SunVolt to charge rapidly, and it does. It took a half-charged iPhone 4S to a full charge in an hour. It’s so powerful that you can charge two devices at once. The bad news is that it’s too large to be considered for backpacking excursions. It comes in a carry case, which makes it easy to transport, and it conveniently folds so you can angle it toward the sun. There is no internal battery for nighttime charging, but you can buy one separately ($40).

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ½
Portability: B+
Durability: A-
Chargeability: A-
Ease of Use: A-
Versatility: C-
Price/Value: B+
Price: $100 / gomadic.com
Final Word: Big and beefy, this unit will serve you best in car-camping scenarios.

5. Wenger Solar Charger Standard

The Wenger Solar Charger Standard isn’t only lightweight—only 17 ounces—it’s also extremely versatile. The unit comes with a set of straps, so if you’re hiking, you can lash it to your pack and charge while on the move. At 10 by 6.7 inches, the charger will fit just about anywhere. Unfortunately, the Wenger only charges from the (included) external battery pack. If you are in a hurry for power, you first have to charge the battery, and then use it to charge your device. But the reserve power does allow you to charge after dark.

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ½
Portability: A+
Durability: B-
Chargeability: B
Ease of Use: B-
Versatility: A
Price/Value: B-
Price: $180 / wengerna.com
Final Word: Pricey, but a lot of cool features make this a solid investment.

6. Solio Classic2

The Classic2 is more a portable battery pack capable of being recharged by the sun than it is a solar panel. It features a rotating three-panel fan design, and was one of the smallest and lightest units we tested (5.8 by 2.8 inches closed, 10.1 ounces). It doesn’t charge quickly—the internal battery took a full day in the best conditions to fully charge—but once the battery has juice, it transfers quickly to a device. In one hour, the charged unit took our 4S from near dead to full. The Classic2 comes with a pencil to use as a stand, but a slender stick will work just fine, too. It only powers USB devices.

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ½
Portability:
Durability:
Chargeability:
Ease of Use:
Versatility:
Price/Value:
Price: $100 / solio.com
Final Word:

7. Goal Zero Nomad 13

The Nomad 13 is sort of an in-between solar charger. At 26 ounces, and with folded dimensions of 10.5 by 7 inches, the unit is oversize for a backpack—it’d be a better choice for a base camp. It unfolds to 18.25 by 10.5 inches, and comes equipped with three attached connection cables. This ensures you won’t lose them, but also forces you to carry them even when they’re not needed. The unit will charge devices directly, but after leaving the phone plugged in for one hour, we saw only a slight increase in battery charge. It should be noted that Goal Zero recommends using one of its own battery packs, like the Guide 10 ($40), “for best results.”

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ½
Portability: B
Durability: B
Chargeability: C
Ease of Use: A
Versatility: A-
Price/Value: C
Price: $159 / goalzero.com
Final Word: An okay unit if you add on the company's battery pack. Otherwise, its charging power is anemic.

Buyer's Guide
Portable solar panels are a relatively new technology to outdoorsmen. It’s not like you can ask your old man which model he used to carry. As you shop, keep these things in mind.
- Portability: How far from the car are you going to take your charger? What do you intend to charge with it?
- Construction: Are a few extra ounces worth a more solid build?
- Charging power: What devices is the unit capable of charging and how fast does it charge them? Does it charge directly, or does it charge from a reserve battery?
- Ease of usE: Does it have multiple outputs? Does it indicate the charge level?
- VersatilitY: Does it store power for night charging? Can you charge more than one device at a time? Can you charge while you are on the move?

How We Test
If we wanted to pad stats, then March in the Midwest wasn’t the optimal time or place to test solar panels. We chose to test under these conditions because we wanted to know how these units would fare for the average hunter. Over the course of three days, we tested seven different solar panels under partly sunny skies with temperatures ranging from the high 40s to the mid 50s. Scattered clouds were persistent and rain drizzled down more than once. Each unit was set up to face the sun for one hour. We hooked up an iPhone 4S to the unit, set an alarm, and went fishing. An hour later we checked the battery status.

We didn’t beat the units with a hammer, drop them off a cliff, or drown them in a bucket of water because they are electronic devices and we wouldn’t abuse them like that in the real world. We did thoroughly examine and judge them for portability, construction, how well they charge, ease of use, versatility, and value.

Redneck Reality TV Crushes Celeb Reality TV in Ratings

Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:45:22 -0400

The numbers are in: Americans love rednecks.

A recent article on FoxNews.com brings to light just how popular redneck reality shows have become.

A&E’s “Duck Dynasty,” a show about long-bearded, redneck gazillionaires who eat frogs and ducks and catch squirrels barehanded, delivered 9.6 million viewers for its recent Season 3 finale and averaged 8.4 million viewers through the season. History Channel’s “Swamp People,” a show about swamp-dwelling, gator-hunting, far-from-gazillionaire Cajuns averages 4.5 million per show. Other redneck shows like “Moonshiners,” “Redneck Island,” “Lady Hoggers,” “Rocket City Rednecks,” “My Big Redneck Wedding,” and “Backyard Oil” are also tearing up the Nielsen ratings.

Shows about the well-to-do such as the “Real Houswives of…” franchise and “Shahs of Sunset” aren’t doing nearly as well. “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” for example, averages around 2.6 million viewers per show.

So why are Rednecks doing so well?

VP of Business & Culture at the Media Research Institute Dan Gainor told FoxNews.com: “Americans enjoy these shows for good reasons. Hollywood wants us to laugh at rural people. They set these shows up to depict them as God-fearing, gun-loving idiots. But viewers see something different. They see the heart, the humanity and the humor. Not everyone lives in New York or Los Angeles."

Or maybe people just enjoy watching shows that take place in the outdoors or watching people hunt and fish.

Who knows?

I don’t as I’ve never seen any of the aforementioned shows.

Do you watch these redneck treasures? And if so, why?

Comment below!

Debate Continues Over Fishing and Hunting Opportunity Bill

Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:48:17 -0400

Editor's Note: This is a guest post in response to Ben Lamb's blog on the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

America’s sportsmen and women are extremely fortunate. In the U.S. we have some of the greatest wildlife of any nation and the most successful wildlife conservation funding model in the world. We are really fortunate to have the dedicated organizations that care about protecting our hunting heritage for the next generations of outdoorsmen and women.

These hunter-conservationist organizations again are working to advance federal legislation which will require the nearly 500 million acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to have open access for hunting, angling, trapping, and recreational target shooting. The 20 biggest hunting organizations in the U.S. support H.R. 1825, the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

This list includes: Archery Trade Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Boone & Crockett Club, Bowhunting Preservation Alliance, Catch-a-Dream Foundation, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Conservation Force, Dallas Safari Club, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, National Trappers Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, North American Bear Foundation, Pope & Young Club, Quality Deer Management Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ruffed Grouse Society, Safari Club International, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Wild Sheep Foundation, & Wildlife Forever.

Most people do not realize that public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are not automatically open to hunting, fishing and recreational target shooting. H.R. 1825 would make our outdoor heritage part of every public land management plan. Think of the opportunities that will open up for more hunters on the 500 million acres these agencies control?!

In fact, federal lands need to be defended. Anti-hunting groups, like WildEarth Guardian and the Center for Biological Diversity, will use any loophole to direct unending litigation to ban our hunting opportunities on federal public lands. It has been happening on over 300 National Wildlife Refuges for over a decade, wasting taxpayer dollars on legal fees rather than conservation. H.R. 1825 will close this loophole which anti-hunting NGOs have used to chip away at our freedoms on public lands.

Another example is that in Michigan one man convinced a federal judge that his recreational interests as a cross-country skier should supersede hunting on the Huron and Manistee National Forests! H.R. 1825 will protect the U.S. Forest Service from such mind-numbing litigation.

Doesn’t this legislation seem totally justified? Shouldn’t we expect more recreational opportunities from the two federal land management agencies that manage nearly 500 million acres of public land?

H.R. 1825, does not create hunting, fishing or recreational shooting opportunities where they are not already authorized. The bill does not remove Wilderness Act protections from lands appropriately designated as Wilderness, nor does it authorize motorized vehicle use or the development of permanent roads in Wilderness Areas. This bill simply protects congressionally authorized activities from legal challenges that seek to interfere with statutorily authorized hunting, fishing and recreational shooting on federal land.

We cannot allow legal loopholes and abstract arguments become the downfall of our hunting heritage. Hunters, anglers, trappers, and recreational target shooters should continue to stand united, just as the 20 largest hunting organizations are doing to protect the future of our sport. Please consider calling your elected official today and ask for their support of H.R. 1825 the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

- Melissa Simpson is the Director of Government Affairs and Science Based Conservation for Safari Club International

Master Class Skills and Tips

Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:45:21 -0400

Master Class is devoted to helping you take your hunting and shooting skills to the next level with expert advice and insights from Outdoor Life editors and contributors. Whether it's learning to be a more successful hunter or a consistently solid shooter, Master Class delivers graduate-level instruction in the form of blog posts, photo galleries and from-the-field-videos. Click the photos below for individual Master Class subjects. The black and white boxes are coming soon!

Big-Game Rifles: How Big is Too Big?

Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:10:33 -0400

I love shooting my .416 Rigby—seriously—despite the tough love it gives back when I pull the trigger. Partly, I like the challenge of shooting a big-boomer. It requires conscious mental and physical relaxation to shoot well during practice sessions. (Actually shooting at game is much easier—if you’ve practiced the right way, the propensity to flinch and otherwise ruin your shot is negligible.)

But there’s a limit to what anybody can take. After a few shots I find it is usually time to rack the gun and move on.

None of us are immune to the effects of recoil. I realized this some time ago and, as a result, have developed a fondness for mid-range calibers that are accurate, deadly and easier to shoot.

Among my favorites for big game: 6.5 Creedmoor, .35 Remington, .280 Remington, .338 Federal and the .257 Roberts. Of course, I shoot a lot of .30/06 and .308 Winchester as well. And even though I’ve owned (and still own) a number of over-bored magnums, they are usually not my first (or even second) choice for hunting.

How big do you go? How has your appetite for recoil evolved over the years? For me, less is more.

Duck Facts: 17-Year-Old Harlequin Duck Documented in Montana

Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:37:06 -0400

As anyone who has been reading this blog for the last year knows, I’m a big fan of the harlequin duck. It’s one of the most beautiful waterfowl species on the planet. It’s one of those bucket-list ducks for waterfowlers across the country. It’s also a sea duck, which makes its presence in Montana’s Glacier National Park seem a bit strange. But not only do the sea-faring harlequins build their streamside nests in Montana, park employees recently verified a drake harlie that is at least 17 years old.

The age of the harlequin is noteworthy because it was believed the typical lifespan for the diminutive duck was about10 years (the oldest documented harlie is 18 years, 10 months). While it’s astonishing to think of this small duck surviving for 17 years in the pounding, frigid surf of Washington state’s Pacific Ocean and making the yearly trek to mountain streams to breed, there were several other facts revealed about harlequins in the Missoulian article that I didn’t know (besides the obvious fact that they migrate that far inland):

• Unlike other ducks that migrate north-south, harlies migrate east-west. It makes sense but for most us, the north-south migration is so engrained in us that migrating east-west just kind of boggles the mind. The small geographical area also makes them quite rare except in the extreme northern corners of the country and also plays a role in entire populations suffering drastic fluctuations.

• I knew harlequins nested along mountain streams, but much like salmon, hen harlies, for some mysterious reason, return to the exact same stream they were reared on. That little tidbit combined with the fact that they nest extremely close to the rushing water makes them susceptible to human and natural disturbances. If that brood-rearing stream is developed even marginally, it could impact the nesting ability of hens. And, call it climate change or a seasonal anomaly, but high water can regularly wash nests away (if predators don’t find them first).

• Harlequins mate for life (or until something happens to that mate), and the drake follows the hen to her home stream to carry out procreation duties. Once the hen lays her eggs and begins to tend to the nest, which is usually by July 4 in Glacier, the drake bails and heads back to the coast.

What’s astonishing to me however, is that once the hen finishes rearing her brood, which could take until October if successful, she heads back to the coast with the kids and can actually find her mate. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t find anyone three months later if they just told me they’d be waiting somewhere off the coast of Seattle; hell, I can’t find someone in Seattle. In a mall. This simply amazes me.

• The fact that drakes take off before a nesting proves successful makes harlequins a species of concern to biologists. Other waterfowl, such as mallards, will renest if predators eat the eggs or it is destroyed by some other means, but harlequins get one shot at success – the 17-year-old bird that’s been following his mate to Montana has yet to have a successful nesting documented during the last three seasons.

Photo: Glacier National Park

Michigan Bill Puts More Volunteer Boots on the Ground

Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:41:50 -0400

In a state that's seen more than its fair share of controversial legislation and initiatives focused on hunting and fishing, a law that passed with overwhelming support in 2011 is being put to use.

Dubbed the "Volunteer Bill," House Bill 4111 was signed into law by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in June of 2011. Today, that bill has helped clear the way for an interesting and, thus far, highly effective partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the private sector.

Previously, volunteer labor, while welcomed by the DNR, was greatly restricted in the functions those volunteers could perform. To put it plainly, volunteers simply weren't allowed to do much of anything that a paid state employee could do.

As budgets tightened and staff size declined, however, it became clear that the Department simply couldn't keep up and Michigan's public hunting and fishing areas were suffering from the lack of maintenance.

The Volunteer Bill allows volunteers to truly get their hands dirty and the "On The Ground" initiative is putting the law to good use.

Earlier this year, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, a non-profit conservation organization, partnered with the Michigan DNR to conduct a series of projects across the state that focus on improving public access and enhancing habitat on existing public hunting and fishing areas.

The first project brought 30 volunteers to the Saginaw-Gratiot State Game Area in March where they constructed a series of brush piles for small game habitat while removing unwanted invasive species.

The On The Ground program has another half-dozen projects in the works ranging from removing access barriers to waterfowl hunters on Harsen's Island to establishing clover plots on public lands in southern Michigan.

"So far, the program has been really well received and people are showing up to help," said Drew YoungeDyke, the grassroots manager at MUCC and coordinator for the On The Ground initiative. "People are always talking about how they wish public land offered better hunting and fishing, or that they wish there was more access. This program allows them to stop talking about it and start making it happen."

Pending State Record Swordfish Caught in Texas

Alex Robinson — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:12:41 -0400

Clearly everything is bigger in Texas, including the swordfish.

The crew fishing aboard the Booby Trap landed a 493-pound swordfish last week. This pending state record fish measured 107 inches. The crew was fishing 100 miles off the Texas shoreline at the backend of a three-day trip.

“We were using rigged squid that had just arrived from Baitmasters of South Florida,” Bryan Barclay, the angler who reeled in the fish, told OD Outdoors. “The squid was soaking near the bottom in 1,711 feet [water] when it was slurped up.”

Barclay battled the sword for about four and a half hours. He was using an 80 Shimano spooled with hi-vis orange MoiMoi Diamond braid. And it took a team effort to pull in the fish—Captain Jeff Wilson and the rest of the Booby Trap crew did their part to support the fatigued Barclay.

“He stayed on that fish. He fought hard for four hours in the hot sun,” Captain Jeff Wilson told KTRK. “We had fans on him, we were drenching him with water, you name it, anything to keep him going. We cheered him on, egged him on, so to speak.”

Wilson said the fish initially weighed 500 pounds, but lost some of its weight after being put on ice. Even at 493 pounds, this swordfish is still more than enough to shoulder aside the previous Texas state record of 341 pounds from 2011. The current IGFA all-tackle world record is a 1,182-pound swordfish caught in Iquique, Chile in 1953.

The Booby Trap fishing team is no stranger to catching swords. The Surfside, Texas-based group of anglers caught 172 swords in 15 trips last year, according to their website. Their largest swordfish is a 650-pounder caught in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The crew releases about 90 percent of their catch, according to BD Outdoors. Brett Holden, Bobby Trap's owner, told BD Outdoors that his crew only tries to take fish in bad shape. He said they knew the fish was gut hooked once they examined it boatside at the end of the trip.

“We have had about 15 swords in this size class, but we either passed the rod, or it was too early in a four day trip to kill one of this size and try to keep it whole and cold," said Holden. "For this fish, it just all lined up.”

Video: Pro Bike Racer Chased by Peregrine Falcon

Alex Robinson — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:57:43 -0400

The peregrine falcon is a pint-sized rocket with razor-sharp talons capable of hitting speeds of 200 mph.

Gee Atherton is a professional downhill bike racer sponsored by those speed-loving, outlandish event-promoting folks over at Redbull.

Maybe someone drank too much Redbull and then came up with the idea to have Gee and a peregrine falcon race in the rugged hills near Antur Stiniog, North Wales. And when I say race, I mean strap bait on Gee's back and then send him down a mountain with a very hungry bird behind him.

The video is testament to just how maneuverable and fast these birds really are.

No wonder they’ve been used by falconers for more than 3,000 years!

Who do you think is going to win? Comment below!

Wilderness Roads Provision in Access Bill Causes Controversy

Alex Robinson — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:12:29 -0400

“I’ve got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals.” – Butch Cassidy

Vision is what Theodore Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and Aldo Leopold had when they articulated the North American conservation ethic. Vision to see the greatest good, for the greatest number, for the long term.

I’ve been thinking about vision as I review H.R. 1825: The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

The title sounds like Congress is passing around free apple pie. But the devil is in the details. The basic goal of the bill hits a bullseye—declaring that hunting and fishing have just as much value on public lands as other uses, including resource extraction and grazing. The bill would also end shortsighted efforts to block hunting and angling on public lands. But some of the details in the bill, which has 45 co-sponsors and has been referred to a House committee, miss the mark.

The problems with the bill center on federally designated wilderness areas. Hunters and anglers across the West fight yearly for prime spots in the trailhead parking lots of the Bob, Washakie, and Flattops wilderness areas searching for elk and other landscape-scale animals. Wilderness hunting to many is the stuff of legends. It’s where you test your mettle against an unflinching world. It’s where the road ends and the world according to primal law begins.

Hunting and fishing access is by foot, stock and in some places, boat or bush plane. But language included in HR 1825 would allow the government to bulldoze “temporary” roads in all Congressionally designated wilderness and roadless areas.

That language is getting caught in the craw of some of the more traditional hunter-conservation organizations such as Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. BHA supports other aspects of the bill, but opposes provisions that could threaten wilderness; meanwhile TRCP has simply asked that the sponsors remove the provision so that it fits with the Senate version of the same bill, noting that a similar provision in the Sportsman’s Heritage Act of 2012 met the predictable fate of no action in the Senate because the controversy couldn’t be overcome.

Critics of wilderness say they need to write this sweeping exemption into the 1964 Wilderness Act. They argue that in desert wilderness areas, people need to do work, such as install water sources, called guzzlers, to help wildlife such as bighorn sheep. In order to do the work, they need to build roads.

But the fact is many guzzlers have been constructed in wilderness areas, including the Owen’s Peak, Kiavah, Chimney Peak, and Domeland in California. One BLM district in Nevada has authorized over 25 guzzlers to be built in three different wilderness areas. The point is, there is flexibility at the local level, which is where these kinds of decisions should be made, not at the congressional level.

The provision in HR 1825 that allows for temporary roads in wilderness and roadless areas creates an appealing corridor for some motorized users. Anyone who has hunted public land knows that even temporary roads can have a lot of illegal traffic, reducing wildlife security habitat and hunter success.

Instead of eroding the best parts of our wilderness areas, I’d urge sportsmen to fight to either amend HR 1825 and or vigourously lobby to pass the bipartisan Murkowski/Manchin bill, which also aims to elevate the importance of hunting and fishing as legitimate uses of our public land. Let’s keep that as our dominant vision and not get sidetracked by provisions intended to split us sportsmen into those who hunt on foot vs. those of us who hunt on machines.

Build a Game Cart for $100

Alex Robinson — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:07:31 -0400

After the excitement of killing a deer subsides, you’re left with the hard work of getting your meat out of the woods. A game cart makes that task much simpler, while also reducing the risk of injuring yourself. For less money than you might spend on a commercial cart, you can build your own that weighs less than 25 pounds but will carry more than 200 pounds of venison. Materials for this model, which folds flat enough to fit in the trunk of a car, cost about $100.

Step 1: Cut and Fit Pipe and Conduit

The rigidity of the cart comes from ¾-inch galvanized conduit fitted inside plastic PVC pipe. Using 90-degree PVC elbows, T-connectors, and cross connectors, construct the lower and upper portions of the cart to the dimensions you prefer, but keep it in the basic L-shape you see in the cart photo at the top of the page. My handle section measured about 40 inches by 17 inches.

Step 2: Add Axle and Handle

Cut a piece of ½-inch round bar stock long enough to extend past the cart to accommodate the 15-inch wheelbarrow wheels. I used pieces of ½-inch PVC pipe as spacers between the frame and the wheel. Drill holes ½ inch from each end of the axle for the pins that will secure the wheels. Add a washer to the axle shaft. The handle is made from ¾-inch conduit wrapped in foam pipe insulation.

Step 3: Add U-Brackets

The upper frame connects to the lower frame with ½-inch galvanized conduit. These metal arms give the cart rigidity and strength. Homemade U-brackets serve as connection points for the arms. Make the brackets by bending 4-inch pieces of 1-inch flat bar stock into U shapes. Then bolt the brackets into PVC T-connectors and drill holes to receive pins.

Step 4: Glue, Paint, and Add Wheels

Once you have the dimensions and fit you desire, glue all the PVC pipes together using plastic adhesive. Paint with body primer. Mount the wheels on the axle, then secure them in place with spring-loaded pins. Pin the metal arms in place in the U-brackets. These pins can be removed to slide out the wheels and lower the arms, letting your cart fold flat for transport.

Materials List:

Item Description	Cost (Each)	Quantity	Total
1" PVC Pipe (10')	$2.69	3	$8.07
½” PVC Pipe (10’)	$1.56	1	$1.56
1" PVC T-Connectors	$0.77	12	$9.24
1" PVC Cross Connectors	$2.66	6	$15.96
1" PVC Plugs	$0.90	6	$5.40
1" PVC Caps	$0.66	6	$4.62
¾” Electrical Conduit EMT (10’)	$3.12	2	$6.24
½” Electrical Conduit EMT (10’)	$1.56	1	$1.56
½” Round Bar Stock (36”)	$6.52	1	$6.52
5/16” x 1” flat bar stock (36”)	$4.60	1	$4.60
15" Cart Wheels	$15.00	2	$30.00
¾” 90-degree EMT Connectors	$3.50	2	$7.00
¾” EMT Connectors	$1.10	2	$2.20
PVC Cement	$6.00	1	$6.00
		TOTAL	$108.97

*Prices may vary

The upper frame is 40 inches, and the lower frame is 18 inches. With the wheels on, the cart has a maximum height of about 48 inches and a length of about 26 inches. Some of that will depend on how the reader assembles the final cart, but those will be close. Weight depends on variable like tire brand, pipe density and even paint, but it should run about 40 pounds.

Montana's Stream Access Law: Landowner Claims to Own Water on Ruby River

Alex Robinson — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:29:53 -0400

I’ve got fishing on the brain lately. The salmon fly hatch on Rock Creek is in full bloom and we’re only a few days away from prime fishing conditions throughout all of western Montana’s trout water. Golden stoneflies are dancing through my dreams. Flotillas of guides and sports lazily float down the Missouri.

But Montana’s Stream Access Law is under a more serious assault than a salmonfly in front of a pig brown trout. At a recent Supreme Court hearing in Bozeman, the lawyer for one Mr. James Cox Kennedy, an absentee landowner who owns a significant chunk of southwestern Montana, stated:

"My client not only owns the land under the Ruby River in Montana. He owns the water in the river and the air above it. So, no member of the public has the right to be on the river running through Mr. Kennedy's property without his permission."

With more money than a Gilded Age robber baron, and a team of lawyers that could get OJ Simpson out of his current stint in jail, Mr. Kennedy continues his attempts to erode the nation’s best stream-access law. His lawyers have even gone so far as to call Montana’s Stream-Access Law unconstitutional. That’s a pretty far stretch, since stream access is actually guaranteed under the Montana Constitution. In fact, that little bit of nonsense gave one justice enough ammo to scold the lawyer during the hearing.

Grassroots groups like Montana Trout Unlimited and The Public Land and Water Access Association are gearing up to fight this battle all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States if they have to. It’s an expensive fight, and one that won’t be won without some help from folks who care about the ability to access publically held rivers and streams rather than turn Montana into some version of the United Kingdom, where only the elite have access to wildlife.

Hunting and fishing define who we are in Montana. Being able to access these public resources is a large part of our economic portfolio as well.

Mr. Kennedy, we’ve invited you once before to go fishing with us. The invitation still stands – your place or ours. We’re happy to discuss this and get your side of the story. As it sits right now, the public record is fairly damning. It’s one thing to contest the legality of accessing bridges under a prescriptive easement, it’s another to try and put Montana’s multi-million dollar fishing economy at risk simply because you seemingly want to keep the unclean masses out of your kingdom.

Blind Hunting with a Crossbow

Alex Robinson — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:23:59 -0400

For some in the hunting ranks, climbing a tree is no longer an option. But before you decide to plunk yourself down on the ground next to a big oak tree, consider using a ground blind this season. Here’s why:

1. Safety
Ground blinds have several distinct advantages over elevated treestands. You can’t fall from the floor.

2. Speed
Ground blinds are very easy to set up. In fact, it takes a matter of seconds to pop open a ground blind.

3. Concealment
While not as obtrusive to shoot as the compound, crossbows do require a considerable amount of movement to ready for the shot. Being totally enclosed cloaks these movements from the prying eyes of deer.

4. Versatility
Grounds blinds allow the crossbow hunter to make adjustments in their hunt strategies real-time. When patterning animals, you can pick up from one location and move quickly to another with little fuss or impact.

5. Comfort
Sitting in a downpour, snowstorm or frigid conditions in a treestand can be miserable fun. Groundblinds shield you from rain, flurries and are quite comfortable when temperatures plummet. This added comfort allows hunters to stay in the field longer, improving their chances of targeting a trophy.

CC image from Flickr.