Entries for October 2012

If I couldn’t laugh, I wouldn’t want to go hunting.

Little does it matter where I'm going or what I'm hunting ... I know I'm about to have a good time with friends. The camaraderie and the moments of deer camp over the years are kind of like the bedrock of my life.
My grandparents had a farm, and growing up I knew there was always a place for me to wet a fishing line or climb a tree.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation removing the word “game” from the title of the California agency known for 6 decades as the Department of Fish and Game, replacing it with “wildlife,” a move that has hunters and sportsmen’s groups concerned that the future of hunting, fishing and game management might be imperiled in The Golden State.

We still have a few weeks to go until deer patterns become more hunter-friendly. Last week I shared some strategies for hunting October whitetails, but are you still struggling to get a close encounter?

Anyone who lives in black bear country knows first-hand that these creatures are capable of destroying bird feeders and getting into all sorts of other trouble. But this trouble usually stays outside.

Reality is 90 percent perception. If you believe—perceive—the zombie apocalypse is coming and do nothing to prepare for it, well, shame on you. But zombies are not real. Or are they?

Love or hate them, October whitetails are here. I admit that I’d rather skip hunting whitetails in October because they tend to break tradition and become antisocial. But you can absolutely be successful during the "October Lull"—you need to tailor your tactics.

Who doesn’t like comfort food? You know the type I’m talking about. How about a big chunk of chicken fried chicken smothered in chicken gravy with dressing and mashed potatoes corralling the gravy. Another one of my favorites is a Chicago-style pizza with lots and lots of mozzarella cheese. Yea, after a big hunt I love a good helping of comfort food.

I also love comfort clothes, and I had the opportunity to test a new series of comfort clothes this past week. Perhaps you've heard of them: Cabela's Heated Performance Camo Gloves. They were featured in Gordy Krahn's blog, and one lucky NAHC member scored a pair for free.

October's here, action is heating up for deer hunters across the country—life is good. Last month we unboxed a wide variety of new hunting gear and got tons of great comments, so I'm giving away two items from September instead of just one.

A northern New York man who claimed to have killed a potential archery state record buck in late September will be receiving shame rather than fame, thanks to a well-schooled trophy measurer who recognized the deer was likely farm-raised and not wild.

The predatory ability to extend the range of our eyesight and discover prey from afar is invaluable, so a binocular is priceless. A binocular is often the first tool that leads a hunter to a successful kill. But the added weight and hang-ups from a bino can make it a burdensome hunting tool.

The typical neck strap that comes with a binocular offers little support and is basically worthless for hunters. Some other binocular harnesses that wrap around the shoulders aren't so bad, but they're still lacking in comfort and containment. The S4Gear LockDownX is the ultimate binocular harness.