Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2022 i Game & Fish South

Because deadsticking is such a slow technique employed when fish turn lethargic, bass often have plenty of time to eye a bait up and down. Because it is basically invisible in the water, fluorocarbon line shines when deadsticking. On top of that, and unlike monofilament, fluorocarbon line sinks. Seaguar InvizX is soft and very castable. The 100-percent fluorocarbon line is crystal-clear, disappearing in the water while providing an abrasion-resistant alternative to braided lines. InvizX holds knots tightly, is very sensitive and features small diameters, available in 4- to 25-pound test and 200-, 600- and 1,000-yard spools (from $24.99; seaguar.com). Berkley’s Trilene Professional Grade 100% Fluorocarbon offers anglers an extra-tough clear line that excels in the most inhospitable of aquatic environments. Trilene Professional Grade 100% Fluorocarbon is perfectly suited for skipping…

One of the best squirrel hunting areas in the southern United States—the Ouachita National Forest—includes more than 1.78 million acres of mountains, ridges, lakes and streams in 13 central and western Arkansas counties, plus two counties in southeastern Oklahoma. Some of the best hunting is on seven Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in or near the national forest. These are Ft. Chaffee WMA just east of Ft. Smith in Crawford, Franklin, Logan and Sebastian counties (42,000 acres); Caney Creek WMA southeast of Mena in Polk, Howard, Pike and Montgomery counties (85,000 acres); Muddy Creek WMA southwest of Danville in Yell, Montgomery and Scott counties (146,206 acres); Howard County WMA northeast of DeQueen in Howard County (27,000 acres); Lake Greeson WMA north of Nashville in Pike and…

As the water cools throughout October, Cunningham will often let his clients fish for trout if they wish. Delayed Harvest waters in the North Toe River system occur from the U.S. 19E Bridge to the N.C. 226 Bridge. Designated Hatchery Supported Waters occur in the North Toe from the Avery County line to the S.R. 1121 Bridge. Other designated trout waters occur in feeder creeks. The nearby Pisgah National Forest has excellent small-game hunting, with seasons opening for ruffed grouse and squirrels now. Blackpowder and archery deer seasons also open in October.…

Maine’s moose are huge, and their habitat can make recovery difficult, so be sure to take a rifle and cartridge capable of quickly downing an animal that averages 1,100 pounds. I went with the bolt-action Benelli Lupo in .300 Win. Mag (benelliusa.com). The rifle’s excellent ergonomics aided handling in difficult terrain and thick vegetation, and its accuracy resulted in one well-placed shot—the only one needed to drop my bull. I paired the rifle with Remington 180-grain Core-Lokt Tipped ammunition (remington.com), a load that features an updated version of Big Green’s flagship big-game bullet. The polymer tip improves the bullet’s ballistic coefficient and helps initiate expansion, while the mechanically locked core and tapered jacket help retain weight. The wound channel created by the bullet in my moose was wide, deep and…

CATCH HUNGRY LARGEMOUTHS Season 3 of our exclusive online series, “Beyond the Bait,” focuses on the most popular tactics to catch largemouth bass. Find new episodes under “Watch.” LOVIN’ LITHIUM Read why lithium-based batteries are a game-changer in “Lithium Energizing the Way We Harness Marine Power” by Dr. Todd Kuhn from ICAST 2022. BE A PEPPER You’ll find dozens of great ways to prepare venison on gafmag.com, including fun-to-make Dr. Pepper Venison Jerky. Get more tasty ideas under “Recipes.” OWN YOUR HUNT Hunting in America finds its groove in October with multiple seasons in full swing. Check out “Ultimate Season” for videos, tips, new gear, recipes and more. HEAVIER THAN AIR Adam Heggenstaller takes a look at advancements in air guns, including the .25-caliber Umarex Origin, in “Hunting with Air…

What good is a knife that isn’t sharp? Whether you’re cleaning a mess of crappies or caping out a trophy buck, a dull knife can be maddening. The Outdoor Edge Edge-X Pro is a compact sharpener ideal for camp or to carry in your pack. The Edge-X Pro has a pivoting base with coarse and medium carbide bits set at 22 degrees, plus medium ceramic and fine ceramic abrasives. There’s also a tapered diamond rod for serrated edges, and a groove for sharpening fishing hooks. The rotating “X” base has four rubber foot pads, and the finger holder is also rubberized for a sure and safe grip. The Edge-X Pro measures just 1.6 by 3.9 by .7 inches and weighs 1.2 ounces. ($20; outdooredge.com)…

Big carp are magnificent creatures, and targeting them in Southern waters is one of the most challenging, rewarding and enjoyable types of freshwater fishing. I’m not talking about dunking a wad of strawberry-flavored paste into a local pond for pale little five pounders. I mean the systematic pursuit of 20-, 30- and 40-pounders—big golden beasts with impressive scaling that will test all your fishing smarts and amaze you with their passion for a fight. You’ve always been told carp are trash, an invasive species that uproots vegetation and muddies the water while crowding out native gamefish. While there’s an element of truth to this characterization in certain localized situations, carp are also a very easy scapegoat for broader water quality and fishery management issues. The reality is that common carp…

The Hawk Ultra-Lite Climber ($329.99; hawkhunting.com) weighs 20 pounds and has a 300-pound capacity. It features a 20-by-27-inch-wide standing platform and a very comfortable hammock-like net seat, and it folds flat for easy packing. The Hawk climber has padded arm rests, easily adjustable cables and all-welded construction for quiet operation. Neoprene backpack straps make it easy to carry long distances without fatigue. Ol’Man made one of the first flexible cable climbers to hit the market. The Alumalite CTS ($339.99; millennium-outdoors.com) weighs 21 pounds and has a 300-pound capacity. The 18-by-32-inch platform offers plenty of foot space, while the seating platform features a patented 21-inch-wide, nylon-webbed, trampoline-style seat, pivoting spreader arms, oval tubing and an improved cable system that makes set up quiet and simple. Another long-time leader in climbing treestand…

Backing his truck down to the water’s edge, Scott Cunningham set the parking brake as insurance against the steep grade and slid his Super Puma inflatable boat into the current. Cunningham operates On the Fly Guide Service (nconthefly. com), and has access to many launching and takeout ramps along North Carolina’s Toe River system. Sloshing sand and silt from his wading shoes, he hopped in to man the oars. Before the first smallmouth-holding cover came into view, he asked me to cast a popping bug behind a rock just off the opposite bank. I asked whether he wanted it presented upstream or downstream, then landed the bug behind the rock with a curve cast. With that we were off, with Cunningham skillfully drifting and maneuvering through the current, navigating to…

We woke at 3 a.m. to hot black coffee and a steady, 25 mph wind howling down the junction of the St. John and Allagash rivers. After loading the truck, we headed out for an hours-long, spine-jarring ride down logging roads. As I bounced around inside the cab, I thought about how I had been waiting nearly half my life to be here, the North Maine Woods, hunting moose. I climbed stiffly out of the truck as the thermometer rose to 28 degrees, a temperature I rarely see anymore, having moved to Florida 17 years ago. After several close calls with fully loaded logging rigs whizzing past us in the dark at high speed on the dirt road, we were happy to be out of the truck. My guide Nate…

It’s a simple tactic but one that works: Get away from crowds by hunting areas that require long walks to access. Not many hunters are willing to put in the effort to go the distance, and pieces of public ground that are relatively undisturbed often become havens for game. A hike measured in miles instead of yards is more enjoyable, and typically takes less time, when your gear isn’t a burden. Even when the hike isn’t a long one, lightweight rifles encourage you to keep them in your hands, ready for a quick shot, instead of slung over a shoulder. There are some extremely lightweight rifles available from manufacturers who specialize in cutting weight, but any well-balanced model that weighs less than 7 pounds will usually feel pretty good cradled…

If carp are in the news these days, it’s usually the invasive Asian carp. A collective of state agencies combating this harmful species has an informational website (invasivecarp.us) that outlines the steps they’re taking to control the spread of these true undesirables, with illustrations of what to look for. It should be noted that small numbers of triploid (sterile) grass carp are intentionally stocked in many Southern waters by state agencies for weed control. They can’t reproduce and shouldn’t be any cause for concern.…

Two types of squirrels—the fox squirrel and gray squirrel—are hunted in the South. Both of these small-game animals present challenges for inexperienced hunters. But, despite the fact that fox squirrels are much larger and more colorful, it is this species that eludes its pursuers more often, making it a special prize. A gray squirrel that knows a hunter is nearby will often race up the nearest tree and scamper out of sight. Or it will “timber out,” jumping from branch to branch high above the ground. The heavier, less agile fox squirrel uses different escape tactics. Instead of rushing up and away, ol’ foxy will sprawl out on a limb and lay still in hopes of being overlooked. Or it may curl up and hide in a tree fork. If…

While doing research prior to my hunt, I connected with Alaina Woods, a doctorate student at the University of Maine Wildlife Disease Genetics Lab, to assist with the lab’s Maine moose health study. The study is being led by Dr. Pauline Kamath and conducted in collaboration with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The moose population in northern Maine has, for the last hundred years or so, been plagued with an ever-increasing number of winter ticks, also called moose ticks. Some of the animals that have been collared and tracked have had up to 90,000 ticks on them. Most adult moose can survive the infestations, though they rub so hard on trees to get rid of the ticks that they remove most of their hair and are referred…

It was a warm evening in early October when Shane, his father and his father’s new employee, Wayne, hopped out of the pickup truck near the lake shore. Wayne said he had fished often in his home state of Minnesota, but he hadn’t gotten to fish much since moving South. As the men carried the boat to the water, Shane grabbed the tackle box and looked over an assorted pile of fishing rods. “Mr. Wayne,” he asked, “what rod and reel do you want? There’s an Ambassadeur with a medium-heavy rod, a Shimano Curado on a fast action and a Zebco 303.” “Got a spinning reel?” asked Wayne. “No sir.” “What do you use?” “I’m a Shimano man myself,” replied Shane, “but I use a real stiff rod because I…