Indholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2024 i Game & Fish West

I’ve been fortunate to make friends and share experiences with many hunters across the nation. While the game they pursue and the methods they use vary widely, the most successful hunters I know have one thing in common: They scout early and often. It doesn’t matter if it’s turkeys or elk; the hunters who consistently fill their tags spend more time finding areas that hold game than hunting places that do not. Maybe that sounds like an obvious statement, but consider the research and effort it takes to pinpoint one or two particular trees on one specific bench leading to the most productive group of oak trees on the mountain, and a dedication to scouting becomes even more important. Digital apps and game cameras provide us with excellent information, but…

The heat and humidity of midsummer will soon be upon us, and as the season evolves, so must our approach to achieving fishing success. Gone are the days of easy bites, which happened so often as surface water temperatures first reached the 70-degree mark. Bass have long since left their beds, quality panfish have largely vacated the shallows, and cool-water species like walleye and northern pike have stopped visiting landing nets and livewells as frequently as they did just a few weeks ago. Yet the heart of summer, with holidays, family vacations and bucket-list fishing trips, still lies in front of us, and the need to get bit remains. One way to enjoy remarkably consistent midsummer fishing is to focus on moving water, from cold-water trout streams to the largest…

It was late February, and I was following a pack of beagles in hot pursuit of a cottontail on a patch of public ground in Ohio. Rabbits tend to like heavy cover. Intercepting them as they circle ahead of a dog pack often means hunters must wade through some gnarly brush. I managed to locate a well-worn deer trail that cut directly through the mass of honeysuckle and Russian olive. It made walking easier, and I was astounded by the overlapping layers of whitetail deer tracks. This was a virtual deer highway. It also wasn’t a secret to the local whitetail hunters. As I made my way along the lonely trail, I came upon the remains of one stand site and then another. All told on that quarter-mile trail there…

Part of the fun of fishing from a kayak is equipping the boat with gear that answers a specific need and customizes the craft for given conditions and presentations. From motors to storage and safety, accessories enhance the on-the-water experience. Here are four pieces of gear we’ve tested and found worthy. NEWPORT NK180PRO ELECTRIC KAYAK MOTOR Kayak anglers can navigate effortlessly to favorite fishing spots with the NK180Pro, experiencing a remarkable 16 percent increase in speed. This motor features a 25 percent decrease in noise, gaining a tactical advantage without sacrificing functionality. The NK180PRO also provides a 25 percent increase in efficiency, extended range and reduced charging demands while maximizing precious fishing time. The updated throttle design, now with an IP67 rating, offers a waterproof, intuitive interface for precise control…

Interest in straight-wall cartridges has surged in recent years as several Midwestern states have started allowing their use in deer hunting. Traditionally, these states only permitted hunters to use shotguns firing slugs, muzzleloaders and big-bore revolvers due to concerns over stray bullets in areas with high human population densities. However, most have determined that the fat, short projectiles fired from straight-wall cartridges offer similarly reduced risk, while allowing hunters to take far more accurate and ethical shots in the field. Thus began the straight-wall cartridge boom we are currently experiencing. Hunters wanting to up their capabilities in these states have looked to classic straight-wall cartridges and have also expressed interest in new designs. In response, manufacturers have been offering more load options for existing straight-walls and even developing entirely new…

THE UNSEEN NEMESIS We’ve all had a day on the water ruined by windy conditions. In “Catch More Bass in the Wind,” Crash Course video host Shane Beilue shares three ways to make the wind become your friend. FISHING IN AN ECLIPSE In “How the Solar Eclipse Impacted Game and Fish,” Lynn Burkhead, writing from the path of totality, chronicles what outdoorsmen experienced during the rare event in April. (Oh yes, the fish were biting.) CATFISH FEVER “If I’m not catfishing, I’m catching bait for catfish,” West Virginia angler Michael Drake said after landing an Ohio River blue catfish that broke a state record, the fourth straight year the record has fallen. Get the story in our “Records” section. TACKLE EXTRAVAGANZA ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing tackle trade show, hits…

The chukar made a fatal mistake, sweeping up and over the sandy desert bowl I was hunting. I made a towering, 40-yard shot, and the bird fell, rag dead, almost at my feet. I moved away to let my hardworking German wirehair do the retrieving honors. It was a fitting culmination to years of misses, thousands of practice rounds and a lot of blood, sweat and tears born out of frustration. Chukars and pheasants still fly off unscathed, but not as often as they did since I’ve become my own shotgun instructor. You can help yourself become a better shotgunner, too. There are ways to spot issues with your shooting and correct them on your own through simple drills (and lots of practice). Here are some suggestions that might put…

When I head out on a summertime scouting mission, these gear items significantly boost my chances of success. HUNTSTAND PRO: A superb digital mapping app that’s so much more, HuntStand Pro gives you access to public/private land boundaries, updated monthly satellite imagery, public hunting land maps, 3D mapping and unlimited offline maps. LEUPOLD OPTICS: My go-to big-game optics package consists of Leupold’s BX-5 Santiam HD binocular, SX-5 Santiam HD spotter and Alpine’s CF-425 Tripod Kit. With this trio, I know I’m toting a lightweight, tough-as-nails glassing system that promises excellent clarity and low-light ability. ALPS MOUNTAINEERING WEEKENDER: This stadium chair makes glassing comfortable while boosting stability. Weighing a mere 21 ounces, I tote this lightweight chair everywhere. The half-inch closed-cell foam construction provides an excellent barrier from the ground, and…

With a 36-year history of making knives in the U.S. for hunting, outdoor adventure, everyday carry and tactical purposes, Benchmade expands its offerings this summer to include models purpose-built for fishing. The new Benchmade Water Line ($200–$260; benchmade.com) consists of the 7-inch and 9-inch Fishcrafter fillet knives, the fixed-blade Undercurrent and Intersect, and the Adira and Mini Adira folders, which use the AXIS locking mechanism. All Water Line models have blades made from CPM-MagnaCut stainless steel, a relatively new alloy developed by metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas specifically for premium knives to provide excellent corrosion resistance, edge retention and toughness. The high performance of CPM-MagnaCut in these areas is ideal for the environments and tasks commonly encountered while fishing in both freshwater and the salt. The fillet and fixed-blade knives feature…

OLD TOWN SPORTSMAN BIGWATER EPDL+ 132 LENGTH: 13'2" | WIDTH: 36"WEIGHT: 143 lbs. fully riggedCAPACITY: 500 lbs.HULL CONSTRUCTION: single-layer polyethylenePROPULSION: e-pedal, paddleMSRP: $5,999.99oldtownwatercraft.com While kayaks are ideal for finding fish on small, secluded waters, many current models are just as adept at taking anglers on adventures to big rivers, sprawling reservoirs and even offshore saltwater destinations. The options among fishing kayaks have never been greater, thanks to improvements in hull materials and construction, propulsion technology and smart design that enables customization for specific excursions and species. The kayak gurus at Florida Sportsman recently put a variety of new kayaks to the test on numerous waterways, and the following models showcase the versatility now available to anglers. TOP FEATURES: Designed to keep anglers in the chase, the ePDL+ system combines pedal…

More than a decade ago, Ruger set new benchmarks for performance and affordability with its bolt-action American Rifle. This year, the company introduced an upgraded model, the American Rifle Generation II, which includes several new features designed from customer feedback and engineering ingenuity. Most noticeable is a Cerakote finish on the barreled action that is as attractive as it is durable. The medium-contour, cold-hammer-forged barrel has deep spiral flutes on most versions (depending on chambering) to reduce weight without sacrificing accuracy, while also dissipating heat efficiently. Most versions also have threaded muzzles and come equipped with a radial-port muzzle brake. The gray splatter-finished synthetic stock offers custom fit via a removable comb riser and length-of-pull spacers to accommodate a variety of optics and shooter statures. Adding or removing spacers allows…

Early one summer Shane’s cousins Brian and Ben, ages 10 and 8, traveled all the way from Detroit to stay with his family for a few weeks. The boys’ father—Shane’s uncle—hated that they had to live in the city due to his job, and he was afraid his sons weren’t getting outside enough and learning how to hunt and fish like he did as a boy. “Don’t worry, Ted,” said Shane’s father to his brother over the phone. “I’ll see to it that when the boys leave here, they’ll be regular Jeremiah Johnsons.” To Shane, who overheard the conversation, the plan had potential. He knew his father had to work all summer, and so of course “I’ll see to it” meant “Shane will see to it.” If teaching his cousins…

Some folks assume the hardest part of rifle manufacturing is building a rifle that shoots well. Many also believe the most important consideration when selecting a rifle is choosing the cartridge in which it will be chambered. Truthfully, the hardest thing for a manufacturer to do is build a rifle that will interface well with the most shooters. Similarly, your most important consideration should be finding a rifle that interfaces well with you. The second you grab a rifle, you start interacting with it, and the quality of that interaction determines how well you and the rifle work together. There are many points of interface on a rifle, such as size and weight, the trigger and the sights, but as important as all these are, it’s the stock that your…

On the surface, the ballot initiative that likely will be decided this November by Colorado voters would only affect a few hundred mountain lion and bobcat hunters and the outfitters who guide them to wild cats. According to its text, Colorado Initiative 91 would “ban trophy hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynx” in the state. But make no mistake, says Dan Gates, executive director of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management (CRWM), a pro-hunting group that opposes the ballot measure. The initiative is so broadly worded that its passage would likely achieve what its proponents intend: to end all forms of legal hunting. “They say they want to curtail trophy hunting, but the definition in the petition says ‘intentional killing,’” Gates explains. “All of hunting is intentional killing. If they…

If you have limited time for anything besides work, kids, dog training, household chores and (checks notes) your spouse, make your precious minutes at the clay-target range count. Here’s a way to save some time and money while improving your odds of hitting more birds this season. It’s all predicated on a concept I was taught as a musician: Only perfect practice makes perfect. If you’ve ever churned away at scales on the piano or bar chords on the guitar, you know there are only so many repetitions you can do well. After that, you’re phoning it in and all the “good” earlier rounds are erased by the sloppy later ones that booger up your developing skillset. Or maybe you play golf, where the same holds true for your swing.…

I stood at the bow of the drift boat, a two-fly setup dangling over the river as we moved toward the end of a set of small rapids. As I prepared to cast out the left side of the boat along the edge of the main current, my good friend Chris Wright, a noted fishing guide, suggested I face the other direction. “Drop ’em right behind that eddy, between the outside edge of the boil and the rock wall,” Wright instructed. I looked at him and smiled. He wasn’t joking. It appeared more like salmon holding water than where a trout would be, especially in late June. As soon as my flies hit the water, a big boil submerged them. Line peeled off my reel when the fish hit the…

One of the reasons California’s Bryant Smith performed so well in his 2023 rookie season on the Bassmaster Elite Series (third in Rookie of the Year standings, thirteenth in Angler of the Year) was his broad range of skill sets. As Smith put it, the diversity of Western fisheries where he cut his teeth prepared him for just about anything he faced on the tour. Indeed, any Western angler preparing for whatever a fishery might offer must anchor a well-rounded arsenal with a strong finesse game. Sure, those frogs, buzzbaits and heavy punching rigs have their time and place, but for finicky post-spawn largemouths, late-spawning smallmouths or any bass that’s seen too many trolling motors, the lighter, subtler presentations can work wonders. Whether you’re fishing for hefty Florida-strain bucketmouths on…

We had two strikes against us right out of the gate. Rodney had smoked a cigar while wearing his camo and Marc was wearing blue jeans. On the third call set of the morning, we set up in a triangle, our backs against juniper trees. I had Rodney tuck up under some bushy limbs on the downwind side. I figured with the wind constant out of the east, our best bet was to put our primary shooter, Marc, where he could spot a coyote if it came out of a gully running east to west. The gully would funnel the wind while our scent would go across the flat. This was public-land elk country, and we were not far from an alfalfa field. There had to be coyotes here. Because…

Kayak fishing has become one of the fastest growing segments of outdoor sports, and for good reason. It’s fun. It’s challenging. It’s ecologically friendly. It lets anglers reach pristine areas away from maddening crowds that shore-bound anglers or those in larger boats often can’t access. Many of these magical places are waters teeming with smallmouth bass! You can drop a kayak into a backyard pond or drag it to the edge of a wilderness stream. Launching one is a relatively simple feat that seldom requires a dock or a ramp. A kayak—and kayak fishing—is also affordable. Even the most elaborate fishing kayaks are priced under entry-level bass boats. Given their relative cost, and their ability to reach stretches of water that boat owners can’t, kayaks offer many advantages. They’re especially…