Indholdsfortegnelse for December/January 2022-23 i Game & Fish East

If you ask 10 top whitetail hunting experts for their advice on punching a late-season tag, you’ll invariably hear “hunt the food” from a majority of them. They will claim that applies to both getting that last doe for the freezer or grounding a trophy buck. Admittedly, it sounds like solid counsel and is often applicable to general, late-season hunt scenarios. However, it is very limited in real-world applicability. In areas where most folks hunt—places that have been overhunted—it doesn’t apply. It’s also limited advice that, at best, doesn’t tell the full tale. Or at worse, applies only in those special circumstances where you’re hunting an area that saw limited hunting pressure during deer season (especially during gun seasons) and has been managed so standing agricultural food sources are still…

Until you’ve experienced it, nothing can prepare you for the whirling, spinning, mind-blowing cacophony of hundreds or thousands of snow geese over your spread. It’s intense. You might get pooped on. You’ll get amped when the first handful lights in the spread, but don’t shoot just yet. More are coming. Just hang on a little bit longer. “Wait … wait … let ’em land … wait,” urged Keaton Kelso, hoarsely giving us instructions. He was quiet enough to not spook the geese on the ground but emphatic in expressing that trigger time was nigh. “They’re still coming. Wait … some more of them will come down and bring in the rest.” Finally, thankfully, we and Keaton’s quivering Labrador retriever were given relief. At the command of“Take ’em!” we unloaded our…

The mid-October guided trip for turkeys in West Virginia’s Cranberry Wilderness had begun with temperatures in the mid-60s, light winds and blue skies. My lightweight camo became wet with perspiration from trekking up and down the mountains in the warm weather, and by the time I returned to camp near dark, the temperature had dropped into the 30s and the wind had begun blowing from the northeast. Then things got worse. The camp cook accidentally set fire to the tent, causing a gaping hole in the top. Soon afterwards, snow began falling through that chasm, the wind began howling at over 35 mph, the temperature plunged into the low 20s and I spent truly the coldest night of my life. The next morning, I awoke to snow covering my lightweight…

Throughout the Northeast region, October is the traditional hot time to hunt ruffed grouse, but it’s hardly the only time. For die-hard grouse hunters, it isn’t even the best time. In most states from Virginia to Maine, bird seasons stretch well into December, January or February. While weather conditions are not always ideal, and hunters might have to pick their days, the late-season grouse woods see fewer hunters, which offers the opportunity to have large parcels of grouse territory all to oneself. There is also less foliage, and snow is a good possibility, so it’s easier to spot and get a bead on birds. FOOD AND SHELTER As with other wild creatures, a grouse’s movements are dictated by seasonal changes in weather patterns, food availability and the need for shelter…

• YOUR FAVORITE DOUBLE GUN: A third shot is exceedingly rare when jump-shooting. A modified choke covers most pass-shooting duties and close-in jump shots. Number 2 steel is a good load for ducks; opt for BBs for geese. • SHOTGUN SLING: Helps to keep your hands free for busting brush, handling a dog lead and maybe even carrying a few decoys. • CAMO: It might get you a couple steps closer to the riverbank before you’re busted, which can be the difference between a hit and a whiff. • MULTIPLE LAYERS: You may want to peel one off after a long sneak or add one if the weather turns. • HIP BOOTS: Just in case, but definitely if you don’t have a dog.• MAP OR APP: Often, the most direct…

The drive to the lake was filled with both anticipation and apprehension. A series of submerged cribs in 25 to 28 feet of water had been quite productive during recent trips, accounting for the former. As for the latter, it was mid-December, and I knew open-water action would soon come to a halt. Thankfully, the lake’s surface had only a thin layer of skim ice—nothing my deep vee would have a problem busting through. Within a few minutes, my friend Sid Brown and I were hovering over a crib that had been hot my last time out. The sonar unit showed plenty of fish life in and around the wooden structure. During the next few hours, from this spot and similar ones, we plucked crappies up to 15 inches, yellow…

Vermont’s firearm deer season closes Nov. 27, but archery season remains open until Dec. 15, and there’s a muzzleloader season from Dec. 3 to 11. Hunters may take four deer, but only one may be a buck and one antler must be 3 inches or longer. Check the Vermont Hunting Regulations Summary (vtfishandwildlife.com) for license and permit requirements and other rules and regulations. Lodging and services in the immediate vicinity of West Mountain WMA are extremely limited, so hunters should go well-prepared. Camping on the wildlife area is allowed during hunting season for three consecutive nights. Campsites must be at least 200 feet from any waterbody or road. A general store and café offering basic supplies and fuel is available on Route 105 in Bloomfield. Groceries, restaurants, fuel and other…

The COVID pandemic stressed the supply chain in almost every industry, with the bass-boat market being no exception. Add to the fact that during the pandemic lockdown, demand for new and used boats soared from participants new to the sport, as well as existing anglers with added time on their hands wanting to upgrade their bass rigs. The lack of new boat inventory caused consumers to try to fill the demand from the used-boat market, driving up the prices for used boats as well. Brian Hughes is a senior sales associate for Fun-N-Sun Boats, with two locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The Hurst, Texas, location is the largest bass-boat dealership in the country for boats 20-feet and longer, and is the largest Skeeter dealer in the U.S. He explains…

Snow goose hunting is a lot of work, but when things work out right, the shooting is fast-paced and furious. Up your odds for having a banner day by bringing good gear and enlisting the help of an expert or two. Most importantly, put safety first when a flock descends. SHOOT IN YOUR LANE: This should be a no-brainer, but it’s critical to remember and emphasize to your hunting party. You’re likely hunting from the ground or chairs. Everyone should know their shooting lane and stay in it. No swinging hard left or right, no crossovers to “help with the one getting away” or anything like that. Shoot in your lane and be safe. RELIABLE GEAR: Snow goose hunting requires a lot of decoys, a shotgun that can hold up…

Winter in the Northeast can be brutal for a deer herd. Fresh off the heels of the rut, most bucks have lost 20 to 25 percent of their body weight and are left to replenish their fat reserves during the greatest nutritional bottleneck of the calendar year. Couple their dietary needs with the weather conditions they are facing—bitterly cold temperatures, howling winds and heavy snowfalls—and it’s a wonder that deer don’t succumb to winter kill more often. But how can we, as hunters, use this to our advantage to fill our late-season tags? As a wildlife biologist and habitat consultant, my primary concern whenever I am working on a property in the Northeast is late-season habitat. Not only are deer here desperate for quality food resources to make up for…

My wife, Rosie, made a dozen or so casts to a rock-strewn run before hooking up with a stout 15-inch rainbow. Her fish shot upstream through the pool toward a couple of large boulders as guide Debbie Gillespie looked on and readied her net. Seconds later another ’bow sucked in my nymph as the current swept it through the waist-deep riffle by a large rock. It, too, took off upstream, heading toward the women until I snubbed it. The trout leaped skyward. I turned the fish and continued the battle in the smaller pool closer to my position while watching the catch and release above me. Gillespie then headed downstream to put a net under my fish, a beautiful twin of the rainbow Rosie had just caught. Rosie and I…

The Savage Model 110 bolt-action rifle has been serving hunters for more than 60 years. It’s gone through numerous changes during that time, including changes in its manufacturer’s ownership, and has been offered in hundreds of variations and chamberings. The 110’s original reputation was one of affordability, retailing for 20 percent to 30 percent less than competing bolt-action rifles in its early years. It quickly gained esteem for accuracy as well, and these two qualities combined earned the 110 high marks for value. During the last two decades, Savage has advanced the 110 by including smart, new design features while continuing to offer its flagship rifle at reasonable prices. One of the latest variations, the Ultralite, is a great example of the company’s penchant for providing hunters with rifles having…

Not all that long ago, when a hunter was considering a new riflescope, magnification was the only real concern. However, the riflescope has since evolved. It’s no longer just a magnifying tube with an “X” in the center. Modern scopes are marvelous optical sighting devices. Now things like objective lens diameter, exposed target turrets, click adjustment value, zero stops, illuminated reticles and trajectory- and wind-compensating reticles are all popular considerations when selecting a riflescope. Some modern options even have an integrated rangefinder or an interface with a separate rangefinder, and then provide you with a shooting solution. All these things matter when choosing a riflescope. However, in trying to pick the newest, best, brightest and smartest scope, some other key features often get overlooked. Below are five things you should…

It’s been called the only tax we’re happy to pay, the excise fee that each of us shells out every time we buy a new gun or the ammunition to feed it. Because this federal tax—it is 11 percent on most long guns and all ammunition, 10 percent on pistols and revolvers—isn’t displayed on price tags or sales receipts, it’s easy to overlook. But this revenue, which is collected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and then redistributed annually to state fish-and-game agencies to be used for everything from wildlife management to hunter education materials to land acquisition, is the engine for most of our wildlife successes in America, and can be credited for creating the shooting and hunting culture that most readers of this column belong to. This…

As a habitat consultant and biologist, I love food plots and incorporate them as part of nearly every management plan I write, but they are not a cure-all, especially in the Northeast. Due to the terrain and short growing season, many food plotters are limited to what they can reasonably plant for their deer. Often we are restricted to small-acreage plots, leading to over-grazing and failed plantings. Unless you plant standing corn or sorghum, there is a good likelihood that whatever you planted will be under feet of snow in December and January. It is for these reasons that I prefer to focus my late-season efforts on natural food sources during this time.…

Davidson River Outfitters (DRO), located in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, carries a full line of gear, apparel, tackle and fly-tying materials (davidsonflyfishing.com). More than a dozen experienced guides fish a variety of surrounding waters within two hours of the DRO headquarters, and they can be booked for half, full or multiple days of wade- or float-fishing trips. The best trout fishing generally occurs from October through Christmas and then again from mid-February through June, according to DRO owner Kevin Howell. The most successful fly casters use dry flies in the spring and dry-dropper setups in the summer. They fish streamers and nymphs the rest of the year. January and February are usually the slowest trout-catching months due to the cold weather. August is also normally slow because water temperatures…

Shane’s first deer rifle was a Remington Model 700 in .243 that his father passed down to him. It wasn’t particularly pretty with its plain stock and blued steel that now shone silver. But man, it was a tack driver. Shane had taken several deer and coyotes with it, and it had never failed him. One night in early December, with the upcoming holiday on his mind, Shane found his father watching a football game. “I know what I want for Christmas,” he pronounced. “One minute, bud. Steelers have the ball with three seconds left,” his father said, leaning toward the TV. Shane looked just in time to see a kick … and a football sailing wide right. The kicker fell to his knees in agony while the Bills players…