Indholdsfortegnelse for December/January 2020-21 i Petersen's Hunting

AFTER THE tumultuous year we’ve all had, I’m looking forward to a fresh start as we flip our calendars to 2021. Sure, I may be getting ahead of myself by putting 2020 in the rearview mirror, but I’ve always been an optimist, and I think we’ll make it through this last month or two. I’d be remiss in jumping too far ahead and forgetting completely about the possibilities for this fall. As we count down the days to December 31, there are still plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy everything the great outdoors has to offer. To help you squeeze every last second out of this deer season, we’ve assembled a comprehensive guide to the latest and greatest deer hunting opportunities (page 54). Josh Honeycutt, a contributor who’s…

HISTORY Introduced in 2002, the .338 RUM utilizes a modified .404 Jeffery case that’s been shortened, given less body taper and more shoulder angle, and necked down for .338-diameter projectiles. Propellant capacity is similar to the .338 Lapua, and operating chamber pressure is a relatively high 65,000 psi. It provides from 200 fps to 300 fps more velocity than the popular .338 Win. Mag. Considered by many cartridge engineers and handloaders to be the best-balanced of the Ultra Mag cartridges, it achieves top performance without being overbored to the point of inefficiency. APPLICATION This cartridge is arguably the most powerful .338 magnum that is still practical for hunters. Unlike the larger-diameter .338 Lapua, which typically requires an extra-large action, the .338 RUM fits and functions in standard-size bolt actions. It…

I’ve said this before—as have many others—and I’ll say it again: We are living in the golden age in terms of quality rifle ammunition for big-game hunting. When I began hunting a little more than 20 years ago, factory ammo with premium bullets was relatively rare. Like many others, I became a handloader to give myself more options. These days, virtually every manufacturer offers high-performance loaded ammunition, suitable for nearly any hunting situation we might encounter. Among the newest products in that category is Federal Premium’s Terminal Ascent line: 11 loads designed to meet the needs of those hunting the wide-open spaces. Federal has long been a leader in the hunting ammunition world and was one of the first companies to offer premium expanding bullets, such as the Nosler Partition…

When taking a shot on a monster bull with your bow, every yard counts. Knowing the exact flight path of your arrow and the exact distance to your target will ensure a clean, quick kill. Rangefinder technology has been advancing quickly over the years, especially in the world of long-range rifles. For quite some time now, rifle hunters have been able to enter ballistic information into their rangefinders to receive information leading to—in theory—a perfect shot. This technology has never been used in the world of archery—that is, until now. Leupold’s new RX-Fulldraw 4 is revolutionizing the way archers look at rangefinders. Any serious archery hunter knows that shots at extreme angles are tough and easy to miss—even when you have a rangefinder that calculates distance for angle. What sets…

I have long insisted that sitting in a little cabin on stilts is NOT hunting. At best it’s hours of boredom and some non-sporting shooting. I so offended one of my favourite nephews by saying so that he will no longer talk to me at all! I am, in my neck of the woods, the last still hunter. Though I do like to drive and spot and then stalk. That is hunting! Charlie Smith Massey, Ontario Mr. Smith – While I wouldn’t say sitting on stand isn’t hunting, or sporting, I do agree it can be boring. But I don’t think a civil discussion over the topic is worth straining a relationship. I suggest you and your nephew go hunting, with each taking a day to experience how the other…

Last September, as wildfires seared much of the West, federal-land managers took the unusual step of prohibiting recreational shooting on two million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property in central California. Hunters were allowed to continue licensed pursuit of game animals. Campers were allowed to recreate as long as they followed fire restrictions. But shooters were barred from public land, including BLM properties with designated shooting ranges. The BLM’s Central California office got some pushback for their blanket prohibition, including from some shooters who claim that the most common ammunition types aren’t capable of starting fires. The Reno Gazette Journal in Nevada fact-checked claims that shooters were responsible for some range fires in the state. The newspaper gave the assertion a 4 out of 10 on their “truth…

U.S. readers who live near the Canadian border would giggle at what I consider “cold.” You deal with winter weather, and as a matter of survival, you have the gear to deal with it. “Cold,” however, is a relative thing. I think the most miserable I’ve ever been was as a newly minted lieutenant during winter rains in the hills above Camp Pendleton in sunny Southern California. Decent cold weather gear existed, but we didn’t have any. We had cotton utilities that worked fine in southeast Asia, and our rain gear consisted of leaky ponchos. “North” is also a relative term. I’m thinking Alaska and Canada, where snow is possible in any month, and from August onward temps can drop far below freezing. However, cold snaps can hit anywhere on…

There was a time when deer camps were a male-dominated experience. A group of guys got together each season to camp, hunt, give each other a hard time, and maybe share a celebratory drink around the evening’s campfire. Food was often an afterthought. Campfire-warmed pork and beans straight from the can, hot dogs, and tins of Vienna sausages served with crackers—and a healthy debate as to whether one should drink the remaining juice once all the sausages were consumed—were always menu staples. But hunting demographics are changing. Recent findings by the NSSF show 3,924,000 females hunted in 2019 compared to 2,464,000 who had hunted in 2010. That is a staggering 59.3 percent increase. No longer are deer camps the sole domain of Baby Boomer men. These days, you’re just as…

Two decades ago, as smoke from Western wildfires rolled into the valley, a group of about 60 conservation elders gathered in Missoula, Montana, to figure out how groups with widely divergent interests could work together for the benefit of all species and landscapes. Among them were biologists focused on restoring America’s wild turkey flocks, others working on behalf of elk, waterfowl managers, endangered-species biologists, and policy wonks working on the ecological health of our public lands and access to them. These conservationists represented groups with a common mission: to improve the natural world or to promote participation in hunting and recreational shooting. But over the previous decade, the groups had found themselves at odds with each other when it came to lobbying the government either for federal funds or for…

The Kestrel Glassing Systems ULTRA-LIGHT MONOPOD can perfectly balance your optic to give you the same functionality of glassing from a tripod at a fraction of the weight. Made from carbon fiber, the monopod weighs in at six ounces and is incredibly durable. The weight management system holds your binoculars to allow you to focus on glassing. You can lock the monopod in place or leave it free-floating to allow for easy scanning while glassing far-off hillsides. $99; kestrelglassingsystems.com A great option for hunts that could leave you cold and wet. Stuffed with 3DEFX+ synthetic insulation, the Kuiu KENAI ULTRA HOODED JACKET will keep you warm when the mercury levels keep dropping. The jacket’s outer shell is 51G Stunner Stretch Nylon that is breathable, lightweight, and silent and is finished…

For years I’d heard tales and read magazine articles about a mysterious second whitetail rut that was rumored to take place a few weeks after the peak rut, wherein monster bucks that managed to survive treacherous November would be overcome by their libidos once more and take to the open country like hounds on a jailbreak. So there I’d sit in mid-December, freezing in a treestandwhen I could’ve been duck hunting—spurred on only by the promise that bucks would gallop by at any moment. All that usually materialized were icicles on my hat brim. Come to find out, though, there is a second rut in some areas—but it isn’t the big buck bonanza that some experts espouse. In this article we will discuss the second rut, what is happening biologically,…

A one-rifle man is a rarity among today’s serious hunters. That’s as it should be—we have more capable firearms and more options available to us than ever before. But what if you just want to be a one-rifle guy? If you choose the right rifle and cartridge, it’s possible to hunt the full spectrum of Western big game with one gun. For criteria, look for the corrosion resistance of stainless steel and/or Cerakote. Look for the consistency-enhancing stability provided by a quality composite stock. Prioritize reliability and accuracy. And pick a versatile cartridge that’s capable of cleanly killing everything from coyotes to moose. Choosing the right rifle is just the beginning. Setting it up properly will give you the best chance of making good on the often-rare opportunities found in…