Innehållsförteckning för December 2025 från Game & Fish South

Is it just me, or does time seem to compress the older we get? Maybe it’s just a product of our modern lives, in which everyone (or at least everyone I know) seems to be going 100 miles per hour all the time. Or maybe there’s a biological explanation—something to do with a change in our brain’s chemistry as we age that affects our perception of the passage of time. Whatever it is, I can’t help but feel that the duration of the past 12 months was somehow shorter than that the previous 12 months and the 12 before that. At any rate, my goal between now and the end of the year is to try and slow things down as much as I am able. I’m going to make…

Late-season bowhunting is an entirely different game compared to early-season archery forays. The deer are jumpy after weeks of bullets zinging around them, cover is greatly reduced and the air is bitter. Everything is a touch more difficult for deer and bowhunters alike in the depths of winter. Most hunters reconsider their apparel choices and stand setups when the mercury drops. But few think about one of the most overlooked adjustments you can make for success when the snow flies: changing your bow setup for cold weather. The late season isn’t just about endurance, it’s about adaptation. And that starts with your gear. THE GRIP AND GLOVES The first thing to address is your grip. I wear thin, brown jersey gloves throughout most of October and November. When December and…

Winter changes the South in subtle but unmistakable ways. A hard frost on a green field alters deer movement overnight. A strong north wind shuttles ducks from one reservoir to the next. And in coastal waters, cold fronts reshape entire fisheries, pushing gamefish into deeper channels or stacking them along tide lines where currents collide. For seasoned hunters and anglers, December isn’t just about enduring the elements, but also about reading them. Success now hinges less on abundance and more on precision: knowing which ridgeline a buck will favor on a cold morning, or which stretch of water will hold baitfish when the mercury drops. This is the start of the thinking sportsman’s season, when patience, scouting and adaptability are the keys to success. 1 OKLAHOMA WATERFOWL In December, Oklahoma…

Tucked in our layout blinds in the bitter December cold, our mood quickly began to improve as the rising sun cracking the horizon finally provided some warmth. Then we heard the unmistakable cackle coming from an adjacent field, and our guides answered with their own boisterous calls in alluring notes that only geese understand. As the raucous sky cacophony grew louder, my pulse quickened in anticipation, and it only revved up more when I spotted a white cloud with some darker splotches coming our way. Hundreds and hundreds of snow and blue geese (a dark-colored phase of the snows) headed straight for us at high speed and soon began to settle in the decoys all around us. This was going to be a good morning. LIKELY LANDINGS While geese will…

Birds suddenly erupted from the thick reeds ahead, exploding in all directions. Closer to the water, more took flight. In seconds, the young hunter emptied his new 20-gauge as feathered targets continued to flush. One straggler ran across the water’s surface as the boy hastily dropped another shell into his scattergun’s empty chamber. This time, he managed to shoot and hit the gallinule just as it was getting airborne. Similar scenes, some more frantic than others, unfolded over the next two hours until the youngster finally bagged his limit. Earlier that morning, he and his father had sat in a duck blind, eagerly waiting for shooting hours to begin. But the sun rose and climbed high in the sky without a single waterfowl showing. Fortunately, the older of the two…

Located at the southern edge of Sylamore WMA, Mountain View is accessible via state highways 5, 14 and 341. The towns of Calico Rock, Norfork and Fifty-Six provide various entry points, campgrounds and basic services. The U.S. Forest Service and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission jointly manage the area, with facilities like Blanchard Springs Caverns, Gunner Pool and Barkshed offering camping, hiking and family-friendly recreation. The driving throughout the WMA is generally good, with gravel roads providing access to key areas. There’s a free-use rifle range on Highway 5 between Allison and Optimus, as well as numerous trailheads for hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Besides the terrific fishing and hunting, this area boasts other great attractions. For instance, Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail has more than 50 miles of IMBA…

It was mid-November when Shane handed his Christmas wish list to his mother. It was ambitious, but in line with the wishes of a 16-year-old boy. Right at the top was a Remington Model 700 BDL in .308 with a 3–9x40mm scope. A few days later, when word spread to Shane’s father, he breached the topic with his only son. “Shane, I saw your Christmas list.” Shane ceased eating his breakfast and looked up at full attention. “That’s a great rifle, and you know I’d love to get you one,” started Shane’s dad. “But with the new roof and your mother’s car blowing the transmission this year, I’m afraid we just can’t swing it right now. I’m sorry, son, but don’t worry. We’ll still have a great Christmas, just like…

PRIME TIME FOR PREDATORS See the TRENDING section for the hottest articles about hunting coyotes, foxes, bobcats and more. LATE-SEASON TACTICS If your rut hunts didn’t come to fruition, or you just haven’t had a chance to get out, fear not. Big bucks are still roaming the landscape, and our LEARN section has the intel you need to tag one. LAST-MINUTE GIFT IDEAS Not sure what to get a hunter or angler on your shopping list? Not sure what hunting- or fishing-related gifts to ask for this year? Get some ideas from our Holiday Gift Guide in the GEAR section. PREP FOR FISHING SEASON With hunting seasons winding down, outdoorsmen are starting to think about that first trip back to the water. Check out the latest tips, trends, tackle and…

Every New Year’s Day, just before we tuck into bowls of traditional Hoppin’ John, a humble stew of black-eyed peas and smoked ham hock, my family passes around scraps of paper. We don’t say a word. Each member knows the routine—we write down two or three resolutions for the coming year, and after breakfast we take turns announcing our intentions. Then, my wife collects the paper scraps and puts them in a small heirloom crock we keep on the kitchen counter. They’re handy to refer to in, say, February and March, to see how we’re tracking. But they’re even more interesting as archived documents, to see how our interests and purpose have changed over the years as our priorities have shifted. “Mind my own business,” my teenage daughter resolved in…

As the name implies, sight fishing requires anglers to use their eyes to locate their targets, yet it takes more than keen eyesight to successfully stalk and catch wary inshore species that rely heavily on their prowess to detect danger for survival. With that in mind, I present you with some guidelines that should shorten your learning curve and provide the essential tools for you to score with increasing consistence as you gain both experience and confidence. KNOW YOUR QUARRY Before you hit the water in search of fish, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the habits and preferences of the species you intend to target. Start by researching their water temperature tolerance so you can focus your efforts in areas where temps are within their preferred comfort…

Some days, the desire to chase bass outweighs our common sense. The bitter cold front that came through the day prior to a recent fishing trip had dropped air temperatures into the low teens. The level-wind on my baitcaster would occasionally freeze, making casting a challenge and causing me to question my sanity. While idling across a tapering rock point feeding into the river channel, my 2-D sonar showed only a few inverted hook shapes hovering just above the sloping bottom, indicating bass snugged up close to the deep rocks. Hoping there were more fish amid the bottom structure, I moved to the front deck, rod in hand, and sent down a 3/4-ounce jig with a plastic trailer. Though gloved hands lessen the feel of a jig being hopped across…

With big game seasons mostly in the rearview mirror, many hunters from coast to coast will shift their attention to waterfowl this month. Some will take to the marsh or the flooded timber in search of ducks. Others will gravitate to harvested crop fields, where they’ll hope to ambush geese keen to feed on waste grain. As many of us have spent the past couple months sitting alone 20 feet up a tree, the camaraderie of a waterfowl hunt serves as a means to transition to more communal pursuits. The tradition of gathering friends and family for a chilly morning in the blind is another way to celebrate the festive season—and maybe bring home a bird for the Christmas table. When dawn comes and the sky turns that winter pink,…

What has two legs but can’t run, offers support in a time of need, can be ready at a moment’s notice, and asks for nothing in return? A bipod, of course. What did you think I was talking about? In certain situations, when it comes to supporting your rifle for a critical shot, there is nothing better than a bipod. Sure, you can shoot off a pack, bag or a tripod, but for getting into position, getting stable and getting the shot off, nothing else offers the same combination of quick deployment and support. There will be times when the terrain or vegetation doesn’t allow for shooting prone, or there isn’t something on which to set-up. But when you can, shooting prone from a bipod should always be your first…

With the introduction of the .300 Blackout cartridge in 2010, hunters became more interested in shooting subsonic ammunition and hunting with suppressors. This might seem odd because since the introduction of the .30-30 Winchester cartridge in 1895, hunters have been gravitating toward ammunition that pushes bullets faster rather than slower. In other words, the trend with hunting cartridges and ammunition has always been for more as opposed to less speed. However, subsonic ammunition makes a lot less noise—especially when shooting suppressed—and it recoils more softly, too. Both make rifles more fun and easier to shoot. But is subsonic ammunition a good fit for hunting, and what cartridges and loads are best? SUB SCIENCE First, let’s define exactly what subsonic ammunition really is. Subsonic ammo leaves the muzzle of a firearm…

Winter affects the entire swath of whitetail country, and when it hits with a hammer it can cause you to rethink your hunting strategy and your sanity for continuing the hunt. Foul winter weather may not last long in the southern half of the nation, but it does occur, especially with ice. In northern whitetail country, where I hail from, you can expect a battle with frigid Mother Nature just about every year. I’ve fought the good fight through almost every imaginable winter weather scenario. Some I have lost, but I have many in the win column due to persistence, planning and spontaneous adaptation to constantly changing conditions. GIMME SHELTER The Dilemma While traveling to Iowa one season, the weather forecast transitioned from threats of a major winter storm to…

We had barely settled into our stands when the action started. I was scoping out the woodland opening I had chosen to hunt when a fat doe stepped out and slowly made her way across, nosing for acorns. One well-placed shot and she was mine. A half mile away from where and I sat and deeper in the backcountry, my son Josh was watching a saddle between two mountains when a solid 8-point buck appeared. Josh leveled his rifle, made a clean shot on the whitetail, and soon we were both dragging deer out of the hills. We had originally come to Mountain View, a small city of just 2,900 people in north-central Arkansas and situated in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, to do some fishing and squirrel hunting.…

Christensen Arms built their legacy with the carbon fiber-wrapped barrel. In fact, they were the first company to offer one. However, Christensen’s newest rifle, the Evoke, does not have a carbon fiber-wrapped barrel, and it is the least expensive centerfire rifle in the gun maker’s catalog. While the Evoke was introduced in 2024, the rifle wasn’t available until early 2025. The Evoke is now shipping, though, and Christensen is offering it in four different versions. Here’s a look at all this rifle has to offer and how it performed during our testing. RIFLE DETAILS The Evoke uses a new proprietary action that’s built around a radially fluted, two-lug bolt with a 90-degree throw. This is a push-feed-style action, and the bolt is outfitted with the common plunger-style ejector, but it…

How a shotgun fits a shooter and how it feels in the hands are almost as important as how well it shoots. OK, that sentence may be a bit flippant. A shotgun’s ability to produce a desired pattern downrange, with point of impact relatively near point of aim, is also very important. However, the interface between shooter and scattergun—how naturally it feels in the hands, rests against your cheek and points and swings—absolutely matters. And it can be a big factor in why we shoot one shotgun well and another poorly. This is no surprise to the folks at Franchi. Indeed, “Feels Right” is a prominent slogan for the Italian gunmaker and shows up in ads, social media posts and other marketing efforts, particularly those geared toward European customers. Of…