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February 24th, 2009
 On LongRangeHunting.com, you’ll find a good article about wind reading by Shawn Carlock. Shawn Carlock is a veteran law enforcement marksman and the current USPSA national precision rifle champion. Shawn offers good advice on how to estimate wind speeds and directions using a multitude of available indicators — not just your wind gauge: “Use anything at your disposal to accurately estimate the wind’s velocity. I keep and use a Kestrel for reading conditions….The Kestrel is very accurate but will only tell you what the conditions are where you are standing. I practice by looking at grass, brush, trees, dust, wind flags, mirage, rain, fog and anything else that will give me info on velocity and then estimate the speed.”
Shawn also explains how terrain features can cause vertical wind effects. A hunter positioned on a hilltop must account for bullet rise if there is a headwind blowing up the slope. Many shooters consider wind in only one plane — the horizontal. In fact wind has vertical components, both up and down. If you have ever piloted a small aircraft you know how important vertical wind vectors can be. Match shooters will also experience vertical rise when there is a strong tailwind blowing across an up-sloping berm ahead of the target emplacements. Overall, Shawn concludes: “The more time you spend studying the wind and its effect over varying terrain the more successful you will be as a long-range shooter and hunter.”
February 16th, 2009
Today we celebrate Presidents’ Day. It is worth remembering that many of America’s greatest Presidents were avid rifle shooters, including all four whose faces are enshrined in stone at Mt. Rushmore. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt were all shooters, and in today’s world they would probably be called “gun nuts” by the mainstream press.
 Washington, of course, was a great military leader. He was also a staunch supporter of gun rights. In a 1790 speech to Congress, Washington declared: “Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself! They are the American people’s Liberty Teeth and keystone under Independence. From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to insure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere, restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good!”
Thomas Jefferson often went hunting as a form of recreation and as an escape from the pressures of high office. In 1785 he wrote to his nephew: “[For exercise]… I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body, and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun, therefore, be the constant companion of your walks.”
Abraham Lincoln learned to shoot as a boy and used a rifle to put food on the family table as he grew up on backcountry farms in Kentucky and Indiana (Lincoln was 21 when his family moved to Illinois.) Even as President, Abe Lincoln remained very interested in firearms and he was a good marksman. When, during the Civil War, he was approached by Christopher Spencer, inventor of the Spencer Rifle, Lincoln tested the gun himself on the grounds of the White House. According to Mr. Spencer’s journal: “On the 18 of August, 1863, I arrived at the White House with rifle in hand, and was immediately ushered into the executive room. I found the President alone. With brief introduction I took the rifle from its case and presented it to him. Looking it over carefully and handling it as one familiar with firearms, he requested me to take it apart to show the ‘inwardness of the thing’. After a careful examination and his emphatic approval, I was asked if I had any engagement for the following day. When I replied that I was at his command, he requested that I ‘Come over tomorrow at 2 o’clock, and we will go out and see the thing shoot’.” The next day Lincoln and Spencer tested the rifle on the White House lawn. Lincoln shot the rifle very well and recommended that it be adopted by the military.
 Theodore Roosevelt was an avid hunter and conservationist. As a young man, he had his own ranch in the Dakota Territories where he enjoyed hunting buffalo, elk and other big game. Roosevelt earned fame an a “Rough-Rider” in the Spanish-American War. When he left the White House in 1908, he embarked on a lengthy African safari with his son Kermit. Roosevelt recounted his safari experiences in his book, African Game Trails, considered one of the “classics” of outdoor adventure literature.
So there you have it… four of America’s finest Presidents were avid gun enthusiasts. They lived in times when shooting a rifle was considered both a manly pursuit and an essential survival skill. Today, in the 21st century, the mass media often depicts gun owners as extremists. Today’s journalists would be wise to re-learn their American history and acknowledge that many of our nation’s greatest leaders were riflemen.
February 3rd, 2009
 The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s 25th Annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo will be held March 5-8 at the Fort Worth (Texas) Convention Center. The event features many interesting demonstrations and “how-to” seminars. You can learn how to call elk, pack a horse, hunt backcountry, get more from a hunting guide, field dress big game, cook venison, train a retriever and hunt predators — all under one roof. In addition there are seminars on bow-hunting and black powder shooting. These seminars and more, each presented by noted authorities, are free with the price of admission. Daily admission is $12 per person or $25 per family, and free for kids 5 and under.
Photo courtesy Rimrock Elk Hunt Ranch, Rexburg, Idaho
The Elk Foundation’s Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo also features the RMEF/Leupold 2009 World Elk Calling Championships, hundreds of exhibits, displays, activities, auctions, raffles and more. It’s all a public-welcome showcase and fundraiser for one of the nation’s premier conservation organizations. Since launching in 1984, the Elk Foundation has enhanced or protected habitat on over 5.5 million acres.
January 17th, 2009
In October, we published a preliminary report on the new 30 Remington AR cartridge, complete with diagrams and factory load specs.
At SHOT 2009, Remington displayed Remington 30AR rifles and factory-loaded ammo. There were no great surprises. This is a short, fat cartridge (.308 bolt-face) that holds about 44 grains of H20. Case size and capacity were pretty much dictated by AR15 magazine dimensions: “According to Outdoor Life columnist John Snow: “DPMS President Randy Luth and Remington’s John Fink (brand manager for the rifle division) … both said that the goal was to look at the AR lower and see how much cartridge they could fit in there.” The Rem 30AR uses a single-stack magazine holding four (4) rounds.
Factory Rem 30AR ammo is loaded with 125gr projectiles running about 2800 fps. While the 0.267 BC for those bullets is pretty low, the cartridge should perform its intended job of harvesting deer just fine. Jason also believes that, if the Remington-brand brass is decent, this cartridge could have real potential in Hunter Benchrest and for subsonic work.
30 Remington AR (30 RAR) Specifications
| Case Capacity |
Rim
Diam. |
Parent Cases |
Shoulder |
Factory Load |
Mag Type |
| 44.0gr H20 |
0.473″
.308 bolt face |
.450 Bushmaster
.284 Winchester |
25° |
125gr SP or
125 B-Tip
2800 fps
0.267 BC |
4-Round
Single Stack |
November 19th, 2008
Here’s a sweet deal for a hunter looking for a 3-9 power scope and laser rangefinder for a low total cost. Currently, SWFA (Riflescopes.com) is offering a Package Deal. For just $349.95 total you get a Nikon 3-9×40 ProStaff BDC Scope, plus a Nikon ProStaff Laser 550 Rangefinder (with case). Nikon even kicks in a $50.00 Nikon ProGear Gift Card.
The 12.3″-long scope features low-profile windage and elevation knobs and weighs just 13.7 ounces. The ProStaff Rangefinder has a 6x21mm viewing lens, weighs just 6.3 ounces and is small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. The ProStaff 550 Rangefinder, by itself, sells for $185-$200 at other web vendors. This rangefinder has received generally quite positive reviews from Cabela’s customers. We suggest you read those reviews (in full) to decide whether the unit will meet your needs.
Bullet-Drop-Compensating Reticle
Nikon’s BDC reticle features a conventional medium plex crosshair augmented by four hollow circles placed below center on the verticle line. The small circles provide additional aiming points corresponding to Point of Impact at different distances. This way, the theory goes, a hunter can easily move from one distance to another without the need to click different elevations with his scope turrets.
The standard Nikon BDC is designed to be used with most standard centerfire cartridges with typical bullet weights, providing aiming points out to 500 yards with a 100-yard sight-in. With magnum cartridges and typical bullet weights, the same scopes with BDC reticles offer aiming points out to 600 yards with a 200-yard sight-in.
Many of our Forum members have tried Nikon scopes with the BDC reticle. The general consensus was that the crosshairs are quite thick so this reticle is best suited for larger game out to 300 yards or so. At longer ranges, the reticle can obscure small targets such as prairie dogs. For deer and antelope, this can be a good reticle choice.
November 12th, 2008
Tred Barta is a well-known hunter and angler with a television show on the VERSUS cable network. Barta has strong opinions about modern hunting methods — he thinks they have made things too easy, so the ethos of hunting has been lost. Modern hunting aids have transformed a noble pursuit into mechanically-aided harvesting. Barta wants hunters to return to simpler methods — to earn their trophies the hard way.
As a fisherman, Tred has set several world records. He has caught more tuna on rod and reel than any other man alive. Tred’s motto is to do things “the hard way, the Barta way.” He believes that the pursuit can be as meaningful as “bagging the trophy”, so he avoids using modern gear such as game cameras and feedstands. In fact, he usually hunts with a longbow and homemade cedar arrows.
In a recent interview on the Women’s Outdoor Wire, Barta observes:
“We’re lazy today, and we’ve lost the morality of hunting. Before you go out, you spray on nine chemicals to kill your scent, put on $2,000 worth of odor eliminating camo and download the photos from your nine game cameras [.] Then you get on your ATV and ride to your box blind that has windows, heat, and an internet connection because we don’t want you go get bored while you’re ‘hunting’. Then you take a customized rifle capable of taking an animal at 650 yards and whack one. The animal gets winched onto your ATV, driven to your truck, hoisted into the back, and then hauled off to the butcher. And you call yourself a hunter.”
 Hunting Should be Simple, But Not Fishing?
Barta’s views on hunting appeal to those who want a return to the “simple ways”. We agree, in principle, that hunters should learn the skills of the stalk and “work for their prey.” Part of the core experience of hunting is the “walk in the woods” and the age-old challenge of out-witting a wild animal. So, there is merit in Barta’s message.
On the other hand, Barta can be criticized as employing a double standard. He advocates using “primitive” skills when hunting, but when fishing, it’s a different story. When Barta goes tuna fishing, he’s not using a dugout canoe and a home-made spear. Instead he employs a modern twin-diesel, 33-foot Rampage sport-fisherman. This is a $400,000+ yacht, equipped with full electronics, including radar, GPS, and fish-finders. Tred sure enjoys his high-tech fishing boat, yet he mocks hunters who use an ATV to haul in their game. Hmmm, that doesn’t seem right…
While we’re sympathetic to Barta’s philosophy, we don’t think going all the way back to bows and arrows is the answer for everyone. Barta acknowledges that he fails to harvest an animal 70% of the time he hunts. That may be fine for Barta, who gets paid to hunt where-ever and whenever he wants, but for the “regular Joe” who has saved his hard-earned dollars for a once-in-a-lifetime Alaskan hunt, it makes good sense to use equipment that improves the odds of success. Should a hunter carry an inaccurate rifle, or leave behind the binoculars, just to increase the difficulty factor? We don’t think so. That’s no knock on the bow-hunters or those who prefer to hunt as native Americans did. We just think that one can remain true to the “hunting ethic” even when using modern equipment.
Photos courtesy VERSUS Country and Rampage Sport Fishing Yachts
September 3rd, 2008
Special events are being planned across the country for National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHF Day), set for September 27th. The annual celebration will serve as a reminder to all Americans that conservation succeeds only because of leadership and funding from hunters, shooters and anglers. National, regional, state and local organizations will run thousands of “open house” hunting- and fishing-related events everywhere from shooting ranges to suburban frog ponds. An estimated four million Americans will participate. For information on NHF Day, visit www.nhfday.org. To find an event in your area, click the link below.
CLICK HERE for a State-by-State list of Hunting & Fishing Day Events
History of National Hunting and Fishing Day
In 1972, Congress unanimously passed legislation authorizing National Hunting and Fishing Day on the fourth Saturday of every September. President Nixon signed the first proclamation of National Hunting and Fishing Day, writing, “I urge all citizens to join with outdoor sportsmen in the wise use of our natural resources and in insuring their proper management for the benefit of future generations.” Currently, the national celebration is coordinated by the official home of National Hunting and Fishing Day, Wonders of Wildlife museum in Springfield, Missouri. Sponsors for 2008 include NSSF, Bass Pro Shops, The Sportsman Channel, National Wild Turkey Federation, Realtree, Cabela’s, Woolrich, GunBroker.com, Outdoor Channel, Safari Club International, Hunting Heritage Trust, Smith & Wesson, Field & Stream and Outdoor Life.
August 26th, 2008
If you’re a fan of hunting in scenic, far-away places, you’ll enjoy Petersen’s Hunting Adventure Television. While the plots are predictable (Gun Mag writer hunts with local outfitter), the scenery is often stunning, worthy of Nat Geo. The producers have put highlights of some of their best shows online. You’ll find 4-minute clips of leopard hunting in Namibia, Ibex hunting in Spain, and a Cape Buffalo safari in Zimbabwe. Our favorite clip features a hunt for Dall Sheep in Alaska’s glacier country near the southwest border of Canada’s Yukon Territory. Legendary hunting writer Jack O’Connor hunted this area, near the headwaters of the White River. During the stalk, the hunters do some serious high-altitude trekking through spectacular mountains. This 4-minute featurette is worth watching for the photography alone.
CLICK HERE to watch Alaska Dall Sheep Hunting VIDEO.
Short, 1.5 minute previews of 2008 broadcasts are also offered online. Featured videos include: Tanzania Plains Animals (classic safari), East Africa Mtn. Buffalo (dangerous game), British Columbia horsepack hunt for Mtn. Goat, Sitka Deer Hunt in Alaska Islands, and Winter Elk hunt in Colorado.
August 7th, 2008
Here’s an interesting new product that earns major points for innovation. Shooters Ridge has invented a shooting bench with wheels AND flip-up sides so it can serve as a field transporter. the Shooters Ridge new bench/cart is officially called the Voyager™ Shooting System. It will hit the market very shortly, priced with a $384.49 MSRP. The Voyager features large 20”-diameter wheels with tubeless tires, a generous 12” cushioned seat and weather-resistant frame and hardware. The wheels come off allowing the Voyager to fold flat for storage and transport.
Videos Show Voyager System Used as Cart and Shooting Bench
Shooters Ridge has two excellent videos on its website that show the Voyager bench/cart in use. If you are interested in this product, definitely watch one of both of the videos. They show varminters rolling the cart into position, setting up the bench, and then shooting.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VOYAGER VIDEOS.
NOTE: After clicking this link to get to Shooters Ridge Website, click “Media” in lower right. Then click “Voyager Video Streaming” (download link is not yet working).
This product is so new, we haven’t had a chance to test it ourselves. We’re a little concerned that the unit could rock or wobble when set up as a shooting bench. However, that can probably be avoided by chocking the wheels or staking down the rear support. Also, we prefer field benches that isolate the seat from the bench top. Still, the versatility of this product impresses us. You can use the Voyager to get your gear in and out of the field easily, yet it sets up quickly as a mobile shooting bench. If you’ve ever hauled a 100+ pound shooting bench around a varmint field you know it’s no fun. With the wheeled Voyager, you can easily roll to a new firing point, hauling your gear along with you. The folks at Shooters Ridge also say the Voyager is sturdy enough to haul game out of the field.
“Varmint hunters, big game hunters and all-day target shooters will appreciate the versatility of this new shooting bench,” stated Tom Knudtson of Shooters Ridge. “Whether it’s hauling game or gear, the Voyager is a rugged piece of equipment that pulls double-duty in the field. In my opinion, its quick conversion to a shooting bench is an amazing advancement.”
COMMENT: The concept of an easy-to-move bench that works as a cart is a good one. And perhaps the actual “street price” of the Voyager will be quite a bit lower than $384 MSRP. This editor has built a few gun-carts before. With wheels, wood, frame, and axles, one can easily spend over $125 just on materials. So, if this unit actually retails for $335.00 or so, it may be worth it. However, we have to reserve judgment on the Voyager until the question of stability in the field is answered.
August 4th, 2008
Hunters can now have trophy-size animals measured (for record status), more easily. Starting this month, scoring on whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, bear and cougar will be offered as a free customer service at all 50 Bass Pro Shops stores. These outlets will have a Boone and Crockett Club associate measurer on staff. To find the store nearest you, go to www.basspro.com and click on “Store Locations.”
Keith Balfourd of Boone and Crocket Club states: “This partnership [with Bass Pro] provides millions of hunters with easy access to a certified measurer. It’s a new convenience spawned by demand — we’re seeing all-time high interest in our records program.”
Hunters can “green score” their own trophies by following guidelines at the Boone and Crockett Club Web site, www.booneandcrockettclub.com. If unofficial measurements are close to or above minimum scores, and the hunter would like to enter their trophy into the Boone and Crockett Club Awards Program ($40 entry fee), it must be scored by a trained measurer.
The Boone and Crockett Club accepts trophies taken in fair chase by all legal methods (i.e. firearm, archery, muzzleloader, etc.) including found, or “pick up,” trophies that meet or exceed minimum entry scores per species. Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, for more than a century Boone and Crockett Club has been a leader in records keeping, conservation, fair-chase hunting ethics and education.
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