Sportsmans News

By Chad LaChance

Let’s get one thing straight – I’m no ice fisherman. Didn’t do it growing up; being raised in South Florida did nothing to motivate me to venture out on the frozen lake.  In Florida, ice is for cocktails and keeping your catch fresh until you can enjoy it with said cocktails. Sitting on a frozen lake peering through a six-inch hole, holding a ridiculous little rod and fishing with ridiculous little baits seemed…well, ridiculous. Surely it’s a pastime reserved for Eskimos, or so I thought.
Last winter I finally took the plunge – which leads me to my other misconception. I figured I’d fall through the ice for sure, or if not that, I’d slowly freeze to death waiting for a ridiculous little fish to bite my ridiculous little bait suspended on ridiculous little line spooled on a ridicu…you get the point.

Art Tang, client of Cats on the Red, with another great Lake Winnipeg Greenback.

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By Kent Danjanovich
Senior Editor Sportsman’s News

Many remote wilderness lodges can be very one dimensional.  The facilities are great, the fishing is great, but a lot of times by the end of the week you start on your trek home wishing that you could have experienced just a little bit more.  Well, I think I have found that place you just may have been looking for!

Alaska’s Bearclaw Lodge is nestled on picturesque Lake Aleknagik in southwestern Alaska.  The setting is in the heart of the Wood-Tikchik region of Bristol Bay and the waters are home to all five pacific salmon species along with rainbow, Arctic char, Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling and northern pike.   Rob and Lisa Fuentes are the owners/operators of the lodge and to tell you the truth, I don’t think I have ever met two nicer people on any of my trips, anywhere in the world.  Their dedication and hard work show in every aspect of their operation and you really do leave at the end of the week as a lifelong friend.  It is no wonder they have so many repeat visitors.

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By Mike Deming

Choosing a Christmas gift for the avid sportsman or woman in your life can sometimes be a daunting task if you don’t know what they want or what products are truly good.  I asked the team of professionals here at Sportsman’s News to put together a list of items that they just won’t leave home without whenever they take to the field.  Our staff spends well over a thousand combined days in the field each and every year.  So, we put our gear to the test more in a year than most people do over a decade.  So, you can count on the fact these items would be a very welcome gift under the tree come Christmas morning.  All of these items can be found at your local Sportsman’s Warehouse or through their on-line shopping at www.sportsmanswarehouse.com.

Mike Deming
Publisher, Hunter, TV Host

Sitka Gear
I often spend a great deal of my time in country where there are no roads and you can be hundreds of miles from civilization.  The weather conditions in some of these places can be extreme and life threatening in some cases.  The clothes on your back might be one of the only things that keep these elements at bay and your life just might depend on them.  I trust my life to Sitka gear clothing from head to toe.  They provide a complete layering system which will protect you in any weather condition and I recommend the entire system.  The rain gear is the best that I have ever seen and makes for a great wind stop as well.

Browning X Bolt Rifle
A great shooting rifle is extremely important to having consistent success and for years I have always had a custom rifle in my hand that would shoot half inch groups at 100 yards with a high quality trigger set for several pounds.  Since the Browning X Bolt came out, I have hung up my custom guns and carry the Browning X Bolt chambered in .300 WSM.  This gun is extremely light weight with an adjustable trigger, fluted barrel, and it will shoot groups that will compete with any custom gun on the market at a fraction of the price.  I use this gun for extreme long range shooting and it is the best 1,000 yard gun that I own. Continue Reading

Hunting Montana for mule deer gives you a chance to hunt deep into the rut. Season goes into late November, but the Sportsman’s News team only had 5 days to get the job done and today is our last day to hunt. We spent the first few days of our hunt in the Missouri River Breaks off of a boat. It was a full do it yourself hunt and extremely adventurous. After a couple days up north, we relocated to eastern Montana and took 2 great bucks on the last day.

On this Veteran’s Day, Sportsman’s News would like to to ask you to take a moment and reflect on the freedoms that we as Americans enjoy and realize that we are free because of the brave sacrifice of our nation’s many veterans. If you get a chance, thank a veteran for their service and shake their hand. I know they will appreciate it. Happy Veterans Day. And to all our veterans out there, Semper Fi!

We have just put the December issue of Sportsman’s News Magazine to bed and you won’t want to to miss this jam packed issue. We asked all of our staff to provide a list of items they wouldn’t go into the field without and they came through with dozens of ideas for the sportsman or woman in your life. Six entire pages of gear ideas for your shopping edification. Make sure to check it out. It will be on the shelf starting December 1.  Merry Christmas.

Deer and elk hunt season changes put on hold

Members of the Utah Wildlife Board want hunters to see more buck deer during Utah’s general hunts.  That goal has led the Division of Wildlife Resources to put on hold big game hunting ideas it’s shared with hunters over the past several months. Continue Reading

If you haven’t tried shooting with a red dot scope by now, you need to give it a shot. The benefits are many, but briefly include fast target acquisition, illumination, improved accuracy, and greater flexibility than a regular magnifying scope or open sights. Continue Reading

Almost everyone has seen the endless commercials on different gadgets for $19.95 or less.  They will even double your order if you will just pay the shipping.  The lists of gadgets that are out there are endless and if you don’t believe me, just flip on the television after midnight.  Most of these gadgets and gimmicks just don’t hold up to their claims.

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Finally an Outdoorsman Pickup Truck, designed by Outdoorsmen.

By Andy Lightbody

Without question, sportsmen today have a selection of back-country and off-road trucks and SUVs, that probably rate as the best offerings in automotive history. All you have to do is think back historically, and for early “off-roading pioneers,” most vehicles had their roots as military vehicles.

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As youngsters growing up in the Phoenix area my brother James and I had numerous opportunities to camp, hike and fish. We loved being outdoors as kids and still do today as adults. I was fortunate enough to end up a resident of Colorado where the fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities abound. My wife and I visited the state six years ago and really never left. We love everything about Colorado. Of course officially I have to tell you the winters are long and cold and the summers hot and humid . . . but enough about that. Suffice it to say, Colorado has it all.

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An American Fascination…Anticosti Island

I was sitting comfortably concealed behind a fallen tree hopefully awaiting the arrival of my prey, the Anticosti sub-species of deer known as Odocoileus Virginianus recognized by SCI since around 2004.  I looked up to observe a rare sight, the great gray owl, silently passing overhead en route to an unknown destination.  Patience is a prime requirement in this type of hunt where I was focused on a grassy area across a flowing river.  I was rewarded some two and a half hours later when a four-point buck exited from the thick conifer forest giving me the opportunity to harvest this excellent eating whitetail.  I was familiar with this location since I had taken a larger buck there the previous year after a four-hour wait.

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By Josh Harris
Sportsman’s News Pro Staffer

Every year that magical month of September arrives and one thing immediately hits my mind. Elk Hunting! It also alludes to that special time of year when all of those crazed elk hunters break out the archery equipment or gun, and make the trek to the mountains to chase the hair-raising songs that bull elk seem to sing so impeccably year in and year out. Continue Reading

Tips to Finding Performance-Enhancing Gear for Women

By:  Kirstie Pike, CEO Prois Hunting & Field Apparel for Women

1. Look for function first…the rest will follow.  When looking at gear, ask yourself, “Will this help my performance on the hunt, and if so, how?”.  If you easily answer, “Yes” and quickly provide knowledgeable reasons… you are on the right track.  But what components provide function? Continue Reading

By Chad Belding

There is no doubt in my mind that there are more important parts that go into being a successful waterfowl hunter than calling. There is location, bird population, and concealment, but where does calling fit into this picture? In my opinion, there is not a complete hunt without verbally communication with the ducks and geese. A hunter can communicate with birds with the look of the decoy spread, flagging, and motion decoys but it is my opinion that the hunt becomes complete when the verbal communication influences the birds to finish. Consistently calling ducks and geese into decoy range is one of the most rewarding efforts that an outdoorsman can make. Continue Reading

Not every great fly has been created.  While there are already innumerable patterns, the true definition of greatness is determined by the fish.  The fly tier’s quest is to make an imitation which will consistently (but perhaps not every time) fool a fish into taking it.

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