All Outdoor

Have you seen the Sta-Bil commercial where the guy is trying to start his outboard motor with the old gas? I love the look on that guy’s face when the engine won’t start. I love it ironically because I had the same look on my face last year when I tried to get my ATV cranked after sitting the garage all summer. This was a prep trial for a SHTF practice weekend and we failed before we got out of the garage.

The first attempts to make AR15 work with 7.62×39 cartridge failed, mainly because AR-style magazines worked poorly, also because most of the available ammunition was of indifferent quality. We have now see a second round of 7.62×39 carbines from several companies, this time made to fit AK magazines. While the availability of surplus magazines and ammunition has much declined, domestic and non-surplus imported production has risen to fill the demand. Since long-range defense is a non-issue for civilian users, the superiority of expanding 300 Blackout and 7.62×39 bullets over .223 for penetration and terminal effect at close range drives the interest. While .30 ammunition is heavier, few non-military users have to carry multiple spare magazines over any substantial distance, again biasing the choice towards the larger bore.

Fresh off their recent victory in having same-sex marriage legalized, many of the movement’s organizers are now turning to gun control as the next hot social issue, or so reports the New Yorker.

Proper scent control is a consequential element in the bowhunter’s overall hunting strategy. With a whitetail’s primary line of defense being its acute sense of smell, inattention to scent control is not an option.

There was a time – and I’m talking not too long ago – when watching a hunting show on television required waking up early on a Saturday morning and tuning to a single cable channel. Today, you can just about find one on 24 hours a day! And if you can’t find one on TV, you’ve probably got a few recorded on your DVR that you’ve only watched three or four times. Heck, there are now entire cable networks dedicated solely to hunting, fishing and the outdoor pursuits. All of this exposure has led to an exploding interest in people videoing their own hunts.

I always enjoy hunt talk and my favorite topic lately has to be elk hunting during the rut. September is a special time for us bowhunters and lucky rifle hunters that have the opportunity to hunt during the bugle season. One of the questions I’m often asked is in reference to hunting techniques during the course of the rut. “What techniques work the best during the pre, peak, and post-rut?”

Pistol-caliber carbines are an odd category of firearm. Some people question the very right of them to exist, for they aren’t as powerful as rifles but, thanks mainly to the NFA regulations requiring long barrels and the designer’s penchant for simple blowback operation, are as bulky and as hard-kicking as real rifles. Sensible ammunition selection is a big factor in optimizing pistol-caliber long guns. However, as with most things, it is only possible to optimize for some of the many goals at once.

Any clue what it takes in this day and age of an uncertain economy and a less than secure future for gun ownership rights in America to open a brand new gun store literally from the ground up? It takes guts, resolve, planning, revisions, nervous moments and sleepless nights.

By now, even the most hermetic of us probably recognize the GoPro name. They make small, durable, high-quality video cameras useful for recording things as they happen – very often, in the great outdoors.

Dolphin (mahi mahi or dorado) fishing is a summer time blast along the Atlantic coast. While they are caught in the Gulf of Mexico and southern Pacific and off Hawaii, Mexico, and South America, it is the Southeastern US coast that is famous for summer time dolphin fishing.

Interested in becoming a better rifle shot? Do you want to shoot U.S. military issue M16A2 rifles under the guidance of experienced military coaches? If so, you should consider attending the 2015 Rifle Small Arms Firing School next week at the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio.

If you’ve hunted a long time, I’m sure you’ve seen some strange things. My own list of odd occurrences seems endless. I’ve seen an arrow pass square through the center of a coon’s chest with it collapsing immediately. Then, not 20 minutes later, that same raccoon leapt to his feet and scampered away, never to be seen again.

You may be a fancier of the tactical type vests with fifty pounds of gear hanging all over. I am not. If I were in the military, then I would be happy to carry all the loaded mags I could tote. This is not the general image I want to project even as a prepper or survivalist unless maybe I am in residency at my bug out location. I doubt I would wear one at home for a bug in, but I might if the action were on. I lean toward keeping a low profile.

This may not be on an emotional par with global warming or long-line over fishing for marine pelagics; but diverting huge quantities of freshwater to satisfy development in boom areas of coastal America can, and will, impact the future of fishing and perhaps the way Americans live.

If there were a hall of fame for fishing reels, then the Zebco 33 would surely top the list. As early as I can remember fishing with my dad in earnest it was with a #33. When dad came back from that big war that was supposed to end all wars, his first purchase other than duck hunting gear was a Pflueger reel. Boy, do I ever wish I still had that old reel in my collection.

Doves are the most popular game bird in America, and countless thousands are harvested throughout North America.  In addition to being abundant, easy to find and fun to hunt, the mourning dove also is outstanding table fare.

When mufflers were first invented for guns and engines around 1900, they were added as dangly afterthoughts. It took over two decades for auto mufflers to become fully integrated into the car designs. Due to the draconian regulations on guns and sound mufflers in most countries, it took nearly a century longer for firearm suppressors to become closely integrated with their host weapons.

A lot of preppers shy away when they hear the words survival and fitness one after the other and, to me, that doesn’t make much sense. Since they’re prepping for end of the world scenarios, it’s pretty obvious that things are going to be physically challenging.

Sam Heaton is a man’s man. He’s one of those funny, fun-loving outdoor guys who does everything from catching crappies and bluegills, to hunting turkeys and deer, geese, ducks, and he’s good at it. In fact, he’s very, very good at it.

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