OutdoorHub
Black Bear Cub Mysteriously Found Dead in New York City’s Central Park
Police and wildlife officials are scratching their heads after finding a deceased black bear cub in New York City's Central Park on Monday. The cub was discovered hidden underneath a bush by a passing dog walker who at first thought it was a raccoon. The carcass was later removed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, yet officials still have no idea how the bear got into the park. Employees of the nearby zoo confirmed that all of the zoo's bears were accounted for, and no wild bear has been seen in Manhattan since the 1600s.
“This is a highly unusual situation,”...
Maine Wildlife Officials Sued for Defending Bear Hunt Policies
Animal rights advocates recently filed a lawsuit against Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW) for the agency's "heavy-handed intervention" regarding a forthcoming ballot proposal on bear hunting in the state. Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting, the organization that filed the lawsuit, claims that the DIFW is doing too much to support current bear hunting practices such as the use of hounds, traps, and bait---which activists oppose.
In November Maine voters Read more »
AR-15 Hacks: How to Maximize Your Rifle’s Accuracy Potential
What if I told you that you could get 15, 20, or even 45 percent better accuracy from your existing AR-type rifle? You can. Read on.
The key concept here is getting the best possible accuracy from the rifle you already have. While you can certainly improve accuracy by replacing major components like the barrel, that kind of defeats the whole point of working with the rifle you have. Here, we’ll focus on less invasive upgrades.
There are a number of accessories available to shooters that can help improve accuracy. For example, on the AR platform, you can upgrade your front handguard to...
In Focus: The Dakota Tactical D54P and D300P
I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Stoppiello, the founder of Dakota Tactical, at a recent competition shooting event here in Southeast Michigan (the Ninth Combat Rifle Championship put on by the American Confederation of Tactical Shooters). As a sponsor of the shoot, Dakota Tactical had a bay set up at the range to show off some of the guns they make, particularly the D54P and D300P. Check out my pictures and details on these two firearms below. Read my in-depth...
Video: Trail Cam Records Moose Facing Off Against Wolves
Ask just about any biologist, and they'll tell you that moose are some of the most dangerous land animals in the world, and responsible for far more human injuries than tigers, lions, wolves, or bears. A kick from a mature moose is likely to dissuade the most determined of predators, and probably leave a few broken bones as well. Unfortunately, the moose in the video below seems to struggle with landing its hooves on-target, hitting its defenseless calf more than the attacking wolves.
According to the video description, this footage was taken in Sweden near a salt lick post.
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Video: 6 Close-range Hunting Encounters That Will Make Your Heart Skip a Beat
For many sportsmen, a close-range hunting encounter is an exhilarating experience. Being feet away from your quarry can yield the best chance for a clean kill and an ethical shot, but it can also be incredibly dangerous. And while point shooting (whether it's with a bow or a firearm) may not seem a challenge, at the distance of only a few feet, your first shot may well be the only shot you'll get to take.
The videos below are some of the most heart-pounding, adrenaline-inducing close range hunting encounters we've ever seen. While not all of the hunters in the featured footage may...
Iowa Officials Confirm Presence of Chronic Wasting Disease in Exterminated Deer Herd
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced last week that a quarantined captive deer herd in Cerro Gordo County tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Officials state that out of the 356 deer in the herd, 284---or 79.8 percent---were confirmed to have the disease. It is suspected to be the largest case of CWD infection in captive deer ever recorded.
"This is what happens when you allow disease to sit and percolate on a game farm," Bryan Richards, a CWD expert at the US...
Cookin’ in Camo: Momma V’s Cincinnati Style Chili-spaghetti
This week’s recipe is a shout-out to my brother, Luke. It is tradition in our house to enjoy your favorite meal on your birthday, and Luke's was two weeks ago. Growing up in the Cincinnati area, chili-spaghetti has always been a staple in our house. As a matter of fact, the night before my mother went into labor with Luke, she ate chili-spaghetti! Including some personally-harvested venison in this dish will only make it more mouthwatering.
Serves: 8 to 10 in large portions
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Ingredients
3 pounds boneless venison shoulder...
Global Rescue Conducts a Medical Evacuation from Christmas Island
Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, is one of the most remote places on earth, lying in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. With many distinctive species of fish in the surrounding oceans, Christmas Island attracts anglers from all over the world.
Global Rescue member John Bates of Billings, Montana, traveled to Kiritimati on a much-anticipated fishing trip over the summer. Late one evening, he fell seriously ill at his lodge. His symptoms included weakness, high fever, an inability to walk, and difficulty breathing.
Dr. Gordon...
INFOGRAPHIC: How Deer Eyesight Works
Ever been "out-eyed" by a buck you were sure couldn't see you? Maybe you failed to take into account how exactly deer eyesight works. To better mentally equip yourself for deer season this year, check out this infographic on how deer eyesight works. Perhaps it'll lead you to a trophy-room addition this fall.
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The Feng Shui of Shotgun Shells
If you decide which shells you're going to use for your shotgunning pursuits based solely on what’s least expensive at the local sporting goods emporium, there’s no reason to read any further. Go about your shooting and hunting. You’ll get the same results you always have. But remember: doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results is Albert Einstein’s famous definition of insanity.
To improve your shooting, bring more game cleanly to hand, and expand your understanding of shotgunning you must try something different---perhaps in your technique,...
Minnesota Hunter Stabs, Kills Wounded Black Bear after Brutal Mauling
One Minnesota bowhunter is counting his blessings after a bear attack almost claimed his life. According to KARE 11, Brandon Johnson was hunting with several longtime friends near Duxbury on Friday, September 26 when everything went horribly wrong. The group had arrowed a large black bear that evening in a heavily forested area in Pine County and waited four hours to retrieve it. Worried that the meat would spoil overnight, Johnson and two other hunters decided to track the...
Video: Grouse Joins Deer Hunter in Treestand
Grouse are known to occasionally display some odd behaviors (especially during mating season), but they are hardly known for their willingness to hang out on hunters' gun barrels. The fearless grouse in the video below, however, decided to get to know the hunter recording the video a little better, first joining him on-stand and then on-barrel.
The video description credits Randy Hudson for the footage.
...Georgia Hunter Harvests Behemoth 660-pound Alligator
Chad Young said his recent harvest of a behemoth alligator from Georgia's Lake Blackshear on Wednesday will go down as one of his best hunting memories. The 660-pound reptile offered up a difficult fight to the hunter and his companions, and Young said it took more than four hours before the animal finally tired out.
"Basically it was like taking a full-size truck and hooking it to your boat. I mean he had plenty of power and he didn't slow down for a while," Young told WALB.
Once the...
Wild Turkey Rebound in Missouri, Future Looks Promising
Missouri wildlife officials announced recently that turkey hunting prospects for the state are looking up for the third time in four years. After a noticeable decline in turkey numbers from 2007 to 2010, experts say that the state's population has been steadily rising since 2011. Every year a wild turkey brood survey is conducted by citizen volunteers and biologists, who tally turkey hens and their young throughout the state. That data is then analyzed by the Missouri Department of...
Bowfisherman’s Monstrous 809-pound Mako Shark Certified as World Record
In a photo posted to Facebook back in August, Jeff Thomason, an experienced hunter and the host of Predator Pursuit, posed with a massive mako shark that he had caught off the coast of California. At that size, many may presume that Thomason hooked it on a traditional rod and reel, but the compound bow he held in the same photo said differently. In the world of bowfishing, catching an 809-pound shark is beyond impressive---it is record-shattering. According to the Read more »
Northern Guns: 8 Canada Exclusive Firearms You Won’t Find Stateside
Living as a firearms owner in the Great White North means having to deal with silly gun laws. It means having to apply for permits, registering some firearms and not others, and limiting some magazines and not others. It means that you can only shoot your handguns at a range, and that the guns your grandfather used to defend your country are unlikely to get handed down to you.
It means living in the shadow of the United States, with all that freedom bubbling just south of the border.
But there are some things we get in Canada that you don't see stateside---and that's what this article is...
Hunting Hard for Northern Michigan Ruffed Grouse
By now, most Michigan bird hunters understand that ruffed grouse populations are cyclical. They seem to run on a 10-year cycle (peak to peak) with the inevitable trough about halfway between the best of times.
Exactly why this is, no one knows. And right now, Michigan’s grouse population should be down toward the bottom of the cycle.
Yet when I spent a long morning with Fritz and Ric Heller and our mutual friend Paul Zeman in the woodlands near Kalkaska in the Northern Lower Peninsula last week, we moved better than 30 ruffs in about four hours on the ground. In a sport where three or...
NRA Freestyle’s ‘NOIR’: The 5-Minute Zombie Apocalypse
The zombies may be fake, but NOIR Episode 13 “The 5-Minute Zombie Apocalypse” brings out the creative possibilities when building a freestyle field.
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Video: Great White Attacks Smaller Shark
Although the great white shark is neither the largest shark nor the one responsible for the most fatal attacks on humans---that distinction is thought to belong to the ocean whitetip---the great white is by far the most feared of its species. In the video below, taken by Adam Malski during a dive 50 miles from the Australian shore, a large great white launches into an unprovoked attack.
Thankfully, the divers were already safe back on the boat. But they weren't the focus of the shark's ire, or perhaps hunger, and it was in fact another shark that received a bite from the ferocious...