OutdoorHub
Study: Asian Carp in Lake Erie May Have Little Effect on Sport Fish
When it comes to the Great Lakes, few threats are as feared as the establishment of an Asian carp population. After escaping into the Mississippi River in the late 1960s, Asian carp quickly colonized waterways across the United States and pushed out native species. Wildlife officials are understandably nervous as Asian carp draw ever closer to the world's largest freshwater lake system---and a fishery that contributes more than $5 billion to the region. But will Asian carp mean the end of fishing in the Great Lakes? A recently published study in the journal Conservation Biology says...
Massive Washington Wildfire Causes Woes for Mule Deer Herd
For weeks, the largest wildfire in the State of Washington's history burned across more than 250,000 acres in the Carlton Complex east of Seattle. More than 3,000 firefighters and emergency personnel responded to the blaze, which consumed 300 homes and tens of thousands of acres in wildlife habitat. A few isolated areas are still burning, but wildlife managers are now scrambling to deal with a new problem: thousands of newly-evicted mule deer. Forced out of the forest by the fire, the deer are struggling to find food and cover where they can. Many have wandered onto hay fields, orchards, and...
Hunting Michigan’s Seven Wetland Wonders
To waterfowl hunters, there are some historic destinations that fill dreams and top bucket lists. While it's well-known for excellent deer hunting and amazing fishing, Michigan is also home to some amazing waterfowl hunting action. What’s better still are the outstanding Managed Waterfowl Hunt Areas that make up the Great Lake State's Seven Wetland Wonders.
Unlike deer hunting, some of the best action hunters can find for waterfowl is on public land. Establishing in the 1960s and early 1970s, the Managed Waterfowl Hunt Areas offer a diverse array of hunting opportunities and...
Why a New Shooter’s First Shotgun Should Be a Semiauto
My first shotgun was a single-shot hammer gun, a hand-me-down from my mother. Dad bought it for her while they were dating, and though they hunted together a few times, Mom never caught the fever. She loved the dogs. She loved walking in the autumn fields, but shooting stuff---not so much. A couple outings quenched her curiosity of what her fiancée found "fun" in all this, and she never touched the gun again.
Today, I work part-time at a small sporting goods store, mostly to get out of the house and to maintain measure on the pulse of what real hunters and shooters are buying.
Usually,...
Why Do You Hunt?
Why do you hunt? It’s a question that I’m often asked by friends and family members who don’t partake in the activity. Sometimes, I’m tempted to answer with "Because I can." But I don’t, because I feel that it’s more important to take the time to share the real reasons behind the hunt.
For me, hunting is much more than just a trophy photo to put on social media---it’s about conservation and preserving wildlife, making memories with family members and friends, and sharing my passion with future hunters, to name a few.
Respect for the outdoors
From day one, my dad has...
Video: New Jersey Resident Films Bear Walking Upright
Seeing a bear walk upright is not a cosmically rare event, but it is rather unusual. This is doubly so if the bear continues to walk that way for a period of time---some may even find the sight eerie. According to Good Morning America, 22-year-old Ian Bohman recorded a bear taking a walk on the human side in Jefferson Township, New Jersey.
“I was walking out to my car and turned the corner and there it was just walking straight up the street,” Bohman said. “It stopped and looked at...
Florida Considers Legalizing Suppressors for Hunting
In a meeting next month in Kissimmee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is set to consider a proposal to legalize suppressors for use by hunters. Suppressors, also known as silencers, are legal to own in Florida but prohibited from being used in the harvesting of game like deer or turkey. The new proposal comes from hunters who say that the devices can be beneficial to sportsmen and help prevent hearing damage.
"There's a lot of people who are actually hunters who, if you talk to them, over the course of the years have actually suffered hearing loss because of...
Colorado Hiker Sings Opera to Calm Stalking Mountain Lion
Can music soothe a savage beast? If you were to ask 40-year-old Kyra Kopenstonsky, she will tell you that it might have saved her from a cougar attack. Kopenstonsky was hiking a trail near Down Valley Park in Placerville, Colorado on Monday when she encountered a mountain lion. According to a report by the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office, the lion stalked the hiker for about 20 minutes, during which it would often jump forward and crouch whenever Kopenstonsky attempted to...
Nevada Volunteers Rescue Thousands of Fish as Drought Continues
California is not the only Western state to be plagued by drought, more than half of Nevada is still locked in extreme drought conditions as of August 8. This is bad news for wildlife, and extremely bad news for fish. Earlier this week a group of volunteers worked alongside Nevada Department of Wildlife (DOW) employees to save 6,000 fish from a number of drying ditches near Reno. According to KRNV, men and women waded through the Washoe and Verdi ditches with nets and electrofishing...
Cookin’ in Camo: Duck Bruschetta with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette
Duck is one my favorite proteins to work with. It is so versatile. Whether it's used to confit, sear, or cure into prosciutto, it all tantalizes my palate. This dish has it all: fattiness from the duck fat, acid from the vinegar and tomatoes, and a splash of citrus from the orange. Did I mention it is topped with fresh mozzarella and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano? The "woods" you take a duck from for a dish like this may be flooded, but it's still "forest to fork" if you ask me! Quack, quack!
Serves 4
Prep time: 4 hours
Cook time: 20 minutes plus rest
Ingredients
Marinade
Juice...
Video: Why Brownells Started Making AR-15 Magazines
Brownells recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its AR-15 and M-16 magazines, which first started shipping in 2004. Many customers, even longtime fans of Brownells, may not actually know that the company produces its own line of magazines. After all, the world's largest supplier of firearm accessories and gunsmithing tools also sells magazines from its competitors. But for the past 10 years, Brownells manufactured millions of these rugged aluminum magazines for use by the United States Armed Forces, law enforcement, and private consumers.
“We’re continuously working to create...
Alberta Hunter Fends Off Attacking Bear with Close-range Rifle Shot
An Alberta hunter is in the hospital after a recent encounter with a bear left his arm badly mauled. According to CBC News, the unidentified bear hunter was traveling through the Smoky Lake area near Edmonton on Sunday when he saw a 250-pound male black bear in a clearing. The hunter shot the bear in the chest and caused the animal to flee into the forest. Officials say the hunter decided to follow the bear into the bush for several hundred yards before the bruin turned back and began...
How to Use a Texas Rig
When one lure can be used for fishing shallow-water cover and deep-water structure, there is no mystery why it's rigged up by most bass anglers on each and every fishing trip they go on. I'm talking about the Texas rig.
Being that this rig is weedless, it shines in situations where the cover is dense and other lures can’t go. Its streamlined profile also allows it to slide with ease through matted vegetation or alongside a deep weedline.
During the summer months, this bait can be used in a variety of situations, simply by changing up its components. If you are targeting laydowns or...
Michigan Girl Uncovers 160-year-old Skeleton of Extinct Elk
Standing ramrod straight, 10-year-old Sonja Moehle reaches perhaps a little over five feet. For comparison, the massive elk antlers she found in a Michigan lake earlier this lake both reach her chin. Sonja, who prefers to be called "Sunny," discovered the rack, and plenty of other bones, while canoeing with her dad around a Northern Michigan lake back in April. Sonya initially thought the antlers were just oddly-shaped sticks or even dinosaur bones, but her dad, David Moehle, knew better.
“He brought his fishing pole,” Sonja told Read more »
On Being a “Law Abiding Citizen”
Often us outdoor-folk stand on the “I’m a law abiding citizen” soapbox, but I am in a quandary now. How can I be a law-abiding citizen? A plethora of legalities plague my life, and yours, too. Do we blend in amongst a cast of millions so every move avoids scrutiny? No---there is no hiding anymore, not even amongst millions. Rules, regulations, laws, and unconstitutional scrutiny intrude on every waking moment. Try as we might, everything has become incredibly complicated. What happened to "keep it simple?" Seriously!
Have you ever pulled into a boat ramp and left the plug in to...
Giant 800-pound Shark Drags Angler’s Boat 15 Miles, Eventually Caught
In a story reminiscent of Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, one Texas angler found himself fighting a massive tiger shark for more than seven hours over the weekend. According to KZTV 10, Ryan Spring was fishing with his father when he hooked a 12-foot, seven-inch male shark off the coast of Port Aransas. The shark immediately starting dragging Spring's boat, which was about the same size.
"It was like seven hours of pure pain and suffering," Spring said. "But, it was all well worth it...
Leaders of Conservation: Appalachian Mountain Club Senior VP Walter Graff
This interview with Appalachian Mountain Club Senior VP Walter Graff is part of OutdoorHub’s Leaders of Conservation series, in which we sit down with leaders of the North American conservation movement to learn more about the stories behind their organizations and people.
Formed in 1876 by a group of explorers and scholars, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is one of the oldest conservation groups still existing in the United States. Along with 33 other Bostonians, MIT professor Edward Charles Pickering founded the club to explore, map,...
Video: Topwater Bass Attacks
Nobody is ever likely to mistake a bass for a shark, but toss out a frog onto the water and you might be surprised how big of a bite some fish have. This blowup compilation by russe048 is one of the best we've seen, and it certainly doesn't lack for big bass strikes.
http://youtu.be/JMpMhUYtGuA
Curious about the science behind a fish bite? It may just be a splash from your perspective, but how fish capture prey is actually the result of a complicated process involving many moving parts. You can learn more Read more »
Three Opah Fish Caught in One Day by Lucky California Anglers
A trio of fishermen from Southern California managed to nab a rare accomplishment: the capture of three behemoth opahs in a single fishing trip. According to Excel Long Range Fishing, anglers Armando Castillo, Joe Ludow, and Travis Savala all got their own opah near San Martin. The anglers' fish weighed 151 pounds, 180 pounds, and 124 pounds, respectively.
For many, opahs are considered a rare fish to catch, especially on the West Coast. The fish are characterized by their large, disc-like appearance and delectable meat. Opah are increasingly...
Ten Things You Learn by Carrying a Gun Every Day
Reflecting on my experiences carrying a gun daily for near a couple of decades, I figured out that I've learned a couple of things. Here's a short list.
1. How clueless the average person is.
I don't mean this in an offensive way at all, I mean it quite literally. When you first start carrying, you manage to convince yourself that every person you see in public will spot your gun. After a couple of weeks, you begin to realize that people are far more immersed in their phones than your appearance. The folks that do make eye contact with you almost never look for telltale bulges around your...