OutdoorHub
Take Advantage of Party Boat Fishing for Alabama Red Snapper
Red snapper are still being caught by anglers every day of the week in Orange Beach, Alabama even though the official red snapper season ended on June 9. A group of party boat captains agreed to participate in an experimental program where they were granted an exempted fishing permit, allowing them to catch as many red snapper this year and next year as they caught last year. In exchange for the permit, the captains must keep and report data on the numbers and sizes of all red snapper caught on their boats every day to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). With this additional data,...
Fremont Knives Farson Hatchet
As you can see in the image above, the Farson Hatchet is little bit different than more traditional hatchets. The first thing you probably noticed is the wraparound blade that gives the hatchet not just one, but two cutting sides. The inspiration for the Hatchet design is actually quite primitive, but one that up-and-coming Fremont Knives hopes will be a success. According to the knifemaker, the idea behind the Hatchet and its smaller cousin the Farson Blade---picture the Hatchet without the handle---came from an ancient stone knife...
Video: Testing Screwdriver Shotgun Shells
It's true that the internet has a love affair with shotguns, whether they're being used for zombie hunting or wild---and sometimes not quite safe---experimentation. For the sake of science, amateur firearm testers have stuffed shotgun shells with skittles, porcupine quills, legos, and even Read more »
Longear Sunfish Found in Iowa after 80-year Absence
Although once common in Iowa's bayous along the Mississippi River, anglers have not seen longear sunfish in the state for more than eight decades. The fish's long absence may have ended this month however, after employees at the Fairport Fish Hatchery captured what scientists believe could be a longear.
“If this proves to be a longear sunfish it will be the first time since 1932 the species has been positively identified in Iowa,” said Iowa Department of Natural Resrouces fisheries technician Adam Thiese in a Read more »
North Dakota Nine-year-old Catches Possible World Record Goldeye
A nine-year-old angler in North Dakota recently reeled in what may be the largest goldeye ever caught on rod and reel. According to valleynewslive.com, Brayden Selzler landed the four-pound, 12-ounce goldeye from Lake Audubon last week, crushing the previous state record. Selzler said he has been fishing since he was old enough to hold a fishing rod, but he was not familiar with goldeyes. In fact, the boy said he was initially not impressed with catch and almost tossed it back in the water for a...
Benchmaster American Bison Rifle Rest
My early experiences with shooting off a benchrest involved a friend’s 300-yard hay meadow and a substantial wooden bench located in a little grove of trees. The bags were always there---canvas shot-bags filled with sand and kept under a bucket to keep them dry. In summer, the wasps sometimes managed to build a nest in the bucket for an exciting beginning to a shooting session.
Since that time, I’ve used all sorts of appliances to support a rifle during sight-in or a load testing session, from a lowly shot bag filled with sand to an M14 test cradle running on a Thomson Linear Motion...
Michigan’s Saginaw Bay: An Unsung World-class Bass Fishery
Michigan had been gaining ground nationally as a bass fishing destination in recent years---witness last year’s coronation of Lake St. Clair as the best bass lake in the country by Bassmaster magazine---but it’s a fact that the state boasts plenty of world-class bass fisheries that are still very much under the radar.
Need an example? Saginaw Bay.
Already well-known as one of the best walleye fisheries in the world, Saginaw Bay’s bass fishery is equally grand, perhaps even better.
“As far as quality goes, you can’t beat Saginaw Bay,” said Greg Sochocki, a local...
Leaders of Conservation: NWF Sportsmen’s Outreach Manager John Gale
This interview with the National Wildlife Federation's National Sportsmen's Outreach Campaign Manager John Gale 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.
With over four million members across the United States, there is little doubt that the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is one of the largest conservation organizations in the country. Founded shortly before the Second World War, the NWF was one of the first...
Video: Fishing for Piranha Using Meat
Here is one angling method that is definitely not recommended by anyone. If you're ever in the Amazon River or any other area with piranhas---and you don't mind losing the tips of your fingers---you can catch the fish using nothing more than a piece of meat and a large bowl. It is a relatively easy task to dip the bloody piece of meat in the water and draw out the fish, still holding onto their meal with their infamously sharp teeth. In the video below, you can see a woman employing the technique with her bare hands.
Don't ever, ever try...
The BAREBOW! Chronicles: Justice at Last!
Author’s prefatory note: "Justice at Last!" is the eleventh and final story of Chapter 13 from BAREBOW! On the morning of August 9, 1993, BC Wildlife confiscated my geometric full-curl Stone ram and charged me with shooting a sub-legal one. Seventeen months later, a judge acquitted me of the charge---yet ordered forfeiture of my trophy to the Crown. Thus began a series of truly unbelievable appeals, hearings, and further court appearances that stretched out over nearly six years. Indeed, two hearings took place in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The drama, all in all, was...
Hunter Discovers Massive 29-field Pot Farm on Texas Deer Lease
A Texas hunter is being credited for uncovering what officials suspect may be the largest marijuana bust in state history. According KHOU, the hunter first discovered the illegal farming operation when he arrived at his deer lease in Goodrich last Saturday. In total. he found 29 fields containing more than 100,000 plants. Law enforcement officials estimated that the total value of the farm exceeded $175 million.
"This is a moneymaking invention. I mean, we’re talking about a large...
Study Finds More Mountain Lions Sticking Together
North America's largest cat has a reputation for being solitary, but scientists are finding that mountain lions may not be as secretive as once thought. In a recently published study in the journal Acta Ethologica, researchers with the Teton Cougar Project discovered that some mountain lions will freely associate with other members of their species, even accompany each other in the wild.
“No one knows what these guys are doing,” researcher Mark Elbroch told ...
NOAA Considers Ban on Bluefin Tuna Fishing
Last week the National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), announced that it will be considering whether there should be a ban on commercial and recreational fishing for bluefin tuna. If the service decides to move forward with the ban, anglers will be required to immediately release any bluefin tuna caught. According to KCET, the move came after a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) to halt bluefin...
Video: Goliath Grouper Disables Spearfisherman, Steals Fish
Reaching up to 10 feet and as much as 800 pounds, the goliath grouper is one fish that demands respect. In some cases, it also demands food. The video below, reportedly recorded off the coast of Jupiter, Florida, shows a grouper confronting a group of spearfishers over their harvest. Impatient with the slowness of their tribute, the grouper shucks one diver of a fin and quickly uses the distraction to steal his fish. The problem is, the grouper also snared the speargun with it.
The gun was eventually found a quarter mile away buried in sand.
http://youtu.be/AWP8tpzKpKI...
What Makes a 1911 a 1911?
Love it or hate it, the 1911 pistol is kind of a big deal, even if just for its longevity. Just past the turn of the previous century, the Army figured out it wanted an autoloading handgun with similar ballistic capability to the .45 Colt, which had served them well. Since our military folks rode around on horseback at that time, features like easy one-handed operation and grip safeties were important. If you drop your handgun mid-gallop, you don't want it to go off when it hits the ground.
In response, John Moses Browning, may he rest in peace, came up with the 1911. The Army liked its...
Take Advantage of Michigan’s Outstanding Grouse Hunting
Michigan’s great outdoors are home to many outstanding hunting opportunities. The state's ruffed grouse get scores of resident and nonresident hunters afield each fall, and with good reason.
Hunting Great Lakes grouse can be one of the best ways to spend a fall day. You don’t need a ton of gear---yourself, a trusty shotgun, a pocketful of shells, some hunter’s orange, and perhaps a good dog will do. A grouse hunt is never a waste of time, even when you don't bag any of the tasty birds.
Grouse can elusive, but if you simply open your ears, it's often quite easy to find...
Federal Judge Strikes Down Washington, DC Handgun Ban
A five-year legal battle in the nation's capital took a stunning turn over the weekend after a federal judge threw out the city's ban on handguns outside the home. On Saturday, District Court Judge Frederick J. Scullin declared the District of Columbia's handgun ban unconstitutional. Shortly afterwards, Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier instructed officers not to enforce the ban if they see a citizen carrying a handgun, whether openly or concealed. Long guns are still illegal to carry in the city.
The court decision came as a result of a lawsuit filed by four plaintiffs whose...
Monster Raxx Trophy Minerals
I have been using Monster Raxx minerals for three years now, so I feel qualified to write a review on this product. I have four purposes for using this product:
to offer a year-round source of quality mineral to the deer on my property,
to give lactating does the minerals they need to stay in good condition and raise healthy fawns,
to offer bucks the calcium, phosphorous, and other trace minerals they need to grow antlers, and
the ability to inventory the deer on the properties I hunt, while watching the antlers grow through the seasons (a...
MobileStrong HDP Vehicular Storage Drawers
This summer, we began on a quest to get our gear organized well in advance of the hunt. This has included donating hunting clothing the kids have outgrown, sorting ammo, and building out the walls of our hunting gear closet to include our entire dining room (everyone knows walk-in hunting closets add more resale value to a home than formal dining rooms). Our organizational efforts have extended to the family vehicle. Keeping our truck organized during the hunting season is typically an insurmountable challenge, especially given the fact we are often hunting different quarry back-to-back with...
Video: Curious Deer Befriends Camera, Licks Lens
In the experience of most hunters, deer are nervous, skittish creatures likely to take flight at the smallest noise. Or maybe that's just how it seems---especially during deer season. In other circumstances, deer can appear docile and even sociable with humans. Travelers who have been to Nara, Japan may recall the region's infamous "bowing" sika deer, which have taken up local customs in an attempt to extort food out of tourists. While they may seem friendly, wildlife officials warn against ever...