OutdoorHub
Biologists: Elk, Deer Act as Buffer Between Wolves and Domestic Animals
Biologists have long studied the correlation between the health of wild ungulate populations and that of wolf depredation on livestock and pets. With wolves being removed from state protections in Oregon, biologists reminded residents that elk and deer essentially act as a buffer between wolves and domestic animals. Wolves prefer to prey on elk, but they are not picky predators. If elk or deer numbers are low due to a rough winter, the predators will begin to target more cattle and sheep---and even the occasional pet.
According to experts in Oregon, it might be worth increasing the ungulate...
Video: Deepwater Hagfish Chokes Shark with Its Slime
The hagfish has one of the most unique defense mechanisms in the animal kingdom. Scientists recently managed to capture fascinating footage of it in use against a shark.
Hagfish are primitive, eel-like creatures that can be found in deep areas of the ocean floor scavenging for decaying animals. They are also blind, jawless, and spineless. When attacked or threatened, however, they exude a gelatinous slime into the water that fill the gills and mouth of potential predators. The slime actually suffocates gilled animals.
You can see the video of the slime being "used" below. The...
Hillary Clinton Wins Top Gun Control Award
Last week the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence awarded Hillary Clinton the "Mario Cuomo Visionary Award" for her efforts in pushing for gun control.
The award, which was given out at the organization's annual Bear Awards gala in New York City, was named after former New York Governor and anti-gun activist Mario Cuomo, the father of current New York Mayor Andrew Cuomo.
Clinton is the first person to receive the new award.
"Throughout her career as a public servant, Hillary Clinton has repeatedly put the safety of the American people above the influence and interests of the...
Is Donald Trump Really Pro-gun?
We’re going to do a series here at OutdoorHub to dig a little deeper on each Republican candidate to find out their real positions on the Second Amendment. Given politicians’ expertise in the art of doublespeak, this undertaking might be tougher than nailing jelly to a wall, but we’re going to give it our best.
Why only Republican candidates? The Democrat side is pretty clear on the issue. Surprisingly, at least during this presidential election cycle, they’re speaking their intentions openly. At least they get brownie points for being clear on where they really stand.
We’re...
9 Gifts for the Big Game Hunter on Your List
Hunting deer and other big game is one of the greatest challenges a hunter can undertake. Buying gifts for the big game hunter in your life can also be pretty challenging. There are so many great options out there, it’s hard to pick the right gift. We've collected nine suggestions for hunters to make your holiday shopping a bit easier.
Cuddeback Extended-Range Black Flash 20MP Trail Camera - $119.99
One of the best gifts to get for a hunter is a trail camera. Every hunter either wants one or wants another one. They are a great scouting tool and a lot of fun to check and discover what...
Video: How They Made Your Grandfather’s Fishing Rod
They don't make them like this anymore.
Compared to the complex and multi-stepped process of making a modern graphite fly rod, this traditional process seems simple by comparison. However, don't mistake it for being easy. There is a lot of craftsmanship that goes into making a proper fly rod, and it is more of art than it is a science.
Fly rods are traditionally constructed out of yew, bamboo, and green hart. Although these materials have since been replaced with more durable composites like fiberglass and graphite, classic rods still have a place in many anglers' hearts. Take a quick...
5 Lesser-known Uses for a Survival or Hunting Knife
If you could only take five things with you into the wilderness, make sure one of them is a knife. This is because knives are excellent all-around survival tools that can tackle a large number of functions.
It's well-known that knives are invaluable in a number of uses, such as woodcraft, shelter-making, constructing rope, preparing and cleaning game, shredding tinder, and even as a means of defense. There is really no reason not to take a knife out with you into the woods, whether you're glamping or spending five weeks in the Alaskan wilderness with nothing more than what you can carry on...
Hunter Records Bobcat Attacking Buck under Treestand
There are a lot of things out in the woods that can steal your deer. Wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, and bears are just a few. Most of the time this tends to happen after a deer has already been shot, but occasionally these opportunistic predators will nab the animal right under your treestand.
Notice how bobcats weren't in the above list? That's because we don't usually think bobcats prey on deer, especially since bobcats are only slightly larger than most housecats. As the video below shows, bobcats certainly can prey on cervids.
This hunter managed to record footage of a bobcat...
Video: 90,000-lumen “Flashlight” Turns Night into Day
There are a lot of powerful flashlights out there, but this 90,000-lumen light bar is among the strongest we've seen. It's not exactly practical or very mobile, but the light bar uses ten 100W LED chips to produce a dazzling array of lights that can transform night into day.
The trade-off is that the device gets so hot it needs heat sinks---and the creator even thought about adding cooling fans.
It also weighs 10 pounds. Combined with the fact that it has a very real chance to render you blind, this flashlight may not be the best choice for most uses.
What would you do with something...
Scientists Ask Federal Government to Delist Great Lakes Wolves
Last week 26 wildlife management professionals and scientists sent a joint letter to the Department of the Interior, urging the agency to reconsider federal protections for the gray wolf in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. According to the scientists, the species is no longer endangered in the region and does not require further protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Many of the experts previously argued for protecting the wolves in the past, making the letter especially significant.
"The undersigned strongly believe that it is in the best interests of gray wolf...
Fly Fishing League Founder Accused of Absconding with Money
When Anthony Naranja, the former captain of the US Fly Fishing Team, announced in 2013 that he was starting a new professional league for fly fishermen, the fishing world perked up its ears. At the time, Naranja promised big payouts and an elite, international level of competition. At a little bit over two years later however, members of the league now accuse Naranja of disappearing along with their expensive entry fees.
"He just basically disappeared. Wouldn't answer emails, Facebook posts, calls. He still owes me about $19,000," Cody Burgdorff told Read more »
This Prototype Spider Silk Jacket Could Change Outdoor Gear Forever
The North Face teamed up with the Japanese company Spiber to create a jacket that's out of this world.
Named the Moon Parka, the jacket is the world’s first piece of clothing made from artificial protein material, also known as spider silk. According to Spiber, this jacket is the first mass-produced piece of clothing made from the material when it goes on sale in 2016.
This jacket might be a quantum leap is clothing technology due to the unique properties of spider silk.
Spider silk has a higher tensile strength...
8 Perfect Holiday Gifts for the Shooter
Got a firearms enthusiast in your life who you need to buy some holiday gifts for? Check out some of our picks in this list---they're sure to appreciate just about any of them!
Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 3.0 IWB Holster
When you buy clothes as a gift for someone, you have to know their size, and it can be embarrassing to ask for that information. When giving a gun holster, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask (if you don’t already know) what type of gun they carry. In any case, Alien Gear offers a lifetime shell exchange program, so if your giftee changes guns in the future, they can request a...
10 Great Holiday Gifts for the Ice Fisher in Your Life
Anglers are a pretty easy lot to buy gifts for. There are a lot of options, many of which are affordable. You would be hard-pressed to not be able to find the right gift this holiday season. Here are some items to consider for the special ice fisher in your life.
Frabill Recruit shelter - $399.99
When it comes to ice fishing, being mobile often means the difference between bringing home fish and coming back empty-handed. But there are those days when your angler doesn’t want to sit out on the ice with the wind and general nastiness that can come in winter. The Read more »
Video: How to Make a Trolling Motor with an Old Angle Grinder
Trolling motors can be pretty pricey, but not if you have an angle grinder and some time on your hands.
This video shows you how to make a decent trolling motor with only a few cheap materials and an old angle grinder. This won't be a replacement for a brand-new, high-quality trolling motor, but if you are on a budget then this homemade hack might do the trick.
In case you were wondering how it works you can see in the video that the homemade motor pushes the kayak around with ease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxcHqwVZf2I...
Unexpectedly High Snowfall in Midwest May Be Good for Hunters
Residents of the Midwest braced for snow over the weekend, and many were surprised when much more fell than expected. The first snowfall of the season left up to 20 inches of snow from North Dakota to Michigan, and a deep freeze set in on Sunday behind the passage of the cold front.
While it may have made trips to treestands more difficult, hunters say the snow is a good thing.
"It seems to be a lot better than last year. The bucks are still chasing the does out there from what I can tell," Bernie Thibault, who harvested an eight-point buck during Wisconsin's gun opener on Saturday, told...
Video: Hickok45 Fires Uzi Machine Gun from Tractor
Popular YouTube gun reviewer Hickok45 is best known for his long-form, critical assessment of firearms, but sometimes he does sillier things as well.
In this video, Hickok45 tests the feasibility of firing a Uzi from the bed of a pickup truck, his trusty tractor, and while riding a bike. It's not the most accurate setup in the world, but it appears to get the job done.
Plus, how often do you see a Uzi drive-by from a tractor? Guess you could call Hickok45 a regular lead farmer.
https://youtu.be/19IhGt5HLhI...
5 of the Scariest Gun Defects Caught on Video
Defects in firearms are not common. The vast majority of the time, when a malfunction happens it is usually due to user error---but sometimes it's not. Gun defects are scary precisely because they can happen to anybody and often occur without warning. With that in mind, make sure you observe basic firearm safety at all times. Doing so can often mitigate the consequences of the defects shown in the videos in this article.
1. Winchester SXP
It is not every day when you receive a defective shotgun from one of the oldest and most respected gun makers in America. It's also not every day when you...
Video: Florida Man Claims He Caught and Ate Shark That Bit Him
After Allen Engelman was bitten by a shark off the coast of Singer Island, Florida, he knew that he wanted revenge. That's exactly what he claims he got when he caught a shark the next day.
Engelman was bitten on the hand by a shark while surfing. The bite was not life-threatening, but it did require stitches. Instead of staying idle with his fear the surfer decided that he would catch and eat the shark that bit him.
The next day he and his friends headed out to the beach where they reeled in a shark. While there is no way of knowing whether or not this was the same shark that injured...
Oregon Officials: No Wolf Season in the Near Future
Earlier this month the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission agreed to delist wolves from the state endangered species list in a momentous vote. The decision prompted a lot of questions, including whether state officials had plans for a hunting season anytime soon. The Oregon State Department of Fish and Wildlife recently clarified that while the delisting was controversial, it will have little immediate effect on the state's wolf population.
"Any take of wolves is highly regulated in Oregon and the delisting does not mean additional take is now allowed. Hunters and trappers may not take...