OutdoorHub
5 Things You Must Know about the Rut’s Peak Breeding Phase
It's here. Depending on where you live and certain conditions, the peak breeding phase of the rut usually happens around mid to late November. The most active part of the rut---in terms of breeding---usually turns out to be one of the quietest. Deer will move around less, and even then that movement will usually be restricted to certain corridors between groups. That's one reason some hunters prefer to sit this part of this period out, but if you are considering still hitting the treestand, here are five basic facts you should absolutely know.
1. Bucks will be hunkered down, but that doesn't...
Michigan Deer Hunting is a Family Affair
Dan Merkel is one of the owners of an Upper Peninsula camp in the Lake Superior watershed. Even in the best years, deer are not exactly plentiful up there. And following back-to-back horrific winters, prospects for the upcoming season re not exactly shining. But that won’t stop Merkel from making the 300-mile drive to camp.
“I’ve got to go,” he said. “It’s my camp.”
That’s a sentiment he shares with plenty of other Michiganders, for whom November 15—opening day of the firearms deer season—is one of the biggest days of the year, second only maybe to Christmas.
Deer...
Indiana Outfitter Arrested after Allegedly Scamming Numerous Hunters
Imagine buying an exclusive one-year lease to a pristine parcel of land, only to find out that the property is actually owned by a nearby casino, and you have just been caught trespassing with a firearm. That is exactly what hunters in Orange County, Indiana experienced recently, and they accused their outfitter of scamming numerous out-of-state hunters by sending them to properties he had no connection to.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), officials arrested 36-year-old Samuel Hughes this week on charges of...
Video: Two Eagles Pull Drone from Sky
Just when you thought the skies were safe, eagles show up to remind you that they are still the top dog. According to the Daily Mail, photographer Patrick Pircher was using a DJI Phantom drone to capture aerial footage over Austria when two eagles appeared and started harrying the craft. As you can see in the video below, one of the eagles appear to have grasped the lightweight drone and causes it to crash to the ground.
It is unknown why...
The 10 Unspoken Rules of Fishing
Fishing, as most other things, has an unwritten code of conduct. This more or less universal code not only dictates proper etiquette, but also includes practical guidelines that aim to make fishing an enjoyable experience for everyone. After all, nobody wants to find their favorite fishing hole covered in trash or jostle for space constantly. These rules keep fishing civilized and below are 10 of the most popular.
Remember to keep informed on your local fishing regulations as well. Those rules could actually land you in hot water with the authorities, these will just annoy your buddies.
1....
3 Essential Calls Every Deer Hunter Should Master
It took me four years to draw the nonresident Iowa deer tag that had me sitting in a tree in the southeastern part of the state. I was positioned at the head of a steep ditch leading down into a woodlot, but I was surrounded on three sides by tall CRP grass. Typical of Iowa, it was a very windy day.
About 100 yards away, a buck’s head appeared above the tall grass and his headgear made my heart beat a little faster. The mature, thick-antlered 10-pointer was walking from right to left, heading to the next ravine. I pulled a call out of my pocket and put it to my mouth.
Deer calls can be...
Massive Wolf Rumored to Be Shot in Michigan Actually from Canada
Once again wildlife officials are out on rumor patrol, putting to rest speculation that a massive gray wolf had been harvested in Michigan. This image of a hunter and a very large wolf appeared recently on social media along with the description that it had been taken near Clare, Michigan. Officials with the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) debunked those rumors on Thursday.
"We're aware of a photo making its way around social media channels claiming to be a wolf shot and killed near Clare, Michigan," the DNR stated....
Video: Deer Freaks Out Seeing the Ocean for the First Time
Humans have a fascination with the ocean, and we're not the only land animals to act like that. Upon seeing the ocean for the first time, this deer is more than happy to frolic amidst the waves. The footage was uploaded recently to Facebook by French filmmaker Anthony Martin. He had recorded it some time ago on the coast of Landes, France and described it as one of his all-time favorite shoots. It seems that the internet agreed. In just a few mere days, the video garnered more than 15 million views
"Thank you!" Martin wrote. "Making movies is my life, the only life I have been able to...
The BAREBOW! Chronicles: The Hacksaw Trick
How does one make a perfectly aimed shot on a monster grizzly at four yards, and then again, several days later, at two-and-a-half yards, and still not come home with a bearskin? I'm convinced that only Mr. Murphy's ghost could design plots so utterly bizarre and dastardly as to produce abject failure in those circumstances!
In his entire bag of tricks, there surely can't be anything much nastier, or more creative, than the one recounted here---or the one to be described in Chronicle 59. They both happened during the last 10 days of May 2003, on the coast of...
Federal Officials Investigate Case of Bears Dropping Dead in Katmai
The National Park Service (NPS) is currently investigating two strange bear deaths in Katmai National Park in Alaska that were caught on webcam. On October 21, thousands of viewers went online to watch the bear cam stationed at Brooks Camp near Naknek Lake.
A bear sow and her two cubs were meandering in front of the camera when one of the cubs stumbled and keeled over. It then crawled a little distance and died two days later. Just yards away, a much larger adult male was also found dead in seemingly mysterious conditions.
"At this point we don't know the cause of death," NPS field...
Video: Would You Take This Heart Shot on a Buck?
When it comes to the ethics and efficacy of heart versus double-lung shots, opinions vary depending on who you ask. Some bowhunters are of the opinion that double-lung shots offer vast benefits over the heart, while others say the pumper is the organ to aim for. Bring the subject up in any hunting forum, and you're bound to get a good-natured debate over shot placement.
That being said, a hunter recently uploaded this video of what appears to be a heart shot on a deer to Facebook. As the video was shared over social media, many hunters soon began criticizing this archer for taking what...
Minnesota Angler Catches Potential World Record Muskie
A fly fisherman in Minnesota may have landed a new world record for muskie earlier this week. Robert Hawkins of Lake Elmo announced on Monday that he landed a 57-inch muskellunge from Lake Mille Lacs, the first time he had been to that particular lake.
The monster fish was estimated to weigh around 50 pounds, and is a strong contender for the International Game Fish Association's (IGFA) world record for length. Length records are generally recognized by IGFA for fish that have been released alive.
“I didn’t see the fish take the fly,’’ Hawkins told the ...
Photos: George Farr’s 71-bullseye M1903 Springfield Rifle
In high-level shooting competitions, skilled marksmen often fine-tune their rifles and ammunition for incredible accuracy. But back in 1921, a 63-year-old man attended the Camp Perry National Championships, put on a nearly unheard-of performance with a standard-issue M1903 Springfield rifle, and stunned spectators and participants alike.
His name was George Farr, but his friends called him Pop.
“It was like an average Joe walking into Yankee Stadium and pitching a no-hitter for the World Series,” said Jim Supica, Director of NRA Museums. The NRA Sporting Arms Museum in Springfield,...
Mountain Lions May Return to the Midwest Sooner Than You Think
A startling new study by researchers at the University of Minnesota and Southern Illinois University Carbondale predicts that mountain lions, long an icon of the West, will be recolonizing Midwestern states within the next 25 years.
Increased sightings of the big cats in states such as Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Kansas show that at least some have already moved in.
“We didn’t just look at where they are now, but where they could go,” study author Michelle LaRue, a University of Minnesota research associate in the College of Science and Engineering Department of Earth...
Video: How to Get a Black Bear off Your Property
A lot of people wouldn't have the foggiest idea of what to do if a black bear wandered onto their property, but judging from this woman's take-charge attitude, we're willing to bet she's done this before. When a plump black bear plods through her lawn and up her stairs, this woman wastes no time in giving the bear a good scolding and sends it scurrying off.
"Get down! Right now! Go! No! No! Down!" she yells in the video.
In hindsight, she sounded much more like a stern schoolteacher than someone who is facing one of the largest predators in North America. We're not sure we...
Tragedy on the River: Looking Back on the Armistice Day Blizzard
Not a lot of people think of duck hunting as a dangerous sport. There's an element of danger associated with any activity involving firearms, but with the gamut of hunter safety and gun safety courses today, chasing after ducks is now the safest it has ever been. Preparation, we're always told, is the most important part of staying safe. Part of that may be due to the lessons we learned 75 years ago.
November 11, 1940, Armistice Day, will continue to be remembered as one of the darkest days in hunting for the modern era. Renamed in 1954 as Veterans Day, Armistice Day previously celebrated...
Missouri Man Starts Mobile Gun Storage Truck Company
Ever find yourself unexpectedly about to enter a gun-free zone while carrying? Instead of transporting your firearm all the way back home, one entrepreneur wondered whether it would be easier if there were safe and reliable mobile gun storage options for such situations. That is the idea behind Justin Hulsey's company, Weapon Safe Armory, which revolves around the concept of mobile gun storage in armored trucks.
The idea may seem outlandish, but Hulsey said it first came to him when he heard that a man was robbed and shot in downtown St. Louis after a Cardinals game. Since many public...
Video: Full Auto Glock Shreds Ballistic Gel
In one corner you have Andrew from GY6vids with a full auto Glock 17C. In the other, you have "Casualty Carl," the ballistic gel dummy.
I think we all know how this is going to turn out.
Andrew uses new 9x19mm Civic Duty rounds from G2 Research in the clip. The ammo maker is perhaps most well-known for its "Radically Invasive Projectile" (RIP) ammunition released last year, which is comprised of eight sharp trocars that expand and separate on impact. Marketed as being superior to traditional hollow-point bullets, the RIP caused a bit of...
10-year-old Takes Idaho’s Largest 2015 Black Bear
Officials from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game confirmed that a 10-year-old boy from Eagle bagged the largest black bear taken in the state this year. Sam Sherman was hunting with his older brother Ty, family friend Brian Shanahan, and his father Tad on September 18 when he shot the bear on a ranch in Goodrich. The young hunter was using a bow and arrow.
"That bear filled the bed of the pickup," said Arnie and Sharon Pederson, the landowners.
Black bears in Goodrich have been causing so small...
13-point Buck Wanders into Michigan Body Shop, Smiles for Camera
Michigan's firearm deer season opens this Sunday, and it seems that at least one buck is trying to find a good hiding place for the next several weeks. Employees of a Grand Rapids body shop were surprised when a 13-pointer barged right into their store and promptly headed into the basement on Tuesday.
According to MLive.com, the deer had been spotted running down a city street just before it ducked into STAR Collision...