Category: Hunting

Next Level Electronic Call from Lucky Duck

Next Level Electronic Call from Lucky Duck

Baldwin, WI- Lucky Duck Premium Decoys introduces the new Revolt electronic game call. Years in the making, the Revolt is one of the new additions to Lucky Duck’s ground-breaking electronic game call lineup. This remote controlled, high-output e-caller features ear piercing volume, one-of-a-kind sound library, motorized decoy, additional tweeter speaker, and remote controlled rotational base system that lets you broadcast sound 360 degrees.

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Hunting

Figuring The Wind with Ballistic Wind Kit

Of the many factors related to accurate shooting, wind is the trickiest, as wind can change frequently and can even be different between distances due to topography.

While velocity and bullet drop can be calculated fairly easily with the proper numbers, how wind affects bullet trajectory must be determined through years of experience, unless using the Wind Kit available with the Ballistic App Advanced and iPad Editions.

The Ballistic Wind Kit uses the JBM ballistic engine’s wind capabilities to allow shooters to account for nearly any possible wind situation. In fact, the wind kit allows users to quickly program the most complex wind scenarios. Read more

Hunting

HSUS Spearheads Arizona Ballot Issue to Ban Mountain Lion Hunting

In November 2018, the world’s wealthiest animal-rights organization intends to ask Arizona voters to ban mountain lion, bobcat and other big-cat hunting. Operating under the name ‘Arizonans for Wildlife,’ the campaign is really being spearheaded by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The group filed language on September 25 with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office to allow the signature-gathering process to begin in an effort to qualify the issue for the 2018 ballot. If the language is approved, the HSUS-led group would have to gather 150,642 valid voter signatures by July 5, 2018 to qualify for the election on November 6, 2018.

The language filed by the anti-hunting group would remove mountain lions and bobcats from the state’s list of huntable species. Under the proposed language, mountain lions and bobcats, along with jaguars, ocelots and lynx, would be called “wild cats,” and be prohibited from hunting or trapping. Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting

It’s Here: 2017 Pheasant Hunting Forecast

St. Paul, MN –Pheasants Forever has released its 2017 Pheasant Hunting Forecast, the most comprehensive upland hunting planner in the nation. While record snowfalls and a severe drought in 2017 contributed to significant bird population decreases in parts of the Midwest, expanses of the West and Great Plains show exciting signs for the season ahead. Future pheasant hunting prospects will rely heavily on the quantity and quality of grassland habitat available, stressing the importance of the 2018 Farm Bill and the resolve of upland hunters to advocate and contribute to the work of habitat conservation.

Pheasant hunting prospects for 2017 are a mixed bag of good and bad news, offering the traveling bird hunter an expectation of remarkable wingshooting in certain states with a bit of boot leather mileage, intel, and personal grit. On the flip side, Pheasants Forever remains steadfast in its task to help restore grasslands in the Midwestern states – South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota – where a perfect storm of extreme weather conditions and the loss of Conservation Reserve Program acreage have led to significant population decreases since last September. Read more

Hunting

Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s Deal Completed

New “best-of-the-best” model better serves all who love the outdoors

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, two iconic brands and leaders in the outdoor industry, have officially joined forces with a vision to become North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. The combined company is poised to provide customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more with a strong commitment to advancing conservation initiatives. Read more

Ammunition, Archery, Cutlery, Firearms, Fishing, Hunting, Optics

There is no Perfect Deer Stand

By Glen Wunderlich

Several years ago, a young man, who had yet to take his first deer, was welcomed to our hunting land.  He sighted in his firearm and proved he could shoot good groups on the paper targets.  We explained the rules and allowed him to choose any stand that was not going to be occupied by another hunter. 

One particular stand had been the site of many successes over the years, and naturally, he wanted a piece of the action.  If I were present when he’d arrive, I’d always ask where he was heading, and invariably he’d select that one “perfect” stand.  There was one problem:  There is no such thing as the perfect stand. 

In fact, that stand had now become over-visited by our new hunter.  Once I realized what was happening, I made that stand off limits to him until further notice, because he was not only spoiling the site for himself, but for others that may have wanted to hunt that same stand from time to time.

On a relatively small parcel of hunting land, hunters do not have the option to enter stands from different directions and thus run the risk of becoming patterned by the local deer population.  And, when one considers that the home range of deer is within a small area of cover and food, it’s easy to understand that they are quite familiar with their surroundings.  This is how patterning develops.

Secondly, playing the wind should always be the primary consideration when choosing a stand for the day.  There is no perfect stand for every weather-related circumstance.  Because of this, giving yourself options is best – and, the more, the better.

A recent study shows that a hunter’s chance of seeing a mature deer is lessened by 50 percent after 12 hours of hunting that location.  Practicing good scent management can help, but the best advice is to hunt prime sites only when the season progresses into the rut in late October. 

Whether you believe all the hype about scent control clothing or related paraphernalia, there is still no more effective way to minimize detection than to hunt into the wind, and that’s why successful hunters provide themselves with hunting-site options.

With our prevailing wind from the west, it makes sense to have some set-ups that take advantage of these patterns.  However, on those rare occasions, stands facing east will be a better choice.  So, if you haven’t done it already, get those shooting lanes cleared, and get those stands in place so that you do not become the source of education for the deer in your hunting area.  There simply is no one best spot.

Hunting

Michigan: Sharp Tailed Grouse The Other Game Bird

Sharp-tailed grouse are found in greatest concentrations in the Upper Peninsula in Chippewa and Schoolcraft counties.

A map shows the sharp-tailed grouse hunting area in the eastern Upper Peninsula.

Mention grouse to most Michiganders and they immediately assume you’re talking about ruffed grouse, game birds that thrive in early successional forests – think aspen – and provide much of the romance in upland bird-hunting lore.

But there’s another grouse in Michigan that is far less numerous and widespread and is pursued by far fewer hunters. Sharp-tailed grouse are prairie birds, inhabiting grasslands and the neighboring brush, found only in the Upper Peninsula – and mostly on the east end.

While only a relative handful of sportsmen hunt them, they offer a unique upland opportunity to Michigan bird hunters. Michigan also has spruce grouse, which are not hunted. Read more

Hunting

New Hanging Judge Gambrel

When all your hard work scouting and hunting finally pays off and you put a trophy deer on the ground, have you ever wondered how much that deer actually weighs?

With the New Ranew’s Outdoors Hanging Judge Gambrel with Scale, you can take the guesswork out of recording the weight of the deer you kill on your hunting property.

The Hanging Judge combines an all-inclusive gambrel and digital scale into one easy-to-use tool. It allows you to hang, weigh, dress and quarter game without the hassle of first hanging the animal on scale, then switching to a gambrel or cleaning table to field dress the deer. It totally eliminates having to go back to the scale to get a dressed weight, then back to the gambrel or cleaning table to skin and quarter the deer. Read more

Hunting

Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium Set for Friday Opening

Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium Set for Friday Opening

Largest most immersive wildlife conservation attraction in the world a major new destination in the heart of America

Springfield, Mo. – Noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris will be joined by former Presidents and hundreds of North America’s conservation leaders to unveil the all-new Wonders of Wildlife National Museum Aquarium, located in the center of America’s heartland in Springfield, Missouri. Nearly ten years in the making and unprecedented in scale and scope, Wonders of Wildlife is larger than the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and an inspirational tribute to the adventurers, explorers, outdoorsmen and conservationists who helped discover, develop and preserve the nation we love.

With 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds, the 350,000-square-foot complex is a wonder in and of itself. It contains more than 1.5 miles of trails through authentic, immersive habitats and features 1.5 million gallons of freshwater and saltwater aquariums and immersive wildlife galleries. Signature galleries include a massive “open ocean” ring-shaped aquarium and the two-story Shipwreck Room where guests can touch stingrays on the ocean floor. Immersive wildlife galleries feature 4D dioramas that transport guests through sights, sounds, smells and climates to some of the wildest places on earth, including a trek across the African savannah, the Amazon rainforest, the Arctic and America’s National Parks and more in a multisensory celebration of conservation and craftsmanship.

The all-new museum and aquarium is located next to Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, one of many signature nature-based attractions in Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, a region emerging as America’s Conservation Capital.

The visionary behind the project is noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, sometimes referred to as “the Walt Disney of the Outdoors” for his knack for creating amazing experiences that connect people with nature. Morris, who grew up fishing with his family on Missouri’s White River before founding Bass Pro Shops in 1971 with eight square feet of space in the back of his father’s liquor store, created the not-for-profit Wonders of Wildlife as a gift to the nation intended to inspire people of all ages to engage with the natural world.

“Wonders of Wildlife is an inspirational journey around the world that celebrates the role of hunters and anglers as America’s true conservation heroes,” said Johnny Morris. “We proudly invite families and sportsmen to come share the wonder with an unforgettable experience meant to inspire generations of future conservationists.”

Celebrating those who hunt, fish and act as stewards of the land and water

Morris convened 40 leading conservation organizations to help tell the American outdoor story from the Native Americans to Lewis and Clark and beyond. The story extends to modern-day wildlife management with a celebration of people who hunt, fish and act as stewards of the land. For the past 80 years, hunters in America have funded America’s modern conservation system largely through self-imposed federal excise taxes on outdoor equipment, and by purchasing hunting and fishing permits.

Beyond its sheer scale and quality, what’s most impressive about the museum and aquarium is its powerful message to inspire everyone to connect with the outdoors. As the world advances and more people live and work in major metropolitan areas, it is more important than ever to preserve and promote outdoor experiences. In a stress-filled world of traffic jams, endless emails, calls and constant pressure, the best medicine is a peaceful, rejuvenating experience in nature. The museum and aquarium pay homage to the sportsmen and women of yesterday, today and tomorrow with the knowledge that the surest way to preserve our rich outdoor heritage is to expose more people to its awe-inspiring beauty.

A world class aquarium adventure

At the heart of the Wonders of Wildlife experience is a world-class aquarium adventure, home to massive aquatic habitats teeming with life. There has never been an aquarium as immersive, interactive or engaging as this. Guests of all ages can immerse themselves inside a river full of piranhas, discover what it’s like to touch a stingray, traverse an underwater tunnel surrounded by giant river monsters and come face-to-face with sharks, jellyfish, snakes, iguanas, eagles, owls and more.

The experience begins with the breathtaking Great Oceans Hall, bringing the excitement of the ocean to the middle of America. Visitors will step inside a 300,000-gallon circular “open ocean” habitat, teeming with life, including zebra sharks, leopard rays and goliath grouper; look in awe at a mesmerizing living bait ball; and discover the Great Barrier Reef, a towering saltwater aquarium showcasing colorful reef fish, including Maori wrasse, potato cod and more. Additional noted exhibits include Shipwreck Reef, which plunges guests to the depths of the ocean floor where they can touch stingrays and explore a sunken shipwreck now home to colorful reef.

The aquarium also honors legendary anglers with boats from Earnest Hemingway, Zane Grey, personal fishing artifacts and mementos from U.S. Presidents, and some of fishing’s most accomplished sportsmen and women at The International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) Fishing Hall of Fame and the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

More fun surprises await around every corner as visitors traverse cypress swamps, tropical rainforests, Ozarks waterways, craggy caves and more. The aquarium’s unique design ensures visitors are constantly surprised and amazed by where they might end up next, and the creatures that await to be discovered around the bend.

Immersive wildlife galleries transport visitors around the world

Visitors can pack their bags for adventure as state-of-the-art 4D dioramas completely surround them within the sights, sounds and smells of the planet’s most extreme wildlife habitats. Each environment features meticulous attention to detail including massive hand-painted murals, native foliage and special effects that deliver the chill of the Arctic, the cold winds of the Alps, the dry sun of the African Savannah and more.

Signature exhibits within the wildlife galleries include The Great African Hall, immersing guests in the African savannah with animals including elephants, giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles, zebra and more and Sheep Mountain, with more than 40 record-setting sheep from around the world.

Visitors will relive conservation’s history with The Boone and Crockett Club’s National Collection of Heads and Horns. Founded by our nation’s leading conservation hero Theodore Roosevelt, the Club’s legendary exhibit gives visitors the chance to step back in time and see more than 40 historically significant North American game animals that helped spark America’s conservation movement when it debuted at New York’s

Bronx Zoo in 1908. Guests will encounter World Record bears, bison, caribou, elk and other big game species while learning about these iconic animals and how science, sportsmen and regulated hunting saved them from exploitation and near extinction. One remarkable display is the famous Chadwick Ram from British Columbia taken in 1936 featuring 51-inch horns and considered to be the finest North American big game specimen ever collected. The influential collection relocated to Wonders of Wildlife from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.

The majesty of the outdoors captured by the world’s finest artists and craftsmen

Wonders of Wildlife is instantly recognizable for the signature imagination, creativity, quality craftsmanship, authenticity and attention to detail that goes into all the projects dreamed up by Johnny Morris, but on a much larger scale. As the largest immersive attraction of its kind in the world, the project’s massive size called for an expansive team who spent more than nine years creating the elaborate details that make the experience so rewarding for visitors.

More than 2,000 painters, sculptors, woodworkers, iron workers, taxidermists, illustrators, designers, scientists, biologists, engineers and others contributed to the facility, which is home to some of the most sophisticated life support systems in the country as well as some of the largest and most elaborate nature-based artwork ever created.

Every wall within the 350,000-square-foot attraction features hand-painted murals painstakingly created by a team of painters who embody the talent and quality of true Ozarks craftsmanship. Painters spent more than a year painting the Great African Hall alone, resulting in a photorealistic re-creation of the great African savannah.

After the mural work was completed, imagery specialists consulted with experts to stage 3D landscape elements, including rockwork, native foliage and water effects to match the season and habitat being depicted. Each experience is grounded in the elements of the natural world, ensuring every detail is as lifelike as possible.

Grand opening features historic salute to conservation leaders

In honor of its grand opening on September 22, 2017, Wonders of Wildlife is hosting a historic event welcoming the most significant gathering of prominent North American conservation leaders and influencers ever assembled in our nation’s history. The very special tribute dinner honoring America’s conservation leaders will feature guests including President George W. Bush, President Jimmy Carter, U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke and Missouri Governor Eric Greitens amongst other dignitaries. The evening concludes with a special “Concert for Conservation” for invited guests featuring music from Kevin Costner, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, John Anderson and many other popular performers. All artists are avid outdoorsmen who are donating their time to help honor the conservation leaders in attendance. More than 400 conservation leaders are anticipated to be in Springfield for the landmark occasion along with significant donors and guests.

Share the Wonder

Wonders of Wildlife is now open daily except Christmas. For additional information including admission, hours of operation and directions visit www.wondersofwildlife.org.

Largest most immersive wildlife conservation attraction in the world a major new destination in the heart of America

Springfield, Mo. – Noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris will be joined by former Presidents and hundreds of North America’s conservation leaders to unveil the all-new Wonders of Wildlife National Museum Aquarium, located in the center of America’s heartland in Springfield, Missouri. Nearly ten years in the making and unprecedented in scale and scope, Wonders of Wildlife is larger than the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and an inspirational tribute to the adventurers, explorers, outdoorsmen and conservationists who helped discover, develop and preserve the nation we love.

With 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds, the 350,000-square-foot complex is a wonder in and of itself. It contains more than 1.5 miles of trails through authentic, immersive habitats and features 1.5 million gallons of freshwater and saltwater aquariums and immersive wildlife galleries. Signature galleries include a massive “open ocean” ring-shaped aquarium and the two-story Shipwreck Room where guests can touch stingrays on the ocean floor. Immersive wildlife galleries feature 4D dioramas that transport guests through sights, sounds, smells and climates to some of the wildest places on earth, including a trek across the African savannah, the Amazon rainforest, the Arctic and America’s National Parks and more in a multisensory celebration of conservation and craftsmanship.

The all-new museum and aquarium is located next to Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, one of many signature nature-based attractions in Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, a region emerging as America’s Conservation Capital.

The visionary behind the project is noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, sometimes referred to as “the Walt Disney of the Outdoors” for his knack for creating amazing experiences that connect people with nature. Morris, who grew up fishing with his family on Missouri’s White River before founding Bass Pro Shops in 1971 with eight square feet of space in the back of his father’s liquor store, created the not-for-profit Wonders of Wildlife as a gift to the nation intended to inspire people of all ages to engage with the natural world.

“Wonders of Wildlife is an inspirational journey around the world that celebrates the role of hunters and anglers as America’s true conservation heroes,” said Johnny Morris. “We proudly invite families and sportsmen to come share the wonder with an unforgettable experience meant to inspire generations of future conservationists.”

Celebrating those who hunt, fish and act as stewards of the land and water

Morris convened 40 leading conservation organizations to help tell the American outdoor story from the Native Americans to Lewis and Clark and beyond. The story extends to modern-day wildlife management with a celebration of people who hunt, fish and act as stewards of the land. For the past 80 years, hunters in America have funded America’s modern conservation system largely through self-imposed federal excise taxes on outdoor equipment, and by purchasing hunting and fishing permits.

Beyond its sheer scale and quality, what’s most impressive about the museum and aquarium is its powerful message to inspire everyone to connect with the outdoors. As the world advances and more people live and work in major metropolitan areas, it is more important than ever to preserve and promote outdoor experiences. In a stress-filled world of traffic jams, endless emails, calls and constant pressure, the best medicine is a peaceful, rejuvenating experience in nature. The museum and aquarium pay homage to the sportsmen and women of yesterday, today and tomorrow with the knowledge that the surest way to preserve our rich outdoor heritage is to expose more people to its awe-inspiring beauty.

A world class aquarium adventure

At the heart of the Wonders of Wildlife experience is a world-class aquarium adventure, home to massive aquatic habitats teeming with life. There has never been an aquarium as immersive, interactive or engaging as this. Guests of all ages can immerse themselves inside a river full of piranhas, discover what it’s like to touch a stingray, traverse an underwater tunnel surrounded by giant river monsters and come face-to-face with sharks, jellyfish, snakes, iguanas, eagles, owls and more.

The experience begins with the breathtaking Great Oceans Hall, bringing the excitement of the ocean to the middle of America. Visitors will step inside a 300,000-gallon circular “open ocean” habitat, teeming with life, including zebra sharks, leopard rays and goliath grouper; look in awe at a mesmerizing living bait ball; and discover the Great Barrier Reef, a towering saltwater aquarium showcasing colorful reef fish, including Maori wrasse, potato cod and more. Additional noted exhibits include Shipwreck Reef, which plunges guests to the depths of the ocean floor where they can touch stingrays and explore a sunken shipwreck now home to colorful reef.

The aquarium also honors legendary anglers with boats from Earnest Hemingway, Zane Grey, personal fishing artifacts and mementos from U.S. Presidents, and some of fishing’s most accomplished sportsmen and women at The International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) Fishing Hall of Fame and the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

More fun surprises await around every corner as visitors traverse cypress swamps, tropical rainforests, Ozarks waterways, craggy caves and more. The aquarium’s unique design ensures visitors are constantly surprised and amazed by where they might end up next, and the creatures that await to be discovered around the bend.

Immersive wildlife galleries transport visitors around the world

Visitors can pack their bags for adventure as state-of-the-art 4D dioramas completely surround them within the sights, sounds and smells of the planet’s most extreme wildlife habitats. Each environment features meticulous attention to detail including massive hand-painted murals, native foliage and special effects that deliver the chill of the Arctic, the cold winds of the Alps, the dry sun of the African Savannah and more.

Signature exhibits within the wildlife galleries include The Great African Hall, immersing guests in the African savannah with animals including elephants, giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles, zebra and more and Sheep Mountain, with more than 40 record-setting sheep from around the world.

Visitors will relive conservation’s history with The Boone and Crockett Club’s National Collection of Heads and Horns. Founded by our nation’s leading conservation hero Theodore Roosevelt, the Club’s legendary exhibit gives visitors the chance to step back in time and see more than 40 historically significant North American game animals that helped spark America’s conservation movement when it debuted at New York’s

Bronx Zoo in 1908. Guests will encounter World Record bears, bison, caribou, elk and other big game species while learning about these iconic animals and how science, sportsmen and regulated hunting saved them from exploitation and near extinction. One remarkable display is the famous Chadwick Ram from British Columbia taken in 1936 featuring 51-inch horns and considered to be the finest North American big game specimen ever collected. The influential collection relocated to Wonders of Wildlife from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.

The majesty of the outdoors captured by the world’s finest artists and craftsmen

Wonders of Wildlife is instantly recognizable for the signature imagination, creativity, quality craftsmanship, authenticity and attention to detail that goes into all the projects dreamed up by Johnny Morris, but on a much larger scale. As the largest immersive attraction of its kind in the world, the project’s massive size called for an expansive team who spent more than nine years creating the elaborate details that make the experience so rewarding for visitors.

More than 2,000 painters, sculptors, woodworkers, iron workers, taxidermists, illustrators, designers, scientists, biologists, engineers and others contributed to the facility, which is home to some of the most sophisticated life support systems in the country as well as some of the largest and most elaborate nature-based artwork ever created.

Every wall within the 350,000-square-foot attraction features hand-painted murals painstakingly created by a team of painters who embody the talent and quality of true Ozarks craftsmanship. Painters spent more than a year painting the Great African Hall alone, resulting in a photorealistic re-creation of the great African savannah.

After the mural work was completed, imagery specialists consulted with experts to stage 3D landscape elements, including rockwork, native foliage and water effects to match the season and habitat being depicted. Each experience is grounded in the elements of the natural world, ensuring every detail is as lifelike as possible.

Grand opening features historic salute to conservation leaders

In honor of its grand opening on September 22, 2017, Wonders of Wildlife is hosting a historic event welcoming the most significant gathering of prominent North American conservation leaders and influencers ever assembled in our nation’s history. The very special tribute dinner honoring America’s conservation leaders will feature guests including President George W. Bush, President Jimmy Carter, U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke and Missouri Governor Eric Greitens amongst other dignitaries. The evening concludes with a special “Concert for Conservation” for invited guests featuring music from Kevin Costner, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, John Anderson and many other popular performers. All artists are avid outdoorsmen who are donating their time to help honor the conservation leaders in attendance. More than 400 conservation leaders are anticipated to be in Springfield for the landmark occasion along with significant donors and guests.

Share the Wonder

Wonders of Wildlife is now open daily except Christmas. For additional information including admission, hours of operation and directions visit www.wondersofwildlife.org.

Ammunition, Archery, Cutlery, Firearms, Fishing, General, Hunting, Optics, Wildlife
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