Category: Hunting

Marguerite McDonald’s Grizzly Bear

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McDonald with bear

 

Montana 1964 from the Boone & Crockett Club

By PJ DelHomme 
Images Courtesy of Yellowstone Gateway Museum of Park County 

She could wrestle that bear if she hadn’t had a rifle.

At a remote ranch just outside Yellowstone Park, Marguerite McDonald had a visitor one night…

The Silver Tip Ranch is a remote dude ranch that requires visitors to hike, mount a horse, or ride in a wagon a dozen miles through the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and across the state line into Montana. Originally homesteaded by G. Milton Ames in 1913, the area was (and still is) thick with grizzlies. Ames killed eight bears in the first spring on his homestead. In 1922, Joseph “Frenchy” Duret was trapping bears in a meadow near the ranch. That spring, a park ranger found Frenchy’s body, which a grizzly had most obviously mauled. At the trap site more than a mile away, the ranger found Frenchy’s rifle that the bear had used as a chew toy.

Before we dive into the details of how this enormous grizzly bear met its demise, we should point out that many facts in this story are blurry. What follows is a compilation of newspaper and magazine articles, blog posts, and personal narratives that all end with one live caretaker and one dead bear. We’ve done our best to highlight the facts and note conjecture.

McDonald with bear 2
TROPHY STATS: SCORE: 24-3/16 B&C points   |   LOCATION: Gardiner, MT   |   HUNTER: Marguerite McDonald   |   DATE: 1964

In the 1960s, Marguerite McDonald and her husband Jack were year-round caretakers for the Silver Tip. In 1964, Jack took the long trip from the ranch to Gardiner for supplies. Marguerite stayed behind with just the dogs for company. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

The High Road Group Releases Hog Control Video Featuring Berger Bullets and Bering Optics

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WATCH NOW: https://bit.ly/4m5Wp20

Carney, OK– The High Road Group with Keith Warren is proud to announce the release of an all-new video for online and television distribution showcasing hog hunting. This video is the result of a marketing collaboration between Berger Bullets (https://bergerbullets.com/), Bering Optics (http://usa.beringoptics.com/catalog/?goods=222), and The High Road Group. Designed to generate premium digital assets for both brands, this project delivers high-impact nighttime action paired with powerful product performance and exceptional editorial product exposure.

In this episode, The High Road’s co-host Johnny Piazza teams up with Dominic Trapanese of Capstone Precision Group to push Berger’s ammunition to the absolute limit. The pair embarks on an aggressive nighttime thermal hog eradication mission—an ideal proving ground for both Berger’s precision-engineered bullets and Bering Optics’ cutting-edge thermal technology. Read more

Hunting, Optics

ATN’s New ThOR 6 Elite: The Most Advanced Thermal Rifle Scope Built for Hunters

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ATN Corp, America’s leading innovator in smart hunting optics and thermal imaging technology, today announced the launch of the ATN ThOR 6 Elite, the most capable thermal hunting scope the company has ever built. Powered by an all-new 6th Generation thermal engine and ATN’s proprietary SharpIR© AI image enhancement technology, the ThOR 6 Elite was designed from the ground up for hunters: coyote hunters, hog hunters, whitetail hunters, predator hunters, and everyone who has ever wished their thermal scope could see more, do more, and hold up to whatever the field throws at it. This is what hunters have been asking for — and ATN has delivered.

6th Generation Thermal Core: See the Unseen

At the heart of the ThOR 6 Elite is ATN’s new 6th Generation thermal engine, available in 384×288 or 640×512 resolution — both featuring industry-leading ?15mK NETD ultra-sensitive sensors built on a 12?m pixel pitch. These sensors detect the faintest heat differences, enabling early target detection at longer ranges, sharper detail at higher zoom, and consistent performance in hot, humid, or low-contrast environments where other thermal scopes fall short.

For hunters, that means spotting a coyote tucked tight against a cedar fence line at 400 yards, picking out a hog rooting through tall grass in total darkness, or catching movement on a distant ridgeline well before first light. Read more

Hunting, Optics

New World Record Velvet Typical Sitka Blacktail Deer

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On Saturday, March 21st, the Pope and Young Club (P&Y) convened a Special Panel of Judges at a location in Lakeside, AZ, for a potential P&Y World Record Velvet Typical Sitka Blacktail Deer. Bob Ameen’s velvet blacktail scored an amazing 115 0/8 and is now the largest bow-harvested VELVET Typical Blacktail in North America. This amazing blacktail deer was shot in Southeast Alaska.

Judges (official measurers) present at the Special Panel were (L to R) Roy Grace, Bryan Yorksmith, David May, and Dallin Durfee, all of Arizona. With a final score of 115 0/8, Ameen’s velvet typical blacktail deer was confirmed as the new P&Y World Record. This deer surpasses the previous largest velvet typical blacktail deer in the records program by 5 1/8″. The Pope and Young Club allows all velvet antlered species to be eligible for World Record status within their own velvet categories.

“I have been hunting for a deer of this size for about 35 years. Hard work and determination definitely has paid off”, says Ameen.

“Animals of this size don’t come along like this very often, it shows conservation plays a major roll in hunting “, says Ricky Krueger, P&Y Records Chairman.

You can see this incredible animal on display at the Pope and Young’s Biennial Awards Convention in Little Rock, AR, April 8-10, 2027. Read more

Hunting

APEX 12-Gauge Greenleaf Turkey TSS Wins Outdoor Life Editor’s Choice Award

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GW:  I know this ammo is expensive, but so is any other TSS ammo. The family business has folks that answer their phone, too.  Had concerns about damaging the bore on my old fixed choke .410 and they said go ahead and shoot it.  Incredible patterns at 40 yards.  Took a good gobbler with the ammo last season.  Wouldn’t bother experimenting with anything else!

Columbus, Miss. – APEX Ammunition’s 12-gauge Mossy Oak Greenleaf Turkey TSS, featuring a combination of #9 and #10 pellets, has won Outdoor Life’s Editor’s Choice award for best TSS load. After running numerous loads from various manufacturers through two shotguns during their 2026 turkey ammunition test, the APEX Greenleaf was the hands-down best at 60 yards due to “surprisingly good penetration” and “insane pattern density”.

Alex Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of Outdoor Life, had this to say in their patterning and penetration video:

“The real standout here was the APEX Greenleaf load which had a bunch of those little #10 pellets stacked alongside the #9 TSS. Those things shot incredible patterns. They penetrated enough at 60 and….for all-around turkey hunting with a 12 gauge, it’s kind of impossible to beat. That’s the best load that I’ve ever tested.”

The high pellet count of the 12-gauge APEX Greenleaf load (1,096) delivers extreme pattern density for better shot coverage with the smaller #10 shot filling the gaps, especially at longer ranges, for increased lethality.

“The massive payloads of our Greenleaf shotshells deliver exceptional retained energy and the blend of #9 and #10 pellets creates an ultra-consistent, hard-hitting spread when it matters most,” said Jason Lonsberry, President and CEO, APEX Ammunition. “We always appreciate the time and effort the Outdoor Life team puts into their annual turkey ammo test and are honored to be recognized once again for our efforts to deliver top-level performance to our customers.”

All APEX shotshells are loaded under heightened quality control measures designed to ensure the most consistent performance possible from shot to shot. Clean burning powder and APEX’s Tungsten Propulsion Wad System are used in all APEX TSS loads to deliver the tightest patterns possible and maximum barrel protection.

For more information on the Greenleaf line, see: APEX Ammunition.

About APEX Ammunition: What started in 2017 with a few handmade shells for a hunting trip with friends has become an obsession to provide wingshooters with the absolute best performing ammunition possible. Founded by U.S. Veterans and hunting enthusiasts in the great state of Mississippi, APEX Ammunition pioneered the commercial application of ultra-high-density Tungsten Super Shot to create the hardest hitting, most accurate shot loads in the business. The driving principle behind the company’s continued quest for innovation and better performance is its commitment to delivering a hunting experience like no other. For more information, visit ApexAmmunition.com.

Ammunition, Hunting

Delta Waterfowl Begins Predator Management Work to Increase 2026 Duck Production

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Although snow and ice still have a firm grip over most of the prairie pothole region, field work has started for Delta’s Predator Management Program in preparation for the 2026 duck nesting season.

Delta’s team of professional trappers has begun working at 51 sites in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, and South Dakota, key areas that serve as vital nesting grounds for North American waterfowl. Up to 70% of the continent’s ducks hatch in the PPR, which is often referred to as “North America’s Duck Factory.” Millions of ducks hatched in the region migrate through all four flyways each fall and winter.

“Our efforts in the PPR give hens a leg up to produce a successful nest,” said Mike Buxton, waterfowl programs director. “Fewer predators on the landscape gives more ducks a fighting chance to make it to the fall flight.”

Delta’s proven Predator Management Program is a targeted approach to increase nest success, adding hundreds of thousands of ducks to every fall flight. Nest success, defined as a nest with at least one hatched duckling, is often less than 5 to 10% in many key breeding areas of the PPR. A hatch of 15 to 20% is required just to maintain current populations.

“Delta’s trappers focus on areas of the PPR with high waterfowl breeding density but low nest success,” said Joel Brice, Delta’s chief conservation officer. “By strategically managing predators in these areas, we increase the likelihood of more nests hatching.”

Raccoons and skunks are two primary duck nest predators on the prairie, species that were absent or scarce across most of the prairie before the 1950s. Today, these overly abundant predators can have devasting impacts on duck nests — research shows that up to 90 percent of failed nests are destroyed by predators. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Spring Snow Goose Hunting in the Dakotas

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The Light Goose Conservation Order (LGCO) is considered an annual tradition for many waterfowl hunters since it began in 1999. There is no other waterfowl opportunity in North America offering such latitude when it comes to regulations: There are no magazine restrictions, no daily bag or possession limit, use of electronic callers is permitted, and you can shoot 30 minutes past sunset – all sacred no-no’s across the US during regular waterfowl seasons regulated by state and federal law enforcement.

Besides the potential for high volume shoots, anybody who participates in this unique opportunity will tell you it’s the spectacle of the spring migration that keeps them coming back. On the best migration days hunters should expect to witness waves of various waterfowl and other bird species rolling past, but no other species of waterfowl surpasses the lesser snow goose in number and density during migration. It’s common to see hordes of snows and their smaller cousins Ross’s geese mob an area on the ground and in the air, in what can only be described as an incredible sight to behold.

The Mid-Continent population of light geese primarily migrate through the watersheds of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers consistently congregating in key areas within Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, eventually packing into the neck of their hourglass shaped migration corridor in North and South Dakota. Read more

Hunting

Application Deadline for Deer and Elk Permits, Nonresident Combination Licenses is April 1

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Don’t wait to apply for deer and elk permits. The application deadline is April 1. Hunters can buy licenses and apply for permits on the FWP website; click on “Buy and Apply.”

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offers several tools to help hunters navigate the application process. The application process is different for residents and nonresidents, but FWP has created instructional videos to help with both kinds of customers.

Hunters and anglers can also take advantage of the MyFWP mobile app. The app holds and displays licenses, permits and E-Tags, which can be downloaded and used in the field without cell service. To create a My FWP account, visit the MyFWP login page. Read more

Hunting

Millennium Treestands Q400 Guard House Buck Hut Built for Comfort and Longevity

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Millennium Outdoors, a company renowned for making quality stands and hunting accessories, releases the Q400 Guard House Buck Hut in 2026. The new elevated hunting blind is designed and built for comfort, stability, and durability, providing years of protection from the elements – and concealment from wary whitetails. With an overall height of 15 feet, 8 inches, the Guard House is a rugged and dependable blind that provides individual hunters with comfort and room to move during long sits.

Constructed of heavy-duty steel with a powder-coat finish, the Guard House features adjustable legs, making it perfect for uneven terrain. A steel ladder with nonslip steps and a steel landing platform with handrails provide safe, easy entry and exit. A water-resistant, soft-shell material offers dependable, all-weather performance that withstands whatever Mother Nature throws at it, giving hunters a secure ambush site for years of hard use.

The Guard House has seven shooting windows, offering pristine views and flexible setup options for firearm, crossbow, and vertical bowhunters. It’s also configured to fit one Millennium M369 Revolution Seat (sold separately), giving hunters unbridled comfort and 360-degree silent rotation for monitoring surrounding terrain. It weighs just 225 pounds, is a cinch to set up, and has a maximum weight capacity of 500 pounds, making it perfect for larger-statured hunters and heavy equipment and gear.

Without compare, the Guard House Buck Hut is the ideal choice for hunters seeking a solid, elevated blind that performs flawlessly season after season.

Millennium Guard House Buck Hut features Read more

Hunting

Buy Your Licenses Now for Michigan Spring Turkey Hunting

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Licenses are on sale now for two spring turkey hunting seasons that do not require hunters to apply in Michigan’s turkey hunt drawing.

Hunt 0234 and Hunt 0301 offer flexible options for hunters looking for more opportunities this spring. Both seasons have unlimited quotas, and licenses can be purchased throughout the entire spring turkey hunting season.

Hunt 0234: Statewide license

Hunt 0234 runs May 2-31. (Note that the print version of the DNR’s 2026 Spring Turkey Regulations Summary incorrectly listed the 0234 season dates as April 25-May 31, but the correct dates are May 2-31.)

A Hunt 0234 license allows hunters to pursue spring turkey on:

  • Public and private lands in the Upper Peninsula (TMU M).
  • Public and private lands in the northern Lower Peninsula (TMU NN).
  • Private lands only in the southern Lower Peninsula (TMU ZZ).
  • Fort Custer military lands, with permission.

If you have a Hunt 0234 license, you must have landowner permission to hunt on private lands.

Hunt 0301: Private-land option for southern Michigan Read more

Hunting
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