Category: Hunting

SITKA’s Diverge 12 Photo Contest

Submit your entry and be part of the storytelling legacy.

SITKA Gear, a pioneer in the outdoor apparel industry, presents Diverge 12, the annual photo contest with a unique platform created to deepen the art of hunting storytelling and portray the lives of hunters in an honest and inspiring way. This contest, now in its 12th year, shifts focus from the harvest of game species to the broader, more authentic hunting experience.

Instead of focusing on “grip-and-grin” photos, SITKA Gear’s Diverge 12 photo contest addresses the need to share the “moments in between” that accurately depict and celebrate the hunting experience. It expands the definition of “trophy” to encompass any experience in the field that is hard-earned, ethically considered and mindful of future generations. It’s about presenting hunting stories that inspire and honor our shared hunting heritage.

“Capturing the holistic hunting experience is a powerful way to convey the true spirit and beauty of hunting and the outdoors,” said Todd Barker, Marketing Director at SITKA Gear. “The SITKA Diverge Photo Contest encourages hunters and photographers to share the real, unfiltered stories from their pursuits.”

SITKA Gear invites all hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to participate in Diverge 12 by sharing their moments of triumph, suffering, reflection and adventure.

Contest Categories: Big Game, Whitetail, Waterfowl, Turkey, The Life, and Roughcuts

Category winners, as well as the grand prize winner, will receive exciting prizes from SITKA Gear and participating brand partners.

How to Enter: Read more

Contests, Hunting

NSSF Rejects USFWS Rule Banning Traditional Ammunition and Fishing Tackle on New Refuge Openings

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, rejects the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Final Rule that bans the use of traditional lead ammunition on eight National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and fishing tackle on seven NWRs in exchange for opening hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. The announcement banning the use of traditional ammunition and fishing tackle is devoid of any scientific evidence that traditional ammunition causes detrimental population impacts. These efforts only appease anti-hunting special interest groups and are harmful to the long-term conservation gains subsidized by Pittman-Robertson excise taxes paid by the firearm and ammunition industry.

USFWS announced 48 new distinct hunting opportunities across approximately 3,000 acres of NWRs, in a Proposed Rule in June. NSSF condemned the proposal then and urged USFWS to reconsider. This is another illustration of the Biden administration’s Department of the Interior (DOI) and USFWS kowtowing to anti-hunting activists by promulgating policies that lack sound scientific data. Read more

Ammunition, Hunting

Deer and Decoys

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

Recently, a fellow archery-deer hunter explained how he was watching a mature buck from a distance of 70 yards but it wouldn’t come any closer.  When I asked if he had ever used a deer decoy, he replied that he was thinking about it.  If ever you’ve thought of using a decoy, the time is now.

Bucks big and small are roaming the landscape in search of female deer right now.  The rut is on and if you’ve contemplated using a decoy, I can tell you to go beyond thinking about it.  There are models that are relatively inexpensive to examples that exceed $200 for life-size, full-body decoys.  Here are a few issues to consider to create some excitement in your time afield.

*  High-tech decoys that come with mechanical or electronic features are prohibited by Michigan law.

*  To save money, a full-body, archery deer target can be used, if you don’t mind the extra effort to tote it afield.  If you decide to use this type of decoy, it’s best to remove it immediately after a hunting session.  If you don’t want to carry it home, at least lay it down and cover it up, or it could be damaged by irate bucks while you are away.

*  I like to use a cover scent applied to my rubber boots during setup.  I prefer not to put any scents directly onto the decoy.  If a buck becomes interested and approaches the decoy to the point it sniffs the decoy, what more can a hunter want?

*  Placement of the decoy will be upwind of your position; however, the decoy should be set quartering toward you at a distance that will allow the deer to circle downwind, into your optimal gimmie range.  Also, partially hiding the decoy at the edge of a field can spur inquisitive challengers to approach.

*  Antlered decoys could confuse the trap, because lesser bucks may shy away from a big bruiser.  On the other hand, a mature buck may get incensed at the intruder and the game will be on!

*  Doe decoys will not typically scare other deer and are a good choice for most encounters.  However, if you are targeting a specific older buck, antlered decoys could antagonize a buck to defend its territory.

*  Silhouette decoys made of cloth are portable, but wind can totally make them appear unnatural in the wild.  Leave them home during high winds.

*  Antler rattling or use of other non-electronic calls such as grunts may turn a cruising buck to look your way for the visual.

Don’t concern yourself about simple two-sided, silhouetted decoys and their ability to fool deer.  Even though a close-up inspection may not compute in their minds, they cannot rationalize that you are hiding nearby.  If a deer approaches it and finds it lifeless, they may abruptly leave the scene.  But, if and when they realize the decoy is fake, they’ll merely walk off.

Although there are no absolutes when employing decoys; sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.  But, there’s only one way to find out.

Hunting

Academics Afield In Statesboro A Hunting Community Courtesy of NWTF GA

Statesboro, GA – Academics Afield is a learn-to-hunt program led by Georgia Wildlife Federation, supported by the Georgia R3 Initiative and the Georgia Southern University Shooting Sports Education Center, aimed at engaging college students in hunting and the shooting sports. With the tagline “A collegiate hunting community,” the goal is not to take the students out once and be done, but to build a community of individuals that can continue to support each other along their hunting journey.

Who became part of this community for Georgia Southern students? The GA State Chapter of National Wild Turkey Federation. NWTF GA made the 2023-2024 programming for Academics Afield possible for Georgia Southern University students by providing funding for program implementation. By receiving this funding, the program can strengthen the platform for recruiting college students to a beloved pastime and teach them the skills necessary to hunt safely and legally. Ogeechee Technical College students, also located in Statesboro, have also joined this Academics Afield hunting community as both participants and coaches. Read more

Hunting

Website Helps with Learning How to Process Deer

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont is one of the most rural states in the country, and Vermonters have a proud heritage of living close to the land. Hunting is highly regulated and provides a way to connect with the land, connect with nature and connect with a healthy, sustainable food source that is rooted in Vermont.

Making the most of the meals provided by deer taken in hunting seasons starts with processing them quickly and correctly which is why the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has three online videos demonstrating how to process deer. Finding the videos is easy on the Fish and Wildlife website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). Click on “Hunt” and then “From Field to Freezer.”

The educational videos are titled Field Dressing, Skinning a Deer and Butchering a Deer.

“Correctly processing game can make a big difference in the taste of the meat,” said Hunter Education Program Coordinator Nicole Meier. “Taking the time to do it correctly assures that you and your family will have many enjoyable meals ahead.”

Hunting

Anticipation is high for Iowa’s 2023 pheasant season

Iowa’s pheasant population is up, the crop harvest is advancing quickly and the weekend weather forecast is setting up for an excellent opening weekend for Iowa’s pheasant season.

The annual August roadside survey found Iowa’s statewide pheasant population to be nearly 23 birds per route; a 15 percent increase over 2022. The biggest increases were in the southwest, northwest and northeast regions.

“We couldn’t ask for better opening weekend conditions,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “Our bird population is highest since 2015, and much of the corn and soybeans will be harvested by the time the season opens. Combine those two factors, plus cooler weekend temperatures, we should see a lot of pheasants taken.” Read more

Hunting

National Bowhunter Education Foundation Supports POMA Organization & Sponsors Conference

RAPID CITY, SD – The National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) sponsored the Professional Outdoor Media (POMA) business conference this June in Broken Arrow, OK. Media and content creators in the hunting, shooting and outdoor industries attend the conference to sharpen their skills through educational courses, build relationships and see the latest products. Corporate and non-profit partners establish and maintain media relationships at the annual event.

NBEF shared its safety and success-focused bowhunter education messages with influential media, social media and content creators throughout the conference. Read more

Archery, Hunting

Michigan’s early-season elk hunters find success

Hunt period 1 proved to be successful for 72% of early-season elk hunters. The 97 state hunters who took to the field over the 12-day season harvested 29 bull elk and 41 antlerless elk, including four calves. Additionally, one Pure Michigan Hunt winner harvested a bull. The success rate of this season is comparable with previous seasons.

The season began in late August and spanned 12 days throughout September and into early October. The hunting conditions were consistently warm, with temperatures above average during the second and third hunting windows.

The early season is designed to remove elk living outside of the designated elk management area, which is primarily the Pigeon River Country State Forest. The second hunt period will begin Dec. 9 for 160 hunters.

Curious about Michigan elk and elk hunting? Learn more at:

Michigan.gov/Elk ?

Hunting
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