Hunting

Spring evenings are supposed to make turkey hunting easy. A tom flies to the roost, rattles the woods with a few last gobbles, and gives you everything but an onX pin on where to start in the morning. But it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes the sun sets, and the woods go quiet, leaving you...

Hunting rifle cartridges come in waves. When my grandfather got out of the Army in the 1950s, military cartridges like .30-06 and 8mm Mauser dominated the woods. World War II and Korean War veterans knew firsthand about their potential, and there were plenty of cheap surplus sporter rifles on the...

Most hunters are not familiar with javelina, a unique game animal often referred to as “Collared Peccary” by the same people who say “Cowz Deer.” This native pig-like critter thrives in the dusty Mexican borderlands, where it is an iconic symbol of the American Southwest and Mexico. Unfortunately...

There are lots of reasons you might want a new handguard on your AR-15. A longer guard can be fitted with more accessories and offers more real estate to grip the rifle. Some handguards feature alternative attachment systems (M-LOK, Picatinny, etc.), and some reduce the amount of heat transferred...

One of the funniest bits in the 90’s TV show “Home Improvement” is Tim Taylor’s ongoing campaign to add horsepower to everyday objects. In the very first episode, he installs what is basically a car engine in his dishwasher, and the result is pretty much what you’d expect (hint: the dishes don’t...

Hunters debate the validity of baiting black bears (or any game for that matter) all the time. Baiting often raises questions of sportsmanship or fair chase, but it might not be as black and white of an issue as hunters sometimes make it. I’ve only hunted over bait a few times—for deer and pigs in...

Calling contests or video tutorials can help you learn how to make realistic turkey sounds. But, if you want to know why and when to make those calls, you should get it straight from the horse’s mouth. Especially if that horse is a turkey. A crisp, realistic calling ability is a great tool to have...

If you’re reading this, you obviously survived June 13, the only Friday the 13th we’ll see in 2025. But don’t get too cocky. We’ll face three such unlucky Fridays in 2026, the maximum possible in a calendar year, according to TimeAndDate.com, an astronomy website. If you’re like me, you won’t see...

The concept behind Ruger’s Small-Frame Autoloading (SFAR) rifle was simple: .308 Winchester power in an AR-15-sized package. Many hunters have adopted the AR-15 as a hunting rifle due to its light weight, modularity, and easy maneuverability. Problem is, the .223 Remington cartridge most commonly...

When it comes to calling coyotes, location is key. Where you call is probably more important than how you call. Coyotes survive by using their senses and the terrain to their advantage. Hunters who understand this consistently put more fur on the ground. Whether you hunt the rolling farmland of the...

Roger Maes knows he’ll recognize his grandfather’s nearly century-old trophy buck whether it’s in online photo lineups, hanging in a Northwoods tavern, or fully restored and displayed at a giant hunting/fishing store. But the Madison, Wisconsin, resident hasn't seen the buck for over 30 years, not...

It’s been decades since a major ammo company has given a .25-caliber rifle cartridge a second glance. Prior to this year, the 57-year-old .25-06 Remington was the most recent quarter-bore to achieve any kind of commercial success, and many had given up on the category after the rise of 6.5mm and 6mm...