Hunting

I’ve always been a hunter with ADD. This made hunting from a stand nearly impossible, as I’d constantly fidget, twitch, and shift around like a puppy in a dog crate, until I’d inevitably give up and go for a walk to see what I could find in the woods. This would drive my hunting buddies crazy, who...

Shotgun recoil is much like the game “two for flinching” many of us played as kids. The game's premise was to fake like you were going to punch your buddy, they flinch, and receive two punches on the shoulder as a penalty. It may not initially hurt, but your shoulder would become sore if you played...

I don’t know what it says about me as a person, but my first colony of dermestid beetles was a surprise Christmas gift. I was in the middle of my third trapping season and had my hands full cleaning piles of furbearer skulls for my Etsy store. Apparently, I made it clear that I wanted some little...

I’ve never been much of a duck caller. Despite having several duck calls which I constantly blow in the backyard (much to the annoyance of my neighbors) and after reading up on the subject and watching dozens of YouTube tutorials, it’s still taken me quite a few years to get the hang of it. Despite...

The Gnome watched again as the sun set from his treestand—another day without spotting the elusive peryton. He was growing bored of sitting in a tree waiting for the creature to emerge. He’d sat up there for days, listening to squirrels bicker and crows laugh at him. But the Gnome knew his best...

I am continually amazed how the .22 Long Rifle has resisted replacement over the course of its astonishing 138-year history. No other cartridge has even come close, and there have been attempts. Most recently, in 2004, Hornady released what was touted at the time as the “heir apparent” to the old...

Have you ever wanted to squeeze just a little more velocity out of your hunting rig? You like your rifle and the cartridge it shoots, and you don’t want to make a big change. But adding 150 feet-per-second of bullet velocity would increase your effective range and make you more comfortable taking...

Many of the best shotgun shooters were fortunate to be born with natural ability. But, for the rest of us, shotgun accuracy is always a work in progress. Becoming proficient with a pump, break-action, or semi-auto can take years. Typically, those who shoot clays and hunt ducks, geese, pheasants, etc...

When you hear the terms “long-range shooting,” “competition rifle,” and “sniper,” what gunmakers come to mind? “Tikka” might not top your list, but I think that could be about to change. Especially in disciplines like NRL Hunter, competitive shooters are turning to Tikka’s T3x platform, swapping out...

The Gnome arrowed the moose in late afternoon after days of stalking it through the rugged mountain terrain. It hadn’t been an easy hunt, but after one glimpse, he couldn’t get the idea of those paddles adorning his hut out of his mind. And the size of the hindquarters on the beast assured him that...

Earlier this fall, a hunter shot his first archery bull elk deep in the northern Idaho backcountry—and then accidentally stabbed himself in the leg while processing his kill. It’s the kind of freak accident that could befall any hunter. Here’s how it went down and the lessons from the harrowing...

The most hated article I’ve ever published is, without question, this one from 2023: “5 Common Cartridges I’ll Never Hunt Deer With.” The blowback was swift and severe, and some of it was even fair. But I wonder if what I’m about to say will generate an even larger monsoon of vitriol–and that is, I...