Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2018 i Game & Fish East

ADMITTEDLY, WE love our gear — we simply can’t get enough. In fact, few, if any, among us have ever confessed to having too much camo, too many crankbaits or turkey calls. Yes, we are “gear heads.” We gather (those close to us call it “hoarding”) gear because you just never know when it’ll come in handy. Outdoor gear has come a long way of late. Advancements in engineering, material science and manufacturing has spawned products few could have imagined a decade or two ago. For instance, innovations in carbon nanotechnology and polymer science have led to rods and reels which cast to dizzying distances with remarkable precision. Advances in lasers and light emitting diodes led to the rise of the rangefinder — arguably the most significant advancement in hunting…

SURE, IT might be a cliché, but if you’re a whitetail deer hunter, the good old days are, without question, right now. With a national estimated population of between 25 and 28 million animals, it’s no wonder that some 10 million licensed hunters head afield every fall, each one in search of what is undeniably North America’s greatest and most popular game animal. In much the same way as the population has changed, whitetail hunting gear and methodologies are radically different now in the 21st century: from high-tech scent elimination devices to cutting edge ammunition, and from state-of-the-art centerfire rifles to camouflage designed to bend light and make the wearer virtually invisible. Still, and as any veteran whitetail hunter will tell you, fancy gadgets and shiny doo-dads don’t put 190-inch…

RUFFED GROUSE HAVE been described as many things, but gentlemanly is not one of them. The good thing is, I grew up hunting “blue collar.” Untrained dogs, semi-autos, swamps, hardwoods, rain and snow — we had it all. I can still recall my first day. I was so thrilled to have my grandpa’s Model 12 (fixed full choke) at my side that my feet hardly hit the ground. Unfortunately, no birds would hit the ground either. But I’ve been hooked ever since. Much about how I hunt has changed, but two and a half decades later, I’m still that 12-year-old on my first hunt. And my dad is still right beside me. SPECIES BEHAVIOR The one consistent behavioral characteristic of the ruffed grouse is that they aren’t consistent. They’re not…

■ SHOTGUNS BROWNING WICKED WING A5 No, it’s not your granddad’s Browning, due mainly to the Kinematic (Recoil) Drive operating system within. The familiar humpback returns with a Cerakote Burnt Bronze finish, choice of four patterns and a unique Briley choke tube resembling a leg band, plus a five-year/100,000-round guarantee.Browning.com $1,980 BENELLI SUPER BLACK EAGLE III Comfort, reliability, versatility and Benelli’s famed Inertia Driven operating system are all hallmarks of what many consider the best — Benelli’s original Super Black Eagle (SBE) — autoloader, but now made even better in the form of the SBE III. From the SBE III’s oversized safety and operating handle to its easy-loading port, the SBE III has a long list of amenities.Benelliusa.com $1,900 FRANCHI AFFINITY CATALYST There are plenty of women who chase mallards…

WHEN EVERYTHING falls into place, turkey hunting seems straightforward. A hunter calls, and a gobbler answers and then comes in to meet a payload to the head and neck. However, turkey hunts don’t typically play out in such perfect fashion. In fact, most involve much more work, strategy and pulse-pounding drama. It can be difficult to bring America’s largest game bird to the gun. HUNT THE HENS Spring hunters often complain that gobblers are with hens and unreceptive to calling and decoys. However, it’s natural for gobblers to stay with hens during the breeding season. This makes hunting tough, but the solution is obvious: Set up in areas that typically attract hens. After flying down, hens typically mill about before traveling to a feeding area. Identify areas birds might use…

IDENTIFYING THE right ground, and the hotspots within that ground, maximizes your chances of tagging out. What if you don’t have a spot to hunt? Find one. There are mapping services, like Onxmaps.com, that will show every landowner in your county and every parcel that is public. Unlike 15 years ago, you can scout these spots digitally thanks to aerial photos long before lacing up your boots. But what should you look for? For most of us, the best places are those that other people don’t, or won’t, go. This is most obvious on public land, but the dairy farmer who lets you hunt his place probably lets a few other bowhunters in as well. Hunting pressure is the number one enemy of success. The key is staying away from…

NO QUESTION: Being outdoors is important. But being on the water is more fun when you’re catching fish. The odds of catching trout improve as fishermen learn more about the trout they seek, what the trout eat and where they live. The more you know, the more you’ll enjoy a day outdoors while catching trout. TROUT BEHAVIOR Sometimes, the best way to catch trout requires the fisherman to put down the rod and put on polarized sunglasses to get a closer look at what’s happening beneath the water’s surface. Several factors need to be evaluated before reaching a conclusion about what fly, lure or bait will give you the best chance at getting that fish to bite: Water temperature provides a clue about the amount of dissolved oxygen in the…

■ RODS BASS PRO SHOPS WALLEYE ANGLER TROLLING RODS Four new trolling rods feature proven lengths and actions developed by walleye aces Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz, all with graphite-fiberglass hybrid Shok Flex Technology, graphite reel seats, lightweight stainless guides and non-slip EVA grips.Basspro.com $80 JT BLACKOUT JT Outdoors’ new 6-foot, 9-inch Blackout medium-power, extra-fast action spinning rod delivers exceptional energy transfer, hook-setting power and casting distance within a light yet rugged package. Features a Toray carbon-fiber blank and Hero high-grade eyelets with silicon-nitride inserts. Jtodp.com $350 SAVAGE GEAR BROWSER Lightweight and sensitive, Browser rods feature carbon blanks with fortified tip sections that help boost lifting strength and power up to 400 percent. Fourteen models cover everything from finesse to large swimbait and crankbait presentations, all with SeaGuide CCS guides,…

■ RIFLES FRANCHI MOMENTUM The crisp trigger is user adjustable from 2 to 4 pounds, and it features a two-position safety. The 22-inch or 24-inch barrel is cold-hammer forged and free floated for optimal accuracy. It comes in a variety of hunting calibers and weighs in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces.Franchiusa.com $609 MOSSBERG PATRIOT SYNTHETIC CERAKOTE Available in calibers ranging from .243 Win. to the buck-busting .338 Win. Mag., Mossberg’s Patriot line of hunting rifles offers ultimate reliability and affordability. Weighing only 6.5 pounds, the Patriot is the perfect choice for taking on long-trek hunts.Mossberg.com $440 BROWNING X-BOLT HELL’S CANYON SPEED LONG RANGE McMILLAN A tactical frame pairs with a classic hunting stock. The 26-inch barrel and receiver are treated with Cerakote in burnt bronze. Threaded muzzle. Calibers: 6mm Creed-moor,…

■ FIREARMS FRANCHI INSTINCT SL The Instinct SL Over/ Under shotgun from Franchi is a fine gun to bring into the grouse woods. This sporting model gives people multiple length options in 12- and 20-gauge models (26-inches and 28-inches) and a new 16-gauge, 28-inch version as well. Comes standard with auto ejectors, barrel selector, auto safety and a set of choke tubes.Franchiusa.com $1,399 BENELLI MONTEFELTRO Although it’s not new, the Montefeltro is still a top upland gun from Benelli. It’s slim, sleek, lightweight and ultra-fast on the swing. I know semi-auto is sacrilege in some circles, but this has been my go-to for years. Available in 12- and 20-gauge with multiple finish and upgraded engraving options.Benelliusa.com Starting at $999 MOSSBERG SA-20 YOUTH BANTAM New this year, this autoloader is great…

OVER THE LAST several decades coyotes have exploded across the country, reducing game populations and taking a toll on livestock. In suburbs these predators take out domestic pets. So, in addition to excitement, coyote hunting has an ecological aspect. Unfortunately, coyotes are clever and adapt well to hunting pressure. An educated coyote is, perhaps, the toughest of all North American animals. But there are ways to bring them to the gun. FOCUS ON RIVERS AND STREAMS Coyotes aren’t particularly water sensitive. However, flowing water has a natural appeal, providing travel paths and congregation of game. The steep banks also allow coyotes to duck out of sight if needed, meaning hunters should concentrate efforts in such areas. Dogs that won’t cross open country for a distress call will pop in the…

■ SHOTGUNS BENELLI LEFT-HANDED & WOOD SUPER BLACK EAGLE III SHOTGUNS This high-performance shotgun is now available in left-handed and wood-stocked models. The guns feature Benelli’s inertia-driven action and Easy Locking System, plus an oversized safety, bolt handle and bolt release.Benelliusa.com $1,899 & up MOSSBERG MULTIPURPOSE 835 AND 930 SHOTGUNS O.F. Mossberg & Sons has introduced new versions of its 930 autoloader and pump-action 835 Ulti-Mag. These multi-purpose guns are now available in Mossy Oak Bottomland camo with a 26-inch barrel for the 835 and a 28-inch barrel for the 930, with Accu-Choke (930) and Accu-Mag (835) choke-tube systems.Mossberg.com $603-$640 WINCHESTER SX4 NWTF CANTILEVER TURKEY GUN This turkey-specific autoloader has a cantilever optic mount, Mossy Oak Obsession finish, adjustable rifle-style sights, a Truglo fiber-optic front sight and a chrome-plated chamber…

IF YOUR heart doesn’t skip a beat when a smallmouth bass grabs your lure, you better check your pulse. These bronze beauties are among the hardest-fighting fish in fresh water. And, good news, summer is a great time to go after them — especially if you fish the right spots with the latest tactics. Here’s how to make it happen. WAYS OF THE SMALLMOUTH Smallies spawn in shallow water in late spring and early summer, when water temperatures reach 60 degrees of more. This is after walleyes and northern pike, but about the same time as other members of the sunfish family, including bluegills and largemouth bass. Male bass linger near spawning beds to guard eggs and newly hatched fry, but as July rolls around, fish are settled into post-spawn…

■ RODS TFO DRIFT ROD Temple Fork Outfitters designed this rod to be light in overall weight, fast-damping and well-balanced, along with having a down-locking reel seat and removable, weighted fighting butt. It can be fished as a traditional 9-foot, 4-piece 3-weight or two additional sections extend it to 12 feet, 3 inches long.Tforods.com $400 CABELA’S TOURNEY TRAIL PTC ROD Ten species-specific length/action/power combinations designed to deliver incredible performance-to-cost ratio. Super-lightweight Japanese graphite-blank construction and stainless-steel guides with titanium-oxide inserts deliver exceptional strength. P-cork and EVA handles are “feel good” additions.Cabelas.com $50 BPS MICRO LITE GRAPHITE SPINNING ROD Built upon RT2 Graphite blanks, Micro Lite rods feature a unique fiber layering pattern to reduce weight and enhance sensitivity. Ideal for light line and lure applications.Basspro.com $59 ZEBCO WEIGH-IN RODS Lie…

THIS WAS going to be painful. I was sorting all of my outdoor gear into piles: piles for hunting, piles for fishing, piles of things in good shape and piles of things needing to be repaired. The last two piles worried me the most. They were piles to throw away and those to sell. “This really shouldn’t be so difficult,” my wife Dawn said. “You usually just chuck your hunting and fishing equipment into piles anyway. Now you’re just bringing a little organization to it all.” Somehow, she had tricked me into cleaning up the mound of outdoor gear in the basement that, left unchecked, had risen like a leviathan from the depths of a storage room there. It had spilled out onto the floor and ascended to near eye…

JULY 4 FISH FOR FREE DAY Fish-for-Free Days allow anyone to legally fish on Pennsylvania waterways on the designated days with no fishing license required (trout/ salmon and Lake Erie permits are also NOT required). All other fishing regulations still apply. fishandboat.com/fishforfree.htm JULY 17 ARCHERY FOR BEGINNERS Learn to shoot a recurve bow, long bow and a compound bow in this beginner’s class. Promised Land State Park (ages 8 and up). 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. Registration is required. (570) 676-0567. Cost is $5 with all equipment being provided. events.dcnr.pa.gov JULY 28-29 SCRANTON GUN SHOW The Scranton Gun Show is being held at Ice Box Arena, Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission is $8, children under 12 are free and parking is…

MALLARDS ARE the 190-inch whitetail buck of the duck world. Experience, commitment, skill, hard work and persistence — that’s what puts greenheads in the boat. Duck hunters have never had it as good as they do now, in terms of equipment. From ultra-realistic decoys to invisible blinds to boats that get gunners to places that used to be unreachable, 21st century waterfowl gear can help make a limit of mallards more likely for those working their way up from luck to experience. THE ALLURE OF THE COOTS Anyone who has hunted mallards for more than a single season has watched flock after flock after flock ignore even the most painstakingly crafted spread, only to land 200 yards away with what? Two dozen coots. With few exceptions, waterfowlers seldom if ever…

■ FIREARMS SAVAGE MSR15 VALKYRIE Chambered for Federal’s new .224 Valkyrie, the MSR15 Valkyrie rifle is a field-ready AR that can drop dogs at long distances. These rifles are equipped with 18-inch barrels with muzzle brakes, crisp two-stage triggers and durable Elite Series Cerakoting to protect this gun from the elements.Savagearms.com $1,499 WINCHESTER SX4 UNIVERSAL HUNTER The SX4 Universal Hunter offers a full Mossy Oak Break-Up Country dip for maximum concealment, with three barrel lengths (24, 26 or 28 inches) and a 3 1/2-inch chamber in 12-gauge for close-range coyote hunting and any other shotgun work.Winchesterguns.com $1,069 ›› SAVAGE 110 PREDATOR Savage’s 110 Predator bolt-action comes with Savage’s AccuFit stock, with five comb risers and four length-of-pull spacers, which provides a better fit for accurate shooting. It comes in six…

■ RODS CABELA’S XML SPINNING RODS Proprietary nano-resins and high-modulus HM85 graphite allowed Cabela’s to craft custom tapers that give these new sweet, strong, sensitive sticks the best blank that Cabela’s has ever put its name on. Ten feature-rich models are available to cover any bassin’ need.Cabelas.com $130 OKUMA EVX “B” Okuma’s EVx “b” series bass rods feature ultra-sensitive and responsive 30-Ton carbon fiber blanks with action refinements inspired by top pros. Four spinning, eight casting and two dedicated crankbait versions offer a stick for every smallmouth situation.Okumafishingusa.com $100-$125 ›› ZEBCO 33 CORK COMBO This iconic reel pairs with a series of new cork-handled IM6 graphite composite rods. Available in full and split-grip options. Comes in 6- and 6 1/2-foot lengths, in 1- and 2-piece options.Zebco.com, $35 ■ REELS 13…

WALLEYE ANGLERS stuck in spring mode often struggle in summer. But it’s actually prime time for these marble-eyed beauties. The trick is being able to change — as in, leaving early hotspots and tactics behind. Here’s how to find hot-weather walleyes and make them bite. SUMMER LOCATIONS Walleyes spawn in shallow water near shore or in tributaries in spring, then gradually move deeper. Some feed along banks and over reef tops in summer, but most lie farther offshore. In many lakes, post-spawn walleyes go from one structural sweet spot to another en route to their summer range. Early stops often include points and near-shore break lines. Some ’eyes linger here all summer, but most move on. In some lakes, the migration ends with fish wandering main-lake basins, chasing food sources…