Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Petersen's Hunting

TECHNOLOGY has made us better hunters. Wait. Let me rephrase that. Technology has made hunters into better, more efficient killers. It’s hard to argue that modern rangefinders, better bullets, quality optics, and all that goes into a hunter’s kit today haven’t helped us take game more cleanly at longer distances. We also do it more comfortably, thanks to space-age insulations and next-generation fabrics. And, for the most part, I’m pretty happy to be wearing PrimaLoft and Gore-Tex when the weather really gets bad. But in all the fast-pace, whiz-bang, instant gratification that comes with modern-day life, there are a few things that seem to be missing. A respect for the game. An emphasis on skills. Woodsmanship. The rewards of living a life outdoors, something that’s so anachronistic to much of…

BULLET BASICS Engineered specifically for the .475 Turnbull, which is arguably the best big-bore lever-action cartridge anywhere, the .475-diameter, 400-grain Barnes TSX features a massive hollow nose, a grooved shank, and a flat base. It’s probably the single most versatile bullet available for the .475 Turnbull, offering outstanding accuracy, dramatic expansion, and excellent penetration. TESTING GROUND I watched Doug Turnbull—the world’s foremost Winchester and Colt firearms restoration expert—fire the bullet pictured into a Cape buffalo while we were hunting with my friend Jacques Strauss of Kowas Hunting Safaris in Namibia. FIELD PERFORMANCE Impacting the dagga boy broadside from 27 yards, the TSX drove through heavy shoulder muscle and ribs, centered the top of the heart and bottom of both lungs, and came to rest against the offside hide on the…

Awhile back, a friend of mine handed me his idea of a hunting rifle. I shouldered it the way I have shouldered probably a million long guns in my 45 years in the hunting business. The rifle had the balance and handling dynamics of a weed eater and was about as sleek. It had less metal, more plastic, and more dials and numerals. I had to put on my glasses just to understand all the controls. I never thought my iPhone would be more intuitive than any rifle. To move through the woods or climb hills with it would have been about as handy as packing a small step ladder. I was confused. I wanted to say, “What the hell is this?” Instead, I said, “Wow, this looks like it…

I come from a long line of rabbit hunters. Weekend mornings meant bustling driveways full of uncles and cousins; friends; and my dad, brother, and grandpa. Tailgates dropped, beagles of every size and color hit the ground in a butt-sniffing frenzy. Their canine introductions finished, they would run from hunter to hunter, seemingly taking inventory of who would be following them through the brush that day. Those earliest memories came before I was old enough to go along. I’d watch them head out for the day, eagerly waiting for their return. We had a long skinning board behind the garage back then. The day’s rabbits would be pulled from vests and truck beds to be hung by the hind legs on nails that ran the length of the board. A…

New calibers, accurized rifles, ballistic reticles, precision ammunition, and rangefinders galore provide you with the equipment to make shots only military marksmen were capable of a decade ago. My current set-up is a Bergara Approach in 6mm Creed-moor topped with a SIG Sauer Sierra3 riflescope mated to the company’s BDX rangefinder to automatically adjust the reticle with Bluetooth transfer data. Fueling the rifle is Hornady’s ELD Match. I still prefer a coyote to be less than 300 yards, but if opportunity knocks, my setup can take on long range with some environmental favor like moderate wind. For those of you unsure about shooting farther, a world of academia awaits you. There are literally dozens of long-range shooting schools scattered across the country for you to attend. Most are in gorgeous…

BEHIND THE CURTAIN In his article “Magic or Misunderstood” (Dec.–Jan.), Craig Boddington states: “Ultimately, the Creedmoor is at its best with a bullet of around 140 grains.” So I’m assuming he feels likewise for the other “short” 6.5s with comparable velocities. Before the 6.5 Creedmoor was even thought of, I had a gunsmith put together for me a .260 Rem. sporter using all the “good stuff.” Shortly thereafter, I wrote Jim Carmichel and asked what his preferred big-game bullet might be for his brainchild. Now, at the time, no one would have even considered this an elk cartridge. His answer: either the 140-or 125-grain Nosler Partition. I chose the 125-grain bullet and have never looked back. Driven at nearly 3,000 fps and superbly accurate, it is pure poison on whitetails…

Former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz is still smarting from the public smackdown he received after introducing House Resolution 621 back in 2017. Innocuously titled “Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2017,” it would have made good on a 1997 plan to sell certain federal lands (3.3 million acres’ worth) that agencies deemed low-value and use the money to buy other, higher-value lands, elsewhere. But critics smelled a conspiracy. It didn’t help that Chaffetz was from Utah, the Western state most keen to divest its federal land holdings and either give them to the state or sell them to private entities. Nor did it help that Chaffetz himself indicated that his bill was the leading edge of a wider effort to achieve a plank in the Republican Party’s platform to…

YEARS AGO, a true woodsman could do about any camp or field chore with a good, sharp hatchet. Then we all became obsessed with the lightest, hottest gear, and those skills fell by the wayside. I say we bring a focus on woodsmanship back to the fore, and the first step is strapping a classic hunter’s tool to our packs. Sweden’s Hults Bruk foundry has been pounding out Swedish steel since 1697, hammering each head multiple times until the density is tough as hell and fitting each with a linseed-soaked hickory handle. The Almike is the perfect hunter’s hatchet, with a one-pound head and 16-inch handle that carries just the slightest curve. Compact and lightweight, it swings like a natural extension of the hand, yet it’s small enough for fine…

When setting up to call coyotes, two elements are critical. The first is that it be a good spot that is likely to produce. The second is that it must provide a good field of fire and must allow a stable shooting position so you can seal the deal when Mr. Wild Canine shows up. Often, it’s difficult to combine the two. Choosing a good spot is an art form, and a variable one that depends on region, terrain, and habitat. A good place for calling to Canis latrans in Mexico’s Sonoran desert may be vastly different than a good spot in Montana’s Missouri River Breaks. Wherever you are, the idea is to allow maneuverability and to enable stability. Not only will you be set to quickly get your crosshairs…

Grizzlies are big, and tough. Though many people pack 30-caliber magnums, the recommended minimum cartridge for hunting the interior grizzly is .338. Jason Morton carried CZ’s Badlands model, which is well suited for Alaska’s harsh climate. The composite stock is reinforced with Aramid fibers to resist flexing, and the whole package easily weathers hard use and changing conditions. The heavy sporter barrel reduces weight a bit, but the rifle still comes in at a touch over nine pounds, which is a good thing when dealing with the heavy recoil of the .338 Lapua. A screw-on brake helps as well. Both his rifle and my wood-stocked CZ American Safari in .375 H&H were topped with SIG Electro Optics Sierra scopes equipped with BDX ballistic-compensating technology. We also both chose Hornady Outfitter…

HUNTING is all about challenges, some simple, some difficult. Some involve physical effort, some require planning and strategies, and some demand that the hunter make a good guess. In other words, hunters have to make accurate evaluations of antlers or horns so they meet the minimum measurements required by law. To me, that is the most profound challenge in all of hunting. Around 50 years ago, I drew a highly coveted desert sheep tag in Utah. As I recall, the law decreed that a legal ram had to be at least seven years old or score at least 144 B&C. To help the hunter make a good guess—and that’s what it is—wardens and biologists held a mandatory orientation and set several horns on sawhorses at a distance of 100 yards.…

The flattest-shooting rifle cartridges and magnum-caliber handguns get lots of ink, and they are wonderful things, but they aren’t the right tool for every job. Sometimes smaller is better, and the rimfire is often the most useful choice in the hunter’s arsenal. Rimfire rifles are handy tools, but sometimes we need something more portable, which is where compact but capable rimfire handguns excel. When I’m working at the family farm, which is usually a few days per week, I trade my carry gun for a .22 revolver. Whether I’m moving cattle, setting up treestands, or clearing brush, a sixgun is either on my hip or within easy reach. My go-to rimfire is a tired, old prewar Smith & Wesson Outdoorsman .22 LR that, despite its appearance, shoots great and has…

Bipods are great when you need them, but they’re cumbersome when you don’t. These eliminate the problem with a proprietary quick-detach mounting system. Simply pop them off when hiking or transporting, then lock the telescoping legs into place when it comes time to hunt. The company’s innovative flexing technology allows shooters infinite setup positions and a fully movable mount that’s secure at the shot. Available in 42- and 72-inch maximum heights. $120–$140; swaggerbipods.com…

Hunting rifles are a lifelong obsession of mine. I’ve owned and enjoyed many, and there are several that I’ve trusted and used extensively. That said, I am not a collector of firearms; more correctly, I’m an accumulator. Lord knows I have too many guns: shotguns, handguns, and hunting rifles. But I have limits and rules. As a gunwriter, I see firearms come and go. Most are politely returned, although I admit to a weakness for southpaw-friendly guns. Over time, I’ve realized that I’ve formed permanent attachments to few firearms. After we suffered burglaries back in the ’80s, all of our firearms are now in safes, and we have no space for more gun safes. When my gun safes are full, I cull the herd. Emotionally, I regret every firearm I’ve…