Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2022 i Petersen's Hunting

Slowly but surely, we are starting to see an increase in the quantity of ammo readily available at our local sporting goods stores. But we aren’t out of the deep water just yet. The ammo shortage has forced hunters to purchase what is available, instead of being able to take their favorite load afield. This unfortunate reality necessitates a simple understanding of the various bullet types and their capabilities. This was made crystal clear last fall when a deer hunter showed up to camp shooting an FMJ bullet. The unfortunate ending to this story is that this error was not figured out until after he shot a deer. As would be expected, the bullet penciled straight through and the buck was not recovered. What follows is a simple breakdown of…

As those that have them say, “Hunting without a suppressor is uncivilized.” Suppressors are perhaps the trendiest item on the current “cool gear” roster. Good ones have undeniable advantages. But there are some downsides, too. Whether the pros outweigh the cons depends on your situation and the type of hunting you do. Let’s go against popular opinion and first examine the disadvantages of suppressors as a hunting tool. We’ll then come full circle and look at the advantages of suppressors as hunting tools. Finally, we’ll discuss various scenarios in which suppressors are either a plus or a minus. Unfortunately, the first thing a potential suppressor owner encounters is cost. A lot of cost. Decent suppressors rated for centerfire hunting cartridges run from about $600 up to $1,700. That’s not including…

DUST DEVILS danced on the horizon, their vortices rising like spirits toward the cornflower-blue Texas sky. Pulling my binoculars down from my gritty eyes, I scanned the in-between distance, hoping to spot the tell-tale white dots that would confirm the presence of our prey: the scimitar oryx. I was two days into a hunt for a species that I had never hunted before, on an invitation from an old friend and colleague, Paul Pluff from Ruger. I knew that transplanted, free-range gemsbok inhabited the White Sands missile base and bordering state lands in New Mexico. Heck, I was even recently advised that another herd lived on an island off the coast of Florida. But what I didn’t know was there were free-range scimitar oryx in Texas. Sure, there are thousands…

SCI JOINED 40 other conservation and hunting organizations—representing millions of sportsmen and women across the United States—in a letter to Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams demanding that hunting opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges be maintained. This letter responds to recent settlement discussions between plaintiff Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Service after CBD challenged the 2020 expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities on 2.3 million acres of federal public land. Fighting for hunters, SCI and the other organizations have requested the Service reject any settlement of pending litigation that would undermine or reduce the expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges. CBD erroneously claims that additional hunting and fishing on these public lands poses a threat to endangered species through potential lead poisoning from…

Bushnell is entering the world of fast-handling riflescopes with the new Trophy Quick Acquisition 1-6x24 scope. It’s an excellent choice for close-quarters work or for dangerous-game hunters. With a true one-power magnification, users can easily and quickly find their target in the optic, while the higher power zooms allow for accurate shots at longer distances. The reticle features a half-MOA, illuminated-dot for even faster target acquisition in low-light situations. $200; bushnell.com An update of the original and popular Primos Trigger Stick, the Apex Tripod features carbon-fiber-wrapped aluminum legs for lightweight durability—the tripod can hold up to 50 pounds while weighing a manageable seven pounds. The Apex Clamp head allows any rifle to be locked into position. The tripod legs extend with the squeeze of the trigger, and each leg adjusts…

Many of us don’t travel outside our home state to hunt, but when it comes time for that hunt of a lifetime, we may have to check our guns with an airline that’s not always firearm-friendly. Honestly, traveling with a gun is not a big deal, but if you haven’t done it, it is a bit daunting. Also, it’s easier if you know the rules because a lot of ticket agents don’t. First, always check with the airline or airlines before you book a ticket. Most carriers accept sporting firearms as checked baggage, but a few domestic and some international carriers do not. The only time I’ve had serious problems was in transferring from one carrier to another. You need to make sure all the carriers on your itinerary accept…

A hunt for scimitar oryx in West Texas calls for straight-shooting, long-range cartridges that will possess enough terminal energy and penetration to drop a 350-pound animal reliably at distances out to 500 yards. On this hunt, we were well equipped with Ruger American rifles chambering the still relatively new 6.5 PRC cartridge. We used Hornady Precision Hunter loads featuring a 143-grain ELD-X bullet that features exceptional aerodynamics due to a design that incorporates flat-trajectory attributes like Heat Shield tip, secant ogive, and boattail. In 6.5 PRC, that pill leaves the muzzle at 2,960 fps, resulting in minimal drop out to 500 yards. The Hornady 6.5 PRC Precision Hunter load was teamed with Leupold’s excellent VX-5HD 3-15x44 riflescope fitted with a custom CDS-ZL2 turret matched to the Hornady ammo. On the…

“Ping!” Is there a more satisfying sound than lead impacting steel and echoing back across the landscape? Made even more rewarding when it’s followed by the confirmation of a spotter watching over the shooter’s shoulder. “Impact.” Sure, it may seem like a small thing, but a hit on target is a big reward for shooters, whether they’re participating in a long-range shooting competition or just ringing steel at a local range. Even when there isn’t a championship on the line, that sound gives the person behind the trigger confirmation they did everything right. It’s the culmination of countless hours practicing every little step of the process—the ballistic calculation, the wind call, the breath work, the trigger pull—all coming together to achieve maximum accuracy at extended range. With the rise of…

BULLET BASICS Although the TSX’s ancestral X-Bullet founded the monometal projectile movement, the Triple-Shock X (TSX) spotlighted here is the bullet that gave it momentum. It’s made entirely of copper. It features a deep, skived hollow nose to optimize expansion and a mushroom shape. A boattail modestly boosts aerodynamics. Grooves around the bearing surface minimize friction and pressure. A benefit is reduced copper fouling. Even better, the TSX is spectacularly accurate. It is arguably the toughest expanding bullet design on the market, and this 160-grain 7mm version is splendid for elk, moose, and big black bears. TESTING GROUND Brent Neidig used the bullet shown to shoot a big Sitka blacktail buck on Kodiak Island. It’s a land known for harsh weather, gnarly terrain, and huge bears—a good place to load…

For hunters, a good rifle is worth its weight in gold. In the case of Howa’s Carbon Stalker, this rifle’s weight should be measured in platinum. Starting at a weight of four pounds, ten ounces, for mini-action models, this rifle is a backcountry hunter’s dream. It’s a feather on your pack and will put your shot in the sweet spot at the moment of truth. I recently tested the Carbon Stalker chambered in 6.5 Creed-moor, one of three short-action offerings for the platform. It may be considered cheating to test the rifle in such a soft-shooting, inherently accurate chambering, but I was impressed nonetheless by its performance. First impressions of the rifle were good. It’s pleasing to the eye due to its sleek design, but I would prefer a solid…

We had already hung a perfectly good ladder stand in the pasture corner, and hunting it would’ve been a hell of a lot easier than fiddling with a climbing stand in the dark. But it probably would’ve been a waste of time, too. It was early December. The leaves were gone. And the deer had been shot at for three months. I figured my chances of getting drawn were better if I hunted from the nosebleed section of the canopy, so I scaled 30 feet up a nearby poplar. I’d gotten pictures of a tight, heavy 8-pointer with a palmated beam the previous morning. He ambled into view an hour after daybreak as if he’d reviewed the script the evening before. I drew as he closed the distance. At 15…