Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i Petersen's Hunting

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN Elk Foundation continued its long-time support of restoring elk to their historic eastern range by helping the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) expand the state’s active elk range. RMEF provided volunteer assistance as well as $130,000 for the helicopter service and GPS collars to move 50 elk to Daniel Boone National Forest lands in McCreary County from elsewhere within the state’s elk zone where numbers are much higher. To date, RMEF contributed more than $2.5 million for wildlife management, research and habitat enhancement in the Kentucky elk zone. “This has been on Kentucky’s radar as a priority to benefit its overall elk population for quite some time,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “The effort creates a new population of elk on publicly-owned…

Eberlestock’s Vapor Series features 2,500-, 5,000- and 7,500-cubic-inch bag sizes that all fit perfectly on the F1 Mainframe, offering maximum versatility for all your hunts. These bags are built to be streamlined and lightweight, with each weighing in under 2.5 pounds. They are made from tough rip-stop nylon, have a polyurethane water-resistant coating, removable Duraflex HD 25mm buckles and YKK Zippers. The bags zip into the F1 Mainframe when the shelf isn’t in use and have lengthy straps to help secure your meat and your bag to the frame when it’s time for the pack out. Bags: $169-$249, Frame: $279; eberlestock.com You’ve taken the shot and tracked blood to your trophy, now the work begins. Every hunter should be equipped with high-quality game bags to protect the precious meat from…

It all started with Ball Cartridge, Caliber .30, Model of 1906. The .30-06 is the most powerful cartridge ever adopted by a major military. Generations of recruits complained about the brutal recoil, but the .30-06 became America’s most popular hunting cartridge. Honestly, the great .30-06 is better for elk than deer; its level of power isn’t essential for deer-sized game. We Americans tend to believe “if a little is good, then a lot must be better.” It wasn’t long before cartridges increased .30-caliber velocities. Charles Newton’s .30 Newton was probably first, in 1913. Using a fatter unbelted case (sound familiar?), it kicked a 172-grain bullet up to 3,000 fps. Even though his rifle companies failed, Newton was ahead of his time. In 1925, Holland & Holland necked down their .375…

A wise man once said: “The fun’s over when the shooting stops.” After the shot and at the end of the blood trail is when the hard work begins. It’s time to honor the animal by carefully quartering it out, placing each piece of hard-earned trophy in a game bag and getting it someplace cool as quickly as possible, lest you lose even an ounce of meat to heat, flies and decay. Only then, once you’ve packed all the meat, is it time to bring the antlers out of the field. Despite the pain and suffering, the burning lungs and sore legs, that last load out is always bittersweet. Each step brings you closer to camp, and an end to the hard work that follows once you punch your tag.…

BULLET BASICS Hornady’s ELD-X (Extremely Low Drag, Expanding) bullet was the first purpose-built long-range hunting bullet designed from the ground up for accuracy, aerodynamics and terminal performance. It’s still one of the best. A streamlined profile and boat tail enable it to flow through air with minimum friction, which translates into minimal wind deflection and maximum downrange energy. Hornady’s proprietary Heat Shield tip protects the bullet while in the magazine, resists in-flight erosion for maximum consistency and initiates immediate, dramatic expansion on impact. TESTING GROUND The bullet shown was used on a mature mule deer. Shot angle was steeply downhill, from just over 200 yards. The buck was sneaking away; the bullet took it just above the left hip and ranged forward through the vitals. FIELD PERFORMANCE Fired from a…

The British pasty is a dishless pie historically filled with a variety of meats such as venison, beef, lamb and seafood, often brimming with rich gravies and fruit. This hand-held meal has been enjoyed by royalty and peasants alike since the 13th century, and in the 17th and 18th centuries, the pasty reached its height in popularity. The working people of Cornwall, a county in England’s southwestern tip, adopted these portable pies as their go-to lunch while they worked. Revered among tin and copper miners, the pasty’s densely folded crust could keep its contents warm for hours, eliminating the need to resurface for lunchtime. Today, there are many variations of the pasty in Britain, but the Cornish pasty is the most famous recipe of all. The Cornish pasty is filled…

A kid’s first deer rifle should be a significant thing. It’s an event. It’s a much-anticipated initiation. It can nurture and shape a passion. If chosen tastefully and set up properly, it will be an heirloom. A first big-game rifle should be comfortable and capable, too. When it comes time to pick your young’un a shiny new hunting rifle, several considerations should come into play: Quality, fit, cartridge and optics. It’s important to recognize that if your child is starting very young, it’s best to wait until they’ve grown a bit to give them their own gun, so it will fit them for the long haul. Meanwhile, temporarily set them up with a suitable hunting tool of the right size and with the right features. Let’s unpack each characteristic, starting…

WHEN THE fresh elk rubs glared at me from destroyed saplings and the area reeked of pungent elk odor, I knew I was in a bull’s backyard. I motioned to Bruce Scott, my outfitter who was a few dozen yards away. We were bushwhacking through heavy cover in a deep canyon. “Let’s try a call here,” I whispered. “I’ve got a good feeling.” Bruce agreed. When Bruce let go with a bugle, a bull immediately answered and exploded from thick timber. I barely had time to shoulder my Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 when he crashed through a blowdown and suddenly stopped when he saw us. I sent a .30-06 bullet into his ribs and the six-point bull thudded to the forest floor. With only an hour of daylight left, we…

In my mind, knives are one of the coolest tools we get to carry as hunters. I love trying different blades, steels and designs. All of them are unique. They all have different defining attributes, good or bad. The knife that has impressed me the most is the Argali Carbon Knife, a blade I have carried for many seasons now with no intention of ever leaving it at home. The first time I picked up the knife I was amazed by the weight, a mere 1.8 ounces. I thought the blade wouldn’t stand up to the abuse my gear sees season to season, but I was sorely mistaken. The first antelope I field dressed was done with ease, the blade never losing its tactile sharpness. Throughout the first season the…

As my friends marched across a small stand of corn stubble, I followed my lab through the marshy bottoms bordering the field, hoping to push any skittish, late-season pheasants their way. As it turns out, they flushed a wild rooster that caught the wind and angled toward me. The shot would be a long one—50 yards or better—but I didn’t hesitate. This time of year you take what’s given. I pushed the muzzle across the fast-flying bird, made some space between its beak and the barrel and pulled the trigger. As the bird fell stone dead to the ground, my buddies roared their approval from the adjoining field. It was only when I glanced down at the shotgun did I remember I wasn’t carrying my usual 12-gauge upland gun. No,…

I bought a used rifle off a preacher last winter, and I probably should’ve paid more for it. It was a Marlin 336, JM stamped, in .35 Remington. I didn’t particularly need another deer rifle, and had I even been looking for a lever-action, I would’ve preferred a .30-30. But that’s not the gun the preacher had for sale. Maybe I should’ve felt guilty about the deal, but he named the price, so I brought the gun home with the full intention of hunting with it in the fall. I replaced the old see-through rings and scope with a new Weaver base, rings and a Maven RS.2 2-10x38 scope. It looks good; modernized with classic lines. Sometimes I take the rifle out of the safe, just to shoulder it, look…