Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i Petersen's Hunting

Bears are likely the most difficult big game animal to field judge in North America. I’ve been fortunate to take many bears over the decades, including record-class boars. I’ve observed hundreds of others. Following is what I look for when trying to tag a record-class bear. 1 THE SWAGGER For me, judging bears doesn’t start with the ears. The first thing I look for in a big bear is the walk. If the bulky hind quarters appear to gyrate independently of the front shoulders–almost like it’s a separate unit–you’re looking at a big bear. The bigger the back end is in proportion to the front shoulders, the greater the likelihood it’s a mature bear. Very old bears almost seem to struggle when they walk. 2 THICK FRONT LEGS Next, look…

Just a couple of centuries ago, American hunters carved up big game from deer to bison with sharp hand tools made of obsidian and flint. The blades we use currently have come a long way, but here’s a fun question for you: Would you trade in your modern tools in a swap to experience early American game populations and hunting? Would you cape, quarter and bone bighorn sheep and grizzly bears with sharp rocks, if it meant you could hunt them regularly? I know I would. But I digress. We’re here to talk about how to choose the best knife for Western hunting, not how to flake a fresh edge on your favorite hunk of volcanic glass. In the so-called modern era, we’ve evolved from hefty belt knives such as…

Whitetail herds are flourishing, with an estimated 35 million deer living in the United States today. Regulated hunting, followed distantly by vehicle collisions and occasional disease outbreaks, keeps deer populations in check. But natural predators kill whitetails, too, and any discussion of deer predators east of Texas is mostly a discussion about coyotes. Coyotes rarely kill enough deer to affect populations on the macro level or affect hunter harvest rates. But on the micro level—on your farm or deer lease—too many coyotes can be problematic. It’s well documented that coyotes can take down adult deer, but their real impact is on fawns in the spring. There have been multiple studies about predation’s impact on overall fawn mortality. One in particular, conducted by the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at…

WHEN THE black dot in the distance moved, I realized I wasn’t looking at another stump. I pulled my pickup well off the highway and set up my spotting scope. My suspicions were confirmed when a black bear took shape in a big mountain meadow. It looked big. I didn’t hesitate to make the decision to try a stalk, though it wouldn’t be easy. I figured the bear was at least a ½ mile away and the country between us was rugged, steep and full of blowdowns. Worse, I’d have to cross a stream to get within range of my quarry. Some would say that road hunting is unfair and unethical. My answer to that is simple. You can see Venus from your pick-up too. Getting there is the issue.…

I was reading the article “Scared Off By CWD” written by Will Brantley in the recent issue of HUNTING magazine. As avid hunters, my husband and I are now dealing with the CWD issue in our area of Florida, which is in northwest part of the state. It is a really big mess. The Florida Wildlife Commission has tested a mass number of whitetail deer and have stated they have had only one doe test positive. The majority of hunters in our region are finding this a bunch of crap. The bogus rules that have been barked at us are totally crazy. The FWC has stated that if they test a couple hundred more and no other deer test positive next year the hunting rules will go back to the…

DID YOU KNOW there are less people that hunt between the ages of 6 and 17 than those that are 65+? A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Survey indicated that’s half of the number of young hunters participating 50 years ago. Many of the baby boomer generation are phasing out of hunting. But they’re not being replaced by the younger generations. Imagine you are 11 years old and just completed Hunter Education. You have been dreaming of the day you get to go on your first hunt. But there is one problem. You do not have access to a place, do not have confidence to go on your own, and do not know someone who hunts to take you or your family. Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors is breaking barriers…

The first step in getting rescued is letting people know you are lost. Zoleois a compact communicator that pairs with your phone to relay text messages from anywhere in the world via the Iridium satellite network. Check in with family and friends when in the backcountry. SOS function delivers on-demand rescue and medical assistance at the push of button. Subscription plans start as low as $25/month and can be suspended or activated as needed. $199; zoleo.com Making shelter and splitting kindling is easier with the right cutting tool, and the Seax from Ontario Knife can do all that and more. The knife’s design is inspired by a profile that first became popular in the Middle Ages. The high spine and full tang provides plenty of heft for heavy work, while…

The first wolf I ever saw appeared to be pure white and stood alone on a low rise. Not close, but not all that far. I dropped into a sitting position, wrapped into a hasty sling, got as steady as I could—and missed. I’m not the only hunter who has blown such a rare opportunity. Outfitters across Alaska and Canada consistently report that the wolf is the most missed animal they hunt. Something about the sight of a wolf stirs something primitive and atavistic deep within us. We can’t help it. The sight of a wolf is usually a big surprise, the shot often a rushed Hail Mary. I wish I could say that’s the only wolf I’ve missed, but I can’t. That time, maybe I had excuses. No rangefinders…

If you’re adrenaline isn’t spiking when a mountain lion is treed, you may want to check your pulse. Between the snarling cat and a pack of barking hounds, the moment you get to the tree is pure pandemonium. It’s best to stay out of the way as the houndsman does his work wrangling dogs, but have a rifle ready. A smart tom won’t hang around long. Once the dogs and handlers have done their jobs, now it’s time for the hunter to do his. Do your best to stay calm and control your nerves. Not easy to do when a lion, teeth bared, is staring into your soul. Take a deep breath, settle the crosshairs behind the shoulder and squeeze the trigger slowly. If your aim is true, you’ll soon…

BULLET BASICS Hornady’s Copper eXpanding bullet is a state-of-the-art example of the modern monometal bullet. Its profile is engineered via Doppler Radar for optimal in-flight characteristics, so it has quite-good ballistic coefficient for a monometal design. The tip is made of an erosion-resistant composite, so it does not degrade and become blunted during flight. In addition to improved aerodynamics, accuracy is typically better than with the CX’s already-admirable GMX predecessor. TESTING GROUND My friend Colton Heward used the bullet shown to shoot a blue wildebeest in South Africa. His rifle was chambered in 7mm PRC, and the 160-grain CX exited the muzzle at about 3,000 fps. FIELD PERFORMANCE Shot distance was 220 yards. The CX bullet impacted at an estimated 2,650 fps, at which speed it’s carrying about 2,500 ft/lbs…

Weatherby is a brand with a proud history. Weatherby’s Sporting Goods opened its doors in 1945 in South Gate, California. Among its offerings were bespoke rifles built on Mauser actions by Roy Weatherby. Within a decade, the company had launched its own rifle and proprietary action, the Mark V. Later, the more modestly priced Vanguard was born. Over the years, the company has developed more than a dozen cartridges ranging from the .224 Weatherby Magnum to the massive .460 Weatherby Magnum. Weatherby has always been a company that pushed the boundaries. Under the leadership of Roy’s grandson, Adam, the tradition continues. A WHOLE NEW WEATHERBY The company’s latest rifle venture is the new Model 307, a nod to the company’s adopted home of Sheridan, Wyoming. The rifle is built in…

It was pitch dark in east Texas, but there was no doubt the hogs were coming my way. I heard the squalling of two pigs fighting in the distance, then the sound of brush rustling close by as the sounder of six feral pigs made their way to the bait. As they snuffled and rooted in the sandy earth, I raised my Pulsar thermal to my eye and the scene was illuminated. The hogs circled around the feed, and directly in the center was the largest boar whose head glowed ghostly white against the black background as he vacuumed up corn kernels. I slowly lowered the handheld unit and lifted the Wilson Combat .300 Ham’r rifle. The boar appeared in the thermal riflescope with crosshairs positioned on the junction of…