Tips for Booking Hunting Guides and Outfitters

Posted on October 24, 2011 by HavalonKnives

An Interview With Karl Badger, Regional Pro Staff Manager at Mossy Oak

Karl Badger, Pro Staff at Mossy Oak

Q: Should I hunt Western Big Game on my own or with a guide or outfitter?
A: Many premium hunting areas are in wilderness areas, which require a licensed guide. Additionally, a guide will know the area and game habits.

Q: If I need a guide, how do I find a good one?
A: Request a guide and outfitter directory from the state association. Make sure the guide is licensed, ask for referrals, and call the referrals.

Q: I hear that a lot of Western outfitters are ranchers. Do they make good guides?
A: Many do. They hike the country on horseback and are familiar with the country like where water is and game habits.

Q: How much research should I do before booking a hunt out West or in Canada?
A: A lot of research! These hunts cost money and could be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Q: Is fitness as important as I hear when it comes to hunting out West?
A: Absolutely! High elevation, steep terrain and short, hard days require fitness.

Q: Are combination hunts worth it? Example: Deer/Elk, Bear/Caribou or Moose/Goat.
A: Yes, if you have the time. Tags are expensive and you want to make sure you have enough time to get something on the ground.

Q: Can I hunt big game out West with the same set up I use back East for hunting, either bow or gun?
A: No. Western game like elk, deer, moose and sheep all have different habits and instincts.

Q: I hunt back East with a bow and only shoot 20-30 yards. Do I have to practice and be able to shoot out to 50 yards and beyond?
A: Yes, you need to practice shooting at longer distances.

Q: What is the industry standard for tipping your guide or outfitter?
A: 10-15%. You may also want to tip other help like the cook.

The Mossy Oak ProStaff is a group of top outdoors men and women from across the country that act as spokespersons for the Brand. Members of the Elite ProStaff are people the hunting community will recognize from their hunting expertise and accomplishments, videos, TV and magazine articles. Our Regional ProStaff is a group of accomplished hunters who promote Mossy Oak in various regions across the U.S. They also manage a more localized Field Staff in their regions. From event support to retail store grand openings to radio and TV appearances, our ProStaff adds value to the Mossy Oak Brand nationally, regionally and locally.

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How To Hunt Ducks By Jump Shooting

Posted on October 21, 2011 by HavalonKnives

Part 1 – Getting Started with Duck Hunting

By Bernie Barringer

Duck hunting jump shooting across ditch

Jump shooting is a great way to duck hunt on a budget.

Jump shooting ducks is an exciting way to bags ducks without the expense of a lot of duck hunting equipment.  My first experience with duck hunting was pretty much an accident. My buddy Bob and I were just out of high school and running a trapline on a local river. Using a small aluminum boat and a 5-horsepower outboard, we drove up and down the small, winding river as we checked traps.

Several times we came around a bend and a flock of mallards or wood ducks would blast off the water in front of us. This happened two days in a row before we decided to do something about it.

Our mothers didn’t raise any idiots, and we knew we were onto something good. Bob and I went out and bought our state and federal waterfowl permits and stamps, and split the cost of a box of shotgun shells. The following day on the river was something we will remember for a long time.

We were smart enough to check the regulations and discover that we could not shoot ducks when we were under power, so we had to shut off the motor before shooting. Plus for the sake of safety, we decided that only the guy in the front of the boat would do the shooting and we would take turns.

A cold front had moved into the area and we unloaded the boat onto skim ice along the shorelines of the river that morning. The cold weather had moved ducks onto the river like crazy. We had so much fun shooting ducks and before we were done checking traps, we already had our limits of mallards, teal and woodies in the bottom of the boat along with some mink, raccoon and muskrats.

We didn’t know it at the time, but we had found an ideal situation. The ponds and marshes of the area had frozen during the night, and the flowing water of the river was the only open water around. The ducks were piling into it. We learned to look for that situation in the future, and you should too. It’s a situation that creates one of the best shooting opportunities you will find. And you do not have to own a boat and motor to capitalize on great jump shooting opportunities. In fact, you do not have to own anything but a shotgun and a pair of hip boots!

Jump shooting worked so well for Bob and me despite the fact that we didn’t have a duck blind, a duck boat, a bag of decoys or a dog. That’s the beauty of jump shooting: anyone, with any budget, can participate. There are three primary kinds of jump shooting in which I have participated and had success: motoring, paddling and walking.

Next Post: Motoring To The Ducks

 

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Pheasant Hunting Tips

Posted on October 20, 2011 by HavalonKnives

Increase Your Pheasant Hunting Odds
With Tips From The MN DNR

By Scott W. Roemhildt, Minnesota DNR information officer

Pheasant Hunting TipsPheasants may seem elusive and mysterious to some hunters, but they are creatures of habit and follow a regular routine. Understanding how their daily patterns work, will dramatically increase your odds of flushing roosters this fall, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Just after sunrise, pheasants leave their roosting cover. This is the short to medium grass where they have spent the night. As they move from roosting cover, you’ll see pheasants on roadsides, picking gravel or grit, before they move into crop fields to start feeding. When season opens at 9 a.m., the birds have just about finished breakfast and might be seen working their way through the grassy fringes of fields looking for a safe place to spend the day.

By mid-to late-morning, pheasants have settled into thick, dense cover such as standing corn, brush patches, native grass or wetlands. This is known as loafing cover. Strong winds, precipitation, cold weather or heavy hunting pressure will drive the birds into thicker loafing cover.

By late afternoon pheasants are hungry again and move from loafing areas back into crop fields. They feed until just before sunset, when they head back to roosting cover for the night.

Pheasant Hunting Success Tips:

  • Be ready to hunt at 9 a.m., and take advantage of pheasants on the move. Hunt line fences, the edges of picked cornfields, field access roads and other edge cover.
  • The last hour of the day is known to hunters as the “golden hour.” This is when pheasants are moving from crop fields into roosting cover and can make for great hunting. Don’t miss it.
  • Be quiet! Talk softly, and don’t slam doors. Pheasants heavily rely on hearing to detect danger and may split before you even see them. They get jumpier as the season progresses.
  • Hunt slowly and work in a zigzag pattern. Many hunters speed right past wily roosters. Stopping occasionally will make even the smartest rooster nervous and force a flush.
  • Hunt the backsides of properties, away from roadways. Hunt habitat across creeks and drainage ditches. Most hunters won’t make the effort to reach these challenging areas that often produce.
  • Remember that pheasants are edge birds. Look for places where one type of habitat transitions into another: crops, grass, brush, cattails, ditches and fence lines. Work the edges.
  • Only hunt row crops if you have posters or standers at the end. Without them, pheasants will run down the rows and flush early. Always know where other hunters are located.
  • Don’t hunt standing corn on windy days. The rustling leaves keep you from hearing birds flush and it is more difficult to keep track of dogs or other hunters.
  • Look for grassy patches in picked corn fields. These can be real “honey holes” for pheasants.
  • Hunt the weeks after Thanksgiving. You will have very little competition from other hunters and birds will be more congregated than early in the season. Look for some great hunting.
  • If you shoot a pheasant, immediately mark where it landed and move to that spot. Grass and brush can make downed birds difficult to find.
  • Most of all, be aware of dogs and other hunters, be safe and follow hunting regulations.

What tips do you have to share about pheasant hunting?

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Havalon Announces September Email Winner!

Posted on October 18, 2011 by HavalonKnives

september email winner michael s cook

Havalon Knives is pleased to announce that Michael S. Cook from Utah, has won a free Havalon knife set. Michael was eligible because he subscribed to our email news during the month of September. His choice of prize: the Piranta Edge. He will receive the knife, a set of replacement blades and a knife holster.

If you want to be eligible to win, just sign-up for our email news on the home page of our website. Good Luck!

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Deer Mounting: How To Protect Your Trophy For The Taxidermist

Posted on October 11, 2011 by HavalonKnives

Want To Mount That Deer Head?

By Pat Carrothers

When you finally get that prize deer, you want to do everything you can to preserve the moment.  That could mean taking a deer to the taxidermist for mounting.  If you do everything correctly, your hunting success can live on right on the walls of your house.

First, it is important to field dress a deer in the woods.  You have to cool down the meat as soon as possible and other aspects of the deer will not spoil as fast.

Anytime you go hunting and expect to field dress a kill, you need to have a few essential tools with you.  Make sure you have a sharp skinning knife such as a Havalon Piranta-EDGE.  The knife needs to be an item you are comfortable with no matter what brand you choose.  A short knife is usually easier to handle but you will want to make sure it is sharp and at its best.  There’s nothing as dangerous as a dull knife. It is also a good idea to pack disposable gloves and a few bags so you can carry your trash out of the woods.

Plan on about 20 minutes to field dress your deer.  If you have never gone through the process before, it may take longer.  If you’re an old pro with a Havalon, you’ll be done in five minutes or less.  To make the process go faster and easier, you may want to include a hunting buddy.  You could also take along water and paper towels to help you clean up after you are finished field dressing.

To field dress the deer, first put on the disposable gloves to prevent the transfer of any disease.  Put the deer on its back and find the sternum.  You will then get out your knife, cut from sternum to crotch clear through the hide and membrane.  Make sure you do not cut into the guts.

Once the cut has been made, take the guts out of the deer starting at the crotch.  You can do this while cutting the membranes that link the spine to the interior of the deer.  Be careful not to cut too closely to the spine or you could damage the tenderloins.  As you make these cuts and pull out the guts, expect to see plenty of blood.

As you near the end of this portion of field dressing, find the last membrane, sever it, and pull the rest of the guts from the deer.  You can then cut through the pelvic bone and cut the skin around the anus so you can pull the colon out.  Some prefer to cut around the “vent” first and work their way forward.  The key is to keep bacteria off the meat you want.  At that time, you can take the heart, liver, and lungs out.

How To Protect The Deer Head For Mounting

Protect the deer’s head as you drag it out of the woods.  You want to put the hooves above its head.  Plan for a way to shield the head and hide while you are dragging it out of the woods.   Avoid sharp branches or rocks that lay on the floor of the forest.   Then get your deer to a taxidermist as soon as possible.

If you have to pack out the deer head, be careful not to cut into the neck hide.  You want to deliver much more hide than it seems like you should attached to the head.  That’s why they call it “caping,” since you leave a long cape of hide still attached to the head of your trophy with no incisions in the neck, especially the front neck.  Start skinning for the cape just behind the front shoulders.

According to Bill Vaznis, professional hunter and writer, there are three common mistakes to avoid.

  1. Do not slit the deer’s throat to bleed it out. This kind of error is nearly impossible to repair. If the deer is dead it has already bled out.
  2. Begin caping (skinning) your buck from BEHIND the front legs, pull the hide back towards the head and sever the head at the base of the skull.  This will give your taxidermist an ample amount of hide to work with. If you must cut the hide, cut it along the top of the neck. Your taxidermist can sew the hide…you will never see the stitches.
  3. If you can skin a fox or mink, skinning out the head of your deer is easy. If not, get the head to a taxidermist ASAP or put the head and hide in a freezer. If you elect to freeze the head and hide…do not salt it or it will spoil even though it is in the freezer.

The outcome of the taxidermy process greatly depends on what you do when you field dress your deer and how you care for the head or pack the head for the taxidermist.

Steve Sorensen, TheEverydayHunter.com, sums it up this way:

“The hunter should handle his buck like it’s the raw materials for top notch art. Keep it clean, cool it as quickly as possible, protect it from the wind in the back of your truck, and get it to the taxidermist as soon as possible.”

Got a tip on how you would protect a trophy for the taxidermist?  Share it below.

 

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