Western Hunter

Summer is just around the corner. Now is a great time to start thinking about turkey hunting. Every year there is a pile of new turkey hunting gear introduced to the market. In recent years, several companies have introduced turkey decoys that are more lifelike than ever. From feeding decoys to strutting tom decoys and everything in between, there are more options available now than there are days in the week. One decoy that is perfect for hunting in the open country of the West that recently caught my eye is the new Mojo Scoot & Shoot decoy. This decoy is designed to be used while stalking. In open country, you use this decoy to sneak up on a longbeard in the middle of a field or prairie. Crawling on your belly can be very difficult. Calling a bird to the edge of a field or opening can also be difficult. With the Mojo Scoot & Shoot, you go to the bird. The wings make this decoy a little different from most of the other strutting decoys. The wings are flared out, which help keep the hunter hidden behind the decoy as they stalk the live bird. In the video below, you can see that you can make a lot of movement behind the decoy without getting busted because the live longbeard is locked in on the fact that another gobbler has snuck into his area. The video even shows a hunter walking hunched over and sneaking up on a gobbler and not getting busted. By doing this, the hunter is able to cover a lot of ground in open terrain in plain view of turkeys without alarming the birds. When the decoy attracts the attention of the tom and the tom starts coming to the decoy, the hunter sits tight until the bird is within range at which point they set up and shoot. The draw back of this style of hunting is you are often shooting at a running bird that was just spooked. However, as the video shows, in most cases the hunter has plenty of time to get the shot off. This decoy will work well for gun hunters and bowhunters. If you already have a strutting decoy, it would probably work almost as well as this one. The scary thing about this style of hunting is that if another hunter sees the moving decoy, they may mistake it for a real bird. The decoy has orange stripes on the wings to help eliminate this problem. This decoy should probably only be used on private land. One of the keys to bringing turkeys within shooting distance is having realistic decoys. Regardless if you are hunting in open country or heavy timber, good decoys can pay off. In addition to the Scoot & Shoot, there several great options including Avian X, DSD and others. If you are on a budget but want to spruce up your current decoy spread, consider purchasing Turkey Skinz (Awayhunting.com). Turkey Skinz made by A-Way Hunting Products is a cover that goes over the outside of your decoy. Turkey Skinz is the actual skin of a hen turkey that has the feathers attached. When you wrap your decoy in a Turkey Skinz, you get the realistic look of a real hen because your decoy is wrapped in real turkey feathers. This eliminates the shine often given off by reflection from the sun bouncing off a decoy and adds a lot of realism to your decoy. One thing is certain: there are plenty of realistic turkey decoys on the market this spring that will help you bring turkeys in close. About the Author: Tracy Breen is a full-time outdoor writer, speaker and marketing consultant in the outdoor industry. Learn more about him at www.tracybreen.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9WT9qhH-yg View the full article

By: Tracey Breen A high-quality shelter is necessary when hunting in the backcountry. Almost every backcountry hunter knows it; the problem is choosing the right shelter for your needs. Over the years, I have tried a variety of shelters, but in the last ten years, for my needs, nothing compares to a tipi. There are many different brands on the market today. My favorite is the Kifaru. Kifaru tipi’s are made in Colorado and built for the hunter who wants a lean and mean shelter that can take a beating and last for years. One of the best things about a tipi is how lightweight it is. My four-man tipi tips the scales at slightly over five pounds. Most four-man tents are twice this weight. A Kifaru tipi doesn’t have a floor, has only one pole which goes in the center and is made of a lightweight proprietary material that is super strong and tear resistant. A tipi is tough, lightweight and is extremely easy to set up because there aren’t many poles and gadgets needed to erect a tipi. A four-man Kifaru tipi is perfect for two hunters and all their gear. I have lived in my tipi for up to two weeks and it offers many advantages over traditional tents including more head room, the ability to use a wood stove and because it doesn’t have a floor, I never have to worry about ruining the floor or getting it dirty. When I purchased the Kifaru tipi, I also purchased the medium wood stove. The stove is what really separates a tipi from a tent. The stove is compact and can be quickly setup or broke down without much effort. What I like most about the stove is the amount of heat it gives off. A few years ago while elk hunting in the Idaho wilderness, I found myself caught in a blizzard. When I returned to camp, I was soaked to the bone. I quickly warmed up after I got the stove cranked up. I hung my wet clothes by the stove and went to bed. I stoked the fire several times during the night and my clothes were dry in the morning. The stove eliminates the need for a Jetboil or other cook stove. It takes a little longer to boil water on a Kifaru stove than a Jetboil, but having a stove that doubles as a heat source is worth the trade off. I typically make freeze dried food or Ramen noodles on the stove and it works well, especially on really cold nights and the stove is worth its’ weight in gold. The footprint of the Kifaru four-man tipi is 10.5â€x13†when set up, with a center height of 6’6â€. When packed, the tipi measures 6.5â€x 22â€. In my opinion, this tipi and stove combo is the perfect system for the backcountry hunter. After you have tried a tipi, you will likely never use another form of shelter again. If you really want to go lean and mean, check out the Kifaru ParaTarp. This one-man shelter only weighs 1 pound, 13 ounces. About the Author: Tracy Breen is a full-time outdoor writer and marketing consultant in the outdoor industry. Learn more about him at www.tracybreen.com. View the full article

By R. Cade Powell After 31 days in the field last year I hope I can give a fair and accurate opinion of C4E. Those 31 days consisted of a couple days of chasing rooster pheasants and jump shooting greenheads, archery hunting badlands mule deer, backpacking for elk above timberline and belly crawling prickly pear flats for pronghorn. All my hunting exploits last year were in my home state of Wyoming. All of my big-game hunting was public land DIY. Temps varied from over 100 degrees to 15 degrees below zero. Elevation varied from 4,000 feet to 10,962 feet. Elements experienced included wind, rain, sleet, snow, hot and bitter cold. My C4E equipment consists of merino 190 bottoms, merino 190 ¼ zip and zip hoodie tops, Pivot short-sleeve shirt, Pivot long-sleeve shirt, Element pants, Switchback pants, Mid-mountain vest, Element jacket, Torrent rain gear, Stalker beanie, Assault gloves, Talus belt, knee pads, and Elevation Down-Tek jacket. My August pronghorn hunts utilized the switchback pant and pivot short-sleeve shirt. I also had a pivot long-sleeve shirt in my pack for the cool mornings. My daughters, that had the tags, were wearing switchback pants. Temps reached over 100 degrees on several days. Even with the great cooling effect of Merino, I felt it was too hot to wear my Merino layers. I did wear my knee pads in my switchback pants all day long. I never took them out during this 3 day hunt and could walk for miles and not notice them. I did not utilize my pockets on the rear of my Switchbacks for knee pads on this hunt. Our C4E gear performed great as my 12 year-old daughter harvested her first big-game animal on her first big-game hunt It continued to perform well as my 14 year-old daughter harvested her biggest pronghorn in her 3rd year of hunting. 16 3/8 tall on one side and 15 7/8 on the other! My September archery elk hunt utilized Merino base and ¼ zip top, Switchback pants, pivot short-sleeve shirt, pivot long-sleeve shirt, Mid-mountain vest, Element jacket, and Torrent rain gear. I spent a couple days during elk archery season wearing my Torrent rain gear during rain showers and snow squalls. I never wore it during an absolute downpour so I can’t vouch for it in those situations. I spent 7 nights on the mountain living out of my backpack. Temps were between 84 and 22 degrees over the 2 partial weeks I hunted. All elements were experienced from hot, wind, rain, snow, etc. 32 miles hiked and just over 15,000 feet of elevation gained. I loved being able to shed or replace layers as we hiked/hunted toward where our camp would be at timberline. A couple times, as the temps pushed 80+ degrees, I’d end up in just my merino top. It performed well to keep me cool. It also helped keep my scent to a minimum as evidenced by the cow, calf and 320 type 6 point I had at 10 yards on my hike in. His eyes bugged out at 10 yards as he looked at this intruder that was sharing the steep trail with him. He stepped off following his cow as my partner, 30 yards behind me, cringed when he realized I wasn’t going to release an arrow in the hopes of arrowing the bigger bull we had glassed several hours earlier. C4E could handle everything NW Wyoming high country could throw at it during a September elk hunt. My September archery mule deer hunt utilized Merino base and ¼ zip top, Switchback pants, pivot short-sleeve shirt, pivot long-sleeve shirt. Mid-mountain vest and Torrent Rain Gear stayed in my pack during this hunt. I spent lots of time on my knees and belly as I crawled up to ledges and set up the Vortex Razor spotting scope on my Outdoorsman’s tripod to scour each and every draw. My kneepads never came out of my Switchback pants, in fact, I never took them out during my September elk hunt as well. I hunted 1 ½ days in early September when temps spiked to the low 90’s during the heat of the day. I wore my Merino layers all day. I then came back for a day on the 20th of September. Temps were in the high 70’s and I still wore the same set-up of Merino bases, switchback pants and pivot shirt. I was on a big ridge with many finger ridges running off of it when I glassed my buck as he traded beds during the mid-part of the day. I thought he would only move one draw over to bed. Imagine my surprise when he started over the second ridge and dropped out of sight. I literally backed up and out of sight behind the ridge I was on and ran over a mile to make it to the next ridge in front of him. He crossed it and started for the next ridge as I backed up behind the ridge top and jogged with him. I ended up running a little over 1.5 miles before he decided to lay down for the rest the afternoon. It then took almost 2 hours of crawling and glassing before I spotted 2 inches of the top of his tine below me in his secluded bed. After a short crawl, I was 18 yards above his bed. Wind was perfect and when he stood to change locations, my Injexion took out both lungs. I was grateful for the cooling, moisture wicking, and scent absorption properties of Merino as I laid in the sandstone above his bed. Cade’s velvet mulie also believes in the scent absorption properties of C4E Merino wool bases My next major hunt was on hold until the end of October. My daughter, Paige, had drawn the same mule deer tag that I had. We had to finish up with her volleyball season before we could go chase badlands mulies on her first deer hunt. My gear consisted of Merino base and ¼ zip top, Switchback pants, pivot short-sleeve shirt, pivot long-sleeve shirt, Mid-mountain vest, Element jacket, and Torrent rain gear. Temps warmed up into the 70’s during the day but mornings were brisk enough that I’d wear my Element jacket while I was set up and glassing. Paige was in Switchback pants and even stole my Mid-mountain vest during most the hunt. We found her several mulie bucks but nothing she wanted to pull the trigger on right away. I kept telling her that my first deer was a forkie and second was a doe, but she had been up there with me and knew I could find her a 4 point. We had 30 minutes of shooting light left on our last day when I finally got her on a herd with 3 or 4 decent bucks. She picked out the one on the left, away from the rest of the herd and put a 168 Berger through his shoulder. It was just icing on the cake that it was a big forky! Every kid should harvest a forky for their first deer! C4E performed great on a late October Wyoming badlands mule deer hunt First week of November found me back in NW Wyoming looking for a bull elk with my rifle. I was asked to help a friend of a friend and it turned into a nightmare. I’ll spare you the details other than he harvested his first ever elk – a 310 bull. I saw 20+ 6 points but nothing I was going to hang a tag on. My gear consisted of Merino base and ¼ zip top, Element pants, pivot long-sleeve shirt, Mid-mountain vest, Element jacket, Stalker Beanie and Torrent rain gear. Temps were in the single digits in the morning and warming up to the upper teens during the day. Wind was always blowing but we avoided snow, although there was 4 inches up to 2 feet already on the ground in most places we hunted. It was crunchy so we’d glass bulls at first light and watch them go to the dark timber to bed up for the day. We’d hike around, sometimes up to 3 -4 miles, and sit on the hillside above the timber they were bedding in. The last evening is the only time we had an elk feed out the same way he went in. I wore gaiters and all my gear was great at repelling water, snow, ice. A couple of the big hikes we were really pushing it to try and catch the elk before the entered the timber for the day. I had to take my Element jacket off during one hike, but all my gear wicked moisture and didn’t allow it to accumulate inside my gear making you cold and wet even when perspiring from the exertion. My Element pants with Merino bases were warm enough to sit on the hillside for several hours with little movement. They also performed great during my fast hikes through the snow. My Merino bases, Pivot long-sleeve shirt, Mid Mountain vest and Element Jacket performed equally as well. One afternoon when the wind was howling and we were stationary for several hours, I pulled my Torrent Rain Jacket on to help block the wind. I didn’t own my Down-Tek Elevation Jacket yet but it would have been the PERFECT solution for extra warmth up on that wind-blown ridge. My last hunt of the year was my cow elk tag in SE Wyoming during the last two week so of November. My gear consisted of Merino base and ¼ zip top, Element pants, pivot long-sleeve shirt, Mid-mountain vest, Element jacket, Stalker Beanie, Torrent rain gear and my new favorite Down-Tek Elevation Jacket. Temps ranged from 15 degrees below zero to 25 degrees. Elements were wind, snow, cold, wind, wind, and more wind. This hunt consisted of driving as close as I could to big vantage points where I’d park and then hike up and glass. My Elevation Jacket is too warm to hike very far in or during periods of extreme exertion. It is wonderful for putting on after you reach your vantage point to begin a glassing session. It packs up about the size of a softball so it should never be left out of your pack! One day the temps were in the single digits and it was snowing hard. The wind chill made it well below zero but I was very comfortable as I still hunted through the timber looking for bedded elk. When I came out to big vantage points where I wanted to let my Vortex Kaibab 15×56’s do the walking, I’d pull on my Elevation jacket and could sit for hours while glassing. We packed 3 cows out of a decent sized canyon and my gear performed just as I’d come to expect after wearing it for a full season. Like most of you, I didn’t get to hunt near enough this fall. I also didn’t get near enough time in the backcountry living out of my backpack, but it was worth sacrificing some of my high country hunts to be able to take 2 of my daughters as many days as I could. I’m already more excited to think about what tags they’ll draw this fall than I am my own tags. I do feel like I was able to test my C4E gear in as tough of terrain and weather as most of us will get to see in the lower 48, if you exclude the thorn infested region of the Desert SW. The only mishap I had with any of my gear was with one of my Pivot shirts. I unzipped it too hard and the bottom of the zipper came apart. It took about 30 seconds to get it put back together and luckily I was at home, so a quick job with needle and thread fixed the problem. I had no tears or holes. No leaks from rain, snow or water crossings. I’m 6’4†and 225 pounds and the cut and fit are athletic enough to bend and stretch where I needed to bend and stretch. I drew my bow on 2 different mulie bucks and twice on one bull elk without any concerns from my clothing interfering. I drew hundreds of times during off-season practice so I knew it wouldn’t be a concern on the mountain. Merino wicked moisture and controlled scent for days living out of my backpack. My gear breathed better than any gear I’d worn before. My Elevation jacket didn’t breathe very well when I wore it on a big hike out of a steep canyon. I was hotter than a pig in the ground with an apple in its mouth by the time I got to my glassing knob. I learned to put it in my pack until I got to my knob and needed the extra heat. It was unbelievable for those situations and even became my coat of choice all winter as I wore it to work every day. It does make a ‘crinkling’ sound when the temps reached 15-30 below zero but it wouldn’t bother me during a hunting situation if my Element jacket were over the top of it. All in all, I was impressed with the performance, functionality, fit, and cost of my C4E gear. I can’t wait to try a couple of their new pieces that came out late last fall with Gaitors, Highline Pant and Selway Zip being at the top of my ‘wishlist’. View the full article

Picking an elk hunting area based on wildfires By Remi Warren Note: Click here to download the complete, original article Across the West, fires are a significant annual occurrence. Over the last ten years, there has been an upward trend. Millions and millions of acres – much of it public land – is barbequed every year. While the immediate effects can seem devastating, the good news is that wildfires can in fact create excellent habitat for elk. The increased feed can bolster the areaâs big game population and overall health of the animals. This also leads to better antler growth. Elk and Fires The interspersed and sometimes splotchy burned/non-burned areas create what biologist call an edge effect. Fires can increase the abundance of elk forage that can have positive lasting effects for ten years or more, depending on the situation involved within an individual burn. Studies have shown that fires in heavily timbered forests can lead to an increase in the elk population for that area by over 70%. Calf survival to maturity has a lot to do with their relative birth weight. With more available food for their mothers, calves are set up to live longer. Also, in captivity, it has been proven that healthy cows have a higher likelihood that new calves will be born male. Cow elk also first breed based on their body weight, with half the cows coming into estrus at 70% of their mature body weight. This means that healthy populations with plenty of forage may start breeding sooner. This effect can have positive impacts in a fairly short amount of time. Noticeable effects are seen within two to five years, hitting the max benefit around seven or eight years. Picking a Burned Area Because not all burns are equal, there is a science to picking the best area to maximize the potential benefits from a fire. To do this, I look at how the fire burned, how long ago it burned, and what type of range was burned in the fire. Once Iâve narrowed this down, Iâll then pick spots based on the criteria Iâm looking for. When the fire took place. The time that has elapsed since the fire took place, as well as the stage of regrowth, makes a huge difference in picking an area to hunt. An early fire (one that ends in July, for example), can often recover enough to start new succulent green growth for that fall. Just because a fire was recent does not mean that it should be passed over. If you see new growth, resident elk will begin using it that very year. If the fire was late in the summer like late August or September, I will pass that area up for hunting the same year. There likely wonât be enough time for initial regrowth, and the elk wonât be there. Most burn areas reach their maximum benefit around seven years after a fire, but Iâll start hunting them three to five years after the initial fire. This gives the area enough time to start growing the population, increase the number of bulls, and provide good feed to bulls that will now be reaching maturity. In 2006 and 2007, there were a large number of smaller fires across Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah that are now in their most productive years for elk. Now is the time to capitalize on some of these burns. How the fire burned. The best elk habitat is a patchy burn where at least 20% of the area remains unburned within the fire perimeter. Look for fires that have a mosaic pattern of areas completely scorched mixed in with partial burned timber and live timber. As edge animals, elk seldom travel more than 1200 yards from suitable cover. These patchy areas are where I focus the majority of my attention. Type of range that was burned. For overall burn use, itâs better to find an area that has had a fire on a winter range than a summer range. Studies show that elk use burns more frequently in the winter than in the summer. This is because food is more important in the winter months and shelter is more important in the summer. Patchy fires in the winter range can help elk remain healthier even if it is a hard winter. This map is an overlay of all fires over 1000 acres (shown in yellow) from 2001-2009. The red indicates single fires over 100,000 acres within the timeframe. This map serves as a reference and starting point to locate units that have had fires that could be productive hunting now. Remember that itâs covering nine years of fires, so the fire range indicated will be in varying stages of regrowth. This also maps the outer perimeter of each fire and does not indicate areas within the perimeter that remained untouched. Top Six Things to Remember 1. Donât overlook patches of standing burned timber. It may not look like a great hiding spot, but dense standing burns can make elk feel secure enough to use it, and theyâre really easy to see if you take time to glass it. Remember that even some areas that look pretty open can easily conceal elk. Take your time and look these spots over. 2. When calling elk, be in front of the burned tree. If you feel like youâre out in the open in a burn, itâs because you are. Donât let that get the best of you. If a bull is coming into bow range as you call, youâre better off being in front of a tree and using it to block your outline, rather than behind a tree and having to move laterally. The open nature of a burn means your movement is more likely to get spotted, so youâre better off in front of a solid backdrop. 3. Now is always a good time to hunt a burn. If a portion of an area youâre hunting or regularly hunt burns this summer, donât count it out. The new growth will become a magnet for elk in the surrounding areas. Although the area may not reap the benefit of boosting the population in that time, the burn will attract many of the current elk and concentrate a portion of the elk in an area that may be easier to glass than other places. 4. Glass into the pockets of live timber. The majority of elk using a burn will spend their time escaping danger in the pockets of canopy cover that remain. Find a spot where you can get across from this cover and glass into it. You may only be able to see bits and pieces, but youâll likely catch elk moving in it. Watching multiple patches from afar allows you to catch elk when they first move out into the burn to feed in the evenings. 5. Think about the habitat in terms what it was like before the fire. Elk will often use the same place theyâve always used, burnt or not. If there is a place you regularly got into elk before a burn and the spot is now open, elk may still be ingrained to use this portion of their home range. Burns also allow you to see the topography of areas in a new way. Look at the areas they like, notice what makes it unique, and then find other spots that look similar. 6. Watch for falling trees. Burns can be dangerous, especially five to ten years after the initial fire. Standing dead trees will rot, and often the root systems have been partially burned out (yes, fire will burn underground). One good windstorm can put you in danger. These rotted trees can fall surprisingly quiet for their size. Make note of areas where there are a lot of downed trees and avoid them during high winds. If Iâm crossing through a large area of blowdowns, I try to look at the direction most the trees have fallen and walk on the opposite side of trees I know could kill me (two close calls really drove this point home). Also, beware of taking stock through areas like these, especially if you notice significant root burning, holes, and sunken spots. Itâs an easy way to break a horseâs leg. View the full article

By Jason Amaro and Elk Hunter Magazine For those who have waited for the last minute to apply for New Mexico elk, here’s some info to help… The post New Mexico Elk Deadline TODAY appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

If you haven’t seen commercial by Think Reel Media for The Western Hunter TV, you’re missing out. In 30 seconds, you’ll understand why people who own the… The post Outdoorsmans Tripod Video appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

It is rare that you find a booth at SHOT show that gets every single person in the group excited. When Ryan dragged us all to the… The post Exciting New Product from Bullseye Camera Systems appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

While stopping by the Victory Archery booth at the ATA Trade Show, the words “I’m so excited I might cry” came out of Nate’s mouth. If he’s… The post New Broadhead Adapter from Victory Archery appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

<p>It’s been a busy day here at the ATA show, and we’ve enjoyed every minute of it. We’ve got some exciting reviews coming soon to the February…</p><p>The post <a href="http://elkhuntermagazine.com/2013/01/08/2013-archery-trade-show-day-1/">2013 Archery Trade Show Day 1</a> appeared first on <a href="http://elkhuntermagazine.com">Elk Hunter Magazine</a>.</p> View the full article

<p>-By Zach Bowhay- In 2010 I went to the Western Hunting Convention hoping to win another Utah elk tag like I had in 2009. Although I didnât…</p><p>The post <a href="http://elkhuntermagazine.com/2013/01/06/caribou-gear-game-bag-review/">Caribou Gear Game Bag Review</a> appeared first on <a href="http://elkhuntermagazine.com">Elk Hunter Magazine</a>.</p> View the full article

Western Hunter and Elk Hunter Magazines (WHM & EHM) are excited to announce the launch of their new cutting edge hunting TV show, “The Western Hunterâ€. The…The post Western Hunter Magazine Launches Exciting New TV Show appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

By Zach Bowhay Miss Part One of Zach’s story? Read it here. The drive back from New Mexico was a long one, spirits were low and Evan…The post The Peanut Gallery – Part II appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

By Mark Huelsing Less than $20 – Meat Eater by Steven Rinella Steven Rinella’s latest book, Meat Eater – Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter, is…The post 5 Gift Ideas for Hunters – Something for Every Budget appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

About 5 or 6 years ago I started applying seriously for out of state hunts and one of the top destinations on my list of places I…The post The Peanut Gallery – By Zach Bowhay – Part I appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

Mark Huelsing is a passionate bowhunter, freelance outdoor writer, and Elite Archery Pro Staff member. Mark became a hunter by pursuing whitetail deer in his home state…The post Staying on Track in the Off Season – Wilderness Athlete Review appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

By Zach Bowhay To help welcome Zach to the Elk Hunter and Western Hunter blogs, Lone Wolf Knives is giving away their Hard Way Skinner! Scroll down…The post Tools of the Trade – Lone Wolf Knives Review and Giveaway appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2012 issue of Elk Hunter Magazine, but is available now for our blog readers to preview Nate Simmons’ column. Subscribe…The post Backpacking Gear List by Backcountry Editor Nate Simmons appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

Awesome photos and update from Jay Scott from this season. Check out Jay’s blog at www.jayscottoutdoors.com! Colburn and Scott Outfitters had a great 2012 archery elk season…The post Field Update Photos from Jay Scott appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

Our very own photography editor, Tony Bynum took this awesome video. This is some of the best bugling audio you’ll ever hear! Thank you Tony! Learn more…The post Bull Elk Bugling in the Rut – Tony Bynum appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

Things That Make You Go “Huh?†Introducing the new Swarovski ATX and STX modular spotting scope By Chris Denham I honestly can’t remember having this much difficulty…The post Swarovski ATX Review, In Depth appeared first on Elk Hunter Magazine. View the full article

You have got to see this footage of this bull elk coming into the water hole. Watch as he wallows and ends up covering every square inch of his body and antlers with mud. He absolutely cakes himself! View the full article

One of our hunting editor’s, Jay Scott, recently sent us this update from the field, along with some great photos. You can read more of Jay’s adventures on his blog, JayScottOutdoors.comWant to see your adventure on the Elk Hunter Blog? Send your update and photos to webmaster@elkhuntermagazine.com, and we’ll post your update on the blog!September 11thAs I write this post it cant be over 65 degrees with on and off light drizzle of rain. The weather appears to be setting up perfect for this hunt. We have been continuing to have great days in the field scouting for the archery elk hunt. We even were able to help friend Alex Rimsza harvest his first antelope. The elk rut seems to just be steady with not too much craziness yet. I keep hoping they won’t go nuts until the season starts. Lets hope that points stay together through the season. I expect the bugling will increase daily. I haven’t seen any actual breeding yet. I expect to see it within the next week and on into the month of September. Once again our God does not disappoint with his awesome sunrises and sunsets over Unit 9. Enjoy the pictures! View the full article

One of our hunting editor’s, Jay Scott, recently sent us this update from the field, along with some great photos. You can read more of Jay’s adventures on his blog, JayScottOutdoors.comWant to see your adventure on the Elk Hunter Blog? Send your update and photos to webmaster@elkhuntermagazine.com, and we’ll post your update on the blog!September 3rdThe weather is awesome in Unit 9! The smaller bulls are pushing cows around and acting tough. The big bulls have been a little elusive so far but I am sure they are just waiting for the rut to progress. We have had some fantastic sunrises and sunsets. Looking forward to the rest of the month in elk paradise!September 5thThe elk rut is steadily improving here in Unit 9. The small bulls are getting their turn at pushing the cows and most of the bigger bulls are by themselves. Janis, Darr and I have been having lots of fun and enjoying one of God’s greatest creations. Should be another good scouting morning.September 6th It has not rained today which is a first in 8 days since we have been here. The forecast for the next 10 days calls for 20-40% chance of rain. The archery hunt starts a week from tomorrow. Bulls seem to be getting more engaged each day with more and more bugling activity. It is hard to beat Arizona elk hunting for sure. Excitement for the upcoming season is increasing each day. The thought of a 14 day archery season with a good moon makes me smile. Darr and I are in Unit 9 and Janis is scouting in Unit 10. I would say the antler growth is maybe just below average for unit 9. Seems like the backs are a little weaker than usual. Still should be a great season trying to find a big bull!We’ll be posting the rest of Jay’s photos tomorrow, so stay tuned! View the full article

This Arizona bull had approximately 30 cows with him. I crawled in amongst these cows and waited for him to make the rounds and come by me. Fortunately, I had showered and changed clothes that afternoon and remained undetected for nearly 15 minutes before I was able to get a shot.Q & A with Bowhunting Legend, Randy UlmerQUESTION: I’m a bowhunter and it seems like I get busted more often from elk smelling me than for any other reason. What do you actually do on your hunts to minimize your scent? Please give me some PRACTICAL scent control advice.ANSWER: The problem with early season elk hunting is that it is usually warm, and if you’re like me, you’re typically moving (and sweating) a great deal. I have two different scent control regimens I use, depending on whether I’m hunting from a vehicle camp or hunting from a backpack camp. Here are several important points to consider: If I’m using my travel trailer as camp, I carry as many as 14 different sets of clean camo clothes/ underwear/socks. It is prohibitively expensive to go out and buy that many sets of clothes, but I’ve been at this a long time and have accumulated them over 20 years. All this clothing takes up a lot of space, so I carry them in Action Packer bins and store them outside the trailer. I tried to use carbon suits for several years. However, I found them to be too warm and cumbersome for early-season, active hunting. In order for them to work properly, you must remain relatively stationary. As you move, the clothing acts as a billows and the smelly air inside is pumped through the neck, arm and leg holes and never touches the carbon. I bathe as often as possible. I always shower every morning and, if I make it back to camp, I shower in the afternoon as well. I limit the amount of animal products I eat for a month leading up to the hunt and during the hunt. I use scent-free soap and then apply Scent Shield hair and body deodorant gel to all parts of my body. I carry approximately ten pairs of clean running shoes with me and put a new pair on every day (a great deal of your odor comes from your feet). I put baking soda in each of my shoes before I put them on. When I buy shoes, I get 100% synthetic shoes (no leather). You can wash these synthetic shoes over and over and they’ll never shrink. I take chlorophyll tablets each day for a few weeks leading up to the hunt and then each morning during the hunt. I brush and floss my teeth with baking soda at least twice a day. I rarely wear a belt, but if I do, I never wear the same belt for more than a day without washing it. I rarely carry a pack, but if I do, I change it out or wash it if it gets sweaty (I take 3-4 packs with me on a hunt). I spray my bow and binoculars with Scent Shield spray. I don’t carry my wallet with me. It probably smells similar to where it’s usually parked. If you only have a few sets of camo, just wash your clothes every few days. You don’t have to run into town to use a laundromat. I use these same Action Packers as wash tubs. I fill one up with water and detergent, put my dirty clothes in, and let them soak for a few hours, and then rinse them out and hang them on a tree. Remember, you aren’t worried about having your clothes clean – just scent-free. The soaking will get rid of all your sweat and odor. It’s much more difficult to limit your scent production when you’re backpack hunting. When I’m on the trail, I carry body soap, detergent for my clothes, deodorant, toothbrush, floss, and baking soda. I don’t sleep in my clothes and I bathe and wash my clothes in the middle of the day – if there’s a water source. Otherwise, I just try to stay downwind of the elk.Even if you follow all of these preventative measures, the elk can still smell you. It’s my belief that scent control merely decreases the volume of scent you put out and allows you to get away with a little more. When I’m clean and freshly showered, I can often get 100 yards upwind from an elk without being detected. However, if I’m stinky, the elk can easily detect me at 400 yards. As a bowhunter, you often have to slip in as close as possible to a herd of elk and wait for something to happen, so the less odor you produce, the longer you’ll go undetected.The bottom line? Keep the wind right.Randy Ulmer presents his tips and advice in each and every issue of Elk Hunter Magazine. Don’t miss the next issue, subscribe today! View the full article

I spend most of my hunting time trying to get as close to game as possible, and there’s few things better than a good, dependable 100-yard shot at a trophy bull. However, there’s one little catch to hunting wary bulls – they’d actually just as soon keep that distance significantly larger, and their instincts and wit will often allow them to do just that. In those cases where a well-educated shot at greater distance makes good, ethical sense, having a scope with a great ballistic reticle is a must.For the past three years, I’ve been using a 4.5-14×44 Zeiss Conquest with Rapid-Z 800 reticle on top of my super reliable Blaser R93 .300 Win.-mag. It’s no bull when I tell you that this combo has been an almost indescribable improvement over previous setups.Just this past fall, I used it to take a great Wyoming 6×6 at 368 yards on a late October high country hunt. Before that, it helped with one-shot kills on several trophy mule deer and even some decent pokes at some Wyoming antelope.The nicest thing about the Rapid-Z is that it’s amazingly simple, which helps mediocre shots like me become better shots just by using great equipment. Here’s how it works. First, go to Zeiss.com and navigate to the Optical Long Range Reticle Analysis form. Input all the necessary ballistic information, including cartridge, ballistic coefficient, etc.,and it will tell you what the optimal power is that you should have your scope dialed to in order for the reticle to be “on†at each100-yard interval appearing on the reticle. It’s that simple. All of this is based on a 200-yard zero.When looking at the reticle itself, there are numbered hashmarks for each 100-yard interval starting at 300 yards, with intermediate hashmarks for every 50 yards in between and dots for each 25 yards before and after the 50s. This enables you to be accurate to no worse than 12.5 yards without worry of using interpolation.There are also hashmarks on the left and right sides for 5 and 10 mph winds. So, if you have a bull standing at 400 yards with an estimated 10 mph left crosswind, you can go directly to the 400-yard crosshairs, move it to the left to the end of the line (the 10 mph adjustment) and fire with confidence.While to some this might seem almost too easy, some time at the range practicing these scenarios will help you immensely in using this tool to its utmost ability. This is twofold in importance – 1) to familiarize yourself with the system and be able to use it quickly, and 2) to prove to yourself that it works and give you confidence at crunch time.The Rapid-Z comes in four reticles and is available in both Conquest and Victory models. Here are Zeiss’ recommendations that match each reticle model with the most favorable cartridges:• Rapid-Z 600: Standard hunting cartridges such as .270, .30-06, etc.• Rapid-Z 800: Magnums such as .300 WSM, .300 RUM, .338, etc.• Rapid-Z 1000: Tactical/Long range shooting, such as .308.• Rapid-Z Varmint: Smaller, fast-shooting cartridges such as .204 Ruger, .220 Swift, .223, .22-250.Here are a couple of other interestingnotes:• The reticle is located in the second image plane, resulting in minimal target cover.• It comes with an integrated ranging feature – hashmarks are available above the crosshairs and are designed to determine distance to the target animal. Simply place one hashmark on top of the back and count how many hashmarks down tobrisket, then do some quick math.• All Rapid-Z reticles are designed to be sighted in at 200 yards, except the RapidZ 1000, sighted in at 500.• Non-illuminated versions are available in Victory and Conquest models; illuminated versions are available in assorted Victory Diavari and Victory Diarange models.There’s no question that it takes a bit more effort to use a rangefinding reticle than a simple “point-and-shoot†duplex. However, the simplicity of such a reticle has great limitations. A solid ballistic reticle and riflescope such as the Rapid-Z, with some time and familiarity, will be worth its weight in gold with its return on investment. I know it has been for me.Don’t miss out on the next gear review in Elk Hunter Magazine. Click here to subscribe. View the full article