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These 5 Essential Hunting Tips Will Help You Become a Better Hunter. Hunting is a popular outdoor activity that takes a lot of patience and preparation. However, becomin

These 5 Essential Hunting Tips Will Help You Become a Better Hunter. Hunting is a popular outdoor activity that takes a lot of patience and preparation. However, becoming a better hunter is not easy. It takes years of practice and study before you can truly call yourself an expert in the field of hunting deer, elk, moose, or any other big game. There are so many different factors that come into play during a hunt, it can easily become overwhelming if you’re not prepared for even the most basic of them. There are plenty of ways to get into hunting, but for this post, we’re going to focus on the five essentials that every hunter should know before heading out into the field. 1. Invest In Good Shooting Equipment During the course of a hunt, you will get more than one chance at taking down your prey. You might even get multiple chances in a single day! Being able to make the most out of each shot is key to hunting success and can mean the difference between bringing home dinner and going back empty-handed. So, the first thing every hunter needs to invest in is good shooting equipment. You can choose from different sorts of guns, bows, and crossbows which will depend on your hunting style. Also, make sure you pick one that you are comfortable with and know how to use. So, if you pick mission crossbows, make sure you practice your shooting skills with them often to improve your accuracy. There’s no better way to test your skills than by going out with a buddy for some target practice. 2. Invest In Good Additional Equipment Besides guns and arrows, you’ll need to invest in other items, such as scopes, knives, and binoculars. You’ll also want to have a good pair of boots, gloves, and camouflage clothing so you won’t stick out while trying to get close enough for a shot. These will come in handy during your hunt. 3. Familiarize Yourself With the Area One mistake many hunters make is assuming they know where a certain game can be found. This can lead to hours or even days spent searching for prey that is not there! What you want to do first, before heading out into the field, is to familiarize yourself with the area. This means knowing where specific species of game are located, what type of terrain they tend to inhabit, and how you can get to them with minimal effort. It is very important that your hunting trip doesn’t become a wild goose chase. For example, if you’re looking for moose, you’ll want to check out areas where moose are likely to be found, go for high ground, and don’t forget the waterways. Also, make sure there is plenty of available food in these locations because it can make or break your success as a hunter. 4. Know Basic Animal Behavior Arguably, one of the most important tips for any hunter is to know your prey. It’s not as simple as just memorizing what an elk looks like and where it can be found. No matter if you’re looking for deer, moose, or another type of big game, it’s important that you understand their behaviors and habits. Different types of games will behave and react to your presence in different ways. Also, you should know that hunting success rates vary depending on different factors such as time of day and weather conditions. For example, it is always best to avoid early morning during deer season because they are more alert than usual due to their nocturnal nature. So, if you’re planning to hunt deer, it’s best to aim for late afternoon and nighttime. 5. Be Mindful of Your Surroundings When hunting a big game like moose or elk, one mistake hunters make is not paying attention to their surroundings. Not staying aware of your surroundings is not only dangerous, but it can also lead to missing out on good hunting opportunities. For example, you want to be mindful if there are other hunters or hikers in the area that could potentially scare away the game. Also, note that hot weather and bright sun can cause prey to seek shade in secluded areas, making them easier to spot. Hunting is an activity that takes time, patience, and skill. The tips of a great hunter can help you become more successful in your hunt by following the steps that include knowing your prey, familiarizing yourself with the area, and staying aware of your surroundings. The top 7 tips for you to remember as a hunter are essential characteristics that every successful hunter has.

Post: 12 October 11:10

Estonian Hunters’ Society It is known that the first hunting organizations in Estonia were established in 1869 in Pärnu. A turning point in the development of hunting in

Estonian Hunters’ Society It is known that the first hunting organizations in Estonia were established in 1869 in Pärnu. A turning point in the development of hunting in Estonia was the adoption of the Hunting Act in 1934. Hunting organizations were constantly appearing and in 1967 the Estonian Hunters' Union was formed, whose members are now the majority of Estonian hunters who take care of game and hunt in about 85% of Estonian hunting grounds. EJS deals with public relations, legislative proposals, hunting tourism, hunting economy, hunter education, hunting shooting, hunting dogs, hunting trophies, organizes meetings, etc. EJS publishes the only Estonian hunting magazine Eesti Jahimees. Kuristiku 7 EE-10127 Tallinn, Estonia TEL: +372 602 59 70 WEBSITE: www.ejs.ee

Post: 20 February 17:10

Shotguns, Bows & Fool Hens by E. Donnall Thomas Jr. Although the termination dust had yet to fall, it was the kind of September day that demands the acknowledgement of t

Shotguns, Bows & Fool Hens by E. Donnall Thomas Jr. Although the termination dust had yet to fall, it was the kind of September day that demands the acknowledgement of the seasons’ passage. Although fresh silvers were still entering the streams, the heart of the fishing season lay behind me. Bull moose were starting to round up their cows, and lines of migrating geese undulated against the crisp, azure sky. Since I’d been in Alaska long enough to know what lay just around the corner, I felt determined to wring as much experience as possible from the outdoors before the sun disappeared and winter seized the North Country in its icy grip. And on that particular day, I meant to do it with my shotgun. If I had nothing else with me as I walked out the door of our remote Kenai Peninsula home, I certainly enjoyed plenty of confidence in my dog. I regarded Skykomish as the best hunting Lab I’ve ever owned, and the passage of three more decades—and a number of very good retrievers—has yet to alter that opinion. Sky had certainly enjoyed plenty of experience with Alaska waterfowl since our move north the year before, but he’d been raised and trained as a flushing retriever on the game-rich plains of central Montana we’d left behind, and I knew he missed hitting the upland cover as much as I did. He’d enjoyed a fair amount of experience with ptarmigan by that point, but the nearest of their kind lay at least a modest expedition’s length away. That afternoon we were going to have to try for something closer to home… and more imaginative. The woods around our house teemed with spruce grouse, but it had taken me a season to figure out how to capitalize on them in sporting fashion with a shotgun. As subsistence fare, spruce grouse are hard to beat, but the same naivety that makes them so appealing to hungry moose hunters at the end of a long day also nearly ruins them as a serious wing-shooting quarry. I know, I know: when in Rome… But for better or worse I was raised to regard shooting a sitting grouse with a shotgun as a crime against nature. Fortunately, Sky’s enthusiasm and a bit of imagination on my own part had finally revealed a solution to the dilemma. A hundred yard hike down the gravel road leading to our house brought me to an intersection with an old, abandoned seismographic trail. With Sky fixed firmly at heel, I dropped a pair of shells into my shotgun and stepped off the road and into the big woods… On paper, Alaska offers a moderate variety of game birds to choose from above and beyond its widespread and justifiably esteemed ptarmigan. Trouble is, with one notable exception, the state’s other four grouse species occupy limited ranges. Blues are largely confined to the coastal rainforests and sharptails to some open terrain in the central interior, with ruffs occupying limited habitat in Southcentral (although their range is expanding courtesy of deliberate transplants). Well and good if you happen to be in the right place at the right time, but rarely enough to satisfy those who enjoy hunting upland birds as much as waterfowl and big game. That leaves the spruce grouse as the only reliable alternative to ptarmigan throughout much of the state. In terms of numbers and wide distribution, Falcipennis canadensis certainly fulfills the criteria as a major Alaska game bird species. Although they’re uncommon in many parts of Southeast, they’re plentiful throughout most of the forested terrain in the rest of the state. The brown band on the tips of their tail feathers readily distinguishes them from the sharptail and ruffed grouse. (The “Franklin” grouse farther south lacks this field mark; although formerly regarded as a separate species, it is now considered a subspecies of the spruce grouse.) In areas where their ranges overlap, spruce grouse can be distinguished from the far larger blue by the mottled appearance of their breast feathers. The problem, from the pure wing-shooter’s perspective, isn’t the bird—a small, attractive grouse that can explode off the ground when it wants to and actually provides fine table fare—but its habits. Spruce grouse are more likely to rely on their excellent natural camouflage than their speed on the wing. And since most of the threats to their survival come from ground-based predators, they’re usually content to flutter up into the nearest tree and wait for danger to pass when they’re alarmed. While that’s a logical defense against foxes and lynx, it doesn’t offer much challenge to a shotgun. The behaviors that make the spruce grouse the definitive fool hen certainly aren’t all bad from the human hunter’s point of view. As survival fare, they’re hard to beat. Cut up and stewed with rice or noodles, they have provided a welcome respite from canned or freeze-dried food on countless wilderness big-game hunts. Friends regularly carry .22 pistols into the bush for just that purpose (although rocks will do the trick in a real emergency). But for those of us who choose to hunt big game with bows and arrows, producing a fool hen dinner at the end of a long day in search of moose or caribou can become a legitimate sporting exercise in its own right. The prohibitions against shooting sitting grouse that my father beat into my head when I was a kid certainly don’t apply when I’m armed with my longbow. In fact, a grouse twenty feet up ina spruce tree and partially concealed by overhanging branches can make a very challenging archery target. Furthermore, an errant shot may well result in a lost arrow a long way from the nearest replacement. I’ve certainly spent plenty of time kicking through the brush looking for lost arrows, often with the grouse that offered the original target already in my backpack after a clean pass-through. When space and weight constraints allow, I pack along an extra dozen relatively expendable “grouse arrows” for just this purpose when I’m hunting big game. Experienced Alaska bowhunters hold a variety of opinions about the optimal head to use on spruce grouse. Rubber blunts, Judo points, old .38 caliber shell casings, and the specialized small-game heads offered by some broadhead manufacturers all have their advocates. But I learned a long time ago that if you really want to kill something with a bow, you better shoot it with a cutting broadhead, and I keep a supply of old, non-replaceable blade heads that are a bit too beaten up to use on big game for just that purpose. Of course that has obligated me to some tree-climbing gymnastics when I’ve left a head stuck in a spruce trunk, with or without a grouse skewered on the shaft, but that seems a small price to pay for a clean kill and a grouse dinner. I never cease to be amazed at the way a grouse can sometimes absorb a solid hit from a rubber blunt shot from a heavy bow and fly off apparently unscathed. Autumn float trips for big game—or fish, for that matter—offer particularly abundant spruce grouse opportunities in suitable terrain because of the birds’ seasonal habits. At that time of year, grouse are eager to fill their gizzards with gravel ahead of the impending winter, and they often appear on stream banks in considerable numbers early in the morning and late in the evening for just that purpose. One advantage of the bow in this situation is that the hunter can quietly pick off enough birds for a real feast without spooking whatever big game might be in the area. Spruce grouse meat is dark but generally delicious in the fall, although it can taste strong in the winter when the birds are surviving on spruce needles. Cooked in a real kitchen with a range of supplemental ingredients available, they can provide the core of a terrific wild game dinner. However, the vast majority of spruce grouse I’ve eaten have been prepared in the field over an open fire, often at the end of a long day that left me too tired to worry about imaginative cooking. My standard wilderness spruce grouse recipe is about as simpleas camp cookery can get. Bone and dice the bird. Poach lightly for 15 minutes, using a bit more than one cup of water per grouse. Add one packet of Ramen noodles per bird and simmer for five more minutes. Wolf it down, crawl into your sleeping bag, and get ready for another day. As gratifying as I found this utilitarian approach to spruce grouse and their pursuit, it did nothing to address the need to enjoy some real wing-shooting that I experienced so acutely after moving from Montana to Alaska. That, after some experimentation, was where the dog finally came into play, as illustrated by events on that long ago September afternoon. Once we were safely away from the road, I released Sky from heel and watched him disappear into the woods. A flushing dog that is out of control does no good in heavy cover, but, guided only by an occasional trill from my whistle, Sky tacked steadily back and forth across the old cut without ever getting out of shotgun range. Suddenly the explosive sound of wings erupted from the trees to my left, and by the time the bird roared across the cut I was ready for him. The quick shot that followed reminded me of classical New England ruffed grouse hunting. As a handful of feathers drifted slowly down to earth, Sky appeared from the trees to do what retrievers do best. That bird was the first of three our team picked up during an hour’s hike through the cover, enough for a mealfor my family… and more than enough to make me feel like a real bird hunter again. Operating in their fool hen mode, spruce grouse will never rival ptarmigan as Alaska’s premier wing-shooting quarry. But whether they’re providing an emergency source of excitement for your shotgun and dog or a memorable meal around a wilderness campfire, they always seem to find a way to remind us of the North’s vast outdoor bounty.

Post: 3 November 15:54

Hunting the Modern Cottontail Rabbit A New Age Has Dawned in the World of Rabbit Hunting Hunters have been pursuing the Eastern cottontail ever since the time of the earl

Hunting the Modern Cottontail Rabbit A New Age Has Dawned in the World of Rabbit Hunting Hunters have been pursuing the Eastern cottontail ever since the time of the earliest Native Americans. Although hunter numbers have declined from peak numbers, rabbit hunting still remains extremely popular overall and is one of the most popular small game pursuits. However, the dynamics of hunting cottontails have changed dramatically, and to achieve consistent success in the field, hunters must adapt to the new age of rabbit hunting. The Decline Bunny Facts: The number of rabbit hunters has declined through the years. Even so, rabbit hunting is still popular. According to recent surveys, approximately 1.5 million people hunt rabbits and/or hares. Rabbit/hare hunting ranked as the fourth most popular hunting endeavor, tied with pheasant hunting and behind only whitetail deer, turkey, and squirrel. Rabbit hunting ranked more popular than waterfowl and dove hunting, as well as all other species such as elk, bear, and others. A decade or two ago, finding rabbits was really not all that difficult. They are well known as prolific breeders, and though population numbers may take a dip in years with extremely bad weather, numbers bounce back rather quickly after weather improves. Back in the day, there was also ample habitat. Now rabbit habitat is shrinking every year. There is more predation. The outcome: rabbit populations, although still very good, are not what they used to be. Going out on the back 40 and kicking brush rarely results in bagging a limit of cottontails. Shrinking habitat has not only reduced rabbit numbers but it has also reduced hunter access and allowed predators easier opportunities to bag a bunny for dinner. The proliferation and expanding populations of coyotes throughout the cottontail range — plus numbers of domestic feral cats at an all-time high — has only increased predation on rabbits. All of these habitat and predation factors have led to changes in rabbit location and behavior. Where They Hide Rabbits are found most anywhere they can find food sources and cover (for hiding from predators and also thermal protection from the elements). In most locations, sparse cover does not hold rabbits like it once did. Hunters must concentrate on areas with denser and more abundant cover to find rabbits in good supply. Hard-earned success is much more rewarding. (Photo by Russell Graves) Hard-earned success is much more rewarding. (Photo by Russell Graves) An exception to this rule is near dwellings, barns, oilrigs, and other areas with a consistent amount of human activity. Coyotes and many other predators steer clear of areas where people are constantly present, but a rabbit will hang out in brush or other thick foliage and disregard most human activity. In the last decade or so, it seems they have increased their attraction to these areas and are even more numerous in urban areas than the past. Regardless, areas with human activity, sufficient cover, and a lack of predators are prime locations for finding rabbits. As mentioned, rabbits in more remote areas are found mostly in the thicker cover than in places with thin cover. Rabbits have always liked thick cover; that is no surprise. The difference is that they are found less in other areas than in the past. When I first began rabbit hunting, it was very common to walk into a field of grass and jump a few rabbits just walking around or to kick an isolated clump of cover and reasonably expect a rabbit to come darting out. That just isn’t the case anymore. Hunters must hit sparse cover early in the season for any success at all. This is especially true in agricultural areas, as rabbits forced from row crop fields during harvest often take cover along the edges. However, within a short period of time, they are either decimated by predation or they move to thicker, safer locations. The absolute best locations for finding rabbits are areas with extremely dense cover. Gnarly tangles of briars, thorns, honeysuckle, and brush are difficult to reach for coyotes and foxes and make great locations for rabbits to hide from birds of prey. Likewise, they are hard to “kick up” by walking hunters. Rabbits hold much tighter in these areas and often do not jump unless almost stepped on or forced out by a rabbit dog willing to bury deep into cover. Having good rabbit dogs — especially one or two good “jump” dogs — is what often spells the difference in success these days. Dogs that skirt the edges of cover are not going to get up a lot of bunnies. Watch Them Run “There he goes,” is a common phrase shouted by hunters as the rabbit bolts from cover and streaks off down the field edge or across an open area to the next patch of thick cover. Hunters then try to determine which direction the rabbit is going and get in a position to intercept it and have a shooting opportunity when the rabbit circles back near the jump location. That part hasn’t changed, but what has changed in many cases is how a rabbit runs and circles. Cottontails have a relatively small home range and are well familiar with their local surroundings. They do not like to leave this comfort zone. Therefore, a cottontail often darts out and puts as much distance as possible between it and the pursuing dogs. Then it slows down or stops and waits. As the dogs following the scent trail get near, the rabbit moves again. Eventually, it makes its way back to or near the original jump site. Most times, this jump and circle does not cover a large distance. It all depends upon the habitat and how cover is positioned. But usually a circle is within 100 yards or so. However, in areas where rabbits are constantly pressured by predators, especially along strips of cover between two crop fields, rabbits these days run much farther before turning and starting to circle. In recent years, I have seen numerous rabbits pop out of cover and run full speed along the edge of a field until they are completely out of sight. We have to accept this as the new norm and be willing to work a little harder to get into position for a shot. Kicking Them Up In contrast to the propensity of cottontails to locate and hold tight within the thickest cover to be found, there are still possibilities today for finding “easy” rabbits. Even with all the changes in habitat, predation, and rabbit behavior, it is still possible to bag a few rabbits without having dogs. However, hunters must choose hunting locations wisely and then be willing to put in some sweat equity if they are to enjoy a hot plate of rabbit stew. Some of the best locations to walk up a few rabbits are the aforementioned areas of human activity. Around barns, stored farm implements, automotive junkyards, grown-up spots around ponds, and other areas located where humans are close by are great spots for kicking brush. The best locations are isolated away from woods. Look for places where coyotes, foxes, and bobcats would have to cross wide-open fields to reach. A Full Game Bag Rabbit hunting is a tremendous amount of fun, and, of course, rabbits are one of the tastiest wild game meals to make an appearance on the dinner table. Rabbits may not be as easy to find now. Finding quality rabbit habitat and obtaining permission to hunt it is not what it once was, either. Nonetheless, with a little more work, a friend or two, and perhaps a couple of good dogs (or even a whole pack), rabbit hunting is as much fun and as rewarding as ever. Time spent in the field, the camaraderie, and the “gourmet” dining experience all combine to make any extra effort well worthwhile.

Post: 4 July 21:28

7 Reasons Why OTC Elk Tags Beat Draw Tags If you want to spend more time in the elk woods and have more chances to succeed, then over-the-counter elk tags are the way to

7 Reasons Why OTC Elk Tags Beat Draw Tags If you want to spend more time in the elk woods and have more chances to succeed, then over-the-counter elk tags are the way to go At least four different bulls bugled practically nonstop all morning long as I flanked a herd swarmed by satellite bulls. One beautiful 6x6 with a lovesick bugle grew attached to my cow calling around midmorning, but when he got to 60 yards — no shot opportunity — and didn’t see a cow, his interest fizzled. He rejoined the ensemble of bugling bulls. I continued chasing bugles, and at around noon, I came eye to eye with a massive old 6x6 at 14 yards. A well-placed arrow into the front of his chest quickly took effect, and my first bull ever was down within 100 yards. That hunt wasn’t guided, or in a unit that took me years to draw. It was instead on an over-the-counter tag on U.S. Forest Service lands. We’re often told that OTC hunting looks nothing like the hunts seen on outdoor television. While the hunt I had isn’t the norm, I have nonetheless had plenty of awesome hunting, with bulls going nuts, in OTC units. Fact is, DIY hunters kill great bulls in places like that every year. Applying for limited entry tags is never a bad idea, but in the meantime, you might as well hunt somewhere. Playing the Draw Like many guys and gals who are serious about western hunting, I annually apply for elk points in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Plus, I’ve tested the measly sub-1-percent odds by applying for premium elk tags in Arizona and New Mexico. Despite the time I’ve spent keeping tabs on all of the draws and the money I’ve spent on points, I have yet to draw a limited elk tag. Sure, I could draw an OK unit with the points I have, but I’m waiting to cash my points in on premium units. But that doesn’t keep me out of the elk woods. On the contrary, I’ve hunted elk nine times on OTC tags. If I only did draw hunts, I probably wouldn’t have hunted elk yet. All of the time I’ve invested into hunting elk has led me to believe that OTC tags are actually better than draw tags for several reasons. Here they are. 1. You Get to Hunt Every Year If you want to become a good elk hunter, you need experience. Draw tags in good to great units aren’t an annual or bi-annual deal. OTC tags, on the other hand, put you in the mountains every fall, if your finances and schedule allow. I’d much rather hunt elk annually than twiddle my thumbs for 10-15 years waiting on a great tag — I love it too much to wait that long between hunts. Draw tags in premium units can be awesome, and Lord willing, I’ll draw some within the next five to 10 years. When I do, I’ll be glad that I already have experience. OTC tags are like training camp for the big tags you can one day draw. You’ll be able to make the most of those tags because you’ll have a ton of experience under your belt when you hunt OTC elk every year or at least every other year. 2. You Stay in Shape I keep myself in pretty good physical shape, but elk hunting has forced me to take fitness more seriously. I learned during my very first hunt that to keep up with elk and have the stamina to keep going day in and day out, I must be in mountain shape. In other words, big biceps and a Michelin-man chest don’t cut it. It takes a mix of lifting, maneuvers, and endurance-based training to truly be ready for all that the elk woods can dish up. What do OTC elk tags in particular have to do with fitness? Well, when you hunt elk annually or bi-annually, there is less time between hunts, and so there is more motivation to stay in good shape all of the time, not just once every 10 years. When you do annual elk hunts, fitness becomes a lifestyle, not a pre-hunt-prep measure. 3. You’re More Effective at Finding Elk Finding elk takes a learning curve. I was fortunate enough to have a relative show me the ropes during my first elk hunt, and that helped me to an extent. However, when I ventured away from his spots, I didn’t really know what I was looking for, and finding elk wasn’t always easy. But the more time I spent looking, the better I understood what habitat and terrain elk like and why. Now, I can find elk quite fast and put myself in the game to hunt them, because I’ve spent tons of days in the elk woods and know what to look for. Through nine elk hunts, I’ve also realized the importance of having back-up spots. There are so many variables that can turn your OTC elk hunt upside down, and you have to keep a good attitude and move on to plan B when unforeseen challenges arise. I have OTC hunts to thank for hammering home that concept. 4. You Hone Your Calling Skills I bugled in a magnificent bull during my first elk hunt that ultimately ducked my arrow, but I didn’t really know much about calling elk during my first few elk hunts. In fact, I’m still learning today. Elk in OTC units are the elite at evading hunters and becoming educated toward calling, so spend a ton of time hunting OTC elk and find your groove with calling them in. Also, much can be learned about calling elk — realistic sounds and frequencies — by listening to them. Many times I’ve been within earshot of elk and heard cows and calves chirping and mewing. I’ve also heard every bull vocalization, from grunts to whines to round-up bugles to glunking. Frequent OTC hunts give you more time in the woods and more opportunities to hear elk talk. 5. You Observe More Elk For years, elk intimidated me. Their size compared to a whitetail is astounding, and when a bull bugles at 100 yards or less, the intimidation factors only increases. But I’ve found that the more I’m around elk, the more comfortable I am and the better I’ve become at not falling apart when I get a chance to draw my bow. By observing elk annually, it becomes clear that they’re just animals, like whitetails, and that we’re still above them on the food chain, regardless of how big and noisy they are. OTC tags give you more opportunities to observe elk, and that’ll make you more comfortable during encounters. 6. You Fill More Tags Success odds in many OTC units are around 10 percent, give or take. During your very first elk hunt, I’d say your personal odds are right there if you’re a decent hunter and pay attention to the details. But, if you pick a unit and hunt it as often as you can, you’ll begin to learn so much about the elk there. As you connect the dots, I believe your personal odds will increase. Naturally, this means that you’ll have more opportunities to fill tags. Draw tags make you wait on the bench for a number of years. OTC tags let you play the game. You can’t win if you don’t play. 7. You Eat More Elk! I know of no one who wouldn’t love a freezer full of elk meat. From mature bulls to immature bulls and cows, I haven’t had a bad meal of elk. My wife and I even have a friend who demands elk stir-fry whenever we invite her over for dinner and ask her what she’d like to eat. It’s that good. If you hunt premium draw tags only, at best, you’ll be filling your freezer with elk once every 8 to 10 years. Although you can’t expect every elk hunt to be successful, I believe that a good elk hunter can realistically expect to kill an elk every two to three years on OTC hunts. Finish Line Obviously, I’ve made a case for OTC elk tags being better than draw tags for several valid reasons. But understand, I’m not knocking draw tags. If you want to someday hunt a unit with next to no pressure and with big-bull potential, by all means, play the draw. I do. But don’t overlook OTC tags while you wait. If you want to become an experienced elk hunter and have opportunities to pack your freezer with delicious elk meat, OTC hunting is your ticket to the show.

Post: 29 August 10:25

Hunting Packages in Morocco: A Complete Guide for Serious Hunters 🦌 Morocco isn’t just a cultural gem—it’s a rising star in the world of international hunting. From dri

Hunting Packages in Morocco: A Complete Guide for Serious Hunters 🦌 Morocco isn’t just a cultural gem—it’s a rising star in the world of international hunting. From driven partridge shoots in the Atlas Mountains to summer dove hunts in the Tadla plains, the country offers a wide range of hunting packages tailored to different species, seasons, and budgets. This guide breaks down the real-world options available to hunters, including package types, pricing, logistics, and what to expect in the field. --- 🏞️ Types of Hunting Packages Available Moroccan outfitters and hunting associations offer structured packages that typically fall into three categories: 1. Small Game Packages • Species: Barbary partridge, quail, hare, turtle dove, woodcock • Methods: Walked-up shooting over dogs, driven hunts, flight line shooting • Regions: Azilal, Beni Mellal, Tadla, Benslimane, Meknes • Duration: 2–5 days • Ideal For: Shotgun hunters, bird shooting enthusiasts 2. Big Game Packages • Species: Wild boar, Barbary sheep (Aoudad) • Methods: Driven hunts with beaters and dogs, spot-and-stalk in mountain terrain • Regions: Béni-Snassen Mountains, Middle Atlas, Taroudant • Duration: 3–6 days • Ideal For: Rifle hunters, trophy seekers 3. Summer Dove Packages • Species: European turtle dove • Methods: Flight line shooting over grain fields • Regions: Tadla plains, Marrakech outskirts, Azilal • Duration: 3–4 days • Ideal For: High-volume shooters, Gulf-region hunters --- 🏨 What’s Included in a Typical Package Most Moroccan hunting packages are all-inclusive. Here’s what you can expect: • Hunting license & insurance • Firearm rental or import assistance • Professional guides and dog handlers • Accommodation (3★ to 5★ hotels or lodges) • Meals (field breakfast, lunch, dinner) • Transport to and from hunting zones • Game cleaning and packaging • Optional concierge services for non-hunters Some packages also include cultural excursions, fishing, or spa access for companions. --- 💰 Pricing Breakdown Prices vary based on species, season, and service level. Here’s a general overview: Package Type Duration Price Range (per hunter) Small Game (Partridge/Quail) 3–4 days €1,800–€2,500 Big Game (Boar/Aoudad) 4–6 days €2,500–€5,000+ Dove Shooting (Summer) 3–4 days €1,500–€2,200 Add-ons: • Gun rental: €30–€50/day • Ammo: €100/250 shells • Trophy fees (Aoudad): €3,000–€6,000 • Non-hunting guest: €800–€1,200 --- 📍 Top Hunting Estates & Operators 🔸 Widiane Chasse (Azilal Region) • 70,000 hectares of private terrain • Luxury accommodation at Widiane Hotel • Known for driven partridge, dove, and boar hunts • Managed by Atlas Sporting 🔸 River Camp Morocco (Benslimane & Meknes) • 5,000 hectares of mixed terrain • Excellent for woodcock, duck, hare, and partridge • Offers structured bird shooting with dogs 🔸 1001 Hunts (Turtle Dove Specialist) • Operates in Tadla and Marrakech regions • Summer-only packages during migration • High-volume shooting with full field support 🔸 Hunting Morocco Platform • Connects hunters with certified associations • Offers budget-friendly packages in Khenifra and Moulay Bouazza • Ideal for local-style hunts with minimal frills --- 🧾 Legal & Logistical Considerations • Hunting Days: Friday to Monday only • Firearm Import: Requires advance paperwork; handled by outfitter • Permits: Species-specific and zone-based • Insurance: Mandatory for all hunters • Group Size: Some driven hunts require 6–10 hunters minimum Outfitters typically handle all documentation, including customs clearance and local permits. --- 🧭 Final Thoughts Morocco’s hunting packages offer more than just birds and bullets—they deliver a full experience. Whether you’re stalking Barbary sheep in the mountains or shooting doves over sesame fields, the country combines wild terrain, professional service, and cultural depth. With options ranging from luxury retreats to rugged field camps, Morocco is ready for hunters who want more than just a trophy—they want a story.

Post: 17 November 18:46

By Frank Gentile, Hopewell, N.Y. It was October 2011, and I was back in my Chevy Tahoe on my way to another hunt. This time, instead of my son, I was traveling with my h

By Frank Gentile, Hopewell, N.Y. It was October 2011, and I was back in my Chevy Tahoe on my way to another hunt. This time, instead of my son, I was traveling with my hunting buddies. My buddies and I had been on plenty of trips together before but never to Texas! Between the four of us and gear for six (two of our team opted to fly from New York to San Antonio), every single spare inch of space in the truck had been utilized. With each of us taking turns driving, we made it to Texas in about 20 hours. We got dinner and hotel rooms in Texarkana, and were back on the road early the next morning. With a day to spare before we were due at our hunting camp in Hondo, Texas, we headed south with plans to enjoy the city of San Antonio along the way. In San Antonio, we explored the Alamo, the River Walk and the Buckhorn Saloon and Texas Ranger Museum. What a great city! Our first order of business after arriving at the camp the next morning was to make sure that our rifles were on target. With that complete, we were off to our first afternoon hunt. At this camp, there was one guide for every hunter, and your guide stayed out with you the entire time. The treestands were made of fiberglass and completely enclosed. This was exciting. It was also my first time hunting whitetails on active feeders. The feeders were located about 100 yards directly in front of my treestand, and I had about 150 yards to my left and right of clear shooting. When the feeders went off, they reminded me of the ringing of a dinner bell; I never in my life saw so many deer in front of me at one time! The guide was very clear in designating what I could and couldn’t shoot: I was paid up for a deer in the 130- to 140-class range. Despite my excitement over seeing all of those deer in one place, the right deer didn’t show. It was not the day for my shot. Dinner back at the camp was great, but breakfast came very early, so a good night’s sleep was my plan. I was back in the same stand the next morning. It was early and still pretty dark. I thought I had seen some movement but couldn’t see exactly what it was. As the day woke up, the feeder went off, and once again, deer were everywhere! I’ve still never seen so much horn in one place! About 150 yards to my right was a lonely buck. He was feeding and getting closer. As I picked up my binocular to get a closer look, my guide remarked, “Nice deer.” As I studied him, I noticed some movement on the ground, and to my surprise, feeding right next to the deer was a raccoon. The raccoon fed and moved closer to the buck, and at this point, I didn’t care about the feeder or the dozen or so deer to my left. I was completely focused on this odd duo. The deer kept cutting the distance, as did the raccoon, and was about 50 yards away—just as I was thinking what a nice trophy he would be—when the big let-down came from my guide: “I think he’s over 140.” My eyes still didn’t waver from those two animals. Now they were coming towards the treestand, stopping here and there to eat. Even my guide couldn’t get over how content these two animals were in each other’s presence. Knowing that this may not be the one for me due to his size, my eyes roamed over the remaining deer at the feeder. Two nice looking bucks were nearby, but were obviously out of my class—they were at least in the 200-inch range, too big for my wallet. I turned over to the guide, who had now taken a photo of the deer with his “rangefinder-camcorder-cell phone” to send to his foreman in hopes of getting the go-ahead for a shot. I couldn’t believe how detailed the rack looked on this 4-inch screen. I didn’t want to let this one get away, and I soon found out that I didn’t have to. My guide received the green light from his foreman, and tapped me on my shoulder to take the deer. By now, the deer had started to move farther away, about 140 yards, still feeding and walking. My heart was pounding, and once again doing double-time. I had the buck in my scope, and when he turned broadside to look at the raccoon I took the shot. He went down as if hit by a locomotive. It is amazing what a 150-grain bullet can do. Back at camp, it was measuring time. It turns out the guide was spot-on and was right to be cautious. The big 8-point buck measured 139⅝ inches.

Post: 22 November 14:38

Hunting Dates in Ringerike: Seasonality of Hunting, Timing and Regulations, Hunting Permits, Restrictions and Prohibitions Planning a hunting trip to Ringerike, Norway?

Hunting Dates in Ringerike: Seasonality of Hunting, Timing and Regulations, Hunting Permits, Restrictions and Prohibitions Planning a hunting trip to Ringerike, Norway? This beautiful region offers excellent hunting opportunities across forests, wetlands, and mountainous terrain. To ensure a successful and legal hunt, understanding the official hunting seasons, regulations, licensing requirements, and best practices is essential. This guide covers the hunting calendar, prime seasons, restrictions, permits, penalties, and expert tips to help you make the most of your hunt in Ringerike. Regional Hunting Timetables and Rules in Ringerike Hunting in Ringerike follows strict seasonal schedules regulated by Norwegian wildlife authorities. The main hunting periods are: Big game (moose, deer, reindeer): Mid-August to late December Small game (hare, grouse, woodcock): September to February Waterfowl: Late August to December Several factors influence these hunting seasons. Harsh winters often push game to lower elevations, affecting hunting zones and accessibility. Breeding seasons impose closed periods, such as no hunting during spring mating. Compared to neighboring Buskerud, Ringerike enforces stricter moose quotas as part of conservation efforts. Recent reforms between 2020 and 2023 have shortened moose seasons and introduced tighter limits on female harvests to stabilize populations. Prime Seasons for Big and Small Game The best hunting windows vary by species. Moose are most active during the rut in September and October, making this the prime time for calling and tracking. Roe deer bucks are best hunted in August and September, while does are more accessible in October and November. Grouse and woodcock peak in October, just before winter sets in, when their activity is highest. Ringerike hosts several hunting-related events that attract enthusiasts from across Norway. One of the most notable is the Ringerike Hunting Expo, held every October, where hunters can explore the latest gear, attend workshops on tracking and marksmanship, and network with local guides. Another key event is the Driven Hunt Week in November, organized by the Ringerike Jeger og Fiskerforening, where teams collaborate to hunt deer in designated forest zones, followed by traditional game feasts. These events not only celebrate the hunting culture but also promote ethical hunting practices and wildlife conservation. Community Hunts and Cultural Traditions Beyond formal festivals, Ringerike has a strong tradition of community-driven hunts, especially for moose and grouse. Local hunting clubs often arrange group hunts in early autumn, where experienced hunters mentor newcomers, passing down skills like tracking and field dressing. After the hunt, it’s common to gather for "viltmiddag" (wild game dinners), featuring dishes like moose stew and roasted grouse. These gatherings strengthen camaraderie among hunters while reinforcing sustainable hunting ethics—ensuring that Ringerike’s wildlife thrives for future generations. Know the No-Go Zones, Species, and Season Bans in Ringerike Strict rules protect vulnerable species in Ringerike. Lynx, wolf, and golden eagle are strictly off-limits to hunting. Shooting female moose with calves is prohibited until late in the season to protect young populations. Closed seasons run from March to May to safeguard breeding wildlife, and night hunting is banned except under specific pest control permits. These regulations help maintain healthy wildlife populations and ensure ethical hunting practices. Joining the Hunt, How to Get Licensed To hunt legally in Ringerike, you must pass the Norwegian hunter’s exam and obtain a hunting license. Landowner permission is required for hunting on private grounds. Big game hunting requires game tags, which are typically issued via a lottery system. Key organizations include the Norwegian Hunters’ and Anglers’ Association (NJFF), which manages licenses and quotas; Ringerike Jeger og Fiskerforening, a local club offering guided hunts; and Statens Naturoppsyn (SNO), which enforces hunting laws and issues permits. Penalties That Can Ruin Your Season in Ringerike Violations of hunting laws carry serious consequences. Illegal kills can result in fines up to 30,000 NOK. Repeat offenders may face hunting bans ranging from one to five years. In severe cases, firearms may be confiscated. To avoid these penalties, always ensure compliance with regulations and carry all necessary permits during your hunt. Expert Picks, Timing, Tools, and Tactics Success in Ringerike depends on adapting your gear and tactics to the season. Early in the season (August–September), rattling calls are effective for moose, and lightweight camouflage suits grouse hunting. Later in the season (November–December), thermal scopes help in low-light conditions, and driven hunts become popular. Top hunting spots include the Tyrifjorden Wetlands, excellent for duck hunting, and Krokskogen Forest, known for its prime moose territory. Focusing on feeding areas early in the season and tracking game during the rut will increase your chances of a rewarding hunt.

Post: 19 August 15:28

By Aaron Webber The three muskox bulls were getting anxious and it appeared that they were about to run again. I had chased this particular bull several times from a lar

By Aaron Webber The three muskox bulls were getting anxious and it appeared that they were about to run again. I had chased this particular bull several times from a larger herd, but after several failed attempts to get a clear shot, it had finally broken off from the herd with two other, smaller bulls. I jumped off my snowmachine and got ready with my 7 mm Mag. The largest bull had moved away from the other two and presented a broadside shot. I instinctively stood, aimed, and fired at the bull. The bull took off running. I reloaded and followed up with a second shot which knocked the bull to the ground. I had finally bagged my bull! I started shaking severely. Whether it was delayed buck fever, or the fact that it was freezing cold, or perhaps a combination of both, I don’t know. I calmed myself enough to climb back on my snowmachine and drove over to the downed bull. The rest of the group arrived just before I did. My dad met me at my machine and gave me a big hug. The others whooped and hollered and gave me high fives as we all admired the bull. We snapped some pictures and took some time to rest and take it all in. This was the third and last muskox of the trip, and the weather was showing signs of a storm, so we decided to strap it onto my sled and tow it back to camp where we could start a fire in the tent and be able to butcher the animal with warmth a few feet away. This story actually began over a year prior to the day I shot my bull, which was in early March 2018. In January 2017, I was unsuccessful in purchasing a muskox tag online as they all sold out within a few minutes. When I found out I did not get one I decided I would just buy a leftover taga at the Alaska Fish and Game counter, but that would not happen for two more days and I found out that there were already people standing in line at the Fish and Game office. I made a quick decision and gathered cold weather sleeping gear and drove to the Alaska Fish and Game office. I ended sleeping over night with 16 other people to be in line when the doors opened two days later to purchase an over-the-counter, first come, first served tag. The bull tags were all gone by the time my number came up, so I got a cow tag. I was thrilled! My friend Sam Hancock was lucky and bought a cow tag online so he and I made plans for a muskox hunt. Muskox Aaron with his muskox 2017. © Sam Hancock The season ran from Feb 1 – March 25, however, weather was the determining factor for hunting. Bethel is approximately 90 miles from Nelson Island, and if weather did not cooperate, there are many hazards that can be very serious. To get to the island, it is necessary to travel across Baird Inlet, a 30 mile stretch of water that may not be frozen in all places. It is difficult to see anything if there is wind-blown snow or fog. Then, when you get to the island and travel over it, fog may come up that will disguise the topography such that if you are not careful, you may just drive your snowmachine off a cliff. A good GPS is a must for a trip like this, especially since neither Sam nor I had ever traveled to Nelson Island. Fortunately, that year the weather presented a window of opportunity with moderate temperatures and little wind, so Sam and I made the trip over to the island for our hunt. Weather was great going over, and the scenery was spectacular! We lost count after spotting 20 red foxes, and when we reached the island, we flushed hundreds of ptarmigan. Typically, I would have been trying to chase every fox and ptarmigan, but we were dedicated to muskox, so we left the smaller rifles behind. We put about 130 miles on our machines by the time we made it to camp, right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. We were actually out on the frozen ocean on our snowmachines cruising along the coast to get to our camp. I never thought I would be able to say that I drove a snowmachine over the ocean, but we did! We set up camp and still had a few hours left of light, so we started glassing the surroundings. On the hill right above camp we spotted a herd of muskox. They were definitely accessible so we got our gear and started toward them. As we drove closer we were able to see them more clearly. It was a group of about 15 animals and they all appeared to be bulls, some of them very large bulls. As we were leaving that group to go back to camp we saw, high on the side of the mountain, an enormous lone bull with a very distinguished boss. The bull confidently moved across the hillside without a care in the world, stopping occasionally to search for something to eat below the crusted surface of the snow. He would glance in our direction but didn’t seem to view us as dangerous. Sam and I both admired the bull and wished we had bull tags. We decided to return to camp. It sure is nice winter camping when you are in a comfortable camp. Sam brought along a 2-man Arctic Oven tent with a stove inside. We loaded the stove with a duraflame log and lit it, and within a few minutes we were warm and toasty and began boiling water on the stove. Dinner was a Mountain House freeze dried meal and we soon retired to bed, anxious for the next day. Our plan was to get up and wait for first light, then parallel the mountain cliffs, glassing as we went until we found a herd. Muskox hunting camp Muskox camp 2018. © Sam Hancock Early the next day found us driving out on the ocean and stopping periodically to glass inland onto the cliff faces. The herd we had watched the night before was still relatively close to where we saw them previously. We located another large herd several miles away and raced toward the group to get a closer look. We approached the herd by driving up and around a large hill and then walking to be able to glass. We crawled up to the top of a knoll and began glassing from about 150 yards away. The herd was just sitting on a hill, all clumped together. There were bulls, cows, and calves and they didn’t know we were there. Neither of us had ever hunted muskox before, so we started trying to identify each animal to make sure we could find two cows. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has a muskox identification quiz online that we both took and studied, but it is different identifying an animal on a computer screen and identifying one in a group of live animals. After probably 30 minutes of observation, we picked our animals and prepared for a shot. Sam fired first, and at the report of his rifle, the muskox fell to the ground. The others just got nervous for a minute but eventually settled back down, with the fallen animal in their midst. The animal I had selected presented a shot, and I dropped it with a well-placed shot to the lungs. Both dead animals fell in the middle of the group. As we approached the herd, we had to yell and scream to get the animals to run away. As I approached my animal, my heart began to sink when I noticed very faint black tips on the horns, an indicator of a bull. I had shot a bull instead of a cow. I felt sick as I came to a realization of my mistake. We butchered our animals and prepared to make the trip back home the next morning. It was a very long trip home with my mind tortured with what had happened. I ended up turning myself in to the wildlife trooper when I got home and ultimately the state took possession of the muskox and it was delivered to a local shelter. I was happy the animal was put to good use, but I was not allowed to have anything at all from that muskox. Sam was gracious enough to let me try some meat from his animal, and it was delicious! The whole experience left a sour taste in my mouth and after licking my wounds and letting some time pass, I vowed to try again the next year. Muskox Sam Hancock with his bull 2018. © Aaron Webber In 2018 Sam and I were both successful getting bull tags online, and another friend of ours, Jason, got a cow tag. My father was coming to visit from Idaho, and we planned the visit hoping the weather would allow us to go muskox hunting. It turns out the weather cooperated, so our group of four began the trip early in the morning darkness. With Sam leading the pack and me in the back, we headed west toward Nelson Island and made it in about five hours with frequent stops to regroup. Just as we approached the island, we encountered a large herd of muskox out on the ice. When they saw us, they bolted for land and Jason, who had the cow tag, circled up above them and ended up shooting a cow at about 50 yards. Sam was with him to make sure he shot a cow and not a bull. We were not going to make that mistake again! It was Jason’s first time hunting anything, and he was ecstatic to have just shot his first animal. I assured him that hunting is usually not this easy and it was beginners luck for things to work out that smoothly on his first hunting trip. By the time we butchered Jason’s cow, a blizzard hit, and we were still 30 miles from where we hoped to camp. We began driving until the blizzard was just too much and safety became an issue. It was everything I could do to keep the running lights of the machine in front of me in sight. Sam wisely made the decision to stop right where we were and set up the tent before we got into trouble. The wind was blowing so hard that we could not get the tent to stand with four people. I decided to pull my snowmachine upwind of the tent so we could tie the tent to it so the tent wouldn’t blow away. I started my machine and tried circling around. I went about 15 yards and drove right into an unseen creek and toppled sideways into the slushy water. I was wet and scared. The wind was so fierce, and the group was so focused on the tent that they didn’t even know what had happened. I finally alerted the others by yelling at the top of my lungs and fortunately, with their help, I was able to get out of the situation, but my sled along with all my gear sank into the creek and we had to use a tow rope to pull it out. All of this was happening while one person was hanging on for dear life to the tent so it did not blow away! We finally got the tent set up by anchoring it to the snowmachines and got a hot fire burning in the stove. Everyone was a little anxious as we huddled up next to the stove and cooked dinner. The wind was howling outside the tent, but inside I dried out enough to be comfortable again. After the long journey, butchering one muskox, and wrestling with the tent for an hour in the blizzard, sleep came easily. When we woke up, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the wind had calmed, and we were optimistic for the day. The drifts had covered our gear overnight, and it took us a while to uncover our snowmachines and sleds. With good light, it was eerie to see where we decided to spend the night. There were steep hills all around us and we easily could have driven into a mess. It was a good thing Sam made the decision to stop. We finally got our gear ready and started heading for the coast, which was still more than 10 miles away according to the GPS. We hadn’t driven more than a mile when we came upon a herd with a large bull. The herd took off and Sam positioned himself several hundred yards away in the direction they were running. Half of the herd went one direction away from Sam while the other group nervously formed a protective circle within gun range of Sam. Jason and dad drove to different angles away from Sam to try to deter the bull from running in their direction. I stayed where I was to watch if the bull ended up running back toward the other half of the herd. As I watched from a distance, I saw Sam get off his machine and then heard a shot. The herd ran away, leaving a furry mound behind. Sam had made a clean shot on a beautiful mature bull and now I was the only one left with an unfilled tag. We quickly processed the bull, and after stashing the meat, headed for the predetermined location to see if I could find my bull. Over the next few hours, we looked over roughly 60 animals including multiple bulls, but none really stood out as a shooter. During this entire time, we didn’t see another hunter. By mid-afternoon, we found a herd that had a nice bull in it. With our experience from the previous night, and with weather conditions showing signs of another storm, I decided I better try to fill my tag and make it back to camp sooner than later. That brings us back to the beginning of this story.

Post: 28 October 10:03

Widiane Resort & Spa – Award‑Winning Luxury Mountain Retreat for Hunters, Anglers, and Adventurers in Morocco Welcome to Our World Widiane We are Widiane Resort & Spa,

Widiane Resort & Spa – Award‑Winning Luxury Mountain Retreat for Hunters, Anglers, and Adventurers in Morocco Welcome to Our World Widiane We are Widiane Resort & Spa, your gateway to Morocco’s untamed beauty and refined luxury. Nestled on the shores of Lake Bin El Ouidane in the heart of the Middle Atlas Mountains, we offer more than just a stay — we offer an experience. In 2024, we were honoured with the prestigious Luxury Lifestyle Awards title of Best Luxury Mountain Resort in Morocco. This recognition reflects our dedication to exceptional service, authentic experiences, and the perfect balance between wilderness and comfort. --- Widiane Resort & Spa Location Our home is Chemin du Lac Bin El Ouidane, Route de Ouaouizerte, Bine El Ouidane 22200, Béni Mellal‑Khénifra, Morocco — a place where the mountains meet the lake, and the air is crisp with cedar and pine. From here, you can set out on a hunting expedition at dawn, cast your fishing line into turquoise waters by midday, and watch the sun set behind the peaks from your private terrace. --- Designed for Hunters and Outdoor Enthusiasts We understand the call of the wild. That’s why we’ve created exclusive hunting packages for seasoned sportsmen and curious first‑timers alike. Guided by experienced local trackers, you can explore the Atlas foothills in search of seasonal game such as wild boar, Barbary sheep, or partridge. After a day in the field, return to the comfort of our resort — where a hot hammam, a gourmet dinner, and a glass of fine Moroccan wine await. --- More Than Hunting – A World of Adventure While hunting is at our heart, we offer a full spectrum of outdoor and cultural experiences: • Fishing on Lake Bin El Ouidane for black bass and carp • Hiking and trekking through cedar forests, mountain passes, and hidden Berber villages • Water sports including kayaking, paddleboarding, and scenic boat cruises • Birdwatching and photo safaris to capture Morocco’s diverse wildlife • Culinary workshops to master traditional Moroccan recipes • Cultural excursions to explore local markets and heritage sites • Yoga and meditation at sunrise with panoramic lake views • Stargazing nights under the pristine mountain sky --- Accommodation – Your Basecamp in Style We offer three distinct styles of accommodation: • Kasbah Rooms – Traditional Moroccan charm with handcrafted details • La Source Rooms – Contemporary design with floor‑to‑ceiling lake views • Private Villas – Spacious retreats ideal for hunting parties or families Every room is designed to connect you with the landscape, whether through a private balcony, a panoramic window, or direct garden access. --- Dining – From the Wild to the Table Our culinary philosophy celebrates both local tradition and international flair. Enjoy freshly prepared game dishes, seasonal produce from nearby farms, and the finest Moroccan spices. Pair your meal with a selection from our curated wine list, and let the flavours tell the story of the land. --- Why Choose Widiane Resort & Spa We are not just a hotel. We are a destination for hunters, anglers, and adventurers who refuse to compromise on comfort. Here, you can: • Begin your day with the thrill of the hunt • Spend your afternoon fishing or hiking • End your evening in the spa or by the fire with friends Our team is here to ensure every moment is tailored to your passions. --- Your Invitation We invite you to join us at Widiane Resort & Spa — where the Atlas Mountains meet the lake, where adventure meets luxury, and where every guest becomes part of our story.

Post: 30 August 11:34

12 Reasons Why Your Venison Tastes Like Hell Is your deer meat tough, dry, and gamy? It shouldn’t be. Check out this list of 12 deer-butchering sins to find out why your

12 Reasons Why Your Venison Tastes Like Hell Is your deer meat tough, dry, and gamy? It shouldn’t be. Check out this list of 12 deer-butchering sins to find out why your venison tastes bad — and how to make it better I’m often amazed at the people, deer hunters included, who tell me they just don’t like venison. That statement is usually followed by a qualifier: it’s tough; it’s gamy; it’s dry. And so on. I’ve eaten a lot of good deer meat. But I’ve eaten some really bad deer meat, too. I’m only a self-trained butcher, but I’ve been processing five to six deer a season for the better part of 20 years. When it comes to cooking, I’m no Scott Leysath or Michael Pendley, either, but my wife, kid, and I do eat venison in some form two or three meals per week, year-round. I think we eat pretty good. Some things consistently make venison really tasty. And some things will ruin the flavor, too. Here are a dozen of the worst offenders. 1. Poor Field Care In the real world of hunting, things happen. We all make bad shots on occasion. And while we know not to “push” a deer that’s been hit marginally, realize that the longer it takes for the animal to die and the farther it runs, the more adrenaline and lactic acid builds up in the animal’s system and muscles. Ever had a glass of good-tasting acid? I didn’t think so. The faster a deer hits the ground and can be field-dressed, the better the meat will be. Some of the best-tasting deer I’ve ever had have been shot in the head with a gun. The animal is killed instantly, and the meat is uncontaminated by blood and entrails from the chest cavity. That said, head shots are risky. The lungs remain the best place to aim. 2. Failure to Cool Quickly Internal bacteria rapidly takes over after death, expelling gases and causing the animal to bloat. That’s the first step in decomposition. This process is accelerated in warm weather. Learn how to field-dress a deer, and get to it ASAP. Removing those organs is the first step in cooling the animal down. On a cold night — in the mid-30s or lower — a deer can be left hanging skin-on overnight. In especially cold weather, some hunters like to age a deer in such a manner for several days (more on aging in a bit). I live in a warm climate, and most of the deer I shoot in a season’s time are during early bow season, so I don’t have that luxury. When I find my deer and get it field-dressed, I plan on having it skinned, quartered and on ice within the hour. 3. Shooting the Wrong Deer Modern deer hunters are in tune with deer herd management. We’ve learned of practices that contribute to the health of a herd, including which deer to shoot. Given the chance, most of us want to shoot a mature buck with big antlers. Me included. Old bucks are perfectly edible but rarely the best. Muscles get tougher with use and stringy with age. An old buck that’s spent a full autumn fighting, rubbing, scraping, and chasing does will be lean. Expect chewy steaks. Same thing goes for an old doe that’s burned all her summertime calories producing milk to nurse fawns. I usually make hamburger, sausage, and jerky out of such animals. For steaks, you can’t beat a young, crop-fed deer. Deer that spend a summer munching on corn and soybeans have an easier life — and more fattening food sources — than those that spend a lifetime wandering the big timber in search of scattered mast and browse. The tastiest venison I’ve ever eaten came from a 1 1/2-year-old forkhorn shot through the neck near a picked cornfield during early bow season. That young deer had nothing to do all summer except get fat. Am I saying to whack every young buck that walks by? No. But I am saying if a deer for the freezer is your goal, young bucks from the early season are usually good eating and have more meat than does to boot. If you want to shoot one and it’s legal, go for it. You don’t owe anyone an apology. 4. Failure to Age / Purge I’ve been told that aging venison on ice is a mistake, but I don’t buy it.** The mercury rises above 50 degrees on most days of deer season in my area. That’s too warm to let a deer hang, so icing them down is my only option. I line the bottom of a cooler with a layer of ice, add my deer quarters on top of that, and then cover them with more ice. I keep the cooler in the shade with the drain plug open and on a downhill incline. That’s very important. The idea is to let the ice slowly melt and drain from the cooler. This not only keeps the meat cold, but purges an amazing amount of blood from it. Do this for at least two days, checking the ice a couple of times per day in especially warm weather. (Note: If you do this without a drain plug, you’ll get the opposite effect — deer quarters that are essentially marinated in bloody, dirty water. Does that sound tasty? Didn’t think so.) 5. Dirty Knives and Power Saws A deer’s legs are held together just like yours: with ball-and-socket joints and connective tissue. Learn where these are, and you can cut an entire skinned deer apart within minutes with a good pocketknife. Laying into a deer’s legs and spine with a power saw puts bone marrow, bone fragments, and whatever mess was on the saw blade into your venison. Would you season your steak with bone fragments and wood shavings? Didn’t think so. I keep three sharp knives handy when I’m cleaning a deer. One is for field-dressing. This one will be a stout knife with a drop point for prying through bone. Another is for skinning. Though a skinning blade with a gut hook is nice to have, I’ve been using a long-bladed fillet knife the last couple of seasons, and it works beautifully. These knives can be honed to a razor’s edge and quickly resharpened. Other than quickly dulling a knife’s edge by slicing through hair, skinning is not taxing on a knife’s blade, so a flexible fillet knife works fine. Finally, I swap over to another knife — again, with a heavier blade — for my quartering. The point to take from all this is to keep your knives separate so you reduce contamination of the meat with blood and hair. 6. Poor Trimming Unlike beef fat, deer fat does not taste good. Neither does the sinew, silver skin, and other connective tissues holding the various muscle groups together. Venison, whether destined for steaks or hamburger, should be trimmed free of anything that’s not rich, red meat. 7. Burger Is Too Lean Ironically, because fat needs to be trimmed away for the best flavor, venison often becomes too lean for hamburger purposes. Patties made for grilled double cheeseburgers often fall apart soon after hitting the hot grate. The solution is to add some fat, either beef or pork, when you’re grinding venison. We use cheap bacon, mixed at a rate of 5:1 (5 pounds of venison per pound of bacon). It makes our patties stick together, and the bacon adds a great flavor. 8. Using a Cut-Rate Processor Some commercial deer processors do a great job. But some do not. I once took a deer to a processor, filled out my paperwork, and watched him disappear to the freezer room. He weighed my animal and returned with a corresponding amount of packaged, frozen venison. “We mix all our meat together and package a lot of burger at once,” he said. For all I knew, the deer I was getting could’ve been gut-shot, left to hang in 90-degree heat, and then dragged along a blacktop road en route to the processor. No thanks. Insist on getting your own deer back when you have processing work done. 9. Marinade Problems “First, soak for 48 hours in Italian dressing …” It’s enough to make a venison lover cringe. Look, Italian dressing and BBQ sauce taste fine, but you’d better be a ravenous fan of them if you’re using them to soak venison steaks for two days. At the end of those two days, your steaks will taste just like … Italian dressing or BBQ sauce. There’s nothing wrong with a little splash of flavor enhancement, but try lighter flavors that complement the flavor of deer meat, and keep the marinade time short. My usual maximum is three or four hours. A favorite marinade for grilled venison steaks is a mixture of olive oil, a spoonful of balsamic vinegar, a spoonful of Worcestershire sauce, some minced garlic (with the juice), a squirt of mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. 10. Cooked Too Cool, for Too Long Venison recipes, especially grilled recipes, often call for removing the meat after a couple of minutes per side. For many, the result of that is “This is raw and gross.” And so they place it back on the grill. After a while, it turns gray, chewy, dry … and still gross. Grilled venison is best when eaten with a medium-rare interior, but the outside needs to be cooked. In order to do that, your grill needs to be hot enough to instantly sear the meat surface and lock in those flavors and juices. Flip your venison steaks one time. If you don’t have nice grill marks after three or four minutes, the grate isn’t hot enough. 11. Improper Packaging and Freezing Freezer burn doesn’t help the flavor of ice cream or anything else, deer meat included. Modern vacuum packaging systems are handy and save on space, but I’ve used some that resulted in freezer-burned meat after a few months. If you’re buying a vacuum-sealing unit, get a good one. We package our deer the old-fashioned way, first wrapping each portion in clear plastic wrap, and then covering that with heavy-duty freezer paper. Every package is clearly labeled, so we not only know what cut of meat is inside and when it was killed, but also which deer it came from. If one animal proves especially tough, we know to use that meat for slow-cooking recipes. 12. Getting Too Fancy There’s no big mystery or secret to cooking venison. Treat it as you would treat very lean beef, and you’ll get outstanding results day in and out. We substitute deer burger for beef hamburger in virtually everything — chili, tacos, sloppy Joes, burgers on the grill, spaghetti, and who knows what else. We never plan on a “wild game night” at the house. We just plan to cook dinner, and that usually means wild game by default.

Post: 28 July 09:33

The Lost Art of Hunting I’ve never been in a hunting situation where my success determined whether or not I got to eat that night, but I’ve been close. When I was in college, I usually had just enough money to buy a burger off the value menu on any given evening. And I was OK with that. The only problem besides being a poor college kid was the fact that I much preferred to put that change toward .22 rimfire cartridges and gas to get to my favorite squirrel hunting woods. Ryan, Bandit, Squeaky and I would pitch in for a group squirrel-gathering effort at least once a week when the fall season was open. This also gave us a good reason to skip class. After hunting, we’d prepare wild game dinners right there in the little dormitory kitchen. We ate squirrel and dumplings, squirrel and cream of mushroom soup, Cajun-fried squirrel, lemon-pepper squirrel and of course, Kentucky Burgoo. Often as not, we ended up feeding a half-dozen other residents who smelled hot grease and gathered around our plate. Most of them knew us well enough to know the frying smell wasn’t from chicken, but you won’t see many picky appetites in a building full of college kids who are stuck with school cafeteria food. We each had our favorite hunting spots, mostly consisting of small woodlots interspersed among cattle pastures and crop fields. We didn’t hunt with shotguns much—too loud in those little wood lots. Rimfires were our game, and there was always a little marksmanship competition taking place among us. The fellow who sailed an errant .22 bullet through an edible part of a squirrel could expect some teasing come skinning time that evening. I hunted with an open-sighted pump-action .22, and I seldom took a shot beyond 15 yards with it. I knew I could hit exactly where I wanted at that range, and the process of sneaking in that close was a lot of fun. In fact, if you need some woodsmanship skill lessons taught in a fashion that’ll serve you well while hunting all types of game, go squirrel hunting and see how close you can get to a squirrel before taking the shot. Better yet, carry a small-bore muzzleloader or even your bow and make getting close a requirement for success. A couple years before college, I frequently squirrel hunted with a .32 caliber muzzleloader that I’d bought with yard-mowing money. I spent several afternoons during the first summer I owned it trying to find a powder-bullet combination that would shoot reasonably well. I didn’t have a chronograph, and my shooting range consisted of a table in my parents’ backyard, but I finally learned that with 12 grains of FFG black powder (I later found that finer FFFG pistol powder worked better) behind a tiny patched 45-grain round ball, the rifle was suitable for squirrels out to 25 yards or so. Closer was better. But as is the case with all muzzleloader hunting, it was a one-shot proposition. It was also erratic accuracy-wise when loaded with just a few grains too much or too little powder, so it required even more time to prepare the charge between shots than a large-caliber gun. I had to ensure absolutely no powder was spilled, which was sometimes difficult with such a tiny hole in the muzzle. To consistently kill numbers of squirrels with that gun required a “plan ahead” strategy for each shot—and very good stalking skills. It was much easier to hit squirrels at 10 yards with it than at 25. Stalking Technique Chances are you’ve had squirrels very close to you while deer hunting and turkey hunting that could see you, but didn’t seem overly concerned about it. It’s likely because you seemed much more “stump-like” than predator like. That’s the same mindset to adapt when stalking squirrels. Limit yourself to covering no more than couple hundred yards in an hour, spending much more time stopping and looking than walking. Picking out a quiet route for your stalk rather than wandering haphazard through the woods helps as well. A squirrel stalker can move more slowly and remain more focused on spotting squirrels by slipping up a dry creek bed or old ATV path than by picking his way around fallen tree limbs. That’s not to say you always have to travel slowly to get within bow range of a squirrel. Once you spot an animal, use your own judgment on the best way to get within range. One of the best times to hunt those small wood lots when I was in college was after a rain in mid-October. By this time, squirrels had shifted from feeding in the trees on green mast to acorns that had fallen on the ground. It was easy to initially approach to within 50 yards or so of a feeding squirrel by just slipping through the woods. Since the animals were after acorns, they were often near the base of a fairly large oak tree. At some point, they’d move behind the tree, and I’d be obscured from their view. I could quickly move toward them at a near jog without making much noise on the wet leaves and stop only a few yards the other side of the tree. Squirrels would sometimes see me after scampering back into sight, but they almost always froze for several seconds, often after jumping onto the tree’s trunk to try and decipher what I was. They’d rarely bolt immediately away. This bushytail character flaw resulted in a lot of really easy shots. The Seasonal Squirrel Shift One of the beauties of hunting squirrels is they aren’t as difficult to locate as whitetails or turkeys, but you still have to hunt where they live. In temperate hardwood forests during the fall, squirrels have predictable food preferences that coincide with ripening mast trees. Some of this stuff overlaps, but in general, I always found squirrels in pine trees during the earliest part of the season, usually around mid-August. Fortunately, they don’t stay there long, as pinecones can give the animals a turpentine-like flavor. Hickory nuts ripen soon afterward, from the end of August till mid-September or so. Between dropping the large nuts to the ground and scraping their teeth against the hard shells, squirrels make a ton of racket in hickories. Hunting them in these trees, although a lot of fun, can be a test of patience. It can sometimes take a squirrel half an hour to finish one hickory nut, and if he’s obscured from your view by leaves, you can’t do much other than wait for a shot. Around mid-September through the first of October, squirrels often move to smooth-barked beechnut trees where they’re available. These trees often grow near creek banks, have small leaves that make spotting squirrels easy, and produce very small nuts that squirrels can quickly finish eating. Squirrels don’t make much noise when cutting in beech trees, however, so knowledge of where these trees grow in your hunting area is important. The golden days for riflemen and primitive weapons hunters occur in mid- to late October. If you can pull yourself away from the deer stand for a day or two, squirrels will be actively feeding on the ground near any oaks, especially white oaks, that have produced acorns. As any deer hunter will tell you, they make a lot of noise when the leaves are dry. When the leaves are wet, you can slip right up on them. Like many hunters, as the years have gone by, I’ve found myself going squirrel hunting much less often than I once did. My attention has increasingly shifted to whitetails, waterfowl and turkeys. I don’t have a squirrel lease or hang squirrel stands. I don’t plant squirrel food plots, or do much practicing with my squirrel calls. I sold that .32 caliber muzzleloader several years ago, and last year’s season was the first opening morning of squirrel season that I’ve missed since I was 7 years old. But it seems every time I figure out something else to do besides go squirrel hunting, I end up regretting the decision. When I do drag myself away from the “more serious” hunting pursuits, I’m reminded just how much I enjoy creeping to within easy range of a busy grey squirrel. Once I’m out there, I’m not thinking of it as practice or simply a way to pass time until deer or turkey season—I’m thinking of putting that critter in the bag and eating it for supper. I’m thinking of squirrel hunting—it may be one of the purest hunting experiences out there. Archery Squirrels Squirrels are great bowhunting targets, particularly when they’re foraging on the forest floor. Bowhunters in particular must be patient when stalking to within range for a shot, but bagging a few squirrels nearly every trip out isn’t as difficult as it may seem. The small size of your targets combined with the high number of shots you’re likely to be taking requires a little change in the way of gear. Your carbon arrows and broadheads will certainly kill squirrels, but you’ll quickly find yourself pulling more than your own weight in bringing us out of the economic recession (i.e., a carbon arrow and broadhead is expensive and you’ll lose a bunch of them). A broadhead destroys more meat than necessary on a squirrel as well. A better option is to invest in a dozen arrows tipped with small game points of some type, such as the Muzzy SG-X, G5 Small Game Head and others. These points are designed to immobilize squirrels and small game on impact without inflicting excessive cutting damage. They’re also equipped with forward-facing barbs to minimize arrow loss. If you’re shooting at squirrels in the trees, using Flu-Flu-fletched arrows of some type is a good idea to keep arrow loss at a minimum, although you’ll need to shoot off the shelf or with a rest that allows enough clearance to keep from damaging the large feathers.

Post: 27 July 10:54

Talarik Creek Lodge: Hunting for Trophy Rainbow Trout I answered him that it was not, and he shrugged off the 18-inch Arctic grayling on the end of my line like it was a

Talarik Creek Lodge: Hunting for Trophy Rainbow Trout I answered him that it was not, and he shrugged off the 18-inch Arctic grayling on the end of my line like it was a piece of weed. My wife had sent us fishing that evening to catch some fresh grayling for dinner and our goal was now achieved, with four large, translucent-white-fleshed fish having been plucked from the cold waters of the Newhalen River. The author’s son Lucas with what he calls “a real fish” also defined as any rainbow trout over 20 inches caught on a fly rod. What is it about rainbow trout that incites such excitement? Why is it that when fishing guides congregate around a fire the conversation always finds its way to rainbows, not salmon, not char, not pike, but definitely rainbows? “Keep it in the water,” “Careful, don’t drop it,” and “Nice release,” are all phrases I’ve heard said and spoken myself. I have a personal admiration for the green-speckled creatures, and rainbow trout fishing has a cult following that comes close to an actual religion, but not everyone in Alaska shares these feelings. Before statehood, the Territory of Alaska put a bounty on rainbow trout (other vermin to be eliminated included bald eagles and seals). Although the state has evolved since the days of trout bounties, in some ways its focus is the same: food. Rainbow trout are not salmon; they don’t taste like salmon; they’re not as fat as salmon; and they can’t be harvested in great quantities like salmon. This fact alone puts them far down the list of importance to rural Alaskans. Traditionally, rainbows in southwestern Alaska, Bristol Bay, and Iliamna are fed to dogs or made into specialty foods like fish Agutuk. Most of these fish are harvested when they are in their pre-spawning migration under the ice. The author with a beautiful rainbow taken from small pocket water in an overlooked creek. An angler willing to walk relatively short distances though obstacles like swamp, tundra, and bear-infested brush can reach fishing Nirvana, virgin water! Living year-round in Iliamna with my family and owning and operating Talarik Creek Lodge affords me a diverse perspective. As a person who appreciates irony, the diverse user groups that utilize rainbow trout do not subscribe to the same ideologies. I cannot even imagine the horror that both clients and nonresident lodge owners in the region would feel if they came to any of the top rainbow subsistence fisheries, which operate in late winter or early spring. Subsistence nets under the ice and dozens of ice fishing holes can sometimes result in the harvest of over 100 rainbow trout from a single creek in a day. These are the same fish we have gone through painstaking measures to gain that perfect, safe release that we all strive for. The harvest is so significant that the evidence is apparent from the air, with snowmachine highways to the choice creeks, the snow stained by blood, and the frozen trout piled in sleds like cordwood. Before you, my fellow trout-worshipping angler friend, have a heart attack and call the Alaska State Wildlife Troopers, keep in mind this is a legal subsistence activity, and this is the way it’s always been. In fact, these activities are actually declining here in Bristol Bay, mostly due to the increasing scarcity of sled-dog teams here and across all of rural Alaska, which were the main consumers of the trout. Not all the traditional harvest has been done by rural Alaskans. It was not that distant in the past that rainbow trout (and all species for that matter) were treated very differently by us. Before the invention of the fiberglass-replica mount, the biggest, most beautiful, oldest fish were killed by lodge owners and fishing clients alike for skin mounts. Many of the old trophy-fish pictures my in-laws have in their old lodge albums are of frozen fish. It was a different time, and I’m happy to have a 100% rainbow-release policy at my own lodge. Having married into a sportfishing-lodge family, there are certain expectations that my father-in-law, John Baechler, who ran several lodges in Iliamna for nearly forty years, has set upon me. Most of these involve greasing jet units, changing oil, and properly running our custom Bentz inboard jet boats, none of which I do to his standards. Having come from a hunting-guide background, I had a lot to learn a decade ago when I began fish guiding. I made plenty of mistakes as my wife Martha and I built our own lodge clientele. There were many differences that I encountered in the transition between hunt guiding and fish guiding, but there was one type of fishing that had strong parallels: rainbow trout fishing. In both hunting and rainbow fishing, the participants are fanatics, and unlike any other type of fishing, big rainbows are hunted, not fished. Big fish, just like a big Dall sheep, can be caught by luck, but most quarries of either the aquatic or terrestrial variety are won through thoughtful determination. Although my father-in-law may not admit it, we have been in a fishing derby of epic proportions over the last ten years. With his four decades of experience and the unquestionable abundance of monster rainbow trout in the surrounding Iliamna watersheds in the 1980s and 1990s, it has been difficult to compete. The only advantage I have is that although my father-in-law is a fantastic angler, he is not a hunter. It was with this limited skill set that I trudged forward in search of exceptional fish for my clients. Over the years I’ve been fortunate to bring a few impressive photographs to my father-in-law, including two separate lake trout that have been featured on the cover of Fish Alaska and some frighteningly large northern pike, but no truly monster rainbow trout. That being said, we had hit the magic 30-inch mark on several June “snakes,” post-spawn rainbows that had no “shoulders,” and any client who has moderate skill with a fly rod could expect several upper-20s fish during their six-day stay. As exciting as it is to catch amazingly colored, wild, sky-dancing rainbows in the 20- to 30-inch range, I yearned for more. I wanted to have a client catch a fish with the wow factor. Alaska is the Last Frontier state, with an image of rugged mountains, jagged glaciers, and innumerable rivers and streams traversing the land. The untouched wilderness image has its truth and its lies. It always makes me smile when a first-time client fishing a drainage like Moraine Creek asks me, “Do you think anyone has ever been here before?” The sad truth is there is not a lot of water that hasn’t already been worked over by skilled and dedicated anglers. There are, however, still waters to pioneer. These virgin waters are not mighty rivers or lakes accessible by every float plane from Homer to Anchorage. The waters that haven’t been fished all have one thing in common: They are unfriendly for people in some way. It might be that a given creek is too brushy to cast or simply that the access is too demanding for most clients. Often, some of these smaller tributaries are overlooked by most lodge owners and managers because they don’t hold the numbers of fish required to entertain a Beaver or Otter full of guests for a day. The most powerful limitation is time. These waters require such an incredible amount of time to find and scout in the first place that the vast majority of lodge owners and managers, who are predominantly nonresidents, can’t justify the time required during the season and the risk of having clients get skunked on some wild goose chase trying to grasp at an imaginary dream of pioneering a virgin trout water.

Post: 2 November 10:03

Hunting in Suffolk, England: geographical and natural features of the region, hunting seasons, interesting facts and traditions Geographical and natural features of the

Hunting in Suffolk, England: geographical and natural features of the region, hunting seasons, interesting facts and traditions Geographical and natural features of the region Suffolk is a predominantly rural region with a diverse landscape. Here you can find dense forests such as Thetford Forest, open fields, rivers and lakes, as well as extensive wetlands, for example, in the area of the Minsmere Nature Reserve. This diversity makes the region ideal for various types of hunting. The climate in Suffolk is temperate, with mild winters and warm summers, which contributes to the abundance of fauna. The region is home to a variety of game species, including pheasants, partridges, hares, deer, and ducks. Hunters and demographics of the region Suffolk is a popular place among British hunters. It is estimated that there are about 5,000 active hunters in the region, which is a significant proportion of the total number of hunters in the UK. Most of them are locals, but the region also attracts hunters from other parts of the country and even from abroad. Hunters in Suffolk come from a diverse group, from farmers who hunt to control animal populations to sports hunters. Women's hunting is also actively developing in the region, reflecting the global trend of increasing the number of female hunters. Features of hunting in Suffolk Hunting in Suffolk has its own unique features. Firstly, it is the availability of hunting grounds. Many farms and private holdings offer paid services for hunters. Secondly, the region is famous for its traditions of hunting with dogs, especially in forests and open fields. Types of hunting and hunting animals 1. Pheasant and partridge hunting is one of the most popular types of hunting. The season lasts from October to February. 2. Deer hunting — The region is home to several species of deer, including red deer and roe deer. The hunting season depends on the type of deer and lasts from August to April. 3. Hare hunting is a traditional type of hunting that is conducted with hounds. 4. Duck hunting is popular in the wetlands of the region. Hunting seasons Hunting seasons in Suffolk are regulated by British law. For example: - Pheasant: October 1 — February 1. - Partridge: September 1 — February 1. - Deer: depends on the species, but usually from August to April. - Duck: September 1 — January 31. Associations and clubs of hunters - Suffolk Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust — engaged in wildlife conservation and popularization of hunting. - Suffolk Foxhounds is a club specializing in hunting with hounds. Regional laws on hunting in Suffolk Hunting in Suffolk is strictly regulated. You must have a gun license and a hunting permit. Hunting of protected species is prohibited. It is also important to follow safety rules and ethical standards, such as humane handling of game. Native traditions connected with hunting in Suffolk Hunting in Suffolk has deep historical roots. Locals are proud of their traditions, such as hunting with hounds and collective hunting trips. These events are often accompanied by festive dinners where hunters share their stories and trophies. Facts you didn't know about hunting in Suffolk - Suffolk is considered one of the best places in the UK for pheasant hunting. - Annual skeet shooting competitions are held in the region, which bring together participants from all over the country. - Thetford Forest is one of the few places in England where you can find a rare black deer. #SuffolkHunting #EnglandHunting #DeerHunting #PheasantHunting #PartridgeHunting #DuckHunting #HareHunting #HuntingWithHounds #HuntingSeasons #HuntingRegulations #RedDeer #RoeDeer #BlackDeer #ThetfordForest #MinsmereReserve #HuntingClubs #HuntingTraditions #GameConservation #SkeetShooting

Post: 15 May 14:11

Hunting in Norfolk, England: geography, types of hunting and hunting animals, hunting seasons and legislation in the region Geographical and natural features of Norfolk

Hunting in Norfolk, England: geography, types of hunting and hunting animals, hunting seasons and legislation in the region Geographical and natural features of Norfolk for hunting Norfolk is located on the east coast of England and is famous for its diverse landscapes. The region includes: - Forests and groves: such as Thetford Forest, which is one of the largest in the UK. These areas are ideal for hunting deer and small game. - Swamps and wetlands: for example, the famous Fords of Norfolk, home to ducks, geese and other waterfowl. - Agricultural land: fields and meadows attract pheasants, partridges and hares. - Coastal areas: The Norfolk coast is a place for hunting migratory birds, especially during the autumn and winter period. Hunters and demographics of the region Norfolk is a region with rich hunting traditions. According to data for 2023, about 5,000 active hunters are registered here, which is about 0.5% of the total population of the region. Most of them are men between the ages of 30 and 60, although in recent years there has been an increase in interest in hunting among women and young people. Hunters in Norfolk represent a diverse group, from local farmers who hunt to control animal populations, to sport hunters from other regions of the UK and even from abroad. Many hunters are united in clubs and associations that play an important role in maintaining traditions and observing ethical standards of hunting. Features of hunting in Norfolk - Accessibility: Many hunting grounds are open to the public, although permission from landowners or participation in organized hunting events is required. - A variety of game: from large animals such as deer to small game and birds. - Seasonality: hunting seasons are strictly regulated, which allows you to maintain a balance in the ecosystem. Types of hunting and hunting animals in Norfolk 1. Deer hunting: The region is home to red deer, roe deer and fallow deer. Hunting them is allowed in certain seasons and requires a special permit. 2. Bird hunting: Pheasants, partridges, ducks and geese are popular hunting targets. Pheasant hunting is especially popular, which is often conducted in organized groups. 3. Hunting hares and rabbits: These animals are common in agricultural areas. 4. Falconry: a traditional type of hunting that has been preserved in Norfolk thanks to enthusiasts. Hunting seasons in Norfolk - Pheasants: from October 1 to February 1. - Partridges: from September 1 to February 1. - Ducks and geese: from September 1 to January 31 (in some areas until February 20). - Deer: depends on the type of deer, usually from August 1st to April 30th. Hunting associations and clubs in Norfolk - Norfolk Game and Countryside Fair: An annual event dedicated to hunting and rural life. - The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC): one of the largest organizations representing the interests of hunters. - Local Pheasant Shooting Clubs: clubs specializing in pheasant hunting. Regional regulations on hunting in Norfolk - A ban on hunting large animals with dogs (since 2004). - The requirement for a firearm license. - Observance of hunting seasons and shooting quotas. - A ban on hunting in protected natural areas. Local hunting rites and rituals in Norfolk Norfolk has a rich hunting tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. One of the most famous traditions is the "Shooting Party" — organized pheasant hunting, which is often accompanied by social events such as dinners and parties. Shooting and falconry competitions are also popular. Facts about hunting in Norfolk that will surprise you 1. Norfolk is considered one of the best places in the UK for pheasant hunting due to the large number of specialized hunting farms. 2. The region hosts the annual Game Fair festival, which gathers thousands of hunting and fishing enthusiasts. 3. The Norfolk marshes are one of the few places in the UK where you can observe a mass migration of birds, which makes them especially attractive to hunters. #NorfolkHunting #EnglandHunting #DeerHunting #PheasantHunting #PartridgeHunting #DuckHunting #GooseHunting #HareHunting #RabbitHunting #Falconry #HuntingSeasons #HuntingRegulations #RedDeer #RoeDeer #FallowDeer #ThetfordForest #NorfolkBroads #HuntingClubs #HuntingTraditions

Post: 15 May 10:19

Hunting Periods and Permits in ABISKO NATIONAL PARK: A Detailed Look at Game Movement Throughout the Year, Seasonal Limits, and How to Apply for a Hunting License in the

Hunting Periods and Permits in ABISKO NATIONAL PARK: A Detailed Look at Game Movement Throughout the Year, Seasonal Limits, and How to Apply for a Hunting License in the Area Planning your hunt in Abisko National Park? It is essential to familiarize yourself with the hunting seasons, license requirements, regulations, and the best periods for game activity in this pristine Arctic wilderness. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the hunting seasons in Abisko, details about wildlife behavior, legal restrictions, and practical advice to help you plan a successful and lawful hunting experience in this unique environment. 1. When and Where You Can Hunt in Abisko National Park Abisko National Park, located in Swedish Lapland, offers strictly regulated hunting seasons designed to balance wildlife conservation with sustainable hunting practices. The main hunting periods generally align with Sweden’s national framework but are adjusted to accommodate the harsh Arctic conditions of the region. The primary hunting seasons are as follows: Large game (moose, reindeer): September through January Small game (ptarmigan, hare): August through March Predators (fox, wolf): Limited quotas, typically from October through February Regional factors such as extreme winters, short autumns, and migratory patterns of animals significantly influence these dates. Unlike southern Sweden, Abisko’s shorter autumn and severe winters compress the available hunting windows. Over the years, climate shifts have caused slight adjustments to the seasons, with recent emphasis placed on protecting endangered species and maintaining ecological balance. 2. What to Hunt and When Understanding seasonal wildlife behavior is crucial for effective hunting in Abisko. Autumn, spanning from September to November, marks the peak activity for moose and reindeer, coinciding with their rutting season when animals are more active and easier to locate. Many bird species begin migrating south during this time, reducing opportunities for bird hunting. In winter, from December through February, the focus shifts to predators such as foxes and wolves, as well as ptarmigan. Hunting ptarmigan in winter requires specialized snow camouflage, as these birds blend seamlessly into the snowy landscape. Spring, from April through July, is a closed season for most game to protect breeding animals and their offspring. Optimal hunting periods for key species include late September to early November for moose during the rut, and December through February for ptarmigan when their flocks are more visible against the snow. While Abisko National Park itself doesn’t host large-scale hunting festivals due to its strict conservation focus, nearby regions in Swedish Lapland celebrate the start of key hunting seasons with local events. The Kiruna Hunting Fair (held every September) is the closest major gathering, featuring gear exhibitions, tracking workshops, and seminars on sustainable Arctic hunting. Smaller community events, like Jaktstart ("Hunt Opening") dinners in nearby towns, bring hunters together to share stories and prepare for the season. For international visitors, these events offer a chance to connect with local hunters, learn about Sami traditions, and get updates on regional regulations before heading into the wilderness. 3. What’s Off Limit, Rules and Exceptions in Abisko National Park Strict regulations are in place to protect vulnerable wildlife and ensure sustainable hunting. Protected species include wolverines and lynx, which are subject to strict quotas, while all birds of prey, including eagles and hawks, are fully protected with no hunting allowed. There are also sex and age restrictions: hunting female moose with calves is prohibited, and permits for reindeer vary depending on the health and size of the local herds. Hunting is banned from April through July for most species to safeguard breeding and rearing periods. Additionally, certain zones within the park, especially near popular hiking trails and sensitive habitats, are permanently off-limits to hunting to preserve the natural environment and ensure safety for visitors. 4. Getting Your Hunting Pass, Licenses and Permits To hunt legally in Abisko National Park, hunters need a Swedish Hunting License (Jägarexamen) and a firearm permit, with different rules for EU and non-EU applicants. Moose tags and other species permits are often given through lotteries to control populations. Key organizations for permits and guidance include the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, Abisko Naturturism (local guides), and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency for protected area permits. 5. Breaking the Rules, What It’ll Cost You in Abisko National Park Violating hunting rules in Abisko can lead to heavy fines from around €500 for minor offenses to over €10,000 for serious crimes like poaching endangered species. Equipment may be confiscated, and hunting licenses can be suspended or revoked, especially for repeat offenders. These penalties highlight the need to follow regulations to protect the ecosystem and maintain sustainable hunting. 6. Smart Hunting, Gear, Spots, and Best Times Proper preparation and equipment are vital for a successful hunt in Abisko’s challenging environment. Winter hunts require insulated, layered clothing, snowshoes for mobility on deep snow, and high-caliber rifles capable of accurate long-range shots due to limited visibility and the vast terrain. Autumn hunts are best conducted near wetlands and along the shores of Torneträsk Lake, which serve as prime locations for moose during the rutting season. Because of the rugged and often unpredictable terrain of Abisko, hiring local guides is highly recommended. These experts possess invaluable knowledge of the landscape and wildlife behavior, significantly increasing both safety and the chances of a successful hunt.

Post: 22 August 08:32

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