Bringing the Outdoors to Your Living Room
In recent times, many of us have been daydreaming of our next big hunting or fishing trip while stuck inside. Glen Dene Hunting & Fishing New Zealand is bringing the outdoors in by sharing exciting stories of adventurers and their outdoor experiences, putting our...
Alabama Free Fishing Day June 13, 2020
Each calendar year, the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources designates a "Free Fishing Day" for the public to fish recreationally in public waters without a fishing license. Saturday, June 13, 2020, is designated as Free Fishing Day as a part of...
Across the Creek
At barely eight years old, he was scarcely ready to confront a wily old trout poacher. Or was he? Friday afternoon, 14th day of April 1959, with trout season due to open the next morning. I’d turned in my homework, got Monday's assignments from Mrs. Whitten, and Dad...
Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 3
Today I went hunting for the very first time and it's safe to say I'm hooked. Instead of beginning our day in the classroom, we rode out to one of the ranges to practice shooting in different positions. Our instructor, Dave, spent some time showing us how to use...
Must-Read Mysteries for the Sportsman Reader
Keith McCafferty headlines a list of talented mystery writers whose protagonists are gun- or rod-toting sleuths caught up in murder and mayhem. Reading has always been an integral and important part of my life. Mine was a blessed boyhood, one where I grew up in a home...
Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 2
I wasn’t sure how my second day here could top my first, which was full of accomplishments, but then I remembered I’m at FTW and that’s how things work around here. We spent the morning with another hour-long class session where our instructor went into more detail...
Arkansas Anglers Can Find Golden Rainbow Trout in White River
More golden rainbow trout have been stocked in the White River system below Bull Shoals Lake dam. About 500 of the rainbow trout that have a color variation making them appear a bright golden yellow were part of a shipment of 10,000 rainbow trout stocked Monday from...
Not-So-Positive Predators
Anyone and everyone who encourages the growth of predator populations is actually contributing to increased animal suffering in the wild. After centuries of uninformed overuse and abuse of wildlife, American conservationists/scientists in the early 20th century...
Oklahoma Approves Changes for Antlerless Deer, Waterfowl Hunting
Deer hunters will have more opportunities to harvest antlerless deer this fall, and waterfowlers will have more hunting days in the middle of the season. With antlerless deer harvest trending downward the past few years, biologists with the Oklahoma Department of...
Ohio Wildlife Council Approves 3rd Fishing Line for Lake Erie and Ohio River
Anglers may use a maximum of three fishing lines on Ohio’s portion of Lake Erie and the Ohio River starting on Jan. 1, 2020, following new regulations passed by the Ohio Wildlife Council. The council approved the use of three lines per person while fishing on Ohio’s...
Thrills Above Kills
Beneath the watchful eyes of the spirits, he would follow his dream of hunting a single species of African game. Sometimes in the deep of night, when I'm alone with my thoughts, I reflect on the moment. And it's always the eyes that I remember. Probably because that's...
Nebraska Boasts Wild Turkey Variety
One reason Nebraska claims to have the nation’s best turkey hunting is its variety of subspecies of the big bird. Bryce Gerlach, a forester for the National Wild Turkey Federation and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission who is an avid hunter, said the Cornhusker State...
Idaho Non-Residents Can Apply for Big Game Controlled Hunts
Fish and Game staff have gotten some questions about this topic, so here’s a quick reminder regarding the temporary suspension of some nonresident licenses and tags. Nonresident hunters can still buy a nonresident hunting license, which enables them to apply for deer,...
A Step-by-Step Guide to Caping a Turkey
Just as an oft-used adage suggests “there’s more than one way to skin a cat,” so are there multiple ways to skin a turkey. Mind you, if you have plans to roast or deep-fry your gobbler, it shouldn’t really be skinned at all. Plucking is a tedious, time-consuming...
Wisconsin Trout Regulation Changes
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing two corrections to the 2020-2021 Guide to Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations effective May 2, 2020. The 2020-2021 Guide to Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations contained incorrect bag and length limits and gear...
Arizona GFD Accepting Applications for Fall Hunts
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is accepting applications for 2020 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison and sandhill crane. To apply, visit the AZGFD website and click on “Apply...
Kentucky Elk Hunt Drawing Announcement
This season’s unveiling of hunters for the 2020 Kentucky elk hunt will be held at 1 p.m. (Eastern) May 16 at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg. The event will be held virtually without an audience. This decision was made by the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and...
Where Dreams Were Born
Your first encounter with a mountain nyala will stay with you forever. It may even haunt you. A soft mist rises from the forest valley like a whisper from a forgotten memory. Colobus monkeys growl. A bushbuck barks. A snake eagle soars past sheer cliffs. The wind...
North Dakota Paddlefish Snag-and-Release Season Open May 15-21
A one-week paddlefish snag-and-release season will be open May 15-21 for anglers who hold a valid fishing license, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced. However, if conditions warrant, Game and Fish may close the season with a 24-hour notice. Game and...
Spring Fishing Tips from Maine’s Biologists
Spring is here and so are the fish. Maine's biologists offer 6 tips for success on the water this season. 1. Keep water temperature in mind. Cold temperatures mean the fish are still moving a bit slow, so your lure or bait should move slow as well. Take your time and...
Wild Places, Fine Guns, and Good Friends
Seeking out a covey of truly bobwhite quail can be a challenging and exciting adventure It was late on the last day of our hunt, and overcast with a cold northwest wind and the feel of snow in the air. My shooting partner, Brian Mudd, was the winner of Sporting...
Unregistered Outfitter Found Guilty in New Mexico
Eddie Pacheco, age 48, was convicted in February based on charges filed a year earlier. He received a 364-day suspended sentence, 364 days of probation and was ordered to pay a $500 fine in addition to court costs and make a $100 donation to Operation Game Thief. In...
Rumshark
When the shark hit the end of the line, it came up, shook his head just like those mahi did. The dock bowed, creaked, groaned, sagged. Clink, clink, clink. I was bent over the gunnel of Maggie C, a 26-foot Maine lobster boat rigged for ocean-running. Six weeks, 600...
Maine Moose Permit Lottery Approaching Deadline
The deadline to apply for the 2020 Maine moose lottery is 11:59 p.m. on May 14, 2020. Applications for the moose permit lottery will be accepted online only. The online application process is fast and simple and you receive instant confirmation that you have...
The Grand Slam of Turkey Hunting
A slam is considered one of the biggest feats in turkey hunting and will test your hunting skills and abilities to the max. The term “Grand Slam” has a myriad of definitions, evoking claims to accomplishment in the sports of baseball, thoroughbred horse racing, golf,...
Half a Dog
All his life he'd wanted such a bird dog, and finally he was getting one, though problem was, he could only have half of him and dang if he could decide which half he wanted. Two old friends, been longer together than shoe leather, out huntin': The morning had been...
The Tie that Binds
A fishing knot does infinitely more than bind a fly or lure or bait to line, it binds a person to the idea of catching a fish. "It's the tie that binds." I wasn't sure if he was making a statement to me or talking to himself. He slid the line through the eye of the...
Wyoming Wildlife Calendar Photo Contest Opens May 4
Submit your Wyoming wildlife photos to be featured in calendar and magazine The first Wyoming Wildlife Calendar Photo Contest provides shutterbugs an opportunity to have their images in the 2021 calendar, which is printed as the November 2020 issue of the magazine.In...
Get Involved in the 2020 Nebraska Bird Month Challenge
In honor of the role birds play in Nebraska’s economy and ecosystems, Gov. Pete Ricketts has proclaimed May as Nebraska Bird Month. The monthlong celebration, typically celebrated with bird-related events across the state, has taken on a new form this year in the...
Maryland Novice Nabs Her First Turkey
It was a perfect hunt scenario, perfect shot placement, and a bit of luck for these novice turkey hunters to have experienced what unfolded before us. Oh, how I love to turkey hunt! Now I love to guide as well, having run my first paid guided turkey hunt. I’d been...
Hog Heaven
You can cuss wild hogs, just don't cuss them with your mouth full You can run them with hounds and chase them on horseback or on foot. You can wade into the slashing, squealing, howling melee and kill them with a blade if it's too tight to shoot between the dogs. You...
Choosing the Right Outfitter
When researching an outfitter, a little extra digging can make a big difference in the outcome of your hunt. By all rights, it should have been the hunt of a lifetime. Both the outfitter and his area were legendary for producing superlative trophies; we were hunting...
Idaho Youth Controlled Hunt Applications Open May 1
Idaho residents can enter into some fantastic youth-only hunt opportunities this fall Applications for controlled deer, elk, pronghorn, fall bear, and fall turkey hunts open May 1 and run through June 5. A controlled hunt has a limited number of tags, which are...
Teach a Man to Fish
If you think fishing with your daughter is engrossing, try fishing with her new husband. If you are fortunate enough to have been blessed with a daughter, you eventually come to realize that someday, somewhere, some guy is going to come along who wants her for his...
Like an Honest Dog: A Tim Flanigan Book Review
Like an honest dog, it’ll be the standard by which you compare all other upland hunting books. It’s the highest level of praise for a handler to call a dog "honest." By that handlers mean every time the dog points there is a bird under his nose. Honest dogs work hard,...
How to Find Great Fishing in Minnesota
Q&A with Minnesota DNR’s Ray Ruiz offers fishing tips for beginners and experienced anglers alike Anglers can find fantastic fishing opportunities all across Minnesota. Wherever you are, chances are there is a lake, river or stream nearby with fish that can be...
Iowa Deer Application Opens May 2
The time to apply for your 2020 Iowa deer tags is fast approaching. The application period opens on May 2, 2020 at 6 a.m. and closes June 7, 2020 at midnight, CST. Preference point purchases and applications will only be accepted during this time. In the meantime, be...
The Buffalo’s Demise
No one was fully aware of the buffalo's impending demise, not even the countless hidemen who rushed out West to hunt the huge beasts. John and George rode silently across the snow-covered plain, staying to the windward side of the big herd. The buffalo were slowly...
Reading Season
This has been a big season for books. You’ve undoubtedly caught wind by now of the Sporting Classics book on famed outdoor illustrator (and Hemingway pal) Lynn Bogue Hunt, Lynn Bogue Hunt: Artist, Angler, Hunter. It just so happens that I scribbled the text for it,...
Nominate your “hero” to win one of 25 belts during this five week give-away
African Sporting Creations is offering a $10,000 First Responder Crocodile Belt Give-Away throughout the month of May To recognize and celebrate those who have gone above and beyond to support our community in its time of need, African Sporting Creations is giving...
A Better Blind
My pro trainer friend Bob Olson had been raving about the Switchback Dog Blind/Kennel Crate, and when I finally made it up to his place (River Road Kennels in Lena, Wisconsin) for a look, I immediately became a believer. While the Switchback has a lot to recommend...
Crawfish: The Po’ Man’s Lobster
If you want a delightful seafood dinner, and you can’t afford lobster, then say hello to my little friends. They are called by many names: crayfish, crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs, mountain lobsters and yabbies. They have more names than Carter’s has Little Liver Pills,...
The Shining Tides: Fall
Roccus fed and strengthened, yet did not grow in size. Despite her healing, her feeding, her strengthening, she continued to waste away. Roccus sank to the bouldered deeps off Mashnee. The hooks of the plug were merely an annoyance, the weight of it a nuisance, which...
Arizona’s rattlesnakes most active April
So far, 39 bites have been reported statewide in 2020 and counting 19 of those bites were recorded in the month of April, the month when rattlesnakes are the most active. In warm deserts, rattlesnakes are most active March through October. During the spring,...
Memories at Goosepond Creek
It was remote, dark and distant, and about as wild and woolly as a place could be. It was a pilgrimage of sorts, this journey of ours. It had been a long time since we had been to "Goosepond." It had been called that since colonial times, and legend held that it had...
The Shining Tides: Summer
Roccus sinuated, swirled and sounded, and all the line so laboriously won was lost before the boat could be brought on a following course. So the May was gone. The backward spring leaped to keep abreast of the sun’s orbit. Anglers sandpapered rods, wound guides and...
The Shining Tides: Spring
Roccus the striped bass had survived man's hooks and nets and the ocean's deadliest predators...and now, in her last years, she'd become the largest of her kind. Sun and a wafer edge of dissolving moon rose a few minutes apart. From a late roost in a scrub oak on...
California Steelhead: The Fish of a Thousand Casts
A Little Background Oncorhynchus mykis - aka Steelhead - are a unique form of rainbow trout. Born in high country freshwater, they experience a physiological transformation within a year that allows them to survive in the ocean. They spend most of their lives there,...
Peter Beard’s Exotic Eye — His Life and Death
The unlikely life, art and death of legendary artist and adventurer Peter Beard. Peter Beard was a hard man to peg. A photographer of wildlife and beautiful women, a writer, an ethnologist, explorer, hunter, naturalist, conservationist, ladies man, married man, wise...
Sporting Classics with Chris Dorsey Returns to Outdoor Channel June 29th
Hit series reaches 13.5 million viewers in its inaugural season through cable, syndication, and international distribution. Officials from Dorsey Pictures, a Red Arrow Studios company, the world’s largest producer of outdoor adventure television and the only...