sportsman's news april 2015 digital edition

April 2015 Volume 11 Issue 4

SportsmansNews.com

PAGE 2

The Kenai On A Budget

By Michael Deming

The dream of hooking onto one of those 50 plus pound king salmon on the Kenai River is often just that, A Dream. Not because it isnt possible, but because it is out of our price range. A quick internet search about Alaska and the hundreds and hundreds of lodges will reveal just how much a person can spend on one of these dream trips. The total price tag can easily reach into the five figures range when it is all said and done. If you do manage to scrape together the needed dollars for this ad-venture, figuring out where to go, when to go and who to

continued on page 6

SPORTSMANS NEWS | April 20152

By Kent Danjanovich

A s most of you know, I spend quite a bit of time in Alas-ka each year. In fact, many wonder if I have become an Alaska resident or if I actually still call Utah my home. Well to tell you the truth, my situation is one that I will never complain about and holds true to the phrases, Living the Dream and Hav-ing the Best of Both Worlds!

There are not many species of fish that I dont get excited about go-ing after, but one in particular that I love to target is salmon. And you know what, it is tough to say which salmon species is my favorite. Each one offers a different challenge and mystique, making for a great adven-ture each time I hit the water.

Now there are many great salmon rivers throughout the Land of the Midnight Sun, but for one reason or another, many are starting to experi-ence historically low runs of salmon, especially the rivers with runs of Chinook or king salmon. Even the famed Kenai River has unfortunately been pulled into this category, with runs so low that catch and release regulations and even partial closures have had to be implemented the last two years.

Of course, the questions and pos-sible answers are almost endless, with the sport fishermen blaming the commercial guys, the dip-netters blaming them both and all blaming other parts of the western reaches of the western U.S. coast and Canada for causing problems before the fish even have a chance to make it back to their spawning grounds.

Well, no matter the reason, I hope we soon start to see those histori-cal prolific runs start to return, for the sake of all concerned. But in the meantime, part of my job as Senior Editor of Sportsmans News is to find those waters that still offer the best chances of providing fishermen from around the world the opportunity for a true trip of a lifetime. And yes, there are a couple of rivers that still host runs of king salmon that deserve much of our attention.

Two of these rivers lie in the Bris-tol Bay region of southwest Alaska,

An Alaskan Gem The Togiak River

namely the Nushagak and Togiak Rivers. The Nushagak holds the distinction of hosting the largest number run of king salmon in all of Alaska, with runs even today still numbering around 100,000 fish each year. And of course, all five species of Pacific salmon return back to the region each year, in their return to the place of their birth in the quest to continue the cycle of life.

The lesser known river of the two, the Togiak, lies roughly 400 miles southwest of Anchorage and 55 miles from Dillingham, the hub for thousands of fishermen each year. Here is a little information about the Togiak region:

Protecting important seabird nest-ing sites and major salmon spawn-ing rivers, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge extends over 4.7 million acres - an area the size of Connecticut

and Rhode Island combined - from the cold waters of Bristol Bay to the treeless tundra uplands of the Ah-klun Mountains to the north. Almost half of these lands, the northern 2.3 million acres, are designated as the Togiak Wilderness Area, the second largest contiguous Wilderness Area within the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The rugged Ahklun and Wood River Mountains lie partly within the refuge which also includes drain-ages for the Kanektok, Goodnews and Togiak Rivers. These pristine, free flowing rivers not only offer scenic qualities and outstanding recreation opportunities, but their runs of salmon serves as an impor-tant subsistence fisheries as well as luring sport fishermen from around the world. The rivers contribute a large part of Togiaks production of

nearly three million Chinook, sock-eye, chum, pink and Coho salmon annually.

The refuges striking landscapes are complimented by a striking va-riety of wildlife as well. Togiak is home to moose, caribou, brown bear, wolverine, wolves and many smaller mammals.

From headwaters at Upper To-giak Lake, the river flows from the southern foothills of the Kilbuck Mountains to Togiak Bay, draining about 2,000 square miles. Exception-ally clear, the river flows 40 to 80 feet wide in its upper reaches and 150 to 250 feet wide near its mouth over a distance of nearly 60 miles from Togiak Lake. In its lower reaches, the Togiak River slows, with large meanders and oxbows. The lower

continued on page 6

Sportsman's News Pro-Staffer, Rick Rosenberg is all smiles as he holds up another great king salmon on the banks of the Togiak River in southwest Alaska.

April 2015 | SPORTSMANS NEWS 3

April will be the first full month of give-aways for the Sports-mans News Pro Membership Sweepstakes. The bottom of the page shows all the world class trips we have lined up for some of our members in the month of April. Make sure you pay close attention to the deadline dates because they are ten days before the sched-uled drawing. Each sweep-stakes has its own page on the Sportsmans News website with all the details of each trip and what is included. The draw-ing for the trophy elk hunt in New Mexico with Hunt Hard was held on March 30th, which will be after this edi-tion prints, so log onto www.

sportsmansnews.com to see if you were the lucky winner of this ten thousand dollar trip. If you werent lucky enough to win or didnt even get entered, dont worry because we have just committed to another one of these trips for next years giveaways.

The center page spread of this issue will also show all the great trips, guns, and gear we have in store for our members for the next 12 months. For a complete list of details on how to win the April trips and all the others for the year, visit us at www.sportsmansnews.com. Each and every month we will be adding the trips for the following year as we select our lucky winners.

Did You Win?

Logon to www.sportsmansnews.com to see who won the very first Sportsman's News Pro Membership Giveaway for a once in a lifetime New Mexico Elk Hunt with Hunt Hard, worth more than $10,000. If you weren't entered to win, don't worry. There are still $290,000 worth of hunts and gear left, so go enter now!


SPORTSMAN'S WAREHOUSE7035 So. High Tech Drive

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PRESIDENT/PUBLISHERMike Deming

President/Publisher435-669-4624

[email protected]

SENIOR EDITORKent Danjanovich

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NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGEREric Christensen435-879-1212

[email protected]

MANAGING EDITORDan Kidder

[email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTLisa Deming

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PRODUCTION MANAGERJames Dansie

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Subscribers should contact Managing Editor for changes of address.

Sportsman's News is published monthly. The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright 2015 All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be repro-duced in any form without

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WHAT'S INSIDE 2 Togiak River Lodge 3 Pro Member Update 5 Words From The Publisher10 Platinum Approved Outfitters18 Camping By The Headlights20 Fishful Thinker: Productive Equals Fun22 Getting Started With Long Range Shooting24 Sportsman's News Pro Membership Giveaways26 Sako Finnlight28 Pro's Pick: Winchester Turkey Loads32 Wheels Afield: Mitsubishi Outlander35 Writing Contest: First Elk Adventure36 Choosing a PLB38 PacWest Outdoors: Northwest Black Bears40 Business Directory42 Pro's Tip: Turkey Subspecies44 Primos Club XL Blind45 Video Product Reviews48 Writing Contest: Frozen Eyelashes Goose49 Wild Game Recipe: venison Pepper Steak50 M855 Ammo Ban Update51 5 Tips For Turkey52 No Excuse For Not Applying

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSChad LaChance

Shane AdairAndy LightbodyJaprix Weaver

Gary LewisJason Herbert

Eric ChristensenJacquelyn Gross Guccini

Steve MayerAl Schultz

Braden Cooper

www.facebook.com/sportsmansnewsBecome a Fan of Sportsman's News for Fan Only contests and post comments

about Sportsman's News.Tell your friends.

Words From The Publisher

By Michael Deming

By the time you are reading this issue of Sportsmans News, we will already have had one deadline pass for the Sportsmans News Pro Membership Sweepstakes and possibly two. The drawing for the Trophy Elk Hunt in New Mexico with Jeff Lester of Hunt Hard was held on the 30th of March, but had a deadline to enter of March 20th. This hunt is a $10,000 plus hunt which includes a landowner voucher for a premium unit in New Mexico and we know this will be an epic experi-ence. The first sweepstakes for the month of April is with Papierskis Big Game Hunts for a trophy antelope in Colorado. This is one of the hard-est to draw units in the state, which always yields some giant antelope. As if that wasnt enough to entice those sitting on the fence, we threw in a Savage Long Range rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor and dialed it in with a Nikon Monarch 7 long range scope. The entire package is worth over $6000. However, the deadline for getting in on this sweepstakes was March 30th, 2015 and the drawing will be April 10th, 2015. Some pretty great drawings have already passed,

but dont worry, there are a lot more to be had, about $280,000 worth more. Either see the center spread in this issue of Sportsmans News or visit us on the web at www.sports-mansnews.com for a complete list of sweepstakes and deadlines over the next 12 months. We have also added the Pro Member Update on page 3 of this issue to show you what is coming up next. Because of the delay we have in printing the publication and getting them out to the stores, we will have a bit of a lag in announc-ing winners in the printed issues. We will post winners immediately after the drawings on our website as well as to our social media followers, so please like us on Facebook.

One major question we have been asked over the first month of the sweepstakes being launched is how did you come up with a price of $27 a month or $297 for the year? This was something we researched for over a year and a half while this was being developed. Since we are the first people to pursue a venture like this and not protected under the veil of a nonprofit organization, we didnt have an open market to compare pricing. We did however look at pric-ing for various ticket packages being

offered for raffles around the country. We found anything from $2 a ticket up to packages of tickets for $1,500. We also noted the quality of the prize packages being offered. In most cases there were less than ten percent of the prizes being offered that were truly a prize worth winning that would have an impact on someones life. So, we put together a prize package that would knock your socks off and we do it all year long. We provide enough tickets in each drawing (5 each) for your membership to make it less expensive than the cheapest raffle we could find. Tickets end up being $1.65 each and when you win, it is truly a trip of a lifetime or guns and gear that you wont be looking to sell.

Everyone likes to win, but this wasnt just about winning, although it is a pretty darn good perk. We wanted to provide some true value to our members, regardless of whether they win or not. Ive hired some top quality writers to provide us stories on unique trips, special dis-counts and opportunities exclusive to members, which they get emailed to them each and every month. The SNTV DVD series is put out 8 times a year. Each episode has 4-hours of great hunting and fishing adven-tures. Many of them provide unique information on areas we hunt or fish as well as tips and tricks on how we do what we do. We are sending those DVDs to your house eight times a year. Want to visit one of our en-dorsed outfitters, but dont want to wait until you win? Well, you also get a 5-percent discount off of your trip that you book with one of these en-dorsed outfitters or lodges, which in most cases equates out to more than enough savings to pay for your Pro Membership . These are just a few of the added benefits of being a Sports-mans News Pro Member. Visit our website at www.sportsmansnews.com for a full list of benefits and see what exciting sweepstakes drawings are still ahead.


go with, creates another major decision.Here at the Sportsmans News office, we

dont have an unlimited budget either, so we are always looking for outfitters and operations that provide a good product and service at an affordable price. We travel the world evaluating outfitters to put our Platinum Approved Outfitter stamp on and the Salmon Catcher Lodge in Kenai, Alaska is one lodge that fits the bill. To become one of our endorsed outfitters, you obviously have to run a good operation and deliver on what you promise. The things within your control need to be very well taken care of and if something does go wrong during your trip, the outfitter must always be willing to make it right. We call this putting people before profit. Our final litmus test is; if time or money were no object, we would come back and visit this op-eration each and every year. Cost and value of a trip is always a consideration and Salmon Catcher Lodge gets an A+ in this department as they are truly one of the best values of any of our Platinum Approved Outfitters.

With fishing packages ranging from $1195 out to $2195, there is definitely something that will fit the majority of peoples price ranges. These start in May and run into September to catch all the major runs of Pacific salmon and come in packages of 5-nights lodging with 3-days of fishing all the way out to a full week of lodging and 5-days of guiding fishing.

We visited this operation during the heat of the sockeye (reds) season in 2014. Sockeye are one of my favorite salmon to eat because of their bright red color and unbelievable taste. In fact, fresh sockeye is probably my favorite meal.

The Kenai River gets more than its fair

share of these great fish each year, with over 1.5 million of them making their way up the river from July 1st through August 14th in 2014, which made for some unbelievable fishing during our stay. However, this is only one aspect of the fishing and the reason people choose to come to this area. The main reason to come to the Kenai Peninsula is because of the diversity of opportunities to be had here. Just about every type of fish and fishing in Alaska is available in this area. Most lodges in Alaska are focused on one specific type of fishing due to their location and the runs of fish they have available. If you dont know what type of fishing suits your personality and what you enjoy most, this is a great way to see Alaska and figure out what is your favorite type of fish and fishing.

During a trip to Salmon Catcher Lodge, you have the ability to experience all different kinds of fishing and target species. You will be able to do this with some of the very best guides on the Ke-nai Peninsula as well. The relationship with these guides has been built over years of having a successful operation. With lodge owner, Terry Johnson and his family living here and being part of

the community, he has the ability to see these guides year around and truly get to know them. This allows him to pair his clients with the very best guides this area has to offer. These trips consist of power boat trips on the world famous Kenai River. It got its popularity over the years from its giant king salmon, but big numbers of sockeye, pinks and silvers also come up this massive river each year as well.

You might do some back trolling for kings or flossing for reds. The pink salmon and the silvers will bite ag-gressively, so you might be throwing spinners or flies at them. Regardless of your method of fishing and time you are there, the Kenai will also have a lot of people sharing the experience with you. It is truly worth it because of the numbers of fish coming up this river.

But if seclusion and privacy is a bit more up your alley, the Kasilof River might be a better selection. This river is a short drive from the lodge and sig-nificantly smaller. It has smaller runs of fish, but it also has significantly less people on it as well. Powerboats arent

SALMON CATCHERcontinued from page cover

Remote fly out trips with first-class operations like High Adventures Air Charter are just one of the many quality trips offered during your stay with Salmon Catcher Lodge.

continued on page 14This is one of the many cabins on the Salmon Catcher Lodge property, which can be reserved for your larger groups. It has all the comforts of home with the rustic feel of Alaska.


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continued on page 16

river corridor is flat, with distant hills and mountains visible inland.

All of these factors contribute to why the Togiak River is quite pos-sibly the best king and silver salmon river in Alaska. In fact, many anglers who have fished all over the world describe it as incomparable. One of the biggest reasons why the Togiak River is so productive, is the absence of pressure, with the Togiak River Lodge being the only permanent structure lodge on the river. Our first visit to Larry Lunds operation was back in 2010 and since I returned from that trip four years ago, my return trip just couldnt happen soon enough!

Many areas of Alaska are even more remote, but the Togiak River requires just enough extra effort that many choose to visit the more accessible areas. Well, I am here to tell you that you need to change your thinking if you want to experience some of the best salmon fishing in the world in some of the most beautiful country you will ever see.

Your trip really begins when you arrive in Anchorage. From there you have two options: Over-night there and catch a fight the next morning with Trans Northern Aviation that will take you direct to the town of Togiak or fly on either Alaska Airlines or Pen Air to Dillingham, which then requires either a floatplane flight to

the lodge or a rubber tired flight to Togiak. If you fly into the town of Togiak, the staff from the lodge will meet you at the small airport and you will be transported by boat to the lodge which is situated about six miles up-river from Togiak Bay. All of these options will work, but my rec-ommendation is the Trans Northern flight direct to Togiak, which can be arranged by Larry and his staff (All of these options are not included in your package pricing).

Once you arrive at the lodge, usu-ally around noon, all guests meet in the main lodge for lunch, a quick orientation takes place for the new fishermen and then its off to your cabin for a change of clothes and anything you think you will need for your first afternoon of non-stop action on the river, which is literally just a few steps from your room.

Now lets talk about the fishin. Mid-June through July are the months for reel bustin kings. Larry and his great staff of guides will have you on fish non-stop, while incorporating many different techniques designed to keep the action fast no matter of the tides or weather conditions. A few fishermen bring their own equip-ment, but each guides boat is well stocked with up-to-date rods and reels and well used, fish catchin lures that will get the job done. Back-troll-ing, back-bouncing, hovering, down river spinner trolling and the use of floats are all part of their arsenal and your guides will also have a bag or

two of special roe seasoned and colored to catch the noses and eyes of all of those silver bullets making their way up the river.

The lodge offers many packages, with the shortest length of stay in-cluding three days of fishing. If you book far enough in advance, you can really add as many days as you would like to this base, with most guests staying for at least five days and many for as many as ten. Yes, the fishing is that good and if your arms can handle fighting fish after fish ranging up to and occasionally over 40 pounds, I would recommend pushing yourself to the limit, because

you just never know when you might have the chance to experience a trip of this magnitude again. But for many, their return trip will be booked before the end of the week arrives!

Of course, many factors come into play when you are talking about a trip to Alaska, with weather play-ing a big part in success at times, but even on somewhat down years, where clear skies with water temps and levels causing a few problems, success rates will still far exceed anything you can comprehend with catch rates usually averaging 40+ fish per boat daily, with many days

TOGIAK RIVERcontinued from page 2

The author with a big Togiak king salmon, one of a dozen landed on our third morning of fishing.

About the only thing that rivals the fishing at the Togiak River Lodge is the abundance of breathtaking views in every direction.

Rick Rosenberg with a fresh, chrome bright king and if you look close, sea lice are still clinging along the fin line in front of his right hand.


Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

THE BEST THERE IS.

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14-BRW-067_Upland_Branding_9_75x10_5.indd 1 4/28/14 2:24 PM

10 SPORTSMANS NEWS | April 201510

ALASKA GUIDED FISHING






book. These are outfitters you would be proud to refer to a friend. We know this because we are proud to endorse each one of these

outfitters based upon our staff members personally visiting each one of these operations. These outfitters have proven to us that they have what it takes to be "Sportsman's News Platinum Approved."

The Sportsman's News Platinum Approved Outfitter is an outfitter that has excelled in every aspect of their business. They put people and customers before profit. They do what it takes to make sure that they will be in business for the long haul and ensure that they have repeat customers. They practice good game management, which will ensure a top quality trip with them every time you

Halibut, Yelloweye, King, Silver, Pink, and Chum Salmon, Ling Cod, and Dolly Varden.

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12 SPORTSMANS NEWS | April 201512

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April 2015 | SPORTSMANS NEWS 13SOUTH DAKOTA HUNTING

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Logon to our website for a full list of endorsed outfitters with photos, descriptions, and

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(907) 335-2001 P.O. Box 2200, Kenai, Alaska 99611 www.salmoncatcherlodge.com

Email: [email protected]

Begin your Kenai adventure now By scanning our complimentary resources app!Sa

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CatcherLodge

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Luxury Lodging Fishing Packages Eco Packages Bear Viewing

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allowed in the upper section of this river which made for an extremely peaceful day of fishing where we only saw a couple other groups of fishermen during our trip. The limits on this river were more liberal during the time we were there and we were each able to keep six sockeye instead of the limit of three on the Kenai during the same timeframe. The Kasilof River also usually has a good run of king salmon and many of the locals target this area so there are significantly more people on this river during the early king run than during prime sockeye time.

Most people love halibut and a hun-dred pound fish will quickly fill a fish box to take home. These trips are done out of several places on the Kenai Pen-insula. Trips out of the Homer area and Seward are both available on these Salm-on Catcher Lodge packages. Each trip is over an hours drive from the lodge and provide an opportunity to see different areas of the Kenai Peninsula. This is ocean fishing at its finest and can yield

numerous different kinds of fish which include halibut, salmon, ling cod, yellow eye and various different types of rock fish, all of which provide great table fare when you get home. Early season ocean fishing can be extremely productive on big kings as well.

There are a good number of rivers in the area that produce some excellent rainbow and Dolly Varden fishing as well as big numbers of silver salmon. These are walk-in style trips where you will be fishing in medium sized rivers and smaller streams while wading with your guide. If you want to experience a float plane ride to a more remote lo-cation, this is available as well. At the end of each day of guided fishing, if you still havent had your fill, there are plenty of walk-in areas close to the lodge which will allow you to fish well into the night and beyond. Terry provides all the gear you will need for these do-it-yourself adventures including top of the line Gary Loomis Edge rods. If fishing isnt your thing or if you come with a family that is like mine and half want to do one thing and the other half want to do another, this is possible as

well. Fly outs for bear viewing as well as other ecotourism types of adventures are always available. So, the experience here is extremely diverse and provides something for everyone.

When you are done with your daily fishing and travels, you will enjoy just relaxing at the Salmon Catcher Lodge. Terry Johnson spared no expense pro-viding quality lodging for his guests. The entire lodging facility is situated on several acres and is designed to ac-commodate guests in an at home feel. Whether you travel as a group of two or a huge corporate group of 46, you will have all the comforts of home. There are numerous different cabins on the property which accommodate groups with your own private getaway. Each facility has a full kitchen where you can prepare all of your meals. There is a barbeque area which has multiple barbeque units, more than enough to accommodate everyone on the property even if they all decided to cook at the same time. Having your meals and their tim-ing in your control is a big benefit to you and allows Terry to keep the cost very affordable to all. It allows you to tailor your trip to your own desires and timeframe and if you dont want to cook, you can enjoy one of the many restaurants in the area. A visit to their website at www.salmoncatcherlodge.com will give you a complete description of the entire facility.

When you are looking to experi-ence Alaska and all it has to offer,

you really need to watch each and every penny. Terry Johnson and the Salmon Catcher Lodge is a tough place to beat. They are definitely a top-end lodge and worthy of our Platinum Approved Outfitter status. Being able to have the best guides already secured with a set schedule suited for your needs and qual-ity lodging makes this a true vacation. All you need to worry about is your food and fresh fish can be had each and every night. As with all great things at a great value, there is limited availability. So, my one recommendation is to book as early as possible to secure a great trip with Salmon Catcher Lodge. For more info, visit them on the web at www.salmon-catcherlodge.com or call Terry Johnson personally at 907-335-2001.

SALMON CATCHERcontinued from page 6

The Canyons float trip on the upper Kenai is one of my favorite experiences of all time when visiting Alaska. Dolly Varden, big rainbows, and all the salmon you could handle were the norm for this float.

Wild Game Wine owner Steve Mayer holds up a good mix of reds and pinks with lodge owner Terry Johnson.


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approaching the 100 fish mark during the season. And we are mainly just addressing the king salmon season! Chum, sockeye and pink salmon are also plentiful in the Togiak and the silver salmon runs in August and September are a story in themselves. And big rainbows and Dolly Varden are present in the river whenever the salmon are running as well and you just never know when you might hook into one of those as well.

Everything else during your stay will just about make you forget you are in the middle of the wilderness. Guests enjoy breakfasts cooked to order and hearty shore lunches can be prepared on the river, if you wish. Af-ter a full day of fishing, the comforts of the Togiak River Lodge will be a welcome respite. Relax in the lounge, enjoy refreshments before dinner then join everyone for delicious four-course family style dining. After dinner, enjoy a movie, camaraderie or relax and dream of tomorrows

angling oppor-tunities.

With great ac-commodations, in the middle of the wilderness along with ex-ceptional food and just about all the comforts of home, dont you think it is about t ime to get on the phone and give Larry L u n d a n d h i s staff and call to talk about all of the possibilities and secure a spot for the quickly a p p r o a c h i n g fishing season. To g i a k R i v e r Lodge, 503-784-7 9 1 9 o r v i s i t them on the web at www.togiak-lodge.com.

TOGIAK RIVERcontinued from page 8

After a great shore lunch was prepared for all of the guests at the lodge on our final day, a few of the fishermen displayed the fruits of their labors with kings running in size from 12 to 40 pounds.


By Dan KidderManaging Editor

When it comes to camping, we all dream of loading a pack and setting off for a remote location miles from our vehicles, trek-king for days on isolated trails in the backcountry. The reality however, is that far more people pull up to their camp location in their truck or SUV and haul as many comforts as possible with them in

Camping By The Headlightstheir vehicle, than they do on their back.

The benefits of car camping are many. The most noticeable is how much and the types of gear you can take along. I can cook over a tiny backpacking stove, but for a large group of hungry campers, I would much prefer to do my cooking over a Camp Chef Pro 90 Triple Burner Stove. The Pro 90 offers three 30,000 BTU cast aluminum burners, a fold-up design that minimizes space in the truck, and easy to adjust knobs to help get the

heat just where you want it. A variety of accessories from grill boxes, to full length griddles, to portable pizza ovens are available for your Pro 90 stove to help you get the most out of your outdoor dining experience.

Depending on the size of your camping group, hav-ing a common area protected from the sun, rain, and bugs is a real plus. The Clam Six Pack 1660 Mag Screen Tent

gives your clan 94 square feet of covered space to congregate. It has a center height of 7-and-a-half feet and is large enough to fit a picnic table. Mesh walls let the breeze blow but keeps the bugs out. The Clam 1660 is rugged strong, made of the highest quality elements, so it can with-stand even the windiest days and it goes up in less than a minute, far faster and easier than standard pop-up canopies.

To keep everything cold, a cooler big enough and rugged enough to hold all your perishable food and also protect it from bears is a necessity. For this purpose, we recommend and use the Grizzly 75 Cooler. This 75 quart cooler is ideal for long weekend get-aways and keeps ice for over ten days in our test-ing. It measures 33.25

inches wide by 18 inches deep and stands 18 inches high. This hardcore unit is made from rotomolded plastic, which insures that the wall thickness is consis-tent throughout, making it extremely tough. It is inject-ed with environmentally friendly insulation that truly will keep ice longer than any other cooler on the market. The 2 drain plug allows for quick draining and the full length drain channels on the bottom of

the cooler complete this process. It comes with non-slip and non-marking rubber feet which will keep the unit in place on the deck of your boat or bed of the truck. Handles are molded in, but also comes with rope handles with a nylon sleeve and heavy duty rubber handles. There



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Chad LaChance

As a TV Fishing Show Host and Professional Guide, I get a lot of emails filled with questions. Most often they are technique or lure related (whats your favorite lure for?), some-times theyre location related (where can I catch a family-sized pile of) and

sometimes theyre business related (most commonly how do I get sponsored?). I answer all of them personally and try to match the senders level of courtesy and enthusiasm. You know what nobody ever asks? How can I make my fishing more enjoyable? Funny thing is, thats really the root of why we fish, at least for sport.

I presume that when folks send those emails, thats actually their goal, to make their fishing more productive and there-fore more enjoyable, since the two go hand in hand. Theyre hoping to improve the enjoyable part by being more produc-tive with my answer. Well, Im going to cut to the chase; you dont even need to ask - Ill just tell you several things that will make your fishing more productive.

Lets look at bank anglers first; after all, there are more of you! A very easy way to make your fishing more produc-tive from the bank and well include streamside fishing in this category is to organize the load. What I mean is carry your tackle more efficiently. Bank fishing is a pedestrian undertaking; making your

tackle easy to carry is key. My preference is a Plano Softsider Tackle Bag. Because I can easily swap out the Plano plastic boxes within it to facilitate the days fish-ing, I can carry tools in side pockets and I can sling it over my shoulder/across my chest for hands-free transport. These bags are available in a bunch of sizes to match your level of tackle addiction. Since you can now carry your stuff and fish at the same time, you can easily cover more water and you always have your stuff in reach. Another benefit of shouldering your tackle is that you can now carry more rods on your walk (which allows you to better match specific conditions) and unlike with a backpack full of tackle, you can access your stuff while its shoul-dered (think wading).

Another way to increase productivity for bank dwellers is to utilize very high quality polarized sunglasses. Lets face it, you dont have sonar fish finders on the bank, but you do have eyes and any info they can give your brain regarding cover or vegetation, bottom content, cur-rent, bug/baitfish life or fish themselves will help you. Great polarized glasses will help your eyes do their job. I wear Costa glasses with a green mirror glass lens on rivers or from the bank. They increase contrast in browns and greens while eliminating glare making those aforementioned items that are so funda-mental in fishing easy to see. I consider my glasses as one of the most important tools I have, especially on running water.

I have a couple of things that will help boaters be more efficient and therefore enjoyable. One of them is an item I think every boating angler really should have on board, unless you dont care about money; a plug retriever. Im not talking about the retrievers that dangle from rope and are barely usable, Im talking about Frabills 15 telescoping model more akin to a golf ball retriever than fishing tool, but what a tool it is! The rigid telescoping handle allows you to reach out away from the boat if the plug is in

very shallow water or up on the bank. Of course, Id never cast into a tree, but in case you do, the retriever will prevent you from paying penance up there too. There are very few hard plugs - which are typically some of the most expensive lures that dive deeper than 15 feet, so you can get almost all of them back from bottom snags. When I look back over a season of guiding, I cant tell you how many times Frabills retriever has saved our lures, but suffice it to say it has paid for itself dozens of times over. It collapses, stays on the boat deck and is easy reach anytime were fishing jerkbaits, crank-baits, etc. Want to be more productive? Dont donate lures to the lake when you can easily get them back!

Speaking of Frabill, consider their Con-servation Series of nets whether you bank or boat fish. What makes these nets cool is that they have a flat bottom that allows the fish freedom of movement while in the net. This allows the fish to move and breathe while you rest them in the water as you remove the hook and/or ready your camera. These nets really excel at reviving tired fish; you can hold them in the water and let them relax rather than the old school tail hold method or having them bound up in the netting. Conservation Series netting is coated to preserve the fishs slime coat and theyre offered in a huge range of styles and sizes to fit your needs, including some that are very treble-hook friendly. Theres even a couple sizes with folding hoops for easy storage. These nets may not improve your catching directly, but they will minimize your impact and speed fish handling as well.

The last thing Ill toss out is to carry a pocket multi-tool (originally made popu-lar by the Leatherman) in your tackle. I never used to carry one. Then I tired of either searching for a tool or not having it at all and I bought a Berkley model. I use it all the time for everything from reel repair, to (gasp) removing birdsnests, to who knows what else. I keep it handy and it keeps me fishing.

Nobody ever asks about tackle trans-port, sunglasses, plug retrievers or tools, but I venture that if you did consider these items the way you do other aspects of fishing gear, you could indeed increase your productivity. And I promise you that watching a fish swim around in your net just prior to release will make you enjoy it more, too!

Productive Equals Fun


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Cedar City, Utah

By Shane Adair

The winter is over and it's time to start planning our next hunting season. Tag deadlines are every month for different states and always seem to creep up on us in the spring. Just like planning and preparing for our hunting season in advance, we need to do the same pre-preparation with our shooting. While we always budget for our hunts, we need to budget for our weapons, ammo, powder, etc. None of these things are cheap.

With that in mind, Id like to spend some time talking rifles. What can you make work within your budget? How do you know what rifle will work and which ones wont? That depends on the end result you are looking for. If its going to be a bench gun only, then find a heavy barrel rifle. For most, its trying to find a happy medium with a hunting rifle that doesnt weigh a ton yet shoots accurately. Most manufacturers today have the proper barrel contours to fit this bill. Stay away from the penciled down barrels which will affect accuracy. A medium contour will usually be fine for the 500-600-800 yard shooting. If a custom rifle is in your budget then get it ordered now, because they usually take 4-6 months to take delivery. These will set you back between $1,800 and $4,000 and are well worth it, but as most fac-tory rifle manufactures are producing some extremely accurate rifles, it makes it hard to choose with so many options.

Deciding to purchase a new rifle or just using one that you already own should be based on how well you can shoot it and how well it fits you. Not everything has to be changed to make

Getting Started with Long Range Shootingit work right now, but you will find that as you start long range shooting not only will you evolve but your weapon and some of the components will evolve. Most of the time, major overhauls arent necessary, but some small critical ones are. The most com-mon upgrades which make the biggest difference in your shooting are triggers, proper bases, and rings. One very cru-cial one is the stock. A stock needs to fit the shooter. Most custom rifles will already have all of the proper compo-nents needed, but factory rifles can be adapted to fit the bill as well.

The Remington 700 is a great plat-form that is accurate and very easy to adapt to a shooter. You can find almost any component to make a Remington fit your needs. Winchester model 70s are great; not too heavy and very reliable in all conditions. Ruger and Browning are well built accurate shooting rifles but a little more complicated to uprade and dont have as many upgrade options. This isnt a problem if the rifle already fits you well. Sako rifles shoot really well. Savage has done a great job with very accurate rifles. Weatherbys shoot great, a little bit heavy and long in the stock for some hunters, but by no means a hard to handle rifle. Kimber builds a great precision rifle, but with the light contoured barrels, beyond 500 yards has been hit or miss, but what a joy to pack. Other than a few featherweight rifles from these manufactures, most can be a very good 600-800 yard guns with the proper optics and ammunition.

A gun that beats you up on the bench will not work very well. A muzzle break is a good option and highly recommended. Most important is to

shoot what is comfortable for you on the bench. If a gun is beating you up then its going to beat itself up as well. Heavy recoil will cause excessive vibra-tion and jumping around. This energy will transfer all over the weapon as well as onto the shooter, and most shooters really struggle to shoot accurately with high recoil. How do you know that your rifle will do the job? You need to take a good quality ammo that you can always purchase or reproduce and be able to shoot better than a 2-inch group at 200 yards. 100 yards will not work.This is crucial! At 200 yards, a gun will tell you almost everything you need to know. Rifles will sometimes seem to shoot okay at 100 yards, but the bul-lets have not settled down and taken their true flight path yet. If a rifle will shoot at 200 yards it will shoot at 500 and farther. Put the lead sled away, put the front of the rifle on a bipod or bag, put the gun in your shoulder and shoot it on the bench. No more sight-ing it in at 25 yards or 2.5 inches high at 100 yards. It must be zeroed at 200 yards. With a little finesse, we can make almost all rifles shoot better than a two inch group at 200 yards. Now, with Rifle chosen and ammo found, you need to

pick your optic. Optics needs to be a minimum power of 14. Thats a great starting place. To shoot well out past 800 yards, I would recommend a 20 power or more. It must have an adjust-able turret for elevation or elevation bars in the scope. The hold-over days are over. With these three components put together properly, you will be amazed at what you can do. This can be a lengthy process and takes many trips to the range, and most ranges are not set up to shoot past 200 yards. If this is too much for you to tackle, this is where Adair Precision can help you out. We have the ability to shoot every rifle out to the desired yardage of the customer and most will be shot out to 800 yards. With access to the best ammo loads on the market and a knowledge of scopes that fits the needs and budgets of the shooter, we make this a very simple process for you. Ship the rifle out, UPS, FedX or US Postal and we will set up your rifle package to meet your needs. When done we give you the option to shoot it with us and then take it home, or we will ship it back ready to hunt. If extending your range and abilities is your goal we can make it happen for you.


WINN

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CTED


By Mike Deming

This is a rifle I have been putting to the test for nearly a solid year now. So, it is a bit more of a hard core field test than most guns we write about here at Sportsmans News. Since Im a self-admitted long gun snob and have numerous custom guns in my arsenal, I know Im a bit harder to please than most. I practice shooting long range on a regular basis with some pretty accomplished shooters as well. So, the equipment I show up with for our outings has to perform at the highest level or the public ridicule might be just a bit too much to tolerate.

The Sako Finnlight 85 is definitely in this class of rifles and shoots as

Sako Finnlight 85

good if not better than all of my other custom rifles and at a fraction of the cost. It isnt an inexpensive rifle by any means and will set you back around $1,500. However, when you compare it to a full custom rifle it is about a third the cost. Most people are willing to bite the bul-let to get a custom rifle because of their accuracy guarantee. With those higher prices usually comes a .5 or 1 MOA guarantee, hence why I have custom rifles. We have tested both the 7MM and the .300 WSM in the Sako Finnlight 85 and have consistently achieved sub .5 MOA out of each rifle shooting premium ammunition. The 7MM, shooting Doubletap DT Longrange ammo with 145 grain Barnes LRX bullets delivers

.5 3-shot groups at 200 yards nearly every time, making it better than all of my custom rifles.

This rifle comes in 13 different calibers starting at the .22-250 with a short action all the way out to the .300 Win Mag and a long action. There are four different action lengths in this line which insures that there is no slop and has a very controlled feed to the chamber. The action itself is the smoothest and easiest to operate that I have ever used. Smooth like butter would be an understatement when de-scribing the working parts of this rifle.

The stock is two step in-

jection molded with grey softer grip areas in the pistol grip, fore-end sides and bottoms. Black outer surfaces are Soft Touch finished which provide for a solid grip on the rifle. Even though the stock is a sport style stock and very light weight, the flat bottom allows for a good stable base when shooting on a bag or across your pack. The 24 3/8 barrel is fluted and full free floating stainless steel. The 7MM has a 1 in 9.5 twist. The overall weight of this rifle without optics is 6-pounds 13-ounces mak-ing it a bit heavy to be considered a lightweight mountain rifle, but the additional weight helps to absorb the recoil and eliminates the need for a muzzle break even on the largest of calibers. Those extremely narrow di-ameter barrels which cut a significant amount of weight have a tendency to have accuracy problems after a few shots and that isnt the case with our test rifles. So, Im happy to carry a few extra ounces on my back when Im targeting the trophy of a lifetime.

The single stage trigger on this rifle is extremely crisp and has absolutely no creep. It can be adjusted from a light 2-pounds up to 4-pounds and can be done with just a small Allen wrench without the need of a gun-smith. I personally keep mine set at just a hair over two pounds and have no safety concerns. The safety itself on this gun is a single stage, but does have a mechanism which will allow you to unload the rifle with the gun on safe. This mechanism is a small button just in front of the safety which, when depressed, allows the bolt to function. The box magazine

in this model will hold 4-rounds with an additional one in the pipe. It fits extremely precise into the action and has absolutely no play and requires some getting used to when removing it from the rifle. It requires you to put slight pressure on the magazine inward as you push the release but-ton. This does insure that the release button isnt accidentally pushed in the field, resulting in a lost magazine.

The scope mount rai l is very unique to the Sako rifle and spe-cifically designed for their own bases and mounts. These mounts are a bit hard to find on the market, but work extremely well and can be special ordered through Sportsman's Warehouse or Beretta USA. There are a couple of aftermarket mounts like Talley which are well known and work extremely well if you cant find the Sako bases and mounts. This was the only negative thing that I could find about this rifle in my full year of putting it to the test.

I mounted a Leupold VX-6 in 3-18X44 with firedot reticle and windplex on this gun. The short tube on this scope required me to add the extended bases, but once I had the cor-rect parts, Ive never looked back. This rifle will be my go-to rifle for nearly all of my big game hunting needs for years to come. With a rifle of this qual-ity, there is truly no need to spend the money on a custom rifle. Make sure you top your rifle with a high quality optic which will give you the most out of any rifle and always shoot premium ammunition. The Sako Finnlight 85 can truly be the last rifle you will ever need to buy.

This is a 3 shot group at 200 yards using premium ammunition.


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By Kent DanjanovichSenior Editor

It is no secret that turkey hunting has become one of the most popu-lar sports among spring and fall outdoors men and women across the country. The revitalization of the wild turkey is one of the greatest success stories in our hunting world.

When talking about turkeys and eventual success of the hunt, one of the most important things is knowing your shotguns pattern, something that is directly affected by a combi-nation of your guns choke and am-munition used. Knowing your limits can quickly become your advantage when a gobblers timing is bad and your shot is good.

Back in the fall of 2013, Winchester introduced the 12-gauge Long Beard XR in 3 and 3 1/2- inch shells with shot sizes available in No. 4, 5, and 6. The shot has a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps propelling 1 3/4 and 2 ounces of cop-

Talkin Turkeys Winchester Styleper plated lead pel-lets. In the normal situation, traditional lead shot would not be dense enough for all of the shot to hold its shape when propelled through the barrel because of the high velocity; however, the Long Beard XR is designed with a SHOT-LOK filler which allows the shot to keep its shape when leaving the gun barrel for a more uniform shot pattern.

SHOT-LOK is a resin-like liquid that is injected into the shot cup prior to adding the lead shot during manu-facturing. The liquid fills all of the air spaces between the pellets and it cures to a solid matter, encapsulating the entire shot load. The solid filler pro-

tects the lead shot from deformation as it is pulverized during in-bore ac-celeration.

The shot acceler-ates and launches through the barrel and choke almost perfectly round, allowing for ex-tremely tight long-range patterns. Ac-cording to Winchester, this produces twice the number of pellets in a 10 circle out to 60 yards with 10 percent greater penetration over standard lead beyond 50 yards.

Forty yards has long been the stan-dard by which all turkey loads were measured. Its time to go farther with Winchester Long Beard XR, the most innovative lead turkey load in its his-tory provides increased lethality at longer ranges, more than any other turkey load.

Long Beard XR has the knockdown power of popular heavier-than-lead loads at a fraction of the cost, meaning its a turkey-slamming game changer for hunters looking to push the limits. And new for 2015 are to two even more powerful Magnum loads. Win-chester Long Beard XR is now being offered in the following specifications:

Shot-Lok TechnologyWhen turkey hunting, its impor-

tant to identify your target, usually attempting to call in a bird within 40 yards or less. However, it is sometimes difficult to measure the exact distance, so every hunter wants a load they can depend on to reach the turkey at a

respected distance beyond 40 yards. Long Beard XR includes Shot-Lok Technologya hardened resin that completely encapsulates the lead pel-lets. Shot-Lok actually eliminates air space around the pellets, preventing movement, which ultimately leads to virtually no pellet deformation.

As the shot is charged, the resin fractures, forming a micro-buffer as the shot pattern leaves the gun bar-relthe pellets remain round and fly straighter and tighter, resulting in highly consistent payloads and dev-astating knockdown at longer ranges.

Advantages Of Shot-Lok TechnologyProtects shot during in-bore accel-

eration shot launches from barrel near perfectly round for extremely tight long-range patterns twice the number of pellets in a 10 circle out to 60 yards 10% greater penetration over standard lead loads beyond 50 yards devastat-ing terminal on-target performances.

When you pull the trigger, the shot is charged, the resin fractures, buffering the round pellets without deformation. Were seeing twice the number of pellets beyond 50 yards as in other standard lead loads, of-fering tighter, truer and straighter patterns with definitely more energy downrange, Brad Criner, Winchester Ammunitions Senior Shotshell and Rimfire Product Manager.

Havent shot this remarkable load yet? You need to. Like any load, pat-tern Winchester Long Beard XR on a target. Learn how your shotgun performs with your shell selection and make any necessary adjustments to your choke or sighting system. Its

Gauge Technology Shell Length Oz. Shot Velocity Shot Sizes 12 SHOT-LOK MAG 3 1/2" 2 1/8 1050 4, 5, 612 SHOT-LOK 3 1/2 2 1200 4, 5, 6 12 SHOT-LOK MAG 3 1 7/8 1050 4, 5, 612 SHOT-LOK 3 1 3/4 1200 4, 5, 6



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in a rugged, ballistic nylon case (included), the Ruger 10/22 Takedown

makes it easy to keep Americas favorite rimfi re rifl e by your side.


is a 2 tie down slot on each side which allows you to not only tie it down, but even lock it to your vehicle. The internal molding in this cooler is designed to hold the Grizzly frozen dividers which, are powered by Arctic Ice. If you will be camping in bear country, this cooler is also Grizzly Bear compliant. Each cooler has a lifetime warranty and is made right here in the U.S.A.

For a good nights rest, you can rough it on the ground, but a good quality air mattress will make your sleeping more

comfortable and keep you warm-er. When car camping, you can take along the Coleman Queen Size Double High Airbed With-Pump. This inflatable mattress rises to normal bed height and fea-tures 34 individual coils for added support of your body. Welded seams insure your mattress wont leak all night long. It fits standard sheets and has a sueded micro-fiber top to prevent your sheets from slipping off during the night. When deflat-ed, it rolls up easily and is kept compact by the

Wrap N Roll Storage System and takes up only minimal space. The included 120V DC pump lets you quickly fill the mattress by using a car in-verter, or you can pick up the rechargeable Quick Pump for use where there is no access to electricity.

For those more daring souls,

a Camping Hammock from Eagle Nest Outfitters offers the comfort of a ham-mock and the luxury of a tent. Zip-in bug netting, rain fly, stakes, and extension straps provide you multiple protection from the elements and flexibility in set-up options. Accessories such as a wrap-around quilt or lights make this a super comfortable option where you will have the ability to suspend the hammock. And for those who like a cuddle buddy at night, they offer the ENO DoubleN-est 2 Person Hammock so you can stay extra warm.

Your tent is your home away from

home and having enough room to comfortably sleep your entire clan and all of their gear is a necessity. For ultimate group camping the Browning Buckmark Six Man Tent offers two rooms with their own entrances split up with a removable divider. This 9x14 tent stands 6'8 in the center and features a free-standing steel three-pole design with fiberglass shock corded tent sup-

ports. A rain fly covers the top and is easily assembled in a short amount of time. Straight walls offer more room for people and gear and the already water-proofed and sealed tent means you can take it straight from the store to the field without treating the seams and letting it dry before use.

To extend your camping pleasure, good lighting is a must. Thermacell of-fers their Camp Lantern that not only puts out up to 300 lumens of light in a 360 degree arc, but it also is equipped

with Thermacells non-topical insect repellent technology to keep the bugs away. It will run for up to 50 hours on its highest setting. It has three brightness settings as well as a flashing SOS setting and features a battery level indicator. For keeping the biting bugs at bay, the Ther-macell butane cartridge and repellent

pad form a 15 by 15 foot protection zone of virtually odorless and silent protection from in-sects. The base of the lantern features a hook that makes it easy to suspend in a tent or above a camp table to more readily al-low the light and insect protection to be extended to

their maximum effectiveness.The say camping is all about the fire.

The experience of sitting around the campfire telling and retelling tall tales is one of the more enjoyable camping activities. To help make building and

CAR CAMPINGcontinued from page 18



REMINGTON VERSA MAX. ANY LOAD. ANYWHERE. EVERY TIME.

Any perceived advantage of an inertia-driven autoloader dies the

instant you shoulder a VERSA MAX. Its new VersaPort gas system

cycles every load, from light 2 " to heavy 3 " magnums, with

flawless consistency, dramatically less recoil and less maintenance

than any other autoloader out there.

For a devastating combination, choose Hypersonic Steel. At 1,700 fps, its the worlds fastest, hardest-hitting steel.

2012 REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, LLC.


A carryover from last years major design changes, its simple and practical, but is being left out and behind by many of its competitors.

Five years ago, when the Mitsubi-shi Outlander was redesigned for 2010, it received good marks for its aggressive styling and features that made it competitive in everything from engines and AWD, to nice interior ap-pointments. When the Outlander was unveiled for 2014, many of us had high hopes that wed see more eye-opening styles and technology innovations for the little compact front-wheel drive or All Wheel Drive (AWD) Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). It simply did not hap-pen. And in many ways, the Outlander was actually tamed in the styling department and basic engine designs were carried over.

Fast forward to 2015 and there were hopes and rumors that Mitsubishi might be adding a turbocharged engine and some upgraded sport features.

2015 Mitsubishi OutlanderAgain, it didnt hap-pen and insiders at the car company say that the real news for the Outlander is not going to be available until 2016, when they hope to introduce a radical Outlander with a to-tally new design, fea-turing the first AWD Plug-in Hybrid Elec-tric Vehicle (PHEV). Outlander PHEVs are currently being sold in Japan, Europe and Australia, but bat-tery shortages and technical issues keep pushing back the U.S. introduction.

Being touted to have a range of nearly 500 miles and getting 150 mpg with its small supplemental gas engine, Mit-subishi is expecting a huge demand from the greenies and the short-to-medium range commuter crowds. How well that is going to translate to a practical back-country traveling AWD SUV for the sportsmans marketplace is questionable.

All that said, the 2015 Outlander SE with its Super-Wheel Drive (S-AWD) system has a 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine thats mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and kicks out a meager 166 horsepower. On the plus side, the Outlander SE turns in a respectable 24 mpg city/29 mpg high-way and a combined 26 mpg fuel econ-omy rating. Opting for the GT version, the vehicle has a larger 3.0 liter V6 and a six-speed automatic transmission that delivers 224 horsepower. Both engines are rather tame and mild and there is a distinct lack of quick/snappy accelera-tion. Both may be good for daily city-fide commutes or if traveling slowly on back roads and trails while in four-

wheel drive, but cant be called ex-citing, when out on the open roads and running off to your next outdoor adventure.

Inside, the ve-hicle is comfortable and the driver is going to find all controls easy to access with com-fortable seating.

Second row of seats follow suit in the comfort department and are adjustable for plenty of leg room. The third row seating, however is rather cramped and is best used for short commutes or car pooling with folks that you dont neces-sarily like a whole lot! With seat rows two and three folded down, youve got just over 63 cubic feet of room for your camping, fishing or hunting gear. Its not bad, but other makers seem to be finding ways to add increased inches and cubic feet to other vehicles in this SUV class.

While driving on the open road is comfortable and the handling is good and responsive, we actually enjoyed taking the Outlander at slower speeds and when traveling on dirt, mud and in snow. Sporting 8.5 inches of ground clearance, the SUV is not going to rate as a rock-crawler, but with the S-AWD feature, the vehicle does a great job of crawling along at slow speeds and having good traction to the tires when negotiating ruts, dips, muddy bogs and snow bumps. Slow and de-liberate, the Outlander SE was depend-able when the asphalt ended and all of our test-drivers felt confident with the steering, acceleration and handling.

Overall, the Outlander series for 2015 seems to reflect where Mitsubishi wants to aim a SUV that is main-stream, prac-tical and simple. Its not super luxuri-ous or plush, but it has all the essential amenities and conveniences. Its not a race-track contender for the owner seeking performance characteristics. But it also doesnt have a sticker price that pretends that it is.

It is solid, dependable, has a good service/quality record and is going to shuffle through this year as nothing more and nothing less.


ALSO AVAILABLE AT


always the responsibility of the hunter to take the most ethical shot no matter what the distance get that deal-closing confidence you need to get the job done on that big ol tom!

And another great tool that has been created at Winchester that is new for 2015 is the Winchester Pat-tern Board application that embodies all that Winchester stands for: excel-lence and innovation. It allows you to choose shotgun gauge, pellet size, shell length, chokes, brands and ad-just distance to pattern your shotgun loads out to 70 yards. Winchester has actually patterned over 3,000 rounds

on the range to compile this informa-tion just for turkey hunters. You can compare up to four loads at a time, review their patterns, save your fa-vorites, see what loads and patterns other users are shooting and receive product recommendations to improve your shot. This application is packed full of features to make the richest, most integrated and useful shotgun patterning application available. It is the single best way to see shotshell patterns, unless of course, you have the time and resources to do it all yourself!

Available on your laptop, tablet or smartphone, the new Winchester Pattern Board app is the first of its kind offered for shotgunners. The app

allows turkey hunt-ers to see how differ-ent loads pattern at varying dis tances without actually test-ing each individual load at the range.

For more informa-tion about Winchester Ammunition, the new Pattern Board and all Winchester prod-ucts, visit www.win-chester.com.

WINCHESTERcontinued from page 28

maintaining your fire easier, Zippo has created the 4-In-1 Woodsman Axe and Saw. This full sized axe features a 5-inch blade that doubles as a hammer on the

back side for driving in tent stakes. In-side the handle resides a large-toothed wood saw blade that attaches to the handle and the axe blade cover to form a bow saw for cutting wood. The metal loop on the bottom not only tightens the saw blade, but also acts as a tent stake puller.

For locations that dont allow fires, the Camp Chef Redwood Portable Propane Fire Pit gives you the atmosphere of a campfire without the risk of burning wood in a dry environment. It connects to a portable propane tank with a 6-foot hose and puts out 55,000 BTUs of heat; enough to cook on or use for heat. It is self-lighting so matches are not needed. The 15-inch diameter fire bowl gives off plenty of heat and light and a stainless steel safety ring protects little ones from falling in the fire. A wide base keeps a stable platform for the 12 pounds of lava rocks, especially on uneven surfaces.

Once you have set up camp, cooked a meal, built the fire, and pitched your tent, there is nothing left to do but sit back and relax in the beautiful outdoors. For hours of camp comfort, the Alps Aluminum Camp Chair will provide

you with a wider seat than most other portable chairs. It also offers better sup-port, a heavy duty powder coated frame, and folds up compactly for transport. The ALPS Aluminum Camp Chair of-fers better stability on uneven ground and provides a more rigid backrest for hours of comfortable enjoyment. Pad-ded, curved armrests and a cup holder pocket complete your throne, letting you focus on being king of the campsite.

This summer, take the family out and enjoy the wonderful outdoors together. In too short of time the kids will be grown and gone, so take this time to make valuable memories spent together as a family. But just because you are

camping doesnt mean you cant rough it in comfort and style the next time you camp out. And while you are at it, look into some of the wonderful State Parks that offer camping for families. These parks are often underutilized except during major holidays like Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day. The rest of the year, you may find your-self all alone with your loved ones in first-rate campgrounds. If not, you just might meet some fun neighbors and strike up a life-long friendship. Save me a Smore.

CAR CAMPINGcontinued from page 30


By Japrix Weaver

I passed my hunters safety class and got my badge. My 12th birthday arrived and it was time to put in for some hunts. I was 1 of 3 very lucky kids to draw out for a youth elk hunt in New Mexico.

After much preparation, the time came to go on what my Dad kept reminding me was a Once in a lifetime hunt.

My posse for this Once in a life time hunt, included my dad, my 14 year old sister Dream, my uncle, and my boy cousin Madsen, also 12 years old. We drove from Utah to New Mexico on a Friday; we arrived late into the night to a pre-determined spot. We set up our camp trailer, ate dinner and lots of candy, and then got some sleep. We stayed one full day at this camp; we spent this time sight-ing in the Remington 270 I borrowed from my big brother.

The next morning, after all of our back-packs were stocked for our unknown adventure, we set out on foot, entering elk country. The hike was long, the trails went up and down. We had to stop for a while to catch our breath. Sometimes while we were walking I said prayers to my Heavenly Father to ask for help so I could finish the hike and get to our spike camp. A spike camp is where you sleep in tents or under the stars without running water or electricity and stuff like that. At least thats what a spike camp means to me. So any way I think I said about five prayers during this 5 mile hike to where we would sleep that night.

First Elk AdventureWe enjoyed some canned dinner, and

a quick nights sleep. I used my extra clothes as a pillow and dad let us eat more candy. When the dark morning came, it was finally time to hunt. We set out on foot, making plans and strategys as where to go and how picky to be. It was fun hearing the elk so close and so noisy. I passed up a few smaller bulls and kept on hunting. Later that day, I got a shot at a decent sized dandy, but missed. The morning hunt was over, but missing ended up being a blessing.

Before I knew it, it was time to go out hunting again. This time I was feeling very lucky!

We made it to a place where we knew we would find some luck. The elk were bugling like crazy; we found the biggest one and began to prepare for a shot. The conclusion was made that I was too far away and needed to be at a closer range, so we decided to split up. Dad, Dream and Madsen were staying behind on one ridge, to cut down on noise and so Dream could take video. My uncle and I started working our way in to better position. Once I was close enough my uncle told me what spot on my scope to put on the elk, once I was ready I pulled the trigger. I was sure I hit him, but he didnt go down I would have to finish the job. My skinny body was shaking from head to toe, my uncle helped me get stable, I shot a second and third time. A few staggering moments later, the massive animal fell to the ground. We waited and listened. Dur-ing this time we could hear it panting and

kicking its feet everywhere. I was feeling so excited. Once we were sure it was dead we went to see what I had bagged. A six point bull elk.

My first thought was, its huge I cant believe I killed that thing!

As you know we had to take tons of photos of the big kill! It was dark by this time so we had to use the flashlight to take photos, so it was hard to keep my eyes open for the picture. I would try so hard to keep them open, that is why my smile looks funny!

As soon as we were finished with the pictures we took time to cut up the elk. We took the meat and the antlers. We put all the meat, which seemed to be tons of pounds of meat, in our back packs. We then started our challenging ten mile hike back to our main base camp. We decided we would rather hike the entire ten miles in the dark, instead of sleeping one more night at the spike camp full of mosquitos. That way we could have a good night sleep back at the cozy, warm trailer. So thats just what we did. We

started hiking with a few breaks here and there. We hiked from 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. to get to our spike camp. There we packed up camp and added more pounds of equipment, clothes, and sleeping bags into our back packs. We left our spike camp at 12:30 a.m. Imagine a 12 year old girl and boy, one 14 year old girl and two dads, with their back packs stuffed with meat, elk antlers, a rifle and equipment hiking through the New Mexico terrain, being led by flashlights in the dark of night. We hiked up hill about 75% of the time. After what seem to be an eternity and several more prayers to my Heavenly Father; we arrived at the trailer and truck, just a little past 4:00am. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done at the same time one of the most rewarding. I slept like a rock that night as you could imagine.

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By Dan KidderManaging Editor

For those who go deep into the wilderness, far from any cell towers or busy roads, having a personal locator beacon (PLB) is a necessary piece of kit in an emergency.

They are expensive, with some re-quiring a subscription and they each have different strengths and weak-nesses, but if you are injured, trapped, lost or just need rescue, these little electronic gadgets are a must-have.

Before 2003, when the FCC ap-proved PLBs for land use, you would give a friend or family member your itinerary, an idea of the path you were planning to take and if you were

Choosing A Personal Locator Beaconoverdue, they w o u l d n o t i f y search and res-cue of where you might be . For those who spent days or weeks in the wilderness, this meant that the odds of be-ing found before it was too late if you got in trou-ble were pretty slim.

With the ad-vent of satellite technology, GPS enabled PLBs can now provide im-mediate notification and location in an emergency.

While far from being inexpensive, for what they provide, these devices are a priceless companion.

When it comes to selecting a PLB, we want to look at both the strengths and weaknesses of each of the three major players; ACR, SPOT and Delo-rme inReach.

ACRACR utilizes a government satel-

lite system to provide location over most of the globe. Their transmission system is by far the strongest of all of the PLBs, however, this stronger signal power is needed because the satellites used by ACR are in a far higher orbit than those used by SPOT and inReach. In addition to the 406 MHz transmission used by the ACR, it also sends a 121.5MHz homing signal to help rescuers pinpoint your location on the ground. The network of satellites and ground stations are run by the governments of Russia, the US, France and Canada. This can result in a delay in response time, as well as the way the satellites move. It can also delay how long it takes for help to be dispatched. On the upside, these devices are very rugged, can be used in most locations that have a clear view of the sky and come with an immense network of support. On the downside, they have an internal bat-tery that must be maintained, battery life is limited, it must be replaced by a technician and it requires frequent testing as well as registration with the nation in which it will be used.

SPOT MessengerThe SPOT Messenger not only acts

like a PLB, but gives you the addi-tional feature of being able to send pre-set text messages and also share your location and track on social networking sites, like Facebook. The SPOT Messenger utilizes the Global-star satellite network, consisting of 48 geosynchronous satellites in low orbit an

sportsman's news april 2015 digital edition

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