gnatoutdoors.com

16/08/2024

https://www.hardcorewaterfowl.com/duck-callings-7-deadly-sins-by-mike-gnatkowski/

I am quite sure it was consummate sportsman and conservationist Nash Buckingham who once said, “The duck call is the best conservation tool ever invented

16/08/2024

https://www.hardcorewaterfowl.com/tools-of-the-trade/

Waterfowlers are serious about their hobby. They have to be to be successful. If you’re looking to get into bow hunting, all you need is a crossbow or

06/08/2024

https://www.scentlok.com/speed-goats-in-the-cowboy-state/

Wildlife biologists once claimed there was likely more antelope than people in Wyoming. The least populated state in the United States with just over half

13/07/2024

https://www.hardcorewaterfowl.com/blog/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0UxWGNpqhfhkBPyeEjfI93wwk1TD2mjSjKjh04klZVuc7f5dnrpzOd59o_aem_O4ZeSQwdxFQGHx0gJ6ixIg

Stay informed with the Hardcore™ Waterfowl hunting blog! Tips & tricks for maximizing your duck & goose hunting success.

05/07/2024

04/07/2024

Colorado Outdoors 2024 Fishing Annual

Down The Tubes For Trout

02/07/2024

https://www.hardcorewaterfowl.com/plan-now-for-teal-by-mike-gnatkowski/

Waterfowlers know that the best hunting occurs late in the year when the weather is nasty, and birds are piling in from the north. But we can’t wait until Waterfowlers know that the best hunting occurs late in the year when the weather is nasty, and birds are piling in from the north. But we can.....

02/07/2024

https://www.hardcorewaterfowl.com/where-have-all-the-mallards-gone/

I don’t know of any waterfowler that wouldn’t be ecstatic coming out of the marsh or field with a strap of greenhead mallards over their back. In years

02/07/2024

The Future of Outdoor Recreation Funding in America Is at Risk

As June ushered in Great Outdoors Month and Americans headed outside in droves to enjoy the country’s natural beauty, we must confront a critical issue that threatens the future of outdoor recreation: How do we collectively fund a sustainable and quality outdoors experience?

The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s latest report, “Recreation Funding in America: Current Results and Future Insights,” highlights the challenges and opportunities for the outdoor recreation economy.

Recent data from the Department of Commerce underscores the importance of this industry. In 2022, outdoor recreation generated $1.1 trillion in gross output and supported 5 million jobs, comprising 2.2 percent of the nation’s economy and 3.2 percent of all U.S. employees. This sector is growing 2.5 times faster than the economy as a whole. Leading companies across the outdoor industry’s top segments are determined to think long-term, big-picture, and proactively to ensure this thriving economic sector continues to support future generations and communities.

One key finding from the report is that outdoor recreation, which contributes 2.2 percent to U.S. GDP, receives only 0.16 percent of federal funding. This nearly 14-fold difference underscores the need for a substantial increase in government support.

Over the last 20 years, while the federal budget grew by 76 percent, spending on outdoor recreation increased by just 22 percent. The majority of federal outdoor recreation spending comes from sources outside general revenue, such as fossil fuel taxes, recreation fees, excise taxes and other receipts. This reliance on diverse revenue streams makes the sector vulnerable to trends like inflation, energy transitions and climate change. Policymakers, industry leaders and the public must act on these findings to ensure the sustainability of this vital sector.

Healthy recreation economies contribute to more than just the national and rural economies. They sustain healthy people, jobs, communities, and our shared natural resources. Public lands and waters are the backbone of this sector, and funding for these places is essential, now and in the future. However, the new report reveals a significant spending gap that could undermine this critical sector. The report emphasizes that the spending gap could be as large as $34 billion by 2042. This gap, if not addressed, could significantly affect an industry core to the American experience, economy and quality of life.

To address these challenges, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and its members are committed to advocating for increased federal investment in outdoor recreation just as appropriators are discussing agency budgets. We are committed to working with elected leaders and our private-sector leadership to develop comprehensive, long-term solutions.

Additionally, the passage of the EXPLORE Act in the Senate, which has no cost but provides updated recreation planning and smart policy, is crucial. This legislation will help make dollars go further and support our industry’s growth; the measure has passed the House.

Adequate investment and smart policy are crucial for the outdoor recreation industry to operate and sustain itself and all who rely on it because when our industry is healthy, so are people, communities, economies and the planet.

This report marks the beginning of an essential conversation about the future of America’s outdoor legacy and economy. Let’s work together now to ensure that the beauty and benefits of outdoor recreation are available to all for generations.

— Jessica Wahl Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

30/06/2024

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/big-game-hunting/western-tag-draw-ponzi-scheme

The odds of drawing a coveted western big game tag have never been lower — and sadly it’s only going to get worse.

29/06/2024

https://projectupland.com/shotguns-and-shooting/how-effective-is-steel-shot/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1qmNWX-l9OtBR_URyx-RDvTdRkP1eoKeRL1c75zwYX0V50HpEBtAqBtwE_aem_920Ddpw73xUEoF-3O1TKRg

Discussing the myths, truths, and science behind the effectiveness of steel shot compared to lead shot ballistics.

27/06/2024

https://www.whitewaterfish.com/blog/when-it-rains-it-pours

Generally, anglers do not like fishing in the rain. Can you blame them? It’s uncomfortable, sometimes cold, and not the best of conditions. Or is it? A bass doesn’t care. They’re not getting any wetter! And a good soaking rain can trigger largemouth bass,

27/06/2024

https://www.hardcorewaterfowl.com/know-your-ducks/

Identifying ducks on the wing requires knowing a particular duck’s silhouette, flock and flight patterns, size, coloration, and calls. Using these visual and audio clues can help you positively identify ducks even under less-than-perfect conditions.

23/06/2024

https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/bobber-basics-pick-the-right-fishing-float/499897?utm_source=WhatCounts-Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GAF12-Months-Engaged&utm_content=GAF%20Sun

From bluegill to pike, employ the best floats for the given situation and species to catch.

20/06/2024

Woods-N-Water-News July 2024

Hooked On Bass

17/06/2024

https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/point-to-point-for-chinook-on-lower-lake-michigan/380613

If you're seeking a trophy salmon this summer, here's where to go.

28/05/2024

Woods-N-Water News June 2024

02/05/2024

25/04/2024

Game & Fish Midwest April 2024 The Panfish Calendar

25/04/2024

Game & Fish Midwest May 2024 Bobber Basics

24/04/2024

Turkey Vest Essentials by Mike Gnatkowski/gnatoutdoors.com

With the spring turkey season just around the corner, now is a good time to do a thorough inspection of your turkey vest to make sure you have all the essentials for a successful spring hunt.
Turkey vests have evolved over the years. Once just a vest with pockets, modern turkey vests have slots, holders, closures and storage to hold everything an avid turkey hunter could need. The modern turkey vest makes it easy to organize, carry and insure you have everything you need in an accessible location when it’s go time.

Calls
The modern turkey vest is designed for those who use multiple calls. Being proficient on a couple of different calls has its advantages. I use my diaphragm mouth calls the most. A big advantage of a mouth call is they leave your hands free. I have a half dozen diaphragm calls that make subtle yelps, cackles and purrs and take up little space in a turkey vest, but they need to be kept organized and handy. Diaphragm calls typically come in a plastic container that I put in a small pouch in a zippered pocket of the vest. In that same pouch I put chalk for my box call and the strikers I use for my friction call. I also have a piece of sandpaper to rough up the surface of the friction call. Many hunters will use a mouth-call wallet to store and separate the various diaphragm calls they carry.
My vest has an oval-shaped pocket for my friction call. The pocket has an elastic loop and a hook it attaches to in order to keep the call close at hand and dry. Keeping a friction call dry is important. They won‘t work if they get damp. Friction calls are outstanding for cutting and purring. I can work the friction call while I’m calling with my diaphragm call. It’s usually more than a strutting gobbler can stand.
I’m not very proficient on a box call, but it’s probably the best call for a beginner to start out using. Box calls are easy to use and can make a variety of turkey talk in the right hands with practice. My vest has an elongated pocket the box call slips into and is held securely in place with a flap and an elastic band that connects to a hook to hold the call in place so it’s not chirping when you don’t want it to.
I also have a gobbler call in the vest. I don’t use it much. I usually don’t have to, but I have it as a last resort. I keep it in one of the large, zippered front pockets.
Besides turkey calls in the vest I have other locator calls. Locator calls cause turkeys to shock gobble to reveal their location and are used to pinpoint where birds are. I have a crow call and an owl ho**er. If one doesn’t get a response the other one usually does. Those go in one of the zippered front pockets, too.

Apparel
You need to be covered head to toe in camouflage if you’re serious about killing a wise, old tom. I have a pair of camouflage gloves in my vest and another pair in my jacket. One pair is the fingerless variety. I also carry a facemask in my vest enough though the cap I wear has a built-in facemask. The cap is older than dirt, but I know if I have the cap I have my facemask. Sometimes I wear a different cap though so I know I always have a facemask in my vest, too. It comes in handy if your hunting partner forgets his. Gloves and facemask can go in an inner pocket.

Game Bag
My turkey vest has a sizeable game bag I have no problem filling up. In the game bag I keep a folding saw to clear shooting lands and annoying branches. The game bag is perfect for carrying decoys. I have two flocked, collapsible decoys I carry and the stakes- one jake and one hen. That’s usually enough. I also have a separate mesh bag that contains a hen, jake and strutting gobbler, but I find the jake and hen pair usually does the job.
I carry a portable blind in the game bag. MAD makes the blind. I’m not sure they’re still in business, but I love the blind. It’s lightweight and has three stakes, two of which telescope to form a V. You can rest your gun right in the center and make slight adjustments on an incoming gobbler without being scene. Having the blind to support your gun in the ready position is a huge advantage, too.
I keep a blaze orange piece of cloth in the game bag for safety. The cloth snaps on to the back of the vest when I’m carrying a bird. I also carry a game strap in the game bag that makes it easier to carry a heavy gobbler out of the woods.

Odds and Ends
Additions to the vest include a small pair of binoculars and a pair of pruning shears. The binoculars are perfect in the field for scoping out distant gobblers and their harems and keeping track of where they are entering and exiting the field and roosting. The pruning shears are ideal for quickly removing limbs blocking or obstructing your view.
Make sure you carry bug spray. Bugs aren’t usually a problem early in the season, but later they can be a pain. It’s impossible to sit still if you have a cloud of skeeters or black flies tormenting you. I put the bug spray in an accessible inside pocket.
The vest I use has a convenient little molded pocket that holds three 12-guage shells. Those are the ones that go in my gun every morning. I carry a few additional shells in an inside pocket.

Creature Comforts
You can’t sit still if you aren’t comfortable. One of the most admirable qualities of a successful turkey hunter is patience. It’s had to be patient if you’re not comfortable. My turkey vest has a thick, foam seat attached to the back of the vest that you can easily deploy to sit on. A comfortable seat is mandatory. If your vest doesn’t have one, be sure to bring one. Newer vests even have padding that supports your back. The only bad part about that is if you get too comfortable your snoring may scare the turkeys away!
Make sure your vest has wide, padded adjustable shoulder straps and an adjustable sternum and waist buckle to help distribute the weight. Most modern turkey vest have a mesh pocket perfect for a water bottle.
Other than a little luck a well-stocked and organized turkey vest will tip the odds in your favor for a successful hunt this spring.

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07/08/2023

06/08/2023

Being the writer that I am, I love this line.

"Smith had to read Trump’s mind like the Amazing Kreskin, and obscure laws were dragged out of the 19th century and stretched further than Lizzo’s yoga pants."

06/08/2023

Michigan Outdoor News August 4, 2023
August Is Prime Time For Salmon

06/08/2023

Game & Fish Midwest September 2023
Rivers Of Kings