Sportsman Magazine (2024)

17/05/2022

Fighting the current and inexperience, the author takes on the spring run with a little help from his friends. Here's how to do it right.

07/07/2021

Small lake delivers summer success // Rick Bramwell finally finds bluegill using a couple tried and true techniques. Then a storm blows in, but he’s not complaining. He proves these sunfish are easy to catch, sometimes.
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Full story here ---- > https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/small-lake-delivers-summer-success
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Last Thursday, I had plans for heading south, but one thing and then another kept holding me back. As it turned out, I only needed a little more than three hours to have a great day’s fishing.

My biggest obstacle was waiting for the groomer to put the finishing touch on Jeter, my grandson Grant’s dog. Normally, this task is handled by my son Greg, however, he was participating in a mid-day golf outing business-related, I’m sure...

01/07/2021

States Wisely Develop Offices of Outdoor Recreation // Arkansas focuses on expanding it’s outdoor recreation economy, and Butler hopes more states do the same. These activities account for almost $500 billion of our GDP, so the market is ripe for states to harness the public’s passion for the outdoors.
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Full story here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/states-wisely-develop-offices-of-outdoor-recreation
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It all comes down to money. At least, that’s how it normally seems when working with government. But that’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it becomes apparent how valuable a resource is to those formally unaware when dollar figures are determined. Such is the case with outdoor recreation...

25/06/2021

Rescue Questions and Lessons // Mike Schoonveld ponders the nature of risks on big water. Small boats and big water require special knowledge, preparation and crucial safety. But how risky is too risky, and what the adventurous among us do to reduce the danger?
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Full story here----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/rescue-questions-and-lessons
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How would you like to be alone in a row boat in 10 foot seas and the wind blowing over 30 miles per hour? Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? How about if you planned to be there – or at least knew there were strong possibilities such conditions were likely to be encountered? What if you thought it could be even worse? What would you think if all this was taking place over 500 miles from shore?...

23/06/2021

Eurasian clams claim a lake, but fishermen take it back // Bramwell and friends apply time, effort and science to resurrect a body of water infested by an invasive species. The results took time, but the story shows the potential of sportsmen and nature working in concert.
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Full story here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/eurasian-clams-claim-a-lake-but-fishermen-take-it-back
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In the summer of 2019, I wrote about a 12-acre lake that became infested with Eurasian clams. I’m guessing this invasion began 12 or so years ago when a boat was transferred from nearby Cagles Mill Lake. The excrement greatly fertilized the water causing blue-green algae to flourish. These clams needed a predator...

18/06/2021

Drought conditions hurt duck breeding // DU predicts less waterfowl, and Brandon Butler laments Indiana’s wetland protection rollback as changing climate increasingly affects wildlife.
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Full story here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/drought-conditions-hurt-duck-breeding
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Waterfowl numbers are going to dip due to a lack of water. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department recently released the findings of their 74th annual breeding duck survey, and the results are not good. They found the number of breeding ducks below average. They blame it on the drought...

17/06/2021

A Gray View of Plastic // Mike Schoonveld takes stock of our pollution problem and its effect on wildlife and the environment. But there are a few simple changes we can make to lessen the growing calamity.
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Full story from The Sporting Report Classic Series here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/a-gray-view-of-plastic
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I try to view issues in shades of black and white. Gray areas are for non-opinionated people. When it comes to plastic, I’m solidly in the gray. I’m glad I live in a plastic coated world. I wear plastic clothes and fish with plastic lures. My sandwich stays fresh in a plastic bag; my boat’s engine wouldn’t run without plastic parts. That’s the white side of the issue...

16/06/2021

Which is Best: Canoe or Kayak? // Tom Berg asks, and answers, the age-old question. Each type of watercraft has its own pros and cons depending on the task at hand. Read on and decide for yourself which boat is the best boat.
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Full story from the The Sporting Report Classic Series here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/canoe-or-kayak
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If you are a fisherman on the cutting edge of technology, carrying the latest IPhone and know more about Bluetooth than bluegills, chances are you are considering a getting a kayak to use as the vehicle to move you from the shore to the fishy destinations where you hope to find some hungry fish. Kayaks are the “rage” for fishing millennials. I don’t blame you. I’ve fished from kayaks and they are a hoot...

15/06/2021

Take a Kid Fishing // Rick Bramwell on the importance, and joy, of teaching kids to fish. He offers a few tips on how to make the experience an enjoyable one, for adults and kids alike.
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Read the full story from The Sporting Report Classic Series here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/bramwell-take-a-kid-fishing
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Most folks start their children fishing with brightly colored Mickey Mouse or Barbie spin-cast outfits, eventually progressing to a Zebco 33 on a cheap rod with little sensitivity. What kids or beginning anglers of any age want is to catch fish and lots of them.

If you are proficient with spinning gear, you can teach almost anyone how to use one in about 20-minutes. This idea occurred to me Sunday evening...

14/06/2021

How to catch bluegills on the bed // This fun and often easy rite of summer is upon us. Fishing Editor Dean Shadley explains how to catch these fighters, and how to cook these delicious fish.
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Read the full story here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/how-to-catch-bluegills-on-the-bed
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Catching any fish under twelve inches long usually isn’t worth my time. There are a few

exceptions however and bluegill are one of them. Pound for pound they fight like a tiger and are second to none when it comes to table fare.

Most of the year giant bluegill can be difficult to catch. Thankfully late spring and early summer offer an exception. This time of year trophy sized gills are going through their mating ritual and aggressively feed while producing next year’s crop of offspring...

11/06/2021

Cowboy Action Shooting: Are You Game Enough? // Alan Garbers faces down some dangerous men. Success depends on his skill and speed with a shooting iron, and more than a little grit.
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Read the full story from The Sporting Report Classic Series here ----->
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They were all there; Rattlesnake John, Cannon, Undertaker, Dough Slinger, and others. They were all watching my every move. I had been challenged and I knew deep down inside me that I had to respond.

Knowing gunplay was inevitable, my position was less than desirable. My pistols weighed heavy on my hips as I leaned against the wall, one leg up, heel against the wall in cowboy fashion. I hissed, “I was just getting comfy…” and flew into action...

10/06/2021

Ammunition shortage continues post pandemic // Brandon Butler breaks down the sad state of ammo supplies, and has some enlightening research on what’s causing bare shelves at outdoor stores across the country.
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Read the full story here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/ammunition-shortage-continues-post-pandemic
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The ammunition shortage is here to stay. Well, at least for a while. Southwick & Associates, a market research and economics firm, specializing in the hunting, shooting, sport fishing and other outdoor recreation markets, recently released a report that shows demand for ammunition will continue to far outpace supply. With fi****ms ownership on the rise, finding ammunition is a real problem...

09/06/2021

Light from a Long Time Ago // Outdoor writer Brent Wheat ponders life, the stars and finds perspective on a quiet night outdoors.
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Read the full story from The Sporting Report Classic Series here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/light-from-a-long-time-ago
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Last night I was camped out in a recliner on our little patch of lawn on the edge of suburbia. Equipped with a few adult beverages, good music in my headphones and the night sky, it was a peaceful and sublime break...

08/06/2021

Florida Sharks After Dark: Ramp Up The Excitement! // Outdoor writer Tom Berg takes us down south for a nighttime adventure in search of the ocean's alpha predators.
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Full story here ---> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/florida-sharks-after-dark-ramp-up-the-excitement
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I went on a shark fishing charter once several years ago during a trip to Florida and caught some and it was fun. Yet it just didn’t satisfy the itch I get when I think about catching sharks. For one thing, it was mid-summer and it was hot. REALLY hot. The trip started in the morning and continued into the afternoon, and we absolutely baked in the midday sun. It felt like I was melting as I sat there waiting for a shark to pick up the scent from our chum line. Although I caught two sharks that day, each bite was separated by hours of waiting and sweating.

So when I had the chance to go shark fishing again earlier this year – this time during spring – I jumped at the chance...

07/06/2021

Bowfishing For Conservation

Read the full story here ---> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/bowfishing-for-conservation

Conservationists come in many forms. Scientists who study fish and wildlife are conservationists. Children who pick up litter are conservationists. Hunters who selectively harvest animals are conservationists. And bowfishers who commonly target invasive species of fish are conservationists...

04/06/2021

That Fish Was How Big? // Fishing Editor Dean Shadley explores "extreme fish size exaggeration syndrome." It's a common, and often comical, malady running rampant in the fishing community. Have you fallen victim?
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Read the full story here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/2/16/that-fish-was-how-big

It was my freshman year in high school when I met Bill “the smallmouth fisherman.”. Bill and I were in the same study hall and when the teacher wasn’t looking we talked fishing. Bill must have been the best smallmouth fisherman in the state.

I was privileged to story after story about tons of fish in the 3 to 5 pound-class. These fish didn’t show up occasionally, he caught fish of this caliber on every trip. I sat spellbound every day at 2 o’clock...

03/06/2021

Prime time for river smallmouth // One of Brandon Butler’s favorite gamefish often plays second fiddle to trout, but don’t believe the hype. Smallmouth, especially when caught in rivers and streams, offer some of the best fishing in the midwest.
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Read the full story here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/prime-time-for-river-smallmouth
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If I could only catch one more fish in my life, I’d want it to be a smallmouth bass. Pound for pound, smallmouth fight harder than any other fish I’ve ever tangled with, and they live in some of the prettiest waters to explore. Across the Midwest, smallmouth action is on fire...

01/06/2021

All about redear, and how to catch them // Rick Bramwell educates on this hearty sunfish, explains fishing techniques and gives a report from his recent trip in pursuit of these freshwater fighters.
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Read full story here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/all-about-redear-and-how-to-catch-them
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Since last week’s column, I've fished for redear sunfish five times. Readers are wanting to know what local lake I’m fishing while others have guessed it. Lots of folks are fishing this lake and the easy pickings are all but gone. Since my last column, I have learned a lot more, however, my new knowledge has evoked more questions.

27/05/2021

Field Notes: Desert Gould Mine // Hunter and conservationist Gene Hopkins heads to Sonora, Mexico in pursuit of Goulds' Turkey. Beautiful country, great friends and a successful hunt made his trip one for the books.
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Read the full story here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/desert-gould-mine
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I have always liked turkey hunting in the afternoon. This afternoon I went back to the same ridge that I hunted this morning. There were just too many hens for there not to be a gobbler or two.

I left the ranch at 3pm and Jorge drove me back down the ranch road and dropped me off at the base of the hill. I climb as quickly and quietly as a flatlander can..

24/05/2021

Florida fishing nets a few bass, and a new friend // Rick Bramwell heads south for largemouth. The fishing was slow but the kindness of another fisherman made it worth the trip.
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Read the Full Story Here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/florida-fishing-nets-a-few-bass-and-a-new-friend
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This may not be the best time to fly to Florida for some freshwater bass fishing, but an invite from good friend Tom Morgan had my son Greg and I packing our bags. Tom has a home on a chain of 23 lakes near Winter Haven.

It was just our luck to arrive the evening before a northeast cold front blew in off the Atlantic Ocean. Add to that an 85-degree water temperature and you have the ingredients for a tough bite...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

21/05/2021

Five outdoor road trips to consider this year // As we near the end of COVID restrictions, demand for travel is high among sportsmen and women. Brandon Butler recommends a few trips guaranteed satisfy the pent-up, post-quarantine need for the great outdoors.
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Read the Full Story Here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/five-outdoor-road-trips-to-consider-this-year

The summer of 2021 is going to be all about road trips. After living through lockdown last year, just about everyone is ready for an adventure. Many of those are going to involve fishing and hunting. A lot of outdoor recreation equipment companies have experienced record sales over the last year. Now those consumers are ready to put their toys to use...

19/05/2021

Bluegill fishing offers pure joy // Brandon Butler argues these common and delicious fish offer top-tier angling experience.

Read the full story here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/bluegill-fishing-offers-pure-joy

Arguing with a hardcore bass angler about why bluegills are the most fun fish to catch is a losing battle. With their $50,000 boats outfitted with multiple computer like graphs and rods that cost hundreds of dollars, serious bass anglers take fishing to a whole new level. For me, and countless others, filling a bucket with bluegills caught on a worm under a bobber is what fishing is really all about.
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

17/05/2021

Smallmouth are on the beds: Look but don’t fish // Fishing Editor Dean Shadley bumps a smallie off her nest and captures a great photo instead of the fish.

Read the full story here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/smallmouth-are-on-the-beds-look-but-dont-fish

I just returned from a marginal trout fishing trip to Wisconsin. More on my Wisconsin adventure later but I needed a fish fix so I headed to the nearest smallmouth stream.

Immediately I picked up a couple small fish and one 15-inch smallie. As I was releasing one of the little guys I noticed a beautiful 18-inch smallmouth bass sneaking away from the bank.
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

13/05/2021

Free range aoudad offer challenging hunt // Butler travels to New Mexico in pursuit of a unique sheep and talks to an expert about what makes the species so special.

Read the full story here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/4/30/free-range-aoudad-offer-challenging-hunt

Every once in a while, Lady Luck lays her hand on your shoulder and serves up an unexpected success. Such was the case for me on a recent aoudad hunt in New Mexico with my good friend, Jesse Duebel, the executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.

Aoudad, which are actually Barbary sheep, are native to North Africa. They survive where other species can’t, in some of the roughest, rockiest, harshest environments on our planet. Much like West Texas and parts of New Mexico, where they were introduced as a hunting species on private property around 1900, but have long since spread onto public lands...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

11/05/2021

Youth trap league teaches shooting skills

Read the full story here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/5/5/youth-trap-league-teaches-shooting-skills

Rick Bramwell visits a shoot and finds he has much in common with a talented young shooter. Caitlin Calfee is opposite-eye dominant, as is the author.
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Last Monday, I dropped in on Coach John Beeman and his Lapel Trap Shooting Club. Youth from APA, Frankton, Pendleton, and Lapel are represented on the team. Many of these young folks are much quicker on the clay target than I and very accurate.

One thing stood out as I approached the range. I noticed one young lady shooting left-handed. I laid out the question for anyone to answer, “Is she left-handed or left-eye dominant.” A lady sitting on the bench said, “Left-eye dominant. How would you know to ask that?” I told her, I was left-eye dominant...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

09/05/2021

Crappie spider rigs are great, but side pulling does the trick cheaper

Full Story Here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/4/28/rs27maaawjbxksajz9z4iifdhq03z5

Bramwell catches a few and explains a pair of specialized crappie fishing techniques.
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Me being put to shame by Spider riggers fishing for crappie is nothing new, but it hurts a little more when they do it right in front of you. This happened to Steve Jett and me at Salamonie Reservoir last Thursday.

Wind and rain were a problem but not an excuse. We found a bay that was protected. There we caught about 10-crappie and kept six. We were fishing shoreline wood in very shallow water. I was tightlining and Steve was fishing a jig under a bobber...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

07/05/2021

Tale of the left-handed turkey: An old friend joins the hunt.

Full Story Here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/4/28/tale-of-the-left-handed-turkey-an-old-friend-joins-the-hunt

Shadley shoots one wrong-handed, but he’s not alone on this solo hunt. A much-loved friend, expert turkey hunter and dedicated conservationist joins him on the hunt, if only in spirit.
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Sometimes you're handed a gift. That’s how it worked out this morning. It was a cold, quiet morning in Franklin County and there wasn’t a lot of turkey gobbling going on. I could hear a couple of birds off in the distance, nothing close.

A half an hour went by and a bird gobbled on my neighbor's property. I was trying to get him to move my direction when a hen between us started giving me hell. She scolded me for twenty minutes before landing forty yards from me in an oak tree. She scrutinized my calling for another five minutes before flying off. After that things were very quiet...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

06/05/2021

Opening-day misfire starts turkey season with a bang, eventually.

Read the full story here ------> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/4/28/opening-day-misfire-starts-turkey-season-with-a-bang-eventually

Bramwell has gun trouble but finds success with the help of a friend and special turkey call
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The wild turkey season opener began on a snowy Wednesday morning with Ray Novak and I set up in a ground blind. He had just done a marvelous job calling in two gobblers who gave us head shots at 35 yards. Ray got his bird but my gun misfired.

The missed tom gave me another chance, albeit a quick one, and I missed, but the gun did fire. So what happened? I was sick. After the gobbler and hen flew off, I began to assess the situation...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

04/05/2021

Turkey hunting the vast Sand Hills of Nebraska

Read the full story here -----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/4/28/turkey-hunting-the-vast-sand-hills-of-nebraska

Brandon Butler’s solo trip provides solace, scenery and a pair of toms.
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In the High Plains of North-Central Nebraska is a region known as the Sand Hills. It’s a sparse landscape of native grasses and small clusters of trees. Formed as the glaciers retreated after the last Ice Age, the area now encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles. It’s home to more cattle than people, and wildlife thrives. A perfect place to wander and recharge a weary soul...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
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Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

03/05/2021

New Fishing Report: Southeast Indiana smallies on the nest, and Clouser minnows carry the day.

Read the full report here ----> https://brshadley-sporting-report.com/articles/2021/4/29/se-indiana-smallmouth-on-the-nest-and-clouser-minnows-carry-the-day

Fishing Editor Dean Shadley picks up a few smallmouth and red eyes, and predicts good fishing until the water warms later in the season.
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I started off today hunting mushrooms. After 20 minutes my mushroom bag was still empty.

It was time for plan B. Rain was predicted for 3 pm and it was already noon. As a backup plan this morning I threw my fly rod in the truck. If I hurried I could be at any one of three of my favorite southeast Indiana smallmouth streams in half an hour...
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Midwest focused, but a frequent traveller, The Report features hunting, fishing, shooting, photography, trip reports, gear, conservation, culture and more.⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠
Subscriptions make the Report possible. If you haven’t already, please hit the link in bio to sign up and share with your friends, family and colleagues.⁠

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