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During this economic downturn when everyone is having to tighten their belts a bit, it's nice to be able to still do things you enjoy or continue traditions that are a part of your families' heritage. And, it's even better if it's free!
The Fall Hunting Classics are such a tradition at Bass Pro Shops. This year, nearly 6 million people are expected to attend the 2009 Fall Hunting Classics August 7th through 23rd. This 17-day event will be held at 51 Bass Pro Shops retail locations across the United States and Canada and it is all free.
"This event is huge and hunters and other outdoor sportsmen and women look forward to it all year long, said Bass Pro Shops spokeswoman Katie Mitchell. "Outdoor enthusiasts will be able to learn the secret techniques and strategies used by professionals to gain a better advantage in the field, see all the latest products and attend workshops and seminars. And, there is a 'ripple effect' as other area retailers, gas stations, hotels and restaurants benefit as well from the increased traffic the Classic generates," Mitchell added.
But why does Bass Pro Shops go to all the time, trouble and expense, especially in these gloomy economic times, to host such an event? According to Mitchell, 'hunting is big business.' And, indeed it is. A report by the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation cites America's 34 million hunters and anglers are an economic powerhouse-spending some $8.6 million an hour. If this $76 billion-a-year industry were a corporation it would be among America's 20 largest, ahead of Target, Costco and AT&T.
Hunting and fishing sportsmen directly support 1.6 million jobs, spend more than a billion dollars just on licenses, stamps, tags and permits, and they generate $25 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes. More than 12.5 million hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts pump $24.9 billion into the economy each year. Where do those billions go? They spend $2.4 billion on guns and rifles, $203 million on binoculars, field glasses and other optics, decoys and game calls equate to $187 million, hunting apparel takes up $459 million and ammunition purchases equate to $696 million.
Just food and drinks consumed on hunting trips eats up $2.1 billion. And, on lodging alone, hunters spend $614 million-more than the combined annual revenues of Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, EconoLodge, Rodeway Inn and Sleep Inn ($482 million).
But the buck doesn't stop there. It is vitally important that today's youth get involved in the outdoors so they can become the stewards and conservationists of tomorrow to insure the maintenance and well-being of our natural resources. "I've heard it said that if you don't have a fishing rod in the hands of a youngster by the time they are 8 years old, the chances of getting them to go fishing later in life diminishes dramatically," said Mitchell. "I would think the same applies to getting them introduced to hunting and shooting sports," she continued.
Why is this so important? The sale of hunting licenses, tags and stamps is the primary source of funding for most state wildlife conservation efforts. Hunters and anglers have always been, and continue to be, the largest contributors to government wildlife conservation programs. Through excise taxes and license revenues, these sportsmen have contributed more than $10 billion dollars to conservation and provide more than 80% of the funding for most state fish and wildlife agencies. Just from hunters alone, nearly $200 million in hunters' federal excise taxes are distributed to State agencies to support wildlife each year.
Success stories of these wildlife restoration projects are exemplified though the 'bringing back' of dozens of species such as ducks, wild turkeys and white-tailed deer. In 1900 there were less than 100,000 wild turkeys in the nation. Today there are 7 million. (All statistics are from the Congressional Sportsman's Foundation report "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors." It can be accessed online at www.sportsmenslink.org )
Some of the special events during the Bass Pro Shops 2009 Fall Hunting Classic include:
. Aug. 7-9 - Bass Pro Shops Free Hunting University. Nationally recognized professional hunters and outdoorsmen will be at stores to give seminars and talk about their experiences. Friday 5-9pm Saturday and Sunday Noon - 5pm
. Aug. 7 - Preferred Rewards Night
. Aug. 22-23 - Next Generation Weekend. Noon to 6pm. Activities include free Shooting Arcade*, BB gun/pellet gun range*, archery range*, paintball cage, (*in stores where available), leather stamping craft (Saturday only, starts at noon, while supplies last), animal track mold craft (Sunday only, starts at noon, while supplies last), and seminars for youths given by associates or conservation groups Saturday and Sunday at 1pm and 2pm. Youths will receive a punch card to be punched once for every activity they complete. Once the card is full youths will receive a "Bass Pro Shops Next Generation" DVD. (While supplies last)
. Aug. 7-9 - PictureU Free Photo. Picture yourself on the cover of an Outdoor Life Magazine! Friday 5-9pm Saturday and Sunday Noon - 5pm
. Aug. 15 -16 - PictureU Free Photo. Saturday and Sunday Noon - 5pm
. Aug. 22 -23 - PictureU Free Photo. Saturday and Sunday Noon - 5pm
In addition, customers will be able to register August 7th - 23rd for a sweepstakes featuring a trip to the Professional Bull Riders Finals. Winner of the First place prize (one winner selected from each store) will win tickets for two for three days at the PBR Finals in Las Vegas, and a two-night stay for one customer and one guest at the Silverton Hotel and Casino. A Grand Prize Winner will be selected during the PBR finals and will receive an API OutdoorsT Alumi-Tech® Climbing Treestand (retail $269.99), Arctic Cat Prowler (retail $10,995.00), Grizzly Boat Package (retail $7995.00) and a RedHead® Hunting Package valued at $1000.00. (Contest rules: Customers may also enter to win online at www.basspro.com. 51 First Place winners will be drawn and one Grand Prize winner will be drawn nationally. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR CLAIM PRIZE. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes begins 08/07/09 and ends 08/23/09.)
For more information on the free Bass Pro Shops Fall Hunting Classic go to www.basspro.com/classic.
How to Get Your Golf Game Fit and Ready for the Season
Start getting your golf game ready -- it's never too early. Get your game fit for the season!
1) Make a commitment to improve your golf game this year, and get beyond conventional theories -- if you're following the same old conventional theory then you'll receive the same old conventional results. If you're still trying to keep your head down, you definitely need to see a pro...
2) Good fitness, equipment fitness, good instruction, and a some common sense -- these aren't secrets, but they are the four keys. Any one will help. All four will compound your improvement. It's winter, and you have just a few months to get your game in shape ... Start now!
3) Fitness: If you're committed this will help more than you know, and besides, it's cold outside! Consult a doctor before you start. Make a schedule and commit to it even if it's only 30 minutes twice a week. You need to take a couple of months to strengthen your legs and core, stretch, and do some aerobic exercise. If your legs can't support what your mind wants to do then your balance is already affected. If walking is all you can do, then start doing it.
4) Do golf-specific stretches regularly -- say 3 to 5 times per week, and before each round. Warm your muscles first by doing 10 - 15 minutes of walking or other aerobic exercise. Legs, hips, back, shoulders -- stretching your hamstrings and strengthening your quads takes stress off your back. Stretching your waist and back helps you turn your body in your swing. Stretching your back and shoulders creates a bigger turn and more power. Good fitness adds up to strength, flexibility, speed, and stability. Put those into a golf swing and you have better directional control and more distance.
5) Fitness for your clubs: a precise fitting for clubs is essential. Can you play with clubs that don't fit? Sure, but can you play well with clubs that don't fit? For every one who does there are hundreds that can't. If your clubs don't fit a good swing then you won't make one. Get a club fitting from a certified teacher/club fitter!
6) If nothing else, at least have a golf pro test your equipment. If your clubs don't fit, at least it's nice to know whether the ball might go left or right. Be warned that clubs that don't fit can actually cause injuries -- for example if the shaft is too stiff and the loft is too low you'll fight to hit it higher which puts unnecessary stress on your back, hips, shoulders, and arms. And, consider if all that's happening and you're trying to keep your head down, you're making it worse. Are you talented enough to compensate for clubs that don't fit? It may be hard to hear, but it's not likely.
7) Instruction: Get some one-on-one instruction from a good, reputable golf pro. If the pro knows the benefits of proper equipment and the right swing, then you're ahead of the game. Balance is first and foremost. If you're off balance then you're losing power and accuracy. In an effort to hit it straight, if your club doesn't fit it can throw you off balance.
8) Ask the pro to go beyond the golf swing, however. Why can't you hit the ball solid and straight every time? Guess what? It's not supposed to: for one thing, common sense says the golf course is not flat! For example, if your ball is on the side of a hill the ball is not supposed to go straight. Or, if the ball is in the rough you may not be able to hit it solid. Ask the pro to go on the golf course to teach you. If they can't or won't, find another pro. Playing better golf is not all about the golf swing...
9) Common sense says PRACTICE. Ok, the driving range is fine. But do some practice on the golf course in your first 2 or 3 outings. Best way: Go out when the course is not busy. This is a great way to learn and improve. Just remember not to hold up the play of others. Or, tell your playing partners you're playing a practice round and hit some extra shots on the course for practice. Encourage them to do so as well.
10) How can you learn from hitting extra shots on the course? One way is to immediately try to correct what went wrong on the last shot. You may not be successful, but by trying to correct it you will learn in the long run.
11) Combine fitness, club fitting, instruction, and common sense and you'll play better golf.
Share your tips and best golfing stops on the road!!
Hundreds of millions of these voracious predators are impacting every fishery in the regionTRENTON, N.J., May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- An unprecedented alliance of commercial, recreational and party/charter boat fishermen and associated businesses has formed Fishermen Organized for Rational Dogfish Management (FORDM) to deal with a looming crisis. FORDM has requested assistance from Dr. Jane Lubchenco, newly appointed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration head, in dealing with an out-of-balance population of highly predatory spiny dogfish that is depleting other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic fisheries. Scientists estimate their biomass at up to four billion pounds.
The classic Fishes of the Gulf of Maine says of this shark species, "voracious almost beyond belief, the dogfish entirely deserves its bad reputation. Not only does it harry and drive off mackerel, herring, and even fish as large as cod and haddock, but it destroys vast numbers of them... they prey on practically all species of Gulf of Maine fish smaller than themselves." Spiny dogfish can exceed 5 feet in length.
The huge population of these ravenous sharks is holding back the recovery of New England groundfish and many others fish stocks, either feeding heavily on the more valuable species or on their prey. In 1992, Dr. Steven Murawski, now National Marine Fisheries Service's chief scientist, wrote, "Given the current high abundance of skates and dogfish, it may not be possible to increase gadoid (cod and haddock) and flounder abundance without 'extracting' some of the current standing stock." The abundance of dogfish today greatly exceeds that of skates, comprising over half of the fish taken in the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's annual trawl surveys.
Conservatively, spiny dogfish require a daily food intake of 1-1/2% of their total body weight. This equates to a minimum of two and a half million metric tons of prey species eaten every year. In 2007 the commercial catch of all species from East coast fisheries was 2/3 of a million metric tons.
Throughout their range spiny dogfish are also seriously interfering with traditional fisheries. According to Ray Bogan, legal counsel for United Boatmen and member of one of New Jersey's oldest party/charter fishing families, there are more spiny dogfish than he has encountered ever before in a lifetime spent on Mid-Atlantic waters, it's impossible to fish in areas that they have seasonally "taken over," and every year they take over more fishing grounds. Hank Lackner, Captain of the F/V Jason & Danielle out of Montauk and participant in a number of government sponsored trawl surveys, reports that spiny dogfish are destroying 10 years of efforts to rebuild other stocks and are overpopulated from the beach to 250 fathoms, from Cape Hatteras to the Canadian line.
Dick Grachek, owner of the F/V Anne Kathryn out of Point Judith, relayed a message from Captain Joe Mattera, who had just curtailed a scup trip because of the extraordinary number of dogfish he encountered. His net was plugged with spiny dogfish in five of the seven tows he made. Jim Thompson, a recreational fisherman from Delaware, reported that when wreck fishing he catches 20 spiny dogfish for every targeted fish. According to Cape Codgillnetter Jan Margenson, "The codfish gear we haul is plugged with dogs and the occasional cod we catch is stripped to the bone of flesh. They act just like piranha, only it's our catch that they're eating." Chris Long, a San Francisco resident who comes to fish on Cape Cod for striped bass and tuna for five days every three weeks in the spring and summer, is now "doing (fresh water) bass fishing in the Cape Ponds" instead.
Craig Banks operates a commercial fishing website. He has spoken with hundreds of recreational and commercial fishermen from New England down to North Carolina about the dogfish issue and says, "The general consensus is that dogfish numbers have been building and now they often make fishing impossible. One of the biggest concerns is the voracious appetite of the hordes of dogs that travel the coast, eating everything in their path." And Rich Ruais, Executive Director of organizations whose members target tuna, reports, "There is not a doubt in any tuna fisherman's mind that the abundance of dogfish throughout the Northeast has severely impacted tuna catches over the last decade. If action is not taken soon to control the hoard of dogfish, the ecosystem in general and the migratory habits of bluefin tuna in particular may be permanently altered and, in spite of our rigorous conservation efforts, the traditional giant tuna fisheries may be destroyed forever."
According to Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance and an organizer of FORDM, "Tens of millions of recreational fishermen, tens of thousands of commercial fishermen and the thousands of businesses that depend on them are suffering a double whammy because of a management philosophy distorted by foundation-funded marine 'conservationists' with no regard for fish or fishermen, just the crises they create. As the huge biomass of dogfish is reducing the populations of other, far more valuable species, fishermen are required by law to compensate by catching less of those species. This is becoming increasingly more difficult - and more expensive - because of interference from the ravenous hoards of spiny dogfish."
The Magnuson Act, which establishes federal fisheries policies, has been amended by pressure from rich environmental activist groups, making it virtually impossible for managers to effectively address issues like this. Coastal legislators including New Jersey Congressmen Pallone, Lobiondo and Adler, Massachusetts Congressman Frank and North Carolina Congressman Jones, who are familiar with the untenable position that the federal law puts fisherman in, have introduced legislation, H. R. 1584, CommentsClose CommentsPermalink addressing some of its shortcomings.
Nils Stolpe, another FORDM organizer and Communications Director of Garden State Seafood Association, emphasizes that Dr. Lubchenco now has an opportunity to prove to the fishing community that concerns over her association with the Pew Charitable Trusts are unfounded. "Pew is inextricably linked to the advocacy science that seems designed to turn the public and our elected officials against fishermen of every stripe. This will be her first opportunity to demonstrate that she will guide NOAA with a balanced hand, utilizing objective science and fairly serving all of her constituents, fishermen included."
The FORDM letter to Dr. Lubchenco is available at http://www.fishnet-usa.com/dogforum1.htm, along with additional fishermen's comments and other material on dogfish.
SOURCE FishNet USA
Truck drivers who want to enjoy the out of doors but aren’t interested in hunting or fishing have unique opportunities to either enjoy outdoor opportunities during their off-hours, or use their job to investigate options for future vacations.
Here are some great Kayaking & Canoeing Races and Events for May 2009. Go enjoy the water!
Washington (State):
Go Wild Kayak Event, Saturday, May 2.
Inside Passage Kayak Expedition: The expedition will leave from Gig Harbor, Washington and continue on all the way up the coast of Washington, through the islands of Canada, and into the ports of Alaska.
Reno, Nevada
The 6th annual Reno River Festival, May 8-10.
This festival takes place in the heart of downtown Reno at the Truckee River Whitewater Park. Some of the events scheduled are, most extreme whitewater competition, charity raft race, open free style competition and whitewater clinics.
Michigan:
The Bushwhacker 2009 May 16 - May 21.
There are three different races. Solo or tandem teams and any type of canoe or kayak can be used. These events will start at Lumberjack Park, Riverdale, Michigan. The park is located on the pine river. The Bushwhacker Sprint is a 10 mile paddle down the pine river to Sumner Park. Rental canoes will be available The Bushwhacker Cruise is a 40 mile paddle. Paddle down the pine river to the town of Alma. This paddle is for boaters that do not wish to do the full 150 mile race, but want to spend a little more time on the water than the 10 mile sprint. The Bushwhacker 150, this is a 150 mile race plus 7 miles portage. This race is on the Pine River and the Chippewa River.
New Jersey
The 37 annual Toms River Canoe and Kayak Race, Sunday May 17, 2009.
This event is held annually on the Toms River from Riverwood Park to Huddy Park. The race course is 8 miles. Categories are men’s, women’s, solo, tandem, family, youth, experienced and novice. According to their website, there will be free transportation for you & your boat to the starting point.
Maine
The 2nd Annual Aroostook River 60 mile canoe & kayak race, Sunday, May 17.
Paddlers will put in at the Ashland Boat launch area next to the Ashland Fish and Game Club. Kayaking and canoeing down the river to the finish line located at the boat loading area in Fort Fairfield. According to their website, this is the largest river race in the State Of Maine.
Do you know some great spots for canoeing or kayaking while on the road? Let us know!
The majority of hunting seasons are now over, or about to end. Most hunters put their guns and bows away for the year, with little or no regard to maintenance. Now is a good time for some well-needed, post-season maintenance. Here are a few tips that might help.
Muzzleloader hunters are notorious for putting their guns away loaded. In New Jersey, a muzzleloader is considered unloaded when the cap or primer is removed. We do this almost on a daily basis. It is easy to forget that there is still a charge in the gun, so check your muzzleloader and make sure it is unloaded.
A lot of smoke poll hunters think that as long as the barrel is clean, everything is OK until the next year. As everyone knows, black powder and pyrodex is very corrosive. When you shoot your gun there is some degree of blow back through the breech plug. The powder blows back and gets into everything on your gun.
After cleaning your barrel, don’t stop there. Pull the nipple and breech plug. Clean them good with your powder solvent, then take a good quality bore butter and put it on the threads of both pieces. This will stop the parts from seizing together. If you have an older gun with a bolt or slide action, they must be cleaned and lubed also.
Make sure to clean the area that the bolt or slide travels in. Use bore butter to protect these surfaces. Rusted bolts and the channel they slide in are always overlooked, but cause a lot of misfires because the bolt can’t close hard enough to make the cap or primer fire.
Most guns have removable trigger assemblies. Remove this assembly and clean all the parts with a gun wash. Be sure to use light grease or a good gun lube before reinstalling the assembly on the gun. Last, but not least, go over the entire outside of the gun with quality gun oil or firearm wipes.
Bow hunters have it a lot easier because they do not have as much maintenance to do. Here are a couple of steps to take if you are putting your bow away for the year. Wax all surfaces of the strings and cables. Use a good quality bees wax or a graphite wax. This will stop the fibers from fraying.
Back the limb bolts out three or four turns. Be careful not to go too far or the limbs can pop off and you could get hurt. This will take pressure off the limbs, string and cables. Most importantly, do not store your bow where mice can get to it. You would not believe how many bows I have restrung because of these little critters.
Taking these steps now will help you for next year’s season. Doing the proper maintenance now will save you time and money.
Crappie Spawn is an exciting time of the year usually between March and April each year in the Southern regions when water temperatures reach 62 to 68 degrees, however this is not always true, the northern part of the region may take until May or June to reach the right temps for the crappie spawn to take place.
As seasons change, crappie have a migration path that they make their way to the shorelines to lay their eggs for the big crappie spawn when the seasons change to spring time. When the temperature is right I have seen crappie so shallow the top fin is out of the water. Always remember the west side of the lake always warms up first, this is where the first wave come in the shallows for the crappie spawn. Crappie are very similar to Largemouth bass when it comes to spawn, they share the same space at the same time.
When the crappie spawn occurs on your lake or pond they can position themselves anywhere from the bank to shallow underwater ledges, and those drop-offs will fall to 10 feet or more, look for shallow ditches, cuts and gullies, near bank-side bluffs or coves. Also it always helps to scan your sonar to find these areas in your boat. As the crappie spawn takes place there are unlimited places to find them, look around the edges of weed beds, timber stands, brush piles, bridges and boat docks.
Here are some tips to help you locate and catch these fish during the crappie spawn, the best way to fish starting out is to use medium size minnows either straight line or use slip corks on your reel so that you can easily adjust your depth as necessary. You will also want to use 6lb line, the lighter line will not be easily detected in shallow waters for the crappie spawn. You can use a light bait caster rod and reel or an ultra-lite open faced rod and reel setup using a small beetle spin or spinnerbait with a single blade on either bait that mimics baitfish. Be mindful of colors, if one works good, another color may be excellent.
Chartruese/black colors work well in low light conditions, when in clearer water use silver/black or plain white baits for some serious action. Remember what depth you got bit at and return to that same depth, sometimes a one to two foot depth difference will mean getting bit or not, this applies to not only crappie spawn, but when they retreat to deeper waters. Here is a great tip to take to the lake with you, like most of us we are unable to know where the crappie are at all times so you can stop by or call your local marina and ask the marina manager what depth the crappie are being caught, some local fisherman will boast about their catch to the marina managers and this can give you valuable information, sometimes even baits choices.
Remember to carry a certified measuring stick with you to measure your fish, as some states have a 10" minimum length and a limit of 25 crappie per person. Always check with your state parks & wildlife to make sure about length and limits, make sure that you carry your fishing license with you when you are at the lake, it will save you from getting a ticket. A very important tip to remember after the spawn is over, is that they will retreat back to deeper water and generally they will stay at 75 degree waters.
Turkey season is slowly nearing the end...but before we say goodbye to our feathered friends til' next season, below are some tips for cleaning, prepping and cooking your birds.
WILD TURKEY
Wild turkey should be bled and cleaned immediately after shooting. Be sure to remove the oil sacs at the base of the back near the tail.
To keep the wild turkey from spoiling, cook the bird rapidly in the field and keep it cold during the trip home.
Before cooking, be sure to wash out the body cavity of the turkey. There may be some watery looking tissue, and you'll need to be sure to remove this.
An older bird, one that is larger than 12-15 pounds, may be tough. So sprinkle a commercial tenderizer in the body cavity and refrigerate the bird for 12-24 hours.
A wild turkey may be cooked as you would a domestic turkey. The meat is lean and medium-dark with a mild game flavor. However, the low fat content means there is greater danger of drying out, so baste the bird frequently during cooking.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Roasted Wild Turkey
A wild turkey should be treated the same as a domestic bird. Keep the stuffing simple and not too highly seasoned. After stuffing the turkey, rub well with butter, salt, and pepper. Place it on a rack in a roasting pan. (You can cover with the bird with foil or cook in a brown-in bag.) Roast in a 325 degree oven and allow 22-25 minutes per pound roasting time. Baste the turkey frequently with equal amounts of butter and white wine to prevent the bird from drying out.
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Wild Turkey and Biscuit Casserole
5 cups chopped wild turkey4 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups biscuit mix
1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 packages chicken gravy mix
1/2 cups celery, chopped
1/2 cups onion, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs, milk, biscuit mix and gravy mix in a large bowl. Add turkey, celery, onion and cheese. Pour into a baking dish. Bake one hour or until lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Deep Fried Wild Turkey
(Serves 5-10)
1 wild turkey, whole, dressed
2.5 gallons peanut oil
1 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed preferred
3 tablespoons onion juice
3 tablespoons garlic juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 1/3 ounces cayenne pepper
1/4 cup salt
Mix all ingredients except turkey, and peanut oil to make a marinade. Let the marinade stand overnight in refrigerator.
After the marinade has been refrigerated overnight, use a meat injecting needle to inject the marinade all through turkey. Put turkey and marinade in a large plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days. Remove in time to bring to room temp before cooking. Do not put a frozen turkey into the hot oil!
Heat the peanut oil in a 40-60 quart deep fryer to 325 degrees. (Use a candy or deep fryer thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.)
Take a disposable pie tin and punch holes in the bottom of the pan. Place the pie tin in the bottom of the deep fryer to prevent the turkey from sticking.
Immerse the turkey completely and cook for 4 minutes per pound.
Send us more cleaning tips and recipes!!!
by Joe Byers
Most spring gobbler seasons are in full swing this month and there’s no time to bag a mate-driven tom like opening day. Every state in the Union has a turkey season except Alaska, and rumor has it, Governor Palin is working on that. Here are half a dozen pieces of gear that will give you a leg up on old tom.
Hazel Creek Decoys
Numerous companies make decoys that resemble turkey hens, jakes and strutting gobblers, yet the taxidermy folks at Hazel Creek have developed the mimic into perfection. Their decoys don’t just look like turkeys, they are real stuffed birds. www.hazelcreekinc.com
Primos Friction Calls
From long range locating to close in soft calling, friction calls stand out consistently as top performers. The Box Cutter is especially designed for making quick sharp cuts and cackles that often cause a breeding tom to explode with ovation, a double whammy of luring it closer and revealing its location. A Primos Crystal pot call has been one of my favorites for 20 years and the Jackpot is the latest in the Primos line. When using friction calls, don’t forget to wear gloves with extended wrist protection so that you watch won’t reflect as you work the caller. www.primos.com
Bone Collector Brotherhood Knee Boot
Although it was designed for deer hunters and archery hunters in particular, the product was so comfortable that I wore it every day of the spring turkey season. The literature says the boot features a “one piece Hi-Def Phylon Injected Upper Compound” which translated means the boots are amazingly light, waterproof, and very comfortable. www.robinsonoutdoors.com
Walker’s Archer’s Ear
Hearing and locating distant gobbles is often critical to spring turkey success. his small device slips over your ear and generates up to 7X hearing enhancement that will enable you to detect distant and concealed gobbles like never before. www.walkersgameear.com
TruGlo Sighting Solutions
TruGlo sights can’t stop turkey fever, yet they can give you a better aiming solution in three ways. First, snap a Magnum Gobble-Dot onto the front bead of your shotgun. Immediately, you get a bright red dot that will help you focus on the head-neck kill zone. If you are still too excited to aim carefully, opt for a rear sight which provided two green dots with enough space in the middle for the front bead red sight. Line them up and you are on target. If you are a hopeless snap shooter, hook up with the Gobbler-Stopper Red-Dot-Scope. Scopes on deer rifles condition hunters to take one good shot and the scope on a shotgun will have the same effect. www.truglo.com
Mossy Oak “Limbhanger” Turkey Vest
A turkey vest is really a tool belt for hunters. Limbhanger is just the vest for the job. It has two properly sized pockets for pot calls, three striker pockets, box call pocket, and ones specially designed for smaller mouth calls. Clad in the popular Mossy Oak Obsession pattern, the vest is as concealing as it is functional. www.mossyoak.com
Remote locations far from population centers have kept spectacular fishing in the Dakotas and eastern Montana a regional secret.
If you’ve ever driven Interstate 90 across South Dakota and thumpety-thumped over the Missouri River bridges west of Chamberlain, you’ve briefly glimpsed some of the best and most overlooked fishing water in the United States. A series of dams on the Missouri River impound a chain of huge lakes that stretches from southeast South Dakota, through North Dakota and into eastern Montana. If those lakes were in more heavily populated areas they would be reknowned for the fishing they offer, frequently cited in fishing magazines, and on the lips of anglers around the nation. But they aren’t. They’re smack in the middle of some of the least-populated areas of the United States, hundreds of miles from large cities, and thousands of miles from major population centers. There are no theme parks to attract families. No majestic mountains or scenic forests. Just millions of acres of some of the best walleye, bass, and catfishing many anglers have never heard about.
As for advantages that the Dakota lakes have over traditional northern fishing spots: it doesn’t require a passport when you cross the border into the Dakotas or Montana; you don’t have to hire a float plane to reach your fishing hotspot; and there’s no exchange rate to convert dollars to local currency when you need to buy bait, tackle and, uh, beverages appropriate to a fishing vacation.
To Read more of this story and learn about South Dakota’s Lake Oahe and Montana’s mammoth Fort Peck Dam, pick up the April issue of The OTR Sportsman at a Truck Stop near you!
by Dan Anderson
The technicalities of fishing while on the road seem complex and costly, but are actually simple and economical. As noted by truck driver Dave Lochner in the accompany story, a simple 5- to 6-foot long spinning rod and reel and a handful of generic hooks, weights, jig and spinners convenient to stow in a truck’s sleeper, will catch fish all across the United States and Canada. Total cost: $50 to $75.
Fishing licenses vary from state to state. The website www.takemefishing.org has a “Get a fishing license” button at the top of the homepage. Select a specific state and that button will take you to detailed information about non-resident licensing. Remember that while the license fee may seem steep at first glance, you’re buying the right to hours, if not days, of outdoor entertainment, which lowers the per-use or per-hour cost to pennies.
Finally, a few potential trucker-anglers are concerned with what to do with any fish they catch. Catch-and-release fishing provides entertainment without the drudgery of cleaning the catch. For drivers who like to eat what they catch, microwaves and mini-ovens in modern sleepers make home-cooking an alternative to truckstop meals. For variety, a small gas- or charcoal-powered grill easily stashed in a sleeper can serve up fresh-caught grilled fish on the shores of lakes or rivers.
Few people get more opportunities to fish in more locations, and for more species of fish, than truck drivers.
by Dan Anderson
Dave Lochner gets paid to travel between fishing spots. Last year he traveled to Florida to fish for sharks, to Minnesota to fish for walleyes, and around the Midwest to fish for bass, bluegills and catfish, all courtesy of Combined Transport, Inc. of Central Point, Oregon.
Combined Transport, Inc. is a heavy hauling trucking company, and Lochner is a company driver who pulls a double-drop trailer outfitted to carry large sheets of plate glass. Lochner calls his dispatchers, “my travel agents,” and focuses on the positive aspects of a challenging career.
“In this business, there’s lots that happens that’s beyond your control,” he says. “It’s easy to get upset with traffic, weather and the people you have to deal with. I decided to take a positive approach. I like to fish, and I like to fish in different places, so I take the attitude that I’m getting paid to drive around the country to go fishing.”
Because Lochner often hauls to the same warehouses, he consciously works to build friendships with dock workers and warehousemen as part of his strategy to fish whenever and wherever possible.
“When I walk in the door, I make sure I’ve got a smile on my face and that I’m not whining about being late, or bad roads, or being a grump,” he says. “A lot of the guys in those places like to hunt or fish, so it’s easy to strike up a conversation about those topics. If you pull to the same places long enough, you get to know the guys, they get to know you, and eventually they can’t wait to tell you the best places to go fishing if you’re going to be there for a while.”
Fish For An Hour, Fish For A Weekend
Lochner has contingency plans for short layovers as well as long ones. “In Decatur, Illinois, they told me about one lake that’s in the middle of town, and two more that are right off Highway 121 that are good fishing. I drop my trailer and drive my truck to parking lots by the boat ramps, and fish for a couple hours while I wait for a load. I’d rather be sitting on the shore of a lake with a fishing pole in my hand, compared to sitting in a smoky trucker’s lounge or leaning on a warehouse counter killing time for a couple hours.”
Several long-term friendships with warehouse workers now provide opportunities for multi-day fishing trips when Lochner gets laid over for a weekend. “If I know I’ve got a load going to Albertville (Minnesota) that has to be there first thing Monday, I’ll pull into town on Friday night or Saturday morning. If I call ahead, some of the guys I’ve made friends with there will meet me at my truck. Last winter we’d load up in their pickup and go out to their heated ice house and spend the weekend fishing for walleyes, ring perch, bluegills and crappies. They love when I come up—I don’t drink, so I’m their designated driver for the weekend, and we have a blast.”
Last summer Lochner began hauling occasional loads to Florida, and quickly took advantage of the opportunity to try his hand at saltwater fishing. “The first trip, I asked the guys I met for good places to fish, and ended up at a fishing pier near Venice,” he recalled. “I just hung around the pier for a couple hours, watched how they fished, what they used, helped kids bait up, and helped other guys land fish. I had lots of fun just helping other people and learned a lot about saltwater fishing in the process. It was way better than sitting in a warehouse or truckstop all afternoon. The next time they sent me to Florida I brought my 9-foot Fenwick fishing rod and fished off that pier. It was so cool, catching all sorts of weird saltwater fish that I don’t even know the names of.”
While he includes a special 9-foot-long fishing rod on his trips to Florida, most of the time Lochner uses a 5-1/2-foot long ultralight rod and small, open-face spinning reel loaded with 4-pound-test line that’s always stowed in his truck’s sleeper. “I like using ultralight tackle because you can catch small fish like trout and bluegills as well as big fish like catfish, bass and walleyes,” he says. “The biggest fish I’ve landed so far with that outfit is a 27-inch tiger muskie, in Illinois.”
A small tacklebox in Lochner’s sleeper contains a limited assortment of twistertail jigs in various colors, Rapala crankbaits, and a collection of hooks and weights. He’s not an artificial-lure elitist; if his local sources tell him that nightcrawlers, minnows or crawdads are the hot baits, he ask for directions to a local baitshop and loads up with those natural baits.
“Baitshops are good places to get more tips and directions on where the fish are biting,” he notes. “They look at you weird when you pull into their parking lot with a bobtail, or when you pull into a parking lot or camping area at a local lake, but I figure once I’ve dropped my trailer, my truck turns into Winnebago—it’s got my bunk, a microwave, an APU, just like all those fancy RV’s you see on the road.”
Legalities, Technicalities and Necessities
Like other anglers who travel around the country, licensing is a concern for Lochner—but not a big one. In Florida, no fishing license is required for saltwater recreational anglers who fish from land or a structure fixed to land (fishing pier, bridge, jetty, etc.). To fish for freshwater species in Florida, anglers can buy a 3-day non-resident license for $17, or if they’ll be in the state frequently they can opt for a $47 non-resident license good for 12 months.
Lochner says non-resident fishing licenses are actually economical entertainment. Spreading the cost of a 12-month or multi-day non-resident license over the time spent fishing often makes the per-hour cost of licenses far more economical than movies and other time-killers used by truckers during layovers.
“I’d much rather spend a couple hours in the sunshine, fishing on the bank of a lake than sitting in a dark movie theater or in a smoky trucker’s lounge,” says Lochner. “I hear other truckers grumbling about being bored and wishing they were home. My attitude is, take advantage of the opportunities that trucking provides, and enjoy life on the road as much as possible. There are guys stuck in office jobs that dream of traveling the country seeing the things we get to see, and doing things like fishing. We’re crazy if we don’t take advantage of fishing and all the opportunities that trucking offers us.”
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