Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

John Moses Browning with his iconic Automatic-5 shotgun. (Photo Courtesy of Browning/)

In the annals of American firearms design, one name looms through the mists of time like the gunmetal-gray bow of an oncoming battleship. John Moses Browning, who was awarded more than 120 firearms patents, spent his entire life immersed in firearms and their design. From the time he began working in his father’s gunsmith shop, reportedly at the age of seven, until the day he died—while still working on a gun design 64 years later—he was one of the most inventive and prolific gun designers of all time.

Browning is justly revered for his military designs, including the M1911 .45 ACP pistol, the M2 .50-caliber heavy machine gun, and the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), but his fertile mind also produced truckloads of designs for what we would today consider to be sporting arms, although many of these were also used by the military and law enforcement.

According to the National Inventors Hall of Fame, more than 30 million modern weapons are based on Browning’s designs. Choosing the best of his sporting guns was a daunting task, considering such factors as how innovative, influential and popular a particular design proved to be. Your favorite may not be on our list, and that’s okay. There’s always been debate over Browning’s greatest designs, and there likely always will be, but the man’s brilliance is evidenced by the fact that many of his guns—or their direct descendants—are still in production today, well over a century after their inception.

Here are our choices for 10 of John Browning’s best sporting designs.

Winchester 1885 Rifle

For most angling situations, monofilament or braided line works fine. But there are plenty of scenarios where fluorocarbon works better. The material’s low visibility, abrasion resistance, high density, and stiffness make it the logical choice for light-tackle finesse fishing, such as chasing winter seatrout, or when nymphing for selective rainbows and browns in clear spring creeks. The demands of fishing around saltwater pilings, oyster beds, wrecks, or other structure make fluorocarbon well suited to clear nearshore environments. Here are a few other variables to consider before you drop your dough on fluoro.

Spool Up

Seaguar Blue Label 25 Yards Fluorocarbon Leader (Seaguar/)

Fluorocarbon is more expensive than mono, but often it is utilized as just the tippet or leader material by both fly and conventional anglers. You may only need to invest in a few mini spools in various test strengths to cover most scenarios. A 25- to 50-yard spool of flourocarbon will keep the average angler in leaders for at least a couple of seasons.

Better Communication

Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon 1000 Yard Fishing Line (Seaguar/)

Because fluorocarbon is stiffer than mono, it typically has more memory and doesn't cast as well as monofilament or braided line. However, that stiffness also belies an advantage. Fluorocarbon does not absorb water or stretch like monofilament, which means better communication between the angler and terminal tackle, perfect for those situations when sensitivity and hook-setting power are critical.

No experienced outdoorsman heads into the field for any extended period without some sort of first-aid. But there is a limit to what you can carry. The best practice is to keep a full medical kit in your car, boat, or base camp, while packing into the backcountry only the essentials for safe, comfortable travel. If you want to buy a stand-alone kit for each situation, there are plenty of options. Or you can buy one complete kit and break out what you need to compose a field bag from that. Either way, here are some ideas on what you should be looking for.

Build from the Basics

Rapid Care First Aid (Rapid Care First Aid/)

A primary medical kit for camp or home should have not only basic bandages and antibiotic ointment, but also materials for more serious situations, such as anti-coagulant to stop heavy bleeding, burn cream, and wound-closure supplies. Tweezers, a magnifying glass, scissors, gauze, and medical tape are all standard items. When selecting your main kit, just be sure to look for assemblages that offer multiple units of items that will cover the widest range of trauma, from bee stings to monkey butt.

Become Familiar

Surviveware Small First Aid Kit (Surviveware/)

Lightweight doesn't have to mean limited utility. When buying or building your own backcountry field kit, the most important factor is how well considered the contents are, and how familiar you are with them. A worthy backcountry kit will offer anywhere from 30 to 100 pieces, stow in a zippered nylon or zip-lock case, fit in the palm of your hand, and always, always, always include moleskin.

The most important factor in bowhunting success isn’t scouting, bow tuning, or even having a great place to hunt. It’s practicing with your weapon. Whether you shoot a lightning-fast compound bow or a simple stick and string, you can’t make meat if you can’t make the shot. Stump shooting and field roving are great practice, especially for traditional archers. But when it comes to honing the mechanics of good form, there is no substitute for having a dedicated target. Here are a few factors to consider when setting up your home range.

Be Realistic

GlenDel Buck 3D Archery Target with Replaceable Insert Core (Field Logic/)

Archery targets come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The main choice is between block- or bag-style targets—which usually have a bullseye or some image of game vitals—and 3D versions of the whole animal. If you plan to purchase only one type (and assuming you can set up an adequate backstop), consider a 3D target as it gives the truest representation of shooting at live game from various angles, especially from an elevated position.

Match Tips to the Target

Morrell Yellow Jacket Stinger Field Point Bag Archery Target (Morrell/)

Archery targets are designed to stop field tips only, broadheads only, or both. A field-tip target will soon get shredded by broadheads, while targets capable of stopping broadheads and crossbow bolts often hold a field-tip arrow like the sword in the stone. Be sure the target you choose not only has stopping power adequate for your bow's poundage, but also that it is purpose-built for the type of tip—or tips—with which you plan to practice.

For some people, a generator is one of those tools they never think they’ll use, but are dang sure they have one when they need it. Whether you stash one in your storage shed for emergency situations like when the power goes out after a storm, or you slide one into the back of your truck to help power up and recharge your camp-trailer batteries, a good generator is worth its weight in gold, and every year, manufacturers continue to make them quieter, more efficient, and easy to use. If you’re ready to buy your first generator or make an upgrade, here are a few things to consider.

Be Quiet

Honda EU2200IC 2200-Watt Companion Super Quiet Portable Inverter Generator (Honda/)

If there had to be one turn-off about generators, it would likely be noise. Because units run on gas-powered engines to produce electricity, it's hard to avoid the commotion that comes from something running at a high rpm. However, some manufacturers have figured out a way to tackle the problem and are producing units that can run so quiet, you might not even know they're on. These units are typically more expensive, but it's worth the cost, and if you plan to use a generator in a campground or area with noise ordinances, it's a necessity.

Don't Pollute

WEN 56200i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator (WEN/)

Second to the noise, you'll want to consider a generator's exhaust system—especially if you plan to use it in an area with strict emissions regulations. Even if you're not bound by law to use a unit that is kind to the environment, a model that doesn't produce a high-volume of foul-smelling exhaust is much more pleasant to have in camp or on a job site than a generator that kicks out dark smoke and strong fumes.

A good light goes hand-in-hand with camping (or just about any outdoor activity, really) and it’s important to keep one close by for the inevitable trip to the restroom in the middle of the night, to illuminate the picnic table during a late-night card game, or to simply provide a sense safety knowing you can see your surroundings in the dark. Fortunately, the advent of the LED bulb has helped manufacturers create lights that are brighter, more efficient, and inexpensive than ever before, but no two lights are the same. Here are a few things to consider before buying your next camp light.

Brighter is Better

GearLight LED Tactical Flashlight S1000 (GearLight/)

The great thing about LEDs is they're capable of producing a huge amount of light, which is typically rated in lumens—the higher the lumen rating, the brighter the light. Make sure you're buying one that's going to be bright enough to fit your needs, especially if it has different modes that allow you to dim the bulb when you don't need it running at full strength.

Light Everything Up

Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern (Vont/)

If you think you'll need to cast a broad blanket of light over a large space, an LED lantern might serve you better than a flashlight. LED lanterns are just as energy efficient as LED flashlights, but rather than using one bulb to produce light, there are typically several pointing at various angles housed in a clear case. They're perfect for illuminating the inside of a tent, or hanging on a branch or hook over a picnic table or camp kitchen.

From June through september, squirrels do their feeding high in trees for buds, berries, and early mast. If simply getting a limit is your goal, blast the critters from the canopy with a shotgun. But you’re missing out on a lot of fun if you’re not sneaking in tight to head-shoot them with a .22. A rimfire saves you from picking lead No. 6s out of your squirrel tenders too.

Much of the challenge in this game is in finding a good field rest for your rifle that also allows a clear view of the squirrel through the leaves. Taking a post off a tree is best, but saplings don’t always grow where you need them. Shooting sticks work, but few squirrel hunters bother carrying them.

This shooting position, something of a reverse-prone arrangement, will work just about any time you need to shoot upward, and it requires nothing more than all four appendages arranged correctly. The diagram below details the sequence for right-handed shooters, but it’s okay for southpaws to enjoy squirrel hunting too. Just reverse things.

Read Next: Squirrel Hunting Basics

Use this position when you don't have a rest handy. (Clint Ford/)

Lie down, roll slightly onto your right side, and bend your right leg in. Rest your right foot flat and firmly on the ground.

Even the most experienced anglers have trouble figuring out all of the different hook sizes and styles. (Bob McNally/)

Hooks are the oldest tackle item in fishing. Walk into any tackle store, and you'll find a bewildering array of hooks that can confuse even the best guides, veteran anglers, and tournament competitors. They are available in a mind-numbing variety of sizes, shapes, configurations, materials, and colors, and are produced by companies around the world for countless types of fishing. Every year there are new hook designs (touted by manufacturers as the next best thing) devised by cutting-edge anglers who've created new and innovative fishing tactics. Here's a primer on hooks and how to select the right one for your fishing.

How to Choose the Proper Fishing Hook

As a general rule, hooks should be chosen according to the target fish, tackle, technique, and water.

For example, when you’re fishing for 5-pound bass in a stained lake with big soft plastic worms and 20-pound test line, you’ll need a bigger hook than the one used for 6-pound test and tube lures for stream smallmouths. Hooks used for muskies, pike, oversized largemouths, stripers, and catfish are a whole lot bigger and beefier than ones needed for trout, panfish, smallmouths, and even most walleyes.

Rods, reels, and line also dictate hook size and type. It takes a stout rod and heavy line to drive a hook into the maw of a 20-pound pike, striper, muskie, or catfish. If the hook is too small or made with inferior wire, it won’t hold well and can pull out or straighten during a grueling battle.

New studies indicate that mature bucks often shift their home territories in early- to mid-September—shortly after they’ve lost their velvet. (YAYImages/depositphotos.com/)

We contacted some of the top whitetail biologists in America. We dug through reams of white papers and articles by prominent deer researchers from across the country. And we came up with these nine tips, rooted in science, that will help you tag a buck this fall.

1. Key on the Buck Shift

Scouting and running trail cameras over the next couple of months will hopefully help you locate two or three nice 8-pointers and at least one big 10-point shooter in your hunting area. Will those target bucks still be around when the season opens?

Maybe, maybe not.

Through the years, Dr. Grant Woods, a highly regarded biologist from Missouri, has conducted extensive preseason censuses of herds throughout the Midwest and South. His data show that some 50 percent of mature bucks may spend the spring and summer months at one end of their home range, but then shift to a different area for the fall and winter. Woods’ records indicate that the shift typically occurs around the time that bucks shed velvet, or roughly September 1-20.

Sonny McFarland has disappeared. I shouldn’t have been surprised. The East Tennessee region where he made his name is notoriously insular, with a history of bootlegging and moonshiners who took great pains to hide themselves from revenuers.

Multiple anglers who learned the art of making balsa crankbaits at Sonny’s knee said they didn’t have his number. A noted remaining contemporary likewise demurred. One day “he was just gone,” said another former friend. Even Rob Cochran—who has known McFarland since he was 8 years old, virtually grew up in his shop, and effectively inherited McFarland’s business—can’t get his mentor to answer the phone. When I repeatedly pressed Cochran for a number, he ended the conversation by saying, “I’m not supposed to give it out. He would kill me if I did.” McFarland started his lure company in 1974. It’s been nearly a decade since he’s produced a crankbait for sale. One rival suggested that his sudden disappearance was an attempt to escape from the law, or creditors, but without further substantiation, it might simply reflect that he got tired of pouring his heart and soul into a craft that paid poorly and left him with little more than callused hands and the perpetual aura of paint fumes. By leaving his tools to Cochran, he provided a treasure map and little more. The fact is that no one is getting rich off of balsa, but in a world of disposability, many bass fishermen still value tools with a distinctive regional imprint. Plastic baits are cheaper, more durable, and catch fish, but for many anglers, balsa inspires a confidence that cannot be mass-produced. The Carolinas and a few other states contribute to the cult and have their own respected builders with their own devout followings, but the biggest strongholds in the craft remain in East Tennessee and the Ohio River region.

“It’s just something we grew up doing here,” says Wesley Strader, a bass pro, lure-maker, and son of McFarland’s contemporary, Bud Strader. “It was part of the culture here in Tennessee, like country music.”

As with country music, though, some of the innovators are being forgotten and replaced by imitators—some competent, others watered down. As legendary lure-makers fade away, it leaves those still in the game wondering if the balsa embers will burn bright enough to light the path for the next generation.

Elite Series bass pro and balsa addict Bill Lowen in his Indiana garage. (Matt Nager/)

Magic Touches

Whether you’re a hunter, angler, shoot, camper, or just someone who enjoys spending time away from the trailhead, your gear can make or break a trip. We know you want to buy the best gear you can afford, which is why we created Bargain Hunter. Our team is working directly with some of the best outdoor brands in the business to bring you good deals and discount promotions—including some exclusive offers you won’t find anywhere else. We hope this helps you get the gear you want without breaking the bank.

Bookmark this page in your browser and check back every week to see a new list of discounted gear. Here are the deals for the week of July 15 through July 21, 2019.

Save 20 percent on YETI Hopper Two 30 soft-sided coolers. (YETI/)
Select the Percussive Shooting Filters or the Earplug Pro Pack (or both) and enter the code FIELDST20 at checkout for 20 percent off. There is no order limit, and the offer is good through July 25th, 2019. (Decibullz/)
Save money on Stio's most popular styles of men's and women's shirts, pants, and shorts during their Summer Collections Sale. (Stio/)
Enter promo code P190715 at checkout to receive 10 percent off purchases over $100. (Natchez/)
Receive 35 percent off 5.11 Tactical MIRA 2-in-1 Women's Backpacks. (5.11 Tactical/)
Enter the promo code VEL at checkout to receive $20 off and free shipping for orders of $200+. (Brownells/)
Save 40 percent on Leatherman Cam tools. (Leatherman/)
Save 15 percent on Nikon Aculon Laser Rangefinders. (Nikon/)
Save 10 percent on all Lapua Ammo and brass, 5 percent on all Berger Bullets, 5 percent on all SK ammunition, and enter code OUTDOORS for free shipping (no minimum purchase) on anything from Creedmoor Sports. (Creedmoor/)
Amazon's greatest parade of bargains for 2019 will appear on July 15th and 16th. Visit outdoorlife.com for updates on huge discounts for the best outdoor gear available. (Amazon/)

Outdoor Life may receive a commission from the sale of items listed on this site. We do NOT accept money for editorial product or gear reviews.

In 2015, Amazon.com kicked off an annual celebration to commemorate another year in business. In the few years since then, Prime Day has become almost as popular as Black Friday, and is one of the most anticipated events of the year. In 2019, Amazon Prime members will once again have 24- to 48-hour access to several thousand special offers and discounts on just about anything you can imagine—which can be a little overwhelming.

To help you sift through the sheer volume of products, we snuck a sneak peek at what's available and listed a few of the more "attractive" bargains below. The great thing about Prime Day is that Amazon loves to announce additional bargains on a whim, so be sure to check this page often for as-it-happens announcements on great outdoor gear.

YETI Flip 18 Portable Cooler—Now $250 (was $300) (YETI/)Traeger Renegade Pellet Grill—Now $490 (was $750)PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder—Now $127 (was $190)AmazonBasics Tent—Now $54 (was $90)Breville Precision Brewer Coffee Maker—Now $200 (was $300)Save up to 40 percent on CamelBak, Marmot, Columbia, Pure Fishing, and ExOfficioSun Joe 2000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer—Now $92 (was $144)
Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Combo—Now $49 (was $70) (Shakespeare/)Pelican Storm iM2750 Case with Padded Divider Set—Now $423 (was $610)Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Pro Knife—Now $45 (was $68)Carpathen Campfire Telescoping Roasting Sticks—Now $15 (was $18)Klymit Hammock V Sleeping Pad—Now $85 (was $140)Victorinox Swiss Army Evolution—Now $20 (was $33)
Berkley Fishing Cart—Now $175 (was $250) (Berkley/)Marmot Voyager 55 Mummy Sleeping Bag—Now $47 (was $80)Save 20 percent or more on Coleman's best selling itemsHoppe's No. 9 Bore Cleaner—Now $15 (was $17)Moultrie A-40i Game Camera—Now $80 (was $110)Moultrie Pro Hunter Hanging Deer Feeder—Now $59 (was $70)
Thermacell Radius 2.0—Now $40 (was $50) (Thermacell/)Berkley Fishing Rod Rack—Now $7 (was $10)Intex Challenger K1 Inflatable Kayak—Now $55 (was $65)Plano Extra Large Series Four Pistol Case—Now $20 (was $25)Bear Archery's Karnage Apocalypse Crossbow Package—Now $230 (was $265)Kijaro Single Pack Hammock with Nylon Ripstop Straps and Carabiners—Now $45 (was $55)
Columbia Men's Wayfinder 2-strap Sandal—Now $32 (was $46) (Columbia/)Marmot Unisex Kompressor Plus—Now $39 (was $46)Fin Nor LT40—Now $80 (was $145)Gerber Bear Grylls Survival Hatchet—Now $25 (was $50)NOCO Boost Max GB500 20,000 amp UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter—Now $1,200 (was $2,000)
Pflueger President XT Low Profile Reel—Now $52 (was $80) (Pflueger/)Insta Pot DUO Plus 60—Now $56 (was $130)Garmin Handheld GPS 64SC—Now $56 (was $130)Gerber Dime Multi Tool—Now $11 (was $20)Generac 2,200 watt Portable Inverter Generator—Now $427 (was $600)Save up to 40 percent on Anker Portable Chargers

Whitetail biologists from around the country are predicting a very good deer season this fall. (brm1949/depositphotos.com/)

Hunters often fall into the trap of longing for the good old days, when, according to legend or conventional wisdom, things were supposedly better.

One look at America’s current deer hunting scene makes you realize we’re experiencing some pretty good days right now. Coast to coast and border to border, opportunities abound, from tracking big-woods whitetails in the Northeast, glassing for ghost-like mule deer in the Southwest, shivering on a treestand while attempting to ambush a thick-necked Midwest brute, and more.

What's even better is that those adventures are only weeks away. You’ve been shooting your bow, right? Got your cameras set up and shooting lanes cut?

Don’t wait. Get ready. Get out there. Meanwhile, here’s our 2019-’20 deer season guide to get you started.

Scroll through, or use the links below to jump to your state:

When I think of emergency fire starters, I imagine being soaking wet, freezing, and needing to get a fire going immediately. A flint striker and classic options are great for their longevity, but when you're losing dexterity and can't feel your fingers, you need a fire now. That's when these three options can potentially save your life. The only thing better than having one of these is having a couple of them on hand.

My three favorites are Wetfire, UCO Sweetfire matches, and a standard road flare. Wetfire is a trioxane-like fuel, but comes in individually packaged, lightweight cubes. Like the name suggests, it ignites easily when wet, and burns for several minutes. The Sweetfire matches are super convenient, as they combine ignition and fuel in a foul-weather resisting match. You do need to protect them somewhat, as the ignition coating can flake off, but they are fast and convenient. Finally, a road flare is one of my favorite emergency fire starters. They are cheap, and they ignite and burn hot in just about any condition. It essentially gives you a blowtorch to start your fire, and even a cut-down flare burns long enough to get damp wood to burn.

The knife that started it all. Top, a KA-BAR USMC combat knife and bottom the same model as made by Pal Cutlery. Both are WW-II issue weapons. Pal is one of the rarer contractures for a USMC knife. (Steven Dick/)

Strange as it may seem, the U.S. Marine Corps entered the jungle campaigns of World War II without a decent combat knife. Their first attempt was a double-edge dagger based on the British Commando knife, but it quickly proved to be a very poor utility blade for infantry combat. Going back to the drawing board and working with Union and Camillus cutlery companies, they came up with an all-purpose sheath knife, the USMC Knife/Fighting-Utility Model 1219C2. Camillus is said to have made the first deliveries to the Marines on January 27, 1943. Maybe “Knife/Fighting-Utility 1219C2” was just too big of a mouthful, and Camillus just didn’t have much of a ring to it. In any case, Leathernecks quickly unofficially labeled all knives of this pattern “kabars” after the trademark stamp of Union cutlery. (From this point on in the article “KA-BAR” is a cutlery company, “kabar” is a generic knife pattern.) A legend was born that continues to this day!

A pair of USN MK-II knives. Both were made by KA-BAR (Union Cutlery) but one is blade stamped and the other guard marked. (Steven Dick/)

The basic design of the new combat knife was a blade (1095 carbon steel) 7-inches long by .18-inch thick, with a fully sharpened 2.25-inch false edge and Bowie point. The generously sized handle was made of stacked leather washers later treated to prevent rot under wet conditions. On the end of the handle was a flat, steel pommel well suited to light pounding chores. Even better, from an overloaded infantryman’s perspective, was the fact the knife only weighed 14.5 ounces in the leather sheath. (The Navy also adopted the knife as the Mark-II and later added a plastic sheath to make it a better dive knife during UDT operations.) The knife soon proved itself to be a great all-purpose tool for living and fighting on one Pacific island after another. And by the end of the war, practically every civilian back home had seen photos of Marines carrying the kabar through fiery hells, including the legendary flag raising on Iwo Jima. Of course, many Marines brought their kabars home with them after the war. As a kid, I can remember hearing the knife commonly being praised by combat vets as their favorite hunting blade.

A Vietnam period Camillus knife carried by the author while serving as a paratrooper in the 82 Abn Division in late 1969 and ’70. Camillus made the vast majority of the knives during the ’60s. (Steven Dick/)

Vietnam

When the Vietnam War started, the military made the wise decision to make the kabar pattern knife a service-wide standard issue item. The “USMC” and “USN” stamps were dropped and the knives were simply marked “US” with the maker’s name below. Camillus Cutlery Company produced the vast majority of the knives during this period of time. Outside of the Marines, the demand for the knives always exceeded the supply reaching the real troops on the ground. In my own Ranger Company about the only teams equipped with kabars were those that had spent time cross-training with Marine Recon units. The limited number of the Camillus knives that did reach our own supply system always seemed to end up in the hands of officers and senior NCOs. Special Forces teams did manage to find better quantities than we did, and the knife was available on the civilian market if you were willing to take the time to mail-order one. Still, this was the one model knife that most ordinary ground pounders wanted, but had a hard time obtaining throughout the long war.

The bottom knife is the current USMC model as produced on contract by Ontario Cutlery Company. The top knife is a civilian variation with a sawback, also from Ontario. Frankly, I haven’t much use for the sawback beyond scaling fish! (Steven Dick/)

While I admit I never carried a kabar during my tour in Vietnam, as soon as I returned stateside to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg I bought one from the Smoke Bomb Hill gift and book shop. If I remember correctly, the price was around $5. Strapped to the side of my boot, that knife made many a jump over the next 18 months with the 505th Parachute Infantry. I even cleaned a large catch of bluegills and yellow perch (plus one unlucky copperhead snake) I caught while on a survival training project with the knife. So much for those who say the knife is too large for ordinary field chores.

Using firebreaks, the wind, and portable sprayers keeps big blazes in check. (Natalie Krebs/)

Prescribed fire has newfound popularity among wildlife habitat managers because it produces both a flush of new growth and a mosaic of food and cover that are beneficial to deer, turkeys, and small game. It can be used strategically to kill undesirable vegetation too, without soaking the landscape in herbicides.

Learning to burn can be daunting (and stories like the prescribed fire that raged out of control in Florida last June, consuming 36 homes, should make you cautious). But you don’t have to light 30 acres of overgrown field for your first burn. Smaller fires are easier to manage and a great way to learn to use the wind to your advantage with various firing techniques. A small, late-summer burn can work wonders for your early bow season too.

Bow-Range Burns

Marcus Lashley is an assistant professor of Wildlife and Fisheries at Mississippi State University, and prescribed fire is his area of expertise. He’s conducted extensive research on how deer utilize blocks of habitat both before and after a burn, and he found that on a large scale—hundreds of acres—deer temporarily avoid burned areas ­because the cover is gone. But on a small scale, adjacent to good cover, they treat a burn much like a food plot, thanks to all the new growth.

Recently, Lashley has been experimenting with what he calls “bow-range burns.” “We were burning quarter-acre sections, which have a 30-yard radius,” he says. “I had areas where I’d monitored deer use with trail cameras for years. We went in and burned half of them, and then measured how much the deer usage changed relative to burning. What we found is that during the opening month of bow season here in Mississippi, those small burns increased shot opportunities by about 13 times over.”

It might seem like space-age technology, but spark rods have actually been around since horse and buggy times. (Tim MacWelch/)

Spark rods are fun to use and reliable in wet, cold, windy weather conditions. There’s no shortage of makes and models on the market, either. To help you pick the best option, I’ll dive into the origin and composition of these remarkable gizmos, and we’ll look at the pros and cons of eight popular spark rod products.

History

Spark rods (aka ferrocerium, firesteels, flints and ferro rods) have been around for more than 100 years, and while the exact recipe varies, all versions of this synthetic alloy can make a shower of hot sparks when scraped with a rough surface or sharp edge. Created in 1903 by the Austrian inventor Carl Auer von Welsbach, ferrocerium is still called Auermetall in Europe as a nod to its creator. Typically composed of 21% iron, 42% cerium, 24% lanthanum and roughly 4% each of praseodymium, neodymium, and magnesium – this magic metal owes its pyrophoric powers to the low ignition temperature of cerium (igniting between 302 and 356 degrees Fahrenheit). Once this element starts to burn in a thin metal scraping, the other elements begin to burn and the resulting shower of sparks can exceed 5000 degrees. Now that you have a little info on the history and composition of spark rods, let’s look at a few ways to make this tool work more effectively.

These tools won’t light every type of tinder, but a hot shower of sparks can light many different materials on fire – when you use the right technique. (Tim MacWelch/)

How to Properly Use a Spark Rod

First off, the spark rod is only as good as the tinder you have chosen. Natural plant materials that are fluffy and dry are usually your best bet as the initial fuel for your fire. These materials can be store-bought items like cotton balls, or fibrous plant matter collected directly from nature (like cattail seed down and shredded inner bark from certain trees). Just make sure your tinder has lots of surface area, comes from the plant kingdom and is stored in a water-tight container for dryness. Secondly, it’s important to direct the sparks with the right technique. If you hold the scraper still and pull the rod away (imagine you’re pulling the cord to start a chainsaw or push mower), you won’t hit your tinder with the scraper. You’ll still get your shower of hot sparks, without flinging your tinder all over the place by moving the scraper forward. Finally, don’t be stingy with your sparks. It may take many strikes in quick succession to light stubborn tinder, so don’t be afraid to get after it.

Getting up close to a bonefish caught on a Crazy Charlie. (Brian Grossenbacher/)

I was staring at the water in front of a long stretch of mangroves, trying not to breathe through my nose. A large raft of rotting grass extending several hundred yards offshore floated near our boat and had stained the water brown, turning the normally crystal-clear Caribbean into murky tea while giving off a stench that was pure sewer. This wasn’t the picturesque Belize that draws scuba divers from around the globe.

A frigate bird circled overhead, easy to identify by its forked tail and broad wings. Like me, it was scanning the shallow water along the edge of the matted grass for fish. But whereas it was in search of a beak full of baitfish, I had something bigger in mind.

“Over there, mon. Forty yards. One o’clock.”

Perched behind and above me on the platform that straddled the skiff’s outboard, guide Alton Jeffords was leaning into the push pole, trying to move us to where he’d just seen a tarpon roll. In his island accent, “forty” came out as “fohr-tee.”

I checked the coils of line at my feet to make sure all was clear and started to cast. After three full days of fishing, I could tell my form was going to hell from the heavy 11-weight. If any of my former striper fishing buddies had seen me, I know they would have been merciless, taunting me that my years in Montana chasing “sissy bug-eating fish” with 5-weights had made me soft. Given the stabs of pain in my shoulder and elbow, I’d probably agree.

A snap shot of state trust land in the northeast corner of Colorado. (Colorado State Land Board/)

Colorado is a robust hunting state with the largest elk herd in the nation, but hunters there are still scrambling to level the playing field when it comes to accessing nearly 3 million acres of state-owned trust land.

The good news is Colorado hunters seem to have an ally in Gov. Jared Polis when it comes to opening more lands to recreation.

"Coloradans truly understood that a vote for me was a vote for public land, was a vote for fun, was a vote for our heritage, and was a vote for the jobs that the outdoor industry sustains across our state," he said at an Outdoor Retailer conference.

States like Idaho, Wyoming and Montana all have large state holdings of trust lands – and have policies that generally allow the public to hunt on most of those lands. In Montana, for example, two-thirds of the state’s 4.76 million acres of trust land are open to public hunting, according to the Denver Post. Colorado, however, does things its own way. A way that has historically left hunters short.

First, a bit of history about "state trust lands." When western states were created back in the late 1800s, Congress typically granted those fledgling states land scattered in a grid pattern within their new border (see a map of current state trust lands here). The idea was that the new, sparsely populated states could use those lands to raise money for schools, roads, and the like. As in other western states, Colorado trust lands are managed under a Land Board.

The author shows off a bruiser buck taken on a spot-and-stalk hunt. (Courtesy of Chuck Adams/)

When archers discovered the shovel, pronghorn hunting got easier. About 40 years ago, bowhunters began setting up for antelope from covered pit blinds near water holes. They found that these keen-eyed prairie dwellers could not clearly see from bright sunlight into a shaded blind, and the result was point-blank shots at relaxed animals. Today, most bow­hunters use pop-up blinds for antelope.

I have taken several antelope from blinds, and it’s effective. But unless a steady parade of critters is crossing in front of you, sitting in a blind is about as thrilling as watching a TV with the power turned off. I prefer bowhunting antelope on foot. It’s never easy, but I love the challenge—and you can do it regardless of water or weather conditions.

Perfect Country

You need suitable terrain for stalking antelope, which means plenty of ridges, gullies, and extra-tall sage. Flat ground is tough.

Light-colored camouflage is necessary to help you hide in pronghorn habitat, but camo alone won’t do the trick if you try to move in the open. If you can see an antelope’s eye, the animal will certainly see you move, even from several hundred yards away. You cannot sneak close or draw your bow unless your target’s head is completely hidden behind a bush or solid ground. And be sure your bow is quiet; antelope can jump the string like no other critter in North America.