Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

Shooting a jake is legal in many states, but it's still debated among turkey hunters. (Alex Robinson/)

Bethge: Let Jakes Walk

“If he wants to act like a big turkey, then he can die like a big turkey.”

My New England turkey hunting buddies might not have invented the phrase, but they certainly used it each time they came back to camp with a jake—which, actually, has not been all that often. This season, though—the year of COVID-19—there will be no slack provided. We’re making triply sure of our targets. Whether he works like a big bird or not, we’re laying off the jakes!

Renowned turkey biologist Michael Chamberlain first sounded the alarm for me a month or so ago when southern seasons were opening.

“With hunters being unable to travel, local populations of wild turkeys are bearing more hunting pressure, and increased harvest,” says Chamberlain. “We know from previous research that more hunter effort (time spent afield) results in more turkeys being harvested. For example, in Georgia, hunter effort on state Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) has increased 47% compared to last season, and similar trends are being observed in Mississippi. Statewide harvest in Georgia is 26% greater than in 2019 at this point in the season, and is 43% higher on public lands – despite no appreciable increases in production within the past few years. In Tennessee, statewide harvest is currently 50 percent higher than at this same point last season. There is potential that the increased pressure and harvest could negatively impact our local populations in many areas, particularly those witnessing long-term declines.

Stay out of sight. (Amazon/)

Don’t get us wrong, pop-up blinds are great. They afford plenty of cover to tag even the weariest of critters. But if you want to be aggressive and stay on the move—in hopes of, say, running-and-gunning a gobbler—you’d be wise to opt for something more portable. We’ve rounded up four ground blind alternatives, including one particularly clever mirror setup that are as easy to carry as they are deadly.

This Hunters Specialties model is a basic ground blind, the sort that legions of turkey and deer hunters have come to rely on. Patterned in Realtree Xtra camo, the three-pole setup quickly and easily stakes into the ground. At 8 feet wide and an adjustable 18 to 27 inches tall, it should afford plenty of cover in most hunting situations. Sure, it’s nothing fancy, but it’s among the cheapest options on our list.

On the opposite end of the price spectrum from the Hunters Specialties ground blind is the 12-pound GhostBlind 4-Panel, a portable, hyper-realistic, four-panel mirror blind. That’s right—it’s a mirror. As such, it’s designed to tilt slightly forward, to reflect the ground and perfectly blend in, while also eliminating sun glare and ensuring that game doesn’t see its reflection. The blind is dang clever, but it will cost you, though. It’s easily the most expensive option on our list.

Maybe it’s just us, but four-walled pop-up ground blinds are never quite as easy to set up or as portable as they promise. The Alpha Cam Two-Panel One-Way-See-Through Blind strikes a good balance between such blinds and pole-and-fabric setups, like the Hunters Specialties Ground Blind. It has two panels, with one-way shooting windows that provide good cover without much bulk. To wit, it weighs only 3.9 pounds and collapses down to smaller than a camping chair, so it’s easy to schlep around the woods.

If you really can’t find a portable ground blind that you like, maybe it’s time to go full ghillie suit, or at least something similar to one. Patterned in Realtree Max 4, the Ameristep 3D Leafy Poncho weighs 1.45 pounds, thus adding almost no weight to your pack. In fairness, it’s more like a ghillie Snuggie than a ghillie suit, since it’s designed to be pulled over your head once you’re seated and since it lacks distinct armholes. Still, it’ll do wonders to break up your silhouette.

Just about anyone who loads and sells ammunition loads the old 30-30. These are just a few of available brands. (Ron Spomer/)

The 30-30 may or may not have put more deer on the table than any other cartridge in history, but even if it hasn’t, it remains a darned effective cartridge. But you can make it even more effective if you exercise two tricks that extend its reach. The 30-30 does not have to be a 150-yard-max cartridge.

Before we outline these range-extending tricks, it might be fun to explore the history of this famous .30 caliber. It actually began as the 30 Winchester Center Fire way back in 1895. It was the first smokeless powder sporting cartridge in the U.S.A. Winchester chambered it in its new, strong, Browning-designed Model 94 lever-action rifle released just the year before in 38-55 Winchester and 32-40 Winchester. Those were still blackpowder rounds.

The 30 WCF pushed a 160-grain flat-nose 1,970 fps, 600 fps faster than the popular 38-55. Consumer interest was immediately piqued. Within a few months, Marlin began chambering the same round in its Model 1893 lever-action, but they called it the 30-30. The last number referenced the 30-grains of smokeless powder it burned. Marlin contracted with Union Metallic Cartridge Company to build the ammo. The headstamp was 30-30 UMC. In 1936 Marlin modified the M93 slightly to become the M36. They modified this to become the M336 in 1948. The Marlin had side ejection which accommodated scope mounting. The Winchester M94 didn’t switch to angle ejection until 1982.

Read Next: Our 4 Favorite Deer Hunting Guns of All Time

I suspect that shooters in the late 19th century were so familiar with the caliber/powder charge system of describing cartridges that they naturally gravitated to Marlin’s 30-30 description. By 1946 Winchester finally accepted the inevitable and started calling it the 30-30 Winchester.

Gonzalez in his happy place—­wading the banks of Montana’s Bighorn River this past January. (Bill Buckley/)

Phil Gonzalez lucked into his first fishing rod. He grew up near a big bend in the Yellowstone River in Huntley, Montana, about 15 miles east of Billings. To keep the river from washing over its banks and flooding the town, workers for the Rural Electrification Administration would use their boom trucks to stack old cars, pull-behind combines, tractors, and other defunct farm equipment as riprap along the bend.

Gonzalez was 9 years old, and the stockpiled machinery was his playground. One day, the workers dropped off a vintage Buick sedan with portholes along the front fenders. He loved to ransack the discarded cars and trucks, looking for treasure before they went into the river. The trunk on the Buick was locked, and Gonzalez wasn’t able to get into it by cutting through the back seat like he usually did.

“That thing was built like a Sherman tank, but the longer it kept me out, the harder I tried to open it,” he says.

After three days of failed attempts, he managed to pop the trunk with a pry bar. “And lo and behold, there it was—a metal telescopic rod with a windup reel. It was pretty prehistoric.”

That day in 1956 marked the beginning of Gonzalez’s fishing career, one that would play a pivotal role in the history of the Bighorn River in the years to come. His earliest forays were in his local waters, Pryor Creek and the lower Yellowstone, which was not the pristine river it is today.

Mark Drury with a big-hooked adult gobbler. (Drury Outdoors/)

Mark Drury, president of Drury Outdoors, has captured no less than six different world turkey calling titles in his more than 150 wins. It can be said, however, that his truest passion lies with land management and ensuring the quality of a healthy animal population on his farm. He and brother Terry have dedicated their entire careers to bringing that excitement into the viewer’s living rooms year in and year out. We recently spent time with Mark to get his answers to 10 tough turkey hunting questions.

1. What calls do you use to roost a gobbler?

“My go-to is a coyote howler but I’ve had luck with turkey calls and owl hoots as well.”

2. How close should I set up on a roosted gobbler?

“As close as the visual will allow. I find myself having more success at that 80- to 120-yard range than any other distance.”

Secure your catch. ( Raghavendra Saralaya via Unsplash/)

Not all fishing nets are created equal. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of models that promise to do effectively the same thing: bag fish. But, as any experienced angler knows, certain nets are far better suited for targeting some species than others. (We dare you to try to nab a big bull redfish with a tiny trout hand net.) We’ve rounded up four top-rated models, one of which is sure to suit your angling needs, whether you’re targeting trout, walleye and bass, or specks and redfish.

You’ll struggle to find a quality, easy-to-carry trout net that’s more affordable than the 24-inch Ego Blackwater. It’s super-lightweight, at 14 ounces, and includes a built-in, retractable, quick-draw tether. Most notably, the bag has a measuring stick or sorts printed inside, for quick, hands-free sizing. It’s one potential shortcoming is that it comes with a nylon bag, as opposed to rubber, which tends to be easier on fish for catch-and-release.

The Fishpond Nomad fly-fishing net is substantially more expensive than the Ego Blackwater, but if you’re a buy-once-cry-once sort of person, you’ll likely think it’s worth the cost. The 26-inch net is made of lightweight carbon-fiber/fiberglass composite that’s waterproof, buoyant, and effectively bombproof. The net comes standard with a clear rubber-net bag. If you’re hoping to return trout to the river unharmed, it’s widely held that rubber bags, compared with nylon ones, tend to remove less slim from catches and thus result in higher survival rates. Flies are also less prone to become tangled in rubber bags.

Ranger nets excel at simplicity. They are in no way fancy. But, unlike many nets you can buy cheaply online, they’re sturdy as heck and promise to hold up from season to season, even under intense tournament use, for which they were designed. The aluminum 345RD is made to handle hefty bass and walleye from boats. It has a 36-inch, non-telescoping handle and an 18-inch-by-18-inch hoop, along with a deep plastic-rubber net, to prevent tangles and harming catches. Made in the U.S.A., it comes with a three-year warranty, on the off chance you do have issues with it.

Telescoping nets are a mixed bag. Many aren’t as sturdy and reliable as you’d hope, and thus often end up hanging in the garage, seldom used. The Frabill Conservation Series Landing Net, meanwhile, is widely praised for its durability and strength. The handle extends from 24 inches to 48 inches, and its hoop measures 20 inches by 23 inches, the perfect size for speckled trout and redfish. And its knotless, specially coated mesh netting is designed to prevent fish injuries, for the catches you want to release.

Aaron Warbritton of The Hunting Public working a pot and peg style call. (The Hunting Public/)

Calling turkeys takes practice, the kind of constant practice that annoys people around you who don’t understand things like the sound of a perfect yelp, or how a piece of roughed up glass and a stick can allow you to communicate with a wild animal.

Along with practice though, it also takes some good advice. To help, we’ve called on Aaron Warbritton of The Hunting Public. He’s the kind of guy who grew up going to the principal’s office for blowing a mouth call from the back of a classroom, and entered his first calling competition at the age of 16. When we spoke on the phone he rattled off the names of famous turkey callers as if they were the starting lineup to an NBA team, and when he’s not working on his calling technique, he’s probably out killing toms.

So, whether you’re new to calling or you’ve had a few turkey seasons under your belt, these tips should help hone your technique—and drive anyone within earshot absolutely crazy.

Make a Perfect Yelp with a Mouth Call

The ability to make consistent, realistic yelps with a mouth call is deadly, allowing you to keep both hands free to shoot. “Everybody blows a mouth call differently, so it’s hard to instruct somebody on the ‘correct’ way to do it,” Warbritton says. The main thing though is to focus on your breathing.

Fun wherever you go. (Greg Rosenke via Unsplash/)

Sure, most of the time when we’re camping we busy ourselves building fires, whittling sticks for s’mores, or telling ghost stories. But what about all the rest of the time? What about when it’s raining and you’re stuck in a tent, or you already built a fire and whittled your sticks? These games have you covered. They’re perfect for everything from the backcountry to an RV park, and will ensure you and everyone else in your camp is entertained.

The number of games you can create out of this set is nearly endless. It comes complete with a board and pegs for cribbage, and the accompanying deck of cards and dice give you unlimited gaming options. The entire set weighs far less than a pound—perfect for the weight-conscious backpacker. Play dice games in a group, cribbage with you and a friend or solitaire by yourself.

There’s no better way to learn some facts about fishing than while settling in for the night in the woods. This game for all ages includes hundreds of questions and fun facts about fish items like gear and tackle and fish species. It’s suitable for kids as young as 4 who might need some help reading and answering questions, and will be fun for even the oldest players. Use it as a learning tool and campfire entertainment.

Think Scrabble, only portable, faster paced, and pleasantly chaotic. This game—fit into a tiny, banana-shaped bag—can go with you just about anywhere and is perfect for anyone over 3, though ideally for those 7 and up. Play it by yourself or in groups of up to eight people. Use it for a fun evening among friends or as an educational tool for your kids.

With minimal set up, this game set offers you ladder ball, frisbee and target toss all in one. The set isn’t small, but it’s perfect to stow in an RV closet or toss in the back of your truck. It’s durable enough to take along anywhere and promises fun for one summer after another. And you don’t have to pretend you’re bringing it along for the kids—these games are more than enough fun for you, too.

Another way to sleep in the woods. (Jesse Gardner via Unsplash/)

Don’t get us wrong, there’s a time and a place for roughing it and sleeping on the bare ground. But there’s no shame in partaking in a little comfort while in the woods. If you can, why not? Camping cots not only afford a better night’s sleep than, say, the flat earth or a paper-thin sleeping pad, but they’ll also keep your back from stiffening up, so you’re nice and limber for stalking a trout stream come daybreak. Plus, with several super-lightweight models on the market, a cot doesn’t even have to add much extra weight to your pack.

When you hear the words camping cot, there’s a strong chance that a classic Coleman model, like this ComfortSmart Cot, springs to mind. It’s a foldable, no-nonsense, 6-foot-6-inch bed, with an included thick sleeping pad that promises a good night’s sleep. At 19.6 pounds, it’s not exactly light, but it’s the cheapest model on our list, so it has that going for it.

If you’re a big dude, you don’t want to get stuck trying to catch Zs on a tiny cot. Behold, the reasonably priced, 26-pound Teton Sports Outfitter XXL Cot. It has a 600-pound weight capacity (as opposed to the Coleman ComfortSmart’s 300) and an extra-large sleeping area, measuring 80 inches long and 35.5 inches wide. “The BEST camping purchase ever!” one user wrote. “Finally! I’ve graduated to a real camp bed!”

Camping cots, for all the good sleep they afford, tend to be heavy and not terribly compact. That’s typically the tradeoff: good sleep in exchange for extra weight. The Helinox Lite Cot is an outlier in this regard. At 2.8 pounds, it’s one of the lightest cots on the market, and it packs down to fit in a 20.5-inch-long bag, making it backpacking friendly. The catch is that it’s fairly pricey, but if you’re serious about shedding pounds, the Helinox Lite Cot will do the trick.

The Desert Walker Camping Cot is an ultralight cot, weighing about 3 pounds and packs down to 19.6 inches. It sits 6 inches off the ground when assembled, and has a 440-pound weight capacity (though some users call this into question). It receives slightly more mixed praise than the Helinox Lite Cot—but it also costs about half as much, and would be our pick if given the choice.

Floating a tributary of the Sagavanirktok River in Alaska. (Craig Okrasaka/)

The fact that I was even on this trip at all was pure luck. I stumbled into the invite—a float-hunt for caribou through a remote corner of Alaska’s Brooks Range—because another hunter had dropped out. Hard hiking, rafting down fast-­flowing rivers, and enduring cold, wet weather would all be part of the deal. I felt like I had been preparing for this trip my entire life.

I was born in Broad Ripple, Indiana, a neighborhood in northern Indianapolis that sits on the banks of the White River. I was drawn to the water as a kid. My dad would ferry us out into the river in our rowboat, and we’d fish and explore the ever-changing sand islands of our backyard. Even then, I understood the river could deliver adventure, and that its power demanded respect. When I was older, I found myself dialing in my kayak roll and calling out commands from the back of a raft as a whitewater guide. Leading expeditions through slot canyons built the character needed to withstand any plunge into a cold-water pool. Floating the waterways of the Southwest, I marveled over historical petroglyphs that depicted rivers as lifelines, giving water to plants and animals, and helping humans travel and connect with each other.

Hunting for me came later. I had settled in Colorado, where my brother slowly brought me into the fold. I had spent most of my adult life working as an adventure educator, but hunting was a fresh, visceral way to interact with nature. My first hunt was life-changing: My brother conjured up a bull elk from the timber, and I made a clean shot. Years later, I’m still chasing that feeling.

The River Road

The highway leading to our caribou hunt is paved with oil. My hunting partners—Joe Risi, a rep for Backbone Media; Thor Tingey, CEO of Alpacka Raft; and Craig Okrasaka of Maven optics—and I made a 10-hour drive north from Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway, which was built to access the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and support the pipeline that brings a flow of oil south.

Know where to fish. (James Wheeler via Unsplash/)

Advances in sonar have made fishfinders more accurate and affordable than ever. These units will help you make the most of your time on the water and boast easy-to-use features that will fishing like a professional in no time.

Featuring ultra-clear CHIRP sonar, the Helix 5 delivers crisp bottom images. It includes an internal GPS chart plotter with built-in Anima cartography to help you learn new lakes in a hurry. The 5-inch WVGA display is bright and sharp.

Kayak anglers, take note. The Striker 4cv packs all the key features you’d expect in a quality sonar unit. There’s CHIRP sonar as well as CHIRP ClearVu scanning for incredible underwater imagery. The built-in GPS allows you to create routes and waypoints and monitor your boat’s speed. The 4.3-inch screen is sunlight readable and the rugged design is built for rough use.

With CHIRP sonar and downscan, this powerful sonar unit can cover any type of fishing you’d want to do. The built-in GPS system includes NAVIONICS maps of more than 9,000 lakes in the U.S. and Canada. The single transducer can be set up on the transom, thru-hull, or on a trolling motor.

If your fishing adventures take place on the bank, in a kayak, or on the go, this castable sonar unit is worth a look. The sonar unit features a rechargeable battery with 10 hours of battery life and delivers depth readings up to 135 feet. The sonar communicates to your mobile device via Bluetooth and a free app is available for iOS or Android units.

Float on. (Pete Nowicki via Unsplash/)

A life vest can only do its job if you’re wearing it. These lightweight, potentially life-saving inflatable life vests remove just about every excuse commonly used to not wear a flotation device while on the water.

If you’re looking for an entry-level offering into the world of inflatable life jackets, the Eyson basic Is worthy of consideration. It’s CE certified and SOLAS approved and features durable, lightweight construction with an adjustable belt suitable for adults and youth. It has a buoyancy rating of 150N and the manual inflation system is rechargeable and reusable. It comes in a dozen color options as well.

The SALVS automatic vest is unobtrusive, light and self-inflates when submerged for hassle-free, reliable safety on the water. The vest weighs less than two pounds and is easily recharged for repeat use. Its fully adjustable to fit men and women.

With a tough 500 denier Cordura shell and 100N buoyancy, the M.I.T. 100 is a serious tool for extreme conditions where submersion is likely. The vest boasts a see-through panel for easy inspection of the inflator system which is rechargeable. The vest is designed for a lightweight, flexible fit.

The A/M 24 offers the option to use an automatic inflatable or manual-only when wearing in heavy rain or spray to prevent unwanted inflation. The vest is fully reusable and rechargeable and features a comfortable, low-profile design that’s easy to wear.

Ernie Calandrelli (Ernie Calandrelli/)

Ernie Calandrelli of Model City, New York, is one of the most respected turkey hunters in the country. A member of the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame, 32-year employee of Quaker Boy Game Calls and Mossy Oak pro staffer, Calandrelli has hunted turkeys across the country with bow, gun, and crossbow, and is renowned for his calling prowess—and wit. We recently spent time with “Big Ern” to get his lightning-round answers to 10 tough turkey hunting questions.

1. What calls do you use to roost a gobbler in the evening?

“Owl or coyote followed quickly with a gobble on a tube call.”

2. How close should I set up on a roosted gobbler?

“It depends on terrain and foliage—as close as possible without him being able to see you. If you know a field where he might be going, be there waiting for him no matter how far away he is.”

Room for everything. (Lucas Favre via Unsplash/)

A backpacking pack is great for the backcountry, but overkill for a dayhike. A duffle might be perfect for flying, but no one wants to lug it any farther than necessary. You plan your gear around your activity. But the bag you fit that gear into is just as important as the gear itself. Don’t be caught unprepared.

This pack for hunters is the perfect solution to debates over taking a pack for your gear or taking a frame for your animal. Instead of debating, buy this and take it all. It has a built-in meat shelf, scope, and tripod pockets, holster for your pistol, and a zippered rear entry for quick access. The waterproof fabric suppresses scent and resists dirt, moisture, and blood. The camo is perfect for most outdoor situations. The best part is it comes with an unconditional lifetime warranty, which means no matter what happens to the pack, even if it’s your fault, they fix it for free.

If you don’t need a big pack for that hike to the lake, day on the river, or even picnic in the woods, don’t bring one. This pack is all you need for a day outside and nothing more. It has an adjustable shoulder harness, waist, and chest straps along with stretch mesh pockets on both sides for storing bottles and small items. The external hydration sleeve accommodates up to a 3-liter water bladder.

This backpack holds up to 50 pounds with dual density shoulder harness and load-lifter straps. The removable lid compartment converts to an optional chest pack, and it includes a hydration port and internal hydration sleeve. Most importantly, carry everything you need in comfort with a light frame and molded foam back panel that fits your torso.

This Patagonia bag looks slick but doesn’t skimp on function. It carries everything you need for a long weekend or extended trip. Expect careful craftmanship with 100 percent recycled body fabric, lining, and webbing you can feel good about. Whether you’re traveling for work or to the river, this bag is what you need.

A beautiful place to do business. (Kevin Ianeselli via Unsplash/)

When you need a camping toilet, you really need one. Outdoorsmen who might be tempted to scoff at portable commodes have clearly never tried to dig a latrine in ground that’s rock-solid frozen, or been stuck in an ice-fishing shack over a long weekend, with the nearest port-a-john nowhere in sight. Besides, there’s no shame in enjoying some comforts from home while in the woods. Whatever the occasion, we’ve compiled four camping toilets or toilet accessories that will make taking care of business in nature a little more pleasant.

Nature doesn’t always provide enough seclusion when, well, nature calls. The 6-foot-tall Pop Up Pod is a portable tent outhouse that can solve this problem by providing you plenty of privacy, whether you’re using a latrine or a portable camping toilet. This 3-pound, wind-resistant tent can also double as a changing room or shower stall, and would be particularly handy at crowded big deer or fish camps.

Admittedly, there’s not a lot to this product. It’s basically a 5-gallon bucket with a toilet seat that snaps to the top. But sometimes that’s all you need, luxury be darned. The Luggable Loo is marketed toward outdoorsmen but is apparently pretty popular among long-haul truck drivers, too. Don’t forget to pick up some heavy-duty trash bags to use as liners.

Sometimes a 5-gallon-bucket setup, like the Luggable Loo, doesn’t cut it, especially if you’re significant other isn’t accustomed to roughing it. The reasonably priced Porta Potti Thetford is a major step up, in terms of comfort and cleanliness. It flushes like a normal toilet, holds 4-gallon of fresh water and 5.5 gallons of waste, and averages 56 flushes before needing to be emptied. It also has a neat built-in toilet-paper compartment, and an easy-to-pour detachable waste tank.

If bringing an entire toilet to camp, even a portable one, seems like a lot of trouble, not to mention a bit cumbersome, there’s the Cleanwaste Portable Toilet, which, despite the name, is not really a toilet but a toilet seat. The 7-pound contraption folds down to the size of a briefcase, and includes a carry handle to boot. To use it, you just secure one of Cleanwaste’s biodegradable toilet bags (sold separately) and go to town.

The corn hole tournament doesn't need to end at nightfall. (Jimmy Conover via Unsplash/)

Not all nighttime situations are created equal, and not all require the same illumination. If you’re riding your bike home from work at night, you need one type, if you’re playing games in a tent, you need another. You may end up buying all four of these lights, and you likely won’t regret it. And even if you already have a favorite headlamp, check out this list to see if you also may need that lantern or flashlight, too.

From packing down a trail in the dark to field dressing at dusk, this headlamp will take care of you when the sun finally sets. Its many perks include instant transitioning between full and dimmed power and the ability to remember your brightness setting to avoid cycling through multiple ones each time you power on. The headlamp offers full strength in two distances, plus dimming and strobe abilities, and red night-vision. It’s also waterproof to a little more than 1 meter for up to 30 minutes, so don’t panic if it starts to rain.

For less than 9 ounces, this lantern has 225 lumens and will charge your smart phone in about 3.5 hours. It has folding legs, so packs up tight to fit in small spaces. Use this for anything from games in a tent to a little more light during dinner. It also has a hook to hang from the inside of a tent or a nearby branch. Never be caught in the backcountry in the dark.

If it looks like it’s from the future, it’s because it works a bit like it is. This light might cost more than your average camping lantern, but your average camping lantern probably doesn’t also charge phones and tablets, recharge with the sun, and run for up to 48 hours. If it’s cloudy, don’t worry, you can recharge it with a built-in hand crank. And it only weighs a hair over a pound.

Yes, this is a lot of money for a flashlight, but consider the specs on this one. It runs for 50,000 hours—that’s more than 5.5 years of being on 24 hours a day. The lithium ion battery can be recharged up to 1,000 times—and it only takes 3 hours to recharge it. If you can’t recharge, it will run for 60 hours on AAA batteries included with the flashlight. Why not make the next flashlight you buy the last one you’ll need to buy?

After shooting a gobbler on opening day in Indiana, a hunter hustles back to work from home during the state's COVID lockdown. (Natalie Krebs/)

Like most folks these days, hunters are sore from whiplash. Our community is well-suited to weathering this pandemic, but we’re also not immune to the fallout. In the six weeks since President Trump declared a national emergency, we’ve already endured travel restrictions, shooting range and public-land closures, and canceled seasons. Yet many folks have extra time for spring hunting, and firearm and ammo companies have seen a spike in consumer sales, with the FBI reporting 3.7 million background checks—the highest ever recorded in a single month—in March 2020.

So, how is this all going to affect hunter numbers? The future of hunting participation was already on the ropes, and we haven’t been making much progress since we discovered we were in trouble a few years ago. Despite ramped-up recruitment efforts, U.S. Fish and Wildlife data reveals that we’ve lost some 255,000 hunters nationwide between fiscal years 2016 and 2020. And that figure is actually worse than it sounds because the national population is growing even as hunter numbers are shrinking.

If you’re a pessimist, you could make the case that corona could knock out hunting for good. But if life ever returns to normal—or even if it doesn’t—this crisis looks an awful lot like a boon for hunter numbers.

Right Now: How COVID-19 Is Affecting Turkey Hunters

Every state’s game agency is reacting to the virus in a slightly different way. Some states chose to just outlaw camping while others closed public hunting areas altogether. Some states halted tag sales, and others didn’t change anything at all.

Hydration packs for any outdoor trip. (Austin Ban via Unsplash/)

Water bottles are sort of the worst. They’re cumbersome, slosh around a ton on hikes, and seldom fit well into a bag’s built-in water pouches. Our modest proposal: Ditch them. Hydration packs are tons more convenient and, in most cases, include extra storage pockets for gear. Win-win. We’ve rounded up for four top-rated models, one of which is sure to suit your next off-the-grid excursion.

The Barbarians Tactical Hydration Pack is like a lot of other hiking hydration packs—just better, in part because it’s affordable. Other reasons: The 3-liter water-hauler is made of tough 600D Polyester, meaning it won’t fall apart on you easily, and it weighs only 1.83 pounds sans water. It comes in four colors—tan, camo, black, and dark green—all of which are hunting-appropriate. And the two big outside pockets mean that, for short outings, you can stash your fly gear, cellphone, and wallet inside and leave your regular backcountry pack at home.

The Osprey Duro 1.5 is a hydration vest designed for running and, as such, fits extra-snugly against the body, to maximize stability and minimize sloshing. For backcountry hunters getting in shape for elk season, the Duro would be a nice companion for uphill training jogs. Likewise, the pack will prevent anglers from having to lug cumbersome water bottles on long hikes to far-flung trout holes.

Though many, if not most, fly vests and slings come with a water-bottle pouch of one sort or another, precious few include a water bladder and built-in hose holders for easy hydration while casting a line. The Piscifun Fishing Vest Backpack is one of the latter. The affordable, 17-pocket pack aims to be a complete fly setup, with a backpack in the rear (where the water bladder is stored) and a proper fishing vest in the front. Don’t be surprised if you spot more backcountry fly bums sporting this Piscifun on the river.

The Anglatech Fly Fishing Backpack Vest Combo is a modest step up from the Piscifun Fishing Vest Backpack, in terms of cost and quality. It’s widely praised for its durability, and fishermen claim that it rivals any big-name fly vests they’ve used. It comes with a 1.5-liter water bladder that fits discreetly into the rear backpack.

You would be forgiven for not knowing that it’s National Park week. The coronavirus crisis has captured the country’s attention and kept most of us sheltering in our homes. While some of the most well-known parks, like Yellowstone and Teton, have closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many national parks are still open. Most experts and health officials still caution against traveling long distances to visit parks (you could unknowingly be bringing the virus with you), but if you live near an open park and you follow social distancing guidelines, now is a good time to get some fresh air and enjoy one of our national parks.

If you can’t get outside and do some hiking or fishing in a national park, scrolling through QT Luong’s photos might be the next best thing. Luong is the first (and only) known photographer to shoot photos in each of our 62 national parks with a large format camera.

He grew up in Paris, France, and traveled to Denali National Park in 1993. He was enthralled by the park’s natural beauty. But when he got back and reviewed his photos, he was disappointed to see that they didn’t capture what he had witnessed in person. He started researching photography and started experimenting with a large format camera.

It was a love for hiking and photographing national parks that brought Luong to America full-time. He moved to San Francisco to be near his favorite park: Yosemite.

“I saw it was a unique chance that America has to preserve these lands,” he said. “Coming from France, most of the lands were already developed. There’s not much left besides the mountains. But here the vastness and diversity of the national parks, it’s such an opportunity to see land that is still pristine.”

Capture nature's wonder. (Maksym Kaharlytskyi via Unsplash/)

Buying the right camera can be tough—and investing in one that isn’t part of your phone is even more of a trial. We’ve taken away some of that struggle. Included here is a list of four cameras perfect for any outdoor expedition, no matter your skill or desire. Whether you want to step up your game and learn to shoot on a DSLR, or you know you’re going to be wet more than dry, we’ve got you covered.

This Olympus camera is named Tough for a reason. It’s waterproof up to 50 feet, crush-proof to 100 kg of force, freeze-proof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and anti-fog. Go ahead, dunk the camera to get those pictures of trout on the release. Take it with you skiing and don’t fret if you drop it in the powder (as long as you find it again). It also has a high resolution, F2.0 lens, 8x zoom, and can shoot magnified up to 1 cm from the lens.

Sony has cornered the market on mirrorless cameras, and as a result is one of the best options for someone hoping to break into more professional photography. Get started with this one. Interchangeable lenses allow you to upgrade as much as needed, while spending your money on glass instead of a bigger body. The small body means you can tuck this camera into your waders or slip it into your hunting pack. And with a 0.02 autofocus, it can capture just about anything you need.

The price tag is significant, but so is this camera. This Nikon shoots in full frame and 4k UHD video. It has wireless connectivity to transfer your images seamlessly from camera to phone, and allows for remoteless long exposures for those night shots you always wanted. When you experience its 24.5 megapixel resolution and robust image processing engine, you won’t question the price.

It takes a pretty good point and shoot to replace smart phone cameras right now, but this one does. The Panasonic pairs with lens icon Leica to offer a point and shoot that operates somewhere between your phone and a bigger DSLR. The camera offers 20.1 megapixels and 4k video. It also has all of the creative scene modes. But the real seller is its ability to offer zoom and better images under low light.