Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Jason Hart and Paige Hill Murphy with spring 2020 Osceolas. (Jason Hart/)

Jason Hart from Summerville, South Carolina, has been turkey hunting for 30 years and racked up 20 Grand Slams (one with every American gauge, bow, and muzzleloader), five Royal Slams, two World Slams and has harvest turkeys in 39 states on the way to his U.S. Slam. Jason received a degree in Wildlife Biology from Clemson University and has made his living in the outdoor industry working for Avery Outdoors, Quality Deer Management Association, Under Armour, Mossy Oak and is the co-founder of NOMAD and Huk Perfomance Fishing. He is on the foundation board at the National Wild Turkey Federation. We caught up with Jason recently to get his answers on some common turkey hunting questions.

Q: You’ve hunted turkeys across the country for numerous years. Which birds and what place(s) have been the toughest? Easiest?

A: “I think “tough” and “easy” birds can be found in every state. The more turkeys a property has and the less pressure it receives, the easier the hunting tends to be. I don’t always buy into the theory that western subspecies are the easiest. Although Rio Grande and Merriam’s turkeys can seem easy, if they are hunted with lots or pressure they can be just as challenging as their darker feathered relatives to the east. If I were to pick one state, I would say my home turf of South Carolina has the toughest birds I have hunted. South Carolina has lots of great turkey hunters and gets a ton of pressure. The same can be said for Alabama and Mississippi.”

Q: Generally, have you found that turkeys have become more difficult to kill over the past decade? Why?

A: “Unfortunately, I would agree with this statement, particularly in the southeast. Eastern wild turkeys are on the decline in many states and it is going to take research to determine the reasons why. Biologists are finding that the breeding hierarchy of adult gobblers is more complex than was previously thought and many states have or are considering moving their seasons to later in the spring for the good of the resource. If something doesn’t change soon, the golden age of wild turkey hunting may be over. I would hate to see wild turkey populations in the south have a similar fate to that of the bobwhite quail in 20 or 30 years.”

Walter Heathcock retrieves our first nutria of the day, near Buras, La. (Cedric Angeles/)

I can’t help but be transported back in time the instant Ryan Lambert hands me a .22 rifle and points his 28-foot mothership hunting barge into the bayous off the Mississippi River. Lambert and I have been close buddies for years, chasing redfish, ducks, and even swordfish together from his lodge out of Buras, Louisiana. But now we’re loaded to the teeth on a cold day in February to hunt…swamp rats. I’m having flashbacks to my childhood.

The phrase “redneck entertainment center” most certainly did not originate at the town dump in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, but that’s where I first heard it. On Saturday summer evenings, my dad, brother, cousins, Uncle Hans, and I spent countless hours there plinking at marauding rats. Dad’s Winchester Model 77 .22 was a thing of beauty to me, and I’ll never forget his stern look when I’d empty its seven shots on a scrambling rat, defying Dad’s single-shot restriction. But he was a softie, and I’d catch him smiling knowingly at my uncle when I burned through another magazine. It was all good. Heck, it was great fun, and he knew it. I had the feeling I was in for this same kind of fun with Lambert.

Motoring alongside us is Walter Heathcock in his 18-foot marsh boat. Standing high in the stern of the skiff, hand on the tiller of his 35 hp Pro-Drive shallow-water outboard, the ponytailed Cajun Rambo looks as grand as George Washington crossing the Delaware in Emanuel Leutze’s iconic painting. There is no Hessian army waiting for us, but there is a different invader lurking across the lower Mississippi River.

Swamp rats feed ­heavily on the root systems of marsh grass, as seen to the right of the boat. (Cedric Angeles/)

At first blush, the conservative Lambert, 62, 30-year owner of the Cajun Fishing Adventures lodge, and the ever-animated Heathcock, 35, owner of Fin Twisters Fishing Guide Services, seem unlikely collaborators for a nutria hunt. You can tell straight off from their choice of primary hunting guns. Lambert totes a wood-stocked Remington 552 .22 LR with a Tasco scope, and Heathcock has a Ruger .17 HMR topped with a Pulsar Trail Thermal slung over his shoulder. Their perspectives also speak volumes.

“Honestly, we’re just a couple of Cajun coonasses,” Heathcock says with a wry laugh. “Helping the marsh is an important part of all this, but shooting nutria is also just a lot of fun. I think that once people do it, they’ll understand. I take my 15-year-old daughter all the time, and she loves it. She’s a hell of a shot too. Heck, she shot a running nutria from a moving boat at 50 yards the other day.”

Be neater than this! (Harrison Kugler via Unsplash /)

Maybe you figured out the best way to store your flies, lures, line and other fishing accessories. Chances are, you could probably use an upgrade. If everything is currently tossed in a big box—or in a bin in the bottom of your boat—take a look at these options. And remember, the more organized your gear, the less time you’ll spend fishing for the right lure and the more time you’ll spend fishing for, well, fish.

Stay organized. (Amazon/)

Does this look like your dad’s tackle box? Maybe, but why mess with an original? If what you need is a classic design with two trays, divided slots and a space for each lure, then go with what you know works. Find six removable dividers, a flip-top accessory compartment, and even more storage in the base for bulky items.

Grab what you need then keep fishing. (Amazon/)

Keep everything you need for an afternoon or a week of fishing on your back, tucked out of the way. But know the moment you need it, every bit of your gear will be accessible on your chest, held up by a sling. Internal pockets, zippers, and cord loops means you can store every line, tippet, strike indicator, and fly in exactly the right place. It even has a forceps sheath on the shoulder strap with a magnetic anchor.

Take it all and don’t lose a thing. (Amazon/)

When you’re on a boat, and space isn’t a premium, bring along this case that lets you organize and store as much tackle as you could need. Four removable StowAway utility boxes fit inside with three, top-access removable spinnerbait racks. A clear DuraView lid lets you check out your top gear quickly, without sifting through your tackle. Spacious bulk storage also allows for plenty of bigger items.

Carry just what you need. (Amazon/)

Take only your choicest lures out onto your canoe or kayak in this waterproof container. The adjustable compartments let you fit your case to your lures, and the extra-long bulk storage accommodates the strangest of tackle. Don’t worry about flooding the inside should you capsize or take on waves, the Dri-Loc O-ring seals and three, tight-sealing Cam action latches give you quick access and keep the water out.

Outdoor gear for your favorite pal. (Annie Theby via Unsplash/)

Something that will always make you smile? Watching the dog that always has your back enjoying time in the woods. But while you remembered your tent, sleeping bag, stove, and other gear, did you think of what he or she needed? Don’t worry, we have you (or your dog, rather) covered. From an outdoor bed to a first aid kit, don’t leave home without these must-haves.

Plan for the worst. (Amazon/)

No one wants to think about our furry friends breaking legs, tearing ligaments, or gouging skin, but it happens. Any veterinarian can offer horror stories of backcountry adventures gone wrong. Fortunately, you can be prepared. This kit contains everything you need to remove splinters and ticks, reduce swelling from sprains and strains, wrap injuries with bandages that don’t stick to fur, and medicate to relieve pain and allergies. The kit weighs less than 1.5 pounds.

Sleep well. (Amazon/)

Your dog may be tough in the field, but when night falls, and they’re curled in a ball on the cold ground, offer he or she someplace warm to sleep. This bed is packable, durable and perfect for the backcountry. It weighs less than 13 ounces and is water-resistant and quick-drying. Side bonus: When you bring Fido a bed, he won’t want to sleep on your sleeping bag.

Let them carry their food. (Amazon/)

Don’t catch yourself skimping on food for your dog on a backpacking trip because you don’t want to carry more weight. Fill this pack with your pup’s food, bowls, and other essentials and let them do the work for you. It has reflective trim to help you see them in low light, and pads for added comfort. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors, including blaze orange for hunting season. It also has a harness to allow you to carry Fido over logs or boulders.

Never risk dehydration. (Amazon/)

This dog bowl weighs next to nothing and collapses to fit anywhere. Some dogs may drink straight from water bottles, but most won’t, and it’s not necessarily the most sanitary for you. Don’t be stuck on a trail pouring your precious water into your hands for your furry friend to drink.

A tool for everything. (Depositphotos/)

All MacGyver needed was his Swiss Army knife. While we may need more, these multi-tools will get you closer to solving your backcountry—or front country—predicament. We’ve highlighted four for any situation. If you need something light and minimal, find it here. If you want something that cuts, opens a bottle of wine, and saws a small stick, we have that, too. Read through to find the perfect fit.

Open everything. (Amazon/)

Need to clip some rope? Done. Saw a stick? Done. Open a bottle of wine? Done. Whittle a spoon? Done. Open a beer bottle? Not a problem. This knife, from the timeless brand Victorinox Swiss Army, will have your back no matter your problem. It’s stainless steel and comes with a leather clip pouch.

Bring what you need and nothing more. (Amazon /)

This Leatherman multitool weighs just more than 6 ounces, and what it lacks in weight it makes up for in strength. It contains needle-nose and regular pliers, wire cutters, a large bit driver, a bottle opener, and, of course, a knife blade. The tool also comes with a 25-year limited warranty and a carabiner for easy carrying. Extra bonus: You can store another bit in the handle for even more capability.

Carry what you need when you need it. (Amazon/)

Never worry about grabbing your keys, wallet, phone, and multitool again. This little tool hangs on your keychain, which means anywhere you go with your keys you can fix a problem. It’s stainless steel, compact and offers 10 tools including scissors, a bottle opener, tweezers, a file, and wire cutter. The spring-loaded pliers are just another perk.

Carry only what you need. (Amazon/)

This compact, easy-to use multitool has everything you need and nothing that you don’t. It has the classic scissors, screwdrivers, knife, and file, as well as a pair of tweezers tucked away inside. It’s made in Portland, Oregon, and comes with a 25-year limited warranty. Tools pop open with a push of your thumb, but close with magnetic locking to keep you safe while it’s closed.

Riverbottoms are great places to strike a gobbling tom. (Michael Hanback/)

One April morning I threw the proverbial kitchen sink at an old Virginia mountain gobbler. For an hour he played along and roared back at my every call, spinning and strutting on a sun-drenched ridge 80 yards away.

“Okay mister, let’s try this,” I whispered beneath my camo mask.

I pinned a double-reed diaphragm to the roof of my mouth, and forced out a couple of high-pitched squeals. I picked up my box call, pressed the lid tight to the sounding lip and stroked some tinny whines amid a run of raspy yelps.

Big feet churned the leaves as the gobbler body-rocked down the ridge, beard swinging. I rolled him at 20 yards, before he ran plumb over me.

Listen closely and pay attention, and you’ll hear that turkey hens mix delicate squeals, whines, purrs, and moans with their clucking and yelping. These little falsetto notes can drive a gobbler wild. Tweak your calling to have the same effect. Those off-beat notes you mix in a string of yelps can bring a stubborn bird running. That’s tip #1.

Rivers never stop. For the poor guy who drops a rod into one, this is bad news because if the flows are up, nothing falls straight down. Currents can carry lost items for miles, and subsequently, it takes only one flood or a week of high water to move a treasure that’s been at rest for years—or centuries—to a new location. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, we’re the one who finds it, and sometimes what a river gives you is more special than an old lure or a vintage Coke bottle. I reached out to a bunch of fishing buddies to find out the most interesting artifacts a river has ever given them. Here are the three coolest answers, plus two of my most memorable finds.

1. Smith & Wesson Revolver

Smith & Wesson Revolver (Joe Cermele/)

As soon as the anchor line on my raft came tight, I looked down and there, directly below me in the Delaware River, was a revolver. I reeled a jighead to the tip of my rod and looped the hook around the trigger guard, and my friend scooped up the pistol in the net. After our float, I took the crusty gun to the police station, thinking it might be linked to a crime. A few days later, a friend told me it was a really expensive .357 hammerless revolver with a scandium frame, made specifically for concealed carry. His point was that while a thug could have tossed it, it was more likely that its legal owner had a big oopsy on the river.

2. Mammoth Tooth

Mammoth Tooth (Dawson Hefner/)

Dawson Hefner is a gar guide on Texas’ Trinity River. Prone to flooding, the Trinity has a soft bottom that’s constantly being stirred, causing prehistoric fossils and bones to surface. Hefner has found everything from fossilized marine invertebrates to Mosasaur teeth, but his best find was an intact tooth from a mammoth, which thrived in Texas about 10,000 years ago. “My client wanted to do some rock hunting, so I pulled up on a bar,” Hefner says. “I got out of the boat, and that tooth wasn’t a foot away.”

Even if you can't hit the great outdoors this week, you can still use your time wisely. (Hello I'm Nik via Unsplash/)

Outdoor Life has already compiled 14 books that will change the way you hunt and the top 20 books for hunters and anglers. Add this short list to your reading queue. Below, four books that you can download and pore over before opening day.

A fact-filled deep dive into the history of hunting. (Amazon/)

In this deeply researched and even-handed tome, Philip Dray, a noted historian, traces the history of American hunting from its earliest days. The book dives deep into hunter’s successes here stateside, including the development and legislation of a strong fairchase ethic, and the birth of the American model of conservation. It touches on some missteps along the way, namely market hunting and the unchecked slaughter of the bison. (Which one could argue isn’t even hunting.) The overall picture is extremely positive, though, and Dray does a commendable job showing how sportsmen have led political movements to protect wildlife and the nation’s wildest places.

A new collection of outdoor classics. (Amazon/)

This new collection of 18 stories includes some of the most renowned outdoors writers of all time, including Theodore Roosevelt, Nash Buckingham, and Archibald Rutledge. The book’s editor, Lamar Underwood, no doubt has an eye for writing talent: He was previously editor-in-chief of Sports Afield and Outdoor Life. The collection he’s compiled is an excellent starting place if you’ve never dived into the old greats.

A short-story collection from a seminal outdoors writer. (Amazon/)

Rick Bass, a Field & Stream contributor, has spent his career as an essayist covering some of the most important conservation issues of our time, taking a special interest in the protection of the grizzly bear. He’s also one heck of a short-story writer, as this thick collection of new and selected fiction certainly proves. Not every story is about the outdoors, though a good number are. That said, “Elk”—about a hunting trip gone awry—is alone worth the price of admission.

Handy guide for off-the-grid backpack hunts. (Amazon/)

Josh Kirchner made his name as the guy behind Dialed in Hunter, a breezy personal blog about the outdoors. His new book aims to teach new hunters how to prepare for their first season of backcountry backpack hunting, detailing safety considerations, food prep, the physical demands, and practical skills. It promises to be a good crash course if you’re looking to tag out way out in the wilderness.

What are you wading for? (Paul Wolke via Unsplash/)

Whether you’re chasing trout in the high country, smallmouth in the river between the hills, or just tossing spinners for panfish in the local creek, these piscatorial pursuits have one commonality: Waders that keep you from getting wet. Here’s a few top choices.

Loaded with features and value. (Amazon/)

Featuring triple-layer nylon construction with 4mm neoprene booties, these stocking foot waders pack a lot of features. The waders boast a handwarmer pocket, waterproof zippered chest pocket and built-in gravel guards.The waders come with a one-year warranty that includes free repairs should they ever leak.

Tough, durable waders for rocky environments. (Amazon/)

If your outings take place in areas that are a bit wild, these waders are up to the task. With four layers of nylon throughout and six layers in critical wear areas, the Tailwaters are made for the rough stuff. The waders feature a pass-through waterproof chest pocket, a flip-out storage pocket and built-in gravel guards.

Do-it-all option for varying conditions. (Amazon/)

The Hellbender features a strong nylon outer shell, a waterproof middle layer and a smooth tricot lining that gives these waders a light, airy feeling. The large chest pocket includes storage and a hand-warming pocket. The neoprene booties are protected by built-in rock guards.

Premium performance for discerning anglers. (Amazon/)

The Freestone is built to handle brushy banks and cold water. The articulated fit promotes easy movement and the Quadralam fabric boast four layers of durability and breathable water-proofing. The waders features a reach-through, fleece-lined, hand-warming chest pocket and a zippered stash pocket for storage.

Outdoor gear fit for a baby. (Daan Weijers via Unsplash/)

Babies possess an incredible gift for going from giggling to crying in fractions of a second. And, if you’re in the backcountry or off the grid, the potential for crying is compounded by, well, everything—bugs, the sun, rain, an unfamiliar environment. If you’ve gotten the slightly deranged idea to go camping with a baby, the name of the game is to keep him or her comfortable at all costs, for both their benefit and your sanity. We’ve compiled six items that will aid your efforts, so that your adventure is refreshing and fun, not forever regrettable.

Spare your kid burns and bites. (Amazon/)

If you want your baby to be absolutely miserable, just neglect to pack sunscreen and bug spray. If, however, you want them—and you by extension—to enjoy their time in the woods and not resent you forever, you’d be wise to invest in some decent sunscreen and bug spray, like this 50-SPF sunblock spray and natural insect repellent combo pack.

A comfortable carrier for covering miles. (Amazon/)

This top-rated, premium child carrier will keep both you and your rugrat comfortable on long jaunts down the trail, thanks to its comfortable padded straps, easy-to-reach pockets, and sunshade.

Behold, the ultimate utility diaper bag. (Amazon/)

This clever, three-in-one diaper bag doubles not only as a change table—useful in the backcountry—but also as a portable bassinet, sparing you from having to schlep all three items to camp.

Wraparound sunglasses, with 100 percent UV protection. (Amazon/)

These shatterproof, wraparound protective shades are clutch for outdoor eye protection.

The upgraded Remington ready for an elk hunt. (Luke Renard/)

When a good friend of mine drew a once-in-a-generation ­Oregon elk tag, he wanted to hunt with the rifle his father gave him when he was in his early teens. The only problem, which is quite common with rifles that were built 20-something years back, is that the old .270 didn’t shoot worth a damn.

By my friend’s own admission, the rifle had never been very accurate. Although it performed fine for midrange deer hunting, its ability to handle the longer shots his upcoming hunt might require was in doubt.

His rifle is a Remington Model 700 BDL Mountain Rifle in .270 Winchester with a pencil-thin barrel, a low-density walnut stock, and rotary dovetail scope mounts. Basically, it’s a common big-game rig from the era before synthetic stocks and heavy target barrels.

I decided to help him try to bring his rifle up to modern performance standards while maintaining the Remington’s character and, hopefully, not spending a pile of money in the process.

First, I shot several types of ammo through the rifle to get a baseline for accuracy. The best group I could get was 2 inches at 100 yards, with some as large as 4 inches. By the fourth and fifth shots in every group, the barrel was wicked hot, and the impacts were wandering farther and farther from the point of aim.

An obscure stream shapes life,death, and landscape on the prairie (Chris Malbon/)

Willow Creek is nowhere. It’s one of countless unremarkable prairie streams too small and intermittent to float a boat but too deep and changeable to cross easily. Even during dry seasons, getting across it requires finding a place where the sheer banks have sloughed away between pools of stagnant, fish-­stranding water. Mule deer and cows cross here, and so do I, when I want to hunt the grassy coulees and crumbling badlands on the other side.

Willow Creek is everywhere. In Montana alone, dozens of Willow Creeks drain mountains and scour prairies. Most got their name because Beaver Creek was already taken, and also from the narrow-leafed shrub that holds their banks in thickets and tangles. Old-timers call it “coyote willow,” maybe because wherever it grows, its banks are tacky with drying mud stitched with the tracks of the wild dogs snaking in and out of its shadows to surprise a jackrabbit or pounce on a vole. Thin and limber as sugarcane, and spiked with tiny yellow flowers in the spring, coyote willow is ever a sapling, throwing scarcely enough shade to cool a panting cow. In the throbbing summer heat, willow groves smell like creosote below an old railroad.

In the fall, Willow Creek is everything. In a landscape defined by inch-high woolgrass and razoring winds, it’s a magnet for open-country mule deer that bed in its buckbrush bends and breed in leafless rattling thickets. In winter, sharptail grouse descend on streamside willows to tuck out of the wind alongside twitchy prairie cottontails.

Willow Creek could be anywhere. Except mine is right here, meandering drunkenly through my northeastern Montana homeland as it transports the slurried prairie, stacking 3 miles of ropy twists into every map mile as it makes its way to the Milk River.

For most of the year, my Willow Creek is nearly dry, and if it weren’t for stick-and-mud beaver dams around every other bend, I could walk its bed for miles, invisible to bucks on the adobe ridges above it. But for several weeks, Willow Creek swells and churns with runoff, a perilous boilage of cottonwood limbs, bloated calves, and, during an especially heavy flood a few years ago, rough-cut planks from a washed-out county bridge upstream.

Preparation and inspiration for your next outing. (Şahin Yeşilyaprak via Unsplash/)

Before you blow a bunch of cash on new camping gear, you’d be wise first to invest in your wilderness education. Because, when you’re camping, no amount of gear can compensate for a lack of outdoors wisdom and skills. You have to know the woods. We’ve compiled four books, for both beginners and seasoned sportsmen, that’ll up your outdoors know-how before your next big outing.

A classic guide loaded with little-known wilderness know-how. (Amazon/)

The author of this much-praised, bestselling guide, Mors Kochanski, was a longtime wilderness-survival instructor, and his magnum opus, first published in 1988, is loaded with useful facts and tips you won’t find elsewhere. It covers camping basics, too, to be sure: lighting and maintaining a fire, felling trees, chopping wood, building shelters, cooking, first aid. Bushcraft 101 by Dave Canterbury is a good substitute if you can’t track down a copy of Kochanski’s classic tome.

Clear, concise advice for budding campers. (Amazon/)

If you’re an absolute camping newbie, first, welcome to the fold! Second, you’d be wise to pick up this handy field guide, by the classic American brand Pendleton. It covers the basics of campfire cooking, preparing and packing for a trip, and setting up camp. It also includes a history of national parks, step-by-step tutorials, and more. The book was published in March 2020, so it should be easy to procure a copy.

A bargain book filled with old-school wilderness wisdom. (Amazon/)

Horace Kephart is perhaps best known for drumming up public support for the formation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He also wrote a series of articles for Field & Stream that were later collected and published as The Book Of Camping And Woodcraft, which would become regarded as the definitive work on living and thriving outdoors. Not all the tips have aged well but the bulk has, and the book remains a wealth of hard-won outdoor knowledge. Since it’s in the public domain, it’s also super cheap, so there’s no reason not to add it to your library.

A pocket foraging guide to stave off hunger. (Amazon/)

Pocket-sized and straightforward, this book includes illustrations of 400 wild plants—370 of them edible—in the Eastern United States, along with more than 20 preparation instructions. As such, it’s essential for any bug-out bag, but everyday campers would benefit from bringing it along, too. With edible plants, you can improve food you’ve packed in or forage entire meals.

Inflate and go. (Amazon/)

Gone are the days when you had to fork out wads of cash for a half-decent drift boat. Also gone are the days when you had to have a garage or carport to store said half-decent drift boat. Now, thanks to the miracle of inflatable fishing crafts, you can get into the boat game for relatively cheap and then, after your trip, deflate it and easily store it away. We rounded up four top-rated models and listed them from entry-level to heavy-duty.

The Sea Eagle PF7K PackFish, a budget boat that’s easy to pack and carry. (Amazon/)

The Sea Eagle PF7K PackFish is an affordable, great way to break into the inflatable-boat world. The 7-foot-long, one-man boat weighs a mere 22 pounds and deflates to fit into a backpack, so it’s super portable. Plus, it has a load capacity of 300 pounds, so it should accommodate most anglers. What really distinguishes the PF7K from regular inflatable rafts is the casting seat; two rod holders; two gear pouches; and four tracking strips, for extra stability.

The Classic Accessories Colorado Pontoon, a river-ready pontoon with a high casting seat. (Amazon/)

The river-ready Classic Accessories Colorado Pontoon is a fairly modest step up from the Sea Eagle PF7K PackFish, in price and quality. For one, it’s two 9-foot-long pontoons and sturdy steel tube frame will seat you high above the water—much better for spotting and casting to fish—and it’s rated for class 1 rapids, so it can handle some current. It also includes a wire motor mount, if you don’t want to paddle from honey hole to honey hole.

The Sea Eagle Stealth Stalker STS10, an affordable two-seater that’s perfect for lake fishing. (Amazon/)

Fishing solo is fine every now and then, but, more often than not, you’ll want to hit the water with a buddy or significant other. Enter the Sea Eagle Stealth Stalker STS10, a reasonably priced boat that, unlike the two prior entries on this list, can accommodate two passengers, or 1200 pounds. It’s not whitewater rated, so you’ll need to stick to pounding lake banks with streamers or poppers—not that that’s a bad thing.

The Outcast OSG Striker Raft, an inflatable boat study enough for big Western streams. (Amazon/)

The two-seater Outcast OSG Striker Raft is a real-deal trout boat, capable of handling Class 3 rapids—and thus Western rivers. It weighs 102 pounds inflated, so you’ll need two people to load it, but it’s small enough, in most cases, to fit in a pickup bed, negating the need for a trailer—a huge perk. The OSG costs a fair bit less than other similar, inflatable fly-fishing boats on the market, so it has that going for it, too.

Grand Teton National Park is closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Courtesy U.S. National Park Service/)

In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, national parks superintendents closed Yellowstone and Grand Teton. All Illinois state lands were closed. In Oregon, state parks, national parks, and the Columbia River Gorge are closed.

Meanwhile in New York State, the epicenter of the outbreak, public lands remain mostly open. So who is in charge of deciding what public lands stay accessible and which ones close? And, how are they making their decisions?

Well, that’s complicated. In short, the fate of each type of public land is up to that land’s managing agency. So state lands remain open or get closed by each state’s governor. National forests are overseen by directors and the agency itself falls under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. National parks, BLM land, refuges, and monuments are managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, headed by Secretary David Bernhardt.

Last month, Bernhardt announced a plan to temporarily waive all national park entrance fees as a way to make it easier for Americans to enjoy public lands during the pandemic.

“I fundamentally believe public lands can play a critical role in a time like this,” Bernhardt told me in an interview this week. “[They are] a place for solace and respite for the American people.”

Most bear attacks occur by surprise, so be vigilant when you find yourself in thick cover. (Pixabay/)

Every year hunters and anglers find themselves chasing elk out west or casting a fly into a salmon run for the first time. For many outdoorsman and women, that means time spent in bear country. If you don’t have experience hunting and fishing around bears, and you don’t have a course of action mapped out, this could lead to a dangerous or potentially fatal situation.

Luckily, grizzly and black bear attacks are rare, but they do happen, and you need to be ready. From 2000 to 2015 there were 183 brown bear attacks in North America (about 12 per year), according to a study by Scientific Reports. Most of those transpired in Alaska (51) and British Columbia (42). The rest were in Wyoming (29), Montana (25), and Alberta (18). Black bears have only killed 61 people on this continent since 1900, according to the North American Bear Center.

As hunters and anglers, we spend more time in the woods and fishing streams than most, making us susceptible to attacks. It’s important to know how to defend yourself from a grizzly or black bear. Gary L. Moses, one of the foremost authorities on bear attacks, believes bear spray should be the first line of defense. It’s a reliable and effective tool to bring to a bear fight. Handguns and rifles are effective too, and there are times when a lethal option is necessary, which I will tackle later with Outdoor Life contributor, Tyler Freel, who has been charged three different times by grizzlies in Alaska.

Moses was a District Ranger at Glacier National Park for 23 years and served as a ranger at Yellowstone before that. The two parks are considered the most densely-populated grizzly bear habitats in the lower 48 states. It is likely Moses has administered first-aid to more bear attack victims and investigated more incidents than anyone in the continental U.S. He promotes using bear spray for defense because it not only forces bears to retreat, but also teaches them to avoid humans. It’s also difficult for folks who have never experienced a bear encounter to be accurate with a gun should a charge occur.

“Here in Montana we had a hiker come upon a sow and her cubs,” said Moses, who now works as a bear education specialist for Counter Assault. “The hiker shot the bear and wounded it. Later, fish and wildlife agents had to track and kill the sow, and three cubs were captured and will likely be transferred to a zoo, removing four bears from the ecosystem.

Food that'll keep. (Amazon/)

You’re not entirely without options if you plan on social distancing yourself in the woods and want to pack some just-in-case grub. We’ve rounded up four solid MRE and survival-food options that you can buy with just a few clicks.

A lightweight, freeze-dried feast. (Amazon/)

This 1.6-ounce Mountain House freeze-dried food pouch meal allegedly keeps for 30 years and is simple to make: you pour boiling water into a Mountain House pouch, stir, and let the food stand for 10 minutes before enjoying. Mountain House meals are known for being tasty and flavorful—for freeze-dried food anyway.

High-calorie, military-style emergency rations. (Amazon/)

Listen, you don’t buy MREs for the taste, so don’t order a box expecting James Beard Award-winning grub. You buy MREs for the long shelf life and the high calorie count. This box contains classic military-surplus MREs. Each meal is about 1250 calories and will keep for from five to seven years. Western Frontier randomly fills boxes with different meal options from five different cuisine types: Asian, Mexican, Italian, traditional, and vegetarian. If you’re truly hungry, nothing will taste better.

Twenty-calorie tabs with 25-year shelf lives. (Amazon/)

At 20 calories each, Survival Tabs won’t fill your stomach or curb hunger pains, but they do contain 100 percent of 15 essential vitamins and minerals, to keep your blood sugar up and your mind sharp in emergencies. They also require no prep—just pop a tab in your mouth as needed—and a dozen or two will take up no space in the bottom of your pack. Perhaps best of all, the tabs purportedly have a 25-year shelf life, so you can stash and forget about them until stuff hits the fan.

A bucket for your fruit fix. (Amazon/)

This 120-serving container of freeze-dried fruit from ReadyWise is a perfect complement to other rations you already have stocked. (It’s tough sledding surviving off Mountain House alone, after all.) The 6-pound, 20-year-shelf-life bucket includes four pouches of bananas, two pouches of peaches, four pouches of strawberries, and five pouches of apples. Each pouch contains eight servings worth of food.

Easier access to AR pistols have made them popular amongst shooters and hunters. (SB Tactical/)

The vast majority of shooters, myself included, have historically viewed AR pistols as nothing more than a noisy cricket; a fun-gun range toy to show off to friends. That, or a way to maintain excitement until your short-barreled rifle (SBR) Form 1 has been approved by the understaffed examiners that call the ATF’s NFA branch home.

AR pistols are not all that easy to shoot accurately due to their size, weight, and poor ergonomics. They shoot rifle rounds that produce sharper felt recoil, which makes off-hand shots shaky, at best. But the AR pistol of yesteryear is not the same platform shooters are enjoying today for one reason: the stabilizing brace.

The introduction of the pistol stabilizing brace deserves full credit for the surge in popularity of this once decadent variant of the AR-15. SBRs have always had a certain sex appeal, but the cost of admission and draconian rules associated with them have been a turn off for all but the most dedicated consumers. With braced AR pistols available off the shelf, the ultimate compact, semiautomatic truck gun was reborn, and continues to enjoy an ever-increasing level of popularity.

It all sounds great, but there are a few things to know about pistol braces and their use. First and foremost, a pistol stabilizing brace is a device that typically attaches to the receiver extension (buffer tube) of your AR pistol and is intended to improve accuracy by using the shooter’s forearm to support and stabilize your AR pistol (when fired one-handed).

Now, the ATF has previously determined that attaching an arm brace to a firearm does not alter the classification of the firearm or subject it to National Firearms Act (NFA) control. With that said, the classification is based upon using the device in the manner in which it was designed—to assist the user in stabilizing the platform for single-handed firing.

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, no, wait, that's a deer. (Ran Berkovich via Unsplash/)

The adage “you get what you pay for” holds true when it comes to binoculars—with a few exceptions. Though plenty of low-cost binos are terrible and not at all worth the money, a few can go head-to-head with high-end models and manage to sacrifice little in terms of durability, clarity, and weight. We’ve listed four of our favorites.

Superlight binos that cost next to nothing. (Amazon/)

The Yosemite binoculars are widely considered among the best in their price range, and it’s hard to argue the point. They have excellent resolution, and not just for bargain binos, as well as a big, easy-to-access picture, with 420-foot field of view (FOV). The pair performs well in gnarly weather and in low light, and weighs almost nothing, at 1.65 pounds. They also happen to be the among cheapest binos on our list.

Affordable binos with seriously sharp resolution. (Amazon/)

If you’re after unmatched resolution, your binocular search should stop with Nikon Aculon A211 10x50. The binos have 341-foot FOV and a bright, super-clear picture. The Aculon is not entirely without shortcomings, though. As Field & Stream’s Dave Hurteau has pointed out, the binos aren’t waterproof and are a bit bulky and heavy, at nearly 2 pounds. But if you’re scouting from a truck, neither should be much of a problem.

Durable, waterproof binos that are ideal for scouting. (Amazon/)

The Bushnell Prime 10x42 can’t match the image quality of either the Nikon Aculon A211 10x50 or the Bushnell Prime 10x42, but it tops both in terms of durability. The binoculars, which have 305-foot FOV, are rated IPX7 waterproof and include moisture-and-dust-repellent EXO Barrier lenses. So, assuming you don’t dunk them in a pool for a half an hour, they’ll continue to deliver a clear picture, no matter the hell you put them through.

Extra-good glass for a modest price increase. (Amazon/)

OK, the Vanguard Endeavor ED II 10x42 cost a tad more than the other three binos on this list. But, for the modest price increase, you get high-quality Hoya ED glass, for a big, high-contrast picture with minimal edge blurring. The Endeavor, which has a 340-foot FOV, also stands out for its low-light performance and for its ergonomic, rubber chassis.

Step up in the right boots. (Nahuel Hawkes/)

There’s nothing quite like breathing in crisp, fresh air from a mountain top while gazing down at the landscape below and reveling in that long hike you’ve just accomplished. However, one vital thing can stand in the way of that sweet, sweet hiker’s bliss: the wrong boots. Donne a pair of ill-fitting hiking boots and you’re bound for blisters, squeezing, sliding, and pain.

So before your next hike—long or short, mild or advanced—take some time to find the boots that are right for you. Things to consider include material (suede, leather, synthetic, to name a few), the type of grip you’re looking for, whether or not you plan on running or scrambling over rocks and boulders, and what type of weather you’ll be hiking in. Pro tip: it’s always good to opt for a waterproof boot.

A few best-sellers that we know and love, below.

These boots provide an unparalleled grip on both wet and dry terrains. (Amazon/)

Consider the struggle to find a comfortable boot officially over. These ultra-cushioned, durable hiking boots from Danner—known for creating some of the best boots on the market—are literally made to withstand the elements of the Pacific Northwest. That means dry, hot, cold, wet, and just about everything in between. The combination of waterproof suede, Vibram SPE midsole, and Fuga outsole yields a sturdy, reliable boot with a classic style.

These boots are both ultra-light and waterproof. (Amazon/)

An ideal boot from an iconic brand, the Vasque Breeze LT GTX are waterproof, so you won’t have to worry about spring’s unpredictable forecasts when on the trail. A sleek GORE-TEX waterproof membrane blocks moisture, and a synthetic microfiber and mesh upper keeps the boot lightweight. For those who prefer a lower-cut ankle, this model is available in both high and low-top styles.