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This is a little scary. I used a Talon Hunter extensively last fall. I also put a fellow F&S editor in one. It’s a truly innovative stand that allows you to attach a bracket/strap to the tree first, then simply set the stand on the bracket (then secure a quick-cinching backup strap). It makes the chore of stand-hanging much easier, faster, and quieter. All of which, of course, is not worth a hoot if there’s the chance the product will fail and leave you seriously injured. Summit, however, is rectifying the problem with replacement brackets/straps.

Here are the details from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Name of Product: Talon Hunting Hang-on Tree Stands and Brackets/Straps. . . .

Hazard: The tree stand can unexpectedly detach from the tree when the brackets fail, posing a fall hazard to consumers.

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Well, it's Groundhog Day, and the world's only meteorologist with incisors that never stop growing apparently saw saw his shadow.
 
Thanks, tunnel rat. Now I've got six more weeks to wait around for fishing season to start. Hey Cabela's. Hey Bass Pro. The spring fishing catalogs would help pass the time. Get a move on.
 
Anyway, it seems PETA is concerned for Punxsutawney Phil's welfare. Surprise, surprise. In fact, they're so concerned for the obese little marmot's welfare that they want to replace him with a robot groundhog. No, I'm not making this up. [ Read Full Post ]

February is a great fly-tying month for many of us otherwise weather-bound northerners. And as you drag out bags and boxes of furs and feathers, be sure to check that your materials aren’t bugged.

No, not hidden microphones. Dermestid beetle larvae, which very possibly have been chomping away on your expensive dry-fly necks during long months of storage. This is a huge and very common problem, although one that seems to get little notice.

You might see a few odd-looking small holes on the skin side of a rooster neck or a few hackle feathers that look oddly chewed. Another tell-tale is fine black particles that look like finely ground pepper accumulating at the bottom of a dubbing-fur storage bag. These are, literally, beetle crap.

If you find evidence of beetle damage, seal the material in a plastic bag and throw it away right now. Dermestid beetle larvae spread easily and quickly to other materials, so if you don’t get rid of them the rest of your fly-tying collection will likewise become infested.

Beware when accepting gifts, trades, or purchase of “used” tying materials, which is probably how you got a beetle infestation in the... [ Read Full Post ]

So you know someone who wants to get started in fly fishing. Question number one (which I get asked a lot) is, what type of rod and reel should a newbie start with?

And my answer is, that depends on the person... how old they are, how big they are... whether they do a lot of fishing with conventional tackle, what they plan to fish for, and so forth.

For example, take my nine-year-old son, Paul.  I started him out with the Old Orvis 8-foot 6-weight that I started with (at the age of 18).  For kids, I think the number one criteria for a starter rod is  that it has a slower-to-medium action.  I've often thought that fast 
rods, while wonderful in many ways (and I prefer them myself now) can be a crutch that covers up casting flaws.  In my opinion, it's important to develop a feel for the cast, and instill a natural sense of timing and tempo, especially with younger anglers.  You can build up to fast rods once you have that feel.  Slower is better for starters.  I often dedicate days on the water to fishing with slower,  softer rods, just to polish my own casting during... [ Read Full Post ]

From The Desert News:
Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, has proposed a bill that would require state wildlife officials to capture or kill all wild wolves that wander into Utah — even those in areas where they're protected by the federal Endangered Species Act.

Christensen said he worries that wolves from neighboring states could eventually decimate Utah's elk and deer populations and hurt the livestock industry. . . .

Wolves were wiped out of Utah a century ago for good reason, he said.

"Their lifestyle isn't compatible with ours. People say that's a haughty attitude. I'm sorry, we're here to stay," Christensen said.

What do you say? [ Read Full Post ]

Its been a while since I've had a reason to shoot a ton of photographs in regards to fishing.  Last week I had a reason. Three days of fishing New Orleans, LA, for bull redfish with friends Gregg Arnold, Malcolm Robertson, Travis and "Bear" Holeman, and of course Deeter.

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Believe it or not, some of the buzz from the North American International Auto Show is about new vehicles designed for toting around dogs. The one making the most noise is the Honda Element EX Dog Friendly, which includes a soft-sided crate in the rear of a vehicle, a rear fan for keeping your pup cool, a ramp (so that little yappers can access the crate from the ground), a spill resistant water bowl, and a floor that can literally be hosed off.

In possibly the only humorous line uttered by an auto executive since Lee Iacocca left the biz, John Mendel of Honda said, “In an interesting turn of events, cars are now chasing dogs.” Well, maybe dogs but not necessarily hunting dogs. I’m sticking to my very utilitarian 4x4 Jeep with the dog crate in the back. I have one dog so anything else is overkill, but if I had a few more (Dear Wife, that is a HINT!) I would certainly consider a large SUV with a modified kennel area in the back.

In the piney woods on the outskirts of my town of Charleston, S.C., there’s a very popular dog vehicle I yearn for.... [ Read Full Post ]

Editor’s Note: As part of our annual coverage from the SHOT show, the outdoor industry’s biggest convention, we always run a photo gallery of “Booth Babes,” those voluptuous women companies employ to get men to stop and take a closer look at their goods.  We always get a good chuckle out of this practice when we’re at the show (and we freely admit that sometimes we do stop to admire the view), so we started this gallery so readers could share in the fun. It’s become very popular, but it’s not without its critics. There are many smart and valid criticisms in the comments section of the gallery, but we thought they deserved a larger platform. After coming across a particularly compelling argument on the blog norcalcazadora.com, we asked the author, Holly A. Heyser, a female hunter and writer from Northern California, to start the discussion here.

I’ve got to start this by saying I’m not a prude, and I don’t hate men because they love looking at bodacious babes. I’ve even started watching “Manswers” on Spike with my boyfriend because, seriously, it’s pretty over-the-top funny.
 
But I had a real problem with F&S posting its 2010 SHOT Show Booth Babe Roundup on this website Wednesday. [ Read Full Post ]

One of the many reasons to visit the SCI convention is the taxidermy, which ranges from marvelous to astounding. (As Wayne van Zwoll says, it’s worth the price of a plane ticket all by itself.) You just don’t see work of such scope, imagination, and artistry anywhere else.

This is a mount of a critter that you can’t hunt because it went extinct about 10,000 years ago. Popularly known as the sabretooth tiger, Smilodon evolved into several subspecies, the largest of which grew to 880 pounds, which is some big kitty.

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This is awful. Undignafied. Wrong, wrong, wrong! But you have to admit, it is kind of funny.

From the Calgary Herald:

An American animal-rights activist, unhappy with Canada's seal hunt, was arrested Monday after striking Fisheries Minister Gail Shea in the face with a pie moments after she began speaking at an event in Burlington, Ont.

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Trout Unlimited has named Chris Wood, currently TU's chief operating officer, to fill the chief executive officer's position held by Charles Gauvin since 1991.  Wood will take over February 1.

Since Gauvin took the helm of TU at the age of 34, the organization's development has been nothing short of extraordinary.  According to a TU press announcement, back then,

"TU’s budget was $2.5 million and it had approximately 50,000 members. There was just one staff person who worked on conservation issues. [ Read Full Post ]

While at the SCI Convention in Reno, I visited with gun builder D’Arcy Echols, and was allowed to grope one of his left-hand Legend rifles in .270. The Legend was on loan back to him, and here is its history from D’Arcy:

“The gal that owns this rifle has used it on mule deer in Colorado, elk and moose in Utah, and red stag, chamois, and tahr in New Zealand. This year a Yukon moose and grizzly hunt is on the calendar. She shoots factory Remington Safari Grade 140-grain Swift A-Frame ammo. To date nothing has gotten away to die a slow, lingering death. She has taken some ribbing from male hunters in camp for shooting such a minimal caliber but always seems to serve them up a plate of very dry crow to eat at the end of the hunt. She has no other rifle and no plans to acquire another. Beware of the one-gun gal.”

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