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The 35 Best Photos From Field & Stream's 2012 Spring Trail Cam Contest: Round II

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:15:02 -0400

Who says trail cams are only fun in the fall? Set yours out this spring, then send us your best photos. You could win a new Bushnell Trophy Cam HD (MSRP $323.95).

Here's how it works. This contest will have three rounds. The first, Round I, began, March 12, and closed on April 12. Round II ran from April 12 to May 12, and Round III from May 14 to June 14. We're giving away three Bushnell Trophy Cam HDs (MSRP: $323.95) in each round, one cam each to the top three entries, as chosen by our editors.

Congrats to users luna, mod70 and Semibald, who each have won a Trophy Cam for their shots in Round II.

So go set your trail cams up already. And have fun! --The Editors

Click here for more info on the prizes.

Click here to enter ROUND III of the 2012 SPRING TRAIL CAM CONTEST

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from April 2012

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:25:49 -0400

Each month, Field & Stream editors review the hundreds of photos submitted by readers to our Trophy Room. If your photo is chosen to be printed in the Game Faces section of the magazine, you’ll win a Rapala Fish ‘N Fillet knife!

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

The 50 Best Photos From Field & Stream's 2012 Spring Trail Cam Contest: Round I

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:22:02 -0400

Who says trail cams are only fun in the fall? Set yours out this spring, then send us your best photos. You could win a new Bushnell Trophy Cam HD (MSRP $323.95).

Here's how it works. This contest will have three rounds. The first, Round I, starts today, March 12, and closes on April 12. Round II runs from April 12 to May 12, and Round III from May 12 to June 12. We're giving away three Bushnell Trophy Cam HDs (MSRP: $323.95) in each round, one cam each to the top three entries, as chosen by our editors.

Congratulations to users Kim Doucette Kelly, Isham C. Shelby and Stephen Schimacher who each will receive a camera for their entries in Round!

So go set your trail cams up already. And have fun! --The Editors

Click here for more info on the prizes.

Click here to enter ROUND II of the 2012 SPRING TRAIL CAM CONTEST

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from March 2012

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:00:43 -0400

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

Enter The 2012 Spring Trail Cam Photo Contest to Win a $323 Camera from Bushnell!

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:59:09 -0400

The 2012 Spring Trail Cam Photo Contest

Who says trail cams are only fun in the fall? Set yours out this spring, then send us your best photos. You could win a new Bushnell Trophy Cam HD (MSRP $323.95)!

Here's how it works. This contest will have three rounds. The first, Round I, started March 12, and closes on April 12. Round II runs from April 12 to May 12, and Round III from May 12 to June 12. We're giving away three Bushnell Trophy Cam HDs (MSRP: $323.95) in each round, one cam each to the top three entries, as chosen by our editors.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR PHOTO IN ROUND I!

Meanwhile, click through this gallery of the best photos from last year's Spring contest.

The 45 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos of February 2012

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:46:15 -0500

Submit your photos here!

Here is the gallery of the best reader photos from January 2012.

Mr. Mac and The Bushytail Gang: A Squirrel-Dog Revival in South Carolina

Online Editors — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:26:12 -0500

The 50 Best Shots From The 2011 Field & Stream Fall Trail Cam Contest

Online Editors — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:03:25 -0500

Here are the editors' picks for the 50 best entries in our 2011 Fall Trail Cam Photo Contest. Congrats to KSwhitetails who took first place with his "Bobcat catches a turkey in flight" shot and will receive the grand prize: a pair of Steiner 10x42 Predator Xtreme binoculars.

Congratulations to all this year's winners and thanks to everyone for the hundreds of great submissions.

You can check out the top photos from each round of the contest here:
ROUND I
ROUND II
ROUND III
ROUND IV

The Best Field & Stream Reader Photos From January 2012

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:06:52 -0500

Submit your photos here!

Here are the monthly Best Reader Photo Galleries from last year:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November

Recipe: Super Bowl Duck Spring Rolls

Sarah Smith — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:53:02 -0500

by David Draper

I know there are a lot of football fans who really care which team wins this Sunday’s Super Bowl. But me, I’m just in it for the food. While the rest of America roots for Peyton Manning’s less-funny brother or the guy who’s married to Gisele, I’ll be grazing the spread of cheese dips, bacon-wrapped goose bites, and sliders at the back of the room. I’ll also be judging friends’ reactions to my contribution to the party’s potluck: duck spring rolls.

I first had a version of these at our annual wild game feed and have been looking for a good excuse to make them myself. The recipe I’m passing along calls for fresh duck breasts, but I’ve found spring rolls are also a great way to use up the crispy-skinned leftovers of a roast duck. The recipe also works with goose, venison, pheasant, or any game meat with just a little modification.

Duck Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

Marinade

¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame or canola oil
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves minced garlic

4 duck breasts, skinned and cut in ¼-inch-thick slices
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 Tbsp. canola oil

Egg roll or wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten with a little cold water added

Directions:

Whisk the marinade ingredients together, reserving 2 Tbsp. for the spring roll stuffing. Add the sliced duck and marinate for 30 minutes.

Remove the duck from marinade and pat dry. Heat the oil over med-high heat until just smoking.

Add the duck and stir-fry quickly, until the meat is just cooked, yet still pink. No more than about 2 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Chop the duck meat and mix with vegetables. Stir the reserved marinade into meat and vegetables mix. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. of the stuffing mix onto an egg roll wrapper and roll tightly. Brush the inside edge of the wrapper with egg wash and press to form a good seal.

The finished rolls can be pan fried in a little oil, deep fried, or baked in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

The Best Shotguns of 2012

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:56:43 -0500

The Best New Rifles of 2012

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:41:18 -0500

There were more exhibitors and more atendees at this year's SHOT Show than ever before. That means more guns than one could ever see, but we did our best to find the best. Here are David E. Petzal and John Snow's picks for the best rifles from the show floor.

SHOT Show 2012 From The Floor: Day 3

Online Editors — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:48:52 -0500

SHOT Show 2012 From The Floor: Day 2

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:34:22 -0500

SHOT Show 2012 From The Floor: Day I

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:48:40 -0500

The Best Field & Stream Reader Photos From 2011

Dave_Maccar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:15:14 -0500

Every month readers submit hundreds of photos to our Trophy Room. They include everything from grip and grin shots of some beautiful animals and fish to remarkable nature shots taken on fishing and hunting trips. These are the web editors' picks for the best reader photos of 2011.

Our Trophy Room is always open, so Submit your photos here!

Here are the monthly Best Reader Photo Galleries of 2011:

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Field & Stream's Best Photo Galleries and Blogs of 2011

Dave_Maccar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:53:52 -0500

A lot of interesting stories came across the web desk at Field & Stream last year. These are the web editors' picks for the 25 best stories of 2011, in both photo gallery and blog form. Click through this gallery to see what you missed or take another look at a personal favorite.

For all past blogs, click here.

For all past photo galleries, click here.

The Best Field & Stream Reader Photos From December 2011

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:44:10 -0500

Submit your photos here!

Here are the monthly Best Reader Photo Galleries of 2011:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November

First Shots Photo Collection

Online Editors — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:59:48 -0500

A collection of jaw-dropping hunting and fishing photos from Field & Stream's "First Shots" magazine section, updated with the most recent shots.

The 75 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos From November 2011

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:13:59 -0500

Submit your photos here!

Here are the monthly Best Reader Photo Galleries of 2011:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October

The Tree Squirrel Slam: How a Small-Game Biologist Tagged All 8 U.S. Bushytail Species

Online Editors — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:21:27 -0500

Johnathan O'Dell is a small game biologist in Arizona, which helps make him one heck of a squirrel hunter. In this story, he talks about the individual characteristics of all eight native squirrel species in the U.S. and explains the tactics he used to tag one of each in a single season.

The 50 Best Photos from Round II of the 2011 F&S Fall Trail Cam Contest

Online Editors — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:51:21 -0500

Here are the editors' picks for the 50 best entries in the second round of our 2011 Fall Trail Cam Photo Contest. Congrats to Dufhuntin who took first place with is "Owl spooking a doe" shot and will receive a Bushnell Trophy Cam; and to second-place winner, Bull80, who gets a Hide 'N Hunt Blind from Hunter's Specialties.

Don't forget to vote for the readers choice winners in Round II. The top three will each win a Freeman Guide Folding Knife from Gerber. And keep entering your great trail cam photos in Round III for more chances to win. You've got until Midnight on December 8th to enter.

Heroes of Conservation Winner Announced!

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:58:38 -0400

At a time when the U.S. government is being asked to do more with less, conservationists all over the country are doing more without waiting to be asked. These efforts were recognized at the sixth annual Heroes of Conservation awards gala, sponsored by Field & Stream and Toyota. "It's a critical time, budgets are tight, and it is possible that essential projects to restore and protect America's wildlife and lands will be shelved due to lack of funds," F&S Editor Anthony Licata said at the Washington, D.C. event. "But there is hope. We are humbled by and incredibly grateful to people like our heroes, who are willing to work even when there isn't a budget."

David Ramsey of Unicoi, Tenn., was named Field & Stream's Conservation Hero of the Year for his extraordinary effort in securing the 10,000-acre Rocky Fork Watershed for public use as a wildlife management area. "I am completely overwhelmed by this award and this event," said Ramsey.

Ramsey spent 15 years brokering relationships between sportsmen’s groups, government officials, and conservation organizations to permanently protect the Tennessee watershed for public use. A sporting-goods store manager and wildlife photographer, he used his photographs of the pristine mountain land in presentations about its heritage in an effort to grip listeners. With the help of the Conservation Fund, Ramsey’s efforts finally paid off. The land was purchased away from developers, and people are using it the same way they always have.

The ceremony honored seven finalists for their efforts to salvage river and forest ecosystems, educate local youth, and manage natural resources that impact game.

Secretary of the U.S. Interior Ken Salazar was a surprise guest at the gala, taking the podium to point out that volunteerism is the backbone of conservation in the outdoors.

Dan Ashe, the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was a speaker at the event, thanking the finalists for their extraordinary contributions to their communities. He also lauded the Hero for a Day volunteer program, which took place in six locations across the country this spring.

The awards were hosted by chart-topping country music singer Craig Morgan, who also hosts All Access Outdoors on Outdoor Channel. “The conservation work of these heroes paints all outdoorsmen in a positive light,” he says. “People don’t realize the environmental impact hunters and fishermen have, not to mention the financial impact. It’s important that we as conservationists continue to get involved and educate the community on what we bring to the table.” Morgan is involved with the National Wild Turkey Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Whitetail Institute. He ended the night with an acoustic set of hits and a preview of his yet-to-be-released new album, including the single "This Ole Boy."

Each Hero of the Year finalist received a check for $5,000 to contribute to their projects, and Ramsey was also awarded the grand prize: a new Toyota Tundra.

Video, Interview: Mountain Biker Clobbered by Charging Antelope

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:31:20 -0400

by Dave Maccar

Charging wildlife isn’t the first thing on a mountain biker’s mind in the heat of a race, but the animals don’t know that.

Evan van der Spuy was racing in the 38 km Time Freight MTB Express mountain bike race at Albert Falls Dam, 20km outside the city of Pietermaritzburg in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa for Team Jeep South Africa over the weekend.

His teammate, Travis Walker, was in third place with a GoPro camera mounted on his bike, and captured this amazing footage below of Evan, who was in second place until this red hartebeest (a member of the antelope family) had something to say about it.

Yes, the hit was as hard as it looks. Evan was stabilized with a neck brace and taken to the hospital for overnight observation. He sustained a minor concussion, whiplash and some bruising on his head where his helmet imploded on impact.

F&S spoke to Evan today to get his take on the events behind this video, which is rapidly going viral.

Evan said he is recovering well, and feels extremely lucky.

“Luckily I walked away with just a bit of whiplash and a concussion, considering what happened,” he says. “I saw the animal moving to cross the road in front of me, but when I saw how close it really was, I was shocked. Then, from the moment it hit me I was unconscious. I actually don’t know what happened from then.”

The first thing Evan says he remembers is the ambulance ride to the hospital.

“I know my teammate helped me to the ambulance, but I don’t recall any of that.”

After he began to recover, he was amazed to see his accident captured by his teammate’s GoPro.

“I was shocked. I was just shell-shocked. A few people had told me what had happened, but I never knew how big it really was. I hadn’t realized how hard I had really been hit and how lucky I really was to just walk away with the injuries I have,” Evan says.

When he saw the state of his helmet after the accident, he felt even luckier.

“My brother actually had a good look at the helmet afterward. The helmet was virtually in half. There were just a few strands holding it together, so the photos don’t actually do it justice. I’m really lucky.”

“I’ve never been close to being hit by an animal at all. Maybe a monkey or something, but nothing as big. You’re always aware of the animals around you. You always watch for anything out of the normal when you’re racing, but this is a freak accident that will never happen again.”

Evan is healing up and hopes to be back on his bike in the next couple of weeks.

In case you were wondering, the animal was totally fine after the collision. It got up and trotted off. According to Max Cluer of Sports Marketing, the event organizer, the animal is part of a small herd of red hartebeest that reside at the Albert Falls Resort and Game Reserve.

A big thanks to Max Cluer of Sports Marketing and Team Jeep South Africa for providing the footage and to Evan van der Spuy for talking to us through a concussion haze. And, of course, to GoPro South Africa, without which we all would not have this awesome clip.

The 30 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos of May 2011

Online Editors — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:45:32 -0400

Each month our readers send us hundreds of great photos of the fish they've caught, the game they've killed, the sights they've seen, and the unusual events they've witnessed while enjoying the great outdoors. And each month, our editor's look through all the entries to pick their favorites. These 30 shots are the ones we liked the most out of all the great images submitted to our Trophy Room in May. Check them out, then enter yours!