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Make a Tic Tac Box Bait Dispenser + 44 More Hunting, Fishing, and Camping Tips from the Readers of Field & Stream

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:19:38 -0500

Some of the best hunting and fishing tips that appear in Field & Stream every month don't come from the editors or writers at the magazine. They come from you, the readers. We get so many good tip submissions, in fact, that it's sometimes tough to select the winners for our "Reader Tips" section. But there was never any doubt about the tips in this gallery.

If you have a good Reader Tip for the magazine, e-mail it to fsletters@bonniercorp.com, or post it on The Tip Board. If it appears in the magazine, we'll send you some great outdoor gear—free!

Geese Tip: Add Wings To Silo Decoys

Online Editors — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 23:02:45 -0500

Silhouette goose decoys possess one major disadvantage: They're two-dimensional. At certain angles—especially from overhead—these flat goose shapes can literally disappear from view. And full-body decoys, while more realistic, are big, expensive, and a pain to store and transfer—everything silhouettes are not.
Fortunately, waterfowl hunters can have the best of both worlds simply by adding a bit of body—literally—to their silhouette decoys. Dried goose wings tacked onto a flat decoy provide a third dimension and improve the decoy's natural appearance. The process is easy and effective and can be used for Canadas, snows, or specklebellies.

STEP 1 Disjoint each wing at the body, and cut away with a sharp knife. Remove as much flesh and skin as possible from the ball and entire first joint.

STEP 2 Using finishing nails, pin the loosely folded wing, underside out, to a large, overturned cardboard box. Generously pour salt or borax onto the exposed flesh and let dry for at least two weeks.

STEP 3 When dry, mist the bone ends lightly with flat black spray paint. Place one wing in position atop the “wing” on the silhouette, and drill two 1/8-inch holes through the decoy—one above and one below the bone. Position both wings and secure them to the decoy by cinching a 6-inch zip tie around the bone ends. Trim the tag end.

Recipe: How To Cook Roast Grouse With Mushrooms

Online Editors — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:19:17 -0500

Ask any deer camp old-timer for a foolproof recipe, and you're likely to encounter a lot of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup. There is a reason for that: Mushrooms plus cream plus game meat adds up to a perfect trinity of flavors. This recipe chucks the can, and all its high-sodium gloppiness, while retaining the earthy comfort that made mushrooms and cream the go-to sauce for generations of hunters.

Ingredients

Grouse:
4 grouse
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
8 strips bacon

Sauce:

2 Tbsp. butter
20 oz. cremini or wild mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin (morels, chanterelles, or a mix of wild and cultivated would be good)
1 shallot, minced
1 cup rich chicken stock (or defatted drippings from the pan)
3 sprigs thyme
12 cup creme (or crème fraîche)
(or)

1 Tbsp. bourbon
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. ROAST THE GROUSE: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the birds, pat dry, then smear each with a tablespoon of softened butter. Generously salt and pepper, inside and out. Wrap 2 bacon slices around each grouse, then set them in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven until the grouse is browned, about 25 minutes. Remove to a plate and let rest, covered loosely in tinfoil, while you make the sauce.

2. MAKE THE SAUCE: Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and about 1/2 tsp. salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release a lot of moisture and begin to smell fragrant, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot. Sauté until soft, and until most of the moisture has gone out of the pan, about 4 minutes. Add the stock (or defatted drippings from the roasting pan) and thyme sprigs and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in the cream and bourbon and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3–5 minutes.
3. TO SERVE, spoon the sauce onto four plates, and rest a grouse in the center of each. Sprinkle thyme over the grouse. SERVES 4

Tip: Call In More Coyotes

Online Editors — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 22:09:51 -0500

Coyotes are certainly smart and can learn from experience, as predator hunters can attest. But does that capacity ever land them in trouble? A recent study suggests it might.

Aware that coyotes in general show an attraction to minimal stimuli (both calls and decoys), researchers compared the animal's reactions to small and large orange cones (which the researchers prepped with an attractant) and then followed that by removing the cones and looking at the coyotes' reactions to the respective “removal sites.” Coyotes were more attracted to the smaller cones than the larger ones, which they tended to approach with caution; as expected, they were averse to the more substantial stimuli. Interestingly, however, the coyotes thoroughly investigated the removal sites of the larger cones, more so in fact than they did the removal sites of smaller stimuli. It was as if the bigger disappearance provoked their curiosity.

For hunters, the study suggests that the failure of a decoy or call or both to draw in a coyote may not be the endgame. Returning the next day and moving or drastically reducing the “stimuli” may be just what is needed to seal the deal—particularly if the coyotes' tracks suggest they came within some distance but held off at the last moment. The one attractant a coyote can't resist may be nothing at all.

Teach Your Dog To Find Sheds

Online Editors — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:11:30 -0500

As the owner of Ventosa Kennel (ventosakennel.com) in Scotland Neck, N.C., Tracy Bowling specializes in prepping dogs for police work. And that happens to make him pretty well suited for training shed dogs, too. “Training for narcotics or bomb detection is different—but not different at all than for shed detection,” says Bowling. While there are plenty of decent shed dogs that have been trained casually in backyards, Bowling feels most amateurs take the wrong approach. Here's how Bowling trains:

1. Pick the right pup.
You want a pup with high prey and hunt drives, such as a retriever (Labrador, golden) or a working breed (German shepherd, Malinois). But not every dog will do. Test a pup out by tossing some short retrieves (do not use a shed at this stage). Look for unbridled enthusiasm. You'll also need to ensure the dog has enough drive. Throw the ball into thick cover and observe how long he'll search and whether he's using his nose.

2. Imprint the scent.
To get your dog excited about shed hunting, you need to get him excited about the scent of sheds. Take a tennis ball and rub it on a shed—the fresher the antler, the better. Or store the ball and the shed together. Then work with the dog on short retrieves. Eventually work your way up to tossing the ball into thick cover. Give a reward after good sessions.

3. Hide the shed.
Once the dog is accustomed to the scent of sheds, it's time to break out the antlers for what Bowling calls odor recognition. The biggest mistake people make, says Bowling, is that they don't think about the wind while training. At first, try some easy finds, and reward good effort. Then move to tougher tests. But always work the dog into the wind. Let him learn to use his nose.

How To Make A Handmade Slingshot

Online Editors — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 21:57:41 -0400

MADISON PARKER IS a former U.S. Navy SEAL who now trains SEALs in wilderness skills—including how to make and wield the most wicked slingshots on the planet (primitivesupply.com). How wicked? Parker's handmade slingshots fire big chunks of lead at 225 fps. Where legal, he's used them to take game from squirrels to wild turkeys and more. While we're certainly not suggesting you hunt with a slingshot, there's nothing wrong with drilling empty cans on a summer afternoon. Here's how to make one:

The Frame “Dogwood, hickory, and oak are the best,” Parker says. “Don't look for the perfect Y-shaped fork. If you'll hold the slingshot in your left hand, you want a fork where the main branch crooks to the left at 30 degrees, and a fork that goes off to the right at a 45-degree angle. Cut the frame and let it dry for three weeks.”

The Power Parker's slingshots utilize high-powered bands with heavy leather shot pouches, but a number of companies sell ready-made replacement bands with pouches attached for slingshots (slingshotworld.com). The trick is in Parker's connection: 1 1/2 inches from the top of each upright, drill a hole slightly smaller in diameter than the band. Bevel the end of the band with scissors and thread it through the hole. Snip off the bevel. Next, take a dried stick slightly larger in diameter than the inside diameter of the band, and carve two pointed, 1/2-inch-long stoppers. Plug each end of the tubing with a stopper.

Recipe: How To Cook Green Chile Venison Stew

Online Editors — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 19:38:21 -0400

Here's a flavorful and simple stew inspired by the Native American cooking of the Southwest. The marriage of mild chiles and venison is a classic one, and this is especially good with Apache bread—cornmeal and bacon fat, roasted in a corn husk—crumbled on top. If you're in the Southwest, use the best green chiles you can find. For the rest of us, the canned variety sold in most grocery stores (Old El Paso, etc.) will suffice just fine; figure on four 7-ounce cans, and drain the chiles before adding to the stew.

Directions

MAKE THE APACHE BREAD: Soak the dried corn husks (available at many grocery stores and Latin American markets) in water until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cornmeals in a medium bowl with salt and pepper, then add the boiling water and bacon drippings and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Using your hands, form the dough into eight fat cylinders, then wrap these with the corn husks, tying the ends with kitchen twine. Place the filled husks on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

START THE STEW: Dry the meat, and salt and pepper generously. Heat the oil over high heat in a Dutch oven, and brown the meat in batches so as not to crowd the pot. Use additional oil, if necessary. Remove the meat and set aside.

YOU SHOULD HAVE about 3 Tbsp. oil left in the pan; add more if needed. Add the onions, reduce the heat to medium, and sauté until limp and golden; then stir in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Return the meat, and any juices, to the pot, then add the bay leaves and chicken stock and bring to a boil.

REDUCE THE HEAT to low and skim any impurities from the surface. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, then remove the cover and simmer for 30 minutes more. Add the chiles and bell pepper, and cook for 15 minutes. Add the cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the warm bread, removed from the husks, on the side.

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS
8 dried corn husks
3/4 cup white cornmeal
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings
2 lb. venison, cut in 1-inch cubes
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped green chiles
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped

Recipe: How To Cook Trucker's Rice With Deer Jerky

Online Editors — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:53:47 -0400

Several years ago, on a fishing trip in Brazil, the camp cook served me a mysterious bowl of meat and rice. “We call this arroz de carreteiro,” the cook said, translating that as “trucker's rice” and explaining it this way: The meat was dried beef, or jerky, which, cooked with rice, made for a simple meal for long-haul truckers to prepare when traversing Brazil's wide open spaces, where fresh ingredients can be hard to come by. Easy and addictive, it has since become my camping staple.

Directions

REMOVE THE JERKY from the water, then dice into fine cubes. Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium-size pot or Dutch oven, then add the onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and limp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the jerky and tomato, raise the heat to high, and continue to cook, stirring, for about another minute. Add some freshly ground black pepper. Add the rice and bay leaf and stir to coat the rice with the oil, then add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until nearly all the water is absorbed, about 16 minutes, then turn off the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.

SOAK THE JERKY for several hours—1 hour, at the very least—to rehydrate. Cover entirely with water. Changing the water once or twice will help reduce the saltiness.

WHEN THE RICE IS READY, gently stir in the parsley. Taste for salt; the jerky should provide enough saltiness, but add more if desired. In Brazil, this is often spiked with generous dashes of molho à campanha, or hot sauce; try it with a dose of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce.

SERVES 6

Shooting Clays Tip: Springing Teal

Online Editors — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:17:06 -0400

MOST PEOPLE MISS teal for the same reason, says Mike Mohr, director of sporting clays at Seven Springs Mountain Resort (7springs.com). The problem arises when shooters “pull through” the target. Instead of pulling the trigger the moment the barrel passes over the clay bird, “they stop the gun for a split second” when they no longer see it. Here's how Mohr suggests avoiding the mistake:

On the Rise Start in a ready stance with your gun pointed to the right of the box. Once you see the bird, mount your gun and raise the barrel so it's moving alongside the flight path [A]. This way, you'll never lose sight of the teal. Focusing on the top edge of the target, “insert” (position) the muzzle just over the top. Pull the trigger with the gun still in upward motion. The key is to move the gun slow and steady.

On the Drop Falling is the one instance in which a clay target will actually increase speed. To shoot the second bird (or, ahem, if you missed), first let the bird roll over the top of your barrel near the top of its arc [B]. Then, train your muzzle to the bottom edge of the clay, ride it for a second as it drops, and pull away, accelerating the gun below the target. Pull the trigger once you see daylight.

Recipe: How To Cook Root Beer Glazed Duck Breast

Online Editors — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:33:04 -0400

The rich flavors of duck meat have always attracted sweet, fruit-based sauces. Witness duck à l'orange, for instance. In this recipe, we forgo the fruit for something darker, woodsier, but no less sweet: root beer. Once it is reduced down to a saucy glaze, the root beer offers a tangy new twist on the classic combination. It's incredibly easy, but more than elegant enough to serve guests. And when they take their first bites, ask to see if they can guess the secret ingredient.

DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE GLAZE: Combine the root beer, brown sugar, ketchup, lemon zest, and mustard in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is saucy and coats the back of a spoon.
HEAT A LARGE SAUTÉ PAN (or grill pan) over high heat until very hot. Pat the duck breasts dry with a paper towel and lay them skin-side down in the pan. Reduce the heat slightly, to medium-high, and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.
TOAST THE SESAME SEEDS: Place the seeds in a small pan over medium heat. Shaking the pan occasionally, cook until the seeds turn golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes, being careful not to scorch them. Remove from heat and let cool.
FLIP THE MEAT OVER and generously brush with the root-beer glaze. Cook for 2 minutes, or until just medium-rare. Flip again, brush the meat side with the glaze, and remove to a cutting board. Cover with foil and allow to rest about 5 to 8 minutes.
REMOVE THE DUCK BREASTS from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking, and salt. (If using domestic, farm-raised ducks, score the skin with a sharp knife, in a crosshatch pattern.)
TO SERVE, SPOON ANY REMAINING GLAZE onto the breasts and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds, then slice. Mashed sweet potatoes make a fine accompaniment.

INGREDIENTS

2 large whole duck breasts (mallard, pintail, canvas-back), or 3 medium breasts (wood duck, wigeon)
4 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 cup Barq's, Boylan, or other strong root beer
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

How To Make A Fishing Lure Out of a Wine Cork

Online Editors — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:42:36 -0400

Next time you enjoy wine with dinner, hang on to the cork, which you can make into an effective bass plug. I've fooled more than one lunker with these lures—and saved some money, too. They're easy to make, and chances are you already have most of the necessary parts. One tip: Use plastic wine corks. They don't crack, are easy to cut and shape, and have a smooth finish once painted.

Photo by Chris Philpot

Instructions:
[1] With a Dremel tool, or circular rat-tail file, shape the front of the cork in the profile of a floater-diver plug. (Or hollow out the front to make a popper.) Next, drill a 1/16-inch hole through the middle and insert the wire shaft.

[2] Bend a U in the front end of the wire so that you have a short length—about 1 inch long—that is parallel to the main shaft. With needle-nose pliers, squeeze the short end of the wire and main shaft together Keeping your grip on the pliers with one hand, insert a large finishing nail into the loop formed in the wire, and twist the nail 3 to 4 times This will form the hook eye.

[3] With the pliers, pull the rear end of the wire until the hook eye abuts the front of the cork. Now slide the following, in this order, onto the wire: plastic bead, propeller blade, plastic bead, rubber skirt, treble hook. Repeat Step 2 on this end, making sure the hook is trapped in the newly formed wire loop. Paint the lure however you'd like. After the paint dries, cement one eye on each side. All you need now is water.

Make A Cheap Recoil Reducer

Online Editors — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:21:46 -0500

Here's a quick and easy way to add weight to the front of your waterfowl gun, where it will help smooth your swing dampen muzzle jump, and reduce recoil by 6 to 7 percent. This recoil reducer replaces the factory magazine plug.

1. Cut the PVC to the length of the magazine plug in your gun (allow 1/8 inch for each cap). If using open pipe (shown) instead of stub-out, glue a cap on one end with PVC cement.

2. Fill the pipe or stub-out to the top with lead shot, and glue the cap on with PVC cement. Reinforce with electrician's tape if needed.

3. Following the instructions in your gun's manual for plug installation, replace the factory plug. With some models you may have to slim the cap on a grinding wheel. The springs in Remington shotguns (1100/870/11-87) are just barely big enough to go around the stub-out. Give the reducer a light spray of oil and work it on.

Materials (for a 12-gauge):
1/2-inch open PVC pipe and 2 caps, or PVC stub-out and 1 cap
Electrician's tape
PVC conduit cement
4–5 oz. of size 8 or 9 lead shot

How to Snowshoe Up and Down Hills

Online Editors — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:09:04 -0500

The saying goes that if you can walk, then you can snowshoe. Maybe, but it would be wrongheaded to simply strap a pair on and hit the backcountry. “You're basically tying these big tennis rackets to your feet,” says former Mount Rainier chief climbing ranger Mike Gauthier. “It's not as intuitive as one might think." Here's Gauthier's advice for traversing a steep hill in deep snow.

The Climb
1. To use the step-kick method, drive your toe straight into the slope, engaging the front crampons (metal teeth), and press down to establish a firm platform. Maintain a wide stance to avoid snagging your pant legs on a crampon.

The Descent
2. Leaning back slightly, dig your heel in first. Concentrating weight on the rear crampons will let you stop gradually. If you're going to fall, it's better to fall backward. When descending any hill, watch out for the tail of the shoe catching your pack (picture someone grabbing your heel as you're going downstairs).

How To Ice-Fish With A Sounder

Online Editors — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:37:06 -0500

Successful fishing with tip-ups begins with suspending the bait in the cruising lane of the fish. Pike, pickerel, panfish, walleyes, and bass often frequent the area about 12 inches above the weed tops. Here's how to make sure your bait is in the strike zone and not buried in the grass.

[1] Clip a 1-ounce depthfinder or “sounder” to the hook and drop it so it falls through the weeds and hits bottom. [2] Pull the sounder up about 1 foot above the tops of the weeds. Clip on a small bobber at water level as your marker. [3] Raise the sounder an additional 3 to 6 inches (to compensate for the fact that the spool will be under the water) and slide the bobber down the line the same distance. [4] Remove the sounder. Hook the bait through the back and drop it through the hole. When you set the tip-up, the bobber should be visible on the last wrap of the tip-up spool. Not only will it mark the proper depth, but it can also reveal whether you actually have a bite when the flag pops up. If the bobber is still visible when the flag pops up, blame the wind or a frenzied shiner.

How To Make A Custom Turkey Call Striker

Online Editors — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:29:40 -0500

Calling in a gobbler is especially gratifying when you do it with a peg you've made. Materials aren't fancy: a 1/4-inch oak dowel plus a corncob; a solid fiberglass rod (white bicycle flagstaffs are great) or a broken carbon arrow shaft plus a 3/4-inch oak dowel. Experiment with striker-tip angles, overall lengths, and materials—including hard plastics, laminates, and even hard rubber—to get a tone that works.

A corncob with an oak shaft (far left) is made from dried corncob (sprayed with acrylic sealer) and a 1/4" oak dowel. It gives a traditional mellow tone. A great striker for close-in work.

For an oak with an acrylic shaft, use a 3/4 oak handle and a 1/4' solid acrylic peg. This will make high-pitched, true sounds that travel long distances. Ideal for windy days.

A corncob-and-carbon shaft (with acrylic sealer) can be made with a 1/4" carbon arrow shaft. It has an edgy, gritty sound, with all the rasp of an older hen.

Using oak with a fiberglass shaft (a 1/4' solid fiberglass rod), provides clear, high-pitched notes, and is good for long-distance calling.

Instructions: [1] Cut the handle 3 1/2 inches long and the shaft 5 1/2 inches. [2] Drill a 1/4-inch hole 2 1/4 inches deep in the handle, and insert the shaft. [3] Ring the joint with hot glue, and spray the handle with acrylic sealer to finish. Note:There is no need to drill a hole in a corncob. Simply cut the dowel at a 45-degree angle and push that end into the center of the cob 2 1/4 inches.

Photo by Chris Philpot

How To Make A Duck Call Lanyard

Online Editors — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:48:53 -0500

A good waterfowl call lanyard has a purpose above and beyond keeping calls handy and organized. It's insurance against damage and loss—deep water and swamp mud aren't friendly to $60 duck calls. You can make a strong and comfortable lanyard in about two hours out of 100 feet of 550 parachute cord for less than $10.

Photo by Pete Sucheski

Braiding The Body

[1] Cut a length of 550 cord twice as long as the intended finished length of your lanyard. Double it over and hang it from a sturdy nail. This will be the core of the lanyard that will loop around your neck. Another piece about 90 feet in length is the knotting cord: Start with the midpoint of this piece behind the core about 4 to 6 inches below the nail (roll up each end and secure it with a rubber band so you won't have to pull 45 feet of loose cord through your loops). Create a braid by tying a series of square knots around the core: Bring the right knotting cord behind the two core strands to the left side. Take the left knotting cord and wrap it under this end of the right knotting cord, over the core strands, and through the loop created on the right side. Repeat this step but reverse which sides go over and under the core strands to complete a square knot around the core. Continue tying square knots until you reach the desired length—in this case, 40 inches.

Finishing The Lanyard And Droppers

Photo by Pete Sucheski

[2] Double the length of braid on itself. Pinch the first and last knots together so the initial loop that hung from the nail lies against the remaining core.

Photo by Pete Sucheski

[3] Bind the two (loop and core) together with four to six additional square knots. Pull very tight.

Photo by Pete Sucheski

[4] Snip one side of the loop where it emerges from the final knot and use that strand to bind the remaining four cords with a wrapped knot.

Lastly, tie a slipknot on each of the four remaining tag ends; these are the droppers that will hold the calls. You can attach each duck call to one dropper with a slipknot around the groove under the band of the call. Heavy calls can be attached using two droppers.

How To Shoot A Winter Coyote

Online Editors — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:43:58 -0500

December through February can be a tough time for hunters. If your tag is punched or the season has closed, you've got a long wait until spring gobblers. But with coyotes you're looking at a year-round season—no limits, no license. Outfitter Cory Lundberg (codahunts.com), who guides predator hunters in Wyoming and Utah, says, “This kind of hunting is a waiting game. A mature coyote can take a long time to come in, and you must be able to sit still the whole time. If he smells, sees, or hears you, the game is over.”

The Call Digital electronic calls from Fox pro (gofoxpro.com), especially those that mimic a distressed rabbit, are lundberg's favorites. He'll also use fox distress calls. He places the speaker 100 to 200 feet away from the hunter, mainly to keep the coyote focused on the call, not the hunter.
The Setup Lundberg often hunts in sagebrush flats. The key is to set up at an elevated position with a good vantage point—the idea being to spot the coyote before he spots you and then watch him close the distance. Since a coyote often tries to approach from downwind, try to set up in a quartering wind to reduce its chance of scenting you.
The Signs one way to tell if a coyote is approaching in thicker cover is to look for a following magpie or crow. They'll fly near a coyote to scrounge on the leavings. Spooked antelope or mule deer are also good clues of a coyote on the move.
The End game Lundberg enjoys the challenge of getting a coyote as close as possible. The shot can be anywhere from 15 to 300 yards. “When the coyote turns broadside—no matter the distance—I know something has triggered his defense mechanisms. This is when I tell the hunter to take him.”

Wild Turkey Recipe: How to Cook Wild Turkey Pot Pie

Online Editors — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:53:05 -0500

Banish all memories of the frozen, supermarket pot pies you ate in childhood. This pie boasts an ultraflaky crust that caps a luscious mixture of winter squash, herbs, and wild turkey. If using leftover cooked turkey, skip the browning.

1. Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, pepper, and salt, then scatter in the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in the ice water and pulse again, until the dough starts to come together and pull away from the sides. Transfer it to a floured surface. You should be able to form it into a shaggy ball, but add more cold water—a tablespoon at a time—if it won’t come together. Flatten the ball into a thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a sauté pan. Generously salt and pepper the turkey. Add it to the pan and cook, stirring once in a while, until browned. Set the turkey aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan along with the garlic, celery, and squash, and cook until the vegetables soften. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pearl onions: Bring about a quart of water to boil in a medium saucepan. Peel the onions, leaving the root end intact so that they don’t unravel. Boil them for about 10 minutes, then drain and let cool in cold water. When cool enough to handle, slice off the root ends.

Bring the stock to a boil in a small pot. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Then add the stock, milk, and cream. Once it boils, turn the heat down to low and let simmer—whisking all the while—for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Add the chopped rosemary and season with salt and pepper.

3. Assemble the pie: Add the turkey and vegetables to a large baking dish, followed by the cream mixture. Stir gently to combine. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to form a circle (or oval, depending on your dish) about an inch wider than the diameter of the dish. Drape it over the dish and pinch the edge into a sealed rim. Use a sharp knife to pop vents in the top.

Make an egg wash by mixing the egg with 2 tablespoons of water. Brush the top with this mixture, then bake the pie for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Serves 6.

Ingredients
Crust
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 to 11/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup ice water
1 egg, for egg wash

Filling
21/2 lb. boneless, skinless wild turkey meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 cup butternut squash, diced
1 cup pearl onions
5 Tbsp. butter
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/3 cup light cream
3 Tbsp. fresh rosemary

Still Hunting Tip: Tracking Bucks Through Clear-Cuts

Online Editors — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:14:40 -0500

You won’t find Jim Lepage sitting in a treestand, waiting for a deer to show up. A vice president at Orvis, Lepage, who has stalked whitetails for 40 years, hunts the old-fashioned way—by tracking a moving deer. Lepage hunts in the Allagash wilderness of northern Maine, where the deer are less pressured, but the general principles translate to any hunter who goes after deer in big forests.

Full Circle
A big buck that has figured something is on his trail will occasionally turn off to the side to try to spot the pursuer. “This happens a lot at clear-cuts,” Lepage says. “I could be moving north, and at the clear-cut the deer will move southwest to get downwind. Be ready for that move—and be ready to shoot.

Photo by Kevin Hand

On Track
To determine if a track is worth following, Lepage lays a .30/06 cartridge across the impression. If it’s a big deer, the cartridge will fit inside the track’s width. Stride length also helps determine size. Lepage prefers to track in snow, but he’ll also track in the rain, looking for overturned leaves.

The Shot
Lepage uses a .30/06 Remington 7600 pump with a 2X–9X scope. “The shots will be in really thick cover, probably no more than 75 yards,” he says. Since he won’t have the opportunity to find a good rest, he runs through five to eight boxes of ammo during preseason practice sessions, in which he concentrates on instinctive shooting. “You had better know your gun,” he says. “It all happens real fast.”

Understanding Seven Deer Glands

Online Editors — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:16:13 -0500

The odiferous qualities of whitetail deer come from no fewer than seven different glands scattered literally from head to toe. Researchers at the University of Georgia have tried to figure out which stink comes from what stinky gland, and what each might mean to a deer.

[1] Tarsal Gland This patch of hair and subcutaneous organs helps drive the hunting-scent industry. Bucks urinate on the glands more frequently during the rut, and the reaction between urine, gland secretions, and bacteria produces the telltale odor. Bucks establish dominance partly through these secretions, so use the scent to key in on the big boys. Location: Inside of the hind legs.
[2] Metatarsal Gland In mule deer, it produces an alarm scent, but nothing indicates the same for whitetails. Location: Outside of the hind legs.
[3] Preputial Gland Researchers aren’t sure, but it might play a role in a rutting buck’s identifiable scent. Location: Inside the buck’s penal sheath.
[4] Interdigital gland Forty-six volatile compounds are secreted by this gland, and the varying evaporation rates mean the smell changes over time. That might help a deer age a track with its snout. Location: Between the toes.
[5] Nasal Gland Not sure. Location: Inside the nostrils.
[6] Preorbital Gland Nobody really knows. It could play a role in marking rubs. Location: In front of the deer’s eyes.
[7] Forehead Gland Marks rubs and other vegetation with the scent of a dominant, mature buck. Location: Between the eyes and the antler bases.

How To Rattle in Bucks With One Hand

Online Editors — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:59:46 -0500

The movement required to rattle in a buck can torpedo the best setup, especially when a wise whitetail hangs up in thick brush. This easy-to-make rig allows a hunter to
rattle one-handed, with minimal movement, to draw in big deer. The rig installs easily on stands with catwalk-type floors. You’ll need to drill a hole in the floor of wooden stands.

Modifying the Antler
[1] Cut the head off a 3⁄8-inch threaded bolt, leaving about a 6-inch shaft. Drill a hole in the base of the antler to accept the shaft; move the bit back and forth to widen the hole. Set the shaft in the hole with two-part epoxy, making sure that approximately 4 inches extends beyond the antler base.
[2] Thread two 3⁄8 x 11⁄4-inch rubber washers and one 3⁄8 x 11⁄2-inch fender washer on the shaft; follow with another fender washer and two rubber washers. Attach the wing nut.
[3] Drill a 3⁄16-inch hole horizontally through the bottom of the other antler base. Tie off 3 feet of black bungee cord.

In the Stand
[4] Mount the antler so that the two fender washers are against the top and bottom of the treestand floor. Tighten the wing nut.
[5] Tie off the bungee-equipped antler to a shooting rail or nearby tree limb directly above the mounted antler.
[6] To rattle, grasp the top antler and tickle the rack below.

Photo by Dan Marsiglio

The Dangling Rig: Try "Tickling" a Deer
If you hunt out of a climbing treestand, you can still rattle one-handed. Just tie on a longer length of bungee cord [a] and then sink the other antler in the ground below you. Pull up on the cord and then lower it, causing the antlers to clack against each other. To a buck, the slight tickling will sound like a fight winding down.

Antler Rattling Tips: How to Call In Big Bucks During The Rut

Online Editors — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:08:54 -0400

Rattling is most productive during the rut—when bucks are more aggressive—in areas where the buck-to-doe ratio is close to even. (In areas with a high doe count, bucks have far less competition and therefore have less need to challenge another buck for breeding rights.) The simulated sound of two bucks fighting over a doe may attract another buck. Some bucks literally charge to the mock battle; others take their sweet time moving in. Here are three tips to help you maximize rattling’s effectiveness.

Photo by Dan Marsiglio

(1) Check wind direction before setting up. A buck’s natural inclination is to approach the sound of fighting from downwind. A good spot to set up is at the edge of a field, with the wind at your back. Take precautions to minimize your scent.
(2) Start slowly and quietly. You don’t want to spook any nearby deer, so rattle antlers lightly for only about 90 seconds. Wait five minutes, then repeat, but make the sound louder and longer (two minutes or so). Wait for a half hour before rattling again to give a cautious buck time to move into range.
(3) Before rattling again, rake the ground or scrape the antlers against a tree trunk. To give the impression of moving deer, rotate your body as you begin rattling. Wait at least 30 minutes before moving.

Cheap Taxidermy: How to Mount a Fish Tail

Online Editors — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:01:25 -0400

Ever notice that you can gauge the size of a fish just by looking at the tail? If you don’t want to pay for a replica mount or waste the meat having a skin mount made, fillet your next whopper, save the tail, and make your own trophy.

Step 1: Hollow Out the Pocket
Remove as much meat as possible from the base of the tail with a sharp knife or grapefruit spoon. With wire cutters, clip the spine as far back as possible. Don’t damage the skin or lose any scales. What’s left should be a hollow pocket.

Step 2: Squeeze the Tail
Spread the tail out and press it between two pieces of cardboard covered in wax paper. Use binder clips to keep pressure on the cardboard.

Step 3: Fill the Pocket
Rub the inside of the pocket with borax laundry powder, then fill the pocket with expanding plumbing foam. Place the tail in a cool, dry spot to set for three weeks.

Step 4: Add the Finishing Touch
Once dry, remove the cardboard and paint the tail to bring back the color. Spray paint and acrylic work well. Saw off any excess foam to create a level surface, and glue the tail to a plaque or wood base for display.

Photo by Dan Marsiglio

Hunting, Fishing, and Camping Tips from the Readers of Field & Stream

colinkearns — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:47:49 -0400

If you have a good Reader Tip for the magazine, e-mail it to fsletters@bonniercorp.com, or post it on The Tip Board. If it appears in the magazine, we'll send you some great outdoor gear—free!

Squirrel Hunting Tips

Online Editors — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:51:35 -0400

There are two classic ways to hunt squirrels—sit and wait, or stalk. Andrew Lewand, a New York hunter who writes about squirrel hunting at bucksnorthuntingworld.com, prefers the latter. “When the trees are still in full foliage, it’s difficult to see squirrels, so I stalk slowly. I look for moving leaves that indicate squirrels scurrying along the limbs above me.”

The Listening Game If you hear cuttings (the sound of falling debris from feeding squirrels) (a), you’re in business. In September, Lewand notes, squirrels prefer beechnuts over all other mast, so concentrate your preseason scouting efforts on finding stands of beech.

On the Ground Stalking places an emphasis on woodsmanship, and a squirrel hunter on the move needs to glide quietly through the woods. “It’s really deer hunting in miniature—a great tune-up for the big-game season,” Lewand says. It also happens to be a great way to start a young hunter. Rather than sitting in a blind for hours (for what may be a single shot), the youth learns how to move slowly and quietly in the woods. He’ll also have the opportunity to shoot more than once (which reaffirms the value of making accurate shots).

Precision Shooting When you spot a squirrel, slowly move into position for a clear shot (b). “Because the target is so small, you really need to practice before the season opens, and that helps in deer season,” Lewand says. He uses a scoped .22 Ruger Model 77 bolt action (with a tuned trigger for enhanced performance) and a Bushnell Banner 4X–12X scope, set mostly on 7X or 8X (c).

Photo by Kevin Hand

The Safe Shot
The crucial thing to keep in mind here is the importance of a backstop. Remember, you’re shooting up, and you want to make sure the bullet
hits the tree if you miss. Though
head shots are preferable, take the shoulder shot if needed.