By Lance Schwartz

2013 Suzuki King Quad 400ASi
MSRP: $6,499-Flame Red & Terra Green; $6,899-True Timber XD3 Camo
Final Thoughts + Key Specs at a Glance

I had the opportunity to spend two epic days aboard the 2013 Suzuki King Quad 400 ASi in a place nearly too beautiful to describe. My journey took me across California’s Mojave Desert, where the sand and rock miraculously transform into the gorgeous marble peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. At 10,000 feet, the high elevation was the perfect place to test out many of the 400 ASi’s key features. [ Read Full Post ]

By Kirk Deeter

Now that Tim Romano has given away a pair of the new Cabela's Guidewear BOA Wading Boots, I'm going to tell you how they work.

They're great. If you like the Boa lacing system.

BOA laces are wire, and they can be wound on a circular dial knob. Crank the dial and the laces come tight. Pull the knob out and the system loosens up, and you slide your feet right out. The lingo from everyone who markets boots with BOA laces is that the easy-on, easy-off advantages are especially valuable when it's muddy, or icy, and so forth. But let's be really honest. Boa laces work really great for people who have a spare tire around their middle, and don't like squishing themselves when they tie their laces. (I have a friend who told me this.)

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By Rick Sosebee

Keeping your machine in top shape is important. Part of that preventative maintenance is maintaining the proper tire pressure. Having a tire that is over- or under-inflated can negatively impact the ride of your machine, as well as the handling when on the trail. Riding on incorrectly inflated tires can also create abnormal wear and premature damage to the expensive rubber on your hunting machine. [ Read Full Post ]

By Rick Sosebee

Preplanning your route will pay high dividends when you take the first ride to your deer spot on opening day. The last thing you need when trying to sneak through the forest before sunrise is the sound of snapping branches and dragging fenders. There are more people in the woods on opening day of deer season than any other time of the year, and it doesn’t take a mature buck long to figure out where the humans are. By quietly sneaking in and out of the woods, you’ll have a better chance of keeping big bucks in the area for a longer period of time. 

So, here are a few tips for getting the course laid out during the offseason to insure a quiet and safe ride to your stand or blind once the season starts.

1. Trim Low Branches: Pack a small pair of pruning shears in your ATV toolbox. When you go out riding or scouting take time to clear away any branches at head-height (or a little above your seated position height on the ATV) so you don’t get stuck with a stick in the dark. [ Read Full Post ]

by Michael R. Shea

This Home Depot special will be the best $15 decoy bag you’ll ever buy. We used them for diver and sea duck spreads that routinely pushed 80 decoys, stacked over three leaf bags. It works because we long-line our decoys with 400-pound mono and bouy snaps. This way nothing tangles, even if they’re all jumbled together. If you took this same rig and put them in slotted bags, which can cost more than twice as much and always tend to be too small for foam floaters, the clips inevitably hang-up between the slots. Like when coiling line, you’re better off with a contained pile than a tight, twisted-up package.

We bungee corded these bags to the side of the boat while underway. When they’re empty they collapse into a thin foam disc, which makes a nice seat.  There are drainage holes in the bottom of the bag, so it never takes on water, even when the decoys do. My main hunting partner, Tim, and I stumbled on this solution this season. Some smart company needs to come out... [ Read Full Post ]

By Nate Matthews

Fishing with a paddle saves you time and gas, but which method best fists your style and home water? We break down the pros and cons for four types, from electric kayaks to simple paddle boards.

Sit-On-Top Kayaks: Your Floating Tackle Box

While some traditional sit-in kayaks are still made for fishermen who venture into rough and cold water (such as the Wilderness Systems Pungo, $829), sit-on-tops far outnumber them today. Sit-on-top yaks let you change positions easily to rest sore parts. They’re also easier to get into and out of, are more stable, and are more customizable than most sit-in kayaks. All you need is a drill, a rivet gun and a tube of silicon to attach lights, anchor trolleys, extra rod holders, pontoon stabilizers, and a million other gadgets that let you tailor your boat to the places you fish.

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