Many a hunter has grown up with the tradition of woodsmanship and hunting. A good number of those hunters are fortunate enough to keep an heirloom from their mentors. Some country songs include a passage about granddad’s gun. We can all relate to the attraction to the guns carried by our forefathers. I, however, am not one of those lucky hunters. I do not have any heirloom guns that my ancestors used to feed my family of a generation removed. I did not count the days until I would spend frosty mornings hunting with my father, uncles, or grandfather. While my father and I enjoy hunting together now, I took…
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My Florida: Cameron Bissell
What is “My Florida”? As a college student I thought my Florida was the Panhandle. It didn’t snow, there were white sand beaches and when I asked at the first gun shop if they needed to see my permit to handle a shotgun; The women behind the counter laughed and said “honey you can keep a loaded pistol in your glove box with no permit here”. What money I had left after text books, rent, and bushwhackers I spent chasing redfish in pensacola pass and kingfish from the pier. There were bears, and alligators, and old stone forts that predated our nation. This would certainly be my Florida. Moving to…
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Ole Betsy: the Building of a Muzzleloader
In April of last year when the Covid-19 pandemic was still relatively new, I decided I needed a project. I certainly could have painted the bathroom, or fixed the shelving in the garage, but I wanted one that would keep me entertained. As luck would have it, sportsman’s guide was having a sale on “You Finish” style muzzle loaders. I already had a healthy supply of powder, shot, and primers between gifts and horse trades I’d previously made. For less than half the cost of a complete rifle, I had an IKEA version of a 50 caliber Kentucky long rifle. Deciding I “needed” the black powder rifle was easy. With…
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Basic Field Medicine for Outdoorsmen
Injuries from outdoor recreation like hunting, fishing, and hiking are usually less common than those of team or Olympic type sports. However, the very nature of what we do in the outdoors can lead to accidents that could quickly become dire if not treated quickly. As with any emergency situation, your best tool is your brain. Make a plan, tell people where you will be, and trust your gut. If a situation looks to steep, wet, or choppy find another path. The framework here is simply a guideline and basic overview. Take time during the off-season to learn and practice these skills. Accidents and tragedies rarely happen, but you want…
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The Unwitting Conservationist
As sportsmen, we like to thump our collective chests when we talk about how we “fund conservation efforts.” The fees we pay for tags and applications directly fund preservation of our state and federal lands. We support and gladly pay taxes related to Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson. For those who don’t know about Pittman-Robertson, it’s an excise tax of 11% levied on firearms and ammunition. In the 1970s, it was extended to include a 11% tax on archery equipment like bows and arrows. What makes this tax different than all the other taxes we pay is it goes directly to the Secretary of the Interior—not the treasury. This money stays with…
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The Things We Carry
Sportsmen are often a superstitious lot. We swear by a lure that will always catch one, or a stand that always draws in the deer. Many seasoned sportsmen carry a special item, something that conjures memories of hunts, mentors, or simpler times. I may be able to put a talisman I carry for every season. Partially emotional and partially effective, I always have a jitterbug in my tackle box. Half the time, I have one loose in my glove box or cup holder. The Arbogast Jitterbug doesn’t cast very well, it snags on everything, and the treble hooks are less than stellar, but that little top water connects me to…
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Trophy Hunting for Guns
One of my favorite hobbies when I can’t walk in the woods is walking into a gun shop. To add an air of sophistication to my window shopping, I’ve adopted a phrase from renowned gun writer Chuck Hawks— Trophy hunting for guns. There is always low-hanging fruit on the counter, but the real thrill comes from finding a hidden jewel. As with game animals, a true trophy gun is personal definition. Are you a collector of Belgian Brownings? I found a Browning SA-22 manufactured the same year my father was born. Sure, it was more than a 10-22, but getting a gorgeous .22 with a shared vintage brings a smile…
