Hare Rabbit

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- Hares have an interesting place in the English language.

Have you ever heard the phrase “Mad as a March hare” and wondered where it came from?

March is the breeding season for hares, thus their odd behavior of boxing and jumping during this time of year.

This is not a new phenomenon, and the earliest written testament to it was circa 1500, in Blowbol’s Test reprinted by W. C. Hazlitt in Remains Early Popular Poetry of England, 1864.

It states, “Thanne [th]ey begyn to swere and to stare, And be as braynles as a Marshe hare.”

In hunting circles, the phrase derived from a male hare’s (bucks) tendency to travel several miles to breed with a female (doe) during the month of March. When a hunter’s dog would disturb the buck, he would return to his home area miles away with the dog often in pursuit.

This meant the hunters would either lose their dog or have to travel miles to find it.

The phrase “hare-brained” refers to the same behavior. This is also old and is referenced in Edward Hall’s Chronicle, 1548: “My desire is that none of you be so unadvised or harebrained [sic] as to be the occasion that …”

Other interesting facts about hares include that the rabbit in Bambi named Thumper derived its name from a female hares’ tendencies with her young. Hares do not live in the ground like cottontails, so they have their young above ground and the babies (leverets) spread out to hide so that if one is discovered by a predator it will not find the entire clutch. When it is time for the young to nurse, the mother hare will “thump” her back foot rapidly to call them in to feed.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- Master Maine Guide and deer hunting legend Randy Flannery will be making a rare public appearance in the Adirondacks on March 27, 2011, and will be conducting a seminar on advanced deer hunting strategies, specifically targeting tandem hunting techniques.

Flannery is a regular columnist with Outdoors Magazine and is considered a pioneer in tracking and stalking techniques.

His strategies and methods have been featured several times in other magazines like Field & Stream and Deer & Deer Hunting.

Doors open for the seminar at 11:00 a.m. and lunch will be served shortly after. It is expected the event will run late into the afternoon with several pertinent topics being covered. Tickets are limited.

Flannery’s presentations are a must for “real hunters.”

Learn From a Deer Hunting Legend - Randy Flannery

They encompass a variety of strategies that have been proven successful across the East. If you know the challenge of killing a buck on public land, and the thrill of hunting the deep woods, you will not want to miss it.

The seminar will be held at the Lakeview Restaurant in Averill Park, N.Y. on Sunday, March 27. The cost is $50 per person or $25 for youth hunters under the age of 18. Lunch is included.

For more information contact Glenn Galkiewicz at (518) 477-5100 or on his cell at (518) 429-0463. Or email glenster1231@yahoo.com

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- There is strong sentiment rising in the gun community that the Arizona shooting rampage will be used as leverage for the Obama Administration to push for stricter gun laws.

Certainly if New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had his way, those laws would already be in place.

According to anti-gun activists like Bloomberg, 34 people are killed each day across America by firearms.

“Thirty-four people killed yesterday; 34 people killed today; 34 people killed tomorrow,” Bloomberg told MSNBC last week. “Every day, bigger than Virginia Tech — and nobody cares.”

To help support his agenda, Bloomberg recently released the results of an investigation revealing that in January, unlicensed dealers at a gun show in Phoenix sold firearms illegally. Two undercover investigators, hired by New York City, were able to purchase firearms from two dealers at the event. The buyers even tried to push the boundaries of the law by revealing they “probably couldn’t pass” a background check.

Unlicensed gun vendors are prohibited from selling firearms if they “know” or have “reason to believe” the buyer is banned from possessing a gun.

After the results of the investigation were released, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs dodged the question of whether or not the Obama Administration would be seeking stricter gun control laws.

“We believe that there are reasons that federal laws are on the books,” Gibbs said, “and the need … to strongly adhere to and follow existing law is important not just in the purchase of weapons, but throughout our civil life.”

Gibb’s then left the podium and refused to answer a follow-up question.

What does this mean for gun owners?
Over the past two years the Obama Administration has shied away from stricter gun control policies, knowing they would be difficult, if not impossible, to change. This was reinforced in February of 2009, when Attorney General Eric Holder promoted a return of the assault-weapons ban, which had expired five years earlier. Sixty-five House Democrats wrote to the White House condemning the proposal.

These philosophies appear to be changing in the wake of the Arizona rampage. The 16 Democrats on the Judiciary Committee recently sent a letter that urged Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) to stage gun-safety hearings in response to the Tucson shootings.

Only time will tell what the second half of President Obama’s term will bring concerning gun control legislation. Second Amendment advocates should view recent events as a sign they need to remain vigilant in their efforts, or they risk seeing all the accomplishments of the previous 10 years washed away in an anti-gun tide.

Kyle Scanlon is the editor of Outdoors Magazine. Email him at kyle@elkpublishing.com.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

GroundHog Hunting

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- For one day of the year they are the country’s most celebrated animal.

For the other 364 days most consider them a pest. They wreak havoc on an unprotected gardens and burrow underneath pastures creating tunnels that can collapse causing harm to cattle and horses. They are groundhogs.

Depending where you are in the country you might know them by a different name. In the East “woodchuck” is common. Some call them prairie dogs or gophers, but those are more western terms. The truth is gophers and groundhogs, while related, are different animals. Gophers only get up to 3 pounds while groundhogs can reach ten. Also, prairie dogs live in big colonies (thus those hunting videos where guys shoot hundreds of them a day) and groundhogs live in colonies of 4 –6 animals.

Some people also call them whistle pigs, but this is an older expression. It derives from a whistle-like sound the animals will emit when cornered. For the record, they are also known to swim and climb trees to escape danger.

Groundhog Day
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania likes to take credit for the inception of Groundhog Day, but its roots go back further. It was a German tradition long before the early settlers of the small American town made it popular. If anything, Punxsutawney deserves credit for the holiday’s modern adaptation.

Groundhog Day is based on the European tradition of Candlemas Day. It falls on the mid-point between the winter and spring equinoxes. German folklore states that if the sun comes out on Candlemas, the hedgehog (or badger) will see its shadow and six more weeks of winter will follow. When German settlers came to Pennsylvania they continued this tradition, using groundhogs instead of hedgehogs to predict the weather.

Hunting Groundhogs
While the fat groundhog pictured on television the morning of February 2 might look cute, it is important to remember these animals are a very serious nuisance to farmers. While hunting them in the East is not as popular as it once was, most farmers welcome those who want to pursue the little beasts on their property. If you go out though, don’t expect a day full of shooting, the little critters are more difficult to harvest than people give them credit for.

A few tips include:

• Flies around a hole indicates it is active.
• Morning and late afternoon are the best times to hunt them. A groundhog’s den is 15 – 25 degrees cooler than the surface, meaning they will settle in them during the heat of mid-day.
• If you jump one and it runs into its hole keep an eye on the cavern entrance. Chances are that within 15 minutes (usually sooner) it will poke its head out to see what startled it and if the danger is still close at hand.
• If you are stalking a groundhog and it turns to look at you freeze. Most of the time it is the movement that scares them and they will go back to eating in 10 – 15 seconds.
• Groundhogs live to eat. They are vegetarians, and if they have a choice, will often eat alfalfa over other types of grasses.

Why Hunt Groundhogs?

• As we stated, groundhogs are a nuisance animal. Farmers and horse owners know this, and if you have ever tried to grow a garden where one is present than you understand this fact.
• Groundhogs are also edible. While it may sound unappetizing, they are vegetarians and their meat is highly prized in some circles – not to mention it doesn’t get any more organic. Most chef’s advise that you should roast them like you would roast beef. The younger, small ones are preferred table fare.
• The small tail of a groundhog is prized among fly tiers. Its thickness and texture is somewhat unique, and is used in the production of a handful of different types of flies.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Outdoors Magazines Youth Photo Contest Winner Announced

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- Elk Publishing is proud to announce that a photo of 9-year-old Lainey Deterding of New Athens, Illinois, was chosen as the cover image for the February 2011 issue of Outdoors Magazine.

The photo, which was submitted by Gretchen Mueller Steele of Steele Photo Services, depicts Lainey in a cornfield moments after she harvested her first deer, a 140-plus-inch typical.

“We had a tremendous response to our Youth Image Cover Contest,” said James Austin, the president of Elk Publishing.

“We received hundreds of photos from across the country with several different species of fish and game. At Outdoors Magazine, we love these contests because it always reminds us how strong our hunting heritage is, and every image captures a special moment in a kid’s life that they will never forget.”

“Over the coming months we plan on using several of the other photos throughout our magazine,” added Austin.

“The only down side to the contest is that there could only be one winner. There were so many great pictures …”

The February issue of Outdoors Magazine is currently hitting newsstands across the country. To subscribe, or order a single copy of the special youth issue, call 802-879-2013.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Beat the Cold Kill a Coyote

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- With temperatures predicted to drop well below zero over the next three days across the East, many people are preparing for a weekend of watching football and sitting by a fireplace.

Devout predator hunters are taking a different view though, and to them the impending temperatures are a reason for celebration.

“The colder the better,” said Bill Savage, a coyote hunting specialist from the Tug Hill Region of New York. “My best days coyote hunting are when the temperature never gets above zero. If it gets as cold as they say it will … well … let’s just say I am like a kid in a candy store. “

Bob Howe, the owner of Pine Grove Lodge in Bingham, Maine, has a simple explanation for this phenomenon. In essence, in the colder weather a coyote needs to expend more energy to stay warm. This means they need to feed more, and the hunters who have their baits set will reap the rewards.

”Everybody thinks coyotes will only hit the bait in the evening or at night, but that time around noon can also be very productive,” said Howe.

Two of his hunters experienced this first hand earlier today when they both killed coyotes hitting baits a few minutes past 11:00 a.m.

Coyote hunting in the extreme cold does take some special preparation. Gun actions can freeze and calls can act and sound differently than in warmer conditions. Plus, there are the inherent dangers that come with below-zero temperatures. For those willing to pay the price though the rewards can’t be beat.

For more information and predator hunting tricks, check out the March issue of Outdoors Magazine with a special insert “When Hunters Become The Hunted” detailing the methods some of the East’s best use to put fur in the shed.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- After weeks of speculation, Pat Berry of Middlebury will be Vermont’s new fish and wildlife commissioner.

While his appointment awaits confirmation in the Legislature, it is expected Berry will sail through the process.

Berry will replace Wayne Laroche, who has held the position for eight years, the second-longest term of a fish and wildlife commissioner in the state’s history.

Most recently, Berry led Vermont Law School’s fundraising efforts, reaching out to government agencies, Vermont’s congressional delegation and foundations with great success. He previously worked in communications and development for Middlebury College and the Vermont Natural Resources Council. He also was a fly-fishing guide in Montana.

“Pat Berry and I used to be columnists together for Outdoors Magazine,” said Kyle Scanlon, now editor of Outdoors. “I have always enjoyed Pat on a social level and look forward to hearing his positions on pertinent issues like lamprey control, antler restrictions, and fish stocking. Once these are known, the sportsmen across Vermont will be in a much better position to judge the appointment.”

“Right now I would like to hear from our readers what they want to know from Pat Berry,” said Scanlon. “If you have questions for him, please email kyle@elkpublishing.com and we will do our best to make sure they are answered in a public format.”

If you have comments about Berry’s appointment, please visit the Outdoors Magazine Facebook page to join in a lively conversation on the subject.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(Ammoland.com)- On Friday, December 21, Outdoors Magazine conducted a public opinion poll relating to Vermont’s new secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources and the state’s next fish and wildlife commissioner.

It was requested only people who were familiar with Vermont fish and wildlife issues respond.

As of Tuesday, December 21, at 11:00 a.m., 201 people responded to the poll. The results listed below show both the percentage and number of people who answered.

Please note, 44% of the poll respondents left comments. Space does not allow for them all to be printed. The excerpts below Question 5 represent what Elk Publishing feels to be an accurate representation of the comments received. Other comments will be included in a future issue of Outdoors Magazine.

1. Because Wayne Laroche is not being given the opportunity to retain his job as commissioner of the Vt. Department of Fish and Wildlife, should a nation-wide search be conducted to find a qualified replacement as was done during the Dean administration?

• Yes 66% 132
• No 33% 67

2. Do you agree with Governor-elect Peter Shumlin’s appointment of Deb Markowitz as the secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources? (Please note: The Agency of Natural Resources oversees the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife)

• Yes 10% 20
• No 90% 180

3. Should the rumors that Deb Markowitz is a vegetarian and anti-hunter have been considered prior to her appointment from a public perception standpoint?

• Yes 91% 182
• No 9% 18

4. Do you feel that Deb Markowitz was appointed because she was qualified for the job, or because of political favoritism?

• Her experience, including her terms as secretary of state, qualify her for the job. 6% 12
• The primary reason she was appointed was because of her political connections. 94% 188

5. Do you have comments on any of the above questions?

“Wild game populations should be managed by science and science alone. The commissioner should be a wildlife biologist specializing in game which is native to Vermont.”

“They always give deference to individuals who ran for statewide office and lost. It’s common practice to reward losing candidates with appointments in appreciation of their efforts. Some are suited to the new jobs and others are woefully inadequate.”

“We need a Commissioner who will continue to do the work started by Wayne Laroche. He has done an excellent job in a rather difficult position in Vermont. Every hunter and fisherman has opinions about seasons, fish and game management, etc. However, the Department seems to be doing a good job of determining a good balance between science and Vermont desires. I do not agree with everything that Wayne or the Department has done over the past several years but they are on the right track and need to stay the course. Deb Markowitz is a TERRIBLE choice for the Agency of Natural Resources, but I am not surprised that the Governor-elect is paying back his political buddies rather than looking at the credentials needed for the job.”

“Vermont is in big trouble with this new administration.”

“These questions suggest a strong anti-Deb Markowitz bias. This does no good for the pro hunting argument!”

“I believe the next fish and wildlife commissioner should not be a politician at all. It should be given to someone who actually spends time in the woods and has a vast knowledge of how to improve the hunting and fishing situation in Vermont not only for the hunters but the animals, too. Perhaps someone who is currently a game warden or an instructor for the hunter education classes.”

“Wayne Laroche has been doing a great job and has the record to prove it. I am greatly disappointed that Peter Shumlin did not reappoint Wayne Laroche. This was a very poor decision.”

“Ms. Markowitz has presented as a competent, though not outstanding, manager during her term as Sec. of State. She probably meets all the minimal requirements for the job, but has not exhibited a particular skill suiting her for the ANR position. The ultimate question will be how partisan and ideological her appointments will be. Because of her lack of orientation for the position, she will be relying on other advisors to operate. If she accepts guidance from the career people in the agency, her time there will not be a disaster. If she responds to pressure from various special interest advocacy groups, it could be.”

“I really like Deb Markowitz. I have voted for her every time she ran for office. The democrats created a power vacuum when they all ran for Governor. Peter Shumlin feels by appointing ALL his challengers to positions, he will keep them involved in Vermont politics. Otherwise the loss of this many democrats would weaken the party in the long run. Sadly it may not matter who is the new commissioner. The issue is not which deer we have survive. The question is how do we sustain more healthy deer? Our carrying capacity is too low due to our failure to create and maintain quality habitat. Until this is addressed we will always be a second rate deer hunting state.”

“I personally feel that Peter Shumlin and many of those he has and will appoint, will be so detrimental to well being of our beloved state, that I am near the point of looking elsewhere to raise my family. Vermont is no longer even a vestige of what it once was, and we are assuredly now going in a direction that points me elsewhere. We, as Vermonters, should know better. It is now obvious that there is the Chittenden County mindset and then there is the rest of us. However, it is also very apparent that Shumlin will cow- tow to the ebbs and flows of opinion. Therefore it is essential that all of us who share in the passions surrounding our outdoor endeavors, make it widely heard, our displeasure with the on goings of this administration. I fear though that we will take many steps backward, perhaps irreversibly altering the very fabric of what makes Vermont what is believed by many to be, I am happy to see the road that you folks at Elk publishing are traveling. Please keep working toward making it known how the core of Vermont feels on these issues. Despite how voters actually put us in this position, the influences from your mediums played a huge role in the end result. I am glad to see your form of media reflecting more the wants and needs of us, Vermonters. Keep up the good work and thank you.”

“I feel Wayne Laroche did an outstanding job for Vermont sportsman and it is a crime this administration feels it has to change the commissioner. They will mess this up I am sure.”

“I believe that Wayne should remain as commissioner. He has done a great job. He needs to be replaced with a highly qualified person that is pro hunting, fishing and wildlife – not a political buddy.”

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Bowhunter Ted Nugent

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- Outdoors Magazine is happy to announce that as the winner of the title “Favorite Celebrity Hunter” in a recent Outdoors Magazine Public Opinion Poll (POP), is Ted Nugent.

Ted Nugent’s picture will adorn the October cover of the magazine.

“Nugent was the hands-down winner of the poll,” said James Austin, president of Elk Publishing,

“Almost 1,000 people voted and over 40 percent of them chose Ted as their favorite hunting celebrity. He beat out others like Waddell and Tiffany by a landslide.”

Not only will the October issue feature the famed hunter/ rocker on the cover, it will also include an exclusive story written by one of his close friends, Jeff Zimba, detailing the development of the Ted Nugent Kamp For Kids, which introduces hundreds of children between the age of 9 – 14 to the outdoors every year.

“There are a lot of outdoor personalities who talk the talk, but only a select few walk the walk like Nugent does,” said Austin, “We are delighted to be working with him.”

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

The Late Jim Chapman, VT

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- The great American social reformer Norman Thomas once said, “The secret of a good life is to have the right loyalties and hold them in the right scale of values.” It is hard not to read these words and think of the late Jim Chapman.

For those not fortunate enough to know him they missed one of the men who some say had the most significant impact on the sporting world in Vermont in the modern era. Among other things he was a hunter education instructor, women’s program pioneer, president of the Vermont Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs (in fact he held every position there), and a devoted mentor and teacher.

The friends and family of Outdoors Magazine know his loss will be felt across the Vermont sporting landscape. They also know his values and accomplishments should live on.

To help preserve his legacy, Outdoors asked some of Jim’s friends and colleagues to share their thoughts about him. By doing so, it is hoped that even in passing, Jim’s example will shine and inspire future generations.

“I have extremely fond memories of Jim, dating all the way back to 1982 when I started with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. His warm, friendly smile, along with a genuine welcoming handshake will always remain etched in my mind. Jim was a true advocate of our youth and sportsmen. At many meetings throughout the past three decades, the state of Vermont could count on Jim’s support and leadership to ensure that every kid in the state of Vermont had a chance to attend the Green Mountain Conservation Camps and hunter education class. The Department’s tremendous summer kid’s camp carries national recognition today, much of that credit goes to the support of Jim and his fellow sportsmen. His quiet, yet effective and respected leadership will never be forgotten.

My sincere sympathies and prayers are with Jim and his family at this time.”

-Mark E. Scott, CWB
Director of Wildlife
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

“In December of 2005 I was at the Vermont Air National Guard hanger at the Burlington Airport for the return of my son from his first deployment. Jim Chapman was there working with the Vermont State Guard.

This was so typical of the way Jim Chapman lived his life. It was late on a cold Friday night, the flight my son was on was late. Jim was no youngster but there he was, as always, giving of his time to serve others.

Whether coaching a novice shooter, working a gun show, helping with the Friends of NRA to raise funds for Vermonter shooters, holding numerous offices with the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, serving with the Vermont State Guard or one of the numerous other groups, Jim always made his knowledge and experience available to our community.

My daughter, a military journalist for the Vermont Army National Guard, was on duty that night and she snapped a picture of Jim and me with our arms over each other’s shoulders, laughing. I am in hopes that somewhere she has that picture, for I want to have a copy of it. A photo of a happy moment with a man who was the definition of the terms ‘great guy’ and a good friend.”
-Evan Hughes
Vermont Federation of Sportsmen

“The best any of us can do is to leave people better off for having known us. In extraordinary cases a rare individual touches just not individuals, but entire communities, even a whole state. We all know Jim was this sort of rare man and extraordinary example. To say that he will be missed is an understatement, but we all know Jim will always be with us living on in the smiles and helping hand of a good friend, mentor, or neighbor. God bless his family; thank you for having shared Jim with us. We are all certainly better off for having known and worked with him—I know I am.

Thank you, Jim. Pull!”

-James Ehlers,
Executive Director
Lake Champlain International, Inc.

“Jim was a mild-mannered and kind-hearted soul who taught a lot of people how to shoot a shotgun. He even showed a stubborn bird hunter like me a few things. Jim was a patient and kind teacher of the shooting sports. It didn’t seem to matter if you were a child picking up a gun for the first time, or an experienced crack shot – Jim was nice to everyone. He was a life-long supporter of our hunting heritage in Vermont and he will be sorely missed.”

-John Gobeille
Wildlife Biologist
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

“Some say he was born with a shotgun in one hand and raffle tickets in another. A hunter and angler from day one, he began shooting skeet and trap in 1963 and since then has volunteered countless hours to numerous sporting clubs and organizations. A generous man, who is known for pulling sportsmen and women together in tough times, to reach common goals.

His years of mentoring and teaching has touched thousands, making him a pillar in Vermont’s sporting community.

Having shot over 69,000 registered skeet in competition, trap and skeet in heaven should be very worried.

Cheers Jim! Thank you! We’ll miss you.”

Frank Stanley
Vermont Traditions Coalition

Vermont’s Biggest Animals Ever To Be Displayed

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- The 2nd Annual Vermont Big Game Awards Show and Banquet, sponsored by Outdoors Magazine (www.outdoorsmagazine.net) will be kicking off Saturday, June 26, at the Elks Club in Montpelier. Trophy Show hours are from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Awards Banquet begins at 4:30 p.m.

“Last year it was remarkable to be in a venue filled with tremendous animals that were all harvested in my native state,” said Kyle Scanlon, the editor of Outdoors Magazine.

“Let’s face it, Vermont is not known as a big-buck state, but to see all those heads together … well … it was just something I never thought I would ever see.”

By all reports the second show promises to be even better than the first with dozens of heads on display. Over the past year the VTBGTC has made some tremendous discoveries, and three different 180-inch whitetails all harvested in Vermont will be at the show. These heads have never been displayed anywhere publicly before.

Whitetail lovers will also enjoy seeing some of the best bucks from 2009, as well as a few potential Boone and Crockett heads harvested in the 1940s that will be scored at the show for the first time. In addition, several old favorites will be on hand including the Drew buck, which was just remounted by Bragg’s Taxidermy for the club.

A fine selection of Boone and Crockett moose heads will also be on hand, including Vermont’s current state record. In addition, several bear skulls and mounts will be displayed. The highlight of this category is the Clogston bear that was killed in Coventry, Vt. in 2009 and has set the new Vermont record in terms of skull score.

Those who have previously had a Vermont trophy scored are invited to bring it for display during the competition. Raffles and games will be available for attendees throughout the day.

Immediately following the show will be the awards banquet. A few tickets are still available. Call Curtis Smiley at (802) 849-2986. The cost is $25 per ticket.

Taxidermy on Display
The brand new Vermont Taxidermy Classic will be run as part of the VTBGTC Awards Show. In addition to a room full of Vermont trophy animals, some of the region’s premier taxidermists will be displaying their best work. For more information, visit www.vermontbiggametrophyclub.com.

Ted Nugent Tied With Benoit Brothers

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- With a week remaining in Outdoors Magazine’s online poll Ted Nugent and the Benoit Brothers are running neck and neck when it comes to the public selecting their favorite hunting personality. Each has received a 23% rating.

Rounding out the Top-10 in the poll are Michael Waddell (13%), Charles Alsheimer (9%), Hal Blood (8%), Larry Weishuhn (8%), Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo (7%), Tiffany Lakosky (7%), Bill Jordan, Dan Schmidt, and the Drury Brothers are all tied for 10th place with 5%.

Other names mentioned in the polls who have received less than 5% are: R.G. Bernier, Bob Foulkrod, Tom Miranda, Lee Lakosky, Neil Dougherty, Cindy Garrison, Toxey Haas, Cameron Hanes, Haley Heath, Bob Humphrey, Chris Bracket, Stan Potts & Dick Scorzafava.

“We are absolutely fascinated by the poll results so far,” said James Austin, the president of Elk Publishing.

“Some of the names we though would surely be leading have received less than 5%, while others have done much better than anticipated. It is funny to see things like how Tiffany is blowing away Lee in the vote,” he said.

The second half of the poll asks five questions directed at the way television portrays hunting. One of these questions is, “Do you buy hunting products that your favorite personality promotes?” Only 22% of the audience answered in a favorable way, while 64% said, “Occasionally, it is not one of my primary considerations.” A surprising 14% answered “Never. Celebrity endorsement erode the product’s credibility.”

“Some of the comments are also spectacular,” said Austin.

“I can’t wait to print them in the next issue of Outdoors Magazine. They really support what we have suspected, that the American public wants to see real situations … only many of our readers have put it in a much more ‘colorful’ way.”

There is still a week left for everyone to let their feelings be known. Click here to add your opinion to the Outdoors Magazine Poll.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- In the outdoors community many of us owe a special thank-you to our fathers and grandfathers.

In many cases they were the ones who ignited our passion for the sporting world and exposed us to the joys that accompany it.

Put simply, without them, many of us would not know what it feels like to land a big rainbow or pull the trigger on a whitetail.

At Outdoors Magazine we want to extend a special thank-you to all the fathers who made these things possible. We are planning a special online Father’s Day tribute.

If you would like to be a part of it, please send us a picture of your father outdoors. The photo will be included in a special photo album devoted to outdoor dads and may appear in a future issue of Outdoors Magazine.

Fathers Outdoors: Photos Wanted

Anyone who submits a photo will receive a free 1-year digital subscription to Outdoors Magazine (a $20 value) for their father. Simply include his name and email address in the submission. In the event someone doesn’t have access to a computer, the digital subscription is transferable.

Send submissions to amanda@elkpublishing.com or by mail to 531 Main Street, Colchester, Vt. 05446. Please include his name and any other pertinent information about the photo.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- Outdoors Magazine has crossed into the “virtual” world and launched its first digital edition.

“It just makes sense,” said James Austin, the publisher of Outdoors Magazine.

“Digital magazines appeal to a certain group of people for good reasons. They are environmentally friendly, you don’t have to wait for the mail to come, they are automatically stored for you in a nice library, all the links are embedded so that if you see something that catches your eye you can be at the website in a flash … the list really goes on and on.”

Outdoors Magazine May 2010

When asked if this would eventually replace the printed Outdoors Magazine we all know and love, Austin responded with a smile.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “I am a ‘print’ guy and we know you don’t find computers in deer camps and on streams where a lot of our readers spend their time. This is an alternative, though, for those who are behind a keyboard all day and want to read the magazine at lunch while they are at work or on their laptops while they are surfing the web at night,” he said.

“We are also delighted to be able to work with a host company where you can turn the page on the monitor with the click of a mouse. You don’t have to wait for PDF’s to download and jump through hoops like you do with some other magazines,” said Austin.

Click here to see a sample copy of the all new digital Outdoors Magazine. Subscribe here!

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- If the old phrase “As goes Maine so does the rest of the nation” is true, than residents of Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York can expect a tick-filled spring.

In a story just released by the Maine Sunday Herald, reports of confirmed Lyme disease cases have been pouring into the Maine Center For Disease Control at a rate three times above the average.

The weather was an obvious factor. “I was pulling ticks off (dogs) in January and seeing active cases of Lyme disease in January,” said veterinarian Sandra Mitchell at Animal Medical Associates in Saco, Maine.

Maine state officials point out that in many areas ticks did not hibernate as they traditionally do because of the mild temperatures. This group of ticks will feed voraciously all summer long and people can expect to see increased interaction.

To make matters worse, there is a healthy population of rodents this year. They serve to carry the ticks that have the potential to cause Lyme disease.

In an article that will be premiering in the May issue of Outdoors Magazine titled “The Truth About Ticks,” Glenn Dunning revels that many of the traditional beliefs held in the Northeast about ticks are not true. This is both good and bad news.

According to Dunning, “You’ve probably heard that the big deer ticks are not the ones that carry Lyme disease, it’s the smaller wood ticks to watch out for. WRONG. All ticks can carry Lyme disease bacteria as well as a host of other stuff you don’t want to catch.”

Dunning goes on to point out that while ticks, and consequently Lyme disease, are more common now than they have ever been before in Northern New York and New England, awareness about the illness and treatment methods have also made significant strides. No longer is Lyme disease considered the life-altering illness that it once was.

For more information visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net. To see a copy of “The Truth About Ticks” pick up a May copy of Outdoors magazine or call 1-800-499-0447 for a free trial issue.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Fish Shooting Season Opens

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- In Vermont it is a tradition that is “as old as the hills.” Some call it barbaric and dangerous, others say it is a part of the state’s rural culture, and not any more dangerous than duck or muskrat hunting.

I am, of course, talking about pike shooting.

Vermont is the last state in the nation to have a set season on pike shooting. For those out of the loop, it is exactly what it sounds like – shooting fish with a gun. The common method is to wait on a high point of shore, or in a treestand, for a spawning group of northern pike (usually 1 female and 2-6 males) to swim through the area. A high-powered rifle is then shot into the water close to the fish. The percussion of the bullet stuns them for a few minutes, allowing the shooter to spear or net the fish he wants. The others recover and swim away apparently unharmed.

Critics of the “sport” will quickly point out the inherent dangers of shooting into the water, while proponents will counter citing that the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife does not know of a single gunshot related injury that has occurred as a result of pike shooting.

While no one is certain where the sport got its roots in Vermont, the common theory is that it was put in place to aid farmers during the month of May when they didn’t have time to fish. Instead, they could pull over their tractors next to a swamp and quickly “shoot” a fish dinner.

Has the time come for this tradition to end?
(Not at all, we need to work to expand this in other states – AmmoLand.com)

Outdoors Magazine wants to know your thoughts. Comments may be included in a feature article in the June issue. Please visit the magazine’s facebook page to share your thoughts, or send an email to kyle@elkpublishing.com.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Spearing and Shooting Grand Isle, Vermont from Robert Maass on Vimeo.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- PETA, the organization known for publicity stunts, is at it again. This time it is in the wake of rumors that an Ocean Task Force established by the Obama Administration could threaten recreational fishing.

While there was almost an immediate response from the White House stating that was not the intention, this didn’t stop PETA from jumping on the band wagon.

In an interview with Fox News, Ryan Huling, a PETA spokesman, stated that fish suffer “the same as cats and dogs, and that if we wouldn’t put a hook through a dog’s mouth, we shouldn’t put one through a fish’s mouth.” Click above to see the complete video.

At Outdoors Magazine, we want to know your opinion on the issue. Visit our facebook page to leave a comment. If we like it, we may use it in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine

Colchester, VT --(AmmoLand.com)-  Outdoors Magazine and the Vermont Big Game Trophy Club (VTBGTC) put the finishing touches on a principal sponsorship agreement.

“In a short time frame the Vermont Big Game Trophy Club has redefined the standard for the way similar programs will be measured around the country. They are a model organization, and their relentless hard work has brought to light new state records and dozens of Boone and Crockett animals taken in Vermont that had been previously unrecognized,” said James Austin, president of Elk Publishing, the parent organization of Outdoors Magazine. “We are proud to continue to work with them for years to come.”

“Outdoors Magazine has been there supporting us since the club’s inception,” said VTBGTC co-founder Brad Hanson. “We consider ourselves very lucky to have such a great publication with its roots in Vermont, and people working there that are as passionate about the state as we are.”

Vermont Big Game Trophy Club

The VTBGTC has some exciting events coming up in the next few months. There will be a handful of scoring events, as well as the VTBGTC Awards Banquet on June 25 – 26 in Barre, Vt. In conjunction, they will also be hosting the Vermont Taxidermy Classic that same weekend, which is the first competition of its kind in over 10 years in the state. Outdoors Magazine will be bringing you more details in the days to come, or visit www.vermontbiggametrophyclub.com for more information.

“That event will be fantastic,” said Kyle Scanlon, editor of Outdoors Magazine. “I know they will be recognizing Vermont’s new state record whitetail by antler size there, and rumor also has it that they have accepted a new state record deer by body weight, and that it is a 300-pounder,” he said. “Thanks to our partnership agreement, Outdoors Magazine will be the first to bring the public this story.”

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont - -(AmmoLand.com)- For the second time in the past 14 months the Vermont Big Game Trophy Club’s non-typical whitetail deer record has been broken by a monster buck from Vermont’s past.

On Saturday, January 16, at the 18th annual Yankee Sportsman’s Classic, VBGTC Master Measurer and official Boone and Crockett Club measurer Ron Boucher measured a high, wide and heavy 17-pointer. Killed in 1930 in Norton, Vt. by George Ira Tice, the antlers tallied an incredible score of 196 5/8 gross and a net score of 190 6/8 on the strength of 28-inch main beams, a 22 6/8-inch inside spread, and an eye-popping outside spread of 29 inches.

Vermont's Milkhouse Buck

Dubbed “The Milkhouse Buck” by Boucher, this gnarly rack hung in obscurity in the Tice’s milkhouse in Derby, Vermont for 70 years. The rack is now owned by Tice’s grandson, Paul Tice, of Milton, Vt.

Unlike the former state record, a 188-inch behemoth shot by Ron Moody in Starksboro in 1958, it seems that there have been no rumors of the existence of the new record antlers.

“When Paul Tice walked in with this set of antlers to be scored, I knew right away this buck was going to be something special,” said Boucher. “I measured the buck with the assistance of VBGTC measurer Pete Porter, and when we totaled up the score it was apparent that we did have a Boone and Crockett caliber whitetail. Since we were scoring in a busy sportsman’s show, I chose to take the rack to a quiet room to double-check all of my measurements and my math as well.”

Fellow B&C scorer and VBGTC co-founder Curtis Smiley also checked the math and verified that the “Milkhouse Buck” was indeed the new state record pending final review and acceptance by the VBGTC and B&C.

More information and photos of the Milkhouse Buck will be available shortly on the VBGTC website, www.vermontbiggametrophyclub.com

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write. Visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

Outdoors Magazine

Colchester, VT --(AmmoLand.com)- Outdoors Magazine is proud to announce in March it will be unveiling its first issue celebrating youth hunters.

“We all know that kids are the future of our sport,” said James Austin, president of Elk Publishing, “A big part of the issue will be celebrating youth afield and telling their success stories. I don’t think it matters how old you are, these stories bring us all back to some of the best memories of our early days in the woods and on the water.”

Kyle Scanlon, editor of Outdoors, is looking for the perfect cover photo to highlight the issue.

“The stories are so good and the topic is so close to our hearts that we need the perfect image to wrap up the package,” said Scanlon. “We are appealing to all of our followers to send us pictures of their hunting or fishing adventures with their children,” he said.

“Any pictures we don’t use on the cover may be used in other places in the magazine over the coming months and on our website,” said Scanlon.

Outdoors Magazine Cover Photo Search

If you have a picture, please send it via email to amanda@elkpublishing.com. Be sure to include the names of the people in the picture and location it was taken. For prints, send via parcel post to: 531 Main St., Colchester, Vt. 05446

Don’t think that this issue is just about feel-good stories though. Scanlon is bringing forth an expanded editorial vision.

“Celebrating youth is great, but we also want to keep it real and hit on a couple of other very serious and practical topics you don’t hear about elsewhere. These include: The parents role in developing their kids as sportsmen and women, practical advice for gear, dealing with peer pressure in the woods, getting hunters started and the ‘high fence’ alternative, and the very real range of emotions that young hunters feel when they kill for the first time,” he said.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine

Sidney, Maine --(AmmoLand.com)- Vinnie Trask of Sidney, Maine celebrated Veteran’s Day a few hours late in the North Maine Woods. He did it in style though with a trophy that carried 8 points and 250-plus pounds.

Trask was staying at Pine Grove Lodge in Pleasant Ridge, Maine, and was a guest of the Pine Grove Program, which gives free hunting, fishing, and outdoor-related trips to people with disabilities – primarily those received as the result of a man-made or natural disaster. In Trask’s case he is a Vietnam-era veteran who lost both of his knees while working on aircraft. These days he gets around on prosthetics with the use of a cane.

Veteran Deer Hunter's Big Maine Buck

Early this morning Trask was working his way into a “hot spot” when he caught the flag of a deer in the distance. As he waited for it to get lighter he slowly worked up a logging trail for a better vantage point.

As Trask topped a small hill he spotted the heavy-racked buck in the distance and fired. The deer disappeared and Trask continued to slowly make his way along. In a short time he caught the deer standing about 150 yards away looking back at him. This would be the big buck’s last mistake. As Trask’s gun again disrupted the quiet morning air the deer dropped out of sight.

Due to the roughness of the terrain Trask waited for reinforcements before going to see if his shot had hit home like he suspected. In no time guides Heath and Steve Howe arrived on the scene.

“It took them about an hour to find the deer,” said Trask. “”It was about 50 yards from where I thought I shot him.” After examining the buck it was clear Trask’s long shot had broken the deer’s back.

“I’ve been lucky to shoot seven deer over 200 pounds,” said Trask, who also wanted to thank Bob and Andrea Howe and the Pine Grove Program for all they do to help people with disabilities.

For more information visit www.pinegroveprogram.com.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine

Colchester, VT --(AmmoLand.com)- The biggest-bodied deer we have heard of to date was taken below the Forks near Bingham, Maine and tipped the scales at 279 pounds. Bob Howe, the owner of Pine Grove Lodge in Bingham, knows the deer population in that area better than anyone.

“It is funny,” said Howe. “It snowed this weekend and we heard a number of hunters say how many deer there are in the area. On dry ground it is harder to see the sign, but when the snow comes it is a blank page everybody can read.”

Howes’ hunters had a few strong days last week, tagging a handful of good bucks; the largest being a 239-pound 8-pointer with a tall rack.

Further to the south in New Hampshire, Roscoe Blaisdell, the president of the New Hampshire Antler and Skull Trophy Club, capitalized on the state’s early blackpowder season with a massive 10-pointer that boasts 2 stickers.

“The blood trail was good at first but petered out after 200 yards,” said Blaisdell. “I searched the rest of the day with no luck. I went back in the morning and crawled along the ground finding specks of blood leading down to a pond. I noticed a brown rock near the other shore that didn’t look right and checked it out. It was him.”

We will be bringing you the complete story of this buck in the January issue of Outdoors Magazine.

As the rut intensifies this week, we will be bringing you breaking news about what is happening in the woods.

For more information and to find out how to win a Suzuki ATV, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine

Bennett’s Pond, CT --(AmmoLand.com)- According to the Connecticut Post, earlier this month, a bowhunter in Bennett’s Pond State Park fired a shot which mortally wounded a deer. As any hunter knows is often the case, the deer didn’t immediately go down and ran a short distance before collapsing.

The hunter tracked the deer. He soon saw that it ran onto private property. Being responsible, he knocked on the landowner’s door and asked for permission to retrieve it. It turns out the property is owned by Lynn Gorfinkle, the CEO of the Animal Rights Alliance in Redding, Conn.

“My husband told him to just go away, he couldn’t have the deer,” Gorfinkle said.

Lynn and other animal-rights proponents argue that killing deer is not the answer to Connecticut’s over-population issues. They feel nature should be allowed to take its course to control deer numbers.

Biologists say that over 62 deer per square mile reside in some of the state’s urban areas.

The sad part of the situation is that the carcass remains in the Gorfinkles’ yard, where it has been since October 2. Lynn hopes that other animals will eat it because it is too big to bury.

“If someone’s going to eat that deer, I want it to be natural predators, not some hunter,” she said.

Ironically, Gorfinkle’s actions may mean the death of another deer.

“Since the hunter did not recover the deer, he did not need to tag it and it doesn’t count toward his bag limit,” said Dennis Schain, Connecticut’s DEC communication director.

To ready more outdoor stories, and to find out how to win a Suzuki ATV, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Outdoors Magazine Adds Cutting-Edge Content

Outdoors Magazine

Colchester, VT --(AmmoLand.com)- Outdoors Magazine, the East’s premiere hunting and fishing publication, is proud to be announcing the addition of several fresh, new columns to its already packed line-up.

“The key to any good publication is keeping it fresh, especially in the outdoors industry. In the past few months we have had the chance to add a couple of outstanding columns and we would be remiss not to take advantage of that,” said Kyle Scanlon, editor of Outdoors Magazine.

Included among the new columns are:

Beyond The Field by Jeff W. Zimba: “Beyond The Field” will focus on small arms, tactical strategies, and the world of highly specialized firearms. “Anybody who follows the world of small arms and cutting edge weapons technology knows who Jeff Zimba is,” said Scanlon. “His column will be an outstanding addition to Outdoors and will blend the world of tactical weaponry and the shooting sportsmen. Actually, to illustrate how highly regarded he is, when one of our sales guys mentioned to a representative from Smith and Wesson that Zimba joined our team, they couldn’t wait to advertise with us. That says a lot when you consider how tight ad budgets are these days.”

Answering The Call by Dylan Ainsworth: The world of calling extends far beyond turkey hunting and there isn’t a better person out there to examine it than Dylan Ainsworth.

“Dylan has a very friendly writing style that speaks to the reader,” said Scanlon. “His advice is no nonsense and covers areas others haven’t dared go. Whether it is calling black bears, deer, predators or turkeys ‘Answering The Call’ will jump into it.”

Radical Bowhunter by Dick Scorzafava: For years, Dick Scorzafava has made a name for himself in pursuit of big game with his bow. The Radical Bowhunter will chronicle his adventures in pursuit of deer, bear, and other big game.

“I have read Scorzafava for years in other publications,” said Scanlon. “When the opportunity came to add him to the pages of Outdoors as a regular it was a natural fit.”

Guide’s Flies by Tony Lolli: “I have to be honest,” said Scanlon. “The last column I wanted to add to Outdoors was a fly-tying piece. There just aren’t a lot of readers who care about how to tie a Mickey Finn or some other common fly. Then Tony pitched me his idea. Guide’s Flies will be the secret flies guides from around the country have developed for their own use. These are patterns you will not see anywhere else in print. It is the fly-tying column others will aspire to be.”

Scratchings by Dennis Jensen: Dennis Jensen is a highly acclaimed outdoor columnist from Rutland, Vermont, with a passion for turkey and deer hunting. “Scratchings” will delve head-first into his strategies with a special insight into the ways of the gobbler.

“Dennis is really the consummate professional,” said Scanlon. “He is not afraid to tackle a topic and doesn’t hold anything back. I almost feel guilty because I know how many more turkeys will be killed as the result of his columns in the magazine.”

For more information, and to find out how to win a free Suzuki ATV, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

Can These Sexy Women Really Hunt?

Outdoors Magazine

Colchester, VT --(AmmoLand.com)- Outdoors Magazine and Whitetails Only will be shining their January spotlights on the steamy world of women and whitetails asking the question no one else dares.

Can the beautiful women we see on television really hunt, or are they just selling sex appeal?

Find out in the January issue.

Plus:

• The East’s Best “Real” Women Deer Hunters. Who are they and what makes them so good?
• Also in the January Issue of Outdoors:
• Larry Benoit reminisces about his Remington pump.
• The advantages of post-rut deer tracking.
• Late-season food sources.
• Bad weather black powder insight – why the gun CAN make the difference.
• Tricks for first-ice trophies.
• Snowstorm duck hunting.
• The technological side of ice fishing.
• And 40 other columns by writers including Hal Blood, Craig Dougherty, R.G. Bernier, Bob Humphrey, Bill Cairns, and many more.

For more information, go to www.outdoorsmagazine.net

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.