One issue not in question - it's a real nice fish.

Early in our Research and Development program in Southern Chile, one of our guides, Garrett Sullivan, caught this exceptional fish.

We took some shots and released it, thinking “man, that was an awesome brown”.

When we got home, we sent some pictures around to a bunch of folks, and maybe half of them responded saying “great fish, but that’s not a brown – that’s clearly an Atlantic salmon.”

Looks like a salmon here, doesn\'t it?

Over the past couple of years we’ve had a lot of people weigh in on the topic, and opinions seem to be pretty split. We’ve also thought in the past about running polls on our blog, so we figured now’s the time – we’ll let the collective wisdom of the internet identify this fish!

Red spots - brown. Maxillary vs eye - brown. Patchy spots on back - Atlantic. Head shape - Atlantic. Right?

What do you think it is? Leave us a comment.

It’s my opinion that men were made to hunt.
God put it in our DNA.

I am addicted to hunting. I don’t golf or play tennis or hang out in the bars with my buddies. I hunt. When I am not hunting, I am thinking about hunting. When I am doing something my motives are simple, it is either doing something that will make a better life for my family (with me God and Family are always first) or to promote my next hunting adventure.

It’s my opinion that men were made to hunt. God put it in our DNA. Tell me the truth… Have you ever been driving around and saw a cow in a pasture and thought to yourself, wow, the way he is quartering away with his front leg a little forward, that would be a great bow shot, and if that was a bull elk could I make a stalk. Or walked out of a store and when you felt the wind, you instantly knew it was from the Northwest and it would be a good day to be in your favorite hunting blind. Or have you ever agonized over which Broadhead to use, fixed blade or expendables, or should I use my 308 of my 300 WSSM. Now, lets throw a trip to Africa into the mix. You think your obsessed now, wait till you have Africa to think about. My partner Cory and I are going to Africa in May. I’ve been several times but it’s Cory’s first trip. He is so screwed, he will never get over it. Tell me! Is this kind of thinking normal?

Yes, I am addicted to hunting and no I don’t need help. I don’t want help. I live to hunt. I crave a meadow full of Elk or a snow covered mountain with Bighorns working their way up the canyons and when I make it back to my dusty truck, I love to sit on the tailgate, light up a good cigar and ponder about some of Gods wonderful creations that have been so thoughtfully placed here for us hunters to enjoy. Whether I kill or not is not important. I have given everything to my passion and my passion is hunting and if your passion is like mine, it’s a passion to be shared with friends and family. So to my friend Cory. Lets go to Africa!!!!!!

If you share the same passion that Cory and I have and hunting consumes your every thought we encourage you to leave a comment below. We would also love to exchange stories of obsession so keep us posted on your thoughts.

May God Bless,
Doak

ps. Sometimes I like to fish as well. Today I went crappie fishing. Enjoy the pictures!

White Rhino Cow Management Hunt

The White Rhino, through much effort by hunters and conservationists has increased in numbers sufficiently to once again be hunted in South Africa. The Black Rhino (Diceros bicomis) has not made such a successful comeback and is still highly protected. The White Rhino or square-lipped rhino is much larger than the Black or hook-lipped rhino weighing in at as much as two and one-half tons. He has a broader and longer head and a prominent hump in the shoulder region. The White Rhino is an exclusive grazer, social in nature and relatively docile except when mating or protecting their young. The Rhino can live as long as 40 years. The smaller Black Rhino can be identified by his smaller, shorter head and rounder ears; he has a distinct prehensile or hooked upper lip. He is an exclusive browser. The Black Rhino weighs in at just about a ton and can be much more aggressive than his cousin the White Rhino. He has been known to charge without provocation.

This is the cow that will be hunted

Both species and both sexes carry two continuously growing dense hair like horns. Dominant breeding bulls can be very territorial. Possessed of extremely good hearing and a well-developed sense of smell, their eyesight is poor making them fairly easy to approach from downwind if your stalk is done slowly and quietly.

This member of the Big Five has very thick skin thus larger caliber rifles with well-constructed bullets are the order of the day. Solids would always be a good choice for their excellent penetration but remember to be cognizant of what is behind your target, as this type bullet will often exit. Once again look to the PH for guidance.

MyNature – Is your digital guide to animal tracks and wildlife in the palm of your hand for iphone or ipod 3.0 or higher.

A couple of weeks ago Rick at Whitetail Woods wrote about MyNature and because I think it’s a great app, I thought I would write about it here as well.

I loved to explain how it all works but it is much easier to watch the video.

What a great tool to have when out in the field or spending a day out in the woods with your kids teaching them about nature.

And if it was designed specifically for The Hunter’s Wife – I’d love for it to say…

“Fresh bear track – you better hightail it out of there – NOW!”

“And don’t climb a tree – bears climb trees.”

Rumor has it that soon MyNature app will be available on other phones as well.   I have a Blackberry so I will have to wait until then.

Blog: MyNature Blog with updates and tips.

Download: The app is priced at $6.99 – download MyNature app.

Interview: My good friends at Outdoors With Dan Small radio did an interview with Jeff Greco from MyNature.

Have a great day all … and happy animal tracking.  And hightailing it out of there.

I just got through watching “Survivor” on TV. Any “Survivor “ fans out there? Anyway, I saw a commercial about passports, and BAM (I am a chef and an Emeral fan as well as a hunter ) I thought I should write a blog about traveling.

Each year thousands of hunters travel to Canada to hunt big game and waterfowl and enjoy some of the best fishing in the world. Canada is quick to get to and you have an abundance of outfitters to choose from. However, crossing the border between Canada and the US is becoming increasingly difficult, whether it’s through the air or by land. The rules have changed dramatically in the last few years so there are a few things that I like to discuss with my hunting and fishing clients before they embark on their next Canadian adventure.

Until recently all that was needed to travel to Canada was a current US drivers license or a birth certificate, but that is no longer the case. All hunters entering and leaving Canada now have to have in their possession a valid passport. It’s easy to get a passport and can be obtained at most Government Offices, but it does take about 6 weeks so don’t wait till the last minute to try to obtain one.

A Canadian gun registration form must also be filled out when going through Canadian Customs accompanied by a $25 fee and is good for 60 days. You will want to complete the paperwork ahead of time but don’t sign the document until you go through Customs. We will supply you with this document and it must be with you and the firearm at all times.

Hunting license regulations also vary greatly from province to province so be sure to follow the instructions supplied by your outfitter. License information can also be found on the internet by going to the fish and wildlife agencies for each Canadian province. Getting into Canada isn’t much different today than it was 10 years ago but the preparation takes a little longer. A good Hunting Broker like Outdoors International will take you by the hand and walk you through the process so all you need to worry about is how big will my trophy be. I hope your next adventure to Canada is a memorable one.

Good hunting and God Bless,
Doak

Larry Knowlton and his 419 Gross New Mexico bull elk

“I can’t tell you how many ghost stories, false leads and over-exaggerated elk we chased for the past 5 months, but in the end I think it was all worth it! [The Outfitter] had originally located this bull in early November, and spent weeks of their time trying to get this bull for Larry. At 3:30pm on Saturday, after a 4.5 hr climb to get to this bull that lived in the worst place I have ever seen in my entire life.”

Mr. Knowlton shot a 419″ gross 7×8 with 64″ of mass, 54″ beams and a whole lotta tines. At 430 yards his first shot was just over his back, but shots 2 & 3 were perfect and a few seconds later the bull was down. They actually had him figured at 403″ – 406″, but he was so massive that they under-judged a bit. Because of the huge mass they though his beams were shorter than what they actually are. The main frame is 388″, with 31″ of extras, for a total 419″ gross.

Look at the mass on this huge New Mexico bull elk

Your ability should be based on your worst groups on your worst day. In other words if you ever put an arrow outside a 4 inch circle at any distance you should not consider that your maximum range. This may seem harsh but most bow hunters skills are drastically reduced in real hunting conditions. Are you as good on game as you are on paper? Do you practice in awkward positions with your hunting clothes on? Your 4 inch groups will probably be more like 8 inches in the field!

Here are some tips to help you extend your range in the field.

1. Practice most of the time at ranges well beyond your comfort zone. If most of the time you practice at 60 yards, your 40 yard shot will feel like a chip shot.
2. Practice in hunting clothes, gloves, hats and face masks from awkward positions. Positions used in the field.
3. Focus on the alignment of your bow and watch the bubble level on the sight. Proper alignment is crucial for distance shooting.
4. Follow through. At short distance you can get away with bad habits but at long distances, form is crucial. Relax your grip and try to remain motionless until the arrow hit’s the target.

The E-Z Open knife was invented and field tested by professional hunter Rick Young. The E-Z Open Metolius is 9” long and made from 440A Stainless Steel with a firmly embedded composite ball for guiding the blade between the animal skin and muscle structure.

By cutting from the inside outward in long continuous cuts, the tool ensures clean cuts and eliminates problems with opening the entrails during field dressing. Here are my thoughts:

Ease of Use:
Super easy to use. ‘Nuf said.

Functionality:
The knife performed exactly as it was supposed to. The ball on the end, although it looks kind of goofy, keeps the blade from getting into the guts and opened up the badger just like a zipper. Mutch better than traditional hook knives.

Is it Practical?
It is practical for most situations, although I don’t believe that I would keep one in my day pack if I was on a strenuous hunt such as archery elk. In that case it would be an extra knife and not a neccesity. That isn’t to say that I wouldn’t keep it in my truck though. If I was hunting on a stand, I would definately take it along.

* That said, check out the 2-Blade Folding Metolius EZ Open & Skinner

Will My Buddies Make Fun of Me?
They might at first, because like I said before, it kind of looks weird with that ball on the end. Once they use it though, the jokes will be over.

TOTAL SCORE:
If you’re in the market for a good knife, check out: www.rickyoungoutdoors.com.

Steve Lewellen and his son Rusty have hunted whitetails in Illinois before but never seen the magical days of the November rut. The bucks were on their feet and moving throughout the entire day, and they had set a goal of only shooting a buck if it was over 150. That goal was tested over and over again as numerous deer over the 140 mark came by their stand.

At last light on the second night of the hunt Rusty shot a 14 point. The buck scored just over 153″. This was further proof that both Rusty and Steve had made the right decision to hold out for a big buck.

Steve proceeded to hunt daylight to dark, passing on 15 different deer over 140 but not quite 150. Steve also saw 2 bucks well over 150 but just not within bow range. It never did come together for Steve but he had intense action the entire time he was in the stand for 4 straight days.

Although he didn’t get his buck, Steve’s comment to sum up his hunt was “action packed”. That is exactly what Illinois is in the November rut, action packed and something whitetail hunters should experience at least once.

Check out this incredible Southern Illinois Whitetail hunt if you would like more information.