I’ve seen all kinds of turkey decoy tactics across the country in the past 20 years. Breeding sets, back feather rugs, and walking behind silhouettes. I have tried it all. At least I thought so until I hunted with guide Justin Nott at Laughing Water Ranch Outfitters in north central Nebraska. They take close to 100 turkeys every spring. I’ve seen a lot of weird turkey decoy tactics, and below is a favorite.

Turkey decoy tactics

Justin talked about one of the turkey decoy tactics he uses for gobblers in open meadows and fields. If you’ve hunted turkeys enough there’s a good chance you’ve been in this situation: a big strutter in the middle of a wide open field. Maybe he’s got a few hens with him or he’s just being a stubborn gobbler. You’ve thrown every call in your vest at him. He seems interested, but not coming any closer. The only chance you have to get that bird closer is to get a turkey decoy out in the field, but there’s no cover and no way to crawl out there without being seen. So how do you get the decoy out there? Simple, just throw it. Well, more of a controlled roll like you’re bowling. This may sound like a long shot, but it has actually worked for him many times. The throw is movement, which will always garner a turkey’s attention, and it’s surprising how often the reaction is positive.

Most turkey decoys don’t bowl real well. Justin was fortunate this past fall to field test the Best Turkey Decoy. The way the birds came in and crushed the turkey decoy made it feel like spring. He even had a good tom mount it, which is pretty rare to see in the fall. Not only is the Best Turkey Decoy a detailed and life-like turkey decoy, it almost always lands upright when tossed! Let’s face it, you’re not going to throw a cheap foam decoy too far. A full body strutter such as a Killer B or Pretty boy could work, but they’re too big and awkward to roll. Plus, if you’re using a real fan there’s a good chance you’ll destroy it. In the past, Nott used a specially modified mounted jake named Frankenstein. Unfortunately, Frankenstein was fairly delicate and wasn’t very fond of being tossed around, especially into a wet field. Still, it got quite a few wise old birds killed, but he was spending as much time repairing it as he was hunting.

Turkey decoy tactics practice

With a little practice, Justin says you can roll the Best Turkey Decoy out to 30 yards and make it sit upright 8 out of 10 times. Even if the turkey decoy doesn’t sit upright you’re still in the game. A quality turkey decoy laying on its side can give the impression of a wounded bird. Most toms, whether they’re the dominant bird in the area or not, will likely jump at the chance to easily get rid of potential competition. Also, turkeys know by instinct that a wounded bird can attract predators and will try to push it out of the area. He’s actually had birds commit to Frankenstein while he was lying upside down on his back.

Another situation this technique is good for is when you use a hen yelp to locate a bird in thicker timber and he’s already on top of you. The bird is coming and there is no time to think out the best set up. Just toss the turkey decoy in the direction of the bird and find the nearest tree. It might save you the heartache of spooking that fast-closing tom. A locator call such as an owl or crow call helps, but sometimes birds just wont respond, especially during midday.

Bowling turkey decoys is more of a last ditch effort, but it’s definitely something you want to keep at the bottom of your bag of tricks. I know there’s a good chance you’ll see me bowling for turkeys this spring. For more turkey decoy tactics, come see Justin at Laughing Water Ranch. Maybe we can go bowling together.

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, a Bozeman, Montana-based fly fishing travel company and one of the largest booking agents in the industry, is pleased to announce the release of their new 2012 trip planning catalog and destination resource guide.

The new guide is the biggest, most detailed, and most informative publication that Yellow Dog has ever released. It includes profiles of Yellow Dog’s domestic and international lodge offerings, as well as new articles from Stu Apte, John Hudgens, Dan “Rooster” Leavens, Jim Klug, Ian Davis, and others. The new publication also includes a wide variety of travel advice, trip planning information, hundreds of destination photos and several travel stories. “This is far and away the biggest project we’ve ever assembled,” said Ian Davis, co-owner of Yellow Dog and the company’s Director of Saltwater Programs. “We really feel that this is one publication that people are going to read cover to cover and ultimately hold on to for the future!”

Copies of the new full-color, 68-page “magazine-style” guide will be mailed out to all past and present Yellow Dog clients. Copies are also being distributed at all of the Fly Fishing Shows currently in progress around the country, as well as several other regional fly fishing and consumer shows taking place in 2012. A hard copy of the new guide can be ordered for no charge by visiting the Yellow Dog website at www.yellowdogflyfishing.com.

The new destination guide can also be viewed online in a Flipbook format, and can be downloaded to an iPad, tablet, laptop or smartphone. Those interested in the e-version of the new catalog can click the following link: http://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/flyfishingcatalogvacations/2012yellowdog/.

The team at O’Neill Innovations thrive on using science and leading-edge technology to create significant improvements in the consumer benefits offered by existing products. For them, established methods resulting in incremental product improvements just aren’t exciting.

“Above all else, we’re innovators,” said company president Michael O’Neill. “It’s all about finding new, innovative ways to refresh and modernize products we all use.”

Founded in 2007, O’Neill Innovations is revitalizing the market for everyday products by using novel material science to eliminate problems customers despise but have resigned themselves to accept. That concept is the inspiration for the company’s first product, the MAXFIT Thinglove grip technology.

The MAXFIT glove isn’t simply a redesign of an existing product; it’s a totally new category of outdoor glove. Engineered with an advanced proprietary technology designed to be kind to the skin, MAXFIT’s Thinglove TM construction enables the fingertips to maintain a level of touch sensitivity not possible with bulky gloves. They provide incredible dexterity and grip, allowing precise movement and control for even the most delicate tasks.

“We’re working to bring new technology to market by thinking about things differently,” O’Neill said. “We want to use our knowledge and innovation to significantly improve value and benefits for customers.”

Inventing new technologies has long been a passion for Michael O’Neill, President and Anthony Bromley, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer.

As president of his previous company, O’Neill invented a proprietary technology currently used in a sports equipment product made by Spalding. He earned a degree in chemical engineering at The Queens University of Belfast in his native Ireland, and worked for DuPont in engineering, project management, and research and development. He also led several successful new business development ventures in semi-permeable polyurethane materials science, and he has created a number of patented products.

The company firmly believes the customer comes first. “Listening and focusing on the customer’s needs by offering them the right solution and the best value is the key to mutual success”, said Anthony Bromley, Chief Marketing Officer.

While the company operates in the United States, their goal is to be recognized globally as an innovative leader.

The wolf continues to bounce back after it was hunted nearly to extinction by the early 20th century. This week, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service removed the wolf from the federal endangered list and put wolf-management control back in the hands of three Great Lakes states, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Now, it is up to the individual states to decide how to manage the population including hunting laws, lethal control in regards to livestock, personal property and other laws. USFWS reminds Great Lakes residents that each state has its own laws concerning wolves and those living on the border of two states, especially those in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan and north Wisconsin, should seek proper information regarding their state.

More information on your state’s laws on wolves can be found on your state’s Natural Resources or Fish and Game Department. Click for Michigan DNR Wolves, Wisconsin DNR Wolves, and Minnesota DNR Wolves.

Original press release issued by Michigan DNR on January 27th, 2012.

Management authority over wolves in Michigan has been officially returned to the Department of Natural Resources, putting the state’s Wolf Management Plan into effect, the DNR announced today.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove wolves in the western Great Lakes region from the federal endangered species list became official today. The Great Lakes region includes Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Wolves remain a protected, nongame species in Michigan, but state management will afford more options when dealing with wolves preying on livestock or dogs.

“Delisting is a victory for the state and for Michigan citizens who have been affected by this issue,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. “The state’s healthy wolf population is a reminder that Michigan still has places where wild animals such as wolves can live and thrive. Fully implementing the state’s Wolf Management Plan will allow us to more effectively respond to problem wolves, while maintaining a self-sustaining wolf population and increasing social acceptance of the species as a whole.”

The DNR will continue to recommend nonlethal methods of control as the first option for residents. However, in cases where nonlethal methods are not working or are not feasible, state officials will now have greater flexibility to use lethal means to remove problem wolves when appropriate. In addition, Michigan residents will be able to legally protect their livestock and dogs if an animal is being attacked by a wolf.

The Michigan Legislature passed laws in 2008 to allow livestock or dog owners, or their designated agents, to remove, capture, or, if deemed necessary, use lethal means to destroy a wolf that is “in the act of preying upon” (attempting to kill or injure) the owner’s livestock or dog(s). These state laws took effect Jan. 27, 2012.

Livestock or dog owners who use lethal means to destroy a wolf must observe the following guidelines:

1. Report the lethal take of a wolf by calling the Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 800-292-7800 no later than 12 hours after the lethal take.
2. Retain possession of the wolf until a DNR official is available to take possession. A DNR official will respond to the scene within 12 hours of notification.
3. Do not move or disturb the dead wolf. The only exception to this rule is if a wolf has been killed in the act of preying upon livestock and leaving the wolf in place would impede normal farming practices. In that case the wolf may be moved to a secure location once photographs are taken of the wolf and the area where lethal means were used.

“Although lethal control methods are now legal in certain circumstances, wolves remain a protected species in Michigan and no hunting or trapping season is in place,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “The DNR will investigate and continue prosecution of any wolf poaching cases.”

Illegally killing a wolf is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, and the cost of prosecution. Suspected poaching violations may be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the DNR’s RAP hotline at 800-292-7800.

There are an estimated 687 wolves in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For more information on Michigan’s wolf population, greater detail about the two laws governing wolf depredation, and to see the state’s Wolf Management Plan, visit www.michigan.gov/wolves.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations.  For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

After extensive field testing by its members, the North American Hunting Club has awarded the Tri-Tronics Bark Limiter G3 its prestigious Seal of Approval, with a 100% approval rating. “The Bark Limiter G3 quieted my barking lab. It stopped the unwanted nuisance barks by the second day of use,” remarked one field tester.

Another field tester commented, “The Bark Limiter works like a charm!! My dog barked at everything, with the collar, I don’t hear him anymore. I wish my neighbor had a collar for his dog!”

With 5 intensity levels, the Bark Limiter is a rugged and simple tool for dog owners to control unwanted nuisance barking. The compact waterproof receiver and collar strap fits dogs of all sizes. The field testers cited the Bark Odometer™ as a key to the Bark Limiter’s effectiveness, “Being able to count the number of corrections really helped me select the appropriate stimulation level for my dog.”

“The North American Hunting Club is long respected institution in the hunting industry,” stated Gary Williams, Tri-Tronics Marketing and Sales Manager . “We are pleased that our Bark Limiter was rated so highly by their field testers. It’s an honor to receive their Seal of Approval.”

Tri-Tronics, a Garmin company, manufactures a full line of electronic dog training equipment. The Bark Limiter is backed by a one year warranty. All products are made in the USA.

The California Fish and Game Commission has approved a third 2011/2012 late season hunting opportunity for geese.

Licensed hunters can now hunt white-fronted geese and white geese during the late season for geese in the Balance of the State Zone. This is in addition to the already established late season goose hunts in the North Coast and Imperial County Special Management Areas.

The purpose of these late season goose hunts is to reduce goose crop depredation complaints on private lands. Providing hunting opportunities in the late season will help reduce potential crop depredation by lowering the population(s) and shifting geese onto public areas. Most goose populations that winter in California are at or above population goals and remain in California through late spring. Providing hunting opportunities at this time helps minimize potential damage on agricultural lands. All late season goose hunts are closed on Type A and B wildlife areas. However, other public lands open to waterfowl hunting may be open during these late season hunts.

The new season in the Balance of the State Zone will be open from Feb. 18 through Feb. 22. A daily bag limit of eight geese is allowed which may include up to six white geese or up to six white-fronted geese. The Sacramento Valley Special Management Area will be closed to the take of white-fronted geese during the late season goose hunt. Type A and B wildlife areas will not be open to hunting. However, Type C areas and other public lands that allow waterfowl hunting may be open.

The North Coast Special Management Area will be open from Feb. 18 through Mar. 10. The daily bag limit is six small Canada geese only. Large Canada geese cannot be taken during the late season hunt. Type A, B and C wildlife areas will not be open to hunting but other public lands that allow waterfowl hunting may be open.

The Imperial County Special Management Area will be open from Feb. 11 through Feb. 26. The daily bag limit is six white geese. Type A, B and C wildlife areas will not be open to hunting but other public lands that allow waterfowl hunting may be open.

The complete regulations can be found at www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations.

Hunter Safety System, the industry leader in treestand safety equipment, has introduced the HSS Hybrid vest. The Hybrid combines the best of both the full-featured HSS Pro Series vest and the lightweight, streamlined HSS Ultra Lite X-Treme vest to deliver the perfect balance of form and function.

Built on the patented lightweight harness system, which provides unparalleled strength and comfort when seated or standing at full draw, the Hybrid’s upper is streamlined to minimize bulk when worn over hunting clothes. The Hybrid’s lower portion features six pockets, including two fleece-lined hand-warmer pockets, two security pockets and a pair of quick-access utility pockets. Smart fabrics are used to reduce the Hybrid’s overall weight to only 3 pounds, while remaining durable and deadly quiet at any temperature.

The Hybrid is approved to the standards of Treestand Manufacturers Association. With three simple yet strong buckles to connect, the Hybrid is easy to put on, and there are no dangling straps or confusing weave-throughs. The Hybrid also features a built-in binocular/accessory strap system for convenience on stand. The HSS Hybrid will be available at retailers this spring for $149.95.

Conservation organizations and hunters who support the cause already work hard to preserve the species they love and the land they live on. Now the U.S. House of Representatives is working to make raising funds for conservation efforts a little easier.

On Monday, January 23rd, the House passed a vote that fully allows the use of E-Duck stamps, a temporary electronic stamp, while hunters wait for their physical stamps to arrive in the mail.

Eight states that participated in the four-year trial program saw success. The bill passed with 373 representatives in favor, only one opposed. Now the bill passes onto the Senate for a vote. If the bill passes in its final stages, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will have authority to extend the program permanently to all 50 states, allowing for quick and easy access for waterfowl conservation.

Original press release issued by Ducks Unlimited on January 26th, 2012:

A U.S. House of Representatives vote yesterday could mean permanent easy access for hunters looking to buy their federal duck stamps online. The e-Duck Stamp program, started four years ago on a trial basis, allows hunters 16 and older to purchase temporary duck stamps online until their physical stamps arrive in the mail.

Prior to this pilot program, waterfowl hunters were required to buy federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps, or duck stamps, at post offices and sporting goods stores. The trouble came when suppliers ran out of stamps early in the season or small rural post offices didn’t carry the stamps at all.

Ducks Unlimited’s Scott Sutherland, director of the Governmental Affairs Office in Washington, D.C., testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources to keep the e-Duck Stamp program alive after its pilot period ended. He lauded the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Rob Wittman of Virginia.

“The trial that was arranged under the Electronic Duck Stamp Act legislation has worked,” Sutherland testified in October 2011. “Because of its success in making federal duck stamps easier to obtain, while preserving the heritage and utility of the traditional stamps and attendant art, Ducks Unlimited supports the proposal to make this program permanent.”

Originally enacted in 1934, the Federal Duck Stamp was created as a federal waterfowl hunting license and a means to conserve waterfowl habitat. The program has generated more than $800 million to protect more than 6 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the United States, land now part of the USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System. The stamps now cost $15 per year, with 98 percent of revenue going straight to land purchases, easements and leases.

“For generations, the funds that waterfowlers spend create jobs, pay for conservation programs, and the duck stamp is a good example of the effort to invest in the resource we care for,” Sutherland said. “Funds from the purchase of this stamp go toward conserving land beneficial to the public and waterfowl across the country. Ducks Unlimited stands firmly behind this program, and we are seeking support from Congress to make this important online component permanent.”

Now that the House has responded positively to this push for the program, with a 373-1 vote, DU is asking the Senate to do the same. If the Senate vote is successful, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would have the authority to make the program permanent and extend it to all states.

The Firearm Blog broke a story yesterday about the first public showing of the new AK-12 rifle.

According to the info in the post, the gun will feature:

• Ambidextrous forward charging handle.
• Smaller ejection port.
• New safety switch.
• New fire control switch with three modes of fire (single shot, 3 round burst and full auto).
• New hinged top cover. The cover is a lot more rigid that the previous AK rifles.
• Quad picatinny rails.
• Folding and length adjustable stock.
• Ergonomic pistol grip (with a decent radius between trigger guard and grip).
• New muzzle brake that attaches to standard NATO 22mm threading.
• Improved barrel rifling.

Izhmash (the industrial conglomerate that now controls Russian AK development and sales) has been hinting at a new generation of AK for some time now. This prototype appears to be exactly that. It will be available in a “Light” version that can switch between 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm (.223 Rem) and 7.62x39mm and a “Heavy” version, which only makes mention of 7.62x51mm.

Seems to me that they’re bringing the AK platform more in line with modular nature of western small arms, what with all the rails and apparent ability to switch between calibers by swapping out a few parts. In this humble gun enthusiast’s opinion, interchangeability of cartridge type in a single weapon package seems to be the next “big thing” in military weapons development, and this prototype is just more evidence of that.

It will probably be a long time before a version of this gun hits the American consumer market, if at all. Many of the features present in the new gun are already available in after market accessories in the US, however.

Special thanks to the Firearm Blog for their permission to use the info in this post.