Petersen's Hunting August 2018

Earlier this summer, the Huffington Post published an open letter written by former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe calling for “responsible firearm regulation.” Ashe is no friend of hunters and anglers, which he proved by an order requiring the use of “nontoxic ammunition and fishing tackle to the fullest extent practicable” on public lands managed by the USFWS. What may surprise you is that the anti-gun letter was co-signed by a dozen other self-proclaimed outdoor influencers, including eight former outdoor writers who identified themselves as members of the Outdoor Writers Association of America Circle of Chiefs. I won’t go into the specifics of what Ashe and his cronies deem responsible firearm regulation, but their demands read like standard gun-control copy: a minimum age of 21 to purchase firearms;…

Just a week after the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, CNN aired what it called a Town Hall, pitting members of the Parkland community against political figures like Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch, as well as National Rifle Association (NRA) spokesperson Dana Loesch and Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. Students, teachers, and parents, seething with anger, stood together to ask what would be done to ensure a shooting like this would never happen again. The large crowd surrounded a small stage lit to call attention to leaders who would stand and face this community. The evening’s agenda was clear: highlight the survivors of this tragedy and give them a voice. But the open wounds of the prior week’s › shooting…

BULLET BASICS This boattailed, polymer-tipped, all-copper bullet is arguably the perfect monometal projectile. It’s a tough, controlled-expansion big-game bullet that tends to offer best-in-class penetration. Grooves around the shank provide room for rifling-displaced material to flow into and reduce pressures, enabling the TTSX to be driven to high velocities. The tip enhances aerodynamics and allows the hollow point in the actual bullet to be much bigger, which results in more reliable expansion than with non-tipped monometal bullets. TESTING GROUND Kimber’s Ryan Busse used the bullet shown to make a one-shot kill on a six-by-six bull from 562 yards. Exiting the muzzle of his .280 Ackley Improved rifle at 3,100 fps, it impacted at an estimated 2,025 fps, just inside the velocity threshold for reliable expansion. FIELD PERFORMANCE Impacting the quartering-away bull at the rear of…

HISTORY Designed in 1959 for a U.S. Army contract, this magnum is the fastest of all factory-available .30-caliber cartridges. And it’s not just powerful, it’s accurate, having set a world record in 1,000-yard benchrest shooting that stood for over three decades. It was also the first cartridge to record the first 10-X 1,000-yard score. Interestingly, Weatherby didn’t offer it to the public until 1996. Utilizing Weatherby’s .378 Magnum as a parent case, the .30-378 is a true magnum in every sense: long, large in diameter, and excessively powerful. APPLICATION Because the cartridge generates tremendous amounts of velocity with heavy-for-caliber projectiles, it’s suitable for any game that walks North America. But since those high velocities can shred standard bullets on impact, it requires controlled-expansion hunting bullets. Although some hunters use it on deer-size game with great…

HUNTWORTH understands the budget-minded hunter who requires dependable gear. The Men’s Bonded Jacket features a double layer of velvety, low-pile fleece for silent stalking, while a waffle fleece lines the insides to capture body heat. Premium add-ons include a harness access hole, tapered arms, and an antimicrobial treatment to cut down on scent. The Bonded Jacket and Soft Shell Pant are water repellent for unexpected rain. The pants are fitted with deep front pockets and zip cargo pockets for extra storage. Both pieces come in Huntworth’s new Hidd’n camo. Jacket: $100; Pants: $70; huntworthgear.com The last thing you want is loud swishing noises when stirring in your treestand. NOMAD created its Cottonwood 1/2 Zip Jacket with Berber fleece for a silent, deadly garment that is the perfect outer shell for long…

KAY FOYE is a New York corporate lifer, turned Colorado ranch hand, turned knifemaker. Nurtured by a childhood surrounded by horses and inspired by her mother, a talented chef, whose way of wielding a kitchen knife was legendary, Foye found her calling not in the concrete canyons of the city, but on the open plains of the West, where she learned the importance of a sharp blade strapped to her belt. Recognizing knives as mankind’s first primitive implement, a hunter’s must-have tool, a means of survival, and a staple on the dinner table, Foye began a collection. Each acquired knife possessed a memory and ignited a passion for handcrafted blades. A chance meeting with skilled knifemaker Jake Asuit led to an apprenticeship, and Foye discovered her life’s work in the forge. “Each…