Petersen's Hunting August 2021

private land, public resource

THESE DAYS, you have to knock on a lot of doors in the hopes of getting permission to hunt private land. From absentee landowners to leased ground, the barriers to publicly accessible private lands are high and numerous. And other hunters aren’t doing us any favors. When private lands become locked to previously open public access, it’s often for a good reason that’s hard to argue. Other hunters ruined the resource by littering, trespassing, off-roading, poaching, and otherwise trashing land they were lucky to have access to in the first place. The more I talk to farmers and ranchers about hunting—or read admittedly anecdotal reports about landowners locking up land that was once enrolled in a walk-in or other public-access program—the more I hear how horrible hunters really are. And it’s…

out there

This fall, many hunters will be heading afield with bow in hand, dreaming of big bulls and chasing bugles. This pursuit is iconic and one that defines Western hunting. Elk are magnificient and incredibly tough to hunt. If you’re embarking on an elk hunt, you will experience an adventure like never before. The excitement and energy felt from a close-up bull will never be forgotten. If an arrow flies, be prepared for the work to start after that moment. The packout will be grueling. You will be uncomfortable. But put one foot in front of the other and keep moving. The pain will subside, and the suffering will be well worth it.…

old soles

Four continents. No, make that five. (New Zealand is considered a continent, right?) Countless hunts—for both big game and birds. Innumerable miles covered. In snow, rain, heat, and gloom of dawn and dusk. For nearly a decade these Danner Pronghorns were my go-to boots for all but the most extreme mountain hunts. They’ve been covered in mud and blood (both animal and my own), with just a quick rinse and rough scrub before being called back into duty. I may have slathered them with mink oil a time or two, but that’s about all the care they’ve gotten in their lifetime. No one ever said working for me was easy. Last season, I finally had to retire them when I noticed the footboxes had stretched so much no amount of pulling…

skills

If you don’t know what target panic is, you’re lucky. This mental condition takes many shooters by surprise and makes even the thought of a compound bow painful. So what is it? Target panic is a form of anxiety that affects shooters when they become nervous when aiming their bows. The constant motion of the sight pins on the target becomes too much to bear and causes the shooter to become anxious, miss the target, or punch the trigger, forming bad habits that are hard to correct. The bottom line is it’s a miserable ailment that makes shooting less fun and makes you nervous when entering the field. Have hope, though, because you can beat it. Follow these three tips to start your recovery from target panic. 1 BLANK BALING Target panic stems…

bullet board

BULLET BASICS One of the most proven of the semi-modern hunting bullets, the AccuBond has a lead core bonded to a robust copper jacket, a minimal boattail, and a polymer tip that aids aerodynamics and ensures rapid, dramatic expansion on impact. The 90-grain 6mm version shown is the second-smallest of the line. TESTING GROUND My 10-year-old niece shot a massive 7.5-year-old mule deer buck with the bullet shown. Muzzle velocity from her 6mm Creedmoor was 3,160 fps. Shot distance was 60 yards. The buck was uphill, quartering away, and the bullet took him in the crease behind the shoulder. Impact velocity was an estimated 3,035 fps. FIELD PERFORMANCE On impact, the muley bucked and kicked, classic indications of a vital hit. Dashing over the ridge, it vanished, dropping perhaps 20 yards from where it was…

give ’em gear

I’m guessing you have the same “gear locker” I do: totes in a dark corner of the mudroom, or stuffed on shelves in that unfinished bedroom, or piled in the industrial end of the basement near the water heater. It’s where all your excess hunting equipment ends up. And remains. If you’re like me, there’s sun-faded camo in patterns that haven’t been manufactured since the second George Bush was president, a few old backpacks, and tired boots and jackets. If you’re also like me, you’re holding on to it because it might be useful again someday—like it was in its prime a couple of decades ago. Or you might peddle it at a garage sale or online for spending money. But you and I know exactly what its highest purpose is: a gift…