Petersen's Hunting December/January 2021-22

IT’S ALWAYS a little bittersweet to pen my letter to readers for this issue. Yes, it marks the end of the year, but what really makes it difficult is I have to write it in early October to hit our print deadline. Hunting seasons have only just begun and here I am forced to reminisce about their end. So let’s not get maudlin for what’s behind us, but instead let’s embrace the days we have left before seasons come to a close. For the turn of the calendar often marks some of the most unforgettable hunting of the year. As much hype as September gets as the best month for hunters, I’d argue December is even better, especially for those of us who embrace misery and the company that it loves.…

There’s another season that peaks just after the first of the year: sport show season. And after last year’s cancelled events, 2022 will be an epic reunion with manufacturers, outfitters, and other outdoor friends and family. If I had to pick only one show to attend, it would be the Safari Club International Convention, to be held in Las Vegas on January 19-22. The world-class taxidermy displays alone are worth the modest price of admission, but the SCI Convention holds so much more. Whether you want to book a once-in-a-lifetime big-game hunt or get info on the top wingshooting lodges here in the States, the convention marks the gathering of the best outfitters from around the globe. There are also aisles and aisles of new gear for the field and…

Of all the retrieves a gun dog might encounter in a well-hunted life, none is more difficult than a wounded honker floating down a flowing river on the verge of freeze-up. Add in several more geese when you and your buddies take down a flock and, well, that’s when a good Lab earns the free room and board it receives the nine months of the year outside of hunting season. Non-hunters might wonder how someone could send their dog into a slush-filled river on a sub-zero-degree day. To which a waterfowler would answer: How could you not? The Lab was literally bred for these kinds of conditions, and holding a well-trained gun dog back from doing what it was born to do is real animal cruelty.…

There are dozens of practical knots that will secure your gear outdoors. Here’s a look at two simple, versatile knots: the half hitch and the clove hitch. Half Hitch: The half hitch is the simplest overhand knot and is used to “hitch” one item to another. Wrap the rope’s working end (the end of the rope being tied) around a tree or post and wrap the free end around the standing end (the portion of the rope that isn’t being used to make the knot) and pull tight. The half hitch isn’t a secure knot on its own, but it forms the basis for other, more versatile and secure knots. Still, it’s the fastest and simplest way to lash anything. Clove Hitch: The clove hitch consists of two half hitches. First, wrap…

If you don’t enjoy shooting a Colt Woodsman, there’s not much I can do for you. Mine is a Target Model. The bluing is worn here and there, but after an initial cleaning, I took it on a test run. I found three old cans of beer—long forgotten and repeatedly heated/cooled/heated to skunkiness. I shook the hell out of them, set them against an embankment, stepped off 15 paces, and turned and drew the Woodsman. The angle of the grip seems to naturally align the sights without fighting your wrist. The thumbrest on the left handle (sorry, southpaws) provides a steadying ledge for your thumb. Pop! Beer foam spewed, and a punctured can rolled down the bank. Pop. Pop. Holy crap! Same results. Not bad for a 70-year-old .22-caliber pistol. I’m not saying…

BULLET BASICS Created as a deep-penetrating, non-expanding companion bullet to the legendary expanding Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, the Sledgehammer Solid shoots to the same point of impact as a like-weight Bear Claw, enabling dangerous-game hunters to swap bullet types as the situation dictates. Built using a massively thick brass jacket with a lead core inserted from the base and bonded inside, the Sledgehammer features a flat nose that optimizes straight penetration and maximizes wound cavity size. A grooved shank reduces bearing surface and thus pressure, allowing maximum velocities and benefitting accuracy. Currently, factory-loaded versions are available in most popular dangerous-game cartridges, and .375 and .475 component versions may be purchased for handloading. TESTING GROUND The bullet shown was handloaded into a .475 Turnbull cartridge used in a customized Winchester Model 1886 lever action…