Hunting

Europeans demand a high code of hunter ethics. One must pass an exam for a Deer Stalking Certificate to obtain a required firearms certificate to hunt in Great Britain. Those hunting on government Forestry Commission Land must pass both the beginners and advanced course. In 1789, Robert Burns penned the famous chorus My heart’s in … Continued

By V. Paul Reynolds It was mid-November in the Big Deer Woods. A northeast wind was rocking the hemlock tops and pushing a cold, pelting rain that seemed to penetrate the slicker beneath my wool hunting shirt. The damp, raw day was in my pores. Noon or not, it was time to call it a … Continued

By V. Paul Reynolds On average the Reynolds family freezer winds up with some venison about every other year. The math has been surprisingly consistent over the past 50 years.  Having been skunked in 2015, this past fall was to be the year to get out the Food Saver and the meat grinder. But it … Continued

BY V. Paul Reynolds The biggest eye-opener for most first-time moose hunters is after the animal is down. This is when the real work begins. As we all know moose are large critters, very large, and getting a 1,000 lb. carcass out of a tangled clear cut to the nearest accessible road can be a … Continued

A grouse – by any other name, pa’tridge, biddie, or thunder chicken – is no easy target. In fact, this game bird’s ability to escape and evade the best of wing shooters is legendary. Outdoor writer Jim Harrison writes about the grouse hunt: “Surely it is a dream world: the nearly thundering flush and the … Continued

By Bob Noonan When I was in high school back in the 50s I was a big fan of outdoor writer Jack O’Connor. He said the .270 was the ultimate deer cartridge, and that was gospel to me. When I turned 16 Dad let me buy a used .270 Remington 721 bolt for $75. That … Continued