Flushing, Michigan – Carbon Express®, a leader in arrow technology and innovation is adding another broadhead to its growing family, with the TroikaTM Lite 75. At 75 grains, this broadhead is a perfect choice for youth and low poundage bows.

The Troika Lite™ 75 features a bone breaking Trocar Steel tip and three heavy duty blades for strength and accuracy. In addition, the broadhead features a 1 1/8 inch cutting diameter, blade thicknesses of .020” and a weight of 75 grains. The suggested retail price is $15.95 for a pack of three.

About Carbon Express®
Carbon Express®, an Eastman Outdoors Inc. brand, is the leading manufacturer of high performance carbon hunting and target arrows and arrow components for hunters and target shooters. For more information or customer service visit www.carbonexpressarrows.com, or call 800.241.4833

I have a hard time finding Camo that fits me like I want it to. Jackets aren’t so much of a problem, but when my favorite pair of brush pants wore out, I had a hard time finding a pair of pants to replace them.

First of all, I wanted them to be durable, yet not too heavy or stiff, as I needed them for warm weather turkey hunting, and early season bow, which could get pretty warm. I didn’t like the high waisted styles since they were uncomfortable to me, and I hated having to pull my jacket up to find my pants pocket. Ideally, I wanted a pair of pants that fit me like me favorite pair of worn out jeans, only more durable. But was that even possible?

One day I was flipping through a Native Outdoors magazine and I saw an advertisement for their online store featuring women’s clothing, including a pair of Realtree Girl Cargo Pants. This was the first time I’d seen them advertised, so I went to the website to check them out. Lowrise, fitted through the waist and thigh, yet relaxed enough for easy movement or for a pair of long underwear underneath, the pants had plenty of pockets and looked durable. I ordered them.

I first wore them bowhunting in September and couldn’t have been happier with them. They fit perfectly, were comfortable, durable, and not only that, they looked good too! I would recommend these to any outdoors woman, and when mine wear out I’m going back for another pair!

MISSOULA, Mont.—In letters to legislators and newspapers across the West, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is calling out groups like Defenders of Wildlife, Western Wildlife Conservancy and others for their disingenuous use of data on wolves and elk.

The RMEF action was prompted by each group’s recent op-ed articles in the media, as well as testimony before Utah lawmakers by Western Wildlife Conservancy Executive Director Kirk Robinson. All cited RMEF statistics to argue that restored wolf populations have somehow translated to growing elk herds in the northern Rockies.

“The theory that wolves haven’t had a significant adverse impact on some elk populations is not accurate. We’ve become all too familiar with these groups’ tactic of cherry-picking select pieces of information to support their own agenda, even when it is misleading,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We will not allow that claim to go unchallenged.”

RMEF population data, which come from state wildlife agencies, show that elk populations are expanding the most in areas of the northern Rockies where wolves are not present. However, where elk share habitat with wolves, such as the greater Yellowstone area, some elk populations are declining fast. In fact, since the mid-1990s introduction of gray wolves, the northern Yellowstone elk herd has dropped from about 17,000 to 7,100 animals—a 58 percent decline. Other localities in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming also are documenting precipitous downward trends.

Additionally, some research shows that elk remaining in areas of concentrated wolf populations are suffering nutrition loss, lower body weights and decreasing birth rates.

Allen said, “Every wildlife conservation agency, both state and federal, working at ground zero of wolf restoration—Idaho, Montana and Wyoming—has abundant data to demonstrate how undermanaged wolf populations can compromise local elk herds and local livestock production. There’s just no dispute, and emotion-over-science is not the way to professionally manage wildlife.”

RMEF continues to support state-regulated wolf management to include hunting and other viable methods. This position is supported by new reports of diseased wolf populations in the Yellowstone area.

“When wolves are too abundant, they’re more susceptible to diseases, just like all wildlife. The viruses and mange now spreading through wolf packs is another sign of way too many wolves,” said Allen. “Defenders of Wildlife would like to spin sick wolves as a reason to end hunting. But real conservationists know that diseased wildlife populations need better management. Hunting as a management tool delivers that, period.”

He added, “Remember, pro-wolf groups make their living by prolonging this conflict. There is no real incentive for them to admit that wolves are overly recovered. Fundraising is their major motive and they’ve built a goldmine by filing lawsuits and preaching that nature will find its own equilibrium between predators and prey if man would just leave it alone. That’s a myth. The truth is that people are the most important part of the equation. This isn’t the Wild West anymore. People live here—actually quite a lot of us. So our land and resources must be managed. Wildlife must be managed. Radical spikes and dips in populations show that we should be doing it better. It’s not profitable for plaintiffs, but the rest of us would be better served if the conflict ended and conservation professionals were allowed to get on with their business of managing wildlife, including a well regulated hunting strategy.”

In 2009, RMEF got involved in the ongoing wolf litigation, supporting defendant agencies by filing legal briefs used in federal court to help delist wolves and proceed with hunting—“facts conveniently ignored by groups who misuse our name, data and credibility to prolong the conflict. We stand for elk and other wildlife and what is happening right now is simply not good wildlife management,” said Allen.

See Allen’s letters to editors, Utah Senator Dennis Stowell and more at www.rmef.org.


About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

I had listened to dozens of ground shaking gobbles from the strutting tom for the past half hour. He was just out of my sight over a little rise but well within 100 yards. He had at least one hen with him as he drifted right then back to the left, spitting and drumming between gobbles. Everything I threw at him drew an immediate response, diaphragm, box, glass, yet he refused to side step just a few yards uphill to see who was making all that racket up here. Unable to move forward and unwilling to endure any more snubbing, I decided to back out and take a long circular route to wind up even with the side hill hugging gobbler. As he shuffled to the far left edge of his strutting zone I snaked in to and up against a boulder 30 yards to the right of where I estimated he had been stopping on that edge of the zone.

Rock solid, with my gun on my shoulder and rested on my knee, I gave a few soft yelps on the diaphragm. Immediately, a hen and jake ran to me. I watched in shock as the jake tried unsuccessfully to mount the hen literally under the barrel of my Browning Gold NWTF 12 ga, I'm talking feet here, not yards. I dared not even blink as the fan of the big boy slowly came into sight. He seemed unfazed by the antics of the rejected jake but continued his impressive display and inched closer and closer to me. I think I might have singed some jake feathers and certainly sent both unsuspecting birds to their analyst's couch as a loud boom erupted inches from their ears. The enormous gobbler that I had worked for the past hour lay still at 25 yards.

When a gobbler is hot, but hangs up, you have to analyze, form a new plan, and react. I have often said that good woodsman ship does in far more toms than good calling, though both together are a killer combination. In the case above, I knew the terrain like I know my living room. I had formed a good mental picture of his strutting zone, and I had his timing from one end to the other down pretty good. I am able to move fairly quietly and quickly through a forest and most important, I can set up like a statue with barely any movement at all. Without all of the above, that bird lives to see his fourth birthday. Calling was the least important aspect of that hunt.

As any seasoned or beginner turkey hunter has experienced, setup location can make or break a turkey hunt. When turkey hunting, the initial area of concentration tends to be focused on the hunters calling game in; while this is ultimately important to bag that monster gobbler, so is the appearance of your setup. The setup quality of your decoys can make or break a hunt quicker than a missed tone would in adrenaline rushed yelping.

Here are a few tips that I have found helpful in setting up the right setup. I usually start the night before, listening at dusk to get an idea as to where the birds are roosting. Ideally, you want to see where they roost, but having a general idea gives you a leg up in the morning. When morning rolls around, the fun really starts. What I like to do is set up in a field close to where the turkeys roost, usually no closer than 100 yards however. When turkeys leave the roost, they generally fly down with the sun to their backs. I am not sure why this is but I have experienced this time and time again and many other hunters share the same experiences. One reason why I assume they do this is so they can locate predators as they descend. You can use this theory to your advantage when setting up, also keep in mind that Toms like to fly towards sunny areas to expose their feathers to the hens. Therefore when planning your morning hunt, you can narrow down areas that would generate the greatest chance to grab a Toms attention.

Once you have an idea of where the birds are, you have checked the weather and picked a spot that will generate optimal decoy exposure and success, comes the actual setup process. One method that I always use is a simple three-bird setup. I take two hens and a Jake and I place them according to the roost location. If the turkeys are roosting to my right, I will set the decoys about 12 to 15 yards to my left, around the ten o’clock position. This way in a perfect scenario, the birds will fly down and see my decoys in a sunlit area with the Jake and one hen in a mating position. The mating position more often than not sparks fury in a chief Tom and will send him on a mission to take the Jake out. Theoretically the Tom will then cross my 12 o’clock for a perfect shot opportunity. While this is a perfect scenario, you can use the simple tips I have provided to maximize your setup potential. While turkey hunting sounds easy, it is far from that. The wild turkey is very unpredictable and a hunter must use every technique possible to maximize opportunity in the field. There is a monumental difference in the definition of Hunting and Harvesting, and to turn the hunt into a harvest, determination and experimentation is necessary. Good luck this year and I hope you find these setup tips helpful.

As turkey season slowly creeps forward, many hunters including myself are counting down the days and starting to rummage through our gear, making those mental notes of what it is exactly that we need to pick up before opening morning.

Being an avid turkey hunter that carries all types of tools I feel like I am always forgetting or misplacing something. Ive recently found a small tool that I would highly recommend to any serious turkey hunter. It is the "Slick Stick" by PRIMOS Hunting Calls. The Slick Stick is a complete call conditioning system. At about three inches in length it serves as a 5-In-1 friction call conditioner. From chalk to a striker conditioning chamber for cleaning your striker - This tool has everything you need to keep your calls sounding great at under $10!

I purchased the Slick Stick on a whim and man am I glad I did! I use it to rough up glass and aluminum calls which works much easier then the little piece of sand paper that comes with a new call. I also use the piece of chalk it holds inside the handle more than ever imagined! I have used this product so much since Ive got it that Im not sure how I ever went into the turkey woods without it. It just has too many useful tools not to have! Its as handy as it can get, with everything you need all in one... Consider it a swiss army knife of turkey calls!

Primos Slick Stick Includes: Stone, Scratch Pad, Chalk, and 2 Conditioning Pads.

Des Moines, Iowa – There's never been a better time for pheasant hunters and wildlife enthusiasts to become a Pheasants Forever member than National Pheasant Fest 2010. Pheasants Forever and Cabela's are giving attendees a special show membership offer, exclusively for the Fest's final day. National Pheasant Fest 2010 is February 26-28 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
 
With the help of Cabela’s, there's never been a more attractive offer for attendees to join Pheasants Forever. Attendees who purchase new, or renew existing, Pheasants Forever memberships on Sunday, February 28th ONLY will receive:

1 (one) year membership to Pheasants Forever (5 magazines, decal, member card & calendar)
Sunday admission to National Pheasant Fest
Pheasants Forever hat And
Cabela's Gift Card – redeemable in stores or online!
That's more than a $70 value! "The final day of National Pheasant Fest finishes strong with a full slate of bird dog, hunting and wildlife habitat seminars and attractions, but it also provides an excellent chance for visitors to join Pheasants Forever's efforts," said Brad Heidel, PF’s Director of Special Events Sales. "Thanks to Cabela's, which is always looking to help Pheasants Forever connect people to the wonderful world outdoors."

Des Moines, Iowa –  Pheasants Forever announces two panel discussions to take place on Saturday, February 27th during National Pheasant Fest 2010. The first panel discussion, titled "Farmland Conservation and the Future of Iowa Pheasants" will start at 10:30AM. The second panel, titled "Iowa's Water & Land Legacy – Sustainable Funding for Iowa's Natural Resources and its Effect on Water, Soil, Natural Areas and Wildlife," is slated to start at 2PM.
 
"Pheasant Fest is back in Iowa for two major reasons," explained Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever's President & CEO; "first, we need to turn around Iowa's plummeting pheasant decline immediately. Secondly, next autumn's vote on Sustainable Funding for Iowa's Natural Resources will be the most important vote for Iowa in a generation. These two panels serve to highlight Pheasants Forever's leadership on both of these initiatives."

I now own 3 goose calls.  I have an old wooden one that was handed down to me from a friend, I have a BGB call I bought at a Ducks Unlimited Banquet that I have been blowing for the last couple of years.  This year Scott Rollins took me out on a goose hunt, tuned up my call, gave me some lessons and told me to start looking for a call.  Todd Cocker from the Virginia Area Waterfowl Association gave me the best advice a hunter could get.  He said, "Find yourself a call that you can blow and that fits you."  I started looking around for advice and a facebook friend suggested I check out Zink Calls.  I did some research and found out that they were coming out with a brand new call in January and at the Eastern Sport Show, I had the pleasure of getting to meet Jimmy Wren and take a look at this new call.  I bought one on the spot and I have been working with it almost every single day since.  My family is none too happy, but I am absolutely smitten.

First off, the call looks amazing.  The design on the outside with flames and such in a blue acryllic just glows.  They had several great colors selections available and the blue just stuck out to me.  The Zink Logo is there along with the name Kile Jones who is the principle designer for this particular call.  All of the designs are etched into the call and filled in with white.  The call comes in a black silk bag with the Zink logo and it just feels great in your hands.

Now on to the important information....This call sounds AMAZING.  It is one of the easiest calls for me to blow that I have ever put to use. While I am not even close to a championship caller whom this call was designed for, I have found it easy to blow and I am able to replicate and grow in my calling.  I can shift from the real low goosy sounds and growls to high pitched spit calls quickly and efficiently.  Now when Scott and Todd give me lessons to improve my calling ability and open up my calling variety, I am going to have a tool can take me there.  The Zink Team and Kile Jones.....YOU ALL HIT THIS ONE OUT OF THE PARK!!!

If your looking for a new Goose Call...Contact the team at Zink and beg them to send you a NOS Goose Call in your favorite color...You may or may not become a Nightmare on Stage but you will become a nightmare to the geese in the field.  As of today, the NOS is not even up on thier website but it will be soon, either way pick up the phone, get one of these calls and start practicing...the season is right around the corner.

Zink Calls

MISSOULA, Mont.—Wildlife conservation projects in 17 Washington counties have been selected to receive grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 2010.

The new RMEF funding, totaling $186,270, will affect Asotin, Chelan, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lincoln, Pacific, Pierce, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman and Yakima counties.

“These grants are possible because of the successful banquets and fundraisers staged over the past year by our Washington volunteers—most of whom are elk hunters as well as devoted conservationists,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Since 1984, our annual grants have helped complete 433 different projects in Washington with a combined value of more than $101 million.”