Mepps® continues to ask hunters to save their squirrel tails. The tails are used for their hand-tied, dressed hooks of their world-famous, fish-catching lures. They've been recycling squirrel tails for over half-a-century. “Squirrels are good eating and we can reuse their tails for making the world's No. 1 lure,” explains...
Federal Premium has added new shot sizes to its popular Hi-Bird line of upland shotshells. The loads combine speed, hard-hitting pellets and a specialized wad to fold the highest doves, crows and pigeons, as well as pheasants and the most challenging upland birds. This includes various new 12-gauge loadings of...
September 3, 2018 | The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory
You've heard the saying, "Red touches yellow, kills a fellow; red touches black, friend of Jack." As you can see in the video above, that snake ain't no friend of Jack. Coral snakes typically keep to themselves, so seeing one is a rare occurrance. Seeing one eating another snake is...
The first Pennsylvania fall turkey I ever shot came while multi-tasking for small game and wild turkeys on those painted ridges of my teenage years. Choice Habitat You can “still hunt” through the woods slowly, setting up on a bushytail that’s treed on your approach. Set up at the base...
August 17, 2018 | The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory
Did you know that spotted skunks stand on their hands and dance around when they feel threatened? One spotted skunk was caught on camera displaying this behavior last week. According to the Smithsonian website , the spotted skunk has anal scent glands that can emit a foul-smelling spray just like...
It's no surprise squirrel hunting is so popular. Here's why. 1. Squirrels Are Everywhere From Maine to Mississippi, Kentucky to California, squirrels can be found. Such an abundance of small-game opportunities yields plenty of seasonal hunting opportunities. Depending on where you live, some locations have late spring, summer, early fall,...
August 13, 2018 | The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory
A father and his daughter had planned to enjoy a nice day kayaking with their dog. But a rabid beaver turned that trip into a nightmare. According to CBS News , Dan Wherley and his 7-year-old daughter Layla were kayaking last Sunday when things took an ugly turn. A large...
Everybody knows you have to be quiet as a church mouse to be a good squirrel hunter. Right? Well . . . that’s one way. But it’s not the only way. First introduced in 1985 by a veteran squirrel hunter named Shannon Talkington from Lake Village, Arkansas, the “Mr. Squirrel”...
July 27, 2018 | The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory
A 6-year-old boy is undergoing rabies-prevention shots and recovering from bite wounds after being attacked by a possibly rabid raccoon. David Tumarkin, whose left leg is bandaged in two places, told CBS Boston the attack was scary. The Tumarkins were eating watermelon at their backyard table in Newton, Massachusetts, when...
Crow hunting is a bit like duck hunting, as decoys and calling can often pull birds in for a shot from a camouflaged or natural blind. Crow hunting is also completely different from anything else you may have done. And yes, because some of you are no doubt wondering, I’ve...
Hunting groundhogs isn’t a new thing. Historically, people hunted them a lot, especially during the 20th century. But for some reason, it’s become all but dead in the last 15 years. There's been very little talk of groundhogs since the recent rise of big game hunting took hold in the...
Bird hunters and gun-dog people like us target such better-known species as pheasants, ruffed grouse, woodcock and various quail, including the iconic "Gentleman Bob," the emblematic wingshooting bird of southern plantations. Wild bobwhite are making a comeback in some areas though, and the desert Southwest has those other cool quail,...
[Editor's note: The author is a lifelong "Yankee." His comment is meant to be tongue-in-cheek.] Why some Yankees don’t squirrel hunt . . . Let’s look at the subtitle here, shall we, and jump right into this. There are lots of reasons why people, and yes, Yankees – those folk...
The basic ingredients for a good dove field are no secret. Plant plenty of food, give ‘em a little water, provide grit, open ground, and a handful of places for the birds to sit. Then, carefully manage the hunting pressure. But a great dove field has more. More planning. More...
I’ve been around hunting dogs most of my life. Nope, this doesn’t make me an expert. I’m still learning, like all of you dog owners. That’s the fun part. My dad ran beagles, which I took care of being the oldest boy, and a dog lover from the start. We...
You wouldn’t walk into a sporting goods store and purchase the first shotgun you saw without doing some background research first, so why then would you skip that step when selecting a puppy that you’ll be hunting with for the next 10 to 12 years? Many hunters make that mistake...
As I slipped through the tall grass undetected, the animal I was stalking fed on grass completely unaware of my presence. The tall grass gave way to a large, open field. If I could make it to the edge of the field, I knew I would have about a 30-yard...
A dog encounters all sorts of hazards in the field when you open the crate, drop the tailgate and start hunting. Venomous snakes are but one. Some states around the country present a more perilous scenario for such interactions, while others provide less. Ways to prevent and treat snake bites,...
I've been on many a spring turkey trip in places such as Florida, Texas, and even California when a pig hunt broke out. Why? Read on . . . 1. Property Damage Control Pre-hunt discussions by friends, outfitters, ranch owners and others often conclude with statements such as: "And kill...
April 23, 2018 | The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory
What does one do with a stoned raccoon? Take it to the local fire station, of course. Firefighters are no strangers to emergencies, especially those involving overdosing on illegal drugs. But, one overdose victim created quite a stir at an Indianapolis fire station earlier this month. A distressed woman brought...
