Deer Hunting
Missed opportunities
Nothing bums me out more than going on a deer or turkey hunt, doing everything right, have the targeted animal come into range and then miss.[…]
December 2013
Deer Hunting
Take-home message
The lessons from the track record of these bucks can be summed up as follows:[…]
Sidebars
What is a ‘jo boat?’
Although Mike Branton builds his own jo boats as a hobby, the true home for these little craft is Marksville in Avoyelles Parish.[…]
Sidebars
How to access Boeuf River potholes for duck hunting
Access to pothole hunting along Beouf River is by boat, so for people not familiar with the area finding a launch is necessary.[…]
Deer Hunting
Scent Shield key to bagging bucks
Brad Doughty is an excellent deer hunter, regularly bagging big bucks on public land. However, he does it with a little help from his Scent Shield and deer calls.[…]
Sidebars
How to clean ducks using paraffin wax
Both Pat Bordelon and Mike Branton love to eat ducks. They eat them roasted. They eat them smoked. They eat them in gumbo. They eat them as bacon-wrapped roll-ups.[…]
Deer Hunting
Patterning key to sticking big bucks, gar and turkey
As passionate as Brad Doughty is about chasing trophy whitetails, he is also an avid bow fisherman in a quest for outsized alligator gar and boss gobblers.[…]
Fishing
Tippets
Persistent, strong winds have plagued fly casters this fall. Here’s hoping December brings calm to the marsh. If it does, sight-casting opportunities for the Spottail Elvis should be prime.[…]
Sidebars
Cooking the kill
Hunting ducks is fun. Cooking them is a lot tougher. Waterfowl are easily the most difficult of all wild game to cook. Rolling marinated boneless breasts in bacon and grilling them has claimed the loyalty of a lot of duck hunters, but unless a duck cook has a good recipe for whole birds his culinary arsenal is incomplete.[…]
Deer Hunting
Call ’em in
Brad Doughty relies heavily on two deer calls — a bleat can and a grunt tube — to draw in bucks during the rut.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Top 4 Dularge fishing tips for December
“Remember: In these cooler months when you’re drifting and casting, you want to stop when you catch one or two keepers or you’re likely to pass up the fish,” Capt. Gerald Ellender said.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Things to know before fishing Vermilion Bay
Steve Smith is the ultimate teacher. The back of his business card is emblazoned with “Things to know before you go!!!!,’’ followed by directions to four information sources to make successful Vermilion Bay area fishing trips on your own.[…]
Inshore Fishing
About Tete Butte Reef
Tete Butte Reef is a natural reef comprised almost entirely of oyster shells. Most of the shell is dead, and much of the crest of the reef is made up of broken shell hash.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Soft-plastic tips for Geoghegan Canal
Many anglers like adding a little insurance in the form of live shrimp in their livewells when they push off from the dock. And there are times when having the real thing can turn the tide to your favor.[…]
Deer Hunting
Patience, flexibility key to effective management
Many hunters claim they would like to kill trophies, while at the same time making hunting all about the numbers. What these hunters don’t understand is that quality deer require time to develop, and that means sacrifices have to be made.[…]
Deer Hunting
Keep records to track progress
Detailed and meticulous records are vital tools for clubs wanting to raise the bar, Anderson-Tully Lumber Company biologist Mike Staten said.[…]