I started using jigs for trout here in eastern Washington a few years ago.

First as a novel alternative to heavily pressured trout, then as I discovered their versatility and raw effectiveness, they became my out-of-the-truck first shot go-to for all trout species.

In all the lakes I happen to be at the time, large or small, from April to November, jigs catch trout of all sizes as well, or dare I say better than most techniques. Best of all, it gets the attention of larger fish with regularity. So it made perfect sense to me to bring my plethora of jigs with me on a spring trip to western Montana last April.

Turns out, jigs work well over there in all types of water, not just lakes, but rivers as well. And no one, I mean no one is using these things in Big Sky rivers.

Recently transplanted 35 year ex-Forks steelhead guide JD Love and I were floating a few rivers near his new home in western Montana last early spring, and once again in mid-October. The rivers we targeted are no secret; they are some of the more famous trout streams on the planet.

The Jefferson below the mouth of the Big Hole; the big Missouri below the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin; the Madison just above the entrance of Ennis Lake. Even smaller streams like the Beaverhead and Ruby, which we fished from shore, all just a short hike from the parking spot provided excellent jig fishing.

All feature a thousand wild trout per mile (or more) and all are more than famous for brown trout measured in pounds.

Let’s not forget the world record brown trout was caught on a twitched jig.

Our last day of the season was spent floating the Jefferson from Twin Bridges to Silver Star access. It was Wild Kingdom that day; we saw a few moose (a little too close), a billion deer, partying packs of skunks and too many migratory waterfowl.

The jig of trout choice that day (water had 4 feet of visibility) was either a yellow or white ¼-ounce head with a #1 Gamakatsu jig hook; brown/light green hackle collar and 5” fire tiger rabbit strip tail. Lots of contrast, bright colors to show well in the deeper slots and faster water.

We hooked around 40 trout, mostly browns but a few rainbows that would have passes for small summer steelhead back home, including one about 7 pounds that fought like a Dean River steelhead. Most of the browns (and rainbows) in all the rivers we fished were 16 to 24 inches, biggest perhaps 5 pounds. All struck the jigs with a ravenous rip-down.

My “new thang” is large brown trout.

You know we river rats love a new challenge; mine somehow morphed to finding large, wary fish-eating trout on light gear. And since we really don’t have that many brown trout fisheries around my house in eastern Washington, some travel is necessary. Just so happens I now have a great friend who lives a 9-iron shot (and guided there for years in the 70s) from the best brown trout rivers on North America.

Montana trout fishers, fly tossers in particular, have a jones for large brown trout.

Sure, they take big dries and nymphs as well as any trout, but the real kings of the riffles want a steak, not a peanut. As you will find out from the many articles and just conversations with trout fishers, the largest browns will chase and strike something that is almost 1/3 the length of their body.

That is why when you see a guide boat float by bets are there are at least two fly rods on board rigged with 4- to 6-inch gaudy, articulated streamer flies for targeting the rulers of the river.

Big wily browns seem to strike brightly colored jigs a bit more than natural-toned.

Trout seem to strike out of curiosity at these big jigs. This may be why a bright attractor pattern is more effective than a natural one. The trick to getting the largest ones is not so much “matching the hatch,” but showing them a possible large meal when they want it. If a 10 pounder just ate a 12-inch whitefish, he is not eating (striking) again until hungry.

Timing is everything, and covering as much water as possible in a day gives you the best odds of finding one that just strapped on the feed bag.

Gear anglers also know this, as you will see them tossing spinners, some spoons but primarily jointed similar-sized Rapalas to stir up the carnivorous larger browns, and even rainbows. But no jig tossers in any of the rivers. You may think, the natural progression from a large streamer would be a jig tied similar. Nope.

After speaking with several long time guides, plus dialing up the ol’ Internet looking for information, remarkable as it may seem there is just nothing on the subject. If those anglers are out there, there are either very few or they are well hidden and secretive.

Plenty of info on jig twitching in general in lakes or fishing tiny jigs in rivers…tossing big rabbit jigs for trophy browns in rivers, zilch. I really could not believe it, but a light bulb, flickering and fizzling as it was, lit up.

Knowing this, I returned home to the fly vise and did some modifications on the standard-issue trout jig. My working-class jigs are primarily 1/8 to ¼ ounce with hackle body/marabou tails, the whole jig approximately 3 to almost 4 inches. These are marvelous attractors for cutthroat, rainbow, and brook trout; hundreds of great trout have gripped these for me the last 5 years.

Taking a leaf from the streamer fisher’s bible, I made something that mimics the big streamers so popular in Montana and other rivers that feature outsized browns. Except the jig, having a concentrated weight on its head, sinks faster than any sink tip and can be presented where and when a fly, no matter how it is weighted, cannot. Enter the rabbit strip jig.

As we all know, nothing in the water is as life-like as rabbit. Marabou is close, and it is a fine addition (collars, etc.) to a rabbit strip. Jig twitching is all about the world of swimming prey. Big brown trout are meat-eaters; they can ingest (and will attack) something that is 1/3 the size of their bodies.

Whether that prey is small fish, like trout or sculpins, darting crayfish, big leeches or even snakes, they all swim erratically. That is why an undulating, wiggling “breathing” rabbit strip jig pretty much is unbeatable if you want a gimme shot at Ike.

Let’s look at rods, reels, lines for jigging in rivers for large trout, then a bit on techniques for fishing big bunny jigs in rivers.

The Gear

Short, fast action ultra-light rods are key when casting/presenting jigs. My choice is a GLoomis ultra-light spin rod. It loads fast with 1/8- to ¼-ounce jigs, casts and sets hooks with deceptive power. I’ve landed trout to 12 pounds on it and never felt under gunned. Put a Shimano Stradic on it, fill it with 10 pound (fishes heavier) yellow V2 Slick Power Pro, and place a 7-foot top shot of 12-pound high-quality fluorocarbon with a uni knot.

Line shyness is rarely a factor, do yourself a favor and “beef up” that top shot, nothing less than 10-pound test. The super line does not stretch; its 6-pound test mono diameter is perfect for longer casts, spool capacity, amazing feel, and hook sets that mono can’t touch. This outfit or one similar is ideal for tossing/twitching jigs either in a river or in lakes.

I try to keep three rods in the raft/drift boat rigged with jigs of slightly different color schemes, for example, one with white head with brown/green hackle body/fire tiger bunny strip tail; yellow head/dark red hackle body/fire tiger bunny tail and black head/brown hackle body/olive black stripe bunny tail. I’m not a fan of using any type of flash in my jig patterns but if you want, go for it. What isn’t tried won’t work.

The Technique

For smaller rivers, requiring shorter casts and/or shallower holding areas in larger rivers, a 1/8-ounce jig head is all you need.

For example, in the shallow/riffly Madison a 1/8-ounce head got down immediately in the mostly shallow riffly runs, while a ¼-ounce was necessary in the bigger Jefferson and Madison when longer casts and deeper spots are the norm. Read your water, adjust accordingly.

Now you are on one of those famous rivers.

Where do I look for trout? First, unplug your steelheading brain and leave it in the truck. Those gorgeous, long sweeping gravel bars, transitioning from shallow slow flows out to deeper, faster water… forget it. Nobody home.

Only whitefish, sculpin and small juveniles will be there in the “steelhead” transition water. This drove me batcrap nuts looking at all those juicy runs that hold no fish.

These trout live right next to cut banks, near woody debris and slack water side channels (like coho salmon love). If there is no other deepwater escape (like the primarily riffle configured Madison) then look for structure of any type.

If I had to pick one type of water to concentrate on, it would be cut banks.

That is where the insects and small creatures fall off the grasses into the water, plus the best cover. When targeting cut banks, try to position yourself as close to the bank as you can without spooking fish. Casting upstream parallel to the bank allows the jig to stay in the “loaded” water longer. Rather than casting toward the bank and retrieving the jig away, it stays in the strike zone for far more of the presentation.

Before making a cast or beginning a presentation, keep this in the front of the brain at all times: All injured, disoriented creatures move downstream at some pace because they cannot fight the current, or escaping from a predator is far more likely to be successful going swiftly with the current than attempting to go against. Cast upstream from your position whenever possible; this allows the jig to sink unimpeded by current, allowing it to drop into target water as swift as possible.

Your jig should land as close as possible to cut banks, submerged/partially submerged trees, boulders, and edges of back water. Large trout, any trout, will be tight up against this structure/drop off. Work it back, at or slightly slower than current speed back to your position, much like a spinner for summer steelhead. Don’t be too fast to begin your presentation, as this causes the jig to leave the “sweet spot” quickly.

Allow it to drop as close as possible to the bottom as well.

The best part about casting jigs is there is virtually no water that cannot be fished.

Skinny slack edges, plunge pools, long riffles, you name it, the jig works there. Do try to keep the jig near the bottom but try to avoid rapid banging, as all this does is kill the action, chips off all your head paint, and greatly increases the chance for snagging up and losing your jig.

The classic “twitch/drop/twitch/drop/reel” will get bit, but try not to be too robotic or lazy. A short, swift movement of the rod tip will be all you need to impart plenty of action to the jig. Long, up-sweeping motions rarely work. Try to shake up the rhythm of your retrieve, because nothing injured swims in rhythm. They can go side to side, wiggle rapidly, dart several feet, or a few inches. So, there is not one tried and true method of “twitching” for big river trout. There are not two, or five either.

Different speed of retrieve, all through the water column. Try a drift, casting upstream from your position. Pretend its 1985; you have a chunk of pencil lead on and a Corky. Keep the jig just above the bottom, “glide” it along at current speed and impart zero action. Something different is often what works. Regardless of the type of presentation, try to keep a slight bow in the line, never slack but never taught, as if you were spoon fishing. This allows more imparted action to the jig. Also, try and move the rod tip a foot or so rapidly side-to-side when retrieving; it will add a zigzag motion to the jig.

And here’s something I learned after missing too many really large Montana browns- do not give up on a presentation until the jig is ready to be lifted out for the next cast.

I’ve had great fish swirl at the jig just before lifting it out for the next cast. Before you pull the lure out of the water, let it hang and wiggle a bit a few feet off the rod tip. Surprise! That is when you will be glad for at least 12-pound test shock tippet off that braid.

The biggest rainbow I’ve ever caught in Montana was seven pounds, it gripped the jig inches under the water immediately before I was about to re-cast. I peed a little.

When you find yourself in western Montana- and I hope you do- if you just want to catch a lot of trout with the chance for a larger one, toss 1/6th oz. silver bladed/yellow bodied Rooster Tails or smaller, natural-toned jigs. Or indicator fish with a fly rod with weighted nymphs if you really want some numbers.

Casting/retrieving an F-9 rainbow trout pattern Rapala will also get big fish eating browns, but they are not as versatile in ability to hit virtually any type of water like a jig. But remember- big fish, big lure.

And how did we do, last spring and fall twitching large rabbit/marabou jigs for aggressive, carnivorous browns? Well first, check out the pictures smattered around this article and just know there were plenty of players in all the places we fished.

There are so many more rivers, even many other stretches of the same ones we fished that crowding I promise will never be an issue. Even if there are some folks floating in front of you, know that none of them will be twitching big rabbit jigs. They will be nymphing with an indicator or stripping large flies on fly rods.

The novel alternative will always be in your favor. It’s so fun in fact I’m going back to western Montana in 2020 not once but half a dozen times…with 100 newly tied rabbit jigs.

My ten-pound brown is waiting….

– written by Bill Herzog

During my 20 years in the outdoor industry, I’ve witnessed a pile of incredible arrow builds. Most of those builds have come from arrow-mastermind Easton. From arrows designed for speed to carbon shafts wrapped in a penetration-boosting metal jacket, the hits keep on coming.

A tried-and-true staple in the lineup and a quiver-filler for throngs of archers, the Axis ranks as one of the finest shafts ever created. Why? Side of filling thousands of freezers and making massive taxidermy bills, this arrow is a do-all. The 5MM build is micro, which means the shaft can buck the wind and find its mark even at extended distances. Plus, the micro-profile focuses kinetic energy into the frontal area, which creates less friction and ensures maximum penetration. Then there’s the fact the arrow is offered in seven spine sizes, meaning most any archer can pair the Axis with their stick-and-string setup. Bottom line: The Axis is a durable, accurate and dependable big-game wrecker that countless bowhunters put their trust in. It just doesn’t get any better.

Or does it?

Enter the Axis 4MM Long Range. I could hear the excitement in Easton’s Gary Conrnum’s voice as he gave me the 411 on this new-for-2021 arrow. Cornum is an arrow guru, and when he gets pumped about a product, people should take note.

“It’s our best Axis build to date,” he said. “Now Axis lovers can get a super micro-diameter shaft with a front-of-center boosting aluminum point outsert that has standard 8-32 threads. This arrow is as accurate as they come and delivers incredible downrange penetration.”

True to Form

The literature I’d read and my conversation with Cornum had my mind buzzing, and when my Axis 4MM Long Range bare shafts arrived, I couldn’t wait to put them through the paces. The 100-percent carbon cut with ease, and the aluminum point half-out outserts glued in without hassle. The outsert measures just a tick over an inch, so if you’re cutting your arrows, be sure and compensate for this. If you shoot a 29-inch arrow, you’ll want to cut your 4MM shafts at 28-inches if you plan to use the included aluminum half-out outsert.

This was my first Axis build that didn’t require the use of Easton’s chamfering stone, HIT Epoxy, and HIT Insert Tool. Instead, I used 91 Isopropyl Alcohol to clean the inside of the shafts, applied insert glue to my aluminum outserts, and twisted them into the shaft to distribute the glue evenly to the inner shaft wall. The process is super simple and saves a lot of time. The fletching process was a breeze as well. I opted not to use wraps, and my AAE Hybrid 23 vanes grabbed the carbon wonderfully.

With my 4MM Long Range soldiers ready to fly, I first conducted a speed test. Tipping the scale at 405.5 grains, my 28 ¾-inch 4MM Axis Long Range arrows powered by Hoyt’s Ventum 33 set at 68 pounds of draw weight and a 29-inch draw length propelled shafts at an average speed of 302 fps. Plenty fast, and my kinetic energy rating was an impressive 82-foot pounds. The ACU-Carbon build blended with the aluminum half-out outsert system ups velocity and helps the arrow deliver more energy downrange. Plus, each shaft passed the spin test and popped perfect bullet holes through paper after a bit of rest adjusting. More impressive was the accuracy factor. From distances between 20 and 100 yards, my four-fletched arrows found the mark.

For a week, I shot the Axis 4MM Long Range in crosswinds, tailwinds and headwinds, and there’s no question the shaft’s ultra-micro diameter build resists side-to-side wind drift. I also shot fixed and mechanical broadheads out to 100 yards. My fixed-blade heads hit a tad right of the mark starting at 50 yards, which is normal, but even though they were a tad right, each fixed-blade shaft grouped. The SEVR 2.0 mechanical-tipped shafts hit right with my field points out to 100 yards. The 4MM MicroLite Nocks are tough; attach brilliantly to the string and leave it cleanly. After the tuning process, I detected zero nock travel. Warning! Shooting groups with these shafts, especially with fixed-blade broadheads, is not advised. The Axis 4MM Long Range is without a doubt the most accurate arrow I’ve ever fired, and unless you have unlimited funds and lots of time to build arrows, I would suggest shooting individual spots.

Satisfied with the accuracy of the arrow, I moved on to some penetration tests. I received the arrows late in the spring, and with turkey tags punched and no bear hunts on the horizon, I used a new Block foam target to conduct a few penetration tests. With a calculated F.O.C. of precisely 12.6 percent, my Axis 4MM Long Range arrows drove deeper into foam when shot head-to-head against my standard 5MM Axis arrows. It’s important to note that bowhunters should shoot for an F.O.C. between 11 and 18 percent. I have no doubt the optimized F.O.C. build blended with the arrows speed and micro-diameter construction will lead to big-game pass-throughs, even at extended distances.

Those who favor the HIT system blended with Deep Six technology can separately purchase 4MM Deep Six Steel HIT Inserts (20 grains). If you’re looking to up arrow weight and increase your F.O.C. but want to stay with the outsert system, 4MM Titanium Half-Out Inserts (55 grains) can also be had for a few more greenbacks. The Axis 4MM Long Range is available in spine sizes of 250, 300, 340 and 400, and straightness ratings of +/- .003” and +/- .001” can be purchased. The Axis 4MM Long Range can be purchased by the dozen (bare) or half-dozen (fletched).

If you’re looking for a do-all hunting arrow that will perform at extended distances on medium-sized and large big-game animals like elk, moose and grizzly, the Easton Axis 4MM should line your quiver come fall.

Hunting is hard…but western hunting is just plain difficult! It strains your gear, your emotions and your body all at the same time. Hunting, regardless of the technologies we bring to the field will always remain a primal grudge match between predator and prey. The only thing we can improve upon as hunters is our fitness level. The frustration we feel during the fall hunting seasons reflects our own inability to handle the wild at her best and most fit. Some hunters forego preparations in the offseason and pay the price through not tagging an animal, being unable to keep up with the demands of the hunt or worst of all, may not be able to fully enjoy the hunt. While training to hunt may sound cliché, everyone’s journey is their own. Each person must want to take it upon themselves to be in peak form come fall. Each person’s “peak form” may be different, but your body and mental game must be at a minimum to complete your hunting adventure. This means taking hunting workouts and fitness seriously in the offseason.

PODCAST: John Stallone and Willi Schmidt – Planning and Preparing for Big Game Hunts Out of State

Before You Start: Consider Safety

Diet and exercise should always be considered under the advice and guidance of a medical professional. Their knowledge and expertise can help you understand how to fully optimize diet and exercise for you and your body based on your age, current fitness level, and any injuries. Another reason to check with health care professionals is to keep a working track of your vitals, specifically your heart. Every year hunters succumb to a fatal heart attack in the wild and they may have never known they had a lurking heart problem. The actions of the wild through hiking and heavy lifting can lead to serious strain on the heart muscle and leave you in a dangerous situation especially if you are traveling to higher elevations on your hunt. Many months before hunting season it is always good to check your cardio health. Consider building a baseline of data every spring to track year after year.

The Right Way to Start Is Through Nutrition

A truck is worthless if the gasoline is of poor quality. Poor fuel robs the vehicle of efficiency through strength and endurance. The same goes for the body, the foods we eat, and supplements we take, as they make up a large portion of the overall performance and results we see through preparing our bodies. If you are not sure where to start, start by evaluating what you are eating and consult a professional if you need help shaping a plan.

A good rule of thumb is to stick to lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates throwing out simple carbs and starches and looking into additional supplements like Wilderness Athlete products. Adding supplement powders to your breakfast smoothies are a great way to further optimize the body. Workout recovery mixes like Protein Plus or Brute Strength also help you get the most from your time in the gym or from out hammering miles on your legs by providing a balanced proportion of protein and carbohydrates and proven nutritional anti-inflammatories. When you push your body to the next level through training, it will need help through supplements to replace the nutrients you are so quickly burning.

A Body in Motion

Exercise can seem overwhelming. Thousands of hunting workouts are possible and endless numbers of movements and methods, theories and techniques create a crisscrossing mire of confusion that the everyday hunter can find frustrating. Just getting up off the couch to get to the gym and break a sweat is a daunting task if there is no direction and no plan. Exercise requires a drive, desire, determination and most of all a plan!

Every hunt is different within itself just as each game species requires different hunting tactics. Each hunt will push different parts of the body and you can make the best use of the long offseason to prepare for the specifics of your hunt. In general, there are workouts that help in overall hunting fitness.

Hunting Workouts to Focus on For Western Hunting

When it comes to mountain and western hunting your entire being must be ready for the wear and tear of the daily grind. To be able to enjoy the rigors of mountain hunting, cardio endurance and leg and core strength should be on the forefront of your offseason workouts. Just remember that big bucks, bulls, and rams are killed because you were able to get to them and keep up with them, not because you muscle flexed them to death.

Cardio health can be achieved through any different forms of exercise. Running, biking, elliptical machines, stair climbers or even high-intensity workout videos provide quality cardio routines. Consistency is the key to building cardio stamina. Nobody says that it’s the most fun exercising in the world, but it is effective and trains the mind to deal with pain. The same pain you’ll deal with on a long hunt and hopefully packing out your trophy.

Pushups, lateral raises, and shoulder presses are simple daily exercises. Pushups work the triceps and parts of the shoulder muscles in addition to core muscles, back and pectoral muscles. Pushups are a stamina building exercise using your own body weight. Consistent and daily repetitions are the key to building long-term strength and endurance through this exercise in your off season training.

Lateral raises are another easy exercise not requiring heavy weight or much time. Lateral raises are an exercise in which you raise your arm in a Y, T and I form and hold for a few seconds at a time. This work out can be done with or without weights. If you choose to use weights, use small dumb bells no greater than 15lbs.

Leg day is often skipped since it requires much more effort both physically and mentally. If you can get over the mental hump of procrastination, working out your legs is not difficult at all.

The weight room also has plenty of options to strengthen legs muscles. Squats and leg presses are widely regarded at the go-to leg exercise, and for good reason. These motions work nearly every area of your legs and build core strength and stability. The form is the key for both methods and should always be done with a spotting partner. Other exercises include motions possible with dumb bells. Vertical and side-to-side lunges holding dumb bells are great for lower body resistance training. These motions work parts of your legs regular squats cannot. In the mountains every part of your legs are worked and strained as the constant stop and go, pushing and balancing yourself is a part of each step.

Packing out any animal is an ordeal. Often times the luxury of having pack animals is not available and the tough work must be done on your own back. Having a strong core and back is one of the most overlooked aspects of off-season preparation. Sure, everyone wants a great looking six pack to play the xylophone on, yet, a strong core is beyond the glamor. A strong core provides balance and strength as it is a part of your overall base. Beyond crunches, there are other great offseason workouts you can do to build a strong core. Squats help build core strength as a part of that routine, but planks and leg lifts directly target the core. These resistant style exercises are brutally painful when done consistently in the gym but help you get the results you need.

Back muscles provide the stability and stamina for carrying heavy loads. Exercises like lateral pull downs and dumbbell rows build these back muscles. Most gyms will have a lateral pull down the machine. With a wide grip bar, the idea is to use your scapula muscles in a downward motion. Pinch your shoulder blades together for a full motion and slowly let the bar back up. Don’t overload yourself and have incorrect form as this will not help you achieve the strength and results you need for the mountains. If a lateral pull down machine is not available, pull ups can serve a similar function working both back and arm muscles through a general pulling motion. Using one’s own body focus on going straight up and down to avoid swaying from side to side. There are many variations of pull ups from wide grip to revise grips and close grip work different parts of the lateral muscles. The key is proper form and consistency.

Hunting Workout Videos

These are a handful of hunting workout videos I have recorded over the year of some of the workouts I want to do to ensure each part of my body is ready for the hunting adventure ahead!

Core and Stability

Workout: Focus on the core with a combination of workouts seen in the video below, and by using a combination of balance and Bosu balls, medicine balls, and weighted sandbags.

The Hunting Application: Core and stability workouts as seen in the video below are absolutely critical when hunting in serious and uneven terrain. This is especially true when you are traversing the rough terrain with a heavy backpack.

Barbell Lower Back and Legs

Workout: Standard squats with a barbell strengthens your lower back, legs, and core for strength and stability.

The Hunting Application: This exercise has one of the most practical applications of any hunting workout as it applies to almost every aspect of the hunt from packing in gear to scaling the mountain to packing out the animal you’ve harvested. Do NOT overlook this highly effective training exercise while preparing for your next hunting trip.

Weighted Sled

Workout: The weighted sled workout is huge for overall strength and increases endurance by raising the heart sand forcing you to control your breathing.

The Hunting Application: There’s nothing worse than going on a hunt you’ve been planning for several months and realizing once you’re there that you’re not physically prepared. Struggle with the sled, and excel on the mountain. This approach will make your hunt that much more enjoyable!

Trap Bar Deadlift

Workout: Deadlifts are a great way to strengthen your legs, back, and core

The Hunting Application: Lower back injuries are common in the mountains. Lifting totes onto the pack mules, fetching water from the spring, packing your animal back to the horses. All of these tasks are a great opportunity to get hurt if you don’t strengthen your core with exercises like this…

Weighted Pull Ups

Workout: Pull ups speak for themselves… Pull your chest up to the bar and return to rest. This exercise builds several muscle groups to increase upper body strength in general.

The Hunting Application: Whether you’re hanging a new set for whitetails or scaling the final boulder to get to a better vantage point for glassing an opposing mountain range, pull ups are the perfect exercise to give you the upper body strength you need to get where you need to be!

Shoulder Press

Workout: Shoulder press works your anterior and medial deltoid (shoulder) muscles.

The Hunting Application: You name it… Hoisting gear onto your pack horse. Hanging tree stand sets. Drawing your bow. Anything at eye level or above uses these muscles.

Rhomboid Row

Workout: Rows are a great workout for strengthening your back and specifically your rhomboids, which lie between your shoulder blades and your posterior deltoids, the rear part of your shoulder.

The Hunting Application: This exercise is critical for shot execution and being able to stay at full draw for long periods of time. You’ll be surprised how much easier your bow is to shoot after you’ve been doing this exercise for a while…

Train to Hunt Challenge:

More often than not, most hunters begin their workout programs in July to get ready for the fall. It’s difficult if you have not been working out all year to get motivated or know where to start. Fall seems a long way off and it is often difficult to begin a workout regime in the late winter or spring. Having something to train for in the summer is a great motivator. Train To Hunt was created with this in mind.

There are now nearly a dozen Challenges throughout the country where you can test your fitness and archery shooting skills with others and have something to train for. Although the format has changed for 2017, it is a great program to get you ready for the hunting season, several months before you may have gotten started, The Challenges are a one-day event, and include a 3-D archery shoot in the morning and a Challenge Course in the afternoon. The 19 target, 3-D shoot includes some hunting situations, like shooting from a kneeling position, shooting and then drawing and shooting a follow-up shot within 10 seconds. The afternoon portion includes a longer course where you pack your bow and some weight in your pack and shoot targets along the way. Your 3-D score and your time and score on the Challenge Course are combined for an overall score. Not only does this give some motivation to begin a workout program, the Challenges are a lot of fun and the camaraderie is amazing! Train to Hunt not only puts on these challenges, they also have a workout generator (see below) on the website and can help you create a daily workout depending on your available time and fitness level!

Click Here for the Workout Generator!

Conclusion…Keep the Hunt in Mind

Western hunting is hard when we make it harder than it needs to be. Aside from the challenge of the chase, your body should not have to be the reason you struggle to fill a tag. Training for hunting or performing these hunting workouts in the offseason with the goal of being able to hunt in mind should be your driving power. Don’t let the daunting task of working out or climbing a mountain be the reason your western hunting adventure failed.

The 28 Nosler and Hornady 300 PRC are two centerfire rifle cartridges that were developed for long range shooting and hunting. They represent the pinnacle of 21st Century ballistic technology and development that were designed to hit targets at ranges of over 1,000 yards while maintaining sub-MOA accuracy.

Long range hunting is not a new concept, for decades hunters have been relying on cartridges like the 300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm Rem Mag, and 300 Weatherby Magnum to reach out past 500 yards. Although these rifle cartridges are effective at taking big game, their chamber designs limited the types of bullets that could be used.

Hunters wanted access to longer, more aerodynamic bullets to maximize downrange performance, and the 300 PRC and 28 Nosler were designed from the ground up with these bullets in mind.

How then are you to decide which cartridge is best for your style of shooting or unique hunting needs?

In this article, we will evaluate the 28 Nosler vs 300 PRC to help you understand the differences between the two and give you a clearer idea of which cartridge is best for your next hunting rifle.

What is the difference between 28 Nosler and 300 PRC?

The primary difference between the 28 Nosler and the 300 PRC is that the 28 Nosler fires 0.284” diameter bullets compared to 0.308” for the 300 PRC. Also, the 28 Nosler has higher case capacity and will generally have higher muzzle velocity than the 300 PRC.

Cartridge Specs

When evaluating centerfire rifle cartridges, it’s a good idea to analyze the cartridge specs to gain more knowledge of each.

Both cartridges draw their heritage from rounds designed to hunt large or dangerous game. Hornady developed the 300 PRC from the lesser known 375 Ruger cartridge while the 28 Nosler comes from the 404 Jeffery. The 404 Jeffery sired the majority of Nosler’s cartridge line, namely the 30 Nosler, 26 Nosler, and 33 Nosler as well as other cartridges like the 7mm Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum (SAUM).

One of the most prominent differences between the two is that the 28 Nosler fires a bullet diameter of 7mm or 0.284” while the 300 PRC fires the more common 30-caliber or 0.308” diameter bullets. The 300 PRC fires heavier bullets between 190 and 225 gr while the 28 Nosler fires lighter bullets typically between 160 and 185 grains.

Another striking difference between the two cartridges is their overall length. The 3.7” long 300 PRC towers over the shorter 28 Nosler at 3.34” despite both having nearly identical cartridge case lengths at 2.58” and 2.59”, respectively.

This difference in overall length demonstrates a major difference in design concept between the two rounds. The 28 Nosler was designed to fit into a standard long action like the 30-06 Springfield, while the 300 PRC fits into a magnum action like the 338 Lapua Mag.

When Hornady set out to build the 300 PRC, they developed what they considered the ideal 30-caliber round and then built the rifle action around it. In contrast, Nosler developed the 28 to fit into a long action as it is lighter and has a shorter bolt throw. This will mean that follow up shots will typically be faster with a 28 Nosler and rifles for the cartridge will be lighter than those for 300 PRC.

Both cartridges require the use of a magnum bolt face thanks to their base diameter of 0.532” for the 300 and 0.534” for the 28.

Although the maximum chamber pressure for both cartridges is 65,000 psi per SAAMI specs, the 28 Nosler has considerably more case capacity at 93 gr compared to 77 gr for the 300 PRC.

Recoil

Recoil is an important consideration when purchasing a new rifle as a round with heavy recoil will be more difficult to control and will slow your rate of follow up shots.

Recoil is affected primarily by muzzle velocity (FPS), powder charge, bullet weight, and rifle weight.

For this recoil comparison, it is impossible to achieve a pure “apples to apples” comparison as the 300 PRC fires heavier bullets than the 28 Nosler. The lightest factory load available for the 300 is the Hornady Outfitter firing a CX polymer tip 190 grain bullet traveling at 3,000 fps. The 175 gr AccuBond Long Range traveling at 3,125 fps will be selected for 28 Nosler.

The Savage 110 will be the test firearm as it has configurations for both calibers and weighs around 8.7-pounds.

Given these parameters, the 300 PRC will have 32.9 ft-lbs of free recoil while the 28 Nosler will have 32.3 ft-lbs of free recoil. In this case, both rounds have almost the same free recoil energy.

However, the 300 PRC was designed to fire 200+ grain bullets, and the 212 gr ELD-X is their recommendation for big game hunting. Traveling at 2,860 fps, the 212 gr load will have a free recoil of 36 ft-lbs.

Anything over the 20 ft-lbs threshold is generally considered heavy recoil, which is why many rifles for both cartridges will come with a muzzle brake installed from the factory. A muzzle brake works by redirecting gasses from the burned gunpowder to help reduce felt recoil.

However, the 28 Nosler will generally have less recoil than the 300 PRC as the 28 is firing lighter bullets.

Barrel Life

The 300 PRC will generally have a longer barrel life than the 28 Nosler.

When a cartridge is fired, the powder charge is ignited to push the bullet down the barrel. The resulting flame touches not only the base of the bullet, but the rifling as well. Particularly vulnerable is the rifling at the mouth of the chamber.

Heat is the enemy of barrel life, the hotter you get your barrel the faster the rifling will begin to wear out.

Both the 300 PRC and 28 Nosler are know as being tough on barrels, however the increased powder charges of the 28 are particularly brutal.

It should be noted that most hunters will not “shoot out” a barrel for multiple seasons with either cartridge. Those who report short barrel life are typically high-volume competition shooters that are shooting near maximum charge handloads to achieve as much muzzle velocity as possible.

To increase your barrel’s lifespan, it’s best to run either factory ammo or handloads below maximum charge. Furthermore, allowing the barrel to cool between strings of fire will also help extend your barrel life.

However, many shooters report a loss in peak accuracy for 28 Nosler around the 800-round mark, while the 300 PRC can last near 1,500 rounds before accuracy begins to suffer.

The reason for this massive difference is that the 28 fires a smaller diameter bullet with a larger powder charge. This means that all the additional heat is focused on a smaller area which increases erosion of the rifling.

Although most hunters should not experience any difference in accuracy for multiple seasons, a 300 PRC will typically have longer barrel life than a 28 Nosler.

Muzzle Velocity, Kinetic Energy, and Trajectory

Browse any shooting or hunting forum and you find tons of posts expounding on the benefits of 300 PRC ballistics or that 28 Nosler ballistics are the best in the business. This can create a lot of confusion among new shooters, so let’s take four of the most popular factory loads on the market and see how they stack up against each other!

For this comparison, we will analyze the Hornady 190 gr CX and 212 gr ELD-X offerings for 300 PRC. The 225 gr ELD Match load could also be considered, but as this load is designed for long-range target shooting and not a hunting cartridge, it was excluded. For 28 Nosler, the 160 gr Ballistic Tip and 175 grain AccuBond Long Range loads will be compared.

In terms of muzzle velocity, the Nosler rounds were superior to the Hornady factory ammo. Thanks to the added case capacity, the 160 gr Ballistic tip left the muzzle at 3,200 fps and 3,125 fps for the AccuBond. Comparatively, the 300 PRC 190 gr CX load has a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps and 2,860 fps for the 212 gr ELD-X.

Both rounds have an incredibly flat trajectory that surpasses even the 6.5 Creedmoor and 300 Win Mag. However, the increased muzzle velocity of the 28 Nosler gives it a flatter trajectory than the 300 PRC by a respectable margin.

Perhaps the most interesting data point is how close the two Nosler rounds are at 800 yards, as they are only separated by 5.1” of bullet drop at -132.8” (160 gr) and -127.7” (175 gr). The 300 PRC Hornady loads experienced -147.3” (190 gr) and -154.9” (212 gr) of bullet drop at 800 yards.

Although the 28 Nosler may have superior ballistics in terms of muzzle velocity and trajectory, the 300 PRC has it beat in terms of kinetic energy. At 3,850 ft-lbs of muzzle energy, the 212 gr Hornady ELD-X round has the highest kinetic energy of all four selections of factory ammo at 0 through 800 yards.

The 28 Nosler is no slouch when it comes to kinetic energy though, as 3,637 ft-lbs for the 160 gr Ballistic Tip and 3,794 ft-lbs for the 175 gr AccuBond is nothing short of impressive. The 175 gr AccuBond in particular is very efficient at retaining its kinetic energy over distance, as it only trails the 212 gr ELD-X at 1,597 ft-lbs at 800 yards.

Ballistic Coefficient and Sectional Density

The 300 PRC has a slight edge over the 28 Nosler in terms of ballistic coefficient and sectional density.

Ballistic coefficient (BC) is a measure of how aerodynamic a bullet is and how well it will resist wind drift. Sectional density (SD) is a way to evaluate the penetration ability of a bullet based on its external dimensions, design, and weight.

Both rounds were developed with a high BC in mind. Nosler and Hornady wanted to create a cartridge that was extremely resistant to wind drift and having a flat trajectory. To achieve this, they built their cartridges around extremely aerodynamic bullet designs.

The 300 PRC 212 gr ELD-X and 190 gr CX from the previous section have a ballistic coefficient of 0.663 and 0.575, respectively. In contrast, the 160 gr Ballistic Tip has a BC of 0.531 while the 175 gr AccuBond has a higher BC at 0.648.

All four bullets have a high BC for their respective weight, meaning they will be extremely resistant to wind drift. However, the 300 PRC with its increased bullet weight, will buck the wind more efficiently.

In terms of sectional density, both cartridges are nearly identical. The 212 gr Hornady round has a SD of 0.319 while the 190 gr bullet measures at 0.286. In contrast, the 160 gr Nosler bullet has a SD of 0.283 and 0.310 for the 175 gr AccuBond.

With SD values this close, it is unlikely that a hunter nor a mule deer will be able to discern any difference in terms of penetration.

Hunting

Both the 300 PRC and 28 Nosler make excellent long range hunting cartridges for medium to large game like whitetail, mule deer, antelope, elk, and black bear.

The amount of kinetic energy that both cartridges bring to bear is impressive, with some loadings being capable of ethically harvesting an elk at 800 yards. This gives hunters an incredible amount of flexibility of when and where they can hunt.

Although both rounds are capable of long range hunting, proper practice needs to be done to ensure a clean kill on any animal you shoot at these distances.

Neither the 300 PRC nor 28 Nosler are suitable for varmint hunting as they are way too powerful for these small game animals. For this type of hunting, we would recommend a smaller (and less expensive) cartridge like the 223 Remington, 22-250, or 22 LR depending on the varmint in question.

For big game, it’s hard to say that either cartridge is superior to the other. Both have adequate kinetic energy and flat trajectory for long-range shooting. The 28 Nosler has slightly less recoil, which is ideal for longer range shots, while the 300 PRC has slightly more kinetic energy, which is good for ensuring a clean kill.

The bottom line is that both rounds are effective big game hunting cartridges so long as your shot placement is adequate.

Ammo and Rifle Cost/Availability

The 28 Nosler and 300 PRC are still relatively new cartridges on the market compared to old standbys like the 300 Win Mag, this means typically corresponds to low ammo availability and limited options in terms of different load options.

This couldn’t be more true than for the 300 PRC, as there are currently four different ammo options for it available on the market (three from Hornady and one from Federal). However, the 28 Nosler has considerably more factory ammo options at the time of writing. Most 28 Nosler ammo come from Nosler itself, however Hornady just released a new 162 gr ELD-X load while Browning has three different options available.

Although the Nosler round might have 3x more options available to its name, those rounds are typically more expensive than 300 PRC factory loads.

On average, 300 PRC will cost around $3/round, which is in stark contrast to Nosler factory ammo which runs over $5/round. The Hornady and Browning options for 28 Nosler are slightly less expensive at $4/round, but the 300 PRC is clearly less expensive to shoot.

When it comes to firearms, bolt action rifles with 20+” barrel lengths are the only options for both cartridges at the time of writing. As the 300 and 28 were built for long range precision shooting, a bolt action rifle that maximizes the capabilities of each is preferred.

Rifles are available for both calibers from Savage, Bergara, Christensen, and Browning. For precision rifle shooting (PRS) competitors, long range competition-ready rifles for 300 PRC are available from Ruger, Savage, Barrett, and others.

One other aspect to consider is rifle cost, as most all standard hunting rifle offerings will run you close to $1,000 or more for each cartridge. Competition rifles for 300 PRC typically start around $2,000 and go up from there circa summer 2022.

Reloading

If you like to handload your own ammo, both cartridges offer you a lot of options for customization in terms of projectiles and powders to make the perfect reloads for your competition or hunting rifle.

Although currently there are only a few factory loads for both cartridges, reloading offers shooters considerably more versatility to tune your favorite 7mm or 30-caliber bullets to your rifle.

There’s no denying that there are many popular 7mm cartridges, such as the 7×57 Mauser, 7mm SAUM, 7mm-08 Rem, 7mm WSM, and the 7mm Weatherby Magnum. However, the 7mm cannot compare to the unabashed love affair that North America has with the 0.308” bullet diameter.

Some of the most popular cartridges in the USA fire 308-caliber, such as the 300 Win Mag, 308 Winchester, and 30-06 Springfield. This means that there will be considerably more reloading options in terms of bullets for the 300 PRC.

This is not to say that the 7mm is underrepresented, as virtually every bullet manufacturer like Norma, Barnes, Berger, Nosler, and Hornady have 7mm bullet options available for reloading your 28 Nosler. It just means that there are more options available for the 300 PRC.

In terms of reloading data, Hornady and Nosler provide detailed load data on their respective websites. Other powder manufacturers like Hodgdon also have published load data online.

Powder selection for both cartridges is fairly diverse, with Retumbo, H1000, and IMR 7977 being common between both calibers.

Sourcing brass for reloading might be a little trickier, as neither caliber is currently in military or police use and I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of 404 Jeffery or 375 Ruger brass just lying around to form your own cases! The best practice is to retain your brass from factory ammo or purchase new or once fired brass.

Reloading is a great way to help offset the rather steep cost of ammo for both cartridges and can really enhance your downrange accuracy if you plan on shooting long range.

Final Shots: 300 PRC vs 28 Nosler

The 300 PRC and 28 Nosler represent an evolution in long range rifle cartridge development. Instead of trying to make better bullets for old cartridges, Hornady and Nosler started with the ideal bullet and built the cartridge around it.

The 300 PRC is Hornady’s attempt to maximize the performance of the 30-caliber bullet. Utilizing incredibly sleek, high BC bullets, Hornady created a true magnum cartridge that can easily score hits at 1,000 yards and beyond.

The 28 Nosler came into the shooting scene riding off the coattails of the success of the 26 Nosler and sought to push the envelope of the 7mm bullet. Nosler wanted to create a hotrod magnum round that capitalized on the naturally flat trajectory of the 7mm round.

Deciding between the 28 Nosler and 300 PRC comes down to personal preference and your goals as a shooter. The 28 Nosler has less recoil and is flat shooting thanks to higher muzzle velocity at the cost of reduced barrel life. In contrast, the 300 PRC has slightly higher recoil and muzzle energy but has longer barrel life.

No matter which cartridge you choose, make sure you stock up on ammunition here at Ammo.com and I’ll see you on the range!

Any gun that has 11 million copies, has been used in more than 25 countries in various military and police applications, as well as a sporting arm and has become the benchmark of pump or slide-action shotguns deserves a look back at its origins, along with an examination of why it was and remains so popular. As Remington celebrates its bicentennial, the Model 870 shotgun has been a major factor in the longevity of the company for more than a quarter of its existence.

Remington had been struggling a bit in its shotgun market. From the beginning of the 20th century, Americans had been flocking toward the pump or slide-action shotgun because of its simplicity, reliability and it costing far less than any double or semi-auto. Winchester ruled the roost with its models 1897 and 1912 pumps. Their reliability had become legend, and the appeal of the Model 12 with its sleek lines pretty well spanked any of the competition. John D. Pederson had designed the Remington Model 10 slide-action, bottom-ejecting shotgun—he actually designed it in 1908, but it wasn’t brought to market until 1909—and it sold reasonably well, even serving some trench-gun duties into the 1930s. It was one of the first shotguns with a rounded profile to the rear of the receiver. The Model 10 was more fragile than the competing Winchester Model 12 so John Browning designed the Model 17 pump shotgun, retaining the bottom ejecting and loading port and successfully addressing some of the issues with the Model 10. Because of wartime production needs the Model 17 was not brought forth until 1921. Later on, the Ithaca Model 37 and the Browning BPS would share much of the engineering found in the Model 17. The Remington Model 17 pump shotgun was a forerunner to the Model 870.

The Model 17 was a 20 gauge, and it enjoyed a fair degree of popularity as well, though it never threatened the Winchester Model 12. Another Remington engineer, Crawford C. Loomis, redesigned the Model 17 to handle 12-gauge ammo and employing side ejection, introducing it as the Model 31 in 1931. The Model 31 was produced in 12, 16 and 20 gauge and made from 1931 until 1949. Model 31s were purchased by the FBI, and one each was ascribed to each office after the Kansas City Massacre of 1933.

World War II changed everything, including manufacturing parameters. The new prevailing consideration was expense of manufacture. Cost cutting—some say cheapening—became the primary focus. With The Depression over, wages—hence manufacturing costs—were skyrocketing. Remington needed to find a less expensive way to produce pump shotguns.

In 1948 Remington designers L. Ray Critendon, Ellis Hailston and C.R. Johnson came up with a long-recoil semi-auto shotgun that featured some new technology and design. Chief among the new innovations was the use of stamped steel parts and true interchangeability allowing the gun to be assembled with much less hand fitting. When it came time to update its pump shotgun, Remington utilized these same technologies, as well as the fire-control system developed for the 11-48. The new pump featured dual action bars that constrained the torque often imparted to the fore-end when operating it, thus making cycling the action smoother and more reliable. Instead of having to machine a recess deep within the receiver for the bolt to lock up, Remington created a hardened barrel extension with a recess machine into it to restrain the thrust of the bolt during firing. By doing this, it allowed the new pump shotgun to not only be made in less time (less expensive), it also made it easier to replicate headspacing from barrel to barrel, allowing for barrel interchangeability without tools or fitting. Like its predecessors, this new Model 870 was fed from a tubular magazine beneath the barrel originally holding four rounds.

The Model 870 was an instant success, and when it was brought to market in 1950 no fewer than 15 variations were available. That availability to be so adaptable through modular technology has been a cornerstone of the 870’s success for the past 66 years. In addition to countless grades of engraving and wood quality, the 870 has been made in deer or slug-gun garb, trap and skeet versions, waterfowl, turkey and upland configurations. It has been built to the special considerations of tactical users. The Model 870 has been available in all four shotgun chamberings and from 2 3/4″ to 3 1/2″ magnum. In short, if you have a task that can be handled with a shotgun—even some pretty obtuse ones—Remington has made an 870 to address that task well

Sixteen years after its debut, Remington ushered its 1 millionth Model 870 out the door. Seven years later the 2 millionth 870 was shipped. Today, 66 years after its introduction more than 11 million Model 870 shotguns have been produced. While most firearms, especially with some longevity, have undergone several design changes during their manufacture to deal with unforeseen glitches that can occur in the field, the 870 has but one that I am aware of. Older 870s were capable of being tied up if the user failed to engage the shell latch. The shell could then slip back into the receiver between the lifter and the bolt in such a way as to prevent the bolt from moving rearward, thus requiring the gun to be disassembled to clear the shell. The Flex-Tab carrier introduced around 1980 took care of this rare issue, and today it’s almost impossible to bind up an 870—unless you are me.

I’ve owned four 870s, two sporters and two in riot or tactical configuration. I had an 870 Express that I used as a rough-and-ready duck gun for a while. One rainy day on a marsh in central California I managed to somehow bend the ejector spring into a paper clip, thus turning my shotgun into an inefficient single shot. With the rain pouring down I stripped the 870, laying the barrel in the reeds above the water I was in, sitting on a T-chair made from two pieces of 2×4 screwed together in a T shape and stuck into the marsh mud. My rain parka formed a parts bowl in my lap that quickly filled with rain water, thus serving as a sort of redneck parts washer. I stripped the receiver down to where I could remove the ejector spring. After straightening it back to its original configuration, I reassembled the gun and returned to my hunt. Total elapsed time: about 10 minutes … and I didn’t lose a single part!

Remington’s Model 870 shotgun has earned its just place as the benchmark of American shotguns. It’s almost unimaginable that anyone who has owned more than one shotgun doesn’t have or hasn’t had an 870 in their closet or safe. It certainly has become an icon in that company’s 200-year history.

Our world’s oceans contain some of the craziest things. Scientists are still discovering new fish TODAY and if that doesn’t tell you about the content of the sea, then I don’t know what does. A lot of it is terrifying and most people wouldn’t be caught dead trying to fight anything that’s been evolving for like, a trillion years. These creatures probably know more about the creation of the earth than we do. While a ton of the ocean’s animals are scary, they can also be super tasty. As much as you may like Salmon and Tuna, there’s plenty of fish in the sea. And most of it is delicious when seared in your kitchen, regardless of how crazy-looking it may be. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most exotic fish that you can actually put in your mouth and eat (and really really love).

The Lionfish is a tropical fish and it is an established invasive species on the East Coast of the U.S. and in the Caribbean. It is fast-growing, an insatiable eater, reproduces year round, and has no known predators in the areas to which it has been introduced, so it is quickly becoming a threat to local ecosystems, especially along the central and south Atlantic coasts. One way to help save the environment: eat more Lionfish! In areas where it is native, such as the Red Sea in Greece and many islands in the Pacific, the Lionfish is regularly consumed. These slow-pokes are typically caught with spears or hand-held nets, a catch method that results in little bycatch or damage to the habitat. The fins of the Lionfish are venomous, but are easily removed after being caught and the poison is neutralized by heat, as through cooking. The Lionfish has a white flesh and is said to taste similar to certain Snappers and Groupers.

Spiny Lobsters basically eat anything you put in front of them, but they’re mostly known for consuming small Snails and Crabs, decaying organic matter, and some plants. Incredibly hungry crustaceans, they have exoskeletons that do not expand and they must shed often in order to grow bigger. Before molting, a Spiny Lobster begins building a new, bigger skeleton inside the existing one. As it gets too big to be contained, it splits open the outer shell and the new exoskeleton hardens. Spiny Lobsters are more active at night and that’s when they go out to forage for food. These babies are super sweet; way sweeter than the Maine Lobster but you’re not likely to find it on your American plate any time soon. About 90% of the live Spiney Lobster market gets sold to China due to their insanely high demand and the percentage gets higher every year, while American consumers aren’t willing to pay the price for this unique looking Lobster. If you happen to find a Spiny Lobster on your menu down the line, be sure to give it a try (you might not see it again) – it’s chewy, nutty, and again, very sweet!

If you’re a big fan of sushi, you’ve probably already heard of Uni, the Japanese word for Sea Urchin. The gonads of the Sea Urchin is a delicacy in Japan, and often it can retail for as high as $360 per kilogram. It is served raw as sashimi or in sushi, with soy sauce and wasabi and it is imported in large quantities to Japan, mostly from America and South Korea. California Uni is abundant and especially delicious and most of it is exported to the Japanese market but it is enjoyed in the United States as well with many consumers loving the unique texture and the flavor is a surprising mix of sweetness and ocean brine. Don’t be scared to try new things! Uni is becoming more and more popular every day, so if you see it on the menu during your next visit to the sushi bar, give it a shot!

The Nordic Wolffish is a pretty scary looking thing but it’s perfect for frying or grilling! It kind of looks like an eel with a really big head. Wolffish has delicious, firm flesh similar to Monkfish (another ugly looking fish). Because they live on shellfish, the meat can also have a flavor reminiscent of Shrimp. This fish holds up really well in a fish stew, and it’s especially great when fried as cutlets. Most Wolffish are caught off the shores of Iceland near the Arctic Circle. This fish is super unique: they’re known by the natural antifreeze they produce to keep their blood moving fluidly in their very cold habitat and the large size of their eggs. The Icelandic Wolffish population success is also an important factor in the health of other bottom-dweller populations, such as Atlantic Cod. Important to the ocean environment, versatile in the kitchen, and super delicious? What a combo!

A marine crustacean named for its resemblance to the praying mantis, Mantis Shrimp are typically found as a sushi topping, are boiled whole, and eaten out of the shell. They appear in various Mediterranean cuisines (in Italy, they are Canocchie) and there are over 450 different species of Mantis Shrimp. The meat is intensely sweet, like Lobster, only even more tender than the most tender of tiny Lobsters. It is, by far, the most delicious of the squirmy crustaceans you’ll encounter at the local fish market. If you can get your hands on some Mantis Shrimp, prepare them as you would Prawns, Shrimp, and Langostinos: in pasta, linguine, paella, risotto, and anything else your heart desires. Or, just boil and get to grubbing.

Ever have a buttermilk fried Pufferfish with tartar sauce? We have, and let us tell you: it has to be tasted to be believed. Essentially, it’s the Kentucky fried fish you need in your life. Fry these guys up whole and you have yourself a party. The Pufferfish makes a lot of appearances in cartoons and sunny seaside town decals at seafood restaurants and beyond, but most people don’t know that you can actually eat them. The Pufferfish’s ability to “blow up” and appear larger is its way of communicating to predators, “Hey, I’m bigger than you! Don’t mess with me!” But make no mistake, they’re all talk and no action. The Northern Pufferfish inhabits bays, estuaries and protected coastal waters at depths of 10-183 m along the Atlantic seaboard and this particular species is non-toxic, in contrast to many other kinds of blowfish. The firm, tender, white meat along its stiff backbone tastes so much like chicken that you just need to give it a try and see for yourself that the Northern Pufferfish is the REAL chicken of the sea.

Amy Trubek

2004 | No. 68

The Shagbark Hickory Nut Is It the Finest Native American Nut?

By Amy Trubek

“They are the nobility of nuts,” the chef Odessa Piper says, “what the black truffle is to mushrooms.” Shagbark hickory nuts have “more flavor… more snap, more tooth-feel than either pecans or walnuts.” Unlike most nuts, toasting is required to intensify their flavor and create the shattering texture that makes them unique. Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) is a relative of the pecan and a North American native, widely found in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa. It’s hard to miss because the unique bark peels away from the tree in thin strips from six inches to four feet long. The trees are often found along roadsides. On the small dairy farms that dominate the rolling hills of southern Wisconsin, the cornfields and cow pastures mingle with stands of oak and hickory.

Gathering hickory nuts has long been part of rural Wisconsin family life. I went looking for hickory nuts late one fall, when the leaves had turned a vibrant mustard yellow. The nuts had dropped to the ground, their moist green husks now hard and black, having split open along four ribs to expose thin but strong inner shells. Several people told me that when they were young, their families would take a drive in the country and pull over when someone spotted a tree. The kids would pile out of the car and race to see who could pick up the most nuts the fastest. These people recalled with pleasure the nut’s luscious combination of sweet and smoky. But as to shelling… on that subject their eyes tended to glaze over.

Shelling the nuts is drudgery. Once the hard shell is broken, typically with a hammer, the meats have to be pried out. One serious harvester I met uses a dental pick. A pound of nutmeats takes a lot of cracking and picking and scraping — up to four hours’ worth — which explains why hickory nuts are rarely found in supermarkets or restaurants. Conventional wisdom in Wisconsin holds that this activity is for old-timers.

The main place to find shelled shagbark hickory nuts for sale is at farmers’ markets. At the one in Madison, various stands sell them. Harvey Ruehlow of the Nut Factory says, “The old guys are dying off, and the young people don’t have time.” He and his wife, Beverly, learned to forage and pick from Harvey’s dad, who loved to eat cinnamon rolls topped with chopped hickory nuts — it used to be that the nuts were used only for baking.

Note on toasting from Edward Behr

Eaten raw, shagbark hickory nuts have an echo of the curious rancid fruit flavor of another North American native, the black walnut — most people don’t like it. But shagbark hickory nuts respond unusually well to toasting, and they require a degree of it to taste their best. A mere light toasting causes the odd fruitiness to disappear and a superior taste to emerge, like a cross between a regular walnut and a pecan. Enough toasting also gives a satisfying, soft, oily crunch. The effect is so good that either the shagbark hickory or the wild pecan, another member of the hickory family, is the finest native North American nut. (A competitor, once, would have been the American chestnut, before the chestnut blight eliminated it.) To toast the nuts, heat the oven to 250 degrees F, spread them on a metal baking sheet or pan, toast for two minutes until they show some color, stir, and then toast for at least a minute or two longer. The longer the time, the stronger the flavor and the more crunch. Our small group of tasters preferred them after 10 or even 15 minutes. ● From issue 68

Hunt #1

I was halfway down the long ridge when a bugle erupted to my right. Far below, a 300-inch 6×6 was chasing cows in a timber-dotted draw. I craned my neck to locate the new bull in the dim predawn light. What I saw sent a shiver down my spine.

A wide, massive rack floated above a ridge 400 yards to the south — a rack I thought I would never see again. Days earlier, I had dogged that very bull from dawn till dusk as he pushed three-dozen cows and calves across deep canyons and near-vertical slopes. When the sun finally sank, the large Wyoming six-point was still beyond bow range, surrounded by his harem and posing on a rugged point of rock. He bugled, grunted, and plunged out of sight.

Hard hiking across miles of terrain had failed to show me that elk again. There would be no mistaking his wide-flung antlers with the broken left brow tine. After searching till my eyeballs ached, I figured he was gone for good.

Then, miles away from where I’d chased him, here he was again. A parade of cows and calves trotted across a knob and dipped out of sight. Ears and antlers followed, also sinking below the horizon.

I forgot the smaller bull below me, trotted into a deadfall-littered ravine, and hustled up the other side. I had barely reached the top when cow elk began filing across the main canyon 600 yards below. They joined the bunch with the other bull, creating a massive herd. I stopped counting at 60 elk.

Last in line was the heavy-antlered bull. As I watched through my 10X binoculars, he charged through the milling cows — screaming like a banshee and pacing back and forth. The smaller bull turned and fled. That 300-incher looked like a baby compared to the big guy.

A coulee angled steeply downhill toward the herd, and I ducked into it. Twenty minutes later, I crossed the main canyon and crept uphill through stunted evergreens. Elk were chirping and crunching in a meadow above the trees.

I slipped between two pines and peeked uphill. Cows and calves were feeding in an old burn, and several drifted within 15 yards. I eased an arrow from my hip quiver, nocked the shaft, and waited. The herd bull was nearby, hidden beyond the grassy folds. A stiff morning downdraft blew in my face.

Minutes passed before the bull bugled again just out of sight. I gripped my bow as cows trotted downhill toward me. Instantly, tall antlers rose above the slope.

The bull swaggered out and stopped barely 30 yards away. One cow nearly stepped on me as she scooted away from the rut-crazy male. I drew as the bull nosed another cow, planted my 30-yard pin behind his shoulder, and released.

The cow squirted ahead, the bull lunged forward…and the G5 Striker V2 broadhead smacked him dead-center with a “plop” no bowhunter wants to hear. Elk scattered in giant clouds of dust. The bull walked 100 yards, bedded, stood again, and trudged over a ridge. I backed away immediately. Gut-shot animals always die, but you should never push them.

The cool, sinking breeze had started swirling as the morning air heated up. I hoped the bull would not smell me and go on high alert. That hope was wrong.

Hunt #2

I’ve never lost a gut-shot animal. This happens to every bowhunter sooner or later, but unless spooked, a paunch-hit critter normally travels less than a half-mile. If you wait several hours before following, the result is usually good.

Midafternoon found me snooping along the likely path my bull had taken. Two spots of dark blood on a log and fresh tracks in the dust confirmed his path down a timber-choked draw. Another spot of body fluid 300 yards farther along proved the bull had continued downhill to the bottom of the ravine. I could not find another speck of blood, and the ground in the bottom was hard as a rock.

By dark, I’d scoured every slope and ravine within a half-mile. An old burn dominated the area, and it was mostly open enough to see a downed animal. Next morning, my friend Tommy Moore and I strapped on our hiking boots and continued the search. By midday, we were certain my bull had traveled farther than a half-mile. I suspected the wounded elk had smelled me on shifting air currents before I was able to leave. Juiced up on adrenaline, it was hard to say which direction he’d gone, or how far.

Deep canyons fanned out to the north, east, and south. Tommy and I canvassed the country within a mile, slowly hiking ravine bottoms and slopes in a grid pattern. It was too early for birds to find the carcass or death odor to set in. A tough situation. The sun set on that first full day of searching.

Tommy had to work the next day, but my wife, Greta, drove from home to help me. We searched from daylight till dark over the next four days, fanning outward across vast expanses of terrain within one to two miles. An animal can always crawl in a crack or stop in thick cover, where you might walk past and miss it only feet or yards away. But daytime temperatures were climbing into the 80s. Ravens, eagles, and magpies lived in the area, and such scavengers always descend on a carcass within a few days. After five days, the stench of decay should be detectable for several hundred yards.

The key was getting close to where the elk had dropped, and we certainly had not done that. Greta and I began calling my bull “Needle.” The haystack we were searching was incredibly big and rugged.

Day Six dawned warm and clear. Miraculously, Greta spied a dry, matchhead-sized drop of blood on a tree branch nearly one mile from where I had hit the elk. My wife’s eyes are incredible.

The bull had left the ravine and headed south. Two long, narrow, and fairly open canyons sliced the country even farther in that direction than we had looked — two to three miles away and a greater distance than I had ever seen a paunch-hit animal go.

Greta drove our pickup to the top of the first draw and dropped me off. Two hours later, I met her at the bottom. No birds, no coyotes, no smell. The place I’d hit the elk was 1¾ miles to the north.

Greta left me again at the head of the second canyon — 2¾ miles from impact.

“This is crazy,” I muttered, as I dropped into the narrow cut. I was beginning to believe we might never find Needle.

Halfway down the ravine, something white flashed to my right. A lone magpie sailed across a draw 100 yards above me and vanished beyond a ridge. The bird was alone, but it was the only one I’d seen that day. I decided to investigate.

As I crested the ridge, the bird flew from a tree and floated into another draw.

What the heck, I thought. Might as well follow.

I reached the top just as the bird dove into a clump of densely packed evergreens. As I eased ahead, four magpies erupted from the same spot. The Wyoming breeze fanned my face, carrying the faint smell of decaying carcass. I trotted down the hill as more birds scattered from the thicket. Seconds later, a fat antler tine appeared through the screen of limbs.

Not much later, Greta and I did a happy dance on the upwind side of the elk. Coyotes and birds have to eat, too, so nothing goes to waste in the woods. Selfishly, I was sad about all that ruined meat. But hairy and feathered scavengers had already polished off most of the bull’s rear end, and I knew not one scrap would be left when they were done.

I removed the head with knife and rubber gloves. A generous sprinkling of borax, salt, and baking soda on the de-fleshed skull cut the odor to nearly zero. I had gorgeous antlers to remind me of both hunts — the challenging sneak, and the taxing recovery. My 2021 Wyoming bull later scored a touch over 360 record-book points, in spite of two battle-broken tines on the left side. Intact, he would have scored over 370…one of my best-ever elk.

According to my GPS, Needle traveled just over 2¼ miles before he dropped. Our smartphones confirmed that Greta had walked over 30 miles looking for that bull, and I had walked over 50 miles. If you search hard and long enough for a mortally hit animal, you will almost certainly find it eventually. The double-hunt process might not always be fun, but the conclusion will be thrilling for a number of reasons!

Following Up a Center Hit

An animal hit solidly in the paunch with a sharp broadhead requires patience. It will always expire, but you must wait at least six to eight hours before beginning the search…preferably more if daylight allows. If it is pushed or smells you, it might travel much farther than the normal 400 to 800 yards.

After waiting, you should look for blood, body fluid, and tracks. Try to predict the most likely travel routes, and remember that gut-shot animals sometimes move uphill. Proceed slowly with eyes peeled, in case you need to take a finishing shot.

Beyond 24 hours, you should grid-search terrain, preferably with the help of friends. It is your responsibility to recover the animal, even if you lose the meat. Keep looking — it’s the ethical thing to do — and the critter will almost certainly be yours.