IF I COULD BE REINCARNATED, I’d come back as a used-car salesman,” Ramsey Russell says to me.

It’s 5 a.m., and we’re barreling down a dark highway in Obregon, Mexico. Russell, 53, is explaining how it would be easier to sell used cars than the international waterfowl hunts he deals with in his current gig as a booking agent (though he hates that term). I’m pretty sure he’s only half kidding.

“People go in to buy a car, and they know what they want,” he says. “Me, I’ve got to sell the experience.”

Later that morning, a handful of other writers,  some reps from Benelli, and I enjoy the most epic pintail shoot I’ll ever be a part of. Drakes in their breeding plumage, long sprigs trailing behind, float out of the clear-blue sky and cup into a decoy spread set along a tidal beach. Tucked into a mangrove blind, my hunting partner and I take turns shooting until we have our limits, then we sit back and watch the spectacle of teal, wigeon, pintails, redheads, and shorebirds whip down the shoreline. By the time we get picked up for lunch, we’re sold on the Ramsey Russell experience.

We’re here on the west coast of Mexico hunting wintering ducks thanks to Russell’s connection to Frank Ruiz, an outfitter who turned his family home into a hunting lodge.

Russell sends his clients to outfitters like Ruiz all over the world. Classic wingshooting destinations such as Mexico and Argentina are entry-level trips for Russell’s hunters. Think more exotic: shelducks in Mongolia, garganey in Azerbaijan, barnacle geese in the Netherlands, red-billed teal in South Africa. Russell hunts all of these destinations before he sends clients to them. 

Not all of his trips are  high-volume shoots like the one we experienced in Mexico. On an Alaska king eider hunt, for example, you shoot only a few ducks per day. What all of Russell’s hunts have in common, though, is that they are a blend of adventure travel and species-collecting expedition. 

And the trips are not as expensive as you might think. An average hunt costs about $6,000, which isn’t chump change, but it’s still cheaper than almost any international big-game hunt, Russell reasons on our drive back after the morning shoot. His mission is to create a passion (and a market) for adventure waterfowl hunting. He wants to foster a shift away from the posh international hunt clubs. 

“These are duck hunts for real duck hunters,” Russell says. “You’re not traveling around the world to smoke fat cigars and eat edible art. You’re going to hunt. If you want all that other shit, take your wife to Italy.”

Life Is Short

Like any great outfitter, guide, or booking agent, Russell can cut up with a group of new hunters as if they’re old buddies. He knows that if a hunt isn’t going well and tensions are high, a good joke or witty story can save the day. Over the years, he’s developed an arsenal of quips:

“My favorite duck is the next one over the decoys”—for when pintails aren’t working, but shovelers are dive-bombing into the decoys. 

“I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong”—for defusing an argument with a client.

“It’s like walking through the pages of National Geographic with a shotgun”—for selling the idea of a hunt in a far-flung destination.

Russell was born in Mississippi, where his grandpa taught him to love hunting and fishing. He was tagging along on dove hunts at 8 years old. Soon enough, he was immersed in the world of duck hunting Mississippi River backwaters. Then, when he was 15, Russell was nearly killed in a freak accident. He was cleaning a paintbrush with gasoline when a water-heater pilot light caught the fumes and erupted in a fiery explosion. Russell suffered second– and third-degree burns on three-quarters of his body, but he beat the 8 percent chance of survival the doctors gave him.

Most of us save the concept of “bucket-list trips” for the twilight of our hunting career. We’re only willing to roll the dice once we acknowledge that time is running out. But Russell faced his own mortality when he was a kid. During a long, torturous recovery, the teenager forged a saying that became his personal creed and would later become his business slogan: “Life is short, get ducks.”

Eventually, Russell earned a forestry degree and landed a job with the federal government. When he worked up enough scratch, he started traveling to hunt waterfowl in Canada and Argentina. He made his first international trip to Saskatchewan in 1998. 

Russell has the ideal temperament to captain a crew of duck hunters. He’s intense enough to make sure everyone brings their A-game (“Turn off the damn phone and play for keeps”), but he’s also experienced enough to know that the whole point of the thing is to have a good time—and he’s unabashed about his love for shooting ducks (“Hell yeah, shooting ducks is fun, and hell yeah, it’s conservation”). So, Russell had no problem recruiting buddies to go with him abroad. He started bringing so many other hunters along that an outfitter convinced him to open a part-time booking–agency business. Then, in 2010, Russell went full-time with his site, getducks.com.

Greenheads International

Russell has learned some straightforward lessons during his world travels: Don’t drink the milk in Pakistan, and keep your firearms documentation on your person when you go through customs in China. 

But the biggest takeaway cuts deeper, to the culture of American waterfowl hunting. Generally, we kill fewer ducks per hunt than you can almost anywhere else in the world, and yet we’re the ones obsessed with numbers.

That’s because the strict limits on how many ducks and how many of each species we can kill forces American waterfowlers to be careful counters. Each dead bird is one notch closer to a limit. A full limit means the end of the hunt, and complete success.

As Russell says: “It’s almost like if you only shoot three ducks, you lost. It’s made to feel like if you’re not killing a limit, you’re not having fun.”

Of course, these limits are good and necessary for conservation. In the U.S., we have much higher hunter-density numbers than in other parts of the world. There are about 1 million U.S. waterfowlers. In comparison, only a few hundred Americans travel to the Yaqi Valley in Mexico to hunt ducks each winter, according to Russell. Those few hundred hunters end up harvesting a statistically insignificant number of ducks, even if they’re bringing back a whole pile of birds each day.

In the rest of the world, waterfowl hunting for sport isn’t as common, and neither are limits or hunting pressure. In some corners of the world, you set your own limit. One of Russell’s hunts in Pakistan drives home the point.

He was invited by a feudal lord to hunt a sprawling marsh along the Indus River (one of the longest rivers in Asia, which serves as a major flyway). The lord had heard that the American was a crack shot, so he made his way down to the blind to watch. He gave Russell a few boxes of shells from his personal stash—German-made, 3-inch lead loads—and insisted that Russell take long shots that most American hunters would consider sky blasting. 

“If you want to hunt in Pakistan, you must shoot like a Pakistani,” the lord said. 

So, Russell started burning through shells, and once he got the long lead figured out, birds rained from the sky. Russell wasn’t counting but figures he killed more ducks that day than most American waterfowlers shoot in a season. Each bird was recovered diligently (meat doesn’t go to waste in Pakistan), and Russell was immersed in a totally different hunting culture. To the Pakistanis, the most important aspect of the hunt was shooting ability.

The upshot? You can’t travel halfway across the world and expect locals to have the same hunting values as you do. 

And over time, Russell’s clients have developed new hunting values.

“In the beginning, the number-one question clients would ask is, ‘How many ducks can I shoot?’” Russell says. “Now hardly anyone asks that. Now everyone wants to know which species are present and what the experience is going to be like.”

But no matter how far you travel, in many ways duck hunters are all the same. 

“Mallards are the big prize bird anywhere they exist in the world,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Mongolia or Missouri.” 

Many times, Russell hunts with locals who speak a different language from him. This minimizes the small talk, but they still communicate through hand signals and gestures in the duck hunter’s common language: Fix the hide, the ducks are flaring; tweak the spread, they’re not committing close enough; good shot, here come some more birds.

“You can put four people from anywhere in the world together in a blind, and they’ll have more in common than they’ll have differences, because they’re hunters.”

The Next Migration

On our last day in Mexico, we opt to hunt Pacific brant in a tidal flat of the Sea of Cortez. Shortly after sunrise, the birds beeline for our decoys, low and tight, flying like giant black teal in slow motion. After two volleys, Russell’s 9-year-old Lab, Cooper, has a pile of retrieving work to do. Cooper is a registered service dog, and she’s traveled the world  with Russell. This is the last big tour of her career. 

Next, we head to a backwater to hunt teal, and for the first time, Russell sets aside his shotgun. 

As we pick off teal one at a time, Cooper methodically plucks our birds out of the marsh. She needs no direction from Russell, and is mostly too deaf to hear him anyway. She retrieves because it’s in her blood. It’s what she’s always done.

Meanwhile, Russell contemplates the future of waterfowling. He plans to target millennials with his international duck-hunting trips. This demographic has proven willing to spend more on travel than any other expense. He’s banking on the idea that the groups of hardcore young guns you see patrolling the goose fields of every Midwest town will one day want to chase birds in Canada, Mexico, or Russia. 

Getting this next generation of hunters excited about waterfowling and conservation on a global scale, he hopes, will be his legacy. 

“Someday, I don’t want my headstone to read, ‘Here lies Ramsey Russell: One million dead ducks,’ ” Russell says. “There has to be more to it than that. Don’t you think?” 

This story originally ran in the Fall 2019 issue. Read more OL+ stories.

The post This Old-School Duck Slayer Is Opening New Hunting Opportunities Around the World for Americans appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Discussions about the U.S.-Mexico border wall usually revolve around people, which makes sense given the wall’s core purpose. But a handful of biologists, politicians, and conservationists recognized early on that the wall would have some seriously detrimental effects on wildlife by separating distinct populations, splitting core habitat, and interrupting migration routes. Still, the Trump administration built an additional 458 miles of border wall, using already-earmarked military and defense dollars to do so.

Soon after construction began, a coalition of 18 states and two environmental organizations sued then-President Trump and his administration for diverting federal funds toward the controversial project without Congressional approval. Now, four years later, a settlement has been reached. And it contains a lot of wins for wildlife, officials say.

“President Trump’s border wall … was highly destructive, damaging private property and sensitive desert ecosystems, and blocking important wildlife corridors,” Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) tells Outdoor Life. “This settlement agreement is a step forward in restoring these watersheds and landscapes and protecting the future for species such as the Mexican gray wolves, jaguars, and Sonoran pronghorn.”

These measures include numerous on-the-ground mitigation projects, namely the construction of 24 wildlife passages and opening of nine stormwater gates along the wall. Such passages will benefit a variety of wildlife species in addition to the ones Heinrich mentions, including federally endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep, ocelots, Coues, whitetail, and mule deer. The Department of Homeland Security will also put $25 million toward acquiring a 1,300-acre chunk of critical wildlife habitat east of San Diego, and millions more will go toward endangered and threatened wildlife conservation research, according to the settlement document.

Holes in the Wall

The document outlines plans for 20 small wildlife passages that can be no smaller than 8.5 by 11 inches—big enough to allow ocelots, coyotes, foxes, rodents, and other small critters through the wall to the other side. In addition, four large passages will interrupt the wall—two in Arizona and two in New Mexico. The exact locations of the four new passages, which will measure roughly seven feet by five feet, remain redacted in the document. But they will be in remote, unfrequented areas where surveillance and other security measures will be feasible, Sierra Club borderland coordinator Erick Meza told the Arizona Daily Star. 

“We selected these openings in areas … where we have historically seen not so many migrants moving through these spaces,” Meza said. “[Border Patrol] will be monitoring [the areas] with the use of technology … the technology is already there in some of these cases.” 

These crossing locations were also selected with Mexican gray wolves, black bears, bison, Chihuahuan pronghorn, and jaguars in mind. But countless other wildlife species will also benefit from greater freedom of movement. In a study on border wildlife conducted by environmental organization Sky Island Alliance, 65 trail cameras scattered along 30 miles of the border recorded more than 43,000 wildlife detections in three years. Photographed species varied from birds and rodents to javelina, mountain lions, and one particularly good-looking whitetail still in velvet.

In addition to the new passages, nine stormwater gates will remain open full-time. As the document reads: “DHS reserves the right to close the gates if exigent circumstances or border security operations warrant temporary closure” and “place alternative forms of wildlife-friendly infrastructure near the gates and install barrier system attributes near the gates to detect unauthorized entry into the United States.”

Similarly, DHS will install gates on the four new large passages to close in emergency situations. Nearby barbed wire fencing—strung specifically to not hinder wildlife movement—will contain cattle.  

Buying Dirt

Another portion of the settlement involves DHS putting $25 million toward a 1,291-acre property acquisition east of San Diego. If the deal goes through, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife would take over what is currently known as Otay Ranch Village 14 and Project Areas 16 and 19. These parcels of land, which were at one point destined for real estate development, would remain untouched and receive “conservation status,” according to the document. 

The Otay Ranch Village 14 site was originally slated for the construction of over 1,100 homes. But the project hit snags during the environmental review process and the development never came to fruition. Now, it could help build the connectivity of other nearby habitat areas, namely the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge to the north, the Otay Mountain Wilderness to the south, and state lands to the east. The border sits about six miles south of the property.

DHS’ $25 million infusion would still come up short of the roughly $60 million the property is valued at. Non-profit funding would need to cover the remaining $35 million. If this money doesn’t materialize, the DHS’ $25 million will go toward other environmental remediation and mitigation efforts. 

Critters on the Border

As an additional wildlife conservation measure, DHS will put $1.1 million toward research monitoring Peninsular bighorn sheep, Sonoran desert pronghorn, Mexican gray wolves, jaguars, and ocelots in the borderlands. As the plan is currently written, $500,000 of that money will go toward a pre-existing Peninsular bighorn sheep study conducted by CDFW. These sheep are federally endangered, and the last range-wide population survey conducted in 2020 counted 884 sheep across 1,238 square miles of southern California. 

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Research will also focus on federally-listed jaguars, which are thought to be nearly extirpated from the U.S. The elusive cats once thrived in the American Southwest before habitat loss, poaching, and human conflict decimated the population. As rumblings of reintroducing jaguars to the region radiate through wildlife conservation circles, habitat fragmentation as a result of the border wall and sprawling suburban developments like the Otay Ranch Villages remain a concern.

Getting to Work  

The settlement includes countless other detailed instructions for remediation work (i.e. building materials that need cleaning up) and restrictions on future development (i.e. no wildlife-unfriendly wall or fence construction along specified stretches of the border) that DHS will need to adhere to going forward. The document also sets deadlines for the cash payments DHS must dish out for wildlife research and the Otay Ranch Village 14 acquisition.

Aside from the environmental remediation and mitigation demands of the settlement, DHS must reinvest roughly $427.3 million into the 15 military construction projects across nine states that the money was originally earmarked for.

The post Feds Agree to Add Wildlife Crossings to Border Wall Following Lawsuit appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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After a two-year investigation that involved Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers driving four and a half hours to Oakley, Kansas, a poacher has been brought to justice for illegally killing a bull moose in Teller County, Colorado and then leaving the animal to rot in the woods.   

Oakley resident Steven Samuelson, 33, entered a guilty plea in Teller County District Court on July 10, according to a CPW press release. Charges included felony willful destruction of wildlife, as well as hunting without a proper and valid big game license, aggravated illegal possession of wildlife, failure to prepare wildlife for human consumption, hunting in a careless manner, and illegal take of wildlife, which are all misdemeanors.

Samuelson illegally arrowed the bull moose in September 2021 in a wooded area north of Divide, Colorado, near Pike National Forest. He might have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for the trail cameras that other hunters had hung in the area. The cameras captured photographs of both Samuelson and the moose, and they helped pinpoint the time when the moose was killed.

After seeing these images, the parties reported the crime to CPW and led officers to the dead bull. They found evidence that Samuelson had tried but failed to remove the head. He’d also covered the moose in branches in an effort to hide the crime.

Samuelson illegally arrowed the bull moose in September 2021 in a wooded area north of Divide, Colorado, which lies northwest of Colorado Springs near Pike National Forest. The people who reported the incident to CPW had game cameras hung in the area. These cameras caught both Samuelson and the moose on film. 

When the reporting parties led CPW officers to the location of the moose, they found a large bull that showed evidence of Samuelson’s attempts at removing the head. Samuelson also tried to cover the moose in tree branches to hide the crime.

“This moose was treated unethically and that is something we take very seriously,” said CPW officer and assistant area wildlife manager Travis Sauder. “We are fortunate members of the public share our passion for wildlife and helped us catch the poacher. We rely on honest sportspeople to help us solve these types of cases.”

Finding Samuelson was less easy. Officers used what CPW calls “old-fashioned police work” to eventually track him down. In coordination with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, two CPW officers drove to Kansas to confront Samuelson at his workplace. They also executed a search warrant on his home. They seized his bow, his cell phone, and other belongings thought to contain evidence. 

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For the felony charge, Samuelson received a two-year deferred jail sentence. That means he won’t have to serve the sentence if he meets all the terms of his plea agreement. He also has to pay a $20,000 fine and lost 65 points against his hunting license. Only 20 points were necessary to suspend his hunting privileges, which means he’s now 45 points in the hole. 

The post Poacher Who Left Moose to Rot Caught on Trail Camera appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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There are plenty of reasons to learn to hunt. The most ancient and trendiest modern reason for hunting are actually the same: it’s a great way to secure lean, free-range meat for yourself and your family. Wild game meat reduces your reliance on the commercial food chain and helps you know exactly what you’re eating in our age of processed foods. Hunting is also a great way to learn more about the natural world, and to support wildlife habitat and conservation in the U.S. Best of all? Hunting is fun.

But getting started isn’t always easy. Hunting is a commitment that takes time, interest, specialized gear, and lots of leg work. But it’s worth it. That’s why we pulled together this step-by-step guide to help you navigate all the essential stages and skills of becoming a hunter, from signing up for a hunter safety course to cooking your hard-earned venison, and everything in between.

Let’s get started.

Navigating this Post

Because there’s a lot to hunting, there’s a lot to this article. Here’s a handy list to help you find the information you’re looking for more quickly. Read straight through, or click on a chapter to jump right to it.

1. Hunter Education
2. How to Find a Hunting Mentor
3. Navigating Hunting Laws and Seasons
4. Hunting Gear
5. Guns, Ammo, and Shooting Practice
6. Finding a Place to Hunt
7. Basic Tactics for any Hunt
8. Field-Dressing, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game

1. Hunter Education

By Natalie Krebs

Hunting is a highly regulated activity, which means you’ll need a license to hunt wild game like deer, turkeys, squirrels, and more. Before you can purchase a hunting license, however, you need to take and pass a hunter education course.

Do I really need hunter ed to buy a license?

Each state has different requirements for this: Some states only require hunter education if you were born after a certain date; others require all license buyers to hold a valid hunter education certificate. You can find your own state or province’s requirements here.

No matter your state’s requirements, it’s still a good idea to take the course. Hunter ed teaches safe firearm handling, ethical shot placement, your state’s regulations, and more. In-person courses also give you the opportunity to ask experienced hunters questions and get to know other new hunters.

Can I try hunting before I take hunter education?

You certainly can, though this is easier in some states than others. This also requires you to know someone who hunts and is willing to take you. The first way to do this is to purchase an apprentice hunting license, which allows you to legally hunt and harvest an animal under the supervision of a licensed adult hunter. Apprentice licenses are only available in certain states, but they’re a great way to gauge your interest in hunting.

The second option is just to tag along on a hunt with another licensed hunter. With a few exceptions for non-game species (like coyotes and hogs), you won’t be able to pull the trigger yourself. But you’ll learn a lot, and get a pretty good idea about how you like that particular style of hunting.

Where do I sign up for hunter education?

Go to hunter-ed.com and click on your state. Most states allow you to take an online course through this site, and will note any additional requirements like in-person tests or field days. If your state doesn’t participate in the online course, check out this map to go straight to your state’s hunter ed page.

How much does hunter education cost?

Hunter ed courses range from $0 to $30, depending on your state and whether you take the course online or in person (usually free). There’s a service fee for online courses, though some states require you to pay up only after you’ve passed the class.

Where is my hunter education certificate valid?

You can use it to buy a hunting license in all 50 states and many countries. This is another reason why it’s important to take hunter ed even if your state doesn’t require it: If you ever want to hunt in a different state, you’ll likely need a hunter ed number to buy a license.

How long is my hunter ed certificate good for?

Once you pass, you’re certified for life.

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Do I need a bowhunter education course?

Most states don’t require these, but offer them anyway. If you want to bowhunt (this includes a crossbow) in a state that does require a bowhunter education course, like Montana or New York, you’ll have to take one in addition to (not instead of) a general hunter ed course. You can find out if your state requires bowhunter ed here.

I passed my hunter ed course. Now what?

Congrats! You should have been issued a temporary or permanent hunter education card—go make several copies of this before you lose it, and file them in a safe place. It’s also a good idea to save your hunter ed number in your phone so you have it handy when you need to buy a hunting license. If you ever lose your card, you can print or request a replacement from your game agency, but it can sometimes be a hassle.

2. How to Find a Hunting Mentor

Hunter education classes are critical, but there’s no way around it: learning to hunt from one is like learning to drive by reading a driver’s ed manual. The only way to get good at either is to practice, and to do so with guidance. That’s where mentoring programs and other hunters come in.

Your Personal Hunting Mentor

If you already know someone who hunts, start there. This might be a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor. Depending on your relationship with them, you might just be able to ask them to take you hunting sometime. If you don’t know them as well, ease into it. Ask them questions about what you need help with the most, like finding a good archery shop or buying the right hunting license.

Work your way up to asking them to join you for an in-person project. Maybe you need help picking out a deer rifle at Cabela’s, or navigating your first trip to the shooting range. Eventually you should know each other well enough that you can ask to tag along on a hunt. Better yet, your new mentor will hopefully invite you to join them.

Once you find someone who’s willing to help you, be sure to pull your own weight. Never forget that this hunter is doing you a favor, and that helping you learn to hunt cuts into their own schedule. Absolutely ask them for advice, tips, and to hunt with you, but take initiative, too. If they take you to the range once, go back on your own next time. If they recommend a public-land spot, go check it out. Don’t count on them to hold your hand for years to come, or to hunt with you every time you want to go.

Learn-to-Hunt Programs and Community Support

If the hunter you hoped would help seems non-committal, that’s okay too. There’s someone else out there who will be excited to help you, whether you know them yet or not.

This is where learn-to-hunt programs come in. These in-person workshops are usually organized either by your state game agency (like these, in Indiana) or a wildlife conservation organization, like the Quality Deer Management Association’s Field-to-Fork program. Search for programs by state or by the critter you’re interested in learning to hunt. Critter organizations include the National Wild Turkey Foundation, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, the Ruffed Grouse Society, and more. If you want to talk to a real person who can give you tailored advice, contact the R3 coordinator in your state. It’s their job to help you get started.

A lot of learn-to-hunt programs fill up fast, so if you’re having trouble getting into a class, don’t give up. Keep trying, and in the meantime, do your best to meet people in the hunting community. Go to a Ducks Unlimited banquet or a Backcountry Hunters and Anglers pint night. These are great ways to get to know sportsmen and women in your area, who can offer you the advice you’re looking for, and maybe even take you hunting.

Finally, if you’re having trouble finding classes or events to attend, consider finding a mentor with digital resources like Powderhook. And if all else fails, remember: There’s not much you can’t learn from YouTube. —N.K.

3. Navigating Your State’s Hunting Laws and Seasons

As you probably noticed in hunter education, there are lots of regulations that govern how, what, and when you can hunt. To make things even more complicated, there are two sets of guidelines for hunting: laws and ethics. It may, for example, be legal to hunt deer with a rifle that you haven’t practiced with. But that doesn’t mean you should. You owe it to the hunting community and to the animals you hunt to follow your state’s regulations, and to do so under fair-chase conditions. Game law violations have serious consequences, ranging from tickets to revoked hunting privileges or worse.

The best way to avoid getting into trouble is simply to learn and follow your state’s regulations.

Start with your state game agency’s website. That’s where you can find season dates, general hunting regulations, and species-specific rules. You can also purchase a hunting license there.

Season Dates

Every year, your state game agency releases the dates that determine when you can hunt a certain species. Squirrel seasons, for instance, are usually pretty simple, with dates that typically start in summer or early fall and run through late winter. Deer and other big game seasons are more complicated. As a general rule, these open in early fall and run through December or even later. Season dates are usually broken down by the method of take, such as bow season, rifle or shotgun season, and muzzleloader season, with some overlap. Rifle seasons are the most popular, and you’ll notice the most hunters in the woods then. Your season may be further broken down by the type of deer that’s legal at a certain time (e.g. antlered vs. antlerless). Season dates can also vary by county or, out West, by hunting unit.

Hunting isn’t just a fall pursuit. Rabbit and predator seasons run through late winter, spring snow goose season opens in February, spring turkey seasons run from March to May, many bear seasons open in May and June, and you can often hunt invasive species like feral hogs any time of year.

Hunting Regulations

There are general hunting rules that typically apply anywhere in the U.S. For instance, it’s almost always illegal to shoot an animal from a vehicle or while you’re standing on or beside a road. Other regulations depend on your state: In places like Oklahoma and Texas, it’s perfectly legal to pour a pile of corn onto the ground and hunt deer over it. Meanwhile, this practice (called baiting) is illegal in states like Indiana and New York.

To avoid running afoul of such varied regulations, learn your state’s general hunting regulations by reading the current year’s reg booklet, which you can find online or pick up in a sporting goods store. Know when you need to wear blaze orange, how to transport your firearm to the field, and other essential info.

Then study the animal-specific section. If you’re hunting squirrels, you should know how many squirrels you can kill in one day (your daily bag limit), which squirrels are legal (e.g. gray squirrels and fox squirrels) what kind of weapon and ammunition you can use, and your possession limit (i.e. how many squirrels you can store in your freezer before you have to stop hunting or start eating them).

Pay special attention to tagging and transportation requirements for big game like deer and elk. There are rules about when and how to tag an animal you’ve killed, and how to transport it. You’ll also likely need to report, or check in, your harvest within a certain time period. States like Missouri are strict, requiring hunters to check in deer by 10 p.m. on the day it was killed. Meanwhile, other states may never require you to report your deer at all.

Finally, be sure to pay attention to wanton waste laws. Taking home meat is one of the best parts of hunting, and leaving behind certain edible parts of the animal is actually illegal. You can choose to take or leave the more adventurous parts of a deer, like the heart, liver, and tongue. But you cannot leave, say, the front shoulder just because you packed out most of the meat, and you’re too tired for one last trip.

Buying a Hunting License

Once you’re familiar with the season you want to hunt, you’ll need to purchase a license. Again, you’ll buy this directly through your state game agency online, or you can purchase it in person at sporting shops or big box stores like Cabela’s and Walmart. If you buy a license online you can usually print it out, but some states don’t do this with all their licenses and will mail it instead. Translation: Don’t wait until the night before opening day to purchase a license.

There are two general types of licenses: over-the-counter tags (abbreviated OTC) or draw tags. Draws are more common in Western states, and where the demand to hunt an animal is higher than the resource can handle. To mitigate that pressure, state game agencies only issue a certain number of tags for that species each year. That means you often have to apply for that license, like bighorn sheep in Wyoming or elk in Kentucky. Happily, there’s always something to hunt with an over-the-counter tag, no matter what state you’re in.

It’s also important to know the difference between a hunting license and a tag, and any other privileges or stamps you must purchase to hunt a certain species. Many states require you to purchase a hunting license, which is usually good for small game, and then purchase additional tags for deer, turkeys, etc. If you want to hunt migratory birds like ducks and geese, you must purchase an annual duck stamp online or at your local post office. (You can read more about duck stamps, and why you need one, here.)

Finally, there’s a difference between resident and non-resident licenses. Resident tags are much more affordable than non-resident tags, so you get the most bang for your buck when you hunt in your home state. If you ever travel to another state to hunt, you’ll have to fork over extra cash for the non-resident tag. (Remember: The pricier tag is a lot easier to stomach than the penalties for falsely claiming residency.)

If you’re ever unsure what license or tags you need, call your state game agency and ask. They’ll be happy to answer your questions. —N.K.

4. Gear

While there’s plenty of shiny (and expensive) gear out there, you don’t need all that much to get started hunting. Different species may require specialized gear, but the basics for every hunt are pretty similar. If you don’t want to invest in a bunch of new clothing or gear right away, borrowing gear from a friend or buying used gear is a great option.

A Note on Camo

While you can usually identify a hunter by his or her camo, camouflage isn’t mandatory for hunting. If you look at old hunting photos, you’ll notice that hunters tended to wear wool coats, flannel shirts, and blue jeans. It’s only in the last 50 or so years that hunters really started relying heavily on camo. More important than any camo pattern is your ability to remain still and conceal your profile (more on that below). Ducks, turkeys, and predators are typically exceptions to this rule thanks to their sharp eyes, though you can certainly kill any of these species while wearing a pair of Carhartts.

Layers

Like most outdoor and athletic pursuits, layers are key and cotton is your enemy. The weather on a hunt can range from steamy 80-degree days during early bow seasons to the fridge temperatures of deep winter. Layers allow you to dress for the weather and the type of hunting you’re doing. If you’re going to be sitting in a deer blind most of fall, you’ll need more layers than if you’re chasing elk all over the mountains.

Base layers (long underwear and a long john top) are the best place to start. These should be synthetic or merino wool—wicking fabrics that keep you warm even if you get sweaty then start to cool down. Synthetic or wool socks are key, too. If you need mid-layers, opt for a sweatshirt, a fleece, a down vest—whatever fits under your outer layers and keeps you warm without adding too much bulk. You’ll likely want a camo jacket and camo pants, both dedicated outer layers. If you don’t have camo, wear natural, neutral colors like green, tan, brown, or gray.

Boots

A good pair of boots can make or break your hunt, so it’s wise to invest in a pair of these. Again, these don’t need to be camo, but many good hunting boots are available in camo patterns.

The type of boot you choose will depend on where you live and what you want to hunt, but it’s hard to go wrong with a durable mid-calf leather boot. Something similar to the classic, ever-popular Danner Pronghorn is a good place to start. Hiking boots can work well for early-season hunts across dry terrain. If you want to do a lot of backcountry hunting that requires packing heavy loads, you’ll want a sturdier boot built for that kind of weight. If you live in swampy country or you’re planning to turkey hunt (which often coincides with heavy spring rains), you’ll probably want a pair of knee-high rubber boots. Pay attention to whether your boots are waterproof, and what kind (if any) insulation they have.

Big Game Gear

If you’re going to be hunting deer from a treestand, invest in a safety harness. Think of it like a helmet for your bike: You probably won’t need it, but if and when you do, it could save your life. If you’re planning to hunt whitetails in the timber on public land, you’re also going to want a climbing stand. If you’d prefer to hunt on the ground, opt for a collapsible ground blind. Other important gear includes a pair of binoculars, a hunting pack, a bottle of wind indicator, and a haul line to raise and lower your bow or rifle if you’re hunting from a treestand.

Turkey Hunting

Camo is your friend when it comes to turkeys. You’ll want a face mask and thin camo gloves, and a box or friction call to get started. If you’re really intimidated by calling, try a push-button call. Many turkey hunters prefer to wear a vest with a built-in seat cushion, but a small camo hunting pack is fine if you don’t have one. You’ll also need decoys. If you only have the budget for one decoy, get a hen deke; if you can afford two, opt for a hen and a jake. A small pair of binoculars on a bino harness are handy, too.

Waterfowl Gear

This is one of the most gear-intensive types of hunting, which often requires lots of decoys and, frequently, a good duck dog. For new hunters, your best bet is to tag along with an experienced waterfowler, who can hopefully lend you a pair of waders (which aren’t cheap). If you’re field hunting, you can skip the waders and wear regular hunting boots or, better yet, a pair of knee-high rubber boots. You’ll also want to bring along ear plugs or electronic ear protection, especially if you’re hunting in a metal pit blind. Without them, fast shooting by multiple hunters can damage your hearing and give you a ringing headache in short order. Bring a camo hat to conceal your face from sharp-eyed ducks. If you already have a pump or semi-auto shotgun, bring it; if not, ask to borrow one.

Upland Gear

Camo isn’t important for hunting rabbits and upland birds like pheasants, quail and grouse. This style of hunting involves covering lots of ground and combing heavy brush to flush animals rather than hiding from them. Wear a pair of sturdy pants that can protect you from thorns and cacti. Don’t forget to layer, too. Even if it’s frigid out, you’ll warm up quickly. Good boots are critical on an upland hunt, and you typically want something lighter-weight without too much insulation. Hiking boots with good ankle support are a fine option if the terrain is dry or steep, but sloppy and snowy conditions call for a waterproof or warmer higher-profile hunting boot.

Women’s Gear

If you’re having a hard time finding hunting gear that fits you well, you’re not alone. Check out our women’s gear guides here and here for our favorite women’s hunting pants, boots, sports bras, and more.

Accessories

Don’t forget blaze orange (if required), a beanie or ball cap, gloves, and a camo face mask for bowhunting or turkey hunting (though you can use face paint if you prefer.) Remember to pack a hunting knife for any gutting or cleaning work (see the section on butchering, below, for more). —N.K.

5. Guns, Ammo, and Shooting Practice

By Alex Robinson

If you’re a recreational shooter who’s looking to get into hunting, this part will be pretty easy for you. Just make sure you’re getting plenty of practice, you choose quality hunting ammo, and you keep shots at game within a comfortable distance. But if you’re totally new to firearms, this can be one of the most intimidating aspects of getting in to hunting.

The first thing to know is that most folks in the firearm world are nice, friendly people who are usually more than willing to offer some help to a beginner. That’s even true if they may seem a little rough around the edges at first.

If you have a friend who is a hunter or shooter, ask them to introduce you to shooting with either an air rifle or rimfire rifle. The low recoil will allow you to practice good shooting form without taking a beating and potentially developing bad habits like flinching or jerking the trigger.

If you don’t know any shooters, find a nearby range that offers a course or class for beginners. Letting someone walk you through safe firearm handling and good shooting form will help you immensely. (Pro tip: Check your eye dominance before getting started.) You’ll get a little bit of this instruction in hunter’s education, but not nearly enough to make you a competent shooter in the field.

Your First Gun

Once you’ve got the basics down and have a little experience under your belt, it’s time to get a gun of your own. Choose a gun based on your hunting need and the regulations in your area. When you’re looking for a rifle or a shotgun, remember that you get what you pay for. If you’re looking for an affordable rifle or shotgun, you’ll be able to find a solid gun in the $500 range. Call a few gun shops and explain what you’re looking for. If they start trying to talk you into a gun that costs $1,000 or more, take your business somewhere else.

When you’re starting out, lighter calibers and smaller gauges are the way to go. Think .243 or 6.5 Creedmoor for rifles and 20 gauges for shotguns. Getting rocked by recoil on your first few trips to the range is going to slow your development as a shooter.

Once you’ve got a gun, there’s plenty to consider: safe storage, getting it sighted in, buying ammo, and cleaning it. Besides the safety aspect, your main job now is to practice with it and get comfortable handling it. This means spending as much range time as possible, which is good, because once you get comfortable, you’ll find that shooting is pretty damn fun. Just wear good hearing protection and eye protection, and follow all the range rules. And if you don’t know what the rules are or have questions about them, just ask!

Make sure your practice replicates what you’ll see in the field as closely as possible. When it comes to rifle shooting, that means practicing from field positions (after your rifle is zeroed, of course). If you’re trying to get into bird hunting, consider signing up for a sporting clays or skeet league, or even a wingshooting clinic. This will sharpen your skills and give you the chance to meet other shooters.

Just remember: The primary goals here are 1) to get comfortable with safely handling the gun you plan to hunt with and 2) to become competent with that firearm so you’re able to make a quick, clean kill in the field.

Making Shots on Game

Shooting a game animal is more challenging than shooting targets at the range. This is because you will be excited and there will be additional variables that affect the shot. This includes a moving animal, brush obscuring part of the critter, cold fingers, or wind swaying your treestand. Because of this, it’s extra important to only shoot at animals that are well inside of your comfortable range. For many first-time big game hunters, that means inside 200 yards with a rifle and well inside 100 yards for with a shotgun or muzzleloader.

Each hunter must decide his or her own ethical maximum range. But here’s a good rule of thumb to follow: you should be able to hit a target the size of the animal’s vitals 100 percent of the time. If you can’t, you need to move closer. Also, your maximum effective range may change depending on field conditions. Maybe you can’t get a steady rest, or the wind is ripping across the canyon. If you have any doubts, don’t take the shot and move closer, or wait and let the critter move closer to you.

6. How to Find a Place to Hunt

There are two versions of hunting ground—public and private. Many diehard hunters rely on a mix of private and public hunting land and there are pros and cons of each. But the goal when you’re starting out is to find land that is relatively easy for you to get to, has a good population of the game you’re targeting, and isn’t overloaded with other hunters.

Private Land

In an ideal scenario, you already have access to private land to hunt on. Maybe your family owns land or you’ve got friends who hunt and will give you access. This isn’t the case for many folks, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck on private ground. It’s definitely possible to get free access to private hunting land, but you’ll have to do some leg work. Identify nearby landowners (using a digital mapping app like HuntStand or onX Hunt) who have properties that look promising and simply go ask them for permission to hunt.

A couple important tips: It’s easier to get permission for small game or turkeys than it is for deer; get permission before the season starts; don’t stop by late at night or when the landowner might be eating dinner; cash crop famers are more likely to grant permission; be nice and courteous no matter how the landowner responds.

If asking permission on private ground seems too intimidating, you could also consider leasing land to hunt. There are plenty of websites that show which lands are available for leasing. Consider a small out-of-the way property and also splitting the lease with a hunting buddy.

Public Land

On the flip side, there’s public land. Most state wild game agency websites have maps that show designated public hunting lands. Some states, like Montana, have an incredible amount of public land that is open to hunting. Other states, like Illinois, have a minimal amount of public ground.

Once you get an idea of public land areas nearby, you’ll want to do some basic digital scouting. This means using a mapping app or Google Earth to check out satellite images of the property. Take note of access points, terrain features, and potential habitat. After identifying some likely areas, go check out the properties well before the season (see the “scouting” section below).

There are a couple important things to consider when looking for public-land hunting spots. First, any areas that are a short drive from large towns or cities will likely see a heavy amount of hunting pressure. You can have success on these areas, but the hunting is more challenging (because the critters are conditioned to avoid hunting pressure) and you need to be careful about bumping in to other hunters.

Read next: Newbie’s Guide to Hunting-Spot Etiquette

If you are in good physical condition and like to hike, use that to your advantage on public land. Most hunters set up relatively close to parking areas. The farther away you get from roads and other hunters, the more game you will find. Look for signs of other hunters out there. That means boot tracks, glow tacks, manmade trails, and stands or blinds. If you’re seeing a ton of hunter sign, you probably want to move on to a new spot. Also, use terrain obstacles like marshes or streams to your advantage. Most other hunters will not want to cross these obstacles, so throwing on a pair of waders and making the slog can often lead you to better hunting opportunities. —A.R.

7. Basic Tactics for Any Hunt

Every hunt for each different species calls for different tactics. Your hunting strategy can even change based on location, or weather, or season. But there are some very basic tactics that all hunts require no matter what the game or location. Understanding these basics will help you grow into a better, more effective hunter.

Scout More Than You Hunt

The most successful hunters spend more time scouting than hunting. Learn to love scouting—exploring new areas, learning about the species you’re hunting, and spending lots and lots of time outside. The goal here is to find areas that game animals hang out in before you actually start hunting. You can do this by spotting the animals, or by reading sign they’ve left in the area. Before the season starts, it’s a good idea to get out and walk the areas you plan to hunt. This will help you determine if there are critters around, but it will also help you get more familiar with the terrain. As you walk a new property, imagine that you’re a critter trying to travel through an area without getting spotted. Pay attention to the trails you take. Often times they will lead to natural terrain funnels (like a strip of dry ground between two ponds). These are good places to target and if you walk trails back from these funnels, they’ll often lead you to bedding areas or feeding areas. If it’s legal where you are hunting, setting trail cameras is an invaluable scouting strategy.

Once the season begins, keep scouting! Now you must try to find areas to hunt without spooking game. If you’re after deer or turkeys, that usually means exploring new areas midday, when the animals aren’t moving as much (you don’t want to scare them out of the area). You can also scout from your vehicle with binoculars. In more open country, just driving roads in the mornings or evenings can give you an idea of the areas animals are using. For example, if you’re after waterfowl, driving around and watching where ducks and geese are flying and feeding is key.

Get Sneaky

Animals know when they are being hunted. You’ve probably seen deer in a park or maybe even in your backyard. Those deer might have mostly ignored you, maybe they let you get close to snap a photo with your phone. But deer on public hunting ground (or private ground) won’t let you do this during hunting season. All wild animals have incredible senses and survival instincts. To get close to wild game on their turf, you’ve got to be stealthy enough to slide in under those senses, undetected.

It starts with being quiet. When you are in your hunting area, walk softly and slowly. This helps you avoid that loud crunching march of a hunter tromping though the woods, which wild game recognizes instantly. But it also gets you in the right mind set. It forces you to slow down, think, and watch before you move. Speak softly, too. The human voice carries an incredible distance in the woods. But on top of that, staying quiet will help you hear game coming. The quieter you are, the easier it is to hear all the sounds around you, like a turkey gobbling on a distant ridge, or a deer shuffling through the hardwoods.

If you are hunting big game, your most important consideration is wind direction. The sense of smell is the most powerful survival characteristic for critters like deer, bears, elk, and antelope. The only way to truly beat a big game animal’s nose is to use the wind in your favor. You want stay downwind of the critters, but also downwind of their bedding areas and trails. A simple windicator is an essential tool for any big game hunter. It will help you see how the wind swirls in valleys or drainages and shifts throughout the day.

And you also have to beat wild game’s vision. Camouflage clothing is useful, especially for sharp-eyed game like turkeys or waterfowl, but it isn’t essential. Dressing in earth-tone clothing that is quiet and suitable for the weather conditions works just fine. The real secret is to use the terrain and conditions to avoid being spotted. Don’t stand at the top of an open hill or ridge. This is called skylining yourself, because you stick out obviously against the skyline. Try to keep the sun at your back when possible and stay in shaded areas (animals can catch the glare off you and your gear if you’re in open, direct sunlight). If you are stopping to take a break or maybe do some calling, keep a wide tree at your back. If you’re hanging a treestand, pick a spot where the trunk and branches will break up your outline. Always use the terrain around you to break up your human profile.

Be Patient

A lot of content and advertising around hunting pitches the experience as an action-packed, adrenaline-fueled, adventure. It’s true that those moments exist in hunting, but for most of the time you’ll be sitting quietly, watching, listening, and WAITING.

This in fact, is the hardest part of hunting for many people—establishing the right mindset so that you are happy to go into the woods by yourself and sit quietly for hours on end, while still being focused enough to detect game before it detects you.

The secret is to enjoy the wait. Slow it all down. Watch the natural world come alive around you. Listen to the birds, look for squirrels, stay alert and stay off your damn phone. If you do this for long enough, the critter you are hunting will appear and then the adrenaline-packed showdown can begin. But even if the critter doesn’t show, you’ll have appreciated a different experience—the experience of actually hunting. My general rule is this: Wait until you are totally certain no game will show up, then give it another 30 minutes (or just wait until legal shooting light ends). —A.R.

8. Field-Dressing, Butchering, and Cooking

By Gerry Bethge

The plan was a good one, and four years in the making. Tucked into my fanny pack was a laminated card with step-by-step illustrations on how to gut a deer. As a kid, I studied that card far more than I ever had my homework, praying that I’d someday need to refer to it. Although I had cached its words and line-drawings to memory, it brought confidence to a young hunter and I checked to make sure it was in its proper pocket, right next to the dragging rope, each time I went afield. Two days before Thanksgiving in 1977, I had cause to use it. The 6-point buck I shot with my bow only went 30 yards before dropping in a stream.

In the times before headlamps, gutting a deer in the dark meant trying to steady a flashlight on the deer’s brisket while unzipping the hide on its belly. That went okay, but in short order I found that I needed to refer to my instructional card. Once I shined my flashlight into the buck’s guts, I realized there was no orderly compartmentalization of lungs, heart, diaphragm, liver, and intestines, as my card suggested. It all looked intermingled—with lots of blood.

A full hour later—a rather macabre yet clean gutting job completed—I was finally on my way back to the house. I hung the buck to cool and, when I cooked that first piece of meat, the venison tasted better than anything I had ever eaten before. That lesson in wild-game handling would remain indelibly ingrained in my mind. Whether big game, small game, or wildfowl, what you do before and after the shot will have the biggest effect on its palatability.

These are my simple rules for great-tasting game each and every time.

1. Get to the Range

No matter what the hunting implement, becoming proficient with it is crucial for clean, quick kills. You owe it to the game that you are hunting and you owe it to the folks who will eventually be eating it. The only way to do it is to get to the gun or bow range as often as possible to practice. Shoot, shoot, shoot—and then shoot some more. Make certain that your gun or bow functions properly, but above all know your capabilities and avoid taking risky shots at game or birds. The more quickly it expires, the better it will taste.

2. Gut It Quickly

Proper field care of wild game should begin the moment the animal hits the ground. If not, the result will be poor or gamey-tasting meat. To avoid this, you need to be prepared with the proper tools. Most importantly, a sharp knife, latex gloves, and the proper means to transport your game. Whether you are gutting big game, small game, or birds, take the utmost care not to puncture the stomach contents, intestines, or bladder during the evisceration process or risk tainting the meat. It’s also important to avoid contaminating the internal body cavity with dirt or debris. If contamination does occur, wipe it clean as quickly as possible.

3. Cool It Down

Next to gut matter and dirt, heat is the biggest detriment to great tasting wild game. It’s, therefore, critical to cool down bird and animal carcasses as quickly and efficiently as feasible. Thorough field dressing begins the process and is typically sufficient if it is not too warm during a day hunt. If not too warm—40 degrees—big game can be hung in a garage or barn for several days prior to butchering, although the more consistent temperature of a walk-in cooler is far more ideal. Game birds and small game such as rabbits can be more quickly butchered and prepared for the freezer.

4. Cut It Up

Loads of information is available on proper game and bird butchering. But no rule is more important than to use the proper tools—a sharp knife, a skinning knife, and meat saw—and to work on a clean surface in order to keep the meat dirt-free. Although butchering your own game might seem intimidating at first, you’ll get the hang of it. If you’re not interested in trying this, you can always drop your deer off at a professional game processor. Plenty of hunters do this, and receive professionally cut and wrapped packages of venison in a few days. This will cost you somewhere between $50 to $120 for deer, depending on how big the animal is and how much your butcher charges.

If you want to try it yourself, here’s how. For big game, begin by extracting the inner loins located on the inside of the body cavity. They run along the spine. Most hunters remove these first, because they tend to dry out quickly. These and the backstraps, which are located along the backbone outside of the body cavity are considered to be the best portions of meat. Halve the backstraps for better portion size. Meat from the neck, front shoulders and legs is often ground and mixed with ground pork or beef fat for the best flavor and consistency, or turned into sausage. To prepare the larger hind quarters for freezing, simply separate the muscle groups by running your knife blade along the seams and lines that are clearly visible on the quarters. Once separated, these larger cuts of meat can be further cut into steaks or roasts to freeze.

Gamebirds and small game are even simpler to butcher. Once plucked, skinned, and washed, they can be either frozen whole or separated into smaller portions. For ducks and other gamebirds, you can also use your hands to tear open the skin above the breast, and then use a sharp knife to fillet the breast meat off the bone.

Read next: 10 Mistakes Most Hunters Make When Cooking Wild Game

5. Freeze It

Much like temperature is the enemy of game in the field, air is the enemy of game in the freezer. So no matter whether using a vacuum sealer or ordinary butcher wrap, it’s important to remove all the air from your packaging in order to avoid freezer burn. If opting for butcher wrap, it’s a good idea to first seal the meat in plastic wrap and then butcher paper. To ensure the best quality results, add several packages of meat to a resealable plastic freezer bag and immerse it into a sink of cold water. The water will force out all the air. Seal the bag, and now your game meat is ready for the freezer.

6. Cook It

Wild game and birds can provide some of the best meals available anywhere—if they’re prepared correctly. Poor-tasting game is almost always the result of having not followed the previous rules. Take proper care of game from field to freezer and it will almost always taste great—with a couple of caveats. Because game is naturally low in fat, it’s important not to overcook it unless you’re opting to use it in a braised dish or pot roast. Although some might disagree, it’s also full of deep, rich flavor making it a minimalist’s dream. Venison loin and steaks, for example, are served best when cooked medium rare in butter, salt, and pepper. Gamebird breasts and small game such as rabbit deserve similar treatment. It’s always fun to experiment with various recipes, but you might want to save that for store-bought meats and poultry.

The post How to Hunt: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Adult Hunters appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Brian L. Tidwell of Clarkston, Washington, is being held in Idaho’s Nez Perce County Jail on $25,000 bond after what can only be described as a whirlwind 24 hours on the run. Tidwell currently faces three Class C felony charges: two counts of eluding a pursuing police officer and one count of first-degree reckless burning. He led officers on a high-speed chase across multiple counties. Tidwell was also suspected of poaching a bull elk at one point, though officials later realized the head, neck, and antlers seen sticking out of his truck bed were actually a part of a shoulder mount.

On June 30, Asotin County Sheriff’s Office deputy James Gibson responded to a call about a fire at a residence in Clarkston, Washington, according to arrest records obtained from the Asotin County Clerk’s office by Outdoor Life. The report shows that Tidwell was living near where the fire occurred, and a friend of Tidwell’s neighbor had made the call. Gibson got in touch with Tidwell’s neighbor, who alleged that Tidwell was burning trash at his residence when the fire got out of control and spread to the neighbor’s residence. Tidwell’s entire trailer home, multiple farm implements, and the back of his neighbor’s barn and outhouse had all been damaged. 

Two weeks later, while Gibson was on patrol at roughly 7:30 p.m., he spotted Tidwell’s truck, an orange and black Dodge, at a local park. Tidwell was still a suspect in the burning incident at the time, so Gibson parked his patrol car in front of Tidwell’s truck and approached the driver’s side of the cab, which appeared to be empty. But as Gibson got closer, Tidwell popped up and immediately turned his truck on, saying he had to go. Gibson opened the truck door and told him he wasn’t free to go, but Tidwell slammed the door shut again and sped away. 

A high-speed pursuit began and another officer got involved, chasing Tidwell down the highway while Gibson stationed himself closer to town. Eventually, Tidwell drove back in front of Gibson again, who observed him run a four-way traffic stop full of cars. The second officer noted that Tidwell was exhibiting signs of driving under the influence. As the chase continued, Tidwell eventually drove the wrong way up a one-way exit ramp, forcing several vehicles to pull off the road. Once he got to the top of the ramp, he fled across the Washington state line (formed by the Snake River) into Lewiston, Idaho. The Asotin County officers communicated with the Lewiston Police Department and Nez Perce County, who eventually called off the chase for the night.

The next day at 6:00 p.m., Gibson received word from the dispatcher that a vehicle matching the description of Tidwell’s truck was fleeing Whitman County. Gibson set up on the Clarkston side of the Red Wolf Bridge and watched as Tidwell’s truck drove across. As soon as he crossed, Gibson turned on his lights and siren and attempted to pull over Tidwell, but Tidwell drove straight into a heavily trafficked area, forcing Gibson to abandon the pursuit again for the safety of pedestrians and other vehicles. Later, Tidwell came back into the county. Officers tried to use spike strips to stop the truck, but just barely missed the tires. Tidwell escaped back into Lewiston again, where he was eventually captured on foot.

A press release from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, which was posted to their Facebook page, provides some different insight into what happened on the second day of the pursuit.

“The vehicle in question had been reported to [the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife] earlier in the day of possibly poaching in the area and at that time the vehicle was not located,” the press release reads. “Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle using emergency lights on Steptoe Canyon Road but the driver refused to pull over and drove around the patrol car that was northbound on Steptoe Canyon Road. While following the vehicle an elk head with antlers was observed in the bed of the pickup.”

WDFW communications manager Staci Lehman confirmed with Outdoor Life that WDFW is not conducting a poaching investigation into the incident since the antlers and head in the truck bed turned out to be part of a shoulder mount and not a poached carcass. But Lehman also says that law enforcement is looking into whether the mount could have been stolen. 

Read Next: Thieves Are Stealing More and More Racks From Hunters in the West—and Their Profits Keep Growing

Class C felonies get a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If Tidwell is convicted of all three charges, he could face triple that. But the punishment doesn’t stop there. Because one of his “attempting to elude a pursuing police officer” charges involves endangering countless lives with his reckless escape driving, he will get a mandatory 366-day sentence enhancement to whatever penalties he receives, court documents read.

The post Wanted Man Leads Police on High-Speed Chase with an Elk Shoulder Mount in His Truck Bed appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Updated July 17: Mountain lion tracks leading away from Haystack Rock indicate that the mountain lion has left, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported in a Facebook post. Cannon Beach has reopened to visitors.

Visitors at Oregon’s Cannon Beach encountered a predator-related beach closure on the morning of July 16, but not for the kind of predator beaches usually close for. Instead of a toothy shark swimming through the surf, photographers glimpsed a mountain lion perched on Haystack Rock at roughly 6:40 a.m.

The sighting prompted local officials with the Oregon State Police, Oregon State Parks, and the City of Cannon Beach Police to close off a section of the iconic beach, which is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. They also closed all access roads leading to the area. The beach was still closed as of 9:20 p.m. on July 16 and would remain closed overnight, as the mountain lion was still on the rock, Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuges wrote in a Facebook post.

The beach and road closures were designed to give the cougar an escape route off the rock and back to the coast. It remains unclear whether officials have any plans to try hazing or otherwise encouraging the cougar to climb off the rock.  

The cougar looks wet in photos that were captured the morning before the closure, indicating that it might have swum at least part of the way to the rock. Standing at 235 feet tall and less than 1,000 feet from the shores of Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock is accessible by foot at low tide, and is often surrounded by interesting tidal pools and creatures that draw lots of attention from beachgoers. (Cannon Beach was also a shooting location for movies like The Goonies and Twilight, making it a busy tourist destination.) But low tide on July 16 was at 7:52 a.m., well after when the cougar was first spotted. This means it either walked to the rock during a prior low tide or it swam there during the night. 

Read Next: 70-Year-Old Utah Hiker Fights Off Mountain Lion with a Rock

Contrary to popular belief, mountain lions are strong swimmers and will frequently dive into the water to chase prey. Since Haystack Rock provides a major nesting ground for tufted puffins, there’s a chance the cat was attracted by the birds. But now that the cat is on the island, it has yet to climb up to the nesting grounds to feed on any birds, OINWR reports in its Facebook post. Hatchlings are plentiful at the moment, as breeding season began in April. 

The post Mountain Lion Lurking on Popular Oregon Rock Triggers Beach Closure appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Wolves and beavers occupy many of the same habitats in the North Woods, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the apex predators occasionally hunt and kill the large rodents. But according to researchers there, it’s rare to witness this—and even rarer to catch it on video. Which is why researchers with the Voyageurs Wolf Project were so excited to share the recent footage they captured inside Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park.

“A super-duper, amazingly lucky trail camera capture: we finally caught a wolf hunting a beaver on video!!” they wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday. “We cannot overstate how rare such observations are.”

Researchers captured the short video clip using a trail camera, which was placed near the top of a beaver dam. This is one of many trail cams they’ve installed throughout the park, and the group regularly shares videos of gray wolves, beavers, black bears, and other native wildlife.  

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This recently-published clip opens with the wolf running full tilt down the dam after a beaver. Another wolf follows close behind. The beaver doesn’t seem to notice its pursuers until the last second, but that’s all the time it needs to scramble off the dam and get away. The wolf tries biting down on the beaver’s tail but misses it by mere inches.

“In this instance the beaver was able to escape into deep water in a small pond below the dam,” the researchers point out. “But if there wasn’t that pond, the beaver would have been in trouble.”

Speaking to the rarity of the footage they captured, the researchers explained that, to their knowledge, the first recording of a wolf killing a beaver took place on a Quebec logging road in 2015. The Project’s researchers teamed up with the person who filmed that encounter to write a study that was later published in the scientific journal Ecosphere.

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In the years that followed, they actively sought photographs, videos, and other visual documentation of wolves hunting beavers. But besides the occasional trail camera photos that people sent in, which didn’t show much, the researchers haven’t seen any videos of a wolf hunting and killing a beaver since the 2015 incident.

“What is amazing is that wolves regularly hunt and kill beavers across a wide swath of North America, Europe and Asia and yet so few people have ever actually seen this happen,” they write. “In sum, a super common event that is rarely observed.”

The post Watch: Rare Trail Cam Footage Shows Gray Wolves Hunting a Beaver appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Forget sharks. Surfers on the Central California coast are dealing with a different kind of marine menace this summer: an oddly aggressive sea otter. The otter has been accosting surfers near Santa Cruz, hijacking their boards, and even riding in the occasional wave—leading wildlife officials to try and capture the animal. One of these close encounters was captured on video and shared to Instagram on July 11:

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At the beginning of the video, the surfer is already in the water while the sea otter climbs onto his board and starts gnawing on it. The surfer tries rocking the longboard from side to side and flipping it upside down, but the otter is unshakable. It keeps biting chunks out of the surfboard and briefly charges the man when he gets too close. The exasperated surfer eventually gives up, swimming beside his commandeered board while the otter stays put.

“This was a very aggressive encounter and scary to watch,” reads the caption. “Please consider this video as a warning to how strong and forceful this animal is and [it] should be avoided if at all possible!”

This wasn’t a one-off occurrence, either. Several surfers and sea kayakers have dealt with the hard-charging otter in recent weeks, with three incidents taking place just last weekend, according to the New York Times. The otter’s behavior has gotten so out of hand that it is now considered a public safety risk, and local wildlife officials started trying to capture it on Thursday. Working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, a team of trained specialists with the Monterey Bay Aquarium has so far been unsuccessful in its attempts.

“She’s been quite talented at evading us,” Monterey Bay Aquarium spokesperson Jessica Fujii told the Times earlier this week. She also explained that the otter has a history with the aquarium, which helps account for its unusually bold behavior.

Known by officials as Otter 841, the five-year-old female was born in captivity. Her mother had become habituated to humans feeding it, and after boarding multiple kayaks in search of handouts, she was captured in 2018 and taken to the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz, where researchers quickly learned the otter was pregnant. Her sole offspring, Otter 841, was brought to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to be rehabilitated before being released into the Pacific.

“After one year of being in the wild without issue, we started receiving reports of her interactions with surfers, kayakers, and paddle boarders,” Fujii said. “We do not know why this started. We have no evidence that she was fed. But it has persisted in the summers for the last couple of years.”

While 841’s behavior was definitely out of the ordinary—most sea otters are terrified of people—locals found it cute at first. Over time, however, the animal grew bolder. And since Southern sea otters are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, there wasn’t much that surfers, kayakers, and other oceangoers could do to fend it off.  

“I tried to paddle away but I wasn’t able to get far before it bit off my leash,” recalled one surfer who was forced to abandon his board in the surf last weekend. (Judging from his description, this was likely the same surfer who was filmed in the above video.) “I tried to get it off by flipping the board over and pushing it away, but it was so fixated on my surfboard for whatever reason, it just kept attacking.”

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Another surfer, 16-year-old Noah Wormhoudt, described his run-in with 841 differently. He said that getting his board hijacked by the sea otter was actually a “pretty cool experience.”

“The otter was shredding,” Wormhoudt said. “Caught a couple of nice waves.”

With 841 still on the loose in the California surf, officials are reminding everyone to give the otter space for both the animal’s benefit and theirs.

“Otters have sharp teeth and jaws strong enough to crush clams,” one official said, noting that if the sea otter bites a human, the state will have no choice but to euthanize it.

The post Watch: Aggressive Sea Otter Attacks and Steals Surfboards appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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A contractor for the state of Florida captured a large python and discovered her nest with a record number of 111 unhatched eggs, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

“The Python Action Team Removing Invasive Constrictors (a.k.a. our PATRIC program) helps remove these invasive, non-native snakes year-round,” wrote the FWC in a July 13 post. “A large invasive Burmese python with a record nest of 111 eggs was removed from the sensitive Everglades ecosystem thanks to PATRIC.”

This record-busting nest comes on the heels of another python record. On July 10, a record 19-foot, 125-pound Burmese Python was caught in the Everglades by a pair of young python hunters, Jake Waleri and Stephen Gauta. This is the longest python ever recorded in the state (watch a video of that hunt here). That snake was also captured in South Florida’s Everglades, in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

This pair of record python catches in South Florida come just as the 2023 Florida Python Challenge gets underway on Aug. 4. The annual competition is a popular event put on by the state that offers up to $30,000 in prize money for persons who catch the most and biggest pythons in Florida.

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FWC says snake removal “helps our native birds, mammals and other reptiles by removing non-native, invasive pythons from the Florida Everglades.”

Burmese pythons negatively impact the Everglades ecosystem by preying upon and competing with native wildlife. The removal of this python and its 111 unhatched eggs helps prevent future negative impacts to our native wildlife, wrote the FWC on its post. Non-native reptiles including Burmese pythons can be dispatched year-round on any private property, and on 32 state managed lands without a hunting license or permits. This is done to control the burgeoning invasive assault of pythons that have invaded South Florida.

Since 2000 FWC says over 18,000 pythons have been removed from South Florida. When the state began offering a paid python removal fee to snake catchers starting in 2017, the number of snakes caught and removed has skyrocketed in number.

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A drake mallard and a turtle were spotted in a swampy standoff on a golf course in Arkansas, which ended with the duck succumbing to its injuries and becoming the turtle’s next meal. The footage, which popular social media brand Nature is Metal shared Thursday, starts with a clip of the duck just barely fighting back against the turtle’s tenacious jaws. But the video eventually cuts to a different clip in which the mallard is clearly dead.

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While NIM doesn’t positively identify the turtle as a snapping turtle, the behavior, size, and shape of the turtle are consistent with the species. It’s tough to tell whether the turtle delivered the first blow to the unsuspecting duck or if it came along to finish the work of another predator. Either way, the turtle had already stripped the duck’s neck of all its feathers before the video began. When the video starts, the turtle has the duck’s neck gripped in its jaws, either by a strip of skin or maybe by the windpipe. The turtle is trying to drag the duck underwater while the duck makes a few final, futile attempts to escape.

The next clip opens with the duck doing a dead man’s float in the murky water. The turtle is visible just beyond the duck, its shell imitating the nearby mess of lily pads. The turtle sneaks its head out of the water, its mouth clamped around a scrap of duck, before dipping back down to feed.

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As the video caption points out, snapping turtles are omnivorous. They eat plant matter as well as spiders, insects, amphibians, birds, and small mammals. Judging by the turtle’s size and the texture of its shell, this was likely a common snapping turtle. Common snapping turtles live in waters across the state, and are smaller than their rarer counterparts, alligator snapping turtles. (Alligator snapping turtles can grow much bigger—upwards of 100 pounds—and exist in southern and eastern Arkansas. Their shells have bumps and ridges reminiscent of an alligator’s scutes, hence their name.)

No matter how events unfolded, the encounter certainly spiced up this guy’s golf game. But as NIM points out, the harsh realities of wildlife have a way of popping up in otherwise tame places.

The post Watch: Turtle Attacks, Kills, and Eats Drake Mallard appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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