Prairies Edge Outfitting-Waterfowl Hunting Outfitter

Prairies Edge Outfitting is a brand new outfitting company based in north western Saskatchewan, Canada. They are a waterfowl hunting outfitter and they are located in the middle of some of the best waterfowl hunting Canada has to offer! As it is a new company the guides are working overtime to ensure the very best success rates and overall experience for their clients. Hunting primarily for Canada geese, Snow geese, Specks, Mallards, and Pintails they have some of the finest waterfowl hunting in Saskatchewan!  State of the art equipment and a highly motivated guide team promise good results.  Prairies Edge Outfitting is on its way to becoming the very best waterfowl hunting outfitter in Saskatchewan.   So if you are looking for a goose hunting adventure in Canada with a quality waterfowl hunting guide then try Prairies Edge Outfitting for the waterfowl hunting trip of a lifetime!

www.prairiesedgeoutfitting.com

Successful Bear Hunting Weekend

Well I finally got out bear hunting for a couple days with my buddy Ben.  We had rain the whole time so conditions where tough but we managed to spot 5 bears and kill 2, as well as stalk a couple just for fun.  We also got to witness something pretty cool, 2 bears playfighting!!  We stalked to within 30 yards of these 2 bears and watched them for at least 5 minutes!!  Check out the videos!!!

Bear Baiting 2010

Well my bear baiting season is now ended because a grizzly bear has taken over the baits.  So instead of posting pictures of my bear kills I am posting my trail camera pictures of this grizzly.  Even though this bear has ended my baiting for the year its still pretty cool to get these trail camera pictures.  Good thing iam going spot-and-stalk hunting next week!  Look for some bear hunting pictures and videos soon.

Tip Of The Day-Bear Hunting

When hunting black bears in the spring using the spot-and-stalk method, you need to concentrate on the best food sources.  These include clover, dandelions, and lush green grasses.  South facing slopes, hillsides and riverbanks will be the first to green up in the spring so this is a good starting point.  The best bear magnet a hunter can find in northern Alberta is a fall or winter cut pipeline that has been seeded with clover.  Freshly seeded clover grows extremely fast and on a freshly cut line there is no competition from other plants untill later in the year so the clover flourishes.  Bears will flock to a lush clover patch especially if there is a waterway nearby.  So if you are looking for bears first look for the food source and there you will find the bears. 

Note in this photo the lush green clover and dandelions on this abandened lease road, the perfect spot to find a bear!

The Outdoorsman's Oasis Bear Hunting Videos

Book an exciting spot and stalk hunt for yourself this spring!! Fully guided 7 days, Northern BC Wilderness hunt
Hunt dates: June 1st-7th or June 8th-15th special price of $2995.00 US
Call 403-807-9939 or email fishnhunt_5@hotmail.com

Free Online Hunting Magazine

If you are an outdoorsman chances are you read outdoor magazines.  They are full of great stories, tips, hunting tactics, news and more.  Well what if you could all get this in a magazine, but instead of going to the store and paying for it you could get it online for free???  Enter The Great Canadian Sportsman online magazine.  This publication is actually broken down into 3 separate magazines which are: Great Canadian Sportsman Magazine, Canadian Bowhunting Magazine, and Canadian Deer Hunting Magazine.

These magazines  are published quarterly and they email you when the latest issues are available.  They are full of great articles by many of the same writers you see in your normal hunting magazines.  If your interested in getting a quality publication for  free simply go to http://www.greatcanadiansportsman.com/ click register and enter your email address and you instantly become a subscriber for life!!  Enjoy

Tip Of The Day-Shed Hunting

When looking for shed antlers in the spring time key in on thermal cover, ridges/major travel routes, known bedding areas, and hay/grain fields or any area that holds concentrated numbers of game during the winter months.  Remember just because you are looking for the sheds in april, most likely the antlers fell off in jan. or feb. so think about where the animals where during that time of year and you will enjoy greater success.
HUNTING AND FISHING,HUNTING,HUNTING TIPS, HUNTING TIPS,HUNTING TIPS

Tip Of The Day-Bear Skinning

Tip #1.
The best location to skin a bear in camp is on the tailgate of a truck, its a good working height, you can do the job in camp versus out in the bush and after the job is done you dont have to load the carcass into the back of your truck again.

Tip #2.

if your not going to skin your bear right away ie. because your going to take pictures later, then make sure to spread eagle the bear flat on his belly otherwise a stiffened up bear will be tough to skin later.

Real Geese Decoys

I just want to let you know if your trying to decide what kind of goose decoys to spend some hard earned cash on I have a winner for you.  Real Geese Silhouette Pro Series decoys are the way to go I promise you!!!  There is a lot to be said for full body decoys but they are bulky and take up a ton of room they also take alot of time to set up and cost way more.  For the same money you can get twice as many silhouete's as full bodies and I personally would rather have a big, decent looking spread than a tiny, pretty looking spread.  If your still not convinced picture this.  Two hunters setting up a spread, one hunter is setting up 3 dozen full bodies and the other is setting up 3 dozen silhouetes who is done first???  Well since 3 dozen silhouetes can fit into a bag and be carried on your shoulder it doesnt take long to set up 3 dozen decoys however there is no possible way to carry more than 4 full bodied decoys at a time so get ready to make a few trips back to the truck!!   If you do decide to get these decoys you need to get the pro series II they cost more but they have a matte textured non-glare finish on both sides so they don't frost up and shine in the sun.  In my opinion these are the best way to go, but then again thats just me, I like to kill birds not look at my expensive decoys :)

These decoys are available for purchase at   http://www.webfootdecoys.com/

Tip Of The Day-Quad Safety

Many outdoorsmen use their a.t.v. to haul game animals out of the bush.  Alot of big game animals such as black bear, deer, and antelope can fit on the back rack of a quad no problem, however loading an a.t.v. into the back of a pickup truck with an animal on the back rack can be very dangerous.  With all that weight on the back end and the steep angle of the ramps you can easily flip an a.t.v. while loading or unloading, it happens all the time and injuries can be serious.  To avoid this danger you have a few options.

#1. Find a ditch or back up to a hill so you can drive straight on to the back of your truck.  This is the best thing to do if the terrain allows.

#2. Unload the animal, load the quad and reload the animal by hand or with the help of the a.t.v.'s winch.  Alot of work but the safest method by far.

#3. Put the animal on the front rack.  This will work however some critters are simply too big for this method, and it also hinders your steering capabilities.

#4.  Back your quad up the ramps into the truck.  Be careful with this one, it will work however I recomend you have a spotter watching at all times as it is quite hard to see behind you and steer at the same time and the danger of steering off the ramp is just as sever as flipping over backwards.

If you absolutely have no other option but to load the quad with the animal on the back you have to try and be as safe as possible.  Have a buddy sit on the front rack, or load some other heavy object on the front of the a.t.v. lean as far forward as you can and BE AWARE of the possiblity of flipping over.  Remember when hunting in a remote location even minor injuries can become serious quickly if alone and unable to reach help so stay alert and be safe!!

The "Almost" Perfect Coyote Hunt

Last weekend, Jason and I decided to head out for an afternoon coyote hunt. We packed up our Primos Power Dogg electronic caller and headed out. As we neared the area we where going to hunt we spotted two coyotes trotting across the middle of a small lake. Quickly checking the wind we parked the truck well ahead of the coyotes and grabbed our gear and hustled down to the lake shore. When we reached the shoreline the coyotes where about 600 yards out and heading straight for us!! I set the call up got my video camera ready and we loaded our guns, at this point the coyotes turned for no reason and started jogging across the lake away from us!! They where almost a ¼ mile away when I finally got the caller into action. I hit serenade but watching the coyotes through my binoculars I could see there was no reaction. They where getting further away by the second so I switched to female invitation and maxed the volume!! This sound is quite a bit higher pitched and the coyotes spun around and locked on our position! Within 10 seconds they both broke into a run straight towards us! I was struggling trying to get my gun ready for a shot and get the video rolling but somehow managed to get the coyotes on camera. At 200 yards I shut the caller off and as expected the coyotes kept right on a coming. When the lead coyote got to 80 yards he stopped and tried to find the source of the calling, his mate had hung up at about 140 yards and was looking really nervous, as the lead coyote was behind a tree limb I focused the camera on the furthest coyote and told Jason “I’ll take the close one on the left you take that one on the right, ok? Ok. Shoot em” and I pulled the trigger and watched my target hit the snow in a heap. However Jason wasn’t quite ready and his coyote took off on a dead run! After both of us emptied our guns on the streaking coyote with no success I spotted the first coyote limping away but by the time we reloaded he had managed to get over a ridge in the lake. To make a long story short Ishot low and broke a leg and the result was we had to hike about a ½ mile through deep snow to make a follow up shot and kill our coyote. The moral of this story is coyote calling is exciting but just because you get them to come in doesn’t mean it’s a done deal, but that makes it a challenge and that’s why I love it! Cheers to the wily coyote!!

A Coyote Hunting Video is in the making and I hope to have it up soon!!

Here is some pics

after a long hike in the bitter cold

The Primos Power Dogg Caller

Tip Of The Day-Wade Fishing

When wading to fish a stream or river always fish upstream to avoid spooking fish.  If you wade downstream you will kick up stones and silt in front of you and alert fish, making it harder to entice a bite.

Some Outdoorsman's Quotes

If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.-Aristotle

The only reason I played golf was so that I could afford to go hunting and fishing.-Sam Snead

Not to open the hunting season on the pretext that there is no game would be as if one gave up celebrating Christmas because there was not enough snow.-Maurice Grimaud

People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election.-Otto Von Bismarck

It is to be observed that 'angling' is the name given to fishing by people who can't fish.-Stephen Leacock

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.-Henry David Thoreau

 Game fish are to valuable to be caught only once-Lee Wulf

The fishing was good; it was the catching that was bad-A.K. Best

My Biggest worry is that when I'm dead and gone, my wife will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.-Koos Brandt

Calling Fly Fishing a hobby is like calling Brain Surgery a job- Paul Schullery

There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore looking like an idiot.- Stephen Wright

Tip Of The Day-Hunting Flashlight

If you dont want to spook game by using a flashlight in the woods but need light to get to your treestand or hunting area before daylight, tape red tissue paper over the lens of your flashlight.  This creates a red light which doesnt bother deer and other game.

Tip Of The Day-Hunting Boots

To prevent your hunting bootlaces from coming undone during a hunt simply rub bees wax into the laces, and problem solved your hunting boots will never come untied again!Hunting, fishing hunting bowhunting, troutfishing troutfishing, deer hunting, flyfishing, whitetaildeerhunting, bear hunting, hunting info, hunting fishing deer hunting, hunting and fishing hunting and fishing, hunting tips fishing tips, fishing and hunting tips, hunting and fishing tips, hunting tips, deer hunting tips, bear hunting tips, fishing tips, bow hunting tips, how to hunt

New Zealand: a land of hunting and fishing opportunity

New Zealand is a southern pacific island country consisting of 2 main islands, the North island and the South island. It is located approximately 2,000 km southeast of Australia. The only creatures native to NZ are birds, bats, and reptiles, the most widely known of course being the kiwi bird which cannot fly and is currently battling extinction.  Sometime around the early 1850’s European settlers began to bring Red Deer from Europe and released them into the wild to provide a naturally reproducing food source. Many other species followed soon after and now NZ has many exotic species of huntable game animals. In more recent years the government of NZ declared all introduced species as pests and so they may be hunted at anytime of the year without a license. As far as fishing goes NZ is world renowned for its brown and rainbow trout fishing. These were also introduced into NZ (well documented) in 1878 from England for the purpose of sport fishing. Unlike hunting in NZ however sport fishing in NZ is regulated and you must purchase licenses and follow the regulations. Because of the perfect habitat conditions and no water or land predators both the game animals and fish populations have flourished in NZ!! What does this mean for hunters and fisherman?? A land of opportunity!!! Endless hunting seasons and world class fishing!! Add to this the many other outdoor activities available and you have a list any outdoorsman would be happy with including:
Deep Sea Fishing


Fly Fishing


Spinner fishing


Floundering


Spear Fishing


Big game hunting


Small game hunting


Bird hunting


Varmint hunting


Spearing freshwater eels



Deep Sea Fishing



The south pacific ocean around New Zealand is some of the best deep sea fishing found anywhere. Favourite target species of New Zealand fisherman include: Marlin, Sailfish, Mako Shark, Tuna, Yellowtail Kingfish, Snapper, Blue Cod, Albacore, Gurnard, Kahawai, Terakihi, Trumpeter, John Dory, Grouper and Barracuda. NZ is also reputably home to the worlds largest striped marlin, with several world records to its name. Do some searching on the internet and you will find a lot of professional fishing charters in NZ waters that will be more than happy to guide you to an awesome NZ deep sea fishing adventure.



Fly Fishing



NZ is known for huge trout, beautiful scenery, friendly locals, and crystal clear water. Flyfishers from around the world cast flies for Salmon, Rainbow trout, and Brown trout in New Zealand’s pristine lakes and rivers. 3-6lb fish are average and 8lbers are common. Some of the larger lakes are home to monsters weighing in at over 14lbs!!! However these large fish are not easily fooled. The style of fishing here is a little different than most North American anglers are used to. The following is an excerpt taken from the website Fly Fishing New Zealand



Fly fishing in New Zealand presents new challenges to visiting anglers. The general fishing style of sight fishing, while great fun and extremely productive, takes a little time to master for those who are unfamiliar with it. Once mastered it opens up a whole new and exciting world of fishing as you go hunting for your fish.

The first skill is the spotting of the fish, easy enough at times when the fish are sitting out in shallow water with a light coloured background but most of the time they blend in with their surroundings and it takes a while to develop that hunters eye for spotting the quarry. The best spotting conditions are therefore when the sun is high with the best time to be on the river being through the middle part of the day. Polaroid sunglasses are essential. And yes these big fish do sit out all day in bright sunshine!

Once spotted we approach the fish from directly behind as the fish have a blind spot there. A careful approach is needed and it's usually possible to get quite close to the fish.

Being able to make an accurate short to medium distance cast will enable you to catch a good number of fish with relative ease. By this I mean you need to be able to present your fly ahead of a fish in such away that the fly will drift down to that fish in a natural dead drift. And if you can present the fly on your first cast with a minimum of false casts then so much the better. Then if you can do the same in windy conditions so much the better as enviably the wind will blow at some stage and having the ability to push a cast into it will produce rewards for you.

Because of the clarity of the water the fish will pick up on strange coloured fly lines zipping over there heads, so for this reason dull natural coloured fly lines are essential. For the same reason, attached to the end of your fly line you will need a relatively long leader of say 12 to 16 feet. I use hand tied leaders and find them best.

The fly needs to land far enough ahead of the fish so as not to spook it, if you're using a nymph it also needs to be far enough ahead to allow the nymph time to sink down to the level of the fish. Your leader needs to be sufficiently long so that the floating section of line lands behind the fish, again sufficiently behind as to not spook it.

The first cast is always the most important one, present the fly well the first time up and you'll more than likely to hook your fish. The chances of catching a fish probably diminish by 50% for every subsequent cast made.


For Awesome Flyfishing Tips
Click Here!

If you are up to the challenge fly fishing NZ can be very rewarding to say the least.

















Spinner Fishing



While Fly fishing takes most of the glory as far as the trout fishing goes there is still plenty of opportunity for the spin caster. Large fast flowing rivers and large fish make a perfect combination for casting spinners and spoons. Also the many lakes are ideal for spinner fishing as well and many of the locals choose to jig or troll in the lakes instead of fly fish. Soft baits are also a popular choice throughout NZ.



Floundering



The activity known as floundering is generally done at night with the aid of a light. The angler wades in knee deep or shallower water with a spear and shines his or her light on the sand bottom, when a flounder is detected you simply spear the fish and place it in your carry bag or pail. This is easier said than done as these flat fish blend in almost perfectly with the bottom. There is definitely a skill to spotting flounder and novice anglers will often step on the fish before seeing them. If you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary I recommend you give floundering a try.



Spear Fishing



Spear Fishing in NZ is a very popular sport and there are even several competitions each season. Many spear fisherman take pride in the fact that spear fishing allows a fisherman to selectively harvest the fish of their choice ether for a trophy or for the dinner table. Leaving unwanted catches swimming free.











Big Game Hunting



Big game hunting is hugely popular in NZ and if you are a hunter you need to do everything in your power to make it to NZ and go on the hunt of a lifetime! Huntable species include: Red Stag, Sitka Deer, Fallow Deer, Wapiti/elk, Thar, Chamois Sambar, Rusa and Wild Rams. The most famous of course being the Red Stag. Most visiting sportsman choose to hire the services of a professional outfitter and this has become a huge industry in NZ. Locals simply head into the hills and hunt but I would recommend hiring a guide as the NZ bush is thick and stag hunting is not an easy task. The Deer are amazingly wary nothing at all like we are used to in North America. You will almost never see a wild deer from a vehicle and certainly never near any kind of residential area. The Thar and Chamois live in the high country and knowing your way around is a must. Bring a sturdy pair of hiking boots, good optics and be prepared to shoot long distances and often at steep up or downhill angles. While the mountains don’t compare to our Rocky Mountains NZ is still quite rugged and a good level of fitness is required. If researching outfitters make sure to do your homework as a lot of NZ has high fenced hunting operations and is not fair chase so know what your getting into before you book. Truly this is a sportsmans dream no bag limits lots of species and no end to the season!! Some magnificent trophies come out of NZ every year so if you’re a trophy hunter you need to go.



Small Game/Varmint Hunting



NZ is host to several small huntable creatures including: Rabbits, Hares, Possums, and wallaby. These can make for a fun afternoon of shooting. Rabbits are active all day and can be found out in grassy fields in the middle of the day while hares generally don’t come out until after dark. Night time hunting is legal in NZ and with the possum populations in the millions its is actually a conservationist effort to spotlight and shoot possums. Wallaby look like a miniature kangaroo and are nocturnal as well.



Bird Hunting



Bird hunting in NZ is not as popular with the locals as other types of outdoor activities however there is plenty of opportunity for the wing shooter. Huntable Bird species include: Mallard, Canada Goose, Black Swan, Peacock, Turkey, Pheasant and Paradise Duck. Unlike all other game in NZ there are actually seasons and limits on migratory waterfowl. Please check local regulations before engaging in any consumptive activity.



Spearing Freshwater Eels



Eeling is another popular activity in NZ. Because of the lack of mammals in NZ indigenous peoples relied on kiwi birds, fish, and eels for food. Even today eels are harvested extensively for food. The sport of spearing eels is accomplished by wading the rivers and stream at night with a spotlight and spear in hand. Approaching the eel from downstream you attempt to thrust your spear through the body of the eel which takes more skill then one would think. Because of how light bends through water you must aim lower than where the eel appears to be. This takes some practice but once you get the knack it can be great fun. Use caution eels have sharp teeth and although they are in no way aggressive toward people they are capable of drawing blood.





Hopefully I have shown you that NZ is quite simply paradise for hunters, fishermen, and all outdoorsman no matter what their game of choice. Now you need to get out and experience it!!!

Bear Hunters: A Bear Meat Recipe

I found the following recipe online if anyone has the desire to try eating bear meat.  Only 2 and a half months to go untill bear hunting season!!!

4 lb. bear roast

1 1/4 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1 1/2 tbsp. instant minced onion

1 cup beef bouillon

BEAR HUNTING, BEAR HUNTING TIPS, HUNTING BLACK BEARS, BLACK BEAR HUNTING

Rub all sides of bear meat with the first four ingredients. Place seasoned meat in crock pot, sprinkle with onion and pour bouillon over all. Cook on high setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours per pound until 180 degrees F. (check internal temp. of thickest part of roast with meat thermometer). Vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and celery may be added and cooked the same amount of time as the meat. For gravy: remove meat from pot; stir flour in small amount of water and add to meat juices. Serves 6.

http://www.wildgamerecipes.org/

Tip Of The Day (How To Straighten Your Flyfishing Leaders)

When you take a brand new flyfishing leader out of the package it has “memory” and usually stays curled. For the best results you need to straighten the leader. There is several options to do this first of all you can buy all kinds of little gadgets from fly shops that will do the trick but these will cost you hard earned cash, the next option is to simply use your fingers. Starting at the fly line knot gently pull the leader through your fingers. (Caution using too much pressure or pulling too fast can cause rope burn!!) Another less expensive option is you could simply cut out a small piece of scrap rubber such as from an old inner tube out of a bicycle tire. Fold the rubber in half over the leader and pull briskly. However you do it, remember to straighten your leader for better success on the water.  For more Flyfishing tips Click Here!   Hunting, HUNTING, HUNTING, FISHING, HUNT BLOG, HUNTERS, HUNTING FISHING, DUCK HUNTING, DEER HUNTS, MOOSE HUNTS, BOWHUNTING, BOW HUNTING, ONLINE HUNTING, WHITETAIL HUNTING, HUNTING FISHING, HUNTING ALBERTA, BOWHUNTING ALBERTA, FISHING BLOGS, HUNTING BLOGS, HUNTING TIPS, HUNTING BEAR, HUNTING VIDEOS, FREE HUNTING VIDEOS
Thanks for reading the tip of the day on The Outdoorsman’s Oasis

Outdoorsman's Tip Of The Day (Break In Your New Hunting Rifle)

 A new hunting rifle is a big investment and for many hunters it is the biggest hunting equipment investment they will ever make. If you want to make the most of your new hunting rifle the first thing you will want to do is break in the barrel. Not every hunter knows this but if you don't properly break in your barrel the initial build up of gunpowder will coat the inside of the barrel preventing the fired bullets from properly honing the machined rifling on the inside of your gun barrel. At first there is no problem you simply sight your gun in and go but over time or when you eventually do clean your gun the action of the bullet travelling down the barrel will hone or slightly wear down the rifling of your barrel causing the bullets point of impact to change which means you will have to sight it in again. So why not break your barrel in properly the first time?? This will not only extend the life of your rifle barrel but it will also make the overall sighting in process much easier. For stainless steel barrels it is recommended to clean after every shot for at least the first 10 shots. For traditional blued barrels you can get away with every three shots if you want but I would recommend after every shot, after all you have your rifle cleaning kit out there already so why not?? This is a simple thing to do but something that many hunters choose to skip. Remember, take care of your investment and you will be rewarded with a more accurate hunting rifle. Another simple tip to remember for more accurate sighting in is to wait for your barrel to cool down completely after every shot, because heat expands your rifle barrel once again causing a change in the bullets point of impact.

My Youtube Bear Hunting Video

2010 Calgary Boat And Sportsman Show

Calling all Hunters and Fishermen!!
The Calgary Boat and Sportsman Show will be running Feb. 4th to 7th (thursday-sunday) in Stampede Park at the BMO center
Admission times: Thursday: 1pm-9pm Friday: 1pm-9pm Saturday:10am-9pm Sunday: 10am-5pm
Admission price: $12 for adults, $8 for 6-12 years old, under 6 free and $9 for seniors, remember to bring your W.I.N card for $2 off at the door  for more info visit http://www.calgaryboatandsportshow.ca/

Did you know????
As a non-profit corporation,Canadian National Sportsmen's Shows is committed to conserving Canada's outdoors and instilling Canadian youth with an appreciation for nature and outdoor activity. CNSS uses the proceeds from these shows to support and promote outdoor campaigns and programs in Canada. Since the first show in 1948, more than $31,000,000 has been donated.  Wow!!

A Successful Salmon Fishing Trip

If you want to do a salmon/halibut fishing trip in B.C. I have a guide recommendation for you!!




For years me and my dad have talked about doing a salmon fishing trip out on Vancouver Island, so finally last year we decided to get it done. I researched for hours and hours and looked at every fishing guide/charter website on the internet, I compared pictures and success stories and looked up fishing reports, seasonal charts, and fishing areas. After all of this research I finally settled on Salmon Eye Charters http://www.salmoneye.net/  the reason I went with Salmon Eye Charters is because they appeared to be very professional, had years of experience, and seemed to be quite knowledgeable about the biology side of salmon fishing. This last point is very important to me because I want a guide that is willing to adapt to the habits of the fish not some old timer that’s been using the same old lures and going to the same spot for 30 years. Anyways to make a long story short it proved to be a good choice on my part, our accommodations where nothing posh but very comfortable and we had an ocean view. The moment we arrived we spotted whales 800 yards offshore right out of our living room window!! Ray our guide was great he has a good sense of humour but is also very serious about getting you into some fish, and catch fish we did!! It was simply non stop action!! The fish cleaning service is highly recommended by me we never had to worry about a single thing at the end of the day which gave us a chance to unwind, get some dinner, or get in some more activities, as if a full day of salmon fishing wasn’t enough. Also included in our package was one spectacular gourmet dinner made with our own freshly caught salmon and halibut. Overall just a great experience. If you are looking for a great fishing charter I highly recommend Salmon Eye Charters. These guys fish every day of the season, they know where the fish are and what’s working, they have nice boats, good quality gear, and provide a great service, you just cant ask for any more than that!!



Check them out for more information at http://www.salmoneye.net/



Here are a few pictures from our successful trip

Outdoorsman's Tip Of The Day (Antifreeze Your Call)

One of the most common problems hunters have when the weather turns cold is that their calls freeze up and won't work. So the question is, how do I keep my call from freezing?? The answer is simple, Canola oil. Simply lightly coat a rag or paper towel with canola oil and wipe down the reed of your call before heading out for the days hunting adventure. The oil will need to be reapplied each day. Thanks for reading the tip of the day and remember to check back often for more great hunting and fishing tips.

Outdoorsman's Tip Of The Day (Shooting From a Treestand)

When archery hunting from a treestand always draw your bow and anchor with your body straight before aiming down to get the right angle for a shot. Also remember when you aim down to bend your torso at the waist while keeping your head and hands positioned the same at all times. DO NOT simply aim the bow down. If you have ever wondered how come you missed an easy bow shot from the treestand chances are it is because your shooting form is wrong. To test this theory take your bow, now point it down as if going to make an angled downward shot from a raised treestand now draw and anchor as normal, now hold that exact position and raise up as if to shoot towards a ground level target. What you will find is that your bow hand is quite a bit lower than your normal shooting position which explains why your arrow won't hit its mark. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more of the outdoorsman's tip of the day! For more tips on archery and bowhunting Click Here!

Outdoorsman's Tip Of The Day (Tape Your Rifle Barrel)

When Planning a hunt in rainy or snowy weather conditions make sure to place a piece of duct tape or electrical tape over the end of your rifle barrel to prevent moisture or debris from getting inside. When you fire a shot the air pressure from the bullet shooting up the barrel will blow the tape off before the bullet even reaches the end so accuracy will not be affected in any way. Thanks for reading my blog and stay tuned for more of the outdoorsman's tip of the day!

Costa Rican Sailfish Adventure

In the winter of 2008 I travelled 5497km from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. I went for a relaxing vacation however I promised myself as soon as I booked the trip that I would do some deepsea fishing there. After some intensive research I found that the sportfishing industry in Costa Rica is largly run by American's and quite expensive. I decided to take the risk and not book a fishing charter until I arrived in Costa Rica and checked out the locals and all the available options. I realized that in a country like that not every fishing guide is going to be able have his charter business on the world wide web. After arriving and speaking to some locals I was told of a location (Quepos) that has the best fishing at that time of year (April) when I arrived in Quepos my beach front hotel http://www.verdemar.com/ was more than happy to help me book an offshore fishing trip that met my expectations and my budget, the hotel employees were extremely helpful and concerned that I would get the right fishing guide for my money. You have several options as far as the size of boat goes and if you want luxury you can go with a yacht for the low price of a few thousand US dollars per day. As my budget is in the lower end and I was going to be chartering the entire boat to myself I chose a small 24 foot cruiser. This size of boat is just fine for up to three fisherman any more than that and you will be bumping into each other all day. As I get seasick easily I came prepared with a motion sickness patch as well as gravol. If you have never been out in the open ocean (im talking 20 miles or more offshore) I HIGHLY recommend bringing gravol with you at the very least. Seasickness is the worst feeling in the world and once your 30 miles out in the ocean there is no getting away from it. So back to the fishing story, I met my boat captain and deck hand at 6am and with very little messing around we were off and running. We cruised straight out from land for 45min to an hour and then started fishing. Sailfish feed near the surface and often in schools, a favorite technique is to surround a school of bait fish and drive them to the surface where they are helplessly trapped and the sailfish can have their fill with a minimum of effort. Because of this the way you fish for sailfish is to troll several baits out the back of the boat in the wake at a decent speed and keep the bait skipping across the top of the water or swimming just under the surface. On this trip my experienced Costa Rican fishing guides placed weights on all our baits so they stayed just barely submerged they also set out two teasers which are large colorful plastic squid lures without hooks. The idea with the teasers is to draw sailfish in with the added flash and movement. With all the rigs out behind the boat in a staggered formation it actually looks like a group of baitfish swirling on the surface which of course is the whole idea and it obviously fooled the local sailfish because within an hour of fishing we had a hit! Then another and another! Three hits in a row but nothing had gotten hooked, I held my breath and then suddenly, only 10 meters behind the boat a 130 pound sailfish leaped its full length out of the water! As it splashed back into the shimmering blue ocean I heard the line zinging off of the reel. Carlos rushed to the rod holder grabbed the rod and set the hook with three strong heaves on the rod, as he passed me the rod the sailfish jumped again, and again!! Four times the massive fish leaped in an effort to shake the hook but to no avail. As I fought with the jerking rod and tried to slow the line spinning off the reel without burning my thumb, Carlos buckled a rod holder around my waist and helped me into the fighting chair. It was a very exciting moment with alot of fast spanish and hand signals flying. After the intial thrashing the sailfish dove straight for the bottom all I could do was hold on to the rod. When he finally stopped I began the process of pumping and reeling, pumping and reeling, it was a long, slow, muscle burning battle to the surface and when we finally got the huge fish to the side of the boat he had lost almost all of his color. Carlos expertly slid the fish over the side of the boat while the captain grabbed the camera and snapped a couple pictures.

After the quick photos we slid the sailfish back into the ocean and Carlos gently pulled him back and forth to get the water flowing through the gills. It took about 15 minutes before the mighty sailfish got his strength back and when he fully recovered we watched him in awe as he swam off with his huge fin slicing through the water. I was pretty happy with the fact that I had just landed an estimated 130lb sailfish! My first one ever! As Carlos got the lines back into the water I rubbed my sore arms and massaged my stiff hands and it wasn't a second or two later when we had another one on!!! I couldn't believe my luck until I grabbed the rod and realized that I had just started the whole 45 minute process over again but this time my muscles were aching to start with!! Anyways it was an endurance test but I took it with a grin and survived and we successfully landed the second fish as well. This one was a bit smaller coming in at an estimated 110lbs. The remainder of the day was spent chatting as much as possible with my two friendly guides that didn`t speak much english and I speak almost no spanish so it was fun trying to have a conversation. As we cruised along we would periodically see a sailfish leap out of the water 400 yards away but unfortunately no more took the bait. I didn`t mind at all I was more than happy with my two fish and so I just sat back and enjoyed the ride, occasionally I dipped into the ice chest for refreshments and a sandwich. Towards the end of our day we came upon the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. Off in the distance the captain spotted something, as we headed towards it we could see alot of splashing and rolling and large fish leaping out of the water. The captain was confused at first, Can't be Tuna can it? He asked the deckhand. Carlos proceeded to climb up onto the roof of the boat and finally when we got close enough he said its dolphins! What I saw that day is absolutly unbelievable hundreds and hundreds of dolphins jumping, rolling, and slashing through the water as well as two giant sea turtles!! I snapped pictures as fast as my little underwater camera would take them and just stared in amazment. Needless to say I was a bit sad when the captain said we had to head back but it was actually the perfect end to a perfect day. I had the time of my life and can't wait to do it again sometime. If you ever get the opportunity to do some sailfish fishing please do yourself a favor and do it!!! Good Luck and Good Fishing!!

Primos Duck Call (Product Review)

Before the Sept. duck hunting season opener rolled around this last fall I decided to try out some new duck calls. My old call was pretty well destroyed from years of rolling around on the truck dash, being dropped into ponds, and getting full of mud, blood, and snow. Plus I just like buying new gear!! So I went into Bass Pro Shops and bought a P.H.A.T (pretty hot and tempting) Lady, Single Reed, Arkansas style mallard call made by Primos Hunting Calls

Now normally I am a double reed duck call kinda guy but I decided I would give this single reed a try just for fun. Well I have to say I was very disappointed with this call, I like the primos team and have lots of their gear as well as some of their elk calls, but this duck call just doesn't cut it. First of all the quality of sound is just not there (although this could be because I am used to double reed calls and they sound better...??) and second of all and most importantly the reed STICKS!! I blew this call for 45 seconds to a minute inside a warm house and the reed stuck! Not just for a second ether I am talking stuck good. Now I understand that some calls need to be tuned more than others but as far as I am concerned if it sticks right of the box I don't want it! I have purchased many duck calls over the years including some of my first which came from wal-mart and cost only $6.99, but this is by far the worst one yet! I know for a fact I will never use this call in the field and if anyone did they would most likely just be continually frustrated. There is nothing worse than spotting some low flying greenhead mallards winging towards your spread and you raise your call to your lips and blow and nothing happens because the reed is stuck!! Hunting is not about frustration its about enjoying yourself and hopefully being successful, the last thing a hunter needs is a crappy duck call. So that is why I am posting this review, I know most reviews are at least partially good but I felt the need to share with all hunters that this call is not worth your hard earned money. So thanks for reading and stay tuned for some good call reviews!

Click Here For The Latest Fishing Report Before You Head Out

Beginner's Guide To Ice Fishing

I think by now most of us realize winter is here to stay, and here in Alberta, Canada alot of our lakes have been frozen over for a month or more which means its time to get fishing! Alot of people have been discouraged by ice fishing over the years and its true it can be disapointing when you sit on a frozen lake all day staring into a tiny hole in the ice and nothing happens. However ice fishing can also be action packed and actually some of the best fishing of the year can come through the ice. As with anything the key to success is in the preparation. Iam going to help you get started for a successful ice fishing experience. If you have never tried ice fishing there is no better time than now. First and foremost you need to be prepared for an emergency, it can get very cold out on a frozen lake very quickly, even if the day starts out warmish you never know what can happen. You always need to be prepared for extreme cold, what if your vehicle won't start? What if a winter storm blows in? Or worst case scenario what if you go through the ice and get soaked? When you head out ice fishing you MUST be prepared to survive the cold. Dress with warm layers that you can take off/put on as you get too warm or too cold. Also here are some good items to include in your vehicle: a Shovel, Tire chains, Fire starters/Windproof Lighter, Blankets, Candles, a Flashlight/Lantern, and some food. Be sure to tell someone where you are going and when your planning to come back and make sure to bring a cell phone and charger. Now that we are prepared to head into the great outdoors in the middle of winter what do we need to catch fish through the ice? Ice fishing can be as basic or as technical as you want it to be. Head out to any popular lake on a saturday and you will see old timers in skidoo suits sitting on 5 gallon buckets jigging with an old peice of baseboard they got when they renovated their house, however you will also see guys with 6 man portable shacks, underwater cameras, sonar, and the latest and greatest ice fishing rods, ice augars, and tip ups. Most of us will be somewhere in the middle and where ever you choose to be, however far you want to take ice fishing is totally up to you. The main thing is that everyone has fun. While the guys with $1500.00 worth of gear may catch a few more fish I can guarantee the guys sitting on the pails are more relaxed, not a care in the world, just enjoying a day on the ice and at the end of the day they probably wont even remember how many fish they caught. So how much gear you want to buy is up to you but here is the basics of what you will need. An ice auger you will need something to cut a hole in the ice before you can do anything else, there is a couple options here on the low budget end you can get an ice spud or a hand auger for $50.00 or less but make no mistake these tools require some manual labour if you decide to go this route make sure to take a few layers off before going at it so you dont get all sweated up and catch a chill because that could make for a very long miserable day. From there the sky is the limit but an average gas powered 8 inch auger will cost you $400.00-$900.00 remember bigger is not always better if you ever will be walking on to a lake you want something light enough to carry or pull behind you in a sled. If on the other hand you will be fishing for large lake trout or northern pike then you will want a 10 or 12inch auger. My suggestion is to look at as many augers as you can and do your homework go with a reputable company with a good warranty program and you should be fine, of course if your uncle Joe happens to have a nice one that he hardly ever uses........even better!!! Next on the list is an ice strainer when you drill a hole in the ice it will be full of ice chunks and shavings and you cant get your lure down into the water so you need a hand held strainer to scoop the hole clear. Next you need some kind of ice fishing rod and line, at any outdoors store you can get an ice fishing specific rod and reel or you can build your own, ice fishing usually doesnt require fishing at great depth so 30-50 feet of winter fishing line (4-6 lb) will usually work just fine. Next you need lures, this is of course species specific and for the most part you can use your normal summer time lures, however in the winter time most fish become less aggresive so a good rule of thumb is to go smaller, slower and use bait where legal. For example if you use a 3/4 ounce jig at your favorite walleye lake in the summer but it doesnt seem to be working in the winter try the same jig in a 1/4 ounce tipped with a leech for better results. The only summer lures that wont work are those that are meant to be trolled through the water. For example crankbaits will not work for ice fishing however any lure that can be vertically jigged is fine. Of course the best thing to do is talk to the locals, go out to your lake of choice on a weekend and ask the other ice fisherman what they are catching, what they are using, what time of day is the most productive etc. The next best resource is your local tackle shop they are usually in touch with many of the hardcore locals and should be able to suggest local hotspots and good bait/lures. Those are the basics that you need to catch fish through the ice, of course I could expand and go into underwater cameras, ice fishing shacks, and what to use for specific species of fish but I am going to save those subjects for another day, so remember to check back often to see my latest blog posts. So Good Luck and Good Fishing!!
For more information on ice fishing Click Here!

First Moose Hunt-With A Bow And Arrow

After three years of applying for an antlered moose tag in western Alberta's foothills I finally was successful in getting drawn. Right from the start I was very committed to getting a bull with my bow. Being a hunting guide I have a couple friends that have guided moose hunters with great success and I got as much information as I could from them about calling, season, and locations. As much as that information was a help to me I knew the rest was up to me so I commenced scouting the area I was planning to hunt. Over the years i had been bear hunting and deer hunting in this area so I knew it quite well and had seen plenty of moose sign so i had a few locations in mind. It was with high hopes that i set out one day in early august to scout some moose hunting hotspots. After a full day of hiking and studying tracks in the mud I knew where I was going to be chasing moose with a bow and arrow come October.

Fast forward to the first week in october. I had been shooting my hoyt trykon bow almost daily and had it tuned to perfection, I also had my calling skills as good as they possibly could be with only a month of practice. I finished guiding my last group of waterfowl hunters and headed out to my moose hunting hotspot. I got there in the early afternoon and set up camp. My camp consisted of a tent and a 3-D archery target. I was planning to stay at least three days and possibly 7 if it took that long, I was determined not to come home without my moose. I got camp set up by 3pm and got geared up for the evening hunt. After a half hour hike I was at my treestand. This was a stand my friends and I call the bushman stand. It is situated at the point of a triangle between a cutline and a creek and is mixed spruce and poplar with lots of muskeg, Perfect moose habitat!! After getting settled in the stand and letting the woods quiet down I commenced calling. Long wavering cow calls accompanied by several bull grunts echoed through the northern boreal forest but nothing happened. I called for 2 hours with no response. More than a little disappointed I climbed down from the treestand about 1 hour until darkness shut down my hunt for the day. I decided to move down the cutline until I intersected the creek and try my calling there, as I stepped out onto the cutline I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye, I turned and froze! there was a bull moose only 20yards away and he had spotted me!! After several seconds of facing off with the young bull I slowly moved back behind a spruce tree out of sight of the bull. Knowing the hunt was almost ruined and just hoping for the best I let out a low bull grunt. Much to my surprise the bull returned with a blasting grunt!! Tilting his small antlers down and to the side he began to close the distance between us grunting and swinging his antlers with every step. Heart pounding I waited for an opportunity to draw however no shot presented itself. finally at 3 yards looking the bull square in the eye I decided I had to draw my bow or risk getting head butted by a bull moose. I drew as slowly as possible but of course the bull didn't like that and deciding he had been fooled long enough he spun around and charged away, I let out a grunt but that didnt stop him so I let out a long desperate sounding cow call and he froze in his tracks looking over his shoulder at me I had a perfect quartering away shot at 15yards and thats all the opportunity I needed I released and the arrow flew straight and with a solid sounding "Whack" passed completely through the bulls heart low down right behind the shoulder. A perfect hit I thought as I tried to contain my excitement. Watching the bull run 200 yards down the cutline I decided to let out another cow call and managed to stop the bull he started to wobble and ran into the woods with a crash. After leaving him for 45 min I found him laying 50yards from the cutline. My first Moose!! With a bow!! I was very proud to say the least.

Calling in bull moose to archery range is as exciting as it gets give it a try!!

For Bowhunting Tips Click Here!

Hunting and Fishing Shows Online Anytime, Anywhere. Wild T.V Recoil Video On Demand (Product Review)

Wild TV is a Hunting and Fishing television network available to viewers in canada. Today I am going to talk about an extension of this network that is very cool! Recoil VOD (Video On Demand) is a product available for purchase online at http://www.wildtv.ca/index.php?page=Recoil Recoil on demand allows you to watch a Hunting and Fishing television network over the internet from your home pc at your leisure. You can simply click the link and browse through their free shows that they have available for general viewing or you can subscribe for 3 months of unlimited access for $34.95, 6 months of unlimited access for $49.95, or 1 year of unlimited access for $89.95. I chose the 1 year subscription for the best value and I have not been disappointed yet. you choose a username (your email) and a password then once you have activated your account you have 24-7 unlimited access anytime anywhere to a massive library of Hunting and Fishing tv shows from years ago to the most recently aired. as long as you can get an internet connection you can watch all your favorite shows, this is a great product I use it quite often to watch Hunting and Fishing shows on my laptop. I used to buy all the Hunting dvds as soon as they came out but now we have the option of subscribing to recoil video on demand and watching unlimited shows for 1 low price. Wild TV has a very handy searching feature as well so you can easily refine your search to get exactly what you are looking for. For example I could simply search for Hunting or specify Bowhunting or choose a species. Videos can be viewed in full screen mode and stream quite flawlessly most of the time. the only small downside is that the quality is not the same as a dvd.
Overall i believe this is a great product for the price. If you spend any amount of money on Hunting dvds I would highly recomend Recoil-VOD
Let me know what you think

Zimbabwe suspends hunting

Once again poaching ruins it for all law abiding sportsman, the problem as always is enforcement. I just feel sorry for anyone that was planning their hunt of a lifetime.
Click below for more information
Zimbabwe suspends hunting

Saskatchewan offers $20 bounty to coyote hunters

A Coyote Hunters dream come true!!! $20.00 per set of paws

Coyote hunters click below for more information

CBC News - Saskatchewan - Sask. offers $20 bounty on coyotes

Welcome to my blog for Hunters and Fisherman

Thanks for reading my blog!!
If you love to hunt and fish you have come to the right place!!!
The Outdoorsman's Oasis is all about the great outdoors. I live to hunt and fish and enjoy any kind of outdoor activity. Iam going to be using this blog to provide information about hunting and fishing and outdoor related products and services. I will be posting in-depth reviews of products that i have purchased and used over the years under real life conditions over long periods of time. I hope this information will be usefull and help you decide if you want to purchase a particular product or not. I will also be keeping you updated on outdoor events/sportsman shows, important outdoor community news, and my personal adventures.
Please come by often to check out the latest updates
Enjoy


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