Author: North American Outdoorsman Staff

The benefit of having a hunting dog in the field is obvious to bird hunters. There are also hidden benefits to owning a dog, any kind of dog. We likely know these benefits subconsciously. Let’s look at them overtly. Researchers in psychology and human medicine call it the “pet-effect,” a benefit in terms of psychological and physical well-being from dog ownership. Researchers try to be imaginative to design psychological or physiological studies to understand the core of these animal-human relationships. Documented benefits include adolescent psychological well-being, boosted child immunity, increased health and post-surgery survival among older adults, and community benefits.…

The grouse of my country do not come with a history or a mythology. There are no mossy stone walls, gnarly overgrown apple orchards or second growth paper birch “popple” where “everyday afield is a hallowed memory.” Nor have they been awarded celebrity status in a Burton Spiller grouse hunting book as the “Thunder King” or “His Majesty the Grouse” – even though there’s a 50 per cent chance that “he” is actually a “she.” Those are the celestial ruffed grouse of New England, or maybe New Brunswick, which have been attributed super-ruffie powers and cunning intellect. Acquired, apparently, through…

Some of my favorite aspects of fly fishing include learning new techniques, exploring new fisheries, and introducing myself to something completely out of my wheelhouse. My introduction to ‘European’ and more specifically ‘Czech’ nymphing went hand-in-hand with my first-year assistant guiding for local trout species and I have not looked back since. Often termed ‘high-sticking’ or ‘tight-line nymphing’ to our American friends, Euro nymphing differs from traditional fly fishing as it utilizes a longer, lighter rod, a level line, and a heavy nymph which is pulled or directed through the water column. Casting is simplified down to a lob and…

Growing up in the prairies, I always had a fascination with Mountain hunting, listening to tales from my Dad, Lorne and late Uncle Lester tell the stories of their adventures deep in the Rockies. Those jagged peaks and picturesque high basins always drew me to them and there is something about the ruggedness and fear associated with hunting there. Maybe it’s the fact that most will never take on the challenge or that it pushes a hunter further than ever pushed before, but the rewards are tenfold. Arguably the most dangerous Big Game animal to hunt in North America, terrain-wise…

Over the years many have questioned the ethics or necessity of trail cameras. Some states have taken further steps to prohibit trail cameras use during hunting seasons. Regardless of the opinions on trial cameras, these tools are here to stay. The top hunters in the industry most often advocate for use of trail cameras and leaders in the industry identify these as the single most impactful tool in the market. In fact, cellular trail cameras, although an advancement to predecessor technologies, are likely to be replaced by more advanced devices in just several years. For those that are greatly opposed…

Fair weather anglers have it tough living in Canada. Like clockwork each fall, boats are tucked into bed and open water gear gets stored until spring signals the frozen lakes and rivers to become liquid again. But during those months of dreary downtime, taking stock of your tackle and prepping it for the upcoming season will help ease the suffering you’re feeling (while also making you a better angler in the long run.) Taking Stock It would seem like it’s engrained in an anglers’ DNA to hoard tackle. I’m certainly guilty of that trait. We have boxes filled to the…

Spring is when it all comes to fruition in the brook trout waters of this Country, a period when brook trout enthusiasts are chomping at the bit to find that special lake with trophy-size trout. The problem with this idyllic scenario is that social and environmental forces often conspire to make fishing difficult, especially when it comes to trophy fish. For the ‘Spec hunter’ in search of scalestraining catches, competition from other anglers and copious other factors, can make for tough angling indeed. Finding, and maintaining a brook trout lake that holds potential for trophy fish can seem like an…

As hunters, we are optimists. We’re confident that this is the year that the 10-point buck will walk under our stand, we anticipate hearing an elk bugle through the timber, and we know it’s just a matter of time before we spot that big ol’ ram while glassing. I am no exception, and every year I feel like it’s going to be my best season yet. Of course, I’m usually wrong. However, the stars aligned in 2020 and I ended up filling all six of my Big Game tags here in Alberta. Here are six tips that led to my…

Escaping our cold Canadian winters for a little holiday is usually on most of our minds over the winter months, but this past year has been hard on all of us with COVID-19 restrictions as well. I have been lucky to have headed off somewhere on a winter hunting destination every year for the last number of years. And, thankfully, our trip to New Zealand happened just prior to this worldwide pandemic, because let me tell you – our red stag hunt was one for the highlight reel! New Zealand is a hunting paradise and worth every minute of the…

Its always amazing to me the responses hunters give when you ask, “if you could have three tools for managing your hunting grounds what would you choose?” Some respond with illustrious tractors and no-till drills. While some respond that they don’t require any tools for property maintenance and hunting lands should remain wild and untouched. Others just aren’t sure what to choose, and for those that really want a maximum return and lower investment this article is intended to rethink investments and refocus in on what really is essential. When I first started hunting as a boy, I can remember…