Author: Jeff Helsdon
Jeff Helsdon
Jeff is a passionate outdoorsman who enjoys hunting with his family in Southwestern Ontario, and beyond. Jeff looks forward to turkey hunting each spring, and then switches to fishing with his family for perch, walleye and bass in the summer. In the fall, Jeff is busy chasing whitetails, waterfowl, fall turkeys and moose when he isn’t working or pheasant hunting with his English cocker spaniel.
…The Ideal Alternative to Lead In the early days after lead shot bans were put in place, one of the alternatives available was bismuth shot shells. After fading away, it has come back, and it has done so in a big way. All of the major shotgun ammunition companies now have bismuth loads. To fully understand bismuth’s potential, travel back to high school chemistry class and the periodic table. Right next to element 82 (Lead), is element 83 (Bismuth). This ranking means that bismuth has a similar atomic weight to lead. Shooters don’t talk atomic weights, though. They talk metal…
A Great Sea Kayaking Option The British Columbia waters between Vancouver Island and the Canadian mainland are known for their diversity of sea life. It’s a top scuba diving destination and a hot spot for kayakers. Collectively, the Strait of Georgia runs between the island and mainland from the top to the bottom. The inlets and sounds off the strait are popular waters for sea kayaking tours and are more protected from the wind and waves. Known as the Sunshine Coast, this area is accessible by a stretch of road running roughly 100 miles north up the coast. It is…
The past year saw many changes occur in the hunting industry, with companies challenged to find raw materials, struggling to keep up to demand, and ownership changes. Still, a few companies came out with some great new turkey gear that hunters may want to consider. Primos added to its custom-grade calls with a few new calls that are upgrades to previous models. The Freak Frictionite pot call is designed to strap on your leg or gun to allow one-hand operation. The Heart Breaker is a custom call with an engraved purple heartwood lid with a two-sided mahogany box. The L’il…
“There’s coming out tonight boys,” predicted Newfoundland Where Ya Wannabe Outfitters moose hunting guide Barry Sweetland. Little did he know how true his prediction would be, with all three of the hunters in camp tagging out before the end of legal shooting time that night. For the uninitiated, Newfoundland is moose central, with high hunting success rates. Moose aren’t native to the island province, but were introduced nearly a century ago. Being in Deer Lake or Gander during September or October, is akin to one big hunt camp. Camouflage is the common dress and hunters crowd the airports, motels and…
An argument could be made that Lake Erie offers the best walleye fishing on the planet. Any discussion about what makes for the best walleye fishing usually includes talk about lots of fish, the ability to catch a limit, and how large the fish are in that location. While several lakes in northern parts of Canada offer fish quantity and fast action, in my experience, the fish are smaller. Lake Erie, on the other hand, has no slot limits, sixfish limits, and lots of large fish. And when I say large, my largest fish is 11 pounds so far, and…
The Technical Know-How Crucial to Purchasing the Right Deer Scope Are you looking for a new scope for your deer gun? The options for a hunter in the market for a scope have become so numerous that it can be intimidating to try to decipher the technical lingo. First focal plane reticle, second focal plane reticle, red dot or illuminated reticle, high-definition glass, reticle choices, custom dials, mil-dot reticles—the options are almost endless. Although some scopes are good for general use, others are quite specialized. Advice From Experts The first consideration when choosing a scope is to look at its…
