Hunting

Bergara fans are a loyal bunch. I’ve read more than a few comments asking for a review of the Bergara B-14, and today, I’m here to give the people what they want. The Spanish rifle company cut its teeth as a premium barrel maker, and they still fabricate barrels for several American gun companies...

Humans think that saber-toothed cats went extinct around 10,000 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene. But the Gnome knows better. He even knows where a few of the ancient creatures dwell in isolation, hidden far away from the endless cacophony of man. And the Gnome and his hounds know how to...

Shotguns are an inherently versatile firearm. From duck blinds to deer stands, upland brush to long turkey sits, the shotgun is right at home in a multitude of hunting pursuits. However, with its smooth shooting and ability to fire quick follow-up shots, the semi-automatic shotgun reigns supreme...

When you go to the range to test a rifle’s accuracy, what kind of results are you happy with? If you said “sub-MOA or bust,” you’re not alone. Many hunters expect even bargain-bin rifles to shoot less-than-one-inch groups at 100 yards, and I’m as guilty as anyone of wishcasting that myth into...

If you’ve spent much time on the Gun-ternet, you’ve no doubt come across this advice, or something close to it. “Make sure you spend as much on your scope as your rifle.” “Your scope should cost at least double what your rifle does!” “Put that scope on credit. Second mortgage rates are great these...

Before I learned to call a turkey, actually shooting a bird always felt out of reach. I could never work a box call just right, my slate calls sounded like a pitchfork on a chalkboard, and mouth calling seemed utterly impossible. I settled for a push-button call and ended my first spring season with...

A “fudd” is a derogatory term for a certain type of gun owner. Like the Looney Toons character of the same name, fudds are cantankerous. Old-fashioned. Set in their ways and suspicious of anything new-fangled. They probably don’t know the difference between a “clip” and a “magazine.” They despise...

No one wakes up addicted to meth. Just like no one casually strolls into the backcountry to hunt elk. There’s a natural progression of slipping into hunting madness, and turkey hunting can be the gateway drug that sends a person down that rabbit hole. Tags are cheap, it requires little gear, and I...

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty broken up about waterfowl seasons being over. Late winter means the days are short and depressing, and just when I’ve missed enough ducks and geese to actually start hitting some, it seems like things are about to close. But it isn’t all lost yet. March is the...

Shooting birds is a perishable skill. It’s not like riding a bike, and I’m reminded of that opening day of duck season every year. So what is a bird hunter to do during the months between one hunting season and the next. Sure, you can shoot clays, but clays don’t juke and dive and speed up when you...

You recognize the names P.O. Ackley and Roy Weatherby, but what do you know about Charles Newton? Not to be confused with Isaac Newton, Charles Newton was another inventor and engineer who some have called the “father of high-velocity rifle cartridges.” Newton designed several popular cartridges...

The forest grew darker and damper the deeper the Gnome rode up the winding, worn logging road. He sat atop his trusty mule, Thelma, pulling Louise behind them with empty saddlebags upon her back. Their big ears twitched at every suspicious snap in the woods. He took in a deep breath of mountain air...