“It’s a wonderful time to be in our industry,” said Sandy Chisholm of North American Arms, a handgun manufacturer. “We’ve seen tremendous enthusiasm on the part of sellers and buyers, and we see the prospect of a very good year ahead.” Many agreed with that assessment of the market and of the SHOT Show.

The SHOT Show is the largest trade show in the traditional outdoor industry. It’s so large in fact, it’s the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas, a city known for huge trade shows. This year, over 61,000 people attended the show. There were over 1,600 exhibitors showcasing their goods in booths, and 2,400 media members walking the floor to find out about the latest and greatest.
The SHOT Show is owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Revenues from the show support NSSF’s many programs that carry out its mission of promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports.

“The SHOT Show allows NSSF to do many good things for industry, shooting and hunting,” said NSSF President and Steve Sanetti. Added Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer, “We have worked hard to make sure SHOT is a great selling and buying experience, and it has resulted in our best show ever.”

Crowded aisles and jam packed booths, may annoy some, but most people enjoy the experience of being part of such an abuzz environment of like-minded individuals. Manufacturers, sales representatives and dealers alike, left the SHOT Show looking forward to financial gains in 2012.

Todd Vance of Vance Outdoors in Columbus, Ohio, said. “We had our best-ever year in 2011, and we’ve started off this year great and expect to be up.” In his store, Vance said buyers are interested in concealable handguns, home-defense firearms, ammunition and tactical rifles, particularly new .22 caliber models.

Sig Sauer, a popular handgun manufacturer, reported having its best first day at SHOT since the company began keeping sales records.
“The market is stimulated,” said Bud Fini, vice president of marketing, who added that the company’s shooting academy is seeing many new gun owners. “First-time buyers, that’s where the expansion is coming from,” Fini said.

So I’m sure you’re wondering what products jumped out at me. First of all, tactical gear is king right now. There were so many AR-15 manufacturers; I wouldn’t even know where to begin. And if a company was there who wasn’t making an AR platform rifle, then chances are they were selling accessories or associated products, like clothing, bags or ammunition.

One piece of inventive gear I’d like to get my hands on is a set of clothing from Sitka Gear in their new Optifade Marsh Pattern. What makes this camouflage pattern so impressive is that it is designed to mimic what waterfowl sees from the air. So it’s patterned on the top of brush, not the base of brush. This makes perfect sense to me.

Another trend that was all over the SHOT Show, that I’m not too excited about, is zombies. I don’t really get it, but a lot of other people must, because there were zombie guns, zombie ammo, zombie targets, and actual zombies walking around; there were zombies everywhere.

All in all, it was awesome to see many people enthused by the shooting sports. For those of you who fear the end of times for our passions of shooting and hunting, I assure you, we’re fine.

See you down the trail…

“I found an old box of childhood toys in my parents barn. There were these Geronimo and General Custer action figures. Cowboys and Indians, you know. Geronimo had a quiver with arrows you could take out. It got me thinking. ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I could modernize these toys and create a hunter of today; a hunting action figure with the latest equipment, like camouflage, bows and firearms,’” Ranard said.

Today, Hunter Dan is a household name for hunting families across the country. An action figure based on the likeness of Ranard, Hunter Dan is trying hard to do all he can to help promote ethical hunting to the next generation of outdoor life enthusiasts.

Hunting has been a lifelong passion of Ranard’s. His father, Jim, a Baptist minister, took Dave and his brother J.R. on a squirrel hunting trip in southern Illinois when the boys were still quite young. It was that trip that hooked Ranard on hunting for life.

“I just love everything about hunting. Especially the opportunity to spend time fellowshipping with friends and family, while enjoying the amazing gift of the great outdoors,” Ranard said.
Ranard was only around 30-years-old when he came up with his idea for Hunter Dan. He mulled it over for years before he finally put his plan in action.

“It takes money to put a product on the market,” Ranard said. “There’s tooling costs, research and so much more. I was chomping at the bit to get started, but at first I just didn’t have a lot of capital. As my other company began to prosper though, I knew I had to continue to try and realize my dream of bringing Hunter Dan to life.”

So, Ranard did what anyone does when a dream won’t die, he found a way to make his dream come true.

One of the sacrifices many hunters make throughout the year is time spent away from our families. We enjoy our trips afield, but most of us can’t help but feel guilty about leaving for a day or weekend hunt, after working all week. Hunter Dan gives adult hunters an opportunity to hand their kids a toy that can be used to mimic what their parent is doing while away in the woods.

“I played Hunter Dan with my own kids. I’d use him to show them how I would shoot my bow and how I’d look sitting in a treestand, thinking about them,” Ranard said. “It made it better, for all of us.”

The popularity of Hunter Dan continues to grow. He has many companions now, including Hunter Ann and slew of wild game animals. Products for the action figures are popular as well, such as bows, firearms, treestands, ground blinds and more. They really are wonderful tools for teaching children about hunting.

“It just makes sense, that if we put hunting action figures in the hands of our children, the chances of them taking an interest in traditions of the great outdoors only increases,” Ranard said.

See you down the trail…

Father Schmelz was a member of the Natural Resources Commission for years. When the very controversial topic of hunting in state parks arose, the commission figured there was no one better to appoint as the chairman of the committee to study the potential hunts than a man of the cloth, who also understood the ecosystems. Father Schmelz determined hunting would be a favorable means of population control, and steered the state to organizing such hunts.
Research collected during the State Park Deer Study was used to put in place the reduction deer hunts we now have at Indiana State Parks. As a scientist, Father Schmelz felt reducing deer herd populations in order to preserve the natural flora of the parks was necessary. He concluded the overall most effective means of managing deer populations was through utilizing controlled hunts. Father Schmelz said, “When deer were reintroduced to Indiana they sought shelter in state parks, reproduced nicely, and grew in population quickly. In many parks, by the time we conducted our study, you couldn’t extend your arm up and reach any vegetation. Ferns and wild flowers were gone. It looked as though you sent landscapers through.”

Now, almost twenty years later, the hunts are still going strong. According to the DNR, “Controlled deer hunts at state park properties are achieving the intended result of habitat recovery, but analysis of information collected this year indicates deer numbers remain above desired levels at many locations.”

Hunters killed 1,546 deer at 21 state parks in November. It sounds like a lot, but biologists say it’s not enough.

“Although some parks are more successful than others at achieving a maintenance phase, data continue to indicate habitat recovery as well as sustained deer populations,” said Mike Mycroft, chief of natural resources for the DNR Division of State Parks & Reservoirs.

A reliable target is a harvest of 12 to 16 deer per square mile.

“It’s worth reiterating that park reductions are not intended to manage deer populations for optimal recreational hunting,” he said. “The goal is to reduce the impact of browsing to a level that allows some of Indiana’s rarest and most unique natural communities to thrive.”

This past season, hunts were conducted at Brown County, Chain O’Lakes, Charlestown, Clifty Falls, Fort Harrison, Harmonie, Indiana Dunes, Lincoln, McCormick’s Creek, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Summit Lake, Tippecanoe, Turkey Run, Versailles, and Whitewater Memorial. Cave River Valley, a satellite site at Spring Mill, also was included.
Parks requiring reductions in 2012 will be listed and made available along with online applications in July 2012 at dnr.IN.gov/fishwild/5834.htm.

See you down the trail…

Indiana’s Turn In a Poacher program, which is a joint collaboration between the DNR and the general public used to report and ultimately limit game law violations, has established a special reward fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing the whooping crane, “Bird 605,” found dead Dec. 30 in southeastern Jackson County near Crothersville.

Whooping cranes are protected by the Endangered Species Act, the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state laws. In the 1940s, there were only a few dozen left. Today, we have an estimated population of about 500 in the wild. Obviously, with so few whooping cranes alive, each one is a valuable piece of the repopulation puzzle.

TIP launched the Whooping Crane Fund with a $2,500 commitment, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service immediately matched it with a $2,500 donation. The Humane Society of the United States and its Humane Society Wildlife Trust Fund also added $2,500. Turning in a poacher is something you should be proud to do for free, but hey we all have bills, and $7,500 would sure help.

“Whether the shooting was accidental or not, responsible sportsmen and women of Indiana will not tolerate the thoughtless killing of a protected species,” said Doug Featherston, a TIP board member and representative of Indiana Quail Unlimited. “The TIP Citizens Advisory Board has unanimously decided to offer a reward 10 times the normal amount to motivate citizens to come forward with any information that will lead to the quick arrest and expeditious prosecution of the perpetrator.”

Whooping cranes are the largest bird in North America, standing over five feet tall. They are beautiful sight to behold, and their possible extinction is untinkable.

“The loss of whooping crane No. 605 is another blow to the reintroduction program in that this individual bird was an adult with more than five years of life experience flying the same migration path,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetland bird biologist Bob Russell. “We have lost, in essence, a teacher and mentor for young fledglings. Wildlife crimes such as this undo years of time, energy, and private fund-raising efforts on the part of many partners. Our law enforcement agents will work in conjunction with our state counterparts to fully investigate this case.”

Two years ago, a whooping crane was shot and killed in Vermillion County. A reward fund was established, and a citizen’s tip led to the arrest and conviction of two individuals who were responsible. The reward fund for Bird 605 has been established with Indiana Members Credit Union. Contributions can be made by sending a check payable to Indiana Whooping Crane Fund, c/o Lt. William Browne, DNR Law Enforcement, 402 W. Washington St., Room W255-D, Indianapolis, IN, 46204.

See you down the trail…

Name any of the major reservoirs in Missouri – Lake of the Ozarks, Truman, Table Rock, Mark Twain, Stockton – and on any given Saturday during the spring and summer there’s a good chance a bass fishing tournament is taking place. These tournaments are rarely of the caliber you’ll see on ESPN. Mostly, they’re local or regional events playing host to a handful of weekend warriors unwilling to let go of the dream, that maybe, just maybe, someday fishing will pay their bills.

A good friend of mine, Steve Hanson, loves to bass fish as much as anyone I’ve ever met. Surely you know someone obsessed with a sport. There has to be a golf addict in your network of family and friends, right? Bass fishing can be just as addictive, and Hanson has it bad.

Small in stature but huge in heart, the kind of guy to give the shirt off his back, Hanson is a maintenance technician at a community college in southern Indiana. He keeps food on the table and a roof over his family’s head, all the while treating his daughter as a princess, but he’s far from wealthy. And bass fishing isn’t cheap.

“Fishing tournaments is expensive, man,” Hanson said, “but it’s like organized gambling. You think if you play your cards right, and catch a few breaks, you can win. You just have to believe in yourself and be in the game.”

Ask any professional angler what the most important aspect of success is, and undoubtedly all will agree its knowledge. The two keys to winning tournaments are: first, understanding where to find fish, and second, knowing how to catch them once they’re found. After knowledge, comes the necessity for good equipment.

To realistically have a chance at winning tournaments, anglers must have a boat, a vehicle to pull the boat, and gobs of rods, reels, lures, lines, and more. Although Hanson’s garage is littered with gear, his arsenal isn’t where it needs to be.

Hanson is just one of the many regional anglers fishing for the dream with less than ideal gear. Last season, he used five vacation days from work to fish two tournaments in two weekends on the Ohio River and Kentucky Lake. The trip was a beautiful disaster.

“I wasn’t half way to the river when the transmission went out on my truck.” Hanson said.

You’d think Hanson would have addressed the automotive problem, but instead he called a buddy to come pick him and his boat up. He gave the friend $50 and filled his gas tank to drive him the rest of the way to the tournament and launch his boat. The tournament was a bust with Hanson boating only “short fish” – too small to qualify as keepers.

On top of all that, Hanson’s boat nearly sank.

“The bilge pump wasn’t pumping, water was leaking like a sieve, and I was starting to go under. I took off for the ramp but didn’t have a clue what I’d do when I got there because I didn’t have truck to pull the boat out with. I lucked out though, a couple kind strangers pulled me out,” Hanson said.

Hanson finished the Kentucky Lake tournament 15th out of 219, and took home a check for $425. A lot of effort for a small payoff, but bass fishing isn’t just about the money.

“Man, there’s just nothing like fishing against all them other fellas,” Hanson said. “It just fills you with adrenaline.”
Whatever it is, there are a lot of bass fishermen around the Midwest dedicated to tournament fishing, and only a handful are making money at it. Here’s to keeping dreams alive.

See you down the trail…

1. Clean your guns
When is the last time you really cleaned you guns? I don’t mean just running a patch down the barrel. I mean, took them apart and cleaned all the cracks and crevices, oiled the action and wiped down all the wood and metal.

2. Tune your bow
Here’s one I’m guilty of neglecting. Today’s compound bows are engineered machines. Machines require maintenance. If you haven’t had your bow in the hands of a trained professional for a tune-up, take the time to have it done this winter.

3. Touch up your decoys
I hear a lot of people talking about replacing decoys every year or two. I wish I had that kind of money, but for my socio-economic situation, black, green and brown paint is the answer. Parting with a 10 dollar bill at an arts and craft store will get you all you need to rehab your duck decoys.

4. Put new line on your fishing reels
Fishing line isn’t e
xpensive in the grand scheme of outdoor equipment. It is, however, one of the most important pieces of equipment you can own in pursuit of fish. Even if you didn’t fish a reel much last year, I still recommend switching out your line. When dinner is on the line, you don’t want to take any chances.

5. Cook more deer meat
Dr. Horner, I heard you. This is it. This is the year I return to top physical health. Cholesterol is bad. Deer meat is good. It’s a simple equation even I can follow. Deer meat is healthier than most red meat alternatives and you can impress the ladies by telling them it’s organic. Plus, if you eat more deer, you have to hunt more deer. It’s a win, win, win.

6. Plant a food plot
Food plots are cool because you are giving back to the animals on your property. You aren’t just feeding the couple of deer you’ll put in the freezer next fall, your giving to all the wildlife on your land. Plus, it’s just fun to be a farmer, even if you’re just growing a ½ acre of clover.

7. Organize your camping equipment
I love camping. I hate headaches. Scrambling around, throwing all my camping gear together on a Friday afternoon is a headache. Having everything you need organized in containers and ready to go at a moment’s notice, eliminates the headache. Take the time to clean and organize your gear before camping season arrives, and the process of hitting the road for a weekend in the woods will be much more enjoyable.

8. Wash all your hunting clothes
Chances are, you hung up your hunting clothes or stuff them in a box after the time you hit the field for the year. Go ahead and wash and organize your gear now, so when the season comes around next fall, you’ll be pleased to find your clothes in great.

9. Read a book
Pick a topic you’ve been interested in for years, but have neglected pursing. Maybe for you it’s knife making, or maybe it’s Dutch oven cooking, but for me, it’s arrow making. This is the year I finally start making my own wooden arrows. I have the jig and now I have the book. I’ll follow it and eventually I’ll have an arrow that flies straight…I hope.

10. Kill coyotes
Do the deer and ducks and turkeys a favor a blow some brass through your rifle at as many coyotes as you can. Don’t get me wrong, coyotes are awesome animals. I have nothing against them. There are just too many. Plus, coyote hunting is a blast and it happens when not much else is going on.

See you down the trail…

1. Clean your guns
When is the last time you really cleaned you guns? I don’t mean just running a patch down the barrel. I mean, took them apart and cleaned all the cracks and crevices, oiled the action and wiped down all the wood and metal.
2. Tune your bow
Here’s one I’m guilty of neglecting. Today’s compound bows are engineered machines. Machines require maintenance. If you haven’t had your bow in the hands of a trained professional for a tune-up, take the time to have it done this winter.
3. Touch up your decoys
I hear a lot of people talking about replacing decoys every year or two. I wish I had that kind of money, but for my socio-economic situation, black, green and brown paint is the answer. Parting with a 10 dollar bill at an arts and craft store will get you all you need to rehab your duck decoys.
4. Put new line on your fishing reels
Fishing line isn’t expensive in the grand scheme of outdoor equipment. It is, however, one of the most important pieces of equipment you can own in pursuit of fish. Even if you didn’t fish a reel much last year, I still recommend switching out your line. When dinner is on the line, you don’t want to take any chances.
5. Cook more deer meat
Dr. Horner, I heard you. This is it. This is the year I return to top physical health. Cholesterol is bad. Deer meat is good. It’s a simple equation even I can follow. Deer meat is healthier than most red meat alternatives and you can impress the ladies by telling them it’s organic. Plus, if you eat more deer, you have to hunt more deer. It’s a win, win, win.
6. Plant a food plot
Food plots are cool because you are giving back to the animals on your property. You aren’t just feeding the couple of deer you’ll put in the freezer next fall, your giving to all the wildlife on your land. Plus, it’s just fun to be a farmer, even if you’re just growing a ½ acre of clover.
7. Organize your camping equipment
I love camping. I hate headaches. Scrambling around, throwing all my camping gear together on a Friday afternoon is a headache. Having everything you need organized in containers and ready to go at a moment’s notice, eliminates the headache. Take the time to clean and organize your gear before camping season arrives, and the process of hitting the road for a weekend in the woods will be much more enjoyable.
8. Wash all your hunting clothes
Chances are, you hung up your hunting clothes or stuff them in a box after the time you hit the field for the year. Go ahead and wash and organize your gear now, so when the season comes around next fall, you’ll be pleased to find your clothes in great.
9. Read a book
Pick a topic you’ve been interested in for years, but have neglected pursing. Maybe for you it’s knife making, or maybe it’s Dutch oven cooking, but for me, it’s arrow making. This is the year I finally start making my own wooden arrows. I have the jig and now I have the book. I’ll follow it and eventually I’ll have an arrow that flies straight…I hope.
10. Kill coyotes
Do the deer and ducks and turkeys a favor a blow some brass through your rifle at as many coyotes as you can. Don’t get me wrong, coyotes are awesome animals. I have nothing against them. There are just too many. Plus, coyote hunting is a blast and it happens when not much else is going on.

See you down the trail…

I’m a holiday person. I love gathering with my family and friends. Many of those who were so influential in my young life are now gone, but new additions continue to grace our clan. I can’t wait to meet my cousin’s baby girl, Katy, for the first time on Christmas Eve. She’ll be almost a month old. Our family, like yours, has lost and gained over the years, yet traditions continue.

One tradition I personally overindulge in during the holidays is eating. I love to eat good home cooked meals, and appetizers, and deserts, and, well you get the picture. What I really love is sharing some of my bounties from the previous fall. My family enjoys hearing of my adventures, as I’m sure your family enjoys hearing of yours. One way to help them connect with your experiences is to prepare and share your game and fish. Here are few simple recipes you can use to serve wild game and fish at your Christmas parties.

Venison Meatballs
It’s hard to go wrong with meatballs, especially BBQ meatballs. Here’s the drill. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, sauté one sweet onion (diced) in olive oil with three cloves of garlic (minced). Then take 2 pounds of ground venison and mix in 1 cup of bread crumbs, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons of basil, 2 teaspoons of oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of pepper. Work this all together with your hands, or mix in a KitchenAid, like I do. Next, form your meatballs. Bake these in your over until they are browned. Remove and place in a crockpot with BBQ sauce to suit. I use about half of one 18 oz. bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ. Let the meatballs soaked in the BBQ sauce for 20 minutes or so, then serve warm.

Deep-fried Bluegills
Given a choice, I’ll take bluegills. You can use crappie, bass, catfish, or whatever you prefer. Begin with as many boneless filets as you think will be eaten, then double it. Preheat your oil to 375 degrees. Mix milk and one beaten egg in a bowl. Dip your filets in in the milk, let them drain for a second, then shake them thoroughly in your breading of choice (I prefer Shore Lunch Original), and drop them in the oil, When they turn golden brown and float to the top, they’re done.

Wild Turkey Kabobs
Take as many wild turkey breasts as you have, or think you might need, and cut them into good size cubes. Choose whichever vegetables you want to include. I use whole baby portabella mushrooms, sweet onion peels, cherry tomatoes and green pepper slices. Push the turkey and vegetables onto skewers, altering vegies and meat. Brush the kabobs with olive oil, and season with salt a pepper. Grill on medium heat until they’re done.

I enjoy giving the gift of wild game at holiday dinners. Each year, I try to mix it up and introduce my family and friends to something new. Over the years, I’ve changed a few minds on wild game as table fare. Maybe you will too. I wish you a very, Merry Christmas.

See you down the trail…

The late season runs Feb. 1-15 in the following 30 counties: Steuben, LaGrange, Elkhart, St. Joseph, La Porte, Starke, Marshall, Kosciusko, Noble, DeKalb, Allen, Whitley, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Hendricks, Marion, Hancock, Morgan, Johnson, Shelby, Vermillion, Parke, Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, and Greene.

Few things, calculus included, are more confusing than trying to understand Canada Geese seasons in Indiana. First of all, the state is divided into three waterfowl zones: North Zone, South Zone and Ohio River Zone. Secondly, all three zones have multiple seasons. Early seasons have come and gone, and we are now in the regular seasons. Late season in select counties is still coming.
The North Zone is defined as, “That part of Indiana north of a line extending east from the Illinois border along State Road 18 to U.S. 31; north along U.S. 31 to U.S. 24; east on U.S. 24 to Huntington; and southeast on U.S. 224 to the Ohio border.” The Canada Geese season in the North Zone is currently open until Jan. 8, 2012. It reopens Jan. 14, 2012 – Jan. 17, 2012.

The Ohio River Zone is defined as, “That portion of the state south of a line extending east from the Illinois border along Interstate 64 to New Albany; east on State Road 62 to State Road 56; east on State Road 56 to Vevay; along State Road 156 along the Ohio River to North Landing; north on State Road 56 to U.S. 50; and northeast on U.S. 50 to the Ohio border.” The Canada Geese season in the Ohio River Zone is currently open until Jan 31, 2012.

The South Zone is defined as, “That portion of the state south of the North Zone boundary and north of the Ohio River Zone.” The Canada Geese season in the South Zone is currently open until Jan. 26, 2012.

The reason the DNR has elected to hold another late season is to, “…control the population of the breeding “giant” subspecies of Canada geese around urban areas, a common issue in Indiana and surrounding states.”

“In 2011, the state issued late-season Canada goose permits to 3,906 hunters, and 2,577 of them hunted,” said DNR waterfowl biologist, Adam Phelps.
According to the DNR, Indiana hunters harvested 6,500 Canada geese during the 2011 late season, 800 more than in 2010, according to estimates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The total late season harvest for Indiana across all four years is estimated at 25,400 geese.

To legally hunt the late Canada Geese season in one of the selected 30 counties, a hunter must possess a valid hunting license, Indiana waterfowl stamp privilege, signed federal duck stamp, and a HIP (Harvest Information Program) number, and a free late-season Canada goose permit. The free permit is available at hunting.IN.gov , by phone (317-232-4200), or at any state Fish & Wildlife Area, field office, or reservoir during regular hours in January.

See you down the trail…

Honey Creek Resort is hands down one of the finest sporting destinations I have ever visited. Located right on the shore of Rathbun Lake, the resort offers hunting, fishing, hiking, golfing, wildlife watching and more in a spectacular setting. The facilities are top notch, and a pork chop dinner I had in the restaurant is undoubtedly the best I’ve ever ate.

While a number of my friends decided to focus on filling their freezers with cold water crappie and walleye filets, I turned my attention to hammering a few pheasants at Dunn Deal Hunting Lodge. I’m glad I did. Because even though I didn’t help catch the fish, my friends still let me indulge in the fish fry. Perhaps it’s because they like me, but I’m more inclined to guess it was because they wanted to taste the delight of my slow roasted birds.

Two or three generations ago, no one would have ever dreamed of leasing land to deer hunt. Now it’s a regular practice. Acceptance of put-and-take wingshooting is continuing to grow as well. What put-and-take means is birds are raised in a hatchery, bought and raised by a game farm, then set free. Birds are released into the wild under no guarantee of remaining on the property they are intended to inhabit. Hunters then pay to hunt on the game farm which has been “stocking” fields with birds.

The practice of stocking fish has been going on for hundreds of years. It began when fishermen who were not satisfied with the quality of their fisheries took it upon themselves to supplement natural regeneration. Fishing improved so the practice remains. Wingshooting game preserves are essentially doing the same. They are enhancing the amount of free ranging game. This is not the same as putting deer in a high-fence pen and shooting a captive animal.

I have hunted a number of wingshooting preserves, and I can honestly tell you, Dunn Deal is one of the finest properties I’ve experienced. The land is vast and wild. It appears the way you would imagine a sportsman’s paradise to look; large tracts of wooded hillsides separated by distinct fields of cover, including corn stubble and strips of sorghum.
Birds were everywhere. The dog was constantly on point. The pheasants held tight, but flew hard and fast once driven from cover. I had a number of opportunities to walk up on a rock solid point, then feel the rush of a pheasant busting from cover.

Dunn Deal offers diverse ground specifically designed for pheasant hunting. Hunters are welcome to come out on their own, with their own dogs to hunt, or fully guided hunts are available. Prices are determined by the style of hunt you choose and the number of birds you would like to take.

If you’re interested in visiting a special destination for personal enjoyment, or you need a persuasive place to woo a client, plan a trip to Rathbun Lake. While you’re there, be sure to sample the upland hunting at Dunn Deal. For reservation or questions, call (800) 662-7600.

See you down the trail…