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Conservation simply makes sense. This land is my land / This land is your land, goes the old populist refrain. And it is a good land. Well worth saving, intelligently. Efficiently.
And privately. The Ozark way.
Above is one of my favorite photos, of the Jacks Fork River Valley near Eminence, Missouri (taken on April 7, 2010). High up on the bluff, you could see for miles. The sun was dancing behind the clouds and then — suddenly — the valley lit up, soft shades of green, cloud shadows, and brilliant dashes of redbud and white dogwood.
It was truly breathtaking.
— Joshua Heston, editor
May 5, 2011
LITTLE MISTAKES
BY LARRY WHITELEY
Many turkey hunters come home without a gobbler because of silly little mistakes like waiting until the bird was in full view before raising the gun. When the bird is approaching, get your gun up and poised long before you can see the gobbler and never sit where a tree or brush is in front of you so close that it obstructs the swing of your gun.
Before making a call trying to locate a bird, find a place nearby where you can plop down quickly. Many gobblers survive because they were close when the call was made and the hunter couldn’t get into a good setup position soon enough.
Getting impatient and deciding to move to a different spot has probably spooked more gobblers that were slowly coming in than anything. Staying longer is better than leaving too soon so learn to be patient.
— LARRY WHITELEY IS HOST OF THE AWARD-WINNING OUTDOOR WORLD RADIO
PRIMARY DEFENSE
BY WALTER PARROTT
Because their great vision is their primary defense, turkeys feel very secure where they can see well and far. They frequently feed in pastures and meadows and gobblers love to strut their stuff out in the open.
On rainy days, turkeys prefer these open areas as well as clear cuts and can be seen walking along woods roads. These are all prime areas to look for fresh tracks, feathers and other signs.
Use this to your scouting advantage. When driving in your hunting area always slow down and take a good, thorough look at openings. This is where binoculars come in handy.
When walking through your hunting area, approach openings carefully and check them out well before exposing yourself. This means taking a long look at the opening from cover and moving slowly even though you think you are well hidden.
— WALTER PARROTT IS A MEMBER OF THE REDHEAD PRO HUNTING TEAM
TURKEY GUNS
BY JERRY MARTIN
A 12-gauge shotgun with a 3-inch chamber is probably the favorite of most turkey hunters but a 20-gauge will also do a good job at reasonable ranges and its lighter weight and recoil make it better for women and young hunters.
No matter what turkey gun you use, you need to do three things before taking it hunting. First, shoot it at a turkey head target to make sure it hits where it is aimed. Guns that shoot nearly foot off the point of aim are not unheard of and that means a missed or wounded bird.
Individual guns can be picky about shot size and load. Try several loads to find on your gun shoots best. Finally, find out how far your gun shoots a good pattern. That is your maximum range.
The “best“ range for most 12-gauge guns is about 40 yards and 30 yards for a 20-gauge. Use whatever load of shot works best in your particular gun.
— JERRY MARTIN IS HOST OF “BASS PRO SHOPS 100% REAL HUNTING” TV SHOW
POST SPAWN BASS
BY EDWIN EVERS
After bass leave their beds their mood can range from savagely aggressive to totally lockjaw. There is no set pattern and all sorts of lures can work now.
Start looking for post-spawn bass by locating vacated beds. Some bass hang around the edges after spawning. A 6-inch finesse worm works good by shaking and quivering it through the old nest.
Also try a shallow ditch or creek channel leading from the nesting grounds to deeper water. The fish hold around stumps, bushes, letdown trees, and weeds. Some will only be in a foot of water, others will be deep.
If the fish are shallow and it’s early, try a buzzbait. When the sun gets up, go to a floating-diving minnow-style lure. Cast it tight to cover and keep twitching it until the bass takes it.
Don’t get hung up on one lure or pattern. Keep your options open and experiment.
— EDWIN EVERS IS A MEMBER OF THE BASS PRO SHOPS NATIONAL FISHING TEAM
TOUGH SMALLIES
BY STACEY KING
Immediately following the spawn is not usually a productive time for catching smallmouth bass. They are exhausted from the rigors of courtship and tend to be a little fickle. But, they can still be caught.
A 6-foot ultralight spinning rig spooled with 6-pound line is ideal for catching these skittish fish in clear water.
Think big baits too. Spawning is hard, time-consuming work. The fish are hungry. Now is no time for minuscule baits. You might not catch as many fish as you will with smaller baits, but you will catch bigger fish.
Target tail out pools, riffles, and chutes, and don’t ignore a seams, eddies, and particularly points where feeds enter a main creek.
it won’t be easy but when you have a big fighting smallmouth on the end of your line it will be work it.
STACEY KING IS A MEMBER OF THE BASS PRO SHOPS NATIONAL FISHING TEAM.
— STACEY KING IS A MEMBER OF THE BASS PRO SHOPS NATIONAL FISHING TEAM