I wanted to take a moment and update everyone on the status of this site. Lately, you may have noticed that I’ve seemed to fall off the face of the earth and that there hasn’t really been any new content on the site. Well, you’re right….I did fall off the face of the earth…..sort of.

In October of 2007, my wife and I found out that we were expecting our second child. Shortly after that, we had an ultrasound appointment to have everything checked out (normal procedure). To our surprise, we were told that we weren’t having 1 baby, but 2….Identical twins to be exact. Of course we were shocked and a little nervous…but we were (and still are) very excited. Curious to know how that happened, I was told that identical twins are simply a random occurrence. About 1 in 250 live births results in identical twins. I guess you could say we won the lottery….without all of the money. Our excitement, however, was tempered a little when the doctor explained that identical twins exposed my wife to risk factors that could complicate the pregnancy. Without sharing too much info, that basically meant that she’s been having weekly doctor visits to keep an eye on her and the babies….and she has to take it easy at home to keep from overdoing it. As a result, my free time has been severely diminished because I have to pick up the slack at home by doing housework and other things so that she doesn’t have to. In short, I no longer have any free time. What free time I do have is spent with my 3 year old daughter.

Anyway, this website has always been something that I’ve tried to do on my own and in my spare time. Being passionate about hunting and technology, I felt it was a good way for me to enjoy the two. But, with these new developments in my personal life, I’m afraid that I’m not going to have time to devote to the site for a couple of months (and as you’ve noticed, I haven’t had time over the last few months to keep up with it either). I hope to revive things later on when my personal life settles down.

There have been lots of folks who have helped me with this site. Folks like M.D. and Julie Johnson, the Avery Outdoors Pro-Staff, and everyone else. The list of people is too long to address here. In any case, thanks to all of you for helping me with this endeavor. I’ve not only learned a lot, I’ve also gained some great friendships.

So, what does the future hold? Well, my plan is to leave the site up as it is for now. I probably won’t have time to add any new articles for a while, but as time permits, I’m going to re-visit the site which may include a redesign and a whole new (hopefully more popular) approach to delivering hunting related content to you (the user).

Thanks again, and if anyone wants to contact me, you can use the contact form on the top of this page. Take care, and happy hunting!!!

Brian VanHeuverswyn
HuntTheHeartland.com

With many seasons in full swing and others just beginning, one thing that is a common occurance is crowds in the marsh. There is only one way to overcome these early season crowds, and that is to locate hidden hot spots that possibly hold less birds, but offer more opportunities at decoying ducks.

I think everyone that has hunted waterfowl has seen the day where two drake mallards are cupped, fully committed, and coming into the decoys only to have a distant shot flare them just out of range. It is an inevitable occurrence here in the state of PA, and across the US. While many guys concede to the facts, I still dream of decoying birds even when hunters are out in full force. In order to overcome these obstacles, many times I choose to tuck back in somewhere quiet and work the few meager flocks that present themselves. While big numbers of ducks generally lead to a larger bag at the end of the day, I find that in most cases in the early season that finding a small pocket of birds brings much greater success in the field.

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WBT News and the Texas - Oklahoma Shootout

Last week’s announcement that the 2008 WBT Angler of the Year will qualify for the 2009 Bassmaster Classic tipped off quite a debate in the bass fishing world. WBT Director Bruce Mathis is here to talk about the decision, answer the critics, and look ahead to the next big steps for the WBT.

The Kelly Jordon and Jeff Kriet square off in a preview of the Pioneer Beef Jerky Texas - Oklahoma Shootout. Jordon’s Texas team is looking for their third victory in just the third year of the event. Kriet’s Oklahoma team is dtermeined that this year they will not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Finally, a cooperative ABA/USO event to take U.S. Air Force personnel fishing needs boaters. The event takes place in Shreveport, LA on October 28. If you can possibly be there, it will be worth the trip. Get more info here.

Click below to listen or check out the latest episode at www.BassFeed.com

Click play to listen

For resident honkers early in September, there are usually plenty of birds to go around and plenty of guys willing to load the guns for them. On my most recent North Dakota hunt, we found plenty of birds and had eight guys to go after them. While we could have had success hiding eight guys in low profile layout blinds, we chose to split up into groups of four. The decision led to a more enjoyable hunt, and ultimately more birds in the back of the trucks!

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Below is Avery’s weekly migration report. Click on the map to see each region and then click through to read reports from all of the flyways.

Canada

1) Name: John Traiforos
Date: October 9th/2007
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Weather: Cool in the evenings, overnight, and early mornings. It is still fairly warm during the day. North central and northwest area received rain over the weekend
Snow Cover: None. Very few areas of the province have had a slight amount but nothing last stayed on the ground
Water Conditions: Still open. The small potholes, sloughs are have started to form thin skiffs of ice around the edges in the northern regions
Feeding Conditions:: Excellent. Almost all crops are off. Have seen most snow geese in wheat throughout different regions and more ducks eating peas
Species and Numbers: Ducks are all over. I traveled through a vast area of the province this past long weekend and seen lots of Mallards, gadwalls, and widgeon. There are lots of snows all over as well. There are very few specks in areas other than the southwest corner.
Migrations: Frequent north and northwest winds are pushing birds down but it appears not in any great traveling distances. The small species of Canadas are an absolute mystery people. We put on a very high number of miles the past 3-4 days and covered a large section of the province – and didn’t see them in any decent numbers.
Season Stage: Season Started September 1st. September 15th brings all day goose hunting – it has been closing at 12 noon thus far
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I had been drawn for a bull elk tag in one of the better parts of Washington state. My good friend Ty Brown and I were teaming up to try and fill this tag. We had been hunting hard for four days, getting into elk everyday. We had gotten close to bulls several times throughout the week, but just could not get a shot at one. Day five, after bugling down several ridges and getting no response, we decided to try an area where we had gotten into bulls a few days earlier. As we bugled down the steep canyon we heard a bugle from a long distance away, then another and another. The first two bulls were a couple of miles away, but the third one was directly below us. This elk was hot. Every time we let out a bugle he would fire back. Ty asked, “Do you want to go after him?” I responded by asking, “If we kill it are we going to be able to get it out?” Because Ty lived in the area, he knew the terrain as well if not better than anyone around. He said there was an old logging road we could use, but it would be one heck of a pack out. Our common sense either went out the window or our desire to kill an elk took over, because we decided to proceed down the steep canyon. Not only was this canyon a 70 to 75 degree slope, it had been burned. There were downed trees and stumps everywhere. It took us 40 minutes to descend down, carefully trying not to broadcast our intentions to every elk in the immediate area. As we finally reached the bottom, we bugled; silence. We let out another bugle and again, nothing. Ty and I looked at each other in disgust. We just hiked down into hell and no one was home. At this point I told Ty that I thought the original bugle was coming from the next draw over. So, we started hiking over the small ridge and entered the second draw.

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Derek Remitz and Jeff Connella

The Wolverine is back on BassFeed! Derek Remitz first appeared on BassFeed shortly after winning the Bassmaster Elite season opener on Lake Amistad. Now he’s here to recap the trials, triumphs, and lessons of his 2007 Rookie of the Year Season. He also shares his “go-to” techniques for those times when pre-fishing doesn’t reveal a clear pattern.

Then Billy is joined by Jeff Connella, another Bassmaster Elite angler, who’s just finishing up his sophomore season. Jeff is one of only handful of Elite anglers who still holds a full-time job. He talks about the challenges of managing a fishing career, a day job, and a family, as well as the ongoing struggle to gain sponsor support to fish full time. Jeff also has some words of wisdom about becoming a more versatile angler in order to compete at the top levels of bass fishing.

Click below to listen or check out the latest episode at www.BassFeed.com

Click play to listen

Sammie Jo Denyes and Keith Phillips

The end of the 2007 Women’s Bassmaster Tour marks a new beginning for professional angler Sammie Jo Denyes. After sitting out the other four events of the season, Sammie Jo is ready get back on the water and back in contention. And since this last event of the year takes place in her old neighborhood, Louisiana’s Red River, she feels confident she can begin and end her season on a strong note.

Similarly, Keith Phillips from the Bassmaster Elite series is busier than ever now that the 2007 Elite season is over. Not only is he gearing up to fish the Bassmaster Wild Card Qualifier on Lake Okochobee to earn his 2008 tour card, he’ll first make quick stop off in Spain to compete as part of Team U.S.A. in the Eurobass Tournament. But even with all that going on, Keith takes time to explain one of his go-to power-fishing techniques, swimming a jig.

Click below to listen or check out the latest episode at www.BassFeed.com

Click play to listen

In my home state of Minnesota, we are left with one week between seasons when the early goose season closes on September 22nd and the regular waterfowl season opens on September 29th. Avid wing shooters like me need something to fill the void during these breaks in the seasons. In this ‘From the Field’ article, I’ll show you how to keep yourself busy anytime that you are unable to pursue your bird of choice.

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With early goose season under way for some of us, most of us goose hunters have had the opportunity to spend a little time in the field. If you’re lucky this time of year, you may find some sweet corn or wheat fields that are cut and will provide a prime opportunity to hunt. Typically when we hunt these types of fields, whether it’s early or late season, we almost always use a low profile layout blind.

Below are a few tips to help with properly hiding your layout blind no matter what the season, making sure those wise honkers don’t spot you.

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With the upcoming waterfowl season quickly approaching and scouting well underway, here in PA there is another wingshooter’s quarry that is in abundance and easy to locate will scouting for geese. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday PA hunters can take advantage of a bounding crow population to hone their wingshooting skills, and help out many farmers that are overwhelmed with these desctructive birds.

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Fishing Gear for Her, Dobyns Rods for All

When Angie Michaels decided to take fishing seriously, she was hard-pressed to find tackle companies willing to take her seriously. After a frustrating, and occasionally intimidating, search for fishing gear built specifically for the female angler proved fruitless, she did what any resourceful woman would do — started her own tackle company. FishHer is dedicated to empowering, encouraging, educating, and euipping girls and women to go fishing. Now Angie here to tell the story and talk about the products of FishHer.

Then Gary Dobyns, the winningest angler on the WON Bass Tournament Trail, will detail his new line of signature bass-fishing rods. Dobyns Rods are built to exacting specifications based on the custom rods Gary has used to dominate west coast bass fishing for 25 years. And Gary makes it easy to find the perfect rod for the way you fish with more than 50 technique-specific models for you to choose from.

Click below to listen or check out the latest episode at www.BassFeed.com

Click play to listen

It’s next to impossible for me to miss an opportunity to hunt with other women. So when my invitation to the Second Annual Ladies in Conservation Dove Hunt arrived in the mail, I was on the phone to R.S.V.P. before the mailman got to the end of the driveway.

The event was organized by Stephanie Harmon of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and invitees for the season opener included women employed by various conservation agencies, owners and operators of ranches, and those involved in outdoor recreation arenas.

Before the hunt, I had asked Stephanie if I could bring a friend – Rebel, my Labrador Retriever. A well-trained retriever is the ultimate conservation tool, ensuring more recovered birds.

Rebel and I were experienced waterfowlers with hundreds of ducks to our credit, but had only occasionally hunted dove. Stephanie agreed and said that she was bringing a hunting dog, also - Cotton, her German Shorthair.

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Written by - Jo Dee Lake
Professional Bass Angler

Summer Fishing – Don’t give up when the heat gets tough.

You know it’s going to be a hot day when at 6:00AM your shirt is already soaked with sweat and you’ve already sucked down a few bottles of water. I had just gotten to my first spot on a local lake during a small tournament where - the weekend before - I had some luck early landing a 3 1/2 pound Spotted Bass on the edge of some grass on a frog. Then I found a few smaller ones in the same area on an 1/8 ounce Shaky Head and Shaky Worm as well as a Lee Sisson SlimWillie Diver, so I felt this could be a good spot to start the day off during the tournament. Unfortunately, there were two main changes that made today different than the weekend before. First, the Willow Fly hatch had disappeared. They were thick as fog before and the shad were gorging themselves, grouping up in schools against the banks. On this day there wasn’t a fly to be found. Second, the heat had really turned on, reaching the upper mid 90’s. It was early summer and the first heat wave to hit. I only had one keeper fish in my first spot and no other bites. Now I had to figure out what to do next. Were the bass shallow or deep, on rocks or in grass, points or flats? What do you do when faced with sweltering hot days and water temperatures breaking into the 90’s?

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Meat and Potatoes Tackle, Kota Kiriyama, Jason Quinn

Bass are “meat and potatoes” kind of fish, so offer them up a “meat and potatoes” kind of lure from this unique tackle manufacturer. The designs of these spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jigs, and crankbaits are based on over three decades of bass fishing experience. J.R. Ince from Meat and Potatoes Tackle is here to tell us all about them.

Then Kotaro “Kota” Kiriyama drops in to talk about smallmouth fishing on Lake Erie and Lake Champlain. After Kota’s recent second-place finish on Erie, he’s established himself as a Smallie specialist, so you won’t want to miss his insight into these scrappy fish.

Finally, Jason Quinn, aka “Hardware” talks about his strong showing at the Bassmaster Legends, despite not really wanting to be there. Jason explains why his heart wasn’t in the tournament, but how he used the event to prepare for the upcoming Bassmaster Elite event on Lake Toho. Jason knows that a top-ten finish on Toho will lock him into the 2008 Bassmaster Classic, and his heart is in that!

Click below to listen or check out the latest episode at www.BassFeed.com

Click play to listen

When the heat of the Mississippi summer is bearing down, the fishing and boating activity slows to a trickle in most parts of the state. Many of us will take this time to repair equipment, work on reports or take a little vacation. The summer is also a great time for the Department to get involved with kids, whether it is programs at the Museum, the Wildlife Extravaganza or one of the more popular events, fishing rodeos! This July, some officers of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks’ District 2D, along with Fisheries and Museum personnel, participated in a fishing rodeo for local Cub Scout packs from the North Delta. The rodeo was held on Lake Perry Martin, just inside the Mississippi River levee at Rosedale, Mississippi. Great River Road State Park lies between the mainline levee and the banks of the Big Muddy and is a great place for activities such as this. The day began as officers Jimmy Russell and Rob Heflin helped rig cane poles with Gary Lucas and Megan Ellis. It seems that no matter how many poles were rigged at the last rodeo, several thousand more need line, sinkers, bobbers and hooks before the kids arrive for the new rodeo.

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With the season fast approaching it is time to get out in the field and prepare for the opener. While managing and organizing your gear, making last minute repairs, and finishing off for the dog are key; getting where the birds are is number one in my book when it comes to being successful in the field. Pre-season scouting can range from just driving to your favorite farm/fields to check crop rotation and retain permission for the season, or goes as far as pulling out a waterways map and looking for new water and swamps to hunt in. You can even use new technology and aerial maps found on sites like Google Earth to look for something you can’t see from the road. Some of the best spots we have found are hidden or tucked away were people don’t see the birds scouting from their vehicle. It takes time to acquire these spots, but utilizing the summer months you can ensure a successful season in the fall.

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BAN Wraps, Vertical Lures, and John Crews on Shallow Cranking

Bass Angler’s Network has just announced a new program to wrap the boats and trucks of professional and semi-professional bass anglers. They line up the sponsors and make the deal, you provide your rig and reap the rewards. Denese Freeman is here to fill us in on the details.

Then Vic Sanders describes the full line of Vertical Lures, including the Jig X, Chunk X, Tube X, and newly available football-head jig. Learn why these jigs come through cover better, break knots less, and provide better hook ups than conventional jigs.

Finally, John Crews joins us to introduce a new lure he developed for Spro. The “Little John” is a flat-sided, round-lipped, silent-running crankbait that is unlike anything else out there for cranking shallow water. John talks about the design principles of the new lure and offers his advice for when, where, and how to fish it.

Click below to listen or check out the latest episode at www.BassFeed.com

Click play to listen

Eons of changing river courses have left rich sediment layers 100 feet thick or more from the Missouri Bootheel down to the Gulf of Mexico in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley. The Mississippi Alluvial Valley - or “Delta” as it is commonly referred - was created by thousands of years of silt deposits put there by the meandering Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. It is easy to see ancient meander lines if you look at aerial maps or if you fly around the Delta. Land leveling and other field work has erased any sign of old channels in some areas, but you can see them clearly in other places.

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Photo By - Julie Johnson

The sweat running down your neck feels like someone opened a hot faucet under your hat. You try to ignore it, but it’s hard to concentrate. There! Nah, just the breeze. The muzzleloader rests in your lap as you squint through the binoculars…

There’s a chill in the air; you just don’t seem to notice as the crosshairs settle, tremble, and lock rock-solid. It hadn’t been easy. Shifting winds, falling leaves, but it’s time now. You breathe in, and let it out as the muscles tighten in the back of your hand…

Thirty days pass. A hundred yards away, you see something, just a flicker. As you rise, you plot your move. You grin; it’s the adrenaline, still there after three decades. Your boots slide silently through the powder, but your eyes never leave the ridge…

One hunter, three different times of year. But whether it’s September with a flintlock 20-gauge muzzleloader, October and a pet .22 rimfire, or November’s snow-white camo, he realizes one thing – squirrels have made him a better hunter.

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