All Entries in the "Dr Shawley’s Blog" Category
Animal-In-Heat, Urine-Based Scents
The animal-in-heat, urine-based scent market is huge. Everyone has their favorite including UFC champion, Brock Lesnar. The most popular are deer, elk, and hog, but other species are gaining ground. The idea is simple and has a firm foundation based in animal science. I am not here to challenge the idea but rather the products. [...]
The Reluctant Bear Solution
A friend of mine was having trouble with a bear visiting his painstakingly prepared bait station. The bear had been there once but had not returned despite all the goodies left for his whimsical appetite. This can be a common problem with bear baiting. You get regular visitors, but they aren’t the big black bruin [...]
Red Fox vs. Coyote Dens
Scouting is a major part of hunting and can be vital to success. In the predator game, one needs to be able to determine the species of predator living in the area. One way to do this is to look at dens. Red fox dens and coyote dens are similar in many ways and worlds [...]
Red Fox Eyesight
I recently did a bit of coyote, red fox, and ground squirrel hunting near Leadore, Idaho. There was no shortage of opportunity. It was a great hunt, and I must thank Sparky Sparkes of M2D Camo for acting as guide and film crew. I hope the TV episode turns out well; I certainly had a [...]
Focus-Free Optics
There has been an upsurge in focus-free optics for hunters and bird watchers in the last year. On the surface, it seems like a great idea. Manufacturers simply set the focus at a single plane. The farther the plane of focus, the wider the depth of field. The problem with focus-free optics is eye fatigue. At [...]
Recharging NiMH Batteries
Fast charge rates are usually best for NiMH batteries. However, a rapid charge rate causes the battery temperature to increase. As long as the temperature of the battery does not exceed 140°F, the battery is usually safe. Temperatures above that may rupture the battery. Charging at rates above 1C (one times its capacity rate) can [...]
The Answer is Blowin’ in the Wind
I have always been amazed of the extent to which animals (especially coyotes) can hear; so much so that I wrote an article for Predator Xtreme covering the topic. However, it only scratched the surface. What has amazed me even more than their hearing range is how well they can hear even in windy conditions.
Battery Charging in a Pinch
I’m never too far from electronics even when I’m getting in touch with nature. We live in a world of GPS, cell phones, and computers. The hunting world has reached the electronic age. Predator hunters now carry rangefinders, electronic game calls, and motorized decoys. What do all these require? Batteries. For years, alkalines ruled the [...]
Consumer Power
During my brief foray in the outdoor writing industry, I learned several valuable lessons. Advertisers call the shots. Editors are simply trying to balance the needs of the reader with the demands of the advertisers. No editor is willing to give real estate to a bad product review. There is too much advertising revenue to [...]
Polygonal Rifling
Enfield – a name that conjures memories of an old, rimmed rifle cartridge and the youthful exuberance of a first rifle. But to most, Enfield means rifling. Enfield rifling is a traditional rifling pattern consisting of lands and grooves combined in a “square” pattern that twists along the barrel. Polygonal rifling gets rid of the [...]
The Oligodynamic Effect
The oligodynamic effect is the term given to the roughly 120-year-old discovery that certain metals are toxic to bacteria and other microbes. Certain metals are much more reactive with bacteria than others. Silver, copper, and copper alloys such as brass work well in comparison to stainless steel and aluminum. The metal reacts with the thiol [...]
UV Elimination
Hunters need to blend in with their surroundings to get animals close. This is usually accomplished by selecting camouflage patterns that match the terrain. What if, unbeknownst to you, your camouflage was actually giving away your position? It’s possible!
