
##2000750 When the huge cinnamon-phase bear finally poked its snout through the dense underbrush , I sensed that the months of dreaming and strategizing were about to pay off . A mountain of letters and endless phone conversations had preceded this moment , and it was worth every bead of sweat ... and every stamp . Arranging a successful out-of-state hunt takes planning . It 's one thing to dream , but an entirely different matter to make dreams come true . The legwork is n't so difficult , however , if you know where to begin your search . Act now , months before the hunting seasons . Use the following information as a launching pad , and you should land on the best places to bowhunt . Black Bears The popularity of bowhunting spring bears has skyrocketed in recent years . Conveniently , spring seasons open just as most turkey seasons close . If you 've been lusting after a Pope and Young Club bruin , pick a Canadian province where baiting is allowed . Lately , the world 's largest bears have come from Manitoba and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combined for extraordinary bear hunting . Choose a decent outfitter ( non-Canadians must hunt with a licensed guide ) by checking references with previous clients . Also compare packages . For instance , Chris Switzer 's Rear Valley Outfitters , on the Saskatchean/Manitoba border , comes highly recommended for several reasons . First , about half of the bears in the nearby Duck and Porcupine provincial forests are prized cinnamon phase . Also , it 's possible to hunt two provinces during one booking for an additional fee . Odds for a Pope and Young record-book bruin are high ( during a recent two-year scoring period , half of the entries came from western Manitoba , of which one-third were registered by Bear Valley hunters ) . For more information , contact Bear Valley Outfitters , Box 2294 , Swan River , Manitoba , Canada ROL 1ZO ( 204-238-4342 ) . Although big bruins are turning up in many states -- Pennsylvania , Arizona , Colorado , North Carolina and New Mexico -- the best bear state in terms of quantity and quality is Minnesota , where baiting is legal during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Expect to wait two to four years to obtain a permit ( residents and nonresidents are on equal footing in the state 's license lottery ) . Top counties are Koochiching , St. Louis and Lake , where public lands outnumber private parcels . The application deadline for 1995 is the first Friday in May . For more information , contact the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources , 500 Lafayette Road , St. Paul , MN 55155 ( 612-296-2316 ) . Antelope Perhaps the most realistic -- and certainly the most economical -- shot at a Pope and Young animal in North America is a self-guided pronghorn hunt . Montana , Wyoming and eastern counties in Colorado , are recognized leaders , but the application game for out-of-staters can be nerve-racking . In some drawings , you wo n't know the outcome until two weeks before the season . Do n't fret . South Dakota is too good to be true with next to no competition on the wide-open prairies and $100 permits available at the licensing division office in Pierre . Hunters can get an application for the permits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 523 East Capital , Pierre , SD 57501 . The best time to intercept a 70-point Pope and Young class buck is a week or two following Labor Day . Spot-and-stalk a herd buck with the aid of a Mel Dutton folding decoy , add Lohman 's new " snort-chuckle " Challenge Call and expect a rush -- literally ! The best hunting can be had on private ranches in Butte , Harding , Meade and Perkins counties , but most landowners wo n't charge a trespass fee this fall because of high pronghorn populations . For more information , contact the South Dakota Game , Fish and Parks Department . Elk Mountain count ! Ridges of cedar , juniper , pinion and pine ; coulees and canyons , saddles and rimrock . Toss in hair-raising bull bugles , and there 's no better place to be in September and early October . If you 're serious about bugling in a bull , essentially three alternatives await you . One is a red-carpet hunt on private ranches or Indian reservations in New Mexico , Colorado or Utah . They 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lottery game in trophy-managed elk country , where licenses are restricted to preserve the quality of the hunt . Take Arizona , where the overall quality of elk is second to none . Last year , one unit received 5,727 applications for 90 permits ( nine were earmarked for nonresidents ) . No wonder : Hunter success for the six-day September hunt was 90 percent ! For more information , contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department , 2221 W. Greenway Road , Phoenix , AZ 85023 ( 602-942-3000 , Ext. 4006 ) . The drawing deadline is June 20 . The third option is to hunt the most remote ( or rugged ) national forest lands your legs and lungs can handle . Opportunities abound in all Western elk states , but Colorado and Montana probably offer the most options . Indeed , Colorado leads the elk-on-public-land pack . This year 's herd was estimated at 250,000 animals . Top bets include the Gunnison and White River national forests and parts of the San Juan and Rio Grande national forests . Nonresident tags are $250.25 . For more information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Denver , CO 80216 ( 303-297-1192 ) . Montana , particularly the northwestern corner , ranks a close second for elk . Permits for nonresident hunters are limited to 17,000 applicants ( 11,400 for general hunters and 5,600 for outfitters and guides ) chosen by a random computer drawing . The deadline is March 15 , and the cost is $475 for the nonresident " combination license . " The Lolo and Kootenai national forests , each with more than 2 million acres , grow some big elk . For more information on Montana hunting , contact the Montana Department of Fish , Wildlife and Parks , 1420 E. Sixth Ave. , Helena , MT 59620 ( 406-444-2535 ) . Mule Deer Nonresident over-the-counter muley tags are available for parts of Arizona , California , Colorado , New Mexico , Oregon , Washington and possibly Utah , although regulations in that state are still pending . Whatever the case , many big muleys are perhaps the toughest challenge for today 's bowhunter . The best bets ? For unlimited permits on public lands , Arizona 's Kaibab Plateau ( units @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in September , is tough to beat . Utah 's Paunsaugunt and Rook Cliffs units are also two of the nation 's best bowhunting areas . Nevada 's central and northern units are usually good , but a major deer die-off occurred recently . Idaho 's late-season rut hunts offer an excellent opportunity as does New Mexico 's January bowhunt where deer should still be rutting . California offers several quality draw-only bowhunts , too . Some are late-season winter range hunts ; others run for several months near metro Los Angeles , where deer are numerous and gun hunting is n't allowed . Whitetail Deer Whitetail hunting is good to excellent just about everywhere -- from nearby suburbs to distant deep woods . But if you 're looking for something unique , consider the following : * Western whitetails : Whitetail populations in Western states are booming , and as deer experts note , the best trophy potential occurs thin an expanding deer herd ( some of the biggest bucks in North America have been arrowed out West in recent years ) . Eastern Washington , southeastern and northwestern Montana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best bets are on private lands , especially in Colorado and Montana , where access may be touch-and-go along some river bottoms . Just keep knocking on doors . Also consider that many Western whitetails rut around Thanksgiving , which is two weeks later than their Midwestern and Eastern cousins . * Wilderness whitetails : Two spacious national forests in the Midwest , Wisconsin 's Chequamegon and Minnesota 's Chippewa , provide plenty of elbow room during the best time to bowhunt -- just before the general gun season during the pre-rut . For maps , write the Chippewa National Forest , Rte. 3 , Box 244 , Cass Lake , MN 56633 ; or the Chequamegon National Forest , 1170 S. Fourth Ave. , Park Falls , WI 54552. * Bucks by boat : The Dakotas ' Missouri breaks , touching the shorelines of sprawling Lakes Oahe and Sakakawea , provide an endless stretch of habitat inhabited by lonely whitetails ( and muleys ) . Lands are open to the public and controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers . * Bucks-O-rama : If you want to see deer galore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit ( a buck and a doe during the two-week Christmas break ) , 1-1/2 million acres of public lands and three distinct rutting periods beckon your arrival . Consider the following public wildlife management areas : Blue Springs , Butler , Hollins and Warrior . Deer are less plentiful , but bucks are bigger in the LaMarion WMA . Finally , consider several lodges : White Oak ( 205-727-9258 ) ; Bent Creek ( 205-398-3040 ) ; and Hans Ridge ( 205-687-2647 ) . Finding a good place to bowhunt is always the starting point for making a dream hunt come true . This is what a wise bowhunting buddy meant when he recently cracked , " You ca n't shoot a buck that is n't there . " <p> 
##2000751 When walleyes turn finicky , there 's only onw way to dupe ' em -- precise bait presentation . And that means trying to get at them from the bottom-up with a sensitive weighted setup . You 've no doubt heard of the slip-sinker , three-way , bottom-bouncer and power trolling rigs . The names of these popular walleye setups may be familiar , but there 's some confusion about exactly when to use them . That 's why we 've created this illustrated guide . We mean to eliminate the guesswork about when , where and how to use each , revelations that just may have you sending up a hearty toast after your next day on walleye waters . The Scenario Slip-sinker rigs are top-notch for working located fish and specific spots , as opposed to search-fishing broad areas . Generally speaking , they work best on fish that are just a bit off the bottom , their primary advantage being their ability to give line so that nibbling fish feel no resistance . Slip sinkers work best when used with live or dead natural baits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is , with a blade ( via a clevis bracket ) and beads threaded onto the monofilament ahead of the hook . The slip sinker also works well with floating or neutral density plastic worms and grubs . For deep fishing , set up the rig with a heavy egg sinker ahead of a barrel swivel stop . But in virtually all other situations , the walking sinker and cone sinker are preferable . Cone weights slide best through vegetation . Walking sinkers work an gravel , mud , clay , and sand bottoms , and climb over small obstacles . But they 'll snag between larger rocks and on extremely uneven bottoms . The Rigging One of the most versatile slip-sinker versions is the Roach Rig , designed by walleye expert Gary Roach . First , the sinker is threaded onto the line , followed by a bead , sliding neoprene stop , and a barrel swivel . Tied to the other eye of the swivel is a leader of two feet or more and finally a hook or floating jighead . The neoprene stop allows the sinker to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sinker to slide along the line as it hits the rod tip when a fish is reeled in . The Scenario The heart of the three-way rig is its namesake -- the three-way swivel . Popular for river fishing , the three-way is also effective for locating fish in deep lakes . When so employed , the setup should be slowly trolled or dragged using either live bait or lures in a structure-oriented search pattern . But the rig is most at home in rivers , where it streams an offering down-current behind a boat that is either anchored or in a slow drift controlled by a trolling motor . The offering is bumped off the bottom with controlled drop-backs of the boat , allowing the boat ( and rig ) to flow with the current for several feet before pulling up to a stop or controlled drift again . The three-way 's biggest drawback is that it is snag-prone on irregular bottoms -- plan on losing a few rigs when fishing rocky-bottomed flows . One final tip : When a fish strikes , give a moment of slack by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rigging The distance between sinker and swivel on the three-way rig is typically two to five feet , but longer droppers to about 10 feet are possible . To rig an adjustable dropper , thread a neoprene bobber stop , followed by a bead , onto the main line . The line then goes through one eye of the three-way swivel and out one of the other eyes . Now thread on another bead and another neoprene stop and the sinker . A leader to the bait or lure is tied on to the third eye . The result is a three-way that can be positioned anywhere up and down the line . The Scenario The power trolling rig , which can be bought commercially as the Lindy-Little Joe Pow'r Trolling Rig , is actually an offshoot of the three-way rig . It certainly looks like one , but given its flattened , vertically held weight , the rig rises away from the bottom when dragged through the water , making it ideal for trolling farther up the water column and targeting suspended walleyes . The rig can be trolled at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reeling in any number of turns to bring it toward the surface . Walleye pro Bob Newton likes to quickly lower the rig until the sinker hits bottom , engage his reel , let the sinker stream back with forward boat motion , then drop the weight a second time . This keeps the sinker closer to the bottom . Periodically , the sinker can be dropped again to kick up bottom sediment . Using a heavy three-ounce sinker on soft bottoms will result in more mud being kicked up , and Newton often finds fish key on this disturbance . The Rigging Though the Power Troller looks complicated to rig , it 's not . The sinker is fastened to the main line with a wire form tied to a swivel , allowing for quick weight changes . Above the weight , a nylon connector device allows the quick positioning and removal of a leader anywhere up the main line . As usual , a swivel should be used on the leader when a spinner rig is employed . Crankbaits and flutter spoons are also effective with this setup . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for search-trolling large areas for fish concentrations . They 're absolutely unmatched for working very irregular bottom structure -- the lower wire arm to which the sinker is attached crawls its way over rocks and crevices that would snag other weighted rigs . Lately , bottom bouncers are also being used for precise presentations below a boat working tight bottom contours , drop-offs and weedline edges . When used this way , they 're dragged and lifted in jigging fashion . When search-trolling , bottom-bouncing rods can be either hand-held or placed in rod holders . Anglers using other presentation methods sometimes leave one bottom-bouncer rod unattended ( called a dead rod ) in a holder . It often ends up producing more fish ! Although walleye anglers favor using them with natural bait spinners , bottom bouncers also work beautifully with floating crankbaits . And ultralight flutter spoons will work as long as the rig keeps moving -- light drifts wo n't do the trick , unless bolstered with an electric motor . The Rigging For quick bait changes , some anglers like to pre-rig three to six-foot mono leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer bottom bouncers with quickly interchangeable weights and variable walking leg lengths . These systems incorporate a sinker that can slide up and down the wire arm , allowing for variations between sensitive bottom touch and an almost certain snag-proof system . <p> 
##2000752 To say that we " manage " our marine fisheries is like saying that CPR is a terrific way to manage heart disease . Instead of actual management , too often the process is one of recurrent ignorance , greed and last-minute legislation . We have devastated many of our fisheries to such an extent that Dr. R. Ian Fletcher , a former professor of biomathematics and fisheries at the University of Washington and now chief scientist at the Great Salt Bay Experimental Laboratory in Damariscotta , Maine , says , " I think it a wonder there 's any fish on the market , given all the insults . " The insults are varied and numerous : pollution ; chemical contamination ; dams ; water diversion ; filling of wetlands ; and overfishing by both commercial and recreational anglers . But if it is true that we learn from our mistakes as much as our successes , there is one species in which an as-yet-incomplete case history offers potential hope . If nothing else , the management of striped bass provides us with lessons that we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( see accompanying profiles of other gamefish ) . Stripers can be found on all three coasts of the United States , but it is the Atlantic coast -- from Maine to the mid-Atlantic -- in particular , where they are the glamour gamefish of anglers and the money fish of netters . Starting in the 1970s , however , the Atlantic coast population of striped bass -- or rockfish as they are called in the mid-Atlantic region -- began plunging toward a record low . It is generally agreed that there were two causes for this precipitous decline : 1 . a string of years with poor spawning success in the Chesapeake Bay system ( stripers spend most of their lives in salt water , but spawn in fresh water ) and 2. high mortality from both commercial and recreational fishing . Documentation of the extent of what was to become the near-catastrophic decline in Atlantic coast stripers does exist . In 1954 , Maryland began conducting an annual seining census in Chesapeake Bay to determine a young-of-the-year striper index , which is intended to measure the population 's spawning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the average number of juvenile stripers found in three rounds of sampling at 22 sites . In 1970 , the index set a record high of 30.4 , creating what is called a " dominant year-class . " But in following years the index dropped dramatically . By 1981 , it had sunk to a record low of only 1.2 . Economically , the slump cost coastal communities from Maine to North Carolina an estimated 7,000 jobs and $220 million a year . In his 1978 book , Striper , John N. Cole noted that stripers were still spawning in the Chesapeake system , but few young were surviving , and he asked , " ... why , when the waters of the Wicomico are cloudy with the billions of eggs cast by leviathan cow stripers ; why is there no surviving year-class ? Why , instead , does the creature 's population decline until now the rivers and sea hold only a handful of old fish -- fish that gather each April for a sterile ritual of reproduction , an act of consummate irony that ends when the parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obligation when , instead , they have birthed only millions of minute corpses : their suffocating fry . " Given such an eloquent warning , in 1978 , after a series of Congressional hearings , Sen. John Chafee , R-RI , who is now chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee , persuaded Congress to put up $5 million for an Emergency Striped Bass Research Study . In 1982 , the Maryland index was a somewhat encouraging 8.4 . Over the course of the following two years , the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ( ASMFC ) , composed of representatives from 15 states and jurisdictions , amended its recovery plan to focus on protection of the 1982 year-class . Formed in 1942 to foster conservation of shared resources , the commission was relatively toothless until 1984 , when -- largely as a result of data being produced by the Emergency Striped Bass Research Study -- the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act was passed by Congress . That legislation indirectly gave ASMFC small fangs by stipulating that any state that did not adhere to the commission 's recovery plan would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Most of the commission members banned or put severe limits on commercial striped bass fishing and posed creel and size limits on recreational anglers -- for its part , Maryland had already banned all striper fishing . And in one aspect there was unanimity : The commission also agreed that all restrictions would remain in place until the Maryland index reached a three-year running average of 8.0 or better . Bans and limits would buy some time , but could they actually solve the problem ? Initially , scientists working on the Emergency Study attributed the decline simply to overfishing . But inasmuch as larval fish were dying by the millions , environmental factors were obviously playing a part , as well . Increasingly , pollution and toxic runoffs were thought to play a part in the striper 's decline . But even as spawning failures continued in the Chesapeake , observers noted that the Hudson River population was not only holding its own but apparently on the increase . How could this seeming contradiction be reconciled ? As anyone who has ever kept a home aquarium knows , two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right temperature range and the right pH range ( a measure of acidity or alkalinity of the water ) . Larval striped bass are extraordinarily sensitive to sudden temperature or pH changes ; a change of even only .8 of a pH unit within the optimal pH range of 7 to 8.5 can cause 100 percent mortality . In a 1984 Sports Illustrated article , this writer offered the hypothesis that acid " pulses " caused by rainstorms were killing the larvae in Chesapeake drainages such as the Choptank and Nanticoke rivers . Unlike the lower Hudson , which has enough alkalinity from the limestone through which it runs to neutralize acid pulses , some striper spawning rivers in the Chesapeake drainage did not have sufficient alkalinity to offset inputs of acidity from the sky , consequently the juvenile bass died . From 1985 to 1990 , Lenwood W. Hall Jr . of the University of Maryland and Susan Finger of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted on-site and in-situ tests on yolk-sac larvae from the Choptank and Nanticoke which demonstrated that episodic acidic conditions ( ie rainstorms ) were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spawned bass . Yet only hours after an acid pulse , the pH in the river would have returned to normal ... in other words , scientists had to know what to look for and constantly monitor the river . When they did so , the evidence was dramatic . During one pulse , all the larval fish held protected in the river died , but 90 percent of control larvae held in protected well water lived . " This ... and laboratory experimentation suggest that conditions that periodically cause catastrophic mortality do occur in some but not all spawning and nursery areas of Chesapeake Bay , " the National Marine Fisheries Service reported in Our Living Oceans in 1993 . From 1985 to 1988 , the highest Maryland index was only 4.8 ( in 1987 ) . Then in 1989 , to everyone 's astonishment , the index soared to 25.2 , then the second highest ever . However , that figure came under suspicion after it turned out that almost 35 percent of the 3,327 young-of-the-year in the index came from just one sampling site , a place known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led Gov . William Schaefer of Maryland to announce that he would relax his state 's total ban on striper fishing . After all , 25.2 divided by three comes to 8.4 , an " average " that , according to the ASMFC , could also trigger relaxation of restrictions among other states in the commission . Try explaining that sort of " averaging " to an IRS agent and see where it gets you . Indeed , if the Hambrooks Bar count was discarded , the index would have been well below ASMFC 's mandated average of 8.0 . In fact , the Hambrooks Bar incident merely heightened a long-simmering dissatisfaction . Authorities in the field of fish population dynamics were already calling Maryland 's sampling procedure invalid . Dr. Douglas Heimbuch told this writer that while he was at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in 1983 , he and two colleagues concluded that the sampling could show an increase instead of a decline because it was so statistically flawed . Dr. Fletcher , of the Great Salt Bay Experimental Laboratory , says , " The likelihood that false information follows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fishery manager would be so foolish as to set a significant regulation on its results . " Nevertheless , the index continued to be regarded as the key marker to the health of striped bass in the Chesapeake in many people 's minds . By any measure , the 1990 and ' 91 year-classes in the Chesapeake were busts , but in 1993 the index set a new high of 39.8 and was followed in 1994 by a healthy 16.1 . Recently , Mark Gibson , Rhode Island 's principal fisheries biologist and chairman of the commission 's Striped Bass Stock Assessment Committee and vice-chairman of the Technical Committee , was asked about the makeup of the 1995 spawning population in the Chesapeake . He said , " Right now the spawning population is dominated by the 1989 and the 1982 year-classes . " " Are n't some of those spawning classes from other years pretty thin ? " Gibson was asked . " Oh yeah , they 're thin , but they exist . " So although the averages look good , there actually are big holes in the population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bass Management Board issued a policy statement declaring that the migratory striper stocks were " recovered " based on " analytical models used to estimate female spawning stock " in the Chesapeake . The statement said that the recovery allows consideration of the " relaxation of harvest restrictions beginning in 1995 . " You can guess what happened next . By the time this article appears , the commission will have met in March to decide exactly how much " relaxation " there will be . Mark Gibson allowed as how " it is safe to say ... that there are going to be big increases in both the recreational and commercial catch . " Sure enough , in a contentious preliminary meeting held in late January , the ASMFC Board agreed to new size limits and dramatic increases in allowable commercial quotas ( coastal limits will probably rise 2.5 times 1993 's quota , to approximately 2.2 million pounds , plus an additional 1.9 million pounds from the Chesapeake ) . Ratification was expected to come when the entire commission meets in March . There is fear and even anger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in proclaiming the striper recovered . Bob Pond , executive director of Stripers Unlimited and a lure manufacturer in South Attleboro , Massachusetts , would stand to profit financially by a relaxed recreational limit . Yet he says of the commission , " They do n't know what the hell they 're doing . The ecosystem has been altered , and nothing is stable over time as they are assuming it is . They 're trained to be stupid . They 're hit with a dumb stick . " Keith Walters of Bozman , Maryland , author of Chesapeake Stripers , says , " I do n't believe this is a recovered fishery because the fishing has not been that good . I 've talked to people from Maine to North Carolina , and they 're not experiencing the fishing that we remember from the ' 60s and ' 70s . " Jim Price of Oxford , Maryland , a former charter boat captain whose family goes back to more than a century of netting stripers in the Choptank River on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake , said , " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , we ca n't catch them . It 's nothing like being back like the state claims it was back in the ' 70s . That 's just totally bull . " Tom Fote , one of New Jersey 's appointees to the ASMTC and the legislative chairman for Jersey Coast Anglers Association , which represents 90 fishing clubs and environmental organizations from Rhode Island to Delaware , calls the more liberal regulations , " A wholesale giveaway to commercial fishermen . We want to conserve fish , but they want to give the excess fish that we conserve to the commercial fishermen , thereby putting enough pressure on striped bass so that we could wind up going back to the same problem we had in the ' 70s and ' 80s . " Like others , Fote has problems with how the data is being interpreted . " If I look at what 's happened from 1982 to 1991 , I find that there was a good year in 1989 . Ninety-three and 94 , yes , very good year-classes as well because you had perfect environmental conditions . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of females on the spawning grounds in 1990 and 1991 , but because of environmental conditions -- a lot of rain in the spring -- we had low spawning . " Mark Gibson said that the technical committee had in fact looked at environmental factors , and he added , " We think that acidification was just a bunch of rubbish . Frankly , I think a whole lot of that research that was done was wasted money . " On such confident insights like this do the striped bass of the Atlantic swim into the future . Although Pacific striped bass do not receive as much publicity , their situation has deteriorated to the point that those fish may wish that their ancestors had been left back home . Every Pacific striper is descended from 435 yearling fish -- all of Hudson River stock -- seined in 1879 and 1881 and taken to California by rail-car . In a dismaying irony , California authorities wanted those bass to serve as replacements for the salmon runs that had been devastated by hydraulic gold mining and overfishing . Planted in the lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Pacific coast of North or South America , the immigrant stripers thrived . Unlike the striped bass of the Atlantic Coast , in the Pacific the fish did not travel far offshore because of cold water temperatures . Consequently , great fishing was literally on the front doorsteps of San Francisco and other bayside communities . By 1899 the commercial catch alone totaled 1,234,000 pounds . Perhaps because of their experience with salmon , recreational anglers quickly began to demand some " management " of the fishery . In 1935 , the California legislature responded by limiting commercial fishing . Among those affected was Guieseppi DiMaggio , who operated out of Fisherman 's Wharf in San Francisco . " My father used to fish for striped bass with gill nets , " recalls his son , Joe . " Then the sport fishermen came along and took it striped bass netting up with fish and game . But what the hell did I know then ? I was a snot-nosed kid playing baseball . " As Joe DiMaggio continued on the path that would lead him into the baseball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to thrive . " Few people fished for anything else , " recalls outdoor writer Larry Green . " Striped bass were considered the only gamefish . " Between 1950 and 1978 , when he stopped logging his catch , Harry Bode of Pacifica , California , caught and released 10,000 stripers that weighed 25 pounds or more , most of them in the surf outside the Golden Gate . But this fishery was even then beginning to be devastated by diversions of fresh water , principally for irrigation in the Central Valley . From the research done by hydrologist Michael Rozengurt , we now know that no more than 25 to 30 percent of the annual freshwater flow can be diverted from an estuary without causing disastrous consequences . In the second half of this century , diversions from the Bay/Delta system have amounted to as much as 60 percent of the freshwater flow . Major diversion began in 1952 when the United States Bureau of Reclamation began pumping at Tracy , California , and sending fresh water south through the Delta-Mendota Canal . A decade and a half later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the delta at Clifton Court Forebay , sending still more water south . The combined suction of the two pumping stations proved strong enough to reverse flows in the delta and turn the ebb tide into a flood tide . The massive disruption confused fish attempting to move upstream to spawn and , more directly , annually killed or entrained ( sucked in ) an estimated 200 million young fish . In the early 1960s , the Bay/Delta striper population was estimated at 2-1/2 to 3 million mature fish , and from 1959 to 1976 the average young-of-the-year index was 66.6 . Since 1977 , however , the index has averaged 18.9 -- it sank to 5 during the drought years in the late 1980s and early ' 90s . As of 1992 , the number of adult stripers was down to an estimated 624,000 individuals . That year , Rep. George Miller , D-CA , along with Sen. Bill Bradley , D-NJ , joined to get the U.S. Congress to pass the Central Valley Improvement Act . Among other purposes , the bill called for restoration of freshwater flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Bay/Delta system . From both the Atlantic and the Pacific we have proof that the striped bass is a highly adaptable species , possibly ( and fortunately ) the most adaptable on earth . In the face of the fiercest assaults , the striper has managed to survive . For that we must be thankful , but we must also recognize that there are lessons to be learned from the close calls the species has suffered . Although the specifics can vary , three points regarding fisheries management come through with stunning clarity regarding mankind 's experience in trying to " manage " striped bass : * Decisions must be made based on good science . Bad science -- or " rigged " science -- makes it almost certain that bad decisions will follow . * Spawning and nursery grounds must receive habitat protection . The Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act noted that habitat loss contributed to the fish 's decline , but did not require protection . This is a crucial subject , but it remains virtually unstudied . We condemn our efforts to a continued " crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the species in its most vulnerable stages of life . * Once a management plan is created , it must be enforced and maintained . Compromises between economic and recreational interests are required in fisheries management . Once those compromises are met , teeth must be put into our conservation efforts . We must formulate long-term programs and stop relying on last-minute legislation ( and grandstanding ) to save the day . If not , it is a certainty that one day we will be too late . H.G. Wells , who was an historian as well as an astoundingly accurate science-fiction prophet , once wrote , " ... history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe . " That race is clearly being run in the oceans of this planet for the striped bass . Bluefish Current Status : Fair Probable Prospects : Poor Comment : Thought to be cyclical in abundance . Currently over-exploited and in decline . Commercial and recreational size and bag limits are starting to be imposed in some states , while other jursidictions are actually debating increased commercial development of this fishery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comment : Over-exploited . Fish went into sharp decline in 1981 , then stocks leveled before going into further decline in 1989 . One suspected cause is shrimp trawls , particularly on juvenile fish ... excluder devices are not required in North Carolina . Redfish Current Status : Fair Probable Prospects : Fair Comment : Recovering victim of a food fad -- Chef Paul Prudhomme created a craze for " blackened redfish " in the 1980s , which saw commercial fisherman using spotter planes to locate schools of fish . Quckly enacted regulations halted overfishing and the species is recovering , at least in the Gulf of Mexico . Atlantic Salmon Current Status : Poor Probable Prospects : Poor Comment : Stocks have plummeted over the past 20 years ; changes in sea temps . may have limited the salmon 's North Atlantic range . Maine has spent more than $100 million since 1947 to restore its fishery , but from 1984 to 1994 , the number of salmon returning to Maine rivers dropped from 5,000 to 1,500 . Chinook Current Status : Poor Probable Prospects : Poor-Fair Comment : Has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drawing down of fivers and river flows for irrigation . In 1994 , total and selective bans were instituted in a desperate effort to stave off annihilation of several species of Pacific salmon , including Chinook in the Pacific Northwest . Steelhead Current Status : Poor Probable Prospects : Poor-Fair Comment : Many of the comments regarding Pacific salmon apply to fish with a similar lifestyle . In 1991 , scientist Willa Nehlsen reported that , " at least 106 major popularions of salmon and steelhead have been wiped out , " and estimated taht 214 more naturally existing local stocks were at risk . Blackfish Current Status : Fair Probable Prospects : Poor-Fair Comment : Once almost exclusively the target of recreational fisherman because it populates net-destrying rocky areas , a decline in commercially accessible stocks fo sea bass has prompted a growing market for blacks ( tautog ) which are captured in submersible traps ( illegal in many areas ) . Snook Current Status : Excellent Probable Prospects : Excellent Comment : After severe scarcity , numbers of fish have gotten better and better in recent years in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24-inch minimum -- have played a big part , as has the absence of severe cole snpas during recent winters . <p> 
##2000754 Suddenly ... snap ! ... the world is brand new . In this incredible new world of yours , you can have absolutely anything you want . You get the hunting lodge in Alaska you 've always dreamed of . The floatplane you need for getting in and out arrives magically by mail . There 's even a pilot 's license sitting on the seat in the cockpit . Only one thing remains -- to build the ultimate all-around sport-utility vehicle your outdoors lifestyle requires . You 'll need a fearless four-wheeler that 'll growl through the outback like an M1A1 Main Battle Tank . Yet when you get to pavement , this monster must deliver comfort , poise and safety for you and your family . No problem , you shrug ... especially since the mysterious grinning stranger handed you all the money you 'll need for the job . But easy does it . Like the cop said to the jumper on Golden Gate Bridge , your next step 's a biggggg one . See , now you 've got ta stop talkin ' and start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a halibut in the face ... cripes , what 've I got myself into ? We understand completely . We felt the same way planning OUTDOOR LIFE 's Project Ford Explorer . We were free to go as far-out or stay as close-in as we wanted , but we had to end up with a trail-tough , highway-happy , all-weather night fighter that 'll take on any driveable terrain with confidence and comfort . Uh , ... where do we begin ! ANSWER : AT THE BEGINNING We figured our OUTDOOR LIFE sport-utility should have three defining characteristics . First , it should be a new design , as up to the minute as possible . Second , it should have a large public following -- that way , many private owners could apply our modifications if they chose . And third , it should be affordable and well priced in the market . The excellent new Chevy Blazer/GMC Jimmy certainly fitted the tests of newness and price . However , its past sales have been only middling , a state of affairs the 1995 model will very likely modify . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a genuinely attractive candidate . The trouble there is , these trucks sell in fairly low numbers , at fairly high prices . This left the brand-new , second-generation Ford Explorer . In the hotter-than-hot sport-utility market , the first-generation Explorer was the runaway best-seller , moving 300,000 units per year and outselling its nearest competitor by three to two . This new offering , then , fit our criteria to a tee . Of course , like any other sport-utility , the Explorer has its brand-oriented detractors . But , with a few skinned knuckles and some late-night cursing , we figured we could turn out a first-rate sport ute that even genetically predisposed Blazer guys would enjoy . We first started hearing about this new Explorer a good while back , at a time when Ford dealers were sluicing Explorers out the door in amazing numbers . But rust never sleeps , and the light-truck market never gets easy , in proof of which , we learned that Ford 's designers were working day and night to produce a brand-new Explorer . Their mission was to design a truck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Explorer is that truck , and time will tell how well Ford succeeded . Meanwhile , we were plenty curious about this redesign . As sport utilities go , the first-edition Explorer had a certain **31;188;TOOLONG image . We wanted to know if the new Explorer would be another tall wagon . After all , SUVs are growing more car-like in comfort and comportment every day . Which leaves hardcore off-roaders exactly ... where ? That depends . If you think only a hopeless wuss wants to be comfortable while winching his sport ute up the face of El Capitan , the new SUVs wo n't make you happy . Find a snaggle-toothed ' 70s Toyota Land Cruiser , say , or a take-no-prisoners Dodge Power Wagon ... now you 're cookin ' with Sterno . But stay in touch -- we know a good chiropractor . For the rest of us , what 's needed is a genuine dual-purpose vehicle , one that wo n't kidney-punch you to death at the sight of a washboard , and wo n't scare the wheee out of you if there 's moisture on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we spend far less time off-road than we like to think , and the manufacturers know it . Their research says 85 percent of SUVs will never set tire tread to dirt ... which explains why suburbia is crawling with Blazers and Explorers delivering little Biff and Buffie to Dance Academy . That still leaves you and me with a problem . We want more from an SUV . Sure , it should be safe and comfortable on pavement -- but it should also swallow the most rugged upcountry terrain like a sweet pill . And when we began mulling our new OUTDOOR LIFE Explorer , we knew the bulk of our modifications should aim at increased toughness and all-terrain versatility . NEW AS A BABY 'S SMILE Looking over our new Explorer , it was obvious that Ford had accomplished a major revision . The bodywork was far more contemporary , with a muscular , " melted " aero look in the Nissan Pathfinder/Toyota 4Runner/Isuzu Rodeo mold . But this similarity aside , the Explorer 's secret market weapon has always been size . Although it 's a " compact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wider and taller than any of these three or the Blazer . It gives the impression of being more substantial , more generous -- no doubt a major selling strength . To execute this truck 's sleeker front end , Ford discarded its tough , time-honored -- but heavy and tall -- Twin I-Beam front suspension in favor of a new double A-arm front suspension . This supple , agile new layout proved its worth in our first minute behind the wheel . Another key addition was Ford 's smart -- but smart -- Control Trac four-wheel-drive system . This system uses a computer-controlled multi-disc clutch to automatically transmit drive to the front wheels upon sensing rear-wheel slip . In the absence of slip , Control Trac automatically selects fuel-saving rear-wheel drive . If you subscribe to the strict definition of " four-wheel drive " as physically selected mechanical four-wheeling and " all-wheel drive " as full-time on-demand four-wheeling , technically , the new Explorer is not a four-wheel drive but an all-wheel drive . Move the drive selector and Control Trac will furnish either pure two-wheel drive or low range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with standard dual airbags -- just what you need when you head-on a bear . And there are countless other niceties , from rack and pinion steering to adjustable-height shoulder belts to reclining rear seats with head restraints . Sounds slick , you say . But what makes this thing a " project ? " Well , first , there 's the engine . Our Explorer 's 160-hp V-6 , basically unchanged from the prior version , is notoriously underpowered , especially in comparison with the Chevy Blazer 's 195-hp performance . So we 're going to have our V-6 pumping iron and eating right till it 's as big and strong as Arnold . Similarly , we had only a few minutes on the dirt with the new Explorer , and although it was certainly adequate for light-duty off-roading , we 're determined to build up our suspension 's muscle for some ba-aaad off-roading . We 'll increase ground clearance -- without degrading suspension geometry and handling . We 'll take a serious look at the shocks ' jounce and rebound control . And we 'll do a few other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finally , we 'll customize this mumma inside and out , stem to stem , until it 's the rugged , fully protected vehicle it needs to be in the field . We 'll pull out the stock seats and fit special new buckets -- not wraparound racer seats , which can be difficult to climb in and out of , but firm seats that keep you snug and loose over the long haul . And inside , we 'll install the kind of cabinetry and lock boxes that 'll keep guns and tackle secure from prying eyes .... ... and they call this work ! Hey , it 's gon na be more fun than 10 pounds of spareribs . So stick around . We 'll update you in few months about how it 's going ... and how it 's not going . Oh , sure , there 'll be some " not going , " too . Every project worth doing has its rattlesnake pits . But bet the barn that when we 're done , The OUTDOOR LIFE Ridgerunner will be one go-anywhere , do-anything moon cruiser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ XLT 4X4 Engine -- 4.0 liter inline six-cylinder Compression ratio -- 9.0:1 Horsepower ( at ) rpm -- 160(at) 4,200 Torque , lb. -ft. ( at ) rpm -- 225(at) 2,800 Transmission -- Automatic electronic 4-speed Brakes -- 4-wheel hydraulic ABS Steering -- Rack and pinion Suspension , front -- Short long arm and torsion bar Suspension , rear -- Leaf spring with stabilizer bar Curb weight , lbs . 4,189 Seating capacity -- 5 Max. cargo vol. , cu . ft. -- 81.6 <p> 
##2000755 You ask why a six-foot-three , 260-pound Marine Vietnam vet is frolicking in a rose garden ? I 'll tell you my theory -- but first you should know that this is one extraordinary rose garden , the kind that compels passersby to stop their cars and wander , drawn like hummingbirds to the incredible burst of color vibrating from trellises of climbers and intricate topiaries of bush plants . Men , it seems , relate to this even more strongly than women . The garden is outside the landmark Shady Rest Restaurant on Route 9 in Bayville , New Jersey , a beautiful rococo device that draws intrigued visitors into the restaurant . It 's a tender trap because the food , which centers on sea fare and pasta , is very good . The garden , I think , reflects its owner 's insatiable infatuation with color , patterns and creative design -- abundantly evident inside , as well . Like a bowerbird , Bob Popovics , the ex-Marine turned restaurateur , has created in his Shady Rest a small haven evocative of his passion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exotic fish species line the walls . There are handsome fish carvings behind plexiglass , a gemlike fly-tying display and an exquisite hand-crafted net , the twin of which was presented to former President Bush . Although there 's no denying Popovics ' passion for angling artifacts that have been elevated to artforms , anglers know his fascination with color , design and fine craftsmanship through the man 's own work . It is for his unique , tradition-breaking fly patterns that Bob Popovics has stormed to prominence in the modern angling world . It happened quickly . In 1970 , newly married and back in Seaside Park , New Jersey , after his stint with the First Marine Air Wing Division in Danang , Popovics and his pals Butch Colvin and Jim McGee were into hot bluefish one day , when Bob glanced over his shoulder . " I suddenly saw these bright , thick lines going out like party streamers and realized they were fly lines . I 'd never tried it , always wanted to , and told Butch . Within the week he and his dad , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackle shop , casting over the street . I got excited right away . " Soon after , it was my birthday , and Butch came to our house to watch the Ranger-Bruins hockey game . In a cardboard beer flat , he had an old vise , tools , bucktails , feathers . He said ' Happy Birthday ! ' I told him , ' Ah , Butch , I ca n't do that ; look at these big hands . ' He said , ' You 're going to learn between periods . ' I liked it right away -- and then I went crazy over it . Butch made me keep an open mind . There was no addition in saltwater fly tying . ' We 've not been told things we can ' t do , ' he said . ' There 's always a way , so do it . " Popovics did exactly that , first collaborating with Colvin on a method to produce big extended-body streamers that imitate menhaden ( mossbunker ) , then going on to create an entire family of patterns that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to the ' 60 's , though , and you 'd have no hint that a cult of Popfleye sic , ( as he calls his creations ) , and Popovics enthusiasts were destined to burst onto the fishing scene . Back then there was no rose garden , and the restaurant was called the Shady Rest Pizza Parlor and Cabins . Although he 'd always worked in the family business , young Popovics had just finished schooling as a computer programmer when the invitation from the Marine Corps arrived : " Why do n't you join us ; " it read , " you do n't have to go right away ... " " Fifteen minutes after reading the invite , I went and signed up , and my mother said , ' Oh , God , why the Marines ' Well , it 's what I wanted to do . " You have little doubt he has always done just that . Bob is a hands-on , can-do kind of guy with a quixotic artistic flare . A natural leader , he draws a loyal circle of friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stress-reducing R &R; took the form of friendly wrestling free-for-alls -- the usual drill was several buddies trying to take down big Bob . But there were serious times , too . Popovics ' smile vanishes with the memory of pulling a recruit through a personal crisis during an endless night of shelling . " I had to lock him down , " he says softly , " then sit on him all night . " As a kid living a block from the Delaware River in Trenton , New Jersey , he 'd always fished some . When the family moved to Seaside Park , Bob sometimes joined his surf-fishing father . " I liked it , but T was n't truly affected by it until I came back from the service , " he says . " It was n't until Alexis and I married that I got wild about it . It was a social thing somehow ; all the friends I met -- it was all around fishing . " In 1970 , there was still much for Bob to learn . Along with fly tying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay . By 1978 , computer programming a fast-fading memory , Bob and Alexis became full owners of the Shady Rest and the ceaseless demands of the restaurant business . Happily , peak restaurant season corresponds with slow fishing periods . " From Memorial Day to Labor Day it 's a relentless seven-days-a-week run in the heat at the restaurant , " he 'll tell you . " After that , we get a migration of mullet that coincides with the migration of people leaving the shore , and that starts the fall fishing season . " Bob fishes locally or up in Martha 's Vineyard or maybe a trip out of the country from fall into December , when it 's back to the Shady Rest for Christmas season . January through March , he bounces between the restaurant and personal fly-tying appearances . And always , he is plotting new fly patterns based on need , not the orgasmically wild and often purposeless creations of some non-fishing tiers . The simple , durable Candy flies for which he may be best known , are typical . Tired of losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a creation with a fishform epoxy head that creates a tooth-impervious shield over tying thread and synthetic wing material from shank to hook bend . To prove the pattern 's durability , he caught 30 blues on one Candy before retiring it . A chewed epoxy head , he found , can be restored to new with a light coat of Sally Hansen 's Hard-As Nails . Eventually , the epoxy head Candies evolved into a family of flies that suggest a variety of forage forms . Many spin fishermen use them as teasers ahead of their plugs . A shorter version of his big offshore fly came after a frustrating late-season day in the surf with bass feeding on rainfish ( bay anchovies ) . " There were bass that looked 40 pounds , but we could n't get them to eat . That night , I realized I 'd thrown everything at them but something big . I came up with a slightly downsized version of my offshore Big Boy . At first light the next morning , with a raw north wind going , I took a 12-pound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cold I could n't take out the hook . The next fish just annihilated the fly . My hands were so cold I could n't control the reel . I think it was the biggest bass I 've ever had on , and I blew it . But the Cotton Candy fly was born ! " The stuff that seals your bathtub figured in another of Bob 's breakthrough patterns . It is silicone that coats a fleece head , soft and squishy-feeling . " I loved soft-plastic baits for freshwater bass , " Bob tells me . " These are like that . After it cured I threw the first one in the water . It floated . What a great mullet imitation waking on the surface , I thought . Squeeze the trapped air from the head and the fly sinks . So many ways to fish it . Rub on a little fresh silicone to fix the tears from fish teeth . I call them Siliclones . " The new flies have obvious freshwater application for pike , muskies , bass , but more was yet coming . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt he 'd hit the wall with new patterns , but friend Ed Jaworowski would n't let him rest . " What we need is a real swimming fly , " Jaworowski insisted . " Well , my friend Sal Ribarro had been fooling around with hard lips to make flies swim -- even tried women 's artificial fingernails . I 'd messed with other kinds of hard lips before , but they 're tough to pull from the water . But now I had silicone , and the next day I had the fly . " I want to know about the lip and Bob says , " Oh , yeah , the Poplips . It 's really a Siliclone with one extra step -- a fleece beard covered with silicone to make a lip that bends back a little on the pick-up . That makes it easier casting than a hard lip . But they swim ... man , the first time I saw one go , I just started chuckling . At a table in the Shady Rest , we 're joined by Sal Ribarro and Bob 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Poplips fly is supreme during conditions that would also favor swimming plugs -- easy swells , gentle currents . Because the lip digs in , swells or wind do n't ruin the retrieve , as can happen with normal streamers . There are so many more patterns . What 's his favorite ? " I like the Surf Candy a lot , and the Siliclones , " Bob thinks aloud . " But maybe the Banger . It is the Banger . I 've never had to create another popper after that ! " Bob leaps from the table for the kitchen and returns with a pizza , which he has made himself . He places it on the table , watching , pleased . " He wo n't let anybody else make the pizza when he 's got friends , " Sal says . It turns out to be wonderful pizza . When the Salt Water Fly Rodders of America disbanded about 1978 , local flyfishers had no real home . Popovics ' reputation was growing , and by 1987 he was regularly receiving calls from strangers with technical questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nights for informal tying sessions . " From a handful of guys , we were getting more than 5O people in the house . There 'd be people tying , standing in the hallway , crowded in the bathroom , waiting on the steps for a chance at the vises . I said , ' ah well , we 've got a problem . I 've got to start a club . " The Atlantic Salt Water Fly Rodders was burn in April , 1992 . At a recent count , there were 177 members . An average of 100 members attend summer meetings centered on tying and casting clinics . The Shady Rest is festive and busy at this evening hour . Non-angling diners gaze happily at the saltwater exotics staring back at them behind aquarium glass . Others admire the bonito and sailfish carvings , the tarpon and snook dioramas . At the bar , big screen images come from the TV via projector . Not just ball games : At Christmas , there 's a sing-along tape and jigs and reels on St. Patrick 's Day . In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good time . It 's the Popovics rich talent for attraction , just as the man 's fascinating fly creations continue drawing enthusiasts from across the United States -- including , not insignificantly , the fish . <p> 
##2000756 LATE SPRING It 's bad enough when Mother Nature tosses occasional bad weather our way , but sometimes she refuses to hand us spring at all . And because seasons are set months in advance , turkey hunters regularly must cope with " late-spring " hunting conditions . In such conditions , a lack of foliage can be a major problem because turkeys can often see for hundreds of yards through open timber . Stealth and planning become vital when approaching birds . Use breaks in the terrain to hide your movement , and be sure to set up farther away from a gobbling bird than you would normally do after green-up . To avoid detection by a sharp-eyed gobbler , good camouflage and utmost stillness are paramount . Sometimes it 's wise to use the landscape -- a ridgeline , brush pile or bend in the logging road -- to hide a calling position till the tom is within range . At this point , extreme patience is a key weapon on " late-spring " hunts . First , of course , you have to get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a challenge than usual when springtime is running late . Biologists tell us that it 's the lengthening of daylight that triggers much of the wild turkey 's breeding patterns , but there is no question that a late spring can cool their romantic passions . This means that over much of America opening day could find the toms with hens , yet in other places , the toms may not yet have begun to gather hens for the spring . If a gobbler is with hens , call aggressively . Yelping , cutting and purring may often entice hens to come in with the tom in tow . Coarse , excited gobbler purrs and cutts ( for safety 's sake , never gobble ) may also prove effective in challenging a tom to come in . During the rare times when the toms do n't seem interested in the hens , these same pecking order challenges , as well as deep gobbler yelps and clucks , can sometimes bring a tom -- or even a flock of toms -- into range . Finally , as always in turkey hunting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . No matter how bad the conditions , you can bet that not all toms are with hens , nor that all toms are in a pre-breeding frame of mind . Early one February , I called in a precocious 2-year-old that strutted and gobbled to within 20 yards as if it were April . In other words , it never hurts to try the usual , even in the most unusual circumstances . EARLY SUMMER Although you seldom hear turkey hunters complaining about too much nice weather , occasionally late-season hunters can find themselves facing the full-foliage conditions of summer . And sometimes the excess greenery can affect a turkey 's behavior . For instance , creek bottoms , where gobblers once walked easily , are now impenetrable because of the leafy underbrush . A wheat field that was two inches tall when the gobbling began , could be two feet tall by the end of the season and thus be avoided by strutting birds . Always set up to make it as easy as possible for the tom to come to calls . At this time , birds may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more so than earlier in the season , the first hour of daylight will see the most birds gobbling and coming to calls . If they 're not interested in hen calls , try such social tom talk as coarse lost calls , purrs and clucks . FOG Turkey hunters encounter fog in varying degrees during every season . As when dealing with any kind of inclement weather , the most important thing now is to consider the fog 's effect on the birds . For instance , a gobbler 's keen eyesight could now be severely handicapped . It 's not uncommon for fog-bound turkeys to simply sit on the roost well into the morning . Personally , I 've seen toms on their foggy roost as late as 10 a.m . Naturally paranoid , the birds will usually avoid fog-covered areas in favor of places where they can see to detect danger . For example , if low-lying creek bottle toms are shrouded with fog , turkeys may well pitch from their roost and glide to a hilltop . Generally , turkeys that have any of their senses dulled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely wary and hesitant to call attention to themselves . That means such birds will often take longer to come to calls and may gobble little , if at all . In such cases , it never hurts to go set up and blind-call in a likely area . SNOW Although it 's more appreciated when hunting furred big game than feathered big game , Western and Northern turkey hunters commonly encounter snow . What effect the white stuff has on the hunter and the hunted depends on how much it falls and when . For instance , bet your best box call that hunting will be tough if a massive , lingering system comes through during a late spring . Use the standard late-spring tactics , and do n't forget to try blind-calling with traditional fall gobbler calls . In contrast , a fluke light snow that 's surrounded by seasonal weather at the peak of gobbling probably will have little effect on the bird 's mating desires . Calling a hard-gobbling , strutting longbeard over a blanket of white or through a wall of falling flakes can certainly be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . WIND A stout wind is the top villain of this most audio-dependent sport . Anything more than a slight breeze makes it difficult for the caller to hear or be heard . Because turkeys are even less fond of a gale than you , they can often be found on the lee side of hills , in valleys , or in other low-lying sheltered areas where they can best utilize their sensitive hearing . A quality loud , high-pitched box call is the ticket now , to make an extra-long series of calls when the treetops are really dancing . But remember that turkeys may not gobble much in the wind . Even when they do , distances can be deceiving . Try to keep the wind at your back . Do n't crowd a gobbling bird . And pay attention for silent toms when you set up and blind-call . RAIN Rain is probably the least troublesome of Mother Nature 's unwanted hunting conditions . As noted caller Ray Eye is fond of saving , " Turkeys do n't have a warm bed or a coffee shop to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woods doing what turkeys do . " Of course , it 's up to you to decide if you want to be in the rainy woods when the " turkeys are doing what turkeys do . " Hunting in a torrential downpour is no fun because the hard-driven raindrops always find a way to soak you to the bone . What 's more , the very noise of rain makes listening and calling a problem . Rather than heading for home or a cafe , it 's wise to sit a storm out in your vehicle or a nearby shelter . The periods before and after a heavy storm are excellent times to hear gobbling birds ... especially if they 're shock-sobbling at thunder ! ( Always keep an eye to the sky for lightning . No matter how long his beard , no turkey 's worth carrying a three-inch magnum lightning rod through the woods when there 's electricity in the air ! ) If you have determination and the right equipment , however , hunting can be very productive in light to moderate rains . The gobbling intensity will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ca n't call in a bird . Basically , you now have two options . You can keep covering ground , figuring that no matter what the conditions , there 's got to be a hot bird out there somewhere . If you 've got the leg power and the acreage , this is an excellent philosophy . The other choice is to pick a prime location and work it slowly and thoroughly . That 's exactly how Randy Marcum and I hunted the central Missouri woods that soggy , windy , pratfalling morning . Having failed to work a bird on the roost , Marcum and I sloshed along a logging road , trying to get a bird to respond to his calls . When we came to the end of one of his favorite ridges , Marcum pointed to the base of a huge Osage orange and hissed , " Sit down and make yourself comfortable , we 're going to be here quite a while . " Using a box call he 'd kept dry in his jacket , Marcum , an excellent caller and member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn-out series of yelps into the damp timber . Twenty minutes later , I was about to beg a change of scenery , when I saw the top of a tail fan appear 100 yards down the ridge . I forgot all about the drizzle and the wind as I watched the longbeard silently strut at a snail 's pace to within 15 yards , where the Cabela 's smokepole ignited despite the damp conditions . We took our time heading to Marcum 's rig and the victory breakfast that followed . It 's amazing how the weight of a shouldered longbeard can make even the most dismal of days brighter . Adaptation is tantamount to success whenever weather plays a factor in your spring turkey hunting . Nowhere is that as important than with calling . First off , keeping your calls dry may be the toughest chore . In heavy rain or snow , slate and box calls can be rendered useless unless steps are taken to prevent moisture from getting to them . If you prefer using friction calls be sure to take along a glass call . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pure slate . Box calls are tougher to keep dry , but storing it in a plastic zipper-type bag will help . Be sure to carefully stow your chalk in a plastic baggie as well . If your box call gets wet , dry it carefully in a kitchen oven set on low heat . Remember that most poor weather conditions go hand-in-hand with a higher woods noise level . Most times , you will have to call more loudly than you would under normal fair weather conditions . It 's a good idea to carry a set of " loud " calls with you for these occasions . Paddle-type box calls , for example , are typically louder than standard box calls . Likewise , glass calls produce more volume than standard slate calls . As mentioned , hearing birds gobble is also a problem . Hearing-enhancing devices can help , but remember , too , that they will increase the volume on all incoming sounds including the wind whipping through the treetops . You may not be able to control the weather , but if you decide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 'll never get our gobbler . It 's a time when , at last , reality meets anticipation in spring turkey hunting ! <p> 
##2000757 I have recently been thinking about shaving off my beard . My reason for growing a beard in the first place is a bit obscure to me now , but I 'm sure it was a good one . Some of my associates probably think it was because the beard makes me almost indistinguishable from Ernest Hemingway , even though they are careful not to mention that striking resemblance . Their silence on the matter clearly arises out of jealousy . My former friend Fenton Quagmire once observed that I reminded him of a famous writer who lived in Paris during the 1920s . " Ca n't quite recall the name at the moment , though , " he said . " Ernest Hemingway ? " I suggested . " No , but a writer friend of Hemingway 's . " " Scott Fitzgerald ? " " No , no . Oh , I 've got it now ! Gertrude Stein ! Ha ! " So there is yet another example of jealousy rearing its ugly head . Growing a beard is not something to be undertaken lightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process you go about looking as though you have n't shaved for three weeks , which it is , of course , the case . So you feel compelled to explain your unseemly appearance to anyone you meet . " I 'm growing a beard , " you casually explain to each person you encounter . Typical responses : " Yes , sir . Now , did you want the soup or the salad with your sandwich ? " " Bully for you , sir . Now , if you 'll please show me your driver 's license , perhaps we can discuss why you were doing 40 in a 25-mile-an-hour zone . " " That 's real nice , guy . Now , if you 'll just hand over your wallet and watch , we can get this robbery completed . " To counter the impression that you 're a hobo waiting for the next empty boxcar out of town , you are forced into wearing a suit and tie everywhere you go , and even that does n't help much when it comes to cashing checks . The picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . " I 'm growing a beard , " you explain to the clerk . " Yeah , I can see why , " he replies , staring at the license photo . " It certainly ca n't hurt . " There 's the jealousy thing again . Many people hate beards . My own mother was one of those people . During my Bohemian days in graduate school , I grew a really nice shaggy beard and then made the mistake of going home during spring break . Mom met me at the door and let out such a shriek I thought someone with a knife was sneaking up behind me . " You shave that disgusting thing off this instant ! " she ordered . Mom loudly expressed her belief that only men who did n't have a job and never intended to get one would think of growing a beard . " So ? " I said . Every time I came into the house , even though I had been away only five minutes , she would greet me with the words , " Why have n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a third-degree black belt in nagging . Bit by bit , she started to wear me down , particularly with the words " that disgusting thing . " I began to get the feeling I had some small , slimy , greenish creature clinging to my face with its tentacles . Still , I fought back , offering up examples of great men who wore beards . " Abraham Lincoln wore a beard , Mom . " " Yes , and look what happened to him ! " So much for the logical approach . Finally , I could stand it no longer . Nothing is worth causing a a mother such anguish . No doubt she was lying awake nights fretting about my beard . I went into the bathroom and shaved it off . Thinking Mom 's joyous cries at the sight of my clean-shaven face would be reward enough for the loss of my beloved beard , I walked into the kitchen . " Notice anything different about me , Mom ? " She studied me closely for a moment . " Nothing in particular , " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Except that you certainly could use a haircut . " Is it any wonder , then , that the field of psychotherapy flourishes ? Nearly all outdoor writers wear beards . We have many uses for them , most of which escape me at the moment . They do come in handy for fly-fishing , of course , and also for collecting insect samples on trout streams . At one time , the beards of us outdoor writers served to express our rugged individualism and helped to distinguish us from people who had actual jobs , but that is no longer the case . Nowadays , corporate presidents are showing up at the office still wearing their vacation-grown beards . It 's disgusting . Why , I even have a banker friend who wears a full beard , and he is regarded among his business associates as a highly respected and responsible leader in the world of finance , although it is safe to say my mother would n't deposit so much as a dime in his bank until he shaved off that disgusting thing . My wife , Bun , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a weak chin , multiple chins , or even multiple weak chins . I do n't know how she comes up with such nonsense . Bun did comment a while back that she thought I looked good in a beard . " You kind of remind me of one of those famous writers who lived in Paris back in the 20s . " " I 'm not falling for that one again , " I said . Some people may think that a beard brings a degree of efficiency to personal hygiene in that it saves all the time otherwise devoted to shaving . Nothing could be further from the truth . Wearing a heard is not too much different from wearing a small garden . Without hours of devoted care , it soon gets away from its owner , becomes overgrown and spreads out over the surrounding landscape . That is what happened to my Uncle Finn and ultimately led to the unfortunate event that is still recalled with glee among the more malicious old-timers in my home town of Blight , Idaho . My mother used to refer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her brother Finn was so much sought after . " Oh , Finn is much sought after , " she 'd say . She allowed it to be assumed that it was employers who sought after Finn , but that was not really the case . The persons seeking after him were some of his gambling associates , and probably also the law , although I 'm not sure about the law . Uncle Finn holed up in a mountain cabin for most of one winter , apparently for the purpose of lowering the risk of unexpected encounters with his gambling friends , and it was during this period that he grew his beard . I should also mention here that Uncle Finn had developed a back problem about the same time . Sometimes when he bent over , his back would get a catch in it , and he could n't straighten up . Mom said she thought the back problem must have resulted from Uncle Finn 's accidentally getting too close to a job and then dislocating a vertebrae when he leaped back in fear and loathing . Uncle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , more or less as a hobby , there being little else in the way of entertainment at the cabin . He tried various styles of beards , trimming and shaping this way and that , until at last he tired of the hobby and simply let his beard grow as it saw fit . Black , curly foliage quickly engulfed both sides and the lower half of his face and then descended in wild abandon down over his chest . Uncle Finn found some amusement in measuring the length of his beard from time to time , but not enough . After studying in a mirror the transformation he had undergone from a dapper man-about-town to something resembling the Wild Man of Borneo , he suddenly realized that he might very well escape recognition if he were to slip into town after dark and take in a movie at the Pandora Theater . And that is what he did , augmenting his disguise with an old pair of bib overalls , a tattered flannel shirt , and a grungy mackinaw that had been used to plug up a hole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lights had gone down in the theater and the newsreel had begun before buying his ticket and popcorn and finding a seat in the darkened theater . By great good fortune , or so Finn thought at the time , the seat he had randomly selected turned out to be right next to that of Miss Sarah Jane Trillabee , the town librarian , a woman of somewhat stern personality but otherwise not unattractive . Finn 's thoughts soon drifted from the movie -- " The Hunchback of Notre Dame , " as I recall -- to Miss Trillabee . Forgetting that he was no longer his usual dapper self , Finn offered the librarian some of his popcorn . She refused with a curt shake of her head , obviously being of the impression that ill fate had seated a tramp right next to her . Unaccustomed to rebuffs from women , Finn now felt challenged . As the movie progressed , he 'd lean over from time to time and whisper some humorous comment about activities on the screen . The librarian grew increasingly incensed by the provocation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been by the dapper Finn , if not more so . Finally , she 'd had enough of these intrusions . She thrust her arms into her coat sleeves , arose in a huff and began to squeeze her way past Finn . Then it happened . For a brief instant , Miss Trillabee momentarily lost her balance and fell against the source of her ire . Startled by Miss Trillabee 's sudden effort at departure , Finn tried to rise and draw his legs out of her way but was momentarily pinned in his seat as she fell against him . Except for one of those unlucky coincidences that always seemed to be overtaking Finn , it is likely that the situation would have been resolved simply by Miss Trillabee 's complaining to the manager and the manager 's asking Finn to stop annoying the other patrons or , in the extreme , refunding the price of his ticket and ordering him from the theater . What happened instead , however , serves as an excellent example of the dangers inherent in beards . Even as Miss Trillabee thrust against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tight around her and snapping shut its clasp . The belt , as Uncle Finn explained to me later , much later , when he was old and feeble and bordering on senile , consisted of a web of small , decorative metal links rather than a simple cloth affair that could not possibly have become tangled up with a curly beard . Alas , as the clasp of the belt snapped shut , Uncle Finn found his face painfully and hopelessly attached to the backside of the town librarian . Miss Trillabee , of course , had not so much as an inkling that she had snagged Uncle Finn by the beard . Thus , when Uncle Finn grabbed her around the hips with both hands and pulled back , trying desperately to get some slack in his beard , she could not help but misinterpret his actions . " Stop that , you crazy old fool ! " she hissed over her shoulder at the humped-over form of her assailant . She twisted sharply around trying to get a shot at Finn with her purse , a tactic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aisle but not free of her belt . It was at this moment that the audience heard what , as later reported in the Blight Burgle , sounded very much to the audience like the anguished howl of a wolf , possibly one caught in a trap . For a second or two , the audience supposed the howl had come from the movie , but this supposition was soon disposed of by a piercing scream from Miss Trillabee , the result of Finn 's clawing frantically at her back in an effort to undo his beard . Almost instantly , the house lights went up . What the nearest members of the audience then observed , even as they blinked in the sudden luminosity , was Uncle Finn crouched over with his face pressed against the backside of the town librarian . " Here you ! " a man shouted . " Stop that ! Stop annoying that lady ! " Several men arose from their seats , ready to charge to the aid of the lady in distress . Unfortunately , even as he had been flung howling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperate solution to the predicament , which was to cut his beard loose from the belt with his pocket knife . He had released his hold on Miss Trillabee just long enough to extract and open his knife . " Watch out ! " someone shouted . " The tramp 's got a knife ! " Well , as might be expected , this mention of a knife had less than a calming effect on Miss Trillabee . She immediately ceased her flailing away with her purse and bolted up the aisle , through the lobby , and across Main Street , accompanied all the way by muffled but nevertheless anguished howls , which had a considerable dampening effect on the mood of the audience . It was only upon reaching the far side of Main Street , when Miss Trillabee paused for an instant to chart a new course , that Uncle Finn managed to cut his beard loose from the belt . He then fled up the middle of the street and disappeared into the darkness behind Grogan 's War Surplus . As they reported to the Blight Bugle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tentatively followed Miss Trillabee and her knife-wielding assailant from the theater , observed that the tramp , if indeed he was human , had run very much like an ape of some kind , all humped over and seemingly propelling himself along on his knuckles , his loping gate still punctuated with the eerie howls that a chiropractor no doubt would have found symptomatic of a back in serious need of readjustment . A few days later , Mom took some food and clean clothes up to the cabin where Uncle Finn had holed up . Even though we had read in the Blight Bugle about the horrible incident at the Pandora Theater , we never made any connection with Uncle Finn . Mom did mention upon her return that Finn was having problems with his back again and was thinking about sneaking into town for a session with Ed Fink , the chiropractor . " Rather unwise , if you ask me , " she said . " You know Finn is much sought after . " I " Yeah , " I said . " But I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " Oh , he shaved off that disgusting thing , " she said . " He could still use a haircut , though . " <p> 
##2000758 Have you heard the one about how many gun writers it takes to change a light bulb ? All of ' em : one to screw out the old bulb , and the rest to write about what a grand old bulb it had been . Which I suppose explains why we get misty-eyed at the mention of old varmint cartridges like the .22 Hornet and the .218 Bee . Rounds that should have been long since forgotten but somehow keep tiptoeing back into our consciousness like the sweet-scented memories of a first love . Gunmakers are more than a little aware of these sentimental longings and profitably pluck the strings of our hearts by resurrecting old-time varmint rounds from time to time . Cases in point being the Browning A-Bolt and Ruger 77/22 Hornets introduced last year , the Ruger single shot .218 Bee offered a couple of years before that and Marlin 's sweet lever action in .218 Bee . Not to mention the Anschutz Hornet that has been available all along , plus the beauties made by Cooper and Kimber . Three years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65 in .218 Bee , the entire production run of 5,000 sold out even before production was finished . And get this ! Just last November , when Browning quietly let it be known that they would be manufacturing a " Lo-Wall " version of the Model 1885 single shot , the year 's production sold out even before the new rifle was officially announced . The three calibers in which it was to be made were .22 Hornet plus the .222 and .223 Remingtons . Nearly half of all orders were for the .22 Hornet ! If all this is news to you , you 're probably wondering who 's buying such outdated stuff . The answer seems to be just about everyone . Especially ballistics speed freaks who have grown weary in their pursuit of ultimate bullet velocity and yearn for that gentler time past when they actually smelled the flowers while crawling within Hornet range of wary woodchucks . Recently , while strolling the aisles of a gun show , my eyes alighted on a pristine Walther Model KKJ-HO , a petite bolt-action .22 Hornet once made by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rifle beckoned like a sexy damsel , the set triggers shimmered and it was love at first sight . But alas , it was a fickle thing that had worked its wicked wiles on me and other fellows who , smitten , dashed about trying to raise the several hundred dollars needed to take it home . It was soon bargained off -- for more than five times what it sold for 30 years ago . The Favored 43 Of course , almost all old guns now fetch a lot more money than they sold for originally , but rifles in the classic varmint calibers tend to bring disproportionately higher prices . Winchester 's plain-jane Model 43 , made mainly in .22 Hornet and .218 Bee , was an inexpensive little brother to their Model 70 back in the 1950s , selling in the $50 range when the cheapest M-70 was more than twice that . Nowadays , I see prime M-43s going for upwards of $800 . That 's more than you need to pay for a first-class pre- ' 64 M-70 in , say , .30-06 chambering . But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go shopping for an old M-70 Hornet . Although today 's popularity of the M-43 and the prices good specimens fetch are nothing short of phenomenal , the little bolt-action rifle was once considered a " poor-boy " rifle and disdained by elite varmint hunters who doted on their M-70 Swifts and other blue-blooded rifles . Still , though , the M-43 did its job and was accurate enough for woodchucks and crows out to a bit beyond 200 yards . The Triple Deuce Although the Hornet and Bee , and possibly the .219 Zipper , are considered classic varmint rounds , cartridges of later generations are joining their ranks . The most notable being the .222 Remington , which may come as a bit of a shock if you grew up with the triple deuce and still consider it the queen of the prom . The fact of the matter is that the .222 has been around nearly half a century and is only a dozen years younger than the .218 Bee . A product of the 1950s , the .222 was considered a whiz-bang when introduced and , deservedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ era . Combined with the inexpensive Model 722 , Remington 's postwar marvel ( $75 in 1950 ) , the .222 was a phenomenon and for nearly a quarter century was widely considered the world 's most accurate cartridge . Then came the .223 Remington , just as accurate as the .222 and with more steam , and all at once the .222 became a has-been . Of late , though , there has been an increasing demand for old M-722s in .222 with prices climbing steadily . The queen of .222s back in those days was built on a tiny Mauser-like action by a Finnish firm with the strange name of Sako Riihimaki . ( The first part is pronounced " Sock-O " , you figure out the rest . ) Breach Birth The sport of varmint hunting goes back more years than is generally believed and predates even our " classic " varmint rifles and cartridges by several decades . The first real varmint rifles , if they can be called that , were mainly target rifles in search of a live target . During the last quarter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and to the utter astonishment of the older shooting establishment , some of the new breech-loading rifles proved wonderfully accurate . Which would have been a laughable proposition only a generation earlier when muzzleloaders were the only choice of the accuracy minded . Stevens and Ballard single-shot rifles , many of which had scope sights , had more than sufficient accuracy to hit chuck-size targets at 300 yards , but the problem was the rainbow-shaped trajectories of the lumbering lead bullets . And that , for a number of years , was the crux of the problem ; varmint shooters had accuracy aplenty , but the other essential part of the equation -- flat trajectory -- was missing . The Hornet 's Nest Missing , that is , until a trio of keen rifle experimenters at the U.S. Armory in Springfield , Massachusetts , turned their attention and talents to a real varmint cartridge . One of these was Col. Townsend Whelen , a long-time contributor to OUTDOOR LIFE and the most honored firearms writer of this century . The other two were Capt . G.L. Wotkyns and A.L . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cartridge at Springfield fell under the heading of official government business , but that period was halfway between world wars when funding major projects was scarce and time was available for pet projects . The attention of the three shooters/developers used on an old .22 caliber round called the .22 Winchester Centerfire , or simply the WCF . It had been around since 1885 , and with its tiny load of black powder launched a 45-grain lead bullet a bit more than 1,500 fps , not all that more impressive than the modern .22 long rifle rimfire and certainly not stuff of varmint rifles . But still there were certain things about the old .22 WCF that dangled special attractions for further development : Earlier in the century some German gunmakers had added considerable zip to the .22 WCF by loading it with the then-new smokeless powder . With a 39-grain jacketed bullet , muzzle velocity was boosted to more than 2,600 fps and it did n't take long for the Germanic .22 WCF , which they called the 5.6x34R Vierling , to become a popular item . Accuracy was excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and almost nonexistent recoil made it a delight to shoot , and the flat trajectory took most of the guesswork out of shots at varmint-size targets out to 200 meters or so . These facts were surely not lost on the trio of small arms designers back at Springfield , who just happened to have another -- and vitally important -- reason for their fixation on the .22 WCF . That being the Model 22 rifle , a sweet working .22 rimfire version of the Springfield 1903 service rifle . The reason the .22 look-alike of the ' 03 was so enthralling was because with a bit of gunsmithing the M-22 could be converted to fire -- you guessed it -- the .22 WCF . Presto ! Loaded with smokeless powder behind jacketed bullets and chambered in an accurate rifle , the .22 WCF was a sho'nuff varmint rifle . They called it the Hornet , and that 's how it got started . About 1930 , Winchester took an interest in the new round and began loading ammo even before commercial rifles were available . Which is one reason there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many early Hornets were made simply by rechambering falling-block rimfires made by Winchester and Stevens , and of course the M-22 Springfield made a great Hornet . Buzzing Bee There is a common , but mistaken , assumption among many shooters that the development and introduction of varmint calibers followed a logical sequence and that the .218 Bee , a somewhat faster round , was next in line after the Hornet . Not so . The stupendous .220 Swift followed the Hornet only by about three years , the Zipper followed a year later and the Bee was n't born until 1938 . The fact of the .218 Bee was that it was developed by Winchester at a time when they still hewed to the philosophy that a good rifle was a lever-action rifle . So the Bee , which offered about a 200 fps advantage over the Hornet , was introduced in the form of the Model 65 lever rifle . Although the M-65 was a pretty thing , it made little sense to varmint hunters because lever operation was a hindrance , the trigger pull heavy , and scope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for just eight years , five of which were nonproducing war years , so very few were actually made . The Bee might have tottered off to oblivion had not bargain-conscious gunsmiths discovered that it was a match made in heaven for the Martini Cadet single-shot actions that were once widely available in the United States . These surplus British rifles could be bought for peanuts , a .218 Bee barrel easily fitted , and with a simple do-it-yourself restocking job , home gunsmiths had themselves a very stylish rifle . Because of this shot in the arm , plus a few rifles sporadically made by Sako and Kimber , the Bee not only held its own but actually gained some converts . Since the recent reintroduction of the Bee by Browning , Marlin and Ruger , it is enjoying its first real popularity , and a Browning executive tells me that their new Lo-Wall just may be available in .218 in a year or so . Which will probably be a runaway best-seller . The growing popularity of vintage cartridges is not easy to explain , sort of like seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bows , muzzleloaders and handguns when a modern high-powered rifle would make the job easier and surer . Some varmint hunters have practical reasons for using the old-time rounds , such as shooting in areas where the distances are short , or where the blast of bigger cartridges might rile the neighbors . But for most vintage fans the reasons are more elusive , like trying to make someone understand why we would like to drive an old Studebaker like the one granddad had , or watch old movies we 've already seen a dozen times . For others there 's the satisfaction of working up handloads for an old Hornet or Bee that make it perform better than it did when it came out of the box three generations back . The most understandable reason of all , I suspect , is the challenge of doing it the hard way . With far-reaching rifles such as the .220 Swift or .22 Cheetah , a woodchuck taken at 250 yards is scarcely worth mentioning . But do it with a Hornet or Bee and you 've bagged a trophy . <p> 