
##2000878 WOULD HE NEVER SEE THE WILDERNESS AGAIN , ROSS CALABRO MAINTAINED HIS HUNTER 'S HEART Photograph Photograph Ross was adamant that he wanted to experience everything a moose hunt offered . // You 've probably heard about Erik Ness , the teenager dying of brain cancer who wanted to hunt brown bears in Alaska with his best friend , his dad . The Make-A-Wish Foundation , a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening diseases , announced it would arrange a hunt for Erik in the spring of 1996 . Quickly , anti-hunting groups began demanding that Erik 's hunt be canceled . Letters were sent expressing the wish that Erik would die before he could go on the hunt . When Erik did bag a brown bear , shortly before his death , another round of protests was unleashed . You might not have heard , however , of Ross Calabro . But you deserve to know his tory , and his hunter 's heart . In late 1995 , Ross actually was the first teenager to be granted a hunt by the Make-A-Wish Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time afield with his father , Ron , and his grandfather Lou , learning the ropes of hunting Eastern whitetail deer . Ross also excelled at golf , and he became one of the brightest amateur stars in western Pennsylvania . But on May 21 , 1995 , the day after his 17th birthday , doctors diagnosed Ross with osteogenic sarcoma of the knee . By August , doctors were forced to remove 20 inches of cancerous leg bone and replace it with a prosthesis . Ross 's golfing days were over , but two months later , Ron Calabro carried his son to his tree stand to bowhunt for whitetails . Ross just had to hunt ; he seemed to draw strength from the sport . By January 1996 , the cancer had metastasized into Ross 's lungs . Doctors gave him only a few months to live . A hospital social worker who knew of Ross 's illness contacted the Make-A-Wish Foundation , and Michele Atkins , director of the western Pennsylvania chapter of MWF , offered Ross several suggestions , including trips to world-class golf resorts . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wanted as a final wish . On his bed was a magazine opened to a feature on calling in rut-crazed bull moose in Alaska . His wish was to experience everything described in the article-to call in bulls by scraping on trees with a scapula , to watch them rip up brush with their huge antlers and push over tall aspens . He wanted to hear the rutting bulls roar their challenges only yards away . He wanted to go to Alaska and be that hunter . Photograph Lou ( top left ) , Ross and Ron ( top right and seated ) Calabro exemplify the heritage of hunting . // News of Ross 's desire leaked to the media , and boycotts against MWF followed . Animal-rights activists pointed out the seeming irony of a terminally ill boy wanting to kill a moose . " I did n't want to jeopardize Ross or ourselves , " Ron Calabro recalls . " Those people are zealots . I seriously considered not going on the hunt . " " I could hear Ross on the phone , begging and pleading with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " says Ann Fisher , director of communications for MWF 's Pittsburgh chapter . " It was a tough time for the Calabro family and the local MWF office . We received personalinjury threats and bomb threats . It was frightening . " The MWF asked Ross if he would hunt with a camera instead of a gun . He said no . Make-A-Wish ultimately gave Ron Calabro the go-ahead to make the arrangements . He contacted Jake Gaudet , the outfitter listed at the end of the magazine story that had so inspired his son . Gaudet recalls , " I rearranged my hunts so I could personally guide Ross . " Doctors cautioned the Calabros that Ross could die on the hunt . Gaudet was even sent instructions on how to handle and transport a body back to Pittsburgh . By July , Ross 's prognosis was more grim . MWF organizers considered asking Governor Tony Knowles for two moose permits to be issued in August , one month prior to Alaska 's general moose season . Ross would have none of that . " He wanted to hunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , " Ron Calabro says , " and August was too early . He assured me that he was going to make it , that we were going to do this thing together . " In the month before his hunt , the cancer spread to Ross 's brain , causing his eyes to become severely crossed . Doctors were insistent that he needed radiation treatment . Ross at first refused , mindful of the chemotherapy he had already received . Ron says , " I remember Ross asking me , Dad , if I agree to this radiation treatment , will it help me see well enough so we can go on the hunt ? ' " The radiation therapy restored Ross 's vision , and doctors prescribed medication to alleviate some of the treatment 's side effects . But then , just a week before he was scheduled to leave , Ross 's tongue became horribly swollen . He could eat only pureed food through a straw . Michelle Atkins visited the Calabro house one last time to evaluate whether Ross was fit enough to travel . He spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiding the fact that his tongue kept him from articulating more than a few words . When the door closed behind Atkins , Ross smiled . He was approved . The hunt was scheduled for 10 days , but the instructions Gaudet received from MWF implied that it would be best to get Ross a moose quickly . Ron remembers the first face-to-face conversation he had with the guide . " I told him , Jake , we 're not here just to shoot a moose . We 're here to fish and hunt , and if we get a moose , fine . When Make-A-Wish asked us where we were going , they assumed we were staying at a fancy lodge with showers and flush toilets . But we 're a hunting family . This is exactly what we want , a real wilderness trip , with tent camps and outhouses . It 's something that nonhunters would n't understand . ' " Ross delighted in the moose spaghetti , roasts and steaks ; still , he became nauseated easily and would vomit often . For his father , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , Ross would let his guard down , and Gaudet could see the boy was in pain . " I asked him , Ross , are you taking your medication ? ' He told me he was n't because he wanted to experience everything with unimpaired senses . " Each evening , Ross would whittle on the walking stick and repeatedly sharpen his knife and oil his gun , things he had read that good hunters do . The paradox was obvious to those hunters who sat with him in the dining tent . Nature acted with no special compassion , or even justice , toward the frail youth , yet Ross saw beauty in the fall leaves and felt at peace watching beavers prepare for a winter he would never see . Gaudet told the Calabros it was time to head upriver . He gave Ross an option : take the bush plane for a five-minute flight to the spike camp or take the riverboat . Ross chose the boat . Ron 's diary records : " The ride up to the spike camp was 45 river miles and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our hunting gear , we laid pads on the floor and covered them with a tarp ; then we laid Ross down and covered him with a space blanket headto-toe to break the wind . " The ride up the river was bumpy and cold , and after a short while Ron held his son closely to keep him warm . Ross loved every minute of the trip . For the next three days , Ross and his illness battled for dominance . Gaudet cruised the sloughs in an open riverboat , glassing for moose that often appear on the riverbank . But hot weather kept the big animals in the backwater swamps , well away from the river . Even a hike of 50 yards was too much for Ross , who was weakening with each day . Gaudet offered to carry Ross on his back into the swamps , but the boy refused . Leaning on his walking stick , he would struggle through the alders for a few yards and then restsometimes retching-before pushing on . Gaudet beached the riverboat on " Ghost Island , " where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a nearby tree . Less than 30 yards away , a bull responded with grunts , rattling the nearby brush with a vengeance . " Ross 's eyes glowed with excitement , " Gaudet remembers . " The alders and willows obscured most of the bull , but Ross kept his cool , his rifle at the ready . The bull kept on demolishing trees for a few minutes , then disappeared into the brush . I 'd kept my eye on Ross every minute . He had lived it . He had experienced it . I could see the look of complete satisfaction in his face . " Unknown to anyone , Ross had already made an important decision . Later that day , a moose with a 50-inch rack appeared near the riverbank . Gaudet had Ross positioned for an easy 70-yard shot . Ross looked through the riflescope and followed the bull as it walked into the brush . He took off the safety . But the laws that govern a hunter 's heart were talking to Ross Calabro , and he listened . Ross understood that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animal . But he realized that he was n't able to fulfill the responsibilities that come with pulling the trigger : While the guides were hired to dress and pack out the moose , it was important to Ross that he help with the chore . Realistically , he would never be able to enjoy what would be 600 pounds of meat with his family . And if he did n't have a lifetime ahead of him to honor the moose through memories and stories , he would n't take the shot . Digging deep into himself , Ross Calabro knew looking through the scope at the magnificent animal that his hunt was over . He had gone the distance ; he had the opportunity for the shot . It was enough . He clicked the safety on . He watched the moose move off into the forest . Back in the tent camp , Ross wanted to talk to Jake alone . The two had become hunting buddies . Gaudet recalls the scene . " He told me , Jake , it 's time for me to go home . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " It was then that I saw tears running down his face . I told him I was sorry that I did n't get him a chance at a bigger moose . He replied that it was n't the moose . He did n't want to leave all this , he said , and pointed to the wilderness . " After his conversation with Gaudet , Ross had to rest , but soon he joined the others around the campfire . Ross noticed that moose-packer Brian Sarber 's boots were shredded from hiking 150-pound hindquarters through a maze of beaver cuttings . Knowing that Sarber would n't have the opportunity to fly back to Anchorage to purchase new boots until the season was ended , Ross removed his own boots and handed them to him . They were a perfect fit . " A snowstorm hit one of the higher-elevation hunting camps later that evening , " Gaudet said . " I was a bit concerned when I received a call on my portable radio from the assistant guide . Through the static , I heard him say he and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ okay . The first thing they asked about was Ross and how he was doing . " Ross , sitting on a 2 by 6 nailed between two stumps , beamed brighter than the campfire when he heard that . A group of pinned-down hunters had put their own needs aside and first asked about him . Even as anti-hunters in the world outside the wilderness continued to condemn Ross Calabro and his decision to " kill " a moose , Ross , his father and his grandfather quietly left Alaska and the wilderness he had dreamed about-successful , despite not firing a shot . Gary Parzich was one of the moose hunters in camp with Ross . " I felt great respect and admiration for Ross , " says Parzich . " Several of us pitched in and mounted my moose antlers on a plaque and had it air-freighted to Ross 's home . " Ron Calabro vividly recalls the arrival of the package . " When Ross opened it , he lit up , " Ron says . " Soon after , his eyes glazed over , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " Two days later , on October 27 , 1996 , Ross Calabro 's hunter 's heart stopped beating . Author Affiliation Chris Batin is editorial director of Alaska Hunter Publications in Fairbanks . He wrote the story that inspired Ross Calabro 's wish for an Alaska moose hunt . // <p> 
##2000879 FINDING AN ANIMAL OUT IN THE WOODS THAT 'S AS BIG AS A PICKUP SHOULD BE EASY ... NOT ! Photograph Photograph // Smoke hangs heavy in the bar as Willie Nelson sings a sad song on the jukebox . Patrons sit quietly , sipping beers and watching a football game on television . This could be any bar in America , but for me it 's new-and unique . I 'm in Alaska , a state that leaves me awed by everything I see . People , trees , rocks , water-every aspect of this amazing land commands respect . I never tire of it , no matter how many times I visit . Each trip generates a fresh excitement . An old man in a dark corner catches my eye as I look for a place to sit . Normally I do n't react to strangers , but I 'm drawn to him without reservation as he waves me over . He appears to be in his 80s , but I suspect he 's closer to my age-somewhere in his mid-50s . Two or three teeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high cheekbones and dark eyes betray his ancestry . I peg him as a native Alaskan , which proves to be correct . He asks me if I 'm from " outside , " a term meaning non-Alaskan , and I tell him him I 'm from Wyoming , that I 'm here to hunt moose . His eyes light up when I mention moose , and he launches into a discussion of the big animals , starting with his first experience with them at age five . I sit enthralled , listening to this man who lives a life that few in mainstream America could comprehend . People of the North fascinate me . Unlike natives of the Tropics , who live in a nearly optimal climate , northern natives are not so fortunate . Bitterly cold weather and dark winters with fleeting glimpses of a frigid sun are facts of life , as is the bug-ridden summer that comes and goes too quickly . I 'm mildly disappointed when the barmaid pages me . My hunting pals , Jack Atcheson Sr. and a friend of his , have arrived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bush . Reluctantly , I bid my new pal farewell , eager to begin my newest Alaskan adventure . Photograph Though 70-inch moose are taken each year , most Alaska bulls average about 55 inches in spread . Zumbo 's monster went 63 inches , with deep palms and lots of points . Such bulls are found in remote areas accessible by bush plane . // Atcheson is one of my favorite hunting partners . He is real-a guy who does n't know the meaning of the word " quit , " and someone who savors the hunt more than anyone else I know . I grew up reading about Atcheson 's adventures with Jack O'Connor , and later with Jim Carmichel . Almost 20 years ago , I finally met the legendary man , and we hit it off . This Alaska hunt would be about the lOth we 've experienced together . At 67 , Jack has been through two bypass surgeries , but you 'd never know it . Like I said , he 's no quitter . Atcheson tells me that he 's hunted Alaska moose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two . As a former booking agent from Butte , Mont . ( he recently retired and his sons Jack Jr . and Keith now run the business ) , he hunts as much as ever around the world , but moose are a favorite . We will be accompanied on this hunt by Doug Kennemore , a neurosurgeon from South Carolina and a good hunting buddy of Jack 's . I 'm anxious to meet Doug . In the world of non-hunters , we 're often accused of being a bunch of beer-swilling rednecks . I 'm always tickled to hunt with a guy who has the brains of , well , a neurosurgeon . Doug turns out to be a great guy . I 'm also anxious to meet Henry Budney , an old pal of Jack 's . As it turns out , Henry , a Connecticut industrialist , owns a chunk of real estate in Alaska , and we 'll be hunting it with Fred Sorenson , an outfitter who runs the hunts . Fred lives in the Alaska bush , where he offers outstanding fishing trips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think rural Alaska equates with the outback of Mississippi or a West Virginia hollow , you 're not even close . Fred 's part of the world is serviced exclusively by airplane-a place where such basics as mail , grocery stores and doctors are a long flight away . During bad weather , there are no flights ; you grin and bear it . In Alaska , avid outdoorsmen do n't buy only pickup trucks-they buy airplanes , too . The relatively few roads are hammered by hunters . Generally speaking , if you want a big moose , you fly , pure and simple . All of us want big moose , which is why Jack arranged the hunt with Fred . His area comprises rugged tundra and spruce country , and it 's very remote . Like other game animals , a bull moose gets big because he gets old . To get old , the bull has to live in an area with little or no hunting pressure . Fred 's area provides that . Everything about a moose is big-from his nose to his body mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fantasy about shooting a moose with a 70-inch spread . So do we , but Jack gives us a reality check . " I 'd estimate one out of 500 bull moose has a 70-inch spread , " Atcheson says , drawing upon his wide experience as a hunter and former taxidermist . " Most people think all you have to do is get away from roads , usually via an airplane , and your 70-incher is waiting . In my experience , the average mature Alaskan moose has an outside spread of between 53 and 55 inches . " My sights are set on a mature bull , whether it 's 50 or 60 inches . Of course , bigger is always better , but I wo n't be disappointed if the Bull of the Woods does n't show up . Just being in the Alaska wilderness is reward enough for me . We 're flown into camp by Art Ward , a bush pilot who ferries us in one at a time in his Piper Super Cub . The little airplane is a requirement for this mission because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with hummocks and potholes . Camp includes sleeping tents and a cook tent . Doug and I share one , while Jack and Henry move into the other . I soon learn that Henry , at 82 , is without a doubt the most physically fit octogenarian I 've ever met . This guy is a grad-school John Glenn , and would put most 40-year-old American males to shame in an endurance or hiking contest . Henry has a unique conveyance in camp , a large Bombardier ATV on tracks . This ATV holds six people or more , and has all the appointments of an army tank . It will take you practically anywhere , provided you 're willing to allow yourself to be beaten half to death as the thing bounces , lurches and rocks and rolls across the landscape . The rig remains in camp year-round . Fred uses the unit to ferry hunters from one camp to another , a distance of about 12 miles , as well as to travel to lookout spots miles away . Our plan is to ride in it before daybreak each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where we 'll climb up a hill and glass for moose below . The vantage point allows a mile-long view . Once an acceptable bull is located , the rest of the hunt will be spot-and-stalk . The plan for the first morning is for Jack and Henry to climb above camp and look for moose in open country broken by fingers of thick alder . Doug and I will ride with Fred to the base of the observation hill in the ATV , and hike high enough to where we can see the valley below . By first light the next morning we 've climbed far above the valley . The going is miserable . Soft spongy clumps of tundra make walking a grind . We finally settle into comfortable positions and begin glassing for big black objects in the vegetation below . Within an hour we 've spotted four bulls , but none wears antlers much over 50 inches . More glassing produces three more bulls , but still no big boys . We continue to observe from different positions on the mountain throughout the day . With darkness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two outstanding bulls . They 're in thick spruce about 100 yards apart , and a half-mile from us . Though they 're easy to see from our elevated perch , I know they 'll be almost impossible to spot once we 're at ground level . We make a gallant effort , but the bulls are swallowed up in the dense forest . We 're back up on the hill before sunrise the next day , but the big bulls have evaporated in the trees . It 's almost time for lunch when Fred spots one of the bulls , and again we head down the tundra slopes for another attempt . This search is also unproductive , and at one point we meet Henry . He has walked six miles from camp to bring us the news that Jack has shot a good bull . Henry climbs up the slope to help us look , and I am again amazed at his ability to travel , despite his age . Darkness is just an hour away as we slip along , looking for the moose . Suddenly I spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yards out . I do n't need a second opinion to tell me this is an animal to reckon with , so I quickly shoulder my Browning 7mm Remington Magnum , place the crosshairs behind the crease of his shoulder and squeeze the trigger . The bull stumbles at the shot and lurches forward , and I shoot again , hitting him in the same spot . This time he staggers , trots 30 yards and sways unsteadily on his feet . A final bullet puts him down for good . " What a bull , " Fred says as we rush toward the fallen animal . " He 's better than 60 inches . " The sight that greets me as I approach the moose is a memory never to be erased . This bull is as big as my pickup truck . His antlers have wide , tall palms , with heavy brow tines . His still bloody antlers reveal he has just shed the velvet within the past few hours . We stretch a tape across the massive antlers and read 63 inches . I walk around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size . His body is so much larger than any of the other moose I 've taken that I ca n't believe it . ( Of the three subspecies recognized by the Boone and Crockett Club , the Alaska-Yukon is the largest . ) I have no way to tell , but I 'd wager my bull weighs in excess of 1,500 pounds . Two days later I leave camp , headed for home with a great set of antlers , an enormous cargo of meat and a bushelful of extra memories-like the grizzly that walked into camp , the huge wolf that I shot at and missed and the old man sitting in the dark bar . ALASKA ON YOUR OWN General Information : Nonresident moose hunters are not required to hire a guide . Other than fully outfitted trips , two other popular hunts are drop-camps and float-trips . Cost : Self-guided float-trips and drop-camps run around $2,500 to $4,000 , including air travel from your home to Alaska , air taxi to the drop spot , food , equipment , extra flights to transport meat and antlers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $8,000 . Seasons : Alaska has 26 Game Management Units , each with different seasons . Generally moose season is in September , but call the Alaska Department of Fish and Game ( 907-465-4100 ) for specific regulations . Get In Shape : If you do n't hire an outfitter , the critical factor to consider is your physical condition . Fieldprocessing a moose and transporting it are extremely strenuous activities . Do n't try this if you are n't in good shape , unless you 're accompanied by close friends who are willing to shoulder your share of the work . Meat Care : If the weather is warm , make arrangements with your air taxi service to check on you periodically , if possible . Meat should be flown out soon after the kill is made to prevent spoilage . Booking Hunts : To hunt with Fred Sorenson , call Atcheson Hunting Consultants ( 406-782-3498 ) . <p> 
##2001450 Looking for a way to really " reach out and touch " a bass ? Then master the fine art of stingers , droppers , and trailers . Photograph // A BASS SWIRLED AND THE ROD BUMPED , BUT THE SPINNERBAIT CAME BACK EMPTY . " . ANOTHER SWING AND A MISS ? tV LAUGHED JACK SEGALL . I PALMED THE DRIPPING LURE . THE SKIRT WAS CLEAR , THE SHAFT WAS STRAIGHT , AND THE POINT WAS SHARP . " MUST 'VE STRUCK SHORT , " I MUTTERED . " I 'M RAISING FISH-JUST CA N'T STICK ' EM . " * " GOTCHA ! vS U THE TWO-MAN SKIFF ROCKED AS MY PARTNER HOOKED ANOTHER BASS . THE FISH FOUGHT A SPLASHY HALF-CIRCLE , WITH SEGALL DOING HIS BEST TO MAKE THE LEAPING 3-POUNDER PUT ON A SHOW . I GLARED , HOPING HIS ROD WOULD BREAK OR HIS REEL WOULD FALL OFF . I GET EDGY WHEN A COMPANION WITHIN REACH SOLIDLY OUTFISHES ME-ESPECIALLY WITH THE SAME LURE . U WE WERE USING IDENTICAL 1/2-OUNCE SAFETY-PIN SPINNERBAITS WITH TANDEM GOLD BLADES AND CHARTREUSE/YELLOW SKIRTS-STANDARD-ISSUE PAYLOADS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ STRIKE COUNTS WERE ABOUT THE SAME , FOUR OR FIVE EACH , BUT I HAD YET TO TOUCH A FISH . SEGALL HELD HIS ROD HIGH AND LIPPED THE BEATEN BASS . HE TURNED HIS BACK , CASUALLY HIDING THE FISH AS HE POPPED THE HOOK . THE STING " I do n't understand it , " I wailed . " Same lure , same water , same-hey , let me see that ! A stinger hook ! " Segall revealed the modified spinnerbait . " Oh , all right . I was going to show you anyway ; either that or pass you some cheese to go with that whine . " ' A smaller 2/0 hook dangled from the bend of the 5/0 spinnerbait hook . This so-called " stinger " reached back far enough to stick the short-striking bass . The stinger is a quick , effective modification for increasing the hookup ratio on single-hook lures such as safety-pin spinnerbaits and surface-running buzzbaits . The extended wire arm and upturned hook on these lures do a remarkable job of turning snags and grass , but the same configuration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improves the problem-or at least improves the odds . ( usually a suitable hook ( usually long-shank model smaller long-straight point ) ank model slip the eye over th a straight point ) and slip the stock hook . over the point of big barb may be stock hook . Bending the big barb may be nce . The stinger is secured by clearance . The stinger is secured by placing a stopper on the bend above it . A tiny ring of rubber or plastic works well , and these accessories can be purchased at many tackle stores . The angler without such sophisticated riggings can " make do " by substituting a small piece of heavy-duty rubber band . The secondary hook can be placed to ride up or down , and the down-running stinger seems especially effective on the surface-clattering buzzbaits notorious for drawing short fire . The standard upturned configuration forces the fish 's mouth to solidly clear the surface to reach the point . Up or down , the stinger will leap out and grab interested fish . A close bass just thinking about it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second hook reaching behind the guard wire reduces the snagless properties of the spinnerbait ; however , true snagless running often is overrated . This is the fact that many anglers tend to forget . The majority of casts with spinnerbaits and buzzbaits travel through relatively open water as the boater positioned over deeper depth casts to the fish-holding edges of brush and grass . A few test-fire shots should tell the tale . If improved fish-hooking ability overrides the advantage of a snagless design , then go for it . DOUBLE OPTION Trailers and droppers are two other often overlooked ploys for reaching out and touching bass . The terms tend to be interchangeable , but according to definition , the trailer runs on a short line behind the primary lure , whereas the dropper dangles from a short tag in front . Double ( even triple ) riggings have been used for several centuries bv fly rodders rigging a " cast " for trout , yet the concept is seldom seen amid the roostertails on fast-lane bass lakes . I never have understood this . Surely , any bass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worm can not be offended by the notion of adding a small , secondary lure to the primary offering . Serving the second offering can be most effective under high-visibility , open-water circumstances when downsizing is most productive . Good choices include curly-tailed grubs , bucktail jigs , and spoons , as well as various streamer fly patterns such as the Clouser minnow . A small , light secondary lure also keeps the rig from overwhelming the mechanics of casting and retrieving . A trailer line 18 to 24 inches long can be awkward to work with , but the two offerings must be segregated . A smart idea when rigging a trailer leader is to use monofilament line that tests significantly less than the casting line ( say 10-pound behind 15-pound ) . This serves two advantages : First , the thinner line allows the smaller , lighter trailer to work with more action ; second , if the trailer snags , the lighter line acts as a circuit breaker to save the expensive primary lure . Each lure/trailer combination might require a bit of testing and tweaking but , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is tied to the rear hook to minimize tangles , and to the line eye ( or split ring ) on a sub-surface plug or spoon to improve action . Removing one treble on a multiple-hook lure might help clear the line . A dropper is typically rigged about 2 feet above the primary lure , but the line should be kept short , no more than 8 or 10 inches . A dropper can be more hassle to outfit , but it allows the primary lure to work without direct resistance . // SPINNERBAIT RIGGED WITH STINGER HOOK // A dropper can be rigged by using a small three-way swivel or by tying a blood knot in the casting line and leaving an adequate length on one of the tag ends . Each method has advantages and disadvantages . The swivel permits the use of lighter line for the dropper ( while reducing line twist ) , but it hampers compact casting . The blood knot negates the use of a lighter leader specifically for the dropper , but it will shoot smoothly through the rod guide . Rigging a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ploy that permits the angler to work two zones simultaneously . A hesitant bass attracted to the commotion of the churning plug might fall back and spy the easy-to-grab subsurface option . Chugger and slush-type surface plugs that track in a straight line mate well with trailers and droppers ; however , a " dog walker " that zigzags to a timed rod-tip cadence might bog against the added resistance . The surface/subsurface combination can be most effective while casting early and late in the day ( prime low-light topwater times ) along the dropoff edge of a weed mat or brushline . The same combo can be deadly in open water when a school of " breaking " bass is chasing threadfin shad . Long casts often are best when bird-dogging surface schools , and the combo provides both casting payload and downsizing option if the baitfish are small . A heavy , compact spoon rigged with a trailer is another excellent school-bass unit . Either way , when chunking into a melee of frothing bass and skipping shad , it is possible to tag two fish at a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a small , light trailer or dropper is a fine way to " farm " bottom contours in open water . If nothing else , putting the big motor in gear is a relaxing way to stir a bit of breeze on a summer lake . Stingers , trailers , and droppers are three ways to reach bass that otherwise might be missed . They seldom are used simply because most anglers do not think about extending their options . Rigging might be a hassle , and tangles and snags are a fact of life , but the results can be well worthwhile . Just remember when reaching past a dangling hook to grab that bonus bass that " Gotcha ! " can work both ways . // ADDING A SECONDARY LURE BY ANY MEANS DOUBLES THE CHANCE FOR A HOOKUP. // USING A TOPWATER LURE WITH A DROPPER LETS AN ANGLER WORK TWO ZONES SIMULTANEOUSLY . // <p> 
##2001451 A HALF DOZEN TRIED-ANDTRUE TURKEY TACTICS CAN HELP YOU STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF A MASTER ESCAPE ARTIST . // AMATURE GOBBLER HAS A RAZOR-SHARP SET of survival skills , topped off by extraordinary eyesight and hearing . To bust a big bird , you need more than dumb luck ; you need a plan . The following six set-ups have withstood the test of time , mainly because each anticipates turkey behavior-and staying one step ahead of these feathered Caesars is the best way to even the odds . The tactics are the same , whether or not you use decoys . The ROOST About an hour before dawn , sneak to within 150 yards of where the gobbler has roosted . Sit in a place that offers cover as well as a clear shooting lane to where you will place your decoys . Clip a few low , leafy branches and stick them in the ground to break up your outline . Place one nonaggressive little jake decoy in a prominent position 20 yards out , exactly where you will have the most comfortable shot . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is most likely to challenge the jake decoy first . ) Place a hen decoy near it in plain sight . Sit down , be still , and let the woods awaken . You want to make the first hen calls that the gobbler will hear that morning . Fifteen minutes before legal shooting time , make two or three soft , sleepy yelps . If the gobbler answers you from his limb , answer back with a few more sleepy yelps . Quit calling ; he 's heard you . Wait until he is on the ground before you call again . Once you have heard him fly down-or can tell by his muffled sound that he is on the ground-beat your hat against your leg to make flapping sounds as you emit a raucous fly-down cackle . Follow with yelps of increasing passion . Make a final run of yelps and cutts , then stop . Do n't answer every time he gobbles . You do n't want to get into a conversation with him ; you want him to come looking for you . If the bird goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you . Keep your gun ready and watch to the side as well as out front . He may circle you . The FREEZE The woods are quiet ; you have n't heard a bird anywhere . You 're walking along using a " locator " call to try to make a turkey gobble and give away his location . Suddenly , a gobbler answers right in front of you . You 're on top of him ! What do you do ? Freeze . Do n't go one step closer to the bird . If you 're using decoys , take out your little jake decoy and set it right there . If possible , set a hen decoy beside it . Now , back away on your belly . Crawl up against a tree about 20 yards from the decoys . Get your gun ready for quick action . Make a short run of soft yelps . The gobbler will probably boom back at you ; he 's inviting the hen he heard to move to him . Use your hand to make some scratching sounds in the leaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Be coy . Call just enough to let him know you are there and not moving . A close gobbler is much more likely to come looking for you , even if he is with hens , than one that is farther away . The FLOATING CALLER Here 's the situation : You 've got a gobbler that will come toward your call but that wo n't come in all the way . He 'll approach just so far , then drift back to his original strutting location . When you begin calling once more , he 'll move your way again-but he always hangs up outside shooting range . Photograph YOU 'VE ROOSTED A GOBBLER THE NIGHT BEFORE SO YOU KNOW WHERE HE 'LL BE COME DAWN . SO FAR , SO GOOD . NOW , BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO CALL , SIT DOWN AND LET THE WOODS WAKE UP . Photograph YOU 'VE ROOSTED A GOBBLER THE NIGHT BEFORE SO YOU KNOW WHERE HE 'LL BE COME DAWN . SO FAR , SO GOOD . NOW , BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO CALL , SIT DOWN AND LET THE WOODS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time for the " Floating Caller . " For this tactic , you need a hunting buddy ; one of you will shoot , the other will call . The next time the gobbler drifts away , the shooter stays in place as the caller crawls back out of sight . The caller begins yelping from farther back in the woods , as if the lonesome hen is moving away . Judging from where he hears the gobbling responses , the caller " floats " this way and that so as to stay in line with the gobbler and the shooter . If it works , the gobbler will maintain his cautious distance from the caller , but will follow the sounds of the departing hen and be drawn right into the waiting shooter 's range . The HUNG-UP TURKEY Sometimes gobblers " hang up " because some obstacle prevents them from coming all the way to you . You may not be able to see the obstacle , so just assume that when a gobbler you ca n't see wo n't come all the way in , he 's blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a fence . ( You also may be asking a gobbler to pass a place where he was previously ambushed by a coyote or a hunter , which naturally will make him particularly leery . ) When this happens , move and try to call from a different angle . Belly back out of there until you 're sure you ca n't be seen . Then circle around the bird , staying out of sight , until you have changed the angle of his required approach by at least 45 degrees . If possible , stay above him . ( I do n't know why , but it seems to be easier to call turkeys uphill rather than downhill . ) If you have already been calling from above the bird , drop down to his level and try calling him from there . If that fails , too , move below him and try again . As long as he answers your calls , you can be sure you have n't spooked him . If he goes silent , stay ready . He may be coming in . The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be , you 're way ahead of him . That 's why you should always keep note of a gobbler 's movements . For example , late in the morning you may hear a stationary bird gobble repeatedly . He is probably in one of his favorite strutting places . If that 's the case , he is likely to go there to strut again at the same time another day . Take note of the hour , and next time be there ahead of him . Study suspected strut zones for signs such as broken bits of wing-feathers , J-shaped droppings , tracks , and long scratches on open ground made by the strutting gobbler 's dragging wings . Put a nonaggressive little jake decoy on the strutting place and a hen decoy or two nearby . Sit 20 yards away in a spot where you have a clear and comfortable shot . Yelp 5 to 10 times every 10 minutes or so to send the message that he has a hen waiting . The gobbler is very likely to come into his strut zone quietly , so do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you just ca n't find a gobbler . They go silent . You would n't think there was a turkey in the world . Photograph SAFE SITTING Always Sit against something that is wider than your shoulders and taller than your head . This will protect you from being shot from behind by a hunter you can not see . If you ever do see a hunter approaching ( perhaps responding to your calls ) , always shout , " Do n't shoot ! I 'm here ! " Keep shouting until the hunter signals that he gets your message . Do n't stand up or wave ; any movement may be mistaken for a turkey . And do n't worry about your shouts spooking turkeys-the approaching hunter will already have spooked any that may have been nearby. -J.B.R . Photograph IF YOU " WALK AND CALL " AND HEAR AN UNEXPECTED GOBBLE , DROP TO THE GROUND , THEN CRAWL BACKWARDS UNTIL YOU CAN SET UP FOR A GOOD SHOT . Photograph OBSTACLES SUCH AS FENCES OR WATER MAY CAUSE A BIRD TO HANG UP . " WHEN THIS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SOME HUNTERS PREFER TO BEGIN THE DAY WITH AN OWL CALL , A LOCATOR CALL THAT ALMOST ALWAYS ELICITS A RESPONSE FROM A GOBBLER. // The thing to do when gobblers disappear is to set up in a spot where you have seen or heard turkeys regularly before and hope that they will come there again . Go to a known turkey hangout early and stay as long as you can . Put your decoys where they will be noticed and make soft , contented calls every 10 or 15 minutes to let any passing turkeys know you are there . Stay alert and be still , because on days when turkeys are n't talking , gobblers are very likely to come in unannounced . Sidebar DECOY PLACEMENT Sidebar Decoys WOrk only if the turkey can see them , so always be sure to put them in the most noticeable places . Stumps , logs , hay bales , or humps of ground are good spots . Place decoys where they are exposed to air currents that will make them turn on their spindles , adding life to the set . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in logging roads , in power-line or pipeline rights of way , and in natural forest openings . Place them slightly to the side , rather than directly in front of you , in order to take the approaching turkey 's eye off your location and to give yourself a more comfortable shot. -J.B.R. // <p> 
##2001452 Building a cabin kit is work , but the rewards are worth the effort . // NOW THAT THE FOUNDATION is in place and the cabin 's subfloor platform has been completed , we 're ready for the next step-raising the log walls . Stacking the logs and spiking them permanently in place is one of the easiest aspects of this construction project . All of the 273 individual logs in our kit are milled to shape and precisely cut to fit at the factory . Each log is also marked with letters and numbers that correspond to its place in the assembly sequence shown on the plans . Building this part of the cabin could n't be easier , or more foolproof . LOG OPTIONS Before we get into raising the walls , it 's worth noting that there are many options available to you when it comes to ordering a log cabin these days . Although the logs in our kit are specific in shape and size , which helps to determine the kit 's overall price , cabin manufacturers offer different log profiles designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logs are D-shaped , with a naturally curved outer surface and a flat interior face that looks like wood paneling when left exposed . Other options include " round-onround " logs ( also called whole or peeled logs ) for a more rustic look inside and out , and logs with a flatmilled exterior surface that mimics board siding when finished . You can also increase the insulating value of your cabin walls , or change their appearance , by choosing largeror smaller-dimension logs . While our logs are 6 inches thick by 8 inches tall , a squatter , thicker 8x6-inch log profile is also available ; however , the additional log rows required can add considerable cost to a kit . The grade of lumber used for the logs also affects price . Our camp is based on Northeastern 's Camp and Cabin series , a budget-minded line of compact kit buildings which use logs that have more knots or imperfections than those used in the higher-priced , fullsize homes offered by the company . Despite these " cosmetic " imperfections , the camp cabins still meet all building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildings today and those of the past is the way the logs themselves are prepared for construction use . Logs in their natural , or unmilled , state are rarely used nowadays because they present too many problems . Full logs dry , shrink , and settle unevenly , and there is no practical method to keep them air- and watertight over time . Jointing them at corners and row-upon-row can be haphazard and difficult , and some type of caulk or filler , called " chinking , " is needed to plug the gaps that result . For this reason , most log home manufacturers now provide completely milled logs that have the appearance of natural logs without their drawbacks . Photograph A view of our cabin ( above left ) in the final stages of construction . The precut logs were laid out ( above center ) in the order they would be needed . The individual logs ( left ) are marked with numbers and letters . Mortise-and-tenon joints are milled into every loy . As logs are placed , holes are bored ( above right ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows how joints are caulked between rows . Photograph Walls go up one row at a time ( above left ) as each log is spiked to the one beneath it . Illustration at right shows spike in place , as well as mortise-andtenon detail with foam gasket strip and caulking . Foam strips protrude from gable wall ends ( above center ) , where gable intersects with ridge beam and king post . Roof is framed with 2x6 rafters ( above right ) , which must be cut and notched to fit . // Northeastern , which offers a choice of eastern white pine or western red cedar logs , also machines the top and bottom of each log with mortise-andtenon joints to tightly lock the log rows together , and all row ends and corners are factory-cut to ensure a permanent fit . Logs are also air- or kiln-dried to prevent the wood from warping and shrinking after construction . Another critical improvement can be found in the weathersealing systems now used by log home makers . Cabin buyers should inspect and compare this detail carefully when shopping for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are milled with a triple-tiered tenon on the top and a corresponding groove at the bottom . This allows for one uninterrupted row of insulating foam-gasket tape , and a second continuous bead of nonshrinking waterproof caulk , inside these joints along the entire length of every log . As each log row is laid down , the foam tape and caulk are applied to the tenon . The following row 's mortise locks down atop it , and 12-inch spiral-cut spikes are driven home at 20-inch intervals through both log rows . A unique feature of the Sportsman 's Camp cabin is its tall gable-roofed center front porch , which will become a screened-in sitting area . The solid spruce posts and beams that make up the supporting gable truss are both decorative and functional , and each piece is cut to size and carefully test-fitted by the manufacturer before shipping . Steel gusset plates and lag bolts make on-site assembly quick and easy . We took the precaution of painting the bare metal plates with rustproofing primer and paint before bolting them on . Solid spruce posts are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walls . As the rows are laid down , lag screws are attached through the posts and into the logs . You can make good progress when it come$ to actually building the log walls , because virtually all of the cutting and guesswork have been taken care of in our kit . Each log in each row is identified by a letter ( row A , B , C , etc. ) , and each individual log also has a number corresponding to its place in the row ( Al , A2 , A3 ) . Openings in the walls for windows and doors are predetermined in the log-stacking sequence , although the height of the openings , and some necessary clearances for the kit-supplied jambs , must be measured and cut by the builder after the logs are in place . The difficult angle cuts at the end-wall gables are also cut at the factory , and we found them to fit without error on our job . The only adjustment we needed to make , in fact , was a minor reduction in the height of the interior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walls . RAISING THE ROOF The most demanding stage of our cabin construction was laying out and cutting the roof rafters . All of the lumber is provided in the kit , in the correct approximate lengths , but none of these pieces are numbered , marked , or cut to size . As the plan shows , the front gable creates intersecting valleys where it meets the main roof and side-porch roofs-and cutting valley rafters correctly is an exacting task that requires carpentry experience and skill . Although diagrams and instructions are included in the blueprints provided with the cabin , before beginning this stage novice builders would be smart to practice measuring and making the cuts until they are proficient-or find someone with experience to help with this job . Another option is to use a layout aid such as the Lufkin Rafter Template System , which can reduce the chance of error . Photograph All of the lumber is supplied with the kit , but roof and porch framing must be measured , cut , and constructed from scratch " by the builder . The roof intersections ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the kit , like the porch gable timbers ( left ) , were precut by the manufacturer before shipping . Photograph When the roofing is done , the cabin is weathertight , and you can take your time completing the interior // Another related job many first-time builders might want to consider turning over to a pro is sheathing the roof deck and nailing on the shingles . Although our cabin is not very large , the roof is steeply pitched and high enough , especially in the rear , to make both of these jobs tough to tackle without strong backs and the right equipment . Once the major construction stages are completed and the doors and windows are in place , the cabin is weathertight and you can finish off the interior at your own pace . Despite its bargain price , our cabin kit is provided with quality materials such as Andersen windows and Morgan interior doors . For a measure of security against varmints and other intruders , we opted for Stanley exterior insulated steel doors at the front and back . We also stained and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elements , using Ace Wood Royal exterior stains . In the months ahead , we will be adding a bath with shower , sink , and a composting toilet , as well as a fully functional camp kitchen . Other projects will follow , but for now it 's enough to have our cabin built and ready for us whenever we show up . THE SERIES SO FAR ... The FIELD &; STREAM Sportsman 's Cabin is based on a log cabin kit , developed specifically for this project , from Northeastern Log Homes ( 800805-2707 , www.northeasternlog. com ) . The kit includes precut logs , framing lumber , decking , roofing materials , windows , and doors-in short , just about everything you need to complete it except the foundation . The cost of the kit is $22,300 . Northeastern will ship the kit anywhere you want at an additional cost based on the distance from the company 's plant in Maine . The first article in our series ( see page 76 , FIELD &; STREAM , November 1998 ) introduced the cabin plan . The second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January 1999 ) described what you need to know about taking delivery of a construction kit , and how to prepare a foundation so that you 're ready to begin building as soon as it is delivered . <p> 
##2001453 There are different drills for different types of bird dogs , but they have one thing in common : birds . // BECAUSE OF THEIR INNATE characteristics , plus the jobs they do , retrievers , flushers , and bird dogs require different training . However , there are retrievers today that point and pointers that fetch ducks , but let 's stick with the traditional roles of the three gun dog divisions . The historical reality of retrievers , since arriving in America , has seen these dogs subservient to strict command . Albeit , the rigidity of the handling is more pronounced among field trial contenders than hunters . Retrievers in the British Isles are not subject to such exacting standards . They are permitted to be hunters for rough shooting , and at field trials are required only to be steady to wing and shot , and not to cast until sent . But here , the field trial retriever is expected to line blinds ( to be handled by whistle and hand signal to fetch a bird he has not seen fall ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he uses his nose . The crucial blind retrieves are always in water . These field trial retrievers are also expected to fetch as many as four shot birds simultaneously marked down and to do so with minimal disturbance of cover . In other words , the perfect job is a straight line to each mark . Again , the dog 's score on each bird is determined more by his eyesight than his nose : Perfect eyesight and a perfect line to fetch is a perfect job . But neither eyesight nor running a straight line have much to do with a day 's hunt afield which , incidentally , a retriever field trial is supposed to duplicate-and does n't . All this means the field trial retriever must , in great part , hand his self-will over to his handler . The dog will go where he 's sent , he will change course only on the handler 's command , and he will not attempt to self-hunt . Which further means the dogs come under considerably harsh discipline at times in order to make them relinquish their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human , who bv now has established in the dog 's mind that he , not the dog , knows more about the field and the bird than the dog ever could . Retriever trainers use the smallest number of training birds among the Big Three breeds . They are mighty fond of bumpers , especially around water , and there have been many a young dog cast at a field trial to leap back from a live duck . Contrast this with the hunting retriever that 99.99 percent of us want and need . That dog self-casts , learns to run to points of opportunity , has become experienced in handling the wind , knows where different species of birds are located at different times of the day , enters the bird 's scent cone and either stops or tries to get near enough for a flush and catch . This dog is usually within range of the gun and watches the departing covey so he can relocate , plus marks deadfall that he fetches to hand . This dog is essentially self-trained over live birds . He is brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before him for many years . And any yard training , such as heel , sit , and stay , is minimal since the dog does best what 's required of him-hunt . In the duck blind the hunting retriever casts for marks but is not necessarily sent for long blinds . Instead , the handler may walk the bank getting the dog close to the floating duck and cast him from shore . Again , rigid performance is not required . BIRD DOGS ARE SOMEWHAT THE SAME as hunting retrievers . They are taught to cast to objectives , use the wind , know bird activities relative to the position of the sun , respect the bird 's scent cone , stand to wing and shot , mark both deadfall and covey relocation , and deliver to hand . Photograph Love-trained dogs are the top performers . // Birds , as a matter of fact , are an absolute necessity in training a bird dog . Oh , yes , there can be a fishing rod with a bird wing for the pup , but that soon ends . So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a flight pcn for bobwhite , a call-back structure such as a Johnny house for quail , or feed plots . The hunter can also purchase pheasants for training , as well as chukars , but not grouse or prairie chickens . These birds require the trainer to school his dog on the real thing . Bird dogs are bird intensive . If vou have no training birds , then you will never have a bird dog . Few places today have enough wild quail available for training . And you ca n't train a bird dog without having the very birds on hand you later want to meet in the wild . You 've got to train on the bird you want to hunt . Yes , some bird dogs will sit in your duck blind and fetch your duck . But you 'd better have warm water , and you 'd better not expect too much . THE ONE CLASS OF GUN DOG that is never trained without a pen-raised or wild bird is the flusher : the cocker , the English springer spaniel , the Welsh springer spaniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all dogs , and they require a ton of birds to keep them-tuned-up . This is also a class of dogs that must be trained in every conceivable type of cover , because that 's where gamebirds stay , in prickly , impenetrable , dense , and interwoven cover . No other class of gun dog works so close to the bird . Many a launching pheasant has flown on minus his tail feathers . There is really no drill for flushers that does not include a bird . You want the dog to cast right ? Trainers can take a bird from their pouch , skim it across cover with a rapid flick of their wrist , and set the bird so it wo n't flush until the dog returns from his left-hand cast and comes upon the bird thrown right . These trainers are also hyper on the whistle : a soft whistle tweeting all the time . This does n't mean the dog is always under whistle control . It means , instead , the whistle is a hurrah , an incitement , and also a yardstick for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flushers are frolickers . They are animated and have as their motto : Why walk if you can run ? I regard them as the birdiest of all dogs , but then , I 've had retrievers who leaped for game as if they were leaving a bed of hot coals . This is something to remember . I 've seen more differences within species of dogs than I 've seen between them . There are animated bird dogs just as there are hyped-up flushers . IN TRAINING , THERE ARE COMMON tools for all gun dogs , but none is more valuable than the bird launcher . It can be used to train all three classes of gun dogs . There 's even a slow launcher for retrievers : It opens slowly so the pheasant walks out ( he does n't fly out ) and idles close by until the retriever arrives . For many species of bird dogs , you can set out a series of launchers with sequential releases for multiple quail . This staunches any dog up and gets them to stay rigid after the first bird @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can become either a forced or a natural retriever . The latter takes a ton of birds and lots of patience . The former requires a training table ; a buck , dowel , or bumper ; and some form of pain to prompt the dog to open his mouth and take whatever 's offered for fetch . Once the item is in the dog 's mouth , the pain is ceased . I can pain-train most dogs to fetch in a matter of minutes . But I wo n't . I will not train with pain . Why should I ? Love-trained dogs trained as natural retrievers are the top performers . ALL GUN DOGS MUST BE CONDITIONED : the flushers least of all , for they usually have three feet off the ground . In other words , they 're in perpetual motion to begin with . But the retrievers and the bird dogs should be both roaded and exercised . You road by putting the dog in a sled-dog harness and hooking him to something that moves , which he pulls against like a small tractor . Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . And you can teach unique things to any gun dog to fit your needs : like a man who ca n't bend over can have the dog stand and place the bird on his chest . Remember , dogs are miraculous , they want to please , and they will do most anything you ask . Just ask ' em . <p> 
##2001454 Ursine behavior is a mystery to most , but not to one extraordinary hunter // LACK BEARS ARE INcreasing throughout their range , thanks to better management and the regrowth of forest on land that once was cleared . But as black bear numbers grow , more of them are getting in trouble with people who consider them a nuisance . " People say they like to see bears , but if a bear destroys a $7 bird feeder those same people declare the bear a nuisance and want authorities to come and remove it , " says licensed wildlife rehabilitator Ben Kilham of Lyme , New Hampshire . " The sad fact is that most nuisance bears that are removed end up being destroyed because it is too expensive and time-consuming for authorities to handle bear complaints any other way . " For six years , Kilham has been acting as " mother " to orphaned black bear cubs in the forested hills of Grafton County , New Hampshire . So far , he has helped 17 cubs learn how to survive in the wild . Long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they continue to acknowledge Kilham and seek him out when they find his scent within their territories . When he hikes into their haunts the rehabilitated bears frequently sense his arrival , find him , and join him for playful periods of affection and recognition . Sometimes they bring their wild companions along . " We have great reunions , " Kilham relates . " They rub against me to cover me with bear scent and make affectionate moaning sounds . They like to have me lie down and take a nap with them . Sometimes they play rough , but they have never been hostile . " These unusual events have been filmed by National Geographic as part of a special television feature . Kilham is currently at work on a book that documents his discoveries concerning black bear behavior . Kilham claims that black bears are not the solitary animals that biological literature has claimed them to be . In fact , his close daily observation has convinced him that bears are in regular communication with one another , even though they may roam separately . He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territorial boundary markers , but are also important ursine message centers . Using an electronic-eye camera mounted on a tree near a food patch used by bears , Kilham recorded the action at certain remote bear marking trees . He found that during a 24-hour period , several different bears appeared at the marking tree at separate hours to check the scents left by previous visitors and to add their own messages for those that followed . " By checking activity at marking trees bears learn what other bears are eating and are tipped off to new food supplies as they become available , " Kilham explains . " This form of cooperation is manifested only by animals of the very highest intellect . " AVOIDANCE TRAINING A hunter himself , Kilham does not object to bear hunting , but he wanted to make sure that the bears he rehabilitated developed a strong fear of man so that they would not be easy prey for hunters . Photograph Ben Kilham with one of the 17 bears he has rescued and returned to the wild . // " I wanted to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " he explains . To accomplish this Kilham teamed up with Gordon Wilder , a well -- respected bear houndsman from nearby Plainfield . Wilder agreed to patrol roads with his dogs near Kilham 's study area . When the bears crossed roads , they got chased by Wilder 's very aggressive hounds . Some were even treed . But the bears quickly learned they could escape from the hounds by climbing over ledges too steep for hounds to follow . They learned that trouble came when they left their scent trails on roads . By the time hunting season opened , the rehabilitated bears knew a lot about how to avoid hunters . When authorities were being pressed by residents to get rid of three bears that had become nuisances in Hanover last summer , Kilham and Wilder used the harassment-by-hounds technique to convince the bears to stay away from settled areas . The bears were rummaging in garbage cans , licking barbecue grills , and raiding bird feeders , as they often do when people leave fragrant food items outside in bear country . Kilham and Wilder gave each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fear of dogs in them . The pair also asked people to remove the food sources . After that the bears stayed in the woods . Kilham says that male bears are usually the easiest to train to avoid certain places because they have very large home ranges to which they have little allegiance . " If they get harassed at one food source , they have plenty of other food sources they can hit . A good scare can convince a male bear that he should avoid that place in the future , " he explains . Females , however , are more difficult to evict because they have small territories to which they have very strong allegiance ; therefore , they have fewer food sources to draw upon . Though females may be more persistent , if they are repeatedly harassed and frightened when they show up where they 're not wanted , they will avoid those places in the future . Furthermore , the sows will teach their cubs to avoid such places , too . According to Kilham , hound harassment works because it reinforces how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bears settle disputes with their teeth , and young bears quickly learn where they will be tolerated and where they wo n't , " he notes . " Young bears have to establish their habits according to when and where they can find food without being attacked . If they find out early that they will be attacked and chased by hounds when they venture into certain areas , it 's similar to being chased out by another bear . They avoid that place in the future . " BEAR FRIGHT Kilham believes that bears frighten people inadvertently because they behave in ways that people misinterpret . For example , if you surprise a bear at close range , the bear may stand up and stare at you , huffing and showing its tongue . The bear is not being aggressive ; it is simply trying to get your scent so that it can identify you . Huffing out warm , damp breath enhances the bear 's ability to gather scent from the air , and it uses its tongue as well as its nose to maximize its scent-gathering capability . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the solitary creatures they are often made out to be . // Likewise , when a bear is treed it often moans and slobbers , and fluids may pour from its nose . The effect may be startling , but the bear is not being aggressive . It actually is exhibiting emotional stress . " The fluids flowing from the bear 's nose are bear tears , " says Kilham . " That bear is so scared of you it 's crying . " THE INVISIBLE BEAR If bear numbers are increasing , why do n't we see them in the woods more often ? Because , Kilham says , " Bears are brilliantly secretive . " Bears feel insecure in open places where they can be seen . They may use game or hiking trails when they feel safe , but they also have networks of secret trails . Those trails are always in the thickest , darkest , or steepest places . Bears spend most of their time in areas where people do n't go . " The fact that you do n't see bears does n't mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . When a bear senses the approach of humans , it disappears . But that does n't mean that it runs away . Bears have an almost magical ability to make themselves invisible when they do n't want to be seen . They use shadows , terrain , and cover to hide themselves so that you will not see them , even when they are actually quite close . " A bear will often stand up behind a large tree and peek around the trunk at you , " Kilham says . " It moves around the tree as you pass , keeping an eye on you while keeping its body hidden from view behind the trunk . " Ultimately , Kilham 's black bear behavior studies may significantly influence how humans relate to bears . As human-bruin populations continue to overlap , under standing bear behavior is more vital than ever . KEEPING BEARS AT BAY In most cases , people can convince black bears not to become nuisances that return to their lawns or buildings by taking the offensive and false-charging at the bear and clapping their hands . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the porch railing , a bear understands that you are threatening , " Ben Kilham explains . " The bear may not seem alarmed , but it will be wary of you in the future . " Unfortunately , most people are afraid of bears . When a bear shows up at a bird feeder , people run into the house and peek at it through the window . To a bear , such behavior demonstrates that people pose no threat . " When a bear comes to a bird feeder its intention is to eat bird seed , not to attack people , " Kilham declares . " If you want to get rid of a nuisance bear , you must remove the food source that attracted it . " If you locate bird feeders , barbecues , and garbage cans in open places on the busy side of your house as far as possible from cover , bears are unlikely to bother them . If you put them close to the woods on the quiet side of the house , you 're just asking for problems. -J.B.R . <p> 
##2001455 ... But you will if you read this . And everyone in camp will thank you . // WHEN DANIEL BOONE SET OUT ON HIS " LONG HUNTS " INTO THE WILDERNESS , HE TOOK HIS rifle ( Old Tick-Licker ) , knife , hatchet , a copy of Gulliver 's Travels , and a pack mule loaded with-among other necessities-dried beans , salt pork , and molasses . With these three ingredients , he could cook up what generations of hunters and anglers have hankered for ever since : pork and beans , Boston baked beans , bean soup , or a dozen other delectable dishes . There 's no food that 's lighter to carry ( dried beans were the original dehydrated food ) , longer lasting ( they 'll keep for up to a year ) , or contains more nourishment-vitamin- and calorie-wise-than the humble dried bean . And no food that makes a better one-pot camp meal . The only trade-off the bean requires is cooking time , which is usually why most outdoorsmen today leave them behind . Usually beans must be soaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few cups of dried beans into a pail of water before turning in is no great amount of labor ( no more than putting the cat out at night ) . And if that 's too much trouble , there 's a very effective short-cut : parboiling . Just cover the beans with water ( an inch or two deep on top ) , bring them to a roiling boil for about 2 minutes , and then let them stand an hour or so while you go do something more intriguing , like take a nap . The bean is patient : It will wait for you . And as in many other things in life , and particularly in the field , patience brings the greatest rewards . Now , you could pack along canned pork and beans in tomato sauce , or what are labeled baked beans , but they 're faint imitations of the real thing . They are side dishes at best , mere reheated substitutes , not beans as they were originally meant to be-a slow -- cooked , satisfying main course for ravenous outdoorsmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so ; beans absorb the essence of whatever they 're cooked with ( pork , onions , molasses ) yet still impart their own unique flavor . And that flavor varies from bean to bean . The Canadian voyageurs carried dried pea beans ( the smallest of the white beans ) and salt pork and happily ate little else-canoeing all the way from Montreal to Grand Portage and back . Long hunters like Boone packed along the beans that grew best in their small fields-usually black-eyed peas , also called cowpeas , since they were principally used to feed livestock . Cooked with some fatback , however , they made a rib -- sticking meal . Western trappers , overlanders , and cowboys relied on pinto beans ( pink and speckled like trout ) , which took longer to cook than other dried beans but were worth it when cooked with smoked bacon . Although cooking or baking beans takes some time , they require remarkably little trouble . Fortunately , at a deer shack or fish camp , there 's an abundance of time ( when the day 's hunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That 's the perfect time to lay up America 's quintessential campfire meal . If you 're in camp with an oven , it 's practically effortless . But any of the following recipes can be just as easily be made in a Dutch oven covered with coals , a collapsible reflector oven set in front of a woodstove , or even a kettle hung over the flames ( a 3to 4-quart aluminum , stainless -- steel , or cast-iron kettle will work for most of the recipes ) . Try any one of these dishes and you 'll never go back to canned beans again . Photograph Served piping hot , or cold the next day , homemade Boston baked beans put the canned variety to shame ( Turn page for recipe. ) // Hunter 's Bean Pot This is the original pork and beans : a plain , hearty , classic l9th-century camp dish that will easily feed four hungry hunters . It takes just two kettles and a lively bed of coals . You might want to liven up the dish with some greens and douse it with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principally hungry , not picky . Wash and parboil 1 pint of dried marrow beans , the largest of the white beans . You 'll find them at your supermarket ; if labeled " quick-cooking , " they 've already been presoaked , which will speed things up considerably . Put 1 pound of pork-genuine dry -- cured salt pork-into another kettle with enough water to cover it . Bring to a boil and simmer 2 hour . Drain water from the pork and place the beans all around it , add 2 quarts of water and boil steadily for 2 hours . Go smoke your pipe or watch the sunset . When the time 's up , thinly pare 4 large potatoes and press them down among the beans until they 're fully covered . Boil another 1/2 hour . Then ladle out the beans and potatoes and thinly slice the pork on top . Add salt , pepper , and hot sauce to taste . For such a plain dish it 's remarkably flavorful . Boston Baked Beans Baked beans are a different animal entirely from pork and beans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this dish slow-baking will whet appetites all day . And there will likely be enough left over to eat cold the next day ( on bread , slathered with some hot mustard , baked beans make excellent sandwiches ) . Soak 2 cups of dried navy beans overnight . Navy beans.are white beans ( like marrows but smaller ) and so called because they were a staple aboard ship for 300 years . In the morning , just drain , cover with fresh water , bring to a boil , and simmer about 30 minutes . While they 're simmering , dice pound of salt pork ( it 's mostly fat , with a few streaks of lean , but it 's very flavorful ) . Drain the beans , but save the water you cooked them in ( it 's got a flavor of its own ) . Put the beans and salt pork in a kettle , pot , or pan with a lid . Mix 1/2 cup of molasses with 1 cup of the bean water , add a couple teaspoons of dry mustard and some salt and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just enough bean water over the beans to cover them . Photograph Served piping hot , or cold the next day , homemade Boston baked beans put the canned variety to shame ( Turn page for recipe. ) // All this takes a grand total of a half hour . The only thing you have to do is put the covered dish into an oven ( at , say , 325 or 350 degrees ) and go away for 8 hours . If you 're using a Dutch oven , shovel coals onto the lid and do likewise . Whoever 's in camp might want to check it once or twice to see if the water 's baked away : If it has , just pour in some more of the morning 's bean water . You really ca n't overcook them . About an hour before serving , remove the lid and let the beans brown on top . Then dig into some deliciously sweet , aromatic , and wonderfully tender baked beans-as they were intended to be eaten . Bean Soup Camp-style bean soup is soul food . A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stove-will quickly repair the spirit of the coldest , most luckless hunter in camp . It takes surprisingly little time to make and takes only a pot , a skillet , and an hour . Put 1 cup of Great Northern beans ( white beans , between marrows and navy beans in size ) into a pot of water the night before and let them soak . Let them sit all next day , too , if you like . An hour before dinner , drain them , add 2 or 3 cups of fresh water , dice 2 potatoes and 1 onion , and toss them in the pot . In a skillet , dice and fry up 1/2 pound of salt pork until it 's brown , and throw that into the pot , too . Add a dash of salt and pepper and let the mixture boil steadily for about an hour . Then dish it out steaming-it 'll be more like stew than soup-into plates and see how fast it 's gone . Black-Eyed Stew Daniel Boone probably ate something like this , because it 's quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and will feed three or four It can all be done in a big skillet ( Boone probably toted an iron one with fO four legs , called a " spider " ) , but a skillet and pot would be better . This stew makes an excellent breakfast , lunch , or dinner . Boone would have soaked 1 cup of dried blackeyed peas overnight ( the same cowpeas used to fatten his cows and pigs at home ) . In the morning , he would have sliced 8 or 10 pieces of bacon off the smoke-cured haunch in his saddlebag , chopped it up fine , and fried it over the fire . When it was crisp , he would have put the drained beans , a handful of wild onions ( dice up 1 medium store-bought onion today ) , 1 chopped potato , and about 4 cups of spring water into the skillet on top of the bacon and grease . He would have stirred it all together and left it to simmer , covered , on the coals for 1/2h hour . After that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some pepper , wait about 5 minutes , and then call the boys to the fire . The black-eyed peas-combined with the bacon-made a complete , protein-balanced meal . Sopped up with " fire cakes " ( kind of like bannock bread ) or " corn dodgers " ( hard-baked cornmeal biscuits ) , Boone and his hunters would take to the woods well fed . There 's More to Beans Native Americans called beans one of the Three Sisters -- beans , squash , and corn . In addition to the campfire dishes above , you can use them to make a superb succotash . You can just as easily make a classic Cajun dish using red beans and rice and a dash of Tabasco . Or Cuban black beans and rice with shredded onion . Or Spanish rice and beans with green and red peppers . One thing 's certain . The more you know about beans , the more you 'll want to take them along on your next trip in the field . <p> 