Moose Droppings » Product Review

The Total Outdoorsman Manual by T Edwards Nickens

moose — Wed, 18 May 2011 01:53:59 +0000

T Edwards Nickens first book

Last evening in a venue more often used for Rock Concerts then talks about navigating rocky streams I met T Edwards Nickens. He is currently Editor at Large for Field and Stream magazine and just released his first book The Total Outdoorsman Manual. A book filled with outdoor skills that if you can master will give you a PHD in the great outdoors. Every page is loaded with diagrams, photos, skills and tips to make your next outing a success be it fishing at Lake Raleigh or driving the Dalton road to Prudhoe Bay.

Sample page of how the book is laid out

I didn’t realize that T Edward Nickens lived in Raleigh so I was a bit surprised when I saw the article in the N&O announcing his Monday Evening presentation at the club Kings in downtown Raleigh. The crowd of about 200 people squeezed in to hear the stories and photos of a life full of hunting and fishing all over the world. Photos of giant brook trout caught in Canada where few have ever ventured as well as stories about hunting with his children in Johnston County.
The evening went by way to fast and like the campfire at the hunt camp you hate to end it because there is always one more story to tell and one skill tidbit to pass on but you know you must end. After the presentation I got to pick up my own copy of his book and he graciously signed it for me. I haven’t completely read it yet but I can tell you it will become an important reference tool for me. I’m sure no matter your outdoor abilities you’ll find things in this book that will help you in your outdoor pursuits.

T. Edwards Nickens signing books at Kings in Raleigh

Checking Out the Zero

moose — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:40:34 +0000

At 40yards.....she'll do

Prior to going to the woods or field in pursuit of turkeys you should check the pattern of your gun, At 40 yards this is a deadly spread of number 6 shot. In the woods it is unlikely I’d even be tempted to take a shot over 40 yards. In the fields I often use decoys and they help me make sure I stay with 40 yards being the max range.

I used a new choke tube, Primos Tightwad and shot both Remington and Federal turkey loads the Remington’s seemed to have a slightly better pattern in my Mossberg 935.

Picked up My Euro Mount From Rac Plaques at the Classic

moose — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 04:40:17 +0000

Rac Plaques

During the 2009 muzzle loader season I shot a buck chasing a doe by my stand rolling him. He then proceeded to stand up and walk away after two days of searching I couldn’t find him. Jump ahead to the 2010 turkey season and I stumble across the remains of the buck while turkey hunting.

Buck skull as it was on the day I found it

While to some hunters this would be a scrub buck and they might just move on to me it was a trophy. I wanted to do something special with it so I contacted Mason & Harold Dorsett with Rac Plaques to get a euro mount done. Harold worked on the skull cleaning it and staining the antlers that had been bleached out by the sun. Of course they then mounted it for me on a Rac Plaque, it turned out excellent with the antlers looking like they did on that day in November in 2009.
Euro Mounts are a great way to display a trophy and the Plaques the Dorsett’s make really show your trophy off.

My euro mount

I’m glad my euro mount was ready when I stopped by their booth at the Dixie Deer Classic. So that is one of the stories from the Classic this past weekend and I’ll link the Dorsett’s with my next story when I talk about B&C bear that they mounted. So check back for that story soon.

6th Annual Tundra Swan Hunt a Huge Success

moose — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:08:09 +0000

My 5th Swan on the 6th Annual Hunt (didn't get a permit one year)

The Annual Swan hunt was a spectacular success with us filling our 8 tags in rather short order. This was our 6th time we have gathered at Conman’s to enjoy the hunt. While the group of hunters may change slightly from year to year depending on who drew a tundra swan tag or other commitments we are all friends who have for the most part met each other on the net. Many of these individuals have become like family to me so it is great the few times a year we gather together and visit.

Darlene on one of our annual swan hunts

This hunt has become known as the Darleen Memorial Hunt in honor of our good friend who was taken from us suddenly a few years back. I know I’m not the only one out there that takes a glimpse at the rising sun as we scramble to put the decoys out and thinks this would have been a day she would have loved to be in a muddy ditch with us.

Sun rise over decoys

We hadn’t even finished putting out the decoys when the first swan buzzed over us. We quickly finished the task and climbed into the blind erected along the fields ditch bank. Glad to have my waders on with my feet sinking into the mud at the bottom of the ditch and I could sit on the muddy side of the ditch without getting my butt soaked.

The field near the road the wheat is thick and nice

The wheat field we were hunting was obviously getting hit hard by the hungry birds and the farmers could not be happy with the damages they were causing. The wheat near the farm road where we parked our trucks was almost as thick as a manicured lawn but once you got out into the field there was far more dirt visible then wheat as the birds had pulled up lots of it to fill there bellies.

wheat is sparse where we set up decoys the swans have been eating well

Tundra Swan winter in North Carolina and then migrates back to the Alaskan Tundra to raise their young in the spring and summer. North Carolina is one of the few places where there is a tundra swan season. People often ask me why we would want to hunt swans and do you actually eat them? Swan is excellent table fare similar to goose and a natural resource. Money raised off the sales of licenses, tags, and stamps help fund habitat protection and restoration which benefits many species not just waterfowl. Depredation of farmers’ crops by a number of species often times leads to the farmers culling many of those critters and they go to waste.

Birds flying over the blind they will circle a number of times before attempting to land

Hunting is the best way to control wildlife populations while making sure there are still animals around for everyone to enjoy. I know in the bygone days with market hunting many species were hunted completely out. The vast majorities of hunters these days do it for recreation as well as for the organic meat and would not want to do anything to damage the population. Many hunters are part of conservation groups that purchase critical habitat and make improvements to land to help wildlife.

I finally got a chance to shoot the Remington Hyper Sonic Steel after a few bad luck hunts for geese where I never even got a chance to shoot. On the swan I typically use either T or BBB but I had the Hyper Sonic Steel in BB so I used it. The shot I got was a 20 yard shot about 8ft off the ground moving from my right to left. The shot as you can see delivered a deadly load crushing the swan in flight. I was extremely please with its performance. I’m still anxious to get it out on some geese but with the season winding down it might have to wait till next year. This has been a miserable goose season for me but that’s another whole story for another day.

Remington HyperSonic Steel slammed this tundra swan. This is a great product

How to Go Tundra Swan Hunting

Every year NCWRC holds a lottery to award 5,000 Tundra Swan Permits look for the information on getting into next year’s lottery in the 2011 / 2012 Permit Hunting Booklet available at their website.
Once you get the permit I’d suggest you go with a guide service because land access as well as decoys could be rather expensive. I’d recommend Conman’s on Lake Phelps .

Ram Outdoorsman A Pretty Impressive Truck For Those Who Love the Outdoors

moose — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 04:13:13 +0000

Ram Outdoorsman seemed right at home on Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Just before Christmas I completed an extended test drive of the 2011 Ram Outdoorsman. This was not your typical test drive where you drive the vehicle around the block and kick the tires. I had this truck for two weeks and I parked my F250. I’m a Ford man all the way having driven Ford Pickups for many years so Ram was going to have an uphill climb because of my Ford bias. They seemed up for the challenge when we talked early on in the process of setting it up and considering the timing would place their truck in the middle of hunting season the Outdoorsman was going to be put through its paces. Ram has built the Outdoorsman specifically for those who play hard outdoors, hunting and fishing all day, and that certainly describes me so let’s see how the test drive went.
Hunting season puts a lot of demand on my truck because I may be on the highway heading somewhere to hunt or using the 4WD in the back country while hunting. I carry a lot of equipment and occasionally a few other hunters as I hit the road.

Ram Box is one of a number of places in the truck to stow items

The Outdoorsman was great when it came to having space and places to organize it. The Outdoorsman is loaded with places to put stuff and not impact the interior cab; the “Ram Box” is roomy lockable space where you can carry guns, equipment, or use it as a cooler. (it has drain plugs) There is also a number of compartments built into the interior that will hold a lot of stuff and not be in the way of the passengers.
The cab of the truck had all the creature comforts people have come to expect making it as good as a luxury car with satellite radio, cd, dvd (only in park), stereo system, power seats, power mirrors, you name it they had it. The ride was very comfortable one of my favorite features was the backup camera. Now that I’m back in my F250 I wonder how I get along without the backup camera.
On the road with the Ram Outdoorsman was wonderful, a smooth ride with plenty of get up and go. The 5.7 Hemi engine delivered the power while the Outdoorsman got better gas mileage then my Ford. I didn’t take it on any cross country trip but the larger gas tank would be a benefit if I had. What really surprised me was how spacious the cab of the Outdoorsman was I figured it be closer to the F150 but this truck had space that was comparable with my F250. Now I don’t often wear a cowboy hat but if I decided too I’m certain it wouldn’t be an issue in the Outdoorsman. I’m climbed up into the backseat with the front seat set back for my driving position and I was surprised at the leg room. I’m confident that the cab can comfortable seat 4 adults for a road trip.

Crew Cab and 4wd the Ram Outdoorsman will get you and your friends into the wilds

Off road the Ram Outdoorsman handled flawlessly I drove it through mud at Pungo, through sand at the outer banks, and through snow and ice in the piedmont of North Carolina. I took the Ram Outdoorsman the same places I take my truck. I’m not a big off roader but I do want to be able to get to the places I want to go.
My overall impression of the Ram Outdoorsman is this is a great truck. There was a couple of things I’d say that were a less than satisfying one being the bed is a bit on the small size. A hunter looking to carry a dog box, an ATV, or even a number of large coolers and equipment might find the bed a bit tight. If you have a trailer it shouldn’t be a concern or you could just get a larger model Ram.
The other issue I had involved the Ram Box the side lockable compartments. I overall loved this feature especially on grocery day. It was refreshing to arrive home with my groceries all in the same place and still in the bags something that rarely happens with my current truck. While the truck I drove didn’t have the gun rack attachments I really think that is a cool feature. I like the idea of having the gun secured in a rack for travel plus unlike a window rack it doesn’t advertise to others you have a nice rifle sitting there. I was pretty impressed on this feature until a small glitch on the last day. After a couple of weeks running the truck through mud, blood and dust I took it to the car wash. After running it through the high pressure wash I found small amounts of water inside the Ram Box. Could be nothing but I’d hate to see a nice rifle or other equipment get wet. The amount of water was small but still a bit concerning. The angle of the spray is likely the reason because I had the truck out in days of rain and there was no issue with rain getting in.

"Wintery Mix" leads to an icy slippery drive across dam to get to hunting area. Ram performed flawlessly for me in these conditions

I really enjoyed the Ram Outdoorsman test drive and I want to thank the fine folks at Ram for making this happen. I also want to thank them for providing the prizes for the contest we ran while I was doing the test drive. One of the last days I had the truck one of my hunting buddies asked me “Which truck are you sending back?” I laughed and told him that wasn’t part of the deal but he pressed and said” just suppose would they find a Ford when they opened the trailer? “ I laughed again and said I’m glad I didn’t have to answer that question.

Overall the Ram Outdoorsman is a pretty impressive truck that clearly is loaded with features that will impress any outdoor lover. This truck will be at home in the city, the country, or out in the wilds dragging in a deer or a brace of rabbits.

Ram Outdoorsman Test Drive Comes to an End

moose — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 04:17:08 +0000

Here is me with the Ram Outdoorsman I was test driving

The two week test drive of the Ram Outdoorsman has seemed to have flown by. Yesterday afternoon it was picked up and now I’m working on a detail report for my readers about my experience and thoughts about the truck. Although my test drive is over there is still some time for you to enter the contest to win some great prizes. I’ll be drawing names soon so don’t delay on entering.

Key word for today is “Merry Christmas” because these prizes will make someone’s Christmas a bit merrier.

Ice Storm Throws Kink Into Mountain Trip

moose — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:22:07 +0000

SUV on side after wrecking on icy roads WRAL

Today I had planned to take the Ram Outdoorsman to the western part of the state for a few days. My favorite place to go in North Carolina is Cataloochee Valley inside the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and I was so looking forward to doing some wildlife photography and touring around. Well if you’ve watched the news any we are socked in with the first storm of the season we got about a ¼ inch of snow before it switched over to sleet and freezing rain. The roads are a mess here and while snow is not too big an issue the ice is an entirely different one. WRAL
Just the trek into the office this morning was like an obstacle course with cars and trucks littered all over the place after losing traction and sliding into each other and other objects. The Ram Outdoorsman handled great not the least bit of a problem. Yesterday in anticipation of this storm and still planning on making the trip west I put about 300 lbs of sandbags in the bed of the truck to help weigh down the backend. I normally do that with my truck so I just went ahead and did it with the Ram Outdoorsman.
While I’m confident that the truck could make the trip and get me there safely some of the other people on the road are what concerns me. I don’t need to make the trip so I guess I’ll heed the NC Highway Patrol warning and not make any unnecessary trips. I was going to have to head back home on Saturday anyways and the weather folks are predicting another winter storm for Saturday too. So I guess we’ll do some things closer to home the next few days I went into work today but I’m going to take tomorrow off to play.
There is still time to enter the contest follow the link for the details. The key words for today are “Wintery Mix”.

4 Wheeling with the Ram Outdoorsman

moose — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 04:16:07 +0000

Driving Ram Outdoorsman on the Outer Banks

I’ve driven about 100 miles in 4 wheel drive with the Ram Outdoorsman and it handles pretty well. Now I’m not a serious 4 wheeler but I like to be able to get to the places I want to be. I’ve driven over mud, sand and gravel with no issues. These were all situations I tackle with my own truck in hunting or photography outings. If the weather people are right I may get a chance to check out the Ram Outdoorsman in the snow. I believe like my own truck I’ll add some weight to the backend so I’m ready for snow on Thursday Morning.
Still time to enter the contest follow the link to see how to enter. Today’s key word is “Snow”

On The Road With The Ram Outdoorsman

moose — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 10:00:35 +0000

Moose with Ram Outdoorsman deer hunting in Washington County NC

I left home Thursday eve and headed east to Washington County NC to do some deer hunting. The Ram Outdoorsman has been rather impressive so far. I’ve had some limited internet connections but hopefully latter today or tomorrow I can update you on what all is going on. Right now I’ve got to hit the woods. The key words for today is “Deer Hunting” thanks and good luck.

First Day With The Ram Outdoorsman

moose — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 04:51:14 +0000

In the daylight the Outdoorsman is a sharp looking truck. I spent my available time today trying to learn about the truck and all the features. My attempt to get it started this morning was humorous seeing where the end of the key fob is inserted into the ignition to start the truck and not the key. It took me a few minutes to figure that out.
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful with the Ram Outdoorsman. It handled city travel pretty well the backup camera is a neat feature. I did take some photos of the truck before the sun set this evening so you can see for yourself how sharp it is.

Sharp looking truck

Start with the Key Fob and not the key

Dashboard layout

Ram Box feature will fit long guns, fishing poles or a number of other items for your next outdoor adventure

I’m still looking for suggestions on where to take it across the state, outerbanks and the mountains remain as the top two suggested places to go. Don’t forget about the contest, drop me an email at winwithmoose@gmail.com with the daily key word one entry per day. The keyword for today is “Ram Outdoorsman” .