I recently purchased a new pair of upland boots from Cabela’s, the new Cabela’s 400 Gram Ultralight Hunter Boots by Meindl. Right now the boots are brand new in the box, and I have made the mistake of not breaking in a boot before a hunt – once.

Breaking in new hunting boots is key to comfort and a long day in the field. There are several things I do PRIOR to the season to make sure my feet and boots won’t let me down:

• Initially wear them for short periods of time around the house and office (key, it is very difficult to return used dirty boots)
• Wear them with my hunting socks
• They may be a little stiff at first, if this does not subside you may need to get a different size
• Gradually increase the duration of time and distance you wear your boots on dog walks and during yard work
• As soon as I notice a small pain I, take the boots off for a bit and take it slow as small problems can quickly lead to larger ones.

The key here is to TAKE YOUR TIME when you break in your new boots and they should give you years of service.

These are just a few tips. Do any of you shooters have tips on what works for you when breaking in boots?

The Pheasant Fest blog is written by Brad Heidel, Pheasants Forever’s Director of Corporate and Special Event Sales. Look for Brad’s column, “The Gun Shop,” in the Pheasants Forever Journal.

New for 2011, Prairie Storm® FS Steel®. Look for the PF logo, as each box sold supports Pheasants Forever.

Federal Premium has unveiled its new upland load for 2011, Prairie Storm® FS Steel®. Federal’s Black Cloud waterfowl loads, which employ similar technology, have been on the market for a few years, and I know many uplanders who, especially on combo hunts, have used Black Cloud loads for pheasants. So how do they differ?

First, let’s look at the similarities. Both Black Cloud and Prairie Strom Steel have Premium Steel round pellets and FLITESTOPPER pellets. The FLITESTOPPER pellets have sharp, Saturn-like rings around them that really wreak some havoc and create a killing wound channel. Both also contain the FLITECONTROL wad, which is designed to hold the shot and release it at various determined distances to produce a more consistent pattern.

Now, the differences. First is the ratio of Premium Steel vs. FLITESTOPPER pellets. Black Cloud has a 60/40 mix, with 40 percent being FLITESTOPPER pellets. The FLITESTOPPER pellets actually fly different than your standard round pellets to give duck hunters greater killing power at longer ranges. The Prairie Storm Steel loads have a 50/50 mix of the two pellet types. This is due to the fact that shots at a flushing rooster are typically closer, giving you a denser pattern at rooster range!

Next, the FLITECONTROL wad. This really is the magic of the Black Cloud and Prairie Storm loads. There is a crazy rear braking effect which holds the pellets for a controlled release, giving you a specific pattern for the birds you are after. Federal Premium engineered the cuts in the wad to adjust the distance at which the cup will release the pellet load. With the Black Cloud loads the wad will hold the load out to around 15 feet before falling off, giving you a denser pattern at the longer ranges. With the Prairie Storm Steel loads the FLITECONTROL wad will drop off between 7 and 10 feet allowing the pattern to open up more at closer rooster ranges. Pretty cool stuff.

Now if you’re also a duck hunter, like me (and 40 percent of Pheasants Forever members), your mind starts to wander to decoying mallards or a hunt in green timber where your shots become closer – you may want to try the Prairie Storm Steel for those tight ducks! Wow, I may have given the folks at Federal a million dollar idea…and remember, a portion of the proceeds from each box of Prairie Storm Steel sold go directly to Pheasants Forever’s conservation efforts. Again, pretty cool stuff.

The Pheasant Fest blog is written by Brad Heidel, Pheasants Forever’s Director of Corporate and Special Event Sales. Look for Brad’s column, “The Gun Shop,” in the Pheasants Forever Journal.

Cabela’s also feels the Citori embodies classic tradition with style and speed, so much so that they have worked with Browning to develop the Cabela’s 50^th Anniversary shotgun. They started with the Citori Superlight Feather 12 gauge as the base to start with and customized from there. The base model comes with a straight English stock and a lightweight alloy receiver. Both keep the weight down while making the gun extremely fast handling, always a bonus on a rocketing rooster! That said, you could not just throw some engraving on this and call it special or a collector piece.

The Cabela's 50th Anniversary edition Browning Citori Superlight Feather

What makes this Citori different from the standard Superlight? The first thing you will notice is the beautiful wood used in the stock and the forearm. This Citori has stepped up to a Grade VII wood. For the barrels they also kicked it up a notch by adding 2” to the barrels, which I felt really gave this Superlight a smooth swing. The weight not only makes this Citori quick but also a dream to carry for a full day in the field.  The upgrade in the wood and longer barrels makes this a truly unique Citori. But they did not stop there. The Cabela’s 50^th Anniversary logo is also engraved on the bottom of the receiver, giving this gun an extra touch of class without making it gaudy. Top that off with a very limited production run of only 200 and you have a true collectable firearm.

This gun is one that you would be proud to own. With a price tag at $2999 – only $600 above MSRP of a standard Citori Superlight Feather – you have the choice to hide it in the safe or, better yet, get out on a bright fall day and bag yourself a couple roosters. It looks like I may have to save a few more tips, or go back to school…

The Pheasant Fest blog is written by Brad Heidel, Pheasants Forever’s Director of Corporate and Special Event Sales. Look for Brad’s column, “The Gun Shop,” in the Pheasants Forever Journal.

Browning Maxus

The Browning Maxus reminds me a lot of that gun. It is a hunter’s gun – only better. The Maxus incorporates several new technologies and creates a gun with 18% less felt recoil, 44% less muzzle jump, 19% faster bolt speed, and 24% faster lock time according to Browning experts. What does this all mean to the hunter? It means greater comfort, faster target acquisition on quicker follow up shots.

Many of us only own one shotgun. Many of us hunt a lot – one day ducks, the next pheasants, maybe some quail or doves, and turkeys in the spring. The Maxus is that versatile “one gun.” The Browning Power Drive gas system technology makes that all possible. Its research and testing resulted in a new enclosed seal gas system that will reliably handle the light loads and the biggest turkey and goose loads. The Inflex Technology recoil pad is there to tame those loads.

All the modern technology that Browning has incorporated in the Maxus is great, but how does it HUNT? I recently carried the Maxus on an early season Canada goose hunt to find out.  The first thing I enjoyed, after taking a pair of geese from the first flock to work decoys, was the Speed Load system that Browning has used for years. It takes the first shell loaded into the magazine right to chamber.

However, I wish it had a fiber optic bead on the barrel. High visibility beads work great for low light conditions in the morning or evening. They are also great for turkey hunting because they really help with aiming when not using a red dot or scope.

That being said, I truly enjoyed shooting the Maxus on this hunt. Shooting Federal’s Black Cloud 3” goose loads in shirt sleeves was very comfortable with the gun, and deadly. I left the field with a smile on my face and reminisced about years past and that old hump back A-5.

The Pheasant Fest blog is written by Brad Heidel, Pheasants Forever’s Director of Corporate and Special Event Sales. Look for Brad’s column, “The Gun Shop,” in the Pheasants Forever Journal.

National Pheasant Fest 2011 will introduce Shafer's Nebraska Pheasant Hunting Almanac.

The ring-necked pheasant was introduced to Nebraska in 1911. A new book, Shafer’s Nebraska Pheasant Hunting Almanac, celebrates this “Pheasantennial” year, and will debut at National Pheasant Fest 2011.

Author Lonnie Shafer of Exeter, Nebraska. has hunted pheasants in the state since 1956. Shafer grew up in southeast Nebraska-quail country. In order to hunt pheasants, he, his father, his brother and other hunting friends would head for Nuckolls County on opening day, a three-hour drive from home. “It was those trips that have made me a lifelong pheasant hunter,” Shafer writes. “Dad loved quail hunting and dining on quail. I fell for the ring-necked pheasant…”

Shafer’s Nebraska Pheasant Hunting Almanac marks the Pheasantennial this year, the 100th anniversary of ring-necked pheasants in Nebraska, with a 294-page volume of collected information-historical data, facts, statistics, hunting tips, quotes, photos-compiled by Shafer over the years, including charts for each of Nebraska’s pheasant hunting season from 1927 through the latest season in 2010 and a section devoted to young hunters. It even includes a few recipes.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Pheasants Forever both helped to bring the almanac to publication through the advice and assistance of staff and permission to use photos and other material in the book.

Shafer will be on hand to sell and sign copies of the almanac at National Pheasant Fest 2011, Jan. 28-30, at the Qwest Center in Omaha.

The Pheasant Fest Blog is written by Brad Heidel, Pheasants Forever’s Director of Special Event Sales

National Pheasant Fest is the nation's biggest event for pheasant hunters.

It ain’t over ’till it’s over, and pheasant hunting in Nebraska definitely is not over. For those of you thinking about mixing in some pheasant hunting during your trip to “The Good Life” in Nebraska for National Pheasant Fest 2011, or mixing in some Pheasant Fest with your late season Nebraska pheasant hunting trip, here are a few good-to-knows.

• Nebraska’s 2011 licenses are now available. Nebraska’s annual hunt permit is valid for the entire calendar year, which means once purchased, it’s good this January, and then next pheasant hunting season for October, November and December.
• Nebraska’s pheasant hunting season runs through Monday, January 31st, 2011, meaning you could extend your Pheasant Fest weekend (Jan. 28-30) to wrap up with a day of hunting.
• At Pheasant Fest, youth age 15 and under can enter in a drawing for Nebraska Game and Parks half price lifetime permits. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will draw for 20 half price youth lifetime permits at National Pheasant Fest. If drawn, youth can get a lifetime permit at half the cost, with the other half courtesy of the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation. Drawing options include lifetime hunting, fishing and combination hunt/fish permits, as well as lifetime habitat and Nebraska migratory waterfowl stamps. Each winner may choose one permit or stamp. Drawing forms can only be filled out in person at the event. Anyone may enter a youth in the drawing.
• Scott Linden from Wingshooting USA will bring back his popular “Bird Hunting Boot Camp” seminar to the Cabela’s Hunter Help stage for all three days of National Pheasant Fest.
• And of course, from A (Ammunition) to Z (well, at least “Y” for Yellow Lab), if it relates to pheasant hunting, it’ll be at Pheasant Fest.

The Pheasant Fest Blog is written by Brad Heidel, Pheasants Forever’s Director of Special Event Sales

A step-by-step HOW TO for preparing your trophy pheasant for taxidermy

Hey all, my hay fever has kicked into high gear – YES! I always look forward to this time of year because with the sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and snotty nose comes HUNTING SEASON.

This year I hope to bag that trophy pheasant with the hopes of having it professionally mounted for display in my office. Maybe two and get a neat “in the bag” display for the wall.

Putting the cart before the horse, I contacted one of our exhibitors who will be at National Pheasant Fest in Omaha, NE this year, January 28-30, 2011. Steve Evers of Wildlife Creations Taxidermy in Omaha was able to provide me with some great tips to ensure that my birds are in the best condition for him to perform his magic. www.wildlifecreations.com/FieldPrep.html

Here are some tips for hunters wanting to mount one of their pheasants.

- Inspect the bird to be sure it is suitable for mounting. Check wings, head, and body for areas missing feathers from either being shot or from a dog’s retrieve. Taxidermists are not magicians, the better condition the bird is in, the better the finished mount.

- Keep some plastic bread wrappers in your game bag. When you shoot a bird you want mounted, slip it in a plastic bread wrapper. This will keep it from getting roughed up in your game bag until you get back to your vehicle.

- On warm days, keep a cooler with ice at your vehicle. When you finish your hunt, put the bird in the cooler as soon as possible. Take care to keep the bird dry as well. Two things will promote bacteria growth and spoil your bird 1) Heat and 2) Moisture. You may want to re-bag your bird with a larger trash bag before putting it in the cooler. Also, there is no need to dress “gut” your bird. Many taxidermists will not accept a bird if it has been dressed. Hunters need to make the decision of either eating the bird or mounting the bird, but not both.

When you get home, you will need to freeze the bird solid until you can get it to a taxidermist.
Tuck the head of the bird under one of its wings to protect it while in the freezer. Steve has seen many birds come in with the head broke off because something was set on top of it in the freezer. Also take care not to damage the tail. ALWAYS use plastic to wrap your birds, NEVER paper. Today’s freezers are frost free. You need a plastic barrier between your bird and the freezer to prevent freezer burn. Paper will actually act as a wick and suck the moisture out of your bird which promotes freezer burn. Birds with freezer burn are most times un-mountable. There is no need to use women’s stockings to keep the feathers straight.

The taxidermist most times will examine the bird and make suggestions on how best to mount the bird. A little care in the field can insure that the finished mount is one you can display and enjoy for years to come.

Good luck to you all in the field this fall in your own quest for that trophy!

Brad Heidel
Pheasants Forever

The 12 Gauge Beretta Xplor was one of the new shotguns tested in Omaha last month.

On May 13, the Pheasant Fest crew headed to Omaha.  We were joined by 30 other Pheasants Forever members for PF’s annual new shotgun test event.   We shot 17 new guns on a beautiful sunny (and yes windy) day just outside of Omaha at Werner Valley Shooting Complex on the banks of the Platte River.

First off, I have never shot at a more beautiful facility in my life. The lodge, sporting clays, and 5-stand were state-of-the-art with a leather-appointed indoor range to top it off.

We shot several new models and some slightly older models with upgrades. We shot guns from Beretta, Benelli, Remington, Winchester, Browning, Connecticut Shotgun, CZ, Stoeger, Ithaca, Weatherby, Fausti USA, Verona, Franchi, Ugartechea, Parker, and an optic from Burris. We also took full advantage of the beautiful indoor range and shot a DPMS Panther 5.56 and Kimber .45.

All of the guns performed great; however, there were two that when all was said and done, people wanted to shoot more. The first was the Benelli Legacy 28 Gauge, while the second most popular was the gun with the mounted Burris Speed Bead.

After the shoot, we all adjourned to the lodge to discuss the guns and talk about National Pheasant Fest coming to Omaha next January 28, 29, and 30 in 2011.

To learn more about all these fine guns look for your Pheasants Forever Fall Magazine for my article giving you the specifics!

Join PF on Sunday at Pheasant Fest, and take home a little extra.

Gift cards will be added to Sunday membership packages at the 2010 National Pheasant Fest!

I am very excited to announce that Rick Smith is part of our Bird Dog Bonanza Stage this year, brought to you by SportDog Brand, Rick Smith believes everyone is capable of training their own bird dog. He has dedicated himself to helping people achieve their goal by refining the system his father, Delmar Smith, started decades ago. With Rick’s updated methods the Silent Command System was created. Drawing on generations of family background in bird dog training, Rick has trained thousands of dog owners world wide. They believe in a strong foundation of basics which are covered in the original and highly popular Foundation Seminar. This builds on the language and instincts our dogs already have and teaches dog owners how to understand the way dogs think and react without bringing human emotions into the training process.

Be sure to come to one of Rick’s seminars this year on the Bird Dog Bonanza Stage and meet him in person at the SportDog booth. You don’t want to miss this!

Many other new great things to talk to you all about soon.

Take care,

The Fester