ShopPosts Tagged ‘Black Cloud’
What Makes Prairie Storm Steel Different From Black Cloud?
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
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.
Universally, Unequivocally the Best Day to Hunt Pheasants Is…
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
Will you be taking aim at pheasants and platters on T-Day?
C’mon, this side of your state’s pheasant hunting opener, does it get any better than hunting those Aves rainbows on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday (provided you have it off)?
Here’s my Top 10 why these days tie as annually the best days to “carve” out a few hours afield between rides on the gravy boat.
10. Turkey Day. Hunt pheasants in the morning – it is a harvest celebration after all – eat like an Olympic athlete at the training table readying for Rio 2016 in the afternoon. If you have any shred of portion control, it can work the other way around…but that’s a big “if.”
9. Black Cloud Friday. Your competition for hunting spots has instantly been cut by 80 million people.
8. Pardon a Bird. If you miss a rooster, don’t feel bad. Rather, feel presidential in the fact that you too have executive abilities.
7. Be Your Own Parade. Watch people watching helium filled balloons on TV, or climb your own altitude pheasant hunting…hmmm?
6. Motor City Kitties. Speaking of televised events, pheasant hunting seems like a far more productive endeavor when compared to watching the Detroit Lions play football.
5. Walk it Off. Back to the feast. Depending on the source, the average Thanksgiving meal checks in between 3,000 and 6,000 calories. Breaking News: you’ll burn more walking shotgun in tow than you will napping.
4. Shoot On, Einstein. It’s midseason. Theoretically, you should be in midseason form. Only one way to prove a theory…
3. Make a Wish. Go Martha Stewart with your morning bounty. Add pheasant to the menu. Perform the “lucky break” on a pheasant wishbone this year. And the long tail feathers of a rooster accentuate an autumnal cornucopia very nicely. It’s a good thing.
2. Opportunity Knocks. Off day? Hunt every chance you get.
1. Create New Tradition. Dateline: Thanksgiving Day 2006. Just me and Dad’s shorthair, Nicky, on a walk along the Lac qui Parle River at the family farm. The Nickster pointed two roosters, two birds in the vest – a limit. Then he pointed two more for good measure on the walk back. Dad snapped a few photos at the farmyard, and it felt like my first hunt all over again. I hope it feels like that again this weekend.
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Public Relations Specialist
Federal Premium’s New Black Cloud Snow Goose Ammo
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
Since I’m just waiting on a phone call from my brother to boogie out of the city, my mind is one tracking it on light geese today. For those of you also considering chasing these wary birds this spring and later during the fall, Federal Premium Black Cloud ammunition has new loads designed especially for you.
Black Cloud Snow Goose loads feature the same proven FLITECONTROL Wad and FLITESTOPPER® (FS) Steel to hit geese at longer ranges. The new 1-1/8 ounce, 3″ 12-gauge (#2 and BB) loads feature a muzzle velocity of 1635 fps for added effective range. These Snow Goose loads are available in stores now. Federal Premium’s new Prairie Storm pheasant loads utilize this same Black Cloud technology, so it’s a great way to get acquainted until Prairie Storm is available this summer.
Free Tees, Dr. Death and Other Pheasant Fest Happenings
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Pheasants Forever’s Bob St.Pierre has a hard to top must-see list for this weekend’s National Pheasant Fest. So do I. While I likely won’t get to do them all (I am working, ya know), here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish at the show.
"Storm Reports" - videos from Pheasant Fest - coming to the Pheasant Blog this weekend.
- Storm Reports – We’ll be posting video “Storm Reports” all weekend long from National Pheasant Fest, brought to you by Federal Premium Ammunition, the Official Ammunition of Pheasants Forever and makers of the all-new Prairie Storm pheasant loads (available summer 2010). “Storm Reports” will be posted here at the Pheasant Blog and also at Pheasants Forever’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pheasantsforever).
- Predators Rx – Don’t bring your pet coyote in for a checkup. The Coyote Doctors (think Kevorkian, not House) will be giving presentations on calling these wily predators. A pastime I’m just getting into; and I need a professional diagnosis.
- Classic Guns Rock – Parker Gun Collectors Association, at booth #642 and also a pair of seminar presentations, will be profiling classic American double guns. And I like looking at guns.
- Remington, Benelli, Beretta, Browning/Winchester, DPMS, booths etc. – Did I mention I like looking at guns?
- Free T-Shirt – Word on the street is that you can check out the new Prairie Storm pheasant load at Federal Premium booth #625 and pick up a free t-shirt to boot (limit of 1,000). But you didn’t hear that from me…
- Makin’ Acres – Since my parents will be taking in the event this year, I’d like to go through the Landowner Habitat Help Room with my dad and see where we could add a few acres of habitat on the family farm.
- Snows & Toms – If you’re like me and the spring snow geese & tom turkey dates are coming up fast on the calendar, snooping around for some deals on the show floor might not be a bad idea. Maybe back to the Federal Premium booth for a look at the Black Could Snow Goose load. And maybe a visit with an outfitter or two.
- National Pheasant Fest 2010 Banquet – At Pheasants Forever’s 25th Anniversary in Saint Paul, I took in the evening banquet with my parents and Pheasants Forever colleagues Bob St.Pierre and Mike Traxinger. Now a law student at Drake, “Trax” will be back volunteering for “The Habitat Organization” this weekend. Could be déjà vu all over again. I wonder if Yogi will be in attendance????
Get a Load of Federal’s “Prairie Storm”
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Ryan Bronson, Conservation Specialist with Federal Premium Ammunition, left, and Howard Vincent, President and CEO of Pheasants Forever, at the premiere of "Prairie Storm" Pheasants Forever loads.
The biggest news for pheasant hunters to come out of this week’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas is the unveiling of Federal Premium Ammunition’s “Prairie Storm” Pheasants Forever shotshell loads.
What will make these loads so attractive to pheasant hunters is they utilize the same technology that makes Federal Premium Ammunition’s “Black Cloud” loads the number one choice for waterfowlers.
Even better, the Pheasants Forever-logoed “Prairie Storm” loads will function like the on-the-box-royalty program that Federal and “The Habitat Organization” have had in place in recent years. Every box of “Prairie Storm” sold will help Pheasants Forever’s wildlife habitat conservation efforts.
PF Bloggers
PF Press Releases- QF Press Releases
