Brian McCombie

In 20 years of turkey hunting, I’d never heard or seen so many jakes. Or been so fooled by so many of them. Big, brawny jakes, their gobbles loud and booming like mature toms.

The RM 380 Executive won’t stop a buffalo. Nor was it made for such heavy work. But it is a handy, very portable little handgun, and accurate enough at close range.

The RDS is a solid little red dot, able to handle tough hunting conditions. It will also hold its own during more tactical uses including home defense and competition. You really can’t ask for any more in a red dot optic at any price.

The Raging Hunter is a fine revolver. I hope to use it afield this year to find out just how efficient of a hunter it can be, at what ranges and with which ammunition brands. Reports to follow!

Probably best known in the United States for its workhorse M3500 inertia-driven shotgun, Stoeger Industries jumped into the concealed carry handgun market early in 2019 with the STR-9 pistol.

Next time I am in Texas for a fall or winter deer or hog hunt? I’m bringing along my Remington 870 20-gauge. Grilled Dove Poppers are excellent!

I had the chance to do some testing recently with two new self-defense rounds made by Federal Premium Ammunition: Syntech Defense in 9mm and .45 Auto; and, Train + Protect, also in 9MM and .45 Auto.

2:52 PM, a couple miles west of Brady, Nebraska, and I less than three hours away from a hearty serving of Tag Soup. I was on Day Five of a November 2018 deer hunt in Nebraska’s Lincoln County, and though I’d put in many hours I hadn’t seen a buck of any size—antlers or body.

The Stalker QD proved to be a nice piece of light-weight hunting gear that went on at a moment’s notice to provide the stability I needed for a good, ethical shot.