Sound Off: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Sound Off
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Great Mag!

I love Hunting Illustrated. I like to read hunting adventures and see new guns, bows and ammunition. I think there could be a bit more stuff on guns and ammunition. As I will be a new hunter next year, I would also like to see more material for young teenage hunters. Again, thanks for the great magazine.

Justin Lewis - Layton, Utah

Bowhunting Issue

I received the Mountain Shadow Camo and Hunting Illustrated Magazines the other day and wanted to thank you for sending them. I am gearing up for deer season and look forward to wearing the camo in October. I really enjoyed seeing my story in the magazine and thought the layout looked great! The Bowhunting Issue is full of great stories and information and I hope you continue to put one out annually. Thanks again.

Todd Huddle - McPherson, Kansas

Todd, Thanks for giving us the opportunity to run your great story on your trophy longbow whitetail deer. It’s been a while since we have received this much response to an issue as far as how people have enjoyed it. Our bowhunting issue was a big hit. In addition, the response on the new cover and logo design for Hunting Illustrated have been very positive as well. Most everyone who has commented on the Bowhunting Issue has asked if we will do it again next year. I will have to say it looks like a special Bowhunting Issue each year is going to be part of the norm. Thanks for everyone who helped with that issue and for making it awesome. Look for it again next year come bowhunting time!

Editor

Zumbo Controversy

After reading the feedback and fall-out surrounding Jim Zumbo’s blog concerning the use of military weapons for hunting purposes, I find myself in complete agreement with Zumbo and his initial assessment of these assault weapons. In Hunting Illustrated, Vol. 6, Issue 3 – June/July 2007, ex-army officer Bill G. reinforces (and many hunters would agree) that these weapons are not hunting rifles! I was once given the opportunity to hunt elk on private land. Upon our arrival at the gate, we were interviewed and our weapons were carefully examined. While familiarizing ourselves with the owner’s rules, a vehicle pulled up and two camo-clad individuals, with rolled up balaclavas and assault rifles, emerged. The landowner promptly went over to these men. Within a few minutes these individuals packed up their gear and drove away. The owner later remarked, “That’s all I bloody need, Rambo running around my land.” These few words spoke volumes and impacted me long before reading Zumbo’s comments. Sadly, large companies such as Remington have the power to fire people who do not share their opinion while negating their constitutional right to free speech. This has resulted in a loss of respect for companies that are evidently driven more by their pocketbook than the word of the law. We can use our rights, as consumers, to purchase our products from other companies. The majority of hunters readily agree that the one to five rounds found in a handcrafted rifle are sufficient for a capable hunter to make an ethical kill. There is no need to resort to the mass-produced machines from a factory. It is my observation that Hunting Illustrated has focused upon hunts with bolt action rifles and bows. There were not any photos of assault rifles with banana clips to be found in this issue. This would indicate that the hunters in these photos prefer these weapons to assault rifles.

Horst R. - Saskatchewan, Canada

Fletch Buck Blues

I bought my first copy of Hunting Illustrated the other day (Aug/Sept issue) and it only took sixteen pages for me to be disgusted with your magazine. It only took the first paragraph of the story on page sixteen for me to be disgusted with Jeremy Loveridge. Why would you publish a story like that, with photos like those, about a subject (hunting) that already stirs emotion and controversy? Mr. Loveridge’s hunt should never have started at all with borrowed loads until he checked his rifle’s zero and, if necessary, sighted it in. Mr. Loveridge even acknowledges that he knew his shot might be off! Later in the story, Mr. Loveridge callously hypothesizes that the deer his brother shot in the face with an arrow weeks or months earlier, “Seemed to be walking, eating and functioning perfectly.” That was, of course, before Mr. Loveridge “nicked the top of the buck’s neck” with his rifle and borrowed loads, somehow managing to knock the deer down. Just how does Mr. Loveridge suppose that deer felt living with an arrow in its face? Finally, Mr. Loveridge defends his brother’s action with a bow by saying, “It was a good shot,” he just “had not accounted for the downhill.” What is wrong with this guy? A good shot is one that hits the intended mark on the target, taking all factors into account. Face it, his brother is guilty of making a lousy shot that resulted in a hideous hit. I think Mr. Loveridge and his brother deserve all the crap they get. In all, Mr. Loveridge’s experience may have made for an interesting hunt, but not all of it, including the accompanying photos, made for appropriate reading. There are many graying hunters who have had a bellyful of this in the field and are gradually turning from active participants to passive observers. It won’t take many armchair hunts and photos like this to turn even the “passives” into “anti’s.”

Name Withheld
Suisun, CA

Fastest Bows

In regards to the fastest bow list, I do believe APA bows, specifically the Black Mamba, would top that list by quite a bit.

John – via King’s Blog

John, you are correct and, thanks to some help on the King’s Blog, I have been able to refine the Top Ten Fastest Bows. The Black Mamba from APA Innovations, Inc. and also the Envy from Elite Archery definitely shook up the top ten. Another hunter made a good comment, keeping everyone in check, that fastest doesn’t necessarily mean the best. Art made the following comment:

“Wow, that’s an impressive list. It’s amazing how far bow technology has come. I just wanted to add a friendly reminder to new bowhunters: Don’t get caught up with the feet-per-second competition with your fellow hunters. If you can’t hold your bow back for more than sixty seconds, the speed is not worth it. I made this mistake when I started hunting some fourteen years ago. I missed many opportunities at good bulls because I just couldn’t hold the bow back long enough. I had my poundage cranked up way too high just to try to keep up with my buddies. Big mistake! I now only shoot 270 fps. However, I can hold that baby back and steady for a long, long time. Since then, I have filled tags every year. That’s all I wanted to say. Good luck all! Thanks for your effort compiling this list. It will prove helpful.”

Below I have included the revised Top Ten list. You can see a full extended version of this list of all bows that have speeds of 312 fps and over on our King’s Blog by going to www.KingsOutdoorWorld.com, clicking on Blog and searching for Fastest Bows. If we have missed a bow you think should be there, post a comment and let us continue to improve the list.

Editor

Top Ten Fastest Bows

1. APA Innovations Inc.
Black Mamba X1 - 353
2. Elite Archery
Envy - 342-350
3. PSE
X Force HF - 342-348
4. APA Innovations Inc.
Black Mamba X2 - 340
5. High Country Archery
Iron Mace - 330-340
6. Elite Archery
Synergy - 326-336
7. High Country Archery
Stilletto 380 - 325-335
8. Martin
Slayer - 335
9. Bowtech
Allegiance - 327-335
10. Parker
Frontier 2-Plus - 333

Tags: HI32, Sound off

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