January 2008 Newsletter

• Kicking Off 2008



• Marc Watts Making a Difference



• Jim Shockey Heads to Cameroon



• Tips and Tactics



• Video Reviews

Tips and Tactics

Skinning a Javelina
So you've been successful on your first javelina hunt. The javelina is down, you've taken the trophy pictures, now what?

The first thing you'll notice about a javelina, once you get close, is their odor. They smell a lot like a skunk although not quite as strong. They have a gland on the center of their back and after the first time you smell the odor, you won't need to see him to know your close to a javelina.

To begin the cleaning process, hang the javelina by his back leg or legs and skin him from the legs down. Be extremely careful not to touch the gland or the hair around it. The secretion from the gland will ruin the meat, so carefully skin down the javelina and remove the hide down to the head, keeping it from touching any of the meat.

If you plan to have him mounted, skin the legs to the knee joint and cut the bone leaving the skin on below that point. Cut the head off at the highest vertebra and leave the skull for your taxidermist to skin as well.

The New Hunting Clothing
For those of you still using cotton hunting clothing, it's time you visited your favorite hunting store.

Hunting clothing has come a long way in the last couple years, probably more than any other aspect of the sport. Unless your headed to Africa, the new synthetics are the only way to go.

Getting your clothing wet, whether through sweat, rain or snow, can make you miserable for the rest of the trip. The latest fabrics move moisture away from the skin, keeping you warmer and more comfortable in all situations. They are lighter, more comfortable, and dry in a hurry so check them out. They'll keep your temperature more constant and are well worth the cost to update your camouflage.

Video Review

The Hunt Noth'n But Elk by Reel Outdoor Productions

In it's first season Reel Outdoor Productions was the winner of the "Best Big Game Series" on the Sportsmens Channel. This video is based on that first season with tons of hunting action and highlights for you elk hunters.

By now most folks know that Utah has equaled Arizona with huge bull elk. The number of 350"+ bulls that come out of Utah grows each year and the state record is broken on a regular basis. Black Timber Outfitters live in the middle of the action and are lucky enough to guide clients on these hunts and do a great job of filming the action.

You'll see archery hunts with two bulls taken over 345". Rifle hunters take three bulls over the 390" mark including the bull on the cover of the video with an extra main beam. The action is up close and the video work is amazina in this video.

At one point a huge herd of elk with too many bulls to count nearly trampels the hunters. It is one of those once in a lifetime experiences that keeps us hunters going back year after year.

This is a feel good video with some huge elk taken on film. It's one of the best out there, so don't miss it. It will help get you through the winter.

Although our big game hunting didn't produce anything in the freezer, we spent numerous days in the field and it was extremely successful in that aspect. We found some great new spots and located a few trophy deer.

The end of the month was spent with friends at the SCI hunting convention in Reno. The stories were flowing and it was fun for all.

Friday night we attended a suprise reception for Barry and Rob Style of Buffalo Range Safaris. Mark Buchanan of Big Bore Productions arranged the event after spending early September in Zimbabwe with Buffalo Range filming for his new African hunting DVD. Rob and Barry were presented with veterinary supplies to continue their fight in keeping the black rhino alive. Friends donated over $15,000 to begin a black rhino protection fund. It's a great cause, so let me know if you'd like more information about it. Poachers have been destroying the herd they have spent 30 years building, and they currently have two orphaned calves due to poached female rhinos.

We caught up with Craig Boddington briefly to discuss his latest ventures. Craig has spent more time in Africa the last year than ever before with his Tracks Across Africa series on the Outdoor Channel. Craig has recently completed another informative video on hunting Cape Buffalo, titled Boddington on Buffalo 2. The first video was great, but this one is even more informative and filled with buffalo hunting excitement. We plan to get the video added to the inventory in the near future.

We also caught up with Marc Watts of Sable Trail Productions. Marc had his Lord Derby Giant Eland, currently ranked #2 SCI in the world at his booth. Marc also has some great things going which we'll detail below.

Jim Shockey and his family were also at the show selling hunts, DVDs and hunting gear. If you have seen Jim's DVDs or the television show, you know the real star is his father Hal (don't tell Jim, he still thinks it's him). We had a chance to trade stories with Hal and congratulate him on some great trophies. All in all it was an action packed couple days with more people to see than we had time to visit.

Also be sure to check out the Hunting and Outdoor Clips page. We have recently added a brown bear hunt from the northern tundra of Alaska. It's a great one shot kill from over 300 yards.

We've also added some great stories to Dukat's Journal of Hunting We've added a story on Hunting in New Zealand, a Spot Hogg Bow Sight Review and a goat hunting survival story among others. I think you'll enjoy them.

Once again, we hope you enjoy the newsletter and come visit us at Hunting Videos Online.

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Jim Shockey Heads to Cameroon

Jim made it over to Cameroon before the SCI show in Reno. He writes: Reporting in from the middle of nowhere in the middle of nowhere. We're two days' walk from the nearest village and long hard walk to the camp we're at in the middle of the jungle. I have two bees crawling around on my face right now and two on my hand holding the telephone and one right on my chest. I can't move; they're trying to get the sweat on me. I already got stung three times tonight.

Several days later: I got a blue duiker today, yahoo! yahoo! I missed a red duiker, it's a Peter's duiker first thing this morning. I had it cold, and just when I was about to pull the trigger it eeked to the side and I shot behind it. The guys were disgusted, but then I got the blue duiker that's a much smaller duiker, so we'll have meat tonight. They ate a rat thing yesterday and we all had little chunks of duiker today.

It'll be the muzzleloader world record for sure, it scores about 7 which is big like 1 3/4-inch horns which are really big beautiful little animal. Perfect nice male probably weighs about 15 pounds. Got it with the T/C muzzleloading shotgun.

Those were the only two duikers we called in today. We did 20 sets today and calls and only the two duikers, and those were number two and number three set in the morning so it was a rather long day. The weather is more tolerable. It was cooler last night and cooler today, so we're not getting eaten by bugs.

We also found another bee hive today, so we will get that tomorrow and chow down on the bee babies and honey.

We're five days into the hunt and another five left before we walk out of here. Hopefully with a little luck we'll get one of those Peter's duikers and then go after buffalo again.

Tough to get pictures out of the middle of the jungle. Stay tuned.

Hope you enjoyed the January 2008 newsletter. We sure enjoyed reliving the hunts. We'd love to hear your comments at dukatsoutfitting@yahoo.com. See you in the field!