ABOUT

Othmar Vohringer can be contacted by Email

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About Othmar Vohringer
"Your Partner in the Outdoors"

Born and raised in Switzerland I have been involved in the outdoors since early childhood. Not long after I learned to walk I accompanied my parents to the local duck pond and later, as I grew older on hunting and fishing trips all over Switzerland and into the neighbouring European countries.

As an adult I came to North America, first to the U.S. where I enthusiastically adopted the rich hunting heritage. Years later I followed the love of my life and settled in beautiful British Columbia the home of my lovely wife and best friend.

I feel deeply privileged to participate in a heritage that has its roots deep in our psyche from our ancestors who have hunted game since the beginning of time. It is when I am in the fields and woods that I feel the connection we humans have with our true nature.

In the year 2001 I started to write about hunting as a freelance writer and to hold seminars on outdoor events. The biggest hurdle I had to overcome at the beginning was the language barrier; talking in English is one thing but writing (for us German speaking folks) is another story. But, I get great joy from communicating with other hunters and this is the reason why I started my network of hunting and fishing related blogs. I have learned many new things from communicating with hunters and have passed on my knowledge to others. Isn’t this an important part of our heritage too? Passing our knowledge and traditions on in conversations and discussions to the next generation.
I try to do just that with my blogs and forum, to which you will find the links below.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy.

Othmar Vohringer


Mv personal and professional behavior and conduct is governed by four basic principles.

1. Do what is right.
2. Do the best job you can.
3. Treat others like you would want to be treated.
4. Always use common sense and logic.

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Read more on the Othmar Vohringer Outdoor Web-Network

Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer
Your partner in the Outdoors, promoting the hunting heritage and outdoor sport.
Whitetail Deer Passion
Providing the Answers to the Deer Hunters
Wild Turkey Fever
Providing the Answers to the Turkey Hunters
My Stand
My Stand is a bi-weekly outdoor column and op-eds on a variety of topics concerning our outdoor sport legacy.
My Wild Outdoor Kitchen
The title of this blog says it all. Good food, good God lets eat.
SHS Hunting Chat Forum
Join me and other Hunters from around North America on the campfire where we talk about and discuss hunting and fishing.
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I am a proud Pro-Staff Memebr of:
Heiloom Custom Turkey Calls

If you would like me to attend a hunting ot outdoor sports event, or to inquire about my many other outdoor activities please contact me.

"Othmar Vohringer...proud to be called a hunter."

Hunting: Ready, Steady, Aim

You know, I rather would do without the ammunition than be without some sort of rifle support. When you shoot a rifle, or any firearm for that matter, the most important aspect to obtain accuracy is a solid rest. Having a steady support for my rifle and shotgun has increased my accuracy and confidence more than 80% and so has hitting what I am aiming at. All my rifles are equipped with a bipod. But there are times when it can be cumbersome to carry that extra weight around. This comes especially to bear on coyote hunt or when I go after turkeys in the spring where I carry the rifle or shotgun around all day long. I came up with a solution for this problem by making my own portable bipod.

The beauty of this bipod is that it costs me only about 10 dollars in material plus it serves as a walking stick and to steady my camera when I photograph wildlife. But above all, with less than 500 gr. (17.6 oz.) it is light. If you like you can camouflage your bipod too, that might be necessary if you hunt turkeys, which have exceptional eyesight. To obtain the ultimate on accuracy when hunting ground squirrels you even can ad a third leg making it a tripod.

For detailed building instruction and material list read D.I.Y. Bipod.

Hunting: D.I.Y. Bipod

Building Material

1. 5/8" or 3/4 or 1" x 2" dimensional pole of fir wood or other solid wood such as oak, you can get such wood in almost any home improvement store. Do not use round sticks such as broomsticks they don't work, I tried it and the result was less than satisfactory. (To see the length of your bipod sticks refer to the list below.)

2. 1 1/4" Bolt and nut. The nut should be of the kind that will not loosen after it is screwed on.

3. 2 washer discs that go under the bolt and nut to prevent damage to the wood.

4. Leather an old belt and such will work just fine.

5. 2 3" or 4" framing nails.

6. Waterproof hot clue or epoxy.

Making the Bipod

Cut the sticks to the length that suits your body height according the list at the bottom of this post.

Measure from one side exactly 5 1/4" from the top end on both sticks and drill a hole big enough to push the bolt trough it. Tip: Drill the hole big enough so you do not have to force the bolt but not so big that the bolt falls trough. The bolt should fit snug.

Push the bolt trough the holes in the sticks and then tighten it with the nut from the other side. Tip: Tighten the bolt so that there is a little friction between the sticks this will prevent then from becoming wobbly and don't forget to put a washer on either side so that the bolt and nut can't bite into the wood. You can slightly squash the nut or when you screw the nut on the bolt ad a dab of supper clue this will prevent the nut from working itself loose over time.

Drill two small holes at the bottom of each stick, just large enough to fit the framing nails. Cut of the head of the nails and fill the drill hole with epoxy or clue and then push the nails into it with a hammer tap them slightly to seat them properly but do not use to much force otherwise the wood may crack. The hole should deep enough so that only about 1 1/2" to 2" of the nails is exposed. These nails will give the pipod a firm hold on the ground.

Cut to leather strips as wide as the wooden sticks and as long that they cover the length of the sticks from the intersection over the top and down the other side to the intersection. Glue the leather strips with epoxy or hot clue onto the wood. The leather will not only silence the touch of the rifle on the wood but help to hold the rifle steady and prevent scratching and marring the fore stock of your expensive rifle.

If you like you can ad a carrying sling made of leather or string, which can detach easily if needed. This bipod will give you almost shooting bench steadiness with your rifle. This is important for the long shots at ground dogs, coyotes, rabbits and other game including big game animals. Yet the bipod does not ad bulk to the rifle and has many other uses too such as being used as a hiking stick or a handy weapon against rattlesnakes. You also can extend the bipod by opening it all the way and then you have a long stick to hold your rifle against for a standing shot.

Sizing Chart
Shooter Height 4.9' Stick Length 30.75"
Shooter Height 5' Stick Length 32.00"
Shooter Height 5.3' Stick Length 33.25"
Shooter Height 5.6' Stick Length 34.75"
Shooter Height 5.9' Stick Length 36.00"
Shooter Height 6' Stick Length 37.25"
Shooter Height 6.3' Stick Length 38.75"
Shooter Height 6.6' Stick Length 40"

Time to make: About 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Cost: About $10.00 to $15.00

Misc: Do It Your Self Trophy Mount

Here is something I do to keep me busy during the time when the hunting seasons are closed. Being born and raised in Switzerland, I prefer the so called European trophy mounts. However, I like to embellish the mount a little rather than just having them displayed on an plain wooden plaque.

This is an exotic ram which I hunted some years back. I gave the head to the taxidermist to have it cleaned and bleached. Then I mounted it on a wooden disc which I cut off with the chain saw from an oak tree that I had to cut down earlier. The decoration is taken from the area where I hunted that ram. There is some kind of grass that I found rather decorative, moss, tree bark and a small stone. Everything is glued down with a hot glue gun and the skull is fixed in place with thin wire on to the wooden plate . This trophy is for lack of a better word a "table stand model" which now has a home in my office. I thought that way the nice curly horns would show better than if the mount would hang on the wall.

The picture has been taken by my wife who is Artemis Graphics & Design. My wife is an exeptional photographer and graphic designer. I did all the work and my wife helped me with advice and recommendations to make it a piece of art which will evoke memories of a very good hunt and all around memorable experience. That is what hunting is all about, having a good time and being out in our worderful nature with good friends playing an important part in the stewardship of our nature and wildlife.

(Become a cherished trophy too, you don't have to kill yourself, just make a comment .)

Book Review: What Fish Don't Want You to Know

What Fish Don't Want You to Know
An Insider's Guide to Freshwater Fishing
By Frank P. Baron


About the Author:
Frank P. Baron is a veteran angler, from Ontario, Canada, with a degree in journalism and forty years of fishing experience, both as a hobby and professionally. He has authored many articles for Newspapers and Fishing Magazines. His writings are as informative as they are entertaining to read.

About the Book:
What Fish Don’t Want You to Know
An Insider's Guide to Freshwater Fishing
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: International Marine/Raged Mountain Press.
ISBN: 0071417141
Available at all bookstores and over the Internet by amazon.com

Book Review:
Whenever I get a new book I read the back cover first to get an idea what the literature is all about. It was right then when the book captivated me and made me eager to read what’s between the covers. How can you not burst with anticipation if you read a paragraph like:

Don't Tell Whoppers--Catch 'Em!

Anyone can toss a line into the water and get lucky once in a while, but if you want to catch more and bigger fish, and have more fun doing it, you need to learn What Fish Don't Want You to Know. Whether you're new to fishing or an accomplished angler, this comprehensive and entertaining guide will improve your chances every time you cast a line into fresh water.

And that is exactly what the book is all about. What Fish Don’t Want You to Know refers to the fact that many fishers neglect to learn about the habits of fish and how fish use the underwater structure of their habitat to move around, rest and feed. To be a successful fisher it is imperative to know about fish and their habitat and what influences their behavior. If such knowledge is missing, fishing success has to depend entirely on luck alone.

The book is written in an easy to understand and follow language with many photos, graphics and drawings to compliment the text and aid in the understanding of what is said. I am particularly pleased with the fact that What Fish Don’t Want You to Know is not yet another book written by a fishing expert in the style of “Look here what big fish I can catch!”. In other words, Frank P. Baron, called respectfully the “Fish Whisperer”, does not use the book to show off his success. In the book he stands back and lets his wealth of knowledge and solid tactics for catching every thing from bass to trout to salmon speak. The author uses his forty years of angling “secrets” to show the reader the best and most successful ways to fish rivers, streams, ponds and lakes as well as how to change tactics as the seasons change and what to do if the fish are really stubborn and won’t take any bait or lure offerings.

Another fact I appreciate in reading What Fish Don’t Want You to Know is that the book is not only filled from cover to cover with fishing wisdom and common sense but that the information is written with the typical Canadian subtle humor that makes you smile and at times even laugh. There are surly not many books on the subject of making you a better fisherman while at the same time are so entertaining that it keeps you reading on until you come to the last page, only to find yourself wanting to read the book again from the beginning. Between all this wisdom and fishing savvy we read short and entertaining fish stories, advice on lure presentation and basic fishing gear, and much more helpful tips and tricks that turn luck into assured certainty of catching fish.

Do I recommend this book for reading? You bet! In fact I will go as far as to say that What Fish Don’t Want You to Know should be in every fisherman’s (or woman’s) bookshelf, regardless of weather or not you are an experienced veteran or a beginning novice, this book is the one fishing guide we have been waiting for and you don’t want to ‘let it get away’. Frank Baron has certainly refreshed my knowledge on the subject and I’ve even learned some new tricks from reading this book and I would definitely call it ‘a keeper’!

Tags: Books , Fish , Writing