Magnet gun caddy

© By Othmar Vohringer

One of the perks of being an outdoor writer is that we get new products to field test and then write about our findings. In the past I have field-tested and reviewed many products. Some of the products leave me scratching my head and asking myself “What were they thinking?” (Such products will never make into my reviews). While I have found that the majority of products I’ve tested to be useful there are other products that make me go “Wow, why didn’t someone think of that a long time ago?”

The Magnet Gun Caddy is one of these rare “Wow” moments and as with most of these exceptional products the genius lays in the sheer simplicity of the design that fulfills a real need. I lost count of how many times I came back to the truck from a hunting or fishing trip with both hands full of gear. I would have to lean the rifle, gun or fishing rod against the truck to free one hand up to get the key out of my pocket and unlock the truck.

More times than I care to remember the firearm or rod slipped and fell to the ground scratching the paint on the truck in the course of it. With the Magnet Gun Caddy this will never happen again. What is it? The Magnet Gun Caddy is a magnetic gun holder that will, due to a padded magnetic plate, stick to any metallic surface. The Magnet Gun Caddy can be placed on the side of the truck or the gun cabinet and holds your gun, rifle or fishing rod firmly in place.

Measuring 2 ¼” x 1¾ “ x 2 ¼ “ the Magnet Gun Caddy fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. When I leave my truck I put the Magnet Gun Caddy in my pocket or carry it in my pack. On returning I take the Magnet Gun Caddy and stick it on the side of my truck and hey presto! I have a handy gun or rod holder and don’t need to worry about scratching the paint or the gun falling over. The high-density rubber foam clamp holds most single barrel and over/under shotguns, rifles and all fishing rods.

I now take the Magnet Gun Caddy on all my hunting and fishing trips and wonder how I did without one for so long. This is without a doubt the handiest gadget I have come across in a very long time. To learn more about the Magnet Gun Caddy or find out where to buy it visit www.magnetguncaddy.com

To order the Magnetic Gun Caddy click on the banner below.Thank you.



Dealer inquires are welcome. Contact me for special pricing and product information.


Photo courtesy:
Othmar Vohringer Product Photography

If you would like to have your product reviewed here read my review policy or contact me.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: New Hunting Products, Magnet Gun Caddy, Product Field Test, Gun Rack

Bear hunting book and video

© By Othmar Vohringer

I am a whitetail deer and turkey hunter and since moving here to British Columbia eight years ago I have been thinking of taking up bear hunting as well. British Columbia has a bear population of over 170,000 which makes it the bear capitol of North America. In recent years it has come to the point that people can’t avoid running into bears sooner or later in the big cities and in rural communities.

Recently I was given bear meat and surprisingly it tasted very nice. I wanted more bear meat! But rather then having meat given to me I want to hunt it myself.
From a conservationist point of view bear hunting aids in keeping the exploding bear population in a healthy balance with it’s natural habitat.

One way to be successful at bear hunting is to learn more about bears and hunting tactics. I just happen to have read a good book written by someone who knows a thing or two about the subject. A fellow British Columbian, Justin Ott, has just published a book called “The Black Bear Hunting Encyclopedia” and I was lucky to get a copy to review.

The first unique impression about the book is that it comes with a free complementary DVD that visualises what’s written in the book. This is the first time I have seen a book/ DVD combination and I must admit it is a brilliant idea. Seeing is often very different from just reading and gives a greater understanding

The DVD goes into great detail on how to field dress and skin out a bear. Another segment that I liked very much is the step-by-step procedure of how to prepare and make your own European bear skull mount. These two aspects alone make the DVD well worth having and it will be a great tool for a hunter to refer back to time and again.

The book covers everything a beginning bear hunter needs to know and I am convinced that even advanced and veteran bear hunters will be able to pick a few things up they have never known or need to be reminded of. In 13 chapters the book covers information about the black bear and conservation and then moves on to important things like where and how to find bears. In other chapters different hunting tactics are knowledgably explained. There are sections on hunting bears with rifles and archery equipment. Hunting bears from the ground, over bait, from treestands and stalking bears is all covered in subsequent chapters.

The book provides unbiased information on different gear and products essential for bear hunters. There are even complete checklists for equipment needed in a base camp, a bivouac camp or a day camp. There are check lists specific to bow hunters and rifle hunters.

The book even contains a chapter on how to take a “trophy” picture and ensure a lasting pleasant memory of the event. Another chapter provides information about taking care of the meat and how to store it properly. There are even a few bear meat recipes included.

The only small complaint I have about the DVD is that I would have liked to see more footage on bear behaviour, the various food sources and bear sign. These things are very well covered in the book with pictures, but still it would be good to see it on video too.

The Black Bear Hunting Encyclopaedia is just that; an encyclopedia, covering everything worth knowing about black bears and bear hunting, richly illustrated with photos, lists and charts. Justin Ott has left nothing out and he tells it all in an easy to understand language using professional or hunter jargon only where it is absolutely necessary. Novice bear hunters will appreciate that very much. I know I did.

What makes Justin Ott an expert on bear hunting? How about shooting a bear for himself and then helping three other hunters finding and shooting bears all in one single day for starters. Justin eats, sleeps and I am sure dreams bear hunting. He started hunting bears a few years ago and according to his own admission has been addicted to it ever since. Justin Ott is a man that will go to extraordinary lengths- like renting an airplane to fly over a new hunting area to get a birds eye view of the land and structure before he heads into the area on foot to scout it for weeks. The author hunts bears on foot and from treestands with rifle and bow and is so successful at it that he has been featured in several hunting magazines.

If you have been thinking of taking up black bear hunting or have not quite had the success you wish then you need to read Justin Otts’s “The Black Bear Hunting Encyclopaedia”. For more information or to purchase the book visit Black Bear Hunting.com

I am going to apply some of the things I learned from the book in this years spring bear hunting season and I am convinced it will get me a few giant steps closer to a black bear rug for our living room floor and some fresh organic bear meat in the freezer.

Photo courtesy:
Author portrait: Justin Ott
Product: Othmar Vohringer Product Photography

If you would like to have your product reviewed here read my review policy or contact me.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Black Bear Hunting Book, Justin Ott, Hunting Book Review, British Columbia

Anti’s Using Religion to Advance Cause

Religion is being used by animal rights groups to advance a radical agenda according to an ordained Baptist Minister.

Dr. Wes Jamison, an ordained Minister as well as a professor of Communications at Palm Beach Atlantic University, spoke at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s eighth annual stakeholder summit, held May 12-13 in Virginia. Dr. Jamison boldly stated, "Animal rights activists are using religious messages to recruit a segment of the millennial generation that has little doctrinal anchor in order to advance their vegetarian agenda."

He went on to explain that there are two factors pushing animal rights’ groups in this direction:

Religiously devout individuals often are generous donors; and
Religiously devout individuals maintain high levels of devotion to causes for long periods of time.

Dr. Jamison warned that animal rights’ groups are intentionally selecting certain biblical passages that focus on individuals’ compassion and guilt. He concluded by cautioning, “people against buying in to such messages and encourage people to do their own review of Biblical scripture and literature.”

To hear more, please Click Here for an interview with Dr. Jamison courtesy of the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

This news has been provided to me by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Animal Rights Using Region to Advance Cause, Animal Rights Agenda, U.S.. Sportsmen’s Alliance, News

Chores in and around the house and computer problems

© By Othmar Vohringer

It’s been a while since I wrote anything on this blog, two weeks to be exact, and in that time tings piled up. My birthday came and went without much fuss. I guess at 55 years of age much of the excitement about birthdays is gone. But what I really wanted to write about, rather sooner than later, was the turkey hunting trip and a few new products that I had the pleasure of field testing over the past few weeks.

There is a long list of reasons why my blog posts got delayed. Finally spring has arrived here in the Nicola Valley and with that the garden became a priority and still will be for a few weeks. Inside the house a new staircase needed to be built and while I was at it we laid a new floor in the entry hall too. My wife and I finally got sick of the wall-to-wall carpeting and ripped it all out. The carpet is now replaced with a beautiful natural wood floor and a matching staircase. Next we will tackle the living room floor that at the moment also has wall-to-wall carpet. The wood for the living room floor is currently climatzing in our basement.

What really prevented me from writing are the computer troubles I am experiencing lately. The darn machine is in and put of the “computer clinic” and is still not working right. I guess, like me, the computer is showing its age and probably soon needs to be replaced. But in the meantime I writing as much as I can to meet deadlines and get the posts for this blog written.

By tomorrow I will have the post up, hopefully, about my turkey hunting trip that turned out to be much more than just a ordinary hunting trip. You will have to come back and read all about the experiences and good folks we meet on that trip. I also hope that I get the product reviews written and posted here. It does not often happen that I come across a product that makes me go “WOW” but it happened in the last two weeks not once but twice.

As you can see a lot has happened worth to write about, so make sure to stay tuned and check back frequently.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Great youth turkey hunt event

© By Othmar Vohringer

Richard Warden form the Hunters Helping Kids Organization sent me the following media release that I will be only to happy to pass along.

The Northern New York Hunters Helping Kids held their fourth annual Youth turkey weekend event at the Sandy Pond Sportsman’s Clubhouse on April 25 & 26th with 34 youth registering this year. Eighteen youth harvested a bird this year with one weighing in at twenty four pounds,9,1/2 beard. A first for our chapter, we had a youth with his dad from Canada register from the Watertown Sports Expo and he harvested a bird. Plus there was several double bearded birds taken by the youth hunters. One youth harvested two birds with one shot. Troy Miller, from the Mason/Dixon PA HHK Chapter, was one of mentor/callers and also photographed our youth hunters. His family also helped out for the weekend event.

All enjoyed a lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers with soft drinks furnished by SPSA. Then they enjoyed the laser shooting game furnished by the Oswego Co 4-H program and telling their hunting experiences of the morning.

On Sunday, more birds were weighed in and everyone enjoyed a chicken barbecue furnished by the NNY HHK chapter members. After the meal, awards were given out. Each hunter was asked to write an essay about his/her weekend hunting experience and the best essay was won by Justice Ames of Watertown and the runner up was Matt Glowfeskie of Henderson. The winner of a turkey mount provided by Don Miller of Lakeside Taxidermy in Fulton was Zach Kirksey of Dexter.

Door prizes for the youth were drawn and a bingo board game awarded each youth hunter in attendance, two prizes. Also a prize was given to all the underage youth in attendance.

Everyone enjoyed the festivities and looking forward to next year.
A big thank you goes out to the Sandy Pond Sportsman's Assn, the Oswego Co 4-H, NRA, Troy Miller family from the Mason-Dixon, PA HHK chapter, Jefferson Co Journal, Oswego County Weeklies, also the various sportsmen's clubs, the mentor/callers, the local businesses and the community for their support so NNY HHK can keep this a free event for the youth of our north country.

As any organization the HHK needs your help to continue the important work they do in passing the hunting heritage on to the next generation. One way to create support is a fundraising events. We are having a display table built like a glass top coffee table with a drawer under the top for displaying a assortment of unique Turkey calls preferably made by D.I.Y. craftsman, hobbyist, not major call manufactures. As soon as we get this completed tickets will be offered to the public and at all HHK show booths and events by all chapters.

So if any of you make turkey calls or know of someone who does please approach them with this idea
All donors will be shown on any literature we have for promoting this fundraiser along with a tax-deductible receipt if requested. For more information visit: Northern New York Hunters Helping Kids


Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Taking the hunting agenda to the people

© By Othmar Vohringer

Every Sunday begins for me with watching the Canada in the Rough hunting show. I usually do not watch hunting shows on TV but I would have to have a very good reason to miss this particular one.

There are a number of reasons why I like Canada in the Rough. First would have to be that this show is an all Canadian production. The producer and host Thomas Pigeon is a Canadian and so is his crew. Plus all hunts take part in Canada. But there has to be more to a show then just national pride to make it my favorite and that is where Thomas Pigeon comes in to play.

Besides being a down to earth guy, as in a hunter like you and me, and showing hunts as they happen even if that means that no trophy, or no game at all, is taken, he is also a tireless advocate of all legal hunting methods. Each show segment Pigeon is shown hunting with a compound bow, or a crossbow, perhaps with a rifle, shotgun or a muzzleloader. He does not favor or promote one hunting method or game animal over another one. To him it’s all about hunting regardless of what legal choice the hunter uses to pursue his or her passion. I like that attitude because that is exactly how I feel too.

In each show he will go out of his way to explain how important it is that all hunters unite and the good hunting does for wildlife and habitat conservation. “Okay” you may say, “so do other TV hunting shows”. Yes that is true but the difference here is that Canada in the Rough does not air on a hunting or outdoor channel where it is save by preaching to the congregation. Canada in the Rough is aired on Global TV, which is the public channel watched not only by hunters but by everybody. With this public platform Canada in the Rough takes the hunting agenda to the very people that need to hear our message – the non-hunters.

Thomas Pigeon has a solid track record of being one of Canada’s most avid amd vocal hunting promoters in public. Pigeon is the founder and chairman of the Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA). This is Canada’s first and as of this writing still only organization with the sole purpose of promoting and lobbying hunting, fishing and trapping to the public as a viable and important Canadian heritage.

This past Sunday found me as usual in front of the TV in anticipation of another exiting Canada in the Rough show taking the viewer to another of Canada’s many stunningly beautiful places on a hunt for our rich and diverse wildlife. But instead of a hunt Thomas Pigeon, sitting on a campfire, announced that this show, named “Politics of Hunting”, would be dedicated solely to the important role the Canadian hunting heritage plays in the wildlife/environment conservation sector and the economy of Ontario and Canada.

For this Thomas invited a special guest. The guest it turns out was a high profile politician. To say I was surprised is an understatement when I heard Frank Klees, the Progressive Conservative MPP (Members of Provincial Parliament) for Ontario, speak openly and positive about hunting. It does not happen often, or make that never, that a politician is brave enough in these politically correct times to go on public record with a full endorsement statement for hunting, fishing and trapping. But that is exactly what Klees did. For a full half hour he talked about how important it is to support this Canadian heritage not only as a important wildlife management and conservation tool, but also as an important multi million dollar part of Ontario's economy.

Ontario's hunters, fishers and trappers contribute millions of dollars in license sales alone plus further millions and employment through guide / outfitters and sporting goods stores. I couldn't find the exact figures but the talk is of around 45 million dollars overall. Yet the current Ontario government is ragley ignorant of this important contribution by flirting with animal rights to gain city folks votes they try to cut back on that economy and with that ultimately on wildlife and habitat conservation too.

In these politically correct times where for the most part politicians are more concerned with what a largely ignorant city people think it takes courage for a politician like Frank Klees, running for Premier in the election, to speak out publicly on behalf of hunters, anglers and trappers. Klees was also brave enough to say very clearly what he thinks of the animal rights and anti hunter movement. It’s an opinion that surely won’t go down well with the city folks in Toronto that have for the most part been brainwashed with the lies of animal rights, but it is a message that needed to be told and needs to be told many times more. If hunting is to survive into the future we have to carry our message to the people on the street and that is exactly what Pigeon and Klees did masterfully on "Politics of Hunting" last Sunday.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors


Tags Canada in the Rough, Thomas Pigeon, Global TV, Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance, Frank Klees, Progressive Conservative Party, Politics of Hunting