April 13, 2016

Jim Shockey’s Most Difficult Hunt Last Season

JimShockey_day3_hdr

My most difficult hunt last year happened when I was hunting in Chad. Chad has been closed to hunting for several years, because the last outfitter hunting there was speared by a local tribesman. The country arrested the outfitter with a spear in his leg. Chad is located in central North Africa, and the countries around Chad are very unstable. So, I knew there was an element of danger before I left to go on the hunt.

Last spring Chad reopened for hunting for about a month. I was fortunate enough to get into Chad and be able to hunt for the western kudu. The warlord of the area where we were hunting was protecting us. There were two truckloads of mercenaries - one truck in front of us and one truck behind us. The mercenaries in the trucks had rocket launchers and 50 caliber machine guns mounted on their trucks. So, I felt well-protected. Sitting in camp at night I was thinking, “Our camp is always surrounded with mercenaries with machine guns and rocket launchers 24/7. Anytime we’ve been hunting, we’ve had armed guards in front of us and behind us.”

This was probably the most unusual hunt that I ever had been on in my life. I never had felt concerned about my personal safety or encountering people who might want to harm me until this trip, but I must say that I felt very secure having our protectors with us at all times.

Day 2: Jim Shockey’s Greatest Hunt of Last Season

Tomorrow: The Hunt I’m Looking Forward to the Most in 2016

Red Oak Hybrids: The “Next Big Thing” for Wildlife

According to most wildlife biologists, red oaks need to be planted at a higher frequency than their cousins the white oaks. So why not take it a step further and plant superior hybrid red oaks? Red hybrids occur naturally, but are difficult to find due to their rarity. Because they are crosses between two species of red oak, red oak hybrids often exhibit traits making them more desirable to wildlife- and the wildlifers who plant

Conservation, Land Management, Mossy Oak Gamekeepers

Latest Content

Toxey Haas's Tips for Brushing in a Duck Blind

Toxey Haas loves to hunt ducks. In these videos, he takes us through his essential kit for brushing in and repairing a duck blind as well as how he prepares his duck blinds every year.

Waterfowl, How-To

Mossy Oak's Woodsman Series is Back

The Mossy Oak Woodsman Series is Back. Rooted in everything core hunters expected from us in the early days, the Woodsman collection is thoughtfully designed, constructed with quality materials, quiet fabrics, sturdy stitching and of course, our timeless camouflage patterns. We're proud to celebrate the core of hunting, woodsmanship, and with seasonal collections on the horizon, we're excited to open the archives, add a few things and re-introduce these classic designs. The Mossy Oak Woodsman

Turkey, Big Game, Small Game, Deer, Waterfowl, Predator, Conservation, Land Management, Gear, Mossy Oak

From the Archive: Deer Calling Tips from the Pros

Originally published in the 1994 Mossy Oak Bowhunting Magazine, this article talks to professionals like Will Primos on calling in deer.

Deer

How a Fistful of Dirt Started a Revolution

"That day was the beginning of a revolution in hunter concealment. It was the beginning of Mossy Oak, America's most effective concealment system."

Turkey, Deer

From the Archive: Ask the Pros! Mossy Oak Experts Answer Key Questions

"Pay attention as Mossy Oak Pro Staffers Will Walker, Mark Drury, Mike Fine and Stan Oakes--archery hunting's A Team--delve deep into the sport for insight and info that only they can provide."

Deer, Bow

From the Archives: Tune-Up Clinic

Originally published in the 1994 edition of Mossy Oak Bowhunting Magazine, this article discusses how to make sure your bowhunting set up is perfect come season.

Big Game, Deer, Bow

From the Archives: Bob Dixon and Steve Burnett on the Art of Mix and Matching Camo

By Terry Madewell, originally published in the 1994 edition of Mossy Oak Bowhunting Magazine As big whitetail bucks are inclined to do, this one had done the unexpected. I'd studied this buck's pattern for a couple of weeks, being extremely careful not to leave any scent in the wrong places. I'd selected a stand site where the dense underbrush funneled into a 40-yard-wide strip. I was sure this was where he would walk and I

Turkey, Big Game, Deer, Waterfowl, Predator, How-To

Fall Foraging: Nuts, Mushrooms, and Fruit

Check out Mossy Oak's foraging mushrooms, nuts and fruit post and learn why fall is the easiest time to forage for Beka Garris.

How-To, Ingredient Wild

How to Use onX to Map Out Your Rut Hunting Plans

Here’s a look at how to use onX Hunt to map out your rut hunting plans in the weeks ahead.

Deer, Land Management, How-To

Field Judging Black Bears

Ask any experienced hunter and they’ll tell you that black bears are among the most difficult big game animals to field judge. Part of that is because they’re far less common than deer, so hunters just don’t get much experience seeing them. And part is just the nature of the beast. Any large, black carnivorous animal will look big, especially if you don’t have something for scale nearby.

Big Game, How-To

Black Bear Season Primer

Hunting tactics can be broken down into several schools of thought. Here's a 101-style overview on what to expect this fall if you're bear hunting for the first time.

Big Game, How-To

3 Hill Country Stand Locations for the Whitetail Rut

These key spots funnel deer into tighter spaces, condensing activity and greatly improving your odds of not just seeing more deer, but filling your tag when it counts most.

Deer

Explore All Posts