Showa Temres 282-02 Glove

Buck Yedor | January 6, 2022

Photo Credit: Keith Knoxsville

A Hen and a Drake Green Teal on the truck bed. Not a limit on anything, but a fun morning out.

Performance

4.2/5

Fit

4.0/5

Value

4.5/5

Overall

4.23/5

We first heard about the Showa 282-02 Temres Gloves from a blog about alpine and ice climbing. These Japanese fisherman’s gloves have a cult following among hardcore alpinists. We figured if they were warm enough and durable enough for people fiddling around in the mountains with ice tools, they might just work in the duck blind. Unfortunately, the only place you can purchase them in single pairs is at www.go2marine.com.

First Impressions

At first glance, the Temres look like a pair of funny dish gloves. After sliding them on, you quickly discover they have much better dexterity than your average dish glove and are lined with soft fleece. The gloves come about halfway up your forearm and have oversized cinchable cuffs that make it very easy to pull them over the sleeves of your jacket. The palms and fingers are texturized to give you a better grip.

We were a little skeptical of how well these would perform in truly cold weather based simply on how thin they are. These gloves run on the small side and even after sizing up, we were unable to fit a glove liner inside. We’d recommend sizing up one if not two sizes from your standard glove size.

Field Test

Seeing these as a hybrid between a pair of deek gloves and shooting gloves, we were excited to get the Temres out into the field. We had some cold mornings at the start of the 2021/22 season and were able to test these gloves on multiple days of single-digit temperatures. When temps dropped below ten degrees our fingers started to get cold and really wanted to be in something warmer. That being said, they proved to be entirely waterproof, windproof and didn’t make our hands too clammy like some fully waterproof gloves do. While not too bulky to get past inside the trigger guard on a shotgun, they don’t leave you with the most sensitive trigger finger but we didn’t have any trouble shooting in them. They are passable for operating a duck or goose call, but not ideal.

The Temres 282-02 gloves don’t have the best fit, but they do have insulation, a long cuff, and a bungee closure to improve fit around the wrists.

Conclusion

Having a glove you can wear in sub-freezing temps, fully submerge while setting up decoys or retrieving birds, and still have enough dexterity to shoot in, all for under 25 dollars ain’t half bad. If you are out in single-digit temperatures, you’ll likely want something warmer and if having a smartphone-compatible glove is important to you, you’ll find these lacking. At the end of the day, these might be some of the most versatile gloves we’ve brought out to the duck blind. If nothing else, they are a huge improvement over the average hunting glove.

Tags: gear review, Showa, Temres | Comments

Grouse Hunting

Buck Yedor | September 27, 2021

Photo Credit: Keith Knoxsville

A Hen and a Drake Green Teal on the truck bed. Not a limit on anything, but a fun morning out.

If you’ve spent much time in the subalpine forests of the Pacific Coast or in the Rocky Mountains, you’ve undoubtedly heard a low-sounding, “whuuump”, echoing through the trees. This distinct sound only heard in the spring, is a male grouse using a special wing beat to attract a female. On the west coast, you’re likely to run into sooty grouse, while in the Rockies it will most likely be a dusky grouse. Be sure to brush up on your grouse identification because there are actually quite a few varieties and many are managed differently than sooty and dusky grouse, particularly sage grouse, which in many places are in decline.

In my opinion, grouse are some of the tastiest game birds you can find in the Western United States. Eating a diet that largely consists of berries, their meat is mild, tender, and I think one of the best options for introducing wild game to picky eaters.

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The archery season typically starts at the end of August or early September. By that time, the grouse are done with their noisy mating rituals and are actually fairly difficult to locate. The best way to find grouse is by putting in the miles, walking through “grousy” terrain. Try early mornings and evenings in areas that have water, shade, and plenty of berries. Grouse seem to have a particular affinity for clearings with tons of deadfall in them. The downed trees and logs give them plenty of cover while they forage. Keep your ears open for soft clucking that sounds suspiciously like chickens.

I personally have a rule that when using archery equipment, I only shoot grouse that are on the ground. Your typical grouse encounter is usually sub 20 yards and even with small game tips, I often get full pass-throughs on these soft-bodied birds and grew tired of losing arrows into the trees.

Grouse are more resilient than they appear and given their natural camouflage, easily disappear in the underbrush. If you find yourself in a group of grouse that give you multiple shot opportunities, make sure you recover each grouse before taking another shot.

Whether you’re using a shotgun or bow, grouse hunting is a great reason to get out into the mountains and bring home some high-quality meat.

Three grouse grilling nicely on the grill.

Tags: grouse | Comments

Bear Paradox RTH

Buck Yedor | August 1, 2021

Photo Credit: Keith Knoxsville

A Hen and a Drake Green Teal on the truck bed. Not a limit on anything, but a fun morning out.

The Bear Paradox Ready to Hunt Package is an entry-level bow that comes equipped with all the necessary accessories to get you out the door and sending arrows downrange. For those new to archery and looking to make an online purchase, be aware that you will still need to have the bow fitted to you and most notably have your peep sight adjusted, which requires a bow press to de-tension the string and cables. If it’s at all an option, we’d suggest heading into your local archery store to make your purchase and get your new bow set up by a pro.

First Impressions

One of the best features of the Bear Paradox RTH package is how easy it is to adjust at home. With a few quick turns of a hex key, you can adjust your draw length and draw weight. This bow is available in two draw weight ranges; 45lbs-60lbs and 55lbs-70lbs. This large range of adjustability makes it ideal for new archers or kids who you expect to keep growing. The single-cam system makes keeping the bow tuned, much less complicated and a good place to start if you want to learn how to self-tune your bow at home.

Bear Paradox Ready To Hunt Package Sights.

For an entry-level bow there isn’t a lot to complain about in terms of performance. The draw cycle isn’t the smoothest but ends in a very firm back wall. We did however find there to be noticeable vibration and some hand shock when firing the bow. This is almost to be expected though for a bow capable of producing such fast speeds and in this price range.

In The Field

The factory string and cables included with the Bear Paradox RTH Package leave much to be desired. We found they stretched significantly and wore incredibly quickly. After only a few hundred shots, we noticed the serving on the cable had completely worn through and started to wear through the cable itself. We replaced the strings and cables with a custom America’s Best Bow String set up and went back to the range. A few hundred shots later, the serving on the cable started to show some wear, but much less than the original, and the actual cable itself showed no wear. This can be an issue with some single cam bows due to the harsh angle they can create. If you plan on shooting your bow every day, this might be something to worry about, but if you’re just the occasional shooter, it’s probably not something to preoccupy yourself with.

Bear Paradox RTH Form

Conclusion

For the price of the Bear Paradox RTH Package, you are getting a lot of bow and some decent accessories. The included accessories aren’t top of the line but if you are a new shooter, they are more than adequate to learn with. The biggest issue was with the factory string, so when you’re considering costs before your purchase, keep in mind you might need to replace the original string sooner than later.

Buck fully drawn, and ready to release, on the Bear Paradox RTH

Bear Paradox RTH Limbs

Tags: Archery, Bear Archery | Comments

Mathews V3

Buck Yedor | July 26, 2021

Photo Credit: Keith Knoxsville

A Hen and a Drake Green Teal on the truck bed. Not a limit on anything, but a fun morning out.

Mathews has long been known as one of the premier bow builders in the industry. Each year, archers eagerly await the announcement of their new flagship models. Building off the success of the beloved VXR, the new for 2021, V3 will not disappoint. Offered in 27″ and 31″ axle to axle lengths, the Mathews V3 was designed with accuracy and stealth in mind. Sporting new features such as centerguard cable containment and a new noise and vibration dampening system, this bow will meet the needs of even the most demanding shooters.

First Impressions

Just by picking this bow up, you can tell you’re working with quality. With an excellent hand-feel and an extremely polished finish, it’s exactly what you would expect from Mathews’ flagship bow. We purchased the V3 31” in ambush green and couldn’t be happier with the look. Based primarily in California’s Eastern Sierra and the western slope of Colorado, the matte green is perfect for everything from sage country to the high alpine.

We enjoy the hand feel of the stock grip, but you do have the option of removing the shaped grip and adding side-plates, at an additional cost, that make the grip flat and flush with the machined sides.
We decided to leave on the stock string and cables and after releasing hundreds of arrows, have yet to have an issue with them.

In The Field

When we took our first shots while trying this bow at our local pro shop, we immediately noticed how dead in the hand it is. There is virtually no in-hand vibration and has as quiet of a release as we’ve ever encountered. Built into the bottom of the riser, the new Nano 740 harmonic stabilizer is meant to reduce noise and vibration and as far as we can tell, it does exactly what it claims.

Focused and Drawn on the Mathews V3

The other new technology included on this model is the centerguard cable containment system. What this means is that during the draw cycle, the angle of the cables are equalized, which in theory optimizes your cam timing and makes it easier to keep your cam timing in tune. Practically speaking, the draw cycle on the V3 is buttery smooth. With no lurch and a hard back wall, we don’t really have anything to complain about.

While just going out and buying a premium bow isn’t going to instantly give you tighter groups, you really don’t have to worry about outshooting the V3. Whether you’re shooting at a target or an animal, a properly tuned V3, paired with the right arrow setup, will give you every opportunity to take the best shots you’re capable of.

We paired our bow with a Mathews Ultrarest HDX (built by QAD). The V3 has a built-in dovetail to accept their proprietary rests, which makes for a clean and easy set-up. For a sight, we chose the Black Gold Ascent Verdict 5 pin and opted for a Mathews 6.

Black Gold Ascent Verdict 5 pin Sight

With western spot and stalk hunting as our primary use for this bow, we felt that the 31″ vs the 27″ wouldn’t be a hindrance as we spend very little time in a tree stand or ground blind. So far, this has proven to be true as we’ve spent time hunting small game in sage country.

Sighting in our bow took minimal effort once all the componentry was installed. After changing up our initial arrow set up to increase the FOC, resighting the bow to our new arrow weight took just a few turns of our dial to correct for some expected vertical drop. As we get ready for elk season, we’ve started broadhead tuning and have found that our field points and broadheads are grouping together right out the gate.

Conclusion

The Mathews V3 is no doubt one of the best bows on the market right now. Whether or not you prefer this bow to other companies’ flagship models will largely come down to minor preferences. We’d suggest going and shooting the Hoyt Ventum or the PSE EVO to see how other premium models compare.

Overall this bow is incredibly quiet and easy to shoot. There is almost no vibration or hand shock when shooting. Easy to tune and forgiving when shooting broadheads, we have almost nothing bad to say about the new Mathews V3. Whether you’re after whitetail or elk, this bow will be the last thing you are worrying about when it’s time to fill your tag.

The Mathews V3 Bow is one of the best bows on the market right now.

Tags: Archery, Compound Bows, Mathews | Comments

Beretta a300 Outlander

Buck Yedor | April 1, 2021

Photo Credit: Keith Knoxsville

A Hen and a Drake Green Teal on the truck bed. Not a limit on anything, but a fun morning out.

The Beretta A300 Outlander is an entry-level, gas operated, semi-automatic shotgun that makes for a great first shotgun or as a first foray into the world of semi-autos. Capable of shooting 2-3/4 in or 3 in loads, this shotgun offers up enough firepower to serve you well for everything from upland game to waterfowl. The gas driven semi-automatic action significantly reduces the felt recoil and makes this gun a pleasure to shoulder and shoot all day long.

I spent this past waterfowl season using one in a wide range of conditions. From sunny days in the mid 60’s down to single digits spent in the snow, this gun had no trouble cycling through any commercial or hand-loaded ammunition. On an exceptionally cold day, after belly crawling through the snow, I did have one jam, but it’s almost to be expected after filling the action with snow and freezing the bolt carrier group. That being said, I also managed to fully submerge my Outlander after stumbling in deep lake mud and the shotgun continued to fire and cycle loads without any trouble immediately after pulling it out of the drink.

Beretta A300 Outlander gas operated semiautomatic receiver.

As with most modern shotguns, the Outlander features removable chokes and comes with a full, modified, and improved cylinder choke, giving you a wide variety of options depending on your style of hunting and quarry. There are also a number of aftermarket extended chokes that are compatible with this gun, giving you even more options for dialing in your patterning.

Available in both synthetic and wooden stock options, this shotgun is a versatile tool that’s ready to be put to work. If you’re a die-hard goose hunter or just prefer lobbing 3 ½ in rounds, you might want to consider the Beretta A400 or other options that accommodate larger shells. Any of those options will cost you around double the price of the Outlander and at the end of the day I had no trouble harvesting everything from doves to big ol’ Canada geese with the Outlander. Assuming you are shooting the right size shot with the correct choke and understand how your gun patterns, it’s unlikely the gun has anything to do with missed shots. This is a high quality shotgun being offered at a great price that will serve both new and experienced hunters quite well.

Don’t forget to grab an extended choke, like the Carlson's Ported Cremator Long Range Choke, for those long shots!

Beretta A300 Outlander walnut stock and gas operated receiver.

Tags: A300, Beretta, Outlander, shotgun | Comments

First Duck Season

Buck Yedor | January 13, 2021

Photo Credit: Keith Knoxsville

A Hen and a Drake Green Teal on the truck bed. Not a limit on anything, but a fun morning out.

Three and a half months ago I had never shot a shotgun. Fast forward to today, and now not only do I own a semi-automatic 12 gauge, but also chest waders, a layout blind, a dozen decoys, and am newly the proud owner of a used sneak boat I found in the local classifieds. To say I fell hard for waterfowling would be an understatement. What initially was a passing interest has become an obsession.

While I grew up around hunting, it wasn’t something I was ever wholeheartedly interested in, and after my family moved to the suburbs of Southern California, it wasn’t something that felt easily accessible. As I got older, my life became more and more centered around the pursuit of rock climbing. My passion for the mountains grew in tandem with a concern for the conservation of wild places and sustainable food systems. Then at 30 years old, I found myself living in Bishop, California, smack dab in the middle of the Eastern Sierra, unknowingly primed to fall in love with hunting.

After reconnecting with an old climbing partner, who’s since hung up his shoes and harness in favor of his .270 and 12 gauge, I was convinced to join him on a quail hunt. While I unsurprisingly missed every quail we flushed, I did manage to bring home a hefty jackrabbit. That day spent wandering around the sagebrush in the shadows of the looming Sierra, was enough to convince me I needed my own gun. After some serious deliberation, I landed on purchasing a semi-auto 12 gauge that ended up in my hands just a few days after duck season had started.

While the Eastern Sierra might be known for its excellent deer hunting, nobody is writing home about the amazing opportunities for waterfowling, quite frankly, because there aren’t any, at least not any easy ones. That’s not to say there aren’t any ducks here, there definitely are, but it’s not like hunting Midwest cornfields. We mostly hunt small high desert lakes that sit between 6,500 and 7,000 feet in elevation.

The biggest challenge for us is concealment. The high desert is sage country but unfortunately, the sage typically stops a few hundred yards away from the shoreline which is typically just barren and unvegetated frozen mud. Through trial and error, we’ve eventually landed on small brushed in layout blinds being the best option. Other hunters in the area seem to rely on dragging over large piles of sage to the shoreline, but now towards the tail end of the season, birds won’t get anywhere near them.

The biggest takeaway for new hunters is that hunting, like most things, is a game of learning. I’m sure I’ve learned something new about ducks and duck behavior every time I’ve gone out this season. Don’t expect to get it right immediately and be prepared, just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the weather will change, your go-to spot will freeze up, and it’ll be time to relearn everything. I’ve spent uncountable hours reading about ducks and scouting potential hunt spots. Putting in the leg work will be key to your success and as long as you bring an eagerness to learn and a willingness to fail, it’s truly never too late to start.

Buck with a Mallard Drake in his first duck season

Tags: duck, duck season, green teal, greenhead, hunting, mallard drake, teal, waterfowl | Comments

Buck Yedor

Showa Temres 282-02 Glove

First Impressions

Field Test

Conclusion

Grouse Hunting

Bear Paradox RTH

First Impressions

In The Field

Conclusion

Mathews V3

First Impressions

In The Field

Conclusion

Beretta a300 Outlander

First Duck Season

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