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    Joe Ferronato

    Joe Ferronato is the Community Manager at MeatEater. His passion for the outdoors, inspired by his family, began at an early age and drove him to seek a career in outdoors media. Joe spends time honing his Western hunting skills in the mountains of Idaho and Montana, where he plans to stay. He strives to continue to do his part promoting hunting, fishing, and sustainable conservation practices.

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    Big Game

    E-Scouting Basics: How to Plan Your First Western Hunt

    Joe Ferronato

    Apr 3, 2020

    Planning your first hunt out West? You’re going to need to do some scouting. For many of us, getting boots on the ground before hunting season is simply not an option, so we turn to onX Maps to e-scout from home. Here is what you need to know to make the best of your pre-trip research.
    Maps and Layers
    OnX Maps has created an app that allows you to turn your phone into a GPS. It’s a game-changing platform based on a dynamic mapping system that...

    Big Game

    The Outdoorsman’s Guide to Toilet Paper Alternatives

    Joe Ferronato

    Mar 23, 2020

    The fear of ongoing isolation from coronavirus has driven people to hoard toilet paper, leaving supermarket shelves void of the precious, comforting, cleansing tissue. Now, some unfortunate souls who made it to the store too late are in need of wiping alternatives.
    As outdoorsmen, we’re no strangers to searching for comfortable rear-end cleaning materials before dropping drawers. Luckily, Mother Nature has provided us with wonderful alternatives...

    Cooking Techniques

    The Worst Wild Game We’ve Ever Eaten

    Joe Ferronato

    Mar 19, 2020

    The word “gamey” has become a blanket term used to describe unpleasant or unfamiliar flavors in wild meats. That stigma surrounding certain animals is often misplaced, but still used as an excuse to not eat some harvests. In reality, more often than not, bad flavor is the result of human error.
    Before you go and throw that dirty word around, look at your ingredients, preparation, and how you cared for the meat. What went wrong? Members of the...

    Pheasant

    Tips for Your Puppy’s First Hunting Season

    Joe Ferronato

    Feb 21, 2020

    Ferg is working the field when—as if a string was attached to his nose—he whips around and locks on point. I creep past him awaiting the flush, and a rooster erupts at my feet. The report sounds from the right barrel of my 20-gauge side-by-side and the rooster falls. A quick retrieve to hand from the pup and we’re off to the next. Another rooster and a sharptail grouse fall by the end of the day.
    I bought a German Wirehair puppy near the end of...

    Wildlife Management

    Video: Warden Frees Locked-Up Deer with Shotgun

    Joe Ferronato

    Feb 3, 2020

    Video: Warden Frees Locked-Up Deer with Shotgun

    1m10s

    This is a slow time of year for most game wardens, but last week one officer got a call that he’ll never forget. It all ended with him taking aim at the antlers of two entangled whitetail bucks and touching off a shot from his 12-gauge.
    Officer Scott Kallweit was dispatched in response to a call Russ and Shelley Wright, a couple that came across two male whitetails near their home in Calgary, Alberta, that had locked their horns together while...

    Predators

    Man Strangles Coyote to Death in New Hampshire

    Joe Ferronato

    Jan 21, 2020

    A man in Kensington, New Hampshire, strangled a coyote to death after it attacked his two-year-old son, ending a series of attacks on Monday.
    Ian O’Reilly was hiking with his family when he saw a coyote approach in his periphery and go after his son. The coyote grabbed the boy by his clothing, dragging him to the ground, O’Reilly said in an interview with Boston 25 News. The boy’s mother acted quickly and was able to separate the coyote from her...

    Texas Woman Killed by Feral Hogs

    Joe Ferronato

    Nov 26, 2019

    On Sunday, a woman was killed by a group of feral hogs in Southeast Texas. Christine Rollins, 59, was found dead outside of the home where she worked as a caretaker for an elderly couple.
    Jefferson County Medical Examiner Dr. Selly Rivers declared the cause of death “exsanguination due to feral hog assault” according to a press conference with the Chambers County Sherriff.
    The attack took place in Anahuac, 40 miles east of Houston. Rollins was...

    Predators

    Colorado Mountain Lion Attack Roundup

    Joe Ferronato

    Oct 14, 2019

    Colorado has experienced an unfortunate series of mountain lion attacks, three this year alone. The victims all survived and were treated for their injuries. Colorado Parks and Wildlife found and killed each of the lions.
    “Since 1990, there have been 22 mountain lion attacks on humans in Colorado with three of those resulting in a fatality (1991, 1997 and 1999),” according to a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “There have been...

    Big Game

    Alaskan Moose Hunters Attacked by Grizzly

    Joe Ferronato

    Sep 30, 2019

    In the evening hours of Sept. 6, two Alaskan moose hunters ventured out for a quick glassing session. Scott Willis and Shane White, both Alaska natives and lifelong hunters, are no strangers to bear country. They were prepared—it is Alaska after all—but an attack was the last thing they expected.
    White owns a cabin near the Eureka Roadhouse in the Matanuska Valley east of Anchorage. He says it’s bear country, but he’s barely ever seen them nearby...

    Gear

    Archery 101: How to Choose a Bow Sight

    Joe Ferronato

    Sep 24, 2019

    You’ve found the perfect bow and slung some arrows. Now, it’s time to jump into the world of accessories.
    When buying a bare compound bow, these accessories are essential pieces of equipment for the hunt, so don’t just grab the first thing you see. Spend some time learning about the pros and cons of each accessory.
    First, let’s choose a sight.
    Sights
    A sight on a compound bow is very different than a scope on a rifle. While a rifle uses...