Page 32 - North 40 Outfitters

I’m always surprised by how many of our products inside North 40 Outfitters are made in the USA.  Contrary to popular belief most livestock feed, animal health products, and even many tack items are manufactured in North America. In the past, I have been a tack and animal health buyer for North 40, I’ve sat on committees in the industry for this category, and I’ve been to countless shows, meetings, supplier’s visits, and factory tours.  However, I have never been to Weaver Leather or Ohio for that matter. So, when I got the invite to the Weaver Leather headquarters and their factory in Berlin, Ohio with our current tack buyer, Erik Haugen, and our farm and ranch category manager, Jesse Ova, I jumped at the opportunity. During our visit, four main themes kept reoccurring as we visited the different manufacturing facilities and of...

  Featuring Ariat’s 4L Technology, the Ariat Men’s Wide Square Baseline Western Boot is engineered to provide cushioned support and stability. A sport-western, these boots have a wide square toe that gives you plenty of room in the toe box, while the full-grain leather foot and upper showcase intricate Ariat stitching. Watch the video below to learn more.   Hi, Celby here with Ariat here and here to show the new Men’s Western Wide Square Toe Boots. It’s the sport western called the Baseline that you’ll find exclusively at North 40. We’ve got a couple of different color options. It has out 4L technology so it’s going to be comfortable, it’s going to be durable and the high quality you come to expect from Ariat. Find it exclusively at North 40.  

The power is in your hands.  You can interview the guide or outfitter as much as you want to by phone or email.  Or, you can take for granted that, based on their reputation and/or website, they will do the job. Before you make a reservation though, listen to the outfitter or guide.  Are they asking questions about you and trying to glean information about your goals and needs?  If so, then you are likely on the right path. The first thing that everyone needs to know is, “What kind of client are you?” -Just out for a good time. I want to unplug and not have to think or work too hard. -I want to catch a trophy fish and get a picture worthy of the cover of a fly fishing magazine. -I only want to fish dry flies. -I want to catch as many fish as humanly possible. -Learning how to be a better fly fisher is as important to me as actu...

  A great for family, better-for-you snack, Farmer’s Pantry Cornbread Crisps and Jerky Snacks take ordinary snacks and make them fun and unique. A tasty grab-and-go snack, Farmer’s Pantry Cornbread Crisps come in a variety of flavors such as; honey butter, jalapeno, and barbecue. Farmer’s Pantry Jerky Snacks creatively come in flavors such as; steak and fries, chicken and waffle crisps, and bacon and cornbread crisps. Watch the video below to learn more.   Hi, I’m Jeff Baldwin with Farmer’s Pantry and we’ve got two new fantastic snack concepts here. Great for the family, a better for you type product.   We’ve got a baked cornbread crisp, which has four different flavors. We’ve got jalapeno, original, honey-butter, and BBQ. It comes in a 2 oz. and a 6 oz. bag, so you’ve got a grab-and-go type bag and th...

By Mike Schultz and Taylor Hess Mike Schultz of Schultz Outfitters knows a thing or two about smallmouth and how to catch them. To Schultz, being versatile through the water column starts on the vise. (Schultz Outfitters fish water around the great lakes region and their flies reflect forage of the Midwest.) So, for Schultz, being able to match flies to forage based on a singular platform is important. In case you missed it, Gunnar Brammer explains his fly choices in, A Fish Eat Fish World Pt. 1 Schultz also suggests that understanding where you want to fish your flies in relation to the water column is just as important. “We tend to focus a lot on tying one particular pattern one particular way. Changing weight loads, hooks, and minor material changes can make a huge difference. Having a dynamic selection of flies that can be f...

Warm weather giving you the blues this hunting season?  Well now is the time to change up your thinking and your tactics. Bird Hunting Tactics, Location, Weather, and More Most hunters get into the mindset that they need certain things to be successful in the field.  These can be things such as; tactics, location, weather, and more.  Some of my most memorable hunts are those hunts where I first discovered a new spot, a new tactic, or hunted with new people. Currently, most of the Pacific Northwest is “plagued” by a warm weather cycle that is playing with the minds of bird hunters.  However, I feel hunters shouldn’t give up. Instead, they simply just need to change their tactics and change how they approach their day. Growing up in eastern Washington, my father took me bird hunting every weekend behind his champion English Set...

Tying flies isn’t a new art. Since before Victorian times, people have been twisting fur and feathers around crude hooks, using materials commonly swept off of barn floors. A lot of time has passed since then and a lot of things have changed. Hooks are now made in large factories. And, fur and feather farms produce a consistent product while industry leaders set the standard. Companies like Umpqua and Whiting lead the way helping to evolve what was once a niche activity into a more widely known obsession. What's setting the standard in fly fishing right now? Here are our top 5 picks from IFTD. Up until the late 1960s, there was no industry standard, other than… awful. Hackle that was used was imported from Asia from what they called “village chickens”. Consistency didn’t exist, and the highly sought-after grizzly pattern was un...

  Lightweight and comfortable, the Itaska Women’s State Hiking Shoe has an all rubber outsole. Plus, it has a waterproof, breathable membrane. This makes the State ideal for those trails that cross streams and demand a little more traction for gripping various terrains.   This is the State Hiker from Itaska Footwear. This hiker is shown actually in a women’s style. It is gray split leather upper with the nylon material and you’ll notice the real subtle accents with the purple in the lacing, in the tape, and then also on outsole itself.   Unlike the first style we looked at, the County Hiker, this one has an all rubber outsole to it and the one feature that we have packed in this particular Hiker unlike the County that we just reviewed, this has a waterproof breathable membrane. And how do you know if it’s a wat...

As a fly shop in the mountain west, trout butter our bread, but they are not the only game in town. Many people are looking beyond trout to lots of other fly fishing possibilities.  Carp have become a standard topic in the shop and we basically have two camps.  Those who have fished for them and can’t believe how fun they can be and those who, for various reasons, have yet to try.  In addition to carp, we’ve recently discovered the fun of chasing freshwater drum. My favorite styles of fly fishing, regardless of whether I’m fishing for trout or any species, involve either swinging flies or sight fishing to specific fish.  Often with river carp and drum, I can do both.  I hunt for a fish that I can target with my fly.  Then I need to factor in the current speed and fly weight so that my fly arrives right in front of the fish. ...

Missouri River Winter fishing is all about the weather.  Our temperatures in Montana bounce all over the place.  When we get warming trends, the winter fishing can be exceptionally good.  It’s all about having the freedom or fortune to go when the weather is right. Swing Season The Missouri River is an awesome canvas on which to apply a swung fly.  December through March is an excellent time to employ the swing game. Picking the right water is the key to winter time success. You may find some fish nosing toward faster water at shelves and drop offs during the warmest part of the day, but in general, think softer water.  Walking speed current is often ideal.  That zone between the faster mid-river flow and the almost dead water near the banks is key.  Groups of fish will move back and forth throughout slow-moving runs.  Water fr...

  Double-walled insulated, Yeti drinkware keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold without question. Made of durable stainless steel, and new for this season, Yeti introduces their limited-edition camo bottle available in 18, 20, 30, and 36-ounces.   Hi, Casey Sellers with Yeti here talking about our new limited-edition camo. The camo is going to be available in the 20 oz., 30 oz., 18, and the 36 oz. bottles. This camo pattern is unique to Yeti, our founders designed it themselves. So, look forward to our ode to old school waterfowl camo coming this year.

Simms has 13 new gloves for 2018/2019.  Here are a few of our top picks to help keep your paws warm and working this winter and spring. Simms Warming Hut Glove This glove is serious and is the new glove I am most excited about.  The Simms Warming Hut Glove features Primaloft insulation which is more than capable of warming your hands on the coldest days.  There is also a warming pocket to add hand warmers in case your hands are nearly frostbitten after toughing it out on the river.  These are my go-to gloves for operating a jet boat during steelhead season.  Their water-resistant shell does a good enough job at keeping your hands dry and warm on those snowy, blustery days.  These gloves have a thin fleece lining for comfort and are a size larger than normal to allow maximum mobility.  The built-in wrist leashes make them easy to fi...