Snow geese wing around in the sky with hundreds if not thousands of real birds.

They’ve seen it all, from inexpensive shell decoys that only seem half-right to full-bodied options that offer plenty of realism on the ground. Still it might not be enough to pull these wary birds in for a look.

As the New Year turns, we waterfowl hunters have several options to look forward to: late-season hunts for snows where seasons remain open and spring “conservation order” snow goose opportunities aimed at managing these big bird populations.

Adding movement to your snow goose spreads can help clinch the deal. Some tactics include:

FLAGS: Arm-operated snow goose flags add muscle-memory movement from your layout blind.

Read more on Yamaha.

A flat or low tire on your ATV can be a hassle, particularly when you aren’t anywhere near an air compressor. ATVAIR uses the compression from your engine to provide up to 30PSI of air to fill any size tire. ATVAIR features a stainless and brass locking tire chuck, 8’ hose and specially designed tapered hi temp rubber collector that fits almost all exhaust pipes. Simply put your ATV in neutral, and put on the brake. Connect the locking ATVAIR Stainless and Brass filler valve to the tire valve stem and gently insert the rubber cone into the muffler, allowing some exhaust to escape.

Read more on Off-Road Hub Magazine.

The Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Series released the 2012 regional schedule today for both Arizona and Southern California with Utah dates TBA. The Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Series Arizona will be hosting a 7 race series on 3 different tracks across Arizona while the Southern California series schedule will see the addition of the new and improved Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park to join Glen Helen Raceway on its 6 race schedule. Both series will finish out the points season at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first ever Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Shootout bringing together racers from all over the west to battle it out.

Read more on RDC.

Name: Kermit Sand Hills, Texas
Location: 10 miles north of Kermit, Texas
Description: Elevation - ft.
Directions to Kermit Dunes: From Kermit, take Hwy 115 northeast about 10 miles past the junction of FM 874.
Kermit Dunes Camping Area: Primitive camping is available. Water and Electric now available.

Read more on Dune Guide.

It is said that you can’t turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse. Maybe not, but if you’re a hunter, feral hogs do provide a worthy substitute when seasons for more desirable game species are closed.

Not only that, you’ll be doing a good deed. Feral hogs destroy property, commercial crops and wildlife habitat, and compete with wildlife for food. In areas of abundance their status ranges from a nuisance to a significant problem.

The silver lining is that they also provide a great opportunity for recreational hunting. This fact is not lost on outfitters who use hog hunts to supplement their income and reduce the impact on habitat and more desirable species like deer and turkeys. And the independent hunter is much more likely to gain access to private land from a farmer or rancher plagued by hogs.

Read more on Yamaha.

Ever notice all of the really serious ATV competitors seem to run rims that seem to lack deep concave and appear covered in rivets? Perhaps you’ve browsed an off-road accessory catalog and realize that these odd-looking wheels are in fact beadlocks. In addition to typically costing more coin than a standard rim, beadlocks offer up some genuine benefits that we plan to highlight here.

Locked & Loaded
As the name suggests, a beadlock is in fact a metal retention ring that is literally bolted to the wheel where the tire’s bead meets the rim. The logic here is that evenly applied pressure to this area reduces the risk of impact damage to the bead as well as friction present when the tire gains more traction than the rotational speed of the rim itself.

Read more on ATV Connection Magazine.

Ever leave your cell phone out in the car for the night? Ever notice how, especially if it happened to be a really cold night, the voltage in the phone’s battery seems to have disappeared? Now imagine 6-months worth of said cold nights and it should come as no surprise that one of the most important elements of preparing your ATV for winter happens to be protecting your machine’s battery.

Step 1: Give her a Cleaning
Before the temps drop even further, consider giving your machine’s battery a nice clean up. No this doesn’t just mean wiping down the black box containing the cells, what needs the attention are the points of connection: the terminals and the cable loops/ bolts.

Read more on ATV Connection Magazine.

By Bob Humphrey

Many states offer late season muzzloading opportunities for deer. Whether you failed to fill your tag during the regular season, or are looking to bolster your winter food stores, there’s still time and plenty of opportunity available.

Think Food
With little exception, the rut is over by now and deer, both bucks and does are motivated primarily by hunger. Bucks are trying desperately to replenish valuable energy reserves depleted by the rut. Does, meanwhile, must nourish themselves and the new life growing within them. Their daily routine consists primarily of feeding and moving between bedding and feeding areas.

Read more on Yamaha.

If you’re anything like us here at ATVConnection (and for the sake of your bank account, we certainly hope you’re not), then you’re not going to let a little winter get in the way of you and your riding. Sub-zero winds and gnar-gnar pow-pow are no excuse. In fact nasty weather just may be the inspiration for an epic ATV adventure.

However, we’re all for doing what we can to ensure that our loyal readers make it back home safely after a long blustery day in the saddle. To that end we present for you the Ultimate Winter Survival Guide, including all those bits you should consider bringing along on any cold winter adventures.

Read more on ATV Connection Magazine

While the ATV’s battery represents perhaps the greatest concern for long-term storage, a topic we covered last week, there are certainly many other factors worthy of consideration. From tires to fluids, it’s a good idea to give your ATV a good thorough once over before laying it down for a long winter’s nap. You might even need to give her some Tabasco Sauce.

Step 1: Fresh Fluids
It may sound counterproductive to change your ATV’s fluids just prior to parking it, but when you consider the fact that contaminants like dirt and water from a season’s worth of riding could be sitting in your oil, literally corroding your engine’s internals from within, the concept of fresh fluids starts to make a whole lot more sense.

Read more on ATV Connection Magazine.