Hunting Gear

How to Prepare for the Archery Range

So you just got your new bow, what now? Take it to your local bow shop and get it fitted. This is especially important if you purchased a used bow or are new to the archery game all together. Everyone’s draw is a little different. The bow shop will help you determine yours and ensure you have arrows to match.

*Please don’t ignore this, you or someone else could be seriously injured.

While at the bow shop make sure that they help you shoot some paper. The pattern left by your arrow tearing through the target will determine if adjustments need to be made or if you are good to go. Finally, before you leave take a full-draw and make sure that the peep is aligned with your vision. Sometimes strings can get twisted when a shop uses a bow press and you wont know until you full-draw. You will have some break-in to do if you are starting out with a new bow. Ask the shop what they recommend for your specific model.

At the Range

Now the fun part begins. As for gear, I always bring a range finder, archer’s tool, archer’s block (if not at a professional range), bow wax, release, and some small repair items. If you’ve never zero’d a bow before, try to take someone along that has. In the video below I am simply making sure that my pins haven’t shifted during the off-season. You don’t need a lot of room once you get your accuracy under control. If you are new, I recommend going to a professional range, this way if you miss the target no one will get hurt.

Start using more of your actual hunting items as you grow more comfortable with your bow. If you are going to hunt with gloves, wear them. Using a face cowl? Then practice with it. Adding different clothes can change the feel of the bow. You don’t want the first time shooting with your hunting gear to be your actual hunt. Eventually work up to a loaded backpack and try going a short walk/jog before shooting. The more you can replicate your hunting conditions, the better off you will be.

With archery season around the corner there is sure to be some questions out there. If you would like something specific reviewed, explained, or expanded-on please feel free to contact us via comms check and we will do our best to address it.

(Featured Image Courtesy of outdooralabama.com)

Review: AlpineAire Freeze-Dried, Dehydrated and Instant Foods

AlpineAire Freeze-Dried, Dehydrated and Instant Foods: Review

Whether you’re out on a multi-day patrol or hiking your favorite mountain range, nutrition is the key factor. On a hike you may have all the lightest kit offered on the market, but without a good source of energy you will hit the wall and put yourself in danger. You certainly don’t want food to take a lot of space in your pack, and that is true for both the weekend adventurer and the professionals out there.

I recently had the opportunity to try AlpineAire dehydrated foods, which I purchased from Mountain Equipment Coop here in Canada. I usually buy other brands but this one caught my eye in the new arrivals section, and the “recipe” they offered looked promising.

I bought Southwestern style beef and nachos, Chicken burrito bowl, Veggie burrito bowl and Bandito scramble, which is basically onions, bacon and scrambled eggs.

Each packet packs around 700 calories for main dish and breakfasts. I haven’t tried sides or desserts yet, and there is no intel on their website about the nutrition facts.

AlpineAire foods need to be cooked, which is no big deal on a multi-day hike, but in the military you don’t always have the luxury to heat your food. Still, on some occasions swapping out your tasteless rations for civvie stuff just brings morale right back up! Just use a burner like the Jetboil MiniMo and in 10 minutes you’ve got yourself a hot, tasty and nutritious meal that’ll keep you going for hours. Be aware that the breakfasts with eggs need hot water first to rehydrate, and then need to be cooked in some sort of cookware like the GSI Micro-Dualist prior to being eaten.

These are also great for the preppers among us because they offer family-sized cans that can be easily stored and will feed a family of four in an emergency situation, whatever it may be. And most of the menus offered for the single packets are available in family size too.

At MEC, each packets retails for about 8-9$ CAD, and a quick search over the internet found them for around 4$ USD. Almost as cheap buying MREs and significantly tastier!

Give the AlpineAire foods a try, you will not be disappointed.

(All pictures are courtesy of AlpineAire foods.)

Hunting From New Heights: An Introduction to Tree Stand Safety

We recognize that hunting can be an amazing and enjoyable experience. We also realize the importance of tree stand safety. This guest post by Hunter ED focuses on some key aspects of tree stand safety to bring you back home safe, happy, and hopefully with a stocked freezer.

Tree stands are a great hunting tool! The elevated platform positions you above the animal’s normal line of sight, plus it offers you a wider field of vision. Not only that, but being up above the ground also changes where and how far your scent travels, making you harder to detect.

While there are plenty of pros when it comes to hunting from a tree stand, before you run off and pitch your stand on the nearest oak tree, make sure you’re prepared to hunt safely with these tips:

Tree Stand Safety Tips

Use a Fall-Arrest System

An obvious risk of using a tree stand is falling off. The best way to prepare for that? Using a fall-arrest system, or FAS, with a full-body harness, a lineman’s style belt, and a suspension relief strap. Better to be safe and strapped in than to take a nasty tumble and injure yourself!

Make sure, if you do fall while using a FAS, that you don’t just dangle there. Your leg straps could be cutting off your blood circulation. Instead, use your suspension relief strap to relieve pressure from the FAS straps. If you don’t have one, be sure to move your legs around, raising your knees and pumping your legs to keep the blood flowing.

Video below gives some insight into preforming proper or improper tree stand safety.

Climb with caution

Take your time and climb into your tree stand with caution! Always maintain three points of contact, whether you’re ascending or descending. That means, at all times, you should be climbing with at least two legs and one hand, with the other reaching up towards a higher point, or two hands and one leg, with the other stepping up on the ladder. While climbing, be sure to use your lifeline climbing rope. It keeps you connected in case you fall!

Practice makes perfect

When you first start using your tree stand, take it slow and practice using the stand at ground level, gradually taking it higher as you learn. Get yourself accustomed to the process of setting the stand up and the feeling of being elevated. It would be a shame to get to the top only to realize you’re afraid of heights!

Chose the right tree

Not all trees are created equal. Some trees, like sycamore and birch, have smoother, looser bark and isn’t too safe to hunt from. You wouldn’t want your equipment slipping on the smooth bark! Instead, minimize your chances of sliding by choosing trees that are alive and straight with rough, tight bark.

Haul your gear up

Never climb with a firearm or bow in hand. Instead, use a haul line to pull your gear and unloaded firearm up to you. And when you’re done? Use the line to lower everything back down.

Do you want to learn more about tree stand safety and safe hunting? Start studying for your hunting safety certificate for free at Hunter Ed!

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About Hunter Ed

Hunter Ed™ is the leading provider of online hunting safety education. Our state-approved courses feature interactive animations and award-winning video clips, in order to teach students to be safe, responsible and ethical hunters.

Turkey Hunting (Pt. 4): Shotguns, Chokes, and Shot

Part one, two, and three all covered what I consider essential gear (calls, camo, and decoys) for turkey hunting. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention weapons and ammo before sending you out into the field. That said, the type and style of weapon are guided largely by the hunter’s preference. There is no wrong answer as long as fundamentals are kept in mind, and the hunter practices enough to become proficient with what he/she is using.

Shotguns

There are four basic types of shotguns: pumps, semi-automatics, over/unders, and side-by-sides. Each type of shotgun has its advantages and disadvantages. With pumps and semi-autos, you get a third round, which can be great if you didn’t quite put your turkey down with the first couple of shots. With an over/under, you can have different chokes on your shotgun at the same time. The key here is that these shotguns should be 12-gauge (kids can make it work with a 20-gauge if the range is close), shooting 3 or 3 1/2″ loads, with a full choke. Some new shotguns are designed specifically for turkeys and come with extra-full chokes.

super-vinci-shotgun-apg — Semi-auto turkey shotgun—a Benelli Super Vinci. Image courtesy of benelliusa.com.

Chokes

Chokes are small tubes that either screw inside your barrel or mount to the muzzle. Basically, chokes help control the pattern of your shot. The ‘fuller’ the choke, the more dense your pattern will be. Hunters will need to experiment with a variety of chokes and loads to see exactly what works for their setup. There is no perfect answer here, because each shotgun, load, and choke combination will change how the pattern ends up downrange. With that in mind, don’t leave your season up to chance; practice and know how your equipment will pattern.

Shot

Inside a shotgun shell there are multiple projectiles called shot. Depending on what you are hunting, they come in lead, lead substitute, and steel (steel is typically used when hunting waterfowl). They are categorized with a numerical system, the higher the number, the smaller the projectiles. The smaller the projectiles, the more can fit into the shell and the denser the pattern. It may seem simple, but this is actually one of the more complicated areas of turkey hunting (for me, at least).

With a larger projectile (#2), your penetration and kill-power will be greater, but your pattern will not be as dense (meaning there’s a greater chance of missing, depending on range). This is a balancing game between shot-power and range. You will need enough power from your shot to penetrate vegetation and still be able to kill. You will also need to determine the lethal range of the shot you picked and only operate inside that range.

Harvest

This will be the last turkey article until after my turkey season is over. I hope to write about a successful turkey hunt, and I would like to hear about yours. Please feel free to post pictures of your turkey harvests on our social-media pages. Without giving up any trade secrets, please say where you were hunting (the state is fine). Good luck out there.

(Featured image courtesy of hunteredcourse.com)

Turkey Hunting (Pt.3): Decoys

Part one and two of this series covered calls and camouflage, both of which I would consider a force multiplier in turkey hunting. A force multiplier refers to something (equipment, training, etc.) that makes a unit more effective than it would be without it. Another great force multiplier used for turkey hunting is the use of decoys. A decoy can help convince a turkey that it is safe to approach, and aids them in pinpointing where the calls (which you are generating) are coming from.

The first thing you need to consider with turkey decoys is the type of turkeys you are hunting and the timing of the season. In Washington State, spring season is restricted to male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only. Knowing that information and considering the time of year, I would use a couple of hen decoys with a jake (a younger male). Turkeys are still establishing their rank at this time of year and can be eager to fight each other.

Conversely, during mid-season, when mating is at its highest, using a male turkey decoy can actual scare other males away. During that time of year, I would go with one or two hens. You need to be flexible during your seasons. Legislators may have ‘established’ when each season is, but that doesn’t mean that the turkeys will have progressed in their mating cycle.

There are probably more turkey decoys on the market then there are actually turkeys in the wild. They range from 2D silhouettes, stuffers (actual stuffed turkeys), and 3D collapsible/inflatable decoys. Some have the ability to move with the wind (similar to a bobble-head doll) and others hold stone still. As mentioned earlier, addressing the particular needs of your season is the goal. There is no need to create an overly large flock of turkeys; this can be intimidating to a turkey in the wild. Instead, try to create a scene that is appealing to what you are hunting and is appropriate to the timing of the season.

Placing your decoys in the field is going to take some practice. The more you see turkeys in the wild, the better you will be at replicating their habits with your decoys. I typically place turkeys facing the direction that I want them to go. I make sure that, when placed, the decoy can be seen from a reasonable distance. (It won’t matter if the turkeys cannot see your decoy.) Finally, I try to keep the decoys within 20 yards of my shooting position. If a turkey gets within 10 yards of my decoy, that is still a 30-yard shot. If you place the decoy too far away and the bird gets nervous, you may not get a shot.

You need to remember that decoys are exceptionally lifelike and can convince other hunters as much as turkeys. If you see another hunter move into your area, make your presence known and stop using any calls. Additionally, break down your decoys completely while packing them in and out of your hunting area. If you are carrying one on your shoulder while walking up a hill, there may be a hunter at the top who could engage you as he sees the turkey cresting. Although not required for me, I wear blaze orange when walking in and out of my hunting areas.

(Featured image courtesy of realtree.com)

Turkey Hunting (Pt.2): Camouflage

Part one of this series was all about turkey calls. Now that you have decided on your call(s), it is time to address one of the more important considerations of turkey hunting: camouflage. Regardless of the type of game you are hunting, camouflage is important. However, because of turkeys’ incredible vision and the close proximity required to get a kill, it may be more important with turkeys than with any other game.

The first thing that you need to consider is personal camouflage (the clothes that you are actually wearing). A couple of obvious factors to consider while choosing your camouflage are where you are hunting and when you are hunting. In Washington State, we have spring season (April 15-May 31), early fall season (Sept. 20-Oct 10), and late fall season (Nov. 20-Dec. 15). Although my terrain will be the same, the environmental considerations (snow, vegetation growth, etc.) can have an impact on the patterns of camouflage I use. Make a habit of checking the areas you will be hunting before you actual hunt them (scouting/recon). If for some reason you cannot scout your area, Realtree has a tool on their website that can help you select camouflage appropriate to the game you are hunting and the area you are in. However, nothing is as good as actual boots on the ground.

Now that you have a pattern suitable to your game and geographical location, you should strive to have as much coverage of your body as possible. Your personal camouflage should include: boots, pants, undershirt, lightweight top (depending on season), coat, full-finger gloves, balaclava or face cowl, and a ball cap. Your accessories are just as important to camouflage as your person, unless you plan on leaving your gear in the truck. A day pack (or ruck), your weapon, sitting pads, and generally everything you plan on bringing to the hunt needs to be camouflaged with a print, or with local vegetation.

A cheap and effective DIY solution for creating camouflage is to bring with you strong elastic bands, flex ties, and/or 550 cord. Simply cut vegetation (tall grass, small branches, leafy bush, etc.) and secure them in overlapping patterns on your gear. Don’t overdo it. You don’t need to strap 15 pounds of vegetation on your gear, just enough to help break up the hard outline of its profile. Additionally, make sure that the added vegetation doesn’t interfere with your equipment (can you reload, will it create a jam, can I open my pack, etc.).

If money is no object, or you own the property that you are hunting, then a permanent blind may work for you. Blinds range from a small pop-up-tent type design to something that you actually construct and leave somewhere. The idea behind the blind is that it is camouflaged so that everything inside doesn’t necessarily need to be. Having a blind can also allow you to bring more comfort items because they will be concealed. A small heater, extra food, a chair, these are just some of the luxury items that a blind can allow you to have.

If you are hunting with a partner, take turns looking at each other’s hunting spot and gear. If you can see something strange, odds are the turkey will as well. Also remember to pack an extra layer in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. You can always take something off if it gets hot, however you cannot put something on if you didn’t bring it.

(Featured image courtesy of billkonway.com)