Scouting Deer During Winter Seasons

If you are a deer hunter, then winter is probably a never ending season of waiting. Since the fall hunting season is over there is not very much action related to deer hunting. In some places the winters are so rough that it can be difficult to even get outside to practice shooting your bow or rifle.

However, winter is still great in one way that you can stay connected to your hobby. Winter is really a great time to go and scout what the deer are doing around your favorite hunting spots. Scouting in the winter is not nearly as disturbing to the deer than scouting right before the hunting season begins. If the winter is so horrible that the deer are all gathered up in survival mode, then you they should be left alone.

If your idea of scouting is to go check things out right before the season is starting, then you are not helping the situation. Stomping all over the wilderness, while spreading your smell is not good for hunting. However, scoping out things during winter when the season has just ending does not disturb things very much.

This is also the case when you are trying to figure out the movements of a big buck. If you are going to follow them into their bedding area and bother them during the season then there are less chances of seeing one from the stand diminish. They are very sensitive to the presence of humans and they will certainly go hide out somewhere else.

However, if you are scouting when there is snow on the ground, you will not run into these issues. Even if you happen to scare a buck out of his secure area, then it still will not bother him by the time the next hunting season starts. Winter is the best time to learn about the patterns of behavior of the buck. This is also good time to scout out areas that are good for your hunting stands.

Winter makes it simple for hunters to find the routes deer are going through and bedding spots. Snow on the grounds also makes it a lot clearer where these routes are. Yes, the routes will change somewhat when the deer hunting season begins. Although the basic trails they are using as they leave bedding cover does not change.

There are plenty of clues to seek out during the winter, but the most obvious is a buck rub. Bucks make tons of rubs as they polish their antlers and practice sparring for the breeding season. The amount and quality of these rubs can give you a lot of information. Further, the big rub indicates that there is a good buck in the area. The rub line also gives you good information. A good rub line is a great place to have a shooting stand ready for the season.

It is also a good idea to go in early to cut shooting lanes. Sometimes the hunting area you choose can become very thick and it can make things more difficult. Finding a way to get out into the woods and staying connected with hunting can make your winter more bearable.

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How an ATV Can Enhance Your Hunting Trip

In the old days, hunters had to walk long distances to reach their prey. Often, this meant leaving camp before the break of dawn, so they would have enough time to trek several miles to their tree stands or blinds. Not only did this give hunters less time in the woods, it led to exhaustion. It also limited the areas they could hunt, which made it more difficult for them to successfully locate deer, turkey, elk or whatever else they might be after.

ATVs Make Hunting Much Easier

Nowadays, hunters utilize all-terrain vehicles to make their trips easier, more comfortable and more successful. ATVs can offer hunters a host of benefits, including:

• Less Fatigue - Instead of having to get up early to walk tens of miles to their hunting spots, modern hunters can climb aboard their ATVs and get there in a matter of minutes. This helps prevent unnecessary fatigue associated with hiking over steep ridges and through rough woodland areas.


• More Efficiency - Because they are able to easily sail across undeveloped land, ATVs allow hunters to access areas that might normally be out of reach. This opens up new possibilities, allowing hunters to follow their prey wherever they might hide out.


• More Comfort - Obviously, sore feet can make a hunting trip miserable; however, excessive walking can cause other problems as well. Because deer hunting season tends to fall in the late autumn, hunters are often forced to endure very cold weather. When they must walk long distances, people tend to work up a sweat. Unfortunately, once they reach their tree stand or blind, hunters tend to stop moving. At this point, because he or she is wet from sweat, the average hunter tends to get very cold. ATVs can help prevent this by making it much easier to get from point A to point B.

Important Considerations

While ATVs can provide hunters with a host of benefits, they can also get them in some trouble. If you take your ATV deep into woodland areas, you'd better be sure you have survival accessories with you in case it breaks down. Likewise, it is critical that you test the battery before you head out. A dead battery can leave you stranded far from help. This can be especially scary and dangerous when night falls and temperatures plummet. Before you head out on your next hunting trip, be sure to service your all-terrain vehicle and make sure it is equipped with a new or fully-charged battery.

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Eberlestock Gunslinger - Is It a Hunting or Tactical Backpack?

In the mid 80's Glen Eberle redesigned the stock of the traditional Olympic Biathlon rifle and thus reduced the weight by several pounds while making it much stronger. A big plus for a race of endurance and accuracy. It gained acceptance and became the standard for Olympic-class biathlon rifles. Eberlestock was born, although not adopted as the company name until years later. Since then the company has branched out from rifle stocks into other related areas with Eberlestock backpacks being one of those markets.

The Origins of The Gunslinger

In 2004 the Eberlestock Gunslinger was introduced as a hunting backpack. As the name suggests, it was outfitted with a scabbard in the back of the pack to accommodate a hunting rifle. However, in 2005 it was upgraded to fit a military grade weapon such as an M16 and the pack was designated the GS05. The main features of the GS05 or Gunslinger are:

• Scabbard for rifle
• Top load pack with convenient full side access
• Top cover compartment - holds ammo or small electronics
• Adjustable or removable waist belt
• Fully adjustable shoulder harness
• MOLLE webbing
• Hydration sleeve

The capacity of the pack is equivalent to about a 3 day pack or about 50 - 60 litre (3000 - 3600 cu in). The rifle scabbard folds into the bottom of the pack so a shorter weapon can be carried easily or unfolded for longer rifles. The top cover has a sleeve that unfolds and therefore can be used to cover the exposed portion of the rifle thus allowing you to fully enclose a rifle up to 60" long.

Interestingly, the GS05 is sized to meet carry-on dimensions so it can be used as a travel backpack. With the scabbard folded into the bottom it is wide enough to hold a laptop. But keep in mind that there is a difference between simply holding a laptop and being designed to safely protect a laptop while being carried. The GS05 is not a laptop backpack.

An Unexpected Need

The Gunslinger was originally designed by Eberle to be a hunting backpack and met with high approval from hunters. But early on troops in the Gulf used it in special operations because it was sturdy and durable plus comfortably handles the M16 or a sniper rifle. So it is common to find it being used by US troops. Thus the connection was made between a rifle backpack designed to improve the hunters experience and the military application by special forces that found the same pack to be highly useful for combat operations.

The New Version

Recently the Gunslinger/GS05 has been upgraded with a new version, the Gunslinger II or sometimes referred to as the Gunslinger 2. It has three primary upgrades.

1. The main compartment has been changed to feature both top load and front load capability.
2. The gun scabbard has been enlarged to better accommodate weapons with large optics or larger body.
3. The bottom of the scabbard has been widened to allow for rifles to be loaded either butt down or butt up.

The Gunslinger 2 comes in two styles, the G2H for hunters and the G2M for military. Both have Padlock (PALS) interior webbing and MOLLE exterior webbing. But the G2H comes with a familiar hunting camo patterns while the G2M has more military coloring like Dry Earth (brown); black or green.

So, is the Gunslinger II a tactical backpack or a hunting backpack? The answer is that it is whatever you need it to be. Originally it was designed as a hunters pack but practical application has made it at home in the backcountry or on the battle front.

Learning the Basics of Deer Hunting

Hunting is an activity that man has engaged in since prehistoric times. Since that time, man has developed skills and technology to make hunting more efficient. Even today, hunting equipment is being improved upon for the benefit of hunters. Of course, one of the most hunted animals is the deer. Deer hunting is a worthwhile activity for most hunters, but it is not as easy as it seems. Skilled hunters have honed their deer hunting tactics with years of experience. Often they accumulate skills over time, and they learn many tactics by observing other hunters.

The good thing today is that novice deer hunters can find so much information about deer hunting online. Many expert hunters do not mind sharing guide and tips to young hunters. Reading information online frees you from having to learn the basics the hard way. So, be thankful to generous veteran hunters who do not mind sharing what they know. These people equip you with knowledge they learned the hard way. Knowledge is now available for all hunters at the tip of their fingers, so they can do away with the hit-and-miss approach.

The most important thing to be aware of is your safety and that of everyone else. Learning about your safety involves guidelines in trekking the wilds as well as seemingly trivial issues like keeping your weapon in a gun safe. Beginners are taught when to hunt for deer and when not to. On the other hand, it is important for them to know the right places to do hunting. It is not always safe to be out in any forest where wild animals are roaming. You may end up being attacked by creatures instead of doing the hunting yourself. Many newbies invest in deer hunting instructional materials. There are books being sold, but there is a lot of free information on the web.

Why do you have to invest time learning deer hunting? Beginners know it is difficult to hunt deers without appropriate background and knowledge about deer hunting. If you do not know anything, you will be out there, not knowing what to do. You could spend much time wandering in a forest without clue what to do next. Hunting is a field that needs to be studied.

Choosing a weapon is essential in deer hunting. You cannot be a deer hunter without a weapon. There are different kinds of hunting weapons, from guns to crossbows, but you should follow state regulations regarding possession of these weapons. It may be illegal to possess certain types of guns in your state. High powered rifles, for instance, cannot be used for hunting. Before buying your hunting gear, check with the hunting regulations of your state.

To attract the deer to a specific area, some hunters use bait, such as fruit and grains. Other hunters use attractants like female deer urine if they are trying to hunt a male deer. These both have the purpose of attracting the animals to a select spot.

The most important thing you should know about being a deer hunter is that you need to have a deer hunting license. You cannot hunt deer without proper license, which is given to people who have undergone the required hunter safety training or program. It is just a ten-hour course that educates would-be hunters about deer hunting, safety precautions, and wildlife conservation.

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Brothers and Sisters at Arms: Please Use Correct Terminology and Stop Giving the Enemy Ammunition

We are constantly fighting a battle with anti-gun groups and I think we need to look at ourselves and clean up our act if we're going to win this battle. Particularly I think we should stop terming semi-auto weapons that "look like" assault rifles as assault rifles. They are not. You and I know this. But everywhere I see them advertised by firearms dealers as "assault rifles" probably to get attention and create more sales. Let me be very clear about this definition. They are not assault rifles and should not be called such. The anti-gun establishment latches onto that and creates an atmosphere of fear surrounding these firearms. It is not in our interest at all to term these semi-auto rifles as "assault rifles". I would like to make everyone aware of the uses of different firearms and their application as defined by the Second Amendment.

First, handguns and semi-auto rifles are defensive weapons used by people for protection and holding ground like your own home. This would include these wrongly termed "assault rifles" that are for sale to the U.S. public. Second, shotguns and bolt action rifles are used for sporting purposes and as such they are sporting arms, not assault weapons.These could also be used for defensive purposes and holding ground like handguns and semi-auto rifles. Third, the real assault rifles with a selector switch for safe, fire and auto. That's what an assault rifle is. It is designed for taking ground. Very hard to get without the proper paperwork. There are some weapons that cross-over between sporting and defensive uses, i.e. shotguns and high capacity handguns. There is nothing wrong with this and may help people to buy one gun to use for more than one purpose.

Considering the above definitions I'd like to propose that we call these semi-auto rifles and handguns Second Amendment Guns. That's right. Second Amendment Guns. They fit the framework of what the Founding Fathers were talking about in the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Arms to defend ourselves and our country from enemies both foreign and domestic. I'd like to see the anti-gunners draft a law to eliminate Second Amendment Guns. Then they'd have to do the explaining not us. And the terminology would get the public's attention and get them to thinking about the uses for different guns which is important. Knowing and using the proper firearm is very important if you want it for any of the above purposes.

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Managing the Bobwhite Quail

Quail have always been a favorite of mine to hunt. When I was a kid, they were found everywhere. I found it rewarding to get involved in a group that prompted Quail Hunting as a sport an also ensured the proper management of Quail habitat. In fact, I am a Charter Member of Quail Unlimited. Back in Oklahoma the quail was always a favorite of landowners and hunters. Not only are Quail a desirable prey, they also play a big role in the ecosystem. A Quail's main diet are plant, crop and weed seeds. They will also consume their fair share of insects. Working up the food chain, they will serve as a tasty meal for larger predators. Some say the common house cat is the worst enemy the quail have. You can usually tell how bountiful or stressful the ecosystem is, based on the health and numbers of the quail populations. The quail are such an important indicator of the health of the overall ecosystem.

Quail are found throughout the South. I have hunted them in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. You can also find them throughout the Midwest states from Colorado to Indiana. Man pretty well controls the population levels of the quail at any given time. This is due to the way the land is used. Whether South. Modern farming is more intensive. The current cultivation practices are not good for quail habitats. Currently modern farmers make use of herbicides and insecticides, much more than 30 years ago. These farming methods encourage the removal of all of the edges and field borders, of course resulting in larger field sizes, but eliminating the much needed wildlife habitats.

On many farms, weedy and brushy fence lines simply don't exist. They have been replaced with smooth ground that will yield crops for the market. Farmers must remember that every action creates an equal reaction. Plating fence row to fence row will run off the wildlife. Every farmer needs the tree rows, grassy water ways, untouched creek beds and so on to maintain wildlife populations. Farming is our way of life, but if every farmer dedicated 20 acres to be untouched, the results would simply surprise you. if you have large expanses of dense woodlands on your property, you need to do some clearing of spots in those woods. Clearing of trees and letting some sunshine into that forest bed will do wonders for the wildlife.

As a landowner, you have the ability and resources to improve the bobwhite quail habitat on your property. You must understand the habitat needs for bobwhites, your local extension agent is probably the first place to start to get advice on the subject. This isn't going to work unless you commit to apply the appropriate management practices that will improve the habitat for bobwhite quail on your property.

Habitats will only be useful and rewarding to you if it fits the long term physical and protective needs of the quail. Providing habitats that are usable simply means creating and managing cover to which bobwhites can adapt to.

Food, water and cover need to be available throughout the cover area for this to work. Remember, quail rise in the morning, go to water and drink, then feed for about the next 2 hours. During mid-day to early evening they will rest, until watering again before heading to the roost to bed down. The proper arrangement of these habitat patches are important to meet the needs of the quail, or they will simply move on. I have read research that indicates a covey of quail uses an area no larger than 100 acres.

The quality and Quantity of habitat that you are able to maintain will directly affect your success at maintaining quail on your land. During winter and drought conditions, bobwhites will concentrate and stay closer to food and cover patches that are in close together. During the spring mating season and into the summer months, the quail will pair up to raise their young. Quail can have more than one hatch a year. Back home in western Oklahoma we were having a mild summer, and had plenty of water. Our home covey of quail had three hatches that year, conditions were right for multiple reproduction. On average, the quail covey population will run one covey for every 15 to 25 acres of good managed quail land. I have seen as many as 75 birds in a covey, but this is unusual. During a covey rise, the sky seems to turn black because of all the birds. Not all coveys are that big. Most will average 12 to 15 birds.

Open pastures and hayfields provide valuable nesting areas for quail. If you have mostly timber on your land, then you can still create stands of areas quail will stick to. Keep the underbrush cleaned out around the trees the best you can, Leave grasses that are in clumps. Quail are mostly ground animals that seldom fly. Quail like land, even in timber areas, where they can run around and play or flee danger in an instant. Clear several openings, one to two acres in size, that will allow sunlight into the forest floor. Quail are attracted to these types of areas. Pile the cleared wood in an out of the way place and leave it. This creates a natural area for the quail to get out of the elements and also escape danger, remember to make these clearing close to those water sources. Quail are pretty darn tough. With a little help from the landowner, areas can be made that will provide food, water, and shelter that will hold quail on the property.

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Reloading Supplies: Making Your Hobby Cheaper

If you have a handgun and you use it frequently for hunting, you know how expensive making use of completely assembled cartridges that are factory loaded can be. While reloading manually is mostly done to save on money (one can save almost 50% on cost), there are many who are passionate about reloading and get a kick out of manual reloading. For such hunters, reloading becomes a hobby unto itself that leads to enjoyment. Sometimes, reloading leads to far more accuracy of firearms as a shooter find that the best fitting cartridge for their firearm is not available in the market.

There are many casual shooters who know nothing about reloading and think that reloading is all about buying gun or the cartridges. However, reloading means manual loading not depending upon factory loaded ammunition. Upon learning the features and advantages of reloading, more and more firearm owners are today switching to reloading. This has also meant more sources of reloading supplies and competition among reloading equipment suppliers. Today people look for reloading supplies to save further on their newfound hobby.

There Are Many Avenues of Reloading Supplies Once You Have Decided On It

If you are looking for reloading supplies, there are scores of websites selling them at low prices that will bring a smile on your face. You would be pleasantly surprised to know that you can save more than 50% if you do hand loading rather than remain dependent upon factory loaded ammo. Reloading supplies include not just outer shells of brass but also the primer, the shot and the powder. It takes some time to get acquainted with the materials and the process of reloading, but once you have mastered the art of reloading, it gives a sense of being in control of your firearm which you can never hope to achieve with factory loaded ammunition.

You Will Find Reloading Almost Fun Filled Exercise While Saving On Your Money

Of course trying to reload can be dangerous if you are not aware of the basics. But once you are into reloading, you are safe as long as you follow the instructions. You can even make ammunition heavy or light as per your requirements while at the same time learning to make it more accurate than the cartridges available in the market. Imagine being able to customize the ammunition depending upon your firearm through reloading. This is like reinventing shooting as you not just save money; you master the art of making ammunition that is just right for your firearm and hunting requirements. Just get to a distributor providing reloading supplies and see the improvement in your shooting in addition to saving on your hard-earned money.

Today there are dozens of companies selling reloading supplies and there are kits available that contain everything from A to Z to start on this wonderful hobby of reloading. Just log on to one of the many websites selling reloading supplies and order ammunition that you can prepare for your firearm at home and save 50-70% on factory loaded ammunition.

Reloading is a process that is recommended for those who make use of their firearm on a regular basis and require many rounds of ammunition for their hunting excursions. For those who use firearm sparingly, reloading is not suggested as it can prove to be counterproductive and rather more expensive than factory loaded cartridges. However, with all said and done, the popularity and increasing numbers of websites selling reloading supplies seems to suggest that more firearm owners are today turning to reloading to save on their money and also to master the art of making ideal ammunition for their guns.

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