Sigh...

Well between the residual pain of recent dental work, and this head cold that won't go away, it seems that my body doesn't want me to go hunt. Which sucks. Although I knew I wouldn't be doing shotgun deer season this year, it's annoying knowing that it is going on, and I can't go play. But then again when it's super foggy and idiots go hunting anyway, and then end up shooting each other. Here's a hint. If your hunting vent doesn't include flashing lights, I don't care what color it is, if the fog is thick enough, no one will see it.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well It's that time of year again. I hope at least a few people are eating turkey that they took themselves, or maybe a some goose or duck. Either way, be thankful for it and that you can share it with family. Remember those who are away serving our nation that can't be home today, and for them defending our right to hunt our own food.

Bow Hunting and Ethics

I wish I could remember the forum I saw it on. A person had mentioned that the .410 shotgun is only good for punching paper and is unethical to use on game above the size of a ground squirrel. Now I've taken plenty of rabbits ( all several times larger than a chipmunk) with my .410. I also know several people who use this gauge for everything from mall game to pheasants and duck. If it works it works.

So this leads to my point. How can the .410 be called into question when I have seen hunting shows where a deer is hit with an arrow, runs off, and isn't found for hours or even not until the next day? How can that be considered ethical? I have no doubt that plenty of deer have dropped within 100 yds of where they were hit. Just food for thought I guess.

Hearing Safety

Another blogger contacted me the other day, John at Blogging with John O. Liked what he saw and wanted to make sure we all understood the risks of hearing damage and loss while hunting. Not a lot of hunters think about this, often to our suffering later in life. So here's what John has to say:

       Hi my name is John O'Connor, I am a father, outdoorsman and passionate about living a healthy lifestyle.  Over the past few years I have become more and more interested in hearing loss.  My father and grandfathers, who are and were all hunters, are affected by hearing loss.  I feel that there is a general lack of understanding around the issue and it is our job to spread awareness where we can.  Check out my new blog at bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com!

Hearing Loss Caused By Firearm Use
While hunting outdoors or firing a firearm indoors, your hearing should be your first priority. My father who has been an avid hunter since I can remember, often times did not pay much attention to his hearing protection while out in the field.  He now is severely affected by hearing loss and his doctors say that hunting played a major role in it.  In order to help with hearing levels he now wears two hearing aids everyday. Protect your hearing today in order to ensure healthy hearing for the future.

Prevention and education are always the best resources to have on your side when considering the long term affects of firearms on your hearing. With many different products available, hearing protection is a must have for any firearm owner. Make sure when choosing hearing protection that you read the labels very carefully and are positive it will protect you from the range of decibels you will be exposed to.    
Hearing loss, while inconvenient, can also be very dangerous. This is especially true when dealing with firearms. Whether you are big game hunting or simply going to the range, your hearing needs to be priority number one. There are many different forms of hearing protection to use while discharging weapons. Standard earplugs seem to be the most popular. While they are not stylish, they are very effective. Earplugs protect your hearing from the extremely high decibels that are released while firing weapons.
Earmuffs are one other option. Coming in many different styles, hunters enjoy the comfort and ease of earmuffs. Unlike earplugs, earmuffs cover the entire ear rather than being inserted into the ear. This is also a very effective way to protect your hearing and your pocket book. One large complaint with this option is the inability to hear others in your party. Earmuffs do a very good job of canceling out all surrounding noise.
For weapons enthusiast, inner-ear electronic earplugs can be a great choice. Although these tend to be very expensive, hunters can have them custom fit to them individually. Much like hearing aids, these inner-ear plugs electronically monitor decibels. Most models allow the hunter to retain normal hearing capabilities. It's only when decibels reach a certain range that the earplugs began canceling the damaging levels of noise. This allows users to hear everything except the damaging levels of noise.  

When making the selection of hearing protection, finding the option that best suits you is important. While some hunters do not prefer large earmuffs for tactical reasons, an avid range shooter could find the earmuffs to be very useful.
Educating yourself and others in your party of the dangers and long-term effects of firearm use without hearing protection is key. Many ranges and hunting clubs require the use of hearing protection for this very reason. With all of the technology put forth into hearing protection, there is no reason to be caught without it.

Now I'm pretty sure I've seen some Hi-Tech hearing protection at both Bass Pro and Cabelas, Including some that allow you to hear normal sounds while dampening gunshots. Definitely worth the consideration. Thanks John, and those interested can check out his blog at bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com,

No time to Hunt

Well, I haven't been too on top of hunting lately. I got some fishing in this year, but with the drought and the heat, I didn't accomplish much. Good news is I managed to fix the ejector on my single shot .410 so I now have a viable squirrel/rabbit shotgun.Reliable, but expensive to shoot. Costs me $10 a box for basic game loads. I used to pay $7 for Winchester Hi Power Game loads, but now I get the Remington Game Loads. Way cheaper. Still in the process of getting a viable firearm for deer. I managed to sell an old milsurp rifle of mine and will be putting that money towards a decent shotgun. Probably a Maverick 88. Thinking about putting a Poly-Choke II on it. It's expensive( at $100) but i'd never have to buy another choke tube, not would I have to carry 6 or more into the woods with me.

Been a while

So it's been a while since I posted. I have an app for my phone now, so it'll be easier to post. Looks like I'll miss shotgun deer this year as I will me welcoming my newest outdoorsman around that time. Some things are more important than hunting and this is one of them.

The First Step

Well now I have completed my hunter's safety course. Here in Iowa, you can do the first half on line, for $25. Then attend an "Online Field Day" in which you listen to some conservation officers go over rules and regulations, as well as demonstrate firearm usage( no live fire though). I was somewhat disturbed by a conservation officer who advocated the half cock position on a traditional muzzleloader as a safety. Anyway, I have completed that requirement. Next month I will get my hunting license, followed by a Turkey Tag in April. There are supposed to be wild turkey's on my in-laws land. I've got to do some scouting next time we're home. I've got to get a hold of something to hunt deer with. I guess technically I could use my blackpowder pistol, but the odds of me actually hitting a deer with it are slim, much less killing it. Oh well, some day.