We are in Manitoba until the 18th of November, Please read through our past entries and post your photographs of your great hunts past and present in our photo gallery! We will have lots to share upon our return. We will have pictures, a hunt report and i am sure one heck of a story.
We have some great tips for you from Christopher Hadley!
Switching Firearms? Use This Tip When Sighting Your Gun
Are you having trouble sighting in your gun? Maybe you are having a hard time holding a pattern with your particular firearm. I am still growing use to shooting a rifle after 7 years of using one. I grew up in Indiana where rifles are illegal to use for deer hunting purposes. When I went to college in Kentucky, I began hunting with a rifle. If you haven’t made this switch before, you’re in for a big change. A slug guns’ kick is much greater than the majority of rifles. I had grown used to this kick and was expecting the recoil to be much greater when I shot a rifle, but I was wrong. Rifles are much more accurate and sensitive to small movements than slug guns are. I had a hard time figuring out why I couldn’t hold a pattern with a rifle but could with a slug gun. The kick of the slug gun had instilled in me a “flinch” when I shot that was almost unnoticeable to me, but very noticeable to my fellow hunters. I was anticipating the shot and would jerk the instant before the rifle would fire causing my erratic pattern on the target. A friend of mine and his father begin loading my rifle one bullet at a time. Sometimes they would put a bullet in the chamber and other times they would not. When I squeezed the trigger, the gun would either “click” or fire a round. They would stand behind me to see if I would flinch. It became apparent to me that I was jerking greatly, causing the shot to miss its intended target. This technique allowed me to begin concentrating on the shot itself instead of the kick or the noise behind the new firearm I was using. To this day I have not reached the goal of what I would call a “good shot,” but I have made great improvements over the years. Hunting in multiple states where firearm regulations are different causes me to use this technique every time I switch states and weapons. Have a friend help you the next time you begin sighting in your slug gun or rifle. It can make all the difference in the world.
Be A Recluse, Stay In The Shadows
When hunting on a sunny day, use the sun to your advantage. No matter what game you are hunting, try to put the sun at your back. The wind may not allow for this so keep in mind all weather conditions when choosing a set up location. This helps for several reasons. When deer or turkey hunting this tactic allows you to conceal your position better by being hidden in the shadows as well as making the deer look into the sun if it suspects you are there. This makes it harder for the deer to pick you out. The same applies for duck or goose hunting. Another advantage of putting the sun at your back is that you don’t have to look into it yourself. It makes hunting more difficult when you have to worry about the sun in your eyes or it glaring off your gun/bow.
Hats-The Most Important Choice In Your Hunting Wardrobe?
I learned this tip from a wise ‘ole turkey hunter named Steve Hughes from Houston County Tennessee. Every year I visit his son Derek, during the first week of the Tennessee turkey season. Derek and I went to college together and have built a long lasting friendship that allows for turkey hunts every year. For the last several years, any time I’ve seen Steve turkey hunting, he is wearing a camouflage cowboy hat. Finally, after several years of turkey hunts and getting to know Steve better, I began giving him a good natured ribbing for the way he looked in his hat. That’s when I learned why he wore that camouflage hat. He explained to me like I was his 5 year old grandson about shapes. He continued, “a cowboy hat is round,” giving the ribbing right back. Regular hats have a bill that sticks out on one side, whereas cowboy hats have the same shape all the way around.” He explained when you are turning your head while wearing a regular hat, there is an uneven silhouette that turkeys and deer can detect with their amazing eyesight. Makes sense, I thought. I have continued to use this tip when hunting both turkey and deer. If you can’t seem to get over wearing a cowboy hat, try a “boonie” hat. They have the same result.
