bow hunting

The Pursuit of Bow Hunting

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Those looking for a method of hunting that offers great challenge will find just what they are looking for in bow hunting. Before there were guns, hunters used a primitive yet effective bow to take down their quarry. The skill required for this type of hunting has a long history in many cultures. Through the years, the evolution of technology and bows has brought many advances, allowing them to be more accurate than ever. The aspects and elements of materials and construction have helped to improve the bow hunting experience for many. From the beginner to the seasoned bow hunter, there is nothing more satisfying than to be able to use one’s skills effectively.

There are many places in bow hunting where just buying equipment can get tricky. While equipment is sold for right or left handed users, when bow hunters pick out their equipment, they do so by determining which eye is most dominant. Although it is not always the case, right handed people tend to be right eye dominant. Right handed equipment is also more prominent than left handed equipment. When one is right handed while being left eye dominant, the choice is to buy left handed equipment and shoot with the left hand or buy right handed equipment and still use the left eye. It is simply a matter of preference and comfort.

The draw weight of a bow, or the ability to pull the string back, is measured in pounds. The smaller the person, the lower the weight should be. Males and females also have different draw weights. A release aid is a common piece of equipment found on a bow that needs to be considered although it is not absolutely necessary when one is just learning the basics. Many start by releasing the bow with the fingers and then move up to a release aid later on. Other accessories such as sights or stabilizers are a good investment when one decides to take bow hunting more seriously.

When one is first getting acquainted with their bow, arrows need not be an expensive investment. With the help of a professional, one can find a good set of aluminum or carbon arrows to practice with. Depending on their purpose, arrows come in many different sizes and lengths. Upon deciding to enter the world of bow hunting to hunt a particular type of game, a more specialized type of arrow can be used. Often, equipment can be found used and in excellent condition, allowing one to wisely invest their money in other essential equipment should it be decided that bow hunting is a sport that suits them.

bear hunting

Alaska Bear Hunting, the Spinner of Daring Adventure Stories

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Alaska Bear hunting will provide you with some of the best hunting stories you could ever hope to imagine. An adventure most just dream about can become a reality for you with just a few clicks of the mouse and some time spent searching for Alaska bear hunting opportunities and locations.

Here’s something unique for an Alaska bear hunting opportunity, vessel based hunts – conducted off a floating base mobile camp. The floating base camp is a 60′ Little Hoquiam charter yacht. New areas for Alaska bear hunting can be found daily. Additionally you can participate in world-class bottom fishing for the likes of Halibut and Ling Cod.

This unique way to hunt is located in Homer, Alaska and they depart from that harbor to cruise the Kenai Peninsula. The usual routine is to glass the shoreline for bear as most are taken on the shoreline. These bears are spotted and then stalked in a fair hunt. With 18 – 20 hours of daylight each day, Alaska bear hunting can’t get any better than this. Your fish catch will be vacuum packed for freshness. Hunters are responsible for the cape and meat from their harvest themselves.

One thing to remember if you do book an Alaska bear hunting trip, is that Alaska is famous for its bad weather. So, arrive in Alaska a day or two before your hunt starts, and make sure to leave room at the end of the hunt as well for weather delays. This is more prevalent in the Spring, but Fall hunt can have its moments as well.

Other things to note for your Alaska bear hunting trip are: you stand a better chance of having a good hunt if you are not in bad shape. All staking is done on foot and a lot of rough ground is covered. You may also be out camping for several nights in spike camps. You should bring warm gear, but don’t necessarily need “arctic gear”. The most important item is a fur-lined hat with flaps to cover the ears. Some outfitters provide you with artic gear, and that saves you packing it. Check with your chosen outfitter before you leave for your Alaska bear hunting adventure.

Keep in mind that some Alaska bear hunting methods are perfect for a hunter who prefers close-range weapons like the bow, muzzleloader, or handgun. There’s a slight element of danger that makes it all the more exciting.

If you hunt with a gun or bow, whatever you’d use on deer works fine on bears. A low behind the front leg shot drops a bear within 50 yards just about every time. Remember, any shot you do get is often at close range under low light conditions. Sight your weapon accordingly.

duck hunting

Shopping For Duck Hunting Jon Boats Does Not Have To Be a Difficult Job

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Over the last couple of years, duck hunting boats have varied and changed quickly but for duck hunters, choosing the right boat for their particular hunting situation is still the same. The most important step in buying any type of duck hunting boat, including duck hunting Jon boats is deciding what boat type will meet your specific needs for the area you hunt. For people who normally hunt on small potholes or sloughs and often have to use a push pole, a double pointed, light weight, small duck boat is idea and easy to drag if necessary. However, this type of duck boat is neither safe nor practical for hunting on open, large lakes or big bodies of water.

For hunters who hunt ducks in flooded timber, such as areas in Arkansas, duck hunting Jon boats with a mud motor or short shaft motor are ideal. Duck hunting Jon boats are wood or aluminum flat-bottomed boats, which they designed specifically for hunting and fishing. Duck hunting Jon boats normally have one to three seats, an outboard motor mount and are inexpensive, easy to maintain, have maximum usable space, and a simple design. There are several upgrade options available when shopping for duck hunting Jon boats. Many hunters find duck hunting Jon boats idea for lakes and rivers with weed patches and shallow backwaters.

When choosing a duck hunting Jon boat or any type of duck hunting boat, take into consideration the number of people you will normally have in your boat. If you hunt alone or with one other duck hunter, you only need a boat large enough to be safe. For someone who hunts in flooded timber with a couple of friends and a dog, you require a much bigger boat. Two hunters plus their gear fit into twelve-foot duck hunting Jon boats but duck hunting Jon boats sixteen feet or longer are necessary for more than two guys and their duck hunting gear. Selecting duck hunting boats or duck hunting Jon boats that meet your needs is not difficult, if you take into consideration the area where you hunt and how many hunters, how much gear, or even hunting dogs, will normally be in your boat.

For duck hunting Jon boats used in very shallow water, a mud motor is a great choice and maximizes the Jon boats design. Using mud motors on duck hunting Jon boats where there is an excessive growth of weeds is a far better choice than using an outboard style motor.

hunting supplies

The Best Duck Hunting Supplies

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If you enjoy duck hunting, then you know that there is more to the sport than just going out to a pond with a gun. If you do it that way, there is very little chance that you will have a successful hunting trip. Since ducks are so hard to catch, there are a few duck hunting supplies that prove very useful during the hunt. These supplies help lure ducks to you so you can hunt them. Be sure to bring these duck hunting supplies with you on your next hunt.

One of the best duck hunting supplies is the duck call. Duck calls are a little device that you blow in to make the mating call of the duck. It sounds uncannily realistic when compared to how ducks actually sound. If you use this, it can attract the ducks that are in the area. You should crouch in a spot that keeps you hidden, such as in a bush or tall undergrowth. Use the duck call to lure the ducks into your area while also keeping your gun at the ready. When you see them and you have a good shot, take aim and fire. These duck hunting supplies are really good at luring ducks to your area. They are also very small and easily stowed away in a pocket or on a chain around your neck.

Duck hunting supplies that are a little bit more cumbersome than duck calls are still helpful. For example, the duck decoy is a popular item that hunters use to lure ducks. The decoy is a wooden or plastic version of a duck and is very realistic. You can use the decoy to make the duck think that there is another of its kind. Ducks are a very social creature and they like to hang out around other ducks. Using a duck decoy can bring ducks by that are looking for companionship. By using a duck decoy to lure in your prey, you will have a better chance of successfully hunting a duck. For this reason, these duck hunting supplies are very useful and practical. The only problem with duck decoys is that they tend to be too large to carry around comfortably. You’ll need to be good at packing in order to utilize it. As an added bonus, a duck call and duck decoy work very well together. The prey will think that the sound you made came from your decoy. If you use these duck hunting supplies, you are sure to have a lot of success on your next hunting trip.

turkey hunting

Explaining The Turkey Hunting To Do

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Hunters with a passion for the chase and a desire to stalk very tricky prey tend to gravitate toward turkeys. Contrary to popular belief, turkey hunting is anything but easy.

Turkey hunting requires a willingness to be patient – very patient – and a skill at staying very still. What makes these birds so difficult to bag is the fact they have incredible eyesight and very good hearing. This makes it nearly impossible to sneak up on them and even harder to get them and keep them in one’s sights.

With this in mind, many enthusiasts who enjoy turkey hunting choose to take a wait and stalk approach. This is accomplished by:

• Finding out where the turkeys are. It is nearly impossible to go turkey hunting successfully without finding out where they enjoy being. Many turkey hunting enthusiasts do this by tracking the birds, looking for signs and trying to find where they roost, eat and drink. Sometimes it’s possible to ask other hunters for suggestions or to seek advice from the property owners. When this isn’t feasible, getting an edge on the hunting can be done by tracking turkeys. They leave behind visible signs that skilled hunters can find.
• Staking out a spot. One of the best strategies for hunting turkey involves finding a good spot and arriving there before the turkeys do. Some hunters set up blinds. Others prefer to use tree stands or take natural cover. Stumps are frequently used for hunting.
• Calling the birds in. Turkey hunting calls are quite commonly used. These take a little skill to perfect. They can range from calls designed to mimic hens or gobblers. It can be difficult to predict what kind of call will work best on any given day. Sometimes it’s best to start out with one and then move on to another if calling the birds in doesn’t seem to be working. It is wise to start off easy. Being too aggressive with the first calls can scare the birds away.
• Camouflage and minimal movement. Being able to blend into the surroundings and move as little as possible can be very important ensuring a good day’s hunt. With this in mind, camouflage that matches the surroundings is vital. So, too, is a blind or stand that enables movement without too much noise.

Turkey hunting isn’t a sport that will likely result in success every time. This is perhaps why so many hunters enjoy it. The challenge level is absolutely high. It takes patience to pull off and a willingness to go after game that isn’t likely to be easy.

hunting leases

How to Draft Your Hunting Land Leases

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There are many landowners who are using hunting land leases for several purposes, and there are probably just as many landowners who would like to get into this but do not know the basics. This article will explore some of the more common issues associated with hunting land leases.

As a landowner you have two important issues to face: You need to protect yourself from legal actions and you need to protect your property from real damages that may occur. A properly drafted agreement for your hunting land leases can do both.

One of the best ways to draft up agreements that are both effective in protecting you and easy enough for the hunter to understand is to first get a “cookie cutter” draft. You can find these online and they are inexpensive. These pre-drafted agreements will contain the basics that all agreements should contain.

Once you have one of these pre-drafted hunting land leases you should think about your property and livestock (if you have livestock). What, if any, types of damages could be done by hunters? For example, do you have out buildings on the property that you want to protect? If so, you may want to add a clause to the agreement that hunters are to either stay out or away from out buildings; or you may want to add a clause that simply states that hunters will be held liable for any damages to those buildings that they cause.

Your hunting land leases may need to contain clauses about fencing, in so much as they are not to be cut or trampled on. You may need to include a clause that states that hunters will be held responsible for this should it occur.

Your agreement can contain any legitimate issue that you want in them. If you do not want fires started, put that in the agreement. If you do not allow overnight camping, put that in the agreement. If you do not want certain species of animals hunted, add that to the agreement.

The hunting land leases that you draft up and issue to the visitors should always contain clauses that specify that you are not to be held responsible for any injuries or deaths that occur to anyone in the hunting party. This is one of the most important clauses in the agreement and you should never allow visitors to hunt on your property without having them agree to this.

You can do an online search to get some ideas of what other landowners are doing in regards to hunting land leases. If you see a clause that is being used by someone else that you think applies to your circumstances, jot it down. You can also find those pre-drafted hunting land leases online as well.

elk hunting

The Basic Draws of Bow Hunting Elk

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Hunting elk has never been considered an easy task but bow hunting elk can offer just the perfect level of challenge many hunters are looking for. Assessing the terrain, getting close, bugling and taking the shot all have their place for those who choose this method of hunting. One must be able to combine a number of variables in a very short period of time in order to ensure success. For example, knowing how to quickly choose a trustworthy location from which to take the perfect shot requires skill. One must also know the capabilities and limitations of their equipment as well as devote many hours of practice to making the particular broadside shot that will bring down this massive animal.

Bow hunting elk requires that hunters to get fairly close to their quarry. While some hunters prefer to move in toward their target, others like to get close, bugle and then move away, mimicking a cow on the move and leading a bull into a certain location. Many find it is easier to set up and wait for the animal to make an entrance than to sneak up on this creature known for its ultra sensitive ability for detecting danger. The shot must be made with special arrows strong enough to pierce the thick hide, cartilage and internal organs of large game animals.

Because one must get so close when bow hunting elk, recognizing a solid location in which to take a shot becomes crucial. Many hunters do not realize just how large an elk actually is until the animal is upon them. Not only are elk larger than life, their behaviors, mating rituals and distinctive bugle have been known to outright intimidate even the most experienced of hunters. Whether the animal is timid or aggressive, it is important to never put oneself in a bad position just to get close. The unpredictability of hunting is the number one reason safety plays such a major role in this sport.

Bow hunting elk requires that one understand the necessity of what is called a broadside shot. Although an elk may bolt for a number of yards, this type of shot placed just behind the shoulder ensures that both lungs will be pierced eventually taking the animal down. Many seasoned bow hunters decline the straight on chest shot for fear of hitting only one lung and losing their quarry when it bounds off. When this happens, many find that by the time the elk is tracked down, the meat is of no use. This is why so many find bow hunting elk the great challenge that it is and work so very hard to perfect their shot.

deer hunting

What to Know About Whitetail Deer Hunting

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You’ve probably heard a lot about whitetail deer hunting and are curious as to what is so popular about it. For the most part, it is simply one of the most common species of deer, especially in the United States, making it a popular target for deer hunters. However, before you can go whitetail deer hunting, you should know a little about them and their habitat so that you can target them correctly.

The first thing you’ll notice when whitetail deer hunting is the reason these deer are referred to by such a name. They have a relatively long, broad tail for deer that is white on the underside (which is usually visible, due to the fact that the tail sticks up in the air). These deer are relatively small and generally have short ears. Females do not have antlers, and the antlers on bucks have all major points coming off the main beam. On average, males weigh between 30 and 70 kilograms when full grown (60-160 pounds), with females being slightly smaller.

It is most important in whitetail deer hunting to know where to find your target. You’ll do best searching hardwood areas in the south, with Texas being one of the major home states of this breed. In southeastern Texas, this is slightly adjusted due to the more mixed vegetation including or almost exclusively pines, in which whitetail can also make their homes. If you trek over to the Chisos Mountains of Texas, you’ll find that, while mule deer inhabit much of the lower foothills and bases of the mountains, whitetail deer hunting is best within the upper mountains themselves. However, in most other places, such as the Guadalupe Mountains, this is completely vice versa, with whitetails preferring the foothills.

You’ll notice in whitetail deer hunting that these animals are dainty eaters and can be quite choosey in their meal tickets. In the Chisos Mountains, you would do best to target them in areas where they can feed extensively on mountain mahogany and low shrubs, while specimens in the Edwards Plateau area are more likely to graze on forbs and grass. You’ll also find that whitetail deer hunting can occur in a very concentrated area, since these deer have a small home range and won’t stray far from it, especially where food is abundant. In fact, some marked whitetails have been noted to spend at least three years inhabiting less 600 acres.

Once you’ve determined what you are looking for and where you are going to be able to find it, you can make a success of your whitetail deer hunting trip with ease. Following these guidelines will make your trip enjoyable and fruitful.

hunting land

Finding Hunting Land For Lease

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If you’re starting a hunting club, you’re likely looking for hunting land for lease. Hunt clubs typically lease a parcel of land from a private land owner and sell memberships to hunters. The membership fees go toward the year’s lease payments and give the hunters the right to access the land for hunting, and sometimes for other activities.

Leasing hunting land is the most convenient way for hunters to create a club, unless a founding member already owns land outright that he can lease to the club. One of the best ways to find hunting land for lease is to start by simply scoping out the location of land you’d like to use for hunting. The land owner may not be planning to offer his land for lease; in fact, he may never have heard of hunt clubs or the practice of leasing land for such a purpose. So, once you’ve located land you’d like to use, simply approach the land owner with a plan for your hunt club and the land lease. Once he understands your plan, he may be quite happy to lease the land to you, though he had no such plan originally. For most land owners, using their hunting land for lease to a hunt club is a great way to make easy income on land that has been sitting unused.

Before you agree on hunting land for lease with the land owner, be certain that you know how much you can afford to pay for the lease. It’s wise to find your minimum number of hunting club members before locating the land. Sit down with the members and agree on a yearly membership fee that each member is willing to commit to for at least one year. By multiplying this amount by the number of members, you know how much you can pay a landowner for the year’s lease. If the amount you can pay isn’t enough to lease a good piece of property for a year, then you need more members or you need to agree on a higher membership fee from each participant before you secure a hunting land for lease.

Once you know what you can pay, you can approach a landowner with a proposal that includes the lease payment he’ll receive from your club. Most clubs charge each member their yearly fee on January 1, but may pay the land owner monthly. If new members join the club later in the year, after the amount needed to pay the landowner for the year has been collected, their fees are used to fund any repairs or maintenance that the club may have to take care of on the property, as described in the lease agreement.

goose hunting

The Right Goose Hunting Blind

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With all the various types of blinds, choosing the right goose hunting blind for your needs is very important. Since every hunter has different hunting styles and techniques, finding the correct goose hunting blind is critical both for comfort in hunting as well as success in getting your limit.

The right goose hunting blind will be different for each individual. The major differences in goose hunting blinds include:

1. Type of fabric

There is some controversy with hunters whether man-made or natural fabrics are the best for a goose hunting blind. With the new types of camouflage and patterning on fabric, both work well, depending on the conditions that you will be hunting in. Man-made fabrics tend to be more water resistant, thinner and more lightweight, but also lighter and more likely to be damaged beyond repair. Natural fabrics are easier to repair, more durable, but also heavier and require drying to prevent mold and mildew.

2. Type of roof

There are several different types of options for a goose hunting blind roof. One of the most popular options is the spring-loaded roof. This roof is easy to immediately swing open to allow a 360-degree line of sight and firing. Another option is a zipper-closed roof, which can often be used as a deer or turkey blind as well. The roof is much slower to open, and there is often some obstruction. If you are hunting over the water or on fields where wing shots are not necessary they may be both practical and efficient.

3. Pit or above ground

A pit style blind is often a great idea especially if the landscape is not ideal for an above ground goose hunting blind. Even with a pit, a camouflaged cover will still be required. In very cold and wet weather a pit blind is often the least comfortable, but it can be very effectively hidden, even in a flat field. An above ground goose hunting blind is often used in places where there is some natural brush or treed areas along the waterway or the side of the field. Some of the very low blinds can be used in either situation.

Making the correct choice in buying a goose hunting blind is best completed by trying out a few different styles. Plan to attend hunting exhibitions, talk to other hunters or even contact a few guides to find out the pros and cons of the various styles of blinds. In addition online reviews and goose hunting forums can be a great place to get ideas and tips on the blind that will suit you the best.

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