Archives for September 2018

Watch the Final Episode of Mossy Oak’s “Bull Rush” Free Web Series

Posted from: http://huntinginsider.com/watch-the-final-episode-of-mossy-oaks-bull-rush-free-web-series/

WEST POINT, MS – To celebrate the opening days of elk season, Mossy Oak recently launched an all-new digital series featured in its free, on-demand video library. Adding to the action from the first three episodes is the fourth and final installment of “Bull Rush,” which features rifle and muzzleloader hunts for bull elk out […]

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Bow Stabilizers: Reasons why you need it!

Posted from: https://www.bowhunting.net/2018/09/bow-stabilizers-reasons-why-you-need-it/

Author Bio: I am John Lewis, a blogger, survivalist and outdoor enthusiast. You can follow me over at Epic Wilderness.

Ever wondered why are there are things sticking out of a professional archer’s bow? Those things have more functions than just being decorative, where it ‘stabilizes’ your bow and make your shots more consistent. The fact that most professional archers use it shows that bow stabilizers are important especially for tournaments. If you like to look for a suitable stabilizer, you can click on this link.

Understanding how to use bow accessories and using them effectively can give you an edge for shooting accurate shots most of the time. Usually, most archers would already have known what type of bow sight they want or arrow rest to look for, but they seldom think about what kind of bow stabilizers they need. Choosing one that is not suitable for your bow will cause you to be imbalance while shooting.

Therefore, choosing a suitable bow stabilizer would be imperative because it would affect different aspects such as how stable you can hold the bow, the amount of balance you have and how accurate you can shoot. Let me further delve into detail why bow stabilizers are necessary.

Reason 1: Help you make your shots more stable

You need to get a stabilizer which is sufficiently long and heavy to see how it helps you to shoot consistently and accurately. However, do not get one which is too long and heavy especially if you are not comfortable with it because your bow will tend to fall forward after every shot you make.

Primarily, bow stabilizers are MEANT to make your shots stable and keep your bow balanced by adding extra weight below your grip. The added weight would help in weighing your bow down, which makes it stand upright. You are able to shoot more consistently because the weight limits the movement of your bow. This means it helps to steady your pin on your intended target, which is important in archery tournaments.

Another way to further improve upon your stability is to add rear or side stabilizers to your bow, which would set-off weight from other accessories of your bow such as your bow sight. The rear and side stabilizers are meant to increase the overall moment of inertia, making it easier to keep your aim on a target. This is more obvious while making long shots, where you can see whether the groups of shots with a stabilizer and one without is tighter.

This is the main reason why most tournament shooters use a bow stabilizer as well, which is to offset a poorly balanced bow! The torque changes from one shot to another, which requires certain weight to make it consistent. If you are hunting with it, do consider getting a more lightweight one.

Reason 2: Reduce the amount of shock by absorbing vibrations

The stabilizers function by absorbing the shock produced which removes the vibrations from the rise when you shoot. This would aid you in holding the bow with balance, which is extremely important if you like to shoot consistently. Further, you can ensure that your bow stand upright although you put less strength.

So, how is vibration produced from your bow? It is because of the tension (potential energy) that is stored in the bow string, which later would be released from the arm guard (change to kinetic energy) will cause the vibrations.

The stabilizers will help you absorb vibrations in 2 stages when you are shooting: First, when you are drawing the bow and; Second, when you release the bow. This would effectively reduce the vibrations that is felt, allowing you to hold it properly.

The additional weight that is placed at the bottom of your bow would aid in fighting against torque as well. But, you can only see differences in results if your stabilizer is sufficiently long and heavy. But do bear in mind that the length and weight should be chosen first by reflecting on the activity you are using it for.

Reason 3: Improving upon your shooting accuracy

The fact that your shots are more stable will make you shoot more accurately (which is more apparent for long-distance shooting). Try getting a sufficiently heavy stabilizer and shoot 80 yards, you will see
what I mean. The groups of shots that you make with a bow stabilizer tend not to drift to other places, as compared to not having this accessory fixed to your bow.

If you often make long-distance shots such as hunting from a tree-stand, getting a stabilizer would be all the more necessary. This is due to the fact that when there is more weight placed in front of your bow,
the easier it is for you to hold your bow still which improves the consistency of your shots. Other factors such as reducing vibrations would contribute to improving your accuracy too!

Reason 4: Lowering noise production

This would be really important for hunters who do not want to scare off their game! Bow stabilizers are capable in lowering noise production because they can reduce the amount of vibration present. Usually, there are some parts of the stabilizer which is made from rubber or gel to carry out this function.

Also, it would be much easier to shoot a bull’s eye if your targeted object is not moving. If your game became aware of your presence, the amount of movement will usually increase as they try to move away from you. Since most animals have a really keen sense of hearing, reducing the amount of noise you produce is really vital.

Further, you will not need to waste your time following a blood trail! This is provided you get a clean shot on vital organs of the animal, causing it to drop dead. This is also a more humane way of killing because the animal will not suffer.

Conclusion

After clarifying why bow stabilizers are important, it is time to look at how to choose one which is suitable for you. You need to choose one with a suitable length and weight taking into consideration what you are using it for.

For example, if you are making many long shots, it would be better to consider getting a stabilizer which has more weight. However, if you are going for a hunt and there is going to be a lot of movement, it is better to get one with a more manageable weight.

Common mistakes such as not taking proper care of your equipment and forgetting to shoot with proper form should be avoided too. With good enough skills and equipment, your shots would undoubtedly be far better. If you have any comments or ideas you would like to share, feel free to comment below!

Wired To Hunt Podcast #236: Rut Radio 9/26/18

Posted from: http://wiredtohunt.com/2018/09/27/wired-to-hunt-podcast-236-rut-radio-9-26-18/

Today on the show we’re back with another episode of our Rut Radio mini-series, in which we’re getting realtime from-the-field updates from across the country regarding deer behavior, current conditions effecting deer, and the tactics that are working right now!…

A Sportsman's Life: Rut Secrets Revealed

https://www.fieldandstream.com/sportsmans-life-rut-secrets-revealed?dom=rss-default&src=syn

A Sportsman’s Life

Don’t listen to the so-called “experts.” These are the real best days of the rut

Bill Heavey’s “real” best days of the rut…

Powderhook Announces Suite of Digital Tools to Broaden Partners’ Mentoring Efforts

Posted from: http://huntinginsider.com/powderhook-announces-suite-of-digital-tools-to-broaden-partners-mentoring-efforts/

LINCOLN, Neb. — Powderhook announced today that its digital-mentoring toolkit includes new features to allow brands, agencies, and NGOs to join and accelerate the growing movement to mint new hunters. The brand-enhancement tools are bundled in a service that Powderhook calls PRO accounts, which allow companies and agencies of all sizes and types to connect […]

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FIELD TEST: CuddeLink Trail Camera System

Posted from: https://www.bowhunting.net/2018/09/field-test-cuddelink-trail-camera-system/

CuddeLink Trail Camera System from CuddeBack.

by Jeff Johnston of American Hunter

I’ve succumbed to the allure of trail cams, mainly because they make scouting easier for busy lives, and because they’re so much fun. Even so, regular trail cams pose their own problems for hunters.

First, checking a bunch of cams takes time in itself. Secondly, routinely checking cams saturates that spot—presumably one where you expect to see deer—with your human stench. Big bucks don’t like human stench. And third, if you choose cell-service based trail cams that eliminate the first two problems, each cam requires its own service plan and therefore can be extremely expensive.

Cuddeback hopes to remedy all these problems with its revolutionary CuddeLink trail cam system, wherein up to 15 CuddeLink cams per “Home” unit can be placed across your property to form a wireless daisy chain. All images taken by each cam are automatically sent to a designated “Home” unit, so you only have to check that unit. To check the “Home” unit, you simply pull out its SD card via wireless or wired link to your nearby PR, or remotely via email with the addition of a CuddeLink Powerhouse Cell unit (and cell service package.) Most importantly, that cell service package only requires one account (and bill) to email you pictures from all 15 cams, and not one per trail cam. This saves hunters a ton of cash!

For most hunters, the concept of checking one camera to see all the deer across a property—without tromping through the woods or paying cell service fees—is a huge breakthrough. Cuddeback claims that its CuddeLink cameras range from ¼ mile to 1 mile per link, depending on the terrain, so you can cover several miles with multiple cams.

Recently, I tested the system by way of four CuddeLink cameras, and here’s what I found. First, the concept is genius. I live in the country where I also hunt, so I place my home unit on the balcony of my house. Occasionally it would capture photos of deer and animals walking near my house at night, but mainly it served as the “Home” hub for the three other cameras in a daisy chain. This means that when I pull the card on the “Home” camera and place it into my computer, four folders show up—one for each camera—with images from each within, so I never have to physically check the other three cameras. If I added several more cameras to the chain, I could monitor my entire property by checking just one SD card.

If I didn’t live on the property, I could either have all of the images from the “Home” camera sent to me via a cell service package, or I could drive to the property and only check the main, easy-to-access “Home” camera. Either way, I’d save a ton of time while eliminating my scent from my best hunting spots. The CuddeLink system works as intended and they are worth their cost, which are in line with other premium trail cams.

After using the CuddeLink system, I can say that the trail cams themselves are great units that take clear (up to 20 MP) photos, even at night. They have super-fast trigger speeds, and include all the features hunters have come to expect of top-end trail cams. Because they must transmit and receive data, however, they do use more battery power than most newer trail cams; the “Home” units use 4 D Cell batteries, while the small “repeater” units use 9 AA batteries. This is just a fact of trail camera life, but Cuddeback is set to offer a solar panel soon.

I really liked Cuddeback’s two-piece mounting system that comes with each cam; once the strap and bracket is placed around a tree, the cameras can be placed and removed just by sliding the unit on and off.

In the real world, two dislikes of the system surfaced. First, they’re not the simplest cams to set up for use. Surely, if one simply reads and understands the lengthy directions, most literate hunters can figure them out, but the buttons are not all that intuitive, and even after setting them up initially, it’s easy to forget the sequence. I wish Cuddeback would have realized that most hunters are hunters—not computer nerds—and therefore devised a simpler interface/set-up system with perhaps with simple “back,” “enter” and “next” buttons or even toggles.

Secondly, Cuddeback claims that the cameras can communicate with each other to transmit data for up to 1 mile in open country and ¼ to ½ mile in heavily forested areas. In my experience on my land that is heavily forested, I could expect no more range than ¼ mile, and sometimes less.

Still though, the CuddeLink system represents an amazing breakthrough and I really enjoy my system. The best part is that I can always expand it by adding more cams to the daisy chain as I get the cash to buy more. I’m now fully in the trail cam game, and I enjoy looking at deer. Cuddeback’s new system has only enhanced the fun.

For more information, go to cuddeback.com.

Here’s a Closer Look at the Maven RS.1 Rifle Scope

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/heres-a-closer-look-at-the-maven-rs-1-rifle-scope/

If you’re looking for reasonably priced scope that still performs at a high level, check out the Maven RS.1 rifle scope.

Hailing from Lander, Wyoming, Maven Optics company has made a solid debut in the rifle scope market with the Maven RS.1 rifle scope. I did a general overview a couple months ago of a scope the folks at Maven were kind enough to lend me. But today, I’m going to share the results of some more detailed evaluation of the scope.

First off, the high quality glass on the RS.1 really impressed me. Terms like “brightness” and “clarity” are tough to quantify. However, when compared side-by-side with several other scopes, the Maven RS.1 rifle scope noticeably outperformed a Leupold VX-2 and a Leupold VX-3i, but was edged out by a Zeiss and a Swarovski. Truth be told, that’s not surprising at all: it beat out the mid-range scopes, but was outperformed by the high-end European scopes.

In short, the Maven RS.1 rifle scope has really nice glass. This fits with the Maven claim that they use ED glass (extra-low dispersion) for maximum light transmission and true color rendering.

Next, I tested out the internal adjustments of the scope. While a lot of people focus primarily on the optical quality of a scope (and that’s certainly important), it doesn’t do a darn bit of good to have a scope where you can see the target really clearly if the internal adjustments aren’t consistent and repeatable.

There are a number of ways to test this and I elected to shoot a “box test” with the scope. After sighting it in for a 100-yard zero, I adjusted the scope up 3 MOA and right 3 MOA and aimed at the center of the target. My shot hit the upper right corner of the orange square almost exactly 3 inches above and to the right of the bullseye.

Next, I adjusted the scope down 6 MOA and then took another shot while aiming at the center. I did this 2 more times and then adjusted the dials back to my original 100-yard zero for the fifth and final shot. The idea is to fire five shots with the same point of aim, but adjust the scope appropriately to hit all four corners of the box with the final shot hitting the bullseye.

As you can see in the photo below, all shots hit within half an inch of where they were supposed to. Basically, the Maven RS.1 rifle scope passed the test with flying colors. For what it’s worth, that specific rifle and load is normally shoots just under 1-inch groups at 100 yards.

Closer Look At The Maven RS.1 Rifle Scope target

The turrets are clean, easy (but not too easy) to adjust, and instantaneously make the right adjustments without getting hung up. They also make audible and tactile clicks. The scope also has a side parallax adjustment dial that’s also the right size and provides the appropriate amount of resistance when you adjust it.

The Maven RS.1 rifle scope also has a glass-etched, first focal plane reticle. Essentially, this means the reticle changes in size as the magnification of the scope increases or decreases. Most scopes (such as the Nikon Inline XR) have a reticle in the second focal plane.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each. When using a holdover or MOA reticle on a first focal plane scope (like the simplified holdover reticle in the RS.1), the holdover points remain the same across the entire magnification range of the scope. On a second focal plane scope, the holdover points only work at a specified magnification (typically the highest setting).

On one hand, a first focal plane scope makes using a SHR reticle much simpler. On the other hand, the reticle is absolutely tiny at the lowest magnification on a first focal plane scope. For the most part, that’s not really a big deal because most shooters only use a holdover reticle at the highest magnification anyway.

The Maven RS.1 rifle scope lacks a couple features other comparable premium optics have though. It doesn’t have an illuminated reticle and custom ballistic turrets with a zero stop. Maven does offer a ballistic turret for the RS.1, but it’s not a standard feature like Leupold offers with their VX-5 and VX-6 hunting scopes. They currently don’t offer any options for an illuminated reticle at all right now, but this is their first rifle scope. Perhaps they’ll offer that as a feature on a scope in the future.

No matter how you slice it, though, the Maven RS.1 is a really solid rifle scope. Though some of the really high-end optics on the market outperform the RS.1, they also cost a whole lot more. All things considered, the Maven RS.1 is a great scope for most shooters and hunters, especially when you consider the price Maven can sell them at, thanks to their direct-to-consumer business model.

Like what you see here? You can read more great articles by John McAdams on The Big Game Hunting Blog. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, & Instagram.

NEXT: HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE RUGER HAWKEYE FTW HUNTER

The post Here’s a Closer Look at the Maven RS.1 Rifle Scope appeared first on Wide Open Spaces.

3 Phases of the Whitetail Rut: Remembering Charles Alsheimer

Posted from: http://youtu.be/ke9KZ_EmrM0

Want More Public Land Access for Hunting and Fishing? Support LWCF!

Posted from: https://huntinglife.com/want-more-public-land-access-for-hunting-and-fishing-support-lwcf/

The US is about to lose one of its most successful public land access programs in history – the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Whether it’s for hunting, fishing, or other recreational activities, the LWCF has opened millions of acres to outdoor lovers across the country for the past 54 years. That will end […]

The post Want More Public Land Access for Hunting and Fishing? Support LWCF! appeared first on Hunting and Conservation News.

“Full Illusion” pulls in 10pt Buck!

Posted from: http://youtu.be/Krhj8W4i4z4