.I took the NH Hunter Course in the early 1960’s and did not have a Cert. Number. I want to hunt in southern states that have more deer, but some states now require a Hunter or Bowhunter Cert. Number. If you don’t have one then you need to get one by taking the new NH Hunter course. I needed a Hunter Cert Number.

After some grumbling, I took it in stride and took the updated course. I believe the On-Line Course and the Field Day was great. Instructors worked hard to instill the safety and ethics that is so critical to hunting’s future. There is the traditional course with more hands-on would be even better for a young hunter and that still exists. A NH Conservation Officer steps you through the new rules and regs and answers important questions. You can log on today and take the on line course like I did and then attend a field day or take a longer (think its 3 day course) too which is more hands-on. As a former Hunter Ed Instructor I aced the tests and learned alot too as well a getting a refresher.  Go for it…take the plunge and go hunting in NH or any state.

Check it out at  http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/hunter-ed.html

A Great Idea From Ruger!

http://www.ruger.com/micros/2million/index.html

Ruger Quote: “Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has pledged to donate $2 for each new Ruger firearm sold between the 2015 and 2016 NRA Annual Meetings, with the goal of giving $4,000,000. Ruger’s donation will benefit the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). Established in 1975, NRA-ILA is committed to preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals to purchase, possess, and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”

On Thursday June 4, 2015 I took the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Predator for its first foray at the 600 yard range at Nashua, New Hampshire. It performed outstandingly well.

The Scope used was the Leupold Gold Ring VX-6 3-18x44mm with the B&C Reticle. At 600 yards I turned the scope up to 18x and adjusted the focal plane for 600 yards. The target was clear and crisp with the x ring visible. In the target image below the small blue circle represents an unknown shooter at an unknown distance. The larger circle represents shots taken with the Creedmoor.  Initial hits were far to the right so I walked the shots left with three windage adjustments. One minute (4 clicks) equals 6 inched at 600 yards. By the time I was scoring in the ten ring I ran out of bullets. Without a doubt, nearly all the shots would have been in the 10x ring if the rifle was already adjusted left. This rifle is impressive with these hunting bullets and can only get better with a heavy target bullet with some additional powder tests this rifle will shoot groups like those far below. The Creedmoor will do it with less recoil too. For someone that wants an all around rifle for hunting big game like deer, bear, and elk, varmints or f-class target, I give this Ruger a big thumbs up. It is not obvious at first glance but with the laminate stock and stainless barrel it would make a great rifle for a pack-in hunt in any weather. The stock won’t swell in wet weather and the barrel will not rust! Retail is around $800 and a bargain! 

The Ruger M77 Hawkeye Predator in the 6.5 Creedmoor is a winner expecially when topped with the Leupold VX-6 in 3-18x44mm.  The Scope will handle any weather on the planet and any caliber you wish to use and retails for $1100 on sale. See the article on the VX-6 in NH Rifleman.

600 yard target

Interestingly a woman target shooter shot a SIG Sauer Rifle in 308 Winchester with a LR Scope, she was shooting A-Max bullets from Hornady which are known for their high ballistic coefficient and for target shooting. This is what a good 600 yard group looks like when you have done your homework on the Rifle, Scope, Bullet, Powder and practice. I congratulated her on this terrific group seen below on this F Class target.

If you want to read this in context with the other articles, look back in the website history for the first article and read forward.  Good Shooting! © 2015

At the end of March 2015, Savage Arms agreed to send the 11/111 Long Range Hunter in 7mm Remington Magnum to New Hampshire Rifleman Magazine for testing. Recent email with Savage is encouraging so stay tuned.

If you are following my writing on the 6.5 Creedmoor tests, I had great luck with more 100 yard tests reloading for third time with same Hornady brass which has stiffened some, making it easier to press the bullet into the cartridge.

Even thought the SAAMI Max Cartridge Overall Lenth (COL) is 2.825 this does not aid the reloader much in finding the best COL.  I knew from previous tests with this particular rifle (every rifle is different) the 120 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter flat base bullet flies well at 2.53 inches COL (and poorly at 2.70 inches so I loaded two (three shot) groups today 6 rounds with 2.65 inches COL where the bullet was seated totally into the neck.Group 1 was 1.5 inches Group 2 was 3/4 inch. It is possible that one of group 1 shots was errant and due to a slight pull of the trigger. Group 3 and 4 was shot at COL of 2.60 and measured 1 inch for group 3 and 5/8′ for group 4. Based on this data, I am confident that best COL length is between 2.53 and 2.60 resulting in sub MOA performance. A bullet seated less than 2.53 is near to the curved o-give. I would perhaps settle on just less than 2.60, say 2.58 for future tests on the Sierra 120 grain. Speed is 2892 fps at the muzzle. Below is the calculation of performance to 300 yards on deer size game. Max Point blank range is 278 yards where the bullet stays within a 6 inch circle when zeroed at 238 yards. Bullet energy at 278 yards is 1322 ft lbs. Plenty nuff energy for a whitetail hit in the heart/lung area but must account some for a light 10 mph wind that can throw the bullet off course by 7 inches left or right. Vertical error is around 2 inches at max range from a bench rest. In the field you will need a good rest to take a shot at that range and practice, practice, practice. Check out the JBM Ballistics data below. http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi. A side note on the size of a bullseye with the Leupold VX-6 Scope. I ran out of preprinted targets so I used copy paper and scribbled a circle bull at 1/2 inch but the crosshairs filled the bull and the target center disapeared. Thus your bull should be larger than 1/2 inch (perhaps 1 to 1.5 inches) to be seen correctly so that the shooter knows that the crosshair is in the center of it. Shooting a fly at 100 yards would be difficult indeed, but since we are not shooting flies negates the matter. I do like the VX-6 bold crosshairs very much as they stand out clearly.

Yes is the answer I wrote in April 2013!  A new member to Pemi wrote me today April 29, 2015. My interest in 1000 yard/meter ranges is to broaden the long-range skills of New Hampshire Rifleman by making this range accessible to the public via sportsmen. The nearest 1000 meter/yard Rifle Ranges are in New York State and Pennsylvania. Today’s rifle manufacturing technology has improved barrel and stock quality technology to such a degree that many new rifles today are capable of off the shelf sub-minute-of Angle groups. That being said a rifle that shoots a 1/2 inch group at 100 yards can group 5 inches at 1000 yards. My Ruger rifle is capable of 1/2 inch groups, the Savage Model 110 I am testing is capable of 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards as are many other rifles today. My sons, Savage Model 110 in .308 can shoot 1/4 inch groups at 100 yards consecutively off a bench rest.  But we will never realize the proven capability of these rifles, and the many bullets and ballistic profiles/coefficients, scopes and rangfinders unless New Hampshire shooters go out of state or pay a private company to shoot on their property.

It is sportsmen and their children that provide the early life marksmen skills that cleanly kill deer, turkey, bear, moose, ducks geese for the dining table such as those animals brought to the table by World War I hero Sergeant Alvin C. York. As a hunter his skills were honed out of a necessity to feed the family.

It later came in handy when he was drafted into WW I. It was the hunters skills and those of 1775 Minute Men Militia’s that saved America in all of the Wars undertaken by the USA since its birth. A place to practice is needed!!

Pemi- Valley Tried to get 1000 yard range approved.

The folks at Pemi-Valley tried to get a 1000 yard range approved and it fell short in town a few years back. I think a renewed effort should get underway with the support of organizations such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the National Rifle Association. Further that NH Clubs should consider financially supporting such an endeavor for both sportsmen and shooters and to exercise our ability under the Second Amendment to Keep and Bear Arms. What good is keeping a bearing arms if you can only shoot/practice at 100 yards or so?

Why have a 1000 range is like asking why have a 300 or 600 yard range?  A 1000 yard range offers an ability to provide long-range skills to shooters, hunters and marksmen. Ballistics and ranging skills among New Hampshire shooters and hunters is lacking, I suggest due to insufficient long-range public facilities.

I believe that Pemi-Valley has the best chance to get a 1000 meter/yard range approved.

What stands in the way? Those that think guns are bad stand in the way.  Do you really want to let them win that argument?  In 2012 Rick Olson Jr. wrote an article

The Anti-Gun Cadre Levels Its Sights On Pemigewasset Valley Fish & Game Club

Here is the link to that article: http://granitegrok.com/blog/2012/02/the-anti-gun-cadre-levels-its-sights-on-pemigewasset-valley-fish-game-club

I have emailed a few folks that were working on the Range but it is still in Limbo.

Shooting sports are undergoing great resurgence. Lets get this or another 1000 range built and staff it with trained Range Officers and Skilled Shooters.

Talk it up Folks or let the Left take over your God given rights! I will talk with Pemi- Valley and report back.

Last evening a package was left by a mail carrier that confirmed that this was the scope repair package. Upon opening the package I found a brand new scope instead. It is a 2×7 32mm and estimate its value at around $130 to $150 retail. It is what I purchased years ago.

The scope has been updated with hand adjusted 1/4 moa adjustments

Thank you Nikon!

Yes, it is that time of year. The Pussy Wiilow’s then the tree pollen. I take some over the counter remedies that address both the allergy and the nasal drip. I have constant issues where my vocal cords need to be cleared so I want to cough to clear them or emit a guttural tone to move the congested material away. Doing that while hunting does not bode well for noises that wild game can hear in the woods, that is,  if you ever see any game with such noises of constantly clearing your throat.

Sucking on lozenges can help but some tart lozenges can put an odor in the air that may alert game. Be sure to bring liquids to drink but the best thing I have found to keep from coughing is to bring tart apples with you, like a granny Smith but any apple will do in a pinch. Take a bite and tuck it in your cheeks like chewing tobacco.The tart pectin will bath your vocal cords and thin out any salivary congestion.  Slice some and put it in a baggie or just keep the whole apple and bite a hunk off every now and again.

So what if you do not have an apple?

You can chew green white pine needles or fresh fir tips, I have and it works and you get some vitamin c too (spit out the chewed needles). You can also chew tea-berry leaves and tea-berries as I called them as a boy, you find here in NH called Wintergreen.

http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Edible_Plants_Ramer_Silver_Weizmann/Pages/spp_page_wintergreen.html

Note: Wintergreen is said to have medicinal properties like aspirin. I often chew and suck on the leaves which have a mint taste. Little did I know that I was tasting wild medicine.

Once you study up on wild edible things that the forest offers you will be a better woodsman and hunter. I have eaten “common clover” which has a lemon taste and can aid in soothing your throat. See the web site below for plant Identification.

http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Edible_Plants_Ramer_Silver_Weizmann/Pages/spp_page_clover_common.html

A little basket rack from my back yard some years back.

To make a killing shot on a whitetail deer with a bow and arrow requires lots of skill and practice and lots of patience. As a former International Bowhunter Education instructor I have had many students that shoot 3D archery and say that they kill deer at 40 and 50 yards all the time on the 3D course. So why not when it is real? First and foremost, a 3D target is not a real live living thing that moves and breaths. Second, the angle is often not ideal in 3D for an anatomically correct shot. And third, if you think a deer is going to wait for you to kill it, think again. Deer can, and have, ducked an arrow if its senses know that danger is at hand. It is the unaware deer that is easier to kill. Having said that, 3D archery is about as close as you are going to come to the real thing and brings  you half way. Judging distance and angles a vegetation are great aids in the learning process. So keep going to 3D shoots and practice knowing that without the fight/flight mechanism you are partly there in this skill set to bowkill a whitetail deer. What is missing is the coming of dawn, climbing into a tree in the darkness, hearing your heartbeat,  little noise from you or your banging and clanging as you get in a real tree stand, real deer, adrenaline, razor sharp broadheads and a bow that has been tuned with broadheads. Or the onset of darkness having to do it all in reverse.

As a human that is about to launch an arrow at a living thing, something different happens to us that has intensity that cannot be felt elsewhere unless death is upon us. And that does not happen with an inanimate object like a 3D target. Our fight or flight mechanism kicks in with a load of adrenaline, breathing can become labored and in many cases the “shakes” take over your body uncontrollably, especially in new bow hunters that have little experience with an actual kill. In some cases the shakes are so violent that early hunters have fallen from tree stands before the advent of safety harnesses.  In some cases hunters will vomit in a post shot environment due to the intensity of the situation, I have experienced this many years ago with too  much adrenaline where an 8 point buck was walking towards me at 20 yard and closing the gap with intent to kill me. I had a Muzzle Loader and killed him instead. Most of us move through that phase, still shake a bit, but with control practice, can still make the shot. Hunting where there is game aplenty will give you this experience. If there was no adrenaline, the hunter would not hunt except to provide food. It is the intensity of the moment with the adrenaline that for most, keeps hunters coming back whether with gun or bow. Some believe more so with bow because often you can see the deer, its eyes, ears and hear your heart beat all at the same time you draw your bowstring to send a razor sharp arrow toward its vitals. As my friend Peter Hathaway Capstick ( Death in the Long Grass) elucidates from his heavenly perch; Something is going to die! In Peter’s case as a dangerous game  hunter, the hunter could die if he or she did not do its job correctly.

Shot placement is key to a quick and humane kill so I have found a website that has an interactive site that aids in shot placement. Two of the scenarios, one at a running deer and the other, a frontal shot are to be avoided at all costs unless the deer is wounded. Without further adieu give this website a try:

http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/articles/deer/heartorlungs/

If you want to experience this in a real simulated situation, run 200 yards and while huffing and puffing to simulate adrenaline, then take the test. I did not run, but scored 95 out of 100. How bout you? Can you beat my score?

Southwestern Chipotle-Molasses Wild Turkey Chili – By Ed Hale

Oh my “G” so delicious! This is a recipe that makes use of a hunters lean Wild Turkey and chipotle chili powder adds a southwestern flair and less of the hot cayenne pepper. The chipotle chili is roasted and has a smoky roasted flavor already.

3 strips of smoked bacon, chopped (I used hickory smoked)

2 pounds of ground turkey

1 tsp fresh-ground black pepper (pepper mill)

½ tsp kosher salt

2 large sweet onions, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1½ tbsp. chili powder

3/4 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 tbsp. whole cumin seed

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dry Coleman’s mustard

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 28 oz. can crushed plum tomatoes in puree

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. molasses

2 16 oz. can drained light red kidney beans the other can use dark red kidney beans

To begin use a large pot capable of holding 4 quarts.  Cook the chopped bacon so that the fat begins to render.

Add the ground turkey to the pot and add salt and pepper and the vegetables.

Cook, stir and break clumps of the turkey for 12 minutes till the turkey is no longer pink.  Add the spices; I add them to a small bowl ahead of time so I can pour into the pot when ready.

Add the tomatoes, Worchester sauce, and molasses with three cups water. Bring to a fast boil and simmer, covered for 1 hour.

Add the beans and continue to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or so.

This is ready to serve but I believe it tastes best if it rests for a few hours or overnight. Adjust the liquid and chili spices for heat and salt. This recipe freezes very well too. I would have the chipotle chili powder on the table along with salt pepper and cayenne for those that want it really spicy. I found out that the spices tend to intensify.

Serve hot with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of Sour Cream and garnish with fresh Cilantro or your favorite garnish. Serves 8.

ENJOY! © 2015