NH Hunters

Do you have a story to tell about your hunt? If so send the story to the Editor at  erhale@comcast.net . Or just send me an email that you have a story and we will help you put it together.

Ed Hale – Editor

There is nothing more irritating while on “stand” when a bushy tailed investigative squirrel has identified you as danger. I can recount dozens of times over the years that my position to all the local wildlife was given away by the incessant warning growls of a red or grey squirrel. The barks of a grey squirrel are so loud that deer, turkeys or any other game 200 or more yards away can hear and avoid you. Your Busted! The squirrel shouts; “I am gonna tell the world about you!”

Today I avoid such encounters by wearing a full face spandex camo mask whenever I am stationary in particular. A must for turkey hunters! I killed 2 turkeys this year and the facial and hand camo made all the difference. A few weeks back when I got my fall turkey, group of 8 hens were no  more than 20 feet away and they never recognized me as danger even though they were staring directly at me.

But it works great in the deer woods too especially when in areas where shots are likely in the 40 to 50 yard range, which for me is most of the time. Orange does not appear to alarm wildlife, so even an orange camo face mask can work to your advantage.

I was on my deer stand and in a great spot with my muzzleloader yesterday when two big fat fuzzball grey squirrels were working their way toward me. I sat still with my face mask on only my eyes showed and they came within 10 feet of me and never broke stride as they passed by on their journey for food. I will be testing a new camo face, head and neck product shortly so you will read more about it.

The other thing that has created an alarm is my white hands against my camo clothing. Lifting my hand to swat a mosquito is like lifting a whitetail tail to signal danger. So I try to keep my hands in camo as well.

I recall a time years ago when there were 2 deer running my way as my brother pushed them and they spotted me right away and veered off before I could get a shot. It was my face that gave me away. A face mask would have likely given me the shot I was hoping for but I was unable to put that scenario together where it was just my face that gave me away. I am telling you this so that you too will learn from mistakes that I have made in the woods.

Soon the temperature will fall below freezing and a fleece face mask will keep you warm as well. You will lose most of your heat out of your head so keeping it covered is essential.

The dollars you spend at a sporting goods store for clothing, face masks and gloves will make a huge difference as the season progresses.

Look for more on this subject soon © 2013

It was great to see high school students from the New Hampton NH Science Class observing Biologists and Hunters alike while checking in that big Bull Moose last week. Maybe some Biologists in the making? The youtube below is the brief talk by  a NHFG Biologist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwyLRmso2GI

The teacher Rebekka Joslin writes:

“Sorry for my delay in getting back to you about the pictures and movie from the moose checking station. Feel free to post those on your website! It was nice to meet you and thank you again for allowing the students to ask questions and learn from you guys and the biologist on site. Congratulations on a nice one!”

Yes Dave and Alan deserve congratulations for all the hard work they put into the hunt and to the Biologists dedicated to the Science.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moose

Moose (Alces alces) are a valued source of protein among NH hunters and hunters worldwide.  And is a valued tourist magnet in northern New Hampshire providing needed revenue for the Northern Economy by hunters and viewers alike.

The .243 Winchester is a great starter deer rifle cartridge as its recoil is very mild. Hand loaders get to see and read a lot about bullets, their specifications and their intended uses. The Hornady InterBond® is a bullet in .243 is designed for deer size game and for the .243 Winchester it appears at 87 grains bullet weight.

http://www.hornady.com/store/InterBond-bullets

This bullets lead core is bonded to the gilding metal jacket so it will mushroom in a controlled manner in deer size game. The Gildng Metal Xpanding bullet (GMX®) is solid gilding copper and also mushrooms in a controlled manner in deer size game.

The next step down in cartridges like the .223 and smaller the Hornady InterBond and the GMX are absent. Why? I believe that Hornady is defining the threshold in deer killing reliability at the .243/6 mm level. The same is true for Nosler as well where their AccuBond® Long Range is 90 grains below.

Next is the  Nosler e-Tip® below with green tip  is like the GMX from Hornady see the ballistic gel test below. It will blow you away!

In open spaces the .243 Winchester really shines, like field hunting for deer out to 300 yards. What it is not is a heavy brush cartridge. The bullet mass in insufficient and is subject to loss of mass and direction of travel after glancing on a branch or sapling.

Given these brush limitations the cartridge with these bullets can down a coyote or varmint past 600 yards if you have the skill to make the shot or a deer out to 300 yards. I have written several articles for you to brush up on with the .243 in New Hampshire Rifleman so check them out. I own the Ruger American in .243 and love it. It shoots 90 grain e-tips like the GMX inside one inch at 100 yards and at just over 300 dollars it is a bargain!  © 2013

Whitetail Deer Hunting Quiz (Firearms) Season

As a former Hunter Education Instructor, this quiz I developed this morning is intended for your entertainment and learning about you the hunter, the deer and safety. It is encouraged that hunters periodically refresh themselves with the comprehensive NHFG Hunter Education Program. On line courses are available in 2014 see the site below.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm

Quote From NHFG Hunter Education page:

“Today’s hunters are going into the field knowing how to hunt safely, responsibly and ethically. Coupled with the voluntary use of hunter orange clothing, Hunter Education has dramatically helped to reduce the number of hunting-related firearms incidents in the field.”

I use hunter orange in Muzzleloader season and Firearms deer Season and so do all my hunting friends. Safety First! 360 degrees of visibility is recommended with a hat and vest.

Question 1.

Of all a deer’s senses which one should be of most concern to the hunter?

A. None. A deer uses all senses equally.

B. Ears – Hearing

C. Nose – Smell

D. Eyes – Seeing

E. Feeling – Footsteps shaking the ground.

Question 2

A Buck has how many glands that secrete the bucks Identity?

A. 2 Urine and Interdigital Gland

B. 3 Interdigital, Preorbital, Tarsal

C. 4 Urine, Interdigital, Preorbital, Tarsal, Metatarsal

D. 5 Interdigital, Preorbital Tarsal, Metatarsal and Forehead

Question 3

How many glands are often used by a buck in making a scrape?

A. 1

B. 2

C. 3

D. 4

E. 5

F. 4 sometimes 5

Question 4

In general a buck rub that is made on a small 1/2 inch sapling on one side indicates that the buck is small because larger bucks need larger trees and often damage the sapling too? True or False

Question 5

A fresh buck rub on a 2 inch thick tree made near the top of a hill where the rub mark is on the downward side  and the upward side of the hill tells you what?

A. That the buck is marking his territory.

B. That the buck is bedded nearby.

C. Telling other bucks to beware!

D. Bedded at the bottom of the hill

E.  AB and C.

Question 6

Deer use open spaces like sandpits and fields at night for identifying each other by sight and smell and by track size and interdigital gland (between the hoof) scent. Which gland or sense is more out of place in the list below?

A. Smell

B. Interdigital

C. Preorbital

D. Track size

Question 7

If you are taking a stand to see deer, should you;

A. Stand at a crest near a tree to see in all directions

B. Stand in the hollow of a hill but on the deer trail to keep from being seen

C. Stand where there is at least 90 to 180 degrees of visibility but near a tree and the wind at your back.

D. Stand where there is at least 90 to 180 degrees of visibility near a tree and the wind in your face or quartering in your face.

Question 8

If you are hunting/stalking into the oncoming wind and you smell a strong musty odor, it is likely.

A. A deer metatarsal Gland

B. A Buck and its Tarsal Gland

C. A fresh Buck Scrape

D. B or C or E

E. A hunter with a scent canister

Question 9

It is Muzzleloader season and a legal deer steps out at 40 yards and you shoot but the cloud of belching smoke obscures your vision. To see the deer after the shot, you should:

A.  Look under the smoke cloud for movement.

B. Run to the side of the smoke

C. Wait till the smoke clears

D. Run towards the deer and put the smoke behind you

Question 10

If you are walking down a logging road to your deer stand in shotgun season for deer and the wind is at your back, you should.

A. Try an alternate route to where you are going.

B. Move quickly and quietly to your stand

C. Go home

D. Not expect a deer to approach from down wind.

E. A, B, and D

Question 11

Several hunters are hunting along an old logging road and a deer steps out onto the logging road, you should;

A. Shoot

B. Not Shoot

C. Be sure it is safe to shoot. Determine what is in front of, and behind your intended target before you shoot.

D. Shout to your friends that you are going to shoot

Question 12

You determine that you no longer are sure of the way out of the woods you should.

A. Look for moss on trees to tell which way is out

B. Stay calm and stay put, analyze your situation, pull your map and compass out then determine if you are still lost.

C. Walk 100 more yards in each direction

D. Panic and shout

Question 13

The first thing you should do when your deer is down and you determine it is dead. You should.

A. Fire your rifle three times

B. Call your buddies

C. Tag your deer

D. Gut your deer

Question 14

You oversleep. Hunting later at 10 am is a bad idea because all the deer are bedded. True or False.

Question 15

You are an older hunter and you have had serious life threatening medical issues you should.

A. Stop Hunting

B. Hunt with others that know your condition and can support you.

C. Have emergency communication, and medicines for emergencies

D. Know emergency contacts

E. Let others know where you are exactly.

F. BCDE

Answers:

Q1 C. Nose – Smell

Q2 D. 5 glands

Q3 F 4 sometimes 5    Note: the metatarsal gland is the least used gland. see http://www.buckmasters.com/deer-glands.aspx

Q4 True. Bigger trees that are rubbed usually mean bigger bucks and antlers

Q5 E. All above. Bucks often bed on a high ridge to smell the air thermals as they rise. This buck rubs the tree on the way into bed and as he heads down at night. This is a prime hunting area if you can get in while it is very dark. Stay off the deer trail and try to hunt it from the side, heed the wind direction for your setup. This is an older buck.

Q6 C. The preorbital gland is in the tissue surrounding the base of the eye socket. And I believe it is not used as readily as the tarsal and interdigital glands in fields and sandy areas were vision is important. I created this question knowing that you would research this more.

Q7 D. Stand where there is at least 90 to 180 degrees of visibility near a tree and the wind in your face or quartering.

Q8  D.) B, C or E.  In deep woods It is more likely that you are smelling a buck just in front of you. It may also be a hunter with a scent canister so beware.

Q9 A.) Look under smoke for movement

Q10 E.) AB and D Watch the wind remember “smell” is the deer’s best defense.

Q11 C. Safety First. Be sure it is safe to shoot. Determine what is in front of, and behind your intended target before you shoot.

Q12 B. Stay calm and stay put, analyze your situation.

Q13 C. Tag your deer

Q14 False The hunter who sleeps in can then hunt the mid day 10-2 pm when other hunters are out of the woods. Big bucks have been killed thinking that the hunters have left.

Q15 F.) BCDE Be prepared for all emergencies.

Want to try another quiz?

http://www.nesportsman.com/quiz/deerquiz.htm

It is no secret that in New Hampshire your best chance to shoot a bragger buck under “your terms” is during the MuzzleLoader season. Why is this true?  It is true because bucks are truly hot and bothered and ready to fight to the death in early November yet the majority of adult does will not be in estrous till after the 10th of November. You, my hunting friend can call in, rattle in or scent in a buck to be foolish and appear in daylight hours where you can get a clean shot at one.

So don’t skimp on your muzzleloader for accuracy and dependability.  There are bolt actions such as the Knight Muzzleloaders

(http://www.knightrifles.com/muzzleloader-mountaineer/) and break actions like CVA and TC.

I have owned both. I prefer a good break action like the CVA Optima below and like it a lot. Similar to the TC Pro-Hunter in looks. Lower in Cost. Of the two the TC is better if you can afford one. I could not at the time.

If I were to buy another it would be the TC Encore Pro Hunter Platform that is interchangeable. (http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/interchangeable-platforms/encore-pro-hunter/platform#barrels) they are not cheap!

These are but a few of many Muzzleloaders to check out at your local dealer.

Invest in good bullets too. Most are rapid expanding types with a carbonate tip and a decent ballistic coefficient for longer range shots out to 200 yards with 150 grains of powder. I watched a 300 grain bullet cross a chronograph with 150 grains (three pellets) at 1930 ft/sec with 2400 ft-lbs at the Muzzle and 1455 ft-lbs at 200 yards. Wow!

I prefer 100 grains powder on a 300 grain slug, and limit shots to within 100 yards.© 2013

Folks,

Kristine Rhines, the NHFG Moose Biologist says in the article below that Moose are in decline for a number of reasons and that a Moose study will be under way to aid in Moose research. What do you think of the article? Comments?

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130903/NEWHAMPSHIRE03/130909902

I met a couple of shooters at the range yesterday that were experimenting with their new .22 rimfire, Gemtech ( http://www.gem-tech.com) suppressors (silencers) since their approval by ATF authorities taking fingerprints, photos,and doing a thorough background check (takes about 6 months). I would show a photo of the but it is just a tube about 7 inches long.

What they discovered was that on the Smith M&P .22 below, that the suppressor needed a special washer for the bullet to come out straight. At 25 yards the suppressor was throwing the bullets a foot left and a foot low. I suggested a phone call to the manufacturer while at the range and a special flat washer was purchased over the phone to set the correct alignment with the barrel just for that rifle model. My shooting acquaintances were happy again.

If you live in New Hampshire you are allowed to purchase and shoot with a suppressor with approvals above. In CA, DE, HI, MA, MI, MN, MO*, NJ, NY, RI, or VT the politicians have outlawed them. This model was purchased at Riley’s in Hooksett.

Again, these suppressors (and other NFA items) are transferred to individuals on an ATF Form 4, which requires a $200 stamp tax, a chief law enforcement sign-off, and a set of fingerprints to be submitted to the ATF.

When shooting standard .22 ammo at 1050 fps all you could hear was the click of the action. But when high velocity ammo was shot the bullet made a loud crack as it broke the sound barrier, thus losing the quiet capability.