Vermont.Gov news Release

I still am doing everything I can to make it to Vermont this December for their Muzzleloader Deer season even though I am running into roadblocks at every turn lately.

October 29, 2010

Vermont Deer Hunters Look Forward to Good Hunting in November

Vermont hunters are optimistic about the upcoming November rifle and December muzzleloader deer seasons -- and with good reason, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. Vermont has more older, bigger bucks after a regulation was enacted in 2005, protecting many yearling bucks.

The antler regulation for a “legal buck” is designed to recruit more older bucks into the population. Hunters may take one buck with at least one antler having two or more points one inch or longer, thus, spike-antlered deer are protected. A point must be one inch or longer from base to tip. The main beam counts as a point, regardless of length.

Vermont’s deer population is estimated at 125,000 to 150,000 this year with the greatest numbers found in the southwest, east-central, and northwestern regions of the state.

Youth Deer Hunting Weekend

Vermont’s Youth Deer Weekend is November 6-7, this year, the weekend before the rifle season. A young hunter who has obtained a Vermont hunting license and youth deer tag may take one deer of either sex during youth deer hunting weekend. Anyone under 16 years of age who has successfully completed a hunter safety course and purchased the required license may obtain a free youth deer hunting tag to participate in Vermont’s special youth hunt.

The young hunter must be accompanied by an unarmed adult over 18 years of age who holds a Vermont hunting license. The adult may accompany up to two young hunters. Landowner permission is required in order to hunt on private land during the youth deer and turkey hunt weekends.

The antler restriction does not apply during Youth Deer Weekend, and biologists hope to measure, weigh, and age deer at 24 check stations across the state. These and other check station locations are available on a map from the department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com).

Rifle Season

Vermont’s traditionally popular 16-day November rifle season begins on Saturday, November 13, and ends Sunday, November 28.

The 2009 Vermont Deer Harvest Report, available from the Fish & Wildlife Department’s web site has a wealth of information to help plan a hunt, including the number of deer taken in each town. Click on “Hunting and Trapping” and “Big Game” to download a copy of the report.

Vermont hunting licenses, including a buck tag and a bear tag, still cost only $20 for residents and $90 for nonresidents. Hunters under 18 years of age get a break at $8 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. Licenses are available on Fish & Wildlife’s web site and from license agents statewide.

Contact the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department for more information at 103 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT 05671-0501. Telephone 802-241-3700 or Email fwinformation@state.vt.us.

Source: Department of Fish and Wildlife

Down but not Out

Out of character I disappeared for a couple days and did not even post anything and that is not like me so I just wanted to let you know Mr. Sick came to visit without notice and it knocked me for a loop.

Monday and Tuesday felt like it was just sinus's but I woke up Wednesday and thought or more like felt like I was in hell. Today is the first I have felt like actually doing anything. It has been rough with Heidi being down with a broken foot and me sick the past few days but what are you going to do but suck it up the best you can and mosey on.

I sure am not going to run any races and need to rest as much as possible because I already lost 3 days of work. Even though I do get paid for it there is quite a bit of stuff going on that I have to deal with and this is just not helping.

Picture if the Week

A friend Mark Leto aka "Marlinman" sent me this pic that he got off his trail cam. What I wouldn't give to get a shot at this big boy.

I have got to get out and check my cam but now that the septic system project is over I'm sick, go figure. Sooner or later i need a break.

Rainy Day Whitetails

I will be the first to admit that I don't normally hunt in foul weather. Yes, I did tag a very nice doe with my muzzleloader last December in a snow storm so I will say there are instances when I will but normally I do not. Now they say and I do believe this that sometimes hunting in nasty weather will better your odds and with the nasty rain we are getting today in the northeast I thought this would make for a good post. Here are a three articles that might persuade you and me to hunt the weather more than we do.

PRECIPITATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON WHITETAIL DEER MOVEMENT
by Darrin Bradley


A screaming alarm clock sounded off at 4:30 AM on a Saturday morning in 1994. As I climbed out of a warm bed I stumbled over to the window. Discovering it was raining, a slight grin broke out across my face, as I realized I was only moments from climbing back into the relaxing confines of the bed for some additional sleep. My last waking thought was, “I’ll sleep late, and maybe bowhunt this afternoon if it’s not raining.” As mid morning arrived, I awoke again and drove to the local archery shop. The rain continued to fall. I planned on having some minor work done on my weapon and maybe shooting some 3D targets. “If the rain stops, I’ll go bowhunting this evening,” I thought to myself. Venturing into the Archery shop I began looking for my favorite assistant to work on my bow. Stepping up to the counter, I requested a conference with Rick. The owner of the shop annoyingly stated, “Rick isn’t here today. He always calls in sick when it rains so he can go bowhunting. How can I help you?” This scenario was my first clue I was missing out on some quality whitetail hunting, and I needed to learn more about whitetail behavior. Had there been a side to deerhunting I overlooked? Had I discovered why I was not being successful in harvesting mature whitetail bucks? One possibility was that Rick was simply insane. However, Rick had harvested a number of mature bucks. This evidence was enough to negate any questions I had in regard to Rick’s sanity. I had been wrong all along. The key to deerhunting is understanding whitetail behavior. It was on that day I began recording and observing whitetail behavior during hunts. It was then I began traveling down the road to success.

Pro Tips For Hunting Whitetails In The Rain

 

Rain bothers hunters, not deer. Gear up and share the woods with whitetails on rainy days.

By Stephen D. Carpenteri

 

Nothing puts a "damper" on deer camp like the chatter of a hard rain on the roof. Suddenly, no one wants to get up, no one wants to go out, and everyone sits around lamenting the loss of a good hunting day. I have seen hunters pack up and go home days early because rain was in the forecast. What's worse is, the gloom outside soon begins to affect the atmosphere inside. Just like that, a precious week of vacation -- and deer hunting -- is lost.
WHITETAILS AND RAIN
I know how rain affects hunters, but many hunters don't really know how rain affects deer.
In general, rain means nothing to whitetails unless it's pouring cats and dogs. When this happens, all wildlife (and human life) activity stalls until the storm is over. But when rain is light or only a steady drizzle falls, deer just go about their business as if it were a sunny day. The glitch is, "light" rain to a deer may seem like a soaker to a hunter who's worried about his gear, his clothes and his health (don't catch a cold!).

Tips on Hunting Whitetail Bucks in Light Rain

By Larry Amon, eHow Contributor

 

The Right Gear

1. One of the most important factors in an enjoyable and successful hunt is being prepared for the weather. To be prepared is mental but once you decide you are going to hunt in the rain, even if it is light rain, you need the right gear.
   
   You should get a wide-brimmed waterproof hat to keep your head dry and to give you room to shoot. You will also need a breathable waterproof jacket or bib. Most importantly you need slip proof boots because mud and water often cause slips and falls off of tree stands. Either way you need to walk and climb carefully.
   
   Use anti-moisture agents to prevent rust on your gun or bow. Even a short amount of time in the rain can ruin your weapon.

The Darkness

2. When it rains it is going to be considerably darker than on a sunny day, especially in the early and latter parts of the day. Because of this you will need to accept that will have some limitations. You will need to wait for a closer shot, especially if you are bow hunting Whitetail bucks in the rain.
   
   Don't wait too long to follow blood trail. The rain will wash away the trial some and the darkness will make it harder to see. If you're bow hunting use lighted arrows to help you find the bucks.

Stalking

3. Bucks are also going to bed down or stay put on days like these so stalking them in the heavy brush is worth a shot. The noise of the rain will cover some of your noise and the rain will cover some of your scent.

Take a Buddy

4. Hunting whitetail bucks in the rain is going to be more dangerous than in dry weather. Getting into a stand can cause more danger and if you're not wearing orange blaze which is often not required in bow season, you may be more likely to be in danger. Light rain can also turn into heavy rain or even a severe thunderstorm. Having a hunting buddy in this case will keep you safer and may be more fun.

Commemorative Treasures

Not to long ago I started collecting firearm memorabilia mostly rife bullet ammunition boxes and the last piece I bought was a box Winchester Antlered Game 30-30. The box is what caught my eye and it came with a higher price than most because it was a limited edition.

Normally these boxes come empty but to my surprise this one was full. Twenty rounds of 170 grain power point ( SP ) Nickel Plated

I haven't been able to find much more about this specific box other than it might have been given with a commemorative 30-30 carbine

Winchester model 94 (post64) 30-30 carbine commemorative

 Any further info would be greatly appreciated.

Enter to Win a Automatic Dog Feeder

Now this is something that my Sampson might like. "Life on a Southern Farm" has just come up with a awesome idea for a give-away which I am putting in for and you should to.

 Nothing beats home made hand made stuff. It just seems to mit with the country lifestyle that most of us live everyday.

So stop by their site and enter to win, your dog will be ever so grateful if you win.

A Good day for Venison Chili

Yesterday was a good day for some Venison Chili. It was one of those days that just seems to sink right into your bones. It is cold and overcast so I thought it would be a good day to re-post one of my first recipes which I truly do love to make.

CT Swamphunter's Venison Chili aka ( ME )

This is actually what I got up early for this morning so I can prepare it. It has been in a crock pot since first thing this morning.

Beer not included, sorry!

CT Swamphunter's Venison Chili

Of course I had to save a little for work otherwise I would have gone back for 3rd's.

Revolvers for Deer Hunting are now allowed in Connecticut

This is something new for Connecticut deer hunters. I have seen this in other states but not in Connecticut until now. Here is a press release from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

October 12, 2010

 

Deer Hunting with Revolvers New Law Provides Option for Firearms Deer Hunters

The Department of Environmental Protection today announced that beginning this fall hunters will have the option to use a revolver to hunt deer on private lands of 10 or more acres. The change was made possible by a new law (PA 10-99) enacted during the 2010 legislative session and subsequent agency regulations which were approved on September 28, 2010.
Landowners or family members hunting on their own land of 10 or more acres during the landowner deer season, and others hunting private lands with the permission of the owner during the shotgun/rifle deer season may now purchase a $5 revolver endorsement through the DEP on-line licensing system. Important conditions include:

• The Revolver Deer Endorsement is only valid when used in conjunction with a valid Free Landowner Permit or a Resident Private Land Shotgun/Rifle Permit.
• Landowners must authorize a hunter’s use of a revolver on the Private Land Consent form (pdf).
• If you hunt both under a Free Landowner Permit and a Resident Private Land Shotgun/Rifle Permit, only one Revolver Deer Endorsement is required.
• Revolvers must be .357 caliber or larger and have a barrel less than 12 inches in length. 
• Semi-automatic pistols and single shot pistols (i.e. TC Contender or Encore) are NOT permitted.
• Revolvers should not be concealed and should be carried openly in a sling or holster while hunting.
• All other regulations pertaining to deer hunting with firearms, including tagging, reporting and wearing of fluorescent orange, apply to revolver hunters.
• All other laws and regulations pertaining to the possession of revolvers, including State Pistol Permits, apply to revolver hunters.

"It is important for sportsmen to recognize that the revolver endorsement does not provide a special season, extra days or extra bag limit for deer", stated Rick Jacobson, Director of the DEP Wildlife Division. "It simply provides an option to use a revolver during the established firearms seasons. It is equally important to emphasize that the revolver endorsement is not a substitute for a state pistol permit, which is required under Connecticut law to carry a pistol or revolver", continued Jacobson.

A Deer Hunting Tribute

No words are needed for this post!

A youtube video from Countryboy1:

Become a part of something - Signup with the Outdoor Blogger Network

I recently was invited to become a member of a outdoor community so called "Outdoor BloggerNetwork". After I took a browse the other day I saw some familiar names written and realized that I had an opportunity to become part of something that is very new. So new that they launched their site this month.
I feel this could be a good way of making new friends and to help promote the outdoor blogging community that I have noticed getting bigger and bigger.




The idea for the Outdoor Blogger Network was born, appropriately enough, on a riverbank, via a conversation between two Outdoor bloggers.

Joe and Rebecca

Rebecca Garlock – The Outdooress – and Joe Wolf – Flowing Waters – were talking about a myriad of topics and blogging ideas after spending a day fly fishing for trout in Oregon.  It was one of those times when things just clicked.  They shared a vision that we needed a centralized place on the web for the people to find the best Outdoor related blogs.
They also believe that a unified group of Bloggers has a much better chance of being taken seriously by the Outdoor industry as a viable part of the media.  It seemed that the strength of one of them complimented the strength of the other.  The idea gained momentum, they bought the domain, and the Outdoor Blogger Network is the result of that stream side vision.

Email Rebecca: Rebecca@outdoorbloggernetwork.com
Email Joe: Joe@outdoorbloggernetwork.com

The outdoors and what we do in it is a dying legacy to our children's children unless we pull together and keep people aware of all the exciting things that can be done in the great outdoors and how much it really means to us all.

From the deer hunters to the back packers, hikers, fishing, shooting, photography you name the list goes on and on of all the things that can be enjoyed in the outdoors. So, if you would like to share with us please sign up and Become a part of Something.

Big Project continues

Well here is the next step to the big project. Yesterday morning they came and took the old tank out and what a job that was, although it was so old that it didn't take much to smash it to pieces. Then they dug the hole and leveled it for the new tank.

Never thought I would see one of these in my backyard.

lowering bottom of new tank.

Here comes the top, it will then be sealed and pressure tested.

The the next step for them was to connect the new tank to the pipe that was coming out of our house and that is where the fun began. The pitch of the original pipe was so bad they had to dig that up which showed some cracks and the farther they dug the worser the pipe looked.

They ended up going in the basement and cut  a trench in the floor where the pipe was and after about 4' found good pipe. I had to leave for work by then but I heard they had it connected an hour after I left and we were able to wash and use the toilet finally.

Next step is to dig for and put the new leaching field in which they are working on right now so maybe I can snap off a couple pics before I have to leave for work.

Our Big Project is finally in Motion

And so the work begins!

It has been two years in the making but we are finally going to get our trees down and the new septic system installed and all before my deer season starts, it can't work any better than that. Last week the septic contractor came in and took the chain link fence down on the side that all the work is going to be done on and I told them they did not have to replace it because I was going to build a 4' picket fence like I did on the other side.

Chain link fence removed in preparation of tree removal and septic system

Monday morning I got a call from the tree service that is cutting the trees down that they were on the way over. They took 3 trees down in the back yard which was all good wood that I am going to try and sell to help pay bills.
Once these guys got set up it did not take long for them to take them down even considering the limited amount of space they had to work with.

That is the corner of my house and those trees in the back ground are my neighbors.

Those were the 3 trees from the back yard, one to the left of the green sweatshirt guy that you can't see in the picture.

This was taken from my back porch. You can see how small the properties actually are. The bucket truck was in my neighbors yard, thanks to my neighbor.

Next is the 2 very very large trees on the side of the house and when I say very large I mean very large.In the first picture you can see them in the center. Those are only the trunks, the rest go up and quite a bit over the house. I am so looking forward to the sunshine and just plain daylight that we will be getting once it is all down that maybe next year we might even be able to grow grass.

Sampson on patrol while the work is being done.

Heading up to top the last tree.

Now you see them and now you don't. Match this pic with the first one.

Gun Scopes! Is there really a Difference?

I was going through my emails this morning and I was reading this google alert I got and it was a forum question that I thought would maybe make good conversation for some of us gun shooters out there. The question was,

Is there a difference between a muzzleloader scope and a rifle scope?  If so, what is the difference?

I put this question to the guys I have come to trust for answers when i don't have one and those guys would be from the "Frontier Muzzleloading" forum that I belong to. They are a great bunch who have been shooting blackpowder and shooting in general for quite some time so i would recommend them at any time.

http://frontiermuzzleloadin.powerguild.net/

 Ok, here is what I came up with for answers.


Marty,

My quick answer...NO. A centerfire and a muzzleloader are both "rifles".

Scopes with their reticle specially designed for muzzleloader trajectory ( like the Bushnell DOA 250 ) definitely have a big advantage for shooting beyond 100 yards with a muzzleloader. I have that particular Bushell mounted on my "long range" smoker, but my .45 CVA Apex (which is my primary hunting smoker) has a typical "rifle" scope on it with duplex crosshairs.

Scopes that are labeled "muzzleloader" are usually lower power variables for obvious reason, but may also be beefed-up to handle higher recoil.

Many accuracy problems are not due to the rifle or load, but improper scope mounting or using cheap mounts. As far as quality goes, you get what you pay for. A cheap or economy scope can cost you a trophy, and it's a very hard lesson to live with considering you may only get one chance in your lifetime. My advice is to spend as much as you can on a scope. The scope market is very competitive, and the price generally reflects the features. 

FrontierGander

Its simple, In todays market, anything with the Muzzle Loader Badge applied to it, normally sells faster than a normal rifle scope. Why? because people hold back from buying because they don't know if there is a difference between the two.

Key,

This is the only reason I went with a "Muzzleloading" scope. I was always told that a mz bullet will start to "drop out of the sky" beyond 100 yards....so I went with a scope that can help me accommodate the bullet drop for a mz. Otherwise, I was probably just going to buy a redfield scope or nikon. I have been very pleased with my Bushnell DOA 250 and I'll see how it performs in the field in exactly 1 week!

So there are three answers that I would say are 2 out of 3 NO and 1 for Yes. What do you think? Any input would be nice.

Muzzleloader Buck with a Barnes Bullet

I was happily surprised to see an email from a friend Eric Jones and this is what he had to say. I won't hold it against him because he was shooting a T/C and not a CVA. All kidding aside I think it is great and I do thank him for sharing his harvest with us.

Rick, today was the last day of our statewide muzzleloader week, hunted hard for 9 days, finally this morning at 8:11am this pretty 6 pointer came in and my Encore paired with the Barnes bullet did the trick.

Savory Sunday's Recipe

Venison Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf

~ ~ 2 lbs ground venison ~ 2 eggs ~ 1 can seasoned tomato sauce ~ 2 tbsp liquid smoke ~ 1/2 - 1 cup dry onion flakes ~ 1 cup Italian bread crumbs ~ 8 slices mozzarella or swiss cheese ~ 8 slices 97% fat free ham

In a large bowl, mix the meat, liquid smoke, onion, 3/4 of the tomato sauce and the bread crumbs together. Add more bread crumbs if needed to get a somewhat firm consistency. Dump the meat mixture onto a sheet of foil. Flatten to 1/2" thick and as wide as your loaf pan. Once flatten, lay the cheese on top and then the ham. Roll up jelly roll style making sure the seam is on the top and close up the ends. Slowly work your loaf pan down over the top of the meat. Now your seam is on the bottom. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce on the top if desired. Place pan on top of a cookie sheet to catch any drippings and bake at 325 degrees for 60 – 75 minutes. Time may vary so use your best judgment. Remove and let set for a couple of minutes before serving. Serve and enjoy. submitted to Backwoods Bound.com by: Glenn Starky

Bergara Barrels to air on Shooting USA

I wanted to share a Youtube video that has in it Bergara Barrels from Spain. You might recognize the name because it is the company that make the newest most accurate gun barrels for CVA "Connecticut Vally Arms" rifles.




I have to say from first hand experience since I started shooting CVA muzzleloading rifles is that in my opinion they do make the most accurate barrels. So please take a couple minutes and view this awesome preview and on the date specified I hope you don't have to work so that way you can grab your favorite drink and sit and watch the show that is scheduled to air on October 20th. on "Shooting USA"

http://www.shootingusa.com/

http://www.cva.com/

http://www.bergarabarrels.com/

A Mainstay for the Union Calvary during the Civil War

As I was doing research for an upcoming post I came across a picture of a 1860 Colt Army 44 cap and ball revolver that shows all the parts and what they are actually called. This was the main revolver that the Union Army used during the Civil War.

This is the one that I have and even though it is not an original it is a working replica that was actually made in Italy. Awhile ago I came to find out that my great great grandfather was in the Union Calvary during the Civil War and fought at Gettysburg and was lucky enough to survive and live to a great age of 93. So there is a bit of history there that just spurred my passion for black powder shooting even more.

A new Product for Whitetail Woods? - Maybe!

Well my new cleaning supplies showed up at my house today. See, I wanted to see if there was anything that was as good or better than what I was using. So I contacted Lyman Products who happens to sell what is called Butch's Bore Shine. I had originally heard about this from Frontier Muzzleloading forum which I visit quite often and that is how I looked them up.

This is what they sent me to try.

• Butch's Bore Shine
• Butch's Patches
• Butch's Gun Oil

So I have the cleaner, the patches and the gun oil to protect when I'm done. I plan to try it this weekend or next weekend depending on when I can get a reserved spot at the range.

I will be looking forward to giving you a more detailed review after I have started using this product.

Calm before the Storm

A week ago I had moved my new Wildview Infrared Trail Cam because I have yet to capture any deer on it. So I decided to check it before this nasty storm front rolled in to the northeast tonight. I realized that the batteries were dead and I didn't bring spares so I had to go and get some. So I am a little surprised that the batteries I originally installed only lasted about 4 maybe 5 weeks which isn't long. I will keep track how long this next set of batteries will last. If I didn't mention before it takes 4 "c" batteries to operate.

While I was there I decided to camoflauge the camera and strap a little just as an added precaution. I did add a different strap because the one that came with the camera I did not like and quite frankly could not get it to work.

Guess -  Can you find the trail cam?

What your seeing is a break in a stone wall that the deer were using on a regular basis last season.

Just to the left of this picture is where I harvested my muzzleloader deer last December.

On my way out of the woods I saw this little clearing and just had to snap a picture.

With the autumn colors it just looked like a beautiful representation of New England.

What do you think?

Before I forget I found an alternate spot to sit which just happens to be on another break in a different stone wall and this one has a better more visible deer trail going through it.

The nasty front we have coming in tonight they are calling a Noreaster and we are suppose to get heavy rain and damaging winds so I also took the next picture and I kind of put a title to it.

With the darkening of the clouds and the slight increase of the wind I at one point looked up through the trees and saw this. I called it,  

"The Calm before the Storm"

Dante is one tough kitten

This doesn't have anything to do with deer hunting or black powder shooting but our newest member to the family who is still a kitten has broke one of his paws.

Hell, my name is Dante

 When we got Dante as a new born kitten at 8 weeks old we didn't realized how much he wanted to go outside until we had to check every time we opened the door to see where he was. Come to find out it is in his blood see his Momma and Daddy were strays and the kittens were born in a cat carrier that was left out side. So that is why he wants so much to go out. we don't mind because he will learn where home is and everything but we want to make sure he has all his shots and is fixed.


He got out this one time and while Heidi and the neighbor where looking for him and showed up linmping. His paw was obviously broken and they have no clue how it happened. so Heidi calls me at work and says she is off to the vet emergency room.

I am so tired!

So it is obvious the little guy has a cast and it is so sad to see him hop around but he is a trooper for sure and still hops up on the table even though that is a no no. He is a toughie.

Crimora girl earns awards for bagging buck

I think this is quite the achievement for a young girl or any youngster at this age and it should be acknowledged.

By Patrick Hite • Sports Writer • October 13, 2010

Savannah Ritchie, 11, of Crimora poses beneath the mounted head of the white-tailed deer she bagged during the 2009-10 hunting season. She earned a sixth-place finish in the "youth division — deer" in the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' Big Game Contest. (Mike Tripp/The News Leader)

CRIMORA — Savannah Ritchie has been hunting since she was 7. If her dad, Richard Ritchie, would have had his way, his daughter would have started even sooner. But mom stepped in.

"He tried for a long time until I felt like she was ready," Tosha Ritchie said. "It was more of an age factor for me. I just didn't think she would sit still long enough."But once she got started, Savannah picked up on the sport pretty quickly, and late last month, she won a statewide award for her hunting prowess.
The 11-year-old sixth-grader at Stewart Middle School won sixth place in the youth deer division of the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries Big Game Contest. The award, given to the Crimora youth on Sept. 26, was for a 10-point whitetail buck she shot in New Hope last fall.
Savannah's deer received a 147 8/16 using the Virginia Scoring System for whitetail deer antlers. With the score for her deer, Savannah also won fifth place for the Western Region Big Game Trophy Show at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds and received a Virginia big game citation for scoring more than 140.
The kill took place on Virginia's inaugural youth day Sept. 26, 2009, the day that the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries set aside for those 15 years of age and under to hunt deer. Adult hunters who accompany the youth on that day may neither carry nor discharge firearms.
Savannah went with her dad and her sister, Naomi, who is 20 months younger, to a field in New Hope where they regularly hunt.
"We went in the morning and we didn't see anything, so we went back in the evening and it was raining," said Savannah, who used a 30.06 to get her deer. "We didn't think we would see anything, but we ended up seeing a dear come out and it went behind a hay bale. Me and daddy went down and snuck down behind the hay bale and shot it. I think we shot it seven times."
She admitted she was a little nervous when she first saw the deer, but after she shot it, Savannah was pretty excited.
"I was jumping up and down and shaking," she said.
She was hoping for a repeat performance during the 2010 youth day, but she said the deer weren't moving because of the heat. All she got was a bad case of poison ivy.
The winning deer was Savannah's first buck. She and her sister have both shot does, and Savannah has also hunted turkeys and squirrels. But she has a few more animals on her hunting wish list.
"I have three other goals to kill something," she said. "An elephant, a zebra and bigfoot."

Tree Stand Maintenance from Trophy Buck Secrets

Tree Stand Maintenance

By: Trophy Buck Secrets

Tree stands are very popular among deer hunters.  They get you up
off the ground offering many advantages such as improved
visibility, concealment, and scent control.
It's kind of crazy to think that every year thousands of hunters
climb 20 feet or so in the air, and hang there on a platform that
they haven't really paid that much attention to. They are
literally taking their life into their hands.

A periodic tree stand safety check should be mandatory for every
hunter who uses one.  Maybe you leave your tree stands up all
year long, or maybe you take them down after archery season.
Either way, your stands need to be checked before you crawl back
into it next season.

Inspect all of the welds for stress cracks or broken welds. If
you do find any cracks, get them repaired by a qualified welder.
Sand any rusty areas and repaint them.
 
Look for worn cables or straps, and be sure all of the retainer
pins have safety clips in them. Keep up on any maintenance.

 

Don't be crazy. Check your tree stands. Remember, a faulty

tree stand could cost you your life.

 

If I may I just want to add a couple pictures that would help. Better being prepared than not.

$9.97 at the Sportsman's Guide

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=669842&ecid=EX18E

 

You never want to carry your weapon while climbing up your tree stand whether it is a bow or a gun and once you are in it you want to wear some sort of safety vest or safety belt so you don't accidentally fall out.

Show your Support

I'm sure you all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and it effects everyone at some point so I just wanted to show that Whitetail Woods support Breast Cancer Awareness and urges everyone to support in whatever form possible.

Does a Fired Sabot give you Information on How well your Setup is Performing?

At the range Sunday afternoon I was on my way back from moving my targets downrange and I noticed a few of my fired sabots in the sand so I picked them up to look. I remembered my range time with a friend Marty awhile back and he had stated that he sometimes studies his sabots to see just how they hold up while leaving his barrel which could also have something to do if I remember him correctly with the way the bullet will fly downrange.

3 sabots from Barnes T-EZ Spitfire 250 grain fired from a CVA Accura V2 using 100 grains of BH209 and Fiocchi 616 primer

Now I tend to think that what Marty says makes a lot of sense to me. Myself I would say it could also tell you,

• How hot your load was (talking about compression)
• How tight the bullet was in your bore
• What kind of spin the bullet had while leaving the barrel

Now none of this is etched in stone as far as I can find and if I have missed something I sure would take some input about all of this. I did notice that all the sabots I looked at were slayed open which I think is good but they all appear to be missing on wing which is odd.

I plan to try and study this further.

Below is a chart I found that tells what color sabot goes with what size bullet which is good to know

3Petal-EZ easiest loading MMP sabot.

Loaded diameter .502"-.504"

Sizes Available	Color Code	Bullet Possibilities	Recommended Deer Bullet
50 Cal. Rifle .399 - .400 Bullet	Blue	150-260 Grains	180-215 Grains
50 Cal Rifle .429 - .430 Bullet	Green HPH/12	240 - 400 Grains	240 - 300 Grains
3Petal-EZ 50 X 451/452	Black HPH 3Petal-EZ	240 - 350 Grains	250 - 300 Grains
50 Cal. Rifle .451 - .452 Bullet	Black HPH/12	240 - 350 Grains	240 - 300 Grains
50 Cal. Rifle .451 - .452 Bullet	Black HPH/24	240 - 350 Grains	240 - 300 Grains
50 Cal. Rifle 0457 - .458 Bullet	Orange	250 - 500 Grains	250 - 300 Grains

information from MMP Sabots.

Hay rides and Pumpkin Patches

We went on our yearly pilgrimage to Buell's Fall Festival this morning and as usual had fun on the hay rides to the pumpkin patch.

It was a perfect autumn day and I had to say it was one of the best. A slight nip in the air but a beautiful warm sun glittering off the apple trees. Old tractors hooked up to hay wagons and country music playing loud while they cooked chickens in the BBQ grills.

It sure was nice to get out for awhile and this festival was the place to do that. It seems like it get's bigger and more crowded every year.
I got some of their famous Apple cider which I so do enjoy drinking and yes, I do have to share. Heidi got some of her favorite caramel apples and of course we all left with a pumpkin for each of us.

Sunday's Plan of Attack

This coming afternoon I am heading to the range again. Now I had hoped to have the scope rings that I was waiting for because they did not come with the CVA Apex that I recently received, but they didn't show up. I was also waiting for some Butch's Bore Shine that I was going to try but that didn't show up yet so what do I do.

Well, I decided to take my Marlin 30-30 and blow the dust out of that (figure of speech) and try a few rounds that I actually reloaded myself.

I came across this 30-30 as a trade for a 12 gauge that I won in a raffle which I did not need because I already had one.

Now in Connecticut you need 10 acres or more to hunt deer with a rifle which right now I don't have but I could not pass of that deal, I'll find some land eventually.

I figure I would also bring the CVA Accura V2 I have not dialed that in as of yet and it would be a good idea to have a backup come muzzleloader season, just in case.

This is a great muzzleloader for sure. I remember when I first shot it. At 50 yards right out of the box except for cleaning the factory lube out of it and a brand new scope mounted on it it originally hit the target like it was dialed in. Amazingly when I took it out a little farther it was hitting good but could have been better. Today I will in all intensive purposes make it better. that is the plan anyway. Of course it is always subject to change.

I plan on using your plane regular flat nose Federal 150 grain 30-30 bullet..

Federal Power-Shok is hard hitting ammunition designed for exceptional performance in the field. A combination of premium bullets with Federal's reputation for quality results in a hunting round that you can depend on. This ammunition is new production, non-corrosive, in boxer primed, reloadable brass cases.

Now for the Accura V2 I will be shooting Barnes T-EZ Spitfires 250 grain which I feel should do good, they did in the CVA Optima at least.

These are suppose to be one of the easiest loading saboted muzzleloading bullets around and from what I have seen so far they are.

Barnes’ NEW Spit-Fire T-EZ muzzleloader bullets load easier, even in tight bores. A new sabot reduces the ramrod pressure required to load and seat these .50-caliber, flat-base bullets. T-EZ bullets deliver the same match-grade accuracy all Barnes’ MZ bullets are famous for. The 100% copper bullets feature a polymer tip that enhances expansion and boosts BC for superior long-range ballistics. They expand at both close and extended range, creating six razor-edge cutting petals that maximize shock and penetration.

Blackhorn 209 is the first and only noncorrosive propellant made for muzzleloaders and black powder cartridges. It is engineered to consistently shoots at higher velocities and with greater accuracy than any other muzzleloader powder available today. In fact, if you compare the benefits of Blackhorn 209, you will quickly see there are 10 areas where Blackhorn 209 simply smokes the competition:

1. Superior Ballistics and Unbeatable Accuracy
2. Noncorrosive and Low Residue
3. No Swabbing Between Shots
4. Easy Breech Plug Removal
5. No Special Primers Required
6. Not Affected by Temperature or Humidity
7. Uniform Size - "Good to the last shot"
8. Immediate Cleaning Not Necessary
9. Cleans with Regular Solvents
10. Extended Shelf Life

So anyway there you have it, that is the plan of attack for my Sunday afternoon. I spent Saturday working around the house getting projects done. plus, i worked for a bit on two Antler Bullet Starters that someone had ordered. Granted I should have been done with them by now but I don't think he will mind.