Essential Hunting and Camping Gear

May 24, 2008

In case it is a hunting trip that you are planning, you will need the right camping gear for it. You can take your pick from against the numerous stores that sell camping and hunting gear. The selection of the right gear depends on the type of hunting that you are planning to do. In fact, one of the best places to buy your gear is a sporting goods store that stocks a variety of hunting gear. You will also be able to get the right guidance on the gear best suited to your needs and also gather information about the latest gear, from the salesperson there. After exploring different options, basic hunting and camping gear emerges as the best one.

With the extensive range of hunting and camping gear now available at a number of places, like sporting goods stores, department stores and the Internet, you sometimes are spoilt for choice. This, after sometime gets overwhelming as you have to compare the features of many varieties and zero in to the one that is necessary for your trip and is not just a show piece.

You also need to be sure of the rules and the requirements of hunting before you start. Not following these can result in a hefty fine. For example, some areas require for you to always wear a bright orange vest so that you are protected, even in the case of mistaken identity and are not shot at by other hunters. Even your tent also needs to be bright colored, to be visible to other hunters. However, sometimes you also need to use a camouflage shelter and clothes while hunting. So it is extremely important to be aware of the regulations of the hunting ground.

The true success of your camping trip depends entirely on your skill, as well as the right equipment for hunting. If you want to bow-hunt, make sure beforehand, that you are comfortable with handling the bow and also that the quality of the arrows is upto the mark. You might even need to bring an expert along, to learn the basics and the skills required for hunting.

Make sure that all your hunting and camping gear is in top working condition before you embark on your trip. You can even put up your tent in your backyard before going so that you are well acquainted with even the minutest details and hence, do not have to spend extra time at the campsite deciphering the proper position of the parts. You also need to pay special consideration to the weight of your backpack while packing as you have to realize that you have to carry this pack all through the trip. And quite evidently, food and water are a must to carry for your sustenance during your trip.

Large Hunting Supplies -

Some of the larger hunting supplies would be something like a blind, which is like a tent, only completely dressed in camouflage. They call it a blind because the deer or other game you are hunting cannot see you in it. Some blinds pop up and fold away easily, while others need some assembly. There are simple blinds that can hide you and all your hunting supplies, or more complicated ones that have thick netting over them that cover a wider area so you can walk around more like an indoor campground. Blinds are a must have to hide from your prey and keep your hunting supplies hidden if you venture off to a tree stand or another part of the forest.

Decoy Hunting Supplies -

Decoys are another large hunting supply you may want to take with you on your hunting trip. There are deer and elk decoys, such as the elk Montana decoy which is a flat cutout of the elk, yet looks very natural and is life sized. It has helped bring the elk back to the south and in many studies, has proved to hold the stare of elk bulls so you can get the shot of a lifetime without being noticed.

Other decoys are large Whitetail Doe, Cow elk rump (which is just the back end of the elk and it looks as if it is grazing), Tom turkeys, thief Jake turkeys, Hot Hen turkey, the Call Girl Hen turkey (which is an inflatable decoy), the breeding Tom (which his feathers are in the mating stance) and the bad act strutting Tom turkey, all of which are life-sized and life-like. Each of these decoys have been field tested and have been carved and spray painted from an actual live animal to give your decoy more life-like features.

Tree Stand Hunting Supplies -

Another large item to bring on your hunting trip would be a tree stand, which you sit in a tree for long periods of time, waiting for a deer or whatever it is you are hunting to pass you for optimal shooting. There is the simple tree stand, one called the baby gorilla which is simply a seat with a strap to go around the tree and a web or messed area for your feet to rest on. You must hold very still so your prey cannot detect you or your movements. Even though you are high above the ground, some animals, deer especially, have great hearing.

Large Tree Stand -

There is also a Kong sized tree stand where you sit more comfortably with a padded backing and a wider webbing for your feet. It straps around the tree just as the baby gorilla stand does, but it has more room overall.

Various Tree Stands -

Other tree stands are more elaborate and can accommodate more than one person; they are more like tree houses than stands. They take more than the one man to set up and are usually made of wood painted with a camouflage and leaves. Along the same line as the tree stand is the tripod stand, which is a free standing platform on three legs, thus the reason they call it a tripod stand. It is also covered with a camouflage tent and has a small ladder that allows you to climb up into the above ground tent as it were. There are several windows which allow you and at least two other people to look out for approaching deer or other wild game you are hunting.

Trail Timer or Photo System -

An additional hunting supply you might consider bringing on your trip would be a trail timer or photo system which allows you to do a little homework before you start out hunting. Both of these systems attaches to a tree and can monitor motions and snap a photograph of what moved, and then store it in the memory for you to retrieve it when you return. This way you know when and where the deer or other game you are hunting has crossed this way.

One item that is most helpful to hunters, almost as helpful as the calls would be a feeder. There are several varieties of deer feeders available today, such as the tree stump feeder, in which the deer attracting feed is falling out the bottom of a fake tree stump. There are also hanging bags of feed and tripods set up to lure the deer out into the open with special feed they are attracted too.

Written by fandw08 · Filed Under Equipment, Hunting

Choosing the Right Hunting Weapon

May 24, 2008

Just about every hunter that is worth their salt knows that they have to wear hunter orange every time they head to the forest to hunt. That is part of the rules and regulations that apply to hunters in all parts of the world, and hunters do not mind this requirement at all because it is a good safety practice and it makes good sense to do it if they want to be safe while hunting.

Some hunters are unsure at times of the rules that pertain to which weapon that they can use to hunt because the hunting seasons change rapidly and differ from state to state. Hunters that are worth their weight in deer meat will certainly know that they should not shoot doe at any time because one day there might not be very many deer to hunt because of their dubious hunting abilities.

A good hunter gets very prepared with all types of useful information that pertains to all things about their hunting trips. They rely on the information of family and friends who hunt regularly in a certain part of the woods and they are certain that those friends will know which weapon they will be allowed to shoot an animal with that they are hunting.

Some hunters are very responsible with their methods of hunting and will take the time to review the stabilized hunting charts for the hunting season that they are about to enjoy. They want to ensure that they bring home a deer at the end of their hunting trip but will take the time to review the deer seasons in the state that they are in to ensure that the right weapon is used at any time of the year.

There is a certain amount of fun derived by hunters in keeping up with the weapons that they can use in the forests. On some months they believe that they will be able to use a shotgun and in the months that follow the weapon of choice could change to a handgun. The challenge of hunting can escalate quite quickly when the damage that the weapons cause changes so dramatically.

Some of the weapons that can be used during a hunting season might require a bit more time to load than other weapons that a hunter used on a previous hunting trip. With deer in their sites, a hunter might have to pause and make sure that their muzzleloader is filled up and ready to go. Then there are the hunters that have chosen the old reliable ways of hunting and can rear back with their bows and let their archery weapon take down the animal.

Written by fandw08 · Filed Under Equipment, Hunting

Choosing the Right Bow Hunting Case

May 24, 2008

Now that you have decided to get into the sport of bow hunting, you will need to make a substantial investment in getting the right gear. Amongst this necessary equipment, you will need a good bow hunting case to protect your main investment. There are several bow hunting cases available, and your choice will depend on several factors.

Of course the first factor will be the type bow you have, and the accessories you need to carry with you, as well as considering the activities for which you will be using your bow.

For example, if you are hunting in rough terrain, you might want a smaller, lighter hybrid bow hunting cases that could combine the ease of a soft sided, flexible case with the protection of a hard case. You might want a smaller, sleeker case to make it easier to hike, climb, and move about. Hybrid cases are perfect for this.

But if your hunting ground is easily accessible, you might prefer a hard bow hunting case that is roomy enough to carry a couple of bows, stabilizers, scopes, arrows and sights. Hard sided cases really do protect your bows much better from knocks and dings and from moisture and wetness.

Many people have more than one bow hunting case. One hard sided for transporting the cases and travel, and other cases for actually carrying the cases while they are walking to the hunting sight.

There are several models of bow hunting cases that really do provide everything you could need in one convenient case. The DoskoSport SE PRO 44 is one example of multi faceted bow hunting cases. There is plenty of room in this hard case for 2 bows and 2 seven inch stabilizers. There is a convenient arrow retainer that can securely carry a dozen arrows in the roughest travel, and can even be removed as a convenient accessory box for easy transport.

Transporting your hunting gear in bow hunting cases that does not provide protection, is not only a waste of your investment dollar, because it will damage your gear and require repair or replacement, it will also interfere with your hunt.

Scopes and sights that have been damaged or displaced during transport will not allow you to have true shots, and could maim your prey rather than performing a clean kill, when it throws your shot off. For that reason, it is extremely important that you protect your equipment with the proper cases, especially during transport or carrying.

Written by fandw08 · Filed Under Equipment, Hunting