Getting Started

Another guest post from friend Jim Northum... a really great article on reloading. If you have ever thought about reloading, you have to read this.

Reloading – Getting Started
by Jim Northum

I was in South Arkansas a month or so ago looking at some beetle infested trees. Got into a conversation with the young man who had requested my presence and he mentioned he would like to get into reloading, but didn’t see how he could do it.

Naturally I asked why and he said it cost too much. My next question was how much was too much. He replied he had been told it would cost $1,100 to get started. That struck me as being way too high, some salesman was trying to take the young man for a ride. We talked a while about options and ways to get started for a lot less than $1,100. Before spending $$ for equipment there are a few steps you need to take.

How much reloading do you think you will do? If you are like me, you are not going to reload much ammo for hard kicking rifles; it just isn’t fun to get kicked out from under your hat or cap with each shot. Easy shooting rounds such as the .243, .223, 22 Hornet, etc. are another matter entirely. Low recoil and outstanding accuracy (usually) make these fun to shoot, a lot. If a box of ammo is going to last all year, buy that box or have your buddy load for you.

The very first thing to obtain is a good reloading manual. Sierra, Speer, Hornady and Hodgdon (to name a few) all have good manuals with step-by-step instructions, load data and cautionary info. Read and study the manual introduction and instructional sections. These people fire tens of thousands of rounds of ammo in pressure, function and accuracy tests each year, so they know what they are talking about. Then decide if you want to try the game.

You probably have a hunting or shooting buddy who reloads. Get an invite to watch him, or her, reload some ammo. Do they follow the manual, or just pour & dump? Do they use the maximum loads listed as a starting place? Once had an acquaintance who was somewhat lax in following the book. I wouldn’t shoot one of his loads unless my life absolutely depended on it and there was no place to run. His shotshell reloading was even more frightening! Anyway, watch an experienced reloader run the course. Maybe they will allow you to reload some ammo under careful supervision. Still interested?

Browsing the Midway catalog puts things into perspective. Sure, the complete kits with big presses run a few hundred $$, but still less than half the $1,100 figure. Deal is, the RCBS Partner kit is about $170. Add a set of Lee dies which include the shellholder and you are in for about $200. I know the Partner press is a light weight unit, but unless you are going to form 22/250 brass from 30/06 (possible by the way) the Partner will serve for years. I use Lee dies quite a bit with no problems. In fact, the Lee Collet neck sizing die loads just about as good ammo as my custom sizers and straight-line seaters. Quality of the rifle plays a big part in how much precision is needed – a 30/30 can’t exploit precision from ammo like a custom made Benchrest rifle.

The Lee Classic loader for about $25 will load good, safe ammo - a plastic mallet and you are set to go, though your bullet & powder selection is rather limited. Lyman still makes the 310 tong tool, but it is almost the same price as the Partner. All these setups will fit into a small box with room for powder, primers and bullets. The Lee or 310 tool is the way to go if you anticipate loading at the deer camp or weekend cabin and don’t want to drag a load of stuff with you. A Lee trimmer and deburr tool for about $20 will fit in the same small box.

Press setups can get complicated & pricey. Lee has a hand press and a small “C” type press made of aluminum which will work just fine as long as you neck size, but for full length sizing I would not recommend either of these presses. Lee does make a cast iron press with steel linkage that is as good as any. RCBS, Lyman, Redding, Hornady, Lee all make single stage, turret and progressive presses. Unless you are going to be reloading hundreds of rounds a week, a good single stage press will serve you needs for years. It more or less depends on your preference as to color, though the quick change die systems offered by some look interesting until you consider how quickly you can change dies once the lock rings are set. The Forester Co-AX single stage press probably has the quickest die changing system, but it is probably the most expensive of the single stage presses. However, it is a top quality tool.

Then all the above offer kits which contain just about everything you need except the die set. Some kits include scales, powder measure and case trimmer. The RCBS Partner kit is about $170 without trimmer or powder measure. About $20 for a Lee case trimmer and deburr tool and you are set to go. Some kits with big presses, scales, powder measure and trimmer run from about $325 or so to around the $500 mark. A kit purchase is a good way to get everything at once and be good to go right now.

Most gun shows will have at least one table of used reloading equipment. Unless a press is completely rusted up, has been broken and welded or just beaten to pieces it will serve as well as a band new one.
Scales are best purchased new. A drop might not show but will ruin the scales. Used dies may be rusted or scratched inside so be careful. A light source is a good way to check the interior of dies. If there is a question either ask to clean the die or pass. Rust is the enemy of trimmers and powder measures. Good, clean equipment is usually a bargain. You can accumulate a fine assortment of tools over time.

Don’t forget E-Bay. There is always a bunch of presses and other tools listed. I recently got 2 excellent RCBS Rock Chucker presses for less than $100 each on e-bay. Just don’t get into a bidding war for a certain press, there will be others. I wouldn’t buy scales unless they are new in box – too many things can happen to scales. Dies might be a crap shoot – the seller often doesn’t know anything about what they are selling and might not be 100% accurate in their description. So, you make your choice and take your chances on e-bay.

Might check the local paper classified section. Sometime whole sets of equipment are listed for almost nothing. Estate sales can be a gold mine if you are in the right place at the right time.

As a beginner, I can tell you some things you DON’T need right now. You don’t need a $300 powder charging system, you don’t need a $300 case prep center and you don’t need cheap electronic scales - ever.

Whichever route you chose – kit or individual tools, new or used, gun show or paper - it is possible to get started for much less than the $1,100 quoted to the young man that got me thinking about this little blurb.

If you really get into the game, I’m not responsible for the damage to your bank account and the damage can be substantial! Extra presses (I have 6), neat trimmers, nice powder measure (s), all sorts of cute (expensive) little tools for specific purposes, excellent scales and who knows, if you reload enough you might want to get one of those fancy powder charger systems and a case prep center. Then there are all kinds of special dies and seaters, neck turners and measuring tools. Good measuring tools aren’t cheap by the way, but good ones are cheaper than cheap ones in the long run.

Anyway, good loading and keep your powder dry.

Tropical Deer Season

Opening week of Muzzleloader season 2010 in Arkansas and you better have the right clothes! It was a little bit of 'unseasonably warm' weather, as they like to say, for the opener, but it is still deer season. Although I would have preferred some cool weather, it still turned out to be exactly as I like it...memories made.

I, like most hunters, turn into a full-time weatherman this time of year. I am constantly checking the weather forecast and hoping for cool weather. Besides being really hot-natured, I just LOVE it when the mercury drops, especially while I am in the woods. I won't go as far to say that "it's not deer season when it's 85", but...

Opening Day was nice and cool in the a.m., but it warmed up and got up to around 86. It was nice to be in the woods again and I enjoyed the sunrise ( it's a miracle every day, as I like to say), but not a lot of deer movement. I did have an experience that was a first...more on that in a minute. I was not able to get out any more until the next Saturday and I had one of my boys with me. Again, pretty warm and not much deer movement. We did have a doe come out and literally walk under the stand. He told me that was the closest he had ever seen a deer while on the stand and he was blown away. That made my day.

I am very guilty of growing numb to events and experiences because I am looking for ONE particular outcome. For example, Saturday I was really focused on him having a chance at one of several really nice bucks we have seen on our trail cameras (side note...I have wrote on this before, but in case you missed it, trail cameras are one of the coolest things for a hunter. They are helpful in may ways, but they also provide a constant attraction to see what pictures are on there). So, naturally I was a little disappointed when they didn't show, but I almost missed the fact that we had other situations that made memories we will have forever. Besides having the deer walk under us, we also had an all-out wasp fight that lasted most of the afternoon (I wonder if us banging around in the stand and swatting at wasps with our hats had anything to do with not seeing deer?) and I can assure you we will remember that!

As early muzzleloader season came and went, I kept thinking of all I had to do to get ready for gun season. Besides the to-do list full of work, I am going to also focus on enjoying it. Not to get too philosophical, but I think we get caught up in so many things that we sometimes miss the best. Life is an adventure and the big events get all of the attention, but it seems that my thoughts are on the "small" memories I have. My Dad and I had a lot of great times hunting, fishing, whatever. But, what I think about most since he is gone are the little things...conversations about the weather, sports, fishing, etc. One of my favorite was just stopping by or calling to talk about nothing. Those usually lasted the longest! Anyway, keep an open mind and enjoy EVERYTHING.

Back to an experience I had that will last for a while. As I was watching the sunrise and just enjoying being back in the woods after a long time, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. Not a deer movement type attention-getter, more like a really different type movement. I turned to my right just in time to see a hawk approaching my stand. I am talking about wings cupped, talons extended and about to land on my shooting rail approach! Do I have to tell you I was startled? Let's just say God blessed me because I was alone and nobody had to hear the scream that came out of nowhere and I could not control. Not the reaction I expected, but I had to laugh and think that was a memory made that will last a long, long time. So, was that a successful hunt or what!?

Those Special Guns

Here is a another great guest article from Jim Northum.

Those Special Guns
by Jim Northum

Let’s leave the reloading arena for a bit today and talk about those special guns that have entered and usually unfortunately left our possession. Unless you are just getting into the game, I bet every one of you has had some special gun or guns in the past. If you are lucky, or smart, you may still have most of them.

In August of 1956, my dad bought a Remington 870 20 gauge for “us” to go with the one 22 rifle we had. I learned to shoot that little shotgun pretty well, I could shoot along with the auto runners any day. We shot tubs full of shells at crows all through high school. I went to college and my brother left home. While in the US Air Force I got into skeet shooting, which “absolutely required” an over/under so the little 870 was Dad’s behind the door gun for about 30 years.

Dad passed in 1994 and the last thing my brother picked up as we left the house was that little 870. In December 2006, he brought it home to my son, almost 50 years after it was first purchased. It is scheduled for rebluing and I’m in the process of refinishing the stock and adding a good recoil pad. The original owner’s manual with the date of purchase, our names and address, along with my son’s name and date he got the gun is still in the hole in the stock. It is neither fancy nor expensive, but is this a special gun? I think so.

For my 16th birthday, Dad offered me the option of a Browning auto loader 22 for 22 Shorts or a Winchester 62A. I chose the 62A and shot buckets of shells. That rifle wasn’t just overly accurate, but it did account for lots of squirrels and tons of sparrows around the barns and feedlot. I haven’t shot it in years, but it is a special rifle to me.

While in college, I bugged Bob Olive to get a Browning O/U .410 skeet gun for me, but it never materialized. After 4 years in the USAF and not visiting his shop, I walked in the door and he said, “I’ve got something for you”. Expecting a Browning .410, he pulled out a Browning 28 gauge instead, with its luggage case. It is now my wife’s skeet gun.

Along in the mid to late 80s I happened onto a Winchester Pigeon Grade 101 .410. It was a delightful little gun to shoot, though it made skeet a tough game. For some reason I traded it on a Remington 3200 Competition skeet gun, a real, heavy shooting machine. In the late 90s I got the .410 fever again and traded several guns for a .410 exactly like the one I had years before. When I entered the serial number in my book, it was the same gun. The little gun came home to stay. My son now shoots it some.

Years ago, I picked up a Winchester Low Wall barreled action in Winchester 22 Center Fire. Like an idiot, I traded it on something. That action would have made an absolutely wonderful little 22 Hornet or 218 Bee. Not a good trade especially since I don’t remember what I traded it for.

Once I had a Browning Safari Grade 222 built on the old Sako L461 Vixen action. Beautiful little rifle with the three step barrel. Should’ve kept it, but it was not as accurate as the Remington 700, which by the way was shot out when I got it. Live and learn. I haven’t seen a Vixen action in years.

I traded an 09 Argentine Mauser action for some machine work on a heavy barrel. Lost an excellent action and ruined an exceptional barrel at the same time.

The list goes on and on, much longer than I like to think about, but it was fun. Not necessarily smart.

I bet most of you have some of the same stories to tell. Some we should’ve kept, others we should’ve never gotten and many, many lost to memory that were just guns.

Reloading Tales

I am excited to have the opportunity to share with you some great articles on the subject of reloading from a local expert, Jim Northum. Jim has been involved in reloadng for quite some time and I know you will enjoy his extensive knowledge, as well as hearing about some of his valuable learning experiences. Enjoy...

Tales of a Wildcatter

by Jim Northum

Back in the late 70s & early 80s I was shooting the 22 Hornet & 218 Bee quite a bit. I had several of these little rifles which I really liked to shoot – low recoil & muzzle blast and cheap to reload due to tiny powder charges and lower cost bullets.

However there was no glaring problem. Accuracy was nothing to write home about, unless one was complaining. Groups ran around 1 ½ to 2 inches at 100 yards which was not exactly exciting. I ran the so called “fast Hornet powders & round nose bullets” to no avail. I bought an expensive rifle (manufacturer will remain unnamed) and had 2 custom jobs built. Just about the same accuracy from the cheap and expensive. Needless to say this was getting to be not much fun.

I found a gunsmith in California who would modify the Remington 700 action to use a rimmed cartridge, single shot if course. I thought this is it, excellent trigger, any number of quality barrels, one piece stock and easy scope mounting. As an afterthought he mentioned if the action was modified for the rimmed case, it couldn’t be un-modified to use rimless cases. The idea died with that statement, I didn’t want to ruin a good action for something that might not work. Back to the drawing boards.

Since I couldn’t modify the action, why not modify the case? I took some fine grained ball powder and established the weight of a full 22 Hornet case. Then I cut a 222 case at the shoulder, filed the neck & shoulder piece square and dumped the Hornet case full of powder into it. By trial and error, I shortened the case until it held just about the same amount of powder as the Hornet. Basically ½ inch of case was removed while the neck and shoulder angle remained factory stock.

Prints for a reamer were drawn up and sent to the reamer grinder, a Shilen standard grade barrel was ordered, a Remington 600 barreled action dug out of storage and the whole mess dropped at the gunsmith. While the smith was doing his thing, I was busy making cases, quite an operation itself. Making a hundred cases was the work of several nights at the loading bench. Case capacity was about half way between the Hornet and Bee, right where I wanted it. After the required wait, I had my little wildcat named Shorty. With great anticipation I headed to the range loaded with Hornet powders and bullets.

Sad to say, it shot just about like any other Hornet or Bee, not too good. I fooled with it for several months with less than stellar results until I tried a powder much too “slow” and a bullet much too “heavy” for such a small case. As I upped the charge, groups got smaller and smaller. At 13.2 grains the little fellow would group around 3/8 inch at 100 yards. I shot several ¼ inch groups and had 4 shots into 1/8 inch. Do I waste the 5th into the back stop or try it? The fifth shot opened the group to about 3/8 inch. The right powder and good bullets were the keys to success.

I shot that little rifle over 2500 times over a several year period until the action was rebarrelled as a 222 which will shoot pretty consistent ¼ inch groups, or would when I was shooting a lot. I still have the reamer and toy with having another Shorty built, but the hassle of case forming is not as much fun now as it was back in the 80s. Having an accurate CZ model 527 22 Hornet takes some of the luster off the project as well.

I’m glad I went the wildcat route – once. Don’t think I will try it again.

Waynes Products - The Barrel Bumper

I find new and different products really exciting. I actually get a lot of enjoyment from the products we get to use during hunting and/or to get us ready. While there are lots and lots of products available for the hunter, there are some that provide a higher level of enjoyment, some that give us an edge and then some that provide safety. Wayne’s Wicked Enterprise has actually produced products for all three!

I wrote previously about the really cool product Magic Dust. Magic Dust gives us two of the three…it can provide a lot of fun in deer hunting AND it can give us an edge. Wayne’s two other products, Barrel Bumper and Rifle Reel cover the safety category. I recently was able to get my hands on the Barrel Bumper and learn more about it. Wait until you hear this…



At first glance, the Wayne’s Wicked Enterprise Barrel Bumper is an interesting creation. It is 4“long and about around as a regular flashlight. It is bright yellow and has two large wing-type handles. The inside has cushioning for anywhere it contacts the firearms barrel. Now, what do you do with it? This is where it gets really good. The Barrel Bumper actually has several uses. One is the safety feature it can provide while walking in and out of your hunting area. First of all, it actually GLOWS when activated by light (such as taking your flashlight and shining it on the Bumper Barrel for a short period of time, maybe 20-30 seconds.) So, just before walking in to your stand for example, simply activate the Bumper Barrel that is on the end of your gun and you will basically have a beacon of safety as you are going in that allows other hunters to clearly see you. Do the same as you walk out in the evening, too. With the fluorescent yellow color, the Barrel Bumper also provides indication of a hunter during daylight hours. So, now you have a really easy way to give yourself an extra level of safety while moving to and from the stand. But, the Barrel Bumper is not done.

A common need tree stand hunters have is protection for the open end of our guns barrel as we raise and lower it in the stand. Since we do this with muzzle pointed down, the gun is exposed to mud, dirt and other debris in the barrel. The Barrel Bumper is enclosed on the end that goes over the end of the barrel and therefore keeps anything from getting in. This is perfect…we will already have it on when we are going to the stand and will be putting it on as we head back, so there is not really any extra steps to take or more gear to pack, the Barrel Bumper will already be there! Of course, it will also protect the barrel opening in the event you fall or the gun goes muzzle down into mud, etc. Now for another use of this product and a tip from Wayne that may keep you from a hunting disaster.


Anyone that uses a muzzleloader knows the importance of keeping it clean. Using a muzzleloader is a lot of fun and a privilege. It gives us a chance to deer hunt early and with a weapon, especially the modern versions, which are very accurate and more than capable of putting that deer on the ground. Muzzleloaders are also inherently dirty since the powder is not enclosed in a cartridge as it is in centerfire ammunition. The powder gets everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. So, we scrub and scrub and use our solvents to get that corrosive powder off after shooting. Then, we use oils and grease to help protect the gun from future shots. Wayne reminds us that those same products we rely on to protect our muzzleloader and keep it reliable can actually contribute to a muzzleloaders worst moment…failure to ignite the powder when we pull the trigger. And it probably won’t happen when you are attempting to fill your doe tag. No, it will be when the mossy-horned monster finally spends a few minutes during daylight hours in your area!

After thoroughly cleaning our muzzleloaders, we usually keep them loaded (a muzzleloader is not considered “officially” loaded unless the firing cap is inserted on the nipple) during the season. And how do we typically store the gun? Muzzle up, right? That provides a recipe for disaster. If there is oil residue left in the barrel after cleaning, it will make its way down to the powder and we all know what that means. Also, if we are out hunting on a rainy, drizzly, or even foggy day, moisture can collect on the inside of the barrel and it will also makes its way down to the powder…especially if we store the muzzleloader muzzle up. The Barrel Bumper provides another benefit as it allows the muzzleloader to easily be stored muzzle down because the end is flat and will give the gun a great platform to rest on.



With a suggested resale price of only $8.95, the Barrel Bumper is a definite addition to our guns, especially muzzleloaders. You can see more at Wayne’s Wicked Enterprise’ website, http://wayneswicked.com/index.html. In addition to product information, Wayne has several instructional videos LOADED with good stuff.

Rory Tipton
www.ArkansasLifeHunting.com
rtipton@arkansaslifehunting.com

Arkansas Life Hunting is the place for the Arkansas outdoorsman. It contains information and resources from people based right here in our state. From expert advice and tips from biologists to duck guides, along with new product information and reviews, you will find it here.

Arkansas Products Showcase

Arkansas…Truly an undiscovered sportsman’s heaven

Living in Arkansas and being a hunter is really a blessing. We are fortunate to have so many hunting opportunities with such a variety of terrain to do it in. Most of us realize this to some extent and understand the quality of hunting available, but I believe we are also becoming an area for Hunting-Related Product innovation. Do you know how many businesses there are that make products for hunters, based right here in the state? This may surprise you…

I have lived in this state my entire life and have hunted here most of that time, too. I have deer hunted from the beautiful Ouachita Mountains to the nutrient-rich soil of the Delta, and almost everything in between. I have duck hunted, squirrel hunted, and dove hunted (Turkeys are missing from my experience list, but that is about to change!). Hunting has been a HUGE part of my life and I have always felt like I knew a lot about Arkansas and anything to do with hunting in Arkansas. However, I uncovered a new treasure last year.

I have wanted to write about hunting, and more specifically, hunting in Arkansas for a while. The idea of sharing stories, knowledge and resources was always on my mind, but I did not have a real direction for the idea until I discovered something very interesting during some research. As I was compiling information for my website and eventually a publication, I found some companies in Arkansas making some fantastic and innovative products. And not just a couple, but many companies!

After meeting and learning more about several of them and deciding to use them as the foundation of an Arkansas Hunting products section, www.ArkansasLifeHunting.com was born and launched. My idea was (is!) to funnel that information into one area and devote it to the Arkansas Outdoorsman. Give them a place to find information, tips, and resources from people right here in our state.

Now, a little more about the companies. First, here is a partial list;



Magic Dust, Rifle Reel, & Barrel Bumper (Wayne’s Wicked Enterprise)
Scentdrifter
Nxt Step
Hunter’s Shelf
Natural Gear
Mud River
Knight & Hale (Pradco)
DAC
Nite Lite
Rich-N-Tone
War Eagle
Xpress Boats
Echo calls
Gillmore’s Camo


That’s right, 14 companies and this is not all of them! Each and every one of them deserves some time in the spotlight. As I mentioned previously, there are some truly unique products that have been developed. I will dedicate an entire review or article to a few over the next few weeks. I hope you will come back and find out more about them.

Rory Tipton
www.ArkansasLifeHunting.com
rtipton@arkansaslifehunting.com

Arkansas Life Hunting is the place for the Arkansas outdoorsman. It contains information and resources from people based right here in our state. From expert advice and tips from biologists to duck guides, along with new product information and reviews, you will find it here.

Missouri Turkeys

I just returned from my Missouri Turkey hunt and even though I have good news, it might not be the ‘good’ news you would expect to hear. I was not able to close the deal and kill a turkey, but I still had an unbelievable time. I mean a really good time. Turkey hunting was like nothing I have ever experienced. We had turkeys all around us most every day and I did witness an event that I will never forget. More on that in a minute…

We hunted in the very north part of the state, in fact we were only 50 miles or so from Iowa. The terrain up there is lots of agriculture and rolling hills (even though rolling felt like VERTICAL most of the time!), just beautiful country. From just over the Kansas line all the way east to where we hunted was large bean, wheat and corn fields surrounded by large stands of hardwoods. There were lots of creeks and streams providing the much-needed water to this type environment as well. The property my cousin owns has plenty of diversity, too, from CRP to very mature hardwoods. And the weather! The nights and mornings were in the low 40’s and then it would get up to the high 60’s or low 70’s the next day, just gorgeous!

As I mentioned previously, this was my first turkey hunt and I did have a wonderful experience. I feel like I was able to experience everything about turkey hunting except killing. And I did stop judging the quality of my hunts by the kills a while back. This hunt was full of time spent with family I have not seen in a long time and even new additions that are already almost grown! It is truly crazy how time flies by.

Back to my experience. We were able to roost birds almost every evening…that part worked well. The challenge for us was getting on them the next morning and setting up where they would come to us before they found a hen. The second morning worked out almost perfectly. Ok, the birds did THEIR part, it was us who goofed! We had roosted several birds the night before, including some gobblers. We circled back around early the next morning to get set up in the creek bottom next to where they were. As the sun started to rise, the gobblers back on the ridge behind us that had fooled us the day before, as well as at least two other gobblers close by, sounded off early. Not our boys. Did we spook them the night before as we attempted to back out of the area? Did coyotes come in the middle of the night and scare them? Or did we bump them as we tried to sneak in that morning? All of these questions plus lots more were spinning in my head as we waited for daylight. One really good question was whether we should have gone back to the area we had the close experience the day before. Those two Toms were gobbling almost non-stop this morning! As my mind raced and daylight greeted us, something else happened that caused me to panic.

Let me take just a second to express again how awesome the hunt was. I prayed for two things (at least hunting-related) on this trip; 1. To be able to really experience turkey hunting and 2. To have a turkey gobble in close range. The turkeys I mentioned we roosted the night before I was actually able to watch them fly up to roost. This may be something a lot of you seasoned turkey hunters have seen, but I found it just incredible. I duck hunt a lot and I know how much noise a duck can make getting off the water and rapidly beating their wings to gain altitude. But a turkey? Wow! It was like a Harrier taking off. So, to me…that prayer was answered! Back to the hunt.

We actually set up RIGHT UNDER one of the gobblers roosting and just after daylight, he took off and flew the other way, across the CRP and way away. I was sick. We worked so hard to get on these birds and then we goofed by getting too close. Not 5 minutes later, we heard more birds fly down and…gobbling! Here we go. Pat hit the call and they responded immediately. And they were not even 75 yards away! Things got quiet just before even more madness. Pat was in the middle, I was on one side of him about 10 yards away and Pat’s son Justin was sitting on the other side. I saw Justin raise his gun quickly and then a turkey flying off. This bird had come in quiet and when he appeared, Justin was not ready. The ole tom did not wait either! I think we were all about ready to go back to bed and try to forget this hunt, when my second prayer was answered.

Just a few minutes after that one decided to leave, more gobbling. This time, really close. This big boy came through the woods and let out a gobble when he was about 25 yards away and it was like thunder. He then stepped out into the open, fanned his feathers and went to strutting. I was in complete amazement. This was one of the most amazing spectacles I have ever seen. I looked over at Justin and he was ready this time. He had his gun up, bead on him…then the sound we all know. The sound of a firing pin falling on the primer but no explosion. This bird also had enough and decided our fake hen may not be worth it. What a hunt!

It turns out Justin had not closed the action on his gun all the way. He was trying to be quiet as he loaded a shell in the chamber and it did not go all the way forward. Very disappointing, but a lesson learned (I guarantee you he will never let that happen again!) and another great experience for me. The sound of that turkey gobbling in the timber and seeing him strut is forever etched in my memory. I have rerun that image over in my mind one hundred times already.

We decided to make this hunting trip an annual tradition. So, until next year, I’ll be thinking of something I have never thought of before…gobbling and strutting turkeys. I can’t wait!

Turkey Loads

In order to be ready for my upcoming turkey hunt, a trip to the range to test some turkey loads was in order. This turned out to be a lot more revealing than I anticipated.

As I mentioned previously, I have planned a trip to go turkey hunting in Missouri this year. This will be my first time to turkey hunt. I am excited, but a touch nervous, too. I am nervous that this will become my new obsession and I will be adding turkey hunting to my list of ‘must-do’ each year. This is fine, but…wow, I already have so much to do!

The first thing I wanted to do was try a couple of different turkey loads in my shotgun. I picked up a box of Remington Nitro #4 and Winchester Supreme #5, put the Full choke in and headed to the range. I finally secured my place on a bench at the pistol range (?) and set up my turkey targets. This would be a really good time to voice my opinion on a certain pubic range, but…I think I will wait and discuss how all things work for the good! Back to this topic - I had 6 targets and planned on shooting each turkey load at least twice. The Remington #4’s were first up. I let one of my boys, Blake, take the first shot, me next and then…if anyone recalls, Saturday was very windy and the target actually blew off the frame. Another guy a couple of benches down had the same thing happen. Evidently, this is not reason enough to clear the range and allow us to fix it, so we had to wait. Wait some more. Then wait even longer. FINALLY, we were able to go and set it back up. Now the Winchester’s.

My other son, Nicholas, blasted off with the first of the Winchesters, then me and then Blake finished it off. This took no more than 5 minutes, but of course we had to wait again for the range to be cleared. I am not sure how long these are supposed to be, but it seemed like forever. The much anticipated call came for the range to be cleared and we headed to check the results. The Winchesters patterned beautifully in my gun. As you can see from the pictures above, there is some really good coverage with these particular loads. Happy with the results, but all with headaches (I am not sure if the recoil or the way this place is run is to blame!) we headed out.

Facebook Turkeys

I have somehow managed to resist the urge to go spring turkey hunting my whole life. A combination of factors, including; 1) I prefer to fish that time of year 2) after spending almost all of the previous 3 months straight in the woods, I want to spend some time with my wife, and 3) the fact that the addiction I see in turkey hunters scares me! I need 1 less addiction, not 1 more.

Well, enter Facebook (this is going to be real interesting for anyone that has never realized a real return on time invested in this crazy thing). I somehow managed to ‘friend’ one of my cousins in Kansas that I had not been in contact with for some time and had never really even known him because he was older. It’s really a shame. I have some fabulous people in my family and we have all managed to be too busy and have lost contact. Anyway, he sent a game camera pic with a Kansas bruiser and we talked deer hunting. He mentioned that I should contact his brother, a cousin that was close to my age and that I did spend quite a bit of time with when we were young. I did and he was excited to tell me about some land he recently bought in Missouri that he had killed a really nice buck on this past season and that I should come up and hunt with them. He also mentioned that it was full of turkeys and if I wanted, come up for the spring turkey season. Now, this is cool. Here is a chance to reconnect with family that are awesome people, take my Mom to see her sister, go on a hunt in another state, and try this thing they call turkey hunting. I’m in!

The trip is booked and just a few details are left. I am really excited. Of course, this has added a few more to-do items to my list, but that is just fine. A few things I want to do are trying a few different shell/choke combinations in my shotgun, adding an item or two to my apparel collection (gotta have a different camo pattern for the spring!), and buying a simple call that I can learn on.