Fall Hunting Season is Here
This time of year is one of my favorites. The reason, of course, is that small game season opens in so many places. But there are challenges that one must overcome to hunt this time of year.
The first one is, quite simply, the heat! Man, is it hot! Overnight temperatures of 85 degrees make for a sweltering day ahead. To avoid the extreme heat, I hunt early and late, preferring the early session since the end of the day is usually still hot. And to keep my comfort level at a maximum, I walk a lot less during hot hunting sessions. I'm quite happy to sit still and sweat just a little, rather than walk around and sweat a lot!
Another issue are ticks. In my part of the country, and in many others, ticks are a real problem that pose a health risk if not managed properly. Use bug repellent that is made for ticks. The animals you are hunting in early small game season aren't that aware of your presence due to the scent of your repellent. Save hunting the wind for deer season, and go protected with some serious repellent. Spray it on your shoes and lower legs to keep the ticks from climbing up your pants. If you sit on a log or on the ground, spray the portion of your clothes that come in contact with the ground. And be aware that if you crawl through thick vegetation, it is almost a given that you will pick up one of the little blood suckers for sure....so inspect yourself when you get home! Lyme disease is a real ailment, and avoiding it is something you definitely want to do.
A third issue is my gun and its finish. When I use repellents of any kind, I try and avoid getting it on my hands. Often, the repellent will mar the finish of your gun, as will the oils and sweat from your body. After a hunt, I wipe down my guns with a good film of preservative oil. You can also opt to use a silicon cloth or other cleaning rag that is impregnated with cleaning particles to preserve the finish on your gun.
Now, before you pick up your airgun to go hunting, have you practiced lately? Compasseco has an excellent selection of pellets, and you need to practice with what you are going to hunt with. Shooting one kind of pellet during practice, then switching to another pellet for hunting without re-checking your aim is a recipe for failure. To increase your emjoyment of the hunt, and to be fair to the prey you are hunting, practice and use the proper equipment for the job.
A quick list of favorite hunting guns that I would consider for early season hunting would be the following:
Benjamin Discovery
Tech Force 78
Tech Force Contender 89
Gamo CFX
Sumatra 2500
The above guns provide you with 3 different powerplants....CO2, spring-piston, and pre-charged. They are by no means the only guns you can use, but this blog entry isn't about listing all the kinds of airguns you could use.....that would be a long list!
Check out Compasseco's selection of products for your early season hunting. Stock up on ammo and accessories, then enjoy the great outdoors with an airgun!
The first one is, quite simply, the heat! Man, is it hot! Overnight temperatures of 85 degrees make for a sweltering day ahead. To avoid the extreme heat, I hunt early and late, preferring the early session since the end of the day is usually still hot. And to keep my comfort level at a maximum, I walk a lot less during hot hunting sessions. I'm quite happy to sit still and sweat just a little, rather than walk around and sweat a lot!
Another issue are ticks. In my part of the country, and in many others, ticks are a real problem that pose a health risk if not managed properly. Use bug repellent that is made for ticks. The animals you are hunting in early small game season aren't that aware of your presence due to the scent of your repellent. Save hunting the wind for deer season, and go protected with some serious repellent. Spray it on your shoes and lower legs to keep the ticks from climbing up your pants. If you sit on a log or on the ground, spray the portion of your clothes that come in contact with the ground. And be aware that if you crawl through thick vegetation, it is almost a given that you will pick up one of the little blood suckers for sure....so inspect yourself when you get home! Lyme disease is a real ailment, and avoiding it is something you definitely want to do.
A third issue is my gun and its finish. When I use repellents of any kind, I try and avoid getting it on my hands. Often, the repellent will mar the finish of your gun, as will the oils and sweat from your body. After a hunt, I wipe down my guns with a good film of preservative oil. You can also opt to use a silicon cloth or other cleaning rag that is impregnated with cleaning particles to preserve the finish on your gun.
Now, before you pick up your airgun to go hunting, have you practiced lately? Compasseco has an excellent selection of pellets, and you need to practice with what you are going to hunt with. Shooting one kind of pellet during practice, then switching to another pellet for hunting without re-checking your aim is a recipe for failure. To increase your emjoyment of the hunt, and to be fair to the prey you are hunting, practice and use the proper equipment for the job.
A quick list of favorite hunting guns that I would consider for early season hunting would be the following:
Benjamin Discovery
Tech Force 78
Tech Force Contender 89
Gamo CFX
Sumatra 2500
The above guns provide you with 3 different powerplants....CO2, spring-piston, and pre-charged. They are by no means the only guns you can use, but this blog entry isn't about listing all the kinds of airguns you could use.....that would be a long list!
Check out Compasseco's selection of products for your early season hunting. Stock up on ammo and accessories, then enjoy the great outdoors with an airgun!
posted by Randy Mitchell at
6:19 AM
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