Happy New Year

Happy new year to everyone from Snow Camp Outdoors!

December Rut

I have two main things to say about hunting in December, hunt does to find the bucks.  And, hunt food plots, because deer need the food to help them stay alive during the winter.  This also ties into hunting does to find bucks.  The does who are in estrus will go to a food plot, which attracts bucks to that food plot.  But the bucks also need food, so they will be there anyway, which they will be looking for does in estrus still.  All of this sort of works out together and ties into each other.

What is the Secondary/December Rut?
Every hunter knows what the rut is, it is when the peak mating happens, when bucks go crazy.  Many hunters put all their hunting money into this 1 or 2 week long period and forget about the rest of the season.  I know that adults have to take off or hunt on weekends, so I be a little easier on them.  But many, as I said, might hunt a little before, during, and a little after the rut.  Then they forget about it, it's over.
But the secondary rut is right around the corner!  Not all does get bred in the November rut, so some does come into heat a second time around the middle of December.  Now, there won't be quite as much action as the fist rut, because there are less deer around.

Tactics

• Hunt food plots and areas with a lot of deer activity.
• Use tools, deer calls, scents, and other things that you would use during the first rut (why not, its the second one, so use the same stuff).

So, in brief, the Secondary (or December) rut happens in mid December.  Use calls, scents, etc.  Hunt around food plots and any area that has a lot of deer activity going around.  Hunt does to find bucks.  

Lastly, have a great rest of the hunting season and year. 

Multi-Species Hunting

There are a couple places that you can hunt multiple game species in one area.  Pretty cool huh?

Orchards
In an apple and/or persimmon orchard you can find deer and squirrel.  Crows and squirrels will also check out cherry orchards.

Food plots or other fields
In winter, if clovers are still around in a food plot, both rabbits and deer will come to those.  Wheat- if an area in a wheat field has been cut, doves will come and if there is still wheat standing, deer will also feed on wheat.  Corn- deer and squirrels will come and eat corn, but squirrels will most likely be around the edges of the fields.  Turkeys will also feed in some food plots.


Forests
During the acorn season, deer, and squirrels will definitely be in the oak stands, and turkeys might also join them in the search for acorns.  Squirrels and deer will also feed on beech nuts and squirrels will eat hickory nuts.  Deer also might eat hickory nuts.

Snow Camp Outdoors 1st Birthday!

Hello!  Today is Snow Camp Outdoors 1st birthday!  Although we didn't reach our goal, we have had a great first year and have been visited by many countries all over the world!  Not including the US, 16 countries!

Here is a list of the countries:

• Canada
• Australia 
• Belgium 
• Germany 
• Philippines
• Denmark 
• Finland 
• Norway 
• Netherlands 
• Slovenia 
• Mexico
• Panama 
• Brazil 
• Saudi Arabia 
• India
• France

And, the United States.

Popular Articles

• Longbow vs. Recurve
• Squirrel Hunting Tips and Tricks
• Arrow Care
• Minnow Traps

Stats

• Published a total of 50 articles
• Reader and author (me) conversations or just reader comments on 10 articles
• 6 followers

Well, this marks a new year for Snow Camp Outdoors, and I can't wait to see where it leads us!

Why Wax a Bowstring?

Bow wax is a great thing to have to help lengthen the life of your bowstring.  Why?

Why wax it?

• Wax is used to help lubricate the string to reduce friction. 
• It shields your string from dirt, rain, and other objects. 
• Keeps your string from fraying.
• Helps your string have a longer life.

What if I don't wax it?

• Your bowstring could become "infected" with dirt and moisture, which will sooner or later destroy your bowstring.  To make it worse, moisture also slows down arrow speed.
• Without lubrication, the strings will fray and wear down, the string will also produce friction, and these three things will drastically shorten the life of your bowstring.

In short, waxing gives a longer life to your bowstring.

How do I wax it?

Apply wax to your bowstring and rub between your thumb and your index finger or middle finger over a 4-5 inch section of string.  When you feel your fingers get warm the wax should have melted into the string and is lubricating it.  Then move on to the next section. 

What a Bow Peep Sight is For

What is a peep sight for?  Why do some models have a tube on them?  These are questions I hope to answer in this article.

1.What is a peep sight for?  Do I need one?
A peep sight acts like a rear sight of a bow.  If you can't see through it, you should know that your stance is wrong.  It makes sure that you come back to the same anchor point every time you draw the bow.  So, you don't need a peep sight, but it would be pretty good to have one.

2.What is the tubing attached to the peep sight on some models?
The tubing is to keep the peep sight from moving or twisting while it's in the string.  So, it is pretty much there on some models for an unstable string that could cause the peep sight to get out of alignment.

Clear Cuts, the Hidden Truth About Them

Clear-cuts are known for scaring game out of the area of the clear-cut and the game just moves somewhere else.  But, even though people say bad stuff about them, like, "it scares game away, they won't come back," and that sort of stuff.  I don'e mean any disrespect, but whoever says that is wrong.  Yes, wrong.  I hunt on on of my families property that has been 90% clear-cut, (with still a little woods left) , which I have talked about before and I have seen more deer than I think I ever have.  I have also seen an increase in the rabbit population there too.  Deer like the high weed cover because, well, it gives them enough cover so they can hide.  If you can hunt a clear-cut, then do so.  Now if that same place has been planted in pines, then eventually you can't hunt in that area until it is thinned.

Before that happens though, deer will be all over that clear-cut eating the weeds and grasses that come up.  Trails will wind through the clear cut like crazy.  Truly, a clear-cut is a great place to hunt.

Archer Quick Tip

Have your shoulders hurt after a long recreational or just for fun archery target shoot in your backyard?  This happened to me when I found out that my sights were totally off (I hadn't been using my pep sight when I first sighted in my bow, so now I had to re-sight it).  When I found out, I spent a good hour of continual times pulling back a bowstring and adjusting sights to get my sights back on track. I had a really bad shoulder ache afterwards.  But, it was long enough afterward that I didn't know where my shoulder ache came from.  It bothered me for a couple weeks.  But I eventually found out and was given advice for how not to let it happen again.  Rest a while every 10 or 15 minutes or practice to minimize a shoulder ache happening.  Follow that advice, I will!

Note: This happened this summer.

Apply What You Learn into Practice

So, yesterday I was hunting, again, and I unknowingly walked, apparently, into a does bedroom.  I started to walk into a big clump of thorn bushes and a doe jumped out and seem very surprised I was there.  I had read a lot about hunting in some books the last few weeks so I put what I read into practice.  I read that deer sometimes double-back, so I waited in a little clear stretch in a bottleneck in the woods close to where the does bed was.  The doe, thinking the danger had past, came back through the clearing (really a 10 foot wide path) came back right in front of me in bow range.  I wasn't prepared to draw back because the doe was walking so silent.  But the doe kept walking and I didn't get to shoot.  But I decided to follow, but I scared it so it ran off again.  I waited a while but I decided to head home before I saw it again.  So, don't feel bad for me.  I don't.  The lesson is this: deer sometimes will double-back.

An Experience to Learn From

I just had an exiting experience that all of us can learn from.  I was bowhunting on Sept. 20, 2012, and I was in a large area that had been clear-cut.  All the weeds that had grown up since the clear-cutting made things a little difficult to see.  I had found a huge deer trail that was about 8-10 feet wide and totally clear of weeds.  I knew that there was a small trail that wound through the weeds which eventually intersected with the trail I was on only a short distance away.  As I walked along the big trail, hoping that deer would be on the "highway" I heard a rustling close to a big brush pile.  Thinking it was a rabbit, I kept on.  But the sound followed me.  I tried to see if it was a deer by making a grunt sound.  Then BOOM out of nowhere a huge doe goes leaping away.  It wasn't anymore than 15 to 20 feet away!  I had an arrow knocked but it didn't matter, I couldn't hit a running deer.  I had no idea that a 100 pound deer was there because I couldn't see through the weeds that separated us.  Here is the lesson:

Always be prepared.  Don't let your guard down.  The deer you desire may be 15 feet in front of you.

At least this experience of losing a deer will make the one you (if you've had the same thing happen to you) or I get taste success that much better.

Note: This lesson was made at the authors expense. 

Unusual Ways to Hunt Squirrels

Now you have probably heard about hunting squirrels by sitting under an oak tree or hickory tree and waiting for the squirrels to come out to feed under the tree your sitting on.  That's a good strategy, but here are some pretty unusual strategies.

Stalking
When you spot a squirrel (probably from a good distances) you slowly walk up close to it and get a shot at it.  Don't walk when it looks in your direction or it will probably see you.  Keep an eye for other squirrels that could be around you that could alert other squirrels of your presence.  If you happen to get a closer shot at another squirrel while your following the squirrel you spotted, you can decide to take the shot at the squirrel closer to you or risk being spotted as you try to follow the other squirrel to get a shot at it.

Stand Hunting
This speaks for itself.  You get in a stand and hunt squirrels from there.

Blind Hunting
Now you are on the ground under some hickory or oak trees in a blind waiting for squirrels to come by.  If it's deer season and you have seen deer activity in that area you may even want to bring a deer rifle with you.

Tips

• You can also use a small caliber rifle (.177 cal or .22) is also good for hunting squirrels.  You can shoot at a greater range.
• Wear good camo and something that's blaze orange.

That's all for now!

Managing Land for Squirrels

Many people manage land for deer, but they don't manage it for what I have heard to be the "big game of the small game," the thing you most likely wouldn't manage land for, the squirrel.

Now you may have some nice squirrel habitat already, but here are some points that you need to make a prime squirrel hunting area.  Squirrels need three basic things, food, nesting, and water.

• Forest managing (food)- A variety of oaks, hickories, elm, walnut, beech and other fruit and nut bearing trees.  You can also grow the nut and fruit bearing trees you need if needed.  Growing corn at the woodland edges will help with the food supply especially if the nut or fruit trees have decreased in their production.    Providing oaks and corn for squirrels can also provide food for White-tails, and other animals, so, your not just helping squirrels, your helping deer and other animals too!  Planting natural shrubs and saplings for ground cover will also be great.  
• Nesting sites-Provide three to five den trees per acre.  A squirrel den is a hole in the tree that they use as their home.  They also build nests up in trees.  But they prefer tree dens.  If you don't have very many den trees you can make den boxes and put them up in trees about ten to thirty feet up in the tree.
• Water-A creek or river or other body of water is a good place for squirrels to come and drink. If you have no water readily available you can dig a small pond or make a couple watering sites.            

These small steps can lead to many more squirrels on your property and can lead to memory making hunts. 

Acorns, the Big Buck Attractor

I have talked about the importance of acorns in hunting before, and now I'll do it again.

In the rut bucks are more interested in does than they are in food.  So if bucks are more interested in does, why would they want to go to oak trees?  You can pretty much answer the question with common sense.  The does need the nutrition that the acorns have in them so they can breed.  So if you have a concentration of white oaks which have their acorns are falling, you will probably find does there.  Where you find a bunch of does, you will find bucks coming in after them.

When the acorn crop drops to very low amounts of acorns falling, here's what to do.  Look for an area that has a bunch of oaks beside each other that are producing more acorns than the rest of the oaks around.  Deer should flock to that area because of the higher acorn crop.

Hunt over acorns.  A bunch of white oaks next to each other to hunt over is a good way to get a deer this season.

Dove Hunting Safety

Safety always matters when your hunting.  Especially when your shooting all over the place when your dove hunting.

• Don't shoot at low flying birds, a hunter could get hit if you do so.
• If your in a group, know where everyone is and communicate with each other.
• Wear ear protection.  Eye protection would also be good to wear.
• Handle guns safely at all times.

There's not too many safety guidelines, but you can also add "use common sense" as a fifth one.  But just a couple guidelines will lead to a much safer hunt.  So follow them.

Tree Stand Saftey

I know that I have written a little about tree stand safety before, but it doesn't hurt to go over being safe in a tree stand again.

• Always wear a full body safety harness.  Also known as a fall arrest system, these harnesses have saved hundreds of lives.  A safety strap should be attached to you and to the tree.  This should keep you from falling more than 12 inches (if you fall)
• There is a rule that is called the 3 point rule.  The rule is to always keep three points of contact (2 arms, one leg or one arm two legs) on the ladder.  But at least keep 2 points of contact, although the 3 point rule is safer.
• Carry emergency contact devices with you.  Cellphones are one type of these.
• Use a haul line to get your gear into the stand.
• Use a climbing belt when you are climbing up to and down from the tree stand.
• Wear boots with non-skid soles.  This will prevent you slipping on slippery wet rungs.

Have a safe hunting season!

Hunting for Doves

Mourning Doves are one of the most popular game birds in the US.  Here are some tips on hunting them.  Whether you are hunting them over a plot or in the field, or selecting ammo, here are some tips.

• If you have a cleared area (like an area that is clear cut) or any other field with brush, doves love those places.  You can usually find a lot of them in those places.
• A sunflower or wheat plot is a great place to hunt for doves.  They like to peck at the ground where seeds are just lying on the ground plainly visible.
• Hunting for doves requires only five things: a shotgun, brown or camo clothes (nothing fancy, unless you want to), some shotgun shells, a field, and some friends.
• Look in areas that have just been cut for grain or hay.  All the loose seed that fell out of the harvester during the harvesting attracts a lot of doves
• When you shoot, swing through the dove, shoot, then follow through by continuing to swing.
• You can also set up decoys to aid you in your hunt.  This makes the doves above think that that area is safe because there is already a bunch of doves left (though check with your wildlife organization to see if this is legal).
• Stick to 7 1/2 to 9 size shot.  This gives you a lot more chance of hitting a dove.  Remember, it doesn't take much to bring down a dove.

That's it for now!

Food Plot Tips

I am here to give a few food plot tips that will help your food plot greatly.


Lime your plot.  If you do nothing else but seed and water your plot, lime it.  Now I know that the optimum pH for soil is 7.0, you might have already tested your plot and found that your plot soil is 7.0 pH.  If it is, skip this step.  If it isn't, listen.  You can do all the fertilization you want, but if your soil isn't 7.0 pH, then you've just wasted some of or almost all of the fertilizer.

Put a game camera next to the plot so you can see if deer are coming to it.

If you can't afford a game camera, this is a great tip I heard from an Antler King food plot video.  Some people said that their food plot plants weren't getting tall.  So Antler King came up with an idea.  If your food plot plants are short, surround one small area of the plants with fencing on the sides and top.  So you are pretty much making a cage.  After a while (a couple days or so), check your plot.  If the plants in the cage grew while the others outside the cage stayed short, that means that deer are coming into your plot and eating at the plants (the deer couldn't get to the plants in the cage).  If all the plants are short, even in the cage, then you might want to add some fertilizer or lime your plot.

Gathering Acorns for Hunting

This article will be short because its just about a brief way to help you gather up acorns faster for deer to feed on under your stand or near some oak trees to increase in the amount of acorns that deer can eat there.

Instructions


4-2x4's, any length (preferably 4-6 ft long.)
1-tarp for the 2x4's to lay on

Put the 2x4's in a square (or rectangle, if you want too) shape and nail them together.  So now you should have, of course, a square (or rectangle) shape.  This diagram should help picture this.  The black rectangle is the 2x4's and the brown is the tarp.



To use this just put a couple down under some oak trees.  The acorns fall down into the box created by the 2x4's and all you have to do to gather them is to lift up the rectangle and the acorns are left lying on the tarp.  Just bag up the tarp and dump the acorns into a 5 gallon bucket and spread them out in front of your deer camera or plot.

Catfish Fishing Tips

Here are some tips and tricks on how to catch Catfish.


Best Baits
Use for your bait what they would feed on naturally, that works great.  Shad, minnows, crawfish, and cut up small fish.  Some baits that you can buy such as catfish dough work well too.

Be Mobile
Move around.  This will help a lot when you are fishing for catfish.  If you stay in a spot for 30 minutes without much luck, then you just move to another spot, because the catfish probably aren't there.

Where to fish
Fish around rocks and logs.  Catfish love those places

Compound vs. Recurve

Okay, time for round three.  You can read all the pros and cons of both bows because I have posted about both.  It is now time to see who is the winner!

The Winner!!

No one.  IT'S A TIE!!!!  I am just saying that for myself, because they are both good bows.  But you can decide for yourself who you want to win.

Compound vs. Crossbow

Here are the more high tech bows about to face off in Round 2 Compound vs. Crossbow!

Compound


Pros and Cons:


Pros:

• Quiet.
• Has a lot of energy coming from the bow into the arrow because of the long power stroke.
• Lightweight.
• Accurate.
• At full draw the pulleys at the end of the bow turn and give you let-off to make it easier to hold at full draw.
• It isn't quite as traditional or original as the Recurve or Longbow, but it is a little bit original, after all, it is a bow.

Cons:

• Because it is lightweight, slight movement can cause the arrow to be a little left or right of the target.

Crossbow

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• It can remain at full draw for a long period of time while hunting.
• You can mount a scope or a red dot sight to it.
• Some crossbow models have an automatic cocking mechanism.

Cons:

• The shorter crossbow arrows and the short power stroke of the crossbow can't match the energy stored in the compound bows longer arrows because of the compounds longer power stroke.  The crossbows have to have a higher poundage to make up for this.
• Crossbows are hard to pull back or crank back.
• The higher poundage also is hard on the strings and cables and other components.
• Heavy.

Compound wins!  No offence crossbow, I would still like to shoot an arrow from you sometime.  People who make crossbows are still trying to make their crossbows lighter and more efficient.

Round 3 is next with the final contestants:  Compound vs. Recurve! 

Longbow vs. Recurve

I will be doing a bow tournament in my next couple articles to determine what is the ultimate bow (though all are good, don't take me wrong). I won't be judging anything to win just because I want it to, I will pick the winner the same way I would pick out what bow I want on a normal day (looking at pros and cons and things like that). Today, read Round 1 Longbow vs. Recurve!

Longbow


Pros and cons:


Pros:

• It will forgive minor mistakes made by the person that is handling it.
• Its quiet.
• Lightweight.

Cons:

• Its length makes it harder to carry it around in brush.
• Hard to pull back and harder to keep at anchor point because of there being no let-off like a compound bow.

Recurve Bow

Pros:

• It can store more energy in its limbs.
• Its a little lighter than the longbow.
• They are smaller than the longbow which makes them easier to carry places.

Cons:

• Hard to pull back and has no let-off.

Recurve Wins!

Both of these bows are traditional and original (in some ways).  Someday I even would like to shoot both of them.  Next time the more technical bows face off!  Don't miss Round 2 Compound vs. Crossbow!  Whichever bow wins Round 2 goes against  the Recuve Bow in Round 3!

Selecting a Broadhead

For those who are just beginning bow hunting, broadhead arrowheads are used to kill deer.  That information may not have been necessary but its good to know.  I am going to talk about the two most popular broadhead types, fixed and mechanical (or expandable).

Fixed Broadheads
Fixed broadheads are the most used broadheads the world has ever known.  Even the Indians used fixed broadheads, though they didn't call them that.  Here are the pros and cons of a fixed broadhead.

Pros

• They are sturdy
• Cut on impact
• Don't need a high poundage bow to ensure penetration
• Definite cut
• Blades are usually replaceable

Cons

• Could cause personal injury while putting on the blades and attaching it to the arrow
• Smaller cutting area than a mechanical broadhead    

                                                                                         

Mechanical Broadheads

These broadheads have little tips on them that help the blades to expand on impact.  The blades are usually held together by O-rings, elastics or bands of some type.  Since the blades are in the arrowhead this type of broadhead flies like a field point until impact.

Pros

• Flies like field points would
• Less chance of injury since blades are in the arrowhead
• A bigger cutting area than fixed broadheads 

Cons

• Risk or mechanical failure
• Needs a faster arrow speed to open up the blades on impact, which leads to needing a higher poundage on you bow
• Doesn't cut until the blades are open

I plan to stick with fixed broadheads.  But you decide what you want to use.       

More Edible Wild Plants

Here are some wild plants ( and parts of trees ) that are edible.

Cattails

These plants can be found next to ponds, swamps, lakes, and wherever there is some swampy area.  Pull them up and you can eat their tender white base in early spring.  In July, when the brown "corn cob" at the top of the plant is first developing ( it will look like a green tube ) you can eat it.  Snap it off and peel the husk away, then boil or roast them.  It tastes like corn on the cob.  The roots can be eaten ( once they are peeled ) once roasted.


Blackberries

These plants are great because you can find them almost anywhere!  They taste great and they are usually at their peak in ripeness in June and July.  Eat the black ones right on the spot or eat them back at camp after you wash them with water that has been purified before you eat.






That's all for now!

Camping

Camping is a fun thing to do right?   You probably know about making shmores and roasting hotdogs.  Well here are some more things to do while camping!

1.Smoked Hotdog On A Stick
This tastes great without any bun or ketchup!  First you just roast you hotdog like normal till is just the way you like it.  Then you pull it up and leave it in the smoke for a few minutes.  Then just eat it of the stick!

2.Instead of hiking all the time, do a little bit of biking sometime!
Bring some bikes, it's a good way to go sightseeing (if the place you are staying allows bikes).  Who doesn't like to ride bikes!?

3.Play Some Card Games
Bring UNO or some similar easy to play card game.  It's great to do something like that when its to hot to bike or hike.

4.Go Fishing
Bring your fishing rods if the place your staying has some fishing areas.  Its fun to fish in a stream or lake or pond or whatever!

5.Go On A Nature Walk
See some of the parks animals while your on your hike.

With all these things above, which means numbers 2 and 4, check to see if you can do these things at the park website or call the park to see what other activities they may do.

Have a fun time camping!

Edible Plants

There are many edible plants in the wild here are some of them and a little about the plants.

Wild Strawberries

The wild strawberry is packed with vitamins A, C, and K.  The leaves are somewhat oval in shape and serrated.  They can be eaten when they come out in the spring and the berries eaten in late summer.  As the picture shows, the plant has 3 leaves on the end of each stem and the flower is white with the yellow center.  Do not eat anything other than this, there are other things that look much like the edible wild strawberry, but are very poisonous!

Clovers

Clovers have a good amount of protein in them.








Dandelions

Dandelions have a lot of vitamin A, C, iron and calcium.  The entire plant is edible.  Eat the leaves while they are young.  If you eat mature leaves they will be bitter.







Thats all for now.

Fishing for Worms

The title might sound funny.  But it's true.  You have to fish (or find) the worm to fish so you can use the worms to fish for fish!  You following me here?  This article will show you how to find worms for fishing.

When and where to look
Look for worms right after a rain, light or hard.  They will be out close to the surface.  Don't look in hard packed and sandy soil, worms won't usually be there.  Look for them in compost piles.  If you turn over large objects such as rocks, wood (boards, etc), bricks, anything that is touching the ground, you may find worms.

Keeping worms
I would recommend that you could possibly start a small worm farm with the worms you have left over after your fishing.  Speaking of worm farms, I will talk about them in a later article.  Meanwhile if you are interested in worm farms, just look up "worm farms" on the search engine.

I  hope that this article is helping you find more worms for you fishing bait to catch a big one (fish that is).

Basic Bass Fishing

Bass are the US' most popular sport fish.  I will show you a little advice on how to catch them. 

Lures
Spinners, crankbaits, and swimmers are the most popular artificial baits.  You can also use poppers, a type of crankbait.
Worms are also good to use as live bait, along with nightcrawlers, and crawdads.  Other types such as small live fish work as well.

Places to Fish
Fish for bass near weeds, docks, and obstacles in the water, such as fallen down trees.  Think about what you would do if you were a fish, where would you take cover?

As I said this is just a little advice to help you catch bass.

Arrow Care

Arrows are one of the most important parts of the bow.  But they need care.  When you go out to soot here are some types common damages to each arrow to look for:

Wooden arrows

• Look for splinters and small cracks

Aluminum arrows

• Look for creases, dents, and cracks

Carbon arrows

• Look for the same thing as aluminum arrows.

Remember to never shoot a cracked arrow, no matter where the crack is.  If you shoot an arrow with a cracked shaft, it could shatter.

Keep arrows in a quiver put some place safe or in a bowcase that has a quiver installed in it. 

Little Things, Big Uses

If you want to survive you don't have to have high tech stuff.  Simple things can be made into very useful survival items.  Here are some ideas.

Creative items, simple stuff

Sticks can be made into spears, fishing rods, and more.  Rocks can be filed down to make knives and hatchets.  Plastic bottles at a stream can be made into a minnow trap and be used (after you wash it out) as a container if you cut the top off to make a wider hole.   More can be said, but that's all for now.

Cottontail Hunting

To go cottontail (more known as rabbit) hunting a you really need is a field that rabbits would be in.  But how do you find them and how do you hunt them?

How to find them
A good place to look is a place that provides cover for them close to where they get their food, such as clover, alfalfa, wheat, garden crops, grasses, and twigs and bark of small saplings.  Some of their favorite places to hide are at blackberry patches and honeysuckle. 

What to wear and how to hunt them
Now what do you wear when rabbit hunting?  Its easy, a blaze orange hat, vest, something blaze orange so if there are other hunters with you because you are in thick brush and if your alone just wear some anyway because if a hunter happens to come by he'll see the blaze orange.  Always wear blaze orange.  Why?  Your in thick weeds and grasses and you don't want to be mistaken for a rabbit in tall grass!  Wear thick pants also because you will likely run into briar's.
How to hunt them.  If you have beagles, then this article is over for you.  If you don't keep reading.  If your without beagles you can still hunt rabbits by walking them up.  How you do it is you walk for 10-15 paces and stop for 30-45 seconds.  Rabbits are nervous and will think they have been spotted and will make a run for it.  If you have two or more hunters, walk 25-50 feet apart depending on how wide the field is.  Do the same thing with walking them up, though you may want to do it staggered way.  One hunter does his thing, stops. The next does his steps, stops, and so on.  And when you find a rabbit snap shoot him.  You might want to learn this shooting technique.  Good hunting!

Squirrel Hunting Tips and Tricks

Squirrels are some things to hunt aren't they?  Small little buggers that are hard to aim at.  But these tips and tricks should help you to have success in your next squirrel hunt.  Two hunting strategies are usually used for squirrel hunting, stalking and still hunting (see my article about Hunting Techniques to hear more about these two types of hunting).  This has worked for me, just going out in the morning or afternoon just walking quietly and I usually see a squirrel.

Tips and Tricks
Now that we have discussed on what techniques to use we will discuss about what tricks to use.

• If two hunters are squirrel hunting then you can use numbers to you advantage.  A squirrel will most likely go to the opposite side of the tree a hunter is looking at.  So getting another hunter to go around and bang on the tree with a stick will make the squirrel go to the other side of the tree, the hunter on the other side can then get a shot.
• If a squirrel goes into a tree wait a while because after a while with no noise (so you should be quiet) it will come out.  Another way is to hit a stick against the tree and the squirrel will think you are chopping it down.
• Be patient and perservere.  This hunting requires that.  So don't go crazy if you miss one or lost track or sight of it.  My grandpa used to use this technique when he was a boy when he went squirrel hunting.  You go to an area that has squirrels and if they were all scared away into their nests then sit at the base of a tree and wait.  Sometimes he even fell asleep waiting!  But when he woke up...  The squirrels were out and he could get a shot.

Just remember, wait, be patient.  Squirrels, when they get a high enough population, they can be a trouble to farmers and their crops, so hunting them to keep the population down (but not to far) is not a bad idea at all.

Polyester Jackets

If you are wanting to have something lightweight and warm, polyester will do the trick.  While it is not waterproof, it can keep you warm.  But since its not waterproof, you can put an oversize poncho over it and you should be fine.  I like the polyester mostly because of its lightweight-ness so you don't get weighed down like some other warm but heavy coats.  But also polyester is also bulky in a way if you want to pack it in a backpack but it can be squished down if you put it at the bottom of the pack.

Micro Fishing Rod

Have you been in a survival situation and would have liked to have a fishing rod?  Personally I haven't.  But if I needed a micro fishing rod, I would have one.  Could you guess what its made of?  A popsicle stick.  Yes, a popsicle stick.
How you do it is you get one of those giant popsicle sticks and wrap some fishing line around it width-wise in the middle.  You only need to do a couple times around then tie it with a bunch of string left over for the fishing line.  Put a little bit of tape (any kind, though duct tape or electrical tape will most likely work best) over the wrapped around line to keep it in place.  End of the fishing line that will be cast out tie on a hook, attach some sinkers, and a bobber if you have one.