ThinkingAfield.org

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Testing Lightfield Ammunition

Here in lower Michigan, where centerfire rifles are outlawed for deer hunting, the most popular firearm is the shotgun. As a necessary evil, many of us endure the shoulder pounding from excessive recoil produced by hard-hitting ammunition so that we can be on target when opportunity strikes afield. And, nothing is more difficult than to shoot tight groups after your shoulder is black and blue and your fillings are rattled loose. All that has changed!

Lightfield Ammunition has produced 12-gauge shotgun slug ammo that begins with mild and ends with wild. The mild version, in its Lightfield Lites configuration of 2 ¾ inches, is still quite formidable and propels an 1 ¼ – ounce saboted slug downrange at a respectable 1300 feet per second (fps). And, this load won’t beat you up.

Here is where things get interesting: Its 2 ¾ shell named the Hybred EXP fires the same 1 ¼ – ounce saboted slug at an impressive 1450 fps, while retaining downrange energy of 1200 foot pounds at 125 yards and does so while still hitting the exact same location on the target as the Lites. Lightfield refers to this phenomenon as SameSite Accuracy and permits sighting in with the milder loads and then confidently switching to the harder hitting stuff.

But, if that’s not enough punch to please you, hang on – and, I do mean hang on – for the next level of deer-drilling power: The 3-inch, Hybred Elite smokes the same slug at 1730 fps and produces an astounding 3628 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. No other manufacturer can match this horsepower. In fact, the energy developed with this load is on par with a .460 Weatherby Magnum firing a 500 grain bullet! The 3-inch slug will hit about 1 ½ inches higher than the Lites or EXP at 50 yards and is designed to be dead on at 150 yards, if you have zeroed at 100 yards with the 2 ¾ – inch shells.

To accomplish a high level of accuracy takes a bit of an unusual hold described by Lightfield in this manner: Position a solid rest under both the forend and butt portions of your gun’s stock. Begin applying shoulder pressure to the butt of the gun and offset any forward gun movement by pulling straight back with your right hand in trigger squeezing position. With your left hand on the forend, pull firmly straight back and down at a 45-degree angle. The firmer the hold, the better the accuracy will be. Keep in mind that 60 percent of your overall group size can be directly attributed to inconsistent left hand pressure. If the tips of your fingers are not turning white and/or the gun tends to fly out of your hands, your hold is weak and so too will be your groups.

Although rifled slug guns perform similarly to rifles, they are not rifles and cannot be zeroed as if they were. Even the fastest slug has a significantly longer barrel time than a typical rifle bullet. It is extremely important to apply the same back pressure to the forend and the butt stock in the field as is done at the range! Not doing so will result in the barrel jumping into the air, moving your point of aim and ruining your shot before the slug even exits the barrel.

Sighting in should be at 50 yards and not 100, because the slug must impact the target while still in the supersonic phase of its flight, which eliminates approximately 60 percent of the windage factor. It’s a huge mistake to do otherwise! When the 2 ¾ – inch shells are sighted in 2.5 inches high at 50 yards, gravity will have it dead on at 100.

The Lightfield slug eliminates the inherent inaccuracy associated with bore size variations. When fired, the pressure build-up behind the projectile forces the locked slug/sabot assembly to expand to the actual full bore size of all shotgun barrels, regardless of the manufacturer. Once expanded, the locked sabot/slug assembly takes full advantage of the barrel rifling, maximizes spin and ensures an incredibly accurate flight path. In essence, the round becomes “customized” to whatever gun you have.

Oh, yes. That group shown in the photo was no fluke. Our shooting session had 5 shooters and all were able to produce virtually the same results. In addition, the SameSite technology is now available in 16 and 20 gauge.  (Disregard the holes with the red “Xs”.)

One more thing. Lightfield has a 3 ½ – inch 12 gauge round firing a 600 grain slug at 1890 fps with muzzle energy of 4759 foot pounds, but we won’t go there right now. But, if you are heading to dangerous game territory, it’s worthy company.

GW: Here are some safety tips, as found in an operator’s manual with a jig saw (not mine, thank you):

Must affirm the saw be without touching with the workpiece before turn off the switch.

Shouldn’t throw away the tool which is turning. Don’t operate the tool until take up the tool with hand.

And, to install the blade these simple words are offered: “Mounting the blade, turn loose the bolt with a six-side spanner, let the teeth of the saw front, insert the blade between the blade stock and clip to the end.”

There you have it, all you need to know about jig saws in one plainly printed instruction book. What’s the matter? Don’t you understand Ingrish?

(Oh, in case you don’t know what a six-side spanner is, some of us call it an Allen wrench.)

I am still having trouble operating the saw but will sign up for Ingrish classes as soon as they become avairaber.

This Saturday, October 16th on the Don’t Be a Victim block on Spike TV, What If? will explore the Luby’s Cafeteria shooting in Kileen, Texas on October 16, 1991 and hear from survivor, Susanna Gracia Hupp who left her handgun in her vehicle, a mistake that could have saved the lives of her parents and the lives of many others that day.

The vignette, Predator Stoppers will look at the small and compact, Ruger LCP and show audiences why it is perfect for conceal carry. Because Lives Depend On It will feature experts on close quarters combat scenarios and we’ll see two former Navy SEALS train, but whose identity needs to be kept confidential.

The Sig Sauer School for Survival will highlight a workplace violence scenario and what you should do if you find yourself in one. Want to learn how to defend yourself with an edged weapon? We’ll show you on Practical Tactical, along with how to get through any door and out any window, and safety while jogging – all skills one should lean and practice when taking charge of their personal protection.

Even The Odds will tell the real life survival story told by Danny Coulson and his memorable night on the job as a police officer. Conceal and Carry School will introduce the nine students and instructors at the Tac Pro Shooting Center in Texas, all who have vowed never to be victims again. How will each student fare learning their way around handguns? Find out on Conceal and Carry School.

Don’t Be A Victim airs Saturday, October 16th
9:00am – 11:00am EST
(Check local listings in your area)
www.dontbeavictimtv.com

Dr. Norman Wood, owner of Mountaineer Sports and creator of the patented Rescue One Controlled Descent System,™ warns hunters to beware of potentially fatal effects from suspension trauma.

Dr. Wood explains the seriousness of suspension trauma. “When you are wearing a full body harness, and fall from your treestand, you will first be thankful that you’re not lying on the ground either dead or busted up. But, you only have a few minutes to get back to your feet. You can start feeling the effects of suspension trauma very quickly. Your body’s weight is pushing down on your leg straps so hard that it is causing a tourniquet affect on the large veins in your legs. This pressure stops the blood in the legs from returning back up to your heart,” explains Wood.

Within 5 to 30 minutes of hanging you can be in very serious trouble as Dr. Wood further describes. “The powerful heart can pump the arterial blood down into your legs, but the low pressure venous blood can’t get back up. And this is the bad news; this is called Blood Pooling and the legs can store up to half of your total blood volume. It is just like having a major blood loss of about half of your blood without it ever leaving the body. It is the same thing as cutting both of your wrists and losing half of your blood. The longer you hang in your harness, the less blood there is to circulate through the heart and lungs to keep you alive.”

According to Wood, “Everyone should always wear a full body safety harness whenever in a treestand. It can save your life. You should be connected to the tree from the time you leave the ground until the time you get back down. There are plenty of different harnesses with suspension relief straps available on the market today to keep you safe, and you should always be using them correctly as instructed.”

The Rescue One Controlled Descent System™ was invented by Dr. Wood to help hunters avoid suspension trauma and return safely to the ground. The system is Revolutionizing Fall Safety™ and has been certified to TMA Standards by an independent testing laboratory. For a video demonstration of the Rescue One CDS II™ and more information visit www.rescueonecds.com or call 1-877-683-7678 or Email mountaineersports@live.com.

A Putnam County man known for poaching deer has lost his privilege to hunt in Florida, and dozens of other states, for life.

John “Jay” Frederick Badger Jr. (DOB 07/20/70) of 412 Silver Lake Road, Palatka, pled guilty Oct. 7 to poaching and other charges filed against him last February by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) law enforcement officers.

Putnam County Judge Terry J. Larue found Badger guilty of both felony and misdemeanor violations – including armed trespass, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, taking deer during closed season, taking deer at night with gun and light, petty theft and driving while license is cancelled, suspended or revoked.

As part of his sentence, Badger will begin a six-month stay in the Putnam County Jail Nov. 5. After that, he will serve one year of house arrest, followed by three years on probation. He is also required to successfully complete six months of parenting classes, and he has forfeited to the FWC his guns and contraband, including his mounted heads of illegally killed deer. He also must pay about $500 in court-related costs.

During his court appearance, Badger was advised that the maximum penalty for his convictions is 10 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine, which his sentence will revert to if he violates the terms of his probation.

But the worst of it for Badger may be that the judge permanently suspended his privilege to hunt. Not only did he lose that privilege in Florida, but also in the dozens of other states that hold cooperative agreements for convicted poachers.

“This arrest and subsequent conviction of a well-known Putnam County poacher should send a strong message to other poachers of Putnam County: ‘We are not playing,'” said FWC Officer Troy Starling.

Badger landed in the Putnam County Jail Feb. 26, charged with 17 felonies and misdemeanors for violations that occurred on Plum Creek Timber Co. property in Hollister, in his yard under a streetlight when he lived in Interlachen, and on public roads.

For several months prior to arresting Badger, Starling had been investigating the man, based on information about a deer he had killed illegally and had in his possession. At the same time, fellow FWC officers in Putnam County were using video surveillance equipment to watch Badger illegally accessing private property without permission, with a firearm, and using his 13-year-old-son as a lookout and driver.

With the help of the surveillance equipment, Capt. Gregg Eason finally apprehended Badger at night on Dec. 17, 2009, while Badger was leaving the Plum Creek Timber Co. property. Badger had his son with him and was driving without lights to avoid detection. Eason happened to be nearby and was able to respond quickly when he got a call that Badger was there.

As Badger left the property, Eason slipped in behind him with no lights. When Badger stopped at a stop sign, Eason turned on his lights, including the blue ones.

“It was one of those moments poachers dread,” said Eason. “Before the night was over, Badger confessed his crimes and, two months later, turned himself in to Starling, who booked him into the Putnam County Jail.”

Previously, Badger was arrested by FWC officers and convicted in Putnam County in 1995 for attempting to take deer in a closed season, and again in 2003 for possession of doe deer.

Columbia, MO — Larry and Brenda Potterfield of MidwayUSA recently donated $1 million to the National Wild Turkey Foundation to support youth shooting programs, including the JAKES Take Aim program.

The JAKES Take Aim program will provide opportunities for youths, ages 17 and under, to try shooting in a safe, fun environment. With the generous donation from the Potterfields, the NWTF aims to triple the annual number of youth shooting participants at its JAKES outreach events – from 50,000 to 150,000 youths – by 2014.

“Thanks to the generosity of Larry and Brenda Potterfield, more young people will have the chance to try shooting sports and may discover a passion that they will enjoy for the rest of their lives,” said George C. Thornton, NWTF CEO. “This program will be a step toward solidifying the future of shooting sports in America.”

Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA, remarked, “Brenda and I believe in supporting youth programs that teach our next generation about shooting and shooting safety. The NWTF is doing a great job with our youth, who are the future of shooting, conservation and the outdoor industry. We are proud to help them change the future.”

For more information about the Potterfields or MidwayUSA, please visit www.midwayusa.com or call 1-800-243-3220.

For more information about the NWTF and the JAKES Take Aim program, please visit www.NWTF.org/Jakes.

Contact: Aaron Oelger (573) 447-5113

BELLEVUE, WA – Acting on behalf of a Georgia resident and honorably discharged Vietnam War veteran, the Second Amendment Foundation today filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Eric Holder and the Federal Bureau of Investigation over enforcement of a federal statute that can deny gun rights to someone with a simple misdemeanor conviction on his record.

The lawsuit was filed in United States District Court for the District of Columbia. SAF and co-plaintiff Jefferson Wayne Schrader of Cleveland, GA are represented by attorney Alan Gura, who successfully argued both the Heller and McDonald cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In July 1968, Schrader, then 21, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and battery relating to a fight involving a man who had previously assaulted him in Annapolis, MD. The altercation was observed by a police officer, who arrested Schrader, then an enlisted man in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis. The man he fought with was in a street gang that had attacked him for entering their “territory,” according to the complaint.

Schrader was ordered to pay a $100 fine and $9 court cost. He subsequently served a tour of duty in Vietnam and was eventually honorably discharged. However, in 2008 and again in 2009, Mr. Schrader was denied the opportunity to receive a shotgun as a gift, or to purchase a handgun for personal protection. He was advised by the FBI to dispose of or surrender any firearms he might have or face criminal prosecution.

“Schrader’s dilemma,” explained SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb, “is that until recently, Maryland law did not set forth a maximum sentence for the crime of misdemeanor assault. Because of that, he is now being treated like a felon and his gun rights have been denied.

“No fair-minded person can tolerate gun control laws being applied this way,” he added. “Mr. Schrader’s case is a great example of why gun owners cannot trust government bureaucrats to enforce gun laws.”

SIDNEY, Neb. – Cabela’s announced today the launch of a branded line of log homes and cabin kits to be manufactured by its corporate partner The Original Log Cabin Homes.

Available in January, the Cabela’s log homes and cabin kits will feature unique details in addition to the high-quality construction and exceptional value outdoor enthusiasts expect from the World’s Foremost Outfitter.

Made of either cedar, cypress or pine, with log diameters from 4 to 12 inches, the log homes and cabin kits will be available in standard models or custom designs for shipment throughout North America and other destinations around the world.

“Both Cabela’s and Original Log Cabin Homes have a deep appreciation for the great outdoors,” said Tommy Millner, Chief Executive Officer of Cabela’s. “And we’re sure to make a great team because we also share a commitment to customer satisfaction.”

The Original Log Cabin Homes was founded in 1987 in Rocky Mount, N.C., with one goal in mind: to manufacture the best log houses in the world. The company’s extensive selection of log homes includes options to match almost any budget or aesthetic.

Its commitment to superior craftsmanship is an ideal match for Cabela’s, based in Sidney, Neb., since its founding in 1961, which is world renowned for its outstanding selection and excellent customer service.

“Thanks to this expanded partnership, Cabela’s customers will have exciting new options for log homes and cabin kits,” said Ernest Vesce, incoming President of The Original Log Cabin Homes. “We designed this line with the most passionate outdoor enthusiasts in mind.”

For reasons that will soon become clear my former pride at being an APS Fellow all these years has been turned into shame, and I am forced, with no pleasure at all, to offer you my resignation from the Society.

It is of course, the global warming scam, with the (literally) trillions of dollars driving it, that has corrupted so many scientists, and has carried APS before it like a rogue wave. It is the greatest and most successful pseudoscientific fraud I have seen in my long life as a physicist…to find out how the scam has been covered up by scientists on the “take”, read what Harold Lewis writes about his attempts to actually debate the issues with the American Physical Society.

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

A September 29th report of a Florida hunter being shot by an arrow is sad; being that it was the hunter’s friend who shot him makes it worse. The shooter said that he shot an arrow from his treestand into some palmetto bushes about 10 yards away, thinking it was a deer that was hidden by the bushes. Instead, his partner was shot through the forearm with the arrow passing through and puncturing his lower back.

Fish and Wildlife spokesman, Stan Kirkland, said of the incident: “If there’s any positives to take out of this, it’s the message that whether you’re hunting with a bow and arrow or a firearm, always identify your target.” No doubt, these are wise words. But, the mindset that led to this “accident” needs further review.

What was so important about the archer’s chance to kill a deer that he almost killed his hunting partner? Certainly it couldn’t have been antlers that compelled him to shoot into the bushes. It had to be simply the prospect of killing a deer. Any deer, no matter the odds.

As mentioned last week, a sportsman must pass on all but the best opportunities and never risks the long-term consequences of attempting low-percentage shots. The only conclusion that can be drawn from the hunter’s error is that he is no sportsman – given the true meaning of the word. After all, he had taken a shot at his friend – unintentional to be sure – but still he allowed his thoughts of success to overrule sense.

If the movement in the bushes had actually been a deer, just what part of the deer was his target? If he imagined a deer in front of him, he must have imagined a kill shot, too. Or, did he?

Most likely he was shooting for center mass, and in so doing, violated all rules of marksmanship afield. Spokesman Kirkland states the obvious when he said, “always identify your target.” But, what I am stating is that a sportsman, goes well beyond recognizing his target.

Anyone good at marksmanship, doesn’t just shoot at a target. There is a thought process that involves identifying a specific aiming point. The next step is to develop a keen level of concentration that permits focusing the crosshairs, other sighting device or technique to that precise location, while gently squeezing the trigger (or string release aid for most archers.) And, while pressure is slowly being applied to the trigger, the marksman is able to tell you exactly where the crosshairs, or chosen sights are, when the gun goes off or the arrow is released, because that’s what he was watching. A good shooter always knows precisely where his hold was when surprised by the moment of firing.

The Florida archer did none of this. Yet, had his target actually been a deer, what would have been the result is anybody’s guess. But, chances are there would have been one more wounded deer that would have gone to waste all because of a lack of ethical values.

We have to be better than the Florida archer or we run the risk of more backlash and loss of hunting privileges we currently enjoy. And, that’s no shot in the dark.