ThinkingAfield.org

Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Up 21 Percent in Five Years
West Virginia Continues Domination of Collision Likelihood List

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., October 4, 2010 – While the number of miles driven by U.S. motorists over the past five years has increased just 2 percent, the number of deer-vehicle collisions in this country during that time has grown by ten times that amount.

Using its claims data, State Farm®, the nation’s leading auto insurer estimates 2.3 million collisions between deer and vehicles occurred in the U.S. during the two-year period between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2010. That’s 21.1 percent more than five years earlier. To put it another way, during your reading of this paragraph, a collision between a deer and vehicle will likely have taken place (they are much more likely during the last three months of the year and in the early evening).

Likelihood of Deer-Vehicle Collisions

For the fourth year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of those states where a driver is most likely to collide with a deer. Using its claims data in conjunction with state licensed driver counts from the Federal Highway Administration*, State Farm calculates the chances of a West Virginia driver striking a deer over the next 12 months at 1 in 42.

Iowa is second on the list. The likelihood of a licensed driver in Iowa striking a deer within the next year is 1 in 67. Michigan (1 in 70) is third. Fourth and fifth on the list are South Dakota (1 in 76) and Montana (1 in 82).

Pennsylvania is sixth, followed by North Dakota and Wisconsin. Arkansas and Minnesota round out the top 10.

The state in which deer-vehicle collisions are least likely is still Hawaii (1 in 13,011). The odds of a Hawaiian driver hitting a deer between now and 12 months from now are roughly equivalent to the odds of finding a pearl in an oyster shell.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. cause about 200 fatalities each year.

The average property damage cost of these incidents was $3,103, up 1.7 percent from a year ago.

Avoiding Deer-Vehicle Collisions

These collisions are more frequent during the deer migration and mating season in October, November and December. The combination of growing deer populations and the displacement of deer habitat caused by urban sprawl are producing increasingly hazardous conditions for motorists and deer.

“State Farm has been committed to auto safety for several decades and that’s why we want to call attention to potential hazards like this one,” said Laurette Stiles, State Farm Vice President of Strategic Resources.

“We hope our updated information will inspire motorists to make safe decisions.”

Here are tips on how to reduce the chances that a deer-vehicle collision involving your vehicle will be part of the story we tell in next year’s version of this news release:

Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. These are placed in active deer crossing areas.

Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.

Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from which deer will enter roadways.

Keep in mind that deer generally travel in herds – if you see one, there is a strong possibility others are nearby.

Do not rely on car-mounted deer whistles.
If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

*State Farm has changed its methodology for computing the likelihood of deer vehicle collisions, using number of licensed drivers instead of number of registered vehicles, thereby computing the likelihood a driver will collide with a deer over the next 12 months rather than the likelihood a vehicle will collide with a deer over the next 12 months.

Contact
Dick Luedke, (309)766-3635.

BELLEVUE, WA – While the City of Chicago is currently in federal court stubbornly defending its new gun ordinance, data reveals that the city’s United Center Park is the most dangerous neighborhood in the country, a situation that reeks of hypocrisy, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

“The city’s new gun ordinance is deliberately designed to discourage citizens from obtaining handguns for personal protection,” noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “yet today’s news reveals citizens in at least one Windy City neighborhood are in desperate need of the training and tools to defend themselves. It is time for Chicago residents to demand that the city amend or abolish its new gun ordinance, and stop defending it in federal court.”

Gottlieb was referring to the city’s defense against a lawsuit filed by the Second Amendment Foundation – CCRKBA’s sister organization – that seeks to undo the new ordinance, which requires training and time on a gun range, but prohibits the operation of gun ranges in the city.

The report broadcast by the city’s NBC affiliate said that “anyone walking down Lake Street between Damen and Western has a 1 in 4 chance of being a victim of a crime.”

“How about people who live in that area,” Gottlieb wondered. “The city is throwing up all kinds of obstacles against people wanting to exercise their recently-restored Second Amendment rights. This is simply unconscionable.

“The Daley administration acts like a shepherd that doesn’t want any sheep dogs, yet expects the sheep to continue grazing amid hungry wolves,” he added. “Thousands of Chicago residents don’t consider themselves part of Mayor Daley’s flock, and they are tired of having Daley and the City Council pull wool over their eyes about personal safety and civil rights.

“Stubborn resistance is one thing,” Gottlieb concluded, “but defending an indefensible ordinance in the face of this revelation is not just stubbornness. It is malfeasance.”

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States. The Citizens Committee can be reached by phone at (425) 454-4911, on the Internet at www.ccrkba.org or by email to InformationRequest@ccrkba.org.

(Grand Island, Neb.) – Team Hornady® shooter Scott Fletcher relied on Hornady® .338 285 grain BTHP Match™ bullets to bring home a first place finish in the Heavy Gun (HG) group division of the 2010 IBS 1000-Yard Nationals in September. The new .338 285 grain BTHP bullets are built with an entirely new manufacturing process that reduces jacket concentricity to previously unattainable levels. “These bullets are specifically designed and built for long range use, and the jackets are the some of best I’ve ever seen,” said Joe Thielen, Project Engineer and avid 1000-yard bench rest competitor. “The changes we’ve made to our tooling, machines, and processes are really paying off.”

Fletcher described the weather conditions at the match as brutal, with 20 to 30-degree temperature shifts and steady 5 to 20-mph winds, with gusts to 40 mph. “These were predominately quartering headwinds with violent switches and let-offs,” he said. “I made no effort to read the wind other than to get the shots downrange as quickly as possible in a wind condition judged to be constant.” His efforts were impressive, posting a Thursday group of 9.166 inches; groups of 10.594 and 8.423 inches on Friday; and 8.409 inches on Saturday, for a 4-group average of 9.148 inches.

Hornady® spokesman Steve Johnson added, “Seeing our Match™ bullets perform as consistently as they do, especially in conditions as adverse as they were for Nationals, really gives testament to the fact that we are making THE BEST match bullets on the market, period.”

Founded in 1949, Hornady Manufacturing Company is a family owned business headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Proudly manufacturing products that are “Made in the USA”, by over 300 employees, Hornady Manufacturing is a world leader in bullet, ammunition, reloading tool and accessory design and manufacture.

For further information regarding Hornady products visit the Hornady website. Media members who are interested in Hornady winning products for editorial review should contact Steve Johnson.

Contact:
Steve Johnson, Hornady Manufacturing, sjohnson@hornady.com

MUKILTEO, WA. – PLB Rentals, LLC announced that at approximately 8:29 AM on Friday October 1, 2010 a rented Personal Locator Beacon was activated in the Grand Canyon. The PLB was rented to a Denver, CO man who was backpacking in the Grand Canyon. The PLB distress signal containing location information was received by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) located at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. Within minutes the AFRCC contacted PLB Rentals, LLC, the emergency contact, and initiated rescue efforts with the National Park Service Search and Rescue group.

A search and rescue helicopter located a man and woman and confirmed the man was the person in distress who had activated the PLB but were unable to land. After dropping a note telling the couple that park rangers were on their way and telling the couple to stay put, the couple were later evacuated via helicopter from the south rim to a hospital in Flagstaff, AZ. The man is reportedly being treated for symptoms related to dehydration.

“The couple backpacking in the Grand Canyon were experienced hikers but sometimes things go wrong”, said Kevin Stoltz, President of PLB Rentals, LLC. “Although nobody ever wants to have to activate a PLB, it’s nice to know that if you need help, you’ll get it. PLBs are the ultimate emergency rescue device and really do take the search out of search and rescue.”

The PLB activated was a McMurdo FastFind 210. Recently put into service at PLB Rentals, LLC, the FastFind 210 weighs in at just 5.5 oz and is about the size of a cell phone. Once activated, the PLB sends a serialized distress signal that is received by NOAA satellites. In addition, both GPS location data and LEOS (Low Earth Orbiting Satellites) Doppler location data is transmitted as part of the distress signal. NOAA then provides the distress signal information to the AFRCC who then coordinates the rescue efforts with the appropriate local Search and Rescue (SAR) agency.

PLB Rentals, LLC is the leading provider of on-line Personal Locator Beacon rentals in the U.S. Since 2003 PLB Rentals, LLC mission has been to provide an easy and inexpensive way to get PLBs in the hands of adventurers who might need them.
Contact:
Kevin Stoltz
PLB Rentals, LLC
kstoltz@PLBRentals.com
(425)344-1071

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

In recent years anti-hunting groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have gotten a lot of press with their extreme antics matched only by their extreme causes. Fifty years ago, or even less, they were dismissed as lunatics; now they have found their way into mainstream conversations, political movements, and even legislative maneuvers that are aimed at ending all hunting under the premise that any hunting is inhumane. Although their monikers mask their intentions, conventional wisdom and the hunting fraternity understand all too well what’s really at stake.

Yet, another anti-hunting element prowls the woods, doing its best to restrict hunters’ access to both land and game. These opponents of fair chase, ethical practices, hard-working landowners, and law-abiding hunters look like any other sportsmen and women. They are, however, violators and the cumulative effect of their underhanded ways are no less harmful to the rights of lawful hunters than the fringe groups with which we are all too familiar.

Tactics employed by these scum are many: Trespassing, unlicensed hunting, illegal baiting, you name it and they do it. And, when they do, they steal from those of us who do their level best to follow the rules. As sportsmen and women, we should be even more outraged at these anti-hunters disguised as one of us.

Their overt methods of cheating should not be tolerated or we run the risk of more loss of rights. Sometimes, however, their approach is legal but just as destructive when they resort to unethical practices afield. And, archery season can be as troublesome – or more so – as any.

So, what is it that motivates the unethical among us to launch arrows well beyond one’s personal limits? What compels these anti hunters to shoot at moving or running game, when they can’t hit a stationary target consistently? However they rationalize their anti-hunting behavior doesn’t matter. They are still the enemy.

A sportsman is a person who can go home empty handed and be satisfied with the opportunity to be afield. Of course, bringing home a wall-hanger is certainly better, but he doesn’t risk the long-term consequences of attempting low-percentage shots no matter the prize.

Adopting certain principles leads to discipline afield, which translates into fairness to the quarry. If the goal in hunting is to bag game, then one may become a failure at sportsmanship. When a hunter becomes undisciplined by taking shots that are beyond one’s capability, taking shots at running deer, bad angle shots, etc, he crosses the line. If we choose to be sportsmen, we must pass on all but the best opportunities – those that we have a 90-percent or better chance of making. On this note, it’s best not to kid yourself.

A sportsman marvels at the sight of a fawn, a grouse, or even a squirrel, as they go about their daily business of survival. And, at the same time, he is totally prepared to take home his definition of a trophy. But, if luck doesn’t go his way, he believes his patience will be rewarded another day.
Make your goal to be satisfied with the outdoor experience that you are given no matter what the day may bring, and by definition, you will become a true sportsman.

Improperly field-dressing a deer and warm weather can impact the quality of venison warns Dr. Walter Cottrell, Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife veterinarian.

“The first step in making sure that the venison reaches the table in the best possible condition is, sighting in and practicing with your sporting arm,” Dr. Cottrell said. “Coupling that with knowledgeable shot placement ensures a clean kill and minimal damage to edible parts of the animal.

“After properly tagging their deer, hunters should wear latex or nitrile gloves to remove the entrails. Care should be taken to remove entrails without rupturing them, and hunters should drain excess blood remaining in the cavity. Do not wash out the deer with water or in a creek. Wipe down the cavity with a dry cloth or paper towels, being careful to remove all visible blood and hair.”

Once entrails are removed, the deer should be taken from the field and cooled down as soon as possible. The cool-down process begins when you field-dress the deer. To hasten the cool-down process, skin the deer and hang the carcass in the shade, refrigerate it or place a bag of ice in the body cavity. Never place a deer carcass – with or without the hide on it – in direct sunlight.

For those who process the deer themselves, the first step – after tagging and field-dressing the deer – is to remove the hide, which comes off easier if the front legs are cut off at the elbows, and the rear legs are removed just below the knee joint, with a saw. Use a knife to cut the hide from where each leg was sawed off at the elbow, back to the body trunk. Cutting the rear legs just below the joint also makes it easier to hang a carcass on a gambrel or meat hooks. Hang the carcass by the large tendons on the back legs.

Next, the hide is pulled from the carcass, starting at the rear end and working downward toward the head. Peel it from the hind quarters first, then cut the tailbone and pull it down to the shoulders. Work the hide over the shoulders and pull it away from the legs. Finally, pull the hide down the neck as close to the base of the skull as possible, and then cut the head from the carcass with a clean saw. Remove all of the trachea.

The remaining hide-free carcass should be wiped off immediately. If you use water to clean the cavity or carcass, dry the meat immediately. Wet or damp meat spoils more quickly and is more prone to cultivate and nurture bacteria. Rinsing meat with water also can hasten the spread of bacteria. Inspect the carcass again for any blood and hair. It’s also a good idea to remove large fatty deposits to improve the quality of your meat. It helps lessen that “game taste” some people dislike about venison. Please note, though, that fat is removed from the carcass with greater ease after it has cooled.

Following these steps will prepare your carcass for hanging in a meat processor’s refrigerator, or quartering and placing it in your refrigerator. If the air temperature is above 50 degrees, hunters should get their carcass refrigerated as soon as possible.

“The bacterial load of a deer harvested in warm weather will multiply quickly, so it’s important to dress the deer as soon as possible, transport it from the field and remove the hide, and refrigerate the carcass,” Dr. Cottrell said. “Cooling the carcass will help prevent bacterial growth.”

Hunters who are interested in becoming more self-sufficient also can de-bone the carcass. The cuts are relatively simple and can be made while the deer is hanging or from a plastic sheet-covered table. An inexpensive plastic fluorescent light cover which can be purchased at any home supply store can be used for a cutting board. Deboning offers the advantage of allowing the hunter the ability to view all sides of the cut so any fat, damaged meat and bloody areas can be trimmed out before freezing.

First, remove the shoulders with a filleting knife. This can be done without cutting a bone, by cutting behind the shoulder-blade. Next, remove the meat from the shoulder with a filleting knife.

Hindquarters can be removed from the carcass next by using a saw or by cutting from the underside with a knife. If you plan to have steaks or jerky made from them, don’t make any further cuts.

Inside the body cavity, against the backbone, are the tenderloins, considered the best cut of meat on a deer. Use your hand, and a knife when necessary, to pull them free. Outside the cavity, along the backbone, are the loin muscles or back-straps, which also are outstanding cuts. Again, using a filleting knife and your fingers, slide the blade along the spine to separate each back-strap and then finish each piece by cutting in along the top of the ribs and under the muscle to the first cut you’ve made.

The remainder of the carcass can be de-boned with a filleting knife. Try to trim fat from meat where you can and wipe off blood whenever it is encountered. De-boning can be done relatively quickly, but remember, every ounce of meat you remove increases your trimmings for sausage, bologna, meat sticks or other products. De-boned meat can be taken to a meat processor immediately, or frozen and taken later. Hindquarters may be frozen for processing later as jerky or dried venison. Steaks should be cut fresh. A link to a video on deboning in the field can be seen on our website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), by putting your cursor over “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then putting your cursor over “Wildlife Diseases” in the drop-down menu listing, and then clicking on “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)” in the next drop-down menu listing. To view the video link, scroll down to “What Can Hunters Do,” and click on “Bone Out Your Meat!”

“It’s always a good idea to become self-sufficient as a hunter, because of the satisfaction you’ll derive from processing a deer all by yourself and the extra care and quality control you’ll provide,” noted Cal DuBrock, Pennsylvania Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. “It also broadens your hunting experience and makes you more conscious of where you need to place the crosshairs when you shoot.”

The Game Commission offers two free brochures on venison care and field-dressing deer. The first, “To Field Dress a Deer,” offers step-by-step instructions – with illustrations – on how to field-dress a deer. The second, “Venison Needn’t Be Pot Luck,” offers field-dressing instructions and cooking tips.

To assist hunters in getting the most of their wild game harvests, the Game Commission offers a two-disk series, produced by Jerry Chiappetta and featuring Certified Master Chef Milos Cihelka. These DVDs – “Wild Game Field Care and Cooking” and “Upland Game Birds, Small Game & Waterfowl” – show step-by-step the best care for game animals from the field to the table. The videos are available from the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Put your cursor over “General Store,” then click on “Visit the Outdoor Shop,” choose “Pennsylvania Game Commission Outdoor Shop” in the lower left-hand corner, select “Merchandise,” then choose “Videos” and then scroll down to the DVD video you are interested in and complete the order form. Both DVDs sells for $18.87 (plus tax and shipping and handling).

Finally, for recipes that will make venison tastier, consider buying the Game Commission’s “Pennsylvania Game Cookbook” for $4.71 plus tax and a $1.25 for shipping and handling. The book and aforementioned free brochures are available by writing: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Dept. MS, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.
Contact:
Jerry Feaser (717) 705-6541 or PGCNews@state.pa.us

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Relief from the exceedingly hot weather came just in time for the 7th Annual Perry Youth Hunt Extravaganza, sponsored by the Perry Sons of Amvets. Many dozens of youngsters showed off their deer, while two young ladies took 9 and 10-point bucks anyone would be proud of. All registered youth deer hunters received valuable prizes plus commemorative T-shirts.

Thanks to Sycamore Creek Taxidermy for the deer head mount, to BPI, Industries for getting us a good deal on your Optima muzzleloader, Smoky Dans for a deer processing certificate, Hunters’ Specialties for the donation of suitable gifts, and everyone else that pitched in – especially the entire participating membership of the Perry Sons of Amvets for working so hard all year and saving for this event.

Special thanks to Lynn Welch, Mark and Brad Ergen, Raedean and Heather Thomas, the parking lot control people, and all Sons of Amvets members that showed up to help.

With the start of the fall hunting seasons, now is the time for hunters to sight in their bows, rifles and shotguns at one of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s staff-operated shooting ranges.

The DNRE oversees six shooting ranges in southern Michigan, including the Rose Lake Shooting Range in Bath (Clinton County); Sharonville Shooting Range in Grass Lake (Jackson County); Island Lake Shooting Range in Brighton (Livingston County); Ortonville Shooting Range in Ortonville (Lapeer County); Bald Mountain Shooting Range in Lake Orion (Oakland County) and Pontiac Lake Shooting Range in Waterford (Oakland County). An archery range is not available at Island Lake.

During October, Ortonville, Pontiac Lake, Rose Lake, and Sharonville ranges are open six days a week, closed Tuesdays. From Nov. 1 – 15, the ranges are open daily.

Hours at Ortonville and Pontiac Lake ranges are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Rose Lake and Sharonville ranges.

Range fees at Ortonville and Pontiac Lake are $4 per day for each shooter age 16 and older. Children under 16 are free. Rose Lake and Sharonville have no fee. The Bald Mountain and Island Lake ranges are operated under contract by Michigan Shooting Centers, LCC. Please contact Island Lake at 248-437-2784 and Bald Mountain at 248-693-0567, or visit their website www.mishoot.com/ for hours and fees.

For more information on DNRE operated shooting ranges, please call the ranges. The telephone numbers are:

Bald Mountain: 248-693-0567

Island Lake: 248-437-2784

Ortonville: 248-627-5569

Pontiac Lake: 248-666-5406

Rose Lake: 517-641-7801

Sharonville: 734-428-8035

Hunters are encouraged to check out Ortonville’s new 3-D archery range and Bald Mountain’s new sporting clays course. Please contact the ranges for more details.

Shooters are reminded to bring eye and ear protection and approved targets with either a bull’s eye pattern or a depiction of legal game. Shooters under age 16 must be directly supervised by an adult.

Information about the DNRE shooting ranges and other public and private shooting ranges can be found on the DNRE website at www.michigan.gov/shootingranges.

GW: Good advice for any state. And the bullet point about not loading an arrow while carrying the crossbow could have saved a life already this season, if it had been followed. A crossbow hunter stabbed his friend, who was walking ahead of him. When his friend stopped suddenly, his back was pierced and he bled to death.

RALEIGH, N.C. – With crossbows now legal for hunting in North Carolina, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Home From The Hunt campaign recommends some safety guidelines.

“Many of the safety considerations for using a crossbow are the same as a longbow or compound bow,” said Travis Casper, state assistant hunting education coordinator. “Or even a rifle, for that matter. Hunting safety is exercising caution, following manufacturer’s instructions, obeying regulations and putting into practice what you’ve learned in hunter education, no matter what you’re using.”

As with any method of hunting, always point your crossbow in a safe direction; only shoot after positively identifying your target and what’s beyond it. Know your crossbow’s capabilities and limitations, Casper advised.

He also stressed:

* Never carry a crossbow cocked and loaded with an arrow.
* Keep fingers and thumb below the rail at all times.
* When cocking, be sure that your foot is firmly planted in the cocking stirrup.
* Never dry-fire a crossbow (firing without an arrow can cause sudden breakage).

While using a tree stand, all hunters should maintain three points of contact when climbing up or down; wear a full body safety harness; and check belts, chains and attachment cords before use. With a crossbow in a tree stand, Casper said hunters should:

* Cock the crossbow on the ground before climbing.
* Load the crossbow only when in hunting position.
* Always use a haul line to raise or lower an unloaded crossbow.
* Keep the haul line away from the trigger mechanism – haul stock-first.
* Clear away any tree branches before taking a shot.

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

October 1st is opening day for archery deer hunters in all of Michigan and that means there is little time to finish necessary preparations. The yellow snow, provided by the local whitetail population in February, has been cold filtered and packaged neatly in 8-ounce pump-spray bottles for truly unique cover scent. Old treestands have been inspected and secured with new ratchet straps and new pull-up ropes. All that was left to complete prudent readiness was to sight in the new crossbows.

My friend, Joe, and I began the session shooting at a Block target from a benchrest. Crossbows have several advantages over vertical bows (and some shortcomings, as well) and one of them is the ability to be fired from a solid rest, as can be done with firearms. There is no better means to make critical sight adjustments than from a rest to minimize the human wobble factor. So, we began at 30 yards with 100-grain practice points.

The 30-yard mark used to be my maximum range with my vertical compound bow but no longer. In fact, I learned early on with the Horton Vision that shooting multiple arrows (or crossbolts, if you will) at the same target was a bad idea. (Don’t ask me how I learned.) Another thing I discovered was that the aluminum arrows, that came with the crossbow package, were slower than advertised. And, to top it off, one of the inserts with point attached was disengaged from the arrow and left inside the layered Block target. So that little bit of misfortune led to an upgrade with a new set of Carbon Express Red Hot crossbow arrows with built-in weight forward design.

When we weighed the new arrows, we found that they were somewhat lighter than advertised but all were within fractional grain differences. It was time to let ’em fly. Whack! A little scope adjustment and the next one was in the center of a 3-inch circle. And then the moment of truth: The first shot with my chosen NAP Spitfire, 100-grain expandable, 3-blade broadhead. No difference! A few more shots and the new broadhead had been promptly converted to a practice-only test device. It sure was hard on that expensive Block target, as a few cut layers of the material came loose behind it. Oh, well.

Joe was using a new Reign 100-grain broadhead and had similar results powered by his 352 feet-per-second Parker powerhouse. At 40 yards both of us used the third horizontal line on our range-finding reticles and kept all shots in the 3-inch circles.

Because neither of us anticipate a lot of hunting from the ground, it was onward and upward some 20 feet to a roomy tree ambush platform. We ranged the target at 30 yards and slammed the arrows into the tiny bull’s eyes. At 40 yards same thing. Of course, the tree fort has a shooting rail and all we had to do to duplicate results from the benchrest was to put a sandbag under the forearm section of the bows. Since 40 yards was more than a satisfactory distance for me, my testing was concluded. But Joe took it to the next level: 50 yards!

Once again, the arrows flew true. By using the fourth aiming line on the scope, Joe whistled 2 arrows one inch directly above the black circle on the target – still within our self-prescribed 6-inch kill zone.

Before we left, we staked out perimeters of 30 and 40 yards around the tree so that yardage estimates will not pose a problem.

This getting-ready business couldn’t have culminated more perfectly. All that is left is for the precision aspects of the new hunting tools to prove themselves afield.