Turkey Tips

By Glen Wunderlich

It doesn’t seem like long ago that I hunted wild turkeys for the first time on state land near Atlanta, Michigan.  I don’t recall the exact year, but it was approximately 30 years or so, when I made my first trek up north for the wily gobbler.  Back then, the percentage of successful hunters was close to a meager 5 percent.  My how times have changed.

My shotgun of choice was a Spanish-made, side-by-side, double-barrel in 12 gauge configuration.  I liked the looks of the gun, but as it turned out, I couldn’t hit a partridge perched in a tree with it.  Really!  I wish I could have broken that thing over my knee like a broomstick.

I also used a 3-inch shell full of #4 shot, but I didn’t know that the head and neck was the kill zone and not the body.  Needless to say, I didn’t bag a bird in those days.  Since then, I’ve learned a few things about tactics and patterning and loads and I’ll share some of them with you. Read more

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Sound Suppressors Get Approval in Washington State

BELLEVUE, Wash. —  Wayne Gaughran has an entire case full of noise suppressors at his Eastside Gun Store. For years, he has been allowed to sell the devices that sell for several hundred dollars. The catch: Owners can’t use them in our state.

“It puts me in a tough spot,” said Gaughran.

On Tuesday the state senate unanimously approved Bill 1016, which the House already passed 88-4.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Bryan Blake, a Democrat from Aberdeen, says a constituent came up with the idea but it was also supported by state sheriffs and police chiefs.  More…

GW:  Now here’s a reasonable gun law that makes sense to me.  And, like Obama, I’m all for reasonable gun laws.  We just define the word reasonable in different ways.

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Uncle Ted Talks Michigan Hunting with Gov

Gov. Rick Snyder told reporters today that he’s meeting with key Republican lawmakers to try to break the impasse on his proposed budget, but he also had time to meet privately with another well known Michigan native — hunter, rock star, author and 2nd amendment advocate Ted Nugent.  More…

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Sights of Spring

 By Glen Wunderlich

Young Bucks Eyeing Decoy

 

While turkey huting last spring, these two young bucks were quite curious about my assistant.   One of the most pleasing aspects of spring turkey hunting, is the vast array of wildlife that are celebrating life.

Mated Pair of Sandhill Cranes

Here, a mated pair of sandhill cranes feast among the remnants of last season’s brassicas – (in the mustard family) that have sprouted from the roots.

Hen Turkey in Mustard

The sights and sounds of a spring morning make being afield as refreshing as the rebirth of Mother Nature’s bounty.

 

General

No-Lead .22 Ammo Flunks Accuracy Test

Winchester has a unique solution to the ongoing trend of nonlead ammo. But our gunsmithing editor wanted to know how the new fodder would affect rifle bores, so he fired close to 2,000 rounds to find out.

GW:  The trend to non-lead ammo has drawbacks in accuracy, as detailed in this test.  I would expect manufacturers to develop better ammunition as time goes on, but so far, the results are not good for an accuracy fanatic like myself.

Interestingly, the anti-hunting crowd is behind such “reform” never addressing the issue of accuracy with sub-par ammunition.  If the clean stuff is not as accurate, wounding will be more prevalent, and no sportsman likes to maim animals.  But, that will be the result.

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HSUS Lies Uncovered

It is becoming a full-time job keeping up with the misinformation distributed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

On March 24, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signed NRA-backed legislation allowing the state to hold mourning dove hunting for the first time in nearly a century.

The day before, when the Iowa Legislature sent the bill to the governor, HSUS issued the following statement:

“We are disappointed that the Iowa Senate and House of Representatives have voted to allow the target shooting of mourning doves for the first time since 1918,” said Carol Griglione, Iowa state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “This bill repeals nearly a century of dove protection policy in our state, yet lawmakers rushed it through the process with hardly a word of debate or a serious vetting of the issues. Doves are not overpopulated, there is very little meat on their bodies, and there is no management rationale for a new hunting season – they will simply be shot for target practice. We urge Governor Branstad to veto this bill and keep the century-long tradition of dove protection in Iowa.”

There is an outright lie or a meaningless argument in every sentence of this statement, not to mention omission of facts that anyone who really cares about wildlife would want to know. Read more

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HSUS Snubbed by Congressman

Alaskan Congressman Don Young refused an award this evening from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the Humane Society Legislative Fund that would have honored his work for animals in 2010.  “HSUS are hypocrites, plain and simple, and I will not join them by accepting this award,” said Rep. Young.

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March Madness in Michigan

By Glen Wunderlich

Crow hunting in Michigan’s February/March season offers hunters an opportunity to sharpen their wing-shooting skills, while controlling a prime enemy of game birds and song birds alike. Crows are as wary and elusive as any game a hunter can encounter and during late winter, hiding from them can be problematic.

The best cover to be found is among relatively short conifers such as pine or spruce. The evergreens provide good cover from above, which is where crows check out potential danger. Trees that are 20 to 25 feet in height are ideal, because the black bombers tend to come closer to the ground to investigate. Hiding in large timber, on the other hand, produces approaches that are often out of reach, not to mention how the lack of cover typically results in little or no opportunities at the high flyers.

I prefer a full choke or even extra full and stiff loads of #6 shot. Lighter shot results in cripples and should be avoided, unless a particular set-up brings the birds in close – as can be the case in the late summer season.

L to R: Matt Arnold, Glen Wunderlich, Shawn Weaver

Electronic callers can be most effective, because the sound can be away from the shooters. We like the motion decoys, as found at crowbusters.com. I used to put out over a dozen of motionless decoys, but found that even a single motion decoy works well in conjunction with the dying crow call or crow in distress. The fighting crow call works to get them coming in, but usually I switch to the distress call of a lone crow. It’s a simple set up and makes toting gear afield easier.

Of course, head to toe camouflage is a must for success and camouflaged shotguns are better than shiny ones.

And, if hunters can remain hidden from the crows’ keen eyesight, it is common to be forced to reload during an all-out attack. There’s no other hunting like it!

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