ThinkingAfield.org

Charleston, SC – Nomad’s Harvester Jacket and Pant are the perfect combination between silence and warmth, giving hunters the ultimate edge in the deer woods.

The Nomad Harvester Jacket is the ideal mid-season jacket, combining a durable medium-weight, 100-percent polyester design with a high pile interior for an incredibly comfortable and warm fit. Available in four camo patterns, including Mossy Oak Bottomland, Realtree Edge, Mossy Oak Breakup Country and Realtree Timber, the Jacket features a wind-resistant construction with a DWR finish, ensuring that wind and light moisture won’t end your hunt. Sound kill technology allows you to move freely and quietly in the stand without alerting deer to your presence, while a secure zip chest pocket allows for easy access to range finders, calls, and cell phones. A silver+zeolites treatment locks in natural odors, giving you the ultimate confidence in the field. Read more

Project ChildSafe® offers safety resources, educational materials for first-time and returning hunters

NEWTOWN, Conn. – NSSF®, the trade association for the firearms industry, welcomes the millions of Americans who intend to go afield this hunting season – many of them for the first time – and reminds hunters to use, transport and store their firearms safely and help prevent accidents in the field, on the range and in the home.

“Americans have rediscovered the outdoors as COVID-19 has closed off other types of recreation,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “Millions have also bought their first firearm and are curious to experience all that hunting has to offer. We want to make sure they have the tools they need to enjoy hunting and the shooting sports safely this season and for years to come.”

The effort comes as NSSF launches its 2020 “Hunt S.A.F.E.” campaign. Hunt S.A.F.E. is a component of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe initiative, which focuses on promoting secure firearm storage and preventing unauthorized access. S.A.F.E. is an acronym for Store your firearms responsibly when not in use; Always practice firearm safety; Focus on your responsibilities as a firearm owner; and Education is key to preventing accidents.

NSSF and Project ChildSafe are working with prominent industry influencers and partner organizations, including GAT Marketing for a sponsored giveaway contest to guide hunters toward a suite of hunting safety resources. These include:

• An infographic for first-time gun buyers
• Tips and guidelines on safe firearm handling
• A hunting checklist for families and a Hunt S.A.F.E. quiz
• The Ethical Hunter brochure
• A brochure on firearm safety in vehicles
• A Gun Storage Options for Your Lifestyle infographic
• Information on where to get a free firearm safety kit that includes a cable-style gun lock

First-time hunters will also appreciate the library of hunting tips, tactics and techniques available at NSSF’s LetsGoHunting.org website.

“Hunting is a time-honored tradition for many Americans, one that benefits conservation efforts across the country, and safety remains at the core of enjoying hunting,” Bartozzi said. “With so many Americans discovering and returning to this tradition, it’s a good time to remind all gun owners that storing firearms securely when they’re not in use is the No. 1 way to help prevent accidents and keep guns out of the wrong hands.”

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

The weather prognosticators were spot on with the opening-day weather forecasts:  high winds with enough sideways rain to make some hunters question their sanity.  Of course such conditions were not about to prevent a few hundred thousand Michigan hopefuls from chasing their perennial dream bucks and I was one of those.

I sat within 50 yards of a favorite waterway crossing of the wily whitetails with my Ruger American .450 Bushmaster rifle.  The low-power variable Zeiss Diavari scope was made for the job with its heavy crosshair reticle.  A buck fawn (button buck) made its way along the predictable path and seemed intent on a peaceful nap in the heavy cover of the low ground vegetation, as it disappeared.

The early morning session continued when movement appeared across the Looking Glass River tributary about 100 yards out.  The Burris binocular helped me identify an adult doe with twin fawns following close behind.  Like most Michigan deer hunters, I wasn’t interested in any bald deer at this juncture considering the generous seasons ahead, but it didn’t matter.  The wise mother deer caught me looking and involuntarily began a staring contest; her two followers became statues wondering what was up and the close-knit family soon vanished together.

Mother Nature huffed and puffed and the big wind dominated the wooded areas to the point that falling limbs and entire trees posed a threat to anyone’s life and I called off any more hunting for the day.  A couple more ventures afield during the first week were fruitless, as the educated deer became scarce, or so it seemed.

By the end of the first week I was hoping for the local herd to have settled down from the hunting activity and for them to return to more normal routines.  My afternoon position overlooked a legume plot of some six acres and I was encouraged to watch an adult doe and her buck fawn forage in the lush green vegetation.  As the sun sunk the activity grew and deer seemed to pop up from the ground in front of me about 150 yards away.

A yearling spike buck did his best to liven up the party but the objects of his affection were interested in one thing only:  filling their bellies.  As the deer mingled, I had to check for headgear on each one of them and noticed one deer alone with its nose in the clover.  The young buck sported a basket-rack of 8 points but nothing trigger-worthy.  By now there was about a dozen whitetails browsing and I spotted another buck with similar features including another basket-rack (not as wide as its ears) and was enjoying the show, when the two bucks got together in the literal sense.

The two antlered deer got into a brief, non-threatening pushing match but it was obvious their hearts were not into any real macho death match.

As darkness descended upon us all, I waited to no avail for something better.  And, I’m still waiting.