Elk Calls

I have a small fortune in elk calls. It seems every year someone comes out with the better sounding or easier-to-use elk call, and I have to try it out. In the end, I usually settle on the older ones that I thinksound better or are easier to use………

There are the internal mouth reeds, the external reeds and the squeezing type. All of them work, and each one sounds a little bit different depending on who is using them. And, WOW, there is a ton of videos and youtubes out there for everyone to learn how to use them all.

As I sat down to write this, I thought “How can I relay good information?” Then it hit me………This is my blog……..I am going to go through my thoughts on the calls I use……….

First, I do believe in the concept that a call that works immediately on one hilltop may not work a mile away or in the next state. There are plenty of reasons for this, but the one I want to bring up is that an elk, for no reason at all, just likes the way one sounds over another. Because of this, I want to have a lot of variables in calling, and I typically carry three to six cow calls, and one or two bugles when I am out in the woods.

The cow calls start with my mouth reed. I place it in my mouth, and try and keep it there throughout the day. I also have a hoochie mama with a short loop on it so I can tie it to my belt loop, and slide it into one of my front pockets or one of the lower side pockets on a six-pocket pair of pants. I can then squeeze it in the pocket if needed without the movement being seen. I then have two to four cow calls in pockets or tied around my neck so I can get after them quickly. These vary from normal sounding cow calls to the “Kazoo” type of the cow-in-heat. They will also vary on how quiet I can make them.

The two bugles basically vary only by the loudness that I can produce with each. There are a lot out there that can “reach out and touch” an elk from miles away, but not many that can produce a softer bugle. I like to have both with me.

I just wrote a blog about target practicing methods for the upcoming archery season. I feel it is just as important to practice with the calls one is going to use. So, I will typically pick out all the calls I think I may want to use in the season, and put them all in my truck. Then, as I am driving to and from work or on errands, I will work with all of them over a couple of months. And, this does includes the hoochie mama calls.

I will work on generating different sounds (chirps, whines, mews, etc.). I try to imagine situations where I have to call quickly. And, even more importantly, what if I want to make a specific sound? I have to make it the first time……….not after I find the right location on the call after three attempts………. I will work on the volume of the calls, especially very, very, very soft. Elk ears are huge, and quite often in the rutting part of the season I hunt in Oregon, there are a ton of ears out in front of me. Therefore, I think very soft calls are critical, calming and calling in the elk. With my in-mouth call, I work on making calls with and without a ton of saliva on the call.

As one can imagine, there are plenty of things to work on. Just get to the point—like the target practicing—that one feels confident with being able to make any call at any time.

One story I have from early on in my elk hunting days is when I worked a bull elk for over four hours. I will be bringing this instance up again in a future blog on Calling, but for now just to say I had to make a ton of different sounds that day, most of which I had never tried before. Practice will give one the confidence to make new noises when an opportunity like this comes around.

The one thing about calls is that they don’t always work……….quite often they don’t work. Sometimes they call in other things (birds, coyotes, etc.) But one call I do gets heard and answered every time. I have your attention now!!!! But you can’t buy this call. It is given! Freely! The Lord is there everytime. He is my Shepard. He is with me always, and hears my call to him. Psalms 17:6 & 7 says “I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show Your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at Your right hand.” And Psalms 86: 6 & 7 says “Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon You for You answer me.” As shown in Psalms 34, He doesn’t promise to exempt us from troubles, but to deliver us through them. He is faithful and loving. I hope you trust in him today!

Shoot straight!

Dave

Cartridge Reloading Part I

If you are going to learn reloading, the first thing you need to learn is safety. Nobody wants to experience a reloading mishap by not following the rules or by taking shortcuts. Yes, you can do things like over charge a case, use the wrong powder (that’s a biggy), use the wrong primers, wrong bullets (too heavy), wrong load data, and so on. Reloading accidents don’t happen very often but they do happen and personal injury and/or a destroyed rifle or pistol will go way beyond a bad day.

Probably the first piece of equipment you should get is a reloading guide with load data for the cartridges you shoot, because of the reloading steps and safety procedures listed in the beginning of them. I have a couple of older guides as well as newer ones and safety is in all of them. Please follow what they tell you. Most, if not all, bullet makers publish guides to give you information on their products. My personal favorite is Nosler (for no peticular reason). The guides will give you plenty of step-by-step instruction to keep you out of trouble.

Developing your own loads that are accurate will give you a great level of confidence by not only being a better shot, but choosing the right bullet for whatever critter you may be after or for shooting itty bitty groups at the range. Which brings up a point about safety… Let’s say you’re at the range talking with somebody, and they suggest that you need to try the bullet/powder combo they use. You should have the sense to research the information that was given to you. Sometimes they’re right on, sometimes not – but at least you figured it out the easy (safe) way and not the hard way. It’s kind of like when someone tells you they are a believer – and then they say that it’s ok to do something that goes against the word of God. Reloading guides are there to keep you safe, like the Bible, but you have to read it to stay safe, just like the Bible.

One thing you will notice in the Reloading guides is that they will list only certain types and brands of powder with different bullet weights for a particular cartridge. There is a reason for this – it’s called burn rates. Little cartridges like a 40 cal use fast burning powder because of small case capacity, a .243 will use medium burning powders for the most part and large cases will take medium to slow powders. We can get into more detail on this later, but the bottom line is, if you fill a large case with a fast burning powder you’re dead, or you will need a miracle from Jesus. You can look up burn rate charts online and get an idea of what powder companies are telling you. Powder companies like you and want to keep you safe.

I’m not trying to frighten you away from getting into reloading but to encourage you to learn as much as you can so you keep out of trouble. Reloading is more common sense than anything else and right now it’s harder to get reloading components than to actually reload. Hopefully that will change in the near future.

-Rick

Archery Practice For Confidence

Some great archers like Cameron Hanes, Fred Eichler and Gian Rossini get the opportunity to shoot everyday to keep their skills honed to a fine edge. Others, like most of us, dust off the bow and arrows a few months before the season starts for the well needed practice. Because of that, this limited practice is critical to gain the muscle and consistency to shoot accurately. Here is an outline of the routine I use to minimize the frustration and maximize the confidence I need to shoot big game:

1. Equipment:

It is important to start by checking one’s equipment; both the bow, the arrows, the release, the guard, and the clothing. All of these items could lead to inconsistent shooting. One should preform the required maintenance and add in the changes at the outset. Taking the time to deal with all of this now will help avoid inserting variables that may lead to inconsistency later in the practicing. Care should be taken to note the condition of the string, silencers, fletching, tuning, etc.

2. Strength and Form:

To start, one should shoot for three weeks to:

a. Establish good shooting form.

b. Build muscle groups.

c. Re-develop muscle memory.

The shooting is to be done as follows:

a. The bow to be set at the setting one will be using for hunting.

b. All shooting to be done at 20 yards maximum.

c. Other than major adjustments (such as if one replaced one’s site), as long as the arrows are hitting close, there is no need for one to make any adjustments.

The idea behind this three week period is that as muscle and muscle memory develop around the intense focus of proper shooting form, the arrows will continue to fly radically for a couple of weeks until one’s body settles down. As well, the short distance allows one to focus on very small spots (I suggest shooting sets of 5-10 arrows with 5-10 very small spots on the target to avoid “William Tell”-ing the arrows…….) while shooting a lot of arrows.

3. Accuracy:

After three weeks of shooting, and now feeling very comfortable with one’s form (because of muscle, memory and focus), it is time to get accurate with this routine:

a. Shoot ten arrows at 20 yards to loosen up each time one shoots.

b. Shoot the next ten at 40 yards.

c. Shoot the next ten at 30 yards.

d. Shoot the next ten at 20 yards.

e. Repeat this as much as desired.

f. Each week, add another ten yards into the mix (and therefore, at Week 8 one would be at 80 yards max, shooting ten arrows at 20, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, and 20 yards for a complete cycle).

Of course, adjust the number of arrows and the number of cycles according to one’s stamina. It is the objective to be the strongest at the beginning with the longer distances (as that is where consistency of accuracy will be noticed the most), and still be able to still finish the cycle with good form.

A good motto to have and practice to is: Aim Small, Hit Small. Adding this thought into one’s mind while shooting these cycles (even out at the great distances) will drastically improve one’s accuracy.

Another point to add into Step 3 is to number one’s arrows. This way, terrible flyers can be eliminated from the hunting pile.

I would like to recommend one try to shoot out 10-20 yards further than one ethically wants to shoot during the season at an animal. This will help with ones form, calmness, accuracy and confidence at one’s maximum hunting distance.

As one goes through the weeks, one should notice drastic improvement in accuracy out at the greater distances. The nearer distances will seem like a piece of cake! That is when the confidence will skyrocket. Then, when that huge buck or bull steps out at 42 yards, ones heart may be running, but the form and muscle memory will keep the mind at ease while making a smooth shoot.

4. Other Factors:

A few last points to consider that can affect ones confidence in making the perfect shot:

a. I have suggested full poundage, certain yardages, certain quantities of arrows, and timeframes. BUT, don’t overdo it. An injury is devastating, ruining or eliminating the hunt. Work up as one’s body can comfortably handle. A little pain during, and a few aches the next day are okay, but listen to one’s body for limits. And, then modify the plan as needed.

b. Problems/Repairs quite often happen before the season starts. However, I have found most bow shops have a person available to fix and RETURN the bow to the position one has been practicing at. If after a repair or a change, ones bow isn’t shooting the same way, take it back and ask questions. Hopefully the shop can help get it back to the same spot.

c. There can be bad arrows. Numbering them helps one to pick the four to six flyers out of the bunch for the hunting season.

d. Switching to broadheads can be a real mess. Do not wait for the last day to do this change. One needs the time to deal with the problems that may arise even when ones bow is properly tuned, the same weight practice tip and broadhead are used and when nothing else changes. If problems arise, again, refer to help from the archery shop. Hopefully they will be able to solve the issue without having to reset the bow.

e. Range finders are for me personally a must. Yardage estimations in the field on an animal make or break 95% of the shots. Back when I was shooting a 260-280 fps compound, the fact was that out past 37 yards, I could only be +/-1.7 yards to be in the kill zone of a mule deer (an eight inch pie plate). That example alone should make most people either carry and use a range finder, or have a 800 fps bow to eliminate the concern.

5. Final thought:

There are a lot of thoughts out there in the industry about how far out to shoot an animal with a bow. Equipment, of course, dictates a lot. But, in the end, it is all about each one’s ethics. But, was drives those ethics? It is the practice that one does that tells what that distance should be. I have a couple of stories to share:

My hunting partner and I saw one of our hunting friends in the campground we were driving through. We stopped and talked elk stories, with our excitement to get around to telling him about the 322 my partner had gotten the year before. The guy then proceeds to pull out a picture of the 368 he had shot the year before………..humbled again….. We asked about the story, and he mentioned he shot it at 102 yards! We were amazed, and inwardly thinking “Wow, that wasn’t right!” After talking some more, he said he practices out to 120 yards, accurately hitting the kill zone.

My hunting partner used to shoot a recurve. I was amazed at the shots he made whether at a shooting range, or just messing around in the woods. From 20 yard stump shooting, to a bird at 50 yards, to a barrel at 120 yards, he made them all. After a while, though, I started to notice that although he was good all the time, his second and third arrows were the really amazing ones. His first wasn’t always the best………

So, I say the following: Know the size of the kill zone of the hunted animal, determine the percentage of the arrows that must hit within that diameter every cycle of practice the final week or two, and set in one’s mind that that is one’s maximum yardage. Determine it while one practices—not out in the field. I have always said it is hard to say “NO” when I kind of think my maximum yardage is 50 or 60, and the 350 bull steps out at 75………………. That is the meaning of ethics.

I hope this will help your confidence in the field. Shoot straight.

Dave

Asking Jesus to Hang Out

The hunting and shooting sports are as about as much fun to share with others as any other social event life has to offer, but then again I’m bias, because I’m a hunter and shooter.

Whether it be a Hunters for Christ group event or just a buddy and I out on a hunt or at the range, the fellowship that I find through the hunting and shooting sports is an awesome byproduct of the outdoors and it’s brought me some wonderful friends along the way. Taking it to the next level is where it becomes a complete experience and honestly the best form of fellowship known to man, I’m talking about deliberately inviting the Lord to come along and be the center of your time in the outdoors.

Kicking off a hunt, group event or just a day out in the woods by myself, It can’t begin any better than by asking Jesus along.  Pro Staffer Phillip Rodriquez said it best in his Bio, “A relationship with Christ is 24/7, He is always waiting for an invite to hang out with us.” Phillip gets it, a relationship with Jesus begins with an invite and a willingness to get to know Him and include Him in your life.

If you know the Lord, then you pretty much know what I’m talking about, if you don’t, then I invite you to ask the Lord into your life and begin asking him to Hang Out with you, you’ll be blown away with the quality of your day when you do, not to mention the quality of your life. He’s been waiting for the invite for a while now and believe it or not, He’s more excited about it than you are.

I would invite any other believers to chime in and share on this topic.

God Bless and Good Hunting!

Gian

God's View On Hunting

Certain people have asked me, “what does God think about me as a pastor, hunting?” To be honest, I think God is pleased with those who choose to provide for their families, and do it in such away that brings glory to Him as Savior and Creator.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (NIV)

I believe God has given every person the right to provide for their family whether it’s going and buying beef, chicken, fish, or pork from the store or going out and harvesting venison or any other wild game. We have been given a responsibility to provide for our families. Yes, I said a responsibility, Unfortunately there are some who are not responsible in their hunting by killing to kill and not to eat.

Genesis 9:1-3 says “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”

God has given the green light on hunting. So I see no reason to stop if I’m willing to eat what I shoot. As a man of God, I always try looking at everything through God’s eyes, which isn’t always easy to do. But I see Hunting with a purpose to provide for our loved ones something God would do Himself, in fact He does just that.

Genesis 3:21 “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” Here we see God killing an animal for its skin. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that God was the first hunter. I’m just saying when it came to providing for His children, He was there. At this time man was vegetarian and didn’t eat meat, so there was no reason to hunt, but as soon as man sinned they felt shame, so by their own efforts Adam and Eve tried to cover up their own disobedience with clothes made of fig leaves. However this was not good enough for God.

God Himself clothed Adam and Eve because they could now no longer walk before God in innocence (Genesis 3:8). Man-made coverings were by implication pronounced ineffective in dealing with sin. But what was the origin of Gods provision? (Animals)
So there it is, my two cents.

God has given you and I responsibility. What you do with it is between you and God. Hunt responsibly.