In my first blog post I mentioned wanting to cyber scout more. You may be asking yourself what the heck he is talking about!?!? Cyber scouting is just that, finding land and game to hunt via the internet. It is not better then getting out into the woods but it can be extremely helpful.
How you may ask? Well say you have seen a piece of land that looks like something you may want to hunt. You have no idea how big the property is or who even owns it. One tool you can use to answer both questions is GIS; Geographic Information Systems. Not all counties have this at this time however many do. Usually all you have to do is Google your county name along with GIS. This works very well in the Roanoke Valley area of Virginia.
If you are looking for government owned land see if your state has a web page to help. Virginia has one called Find Game… http://www.findgame.org/
Another way to scout the land once you gain access to it is through topographic, satellite and aerial photos. There are several excellent web pages that allow you to scout from the sky with some outstanding views. Here are some of my favorites….
http://terraserver-usa.com/
http://maps.live.com/
http://www.flashearth.com/
http://earth.google.com/
Being able to look at a piece of property from a birds eye view can be of great help. You can see how the land lays with ridges, draws and natural funnels. There might be clearings or saddles that you have not seen or noticed from the ground. It is also a great help for marking your stands, blinds and game cameras.
So before you get out and tromp all over new pieces of property get online and do some cyber scouting before hand.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Late Season Duck Hunt
Alarm clock rang at 4:00a.m. and I was up and at it. I gave myself plenty of time to eat and dress before going to pick Rudy up at his son's house. Rudy is a friend from South Carolina that met through Dale. We spoke twice yesterday arranging this late season duck hunt. This would be my last chance to get out and only my second time hunting ducks this hunting season.
I pulled into Rudy's at exactly 0515 and we were on our way to the New River. The weather report said we would be looking at 11* and a slight breeze on the river today. Should be a good day to enjoy mother nature and hopefully some duck hunting.
Rudy and I packed the canoe and paddled across the river to an island I have hunted several times in the past. We expected to see geese, some divers and hopefully a wigeon or four. After setting the decoys out and waiting for the sun to rise over the mountains Rudy and I catch the sound of a wigeon to our right. Not long after a mallard started to sound off behind us. Right after that two geese got up off the water and flew by us. This had all the makings of a good day.
Before daylight when shadows turn into their true form Rudy and I started to make out several groups of ducks. We, or at least I, was certain that there were three groups of wigeon 100 yards in front of us. The three groups began to merge into one and started to swim directly toward Rudy. As I waited for the flush and the shot from Rudy I caught a glimpse of cupped wings and watched as a mallard drake decoyed into our setup. I did not have a chance to even think about raising my shotgun. I turned back to Rudy to only find out that the ducks swimming toward him were mergansers and he had chosen not to shoot.
As the morning moved on we watched our one mallard swim to a group of mallards down the island from us. We also watched as 40 -50 geese got off the water and started to fly north west. They knew where they were headed and Rudy and I found we didn't have a goose call between us. We also observed two more groups of mergansers that would work past us, get off the water to go up river, then float back down.
I finally had to move to being cold so decided that a stalk on the mallards down river would be the correct thing for me to do and flush them toward Rudy. I jumped off the island and stalked down river until I was even with the group of mallards on the opposite side. I started to sneak toward them when the gun shy mallards jumped off the water and hit the afterburners. I knew right away Rudy would not be shooting as these mallards had played this game before and were going almost vertical.
Rudy and I called it a day around 10:00 as the puddle ducks were just not moving. We paddled back to the opposite side of the river and started to pack the truck when the air filled with a chorus of Canadian geese. Rudy and and I watched for the next fifteen minutes as approximately 70 geese flew past us and landed on the island we had just left. The geese were flying in groups from 2 to 24. It was a beautiful sight and good note to keep in mind for the late goose season.
The only bad thing about this whole trip was the packing up. I stopped in the gravel parking area and picked up over three dozen nails. Some person had dumped nails all over the parking area. If this was done with malice or stupidity I do not know, though this person still deserves a kick in the shin either way.
I had a wonderful morning and enjoyed myself. I do wish I had remembered my camera to take pictures of the sunrise, the river and the geese. I guess my memories will just have to do.
I pulled into Rudy's at exactly 0515 and we were on our way to the New River. The weather report said we would be looking at 11* and a slight breeze on the river today. Should be a good day to enjoy mother nature and hopefully some duck hunting.
Rudy and I packed the canoe and paddled across the river to an island I have hunted several times in the past. We expected to see geese, some divers and hopefully a wigeon or four. After setting the decoys out and waiting for the sun to rise over the mountains Rudy and I catch the sound of a wigeon to our right. Not long after a mallard started to sound off behind us. Right after that two geese got up off the water and flew by us. This had all the makings of a good day.
Before daylight when shadows turn into their true form Rudy and I started to make out several groups of ducks. We, or at least I, was certain that there were three groups of wigeon 100 yards in front of us. The three groups began to merge into one and started to swim directly toward Rudy. As I waited for the flush and the shot from Rudy I caught a glimpse of cupped wings and watched as a mallard drake decoyed into our setup. I did not have a chance to even think about raising my shotgun. I turned back to Rudy to only find out that the ducks swimming toward him were mergansers and he had chosen not to shoot.
As the morning moved on we watched our one mallard swim to a group of mallards down the island from us. We also watched as 40 -50 geese got off the water and started to fly north west. They knew where they were headed and Rudy and I found we didn't have a goose call between us. We also observed two more groups of mergansers that would work past us, get off the water to go up river, then float back down.
I finally had to move to being cold so decided that a stalk on the mallards down river would be the correct thing for me to do and flush them toward Rudy. I jumped off the island and stalked down river until I was even with the group of mallards on the opposite side. I started to sneak toward them when the gun shy mallards jumped off the water and hit the afterburners. I knew right away Rudy would not be shooting as these mallards had played this game before and were going almost vertical.
Rudy and I called it a day around 10:00 as the puddle ducks were just not moving. We paddled back to the opposite side of the river and started to pack the truck when the air filled with a chorus of Canadian geese. Rudy and and I watched for the next fifteen minutes as approximately 70 geese flew past us and landed on the island we had just left. The geese were flying in groups from 2 to 24. It was a beautiful sight and good note to keep in mind for the late goose season.
The only bad thing about this whole trip was the packing up. I stopped in the gravel parking area and picked up over three dozen nails. Some person had dumped nails all over the parking area. If this was done with malice or stupidity I do not know, though this person still deserves a kick in the shin either way.
I had a wonderful morning and enjoyed myself. I do wish I had remembered my camera to take pictures of the sunrise, the river and the geese. I guess my memories will just have to do.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Just Kill'n Time
As of today you can catch the Sportsman Channel on channel 605 of Direct T.V. I have been asking Direct T.V. to add this channel for several years now. The main reason is because a group of my friends have a t.v. show on that channel. The show is called, Just Kill'n Time and it airs today at 3:30 p.m. If you get a chance set your TIVO or DVR or just sit down and watch.
http://www.justkillntime.com/
If you want to see them via the internet check the gang out on Youtube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqIlE58dXwQ
http://www.justkillntime.com/
If you want to see them via the internet check the gang out on Youtube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqIlE58dXwQ
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Smith & Wesson M&P pistols with thumb safety
As most know, S&W has a manual thumb safety as an option on their M&P .45acp. They have now started to ship the full size and compact M&Ps in 9mm, 40S&W and 357sig with an optional thumb safety also. This is great news for the 1911 fans who want a thumb safety on their polymer pistol or for those who feel unsafe without a thumb safety on a polymer pistol.
http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/tow_release.php?ID=140497
http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/tow_release.php?ID=140497
Monday, January 19, 2009
Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 (H.R. 45)
Seems the Brady gang and all it's pocketed politicans are headed to try and outlaw all the guns they can. Keep up to date and write, call, yell and fight for your rights!!!
Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 (H.R. 45)
On January 6th, Congressman Rush (D) of Illinois introduced the Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 (H.R. 45). The introduction to this bill states the intent of the legislations is "to provide for the implementation of a system of licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms, and for other purposes." As of the writing of this article, this bill has been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. This article reviews the content of the Act and provides commentary on various portions of the act, which violate logic, individual rights, State's rights, and the separation of powers. This article also speaks to some areas of HR 45 that fall within the purview of the Federal government.
http://www.nolanchart.com/article5821.html
Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 (H.R. 45)
On January 6th, Congressman Rush (D) of Illinois introduced the Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 (H.R. 45). The introduction to this bill states the intent of the legislations is "to provide for the implementation of a system of licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms, and for other purposes." As of the writing of this article, this bill has been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. This article reviews the content of the Act and provides commentary on various portions of the act, which violate logic, individual rights, State's rights, and the separation of powers. This article also speaks to some areas of HR 45 that fall within the purview of the Federal government.
http://www.nolanchart.com/article5821.html
Upcoming Spring Gobbler
2009 is upon us and the spring turkey season is on my mind. I am lucky that I will have a whole two weeks off for this upcoming season. This has me thinking ahead about hunts I want to go on and what I want done before then.
My main goal is to get in shape. I have been field training for the better part of 18 months and my bike riding has suffered. First step will be bike riding on my days off. I plan on taking the Trek mountain bike out in the national forest for exercise and scouting as soon as the weather breaks.
My second goal is to do some cyber scouting via http://earth.google.com/ and http://www.terraserver.com/ which I then will follow up with foot and bike scouting trips. The last couple of years I have slacked off when it came to scouting and my seasons have shown this.
My third goal is to do some patterning with my Stoeger 2000. I am thinking about trying a new choke for this shotgun to extend my range a few yards. I am a 25 yard or closer shooter but would like to feel confident in 40 yards if I had to.
I hope to keep this blog up and running on my season along with shooting and policing that I am involved in.
My main goal is to get in shape. I have been field training for the better part of 18 months and my bike riding has suffered. First step will be bike riding on my days off. I plan on taking the Trek mountain bike out in the national forest for exercise and scouting as soon as the weather breaks.
My second goal is to do some cyber scouting via http://earth.google.com/ and http://www.terraserver.com/ which I then will follow up with foot and bike scouting trips. The last couple of years I have slacked off when it came to scouting and my seasons have shown this.
My third goal is to do some patterning with my Stoeger 2000. I am thinking about trying a new choke for this shotgun to extend my range a few yards. I am a 25 yard or closer shooter but would like to feel confident in 40 yards if I had to.
I hope to keep this blog up and running on my season along with shooting and policing that I am involved in.
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