"Opening Day Magic"

Opening day is always a special time of the year for the many folks who hunt, fish and trap. Some of the information in my column this week may be a little fundamental for some seasoned hunters who read my column. My intent this week is to present some information to some of the folks out there who may be interested or curious, about what we as hunters do to prepare for the hunting season and the different hunting implements that we use. According to a survey by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) women are taking up hunting and shooting more than any other group.

The folks who hunt the many different wildlife species, with different hunting implements, experience several different key opening days. I’ve always said that just preparing for any opening day can be exciting e.g., researching and buying new equipment, testing, preparing and fine tuning our equipment, zeroing -in that new rifle or shotgun, preparing the old hunting camp, working on the camper or tent, getting together with family and friends to plan, telling old stories, making sure that all of our licenses and paper work is in order. These are just a few of the requirements that need to be satisfied in order to be prepared for that great opening day. In NYS, a serious hunter could hunt for about seven months out of the year -- basically using five different hunting implements -- bow and arrow, shotgun, rifle, handgun, and muzzleloaders. Within these disciplines there are many different sub-set types of hunting implements, hunters, purists and specialists. Following is a quick overview of the different types of hunters and the implements that they use:

Bow hunters who build their own equipment from the basic stick bow, clothing, tree stands and other equipment. Bow hunters who still use the old standard store bought recurve and stick bows, compound bow hunters who use the modern equivalent to ancient compound bows, but probably a lot faster. The compound bow has evolved into a very efficient hunting implement and some folks use sights and special releases while others still shoot instinctively without those devices. Many bow-hunters hunt from special climbing tree stands that are sometimes placed 15 to 20 feet above the ground. The use of special safety belts and harnesses is a must. This type of hunting requires a lot of patience and many hunters can stay put all day from sun to sun and usually get to see many different types of wildlife during the day that one may not see while hunting on the ground.

The shotgun hunters who use their firearms for upland and lowland game hunting, pheasants, grouse, waterfowl, turkeys, woodcock, rabbits, squirrels and also during the deer and bear season in some regions of the state. The average shotgunner uses a 12 gauge and if I could guess, the 20 gauge comes in second followed by 16 and .410 gauge. Ten (10) gauge is gaining in popularity for waterfowl, turkeys and deer -- if your up to using one. The smaller the gauge number the bigger the load. Shotguns and loads for deer and bear have come a long way since the “old pumpkin balls” of 50 years ago. Today we are shooting rifled barrels and “sabot” projectiles that are very accurate and flat shooting -- some with velocities that are faster than some rifle rounds.

Rifles that hunters use, for big game, vary greatly in the calibers and types. Bolt actions are an old all time favorite for accuracy and reliability. Some hunters use old military rifles that may have been sporterized and scoped. Next comes the semi-autos, which fire each time that the trigger is pulled with capacities that are regulated by law. There seems to be some confusion by the uninformed, especially in the media, about the difference between the semi-auto firearm and the fully-auto, of which the latter has been illegal for about 70 years now. Lever and pump actions are still used especially in those states where semi-autos are not permitted.

Handguns for big game are permitted in some areas and regions of the state where rifles aren’t permitted, even though some employ a rifle cartridge. Scopes are also used and the handgunner can be a very efficient hunter for big game. The difference in weight is often a factor in choosing the best implement by the various hunter disciplines.

Muzzleloaders have come a long way as with other modern hunting implements. My first muzzleloader (aka front end loader or coal burner) was a Thompson Center percussion in a Hawkin model -- using a .50 caliber round patched lead ball of about 170 grains. Today a “sabot” is permitted in a specific caliber. I also built a Thompson Center Muzzleloader, along with one of my sons, from a kit that turned out very well and I was especially impressed with the way the barrel was finished in a chemical browning, using our oven, instead of the conventional bluing. I currently use an inline -- a Thompson Center Thunderhawk. Some states dictate the type of muzzleloader used -- percussion versus flintlock types. In-line muzzleloaders are becoming more popular and reaching and exceeding other modern rifle cartridge velocities. Shooting a muzzleloader can be a lot more cost effective than buying factory made ammunition.

Black powder for muzzleloaders can be bought or you can make your own. Pyrodex and pyrodex pellets are also a good substitute for black powder. They are less corrosive and sometime are more reliable. Again the purists amongst us may build their own muzzleloader, make their own powder, bullets, clothing and other equipment. I will always remember seeing folks wearing buckskins in a primitive hunting area, years ago, in the Adirondacks.

I would still recommend wearing some fluorescent -- even the fluorescent camo is good in my book -- and some of my clothing is just that. Anything to break up your body outline is a good for success.

There are different hunting styles e.g., ambush hunter (ground blind or tree), still hunter (a small slow step or two pause and look carefully), drives (with two or more hunters pushing cover and strategy), stalking (only if you can hunt like a cat).

The next opening day that many local hunters are looking forward to is November 19th, a Monday as usual, and that is the firearms season for deer. The following Saturday (24th) is the opening for bear season. This is important to note. Why there is a difference is beyond me -- Black Bear are surely plentiful in our region and the populations are growing in number and size. They say that many New Jersey Bears come over the border into NYS. NJ has had a problem implementing their own bear season in the past. Pennsylvania has a very healthy bear population and they take record numbers (in the thousands) usually with a 3 day season.

Opening day magic still continues for me, and many others, who start looking forward to the next opening day soon after the current season ends. I personally know of young folks in their teens to young folks in their 80’s, [who feel like teenagers], when they start getting together, talking about and preparing for opening day. Hunting [and fishing] brings folks together like no other participant sport/activity. It is unlike many other human sports/activities where there may be violence on the field with spectators and/or players. Hunting is, in my opinion, a very passive, quiet, rewarding, enjoyable, recreational activity that can put natural foods into your freezer and at the same time bring one closer to nature and increase ones appreciation of the world around us. For me it is a time of fulfillment and meditation. Folks from many different walks of life and disciplines come together to hunt. It is an activity that has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years and from pre-historical man -- the fundamentals never change.

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Always keep up to date and read your copy of the Hunting Regulations Guide before venturing afield -- regulations vary from region to region throughout NYS and frequently change. The hunting/fishing regulations can be very complex for some folks.

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If you can share some of your venison this year, please consider contributing to the “hunters feeding the hungry” program in Orange County. Contact Bob Ewald of Pine Bush (845-361-5069) for more information.

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I’m hearing that there may be some special changes, for deer hunters, in our region that haven’t been officially announced yet. As soon as I get official information from the NYSDEC I’ll share it with you.

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Have a safe, successful, enjoyable hunting season. Remember to wear your fluorescent orange clothing. Even successful turkey hunters use it.