But better late than never!

I receive quite a bit of email about Deer hunting on public land. Having just came back from a Controlled Hunt on Public Land myself, here are some tips for you that are heading out to hunt Public Land Deer.

1. Get a map. Preferably a topo map and an aireal photo of the area where you'll be hunting. You can find good topo maps on the Internet at several areas or contact the USGS for an index. A good map will show you many things. Some of the things you'll be wanting to look for are: where are other hunters parking, areas that will funnel deer into a tight area such as saddles in ridges, potential feeding and beddeing areas, waterways, old roads, etc.
2. Do your scouting. This should go without saying, but you'd be surprised at how many just pick a place and go hunting without ever setting foot on the place. Prepare for success by using some boot leather to get the feel of the land and to try and pattern both the Deer and Deer Hunters!
3. Pattern the Hunters. Since you'll likely have company from other Hunters when visiting Public Hunting area, get to know where they park and the areas that they'll likely be hunting. Use this information to determine Where Not To Hunt! You can also use this information to determine likely areas where these Hunters will push the Deer as they're coming and going to their stands.
4. Hunt the Midday. It doesn't take long for Deer to pattern the Hunters. They know that most Hunters will be out of their stands by 9 a.m. (many much sooner) and walking around before heading back to their vehicles for coffee, lunch and a nap. Plan on hunting during the midday hours. I can't tell you how many Bucks I've seen from 11 to 3 on Public Hunting land. If you've done your homework and are set up away from the other Hunters, you may be pleasantly surprised at a visit from a Buck during the midday when other Hunters are back at their trucks taking a Siesta.
5. Call the Manager. Part of your pre-hunt scouting should be a call to the Manager of the Public land where you'll be hunting. They can provide valuable information on Hunter access and likely spots to find a Buck during the Hunting Season. They can also let you in on how the Deer herd is doing and clue you into what the Deer are feeding on.
6. Plan on getting your Deer out. Many Deer Hunters never plan on how to get their Deer out once they have it down. They never think about it until they are faced with the daunting task of dragging a Buck out of the woods. It would be smart to invest in one of the Big Game Carts
   advertised in the Outdoor catalogs.
7. Think outside the box. As I said earlier, Deer pattern Hunters much better than Hunters pattern Deer. If most hunters are Hunting fields or easy to reach areas, do something different. Find thickets or other areas where Hunters will not hunt. Swamps and overgrown clear cuts are two of my favorite areas to hunt on Public land. I love to hear Hunters say "That area is too nasty to hunt, you can't see very far in there". That's the kind of place I want to be. The group of guys I grew up hunting with were the first to hunt the flooded timber for Deer. No one else would put on wader and go in after the Deer. Now, many people will but few are successful because the lack the patience and experience to still hunt the flooded timber properly. Do and go where other Hunters will not!

Most public hunting is not easy. But with a little planning and thinking outside the box, your hunt can be successful. Just remember, these Deer are hunted hard so plan on outsmarting them. You can reason, Deer can't!

I'll also say that I'm not thrilled with either of our choices for President this go round. Actually, I'd personally vote for Sarah Palin before I would either of the two men running.

I wrestled with writing this post. It's not my intentions to make this blog a political one, but it's safe to say my readers are gunowners. What lead me to write this is a statement by Barack Obama on Gun ownership.

He said he wasn't after anyone's guns.

This statement is along the same lines that Bill Clinton made in 1992 and we all know how friendly he was to anti gun groups.

But Barack Obama has a history of being anti gun. He can't hide from that past. There is nothing that makes me think he will change if he's elected President. Actually, I'm betting that he'll get even more liberal if he wins Election.

I believe his true colors were shown we had made mention about people from Pennsylvania "holding on to their guns and religion". I'm not sure why the Democrats are picking on the people of Pennsylvania, but most of them are my kind of people. I hope you people will also send Mr. Murtha packing for the statements he made about you also.

But I'm rambling. The point I want to make is come Tuesday, if you value your Consitutional Right To Bear Arms, then there is only one choice and it isn't Barack Obama.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the next President will likely choose at least one, probably more than one, Supreme Court Justice. Do you think Barack Obama would choose a Justice who was pro-gun ownership? I doubt it.

The economy will fix itself. From what I've researched, both parties are at fault for the shape it's in. The Democrats have been in control of Congress the last two years and have no nothing to head this off, in fact, Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd should be on their way to prison now for their role in this mess.

Plus, to add feul to the fire, my wealth, or what little I have, is spread around too much as it is. I don't need Barack Obama or his coherts to do it for me. We can't afford another tax increase that Obama is planning.

Need more proof that Obama would be an anti-gun Liberal.

This is an email I received from Paul Helinski of GunsAmerica. I hope he does not mind me putting it up here.

Hi Everyone,

We have had a lot of email into GunsAmerica and especially into our MySpace about voting for Barack Obama for president.

Setting aside the socialist policy issues, and "spreading the money around" that you work for, everyone should be very clear about where Barack Obama stands on guns.

This was taken from http://www.gunbanobama.com/ which is an NRA-ILA project, and it is available in PDF form at: http://www.nraila.org/media/PDFs/2008Obamafactsht.pdf

FACT: Barack Obama opposes four of the five Supreme Court justices who affirmed an individual right to keep and bear arms. He voted against the confirmation of Alito and Roberts and he has stated he would not have appointed Thomas or Scalia.¹⁷

FACT: Barack Obama voted for an Illinois State Senate bill to ban and confiscate "assault weapons," but the bill was so poorly crafted, it would have also banned most semi-auto and single and double barrel shotguns commonly used by sportsmen.¹⁸

FACT: Barack Obama voted to allow reckless lawsuits designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.¹

FACT: Barack Obama wants to re-impose the failed and discredited Clinton Gun Ban.¹⁵

FACT: Barack Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.³

FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a 500% increase in the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a complete ban on handgun ownership.²

FACT: Barack Obama supports local gun bans in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other cities.⁴

FACT: Barack Obama voted to uphold local gun bans and the criminal prosecution of people who use firearms in self-defense.⁵

FACT: Barack Obama supports gun owner licensing and gun registration.⁶

FACT: Barack Obama refused to sign a friend-of-the-court Brief in support of individual Second Amendment rights in the Heller case.

FACT: Barack Obama opposes Right to Carry laws.⁷

FACT: Barack Obama was a member of the Board of Directors of the Joyce Foundation, the leading source of funds for anti-gun organizations and "research."⁸

FACT: Barack Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park, which would eliminate almost every gun store in America.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama voted not to notify gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them.¹⁰

FACT: Barack Obama voted against a measure to lower the Firearms Owners Identification card age minimum from 21 to 18, a measure designed to assist young people in the military.¹¹

FACT: Barack Obama favors a ban on standard capacity magazines.¹²

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory micro-stamping.¹³

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory waiting periods.²

FACT: Barack Obama supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits information on gun traces collected by the BATFE from being used in reckless lawsuits against firearm dealers and manufacturers.¹⁴

FACT: Barack Obama supports one-gun-a-month handgun purchase restrictions.¹⁶

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on inexpensive handguns.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on the resale of police issued firearms, even if the money is going to police departments for replacement equipment.⁹

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory firearm training requirements for all gun owners and a ban on gun ownership for persons under the age of 21.⁹1. United States Senate, S. 397, vote number 219, July 29, 2005. (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00219)

2. Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organization general candidate questionnaire, Sept. 9, 1996. The responses on this survey were described in "Obama had greater role on liberal survey," Politico, March 31, 2008. (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9269.html)

3. United States Senate, S. 397, vote number 217, Kennedy amendment July 29, 2005. (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00217)

4. David Wright, Ursula Fahy and Sunlen Miller, "Obama: 'Common Sense Regulation' On Gun Owners' Rights," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, 2/15/08. (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/obama-common-se.html)

5. Illinois Senate, SB 2165, March 25, 2004, vote 20 and May 25, 2004, vote 3.

6. "Fact Check: No News In Obama's Consistent Record." Obama '08, December 11, 2007. (http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/12/11/fact_check_no_news_in_obamas_c.php)

7. "Candidates' gun control positions may figure in Pa. vote," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Wednesday, April 2, 2008, and "Keyes, Obama Are Far Apart On Guns," Chicago Tribune, 9/15/04. (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_560181.html)

8. 1998 Joyce Foundation Annual Report, p. 7.

9. "Obama and Gun Control," The Volokh Conspiracy, taken from the Chicago Defender, Dec. 13, 1999. (http://www.volokh.com/posts/1203389334.shtml)

10. Illinois Senate, May 5, 2002, SB 1936 Con., vote 26.

11. Illinois Senate, March 25, 2003, SB 2163, vote 18.

12. "Clinton, Edwards, Obama on gun control," Radio Iowa, Sunday, April 22, 2007. (http://learfield.typepad.com/radioiowa/2007/04/clinton_edwards.html)

13. Chicago Tribune blogs, "Barack Obama: NIU Shootings call for action," February 15, 2008, (http://blogs.trb.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/barack_obama_comments_on_shoot.html)

14. Barack Obama campaign website: "As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment . . ." (http://www.barackobama.com/issues/urbanpolicy/#crime-and-law-enforcement.)

15. Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes (http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Barack_Obama_Gun_Control.htm and http://www.ontheissues.org/IL_2004_Senate_3rd.htm) Oct 21, 2004.

16. Illinois Senate, May 16, 2003, HB 2579, vote 34.

17. United States Senate vote 245, September 29, 2005 and vote 2, January 31, 2006 and Saddleback Forum, August 16, 2008.

18. Illinois Senate Judiciary Committee, March 13, 2003. To see the vote tally go to: http://www.nrapvf.org/Media/pdf/sb1195_obama.pdf.

Paul (Shlomo) Helinski
GunsAmerica
Where America Buys and Sells Guns.
http://www.gunsamerica.com

The way I look at it, my Constitutional Rights outweigh my balance on my savings account. My 401k will bounce back, it did after 1987 and it will this time. I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about Barack Obama, a liberal who would take away my gun rights in a second if he gets the chance.

Over the years it seems that rubs are one piece of buck sign that most deer hunters mis diagnose when scouting. I'm not sure why, perhaps they haven't taken the time to really educate their self on the different types of rubs. I've even heard old Grizzled deer hunters call deer scraps "rubs" and deer rubs "scrapes".

I hope to shed some light on the different types of buck rubs and the timeline you'll likely see these rubs.

Late Summer Buck Rubs

Starting in late August through September in most parts of the country, you'll start finding rubs on small bushes and saplings. In my area, the Sumac, Pine and Cedar are favored bushes that bucks rub on.

Bucks rub on these saplings at this time of the year to help remove the velvet from their antlers. In fact, it's not uncommon to find these bushes with pieces of velvet still on them.

I've never seen a buck come back to these rubs on a routine basis. For them, these are simply a tool to remove velvet. They simply tell you that a buck, or bucks, have passed by and rubbed velvet off. Nothing to see here folks, just keep moving.

Pre Rut Buck Rubs

I was once told by an Old Timer that bucks rub on trees to mark their paths. Ummm....okay. I have a small problem with that theory. Bucks live in their little patch of woods year round, why do they need trail markers just for the fall? How would they find their trail at other times of the year? I've never bout that piece of advice personally.

The type of rubs I find during the hunting season leading up to the rut are what I call the Pre Rut Buck Rubs. These are rubs bucks make going to and from bedding and feeding areas. You'll likely find many along deer trails.

Look for trees in your area that are very fragrant when the bark is peeled back. Sumac (called Shoe-Makes in my neck of the woods), Cedar and Pine are all favorites of bucks around here. Bucks love to rub trees like these. My theory of why bucks prefer these trees is that it's possible the thick sap holds scent from their glands for a longer period of time. I believe these rubs are bucks letting other bucks know they're in the area. Marking their territory so to speak. Kinda like your dog walking the perimeter of your yard and peeing on ever little bush it comes to.

It's been my experience that bucks will make clusters of these rubs near their bedding area. Once you get outside of their bedding area, you'll start to see rubs spaced apart along a trail. You can sometimes tell when and what time a buck made the rubs by looking at which side of the tree the rub is on.

If the rubbed part of the tree is facing the feeding area, it's likely this rub was made by a buck on his way back to his bed. That's generally in the Mornings.

On the other hand, if you find the bare part of a rub facing the thicker bedding area, it's likely the buck made the rub in the afternoon or evening as he is heading to the feeding area.

In big woods areas, I've also found these types of rubs between Doe groups. I can generally find these along ridgelines or along remove waterways such as creek beds.

Sign Post Rubs

Nothing, and I mean nothing, screams "Big Buck" like a sign post rub.

I don't think that there is another piece of buck sign, other than a sighting, that will tell you that you're dealing with a He Man of a buck.

I've heard several theories of why big bucks make sign post rubs. But in my opinion, they're made to tell all other bucks to "stay clear, The Boss lives here."

The buck that makes these rubs may rub smaller trees, and generally does. But I've never seen a smaller buck make a sign post rub.

I generally find sign post rubs near a bucks bedding area. When I find one, I start paying real close attention to the surrounding area and on which side of the tree the rub is. It's not uncommon to find a sign post rub that has been rubbed entirely around the tree.

Most sign post rubs I've seen have been on trees 2 inches in diameter and larger. The largest one I've ever seen was on a Cedar tree back in the sticks in Eastern Oklahoma. The tree was nearly 4 inches in diameter.

If you find an area that has fresh sign post rubs and dead trees from previous years rubs, you've found the Mother Load. This tells you the buck has lived here for at least two years.

Deer Hunting Tactics For Rubs

I've known hunters who found a few rubs on small bushes early in the year and hunt the entire season over those rubs. Like I said earlier, those early season rubs don't amount to anything other than getting rid of some velvet.

The rubs you really want to concentrate are the ones made in the Pre Rut. These are the ones that Bucks will generally follow, simply because they make them along their paths.

Here's a hot deer hunting tip for you. When looking over trails, look parallel on both sides of the trails for buck rubs. The reason why is that some smart old bucks will not travel down the same trail as does and smaller bucks, but will travel parallel downwind. If a Buck is paralleling a deer trail, I generally find it around 50 to 70 yards on either side of the main trail. Smart old bucks know it's not wise to walk down just any old trail in the Fall!

If I find one or more sign post rub, then I try to back off just a ways along the route I think the buck is coming into or exiting his bedding area. I pick a spot where I have favorable wind. Many times, I'll only be able to hunt this stand a few time during the season. The buck picks his bedding area because of the benefits to him, not because it's easy for you to set a stand up on him!

Hunting Rubs During the Rut

During the rut, everything is off. By this time, if I haven't killed a Buck, I'm switching tactics and hunting the Does. If a Buck is with a Doe, he's not worried about making rubs and scrapes.

If he's an older Buck but hasn't found a Doe yet, he's traveling looking for Does, making and checking scrapes and looking for Does. Generally he doesn't have the time nor desire to make rubs.

In my opinion, hunting bucks along rub line during the Rut is low priority for me. The bucks are either going to be with the Does or traveling between the Doe groups.  (although they may follow trails that have rubs along them when traveling between Doe groups)

So get out there and look for those Pre-Season buck rubs. They'll likely point out where your buck is traveling. Now all you need to do is find the best spot to take him in!

Hi Everyone.

I would just like to warn gun owners and especially hunters to NOT BUY a movie on the rack at Wal-Mart this week called "The Iron Giant" for your kids. It looks like a great movie and overall it actually is, but it demonizes deer hunters and guns in general. It is THE WORST I have seen to date. The focus on the gun and say "guns kill" over and over again. The whole point of the movie is that the robot doesn't want to be a gun.

If you don't want to be surprized by a movie you innocently bought for your kids, avoid it, really. They could have introduced the concept of death to the big robot any number of ways, but the Hollywood elitists chose to use deer hunters.

These hypocrite trained monkeys probably went to lunch at Arbys everyday to eat a cow that someone else killed for them, WITHOUT A GUN.

Blech blech blech why can't these idiots understand that America has real problems, and none of them have to do with hunters or guns.

-ga

Thanks GA.  Now you know what NOT to buy your kids! I have to admit, I never heard of the movie. But now that I have, I'll leave The Iron Giant on the shelf before I would bring garbage like that home to my daughter.

Don

Regulations were expanded this Summer to allow bear hunting in 13 additional Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). These include parts of Broome, Chenango, Tioga, Tompkins, Cortland, Otsego, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming, Genesee, Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Yates, Steuben, Schuyler, Madison, Onondaga and Oneida.

From what I understand, New York Deer Hunters will now be able to kill a black bear on the same Big Game tag they use for deer hunting.

A map showing the boundries and dates is available by clicking here -> New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The regulations open bear hunting in WMUs 7M, 7R, 7S, 8H, 8J, 8M, 8N, 8P, 8R, 8S, 9G and 9H to black bear hunting for the bowhunting, regular and muzzleloading seasons. Season dates for these units will be the same as those in place for adjacent units already open to bear hunting in the Allegany bear hunting area, with bowhunting season starting on Oct. 18, and regular firearms bear season beginning Nov. 22 which is one week later than the firearms deer season opener.

WMU 4N will also be open to black bear hunting but the dates will be the same as the Catskill bear hunting area with bowhunting season starting on Oct. 18 and regular firearms bear season beginning Nov. 15.

Successful bear hunters must report their kill by calling 866-GAMERPT (866-426-3778) or through DEC's new online reporting system. (sorry, I couldn't find the url for the reporting system - Don)

buck fever

I think it's safe to say that most of us have had to deal with Buck Fever at one time or another. But as most of us know, it's how you deal with buck fever that will decide whether or not you go home with a deer or not.

Buck Fever is the condition that comes over a Hunter when they have an opportunity to take a deer. The deer may be right beneath their tree stand or 100 yards away. For many hunters, the sight of any legal deer puts them into an uncontrollable jerky convulsions. Hitting a deer at any range under these conditions is pure luck.

Even the best of us get buck fever. It's how you deal with it that counts.

Here are 5 tips for dealing with Buck Fever.

1. Get out and see deer. For people who never see a deer except during deer season, the sight of a legal deer within range can send them over the edge. Get out and watch deer. Go to a game farm if you must, but get out and see deer. Not only will it help with Buck Fever, but you might also become familiar with the body characteristics of Bucks and Does.
2. Control your breathing and thoughts. When you see a legal deer, focus on controlling your breathing. Nice deep breaths and slow exhales. Whatever you do, don't hold your breath! Also, don't freak out and start thinking "Oh my God, there's a deer, I better shoot quick before he/she is gone". Concentrate on making the shot. Focus on a spot. Count backwards if you have to in order to get your mind off the deer. Anything that will help you focus on making the shot.
3. Visualize yourself making a successful shot. I often sit in my stand and visualize myself making a successful shot on a deer. Even when I'm not in the stand, I'm thinking about making a good shot on a deer. See yourself remaining calm, cool and collective. Visualize yourself easing your weapon up and getting a good sight picture and focusing on a small area. Visualization can be very important in controlling Buck Fever.
4. Practice, Practice and then Practice more. It was three years of bowhunting before I took my first deer with archery equipment. The previous two years I had many opportunities, but failed for many reasons. On year three, the second weekend of the Season I had three Does come through the brush near my stand. I'd spent all Summer practicing with my bow. That year I had switched from shooting with sights to instinctive shooting. I never gave it much thought, but one thing I realized when that Doe was at 15 yards was that I was going to drill her. I couldn't explain it, but I KNEW without a doubt where that arrow was going. Practice with your weapon until you know it intimately. Practice builds confidence. Confidence in knowing you can hit what you're aiming at goes a long ways in settling your nerves.
5. Hunt small game. For many Hunters, deer hunting may be the only time when they have an opportunity to shoot anything. Buy a 22 rifle if you don't have one or take your bow and get out in the woods and hunt small game. Squirrels, rabbits or even varmits. It doesn't matter. The same dynamics that go into putting a deer on the ground are the same that goes into putting small game on the ground. Sight picture, control your breathing, steady aim, squeeze the trigger. When you can consistently take Squirrels at 40 and 50 yards with a 22, you'll be ahead in your deer hunting game. And who knows, you might find that deer hunting hotspot you've been looking for.

I've learned to control my Buck Fever until after the shot. That's when the shakes will hit me hard. My right leg gets short circuited and starts thumping like it has a mind all its own. There's no shame in getting Buck Fever. But you need to work at controlling it until after the shot. Then you can shake so hard that you knock all the leaves off the surrounding trees!

Gun hunters for Texas Whitetails, Mule Deer and Exotics have until either September 4th or the 18th, depending on which one you apply for.

The deadline for Private Lands Texas Permit Deer Hunts is September 4th.

Application for Feral Hog Permit Hunts on Texas Public Land is November 4, 2008.

The application deadline for the Texas Guided Deer Hunts is October 2, 2008. Unlike many other hunts, there is a $10 application fee and there is no permit fee. Most of the other Texas public land hunts will cost you a $3 application fee and either a $75 or $125 permit fee if drawn.

The Texas Gun Mule Deer permit deadline is September 18th with a $3 application fee and a $125 permit fee if drawn.

In the Texas Private Lands Management Buck hunts, the deadline is Sept 4th. The application fee is $10 and there is no permit fee if drawn.

There are other categories to choose from, so don't delay. You don't have much time if you want to get your name into the hat for one of these coveted Texas Whitetail Deer Hunts. You can see all the hunts that are availiable, the application fees, permit fees and deadline dates by downloading this 2008-2009 Texas Public Land Permit Hunt Guide.

Good luck and if you're successful, send a photo and tell us the story behind it. I just might put it on the blog!

Hunting Clothes

You want to know a secret? You don't have to have the latest designer Camo to kill a deer! Yeah, shocking hunh!

Hunters in the Northeast have been killing deer for eons wearing nothing but Grey wool pants and the traditional black and green pattern wool coats. Some even wear the black and red plaid coats.

Any dull colored clothing will work fine as long as you're comfortable in it and it's quiet. Olive drab military surplus clothes work great. You can generally find the Military camo patterns available also. The Desert Camo is great for late season bow hunting. I would avoid wearing any brown or white colors during the Gun season though. Expect to pay less than $100 for true Military Surplus clothing (the stuff that has actually been used!)

You can also browse your local Wal-Mart store for hunting clothes. I scored several years ago on a green fleece jacket with huge pockets. Perfect for the way I hunt plus it's warm. I don't have a problem saving money on hunting clothes, I don't care who the retailer is.

Hunting Boots

Any good leather or rubber/leather boot will work for deer hunting. I've seen guys out in the woods with tennis shoes on, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Personally, I would buy a pair of boots just for deer hunting so they could be put back and kept clean.

In bow season and Muzzleloader season, I'll wear either the $15 a pair rubber boots from Wal-Mart or any other discount retailer. Good Ole Black PVC rubber boots are cheap. These rubber hunting boots will keep your feet dry if you hunt in wet areas. They're also very good and keeping your scent off the ground, which is why I use them during bow season.

They'll even work well in cold weather if you'll buy a size larger and layer your socks. I've used one pair of Cotton socks on first followed by a thick wool sock. Works wonders for keeping your feet warm.

Don't get the sock and boots too tight. A tight fit will cut the circulation off to your feet and they'll get cold, not matter how many layers you have.

I will tell you that you should not scrimp on your hunting boots if you can avoid it. If you have feet that get cold easy or have sensitive feet, pay the money and get you a good hunting boot.

When I'm not wearing the old cheapo rubber boots, I have a pair of LL Bean Maine Hunting Boots. Leather tops with rubber bottoms. In my opinion, one of the finest hunting boots on the market. They keep my feet dry, they're durable and I leave minimum scent walking in. I think my pair was around $95 and worth every penny.

Deer Scents, Calls, Etc.

Okay, for you new people to deer hunting, here's another secret I'm going to let out of the bag. You don't need all the scents and deer calls on the market to kill a deer! In fact, you don't need any! Yeah, I know what the marketing departments of the big companies all say, but don't listen to them. They're just trying to sell you deer scent and deer calls.

In fact, if you don't know how to use calls or scents, they can hurt your hunting more than help. Learn how to hunt deer without the gadgets. When can kill a deer on a routine basis without using calls and scents, then you'll be ready for them. Calls and scents are nothing more than an aid to deer hunting. Any as I just mentioned, in the wrong hands they'll hurt you more than help. You'll not get that many chances, so take advantage of every one you get.

Leave the calls on scents on the rack until you're a little more experienced.

Archery Hunting Equipment

Don't start out thinking you need the latest whiz-bang-wammy-mammy bow in order to kill a deer. You don't.

If you're not experienced in archery, I would strongly suggest that you stop by your local archery shop to buy your first set up. Tell them you're on a very limited budget and you just need a reliable bow set and arrows. Expect to pay around $200 for a bow set up for hunting and about $75 for arrows, field points and broadheads.

It's important for first timers to get help from experienced archers. Generally you'll find helpful staff in a bow shop, however from time to time you'll find the self adsorbed jerks there also. If you're jerk - snooty meter goes off when the guy or gal opens their mouth, leave and go elsewhere. You'll eventually find a shop staff member that is helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Life to short to deal with cocky bow shop staffers!

If the store owner tries to sell you some 3,4,5 or $600 bow, go elsewhere, they're worried about their profit rather than seeing you're outfitted well.

Also, don't go buy a bow setup from a catalog or a discount store then take it to a bow shop and expect them to give you help. Some will, but most won't. Can you blame them? They way they look at it is that their bows may be slightly higher than Wal-Mart or one of the big Outdoor retailers, but you're getting personalized service and helpful customer service when you buy from them. Don't be surprised if you ask for help and they tell you to go back where you bought it from for help. Something to keep in mind when buying a bow.

Don't get caught up in the "Speed Kills" marketing hype. I believe this was a marketing buzz word put out by the Bow manufacturers many years ago to sell new bows. The funny thing is, I was just browsing Bass Pro's Archery offerings and looking at all the bow speeds. Most of those $500 to $600 bows are shooting in the 300-325fps range.

I can remember back when I bought my Darton Viper over 15 years ago. There were many bows on the market then that would shoot carbon arrows in the 300+ fps range. The main thing that has changed over the years is that the bows have become shorter and lighter. I'm not convinced that a shorter and lighter bow is worth $500 to $800. But hey, it's your money!

Treestands

If you're not experienced in using treestands, it's best to just leave them be. There are far too many hunters getting permanently hurt every year from falling out of treestands or having accidents while putting them up. Find someone to help you and who will show you how to use one or leave them alone for now.

If on the other hand you do have experience with treestands, then I'd suggest buying a new one. I've bought several used ones that have had problems. Better to get a new one that the manufacturer will stand behind. You'll also likely get a free harness as well. Use it!

You have several types of stands to choose from; Hang On, Ladder, Tripod, Tower or Climbing. I started out using Loc-On stands that had the plywood platforms and the chains. Geez, talk about dating myself! Now that I'm older, I look for comfort and the stands that do that for me are the Ladder stands and Tripods. However they are not a good choice for a person who wants to be mobile.

If you plan on hunting public land, you'd be wise to invest in a lock. Those treestands have a tendancy to walk away when you're not around.

If you choose a hang-on type stand, you'll be able to choose how to get your stand and yourself up the tree. Screw in steps, strap on steps or climbing sticks/ladders. Obviously the screw-in type steps and the strap on steps are the lightest and easiest to carry. Climbing sticks and ladders can add not only expense, but weight as well.

Good quality hang-on type treestands can be had for under $125 and many are beneath $100.

Blackpowder Rifles

A good blackpowder rifle will run you less than $200. I'd suggest your first blackpowder deer hunting rifle be a .50 caliber rifle that will accept 209 shotgun primers as the ignition source. CVA and Traditions both have rifles like this for under $200.

A scope would be nice if you can swing it, if not, don't sweat it. Save your money and buy one later.

If you know what you're looking at, Pawn Shops can be a great source for good muzzleloaders and most can be had for a song.

I'd recommend trying several of the .50 caliber bullets on the market. Hornady, Thompson Center and others put out quality bullets for muzzleloaders. Next, I'd start with Pyrodex or Triple Seven pellets. They're easy to use and come in 50 grain increments. In most rifles, two pellets will be all you need.

The pellets are pricey, but for the ease of use and the speed in reloading, they're worth the price in my book. (not to mention you don't need a powder measure!)

If you live in a State or region that only allows Shotguns or Muzzleloaders, then it might be worth your while to get a good flat shooting muzzle loader. I'd much prefer a flat shooting muzzleloader over a Shotgun. Check out my review of the MDM Buckwacka muzzleloader for a flat shooting, hard hitting muzzleloader.

Spend some time at the range with your new muzzleloader. Follow the directions for cleaning your gun. If you're going to hunt with muzzleloaders, you'd better learn how to clean and care for them properly. Even the modern blackpowder rifles need to be kept clean in order to work properly.

Deer Hunting Rifles

This will probably be your biggest expense when you start deer hunting. (if you choose to hunt with a modern rifle)

Here again, you don't need a $800 or $1000 deer rifle to kill deer. A $150 Marlin or Winchester you bought at a Pawn Shop will do the job just as well. There are many used deer rifles on the market that are just waiting to get taken out in the woods. Here is a list of 7 used deer rifles I'd recommend.

Pawn Shops can be a great source for good rifles at discount prices. If you're on a tight budget, plan to spend less than $200. You can even find some great military surplus rifles that will be more than adequate for deer hunting.

Here's an article you can read if you're just beginning deer hunting and looking for a rifle cartridge. 5 rifle cartridges for the beginning deer hunter.

Gun shows are also another source for good bargains, especially late in the day on the last day of the show. The remaining vendors will be looking to sell some inventory before packing up. You'll also find people walking the isles with For Sale signs on their guns. Cash talks so take it with you and leave the plastic behind. You'd be surprised at how a wad of green will get a Gun dealer to come down off the price of a gun!

If you don't know much about guns, then it would be in your best interest to find a local gun shop and buy your first deer rifle there. Just as with bow shop owners, if you run across jerks who happens to own a gun shop, move on.

A good gun shop owner will help you pick your first rifle and accessories. They'll also help you keep it under your budget.

Just like with the blackpowder rifles, grab you several different brands of ammo. Find what shoots best in your rifle.

Cabela's sells bulk ammo for several popular calibers like .270, .308, 30-06 and 30-30. It's 100 rounds and comes in a waterproof ammo box.

If you really want to go cheap, learn to reload. You can reload on the cheap by grabbing you a reloading manual and a Lee Classic Reloading Kit along with some powder, primers and bullets (follow the instructions in the Reloading Manual and Lee Reloader set to a "T")

The Lee Classic Reloader Kit comes for many popular calibers and the kit sells for about $20. If you have several rifle or pistol calibers you'd like to load for, then look at the Lee Hand Press reloading kit at around $35. It uses standard dies so you can switch from caliber to caliber. A reloading manual will cost you about $15 to $25 depending on which one you go for.

If you're really on a budget or live in one of the Midwest states that prohibit rifles, then break out your Shotgun. There are many choices when deer hunting with a shotgun. You may have a Shotgun like a Mossberg or Remington where you can exchange the smooth barrel for a rifled barrel. Or a barrel with rifle sights on it. So don't feel left out if you can't afford a rifle or live in an area where rifles are not allowed. If you can use a Shotgun, grab it and run to the range. Try out several different brands at 25 and 50 yards to see which one shoots best. You can then move back further and further until you reach 100 yards. That's just about maximum for most Shotguns with slugs.

Summary

So there you have it. Let's go over what we have.

• Hunting Outfit(s) bought at Military Surplus or Discount Store - $100
• Boots - $20 for cheapo's or $125 for better quality
• Deer Scents and Calls - $0
• Bow set, Arrows and Broadheads - $275
• BlackPowder Rifle and Accessories - $300
• Modern Rifle or Shotgun - $200

See, getting started in Deer hunting doesn't have to cost an arm and leg. Many times we get caught up with keeping up with the Jones' thinking we have to have the latest and greatest gear. If you can afford it and it makes you happy, know yourself out. On the other hand, if you want to get into the sport of deer hunting and don't have a lot of money, this is how it's done.

Good Luck and share some of your hunts with budget gear with me. You can even send me a picture, maybe I'll post it and share the story with other deer hunters here!

Now, back to ranting.

You know what is missing in the Olympics nearly every year? More Medal winners in the Archery and Shooting events!

I mean, c'mon, are we not a "Nation of Riflemen"? Don't you think that a Nation of Riflemen could produce Olympians who could bring home Medals from the Olympics in the Shooting and Archery fields?

I'm looking over one of today's (day 4) Shooting event, the Men's 50 Meter Pistol and the nearest U.S. competitor is #14.

All is not lost, there are several more competitions coming up. There is still the Women's 50 meter Standard Rifle, Women's 25 meter Sport Pistol, Men's 50 meter Free Rifle Prone, Men's 25 meter Rapid Fire Pistol and the Men's 50 meter Free Rifle 3 Position. I'm hoping we can at least get one of those Medals!

Archery isn't much better when it comes down to the Olympics. Geez, does anyone shoot targets any more? Where are all these so called Hot Shot 3D Tournament shooters when you need them? Apparently shooting one of those big ole Round targets is harder than shooting foam animals.

Can anyone remember the last time we won a Medal in either sport? Seems like I remember us winning one at Atlanta in the Shooting Sports, but I could be wrong.

You want to know why we don't have more Medal winners in the Outdoor Sports like Archery and Shooting?

Money

Plain ole greedy Money.

For some reason, the TV Networks and the Olympic Committee do not consider Archery and Shooting as a huge money-pulling crowd pleaser. So they only air the "pretty" competitions like Swimming, Gymnastics, Tennis and Volleyball.

Don't get me wrong, I like the Beach Volleyball and Swimming,  but I'd rather be watching our Men and Women beating the world in Shooting events and Archery!

But the Networks will never cover it because the crowds would get restless! Plus, it's not Politically Correct to show the Shooting and Archery sports in a positive light.

You know another reason we don't have the Olympians in the shooting sports like the Countries of Belarus, China and Korea? (can anyone find Belarus on a Globe)?

Because our Olympians are not supported by the U.S. Government.

 In countries like China, Cuba and others, the government of those countries support the athletes (and their families in many cases) while they train and compete.

Not so here in the U.S.

Not only do they support them financially, but most of these countries also provide them the best equipment and trainers money can buy.

Our athletes must support their self if they hope to compete.

Sure, there are corporate sponsors and private donations. There's also some fundraising. But all this still takes energy away from training.

By the way, just a ADD side-note here...isn't it ironic that some of the more successful countries with successful Shooting programs in the Olympics are also some that have the strictest gun laws? ie; China, Japan, Korea...

Now don't get me wrong, I really love all our Men and Women who are competing for our country. I love watching the Swimming Team kick the Frenchy French's butts the other night after the French said they would "crush the Americans". Yeah, how well did that work out for ya Frenchy?

And two of the proudest moments that I was an American came when the underdog U.S Hockey Team beat the Russians in Hockey and when Kerri Strugg stuck that one legged landing in Women's Gymnastics to beat the Russians in Atlanta. As it turned out, they would have won anyway, but at the time it was so close that it was thought that Kerri had to do well in order for the Women to take home the Gold.  Hell, some of the toughest and roughest Rednecks I knew had tears of pride after watching that.

I also know our Men and Women in the Shooting and Archery sports are dedicated and athletes every bit as much as anyone on any other Olympic team.

But I still feel more could be done.

For one thing, all of us should contribute something to the U.S. Shooting Team or U.S. Archery teams.

But Corporate and Private sponsors need to really step up to help our athletes out. I just looked at the Sponsors page on the U.S. Shooting Team's website and was shocked that I didn't find Corporate sponsors like Cabela's, Bass Pro, Remington, Savage Arms, Wal-Mart and many other Corporations who make money by selling Sporting Goods. Perhaps as Consumers we need to let these companies know we expect them to support our Shooting athletes as well?

The TV Networks could also help out by giving the Shooting and Archery competitions some freakin' airtime!

Okay, I really need to wrap this up because I'm only getting more and more upset thinking about it!

We can all do our part as U.S. Citizens by donating to the U.S. Shooting Team by clicking here. The U.S. Archery Team has made it easy to donate simply by going to their site and clicking on the Golden Bag before you head off to do your online shopping. When you do that, a portion of your online purchases will go back to the U.S. Archery Team.

UPDATE: About an hour after I posted this, I read where the American Shooter Glen Eller took Gold in the Men's Double Trap! Now that's what I'm talking about, we need more Glen Ellers! Also, American Jeff Holguin finished 4th behind China's Binyuen Hu. Looks like Jeff missed the Bronze by 2 points! Congratulations to these American Shooting Olympians!

UPDATE: 8/16/2008 - Just to bring you up to date, here are a few more Olympic Medal winners in Shooting.

Vincent Hancock won Men's Gold Medal in Skeet (125 targets)

Matt Emmons won a Silver Medal for Men's 50 meter Free Rilfe Prone (60 shots)

Kimberly Rhode won a Silver Medal in Women's Skeet (75 targets)

Congratulation to all our American Shooters in the Beijing Olympics.

It's been said that the 30-30 Winchester has killed more Deer than any other cartridge. I'd have to agree with that statement. Even today, I'm betting more Deer fall every Deer season to this 103 year old round than any other.

History of the Winchester 30-30

The 30-30 Winchester started life as the 30 WCF in 1895. Shortly after, Marlin chambered the round in its lever action rifle but didn't want the name "Winchester" on its rifles, so they called it the 30-30. The name stuck.

It was first chambered in the Winchester model 1894.

The 30-30 was the first small bore centerfire round to use smokeless powder. History tells us some guy named Teddy Roosevelt was an avid hunter and owned one of the first 30-30's to come out of the factory.

Teddy use the "thutty thutty" to down an Antelope buck at 220 yards with a 160 grain bullet.

"In the fall of 1896 I spent a fortnight on the range with the ranch wagon. I was using for the first time one of the then new small-caliber, smokeless-powder rifles, a .30-30-160 Winchester. I had a half-jacketed bullet, the butt being cased in hard metal, while the nose was of pure lead."

"They were starting as I raised my rifle, but the trajectory is very flat with the small-bore smokeless-powder weapons, and taking a coarse front sight I fired at a young buck which stood broadside to me. There was no smoke, and as the band raced away I saw him sag backward, the ball having broken his hip."

"As we stood over him, Joe shook his head, and said, 'I guess that little .30-30 is the ace' and I told him I guess so too."

Isn't it ironic that Teddy and the people of that day considered the 30-30 Winchester a flat shooting rifle? I guess compared to a 45-75 with black powder, it would be! (Teddy's favorite 'American' rifle was a Winchester 1876 chambered for the 45-75)

The Modern 30-30 Winchester Rifle

Why has the 30-30 become the most popular round in America? In my opinion, there are a few reasons.

For one thing, the rifles that are chambered for the 30-30 are inexpensive when compared to other rifles chambered for other rounds. It's not uncommon to find a Model 94 Winchester or Marlin 336 in good shape at a Pawn Shop for under $200. These guns are capable of producing acceptable accuracy for deer hunting out to 100 yards or more with a little practice.

My longest shot with a 30-30 was right at 150 yards and I've know a couple others who taken deer past that range. Not that this would be my first choice for those ranges, nearly all the deer I've killed with the 30-30 have been under 100 yards, but in the right hands, it can be an effective round.

Ammo for the 30-30 is generally a few bucks (no pun intended) cheaper than other ammo as well.

The light recoil of rifles chambered for the 30-30 Winchester make them desirable for new Hunters, Women and those who only shoot a rifle a few times a year not to mention those Hunters that are sensitive to recoil.
Finally, the round itself is a solid round. I think it's safe to say the 30-30 Winchester has probably taken everything that walks North America.

The Marlin 336

For my money, I love the feel and handling of the Marlin 336's. My Dad actually bought a Glennfield Model 30A (basically the same as a Marlin 336 but with a shortened magazine) in 1967 to hunt Mule Deer in New Mexico around Chalma. The pictures that he and my Uncle have of the Mulies they killed out there make me drool even today. I'm in most of those pictures, a little two year old cowboy sitting on his knee beaming as if I'd shot those bucks myself! You'll see the Glennfield in those pictures as well.

Today, I own that same rifle. It was the rifle I took my first deer with, a Doe that field dressed 94 lbs. Since then, I've put more than a few deer on the ground with that rifle. Most with open sights. It has only been the last 5 years or so that I mounted a scope on it. The scope does take away some of the rifles quick handling, but it more than makes up for it in improved accuracy.

My Winchester Model 94 Experiences

I have a confession to make about the Model 94 Winchester Rifle. I don't particularly care for them! I much prefer the Marlins over the 94.

My experience with the Model 94 is limited. I've only owned two of the rifles and found both lacking for my needs.

For starters, you couldn't put a scope over the receiver on older Models and the new ones still need the see through mounts to function properly.

Second, I hated the straight stock. It's not nearly as comfortable in my hands as the pistol gripped Marlin.

Next, I hated those freakin' buckhorn sights!

Last but not least, I hated the way the action opens up at the top. There were times when I've be in the tree stand and it would be raining and I'd see drops dripping down on top of the receiver. It used to drive me nuts! I'd then be twisting and turning trying to keep that rifle from getting water in the receiver.

I doubt it would have affected the performance of the rifle, but it drove me crazy thinking about it. All I had to do with the Marlins were turn it right side down on my lap and I didn't have to worry about water getting into the receiver. At least, not where I could see it.

The great gun writer Sam Fadala actually has an entire book on the Winchester Model 94 and the 30-30 Winchester. I recommend anyone thinking about buying a rifle to read it. It's called Winchester's 30-30: Model 94, The Rifle America Loves

Is the 30-30 Winchester Adequate for Deer?

Well, millions of dead Deer are proof that the 30-30 is more than adequate for any Deer that walks this planet.

The 150 and 170 Grain bullets carry enough punch to do a Deer in at ranges out to around 200 yards. Personally, if I knew there would be a chance of a shot like that, I'd use the 170 grain bullet or the new Hornady LeveRevolution.

Speaking of the new Hornady LeveRevolution's, I've never used these rounds. But from what I'm gathering from Hunters in the fields and on the message boards, these rounds are everything they have been touted to be. Flat shooting and hard hitting.

For those of you who haven't heard about the LeveRevolution, they are a polymer spire pointed bullet designed to be used in tubular magazines. The tip is soft and collapses. Hornady and a few Gun Writers have been reporting exceptional accuracy out to 250 yards with these new rounds.

I would never classify the Thutty Thutty as an Elk or Grizzly Bear round, but they have fallen to the 30-30. I've read stories about some Black Bear guides in Canada who prefer the 30-30 over a shotgun because of the quick handling characteristics and short range stopping energy of the 170 grain bullet.

Hunters using the Winchester 30-30 have several choices when it comes to ammo.

Remington offers the 125 grain Accelerator and most ammo manufacturers offer both the 150 and 170 grain factory loads. I've always preferred the 170 grain offerings over the 150 grainers. Don't ask me why, I just prefer the heavier bullet.

For several years, I used the Remington 170 grain hollow points. These were deadly Deer takers! I stopped using them when I shot a large 8 point at about 80 yards. I later found the fragmented bullet on the far front leg, a few inches above the "elbow", where it had broken the bone. I wasn't crazy about finding pieces of my bullet even if it had went through the buck and busted his leg on the far side. I went back to the 170 grain soft nosed bullets.

Many so called "Professional Gun Writers" over the years have put down the little Thutty Thutty, saying things like it wasn't adequate out past 75 yards, that it wasn't accurate enough for deer hunting, etc. It was obvious that they had never shot a 30-30 or had just borrowed one in order to write an article.

I have a theory of why blunt tipped bullets in rounds like the 30-30 Winchester kill deer better than what many Gun Writers would like.

I believe that a blunt tipped bullet, be it a round nose or flat nose, delivers more of its kinetic energy upon impact than spire tipped bullets. Even the poly tipped bullets have to penetrate a certain depth before the start expanding and delivering their load of kinetic energy. Truth be known, many of spire pointed bullets use up the majority of their kinetic energy in the dirt on the other side of the animal.

Blunt tipped bullets are also known to penetrate deep. Couple this with the shock due to the sudden impact of a blunt tipped bullet and you have a recipe for a quick kill on a game animal.

Whether you contemplating buying a rifle for a first time hunter, or buying a rifle for yourself, don't count out the Winchester 30-30 and the Rifles it is chambered for. They're perfect for the first time hunter or the Old Fart who just wants a lighter hunting rifle. Put a quality scope on the top of the rifle and you'll have a life long rifle that will bring home the Venison if the shooter does their job!