GO-DEVIL Is It Worth It

Let me put it this way if you don't have a Go-Devil you don't know what you’re missing. Last year our outboard slung a rod. We figure we could get a new motor for less than it would cost to fix the other. My dad talked to one of his friends who had wanted to get rid of his Go-Devil because he was getting out of duck hunting. My dad made him an offer and after some shucking and jiving we bought the motor. After we took the motor home and put it on our boat we went hunting. After we hunted for a couple of hours in the morning we decided to test out the motor. I don't know how we ever duck hunted without one. We used to look at water hyacinth as a road block when we had an outboard, but now it's like a piece of trash on the road we just run right over it. Remember that Go Devils are not made for speed so they are not going to be as fast as an outboard, but it is well worth the loss in speed.

tag: go devil, mud motors, duck hunting

Camping Trip

Last weekend, me, clay crusher, and two of our friends went camping in the woods near Cairo, GA. The weather was supposed to be 30 degrees in the morning and 70 degrees in the afternoon. So we brought clothes for warm and cold weather, all of our .22 rifles, and a bunch of food. The first thing we did was went squirrel hunting. We got out to the campsite a little bit late so we did not see any squirrels. We were walking back from squirrel hunting and we went by a cow field where my friend’s dog, Seven, tried to get into the field and heard the cows (he is an Australian Sheppard). It was really cool to watch.

That night, it got pretty cold. I was sleeping and when I woke up I could not feel the tip of my nose or toes. We got up and made these awesome crescent role things on a stick and ate bacon, sausage, and eggs with them. After that we packed up and left to go on the Lion’s Club Pheasant shoot. We got there around 12:30 and ate a really good lunch. Then we went into a field and shot some pheasants. The shoot was a blast and after the shoot they had drawings for door prizes. The two things I wanted were both won by the same person. We got our pheasants and left to have a fun time for the rest of the weekend.

Beretta Xtrema2

I picked up my Beretta Xtrema2 this weekend. I decided to save $200.00 by getting the non-kickoff model. I took it to the range Sunday and shot a few rounds of sporting clays with it. It performed without a problem. It swings wonderfully and has hardly any kick. All five of the chokes pattern extremely well.

I bought mine at Chuck's Gun and Pawn in Warner Robins, Georgia. They have really good prices and a lot of inventory so I suggest you go check them out.

tag: beretta, xtrema2, low recoil, chucks gun and pawn, beretta xtrema2

5 Ways To Make Your Hunt Safer

One of the most important parts of hunting is safety. Here are five ways to keep you and your hunting party safe.

Tip #1 I didn't know it was loaded
You should always treat a gun as if it is loaded. Most people get hurt when they are playing around with a gun that they think is not loaded and it is.


Tip #2 Marco
Always I repeat always know where the other members in your hunting party are. For example Dick Cheney was not aware of where Harry Whittington was, and look how that turned out.

Tip #3 What is it
It is also very important to always be sure of what you are shooting at. One of the most careless mistakes that people make while deer hunting is shooting at any thing that moves. Countless people have shot a friend, sibling, or even a complete stranger all because they didn't see what they were shooting at.

Tip #4 I can see the orange
While quail or deer hunting you should always wear an orange vest. Not only because it is the law, but because it can keep you alive.

Tip #5 OH NO
Whenever you use a climbing stand always wear a safety harness. Last month I read an article in a magazine about a guy who fell out of a tree stand and now he is paralyzed. If he had been wearing a safety harness he would probably still be able to walk.

The Pre-rut of Deer Season

The Pre-rut
The Pre-rut of deer season usually starts a couple of months before rifle season. This is the time of year when deer are preparing to mate. This is also when the bucks start peeling the velvet off of their antlers, fighting for dominance, and making scrapes. The dominant bucks move around constantly this time of year so it is almost impossible to track their movements.

Hunting Bucks during the Pre-rut
During the Pre-rut, do not try to pattern them because they go somewhere different every day. Bucks can gain up to 100 lbs. during the Pre-rut, so how do they gain all of this weight. Bucks eat a lot of food during Pre-rut so the best place to hunt is over a food plot or a natural food source. The deer also make their mating calls this time of year. So a good deer call that can do a buck grunt and a doe bleat is the right call to use.

Filler Up

Intro
I have had the privilege of going on three very good dove shoots this year. All of the fields had something in common that seemed to really attract the birds and no it was not bait. All of the fields were extremely clean. I have observed through my hunting trips that birds like clean feeding areas, so I am going to tell you how to have a clean field.

Burn Baby Burn
Before the season starts you should burn off the fields you plan to hunt. It is always wise the harrow around the fields before burning them off. After you burn off the field you should keep it mowed until the season starts.

I Spy With My Little Eye
You should always scout out you fields before hunting to see what time the birds are coming and how many are coming. When you have found out their pattern is it is time to shoot them.

tag: dove hunting, fields, preparation of fields, dove

Dove Hunting 101

Preparing to hunt

Dove hunting is one of the most unpredictable types of hunting there is so you need to be prepared. During winter in south Georgia, it can be anywhere from 50 to 80 degrees in the afternoon, so I always bring a jacket. There is no telling how many birds you will see. Every time I go into the field I take at least four or five boxes of shells. If you have a really big appetite like me, bring a snack and some water into the field with you. There is nothing worse than being thirsty in a dove field. Decoys help bring a lot of dove in so don't forget one when going on a dove hunt. Always bring the appropriate camflauge depending on what kind of field you are in. Oh yeah, it is a good idea to bring a gun too.

The hunt

Dove hunting is one of the most exciting things I have ever done in my life. If you prepared properly then it can be exciting for you too. When it is cloudy, the dove come in constantly throughout the afternoon. If it is a good shoot, you will get action all day long. My personal favorite is a sunny day. Usually the birds come in at anytime from 3:00 to 4:30 and come in heavily until nightfall. I might have to wait an hour or so but it is worth the wait. On days like this I like to bring a portable radio out and listen to the Georgia Bulldogs play football.

Tips for hunting dove

1. If you think you know where the birds are going to come in, try to get to that spot before anyone else

2. Never try to aim at the birds, looking back and forth from the bead to the bird causes you to miss. Put your cheek firmly on the stock and see the shot before you shoot it.

3. If you have a bird down while a lot of other birds are coming in, use surroundings to mark the bird and get it later.

4. If two birds come over you at the same time, shoot the bird farthest back so you do not have to stop your swing to shoot the next bird.

5. If more than three birds come to you at the same time, just pick one out and shoot it. From personal experience, shooting in the middle of them never works.

6. If you want to keep your money, don't break the law. Just follow the rules.

7. A person's life is way more important than a bird. Be safe when you go hunting.

8. If you know a child who wants to go hunting, take them out and introduce them to the outdoors.

9. When a bird is coming to you, stay still, dove are color blind and see motion a whole lot better than most other animals.

10. No matter how the outcome of the hunt is, always have fun.