SHOP HARD-- hunt hard. When it comes to enjoying the great outdoors, Americans are more "geared up" than ever.
The hunting and fishing industry pumps a couple hundred billion dollars annually into the United States' economy.
This industry delivers immense seasonal incomes to many rural communities, funds state fish and wildlife agencies via license sales and excise taxes on the sale of outdoor gear, creates more than a million jobs and protects habitat for all wildlife species.
Hunters and anglers today are America's foremost conservationists.
Some of us are old enough to recall the days before custom camouflage, scent reduction products, climbing tree-stands and laser rangefinders. A hunter typically had one shotgun and one or two rifles, including a .22 for potting squirrels and other small game.
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Today, though, is the era of specialization, with special seasons dedicated to special tools (muzzleloaders, crossbows, etc.). I'm waiting for the special early spear season for deer to be announced.
The dedicated--some may say "addicted"--outdoorsman often has a garage, basem*nt or both loaded with tools of the trade. So if there is a little more room in the gun safe, here are a few newer products that can help you close the deal on the buck, bird or bunny of your dreams.
RIFLES, SHOTGUNS AND MUZZLELOADERS
Nosler Model 48 Trophy Grade
Known for premium hunting bullets, Nosler manufactured its first Model 48 a couple of years ago and now offers this Trophy Grade edition. Chambered for nine calibers, short and long action, ranging from .270 Winchester to .325 Winchester Short Magnum, this rifle has a match-grade 24-inch barrel and an aluminum bedded Bell and Carlson composite stock. The entire rifle is protected with Cerakote and MicroSlick finishes to guard against corrosion and offer protection in harsh field environments.
Nosler guarantees sub-Minute-of-Angle three-shot groups at 100 yards.
Heavier-barreled versions weigh 7.5 pounds, with light-barreled models such as the .270 WSM weighing just 6.5 pounds.
I've always liked a rifle bolt action that's reasonably stiff, but smooth versus laborious. The M48 feels tight. Original, more expensive Model 48s used adjustable Timney triggers; the Trophy Grade edition uses a 3-pound Rifle Basix trigger that has similarly crisp characteristics.
The Trophy Grade costs $1,745 for short-action models and $1,895 for long-action; nosler.com.
Beretta A400 Xplor Unico
Beretta invested three years in development to create what it touts as the fastest shotgun in the world. At 6.5 pounds (with a 28-inch, ventilated-rib barrel) this semiauto 12-gauge is among the lightest shotguns capable of handling 3.5-inch Magnum shells. Beretta dubbed its integrated new gas system, rotating bolt-head lock-up and feeding system "Blink"--as in it cycles and shoots in a blink. The piston has a self-cleaning elastic scraper band that also functions as a gasket.
Its new aluminum-alloy receiver is a unique light green color. A walnut pistol-grip stock is treated with an X-tra Grain oil finish.
I think this gun will be at its best with lighter loads, but it can handle 3.5-inch shotshells.
It comes with three Optima-Choke HP tubes, new Micro-Core recoil pad and adjusting drop spacers. It has an MSRP of $1,625; beretta usa.com.
CVA Apex
CVA muzzleloaders have often been considered a "value" line--decent enough guns at affordable prices. CVA is steadily upping its game.
To ease cleaning, almost the entire CVA line has been retooled with easy-to-remove breech plugs. Its guns used to be nickel-plated. Today, everything is blued steel or 416 stainless steel.
The Apex is an interchangeable-barrel platform adaptable for a wide range of centerfire calibers and rimfires. In its .50-caliber stainless-steel muzzleloader variant, it carries a suggested price of $695.
The muzzleloader has a fluted 27-inch-long, 1:28-inch rate of twist Bergara barrel. The ambidextrous synthetic stock with rubber grip panels is available in either black or Realtree APG camouflage. The gun also has a reversible hammer spur (indispensable for safe shooting, especially in challenging field conditions), and a Quake Claw sling.
The muzzleloader version of the Apex weighs 8 pounds, while centerfire models are a lighter 7.5 pounds; cva.com.
Savage 220F Slug Gun
Slug guns are highly popular in this part of Virginia, where many localities prohibit high-power centerfire rifles. These 20-gauge bolt-action Savage shotguns are getting rave reviews locally.
Drilled and tapped for scope mounts and sporting Savage's trendsetting AccuTrigger, the gun is going to lay low lots of deer.
With souped-up new slug loads such as Remington's AccuTip Bonded Sabot Slugs or Federal's Barnes Expander Tipped Slug, a gun zeroed at a hundred yards can punch out about a 4-inch group at 200 yards with only a few inches of trajectory drop.
The gun costs about $510 in basic black and $570 camouflaged; savagearms .com.
Shotshells and Cartridges
Blackhorn 209 Muzzleloader Propellant
Hunters using modern muzzleloaders value reliable ignition and a gun that's easy to clean. Blackhorn 209, which debuted in 2008, is gaining fans. Some hunting associates of mine are rabid converts from Triple Seven and Pyrodex.
First, it's noncorrosive and requires no barrel swabbing between shots. A muzzleloader can be fired for weeks without cleaning. Barrel fouling doesn't attract water. Barrels clean with a couple of patches soaked in standard solvents.
Blackhorn 209 is loose powder versus pre-formed pellets. A 10-ounce bottle costs about $30; blackhorn 209.com.
Federal Prairie Storm and Black Cloud Snow Goose
Federal's Black Cloud waterfowl loads have earned lots of fans. A Flitecontrol wad that opens from the rear, and is designed to keep the shot load together farther downrange, increases pellets on target at considerable distance. The Flitestopper shot pellets have a unique design with a raised ring around the pellet that's designed to create deeper wound channels. Federal designed a new 3-inch 12-gauge Black Cloud load for long-range snow geese. By slightly cutting the load of BB or No. 2 shot, they achieve velocities of 1,625 feet per second. $25 a box.
Also new is Prairie Storm, a specialized load for pheasant hunters. It features the same technology, but the shotshell is first loaded with lead Flitestopper pellets and topped with copper-plated round shot. It comes in 2¾- or 3-inch loads in 4, 5 and 6 shot sizes. About $23 a box.
I think it would be interesting to see how these same loads would pattern and perform on turkeys; federal premium.com.
Hevi-13 Magnum Blend
These new turkey loads by Hevi-Shot come in 3- and 3.5-inch shotshells with shot sizes 5, 6 and 7. Hevi-Shot touts lethality "to near 80 yards" with these loads, but pattern with your gun to assess which distance offers an ethical shot. The 3.5-inch shell carries 2¼ ounces of shot. Comes five shells to a box; about $17; hevishot .com
Optics
Bushnell Legend HD Ultra Binoculars
These and the Nikon Monarch ATB binoculars were rated the best values in a field test of 10x42 roof-prism binoculars I recently conducted with a panel of judges. At $299, the Bushnells delivered solid low-light performance, clear images to the edges of the glass, easy handling and a superb extra with a support harness included in the purchase price. They have a permanent water-repellant coating and rubber armoring, and weigh 22.5 ounces.
The field of view at 1,000 yards is 340 feet. Available in black or Realtree AP finish; bushnell.com.
Burris SpeedBead
Designed for a number of popular shotguns and easy to install, the SpeedBead can help a shooter consistently mount the shotgun into exactly the same position for every shot. When it's properly sighted-in, wherever that red bead is in the field of view is where that shot pattern is going when the trigger is squeezed.
The product was introduced in 2009. Both the target and red dot remain in focus. Even if your shooting situation puts you in an awkward position, as sometimes occurs with turkey hunting, and your head isn't perfectly aligned on the stock, no worries. As long as that red bead is on that bird's wattles, when you squeeze the trigger the bird will tumble if it's in acceptable range.
The bead takes some practice, especially for wingshooting, but a friend on a recent dove hunt adjusted easily and was soon knocking them down regularly. Comes with a common CR-2032 five-year battery. $250; burrisoptics.com.
Trijicon AccuPoint Scope
This scope features advanced fiber optics and features that make it a good choice for all light conditions. During bright daylight, the standard crosshairs stand out in good contrast. In the earliest or waning hours of light, though, a green or amber dot glows at the center of the crosshairs. This really focuses your eye on the aiming point and leaves no mystery about where that bullet should hit.
There are no batteries to worry about. A manual brightness adjustment override lets you control the light output of the fiber optics during daylight. The scopes are made from aircraft-quality, hard-anodized aluminum and multi-layer coated lenses. The tube is nitrogen-filled to prevent corrosion and eliminate fogging. Water-resistant to a depth of 10 feet, it comes in a solid black matte finish. A 3x9-power scope with 40 mm objective sells for $815; trijicon.com.
other Stuff
Lead Sled Fire Control Xtreme
Zeroing firearms with moderate to heavy recoil is a pain in the, uh, arm. The sharp slamming of 30 or more pounds of energy into your shoulder as you squeeze the trigger creates a mental condition affecting later accuracy. The technical term for this is a "flinch."
Battenfield Technologies' original Lead Sled helped make range zeroing painless and precise. The sled captures recoil energy from firearms and transfers it through the frame to weights in the weight tray, eliminating up to 95 percent of felt recoil.
New and improved Lead Sled Fire Control Xtreme encompasses a control arm that is adjustable 360 degrees to precisely align with your scope's crosshairs while squeezing that trigger in a completely relaxed shooting posture. This device is indispensable in terms of zeroing a rifle as well as it can be. About $360; batten feldtechnologies.com
SharpNEasy 2 Step Ceramic Knife Sharpener
This lightweight tool has two sets of stationary ceramic rods (brown for coarse and white for fine) molded into the base. Over-molded rubber grips make for sure handling. $5; sharpneasy .com.
Sense and Scents
I've used deer lures and scent-control soaps and sprays for many years, impatiently preferring to influence the deer to an ambush site. I'm convinced they work. Too many bucks have come within shooting range to investigate a scent wick doused with estrus doe urine for me to think otherwise.
Using scent-control sprays for outer clothing and gear and wearing a base layer such as Medalist's SilverMax or similar product (about $60-$70 a set) can minimize alarming human scent in a deer's territory. These innovative base layers have pure silver fibers woven into the threads. These inhibit bacterial growth, neutralize ammonia and denatured proteins, and help you stay odor-free.
Once you've minimized your own scent, optimize the scents that'll pique deer curiosity.
Curiosity or food-type scents can work well in early deer season. Territorial scents, such as a buck's tarsal-gland aroma, can be productive from mid-October to the two-week period before the rut peaks. Then, switch to estrus doe scents.
For example, hunters can hang a loaded Wildlife Research Center Magnum Scrape-Dripper ($18) over a deer's (or manmade) scrape. Scrapes are territorial markers deer frequently check during the rut. Activated by the sun's warmth, the dripper releases scent and conditions deer to visit the scrape during hunting hours. Special Golden Estrus ($10 an ounce) is the company's favored estrus lure; wildlife .com.
On the higher-tech end, Code Blue's Drop Time Scent Dispenser ($31) is battery-powered and can be set to deliver scent at time intervals you choose. Code Blue's battery-operated Temptation Electronic Scent Warmer (also $31) actually heats deer urine to 100 degrees, releasing molecules and, apparently, making it smell fresh to wandering bucks. This helps on cold days when wicks or rags laced with scent freeze.
The prize for the most expensive bottled estrus doe urine goes to Code Blue's Standing Estrous, which costs $44 for about a jigger's worth. Collected from a single doe at the peak of its estrus cycle, it's supposedly the most potent rutting buck lure going; codebluescents .com.
Ken Perrotte can be reached at The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia Street, Fredericksburg, Va. 22401, by fax at 373-8455 or e-mail at
Email: outdoors@freelancestar.com.
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