How To Create a Home Shooting Range on Your Property

How To Create a Home Shooting Range on Your Property

If you like to shoot guns, odds are you have been to a shooting range at some point. They are fun places to go where you can hone your skills while still getting the rush of adrenaline that comes with using a gun. However, sometimes you want to do that at your home. Here’s how to create a home shooting range on your property.

Clear a Space

It’s essential that there’s nothing in the way of you and your target at your shooting range. If you have a lot of land, this can be a difficult task since you potentially need to clear massive amounts of trees and brush. This process can be made simple with the help of a skid steer brush cutter.

After creating the spot where you want to do some shooting, you will have a much easier time putting in anything else you need for your range.

Put in Proper Safety Measures

It may be your property, but you should still ensure that you do everything safely. You can begin shooting after you have made sure you follow the gun laws in your state as they pertain to ranges. Also, you need to make sure you have all the necessary safety components. For example, your range requires a backstop to make sure no bullets go anywhere they shouldn’t.

You need to obtain proper safety gear for your shooting range as well. This includes ear and eye projection, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and numbers to call in case of an emergency. If you’re not safe and responsible on your range, you shouldn’t have a shooting range.

Get the Correct Targets

After you have everything together and you’re ready to shoot, you realize you need something to shoot. The standard item that you will see in any shooting range is a paper target, but you want to get something a little special for your range. Of course, shooting at cans is always fun, but you can also shoot at two-liter soda bottles, watermelons, and other items that might have some interesting reactions when hitting them. In addition, you can find other reactive targets, such as target trees, flapper targets, or even plate racks. Any of these will help keep you entertained and help you sharpen your skills.

You need to make your shooting range properly to ensure safety. Once you know how to create a home shooting range on your property and do it right, everyone will be coming to your place to shoot.

The Top 3 Animals That You Can Hunt at Night

The Top 3 Animals That You Can Hunt at Night

Daytime hunters have it easy. It isn’t too difficult to spot the critters you’re after with light on your side. However, you might feel bored without some variation during hunting after a while. If you want to spice up your hunting season, read on to learn the top three animals that you can hunt at night.

Wild Hogs

Hogs can be some of the biggest nuisance animals out there, and many states know how important it is to keep the hog population under control. In many places, there are wild hogs to hunt nearby. Additionally, nighttime is actually the best time to seek out hogs since they feed under the cover of darkness.

Your best bet for hunting hogs is to set up camp near wallowing holes and look for other signs of the animals.

Deer

While you’re probably used to hunting deer during the day, nothing makes an old standard more exciting than turning out the lights. Most deer are more active around sunrise and sunset, so you may even have more luck than normal when you set out to find them at night!

However, hunting deer at night is no easy task. Deer have excellent night vision and sharp hearing, so you’ll need to take steps to avoid ending up spotted. A tree stand is a great move to keep you out of sight so that you can get off the perfect shot.

Bobcats

Bobcats are the only predator on this list, so remember that you need to employ additional safety precautions when hunting them down. Bring some friends along—when you corner a predator, you never know how aggressively they’ll respond. However, if you want to accept the challenge, there are plenty of ways to draw out your prey. Calling bobcats is tricky but not impossible.

Head to abundant water sources and keep your eye on areas of heavy cover to pick out your target.

Now that you know the top three animals that you can hunt at night, brush up on your gun safety, grab a few buddies, and wait until dark!

Tips for Loading Your Car for a Camping Trip

Tips for Loading Your Car for a Camping Trip

Camping trips are a great way to enjoy the outdoors while spending time with loved ones. You always want your trip to have as few complications as possible while still having fun. To ensure that you have everything you need and that your trip is organized, you will need to load your car in a specific way.

Pack Ahead of Time

It’s always a good idea to pack items before the day of the trip. The items you pack ahead of time should be items that you don’t plan on using until the trip, so any fishing equipment, clothes, or food you think to pack will help you prepare. Load your car for a camping trip at least three nights before leaving, so the day of the trip, you’ll only need to get dressed and double-check that you have everything.

Set Up Gear Before You Leave

If you have any gear that needs to be set up for the trip, such as a fishing rod or foldable chairs, you’ll want to set those up before leaving so you don’t waste time constructing them on the campsite. Setting up beforehand will also help with packing since you will know how much space will be necessary for this item.

Utilize the Roof Rack

Using roof racks is a great way to pack for any excursion when loading your car for a camping trip. You’ll want to put most of your bulkier items on the roof rack to leave space for more minor or moderate-sized things. Roof racks come with an assortment of different systems with a variety of straps and bars that you can use to keep your baggage secure.

Use Soft Packs

Softer items such as clothes, backpacks, duffel bags, and sleeping bags are easier to pack. Delicate items are usually lighter and easier to carry and maneuver. You can tightly pack multiple soft items when necessary to fit more luggage than metal tins or plastic storage containers.

Keep Heavy Gear Secure

Place heavier gear more towards the front when packing it in the trunk and near the middle when packing on the roof or the floor of the rear passenger seats. When the car stops, you don’t want your heavy gear to roll forward suddenly and crush something or nudge the vehicle, so keeping the equipment low and behind a seat will keep it secure. You also want to keep as much weight off the rear axle as possible to avoid any maintenance or speed trouble.

Preparedness is everything, especially when venturing into the outdoors. When you suitably pack your car, you will have a memorable trip without all the hassle.

The Different Types of Wildland Fires That Exist

The Different Types of Wildland Fires That Exist

Just like tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods, wildland fires are forces of nature that are difficult to control and almost impossible to prevent. But knowing the different types of wildland fires is essential in learning how to respond to this catastrophe. That way, you can prepare your community for a wildfire in case one ever comes your way.

Ground Fires

Also known as subsurface fire, ground fire involves the burning of organic material below the ground’s surface. Such a fire generally starts when subsurface fuels such as coal, peat, tree roots, and other organic matter ignite and start burning underground before eventually finding their way to the surface.

The depth of ground fires may depend on how deep the burning organic matter is, but ground fires are often very hard to control and extinguish because they’re not easy to locate. Since they may take more time to deal with, they’re known to burn for several months.

Surface Fires

As their name suggests, surface fires burn on the surface of the ground. They’re mainly caused by surface fuel, which may include dry leaves, twigs, low-lying vegetation, and litter. Depending on the conditions, surface fires can range from low to high intensity, but they’re unlikely to reach the top of the trees, generally remaining near the forest floor. Surface fires are known to spread slowly, but their spread can accelerate depending on the weather conditions or terrain. They’re known to spread especially rapidly in steeply sloped landscapes.

Crown Fires

Although it often starts as a surface fire, a wildland fire is only a crown fire if it reaches the tops of the trees. The volume, type, and arrangement of fuels from the forest’s surface can influence a crown fire. Crown fires are the most difficult type of wildland fire to control and suppress, since they’re typically the most intense type. This is because their height exposes them to a lot of wind, causing them to spread quite rapidly.

Naturally caused wildfires have been part of various ecosystems for centuries. They pose serious threats to not only wildlife but also human life and property. Multiple factors can influence the intensity of wildland fires and their potential to destroy and damage properties. This is why having a basic understanding of wildland fire movement and intensity—or what people refer to as fire behavior—is so important. This will help homeowners and builders not only evaluate fire hazards but also come up with ways to mitigate this risk. Once you can identify the different types of wildland fires, determining how to handle them will be easier.

Must Have Supplies for Your Emergency Survival Kit

Must Have Supplies for Your Emergency Survival Kit

After experiencing a global pandemic, we naturally understand the importance of being prepared for anything. Whether it be an emergency, a natural disaster, a pandemic, or another survival situation, it’s necessary to be ready to handle the unexpected. Here are the must-have supplies for your emergency survival kit.

First Aid Kit

First aid kits are the most standard supplies for emergency use. Everyone should keep these kits just about everywhere, from home, work, school, and anywhere in between. In case of accident or injury, first aid kits have all the necessities to care for injured individuals properly.

Radio

Radios are essential for your emergency survival kit, as they allow you to stay updated on weather and news. You’ll need to ensure you also have extra batteries for your radio in your kit to ensure it has the longest use possible. In situations like natural disasters, radios help know when and where the best evacuations routes are. They also provide updates on weather, search and rescue parties, and other relevant information.

Long-Term Food Supply

One of the most important things to have in your survival kit is a long-term food supply. In times of emergency, there’s no guarantee you will be able to go to the store to stock up on food. That’s why it’s imperative to build your own supply at home. There are essential items you will need for your food supply. Things like water, milk, vegetables, and fruit are great items to have.

Solar-Powered Lantern

In emergencies, especially natural disasters, you may not have electricity. A solar-powered lantern is a perfect solution. Having a dependable light source will allow you to see in the dark and at night. In addition, a solar-powered light will ensure that you will never run out of batteries.

Emergencies, natural disasters, pandemics, and other survival situations are bound to happen. It’s crucial that when they do, you are ready for them. Make sure you prepare the must-have supplies for your emergency survival kit, and you will be ready for anything.