Tips and Tricks for Hunting Predators at Night

Tips and Tricks for Hunting Predators at Night

Hunting predators is a great way to shake up your favorite hobby, but they tend to come out at night. When the sun goes down, hunting gets a lot more difficult. From daylight scouting to using predator lights, here are some tips and tricks for hunting predators at night.

Safety First

Predators can see better than you in the dark, so you need to have safety on your mind when you head out into the night. Start by hunting in places you’re familiar with so that you know various routes to and from the site. Additionally, practice the strictest gun safety—handling lethal weapons in the dark is nothing to mess with.

Scout in Daylight

Use daylight to your advantage. Either show up to the hunt site a few hours before the sun sets or scout the area a few days beforehand. No matter what, make sure you know what the location looks like when it’s light out before trying your hand at night navigation. Keep an eye out for transition areas and clearings, thinking like a predator to figure out where they’re most likely to be.

Use Calls

Daytime and nighttime calls work very similarly. You can kick things off with rabbit-in-distress calls and move on to more aggressive calls as the night goes on. We recommend picking up a lightweight mouth-blown call—this will work well day or night and won’t run out of batteries.

You’ll need to spend a little time figuring out how to get the best calls out of them, but you won’t regret the purchase once you’ve mastered the skill.

Light ‘Em Up

The toughest part of night hunting is the darkness. Thankfully, there are tons of excellent options to light up the night and spot your prey. Your best bet isn’t to look for the outline of a coyote but rather to scan the area for their reflecting eyes. Eyeshine is easy to spot and hard for an animal to hide—plus, you can see eyeshine from greater distances than the outline of your prey.

Now that you know these tips and tricks for hunting predators at night, get ready for a successful trip, no matter how dark it is.

10 Tips for New Hunters

Like every other new adventure hunting, shotgunning or ranging comes with its share of expectations, assumption, and challenges. But you sure do not intend to set out hunting without having a clear picture of what to expect. These 10 tips for new hunters is a sure must-have guide before making the first move.

Gaming is an interesting past time or profession for so many across the world. From Europe to the Americas, Asia and the continent of Africa hunting has provided a source income or sports – leisure for many. In many cultures, hunting is a tradition and the first kill is a rite of passage. But getting that first kill could be an enormous task for the even the best sportsmen or hunters.

Now, let’s explore these 10 tips for new hunters to help you hone your skills.

  1. Learn from others

You can never take the value out of working with a veteran when it comes to bowhunting or rifle season. Hunting goes beyond just targeting an animal for the kill. It is a skill. And working with an experienced hand helps you tap from their wealth of experience. It helps you understand the conditions of the environment, timing, species and best moves to make when hunting. An experienced hand understands the terrain, the tools, and techniques to survive that terrain. It always pays to start hunting experiences with a team for exposure and safety.

  1. Get a hunting license

Whether an occasional hunter, sports lover or pursuing a profession in hunting it pays to get licensed. There are laws governing hunting in most states. And law enforcement officials can ask for your permit at any time in the wild. Of course, this is not the case in some areas with relaxed laws on hunting but be sure before you head out. Your guide should be in a position to advise you. Also, keep your license in a safe, sealed bag plus read the hunting regulation properly.

  1. Get the Right Tools

Acquiring the right tool is vital to your success as a hunter.  However, you must also know how to use the tool. Whatever hunting tool, bow or rifle you are to use for hunting must align with your body, stature, and nature of hunting. The environment or location can also determine the tools to use as well as regulations.

Bows must align based on the game, draw weight and length to succeed. Your weapon should feel comfortable to hold and draw or aim without much movement. For instance, using field point arrowheads would be considered illegal in most territories. It could cause minimal injury to the game leaving it to an agonizing death even if it escapes. But broad-point arrowheads can give a broader cut and better for achieving your overall goal.

  1. Get your bag pack

Besides the shooting equipment, there are other tools to aid a successful shooting experience when game hunting. You need items such as camouflage, hunting gear, and clothes, body odor concealer, safety harness, bow hanger, hunting shoes, etc. consider the weather, do you need rain gear? Take something to keep warm for yourself and other family members if going in a group.

Do not forget to carry enough water for the length of time you intend spending, hours or days. Carry enough food, snacks, & jerky. Also, throw in some treats to keep it exciting while waiting for the kill.

  1. Practice!

Practice increases your chances of success. Though there is nothing as good as going afield. But you need to have a clear understanding of your weapon, how it works and how to use it effectively. You could also practice in the field with an experienced guide. Practice shooting with shotguns, rifles, crossbows, bows, to avoid becoming a security risk to yourself and others.

Practicing should be over a lengthy period of time and not a one-off thing. Even experienced hands still need to practice or hone their skills. Part of your training includes reading books, online guides like the huge resources you would find on this website and more. There are also programs on television on hunting trends and news.

  1. Plan your day

Don’t start your day without revising your plan. Yes, I assume you had your plan laid out before embarking on the journey? It would be disastrous if you didn’t. Because if you forgot anything due to not planning ahead, men, it might turn out a huge waste of time!

An experienced hunter or veteran understands the need to gear up and ensure his team is ready physically and psychologically for the big day. So, check your emotions, be prepared! What likely physical or mental constraints do you experience and how can you mitigate them now? For newbies, the tendency is to be fidgety and lose composure. At this point, set milestones; create small achievable scenarios based on your shooting experience. Start with smaller milestones to reduce the chances of failure. Don’t jump at big opportunities immediately as sudden failures can dampen your spirit. If you are in a team, let every member of the team know the plan and mode of operations.

Keep your bow hanger screwed to a tree as you cannot carry your hunting materials all through. It is a time-consuming exercise and you need the freedom to aim and take a shot. Also, remember to wear your hunting camo, clothes, gloves and face mask. Some animals such as the deer can pick your body odor from afar so make use of cover scents to mask the odor.

  1. Taking your first shot

The first shot is very important while hunting. Scout your intended location adequately. Be sure your location works well for hunting your prey. Do not focus on a location that is ideal for you but what gets you geared up for success – strategic location; excellent shot!

Aiming or siting a bow for a kill is a skill and it takes a lot of practice to get it right. That practice you should have done for long hours and days before the ‘D’ day. Learn to adjust your view to your shooting range. Patience is a virtue when it comes to hunting. Look at the patterns you create whenever targeting a prey, it will help you get better shots. Take advantage of the wind when trying to take a shot but look for where sensitive organs are before shooting.

Depends on your training and strategy you can opt for either the traditional or mechanical arrow release strategy but get it right. Traditional shooting involves holding the arrows to the bowstring until the release time. All the while you keep your eyes locked on the target – take aim. Mechanical involves using a release aid to set off or trigger the bow. A lot of hunters make use of the mechanical bow release aid today. The mechanical is a lot easier to use.

Be relaxed, exhale or hold your breathe on the release to avoid panic and ensure sturdiness when making the release. Calculate the distance before attempting. Use your gaming skill and check for clearance.

  1. Patience!

Hunting is not like playing a game of car racing. It is not like a one-meter dash, it is about the destination. It is about your ultimate goal and you don’t want to get there too soon or too late. And that means, attacking before or after the game arrives. Just because you sight a game does not mean it’s time to take a shot, wait for the perfect timing and angle.

  1. Safety first

The security of your team plus those within the environment should be a major focus for you. Also, ensure your firearm and bows are in order. Do not shoot or fire aimlessly to avoid accidents. Always ensure your body or rifle is on safe mode by staying off the trigger or lowering when not in use. Only fire when the target is within range.

  1. Keep Memories

Always keeps precious memories of each milestone set and achieved as you would need them. Snap as many photos as possible, celebrate yourself and achievement.

Being a successful newbie hunter is not about the size of the animal but the smile that erupts after the first kill. Your first kill, your first prize! Getting every other prize afterward comes with continuous practice, reading, learning and mentoring. You also need to understand that every environment and species comes with their peculiarities when hunting. You must get more information about an environment and their games before launching out. Please leave a comment or share this article with friends if you find it helpful. Happy gaming!

10 Must-Have Hunting Bow Accessories

10 Must-Have Hunting Bow Accessories
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Getting a hunting bow is the starting point of getting started for hunting expeditions. Practicing with the bow will increase the hunter’s efficiency and help him develop better skills. However, the bow if properly accessorized can provide drastic improvements in user experience and results. There is plenty of hunting bow accessories available in the market. Few accessories are essential while others are sophisticated which will be needed only by advanced shooters. There are some must-have accessories which every shooter should have to have better experience with the bow. The article provides an insight into some of the must-have accessories for the hunting bows.

Must-Have Accessories

 Some of the must-have hunting bow accessories which improve the performance of the hunting bow and hunting results are as follows:

Arrow Rests

The arrow rest holds the arrow and guides it safely out of the bow when it is fired. They also contribute towards increasing the accuracy. The drop away arrow rest is popular among shooters. It helps to hold the arrow securely till the bowstring is released. The containment arrow rest fully covers the arrow and holds it in place for shooting.

Bow Sights

Bow sights are mounted on the top of the bow. It helps the shooter to get better visual of the target and determining where the arrow is headed. There are different types of bow sights in the market and selecting the appropriate one depends on the requirements of the hunter. Most of the shooters prefer single-pin bow sights over multiple pin sights as one is not required to remember the range set for each pin.

Bow Quivers

Bow quivers are case which holds the arrows. The quivers are of different types some can be attached to the bow while others can be kept on the ground for retrieving the arrows. The quiver helps the shooters to readily access arrows for follow up shooting. The type of quivers to be used depends on the requirements and personal preferences of the shooter.

Silencers

Quieter bows are preferred by hunters as it has stealth element and helps greatly improve the hunting results. The silencers help in reducing the noise and vibration of the bow and aids in increasing the accuracy.

Stabilizers

Bow stabilizers provide balance to the bow and helps keep it steady after the arrow has been shot. It increases the accuracy of the bow. They add weight to the front of the bow and balances the weight when arrow is shot. The stabilizer also helps absorb shocks on the bow and reduce vibrations which results in improved accuracy.

Targets

Targets are a must buy accessory as they help provide practice to the user for target shooting. The targets can be sack target and block targets. Sack targets are more commonly used. It is sturdy and can take number of arrow shots. Block targets are made of foam and are easy to carry around due to their lightweight. It is easier to remove arrows from them even with broadheads.

Archery Release

Shooting with fingers takes a lot of practice and is also strenuous for the fingers. Archery release can provide comfort and ease to the shooters and is highly recommended. There are two types of archery releases- wrist release and hand-held release. Wrist release are the most common and are attached to the wrist while the thumb is used to release the arrow. The hand-held release offers more control and better trigger mechanism. These are more expensive and easier to use compared to the wrist release

Broadheads 

Broadheads minimize arrow deviation and increases the accuracy. Broadheads are of two types- fixed blade and mechanical blade. The fixed blade broadheads are recommended for hunters with slow shooting speed. The mechanical blade holds larger blades that are ideal for hunting thick-skinned animals. Using the mechanical blade, the hunter needs to strategically select the target properly as the penetration is lesser due to sharp-edged and angled entry.

Nocking Points

The nocking point provides the shooter with a constant place on the bow to nock the arrow. It ensures consistency in shooting and the arrow has a better chance of meeting its target. It also helps to protect the bow hand against injury from the arrow fletching.

 

Bow Case

A good quality bow case can help protect the hunting bow. It can be useful in transporting the bow and protect it from travel and weather element. The bow case can be either soft case or hard case. A hard case with internal padding is recommended to ensure better protection for the bow.

 

Conclusion

 Buying proper accessories for the hunting bow enhances its effectiveness. It also provides a better shooting experience of the hunters and thus gives better hunting results. The above-mentioned hunting bow accessories will help the hunters get started and develop over time.

 

About author

I am Frank, as a professional writer in the blog for outdoor, fashion, technologies, pets, foods, beauty, toys and much more. From early of my starting studying life I started to feel well for writing and reading. No matter what happens, I start to write for my blog and online business. I feel good when I had written the articles or blog about something, now the writing is my passion. Visit Atbuz.com For more information.

6 Reasons Why a Laser Rangefinder is an Archer’s Best Friend

6 Reasons Why a Laser Rangefinder is an Archer’s Best Friend

6 reasons why a laser rangefinder is an archer’s best friend
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Shooting an arrow right-on-point towards targets require a huge amount of skills, such as the ability to keep the body still and the art of aiming.

The ability to shoot an arrow accurately is the ultimate goal for most archers, and one of the huge reasons on whether we can have a successful hunt. Today, the tool to allow you to easily assess the distance of your target is by using a rangefinder. As you go deeper into the woods to hunt, a rangefinder would no doubt be one of the most useful assets. Remember to bring your GPS along with you so that you remain safe and still enjoy a good hunting experience.

There are many rangefinders such as using RADAR, LIDAR, SONAR and Ultrasonic. However, we would mainly talk about laser rangefinders here because they are the most common ones used. Therefore, here are 6 reasons why you must have a laser rangefinder.

Reason 1: Increase your chances in making a clean shot

A laser rangefinder would give you pinpoint accuracy, showing you the distance between you and the target. However, the measurement would be valid only if the shot is made in a straight-line. You can find a laser rangefinder equipped with angle compensators to mitigate this problem.

Having a laser rangefinder mounter on your bow and learning how to use it can eliminate unnecessary movement and the need to guess the distance between you and your targets. This allows you to pay attention on selecting the right moment to release your arrow.

Furthermore, a rangefinder will keep your shots sufficiently and consistently precise to be centered over the target’s vital parts. Other than not wanting to miss your target, every hunter with integrity wants to make a clean shot to avoid tracking of a wounded animal. With better aim, it would translate to less time spent on following the injured animal’s blood trail, and it allows you to kill it in a more humane way.

Reason 2: Defy Gravity

If you are shooting arrows over any distance, gravity pulls the arrow towards the ground the moment they are shot. The longer the distance to reach the target, the longer the drop.

Since bowhunters usually shoot from elevated positions, it would involve high angle shots. High angle shots will usually render you to shoot over targets because gravity will not act on the entire arrow, but only on horizontal portions of the range, between the archer and the target.

While shooting at high angles, you can make corrections by using simple trigonometry, while many rangefinders would help you calculate the True Ballistic Range (TBR), taking into account the angle you are shooting from. A laser rangefinder would definitely be your best companion when you hunt in canyons, on mountains or any terrains that has slopes

Reason 3: Understand your terrain better

Preparation can increase your chances significantly for a successful hunt. Having a laser rangefinder can help you effectively scout the location of your hunting ground. You can familiarize yourself on where the elk would habitually enter and exit, while getting a range for each of them. When you take the shot, you are already familiar with the distance between you and the target.

Also, it would also be fun to explore the environment around you! A rangefinder can increase your awareness of the terrain around you, giving you an idea of how you can hunt better.

Reason 4: Prevent anything from blocking your target

The rangefinder can detect objects that would get in the way of your shot. This would save you a lot of trouble because hitting an item blocking you could potentially cause the target to move away. However, with a rangefinder, you can try different positions, ensuring that you get a clear shot.

However, this function is only present in certain rangefinders. Hence, if you are an enthusiastic bowhunter, keep an eye out for rangefinders that display your shot clearance.

Reason 5: Convenient to Travel with

After packing all your necessary gears, you will find that the size of the gear you pick would be important. It is advisable to have a rangefinder that can fit into your pocket, making easy for you to hold and use it.

Nowadays, rangefinders have become smaller in size and lighter in weight. Monocular rangefinders can replace your binoculars too, providing the function of magnification and determining the distance between you and the target. With this rangefinder, you do not need to tug around between two different units for getting a clearer vision.

In extreme weather, some rangefinders that come with nitrogen filled lens can prevent fogging and are waterproof. Most rangefinders are made from rugged materials that can sustain physical abuse. This shows you why a rangefinder is the perfect travel companion!

Reason 6: Having all the functions you need in one device

With a cutting-edge rangefinder, it would give you a range to the target, automatically input all of the environmental conditions and some are even capable of connecting with the wind meter via Bluetooth connection.

Nowadays, some rangefinders have ballistic software which are necessary for long-range shooting. It can also automatically calculate the shot angle, making sure that you won’t miss a shot! With these functions, it would significantly increase your performance in several areas including speed and accuracy.

Conclusion

A rangefinder is a very useful hunting tool which significantly increase your success rate in shooting your target. With a wide selection of rangefinders to choose from, you can choose which of the function you want to forgo. For example, you can forgo the angle compensator if you do not hunt from a treestand. If you like to hunt in the open fields, you do not need a rangefinder that can pick out secondary objects. Make sure you carefully consider your hunting conditions before picking a laser rangefinder!

Buying Guide: Best Scope Mounts

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It is very important that you ensure that rifles work as intended.  Owning am expensive rifle does not guaranty accurate shots. Proper quality firearm accessories play a massive role into ensuring that you weapon can give its 100% every time, there are few accessories more vital and essential to a gun than a scope mount.

Today I am posting a guest article to introduce you to the best scope mounts in the opinion of the guest author.

Benefits to using a scope mount:

Let’s start with the most primary benefit which is to actually lock and hold scope in place. A scope doesn’t come in design that lets it attach to the gun itself. So, you obviously need a mount to do that.

With a mount, the scope is securely locked inside the rings of the mount. This keeps the device put in one place no matter how to move and maneuver.

Buying Guide: best scope mounts!

1. Type of scope mount

There are many different types of scope mounts out there in use today. And the most popular choices are either a weaver style mount or a picatinny style mount.

A weaver style mount is the new craze. It has flat rails that have vertical slots and are used with Weaver style rings. These rails run under the rings and click into the crosswise slots in the bases. This is what prevents movement from recoil. A picatinny style mount is pretty identical to weaver style, except is has wider slots.

2. Material

Most scope mounts today are made out of aluminum. But steel mounts are also still in use. For a learner or beginner, we recommend aluminum mounts which is far more lightweight and inexpensive.

Best scope mounts reviews

Modkin High Profile Scope Mount

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The first mount to make it to our list of the best scope mounts is dedicated to everyone out there who is looking for a good quality mount without having to burn a hole through their wallet: the High Profile Scope Mount from Modkin.

The Modkin High Profile Scope Mount is made for scopes with a 1-inch tube diameter on a for picatinny or weaver rail that is of 20mm in size. What’s nice about this scope mount is that it features a hollowed out design between the sbest cope ring and the bottom of the base. This makes releasing super easy and yet, makes for a very tight attachment.

Speaking of which, this mount has just 1 rail clamp screw and 1 scope clamp screw on each side. All you have to do detach it is twist off the nut and you are good! And to ensure that the scope does not scratch or slide due to the impact for the shot fired from the weapon, the Modkin High Profile Scope Mount has a built-in tape in the scope ring. This keeps the scope nice and put even during hard recoil. A great plus for shooters who have 0 seconds to play around with adjusting the scope after a shot. One other thing we really like is that the scope is just 2.1 inch from the rail of your weapon. This makes re-targeting so much easier and quicker. Apart from these, it weighs less than 1.5 ounces and is made from decent quality aluminum alloy. Pretty neat for price.

Speaking of which, who doesn’t love a good deal? The Modkin High Profile Scope Mount comes in a set of 2. That’s twice the value!

Pros:

  • Easy to attach and detach
  • Built-in tape; prevents scratching and sliding
  • Close to the rail
  • Set of 2
  • Includes wrench

Cons:

  • Loosens after a few shots; single screw

Lirisy Dovetail Scope Mount Rings

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If you liked the value-packed nature of our first pick for the best scope mount, but are still looking for something a little more reliable, then look no further than the Lirisy Dovetail Scope Mount Rings.

The Lirisy Dovetail Scope Mount Rings, like the Modkin High Profile Scope Mount, come in a set of 2. Woohoo! This ring however is hands down a little more robust than the former.

The Lirisy Dovetail Scope Mount Ring is made for 11mmdovetail rails for a 1-inch diameter scope. Made out of high quality aluminum, has a 14mm profile and features a tape inside the ring to prevent scratches on your scope as well as hold it tight.

Speaking of which, unlike many mounts which have 1 screw on each side, this scope mount goes on to over 4 screws!

This obviously makes for a more securely held scope with minimal shifting or sliding after shots.

Pros:

  • Very secured and put; 4 screws
  • Built-in tape; prevents scratching and sliding
  • Close to the rail
  • Set of 2
  • Includes wrench

Cons:

  • Poorly designed threads
  • Takes a while to attach and detach

Final words

And that was everything you need to about picking out the best scope mounts! We have put together everything from a comprehensive buying guide to FAQs. But most importantly, we introduced you to detailed review of 5 of the best scope mounts so that you get a better understanding and insight of what goes into making a winner product.
With that, it’s wrap! We hope you found everything you were looking for. Thank you for staying with us. Adios!