Most hunters are aware of trail cameras, and how beneficial they can be when it comes to patterning the specific animal you are hunting. Trail cameras can also be used for surveillance and security of a home or business.
However, one of my favorite pass times involves using a trail camera to capture unique images in the wild. This is especially a great hobby that helps to carry me from one hunting season to the next.
I spoke with Pat Howard, chief camera operator of DLC Covert Scouting Cameras, and "the man" when it comes to getting some really awesome pictures. He has given me many useful tips to pass along. Here is what he had to say;
" 1.) Point the camera north to avoid sun issues. This is not a deal breaker as some of my favorite pictures have come from cameras pointed south east or west, but is a good rule of thumb.
2.) Be the camera. Try to see what the camera will see, paying close attention to the background. What will be in the picture is just as important as the critter you are after.
3.) WATER!! Almost all of my favorite pictures have some sort of water in them. Possibly a pond or creek crossing.
4.) Explore! Take a walk to find the most scenic spots on your property. Hang a camera and see what shows up.
5.) Challenge yourself! Set a camera to catch a specific animal. For example; I set a camera in a rock bluff setting the target species being a bobcat. After two weeks I was rewarded with the exact picture I was after in that particular setup.
6.) Have fun! Trail camming is a great hobby for the whole family. I like to call it "remote photography".
7.) A portable camera stand is worth it's weight in gold when chasing post card worthy photos."
I hope this article has been helpful. It really is a great hobby, and great to include children as well. Not only is it entertaining but also educational. Best of luck to you in capturing your own post card worthy photos.
By Allison O'Nan
A team of women hunters sharing our passion for the outdoors with other women. We share our hunting experiences, give tips & advice, field test & review products, and encourage women and children to take up hunting.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Vaportrail Pro V Limbdriver Product Review
A couple of years ago I was in the market for a new arrow
rest. I was currently using a whisker biscuit, and had been since I began bow
hunting in 2007. Whisker biscuits do have their benefits. They are known for
their reliability and leave little room for product failure. But after shooting
with them for a while they will begin to be less accurate due to wearing down.
You also do not get fletching clearance when shooting, so there is more
friction causing your arrow to fly slower. Some may not care about speed but I
prefer to have the highest speed possible since I am only pulling about 45 pounds
on my bow.
I went to my local archery shop and they recommended trying
the Pro V Limbdriver arrow rest by Vaportrail Archery. The Pro V is a drop away
style rest but it is fail safe due to its “V” shape. The arrow has nowhere to
go but into the “V” so you don’t have to worry about bumping the arrow off to
the side while drawing your bow. The arrow lies in the exact same spot each
time in the “V”, improving accuracy. (See picture)
Another thing I love about the Pro V is that after you shoot,
the “V” drops itself fast enough that you have 100% fletching clearance,
causing your arrow to fly more quickly. Plus you don’t have to worry about your
fletchings wearing down and having to refletch arrows often, like I often did
while using a whisker biscuit.
As a female bow hunter I highly recommend this product, especially
to women looking for a great bow hunting arrow rest. The Pro V is very accurate
and reliable and my groups have shrunk since I started using it. Vaportrail
Archery also won the Bowhunting World Reader’s Choice GOLD award for their Pro
V for 2014! It retails for about $129.99 and you can customize it with
different color options (including pink) and custom engraving. Check out Allison's:
Check it out on
the Vaportrail website here: http://www.vaportrailarchery.com/product/limbdriver-pro-v/
Andrea Haas
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
How To Fletch Arrows
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| My arrows, fletched with Bohning Blazer Vanes and leopard arrow wraps from Onestringer Archery |
The fletchings that come standard on some arrows are not always the colors that I want to hunt or shoot with. I like the fletchings to match the colors of my bow and strings, which is usually pink! The Arizona E-Z Fletch makes it very easy for me to customize my arrows with the colored fletchings that I choose.
First and foremost I want to make sure that my arrow fletchings are of high quality and don't just look pretty. Good looks will only get you so far! My fletchings of choice for bow hunting are the Blazer Vanes by Bohning Archery. I also like to use the Bohning Fletch-Tite glue. I have found that this combination works the best for me in regards to durability and arrow flight. I have had problems in the past with my fletchings flying off my arrows mid shot. I can say that this has not happened once since I switched to the Bohning vanes and glue!
To get started fletching I strip the current fletchings and remaining glue from my arrows using The Stripper (Also by Bohning.) This is a handy little tool to have and retails for only $16.29 on the Bohning website (www.bohning.com) It is recommended that you clean the arrow shaft with a white cloth and denatured alcohol for best adhesion.
My fletching tool of choice is the Arizona E-Z Fletch Mini, right helical. It works perfectly with the Bohning Blazer Vanes and lets you fletch your vanes with maximum helical. This allows for better arrow flight and is specifically designed for shooting tighter groups with broad heads.
Start by opening the arms of the fletching tool and placing the vanes into the slot of each arm. Run a light bead of glue on the entire length of each vane from top to bottom. Insert an arrow (nock down) into the hole at the base of the fletching arms and push down until the arrow is nocked and can no longer turn. You will then push up on the base of the fletching tool and spin it to the left until the arms close onto your arrow shaft. (See pictures). It will release the lock pin and evenly close the arms onto the arrow shaft so the vanes can adhere to the arrow. End by placing the top cap over the arrow shaft onto the fletching arms. Wait 2-3 minutes for the glue to set and you are ready to fletch your next arrow!
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Andrea Haas
Friday, April 4, 2014
Andrea's 2013 Turkey Hunt
Opening day of 2013 turkey season in Missouri had finally
come. On this hunt I let my friend Nikki tag along with me, her first ever
turkey hunt! (Yes our husbands stayed home in bed!) We got all of our gear
together & headed to my hunting property down the road.
The sun was starting to come up by the time we made it to
our property & turkeys were gobbling all around us so we hurried to get to
the blind. My blind was set up on the edge of a small pocket field in the woods
that the turkeys usually fly into off of the roost. As soon as we got set up 2
jakes flew down in front of us. I let them walk & once they were out of
sight I got my hen decoy set up about 20 yards in front of the blind.
I started calling & the toms answered immediately. We
could hear them all around us but only one got closer & closer each time I
called. Finally I look to my left and am able to see the tom making his way
towards the decoy, drumming and spitting the whole way. I got my shotgun ready
& just waited until he came close enough to shoot. Once I did Nikki and I
both jumped up & down and did a little happy dance (I admit this was a
total “girl” moment).
I was so excited & actually a little surprised that I
was able to call in such a nice tom. (He was 22 lbs and had 11.5” beard, 1 ¼”
spurs). This was my first time turkey hunting that I did 100% of the calling
and I really didn’t have much confidence in my turkey calling skills. It made
me even happier that Nikki got to have that experience on her first ever turkey
hunt. Even though she didn’t do the shooting she was just as excited as I was! The
Missouri turkey season opens this year on April 21st and I can’t
wait to take Nikki along with me again!
-Andrea Haas
Sweet Turkey Nuggets
Sweet Turkey Nuggets
2 skinless and boneless turkey breasts
1 cup of milk
1 egg
1 1/4 cups of flour
2 TBSP powdered sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Peanut or canola oil
In a medium bowl whisk the egg and stir in milk. Trim away any fat from turkey. Cube turkey into bite size pieces. Place turkey in milk mixture and cover. Let the turkey marinated for 2-4 hours in refrigerator. This will make the turkey tender. In a gallon size resealable bag combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper. Seal and shake.
Place about two inches of oil in a medium deep pot. Over medium high heat, heat oil until hot. Test oil by dropping a few drops of water into it. You want it to sizzle not pop. Adjust heat if necessary. Using tongs remove cut turkey from milk mixture and place in flour mixture. Seal and shake until nuggets are completely coated. Place 6-8 nuggets into hot oil and cook until golden brown, turning halfway through once edge of turkey begins to turn white. About 1 minute for each side. Remove and drain on paper towel. Repeat until all nuggets are cooked through. Serve with your favorite sauce.
By: Allison O'Nan
Place about two inches of oil in a medium deep pot. Over medium high heat, heat oil until hot. Test oil by dropping a few drops of water into it. You want it to sizzle not pop. Adjust heat if necessary. Using tongs remove cut turkey from milk mixture and place in flour mixture. Seal and shake until nuggets are completely coated. Place 6-8 nuggets into hot oil and cook until golden brown, turning halfway through once edge of turkey begins to turn white. About 1 minute for each side. Remove and drain on paper towel. Repeat until all nuggets are cooked through. Serve with your favorite sauce.
By: Allison O'Nan
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