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After
Christmas and the end of the hunting seasons it tends to be a long winter. Cabin
fever sets in. Here are a couple things you actually can work on to occupy your
time, benefit others, and help you get excited about spring.
Try getting a couple friends together and start planning some spring shooting
events, How about a “Ladies Shoot”. There are more and more women shooters
coming on the scene, yet there are many more that have no idea the fun that can
be had at a shooting event! It doesn’t take any major big undertaking to
organize it. Get five guys or so that are willing to help. Let them bring their
guns for the women to use. You can charge a nominal fee to cover expenses. Toss
in a bar-b-que lunch with the deal. You will be amazed how many women will come
knowing all they have to do is show up and you will supply everything they need
to enjoy the day.
Another group to consider is young adults. Have you ever been deer hunting and
notice that it’s mostly older adults. We need to get young people involved or
who will replace we old timers? Most youngsters would love to try out shooting,
but no one ever asked them to! You can work it the same way with hamburgers for
lunch. They too don’t have their own guns or anyone to take them out, If you
think I’m kidding just ask a youngster if he would be interested in something
like that. Once you know for yourself they are, your enthusiasm for doing the
event will increase. You could also combine both and call it a “Family Fun
Shoot”.
There are a lot of potential new shooters out there. They just need someone to
invite them. The joy you will experience after running such an event will only
encourage you to do it again. Believe me I have done it many times and it is
probably the happiest time of the year when I am running one of these events.
The more people we get shooting, the more people we have counteracting anti-gun
people making them believe guns are evil in themselves. Once a person
experiences that thrill of shooting they will know that it is all lies that the
other side is telling. If you decide to do an event this coming year, please
write me and tell me how it went!
Another project is for you goose hunters. I added to my decoys for field hunting
a long time ago with some plywood and paint. First you need a pattern to go by
for all the other cuts you will do. I would suggest using cardboard till you get
the shape that looks good and you are satisfied with. Then use your first
plywood cutout to trace the rest.
You want to make a pattern of a goose body and head in an erect position and
another in a feeding position, When you get what you want trace it on a piece of
¼ in. plywood. Then proceed to cut as many as you can out of a 4x8 sheet of
plywood. Use the first one you cut out of wood for your pattern for the rest of
the cuts. Then paint them according to colors on a goose. You have to screw some
type of strong wood for a stake on each of them. I use a separate metal rod with
a sharp point to push or pound into the ground to make a hole for the actual
stake to go in.
It is possible to get 2 dozen decoys real easy and inexpensive, When you set
them in between the regular decoys facing slightly different ways, the geese
flying around your decoys see almost 30 geese on the ground. As they turn in the
sky more of the flat silhouettes you created show as geese. The great thing is
these are all flat and stack easily without taking up a lot of room.
You can also make up some black flags that will move whenever the wind blows.
You need two pieces of doll rod about 18” each. On one of the rods staple very
lightweight black material about 16” x 12”. In the other doll rod drill a hole
and drop a bolt in the hole and glue solid. On the rod with the flag drill a
hole so that rod fits over the bolt. You actually created a “T” Screw a nut on
the bolt slightly so the rag rod does not come off, but leaving the rag rod to
turn freely in any direction on the bolt that the wind will turn it. When the
wind blows the rag automatically will lift and flap in the breeze creating
constant movement in the flock. It should change directions when the wind does
as it can easily float around the bolt. Make enough rods to accommodate the size
of the flock you put out. Hopefully this will keep you occupied for the cold
months. I hope I have helped you with some ideas! See pictures below.
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