As I write this, both squirrel season and archery season are in full swing. I haven’t been successful in either, but it’s still very early in the season.
Although it has started to cool down a bit during the night, it is still quite hot during the day. It usually doesn’t feel like hunting season until daytime temperatures get a little more moderate.
The main reason I have been leaving is to take my grandson. As I have often said, any time to take the youngsters into the woods is worth it. They are the hunters of the future.
As for squirrel hunting, the area we hunt doesn’t have many trees that produce hickory, beech, or other nuts, so we have to rely heavily on oak.
I have heard other hunters say that they have seen many acorns, but in our area they seem to be scarce. To date, the couple of times we’ve been out, we still haven’t seen a squirrel.
And now to bow hunting. Since crossbows have become legal in our state, most hunters have transitioned to them, I know I have.
Before I dive into this, I know that opinions vary on the use of crossbows. I think its popularity is due to the stealthier trait of not having to draw a compound bow, while there are excellent eyes trying to catch your every move.
And of course the accuracy of a good scoped crossbow is much better than the average compound bow user.
My two youngest grandsons have taken some deer, bucks and bucks, with a crossbow, out of the most forgiving move, hunting blind.
This year, the 13-year-old decided he wanted to try a compound bow. So, we bought one, which he said could be an early Christmas present that is highly adjustable in both length and weight. One that can increase as you grow into it.
While trying to find a bow with these features, the owner of a local sporting goods store told me that they are almost a thing of the past due to the high-end nature of people who use crossbows.
After purchasing the bow and setting it up, he spent several hours practicing from the ground. When he became an expert, we took a portable target into the woods and I had him shoot from the ladder we’d be on. This is something I would encourage most hunters to try. It helps you see how down angles can affect your shot placement. He shot well, so we were ready.
After being on the stand several times and seeing a few deer, including a few bucks, he is beginning to understand the challenges of drawing the bow. She’s being very patient, and I think she’ll eventually get the chance from her.
As hunters, we all go through different stages during our lives. Things that used to seem very important now do not seem so important and other priorities have taken their place.
It’s heartening to see the wonder and excitement a boy shows as he begins to take his place as a future sportsman and hunter.
I know you’ve heard me say this before, but I think this is one of the most important things we can do to pay off in a sport we’ve enjoyed in recent years.
I feel that we have an obligation to try to help children on this path.
Whether it’s a boy, a girl or a relative or not, I think we can all find someone to help.
It may sound like a cliché, but a child can make a difference. And in today’s culture, anything would be an improvement.
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