Genesee Sun

Turkey hunting for those with disabilities in Letchworth Park

LETCHWORTH STATE PARK — A group of avid outdoors sportsmen go far above and beyond their own enjoyment of nature and bagging the big one, they take out others with disabilities so they have a shot at nature.

The National Wildlife Turkey Federation (NWTF) Crossroads Limbhangers spent the first saturday of the Spring Turkey season assisting four hunters with disabilities in Letchworth State park as part of their program that provides those with disabilities the opportunity to get out into nature.

"Hunting behind your house isn't the same," said Patti Loquasto, 57, who spent the day hunting with her husband and is in a wheelchair due to post polio syndrome. "We heard plenty of birds but couldn't get them in close, it's okay because the excitement of being in the woods and seeing the wildlife is wonderful."

A lot of work goes into preparation for the site of the hunt, because mobility in the woods is limited, scouting is key. Volunteers went out ahead of the hunt and set up blinds as well as scouted for birds to find a hopeful location that would yield success.

"For the volunteers putting on an event like this, it doesn't take a lot of effort because everyone is so willing to get involved," said NWTF Chapter President, Brian Gottfried."Because of good scouting today everyone heard a lot birds, no one got one, but the main part is that everyone had fun."

The Crossroads Limbhangers chapter does not limit their efforts to just Turkey hunting, they also take kids fishing and have numerous other outdoor activities.

"This is a great event for me because I can network and interact with other people in a similar situation as I am." said Dave Grace, 57, who was injured when he fell out of a tree stand and has a $10,000 Actiontrack wheelchair to get around the woods. "This chair has opened up a whole new world for me and events like this make it even better."

Crossroad Limbhangers would also like to thank Roland Beck the park manager at Letchworth State Park for making the day possible.

 On June 16th the club will have a Golf Tournament at Lima Country Club, those interested should getting involved should contact Brian Gottfried at 571-334-1496.

Mount Morris Dam Visitor Center Presents “America on the Move” Lecture Series

MOUNT MORRIS — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the William B. Hoyt II Visitor Center at Mount Morris Dam present the 2012 Discovery Series: America on the Move! at the visitor center this winter.

The lecture series explores American and Livingston County history every Saturday at 1 p.m. from Jan. 7 through March 24. The series is free and open to the public.

The first lecture, “Livingston County— a Vacation Destination,” expands upon the county’s many vacation opportunities. The lecture also features local food and wine sampling.

Other lectures are on topics like the Erie Canal, the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group, local historical figures and pioneers, and many more. For a complete list of lectures, please visit http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/MMD/MMD-special-events.html.

The visitor center is located at 6103 Visitor Center Rd in Mount Morris. For more information, call 585-658-4790.

Fish On: Opening day on Conesus Lake

CONESUS LAKE — Over 100 boats awaited launch on opening day for pike and walleye, but the cool water kept more fish in the water then in the boats.

Two fisherman with success, Matt Rider from Port Gibson and Anthony Shideler from Honeoye Falls, were on the water at first light and fishing in 5 to 15 feet of water with brown and orange crank baits. They landed several bass 2-5 lbs. range, 3 Northern Pike 3-7 lbs. and a wonderful walleye (see photo).

"Despite the cold weather we kept casting, but that proved to be the ticket for success." Matt Rider said as they wrapped up their successful day.

Bass season opens up on the 3rd Saturday in June.

If you would like a story about your catch of the day, send us a photo with as much information as possible to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Scout Deer by Plane

Successful hunters scout for deer and deer sign year round, but it can take years and years to become truly familiar with your hunting grounds, so familiar that you can confidently navigate back and forth through the woods and across open areas at night without the aid of a flashlight. The process can be even more exasperating when the area you hunt covers several hundred acres.
    
There is a faster way however. In fact, you can quickly become super familiar with every section of deer habitat in your neck of the woods--and discover out-of-the-way feeding areas, secret travel routes, neighboring sanctuaries and hitherto unknown bedding grounds in the process--by doing a fly over.
    
Doug Turnbull, owner of Turnbull Restoration in upstate New York, is a small-engine pilot, and routinely scouts new areas to hunt by first circling a potential hot spot in his airplane.
"You must wait until the leaves have fallen," advises Turnbull, "and then plan on flying a day after a storm front with has passed through the region. As the ground dries, the wet spots will be darker and the dry spots will be lighter, and these contrasting tones will help you define various typographical features.
    
"Indeed, faint ridges, natural funnels, long abandoned truck trails, small forest openings, old fence lines, crumbling stone walls and overgrown hedge rows will suddenly stick out like the proverbial sore thumb allowing you to see the BIG PICTURE at a glance. Photos you take now can pay big dividends later on as you pour over them on the kitchen table.
    
"You may not have realized for example that the small strip of conifers at the end of an overgrown field is not only a possible bedding area, but also a safe conduit to a couple of overlooked apple trees growing along the edge of an adjacent swamp. This type of information is not available on topographical maps or black and white aerial photographs, and can only be learned by spending countless hours on the ground or an hour or so in an airplane.
    
"A fresh four inches of snow can readily highlight deer travel patterns," adds Turnbull, "and is also a good time to do some aerial scouting. It takes a trained eye to spot a deer from several hundred feet up in the sky, even with snow on the ground, but fresh deer trails are what you are really hoping to find. They are generally bright white, and following them can lead you to seasonal feeding grounds or secret bedding areas outside the limits of your hunting grounds that draw pressured deer. Indeed, legally scouting nearby posted property from the air can teach you a lot about deer patterns on the property you area allowed to hunt."
    
The cost of fly over is relatively cheap, ($125/hr for pilot, plane and one passenger; $425/hr for up to four additional passengers) and the overhead color photography can be used in conjunction with various maps and trail cameras to deepen your understanding of the deer herd in your area.  

Secrets from the Masters, Gobblers on a String

You will not get an argument from me. Bagging a gobbler with a bow and arrow is no easy task. The birds have incredible eye sight, second-to-none hearing and can disappear in a heart-beat if they catch you bringing your bow to full draw. Add a small kill zone to the mix and you can have your hands full in the woods this spring trying to down a wild turkey.  

So how can you affix your tag on a long bead with archery tackle? We asked three of the country's leading bowhunters their secrets to bowhunting turkeys. Not so surprisingly, there are several common denominators that lead to their success, indicating these guys are really on to something!

LOW-POUNDAGE BOW

Michael Deck, owner of the Terminal Velocity Pro shop in Chillicothe, Ohio, has arrowed between 16 and 20 gobblers in his long career.  "You have to do your homework," says Deck. "I begin by looking for roosting areas, and then unravel a travel pattern the birds use on a more or less regular basis. Next I erect a ground blind along one of their travel routes, and fit it with a comfortable  stool.  You will spend more time sitting than walking, and a high-quality seat has become my best bowhunting partner ever. 

"Concealment is also very important. I wear lots of camo, and paint my face rather than wear a head net because it is more comfortable. I also paint my bow black, and use black and red fletching. When I am in the blind I limit all movement. When it comes time to take a shot I draw my bow from low inside the blind, and then slowly bring it to my anchor point. I shoot a low-poundage bow, about 48-pounds, so I can stop at mid stroke and hold it in that position if need be.

"I also practice shooting at 3-D turkeys from inside the blind", adds Deck, "so when it comes time to take the shot I am confident in my shooting abilities. I prefer to wait for a center body kill shot, and aim for the butt of the wing using an extra sharp fixed-blade broadhead."

BOW HUNT FROM A GOUND BLIND

Dennis Hartsell, co-owner of Cranford Manufacturing  Company, the makers of E-Z Climb Tree Steps, credits pre-season scouting and the use of ground blinds to his success. "When scouting rural areas for birds," says Hartsell, "I often ask farmers for the whereabouts of local flocks. We do a lot of sitting and listening based in part on this information to help us pinpoint roosting sites, feeding areas and travel routes. If I can find an area the birds are visiting on a regular basis, I will set up a ground blind nearby.

"Ground blinds are ideal because it is so difficult to draw down on a bird while sitting out in the open. I like to weave brush around the blind to that it fits in better with the local habitat. I wear black fleece clothing and make sure everything inside the blind is black. However, I do use green and white fletching so I can see my shot.

" I practice on 3-D turkey targets with my 68-pound bow year round," adds Hartsell, "and prefer a razor sharp cut-on-impact broadhead. When it comes time for a shot I like to have the gobbler facing directly away from me, and aim for the center of his fan. He can't see me come to full draw from this position, and the arrow passes through his vitals. If he happens to be facing me head-on, then I aim for his bear; if he is broadside I aim for the center of his body. Some bowhunters tell me they aim for the gobblers head,  but I am not that confident in my shooting skills. I like a bigger target!
 

"Finally, I build my own box calls, but only call minimally. I have used decoys on occasion, but if I can find an area where the birds are showing up on a regular basis, I will forego the decoy. My best advice however is to be patient! Hunting gobblers with archery tackle is very challenging!

WIDE WOUND CHANNEL

DEVIN SAMUELSON, owner of Sabermaxx Broadheads, scouts for large flocks of birds, maybe 40 to 50 birds hanging around together, and then zeroes in on those travel lanes and feeding areas where the birds can consistently be located during the day. "I then set up a ground blind nearby," says Samuelson.  "It need not be fancy. I will throw a black ground cloth behind a fallen tree or a blow down to take advantage of any natural scenery, and then crawl inside dressed in head-to-toe camouflage.
About 15-yards out front, I will set up two or three hen decoys facing directly away from the blind.
    "After things settle down, I will use a slate call and make clucking sounds using a circular motion and a wooded stick. I will also gobble on occasion. This is when the decoys earn their keep. The scenario must be believable when the birds approach the blind.  They must be able to see something that looks like what they are hearing or they will become especially wary."
    Samuelson also believes you need to be a crack shot to consistently bag gobblers with a bow and arrow.  "The vitals on a turkey are small so you must pick a spot before you come to full draw, and concentrate on that tiny spot. Some bowhunters prefer a head shot, but my preference is to go for a body shot. If the gobbler is broadside I aim at the front of the breast right behind the beard. If it is facing me, I aim for the top of the beard, and if it is facing away I will draw down on the base of his fan. Keep in mind that birds have a tendency to fly even if hit hard, and will glide downhill for quite a distance if given the opportunity. If they do take flight you must keep them in sight as long as you can.
    "A wide wound channel, about 3/4-inch,  will cause a bird to bleed out fast however making recovery a much easier task. I prefer a  cut-on-impact broadhead with serrated blades to help snap through all those feathers. If the wound channel is too wide however you will need a lot more kinetic energy to pass a broadhead through those feathers, meaning you will need to shoot a much higher-poundage bow than usual to achieve a complete pass-through."

How to Field Dress a Deer Like a Pro

How many successful hunters know what to do when they pull out their knives?  Ask any local deer butcher, and the polite answer is likely to be, “Some don’t.”

That’s what every butcher I’ve asked has said. One butcher I know has even turned work away because a hunter did such a messy, lousy job. Occasionally a hunter brings him a buck fully intact. They’ll say removing the entrails should be the butcher’s job. More likely, they’re embarrassed to admit it makes them queasy.

It may not be every hunter’s favorite part of the hunt, but it’s most definitely the hunter’s job to know his way around the innards of a deer. You probably do, but just in case you don’t, or you want to learn how someone else does it, read on for step-by-step instructions and the low-down on the absolute best tool for the job.

Why, What, and How?

Before telling you the “how,” I’ll tell you the “why” and the “what.” Why do you field dress a deer? Several reasons. One is to make sure the meat cools quickly. The organs inside the body cavity all generate heat. Without field dressing, the only way for that heat to escape is through a hide covered with dense insulating hair. By removing those organs, you not only dump a lot of that heat out, you also let air into the body cavity to carry heat away.  

Another reason to field dress a deer is to get rid of the blood. Some old-timers used to “bleed” deer by slitting their throats. That’s ineffective because after the heart has stopped there is nothing to pump the blood out. It will stay inside the body cavity and inside the muscles until field dressing.

A third reason is to remove bacteria from inside the deer. The digestive tract contains bacteria that help break down the deer’s food. If any of those organs were ruptured by a bullet or cut by an arrow, the bacteria will soon contaminate the meat.

A fourth reason is that field dressing will lighten your load. The next time you harvest a deer, drag it 100 yards before field dressing it. Then field dress it, and notice how much easier it drags. Removing the entrails makes a big difference – as much as 25%. Would you rather drag 190 pounds up over the hill, or 145?

Now For the “What”

What it takes is a knife. I’ve dressed deer with all kinds of folders, fixed blades and even multi-tools. Once I used a slippery little slab-sided “gentleman’s knife” with a blade about an inch and a quarter long. Some resourceful hunters (who weren’t resourceful enough to remember to pack a knife) have bragged about using a razor blade box cutter, a utility knife, a broadhead, or even the edge of an axe. Most recently I’ve done the job with a surgical scalpel, and here’s where I tell you the best knife of all.

The surgical scalpel is far and away the best choice for the job. Where do you get one? Havel’s, a long-time medical supply company that makes scalpel blades for surgeons all across the continent, has branched out into the sportsman’s market with a new division named Havalon. They offer the Havalon Piranta, a knife that uses Havel’s replaceable surgical scalpel blades.

One of the big benefits of the surgical blade is that you no longer need to sharpen a knife. The blades are inexpensive and when one gets dull, you just replace it and keep going. It’s honed to a sharpness you’ll never achieve on your own.

Good for you if you sharpen your own knives, because knife sharpening is a dying art. But even if you are the best at it, and even if you have the newest fandangle sharpening system, you’ll never get as consistent an angle or as polished an edge as a Havel’s blade has when you tear open its sterile, protective wrapper.

Havalon makes several lightweight folders in various designs from metal and ABS plastic. Some have handsome laser-engraved handles, and they even make a couple of fillet knives for fishing. The common element is the way the scalpel blade attaches.

The blade has a keyed slot that snaps securely onto the knife “fitment.” It’s a good idea to practice removing and replacing the blade a few times before it’s actually time to use it. You probably won’t have to change it in the field but if you do, be especially careful – a little blood will make it slippery.

The beauty of this wicked sharp blade is that, instead of applying pressure to cut, you simply guide the edge where you want it to go.

Finally, the “How”

Everyone does it a little differently. I’ve seen demonstrations at sportsman’s shows. I’ve watched other hunters. And I’ve tried different ways myself. I don’t claim to be the world’s expert on the subject, but I know how to do a nice, clean job in minutes.

It shouldn’t be necessary to say this, but first be sure your deer is dead. If you think “ground shrinkage” of a deer’s antlers makes the moment anticlimactic, think of the effect of a kick to your head from a deer that isn’t quite dead.

I begin at the back end, work my way to the front, and then return to the rear to finish the job. I recommend wearing latex gloves. People debate whether you can get diseases from deer tissues, but for me a bigger reason is that gloves make clean up easier.

First I cut around what, in respectful company, we call the “vent.” Here’s the first place where you’ll notice the difference a Havalon knife makes. The tissues of the deer in the anal area are very soft, and also very elastic. The blade tip of every other knife I’ve used tends to stretch the skin without cutting through.

This elastic tissue offers no resistance at all to a knife as sharp as the Havalon. Just slip it in about an inch away from the orifices, and cut around them to loosen the plumbing. You’ll be coming back to this at the end.

Next, follow the crease between the legs toward the abdomen. (If the deer is a buck, you’ll need to separate his manhood (buckhood?) from his body, but don’t sever anything – later you’ll pull his sex organs through to the inside and out with the whole gut pile.)

Then you open the abdomen. Again, with a blade this sharp, you barely need to touch the animal’s skin to start a small incision. Insert the blade into that incision, sharp edge up, and put your thumb and index finger of your opposite hand on each side of the knife at the base of the blade. Using the backs of your other fingers, put light pressure against the abdominal organs to keep them away from the knife blade. At this point both hands will be together, and you can zip the abdomen open right up to the sternum, or breastbone. (Use a forward rather than an upward motion.) It’s almost like the proverbial hot knife through warm butter.

With the abdominal cavity open, reach in near the last rib on each side and slice away the diaphragm. That’s the thin wall of muscle that separates the abdominal organs from the chest cavity. Once you’ve severed the diaphragm, reach up inside the chest cavity and grip the heart and lungs. Pull them as far as you can without straining, and reach up farther with the knife to sever the windpipe, gullet and blood vessels. You’re almost finished.

Go back to the posterior end where you started, reach inside the pelvis, and grip the urinary tract behind the bladder. Pull the vent and sex organs through the pelvis. Some hunters recommend tying off the plumbing so that you don’t spill the contents of the bladder. That’s not necessary if you pinch the tube and avoid squeezing the bladder. Now you can strip out all the innards.

Finally, turn the deer right side up and spread the legs against the ground to open the cavity and let the blood drain out for a minute or two. Don’t forget to tag your deer, and you’re ready to drag.

Follow these instructions and your butcher will consider you a pro at field dressing deer. He might even point to your deer to show the next guy how it ought to be done.

Other pros use a Havalon – from taxidermists, to hunting guides, to wildlife officers. Why not you?

This story was originally published on www.havlon.com

Turnbull Manufacturing Company Introduces Line of Buntline SAA’s

BLOOMFIELD — Turnbull Manufacturing Company in Bloomfield, NY is pleased to announce a run of ten Buntline Single Action Army Revolvers available in either 45 Colt or 44 Special.  This limited time offer of Buntlines will include Turnbull’s famous color case hardening on the frame, loading gate and hammer with the balance of the firearm charcoal blued.   To personalize this offer, customers can choose their barrel length (up to 16”) and three initials to be engraved on the back strap.  The unique ladder sight on this revolver is only available from Turnbull Manufacturing Company.   Priced at $1,650.00.

Turnbull Manufacturing Company is dedicated to the faithful and accurate restoration of vintage firearms.    Over the past decade, they have expanded their business to include their own line of Colt-style single action revolvers and Winchester-style rifles as well as offering upgrades to modern and original guns.

Why We Miss Big Bucks

We tune our bow so our broadheads are flying like darts, and we practice all summer long until we can consistently hit the mark at 20, 30, and even forty yards and beyond. Yet, when the moment of truth presents itself, the unthinkable happens...we miss! Here are seven common reasons why our arrows sail off course when that big buck steps into view...and what we can do to address the problem.

1: We cannot seem to settle the pin on the deer!
SOLUTION: Pick a spot to shoot at and then visualize the sight proper sight picture BEFORE coming to full draw! The will prevent you from circling your pin on the deer in a frantic effort to find a spot to shoot at before the buck steps out of view.

2: We miss a chip shot...the buck is standing right underneath our tree stand!
SOLUTION:  We fail to bend at the waist when aiming, and invariably send the broadhead high and over the top of the buck!

3: We relax our shoulder and the arrow creeps forward, invariably sending a wobbly shaft off course. SOLUTION: Stay at full draw until we are ready to release the arrow by keeping the arrow "against the wall"..no matter what our shooting stance or position might be.

4: We miss judge the shooting distance!
SOLUTION: Practice estimating yardage with your eyes and then checking the accuracy of your guess with a range finder as often as possible. During the peak of the rut a racked buck can show up at anytime, especially when we are exiting the area after a morning hunt or en route to our tree stand for the evening. It is important however that you estimate yardage and then check your accuracy from a kneeling position as this will be the most likely shooting opportunity afforded you, and distances appear further away than they really are from this lower-to-the-ground angle.

5: We aim with the wrong pin!
SOLUTION: Most whitetails are taken at less than 25 yards, and thus all you really need is one pin. Practice on a life-sized deer target to learn where to hold that single pin at various yardages.

6: We can't see through the peep sight and rush the shot!
SOLUTION: Install a peep sight with a larger aperture, secure the peep with rubber tubing to keep it aligned, or tie the peep down with waxed thread so it can't slip. In an emergency situation,  practice shooting by closing your dominant eye effectively eliminating the peep sight altogether. A kisser button and/or a "nose" nock will help you maintain proper head angle for shot-to-shot accuracy.

7: Dropping your arm after the shot or tilting your head to see the arrow's flight ("peeking") will also cause a miss.
SOLUTION: In both cases you must maintain perfect shooting form by staring at the deer until the arrow hits..or misses.