Of Benchrest Competitions and Shooting Sticks

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Jim Chapman

This week I would like to touch on two items; first a quick word about an upcoming airgunning competition being held in Southern Arizona, where shooters from the USA and Europe will vie for bragging rights and prizes for long range shooting! Second, I’d like to take a look at one of the most useful pieces of adjunct gear an airgun hunter can carry into the field …. shooting sticks.

Upcoming Event!

There’s a lot going on right now, small game seasons are opening, predators are starting to get more active, and deer season is right around the bend…. but one of the things I’m also getting pretty excited about is the upcoming Extreme Benchrest Competition which is going to be held a few miles south of Tuscon. The weekend of November 10-11 will find me leaving the Midwestern chill for the southern Arizona sun, and some great airgunning action with competitors from all over the world.

The shooting will take place at 75 yards and any gun of any caliber can be used. Now I shoot a lot of varmint out at 100 yards, but I don’t know how well I’d do at printing tiny groups off a rest. I’m really interested to see what guns show up on the line. Last year I shot a long range bigbore competition in Texas that was going out to 300 yards, and out of all the guns ranging up to .50 caliber, it was a .257 that carried the day. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a .22 or .25 to do well in this competition ….. but maybe one of the new .303’s? There will be over $10,000 in prizes awarded, with some truly great guns and gear going to the winners and participants.

Airguns are capable of reaching out a lot further than many think possible, and many are exceedingly accurate. However, because the projectiles are very light weight and slow moving (when compared to firearms) they are much more influenced by environmental conditions. The shooter that beats the field at this event will have their guns fine-tuned and appropriately sighted in for longer ranges, and have their shooting technique refined, but moreover be able to deal with the wind and making on the fly adjustments.

Besides the competitors, there will be senior staff from many of the American and European airgun equipment manufacturers in attendance, so it will be an opportunity to meet and talk with the people that develop the products we use. Unless you go to the SHOT Show or IWA it’s unusual that you have an opportunity to meet these folks in one place, and never in such a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. I look forward to meeting and catching up with the competitors, attendees, company representatives, and other member of the media attending, this is going to be a blast!

 

Shooting sticks
I think that shooting offhand is one of the fundamental skills any hunter needs to develop, and work to maintain. I have a small indoor range in the basement of my house, and almost every day that I am at home I spend a few minutes shooting from standing, kneeling, and sitting positions without any external support. There are times in the field when these are the only shots available, especially for spot and stalk style hunts. I was a better offhand shooter in my youth, I was stronger, steadier, and spent a lot more time every day with my rifle in hand. I still shoot well enough offhand and don’t hesitate if this is the shot I need to take.

Every hunter should practice their offhand technique.

You can make use of natural rests such as trees when available, but that’s not always the case.

However, when given time and choice I prefer to shoot off sticks. I had never used them much until several years ago while getting ready for a hunt in South Africa, the PH I was hunting with told me to practice off sticks before our hunt started. I was really impressed how tight my groups became and how dramatically long range shooting improved. This is especially useful when hunting small game with an air rifle because the kill zone is small and shot placement critical. I’ll still shoot a squirrel sitting in a tree 30 yards away offhand, but if the shot stretches out to 55-60 yards I want sticks. Of course you can always rest or brace against a natural object, a tree trunk or rock, but sticks are always there when you need them. This is even more the case when shooting in the wide open spaces such as on a prairie dog shoot where naturally occurring rests are far and few between.

The monopod is the fastest and easiest to deploy, but the least stable.

Bipods are not quite as fast to deploy, but much more stable than a monopod.

A tripod is rock steady, but are generally the least compact and slowest to deploy option,

I prefer shooting sticks over stock mounted bipods because they are easier to use under a variety of conditions, are out of the way when you don’t need/want them, and adapt to multiple shooting positions. I have used monopod, bipod, and tripod sticks and all have pros and cons: the mono is the fastest to deploy and most flexible, but least steady. Bipods are much steadier, are not as fast to deploy or move around but still fairly maneuverable, and there are some compact versions. Tripods are the most steady, but the slowest to set up, the most unwieldy when a shift or change in position is required, and generally the bulkiest. I have settled on the bipod for several reasons; I like how fast I can deploy the sticks I carry, I can turn and move around with little commotion, and with technique you can get a rock solid hold. Sometimes I’ll go with a tripod if we’ll be fairly stationary and my shots will be especially long.

make sure the legs can be extended to a variety of shooting positions.

The other thing that I want is a rest for the rifle that is easy to mount the gun in, that grips and protects the stock, and let’s me rotate and make adjustments with minimal fuss. The height also needs to be adjustable for the three main shooting positions, standing, kneeling, and sitting. If shooting prone I prefer to simply use my backpack, though if this will be my primary shooting position is one of the few times I prefer a bipod for field work. The most common method of adjusting the height are mutlipiece legs locked into place with integrated clamps, though some use a grip release. These are very fast to deploy, the only problem is most that I have tried don’t pack down very compactly. In the end the stick that has become my favorite is the Gorilla  bipod, which is a heavy duty, solid bipod that I can put my weight on and lock down steadily.

What I really like with these Gorilla sticks is that I can use them as they were intended and move them about, but if I’m set up to shoot squirrels high up in the trees but one pops up on the ground, I just slide my hand down a leg and brace the gun. This allows me to cover a wide arc with any vertical adjustments that might be required. With some of my light weight sticks this is not as easy nor effective.

Again, I am not in any way implying you shouldn’t practice and take offhand shots, but if you have the time and situation that allows the use of sticks, unless you are one a truly excellent offhand shots, you will achieve better shot placement and more game in the bag with them than without.

Categories: Hunting Accessories | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Predator Hunting: the Airgunners Grand Slam

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Jim Chapman

Like so many hunters in North America, I spend a lot of time out in the field after predators. Unlike the vast majority, I prefer to go after them with airguns rather than high power center fires. There are practical reasons, airguns can be used in areas where firearms can’t; because they are quieter, lower power, or can legally be discharged where a firearm can not. But for me, the primary reason is the challenge….. I use airguns simply because it makes the sport more exciting and greatly increases the sense of accomplishment when I put fur in the truck. Some years ago I decided to set myself a goal of taking a group of predators with my Airgun, and using the nomenclature of baseball and turkey hunting, termed this collection the grand slam.  My predator grand slam consists of coyote, bobcat, fox, and raccoon.

My vote for the Airgun Hunters North American Predator Grandslam!

Why these animals? All are obviously predators, most can be legally taken with airguns in several states, and all will come in to calls. They are also within reach of most hunters, though bobcats have a more limited range or more restrictive regulations. It took me a full year to do my first grand slam, once I started to focus on this objective, and took place over two states. My coyote and raccoon were taken in Indiana and my bobcat, and fox came in Texas. Texas is the place for predator Airgun hunting, and this year I want to do a grand slam in a single trip to West Texas!

For coyote I like a larger caliber gun, and in the past have had a strong preference for the .308 and .357 caliber generating energy in the 150 fpe range. The guns I’ve used the most for “yotes” have been the Quackenbush, Sam Yang, and Corsair rifles, though I’ve been anticipating the opportunity to hit the field with the Wolverine .303 this season. It is a little lower on the power scale, but I think has more than enough power when coupled with the guns laser like accuracy, and should be strong songdog medicine! I’ll take head shots or body shots with the higher power guns, but I’ve also used 40 fpe .22 caliber guns sticking to head shots. Smaller caliber lower power guns make sense when you have to hunt in more developed areas where there is a need to keep the noise down and the shots flight needs to be limited. Guns like the Daystate Airwolf, the AirArms s510, FX Royale, or AirForce Condor in .22 or .25 are all up to the job for fifty yard coyote control. When hunting coyote I prefer an electronic caller, but have also taken many dogs using a mouth blown call. The ecalls move the source of sound, and therefore the coyotes attention, away from the caller. If hunting in daylight I wear full camo or better yet my ghillie suit, you need to get your quarry in close and personal. At night I use a handheld light if hunting with a partner or a scope mounted light if hunting alone, and make stands at about a mile apart when driving dirt ranch roads, but preselect sites if planning to go out on foot. The more distance covered, the more predators likely to be encountered.

Coyote are a great airgun predator hunting trophy, the largest in the grand slam, along with raccoons they are also the most widely distributed. My preference for these guys is a gun in the .30 caliber family, but larger and smaller calibers work. I’m not a stickler on bullet type for these relatively light bodied animals; round or flat nose, round ball, Diabolo pellets, hollowpoint bullets will punch right through, the trick is delivering them exactly where they need to go. For this reason accuracy is more important than the type of bullet.

My favorite air gunning trophy is the bobcat, and the .30 caliber guns are perfect if body shots are planned, but a .22 or .25 caliber works fine for headshots. Cats are less wary than coyotes and don’t have the sense of smell that dogs do, but come into the call slower. When called, they will often hang up and watch, sometimes for a long time which can make them harder to spot. In most places bobcats are more spread out and won’t travel as far to the call as a coyote will, so it can take time and patience to score on this feline trophy. It took me a couple years of trying to get my first bobcat, they didn’t come to the call, hung up to far out, popped up when it was my partners turn to shoot, I missed (the worst), but finally I got my first one, then over the next few years several more.

Bobcats are my favorite of the predators, they aren’t inherently more difficult to hunt than coyote, but they are less common and less aggressive in responding to the call. They often hang up and watch before moving in, which makes them harder to spot especially in heavier brush. For daytime hunting, I like to use a decoy to both lure them in and get their attention off of me.

The next on the list is fox, either gray or red. In most places these days the smaller gray foxes are more common, but fox populations have taken a hit with the expansion of coyote territories. Not only do coyotes compete with foxes, they’ll eat them when given the chance. An interesting thing we’ve seen in the Midwestern areas is that fox have started moving in closer to human habitation where there is less pressure from coyote. The guns I use for fox are the 30’s for body or headshots, though I have no problem with the use of a powerful .22 or .25 for headshot in the 50 yard range.

Fox will often come running in to the call without stopping for a look which can make it difficukt to get a shot, and often travel in pairs. Both reds and grays are a bit less common in the past, being edged out as coyote encroach on their territories.

Raccoons are the most frequently encountered species on my grand slam menu, and many people buy airguns for pest control specifically to take out the problematic masked bandit around the garbage cans or chicken coops. A higher power .22 or .25, especially ones with shrouded barrels are perfect for pest control duty. However, I prefer to go out in the very early morning hours around daybreak and call them in with a rodent distress call. Another method that works incredibly well at certain times of the year is to locate a den tree and start raccoon fight sequences. Raccoons, often large aggressive boars will charge directly at the call and you need to be ready to shoot as soon as they stop, because they don’t stay still for long.

Raccoon are the most common and widely distributed of the grand slam species. A lot of these animals are shot as pest raiding the garbage can, and many people don’t realize how agressively they’ll come into a call. I’ve just about had them charge up my leg when using a mouth blown distress call. However I prefer an ecaller as raccoon fighting and cub call are often the most effective sound.

I think predators offer the greatest challenge to the airgun hunter, each and every species requires the hunter to put together the right guns, gear, techniques at the right time in the right place. But as you get more into it, the grand slam presents a goal that is within reach of most hunters. You may have to travel for certain species, but the costs are not over the top like they can be for big game hunts. Most predators can be found on public land, usually a basic small game license (in some states no license) is all thats required, which tend to be fairly inexpensive.

Are you out hunting predators with your airguns? If you are, share the experience! We’d all be interested in hearing what guns, pellets, gear and techniques you’re using.

Categories: Predator hunting | Tags: , , , | 71 Comments

Squirrel Season Opens in Most of the Country!

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Jim Chapman

One of the things that gets my blood pumping as summer turns to fall, is the start of squirrel season. I had never seriously hunted the tree dwelling variety, but on moving to the Midwest about a decade ago found them to be a great small game species for airgun hunting. It was once said that squirrels were the favorite game animal in North America, and squirrel hunting was an anticipated event in much of the country. It still is in many places, though the increased populations of deer and turkey has diminished it somewhat. This means that even if you hunt public land, you’ll often have the woods to yourself before and after deer season.

Lining up the shot with the Huntsman C;assic on an early morning hunt.

The great thing about squirrel hunting is that bushytails occur almost everywhere in the country; populations are generally good, seasons long, limits high, and they are a fun to hunt! I go after them in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, and a few other states almost every year. In my current home state of Indiana, the season starts around mid-August and continues into January. But if I get real hard up for a hunt, I’ll drop down to Kentucky for their spring season which last for a couple short weeks.

Traditionally hunters use a .22 rimfire or a shotgun, but I’m telling you that nothing is better than an accurate mid to high power air rifle in .22 or .25 calibers. A .177 is fine as well, but the bigger calibers slam these tenacious rodents and gives a bit more latitude on shot placement. I prefer head shots, but will take a chest shot if that’s all that’s being offered. A gun with a shrouded barrel is a big plus when hunting around farms and small holdings as the occupants aren’t bothered by your early morning ramblings.

And an early morning start will help you fill your limit more consistently. Tree squirrels can be seen moving about any time of the day; however they are definitely most active at daybreak, followed by dusk. My favorite way to hunt them when there are still leaves on the trees is to (very) slowly wander through the woods, stopping often and listening. Lates summer and early fall squirrels will leave their nests and dreys early in the morning and climb up into the canopy, where they’ll start gnawing mast (acorns, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc) and dropping them to the forest floor to be buried later. It’s hard to see them at first because the foliage is so thick at this time of year, but when you see these “cuttings” raining down you’ll eventually be able to track the source.

Hunt hardwood forests with lots of mast producing trees and you’ll find squirrels

In the winter time the early mornings are still best, but you’ll find squirrels on the ground much more frequently. I hunt both gray and fox squirrels in my area and their territories overlap, though as a rule the grays are out a bit earlier and spend more time in the trees while the larger fox squirrels stay active later in the morning and spend more time on the ground. But that’s a rule of thumb, you might well find either species in either place, at any time! Being out on an early morning when there is snow on the ground is my favorite time to hunt squirrels, in my experience it’s the most productive as well.

I hunt them with PCP’s and springers, both are effective and both are fun. I’ve been out seven or eight times this season (which is only two weeks old), and have been using my new Daystate Huntsman Classic the most, but have also used the AirForce Talon, a Crosman Nitro Piston springer, and my RWS 350 Magnum rifles. One of the great things about squirrel hunting is that in most places you can find a hunting ground close to home. Like a lot of people I have a pretty busy life with my family and day job (yes I do have one of those), so being able to do a couple hour hunt early in the morning or after work really increases my opportunities to get out into the field with my rifle!

Airguns and squirrels, it doesn’t get much better for the small game hunter!

A bit later in the season I’ll do a follow up post featuring specific guns, pellets, and ancillary gear that I use such as binoculars, range finders, shooting sticks, hunting packs and game carriers. We’ll also take a look at useful techniques and I’ll get a couple of friends that are the masters of the game to talk with us. If you’re already out there squirrel hunting, have fun and good luck! If you like to hunt and haven’t tried tree squirrels (fox, grey, and Aberts), get out there and give it a try!

Categories: Small Game Hunting | Tags: , , | 13 Comments

Introduction and welcome!

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Jim Chapman

   I’d like to welcome you here to the new airgun hunting blog being hosted by Airguns of Arizona. As you all know, there is already a great AoA blog that covers a wide range of Airgun related topics written by Jock Elliot. But as its name implies, this new blog will focus on all aspects of Airgun hunting; reviews of hunting techniques, quarry, locations, guns, projectiles, and ancillary gear used out in the field. We’ll cover it all.
   I hunt big and small game, predators, and varmint with airguns from just about every manufacturer on the market and am always trying new gear, we’ll be hunting in different locations around the country with some really great guys, and I believe there will be something of interest for everyone. It’s also worth a mention that even though this blog is hosted by Airguns of Arizona, they have given me the latitude to write about anything I’d like. This means we’ll be able to provide an unbiased look at the world of airgun hunting!


   A couple things about me up front; my name is Jim Chapman and I live in the Midwest, but grew up in California. I lived in Europe for many years, where I got serious about air powered shooting, and bounced around Asia and Australia a few years before coming home. My wife is South African, so we return to the Cape just about every year and do a lot of hunting there as well. I have a regular column and write feature articles for Predator Xtreme magazine, and write freelance articles for Fur-Fish-Game, Airgun Hobbyist, along with an occasional series in the UK based Airgun Shooters magazine as well. These give me a structured outlet for writing, but I want this blog to be more like a group of buddies sitting around shooting the breeze after a day in the field, more relaxed and interactive.
   Regarding hunting in general, I wingshoot, use firearms and bow hunt as well, but my passion is Airgun hunting! As mentioned, I use airguns on all types of game, but probably my favorite is the small stuff and predators because you get so much shooting in! I don’t think the size of the quarry has a linear relationship to the challenge or fun it provides.
   As far as gun preference; I believe every shooter has their individual criteria for what constututes a great gun, and believe every opinion is just as valid. For that reason I don’t make specific recommendations on what you should buy, but if I write about it I think it is worthy of the short list……. and I will give you my opinions. If I don’t like a gun or product and wouldn’t carry it on a hunt, I won’t write about it. I don’t love every gun I’ll write about, but if it’s in the blog I think it can get the job done. That goes for the other gear we’ll talk about as well. So that’s enough house keeping, now that we’ve had a brief introduction I’ll kick off with the first entry!

Categories: Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Welcome to AOA’s Hunting Blog!

Posted on August 29, 2012 by AOA Staff

Welcome to Airguns of Arizona’s Hunting Blog! We are excited to share weekly stories of hunting related topics which showcase the ethical use of airguns for hunting legal game. Moreover, we are pleased to be joined by a well-known freelance writer, Jim Chapman. We have given him the floor, and he will guide you through his awesome adventures, hunting the world with air rifles and pistols. We hope you are equally as excited to have such an experienced writer offering up a weekly read.

Enjoy!

Airguns of Arizona

Categories: Announcements | 13 Comments