{"id":3021,"date":"2021-09-18T17:27:50","date_gmt":"2021-09-19T00:27:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?p=3021"},"modified":"2021-09-04T17:50:40","modified_gmt":"2021-09-05T00:50:40","slug":"the-traveling-hunter-revisited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/2021\/09\/the-traveling-hunter-revisited\/","title":{"rendered":"The Traveling Hunter Revisited"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>In 2014 I wrote a blog post on the traveling airgun hunter, and I focused on the actual travel to hunt. I&#8217;m going to revisit the topic, but this time also spend more time looking at how to find a place to hunt.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In any given year, I am lucky enough to travel and hunt across\nthe country. This permits me to pursue many types of small game and pest\nspecies, in some very different terrains and weather conditions. Traveling to\nhunt requires the right selection of gun, accessories, and clothing for the best\nresults in the field. I\u2019ll try to do as much advanced research as possible, often\nusing online resources. In this article I want to share some of the different ecosystems\nvisited and game hunted, discuss how I prepared, and look at the type of guns\nand gear I brought along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The decision on the type of quarry to be pursued can narrow\ndown the region, for instance rabbits can be hunted almost anywhere in the\ncountry. But if the target species is the Aberts squirrel, the range is limited\nto the pinon forest in localized areas around the Grand Canyon States. If\nturkey is the intended species, even though they are widely distributed, it\nwill have to be the hills and mountains of California, the Texas scrublands, or\nthe forest and farmlands of Virginia because these are the only places turkey\ncan legally be taken with an airgun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even when the quarry is widely distributed and legal to hunt\nover most of its range, the hunt can still take place in varied terrains and\nrequire different equipment and strategies. Hunting prairie dogs in the\nwide-open barren grasslands of South Dakota calls for settling in and doing a\nlot of long-range glassing and shooting, while hunting the same species in the verdant\nArizona high desert requires extensive stalking, long hikes, and fast action close\nrange shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3022\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3022\" class=\"wp-image-3022\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_1.jpg 1255w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>The Department of Natural resources will provide a great deal of information on what and where to hunt.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3023\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3023\" class=\"wp-image-3023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_2.jpg 1448w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>You can search google maps looking for public land, then research the terrain, wildlife and hunting regulations specific to those areas.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_3-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3025\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3025\" class=\"wp-image-3025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_3.jpg 1316w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Satellite imagery can show you geographic landmarks such as rivers, hills, drop offs, and stands of trees.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Each state sets their own hunting regulations regarding the\nwildlife in their jurisdiction (within federal guidelines for migratory game).\nSo, another consideration after determining what and where you\u2019d like to hunt,\nis finding out if it is legal. Once you\u2019ve answered that question, the next\nstep is to collect information on seasons, legal methods of take, and limits,\nthen acquire the appropriate license and tags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the best ways to prepare is to find local expertise. When traveling through an area on vacation or business, I will often ask people I meet about the local game, if they get many hunters, is there public land such as BLM or State\/National Forest that would be worth looking at, etc. Hunting has more mainstream acceptance in some regions than others, but asking locals is pa viable approach at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_4-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3026\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3026\" class=\"wp-image-3026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_4-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>In South Dakota, the plains are flat, the grasses high, and distances long.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_5-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3027\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3027\" class=\"wp-image-3027\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_5-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_5-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_5-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Knowing the conditions that could be expected, I wanted a rifle I could shoot well prone or kneeling.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_8-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3029\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3029\" class=\"wp-image-3029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_8-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_8-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_8-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_9-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3030\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3030\" class=\"wp-image-3030\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_9-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_9-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_9-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Hunting the Southwestern deserts, it is very hot, rugged, and everything wants to stab, sting, or cut you.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_10-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3031\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3031\" class=\"wp-image-3031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_10-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_10-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_10-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to accessing local knowledge, I\u2019ve found that online\nresearch is exceedingly useful. I go to the State wildlife services website to\nobtain information on license requirements, frequently purchasing my license\nonline, and these sites will often list public hunting areas. Downloading maps\nand satellite images of potential hunting areas allows a prospecting hunter to\ndo some high-level scouting before putting boots on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may have no choice on when to hunt because if there is a\nseason, it is set in stone and field days limited. If you want to take turkey\nin California, there are only a few weeks divided into a spring and fall\nseason. This will of course impact the weather conditions the hunter will encounter,\nI\u2019ve hunted California gobblers in spring when the temperature is 85 degrees\nand been in the same area in fall freezing in 10\u201d of snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Picking the right clothing for each trip comes down to\nassessing the most likely scenarios you\u2019ll encounter and anticipating what\nyou\u2019ll need to stay cool enough, warm enough, or dry enough no matter what\ncomes along. The other consideration is determining if full camouflage is\nneeded or if wearing unobtrusively colored clothing will suffice. When hunting\njackrabbits in Texas, I use the bush for cover and work the shadows, so don\u2019t\nfeel camo is required. However, for squirrels in the midwestern woods or in\npursuit of turkey anywhere, full head to toe camo is the order of the day. Of\ncourse, the weather and terrain will dictate the camo pattern you need to take\nalong. I have several camo patterns made in very light weight material that I\nbuy a size up. I can wear these over my normal cloths and match the best camo\nto the landscape when arriving on site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_11-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3032\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3032\" class=\"wp-image-3032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_11-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_11-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_11-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Dressed in full camo, face net, covered in insecticide, and carrying my Daystate renegade.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_12-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3033\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3033\" class=\"wp-image-3033\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_12-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_12-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_12-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Arizona pinon pine forests require miles to cover and rough terrain to navigate.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_13-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3034\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3034\" class=\"wp-image-3034\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_13-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_13-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_13-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>The compact Brocock Compatto was the perfect rifle!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_14-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3035\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3035\" class=\"wp-image-3035\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_14-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_14-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_14-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>This heavy laminated Marauder was an excellent bench shooter.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_15-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3036\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3036\" class=\"wp-image-3036\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_15-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_15-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_15-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Consider if specialized gear, such as electronic calls might be required, as you pack for the trip.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There is gear I almost always carry: a pack of some type,\nbinoculars, range finder, extra magazines and pellets, a knife, a light, and shooting\nsticks. In more remote or rugged terrains I\u2019ll pack hand, toe and body warmers,\nan emergency kit that can get me through a night stuck in the field, extra\nfood, game calls, GPS and compass, and area maps. When hunting in the Midwest,\nassistance is usually only a couple miles away, but out in the Arizona\nmountains or the far Northwest snow fields you might be many miles from help,\nso carrying equipment to bail yourself out of tight spots is a smart precaution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When hunting prairie dogs in the wide-open spaces of the Dakotas where there is very little cover, long distances are hiked, and the equipment required to spend a day in the field must be packed. The hunter needs to carry the basic gear, shooting sticks and select a rifle with a high shot capacity topped with high magnification optics. I often use the Brocock Commander XR .25 on these outings because of the excellent long-range accuracy with little variation between shots, and the ability to deliver adequate accuracy on target in a high shot capacity and compact platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_16-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3037\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3037\" class=\"wp-image-3037\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_16-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_16-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_16-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_17-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"3038\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/?attachment_id=3038\" class=\"wp-image-3038\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_17-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_17-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AG_Traveling-Hunter_17-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>If carrying a lot of ancillary gear, I\u2019ll go for a bullpup to balance out my load.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When hunting Aberts squirrel in the mountains of Arizona,\nhiking several miles, climbing over rocks and crawling through heavy forest, a\ngun that is lightweight and compact is an asset. On this hunt there is a limit\nof five squirrel per day, so a high shot count is less important. Most shots\nare within 50 yards, so accuracy is generally more important than power. The\nrifle I often carry in these conditions is the Brocock Compatto, it is powerful\nand accurate, yet one of the lightest and shortest length overall\nhigh-performance rifles to be found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When out for gray and fox squirrels in the Midwestern woods\nI do a lot of ambush hunting. The excellent eyesight of these animals along\nwith their treetop perspective, makes stealth a necessity. Full camo is a good\nidea, taking care to keep the face and hands covered in a terrain matched\npattern. On these outings the properties are smaller, often in stands of 20-40-acre\nwoods juxtaposed amongst pastures on working farms. The hunter is never far\nfrom the truck, so lots of gear need not be carried, and almost any rifle you\nenjoy shooting, so long as it shoots well, will work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In agricultural and industrial areas where there is more\nrisk of collateral damage related to the presence of equipment, buildings,\nlivestock, or workers, the gear requirements are quite different. Protective\nclothing, steel toed boots, and work gloves are often a good idea. The best\nrifle for this type of shooting is laser accurate, generates lower (or\nadjustable) power, compact, and offers a higher shot count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The message I want to leave you with is that taking the time\nto assess your anticipated surroundings and conditions before going into the\nfield can make you a more effective, efficient, and comfortable hunter. If I\ncan make it through a multiday hunt without saying to myself \u201cI wish I\u2019d\nbrought this article of gear or another gun instead\u201d it says to me that I\u2019ve\ndone my homework, and as a result optimized my field time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2014 I wrote a blog post on the traveling airgun hunter, and I focused on the actual travel to hunt. I&#8217;m going to revisit the topic, but this time also spend more time looking at how to find a place to hunt. In any given year, I am lucky enough to travel and hunt &hellip; <a class=\"read-excerpt\" href=\"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/2021\/09\/the-traveling-hunter-revisited\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&raquo;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[151,48,8,100,101],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-airgun-expedition","category-destinations","category-hunting-accessories","category-regulations","category-where-to-hunt"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3021"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3021\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3041,"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3021\/revisions\/3041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/hunting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}