Gear Review
Recommendations on buying hunting items
for next season
by Kevin Lee McIver
Have you ever taken a good look at all the
hunting stuff on the market today?
I am amazed every time I go to the hunting
store or pickup an outdoors’ catalog because it seems another gee-whiz
item has been added.
You might think these are “got to have”
necessities; but maybe there not. So I’m going to give you a rundown on
some new items I recently saw advertised.
My recommendations are based on theory,
experience, and most of all, common sense. But, if you think otherwise, go
ahead and buy it.
Let’s start with bow sight lights. You
know, those little lights that affix to the bow hunting sight. They’re
supposed to help you see the sight pens better at dusk and dawn. The
problem is, if you need one of these rascals, you’re probably hunting at
night, and this is illegal. Besides, even if you could see the sight pins,
it would be so dark you couldn’t see the deer. Leave it at the store.
Archery scopes. Here’s one for you,
mounting a small optical sight on your bow. It might work, but it defeats
the purpose of hunting with a “primitive” weapon. Trash it.
Scope-mounted compass. This gadget replaces
the elevation scope cap, with a cap that has a compass mounted inside.
Problem is the compass is mounted over six pounds of steel barrel, which
theoretically should throw off the compass. I’m no rocket scientist, but
I’d suggest a wrist compass instead.
Fishing sunglasses. I know these don’t
fit the hunting category, but I have to comment. You know, sunglasses the
pros wear on fishing shows. Advertisements claim these sunglasses let you
magically see fish just under the surface. Looks good, but never worked
for me. Maybe I wasn’t holding my mouth right. I’d suggest buying a
pair of quality sunglasses instead.
Camouflage head nets. Besides not having
eye and mouth holes cut out, the material is too thin. If the sun is at
your back, then your features are silhouetted and any critter can still
see you although you think you’re “in disguise.” I know it’s
messy, but use camouflage face paint instead.
Fox urine cover scent. This stuff is
supposed to cover human scent so deer don’t spook. It might be natural,
but I have yet to see a deer come running in because he smells a fox. Buy
doe scent instead, because nature always drives a buck to find a doe in
heat.
Headset walkie-talkies which give hunters
the ability to communicate with each other. Oh yeah, like a deer can’t
hear you talking into the mike. Instead, buy a cellular phone, then at
least you can talk to more people than your boring hunting buddy.
Game hearing device. This is a hearing aide
for hunters that helps hear animals approaching and gives you that extra
edge to make the shot. That’s just what I need, to hear all those dang
squirrels running around my stand while I wait for a deer to come prancing
by. Squirrels are loud enough, but to have one sounding like an elephant
is too much. Forget it and just pay better attention in the stand.
Electronic night sights. Catalog says it
helps you in locating your deer stand in the dark. To me, it sounds like
another gismo that makes it easier for spotlighters to harvest deer
illegally. Now they don’t have to use headlights to blind a deer. Buy a
good flashlight instead.
Electric dog collars for training hunting
dogs. Advertisements claim they instill obedience and discipline in the
animal. I guess getting shocked by 100 volts would do that. However, I
think a doggie treat and a kind heart would be more humane.
Plastic rifle bore-sighter's made to sight
in your hunting rifle. Steel ones work okay, but plastic? Go ahead and buy
it if you think getting the bullet to strike in the next county means
“on target.” More time at the rifle range would be better suited.
Deer corn that you can buy for a few
dollars a bag. I guess someone would need dried corn if they were
“baiting” deer. Since baiting is illegal, try learning how to be a
better deer hunter instead.
Battery-driven feeders. Fill them full of
deer corn and an automatic timer dispenses the corn. Why would anyone need
one of these? The answer is they’re baiting deer. They should forget
hunting whitetails altogether, because they won’t do any deer hunting
from jail.
Okay, that’s it for my quick post-holiday
hunting paraphernalia suggestion list. If you have yet to purchase some of
these items -- don’t. Spend your money more wisely on something else.
And if you regularly use some of the
products which could land you in court, then send me a letter when you get
in jail and tell me how the product worked.
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