This is part 1 of a 3 part article. The 2^nd and 3^rd part of this article will be posted over the next several weeks.

Learning and Scouting New Properties

Part 1 of 3

Newly acquired properties that give new and additional hunting opportunities can bring some excitement to a hunter. Time in a new woodlot that a hunter is not familiar with will require a lot of time and hard work to prepare for the upcoming hunting seasons. These properties can come as additions to your local refuge/management area or property leased through a hunting club that the hunter has become a member of and hunting for the first time.

A hunter who has become a member of a hunting club, has an advantage, in that a lot of the work has been done for him. In most cases, the club will have a good map (satellite or topo) of the property indicating the roads, property lines, atv trails, stand locations, food plot locations, and wooded verses cutover plantations. If the information on the map is not enough, then the membership and club officers are there to point the new member in the right direction and provide assistance as needed. The hunter can then set off to scout the area for his/her prime stand location.

If the hunter is planning to hunt public land, whether it be a National Wildlife Refuge or a state owned Wildlife Management Area, he is at a disadvantage as he must learn much of the information listed above himself. Chances are that the agencies will provide map for these properties, but the information found on those maps is minimal at best. As such, this hunter has a lot of work to do in order to find that prime stand location.

Supporting Bow Hunting Organizations

The Bayou State Bow hunters Association was founded in 1992 by a group of dedicated bowhunters. Their goals were to preserve the sport of bow hunting In the State of Louisiana. They knew that strength in numbers would prove very beneficial for the Louisiana bow hunter.  They have accomplished many great things in their years of existence.  They have made many contributions to The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for reforestation, deer telemetry studies and many other projects to benefit the great WMA’s of the Bayou State. They also donate archery equipment to the National Archery in the Schools Program on an annual basis.

I had heard of the Bayou State Bow hunters Association back when I was younger. Not really being a bow hunter at the time I was under the impression that the BSBA were a group of ELITE bow hunters, The Hardcore’s, The “Fred Bears” of the State.  I thought you had to know your stuff to be involved with these guys.  Little did I know that a few short years later my opinion and my view of the Bayou State Bow hunters Association would change forever.

New 2010 Bows

This is just a hand full of new bows for 2010 by leading bow manufactures. I personally feel that with the bows listed you can find one that will fit your needs.

Alpine Archery

Alpine Nitrous N2O

The New 2010 Alpine Nitrous N2O employs a neutral riser design to provide accurate and forgiving shooting, shot after shot. The power train of this speedster is driven by the new 3G Velocitec Cam. Combine the two and you have the ultimate in agility and horsepower all packed into one awesome package. This system is then topped off with the new LXP pocket which assures it will be touted as the smoothest, most accurate hunting bow in the Alpine lineup for 2010.

Treestand Safety Tips

The leading cause of injuries and death for deer hunters is falling from a tree-stand. Most of these falls can be avoided with a simple safety check of your equipment before using it. The off-season is the perfect time to check out equipment and repair if needed. This is the perfect time to do some maintenance on your treestands, climbing aids and safety equipment. It is your duty make sure all equipment remains both safe to use and functional for the next season.

Here are a few basics to help ensure your safety:

1. Check all strapping material, buckles, seats and stitching for wear and tear.
2. Oil hinges, and tighten bolts and screws.
3. Repaint where necessary. 

Fight to Protect Our Second Amendment Rights

A little over 200 years ago, when this country came to be, our forefathers developed some rules that our government was to abide by. These rules, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and others were developed to protect the people of the United States from the government that runs this country. Now, the Government claims that alot of the content of these important documents no longer apply. In particular, our government has spent endless hours, money, and other resources to abolish is the Second Amendment or the peoples right to "keep and bear arms".