Field Notes 7-2006

In the last issue of Ohio Valley Outdoors, I wrote a column entitled “Gone Huntin’.” In that article, I shared with you that this past April, I had the opportunity to hunt with famous turkey callers Eddy Saulter and Alex Rutledge on the Thompson Center Arms leased acreage in Western Kentucky.
In the 2007 spring issues of Ohio Valley Outdoors, I will publish a story on hunting with these two turkey-calling legends.
In the meantime, I would like to present readers with the results of some of the products that I had a chance to try on that hunt and share my opinion.
From time to time, outdoor writers are invited to go on hunts of this nature and to have a chance to field test several outdoor products. As these opportunities come along and as I have a chance to try new products in the field, both fishing and hunting, I will report on them in future issues of the magazine in a column called Field Notes.
On this particular trip, which was sponsored by both Hunter Specialties and conducted on the lease operated by Thompson Center Arms, three other outdoor writers and I participated in a hunt with Eddy and Alex and test several Hunter Specialties products. We had the opportunity to try the new HS Turkey vest, called the SUV Sportsmen’s Utility vest.
These vests are constructed of tough fade- and tear-resistant brushed polyester, making it super quiet. The shoulder straps are padded for extra comfort and the attached sternum strap keeps the vest in place while walking. It has plenty of pockets for storing calls and gear. There is a zippered game pouch on the back as well as a compartment storing an orange safety flag that can be pulled out while you are walking.
The vests also come with the Gun Stock Buddy, which attaches to the vest and holds the butt of your gun while seated, freeing up both hands for calling.
We also had a chance to try the Hunter Specialties V-Pod Shooting Stick. The V-Pod allows you to keep your gun in a ready position. The shooting stick clamps to your shotgun barrel and has two telescoping sections that allow the stick to be set and locked to any height.
The bottom section can be used as a mono-pod, or the split legs can be extended for more stability. The unique design allows for a full range of motion without picking up the gun. The V-Pod folds against the barrel of your gun when not in use and with its light weight, you hardly know it is there.
The V-Pod comes with the Gun Stock Buddy like the one that comes with the vest. It also holds the butt of your gun securely against your shoulder, allowing both hands to be free to run a call.
For more information, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com.
We also had the chance to use the Winchester Xtended Range ammunition. The loads use shot that is 10% denser than lead and delivers superior downrange performance in terms of pattern density and pellet energy. Other turkey hunters we have spoken to talked about the outstanding performance of the Xtended Range loads.
Winchester told us that the key to their Xtended Range Hi-Density superior ballistics was the consistent shape, size, weight, and pellet count per ounce of shot. Xtended Range Hi-Density shot provides reliable tight patterns, consistent performance and unsurpassed knockdown power.
The loads will have a muzzle velocity of 1225 fps. The 3-1/2” load has 2 ounces of #4 shot and the 3” load has 1-3/4 ounces.
I first had a chance to try these loads during the 2005 turkey season and, after trying them both, I can say that during the remainder of 2005 and all of 2006, this was the only load I used both in my Remington 11-87 and my Thompson Center Encore turkey gun. My personal results with the Winchester Xtended Range loads are 7 and 0 at ranges up to fifty yards.
For more information on Winchester® products, visit their website at www.winchester.com.
And, speaking of the Encore, while hunting on the TC property we had the chance to fire the new Thompson Center Pro Hunter. The Pro-Hunter features the new Flextech Recoil System, with recoil absorbing arches that reduces recoil by some 43 percent. A new Speed breech system and Swing hammer are just a few of the other features of the Pro-Hunter.
For more information on the Pro-Hunter, log on the Thompson Center Website and check out their section called “What’s New.”
Well, that’s the first Ohio Valley Outdoor Field Notes Column; what do you think?
Let me know at dfreeman@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com.