Christmas 2021

16 December 2021

We hope your 2021 has been kind to you, and Covid-19 with it's numerous variations and changes remains away from you and those of whom you care about.

Kansas rifle deer season was unseasonably warm, reaching over 60 degrees daily.  I prefer more moderate, winter like temperatures when hunting deer here in Kansas, since bacteria and decay are much quicker in elevated temperatures.  I will purchase a very large cooler for the clean up season (antlerless only) so I can quickly electronically check it in with my phone, get the confirmation number, and get her quartered out and on ice within the hour.  Those big coolers allow lots of storage room, so no need to immediately bone it out and package it for cold storage.  Waiting the evening allows more time afield, while safely storing the game.

Heard from an associate a new hunter shot at and "missed" first deer, because point of impact was not verified.  Rifle had never been shot by this person, so first shots were at game animals.  It truly breaks my heart knowing that deer was quite probably wounded, allowed to slowly die or be taken by coyotes.  Practice should be done with paper targets, not living critters.

Watching waterfowl YouTubes last weekend again remind me of the thoughtlessness (sometimes) demonstrated by those persons also.  Multiple birds arrive, shooter knocks one down and wounds more as they are departing.  Those carried pellets in the wounded birds will certainly kill them, but not to be recovered in the game bags of the shooters.  

Please help convince other shooters to practice on targets, not critters.  Do not shoot unless you are 99% certain your quarry will be quickly and mercifully killed with your first, well-placed shot.  Wounding losses are preventable and avoidable, and sportspeople need that moral fiber and ethics to do the right thing.

Please do the right thing, even when nobody is around you to watch.  Animals were not placed upon this earth for indiscriminate target practice.  Learn to shoot well, know and fully understand the ballastics of your chosen firearm and hunting loads.

Thanks, and be safe.  Every single day is Thanksgiving.

Kansashuntered.