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Finished up another batch of 6.5 Creedmoor, went with a light Barnes 100 gr, the relatively new Winchester StaBall powder, the German Ruag primers and the nickel plated Starline brass that Kemosabe would love. All first time use for these components so I have my fingers crossed. I now have a pretty good stash of 6.5 ammo with a variety of loads, looking forward to testing at the range. Al

Looking at these old photos one thing that is noticeable, most of these hunters are lean and knarly looking, not many fat asses posing with game. I don't think they sat in stands much back then with all the comforts of home. Al

Both the older sky screen chronographs and the newer Radar types will measure arrow velocity. The Garmin Xero will measure just about everything. Measures medium- and high-velocity projectiles from 100 fps to 5,000 fps for bullets, arrows, bolts, slugs, birdshot, paintballs and airsoft BBs

Had a Black one this morning under the wife's bird feeder.

Knowing the exact speed a bullet leaves the barrel of a firearm will give the shooter-hunter the accurate information needed for sighting a firearm and it's bullet performance at different ranges, Chronographs provide that muzzle velocity information. Until recently your typical chronograph would use two sensors that would be triggered by a bullet's flight shadow traveling over them, as the bullet travels over the first sensor a timing program starts and after passing over the second sensor it stops, the amount of time traveling between the two can then be calculated in feet per second. These type chronographs work well and for the most part very accurate. Now on the scene are chronographs that operate with radar technology that work totally different. Placed slightly behind and along side the firearms barrel it will read the muzzle velocity with radar. Garmin has come out with a real game changer in the chronograph world, small simple to use and very accurate and expensive. For serous handloaders this Garmin is the icing on the cake. Al ============================================ Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph 75375933073 Experience the perfect blend of technology and precision with the Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph. This highly advanced device pairs seamlessly with your smartphone, giving you the advantage of recording results, comparing velocities, calculating extreme spreads, and tracking different projectiles all in one place. For our busy customers who value convenience and ease, the compact design won't interfere with your firearm's zero or barrel harmonics, making it simple to use and a breeze to transport. This gadget doesn't just measure medium- and high-velocity projectiles for bullets, arrows and the like, but offers a whopping battery life up to 6 hours and boasts an IPX7 water-resistant rating, adding a multitude of benefits for those passionate about shooting practice. Let the easy-to-read, backlit display guide your experiences at the range and shoot with crisp clarity. Shop the selection of Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph at SCHEELS and take your shooting adventures to a whole new level. Features Pair with your smartphone, and use the ShotView app to record results and keep track of your data: compare velocity for every shot fired, calculate extreme spreads, keep track of different projectiles, track deviation and more Measures medium- and high-velocity projectiles from 100 fps to 5,000 fps for bullets, arrows, bolts, slugs, birdshot, paintballs and airsoft BBs Easy to set up and simple to use; turn it on, point it in the right direction, and shoot within roughly 15" of the device No need to attach anything to your firearm, which means it won't affect your zero or barrel harmonics Compact design is easy to transport since it fits in your back pocket Up to 6 hours of battery life give you plenty of time at the range Built to endure the elements with IPX7 water-resistant rating Features an easy-to-read, backlit display Button-operated design is simple to use

I had the crosshairs on a Jet Black Squirrel today but I gave him a pass, getting soft in my old age. I came to the conclusion I would rather see him running around in the woods than stuffed and sitting mounted on my mantle. Al

I wonder if it will work out like drugs or the law against bringing illegal guns into NY, unless all the states agree join in, the manpower and time would require makes it almost impossible to stop. Like drug runners and drug dealers it will create a big underground money industry running ammo adding more crimes to the mess we already have. Al

You can suck on the back of your hand or finger and with a bit of practice sound every bit as good as the best commercial calls.

I always size new brass to be on the safe side, I many times can feel the difference between brands when running them through the sizing die. Still you may be right with the overall length being just a tad too long where the lands grab the bullet enough to pull it forward upon extraction, or it could be a combination of both. You should be able to remedy the situation through the process of elimination. Al

I have several Squirrel calls and have had mixed results using them, several times I have had squirrels come right to me and other times paid no attention. What I look for mostly is an answer back for location and then I will attempt a stalk. When Squirrel hunting I am always looking for the brown leaves of Oak trees, the leaves stay on most of the winter so they will stick out like a sore thumb. Where there are Oak trees there will be Squirrels and deer too for that matter, sneak around still hunting doing a lot of glassing, then pick them off when one is spotted. Al

I actually enjoy Squirrel hunting more than Deer hunting, I have been out a bunch of times, and have taken several. I use all sorts of firearms, handguns, shotgun and rimfire rifles and a 32 cal black powder Crockett Squirrel rifle to keep things interesting, it is all about action. I will also mix in a little varmint calling. Squirrel Stew is a favorite of mine. Al

As I get my feet wet more and more with the 264 calibers I find it is amazing how 6.5 cal cartridges were obscure and an after thought not many years ago to the seemingly dominate mid-power chamberings of the day. All firearms manufacturers chamber for them, ammo is available everywhere as are reloading components. I was checking out bullet selection and I found thirty different weights and styles from 90grs to 160grs and everything in between. Got my hands on some nickel plated Starline Creedmoor brass and will be loading them up with the new Winchester 6.5 StaBall powder along with the German Ruag large rifle primers that Powder Valley had on sale, large rifle primers have been as scarce as Hen's teeth. I am liking what I have seen with the Creedmoor cartridge so far. Al

Have a good one.

Watching those African Safari videos I often wondered what kind of eating those animals would provide. Al

I did a lot of bowfishing for Carp when I was younger, there was a Jewish fellow that worked with my brother that took every single one I arrowed, he ate them all and thought we were crazy for burying them in the gardens. I have heard many times that Europeans and Asians love to eat Carp, as the old saying goes it is all in how they are prepared. The video below is kind of long but the end product these gals from somewhere in Europe end up with looks impressive and tasty, I would eat it. Al

I will tell you what, Carp may not be my favorite fish to eat but they are one of my favorites to fish for. I have some pretty fancy dedicated Rods and reels just for Carp fishing, I have caught some whoppers. I have fooled around eating some, what I have found most annoying is that the fillets are full of small bones. Brining them and putting them in a smoker yielded the best results, they were actually good. Most of what I caught went to a buddy of mine and he would put them in his garden soil, the biggest Pumpkin I ever saw was one he grew on the carcass of a big Carp. Youtube has many videos on how to prepare Carp for eating Al

Walleyes and Perch, cold water Bass are pretty good. Al

For birds it would be Grouse hands down, I think Moose is my favorite when it comes to big game.. Al

I would say you had a banner year for sure, congratulations. Al

Doc is right about domestic rabbits, they are very tasty and their meat is not as dry and as tough as wild rabbits. I do wild rabbits like wolc, low and slow in a crockpot, cream of mushroom soup is great for flavoring so is alfredo sauce. Slow cooking the meat off the bone and making vegetable soup or stews, slow cooking them in a good tomato sauce is pretty good also. I used to be a fanatical rabbit hunter and if I had a dollar for everyone I ate I could buy a pretty nice side by side double. Al

That little gal looks like a pro waterfowler, congrats to her, had to be a thrill, and congrats to you Charlie for getting her started in the right direction. Al

Happy New Year and looking forward to another great year here on "Hunting NY.Com" Al

Pretty cool ain't it, I once saw a photo of a woman with a nice Buck she took that was totally black. Having raised all kinds of livestock for many years every now and then I will have some sort of genetic mutation pop up with an odd color or look, it is interesting stuff. Hunting I have shot a couple of Jet Black Woodchucks and may get a crack at a Jet Black Squirrel this season as I have seen at least three different ones while Deer hunting Al

I have some lighted reticle scopes and red dot sights but I am not crazy about using them on any of my serious hunting firearms, always have the fear-phobia of a dead battery or electrical failure at the moment of truth. I have to say they have been totally reliable up to now. My red dot sights are used mostly for target shooting. The one exception is my dedicated coon hunting rifle, it has a Japanese Thompson Center scope with a lighted reticle mounted on it, works great when trying to get a bead on a Coon up in the top of a tree in total darkness, have used it for many years and it has never let me down. Al

When I got started with shooting and hunting rifle scopes were starting to come into their own as reliable sighting options over open sights. The reticles of the day for the most part were just plain crosshairs, either fine or heavy and as time went on the scope companies came up with new and innovative reticle designs and styles. Through the years I owned scopes with many of the new reticles, some pictured below and for the most part they all do their job. For me my favorite remains the duplex style, it is tough to beat for hunting. I also like a dot reticle sized to match what the rifle is being used for. All and all I like to keep things simple with not a lot of clutter in my sight picture for hunting guns. Al