Snakes 101
This time of year the woods are crawling with hunters, hikers, bird watchers, anglers and critters. One type of critter that enjoys the 
warm sunny days as much as we all do is a snake. No matter the type of snake, they love warming themselves up with the wonderful sunshine they have been waiting for since last fall. Unfortunately, some of these snakes are poisonous and if confronted, now or any time of the year, can cause you pain, injury and in some cases death.
Buying a Crossbow
Crossbow hunters are one of the fastest growing groups of hunters today. The technological advancements in crossbow hunting over the 
past decade are amazing. No longer is the crossbow considered an odd choice for the modern day hunter. In the past the crossbow was looked down upon by many hunters as a poacher’s weapon – those days are long gone now.
Archers choose to use a crossbow for a number of different reasons. Why you choose to hunt with a crossbow is your personal decision, but one you won’t regret. Some like the crossbow because it is something different; it is a change of pace from the traditional archery equipment they have been using for years. Others choose the crossbow because of how easy it is to use and their skills with a vertical bow are lacking. Many hunters choose to switch from a vertical bow, like a compound or a recurve to the crossbow because they cannot pull back and hold the weight required in many states to hunt legally. A crossbow alleviates this problem because you can cock a crossbow with a mechanical cocking device with limited muscle power before your game shows up at your stand. As a younger hunter this may be your reason for choosing a crossbow – that, and they’re fun to shoot!
Cleaning Your Shotgun
A clean gun is a happy gun and a safer gun. In case you haven’t noticed, shotguns are not inexpensive to replace, especially ones 
that could have survived for decades if taken care of properly. If you maintain your shotgun, whether it is brand new or a cherished heirloom handed down from a family member or friend, you too will someday get to hand it down to your child or a new hunter. While a shotgun is a complicated piece of machinery, it is not too complicated that you should use that as an excuse not to clean it thoroughly from time to time.
Many do not attempt to clean their shotgun for fear of making mistakes and having parts leftover after they have reassemble their cherished friend. If you do not have an instructional booklet that came with your shotgun on the breakdown of the parts and how they fit together, go online and do a search for one.
Turkey Call Basics for Beginners
Turkeys are one of the most vocal animals we hunt, and every year it seems that new calls are developed and added to our arsenal. Making the 
right call at the right time can bring a gobbler running in and help you fill your tag. Making the wrong call at the wrong time though will send that gobbler into the next county quicker than you can blink your eyes.
A turkey’s hearing is second only to his eyesight; he relies heavily on both to keep him alive in the woods. Knowing which sound he wants to hear and when, takes years of trial and error, and even when you think you have it all figured out you will run into a gobbler that forgot to read the rule book. He will want you to cackle when you think you should yelp and purr. Turkeys like this are harvested every year – you just have to figure out what the turkey you are working wants to hear and then give it to him.
