dialing them in

I love my back yard. And the reason is that while you might get a headache from a falling acorn, you can also shoot a bow, pattern a shotgun or even check a rifle's zero if need be. I do let my closest neighbor know that it's just me sighting in. He's a Police Officer and I wouldn't want him to think I was in a gunfight with a home invader.

Karen saw a new picnic table as a spot for quests and parties. I sat

down at it and saw it to be a great shooting bench. Plus I wouldn't have to move it in and out when I need it. Our wireless network means I can use my laptop and Nikon's Spot On

software (For client business only Greg, if you're reading this) to dial my particular BDC reticle in to the specific round I'm using.

This time I was checking a .243. I learned that with the Winchester XP3 load I am shooting it actual fits my needs better to dial it in for a 200-yard zero instead of the usual 100-yard one. I would not have considered that were it not for Spot On being right there beside me showing me the light. Now the reticle chart is printed out and taped to the stock, ready for action on a longer range.

Even if your range isn't wireless, it won't be long before you can use Spot On on your iPhone or get a disc to load it on your laptop.

What Caliber Do You Prefer?

Since I was a young boy (old enough to handle a firearm safely), I've grown up using a Model 70 .270 Win. Why? Because that was the first centerfire rifle I received, it's a dependable gun and because it's all I need for whitetail hunting in South Carolina. I continue to use this exact same gun today.

What caliber rifle do you prefer using when hunting whitetails, antelope and other wild game of this size? And why?

starting the season off

Author Tom Kelly would call it a "field expediency." My dad would say I "made do." I just knew I was not driving back to the house to get it and I am too old to hunt without it. So, I dug a motorcycle ratchet strap out of my truck and used it to tether myself to the tree. I figured if it will keep a 900-lb motorcycle on a trailer at 70mph it should keep a sweaty, 200lb bowhunter from falling.

In defense of my decision, I did have the vest, just not the tree strap.

The deer, the reason I was up the tree in the first place, decided to show up from an unexpected direction and winded me before it even got close to being in range.

And for the record, if it would have been my Thermacell I left behind, you can bet I would have gone back to the house and gotten it. I'm not that crazy....

Preparation Is Key To Success

In most areas of the country deer season is in or only a few days away and hunters are preparing for the season. While it's important to scout, plant food plots, hang your stand in the "sweet spot," get your camo ready and purchase your license, it's equally important to make sure your firearm is still punching close groups on the target.

You never know how your scope may have been bumped around during the off season.

If you have an iPhone, I suggest downloading Winchester Ammunition's Ballistics Calculator from iPhone Apps for free and taking it to the range with you.

If you don't have an iPhone, you can still take advantage of this fantastic tool on Winchester's Web site. Type in your coordinates for the day, print and take to the range.

The Web based calculator is live at www.winchester.com/ballistics.

The iPhone version of Winchester’s Ballistics Calculator, which was just launched at the beginning of 2010, allows you to choose the type of ammunition and compare up to three different Winchester products with easy-to-read, high-tech ballistic charts and graphs. You can customize shooting conditions by entering wind speed and outside temperature, adjust zero marks for sighting in.

Here's an image that explains what I'm talking about:

Good luck to everyone this season, remember "safety first" and have fun!

Back In The Swing Of Things

I know that I've been pretty slack about blogging lately...trust me, CJ has made sure to remind me of it.

Well...I'm back! I'll be keeping you guys up to speed on what's new with Winchester and their 2011 new products in the coming weeks. Still got to keep things quiet, but I can assure you, that they have a great lineup that covers a wide range of calibers, gauges, etc.

While it's still mid 90 degree weather here in SC, we're getting ready for the fall hunting season. To get you in the mood, you need to check out Winchester's tv shows on Versus.

They offer a great lineup of hunting shows. Versus reaches out to more than 74 million households.

“Winchester Whitetail Revolution" “World of Whitetails with Larry Weishuhn" and “Winchester Legends,” are going to have some exciting and adventurous shows this year.

To find the VERSUS channel number for your area, visit www.versus.com/findversus/

Till next time...

Robin Hood 2!

Hey CJ, I think I am ready for bow season too! I was at the POMA Conference held in LaPorte, Indiana last month and was trying out new Bowtech bows. Since it was a demo bow, everything was new to me; the rest, sights, release, draw length, draw weight, etc. I was flinging some arrows when one made an interesting sound. Turns out....shot my first robin hood!