Howdy, Hunting Wire nation!

Lately, I've read about the advancements in thermal optics, which is excellent. Some say these advancements could trigger (pun intended) a decline in ethical hunting or raise the question of what ethical hunting is.

Some tremendous outdoor voices have recently written passionately about this topic. I'm going to approach this from a different perspective.

Ethics belongs to the individual, period.

Equipment advances have nothing to do with it.

You can hunt with the world's most advanced optics system, rifle, cartridge, clothing, and support equipment and be an ethical hunter, or you can go afield in clothes you made yourself armed with a bow you built yourself, and be the most unethical hunter the world has ever known.

Decide if you're ethical or not. Then every choice you make moving forward, whether it's gear, geography, or groups, will be governed by your ethics, or lack of them regardless of your kit.

After all, the latest thermal optic advancement won't pull the trigger on a buck before, during, or after legal shooting light. That's your decision—it always has been and always will be.

Jay

By Rick Brazell - First Hunt Foundation

Most hunters of my generation, growing up in the 1960s, started their shooting journeys with a Daisy or Red Rider BB gun. All my friends had them, and we learned to shoot in backyards and pastures as we refined our marksmanship, shooting at dirt daubers and wasps, and soon even sparrows became fair game. Later, some of us moved onto .177 or .22 caliber pellet guns, discovered we had even more power in our young hands, and could now reach out further than we ever imagined. The chance to potentially harvest rabbits, bullfrogs, and doves spurned our imaginations to believe we could be hunters and bring some food home to the family's table. It didn't happen often, and there never seemed enough to feed an entire family, but the feeling of accomplishment couldn't be denied as that hunting spirit was nurtured.

Inevitably, young shooters and hunters of that day were allowed and hopefully encouraged to move onto .22 rimfires, and the smell of freshly shot gunpowder would forever change our identities. The energy of explosive powder became additive, and the lackluster performance of lead or a copper BB being propelled by a push of air seemed insignificant or at least no longer appreciated. Powder was power; its limits were only the cost of acquiring the hardware or the amount of recoil a person could handle comfortably.

As a young high school student, I recall saving my limited funds and walking into a Western Auto store in our small Texas town and buying a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum. No questions were asked, and parents were not required to sign for anything back then. Shooting that gun and especially showing its awesome power to all my friends was exhilarating and deafening, as my current hearing aids will attest. The point is that the power and effectiveness of powder have become entrenched in shooters and hunters for decades.

So why would we even consider the perception of going backward and looking at air-powered projectiles again? I would have never even asked myself that question if my good friend Rocky Mease hadn't shown me the picture of his Idaho bull moose and then exclaimed he shot it with his .45 caliber airgun.

Idaho Moose harvested with .45 caliber air rifle

You did what? Oh, and he shot his bear with the same gun the season before. That piqued my interest because something didn't seem right. How could that be? A giant bull moose and a mature black bear were taken down with an air rifle! Telling all my friends and associates the story got the same response, so I needed to research this apparent evolution and resurgence of air power.

In my research, I was also surprised to find that air rifles had been around long, long before we got that twinkle in our eyes to cock our BB guns and go chasing things outside. The oldest mechanical air gun, dating back to about 1580, is in the Livruskammaren Museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Most folks don't know that Lewis & Clark packed an air rifle with them on their famous expedition across the new frontier. I didn't believe it until I was shown the proof. Folks, this was 1804-1806! You can read about this famous air gun in their journals, which were the center of excitement and controversy from the outset of the expedition. The air gun described was thought to have been designed by C.G. Girandoni and adopted by the Austrian military in the late 1700s. This particular gun had a small air tank that held 800 p.s.i. of air pressure delivered by a rod-piston pump device needing 1,500 strokes to reach capacity. Can you feel the burn? However, once filled, the gun held 22 -.46 caliber lead balls that, when working properly, could fire all 22 shots in under a minute. It is written that Meriwether Lewis would consistently demonstrate the air gun to any of the natives encountered, causing some historians to speculate it was enough to keep them safe from later attacks. They never told those curious onlookers that they only processed one such gun, leading the amazed observers to think they likely had an armory of similar guns in their boats that each man could then use to take out 22 of their people. That could plant a seed of fear.

Modern-day air rifles are impressive. The size, distance, and energy produced now are hard to comprehend. On September 9, 2023, in New Mexico, Ton Jones shot a .30 caliber Airforce Texas model to set a new world record by hitting a 3-foot x 3-foot steel target at 2,058 yards. That's 1.169 miles! I recently attended the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo, where Utah Airguns showed me the AEA Zeus .72 caliber air gun.

Author holding a .72 caliber AEA Zeus

I was informed it was the largest air gun on the market then and would be used to hunt cape buffalo. Given this gun shoots an 850-grain bullet at 870 fps and delivers 1500-foot pounds of energy, I suspect it would work. While writing this article, I was informed that AEA is releasing a new .95 caliber model, Zeus. I watched their video on this gun where you can shoot up to a 2,500-grain (no joke) slug at 830 fps, producing a whooping 3,500+ foot-pounds of energy. Their representative made a great quote in their promotional video: "God knows why you need that much energy for anything on planet Earth, but you have it if you need it." Ok, if they eventually clone T-Rex again and they're in the woods, I'm in.

Utah Airguns was officially founded in 2016 by Justin Jacobson and since then has been taking the airgun world by storm. Justin told me "The airgun growth the past few years has been exponential. It has been due to the exposure we've been able to cross with the shooting industry." John McCaslin, President of Texas based Airforce Airguns expressed to me a similar response at Shot Show saying they are continuing to grow and expand not only in the US, but across the world. Airforce Airguns recently returned from the IWA Outdoors Classic in Nuremberg, Germany where they successfully promoted their products in front of trade visitors from 120 countries.

For us everyday hunters who won't be shooting things a mile away or needing a gun big enough to bring down a charging elephant, there are now many choices, and the industry's choices are expanding rapidly. A great place to start your research for finding your new air gun is Air Gun Depot at https://www.airgundepot.com/. They do a great job of breaking it down for hunters looking for big, medium, and small game guns. Big game such as deer and hogs have choices with a minimum of 90-200 FPE, where they list nine brands and 57 models from which to choose. Medium game models, which include guns with a minimum of 25 FPE, cover 19 brands and 143 models. Raccoons, bobcats, and other small predators can be taken with them. The small game category has 16 different brands and 99 models. These models have a minimum FPE of 11 and can be used for rabbits and squirrels. Prices range from under $200 for some small game models to around $1,700 for the big game models. Another great site to explore is Utah Airguns at https://utahairguns.com/. They show 17 brands with 242 models, including a couple of custom-built ones covering 14 different calibers. There are even air guns that shoot arrows, which some states now allow disabled hunters to use for archery. So, your choices are wide and far if you consider adding air power to your hunting inventory.

Now, some may ask the "Why?" question. "My powder-fired guns are working just fine. My freezer is full." might be a common response. Well, it would likely never be a choice of switching from powder to air but more a choice of expanding or adding to your existing portfolio of hunting arms. Most of us have multiple calibers that can be interchanged according to species hunted, terrain, distances, etc. We're all comfortable making choices whenever we go into the woods to hunt. The challenge of harvesting an animal with air power might appeal to some. The lack of government red tape for purchasing one might appeal to others. Buying a gun that can take down an elk and having the gun delivered to your front door seems strange but satisfying. No FFL is needed. Having a gun with little recoil and no loud muzzle blast as the same gun you will have a young hunter hunt with could be another reason. It might be great for training as well. Having working guns for an ammo crisis might be another reason.

Airguns are now an efficient, modernized tool for harvest like firearms, muzzleloaders, and archery equipment and many believe they should be taxed similarly to firearms and bows but some in the industry are resistant. Even the state fish and wildlife agencies acting via the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies passed a resolution last Sept. titled “CALLING FOR AMENDMENT OF THE PITTMAN-ROBERTSON FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACT TO INCLUDE AIRGUNS AND ASSOCIATED AMMUNITION” which states: “…BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies encourages Congress to amend the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act to extend the federal excise tax to airguns and associated ammunition.” For now, airguns are exempt from these taxes so watch to see if modern airguns are brought into the fold saying they too are part of the shooting/hunting family of industries providing funds to help states help manage animals and habitats.

The facts are in, and the evidence just gets more compelling each year that there are now great new choices for hunters that weren't there just a few years back. Some states are more accepting of airgun hunting than others. The Airgun Sporting Association provides all the information you will need at https://airgunsporting.org/laws/, so check them out to see what species can be legally hunted with airguns in your state. The Europeans are way ahead of us with this technology. Still, it's time hunters in America start to embrace the power of air in bringing food to the table, even without the mesmerizing smell of burnt powder. I know I would miss that and be unable to tell my friends to "keep your powder dry!" but I'm game to try it at least. Thus far, my German-made RWS Diana 34 .22 caliber rifle has found its mark with rabbits and some pesky critters trying to damage my log home, but it's time to think bigger. I'll tell you how that turns out when it hits the air.

Rick hails from the great state of Texas where he and his best friend taught themselves how to hunt at an early age with .22’s, Bear recurved bows and borrowed shotguns. His interest in wildlife and the outdoors caused him to gain an undergraduate degree at West Texas State University where he started the first wildlife club for students. He then went onto Utah State University where he acquired a Master of Science in Wildlife Science in 1982. He began his Forest Service career as a crew leader in the Youth Conservation Corp (YCC) in 1976. Rick retired after 36 ½ years with the U.S. Forest Service where he worked half of his career as a professional wildlife biologist and the second half as a line officer. He served as an NRA Range Safety Officer for many years. Rick has been a founding member for chapters of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Wild Turkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited. Rick founded the First Hunt Foundation in 2015 as a means of giving something back and remembering his own self learning journey into hunting which he didn’t want others to experience. He has grown the First Hunt Foundation to be operational in all 50 states with over 1,270 volunteer mentors thus far. He has established mentoring programs within FHF for youth, women, veterans & first responders and now underserved communities. He looks forward to helping new hunters anywhere he can to insure our hunting heritage remains for all.

Jon Zinnel, Federal Ammunition
Dan Forster, Archery Trade Association
Brent Miller, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Rick Brazell, First Hunt Foundation
Mark Peterson, Worldwide Trophy Adventure
Michelle Scheuermann, Bullet Proof Communications 

Facilitators

• Peter Churchbourne, Director, NRA Hunter Leadership Forum
• Jim Curcuruto, Executive Director, Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation
• James “Jay” Pinsky, Editor, The Hunting Wire & Archery Wire

The Voice of Leadership Panel is an appointed group of outdoor industry leaders who have volunteered to contribute their voices on crucial hunting and outdoor recreation issues to inform, inspire, and educate participants within our community.

Spring turkey season is set around one specific event: mating season. Gobblers are out with the goal of showing off for females and passing on their genetics. Similar to a large game animal in the rut, these birds are out with one goal this time of year. This makes hunting them extremely fun, as they are interactive and motivated to come running to your calls. 

Preparation: The Essentials

Camo: It is incredibly important to cover every part of your body in some form of camouflage. You've probably heard hunters talk about turkeys and their vision. Six cone cells house the remarkable capacity for color vision in a gobbler's retina, which is among the most intricate of any animal. In comparison, the human eye only has three. This is where we discover the justification behind choosing our camo carefully. On that note, taking care of your turkey camo is the next step to not getting yourself busted. Some laundry detergents and fabric softeners can leave a mild residue on your gear, resulting in the slight glow of a blueish color that a gobbler can quickly detect as unnatural. So choose your detergent carefully, avoid softeners, and be sure to sit still!! 

Depending on where you are hunting, you may want to tailor your gear list for certain situations. Specialized gear can include waterproof boots, especially if you'll be crossing potential creek bottoms and other water sources; tick prevention, which can come in many forms and is often very useful when you're crawling around in the grass and brush in the spring; and possibly the most important of them all, depending on your location: snake boots and guards!

The main essentials are almost always the same: good quality, comfortable boots, calls, a gun, choke, and turkey shot, binoculars, face covering, a comfortable turkey vest, decoys, and your license and tags!

Research and Regulations

Not only do regulations change from state to state, but they can also change per zone and season. Be sure to check the regulations before each hunt to make sure you are always within the guidelines. For instance, while some states only permit the harvest of male turkeys, others permit the taking of bearded hens. While there are many different ways for hunters to pursue a spring turkey, some methods are inherently dangerous and even illegal in some states. 

Scouting: A Key to Success

Like with any successful hunt, scouting is paramount. From finding where they are roosting to where they are sourcing their water, and everything in between, proper scouting is the key to success. Depending on where you are hunting, tailoring your scout to the area will give you a leg up on your chances of success. Using OnX is a great tool. OnX gives you several different views of maps, and you can see landowner’s names when needing to ask for permission to hunt on private land. Finding roosts and water sources are two of the most important things you can do to set yourself up for success. Setting up close enough to the roost so a big bird can hear you and you can hear him is a great way to set yourself up for a little bit of action! Look for ridges on the map. Because hens can hear and see them from a distance, toms like to strut around and gobble in these areas. Mark all access points to the places you’ll be hunting. Places that are likely to be busier with people are much less likely to have turkeys around them. Your scout should be your mission to gather all the information that you possibly can: potential strut zones, water, people, listening for sounds and gobbles, driving by, walking the area on foot, looking for tracks, and little lines in the sand that indicate wing drags. Also, note if there are multiple turkeys or a group of them, note how large the feet are, and study maps!

Different Methods of Turkey Hunting

• Run and Gun: Mimicking turkey calls to lure gobblers within shooting range requires patience and skill. Practice all the time, watch tutorials, and perfect your craft! Being a strong caller may be the single most important thing you can do to better yourself as a turkey hunter and your chances of a harvest!

• Decoying: Using decoys to attract curious gobblers can be highly effective, especially in open fields. There is controversy among some hunters on the ethics of using male decoys, as it seems to be nearly impossible for a big tom to resist the temptation to come in and square up on a potential rival. 

• Ambushing: Ambushing sounds simple, but it usually proves to be a pretty challenging way to hunt. It requires a lot of skill and knowledge in a particular area. Ambushing typically consists of strategically positioning yourself along known turkey travel routes, dust bathing spots, feeding areas, around water sources, or below roosting trees, and waiting for gobblers to pass by.

• Spot and Stalk: Stealthily stalking gobblers in their natural habitat, requiring keen observation and quick reflexes. Hunters will use natural vegetation, excellent ninja skills, and camo to be successful with this method.

• Flock Busting: Disrupting turkey flocks to scatter them, then calling them back in one by one. This method is usually more common in the fall turkey season, but it can be occasionally useful in the spring too. If you happen to stumble upon a flock of turkeys and spook them, remember this method and use it to your advantage. Turkeys naturally want to gather together, and calling them back can often be successful. 

• Fanning/Reaping: This is probably the most controversial method of turkey hunting. With fanning, the hunter hides behind a turkey fan to mimic a strutting gobbler, drawing in dominant birds for a close-range shot. Hunters are shot every year with this method by others, mistaking them for big toms. The ethics and safety involved in fanning are heavily debated and often heated among hunters. 

Whatever method you choose to pursue gobblers this spring, stay safe, follow the regulations, respect the resource, and consider sharing the love of the sport with our youth!