The Pre-Hunt Part 2 -- Scouting My Stand

Early Friday morning (less than 24 hours from the open), my brother-in-law and I hopped on four-wheel ATVs and headed out to scout the camp and spread a little corn. My stand turned out to be about 2 miles from camp (as the ATV flies). It's a 5' x 5' box stand with a floor roughly 6' off the ground. This is lower than a typical box stand (which is good for my fat butt), but sits up on a mound so it's adequately raised for good sight lines and shooting angles. Here's a pic I took and sent to my wife, who responded that it looks like a tree fort of some kind (which admittedly, is true).

The first thing I noticed about my stand is that my shooting areas were wide open and plentiful, and overlooking a creek bed. Imagine if you are looking directly ahead, and a creek surrounds you in a semicircle. And on both sides of the semi-circle creek bed, trees are left uncut, but that all the trees beyond the creek and between you and the creek are cut. Yeah, I suppose that's pretty hard to imagine. Here's some pics to try to explain.

Here's what I see directly ahead of me while sitting in my stand.

Here's what I see when I look to my right.

And here's what I see when I look to my left. If you look closely, you'll see my automatic corn feeder just before the tree line.

Here's a view from my feeder (on my left shoulder), back to the stand. In fact, it would probably be a lot easier if I just show you a video.


After we filled the feeder with corn, we grabbed the memory card from an infared game camera attached nearby. When we finished with my area, we scattered corn near 2 of my BIL's 3 areas then headed back to camp. When we pulled up the pics from the game camera, we saw several deer, including 2 nice 8 point or better bucks. We also saw a number of turkeys and even a few dogs.

Soon thereafter, J-Dawg arrived and we took him out on the 4 wheelers and the truck to show him my BIL's stand where he would be hunting the next morning. By late Friday afternoon, the camp was bustling. Several other hunters were now on site. A number of them were sighting in rifles on the 100 yard range sitting just beside my BIL's and sister's camper, where I stayed. At some point during the afternoon, my kids, granddaughters and nephews began to arrive to visit. About an hour after dark, the fish fry commenced. A handful of camp members cooked cornbread battered catfish, hush puppies and french fries in open fryers outside the cook shack. To that we added cole slaw, several dessert choices and gallons of ice tea. It was a damn fine meal, and a good way to kick off the hunt. After visiting with my family members for quite a while, we settled in to try to sleep a few hours on the eve of the hunt. I set my alarm on my blackberry for 5 a.m. and managed to sleep a few hours, wondering what I'd see.

Up next -- day one of the hunt.

The Pre-Hunt Part 1 -- Getting There.

After a few telephone calls delayed my departure from Philadelphia until well after 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning (3 days before the open), I finally set out for Southern Arkansas. This is what my car looked like just before heading out:

After a pretty awesome 2-day drive that took me through central PA, Cumberland, Maryland, most of W. Virginia, much of Kentucky (stopping overnight in Lexington) and Tennessee, I finally crossed the Mississippi and into Arkansas about midday on Thursday.

I arrived at "deer camp" late Thursday afternoon, 2 days before the season opening. I spent 21 hours on the road to get there, daydreaming about all the big bucks I might see to pass the time. When I arrived in the remote area in Bradley County, Arkansas, my brother-in-law was there to meet me at the highway and lead me back to camp. I took the photo's below on my drive into camp to demonstrate its remote nature.

After about a mile drive through the woods, I arrived at camp. The camp consists of a large "cookshack" that contains a big cooler, sinks and cooking facilities, along with several tables and chairs to accomodate hungry hunters. It was about the size of a typical diner/family restuaraunt, with indoor seating for 50 or so, with outdoor picnic tables that would accomodate another 24+. Attached to the cookshack was a bathroom with 2 toilets and one shower.

There were a number of cabins and mobile homes that are permanently affixed to the camp (complete with electrical, sewer and water service) that belong to the various members, as well as a number of campers that are brought in only for the hunting season. Finally, the camp includes a deer cleaning area, complete with walk in freezer to store the venison until you take it to a processor. In other words, the camp has everything the hunter needs to get the job done. Here's a photo:

I later learned that there are currently 31 member units (units can be families) which can each have up to 3 hunting areas/stands per unit. These units split 5,300+ acres, with hunting areas being a minimum of 1/4 mile x 1/4 mile areas. The membership charter allows up to 37 member units maximum. I joined as an in-lieu, or probationary member. After 3 years, I can become a full member with voting rights. Each year of membership allows 1 hunting area up to a total of 3, so I arrived with a single exclusive hunting area assigned to me. If I rejoin in following years, I will have up to three exclusive hunting areas. Available hunting areas are typically "drawn for" each year, though members do tend to trade areas. Once you have an area, it's yours until you no longer are a member, offer it up for drawing (in exchange for another area you may draw) or trade it to another member.

Up next, I'll get into the pre-hunt scout and a little more about the camp itself.

Final Preparation for the Hunt

Well, if everything remains in accordance with the game plan, I'll be on the road in a week for the hunting trip to southern Arkansas. This past week, I managed to check off a few more items from the pre-hunt punch list, ordering the following from Cabela's:

A Knight & Hale grunt call:

Under Armour blaze orange vest and cap (not very attractive, but legally required):

A Streamlight Scorpion LED flashlight (for those early, pre-dawn trips to the stand):

... and finally, another box of the Winchester XP3 Extreme Elite ammo, in .270 WSM:

I also took one more trip to the rifle range, where I had to make my final ammo choice, fine tune my scope and get a little more comfortable with the rifle. After going back and forth with Federal standard big game loads and the Winchester Extreme Elite, I opted for the latter. At 100M, the Winchester rounds were a good 2.5" higher than the Federal rounds. This is not surprising, as the Winchester rounds travel significantly faster and have a much flatter trajectory. Once I convinced myself that I could accurately place the Winchester rounds in tight groups (which for whatever reason, I initially found harder to group than the Federal rounds), I made my decision and dialed in my Leupold VX-R for that ammo. My goal was to set the scope 1.1" high at 100 meters, which according to the ballistics chart provided by Winchester, would make the 130 grain load dead flat at 200 meters and down about 5.5" at 300 meters (which is the longest shot I'll potentially see for my shooting lanes). (Interesting side note: Until I purchased this rifle, I had no idea that bullets actually rise initially before beginning to drop.)

My efforts resulted in the final three round grouping below. (The numbers on the target are 1 inch increments.) The first two shots were those that are touching, just left of center. From there, I adjusted upward 4 clicks (1") and right 2 clicks (.5"), and fired the third round. I decided to stop right there. While I wasn't dead above center an inch like I planned, I've learned that when I mispull the trigger with this rifle, I tend to miss a little right. Thus, I'm ok with being a half inch left of center at 100 meters.

Finally, I charged up the Flip video camera so I can try to capture some video of the hunt. Hopefully, I won't forget to pack it next week. More importantly, I hope I don't forget my non-resident license. With that, the tools are ready. Word from SouthArk is, the deer are ready. I guess the rest is up to the shooter.

Gearing up for the hunt ...

Actually, I've been gearing up for the hunt for a while, in the literal sense.

I'm sure I mentioned this before, but I acquired an annual membership in a hunting club in southern Arkansas where my sister and brother-in-law are members. After putting together the pieces of a nice shooting setup (Kimber 8400 in .270 WSM with Leupold VX-R optics), it's finally almost time to go shoot some deer.

I have decided to drive down. I want to take several firearms just to shoot around if I have the chance, and flying just didn't seem like a good option under those circumstances. Besides, it will be nice to have my truck to motor around between the camp and my stand area. Still, not looking forward to the 30 hour round trip. My kids manage each direction in a single driving session, but I plan to split it up over 2 days each way. I'm too old and cranky to be in the car for more than 8 hours in a day.

I'm planning to hunt 5 days (or, up to 5 days, since that's the duration of my non-resident license) but I suppose it's possible I could bag my limit (2 deer, under the aforementioned license) sooner. I sort of doubt that, though. Teen Jared Hicks will be joining me in the stand for opening weekend, and I'm pretty sure he'll be taking the shots those first two days while I watch and enjoy the experience of the hunt for the first time in over a decade. (For those who don't know Jared, he's my ... hmmm... not sure what you call it. He's my kids' little brother, born to their mom a number of years after we were no longer married. I just call him J-Dawg.) Last night, I booked reservations at a nearby hotel so daughter Kristen and granddaughter Bella can be nearby to visit as well (yay!).

It's been quite an experience getting ready to go. Thanks to my B-I-L Marion, though, it hasn't been difficult to do it remotely. He set me up with a stand with 4 long shooting lanes (up to 300 yards each) and a settled food plot which is seeing heavy action. He's absolutely awesome to do that for me, and he and my sister are hosting me in their on-site camper. Speaking of on-site, they are already moved into the camp and will stay there until late December. According to facebook, they've already bagged their first doe (assuming black powder) and are well on their way to refilling the freezer.

If things go according to plan, I'm going to charge up the Flip video camera and try to shoot some video to bring back. November 12th is the open, and I'll be back in Pennsylvania by the 21st before embarking on another non-gun adventure (more to come on that later) the week after, so look for any hunting videos to arrive in early December.

Taking a Very Good Pistol, and Making it Great!

I'm guessing that if you're reading this, you probably remember my intial post professing love for my S&W M&P 9 mm. As I wrote then, it's a fantastic firearm right out of the box. However, one of the cool things about it is the ability to upgrade it with relative ease.

And upgrade, I did.

Sights.

I started by adding Tru Glo fiberoptic sights. The install was WAY more complicated than I realized. First of all, you have to be sure to remove the sights in the proper direction, as there is only one way the dovetail sight mounts will fit into the slide. Second, those things are REALLY in there. It takes a hell of a whack to remove them. If you don't have a vise to hold the slide, this can be quite challenging. Finally, you'll find the same difficulty in moving the new sights into place. However, if you are like me you might not be comfortable whacking the hell out of your new fiber optic sights.

There are a few tools that can help. I looked into "sight" tools designed specifically for removing/installing sights on my gun. However, they were incredibly expensive for a one time install (approaching $200), and are more suited for gunsmiths who will use them repeatedly. As importantly, I couldn't seem to find any tools in stock. As a result, I ended up just purchasing some reinforced nylon "punches" and beating the sights into place with elbow grease, a large hammer, and patience. I marred the finish on the front sight a bit, which sucks. But I did manage to get them installed.

When I first shot her indoors after that modification, I wasn't sure I was going to keep that setup. But then, I shot outside a few times in IDPA events, and I realized what all the fuss was about. Fiberoptic sights practically glow outdoors, even in overcast conditions. Finding the sight line couldn't be easier.

Trigger.

From there, I looked for ways to improve the trigger feel. As with many standard service pistols, the M&P trigger has a rather long pull, with lots of pre-travel (trigger movement before the firing pin releases), lots of over-travel (trigger movement that continues after the firing pin releases) and a lack of a clearly identifiable reset point (i.e., the point where the firing mechanism resets as the trigger moves back forward after firing). Apex Tactical created a drop in kit to improve these characteristics known as the Duty Carry/Action Enhancement Kit ("DCAEK") which replaced a number of parts. I installed mine with a lot of patience and a few tools, though many might find it to be a bit much and may prefer to take it to a gunsmith.

After installing the DCEAK, the difference was noticeable. The pull lightened to about 4-5 pounds, and the pre-travel and over-travel were reduced significantly. I was pleased. Then Apex upped the ante by creating a new kit that included an entire trigger replacement (the Forward Set Sear and Trigger Kit, or FSST). After learning from the DCAEK install, the FSST install was a snap.

And what a difference the FSST made. Travel issues were eliminated completely and the trigger feels incredible. It's as close to a custom single-action 1911 trigger as you'll find. Well worth the moderate price tag (~$150).

Barrel.

Finally, I ordered a custom match barrel from Storm Lake barrels. This part is the easiest imaginable install -- it's a single part replacement that literally drops in. The hardest part about installing this barrel is waiting the 2 months it takes for Storm Lake to make it once you've ordered it. That said, it's worth the wait. The accuarcy improvements are significant and apparent. What's more, after 250 or so rounds, I still haven't experienced a single mechanical failure on this firearm (which was a concern for me in adding this barrel because the feed ramp that loads the rounds is on the lip of the barrel and differs in design from the original).

In sum, I took a very good weapon and made it great. It's by far my favorite handgun to shoot in my collection. I haven't shot an IDPA event with it since the barrel and FSST install, but I can't wait to do so.

Here's a pic showing the modified trigger and a glimpse of the new stainless Storm Lake barrel:

Range Report: SIG 556 Classic Tactical Combat Rifle

I finally had a chance to shoot the new SIG 556 so I thought I'd share my reactions.  In sum, it's probably no surprise to hear me say she's fun to shoot.  I only ran through 140 rounds (which is nearly the shooting equivalent of the blink of an eye with this particular firearm and 30 rounds magazines), but here's a few initial thoughts.

For such a small round (comparatively), she barks!  I was surprised at how loud she was.  Granted, it was at an indoor concrete "bunker," but still, with these little bitty rounds, I figured it would be more akin to a .22 than to my .45.  The best part wasn't the report of the powder, but this cool sound from what I think was the actual lead traveling at 2800 fps -- sort of like the whistle you would imagine hearing if a tiny, supersonic jet flew past your head.  It gave me the sensation that I was sending lead MILES AND MILES down range.

I'm not a fan of the hooded front site and rear diopter.  In fact, I was sort of wishing I had skipped that option all together and applied the savings to a solid optic.  The front site is too large to feel like you are aiming with any real precision.  As for the diopter, it was hard to move by hand while trying to site in, and I couldn't even drift it far enough to make the necessary correction.  Out of the box, she was about 6 inches to the left and 2 inches low at 20 meters.  I'm already planning the optics package to remedy the situation.  I knew I would eventually go optics when I bought her, but figured I would keep the diopter so I would at least have the option.  Now, I can't really see myself ever relying on that diopter again, so I may as well remove it and sell it.

I had one "mechanical" issue while firing.  I've since learned that it was most likely due to a bad brass casing in a round I discharged.  The gun jammed at about round sixty.  When we examined her, we found a round sticking halfway into the breech.  I was able to dislodge it and much to my surprise, this is what I found:

The lower is the round that was stuck in the breech.  The upper is the reason why.  Apparently, after the upper fired, the extractor basically ripped the top of the brass off, leaving the rest of it sitting in the breech while the lower round tried to load on top of it.  You can't tell just by looking, but the lower round is actually bent.  The gun cycled so hard that when it shoved the new round into the half-casing, it bent the new round.  If you try to roll it, it wobbles across the countertop.  Other than that little failure (which was pretty frightening at the time), the rifle shot flawlessly.

In all, it feels pretty good to shoot.  I will admit that it does feel a little heavy after 90 rounds or so.  That said, there's is only enough recoil to let you know that you're shooting a real rifle, so it's easy to stay on target and keep sending rounds as fast as your trigger finger allows.  I'm ready to put another 400 rounds through her at some real distance.  Of course, I'm going to need a decent optic first.

Well, it's been a while so there's LOTS to catch up on ...

First order of business -- new additions to the family.  In my last post, I discussed my desire to take Tanner's up on an offer that seemed too good to pass up.  I think the day after I made that post, I came home with this:

Yep, that's a SIG 556 Classic battle rifle with a rotary diopter rear site.  The price on these things fell about 40% in the past 8 months.  The biggest reasons for the price drop seem to be (1) the rifle is about 1.5 lbs heavier than a standard AR-15 (8 lbs total), it lacks the standard AR-15 quad rails, upon which accessories (such as vertical shooting handle, tactical lights, etc.) can be easily added, and (3) it was way overpriced to begin with (the former pre-drop price was nearly double that of a decent, entry level AR-15).  I personally find the styling and enhanced AK-47 shooting action too cool to resist, though will eventually be looking to add a standard AR-15 to my collection as well.

In other news, I also finally broke down and purchased a full-sized gun safe.  I opted for the Browning Theftguard.  A stock photo with someone else's collection is shown here:

Now I can stop storing my rifles under the bed and my ammo and other gear in the closet.  Cyn is happy.

Since my last post, I shot an official IDPA classifier.  It wasn't as fun as an IDPA fun match (where you can shoot moving targets, from cars, etc...) but it's a good test of skill and is plenty entertaining.  The classifier is designed to test a standard IDPA skill set (reloading, shooting from different distances, from both hands, moving frontward and back, etc...) while using a pre-determined set of stages to help differentiate your skill level and give you a standard measure upon which to improve.

I was pleased to classify as "Marksman," but a little disappointed that I could have classified at the next level ("Sharpshooter") if I had made up about 13 more points by slowing down a little early in the match and focusing a little more on accuracy.  My scores can be seen here.

Finally, I added a Storm Lake match barrel and an Apex Tactical forward set sear and trigger kit to the S&W M&P 9mm I use for IDPA shoots.  Here's what she looks like now:

That's enough for now.  I'll be back later to post range reports from both the SIG 556 and the M&P with the new barrel and trigger.  As a preview, I'll say for now that I am really happy with both.