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Category Archives: hunting equipment

Bargain vs. Premium Ammo

You get what you pay for. That’s an adage we generally believe in. But does it hold up with respect to ammunition? We set out to answer that question by testing the accuracy of a variety of value-priced .308 hunting ammo against more costly stuff.

Methodology
Using three .308 rifles in the test—one hunting rig and two precision rifles that we knew would be ringers.

We put a number of budget and premium loads through all three rifles over the course of one day, ensuring the results wouldn’t be influenced by different environmental conditions. We also used a standard 5-shot-group protocol, and shot two groups with each load at 100 yards. As a control to establish a baseline level of accuracy for each rifle, we also shot 5-shot groups using Federal’s Gold Medal load with 175-grain Sierra BTHPs.

Using the baseline match load to calculate a ratio for each hunting load by dividing the size of the hunting-load groups into the size of the match-load groups. The closer to 1 that ratio is, the better the hunting load performed. None of the hunting loads outshot the match load, so all these ratios were greater than one.

Results
The outcome was interesting. The best hunting ammo was Hornady’s American Whitetail 150-grain Interlock SP. Compared to the baseline groups with the match ammo, this budget-priced load ($19.29 for a box of 20) shot nearly as well as the match ammo in all three rifles and had an impressive 1.41 average ratio. Federal’s Fusion, another bargain ammo ($21.49 for a box of 20) was second best among the loads, with an average ratio of 2.02.

The only expensive load that delivered consistent performance in all three rifles was Federal’s 165-grain Trophy Bonded Tip ($34.49 per box), The two Winchester loads had nearly identical levels of performance, though again, the less expensive 180-grain BST (2.11 ratio average) outshot the more expensive 150-gr. XP3 (2.81 ratio average).

It’s worth noting when purchasing premium ammo that the promise of greater accuracy is certainly implied because it uses better quality components, but that much of its benefit is based on the idea that it will perform better on game.

Conclusion
It pays to try different loads in several different bullet weights in your rifles. Investing money to find an accurate load is the cheapest way to get the most from your rig.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on March 12, 2015 in Ammunition, firearm, gun hunting, hunting equipment, preparation, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: ammo, ammunition, gun hunting, guns, hunting equipment, ontario, Outdoors, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

Need a Stabilizer on Your Hunting Bow?

10 Mar

If you are a walkabout bow hunter who keeps shots inside 40 yards, you might not need a stabilizer, and certainly not a long or heavy one.

Study indicates that unless you shoot in a heavy crosswind, an ultra-light bow, or stretch your shots out beyond 40 yards, a stabilizer is an optional accessory.

Assessing Stability
Stabilizers add forward weight to a bow, balancing it in hand and, because of the additional mass, absorbing some of the vibration that is produced by the power stroke of the bow.

Some claim that a stabilizer will also reduce noise. However, after experimenting the measured noise output of bows both with and without a stabilizer, results indicates only a minimal reduction in noise.

The real value of stabilizers is the weight they add to a bow. In this way, they are like barrel weight in a rifle. The heavier the barrel, the more the gun stays on target. This is why bench rest shooters use bull-barreled rifles, and it’s why Olympic archers shoot bows with long, heavy stabilizers. But neither group has to hump their gear over steep or difficult terrain.

The Test
Shooting three bows of different weights and dimensions with three different stabilizers and with no stabilizer at all at 10-yard increments from 20 to 60 yards and measured the size of three 10-arrow groups at each distance, for a total of 120 groups.

Some noteworthy conclusions:
Many test sessions were in crosswinds blowing in excess of 30 mph. In stiff winds and always shot more accurately with a stabilizer, and accuracy in wind was directly proportional to distance.

Stabilizers had the most effect on accuracy and noise reduction on a 3.5-pound Mathews Heli-M and the least effect on a 4.5-pound Prime Impact. In between was the 4.3-pound Bowtech.

There was no statistically significant difference in accuracy between stabilized and unstabilized bows inside 40 yards. From 40 to 60 yards, stabilized bows shot 10 percent more accurately than unstabilized bows.

The final conclusion is important. Accuracy is improved by a stabilizer, and if you’re hunting from a tree stand or a ground blind, or in a situation where weight isn’t a consideration, you should use a stabilizer to maximize your accuracy. But in highly mobile hunting situations, where weight can mean the difference between getting on game or not, then a stabilizer can be considered elective.

Test Notes: Field tips on 29 ½-inch, 350-grain arrows. Bows pulled 58 pounds at 29 inches and were shot with and without attached quivers.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on March 10, 2015 in archery, bow, bow hunting, hunting equipment, preparation, tree stand, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: archery, bow, bow hunters, Bow Hunting, bow stabilizer, hunting, stabilizer

Wild Plants to Cure the Flu and Common Cold

06 Mar

Can’t make it to the drug store right now? Whatever the reason, you do have some natural medicinal options in the winter season. Look for these three plants to lessen the symptoms and shorten the duration of your next case of the cold or flu. All you need is a sharp eye and a patch of wild growth to find these common and potent medicinal’s.

Mullein
Mullein is a native plant, which favors dry, rocky soil and full sunlight, and is found throughout North America. An easy way to spot patches of this plants in cold weather is to look for the chocolate brown skeletons of the second-year plants. Look for 4- to 6-foot-tall stalks, which often have branching flower heads that resemble the arms of a saguaro cactus.

The part you want for medicine are the velvety green leaves, which can still be found in winter growing in basal rosettes on one-year-old plants. Treat head colds by crushing the leaves into boiling water and breathing the steam. This medicated vapor acts as a decongestant.
Barberry
The little red berries of barberry contain a compound called berberine. This acts as an immune system booster, helping your body fight off viral attacks like the common cold and the flu. The bitter taste of the berries isn’t very inviting, but eating a handful each day you’re feeling sick can shorten the illness, much like elderberry and Echinacea will. Look for small bushes with small dangling red berries. The two native varieties of the shrubs will have thorns in sets of three growing all over the twigs. The introduced Japanese species will have single thorns growing around the twigs. All three species can be used medicinally. As an additional point of identification, check the seeds in the red berries. Each berry should contain dark, slender seeds—typically two per berry.

Yarrow
This non-native plant grows from coast to coast on sunny open ground, although it’s originally native to Europe. Its most common use is as a poultice for cuts and other wounds. But you can fight colds and flu with it by making a tea from the leaves. Chop up the fresh leaves and add one tablespoon to one cup of scalding hot water. Soak the leaves for 10 to 15 minutes. You can sweeten the drink if you need to, or drink it commando-style. The anti-viral compounds help your immune system through its battle, while the diaphoretic compounds will get a sweat going to help break fevers.

Just make sure you use a field guide or guidance from an expert for positive identification of these plants. The last thing you need to do is poison yourself while you’re already ill.

Rose Hip Benefits
A Rose hip is the fruit of a rose. The wild dog rose is the type of rose most often cultivated for their hips. This plant grows up to ten feet tall and bears a white, very fragrant flower. Once the flower has bloomed, and all the petals have fallen off, the hip is picked and used in a wide variety of preparations. Rose hips are the best source of vitamin C; they contain 50% more vitamin C than oranges.
A single tablespoon of the pulp gives an adult more than the recommended daily allowance of 60 mg. They can be eaten raw, after being put through a blender, or soaked in water overnight and then cooked in the water for about half an hour. Because of the high vitamin C content they are an excellent immune system booster, and are often used as a supplement to prevent or treat a cold. The pulp from rose hips may be used in sauces or made into jelly.

Have you made medicine from wild plants?

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Posted by Wawang Lake on March 6, 2015 in Camping, camping equipment, cuts, do it yourself, hunting, hunting equipment, survival, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: barberry, diy, healing plants, mullein, plant medicines, survival, Wawang Lake Resort, yarrow

Making Waterproof Matches

05 Mar

When it comes to matches, waterproof ones are best, especially in dire circumstances like a flood. Since they’re much more expensive than their pedestrian cousins, you might want to make your own.

Use the Candle Technique
Burn a candle long enough for a pool of wax to form around the wick. Blow it out, then dip the head of your match into the wet wax, about of an inch (3 mm) up the stick. Remove the matchstick and allow the wax to dry, pinching it closed to form a water-tight seal.

Deploy the Nail Polish Ploy
Coat your matches with clear nail polish to waterproof them. Dip the head of the match and a bit of the matchstick itself into the polish, then rest the match on a counter with the head hanging off the edge to dry. Survive any wilderness situation with these critical tips.

Try the Turpentine Trick
The easiest way to waterproof your matches is simply to drop them in turpentine. Allow the matches to soak for five minutes before placing them on newspaper to dry. After twenty minutes or so, you’ll have waterproof matches that will last several months.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on March 5, 2015 in camping equipment, do it yourself, hunting equipment, preparation, survival, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: diy, hunting equipment, matches, matches when wet, survival, waterproof matches, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

Stay On Track – Navigation Tricks

03 Mar

Getting lost is one of the primary reasons that people find themselves in a survival situation in the outdoors. It can happen to anyone, anywhere; but it’s much more likely to occur when someone fails to keep track of their location, or when navigation skills are lacking. Getting lost can be a preventable problem, if you take the right precautions.

To avoid getting lost on your next hunt or hike, put the following tricks into practice:

– Get a map of the area that you are traveling to and study it before going.
– Take the map along, and use it and a compass (or GPS) while you’re there. If you’re printing out maps from your computer, don’t use an inkjet printer. If the map gets wet, the ink will run and turn into a rainbow-smeared mess.
– Imagine what the terrain would look like from a “bird’s eye view” and where you are in that terrain.
– Look behind you frequently, especially if you are returning in that direction.
– Look for and use landmarks, if possible.
– Study and remember the landmarks that you use.
– When traveling off trails, use prominent, distant landmarks and/or a compass bearing to travel in straight lines.
– Account for declination when reading your map and compass. Any good map should tell you how much to add or subtract for True North.
– Watch out for gun barrels and other metal items, which can pull the compass needle off course and distort your bearing.

If you’re heading into the woods this weekend, good luck and stay safe.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on March 3, 2015 in hunting, hunting equipment, survival, trip planning, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: compass, hunting, hunting equipment, map, Wawang Lake, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

Muzzle Affect Accuracy – With or Without?

02 Mar

If you hunt in rainy places, you probably know about electrical tape, the basis of vigorous debate in almost any camp.

The tape, stuck over the muzzle, is used to keep precipitation and debris out of the rifle’s bore. But many hunters argue that the protective layer throws off your bullet’s impact point. Others say the flimsy barrier won’t deflect the bullet.

Which is it?

After testing the accuracy of two bullet types fired from the same .308 bench rest rifle, first without tape over its muzzle and then with electrical tape covering the bore. The results of eight 5-shot groups: Tape does not significantly degrade accuracy. Just as important, the tape also did not shift the rifle’s point of aim.

If you tape your muzzle to keep out the elements, you needn’t worry about shooting through it.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on March 2, 2015 in firearm, gun hunting, hunting, hunting equipment, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: Gun, gun hunting, gun muzzle, hunting equipment, muzzle accuracy, tape over muzzle, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

Packing List

26 Feb

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Posted by Wawang Lake on February 26, 2015 in archery, Black Bear Hunts, gun hunting, hunting equipment, preparation, trip planning, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: black bear hunting, hunting equipment, hunting equipment list, hunting packing list, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B, Wolf Hunting

Truck Vault Secure Vehicle Equipment Storage

22 Feb

Truck Vault Standard Line
General Information
Approximate external height: 8.5″
Approximate internal height: 6″
Number of drawers: 2
Top-load capacity: 2000 lbs.
Environment: Canopy/Tonneau Cover

Click here for more information on the Truck Vault Standard Series

TruckVault Magnum Line
General Information
Approximate external height: 12.5″
Approximate internal height: 10.5″
Number of drawers: 2
Top-load capacity: 2000 lbs.
Environment: Canopy/Toneau Cover

Click here for more information on the Truck Vault Magnum Series

Truck Vault Extreme Series
General Information
Approximate external height: 10″
Approximate internal height: 6″
Number of drawers: 2
Top-load capacity: 2000+ lbs.
Environment: Open-Bed Pickup/SUT

Click here for more information on the Truck Vault Extreme Series

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Posted by Wawang Lake on February 22, 2015 in Black Bear Hunts, hunting, hunting equipment, moose hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: black bear hunting, hunting, hunting equipment, moose hunting, wawang, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

How to Pattern a Shotgun + Video

29 Jan

Shotgun patterns are measured at 40 yards for all gauges, except .410 bore. .410’s are patterned at 30 yards. Patterning is a simple process, but time consuming due to all the counting required. Here is the correct way to pattern a shotgun. pattern2

Set a big piece of blank paper on a frame 40 yards from the muzzle. (Butcher’s paper cut into 48″ squares works well.)
Shoot at the center of the paper.
Draw a 30″ diameter circle around the center of the resulting pattern, so that it encloses the greatest number of holes.
Count the pellet holes in the circle. (It helps to mark the holes with a magic marker as you count them, so you don’t lose your place.)
Cut open an identical, unfired shell and count the pellets in the shell. (The actual number of pellets may vary from the theoretical number based on shot size and weight, so it is best to count them.)
Calculate the percentage of pellets that hit in the 30″ circle. (Divide the number of holes by the number of shot in the unfired shell.)

That is it; you have now officially patterned your shotgun. Of course, every shot varies, so ideally you should repeat the process 10 times and average the results. (Analogous to shooting a group with a rifle, rather than just one shot.) Your shotgun’s pattern percentage will vary if you change the shot size, the amount of shot in the shell or the hardness of the shot, so you need to pattern all the loads you actually shoot in a given gun.

Pattern percentages will usually (but not always!) go up if you increase the hardness of the shot, decrease the weight of the shot charge, buffer the shot inside the shell, or decrease the muzzle velocity of the shot charge. Pattern percentages will typically do down if you use softer shot, increase the weight of the shot charge or increase the muzzle velocity of the load. These generalizations primarily apply to traditional lead shot, your gun may vary.

The percentage of pellet strikes that constitutes what choke varies, depending on the source. These percentages are typical:

Full Choke: 70% or higher
Improved Modified: 65%
Modified: 55-60%
Skeet No. 2: 55-60%
Quarter Choke: 50%
Improved Cylinder: 45%
Skeet No. 1: 35-40%
Cylinder: 35-40%

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Posted by Wawang Lake on January 29, 2015 in firearm, hunting, hunting equipment, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: choke, full choke, quarter choke, shot gun, shot patterning, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

Turn Your Phone Into A Walkie Talkie

14 Jan

Beartooth a case to use on your smartphone that essentially turns your phone into a walkie talkie to be used when your phone is out of range of cell service.

The device will allow you to make texts and phone calls with other Beartooth users over a radio signal, and even allows you to get your geo-location to be used with a map. The radio device will even encrypt your text messages using a 128-bit encryption to keep your data safe.

beartooth-case-that-turns-your-phone-into-a-walkie-talkie-3251

beartooth-case-that-turns-your-phone-into-a-walkie-talkie-5486

The Beartooth phone case radio features individual or group messaging, an SOS broadcasting that that will broadcast your position at user defined intervals for emergencies, as well as hold extra battery storage for your phone right in the case.

beartooth-case-that-turns-your-phone-into-a-walkie-talkie-107

beartooth-case-that-turns-your-phone-into-a-walkie-talkie-8009

beartooth-case-that-turns-your-phone-into-a-walkie-talkie-5962

The radio will reach the standard length of most walkie talkies (around 2 miles), comes with a 2000 mAh battery that will double the battery life of your phone, and will operate in the 151-154Mhz (VHF) and 462-467Mhz (UHF) frequency ranges. Price and availability for the device is to be determined, but production is said to begin in 2015.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on January 14, 2015 in hunting equipment, preparation, trip planning, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: black bear hunting, hunting, hunting at wawang lake, hunting equipment, moose hunting, ontario, Outdoors, survival, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

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Two young kids moved into the remote region of NW Ontario and took with them a dream........ 'It became Wawang Lake Resort' Welcome to Wawang Lake Resort's BLOG and hope that you'll enjoy what we have to write about and hope that you'll join us. This is where you will find information regarding our resort, personal stories, fishing tips & techniques, hunting do's and don'ts and general outdoor activities. If you're looking for some good fishing and hunting information - then browse our articles related to your specific interest. We look forward to you blogging with us follow us and your opinion matters!

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