Author Archives: Ed Hale

About Ed Hale

I am an avid hunter with rifle and Bow and have been hunting for more than 50 years. I have taken big game such as whitetail deer, red deer, elk, Moose and African Plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Blesbok, and Impala and wrote an ebook entitled African Safari -Rifle and Bow and Arrow on how to prepare for a first safari. Ed is a serious cartridge reloader and ballistics student. He has earned two degrees in science and has written hundreds of outdoor article on hunting with both bow and rifle.

Garmin Xero C1 Pro Doppler Radar Chronograph – Lets See How Easy!

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The new Garmin Xero C1 Pro seen below has features galore. It is very light, easily packed/stored, and is so easy to set up. Can link to your Iphone too. 

Garmin suggests you charge the unit batteries first. It takes a few hours and also comes with a separate larger battery. The tripod is detachable and the unit can be mounted on a long camera tripod as well.

So lets shoot three shots “right now” out of my 7mm Rem Mag at the range and see how easy it is.

On the top of the unit there are 4 buttons. One has the power icon. Push it. Below the screen displays  three options, New session, History or Settings. See the box highlighting the new session? We want that one, so on top of the unit push the OK button.

Next screen will come up and ask Rifle, Pistol, Bow, or Air Rifle. On top the unit has up arrow and down arrow keys. Since the screen box is highlighting the Rifle, just hit the OK button.

Next it displays expected speed ranges 1700 to 5000 fps or slower than 1700fps. Since the screen highlights the speed range for my 7mm, then hit the Ok button.

If you want to know bullet energy you can hit OK for Yes and enter the bullet weight. Skip for now.

 

Below this screen tells you the distance the unit must be from the rifle barrel which is 5 to 15 inches.

 

The next screen below has dashes indicating you are ready to shoot and record data.

Place the tripod unit on a bench near your rifle barrel 5 to 15 inches away.  

Next is to shoot three shots. See Below.

Hit the OK button and the Chronograph will calculate the number of shots taken, the average, and Standard Deviation. Some say 10 shots for a really accurate AVG and SD but three shots work for me.  

 

Wow! Time to set up is less than 5 minutes. Below, I shot my Ten Point Turbo S1 crossbow in just minutes with the Garmin to the right within 15 inches of the arrow. Thanks to my Weber Grill and My Death Grip tripod.

Below, I clocked the arrow/bolt speed at 359.1 fps with a 100g broadhead. Easy!

I bought a small hard case to put the unit in. 

Good Shooting!

Sizing Up A Black Bear Over Bait

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Seeing dozens of YouTube videos’ on hunting bear over bait is an excellent way to see  bears cautiously approach a bait site. My Maine fall bear destination below. 

https://www.foggymountain.com/

Brandon Bishop owner of Foggy Mountain congratulating a successful bear hunter

 

Bow and crossbow hunters are set up around 20 yards or less to a bait site. Rifle hunter are set up further away.

Your guides are real experts, listen up.

You will notice quickly that younger bears and cubs have large “Mickey Mouse” like ears, whereas adult bears have smaller ears when compared to the head. Your guide will also have marks on barrels indicating height of an approaching adult bears. A belly dragging the ground is a sure bet for a whopper. Or a bear that meets height markings on a barrel or is larger than the bait barrel. Holy Mackerel!!

If cubs or smaller bears arrive and then a larger bear is seen accompanying the cubs, then it is most probably a mother sow.

Take lots of pictures and video but hope that this  family of bears move on as the mother sow with cubs is not on a hunters menu.

Lone adult bears are what you are after.

Experts agree, the average size of harvested adult bears in Maine are around 150 pounds and can vary upwards to many hundreds of pounds like pictured above, though rare to see in daylight. Bear’s in the 250-300 pound or more range are real trophies.

The name of the game is being still, patience, scent control and timing/angle of your shot.

More so for archer’s. A fixed blade broadhead hit just forward of the bear’s midline and behind the shoulder will drop a bear in just 11 seconds.

A high broadhead hit to the shoulder scapula, is likely a lost bear due to lack of penetration. The scapula wounded bear will very likely heal but you, the hunter, may have some sleepless nights.

A rifle or pistol hunter has more shot options than the archer but the bullet must be placed in the heart lung area or head shot. Most opt for heart/lung.

It is best to shoot a bear with ample bullet penetration to get an exit wound and a bullet that opens up or mushrooms leaving an ample blood trail. 

Fast recovery of your bear is essential for quality meat.

Recently, I was given bear meat that was well cared for and vacuum sealed. It was absolutely tender and delish in my fall/winter stew. And don’t forget rendering the bear fat! It has many uses for making pastry, water-proofing shoes, lubrication and on and on. Mounting your bear? Call a taxidermist before you hunt.

Good Hunting!

 

 

Reflections of My October 2023 Newfoundland Moose Hunt

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It is 2024 now and near mid June. I took some time to reflect on my Newfoundland Moose Hunt.

Ed’s Moose taken Sept. 19, 2023

I was able to bring all 300 pounds of my frozen moose meat home on the back of our Subaru Ascent. On return home, we crossed over to Nova Scotia from the Port Au Basque side. An 8 hour Ferry ride. We had a ferry cabin, and 2 labrador retrievers with us.

I was hoping for a bull, but here along the Gander River, there were very few big racked bulls but never the less a decent quantity of moose live here. Given my senior age, I liked the hunt on the back of a Quad to get me close to bogs.

Cost of the hunt was in the $7000 range in total. Weather in October is storm prone, so be prepared.

So lets see, my moose meat costs $23 dollars a pound. Is it delicious? Absolutely the best! My wife goes bananas over the moose burger with a bit of pork mixed with it. This is my third moose and thoroughly enjoying the wild experience and the meat. We have shared meat with friends and family and still have plenty on hand. 

Below is the Moose hunt article.

Newfoundland Moose Hunt Sept 2023 With Gander River Outfitters

Good Hunting!

Next hunt is for black bear in Maine, in September 2024! 

Spring Old Town Fiberglass Canoe -Needs A Redo

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I have owned a 16 foot Fiberglass Old Town Katahdin Canoe for many years. This winter it fell off its saw horse perch and flipped up. Snow filled it and  we had powerful Northeasters and pounding rain. The poor canoe took a beating and filled with water demonstrating it was still leak-proof.

Our  Katahdin began its life as a bright red canoe and my sons and I used it greatly in Northern New Hampshire along the backwaters of the Androscoggin river and the ponds nearby.

Later, I spray painted it with camo paint for duck hunting but used it rarely as my sons flew from our nest.

Now, emptied of water, I need a new yoke and one web seat. But the camo faded and looks very sad.  Accordingly, I promised the canoe, a rebirth and a new professional camo paint job because I have 12 year old grandsons and a granddaughter to teach how to fish and paddle.

I went on-line and found my new birch yoke and web seat. But there is more… I found a camo spray paint kit and a kit of camo stencils to reinvigorate its life.

And the stencils too. All of these below in a plastic/ synthetic overlays with which to spray camo paint on.

Below is the new camo job on the canoe.

Good Canoeing!

7mm PRC Velocities Vary?

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Hornady’s new 7PRC owners are finding that the 175g bullet is not living up to its 3000fps advertising. Those that buy off-the-shelf 7PRC ammo have see a drop often of 100 to 150fps in lot to lot variation. Below is a video from “Big Game Hunting Blog” that helps to understand the variation.

In part it is due to powder shortages. Hornady’s use of different powders and lots of powder can cause measurable variation as well as rifle barrel length.

Hornady uses SAAMI 24 inch barrels. A 22 inch barrel will not cut 3000fps.  The key here is that the 7PRC was designed for long range accuracy, thus powders must deliver accuracy first. 

My Browning X-Bolt Speed in 7 Rem Mag achieves 3000 fps with a 175g Nosler ABLR bullet and a 26 inch barrel (9.5 twist) with RL 22 and Vitha. 560 hand loaded powder and sub-moa accuracy.  I did however, have to experiment with powder charges to safely optimize the loads. 

For 7PRC a lot of hoopla was made of improved faster barrel twist rate differences as well for heavier target bullets. The 7PRC rifle has a 1:8 Twist but my 7 Rem does equally well with 1:9.5 Twist with hunting bullets up to 175 grains. 

Good Hunting!

 

 

New Hampshire Commission To Study Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Farm June 3, 2024 UPDATE

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The NH Representative Commission meeting with  NEFSA New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association over the proposed Ocean Wind Farm in the Gulf of Maine needs 16 members for a quorum but only 13 showed up.

Gubernatorial Candidate and former NH Senate President Chuck Morse organized and attended in support of NEFSA. We all were very disappointed! Thank you Chuck for your support. 

https://www.chuckmorsefornh.com/

The unofficial meeting supposedly took notes from those that spoke but without the quorum the meeting was toothless for NEFSA to be heard.

I “suspect” perhaps politics played a part. 

But we were aggressive enough to make our disappointment known! Many spoke as did Jerry Leeman, Founder & CEO of NEFSA,  with his decades of fish knowledge to keep industry from damaging our ocean eco-system.

 Especially without independent scientific study which has never happened.

Thus, how many people want an unproven wind farm design and turbine cooling system ” to screw up the ocean ecosystem “we the local people” did not ask for.”

Many dead Whales have washed ashore and Biden’s BOEM blames fisherman? 

High temperature cooling water for turbine heat exchangers inject bleach and alter the water column ecology affecting every living organism and disrupt the fragile food web of consumers and fisherman, potentially contaminate the seafood we eat and the lives of millions of coastal families

This disregard of independent science reminds me of Minamata Disease of Japan where in the 1950’s methyl-mercury Chemicals from factories were discharged into the ocean. Human Poisoning and nerve damage occurred when a person consumed heavily contaminated seafood regularly from Minamata Bay. 

Early America used mercury in hat making and makers thus exposed coined the term “Mad as a Hatter.”

I believe if Trump wins the White House, the wind farm will be toast! And if Chuck Morse wins the Gubernatorial Race we will have a Win-Win. 

 

 

Republican Chuck Morse Joins Opponents of Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Project

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The Proposed Gulf of Maine Biden Wind Farm is full of Hot Air. NH Republican Gubernatorial candidate Chuck Morse joined New England Fisherman NEFSA to oppose the project.  The Biden proposal is poised for bids on blocks of the Gulf of Maine is a rush to get the wind turbines in place before year end without a full independent Marine Impact Study.  Biden’s Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management aka BOEM says all is ok? Do you believe Biden and Green Energy Democrats? Sounds more like the cart before the horse. Read more at NH Journal below.  

Morse Joins Opponents of Offshore Wind Project in Gulf of Maine

 

 

 

Biden Auctioning Gulf of Maine and NH Coastal Ocean for Giant Wind Farms

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FYI

FINAL DMF General Advisory template image

May 9, 2024

BOEM Gulf of Maine Proposed Sale Notice Public Meetings

The following message is being sent on the behalf of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

On April 30, 2024, BOEM announced its proposal for a first offshore wind energy auction in the Gulf of Maine and an accompanying a 60-day public comment period (comments due by July 1, 2024). The proposed sale would include eight lease areas offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, totaling nearly 1 million acres. BOEM invites you to attend in-person and virtual meetings in May and June 2024 where BOEM seeks feedback on the various aspects of the proposed lease areas, including size, orientation, and location of the eight lease areas, and which areas, if any, should be prioritized for inclusion or exclusion from the Lease Sale. BOEM is also seeking public comment on potential lease stipulations regarding vessel transit and baseline environmental monitoring. Upcoming engagement meetings with BOEM will provide opportunity for feedback from the fishing community and the public-at-large. To submit public comments, log on to Regulations.gov and search for BOEM-2024-0026.

To find out more: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/maine/gulf-maine

In-Person Meetings

Open House Meetings: BOEM will host three “open-house” style meetings to allow the public to talk with BOEM’s scientists and other personnel. This informal format allows people to ask questions and share information directly with BOEM employees on the Proposed Sale Notice (PSN). At the meetings, there will also be official presentations followed by an opportunity for questions and answers focused on the Proposed Sale Notice. While the meeting will not be recorded, the Q&A session will be summarized thematically and later entered as a meeting summary on the Proposed Sale Notice docket on Regulations.gov. The majority of the meeting time will be focused on providing the public with opportunities to engage directly with BOEM subject matter experts at poster stations.

Attendees can submit official public comments for Regulations.gov, either in writing or via oral recording and transcription at a Comment Station:

Open House – Portland, Maine

  • Date: Tuesday, May 28, 2024
  • Time: 5-8pm
  • Location: Holiday Inn Portland-by the Bay (88 Spring Street Portland, ME 04101)
  • Registration

Open House – Portsmouth, New Hampshire

  • Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024
  • Time: 5-8pm
  • Location: Urban Forestry Center (45 Elwyn Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801)
  • Registration

Open House – Danvers, Massachusetts

  • Date: Thursday, May 30, 2024
  • Time: 5-8pm
  • Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, North Shore (50 Ferncroft Rd, Danvers, MA 01923)
  • Registration

Virtual Meetings

Members of the public are welcome to attend any of the meetings below, however, user specific meetings will focus conversation on the stated topics and prioritize participation by those from the sector of focus. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers focused on the Proposed Sale Notice. Comments or questions during public input opportunities will be captured in a high-level meeting summary that is entered on the Proposed Sale Notice docket on Regulations.gov; however, we will not be transcribing individual comments during virtual meetings.

General Public

Commercial Fishing (Mobile & Fixed Gear)

 Recreational Fishing and Highly Migratory Species

Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (eNGOs)

  • Date: Monday, June 10, 2024
  • Time: 1:30-3:30pm
  • Registration

Commercial Maritime (Shipping)

Time To Begin Reloading

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I have been reloading for pistol and rifle cartridges for hunting and target for over 40 years. It is time perhaps to enrich your inner self and reload. It’s fun and saves money too…in the long run.

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Single Stage Press Kit

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Single Stage Press Kit

My African safari hunt utilized all my custom handloads.

 

Not only have I saved thousands of dollars over the years but customized loads to accurize my guns. I started with this RCBS kit above. At just over $500 dollars, you also need cartridge dies, powders, primers bullets and brass. 

Midway USA sells all you need.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023389781?pid=345426

Check it out!

 

Hunting Bullet Campfire Talk and a Ballistic Gel Test – Update

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Bullet Speed/Hydrostatic Shock – Bullet Shape Mushroom – Penetration – Impact Location and often exit wound all play a part in a swift ethical game harvest. Below, soft lead bonded spitzer mushroom left, solid copper with broken mushroom, right.

 

Ballistic Gel Test

Below a Ballistic Gel Test I did in 2021 Hammer Hunter copper vs Nosler Accubond Long Range 

Ballistic Gel 6.5 Creedmoor Test Nosler 129g ABLR vs Hammer Hunter Copper 124g

Copper hollow point bullets do mushroom as much or more than the lead core. I find cleaning my barrel with soft pure copper is not fun. Newer copper bullets made on a lath are better as tolerances are much tighter.

 

A Master bear guide recently told me that one of his hunters always brought a .375 H&H Magnum on black bear bait hunts. The hunter was getting full penetration and a small exit wound at 50 yards but the exit wound exhibited little or no blood to trail. Shots were to the heart lung area too.

The hunter was shooting a spitzer shape pointed bullet we commonly purchase on store shelves. I do not know the brand or type.

Spitzers in the past have been designed ideally for longer shots often past 200 to 300  yards. Some recent spitzer designs do open/mushroom faster than others. 

Accordingly, use a bullet type for the kind of game you will hunt.  A round or flat nose bullet is already in a partial mushroom shape and shot at short range, you will get a better mushroom at the start or shoot a soft nose spitzer which mushrooms quickly. Except most round nose are not loaded in a cartridge for sale, instead manufacturers try to design spitzers for close range too and may mushroom better, like bonded and Partition bullets

 

But you know, experience is the tell all. I am a Nosler fan!

Good Hunting!