Another year has gone by, and it's time again for C4C's annual Dove hunt in the Rio Puerco.  We'll see you Saturday (9/3) morning at 5:15 a.m. Don't be late because we will leave on time.  4WD will not be necessary.

The 2011 C4C Dove Hunt dove will be a blast! The Annual Crosshairs for Christ dove will once again be held in the Rio Puerco west of Albuquerque.  Participants will meet at the gas station (See Directions Below) at 5:00 a.m. and follow the group to the  hunt area. We will wrap the hunt up by 1:00 p.m. Sunrise is at 6:41 a.m with legal shooting hours beginning at 6:11 a.m.
For more information contact, Lance Cherry, lance@crosshairsforchrist.org.
620-6883

ABOUT HOLYGHOST

Set at 8,400 feet, Holyghost is 13.3 miles North of Pecos via NM 63 and 2.3 miles west of Terrero. Nestled in a quite meadow surrounded by wilderness, the area is home to flocks of wild turkeys, blue grouse, herds of elk, deer and solitary bear and lion. The campground offers great fishing for rainbow trout. The Holyghost camping area has trailhead access, picnic tables, fire rings, toilets, drinking water and the group shelter. RVs with a maximum length or 32 feet can access the campground. For more information on Holyghost and the Pecos Wilderness, visit the Santa Fe National Forest, Pecos Ranger District webiste at www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/districts/pecosLV/index.html.  

TURKEY REGULATIONS

Spring turkey season opens April 15 and runs through May 10. The bag limit is two bearded turkeys. You will receive two carcass tags when you purchase a license. The beard and a patch of feathers surrounding the beard must remain on the bird until it is delivered to the place where it will be eaten or placed in cold storage. To hunt you will need to buy your NM Turkey Tag/Permit $25, Habitat Stamp $5 and Habitat Management Access Validation $4. You will also be charged a Vendor Fee of $1. You may purchase your license, stamps and tag from any Department office or license vendor, such as Wal-Mart. For more information on hunting rules and regulations, visit the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish at www.wildlife.state.nm.us.  

MEALS

While at the Mark Jones Invitational, you will need to plan to provide your own meals. On Saturday night, we traditionally hold a potluck style dinner. Everyone is encouraged to make your favorite camp dish and join the feast.  

DON’T FORGET

At a minimum, hunters should plan to bring: Shotgun, Shot Shells (#4 or Turkey Shot), Warm Clothes (camouflage or earth toned clothing suggested), Turkey Calls, Camping Gear and Meals.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For additional information contact:

Mark Jones, (505) 220-9437 or email, mjones@unm.edu.   

Lance Cherry, (505) 620-6883 or email, lance@crosshairsforchrist.org.

Lance Cherry, 505-620-6883, lance@crosshairsforchrist.org

Jim Johnson, 505-573-0302, jim@crosshairsforchrist.org

Bring: – License – ID – HUNTER'S EDUCATION CARD. (REQUIRED, UNLESS YOU WERE BORN BEFORE JULY 1957) – A 12ga. (or 20ga.) shotgun, 2-3/4" shells and #6 to #7-1/2 lead shot is a pretty standard. load. – Blaze orange hat is highly recommended, as swinging on game out of your zone of fire is the number one cause of hunting accidents in KS. – Dress in layers, it could be 60 degrees and sunny, or 20 degrees and whiteout conditions w/ a foot of snow on the ground.  We'll hope for the latter, minus the whiteout part. – Chaps, or upland type hunting pants are recommended, there are plenty of 'pokeys' that will penetrate regular denim fairly easily.  If you don't have anything like this, let us know. – It's not uncommon to hike 5-8 miles in a day's hunt.  Although it's generally level ground, a good pair of boots are desirable. Don't worry though, if you get tired, blockers at the end of the field are always helpful too.  KS Regulations can be found here at: http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Hunting/Hunting-Regulations. For more details, contact Jim Johnson at 505-573-0302 or email jim@crosshairsforchrist.org

I'm amazed at how my young kids can practically recite stories back to me before they know how to read.  Or how they can recall entire scenes from their favorite movies.  It becomes immediately apparent that their minds work like little video cameras, recording and learning from every sense they possess.  For better or worse.  I have to remind myself to be the model of the person I want them to grow up to be every waking moment. 

It dawned on me a few nights ago, that this presents a wonderful opportunity to instill the life experiences I have had while in the field.  What a memorable way to allow them to gain that knowledge without having to learn it the hard way.  I was blessed with a father who has a passion for upland bird hunting.  Most of the knowledge I learned in that area was from him.  But big game was another world I never pursued until just a few years ago.   So I'll admit I'm at the bottom end of the learning curve, and the lessons for the most part have to be learned the hard way. Last year I came close to getting my first turkey, and although I'm happy to just be in the field, one of these days I'm going to bag one!  Needless to say my kids can tell I'm getting excited for the upcoming turkey season.  My daughter is six this year, and although it will be a few more years before she can carry a shotgun herself, she has accompanied me on several hunts this past fall.  She demands to go hunting with me now. So when bed-time rolled around the other night, I related my unfruitful turkey hunt last year, and lessons learned from it.  It's now a nightly ritual.  I'm running out of stories to tell, so it's a good thing my kids don't mind re-runs!  I imagine some of the great stories passed down from the old days to our ancestors were of great hunts and lessons to be learned.  I intend to continue the tradition with my kids, and someday maybe grand-kids too. So instead of the normal bedtime story tonight, how about spinning a tale of a past hunt for your kids.  You never know, you might ignite a fire in them that will last a lifetime.

The Children’s Outdoor Adventure Foundation was established in August 2008 to help fulfill the dreams of children with physical disabilities or life-threatening medical conditions. Some of the activities the non-profit foundation offers are camping, fishing, hunting, field trips, train rides, and visits to State and National Parks.

Foundation directors, Rob and Lise Holloway work tirelessly in an effort to raise funds and connect volunteers and families with these special children. In addition, the Holloway’s travel the country, selling raffle tickets for trophy hunts and show their Wildlife Display Center to various Schools and Community Centers. “We want to give children the chance to make a personal connection with wildlife,” said Rob Holloway. “We let the kids touch the various animal mounts and pelts, while showing them examples of the different tracks the animals make and educating them about conservation and the role sportsmen play in wildlife management.”

To volunteer, make a donation or purchase raffle tickets please contact Rob or Lisa Holloway, by phone at (505) 286-4444 or email livethedreamnow@yahoo.com or mail P.O. Box 141, Tijeras, NM 87059. You may also visit the Children’s Outdoor Adventure Foundation online at http://childrensoutdooradventurefoundation.com.

It began with a mother’s determination to make her son’s dream of going on a Canadian moose hunt come true. Tina Pattison’s son Matt was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Tina knew if she was going to give her son this gift she had little time left. She began by making a call to the Make-A-Wish Foundation only to learn that after intense harassment from animal-rights groups when it granted an Alaskan brown bear hunt, the foundation no longer granted those types of requests. Still Tina would not give up.

Call after call turned up little results until finally she contacted the Pittsburgh chapter of Safari Outfitters and received a glimmer of hope. In August of 1998 an outfitter, Clayton Grosso, based in Nordegg, Alberta, Canada, agreed to fulfill Matt’s dream. And the adventure was on.

The following year Matt lost his battle to cancer.

Determined to keep their son’s memory alive and help famlies avoid the difficulty they have faced in fulfilling a dream, Tina and Matt’s father Chester started the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation in August 1999. The Pattison family knows first hand about the  pain and suffering not only of losing a loved one to a terrible disease but of being shut out of opportunities by organizations set up to make dreams come true for all but those who wish to hunt and fish.

Like all foundations of this type, your help and support is greatly needed. Financial support, volunteer work and making contact with hunting opportunities, no assistance is too small. 

For more information contact  Tina Pattison, President, 6297 Buffalo Road, Harborcreek, PA 16421 or visit www.huntofalifetime.org.  

Days-even minutes-can mean the difference between a terminally ill person fulfilling his or her dream or going out of this life still wishing.

The key to calling ducks is practice, practice, practice. Good callers learn to master the techniques used to make quacking sounds on a call, but great callers study real ducks in their natural environment and learn to mimic the quack. Volume, tone, rhythm and technique are critical to your success. Before you blow your first note on a call, take a field trip to the local duck pond and spend some time listening.

After you begin to identify the vast variety of sounds ducks make, you are ready to learn the basic calling techniques.

The Basic Quack ___________________________________ 

Hut, Hit, Whit, Dwit, Kwit
The basic quack, a single note, is the foundation for every other sound you will make on a duck call. There are several mental words callers use to mimic a duck quack. Hut, hit, whit, dwit, or kwit are among the most successful used.

To begin, hold the duck call in one hand and place your mouth on the call like you are drinking out of a coke bottle. Reach deep into you diaphragm and push the air through the call while saying one of the keywords. Try the various sounds until you strike the sound that most mimics what you heard on the pond.

For several weeks do nothing other than practice the single note until you have mastered the sound and have developed control over the volume and tone.

The Lonesome Hen ___________________________________
Hut, Hit, Whit, Dwit, Kwit

The lonesome hen is simple, slow three note call and is often the most effective sound in your calling arsenal. Imagine you are blowing six notes, skipping every other note. Picture yourself as the hottie hen of the duck world, seducing the big, bold drake. Each note should be slightly drawn out and have a gravel tone, but still remain crisp and clean.

This is often one of the most effective sounds a caller can make, often drawing in call-shy ducks even at a distance.

Practice.
The Greeting Call ___________________________________
Hut, Hit, Whit, Dwit, Kwit

The greeting call is a series of 5-7 clean, crisp notes in a descending, steady rhythm used when ducks are still at a distance. Never use the greeting call when you can see wing tips or tail feathers. You will likely scare the birds away and miss your opportunity for a good shot.

World Champion Caller, Buck Gardner of Buck Gardner Calls describes the rhythm as a mimic of the old nursery rhyme, “Three Blind Mice,” with a couple notes following to finish it up.

Again, practice until you have mastered the cadence and once again sound like a duck. Learn to control your volume and tone while focusing on the rhythm.

The Comeback ___________________________________
Hut, Hit, Whit, Dwit, Kwit

The comeback is basically a greeting with a sense of urgency and speed. Again focus on 5-7 notes and keep it simple. The comeback is used when the ducks simply will not respond to your greeting. I prefer to save this call for tail feathers and imagine that I am yelling, “Hey you! Over here! Comeback, comeback, comeback!” Often you will see the birds begin to turn back for a second glance. Don’t get over zealous and learn to control your excitement at this point.

Again practice. Combine your greeting practice with your comeback practice and learn to control the rhythm between and intensity between the two calls.

The Hail or Highball ___________________________________
Hut, Hit, Whit, Dwit, Kwit

The hail or highball is the screamer of the calling techniques. It should be loud and bold. It is the sound made most famous at competitions and can easily be over used. Most experts would agree that you should never use this call when ducks are within 100-200 yards.

To produce a proper hail, blow between 15-30 notes beginning with a long, loud note and tapering off in volume at the end. Make sure to keep each note crisp and clean cutting off air between each note.

Practice, practice, practice. The most common error callers make is to lose control out of the blocks and squawk the first note on the call.

The Plea ___________________________________
Hut, Hit, Whit, Dwit, Kwit

The plea is a short version of the hail, between 5-7 notes and is used to get the attention of high flying ducks. The first note is drawn out followed by shorter, crisp notes. It is a plea to draw ducks out of the sky and into your decoy spread.

Practice this call with your hail call until you master they volume, tone and rhythm.

The Feed Call  ___________________________________
kitty, kitty, kitty or chucka, chucka or ticka, ticka, ticka, or dugga, dugga, dugga

A good hunting scenario feed call can and should be simple. Remember the exercise at the pond and the tone and pace you heard live ducks make as they fed at the pond. A simple and broken up “ticka, ticka, tocka, tocka, ticka,” was realistically what you heard. Learn to mimic the pace and control your rhythm. Try the various keywords as you learn what works best for you.

If you struggle with its mastery continue to practice, but save it for another day. A feed call or lack thereof should not keep you from enjoying the hunt and enjoying the thrill of calling birds into your spread.

The Rolling Feed Call ___________________________________ 

The rolling feed call is the Cadillac of the calling techniques. It is most often heard at competitions by pros who spent countless hours into developing and working on their technique. The rolling feed call is among the most difficult to produce. It takes a ton of practice and with intention, why I left it for the end.

Much like the regular feed call, you put together the kitty, kitty, kitty or chucka, chucka or ticka, ticka, ticka, or dugga, dugga, dugga to produce the sound. The difference here is speed. With practice you will be able to produce the sounds in a machine gun fashion, creating the illusion that your sound is rolling. Make sure to not allow your tongue to roll like you are pronouncing an “r” in Spanish. Listen to the pros and stick with it. In time you will be capable of producing the sound at will.

Lastly, leave your rolling feed call technique at home when you hunt and save it for the competition.  On the stage is great for adding variety and showing your mastery of your call, but on the pond the only response you are likely to get is from other hunters who will view you as a showoff rather than a sportsman.

WAV SOUND FILES ________________________________________________________________

Sound files are copyright Ducks Unlimited – All rights reserved
 

Hail Call l Greeting Call l Feed Call l Comeback Call l Lonesome Hen

Pleading Call l Basic Quack

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you;”  - Job 12:7

_______________________________________________________

Lance Cherry is a Field Staff Pro for Buck Gardner Calls. A native of New Mexico, Lance has worked several years in the outdoor industry, with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the New Mexico State Parks Division. Lance is a founder of Crosshairs for Christ, a Christian ministry with a desire to connect and change lives by spreading Christ’s message to sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts through activity-based fellowship. For more information contact Lance Cherry, lance@crosshairsforchrist.org.

You are hunkered down in the duck blind as the sun begins to break over the horizon. A flock of birds lingers on the skyline as you begin to scream for their attention. “Hail” call, “Hail” call, “Hail” call and the flock turns in your direction. As the flock jets in your direction you welcome them with the “Greeting” call. Hello!, Hello!, you shout and follow with the chattering or “Feed” call declaring this pond scum tastes great. Suddenly, without notice the flock averts the landing and begins to peel away. “Comeback,” “Comeback” rings your call and you drop back to your “Feed” call as you bring them in for the landing. You offer a warm “Greeting” and finish them off with the “Lonesome Hen.”

These calls should be completed in this order and wrapped up as close to the 90-second time limit without going over. Judges are waterfowl experts and are placed out-of-sight in order to listen to only the sound and quality of the routine. They identify callers only by number with no knowledge of who the participant actually is. Judges will score the routine based on the richness of the tone, volume and your ability to create the illusion of a real hunt.

Learn More: www.callingducks.com

WAV SOUND FILES ________________________________________________________________

Sound files are copyright  Ducks Unlimited – All rights reserved

 Hail Call   l   Greeting Call  l   Feed Call  l   Comeback Call  l   Lonesome Hen 

Pleading Call   l   Basic Quack

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you;”  - Job 12:7

_______________________________________________________

Lance Cherry, is a Buck Gardner Calls, Field Staffer. A native of New Mexico, Lance has worked several years in the outdoor industry, with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the New Mexico State Parks Division. Lance is a founder of Crosshairs for Christ, a Christian ministry with a desire to connect and change lives by spreading Christ’s message to sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts through activity-based fellowship. For more information contact Lance Cherry, lance@crosshairsforchrist.org.

7 Steps For Proper Field Dressing Of Your Game

FIELD DRESSING KIT

•   Large Ziploc Bag
•   Bottled Water (2 Liters)
•   Latex Gloves (2 Pair)
•   Hand Sanitizer
•   Moist Towelettes
•   Dry Rag
•   2 Sharp Knives
•   Skinning Knife
•   Knife Sharpener
•   Keyhole Saw or Hatchet
•   Plastic Drop Cloth
•   Rope (10-12 Foot)
•   Twine (1 Foot)
•   Head Lamp

Then God said, ” Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” – Genesis 1:26

When God set man up as ruler over all creatures, he put a great responsibility squarely on our shoulders. He made us wildlife managers, which demands that we learn and understand every aspect of our role on this earth.

I recently heard a story about a hunter that bagged his first elk on a Friday, then waited until Saturday morning to field dress it and finally delivered it to the meat processor on Sunday only to learn the meat had spoiled and all was wasted. Now a putrid green, the loss of the meat and the hide, could’ve easily been avoided.

What went wrong? Everything went wrong. It’s a sad situation when a novice hunter takes the life of an animal only to ask “what do I do now?” Proper field dressing is not difficult and should begin as soon as the animal has fallen. Prompt action, clean removal of the organs and proper cooling of your harvest can mean the difference between harvesting all and harvesting nothing.

Furthermore, it’s our responsibility to know what to do before we take a life. Wildlife population control is critical for assuring healthy herds and the longevity of a species. Your role as a hunter is necessary, but don’t put yourself in the position of a novice. Follow these seven tips and finish your hunt like the ruler God ordained.

Step One – Just Chill

Take a breath and give yourself a few minutes to “chill out”. You’ve just harvested your game and chances are your adrenaline is still flowing. The last thing you want to do is start slashing away at the animal. Begin by positioning your harvest with the head uphill. Remember the three most important factors to avoid spoilage: Keep your game cool, keep your game clean and keep your game dry.

Step Two – The First Cut Is The Deepest

Put on a pair of rubber, latex, and disposable gloves. Gloves help keep the meat clean, and will keep you safe from contaminated meat. (Be cautious of the musk (scent) glands on the lower hind legs. Avoid contact with them as the scent may cling to your hands and taint the meat. Some hunters cut these off before beginning the field dressing steps and discard their first pair of latex gloves.) Next make a small cut into the belly of the animal with a sharp knife. Be careful not to cut any of the internal organs. Slit the animal from back to front, using your fingers to guide gently through the hide, muscle and into the cavity. Remember to take your time. A good clean cut will pay off in the end.

Step Three – Pelvis Presley

Cut a deep circle around the anus and tie it off with a small piece of twine. Split the pelvic bone with a small saw, knife or hand ax, careful not to rupture the intestines. Separate the hindquarters and stake the legs open.

Step Four – Chest Cracker

Split the chest cavity, cutting through the breast bone with a small saw, knife or hand ax. Cut the muscles of the diaphragm away from the rib cage.

Step Five – Messy Clean-Up

Reach into the chest cavity, pushing the lungs aside, and cut the windpipe and gullet from the neck. Pull the heart, lungs, liver, paunch and intestines from the chest to the tail, leaving your gut pile behind outside the animal. You may have to do some additional cutting to free the entrails from the cavity. If you were able to place the animal uphill, they should easily roll out downhill between the hindquarters. This is often very messy, so don’t hesitate to roll your sleeves up and simply dig in.

Step Five – Hang Your Harvest

Find a cool shady place to hang your harvest. Use sticks to prop the cavity open. This will assure good circulation of air to reduce body heat. Use a cloth or paper towels to remove any remaining blood in the cavity. Let hang for about an hour before proceeding to the next step, unless the temperature outside is warm. The important part to remember is you are working to cool the animal as quickly as possible so the meat doesn’t spoil.

Step Six – Skinn’er Done

To skin your harvest begin by re-hanging your animal by the hind legs. Make a cut through the hide on the hindquarters. Cut down each leg, cutting and pealing the hide from the meat at the same time. Continue the process to the neck and cut the entire neck from the body. The process of skinning an animal can be a time consuming process, so be patient. Many hunters cut the hide from the neck and shoulders and remove just the head. However, it is best if you remove the entire neck, leaving the hide attached and get it to your taxidermist as quickly as possible. They will complete the removal of the hide to ensure the best outcome for your mount. For full body mounts, bring your harvest in fresh for the taxidermist to skin.

Step Seven – Butchered To Perfection

Butcher your animal on your own or transport your harvest to the nearest meat processor. There are many resources available with diagrams of meat cuts and techniques for proper butchering. If you’ve followed these steps and kept your harvest cool, clean and dry – be confident that you delivered properly prepared game, with the best chance for returning the most meat.

_______________________________________________________

Lance Cherry, a native of New Mexico, has worked several years in the outdoor industry, with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the New Mexico State Parks Division. Lance is a founder of Crosshairs for Christ, a Christian ministry with a desire to connect and change lives by spreading Christ’s message to sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts through activity-based fellowship. For more information contact Lance Cherry, lance@crosshairsforchrist.org.