On the Range: Oct 2019

Tools of the small game hunter. Good 22 rifle, ammo and a cleaning knife.

By Chuck Papp  Contributing Writer

So here we are at the start of the fall hunting season. The first season to open in many states is the start of small game season.

There are many advantages that this season brings. The actual length of the season is generally months. This gives you the most time in the woods. Now just because you are also small game hunting, it doesn’t mean you can’t scout the area for big game season. You can make your preparations for the upcoming deer season while you are out there. There is no better way to practice your marksmanship then to chase those rabbits and squirrels with a 22 caliber rifle. Anybody can go get a 30/06 and put a 12 power scope on it, sit there in a stand or blind and wait for a deer or hog to come by.

Like every sport there are always the individuals or pioneers of that particular sport that stand out. You have your Michael Jordan’s, Tom Brady’s, and Babe Ruth’s of the outdoor scene. The old timers that were the pioneers of small game hunting were Jack O’Connor, Elmer Keith, Ernest Hemmingway, and of course Fred Bear. The one thing they all had in common was that they all started in the woods as small game hunters at a very young age.

So, don’t overlook the small game season, it is the season that will build your skill level to become a successful outdoorsman for the years to come.

Chuck Papp, Manager

Delray Shooting Center • (561) 265-0700