Acreage

The biggest wildlife management areas and national wildlife reserves in Arkansas:

Ozark National Forest - 678878 acres
White Rock - 280000
Piney Creeks - 180000
Sylamore - 170000
Winona - 160000
White River - 160000
Muddy Creek - 146206
Mount Magazine - 120000
Buffalo National River - 95730
Caney Creek - 85000

That's a lot of ground to cover. White River is relatively close to me, but has a pretty restricted modern gun season. The top four, I think, are all in the Ozarks. Not exactly close, but wide open with a long gun season.

Philosophy

Here's something to think over: can you (and by "you" I mean "me") just go out and learn how to deer hunt?

Think about it. Most hunter's learn from older family/friends/whatever. I don't have that. But the philosophy and practice of deer hunting is out there - on the internet, on TV, in books - to be learned. Can I just do my research and then go perform? Or will I still be missing some vital stuff?

Not that I intend to go it alone. My nephew wants to go with me, and I intend to grill my sister's man pretty hard at some point this summer and make him tell me, if not everything he knows, everything I need to.

Do I have catching up to do? Yes. But I've no doubt I can catch up.

Bellow

Shot the 20 gauge today. After going unused for a quarter of a century it still shoots accurate, not much kick, and a hearty bellow to wake up the woods. Very, very satisfying.

The Hunting Vehicle

Let's take a minute to think about logistics.

Okay, assume I do go into the woods and kill a deer. Further assume that I field dress that sumbitch and then drag him out of the woods. Question: will the deer blood ever come out of my leather seats?

Yes, I know your stereotypical hunter drives a truck. I'm not getting a truck. Not right now, anyway. And probably not for a few years.

I'm thinking plastic tarps. Cover the backseat or trunk, tape that stuff in place, and head for the nearest deer processor.

Note: know where the processors are before you start hunting in any area.

Also, lets think about dragging a deer. I'm thinking that the best hunting will be in places where few people go, right? Sounds logical. And most hunters don't go very far into the woods at all. If I can get a mile or two away from any roads or tracks, my odds are going to be better. However, dragging a hundred pounds or so of dead deer couldn't be fun. There has to be a solution or gadget for this, though.

Cases

My grandfather's shotgun was in his old case. It was a nice case - imitation leather with egg-crate inside - but bulky, and the egg crate has started to dry out and come apart. My .22 - and this is a testament to how my family never throws anything away - was still in the box it came in, complete with the owner's manual.

So my first couple of purchases were plain, slim black cases. It's a start.

Shopping

John and I went to see Monsters vs. Aliens today, then spent a couple of hours bumming around Bass Pro Shops. Oh, the shopping. John likes fishing lures, so we spent a long time back in the fishing department, checking out the shad. Then he looked at magnets and climbed in and out of the tents while I looked at some books.

Then we slowly made our way through hunting and camo. Yes, I have a lot to buy, but the best part of taking up a new sporting hobby is the equipment. Here's a question, though: how much do you really need? What's necessary, and what's fun-but-useless? I think of my grandfather going hunting thirty years ago, and the minimal equipment he carried. But he might not have taken as many deer as the modern, gadget-bedecked hunter does.

Snake boots, for example. My nephew mentioned hunting around Turrell. There are places around Turrell that are made of snakes. But in November/December? Really?

And how about a handheld GPS? If I'm up around Turrell, I don't think I'd need one. I've always had a good sense of direction, and I don't lose my way easily. But what if I'm up in the Ozarks? over 600,000 acres, some of it quite literally trackless. A GPS might be a fine thing up there.

Assuming modern gun hunting in Arkansas, let's think head to toe: blaze hat, blaze vest, camo shirt/jacket, camo pants, boots, socks, underwear and assorted undergarments, shotgun, shells...

That's all you've got to have. A phone, a knife, and a little go-to-hell kit (food, water, matches, first aid) would probably be good, too.

What else do I want to have? Do I have to have? Is a backpack an option?

Cleaning

The guns, after twenty-odd years put away, probably needed to be cleaned. So I got a universal cleaning kit tonight and went over both of them.

They're both in great condition, though. No rust, clean barrels inside and out...both a little dirty from use, but I fixed that.

Question: should I take these guns to a gunsmith or some other professional for a once-over before I use them. Yes, they've been in storage for decades. But they both look nearly new.