Getting into hunting can be an intimidating prospect for someone who’s never done it before. The responsible hunter-to-be wants to make the right choices when it comes to equipment, a process that can sometimes be complicated and confusing, depending on the source you seek for information. Even veterans occasionally fall victim to prioritizing conventional wisdom or lore over good, old-fashioned common sense. For example …

• Crossbows are more effective long-range weapons. Not really. Some of the blame here lies with crossbow makers, who boast long-range accuracy, out to 60, 70 even 100 yards. Those aren’t false claims but they are a bit misleading. With proper practice and under controlled conditions (shooting off a bench with no wind at an inanimate target) they are capable of accurate shots out to that range. But so are compound bows in practiced hands.

The only real difference is that crossbows require less time to become proficient, and the shooter doesn’t have to draw the bow in the presence of game. Otherwise, their trajectory and effective range are very similar. If you’re a gun hunter looking to extend your season and your range compared to a compound bow, you might be disappointed in the latter.

• Some hunters contend you need a heavier, slower, round-nosed bullet to bust through the thick brush often encountered in the woods of Maine, sacrificing the increased accuracy and flatter trajectory of other calibers and bullets. This one has actually been put to the test under a variety of trials and it turns out that a 150-grain spitzer fired from a .308 or a 30-06 is no more likely to deflect than a 180-grain soft point fired from a 30-30 or a .300 Savage. The biggest difference here is that the former cartridges offer better long-range trajectory. As for kinetic energy on target, if you put the bullet on target, any of the above will do their job.

On a somewhat similar note are contentions about what caliber is large enough for big game like deer, bear and moose. Some say you need a larger caliber, heavier bullet and more kinetic energy. The answer here is similar. People kill deer with bow and arrow, so if you put the projectile in the right place, you can go quite light – a plus for younger or smaller-framed hunters.

• Heavier loads are more effective for shotguns. Though that’s true sometimes, it’s not always the case. Heavier, 3 1/2-inch magnum loads have more shot and powder so intuitively they should outperform 3-inch loads. However, every gun-choke combination handles loads differently. The key is patterning – how many pellets your gun puts in a 30-inch circle at a given range. With a little range testing, many hunters find their guns pattern better with lighter loads, and there’s less punishment on the shoulder.

• Fixed broadheads are more effective than mechanicals. One of the knocks on mechanical or expandable heads is that they lose some energy in opening. How much energy do you need? Not so long ago, we were shooting bows that fired arrows far more slowly and imparted far less kinetic energy on target, and we still killed deer. As noted above, if you put the arrow in the right place, it will do its job.

• Another knock is that expandables are more prone to malfunction. There was a time when this might have been true. Broadhead manufacturers want people to buy their products, and keep buying them, and they’ll lose customers who experience failure. Modern expandable broadheads are extremely reliable. They also offer at least one significant advantage. Because they lack the planing wings of fixed-blade heads, they fly like field points so they require far less tuning and tinkering to ensure proper flight.

These are but a few examples. Seeking out experienced hunters is always a good way to learn, but don’t hesitate to be skeptical if you feel their advice lacks logic. It never hurts to seek a second opinion.

Bob Humphrey is a freelance writer and Registered Maine Guide who lives in Pownal. He can be reached at: bhunt@maine.rr.com

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