It can be quite a challenge hunting small game with a crossbow, but once you have perfected you skill with a bow, the end result is a great reward. Small game hunting with a bow and arrow is a great way to improve on your archery skills as well as perfect your aim for hunting big game. When hunting small game, you must learn patience and shot accuracy. The following tips will help you tighten up your skills for hunting small game with a crossbow.

Practice, Practice, Practice

One of the most difficult things when small game hunting with a bow is the ability to hit a smaller, quick moving target. The easiest way to acquired the skill to make a precise shot is to practice on a smaller target than your intended goal. For example, if your goal is to hunt rabbit, practice by hunting squirrel. This will make it easier for you to adjust to bow and arrow placement.

Use the Correct Points

Although you can use the same equipment for small game as you would for hunting deer, it is more challenging to use traditional archery gear, such as a longbow or recurve, which will help improve your eye-hand coordination. Broadheads that are specifically made for small game are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, ranging from a flat-faced steel blunt tip to some with replaceable points. Judo tips have a unique design, which allows you to shoot into trees, stumps or open fields, without losing your arrow, so they are perfect for squirrel or rabbit hunting in the woods. Keep in mind when choosing a point that a small game point should only penetrate the animal, not pass completely through.

• Solid steel blunts, including models with rear cutting flanges, stand up better in a rocky terrain and they resist sticking in trees. They are very efficient for the larger small game as well as birds.
• Rubber blunts are especially useful when you are hunting squirrels in a rocky area and they will not stick in the tree, so if you shoot high up, there isn’t a chance of losing your arrow.

Check the Regulations

Whether you are hunting squirrels, rabbit or woodchucks, it is essential that you verify the regulations and the season. Most states allow for small game hunting about ten months out of the year, which gives you plenty of time to perfect your skills. Each state is different when it comes to small game, so make sure to research your states specific requirements concerning weapons and allowable quota.

Hunting for small game is a great way to get children involved in hunting. It is often faster paced than hunting big game, such as deer and there is typically a higher success rate. If you have never used a crossbow, it is highly recommended that you practice on a stationary target before attempting to go on a small game hunt.

First diagnosed in 1975, Lyme Disease was initially an isolated risk usually restricted to the Northeast United States, primarily effecting hunters or other who with frequent exposure to animals infected by the deer tick. Today, due to an explosive spread of the deer tick itself, almost anyone who spends any amount of time outdoors – even local parks or their own backyard. Current estimates claim that as many as 300,000 Americans are affected every year. Take my home state of Pennsylvania for example, although the Keystone State is a big deer hunting area and home to one of the largest outbreaks of the disease gardeners in Philadelphia are at just as much risk as hunters in Tioga County. The deer tick is found in every county and every community, meaning everyone has the possibility of becoming a victim.

Due to the wide spread habitat of the deer tick the original means of prevention, avoidance of outdoor areas, is no longer valid. Unless you are planning on living in a bubble avoidance is no longer an issue. Instead you need to take steps to mitigate exposure. Wearing long trousers, tucked into your socks/boots paired with a long sleeve shirt is the first defense. Research has found that light colored clothing not only reduces the attraction to deer tick but also makes it easier to see tick that do crawl on you prior to their getting under your protective layers. You can increase your protection by using a quality insect repellant, containing DEET, during outdoor activities during peak periods of tick activity. Finally, you should be careful about transferring ticks to your home, cabin or tent by conducting a thorough inspection of all clothing and even shaking each piece out prior to taking it inside.

Of course there is no protective measure that performs 100%. Despite wearing the best clothing possible and using insect repellant from head to toe there is rarely a hunting trip or hike into the woods after which I do not find a tick on my clothing if not my skin. This is why it is vital you perform self-examination after every single trip, to either locate ticks prior to being bitten or identify when bite has taken place so you can seek medical attention. Most victims will observe a red rash resembling a bull’s eye following an invested bite although approximately 25% of invested bites do not display any rash. As the disease develops symptoms can vary greatly and is known to affect multiple body systems including the nervous system, the respiratory system, heart, eyes and joints. One of the greatest dangers associated with the disease is its frequent misdiagnosis which often leads to extended periods of improper and ineffective treatments.

If you believe you have been exposed to an infected Deer Tick it is vital that you not only seek medical attention but do so from a doctor experienced with its treatment. If diagnosed with the disease you must follow all the doctor’s instructions and seek a second opinion of not satisfied with the treatment. Left untreated the disease can progress from an annoyance to disabling very quickly.