Hunter's Ed

wad

A seal and/or shot container made of paper or plastic separating the powder from the slug or shot in a shotshell. It prevents gas from escaping through the shot and holds the shot together as it passes through the barrel.

Cross-Bolt Safety

Common on pump and semi-automatic firearms A simple, push-button action that blocks the trigger or hammer Usually located at the trigger guard or ahead of the hammer

Slide or Tang Safety

Common on some rifles and break-action shotguns A sliding bar or button that blocks the firing action Located on the tang (a metal strip behind the receiver) of break-action firearms or on the side of the receiver on some rifles

magazine

container on a repeating firearm that hold ammunition before it's loaded into the chamber

Semi-Automatic Pistol: detachable magazine

container that hold ammunition before its loaded into the chamber

how to operate a bolt action

lift the handle up and pull it to the rear. If the firearm is loaded, the cartridge or shotshell will be ejected as you pull the bolt to the rear. To make sure it's unloaded, visually check both the open action and the magazine for extra cartridges or shotshells.

rifle barrel

long and has thick walls with spiraling grooves cut into the bore

shotgun barrel

long and made of fairly thin steel that is very smooth on the inside to allow the shot and wad to glide down the barrel without friction

foretock

on a pump, this effects the shotgun shell and cocks the action, sliding it forward brings a fresh shell into the chamber

tubular magazines

only rounded or blunt tips

four main causes of hunting accidents

hunter judgment, safety violations, lack of practice, mechanical failure

stalking

hunting by following signs leading

Semi-Automatic Pistol: slide

part that moves back to load cartridges

handgun: hammer

part that strikes the primer to cause ignition

percussion cap

paved the way to the self-contained ammunition we have today—cartridges and shotshells. In the mid-1800s, gunpowder, the projectile, and the primer were put together into a single housing that could be loaded quickly.

good marksmanship

practice, proper shooting techniques, proper sight adjustment

Bowsights

work best when the distance to the target is known. For instance, when hunting from a tree stand or blind, you can measure the distance to the area where you expect the game to appear. Then it's a matter of lining up the appropriate sight pin on the target. In hunting situations where it's hard to know the exact distance to the target, bowsights may not work well. The key to using bowsights is to practice judging distances.

Wheel lock ignition

replaced the wick of the matchlock in the 1500s. When the trigger is pulled, a coiled spring forces the rough-edged steel wheel to spin against a piece of iron pyrite, creating sparks to ignite the powder in the priming pan.

Pointed Soft Point:

rifle- High velocity, accurate bullets with a flat travel path (trajectory); excellent mushrooming

Full Metal Jacket

rifle- Maximum penetration without mushrooming; these bullets are illegal for big game hunting in most states

Rounded Soft Point:

rifle- Popular for low-velocity calibers; recommended for tubular magazines

still hunting

stay still and wait, posting

handgun: cylinder

storage for ammunition

muzzle

the end of the barrel where the bullet exits

Hang fires

the firing pin has struck the primer and there is a delay before it fires

The Action

the heart of the firearm—the moving parts that load, fire, and eject the shells or cartridges. Several types of actions are used in modern firearms. Muzzleloaders have locks instead.

The smaller the shot "number,"

the larger the pellet diameter.

The Barrel

the metal tube that the projectile travels through (bullets travel through these of rifles and handguns; shot travels through this of shotguns).

Butt

the part of the gun you hold against your shoulder when you're shooting

Matchlock ignition

was developed in the early 1400s. When the trigger is pulled, a lighted wick is lowered into a priming pan located next to a vent hole drilled into the closed end of the barrel. When the priming powder ignites, it lights the main charge.

misfire

when the primer fails to ignite the powder

quartering away/toward

when your target is facing away or toward you, but at an angle

range for deer accuracy

8 inches

gunpowder

A chemical mixture that burns rapidly and converts to an expanding gas when ignited. Modern smokeless powder will burn slowly when ignited in the open (outside of the case). Black powder is less stable and can be explosive when impacted or ignited in the open.

Bolt-Action Rifle: firing pin

A pin that strikes the primer of the cartridge, causing ignition

nock

A slotted plastic tip located on the rear end of the arrow that snaps onto the string and holds the arrow in position. There is a certain point on the bowstring, called the "nocking point," where arrows are nocked. Fine tuning of this location, by moving it up or down the bowstring, is usually required.

aiming a rifle

Aim a rifle. Focus your eye on the crosshairs or front sight. Squeeze the trigger.

four fundamentals for rifle shot

Aim carefully, aligning your sights. Take a deep breath, and then release about half of it. Squeeze the trigger slowly. Follow through.

Primer

An explosive chemical compound that ignites the gunpowder when struck by a firing pin. may be placed either in the rim of the case (rimfire) or in the center of the base of the case (centerfire).

Semi-Automatic Action

As each shot is fired manually, the case of the cartridge or shotshell is ejected automatically and the chamber is reloaded automatically

Mechanical (Expandable) Blade Broadhead

Blades are retracted close to the ferrule before the shot. Upon impact, the blades expand to expose the cutting edges. These are recommended for use only with bows rated 50 pounds or more because most require additional energy to open upon penetration.

sitting

Both arms are supported by your legs. Next to the prone position, this is the steadiest position.

pivot safety

Common on handguns and bolt-action rifles A pivoting lever or tab that blocks the trigger or firing pin Located on the frame (blocks trigger) or on the bolt or slide (blocks firing pin)

Half-Cock or Hammer Safety

Common on firearms with exposed hammers Positions the trigger at half-cock, away from the firing pin Engaged by placing the trigger at half-cock; some firearms automatically rebound to the half-cock position after the trigger is released While not a true safety, it sometimes is described as a mechanical safety device by firearm manufacturers

6 additional rule about Firearm safety

Check your barrel and ammunition, Unload firearms when not in use, Point a firearm only at something you intend to shoot, Don't run, jump, or climb with a loaded firearm, Store firearms and ammunition separately and safely, Avoid alcoholic beverages before and during shooting.

Open Sight

Combination of a bead or post front sight and a notched rear sight. These sights are simple and inexpensive. allow quick sighting.

Aperture (Peep) Sight

Combination of a bead or post front sight and a round hole set on the rifle's receiver close to the shooter's eye

JUDO Point

Designed with spring arms attached to catch in grass and leaves, preventing arrow loss; used for "stump" shooting and small game hunting.

where to put ground blinds

Downwind, based on the normal wind pattern during a given time of day, such as morning Away from the sun Where the foreground and background are safest

Pittman-Robertson Act

Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, provides funding for the selection, restoration, and improvement of wildlife habitat, and for wildlife management research, and education

Bolt-Action Rifle: bore

Inside of the firearm barrel through which the projectile travels when fired

Bolt-Action Rifle: receiver

Metal housing for the working parts of the action

Fish Point

Long, barbed or spring-loaded arrowhead that spears fish and secures them until landed with an attached line.

recurve bow

Much like the longbow, but the limbs curve back away from the belly of the bow, which can provide more power in a shorter bow than the longbow A popular choice because it's smooth and quiet

parallax

Optical bending of telescopic crosshairs in relation to the target

shooting a shotgun

Point a shotgun. Focus your eye on the target. Pull the trigger.

four primary rules

Point the muzzle in a safe direction. Treat every firearm with the respect due a loaded gun. Be sure of the target and what is in front of it and beyond it. Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

double action

Pulling the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer.

Bolt-Action Rifle: breech

Rear end of the barrel

Bore sighting-in with bolt-action rifles

Remove the bolt, brace the firearm on sandbags, and look directly through the bore. Correct the rifle's position until you see the bull's-eye in the center of the bore. Adjust the sights to give you a good sight picture

Protected Tip

Rifle- Highly accurate with excellent expansion

Bead Sight

Simple round bead set into the top of the barrel near the muzzle of a shotgun.

Break Action

Simple to load and unload, chosen as a hunter's first firearm.

Dot Sight

Small device mounted on your firearm, uses electronics or optical fibers to project a glowing dot or other mark on a lens in front of the shooter's eye

Telescopic Sight (Scope)

Small telescope mounted on your firearm

gauge

Term used to designate bore diameter of a shotgun; gauge is the number of lead balls with diameters equal to the diameter of the bore that, when combined, weigh one pound

Bullet Point

Steel point used for target shooting and small game hunting

Field Point

Steel point used for target shooting and small game hunting.

long bow

The "traditional" bow, which has straight limbs that form an arc when strung Used by those interested in traditional shooting with little additional equipment

load

The amount of gunpowder in the cartridge or shotshell together with the weight of the bullet or shot charge.

Distinctive Markings

The black cheek patch on male pronghorns; the "flags" of the white-tailed deer; the face pattern on a gray fox; the green head on a mallard drake; the red, white, and blue on the head of a male turkey

case

The container that holds all the other ammunition components together.

choke

The degree of narrowing at the muzzle end of the shotgun barrel

shaft

The long spine of the arrow. Modern arrow shafts are made of wood, fiberglass, aluminum, or carbon. The arrow, regardless of shaft material, must have the correct stiffness to match the bow. As an arrow is released, the shaft bends before straightening in flight. Incorrect stiffness will cause the arrow to fly erratically and inaccurately.

compound bow

The most popular bow for both hunting and target shooting A bow with many styles, but they work basically the same way; wheels and cables attached to the limbs make it easier to hold at full draw (pulled completely back) and able to propel an arrow faster than either a longbow or recurve bow

—a repeating firearm

The next advance, in 1835, was to arrange a series of percussion locks and barrels on a rotating wheel (cylinder) to allow a rapid succession of shots (Patterson revolver). With a single hammer and trigger, multiple shots can be fired without reloading. The percussion cap revolvers are the forerunners of modern revolvers., the blood group whose red cells carry the A antigen

projectile

The object(s) expelled from the barrel. A bullet is a projectile, usually containing lead, fired through a rifle or handgun barrel. A slug is a solid projectile, usually of lead, fired through a shotgun barrel. Shot is a group of lead, steel, tungsten alloy, or bismuth pellets fired through a shotgun barrel.

fletching

The plastic vanes or feathers on an arrow. Fletching creates wind drag and also can cause the arrow to spin similar to a rifle bullet, providing stability and accuracy in flight. Fletching is made up of three or more vanes or feathers. One of the feathers will be a different color and is called the "cock" feather. The remaining feathers are referred to as the "hen" feathers.

arrowhead

The point of the arrow. Many different kinds of arrow points are available, each with a different purpose and advantage.

grooves

The spiral cuts in a rifled bore

shot pattern shot pattern

The spread of shot pellets after they hit a non-moving target

shot string

The three-dimensional spread of shot pellets after they leave the barrel

how to operate a lever action

To open the action, push the lever downward and forward, which extracts the cartridge case from the chamber and ejects it. If a magazine holds extra cartridges, another is immediately ready to be loaded into the chamber

Blunt Point

Used for small game hunting and some types of target shooting; made of steel, hard rubber, or plastic.

Broadhead

Used primarily for big game hunting. The number of steel blades it contains may vary. The only arrowhead that may be used for big game hunting is the broadhead. It must be solidly built and always razor-sharp. Many states have laws governing the minimum diameter and number of cutting edges of the broadhead used to hunt big game.

The Four Primary Rules of Firearm Safety

Watch the muzzle, treat every firearm with the respect due a loaded gun, be sure of the target and what is in front of it and behind it, keep your finger outside of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.

standing

With neither arm supported, this is the most difficult position for firing an accurate shot. Rather than trying to hold the barrel steady, which is impossible, try to keep movement of the barrel to as small an area as possible. Smooth, natural motion will produce the best shot.

kneeling

With only one arm braced, the kneeling position is less steady than the prone and sitting positions.

snap-shooting

You simply raise the shotgun and point where you think the target will be when the shot arrives.

rib

a raised surface along the top of the barrel which is a sighting plane

Improved Cylinder

a slight constriction. It allows the shot string to spread fairly quickly. This is a good choice for quail, rabbits, and other upland game at relatively close ranges.

slug

a solid projectile, usually of lead, used for hunting big game with a shotgun.

bead

a visual indicator for pointing the shotgun

Cylinder choke

an unconstricted barrel. The shot string spreads quickly.

Flintlock ignition

appeared in the late 1600s. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer holding a piece of flint falls against a steel cover (the frizzen) sitting over the priming pan. The hammer knocks the cover out of the way, and the collision of flint and steel causes sparks that ignite the powder in the priming pan.

Shot pellets

are designed to spread, just as with today's shotguns.

bullets

are preferred for hunting because they are generally more accurate at certain ranges.

Round balls

are used mainly for target practice but also can be used for hunting.

Tether

attaches the harness to the tree strap

action bar

attaches the moveable fore stock to the cocking/loading mechanism

minutes of angles

clicks in a certain direction for your sight

drivers and posters

drivers drive the animals out of the woods and posters intercept them

in-line muzzleloader

either primer or a percussion cap is placed on the nipple or breech plug. An ignition system that is in direct alignment with the bore of the firearm causes the cap to ignite the black powder charge, and the gun fires

the cardinal rule

every gun must be treated as if it were loaded

Tree strap

goes around the tree

handgun barrel

gun is designed to be shot while being held with one or two hands, rather than being placed against the shooter's shoulder

Semi-Wad Cutter

handgun- Balances penetration and expansion

Hollowpoint

handgun- Designed for high expansion on impact

Wad Cutter

handgun- Flat-ended, used for target shooting; creates clean hole in paper

Roundnose Lead

handgun- Good penetration, little expansion

Full Metal Jacket

handgun- High penetration, no expansion

Rimfire ammunition

has the primer contained in the rim of the ammunition casing. Rimfire ammunition is limited to low-pressure loads. Rimfire cartridges are not reloadable.

single action

has to be manually cocked

trapping

helps control animal populations by minimizing starvation, reducing spread of disease, and controlling habitat damage or destruction.

where to shoot a deer

in the vital organs- heart or lungs

Instinctive aiming

is more versatile than the bowsight method. You simply look at the intended target with both eyes open and release. You adjust the aim for different distances by instinct developed with practice. Instinctive aiming takes longer to perfect than the bowsight method, but it eliminates much of the guesswork from shooting under some hunting conditions.

Centerfire ammunition

is used for rifles, shotguns, and handguns. In this type of ammunition, the primer is located in the center of the casing base. Most centerfire ammunition is reloadable.

magnum

means the shell has more shot or more gunpowder than a regular shell

Firearm

mechanical device that uses pressure from a burning powder to force a projectile through and out of a metal tube

handgun: ejector rod

metal rod used to help with the removal of cartridges

barrel

metal tube through which the projectile travels

Modified choke

moderate constriction. The pellets stay together longer, making the shot string denser and more useful at longer ranges. This choke is used often when dove hunting and when using steel shot to hunt for ducks or geese. There is also an Improved Modified choke that is slightly tighter than Modified.

cartridge

modern rifle ammunition, a case contain gin primer, gunpowder, and a bullet

shotshell

modern shotgun, case with primer, gunpowder, wad, and a slug or shot

Shot

multiple pellets fired through a shotgun barrel. Shot size is adaptable to the game being hunted. This type of projectile is used typically to hunt game birds and small game animals.

flushing

noise, movement, or dogs to cause game to become nervous and leave cover.

Suspension relief strap

provides a loop to stand in if you fall

The percussion lock (also called "caplock")

replaced the flintlock in the early 1800s.used priming compounds inside a metallic foil cap placed over the vent hole. When the hammer strikes the cap, the resulting spark ignites the main charge

The Stock

serves as the handle of the firearm. It can be composed of one or two pieces and is usually made of wood or a synthetic material.

head shot

should not be taken

rear end shot

should not be taken

other names for a pump action

slide action or trombone action

how to operate a pump action

slide the fore stock backwards

collimator

slips into the muzzle end of the barrel and allows you to adjust the sights much like bore sighting-in

mechanical release

snaps onto the string and is pulled back with the shooting hand. The archer pulls a trigger to release the string.

prone

the steadiest of the four positions. Because it's the easiest to hold, it's the best position for mastering the fundamentals of shooting—aiming, breath control, trigger squeeze, and follow through.

Full-body harness

the vest harness is a very effective style of full-body harness

main differences between rifles, shotguns, and handguns

their barrels and type of ammunition

Full choke

tight constriction. The shot string holds together even longer, making this choke good for squirrels, turkey, and other game shot at 40-yard and longer ranges. Turkey hunters sometimes use Extra Full or Turkey choke for even denser patterns at long range.

Why hunter education?

to ensure the continuation of the hunting tradition.

Lineman's-style belt and/or climbing belt

used when climbing up and down the tree