"Be Prepared - Part 2"
by Sr. Field Advisor Bob Aronsohn

Some guys wait until the last minute to do anything. I'm not one of those personality types. I like things to go as smoothly as possible when I'm in the field. The first thing I do every year is have my gunsmith check the headspace on all my crow guns. If there is a potential problem, the time to take care of it is before the season gets under way. The gunsmith goes through all my crow guns. If they check out ok, this is one less problem you will have to deal with.

Another very handy item to have as standard equipment is a brass shell knocker. This is a lot handier than a cleaning rod. If you want to make one, all you do is go to any machine shop or junkyard and ask for 1/2 inch round brass bar stock or just buy a 12-foot length of it. You can then cut it in to 6-inch lengths. After I cut each piece I round off the edges with a belt sander. Now when you have a shotgun shell get stuck in your chamber and can't extract it, just grab your shell knocker and drop it down the bore and it will knock the shell loose. This will also work for a wad that is stuck in the barrel and it will work in any 12 or 20 gauge firearm. This little item has saved my bacon many times throughout the years.

If you are a handloader, try to pick one type of hull to reload. If you plan ahead, you can have all your shotgun ammo loaded for the whole crow season, before it starts! The more organized a fella is, the less he has to deal with when the season begins.

Survival in the crow blind: A seven-gallon bucket makes a great seat. They sit up higher than a 5-gallon bucket. They also hold more stuff! John Deere has a very good 6-gallon bucket with a lid. It's lightweight and very durable. If your local John Deere dealer doesn't carry it, just call 1-800-748-8318. This is the number to Evans Sports in Houston, MO. They make the buckets for John Deere. I made a foam rubber seat that fits on the lid. If you are sitting for long periods of time, you're posterior will love it!

When the weather drops into the single digits, or worse, I use an old 5-gallon bucket as a heater. I used a 3/4 drill bit to drill holes in the sides of the bucket. This metal bucket has lasted for years. It is simply an old 5-gallon paint bucket with a metal lid. I also drilled holes in the lid. If I plan to hunt for 6 to 8 hours in one spot, I just dump a 10-pound bag of charcoal briquettes into that old bucket. I hit it with some charcoal starter and fire that baby up! Wait for the flames to go before you bring it in to your blind! It takes about 15 minutes before it's safe to put in the blind. The night before I go I wrap some ham + cheese sandwiches in tin foil. When you get hungry, through a sandwich on top of the heater. Just give it 1/2 minutes on each side and they are nice and toasty! When you are done hunting, make very sure the briquettes are stomped out before you leave! If you're only going to be out for half the day, than 5 pounds of briquettes will be just the ticket.

Last but not least is your hunting vehicle. There is nothing worse than to be broken down in the middle of nowhere. Keep your hunting rig well maintained and you won't be walking. Be ready fellas and you will have a much more enjoyable crow season.