Moose Hunting in Newfoundland: UPDATE

After returning to Ontario on Oct. 20, the guy we were moose hunting with had gone back out to the woods but still didn't see anything. For the next 2-3 days, there was frozen rain which kept most hunters indoors. My friend went back out about a week after we left from there, and spent about 2 hours in the bush before finally sighting a moose. He didn't know if it was a cow or bull, so he stalked it for a while. Finally, he had identified it as a young bull, only bearing about 6 points on its rack. Because of the season coming closer to the end, he couldn't be too picky with his moose, and he hadn't seen one for a while, so he decided this one would be the tag-filler. He waited until he had the right shot opportunity, and he fired. After the bull went down, he picked up his cell phone and called us excitedly to let us know that he had finally got one. We were happy for him, and told him to send pictures of the bull! Well, he did, and here they are:

- Photos by Philip Marcoccia

The Hunt for a Big Game Weapon

Searching for that North American Big Game Rifle is harder than I would have expected. At first, I thought it's the caliber that needs to be chosen and that's all, but after reading numerous reviews on which rifles are very good and which rifles should be avoided, I'm losing my mind over this! I've broken down a list of rifles of interest that contained over 20 models. I now have 3, but the smaller the number gets, the harder it is to choose. Some of the rifles on my list are more expensive than others, but they are guaranteed a life-long rifle. The others are cheaper - some suprisingly cheap - and they promise dead-on accuracy. The pricier ones, mind you, also have that extra "touch" of style which probably adds about $50 - 60 to the model. The cheaper guns are more plain looking, but deliver the same performance. As I am a sucker for good-looking equipment, this debate on rifles only gets tougher. But I promised myself that my rifle will be chosen wisely, therfore I will buy the gun that best suits me, and not just buy it for its looks.

My list, as of now, is as follows:
1) Remington Model 700
2) Savage Model 110GXP3
3) Browning X-Bolt Hunter

- Photo by Remington (http://www.remington.com)

Moose Hunting in Newfoundland (Oct. 17-20, 2008)

These are some photos from my weekend in Newfoundland hunting moose:

Every Season is Deer Season

Whether you're in a stand waiting for the presence of a mature trophy buck, or you're taking note of the deer activity on your hunting grounds, there is always something to look forward to with whitetail deer. Think about it; In January, you begin to plot out what you'll be doing throughout the year and most people probably enter the deer draw for a doe tag; In February, you'll start 'shed hunting' to see the racks that have come off of some great bucks; From March - June, some hunters will set up their stealth cams to see if any deer are coming around; In the summer, July and August, you'll start scouting for the deer and study where they're going while collecting useful information like their food source and bedding grounds, setting up your stand shortly after. Then comes the Fall, usually known as 'hunting season' due to the species that are available at this time. And before you know it, you're back in the stand another season. This Fall, here in Ontario, the turkey season is open again. Now, other than looking forward to Spring time for Turkey, we can also look forward to the fall twice as hard - for whitetail and turkey! Times are good. Cherish them.

- Written by Philip Marcoccia

- Photo by Google (http://www.google.ca)

Product Review - Benelli SuperNova

You may have already heard or read about the Benelli SuperNova and its hype of being a top-notch pump-action shotgun, but the shotgun has truly proven itself worthy in my eyes and in my hands. I've fired many 12 Gauge shotguns in the past, but after experiencing Benelli's SuperNova pump-action shotgun, I wouldn't think twice of changing my inventory. Other than its renowned durability which gives it a life span longer than a human being's, the Benelli SuperNova is the greatest all-around shotgun I've ever gotten my hands on. Whether you love hunting waterfowl, spring/fall turkey, rabbit, coyote, or any other game that requires a shotgun for that matter, the Benelli will match up to your needs. For a pump-action shotgun, its recoil is also unbelievably soft - as soft as a few semi-autos I've fired! The accessories of this firearm include the installable pistol grip for tactical use or for your long-awaiting turkey hunts for that extra comfort.

As I may seem to be recommending this firearm for just about any shotgun activity, I wouldn't recommend it for skeet/trap shooters that spend hours-on-end at the range a day. Now, don't get me wrong, I bring my SuperNova to the range every Saturday and Sunday to spice up the aim for waterfowling in the fall, however if you're a hardcore skeet/trap shooter, you'll want a sporting gun mainly because the SuperNova is heavier than other shotguns. Other than skeet/trap shooting, this shotgun doesn't have much else on its 'cons list'.

Quick Facts for the Benelli SuperNova:

Ammunition: 12 Gauge

Chambered for [2 3/4"], [3"] and [3 1/2"]

Finish: Matte Black, Realtree APG HD, Advantage Timber HD, Advantage MAX-4

Weight: 7 1/2 lbs.

PROS:

- The best all-around pump-action shotgun on the market no matter what game you hunt - guaranteed!

- The price is unbeatable for its quality.

CONS:

- Doesn't make a good sporting gun. (Skeet/Trap shooting)

- Might not be good for pheasant hunting considering the weight.

Awards:

Shooting Academy of Excellence Award 2006

- Photo by Benelli USA (http://www.benelliusa.com)

A Dark Nature

I must say, it was indeed a beautiful sight! As much as I love nature, it doesn’t get any more awkwardly spooky than this. I find it rather breathtaking to witness an event like this because it only happens once every so often. Luckily I had surfed on NASA’s website a few months before this happened, preparing myself to take some photos today. I had marked this eclipse date down, and now I’ve captured its beauty on film.

The dark sphere covering the moon’s figure would be the Earth’s shadow, causing this to be a partial Umbral eclipse. As seen in the photo above taken tonight during this sighting, you’ll notice that the Earth’s shadow is covering about 75% of the moon at this point. I had missed a bit of it in the beginning of its movement where the moon was about 85% covered, left to be very dark and slim. Nonetheless, a great sighting! Without size mattering at this point, we appreciate the fact of the eclipse that occurs during its time.

I only hope many of you could have experienced this sight, and if not, maybe you'll think twice when it decides to pay us another visit. ;]

- Written by Philip Marcoccia
- Photo taken by Philip Marcoccia