Sportsman’s Corner: Time to switch gears

We sportsmen and women are regularly facing changes as sporting seasons evolve every year.

My personal challenge is related to the fact that over my years of involvement in hunting and fishing, a lot of gear has been accumulated. Granted, the active period of my outdoor writing life was a time when those who manufactured “stuff” for hunters and fishermen used the outdoor press as the primary vehicle for connecting with potential buyers.

It was the heyday of outdoor magazines with Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, Sports Afield, Fur, Fish and Game and a number of regional outdoor newspapers all booming as advertising swelled the periodicals with the latest products. We got our information then from reading, and most newspapers had an outdoor writer and some (like the Springfield newspapers that published two issues each day) and the Boston Globe had multiple writers.

Post World War II, America had undergone many changes, but none were more pronounced than the impact of men from an agricultural culture returning to a world of booming manufacturing jobs that (for many) provided a life that involved a five-day work week with a salary and benefits but more importantly, weekends off!

That change was combined with increased game populations partly created by fewer hunters, but it was equally driven by the perfect wildlife habitat created by abandoned agricultural land as food production shifted to fewer, larger operations growing more produce and raising more meat.

My father’s “Greatest Generation” took up hunting and fishing in large numbers and that meant buyers for new outdoor products. Those ranged from L. L. Bean boots and jackets to newly improved rifles, shotguns and ammunition. When this writer penned his first “Sportsman’s Corner,” published Oct. 6, 1984, there was still a robust market for print articles meant to appeal to hunters and fishermen.

Becoming an active member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association opened the door to the communications world and companies like Berkley [fishing] and Remington, Winchester and Browning [hunting/shooting] were aggressive in getting information on their products out to potential customers. It was overwhelming at first and the temptation to expand my involvement as a writer was considered, but fortunately my focus remained on writing a weekly column and the occasional feature article.

Over the years, the impact of new technology changed everything as the outdoor marketplace – like every facet of business – had to figure out how to compete in a world where this new internet was taking over every facet of American life. This created a challenge that led to social media and now artificial intelligence driving business advertising. That was paired with the severe reduction in print sources that catered to hunting and fishing.

During the boom, a large number of products came my way as writers who were members of professional groups would get unsolicited products to “try “and hopefully write about. My focus has always been on reviewing products and passing along reviews of those that were useful and helpful to sportsmen. Today, you just need to Google a product, and you get overwhelmed with suggestions. Unfortunately, there is always bias, and you really do not know if the review is legitimate. Either way, my space is cluttered with saltwater fly-fishing gear, hunting seats, hundreds of fishing lures, and various and sundry products that will probably never get used. My turkey hunting gear alone fills up a large four-foot storage locker and there more calls than can fit in the vests of a dozen turkey hunters.

So this week was time to unload the muzzleloaders, and that means firing them. Now, there is a gadget to unload a muzzleloader without discharging it using an adapter and CO2 cartridge and yes, I have one. My choice was to go to the Orange Gun Club and shoot both to see if they were on target. First, it was time to renew my membership, and this is a reminder to all to renew your memberships to the Orange Gun Club, Petersham Gun Club and Pequoig Bowmen. These are all really good clubs, and your active membership makes a difference.

Next, it was off to the club’s excellent rifle range and both guns were within two inches of dead center at 50 yards. Clearly more time should have been spent carrying them around after Christmas looking for a buck because, based on tracks and reports, the deer were there. However, the extreme cold, rain and wind kept me home. Venison in the freezer sometimes tips the scales. Also, not likely to head to the islands for the special extended deer season from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14. Maybe next year.

That unloading then led to immediately cleaning both the Thompson/Center White Mountain Carbine and the T/C Omega inline. It takes time but is important, as black powder and black powder substitutes require timely and complete cleaning. Using Ivory soap and boiling water was traditionally the best method, but again, this writer has a shelf full of black powder cleaning products and T/C T17 cleaning patches do a good job and the time it takes is well spent.

Now, we have to take out the ice fishing gear, another accumulation of gadgets, and charge up the Ion electric auger and head to Crack of Dawn Bait Shop in Phillipston. You will find the most complete variety of live bait and tackle to be found anywhere and also the most knowledgeable source around for tips and info. The ice should be good, and it beats sitting in front of the TV.

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.