In the United States, most of the excitement for hunting seasons revolves around the fall and early winter. It's no wonder considering the abundant hunting opportunities. Depending on what state you are hunting there are opportunities for several species of deer, elk, moose, bear, turkey, upland birds, waterfowl, predators like cougar and coyote, small game, furbearer trapping and more.
For these reasons fall and early winter is the crown jewel of hunting seasons, but to many a close second is the spring. While there are several opportunities in the spring, for this article we will narrow the list and highlight 4 hunting opportunities that offer unique experiences.
Spring Bear
While there are many states that offer spring black bear hunting seasons, the best opportunities are in the western states like Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska. Spring bear seasons are one of the few spring hunting seasons that target big game animals, and they come with their own challenges. One of the most common techniques for spring bear is to use optics from an elevated position to glass as much country as possible. The longer you watch one area the higher the chances of spotting a bear on the move.
Since spot and stalk hunting is heavily dependant on the use of optics, many hunters choose to mount their binoculars to a tripod for added comfort during long glassing sessions. Some choose to use a spotting scope if they are viewing long canyons or multiple draws, then switch to binoculars when they spot a bear and start to stalk it. Some find middle ground by using higher power binoculars in the 12-15X power range that can play both roles. Whichever optics you choose for this hunting style, a phone adaptor that allows you to record video and take photos through your optics is a great accessory to have. Brands like MAGVIEW® offer several different digiscoping products for both binoculars and spotting scopes. They are easy to use and very well made. Check out MAGVIEW products Here.
Turkey
Of all spring hunting opportunities turkey is likely the most popular. Millions of americans take to the woods in the spring in search of a big tom. Turkey hunting is so prevalant partially due to the fact that you can hunt turkeys in 49 out of 50 states and for many families it is a tradition and skillset passed down through the generations. Turkey shotguns have benefitted from technological advances in ammo, chokes and the use of optics to make them more effective.
The use of red dot sights on turkey guns is not a new concept, but the majority of shotguns still do not have the ability to accept a scope base to mount the optic to. Warne® has solved this problem with the shotgun rib mount which attaches to all shotguns that have a vented rib barrel. Available in a universal reflex mount that fits most popular footprints (RMR, Doctor, Delta Point and more), Aimpoint T1/T2 and Acro. The Warne red dot rib mount easily mounts to the rib and keeps the optic very low to the bore compared to other mounting systems.
Small Game/Varmint
One of the most popular hunting activities for rimfire shooters is small game and varmint hunting. In some places like Oregon, "sage rats" (which is a slang name for the Beldings ground squirrel) are a popular varmint species to shoot as they have been deemed an agricultural pest. In other states, prarie dogs or marmots may be the small game of choice. Whatever varmints you pursue, a reliable, accurate rimfire rifle and a few boxes of ammo can make for a memorable experience.
One of the most popular rimfire rifles for small game and varmint hunting is the CZ 455/457 series. These rilfes are affordable, reliable and suprisingly accurate. One thing many shooters struggle with is mounting a scope since the CZ rimfires use an 11mm dovetail. The dovetail can be a good mounting option if using Warne's steel rimfire rings, but many shooters who use large high powered scopes find they run out of room to adjust for eye relief as the front ring runs out of dovetail length.
The solution to this problem is the Warne Mountain Tech rails for CZ 455/457. Available in 0 or 15 MOA, these picatinny rails clamp to the receiver 11mm dovetail and cantilever forward to give much needed rail space for eye relief adjustment. This product is a must have accessory for anyone using large scopes, or need additional eye relief.
Spring Snow Goose
Waterfowl hunting may not be the first thing that comes to mind in the spring, but if you are able to hunt one of the states that offer spring snow goose hunting, it can certainly be one of the most exciting opportunities. In several states that have a spring snow goose season, there are looser restrictions on equipment that can be used. Hunters can look forward to not only unplugged guns (guns are typically restricted to being able to hold 3 rounds) but they can even use extended tubes. In many cases hunters are shooting guns that hold more than 10 rounds!
Electrinic goose calls and generous or unlimited bag limits are a few of the other benefits of the spring goose season. States like Arkansas, Missouri, the Dakotas and even parts of Canada are the most well known for their legendary spring snow goose hunts. Just be sure to bring enough ammo, and watch out for falling geese while in a lay out blind.
