Proficiency with a tool only comes after many hours of practice and experience in using that tool. Many times I have been amazed at what a tool can do when in the hands of a master craftsman.

Today’s sportsmen have the opportunity to have the finest tools made for the outdoor sports of hunting, fishing and camping.

The truth is that many outdoors people rely on high tech equipment to make up for the lack of practice and proficiency many of us have in using equipment and tools effectively.

My Flintlock rifle is a good example, I took it for granted and did not keep a critical eye on the spark capability and thus the ignition of the gunpowder. When I made the perfect stalk of a deer on a picture perfect January day and had the rifle fail to fire due to a malfunctioning spark I made a vow to never let that happen again.

The muzzle loader went to a gun parts dealer Mitch Shablesky, from Beaver Falls, which I had met at a gun show. He had many muzzleloaders of all types and all the parts and accessories that you might need. He took one look at my T/C Hawkens and right away recognized my spark issue. The strike plate was failing by losing its hardness and without the hardened plate the flint wouldn’t give me the consistent spark. He replaced it with a Lyman part that was famous for a true spark. In addition we added a French Agate for a flint replacement and the sparks really did fly! With some range practice I fully expect to have some venison back on the meat pole when the snow flies this year.

With the opening of archery deer season in two weeks I hope to see some more work on the archery targets. Accuracy is key to a successful hunt and even more so in archery season. The use of elevated stands requires hunters to practice from the same stands that they will hunt from in October. Failing to do so will result in missed shots or poor angles and wounded animals. Every hunter has an obligation to use their equipment proficiently and with accuracy. That means that you will hit what you aim at. In addition you need to have sharp broad heads and enough arrow speed to do a merciful and effective job in the kill zone of a deer. The most effective shots are always best in the vitals region behind the front shoulders. It is better to let a deer walk away than take a poor shot, if you know your equipment you should know if you are capable of making the necessary shot placement.

On other fronts Beaver Boy and I discovered that we are the proud owners of 12 preference points for next year’s elk tag drawing. If we were out in the western states that would be significant news and I would be planning a hunt in 2016. In Pennsylvania that only means that I can get my name put in more with the other 30,000 hunters who try each year…oh well.

We did our last Erie walleye trip a few weeks back and did ok with Captain Walt Ermanson on his Trophy Charters.

We have a lot of hands on experience with Walt and have become quite proficient with the use of planer boards, dipsy divers and cannon balls. I learned to stay away from the hits on the planer boards as it usually meant a 500 foot battle with a 10 pound walleye or sheep head.

The weight of a walleye fighting the trolling current and depths are forearm burners.

Our party included P.K. Thompson and his son Jason. Whenever I saw the rods go off with a hit on the 500 foot stretch I would yell “You’re up Jason!” It took him a half dozen walleye and sheep head before he figured out that we had set him up with all those arm burners. He was good natured about it as I told him we were just trying to save my spouse Renee’s arms. For some reason P.K. and I was shot a glance from Renee and Jason for that comment. Strangely enough when the next long line took a hit they all called out to me, “you’re up Jay!” I was rested up enough and wound in the line with a fine fish on it, I turned around and gave them all a big smile…while the fish was held up for all to see.

We inquired about the perch fishing and once again the news was not encouraging. The fishing has been spotty with no great limit catches of jumbo perch.

The good news is that there are still some good weeks of fishing ahead of us and I still may get into the perch schools. My buddy Sim Grossman is checking out the fall fishing on Pymatuning Lake and reports that the fishing in the upcoming weeks may be top notch for pan fish and walleye if his calculations of past years are correct. Let’s hope he is spot on and we can get in some late season fishing in before we give it up for the hunting season.

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.