Essential Paintball Equipment

Essential Paintball equipment
from Paintball Times


Eye protection. Eye protection is the most essential piece of equipment you could possibly invest in. Saftey is the primary concern. Whether you are playing at a field or in your backyard be sure to have your face protection/goggle system in place. The second most important piece of equipment is your paintball gun. The gun is usually called 'marker' because it marks other players. Also I am sure there is a politically correct reason (guns are bad). It is composed of a few different parts and is not hard to become familiarized with.
First of all there is the main body that everything else attaches to. The main body has something in it called a bolt. The air flows through the bolt and the bolt pushes the paintball out. The main body also includes the cocking mechanism. This is either a pump or an automatic system that recocks the gun. Recocking means placing another paintball in the firing chamber. The chamber or breech is where the ball awaits the rush of air that fires it. Near the chamber is something called a ball detente. This mechanism holds the paintball in place so it doesn't roll out. It also serves to not allow more than one ball to feed into the chamber.

The paintball is fired out of the chamber and through the "barrel". The barrel is a long tube that guides the paintball in a straight path as it leaves the gun. Different kinds are available and they screw into the main body. Many say that brass barrels are the best because they have the least friction on the paintball (they are the cheapest). Others swear by heavier stainless steal barrels. Some only play with aluminum. A lot of designs have a bunch of holes drilled into them in different patterns, this helps air get out of the paintball's way, but is a mess to clean.

Another important part is the hopper. Basically a plastic inverted bottle that holds your paintballs and allows them to feed into the chamber by gravity. Some however, are motorized and insure that another paintball will fall into place after one is shot. If you are firing rapidly, make sure you have one of these. They come in all sorts of sizes, some hold only 40 balls, while others can hold up to 300. Depends on your style.

The air tank is also crucial and can be attached to your gun in various locations. On most guns it hangs horizontally off the back, and they are just screwed in. Some prefer a vertical mount to keep the liquid (bad) CO2 on the bottom and out of the gun. Which is good of course. The mosty comon gas is CO2. It is a tank with a flat bottom. Almost all rental places give you one of those. some rental places have moved up and only use Compressed Air. CA is just regular air, it won't freeze or turn to liquid in the cold. It is often called Nitrogen. CA is typically stored in a rounded bottom tank. These have very high pressures (as high as 3000psi) and poeple fear that if they explode, one can be seriously hurt, if not dead.

Other Useful Accessories

Remote: A long tube that allows you to carry your air tank on a back pack or belt. A light tube is attached to the gun. This is useful because it takes weight off your gun and makes it lighter and more versatile. It is a cheap addition. A good used one runs about $30-40 bucks.

Belt Pack: Usually something worn around the belt that holds extra supplies. Extra air, extra paint, maybe even smoke bombs. Typically they are called 4-1 or 8-1 or 6-1. The "1" is usually a verticle recepticle for an airtank. The other numbers signify the amount of horizontal paint tube holders.

Mask: This is a protective 'helmet' that covers the front of your face and ears. You can get some for $30-$40, but the better ones run at about $80. If you have glases and plan to wear it over them, get a Scott mask. It fits better. These are very important!

Sight: A sight can be any extra device added that allows you to aim better than point shooting. Some have scopes, some have red dot sights, and some have lasers on them. Usually these are all useless. I have not seen anyone use a sight and actually be accurate. Paint guns are not accurate and neither are the paintballs. I added a laser sight to my autococker just for kicks, but probably will never run into a situation except , backyard target practice, to use it. By the time you aim and get ready to shoot I would have put 30 paintballs in your face.

Clothing: Dark clothes are fine. I hate camouflage. Dress warmly and in layers.

Vermont Hunting Dates for 2006

Sep 1 2006
- Nov 15 2006
Black Bear Season

Oct 7 2006
- Oct 20 2006
Archery Turkey for designated WMU's only **
** F1 F2 G H1 H2 I J1 J2 K1 K2 L M1 M2 N O1 O2 P AND Q

Oct 7 2006
- Oct 29 2006
Archery Deer
Also Dec 2 - 10

Oct 21 2006
- Oct 27 2006
7 Day Shotgun Turkey ***
*** Designated WMU's ONLY- G H2 I J1 J2 L M1 M2 O1 O2 P AND Q

Oct 21 2006
- Oct 27 2006
Extended Turkey Archery for WMU H1 only

Oct 21 2006
- Nov 5 2006
16 Day Shotgun Turkey ****
for Designated WMU's: F1 F2 K1 K2 N

Nov 4 2006
- Nov 5 2006
Youth Deer Weekend

Nov 11 2006
- Nov 26 2006
Rifle Deer Season

Dec 2 2006
- Dec 10 2006
Muzzleloader and Archery Deer
Furbearer Hunting
Furbearer Resources Technical Work Group »

Oct 14 2006
- Dec 31 2006
Raccoon Hunting Season

Oct 28 2006
- Feb 11 2006
Red and Gray Fox Hunting Season

Furbearer Trapping
Furbearer Resources Technical Work Group »

Oct 28 2006
- Dec 31 2006
Mink, Skunk, Red and Gray Fox, Raccoon, Coyote Trapping Season

Oct 28 2006
- Feb 24 2007
Otter Trapping Season

Oct 28 2006
- Apr 19 2007
Muskrat Trapping Season

Dec 1 2006
- Dec 16 2006
Bobcat Trapping Season

Dec 1 2006
- Dec 31 2006
Fisher Trapping Season

Dec 1 2006
- Feb 24 2007
Beaver Trapping Season

Game Bird Season
Sep 30 2006
- Dec 31 2006
Ruffed Grouse Season

Small Game Hunting

Aug 16 2006
- Oct 29 2006
Crow Season

Sep 1 2006
- Dec 31 2006
Gray Squirrel Season

Sep 30 2006
- Mar 11 2007
Hare/Rabbit Season

Migratory Waterfowl Season
Listing of Migratory Bird Seasons and Laws

Bass Fishing Tips

Tips for Summer Bass
By Bill Decoteau
from The Northwoods Sporting Journal

Mike Delvisco is one of the most educated bass anglers I know and his simple approach to establishing bass patterns is a sure fire way to increase your confidence in locating as well as landing more bass……especially during the heat of summer! (www.bassbytes.tv)

"Many times during the hottest days of summer the majority of bass anglers vacate shallow water patterns exiting the banks as they look for deeper structure oriented bass, "suggest Delvisco, one of B.A.S.S. Bassmaster Universities top instructors. "Now don't misunderstand me, this is indeed a great way to fish and utilize your electronics. However, some of my biggest bass of the year revolve around two basic summertime shallow water patterns, Buzzbaits and Flipping."

Delvisco will usually start his day working a Cavitron Buzzbait in shallow cover for more aggressive largemouth bass. "Buzzbaits are very versatile having a distinct advantage of being extremely weedless, allowing anglers to work them in and through any type of cover whether it be wood, grass, lily pads, emergent or submergent vegetation," claims Mike Dlevisco.

Delvosco, doesn't just tie on a buzzbait and start casting and retrieving. Having a sound foundation in keying in on two of a bass's motivating senses, sight and hearing paired with a bass's predatory instincts this Stratos Boats Touring Pro tweaks his buzzbaits!

"It's imperative, more often than not, a buzzbait be retrieved as slowly as possible and in my opinion displace a maximum amount of water while giving off a high pitched squealing sound. Which drives bass crazy, especially big bass in shallow water under extremely hot conditions," says Delvisco.

Mike Delvisco modifies his Cavitron Buzzbaits, by crimping the rivet that holds the blade in place, claiming that now the blade will rub against the rivet as it rotates creating the high pitched squeal he is looking for. In addition, Delvicso says the unique design of the Cavitron Buzzbait blade allows it to be retrieved at enticingly slow speeds, while the patented shaft allows the head and hook to ride just under the surface increasing an angler's hook-up ratio. (www.calvitronlures.com)

Connecticut's FLW Stren Series angler Art Rife is quick to agree with Delvicso's Cavitron buzzbait heat of the summer methods. "I will usually start my morning off working either a chartreuse Cavitron or a golden shiner Stalker Bait buzzbait (www.stalkerbait.com) along the deeper milfoil or coontail edges for more aggressive smallmouth bass." Once the buzzbait bite slows down, this Ranger/Evinrude Boat Work's Pro Staffer switches to a Hank Parker Classic spinnerbait as he begins to dissect the water column from top-to-bottom locating moving smallmouth bass.

When it comes to buzzbait equipment Rife prefers spooling his Shimano Curado reels with 15 & 17 lb P-Line while his choice of rods are G-Loomis Bronzeback Series. For Delvisco he opts for a high speed 6.3:1 Pflueger President casting reel paired with an All Star 7' M-MH rod and his buzzbaits are tied to the heaviest line he can get away with, usually 20 lb Yo-zuri Hybrid. Delvisco prefers white or white/chartreuse in clear water and switches to black buzzbaits in dingy or muddy conditions.

"During the heat of summer most of my flipping revolves around vegetation, located close to deeper water, and if there is a transition change in bottom contend, such as soft to hard or a contour change indicating solid edges, these are the areas I'll concentrate my efforts in," advises Delvisco.

Monitoring his Humminbird electronics, Rife positions his Ranger boat along the outside edges of deep weedlines, while slowly working his Minn Kota trolling motor in and out of cuts and pockets as he follows the contour line. "Before leaving the weedlines after the early morning buzzbait bite, I will always spend some time flipping a black/blue jig along the deeper outside edges."

When it comes to flipping, Delvisco on the other hand prefers bigger bulky baits over larger and longer baits, reasoning he gets a better hook up due to the bass inhaling his offering. "I think the bass can find bulky baits easier, so I utilize four inch Yamamoto craws, Ika's and tubes most of the time. However, if the bite is really tough it is not uncommon for me to down-size to the three inch version of these baits!"

Bass are warm water creatures and as the water temperatures increase so does a bass's metabolism as well as their appetite. "There are some key reasons why I dedicate a lot of time to flipping the weeds in the heat," suggest Mike Delvisco. "Life within the aquatic world is energized via the oxygen given off by vegetation. Bass need this oxygen to survive, as do baitfish. So besides from providing a comfort zone for bass the vegetation is also a haven for baitfish."

While Mike Delvisco continues to dissect the shallow weeds in an effort to locate largemouths within the water column, Art Rife will head towards deeper drop-offs, searching for isolated rock piles. "Water depth will vary from lake to lake but more often than not I'll start my search in the 10' range usually ending no deeper than 35'," claims Rife. Trading his baitcasting outfit for spinning gear, Art Rife rigs a Drop-Shot setup utilizing a circle or octopus hook with the point of the hook up impelled into a Stalker Bait Finesse tube, he varies his leader length depending on the water depth and the bass's location off the bottom.

"I will mark the rock piles by dropping buoy markers off to one side of the rock piles, then make a long cast, allowing my bait to reach bottom. Once I can feel the bottom with the weight I'll merely drag the rig slowly back to the boat." Rife warns, "It is extremely important that anglers simply sweep their rod to one side while reeling, the circle style hooks will set themselves!"

Pro's Tip Mike Delvisco: Little things in flipping can make all the difference between casting & catching! Fish position within the weeds is key to bait size and weight size, therefore utilize as little weight as needed to penetrate the vegetation, this may mean weights between ½-1 ¼ oz. Let the vegetation dictate your choice in baits and weights for proper penetration.

Pro's Tip Art Rife: There are no guarantees in bass fishing; however during the extreme heat of summer during a bright sunny hot afternoon, a buzzbait burned on the surface over weedlines can be dynamite for topwater explosive action all day long!

Bill Decoteau is an outdoor journalist with a strong passion for pursuing the Black Bass. His activities include covering professional bass trails, the New England Paralyzed Veterans of America Bass Trail, as well as coordinating classroom seminars for Bassmaster Universities programs, or sharing winning techniques utilized by some of the nationals' top-bass pro's at many of the regional sportsmen shows.