Review: Open Season series by Annie Wendt Hemstock

I was very happy to find this series in a catalog recently (*yes, publishers, we still want to see print catalogs - we are ordering print materials, after all!). This is a subject area I have had requests for, but it has been hard to find an accessible series around an upper elementary reading level, that isn't sensationalist or too basic to be of any use.

 Some members of my family and my community hunt, others do not. Regardless of that choice, it is always good to be aware of laws and safety, so I started off by checking through this title:

9781477767252

$25.25

Of course, hunting laws are going to vary by state, but Hemstock gives a good overview of things you need to find out before you head out. She explains licenses and stamps, bag limits and seasons, registering your kill and making sure you have not strayed into the wrong area. She also explains why laws are needed, both for humans and for animals, and what can happen if they are not followed.

The very first thing mentioned under safety is assuming a weapon is always loaded, which I was pleased to see. Hemstock also covers other hunting gear, weather concerns, and attire (did you know that most animals do not see bright orange as a bright color? I think I should have known that, but I didn't!)

Satisfied with that one, I moved on to:

9781477767207

Parts of this were almost word for word the speech my kids hear from NM Game and Fish every year. If anything, it was more detailed, and ends again with a section about safety and conservation.

Last I compared these two:

Many adults do not know the difference between a rifle and a shotgun. Either of these titles will explain the difference, both in how they fire and in when and where they are most likely to be used. Parts of the weapon, different gauges, types of ammunition, and of course laws and safety are all discussed. 

Now, while I like to shoot, I am not a hunter myself. Before I passed judgement I handed these over to my husband, a life-long hunter, to inspect. 

In these four titles he only found one small error, which is actually corrected in other places: Hunting with Shotguns says that all states require hunter education classes, but it actually varies from state to state. Other than that, he was quite impressed with the thoroughness and accuracy! We are both looking forward to receiving the other titles in the series (Bow Hunting and Hunting Gear)

If you have any small segment at all of your community that is interested in hunting, I can wholeheartedly recommend this series for your shelves!