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Whose Best Day?
By Marti Young
The only division in this family is when debating who had the best time. While every day spent hunting is a good day, some are better than others. For James Whetzel Sr. and 11-year-old Starr Young, their best day ever started at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, 2017. The adventure started with a softly whispered “Wake up, Starr. It’s almost time ... READ MORE
Snow Falls in the Catskills
By Vincent J. Prybeck
To-the-point New Yorker has enough go for one more season. Nov. 17, 2018, Upstate New York. A Catskill Mountain deer season starts. Snow fell 24 hours earlier. Cloudy, windless, good snow, 28 degrees. In darkness, we hike uphill. With John settled, I head farther uphill. At 2,100 feet, I climb the ladder. Now wait. Season 48 now. How many do I have... READ MORE
The 165-Inch Spike
By Tony Crowder
Every time my daughter Alexis and I had been out hunting, she was determined that would be the time she would get a deer. She’d put in the work, helped build a box blind, and she’d been out there every chance she had regardless of weather. She was ready and hungry for her first deer.
We’d planned to go hunting early Monday, Nov. ... READ MORE
Small Property, Big Results
By Chris Casper
Every buck is an opportunity to be a better hunter. I live in Georgia’s Oglethorpe County, but I got permission to hunt a small, approximately 10-acre tract surrounded by a subdivision in Athens-Clarke County. I scouted the area and found several promising spots. I got my first trail camera picture of a dandy buck I named Subdivision in late ... READ MORE
Daddy, You Shoot It!
By Dale Sampson
Heat of the moment was a little too much for first-time deer hunter ... but not for her dad.
The season started with little excitement. Although a big coyote came by early, I didn’t see anything with antlers. That was okay since I was more looking forward to my daughter Kaitlin’s first whitetail hunting experience later that evening. A... READ MORE
Uncle James
By James Nugent
My oldest niece Briley, an eager 8-year old, had begged to go hunting with me for several years. After weeks of discussion and planning, the time finally arrived for her first trip.
Still not comfortable enough with a rifle to hunt, she was excited to watch and learn all she could. Briley is no stranger to the outdoors; she won first place in the ... READ MORE
If It Feels Right ...
By William Sawyer
Trust your instincts when you think you’ve made a great shot. During the 2014 archery season in Guilford County, North Carolina, I had found a large rub while putting out some corn. It looked like a great place to set up, but I didn’t want to hunt it until conditions were perfect. On the second Saturday of the season, I asked my wife to... READ MORE
Back to Basics
By Christopher Kunkel
Michigan bowhunter can’t resist the call to return to archery’s roots.
My archery journey started about 18 years ago. Like most new archers, I was introduced to bowhunting through other archers, in my case it was coworkers.
My first bow was a used Browning compound with 60 percent letoff. The draw length was 3 inches longer than it sh... READ MORE
Crowded in Kansas
By Rodney Bryson
Landowner offers advice to help overcome an abundance of other hunters. This past hunting season in Kansas was different from previous years. The weather was nicer, but there seemed to be a lot more hunters. While we’re fortunate to hunt on private land, other hunters have permission to hunt there, too. There were also hunters on the property... READ MORE
All in the Family
By Jessica Jenderny
I’ve been hunting with my dad, Eric Jenderny, since I was old enough to walk.
He taught me what his dad taught him about hunting. His best friend Bruce Rogers also taught me a lot about hunting, so what I’ve learned about deer and hunting, I owe to them.
Now that I’m 16, I’ve become a mighty hunter like my mentors.
The we... READ MORE