Tips & Tactics

Entries for 'Gray Loon'

Beat the Bootstrap Blues

Beat the Bootstrap Blues

By Frank Carieri

I wasn’t sure my tip was worth sharing, but decided to send it to help other Buckmasters fans who are getting on in years, or are a little on the heavy side. Using a climbing stand is my favorite way to hunt whitetails. But, at age 52, I’ve had four back surgeries and a quadruple bypass. I’ve also added a couple inches to my waist... READ MORE

Staying Put: Virtues and Perils

Staying Put: Virtues and Perils

By Rich Williams and Tim H. Martin

When you are an invited guest on someone’s hunting property and they put you in a spot, DO NOT leave early or go roaming around, even if you aren’t seeing anything. Wait until your host comes to get you, because you could get lost or put yourself in a dangerous situation with other hunters. This happened to someone hunting with me; they... READ MORE

New Stand? Bring Your Compass!

New Stand? Bring Your Compass!

By Larry Brown

Experienced hunters use a compass for more than just map reading. To make my treestands most effective during hunting season, I always carry a compass. I use it when picking out a tree and deciding which direction to face my stand. Here's why: Knowing your bearings is essential for the initial stand set up. If you guess and get it wrong, you'll lik... READ MORE

Back in Black

Back in Black

By Tim H. Martin

Black clothing can stand out nearly as much as white in the forest during daylight hours, but there is a place for black in the hunting world. I first learned the downside of wearing black in 2005, while bowhunting in Illinois. I'd accidentally left my camo hat in camp and had to use the only headgear I had in my backpack, a solid black fleece bea... READ MORE

Curing the Wet Slate Blues

Curing the Wet Slate Blues

By Christopher Anderson

Here’s a question for my fellow turkey hunters. Have you ever gotten set up on some birds just before sunrise; the hens and gobblers are all talking. You pick up your favorite slate call just as the turkeys begin to pitch down only to find morning dew has dampened the call surface and it won’t make a sound? This has happened to me more ... READ MORE

Binos & Camera Telephoto Trick

Binos & Camera Telephoto Trick

By Tim H. Martin

Photo: A sheep hunter’s tip for taking long-range photos helped Tim H. Martin photograph this wide 10-pointer from a distance. While muzzleloader hunting in Ohio in 2010, I watched an extremely wide 10-pointer bedding down in the rain. It plopped down about 70 yards behind and to the side of my ground blind, well outside of my shooting lane. ... READ MORE

No Rail Pad? No Problem!

No Rail Pad? No Problem!

By Marcus Bolick

Photo: Venison is a prized commodity in the area of North Carolina where Marcus Bolick hunts. The hunter proudly hunts with the same model rifle used by Milo Hanson — a Winchester Model 88 chambered in .308. My tip isn’t anything fancy, and I may not be the first Buckmasters fan to come up with the idea, but I’ve decided to share ... READ MORE

Hunting’s Most Overlooked Resource?

Hunting’s Most Overlooked Resource?

By James Blackmon

As hunters, we are always looking for resources to improve our scouting and hunting. If you are like me, you have spent a lot of time scouring maps, walking properties and talking to farmers and other hunters about where they’ve seen deer. We also invest a lot of research, time and money into scouting technology and hunting gear: digital top... READ MORE

Diamond-Dusted Honing for Hunters

Diamond-Dusted Honing for Hunters

By Rick Roesler

Seems like hunters always need to sharpen something. I have found inexpensive, easily packable items that really do the trick, even in the field. There are several types of files embedded with diamond dust or diamond grit that will put an edge on your gear. The flat kind women use to file their nails are very inexpensive, and you can find them at T... READ MORE

Freeze & Fly Your Trophy

Freeze & Fly Your Trophy

By Dave Graber

Photo: Dave Graber poses with his trophy of a lifetime, a mountain lion from Arizona. Dave shares a cost-saving tip that will help deer hunters fly home with their frozen capes as carry on luggage. Recently, I had a successful mountain lion hunt in Arizona. Like successful deer hunters who travel by air, I had to figure out the best way to get my t... READ MORE

Zip That Quiver!

Zip That Quiver!

By Al Kirby

Photo: Removing his quiver and having a second arrow at the ready enabled Tim H. Martin to tag this beautiful Illinois buck. Here’s a great way to hang your quiver and reload easily, too. One less thing attached to my bow is a good thing. When archery hunting, I like to remove the quiver. I don't like the added weight or the extra noise it ma... READ MORE

Rifle Targets Come Gift-Wrapped

Rifle Targets Come Gift-Wrapped

By Ryan Noffsinger / Art Director Buckmasters Magazine

Photo: Before scoring their first Alabama buck double, Ryan Noffsinger (right) and his son Luke wanted to double-check the zero on their scopes. Ryan discovered a great target substitute when he lost his store-bought targets. As an avid bowhunter, I don’t usually knock the dust off my deer rifles until after Christmas. This season was no diff... READ MORE

Conquer the Dead Zone

Conquer the Dead Zone

By Tim H. Martin

Photo: Because it stepped into a dead zone, Buckmasters Tip Editor, Tim H. Martin, had to go southpaw in order to smoke this Alabama 10-pointer. Tim learned this trick from a U.S. Army shooting instructor. Try this test sitting down, as if you were in your treestand: Using an imaginary rifle, without moving below the waist, pretend a deer is direct... READ MORE

When Hunters Share Property

When Hunters Share Property

By Maureen Janson

When hunters share hunting rights on a piece of property, I’ve found one of the main conflicts to be messing up each other’s hunts when going to and from their stands. If you are a landowner and allow more than one hunter or hunting parties to hunt your place, here are a few ground rules I’ve come up with that hunters must abide b... READ MORE

Deer Journal Keeps Data & Memories

Deer Journal Keeps Data & Memories

By Tim H. Martin

Photo: For more than 30 years, Tim H. Martin has kept an outdoor journal. He uses it to capture deer data, but more importantly, he uses it to capture memories. In Robert Ruark's beloved classic, “The Old Man and the Boy,” he describes March as “a fine month for remembering.” With deer season now gone, March is the perfect t... READ MORE

Misery and Mind Games

Misery and Mind Games

By Jason Reid

Through my experiences in sports and hunting, I’ve learned successful people are those who remain clear-headed, calm and patient under pressure. I’ve also noticed they remember to enjoy each and every moment God gives us, no matter the circumstances. I’d like to share a recent revelation about the mental aspects of hunting. Betwe... READ MORE

Creating Man-made Game Trails

Creating Man-made Game Trails

By Allen Pete

Bucks tend to be very cautious on the property where I hunt. This is because the surrounding areas receive a lot of hunting pressure. Older, wiser bucks know to travel in the thick stuff and won’t put themselves at risk by stepping out into the open. My stands are located near openings large enough to get a clear shot. These are situated wher... READ MORE

Loading Heavy Animals Alone

Loading Heavy Animals Alone

By Hilario Pena

Photo: No, it’s not a world record whitetail doe; it’s a female nilgai antelope from South Texas. A hunter on a neighboring property wounded it, so Hilario Pena had to finish it off when it hobbled onto his ranch. Hilario uses a two-rope trick to load heavy creatures like this by himself. My tip is an easy two-rope method of loading hea... READ MORE

Uses for Old Hunting Socks

Uses for Old Hunting Socks

By John Cuzzort

Here are a few ideas for turning your old hunting socks into something useful. You'll want to save them for a multitude of purposes you can use in the field — even that ratty pair with holes in the toes. One of the best uses of an old sock is as a padded arm guard for bowhunting. First, cut the sock in half at about the bend of the ankle. The... READ MORE

Push Gutting Rabbits (Knifeless Field Dressing)

Push Gutting Rabbits (Knifeless Field Dressing)

By Ray Blaker

Now that deer season has ended and we (hopefully) have freezers full of venison, hunters in many areas turn their attention to small game. Rabbit season is going full bore in several states, so here’s an amazing tip on how to gut and skin a cottontail without using a knife. This innards-removal process only takes about 10 seconds, and with a... READ MORE

Copyright 2024 by Buckmasters, Ltd.

Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd