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Counting Bucks
By David Hart
The real value of trail cameras lies in their usefulness as a management tool. At first they were little more than novelties – a fun way to get a sneak peek at whitetails at feeders and in food plots. These days, hunters are using trail cameras for more than just catching a glimpse of nocturnal bucks. Today’s cameras allow us to gather ... READ MORE
Accuracy Aids
By P.J. Reilly
When it comes to setting up a bow, it’s the little things that make a big difference.
Bullseye.
It’s the objective of every archer who looses an arrow. And when you hit it, you feel good. Real good.
Bullseyes aren’t just about feeling good, however. The more you hit in practice sessions, the more confidence you’ll have in... READ MORE
Swamp Ghosts
By Darren Warner
Some bucks spend their entire lives in or near wetlands where hunters seldom tread. As I looked at the sky to gauge the weather, rain droplets pelted my face. The clouds looked like dirty sheep, kicking water onto everything that lay below. A low, eerie fog shrouded the swamp, reminding me of a scene from an old Scooby-Doo cartoon. Jinkies, it&rsqu... READ MORE
Get More from Your Muzzleloader
By David Hart
You only have one shot, so you better make it count. Muzzleloaders have come a long way since the 1980s. So has the knowledge available for shooting tight groups at long distances. The right gun loaded with the right components in the hands of a competent shooter can drill a 4-inch circle at 200 yards, one shot after another. It’s not out of ... READ MORE
Rows by any Other Name
By Mike Handley
If you want to hunt the thick stuff, it helps to have a few shooting lanes. Texans might refer to swaths cut into the mesquite, prickly pear and buckbrush as senderos, which is Spanish for path. Without them, hunting the brush country would be like jumping in a haystack to find a needle. Billy Nelson and Donny King, 60-something best friends from E... READ MORE
After the Fact
By Tracy Breen
The best time to scout is immediately after deer season. Many of us spend summers scouting for deer and preparing for fall. We hang treestands, use trail cameras and put in food plots. Then, just before deer season, we trim runways, trees and shooting lanes. Although doing all of these things in summer seems to make sense, there’s a better wa... READ MORE
Feeling the Pressure
By Bob Humphrey
Why a barometer could be one of your most important hunting tools. Everyone knows the old saying about being in the right place at the right time. Southeastern Ohio, a region known for big bucks, seemed like the right place for the onset of the rut last year. More specifically, I was on a piece of ground that’s privately owned and very well m... READ MORE
Why You Miss
By David Hart
Poor shooting isn’t always your fault ... but it usually is. Is there anything more embarrassing than missing a buck? If it doesn’t cost you a shirt tail – a common tradition in hunting camps throughout whitetail country – it will certainly earn you a heavy dose of grief from your buddies. It’s all in good fun, but nob... READ MORE
Ignore the Opening Bell
By Darren Warner
While the chase phase of the rut is exciting, is it the best time to tag a mature buck? If I had the time, I’d be the best deer hunter in the world. I would blanket my hunting property with trail cameras to capture thousands of images. I’d sneak into the woods like a camouflage-clad Ninja, ever so careful to be neither seen nor heard. I... READ MORE
Be a Deer Caterer
By Bob Humphrey
Does supplemental food help whitetails? Ask a wildlife biologist almost any question about white-tailed deer, and the first answer you’ll get is, “It depends.” We biologists tend to be cautious and seldom give a direct answer without first obtaining ample information about the circumstances behind the question. That certainly appl... READ MORE
Rut Factors
By David Hart
It’s the best time to tag a monster buck, so why aren’t you seeing any? It’s the peak of the rut, so it’s only natural to expect a giant buck to chase a doe past your stand. Isn’t that what’s supposed to happen during the rut? But after a full day in the woods, you see nothing but a disinterested spike and a few ... READ MORE
Bowhunting With a Rifle
By Mike Handley
Just as bowhunters sometimes head to wide open spaces, gunners should consider trying thickets. Even before leaving Alabama for Pawnee City, Neb., I was torn between hunting the edge of an alfalfa field with 400-yard views in two directions or the little pocket I’d bowhunted almost yearly for 10 years. By no stretch of imagination is the latt... READ MORE
Just Rewards
By Jay Cremer
Would you work the late shift for just one buck?
I was running late on the last day of bow season before the Illinois shotgun opener. To add insult to injury, I knew I was going to miss the last and best few hours of the day since I had to be back to work at 4 that evening.
On the bright side, the bucks had been pushing does pretty hard. I had se... READ MORE
Mr. Puke and Mr. Big
By Jeremy Landreth
Father and son take two special bucks on one amazing day. I’m an avid bowhunter who enjoys shotgun season more for taking kids hunting than hunting myself. When the 2012 Illinois shotgun season arrived, I was happy to have my 9-year-old son Matthew and my 15-year-old cousin Walker Simpson geared up and ready to go. The plan was for Matthew an... READ MORE
Scaling New Heights
By P.J. Reilly
How treestand height affects impact points and shot angles.
It’s no secret that bowhunters love hanging out in the trees. Ground blinds have been gaining popularity in recent years, but treestands are still the go-to setup for bowhunters.
Elevation helps you see farther and reduces the chance of a buck spotting you, but other things are dif... READ MORE