Buckmasters Magazine

Slippin’

Slippin’

By Bob Humphrey

When the deer won’t come to you, it might be time to revive the lost art of still-hunting. Like most deer hunters, I spend the majority of my time waiting for deer to come to me. That gives me plenty of time to think, and I was doing just that one day last fall, taking account of past successes. I’ve killed most of my deer from an eleva... READ MORE

The UV Factor

The UV Factor

By David Hart

Science indicates deer hunters should be concerned about the blue “glow.” The decoy looked as real as a decoy can get. It was covered in a thin cloth printed with all the details of a real whitetail, right down to a gleam in the eyes. So what spooked the buck? It wasn’t me. I stood motionless, covered head to boots in full camoufl... READ MORE

Strike a Pose

Strike a Pose

By Dana R. Rogers

When using a decoy, you’ve got to set the stage if you want to drag more than a plastic buck out of the woods. As I approached my camera setup, I could see the GlenDel buck lying flat on its side. The frozen ground had given way, and the rebar stakes were bent. The target’s legs were twisted and cracked – and that’s exactly ... READ MORE

Ground-Busting Bucks

Ground-Busting Bucks

By Tracy Breen

Who says you have to climb like a monkey to smile like a Cheshire cat? As the average age of whitetail hunters continues to rise, so does the number who choose to hunt from the ground. And many have learned ground-busting bucks isn’t as difficult as they thought. Whether you use a pop-up blind, natural brush or spot-and-stalk, hunting whiteta... READ MORE

Hang On!

Hang On!

By P.J. Reilly

Five tips for creating a better treestand setup. The perfect treestand. It’s something tree-climbing deer hunters work toward each season. The perfect treestand is more about the setup than the brand on the box. A good setup puts you within bow or gun range of a big buck. It’s comfortable, safe and functional. Quite frankly, it’s ... READ MORE

Beyond Chivalry

Beyond Chivalry

By Mike Handley

Real men might not eat quiche, but they won’t balk at shooting pink arrows. If wildlife biologists ever proclaim deer cannot see shades of red, at least one man in Pleasant Plain, Ohio, might just head afield wearing a pink jumpsuit. David Lovin is no Liberace, though. He’s not particularly enamored with the color pink, and he’s... READ MORE

Going the Distance

Going the Distance

By Mike Handley

Twelve hours isn’t a long drive when there’s a monster buck waiting at the other end. South Louisiana hunters are accustomed to racking up miles whenever they set their sights on big deer. The Sportsman’s Paradise might yield some of the most bodacious bucks on the planet, but coming across one in Acadiana is like looking for all... READ MORE

Bucks on the Move

Bucks on the Move

By Bob Humphrey

With several major deer movement studies now complete, do we know anything new about buck travel? Slow is the only way to describe deer movement over the first several days of my Ohio hunt last fall at Heartland Wildlife Institute’s proving grounds. Having bagged a bruiser on the first afternoon the previous year, my expectations were high. A... READ MORE

Luck of the Jaw

Luck of the Jaw

By Floyd Patterson

This broken-jawed giant’s luck ran out when it raided the wrong garden. Using one eye, I peeked out from behind the old wooden shed. My quarry for the past 24 days, the non-typical monster occupying my dreams, had just appeared and was on a trail heading my way. I eased back out of sight to draw my bow, found my anchor point and leaned forwar... READ MORE

Tailor-Made

Tailor-Made

By P.J. Reilly

Why your compound bow should fit even better than a glove. So you’ve caught the bowhunting bug? Prepare for a lifelong addiction. Ask a bowhunter to name the three things they love most about it, and he or she will probably give you 50. It’s that exciting. You get to see deer acting like deer rather than simply running from gun blasts. ... READ MORE

Little Baby Moose

Little Baby Moose

By Mike Handley

Being the new guy on the deer drive means you get stuck with the spot nobody else wants. As a newcomer to the Bossier Parish ritual, the (rodeo) bull fighter with the funny name, wild beard and weird gun kept his mouth shut. Everyone else who’d assembled for the deer drive knew where they wanted to be when the dogs were loosed that Saturday m... READ MORE

Counting Bucks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Copyright 2024 by Buckmasters, Ltd.

Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd