Tag Archives: deer

Simplifying the Late Rut

Posted on by beckettedit

Use these tactics to fill your tag during the last days of the chase season 

During the later stages of the rut, food sources are still the best place to spend the last hours of daylight.

By Steve Bartylla

It had already been an amazing morning. I’d passed on two very mature bucks within easy shooting range in under a half-hour. With firearm season a day away, the only thing that gave me the resolve to pass was my belief that I could still take a larger buck.

The stand location was an obvious choice when I had scouted the area that spring. With three points dropping down and meeting together and a doe bedding areas above the intersection, bucks would surely be using the points to get between the doe groups. As an added bonus, the bottom also narrowed at this location, pinching any bottom running bucks to within shooting range. The cherry on top was the water hole 15 yards away from the tree I’d selected. Continue reading →

Down-to-Earth Ambushing

Posted on by beckettedit

If you think ground blinds are ridiculous for deer hunting, think again 

More and more deer hunters are finding that a well-placed ground blind makes for a hot ambush. Pictured is a blind from Hunter's Specialties.

 

By Ron Rohrbaugh

Everyone knows that to kill whitetails with a bow you have to be at least 15 feet off the ground, right?

Wrong. Today’s combination of safe, inexpensive portable treestands and an extreme focus on hunting trophy bucks has turned ground hunting into a dying art—a trend that’s likely causing bowhunters to miss out on some great opportunities and a lot of fun. On nearly every property I hunt, there are excellent ambush sites that offer no possibility of placing effective treestands. I emphasize the word, “effective,” because there are sometimes trees available, but those in poor position relative to deer movement don’t offer shot opportunities, and trees with too little cover are sure recipes for getting busted. Continue reading →

Hunting in Arizona

Posted on by beckettedit

Looking for a great over-the-counter deer hunt, all for a low budget price? If so, check out Arizona … it has just what you’re looking for 

 

By Eric Welsh

It was late December 13 years ago when I embarked on my first journey to Southern Arizona to hunt desert mule deer. My hunting buddy and I each had an over-the-counter archery deer tag in our pockets, and with other hunters’ stories in our heads, we were positive we would be wrapping that tag around some bone in the next few days. Continue reading →

Streamline Your Hunting Season

Posted on by beckettedit

 Tired of guessing what deer are doing? Well, don’t. Follow these rules, and you’ll enjoy better action. 

 

By Jason Herbert

My head hung low as I climbed into the car to go home. After slaving over this property all summer, I had big plans of putting my tag on one of the shooter bucks that must live somewhere on the property, although I had yet to see proof of one.

Three documented cases of poison ivy, countless hours away from home toiling in the food plots, sweat-laden days hanging stands, cutting trails and more money spent that I care to mention—all in preparation for this, the opening weekend of Michigan’s bow season. I had just gained permission to hunt this pristine river bottom in early June. Now, it was the third evening, and I was going home empty-handed. Continue reading →

Bowhunting in the Wintertime

Posted on by beckettedit

By Joe Bell 

At this time of year many bowhunters feel gloomy, knowing nearly a year must lapse before deer season starts up again. But for me, things are just getting started.

Each January usually finds me bowhunting javelina and deer in my home state of Arizona. The desert is cool and colorful, and there’s an abundance of game to see as animals are much more active now compared to during the hotness of summer.

I highly recommend pursuing javelina if you’re looking for more casual, relaxing experience. Deer, on the other hand, require a bit more time and tenacity on a hunter’s part. Continue reading →

Bowhunting the High Country

Posted on by Gunworldmag

By Joe Bell 

Every bowhunter desires a certain type of hunt. For some, the perfect getaway may involve close-to-home hunting or visiting a far-away destination for an exotic species. It could involve lots of companionship or total seclusion. Some bowhunters want to be where there’s an abundant supply of animals, while others want nothing but maximum trophy potential. Some like mild-weather hunting, whereas others prefer it chilly and crisp.

Some bowhunters require comfortable lodge-type amenities, while some want no-frills conditions. Some prefer hunting out of tree-stands or ground blinds, while others must be “on the go” all the time and stalking game. Some like short hunting trips, while some want long, epic adventures. The perfect bowhunt is simply different for everyone.

Personally, when I think of the perfect bowhunt, I think of hunting mule deer somewhere in the high country, at or above timberline. Here the terrain is fairly open, where you’ll usually find more rock and scrub than actual tree cover. It’s also a place where a bowhunter can go to find total privacy, void of any worldly distractions. Continue reading →