Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2021 i Bowhunter

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK how I get prepared for the season. My answer is that I prepare all year. If you don’t put your bow down at the end of the big-game seasons, you can hone your skills through fun practice and small-game hunting all year. One of the biggest advantages to a traditional bow is the slower arrow. What I mean by that is if you try to hit a pinecone with a compound shooting 315 fps, even if you hit it using a judo or fieldpoint, odds are that arrow is gone. However, with a slower-shooting stick-bow, you can practice on all kinds of random targets and rarely lose an arrow. This equates to more time spent shooting at stuff. That is one of the things that drew me…

“THIS LEGENDARY BRAND HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE!” — RAFE NIELSEN, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS IS THERE A MORE ICONIC American outdoors brand than Browning? Here at Bowhunter , we’re not sure about that, but we are sure that Browning is our only industry partner with a history that precedes the very existence of our uniquely American archery industry. The Browning story begins when gun-maker Jonathan Browning moved west with Mormon settlers in the mid-1840s and ultimately set up shop in Ogden, Utah. But it would be his son, John Moses Browning, born about a decade later, who would develop into the most prolific designer of firearms in American history. We lack the pages here to adequately chart the storied progression of John M. Browning’s legendary designs; however, suffice it…

I’VE ALWAYS LOVED big animals, but I’ve also had mixed emotions about trophy hunting and trophy hunters. For me, it’s the motivation — the reason — for shooting big animals that counts. Many years ago, my friend, the late Jim Dougherty, asked me why I had never entered a critter in Pope and Young. He was President of that organization at the time. I told him I believed going after large bucks and bulls was a personal thing, not a public accomplishment. But Jim changed my mind. “How,” he asked, “can other bow-hunters know what is big or small, unless animals are scored and entered in the books? It gives all of us some size comparisons to strive for.” Shortly after that, I entered the handful of large archery animals…

Human influences are integral to the magic of hunting. The way others inspire us, and the way we inspire them, are the fiber of what fuels our passion in the field. Thank you, Jake, for being with me and helping me live that dream. I hope that someday my son is able to help inspire other bowhunting dreamers, much like Chuck and Jack did for me, through their stories. This past October, my buck was scored by a panel of P&Y measurers. It was determined to be the new World Record Velvet Typical Sitka blacktail with a net score of 108 1/8 (gross score 116 3/8). If you enjoyed this story, you can follow more of my adventures in the coming years on Instagram @allenbolen. On this hunt I was…

Those who want to master thermals will find some aid with certain hunting apps, such as HuntStand. This app offers an abundance of useful tools, but one of them is monitoring, recording, and tracking wind currents. This app has numerous layers that show terrain and topography. These are great for revealing bluffs, ridges, hills, valleys, and other areas where thermals have bigger impacts. Use these to find potential hotspots, and then to remember them by. Of course, the one-two combination between the wind and thermals can make these less predictable — at least until you get to know a specific area. So, use this app to keep tabs on how certain wind directions and thermals play out. Then, keep notes on how particular deer habits correlate with these specific conditions.…

ANTLERS have fascinated mankind for centuries. So majestic, they have become a symbol of spiritual authority in many cultures. So popular are antlers, that some Western states have implemented regs for shed-hunters. The state regs on timing, location, and how you hunt sheds are put in place to reduce the stress put upon critters during the harshest time of year — just prior to green-up. Shed hunting can also pay some big dollars. Antlers are sold by the pound, and on a quality grading system. Fresh antlers, or ones recently shed, are more valuable than bleached antlers. Fresh elk and muley antlers can bring up to $10–$12 per pound; fresh whitetail antlers bring much less — say $6–$8 per pound. This is because many high-fence, or farmed deer, have inundated…

IT HAD BEEN A BAD WEEK. Work had me stuck in the office, and my wife, Lisa, had somehow managed to lose her second wedding ring! Oh well, I’d have to worry about that later. As soon as my son’s Saturday football game was over, I was heading for the elk woods. Unfortunately, my Saturday departure was delayed, and after a midnight arrival at the trailhead, I couldn’t sleep. Dawn would bring with it the last day of elk season. By 2 a.m., I was sick of staring at the ceiling of my truck cab, so I gathered my gear and set out into one of the blackest nights I can recall — no moon, no stars, just total blackness. My plan was to locate a bull and slip in…

THERE HAVE BEEN lots of studies on fawn survival and what kills fawns during their first six months of life. One obvious answer is predators — particularly coyotes. Using DNA, researchers can confirm that coyotes ate a fawn, but DNA does not prove that they killed that fawn. It could have died of starvation, abandonment, disease, or other things, and then was found by a coyote. In fact, the study of fawn survival is complicated by many variables and how those variables interact. A fawn could be malnourished because the mother didn’t do her job. If she selected poor habitat, wasn’t in the best condition, or was young when she gave birth, her fawns might suffer. It’s complicated and makes the study of fawn survival difficult. There is research to…

Three pop-up blinds Chairs Blankets Camo netting Tent stakes Hammer Tree pruners, folding saw Shovel Slick wire and pliers Decoys Coolers with ice Lots of water, sports drinks, and food Four trail cameras with extra batteries and memory cards Two bows, two releases, 18 arrows, and broadheads Bow-repair tools Small broadhead target Maps Journal, pen, and books Hunting license, ID, and wallet Cell phone charger Spotting scope, window mount, tripod, binoculars, and rangefinder Camera, extra lenses, batteries Clothes and boots Knives and saw First-aid kit, tweezers Lip balm, sunscreen, bandanas, sunglasses Flashlight and headlamps Gas can Portable air compressor Spare tire and tools…

Whitetails live and die by their nose. It’s their number-one defense. Each deer has 297 million olfactory receptors. To put that in comparison, while some canines can have up to 300 million, the average dog has only 220 million. And humans have only six million. Simply put, whitetails have superior sniffers. Hunters can follow all scent regimens known to man — and these are good practices — but there’s no better scent control than reading the wind, analyzing thermals, and hunting accordingly.…

YEARS AGO, I went on a combo deer and antelope hunt in Montana. It was a semi-guided hunt, and on the first day I was asked if I wanted to hunt whitetails from a treestand or muleys via spot and stalk. Being a Western guy, I jumped at the muley option. My guide dropped me off along the road with some basic instructions: Start hiking, and start looking. Within an hour, I spotted a band of bucks moving across some lower grass-choked foothills. There was very little cover around, so I knew my best chance would be jogging uphill and then looping around to get in front of the deer. My plan worked. I got in behind a clump of brush, and when the biggest buck walked past at what…

AS BOWHUNTERS, many elements are in our control that can enhance our success in the field. For example, learning to effectively scout, plan a hunt better, learn to read big game sign, and just being an overall better woodsman. However, as important as those elements are, they cannot top the success that comes with learning to make the shot in virtually any situation. We all remember that shot we took but shouldn’t have, or even worse, the shot we didn’t take but should have, had we practiced more. Putting a little time and effort behind the bow before the season, while making a few tweaks along the way, will give you the confidence to hit the 10-ring. Putting the shot process aside, which is the foundation of any good shot,…

I’m honored to be asked to write this column, and I sincerely hope you enjoy what you read. This first installment should give you an idea of the theme behind “The Empty Quiver.” Bowhunting success often hinges on desire. How bad do you want it? How much sleep are you willing to forfeit? How far out of your comfort zone are you willing to go? This is the difference between those who merely hunt, and those who consistently fill tags. While no one hopes to come home with an empty quiver, we should all strive to return from each outing having given it everything we had to give.…

If you want to arrow a moose, then commit to the bow and leave your rifle at home. Shoot plenty of energy with a deep-penetrating arrow/broadhead combination. Plan on being wet the entire time. Bring quality raingear and clothing that will keep you comfortable. Hunt hard, especially in the morning, and anytime the weather allows. Think before you act. If you have to ask yourself if a decision is stupid, it probably is. Your actions have much greater consequences when a hospital could be days away. Bring non-drowsy Dramamine. A bush plane ride is an iconic and memorable part of any moose hunt, and you don’t want to find yourself staring at the horizon in between vomiting sessions. Bring chest waders, as they will allow you to tackle whatever type…

Any serious whiterail deer hunter has the great state of Iowa chiseled at the top of their list of hunting destinations. Type “Iowa Deer Hunting” into a Google search, and you won’t have a hard time learning about the ample op portunities and the potential bow hunting experience of a lifetime. In 2019, I was blessed to draw a coveted nonresident Iowa tag I had made previous trips to Iowa to shed hunt some of the public land in the south central part of the state, which is where I planned on doing the majority of my hunting, but I didn’t plan on doing this jour ney alone. My good friend, Jonah, would be with me to document our entire experience on film, and friends, Kyle and Tori, both Iowa…

QUESTION I will be hunting mule deer during the rut for the first time. The terrain consists of a mixture of crops and native grasslands. What tips and tactics do you recommend to increase my chances for success? B. Monroe, via e-mail ANSWER Hunting rut-crazed muleys is a blast, and after you experience it, you will be craving more. I love hunting rutting bucks, and early in the rut is my favorite time to do it. Locating animals is the first part of the equation. Cropland areas typically have plenty of county roads to drive, so burn up the miles searching. Note where you find pockets of does. Even if there isn’t a buck with them yet, there will be one close by. Use your optics, especially from vantage points…

THIS IS A mountain meant to break a man’s heart, he thinks. False summit after false summit. He pauses to rest, his feet sliding before finding purchase on the steep talus slope. He leans heavily on his climbing poles to support the burden on his back. He is breathing hard. The air in this place has disappeared. “You are an old man,” he mutters to himself. This revelation has been a recent, as well as shocking, discovery. Old age is meant to come upon one slowly. His pounced with the swiftness, brutality, and weight of a grizzly. Climbing was the kind of difficulty he once loved — and tried to teach others to love. This type of effort usually took his mind off the travails of life and gave him…