Bowhunter brings you expert advice from legendary Bowhunters! Each issue is filled with updates from major bowhunting organizations, coverage of bowhunting locations across North America, complete coverage of the sport and much more.
BACK IN MAY, something happened that likely flew under the radar of most bowhunters. Dwight Schuh, my predecessor as Editor of Bowhunter Magazine, was inducted posthumously into the Archery Hall of Fame. Some of you might say it was about time. However, Dwight was inducted into the Bowhunter Hall of Fame way back in 1997. At that time, the two Halls of Fame were separate entities, with the Archery Hall of Fame largely focused on the industry and competitive archery. Since then, the two have become one — and The Archery Hall of Fame (AHOF) is now a destination, with a showcase museum at Bass Pro Shops’ Springfield, Missouri, headquarters. Publisher Jeff Waring and I flew to Springfield to attend Dwight’s induction, which was supposed to happen in 2019. Like…
FOR REGULAR READERS of this column, my choice to spotlight the National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) in this normally business-oriented space might come as a surprise. But rest assured, this is no mistake! As Bowhunter Magazine continues to celebrate its 50th Anniversary and pay tribute to industry partners — those companies that have not only provided invaluable support to the Bowhunter Magazine brand but also to the growth and improvement of the Bowhunting community as a whole — the ongoing role of the nonprofit NBEF cannot be overlooked or underestimated. And Bowhunter Magazine and key staff members have given wholehearted support to Bowhunter Education since the very beginning of the program, and we’ve always held the point of view that not only is bowhunter education vital to our future, but…
THERE’S BEEN A WAVE of bowhunters jumping on the thumb-release bandwagon. What’s this all about? Well, it seems this group of bowhunters is discovering they shoot much more consistently with a handheld thumb release than with a wrist-strap, index-finger release. The reason is simple: The thumb is inherently less sensitive to trigger feel, and this is what’s needed to free the archer’s mind for precision shooting. On the other hand, the index finger is super-sensitive to trigger feel, making it easier to anticipate the shot. Aiming becomes harder, too. From there, it’s easy for the shot to start breaking down to the point where shooting becomes a complete disaster. But the thumb release can help break this improper shooting cycle. In the following sections, I’ll outline three convincing points for…
I KNEW I WAS IN TROUBLE last November about five seconds after I stopped at the U.S./Canada border. “Put on your masks,” the Canadian official sternly warned my wife, Greta, and me as he peered through solid glass from eight feet away. He was not wearing one himself. “Put on your masks?” I thought as we peered back from the cab of my pickup. Did he think the virus could leap from my vehicle, cross open space in a stiff prairie breeze, and penetrate the enclosed building where he stood? My wife and I had submitted all necessary documents to the Canadian COVID database and had a backup file with us if necessary. Included were negative COVID tests for both of us taken within the past 72 hours. Put on…
I HAD BEEN LOOKING forward to it for months. First, I couldn’t believe she had actually agreed to go. I had even bragged to a few of my buddies about it. When the big evening came, I felt ridiculous and uncomfortable. My practiced moves were forgotten, and I felt awkward and out of place on the waxed gym floor. Despite all the anticipation, my first high school prom had not turned out like I wanted. I vowed I would never go to another one, and that I would never wear a cummerbund again — a promise I have kept. Well, hunting season is almost upon us, and like that prom night, it seems I have been waiting a long time for it to get here. My anticipation is running high,…
FOR WELL OVER a decade now, food plots have been an element of the farms I have hunted. Although I fought the urge to jump on the food-plot bandwagon when it seemed to be the latest flavor of the month, I’ve since changed my tune. Fact is: A good food plot in the right location and hunted at the right time of year simply works! One of the best whitetail bowhunts I ever experienced was on the inside edge of a secluded food plot. At the time, it was simply a place where the does wanted to be as they headed to a larger ag field, and with the calendar just flipping to November, the bucks did, too. I bet every deer on the property visited the small plot that…
