Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i Bowhunter

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…

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…

WITH THE SEASON’S END fast approaching, my good friend JD Gossage and I had decided to take a quick weekend trip to some public land not far from home. Earlier in the year, we had packed in and hunted up near timberline, but with this short weekend trip, we intended to stay lower in heavy timber. It was late September, and our plan was simple — get a rutting bull to answer our calls and kill him. We started out early, diligently setting up each time we stopped to call, nocking an arrow, and then silently waiting several minutes before moving on. We covered several miles that morning, and as the day wore on, the monotony started to wear on us. By that afternoon, our discipline started to wane. Without…

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…

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,…

BOWHUNTERS PAY THOUSANDS of dollars each year for just one opportunity to release an arrow at a buck. Although many people won’t ever understand this logic, bowhunters know when they choose archery gear over a firearm the rewards are magnified. This decision to make things harder challenges every bowhunter. Yet, all the hardships we encounter are fully accepted by those who hunt with bow and arrow. We have all employed elaborate tactics when trying to kill a specific buck, only to have our best-laid plans go down in flames. While there may be no specific answers as to what happened, there is biological data that may help us understand why our target buck disappeared. Besides increased hunting pressure, understanding some natural deer-movement behaviors may provide us with answers as to…

BROWNING ® PAHVANT™ PRO JACKET & PANTS The Pahvant Pro Jacket ($179.99) and Pants ($99.99) are quiet and water/wind-resistant, contain odor-controlling SILVADUR™ technology, have plenty of pockets, and are made from a comfortable fabric that stretches in all the right places. Throw in Browning’s Ovix™ camo plus other great features, and you’ve got a sweet set of outer layers. Browning, browning.com. SLICK TRICK ® TORCH™ The Torch ($49.99/3-pack) is an expandable head with a slim ferrule, titanium tip, and single-bevel blades that deploy from the rear to ultimately cut a 2" hole. Blades are held solidly in place during flight via an internal Deadbolt Deployment™ system. If you like broadheads that are virtually foolproof, then you’ll like the Torch. Slick Trick, slicktrick.net. TROPHYLINE ® VENATIC™ SADDLE The…

THE HUNTER CREEPS forward on bare feet with all the stealth, fervency, and predatory instincts of a cougar. His head, his heart, and his very soul are fully immersed and engaged in this instinctual, primal pursuit. Every fiber of his being knows that these are the critical moments of the hunt. It is simple: If the hunter sees the buck first, he has a chance; if the buck sees him first, the hunt is over. Any error now will lay waste to months of effort and preparation. When asked why he hunts, the hunter struggles to fully explain this deep, innate desire and need. It would be like attempting to explain sexual desire to an asexual being — impossible within the boundaries of our language. The hunter’s primal yearning is…

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…

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…

Winter Ticks Killing Moose Calves IN THE NORTHEASTERN areas of America and Canada, research is finding that winter ticks are really bad for moose calves. Research done in Alberta in the late 1990s showed the same thing, but now things are worse. Here’s why: In recent years, the moose population in Maine has been growing. Same is true for New Hampshire and southern Canada. As moose numbers grew, tick numbers did, too. Ticks hatch from eggs in the fall and the tick larvae then climb onto a passing moose calf. They’ll feed on blood from the calf all winter, and the larvae then reach adult size from February till early May. After feeding, the female ticks drop off in the leaf litter. Then in early summer, each tick lays up…

Bowhunters are obsessed with hunting whitetail deer, and justifiably so. Tasty, low-fat protein is pretty high on the list of reasons. However, there isn’t a bowhunter alive who cannot help but admire Grandpa’s “big one” hanging above the fireplace, or stop to stare at any impressive whitetail mount. Typically, we read about tips that will help you take a big buck, but the following are a few traits and habits that will prevent you from tagging a buck like Grandpa’s. The Other Guys Are “Lucky” Ask any taxidermist if he has any regular customers who shoot big bucks year after year, and the answer will most likely be “yes.” If you have yet to harvest a trophy buck and you know someone who has shot multiple big bucks, check your…