Petersen's Bowhunting is the source for the tactics, tools, and techniques necessary for successful bowhunting. Get practical shooting tips and useful information on archery, equipment tests, clothing, and product evaluations.
FIRST SHOT Due to the dreaded “supply-chain constraints” plaguing the auto industry, I knew when I placed the order it would be some time before I saw the truck. As it turns out, that wait is now likely to stretch a full calendar year or more, as Ford has informed me it is likely my Maverick won’t be produced until sometime during the 2023 model year. Although the repeated delays have been frustrating, they’ve also given me more than enough time to imagine all the modifications I’ll make to my truck — if it ever shows up. From lift kits, bed racks and big off-road tires to engine-tuning kits, custom graphics and rooftop tents, I’ve wasted way too many hours having a great time just thinking about what it will…
LIVE 2 HUNT This month, I’d like to talk about ground blind setup and why I believe the work you put into placing and preparing a blind is critical if you want to shoot Mr. Big this fall. Although it probably seems like a fairly simple process, there’s more to a great blind setup than you might think. Whenever I’m setting up a blind, one of the first things I think about is its positioning relative to the sun. If I’m preparing for a morning sit, I’ll never face my blind to the east. Likewise, I’ll never point my blind to the west for an evening sit. It can be pretty disappointing when you’re finally hunting, everything is falling into place and you can’t see because you’re staring into the…
Genetic Resistance One aspect of CWD that experts often mention is how the disease is always fatal. Certainly, this is true if we are talking about individual animals infected with disease-associated prions and the hallmark, progressive neurological degeneration that leads to a gradual loss of body function. However, I hardly believe the presence of CWD at the population level means an end to whitetails. In fact, when I consider the latest research and its long-term implications, I believe evolutionary biology and disease-driven natural selection will step in and manage the disease. Let me explain. Just like everything in nature, genetic adaptations occur at a very slow rate, as in over the course of hundreds or even thousands of years. This concept is hard to understand for those of us living…
BOWHUNTING WISDOM That brings up a very good subject to address as we head into another whitetail season. What happens when you spook a buck? Should you give up on him? Should you give up on that stand? On that part of the property? How long until you might possibly have another chance at him? Damage Assessment When it comes to bowhunting, I’d say there are two ways of scaring deer. When a buck is badly scared, he knows the source of his shock is a human, and he knows exactly where that human is located at the time of the scare. He now associates a location with real danger. Often, he will turn inside out before he busts out of the area. There won’t be any curiosity, nor will…
BETTER BOWHUNTING It does not matter how you grip the bow, how you clutch the string or how you aim. The bow will shoot the arrow in exactly the same way each time, if the inputs from you are exactly the same from shot to shot. Unfortunately, humans are not robots and cannot repeat perfectly on every single shot. So, what coaches do is teach you how to interface with the bow in ways that have been proven over time to be the most repeatable for the vast majority of archers. This is what has come to be regarded as good shooting form. Each sport has advanced its particular ‘good form’ along the same lines of progression. It’s not necessary to have good form to be great at your sport,…
CROSSBOWS The deer was still 75 yards out when I recognized it as a shooter, and months of practice immediately kicked into play. I slowly clicked the safety off and slid the butt of the crossbow to my shoulder. A glance at the scope level let me know I had good form. I leaned into the shooting sticks that held my bow steady and anticipated where the buck would show up for the shot. The deer trotted toward my stand with his nose to the ground as though scripted. When the buck was a little more than 30 yards away, he stopped to check out a smell and my bolt was on its way. The big-bodied buck bolted into heavy cover and I heard him crash, followed by silence. Be…
