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 This year, I’ve committed to bow-hunting birds exclusively with the Magnus Bullhead, a wide, guillotine-style broadhead designed for head and neck shots. I’ve been intrigued by this hunting method for years but, for one reason or another, just never gave it a chance. This spring, I’m going to change that, and with any luck, I’ll lop the head off a tom or two before it’s all said and done. Beyond the hunting itself, the other thing I really appreciate about spring turkey season is the opportunity it provides to explore new country and reconnect with old friends. For me, turkey hunting just doesn’t carry the same pressure as pursuing deer or elk. So, it’s much easier to justify traveling to new places and spending a fair bit of…
LIVE 2 HUNT Friends have asked me, “If you could only choose one, would you hunt deer or sheds?” The times I’ve been faced with this, I’ve confidently answered, “SHEDS!” every single time. Looking back, it’s probably because this question only comes up after a great day of shed hunting, and at that moment, my enthusiasm for it is through the roof. Suffice it to say, I enjoy the heck out of pickin‘ sheds. Spotting chocolate brown tines shining in the distance is my drug! I love the insight these treasures offer too. It can be easy to be misled by a trail-camera photo regarding a buck’s size or maturity. Holding a shed antler from that buck, or — better still — multiple shed antlers gathered over several seasons, can…
WHITETAILS In addition to being a ton of fun, hunting in the U.S. is big business. In 2016 (the most recent national data available), 11.5 million people ages 16 and older hunted in the U.S., and they spent $26.2 billion — with a “B” — doing so! Of that total, big-game hunting accounts for $14.9 billion, or 57 percent of all hunting expenditures, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. Further, the report clearly shows whitetails are the most sought-after big-game animal. As a result, whitetail hunting results in a significant economic contribution. When viewed from the lens of a business valuation, based on how much money whitetail hunting generates, whitetails in your state could produce more economic activity than…
BOWHUNTING WISDOM It is all too easy to forget what happened 45 years ago when I first started bowhunting — all the mistakes and the long years I spent before drawing first blood. Helping to shorten the learning curve for other bowhunters should be a primary goal for all of us and with that in mind, I am going to spend the next 1,500 words doing just that. Untangling the Setup Process The journey started simply enough with me hiring Jordan to help me create another bowhunting series on YouTube. Outside of PE class in high school, Jordan had never drawn a bow. I am not sure how she could go so long in our family without shooting a bow, but somehow it happened. She had killed a number of…
BETTER BOWHUNTING Each rangefinder has its own unique personality, flaws and limitations. Spending a lot of money on a rangefinder does not guarantee you will end up with a quality instrument. For example, some of the most expensive rangefinding binoculars I’ve tested have performed the worst under field conditions. I’m an optics junkie and have bought and tested almost every brand of rangefinder on the market, both monocular and binocular models, as well as rangefinding bow sights. I’d like to emphasize again that in my experience, price does not necessarily equate to accuracy and performance. I’ll spend the next few columns helping you understand how rangefinders work and encouraging you to test yours for effectiveness and accuracy. Buying the best rangefinder you can afford and becoming intimately familiar with it…
CROSSBOWS When it comes to boxing, the sport’s featherweight division has a weight limit of 126 pounds. Wild turkeys are in a "featherweight" division all their own, being worthy opponents for each other and the hunters who pursue them. Big gobblers can fight to the death, inflicting horrific wounds and damage to one another with their beaks and spurs. The turkey’s feathers are designed to help shield areas of crucial blood supply and vitals, with thousands of feathers with shafts, barbs and barbules adding layers of protection. Add a skeleton of hollow bones in the background and you have formidable armor that helps withstand challenges from other birds as well as shots that come from bow and crossbow hunters. Anyone who has bowhunted turkeys will undoubtedly have a story of…
