Petersen's Bowhunting October 2023 - Rut Guide

A deer’s nose contains as many as 297 million olfactory receptors — tiny nerve sensors that detect odors and transmit them to the deer’s brain. Compare that to the paltry 5 million olfactory receptors in the human nose and it’s no wonder deer can detect our presence from great distances. In fact, under ideal conditions, scientists believe a whitetail buck can smell the sexual pheromones of an estrous doe from a mile away! Despite noses that pale in comparison to that of our quarry, scents are among the most powerful triggers for our memories. Think about how a whiff of freshly cut pine can take you back to a Christmas morning from long ago or a particular perfume can make you think about an old, high-school flame and you immediately…

The Chainsaw Just May Be Your Best Friend! This month, I want to focus on things you can do, as a bowhunter and habitat manager, to maximize acorn production where you hunt. As a wildlife consultant, my income depends on how successful my clients are at maximizing the productivity of their land. Enhancing woodlands for optimal oak tree growth can really make a bowhunting client happy as acorns rain down in the fall! Since science often guides how we manage our properties, I’d like to start by briefly discussing some acorn research. Then we can get into how to scout for better-producing oaks and finally wrap up this two-part series with some management information highlighting the importance of managing your forests (think chainsaws) to maximize acorn production where you hang…

Practice These Now So You're Ready When the Shot Really Counts Relax Your Bow Arm & Hand A relaxed bow hand has become critical to my annual preparation. If I am seeing poor groups and maybe even slashing arrow flight, I first look to my bow hand. Actually, getting this right starts with eliminating tension in your feet and legs. That leads to your entire body feeling more relaxed. Everything should be supple — from the ground up. Bend your bow arm just enough to unlock the elbow and let your fingers hang naturally in a relaxed grip. The hand should be lifeless in order to shoot your best. It is just a cradle with no power to control the bow. Ideally, you move the bow by turning and tilting…

Eliminate Contact with Your Face for Better Shooting If you don’t interfere with the bow in either of these places, the bow will shoot the arrow exactly where it is pointed on each and every shot. Unfortunately, most of us interfere with the bow in some way, and it causes the arrow to go somewhere other than where it was aimed. One of the most commonly overlooked sources of interference is the archer’s face. In this column, I will go over the basics of the bowstring/face/anchor relationship so you can fully understand how to make a shot free of interference. Hopefully, this discussion will help you to improve your shooting form. Find the Right Anchor Point Most writers and coaches teach that the most important reference point when setting up…

Gamble on What Bucks May Show Up, Not Your Equipment And while the old saying goes, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” it’s wise to not leave everything to chance. Make sure you are ready as a hunter and that your equipment is checked and prepared for ultimate performance this fall! Check and Double-Check Before spending a week or two in a treestand or blind, ensure your crossbow, bolts and broadheads are in perfect working order. Consider it an annual physical for your bow and equipment and don’t leave anything out. Check the string for frays and broken strands, break out the wax and work it into strings and cables. It’s a good idea to refer to the owner’s manual for guidance; proper maintenance is crucial to safety and proper working order.…

Let your anchor lead, and your elbow will follow. We then learned that, at full draw, the back elbow is supposed to be in line with the arrow. So, we had someone stand behind us and eyeball our release arm at full draw for alignment. If it was close, we were on our way. Years later, a Vegas tournament winner told us the elbow should be just shy of straight, as it needed somewhere to go during follow-through. We started playing with different elbow alignments and quickly realized our elbow and anchor point were directly related. Trying to align our elbow exactly the same every time was almost impossible, but having a consistent anchor point would lock our elbow into the correct position. So, we tried various anchor points —…