Prepare for High-Pressure Shots

By Todd Murray

Standing comfortably in your backyard, during the summer, shooting arrow after arrow is fine, but it won’t help you find out what your limitations are. It’s all too easy to shoot in a T-shirt in warm weather at a stationary target when you’re warmed up and loose and when there’s very little pressure on you to perform. Contrast that with being in a treestand or on the side of a mountain with a cold wind blowing while you’re decked out in heavy clothes, your muscles are stiff and your heart is pounding as a trophy approaches. Those two shooting scenarios are world’s apart. You must also add in the notion that in most bowhunting situations, there will rarely be a chance for a second shot. That’s why I like one-arrow practice. After all, when bowhunting the first arrow shot is the most important arrow. Walk out to your range, shoot one arrow and quit. It takes just minutes. Vary the distance each time. Throw on your hunting jacket now and then. Do this before work or right when you get home in the evening. You will quickly find out just how well you shoot with cold muscles.

Concentrate on that one arrow. Try increasing the distance. Push yourself to find your maximum effective range. You may shoot well at 40 yards when warmed up, but can you do the same with just one cold shot? Shooting cold will help you determine what your actual maximum bowhunting range is.

Posted on 01/24/2012

Scouting Key to Turkey Success

Turkey hunting can require as much time before the season as deer

By Todd Murray

I personally feel scouting for spring turkeys is right up there in importance with looking for big whitetail bucks prior to the fall season. If you can’t find them, it doesn’t matter how much gear you have or how good a caller you are. I start driving roads and glassing fields a full month prior to the start of our turkey season in Kansas. As the large winter flocks are breaking up, the status of various crops will dramatically alter turkey movements, so keeping tabs on the birds right up to opening day is critical.

 I also watch for turkey when I’m shed hunting, noting turkey roosting sites and looking for tracks, droppings and feathers. With binoculars and a spotting scope, I try to determine exactly where the birds are roosting. That means I’ve got to be out there at dawn and at dusk. When scouting, I’m sure to check fields in the late morning or early afternoon to find out where the toms are sunning themselves after the hens start for the roost. Those fields are excellent afternoon ambush points if your state allows afternoon hunting. I also want to know where the turkeys water. Wild turkeys will water frequently, especially later in the season as it warms up. And as the season progresses, birds will often change locations after green up starts and the foliage and crops change. Late-season birds will often be found some distance from where they hung out early in the season.

Posted on 01/06/2012

Calls for ‘Yotes

By Jace Bauserman

Predator hunting doesn’t require much additional equipment. Other than standard bowhunting gear, the only real investments are calls, scents and a ground blind, which many bowhunters already own.

There are numerous calls available for coyotes and other predators. So the problem isn’t finding an effective predator call, but rather knowing which call to choose. The most important factors in call selection are your experience level and the sounds of critters in your area.

For a beginner, I recommend getting a few closed-reed calls and a good instructional CD or two. With a closed-reed call the focus is on the amount of air blown through the tube and the way the sound is manipulated by the hands on the open end of the call. The major downfall of these calls, and the reason you should try to graduate to open-reed calls, is the lack of cadence control. Since the reed is enclosed in a chamber, very little can be done to tweak the pitch or tone of closed-reed calls. That, coupled with the popularity of closed-reed calls, means predators often get wise to these cloned sounds. Don’t get me wrong—closed-reed calls still serve a purpose and can be very effective in areas with little hunting pressure, but educated predators will often spook from these calls.

Read the full coyote feature in Bowhunt America's Hogs and Predators issue...

Posted on 12/01/2011

Hog Insight

By Brian Strickland

From a sporting standpoint, wild hogs are great. They offer virtually limitless hunting opportunities throughout the year, provide excellent table fare and are just plain fun to hunt. From a landowner’s perspective, however, hogs pose a serious hazard to both agriculture and livestock. Damage caused by these slabs of bacon is estimated to be in excess of $52 million annually, and landowners spend nearly $7 million each year attempting to control their hog populations.

A hog’s long snout and strong, broad shoulders are perfect for digging, enabling it to efficiently uproot soil in its never-ending search for acorns, seeds, roots, worms, grubs and bugs. Not only does this activity devastate agricultural fields, but it also affects native plants. It doesn't take long for a couple dozen porkers to completely uproot a once lush hayfield.

Many bowhunters substantially underrate wild hogs. They are certainly worth your time in the field. It’s true that their eyesight doesn’t compare to other critters bowhunters like to chase, but it’s not nearly as poor as many think. And what they lack in visual ability, they more than make up for with their other senses. Their nose is impeccable, rivaling that of a deer, and their hearing is highly developed. Get downwind of a sassy boar or snap a twig at the wrong time, and all you’ll see are hindquarters going the opposite direction.

Read the full story in Bowhunt America's upcoming December Hogs & Predators issue!

Posted on 10/25/2011

Recover Your Game with a Plan

Resist urges to instantly call for help and more effectively recover your game.

By David Westphal

The most common mistake bowhunters make is having an ill-conceived recovery plan or no plan at all. What too often happens after the shot is the bowhunter quickly climbs down, looks hastily around the location of the hit and then heads for the vehicle or camp to phone for help. If you desire to increase the odds of recovering your animal, you must resist those sorts of careless urges.

 Develop a well thought-out plan. Your recovery plan should include staying on the stand and remaining quiet and still for as long as possible after the arrow is released. Play back the shot in your mind. Develop a clear mental image of what the animal did when the arrow hit, where it went and what sounds you heard. Note the exact time you made the shot, and memorize a landmark, such as a tree or stump, where the animal was standing.  These are critical clues that will aid in the eventual recovery of the animal.

 When hit, most big-game animals will travel a relatively short distance before stopping, regardless of the location of the arrow’s impact.  By remaining quietly in your stand, you prevent spooking a nearby animal, and you give the animal the opportunity to expire within a short distance. Recognize that with today’s quiet bows and razor sharp broadheads, many game animals will not fully realize what has happened. 
 

Posted on 09/12/2011

Look Local for Economic Lion Hunts

By Jace Bauserman

I don’t tend to have a lot of extra money for lavish dream bowhunts. My wallet is typically lined with more receipts than dollar bills, and my mountain lion adventure didn’t happen overnight—I had to plan. The wonderful thing about a lion hunt is that it’s doable on a strict budget. I’m living proof of that.

If you live in an area where mountain lions are prevalent, start by contacting all of the outfitters that are within a couple hours drive of your home. What I have discovered is that many outfitters are happy to work out an arrangement with locals. When an unexpected snowstorm hits, the outfitter wants to hunt. He can’t twiddle his thumbs after a fresh snow waiting for an out-of-state client to arrive, especially if the forecast calls for a warming trend after the storm. A savvy outfitter knows tracks will be gone quickly, and he wants to have someone on standby—someone who can be there at a moment’s notice.

Another great thing about being a go-to guy can be the price. Before Jay and I even became friends, he explained to me that since I was local and willing to wait, the hunt would be $1,500 cheaper than his usual hunts. After two years of waiting, my turn rolled around, and I got an amazing hunt for half the price.

Read the full story in the upcoming 2011 September Bowhunt America Big Game Special!

Watch a video of Jace Bauserman's lion hunt.

Posted on 08/03/2011

Solid Research Creates Elk Success

By Tim Herald

This column was a real treat for me. Elk are my favorite animals to bowhunt, so whenever I get to talk elk hunting, I’m in heaven. For this piece I got to pick the brain of Will Primos, founder of Primos Hunting Calls, and he gave me some simple but very sound advice.

Primos said there are four keys to being a successful archery elk hunter:

-Research where you will hunt thoroughly.

-Hunt with a partner.

-Learn to call.

-Always watch the wind/thermals.

Although these rules seem pretty basic, there’s more to them than one might first assume.

Primos explained that the first key to success on trophy bulls hinges on where you hunt. “If you don’t hunt where there is a strong population of good bulls, you can’t kill one,” he said. “It’s that simple. Whether you are putting in for tags in states like Arizona and Utah where public hunting is phenomenal or you are looking for a great private ranch with guaranteed tags, you must do the research. Almost every western state has some really good elk hunting areas, but you have to know which are the best. There is lots of information on the Internet. There are also quality hunt consultants out there, and you can learn a lot by watching quality hunts on TV and DVDs like our Truth Series.”

To read the whole story, check out the upcoming Bowhunt America September Big Game Special!

Posted on 07/13/2011

Adjust Your Release Length

By Bill Krenz

It’s a huge equipment mistake. And yet I see it all the time.

Most bowhunters today prefer an index-finger release that attaches to their wrist with a buckle or Velcro strap. Such releases are comfortable, easy to use and accurate. The best are also adjustable in length. I think it’s a minor crime that most release manufacturers don’t fully explain in their instructions how and why release length should be carefully adjusted to custom fit each archer.

The biggest mistake I see so many bowhunters making when shooting an index-finger release is leaving their release length much too long. It’s easy to spot. At full draw, the trigger finger of those archers must stretch forward to actually contact the trigger. That puts tension in their release hand and in the trigger finger, causing them to slap, jerk and punch the release with their fingertip when they want the arrow to go. It’s an altogether inconsistent way to shoot a release.

What works a lot better is to properly adjust the length of the release to create a relaxed release hand and significantly more shooting control.

Release length is nothing more than the distance from the wrist strap to the front of the trigger. Since hands vary widely in size, release length should be carefully adjusted to match hand size. Begin by always snugging up the wrist strap to the same diameter each time you put the release on. With a buckle strap, use the same hole. With a Velcro strap, mark the strap with a pen to maintain consistency. Then adjust the length of the connecting piece between the wrist strap and the release head until, at full draw, the shooter’s trigger finger falls naturally onto the front of the trigger so that the trigger rests precisely in the first joint crease of that finger. The adjusted release length should allow the index finger to naturally and comfortably assume that position without any stressing or stretching on the archer’s part. In that position, the tip of the trigger finger should point straight down. Furthermore, the entire release hand should be relaxed with the draw weight of the bow being held completely by the shooter’s wrist strap, arm and back.

Posted on 06/30/2011

Do it Yourself Elk

By Ron Niziolek

There are plenty of ways to bowhunt elk, and my buddy and I utilize nearly all of them. We call, use decoys, still-hunt, sit near water holes and wallows and we spot-and-stalk elk. Usually, what puts meat in the freezer and antlers on the wall every year is our tenacity, aggressiveness and willingness to try just about anything. 

Over the years, we’ve come to relate taking chances to making chances. Big herd bulls are especially difficult to call away from their cows, and waiting for those bulls to simply wander by is tough. That’s why we prefer to stalk our bulls. We usually spot our elk first, or hear them bugle, then close the gap quickly, sometimes in plain sight if we have to.  We may even run to close the distance. 

With such aggressive stalking, physical fitness can make a huge difference. Noted elk hunter Randy Ulmer tells me he has sometimes run as much as three miles to circle in front of an elk herd. Randy stays in excellent physical condition year-round with a vigorous exercise routine. When the opportunity arises for him to make a quick move on a bull, he trusts his mental preparation and physical conditioning.

“In Arizona and New Mexico,” says Randy, “elk behave a bit differently than in the more mountainous states, especially after the season has been open for a few days. Elk will begin moving before daybreak and can move very fast and far before bedding. The key is to make your best guess at where the herd is headed and jog in a loop to get ahead of them. If you guess wrong the first time, try again. This method is very effective when the herd bull is bugling. Be silent and utilize his bugles to place yourself out in front.” 

Posted on 06/20/2011

Shooting Secrets

By Bill Krenz

Different big game animals, in different locations and cover situations, conjure up different shot expectations. I fully expect to shoot most treestanded whitetails at twenty yards or less. I expect the same thing for baited black bears or antelope coming to water. On the other hand, timberline mule deer are famous for throwing bowhunters a shooting curve. Thirty to thirty-five yards is a more realistic expectation of shot distance when stalking big mule deer. In the same fashion, open tundra caribou tend to stretch the expected shot distance even further, habitually pushing things out to at least the forty-yard mark.

To practice for all of those sorts of bowhunting situations, I simply double the distance at which I realistically expect to make my shot, and then I shoot at least seventy-five percent of my practice arrows at that extended distance.

Double distance practice is an excellent way to polish your shooting form. At forty, fifty, sixty or seventy yards there is very little that you can get away with. Peek and drop your bow arm during the shot and you’ll miss low left. Punch your release and you’ll miss to the right. Align your pins too high in your peep sight and your arrow will impact high. At twenty yards, such shooting mistakes are moderately forgiven by that relatively short distance, particularly with today’s faster bows and arrows. Your twenty-yard miss may be only a few inches and the tendency is to find that acceptable. In doing so, you practice sloppy shooting. Step back to forty yards and the same slightly bobbled shot misses by six inches. You’re shocked and instantly challenged to improve. Much of the best shooting practice takes place when you challenge yourself, pushing beyond a comfort range. Double distance practice does that in spades.

Posted on 06/02/2011

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