Deer

Article by Bill Vaznis.

In that frantic period just before the peak rut, when does are running in every direction from prying noses, calling bucks away from their playing-hard-to-get girlfriends may seem like a waste of time. But in fact, the chase phase is one of the best times to talk a trophy into shooting range.

Archery season is happening or about to begin for many deer hunters across the nation. In this episode:  tips on scouting out the big bucks and how to decide where to hang your stand.  Plus check out the bucks we're targeting for our Hit List this season.

If you want to become an expert deer hunter, there's no better way to start than learning the meaning of the most important terms veteran hunters use when talking to each other about their passion. Here's a dictionary of some of important words and phrases a knowledgeable and skilled deer hunter should have in his or her vocabulary.
 

The most successful whitetail hunters out there are those who can adapt fast to make impactful decisions in the field. Sometimes adaptability means getting aggressive, but getting aggressive in the way of whitetail hunting is an approach most hunters aren't willing to engage.

Article by Scott Bestul.

Scouting a scenic Minne­sota valley bottom, I stumbled on a series of scrapes so fresh, I smelled the dank earth before I spotted the sign itself. I quickly set up a stand for the next morning, and the buck showed at pink light, following the scrapes like a kid’s pencil tracing a dot-to-dot drawing. When he closed to 10 yards and was quartering away, I drew my bow, released the arrow...and missed.

Article by Scott Bestul.

Three expert whitetail ­hunters—with more than 40 P&Y-Class bucks between them—reveal their top early-season stand locations. Article by Will Brantley.

Brian Van Horn ?
Years Hunting Whitetails: 30 ?
Biggest Buck: 200-class nontypical
?Favorite Early Stand: White-oak pinch point. My favorite spot for the opening week of the Illinois bow season is where two narrow ridges of mature white oaks meet a larger ridge,

More and more landowner/hunters are taking an active role in managing deer herds, and for good reason — most state agencies don't have a clue as to what is going on out on the back 40. Deer management needs to be site specific and the only one who can do an effective job of managing your deer is you.

Ask a camp full of hunters how many ever had a hunt ruined because the deer smelled them and spooked before they could get a shot off. How many hands do you think would go up?