Showing posts with label bow hunting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bow hunting. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
The Black Lab Buck
After years of chasing waterfowl and whitetails with firearms, this season I decided to get into archery hunting. Instead of just killing a deer with the bow, I decided to make my hunts even more challenging by filming them. My good friend, Jason Oswald, has been generous enough to offer his time and efforts to film my hunts. On the way, he has also become addicted to bow hunting lifestyle. This was our first season of hunting from elevated stands and it has been exciting. Seeing deer from above while they have no idea you are there is a thrill. I arrowed my first deer a few weeks ago. One of the cool things about getting into archery hunting is the welcome I have received from fellow hunters. Dozens of emails flooded my inbox after releasing the video of my hunt. The following message is from my friend, Matt Appel. After a hearty congrats, he shared the story of his most recent hunt. Matt is a new daddy this year. Check out the photo at the end of the story.
-----
I curbed my addiction this year by taking a buck I normally would of passed up, but it was on public land, the first time into the area, and it was a fun hunt. I got in my stand, watched a storm front move in, put up my umbrella, sat there and thought “well I'm not going to see anything this morning.” Luckily, the front passed with out a drop of rain. Then I heard some leaves kicking up and looked up to see the buck walking right from where I had walked in 45 minutes before. I looked behind him as he got to 30 yards for a bigger buck, drew, looked behind him again, then settled on him as he passed broadside at 18 yards and figured I would spend some more time with the family this year, then released.
The arrow hit hard and disappeared while the buck bolted out of the woods and into a prairie grass field. As I was getting down from my stand I had a black lab come running in from where the deer went. I looked up to see a pheasant hunter walk by the little wood lot I was in. I hollered over to see if he had seen a deer in the direction he came from. He said “yeah, he's laying right over there!” He walked me over and showed me the deer. He said he tried to stay away from the woods he thought I was in. I told him not to worry, “I was bird hunting out here 2 days ago!” He congratulated me and continued on his way.
While getting my tag out for the buck, I looked up through the prairie grass, and here came another buck walking up on me. He looked me up and down, and just turned and walked in the same direction the pheasant hunter had walked 15 minutes before. I walked my stuff back to my truck, as the pheasant hunter finished up his hunt and managed a nice ring neck. I stripped off my long johns and headed back to the deer. After a 30 minute drag, I had him loaded up and was home 10 minutes later for a nice little breakfast. After 3 years of losing two wallhangers to misplaced shots, and not drawing on one last year, it was very gratifying to tag a 125 lb buck. - Matt Appel, Wisconsin Deer Hunter
-----
I curbed my addiction this year by taking a buck I normally would of passed up, but it was on public land, the first time into the area, and it was a fun hunt. I got in my stand, watched a storm front move in, put up my umbrella, sat there and thought “well I'm not going to see anything this morning.” Luckily, the front passed with out a drop of rain. Then I heard some leaves kicking up and looked up to see the buck walking right from where I had walked in 45 minutes before. I looked behind him as he got to 30 yards for a bigger buck, drew, looked behind him again, then settled on him as he passed broadside at 18 yards and figured I would spend some more time with the family this year, then released.
The arrow hit hard and disappeared while the buck bolted out of the woods and into a prairie grass field. As I was getting down from my stand I had a black lab come running in from where the deer went. I looked up to see a pheasant hunter walk by the little wood lot I was in. I hollered over to see if he had seen a deer in the direction he came from. He said “yeah, he's laying right over there!” He walked me over and showed me the deer. He said he tried to stay away from the woods he thought I was in. I told him not to worry, “I was bird hunting out here 2 days ago!” He congratulated me and continued on his way.
While getting my tag out for the buck, I looked up through the prairie grass, and here came another buck walking up on me. He looked me up and down, and just turned and walked in the same direction the pheasant hunter had walked 15 minutes before. I walked my stuff back to my truck, as the pheasant hunter finished up his hunt and managed a nice ring neck. I stripped off my long johns and headed back to the deer. After a 30 minute drag, I had him loaded up and was home 10 minutes later for a nice little breakfast. After 3 years of losing two wallhangers to misplaced shots, and not drawing on one last year, it was very gratifying to tag a 125 lb buck. - Matt Appel, Wisconsin Deer Hunter
Monday, January 25, 2010
Coyote Hunting
by Naomi K. Shapiro
With ever-growing coyote populations, hunting them is becoming a very popular sport. We'll discuss some "basics," but make sure you check all regulations in your area (each state and area have different regs) so that you stay within the law when hunting these "wily varmints".
Winter with snow cover is a terrific time of year to hunt coyotes. Hunters dress in snow camo to blend in perfectly with the winter season background.
There are a couple of different hunting methods:
Sit and stalk
With ever-growing coyote populations, hunting them is becoming a very popular sport. We'll discuss some "basics," but make sure you check all regulations in your area (each state and area have different regs) so that you stay within the law when hunting these "wily varmints".
Winter with snow cover is a terrific time of year to hunt coyotes. Hunters dress in snow camo to blend in perfectly with the winter season background.
There are a couple of different hunting methods:
Sit and stalk
Hunters go out in the evening and night hours, setting up in the brush on field edges, over frozen beaver ponds, wood-line edges, and marshes. Electronic decoys are set out -- things like a rabbit or mouse -- natural prey animals for coyotes. These decoys spin around, bounce right and left. The decoys mimic an animal in distress, flip-flopping on the ground. In conjunction with an electronic decoy, hunters will use any number of calls. Electronic calls imitate dying or distressed prey. "Old timers" – as in "real savvy hunters" scoff at the electronic calls, preferring mouth calls. Why? Because they offer a much larger variety of sounds. Pitch and tone and repetition can all be readily changed and adopted to varying conditions with a mouth call. An electronic call doesn't offer these options. Then again, it takes plenty of practice to know what mouth call "tone" to use; when; for what period of time; how many repetitions – all of that. When decoys and calls are properly done and set up, coyotes will come rushing in (coyotes are seldom stationary -- they always are moving).
At night, a spotlight is often used to illuminate. Stop thinking in terms of some real bright halogen light. That's a no-no. Hunters will use a muted amber, red, or green light, which, while providing sufficient illumination, will not alert the very wary coyote to the hunter's presence. Other hunters simply go out on clear, full moon nights only. No need for spotlights of any type.
Running dogs
Many daylight coyote hunters use highly-trained dogs with electronic collars that can be tracked from a vehicle. Hunters will follow their dogs in trucks, using a homing device to track them. After getting a positive lead, the trucks will race around and cut off the coyotes after determining which way they're coming; and literally "head them off at the pass." It works. In truth, however, most hunters don't have the time or money to put into the needed quality dogs and high-end electronic equipment. No one is knocking it, just a "reality check," nothing more.
Weapon of choice
You don't need a .458 elephant gun to hunt coyotes. A long range "varmint rifle" like a .22/250 long rifle or maybe a .243 will do real well. A small bullet with a lot of powder behind it is what you want. That's all you need. Some hunters we know use a .270, but for us that's a little overkill -- literally.
Day hunters will often use a shotgun with an appropriate buckshot load. This offers a larger pattern since coyotes never stop moving; and, unless you're a crack-shot with a rifle, a shotgun will give you a better chance of success -- albeit at a somewhat shorter range. Also, a shotgun can be safer near-population areas (coyotes are "coming into town" more and more, often killing domestic pets) . And of course some hunters opt for using a bow and arrow. Not many though, as if you're talking about a "tough hunt" -- that for sure applies to hunting coyotes with a bow and arrow.
(Phil Schweik of Hooksetters Guide Services contributed to this article).
Naomi K. Shapiro, OWAA, SPJ, can be reached at cre8vnaomi@gmail.com
Friday, January 8, 2010
Scouting For Deer After The Season
Late Season Scouting For Deer
This time of year most hunters are content to sit home on the couch and watch some football. Not me.
Now is one of the best times to get out in the woods and do some post season scouting.
When it comes to deer hunting, people don't think about scouting after deer season, but they should! Late season scouting can make a big difference between success and failure next season.
With snow on the ground it's easy to see where the deer have been moving and bedding and there is no need to worry about spooking deer since the hunting season is 7 months away.
It is a lot easier to see if rub lines are from this year as well as opposed to looking at old rub lines in the fall before they really start rutting. Not to mention sheds. What better way to tell if you have a big buck in your hunting grounds then find some sheds.
For more info on Post Season Deer Scouting Check Out Foremost Hunting
This time of year most hunters are content to sit home on the couch and watch some football. Not me.
Now is one of the best times to get out in the woods and do some post season scouting.
When it comes to deer hunting, people don't think about scouting after deer season, but they should! Late season scouting can make a big difference between success and failure next season.
With snow on the ground it's easy to see where the deer have been moving and bedding and there is no need to worry about spooking deer since the hunting season is 7 months away.
It is a lot easier to see if rub lines are from this year as well as opposed to looking at old rub lines in the fall before they really start rutting. Not to mention sheds. What better way to tell if you have a big buck in your hunting grounds then find some sheds.
For more info on Post Season Deer Scouting Check Out Foremost Hunting
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Deer Season's Over-Take some notes and increase your success next year
With dear season over in many parts of the country Foremost Hunting Pro Staff Member Chris Larsen suggests you take some note about your hunt. Notes should include weather conditions, number of deer spotted, moon phases and more. Over time this journal will become a valuable instruction manual for future hunts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Connect With Us:
