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TAG MORE
WHITETAILS
NORTH
TO
SOUTH!
BIG MULEYS
Grow Your Own!
BETTER HABITAT = BETTER BUCKS
PLUS
* Quivers On Or Off? P. 18
* 12 Tools For Postseason Scouting P. 26
* How To Conquer The Cold P. 86
JAN/FEB 2017
HUNTING LINE
H A LO N 3 2
AVA I L
STO K E
CONTENTS
F E ATU R E S
By Bob Ameen
By Anna Vorisek
By Mark Stever
74 To Be A Bowhunter
By Jennifer Lindsey
50 Homegrown Bucks
By Dustin Movius
By Roy K. Keefer
40
18
86
D E PA RTM E NTS
6
12
14
78
84
86
88
2
COLUMNS
16
18
22
26
32
2016
E D ITO R I A L
Curt Wells
Editor
Jeff Waring
EDITORIAL STAFF
EDITOR Curt Wells
ART DIRECTOR Mark Olszewski
ASSISTANT EDITOR Brian Fortenbaugh
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Sally Burkey
FIELD EDITORS
CONSERVATION Dr. Dave Samuel
EQUIPMENT Tony J. Peterson
HUNTING Dwight Schuh
TECHNICAL Joe Bell
TRADITIONAL Fred Eichler
CONTRIBUTORS
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B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
ADVERTISING SALES
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Laden Force
Jeff Millar
Mark Thiffault
www.bowhunter.com
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I N T E G R AT E D M E D I A
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Jeff Paro
Carney
Steve Hoffman
VP, FINANCE & OPERATIONS Derek Sevcik
VP, CONSUMER MARKETING Peter Watt
VP, MANUFACTURING Deb Daniels
VP, CONTENT DEVELOPMENT Todd Smith
VP, DIGITAL SALES David Plante
DIRECTOR, MARKETING Kim Shay
SENIOR DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION Connie Mendoza
DIRECTOR, PUBLISHING TECHNOLOGY Kyle Morgan
OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP DIGITAL
Reggie Hudson
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, FISHING Jeff Simpson
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, HUNTING/SHOOTING Randy Hynes
DIRECTOR, DIGITAL AD OPS
MEDIA
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TELEVISION
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HUNTING
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The Publisher and authors make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the information
contained in this publication. Any reliance or use of the information is
solely at your own risk, and the authors and Publisher disclaim any and
all liability relating thereto. Any prices given in this issue were suggested
prices at the press time and are subject to change.
Some advertisements in this magazine may concern products that are not
legally for sale to California residents or residents in other jurisdictions.
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B E T W E E N B O W H U NTE R S
Letters From Readers
OCTOBER ISSUE IS INSPIRING & BINDING diately turned to the back page and read
Dear Bowhunter,
I have read every issue of Bowhunter
Magazine cover to coversince the very
first one was published in 1971. I have
never honestly felt the need to write to you
until I just finished reading Randy Ulmers article, Bowhunting: Passion, Obsession Or Addiction? in your October
2016 issue. What a beautiful piece of writing genius! Randy has told the story of an
aging bowhunter in such a way that actually brought a tear to my eye. I could relate
to Randys thoughts as I am entering my
51st year of hunting with a bow and arrow,
and I often find myself wondering why I
love this sport so much. I believe Randy
explained it superbly. The actual physical
aspect seems to get a little bit more difficult as the years go by, but as I write this
on the eve of Michigans opening day, I
find myself just as excited as I used to get a
half-century ago. Bowhunter has always
helped me maintain my love and drive for
this sport, and I hope Randy and the rest
of the Bowhunter staff continues to produce the same wonderful articles in the
future that you have in the past. I tip my
camo hat to you all.
Kevin Schultz, Scottville, Michigan
Dear Bowhunter,
Randy Ulmers article, Bowhunting:
Passion, Obsession, Or Addiction? succeeded in striking a major chord in my
personal bowhunting journey. I am 41
years old, and I have two young children
and a wife who calls me a hunting freak
on the good days. Luckily she came from
a hunting background, so she kind of
gets it. Ulmer hit so many points on the
struggles many bowhunters face when it
comes to balancing life and still pursuing your passion. With a young family, I
have faced these issues head-on for years
now, and his article helped me realize
Im not alone in this. Thank you, Randy!
Brent Wheatley, North Carolina
Dear Bowhunter,
When my October 2016 issue of
Bowhunter arrived in the mail, I imme-
FROM THE
FAMILY
Awesome! When
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B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
P U R E B O W H U NTI N G
Dwight Schuh
Hunting Editor
My Favorite Hunt
WHY WOULD TWO SEEMINGLY SANE, MIDDLE-AGED MEN DO CARTWHEELS
IN THE RAIN AND MUD?
AUTHORS PHOTO
16
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
In central Alaska,
the beauty and
the possibilities
are endless. No
wonder hunts in
places like this
are my favorite.
AUTHORS PHOTO
N E X T-L E V E L B O W H U NTI N G
Joe Bell
Te c h n i c a l E d i t o r
CONSISTENCY
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
TINKERING TO PERFECTION
can add these to your bows riser via the threaded section below the bow grip (on
the string side of the bow). Such added details can go a long way toward equalizing
your shooting setup and improving consistency.
19
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BEGINS DEC 26
| 8P ET
Presented by
thesportsmanchannel.com
T R A D ITI O N A L W AY
Fred Eichler
Tr a d i t i o n a l E d i t o r
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AUTHORS PHOTO
22
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
T R A D ITI O N A L W AY
special to me that I had to put super in
front of it.
While hunting at our place in Colorado, my friend Tom Phillips invited our
oldest son Jeb and I to go on a hunt with
a group of guys from Trad Gang. Jeb has
a busy schedule, as he helps around our
ranch and farm, and he also helps guide
our hunting clients when he can. He is going to college for an AG business degree.
Fortunately, this hunt fell over his summer vacation from school, and he was
more than happy to trade out some work
time on a John Deere for a black bear hunt.
We introduced our boys to hunting,
and they naturally took to it like ducks
to water. We also never pushed them to
shoot any type of equipment, and instead opted to let them try every weapon
out there. Then they could decide for
themselves if they wanted to be hunters,
and if so, what equipment they wanted
to hunt with.
Jeb tried it all growing up, and leaned
toward a compound. He has taken frogs
and rabbits with his recurve, but his preferred weapon for big game always been
the compound. He has harvested quite
a few critters now, and we teasingly call
him Lucky Jeb because he just seems to
get the biggest animals out of anyone else
in the family.
Two of our close friends are Mike and
Nancy Palmer, and they have known our
boys since they were pups. Mike and his
father were always avid traditional bowhunters, and they made Palmer recurves.
Mikes father passed on to the Happy
Hunting Grounds, and for Jebs birthday
a few years ago Mike gave Jeb a special gift
his fathers recurve.
Although Tom made it clear that Jeb
could take a compound on the hunt, Jeb
wanted to take Mikes fathers bow. I was
a tad nervous, because I knew Jeb had
never harvested a large animal with a
traditional bow. On top of that, with his
work and school schedule, he would be
hard-pressed to practice much. My worries were partially put in check when I
saw how well Jeb was shooting. He put in
the time, and he was shooting very well
out to 25 yards.
When we arrived at camp in Quebec, Canada, we realized immediately it
was going to be a great hunt. The guys
that were on the Trad Gang hunt with
us were awesome. I elected to sit with
Jeb to film his first big game traditional
bowhunt, and to help him out. He had
killed bears with a rifle on our ranch, but
24
AUTHORS PHOTO
Jeb was more than happy to trade time off from running a John Deere for a spring black bear hunt.
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
KILLER CLOTHING
BROWNING.COM
#BROWNINGSPEED
T R I E D A N D TR U E
Tony J. Peterson
Equipment Editor
AUTHORS PHOTO
though, was what was written throughout the woods in his chosen neighborhood. It was a story of a buck that would
have easily made Boone & Crockett, and
how he navigated a property with intense
hunting pressure. His thigh-sized rubs,
dished-out scrapes, and etched trails
through the swampy lowlands were the
breadcrumbs that showed the clear connection between his backyard sanctuary,
and the land on which I could hunt him.
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
Moultrie trail cameras that were created in 2015 or later, and it works with
the new Moultrie Mobile website so
that you can download the free app and
then log in to check out your images.
The system also sends you an e-mail or
a text to let you know when youve got
new images. With the app, youll also be
able to check and change the settings on
most cameras.
Bushnell has a great inventory option as well in their Trophy Cam HD Ag-
features a lightning-fast, .3-second trigger speed, takes 14MP images, and can be
operated off of a free app.
Feeding deer is a no-no in most
places where I winter scout, so I dont
bother. Thats not the case for everyone,
of course. If you can stay on the right
side of the law and feed your local herd,
there is no better way to take a true sur-
T R I E D A N D TR U E
eveflyThThThnfleflflThmeThflflek.ThTheThfiflThflThThThThThThgThThThTh
ThThTh,Th ThThkeTh flheTh neThTh Freescape Camp SawTh
AnThflheflThpThckThbTheThpThflflThThThThmyThThThnflefl- ($59)ThThflThmThGerber.ThThThThThThThThThThThThThThThflflflflflflflfl
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28
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
Meet your
next rifle.
SPEED (400 GR) 390 FPS I POWERSTROKE 13" I KINETIC ENERGY 135 FP I DRAW FORCE 10.0 LBS
WIDTH AXLE-TO-AXLE 6" COCKED 10.5" DE-COCKED I LENGTH 34.5" I PHYSICAL WEIGHT 6.9 LBS
K N O W H U NTI N G
Dr. Dave Samuel
Conservation Editor
At first blush that sounds understandable, because the Feds owned and controlled huge acreages in some states (Nevada 85%, Utah 65%, Idaho 62%, Alaska
61%, Oregon 53%, Wyoming 48%, California 46%, Colorado 36%, New Mexico
35%, Montana 29%, and Washington
28%). In fact, the federal government
controls 640 million acres of land in the
United States, with most managed by the
Bureau of Land Management, the Forest
32
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
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(Elk/Antelope)
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F
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ORN ON THE
MOUNT
34
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
BY ANNA VORISEK
PHOTOS BY KEN VORISEK
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TAIN
B O R N O N TH E M O U NTA I N
and all His creation. Each time we crested a mountain, I would
look at Gods glory stretched out before us and choke back
tears of joy and gratitude for all the beauty of the isolated wilderness. And with humbleness I gained a sense of my own insignificance in the great bounty of nature and time, and a great
respect for the animals that call the wilderness home.
One afternoon. Ken and I topped a ridge above some sheep,
and then slowly slid on our bellies to peer over the edge. The
strong ammonia smell of sheep urine mixed with the musky
smell of droppings stung my nose. My senses heightened, and
as we gazed down on those rams, I knew without a doubt that
I was meant to hunt. Ken harvested a beautiful Stone ram on
that hunt to complete his Grand Slam, and I, as a hunter, was
born. I was hooked on sheep, and on bowhunting.
Since Ken had been after his Grand Slam, there was always
talk about sheep hunting who had hunted, harvested, and
gotten their Slam so I knew no woman had taken an archery
Slam, and only a few had done it with a rifle. The most common
reply Id get when Id ask why a woman had never done it, was
that it was hard. Few men had taken a Grand Slam, and women
didnt hunt hard enough, or werent passionate enough about it,
to endure the hardships that come with bowhunting sheep.
Thats when I knew I would do what no woman had yet
done. I knew without a doubt I was meant to be the first female to take all four North American wild sheep species with
a bow. I was confident I could hunt as hard as any man, and I
knew that I was absolutely physically and mentally capable of
undertaking such a challenge. Although Ken cautioned me it
would be a difficult and costly undertaking, and that I needed
to be fully committed, he didnt dissuade me, and he fully supported my decision to go for it. So with Kens mentorship and
belief in me, I began my own quest. I should say we began, as
Ken was with me on all my sheep hunts.
The year 2006 was a good one, as Ken began pursuing the
remaining animals he needed to complete his Super Slam, and
I hunted my first sheep, a Rocky Mountain bighorn in the Bow
Zone area of Canmore, Alberta. What started out as a crisp, cool
November hunt, turned into one heck of a cold hunt. Temperatures plummeted to 20 degrees, and enough snow fell that in
places not windblown, I struggled through thigh-deep snow
and fell into a couple of holes up to my waist. The nights spent on
the mountain must have been 40. It was so cold you couldnt
sleep. All you could do was lay there and shiver, hoping that if
you did fall asleep, you wouldnt be frozen solid in the morning.
TM
PATENT PENDING
BetterTheHunt.com
I was grateful to get those two rams quickly, I felt cheated with
the hunts being over so quickly. I know saying I felt cheated
when I had quickly harvested beautiful rams doesnt make a
lot of sense, but to me its not just about the harvest. Its about
the whole experience and the adventures and challenges that
await each morning and reveal themselves throughout the day.
My Dall ram was the hardest to earn, and I really had to
prove my worth to bring him home. On one hunt in 2008,
we hunted hard for 10 days backpacking 1013 miles and
climbing 3,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation each and every day.
We never spotted a legal ram. That was a tough hunt. The hunt
that I finally harvested my Dall ram on was miserably wet and
cold with high winds, fog, sleet, hail, and snow. Any ugly that
the weather could throw at us it did, and it threw it with force.
The hard-earned ram taken on that hunt was to be my Grand
Slam ram.
When I finished my Grand Slam in 2010, Ken only had a
couple of animals left for his Super Slam. As Ken had been accompanying me on my sheep hunts, I had been going with him
on many of his hunts, also harvesting game. By the time I finished my Grand Slam, I had already killed a number of other
species. So, of course, now I figured I should get my Super Slam.
Ken was once again shaking his head. We had been
spending a fortune, and most of our time, on hunting. He
thought when he had finished his Super Slam and I had finished my Grand Slam. we would go back to just hunting for
the fun of it. But I couldnt quit. Individuals who are driven
dont typically quit. Sometimes you want to, but you might
feel selfish or think yourself crazy for pursuing the goal. But
then its not in your character to quit. You would be defeating
yourself by quitting. The one thing about Super Slammers is
YOUR NEXT
FIREARM IS WAITING
Firearms can only be sent to a Cabelas store for pickup. Well ship it to your nearest Cabelas store for free.
Possession is only transferred in-person after all applicable government requirements, including background
checks, are fullled. Check your applicable federal, state and local laws before attempting to acquire a rearm.
B O R N O N TH E M O U NTA I N
My first love is bowhunting sheep, and when I finally accomplished the Grand Slam of sheep by taking all four species Rocky Mountain
bighorn, Stone, desert, and Dall sheep it was a springboard toward my next goal of achieving the Super Slam.
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
our way, coming straight on. Now I was afraid to shoot because if I missed the sweet spot on his chest Id get brisket,
neck, or shoulder. I can shoot near-perfect targets all day long,
but holding it together on game is another thing. I didnt want
to go home without this animal, so I knelt there in the brush
and waited.
I can make this frontal shot, I thought, as the bull closed to
25 yards. As I drew, I knocked my bow against a bush in front
of me, which caused the bull to pull up short. I realized I would
have to stand to shoot over the brush, and I knew if I did that
he would bolt, so I waited.
The bull finally began to move forward, but having been at
full draw for so long, my arms were beginning to shake, and at
about eight yards he hesitated. I dont know if the bull stopped
because he saw me shaking, but as we made eye contact I
struggled to be still.
I was shaking so bad I was afraid that even if I shot at that
close range Id screw it up. The bull began walking again. Not
knowing if he would charge over the top of me when I released,
I waited a few seconds more, watching him out of the corner of
my eye as he came even with me.
He was so close, I could almost reach out and touch him.
As his head and neck passed me, I pivoted and released. Thank
God the bull lunged the other way, as Id shot him at just two
yards. That was one heck of a hunt, and one busy year!
In 2012, I hunted seven different species and killed five. I
now had 21 of the 29 species that make up the Super Slam. But
the problem with goals like the Super Slam is the more animals you get killed, the more the pressure mounts to get the
Slam done. Then it slowed down and seemed to drag on, with
my taking only a couple animals a year. Getting a brown bear
killed was giving me fits. Of all the animals Ive hunted, they
seem to have the best noses and the best sixth sense of danger.
No doubt, if I was a better hunter and not so intimidated by
the bears, I would have gotten one sooner.
One of the downfalls of setting hunting goals is it can zap the
fun right out of hunting. You still go hunting, have a great adventure and a good time, but there is pressure to get the next animal
on the list. And when you have to hunt the same animal multiple
times it gets pretty stressful, because in some cases, or maybe
most, lack of bringing one home rests entirely on the hunters
shoulders. It often isnt due to lack of game or opportunities, but
rather poor shooting or decision-making by the hunter.
One of the things Ive learned through hunting is most of
the time there are no excuses to make. You either get it done,
or you dont. I always hated it when Ken would say that, but
hes right. Kens the type of guy who gets it done; whereas, I
battle fears of making bad shots and tend to hesitate. However,
in June of 2016, I was able to finally complete my Super Slam
by taking my 29th species a grizzly bear.
Although it seemed like I waited a lifetime to hunt, when I
did start hunting I crammed a lifetime of hunting into about
a decade. When I first started bowhunting, I personally knew
only two other women who shot a bow. They had been mentored by their male hunting companions, just as I was. I did
not look to other women for inspiration in the bowhunting
realm, as no woman was doing what I wanted to do. Men
were my mentors and supporters. By the time I had taken my
Grand Slam, the upward trend in the number of women taking up hunting had grown considerably, and it continued to
rise with the advent of social media. The more women see that
other women are hunting, fishing and loving the outdoors, the
more encouraged they become to try it for themselves. In taking the Grand Slam and Super Slam, Ive shown my daughters
and granddaughters that you truly can do whatever you want.
Ive also taught them to never set their sights low, but rather
dream big, and then dream even bigger. Believe you can do it
and work toward your goal. It doesnt matter whether you find
support from other women, or from men, surround yourself
with like-minded individuals who appreciate what youre attempting and can give you solid advice. Embrace that advice,
and then reach for your goal, whatever it may be.
The author is the first female archer to take the Grand Slam of
wild sheep and the Super Slam of the 29 North American big
game species. She resides in Fairbanks, Alaska.
AUTHORS NOTE: I hunt with a Mathews bow, Easton arrows (both
carbon and aluminum, depending on game), Magnus broadheads (85
to 125 grains, depending on game), Spot-Hogg sight, Trophy Taker rest,
Swarovski binoculars, and a Leica rangefinder.
For me, 2011 was an important year. I hunted 10 species that year and
killed seven, including this Shiras moose in Idaho. My quest for the Super Slam was realized in June of 2016 when I arrowed this grizzly bear,
my 29th species of North American big game.
WHEN HUNTING A MULE DEER BUCK OF THIS CALIBER, IT PAYS TO WAIT FOR THE PERFECT TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE.
PATIENCE
S
OMEHOW another bowhunting season was just days away. It seemed like
the previous one had just ended. Another
year had passed, and the time had just
flown by. This year, I promised myself to be
on my game from the start, something
I had not managed to do on my very first
hunt of the previous year, and it had cost
me a gimme opportunity at a 170-plus
whitetail. But this year I was ready, my head
was in the right place, my gear was in order,
and I was shooting well. I was good to go,
and I was licensed for both whitetails and
mule deer in Edmontons Bow Zone.
The first days hunt plan was a simple
one. I was hunting an east-west hedgerow
between a barley and a canola field, with
bedding to the south and good visibility.
Most importantly, this was a site that was
very tolerant for shifting winds a common occurrence where I was hunting during the warm weather of the early season.
An easy ingress, and I was in place and in
the game with a perfect south wind.
As early season hunting would have
it on this warm day, the wind started out
good for the most part, but then it changed
with the cooling temperatures as sunset approached. The wind switched this way and
that, but fortunately my scent never made it
to any of the deer. I saw a mix of whitetails
and muleys, but nothing exceptional.
As the deer cleared the immediate area,
I decided Id slip out a little early, making
my escape when I could without being
detected. I pulled my stand, quietly descended the tree, and then slipped to the
edge of the hedgerow and took a peek to
40
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
41
P ATI E N C E
The buck slowly worked at his own pace, feeding in the barley and gently walking northwest toward me. The only problem was that I was running out of light. Eventually, the buck
worked his way to 50 yards in front of me. I had one trail 12
yards east of me, and another one 25 yards to the west. The
setup was perfect with the south wind, but he was stubbornly
moving at a snails pace.
Finally, the buck worked to the trail 12 yards east of me, but
I was out of time a painful situation. The plan had worked,
but just too late. The buck stood in the hedgerow just 12 yards
from me, and I was out of light. A wind shift from the east, and
the buck slowly slipped north through the hedgerow and into
the canola with no idea I was there. I waited a few minutes to
let him travel farther out into the field before making my silent
departure. What a great buck, and I had come oh so close to
killing him.
The weather changed as November approached, and so
too did the patterns of the deer as the rut drew closer. I was
hunting whitetails in my typical style, with hopes of arrowing
a true Bow Zone giant. But I also checked now and then to see
if the big muley buck was maintaining a pattern of any kind
that might make him vulnerable to an ambush. He wasnt. The
buck was doing what I had expected he was around, but
with no pattern, so I maintained my focus on the whitetails.
Over the course of the fall, I had passed on several whitetails over the 150 mark in search of one of the great ones. The
end of the season was rapidly approaching, and I was running
out of time, so I decided to do something different on Novembers full moon.
Late in the morning on November 25, with a steady northwest wind and cool temperatures, I slipped into the edge of a
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B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
CARBON DEFIANT
PRO DEFIANT
P ATI E N C E
buck had stepped back into the bedding area, and I hoped I
had gotten away with my move.
A few minutes later, some mule deer does appeared from
where the buck had entered the bedding area. The does moved
north to the middle of the field, which put them about 125
yards south of me. Then the buck appeared. He was alone as
usual, but this time he was watching the girls, and as he moved
in closer, one doe in particular had his full attention. Once
again, he was in no hurry. The does were happy, and so was he.
When the doe he was interested in moved, he moved. It was as
if they were tethered to each other by an invisible rope.
Slowly, they worked their way north and then northeast. It
looked like I was going to get my chance. None of the deer were
on to my hedgerow position, as the stand was well rested and
fresh. The wind was blowing perfectly from the south, and I
was ready.
The one doe and the buck got to just under 30 yards with
the other three does following close behind them. The buck
was strongly quartering away for the longest time, so I patiently waited for a better shot angle. When he finally turned
44
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
Se rious bowhunters n e e d
se rious bowhunting television
BOWHUNTER T V
52 we e ks a ye ar!
(Eastern Time)
(Central Time)
TH
Join the Bowhunter TV crew as they celebrate the programs 200th Episode and relive
some of their best moments. Here Cameraman Matt Love, Danny Farris, Outfitter
Doyle Worbington, and Host Mike Carney
pose over an amazing bull from Cross
Mountain Ranch in Colorado (J&J Guide
Service, 715-820-0869, www.jjguide.com).
200
EPISODE
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
W O RTH TH E W A IT
cluded a Thermos of homemade soup. My guide the first day
was a young man by the name of Dub. He was a good-natured,
big-time hockey fan, and we hit it off right away.
Access to bait sites was via ATV, each of which pulled a
small cart. I have to say, the way Dub handled the cart-towing
quad on the narrow and winding trail in the dark was pretty
darn impressive. On the ride in, I asked him what he knew
about the bucks visiting this particular bait. He told me there
were several good bucks there that would meet Buck Countrys 140-inch minimum. Then he said, Oh, yeah, one more
thing. Theres a 5x5 in here that, while he exceeds our minimum, we ask that you dont shoot him because hes only 3,
and hes got the potential to be something truly spectacular in
another year or two.
Fair enough, I said. Does he have any recognizable characteristics that will help me identify him?
Yepone of his brow tines is very short, Dub said. So if a
big 5x5 comes in, please make sure you get a look at him from
the front or rear before you decide to let the air out of him.
Once settled into the blind, we sat there in the dark for a good
hour, eagerly waiting for it to get light. It had been a while since
Id hunted in Northern Saskatchewan, and its a different kind
of quiet there downright eerie to be perfectly honest with you.
Shortly after sunrise, several does and young bucks came in
to munch on the alfalfa. As this was my first experience with
Canadian deer, I couldnt believe just how big-bodied they
were, and Ive hunted deer numerous times in the Midwest! In
fact, several of the does I saw each day made the bucks back in
my home state of Pennsylvania look small!
Small bucks and does came in and out of the bait throughout
the morning and into the early afternoon, keeping Bob and I entertained and alert. Then, for whatever reason, the action came to
a complete stop for about two hours. Just as I was starting to doze
off, Bob whispered that he saw movement off to our left. There
were two bucks, and one of them had me immediately reaching
for my bow.
As both bucks slowly made their way to the alfalfa, I could
see good mass and four long tines on each side of the bigger
one. Now I just needed to make sure it wasnt the mid-140s 5x5
Dub had asked me not to shoot. Just before entering the clearing
where the alfalfa had been placed, the big buck turned his head
and looked right at our blind. Drat! It was the off-limits buck!
Both bucks fed for more than 20 minutes, during which
time the big buck gave me plenty of great shot opportunities.
But Id given my word not to shoot him, so all I could do was
sit and watch him. He actually came back twice more that evening, as daring me to break my word.
Bob and I returned to the same blind the next day, and just
like the first day we had action all day long. And, the big 5x5
with the short brow tine came to the bait four times over the
course of the day, too. But, we had yet to see any of the other
mature bucks Dub had pictures of on his trail camera.
To give us a change of scenery, Dub took us to a different bait
site on the third day. Before we hopped on the ATV for the long
ride through the bush to the bait, Dub gave us the skinny on the
area. For starters, you are in tight to the bait like 17 yards
tight and you wont get much footage of deer prior to them
being at the bait because its really thick in there, so you really
need to be stealthy with your movements, he said. There are a
couple of good bucks in here, and theres also a buck in here that,
like the other bait, we ask you not to shoot because he is only 3.
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B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
and one spike buck, which made for a rather long, and at times
boring sit. Still, the area looked promising, so I asked Josh if we
could go back there the next day. He thought that was a good
idea, and the wind would be right for it, too. He also said he
would move part of the alfalfa pile closer to the blind.
The next morning started out exactly like the previous
day, with does and fawns and the same spike buck on the bait
shortly after sunrise. As the morning progressed, more does
and small bucks arrived. Bob and I hoped this was a sign of
good things to come and it was.
Around 9 a.m., the deer that were feeding on the alfalfa
kept looking down over the hill behind the bait. Theres got
to be more deer coming, I whispered to Bob. And judging
by the way the small bucks are acting, I bet its a bigger buck.
My intuition was right, as all of a sudden I spotted a good
set of dark-chocolate antlers moving from left to right on the
edge of the hill behind the bait. When the buck crested the hill,
the rest of the deer, save one small buck, scattered.
Reaching for my bow, I had already made the decision that
I was going to shoot this buck if given the opportunity. Before
feeding, the heavy-horned buck started rubbing his forehead
on an overhanging limb, and then he feverishly worked a
scrape under the limb.
It quickly became apparent that the buck wasnt going to
come to the closer pile of alfalfa. I ranged him at 37 yards, and
as he turned broadside, I came to full draw and bracketed his
chest between my 30 and 40-yard pins. Slowly exhaling and
then holding my breath, I touched off the shot and watched
my Lumenok-equipped arrow streak toward his vitals. My arrow struck the buck in the shoulder, but I knew I got enough
penetration to be fatal. His mule-kick reaction confirmed this,
and as he disappeared over the hill, I knew he wouldnt go far.
When my shaking subsided, I tried to get Josh on the handheld radio hed given me. No response. I kept trying over the
next several hours to reach Josh, but to no avail. With no deer
at the bait, Bob and I took it upon ourselves to recover the buck
(Clockwise) Buck Countrys lodge alone is worth the trip. My buck stopped and shoot some support footage for TV. Apparently my radio
to work a scrape shortly before I shot him. Bruce Levys buck is one of
wasnt working properly, as it was nearly eight hours before we
the biggest-bodied whitetails Ive ever seen in person. The droptine on
this buck had me chomping at the bit to shoot him, but I honored my word got a response from Josh.
With my buck loaded in Joshs truck, we went to pick up
and let him walk. At only 312 years old, you can clearly see the potential
for the 5x5 with the short brow tine to turn into something truly special
campmate Bruce Levy, who had also shot a buck late that afterin another year or two, which is why I was asked not to shoot him.
noon. When we recovered Bruces buck, I couldnt stop shaking my head over the sheer size of his bucks body, and it took
four of us to load the deer into the bed of Joshs truck.
Unfortunately, Shed didnt fill his tag that week, but he saw
several good bucks that I probably would have killed. He was
just a little pickier than me. I cant thank him enough for giving me my first taste of whitetail hunting in Canada, and for
introducing to me to Brandon and his crew, all of whom I now
consider good friends.
In May 2016, I returned to Goodsoil for a spring bear hunt.
But youll have to wait for a future issue of Bowhunter to get
the whole story. Until then
AUTHORS NOTES: My equipment on this hunt included a Hoyt Carbon Spyder,
Easton FMJ arrows with Bohning Blazer Vanes and Wraps, Rage Hypodermic
broadheads, Lumenoks, Spot-Hogg sight, Scott Mongoose XT release, Dead Down
Wind scent-elimination products and Tinks scents, and an Ozonics HR200. My
rangefinder and binoculars were from Nikon. I wore Kenetrek boots and Cabelas
clothing in Mossy Oak Break-Up Country.
To book a great whitetail or bear hunt with Buck Country Outfitters, contact
Brandon Schreiber at (780) 870-6510, Brandon_schreiber@hotmail.com, or
buckcountrycanada.com.
B OWH U NTE R.C O M
49
HOMEGROW
I had a difficult time determining the size of the buck.
Soon I saw that it was in fact three bucks feeding and
walking toward me.
HOW IT BEGAN
To provide a little more detail about this hunt, I
should set the stage and give you a better idea of the farm
I was hunting. Ive been fortunate in my hunting career to
have hunted in several states, Mexico, Canada, and some
countries overseas. Although I enjoyed those experiences, Ive always wanted to have a farm of my own a
place where I could experiment with game-management
ideas and improve the wildlife habitat. My wife and I
know our limitations. We knew that we could not buy a
farm large enough to keep resident deer their entire lives.
Considering the size farm we could afford, we knew the
best we could do was to provide habitat that would attract
deer on a regular basis.
On each of our out-of-state hunting trips, we checked
with local realtors about farms for sale in the area. This
process continued over many trips, several states, and
several years. Finally, we bought a 120-acre farm in Missouri. For five years we worked to make that farm more
attractive for wildlife. I never got the satisfaction I wanted
from our efforts, mainly due to neighbors who didnt buy
into quality deer management, so I began the search for
a different farm. A realtor friend of mine told me about a
50
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
BY ROY K. KEEFER
WN
CHANGES WE MADE
The 166-acre farm we bought has over 130 acres of
timber. After the first year, we built a house and planted
a small orchard on six acres of the property. Seventeen
acres of the land was previously farmed; however, we decided to plant it in wildlife-habitat vegetation big and
little bluestem, side oats, alfalfa, and wildflowers. This
vegetation provides ideal cover and food for turkeys and
quail. The change was also made to minimize erosion
problems the crop planting had created.
We planted 312 acres of soybeans adjacent to this
parcel last year. In the future, this area will be planted in
various annuals oats, wheat, brassicas, etc. We planted
a road going through the property in red and ladino clover to provide another acre of food source. The road leads
to a 212-acre plot planted in the same clover mix. Farther
into the property, on the top of a ridge, a one-acre field
was carved out of timber previously covered with hickory
and locust trees. This field was planted in oats and winter
wheat, and in the future it will be replanted with other
annuals of our choosing.
Last year, we did timber stand improvement (TSI) on
39 acres. This was done under a state-funded contract,
which covered the cost. I hired a professional crew to get
it done quickly and correctly. Unwanted trees hickories, locust, elm, etc. were targeted for removal. The
purpose of TSI is to eliminate competition from these
BUCKS
undesirable trees, and to provide lush undergrowth
for wildlife to eat and bed in. Another benefit of this
effort is that the remaining trees, principally oaks, can
develop larger crowns and provide better mast crops. The
majority of the trees on our farm are oaks. The Missouri
Department of Conservation forester did a survey of the
farm, and he counted seven different kinds of oaks on it.
Some other things weve added include three corn
feeders, which we maintain from spring through early
fall. Missouri prohibits any supplemental feeding 10
days prior to the hunting season, so we cut off the feeders
before that deadline. At several spots, we have established salt and mineral licks. Although the property has
a wet-weather creek running through it, we added some
watertanks on ridgetops to provide water when conditions are dry.
JOHN PENNOYER PHOTO
51
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I have a fascination with trail cameras. I enjoy checking the SD cards to view
the unseen wildlife that roams our property in the darkness, or when Im not
around. My cameras have captured deer,
turkeys, bobcats, coyotes, coons, squirrels, minks, rabbits, opossums and one
trespasser, who turned out to be a friend.
They give me a good idea of the deer living on, or moving through the farm.
And, more importantly, I can see which
trails are being used on a regular basis. I
currently have 10 cameras in place, and I
plan to add a couple more this year.
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tree, and quickly moved over the hill. I
sat in my stand for a while to regain my
composure, and I hoped my shot was
good.
A few years ago, I bought a terrier
pup from a guide friend of mine. This
pup came from a line of deer-tracking
dogs, and was just what I needed. Im a
little color blind to red, so I have a difficult time seeing blood. I wanted a companion that could help me overcome this
problem, and my new dog has fit the bill.
Every year I put deer blood in our freezer, and in the early fall I thaw some of it
to refresh his trailing skills. Now it was
time for his training to pay off.
I called my wife and asked her to wait
an hour and then bring the pup, which
we had named Decker, to my stand.
Soon they arrived, and we put Decker
on the trail. It didnt take Decker long
to find my arrow. My wife then wanted
to go down the hill to find the buck,
figuring that a wounded deer would
travel downhill. But Decker wanted to
go uphill, so we let him lead the way. In
no time, he was standing over the fallen
buck. In all fairness, I must say we would
have found the deer without Decker. But
AUTHORS PHOTOS
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B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
AUTHORS NOTE:
My bucks field-dressed weight was 220
pounds. He gross-scored 15168 and netted
140 48. My list of equipment used on this hunt
included a Mathews NO CAM HTR set at 52
pounds, Victory RIP arrows, Slick Trick broadheads, and a TightSpot Quiver.
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56
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
BY BOB AMEEN
DONALDMJONES.COM
HE LP FR O M LO V E D O N E S
puts enough human scent on the ground
that deer avoid the area.
On the fourth day of our hunt, Lisa
didnt see many deer, but a mature buck
finally walked into range. True to her
handle, Lisa lung-shot him. Just like the
year before, she was back at my stand
looking for assistance in tracking, fielddressing, butchering, and packing meat
back to camp.
When we found her buck, I stayed to
begin the task at hand while Lisa went
back to camp to gather my backpack, a
tarp, rope, and game bags. When she returned, she said, If I were you, I know
where Id be hunting tomorrow. On her
return trip from camp, Lisa had seen the
monster buck she thought shed never see
again. He was chasing a doe in an oak flat
between our camp and my Coues B1
stand. Since her tag was now filled, my
wife wanted me to tag her giant buck.
When Lisa showed me where she had
seen the buck, she also pointed out the
perfect tree to place my ladder stand.
The tree was 65 yards from where Roy
had advised me to move my Coues
B2 stand the previous year. Like last
AUTHORS PHOTOS
UpperrdUalr
Jawsrgriprtr
JawsrgriprtrUnkr
secUrely
sec
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DUalrr
alrr
Jaws
Duall
Dualllowerl
karklkiterl
StakilizerS
Sta
sales@X-stand.com 540-877-2769
year, there were scrapes and rubs everywhere. Rather than the typical one to
two-inch-diameter brush or trees Coues
bucks seem to normally rub, a buck had
rubbed a pine tree there that was about
five inches in diameter.
So I could hunt it the final day of December 2015, we moved my Coues B2
stand before the end of the day. Last year,
I had killed my buck at 1 p.m. on December 31. I had hopes of filling my 2015 tag
in a similar fashion on the last day of the
season. I had the advantage this year of
receiving guidance from two loved ones
Lisa and Roy. Still, I thought it would
be a long shot to have it happen two years
in a row.
I had not seen a thing all morning
long. At just about 1 p.m., I heard deer
running to the west. Scanning the oak
flat to my left, I saw flashes of two deer,
but I could not identify either one of
them. I assumed it was a buck chasing
a doe. The only confirmation of a buck
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HE LP FR O M LO V E D O N E S
that it was she who had told me which tree to hunt from. All I
could say was, Yes, Dear. Thank you, Dear. I love you, Dear
Youre never too experienced to accept and benefit as a result
of help from loved ones. Age seasons ones perspective. Youthful bowhunters hopefully have not experienced lifes losses the
same as those of us whose fire for the hunt has reached the stage
of embers. Contemplating the passing of a dear friend, his guidance and help from prior hunts, and the help and assistance of
your most beloved, embellishes special life events. Mine happen
to be bowhunting events.
Id watched Roy kill his final Sitka blacktail the year before. I
shot that buck above Roys Saddle, and the deer disappeared
into an alder patch upon arrow impact and then rolled out of
it down the steep slope toward Roys Saddle. I was thankful
for Roys help on that hunt, as well as his advice on the last hunt
we shared here in Arizona.
I climbed down and went to the buck, admiring his large,
symmetrical rack before heading to camp to share it all with my
beloved Lisa. I held my bow high overhead as I entered camp. Seeing that as well as my excitement, Lisa knew I had killed a buck. The author and his wife make their home in Wasilla, Alaska. An
I replayed the hunt sequence for Lisa, and she quickly re- accomplished bowhunter, he has over 100 animals entered in the
minded me it was she who had first observed the buck, and P&Y record books.
AUTHORS NOTES: My buck green-scored 109 inches just under the Boone &
Crockett minimum making him my second-largest Coues buck, but perhaps my
favorite due to the scenario I killed him under. This was a public-land, DIY hunt Lisa
and I have been doing for years.
My equipment on this hunt included a 70-lb. Prime Rival bow, Cabelas Stalker
arrows, NAP Killzone broadheads, Spot-Hogg sight, QAD Ultrarest, and a Kwikee
Kwiver.
AUTHORS PHOTOS
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62
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
By MARK STEVER
ON
mature buck had been calling my small property home for the past
two years, and I seemingly spent every minute in the offseason preparing and planning my ambush. As the rut was heating up, a favorable wind rolled in and I climbed into a stand that Id been saving
for that very day. Even though Id studied the buck for two years, I was
still amazed when everything fell right into place. I stood at my post as
he emerged from underneath a hemlock just 40 yards away. He continued down my shooting lane on a brisk walk, and my arrow instinctively
released at less than 20 yards. In over 20 years, the land I grew up hunting
had never held such a mature buck. Like so many others, I accomplished
this with sound management of deer habitat and low-impact hunting.
At first glance, it may seem that all you have to do is create a luscious,
green food plot under your favorite stand, set up a trail camera, and get
ready for action. Unfortunately, its just not that simple. Before getting
started, I mapped out the property and determined strategic areas for
food plots, stand placement, access routes, and a sanctuary.
The critical first step is to establish a sense of security on the property. The best way to do that is with a great sanctuary. I took a large area
in what used to be the best spot to hunt, and designated it a sanctuary.
It has everything deer need, starting with a large hillside thats loaded
with multiflora rose, which continues down to two adjacent agricultural
fields. The west edge is marked by a ditch and a stream, providing water
and an ideal exit route if needed.
Sanctuary position will obviously be different for every property, but I
may have a different perspective on the layout. My sanctuary is the southern edge of the property, and my food plots are placed linearly along the
west edge, ending at a pond on the north edge. Over time, this has resulted in a very predictable travel pattern through the property.
A popular technique used to establish a deer sanctuary is hinge-cutting
trees. The benefits of hinge-cutting include creating bedding habitat, increasing browse, and deterring trespassers from entering the sanctuary.
Safety must be a priority proper safety equipment and a partner are a
must. The technique is to cut one side of the tree around hip height at an
angle, leaving the other side of the tree intact so the tree stays alive. The tree
falls to the floor, and branches are now available to browse and sunlight
starts reaching the forest floor, promoting new growth. In addition to promoting wildlife habitat, hinge-cutting promotes growth of more valuable
tree species on the property (timber stand improvement, or TSI).
AUTHORS PHOTO
VIC SCHENDEL
Hinge-cutting on the edge of a food plot provides additional browse, can help
direct entry into the plot, and facilitates sunlight penetration. Hinge-cuts for a
bedding area are made four to five feet high to provide travel tunnels.
J O I N TH E QD M R E V O L UTI O N
Low-impact access during hunting season is essential to
maintaining a sense of security on the property. Keeping access
routes short and stands close to the property edge will significantly reduce scent exposure to deer. Access for the stand I hunt
in an east wind is a ditch line and stream running the west edge
of the property. This provides concealment, a quiet entry, and
a vantage point to look into the soybean plot as I approach the
stand. I simply climb out of the ditch and right into my stand.
This type of access, teamed with a meticulous scent-control program, keeps hunting pressure low and deer sightings high.
Planting food plots has become a real passion of mine.
Fortunately I am hunting in an agricultural community, and
available food is not an issue from spring through early fall. I
have planted a series of small food plots along the west edge of
the property to allow for downwind access. These plots supplement their diet in the spring and summer, but in the fall and
winter they are the primary food sources available. The ideal
hunting plot is narrow and irregular in shape, and the plot is
positioned adjacent to a doe bedding area with foolproof access. Placing a food plot adjacent to bedding areas promotes
daytime use of the plot and creates a social gathering area that
cruising bucks will visit during the rut.
Growing a successful food plot in the woods presents several challenges. The first step, of course, is clearing the existing vegetation with nonselective herbicides and brush killers.
When deciding the type of forage to plant, take moisture,
sunlight, fertility, and pH requirements into consideration.
Soil testing to amend nutrient deficiencies and pH is essential.
I have had excellent results getting soil tests with Whitetail
AUTHORS PHOTO
THE
THE MOST
MOST INNOVATIVE
INNOVATIVE CAMO
CAMO PATTERNS
PATTERNS EVER.
EVER.
for clover, alfalfa, and soybeans. Whitetail Institute distributes two selective herbicides for use in clover and alfalfa plots.
Slay is a selective broadleaf herbicide, and Arrest is a selective grass herbicide. Some varieties of soybeans are Roundup
Ready, and can be sprayed with glyphosate.
After experimenting with a wide variety of food-plot crops
I have developed two personal favorites agricultural soybeans and chicory.
AGRICULTURAL SOYBEANS
Soybeans were first introduced into U.S. agriculture for silage, and they yield up to 40-percent protein content in their
forage. Later, the value in soybean grain was discovered, which
produces similar protein levels and an additional 20-percent
oil content. In early winter, I was drawing deer to my property from every direction. From midsummer through winter,
agricultural soybeans continue to attract, hold, and feed deer,
making it a true year-round food plot.
When it comes to choosing a variety of agricultural soybean to plant, certain genetic traits incorporated into these
plants deserve attention.
Soybeans have a climate zone rating. This represents the
number of days in a growing season needed to reach maturity and complete pod (bean) formation. Seed distributors will
usually designate the seed variety that is best suited for your
climate zone.
Glyphosate tolerance is a Roundup Ready trait. Spraying
a plot with 41-percent glyphosate when beans are four to six
inches tall will kill competing weeds. Further weed growth is
later suppressed when the beans canopy. Be sure to read labels
when choosing herbicides. If Roundup contains Diquat, this
Many Trophies
AUTHORS PHOTO
could kill the soybeans. This chemical causes direct plant tissue death, and can destroy a Roundup Ready soybean plot.
Shatter resistance is a trait that will prevent the bean pods
from opening, or shattering, when the plant dries out in the fall.
You want your pods to remain intact well into the freezing winter months. On my property, I use a product distributed by Real
World Wildlife Products (realworldwildlifeproducts.com). Their
soybean blend is 20-percent forage and 80-percent agricultural
bean seeds. They are glyphosate tolerant, and shatter resistant.
There are a few special considerations when planting a soybean plot. Ideally, you should fertilize with a zero-nitrogen
fertilizer, as soybeans are inoculated with bacteria to form
nitrogen-fixing nodules and do not require any supplemental
nitrogen. They are also much more vulnerable to early browse
One Solution
J O I N TH E QD M R E V O L UTI O N
I will often start off a perennial or brassicas plot with a spring planting
of forage oats. This provides an early summer food source, and in late
summer I will spray the plot with glyphosate and plant no-till clover,
chicory, or brassicas in early fall.
AUTHORS PHOTO
than other crops. The cotyledon is the seedlings first leaves after germination. If the deer move into your plot and eat below
this structure, the plant is dead. The recommended plot size
is at least one to two acres for this reason. After germination,
I spray PlotSaver (mixture of putrescent egg, rosemary, and
peppermint oils), which allows the plot to establish.
CHICORY
My first plot was a solid stand of chicory. What I found most
interesting is that deer immediately developed a palate for this
plant. There is a wild variety of chicory, but it has very little forage and I have not seen any evidence that my deer consume it.
As soon as forage chicory was planted, it was a magnet. Another
interesting observation on my property is the seasonal preference for chicory. In the spring and summer, the browse pressure is moderate. But by late-September the plot is getting much
66
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
CARBON DEFIANT
PRO DEFIANT
FIRST LIGHT ON
It was November 21, 2014. This easy whitetail hunt was killing
me. Seven days of waking up at 4 a.m., with single-digit temps
every morning negative double digits with the wind chill
had turned my eyeballs into ice cubes and my fingers into permanent popsicles. At the end of the day I had the thousand-yard
stare, and moderate to severe levels of reduced cognition.
I hadnt considered hunting whitetails until my dad started
going on semi-guided hunts in Kansas. He would tell me stories,
and it always sounded like a blast. In my naive mind, it would be
an easy break from the mule deer hunting I was used to out west.
Just climb into a stand and shoot, right? So when he invited me
to join him for my first whitetail hunt in 2014, I was ready to go!
Many record lows were broken that year, along with my ego
and spirit. After enduring the weather already described, and
being outsmarted at every level by those over-evolved deer, I
needed a break. And whether it was from some deep indomitable human spirit thing, or a disturbing level of masochistic
disorder, I also needed revenge.
I took my hunt
down to the wire
before making a
good shot on this
mature Kansas
nine-pointer.
DUSTIN MOVIUS
68
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
properties, and told us how the deer movement had been lately
and what strategies he thought would be our best bet. We
crashed at the hotel that night, pumped to start hunting.
DAY ONE
Since it was our first day on stand, we felt an all-day hunt
would offer us the best opportunity right out of the gate. We
spent 14 hours on stand that day. The first few hours went by
quickly, but after about 11 a.m., each hour was longer than the
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fihisfigfifififififiufik.
F I R ST L I G HT O N TH E L A ST D AY
previous. We saw a few deer, including some young bucks, and
one very lucky coyote. Reality was sinking in. Theres no easy
hunt.
DAY FIVE
The weather reports predicted heavy rains and gusty
winds, so we decided to skip the morning hunt and slept in
instead. Maybe we just needed a little break, and sleeping in
one day can work miracles for ones morale.
After spending the morning strategizing, Dad and I came
up with a plan to hunt two stands that were deeper in a more
timbered piece of property than our previous locations. Hopefully, the deer would be holed up there given the windy conditions, and maybe the wind would be mitigated for us there as
well.
Even before sitting down, I spied flashes of grey drifting
through the trees. It was at least two bucks and a couple of
does. I tried grunting at the deer, hoping to draw the bucks in
so I could get a better look at them. The deer ignored my calling, so I turned around and got settled in my stand.
There was a big, dead cottonwood limb hanging right over
my head. Gusts of wind rocked the limb back and forth, and
I feared that it would break and come crashing down on top
70
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
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of me. While I really hate leaving a good spot prematurely, I
would not have minded an excuse to get out from under that
murderous limb. Then I got that excuse in the form of a text
from my dad.
Just hit a big one, but not good, I think. You see one run
by? was Dads message.
Finally! I met my dad and he showed me the impact scene.
Dad shot down on the buck as it faced away, and while the angle was not perfect, the sign indicated it was a lethal hit.
We tracked the buck for three-quarters of a mile, much
of the time on hands and knees, before it got dark. We found
encouraging sign, including several places where big pools of
blood indicated the buck had bedded down. The gusty wind
scattered the leaf litter in all directions, making it almost impossible to predict the bucks direction of travel, so we backed
out for the night with plans to return first thing the next
morning to resume tracking.
DAY SIX
With our limited time, I continued hunting while Dad and
Glen tracked his buck. I was in a promising new stand on the
edge of a cut cornfield, but I only saw three does right at dawn.
At noon, I climbed down, and I was sorry to learn that Dad and
Glen had not yet found the buck and had lost the blood trail.
I helped with trying to pick up the trail for a few hours
without any success, until Glen told me he had a perfect spot
for me to hunt that evening. I wished Dad good luck in finding
his buck, and then I went off to the stand.
Halfway into the evening hunt, I got a text from Dad telling
me theyd found his buck. Perseverance and a determined
tracking effort led to this recovery, and it was a huge relief.
With an hour of light left, a nice eight-point walked past
me at 50 yards. The buck was moving in and out of some thick
brush and I couldnt get him to stop, so I decided not to risk
taking a shot. Still, it was more action than I had seen in a
while, and I left the woods that night feeling pretty pumped.
DAY SEVEN
I was down to my last day. It had already been a successful
hunt, with lots of game seen and a big buck killed by my dad,
but I still had room to ramp it up.
Climbing into my stand, the optimism I try to cultivate
on every hunt was spreading a little thin. This was a stand Id
spent days in last year, and it never produced. It always looked
so good though, and the sign was there. Still, I climbed into my
stand that morning not expecting much.
As 6:25 a.m. crept up, and the monsters of dawn morphed
into bushes and trees, I had yet to spot my prey. Then the
frosty undergrowth whispered a little, just enough to alert my
senses that something was moving behind me. The buck was
approaching quickly when I spotted him a classic Kansas
nine-pointer. His head was down and swinging right to left
with every step, and he seemed to care about nothing but getting to cover to rest up. As long as he continued on his course,
he would pass within range to my left.
My arrow flew straight and true. The buck mule-kicked
when my arrow hit home, and then he took three casual leaps
and stopped and stood as if he wasnt sure what had just happened. Then he jumped a fence 20 yards from the point of impact and disappeared.
I waited in my stand for 20 minutes, absorbing the mo72
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
Speed
Draw Weight
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Power Stroke
Length
K.E.
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125 lb
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18
15.1
14
34.5
99.3 ft-lb
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To Be A
Bowhunter
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Replace Image
By Jennifer Lindsey
AUTHORS PHOTO
74
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
Laundr
ne
Hygie
In-Field
your
3
and
FIRST LAST
Line of
Defense.
deaddownwind.com
T O B E A B O W H U NTE R
missed him. Devastated, I thought I messed up for the last
time, and I was really feeling like a failure. Then some does and
fawns came by. I drew my bow back on a large fawn, but I just
couldnt bring myself to shoot it.
For that first season, I had been using an old, borrowed
bow. But knowing now how much I loved bowhunting and
that I was going to stick with it, I decided to invest in a new
bow setup for my second season. Quality equipment made a
huge difference in my accuracy and confidence.
With my second year as a bowhunter came some new obstacles to work around. My husband is a farmer, and he is always busy with harvesting crops during deer season. Then, a
week after the season opened, we adopted a newborn, and now
with two young children at home it became really difficult to
find time to hunt. We were so happy, but I was only able to
hunt three times in the first seven weeks of the season.
My priorities were different, but there werent a lot of deer
in the area to get me excited either. I stuck with it though, determined not to be a quitter. I took the first and only shot at a
doe that I got. She ran off with my arrow in her, but she didnt
make it far before she fell. Despite my success, in some ways I
felt shorted that season because I didnt get to go out nearly as
much as I would have liked to.
Im still very much a rookie, but Ive learned so much about
life from bowhunting. I found patience and persistence in myself that I didnt know was there confidence in those quali-
After a sleepless
night, it felt so
good to celebrate
my first buck.
AUTHORS PHOTO
This doe was my first-ever kill, and its hard to describe the feelings I
experienced when I shot her.
ties has become necessary with now three little boys at home. I
learned the power of a positive attitude in the outcome of a hunt.
I learned that I cant control everything like the weather, the way
the deer react and behave, or other surrounding circumstances
during a hunt. I learned to let go of trying to control everything,
and that tomorrow is a new day filled with new opportunities.
Before I even went hunting, I fell in love with shooting a
bow. I cant describe it, but shooting an arrow into a target
just feels so good.There are so many things in life I cant control, change, or force to go the way I want them to.But when
I pick up my bow, I can make my arrow hit the center of the
target.I can control that. I clear my head, focus my aim, and
succeed.And there is something empowering about that.
I feel bad now that I gave my husband a hard time all those
years about the time and money he spent hunting. I understand
it now. We have two adopted boys, James (3) and Ethan (1), and
are foster parents for a two-year-old boy. James is at the age now
where he questions everything, and it makes me happy to hear
him so interested and beginning to understand hunting. I see
lots of great adventures in the future for me and all my boys.
I also learned that time is not wasted if youre happy.I always used to tell my husband what a waste of time hunting
is.You go sit day after day, and bring nothing home.I didnt
realize how much time you have to put in, waiting for the
chance when everything is right for success. But is it really
time wasted?Is it really even about bringing home a deer? I
have truly enjoyed my time sitting in a tree all bymyself, admiring nature and the creatures God created.I dont consider
it wasted time.Would my time have been better spent at home
on Facebook, watching TV, oreven cleaning the house?The
chance to clear my head for a couple of hours is time much
better spent, even if it means coming home to toys, laundry,
and dishes scattered everywhere.It makes me a better mom
and wife. Sometimes we need to slow life down and just sit and
be in nature.Since you have to be watching and listening constantly when hunting, its different than just taking a timeout
to go for a walk or enjoy some fresh air. Youre more connected
to it in a special sort of way. You become a part of nature, rather than just being an observer of it.
The author, her husband, and their young children make their
home in Hardwick, Minnesota.
AUTHORS PHOTO
76
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
The redesigned Craze II, featuring new F.I.T. Cam technology, is lighter, more ergonomic, and as always,
adjustable to fit virtually anyone, any age. This means you won't have to reach for your wallet
every time your child grows an inch. Learn more at missionarchery.com.
W H AT S N E W
2
4
5
1 MATHEWS HALON 32
Enhanced string angle and superior stability
Crosscentric Cam for a smooth draw & improved accuracy
True-center nocking point for straight & level nock travel
for eight seconds. It compensates for angles, giving you the only
2 TROPHY TAKER BY TINKS HEAT
number (horizontal) you need to make the shot. It has a range of
Synthetic pre-rut & rut buck lure
81,000 yards (displays in .1-yard increments), and has various
Powerful, long-range attraction
Target Modes. Contact: Nikon Sport Optics, 1-800-645-6687,
No-mess gel
nikonsportoptics.com.
Synthetic ingredients designed to create a sexual response in
whitetail bucks is the secret behind Trophy Taker by Tinks HEAT
5 RAVIN CROSSBOWS R9 CROSSBOW
gel scent ($14.99/4-oz. bottle). The time-release formula keeps
it active longer. Apply it directly to natural and mock scrapes (and Superior accuracy & handling
HeliCoil Technology for perfect cam balance
on the licking branch), or on the bark and leaves of your stand
Frictionless Flight System quiets shot & improves string life
tree where it works as both a lure and a cover scent. Contact:
Ravin Crossbows R9 Crossbow ($1,549.99) is powered by
Tinks, 1-800-624-5988, tinks.com.
HeliCoil Technology, which enables the cams to rotate nearly 340
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
Brian Fortenbaugh
Assistant Editor
8
7
6
10
8 BETTER THE HUNT INSULATED BOW MITT
Adjusts for any hand size or shooting style
Built-in adjustable wrist strap
Available right and left-handed
The Insulated Bow Mitt ($79) from Better The Hunt is the solution to keeping your bow hand warm on those late-season hunts.
Whether you shoot with an open or closed hand, the Bow Mitt will
fit you. Warmth is provided by 200-gram Thinsulate Insulation. If
you need your hand to be a little toastier, you can put a chemical
handwarmer in the Mitts finger pocket. Its machine washable.
Contact: Better The Hunt, (208) 941-3795, betterthehunt.com.
The Outdoor Edge Wild-Lite ($44.95) has all the right tools
(six to be exact) for field-dressing and processing big game.
Included in the set are a full-tang 2.5" caping knife, 4" gut hook
skinner, 5" boning/fillet knife, two-stage carbide/ceramic sharpener, and game-cleaning gloves all in a hard-side carrying case.
The blades are made of 420J2 stainless steel, and the non-slip
rubberized handles are blaze-orange, so you wont lose them in
the field. Contact: Outdoor Edge Cutlery Corp., 1-800-4473343, outdooredge.com.
79
Entrants must be between the ages of 12-17 as of March 1, 2017. Each entry must be accompanied by a cover
letter telling us about your bow-and-arrow experience and interest in bowhunting. Youll also need an adult
sponsor who will include a letter formally nominating you for the contest. The sponsor must also be willing
to accompany you on the trip. Travel expenses for both of you will be covered.
WIN A 3-DAY
SPRING TURKEY
HUNT IN WYOMING
MAY 48, 2017!
Thanks to the following archery industry manufacturers who have donated bowhunting equipment to this contest. They share Bowhunters passion for inspiring
youth to bowhunt. (Be sure to check out the prize listing in the Official Rules for a rundown of the outstanding equipment that these companies have donated.)
80
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
B OW H U N T E R . C O M
67.1/15/10
OFFICIAL RULES
1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning.
2. Eligibility. Bowhunters 2017 Youth Hunter Essay Contest is open to teenagers who are between the ages of 12 and 17 as of the contest deadline
of March 1, 2017, and who are legal residents of the fifty (50) states of the United States and the District of Columbia (excluding territories), and
Canada (excluding Quebec), and who have an adult sponsor. Each entrant must be able to show certificate of having completed bowhunting
education and safety training and be proficient with using a bow and arrow for hunting. Employees of Bowhunter, Outdoor Sportsman GroupIntegrated Media, and Nelson Outfitters (The Sponsors), and their subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies and their family
members and/or those living in the same household are not eligible to enter. The winner and adult sponsor must reside in the United States
(excluding territories) or Canada (excluding Quebec) at the time the prize is awarded.
3. Entry. The entrant must write and submit an original short essay addressing the subject, Is social media an appropriate place to share your
hunting experiences and, if so, how can it be done correctly? together with a cover letter detailing the entrants bow-and-arrow experience
and entrants interest in bowhunting. In addition, entrant must have an adult sponsor. The adult sponsor must write and submit a letter of introduction for entrant, in which the sponsor formally nominates entrant for the contest and explains the sponsors own experience in archery/
bowhunting. The sponsor also must agree to accompany the entrant on the bowhunting trip, should the entrant become the Grand Prize Winner.
All essays and letters must be typed and double-spaced. Essays must be no more than 300 words in length. All letters must be no more than
one page in length. The letters and essay must contain the name, address, and telephone number of the writers. In addition, the entrants cover
letter should provide the entrants birthdate.
All submissions should be mailed to: Bowhunter, Youth Hunter Essay Contest, 6385 Flank Dr., Suite 800, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17112.
All submissions must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2017, to be eligible. Limit of one entry per person. All entries become the property
of Bowhunter and they will not be returned.
Bowhunter assumes no responsibility for lost, illegible, incomplete, mutilated, late, or misdirected entries, or those with inadequate postage, all of which will be void.
4. Selection of Winners. The contest will take place under the supervision of Bowhunter. Eligible essays will be considered by a panel of judges
(the Bowhunter Magazine editorial staff), who will score each entry and select winners based equally on essay content, grammar, theme, and
presentation. Participants agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the judges, whose decisions are final. Winners will be selected by
April 3, 2017, and they will be notified by first-class mail by April 17. Any alternate winners will be selected according to a schedule determined
by the judges. The decisions of the contest judges regarding the method of selecting the winners are final and may not be challenged. To obtain a
list of winners, after April 17 send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Bowhunter, YHEC, 6385 Flank Dr., Suite 800, Harrisburg, PA 17112.
5. Prizes. 1st Grand Prize Winner will receive a 3-day Spring Turkey Hunt with Nelson Outfitters in Sheridan, Wyoming, on May 4-8, 2017, with
round-trip coach airfare for the winner and winners adult sponsor to Billings, Montana (from gateway airport nearest winners and adult sponsors respective residences). A guide, whose decisions on all matters relating to the hunting trip are final, will accompany them on the hunting
trip. Bowhunter and Nelson Outfitters (The Sponsors) make no warranties with regard to prizes. Prizes are not transferable. No substitutions
of prize allowed by winner, but The Sponsors reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Prizes are not redeemable by winner
for cash value.
The estimated retail value of the hunt is $1,000. Winner and winners adult sponsor must provide their own hunting tackle and clothing and
are responsible for all expenses not expressly stated above to be part of the prize, including all applicable taxes, meals, tips, ground transportation,
game care or taxidermy, shipping fees, incidentals, and personal expenses. The prize may not be substituted and is not refundable, transferable,
or redeemable for cash.
In addition, (77) runners-up will receive equipment prizes donated by sponsors. Prize distribution will be based on the final scores
second highest will receive First Prize, third highest will receive Second Prize, and so forth. 1st Prize: A pair of S7 8x30 Binoculars from Styrka
valued at $599.95. 2nd Prize: Gen-X Camo Hunting Bow with Kit from Genesis Archery (includes 3-pin fiber-optic sight, Whisker Biscuit rest
and detachable quiver with 4 carbon arrows) valued at $300. 3rd Prize: A pair of 10" Grizzly Insulated Pac Boots from Kenetrek Boots (available
mens whole sizes 515, winner selects size) valued at $275. 4th Prize: A Ripcord Ace Standard Arrow Rest from Ripcord Technologies valued
at $139.97. 5th Prize: A pair of ThermaCELL Heated Insoles valued at $129.99. 6th Prize: A Limb Driver Pro-V Arrow Rest from Vapor Trail
Archery valued at $129.99. 7th Prize: A Rush FPRU3 3-pin Bowsight from Black Gold Premium Bowsights valued at $117.95. 8th Prize: A Blazer Helix Jig, 36-pack Blazer True Color Vanes, 13-pack Neon/
HD Wraps (standard size), Fletch-Tite Platinum, and a Bohning Hat from The Bohning Company, Ltd.
valued at $112.32. 9th Prize: A Complete Scent Kit from Apparition Scents valued at $100. 10th Prize:
A Sample Pack of Lethal Products from Clean Control Corporation valued at $100. 11th Prize: A Set
of Custom Strings from Vapor Trail Archery valued at $100. 12th 13th Prizes: An Ultra Lite 3-pin IQ
Bowsight from FeraDyne Outdoors valued at $99.99 each. 14th 15th Prizes: A PURR-FECT PAIR
Combo Turkey Decoy Set (a MISS PURR-FECT and a JAKE PURR-FECT) from Montana Decoy Co.
valued at $99.99 each. 16th Prize: A Rocky Stratum Two Layer Jacket valued at $99.99. 17th 19th Prizes:
A Base Camp Multifunction Stand from H2Smart LLC valued at $99 each. 20th Prize: A 10" Feather
Lite Hunting Stabilizer in Lost Camo from Specialty Archery, LLC valued at $97. 21st Prize: A Hoodie
and Cap from Plythal Lethal Layering System valued at $95. 22nd 23rd Prizes: A Bowmaster Set (includes a Bow Press G2 and a set of Split Limb L Brackets G2) from Prototech Ind., Inc. valued at $80
each. 24th Prize: A C-10 Release from Winn Archery valued at $75. 25th 30th Prizes: A Bowhunter
Magazine Prize Pack valued at $50 each. 31st 33rd Prizes: A T-shirt, Cap, and Personal App Tutorial
from ScoutLook Weather valued at $50 each. 34th 35th Prizes: A 3-pack of Rage Hypodermic +P Mechanical Broadheads from FeraDyne Outdoors valued at $49.99 each. 36th Prize: A 4-lb. bag of Imperial
Secret Spot from Whitetail Institute valued at $42.95. 37th Prize: A 4-lb. bag of Imperial Bowstand from
Whitetail Institute valued at $42.95. 38th 42nd Prizes: A 3-pack of Spitfire 100-gr. Broadheads from
New Archery Products valued at $39.99 each. 43rd 46th Prizes: A 3-pack of Ramcat 100-gr. Original
Broadheads valued at $39.99 each. 47th Prize: A Small BARK Silencer from Stealth Outdoors valued at
$36.99. 48th 49th Prizes: A 3-pack of Nockturnal S Lighted Nocks (Green) from FeraDyne Outdoors
valued at $27.99 each. 50th Prize: A Stealth Strip Climbing Stick Silencing Kit from Stealth Outdoors
valued at $25. 51st 52nd Prizes: A Grand Slam Kit from Dead Down Wind valued at $24.99 each. 53rd
64th Prizes: A ThermaCELL MR-GJ Mosquito Repeller valued at $24.99 each. 65th Prize: A Stealth
Strip Treestand Silencing Kit from Stealth Outdoors valued at $20. 66th 67th Prizes: A Power Scrape
Combo Pack from Tinks valued at $19.99 each. 68th 77th Prizes: A 3-pack of Camo Face Paint from
Carbomask valued at $12.99 each.
6. Sponsor Rights. All entries and requests become the property of The Sponsors and will not be acknowledged or returned. The Sponsors will have the right to photograph the winner. Entry constitutes
permission to use the winners name, picture, likeness, and city and state or provincial residence for
purposes of trade, publicity, or promotion for no additional compensation.
7. Parents or Guardians. The winners parent or legal guardian and adult sponsor will be required to
execute an affidavit of eligibility, compliance with contest rules, and release of liability. All taxes on
prizes are solely the responsibility of the winners.
8. Liability Release. All entrants release Bowhunter, Outdoor Sportsman Group-Integrated Media,
Nelson Outfitters, and any manufacturers who donated prizes, their affiliates, subsidiaries, directors,
officers, employees, agents, and all others associated with the development and execution of this from
any and all liability from injury, loss, or damage of any kind resulting from participation in this promotion or acceptance or use of any prize.
9. Claiming Prizes. Prizes must be claimed by April 30, 2017. Failure to execute and return any
requested document within 10 days of postmark, or return notification of prize as undeliverable
may result in forfeiture of prize. Alternate winners will be selected at the sole discretion of The
Sponsors. All reasonable effort will be made to contact winners.
10. Void Where Prohibited. This contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state,
provincial, and local laws and regulations apply.
81
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WH E RE TO GO
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ADVERTISING IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE CONTACT MARK THIFFAULT
AT 800-200-7885; INTERNATIONAL/CANADA 949-248-4400. E-MAIL: MARK.THIFFAULT@OUTDOORSG.COM
BOWHUNT
NEW ZEALAND
www.wvestate.com
}
Hunt for Stones & Fannin Sheep, Alaska-Yukon
Moose, Mountain Caribou, Grizzly & Black
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}
Horse camp, boat camp,
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}
Remote camps, 1x1
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Hunt Alberta
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SilverFoxOutftters.com
CO LO RAD O
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MN MD
SD
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ILLI N O I S
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MISSOU RI
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NE B RAS KA
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B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
2017!
M A R K E TP L A C E
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(844) 231-0849
BO W GEAR
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FOR SALE
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Call 860-357-1599.
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B OW H U N T E R . C O M
85
ASK
Editor
QUESTION
I love late-season bowhunting, but I hate the cold. Do you have any advice for
how to stay warm on stand during the last days of the season?ThThThT. Burkey, via e-mail
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Most of your bodys heat loss is
through your head, which is why a
good hat is a must. My go-to hat
is Sitkas Fanatic Beanie, which
I pair with the companys fleece
Neck Gaiter.
AUTHORS PHOTO
86
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
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ThucThThThThThTh.ThGThThdThluck!
E-mail your ASK BOWHUNTER questions to bowhunter_magazine@outdoorsg.com
WILDSIDE
Dwight Schuh
Hunting Editor
AUTHORS PHOTO
B O W H U N T E R / / / J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 017
turned home unscathed, but Don suffered major injuries in an explosion, and
PTSD from his war experiences.
In 1969, Don was recovering from his
injuries and settling back into civilian life,
and I had just been discharged and had a
couple of months before college, so Don
invited me to go bowhunting with him in
eastern Oregon. I had never bowhunted,
so Don loaned me his 53-pound Bear
Cub longbow, and I was a bowhunter.
During our three days in the desert, I
saw more big bucks than Id seen in my
entire life, and I had more fun than Id
ever had deer hunting. That trip transformed my life. Thanks to Don, I was
instantly a lifelong bowhunter.
And thanks to him, I became a different hunter. Recently discharged from the
Marine Corps, Don climbed the hills like
a goat. As always, he hunted long, far, and
late, and he left me panting in his dust. It
was humiliating. It made me angry, and
I vowed that would never happen again.
Whether Don inspired or shamed me,
Im not sure. But without question he influenced me to become a fitness fanatic
the foundation for my bowhunting success and enjoyment for 50 years.
He also lived true to his values. After
the military, Don became a full-time
artist, painting waterfowl and big game.
He was fanatical in his devotion to detail and truth. He deeply believed his
artwork was an outpouring of his thousands of hours in the field, and he was incensed when some nonhunting phony
painted a pretty hunting scene to turn
a quick buck. Consistent with his view,
I have always tried to write only about
things I have done personally and know
intimately. Truth.
With the passing years, Dons health
deteriorated as the trauma of war ate his
body and mind. The same passion that
had driven him his entire life carried him
farther and harder to Alaska and then
Reno, Nevada, but finally he could go no
longer and he died on September 9, 2016.
From our first rubber-band fights at
six years of age, I saw something special
about Don. Often his actions perplexed
and even enraged me, creating many
conflicts between us. But there was always
that trait farther, harder, longer that
excited and attracted me like a magnet.
And it still does. Even as Don withered
and died, the trait I had witnessed in him
65 years ago farther, harder, longer
continued at work in me, carrying me on
adventures from Alaska to Africa. Without Don Hummels role in my life, that
might never have been. Thanks, Don.
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