Bowhunter brings you expert advice from legendary Bowhunters! Each issue is filled with updates from major bowhunting organizations, coverage of bowhunting locations across North America, complete coverage of the sport and much more.
HONOR and bowhunting go hand in hand. Most often, we think of honoring the sport and the animals we pursue by hunting legally and ethically, always giving our best effort and doing everything in our power to follow up on the shot. We also can honor our bowhunting passion through conservation efforts, working for the betterment of the game species we love and the wild places they call home. Generally speaking, I believe it is good that we maintain an outward focus on the sport, the animals and the habitat when thinking about honor and bowhunting. However, it’s also proper for the bowhunting community to honor our own when accomplishments are worthy of such honor. While I certainly do not want to diminish the various bowhunting awards programs that honor…
FAT BROWN antlers appeared above a ridge 40 yards away. The rack glittered like a flame in the sunlight. I grabbed an arrow from my hip quiver and snapped it on the bowstring. My heart was in my throat. This was my third trip for Montana mule deer in 2024. September had been a bust, with very few bucks sighted — and no big ones. I shot a huge bull elk late in the month but headed home to Wyoming with an unfilled deer tag in my pocket. I tried again in mid-October, near the end of Montana’s archery season. Six days of glassing and hiking steep slopes turned up a dozen mature bucks, but nothing I wanted to shoot. I am a challenge-oriented guy, and I had set my…
WHEN I WAS in my early 20s, I went hunting with Mike Palmer in Texas. I was a sponge and trying to learn as much as I could from this amazing bowyer and traditional hunter. After hunting one evening, when we got back to the lodge, I watched as Mike unstrung his recurve and hung it up. I asked Mike, “Do I need to unstring my bow?” Mike responded, “No, it’s OK to leave yours strung.” Trying to learn, but not wanting to be a pain, I asked Mike, “Why did you unstring yours?” Mike responded with a straight face, “If I don’t unstring mine, it will sneak out and kill something tonight!” After Mike and his friends (all fellow traditional bowhunters) had a good laugh at my expense, I…
TAKE YOUR AIM! Morrell Targets Kinetic X If you shoot one of today’s high-speed crossbows, you absolutely must own a target capable of stopping your shots and allowing you to retrieve the bolt without getting a hernia! Enter the Kinetic X from Morrell Targets, a durable and affordable bag target designed to stop shots traveling up to 500 fps, along with super easy arrow and bolt removal. This fieldpoint-only target is a 16x16x16-inch cube that weighs 51 pounds and offers more than 50 shooting spots spread across four sides for long target life. The target features a weather-resistant polypropylene cover and a built-in carry handle. $109.99 | morrelltargets.com Big Shot Targets X-Ray Series Mule Deer Realistic practice is one of the keys to bowhunting success, and practice doesn’t get any…
MANY MODERN CROSSBOWS come fully assembled and pre-sighted, with all the essential equipment and accessories to get started. Upon opening the box, it takes only minutes to get organized and start shooting. While it is recommended you review the owner’s manual or look up an online video for proper use, the convenience of not having to set up and tune the bow is a significant benefit to horizontal hunters. However, that does not mean you can get away without practicing. Knowing your crossbow intimately helps ensure positive hunting results. Archery is a game of good form, consistency and practice. There are shortcuts in life, but the little details you can practice often make the difference between success and heartache in the field. Before heading out to hunt, it’s crucial to…
ES VERY ONCE in a while, something truly novel comes along in the hunting world. Compound bows, treestands, trail cameras and laser rangefinders changed the way we hunt. Now, a new tool is poised to change the way hunters recover game. Track’n Trail is an app that uses the digital imaging capabilities of your smartphone to see blood you can’t and generate real-time alerts when blood is detected. That’s right — your phone can now help you track wounded game. Bill Pelligrino, owner of the legendary Archery Hut in Colorado Springs, Colo., said Track’n Trail is “like a metal detector for blood.” Track’n Trail isn’t just another GPS or mapping app. It’s a full game-recovery system powered by patent-pending technology that helps hunters ethically recover downed animals by giving them…
