Innehållsförteckning för October 2024 från Bowhunter

DEPENDING ON where you live, archery deer season is either already here or so close you are counting down to opening day. Although I enjoy all kinds of bowhunting, chasing whitetails is how I started, and I doubt anything will ever top the excitement I feel when the sound of hooves pounding through crunchy leaves precedes the majestic sight of a mature buck approaching my stand. Over the course of nearly three decades, I’ve certainly accumulated plenty of bowhunting history, though relatively little of it could rightly be described as historic. After all, everything that happens in the past is history, but to be historic, you need some kind of drama, tension or extraordinary circumstance that really makes the moment stand out, for better or worse. Like most bowhunters, I…

IT WAS MID-SEASON, and I was practicing on my backyard range when I noticed my arrows were hitting low. I pulled the three broadhead-tipped shafts from the block target, then re-shot two more groups. Same result. As I inspected my bow and string harnesses, I recognized the culprit. Beneath the D-loop, I could see serving separation that caused the loop to move slightly upward. I felt somewhat deflated, as I’d been shooting lights-out until now. Fortunately, I’d been in this situation several times before. I shrugged off the irritation and went to work. I removed the loop and carefully stripped the ruined thread. Then I installed new center serving using my BCY Bearpaw serving tool. I rechecked the tuning marks I had made on the bow’s cams to ensure the…

IT CAN’T BE OVERSTATED how much trail cameras have changed the way we bowhunt whitetails and other big game. In fact, other than our highly tuned compound bows, today’s cellular trail cameras are by far the most effective tool in our arsenal and have certainly given new meaning to whitetail management. Whether you hunt in an area where cell service is spotty or you can take full advantage of the benefits of this ever-expanding technology, you would be hard-pressed to argue against what trail cameras bring to the table. Take Browning Trail Cameras’ (browningtrailcameras.com) new [1] Defender Pro Scout Max HD ($149.99). Not only is this camera an affordable option, it has been redesigned to offer stellar performance and image quality with its new ALL HD ALL THE TIME technology…

WICKED RIDGE CROSSBOWS are designed, engineered, built and tested in Mogadore, Ohio, by industry icon TenPoint Crossbow Technologies. Wicked Ridge is aimed squarely at hunters looking for a high-quality rig at a price in the $499-$1,099 range. The company builds its crossbows with a combination of useful features, a high-quality standard and solid performance intended to separate Wicked Ridge offeringsd from imported crossbow models that are common in this price range. The bottom line is that Wicked Ridge prides itself on offering top-notch, budget-friendly crossbows built right here in America. For this month’s crossbow test, we took a look at the new Invader M1, the latest addition to Wicked Ridge’s bestselling Invader line. The Invader M1 is a no-nonsense, get-it-done rig that generates advertised speeds up to 380 fps if…

A SHARP BROADHEAD in the vitals can be incredibly lethal. Most often, the animal falls quickly and close to the shooter. But all archery shots are not perfect, and some truly bizarre outcomes occur, even when an arrow seems to hit the mark exactly. Take, for example, a nice 4x4 mule deer my friend Wes Hart shot three years ago. Wes stalked that buck near sundown and nailed him with a 35-yard shot. The deer bounded 125 yards and bedded with the exit wound clearly visible, just in front of the shoulder. Wes waited until dark, but the buck’s head was still up. He drove home and gave me a call. Late October temperatures were dipping below freezing, so we decided to recover the animal at dawn — the meat…

VIRUSES AREN’T JUST a problem for humans; they cause issues for wildlife, too — including the game species we pursue as bowhunters. While it seems viruses are more common in wildlife today than they were years ago, it’s also true that modern science pays a lot more attention to them as we seek to better understand these illnesses and how to respond from a management perspective. This month, I thought it would be interesting to share updates on four viruses that impact wildlife (and possibly humans), as well as discuss the potential impact on hunters. Rustrela Virus A report recently published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases cited an unusual incident. A female yearling mountain lion was found in Douglas County, Colo. The lion could not move its hind legs…

WHEN YOU THINK of the Bowtech Core Series — both the SS and SR models — themes of customization and security shine through. So much of the technology built into these bows allows for personalized adjustments to performance and experiential markers that you can make on your own. Things such as cam timing, cam positioning, grip angle, draw-cycle feel and even resulting arrow speeds are all in play — they really are a DIY playground! The Core SS — SS stands for Super Smooth — combines the power of its carbon glass split limbs with Bowtech’s DeadLock Cam System to generate arrow speeds advertised to reach 337 fps. Bowtech’s CenterMass Technology anchors compatible bowsights directly through the riser’s center for enhanced balance and accuracy, while the GripLock offers a range…

PRESENTED BY Lnacaster ARCHERY SUPPY. LANCASTERARCHERY.COM BUSHNELL R5 BINOCULARS Designed for whitetail hunters, the new R5 Binocular Series ($209.99-$249.99) promises enhanced clarity, superb light transmission and a rugged design, all at a super price point. The binos’ HD Optical System, including the BAK-4 prisms and fully multi-coated lenses, is designed to produce vivid, sharp views, even in those moments after first light or as the sun’s last rays fade from the sky. Available in 8x42, 10x42 and 12x50 options, the binos have an ABS polymer chassis with dual-mold rubber armor for protection and control in the elements. They’re shockproof, fogproof, waterproof and come with Bushnell’s lifetime unconditional warranty. bushnell.com EASY OUT ARROW Easy Arrow Out Tool Removing arrows and bolts from any practice target is now as easy as 1,…

IT WAS PERHAPS the largest bullfrog I had ever seen. If not, this particular specimen was certainly in the Top 5. I consider myself somewhat of an expert on trophy frogs, since I have been hunting them and eating frog legs for more than four decades. My father spotted the frog, and I watched him make a great shot, pinning it to the riverbank with an arrow, preventing its strong legs from taking it to deep water and safety. Thanks to my dad, we ate frog legs for dinner that night. My dad, who is 78, operates under the mantra that he would rather wear out than rust out. Fred Bear had his greatest and most physically challenging hunts later in his life. Custom bowyer Mike Palmer is still making…

AS YOU READ THIS, archery deer seasons are opening across North America. Right now, most of our freezers are void of venison, so a need to tip something over resurfaces from seasons past. When it comes to bowhunting, early-season harvests can be troublesome, especially if you get home late and the need for refrigeration becomes paramount in saving your hard-earned venison. Although there’s no data on how many hunters butcher their own deer, I’m assuming it’s a fairly high percentage. Obviously, this depends on where you live (urban vs. rural), time of season (early vs, late season), proximity to butcher shops and the number of deer you harvest annually. But no matter the circumstances, the differences in taste and quality of your meat are significant, depending on whether you age…

Q THE RUT IS COMING, and I’m tired of watching all the chasing going on in the deep bedding areas. But I’m paranoid about getting too aggressive and blowing my deer out. Am I overthinking this? — N. Cartwright, via email A IF YOU’RE AFTER a specific buck and fear he will flee at the first hint of pressure, your paranoia may be justified. On the other hand, if you just want to put yourself in the middle of the action, you may have to take your aggressiveness up a notch, and now is the time. If you don’t already know where the bedding area is, you must find it. Spend some October evenings and early mornings glassing from a vantage point or an observation stand, watching for travel patterns. Hang…