The shot felt good, but instead of collapsing on the spot, the deer ran off. And, as it vanished into cover, you couldn't help but be concerned, because you know that even a mortally wounded whitetail can travel a long way before giving up the ghost. As you sit and let your heartbeat... more »
The sound of your call is nowhere near as important as the type of call used. The sounds you make to entice a bull moose can be broken down into two areas, vocal and non-vocal. There are all kinds of sounds in the forest. As long as the noises you make have no human element and serve to... more »
A lot of scouting can be done on the internet. Web sites such as Google Earth can give you an idea of likely hunting areas. Topographic maps are also useful as you can look for ridgelines, low ground, agricultural fields, roads, etc. The corners of fields, the narrowing of ridges, and... more »
Most hunting articles focus on ways to successfully hunt and harvest a deer. You know, the pieces are titled "Ground-Blind Savvy," "Way of the Scrape," or "RX for Monster Bucks." But, no one caters to folks who prefer to strike out each season. If you're afraid of success, don't like the taste of... more »
Deer are nature's mobile CSI teams, with a lab that consists of a nose, ears, and eyes constantly combing their environment for danger. Each time you hunt a spot, you leave trace evidence, increasing the chance deer will detect your intrusion. To be successful, you must avoid letting them know... more »
The bull's first grunt sounded like a distant thud. Several seconds passed, then another low thud bumped the trees. My brother and I glanced up the long, heavily forested slope beside the swamp around us, then back over the knee-high grass to where Dad sat. He'd been bellowing his cow call since... more »
The evening was cool, with nary a whisper of wind. I'd chosen to sit and watch from a tiny point of land jutting into the deeper waters of a cattail marsh. The remains of a large pine, which years ago had yielded to the pull of gravity, provided me with a comfortable seat, while alders and tall... more »
Spring is one of the best seasons to hit the bush. The warm sunshine is excuse enough to go wandering for a day and the perfect tonic for shaking off the winter blues. It's also time to start planning for fall deer hunts. Most people work within too narrow a focus in spring. If they're scouting or... more »
I felt like Woody Allen. Should I sit where that secondary trail hits the rub line and the elevation and barometric pressure are in my favour? Or should I sit here, at an intersection of primary scrape lines with optimum wind velocity and moon phase? I don't know! And where do I put the... more »
