Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 - Archery i North American Whitetail

When reverse-draw crossbows first came onto the scene, they garnered high praise from hunters due to their compact size, better balance and faster shooting speeds. Contrary to conventional crossbows, reverse-draw crossbows have cams at the front of the bow and limb pockets at the rear of the riser. This design allows reverse-draw bows to have enhanced “power stroke” (more arrow speed for less draw weight) and a centered balance point (as opposed to front heavy). In addition, reverse-draw crossbows are typically much narrower in width than conventional models. TenPoint Crossbows recently launched their lightest and narrowest reverse-draw crossbow ever: the TRX 26. Designed with a micro-footprint and low profile at 26.5 inches short and 5.75 inches narrow, the TRX 26 shoots 460 FPS. At the heart of the TRX 26’s…

For me, summertime deer scouting has always been about inventory. There’s nothing more exciting during the summer months than watching bucks grow and choosing what deer you plan to go after once fall arrives. Nevertheless, where I’m from in the big woods of Pennsylvania, getting bucks on trail camera during the summer is no easy task. In most places I hunt, we are not allowed to use any supplemental feeds (such as minerals) to lure bucks in front of our trail cameras. The key to successfully building a solid inventory of bucks where I come from is to focus on native summer browse sources. KNOW YOUR BROWSE Whitetails utilize a wide variety of food sources throughout the year, especially during the spring and summer. Spring and summer feeding is almost entirely…

FOR OVER 40 YEARS, North American Whitetail has educated deer hunters on the most cutting-edge whitetail hunting tactics, biology and gear. To continue this effort, we’re producing the ultimate guide to deer hunting for entry-level hunters: WHITETAIL 101. Hosted by Managing Editor Blake Garlock, WHITETAIL 101 is a comprehensive guide to deer hunting, educating aspiring hunters on all-things whitetail, from how to get a hunting license to cooking their harvested venison. You can view this 20-part video series on the My Outdoor TV app, gameandfishmag.com or on YouTube. Completing a project this big is no easy task, and fortunately we had several dedicated partners work with us to make WHITETAIL 101 a success: POLARIS All whitetail hunters need to get around their property, and we knew that there was only…

The story of my hunt for Stickers and Clydesdale really begins in late summer of 2021, when we gained access to a 130-acre piece of property. This piece of property is a combination of tillable land and pasture area with a creek running through it. Since we did not have much time to really get in and take a good look at the property, we decided to put up a camera on the back side of the corn. That fall, we had several solid deer show up; however, I had a deer on my main farm that I focused my attention on for the year. The following year, I decided I needed to put boots on the ground and check out the 130-acre property more closely. With the help of…

Bowhunters and gun hunters routinely disagree on matters of the deer hunting world. But it’s a mistake, and downright shame, to let pride prevent you from learning a few lessons from the hunters in orange. Here are things bowhunters can learn from gun hunters. TIP 1: SPEND LESS TIME ON THE PHONE Generally, bowhunters shoot short distances and gun hunters shoot longer distances. Because of this, bowhunters can rely more on their sense of hearing than gun hunters. A gun hunter can spy a slinking whitetail at 400 yards and lob one into the boiler room. Oftentimes, bowhunters have trouble calling to a deer at that distance. Additionally, bowhunters tend to spend more days in the field than gun hunters. These things and more can cause bowhunters to pay less…

In Part I of this series on the cost of land management for whitetails, we discussed food plotting equipment expenses. Now, in Part II, we’ll “dig into” the cost of clearing land for planting, timber stand improvement and the introduction of man-made water sources. We'll also discuss food plot management and feeding. MECHANICAL CLEARING First, to create an opening in your forest or woodland, you will have to clear the area using heavy equipment. There are three basic ways of doing that: timber harvesting, mulching and bulldozing; although, track excavators can be useful. If you are harvesting timber, there may be a net gain from sale of the timber, but you still will have to prepare the site, which will negate the income. Here in Texas, the average mulching cost…

“I was wondering if I should pull my truck on in, or just wait!” says Jonathan Duzan, describing the moment he spotted a world-class buck standing in the predawn light a quarter-mile from the gate he was about to open. “I figured he was heading to the same place I was, so I texted a couple of my buddies while I was sitting there watching him,” Jonathan continues. “I told them: ‘There is a giant here with another buck, and I’m not sure what to do.’” This turn of events was totally unexpected, and Jonathan was taking a moment to consider his options. He had hunted the same property in Illinois for many years, and he had never seen a buck like the one standing there! But let’s not get…

The time on my wristwatch told me I had about 12 minutes of legal shooting time left the moment I first laid eyes on the buck. It was the second of November, and the pre-rut vibe was thick in the evening air as I glassed the animal making a slow and plodding approach to my tree stand. The buck was an absolute specimen, a main frame 8-point with huge bases and a strange turkey foot characteristic to the left G-2, thus confirming the whitetail buck I’d been chasing for two seasons was closing the distance. The buck was entering the woodlot where I was positioned in a staging corner. With the tree canopy still yet to fall, shooting light in the timber was much darker than the field edge, and…