Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Petersen's Bowhunting

At last, I could enjoy quiet, peaceful days afield without fear of competition from other hunters. And all those mature bucks that normally become nocturnal in response to intense hunting pressure would finally frolic carelessly past my perch. Yet as good as all that sounds in the moment, I also realize how hollow such an experience would be. After all, without any fellow bowhunters, with whom would I share my summertime trail-cam pics? Who would help set up stands before opening day or track deer through a nasty thicket? And what would be the joy in winning an annual big-buck contest where I was the only entrant? You see, selfish ambition aside, sharing bowhunting with others is what makes the experience so special. I was reminded of that over and…

October offers the best weather of the year. Nothing beats it. The sights, sounds and even the smells are pure indicators our favorite pastime has begun. October is an awesome time to be 18 feet up in an oak tree. But if you are not careful with your hunts, you can do real damage to the rest of your season. Despite the joy of being out there, hunting during the first half of October is usually unproductive. Because of my job, I have been blessed with the ability to hunt whenever I wanted to for the past 31 years. I have hunted some really awesome whitetail land during that time. But despite those obvious advantages — unlimited time afield in world-class whitetail habitat — I have killed only one giant…

IT SEEMS HUNTING season always creeps up on us. We’re never as prepared as we’d like to be, and we always swear next year we’ll do better. The week before our hunting trip — or sometimes on the trip itself — we do a few last-minute things to ensure we’re ready and increase our chances of success. In honor of this, here are five tips we’ve discovered that may help you as you head afield. Quiet Your Bow: There are a lot of obvious bow noises, but one that has burned us more than once is a noisy draw. Some arrow rests make a noise as the arrow scrapes along the launcher during the draw, and this sound can alert animals in the woods. If the arrow rest doesn’t have…

I’ve hunted with outfitters all across America, and regardless of the location or the animal being pursued, the common thread that sets the best outfitters apart from the rest is that they treat their relationships with clients as a partnership. A good outfitter will shorten your learning curve in a new area dramatically, getting you into the game from day one. Combine that with your own hunting ability and the odds of filling your tag increase dramatically. My 2020 hunt with Big Buck Down Outfitters is a perfect example. Owners Corbin and Caleb Millard and Reed Whiting are die-hard deer hunters themselves who truly enjoy the entire process, from scouting for ground and securing leases to installing food plots and hanging stands to monitoring in-season buck activity and helping recover…

Manufacturer: Excalibur Crossbows, 888-689-1289, excaliburcrossbow.com Model: TwinStrike Safety Features: Manual safety, CeaseFire anti-dry fire, safety wings Riser: Compact, machined aluminum, black anodized Cam System: RX-6, Dual, Spiral Cable Groove String: BCY DynaFlight 97, 25.75 inches Limbs: High output recurve limbs Draw Weight: 358 pounds Power Stroke: 9.625 inches Grip: Pistol grip, contoured Stock/Forearm: Bullpup, molded polymer Finish: Mossy Oak Break-Up Country or TruTimber Strata Advertised Speed: 360 fps with 350-grain bolt MSRP: $2,222.22 Comments: Innovative, accurate and reliable.…

From a previous visit to this high-plains habitat, I’d learned of a small spit of public land where I could camp, and as I pulled my Ford onto the sandy soil, massive cottonwoods towered overhead. Following a faint two-track alongside the river, I made my way to a hidden spot behind the massive screen of tamarack that flanked the river. My pickup topper would be my shelter for the next couple weeks, and a Coleman stove and an ice chest would provide me with my only sustenance. I’d first come here the year before, in search of new whitetail bowhunting opportunity — and what I learned from my first season in the area blew my mind. There were bucks here that far exceeded anything I had ever been around, and…

Sometimes, you can fall into these unforgettable experiences by lucking out and hanging your stand in a travel corridor that lights up come breeding season. Instead of leaving it up to luck, however, I prefer to take the guesswork out of the equation and go for a walk in deer country. I know hiking around in your favorite little hidey hole is normally considered taboo, but I’m encouraging you to go early. If you want to enjoy the crazy experiences that come with the hottest part of breeding season, you need to scout ahead of time. Here in Saskatchewan, prime rut — when most does are in estrus — is around Nov. 20. I like to prepare my rut stands right around when scrape lines start appearing. Around here, that’s…

In this column, I will wrap up the discussion by giving some options on how to trigger the release aid most efficiently, give some recommendations on the styles that might work best for hunting and discuss a few of the critical points not yet covered. A high-quality release aid will have a very “crisp” trigger, meaning there is no movement of the trigger before it fires. These triggers should be adjustable, so you can set the trigger tension light or heavy. There are several quality brands of handheld release aids on the market, such as STAN, Scott and Carter, to name a few. For the past 30 years, I have used Carter releases almost exclusively for both target shooting and bowhunting. They are built with absolute precision and have proven…

ELITE ARCHERY’S newfor-2021 Remedy, a close cousin to the flagship Enkore, was created for those who prefer a slightly longer axle-to-axle length and brace height for optimized shootability and forgiveness. In addition to providing a smooth draw cycle, Elite’s ASYM Tri-Track Cam System found on this bow allows for tremendous customization via the VersaMod rotating module that controls draw length, system letoff and the “feel” of the back wall at full draw. In addition, easy-to-use S.E.T. Technology moves the StabiLock limb pockets into alignment for a quick tune, while the Dual Riser Cages work to stiffen and strengthen the shooting platform for enhanced accuracy. Easy S.E.T. Up Elite’s Simplified Exact Tuning (S.E.T.) Technology is one of the easiest bow-tuning features on the market. Elite says it is also more effective…

EDDIE CLAYPOOL An Oklahoma resident, Eddie specializes in DIY, public-land hunting in multiple states each year. He has nearly 50 years of bowhunting experience, harvesting more than 80 Pope and Young-caliber animals during this time. His largest buck is a bruiser taken in Kansas in 2009 that scored in the high 180s. BILL WINKE One of the most well-respected names in deer hunting, Bill has been archery hunting for more than four decades, taking numerous trophy bucks during this time. He also owned a farm in Iowa for 18 years, allowing him to observe a number of unpressured, mature whitetails during that time. In 2012, he harvested his biggest-ever buck, a monster that grossed 205. CLINT CASPER Born and raised in Ohio, Clint cut his bowhunting teeth on whitetails and…

BOWHUNTING Test Measurements: Maximum Width: 25 inches (at rest); 21.13 inches (cocked) Maximum Length: 28.5 inches (without stirrup); 33.375 inches (with stirrup) Mass Weight: 9.975 pounds (with accessories); 7.95 pounds (crossbow only) Length of Pull: 14 inches (front); 12.75 inches (back) Average Trigger Pull: 2.32 pounds (front); 2.77 pounds (back) Average Shot Noise: 108.3 dB (top); 108.6 dB (bottom) with 420-grain bolt Maximum Shot Deviation at 35 Yards: .375 inch (top); .5 inch (bottom)…

Since I’m limited to 1,000 words in this column, I’ll provide two herd models on the next page that detail the impacts of two completely different harvest strategies — mismanaged and well-managed — and let you tease out the implications for your hunting area. Truth is, there is not a state wildlife agency in America with the ability to better understand how the local deer herd uses your Back 40 than you do. State agencies use models designed to achieve management objectives across a vast landscape, and as such, these models contain large numbers that lead to large assumptions that may not be applicable to your piece of deer dirt. Two Models Our two herd models are simple numerical representations of the same herd. Although the herd starts out the…

Manufacturer: Elite Archery, 877-503-5483; elitearchery.com Model: Remedy Riser: Machined aluminum, reflex, Dual Riser Cage Grip: Machined, narrow with side plates Limbs: Gordon Composites, past-parallel, split Draw Weights: 40, 50, 60, 65 and 70 pounds peak Cam System: Dual, ASYM Tri-Track Letoff: 75-90 percent, adjustable; 83.6 percent as tested Draw Lengths: 24-31 inches, in quarter-inch increments; rotating module String: BCY 452X, 60.6875 inches Cables (x2): BCY 452X, 38 inches Brace Height: 6.375 inches Axle-to-Axle Length: 34 inches Weight: 4.6 pounds (advertised); 4.7 pounds (as tested) Finish: Realtree Edge (pictured) plus six additional camo and solid-color options Advertised IBO Speeds: 331 fps MSRP: $1,099.99 Comments: Smooth, consistent and a pleasure to set up and shoot.…

Now in its 48th year, the Fish & Game Forecaster ($11.95, book, and $4.99, app; datasportinc. com) is a handy, inexpensive resource designed to predict peak fish and game movement periods daily. The forecast, which comes out in November for the following year (November 2021 for 2022 calendar year), is generated via a complex computer program that compiles data like sunrise/sunset times (light variations), moon phases, the moon’s position relative to the Earth (gravitational forces) and more. The program also factors in other research and historical data, ultimately generating daily tables suggesting the best times for fish and wildlife activity. “The (original) program was written by two or three guys who worked for UNIVAC, now Unisys, and it was in the very early days of computers,” said DataSport President John…

Excalibur’s DualFire Technology employs dual strings, rails and triggers, along with an anti-dry fire system. The bow riser is designed to accommodate the double bolts and supports the two sets of limbs. A molded unibody stock features a pistol grip, cheek piece, flared foregrip and large safety wings. Excalibur says the TwinStrike is legal in all states where crossbows are legal. Dual Threat Without question, the TwinStrike feature everyone is talking about is the two-shot capability powered by DualFire Technology. Three main components make up this system: a two-trigger platform, CeaseFire Technology and the over/under rail system. As you might expect with a system designed to shoot two bolts, you need two triggers. Excalibur’s trigger platform employs two frictionless, match-grade triggers that are advertised at 4-pound pull. The front trigger…

INFUSION OF TECHNOLOGY $159.99 Stealth Cam; stealthcam.com The FusionX wireless cam features several upgrades from the original Fusion, including sharper, clearer images; faster trigger speed (less than .4 seconds) and enhanced video capabilities, including the ability to preview videos in GIF format. This 26MP camera has an 80-foot flash range, various video and photo options, and a burst mode that allows for 1-6 images per triggering. Runs on eight AA batteries and the Command Pro app provides 24/7 access to camera and images. AT&T and Verizon models are available; plans start at $4 per month. HARD-HITTING & ACCURATE STARTING AT $159.99 PER 6 Easton Archery; eastonarchery.com Known for its superior accuracy and penetration, Easton’s Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) lineup is now even more lethal thanks to the…