Petersen's Bowhunting is the source for the tactics, tools, and techniques necessary for successful bowhunting. Get practical shooting tips and useful information on archery, equipment tests, clothing, and product evaluations.
Previously simple acts such as sending your children to school or planning a family vacation can instantly thrust you into a vicious battle over face masks or send you scrambling for documentation to prove your vaccination status. Given the current state of affairs in our world, I often find myself feeling frustrated, tired and in desperate need of break. Can anyone relate? Well, I have good news; deer season is here, and not a moment too soon! Bowhunters have always used their field time as a physical, mental and emotional escape from the stress of “real life,” and that’s never been more important than it is right now. After all, I’ve never met a buck that wanted to debate politics or a doe that claimed to be an expert on…
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, while visiting with a deer biologist in South Texas, he told me the majority of bucks don’t reach their peak trophy potential until age 6. That became the catalyst for me to apply this in my own whitetail honey holes at home in Saskatchewan. Before we dive deep, consider how many wild, free-ranging bucks actually survive to age 6. I don’t have any actual statistics, but I will say, in all caps, NOT MANY! And even for those that do, there is no guarantee every 6-year-old buck in the woods is going to be a wall-hanger. Based on my experience, there seem to be three different kinds of bucks. First are those with smaller antlers, or less desirable genetics. They account for about 75 percent of the…
I’LL NEVER forget the first time I observed bucks from a blind, with my then supervisor in South Texas. He was a seasoned deer manager; the kind of guy who had his herd so finely tuned he could instantly tell you how many mature, 5.5-year-old bucks were on the property based on the fawn recruitment rate the year they were born, minus natural mortality and hunting mortality. Needless to say, he knew his stuff, and I was all ears and eyes! As I was still trying to tweak the magnification on my spotting scope, he was spewing out numbers like a whispering auctioneer: Five…10…12 and 5. That’s 32 on the right, and he’s symmetrical…matching 24-inch beams, a 21-inch spread and his decent mass throws him easily into the 160s. That’s…
These two examples — one for an 8-point buck and another for a 10-pointer — illustrate how you can quickly calculate a gross antler score using estimates of tine length, main beam length, circumference measurements (mass) and inside spread. Once you have a basic understanding of the system, it is easy to run a variety of “what-if” scenarios simply by adjusting your individual estimates and seeing how those changes impact a buck’s overall score. Practicing this on your mounts at home, in taxidermy shops and other locations will help you become proficient at quickly judging the bucks you encounter in the field.…
IT’S WHITETAIL SEASON and bowhunters are hitting the woods and fields en masse, hoping for a chance to procure some protein and possibly tag a trophy. Some tote traditional archery gear, while others prefer more modern contrivances such as compounds and crossbows. Most rules and limitations of archery apply to all three, but there are some differences, and this is where the crossbow really shines. First, let’s set the record straight. A crossbow is made up of strings, cables, limbs and a riser, and it doesn’t require gunpowder. So, it’s a bow — period! However, it does offer the distinct advantage of holding the fully drawn bowstring in place, eliminating the need to draw and move when game is close at hand. In some ways, that’s a game changer. Without…
THE HEADLINER OF Hoyt’s 2021 bow lineup, the REDWRX Carbon RX-5 brings the company’s latest technologies together via Hollow Carbon Tube Riser technology. A new cam system — the HBX Hoyt Binary Cam — is coupled with Hybrid EXT split limbs to power the new rig to speeds reaching 342 fps. In addition, an inline sight mount with Picatinny rail attachment has been added to the QAD Integrate Rest mount fixture to enhance overall balance, while the X-Act Grip offers comfort and control. New Riser Technology The RX-5 rig coalesces around the unique, hand-laid Hollow Carbon Tube Riser that is fashioned into a reflex configuration and the company’s proven Tec Riser design. Hoyt taps into the unique design’s ability to route shock and noise around and away from the shooter’s…
