Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2023 - Spring i Petersen's Bowhunting

FIRST SHOT This year, I’ve committed to bow-hunting birds exclusively with the Magnus Bullhead, a wide, guillotine-style broadhead designed for head and neck shots. I’ve been intrigued by this hunting method for years but, for one reason or another, just never gave it a chance. This spring, I’m going to change that, and with any luck, I’ll lop the head off a tom or two before it’s all said and done. Beyond the hunting itself, the other thing I really appreciate about spring turkey season is the opportunity it provides to explore new country and reconnect with old friends. For me, turkey hunting just doesn’t carry the same pressure as pursuing deer or elk. So, it’s much easier to justify traveling to new places and spending a fair bit of…

BOWHUNTING WISDOM It is all too easy to forget what happened 45 years ago when I first started bowhunting — all the mistakes and the long years I spent before drawing first blood. Helping to shorten the learning curve for other bowhunters should be a primary goal for all of us and with that in mind, I am going to spend the next 1,500 words doing just that. Untangling the Setup Process The journey started simply enough with me hiring Jordan to help me create another bowhunting series on YouTube. Outside of PE class in high school, Jordan had never drawn a bow. I am not sure how she could go so long in our family without shooting a bow, but somehow it happened. She had killed a number of…

Using hand lay-up techniques to build the carbon-fiber frame, the team took advantage of the capabilities of this manufacturing method to create complex shapes, angles, bridges and even cages as they formed the riser that would ultimately serve as a core component of their 2023 carbon flagship, the Era. The Era — so named because it ushers in a new era for Elite’s bow making efforts — not only features an advanced carbon riser but many other new technologies. The bow is home to the SP Cam, micro-adjust letoff, a three-mod shooting experience, S.E.T. Technology, LTR Roller Guard, wide-stance split limbs, tapered grip and an array of vibration-dampening accessories. Carbon Cornerstone The carbon-fiber riser is the heart of the Era. Each riser is made with a carbon molding process, enhanced…

For 2023, Mathews has taken two big archery trends and melded them into one with its all-new Bridge-Lock Stabilizers, giving bowhunters an elegant, off-the-shelf solution for achieving perfect bow balance. Trend number one is the growing popularity of stabilizers among the bow-hunting set. Over the past decade, bow-hunters have steadily moved away from short, rubbery “stabilizers” that merely quell shot noise and vibration in favor of true stabilizers that place significant weight away from the bow to dramatically improve bow balance at full draw and boost downrange accuracy. Rising consumer demand has spawned a plethora of bowhunter-focused stabilizer products, including back bars and V-brackets that offer hunters the same benefits tournament shooters have long enjoyed. Trend number two is the rapid growth of purpose-built, integrated accessories designed to meld seamlessly…

It was January 2022, and as I labored forward, I reeled in amazement at such a fact; where had all the years gone? Long ago, spending the month of January in the land of the Apache had become a way of life for me. When I first discovered the unique flora and fauna of this harsh climate, I quickly became intrigued with the endless possibilities. Large expanses of roadless, rough terrain piqued my exploratory nature. Mule deer, whitetail deer, elk and bighorn sheep made a living in this country, and I soon became infatuated with the high level of dedication and savvy required to successfully bowhunt the one referred to as the “gray ghost.” Now — three decades later — as I shouldered another backpack loaded heavy with treestand gear,…

LIVE 2 HUNT Friends have asked me, “If you could only choose one, would you hunt deer or sheds?” The times I’ve been faced with this, I’ve confidently answered, “SHEDS!” every single time. Looking back, it’s probably because this question only comes up after a great day of shed hunting, and at that moment, my enthusiasm for it is through the roof. Suffice it to say, I enjoy the heck out of pickin‘ sheds. Spotting chocolate brown tines shining in the distance is my drug! I love the insight these treasures offer too. It can be easy to be misled by a trail-camera photo regarding a buck’s size or maturity. Holding a shed antler from that buck, or — better still — multiple shed antlers gathered over several seasons, can…

BETTER BOWHUNTING Each rangefinder has its own unique personality, flaws and limitations. Spending a lot of money on a rangefinder does not guarantee you will end up with a quality instrument. For example, some of the most expensive rangefinding binoculars I’ve tested have performed the worst under field conditions. I’m an optics junkie and have bought and tested almost every brand of rangefinder on the market, both monocular and binocular models, as well as rangefinding bow sights. I’d like to emphasize again that in my experience, price does not necessarily equate to accuracy and performance. I’ll spend the next few columns helping you understand how rangefinders work and encouraging you to test yours for effectiveness and accuracy. Buying the best rangefinder you can afford and becoming intimately familiar with it…

Although I’ve archery hunted for more than 30 years, I’ve never gone bowfishing. This year I thought was time to change that, so I planned an excursion on the Delaware River near Philadelphia for carp and those toothy, invasive northern snake-heads that now inhabit the river. First, however, I needed a rig that a bowfishing newbie easily could set up and get comfortable with, which is where the V2 bowfishing kit came in. Built off previous Muzzy bow models, the V2 is designed to fit the needs of almost any bow fisherman. For starters, it’s highly adjustable, with the ability to change the draw length from 25-31.5 inches, in half-inch increments, and the draw weight from 25-55 pounds, allowing you to tailor the bow for your shooting preferences and the…

WHITETAILS In addition to being a ton of fun, hunting in the U.S. is big business. In 2016 (the most recent national data available), 11.5 million people ages 16 and older hunted in the U.S., and they spent $26.2 billion — with a “B” — doing so! Of that total, big-game hunting accounts for $14.9 billion, or 57 percent of all hunting expenditures, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. Further, the report clearly shows whitetails are the most sought-after big-game animal. As a result, whitetail hunting results in a significant economic contribution. When viewed from the lens of a business valuation, based on how much money whitetail hunting generates, whitetails in your state could produce more economic activity than…

CROSSBOWS When it comes to boxing, the sport’s featherweight division has a weight limit of 126 pounds. Wild turkeys are in a "featherweight" division all their own, being worthy opponents for each other and the hunters who pursue them. Big gobblers can fight to the death, inflicting horrific wounds and damage to one another with their beaks and spurs. The turkey’s feathers are designed to help shield areas of crucial blood supply and vitals, with thousands of feathers with shafts, barbs and barbules adding layers of protection. Add a skeleton of hollow bones in the background and you have formidable armor that helps withstand challenges from other birds as well as shots that come from bow and crossbow hunters. Anyone who has bowhunted turkeys will undoubtedly have a story of…

CROSSBOW TEST The Flatline 460 features TenPoint’s patented ACUslide cocking/de-cocking system integrated into the injection-molded stock that also offers a padded butt plate, raised comb, pistol grip, pass-through foregrip, oversized trigger guard, added safety grip and an integrated receiver for the crank handle. Stout split limbs and RX-8 dual cams work with a specialized cable system to produce extremely fast bolt speeds, while the fluted barrel and floating trigger box ready the rig for action and accuracy. High Energy The bow portion of the Flatline is the engine that drives 400-grain bolts downrange at an impressive 460 fps. A set of simplistic limb pockets, anchored to the stout, machined-aluminum riser, cradle, control and align the limbs for perfect operation within the overall system. The 300-pound draw weight Dual-Flex split limbs…

SAFE-LIKE PROTECTION $125-$300 YETI; yeti.com The company that brings us those impressive coolers and awesome beverage mugs is back with two new versions of its LoadOut GoBox, a waterproof, dustproof, virtually indestructible gear container designed to store and protect your most important equipment. The LoadOut GoBox, which now comes in the original GoBox 30 and new GoBox 15 and 60 models, is perfect for storing essentials such as food (it’s not a cooler), hunting equipment, camping gear, first aid kits, cameras and more. The spacious GoBox 60 comes with removable cargo trays, dividers and the Pack Attic, an innovative, zippered pouch system situated in the lid. It weighs 17.2 pounds and measures 26.8x11.7x10.8 inches inside. The GoBox 15, perfect for holding essentials, checks in a 7.5 pounds and 8.5x11.8x8.6 inches…