Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i Petersen's Bowhunting

At the forefront of this change is the crossbow, a device fast becoming the weapon of choice for a growing number of archery season participants nationwide. Of course, the crossbow’s growing popularity is no secret, but I believe many long-time archery hunters will be shocked to learn that in bedrock bowhunting states such as Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin, more whitetails are now taken with crossbows than vertical bows. In Pennsylvania, which ranks No. 1 in America with some 331,000 bow-hunters, crossbows now account for 68 percent of the total archery deer harvest annually. Sit back and let that sink in for a moment; nearly 7 of every 10 deer killed with archery tackle in arguably America’s most important bowhunting state are taken not with compound bows but with crossbows!…

The nice thing about writing this column since before many of you were born is the fact that I am no longer expected to impress anyone. You all know me way too well for that by now. It is quite possible I am less capable of handling those huge moments than you. Maybe you should be the one telling people how to zero-in mentally when the chips are piled high, but that may not serve the greater good of hearing it from someone who has failed yet survived. That brings up a good analogy. I had a close call on a float plane back in September 2021. To be honest, I really thought we were going to die. Obviously, we didn’t. And when it was all over, Ron — the…

Dudley is an accomplished target archer with a long list of honors and awards to his name, in addition to being a world-renowned coach, highly successful bowhunter and one of the sport’s most popular influencers via his social media feeds, digital videos and podcasts. The latest bow addition to the PSE/ Nock On lineup is the 2023 PSE Nock On Unite, joining the Carbon Levitate and Embark in the series stable. Offered in your choice of three distinct cam systems, the Nock On Unite also features PSE’s EZ.220 Snap Spacer system for fast cam-tuning; a comfortable, injection-molded rubber grip; new limb silencers to tame vibration and shock; a Picatinny rail sight mount; three rest-mounting options; and 941 X-Tech split limbs that are aligned to the riser with a new, lighter…

WHEN I LOOK BACK AT MY BOWHUNTING LIFE THUS FAR, IT ISN’T HARD TO SEE HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THINGS FOR THE BETTER. FROM MORE EFFICIENT BOWS AND BETTER BROADHEAD DESIGNS TO LIGHTWEIGHT TREESTAND MATERIALS AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE BACKCOUNTRY CLOTHING, TECHNOLOGY HAS REALLY CHANGED THE GAME! BUT IF I HAD TO PINPOINT JUST ONE HIGH-TECH INNOVATION THAT HAS TRULY REVOLUTIONIZED MY BOW-HUNTING, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE CELLULAR TRAIL CAMERAS AND THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN MY WHITETAIL PURSUITS. Cell-Cam Explosion By now, I think just about every bowhunter is familiar with cellular trail cameras, with a large percentage of us owning more than one! As the name suggests, a cell cam operates much like a standard trail camera, except in addition to storing captured images on an attached SD card,…

I’m a black-bear outfitter in Saskatchewan, and one of my favorite things about it is the mental journey our guests go on the first day of their hunt, especially if they’re first-time bear hunters. I find it similar to someone getting ready to skydive for the first time. They’re either really quiet and uptight, or they’re giddy with excitement. Most bear hunters and outfitters set up for their hunts with treestands, which is a good way to do it. A treestand gives you the best visibility, and it definitely keeps you up out of the chaos if you’re lucky enough to have high bear numbers in the area you’re hunting. I enjoy hunting bruins from a tree, but when I have the choice, I’d rather set up on the ground.…

When using some of the higher power rangefinders, you could potentially range an antler tip sticking above the grass at 40 yards if you are able to hold the device steady enough. I prefer to use optics with the highest power magnification and the smallest possible reticle. This leads us to our next topic, the importance of understanding angle-compensating rangefinders. The Math and Science As most of you know, when shooting uphill or downhill you shouldn’t shoot using the line-of-sight distance to the target. If you do, your arrow will hit high. For most reasonable archery shots — say 40 yards and under — you actually need to shoot using the horizontal distance to the target. So, if you will be hunting anywhere other than on flat ground, you need…

Despite the somewhat old-school nature of its recurve design, Excalibur has refined its unique platform many times over the decades and continues to incorporate a host of new-age technologies. Among several models in the company's Assassin Series is the new-for-2023 Assassin Extreme, featuring Excalibur’s integrated Charger Crank system, Micro High-Output Express limbs, super-compact riser and a stock unit that is home to a contoured pistol grip, flared foregrip, raised cheek piece and bolt-on butt plate. Safety wings, manual trigger safety and an anti-dry fire mechanism work to ensure safety, while the R.E.D.S. suppressors aim to tame the shot. Control, Comfort, Connection Excalibur’s stock unit serves as the shooter/bow interface and is critical to the overall comfort, fit and control of the crossbow. To that end, the Assassin Extreme is outfitted…

MAKE A SCRAPE ANYWHERE! $47.99 Wildlife Research Center; wildlife.com Create a mock scrape in the ideal spot, even if you don’t have the right tree, with the new Active-Branch Mock Scrape Kit. Simply identify the location you want to create a scrape and then attach the branch holder to the tree, or even a post you install yourself. The branch holder supports two branches, one for an "interaction branch" at the proper height for deer to engage with and a second to hang the Magnum Scrape-Dripper above it. In addition to the branch holder, the kit comes with a mounting strap, Magnum Scrape-Dripper and 4-ounce bottle of Golden Scrape Scent. Since the Magnum Scrape-Dripper only drips during the daytime, this is the perfect setup to help attract and condition deer…

As I detailed last year in my three-part series on CWD, our understanding of the disease and how to combat it — in both free-range and farmed deer populations — has largely been stagnant since researchers documented the neurological disease in mule deer in a state-owned captive facility in Colorado in 1967. A simple search for CWD-related research reveals that while there is no shortage of peer-reviewed studies, there really aren’t any solid answers. But thanks to two thought-leading researchers and some fascinating new technology, the game has recently changed! Hereditary CWD Resistance Genetic research has shown that CWD is heritable and susceptibility is predictable at the individual level. This highly significant development could play a huge role in how scientists understand CWD going forward and how we respond to…

Those crossbows were rudimentary but mass-produced and made of bronze. Fast forward to today, and the basic concept of limbs, string and bolts still holds true, albeit with a different look and feel. In the Middle Ages, the crossbow was made of a short bow attached to a wooden stock. A groove guided the bolt, and a sear held the string in the cocked position with a trigger to launch it. The crossbow was so effective that it was outlawed for use in some places. The longbow ultimately became the weapon of choice since it could be used to shoot a second projectile faster. But it didn’t have the same reach, and the arrows it launched were not as heavy, both of which are still valid when it comes to…

Driving all night on snow-packed roads, I white-knuckled my way toward the Purgatoire River south of Las Animas, Colo. Pulling onto a tract of public land, I wondered what I was getting into. This country looked more suited to mule deer than whitetails, but an elk-hunting buddy from Colorado had assured me whitetails abounded here, with some really good bucks in the mix. We’d soon see about that. With six inches of snow on the ground and a wind-chill in the single digits, I hit the ground running. Heading for the nearby river, I fought through nearly impenetrable brush, finally breaking onto the sandy shoulder of the water. Slowly meandering along, slushy ice flowed down the watercourse. As I stood on the bank observing the surroundings, the sound of breaking…