Bowhunting Archives

15 04, 2024

Big Deer Archives: 4-Year Ouest for a Nebraska Archery Giant

Clay Hanback2024-04-15T09:26:01-04:00April 15th, 2024|Big Deer Stories, Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Writing script for a new Nebraska television show about my hunt out on the North Platte River last fall. You don’t hear that much about Nebraska, but it’s a sleeper state for big whitetails. Got me to thinking of a great story a passionate bowhunter named Nick sent me 8 years ago: Mike: My journey for a Nebraska public-land buck started back in 2012 when I was notified, I was getting stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, which is located about 15 miles south of Omaha. I am a 15-year active-duty Air Force Security Forces (military police) member. I arrived to Offutt in the beginning of July. Right away I began to research the local public hunting spots. I stumbled [...]

1 04, 2024

Pennsylvania Deer Harvest Up 2 % in 2023-24

Clay Hanback2024-04-01T10:32:31-04:00April 1st, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Hunting News, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|0 Comments

The Pennsylvania Game Commission reports that hunters harvested an estimated 430,010 whitetails last season. The statewide buck harvest was estimated at 171,600, while the antlerless harvest was about 258,410. The 20023-24 harvest is 2% greater than that of 2022-23, and 4% higher than the total harvest seen as a three-year average. As for last season’s buck kill, it was by 5% over 2022-23, and up 6% over the three-year average. Overall, 27% of deer hunters shot a buck. That was a slight increase over 2022-23’s 26% success rate, and up significantly from the 15% success rate seen as recently as 2007-08. The majority of bucks harvested are older than in decades past, too. Before antler point restrictions, most of the [...]

25 03, 2024

How to Hang a Tree Stand For Bowhunting

Clay Hanback2024-03-24T09:07:05-04:00March 25th, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|0 Comments

If bowhunting big deer is not a game of inches, then surely it is one of feet. You can do some awesome scouting and find a killer spot ripped with buck sign. But if you move in with a stand and set it a foot too low…or angled on the south side of a tree as a 10-pointer marches in from the west… You get it. If your positioning is off just a bit, you might as well be off a mile, because you are probably not going to shoot that buck. Use this guide to fine-tune your stand placement for better shots. Size matters. A straight tree 15-20 inches in diameter is perfect for any type stand, “lock-on,” ladder [...]

20 02, 2024

How to Build the Best Food Plots for Deer

Clay Hanback2024-02-20T08:34:42-05:00February 20th, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Deer Management, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|0 Comments

This is a tutorial on how to create small and affordable food plots that whitetail deer will love, and which are actually easier to hunt than 2- to 4-acre green fields. The Plan Roll out an aerial photograph of your property, and pull up the Google Earth coordinates for a secondary source. Look closely for strips and openings where you might plant some clover, tucked away—and this is key—in areas where you don’t have to cut down many if any trees, or otherwise do extensive clearing and leveling. Look for easy-to-work spots that are part of the natural landscape and your herd’s habitat. Now think back to previous scouts and hunts on the property. Where are major deer trails and [...]

13 02, 2024

Should You Buy a Used Hunting Bow?

Clay Hanback2024-02-13T10:22:30-05:00February 13th, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|0 Comments

Mike: Getting my tax refund soon, and got some money to play with. Went to the local archery shop with my buddy, who upgraded to a new Hoyt RX-8. I was looking at the used bows and picked up a Hoyt Alpha X 30 with draw weight and length that fit me perfect. “Sweet bow and hasn’t been shot a lot,” the shop owner said, “You can have it for $800.” I wasn’t bow shopping, but before I could think I blurted, “Will you take $700?” Both my buddy and I walked out of there with bows! Love the bow and it shoots fine, so I don’t have buyer’s remorse. But I wondered what you think of buying a used [...]