I once read an archery column in a major magazine written by a reputable guy that went like this: The buck was standing 88 yards away in the cornfield…I drew my bow and released the arrow…struck perfectly in the neck, the buck went right down… People howled, 88 yards is too damn far with a bow! That was 10 years ago. If the guy had written that today, fewer bowhunters would have protested because as archery technology has advanced light years, longer shots have become more acceptable, especially with Western bowhunters. But, all hunters would and should still howl about shooting a buck in the neck with an arrow. There is simply no such thing as “struck perfectly in the [...]

When it’s hot in the early season, in the mid-80s or even 90s, you should hang at least one tree stand over a fresh water hole. This is an obvious tactic if it’s been a hot, dry summer, like out in the Dakotas this year. But try it even if there are full creeks and rivers where you hunt. “You might have 5 miles or more of river or creek frontage on your property, lots of water for the deer, but mature bucks often drink at hidden little spots they like, where they feel safe and comfortable,” says expert archer Lionel Strong, who hunts whitetails along the famed Milk River in eastern Montana. While Strong has access to more than [...]

Standing in the backyard and burning arrow after arrow into foams target is the best way to get your bow and arrows tuned, your shooting muscles toned and your release and follow-through down pat. But along about August it’d time to raise your game and shoot from an elevated platform like you’ll do when buck season rolls around in a few short months. Why Get High? On the ground you stand fence-post straight, plant your feet in a baseball hitter’s stance, stare across at your target, draw with ease and let an arrow fly. Pretty simple. In a tree stand, you have to turn and contort your body, sometimes wildly so, and your footing is trickier. Leaning left, right, back [...]