Bowhunting Archives - Page 3 of 65

9 10, 2024

Tarsal Scent for Deer Hunting

Clay Hanback2024-10-09T14:48:06-04:00October 9th, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Deer Rut, whitetail deer|2 Comments

One morning in early November, I smoked an 8-pointer with my muzzleloader and got on the blood trail. I could smell his rankness as I tracked, and when I found him a short way ahead, I covered my nose with my sleeve and thought, Man, you stink. The deer’s hocks were wet and black as motor oil. I rolled him over, held my breath and started gutting. Leaves popped. I peeked up and saw 10-pointer bearing down, head and rack held low, hair bristling on his neck. I crouched low behind the dead deer. A rut-crazed buck is unpredictable. I figured staying put rather than trying to wave him off was best. The intruder sidled to within 15 yards, popping [...]

1 10, 2024

3 Tree-Stand Mistakes to Fix This Season

Clay Hanback2024-10-01T08:57:27-04:00October 1st, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|Comments Off on 3 Tree-Stand Mistakes to Fix This Season

#1Your Approach Sucks You haphazardly lug a tree stand and steps on the way in to a stand site, heavy metal clanking every step of the way. You lumber along and crack sticks. You bull through a patch of cover and jump as a deer boils out of there and runs off. Even a moderate amount of human intrusion can and will cause a mature buck to change his pattern. By the time you finally hang your set and start hunting, a big deer might have moved over to the next ridge to travel or bed. The Fix: Batten down a stand, steps, tools and all your gear in a tight backpack so you don’t make a clink on the [...]

26 09, 2024

Arkansas’ “Velvet Buck” Season Big Success

Clay Hanback2024-09-26T11:47:22-04:00September 26th, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, Hunting News, sportsman channel|1 Comment

Arkansas bowhunters harvested 1,231 deer during the state’s first statewide early buck hunt earlier this month. The jump-start to deer season was added during the biannual regulations-setting process this spring to offer hunters the opportunity to pursue a buck still “in velvet.” Ralph Meeker, deer program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said the hunt’s harvest was within the range expected by biologists. “When we look at historical harvest for the first three days of archery season, hunters typically check between 2,000 and 4,000 deer, depending on the weather,” Meeker said. “But a lot of those deer are does, so when you look at only the buck component of that harvest, it’s around 800 to 1,500 antlered deer.” Meeker [...]

16 09, 2024

How to Get a Big Buck w/Your Bow on Public Land

Clay Hanback2024-09-16T12:38:36-04:00September 16th, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Hunting, sportsman channel, whitetail deer|Comments Off on How to Get a Big Buck w/Your Bow on Public Land

When Nick Whitney, who is active duty with the Air Force military police, was transferred to eastern Nebraska a few years ago, he began to research local public hunting spots. Since Nick is an ardent bowhunter, a state area near his new base that permits only archery and muzzleloaders was a good place to start. Nick hunted there awhile and encountered a few small bucks and some other people. Then he was deployed to Afghanistan and couldn’t hunt for a year. Upon returning home, he was determined to make 2017 his year. “I decided to go for it and hike as deep on the 3,000 acres as I could,” said Nick. He started scouting in late summer, making the 90-minute [...]

2 09, 2024

18 Hunting Questions Answered

Clay Hanback2024-09-02T14:32:47-04:00September 2nd, 2024|Big Deer TV, BigDeer, Bowhunting, Deer Guns & Loads, Deer Hunting, whitetail deer|Comments Off on 18 Hunting Questions Answered

I've answered thousands of questions from people who read my articles and blog over the years, here's a random sampling" What are pheromones? Pheromones are chemical substances in the urine and glandular secretions of deer. They serve as stimuli to other deer for behavioral responses. Many biologists believe that pheromones emitted by does trigger the peak of the rut and throw bucks into major breeding mode. I’ve got one buck tag and 2 days left to hunt. What is my best tactic? First, find what deer are eating right now. A patch of standing corn or a pocket of late-falling acorns is nirvana. And re-check a harvested grain field or food plot where you hunted early in season. Even though [...]