TrickemNstickem

Have you got trail camera shots yet of big bucks? They should be growing nicely by now. It’s always exciting to see what class bucks you get on your trail cameras every year. Watching them grow their antlers is fun. Deer season is not to far away and it is always a good idea to start preparing early. I have already started practicing with my bow and I am starting to get my checklist of items together of things I will be needing. That way when deer season rolls around I want have to rush out and buy a bunch of items I need all at once.

I know I am already getting fired up for next deer season. I know it’s a long way off but I can’t wait to try and finally get that Pope and Young buck.

I’m always fired up about whitetail bowhunting.

Whitetail bowhunting can make for some great hunting footage.

My neighbor took me fishing the other day and I had a great time but it just doesn’t compare to whitetail bowhunting big bucks for me. There is just something about getting after those mature trophy whitetails that gets in your blood. I am looking forward to filming hunts as well, I can’t wait to get some great footage of some rut crazed trophy whitetails going bonkers for some hot does.

I have got the fever for whitetail bowhunting pretty bad. Last year I harvested my first mature buck with a bow, bowhunting in Illinois and now not a day goes by I don’t think about getting my first Pope and Young buck. I am waiting to get the ten pointer I harvested bowhunting in Illinois back from the taxidermist to have him officially scored but I think he won’t be a Pope and Young buck, but he is a trophy in my book and I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to harvest such a beautiful animal.

This video is just a remix of some of the footage I shot last deer season.

Using scents can increase your odds of harvesting big bucks deer hunting.

I have always liked doe in heat scents the best when deer hunting the rut. I harvested a very nice trophy buck bow hunting in Illinois and I was using three different scents when I harvested him. Weather you are bow hunting or gun hunting scents can be of great value to help you get that trophy buck of a lifetime. I saw an article I wanted to share with you.

Scents And Lures

Do you use scents when hunting whitetail deer? You’ll find it quite rare to come across hunters who are not carrying some kind of fragrance with them, in the hopes of finding more success, and more opportunities to drop a big trophy whitetail buck.

Scents can be broken down into two basic categories, cover scents and lures. Cover scents are used to re-create a natural smell, such as the scent of small forest animals, or of the forest itself. Lures can be used to imitate a deers’ natural food source, or to that of a doe in heat.

Expert opinions say that scents are quite useful when used properly. Unfortunately, no scent will work to its’ full capacity if the hunter themselves do not remain (human)scent free. Biologists believe that a mature whitetail buck can detect one particle of human odor when combined with ten thousand particles of any cover scent. Whitetail deer have very sensitive noses, and are dependant on their sense of smell for survival.

Hunters today have the added advantage of scent blocking garments, as well as sprays and powders. If you use cover scents, use them wisely. The biggest problem hunters have is removing their human scent. With the whitetail deer having such a great sense of smell, it is most beneficial to you, the predator, not to smell like one. The only thing that a deer cannot smell, is nothing.

Our goal as deer hunters is to attract them to where we have a clean shot. It’s always best to stay downwind when setting up close to an active deer path, and when using food attractants, they should be common to the hunting area. The whitetail deer is a wild animal and you can’t always tell what their reaction might be to a certain scent or lure.

The most successful hunter hunts with his mind, creating techniques from knowledge and experience. If something is not working right, or you are not having much luck on your hunts, examine what measures you are taking to ensure your success. Remember, you are trying to outsmart this animal on its’ own turf, and you are one of many predators it must be wary of to survive.

By: Andy Fidler

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Andy owns Deer Hunting Expert which provides information and articles on deer hunting

I used my new sight to harvest a very nice buck bow hunting in Illinois.

I believe getting a good quality sight helped me harvest that big buck. I saw an article I wanted to share with you here.

Choosing Archery Sight Wisely

All archery hunters know that accuracy can make or break a hunt. One of the most important pieces of equipment an archer owns is the sight on his bow. What is the most vital part of any successful hunt? Making a good clean shot. Having good archery sights is where a good shot starts. Quality bow sights give you confidence in the most critical moments out in the field and it is important that you pick a sight that is going to perform in your hunting situation.

There are three things to look for when buying a high quality archery sight: accuracy, durability, and ease of use.

Accuracy - A great bow sight has to be accurate. Make sure that the sight is capable of shooting accurately at the distances you will be shooting. For example if you are hunting mule deer in the west and you are going to be shooting at 50 yards and beyond you want a sight that will provide 5 to 7 pins. You may also consider adjustable or sliding sights that allow long distance accuracy. Slider sights are becoming more popular and can be very effective when used properly. If your shots will be close between 10-40 yards choose archery sights that fit those distances. Remember accuracy is your preys worst nightmare.

Part of accuracy in archery sights is their adjustability. Look for sights that have micro adjustment options. Being able to adjust down to the smallest measurements possible allow you to dial your bow sight in. Another key point is shooting the smallest fiber optic possible. The smaller the fiber optic pins the more accurate you will be. Remember an accurate bowsite will give you confidence and with practice make you a better shot.

Durability - Durability starts with a sight that is made of quality material. Most modern archery sights are made from the best materials available. The sights have sturdy construction and are built to withstand the most avid hunters abuse. In addition these sights protect the fiber optics in a way that they won’t be damaged. Having a sight with bright fiber optics makes a big difference. High quality sights will have strong pins that won’t bend or break.

Let’s face it most hunters are hard on their gear and if you have a sight that is not durable it won’t last long in the rugged outdoors. Pins bending, fiber optics breaking, and just general pin alignment problems are common with low quality archery sights. Don’t waste money on cheap archery sights that have to be replaced every year. Make sure your sights will be ready for your moment of truth.

Ease of Use- As with any hunting equipment it must be easy to use. Consider the type of hunting you do most often and purchase the sight accordingly.

An easy to use sight is one that takes little thought or effort to shoot accurately, and is designed so you use it effectively in the field. Most quality archery sight systems use allen wrench tools for adjustment and are very easy to set up. Once sighted in they allow you to shoot quickly and accurately.

Archery hunting sights are a vital part of the bowhunters success and choosing a sight that fits your hunting situation is vital. If you want quality archery sights remember accuracy, durability, and ease of use. If you remember those and choose wisely your bow sights will perform flawlessly in the field and on the range.

Jason Yates
Member of Pope and Young Club
Basin Outdoors
Winners Choice ProStaff
Grim Reaper ProStaff

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

www.basinarcheryshop.com/archery-sights-scopeswww.basinarcheryshop.com/

This is the 10 pointer I harvested on November 7,2008 bow hunting in Illinois.

I have seen them in the Team Realtree videos or some of the great hunting shows on television. Whether it be bow hunting the Milk River in Montana, or the brush country of south Texas, or Ohio, or Iowa. There are so many great places to go bow hunting, but there’s one place that I would like to go more than any other in the United states, and it’s Pike County, Illinois. It seems like heaven right here on earth to me. With the big bucks that you consistently see taken from there, it just seems like the place I would love to be able to hunt the most. Year after year you hear about  trophy bucks taken from there, it just seems like the place I would love to be able to hunt the most.

Pike County, Illinois is located in West Central Illinois, and is the largest county in the state. It consist of over a half a million acres, and is 849 square miles. It is bordered by the Illinois River on the east, and the Mississippi River on the west.

Over half of the county is pasture and cropland which are planted in wheat, corn, soybeans , and alfalfa. Which are not very big compared to some of the other mid-west states crop fields. And a lot of them are separated by creek bottoms, and brushy timber lots and overgrown fields, it’s prime big buck habitat. Plenty of food and water, and plenty of cover. A lot of the land is Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

With a buck to doe ratio of about 4 to 1 it is a great place to see a lot of mature bucks rutting and chasing does during the rut. It is not uncommon to see three or four bucks chasing one doe. It makes for some great trophy hunting.Rattling, grunting, and using scents, and decoys are very effective ways of taking big mature trophy whitetails in Pike County, Illinois. There is a lot of heavy rutting that takes place during the rut there. So you can use these different tools to your advantage to score on a big boy, if you use them at the right time.

Some people say that the increased hunting pressure has taken a toll on the number of big bucks being taken there, but it is not true, the number of big bucks being harvested there has increased, and is very impressive. Every year there are a number of very large bucks harvested there.

If you still have your doubts how good the hunting is there check this great article here on Outdoor Life’s Big Buck Zone blog.

Last year I was fortunate enough to go deer hunting in Illinois, and I was able to harvest a very nice 10 pointer that when I get him back from the taxidermist I will have officially scored to see if he will qualify for the Pope and Young record book. I am already looking forward to going hunting there again this year. Who knows maybe one day I’ll get to go hunting in Pike county.

You can go to this link here to find out more information on hunting in Illinois.

Deer hunting mid day can be a great time to harvest trophy bucks.

Then I would go back to camp and eat lunch and hang out until 2:00 or 3:00 pm when it was time for the evening deer hunt . But I started hearing about more and more big bucks being harvested while hunting during the middle of the day. And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. If there a lot of deer hunting pressure in an area the deer will feed at night and bed during the early morning. By mid day the deer will either get hungry, thirsty, or not be tired anymore and need to stretch. Also with other hunters coming in and out of the woods, if you stay in the woods you may see a buck that was jumped by another hunter and are on the move. With less hunters in the woods during mid-day maybe the bucks feel safer to move about. If it is during the rut, bucks will either be looking for a doe in heat or chasing a doe in heat, it doesn’t matter what time of day it is. The more time you spend in the woods, the better your chances of harvesting big bucks.One year I was deer hunting in Jasper county, in Georgia. I harvested one of my nicer bucks while on a mid-day scouting trip - deer hunting. It was the middle of November and my dad and I had gone hunting that morning and we both had returned to camp around 10:45 a.m. My dad fixed us breakfast. He’s the camp cook, and a pretty darn good one at that. He decided to take a nap after we ate. I had been wanting to check a road bed for scrapes that seem to be in the same spot every year. It was a very warm day for November. I slowly made my way down to the road where I suspected the scrapes. Then I spotted a doe crossing the creek at the bottom of the hill. She didn’t see me. She kept looking back as if something was behind her. I knew it might be a big buck following behind her. She walked down the creek out of sight. I eased down the road slowly, looking and listening to every movement and every sound. Then I heard something coming at me on the same trail the doe had taken. I positioned myself behind a tree and got my rifle ready. When I saw him he had his nose to the ground and was walking slowly. The sight of that big rack made my heart start pumping faster. I made the decision to shoot him and my new Winchester 7mm short magnum put him down for the count. He was a beautiful 9 pointer. And I harvested him on a warm mid day in November. He was following a doe during the middle of the day.So the next time you go after that trophy buck, consider staying for the middle of the day. You will increase your odds of taking that big trophy whitetail.

Archery hunting deer like this big buck is an exciting challenge.

I have been hunting whitetails for 29 years and during that time I have enjoyed archery hunting deer, but this year I finally took my first big mature whitetail buck with a bow. Before last season I made myself a goal of harvesting a Pope and Young. I had came very close several times but just haven’t sealed the deal. So early last summer I purchased a new PSE Stinger compound bow and started practicing as often as I could. Some buddies of mine invited me to go archery hunting deer in southern Illinois and I jumped on the opportunity. I had always wanted to go on a hunt outside of my home state of Georgia but just had never done it. So we planned on leaving for Illinois the last week of October and bow hunting the first week of November right in the heart of big buck country. We left early on the day after Halloween and arrived in southern Illinois that afternoon. We were pumped. When we got there we were greeted by unseasonably warm temperatures, but we were not about to let that discourage us. We immediately unpacked and headed out to do some scouting and ended up hunting that evening. My buddy Brad shot a big mature doe that evening and started the trip off on a good note. We scouted and hunted hard all week in very warm temperatures for early November in Illinois. We ended up extending the trip for a couple of days because we knew there was a cold front moving in and from the sign we were seeing we could tell the rut was about to kick in. On Friday November 7th the weather turned cold and the day before my buddy Mack had seen 10 bucks chasing does all morning. I got in my portable early that morning and was on the edge of my seat with excitement. I did a rattle sequence and grunted and bleated a few times and got ready a few minutes later I spotted a big buck coming in and he came right in to about thirty yards and I put the smack down on him. He walked about 15 yards and laid down and expired. What a rush it was getting my first big buck with a bow on the last morning of our trip. And now I have got the fever bad for bow hunting mature whitetails. It is so exciting getting a trophy buck within bow range and getting a good clean shot off. It is so challenging and is a memory that i will never forget. I am already looking forward to going back this year. I should be getting the deer back from the taxidermist real soon, and will score him again. It looks like he will fall just short of making the Pope and Young record book but he is a trophy in my book and will always be special to me.