Stuck in the Rut

Make sure to check out Petersen’s BOWHUNTING’s October edition, which is our 2010 Whitetail Issue. This special issue hits newsstands Sept. 7 and is jam-packed with information designed to get you ready for a successful fall hunting seasons.

Some of the highlights of the 2010 Whitetail Issue include:

* Field Editor Bill Winke’s Top 10 Rut Tactics

* Treestand Placement Strategies from North America’s Top Whitetail Outfitters

* An insightful feature on locating and hunting mature, big-woods bucks

* Still-Hunting Strategies

* A Report on the Varied Rut Timing Across the South

* A Breakdown of the Year’s Best New Camouflage Patterns

* And Much More!

Make sure to look for Petersen’s BOWHUNTING on your local newsstands and pick up your copy before they’re gone.

Get ready to Nock and Roll with BOWHUNTING contributor John Dudley! Dudley’s brand new bowhunting program, dubbed Nock On, will debut in early 2011 on The Sportsman Channel. Check out these teasers below and make sure to tune into Nock On in January. Congratulations John on what is sure to be a great new show!

Here’s what John has to say about the new show and what “Nock On” is all about:

I feel like I’m one of the few people who have a broad crossover since I’m a competitive shooter, a writer, a coach and a serious hunter. That is a strong background that I am fortunate to have, and I love every one of those different areas of the sport. “Nock On” is a brand new project that is unlike any other show out there. The general idea was to create a show that captures the life of the dedicated archer (like my family’s life). We have a year-round commitment to every aspect of the sport and over the next few seasons this show will bring out all the elements of the dedicated archer. It obviously showcases a lot of great hunts, but it also has helpful tips for shooting and being better in the field, as well as plenty of funny moments. I’m all about having fun with archery and regardless of how serious I try to be, having fun is what my personality is all about. I have dedicated my life to archery and it has been so rewarding. My speaking and writing is how I give back to this sport. I don’t keep any secrets and instead offer everything I learn and try to be transparent with the ups and downs of my shooting and hunting experiences. If only one person is more successful from something I have written or because of something they heard me say, then I’m happy!

“Nock On” is about capturing those moments of intensity in the field or on the shooting line. The logo says it all and it represents my generation of archers! The X crowd – the new breed of archers that are diehard, passionate “lifers” to the sport. The guys that want to get better and practice year-round, stay in shape and hunt everywhere they can and keep their families in the game, too. The concept for this show was a no-brainer for Hoyt to get behind because it represents the kind of people that make Hoyt the company it is. Soon there will be a Website and formal announcement for “Nock On TV” and everything about it. The logo is a perfect reflection of what “Nock On” is all about. It is the coolest logo in archery right now and I can’t wait until I can finally go out in public with my hat on! Every archer – regardless of whether you are a hunter, 3D shooter, target archer or Olympic recurve shooter – will enjoy this logo. It really captures who we are! Right now we’re in the final stages of solidifying the U.S. network where it will be released in 2011. For the Canada premier, it will happen on October 3rd at 1:30 p.m. I am REALLY, REALLY, pumped for people to see this because it isn’t like anything out there. Everyone who has seen a secret sneak peek has wanted to see the next show right away, but they are in a vault!

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in North America and Europe, and caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Deer ticks, which feed on the blood of animals and humans, can carry this bacteria and spread it when feeding. I’ve been hunting since I was 10 and even though I’ve flicked numerous ticks off of myself, friends and even my wife, I’ve never felt completely comfortable sharing the woods with Lyme disease infected bugs. Like many hunters and outdoorsman, I’ve tried sprays and have taken the common precautions to avoid their attack, however they seem to always get a free ride back to my house and garage. To top it off, I live in central Minnesota and if you’re not familiar with this area, it’s basically a breeding zone for Lyme disease — ticks galore!!

After turkey hunting with my wife last year and flicking off at least 20 ticks (one in which was stuck to her side), I was excited this year to hear about Gamehide’s new line of insect repellent apparel. To help defend yourself against those pinpoint sized little devils, Gamehide introduced ElimiTick Tick-repelling clothing. Featuring Insect Shield repellent technology, the new garments feature a man-made version of a natural insect repellent found in chrysanthemum flowers, which is then bonded to fabric fibers. And because ElimiTick bonds the repellent to fabric fibers, you get better coverage than you would with sprays, and ultimately increased repellency. Plus, Gamehide advertises the apparel to retain its effectiveness over 70 washings; basically beyond the expected life of the garment. Even after 70 washings, tests show that the repellent is 97.9-percent effective on ticks.

Odorless and invisible, ElimiTick apparel is the first ever EPA-registered Insect-repelling clothing, and can be worn by hunters of all ages. And because it is odorless, it’s ideal for chasing sense-driven game animals who rely heavily on their sense of smell to avoid danger. Deer, elk, bear, it doesn’t matter what you decide to hunt.

Perfect for spring and early seasons, and when ticks start showing themselves in large numbers, ElimiTick apparel is designed to be effective all year long. The tick-repelling line of clothing is offered in a number of items including their Button-Up Shirt, Long Sleeve Tech Shirt, Five Pocket Pant, Cover-Up Jacket and Hat. More items coming in 2011.

Any step toward precaution and the prevention of Lyme disease is a step in the right direction. Don’t make the same mistake many hunters have in the past when it comes to protecting yourself in the field.

For more information on Gamehide’s ElimiTick apparel call 888-267-3591 or go to www.gamehide.com

State biologist Mark Ternent discusses the Keystone State’s unique black bear bowhunting opportunities.

Listen to the free podcast HERE.

When someone tells you they’re headed out of town for a spring gobbler hunt, chances are Oregon isn’t the first destination you’d guess. But as I learned this past weekend during a great gobbler hunt with the folks from BowTech, the Umpqua River region is home to a pretty stunning population of Thunder Chickens. And thanks to the expert scouting of guide Dave Powell from Jody Smith Guide Service, it took me all of about 45 minutes to put my tag on a nice gobbler!

Thanks to a generous invitation from BowTech, I flew out to Eugene last Thursday and — along with a handful of other outdoor writers — spent Friday at the company’s plant learning about their manufacturing processes and actually building my own custom Destroyer 340. This is a sweet bow, and after putting it together on the factory floor, the BowTech guys took me over to their on-site pro shop, added a sight, rest, stabilizer and nocking loop. Within an hour, I was pounding Gold Tip Expedition Hunter shafts into the 12-ring.

Friday afternoon, we piled into several vehicles and made the two-hour drive from Eugene to the River Bank Guest House north of Elkton. The accommodations were great, and right on the banks of the Umpqua River. Although we didn’t have time to fish, the spring salmon run was in full swing, and there were plenty of anglers on the water. I also had the pleasure of watching a bald eagle do some fishing right off the back porch.

On Saturday morning, I partnered with Editor Joe Bell of Bow & Arrow Hunting magazine. We met guide Dave Powell around 3:30 a.m. and drove up to the Sutherlin area, where Dave had been scouting some birds and had a blind all set for our morning hunt. This was truly one of those times where everything happened more or less just like it was supposed to. Dave had been watching a group of birds roosting in a particular area and making their way across the same field each morning. He explained their pattern to Joe and I, and sure enough, the birds were out of the trees by 5:20 a.m. and making their way across the field in front of us by 5:40. Although the main group of birds was about 80-100 yards out in front of us, a single 2-year-old gobbler came in from behind us and saw the Montana Decoy hens we had out in front of the blind. Enticed by the decoys and some hen talk, he slowly made his way over for a closer look and at about 30 yards, I was able to make a perfect, pass-through shot with the Rage 2-blade broadhead. I wasn’t watching the clock, but Joe tells me it was 5:50 a.m. when we were standing over my bird. Now, that’s getting it done in a hurry!

After getting my bird tagged, we spent the day trying our best to get Joe a bird. Man, we were into turkeys non-stop from dawn until about 2 p.m., and we must have tried about eight different setups. Joe got close on numerous occasions and even got off a couple long shots that missed the mark. Another time, he was at a full draw on a nice gobbler just 28 yards away and was just starting to squeeze the release when the bird spooked and took flight. On still another setup, Dave and I called no fewer than 10 gobblers within 30 yards, gobbling their heads off, and poor Joe was set up around a bend in the hillside and simply couldn’t see what was happening, never mind get a shot. Eventually, he tried to sneak through some cover to get an arrow off, but you know how that usually goes, and the birds caught his movement and high tailed it out of there just as he was closing into killing range.

Despite the fact Joe didn’t tag a tom, it was a very exciting day, and we saw some absolutely stunning scenery. In addition to turkeys, this area of Oregon is home to Roosevelt elk, blacktail deer, Columbia whitetail deer, black bears and mountain lions. I saw plenty of blacktails and whitetails on the trip, along with an elk calf. This was definitely some of the prettiest country I’ve ever hunted.

On Sunday, our group had only half a day to hunt, because everyone needed to get back to the airport in Eugene to head home. However, that morning, Jim Velasquez from BowTech’s marketing department tagged an absolute limb-hanger of a bird. This was Jim’s best turkey ever, and needless to say, he was absolutely thrilled to strut back into camp with such a fine trophy. Once again, the Destroyer lived up to its name. Great shooting, Jim!

I really enjoyed my time out there, and I don’t think BowTech could have packed any more into the two-and-a-half days we had to spend together. Next time, I need to work a couple extra days into my itinerary so I can try for a couple of those spring salmon, visit nearby Crater Lake National Park and even make the short drive over the Pacific Coast.

I also got some great photos and video of my time in the BowTech plant. More on the company’s high-tech manufacturing processes to come soon in a separate post. Stay tuned…

A couple of months ago,  Mike Mattly, Public Relations Manager for Summit, Knight & Hale and Carry-Lite Decoys, invited me on a turkey hunt in southern Iowa. “Eastern’s,” I replied excitedly! “Sign me up.”

I’ve never had the opportunity to hunt eastern’s before. Over the last ten-or-so years, I’ve become smitten with turkey fever, and have avidly hunted them in Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and Texas, but never  east of the Missouri Rivert.  Brooks Johnson, whom I consider one of my mentors in the art of bowhunting turkeys, has described the thunderous echo of eastern gobblers to me on many occasions. I’ve also had a few of my Pennsylvania-based co-workers take little jabs at my western turkey hunting roots, claiming that I’m pretty good at taking those “inferior” western subspecies and challenging me to test my prowess on the “intellectually superior” eastern strain.  To say I was anxious to bowhunt these thunderous turkeys of the east is an understatement.

Our host on this hunt was Tails of the Hunt Outfitters. Aaron Volkmar owns and operates Tails of the Hunt and offers top-notch opportunities for whitetail deer and turkey in southern Iowa and northern Missouri. He and his staff were great guys to be around and their accommodations were first class.

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On the first morning of our hunt, I experienced the eastern thunder for the first time. Aaron sent me and camera man, Bill Jackson, down into a hardwood bottom with a Summit Run-N-Gun groundblind. As Bill and I set up in the twilight, a gobbler boomed from directly above us, setting off a chorus of gobbles from at least a half-a-dozen toms roosted near a creek behind our blind.  I was caught off guard by just how different sounding the eastern gobble was to my western trained ears. It sounded nothing like a Merriam or Rio to me. Brooks was right – it was different, loud and awesome! Eastern thunder…

By fly-down time, those toms had me foaming at the mouth. They hit the ground on the other side of the creek, but I was only able to catch fleeting glances as several hens led the thundering toms in the wrong direction. Silence eventually filled the bottom and I began to wonder if there might be something to my friends’ eastern intelligence theories. Bill and I kept calling intermittently though, and eventually got an answer. Two gobbles came from far across the creek behind us. It sounded like two toms to me and I pounced on them with the calls.  I’ve been accused of being an over aggressive caller on many occasions, and when the smoke started rising from my box call I could tell that ol’ Bill was a bit concerned. The way I see it though, one of the best ways to get a tom to come investigate is to make him think he’s missing the party – and I was bound and determined to throw one for these two toms.

To Bill’s surprise, the gobbling began to get louder. I switched to a slate and mouth call as they closed the distance and stayed on ‘em relentlessly. If I could coax them across the creek, it would be game on. Moments later I caught movement through my peek-hole in the back side of our blind and immediately switched from aggressive cuts, to soft contentment purrs and and whines.  The toms continued forward until they finally caught site of our decoys, and you know, I was a bit surprised at how those intellectually superior easterns reacted, but I won’t spoil it for you. Check out the video below and see for yourself.  It was awesome!

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Although Iowa is primarily known for fantastic deer hunting, the Hawkeye state is also home to a thriving turkey population – and these birds are well fed! According to the NWTF’s Wild Turkey Record Book, Iowa boasts more 30-plus pound birds than any other state in the union. So if you’re after a wall-hanger of an eastern, Iowa just might be your best bet. It’s a turkey hunting destination that I definitely plan on returning to.

Finally, I’d like to send a HUGE thank you to Summit, Knight & Hale and Carry-Lite Decoys for providing solid equipment on this hunt,  to Aaron Volkmar and the crew at Tales of the Hunt Outfitting for their outstanding hospitality, and to Bill Jackson for his fantastic work behind the camera and at the editing table.  Thanks guys!

For more information on the equipment  used on this hunt, or to plan an Iowa turkey adventure of your own, please visit the links below.

Summit Run-N-Gun Ground Blind

Knight & Hale Turkey Calls

Carry-Lite Pretty Boy Series Turkey Decoys

Tails of the Hunt Outfitters

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

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I thought everyone would enjoy this little turkey-hunting story from my good friend and BOWHUNTING contributor John Dudley, who has been enjoying some excellent Midwestern gobbler action. Here’s what John had to share:

The gobbler season could not have started off any better. The first stop was in Illinois, which is an unbelievable Midwestern state for turkey hunting. This was an extra special trip for me, because my wife and I both had tags. My wife Sharon has been practicing nonstop with her new Hoyt Maxxis getting ready for this hunt. She would be first to bat, and I had no doubt should was ready to deliver a broadhead to the right spot. I also had a lot of anticipation on this hunt, because we were going to put this new CamoFlex DeadFall blind to the test. I have wanted this blind since seeing it at the ATA Show in January, and I was lucky to get one of the first ones (a test model) and wanted to get a bird in front of it. Our Illinois hunt was simply unbelievable! We set up close to the roost and two different mornings we were able to coax two huge longbeards within 10 yards of the blind. They had no idea we were there! The blind was the most bowhunter- and video-friendly I have ever used! I have never heard so much gobbling and drumming in my life. Both of us made great shots and left the Land of Lincoln with big smiles and big beards. It was such a rewarding feeling to be there with my wife when it all came together for her. Hard work paid off and she was awesome!

A week went by and I had to drive to Kansas City for a meeting. I didn’t want to go all that way without hunting. So, I called my uncle who has a deer lease there in Missouri. He told me there were birds on the place and gave me an idea where to go. Turkey tags are over-the-counter and you can get two birds during the spring. The tags were ridiculously expensive, but what can you do!? We went out and put up the DeadFall where my uncle recommended.

The first morning, we quickly realized we were in the wrong field. So, we moved the blind to the flydown field for the birds. That next morning, a huge, double-bearded tom read the script perfectly and came in strutting his stuff. I was able to get my bird, get to my meeting on time and get home that night for dinner with my wife and boy. I don’t think a hunt could be any better than that! So far, I have five days of turkey hunting in the Midwest and we have three big toms to show for it!

If you want to see more about this blind – which I personally think will change the industry – check out this link. http://www.camoflex.net/camoflex/blinds/deadfall-ground-blind.html

Best of luck everyone!

John Dudley

Make sure to check out the June issue of BOWHUNTING, which hits newsstands on Tuesday, May 4. This issue is jam packed with bowhunting features and product coverage, including:

* Stealth hunting whitetail strategies from Field Editor Bill Winke

* A Nebraska Merriam’s turkey adventure with Field Editor Eddie Claypool

* A bowfishing feature with tips to help you get started on the water

* 2010 buyer’s guides for arrow shafts and release aids

* A review of 14 new crossbow models for 2010

* High Grade Bow Report on the new Quest Primal

* Cam-Tuning Tips from Randy Ulmer

* And much more!

This turkey season update’s a little late, but last weekend was a fun one for the Farris clan.  On Sunday, me and my good friend, Doyle Worbington, took our 13-year-old sons (both named Austin) out to work on taking down a tom or two. Doyle owns and operates J&D Outfitters near my home in Colorado.  He’s one heck-of-a turkey hunter and together, we make a pretty good team.

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Sunday morning, we located some birds in the dark, set up about a hundred yards from the roost and began tormenting them with calls. We must have really stirred them up because they went nuts yelping and gobbling from the roost. The boys’ eyes looked like saucers…  When they flew down though, the action came to a stop. There ended up being two toms in the group and they had no intention of leaving their hens. There’s always more than one way to get things done though, so after an hour or two of fruitless calling, I grabbed Austin Worbington by the arm and the two of us belly crawled to within range of one the toms. We used a big cottonwood as cover, and when we reached it, Austin eased his 20-gauge around the tree and flattened his first gobbler.

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The next day the kids had school and I had to work, but late in the afternoon I loaded up my youngest three and headed out to try and fill a couple more tags. My 11 and 12-year-old sons, Casey and Lane were itching to get back out after returning from a very successful trip to Nebraska a week ago. My 7-year-old daughter, Baylee, won’t be old enough to take the Colorado hunter’s safety course until her next birthday, but she loves to come along with her brothers.

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All of my kids have been archers since they were very young, but as of now, the only one who’s confident enough in his skills to chase turkeys with his bow is my 12-year-old, Lane, and I’m fine with that. The best way to make a kid hate fishing is to make them sit for hours at a time without catching any fish. When it comes to kids, action and success are key to building interest, and it’s no different with hunting. Just get your kids interested in the game. When they’re ready to take on the challenge of hunting with their bow, both of you with know it.

When we arrived, we set up near a field where turkeys often feed before heading off to roost. We popped up a Double Bull blind and put Lane on the left with his Hoyt Trykon Sport, Casey in the middle with his Mossberg youth model 20-gauge, and Baylee in my lap on the far right. If we were lucky enough to draw a couple of toms to our decoys, the plan was for Lane to shoot first with his bow and then Casey would open fire with the bang stick.

We didn’t sit long before a group of birds filed into the field. After feeding for a half-hour or so, the hens began heading off into a creek bed. There was a big tom and three jakes with them, and before they could follow, we began calling aggressivly. When they stopped to see what the commotion was, they noticed our strutting tom decoy over our bedded hen and it was on! The tom began the charge, but when two of the jakes ran past him, he held up 30-or-so yards behind the decoys. The jakes continued on in and began an assault on our strutter. As I was watching to see what the tom was going to do, Lane announced, “I’m takin’ a jake,” and slowly drew his Trykon. He held his draw like a champ, patiently waiting for the birds to stop at the right angle. Finally, an opportunity presented itself, but Lane’s bow went off before I could say a word. The arrow hit the bird hard, right where it should. Baylee, still in my lap, turned her head to look at me and whispered excitedly, “he nailed him Daddy.” Then I noticed Casey. Everything was happening so fast, and trying to keep Baylee still left little time for me to provide instruction, but Casey didn’t need it.  He quickly dropped to one knee, slid the shotgun barrel out the window of our blind and planted the other jake before it got out of range.

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My youngsters pulled off an awesome double, and they didn’t need a bit of dad’s help. Baylee had never been in the blind when her brothers had scored before and she told them that it was one of the best day’s of her life! We now have three tags left to fill in Colorado – my oldest son’s, my wife’s and one for me. But to be honest, if we don’t fill another single tag, this will end as one of my most fulfilling turkey seasons ever.

Shoot straight,

Danny

A couple days ago, I posted some pretty neat footage of me missing a monstrous Kansas gobbler at 45 yards. Although it was good footage, I did miss, and it left a pretty sour taste in my mouth. Well, Friday was my final day to hunt out there, and it went right down to the wire, but I managed to take this great longbeard at 40 yards.

I actually encountered three longbeards in the span of half an hour, and I believe they were the same trio in the video clip I posted earlier in the week. If you watch that clip, I believe this was the bird last in line of those three. He sported a 10-inch beard and spurs that go a little over an inch.

I’ll wait for a future article to tell the whole story of this hunt, but it was one heck of a trip. In addition to my own poor shooting (more on that in the article), I had to overcome a lost afternoon due to a flat tire and a late start on the final day due to heavy rains. Needless to say, I was very pleased to go home with my two Kansas tags filled. The Mathews Z7 certainly served me well on this hunt, and my 2-blade Rage heads proved devastating. As you can see in the photo, I hit this bird in the chest, and it made a pretty nasty gash clean through to the rear of the bird, where the arrow punched through between its legs.

Special thanks go to Field Editor Eddie Claypool for inviting out to his hunting grounds and showing me what a spectacular wild turkey resource is available in Kansas. I owe you one buddy!