Stuck in the Rut

Bowhunting gear has evolved dramatically during the past 50 years. Simply stated, this isn’t the stuff dad and grandpa wore back in the day. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Mel Johnson’s popular red and black flannel, teamed with average ol’ work pants, didn’t look awfully deadly as he poised with his monstrous and still yet to be beaten Pope & Young typical World Record whitetail. It’s just as a gear junkie and constantly testing what’s new, I prefer gear that is designed to hunt and rigor the beatings from extreme abuse afield.

Sitka Gear, one of the leaders in hunting apparel offers high-tech FABRICS and designs that culminate in gear designed to hunt. Since it’s birth, Sitka has addressed the demands from hardcore hunters and through trial and error, tweaking, changing, and always improving, introduced a system designed to outfit you 365 days a year. From bone-aching freezing temps to blistering days under the sun, Sitka Gear offers a systematic offering of apparel and gear engineered to perform in a variety of conditions through a specific moisture management system, which relies on a base layer foundation. Base layers transfer moisture away from your skin, helping you stay warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. This is essential, whether you’re dogging bulls up steep ridges in the Cascades or climbing a tree with your climber after a mile hike in.

Backpacks, gaitors, belts, hats and gloves compliment Sitka's full line of apparel.

Sitka’s goal is to introduce to the hunting industry a system of clothing that incorporates the latest high-performance fabrics with a mountaineering design philosophy. This system is based on a layering system and revolves around base, insulation and outerwear, with a key focus: Moisture Management. Their mission statement says, “A paradigm shift…to engineer gear that is an extension of the outdoor experience and not simply a barrier between the user and the environment. By utilizing only the most advanced fabrics and construction technologies, Sitka will always design gear that is engineered to work together as complete systems, excelling in performance, function, and protection.”

Sitka Layering Scenario. Click image for more info.

Every fall I put Sitka Gear to the test in the field. From backpacks to rain gear, gloves to base layers, and bibs to jackets, I’ve utilized Sitka Gear while chasing elk in 90-degree temps as well as manning chilly treestands during late November with snow and wind hammering my face all day. I can honestly say Sitka Gear is designed for me. I’m not a small guy and unfortunately have received a fairly humiliating nickname as sweaty. What can I say, I’m healthy! My point is: No matter what the temperature or the activity, I know that by utilizing a layer system, heat management is better executed and I don’t end up feeling like I just got out of the shower. Featuring a number of activity-enhancing features, Sitka Gear products are constructed for specific conditions and performance — say articulated knees in their 90% Pants and a grueling Mountain Goat hunt in the rocky mountains of Alaska where mobility and durability are paramount. Or down insulation, which is available in the Incinerator Jacket and perfect for late-season whitetail hunts when snow, rain and wind take their toll.

Dustin Roe pictured left with his first Mountain Goat

Sitka pro staffer Jody Cyr is all smiles after a successful Oregon elk hunt.

Beyond fabrics, layering and construction, in recent years, Sitka partnered with W.L. Gore (Gore-Tex) and introduced GORE OPTIFADE Concealment. In 2009, Optifade Open Country was created, which is designed for the Western backcountry hunter. Addressing the whitetail hunter and specifically treestand hunters, Optifade Forest was introduced in 2010. Optifade Forest features a pattern configured for hunting elevated angles. Designed around animal vision and not human eyesight, both Optifade camo patterns tout being the Science of Nothing, a concept that differs from mimicry camouflage and by breaking up the human outline using macro and micro patterns, make us appear like nothing in games’ eyes.

Optifade — Science of Nothing. Click image for more information.

Can you find the hunter?

How about now?

Optifade Forest. Macro and micro patterns help break up the human outline to deceive sharp-sensed game.

Optifade Forest

Last year I was able to field test the new Optifade Forest and I’m not lying when I say, I did not get busted one single time last year. That includes bucks, does and fawns. In fact, there were multiple incidents where I literally had deer staring right at me, scent checking with their noses up, and for one reason or another never did spook. One little guy was no more than six yards away and on a sidehill that put him almost at eye level, and he never knew I was even there. It was as if he was staring right through me. By the end of the season my tally ended at 14 bucks, six Pope & Young Shooters, plenty of does and fawns, and all without getting spotted.

Most recently Sitka launched the Sitka System Builder. This online application is designed to take the guesswork out of choosing the right layering system for hunters in any given condition. Simply start at the top and check the boxes that apply. “Proper layering is the key to staying comfortable, and ultimately staying on the stand longer. We developed the Sitka System Builder to help customers choose the appropriate layers based on their individual hunting situation.” stated Sitka Founder Jonathan Hart.

Sitka's layering system can be utilized 365 days a year.

The Sitka System Builder allows consumers to control and change a number of variables, including their Optifade camo choice, game they pursue, season, and for Open Country, the type of terrain they are hunting in. The builder will then identify the proper gear to maximize your comfort, and ultimately your hunting experience. To experience Sitka’s System Builder click on the image below.

Click on image for link to Sitka's System Builder

It’s nice to know when you hit the woods your apparel is as ready to hunt as you are. I know my bags are packed and finally September is here. The following are a few of my favorite Sitka products that I’m going to be using elk hunting during the next couple weeks.

Traverse Zip T — Open Country

Ascent Pant — Optifade Forest

Sitka's Flash 20 features 2,000 cubic inches, detachable rainfly, suspension back, bow holder, padded spotting scope pockets and more.

For more information on Sitka Gear products go to www.sitkagear.com or call 877-748-5247.

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.

Well, it’s time for the latest installment in my ongoing series of trail camera updates, and as you can see from the photo above, we’ve identified another good buck in our hunting area. This one was captured by my buddy Keith at the family farm, which is a few miles from my home. This will be Keith’s first year bowhunting, and he’s already got his name on this one! He’s got a lot to learn about how hard bowhunting can be, but I hope he pulls it off. This would be a dandy first buck with the bow. If nothing else, I am glad to see Keith’s enthusiasm for archery and bowhunting. It’s been a lot of fun running trail cams with him this summer and seeing him become a good shot with his Mission Eliminator bow. I don’t have much doubt that he’s more than capable of making a good shot. Now, all we need is for this guy to show up under his tree…

In addition to the big 8-pointer, who is just outside the ears (you can see that clearly in some of Keith’s other shots), there are a number of young bucks, does and fawns working the farm. Plenty of standing corn and soybeans right now makes it difficult to tell exactly what kind of deer activity we’ll have come November, but at this point, it looks fairly encouraging. Here are a few other shots from this week:

One more thing I wanted to note is the new trail camera I got recently from Wildgame Innovations. Actually, they sent me two new cameras, but so far, I’ve only gotten to use one of them. It’s the IR3d, and it’s a slick little unit. Basically, this is a trail camera for dummies, because you can’t program it. You just put in the batteries and an SD card, mount it to the tree and turn it on. The settings can’t change. It takes 3 MP still photos 24 hours a day, with a one-minute delay between shots. It takes color photos during the day and black-and-white photos at night using the 18 high-intensity LEDs. The entire, compact unit is weatherproof and covered in Realtree camo. I really like this camera. The only thing I wish you could change is making it takes multiple photos every time it’s triggered instead of just one. However, for what is is, I am fairly impressed.

Get ready for elk season with some top-notch hunting and calling advice from Will Primos. Join Will and Associate Editor Daniel Beraldo on the latest episode of Petersen’s BOWHUNTING Radio!

Listen to the FREE podcast HERE.

CARBON EXPRESS ANNOUNCES $50,000 F-15 DUAL BLADE BROADHEAD GIVEAWAY

FLUSHING, Michigan – Carbon Express, a leader in arrow technology and innovation, is giving away $50,000 worth of  F-15 Dual Blade broadheads.

“We know many hunters are looking for broadhead innovation.  We are so confident in our new F-15 we’re giving consumer a try for free. This is the perfect chance for them to get an incredible broadhead for just the cost of shipping and handling,” stated Mike Snyder, the company’s Director of Marketing.

F-15 Fixed

The F-15 is the only broadhead with dual, side-by-side cutting blades.  The razor-sharp blades give you 6 cutting surfaces, generating a wound channel up to 250% larger and more destructive than traditional broadheads.  The advantages are clear: creating a wound chunk versus a slice produces a massive exit wound for greater blood loss, a better blood trail and ultimately, a faster kill.

F-15 Expandable

To test fly the F-15 fixed blade or expandable,  go to www.f15dualblade.com and order. There is a $4.95 shipping and handling fee, which is a great value when the 3-pack goes for approximately $39.99 at retail.  This is a limited time offer and will only be available while supplies last.

Limit one broadhead per household. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the contiguous 48 states of the United States.  The offer is void wherever prohibited or restricted by law.  Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery, but most will be in hand in less than 72 hours.

For all you Bohning fans out there, the company announced the launch of a new Web site today. Check it out HERE for all the latest information and technical data on Blazer vanes, Helix jigs and other Bohning products. The site also contains slow-motion video, arrow-building resources and special sections with tips for bowhunters and target archers.

Join BOWHUNTING Editor Christian Berg and Lennie Rezmer of Carbon Express arrows as they discuss how to select the perfect arrow shaft for your bow and how to maximize their performance.

Listen to the FREE podcast HERE.

Sharon Dudley poses with her giant Alberta black bear

Every May, I head up to British Columbia for a spot-and-stalk bear hunt. I love spot-and-stalk hunting of all kinds, but bears are probably on top of my list. It is always an adrenaline rush when you get in close on a bruin. You never know what demeanor each bear has, and sometimes you may be in for a hairy situation! On my first stalk, I had a good black feeding out in a field. The wind was really heavy, so I was able to slip right in on this bear. I made a good shot and had a good black down. High wind plays a big part in covering noise for spot and stalk, but probably the most important piece of the arsenal is a wind checker. A bear’s nose is VERY, VERY good, and I won’t go without my Dead Down Wind Checkmate wind checker. Other than the wind checker, some thick socks or sneaky feet are a must! That next afternoon, we went to a field that I had been in two years earlier and had an encounter with a big chocolate bear. To my amazement, when we walked into this field, there was my chocolate feeding in the same place I had seen him two years earlier. Yes, I do have a horseshoe somewhere! I started to make a stalk and all of a sudden, the brownie stood up on his back legs and looked away from me. I looked that direction and saw a sow and small brown cub about 100 yards away.

John Dudley started his spot-and-stalk British Columbia bear hunt off quickly with this nice blackie.

This bruin took off like a rocket after this cub, and before I knew it, there was a bear fight like I have never seen before. The sow looked like Mike Tyson, standing up and smacking those claws across the face of the brown boar. Then they locked teeth and went crashing into the timber. The cub was high in a tree, so I knew the bears weren’t far. I grabbed my camera guy and we headed into the woods. We tiptoed through there slowly and I was glassing along the way. I spotted the chocolate laying under a big cedar, sneaked in really close and pinwheeled that sucker. It was awesome getting payback on this big bear. He had haunted me for the past two years, and to see him again and make another good shot was just what I needed to quench my chocolate addiction. After my bears, my cameraman got some tags and also smacked two good blacks. BC is simply awesome for spot and stalk, and I look forward to that hunt with my good friends up there.

Two years are hitting this big chocolate bear and losing it, John Dudley made good on his opportunity for redemption.

Although BC is the place to be for spot and stalk, there is also a lot fun while hunting over bait. Two weeks after this hunt, I had another bear hunt booked up in Alberta with my wife for our anniversary. We hunted up in Northwest Alberta with Red Willow Outfitters (http://www.redwillowoutfitters.com), which I have had some great success with in the past for Mule Deer and Elk. My wife Sharon practiced non-stop for this hunt, which we had planned it nearly six months earlier. We are firm believers in the importance of preparation and practicing before your hunt. The action was fast and furious right from the start! The first night, we saw 11 bears, but nothing that Sharon was interested in shooting. She was after a trophy bear and was willing to wait for it. The second night, we sat about seven hours and saw some good bears. At sunset, I started packing up gear and getting my pack on when I heard her whisper, “BIG bear!” I looked over and saw a black Volkswagen walking in. She pulled back and aimed for ages, then let down. I asked, “Can you see him good?” She said she could, but just wanted to make sure first. She pulled back again and held at full draw, pulling hard into the shot. I stared at the bear, thinking of where I would shoot. The red Tracer nock went sliding into the exact spot I was looking at. I just yelled out loud, “PERFECT!” I knew it was a GIANT bear and she made a shot that you couldn’t walk up and poke in a better place. The bear went 70 yards and was done.
When we got up to her bear, I couldn’t believe the size of this sucker. I couldn’t wrap my long arms around its neck at the base of the skull. It was just a freak! She was really excited, and for good reason. She has the biggest bear in the Dudley house right now! The next night, I got in front of the camera and we had a great hunt. I had a blonde sow nearby for about 30 minutes and, just before dark, a giant blonde mate came in to check the site. We were right at the front end of the rut, so we knew that lone sows would most likely have a big male close behind. I sent a green Tracer right into the pump house of old blondie. This bear went about 30 yards and was done. It was and is the most beautiful bear I have seen in my 11 years of hunting bears.

John Dudley tagged this beautiful blonde colored bear while hunting over bait in Alberta.

For the next few days, Sharon took her turn and passed several bears that we couldn’t be sure of whether or not they were sows or bruins. One good bear came in at about four in the afternoon on our second-to-last night. She looked at me and said, “You take this one; I will wait until fall for my other tag.” (We are going back for elk.) I didn’t need to be told twice. I made another smoker shot and this bear freaked out and ran off and crashed. Ten days and seven bears for my team!
Spring bear hunting is a great way to pass the time during the lull of hunting here in the states. The timing is perfect between turkeys and early-season mulies and elk. This was one of my first hunts over bait for bears while in Alberta. I had a great time being able to enjoy more of their actions and also had a lot of time on stand with my wife. I would encourage all of you to practice hard this summer and be prepared for the fall seasons. We made great shots on these bears, and it was because so much time was put into incorporating archery into our everyday lifestyle — not just during the season.

Join BOWHUNTING Editor Christian Berg and Craig Yehle, BowTech’s research and development leader, as they discuss the company’s new Destroyer bow and why the design incorporates such a good balance of speed and shootability.

Listen to the FREE podcast HERE.

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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Accomodations provided by Aaron Volkmar and Tales of the Hunt Outfitters were top-notch.

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The TOH lodge is an impressive facility that features an incredible array of whitetail headgear.

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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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Carry-Lite's Pretty Boy Junior and Pretty Mama Feeding Hen proved to be a deadly combination.

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The Rage 100gr two-blade stopped this tom in his tracks. I've found this broadhead's deep penetrating rear deployment system and big two-inch cutting diameter to be absolute hell on turkeys.

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I used the Hammerhead box call to attract this tom's attention from long range, then switched to the Silver Hammer slate and Warlord mouth call to close the deal.

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A day of firsts - my first eastern and first double-beard tom!

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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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