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 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Tink’s, which is best known for its #69 Doe-in-Rut Buck Lure and other attractant scents, has significantly expanded its product line for 2010 with the new Vanish scent-elimination system and Miss November, a lightweight, inflatable doe decoy that is portable enough for backcountry hunts yet realistic enough to fool bucks. Compared to other deer decoys on the market, it’s also extremely affordable.

Miss November weighs 2 pounds and can be inflated in the field in 5 minutes using just your mouth. Because each leg has a separate air valve, the decoy can easily be set up standing or in a bedded position. The exterior features a high-definition, photo realistic printing process on the fabric. There’s also a fabric tail that easily moves in the breeze to add a bit of movement and added realism to your setup. There are also four included stakes to secure the decoy.

Miss November will retail for $50. For more information, visit the Tink’s Web site HERE.

Plan your next do-it-yourself bowhunting adventure with some expert advice from Field Editor Eddie Claypool. Eddie is a die-hard archer who has spent the past three decades piling up trophy-caliber elk, mule deer, Coues deer and whitetails across North America. And you know what? Not a single one of those animals has been taken with the assistance of a guide or outfitter. When it comes to solo hunting, Eddie is one of the kings, and his tactics and expertise can go a long way to ensuring success on your next bowhunting adventure.

Check the interview out HERE.

P.S. You need iTunes installed on your computer to listen to Petersen’s BOWHUNTING Radio episodes. The iTunes program, and our bowhunting podcasts, are free. If you need iTunes, you can download it HERE.

Well, I got back into the office Monday after a great Illinois bowhunt with some folks from Mossy Oak at Richardson Farms Outfitters in Cooperstown, Ill. I didn’t kill anything. Actually, there was only one deer taken the whole time I was in camp. But it was still a great hunt, and just about everyone saw some absolute monsters. I can’t wait to get back and give it another try.

First off, I have to say that owners Tim and Elizabeth Richardson are absolutely wonderful folks, as are all the guides who work for them. Richardson Farms has more than 9,000 acres of prime Illinois farm country to hunt, including almost 7,000 contiguous acres. This year’s corn and soybean crop was fantastic, and it’s no wonder the deer in this area grow so big. The lodge where hunters stay also is first-rate, as you can see here, and the meals were outstanding too.

As for the hunting, well, let’s just say it could have been better. I had the misfortune of hunting during an unseasonably warm spell, which definitely put a damper on daytime deer activity. To make matters worse, heavy rains the week before our hunt prevented farmers from getting a lot of crops harvested. So, while we were there, the fields around many of our stands were a flurry of activity from combines, tractors, fertilizer sprayers, etc.

Despite that, I saw my fair share of deer, including about half a dozen shooter bucks, over my three days of hunting. The biggest was a monster 10-pointer that chased a doe right under my tree but never slowed down enough for me to even THINK about getting a shot, never mind actually taking one. I’m guessing this massive-racked deer would have scored 155-160 and weighed about 250 pounds on the hoof. Just an absolute stud, and my knees were knocking after that encounter.

On the third day of my hunt, I made an all-day, 12-hour sit in a great little creek bottom at the base of a steep ravine. I saw four shooters that day, all within 50 yards. Unfortunately, the winds down in that hole swirled on my all day, and every time I had a good deer coming in, he ended up catching my scent and sneaking back out the area. I was also surrounded by turkeys most of the day and managed to take a couple half decent photos of them as well as shoot some good video. Here’s a picture of my view from that stand, with the creek and the hardwood ridge rising on the opposite side, as well as a shot of one of the hens that basically fed right under my stand.

Despite numerous close calls on the part of our group, including a couple guys who actually got to full draw on monster bucks but never released shots, there was only one buck actually killed during my time at camp. Mossy Oak’s Chris Paradise killed this nice 8-pointer on the second afternoon of the hunt. He headed out for his afternoon hunt and got on stand around 3 p.m., rattled right away and said three different bucks came right in. He made a perfect shot on this deer after just 15 minutes on stand.

On the last morning on the hunt, I could only sit until 8 a.m. because we had to head for the airport. This was a view from the little food plot where I was set up, and although I didn’t see a deer on stand that morning, it was still an awesome sunrise and great time to reflect on just how truly blessed I was to be able to spend a few days hunting such great bucks with such great people in such a great part of our great nation!

Special thanks to Mossy Oak’s Butch English, Ben Maki, Chris Paradise and Allison Carter for making this happen! I can’t wait to do it again.

It’s alive! 

Back in early September I posted a blog describing a decoy project I’ve been working on.  You can check out that previous post here (www.bowhuntingmag.com/blog/?p=234). My taxidermist, Don Fager, and I set out to create the ultimate whitetail decoy, and by gosh, I think we’ve done it. 

Don built me a custom, full-body mount whitetail deer using a Carry-Light decoy as a core, rather than a standard taxidermy form (www.carrylitedecoys.com). The idea being that the tried and true, hard plastic Carry-Lite body would be better suited to withstand an all-out attack by a whitetail buck.  Neither of us were exactly sure how it would look once fitted with a doe cape, but it turned out that the realistically shaped Carry-Lite makes a pretty awesome taxidermy form.

As you will see in the photos, the decoy has an actual set of whitetail antlers that are removeable so it can be used as either a buck or a doe.  What you can’t see though, is what I believe will turn out to be the decoy’s real ace in the hole.  On the back end of this beauty, we installed a tail unit that we borrowed from another decoy called the Easy Doe (www.easydoe.com). The Easy Doe is an inflatable decoy that utilizes a remote controlled motor to flick its tail from side to side, and in my opinion, it is by far the most realistic looking tail movement on the market. On this ultra-realistic decoy, it’s going to be absolutely deadly!

 

 

Every great decoy must have a name, and I’ve decided to name mine after the man who created it. With the antlers installed, I’m going to call him Don.  When used as a doe, the name will be lengthened to Donna!

This weekend, I’m heading out to spend a week in Illinois, followed by a week in Iowa.  I can’t wait to try and get Don in front of a big ol’ midwestern buck, and I’ll be sure to issue a full report here on Stuck In the Rut. November is upon us.  It’s go time!