As you know, we at Non Typical Hunter Inc. test new products for manufacturers of hunting equipment. I’ve decide to toss a few items out here for you to look over, since it’s all snowy and messy outside today. I’ve got 3 items that I want to bring to your attention here.

We’ve got some new targets from Magic Stop. Magic stop has some really nice stuff these days! Archery targets have come a long way these days. The more advanced targets are more complex than just foam shaped into a square, like a lot of other targets out there. There actualy is a degree of technology involved and Magic Stop uses every bit of it. They have a target for just about every type of target shooting you can imagine, from field point to broadheads and cross bows to compound and so forth. You can even order some with YOUR business name on them.

What I like about these targets is the fact that they make targets for speeds that exceed the 400 F/S mark, have targets with more shooting dots than any other bag (this lengthens the life of your bag and allows the shooter to practice with more options), have portable “Lite” bags, targets that allow you to pull your broadhead out with ease and their bags utilize a unique foam that allows lower poundage arrows to stick! If that wasn’t good enough, they have free shipping on all orders! Magic Stop is one of those companies that really does it right! They’re not just selling you a target but rather offering you a target that you can use for YOUR circumstances. Believe it or not, there is a ton of technology in these bags! You owe it to yourself to check these guys out at: http://www.bowhuntingtargets.com 

We tested some new products from Lakewood Products recently and we really like them. Lakewood makes some great gun and bow cases! Their lightweight and really strong. Each case is really thought out well regarding compact design and storage. Most of their cases have mini-storage compartments designed within the original case. Although these cases are light, they have been airline tested all of the way to Africa and back. Many of their cases are designed NOT to scratch your SUV or vehicles. Lakewood’s cases are quiet and are perfect for carrying your gun or bow with you through your favorite hunting spots. They all have foam padded compartments available that secure everything, including your arrows, releases, etc. The reason I like the Lakewood’s cases better than most is simply because these are really well thought out and are truly useful to today’s hunters. If you want to check these out, go to http://www.lakewoodproducts.com

Muzzy came out with a new version of their Phantom MX broadhead for 2010 . This new broadhead comes in 100 and 85 grain versions and is .40” thick! If anyone remembers, last year I inadvertently shot a metal ladder stand as I was shooting at a big buck while hunting from the ground, with a Muzzy 125 grain long version Phantom. If you saw the pictures, the Phantom went through 3/4” thick metal and didn’t break. These new Phantom’s are even stronger! They’re short and stout and have been tested by repeatedly being shot though metal barrels! Muzzy’s excited about these broadheads and I’m anxious to shoot them at some live targets! So far, everything I’ve shot them through has been destroyed by these broadheads. They held up good enough for me to take them hunting even after I’ve punished them over and over. You may want to check them out at http://www.muzzy.com

Like always, we never accept payment for reviewing new products! If we find a product that we don’t like, we usually never post the findings unless we feel the public is being ripped off! Occasionally, we’ll contact the manufacturer and share with them our recommendations. Most companies are eager to work with us and some are not. We also enjoy responses to hunters who have comments regarding any products that we’ve tested! Please feel free to share your experiences with us!

If you don’t know which commercials I’m referring to, here’s an example: http://thefuntimesguide.com/audio/Bud_Light_Real_Men_of_Genius_Mr_King_of_the_Karaoke_Mic.mp3

Enjoy!

Madison …A big drop in Wisconsin deer numbers, except where $41 Million has been spent to fight Chronic Wasting Disease, shows Wisconsin has a mess instead of effective deer management, according to Senator Dale Schultz. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reports that statewide deer harvest numbersthis year were at a 25-year low, following a similar steep decline last year. “I’m hearing from plenty of hunters that didn’t see a single deer this year,” Schultz said. “The problem goes way beyond three hours of fog on opening morning.” Schultz and other lawmakers have responded by calling on the state’s Natural Resources Board to suspend the antlerless deer hunting season slated to start December 10. “Count me among hunters disappointed with the direction of Wisconsin’s deer management,” said Schultz (R-Richland Center). “For several years, DNR managers have driven numerous changes in dates and policies for annual hunts. They have been ineffective at basic goals like counting the deer herd and they have alienated hunters.” Schultz said Democrat Senator Russ Decker’s call to fire the entire DNR deer management team reflects the frustration and anger he is hearing from hunters.

Schultz wants the Natural Resources Board to consider Wisconsin’s deer hunting tradition and the jobs at risk when $1 billion of annual spending is at stake. “To keep the tradition and the economic benefit going, we need more young hunters and that won’t happen if deer numbers keep dropping,” Schultz said. “Suspending the December hunt and dropping the idea of a 16-day deer season next year are just a start.” Schultz said many hunters are contacting him with their views on the 2009 hunt and he welcomes ideas about the future of deer hunting at sen.schultz@legis.wi.gov

Do you think Quinn is trying to cater the the Illinois sportsman? Do you think he has our best interest? What do you think, I’m staying out of this one as I want to see what the general consensus is.

By Mike Wiser
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Jan 22, 2010 @ 08:11 PM
Last update Jan 23, 2010 @ 12:29 AM
ROCKFORD — Winnebago County sharpshooters began culling deer in local forest preserves this week, just days after a petition with more than 600 names supporting an end to the program was brought to the Winnebago County Board.

The sharpshooting program has been so effective at reducing the number of deer in county forest preserves, say signers of the petition, that it’s time to let the population grow again. The herd size has fallen 83 percent to 49 deer per square mile since the sharpshooting program began in 2004, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“The private-land hunters are getting less deer because there’s a smaller (deer) population,” said County Board member and hunter John Ekberg, R-10. “I’d like to see (the Forest Preserve District) open up at least some of the lands to a public hunt. Maybe not all at once, but start in an area one year, then open up another area.”

The board’s 28 members serve as de facto Forest Preserve commissioners; however, there is a seven-member Forest Preserve executive committee that oversees most of the district’s operations. On a practical level, the full board typically follows the recommendations of the executive committee members.

Forest preserve officials say that by the time Ekberg’s request came to the board, it was too late to stop this year’s planned sharpshooting, which will run through March.

“It’s scaled back this year. We’re using about a third of the guys we did in the past,” said Drake Branca, director of operations for the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District. “We’ll have three or four go out two nights a week. ... When the program started, it was more like 10.”

Numbers falling
Opening the forest preserves to public hunts was a hot-button issue in 2003 and 2004 as the herd count on forest preserve land — according to forest preserve estimates — reached as high as 295 deer per square mile.

Proponents said hunters would be willing to pay to hunt in the preserves, giving the county another source of revenue while reducing the herd. Opponents, led by late board member Mary Ann Aiello, said using trained sharpshooters was the only safe and responsible way to reduce the herd size.

The program put in place also restricted the sharpshooting to after dark when the preserves were closed. Deer meat is donated to local food banks.

Meanwhile, the advent of chronic wasting disease and the need to test animals in the area strengthened the resolve of the public hunt opponents, who used it as another reason for employing paid professionals. 

CWD is a transmissible neurological disease of deer and elk that produces small lesions in brains of infected animals. Symptoms include loss of body condition, behavioral abnormalities and death.

And the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of sharpshooting in curtailing the percentage of CWD cases found in deer has been cited by people like Greg Davis as a reason the sharpshooting doesn’t work.

Davis delivered copies of the petition asking for the sharpshooting program to stop to several shops in Boone and Winnebago counties.

“What the sharpshooters do is, they shoot at night using bait and lights,” Davis said. “From a sporting perspective that’s all wrong. And if they’re trying to stop CWD, which is transmitted through saliva, using bait is the wrong way to do it.”

But the state Department of Natural Resources says CWD programs and herd reductions are separate issues.

“There have been problems with the size of the herd in (Winnebago County) since the 1980s when it was evident that the size was harming the environment,” said Tom Beissel, DNR regional wildlife and CWD manager for this area. “The goal of a sharpshooting program is to manage the herd. So is an open hunt program. Neither is supposed to address CWD.”

Regardless, Beissel said, opening public lands to hunters has been the long-standing recommendation of the agency.

“Our recommendation has been and continues to be that (the Winnebago County Forest Preserve lands) would be open to hunters,” Beissel said. “That’s not new.”

New board
The sharpshooters come from the forest preserve employee ranks, and they have to adjust their hours if they volunteer to shoot. They are not paid overtime for the additional duty, but they are also not otherwise working regular forest preserve duties.

Eric Pierson, who also helped pass the petitions, believes this is a waste of money when you have hunters, like him, willing to hunt in the preserves for free or even pay for the privilege.

“My ultimate goal is to stop the sharpshooting,” he said. “If after that, you want to replace it with public hunting with permits, I think that’s the best way to go.”

Branca said with the program already under way for this year and a new county Forest Preserve Board to be seated in November, he doubts anything will change before the end of the year.

“Anything is possible,” he said. “But with the board leaving and a new one coming on, I think this board will let the next one decide.”

Davis says he’ll continue to push the issue of stopping the sharpshooting locally. 

“We’ll keep going if there is support for it,” he said. “We didn’t even put the petition at Gander Mountain or -- -- -- ’s (Sporting Goods). ... If we can get some petitions there, I bet we could get over a thousand signatures to give to them.”

Staff writer Mike Wiser can be reached at mwiser@rrstar.com or 815-987-1410.

I picked up my first recurve at age 12 and hunted on the borders of corn fields looking for deer in the late 60’s. I had no idea what I was doing but it was so exiting just stalking and imagining that I was an early settler hunting for food. I remember getting rained on and stepping in foot deep snow and mud and loving every bit of it. Viet Nam was going strong at that time and my oldest brother was in the service, far away from giving me advice, so I was in this thing all by myself. Out of 4 brothers, he was the only one that hunted..what luck. Despite the fact that I was learning from mistakes, hunting for me was as exciting as ever. Fast forward a decade later, a compound was now in the picture along with some real camo! My first successful hunt was a combo kill. A button buck and a doe walking side-by-side fell to my 12 gauge. I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep that night. A few years later, hunting became monotonous because I was consistently filling my doe and buck tags with does and small bucks. It wasn’t as fun as it used to be. After having several conversations with close friends, some suggested I try holding out and waiting for larger bucks. I did just that for the next 2 years and got skunked. You would think I would have been devastated but it was quite the contrary. I enjoyed being patient and watching the wildlife, so in essence, my hunting elevated to a higher level. Excitement was here again!

4 decades later, I’m still raising the bar. There are many risks (by some hunters standards) but in reality, it keeps the hunt alive. If a person truly loves to hunt, they’ll enjoy ALL of the aspects of hunting and not just focusing on the kill or the “pin”! Most trophy hunters have reached this level by selecting large bucks and does for their target animals. Other hunters get the thrill in different ways. On thing for sure, there is no reason for anyone to get bored with hunting since there are so many ways to rekindle the “first time” feeling. One important thing we as hunters sometimes forget but need to be reminded of, is that new hunters need to experience the thrill of hunting by killing any size deer! Experience can ONLY be gained by having a few years of dead deer behind your belt. Other hunters have the option of increasing their excitement by moving to more primitive weapons, going after mature deer or trying different techniques that carry more risk of getting busted. Either way, the options are in your hands. Keep it alive! 

Yes, 2009 was a tough year for some of us but I was fortunate enough to fill 2 of my Illinois tags and one of my KY. tags. I ate all of my Ohio tags, Illinois doe tags and my Ky. doe tags. That’s what happens with whitetail hunting, it’s not a guaranteed science, nor would I want it to be. I’ll be looking forward to the 2010 season.

How about you?

P.S. Here are 2 photos that I posted in response to fultonctyhunter’s request in the comment section. These are some great bucks!

They hunt some pretty good ground and seem to do very well. Hopefully we’ll see some exiting stuff coming from them later this year. Good luck guys! Keep us updated!

I’ve always felt the Peoria area was a bit abandoned when the Deer Classic left and have always wished for something else to return. I even suggested to the DNR that they create a new show in Peoria, just to generate some revenue for the DNR but of course, that fell on deaf ears. They would rather increase the number of non resident permits instead and push the local folks away. Don’t get me started!  Maybe this Elmwood show will take off like Tim Walmsley’s Deer Classic did and continue to fill a void in Peoria each year. 

This would be a great time to have a question and answer session for those of you who want to share experiences, ask about something or just to listen to what is being said. I hope they have a good turnout! It’s for a great cause.

I’m going to compile a list of some products shortly and post them here in my blog soon. From there, I’ll test them and post the results later. I’ll show some new broadheads, women’s clothing, cameras (bow mounted), bow cases, releases and much more. Hopefully, there will be something of interest for all of you to check out.

Deer season is coming to a close soon and turkey season is right around the corner. It’s hard to believe another season has gone by and another one is coming. Instead of counting the last days left of this season, try counting down to the remaining days of next season! That’s what I do to get me by each year and it seems to work!

Speaking of the ATA show, I’ll be arriving early to help Muzzy build their 2 story cabin INSIDE the show building. That should be fun! I’m looking forward to speaking with the people who stop by there once it’s built. I also enjoy supporting a great product that has a great company behind it! It makes my job easier. On that note, I dropped my contract with Natural Predator (the makers of Tru Carbon) last week because I had reason to believe the company wasn’t as great as the product they make. NP was proof that I’ll drop a company in a heart beat if I have any reason to believe that their employees are not treated in a respectful and dignified way. It’s really too bad because they make a great product that helped me harvest some nice bucks. So anyway, it’s bye-bye to them as a pro staffer.

Although I leave in one day for the ATA show, I must take advantage of this snow (and you should too)! There are tracks to and from these secret little hiding paces that are exposing some of the deer’s best kept secrets. It’s like they’re leaving a paper trail for us to follow! You had better find time to get out and check these places out as they’ll probably be great for next fall’s early season bow season. Don’t worry if you kick them out now, they’ll be back!

If I find some neat stuff while at next week’s show, I’ll post them here while I’m there!

I’ll have to get there a day early to help Muzzy build a 2 story log cabin inside the building. From there, it’s chatting with some of the industry’s reps, manufacturers and retailers. Of course, there’s always time for hunting stories among hunters! This year’s show will be in Columbus, OH, so another 6.5 hours on the road! I’m getting sick of traveling. Having said that, I’m leaving for vacation tomorrow, so I’m hoping to start my book and finish up some stories that I’ve committed to, for some hunting magazines this year.

For all practical purposes, I’m about finished hunting this year. I would have like to dropped a doe or 2 for the freezer but where I hunt, they just aren’t there. It always leaves a lump in my throat when the season ends but with shows like the ATA, the deer classic, etc, there’s always something to do “deer wise” until next season.

Looking back, this was a very interesting year for me. I saw some major changes in the deer herds in my areas. I got a chance to hunt OH. and KY. I was able to try some new strategies, some that worked and some that didn’t. I’m looking forward this year to hunting KS, something I’ve always wanted to do! I’m also looking forward to leasing some newer ground, if I can find some, here in IL. for the turkey and deer season. Who knows what will pop up?

I wish everyone the best of luck for the remaining days here! Stay warm and hunt hard!

So here I am in Canada seeing deer almost everywhere I go. Unfortunately, I’m not hunting up here. Yeah, I saw deer in Mich. also. Indiana, Yep.

It must have been a good day to hunt!

You’ll be surprised to find where these tracks will lead you! Some of the most elusive deer will find their way in-between downed timber, in small crevices and so forth. Snow opens the door to a whole new and exciting opportunity in addition to being one of the best classrooms mother nature can provide. It won’t be here for ever, so make time to scout your hunting grounds while the ground is still covered.

Snow can also be a bit deceiving. I’ve scouted with many hunters who have mistaken tracks for a “herd of deer”, when in fact it was only one deer making the path. Whitetails, being repetitious in feeding this time of year, can beat down a path over the same area while traveling to and from their favorite food source. Take your time and look at the size, how recent each track was left and which direction the hooves were pointed. Each track tells a story!  Last but not least, keep your eyes opened for shed antlers! Finding sheds in an area will identify a favorite route used by that buck. If its a mature buck, he may be worth tracking in the future.

So grab your boots and get to work! You may even be able to ambush a late season whitetail while scouting.

Another year has almost gone by and another one will be here soon, so make the best of it now! I wish all of our PSO readers a Merry Christmas and hope you take the time to enjoy it!

Because of the location, I had to quarter him out like most of the deer I kill. These big bucks never make it easy for me by sleeping in easy access areas. His rack is extremely dark because of the dense amount of cedars he lived in. For some reason, bucks love cedar trees if they have the option to choose between a cedar or a hardwood forest. This ole’ boy has 5.5” bases, so his mass is very respectable. It’s a good ending to one of the roughest years I’ve ever had in bow hunting. From here on, it’s does only but it won’t be happening here! I don’t think we have more than a few does left here, so hopefully the other hunters will leave them be also.

Good luck to everyone else out there! There’s plenty of good hunting left.

Rewinding back to some articles I’ve written before, working these hiding places are your only option in high pressured areas where the deer simply won’t move. Still hunting with a bow takes incredible patients but is very rewarding. Expect to be skunked over and over before ever getting close enough for a shot. Wind directions, crunchy leaves and keen eyeballs from predators are always factors that you’ll have to deal with while in pursuit. Nevertheless, once in stealth mode, being elusive can really pay off once catching a group of deer off guard. Even if your presence (but not your person) is noticed, your bigger bucks will hold extremely tight, just like pheasants, while your cautious does will most likely bolt. 

Hunting pressured deer on the ground requires some tools of the trade. A set of binoculars is a must. Carbon powder, like Natural Predator’s Tru Carbon is the only stuff that works for me while on the ground. You can pretty much throw that spray bottle scent eliminator away as it is nothing but watered down Hydrogen Peroxide. I did used to make my own spray scent eliminator and it was ultra concentrated but it’s easier for me just to use the carbon powder now. A good bleat call and a ghillie suit will top-off the list. When hunting, plan on being outdoors for hours as it will take that long to slither through the woods un-noticed. I also bring high energy snacks and a bottled water to keep me going.

The trick here is to slide in un-noticed WAYYYYYYYY before the deer notice you. Once you spot your target, concentrate on shot placement in relation to wind and obstacles. It may take up to 2 hours to get in close enough for a good shot, so no need to hurry as the deer aren’t going anywhere if they’ve been pressured for weeks. I’ve been as close as 10 yards to deer, during the rut, to 20 yards outside of the rut. Sometimes you will find yourself flat out stuck because of obstacles that you simply can’t get around, so be prepared to use that bleat call to get their curiosity. It works!

Last but not least, you stand hunters need to practice shooting your bows from the ground. The trajectory will change on the shots that are a bit farther out. Don’t be surprised to see your arrowed deer run straight towards you if your camouflage is good, so don’t panic if that happens, it’s all part of the rush associated with ground hunting!

If you want to increase your chances of a late season harvest while hunting pressured deer, get yourselves on the ground, hunt these deer like pheasants (but a bit slower) and expect to get some action to boot! If anything, you’ll diversify your hunting seasons a bit and remove some of the monotonous “hunting by rote” syndrome.

For most, the peak of the rut is what dreams are made of, that is if you’re a big buck hunter. There’s no doubt, most hunters plan their vacations around that time of year and for good reason, there’s action! What many hunters don’t know is the fact that the late season here in Illinois just happens to be a great time to pattern big bucks and harvestable does! Normally, the early season offers ample opportunity to follow in the footsteps of your local dominant buck simply because they’re predictable. The rut kicks in and the only prediction is there may be bucks out in the open giving any willing hunter an opportunity for a shot. If your into gambling, that may be what gets your blood going. If you’re more into planning and outwitting, there’s another game for you and an easy one for that matter.

Big bucks need nourishment now more than ever, even more than the pre-season! After weeks of running and chasing does (with no time to eat), mother nature’s weight loss program really works! With the dating scene over, the only thing these critters can think of now is food! In addition to gaining lost weight back, colder weather causes deer to burn calories at a much greater rate than the warmer months. Caloric intake is essential to sustain body temperatures beyond what would be considered abnormal, so it’s off to the dinner plate! With the colder weather also comes the need to conserve as much energy as they can, so bedding areas will often be very close to their favorite food sources. It’s a no brainer. Find their bedding areas nearest to their favorite food and there you have it!

I killed one of my biggest bucks in January while feeding on the edge of a crop field. That was good, not only for the harvested buck but also for the fact that the bucks had “yarded” up or grouped together making them easier to find and to shoot. If hunting in the snow, I can’t think of a better or easier way to track deer back to their bedding area, so take advantage of a fresh snow if possible. As the season progresses, deer will have to work harder and harder to keep themselves nourished, so expect them to feed earlier and earlier as the winter days go by.

I’ve started my winter patterning already, so hopefully, I’ll find where these sneaky animals are calling home! I sure could use one more deer in the freezer!

Anyway, I had the rut timed as being peaked out on the 10th and the 11th of November, so the second rut should be here now if my calculations are correct. It won’t last long, so be prepared for it. It makes hunting fun again, especially after a slow gun season. With the weekend here, the timing may be just right. If your out hunting, be sure to watch for the muzzle loader hunters! The weather should be good, so hunt it hard as you’ll never know when you’ll see a buck chasing a doe. After this second rut is over, be prepared to hunt the food sources again! There are some hungry bucks out there just dying to get some weight back on after running for several weeks without eating.

I’m going to start my final phase of bow hunting next week and concentrate on heavy cover in the daylight hours and the food sources in the morning and evening hours. One thing you may want to remember when setting up is the fact that deer almost ALWAYS bed next to a solid food source this time of year. They don’t want to move great distances for several reasons: First, predators are more aggressive during the winter months. Second, they want to conserve their energy and third, they’ve been pressured so much, they want to keep their movement down to a minimum. Other than that, play the wind carefully, find fresh sign of activity and chances are, you find a great place to ambush some deer.

If anyone’s seeing any signs of this second rut, let us know!

WHAT A HOG!!!

WHAT A SHAME!!!

What I saw was this hog of a buck that had only half a rack! For you B&C scorer’s out there, the mass measurements on this one side were incredible. The first measurement was way over 7” at the base and the next 3 on the beam were all over 6”! The beam was in the 27” range and if the mass on the tines were allowed into the scoring system, (which they’re not), the G-2 would have been in the 4.5” range. I added up mentally what this guy had and determined that he probably would have had a booner if the other side existed. When I say the pictures don’t do this buck justice, I really mean it. All I had with me was my cell phone, so I had to use that. I lost a lot of the “size” in these photos but a real massy hog it what this old boy was. The base of the antler actually gets wider on the side that you can’t see in the photo, which is a shame because I didn’t capture that side with my camera.

I was glad to see that the hunter was glad to have his buck, whether or not it had the other side. It was a real beauty in anyone’s eyes! On a side note, he mentioned that this buck was only 10 yards from him as he and his dad were walking. I can’t reiterate enough (from my past articles) how these big bucks act like pheasants and hold tight when they’ve been pressured! This is a classic example of how pressured deer react. That little 2 acre piece I wrote about last week, is a perfect example of where big bucks like to bury themselves when pressured. No daylight trail camera pictures but evidence and sign all over the place dictates that these big bucks will hide and hold tight until nearly walked on.

Lets take the Lumenok for example. An ingenious idea that has saved many a hunter the loss of game animals, expensive arrows and broadheads, not to mention the fact that its been beneficial with respect in perfecting target practice. As fine as the Lumenok is, it’s really worthless to anyone if it isn’t working as designed. Since the Lumenoks depend on the arrow shaft to complete the electrical circuit and to illuminate the nock, some Lumenoks failed because many “carbon” arrows really were made with a high amount of fiberglass in them preventing the completion of the circuit. Fiberglass, not being a conductor of electricity, makes the Lumenok non-functional. The Burt Coyote company, the makers of the Lumenok, started selling their own arrows from 100% carbon called the Lumen Arrow. It was a way of controlling quality beyond the product. Their Lumen Arrow, turned out to be a success and provided a solution to this conductivity problem. Since the Lumenok has 2 conductors on the base, it’s imperative that they meet the end of the arrow shaft to illuminate. Equally important, the arrow nock ends must be square.

Normal arrow cutting machines aren’t accurate enough to provide a positive square end after the cut. In addition, some arrows that are already fletched can be difficult to square in that configuration, so the Burt Coyote company developed the F.A.S.T. tool. The F.A.S.T. tool quickly and accurately squares the nock ends of the fletched arrows to provide a positive flat conductive base thus nearly eliminating any non-conductive issues! It’s a simple tool to use as I just finished squaring the ends of some brand new Trophy Ridge “Blast” carbon arrows in addition to my existing Lumen Arrows. It was very easy, did exactly what it was supposed to do and it was…..fast!  For more information, please visit the Burt Coyote company at:  http://www.lumenok.net/index.html  To see the video on how the F.A.S.T. operates, click here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCG0Lcl3_84

Yet another great accessory for the archer!

http://deergonewild.com/

After years of scouting and working the timber in the old fashion way, as some of you know, I bought a Reconyx trail camera this year. I haven’t abandoned my archaic ways but rather added another tool to my arsenal. I’m really apprehensive about using my trail camera because of the aftereffects it can have on the deer herd, so I was careful to check it only 3 times this whole season. I have loaded some pictures here to show you that I only had a small period of time where some mature bucks came through looking for does. In the several spots I placed this camera, this location was the only place where I calculated the buck-to-doe ratio to be greater than 2-1. This is an area where the does are hard to find, which is one reason I won’t kill them in this area. Because of the diminishing doe population, I took advantage of the situation and placed a camera there. I had over 1500 pictures in 2 weeks but most of them were the same does, no bucks and several coyotes killing opossums, raccoons eating, etc. Once the rut kicked in it’s peak, I had over 20 buck pictures within a 24 hour period. I’ve posted some of the better pictures here today. FYI, notice the buck with one eye! As sad as it is, this is a great sign of an optimum buck-to-doe ratio.

Managing hunting properties is all too important if you want quality bucks on your wall (and in your freezer) or quality does in your freezer. Some hunters really just don’t get it when they accuse trophy hunters of going after the rack. The mentality of the “You can’t eat the antlers” crowd is so close-minded that they don’t take the time to realize that taking the older bucks leaves a balanced and healthy herd. You certainly can’t eat the rib bones, the femur bones, the neck bones either, so what does that statement really mean anyway? Having said that, it’s imperative that trophy hunters take does or your hunting spot will turn out like west central IL.

This particular property is only a 2 acre piece! Nobody hunts it because they deem it garbage. This “garbage” has been managed by me for over 8 years first by controlling the does, then by making easy and accessible routes through the heaviest cover. No food plots. No corn fields. Heavily pressured bordering properties to boot, yet this area is where the bucks will come when it’s time to mate. This IS the place where I would go if I were hiding and still wanted to be found by does! I love these little magic spots!

Traditionally, this weekend is a great time to bow hunt, so I hope to hear some successful stories from you! Like always, good luck!!!

Gather up:

Some apple wood chips
Wild cherry wood chips
1 wild turkey, plucked (not skinned)
1 can beer
Worchester sauce
Soy sauce
Garlic salt
Pinch of ginger root
Brown sugar
Aluminum foil

Take foil and make a 5 or 6 inch in diameter bowl out of it. Place an equal amount of wood chips in the bowl. Add just enough water to saturate the chips. Place chips on the grill. Place turkey on grill. If you are using a gas grill, turn fire up enough to heat the chips up enough to smoke. Once smoking, cover the grill and continue until wood stops smoking. Repeat procedure again. Keep an eye on the turkey as you implement the smoke process not to burn the turkey! You can control the heat by periodically removing the lid. When smoking ceases for the second time, reduce heat to a low to medium heat. Place a mixture of 1/2 can beer, 1/4 cup of Worchester sauce, 1 table spoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, ginger root and 1 cup of brown sugar in a bowl and stir well. Pour 1/2 cup of this mixture in the cavity of the turkey. Place the remaining in a heat proof bowl and place on the grill. This mixture will keep the turkey moist throughout the cooking process. Once fluid evaporates, repeat if necessary. Cook for about 4-5 hours slowly or until desired. FYI, for those of you who don’t consume alcohol, the beer in the recipe loses its alcohol during the evaporation process thus leaving the grain flavor behind.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!