Tips & Tactics

Short and Sweet

Short and Sweet

By Ken Piper

Smaller bows are easier to hunt with, but there are some drawbacks. Short bows are all the rage, and bow manufacturers have been quick to supply bows to meet the demand. While the manufacturers have made incredible advances and created bows that hold their speed and functionality, short-bow shooters should know that there is a price for having... READ MORE

Reel ‘Em In

Reel ‘Em In

By Ken Piper

Think like a fisherman to find your next buck. Statistics say 70% of deer hunters spend at least some time fishing. Interestingly, bucks and bass are very much alike in how they relate to their environment. One of the first things bass fishermen learn is to look for underwater structure – changes in the lake bottom that dictate fish movement.... READ MORE

Nothing Is Something

Nothing Is Something

By Ken Piper

You won’t have success with scent attractants without scent-elimination. Back when he worked for Tink’s, hunting celebrity Terry Rohm was asked by the Realtree team what advice he would give to folks about using scents. His answer might surprise you: “The first thing to do is get rid of your own scent," he said. It’s si... READ MORE

Tale of the Tape

Tale of the Tape

By Ken Piper

Single-pin sights need a good tape for dead-on accuracy. The Tip of the Week isn’t about endorsing products, but I can’t help mentioning some product names this week. The information, however, applies to similar products, so you can use it with other brands than the ones I mention. So, with that caveat aside, here goes: It’s start... READ MORE

Hot on the Trail

Hot on the Trail

By Ken Piper

Tracking wounded deer is a skill you can improve with practice. I enjoy tracking deer. It's not as fun when a deer you've shot presents a difficult trail, but I've become a much better tracker by volunteering to help track others' bucks. With less anxiety involved in tracking for someone else, you're free to keep calm and learn more from the experi... READ MORE

Feelin' Squirrely

Feelin' Squirrely

By Ken Piper

Annual event reminds us that shooting is a year-round activity. And, it's FUN! The 2022 Squirrel Master Classic is happening right now in Hayneville, Alabama, bringing to mind some of my earliest hunting memories. Although my squirrel hunting took place on mountainous public lands of Pennsylvania, the relaxed, social nature of squirrel hunting is a... READ MORE

Organization Pays

Organization Pays

By Ken Piper

Packs are made to organize your gear, but they sometimes need a little help. We all have different ways to doing things, as well as our own set of preferences when it comes to how we hunt and the gear we use. One thing that seems universal is the more organized you are, the better you can handle the curveballs the hunting gods inevitably throw your... READ MORE

It's Never Over

It's Never Over

By Ken Piper

The end of the hunting season doesn't mean an end to hunting preparation. Deer season just ended here in Alabama yesterday, and while that's later than most of the rest of the country, it brings to mind a few considerations. First, hunting season might be over, but the weeks immediately following its closure are at least as important as the weeks l... READ MORE

Flying with Guns

Flying with Guns

By Ken Piper

Traveling with a firearm can be challenging, and it’s all about following the rules. Following up on last week’s tip regarding how to protect your hunting gear in traveling cases, this week we’ll talk about flying on a commercial airline with a firearm. Some of the following information is actual requirement, and some is my recomm... READ MORE

Case Logic

Case Logic

By Ken Piper

Pack well to ensure your gun's zero when traveling to hunt. Traveling with a bow or gun is stressful. No matter how carefully you pack, you can't help wondering whether you'll still be sighted in when you get to your destination. And if you're traveling by plane, that feeling is compounded exponentially. I've traveled long distances to several hunt... READ MORE

Thank Your Mentor

Thank Your Mentor

By Ken Piper

Show your appreciation to the people who introduced you to the outdoors. Forgive me for getting personal this week, but I just lost my father and am feeling rather sentimental. My father had a hard time understanding his son's interest in things like Star Trek, sports and reading books. Truth be told, I should have paid more attention during the ti... READ MORE

The Eyes Have It

The Eyes Have It

By Ken Piper

Scent control is critical, but don’t forget deer can see pretty well, too. If you can see a deer’s eye(s), it can see you ... or at least catch your movement. The side-of-head location of a whitetail’s eyes gives them a field of view of about 310 degrees, so they don’t miss much! As good as today’s camouflage patterns ... READ MORE

Just Chillin'

Just Chillin'

By Ken Piper

Cold weather considerations for late-season die-hards. Many of us have hung up our hunting gear, but there are still some late-season opportunities to fill a tag throughout much of the country. A majority of the late seasons require primitive weapons, and cold weather can have more of an impact on bows and muzzleloaders than on other firearms. If y... READ MORE

On the Down Low

On the Down Low

By Ken Piper

There is no foolproof way to beat a whitetail's nose. I used to avoid eating meat for the week or so leading up to hunting season to keep deer from identifying my scent as that of a predator. I like to think I have more common sense today. Don't get me wrong, scent precautions are important. The fewer smelly molecules we release into the environmen... READ MORE

January Scouting

January Scouting

By Ken Piper

This is a great time to get a better read on local deer behavior. One trait shared by whitetails and humans is we're creatures of habit. If something works and we're happy, we're not likely to change. This means that, barring significant habitat changes, next year's deer will likely use the same trails, bedding areas, staging areas and breeding gro... READ MORE

It’s Not Complicated

It’s Not Complicated

By Ken Piper

A great hunt doesn’t have to include fancy, expensive gear. Getting my truck loaded for an Illinois bowhunt last fall, it was almost embarrassing how much gear I have accumulated. It’s no wonder new hunters are intimidated by all the stuff they think they have to buy to get started. Remember the old orange Hot Seats? I shot many a deer ... READ MORE

It's a Drag, Man

It's a Drag, Man

By Ken Piper

It's all fun and games until somebody shoots a deer. Then the work begins! Hunting with the folks at Mystery Ranch packs in Wisconsin in November, one of our party shot a bruiser buck that fell just 25 yards from his stand. It was only about 100 yards off a field edge, but the drag was all uphill. The shooter and a few other guys were in their 30s ... READ MORE

Same ... but Different

Same ... but Different

By Ken Piper

Tactics and tips might require modification for your location. While considering a tip for this week, it struck me how many strategies and techniques don’t always apply to different regions. Then I realized that in itself is an important point. I grew up hunting huge blocks of timber on heavily hunted public land. When I moved to Alabama, I h... READ MORE

They’re All Trophies

They’re All Trophies

By Ken Piper

Take the deer that makes YOU happy, and forget everything else. A friend just returned from a bowhunt in Kentucky, where he had several close encounters with a handsome 130-inch buck. He talked about how he struggled with himself over whether to shoot it or not and ultimately decided to let it go. His reasoning was he has taken several deer of that... READ MORE

Not the New Black

Not the New Black

By Ken Piper

Camo accessories hide from you more than from deer. A few decades ago, I found the most amazing branch clipper I'd ever used. It utilized a ratchet system and could trim shooting lanes with less effort than any other hand trimmer I had ever tried. It was expensive compared to other trimmers, but I splurged and even paid a few dollars more the camou... READ MORE

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Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd