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The Calm Before the Storm
By Ken Piper
The last 30 minutes before shooting light can be the key to a morning hunt.
Most deer hunters know it’s beneficial to get settled into a morning stand early. Even so, most of us try to get every minute of sleep possible, which means we often cut it close.
On those occasions when you find yourself running a little late, we recommend making a... READ MORE
Better Late Than Never
By Ken Piper
You can still tag a buck after the rut if you know where to look. We all want to hunt bucks during the rut. It’s just plain fun! The bucks are on the move; they respond to scents, calls and rattles; and you’re likely to see deer you never even knew existed. As exciting as the rut is, late seasons have some big advantages over the rut, a... READ MORE
Stop, Look and Listen
By Ken Piper
Don’t let the excitement of the moment take your focus off the deer. We all put a lot of preparation into having our equipment sighted in and ready. We have done a great job of educating one another about the importance of making a good, clean shot. What happens immediately afterward can be vitally important, too. While your heart might be pu... READ MORE
Open Wide
By Ken Piper
You can tell quite a bit about a deer’s age by examining its teeth. Whether you’re starting a management program or just want to know more about deer, determining a buck’s age is a great starting point. The good news is it’s easy and extremely accurate to tell if a buck is a fawn or a 1.5-year-old. It’s also easy and a... READ MORE
Food for Thought
By Ken Piper
The quickest way to a buck is through his stomach. Deer hunting might not be easy, but we hunters tend to complicate it more than we should. Whitetails are pretty simple creatures. They want food and water, shelter and, occasionally, love. While we often focus on the love aspect, it’s actually food that drives all other considerations. If you... READ MORE
Sweet Somethings
By Ken Piper
There are subtleties that make stopping a deer work perfectly or fail miserably. It’s always better to shoot at a stationary target. Unfortunately, whitetails don’t often remain still for very long. Mouth-grunting is the standard tactic we use to stop a walking deer, but there are nuances to it that can make or break your shot opportuni... READ MORE
Go Low
By Ken Piper
It feels good to aim at center mass, but lower is better. Bow or gun, a big majority of deer misses go high. Gun hunters often jerk on the trigger, pulling the barrel up, while bowhunters fall victim to deer reacting to the sound of the bow. While this reaction is called jumping the string or ducking the string, it’s really just the deer bend... READ MORE
Keep It Cool
By Ken Piper
Great-tasting venison starts with cooling and protecting the meat. One of the keys to ensuring your venison tastes as fantastic as it should is cooling the meat as quickly as possible. Even if outside temperatures aren’t in the 70s or 80s, it’s important to get the meat chilled quickly. Cooling the meat starts with field-dressing. Get i... READ MORE
The Livelong Day
By Ken Piper
Sitting all day is not a requirement, even during the rut. We’re quickly approaching the time of year when you might consider sitting all day. The reason we usually hunt only mornings and evenings is simple: Deer move most at dawn and dusk. The exception is the rut, when anything can happen. Even during the rut, however, the odds of seeing a ... READ MORE
10 Treestand Safety Tips
By Bryan Zabitski | TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
The most important part of any hunt is returning to the ground safely. It is estimated that one out of every three deer hunters who hunt from elevated stands will likely experience a fall at some point. Following are some tips to help keep you safe while hunting from your elevated stand. 1) Always read and understand the manufacturer’s instru... READ MORE