Smalltown Bucks

Half a Buck Is Better Than None

Half a Buck Is Better Than None

By Michael Krause

Even deer hunters get by with a little help from their friends. For the past 30 years, I’ve been venturing back to my old stomping grounds in Deposit, N.Y., to hunt with my friends from high school. This past season resulted in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It happened at about 3 p.m. on the second day of the New York season. It was cold... READ MORE

A Trip to the Bone Yard

A Trip to the Bone Yard

By Krissy Jean Zimmer

You never forget your first archery buck, even if it happens after you’re a veteran hunter. There aren't a lot of “firsts” when you get to be my age and have been hunting for years, so harvesting my first buck with a bow this past season was extra special. I've been shooting bows for more than 20 years, and during that time I have... READ MORE

Whose Best Day?

Whose Best Day?

By Marti Young

The only division in this family is when debating who had the best time. While every day spent hunting is a good day, some are better than others. For James Whetzel Sr. and 11-year-old Starr Young, their best day ever started at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, 2017. The adventure started with a softly whispered “Wake up, Starr. It’s almost time ... READ MORE

The Fall that Changed It All

The Fall that Changed It All

By Allen Wall

There’s no amount of experience or luck that will stop a treestand accident. The popping in my back sounded like someone running their fingers down the keys of a piano. The moment my feet touched the ground, my legs collapsed and my butt slammed to the ground. All of the vertebrae in my back compressed with the weight of my head and shoulders... READ MORE

Small Property, Big Results

Small Property, Big Results

By Chris Casper

Every buck is an opportunity to be a better hunter. I live in Georgia’s Oglethorpe County, but I got permission to hunt a small, approximately 10-acre tract surrounded by a subdivision in Athens-Clarke County. I scouted the area and found several promising spots. I got my first trail camera picture of a dandy buck I named Subdivision in late ... READ MORE

All in the Family

All in the Family

By Jessica Jenderny

I’ve been hunting with my dad, Eric Jenderny, since I was old enough to walk. He taught me what his dad taught him about hunting. His best friend Bruce Rogers also taught me a lot about hunting, so what I’ve learned about deer and hunting, I owe to them. Now that I’m 16, I’ve become a mighty hunter like my mentors. The we... READ MORE

Crowded in Kansas

Crowded in Kansas

By Rodney Bryson

Landowner offers advice to help overcome an abundance of other hunters. This past hunting season in Kansas was different from previous years. The weather was nicer, but there seemed to be a lot more hunters. While we’re fortunate to hunt on private land, other hunters have permission to hunt there, too. There were also hunters on the property... READ MORE

No Limits

No Limits

By Bonnie Olson King

New hunter overcomes challenges to claim her first buck. The 2015 hunting season turned out to be one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I was 64 at the time and had only taken up hunting in 2012, when I retired from my nursing career due to significant health issues. That fall, I received a crossbow for my birthday, and that was when h... READ MORE

Buck Fever vs. Girl Power

Buck Fever vs. Girl Power

By Mendy Fryman

First things first. I love to hunt, and I also love being a girlie gal, so I fix my hair and wear earrings — the same pair every time for luck — each time I go to the woods. This is in case a photo op arrives, either a selfie or when I take a deer! My husband Daryl always hurries me out of the bathroom before we go to the woods, and he ... READ MORE

Back to Basics

Back to Basics

By Christopher Kunkel

Michigan bowhunter can’t resist the call to return to archery’s roots. My archery journey started about 18 years ago. Like most new archers, I was introduced to bowhunting through other archers, in my case it was coworkers. My first bow was a used Browning compound with 60 percent letoff. The draw length was 3 inches longer than it sh... READ MORE

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