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Pressured Bucks? Try 10 ‘til 2!
By Kyle Albrecht
I’ve kept my key to public land success a secret for some time now, but am glad to share with fellow Buckmasters fans. I like to bowhunt Missouri’s public hunting grounds from mid-September through mid-January, which is a long archery season. This is permissible in Missouri because a compound bow is considered a legal weapon during all... READ MORE
Priority One: Take Kids Hunting
By Yamaha Outdoors & Bob Humphrey
With the season now underway, it’s time to achieve those resolutions you made in January. If you’re an adult who cares about hunting’s future, there’s one resolution that should be a priority: Take kids hunting this year. The future of hunting rests firmly on the shoulders of youngsters who take up the sport, an... READ MORE
When Jays are Squawking . . .
By Donald Spotts
One of my favorite tips is something I suppose many hunters think about, but rarely talk about. Next time you hear blue jays making a fuss, remember this phrase: “When jays are squawking, something’s walking.” Blue jays consider deer to be intruders, and they often follow them just like they will a cat or other predator. Their ru... READ MORE
Add ‘Guest Vest’ to Your Checklist
By Lee Hutcherson
Since hunting season has arrived, I want to remind my fellow hunters about keeping extra gear, including one special item that few of us keep as a spare. Exceptional whitetail hunters know success depends on preparedness before the season starts, beginning with archery and firearm practice. But what about after the season is underway? Checklist Re... READ MORE
Wild Game Buttermilk Bath
By Rod Robert
Venison isn’t the only meat that sometimes has a gamey flavor, and that seems to be a recurring theme among people who eat wild game. For example, where I’m from, we have sharp-tailed grouse. They are practically inedible unless you do something to help them out. I have a simple trick that helps improve my wild game cooking, and it work... READ MORE
What Does ‘Antler Burn’ Mean?
By Tim H. Martin
After 21 years in the outdoor industry and 40-plus years of hunting white-tailed deer, I thought I knew everything there was to know about antlers. Recently, I learned something about mysterious scrape marks I’d seen on several racks throughout the years, yet never paid much attention to. One of these subtle markings appeared on the outer mai... READ MORE
Keys to Early-season Success
By Yamaha Outdoors & Bob Humphrey
For many hunters, deer season conjures up images of cold, frosty mornings and bare trees. But bow seasons, and even some gun seasons start early in many states, giving hunters a chance to ply their avocation under much milder conditions. But deer behavior patterns can be quite different this time of year and knowing how they differ from later in t... READ MORE
Better than Backstrap?
By Chuck Burklund
Backstraps and tenderloins are popular cuts of deer meat, but I never hear anyone talking about my favorite piece of the deer: venison flat iron steak, also known as mock tenderloins or shoulder tenders. That's probably because it's not the easiest cut to find and separate out. It's found inside the shoulder blade and is a distinctive muscle group... READ MORE
Extra Treestand Hands
By Gary Whitbeck
When you climb into your treestand and get settled in, it seems like there are never enough limbs to hang all your stuff on. And those tiny screw-in bow-holder hooks that come with a rope won’t allow you to hang very many items. I’ve found that the larger screw-in hooks made to hang bicycles in your garage make really ample treestand g... READ MORE
Create Antler Rubbing Posts
By William Cuthbert
One surefire way to learn if there is buck activity in your area is finding fresh rubbings on small trees, saplings or fence posts. Before the season starts, I have a buck indicator trick I like to use in or around the fields of my hunting property. Harvested agricultural fields are prime spots to check for rubs, but saplings don’t always gro... READ MORE
Trail Cam Tip: Don’t Just Pile It On
By Gail McKee
For those of you who use trail cameras like I do, I think you'll find this tip very useful. It might become part of your standard operating procedure when it comes to capturing images of whitetails. I've noticed deer will stay longer in front of my camera if I take a moment to broadcast the corn and other attractants instead of just dumping it in a... READ MORE
Hay Bale Hideaways
By Frank Mayes
I’ve hunted in Missouri for many years. Until the past few seasons, ground blinds and ladder stands have been the main types of stands I’ve hunted from. Now, I’m discovering one of the most effective ways to ambush whitetails is from behind hay bales. I’ve had deer walk within 10 feet of me and never know I was there! My set... READ MORE
Better than Corn?
By Jeff Maynard
If you use corn as an attractant for drawing deer to your trail cameras or feeders, sometimes it takes a while for deer to find it. I have a tip for something that brings them in faster than corn. And it will help keep them around longer. When setting up cameras and feeders in a new area or in pre-season, I pick a few trees nearby to rub down with ... READ MORE
Whistle While You . . . Hunt?
By Oren Haney
I’d like to share a tip with Buckmasters readers that my dad taught me decades ago when I was only 10 years old. It happened when my father came to me and said he wanted me to go into the woods and collect some meat for the dinner table. Dad told me to take my .22 and try to get a rabbit or two. I had never stalked for rabbits with anything o... READ MORE
Stand Work — Summertime is the Right Time
By Bob Humphrey & Yamaha Outdoors
Fall hunting season is still a ways off for most of us, which is precisely why now is the time to do a little deer stand work. The biggest reason is disturbance. You always want to minimize it around your stands, but a certain amount is unavoidable, particularly if you’re setting a new stand. The farther away from when you plan... READ MORE