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Road Trip
By Ken Piper
Advice for getting the most from an outfitted hunt.
“Oh my God!” I had been in the stand just 15 minutes when I saw the buck. I actually said that out loud, but the stiff wind on that November afternoon covered the sound. The giant had its head down — it was probably cruising for does — and quickly closed the distance. I ha... READ MORE
Don’t Be Stubborn
By P.J. Reilly
Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy. We deer hunters sometimes get set in our ways. Year in and year out, we hunt the same areas, put our stands in the same trees, hunt the same times of day during the same periods of the season. We use the same gear and the same tactics. Often, we do this with good reason. It works, and we fill tags. But the... READ MORE
Designer Food Plots
By Steve Bartylla
A little extra thought and effort can make your food plot stand out. Just 20 years ago, leaving some standing farm crops or planting anything to attract deer was considered cutting edge. It was such a novelty that deer would come from miles to take advantage of the extra food. Ten years ago, planting one of the better food plot blends achieved equa... READ MORE
Kids and Magnums
By Ryan Noffsinger
How I built my child’s confidence in heavy calibers.
In 2015, my son Luke and I traveled from Alabama to hunt whitetails with an outfitter in western Kentucky.
It was opening morning of the youth firearm season, as we sat in a ground blind over-looking a long food plot.
Luke, 11, waited quietly with his .300 Win Mag — that’s r... READ MORE
Adrenaline Intervention
By Darron McDougal
How to close the deal when a giant buck appears I’ve heard hundreds of blown-shot stories over the years, many of which could have ended happily if the hunter had held his composure. Those accounts were from the few who were brave enough to admit they’d failed. Far more hunters keep their botched opportunities a secret. It’s heart... READ MORE
What’s for Dinner?
By Tracy Breen
Proper field care and a few simple recipes can change the minds of venison haters. We deer hunters love our venison. We grill it, fry it, grind it and turn it into jerky or chili. Unfortunately, not all venison meals turn out the way we plan them. And it only takes one or two bad dishes to turn the rest of the family against venison for good. Scott... READ MORE
What Goes Up
By P.J. Reilly
Try these safety precautions for hanging, and hunting from, treestands. Anyone who has ever deer hunted knows the excitement and joy that accompanies a season opener. In Pennsylvania, emotions for the gun season opener run especially high. Going hunting on this day is a tradition with deep roots. Today, businesses and schools still close their door... READ MORE
Turn the Tables
By Bob Humphrey
When your hunting efforts produce nothing but lemons, make lemonade. Humans, like deer, are creatures of habit. Just like a wily old whitetail, our downfall is sometimes the result of falling into a pattern. Fortunately, we have the unique ability to reason, even if we don’t always use it to our advantage. When your preferred hunting methods ... READ MORE
Seedless Food Plots
By David Hart
You don’t need a tractor to attract deer. It’s just about impossible to pick up a hunting magazine without seeing something related to food plots. Whether it’s a feature on choosing the right seed or selecting the best site, it seems like everyone is jumping on the food plot bandwagon. There’s no question food plots can impr... READ MORE
Reading Buck Sign
By David Hart
What do we really know about the things bucks leave behind? It looks like just another pile of deer poop to you, but your friend doesn’t hesitate. “That’s a giant buck,” he says. “See how it’s in a large clump? See how thick and long it is? Big buck.” You ponder his confidence, wondering if he’s about... READ MORE
Hog Control with Cellular Controlled Trapping
By Cody Hall
Wild hogs continue to spread at alarming rates throughout the southern regions of the United States, and one of the only ways proven to be effective at reducing their numbers is using remote cellular trapping. Thermal hunting can be a fun and easy way to get outdoors with friends and enjoy an almost real-life video game experience, but it is not th... READ MORE
Managing Soil Nutrients in Wildlife Food Plots
By Cole Sikes | Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Food plots need good soil and even better nutrients. These are necessities for growth. Crafting the perfect plot takes time. Simply cultivating soil and throwing out seed is not enough to lure in the perfect buck. Plots require science, which serves as the recipe for an ideal hunting experience. Soil BasicsTo get started from the ground up, every l... READ MORE
Get Bit!
By Cody Hall
You haven't fished until you've done it bare-handed! Handfishing, hogging, grabbling, noodling — whatever you want to call it, the concept is the same: go under water and catch a catfish with your bare hands! If that sounds more scary than exciting, then read on. Chances are the dangers and fears you might have about noodling are unfounded. H... READ MORE
Shed Quest
By Bob Humphrey
Who says deer hunting ends in the fall? Whether you're trying to keep tabs on which bucks made it through winter or you're just looking for a fun family-oriented activity, shed hunting is a great way to spend some quality time outdoors. Before you head out, however, what follows are a few quick tips to make your hunt more successful. WHEN You can f... READ MORE
Choosing the Right Backyard Target
By P.J. Reilly
Is there a better way to spend quality family time in the outdoors than slinging a few arrows in the backyard?
The backyard is the perfect place for archery, provided you've got the space to safely shoot. It's always open. It's right outside your door, and there's never a crowd.
All you need is a target, your bow and some arrows. Choosing the rig... READ MORE
Against All Odds
By Russell Thornberry
In the fall of 2013 trail cams revealed a 3 1/2-year-old, tall-tined 8-point buck with lots of promise, so Rush Darnell, of Montgomery, Alabama, and his hunting partners agreed to let him grow up and see what he might become. In 2014, at 4 1/2, he was a 9-point and still growing and again the decision was made to let him grow another year. The buck... READ MORE
Kernel of Truth
By Bob Humphrey
Some of deer hunting’s common misconceptions actually have basis in fact. Deer hunters love a lively debate almost as much as matching wits with a wily whitetail. They’ll argue at length about details on deer behavior, hunting tactics and equipment, each passionately defending their particular point of view. But there are two sides to e... READ MORE
The Plot Thickens
By Jordan Graves | Regional Extension Agent
How to get the most from your food plot efforts. For every lush, green food plot in existence in any given year, an equal number fail, wasting the time, effort and money of the hunters who tried to grow them. That shouldn’t be a surprise since growing a food plot is akin to becoming a professional farmer. Unless done properly, anything that c... READ MORE
The Exception to the Rule
By Ed Waite
Never shoot a buck on the first day of a Kansas bowhunt. This story began 19 years ago when John Bowser packed up his bowhunting gear and drove to Kansas in search of giant bucks. With no outfitter, no topo maps or GPS coordinates, John must have looked pretty lost as he sat in a small diner after a fruitless day spent looking for a place to hunt. ... READ MORE
Do What?
By Darren Warner
Five unconventional rules for bagging wise, old bucks. If only deer hunting was like horseshoes or hand grenades. Unfortunately, it isn’t, especially not bowhunting, where the line between success and failure is microscopically thin. My one and only shot at the 12-pointer with double-split brow tines had gone up in smoke, and a neighbor bagge... READ MORE