Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

Go bow hunting for big cats! Guy Eastman is hunting Colorado cougars and that means he’s hunting with dogs. Trained dogs are used to track down and tree a mountain lion. Arrowing an angry cat is a serious challenge when its cornered 30 feet up in the protection of thick limbs. This fair chase hunt gets more than a little western when a cornered lion makes a great escape into a road culvert.

The post Beyond The Grid Bowhunting Mountain Lions Teaser #1 appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Go deer hunting on Wyoming public land with a father and son team. Hunter Mason is on a DIY hunt for his very first mule deer buck. This 13-year-old was lucky to draw a hard to get limited quota Wyoming mule deer tag. The duo has to put onXhunt to work when muddy roads limit access on checkerboard public land. Mason makes his dad proud with a one-shot kill on a great 4×4 mule deer trophy.

The post Beyond the Grid Public Land Wyoming Deer Hunt appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

If you are familiar with this blog you know that we report on poaching incidents with regularity. Sometimes we are lucky enough to see a case head to court and that is what appears to be happening in a poaching case in the Roundup, Montana area. Earl Russel Benes faces 24 criminal counts, of which eight will be felonies. We reported this earlier this fall and it feels good to know that the resolution to this case seems to be on it’s way.

However, there are still plenty of others to report on. Like a bull moose that was shot and left to waste in the Highland Mountains south of Butte, Montana. This one is particularly sad because of the scarcity of moose tags across the West. Many hunters have been building points and strategies to hunt the Shiras subspecies of moose for years and when an incident like this happens it robs hunters of opportunities.

There was also the incident of poached spike bull elk on Montana State University’s Red Bluff Ranch, this incident may simply be a case of someone not identifying their target and shooting a spike where it is illegal to do so. When these types of incidents are actually reported by the hunters admitting fault the meat can often be salvaged and donated. When a fear of consequences strikes though, the meat is more often than not wasted.  

In the same article detailing the spike elk poaching two more poaching incidents are detailed involving white tailed deer that were likely shot at night. Willful incidents like this are the ones that are very hard to swallow for me as a hunter. If you know anything about this incident let the authorities in Montana know. 

Bowhunter Dan Pickar reviews the powerful and compact Kilo3000BDX range finding binoculars. These 10×42 mm binos are impressive in low light and can range reflective surfaces out to 3000 yards. Features including scan mode, angle compensation and BDX system integration make these a powerful tool for bow and rifle hunters alike.

The post SIG Sauer BDX Review appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

We have all heard 10% of hunters harvest 90% of the game. It seems to be true as we see the same guys being successful year after year. The odds of this happening on luck are astronomical so what is the secret? While I don’t think it’s just one thing there are certain traits, tendencies and a certain tenacity the majority of these ten percenters possess. I believe archery hunting on public lands is one of the toughest challenges out there! You want something to test your will to succeed and to build character; step out into the mountains with a stick and string with the goal of arrowing a trophy. Bowhunting has a way of throwing every challenge in between you and your goals. Figure out how to overcome these challenges and you are well on your way.  

No Quit – My biggest asset as a bowhunter can be summed up in one word, PERSEVERANCE!  Honestly this is the key to my success. Sure I am in good shape, I am a decent shot, I am proficient at stalking but those can all fail me. The one thing that never lets me down is my will to succeed. It has waned here or there and definitely has been tested but I continue to believe I can achieve my goals in the backcountry. I keep going and I keep pushing doing everything in my power to create opportunities. 

The Power of Positive Thinking – A big part of keeping your head in the game is your attitude. The minute you start to get down on yourself or junk the hunt, you’re headed toward failure. You have to be a glass half full guy and be the eternal optimist. Believe over that next ridge there are trophy critters. Believe that if you spot an animal even miles away you can close the distance and get in close. Know inside you have what it takes to execute your shot. This constant belief that success is just around the next corner is what drives you to keep trying.

Love the Pain – You have to learn how to embrace the grind! It takes constant effort and constant exertion on a hunt. I picked up a saying somewhere about endurance sports that you have to get comfortable in the pain cave. Part of the fun of a tough hunt is that it’s not going to be fun all the time. It’s fun when you look back on it and extremely rewarding. Think about endurance runners, they are not having fun all the time in fact they are miserable and have to push through the pain a lot. They love it because of the feeling of accomplishment they get when they finish. Get comfortable in this state of misery and grind through it. Nothing feels better than reaching a tough goal but you are going to have to endure to get there.  

Guest Author: Thomas Austin

As the bull’s body was no longer obscured by the grass I quickly judged the distance and chose a pin I drew back my bow and settled in on his vitals as he continued to walk towards to calls of my hunting partner as he reached the highest point in the meadow from which he should have been able to see the cow to which he was calling his walk came to a sudden stop. with no hesitation, I slowly applied backpressure on the trigger until the bow went off from the second the arrow left the string it destination was never in doubt, the arrow slammed into the bull’s vitals and passed through him in the blink of an eye.

The post Successful Bowhunters: Thomas Austin appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Guest Author: Alex Kurz

Ryan and I whispered to one another as the bull walked in, “This is gonna happen”.  As the bull crested the final null where we knew Alex could see him, time stood still.  The bull took a few final steps toward the spring, and put his head down to drink perfectly broadside.  Alex released his arrow and made a perfect double lung shot.

The post Successful Bowhunters: Alex Kurz appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Guest Author: Ernest Chavez

I had no cover, so I just stood there, nocked an arrow and tried to catch my breath and compose myself. The bull continued to bugle and started raking the ground with his antlers. To my surprise, he started walking right at me, at 30 yards I drew. At 20 yards, I let the arrow fly and buried it in the sweet spot. It was then that I knew I would need some help.

The post Successful Bowhunters: Ernest Chavez appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Guest Author: Lindsay McQuaid 

After the shot, I heard the bull break a few branches, but didn’t think he went very far. About two minutes later I heard breaking of branches one more time. The forest was then quiet. A couple of texts to family and friends helped to pass the half hour I made myself wait. As I followed the blood trail for a short 30 yards, I was shocked when I came around a willow bush and came face to face with my bull.  He was much larger than I could have hoped for.

The post Successful Bowhunters: Lindsay McQuaid appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Guest Author:  Russ Carlson

It was a foggy Saturday morning, September 9th, 2017. Walking in the dark, I was hoping to get to my spot ahead of where the deer tend to cross on my favorite ridge. I found about six nice deer as the sun came up that were on the wrong side of the fence. I watched them for a while and decided to keep moving. About 800 yards up the trail I spotted another group of bucks. I hit the ground and started crawling. It took me about 30 minutes to gain 100 yards on them. They were slowly feeding away from me, with the wind headed my way. 

They were dispersed amongst the shadows of the pine trees which made it hard to make them out. The big buck I’d been searching for was in the lead and I finally had a shot. I had to calm myself down and focus on waiting for the right time. I ranged him at 45 yards. I sat up and drew as he stepped out from behind a large tree. I released and watched my arrow fly perfectly. Just before my arrow got to him, it took a dramatic turn. I didn’t see the branch right in front of his body. I couldn’t believe it. The arrow deflected and hit below him. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The bucks ran off and I walked over to grab my arrow. I was completely disappointed in myself. All of the preparation and practice, and I blew the shot. 

The arrow didn’t spook them too badly. Luckily, they hadn’t seen or smelled me. I decided to sneak down the valley and see if I could find them again. No more than 30 steps and I froze. There he was, staring me down at 51 yards. I’d practiced at 70 yards all summer and I knew I could make this shot. I drew and released. Impact! I watched my arrow bury just above the center of his chest, exactly where I needed to hit. Immediately he charged straight at me. My first thought was that he was coming to take revenge on me! I panicked and tried to nock an arrow. He ran by me at no less than five yards as I fumbled another arrow onto my bow. He ran another 20 yards and hit the dirt. I heard his final sigh and he breathed his last breath. I threw hands up with my bow in hand. I couldn’t believe that was able to take such a beautiful animal. 

Guest Author: Marty Hamel

My brother, Mike, and I went on our first DIY archery elk hunt in Colorado in September of 2009. It was an amazing experience and one that ignited a desire to continue to hunt elk in the mountains. Since that hunt, life happened, and things got busy. Both of us started families, bought houses and had career changes or advancements. We tried to plan a hunt nearly every year since our first hunt, but it just didn’t work out for one of us. Finally, after building preference points for seven years, the stars aligned, as we both were able to commit to applying for a fall hunt, and better yet, we even drew the tag. We were going elk hunting in Wyoming! 

We hunted hard, and one evening, about an hour before sunset, a nice bull stepped into a meadow we were waiting on the edge of. My brother, unbeknownst to me, had got his rangefinder out earlier and whispered to me that the bull was at 48 yards. I pictured the bone structure of the front shoulder and aimed just behind, knowing that I needed to tuck the arrow as close to the bone as possible. 

My nervousness and anxiety seemed to disappear, and I felt as if everything was in slow motion. I remember squeezing the trigger and watching the arrow fly inch by inch until it impacted the bull exactly where it needed to. It was a surreal moment. The bull turned, and I could see the arrow sticking out the other side. He ran about 30 yards to the edge of the meadow and fell down. He got up, then staggered back and forth before finally falling for the last time. 

Public land bowhunter Jordan Breshears covers country to arrow a herd bull in Montana. This DIY hunt is packed with ups and downs, literally, as Breshears uses elevation to his advantage to locate elk and avoid other hunters. Elk hunting public land takes persistence and grit to get the job done, especially when bow hunting.

The post Bowhunting Montana Public Land Elk appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Anyone who has spent time around kids knows how quickly they can get “bored”. In today’s world of instant gratification, touch screen, on demand, have it your way, more choices than you can shake a stick at entertainment, which is almost all tech based and electronically driven, therefore meaning it’s done indoors, it can be easy to see how a quiet morning glassing for deer could seem boring to our overstimulated youth. Now before you go on a rant about “back in my day…” just hear me out. If we want to hook kids on hunting we have to give them lots of opportunities to find out how much fun it is and we need to approach them on their level and engage them via a medium they understand… technology. 

The Wyoming Game and Fish seems to be plugged into this and has come up with a resource they’ve dubbed Inspire a Kid: it’s for life This resource is designed to help parents and kids discover all that Wyoming has to offer in the great outdoors. Since most kids will automatically turn down an adult’s first offered option the website gives lots of ideas and choices. From tracking migrating ungulates to tooth aging there are a myriad of activities for kids to choose from, meaning that the age old response of “I don’t care” is rendered useless; just go pick something and get outside!

From Where To Go and How To sections right down a recipe section there is something for everyone. So the next time you find yourself with a houseful of “bored” kids send them to Inspire a Kid website and then offer to help them with whatever they choose. Afterall, you never know where your next adventure in the outdoors will lead you and if you’re not careful you may just have some fun while learning something new. Get out there!

Learn how to debone the meat from your next big game animal without field dressing. Public land hunter Brandon Mason breaks down step by step how to remove the meat from a bull elk. Front quarters, hind quarters, neck meat, backstops and tenderloins are all removed and the guts are never disturbed!

The post Removing Hide appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Learn how to debone the meat from your next big game animal without field dressing. Public land hunter Brandon Mason breaks down step by step how to remove the meat from a bull elk. Front quarters, hind quarters, neck meat, backstops and tenderloins are all removed and the guts are never disturbed!

The post Removing Front Shoulder Meat appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Learn how to debone the meat from your next big game animal without field dressing. Public land hunter Brandon Mason breaks down step by step how to remove the meat from a bull elk. Front quarters, hind quarters, neck meat, backstops and tenderloins are all removed and the guts are never disturbed!

The post Removing Neck Meat and Backstrap Meat appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

 Learn how to debone the meat from your next big game animal without field dressing. Public land hunter Brandon Mason breaks down step by step how to remove the meat from a bull elk. Front quarters, hind quarters, neck meat, backstops and tenderloins are all removed and the guts are never disturbed!

The post Removing Hind Quarter Meat and Tenderloin appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Learn how to debone the meat from your next big game animal without field dressing. Public land hunter Brandon Mason breaks down step by step how to remove the meat from a bull elk. Front quarters, hind quarters, neck meat, backstops and tenderloins are all removed and the guts are never disturbed!

The post Debone A Big Game Animal – No Gutting! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Hunt elk in the thick of grizzly bear country with public land hunter Brandon Mason. Hunting elk DIY is challenging in its own right. When you’re constantly checking your back track for a grizzly, the hunt reaches a whole other level! Mason finds himself in the middle of an early September rut fest and comes face to face with a six-point bull. It’s a man vs. elk. vs grizzly on this episode of Beyond the Grid TV by Eastmans‘!

The post ELK HUNTING with GRIZZLY BEARS! Public Land DIY appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

I finally moved myself over enough to see all of his vitals and felt it was the right time for a shot. I waited until his head was completely turned away from me and his ears were out before I drew. I remember feeling extremely in control of that shot and thought process—smooth draw, anchor corner of the mouth, nose on the string, good level, settle my pin and squeeze. As soon as the shot broke, I saw that arrow arcing right into his shoulder, then it sounded like a branch breaking as he jumped up and took off. Not believing what had just taken place, I sprinted up the hill to my boots where I could get a better look as to where he had gone. I scanned around with my binoculars and found him lying about 150 yards from where I had shot him, expired. My arrow had broken through both shoulder blades on a clean pass through, and it was all over in 20 seconds.

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The post Successful Bowhunters: Jordan Budd appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.