Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Still Hanging With The B10 Buck.

Robert Hoague

Do you know how early a buck in velvet will work on tree limbs with his new antlers? Twenty five years ago I believed that bucks had to shed their antlers before they were able to hook their tines and main beams into a tree’s limbs that were in reach.

At first, I was surprised to see bucks in velvet give some tree branches a good whipping.
But it became a regular part of what I saw bucks doing year after year. Then, several years ago I learned what was up. In early July a buck with antlers that were shaping up very nice got himself hung up jumping a tall cattle panel fence in a corral on my place. i was unaware of this until I noticed some buzzards fly up and when I investigated I saw the buck in the fence  hung up by the antlers and quite dead.

I cut the fence panel loose and was surprised about his velvet antlers. I had expected them to soft and spongy, possibly even rubber like per what someone had told me once. But the antlers were rigid and solid. So when I witnessed bucks in velvet, year after year, giving tree limbs a thrashing I wasn’t that surprised. It’s very cool to live where I can take pictures of wild deer doing their thing.

A couple weeks before the first buck shed its velvet I went to a ground blind I have in a nearby area I call “The Last Barn.” I went there because I had watched B10 leave my food plot and head in the general direction of The Last Barn. My second morning there I saw B10 in the early morning light and took his picture.

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Finally on April 25 the high winds backed down to a low enough wind speed to get after hunting down some wild turkey gobblers. So Champ and I agreed to get together after the end of his school day. After I picked him up we went to an area named the Point, it’s where an East-West fence and a North-South fence intersect and cross the properties 2-track farm road. Wild turkeys regularly come through the Point on their way back to the evening roosts along the river a mile to the West.

Champ set out our decoys and I put our gear inside the Lazy Man ground blind I set up at the point  previously. The blind had been moved by someone and we wouldn’t be able to shoot to our right, which is the most frequently traveled direction. But I hadn’t wanted to make the noise that moving it would take. That urned out to be one of those “I shoulda done it” deals.

Champ and I got inside the blind and sat down.

I took a quick picture of Champ Bullard as we waited quietly in a LAZY MAN GROUND BLIND for wild turkeys to come through the area.

I waited half an hour to call and then every 15-20 minutes I called again — on a Billy Yargus Blue Viper mouth call. I picked up a gobble on my second sequence. He sounded about 200 yards off but didn’t reply any more.

The Lazy Man ground blind is made of fiberglass, it is an excellent blind, it has all the right features. I didn’t take a picture of it at the Point but I will the next time I hunt there.

Ever since opening weekend of this year’s Wild Turkey Season the weather has not been turkey hunter friendly, and even more-so if they are a bowhunter only type, like yours truly. To explain, right now the wind speed is 12-mph out of the NNE. Today’s predicted wind gusts are 18 mph. Actually both of those numbers are less than usual so far this month, with the “gusts” being noticeably less. Gusts have regularly ascended into the 20’s while the stronger wind surges have been in the high 30’s and even low 40’s.

That’s problematic wild turkey hunting weather; when it’s windy enough to be so noisy you can’t hear their gobbles and they can’t hear you calling. Plus, shooting arrows when it’s extra windy can get your arrow off course, which is never a good thing. Anyway, I’ve gone out at varying times during the day; early morning, late afternoon, and mid day to see if I can find anything going on.

On the windiest days I do not see any wild turkeys, regardless of time of day. And on the least windy days  I occasionally see a few.

Over the weekend, on Saturday, I finally got into some action (and got the above picture) after I saw movement to my right. Two hens were coming my way. Then 3 gobblers appeared in front of me and strutted closer. Quickly, I took a picture and then got ready.

To get the fastest arrow speed and avoid any wind deflection I brought my high-speed crossbow. When the three gobblers were within 15 yards I took aim at the one on the left and pulled the trigger. My crossbow bolt went at least a foot to the right of the gobbler. The wind did me in.

I don’t know Tim Wells but I’ve featured a bunch of his bowhunting videos on Bowhunting.net over the years. He travels all over and bowhunts all kinds of wild game. Today he is taking us to Mexico to bow hunt native predators in the Mexican desert.

In this video Tim Wells is using a FOXPRO Game Caller and you get to see first hand how effective this electronic game caller works. The pic below is the remote controll for the FoxPro.

Here is the FoxPro electronic game caller clipped to a branch. This caller is incredibly good. Tim demonstrates how to use it for calling predators. And tells you some tricks that will up your coyote calling success.

And … if you’re wondering if you can cook and eat predator meat, you get the answer in this video,

Tim Wells bowhunts coyotes on the ground and situates himself in the shadows. And as you will know as you watch this video, it works.

My friend Jason Allen of Rush TV  invited world champion turkey caller Billy Yargus up to Michigan a few days ago. They check a few of Jason’s turkey places and when they see two super mature gobblers (aka Kent Daddys) in a large field they concoct a plan to hunt them.

Now, you may or may not know that Jason Allen is one of the best Wild Turkey hunters in the country and Billy Yargus is one of the top wild turkey callers in the world and what happens in this video is an absolute “Must See.”

Obviously I don’t know how well you can call, but I’d bet that you’d enjoy seeing and hearing perfect turkey calling (yes, I said perfect) draw two big “Rope Beard” Gobblers in. Don’t miss this!

Robert Hoague

Below are a couple of pics I lifted from the video. The first is the Toms coming to us.

Learn how you can get the tongue flutter that it takes for you to make a realistic purr on your mouth call. The tongue flutter, comes from the the vibration of your tongue. Practice by breathing in a large volume of air, and let your tongue lay very limp, then blow that air across your tongue with enough force that your call actually vibrate in your mouth. You’ll make your tongue flap. (This is like rolling your “r’s” when speaking Spanish.)

Put the call in your mouth with the round edge towards your throat, letting it lay limply and softly on the top of your tongue. Blow the same volume of air across your tongue as you did practicing. What you’ll get is sounds like a fighting purr call. You’ll notice that increasing your Calling volume  your cheeks will puff out slightly. That‘s the air running over and around the call, and the extra air being held back in your mouth, that causes your cheeks to inflate slightly. That helps keep the rasp down and makes the call have a more realistic tone and a more melodious sound.

Next start backing off on that volume of air until you get a more realistic turkey tone. Once you get the turkey sound down, start adding in some clucks.

To get a cluck use lower tone, and keep it quiet like a realistic cluck is. Clucking is the same principle as cutting, to cut on the mouth call you want loud, short cuts with a large volume of air. But for clucking, you keep that noise soft, while mixing in with some purrs (that we just learned how to do). For an even more realistic and natural sound from a mouth call, mix in some soft yelps or a little whine in there. It all comes together for a great sounding call.

Remember, start with a large volume of air to get the sound coming off the call in your mouth, and then step it down, bringing back that volume to a realistic sound. Click Here and I will show you and you can hear how it should sound.

Watch as bowhunter Sydney Wells stalks a huge black bear 3 times before she has him in the bear woods within bow range. He sees her and the hunt gets tense and dangerous.

Sydney Wells is bowhunting in Canada and sees a monster bear up ahead of her and her dad Tim Wells. And Sydney takes the hunt right to him. Sydney is part of the bowhunting team of Relentless Pursuit TV and is a very experienced Whitetail hunter … who has the moxie to go face to face on the ground with a huge Canadian black bear. You will definitely enjoy watching Sydney’s enthusiasm, hunting knowledge and genuineness.

I started my wild turkey hunting day on a high spot right up against the river bank and close to a curve in the stream. I parked my truck in some thick cedar trees and slipped in carrying a Double Bull ground blind, my bow and 3 decoys along with a pocket full of mouth calls and a slate and striker. I’ve hunted this exact spot for years and knew exactly where I wanted to go and where to set everything up.

When I hunt an area I’m familiar with I prefer to stay out of it before I actually hunt it. I just do not want to take the risk of spooking any gobblers or hens. I’d much rather keep they stay in “relaxed and unaware” mode instead of making them “wired and jumpy.”

Soon a faint streak of sunlight was visible on the eastern horizon. Soon afterward a very loud gobble sounded off from one of the large hardwood trees downhill on my side of the river (which is only 50 yards away). More gobblers joined in from the east and north. And they really piled it on, gobbling over and over.

Now it was a matter of which direction they went after they hit the ground.

The Toms and Jakes gobbled repeatedly. And when I heard the yelps of a hen that was between me and   the river I felt optimistic. A short while later I heard the hen fly down a little bit to the north east of me but still on my side of the river. Next I heard two different gobbles in the trees close by. And then they flew down and continued gobbling.

Luke Clayton

Wild Turkey Hunters who hunt them in Texas are fortunate, the Texas wild turkey population is well dispersed from the pine and hardwood timberlands in the eastern portion of the state to the ruggedly beautiful Caprock country of the Panhandle. I’ve chased longbeards here in the Lone Star State for over thirty years and each hunt has been a great adventure and no two have unfolded exactly the same.

A few years ago I called a boss gobbler to the banks of the Brazos River up in Palo Pinto County, he simply would not fly across; he was gobbling his head off just behind a big pile of driftwood. I went downriver, around a bend, crossed the river and put the sneak on him.

Author with one of his many bow killed Wild Turkey Gobblers.

I also hunted the eastern wild turkeys in east Texas and then traveled out to the Panhandle and enjoyed hunting them there; before I arrived, I likely had never heard a call. Calling up a wary Eastern gobbler on a pine covered hillside in East Texas is a far different endeavor than tricking a Rio Grande Gobbler in the Edwards Plateau. Both hunts are exciting and, because of the vastly different terrain, each presents challenges unique to the region.

Thr 2016 wild turkey hatch was less than optimal across much of the state. The one exception is eastern Texas. Spring and early summer rains came at just the right time for a great hatch. There are pockets in northeast Texas where eastern wild turkeys are flourishing, in other areas, they numbers have been on the decline. A little over two decades ago, the Eastern wild turkey was re-introduced to east Texas and overall the program has been successful.

Let’s take a look at the hunting opportunities here in Texas. My experiences throughout the past three decades may help you decide where you might want to go prospecting for Ole’ Longbeard this spring!

Last week I intended to bowhunt wild turkeys more during the week, but as you may or may not have noticed I’ve been updating Bowhunting.net with more advanced application software  (that will add several important new functions as well as spiffy up the websites appearance and navigation). Frankly, this is a huge job and it’s gonna take time to add all the new sections, that’s in addition to updating the existing content and display too.

Fortunately I can do what’s needed with the “one thing at a time” method.

On Friday I got up an hour before daylight and introduced my frying pan to generous portions of corned beef hash, fresh sliced potatoes and 4 basted eggs. A few minutes after the hash and potatoes I was in the wild turkey woods and inside my ground blind with my bow and turkey calls and a thermos of black coffee.

My iPhone AccuWeather predicted a clear sky and they were correct. Soon the beginning sunlight put a glow in the dark sky and daylight hurried in. Gobbles sounded off from the west (the neighbors pond and roost trees), the east (river roosts) … but not yet from the north.

I did a fly down call with my Billy Yargus Blue Cutter mouth call and paused, listening.

Champ and I drove, and then walked, to a high spot on the bank of the river. We laid 2 fold-out chairs on the ground and I popped up a Double Bull ground blind over them; besides being great ground blinds for wild turkey hunting the Double Bull is simple and fast to erect and most importantly quiet. Champ and I quietly and quickly set out my 3 decoys; a Dave Constantine Jake, a standing hen and a sitting hen. You can see them in the picture above.

We positioned our fold-out chairs inside the blind and got inside ourselves. We sat down  and listened for Gobbles. The first one was surprisingly loud. It was only 40 yards from our blind. The close gobbler attracted nearby hen yelps and some occasional purrs and soft clucks. When the hens flew down the Gobbler loudly joined them. The hens walked to the river’s edge and flew across to the other side and walked in the direction of a nearby small pond. The gobbler followed behind them.

During the first half hour of daylight we heard over a dozen different gobblers sound off to the South, West and North of us. We listened and waited for an hour and then we broke down the Double Bull and collected the decoys and went to my truck.

I drove to a strip of woods that is regularly used by by our sizeable wild turkey population and set up the Double Bull at the edge of the woods and put out our 3 decoys.

I waited half an hour and took out my Woodhaven Doug Crabtree Signature V-Cut call and made some purrs mixed with soft yelps. A few minutes later we heard a gobbler getting with it in the woods to the east. I yelped at him, he in turn blasted me with a gobble and in no time three gobblers walked into view.

I picked up Champ right after he got out of school. We drove to the AA area and walked through the woods to a ground blind mounted on top of a Woodsey Too platform. This is a high spot that is adjacent to a steep, wooded drop off that runs for a mile and goes down to a long, flat area that has planted farm crops bordered by the long, winding river. Wild Turkeys and Whitetail Deer pass through the entire area regularly.

Champ set out two game cameras, one near the blind, and another on an established trail, you can see the blind one in the picture, it’s by the platform’s left legs.

A week ago all the undergrowth was leafless and full winter tan and brown, except the cedar trees. Only one week ago it was still in the 20’s but mid week the temperature rose and we had a much needed rain. Immediately afterward the color green popped up everywhere.

Our next spot is named the Alley and Champ climbed up to the Tripod seat to be sure it was still steady and otherwise ok. It was, and Champ attached a long cord to the tripod chair that would serve as the way to pull a bow up to the stand.

Next we drove to an ancient and squeaky Windmill and took the barely visible two-track through the woods. Ahead of us, Champ saw a group of wild hog laid up in a wet, muddy area. I quietly stopped the pickup and Champ slipped out with his crossbow and put a stalk on the hogs. A large black sow picked up on him getting closer and the group jumped to their feet, waited briefly, and hurried off and ran right by me.

What broadhead is right for Elk … and Why?

Over the years I’ve heard that question become the topic of conversation on many occasions and sometimes someone even asks me the question. Truthfully, I have purchased a couple of Archery Elk Tags in Colorado but on those bowhunts the number of Elk I tagged was the same number I saw, zero. So anything I told anybody would come from the W.A.G. method (that’s the infamous Wild Assed Guess method) so the appropriate answer to that question is to “talk with a successful elk bowhunter.”

Being from Utah Grim Reaper Broadheads is spearheaded by Jay Liechty (owner) and Matt Bateman (National Sales Director) and they know a whole lot about bowhunting for Elk … as well as Mule Deer.

In this video from the 2022 ATA Archery Trade Show, one of those successful Elk bowhunters, Mark Scalvan fills us in on the broadheads he uses successfully and recommends for Elk. By Robert Hoague of Bowhunting.net

I love Deep Fried Turkey and dove into YouTube to find the instructions and a recipe that was easy to understand as well as effective at preparing and deep frying up a delicious turkey. I settled on the deep frying turkey video by Jeven Dovey. I know you are gonna enjoy your next wild turkey and holiday turkey when you deep fry it just like this.

Got up an hour before daylight, put a Pop-Tart in my toaster and drank a super strong cup of black Guatemalan coffee. The Magic Day Is Here! Wild Turkey Season of 2022 has arrived and it’s Day 1. My gear was already in my pickup so I got in and drove out to my pop-up blind at the edge of a large cedar break that’s a mile from a roosting area on the river. I hid my pickup in some cedar trees  and walked over to the blind and got inside and waited in the dark.

Soon daylight moved in one click, and a lone gobble sounded off 400 yards to the West, right where a stock pond is located on the neighbor’s property. Both gobblers and hens are currently roosting in the tall hardwood trees surrounding the pond.

I waited until some wild turkeys had flown down in the pond area and then I started yelping to let them know where I was. Two gobblers sounded off from the Pond. Gobbles began joining in from the river to the East and where it turns to the North as well as from the aforementioned Stock Pond and from the woods to the North. It was cool hearing all the activity.

I gave them 20 minutes to get on the ground and move around and did some clucks and yelps. Right away some yelps in the woods tipped me off that some hens were not far from me. I yelped softly and in two minutes I noticed ground level movement approaching under the cedar trees.

A hen walked around the left corner of the blind and stopped directly in front of my shooting window. I took my iPhone out of my pocket to take its picture. I glanced up when I heard more hen yelps. More hens were coming from the cedars out past the nearby hen.

 

Turkey season is coming.  Now is a great time to consider about what broadhead you are going to use on Mr. Tom. There are many options on the market, but few options compare to a  Grim Reaper Broadhead. 

 One broadhead that has sent many turkeys to the turkey fryer is the Pro Series Whitetail Special from Grim Reaper Broadheads. The name implies that this head is designed for deer, but it is just as devastating when it hits the side of a longbeard. The Razortip will quickly cut through any turkey and bring them down quickly.

One reason many people like using the Whitetail Special when turkey hunting is because it offers a cutting diameter of two inches. The Whitetail Special has three blades so when you combine three blades with a large cutting diameter, the result is typically a notched tag.

One of the greatest advantages of a broadhead with a large cutting diameter is the fact that there is a little room for error. The chest cavity on a turkey is about the size of softball. With a typical broadhead, if you hit a little low or a little high, you can easily wound the bird. Wounded turkeys are notorious for being like Houdini…they disappear. With a broadhead like the Whitetail Special even if your shot is off a little, the odds of success are high.

How To Prevent Mountain Lion Conflicts

Important: Do not feed wildlife, including deer, raccoons or other small animals. They all are lion prey species and feeding may attract mountain lions. Feed pets indoors if possible. Pet food left outdoors may attract mountain lions or lion prey, such as racoons.

Manage garbage to avoid attracting lion prey. Don’t leave garbage out at night, use cans with tight fitting lids.Avoid landscaping that attracts deer and provides hiding places for lions.Close off spaces beneath decks, porches, or sheds that can be used by mountain lions and lion prey species.Keep outdoor animals in a secure pen that includes a wire roof. Some dog breeds may help deter a mountain lion.Keep small pets indoors, especially from dawn to dusk.Supervise children when they are outdoors.

Mountain Lion Range, Periods Of Activity and Breeding.

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) have large home ranges, up to 50-350 square miles. A male lion’s range will overlap multiple females.

Lions are secretive, using canyons, rock outcrops, cliffs, boulders, and dense vegetation for hiding and hunting.Most lion activity and hunting occurs at night, but lions are active from dusk through the early morning hours.Prey includes deer, elk, moose, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep, with deer being the most common prey in much of Idaho.Lions also prey on raccoons and other small mammals, and occasionally domestic pets and livestock. Prey items are often dragged away and covered with vegetation or dirt (cached), to be consumed at a later time.Breeding occurs year-round, but most commonly in winter and early spring. One to 4 kittens are born about 3 months following breeding. The young stay with their mother for a year or more.

Mountain Lion Sign

Mountain lion tracks appear round, are approximately 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and the claw marks usually are not visible. Droppings are 4 to 6 inches in length and 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter, cylindrical, and blunt on the ends. Droppings often have hair and bone fragments visible. They are
often covered with dirt.

Cached prey items are a sign that a lion has been in the area and may return again to feed on the cached food.Lions often leave vertical claw marks on trees, stumps, or fence posts, 4 to 8 feet above the ground.Lions make a variety of calls or vocalizations: they hiss, purr, mew, growl, yowl, chirp and cry.

Approximate size of an adult mountain lion fore print. Length: 3–4.3 in, Width: 3.3–4.8 in

DO NOT RUN

If you are with children, pick them up without bending over. Do not turn your back on the lion. Do not  crouch down or try to hide. Remain standing and facing the lion slowly back away. Leave the lion an escape route.