Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

“I’d rather cook than hunt,” said no deer hunter ever.  Although things are changing, most deer camps welcome anyone who will make great meals with a minimum of mess and preparation.  Here are three great ways to garner the admiration and appreciation of your fellow campmates that work in a cozy cabin or wilderness camp.

Pre-Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates, long-term energy, and taste.  Problem is, they take a long time to make, especially when the gang returns after dark.  To enjoy baked and fried potatoes, cook a 10-pound bag of spuds before the hunt so they can be quickly warmed by a campfire or sliced for a delicious, energy-filled breakfast.

Great Eating Options

Pre-baking potatoes are easy: Wash each potato and rub it with olive oil.  Next, salt each spud, wrap in foil, and bake for an hour at 350 degrees.  Store in a cool place or refrigerate.  For breakfast, fry a pan of bacon and then drop sliced potatoes into the grease.  Flip when brown on one side and salt to taste.  Also, you can pour beaten eggs over the potatoes for a great egg combo.

No-Mess Pancakes

Mixing pancake batter usually requires bowls and utensils that must be washed.  Instead, put a premeasured amount of pancake mix in a gallon-size Zip-lock bag.  Even if you use, a “ready-mix” pancake mix, add a couple of eggs and milk to give the flapjacks extra flavor.  Instead of a ladle, just squeeze the batter from the bag for the perfect amount and enjoy a great breakfast and a quick cleanup.

Yummy Options

Pancakes are a great breakfast, even when plain.  However, add some fruit or chocolate chips and you suddenly have a Sunday delight.  Blueberries are my favorite and you can mix them into the batter before pouring them onto a griddle or skillet or add them afterward.  Strawberries, raspberries, and chocolate chips also add extra yummy to the cakes.

Robert Hoague Webmaster Bowhunting.net

I walked to the house and waited for darkness and for my buddies to pull in. To be honest I was apprehensive. Crown Buck was too close for me to use the sight on my crossbow and basically I shot him instinctively. The arrow went so fast that I could not see it and Crown Buck exploded instantly and ran full tilt towards the mouth of the gulley 80 yards away.

The tall grass sucked in his outline and that was the end of what I saw. He was out of sight in seconds. I felt good about the hit, however I had no real facts to base that on.

After dark Richey, John, Bryant, Collin and Champ arrived. It was already one of those darker than dark nights. We switched our flashlights on and they followed me to where I made the shot. Collin videoed with his iPhone. We looked around the immediate area. No one found my arrow nor did anyone see any blood.

“He went this direction,” I said, and started walking in the direction of the gulley. When we got to the tall grass we spread out. We were not finding any sign or the buck.

Champ spoke excitedly, “I found blood!”

Crown Buck stood motionless, staring right at my face. So, I borrowed from a page in the Big Buck’s page-book and stood motionless myself, not moving a centimeter from the top of my head to my toes. I breathed very slowly through my nose, a subtle trick of my own that I thought up year’s ago. It has worked for me more than it hasn’t!

It worked this time too.

A black hocked Doe stepped out of the trees 45 yards ahead and magically Crown Buck picked up on it. He switched on his full alert look and postured in “Here I Am Baby” mode. The Doe held her grounds and looked at him; which tipped me off, I had better get doing whatever I was gonna do.

Above is a game camera picture of Crown Buck from November 11, 2020 taken a year earlier a mile from where we both were.

Every second counted now. I scooped up my crossbow. He was closer than I would’ve liked but ‘”It is what it is.” I shouldered the crossbow and did one of those “act, don’t think about it” moves. The crossbow has a scope but he was too close to fool with using it. I sighted down the stock and pulled the trigger.

Some say the age of a whitetail buck is easy to judge if you know what to look for. A buck’s Body is always the best way to field judge a buck’s age. Can you judge a buck’s age by his antlers? What can antlers tell you about a particular buck?

To find the oldest bucks follow the tips from Jeff Sturgis’s latest web class, “How To Hunt The Whitetail Rut”: https://www.whitetailhabitatsolutions…

After you know how to find the oldest bucks, make sure that you follow Jeff’s proven, weather based hunt predictions when every time you deer hunt. Check out HuntCast, at: https://huntwise.com/sturgis

 Whitetail Habitat Solutions

Longbow Bowhunter Johnathan Moreland Located A Huge South Arkansas Buck And Bowhunts Hard To Get Him. His Game Camera shows the buck ahead of the season and during the season. One night the camera records video of a brutal fight between the buck and another giant. Johnathan hunts every chance he can and sees the giant buck 5 times. Wild Hogs and coyotes chases interfere with his hunts.

 

Just In: Bowhunter Weston Sloan moved into an area where he was setup to bowhunt a big 10-point he had scouted before season. Three nice bucks show up and we get to see some good footage of the buck activity in the deep woods.

The 10-point leaves but returns in a short while he returns. This time Weston gets a shot opportunity. And the buck goes down in sight.

Don Wilson waited impatiently as daylight finally arrived unveiling three deer feeding near his stand.  One was a respectable 8-point and Wilson raised his trusty CAM-X crossbow and launched a Grim Reaper Hybrid-tipped arrow toward the deer.  Striking the animal in mid-chest, it dropped like a brick and quickly expired.  Wilson knew the “Watch em drop” logo for Grim Reaper but never expected such a dramatic result.

Why Hybrids:

Expandable broadheads have a slender silhouette and often strike point-of-aim just like target points.  Additionally, they utilize razor-sharp blades to make large wound channels for quick ethical kills.  If the head fails to open, the broadhead acts like a target point.  Fixed blades have no moving parts and “always work” giving the hunter greater confidence.  Unfortunately, the larger the head, the more likely it will wind plane and not strike like target points.

What About Penetration?

In most cases, fixed blades penetrate better than mechanical broadheads because the opening process and larger blade size create greater friction.  With today’s high-speed compounds and super-kinetic energy crossbows, this slight loss of penetration is insignificant.  Just as you should test the accuracy of your hybrid heads against target points, do the same with a foam target and you will have confidence in your shot.

Popular Options-

Here’s a look at five brands all with different profiles and characteristics except that each has a singular cutting head with a mechanical option that deploys on impact.  The best way to test a head from your compound or crossbow is to shoot it into a foam target with a sheet of paper on the front.  The paper will show if your broadhead opens upon contact or after penetration.

Grim Reaper

The Grim Reaper hybrid features a chisel point and four blades, two fixed and two that open.  In 100 grains, the 1 3/16ths fixed blade assures a lethal cut with the boost of a 1 1/2 inch mechanical blade that opens upon impact. GrimReaperbroadheads.com 

My newest hunting buddy is my step daughter’s son Champ. He is a natural born outdoorsman and at 13 years old he’s spent more time in the woods; and likely knows more about woodsmanship and understands more about locating and hunting our local wild game, Whitetail deer and wild hogs, than most 30-40 year olds do. I’m not lying, Champ has spent plenty of his time there and he knows his way around in the whitetail woods.

Champ with a large wild boar he arrowed with a crossbow last year when he was 12.

Last year, the Friday after this Thanksgiving, Champ wanted to zero in on a big wild boar showing up regularly on his SpyPoint mobile game camera at one of my ground blind stand sites. The day before that I hunted alone in a weather worn, years old tin shed. Before long my area got nuts with deer activity, all does, but that’s ok because the rut was coming on right then and this steady flow of does in and out of my area might get the attention of a nice mature buck.

Three of the members of our deer lease were also down to hunt, Richey, John and Bryant. I kept up with everyone by texting them and they were seeing deer also. An hour before dark 5 does were scattered around my area; on the slope in front of me, in the valley the slope led to, on the nearby hillside and in the surrounding strips of woods. Something caught their attention and all of the does looked in the direction of a nearby area I couldn’t see — south of my dirt-floor tin shed.

Suddenly … from the right, a buck walked into my view, only a few feet away from my shooting cut-out in the blind’s wall.

He was a big, mature buck. Based on sightings of him by Richie, Robbie and myself over the last few years he was at least 5 1/2 in age. And he was a buck that holds down the nickname of the “Crown Buck” because of his straight and evenly spaced vertical tines, and his high rack as well as the circular shape of the main beams.

In 2006 Sam Bergeson took over as President of his families hunting scent company Wildlife Research Center. Since then Sam has spearheaded the research and introduction of new deer scent and hunting products.

Three new products introductions grabbed my interest, Synthetic scents, Scent Reflex Technology and Scent Aerosol Sprays. When Scent Reflex Technology was meshed with Wildlife Research Center’s top quality synthetics; it reportedly brings the scent’s performance upward to a “Whole New Level!” — with the most consistent results ever. I placed my order on Amazon.com and definitely am anxious to begin using it when our deer archery season begins on October 1 this year.
By Robert Hoague, Bowhunting.net

Wildlife Research Center, Inc., is the leader in the scent and scent elimination products for the deerhunting and hunting.

The Gold Standard®

New Super Charged® Golden Estrus® Scent Aerosol Spray

Extra premium doe Urine with Estrus secretions, enhanced with break-through scent reflex technology. 3 FL oz of premium scent in a pressurized can for convenient dispersal. Bag on valve system separates premium scent from pressurized air so scent quality is never diminished.

Premium Doe Urine with Estrus Secretions, enhanced with break-through ScentReflex® Technology for a better response.3 FL OZ of premium scent in a pressurized can for convenient dispersal.High-Output sprayers that even spray upside down.Bag On Valve system separates premium scent from pressurized air so scent quality is not diminished.

Golden Estrus® Spray with Scent Reflex® Technology – The Gold Standard® – Look for the Gold Cap!

*The color gold for a cap is a registered trademark of Wildlife Research Center, inc.

3 FL OZ Spray Can – Golden Estrus® Spray with Scent Reflex® Technology

Grilling Venison Is Tricky. It’s A Lean Meat And Has No Fat. You Need To Know The Right Grilling Procedure Or The Meat Will Be Dry And Tough. You Don’t Want That.

Our Host Jesse Griffiths understands how important it is that you prepare and cook your venison right. So get a sharp kitchen knife and lets watch Jessie show you how to grill venison so it’s  perfect.

Ingredients

Serves 41 ½ – 2 pounds venison loin, trimmed of all silverskinSalt and pepperFresh chopped herbs: thyme, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, savory and/or parsley, to yield about 2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs.3 tbsp olive oil1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream2 tbsp freshly grated or prepared horseradish, or more to taste2 tsp chopped fresh chives or parsleyJuice and zest of one lemonSalt to taste

Instructions

Start a hot fire in a grill or preheat your grill to high heat. Season the loins with salt and pepper, and marinate in the herbs and olive oil for 2 hours or overnight, refrigerated.Once the coals have burned down, make an even and hot fire.Grill on one side without moving until nicely browned, about 4-5 minutes, then turn 90 degrees.Flip the loins, cooking them about 4-5 minutes more and still rare on the inside. Aim for a good, deeply browned char on the outside.Remove to a warm plate and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce.For the horseradish sauce, mix the crème fraiche, horseradish, chives, and zest together in a small bowl, adding salt to taste.Serve the loin, sliced thinly against the grain with mashed potatoes, the horseradish cream and a simple salad or green beans.

From “Afield: A Chef’s Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish”
By Jesse Griffiths

 

 

All over the USA bowhunters are either already bowhunting Whitetail Deer, Antelope, Elk and more or else preparing for their Opening Weekends. Tens of thousands of us will participate in the age old tradition of cooking fresh Venison Chili In a Skillet on their hot campfire. Nothing beats it.

Here is how to do it right.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8¼ cup vegetable oil2 lbs venisonSalt & pepper (to taste)2 poblano peppers, stemmed and diced½ large onion, chopped5 cloves garlic, chopped1 ½ tablespoons ancho chile powder2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or to taste depending on how much spice you like!)1 tablespoon ground cumin½ teaspoon oregano1 can black beans1 can chili beans1 can canned diced tomatoes2 cups game stock or chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

Brown the venison on medium-high heat with a smidge of the vegetable oil, just enough to swirl around your large cast iron skillet. The oil and small amount of fat grease from the meat will keep the venison from sticking (if using venison with no fat mixed in, note that it will be leaner).

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.When the venison is browned, transfer it to another bowl and set it aside.Add the remaining oil, reduce the heat to medium and add the poblano peppers and the onion. Stir often and cook until the peppers and onions are soft.Increase the heat to medium-high and add your garlic, ancho chile powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and oregano and continue to cook, stirring regularly.Add the beans, tomatoes, stock, and put the venison back into the pan. Stir until ingredients are combined and then bring everything to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.

Your Chili is ready!

Serve with whatever fixins you like, cheese, sour cream, onions, corn chips, etc.

INTRODUCING: Scouting Scent

Get Fast Action At Your Trail Camera Site.

Peaks interest of essentially all local wildlife, so you can see what’s nearby much quicker than setting a camera alone.Long lasting formula keeps getting action for longer. Even under wet or bad conditionsGreat for deer hunters, wildlife enthusiasts, or anyone with a trail cameraCreated by the leaders in Whitetail Deer hunting Scents.

From Wildlife Research Center

#245-4 4 FL OZ Bottle, blister carded UPC: 0-24641-02454-7
Special Value Pack Includes One Magnum Key-Wick®

Feral hogs are an unwanted menace to farmers and ranchers but they definitely are tasty if cooked right. Wild Game Cooking expert Jesse Griffiths, author of “Afield: A Chef’s Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish,” turns these wild pigs into a melt-in-your-mouth southwestern classic, Tacos.

For recipe details, wildlife information, and places to hunt, see https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/…

Ingredients

2-3 pounds of feral hog shoulder or leg, bone-in.Salt and pepper to taste.1 TBSP chipotle powder, or more to taste.1 TBSP brown sugar.1 TBSP dried oregano.1 TBSP cumin seed.2-3 onions, chopped.Jesse Griffiths, author of “Afield: A Chef’s Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish.”

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.Season the hog with salt, pepper, chipotle spice, brown sugar, oregano and cumin.Rub the spice mix all over the top, bottom and sides of the meat.Place the chopped onions in an ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid and place the hog on top.Cover the pot with a tight lid and bake for 6-8 hours, or until completely tender.Serve with corn tortillas, pico de gallo and guacamole.

From “Afield: A Chef’s Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish”
By Jesse Griffiths

I found this ‘Must See” Deerhunting Video. None of us want to spook deer in the Whitetail woods, but that’s a lot easier to say than do. I really like the way Jeff Sturgis covers this topic, because that’s how it really is when it comes to the one buck that will not cut you any slack.

If you make the mistake Jeff is talking about here, that older Buck is gonna leave instantly. And you only have one misstep that will spook him. One!

And here is why! And also, what you must do to prevent it.

An archery elk hunt is one of North America’s greatest adventures.

Camping in majestic mountains clad in aspen-golden splendor, a majestic quarry that bulges and bellows, breaks branches with giant antlers, yet can sneak toward seductive cow calls in total silence.  The Cowboy State is blessed with diverse big game species, abundant public land, and easy access if you draw a license.

Full Season License-

A Wyoming elk tag is good for the entire season.  If you don’t get your game in the archery season, your license is good for the rifle, muzzleloading, and other special seasons.  Residents will often pass a 5-point bull in bow season since they may see a bigger bull with a rifle.  This helps reduce pressure during archery season when crossbows are legal.

Incredible Access-

Many Federal and State lands are crisscrossed with roads to reduce fire danger.  They are marked with names and numbers and show up on maps and cell phone mapping apps.  This makes access to remote areas remarkably easy and I once killed a bull elk while hunting out of a Dodge Charger driven six miles into the mountains.

Hunt Up, Pack Down

An elk will generate at least 250 pounds of boned-out meat and you must think about getting your venison back to camp in your hunting plan.  I try to camp low and hunt up the mountain so that the packing job will be downhill.  Make sure you have meat bags and a sturdy pack to make this celebratory task manageable… and hunting buddies greatly lessen the load.

Speed Goat Season

Pronghorn antelope rut at the same time as elk so combining a hunt for them will double the enjoyment of your adventure.  Actually, beginning with an antelope hunt will help you focus your shooting and stalking skills and work as a perfect warm-up to the mountains.  Antelope tags are much easier to draw but pronghorn are rarely found in elk habitats.

Five Posts earlier I set out my new Moultrie Mobile EDGE game Camera and placed it on my porch aimed at my cats’ watering container. I got lucky and at 3:30pm a doe came over to drink some water and the Moultrie EDGE took it’s picture and sent it to my iPhone.

Now I wanted a better picture of that doe, or and other deer, drinking the water. But, lets digress and explain about the water. I used a 14″ square buffet serving tray to hold the water, which was a water source for my Mouser Cats.

An aside about Mouser Cats; if, like me, you live out in the country where the deer woods is you need a few cats — or you’re gonna have more mice and rats in the house than you could believe. Plus, Cats scare off, or kill rattlesnakes too.

Onward.

At 2:00pm the next afternoon I dressed all in black and wore a black mask and put fresh water in the container. Shortly after 3:00pm I was sitting in a rocking chair on my front porch, Only two arms lengths from the water.

I picked up the SD Card from a Moultrie game camera I had at a place I renamed to ‘Super Secret’ after I saw this picture from September 1. Two 8 points. One young, the other not young but not old either.

MOULTRIE DIGITAL CAMERA

I cropped in on the larger buck so you could see him a little better.

MOULTRIE DIGITAL CAMERA

My new Moultrie Mobile Cellular game cameras arrived and I spread the cameras around the areas that I know are hangout for bucks that only one of my friends knows about. Because the archery season begins on October 1 this year I have to dig in deep this month to locate this year’s mature bucks and, of course, try to see where else the buck here goes during daylight hours.

I had purchased two EDGE Game Cameras and I placed the second one late Sept 11 where it could watch my Pellet Feeder. I pulled the feeder plug that activated the pellets to drop into the feeding pellet tray.

Later, I received a Notification that a picture was taken at 6:54am. However, I was sleeping soundly.

I had also slept through a few more pictures. Like the buck below at 12:13am on the 12th. He is nice and wide but we can’t see his tines too good. And there are two more deer in the picture but they are at least 50 yards or further away.

The next picture has two deer back in the trees and a racoon has come up.

At 8:48pm an 8-pointer has approached the protein feeder and is licking up pellets.

Zack of the Hunting Public TV puts his considerable Stalking skills to work and makes a difficult Wyoming Pronghorn Antelope bowhunt come togeather as he bags his 2022 Wyoming Antelope buck for Archery Season.

 

 

 

 

By: Jason Herbert

When our Fall deer seasons arrive many bowhunters use Treestands to get up above the ground and elude the whitetail’s sense of smell and their leery eyes and sharp hearing.

Using a treestand can definitely help you, but it’s not the answer to everything.

Deer hunters will never be able to fool the animal’s sense of survival, but here is some sound advice and a few tricks that can increase your odds.

Trick #1- Camouflage the treestand.
After that perfect treestand is hung find some brush or twigs to help conceal it. Find old dead branches, cut small saplings, or use trimmed material from a cleared shooting lane. Weave it in and out of the platform, and tie brush to the tree. Place limbs and other natural camouflage in nearby branches. Anything that can be added to break up the hunters’ silhouette without interfering with a shot will be a bonus. The leaves on cut branches won’t stay green long, so it’s best to be generous when doing this.