It’s hard to believe that prior to 1975 regulated deer hunting did not exist in Connecticut. Landowners, designated persons under a closed system using crop protection permits and poachers were the only people hunting deer in the state. There were not many deer to hunt at that time. Some notorious poachers were connected to the black market, where they illicitly sold their venison in big cities such as […]
Fate’s whimsy introduced me to the crossbow. Last November I was a guest at the Hixon Land and Cattle Ranch near Catulla, Texas, invited by Steve Hall, Hunter Education Coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, to participate in the 2015 IHEA-USA Heritage Hunt. Shooting a crossbow was one of the activities at the […]
Smoked venison sausage sounds outstanding and, combined with a little sweet kick, makes a perfect main attraction for a delicious and eye-appealing meal. Smoking is a curing method that has been around for centuries. Native Americans used the method, as have inhabitants of other countries. Venison, fish, fowl … they’ve all been tried at […]
Hunters who hunt chronically overpopulated and damaged land wonder why they do not see the older-age-class bucks they think they should, based on how many young bucks they pass during the season. The reason is that after any rut stress, there is still December, January and February that these deer must get through. Deer don’t […]
Every time my wife, Nicole, and I set up a stand in a tree or on the ground, we look for ways to make that location the best it can be. We try to enhance each stand location by making sure there are one or more calling cards available to deer. By Pat Reeve What is […]
Question: What is the heart of a crossbow? The limbs? After all, they are an essential part of the bow, where torque is built during cocking and stored until release. And that torque is what directly affects arrow speed and energy. Then there is the barrel, retention spring and flight groove that hold the arrow in place […]
If you’re anything like me, I grew up hunting with rifles and shotguns and never used hearing protection. Sure, I’d throw in a set of plugs at the range, but I certainly didn’t hunt with any type of hearing protection. After all, how could you listen for game or hear your Dad’s last-minute advice about […]
Conventional- and reverse-draw crossbows differ in more than just appearance. Here’s what you need to know to become an informed crossbow consumer. Among the first considerations made when selecting a crossbow involves its draw design. That is, whether to choose one with a conventional or reverse draw. Both types of crossbow have design-specific advantages; otherwise […]
Nose to the air, with a face full of my apple flavored DUI, the lead doe carelessly entered my foodplot. Minutes later she lay dead not 60 yards away, having fallen prey to a well placed heart shot arrow. After a few celebratory texts, and also checking the score of the Michigan vs. Michigan State […]
One of my favorite cartridges, and the one I’ve personally used more than any other in a lifetime of hunting, is the .270 Winchester. I was turned on to the cartridge by reading Jack O’Connor’s magazine articles and books. I grew up reading O’Connor’s prose when he was the Arms & Ammunition Editor of Outdoor […]