Hunting Fun

For the last few year, my best friend, Mickey, and I have: traveled around the country rattling whitetails, making Deer Rattling Videos, and hoping that this work would help convince hunters that rattling produces more opportunities and should be part of every hunters strategy. This year, after a long conversation with Dan Greenwalt about his experiences with decoys, we decided to add decoys to our rattling sessions, and see first hand what effect the addition would have on our success.

Because we move around when we go rattling, we needed lightweight, easy to carry decoys and the Tail Trick Decoy met these requirements (with the bonus of a tail that wags). The decoys are light polystyrene silhouettes, about 4′X15″X3″ and come in two models: a buck or doe( depending on whether you put antlers on the top ) and a booty (the rear view of a deer bent over browsing). We opted to use the buck and booty combination for our setup. (Mickey and I are both “booty men”)

During the trials we used every possible combination of decoys: a buck and booty, a doe and booty, a stand alone doe, stand alone buck, and stand alone booty. Although all the set ups took the deer’s attention away from the hunter and onto the decoy, we found that the best setup was the two decoy, buck and booty. We tried them with and without the tail wagging and found that the tail motion definitely peaked more curiosity.

Normally our rattling stands are well concealed, so we began by placing the decoys in front of our concealed positions. This worked well;the deer fixated on the decoys and paid almost no attention to our position. With the combination of the rattling and the decoys we were able to work the bucks in close without being detected. We experimented with the amount of cover we needed to successfully rattle in bucks. We were having so much fun we upped the ante by using less and less cover. Setting up in open fields using tall grass for cover, bucks would come out of the woods looking for the source of the rattling, see the decoys and either come in on top of us or approach to within 50 yards and hold. All the while, mesmerize by the decoys. Normally in these situations without decoys, these bucks would have stopped at the edge of the woods, looked out over the empty field, and retreated back into the woods. With the decoys, they left their cover and approached the decoy.

We continued to use less and less cover until we were using only the decoys and nothing else. Mickey would sit behind the booty with the camera and I would rattle from behind the buck decoy. We were amazed that the bucks would circle around approaching the buck decoy quartering from the front and would continue to close in on us without spooking until they got broadside of us and realized that they had been “Punked”.

Needless to say, Mickey and I are now believers: If you are not using decoys we recommend that you try them. We are confident that you will improve your hunting results.

Rattle On,



By: Tom Tann

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Coyote hunting camouflage is one of the most key components to a successful coyote hunt. Being camouflaged to coyotes includes both scent and sight. Coyotes have very good eyesight and a tremendously good sense of smell. They’re also very smart, hence should they see anything misplaced or smell anything out of place, they will be gone as quickly as they came and you won’t see them after all. This article is designed to focus particularly on visible camouflage.

Personal camouflage for Coyote Hunting:

When hunting, coyotes can notice everything that seems out of place. It’s a good idea to use full camouflage from top to bottom when hunting them. For instance your body, hands, head, and firearms. You desire a camouflage pattern that suits your surroundings. For instance, something pale colored, or white, in the winter time, something darker throughout spring, summer, and fall. There will be no shortage of patterns to choose from and anything will be better than nothing. Usually the best time for finding good camouflage for coyote hunting is in the spring and fall, close to turkey hunting seasons together with deer archery seasons. By late fall almost all of the camouflage patterns have given way to blaze orange for firearms seasons. I would personally suggest acquiring gun that is black synthetic instead of your wood grain options since they will typically be better suited without having camouflage tape.Using the right type of camouflage you do not need to get a blind. This can be beneficial, especially to a person hunting solo, as its just one less thing it is important for you to tote around. There have been loads of stories of coyote hunters who effectively have done such a top notch job with camouflage that people have literally had coyotes stepped on them along the way to the bait/call/decoy, etc. If using this method, its best to sit on the ground while in the shadow of something. Being in the darkness will be sure to make you and your motions less apparent.

Coyote Hunting Blinds: A ground blind can be of great help when hunting coyotes. They will be able to help trap your scent, in addition to offering the self evident visual camouflage. The type of blind you use really depends on your own hunting style as well as other camouflage. If you’re sitting in a ground blind, you may not need camouflage pants for instance.You may find your pop up/tent styles hunting blinds on the market that work very good. These kinds of blinds offer superb coverage from all directions and therefore are perfect for situations that you need to either view every direction, or use a hunting partner (and a hunting partner does come in real useful for viewing all angles). Should you have a hunting accomplice, I’d highly suggest a pop-up ground blind. The challenge with the pop up or hub style blind is the fact that they are larger and heavier to carry. Should you be hunting utilizing a accomplice though, you have extra hands! If you’re hunting solo, you can continue to use a hub blind but there are some other ground blinds which could work better. A more sensible choice could be one the more compact portable ground blinds. Rather than being a tent of fabric that entirely encircles you and also over you, these blinds are normally a series of about 6 panels which are just propped up in front of you,You can simply sit down on the ground behind them. There are a lot of types to choose from and some can be had for as low as $30 or $40. One of the coolest ones I have seen in a long time is called the ghost blind. It utilizes sequence of mirrored panels. The panels are going at a slight downward incline which causes it to reflect the terrain that is straight in front of them. Not only is your terrain around you always going to be the best camouflage, it’s like having an endless number of blinds in one. You don’t require a unique one for each season! It’s a lot pricier than a few other models, but the fact that its adaptable, I would say makes a great coyote hunting blind.



By: Brandon J S

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Does your hunting area have large bucks? We offer the following deer hunting tips specifically to help you locate the elusive monster bucks. Most very large bucks remain largely unseen. But even if there have been no reports of sightings of big bucks in an area, it does not have to follow that they are not there. Keeping that in mind, there are areas which do seem to be centers of activity for these monster bucks. If you want to have better odds for hunting a rare, giant deer, you need to know where they are. Its often frustrating to learn that many areas will not have any big bucks at all, least of all one you can find. You can, however, increase your chances of finding big bucks if they’re in the area you’re hunting in.

As a hunter, I pursued bucks of average size for a long time, but after a while, this was not enough and I dedicated myself to only hunting for bucks that could be considered trophies. I had to learn a lot of new tricks as I upped my game to pursue only trophy sized bucks, but I asked for advice and deer hunting tips from the very best deer hunters from all over the United States to learn the true secrets to successfully hunting big bucks. I learned that the techniques needed to hunt mature bucks with giant antlers were not the same as the ones I’d used to hunt regular bucks. As the years passed, and through a lot of experimentation, I figured out many secret deer hunting tips necessary to bring down the huge deer.

The first thing you should do to find out if there are large bucks around is to ask local hunters. As a hunter, you should speak to the locals to try to find out if there are large bucks around: owners of feed stores, game wardens, county agents, ranchers, farmers, other hunters, and even people in local diners or coffee shops. Your objective is to see if there are any large bucks locally, and where most of them have been sighted. Don’t forget that you are seeking out big bucks, not a lot of smaller deer. There are places which are teeming with small bucks, but this is not our goal. What we’re looking for is that monster buck. Talk to other hunters in your area if you’re already committed to one specific hunting ground and find out which stands or blinds are best to find the largest bucks, and ask others about their specific experiences. These are great ways to start out. However, you can be led astray by exaggerations, so verify the information you get from each source with other sources or field scouting.

For some additional information on finding large “Monster Bucks” please see the second part to this entitled Deer Hunting Tips for Finding Giant Racked Bucks Part 2.



By: Donald Borah

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Deer hunting is America’s favorite pastime on the hunter’s trail. To be a successful hunter, it’s necessary to know that deer manage to stay alive by avoiding predators. They do this by using their sense of smell, hearing and their eyesight, to a lesser extent.

They are naturally accustomed to hearing two kinds of sounds: natural and unnatural. The natural sounds are those of birds, the wind blowing through the trees, squirrels chattering or the grunts of a buck. The sounds that alert them to danger are a cough, leaves crunching or the clank of metal brushing or banging against something.

If the season has arrived, then understanding the rules of engagement is imperative to successfully hunting your game. Mimicking that will attract deer, such as a fawn in distress, a fawn bleat, doe or buck grunt, are great ways of getting their attention and drawing them to your location. Additionally, making a rattling noise mimics the sound of two bucks locked in combat. Be sure to rattle with a bit of enthusiasm, and a few grunts will help to make it sound authentic.

Whitetail deer have a far better sense of smell than the hunter in pursuit. Not only can they smell your presence upwind, they smell where you’ve walked. If you have a good understanding of wind direction, you can use it to your advantage when deer hunting.

A common mistake that novice hunters make is washing their clothes and apparel with laundry scented detergents. It’s recommended to use non-scented cleaning compounds and the allowing the clothes to dry in natural air elements outside. The hair and the body are often the biggest give away for deer whose survival depends on an acute sense of smell.

It’s commonly thought that they have a poor sense of sight. While it’s not their sharpest sense, many hunters give away their positions by allowing themselves to be seen. If you can fool their sense of sight, smell and hearing, then you’re well on you way to becoming a successful deer hunter. The key is to remain unseen and keep whatever you need within easy reach when hunting game.

When you find yourself in close proximity to your prey, it means you’ve done several things correctly to remain undetected by the animal. Hunting is a learned art and the skill requires practice before you can become a successful and seasoned hunter.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to perfect grunting and other realistic sounds that deer make. However, no matter how experienced or inexperienced you may be, there should always be a healthy reverence for wildlife and nature when you’re out and about on a deer hunting adventure.



By: Mike Ramidden

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With so many bow companies and bow models out there many bowhunters especially those who are new to the sport can often feel very overwhelmed and unsure when it comes to choosing the best deer hunting bow. The truth of the matter is that the answer to “Which deer hunting bow is the best?” is not black and white. In fact almost every bow on the market right now are all great deer hunting bows because they put out enough power to kill a deer and the bottom line is that everybody is different and will have different opinions about which bow is better. You have to choose the bow that best fits you as an individual. Here are a few tips that will help you to choose the correct bow for you.

1. Choose An Appropriate Drawlength

This is a major point right here. So often bowhunters will go into a store to buy a bow and will be sold a bow that doesn’t fit them – meaning that the drawlength of the bow is either too long or too short. It’s important that you know or find out your drawlength before you purchase a bow this will ensure that you’re buying a deer hunting bow that fits you.

2. Leave your Draw Weight pride at Home

I see this time and time again bowhunters will most often link the draw weight of the bow to a more macho and effective deer hunting bow. The truth of the matter is that you have to choose a bow with a draw weight you can easily draw and handle especially in colder weather or it will be of no use to you. A 50lb bow with the right setup can just as easily take down a deer as a 70lb bow.

3. Try before you Buy

This is key to choosing a deer hunting bow that is right for you. In order to know how a bow feels when shot, and how it reacts when shot you undoubtedly have to shoot it. Bows have different draws, vibrations, shot characteristics, grips, and many more features you will only really get a feel for once you have spent some time shooting it. If you are in a situation where you are unable to try before you buy (pawn shop, ebay etc) go to a bow shop and ask if they have the exact bow in stock or something very similar.

4. You get what you Pay For

Just like any other product in any other niche the old adage – “You get what you pay for” comes into play in archery as well, however this just like any other product is not always the case. In archery you there are great deer hunting bows that are overpriced because of the name associated with it. This is why the last tip is so important you may find a bow that feels as good as or even better than another and could be hundreds less because of the name associated with that bow.



By: Nate Atkins

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As deer population sky rockets within city limits, bow hunting can be very beneficial for both the citizens and their properties, as well as for hunters and their refrigerators. It’s a way to manage the number of deer as well as being a cost-effective program, that if incorporated properly can maintain safety and humane principles.

Deer population steadily increases not only in the countryside and rural communities but also in suburbs/city limits. This increase in deer population in the suburbs/city limits has grown more common now than ever before. Hunting is normally restricted in city limits with the use of guns. It’s against the law to fire a gun within a city limits due to the close proximity of homes and human life. However, bow hunters are a prime commodity because most cities will allow the use of bows within the city limits. A bow doesn’t have a negative cogitation because it doesn’t have that resounding “bang” when shot. Therefore the bow hunter has a less negative image as well.

The increase number of deer within the city limits are due from several reasons. One being a decrease in hunter pressure from predators and humans. The movement patterns of deer are influenced by hunting pressure and their sense of security. If they feel more secure in an environment they will prefer to stay in that location. As the rural areas develop more and more houses, deer to human encounters increase. This leads to the deer’s increase tolerance of humans and decreases their sense of being prey. I can note this as being true due to the fact of my encounters with suburban deer. My house is situated within the city limits but near the city/county line. I encounter deer regularly as I enter or exit my driveway. They are normally grazing in my back yard. I have seen and noticed that they have been as close as 10 feet of my house. They eat the acorns that have fallen from my tree as well as some shrubs next to my house. They really enjoy the presence of a garden during the summer months as well. This type of surrounding environment is very conducive for deer to gather and multiply. These increases can be beneficial for bow hunters in this environment but only if this type of program is implemented.

However, without the approval of this type of program deer consumption of vegetation in gardens as well as landscapes of homes and businesses will increase. The damages and loss of invested time and money can provide a concern. Another concern will be the increase number of deer to automotive collisions which can drive up insurance costs and claims. Thus causing more strain on an individual’s wallet from property damage and increasing cost for repair. So as these cost begin to inflate and affect the general population within the city, the acceptance of this program will be more accepted…..then enter bow hunters.

With the entrance of bow hunters,the deer population should decrease and become manageable numbers. As the numbers of deer decrease it should directly have an effect on number of insurance claims and decrease the amount of investment loss from vegetation in residual and business gardens. If bow hunters are responsible and respective for the community, they can decrease the hunter’s stigma of being uncivilized and heartless individuals. Hunters need to maintain bow concealment during transportation before and after the hunt. This can draw less attention to them if their weapon is concealed. Another way of keeping attention low is the concealment of the deer during it’s removal. Wrap the deer up in a blanket when exiting your hunting area so to be discreet and have a less inhumane appearance.

A bow hunter can meet all these criteria if conducted in an ethical and respective way. Therefore, bow hunting in the suburbs can be a beneficial program that is cost effective to decrease the deer numbers, decrease the damages/loss of personal/city property while meeting the bow hunters needs.



By: Heath K Hylton

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Once again, it’s that time of 12 months and the fever is already taking hold. I am speaking about deer hunting and if you’re like me, you realize specifically what I am talking about. Among the first points we need to have to complete to be able to support make a profitable hunt is scout the places we will probably be hunting. Here are a few tips for scouting deer.

Know your location and know the indicators of life

Choose out a number of distinct locations that you will wish to hunt. The main thought in scouting deer would be to know the location properly. Keep in mind that you simply are getting into their property and they realize it a whole lot greater than you do. Walk by means of the region few weeks prior to hunting time and look for indicators of deer existence. Deer leave at the rear of a couple of visible indicators that they are there, like rubs, scrapes and bedding spots. Realizing how you can spot these things is vital to our good results as hunters.

As you walk by means of the location, keep a sharp eye out for indicators that deer are within the vicinity. During the early archery year, males (bucks) usually are not but territorial and run in packs of three or 4 together with a couple of females (does). So what you need to look for now are tracks. Pay attention to what direction they are pointing and comply with them right up until you cannot go any further. This may give you an apparent picture of where the deer operate and where they operate to.

Sometime within the middle of November, the bucks start off rutting and become territorial. This really is once they operate by using a doe or two. Scouting for the duration of rutting time is really a bit diverse. For the duration of this time, you need to look for buck rubs, ground scrapes and bedding places. Deer are creatures of behavior and typically remain within a 2 mile radius if exactly where they’re born. Should you can lock onto that, you’ll uncover them; IF you’re patient.

Scouting from afar

One more scouting approach is to locate a vantage stage that overlooks the area and simply observe the exercise. Areas that supply all of the necessities are what to look for. This consists of cover, drinking water and foods resources. Locate a combination of any two of these components and you’re almost specific to spot deer there.

For the duration of your stroll consider notes on the locations that appear promising, discover the vantage level and look at with a spotting scope or binoculars. Deer will typically journey by way of the identical spot each day in the very same time. As I stated, they are creatures of behavior, so get to understand their habits and routes.

Scouting (trail) cameras are good for pinning down when deer are inside a certain spot at a particular time of day. This information can be vital to an effective hunt. When you get the deer’s routine down, you’ll be able to tailor your excursion to that schedule and see much more deer than you shake a stick at.

Scouting deer isn’t a challenging factor to perform or challenging to discover. It is a little time intensive and calls for you to believe a little, so get off the sofa a few weeks early and scout out your areas!

Notice: Locate your stands or blinds a minimum of a month prior to opening day. Deer know what does and does not belong there. Turning into a portion of the all-natural setting goes a long way to bagging the large one!



By: Janine Perez

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This has been a big debate for decades here in Utah and across the western states where mule deer reside. Mule deer are much more sensitive than their cousins the whitetail deer. Mule deer are picky eaters and if their food gets taken away or eaten by elk then they starve and die when a harsh winter hits.

Here in Utah the mule deer herd has been struggling for as long as I can remember. I still hear stories about the good ol days back in 1950 when there were deer around every rock and corner. The population exploded around that time which forced the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to open up hunting to either ***. In 1961 there were 132,000 deer killed by hunters which was a record for Utah. Then around 1970 the herd took a turn for the worse and they were forced to go back to buck only hunts. And then in 1992-93 Utah saw some severe winters which severely damaged the herds.

Since then the herds have been slowly declining. I hear many different arguments on this subject. There are a lot of different opinions and ideas on why this is happening. Some say it’s because of over development on their winter range. Some say it’s because the elk herds are increasing and are eating up what the mule deer eat. It is true that the elk herds have greatly increased over the last 25 years. Some say that there are or were too many hunters killing too many bucks. Some say that an overpopulation of predators are the problem. Some say the harsh winters combined with the lack of food.

While there are many ideas, opinions and arguments I think it’s hard to pin it on one thing. It might be all of those reasons and problems combined together that are causing the decline of our herds. Before I wrote this article I did some research and found some interesting news articles and also some reports from the Utah DWR. They state the reasons as over development, harsh winters, predators and lack of food as being a major reason. Which in my mind makes sense.

One thing is for sure though we need to pin down the problem and get it fixed yesterday. Mule deer are one of the best big game animals in America to hunt. And we need to save and preserve them.

Next year Utah is drastically changing the hunting regulations. They’re reducing hunting licenses by the thousands so with high hopes I’m going to be optimistic.

Be safe and good hunting my friends.



By: Jason Wall

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For whitetail deer hunters, Alabama is the place to find trophy bucks. Alabama maintains dozens of properties throughout the state to breed and grow big bucks and does. In total, about 5,000 acres of land is preserved and maintained by lodges and farms to nurture the deer population and virtually guarantee a better hunting experience for every hunter who visits.

These farms feed a special diet to the deer to ensure large bucks with well developed antlers. The feed is full of iron, clay pees, grain sorghum, and other protein sources to assist in growth. In recent years, the ratio of bucks to does has increased season by season. The ratio in the 2000-2001 season was reported at 3 to 1, and by the 2002-2003 season, the ratio was down 2.2 to 1 in the preserves, ensuring that the population flourishes.

Alabama has two seasons, both bow hunting and firearm hunting, like many other states. The dates vary year to year, with bow hunting starting in mid-October, and gun season starting at the end of November. Be sure to check with the Alabama Department of Wildlife for exact dates. Another option many farms offer to hunters is a training season often held in the winter. A guide will take you out into the woods where you’ll learn the Alabama landscape and how to best use it to your advantage in searching out your trophy buck. Many of the farms also cater to each specific hunter’s goals and preferences. Often, hunters have the option to hunt with a guide who knows the property intimately, or they can always choose to go it alone. Either way, the farm is there to assist you in reaching your hunting goal.

Alabama deer hunting has become a profitable business for those in the state. Hunters have flocked to Alabama to seek out trophy bucks for decades; it becomes an experience unmatched. Because of the minimal hunting restrictions and the many big buck opportunities throughout the state, hunting has become a business beneficial for all involved.



By: Abhishek Agarwal

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Ground Blinds have become increasingly popular over the last several years for all types of hunting. Versatile, light, inexpensive and mobile are all reasons for the increase of their popularity. Perhaps the biggest reason for the rise in popularity of ground blinds is the fact that they provide an unmatched level of comfort while deer hunting and any other game animal as you can stay warm and dry and sit in a comfortable seat.

Why are ground blinds so effective for deer hunting?

Blinds have a lot to offer deer hunters besides comfort. Here is a list of the reasons why ground blinds are so effective for deer hunting

Concealment: When sitting in a blind, deer and other animals do not realize there is a person sitting inside the blind, so they will approach a ground blind as if it were just another tree in the forest; especially if the ground blind has been in place for some time so that the deer can become accustomed to it. This gives a deer hunter the advantage and if patient enough, the opportunity to get a shot at a deer from close range.
Scent Retention: Being inside of a ground blind while deer hunting keeps a large part of your scent from leaving the blind. The sense of smell is the number one sense deer have to protect themselves from predators. Humans are the stinkiest smelling predators a deer has to deal with, and is just one molecule of human scent is detected, any deer will be on high alert. The smartest bucks typically smell hunters before they are ever seen and are gone before the hunter ever knew they were there. That is why it is so important to keep your smell to a minimum, and blinds can help.
Mobility: Ground blinds offer a deer hunter the ability to set up wherever and whenever they want enabling them to move at a moments notice to get in a better spot. It seems like when you set up or build a tree stand you wish you would have set it up 100 yards away where you keep seeing the deer. With a good blind, you can move it and be hunting there right away. Of course there is a lot to be said about keeping a ground blind in the same spot so deer can get use to it, but in some cases you have to be aggressive and go to the deer.
Comfort: I must stress the comfort level that a ground blind for deer hunting can provide again. The fact that you can sit for increased periods of time regardless of weather conditions is a huge benefit that blinds can give a deer hunter. The more time spent hunting the better the chances of a buck of a lifetime will show up.

How to Maximize the Use of a Ground Blind for Deer Hunting

There are many things you can do to improve your effectiveness of your deer hunting out of a ground blind. Here are a few tips that you can use to help seal the deal on a deer this hunting season.

Location

The number one variable you need to address when ground blind hunting for deer is location. You want to place that blind in an area that is frequently visited by deer, and more importantly big mature bucks (if that is what you are after).

There are several ways to predict if there are deer in the area. The easiest was to tell is to view the area in the mornings and evenings. If there are a lot of deer in the area, then you will at least see a few.

Another good way is to look for sign. Deer tracks and droppings can tell you a lot about how many deer are in the area. More importantly, deer sign can give you a good idea of the size of the deer and the directions they are heading.

Perhaps the most effective way to scout the location is to set up trail cameras. That way you know exactly what type of deer are in the area and allow you to know when they are moving. This way you can select the exact buck you plan to hold out for.

Set Your Ground Blind Up Early

It is best to get your scouting done and set your blind up before the season so by the time the actual season opens, you will be ready and the deer will have become accustomed to the blind.

Hunt Often and Patiently

The more time you are in your blind the better the chance is of you being there when the deer you are after comes by. This might not take long if you are only after a young buck or a doe, but to get the big mature bucks, you may have to be patient and be able to pass up lesser deer in hopes that the buck of a life time will come along.

An Easier Way to Hunt

While there is a lot to the processes listed above, once you are in a good spot that you know the deer you are after frequent often and you have the blind set up, then all you have to do is show up and hunt in comfort. The more time spent in the blind, the better chance that big buck will walk be within range.



By: Chris N Jackson

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