PBO Prostaffer Cory McBride with a hard earned Kentucky thunder chicken!

With the 2012 Kentucky turkey season slipping up on us, I thought it would be good to take a look at some of Kentucky’s excellent public land hunting opportunities for filling your spring turkey tag.  So here is a region-by-region breakdown, highlighting the top WMAs in each region based on last year’s spring turkey season harvest data.  We’ll start with the Purchase region in the far western portion of the state and work our way over to the Southeast.

Purchase Region

Purchase region public land hunters were able to harvest 122 turkeys during the 2011 Kentucky spring turkey season.  Of those, 42 were harvested in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, 21 were bagged at Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, and 18 on Pennyrile State Forest.  Keep in mind that part of the turkey season at LBL is a quota hunt for drawn hunters.  You can check out the LBL website for information about applying for those hunts.  Clarks River is open to the public, but does require a permit.

Green River Region

Moving east, hunters in the Green River Region were able to harvest an impressive 304 birds on public land in 2011.  Over half of those birds – 159 – were harvested on Peabody WMA.  Next in line was the Wendell H Ford Regional Training Center with 56 birds taken, and Barren River Lake WMA came in third with 24 turkey tags filled.  Peabody WMA requires a user permit, and the Wendell H Ford RTC may have special regulations in place, so be sure to contact the Fish and Wildlife Manager at (502) 607-7929. 

Bluegrass Region

In the central part of the state, public lands hunters were able to bag 116 birds total.  Of those, 44 were taken on Taylorsville Lake WMA, 25 on Kentucky River WMA, and 14 on John A Kleber WMA.  All three of these areas are open under statewide season dates and regulations for spring turkey season.

Northeast Region

Hunters in the northeast portion of the state managed to tag 159 birds on public lands.  Fishtrap Lake WMA produced 36 of those birds, Yatesville Lake yielded 30 and both Grayson Lake and Paintsville Lake WMA provided hunters with a respectable 21 birds.  Again, all three of the WMAs are open under statewide regulations and season dates.

Southeast Region

Saving the best for last, hunters in the southeast region telechecked an amazing 1,178 turkeys from public land!  Nearly three-quarters of those birds, 750 total, were taken in the Daniel Boone National Forest.  Lake Cumberland produced an impressive 72 turkeys, and Begley WMA turned in 37.  All three are open under statewide regs for the spring turkey season.

Regardless of where you live in Kentucky, you are only a short drive from great spring turkey hunting.  So, if you don’t have access to private land, or if you just want a change of scenery this spring, give one of these WMAs a shot.

To learn about all of Kentucky’s public hunting areas, and access maps for hunting, be sure to visit our Public Hunting Areas page here on Poor Boys Outdoors!

To discuss turkey hunting with other Kentucky hunters, be sure to check out our PBO Forums!

Setting up to video a Kentucky turkey hunt

Since I started producing the Poor Boys Outdoors television show last year, it has really opened my eyes to the number of hunters who now pack a video camera into the woods with them, hoping to catch that moment of truth on video. Unfortunately, even for many of those who do manage to capture a successful hunt on video, the results are often disappointing; due to either a lack of proper equipment, improper settings on the camera, or poor technique. That’s not to say you have to have the best equipment or a degree in broadcasting to video a quality hunt that your friends and family will enjoy…it just means you need to know how to use your camera and accessories to get the best footage possible.

In this first part of a two-part series on videoing your hunts, we are going to look at some of the different camera options on the market today, as well as what accessories you will need in order to get the most from your camera. In part 2, we will discuss how to use the equipment, along with your knowledge of hunting, to create an entertaining video of your hunt.

THE CAMERA
While just about any video camera can be used for filming hunts, some models will obviously do a much better job than others. Which camera you choose will depend heavily on what your budget is and what you intend to do with the footage after you’ve captured it. If you’re strictly filming hunts for your own enjoyment, then your options are much greater than if you are shooting for broadcast television. In fact, there is no way I can cover them all in the scope of this article. Instead, we’ll look at some of the key features to look for when shopping for a new camera, and you can narrow down the list on your own.

A few video camera options for hunting

HD vs SD
Video technology is changing fast, and High Definition (HD) is quickly becoming the standard for television viewing, movie watching (Blu Ray), and producing video. In fact, if you are in the market to buy a new camera, considering a Standard Definition (SD) camera is almost a moot point, as most SD models have been phased out. That’s not to say that you need an HD camera to produce DVD-quality hunting footage, but if you are ready to purchase something new, then by all means, go ahead and make the leap to HD.

AUDIO INPUTS
Regardless of what you plan to use your footage for, the next thing I would look for in a good HD camera is the ability to add an external microphone. We’ll talk a little more about why that’s important later in the article, but the short of it is this – factory “on-board” microphones typically do a lousy job. And bad audio makes for bad video. All but the cheapest of cameras today come with a 1/8″ microphone port that will handle the task, so just make sure you check before buying.

IMAGE SENSOR SIZE
As hunters, we all know that a lot of successful hunts happen during the first and last 30 minutes of daylight, which is why it is extremely important that a camera used to video hunts performs as well as possible under those types of low-light conditions. Video camera manufacturers often use “Lux ratings” to describe how well their cameras perform in low light, with a lower rating meaning better low-light performance. However, these ratings vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and are unreliable at best. It’s comparable to trusting the advertised speeds on today’s new bows. So, if you can’t trust Lux ratings, just how are you supposed to compare how different cameras will perform in low light? The answer lies in the camera’s image sensor.

The image sensor of a video camera is what transforms the light captured by the camera’s lens and turns it into a digital signal. The most common types of image sensors you will encounter are CCD (charge coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor). The technical difference between the two is not so much as important as the sensor’s size. In general, the larger the sensor, the more light it can capture, resulting in a better quality image and better low light performance. That can be the difference between a great hunt on video or a dark, grainy image the you can barely make out.

MANUAL SETTINGS 
The next feature to look for in a new video camera, is the availability to manually control many of the camera’s settings. While today’s cameras do a pretty good job in “Auto” mode, there are times that you will need to adjust certain settings on the camera to produce the best quality footage possible.

First and foremost, you HAVE to be able to manually focus the camera. This is extremely important in wooded situations, where trees, branches and leaves can cause the camera to lose focus of the animal (or person) you are videoing. Not only do you need to be able to manually focus, but you need to be able to do it quickly and easily without a lot of movement. Things often happen fast when a deer or turkey shows up in camera range, and the last thing you need is to have to fumble through multiple buttons or a complicated menu just to get your subject in focus.

Other settings that you will want to be able to manually adjust are the white balance, aperture and gain. All of these we will discuss in more detail in part 2. For now, just know that they are important settings and that, ideally, your camera should allow you to adjust them as needed.

When budgeting for a new video camera, it is important that you allocate some of the money for important accessories. One of the biggest mistakes I see new guys make when getting into this hobby is that they spend every penny they can scrape up on the camera and then have nothing left to buy any of the “extras.” If you truly want to produce good quality footage that your friends and family will want to watch, then the items discussed below are just as critical as buying a good quality camera.

EXTERNAL MICROPHONE
As I mentioned earlier in the article, audio can make or break a good hunt, and factory “on-board” microphones typically do a poor job of capturing quality audio. Little things – like the sound of a big tom gobbling off in the distance or that same tom spitting and drumming just 20 yards away in the decoys – can make a huge difference in the overall sound of your footage. The best way to pick up on those subtle sounds is with the addition of a quality shotgun microphone. These mics can cost anywhere from $60 up to $2,000 depending on how serious you want to get, and for the most part, you get what you pay for. Some of the more reputable manufacturers include Audio Technica, Azden, Rode, Sennheiser, and Sony, and most make “economy” models for the budget minder videographer.

A tripod, shoulder mount and camera arm for filming hunts

TRIPOD/CAMERA ARM/SHOULDER MOUNT
Ever watched a home video where the camera was shaking or bouncing around so bad that it was painful to watch? There is nothing worse than a great video hunt ruined by shaky camera work, and I have seen it way too many times. This is especially true when the solution is as simple as using a tripod (if hunting from the gound), tree arm (if hunting from a stand), or a shoulder mount (if you need to be more mobile). Never shoot anything freehand if you can avoid it.

Like shotgun mics, tripods can vary greatly in price, depending on their weight, quality of construction and how smoothly they operate. Any tripod is better than none, so just look for one that fits your budget and that operates as smoothly as possible. If you are going to be moving around a lot (like run-and-gun turkey hunting), then you may want to consider the weight factor as well.

With the increased popularity of videoing hunts, quite a few manufacturers have jumped into the camera tree arm business. Again, prices vary greatly depending on material used (steel vs aluminum), strength, and mounting system. Be sure to look for an arm that allows for leveling the arm both vertically and horizontally, as well as one that will easily support the weight of your camera and accessories.

If you need to keep your camera mobile, but still need something to keep the footage smooth, then consider a shoulder mount. With a shoulder mount, the rear of the mount rests on the cameraman’s shoulder, and the front is typically held up by one or both of his/her hands, steadying the camera and distributing the weight more evenly to reduce fatigue. These are great for run-and-gun turkey hunting, waterfowl hunting, and upland bird hunting – situations where a standard tripod may not be practical.

Some other accessories for videoing hunts

MISCELLANEOUS
The equipment described above is what I consider the bare minimum for producing good quality hunting footage. However, there are LOTS of other items that can make good footage even better. One of these items is what is commonly referred to as a LANC controller. The LANC controller mounts to the handle of your tripod head and plugs into the camera, allowing the user to adjust the zoom, focus, and to hit record all from the convenience of the handle, without having to touch the camera itself. That means one-handed operation and less potential to spook game with excess movement.

Other items that can come in handy are spare batteries, a wide angle lens, a camera rain cover, vinyl camo tape (to camouflage the camera), and a good padded camo bag to carry it all. The list of “extras” is endless – only limited by your checkbook!

There are few things more rewarding in the outdoor pursuits than capturing a successful hunt on video. That is especially true when the hunter happens to be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. I mean, who of us doesn’t wish we had our first deer or turkey kill on video to watch and relive? If you’re considering giving videoing a try, or even if you’ve been at it for a while, I hope this information will help to make you a better cameraman. Be sure to check back soon as we look at some tips and techniques to make the most out of your video equipment.

LEARN FROM THE PAST
The first step in finding next season’s buck is simple and doesn’t even require leaving the comfort of your home. All you need is a pen, paper, maps of your hunting areas, and a little quiet time to reflect on the previous deer season. I know it may sound a bit goofy, but with all the happenings of the recent deer season still fresh on your mind, this is the perfect time to sit down and think about the deer activity that you witnessed, and to consider what went right and what went wrong. Think about the answers to some of the following questions, and write them down or make notes on your map for future reference:

1. Did I see the number and quality of deer that I was hoping for this past season? If not, is there something that I could have or should have done differently?
2. Did I pinpoint the key bedding and feeding areas, and did the deer move between the two as expected? If not, what was different about the deer movement?
3. How did deer sightings and movement change as the season progressed? Did I take the necessary actions needed to stay on the deer?
4. Were my stand setups effective? Is there anything that would have made them better?
5. Did I overlook any areas that may be worth checking out for next season?
6. Did I see any bucks that will be potential shooters in the upcoming season and what do I know about their habits and movement?

A great way to strategize for next season is to sit down with a good map and aerial
photo of your hunting area and to make detailed notes on them about deer activity
that you have observed, deer sign that you have located, and any potential feeding
and bedding areas that you know about.

These are just a handful of questions you can mull over, but what it all boils down to is – how did this past season work for you and what can you do in the coming season to improve your odds for success? Part of that improvement can come from spending a little time in the field post-season to get a better idea of what the deer are doing in your area, and what caliber of bucks you have to look forward to in the fall. Let’s look at a few ways to get this done and still leave you plenty of time to wet a line or chase some longbeards this spring.

INVADE THEIR SPACE
A wise deer hunter knows that a trip into a mature buck’s “sanctuary” during the season is a good way to push a buck into full nocturnal mode and kill any chances you have of putting a tag on him. That is why the winter months following deer season are the absolute best time of the year to get out there and stomp around your hunting ground, checking out all of those spots that you avoided during the season. If you bump some deer this time of year, it’s not likely to cause any long term issues, as the deer will have all spring and summer to forget about your visit. The best part about post-season scouting is that deer sign usually sticks out really well this time of year – trails are easy to spot and follow, and those rub lines and scrapes are a lot more visible with all the leaves off the trees.

Deer trails, such as this one, really stand out in the post-season,
especially if you can get out when there is snow on the ground.

Since you already have a good idea of what the deer activity was like in the areas where you hunted, you should use this time to check out the areas that you didn’t get around to hunting, or may have overlooked during the season. Just take your time and cover the area thoroughly, looking for and making note of any signs of deer activity – specifically those that can be attributed to a big buck. Be sure to mark down what you find either on your map, or on a GPS for future reference.

When scouting after deer season, be on the lookout for signs of buck activity -
especially sign that points to a mature buck, such as large rubs and scrapes.

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA
Another great way to scout in the off season is with the use of trail cameras. While a lot of guys are pulling their trail cams this time of year and putting them away until late summer, I like to leave mine out for a month or two after deer season, just to see what made it through. Not only will this give you a good idea of what kind of bucks should be around come fall, but it can also clue you in to when they drop their antlers, so you can get out and enjoy some shed hunting – which we will discuss in more detail in the next section.

There is no better way to see what kind of big buck potential your area holds
for next season than to actively run your trail cameras post season. If the buck
survived the hunting seasons, then there is a good chance that he will be around next fall.

One of the easiest ways to maximize the effectiveness of your trail camera in the post season and to insure that you see a good representation of what is in your hunting area, is to use some type of food attractant to lure the deer into camera range. What that attractant is has a lot to do with what your state laws say regarding “baiting.” If allowed, it’s hard to beat shelled corn – it’s cheap, readily available, and the deer love it. If baiting or feeding is not allowed where you hunt, then you will have to focus on trails running in and out of available food sources. Focus on natural funnel areas such as corners or pinch points that will increase the odds of the deer having to pass within sensor range of your camera.

Unless you are hunting a really small property, or you have the money to invest in lots of trail cameras, then you are going to need to move your cameras around to really get a good idea of which bucks are roaming on your hunting property. From my experience, two weeks seems to be enough time to get a pretty good representation of what deer are in the area, without your camera spending too much time in one location. You can always bring the camera back to the same spot at a later time, but the idea is to cover as much of your hunting area as possible.

SHEDDING SOME LIGHT
Nothing can fire up a deer hunter about the upcoming season more than finding a set of monster sheds on one’s hunting property. Not only is this proof positive that the big boy made it through the season, but you now have a cool souvenir to remind you of that fact during the off season! Not to mention, shed hunting is just a great opportunity to break the “cabin fever,” get outdoors and get a little exercise. You can even get some of your hunting buddies together and make a friendly competition of it.

Since you are most likely to find sheds in the areas where deer are spending the greatest amount of time, I tend to start my search at prominent food sources. If there are food plots or cut grain fields on your hunting property, then that is a great starting point, and the open terrain lets you cover a good deal of ground in a short time. Be sure to take along a pair of binoculars to scan those open areas and investigate anything that looks similar to a deer’s antler.

From the food sources, search along the trails that lead back to the bucks’ bedding areas, paying particular attention to fence crossings and other structures that the deer may have to jump or slip under, as these are perfect places for an already loose antler to give way. Be sure to move slowly and scan your surroundings with each step you take, as even the largest shed can blend in amazingly well with the surrounding leaves and branches.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER 
The final step in finding next season’s buck brings you right back to where you began – in the comforts of your own home. It’s now time to take all that you’ve learned from last season, along with all the new found knowledge from your post-season scouting trips, trail camera pictures and shed hunting excursions, and to begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Laying all this information out on a map of your hunting area should begin to reveal some travel patterns, overlooked feeding or bedding areas, or better yet – that monster buck that you never knew existed.

This information, combined with some smart preseason scouting, could put you in the perfect position to fill that buck tag come opening day.

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While there is no way to ever be 100% scent free – despite what some of the product manufacturers would have you believe – there are certainly measures that you can take to tip the odds in your favor when you head out to your favorite stand this fall.

CLEAN YOUR CLOTHES

The foundation to a good scent-control program starts with clean, scent-free hunting clothes. This can be accomplished by washing your clothes in a reputable, scent eliminating laundry detergent. Most any major brand geared towards hunting clothing should work fine, so don’t go spending a fortune on the latest, greatest thing. Just make sure that whatever you use doesn’t contain UV brighteners, which actually makes your hunting clothes more visible to deer. Before washing the clothes, I even go as far as running one cycle of the washer with just the detergent and no clothes to get rid of that “perfume” smell from our normal detergent. While this may be a bit overkill, I like to err on the side of caution when it comes to scent control.

Once your clothes are good and clean, you have two options for drying them. I prefer to hang them outside to air dry, where they can get a natural “outdoors” smell to them. If that is not an option, then you can place them in your dryer with one of the scented dryer sheets made specifically for hunting clothes. To keep the camouflage colors looking good and to reduce wear on the clothing, always turn them inside out and tumble dry on low.

After you have them completely dry, be sure to store your clothes in a sealable bag or tote to keep out any foreign odors from your house, garage or vehicle. You can even throw in a scent wafer or one of the dryer sheets mentioned above to enhance that “fresh earth” smell on your clothes.

CLEAN YOUR BODY

Clean, scent-free clothes aren’t going to do you a lot of good if you are putting them on a stinky or “perfumed” body. That is why it is always important to start the morning with a shower – thoroughly washing your hair and body with scent free shampoo and body wash. Then follow up with some scent-free deodorant to protect you throughout the day.

TAKE IT TO THE FIELD

I am amazed at how many people go through all the trouble to wash their clothes in scent free detergent, wash their hair and body with scent free shampoo and soap, only to stop at the local gas station or restaurant on the way to the farm. The result is hair, hands and hunting clothes that smell like cigarette smoke, grease from the morning breakfast, or a variety of other “foreign” smells. Don’t fall into this trap. Make sure that you have plenty of fuel in your vehicle the night before, and if you need to stop to get breakfast, use the drive thru. Even with avoiding these types of places, your best bet is to leave your hunting clothes in their tote or bag until you actually arrive in the field at your hunting property.

When hunting warm weather, or in a case where you have a long trek to your stand, you will want to take extra precautions to avoid getting too sweaty on your way in. This may mean leaving your hunting clothes off until you actually get to your stand or blind, and walking slowly and taking frequent breaks. Once you arrive at your hunting spot, spray down with a good scent eliminator as an extra precaution.

PLAYING THE WIND

No matter how many precautions you take with scent control, you will never be 100% scent free and if a big, mature buck gets directly downwind of you, then there is a good chance he won’t be there long! This is why it is so critical to pay attention to the wind when hanging and hunting a specific stand. It also means being aware of shifting winds and being willing to slip out of a stand early and changing locations if wind conditions become unfavorable. It’s not worth “taking your chances” and ruining a potentially great spot.

SCENT ELIMINATING CLOTHING

Some of you may be asking yourself – “why go through all this trouble when I can buy that high-dollar scent eliminating clothing and hunt when and where I want?” If it were only that simple! Research has shown that many of these products are simply gimmicks and that none can claim 100% scent elimination. In fact, one of the big manufacturers of these types of garments was recently found to have falsely advertised their ability to eliminate odor by the U.S. Federal Court.

That’s not to say that some types of clothing don’t HELP to reduce human odor, but most of these types of clothing are expensive and I question if my money couldn’t be spent more wisely on other things. If you follow the other scent reducing tips outlined in this article, then you should be way ahead of the game.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

One other consideration when hunting warm weather often associated with Kentucky’s early archery season is that of bug control. What exactly does bug control have to do with scent control? Plenty! Have you ever took a good whiff of the common bug sprays on the market? I can’t stand to be within 50 feet of that stuff myself, so I know a deer can smell those products two farms away. That’s not to say, however, that hunting early season requires you to donate a pint of blood to the mosquitoes and ticks. There are a few products on the market that effectively control those blood-sucking critters without fowling up your hunting clothes.

If it’s ticks and chiggers that you are concerned about, try Duranon Odorless Tick Repellant. Duranon is NOT made to be sprayed directly on your skin, but instead is used to spray down your clothes, boots and gear, and I have found one treatment to remain effective for as long as two weeks.

For mosquitoes, I have become a firm believer in the ThermaCELL. Unlike your typicall “spray”, the ThermaCELL is a device that uses a butane cartridge to heat a small “mat” saturated with insecticide. The resulting vapor creates a 15′ by 15′ zone of protection from mosquitoes around the device. While the vapor created is certainly not scent-free, I have not witnessed or heard about any instances where the ThermaCELL was directly linked to spooking deer. While I’m not crazy about using anything that creates an odor around my treestand, it’s a risk I’m willing to take to avoid swatting at mosquitoes all morning or evening.

SUMMARY

Killing deer – especially big, mature bucks – is a difficult task under even the best of circumstances. This season, tip the odds a little further in your favor by being as scent-free as possible when you’re in the stand.    

Coming into the 2010 archery deer season, Nick Brumley knew that there were good bucks on the property that he hunts in Jefferson County. In fact, he had tried his best last season to close the deal on a big 12-pointer that he had seen there on multiple occasions. So, as opening day approached, Nick went out to the farm to an area that he knew consistently held deer and put out corn that he had treated with liquid C’Mere Deer and hung a trail camera nearby. To say he had high expectations for the upcoming season would be an understatement. What he discovered when he returned to check the camera a week later, however, was beyond anything he could have imagined.

“I brought my laptop out to the farm with me to check the card in the trail camera. The first eight pictures were all of a small 8-pointer, but when I flipped to that ninth picture, I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

Brumley found himself staring at a massive, world-class, main-frame 10-pointer that would impress even the most accomplished hunter. And it wasn’t just one picture in the middle of the night, as is often the case when dealing with a big, mature whitetail buck. Brumley had 25 pictures of the big buck on his camera over the course of that first week, with most occurring in the evening, just before dark.

As the next few weeks passed, Brumley continued to get picture after picture of the massive buck that his little girl Kyndal had since knicknamed “Butch”.

“Every week, the pictures just kept getting better.”, said Brumley. “He was posing at all angles giving me a real good look at his rack.”

On average, the buck was making appearances – during daylight hours – six out of seven days. Knowing that he was going to have a real shot at harvesting this deer, Brumley was finding it harder and harder to get a good night’s sleep. Keeping up his weekly routine of freshening the C’Mere Deer and corn and checking the trail camera, Brumley began to make his final preparations for opening day.

“The Thursday before the season opened, I slipped out to the farm around 1 o’clock to put up a set of climbing sticks and my Lone Wolf climber,” said Brumley.

Because he was getting a lot of deer pictures during the morning hours, the hunter knew that trying to slip into the stand before daylight would most likely bump deer in the area, and potentially blow his chances of harvesting the big buck. As hard as it was going to be, Brumley knew that sitting out opening morning would be his best option. By 4pm that afternoon, the hunter was in his Lone Wolf stand filled with the anticipation of what the evening hunt would bring. Within an hour, deer began filtering into the area to feed. Shortly after 7pm, Brumley caught movement off to his right and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the 8-pointer that always accompanied the big buck come into the field.

“When I saw that 8-pointer, it was a pure adrenaline rush,” Brumley said. “I knew that big buck had to be right behind him.”

With every passing minute, however, that adrenaline rush gave way to despair. Brumley watched as the sun set on the opening day of deer season, and the big buck was no where to be found. Waiting until well after dark and quietly slipped out of his stand and back to his truck, wandering what could have possibly caused “Butch” not to show up this evening. All he could do was hope this was the deer’s “day off” that it seemed to take about once a week.

Sunday afternoon found Brumley returning to the farm early to get settled in for the hunt. Before climbing into his stand, he placed a video camera and tripod he had brought on an old wagon sitting nearby and pointed it in the direction of where the deer tended to feed. He then proceeded to hit the record button and climbed into his stand. By 4:30pm, he already had deer in the field working his way.

“I had ten to fifteen deer around me all evening, and I was on pins and needles the whole time wandering if he was going to show up,” said Brumley.

Sometime around 7pm, the hunter was surprised to see a nice 130 to 140-inch ten pointer that he had never seen before coming in from behind. The deer came directly under Brumley’s stand, where it began to feed. After 30 painstaking minutes of watching the big buck hang out right underneath of him, a commotion off to the hunter’s right caught his attention. The 8-pointer from the night before had just jumped the barbed wire fence and was entering the field. With the previous night’s experience still on his mind, Brumley was calmer and trying his best not to get his hopes up again. That thought quickly faded, however, when a second commotion caused the hunter to look back towards the fence line where the 8-pointer had just entered the field, and standing in its place was a giant of a buck – Butch!

The big, main-frame 10-pointer slowly worked his way across the field and right towards Brumley. As the deer neared bow range, the hunter drew back his Mathews Switchback and readied for the shot. The big buck continued to come in, and Brumley didn’t want to chance spooking the deer by stopping him with a grunt. Instead, the hunter let down on his bow and waited for a better shot to present itself. The deer finally stopped broadside right next to a stump that Brumley had ranged at 17 yards earlier in the evening. Without even thinking, Brumley brought his Mathews bow to full draw, settled his 20-yard pin behind the bucks shoulder and released the arrow. What happened next was all a blur, and the hunter watched as the bruiser ran off and out of sight.

Surprisingly, the smaller 10-pointer remained under the hunter’s stand, seemingly oblivious to what had just transpired. Most of the other deer ran off with the large buck, but within a matter of minutes, they began returning to the field. Brumley, who initially thought he had made a good shot, began to second guess himself. While he sat in his stand, replaying the shot over in his head, one of the does out front began to blow, and the field quickly emptied.

Hoping to put his mind at ease, Brumley decided to slip down out of his stand and over to where the deer had been standing. There on the ground lay his arrow – covered in bright red blood. Feeling better about his shot now, the hunter decided his best option was to back out and give the deer some time to expire.

The next forty-five minutes were spent talking to the landowner about everything that had just occurred. Sure that the big buck should be down for the count at this point, Brumley headed back to the field to blood trail his deer. To his dismay, there were only a few drops of blood at the initial point of contact. His mind racing at this point with all the possibilities, Brumley decided to review the footage from the video camera he had placed nearby. He was relieved to see the arrow impact the deer’s vitals right behind the front shoulder, right where he had placed his pin.

With renewed hope, he took back to the blood trail, heading in the direction that he had last seen the deer. Before he even traveled 100 yards from where he had found his arrow, Brumley caught a glimpse of the side of the buck’s rack. Unsure if he was down, the hunter quickly dropped to the ground to avoid taking a chance on bumping the deer. As he slowly eased back up to get a better look, Brumley could clearly see that the buck was down for the count. He raced over to finally lay his hands on those massive antlers.

“To actually see the buck laying there, I was just dumbfounded,” said Brumley. “I just couldn’t believe I had gotten this deer. I know I had to have the biggest smile on my face ever!”

And what’s not to smile about! While the deer can’t be officially scored until after the required 60 day drying period, it was recently rough green-scored at 204” gross, with a net score of 187”.

The first thing you notice on the huge, velvet-covered rack is the mass, which is defined by its 6” bases and circumference measurements that range from 5” at the narrowest point, to over 8” between the left G2 and G3. Equally impressive are the bucks 12” G2s and 11” G3s coming off the 26” main beams. Combine all that with a 20+” inside spread, and you have yourself one world-class Kentucky whitetail. Regardless of what the buck ends up officially scoring, it is safe to say that Nick Brumley shot the buck-of-a-lifetime.

The best part of the whole story lies in the fact that it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. As I talked with Brumley, a full week after the hunt had occurred, you can still hear the excitement and disbelief in his voice. He thanks God for the opportunity to harvest such a magnificent animal and credits his wife for not only tolerating, but actually encouraging him to get out and enjoy his passion for bowhunting.

Even though “Butch” will be a tough act to top, Brumley still plans to get out and give it his best shot. With an Indiana deer tag in his wallet, who knows what the future will bring. One thing’s for sure, though…if he doesn’t fill another tag this season, I think he can still mark the 2010 Kentucky deer season as one he will never forget!

The author with his son after their first successful deer hunt together.
These are the memories that will last a lifetime for all those involved.

Like most fathers who love to hunt, my hope has always been to raise my two children to share my passion for hunting and enjoying the great outdoors. That dream became clearly evident to my wife when I brought our first-born son home from the hospital in little Mossy Oak bib overalls. I know too many hunters, however, whose kids have grown up with little or no interest in following in their father’s footsteps when it comes to pursuing shooting sports, and I have often wondered what is it that separates those kids who develop the passion and those that don’t. While there’s no guaranteed formula for getting and keeping our kids involved in hunting, there are certainly things that we can do as a parent or mentor to increase the odds of them developing that lifelong passion. Let’s take a look at five of those things.

GET THEM INVOLVED AT AN EARLY AGE
From my experience, and the experience of others that I have talked with, kids generally take a very early interest in their parent’s passion for the outdoors. For me, that was when they were around two years old. It started with questions about where I was going and what daddy was doing. Then, when I actually brought home some type of critter, they were out there watching me cut it up, looking it over closely, and of course, poking and prodding on it in amazement. All of this youthful curiosity builds over time until the question is finally asked, “When can I go hunting with you?”

Before he was old enough to go hunting with a firearm, the author got
his son involved in other outdoor activities, like fishing and frog gigging.

Initially, this was a very tough question for me, because I have a tendency to take hunting very serious – often too serious. I wanted to get them involved but the selfish side of me knew that taking them would require me to change the way I hunt and to get past the usual expectations and just plan on having a good time together. I soon realized that hunting with a young child means making the trips short, being ready to answer lots of questions, lowering my hopes of actually harvesting anything, and most of all, keeping it fun.

MAKE IT FUN
Regardless of the child’s age, these early days afield with you are probably the most critical in determining whether or not he/she maintains an interest in hunting. These first hunts, like any first impression, are where the child is going to form their opinion about hunting. They are either going to decide that hunting is fun and enjoyable, or that it is boring. So, it is your job to make sure that its fun!

The author’s daughter on their first hunt together. The first step to getting your kids
involved in the outdoors is to simply let them tag along, and to make sure they enjoy themselves.

Probably the first step to ensuring that a child’s first hunt is not there last is to keep the initial outings brief. As a parent, you’ve probably already witnessed just how short of an attention span most kids have these days, and the last thing they want to do is go sit in a blind or a treestand for hours on end, not being able to move around or talk. In most cases, you’ll have a pretty good idea when it’s time to head back, as most kids won’t hesitate to let you know when they start to get bored. I would get questions like, “How long are we going to stay out here?” or “Are we going to sit in this spot the whole time?” When my son was trying to be a little more subtle about things, he would simply ask what time it was.

Regardless of how they let you know, as soon as you detect boredom, either head to the house, or change things up a bit to keep them entertained.

Hunting from a blind allowed the author and his son to call this bird to within 15 yards.
Not only does a blind help in getting game closer, but it also allows a kid the freedom to
move around more and to bring some games or reading material with them to keep from getting bored.

Hunting from a ground blind is a great way to introduce a youngster to hunting, because they have a little more freedom of movement, and you can pack along some toys, games, books, etc to keep them occupied. For some of you, that may seem to defeat the purpose of bringing them with you in the first place. However, they are still outdoors with you and you now have the opportunity to teach them valuable lessons about hunting and the great outdoors. The difference is that if you are not seeing any wildlife and they start to get a little bored, they now have something to occupy their time.

The author and good friend Billie Crider after a successful youth hunt with the kids.
Getting to share these moments with friends makes it all the more special for the kids.

DON’T PUSH THEM
I can still recall the events following my son harvesting his first deer. After the initial excitement of the harvest, I could see that he was a little upset. The remorse over taking the life of a living creature had set in and he was questioning what he had done. It was a sobering moment for the both of us. I told him that day, and have told him numerous times since, that my love for him is unconditional and regardless of whether or not he hunts, that’s not going to change. Fortunately, he made his own decision to continue hunting and has since taken another deer and his first turkey. I have had the joy of watching his interest and passion grow considerably over the last two years.

Had I chosen to push him early on and make him go with me when he didn’t want to, or had I belittled him for feeling remorse over his first deer, things could have turned out quite different. I’ve watched numerous kids lose interest in hunting (and lots of other sports for that matter), because a parent pushed them so hard to keep them involved. We, as sportsmen, all want our kids to share our love for hunting and the outdoors. However, we can’t force them to share that love and any attempt to do so is only going to risk driving them further away. If they don’t show as much interest as you would like, then give them their space. Always keep the invitation open, but never force them to be an unwilling participant.

PROVIDE THEM WITH THE RIGHT GEAR
Going hand-in-hand with keeping hunting fun for the kids, is keeping it comfortable; and that means providing your kid(s) with the proper clothing and equipment. Even for a diehard hunter, there is nothing worse than sitting in a deer stand freezing your butt off while trying to stay out there as long as possible. If it is miserable for us, imagine how much more miserable it is for a kid that is accustomed to a steady 72 degrees indoors. I still remember how completely unprepared I was when my son first started going afield with me. We layered him up in a bunch of mismatched layers, baseball socks that pulled up over his knees (all his other socks were footies!), one of my oversized hats and a pair of big snow boots. He reminded me of the kid from the movie “A Christmas Story” that was so bundled up that he fell down and couldn’t get back on his feet. I quickly realized that if I was going to continue taking him with me, I was going to have to get him some clothes that not only fit him properly, but that would also make him look the part of a hunter. Let’s face it – kids want to be like dad (at least until they hit the teenage years).

Just as important as the clothes they wear, is the weapon that they carry – whether that be a gun or bow. Proper fitting is crucial to both the safety and enjoyment of your child. For a gun, that means making sure that your child can properly shoulder and aim the firearm and that the recoil isn’t more than they can handle. For a bow, it means finding one with the proper draw length for a good anchor point and the right draw weight so that the child doesn’t have to strain to pull the bow back. If a kid doesn’t feel comfortable shooting the weapon, then chances are, they won’t be able to shoot it accurately or consistently. This will quickly lead to frustration and disappointment. If you are truly serious about getting your child involved, make sure you equip them properly, just as you would for yourself.

HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL EARLY ON
Finally, to keep a kid interested in hunting, sooner or later they are going to have to taste some success. While you and I may be able to sit in a treestand for hours on end, day after day, and never draw our bow back or click the rifle off of safety, a youngster is going to quickly deem that as boring! This may mean starting them out on something like squirrels or dove where there is no shortage of shooting opportunities. Or, in my son’s case, taking him deer hunting in areas where I knew there were plenty of does to thin out. Sure, I would love to see him shoot a nice buck, but first I wanted him to experience the excitement of having an animal come in and present a shot opportunity. Now that he has experienced that first taste of success with both deer and turkey, I think it is safe to say that he is hooked. He no longer minds spending a little time waiting because he knows that sooner or later an opportunity will present itself, and he knows the rush he gets when it does.

There is nothing more rewarding than watching your child harvest his/her first game animal. To see the excitement in their eyes and to feel the pride of knowing that you played a big part in their success, is a feeling like no other. Most of all, it is the bond that develops between you and your child that makes it so special. It is a closeness that could only come from time shared afield. A bond that if properly nurtured, will last a lifetime.

Take some time to get your child (or nephew, neighbor, etc) out in the field. I can guarantee you that you will be glad you did!

There was a time, not too long ago, when archery practice consisted of a couple of square bales of straw and a paper plate or pie pan. We would strategically place our bales safely in the yard, attach our target, and proceed to step off twenty yards to begin a marathon practice session. Standing in perfect form, we would launch arrow after arrow into our bales, occasionally moving forwards or backwards to shoot at distances equal to those of the pins on our sights. This would go on until our arms got tired or we finally had a group that we were proud of. For many archers today, the quality of the targets has greatly improved, but the routine remains the same.

Don’t get me wrong – there is absolutely nothing wrong with this type of practice. In fact it is an excellent way to solidify one’s form and to train the muscles so that the shooting routine becomes second nature. It should be a part of every archer’s practice schedule. When it comes to preparing oneself for bowhunting, though, this type of practice has its limitations. The biggest being that it fails to cover many of the shooting variables that can come into play under actual hunting conditions. Only when we recognize how these variables can effect our shot, can we effectively work them into our practice routine. And with practice come preparedness and confidence to make that shot-of-a-lifetime when it comes our way.

Distance
I would dare say that more opportunities at deer are blown due to misjudging distance than for any other single reason. Even with the blazing speeds of today’s bows, it still only takes a small miscalculation to send your arrow into parts unknown, or even worse, into a non-vital area of the deer.

Many of today’s well-equipped hunters have offset this problem with the purchase of a laser rangefinder. With just the touch of a button, you can know within a yard just how for away a critter is. If such a purchase fits into your budget, then I highly recommend it. However, owning a rangefinder is not a replacement for being able to estimate yardage on your own. Batteries can fail, or deer can slip in without giving a bowhunter the opportunity to get a reading with a rangefinder. Because of this, every bowhunter should be proficient at judging yardage out to their maximum shooting range. To do so requires regular practice.

There are several ways that you can work on this, and you don’t always have to have your bow in hand. Improving your rangefinding can be as simple as picking out an object in the yard, guessing how far away it is, then stepping it off to see how close your guess was. You can do this whether you are out in the yard working, walking in the park, or out scouting your favorite hunting spot. Just be sure to practice in both wooded and open areas, because there can be a real difference in distance perception between the two.

Not only will you want to practice judging various distances, but you will want to practice shooting from those distances as well. Don’t limit yourself to shooting in ten, or even five-yard increments, because deer seldom walk in at those exact distances. A good practice routine will involve walking random distances from your target (without counting your steps!), turning around, estimating the yardage and then shooting. You can then step off the distance back to your target and see how close your estimate was. The goal is to know exactly where you need to aim regardless of where the animal steps out. This type of random shooting will also allow you to work on another common bowhunting variable – shot angle.

Shot Angles

When it comes to bowhunting, there are two kinds of shot angles: vertical and horizontal. The vertical angle is the one formed by the hunter being either above or below the deer. In most cases, this is caused by the bowhunter being at an elevated position in a tree stand. However, steep terrain can also play a factor in vertical angle. How much effect it will have on your shot, though, will vary depending on factors such as bow speed and arrow weight, and can only be determined by practicing at these various angles. A good way to do this is to shoot from either a tree stand or a second story deck. If it’s not possible to do this in your own yard, then you now have a good excuse to head to the local woodlot with your bow, target and treestand. It wouldn’t hurt to have a partner, either, to help retrieve arrows.

Once you reach the woods, you should use the available terrain to practice as many different shot angles and distances as possible, from directly under your stand, all the way out to your maximum shooting range. Remember that regardless of what angle you are shooting at, that you must maintain your upper body form. To do so, draw your bow back as if the target where directly in front of you, and then pivot your body at the waist to get the desired angle.

The only way to know exactly how various slopes will affect your shot is to
incorporate both uphill and downhill shots into your shooting routine.

Horizontal angle, on the other hand, is the angle at which the deer is turned in relation to the hunter. Most of the time, we refer to it as “quartering away”, or “quartering towards”. The best way to practice for these types of shots is with one of the many 3D animal targets available. Some of the companies are now making models that have scoring rings specifically for quartering shots, or better yet, ones with anatomically correct vitals painted on the side of the animal. If yours does not have these, it doesn’t mean that you have to run out and replace your existing target. The standard type will work just fine. Just remember that when shooting at an animal that is quartering, it is crucial that you keep in mind the location of the internal organs, and plan a shot that will angle through both lungs, regardless of where the scoring rings are located.

The body position of the animal is not the only variable that can cause a good hunting opportunity to go bad. Our own body position can dramatically affect the outcome of our shot, and is something that we should be prepared to deal with at the moment of truth.

Body Position

Have you ever noticed that when it comes to deer hunting, Murphy’s Law often prevails? What can go wrong will go wrong. Deer seldom do exactly what you expect them to do, or come in just the way you hoped. This often translates into having to take a shot in a different direction than what you had planned, or if the deer slips in unannounced, taking a shot from a sitting or awkward position.

Working various body positions into your practice routine is not difficult and doesn’t require anything special. It is just a matter of getting into the habit of alternating shots from your normal stance, with any other possible body positions that could occur during an actual hunt. These may include planting your feet at various angles in relation to the target, as well as squatting, kneeling, or even sitting comfortably in your treestand seat. Try to imagine as many scenarios as possible and work them into your practice routine. That way, the next time that old buck slips in silently from behind the tree you’re in, you can return the favor by slipping a razor-sharp broadhead right behind his shoulder, because you will have practiced that same shot over and over again.

Hunting from a treestand or a blind can often require a sitting shot. If routinely
practiced before the season, this situation won’t cost you a good deer.

Obstructions

If you have been hunting for any length of time, then chances are you have missed an animal at some point because your arrow hit a branch or tree. You can’t do much about the ones that you didn’t see, but when it comes to shooting through or next to obstructions like these, it doesn’t have to cost you a deer.

Now I am not suggesting shooting through thick brush or branches that are covering the vitals of an animal. What I am referring to is shooting through openings in these barriers, or right next to a large tree. Many times it is simply the intimidation of the branches or trees that cause the archer to hit off-target. Other times, the snag wasn’t in the hunter’s sight window and only came into play because of the arching trajectory of the arrow. Whatever the case, this kind of mishap is preventable and is a fairly easy variable to practice on for the upcoming season.

If you are practicing in the yard, simply use the landscaping available to create intimidating obstacles to shoot around. If you’re heading for the woods to shoot, then it should be even easier to come up with lots of obstructions to sharpen your shooting skills. Using the obstacles at hand, simply place your 3D target in as many real-life-hunting situations as you can. Be aware that this type of practice may cost you an arrow or two, but the practice will be invaluable for building your confidence for these types of shots.

Putting it all together

While it may seem that practicing for all these situations would take hours, or a variety of shooting stations, that doesn’t have to be the case. You should be able to work all of the variables covered here into a single practice session, by working as many as possible into each shot. The best way to do this is with a shooting partner. Get together your bows, treestands, and a 3D target and head for a nearby woodlot. You will have to alternate back and forth between being the shooter and target person.

The shooter should put his stand in a suitable tree and get his or her bow ready. The other person can then place the target at random distances and angles, using natural terrain and obstructions to simulate actual hunting conditions as closely as possible. The shooter then gets one shot at each target placement (just as you would in real hunting!) As mentioned above, be sure and vary your own body position with each shot in order to make your practice sessions as effective as possible. After ten to twenty shots, you can then switch up with one another.

A couple of additional items worth mentioning are the clothing you wear and the arrow points that you use. Since the goal is to simulate actual hunting conditions as closely as possible, it only makes sense to practice in your hunting clothes using the same broadheads that you will be using during the season.

Clothing such as gloves, face nets, hats, jackets or heavy shirts can all have an effect on your shot execution. This especially holds true for late season hunting, when a bowhunter is often bundled heavily in an attempt to stay warm. Don’t wait until a nice buck is standing broadside at twenty yards to discover that an article of clothing interferes with your anchor point.

It is imperative that you practice in the same clothes and gear that you plan on hunting in.
Don’t wait for an important shot opportunity to discover that your hat, gloves or facenet get in the way.

The same thought should hold true for your arrow points as well. Fixed blade broadheads often fly differently than field points when shot from the same bow. For some bows, this may mean that the bow is not tuned to maximum efficiency, and should be tuned accordingly. Others may simply require a readjustment of sights. Either way, you do not want to find out that your arrows are hitting off target on opening day of deer season. You owe it to yourself and the game that you pursue to have your equipment tuned and sighted in for a clean, ethical shot.

Ultimate Practice

If there were such a thing as the perfect bowhunting practice, one that covers all the above variables we have discussed and more, then it would probably be organized 3D archery. There is no more realistic or entertaining way to prepare for archery season than a good 3D shoot. Generally, shooters are challenged with twenty to thirty various animals set in realistic settings at a variety of unmarked distances. All the various conditions discussed above are mixed in, making it both a challenging and valuable practice exercise. It also provides you with the opportunity to meet other local archers and share in some good-natured competition and camaraderie.

If you have never taken advantage of one of these shoots, then I highly recommend giving one a try. Shoots are held across the country on national, state and local levels, and can be easily found through local archery shops and clubs.

Conclusion

When it comes to bowhunting, it seems that the numbers of things that can cause a hunt to go wrong are infinite. While there is no way to prepare for every situation, you can be prepared for the variables that are most likely to occur. Being able to estimate the distance to an animal, knowing where to aim, and then being able to execute the shot regardless of your body position, or the position of the deer will greatly increase both your confidence as well as your chances for success in bowhunting.

Opening morning 2008 was not spent hunting a lush food plot. Nor was it spent sitting over a hot bait site. In fact opening morning was spent hunting a tree no farther than 45 yards from the truck. Not only was I just 45 yards from the truck, I was also perched on public land. My cameraman and I were positioned in a drainage ditch that bordered two separate thickets. One thicket led to a bedding area and the other a feeding area. It was actually a very good spot to intercept whitetails first thing in the morning. We were filled with excitement and anticipation the entire time on stand. The first hour of daylight came and went without a single sighting as did the second and third hour. I began to wonder if this clever little spot was going to make us feel like fools. Relief came when we noticed two deer slipping through the thicket headed our way. With film rolling I grabbed my Black Widow recurve and stood to ready myself for the encounter. The two does crossed the ditch coming into full view of me and my cameraman. After getting the ok I came to full draw and released the Wensel Woodsman tipped arrow. Relief struck me the instant the arrow hit home. It was a perfect shot. She bolted into the thicket and piled up 40 yards later. A short tracking job and I was admiring my first trophy of the season.

This hunt did not happen by accident. Not even close. This particular hole I hunted has yielded several bucks and does for me and a few close friends. An intimate knowledge of the surrounding area along with knowing the predominant pattern of other hunters led me to this area. A successful hunt like this one is not abnormal for us now but was never the norm early on. In fact the first few seasons of hunting the local public property was some of the most frustrating times in my early hunting career. Most hunts on public property all started out the same way. I would take my map of the grounds and park with everyone else and walk in and hunt. Granted there was never a lack of deer sign. In fact there was an abundance of sign. So much sign that I kept going back for more abuse with little to nothing to show for it. I partially blame all the deer magazines and articles on deer hunting for the majority of my frustration. I did have it all so to speak. I had all the land I need and even a large deer heard. One thing the pros didn’t tell me was that all that info was directed towards private managed farms and none really applied to public land. There had to be a better way.

One evening driving into the hunting zone I noticed a couple of deer cross the road in front of me. This was never out of the ordinary and always seemed to happen on a routine basis. It was one of those things that kept me coming back for more to public land. I knew the deer were there and I was determined to find a way to hunt them. I got to thinking about all the deer I saw driving in and it finally hit me. I was about to realize my first effective tactic. I was walking too far into the woods. I never thought that was possible but that was exactly what was happening to me and 99% of all the hunters out there. I got to thinking about it and it made sense. The thickest parts of the properties were within the first 50 yards. After 50-75 yards a lot of the land broke into hardwoods and fields. There was tons of sign in the hardwoods and fields. Enough sign in fact to draw a majority of hunters into committing their hunts to those areas. Other hunters and I were walking right past the deer heading to barren grounds. After taken this new found realization I began to scout several areas right next to the roads. It was really thick ground. There was lots of deer sign just no good setups. The only suitable areas were there were drainage ditches that started at the road. These had large trees that could be accessed and hunted easily. I basically was hunting in the middle of 50 yard wide deer thicket highways. My first hunt did not end like the hunt in the beginning of this article. I hunted my roadside setup a couple of times with close encounters before I finally connected on a fat doe crossing the ditch. To this day my hunting partners and I have routinely scored on public land deer using this sneaky little tactic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxR1dp_H9cA

I watched through the video camera as the unmistakable red, white and blue head of an excited gobbler parted its way through the sea of prairie grass. As he reached the mowed section of the field, just 50 yards from our trio of decoys, he immediately went into full strut and made a beeline towards the jake decoy with fire in his eyes. Just as he eased his way to the front of the ole jake to look him eye to eye, Rocco squeezed the trigger on his Mossberg 500 and the three-inch, #5 Federals quickly found their mark. Not only had Rocco just killed his first spring gobbler, but to make that accomplishment even more special, he had done so on one of Kentucky’s most heavily hunted Wildlife Management Areas.

The popularity of turkey hunting has exploded over the last twenty years due in great part to the increase in turkey populations across much of the country. While it is great to see so many folks getting involved in this great sport, the increase in hunter numbers has resulted in higher hunting pressure on many public and private lands and subsequently more educated birds in the woods. While this certainly can make filling those spring turkey tags more of a challenge, it doesn’t have to result in a bowl of turkey tag soup. With a little scouting, a lot of persistence, and some alternative hunting techniques, it is still possible to get away from the crowds and have a safe and successful turkey hunt on high-pressured birds.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING

For a bird with a brain the size of a peanut, turkeys never cease to amaze me. Their ability to survive from year to year in areas that get stomped around on as much as some of the public lands that I hunt is a true testament to their ability to adapt and survive under extreme conditions. In fact, I am thoroughly convinced that these birds can actually “pattern” the public land hunters and change their routines accordingly.

I have watched numerous public land gobblers brazenly strut right out in the middle of open fields that were overrun with hunters just hours earlier. My first gobbler of the 2003 season was just such a bird. I spotted him and another tom strutting out in a field on the WMA where I worked while I was on my way to lunch. Upon seeing the birds, I eased my truck into the next pull-off and quickly slipped back into my camouflage from the morning hunt. Because my time was limited, I decided to keep things simple by leaving the video camera and decoys behind and limiting myself to my shotgun and my favorite Primo’s diaphragm call. After getting my gear together, I made a large, sweeping circle to the backside of the field, propping up against a small clump of cedars right along the edge of the warm season grass. A soft series of yelps revealed the birds’ location just over the rise in front of me about 70 yards out. Once again, a series of soft yelps and clucks followed by a dose of silent treatment was more than the one ole Tom could stand. As the gobbler’s head appeared over the rise at 25 yards, I squeezed the trigger of my Mossberg and rolled the 2 year-old bird in his tracks.
The key to success in the above hunt was being in the right place at the right time, and when you’re hunting high-pressured turkeys, timing can be everything. Setting up on a roosting gobbler and trying to work him into your setup is probably the most exciting and ideal way to kill a spring turkey, but on a heavily hunted property circumstances are rarely ideal and persistence and patience are often the difference between failure and success. There’s nothing wrong with getting out there before daylight and trying to bag one in a traditional fashion, but when things don’t work out by mid-morning, don’t pack up your gear and head for the house just yet. Once those pesky hens have gone off to nest for the day, there is often a short resurgence of gobbling and the birds can often be found back in their favorite strutting areas looking for love. If you have done your preseason scouting and have located some of these strutting areas, it is just a matter of getting set up and waiting them out.

One final word on timing, and I am probably stating the obvious here. If you are truly concerned with hunting pressure, then weekdays will provide you a better opportunity at solitude than weekends, when the pressure is the greatest. Also, the further into the season it gets, the less company you will generally have, which is good, because often the best hunting comes near the end of the season when the hens are sitting on the nest.

ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES
There may be some circumstances while hunting high-pressured birds where even a good location and plenty of patience isn’t enough to put a bird in the game bag. You have already heard me use the term “alternative techniques” a couple of times by now, and have probably wondered just exactly what I mean. Keep in mind that by the third day of the season most public land birds have already seen and heard it all. They have quickly figured out that owls that hoot in the middle of the day can only lead to trouble. You have to think outside of the box a little and give these educated birds something different.

My first word of advice would be to leave the crow and owl calls in the truck. I know how entertaining it can be to drive that tom into a gobbling frenzy with owl hoots and crow caws, but most of these birds have learned to associate those sounds with danger. That’s not to say that they won’t still gobble and give away their location, but chances are that they will be doing so as they head off in the opposite direction. If you are determined to use a locator call, or find yourself in a position where you need to pinpoint a bird to keep from bumping into him, then try some of the alternative calls. If they are common to your area, then the call of a goose, pileated woodpecker or a red-tail hawk may elicite a gobble and should not cause too much concern among a wary longbeard. Coyote calls can also be effective, but I have a problem with imitating the sound of one of the turkey’s most prolific predators in order to locate a gobbler.

Secondly, I would advise high-pressured, public land turkey hunters to resist the urge to overcall, especially to birds on the roost. In fact, if the season is over three to four days old, I think you are better off not calling at all to a roosting tom. Even though I should know better by now, I still occasionally give in to the urge to “just let the bird know I’m there”. And time and time again, I have listened as the bird flies down off the roost and heads off in the opposite direction, gobbling as he goes. Your best bet is to slip in as close to the bird as possible, get set up between him and the thickest, nastiest cover around, and wait him out. If he does head off in the wrong direction after flydown, then try to cut him off by making a sweeping circle around him and setting up in the path that you expect him to travel. Keep in mind that it is a lot easier to call a bird into a location that he wants to be, than it is to call one away from that location. Keep your calling soft and call sparingly. A good rule of thumb is to space out your calling sequences to one every five to ten minutes. Remain patient and be ready for anything. Chances are good that the pressured bird will slip in silent and slowly. I have been reminded of this numerous times by the all-to-familiar sound of an alarm putt when I decided that it was time to get up and move.

All the same techniques hold true when setting up on a potential strut zone as mentioned earlier. Keep the calling to a minimum and focus on soft yelps, clucks and purrs of contented hens. Again, you should call sparingly. This is an ideal situation if you own one of the many portable blinds out on the market today. Get set up, bring yourself a good book or hunting magazine, a snack or two, and wait them out.

CONCLUSION
All in all, public land turkey hunting can make for some of the most challenging of any of the outdoor pursuits. That doesn’t mean, however, that it has to be a lesson in frustration. With some preseason scouting, a lot of patience and persistence, and some alternative hunting techniques, you can beat the odds and bring home a high pressured longbeard this season.

WINTER
By the first of the year, deer season is winding down across the country, and many hunters pack up their gear and kick back in front of the television to watch reruns on the Outdoor Channel. For the serious hunter, however, this is no time to rest!

If you’re fortunate enough to live in one of the states whose season extends into January, then by all means, get out there and hunt! While the bucks might not be out in search of does, they WILL be out searching for something just as important to them – food. Weeks of looking for and chasing receptive does have taken their toll on big bucks, and once the breeding ends, they go into survival mode. Much like hunting the early season, this is a great time to focus key food sources. That could be anything from a cut cornfield or bean field, to a field that has been planted to winter wheat or rye.

Cut crop fields like the one seen here can concentrate deer in late
winter and are great places to start your post-season scouting efforts.

If you are not one of the fortunate ones, and the season is over for you, then there is no better time to get out and do some post-season scouting. You can finally follow all of those trails and check out those bedding areas without having to worry about running deer out of the country. Be sure to carry along a map, aerial photo, or at least a pen and notepad to make notes on what you find.

While you’re scouting, you will want to keep an eye out for antler sheds. These can be a great indication of just what potential the area will hold next season, as well as where to focus your efforts to find a particular buck. Not to mention, they make great decorations for the den!

SPRING
As the winter snows thaw and the dogwoods begin to bloom, many deer hunters turn their attention to other endeavors. Things like turkey hunting, fishing, or working on that growing honey-do list can all push deer season to the back of a hunter’s mind. For those of you serious about your deer hunting, however, there are still plenty of things that can be done to help increase your odds of scoring on a big buck come fall.

First, spring is a great time to continue to look for shed antlers. Some bucks can hold their antlers well into March, so just because you didn’t find that monster set in January, doesn’t mean that they are not out there now.

Sheds can be a great indication of the quality of bucks that survived the
season, and provide a good starting point to focus your efforts next season.

Spring is also the time to start preparing your food plots. I won’t go into great detail on the subject, since it could fill an article all on its own. I will say, however, that if you are serious about attracting deer to your property, then take the time to do it right. Plan your food plots well in advance, and be sure to take soil samples to your county extension office for testing. You can then use that information to incorporate the right amount of seed, lime, and fertilizer, in order to maximize the effectiveness of the plots. Too many well-intentioned hunters simply go out and break ground, scatter some high-priced commercial seed, and then hope for the best In many cases, it may also be necessary to maintain these food plots with herbicide or by mechanical means, such as mowing.

A hunter can never have too many good hunting spots, so spring is also a great time to get out and beat the bushes for permission to hunt new properties. While it may be getting harder and harder each year to find folks who are willing to let you hunt for free, opportunities do exist for those willing to knock on enough doors and accept a little rejection along the way. Don’t forget to hit up friends and coworkers, as well. While they might not own property themselves, they may very well have a friend or relative that does.

SUMMER
Probably the hardest time of the year to stay focused on deer hunting is during the summer months. Things like vacation, bar-b-ques, kids’ ball games and yard work can quickly fill up your free time. Despite the warm temperatures and busy schedules, this is a key time to be preparing for the upcoming deer season.

Since the bucks will be traveling in bachelor groups, and will routinely enter food sources well before dark, summer is a great time to run the roads, glassing for deer in agricultural fields. It’s an easy form of scouting that can be done from the comfort of your air-conditioned (hopefully) vehicle for just an hour or two in the late evening. Be sure to keep enough distance to avoid alarming the deer, and take notes regarding what kind of deer you see and where they enter the fields.

Summer is a great time to glass agricultural fields to locate bachelor groups of bucks.

Once you determine a pattern that the deer are using, you can put technology to work for you in the form of a trail camera. These are excellent tools for scouting an area without having to physically be present, and can give you a better idea of what kind of deer are using the area, and when.

As you begin to put together all the information that you have gathered over the course of the year, you should have an idea of where you want to hang some stands. Summer is a great time to slip into these areas, put up a stand and clear some shooting lanes. Even though season is still a month or more away at this point, you will still want to minimize your disturbance of the area. Timing can play a big role in this. If I am hanging a stand near a feeding area, I will try to get out there late morning to midday to avoid bumping deer out of a field. If the stand is to be located close to a bedding area, then a nighttime visit may be in order.

Scent control is important, as well. Wearing rubber gloves while handling your stands or hanging stands right before an expected rain will both keep the amount of scent you leave in the area to a minimum. I realize that this may all sound a little extreme, but it only takes a small amount of pressure to push a wise buck out of an area, or send him into a nocturnal pattern.

Trail cameras can be a great tool for patterning the deer in your area
and determining just what kind of deer are using the area.

FALL
As fall arrives, deer hunters can’t help but to start focusing their attention on the upcoming season. Unfortunately, this is when many hunters realize that they haven’t done any scouting, shooting, or gotten their equipment prepared for opening day. For the year-round deer hunter, though, this is merely the time to tie up some loose ends.

One of the most important tasks at hand is to ensure that all your equipment is accounted for and functioning properly. Climbing stands should be looked over for any cracks, loose bolts, or frays in any of the straps. Hunting clothes can be drug out for washing with a scent-free detergent, and then placed in some type of scentproof bag until the season opens. There is also the task of checking the batteries in your flashlights and GPS units, and replacing as necessary. Finally, you should inventory all hunting gear and see if anything needs replacement before the season opens, and by all means, don’t forget to pick up the necessary hunting licenses and deer tags for your area.

Another important responsibility at this time of year is making sure that your bow or gun is sighted in and ready to go. Hopefully, you have been shooting all year, and this will merely be a continuation of that until the season opens. If not, then make the most of the time you have left by setting a regular weekly practice schedule. Make every effort to imitate actual hunting conditions as closely as possible. This can include shooting at a deer target from various stands and body positions, focusing on the first shot as the most critical one. Having confidence in the weapon that you use is just as important as having your hunting gear in order.

CONCLUSION
Of course, the best part of fall is getting to hunt! If you have taken the time to post-season scout, look for sheds, secure good hunting spots, glass the agricultural fields in the area, and hang stands well before season, then the odds of shooting a respectable buck should tip heavily in your favor. It’s not an easy process, which is why most hunters are not willing to put forth the effort required. For those who do, however, the rewards can be great. So make a New Year’s resolution this year that might just put a trophy buck on the wall; become a year-round student of the whitetail!