I’m often amazed at the people, deer hunters included, who tell me they just don’t like venison. That statement is usually followed by a qualifier: it’s tough; it’s gamy; it’s dry. And so on. I’ve eaten a lot of good deer meat. But I’ve eaten some really bad deer meat,...
One October I scouted the bends and points of a 400-acre stretch of the Milk River in northeastern Montana and located four good whitetail bucks, two of which would push 140 inches, about as good as the racks get out there. I hunted hard for four days from three lock-on...
When I began seriously bowhunting elk, in 1982, calls were laughably low tech, including coiled gas hoses and homemade PVC flutes. Yet in 1983, when I became a professional guide, I used these basic instruments to lure bulls into range of the compound-bow technology of the day — back when...
I wouldn’t go so far as to say a dead antelope buck smells good , but I don’t mind their odor a bit. There’s a hint of petting zoo goat — not necessarily repulsive in itself — mixed with dry Western air and sage and musk. All combined, somehow, the...
It’s the eve of opening day of Maine’s 2019 expanded archery season, and John Altman is listening to news he’d rather not hear. A NOAA weather radio reports wind speeds of 20 knots and 13-foot swells. Altman and his hunting crew specialize in hunting coastal islands in the expanded archery...
Years ago, a friend and I were walking down a dusty Texas dirt road in search of gobblers when something fell from the sky and landed with a thud at our feet. Upon closer inspection, we discovered it was a recently hatched turkey poult. Since there was no way that...
Hunters of old likely never imagined aerial, topo and hydro maps all rolled into one, let alone types with other complex layers. Now, onX Hunt is altering the course of the mapping world and charting new territory, aiding hunters worldwide. That’s why we digitally scouted a fictional property with onX...
Getting paid to trek through wilderness in pursuit of stunning wildlife images would seem to be a dream job for many. But the life of a wildlife photographer isn’t always glamorous. Tough weather and terrain combined with long hours at the computer are part of the job description. But pros...
The American West is one of our nation’s most prized possessions, long associated with adventure and land that’s as wild as it is beautiful. For many eastern hunters, it’s also a place where dreams can be found in the form of pronghorns scattered across the open landscape, mule deer grazing...
After spring turkeys are tagged and before fall deer, upland, and small game seasons kick in, summer can drag on forever. Sure, you can go fishing, but a hunter can only sit in a boat for so many days. We need a critter to chase during those off-season months. Luckily...
The skeeters are biting and humidity is climbing. Summer is almost here, and if we don’t get to work now, it’ll be over before we know it. Here are eight things hunting-land managers should be doing right now to get a jump on deer season. 1. Maintaining Treestands Treestand falls...
