When I hear Northwest, I think of mountains and lumberjacks, real ones and posers both. But it’s surprisingly good whitetail country, too. As we’re ranking the hunting in each region from easiest to toughest, the Northwest lands perfectly in the middle, at No. 3. Patrick Meitin is our resident northwestern...
All you have to do is shake a bag of shelled corn and all the Texas Booners come running in with tails wagging, right? Rattling works so well, it’s almost like cheating. At least, that’s what I’ve been told about deer hunting in the Southwest. Don’t get mad and kick...
No doubt about it, the Midwest is the nation’s easiest region to deer hunt. Manicured food plots. Plump ag fields. It’s all quite beautiful. And we’re using an unscientific, slightly biased system to rank each region, from easiest to toughest. When it comes to the easiest, the Midwest has it...
February 25, 2020 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
Don't skimp. Don't wander out there short of all the stuff you need to kill a bird. You'll want a good turkey vest with lots of pockets. You'll fill those pockets with the weight of your gear and hopes for success. Your tools for that day's hunt might be simple,...
Mark Heck has spent a lot of time in the timber. As a member of “ The Given Right ” hunting show, he’s been lucky to experience a lot of big-buck moments. He killed two Booners during the 2019-20 deer season. Obviously, he killed this 202-inch Minnesota monster, but he...
While turkey hunting always seems to be on my mind, it weighs particularly heavy this time of year. With the season still a month and a half away in my home state of Kentucky, the thought of leaving winter behind and traveling to somewhere with an early turkey season is...
February 20, 2020 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
It hurts. Memories of that strutter stepping into range, and that 10 inches of swinging beard running out of your life after you pull the trigger and miss. The memories haunt you in the middle of the night. All veteran turkey hunters have been there. If you haven't yet, brace...
You try to play fair. You float some soft, sweet yelps hoping to pull that gobbler to you, right off the roost. He flies down, gets fired up, and then the boss hen strides in out of nowhere and intercepts your bearded bird of future bragging rights. Roosted ain’t roasted,...
Legend has it that Bill Winke was born in a Redneck blind. That’s fitting, because today, he’s the founder and head honcho at Midwest Whitetail — a leader in the world of outdoor hunting videos. However, it wasn’t until 1988, at the age of 25, that Winke killed his first...
February 13, 2020 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
We've all been there. Hunt enough and you'll be there again. And again. Ten dumb things you do while turkey hunting follow. 1. Stand When You Should Sit Patience kills turkeys, the old saying goes. Lack of it scares them off. Ever think the woods were dead just an hour...
Aleah Wozniak is an energetic, goal-oriented 11-year-old from Ohio. She plays basketball and cheerleads, but she’s a hunter at heart. “Hunting is my passion. It’s who I am,” Aleah says. “I love the time I get to spend in the woods with my dad, not just during hunting season, but...
February 11, 2020 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
Let’s face it. These are busy times for most everyone, including us turkey hunters. Try these strategies to maximize your time and effort. They might even help you put your tag on an opening-day gobbler. Fly-Down Time Fly-down time involves an early rising, the drive to your spot, the setup...
