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Serious Sleeper States with Big Whitetails

November 8, 2022   |  From Articles

Nonresident deer hunters are like the Mongolian horde — where one goes, all go, and carnage follows. Throughout the decades, it’s led to some states getting pounded with hunting pressure. Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin are some legacy states, to name a few. Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio were once...

Big Public Bucks in Nasty Places

November 7, 2022   |  From Articles

Whenever I hunt, scout or look for shed antlers on public lands, I’m always amazed by how so many humans think alike. I can’t count how many times I’ve found boot tracks where I planned to hike or a treestand hung where I’d planned to hang one myself. Most hunters...

Are A-Frame Duck Blinds Better than Layouts?

November 4, 2022   |  From Articles

Even in the dark, our hide resembled a skyscraper atop a pool table. And ducks and geese, I figured, would find it just as conspicuous. But 30 minutes later, the first flock of Alberta mallards dive-bombed the decoy spread, and my fears subsided. And an hour after the sun peeked...

Why You Shouldn’t Shoot 3 ½-Year-Old Bucks

November 3, 2022   |  From Articles

We always emphasize the importance of providing optimum nutrition so deer can reach their genetic potential, but there is also another side to deer management. What you shoot and what you pass up has a big effect on future hunting, and once you start experimenting in this regard, you will...

The Mentality of Big-Buck Killers

November 3, 2022   |  Brow Tines and Backstrap

You know them — those hunters who kill one or multiple monster bucks each year. It makes you wonder. How do they do it? What are they doing differently? Lots of factors culminate into consistent success on mature whitetails. Still, it’s obvious that big-buck killers have a different mentality than...

Mixed Duck Spreads on Big Water

November 3, 2022   |  The Duck Blog

Many duck hunters specialize in scenarios that focus on puddlers or divers, but not both. After all, you won’t shoot many bluebills in flooded timber, nor will you put many wood ducks in a layout boat. But in some big-water situations, usually involving a hot aquatic food source such as...

Calling the Shot with Big Groups

October 30, 2022   |  The Duck Blog

Deciding precisely when to shoot is often tricky, especially during tough conditions or when birds don’t finish well. It becomes more difficult when hunting with large groups, as folks sometimes aren’t on the same page or, worse, can’t help moving or peeking up at birds. Still, unless you’re a hermit,...

5 Tips for Calling Pintails

October 26, 2022   |  From Articles

Among waterfowlers, pintails carry a polarizing reputation. On one side, successful pintail hunters consider the birds to be one of the most prized waterfowl. Admired for their unquestioned regality and good looks, pintails are also considered by many to be the greatest wild game table fare. Despite their tasty reputation,...

The 7 Best Days of Duck Season

October 21, 2022   |  The Duck Blog

Every day of duck season is good, but let’s agree that some are better than others. Sometimes those especially good hunts might involve full straps. Other times they revolve around friendships or special occasions. But during every campaign, you can usually count on specific types of days that make you...

How to Hunt the Phases of the Rut

October 20, 2022   |  From Articles

A doe comes crashing through the timber and blows right by your treestand. Seconds later, a top-heavy, big-bodied buck trots down the same lane, hot on the doe’s trail. It stops mere yards from you, lip-curls, and belts out the gnarliest grunt you've ever heard. That’s what the rut is...

Pacific Flyway Dry, But Forecast Appears Promising

October 20, 2022   |  From Flyway Reports

What’s the word in the Pacific Flyway for the 2022-’23 waterfowl season? The western United States is dry and has been for some time. It’s not a good situation for ducks or duck hunters. Or is it? Kyle Spragens, waterfowl section manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,...

Mississippi Flyway Duck Hunting Off to a Solid Start

October 20, 2022   |  From Flyway Reports

Fall is here, and for eager waterfowlers, the long wait is finally finished. This period is always exciting, but it also relies heavily on colder weather up north to push birds down into the lower 48. The season has been open in Canada since the first part of September, and...

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