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After my trip this past December to the Mathews Archery Retailer Show I was amazed at how innovative archery companies can be.  With each passing season the new bowhunting and archery equipment that hits the market gets lighter, stronger and more versatile than ever before.  Below are thirteen items from the show that I thought every diehard bowhunter would want to know about.

The 2012 Tight Spot Quiver shown here is lighter than previous models which will work perfectly with the new Mathews Helim The Tight Spot quiver attaches and detaches from your bow quickly and fits snugly against the riser of the bow, reportedly eliminating bow torque issues often caused by a bulky quiver.

Another item that caught my eye is a Mathews bow display called WeaponRax. This classy looking display holds one bow and a few arrows and turns your Mathews bow into a piece of artwork that you can display in your living room, den or dead animal room. The WeaponRax is available in black or oak. Many retailers were purchasing them at the show to show off Mathews bows in their retail stores.

Hot Shot Manufacturing’s new Infinity release is available with a leather Lost Camo wrist strap. The Infinity features a “Lever-Link” trigger that replaces traditional roller bearings, creating a crisp shot and less trigger creep, resulting in tighter arrow groups. The extra-tough actuating mechanism features less friction than roller bearings so the release will work flawlessly for years without getting stiff or difficult to pull due to harsh weather or dirt from spending hours in the woods.

Carbon Express has long been considered a leader in arrow technology. Mathews is a leader in bow technology so it makes sense for these two industry leaders to team up. The Mathews Edition Carbon Express Maxima Hunter comes in Lost Camo and has the great features you are accustomed to from the Maxima Hunter including weight forward technology, Buff Tuff carbon weaving and the extra strong BullDog nock collar.

If you are a diehard turkey hunter, you will want to check out the Turkey Nightmare Lost Camo blind. This unique umbrella blind mounts to your bow and has a shooting window in the center of it. The umbrella blocks the turkey from seeing you draw your bow but the window allows you to see and aim at the turkey. One of the most difficult things about bowhunting turkeys is getting your bow drawn without being busted. This blind will make bowhunting turkeys much easier.

Pine Ridge Archery makes a variety of archery products. For 2012, they have all kinds of new products that come in Lost Camo and bright colors for all the archers who want their bow and everything on it to be color coordinated. Their new Nitro Stabilizer is available in Lost Camo. They have brightly colored wrist slings, peep sights, peep sight tubing and a variety of other products. For more information, visit www.pineridgearchery.com

American Leather Klassics has teamed up with Mathews to produce fine leather products. In this picture, you can see the Mathews leather belt. They also make Lost Camo picture frames, wallets and are even producing Lost Camo dog collars and leashes for your favorite dog. They offer a wide variety of Lost Camo leather products.

Invisible Hunter makes a variety of scent eliminating products including Invisible Hunter Fresh Earth spray. This product comes in a Mathews Lost Camo spray bottle. Invisible Hunter uses enzymes to destroy human odor, not just mask it like many odor eliminating sprays do. Almost all deer hunters use scent eliminating sprays of some kind; now you can try one based on science, not smoke and mirrors.

Schaffer Performance Archery has given the Opposition Arrow Rest a facelift. The new Opposition Lite is 20% lighter than the previous model, comes in Lost Camo and comes with unique technology like Glide Away jaws that pinch the arrow so your arrow can’t come off the rest as you draw. A button on the rest allows you to lock your arrow into position before you draw or allow the jaws to lock the arrow in place as you draw. When you shoot your bow, the jaws glide to the right and left for total arrow clearance. The Opposition rest has been tested at 418 FPS!

Mathews Archery fans love to tell the world how proud they are to shoot a Mathews Bow. Camo Wraps make unique Lost Camo vehicle wraps and Mathews stickers that look great on almost anything. Their accessory wraps can be used on cameras, phones and anything you want to deck out in Lost Camo.

Blacks Creek Guide Gear makes great backpacks, duffle bags and bow cases. Here you can see the new Blacks Creek Helim bow case that looks almost as cool as the new Helim and protects your favorite bow from getting nicks or dings while traveling to your favorite hunting spot. Blacks Creek displayed some great new duffle bags at the Mathews Show that are perfect for the traveling hunter.

Grim Reaper Broadheads is offering the Mathews Edition mechanical broadhead. This razor-sharp killing machine has a gold feral that will look great flying out of your favorite Mathews bow. My favorite Grim Reaper Mathews head is a 3-blade head that offers a razor-cut tip and has a whopping 2-inch cutting diameter.

Axion Archery is offering some great products for 2012 including the new Zone drop away wrest and the GLT Triad Stabilizer that is very sleek and innovative and will look great on any Mathews bow that has the Grid Lock riser.

About the Author: Tracy Breen is a full time freelance writer and works with several companies in the outdoor industry including Mathews Archery, Schaffer Archery, Hot Shot Manufacturing and Pine Ridge Archery.

Now, having sworn off most beverages other than water, I still haven’t forgotten that there are some of you who enjoy a good “sip” now and again. So, I couldn’t resist the urge to share with you a small portion of “Wild Turkey and Coke” that you are unlikely to forget. The cool part is that you won’t have to explain your actions to a significant other, and your head won’t be pounding in the morning either. Sadly, I can’t say the same for the particular turkey at the center of all of this attention.

This is the last place you want find turkey feathers and glass.

All kidding aside, the images that follow are a shocking reminder that, while we may be constructing roads, buildings, and bridges, the wildlife that inhabit the land still remain. It is also a glimps at how quickly things can happen.

Luckily nobody was seriously injured in this incident (except for the turkey). Yeah, Spring Gobbler season may be months away, but that doesn’t mean the these guys are not out and about. Be careful…..and try to stay away from this type of Wild Turkey and Coke!

It has become an United Foundation For Disabled Archers (UFFDA) tradition for the participants of each hunt to walk around at the end of the year’s event scratching their heads mumbling to themselves about how they didn’t think it could get any better than this year. But sure enough, the next year comes and that hunt miraculously turns out to be by far the best one yet! Well rest assured that after reading and hearing reports from the 2011 Camp Wilderness and Camp Tesomas events that fine tradition has once again been carried on. This year’s events were the best ever for both the Minnesota and Wisconsin crews. And to both  teams I tip my hat and offer a hearty congratulations for all of the hard work, excellent spirit and stellar results.

The Camp Wilderness hunt celebrated its 17th consecutive year by hosting 32 hunters over a beautiful weekend that culminated Saturday with the biggest and most successful banquet we have ever had. The facility was packed to the seams with hunters, UFFDA staff, landowners, kids and a lot of folks that just came to camp for the evening to see what all of the excitement was about. By night’s end, the great food, hearty laughter, the emotional highs and excellent deals garnered on the auctions brought the 2011 hunt to a jubilant close. The next morning as the tired, but very content UFFDA campers headed home, each bore a peaceful and satisfied smile upon their face. This hunt had definitely been the best yet!

Matt Klein with dad, Mark & local guide, Blake Johnson

The deer harvest was pretty much normal, but then again, the whitetail body count has never been what our annual conclave is about. On Thursday, the first night of the hunt, Matt Klein scored a double by taking two does. Terry Schwartz nailed a four point buck to put him out in front for the Delaney’s Sports Big Buck Award and our veteran beautiful Lady Huntress, Terrie Schrank took nice doe. Friday’s hunt produced three more does. Stan (The Killer) Koich took one, Board Member, Tim Sartwell took another and the third was taken by Karl Anderson. 

On Saturday, Leon Holmin shot a spike buck and our newest and rookie beautiful Lady Huntress, Dawn Peterson took a fine doe. Another first year hunter, Tom Voight took a seven point buck, which handily won him the Delaney’s Sports Big Buck Award. Besides the beautiful hunting knife donated by Delaney’s, Tom’s big buck won the number one slot in the 2012 Camp Wilderness hunt so we will be seeing more of him for sure. Tom’s buck brought our total reported harvest to ten for this year’s event.  A warm congratulation goes out to all of the UFFDA hunters and their guides for a job well done, whether you took a deer or not.

Terry Schwartz and local guide, George Darchuk

For the duration of the hunt, the weather was beautiful, there was only one minor injury (a finger smashed in a kitchen) and seemingly everyone had a wonderful time. The food this year, as with every year, was plentiful, delicious and nourishing. Were it not for the talented and dedicated kitchen staff, the hungry participants of the hunt would not be nearly as happy as they always are. Over the delightful UFFDA cuisine, companionship is always heightened to its apex making the hours spent in the homey Camp Wilderness mess hall a very special place where some of the fondest UFFDA memories are created. We sincerely thank all of the food preparers and handlers for their smiling faces and the hearty results of their labors that are seemingly designed to keep the entire crew fat and sassy. 

Tim Sartwell with local guide, Rick Knobloch

To everyone who was at this year’s hunt, it was also a very special occasion in that it allowed us all to share in Greg Waite’s last UFFDA hunt. It was obvious that Greg knew that his time with us all was near it end. He dove into the activity and lapped up every second of the action driving himself to complete exhaustion each day. We will all remember Greg’s presence there and will cherish the last time that he shared himself with his UFFDA Family. Two other long-time UFFDA members who are doing their best to fend off the viciousness and cruelty of cancer were also in attendance. Delmer Bentz and Karl Denly both showed up in spite of failing health and much pain to deal with. Having these three very special men at Camp Wilderness was both inspiring and at the same time, very sad. We all hate to see loved ones suffer so much, but how deeply we are moved by their courage and their overwhelming need to be with the people that they have grown to love as they shared a common joy of doing for others. Bless them all!

The “One-Shot” target shoot for all qualified UFFDA hunters was held again this year as the contestants vied for the Kalk Traveling Trophy. In 2010 possession of the prestigious award was won by Mike Schurch who was a first time attendee at this annual UFFDA gathering. Well guess what? This year the Kalk trophy was won by Ben Rouw of Becker, MN who was also a first time hunt attendee. Go figure! Congratulations, Ben and welcome to the family. Ben also won the number two slot in the 2012 Camp Wilderness Hunt so we will be seeing him again next year.

Tom Voight with local guides, Mike Hinton & Rick Knobloch

The participation in the Camp Wilderness Hunt by the local citizens continues to grow with new faces, new properties and new volunteers showing up at camp each year. We are so grateful for that hometown participation from the folks around the Park Rapids area as it enriches the event tremendously. We at UFFDA know that volunteerism is not at the top of everyone’s priority list of things to do, but when these special volunteers step forward from the surrounding community, you know that you are definitely partaking of the cream. The fine folks that have joined our mission from the Park Rapids area drive home that point with tremendous force every year. Thank you, one and all for blessing our efforts with your presence, sharing your land and just plain rolling up your sleeves and helping us make it all happen.

And to the benevolent donors both large and small that fund our undertaking, thank you for your continued support of the UFFDA Mission. Through your generosity, you give life to one of the most selfless efforts by a group of bowhunters who wish only to share the joys of hunting by recruiting and hosting bowhunting events for physically challenged people. Every year we accommodate new disabled members that enter the woods as bowhunters for the first time, learning the joys of pursuing wild things in a proud tradition that since the dawn of time has given the hunter his purpose. 

Terrie Schrank with local guide, Perry Melbo

Through your support, disabled hunters are provided with a cost-free outing that is as good as it gets. They are fed, tutored and catered to by dedicated volunteers who give up much of their personal time and resources, just for the radiance that can only be captured by unselfishly serving others. More specifically in the case of UFFDA, our entire family is so privileged to be able to watch new hunters experience for the very first time the thrill of taking a big game animal with a string and a stick; and then listening as the successful hunter shares the unforgettable excitement of an experience that is so unique that it can never be equaled again.

And that, dear friends, is the bottom line of what we do and why we do it. Once you have seen a hunter proudly roll into the Camp’s mess hall in a wheelchair prepared to share his or her tale of triumph about taking their first deer with a bow, you just know that this is the very heart of UFFDA, the organ that gives it its life. So to every supporter of the passion, whether you are on the front lines guiding the hunters, feeding them, providing the land for them to hunt, supporting the banquets or just donating from afar, you are an intricate part of a very noble endeavor to serve the disabled hunter, while nurturing our hunting heritage and the overall image of the modern hunter. Thank you for doing your part and doing it so well.

Stan (The Killer) Koich

As the United Foundation For Disabled Archers begins to prepare of its 18th season of service, we hope that you will continue to man your stations and also continue to support our worthy mission. Whatever your role, you are very important to the completion of the UFFDA Mission and its continued success. Thank you for the past year and now onward to the creation of new adventures that are destined to make us all winners for the right reasons.

Karl Anderson and local guide Tim Williams

Now that most hunting seasons have closed, it is important to discuss a common “post-season” trap. And, while it may seem innocent in nature, make no mistake it is one that prevents a lot of bowhunters from reaching their maximum potential; with regard to bow shooting skills, number of tags filled and even overall physical fitness. I understand that after many long months chasing your favorite game animal the urge to “take it easy” for a while can be overwhelming. However, if you want next season to be better than last season, now is the absolute best time to work toward that goal. Later, in subsequent blogs, we will discuss Hunting Prowess (tags filled), and Physical Fitness in more detail. But for now, let’s take a closer look at the first of these three areas: Shooting Skill. 

Your favorite treestand may be sitting dormant, but that doesn’t mean that the time for perparation is over. 

Shooting Skills
You don’t have to be a competitive shooter to be a successful bowhunter. In reality, perhaps the most deciding factor in closing the deal on your next bowhunting opportunity comes down to 2 things: muscle memory and your ability to handle pressure. Thankfully, if you put enough time into actually shooting your bow, muscle memory will take care of itself. This is important because you might believe that you can talk yourself through such details as picking a spot, bending at the waste, relaxing your shooting hand or squeezing the release trigger—-all in the heat of the moment! But, the truth is, you will most likely forget, simply because your heart will be in your throat. I know because I have tried. It should come as no surprise that my odds of success were very low during those seasons when I tried to will my way through tough shooting situations. 

The off-season is a great time to introduce advanced shooting techniques such as “Blind-Bale Shooting” into your practice regimen.

During those seasons when I failed to pick up my bow until late summer, I was essentially “relearning” all of the skills I had worked so hard on during the previous year. As a result, even though I was practicing, I wasn’t really making any strides in my ability to shoot well. Thankfully, I wasn’t loosing much either. But honestly, I definitely wasn’t getting any better. I quickly learned that maintaining some form of consistency during the off-season was the only way to really improve my proficiency to hit what I was aiming at in actual hunting situations. Some of this included just slinging arrows in the back yard. A good deal of it however, entailed actually shooting from a treestand, long-range shooting, and even up close, blank-bale shooting. 

Shooting from the ground, in a kneeling position, while wearing a face-mask, can affect your odds of filling a tag; especially if you wait until the moment of truth to find out if doing so alters such things as anchor point and arrow flight.

I should also mention how important it is to make a good deal of your practice time “situational”. For example, if you primarily hunt above “terra-firma”, then you should conduct the majority of your practice sessions from a treestand. This will only add “realism” to the situation and better prepare you for the real thing; and, what better time to do this than during the boring winter months. In addition, shooting outside when it is cold allows you to evaluate your cold-weather gear for any potential interference problems with the bowstring. This can be hard to do in the heat of summer or just before opening day when temps are still high. 

While everyone else is spending time doing something non-archery related, why not try out a new grip or arrow and broadhead combination. The new Mathews Focus grip is great for reducing hand-torque and the new NAP Big Nasty broadhead, along with the new Easton INJEXION arrows should prove to be leathal. It’s never too late to start dialing things in and testing new gear.

Pressure
Your ability to handle a pressure situation in the treestand can be increased by spending time behind the bowstring. There is no question that when your shooting skills improve—-your confidence goes up. When your confidence goes up, so does your ability to manage pressure; simply because you expect to perform well. The old cliché that archery is 90% mental carries a lot of merit. Even if you only shoot a few arrows a week, that is better than laying the bow down for the entire off-season (until just a few weeks before opening day).

When the moment I have worked so hard for finally arrives……I want nothing more than to deliver. For me, this starts in the off-season.

I like to think that my bow is an extension of my arm. I maintain that feeling by making sure I don’t let too much time go by without launching some arrows downrange. When faced with an actual shot on a living, breathing animal, I want my mind and body to go into sort of an “auto-pilot” mode. That way, all I have to do is find the single hair I want to split….nothing more. Of course, I am only human and completely capable of screwing things up. However, I can decrease the chances of that happening by constantly sharpening my shooting skills—-year round. 

Next time we will discuss ways to improve our ability to fill tags. Again, post season is the optimum time-frame to accomplish this. However, there is more to it than aimlessly stumbling through the woods. You need to have a plan.

Each year hunters will spend thousands of dollars on outfitters, guns, and bows. They will research and spend hundreds of dollars on everything from calls, scents, to back packs; however the one item often over looked is proper foot wear. They will buy top of the line equipment from archery specialist at pro shops but will run to a big chain store to pick up a pair of hunting boots on sale, basing their boot selection just on price and looks.

Even the United States Military under stands the importance of taking care of your feet. A solder is no good if he has a bad case of trench foot or feet so blistered the soldier can’t walk.

Your feet and foot wear are just as important as the weapon you are carrying on your next hunt, because if your feet get cold, wet, or blistered your done hunting. If you don’t take care of your feet you won’t sit in the stand long waiting for a big whitetail to walk by. You’re not going to cover the amount of ground needed to find that big bull elk if your feet are blistered from an uncomfortable boot. You’re not going to stay in the woods or cover much ground chasing that long beard in the early April morning if your feet are wet from the morning dew.

I think by now you get the point, and understand the importance of proper foot wear. There is no magic boot out there, nor is there one style of boot for every hunting situation.  The key is to look for certain characteristics in a boot that will not only fit your foot but also your hunting situation.

In this article we will break down the three main types of boots to fit a variation of hunting situations. These are not the only style of boots out there however these are the most popular. Next we will take a close look at each type of boot and common characteristics that you will want to look for in picking the right boot for you and your hunting situation.

Keep in mind that with all the boots out on the market the main thing for all three categories is to get the best boot that you can afford. I am not saying that you will need to break the bank for a good pair of boots, but foot wear is an area of your hunting equipment you won’t want to skimp on.

We have noticed that you are better off paying up front for a good pair of hunting boots that will last you many years and treat your feet well versus buying a cheap pair just to get buy, which will often leave you buying a new pair year after year.

Again we want to emphasize that there is no one perfect boot, the reason is, there are too many variables in your hunting situation and environment for a one size fits all situation boots.  With that being said we will not focus on a particular brand of boot but common characteristics that you will want to look for in making your next hunting boot selection.

The three main categories that we will cover for hunting boots are, knee high rubber boots, hiking or hunting boot, and pack boots.

The knee high rubber boot is often best suited for the whitetail stand hunter. The guy or gal that walks a relatively short distance whether it be through swamps or upland, but is looking for scent control and who has the main goal of sitting in a tree stand for several hours. The other type of hunter that utilizes rubber knee high boots is that of a hunter in swampy wet conditions or a turkey hunter battling the morning dew.

The hiking boot or hunting boot is for the hunter who will walk through a variety of conditions, whether it is shallow swampy water, upland conditions, snow, or mountains of the west.

The third popular boot is the pack boot. This type of boot is often used in the far north ware hunting conditions consist of extreme cold and snow. Most often used for sitting long hours in the cold waiting for a deer to walk by.

Now that we have the three most popular types of boots available, let’s break them down to discuss what to look for in making the right selection for you.

Knee High Rubber Boots:

With rubber boots there is no laces to tighten up the boot around the top of your foot and around the ankle area of your foot. Because of this it is important to select a good pair of rubber boots that is form fitting in this area of your foot and ankle. Some companies such as the Irish Setter Company designs the boot to have a flexible cup for your ankle to stretch out from the boot allowing the top of your foot to slide down into the boot. By doing this it allows the company to make a more form fitted boot to your foot.  Other companies are now producing a more properly molded boot to the hunter’s foot. This will make the boot tougher to slide your foot into, however once your foot is slid into the boot it is more locked in and secure allowing less “slop” for your foot to slide back and forth in.

A good rubber boot such as these from Scent Blocker have an antimicorbial inner sole to resist mildew and bacteria growth.

This is very important to have a secure ankle and foot fit in rubber boots because if you’re a hunter who has a considerable distance to walk to your tree stand you will start to feel fatigue in your legs from trying to compensate your natural walk and to avoid the boot from slapping the back of your calf and to prevent your foot from sliding around.  Not only will this fatigue your legs, but will also create blisters on your ankles from the constant rubbing of the boot.

Next, you will want a rubber boot that provides good ankle support so that you don’t roll your ankle while walking through a given type of terrain. A good rubber boot will have a thicker rubber around the foot and ankle area.  Above the ankle you will want to have a more flexible rubber, some companies use neoprene in this area. The reason is that the boot above the ankle must flex with your shin to allow a more comfortable stride to your step.
 
You will also want to find a rubber boot that has a removable insole. The negative of rubber boots are that they do not breathe. Because of this, often the insoles of the boot will be ridden with foot moisture and need to be pulled out of the boot to dry and avoid bacteria growth.

Also pay attention to the outsole of the boot or traction. Because these boots are less flexible and forgiving as hiking boots and are often worn in wet muddy conditions you will want an aggressive sole pattern that will clean out and not get clogged up with mud limiting your traction.

Last and most important the boot must be comfortable. When trying on a pair of rubber boots, don’t just take a couple of steps in them and throw them in your cart. Walk around, make some laps in the store, you may get some strange looks but for the people that understand the importance of a proper fitting boot, they will know what you’re doing. If you feel just the slightest part of the boot that is uncomfortable or ankle slop, start over and look at a different pair, because what might  feel slight in the store with a flat smooth floor will be magnified tenfold in the woods on uneven ground.

It is also important to note that with all boots you want a good snug fit, especially in the ankle and the top part of your foot, however you don’t want a boot to tight that it will restrict the blood flow and circulation of your foot. Even just the slightest restriction will cause your feet to feel cramped and also cause your feet to get much colder very quickly. You will want room to freely wiggle your toes. If you know you’re going to be picking out a pair of boots at a store, wear the type of socks you will be hunting in, because if you wear wool socks while hunting they will fit much differently in a boot than thin cotton socks that you wore while trying on the boots in the store.

Tips for taking care of your rubber boots:

•The biggest thing to remember with rubber is that as soon as it is produced from the factory, when exposed to UV (ultraviolet light) the rubber begins to break down. To avoid your rubber boots from cracking, ultimately leaking, keep your boots out of any sun light when not in use. Don’t store them out on the deck or next to a window. Keep them in a tote or a box for best life of the boot.

•Try to avoid extreme heat on the rubber. Avoid keeping them in the vehicle for an extended period of time. Extreme heat can warp the boot causing a different fit.
 
•Because rubber does not breathe, after every use, pull out the removable insole and allow it to air dry. Next place the boot on a boot drier or have a fan blow fresh air inside the boot. By doing this will avoid bacteria and mildew from growing inside the boot. If your feet are like mine, I highly recommend sprinkling foot powder inside the boot after each use.

•A flexible rubber bonding glue works good for quick fixes of your rubber boots to patch minor holes or cracks such as “Shoe Goop”. However depending upon the amount of use, often this is just a quick fix and not a permanent one.

Hiking or Hunting Boots:

These boots are on average from 6 inches to 12 inches in height and often used for upland or mountain hunting. Just like the rubber boots mentioned above you will want the boot to fit properly. These are boots that you would wear on an elk or mule deer hunt in the mountains, a prong horn hunt in the prairies, or a pheasant hunt in the CRP grass. There are many different applications for the hunting boot and is the most adaptable for varied types of terrains.

Leather is the most durable and longest lasting material for boots.

When it comes to hunting boots I prefer all leather over Cordura for material. I have owned both types of material boots, and I got more life out of the leather boot than the Cordura. Leather is more flexible than Cordura, and when properly oiled leather will get you more years of use.
 
The problem that I have had with Cordura, is that after several years the Cordura begins to break down, especially in the crease where your toes bend in the boot.  I also prefer leather because when properly oiled, the leather its self has water repellency giving you extra water proof protection.

A friend of mine has a pair of leather hunting boots that he has worn for the last twenty years, and my last pair of leather hunting boots lasted me over twelve years.
If you do decide to go with a boot that has Codura, it is strongly advised to make sure the area around the toe, especially ware the toe bends, be made of leather. This is often the first area of the boot that Codura begins to break down at.

Next let’s look at the soles. There are two main ways of attaching the soles to the boot. One is sewn on and the other is glued on.  They both have their strong and weak points. I prefer sewn on soles because if I wear down the soles of my boots I can take them to a shoe cobbler and have them just sow on a new sole. The weak part of a sewn on sole has a tendency to feel like the boot is more top heavy while seated on the sole. What is meant by this is it feels like the bottom of your foot may tend to feel like they will roll over the sole on steep angles.
 
The glued on sole seems to provide more support on steep angles than the sewn on sole because most glued soles are molded to come up over the sides of the boots to provide more surface area for the glue. The negative of glued on soles is that the glue has a tendency to break down and not hold the sole on, causing the boot to leak or the sole to begin to come off.
 
You will also want to make sure your boot is 100 percent water proof, with no exceptions.  I feel so strongly about this that not only do I look for a boot that is water proof but it MUST be Gore-Tex lined. When I see a tag on a boot that says 100 percent water proof, my first question is, for how long? By being not only water proof but also Gore-Tex lined, I know that I will get years of use out of the boots without them leaking.

Dont just trust that the boot is water proof. Make sure they are Gore-Tex lined for added years of water proofing.

When trying on a pair of hunting boots, just like the rubber boots, make sure they are very comfortable with zero discomforts. Often people will try on a boot with mild discomfort, but they still buy the boot any way with the mindset that they just need to be “broken in”. However it always seems that the discomfort never goes away, and if the boot is not comfortable you won’t wear them, and if you don’t wear them, why even buy them in the first place.

Next you want to make sure that your toes do not hit the front of the boot while on steep angles. You want a good boot that provides great ankle support and also a snug fit at the top of your foot and front of your ankle. By having a proper fit in this location your boot will prevent your foot from sliding forward and slamming the tips of your toes in the front of the boot while on a steep angle. If you ignore this while trying on a pair of boots, you better invest in a lot of mole skin and band aids on your next hunt in the mountains.

Also just like the rubber boots make sure you have enough room to wiggle your toes so that you don’t restrict circulation, and pick a boot that has good aggressive outer soles for traction in many different types of terrains.

Tips for taking care of your Hiking Boots:

•If your hiking boots are leather, keep them well-oiled after each hunt using a quality leather treatment or a product such as Sno-Seal.

•Keep mud off your boots while not in use. Get a firm bristled shoe brush to help wash off the mud from your boots after each hunt. If the mud is left on while in storage it will cause the leather of the boot to dry out and possibly crack.

•Just like the rubber boots, remove the insole of the boot to air dry from foot perspiration, and also place boots on a boot drier or allow a fan to circulate air inside the boot to prevent mildew and bacteria growth.

•Keep boots from direct sun light. The UV from sun light will break down and dry out the leather of the boot.

•With boots made of Codura, treat with a thin layer of silicone water proofing spray after each hunt to maintain the boots water proofing abilities.

Pack Boots:

Pack boots are designed for extremely cold temperatures. These types of boots are often used by deer hunters that spend hours on stand waiting. Because of the large bulk and weight of the boots for insulation against cold temperatures, these boots are not meant for long walking.

Pack boots can be large and bulky, however you will never wear a warmer type of boot.

When selecting a pair of pack boots, keep in mind that the rating of the boots does not mean they will keep you warm down to that particular temperature. For example, if boots are rated for -25 degrees, does not mean your feet will be warm in them when the temperatures plummet to -25 degrees. Use this as a rating system to compare to other pack boots. An example is, if you plan on using pack boots for extremely cold temperatures or if your feet get cold very easily, you may want to go with a pack boot that is rated down to a -150 versus a boot that is rated to a -110.

When picking out a pair of pack boots you will want a pair that has a removable liner. The reason for this is similar to the removable insole on your hunting boots. After each hunt you will want to remove the liner to allow to air dry and also place the boot itself on a boot drier. While hunting under extremely cold temperatures you will want your boots bone dry before each hunt. Any amount of moisture in your boots will result in cold feet no matter how insulated the boots are.

Because you will most likely be wearing pack boots in snow, they must be 100 percent water proof with no exceptions. You may also want some extra room in the boot for thick wool socks along with room to attach adhesive toe warmers inside the boots, also just like the rubber boots and the hiking boots, a proper fit with good ankle support is a must.
 
Tips for taking care of your pack boots:

•Just like the hiking boots, keep the leather uppers well oiled. If the uppers of the pack boots are made of Codura spray them with a light coat of silicone water proofing spray after each hunt.

•After each time you wear your pack boot, pull out the removable liner and dry the boots on a boot drier or have a fan blow fresh air into the boot. When wearing pack boots you will want them to have zero moisture inside the boot. If your feet are damp, they will be cold no matter how well insulated the boots are.

•Most pack boots have rubber bottoms, just like the rubber knee boots avoid direct sunlight on the boots to prevent UV damage to the rubber.

Conclusion:

No matter what style of boot you choose they must be comfortable. Do not put up with an uncomfortable boot with hopes of it “breaking in”. If they hurt your feet you won’t wear them to break them in. You will also want good ankle support in your boots and they must be snug around the ankle with no room for “slop” however you don’t want your boots tight around the toes so that it restricts blood circulation in your feet. Also keep in mind that if it just says 100 percent water proof on the tag, asks yourself, for how long?  Not only will you want your boots 100 percent water proof but you will want them to be Gore-Tex lined for many years of water proof durability.  Most importantly get the best boots that you can afford, and you will get many years of comfortable hunting out of your next pair of boots.

If you know me personally, have followed my blog over the years, or regularly watch Bowhunt or Die, you know by now that I am a trail camera junky.  Over the years I have amassed an impressive (or embarrassing, if you ask my wife) number of trail cameras of nearly every brand.  There technology simply allows me to scout and monitor bucks without putting added pressure on them.  Trail cameras are a useful tool for bowhunters that promise to increase your success rate.

That being said, trail cameras have come a long way since their inception over a decade ago.  They now take crystal clear images, record HD video and can send your images wirelessly from the unit to your e-mail account (see Stealth Cam’s new Drone system).  Well, Stealth Cam, the trail camera I rely on most in the field, has taken scouting technology one step further with their new Trail Camera Field App.  This hunter friendly mobile app costs only $1.99 and is available for both Apple and Android powered devices.  

It comes packed with a boatload of innovative features that can assist hunters in a variety of ways.  It comes integrated with GPS mapping technology that not only allows you to mark your trail camera locations, but also other important marking points such as tree stands, water holes, scrapes, rubs, you name it!  You can save and share these markers to your Facebook page or your friends via e-mail as well.  Or, simply save them to your personal gallery.  

The app also has built in functionality that can help you plan out your hunts better as well.  Hunters can get weather forecasts by entering their city, state or zip code, or by letting the location based feature on the camera precisely identify your location.  Not only weather forecasts, DETAILED weather forecasts including 24 hour, 3 day or an extended 10 day forecast while not only providing your usually weather information, but also hunter friendly info such as sunrise and sunset times, moon phase and barometric pressure.  The Trail Cam Field App also has a built in photo managing / sharing function that allows hunters to fully customize their photo gallery by location, date, weapon or species.  You can then share your photos via social media and receive comments in real time.  You can also get video tips and information straight from the Stealth Cam Pro Staff as well. 

If this app is something that intrigues you, feel free to contact the Stealth Cam team for tech tips or general information regarding this app, I encourage you to check out their website here.  Happy off-season everyone! 

There seems to be two distinct schools of thought when it comes to pruning shooting lanes, most gravitate to one end or the other with a few folks hovering in the middle.  On the one hand you have guys that don’t like to cut anything they don’t absolutely have to, in fact these extremist at times won’t cut a single limb and just rely on the deer to step through a tiny opening at the moment of truth. You can probably tell by my description this mindset doesn’t include me.
The other school of thought is to make sure you have a clear shot with reasonable shooting lanes in any possible area the deer could travel through. The obvious down side is you open yourself up more to be picked off and you disturb the deer’s living room at some point. I tend to lean more in this direction but am cautious as not to open things up too much and ruin a stand site.

The ramifications of too much or too little are huge.  If you film your hunts like I do, you need to consider camera angle and not having to focus through a lot of limbs to capture the image; if you take too many limbs it leaves a huge hole that lends itself nicely as a focal point for the deer’s line of sight.  You want at least three good shooting lanes, preferably one to each side at an angle to your stand and another one straight in front of you. I realize many like to have their stand on the back side of a tree for concealment but this makes it very difficult if not impossible to film your own hunts.

An extendable power chain saw is very effective when you have many limbs or larger limbs to do prune 

Where is the fine line between these two you may ask? I have an approach that may take advantage of the best of both words.  Take some time during the late Winter months while out hiking or shed hunting and do your heavy pruning; you know that one big limb 20 yards out 18 feet up that always seems to be between you and the deer, take out a pole chain saw, extendable hand saw or even a small hand saw that you can duck tape to a sapling and get that limb down.  Do your massive pruning directly after season if you have determined to keep that stand site. There are three benefits, one is having less of an impact on the deer you are hunting, two is you will open things up but allow new spring growth to come back in and camo up your area a bit; last but not least you are putting more tree buds on the ground for the deer to browse, why not do it when they need food the most?

Don’t be afraid to use a large saw for nuisance trees in the winter months as long as the land owner doesn’t mind.

Doing this late season pruning isn’t a catch all, you will still need to pop a few little twigs out of the way come late summer or fall, but it will be with minimal disturbance. Late summer is a great time to slide in there and take a hand saw and quietly snag a few nuisance limbs. The perfect tool for small touch up or public land pruning where chainsaws may not be allowed is the Hooyman extending saw. This model reaches around ten feet, or can be used as just a hand saw, and folds up small enough to take on each hunt if necessary

I don’t personally like climbing stands but if I did, this would be a must have tool

I find there is always that one little twig that seems to cause most of the problems, but I have eliminated that by toting this aluminum I beam framed saw along with me

Get out in the woods during late winter and don’t let that one little limb or big limb keep you from your trophy next fall. You will be amazed how your success rate goes up once you take out the limb factor excuse.  Remember to be safe when using saws in trees and always have a safety harness on.

Until next time, be safe and God bless
Matt Cheever 

I am relatively a newbie when it comes to utilizing trailcameras for whitetail scouting or inventory purposes. In years past I just didn’t understand their appeal. I understood that photos of big bucks were cool and often couldn’t wait to view some of the snapshots my good friend and hunting partner, Justin Zarr, was able to capture on his. In fact, he’s probably the single greatest influence to why I use them today. I just couldn’t understand why someone would waste their time giving away their position long before the season started.  The problem for me was that extra human scent we are certain to leave behind and how it influences deer movement.

Since I’ve started using cameras over the past two years, I’ve been fortunate to have captured some pretty unique whitetail behaviors, something I attribute to my never ending bout to control my human odor. For me, it’s a relatively simple endeavor. Living in the farm country that I do I utilize the terrain to the best of my ability and simply don’t push too far into the woods. I use rubber boots, rubber gloves, and approach my cameras the same as I would approach a treestand. I try my best to eliminate human pressure even while not hunting.

Whether or not this is the reason for some of the unique photos I’ve gotten is certainly debatable. It could be nothing more than luck. However, if the old saying holds true and luck really is where preparation meets opportunity, then perhaps it’s something more. Perhaps those extra little steps do give me more luck in the photos I capture.

This past weekend while checking my cameras looking for the first signs of bucks that have dropped antlers, I was surprised at what I had captured.  Nearly mid-January and to my surprise a fight for dominance between two bucks! In fact, just days earlier while enjoying my last sunset of the year from a nearby treestand – I witnessed the same two bucks harmlessly feeding alongside each other acting as if they were the best of buds. My stealthcam said otherwise.

The battle took place between a busted former seven-point buck that Justin and I have captured at least fifty pictures of since the start of deer season. This two-year old is an absolute terror, a warrior who’s had a mostly battered rack since before Veteran’s Day. His opponent was a more timid three-year old eight-point with a wide spread, another buck Justin and I knew well, but had far less photos of.

The two-year old broken seven-pointer gloats in front of my trailcamera following the fight.

The reclusive three-year old eight-pointer in early October.

When the two bucks first enter the field they appear as equals, casually strolling out to feed just like I had observed days before. A doe group enters from the camera’s right side and suddenly tempers flare. The bucks’ ears go back, full body posturing while walking in a circle around each other for several frames. The battle grows more intense while the females look on. Eleven minutes later the battle ends, only the mangled snow-covered field still shows the signs of the struggle that took place.

While it’s not clear who won, the two-year old ends up sticking around another twenty minutes and posing in front of the camera. The reclusive eight-pointer casually strolls off behind the doe group like nothing happened.

The fight doesn’t begin to shape until does enter the field.

The eleven-minute battle would end and begin at least three times, while my camera snapped over 150 images of the scene.

Notice the snow between the first and last frame – showing the battle that once took place. The only sign that still existed the day I went to check this camera.

Like I said, I’ve been fortunate to capture some pretty amazing whitetail behaviors with my trailcameras in my short time utilizing them. These new photos are among my favorites. 

The title of this blog, “Five steps to early season big buck success” may at first sound like something that I should have waited to post until Summer… But the fact is, the track to early season big buck success starts… Now! Hunting seasons for the most part are over, there is no time better than now to get into the timber and learn how the deer are using the properties you hunt. I am a firm believer of no in-season scouting on foot because I want to leave as little disturbance on the lands I hunt as possible. With that said, 90% of my boot leather scouting is done between the months of January and April.

1. Lace up your boots, put on your brush pants and cover the deer bedding areas from all directions. Locate the buck beds within these areas. Clues to tip you off that it is a buck bed: Single beds are usually buck beds, does and fawns tend to bed in groups. Beds that are surrounded by rubs and or scrapes generally are buck beds. Some people may have a hard time believing this one, however beds that offer a great vantage point are big buck bed hot-spots. While their nose is their number one defense, they use their eyes and ears just as much to detect and avoid danger.

Bedding and security cover areas rarely offers trees suitable for a climber.

2. Learn your lands and understand their strengths and weaknesses and how your properties relate to surrounding tracts. This is very important, some properties may be bursting at the seams during certain periods of the year and nearly devoid of deer at others. Find the features of your properties that are favorable to whitetail and understand what time of the year the deer with be using the favorable traits.

3. Locate target animals by utilizing trail cameras and by glassing fields in the evenings from late spring until your season opens. I set my Stealth cameras up in low impact areas such as field edges. I do not care that I am mostly getting night time photos as I am by no means attempting to “pattern” the bucks, I am only using the Stealth cam to confirm if there are bucks I am interested in hunting on that tract of land. Sometimes a buck you have been watching for a while disappears or a new stud seems to just appear one day, this is because as Summer starts the transition to Autumn some bucks leave the areas they spent their summer on to return to their fall home range. This isn’t as common with older bucks as it is with younger bucks but it does take place.

While taking this photo I am standing between a bedding area and a food source.

4. Understand what the deer are feeding on on the properties you hunt or the adjacent properties throughout the fall. Their preferred food sources change often, from soy beans to acorns to corn etc. Learn what they are eating and when they are doing so. 

5. The final step is where all of your work comes together and produces results. Here you take the things you know or learned: buck beds, the strengths of your properties, food sources and any other things you learned along the way and create your game plans. Each day and hunt is unique based on the days weather conditions, preferred food sources and time of year. Now that you know you are on a property holding a buck you are interested in, know where he beds, understand the strengths of your property and what he is feeding on you can formulate solid plans for each hunt.

In my experiences the best tactic to use is to get between his bed and his preferred food source, setting up as close as possible to his bed. The further you are setup away from his bedding site the greater your odds decrease of seeing him during daylight hours. To get onto big early season bucks during daylight hours you have to be setup in an area that he is comfortable using during the day time. Heavy ground cover (I call it security cover) are areas that the bucks will leave their beds for and feel secure to use to browse, socialize with other deer and make rubs and scrapes while waiting until dark to make his way to the open agriculture fields. This “security cover” is generally the outer laying areas of his primary bedding area. Stationary setups are not favorable to this style of hunting. You need to be able to move and hunt different areas and properties each and every hunt. Hunting these bedding areas generally puts you in spindly or cluster style trees. A lock on and sticks such as my go to setup, the Lone Wolf assault and sticks are a must.

This photo shows security cover with white oak trees present, a perfect ambush point for big early season bucks!

Have you ever experienced something that contrasts so sharply with itself that it almost takes on two different beings, two unique personalities?  For example, the skyline of a city at sunrise is as equally beautiful with its color and glamour as it is destructive with its pollution and noise.  What if I told you that the Rocky Mountains, the powerful backbone of America that even the mightiest of hunters can’t sometimes conquer, is actually corroding yearly at the hands of water and ice?  On January 7th I experienced a similar juxtaposition.  I climbed a tree to go hunting, a decision that would generally lead to a kill and death.  However this time, it was to extend the life of the previous 3 months through spiritual and personal reflection.

A shot of my home away from home, so to speak.  I’ve spent the better part of my 22 years in this camp and the surrounding woods and fields chasing whitetail deer.  Maybe it’s not home away from home and it’s just..home?

As I settled into my stand, I decided to just close my eyes and let my mind wander, rather than trying to reminisce about certain memories.  That didn’t last long, because a meat fly landed on my nose and I grinned to myself as I swatted him away, because I couldn’t believe how warm it was for a January hunt.  It must have been 65 degrees, 20 degrees warmer than it was at the same time opening day over 3 months prior.

After I ridded myself of the pesky insect, my mind truly began to wander, but in a direction I certainly hadn’t intended it to.  I wanted to relive the day my brother shot the 150” giant we had been hunting all year, and how we celebrated in the woods together, sharing an indescribable fraternal connection.  I badly wanted to replay the events of the day I shot my biggest buck to date, and how countless hours of hard work had paid off.  Finally, I wanted to remember cutting up deer meat with my family the night my dad shot his first buck in 6 years while watching college football.  But, as is often the case, my mind had other ideas.

On my last hunt of the season, I climbed a tree not wanting to shoot a deer, but instead reminisce over the memories of what was my best season to date.

Instead, my mind wandered to different memories.  For instance, I remembered an early November hunt that my brother had offered to film.  We were hunting over one of our food plots, and I had just finished hanging his camera stand when he told me there were three does quickly coming down the opposite side ridge.  I hurried down, and he hurried back up as I followed him, praying the deer wouldn’t see us.  Magically, we got set up safely in our stands just as the deer came into view.  Strapping the camera arm to the tree was out of the question as this point as the doe and her twin fawns were at 40 yards and closing.  The twins got a free pass as they sprinted in the food plot chasing each other back and forth excited for an afternoon of feasting on oats and clover.  I laughed to myself because their eagerness reminded me of how I must have acted when I went to Chucky Cheese as a kid.  

I refocused on the doe and recognized her as a doe we had been seeing the last 4 years and had earned the name “Momma.”  She had a distinctive white streak down her nose, and was once so comfortable with my presence she would almost eat out of my hands when I would put out minerals during the summer.  She had to be at least 7 years old, and I was prepared to take her life if she gave me the opportunity.  She was at 15 yards when I drew my bow and at 7 yards when I settled the pin, there was only one problem: a small branch protected her vitals from my arrow.  She stood there for close to 20 seconds completely unaware of my brother and me sitting 20 feet above her.  I could have shot her in the shoulder blade, and I know I would have gotten enough penetration that she wouldn’t make it far, but I couldn’t do it.  I could have shot through the small branches and, at just 7 yards, the arrow wouldn’t deflect enough to make much of a difference, but I’m not that type of hunter.  Momma deserved more than that.  After scanning the field for danger she took the final step I needed to clear her vitals, and when she did I tried to stop her.  I was going for a subtle bleat, but a loud, boisterous grunt is what erupted from my mouth.  To this day, I don’t know how that happened.  She didn’t think twice about stopping and looking up, and she bolted immediately back in the direction from which she came.  I had no choice but shake my head and smile while my brother laughed at me.  I guess my subconscious simply wouldn’t let me kill Momma.  

One of the many images I have of an old doe we call, “Momma.”  She’s an old doe, wise to my ways, and would be a true trophy if I could harvest her next fall.

Eyes still closed, my mind ironically shifted to a morning where my eyes were full of wonder and curiosity.  I had just hung a stand a few days prior in an area I hadn’t hunted for close to 10 years.  I could just never convince myself there would be deer there.  However, a trail camera on a mock scrape had revealed this area was actually a deer haven with two monster bucks working the scrape.  To say I was excited about be an insult to how eager I was to get in the tree on an early November morning.  I had hiked close to a mile to get to my stand, got settled in and said the same prayer I say before every hunt, giving thanks for the opportunity and the ability to hunt, asking for safety and, if it were in His will, to bless me with some luck, in any way He felt fit.  

After a deep breath I looked up and was blindsided by how clear the stars were.  It was beautifully cold and clear, and the stars could have never been brighter.  The frosty field I was overlooking harmoniously joined forces with the stars and the result was a glittering dance floor for me to enjoy.  It was one of those mornings where it was literally difficult for me to take my eyes of the sky, and I was glad I didn’t.  I must have seen 5 shooting stars that morning, and I made a wish on each and every one of them.  By the time the sun had risen I had already deemed the morning a success and readied myself for the actual hunt.  Over the next 4 hours I saw close to 10 deer, one of them being one of the bucks I was hunting, but he was just out of bow range.  It was an awesome morning and one that I am thankful I could experience.

One of my favorite things about hunting season is the clairty of the stars on crisp cool mornings.  This picture could never do the real image justice.

The season was now a little less than an hour from being over and I had decided to do my best to relive the morning I shot my buck, High n’ Tight.  I was, after all, sitting in the exact same stand.  Right on cue, however, my mind had other ideas.  I thought about the first time I had seen High n’ Tight from stand.  It was a terribly windy day, and I had gotten in my stand a little before noon hoping to see some midday rutting activity.  I suppose my plan had worked because I saw High n’ Tight, although only briefly, about 100 yards in the thick timber.  Unfortunately, he left as quickly as he came, but I had hoped he would make another appearance, only this time closer.

Unfortunately, he never showed himself again that day, but I did have an encounter with a different buck.  About 3:00 I had a button buck make his way out of a nearby bedding area and made a beeline right for my stand.  The minute he got underneath my stand he stopped, set up shop, and began feeding on acorns.  He looked up at me briefly, almost as if to say, “I’m glad you’re here Cody!  I think I’ll just hang out with you this afternoon, I know you won’t shoot me, will ya?!”  I tried not to anthropomorphize, and decided to take out my camera and snap some photos of the small buck.  He was only 5 yards from the base of my tree, and I was worried he’d spook if he heard the shutter.  I decided to risk it and see what happened.  I snapped a couple images, and it was clear he heard the shutter, because he jerked his head up with each picture I took.  I thought it was funny, so I decided to take some more.  With each shot, up went his head and back went his ears.  He could clearly ear me, but he hadn’t been around long enough to know that suspicious noises from above generally mean danger.  We repeated this process frequently the entire afternoon and the laughs he gave me far outweighed the fact that I could be unnecessarily educating a buck I could be trying to kill in the three years.  Oh well, hunting is supposed to be fun, right?

This little guy never could quite figure out what was making the clicking noise in the tree above him.  He knew something was there, but I don’t think he really cared what it was.  He was more concerned with eating acorns than avoiding danger at the time.

By this time sunset was quickly approaching and since I wasn’t going to shoot anything I decided to make my way back to the camp so I could enjoy the last sunset of the season.  It was the perfect ending to the perfect season.  I sat on a picnic table, spitting sunflower seeds watching the clouds blow in and subconsciously began subtly shaking my head in agreement. I suppose it was to both acknowledge what a blessing the previous three months had been as well as let the woods and wildlife know that I was ready to begin preparation for another season.  Because after all, saying goodbye to one season only means saying hello to the next.