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Day 2 of the Bowhunters Roundtable, held at PASA Park in scenic Barry, Illinois, brought a host of new product manufacturers with new goodies for us to play around with. The amount of innovation that each of these companies bring to the table each year is simply astounding. From new electronics advances in scent control, clothing materials and broadhead design there’s never a shortage of items that can help you increase your chances for success come fall. Here’s a few highlights from Day 2 of this event.

We started our day off visiting with Aaron McCale from Source Outdoor Group who gave us a very in depth look at the Day 6 Plotwatcher Pro. Admittedly, I had seen the product before but never paid too much attention to it. After getting a full look at the product and seeing how the time lapse photography feature can provide up to date scouting information over a much larger area than a standard trail cam can cover, I can certainly see how this can be a very beneficial tool for hunters.

The Plotwatcher Pro from Day 6 Outdoors comes with a standard lens, but does have both a zoom lens and a wide angle lens available as additional accessories.

Here Todd Graf watches a short time lapse video that was captured by a Plotwatcher Pro.

Later in the morning we had the opportunity to fling a few arrows out of the new Bowtech Insanity CPX, which was definitely a smooth shooter. With an IBO of 355 fps this bow smokes. The model we tested was only a 50 lb draw weight, but we certainly had a blast shooting down range at 100 yards at the GlenDel buck that was setup for us. Of course I outshot Todd, but that’s nothing new.

Terry Rohm from Tink’s was also on hand to give us a look at their new B-Tech scent elimination products. Available in a laundry detergent, hair & body wash and of course field sprays, B-Tech features a patented Byotrol technology which is proven to eliminate the bacteria that causes human odor. My personal favorite product was the field spray in the can that can be sprayed at any angle – even upside down. Having used this product in the field, I can atest that it’s a great product for being able to spray hard to reach areas like your back or the bottoms of your boots.

Terry Rohm explaning the benefits of Byotrol technology, which is found in the B-Tech scent eliminators.

Tink’s has everytying you need to stay scent free while in the woods.

We also caught up with Curt Price from Lumenok, who showed us a very helpful tip sheet that you can find at all Lumenok dealers. This visual aid shows you easy ways to troubleshoot any issues you may have with your lighted nocks, which are generally caused by improper arrow preparation. He also showed us the new lighted G nock, which works with your new Injexion micro diameter arrows from Easton.

Curt Price explaining the various issues with improper arrow preparation and how to easily resolve them.

The new lighted G nock from Lumenok works with Easton Injexion arrow shafts.

Alex Gyllstrom from Scent-Lok took some time to go over their new Carbon-Alloy technology with us. This new scent control technology pairs the proven activated carbon with Zeolite, which helps control some of the smallest scent molecules that may not be adsorbed by the carbon alone. The new Carbon-Alloy technology can be found in garments such as the new Rampage windproof fleece.

Alex Gyllstrom of Scent-Lok explains the benefits of the new Carbon-Alloy technology.

In the quiver department we got an in-depth look at the Chameleon from Bohning. For those who haven’t seen this quiver already, the unique feature is that you can switch a small plate on the hood from black to just about any camo you want in order to match your bow. So when you change bows next year you won’t need to buy a whole new quiver if you want your accessories to match. The Chameleon is 100% designed, engineered and made right here in the USA.

When it comes to broadeads, no doubt that Rage is a household name. For 2012 they have expanded their offerings to address some of the concerns and wants of their loyal customer base. For those who worried about blade deployment, either in quiver or in flight, they now offer a locking collar that provides 200% more strength at holding the blades closed, yet easily slides back upon impact to provide full blade deployment. The Shock Collars come with all new packages of broadheads, or can be purchased separately to retrofit heads you may already have at home.

Also new for 2012 is the Rage Xtreme, which lives up to it’s name with a massive 2.3 inch cutting diameter. The new Xtreme also features a larger blade on the tip of the ferrule, to assist with better penetration.

The standard Rage broadhead (top) now features a Shock Collar to hold the blades in place more security, while the Rage Xtreme (bottom) features a devastating 2.3 inch cutting diameter.

The folks at Wildgame Innovations showed us a new trail camera that’s coming out soon called the Lights Out. This no-glow camera features an easy to access LED display on the outside of the camera, and a very unique battery compartment. The two tubes you see on either side of the Lights Out hold 6 AA batteries, which provide extremely long battery life. The tubes also pivot backwards to help the camera fit more snugly onto smaller diameter trees, fence posts, or wherever you may need to mount it.

The unique design of the Lights Out camera from Wildgame Innovations uses two separate tubes to hold 12 AA batteries.

Last but certainly not least we had an opportunity to talk with Randy Birdsong with Flextone Game calls. Randy showed us the new Thunder Chicken 1/4 strut jake decoy. This decoy is ultra small and compact, which makes it pefect for guys who like to run and gun while chasing turkeys. It comes with a synthetic fan, or can be adapted to use your own real fan for the ultimate in life-like reality. Admittedly I’m not much of a turkey hunter, but this looked like a great decoy to me.

Randy Birdsong shows off the new Thunder Chicken turkey decoy from Flextone.

After we wrapped up the day and said our goodbyes, we packed up and drove 5 hours North so we could get back to real work today! As always, it was great seeing those who already knew, and great to meet a lot of new folks as well. Thanks again to Media Direct for putting on such a great event – we’re already looking forward to next year!

Make sure you stay tuned to the New Products section of our Bowhunting Video gallery, as we’ll have new videos from this event that will be posted starting next week.

One of my favorite pastimes as an outdoor writer the past 30 years is collecting conspiracy theories, rural legends and other tall tales from readers.

About the time one story finishes its rounds, another takes its place. And don’t worry. If you didn’t hear one particular myth during its first cycle, be patient. They’re tough. They don’t die. They’ll return soon enough.

Insurance companies do not secretly lobby lawmakers and wildlife agencies to reduce deer herds in hopes of reducing deer-vehicle collisions.

Seriously? People believe lawmakers and wildlife-agency employees take payoffs from insurance companies to reduce the deer herd? Stop it, man. You’re killing me.

The fact is, insurance companies do not lose money on something so predictable. If you own a car in an area with lots of deer-vehicle collisions, insurance companies simply boost your premiums. If insurance companies know how to bet on people to make money on health insurance, life insurance and home insurance, imagine how easy it is for them to profit from deer-vehicle crashes.

But as rural legends go, insurance conspiracies are boring stuff. I prefer funny, entertaining rural legends; the rustic version of urban legends. If you’ve heard about alligators in New York’s sewers, a savvy Kmart clerk thwarting a kidnapping in the changing room, or an indignant mother revealing a corporation’s secret cookie recipe that she was tricked into buying for $250 instead of $2.50, you know about urban legends. Most of us have been fooled at some point.

Based on turkey flocks in spring, rumors of their widespread deaths in winter are often greatly exaggerated.

During the early to mid-1980s when the Chippewa tribes of northern Wisconsin first exercised their off-reservation treaty rights, rural legends were rampant. In one version, the neighbor of a friend’s friend found hundreds of dead walleyes in a Northwoods landfill, all with spear wounds.

For some reason, he could never get me the neighbor’s name or the landfill’s name, or explain how this man from my hometown just happened to be at a landfill 170 miles away.

In another story, a guy called me to say his friend videotaped agency biologists netting walleyes in lakes Winnebago and Butte des Morts near Oshkosh, Wis., loading the fish into a hatchery truck, and then restocking Northern lakes where the Chippewa had speared.

This guy called three times claiming his friend had a video of the truck, and he was tracking down the cassette for me. Each time he called, he was getting closer to putting his hands on the video. He couldn’t wait to show me the footage.

Odd. Even though he had my home and work addresses and phone numbers, I never saw the video.

That autumn, another reader called to say the brother-in-law of his cousin’s friend heard lots of shooting one night in a Northwoods forest. The next morning, he found 19 dead whitetails scattered around a clear-cut down the road. My question stumped him: “Why didn’t the other 18 deer flee when the shooting started?”

Funny. He, too, didn’t know the clear-cut’s exact location or anyone’s name.

When rumors fly about mysterious deer die-offs or farmers burying deer they shoot illegally, it’s usually an unnamed farm at least 20 miles away.

A different version of that story surfaced a few years later when the state first granted permits to farmers so they could shoot deer eating their crops. A concerned citizen called to say a nearby farmer got one of the permits, and was shooting deer every night and burying them with his front-end loader.

I checked into the story. Imagine my shock when I discovered no farmer within 25 miles of that area had a shooting permit. When I called my informant back and told him what I had learned, he got angry. He told me I was gullible, and said it’s obviously a cover-up. He said he would find the farmer’s name, and get me his address and phone number right away.

I’m still waiting to hear back. It’s been nearly 25 years.

One of the most pervasive myths of the early 1990s was that deer across Wisconsin were eating moldy corn in winter and dying from a nasty toxin. I must have heard 25 versions of the myth. Mysteriously enough, the ailment always struck deer 20 miles or more away. Again, no one provided names or addresses, so I could never interview the fretting farmers where the die-offs occurred.

Around the mid-1990s, I also heard stories about wild turkeys in my area freezing to death on their roosts after a nasty January ice storm. One morning, a co-worker told me 30 wild turkeys were found dead on a neighbor’s farm. I requested the farmer’s name and address. He said he’d check and call me back. Later that day he did. Unfortunately, all he would say is that the farmer didn’t want any media types snooping around.

Again, imagine my shock.

I could go on, but you notice a trend: Much like urban legends, rural legends play on our fears, prejudices and fascination with the unknown.

Even so, if you hear a good story, please share it with me. If it’s true, it will make a good column.

If it’s false, it will make an even better one.

The New York State Big Buck Club recently announced there’s a new record non-typical whitetail for the state and it was taken off of Long Island.

The buck was taken by bowhunter Mike Giarraputo while hunting in Suffolk County on November 3rd, 2011.

Giarraputo’s plan was to sit all-day in one of his favorite funnels as long as the wind was consistently good. The morning was unusually slow. The first deer he spotted, a small six-point, didn’t appear until noon. After that encounter Giarraputo noticed a slight change in wind direction and decided he would break down his climber and relocate just before the evening to accommodate a more favorable wind direction.

As Mike put it in an interview with the Outdoor News, “The wind wasn’t going to be good for the afternoon with the way it was heading. So I made a plan to move 60 yards to another tree at about two o’clock. I figured I’d give myself 15 minutes or so before making the move.”

It turned out to be the best move of his bowhunting career. Just as Giarraputo was about to move locations, he scanned the terrain around him and came face to face with a giant of a buck already closing the distance. 

“He smelled the area and I could tell he probably picked up a whiff of my scent from walking in, but it must have diluted enough that he wasn’t going to bust out of there,” Giarraputo continued. “I immediately knew he was big, but I really had no idea just how big.”

During an all-day sit in early November, New York bowhunter Mike Giarraputo was lucky enough to get a clean shot at the state’s new record non-typical buck.

At about 20 yards, Giarraputo bleated twice and was able to get his opportunity. “I watched the shot go clean through the buck right at the last rib and I was confident that I at least had a solid liver hit,” he said. “Since the buck didn’t move too far away, I made attempts to get another arrow into him but between the adrenaline and brush in the way, I could only make another superficial hit. I really didn’t want him to suffer more than he had to.”

The veteran hunter waited several hours before taking up the trail, only to find the buck a mere 80 yards from the shot.

“I couldn’t believe it. I kept trying to count points but I kept getting different numbers each time. I kind of chuckled because my hunting partner was in Illinois hunting at the time and I shot this giant buck here at home.”

Giarraputo’s buck was officially aged by the DEC at just 3 1/2 years old!

The giant buck had 23 scorable points and grossed more than 218-inches, with an official net score of 210 4⁄8 inches. The previous record non-typical scored 205 1/8-inches, and fell to hunter Mark Surdi in Erie County, 1996. Giarraputo’s buck was officially aged by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) at the young age of 3 ½ years.

When it comes to working in the outdoors and hunting industry, many people assume that it’s just one perk after another. From being showered with free gear to being offered top quality hunts in the best areas many people think we are living the dream. While that isn’t always true, we do get a few small perks every now and again. One of those perks is being able to meet with a variety of product manufacturers to learn about and play with their new products for the year.

For the past two years we have been invitied to the Bowhunter’s Roundtable, which is held in Barry, Illinois. This event, put on by Media Direct Creative, pairs all of the major hunting media outlets with product manufacturers for a couple days of chat about what’s new for this year. Day 1 of this 3 day event just wrapped up, so here’s a few of the highlights of what took place.

Our day started out talking to the folks from Easton about their line of extremely durable and light-weight Kilo tents. While tents aren’t necessarily a piece of gear that all bowhunters need, for those who pack into the high country in pursuit of elk or other high mountain animals, they are certainly a big deal. These Kilo tents are extremely light weight, waterproof and feature Easton’s carbon rod technology instead of the standard fiberglass rods that many of us are used to.  The technology that has gone into these tents to make them light weight is simply amazing.  From the tent poles and stakes to the material itself, every piece has been engineered with a specific purpose.

Our cameraman Brandyn filming one of many interviews.  Make sure you check back next week as we’ll be posting new product videos as soon as they are edited.

The tent poles of the Easton Kilo series tents use carbon fiber rods with a short monofilament tether to connect to the rods, which dramatically cuts down on weight from the traditional bungee style cords most of us are used to.

After Easton we met up with our friends from New Archery Products to get a little bit more hands-on training with the Killzone broadhead, Carbon Apache and ArmorRest. Although I’m shooting a Carbon Apache now, they very well may have talked me into giving the ArmorRest a shot. And of course, a little more education cemented my decision to use the Killzone to handle my killing duties this fall.

Got Killzones?

We also got to meet up with Doug Mann from Stealth Cam, who gave us a firsthand look at a few new products. The new Drone trail camera system is certainly the big news for 2012. This trail camera unit works with Verizon wireless to transmit images from your camera to a Drone website where you can log in and view them at any time. Stay tuned for our full review and write-up of this product shortly, as the production units are just about ready to hit shelves.

The new Drone remote surveillance system – coming soon to a store near you!

Also new from Stealth Cam is a mid-season change to many of their cameras, uncluding the Unit OPS and Sniper Shadow, which will feature a new processor for better trigger speed and longer battery life.  The new cameras will also have several presest modes, which makes setup even easier.

Also new from Stealth is the Epic Carbine. Very similar to the Epic HD that I used quite a bit last fall, the Carbine has a new carbon fiber look, and a nano coating that makes it extremely water resistant even without a waterproof casing. That’s great news for us hunters who don’t just pack it up and head home when the weather gets tough.

The new EPIC HD Carbine.  If only I had kept my Z7Xtreme Tactical – it would have matched perfectly!

We ended the day with our a visit at the Brunton booth, where we were introduced to their innovative solar panels. These light weight panels are great for hunters who ne

ed to charge devices like cell phones or GPS units without access to utility power. These panels can also be used to charge Brunton’s line of battery packs, which provide an extra boost of power for your devices on those long wilderness hunts.

Yours truly checking out the packable solar panels from Brunton.

Tomorrow we’ll wrap up our trip to Pike County, Illinois with a few more meetings before heading back to reality (also known as the office). Check back on Friday for some more updates!

From PASA Park in the heart of deer hunting heaven – over and out!

Let’s get right to the point. When you reach “full draw” on an animal that can kill you,if it chooses to do so the intensity level is, to say the least, high. And while a black bear may not seem as ominous as a grizzly or brown bear, the threat of bodily harm still remains. In fact, black bears can prove to be more dangerous simply because of their unpredictability and our own skepticism regarding just how much of a threat they really are. This leads many to let their guard down, thus opening the door for something bad to happen. However, if you find yourself face to face with a bruin, on purpose or otherwise, fret not; archery tackle can spell bad medicine for even the toughest black bear. 

Confidence in your equipment can go a long way toward keeping you calm and steady when the moment of truth arrives. Choose your weapon wisely.

Intimidation Factor

In my opinion, the most difficult part of trying to harvest a black bear with a bow is dealing with the “intimidation” that usually accompanies such a task. Like I said, when you draw back on a potentially dangerous animal, it isn’t like drawing back on a whitetail buck. Yes, emotions will be heightened, and excitement levels will rise, but trust me, it is a different emotion—one that certainly requires a different thought process.

 
Black Bears don’t look so intimidating once they are off their feet. In fact, “ground-shrinkage” is common and often drastic in most cases.

The first thing you need to realize is that black bears are not known to be “man-eaters”. Although they have attacked and mauled humans, for the most part, they are just as afraid of you as you are of them (where have we heard that before). Quite often, you will never even know that you have spooked one in the woods because they will flee the scene long before you arrive. Also, despite their “hulking” stature, black bears are rather small once they are on the ground, stone dead.

I learned this fact on my first black bear hunt in Canada many years ago. The first time I saw a bruin I was amazed at how big it “appeared”. However, I was even more shocked when my guide and I approached the bear after I introduced him to the business end of my arrow. In all honesty, I didn’t believe it was the same animal I had shot just moments before. Part of my misconception was due to the intimidation factor, and some of it was a result of a black bears nature to “puff” itself up in an effort to appear bigger than it actually is; especially when approaching a bait sight or otherwise. When you combine those two stimuli it is easy to see how an approaching bruin can seem larger than life. However, in actuality, they are most often the opposite.

Point of Impact

The largest part of a black bear, and certainly the one area you want to avoid hitting with an arrow, is the front shoulders. This area is very big and muscular and obviously presents the greatest obstacle for your broadhead and arrow. Apart from that region, black bears are rather small. Therefore, placing an arrow tight behind the shoulder (not into it) is of utmost importance. I have killed whitetails by driving an arrow through the shoulders (not on purpose), but I try to avoid such a shot scenario at all costs when it comes to black bears. 

  
You don’t need heavy draw weight to take down a black bear. It can be done using moderate poundage and a sharp broadhead—if shot placement is good. The author’s wife (pictured here) has taken numerous bear with such equipment.

Unlike whitetails, the coat on a black bear is, well…..black. As a result, there are no defining colorations separating or outlining the shoulder from ribs like that of a whitetail. Instead, when you peer through your peep-sight at a black bear all you see is BLACK. This can make the task of “picking a spot” much more difficult, which in turn, can result in botched shots.

When faced with shooting a black bear, I try to divide the animal in half. In other words, I will establish a horizontal center line, and then a vertical center line. Together the two will make sort of a “crosshair”. This will usually give me a good “starting point”. The main thing is not to stray too far to the “rear” of where these two lines intersect because that could result in a gut shot animal, which we all know is bad news. Once I establish where these two lines intersect, I move my point of aim slightly toward the shoulders; making sure I don’t aim directly into the shoulder but rather tight behind it (if I can properly make out the shoulder region). After that, I leave the rest up to my broadhead and arrow. 

Locating a “defined” aiming point in a sea of BLACK can make proper shot placement difficult. Therefore, take a few extra seconds to make sure your sight pin is in the sweet-spot before dumping the bowstring.

Blood Flow

Most often, the blood trail of a bow-shot whitetail will more closely resemble that of a “road”; even more so if shot placement is good and broadheads are sharp. This is due mainly to the short, rather non-absorbent hair of a deer. Black bears, on the other hand, are entirely different. Even when your arrow blows through the boiler room of a bruin, its long, sponge-like hair will often prevent a great deal of blood from hitting the ground. Don’t let this fact discourage you from taking up the trail or naively assuming that you have made a bad hit. I have shot, and trailed, bears that scarcely bleed a drop—-despite the fact that they were mortally hit. Sometimes the blood trail will be good, but don’t be surprised if it isn’t. Trust your instincts and take up the trail until you’ve exhausted all effort to find the animal.

Blood on the ground makes tracking easier. However, when trailing a black bear, it isn’t necessarily an indication of a well-placed arrow. A bear’s thick coat will often soak up a lot of the blood before it hits the ground. 

Odor Control

Bears, for the most part, have poor eye-sight. However, they can easily detect movement and without question have very good hearing. But perhaps their greatest defense is their nose. With an unbelievable ability to “sniff-out” danger, food, or a mate, black bears will likely smell you before you even see them. Most often, when hunting over bait, bears will approach downwind despite the fact that they may smell danger. Heavily baited areas are marked with human scent (mostly unintentionally) and therefore many bears become accustomed to it and can’t distinguish between “baiter” and/or “hunter”.  While smaller, immature bears may come close I believe the oldest, largest, and wisest bears often shy away until nightfall; never presenting a shot. 

Regardless of where you hunt black bears, strict attention to odor is paramount for success. Take every “scent-reducing” precaution you can or the hunt will be over before it starts. Pictured here is the latest breakthrough in odor control technology, Under Armour’s new Scent Control clothing line (available summer 2012).

If you happen to be hunting black bears in a big-timber setting, such as I do, then odor control is critical. In most instances baiting is not legal and therefore any hint of human odor near your stand will send bears running in the other direction. With that in mind, the same steps that are taken to fool the nose of a whitetail must also be followed when hunting bears. In fact, your efforts should be increased because, yes, they can smell that good.  Use of a product like Tink’s B-tech odor eliminators is an absolute must when hunting black bears.  From the hair & body wash to the field sprays, I recommend using them all to keep your human scent down to an absolute minimum.  Above all else, too much scent can ruin your hunt before it even begins.

Conclusion

With the end of turkey season fast approaching, it’s time to shift our focus to spring black bear.  Regardless of whether you are hunting with an outfitter or in your own backyard, consider these key points before hitting the woods. If you do, I promise you will be the one doing the intimidating in the spring bear woods. Good luck!

Let’s get right to the point. When you reach “full draw” on an animal that can kill you, if it chooses to do so, the intensity level is high—-to say the least. And while a black bear may not seem as ominous as a grizzly or brown bear, the threat of bodily harm still remains. In fact, black bears can prove to be more dangerous simply because of their unpredictability and our own skepticism regarding just how much of a threat they really are. This leads many to let their guard down, thus opening the door for something bad to happen. However, if you find yourself face to face with a bruin, on purpose or otherwise, fret not; archery tackle can spell bad medicine for even the toughest black bear. 

Confidence in your equipment can go a long way toward keeping you calm and steady when the moment of truth arrives. Choose your weapon wisely.

Intimidation Factor
In my opinion, the most difficult part of trying to harvest a black bear with a bow is dealing with the “intimidation” the usually accompanies such a task. Like I said, when you draw back on a potentially dangerous animal, it isn’t like drawing back on a whitetail buck. Yes, emotions will be heightened, and excitement levels will rise, but trust me, it is a different emotion—one that certainly requires a different thought process.

Black Bears don’t look so intimidating once they are off their feet. In fact, “ground-shrinkage” is common and often drastic in most cases.

The first thing you need to realize is that black bears are not known to be “man-eaters”. Although they have attacked and mauled humans, for the most part, they are just as afraid of you as you are of them (where have we heard that before). Quite often, you will never even know that you have spooked one in the woods because they will flee the scene long before you arrive. Also, despite their “hulking” stature, black bears are rather small once they are on the ground, stone dead.
I learned this fact on my first black bear hunt in Canada many years ago. The first time I saw a bruin I was amazed at how big it “appeared”. However, I was even more shocked when my guide and I approached the bear after I introduced him to the business end of my arrow. In all honesty, I didn’t believe it was the same animal I had shot just moments before. Part of my misconception was due to the intimidation factor, and some of it was a result of a black bears nature to “puff” itself up in an effort to appear bigger than it actually is; especially when approaching a bait sight or otherwise. When you combine those two stimuli it is easy to see how an approaching bruin can seem larger than life. However, in actuality, they are most often the opposite.

Point of Impact
The largest part of a black bear, and certainly the one area you want to avoid hitting with an arrow, is the front shoulders. This area is very big and muscular and obviously presents the greatest obstacle for your broadhead and arrow. Apart from that region, black bears are rather small. Therefore, placing an arrow tight behind the shoulder (not into it) is of utmost importance. I have killed whitetails by driving an arrow through the shoulders (not on purpose), but I try to avoid such a shot scenario at all costs when it comes to black bears. 

 You don’t need heavy draw weight to take down a black bear. It can be done using moderate poundage and a sharp broadhead—if shot placement is good. The author’s wife (pictured here) has taken numerous bear with such equipment.

Unlike whitetails, the coat on a black bear is, well…..black. As a result, there are no defining colorations separating or outlining the shoulder from ribs like that of a whitetail. Instead, when you peer through your peep-sight at a black bear all you see is BLACK. This can make the task of “picking a spot” much more difficult, which in turn, can result in botched shots.
When faced with shooting a black bear, I try to divide the animal in half. In other words, I will establish a horizontal center line, and then a vertical center line. Together the two will make sort of a “crosshair”. This will usually give me a good “starting point”. The main thing is not to stray too far to the “rear” of where these two lines intersect because that could result in a gut shot animal….bad news. Once I establish where these two lines intersect, I move my point of aim slightly toward the shoulders; making sure I don’t aim directly into the shoulder but rather tight behind it (if I can properly make out the shoulder region). After that, I leave the rest up to my broadhead and arrow. 

 Locating a “defined” aiming point in a sea of BLACK can make proper shot placement difficult. Therefore, take a few extra seconds to make sure your sight pin is in the sweet-spot before dumping the bowstring.

Blood Flow
Most often, the blood trail of a bow-shot whitetail will more closely resemble that of a “road”; even more so if shot placement is good and broadheads are sharp. This is due mainly to the short, rather non-absorbent hair of a deer. Black bears, on the other hand, are entirely different. Even when your arrow blows through the boiler room of a bruin, its long, sponge-like hair will often prevent a great deal of blood from hitting the ground. Don’t let this fact discourage you from taking up the trail or naively assuming that you have made a bad hit. I have shot, and trailed, bears that scarcely bleed a drop—-despite the fact that they were mortally hit. Sometimes the blood trail will be good, but don’t be surprised if it isn’t. Trust your instincts and take up the trail until you’ve exhausted all effort to find the animal.

 Blood on the ground makes tracking easier. However, when trailing a black bear, it isn’t necessarily an indication of a well-placed arrow. A bear’s thick coat will often soak up a lot of the blood before it hits the ground. 

Odor Control
Bears, for the most part, have poor eye-sight. However, they can easily detect movement and without question have very good hearing. But, perhaps their greatest defense is their nose. With an unbelievable ability to “sniff-out” danger, food, or a mate, black bears will likely smell you before you even see them. Most often, when hunting over bait, bears will approach despite the fact that they can smell danger. Heavily baited areas are marked with human scent (mostly unintentionally) and therefore, the bear probably become accustomed to it and can’t distinguish between “baiter” and/or “hunter”. And while smaller, immature bears may come close, I believe the oldest, largest, and wisest bears often shy away until nightfall; never presenting a shot. 

 Regardless of where you hunt black bears, strict attention to odor is paramount for success. Take every “scent-reducing” precaution you can or the hunt will be over before it starts. Pictured here is the latest breakthrough in odor control technology…….Under Armour’s new Scent Control clothing line (available summer 2012).

If you happen to be hunting black bears in a big-timber setting, such as I do, then odor control is critical. In most instances, baiting is not legal, and therefore, any hint of human odor near your stand will send bears running in the other direction. With that in mind, the same steps that are taken to fool the nose of a whitetail must also be followed when hunting bears. In fact, your efforts should be increased because, yes….they can smell that good. 

Conclusion
With the end of turkey season fast approaching, it’s time to shift our focus to spring black bear.  And regardless of whether you are hunting with an outfitter or in your own backyard, consider these key points before hitting the woods. If you do, I promise you will be the one doing the intimidating in the spring bear woods. Good luck!

The last gear review I wrote was about a quiver which, as I pointed out, is probably one of the least glamorous pieces of equipment you can carry into the field with you. This month we’re doing a complete 180 and covering one of the most heatedly debated products in the bowhunting world; the broadhead. The business end of an archer’s arrow is often held in high praise when things go well, and damned when they don’t. In many eyes it can mean the difference between another taxidermy bill or more than a few sleepless nights. Ah yes, the broadhead is bowhunting’s biggest scapegoat.

When it comes to picking a broadhead, there seem to be two general trains of thought. Either the compact, fixed-blade heads that are strong and durable, or the large expandable heads that are accurate and open up giant wounds in their intended target. Both will get the job done if put in the right spot, but many archers tend to pick one side of the fence or the other. For those who like big holes and a no-fail design, the new Killzone broadhead from New Archery Products may just be the next “big” thing. (pun intended)

The new Killzone broadhead from New Archery Products.  A rear-deploying mechanical broadhead with a 2 inch cut that uses no o-rings or rubberbands to keep the blades closed in flight.  

The Killzone is a rear-deploying 2 blade mechanical broadhead that opens to a full 2 inches as it enters the target. That is nearly twice the diameter as your average fixed-blade head. What that means for you mechanical broadhead shooters is giant entry wounds, and hopefully shorter and easier recoveries of game animals.

As you can see, the Killzone left a MASSIVE entry hole on this Kansas buck last November.   Bigger holes usually means better blood trails and quicker recoveries.

NAP Marketing & Sales Manager Brady Arview with his 2011 Kansas whitetail – one of the first to fall victim to the new Killzone.

A 2 inch cut mechanical broadhead isn’t exactly a new idea, we all know that. So what makes the Killzone special? That little gem of innovation lays inside the ferrule of the broadhead, and is the mechanism that holds the blades closed in flight. NAP’s patented spring-clip design has been around for years in the venerable Spitfire broadhead, and has helped bowhunters kill countless animals. Those who frequent Internet Forums or the local bow shop can atest that they’ve never heard anyone complain about a Spitfire blade opening in flight, which bodes well for the Killzone. The same can’t be said for some of the other mechanical broadheads on the market.

With the patented spring-clip design the Killzone’s blades will not deploy prematurely, which means you don’t have to worry about your arrow running off course on accident. For the bowhunters who have always been leary of mechanical heads due to the possibility of failure this should bring a big sigh of relief.

The Killzone’s blades won’t open in flight, but they had no trouble opening up on my backyard target.  The top left arrow shows just how big the Killzone’s entry hole is.  The other two arrows were tipped with a field point, and a Killzone practice head.  All shot from a distance of 25 yards, I’d say that’s good enough to fill my tags this fall.

The Killzone comes in three different configurations – a chisel-style Trophy Tip, a cut-on-contact Razor Tip, or the red Deep Six model that is compatible with the new Easton Deep Six components. All three designs are available in 100 grains and feature the same 2 inch cutting diameter. Practice heads are available as well, which means you can save your sharp blades for when you really need them.

The razor-tipped cut-on-contact Killzone, in the closed position, shown next to the Killzone practice head.

As an admitted fixed-blade fanatic, I was a bit skeptical of these large mechanical broadheads. I’m a big proponent of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. However, curiousity has gotten the best of me and I truly want to see what the talk is all about.  With the new design of this broadhead eliminating any worry about blades opening in flight or in my quiver, I have a lot more confidence in this design than I did in before.   So when I take to the woods this fall, my Apex quiver will be full of Killzone broadheads with a Trophy Tip. And when the business end of my arrow makes the acquaintance of a wary whitetail, I’m sure you’ll hear all about it right here.

Citibank asks “What’s in your wallet?”  I ask “What’s in your quiver?”

      As longtime hunting partner, Gene Strei and I completed that last leg of our journey to the Rio Bonito Ranch for the Winter Rendezvous, my cell phone vibrated in the pocket of my jeans causing me to jump.  When it was dug out and answered, I recognized the voice of Jody, the daughter of longtime friend and UFFDA hunting partner, Delmer Bentz.  In a broken voice she informed me that her dad had passed away quietly in his sleep that morning. 

Author pictured with Del on their last bowhunt at Ozark Mountain Outfitters in Missouri.

      Del had fought an arduous and futile battle against cancer and at last had been freed from his suffering.  Knowing that Del was a devout Christian, I was unshaken and even grateful that he had finally been released from what had been a long and terrible struggle.  I told Jody to be happy because at that very moment, Del was healthy, strong and very much alive in heaven; and that knowing him like I did, he was probably already looking for a place to hang a treestand.  She laughed and said that I was probably right.
      When the call ended, Gene, who had been on all of the previous hunts with Del at the Rio Bonito Ranch said with complete conviction, “Looks like Del will be joining us for this hunt after all.” 

     Del loved the Rio Bonito Ranch and he loved hunting the creatures that reside there, especially the majestic Aoudad.  Gene and I started to relive the last year that Del hunted with us and how, after taking a great Aoudad early in the week, he had one even bigger walk out to his feeder the last night of the hunt.  He struggled long and hard as he examined the trophy ram through his scope, knowing full well that if he shot it, it would be over and above his hunt package and would cost him an extra $1200 trophy fee.
      As he struggled with the facts and imagined how his wife would react over dropping the extra C-notes, the ram dined away, oblivious to the moral struggle that was taking place just a hundred yards away.  Del considered all of the pros and cons, then decided to do the right thing; he raised the scope to his eye, placed the crosshairs on the ram and dropped it.  He so loved to hunt those Aoudads!  And this big bruiser, as it turned out, was the Aoudad trophy of his lifetime.
      Geno and I reminisced about that hunt along with the others that we had shared with Del.  Both of us believed, without a doubt, that Del would be with us on this hunt to bless our efforts.  That, after all, is what good hunting partners do for each other and as of today, Brother Del was back in the hunt.    

One hundred and seventy yards looked like a country mile to me.

       Several days later, Jody called again and told me that the funeral would be on Saturday although she knew I was in Texas, she hoped I would pass the word along to my fellow UFFDA members so that they could attend the service.  I thought about it long and hard and then approached Gene to see if he would not consider going home a day early so that we could attend.  The hunt ended Friday morning, but if we left on Thursday morning we could be home in time barring any unforeseen traveling difficulties.  Being the friend that Gene is, he compassionately agreed to the early departure.
       The last morning of the hunt, Gene wasn’t so sure.  Neither of us had taken an animal.  Lots of critters had been seen, but size, circumstance or other negatives had left our coolers bare of bones.  We both decided to use our rifles to bolster our odds as it moves us farther from the feeders and creates less of a scent problem.  Most of the creatures of the Rio are hunted 365 days a year and that makes for a very smart and wary quarry.     

I knew from the mass of the Aoudad’s horns that it was a wall-hanger.

       As the morning sun moved towards the horizon bringing dawn to the Rio, Gene began to see animals immediately.  He sat and watched does and young bucks, none of which would make a respectable trophy.  As he gazed upon the rejects, they suddenly came to attention collectively staring into the heavy brush and then quickly moved away from the feeder.  Wondering what had spooked the animals Gene readied his rifle as he studied the landscape in the direction that the animals had been staring.
      Suddenly a very respectable Aoudad materialized out of the dense underbrush boldly moving to the feeder.  Gene never had taken an Aoudad before and if this animal was a ram and not a big ewe it was history.  Both rams and ewes have horns, but the ewes are ready to lamb this time of year and Gene had no intentions of killing three Aoudads with a single shot.  Close study showed no fat belly, a sure sign of a pregnant female, but that was not good enough for seasoned hunter like Gene.  As the animal moved around gobbling up the golden nuggets of corn, it finally gave him a clear view of its hind end.  Gene studied the package of the critter and was delighted to see no teats.  This was definitely a ram!
     He didn’t have to move the crosshairs too much to be right on the vitals and when he was there, he squeezed the trigger driving a 30.06 slug right though the goodie box of his first-ever trophy Aoudad.  The stunned animal ran 75 yards and dropped in a pile. 

With a little help from a friend, I bagged the largest Aoudad of my hunting tenure.

      I had been dropped off about a mile from Gene in a gun tower that was 170 yards from the feeder.  I ranged the distance and silently prayed that I would be able to see an animal if it came out that far away.  The old eye isn’t as good as it once was and of course my left one has been blind since birth.  Even before daylight, I picked out the forms of three fallow deer around the feeder, but in the low light was unable to determine if they were buck or does.  The animals moved on before it got light enough for me to detect antlers.
      Once the light was strong enough for my binoculars to be effective I had little to do but wait.  Suddenly the heavy brush burped out an Aoudad.  Study with the glasses confirmed that this was a really nice ram.  Its dark color and heavy mass of the horns screamed out, “Wall Hanger!”
      The big ram, turned and moved back towards the dense underbrush and then stopped for one last look around.  I found the front leg of the Aoudad, centered my scope there and squeezed the trigger.  The .270 barked as it spit out the 150 grain slug out faster than sound; the ram bucked into the air lashing out with its hind legs at the invisible foe that had stung it and then was gulped up by the dense cover.  I knew the shot was true and that I had just taken the biggest aoudad of my Rio Bonito tenure.   

   I settled into wait for the coach to come, taking the time to thank God for one heck of a last inning Aoudad and wondering just how much of a role Del had played in the score.  When we picked up Gene and I discovered that he had also bagged one of the wily rams, I really began to grin.  We were headed home a day early, but we both had great Aoudad trophies to show for our efforts.  
      There was a lot of discussion on the long two-day return trip to Minnesota about that last morning’s hunt and in the end, it may have been pure coincidence, but you will never convince either of us that our dearly, departed Delmer hadn’t pulled some heavenly strings to help us bag a couple of Aoudads for the road.  Until the day I die and join Del on the other side, I will refer to that particular Rio trophy as Del’s Aoudad. 

Both Gene and I knew that Del was smiling down upon us.

   Each at the Archery Trade Association Show, the manufacturers from around the world unveil their new products to archery dealers.  Crossbows and crossbow accessories are garnering a larger share of the archery market every year and this year there were some wonderful new kids on the block at the trade show in Indianapolis.  As a matter of fact, there were so many new models that the ones included here are just some of the more prominent additions to the long and growing list of crossbow options for the horizontal bowhunter.

 01-Arrow Precision’s Inferno Hellfire II 
  The Inferno Hellfire II crossbow by Arrow Precision has a 185 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 310 feet per second.  It comes equipped with a 4×32 Multi Reticle Illuminated Scope, Quick Detach Quiver, 4- 20” carbon arrows, padded shoulder sling, rope cocking device and anti-dry fire mechanism. It comes in a camo pattern and has an ambidextrous auto safety with anti-dry fire Mechanism.  It has a Lightweight Machined Aluminum Riser, Precision Machined Aluminum Wheels and a large boot style foot stirrup.  It weighs just under 7 ½ pounds, is 36.5” long and 28” wide.  The limbs are made of Compression Fiberglass, the barrel is machined aluminum and the riser is case aluminum.  The best thing about the Hellfire is that the entire package is delivered to you for under $500.  For more information visit their website at: www.arrow-precision.com

02-Carbon Express Covert SLS
  The Covert SLS crossbow by Carbon Express has a 185 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 355 feet per second.  The Covert SLS measures 36” long by 17” wide, but is only 13” wide when loaded.  Precision Aluminum Alloy Cams, the Picatinny Rail system, adjustable forearm and tactical foregrip help to make the Covert SLS a comfortable fit for anyone.  It has a compact CNC machined aluminum riser and Compact Bull-Pup stock with custom adjustments.  It has an Anti-Dry-Firs System and ambidextrous safety.  The Covert SLS kit includes a Rope Cocker, Quick Detach 3 Arrow Quiver, 3 Maxima Hunter® 20″ Crossbolts, 4×32 Deluxe Multi-Reticle Lighted Scope, Rail Lubricant and 3 Practice Points all for under $600.  For more information about the Carbon Express Covert SLS, visit their website at www.carbonexpressarrows.com

03-Darton FireForce
  The FireForce crossbow by Darton has a 185 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 395 feet per second.  It had larger axels, sealed oversized Quad Ball Bearings, wide/stronger laminated Quad limbs, all combined with a compact front riser and redesigned Tactical Darton Stock first introduced in 2011. With Darton’s DualSync cams you have added performance and accuracy in a crossbow bow that is flat out fast, durable and accurate, shooting a 400 grain arrow a blurring 395-400fps. The FireForce is equipped with an integrated riser/string suppressor system and new Barrel Dampener [Patent Pending] to help reduce noise and vibration.  It has 17 ¼” power stroke, weighs 8.6 pound in weight.  It is 36” long and 24 3/8” wide.  For more information about the FireForce visit the Darton website at www.dartonarchery.com

04-Excalibur Eclipse XT
  The Eclipse XT from Excalibur has a 200 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 330 feet per second.  It has a thumbhole stock in a black gun finish and has Excalibur’s fine trigger, the S5 Sound and Vibration Control System as well as a matching cheek-piece.  It has a 15 ½ inch power stroke and weighs only 6.3 lbs.  Its overall length is 37.4” and it shoots a 400 grain, 20” arrow.  The Eclipse XT comes in a complete package including our Shadow-Zone scope and mounting hardware, four Firebolt arrows with target points, the Excalibur quiver mounting bracket and a matching quiver.  For more information on the this and other fine bows from Excalibur, visit their website at www.excaliburcrossbow.com

05-Horton Fury
  The Fury crossbow by Horton has a 160 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 360 feet per second.  With its CNC-machined riser and lightweight aluminum barrel it produces incredible balance and accuracy. Precision CNC-machined cams and advanced laminated limbs optimize speed, integrated stumper arms maximize stealth while our custom Viper X strings deliver ultimate speed and durability.  It is 35 1/4” long and 17 ½” wide with a 15 3/8” power stroke.  When it is loaded it is a mere 13” wide.  It weighs 8.1 lbs and shoots a 20” arrow.  For more information on the Horton Fury, visit their website at www.hortonarchery.com

 06-Maximus Crossbow’s Ergo
  The Ergo crossbow by Maximus Crossbows  has a 175 lb draw weight and launches its arrows at right around 330 feet per second.  It is 31¼ inches long and 18¾ wide, axel to axel and weighs 8 lbs with optics installed. Unique features include an under-mount stirrup, a handshake pistol grip, elevated comb height and a winged and vented barrel for forehand safety.  It has a vented forearm, extended scope rail (for eye-glass wearers), an ambidextrous safety with anti-dry fire device and a 100% metal trigger with only a 2.5 lb trigger pull.  The efficiency of its design is also complimented by a 50% rear-of-center balance point for fatigue free shooting.  The package comes with an innovative 20 to 100 yard, 3-power scope with regular or illuminated reticle.  Cushioned scope rings, flip-up scope caps, 3-arrow side-mount quiver, 3-Maximus 100% carbon Slayer Arrows with field points and the new 102 grain Hammer inserts and a Universal rope cocking aid featuring their new safety hooks and T-handles.  For more information about the Maximus Ergo visit their website at  www.maximuscrossbows.com

07-Parker Tomahawk
  The Tomahawk crossbow by Parker has a 160 lb draw weight and launches a 20”, 400 grain arrow at right around 320 feet per second.  The Tomahawk is 34.25” long, 20.375” wide and weighs in at 6.5 lbs.  It has Advanced Split Limb Technology, a G2 Bull-Pup Trigger, an auto-engage, ambidextrous safety and an auto-engage anti-dry fire mechanism.  The Tomahawk has a machined aluminum riser with a ballistic Polymer stock.  It has a vented forearm with safety finger flange comes with an option of regular or illuminated 3X Multi-Reticle scope.  All packaged include 4-Arrow Quick Detach Quiver and four arrows with field tips.  For more information about the Tomahawk visit the Parker website at www. parkerbows.com

 08-SA Sports Vendetta
  The Vendetta crossbow by SA Sports has a 200 lb draw weight and launches a 20” arrow at right around 375 feet per second. It has a 14” power stroke and is only 19” wide when loaded.  Some of the top shelf features included as standard equipment are a finely crafted machined riser, a lightweight extruded and machined barrel, an ANTI Dry-fire trigger mechanism, 3.5lb trigger pull, high performance machined aluminum cams, illuminated red/green/black reticle 4×32 multi range crossbow scope, quiver with 4 carbon arrows, padded shoulder sling, ambidextrous auto safety, lightweight skeletal stock, and crank cocking device compatibility. It comes standard with a rope cocking device, an Integrated Step Through Foot Stirrup and is clad in Next G1 Camo.  It also includes assembly tools and hex keys for quick assembly and maintenance.  For more information about the Vendetta visit their website at www.sa-sports.com

09-Scorpyd Ventilator
  The Ventilator crossbow by Scorpyd has a 150 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 400 feet per second with 140 lbs of kinetic energy.  The new Ventilator is only 19.5 inches wide, axle to axle, and only 12.75 inches wide when cocked which makes this crossbow easy to maneuver in a treestand or the tight quarters often found in a pop-up ground blind. The Ventilator is a mere 35.75 inches long and comes with a folding stock which makes cocking the crossbow easier in the seated position.  It weighs in at 7.9 lbs thanks to the vented barrel and a lightweight forged riser. The solid limb Ventilator is built with top notch components including Barnsdale limbs which are considered some of the toughest, longest-lasting limbs in the archery industry.  The Ventilator is available in draw weights 100, 125 and 150 lbs.  The 150 draw weight produces 140 lbs of kinetic energy and will throw an arrow up to an incredible 400 FPS. Like all Scorpyd crossbows, the Ventilator comes with reverse draw limbs and has a generous power stroke of 18.75 inches thus producing more kinetic energy with less draw weight than other crossbows. As a result, the Ventilator is extremely quiet when shot because large amounts of weight aren’t needed to produce extreme speeds. The Ventilator also comes with a light three pound trigger.  Find out more about the complete line of Scorpyd Crossbows by visiting www.scorpyd.com

10-Stryker  StrykeZone 380
  The StrykeZone 380 crossbow by Stryker has a 160 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 380 feet per second.  The StrykeZone 380 measures 34.375” long by 19.2” wide axel to axel and weighs just 7 lbs.  It has a 15.5” power stroke and 123 foot pound of kinetic energy.  It has a double jaw string capture and the Killswitch Trigger of less than 3lbs.  It has the Auto-Flip™ magnetic safety that clicks into the safe position every time the bow is cocked and is engineered to click back into safe mode if the crossbow is dropped or the bolt is removed.  The Cease-Fire™ safety plug is a double barred insert that slides into place, locking the jaws and immobilizing the trigger until you remove it and are ready to shoot. The StrykeZone 380 is available in Mossy Oak® Treestand™ or Optifade® Forest. For more information about this bow, visit www.strykerxbow.com.

11-TenPoint’s Carbon Elite XLT™
  The Carbon Elilte XLT crossbow by TenPoint has a 185 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 360 feet per second.  Like all XLT models, the Carbon Elite XLT’s bow assembly measures 13.5-inches from axle-to-axle when cocked and weighs just under 7 lbs.  The riser comes with a detachable, lightweight, coated aluminum foot stirrup and its 11-inch IsoTaper Limbs™ are double laminated for improved strength and durability and are equipped with NEW MRX™ cams and D-75 string and cables.  The Carbon Elite XLT also features TenPoint’s patented DFI™ (dry-fire inhibitor), highly regarded 3.5-pound patented PowerTouch™ trigger and patented GripSafety™. Equipped with the ACUdraw™ or ACUdraw 50™, TenPoint’s patented cocking units, and the RangeMaster Pro™ variable speed and power scope, the Carbon Elite XLT is double-dip fluid imaged in Mossy Oak’s® popular Break-Up Infinity® camo pattern.  The model is sold only as a complete package that includes a soft case, carbon arrows, silencer kit, and quiver.   For more information, contact Randy Wood, Vice President of Sales (800) 548-6837 or www.tenpointcrossbows.com.

12-Wicked Ridge Raider CLS
  The Raider crossbow by Wicked Ridge has a 180 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 330 feet per second with 101.6 fp of kinetic energy.  The Raider features an economically executed variation of TenPoint’s powerful Compact Limb System™ (CLS) bow assembly. Unlike TenPoint’s one-piece CLS riser and foot stirrup, the Raider comes with a detachable, lightweight, coated aluminum foot stirrup. Its 12-inch IsoTaper Limbs™ are fitted with MR™ cams and D-75 string and cables. Together, these features create a smooth-handling, high-performance crossbow that shoots 330 fps with 101.6 foot-pounds of kinetic energy.  With its NEW CLS bow assembly and an injection-molded composite semi-skeletal Verton® stock and ACRAANGLE™ barrel assembly, the Raider weighs in at 7-pounds. In addition, the stock is fitted with a safety-engineered winged fore-grip designed to help prevent finger and thumb injuries.  The Raider CLS comes equipped with a TenPoint™ 3x Multi-Line™ Scope and, like all Wicked Ridge models, it features TenPoint’s patented DFI™ (dry-fire-inhibitor) and patented 3.5-pound PowerTouch™ trigger. Equipped with the patented ACU-52™, the Raider CLS is double-dip fluid imaged in Mossy Oak’s® popular Break-Up Infinity® camo pattern. For more information, contact Randy Wood, Vice President of Sales (800) 548-6837 or www.tenpointcrossbows.com.

13-Winchester Stallion 
  The Stallion crossbow by Winchester Archery  has a 165 lb draw weight and launches its arrow at right around 350 feet per second with 110 fp of kinetic energy.  It has a 12.5” power stroke and measures 17” wide axel to axel.  The Stallion crossbow highlights the patent pending 12/277,860 Accu-Speed Technology (AST-X) cams to the patent pending Ultra Match stainless steel trigger.  It has a padded pistol grip, forearm and cheekpiece and weighs 7 lbs.  The Stallion has a retracted cocking platform, a bull-pup stock configuration, along with a fully machined barrel and riser.  It has limb and string dampeners, and our sophisticated dual 3K carbon rod string stop system making it one of the quietest crossbows available.  For more information about the Stallion visit the Winchester website at www.winchesterarchery.com.

These photos were recently sent to us from a gentleman in Colorado Springs. Apparently, this big guy (on the left) has been seen walking the streets on a regular basis. WOW!!! 

Whitetails seem to do funny things when they are in velvet; displaying behavior not often seen while in “hard-horn”. This is a perfect example.

Three questions come to mind when I look at this photo.
1. How many points is this buck actually carrying?
2. Would the folks of Colorado Springs frown on someone (me) for hunting within city limits?
3. Could a Lone Wolf Assassin fit in one of those trees?
I guess I will never know the answer to those questions. But, I have a feeling someone has already laid out a strategy to put this buck within bow range come fall. Bowhunting.com will keep you posted on any developing details regarding this buck. 

What do you think? Sound off in the Forum Section and share your thoughts on this mega-buck.