Arrow Archery

Whitetail deer hunting is typically perceived as a relaxation sport for many. Think about it. You sit up in a tree for potentially hours. You take in the sounds of nature. You watch the wildlife in its natural habitat, unbeknown to them. Heck, you might even take in a couple of cat naps.
Experienced hunters are well aware of the dangers of the outdoors though. When hunting from tree stands, there is always the risk of falling. Not to mention the risk of stray bullets. In some areas, you may even have to watch out for dangerous animals such as bears, or for poisonous reptiles.
None of these are the biggest danger that a hunter faces in the woods though. Per a CNN health minute article, the biggest danger to a hunter is heart attack. The article states that heart attack is three times more likely to result in the death of a hunter, than an accidental gunshot injury. Those who already have known risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or have experienced a previous heart-related incident need to take special precautions.
As we all get ready to head back to the woods for the start of a new season, it is worth taking the time to become prepared for the worst. Dr Eric Good was quoted in the article as urging hunters to see a doctor for a checkup prior to the hunting season. He also suggests that hunters take measures to stay in shape by taking part in cardiovascular training during the off season.
Let's face it, while hunting in the outdoors can be very relaxing, it can also be a sport that requires a lot of physical exertion. Think about the potentially long hikes into the woods, carrying all of your necessary gear. Once you get to your stand, you still have the ascent up the tree. If you harvest an animal, there is a lot of physical exertion to dress your game in the field, and haul it out. These are a few of the activities mentioned in the article that could be heart attack-inducing factors.
Aside from never hunting alone, and always carrying a cell phone on your hunts, you should also consider keeping aspirin in your field pack. Taking aspirin at the first sign of heart attack symptoms could be a life-saver. You may also consider carrying two-way radios if you are buddy hunting in areas with poor cell phone reception
It is good to be armed with the knowledge that may save your life in the woods. So I urge you to review the following CNN article. Enjoy your hunt, and be safe this season.

Biggest danger for hunters? Heart attack, not stray bullet

Every avid bow hunter wants to carry the best gear possible into the woods. For me, this desire extends past my bow, and includes arrows, broadheads, clothing, and other accessories.
To maximize the hunt, arrow selection is probably the most important factor for a bow hunter outside of the bow and bow accessories. I used to shoot heavy aluminum arrows, but switched to carbon arrows years ago. I did this for several reasons.
One of the first things that sparked my interested in carbon arrows was the hype associated with them. With so much talk and industry buzz around carbon, I had to see what the hype was.
I had several problems with aluminum arrows that switching to carbon arrows solved for me:

1. Bent Arrows
   A problem that I have experienced when transporting my bow back and forth to hunts, or on the 4 wheeler.  The durability and flexibility of aluminum was always a concern for me.
2. Life Expectancy
   I used to retire aluminum arrows after shooting a deer with one.  In my experience, the life expectancy to aluminum after shooting a deer was not good.  Maybe it was the type or size of aluminum arrows I was using, but I have destroyed many aluminum arrows over the years.
3. Quietness
   I believe that carbon arrows are much more quiet that aluminum.  Removing aluminum arrows from the quiver, dropping it in the rest, or contacting brush or branches would often result in the metal 'tinking' sound.  I don't have that convern with the carbon arrows I shoot today.

So I've made a quick case for why I like carbon arrows better than aluminum arrows.  This is often a debated topic, and you will find people on both sides of the fence that are adamant about their arrow selection.

Which arrows do I like?  I'm a big fan of Carbon Express, especially the Maxima line.  Carbon Express is a very respected manufacturer of carbon arrows and shafts.  They have four different offerings in the Maxima line:

• The Carbon Express Maxima
• The Carbon Express Maxima Hunter
• The Carbon Express Maxima 3-D Select
• The Carbon Express Maxima Hunter Mathews Edition

I'm shooting the Carbon Express Maxima Hunters this year.  These arrows fly like a dream.  They use Bull Dog Nock Collars, Blazer Vanes, have a great Timer Illuzion camouflage pattern, and integrated weight forward technology.  They are light-weight and strong, and the Blazer vanes give them added velocity.

I haven't measured the speed of these arrows off my Mathews Switchback, but I am driving nails with them.  So if you are looking to move to carbon arrows or just looking to upgrade, check out what the Carbon Express Maxima series has to offer.

Carbon Express MAXIMA 250S w Blazers 1DZ    US $144.95

Carbon Express MAXIMA 250S w Blazers 1DZ    US $144.95

Carbon Express MAXIMA 250S w Blazers 1DZ    US $144.95

Carbon Express MAXIMA 250S w Blazers 1DZ    US $144.95

Hunters for the Hungry is a government sponsored program that assists in providing meat to needy families. I am a big fan of this program here in Kentucky, and recommend that hunters check for the availability of this program in their home state.
The way the program is structured is pretty simple. Designated game processors will accept whole deer from hunters wishing to donate them. There may be a nominal charge involved in donating a deer, or the cost may be completely covered depending upon the state. The game processors will take the meat that is donated, and provide it to needy families.
This is a great way to take a sport that you love, and give back to the community. I urge all hunters to check their local fish and wildlife agency for details on this program, and participate if possible.
In touch economic times, I anticipate that the need for donated venison will be higher than ever this year.

I have always been a big fan of NAP Thunderhead broadheads. This year I'll be making a change though. I've been researching the new broadheads on the market, in search of a new option that will give me a more true arrow flight. In the past, I have tried some of the 'open on impact' broadheads. These claim to give you field-point-like flight, but on two occasions shooting does, I didn't blow the arrow all the way through, even though I was shooting a fast bow. Now I have to admit, that these were large diameter cutting width open on impact broadheads, and that may have had something to do with it.
So the dilemma is the choice between choosing a broadhead that will cause massive trauma, or choosing a broadhead that will give the most true arrow flight as possible. I am opting for the choice that will give the best arrow flight, because even the biggest trauma-inducing broadhead can't replace a well-placed shot. Even a small broadhead that results in a well-placed heart or double-lung shot will yield the results I am after.
So I am looking at the Slick Trick Broadheads. Slick Trick began the super short broadhead trend back during the 2000 AMO show.
Slick Trick's design claims to yield field point flight, which is exactly what I am after. They feature four-blade broadhead designs, in 85, 100, and 125 grains. They range from 1" to 1 and 1/4" cutting diameters, and feature razor sharp blades. They use a patented interlocking blade system that provides superior strength when combined with the 1 piece steel ferrule. The characteristics I am after in a broadhead are accuracy, strength, penetration, and massive hemorrhaging. These are all characteristics that Slick Trick offers.
I'll be armed with 125 GR GrizzTricks this season. You can check out the deals on find more details on Slick Trick broadheads below.

Slick Trick Broadheads    US $30.00

Slick Trick RAZOR TRICK 100 gr Broadheads 3 pk    US $27.00

SLICK TRICK MAGNUM BROADHEADS 100GR 3PK NEW    US $26.95

SLICK TRICK MAGNUM BROADHEADS 125GR 3PK NEW    US $24.99

It is no secret that I am an archery fanatic.  I like the traditional aspect of the hunt, and the increased level of difficulty involved in bow hunting as opposed to gun hunting.  The thrill of the hunt and the close quarters action is what gets me going.

When you look at the modern archery equipment on the market today, one could argue that it isn't necessarily that traditional.  Fast compound bows with high let-offs, armed with fiberoptic sights, torque stabilizers, and dampeners definitely have an edge over traditional recurve bows.

I'm not going to abandon my Matthews Switchback, but in an effort to get even more challenge out of the hunt, I've recently picked up a Browning Cobra 2 Recurve Bow.  I have to say that I love it.  I haven't shot recurve bows since I was a kid at camp.

I was initially struck by the look of this bow.  I love the different layers of laminated wood.  I personally believe that Browning was a strong leader in the quality an manufacturing of recurve bows.

BROWNING RECURVE BOW RIGHT HAND NOMAD STALKER II    US $66.00

browning spartan recurve bow    US $59.95

After stringing this bow up and shooting it a few times, I was struck by the differences between traditional recurve bows and modern compounds.  The most noticeable difference was the lack of the let-off.  With a compound bow, your draw weight peaks before you reach full draw, and then the draw weight is reduced by 65 - 80% at full draw.  The recurve is the opposite, where the draw weight starts off light and increases to the peak draw weight at full draw.  As a compound bow hunter, I tend to draw a little early and let my shot develop because I can hold my full draw due to the letoff.  With the recurve, I will probably wait and draw right at the point that I will shoot, because it will be more difficult to hold full draw.

I'm looking forward to the challenge though, and can't wait to get into the woods with my recurve.