Arrow Archery » Bow Hunting Talk

Deer Harvests – Indiana Up, Kentucky Down

Bow Hunting Tips — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 04:23:39 +0000

After reading an article tonight about the record Indiana deer harvest, I decided to find out how Kentucky fared this year. Indiana has been up in numbers the past three years straight, so surely Kentucky had a bang up year, right?

Well, after looking up the Telecheck totals for the 2010 Kentucky deer season, I was surprised to see that only 110,376 deer were taken. This is the lowest annual harvest since 2001, when 103,398 whitetails were harvested. Five times more deer were taken by modern gun that by archers. There were approximately 3,500 fewer deer taken by muzzleloader than there were taken by bow. Kentucky definitely loves its gun season, but you have got to love that 4 1/2 month bow season.

So why are Kentucky's numbers down? That is a good question. I've seen more deer this year that I can recall in recent years. The herd looks healthy. Owen County came in on top for the number of bow kills with 507. They also came in on top for the number of total white tails with 3,414.

I am definitely ready for the 2011 season to get back in. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to add to the 2011 totals. I'm still suffering from the post-season blues. At least we are seeing some unseasonably warm weather, and we topped out at 65 degrees today. It is time to start thinking about planting those food plots...

Cuddeback Trail Camera Rebates

Bow Hunting Tips — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:13:41 +0000

Just read a tweet about a Cuddeback Trail Camera Rebate offer. And Yup! It's True!

They are offering a $25.00 rebate on the Cuddeback Capture and a $50.00 rebate on the Cuddeback Capture IR.

This is just what I've been waiting for. I had the Capture IR in my hands at BassPro Shops this past weekend, but couldn't bring myself to part with the $249.00 that day. This $50.00 rebate will take that down to $199.00, which I can definitely stomach better. Looks like I'm headed back to pick it up this weekend.

You can see the full story and get the link to the rebate over at the Deer Tracking Cameras website. Here is a link to the article: Cuddeback Trail Camera Rebate .

I'm really looking forward to getting this game camera. Their trigger speeds are lightening fast!

Mineral Blocks in the Spring for Big Racks in the Fall

Bow Hunting Tips — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:49:53 +0000

You can have a direct effect on the quality of the racks that you will see when the bow season opens this fall. By helping to supplement a bucks intake of certain minerals into their diet, their bodies can have the right nutrients to produce better racks. There are a variety of products on the market that can help you accomplish this.
Food plots can provide a great supplement to a deer's diet, but they require a lot of work to prepare the ground, plant, and tend to.
Mineral blocks offer a great option that is a simple solution.
The earlier in the spring that you can place mineral blocks out, the better. I like to place these in areas that I focus my hunting efforts on. You will find that the mineral blocks will dissolve into the ground over time, and the ground will absorb the minerals. For years after placing a mineral block in an area, the deer will continue to return. They will paw at the ground and lick at the dirt to continue to get the minerals. I will continue to place smaller mineral blocks in these areas year after year to keep the mineral content high, and to give the deer a reason to continue returning.
Some inexpensive options you can look at are trace mineral blocks and white salt blocks. The deer love white salt, but it is not as beneficial for their development as trace mineral blocks, or some of the specialized blocks on the market today. I will often start off with 50 pound trace mineral blocks as an inexpensive way to start the process of mineral supplementing. In successive years, I will place specialized mineral mixes in same locations, and will often place a 4 pound white salt block in the same spot.
No matter what type of salt, mineral, or specialized solutions you choose to use, just get something out. In addition to benefiting from better rack quality, you will end up seeing more deer from the stand as they return to these areas in search of these supplements.

ANTLEROID DEER MINERAL FOR TRAIL CAMERA FEEDER ANTLER GROWTH ATTRACTANT FOR BOW
US $5.50

Deer Mineral Supplement For Hunting Trail Camera or Attractant Free 15 lb Bag
US $5.50

Evolved Habitats Salt Mineral Block Sweet Corn Molasses Deer Elk Attractant
US $4.99

ANTLEROID DEER MINERAL HUNTING TRAIL CAMERA ATTRACTANT ANTLER 35LB SPECIAL
US $42.35

Tree Stands Increase Your Chances of Success

Bow Hunting Tips — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:28:38 +0000

Time spent in the woods is a key component to gaining experience and the knowledge that comes with it. Experience results in increased success.
I've been an avid hunter for many years. I can recall the days when I totally 'wet behind the ears', and consumed all the information that was available to me that could assist in gaining the knowledge necessary to become a successful hunter. My very first season was a bust, as I got my start with only a couple of weeks left in the Kentucky bow season. I was fortunate enough to have friends that were experienced hunters. They 'showed me the ropes' and I owe the measurable success that I have seen in each successive season to their teachings.

I attended a function today, where I had the opportunity to talk to a first-year bow hunter. He described the three hunts that he has been on so far this year. Each of these hunts resulted in encounters with deer, and one resulted in a shot and a miss. He told me that he was blind hunting, because he didn't own a tree stand yet. As we continued our conversation about the way the deer acted as they approached, he stated that they seemed nervous. Some deer stomped and blew. Others seemed nervous and changed their course. He stated that he didn't think there was any way that they could have spotted him, and that is when I informed him that they didn't need to see him; they probably smelled him. My suggestion to him ... come borrow a tree stand from me before his next hunt.
A deer's nose is one of the toughest obstacles that a hunter has to overcome. I've never been a fan of blinds for bow hunting. I understand it has its place, but hunting from a tree stand gives a hunter a notable edge over a blind hunter.
If you can beat a deer's nose, you've won half the battle. There are many scent elimination or covering sprays and articles of clothing that can help, and I use them. Getting in a tree stand can help to make scent less of a factor, and tilt the scales back in your favor. Most tree stand hunters tend to hunt 20+ feet off the ground. I tend to hunt a bit higher, depending upon the amount of foliage I'm dealing with and what type of shooting lanes I have. If you hunt on the ground, the breeze will tend to carry your scent near ground level, straight into the nose of that shooter buck heading in your direction. Hunting from an elevated position results in the breeze carrying your scent off higher in the air, so that it is often undetected by approaching deer. Beating a deer's nose is one of the main reasons that I'm a tree stand hunter.

A tree stand gives you a better vantage point that will allow you to see approaching deer at a farther distance. Knowing when not to move means less spooked deer and more close quarters action. Having that good vantage point is also essential to knowing when to pass on a deer in favor of picking up a better, trailing deer.

You will find a lot better and longer shooting lanes from an elevated position. You will be presented with more and better shooting opportunities from a tree stand as opposed to shooting from a blind. Ground clutter when shooting from a blind can limit the number of shooting lanes, and especially the distance of your shot.

After the shot, tree stand hunters will often have better recovery of downed game. This is due to the fact that you have the ability to see for longer distances and study the path of your game as it runs off. You may even see the deer go down in a thicket or other areas where your view may be normally obstructed from the ground.

Having reviewed the benefits of hunting from a tree stand, I must mention the dangers associated with it as well. Tree stand safety is an important concern, and no tree stand hunter should ever hunt without a safety harness. Accidents happen, and a slip and fall could result in grave physical injury. A safety harness that will leave you hanging in an upright position is the most desirable. Many hunters will also carry a screw-in tree step on their person to assist them in getting a foot-up and back into their stand after a fall. Always inspect your tree stand and any of its components for signs of wear or damage, and observe the weight restrictions assigned to your brand and model of tree stand. Realize that you need to account for your own weight, plus the weight of any gear on your person, when observing the maximum weight restrictions.

Hunt safely, and hunt successfully.

Kentucky Bow Season Opener

Bow Hunting Tips — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:41:35 +0000

The 2009 - 1010 Kentucky bow season opened on September 5 for statewide bow hunting. With Labor Day falling as late as it possibly could on the calendar this year, we had a three day weekend to work with. While I was eager for the season to start, I wasn't eager to get out in the forcast 80 degree weather.
After some Sunday night rains, the temperatures were much more bearable for Monday - Labor Day. Unfortunately, torrential downpours hit the area. While I'm a die-hard hunter, I also realize the it is a long bow season, and I opted to stay bag today's hunt. Activity on the Kentucky hunting chat boards was light, so I don't think I was alone in my decision.
The temperatures can make these early September hunts tough. Mosquitos and other 'pests' still have the run of the woods, and I look forward to those first frosts to start cutting down on their activity. The deer movement is typically light this time of year, with your best opportunities being just after sun up and right before sunset. The cooler weather that will come with help to start dropping the foliage, which will open up some more shooting lanes. Until then, I'll play it by ear, and hunt when the conditions are right.