Arrow Archery

I must be the only bow hunter in Kentucky that doesn't have a Bowhunter Decal on the back of my truck. I say that, because I have been seeing these things everywhere lately.
My favorite by far has been the Treestand Bowhunter Decal. It shows an image of a bowhunter in a treestand at full draw that is taking aim at a nice buck. I did some checking on these and found that they are manufactured by Gregory's Graphics. The hunter and the buck are two separate decals, so they can be positioned in the perfect location on your vehicle. They come in 13 different colors, but I like the white best. For the lady bowhunter, they even come in pink. If I can hurry up and pull the trigger on buying that new Honda Ridgeline, I'll have this decal on my new truck this season. There are many other variations of decals for bowhunters, depicting archers at full draw. I have attempted to display several of them below.
My number two choice is a simple 1" x 12" decal of an arrow with the word "BOWHUNTER" stretched across it. It is simple, and would look very nice centered across the back window of a vehicle.

So if you are an avid bow hunter, then you can show your pride in your sport with one of these vehicle decals. They are simple to install, but you should make sure the window or surface that you will be applying it to is clean and dry.

I am kicking myself. Well, I would be if I could kick my own rear.
I had ordered the Stealth Cam Epic the other day with plans of filming some of my bow hunts this year. I've experienced so many great hunts over the years, that I figured it's about time I start documenting them with video to share with others. It is something I have wanted to do for some time now.
Well, I'm flipping through new Cabelas Fall catalog tonight, and I saw the Roscoby Riser Cam. At first, I thought is was just another torque stabilizer, but then I realized that it was a combination camera/stabilizer.
It screws into the stabilizer receptacle, and acts as a stabilizer.
The camera accepts standard SD memory cards, and has control buttons and an LCD display built into the stabilizer. At 30 frames per second, it records fast enough to catch your arrow in flight, and the impact. The integrated microphone will capture the sounds of your surroundings and your shot. It leaves you with a realistic view of your hunt.
After the hunt, you can hook the Riser Cam up directly to your TV or computer for playback. You can also remove the SD card and read the videos through a card reader.
OK, so how does this compare with the Epic by Stealth Cam that I ordered?  They both shoot at 30 frames per second, but how does the quality match up.  See for yourself below:

Here is video from the Stealth Cam Epic.

Here is video from a hunt using a Roscoby Riser Cam.

I personally think the Roscoby Riser Cam has a better look. The video is more clear, the colors more vivid, the sound is more sharp, and the overall quality looks better. Now the Roscoby Riser Cam is limited to just being used with your bow, where the Epic comes with additional mounts and can be used for other activities like fishing, biking, etc. So they both have their pluses and minuses. And the Roscoby is more expensive than the Epic. But if it is quality video from the hunt you are after, my Epic Stealth Cam was probably the wrong choice. You be the judge.

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

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.

Last night, I dropped a deer apple/corn block in the woods behind my house. I have some game cameras set up back there, and like to give the wildlife in the area an incentive to pose in front of my cameras on a frequent basis. I used one of these last year, and the deer flat out destroyed it.
I typically place corn out in front of my cameras. It definitely brings the deer in, but also raccoons, rabbits, birds, and squirrels too. It does drive me crazy when I sort through my game camera pictures, and half of them are squirrel pics.
I started weighing out the economics of using shelled corn over apple/corn blocks like this. I paid $8.50 for this 25 pound deer block, and $7.40 for a 50 pound bag of corn. If I lay the corn out on the ground, it will be gone in a matter of days. I know ... I should be using a feeder with a dusk and dawn timer so I can control the output of corn. Well, I have a couple, but I still need to get batteries for one, and the other is out of commission. Squirrels chewed the funnel cone that leads from the bucket to the spreader, and it is gone. A deer block like this will last for weeks though. I'm marking my calendar to see exactly how long it lasts.
In the mean time, I think I'm going to pick up some more of these blocks. I should hopefully have some new pics to post soon.