While most families are sitting down at the table, ready to enjoy their Thanksgiving turkeys, editor Mike Strandlund is out in the Kansas timber dreaming of Thanksgiving venison. In From The Editor, he tells you why he’d rather be nowhere else.
Information about signs, techniques, and tactics to help you capitalize on the season’s most frenzied activity is found in The Rut Almanac. Deer hunting expert and Bowhunting World contributor Bill Vaznis offers entries on everything from “First Scrape Lines” to “Plan Ahead For Next Season” and a goldmine of wisdom for everything in between.
When does the rut begin, and how do you know it has begun? It all depends on where you are and what the deer are doing, according to Brian Murphy. In November’s Whitetail Science, he reveals that while exact timing of rut phases varies considerably between North and South, the sequence of buck activities and behaviors remain consistent. Learn to decode the phase of the rut based on buck behavior and sign, and you will enhance success, regardless of region.
For Rick Duggan, it’s an umbrella and periscope. Ralph Ramos takes bicycle inner tube pieces and eyedrops. Ray Howell takes a custom Diamond bow that he pulls at 104 pounds. Every bowhunter has a few certain “somethings” they have come to rely on. In The Things They Carry, Bob Butz explores the unique items that some of the most premier bowhunters believe are as critical as a hunting license when setting foot in the woods.
Cornfields in the U.S. offer nearly 90 million acres of deer-hunting ground. One of the best times to hunt them is on a moisture-laden, breezy day to cover your entrance and movements in the corn. Moisture softens the crackling corn leaves, and wind provides background noise to cover your approach. Mark Kayser offers readers this tip and more in Figuring Out The Maze of Maize.
North America’s favorite big game bowhunting target—the whitetailed deer—continues to inspire plenty of promising new bow gear. What new products can help give you the edge? Mark Melotik covers the latest and greatest in Great New Deer Gear.
Speaking of gear, Mark Melotik and Mike Strandlund put miscellaneous “must-have” gear to this month’s Field Test, looking at a meat grinder, a seat designed especially for ground blinds, and more to enhance your experience—before, during, and after your hunt.
Mark Hicks says that smart scouting and prep will shave significant time between stepping on stand and connecting with a trophy. Have you ever thought about scouting the perimeters of crop fields by riding a mountain bike? It’s faster than walking, quieter than a motorized vehicle, and leaves little scent. This and other advice will help you Hunt Less For More Success.
November’s Bowhunting World offers even more in its regular columns, including New Gear, Up Front, Secrets Of The Masters, Bob Robb’s musings in Back Country, and the latest news from the International Bowhunting Organization. Don’t miss it!
