Flying to your next hunt? Any bowhunter who wants to avoid having a long-anticipated hunt delayed or ruined by a bow that was misdirected, lost, or damaged in transit will want to read this month’s Home Bow Mechanic. Rick Combs offers valuable advice on bringing a second bow, bow cases, bow repair kits, packing, and more.

If it’s elk you’re after, then Mark Kayser will help open shot opportunities by teaching you Jump-Shooting Strategies To Tag Your Bull. You can apply similar “jump-shooting” tactics on elk that waterfowl hunters use in sneaking from pond to pond, then jumping over banks to flush birds into flight.

Although bowhunting whitetails presents unique challenges, writer Mark Hicks, in The Bass & Bucks Correlations, learns from champion bass fishing pro and 20-year bowhunting veteran Brent Chapman that, overall, it is similar to professional bass fishing. Chapman says that both require extensive knowledge of their habits and how they have adapted to the particular environments they live in.

Did you know that you can reduce the required percentage of a down payment on hunting land by purchasing a property with a house or cabin on it? Mark Hicks uncovers this fact and other useful information for creating your own Deer Mecca in Buy Your Own Deer Heaven.

Two factors influence the sex ratio of whitetail fawns: doe age and time of breeding relative to onset of estrus. Whitetail Science’s Brian Murphy says you can put this knowledge to work if you want to tip the scale toward more male or more female fawns in your local herd.

Bill Vaznis learns more Secrets of the Masters as three of the country’s most successful bowhunters share what is most important for fine-tuning before opening day. They suggest concentrating on broadhead flight, scouting to nail down animal habits and travel patterns, and attending to proper blind setup, clear shooting lanes, and the other fine details of ambush sites.

In Back Country, Bob Robb expands on why, pound for pound, spot & stalk hunting for a mature mule deer buck is the most difficult archery challenge in the Lower 48. Between challenging terrain, noisy ground, sensitive ears, changing wind direction, and everything that can and does go wrong, bowhunters have their work cut out for them.

This issue also features the ballot for Bowhunting World’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Vote, and tell us which products hit that mark and have earned their reputations for effectiveness and reliability.