Dave Maas Articles

Biathlon beauty

Biathlon: 5 Surprising Shooting Facts

Biathlon combines cross country skiing and shooting, and it’s the only time you’ll see firearms used by athletes during the winter Olympics. Here are five surprising shooting facts on display during this unique competition.

February 07, 2022

Simpson buck with target core

Whitetail Video: Big Buck Arrowed With 3-D Target Core Stuck in Antlers

Shane Simpson is bowhunting during Minnesota’s firearms season, and he kills a mature whitetail buck that recently attacked a 3-D deer target.

February 04, 2022

Ice fish with sunfish

Video: Can You Identify These 3 Sunfish?

Anglers in the Midwest and North often encounter these three sunfish species. Can you identify them correctly?

February 02, 2022

6 bits of advice lead

Top 6 Bits of Bowhunting Advice

If someone new to bowhunting whitetails asked for advice, what would you say? Here’s the author’s top six list.

January 31, 2022

Botz with buck SD

2020 Harvest of Whitetail Bucks Largest Since 1999

An estimated harvest of 3,041,544 bucks during the 2020 whitetail season is the most since 1999.

January 28, 2022

Owl caught in fence

What’s the Strangest Experience You’ve Had While Hunting?

Whenever you head into the field, you have certain expectations of what you’ll experience. But sometimes Mother Nature throws you a curveball.

January 28, 2022

Geese and decoys

‘Snow-nado’ Video: Outstanding Girls-Only Waterfowl Hunt in Alberta

When snow geese and specklebellies are so numerous that they look like a tornado — a “snow-nado” — there comes a time to stop shooting and simply watch the show.

January 27, 2022

Maas shooting recurve ATA

ATA 2022: Reconnecting With Recurves

The author shot numerous compounds and crossbows during the 2022 ATA Trade Show, but it was 30 minutes spent in the Bear Archery shooting lane that refueled his desire to hunt with a recurve.

January 26, 2022

Black bear on bait site

Bowhunting Video: 14-Year Quest for a Boone and Crockett Black Bear

Watch as bowhunters tag three Manitoba black bears at close range, with the largest making the Boone and Crockett record book.

January 24, 2022

Trixie beauty pic

Field Test: Trixie Whitetail Doe from Montana Decoy Co.

The author puts a two-dimensional Trixie Whitetail Doe from Montana Decoy to the test during the 2021 archery deer season in South Dakota.

January 19, 2022

P CURADO K collage

2-Year Bass Fishing Field Test: Shimano Curado CU200K Reel and Loomis IMX-PRO Topwater Frog Rod

Any bass rod and reel can impress for a day or two on the water, but how will it stand up through a 2-year grind of heavy use?

January 18, 2022

Best in show for BW site

ATA Announces 2022 Best in Show Award Winners

The Archery Trade Association recently announced winners for its third annual Best in Show awards program during the 2022 ATA Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

January 14, 2022

Code of Silence lead beauty

Editor’s Picks: 5 Favorite Bowhunting Products From ATA 2022

Each year, hunting buddies ask the author to name his favorite products from the annual Archery Trade Association (ATA) Show. These five items recently caught his attention at ATA 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky.

January 13, 2022

Spot Hogg release testing

2022 Bowhunting Resolution: Try a Thumb-Style Release

The author has used the same index-style release ever since switching from finger-shooting 25 years ago. Here’s why he’s changing to a thumb-style release.

January 12, 2022