Answer:
Two-blade heads are an excellent choice. Models such as the Zwickey and Magnus are good choices. If you plan to shoot fast arrows, say, something over about 250 fps, you may find that some two- blade designs (due to difficulty of maintaining straightness during manufacturing) have a tendency to wind-plane. Before heading west, make sure to practice thoroughly with each arrow/broadhead combination in your quiver.

Several good boots will fill the bill. You need three qualities in spades: light weight, excellent foot protection and ankle support. Some of the best elk hunting boots are actually hiking boots because hikers demand the same qualities.

Check out Broadheads at eders.com
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Bowhuntingoutlet also offers a large selection of hunting boots

I figured this was a once of, or at most very rare occasion, but after searching a bit on the Internet we found a bunch of cases of bird-eating deer.

Deer have also been known to eat mice and there have been more than a few sightings of deer eating off carcasses.

It’s not breaking news, but we found the following video pretty interesting and hope you do too.

Some of today’s top performing stabilizers are filled with rubber- coated silica and will vibrate freely to soak up shock. These will make your bow a little quieter.

One of the most popular stabilizers on the market right now is an 8.5 inch stablizer from B-Stinger SportHunter Stabilizer. This is a good balance of utility, effectiveness and comfort. The Bstinger Stabilizer is fabricated with high performance carbon fiber tubing designed to be both lightweight and extremely rigid. Vibration dampening Sorbothane inserts are added to minimize residual noise and vibrations. A stainless steel disc weight is specifically designed to get the maximum rotational inertia (i.e. stabilization) for the given length of the stabilizer.

For more info on
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Craig Belknap, 24 year old graduate student in the agricultural field at Iowa State University hadn’t ever taken a buck with his bow until this past season. However he got it right the first time when he shot a 20 point non-typical.

Native to Des Moines County, he hunts near the family farm where small wood lots, draws and big timber are most common. Craig’s stand was placed strategically in a big elm tree along a fenceline bordering a 100 acres of timber. Deer droppings, tracks, small rubs and scrapes revealed a fenceline crossing they used to a corn and bean field to feed.

On October 16th, he made his second trip back home for a weekend of hunting. Craig recalls, “The skies were cloudy that morning and it rained most of the night. Nevertheless, I cut across the muddy bean field to my stand. The battleship gray colored sky didn’t give way to first light until around 7:15 and I was beginning to wonder why I’d ever left the comfort of my bed. Only minutes later all my thoughts changed when I glanced down the fenceline and spotted a large drop tine buck a mere 50 yards away.”

“As he relaxed and started walking my way, I rose slowly and readied an arrow. Approaching my 20-yard shooting lane, I drew and steadied the pin and triggered the release. The 125-grain Pro-Series Thunderhead penetrated both lungs, causing the buck to dash 150 yards before stopping. Disoriented, the buck stumbled back my way. Ready with a second arrow if needed, he fell only 50 yards away. I was relieved and ecstatic to see the buck go down and not require a second shot.”

Greg Andrews

Greg Andrews of Corning, Iowa shot this massive 20 point non-typical buck on November 28, 1998 in Adams County. The typical 5x5 frame nets 176 1/8\

He knew of one small 60-acre plot that harbored good bucks in the past, but still hadn’t hunted it. The narrow gnarly ridge consisting primarily of thorny honey locust trees had a sparse scattering of hardwoods and cedar. In addition, the ridge runs parallel to a creek bottom with a mix of small saplings, hedge and dense buck brush. The landowner had spotted a big buck on more than one occasion entering a standing cornfield nearby. The corn came out only a week prior and Greg figured the bucks had been holding up in the cornfield, which explains why the deer sightings picked up shortly thereafter.

Greg explains, ” I have three stands setup based on the main travel paths to and from the primary food source. One on both the north and south ends of the ridge and one about dead center along the edge of the timber near the creek. I made plans to hunt the center stand first because there’s always an active scrape line along the timber.”

“When you consider the tricky winds in the bottom, it isn’t always possible to hunt the stand. On the Friday morning after Thanksgiving, the winds prevailed out of the west, which was ideal for the north treestand. I hadn’t seen any deer that morning, but minutes before climbing down I could hear what sounded like a sparring match between two big bucks in the bottom.”

“Before first light the following morning, I made my way toward the middle stand toting a set of rattling antlers and a grunt call, using a thick blanket of fog to camouflage my approach. Shortly after sunrise I rattled for about 30 seconds, but didn’t get a response,” said Greg.

“However, almost immediately after the second sequence, I spotted a big buck running across the bottom from the south. Things were happening so fast, I barely had time to hang up the antlers and grab my bow. The buck came to a halt on the opposite side of the creek, white puffs of steam shot from his flared nostrils as he scanned the area for the intruder. It wasn’t until that moment did I realize just how big the buck truly was. As the non-typical stepped into the 10 yard shooting lane, I released the string. Upon impact the big buck barrel raced through the timber for only 50 yards before the woods fell silent.”

Merle Allen

Merle Allen, a 44-year old Project Manager for a local general contractor in Norwalk, Iowa spotted a large non-typical for the first time in early November while hunting in Madison, County. Merle and his brother, Bud hunt several tracts of land consisting of primarily agricultural crops and a few scattered wood lots, hedgerows, and brushy draws leading to surrounding big timber. Merle relates that he concentrates most his efforts on hunting the outer fringes of small wood lots, funnels and draws during the season and seldom hunts big timber.

Bud was actually the first to spot the buck on his way to work the week before. He studied the big buck through a spotting scope standing in a bean field with a doe he suspected was in estrous. Bud called Merle at work that morning excited, suggesting that he better get out and hunt while the buck was still in the area trolling for hot does.

Merle recalls, “The following morning I hunted a stand near the river bottom on a sidehill where the does were known to bed during mid-day. Even though the hillside is nearly a mile away from where Bud glassed the buck, I was gambling it would be the most likely travel route the buck would take to the doe bedding area.”

“Shortly after daybreak a group of does cut across the hillside, but a lone doe with a nice buck hung back in the thick brush. It wasn’t until they meandered within 40 yards did I realize it was the same buck seen by my brother. Unfortunately, they continued to linger in the thick stuff before heading back the same way they came,” explained Merle.

“The following morning I hunted the same stand, but hadn’t seen or heard anything until around 10:30, when the sound of a dog barking in the distance caught my attention. Not long after the big buck busted out of the bottom, crossing in the same place as the previous morning. I’d now watched the buck cross in the same place two days in a row and felt fairly confident I stood a good chance of getting a crack at the buck if I only setup near his escape route. I hung a new stand there but the wind was never favorable.”

“Therefore, I decided to hunt a small 25-acre woods on the opposite side of the road that’s proved productive in the past. I like to refer to this place as a “loafing area” where the deer congregated in the mornings before heading to a bedding area nearby. I moved in quietly and setup a stand for the following morning.”

On Sunday, the 15th of November I found my way to the stand at first light. A few does meandered through early, and then I caught a glimpse of big antlers further back in the brush. Although I couldn’t see the buck entirely, as he turned his head sideways, I was able to confirm he was definitely a thumper. Pulling out a grunt call, I grunted softly, hoping to draw the big buck into the open. The does had now moved directly in front of the stand, milling around in a small clear-cut. Nothing happened right away, so I grunted again. Only a short time later the buck started working through a wooly thicket heading in my direction. As he continued to close the gap, I stood with an arrow ready. Not wanting to get hung up staring at the antlers, I only concentrated on making the shot.”

Shane Helmich of Dickens, Iowa arrowed this dandy 14 point buck on the 27th of November in Clay County. The 12 normal points and a 17\

Shane Helmich
Shane Helmich, a 28 year old Electrical Field Technician from Dickens, Iowa has only been bowhunting 4 years. Nevertheless, he managed to shoot one of the bigger non- typical bucks of the 1998 season. The first time he spotted the 14 point was November 20th. Hunting mostly river bottom ground, Helmich sticks mainly to a public hunting area near the Little Sioux River in Clay County. The small tract of timber is only 50 to 100 yards wide at most points, but stretches over a mile in length. It’s only a small part of the 600 acres of grass fields, narrow bands of timber, small wood lots and coulees.

Shane’s wife, Patricia is not only his devoted hunting partner, but also became his eyes and ears this past season after shooting her buck in early November. On one occasion she spotted two big 10 pointers that led Shane to the woods where he had his first encounter with the large 14 point.

Shane recalled, “I slipped into the small 50 acre wood lot with a decoy late one afternoon. A half-hour after wedging a crotch board in a tree, a big non-typical sporting a drop tine appeared 70 yards away. I grunted softly bringing the buck within twenty yards, but when the bruiser spotted the decoy he spooked and left without offering a shot. Hoping for a second chance, I hunted the same area two more days, but my efforts were fruitless.”

“Later that week, Patricia called me at work and reported spotting two more big bucks in a bean field about a half mile away chasing does. I didn’t waste time getting to the area and approached carefully from the downwind side toward an inside corner of the bean field.”

“Reaching the corner I climbed into a ancient oak tree and stood on a branch 8 feet off the ground. Shortly thereafter, the big 14 point started working down the fenceline pursuing an obvious hot doe. About 4:15 the buck made a beeline toward my perch 150 yards away chasing the doe, closing the gap rather quickly. With an arrow knocked and ready, the buck stopped momentarily at 35 yards. Steadying the pin, a speeding arrow from my Martin Scepter hit the buck squarely behind the shoulder. After a short sprint for dear life, the buck dropped within eyesight.”

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It takes many hours of practice to become a top of the food chain predator with a bow and arrow. But practice alone isn’t enough, you have to reinforce the right techniques – the ones that have been proven to produce success. Eventually your natural shooting form will take on these qualities and you won’t have to think about it. When the moment of truth comes, you’ll be able to act quickly and decisively.

Relaxing Through The Shot

Concentration on a single small aiming point is the aspect of shooting that brings all the other elements together.

Tension in the bow arm makes steady aiming difficult. Any tension in your body is transmitted through a rigid bow arm right to the bow, as if it were a hyper-sensitive antennae. If you can keep your bow arm very relaxed throughout the shot your accuracy will improve greatly. Consider bending it slightly (just enough to unlock the elbow) so it be softer and act as a tension insulator instead of a tension transmitter.

Many bowhunters have the bad habit of dropping their bow arms just after they release. Eventually this creeps into the shot earlier and earlier until it becomes a chronic problem. My buddy Dan does this, and it has cost him two really nice bucks during the past two seasons. On both bucks he shot just under the deer’s chest at less than 20 yards!

The shot isn’t over until the arrow hits the target, so hold your form with a steady bow arm until impact for optimum accuracy. Increased strength is the key to relaxing at full draw, so maintain a regular practice schedule. Your maximum bow weight can make a difference here too. It’s impossible to hold your aim steady if you’re straining with too much poundage. Sometimes being over-bowed even prevents you from getting a shot. Being involved in the warranty department at PSE, Terry Ragsdale hears many strange claims, but he remembers one in particular.

“A hunter sent back his bow, claiming that the cams were freezing up,” he said. “With absolute sincerity, the hunter told of a nice deer approaching his stand, and of his inability to draw the bow. Even though they worked fine before and after that incident, he honestly believed the cams had somehow locked up. Cool weather and excitement got the better of him, and he didn’t have the strength to draw.”

Letting Go
Because the timing of the shot is often more important than pinpoint accuracy under many bowhunting conditions, your release method is likely to be a bit more abrupt than if you were focusing on target shooting form. Don’t get jerky, however. When shooting a release aid, keep the trigger pull smooth, but don’t get too hung up trying to squeeze off a surprise-release. With fingers, get into the habit of relaxing the back of your string hand to trigger the shot rather than trying to voluntarily open your hand.

Focus Brings It Together

Ragsdale is widely regarded as one of the world’s best bow shots, and he is quick to point out that there is no such thing as perfect shooting form. “Walk up and down the line of any major tournament,” he said, “and you’ll see people shooting with all different kinds of form, but they all shoot very well. Consistency is more important than any particular form.”


On the other hand, Terry is a firm believer in “aiming hard” when shooting at targets, as well as game animals. Aiming hard is his term for focusing undivided attention on the small spot he wants to hit. He feels it is one of the most critical skills for the bowhunter and surely the one element that brings everything together for a great shot at game.


Realistic Practice

Just as you wouldn’t expect a professional football team to head into a big game without at least a certain amount of full-dress scrimmaging against the “scout” team, you shouldn’t enter the bow season without a few dress rehearsals of your own. Duplicating the conditions of the hunt during practice pays some very important dividends, as I found out (once again) a few seasons ago.

The grip should be relaxed. Let your fingers hang naturally without forcing them to straighten. Avoid grabbing the grip when you release the string.

The big 10 pointer was following the line of does past my stand toward the unharvested bean field beyond. With only a few minutes left in legal shooting time, I was glad they were walking quickly. Just before he got to my shooting lane I drew my bow and aimed through the peep sight. I was shocked to find that the buck was about as well defined as a drifting shadow. The pin was a fiber optic model, but not one of the brighter styles on the market. I could barely see the pin as I aimed. Thrown off by the situation, I failed to concentrate well enough. OK, I panicked. As the buck passed less than 20 yards away, I rushed the shot – sending an arrow right in front of his chest.



I had gotten lazy in my preparation for the season and had skipped my usual low-light practice sessions. I should have discovered the pins weren’t bright enough, and the peep too restrictive for optimal hunting. It was a painful lesson I won’t soon forget.



Not only should you practice in low light, but you should also wear your hunting clothes a few times. What you find out in late summer and early fall may prevent your string from catching a loose flap of cloth, or a chest pocket, ruining your shot at a giant buck. If you’ll be hunting from a tree stand, practice from an elevated position. For many bowhunters, arrow impact changes when they shoot down at the target. Make sure you find this out before the season.

“Consistency is more important than any particular form.”

Practice at unknown distances in order to improve your range estimation skills. For most experienced bowhunters, getting the correct range is the hardest part of any accurate shot in the field. The more you can practice this important skill, the better you’ll perform this fall. 3-D shooting is the perfect tune-up for hunting. You’ll become better at judging distance, and you’ll have a great opportunity to debug your hunting bow. Everyone seems to be using customized tackle in an effort to score higher in this summertime sport. That’s great, but if you do that, just make sure to switch to your hunting rig as you get closer to the season.



When practicing, focus all your attention on each and every arrow. According to Terry Ragsdale, “As the season approaches you need to bump up the practice regimen. Shoot 75 to 100 arrows each day, for the last week or two, to gain the strength needed to hold the bow steady. Don’t get lazy on a single shot; shoot each arrow with intense concentration. Find something small to aim at with each shot and focus hard on it.”



There are few things more exciting than making a tough shot when the chips are down. But the satisfaction comes with a price tag attached. To be a consistently deadly bowhunter, many hours must be spent during the off-season perfecting technique.

If you are shooting downhill at 20 degrees treat a 40 yard shot as if it were 36 yards.

However, entering a buck or a doe’s bedding area can still get you a crack at a racked buck if you play your cards right. You just have to think about it a bit, and then time your entry. You see, it is not IF you should sneak into a deer’s bedroom–but WHEN. Let me explain.

By late summer a buck often has several bedding options open to him. His choice to bed in the planted pine plantation on the side hill on any given day may depend for example on wind direction, food supply or the absence of the neighbor’s barking dog. He may bed there two or three days in a row, and then bed down by the creek to get out of the wind for a couple of days before taking refuge in the uncut corn lot. You put a full court press on him early in the season, and he will definitely abandon any one of these bedding areas until he is sure it is safe for him to return.

However once the rut kicks in, he will abandon each of these sites for progressively longer periods of time, whether he feels safe there or not, to search for estrous does. And when he hooks up with a hot doe he will stay with her for a day or two, feeding where she feeds and bedding where she beds until she is ready to be bred. Then he will strike out in search of another willing female.

You have a window then of seven to 10 days before breeding actually takes place to sneak in and around a buck’s bedding area with relative impunity. And if you have not yet had a shot at him, or can pin-point his pre- rut travel entrance/exit routes through scrape lines and rub lines, then maybe this is the time you put conventional wisdom aside.

I was thrilled the first time I caught a trophy buck bedded down. He was indeed safe, but alert and ready to spring at the first hint of danger. I watched in awe until the buck casually looked over in my direction, did a double take (I was kneeling getting ready to shoot less than 30 yards away), and then disappeared over a nearby knoll snorting loud enough to wake the spirits!

Bucks like to bed down in heavy cover - often you'll find them sleeping right on the border of heavy cover and an escape route. Photo By Bill Vaznis

Pick a day when the weather is in your favor. A blustery morning for example will quickly disperse your airborne scent to the four winds, and help mask any unwanted noise. During or soon after a soaking rain however is my favorite because it reduces to near zero the likelihood I’ll snap any dry twigs.
Know how a buck beds. A single buck for example generally prefers to bed on the highest ridges facing downhill with the wind to his back. Nearby escape cover in the form of uneven terrain or thick brush is almost always present. This scenario allows him to see danger from below, smell danger from behind, and hear any approach through the thick stuff. All it takes is one leap, and he is gone.
Thus, you do not want to approach a suspected bedding area from below or anywhere where visibility is good. As for the wind, sneaking CROSSWIND along the edges of ravines, hollows and thick cover will offer you your best chances of blind-siding a resting buck.

The buck I mentioned above for example was bedded on the edge of a mountain laurel thicket where a quiet approach from behind was nearly impossible. The wind was to his back, and he could see downhill quite a ways. I caught him resting by keeping the wind to one side of my face.

Learn to look for a bedded buck, not one standing behind a blow down! They are much more difficult to see in this position, but one feature always stands out—the rack! A buck will turn his head at the slightest noise, and it is his set of antlers that you will initially see moving around especially if it is white or contrasts sharply with nearby cover.
Although a mature buck usually beds alone, he may have company. If you spot a bedded buck, this other set of eyes my foil any further approach.

Finally, once you see bucks up and about during the middle of the day, invading a doe’s preferred bedding site is a good strategy to consider. However, if you want to catch a love-sick buck in his bed, one that is throwing caution to the wind, try still-hunting those high places down wind of the doe’s bedding area. This is where a resting buck can use his nose AND his eyes in his search for a doe in heat! I once caught seven or eight bucks in such an area already with a hot doe, and arrowed a 180-pound eight pointer right where he lay!

Check out this cool video of a big buck bedded down.

Each pair of i-Kam Xtreme glasses comes with four interchangeable lenses in polarized black, amber, brown and clear to use in all lighting conditions. Frames are available in both glossy white and flat black, RealTree camouflage and white. A hard bodied carrying case, cleaning cloth, AC adapter and instruction manual are also included.

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Reset Button

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The new Ikam Xtreme is the latest hands free video recorder. It makes the helmet camera obsolete! There are no wires or battery packs, just a lightweight pair of sunglasses that is capable of recording 3 hours of unsurpassed quality video & audio footage. The footage can then be easily downloaded onto your computer.


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