Why Do Compound Bows Derail?

If you’ve ever heard someone say his/her compound bow just “blew up” when he/she released the string at full draw, what was the explanation for what happened?

More often than not, bows that “blow up” actually “derail” and the impetus was likely a faulty drawback by the user.

The cause is a misaligned string with the cams. In other words, if a user draws back on the bow, then twists the hand holding the string at an angle and releases, the string will slide out of the thin groove of the cam and likely snap as the force is unleashed through the string.

The video below explains in full detail with a demonstration of how this happens and warns against shooting a bow this way. Find about about bow derailment and whether that is something that is covered by a warranty or not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJoxJJjcQFU

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Why Do Compound Bows Derail?

Hi Mountain Seasonings: Perfect for Waterfowl Cooking

It’s an age-old problem for waterfowlers. You can bring the meat to the table but how do you make it delectable so it wows your friends and family?

Waterfowl is a specialty for many chefs but they often use commercially raised birds. You, too, can be a chef that draws praise using your own harvests.

Hi Mountain Seasonings makes the job easy with its mouth-watering recipes and jerky specialty kits that will make any tough old bird melt in your mouth. A variety of recipes for ducks and geese can be found on the Hi Mountain Seasonings website at www.himtnjerky.com.

If you’re a goose hunter, Hi Mountain Seasonings offers three seasonings kits: Wild Goose Original, Wild Goose Hickory and Wild Goose Mesquite—all three of which are specially blended to enhance the natural succulent flavors of the waterfowl to provide a tender jerky that everyone in the family will enjoy.

Duck and geese often have a reputation of being tough and too gamey, to eat but both provide a healthy and tasty meal with an amazingly table-ready appeal. Be sure to give the wild fowl a try this season.

Here is a great recipe to start with. In the tradition of the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, this recipe is a quick one that will fool some of your friends that claim they don’t like the flavor of duck. The meat is sliced very thin, so be careful when cooking. It only takes a minute or two to cook. If you like your foods spicy, splash in some hot sauce or some thinly sliced jalapeno peppers before topping with cheese. Try it with a sourdough hoagie or slider rolls. Serves four.

Ingredients

• 2 cups duck skinless breast fillets
• 1 teaspoon each Hi Mountain Cajun Cowboy and Trail Dust Seasonings
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup Italian dressing
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• Italian rolls, slider rolls, etc.

Slice the duck breasts as thinly as possible. If possible, place in the freezer for an hour or so to firm up the meat before slicing. Season with Cajun Cowboy and Trail Dust Seasonings. Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add onions, pepper and garlic. Cook until onions are lightly browned.

Move vegetables over to one side of the skillet and add duck breast. Cook meat until lightly brown, but do not overcook. Combine with peppers, onion and garlic. Add Italian seasonings to mixture and toss to warm.

Mound meat and vegetables into piles (according to the number and size of the roles – 4 rolls = 4 mounds). Top with cheese for each mound until cheese melts. Scoop up each portion of meat and vegetables and place in rolls.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Hi Mountain Seasonings: Perfect for Waterfowl Cooking

Howle’s Hints: Using Driftwood for Natural Trophy Mounts

The next time you are scouting the creeks of your hunting property or camping out, be on the lookout for unusually decorative driftwood that has been sanded and shaped by gravel, sand and water. This will look great as mounting art for your next duck or largemouth bass. Most taxidermists can mount your harvest onto the wood.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Howle’s Hints: Using Driftwood for Natural Trophy Mounts

The Best Time to Hunt Whitetail in Texas

My whole life growing up I watched Jackie Bushman and Bill Jordan show the world what it was like to hunt the rut in Texas. I can remember sitting in front of the TV with a stick of beef jerky just wishing that it was November already and that the rut would be here soon.

At that point in time all I thought I needed to kill the biggest buck in the county was my Ruger #1 .243 and a set of old rattling horns my dad had put together when he was a teenager. Year after year I set on the edge of that warped 2×4 in the top of an ancient pecan tree on the Sabinal River bank in Utopia, TX. Every twenty minutes from sun up until lunch time I would clank that set of horns together just hoping that a muy grande would appear out of nowhere to let my single shot Ruger put Thanksgiving venison on the table and another Hill Country whitetail on the wall. For years I thought this was the only time of the year to bag the big ones and from what I had experienced…it was.

In late 2005 I was introduced to my first trail camera and decided to set it up by my creek bed feeder on a small plot of land in the Hill Country. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I had been missing a huge opportunity for a long, long time. All these big bucks that I was chasing in late November were showing up in front of my camera like clockwork in October and the first part of November. Even better, they were all fat and didn’t have broken tines! What had I been doing all these years?

During the past seven years through guiding and hunting I have come to realize that a lot of hunters get “Rut Crazed” and miss out on some of the best big buck opportunities each year. To me, hunting the rut is like playing the lottery, whereas hunting the early season is like investing into a proven stock. Yes, when the lottery hits it usually hits big but if you are in a great stock you should see a good return year after year.

If you haven’t started yet, try this bit of advice and see where it takes you this year:

• Set up a couple feeders or food plots on good natural funnels or well traveled trails
• Set out game cameras at each location *It is imperative that the time and date is accurate on your cameras.
• Set up a blind so the deer can get used to it in a reasonable amount of time
• Find a great mature buck that you would consider a trophy
• Make a log of the times he is coming into your locations each day
• Mark the distances he is traveling in front of your blind

Try these tips and most important of all, try to get out there on opening day before any pressure begins in your area. If done correctly you should have a great picture and story to post up either October 1st or November 5th and during the rut you will be able to afford to play the “lottery” because you’ve already got money in the bank!

From texasoutdoorsman.com.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - The Best Time to Hunt Whitetail in Texas

Strange Sounds from the Turkey Decoy Spread

Turkeys decoys are visual, add the right sounds

Turkey decoys work best if you couple the visual attractant with natural sounds.  While most hunters only use yelps and clucks in their turkey tactics, many other sounds should be employed when hunting turkeys.  I guarantee you a hen turkey makes a lot more noise scratching than she does yelping, and you should do the same.  Watch the turkeys feed and mock the cadence of their feet scratching the ground, scratch scratch scratch, peck peck peck peck.  That is the noise a hen makes all day long, and gobblers recognize it as natural.  The scratching involves motion on your part, and a blind works best to shield that movement from mature toms as they approach.  It is a tremendously successful turkey tactic when birds hang up at 50 or 100 yards.  Trust me, they can hear it.

Turkey decoys or just parts?

A lot of people made fun of ‘the wing’ when Primos came out with it, but the tactic is solid.  I usually use my ball cap instead, but the sounds of a turkeys wing can make the difference between a dead gobbler and a noisy one.  Fly down is the obvious time to make the sound of a flapping wing, but it is not the only time.  Prior to fly down, turkeys do a lot of adjusting and preening on the limb.  Mock this sound by dragging some primary wing feathers on the bark of a tree.  Don’t over-do it, but a little of these before your fly down noises adds realism, and may be the ticket to getting that gobbler inside your turkey decoys.

A good fight brings them to your turkey decoys

The sounds of a turkey’s wings are always present during a good turkey fight.  The wing slap is a turkey’s version of a punch, and if you ever get to feel it, you will remember it.  I had a hen wing me in the cheek on a relocate and it hurts like a son of a %$^&*.  Combine intermittent ‘wing punches’ with aggressive fighting purrs to bring big toms on a run to your turkey decoys.  One of the best times to use this turkey tactic is when you have a bird responding, but can’t get him to budge.  A couple gobbles, some heavy fighting purrs, and simulated wing slaps are too much for many toms to take.  You are on their turf, fighting to see who the boss is and it does not sit well with a dominant gobbler.  It is a better turkey tactic early when they toms are still fighting frequently, and less effective as the season wears on because the toms are tired and less inclined to battle.

You can also make some occasional wing noise to simulate the ‘stretch’ turkeys do throughout the day.  By stretch I mean they stand up and flap their wings three or four times, similar to when we yawn and stretch our arms out.   Try it when a tom is out of sight, as it is a very visual display, and if they can’t see it when they should it may arouse suspicion.

I use these subtle turkey tactics all season long in conjunction with my jake and hen turkey decoys.  The soft noises work better when the birds are close, as they are very natural and can put suspicious birds at ease.  Scratching and soft, soft purrs are all I will use inside 75 yards.  Real hens seldom squawk their heads off all day long, and neither should you once that tom gets close.  Settle down and use the soft natural noises of a hen turkey to get that big black bird into your turkey decoys.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Strange Sounds from the Turkey Decoy Spread

Interview: Big Buck Location and Management with Mark Drury

Today, Mark Drury and his brother Terry are two of the industry leaders in TV production and video production. The Drurys have produced more than 200-feature-length videos in more than two decades. They’ve also produced more than 250 TV episodes that air onWildlife Obsession, Dream Season and Bow Madnesson the Outdoor Channel and Natural Born Killers on the Pursuit Channel. I sat down with Mark previously to talk about choosing a bow setup, click here to read it.

Question: Mark, we all see you and Terry taking big deer every year with your bows. How are you able to consistently find and take those big deer?

Drury: The answer is observed movement. The more you hunt one piece of property or the more intimate you become with the place you’re hunting, the better you are at hunting the deer on that land. Soon, you’ll start to learn where, how and when deer move, and you’ll see consistent patterns that almost always will tell you where and when the older-age-class bucks will be. We’ve learned over the years that if you can separate the place the deer feed from the area where they bed, having a definite transitional zone that the deer can travel through between feeding and bedding, you can set up in those transitional zones. You can take an older-age-class buck with your bow if you’re hunting during the early season or the rut.

Another tactic we use is what we call a “green-field-within-a green-field.” When we plant our major green fields, we also plant a little strip of clover or some other type of late-season planting that will be green after the rut. We usually make this planting on the edge of our major food plot planting. Then after the rut ends, we’ll set up on the edge of that green field where we have our late-season crop, sometimes that’s clover, planted to take bucks after the rut.

Question: Mark how did you develop the green-field-within-a-green-field idea?

Drury: We started by planting a soybean field. The whitetails usually feed on those soybeans all summer long. But from mid-September to late-September, those soybean leaves turn brown, and no longer have food value for the deer. Any green fields on the edges of those soybean patches will start putting out new foliage. So, I plant a green field around each soybean field between mid-August to late-August here in Missouri where I live and hunt. As the soybeans begin to die, the new young green fields start sprouting, so I don’t lose any of the deer that I’ve concentrated in an area with the soybeans during the summer and watched. By October, those bucks are so patterned to the edge of the soybean field where the green field is, that we can pick and choose the bucks we want to take.

Question: Besides clover, what are you planting, Mark?

Drury: I like Mossy Oak BioLogic Last Bite, a product that I tested during the 2010 season for Mossy Oak BioLogic. I also like BioLogic Winter Peas, Winter Bulbs and Sugar Beets and Maximum.

Question: Mark, most people believe to consistently take big bucks on a piece of property, you need to harvest some does. How many does do you take off the property you’re hunting?

Drury: You have to remember that you’re managing a deerherd, and that there are many factors that must be considered to answer that question. For instance, for the last several years, we’ve had some really severe winters here in Missouri. So, we’ve been taking fewer does now than we did a few years ago when the winters were much milder. Deer are born at almost a 1-to-1 ratio. In other words, you should have 50% bucks and 50% does born each year. I use summer and fall trail camera surveys to try to determine how many bucks versus does there are. From these surveys, I’ve learned that the buck-to-doe ratio can vary quite a bit on each individual property.

I have one piece of land in Missouri that I hunt that has a very low deer density. So, on that property I try to harvest about the same number of does as I do bucks. On some land I hunt in Iowa, there’s a large number of deer. I try to harvest or get my hunters to harvest 10 does to every 1 buck there. I’ve learned that deer management is property specific. Until you use trail cameras and do a deer census on a particular piece of property, you can’t set up a harvest management prescription to keep your deerherd in balance and enable that herd to produce the maximum number of big bucks. I think you have really got to use your own survey system to determine if you have too many or too few deer. I believe the best way to do that is with the trail cameras, because they survey an area 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Interview: Big Buck Location and Management with Mark Drury

Howle’s Hints: Cleaning Your Hunting Gear

If you get blood on your favorite hunting jacket or pants from handling harvested game, pour hydrogen peroxide on the blood stain before it sets in. The peroxide will foam and bubble the blood stain right out of the fabric, then, simply wipe the area with a damp cloth. Apply the peroxide and wipe until the stain is completely gone.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Howle’s Hints: Cleaning Your Hunting Gear

Howle’s Hints: Introducing Youth to Hunting and the Outdoors

Squirrel hunting is a great way to introduce youth to the outdoors. What’s even better after the shot is to have the youngster clean, cook, and eat the harvest. If you are using a shotgun and plan to eat the meat, hold the meat up to a bright light to reveal any stray pellets. This could easily save a trip to the dentist.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Howle’s Hints: Introducing Youth to Hunting and the Outdoors

Tips for Getting Permission to Hunt Private Land

Living just outside of a major Midwest city has presented the year after year challenge of the “urban sprawl.” One year you will find a spot that is a guarantee for consistently harvesting waterfowl. The next year, that same spot has been developed into a subdivision or an industrial complex. Experience has taught me that doing the research and putting in the windshield time in the off season will without a doubt pay off when season comes in and the birds are piling into those flooded spots or snow-covered corn fields.

Here are a few tips that have I would recommend to my fellow “Hard Core” waterfowl hunters that will keep your barrels hot, your freezers full, and memories to last a life time:

• It’s never too early to start scouting. During the summer when everyone else is at the beach, scout the areas that you hope to hunt when season comes in.
• You will be able to determine the types of crops that farmers have planted that spring that may assist you in keying in on potential feeding areas for the fall and winter.
• Use on-line or local county resources to determine who owns the areas that might be “hot” when season comes in. There are several private entities that have created on-line plat maps which indicate the names of landowners along with the landowners contact information. These resources are priceless. When you can approach a landowner and address him or her by name, you will already have one foot in the door and it’s just up to you to seal the deal.
• Most farmers have some down time in the summer and have more time to speak with individuals requesting hunting permission.
• Other hunters are not out knocking on doors in the summer and you can beat them to those potential spots and hopefully secure that priceless permission.
• No one likes trying to find out who owns land the night you find hundreds of birds in a field with the hopes of hunting it the next day. If you get the permission early, this is not an issue.
• Never be afraid to ask. Remember, the worst the landowner can say is no.
• Whether you obtain permission or not, always be professional and courteous. Remember without landowners, we would not be able to do what we do.
• Prepare a permission slip with all of your contact information.
• Take two copies. One for the landowner to keep and one for yourself. Keep your copy in your game bag and if an issue ever arises while hunting, you will have it ready.
• A lot of state rule books and on-line resources have examples.
• Landowner liability. This is a major concern among landowners.
• Some states have laws in place that are favorable to us as hunters while hunting on private property. Research the laws in your state so that you understand them and can explain them if the issue comes when requesting permission
• Show appreciation. For those landowners that are nice enough to give you permission don’t forget about them around the holidays or after the season.
• Get them a restaurant gift card or offer them some birds after a hunt.
• Summer sausage or jerky is a great idea.
• Did I mention to be courteous and professional?
• If granted permission, make sure the landowner understands what you are hunting, when you might be hunting, and if the landowner has any specific requests. (i.e., call the night before, park in a particular location, etc.)
• Determine if the landowner has an issue with you driving in his or her fields. One of the quickest ways to lose a spot is to upset the landowner by doing something they do not approve of.
• The impression that we as hunters make on landowners today will have a direct impact on the perception of our sport and the continued success for those to come.

Your success in the future will greatly increase when you put in the time in the off season. Remember, hunting season is only a couple of months long. Most of us are so busy with the hustle and bustle of daily life that when we get the chance to hunker down in a blind during the season, we want to make the most of it. Hard work pays off and if you follow a few of these tips, success will come your way. Keep it Hard Core!

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Tips for Getting Permission to Hunt Private Land

Safe Turkey Hunting Tactics are Also Best Practices for Bagging a Bird

Those planning to hunt turkeys this spring likely will spend hours practicing their calling, patterning shotguns and assembling gear. Spring turkey hunters should also devote themselves to learning about hunter safety.

“Safe turkey hunting strategies are well worth learning because they’re also tactics that can put you in the best position to take a gobbler,” said Tom Hughes, the National Wild Turkey Federation’s assistant vice president for education and outreach programs.

Running and gunning is a popular style of turkey hunting that consists of moving through the woods while calling. However, Hughes recommends an alternative strategy that will help you be safer and more successful.

“Calling while moving stacks the deck the wrong way. Another hunter could mistake you for a wild turkey,” Hughes said. “Instead, hunters should protect themselves by setting up against a tree taller than their head and wider than their shoulders before they start calling. Doing this also makes you more prepared for a gobbler that shows up more quickly than you expected.”

Visit an online turkey hunting forum and you’ll probably run across turkey hunters who say they like to sneak up on a gobbler, which is a bad idea according to Hughes.

“You might think you’re stalking a turkey, but you could actually be slipping up on another hunter,” Hughes said. “You should always adopt a skeptical attitude when you hear turkey calling. Good callers can sound as convincing as actual turkeys.”

In addition to safety concerns, the odds are against you when it comes to sneaking up on a gobbler. Turkeys have sharp eyesight and hear pretty well, too. You’d be better off setting up and calling a bird to you.

Another safety measure calls for turkey hunters to make a fashion statement. First, hunters should not wear red, white, blue or black, which are colors associated with a gobbler. In addition, while blaze orange provides a measure of safety during fall, Hughes advises spring turkey hunters to avoid wearing blaze orange.

“Orange is closest to red in the color spectrum, and it can be mistaken for the red on a gobbler’s head,” Hughes said. “We saw that in Pennsylvania when they still required blaze orange during their spring turkey season. A study revealed that some incidents occurred when hunters shot at something moving that they thought was red, when in fact it was another hunter wearing blaze orange. Another issue related to orange was hunters reported hearing a turkey and seeing movement but no orange, so they shot. Basically, both the presence and absence of blaze orange was a problem during spring turkey season.”

Your best bet when turkey hunting is to wear camouflage or drab greens and browns including undershirts, socks, gloves and a face mask.

Shooting at sounds, color and movement is a big no-no. Hughes recommends that hunters be absolutely certain that what they intend to shoot is a legal turkey.

“Demand multiple points of identification. If you see movement, do you also see the turkey’s beard? Feet and wings? Is it really a turkey? Plus, seeing the gobbler’s eyes is a good indicator that the bird is within range.”

Hughes also recommends being careful when carrying decoys, especially gobbler decoys. Using an earth-tone colored bag to hold the decoy as you move from place to place is a smart safety measure.

The shot shell you choose is another safety factor to consider. Shot size larger than #4 can be more dangerous to other hunters. Plus, it’s unlikely to produce a dense enough pattern for a quick, clean kill. Research shows that #4 to #6 lead shot is best, though some modern alloy loads in #7 have great pattern density and enough downrange energy to kill a gobbler out to 40 yards.

Shot shell technology has improved throughout the years, however, it shouldn’t be taken as an invitation to shoot farther than the recommended 40 yards with any load. If you’re shooting beyond 40 yards, it’s harder to positively identify your target. Plus, there are hunter safety issues associated with long-range shots.

You can learn more about how to stay safe while hunting by taking an online hunter safety course at http://www.hunter-ed.com. The training offered at this site is approved by the state agencies responsible for hunter education, and it’s the same material that’s taught in the classroom.

Studying at www.hunter-ed.com is free. Those who must be certified before they can buy a hunting license pay a one-time fee, which is due only if they pass the test. Students can take the test as many times as they need to pass it. Online hunter safety courses are available in participating states, so visit hunter-ed.com to take a course specific to your state.

To learn more about defensive turkey hunting tactics, visit the National Wild Turkey Federation’s website at http://www.nwtf.org/tips_adventures/tips.php?id=11551

About Kalkomey

Kalkomey, parent company of hunter-ed.com, is the official provider of recreational safety education products for all 50 states. Our print and Internet courses have been providing official safety certification since 1995. We provide safety courses in boating, hunting, bowhunting, and off-road vehicle (ORV) and snowmobile operation. For more information, visit http://www.kalkomey.com/.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Safe Turkey Hunting Tactics are Also Best Practices for Bagging a Bird

« Previous Page — Next Page »