Table of contents for February 2024 - Winter in Bowhunter

AS I WRITE THIS EDITORIAL, it is Halloween. It’s 28 degrees, the wind is gusting to 30 mph, driving the snow sideways. It’s my 11th and final day of bowhunting here in Wisconsin. I planned to sit all day in a pop-up ground blind overlooking a food plot, but so much snow blew into the blind that I got wet and had to bail for a couple hours to dry off before the evening hunt. My eyes are still watering from staring into the wind, trying to manufacture the vision of an incoming buck. So far, I have not laid eyes on a single buck over 1½ years old — in 10½ days of hard hunting on some of the most beautiful whitetail ground you can imagine. This is my…

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, deciding which bow to hunt with was easy, because I only had one bow. That has since changed for me. Now I have multiple bows from which to choose, and once I make that all-important decision, then I’m faced with even more decisions like what arrows and broadheads to put in my quiver, do I want to use a tab or a glove…and don’t even get me started on bowstrings! As bowhunters, many of us make these types of choices based on what has worked for us in the past, or what our friends or people we trust recommend. It’s tougher than that, though, for us hardcore traditionalists, because oftentimes what works or flies great out of one recurve, longbow, or self-bow, doesn’t work great out…

IN 2022, ANTI-HUNTING groups got four Colorado lawmakers to propose Senate Bill 31, which would ban the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats in that state. Opposition was led by the NRA, and hunters reacted in large numbers. That bill died in committee after three of the lawmakers withdrew their support. Several Colorado surveys showed support for a ban on hunting lions and trapping bobcats, and so a coalition called Cats Aren’t Trophies (CATs) is now attempting a different approach. Ballot referendums are not new, and in the past have proven to be an extremely successful anti-hunting strategy. The process is relatively simple, but it requires some work. Citizens can get an issue on the state’s voting ballot by securing a specified number of signatures on a petition before a…

YOU PROBABLY THINK this is a joke. “What? Deer hunting makes you fat? What are you talking about, Farris? You’ve really lost it this time!” Well, people, this is no joke! Consider it a public-service announcement designed to shed light on a problem that many of us deal with every fall. It’s mid-October as I write this, so I’m currently in the throes of an annual battle, and with deer hunts fast approaching, I know I’m getting ready to fight the battle of the bulge. Let me begin by saying that if you’re in your 20s or 30s, reading my column from under your flat-billed ballcap and wondering what the heck I’m talking about, you can probably move on to the next article. But don’t throw this issue away! Just…

MY JOB AS THIS magazine’s Technical Editor is to analyze bowhunting equipment and determine how well it performs in the field. These evaluations also include user error, and in the past few seasons, I’ve recognized plenty of my own mistakes and how they impacted my success. Here are five mistakes I’ve fallen victim to and the steps one can take to avoid them. Rangefinding Boo-Boos I’ve written about this topic before; however, it warrants repeating because it still continues to happen. Typically, I’m fast and smooth with my rangefinder. I wear the unit around my neck when I anticipate bowhunting action. Otherwise, I sometimes store it in my hip pouch. This system works perfectly for me. The problem I’ve found is not deploying the rangefinder fast enough, but the issue…

Yes, Howard Hill was right — up to a point. Hunting big game with primitive weapons, such as a stick and a string, is hunting "the hard way,” and it can appear to be an overwhelming challenge. Yet the key to success is to not let that challenge overwhelm you. Everything depends on your state of mind. Do you believe you have what it takes to set a goal and doggedly pursue it to final success — no matter how many attempts may be necessary? I have discovered over my lifetime of hunting that if one believes one can do something, is sufficiently patient, determined, and self-disciplined, and wants it badly enough, most any goal becomes achievable. As Jose Ortega y Gasset so eloquently wrote about in his classic work,…

THE YOUNG HUNTER had a grinning smile as he handed me the antlers from the buck he harvested with his bow. The antlers were covered in velvet with a couple of odd tines. The time of 60 days had passed, so it was ready to be officially scored for the Pope and Young record book. As I started measuring this great trophy, the young man’s questions started coming: “What causes the nontypical points? What makes the antlers grow so fast? When does the velvet fall off? What makes deer shed their antlers?” and many others. On pondering his questions, I thought the best way to answer them would be by explaining to him (and those of you reading this article) what antlers are made of, and how they grow from…

Q WHAT IS YOUR BEST clothing/gear tip for bowhunting in cold weather? A Store layers in your pack during the walk in, and then layer-up when you get to your spot. If you get sweaty on the way in, you’ll be cold the whole sit. (Evan Taylor, Facebook) A Sit in a blind with a Buddy Heater. (Michael Shaw, Facebook) A Buy boot covers if you’re sitting still for long periods of time. (John Richard Ramsey, Facebook) A Wool… The more the better. (Dutch Sedivy, Facebook) A Handwarmers and a handmuff. (stick__bow, Instagram) A Bring layers that you can put on/take off depending on temperature fluctuations. I bought a battery powered vest to keep from having too many layers. (chris.a.starling, Instagram) I’ve spent decades trying to function while bowhunting…

IT WAS MIDMORNING, and I had already hiked several miles along a high ridge. The vast Wyoming prairie stretched to the horizon — an undulating, nearly treeless grassland punctuated by strips of sagebrush and upthrusts of rock. It was ideal pronghorn habitat, but I had seen only two “goats” in three hours of searching. My home state is usually swarming with antelope, including large bucks, but two years of bad news had decimated the population. In 2021, hemorrhagic fever, commonly known as “blue tongue,” killed at least half the pronghorns in the area I prefer to bowhunt. Festering carcasses littered the landscape. I managed to scrape out a decent buck anyway, but hunting was tough. Then, the severe winter of 2022–2023 hit antelope again like an icy fist, just as…

BY THE TIME you are reading this, I’m hoping most of you have punched a few tags, had fun in the process, and are now sitting in your warm homes enjoying the fruits of your time afield. Sure, we would all like the season to come to a close on an eventful rut hunt, but some of us will have to tough it out to the bitter end. Bowhunting in cold conditions is difficult. Deer movement is slower, and your mind tends to wander, causing you to miss those last few limited opportunities. You really can’t make mistakes this time of year, so having the right gear is paramount to those who are still grinding things out. The outerwear we choose is our first step in battling the elements, and…

BEAR ARCHERY ® PERSIST™ The PERSIST ($1,249.99) has a draw range of 25"–30", a 31" length, 6.5" brace height, and letoff up to 90%. The EKO™ cam system generates speeds to 340 fps. Dampeners quiet this bow from draw to release. Picatinny mounts keep it streamlined. Whitetailers will appreciate the loop-to-limb pocket for secure connection of a pull-up rope. Bear Archery, beararchery.com. VYCAH ® ZENYX™ STEALTH SHIRT The Zenyx Stealth Shirt ($119.99) keeps you totally concealed, while also preventing you from overheating during early/mid-season hunts. Made from a lightweight/stretchable polyester-bamboo material, it has a built-in facemask/hood, plus a roomy front pocket, and vented mesh lining in the armpits/sleeves. It even provides 30+ SPF sun protection. Available in sizes S-3XL. Vycah, vycah.com. EASTON ® X10 PARALLEL PRO™ The…