Author: Kevin Wilson

Whether we look at fad, functionality or a combination of those elements, the same decision confronts us: Which broadhead will we choose for hunting? Before we get into the nitty-gritty of choosing a broadhead, I want to be clear on one thing: Regardless of how great any given broadhead is, shot placement matters. Here’s what I’m getting at: If we’re honest, most bowhunters admit that not every shot is perfect. We’ve made excellent shots, we’ve made less-than-perfect shots. If we’ve released enough arrows, at some point, we lost game. Unfortunately, that’s just part of hunting. It’s likely we used a…

From inserts to wraps, fletching and nocks, customize your arrows for performance and aesthetics with these archery accessories. Today, archers can choose from a vast assortment of archery accessories, from shafts and a seemingly endless array of options for dressing them up both for performance and aesthetic purposes. We’ve come a long with from the days of carved wooden arrows lashed-on feather fletching and stone broadheads. No doubt there are still many traditionalists who invest time and energy in customizing cedar shafts with distinctive cresting and fletching them with authentic turkey wing feathers. For most of North America’s compound-shooting bowhunting…

Bow Tuning – success depends on it For every bowhunter I know who makes sure his or her equipment is in peak condition, numerous others don’t. Today’s compound bows and arrows are highly technical. They are engineered for perfection, so bow tuning and routine maintenance is key to ensuring their accuracy. Without routine maintenance, you may as well stay home. So, here’s how to guarantee your gear will be ready when the time comes to make that crucial shot. Standing just 20 yards from my 3-D target, my guest took a shot. His first arrow hit three inches left. The…

… Your success in the field depends on it Standing just 20 yards from my 3D target, my guest took a shot. His first arrow hit three-inches left, the second was on the mark left to right, but high. His third, well … we won’t talk about that one. I would be guiding him on an Alberta whitetail hunt. Upon closer inspection of the bow, his timing was off. Indeed, his top and bottom cams were rolling over inconsistently. There was literally no way that he could possibly shoot with any consistency. A problem with no easy fix, we…

For a Variety of Reasons, It’s Important to Wait Before Picking up the Blood Trail After Every Shot Every experienced bowhunter knows the feeling. We release an arrow, it hits our live target, and the animal runs off. Most often, we have a strong feeling about whether or not it was a good hit. Even still, there’s always that nagging uncertainty. Did it go down? Or am I in for a rodeo? At one time or another, most of us have mistakenly taken up the blood trail too soon. The result is that we jumped the animal. Best-case scenario, it…

Archery is a precision sport. Improving as a bowhunter demands consistent practice. We’ve all been there. After months of neglect, you strain to draw your bow. Back in the fall, the simple act of drawing, anchoring, aiming, releasing, and following through was effortless. Back then, muscle memory and the fluidity of your draw were second nature. Now, the realization of your predicament hits hard. You’ve been shooting a bow for years, but just didn’t make it a priority during the winter months. So now, it’s time to pay the piper. The bowhunter struggle is real, but don’t worry, you’re not…

Understand Your Limits, Recognize Opportunities, Know Your Equipment, Take Only Ethical Shots With three giant mule deer before me, I was faced with an ethical dilemma. The biggest had a high and wide rack. All told, I figured his numbers would probably tally around 190 inches. He stood and stretched at 85 yards. I admit that it was tempting, but I knew better. The second buck stood at 73 yards. He, too, was impressive. I practice at that distance a fair bit with accuracy. But shooting at a live animal is different. A lot can go wrong. So again, I…

Apparel manufacturers are meeting our need for weather, habitat, and activity-specific clothing. No longer is it just about the pattern, functionality and fit now rank as top priorities. Perched 18-feet up in a tall leafless aspen, my wife Heather, was bowhunting the second estrus. With little cover, her subtle camouflage blended in well with the variable grey surroundings. She’d already invested 10 days on stand. If it weren’t for her technical apparel, designed specifically for cold November air, there’s no way should could have endured the frigid temperatures that Alberta throws at deer hunters. It was November 25 and the…

“Clack, clack, clatter…clash, clack, clatter, clack.” The sound of antler on antler resonated through the woods. Then, I gave my best rendition of a Whitetail buck tussle by adding a few soft, but deep, grunts. Moments later, I heard a branch snap. Waiting patiently, I recognized that I had the attention of a buck. I grunted again. Minutes passed before the buck finally stepped out from behind thick cover. Slowly making his way under the spruce trees, he stopped and meticulously sniffed the trail. I recognized then that I had made one of the most critical mistakes in the book.…