Category: Bow Hunting

Time to Clean Your Bow: Bow Maintenance

By GrowingDeer,

It’s a good time to clean your bow string! After a lot of hours in the hunt stand bow hunters should be doing a little bow maintenance.  See the tips Daniel shares in this video to keep your bow in top shape.

Archery Practice: Aim for the Lower Third

By GrowingDeer,

We expect deer to react to the shot (we’ve seen this over and over). We practice like we hunt. When shooting at a deer or target, we aim at the lower 1/3 of the kill zone. If the deer reacts/drops, the shot is still in the kill zone. If the deer doesn’t react, it’s in the heart and/or bottom lungs.

I aim at the bottom third of the deer’s chest whether they are 20 or 40 yards away. I rarely shoot at deer past 40 yards for fear the deer will move and I rarely worry about deer dropping below the flight of the arrow if they are much closer than 20 yards. There are multiple advantages to aiming at the lower third of a deer’s chest. Wounds here usually produce better blood trails because the chest cavity doesn’t have to fill with blood before it starts exiting the wound.

I practice aiming at the bottom third so it’s a normal sight pattern when I’m hunting!  See this video that shows how aiming for the lower third pays off!

Morrell Target: practice shooting lower third

Archery Practice Tip 3: Get Higher

By GrowingDeer,

Many deer hunters hunt from an elevated blind or stand. It’s important to practice for those shot opportunities.

Standing at a higher elevation (even on top of a small hill in the yard) and shooting at a target lower in elevation can help you prepare for fall.

Archery Practice: shoot from an elevated position

 

Archery Practice Tip 2: Square Up to The Shot, Focus on the Waist Up

By GrowingDeer,

Hunters can’t always square up to the shot. Bow hunters should focus on the waist up and not the feet.

Practice keeping your shooting the form the same from the waist up, no matter your stance. You’ll be confident and accurate during many more shot opportunities this fall.

Archery tip: square up to the shot

  Category: Bow Hunting, Hunting Blog
  Comments: Comments Off on Archery Practice Tip 2: Square Up to The Shot, Focus on the Waist Up

Archery Tip: Aim for the Exit

By GrowingDeer,

Imagine the path of the arrow through the target. According to your position in relation to the target, shot placement will vary.

Practice aiming so the arrow enters and exits within the vitals.

Morrell target with vitals and arrow placement Morrell target with arrows showing exit direction

The Last Hunt – Episode #426

By GrowingDeer,

Watch GrowingDeer episode 426 now!New Video

Just before season closed, Daniel harvested one more doe from The Proving Grounds. See the entire hunt along with the lessons we learned this hunting season. Plus, Daniel helps two landowners improve the habitat and hunting at their property!

Click Here To Watch Now

 

Genesis no till drill

spring field days 2018:

GrowingDeer Field Days are back!! Visit The Proving Grounds March 23rd and 24th as Grant and Daniel share habitat management and hunting techniques. It will be an informative and fun-filled weekend with lots of information, food, fun and fellowship! There will be demonstrations on food plot methods and seed blends, blind placement, soil amendments, minerals for whitetails, turkey calling tips, and more!

 Register Now

Duke cage trap with opossum and raccoons

new weekly blog:

Trappers may not make much money but the benefits of trapping include removing predators and learning a lot about all critters. Find out why hunters will enjoy and benefit from trapping!

 

 

 

Read More

 

A hunter holds a Prime bow

Short VIDEO:

We love those “Prime” times while hunting. See some of our favorites.

 

 

 

Watch Now

 

Doing laundry with D Code

Tip of the Week:

A post season wash before storing your hunting clothes is a great start to next season’s scent control!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunting with colder weather and limited food – Episode #424

By GrowingDeer,

Watch GrowingDeer episode 424 now!New Video

It’s been cold throughout much of the whitetails’ range this past week! Watch as Daniel travels home to northern Missouri for a late season hunt. His hunting strategies change as he observes deer movement and encounters multiple bucks. Plus, see how planning for deer season early can pay off during the late season!

Click Here To Watch Now

 

Ground venison tacos

new weekly blog:

We have a new venison recipe to share! It’s taco night! See how to use ground venison for taco meat.

 

 

 

 

Read More

 

A buck walking through the forest

Short VIDEO:

Love hearing the crunch of leaves and a nearby grunt? You will love this clip!

 

 

 

Watch Now

 

 

Shed antler hidden under grass

Tip of the Week:

While shed hunting this winter, keep an eye out for old sheds that may have been covered by grass, limbs, or leaves during the past year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Category: Bow Hunting, Eblast Archives
  Comments: Comments Off on Hunting with colder weather and limited food – Episode #424

The Best Homecoming: Harvesting A Buck – Episode #417

By GrowingDeer,

New Video

Watch as the GrowingDeer Team harvests two bucks and three does! First up: Pro Staff member Heath Martin hunts “home ground” in western Arkansas where he tags the big “hard work pays off” buck! Then Raleigh returns home from college to hunt the opening morning of Missouri firearm season! Watch as Raleigh and Grant both punch tags…one is a fine Ozark Mountain buck!

Click Here To Watch Now

 

 

 

Marinated venison roast before and after cooking

new weekly blog:

Busy at work and slipping a hunt in when you can? Don’t let your busy schedule keep you from enjoying your recent harvest! Here is an easy recipe for a great marinated venison roast!

 

 

 

 

Read More

Use a sharp knife to process your venison

Tip of the Week:

Keeping your knives sharp (even replacement blades) makes cutting venison safer and quicker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kansas Buck And Doe Combo! – Episode #414

By GrowingDeer,

Watch episode 414 on growingdeer.comNew Video

Guess who is tagged out in Kansas? Lindsey Martin, that’s who! She and Heath recently laid down over 400 lbs of deer when hunting a cold front in Kansas. Watch their hunts plus see three generations of Woods try to fill the freezer at The Proving Grounds!

Click Here To Watch Now

Rylan White with his first buck everShort Clip:

Last year Rylan White tagged his first buck ever during Missouri’s youth season! You can watch his hunt here!

 

 

Watch Now

 

Rae Woods with her Caldwell practice targetnew weekly blog:

Taking a youth hunting is a great way to pass along the tradition of hunting! Find out how to make a youth hunt enjoyable and “successful”!

 

 

 

 

Read More

Blood splatter on a leaf

Tip of the Week:

When blood trailing, look for the direction that the blood splatters. The splatters indicate the direction the deer was headed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Mature Bucks Use The Wind

By GrowingDeer,

It’s November and that means the rut is right around the corner! Some hunters have already experienced great hunting during the pre-rut. If you haven’t punched your tag yet because of the heat or bucks not chasing, get ready. This time of year anything can happen.

Grant Woods with hit list buck Tall 8

Considering the wind is key to killing a mature buck.

Over the past week, I have watched two mature bucks be killed with a Prime bow. As I reflect on both hunts, I realize how different they were, even over a period of one week. One hunt was a single mature buck working through a small hidey hole food plot. The other was a buck trailing a soon to be receptive doe. The two hunts were different in many ways but there was a similar feature. Both mature bucks were moving with the wind in their favor.

During the first hunt, the mature buck was cutting across the wind. Upwind of the buck was a small thicket. (Receptive does often seek security in thick cover.) This buck was obviously using the wind to scent check the nearby thicket for a receptive doe and to warn him of danger up ahead.

The second hunt was one we all fantasize about! One doe, young bucks running all around, and the mature buck chasing them off with the occasional grunt and snort wheeze. As this all unfolded, I watched the doe and the mature buck use the wind. The mature buck and the young bucks were always downwind of the doe, waiting for the moment to move in. Even the doe cut across the wind aware of what was ahead; knowing any moment a buck was going to be chasing her forward.

These hunts are a reminder of how deer use the wind, especially mature bucks as they seek receptive does during the rut. If you want to be successful over the next few weeks, consider where the deer will be traveling and where the wind will be carrying scent.

The GrowingDeer Team hopes you have a blessed rut. Be safe and enjoy your time in the woods.

Enjoying Creation,

Daniel