HUNT EVERYTHING
Right now the 2018 harvest season looks like it is going to end sometime in 2020. This creates an obstacle for both hunting and scouting deer. Typically there are not a lot of deer to see until the crops get harvested, but this year there may be no other option but to hunt standing corn and beans. Here is a game plan for the 2018 week of the October lull and plenty of standing crops.
Continue reading “Strategies to Use When Crops are Still in the Field”
We will begin our 2018 season next week by hunting antelope in Wyoming. The temperatures were in the nineties this time last year. Running across the desert to get into position can leave you soaked in sweat and taking a fifty yard shot (if your lucky) can feel strange as your grip feels slippery and sweat rolls into your eyes. Here are a few tips for staying cool while hunting antelope. Continue reading “Hunting in the Heat”
Stuart recently bought a new bow and a new rest to go with it. The majority of hunter switch to a drop away rest as they progress through the sport. The accuracy of a well tuned drop away is superior to other rests, however this means the rest must have proper timing. Furthermore, many hunters are moving from string-driven rests to limb driven drop away rests. I do believe that the limb driven rest is better than a string driven option. When I switched over I noticed more consistency while practicing, however I also have caught the string while hunting a number of times. Depending on your style of hunting you have to find a balance in between having a rest that is reliable and a rest that is high performance.
Continue reading “How to Select a Drop-Away Rest for Your Style of Hunting”
Elk are America’s number one big game animal. For many it’s a dream to hunt them. However, for most it stays just that, a dream. The process of organizing a trip and deciding where to go intimidates many hunters to the point that they either give up or spend thousands of dollars hiring a guide service. At Iowa Slam we choose not to hire guides and instead pursue hunts that allow us to save money year in and year out. The process of harvesting an elk starts long before September. The first step is often the toughest and for elk hunting the first step is choosing a state. Continue reading “Choosing a State to Hunt Elk”
As summer approaches many people are heading West for vacation. If you are going to camp or hike in the west this summer consider bringing your bow with you. There are plenty of opportunities to learn something new and it may keep you sane during the long days with your family.
Continue reading “How to Improve as a Bowhunter While on Summer Vacation”
Stuart and I grew up hunting in Iowa. If we could get within bb gun range, we hunted it. We started with sparrows, then pigeons, rabbits, raccoons, and finally deer. As we progress as hunters we have started to add Western hunts to our plans. Last year Stuart and I each shot an antelope and plan to hunt elk as well this year. We believe that as an Iowa hunter you can still shoot an antelope, elk, and mule deer each year. Here is how we will approach the season.
Continue reading “How to Shoot an Elk, Mule deer, and Antelope Every Year While Living in Iowa”
A couple of years ago I went out to stalk deer with an experienced hunter. It was early summer in New Zealand, and we were in the southern region of the South Island hunting the Waikaia Reserve. The sun was setting at around 9pm. The reserve is beech forest bordered by grass. The fresh spring growth was drawing deer out at dawn and dusk. For the remainder of the day the deer would bed down in the beech. Our plan was to camp in the beech and stalk the edge of the grass in the evening. Continue reading “Lessons from New Zealand: Stalking Deer and Elk”
Turkey season is only a couple months away. One of the most important aspects of turkey hunting is your decoy set-up. If you set up in the right place with the right decoy combo positioned correctly you should only have to make a few clucks to fill your tag.
This past season I switched the sight on my bow from a five pin sight to a single pin HHA Optimizer lite. I also switched from a string driven QAD rest to a limb-driven Hamskea rest. I figured I would give it a go this season, and decide whether to switch back in January. I believe single pin sights can work well in Iowa for whitetail. And I am going to continue to use the Hamskea rest as well. Here are a few considerations, and the set-up, I have for the single pin sight and a limb driven drop away rest. Continue reading “Single Pin Sights and Limb-Driven Drop Away Rests”
