Scott Haugen doubles while hunting whitetails in Idaho. Positioned overlooking a rose hip-choked bench, it was obvious whitetails had been everywhere. Trails crisscrossed through and around the brush, and beaten paths led to and from the bordering stands of timber. We'd see a few does on that first evening of the hunt, and then a buck. It was only one buck, but I knew he was … [Read more...] about Idaho Whitetail Hunting, One Exciting Double
Western Whitetail
Hunting Trophy Whitetail, Top Reasons to Hope for Gigantic Bucks
A Guide for Hunting Trophy Whitetails “I think he’ll go 180 inches or better,” one of my hunting partners stated with a straight face. That’s all it took; he had my full attention. I trusted his judgment on the buck he’d seen in September and he rarely added invented points to a score, but what intrigued me even more was his description of the buck. “He’s a main frame … [Read more...] about Hunting Trophy Whitetail, Top Reasons to Hope for Gigantic Bucks
Early Season Whitetail Strategies
Early Season Whitetail Strategies by Patrick Meitin In much of "whitetaildom," October represents the launch of bowhunting festivities, “early season” from the perspective of the average eastern deer hunter. Early, within a western reference, means something else altogether, normally indicating the still-blazing months of a fledgling fall, beginning with the final days of … [Read more...] about Early Season Whitetail Strategies
Two Bucks for the Ladies
Two Bucks for the Ladies by Josh Epperson I have been a hardcore Coues whitetail hunter for as long as I can remember. When my wife became interested in hunting a couple of years ago, I was super-excited to say the least. I knew that having her hunt would allow the two of us to spend more quality time together, share new experiences and create lasting memories. On her first … [Read more...] about Two Bucks for the Ladies
Shooting On High
Shooting On High by Patrick Meitin Pope and Young records tell us the average “book” whitetail is taken at something like 21 yards. This is a range even the most indifferent archer or novice bowhunter would fail to find daunting. Nearly all such shots today come as a direct result of an elevated tree-stand vantage. Serious bowhunters spend long summers standing flat footed … [Read more...] about Shooting On High
Unit 29 Coues
Unit 29 Coues by Matt Brady In May of 2011, the Horseshoe 2 fire burned over 200,000 acres in the Chiricahua Mountains. I grew up hunting the Chiricahuas with my father, and both of my grandfathers, who took numerous deer there as well. I have been hunting Coues deer in unit 29 exclusively for the past five seasons. As I watched in horror as the Horseshoe 2 fire grew day by … [Read more...] about Unit 29 Coues
Three Loves
Three Loves by Kevin McNeil I have three loves in my life: 1) family, 2) waterfowl, and 3) big whitetail deer! Growing up in the province of Alberta, I have been fortunate to be around big whitetail bucks for most of my life. At an early age, I was bitten by the big whitetail bug. Of course, it's hard not to catch the "disease" living in the Peace River area of northern … [Read more...] about Three Loves
Her First Deer
Her First Deer by Katelyn Kayser Being the daughter of a TV host and hunting journalist means that there’s no escaping my dad’s love of the outdoors. Although I enjoy skating, drawing, horseback riding and a variety of other things, by the age of four, I was already trooping along with my father searching for antlers or waiting patiently while he called in a coyote. In the … [Read more...] about Her First Deer
Get Fit for Western Whitetails
Get Fit for Western Whitetails by Scott Haugen One of the biggest challenges hunters face out West is being in shape. To me it’s amazing how many camps I’ve been to throughout the West where tags go unfilled for the simple reason hunters aren’t in good enough physical or mental shape. Not all whitetail hunts out West take place on private farmlands or amid gentle river … [Read more...] about Get Fit for Western Whitetails
10 Practical Coues Hunting Tips to Become a Killer
10 Coues hunting tips to make you a better hunter. Recognized as a separate trophy category by record-keeping organizations such as Boone and Crockett, Pope and Young, and Safari Club International, the Coues whitetail is a highly sought-after trophy by many deer hunters each year. Top Coues Hunting Tips 1) Know Your Quarry, the Coues The Coues White-tailed deer is … [Read more...] about 10 Practical Coues Hunting Tips to Become a Killer