By TalkHunting Magazine   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

We are very proud of each issue of our magazine but without your comments, questions and suggestions, we cannot continue to improve each issue. What did you think? What did you like or dislike? What would you like for us to put in a future issue? These are all important questions and unlike most other magazines, we rely heavily on the input from our readers.

There are two main ways to make comments about the magazine and about each article. Here are some simple instructions on how to do so and we encourage you to take a few minutes and leave us your comments.

Comments on Individual Articles

Under each article is a “Please login to post your comments.” statement. You have to be a registered member of the magazine (free) but keep in mind this is not the same thing as being a registered member of the forum. If you are a registered member of the magazine, login and make a comment about that article. If you are not yet registered, please register as it only takes about a minute. Our writers are not paid anything for writing these articles and love to hear from our readers.

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We look forward to hearing from you and hope to continue improving this magazine for your reading entertainment.

By TalkHunting Magazine   Fri, Jul 30, 2010

Who Are We?

Basically, we are a hunting magazine and forum site with almost 7000 forum members & 19000 magazine subscribers from all over North America and we are still growing. We started this site in June of 2008 and have already grown so fast it is hard to keep up.

TalkHunting Magazine
Our magazine is 100% staffed by volunteers who just want to be involved in the outdoors and want to keep hunting in America not just a God given right but keep it growing as well. Our articles and blogs are submitted by our Pro Staff, Staff writers, Sponsors and even many members of the TalkHunting forum. If you have ever wanted to be an outdoor writer, this may be your chance. Our magazine has grown in leaps and bounds with writers from all over the country submitting articles while still allowing the "Regular Joe" to submit one as well.

We publish educational and informative articles and blogs to help improve your hunting experiences. Our Pro Staff have a wide range of hunting skills and experiences and will share them with you here at TalkHunting Magazine. We also do product reviews, outdoor show reviews and reviews on anything outdoor related that we think might benefit you.

TalkHunting Forum
The TalkHunting forum (www.talkhuntin.com) is really the heart of our website. Here you can read and interact with other hunters from all over the country. We are a 100% family friendly site and do not allow ANY bad language, fighting, cliques, product bashing, sexual overtones or many of the other things that plague almost every other forum site. We have an absolute zero tolerance policy for those kinds of things. We tell our moderators that my Pastor's 13 year old daughter is a member at TalkHunting and nothing better get by them that will offend her in any way. This gives us a clean and friendly place to share ideas, stories, photos, experiences, recipes and many other things like swap hunts and enter contests. We call it our virtual hunting camp.

By TalkHunting Magazine   Fri, Jul 30, 2010

There are two parts of our website, the magazine (where you are now) and the forum. Both are free but both have different functions, things to do and different registrations.

TalkHunting Magazine
The TalkHunting magazine (www.talkhunting.com) is a free publication that is published 6 times a year. That doesn’t mean that content wont change on a regular basis because there is a constant influx of new articles, blogs and news. The magazine is free but does require registration to be able to submit articles for consideration in the magazine, to add comments to articles or blogs and a few other “Member Only” items that require registration. We welcome all article submissions but you must be a member to do so. This registration is completely different and separate from the forum registration. Your username and password for the forum will not work at the magazine. You can register for the magazine by clicking here.

Registering allows you to:

• See articles not allowed to guests
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• Add your company to our directory

TalkHunting Forum
The TalkHunting forum (www.talkhuntin.com) is really the heart of our website. Here you can read and interact with other hunters from all over the country. The forum is free but does require you to register if you want to post any new topics, reply to topics, or be qualified to win prizes in our monthly drawings. Also, if you are not registered, you wont be able to access all areas that are open to registered members. This registration is completely different and separate from the magazine registration. Your username and password for the magazine will not work at the forum.  You can register for the forum by clicking here.

Registering allows you to:

• Be eligible for the monthly prize drawings
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• See parts of the forum blocked to guests
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So, as you can see, registering for the magazine and the forum is easy, free and gives you a lot of benefits... So what are you waiting for?

By Luanne Bragg   Wed, Feb 01, 2012

With all of the new products on the market, price still makes a difference to many hunters. Most need ways to make their equipment last longer or work more efficiently or make things easier. Here are a few products that I ran across at the Archery Trade Association show that may help you with one of these things.

ARROWMAT

These are self healing target faces for you Archery targets (cubes, blocks, etc). These mats attach to the surface of your existing targets to add life to the surface by helping redistribute the areas you are shooting. The standard size of 17” x 17” will cover the surface of most block or cubes targets. And they retail for $19.95. Also available to cover your larger bag targets is a 34” x 34” version. I saw them, they work and it will take a long time to wear these out! www.arrowmat.com .

HOTCAN

This is an interesting way to take hot soup, coffee or tea to the tree stand with you without any mess or fuss. These cans take up very little room in your back pack. Inside the can is a heating unit that is activated by turning the can upside-down, pushing on the bottom of the can to release the heating elements that are contained within an unbreakable tube in the center of the can. After 3 minutes your hot drink or soup is ready to eat. These products retail from $2.99 to $4.99. This is something new that will make your time in the tree stand a little warmer from the inside. www.hot-can.com.

CAMO FX

One of the easiest ways to put on face paint that is on the market that I have seen, for those of you who do not want to wear a face mask. This product comes in an applicator case on the line of a deodorant stick. You apply the product and reseal the tube. When you are done for the day, all you need is a dry cloth to wipe it off. The dispenser holds a three color combination to mach most camo patterns on the market (AP HD, APG HD, Lost, Mossy Oak, Duck Blind, Brake up Infinity and ground blind shades of black). These products are completely scent free and hypoallergentic. This product retails for $7.99 to $9.99 and there are hundreds of applications per small tube. AND, if you like to support your favorite sports teams with a little face paint, Game Face is also available in all major sports teams colors. www.camofxnation.com .

FIREBUGS TRAIL LIGHTS

These trail lights are completely weatherproof and use LED green lights that can be seen in most conditions will not spook colorblind game. The tiny 1” x 1” housing can be pinned or clipped to a tree branch or the base rung of the ladder to your tree stand. They come on at dark and go off at dawn and with a battery life of two weeks if in constant use, they can be left on the trail or stand for as long as needed. The batteries are quick and easy to change if you want to leave them up all season long. Suggested retail price for a package of 6 lights, 12 batteries and 6 tree clips is $29.95. Mark every stand; mark your trail or just the tree you want to use your climber on. You can save time and not have to take out your flashlight to enter or leave the woods. www.firebugslights.com .

By Dennis Parker   Mon, Jan 30, 2012

Back a few months ago I wrote a feature on a new Company, Tree Line Treestands, maker of the Vine™ climbing sticks and the TreeHugger™ Lock-on stands. Just when you thought a product line could not get any better, Tree Line Treestands has come out with a Vine Ladder stand™ which is new for 2012. Tree Line Treestands are 100% made in the USA and you while you might find a cheaper made stand, you will not find a better-made stand. What appears in the attached photo is a straight up ladder and the production model will have a 10-degree slant to be released soon.

Features:

Treeline’s new and unique vine ladder sections for maximum concealment.

Treeline’s Canopy Seclusion design™ minimizes straight lines.

Built-in footrest

Padded Armrest

Adjustable padded shooting rail

Large Texiline seat and backrest

Power coated finish

Steel-welded construction

Easy assembly unlike foreign made stands

Specifications:

Two Sizes 20’ and 14.5’

20’ to shooting rail.

24”W X 25.5”L huge platform

18”WX16”L seat and back rest

20” Seat height

Stand weight: 20’= 95 lbs 14.5’= 77 lbs

Weight capacity: 300 lbs

Retails $399.00 (20’) and $350.00 (14.5’)

TreeLine Treestands, LLC
3510 Central PKWY. S.W.
Decatur, AL 35603 256-616-8756

www.treelinestands.com

By Dennis Parker   Mon, Jan 30, 2012

When I first saw the announcement of the ThermaCELL® Heated Insoles a few months ago I went immediately to find out how much they cost. The $129.00 retail price turned me off without really looking at the product. As a big user of the ThermaCELL® Repellent for Mosquitoes product in the south, I decided to take a second look at the ThermaCELL® Heated Insoles at the ATA Booth for ThermaCELL® .

After receiving an expert demo my mind has changed and I will be buying a pair even though they are not needed in the south, but are they? I can remember hunting in temperatures near zero and the Chemical insoles getting my feet to sweat then and as the chemical insoles worn off, my hunt was over as my feet got unbearable cold.

I will not go into detail, but I will let you check out the website link to the ThermaCELL® Heated Insoles.

http://www.thermacell.com/heated-insoles-foot-warmers

By Dennis Parker   Sun, Jan 29, 2012

While walking around ATA trying to quickly gather ideals on new and innovative products, you find out in a hurry who has a passion about their products. The first product that caught my eye and the reason I stopped to look was a recent interest at TalkHunting.com forum about Deer Carts. Stand N’ Carry Products has a neat product call the Sportsman Cart that is a complete hunting system that can carry all your gear to your favorite hunting spot then transform into a elevated hunting blind in about 15 minutes.

What I liked about the Sportsman Stand N’ Carry cart was the quality craftsmanship put into this product by hard working Americans like Roger Burton and John Hendrickson.

The ideal came about after search for a portable elevated blind on the market and the search resulted nothing. Now you can be mobile in hunting and if need be haul that trophy buck out of the woods. In the off-season with optional attachments, you can turn it into a utility cart to work around the home or hunting camp. The Stand N’ Carry comes in 2 platform sizes 39x39 single retails around $1,100 and 48x48 companion unit retails around $1,200 the weather resident enclosure add around $300 to each stand.

I am a big supporter of disabled Veterans so the other item by Staqnd N' Carry Products that impressed me was the Stand N’ Carry Challenger that starts out as a 5x5 foot ground blind that can be purchased with or without the wheelchair ramp. Add the wheel kit you can move the challenger into position for easy setup. Slip in the 3x5 addition and the ramp to turn the challenger into a 5x8 wheelchair accessible hunting cabin large enough for 2 or 3.

The Challenger retails for $2,600 and the optional wheel kit $185, You would only need one wheel kit to move multiple units into place or add wheel kits and pull all units like a train to the field. For more information contact Stand N’ Carry Products, R&J Corner Stores, 1539 105^th st NW, Rice MN 56367 Phone 320-260-7002 www.standncarry.com

By Dennis Parker   Sun, Jan 29, 2012

This time last year at ATA, Moultrie introduced a new mini line of cameras, Moultrie M80 and M100, which has turned out to be a big hit at Moultrie. This year in time for the ATA, Moultrie has listened to the public and has added to the line of the M-80 with a Black Flash Technology model called the M80-BLK. As the owner of several Moultrie M80’s I am excited and I know many members at TalkHunting.com are also. It is able to take Game pictures without being detected by people who might steal your cameras if they spot the red glow and pulse of normal Infrared Cameras. With Black Flash Technology, the M-80 Black emits no visible LED light, allowing for ultimate concealment in the woods. The M-80 Black easily doubles as a security camera for your cabin, home, or hunting property! Even with concealed LEDs, this 5.0 megapixel camera doesn’t compromise nighttime range with lighting in the field out to 50-feet. Other exciting new features found in the M-80 Black include the New Fast Fire Continuous Shooting Mode, which will capture up to 3 images per second! And the New Plot Stalker Hybrid Mode captures images at preset intervals, PLUS images triggered by game!

MFH-DGSMFH-DGS-M80-BLX 
 

• No visible LED light for ultimate concealment
• Night range up to 50-ft
• 3 operational modes
  - IR triggered game camera
  - Hybrid time-lapse plot camera*
  - Plot camera* by day, infrared camera at night
• Up to 1-year battery life
• 16:9 widescreen images and videos provide a wider field of view than other cameras
• New FastFire Continuous Shooting Mode captures up to 3 pictures per second
• Picture delay – 5/15/30 seconds, 1-60 minutes
• Temperature, moon phase, time, date and camera ID stamp
• Records video with sound
• Battery life calculator
• External power port for optional Moultrie PowerPanel
• SD memory card slot - up to 32GB (SD card required for operation, card not included)
• Operates on AA batteries (4 or 8) batteries not included
• Includes USB cable, mounting strap, and Plot Stalker software CD

NEW Moultrie® Game Spy® M-80 Black Mini 5.0 Megapixel Digital Game Camera

http://www.moultriefeeders.com/

By Dennis Parker   Sun, Jan 29, 2012

I have been searching for a functional ground blind chair for a long time to take to my many ground blinds at my hunting lease and may have found it in S4Gear’s Freestyle720 chair. The chair can quietly move you around in the ground blind to take that perfect shot. Freestyle720 retails for $139.00 and optional seat back for $49.00.

Freestyle720 Features

:: Window to Window Technology allows a full 720-degree rotation to make your shot with proper form - at any angle - while remaining seated.

:: Silent Operation actually enhances the hunting experience by ensuring no game-spooking noises.

:: Portable Design for easy transport to and from your ground blind.

:: Coaxial Bearing System distributes the cantilevered load between four bearings, allowing for smooth and silent rotation and translation for the life of the product.

:: Patent Pending Cam-Over Latch Technology for full silent deployment in less than 20 seconds. Even in the dark.

:: Oversized Feet on the bottom of the tripod are designed for four-season versatility and stability on virtually any terrain. No more sinking in the spring turkey mud.

:: Independent Telescoping Legs for maximum stability on uneven terrain.

:: Closed Cell Molded Foam seat maximizes comfort while minimizing heat and sweat build up, inevitable from sitting in a hot blind all day.

The Freestyle720 is designed for persons weighing up to 250 pounds.

For More info on the Freestyle720 www.s4gear.com/products/freestyle720

By Luanne Bragg   Mon, Jan 23, 2012

The SideKick is available in a buffered pink camo version for the ladies or in green based camo pattern. This bow has an expandable option whereas if you purchase the bow with a 20 – 40 pound draw weight range. When you are ready to move up you take the bow to your local Parker Bow Dealer or return it to Parker and for a small fee ($50.00) they will change out the limbs to 40 – 60 pound range. Included with this parallel limb design basic bow is a string suppressor, integrated sling, and 2 piece walnut finish grip.

Outfitter Package Accessories

* 3 Pin Fiber Optic Sight (all-metal round sight guard)
* Matching 4 arrow Quick Detach Quiver
* Choice of Whisker Basket or Hostage Arrow Rest
* Peep Sight and tubing

Specifications

Riser: The machined aluminum riser has 12 vented holes to reduce mass weight, String Suppressor to dampen any residual vibration or noise and the integrated braided twist sling for added security.

Limbs: Extreme parallel limb design like the bigger framed bows, but has the convenience of offering a full ten inches of draw length adjustment without the aid of a bow press. Only an Allen Key is required to change draw lengths from 18 – 28 inches with half inch increments.

Draw Weight: 20-40 lbs changeable to 40-60 lbs

Draw Lengths: 18” – 28” (with ½” post)

Brace Height: 7.625”

Camo Pattern: Buffered pink or green

Axle-to-Axle: 31”

Let-Off: 80%

Mass Weight: 3.25 lbs

String: Tri-Color

IBO*: 270 to 305 fps

*calculated Equivalent IBO Speed assuming maximum poundage and draw length.

The Manufactures Suggested Retail Price for the Bow only is $299.95 and the Outfitter Package will retail for $349.95.

This bow was initially designed for the older Youth and Ladies use but 89% of the sales of this bow are to the ladies. This is an affordable way to start your adventure archery. Parker Bows are known for their sturdy serviceable bows and the Parker lifetime warranty is second to none.

SEE YOU LOCAL PARKER DEALER FOR Availability!!

www.parkerbows.com Proudly manufactured in the Commonwealth of Virginia USA.

By Luanne Bragg   Mon, Jan 23, 2012

Founder and CEO, Kristie Pike, is another lady who got tired of making men’s hunting clothes work for her. She was finding that the many items labeled for ladies were just trimmed down men’s clothes and they were still bulky in the wrong places. She set out to design outdoor and hunting apparel for use by women who were in the outdoors every day and needed performance and tailoring just for them.

She and her staff choose quality fabrics to ensure the long life of an item. She is using the most Hi-Tec fabrics available in her clothing for scent reductions and thermoregulation and strives to keep any bulkiness out of the design.

New for this year, the company has introduced the “Intuition System”. Prois is the first company to license the use of HECS (Hecs Steathscreen, a trademarked product) which is a revolutionary new material made of conductive carbon fiber that reduces the body’s electric signal. HECS (Human Energy Concealment Systems) material is also engineered with a high carbon content, which may also aid in scent elimination from the core of the body. The suggested retail price for this base scent control layer is competitive with other scent control base layers on the market with a top retailing for $79.95 and suggested retail price on the bottoms also being $79.95.

Prois has also introduced this year new layering long and short sleeve t-shirts, insulated boot socks (MSRP $41.00 for short sleeve and $49.99 for long).

Now ladies, if you hunt, you will like the Prois line. This company of ladies offers you a way to sell their products and receive deep discounts on these products. You can have HUNTING PARTIES. This programs works in a similar way to most other home product parties but you get rewarded with hunting gear and deep discounts for your sales. For more information on this aspect of Prois and all outdoor apparel they have to offer see their web site. www.proishunting.com

By Luanne Bragg   Thu, Jan 19, 2012

Like many women, Michelle Wales, got started in the sport through her then boyfriend and now husband, Scott. She was actually in the shower when she came up with the idea to create a line of scent free product for the huntress and she was going to call the line “Just for Does”.

Just for Does is a full line of scent free grooming products for ladies, and no gentlemen, we do not smell like you do and we have our own needs as to what we want scent free products to do for us. All the other scent free products work fine but they do not remove all the scents that a woman uses in her daily routine.

Personally I have been using these products for well over a week as I write this article and the body wash does remove the scent left behind by my perfume (I have not always been pleased with the ability of other scent free/controlling body wash products in removing ladies perfume residue odor) and it does not dry out my skin. The shampoo and conditioner removed the odor left behind from coloring my hair with the first wash. These products are comparable in quality to any salon products you buy to care for your hair and can be used in your daily care regiment. I then decided to try the body lotion after I received a manicure and had new polish on my nails. The body/hand lotion removed the fresh small of nail polish. The chap stick works just as it should and is truly scent free.

You can find these products at www.justfordoes.com and guys do not feel left out there is a scent free line just for you called, of course, Just for Bucks.

Suggested Retail price for an 8 fluid ounce bottle of body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion are $12.00 each, the chap stick averages $4.00 each.

Other products are in development.

By Denny Chambers   Thu, Jan 19, 2012

Cross Archery is a new crossbow venture from Synergy Outdoors. Cross Archery crossbows will be geared toward archery dealers only, so don't expect to see them at your local big box hunting stores. Cross Archery plans to debut in May of 2012, with two new crossbows: the Hero and the DOA.

Hero

The Hero is design for the hunter who demands comfort, performance, and efficiency. For comfort, the Hero's features an adjustable butt stock and cheek plate to allow the crossbow to be fitted to each individual shooter. For performance, the Hero is built on a GAM^TM (Gas Assisted Molded) composite stock for lighter weight. The Hero also uses Cross's new Anti Dry Fire trigger, factory set for 3.5 lbs. The Hero has a 160 lbs draw weight, 15.5" power stroke, and can sling bolts at 350 feet per second. The Hero is outfitted with Cross's CrossWire string and cable system for quieter, smoother shots, and extended string life. For efficiency, the Hero has a patented quick detach front end, which allows the crossbow to be broken down with the push of a button, this allows it to be carried in smaller cases and for easier storage. The Hero comes packaged with a quiver, 3 bolts, a rope cocking device, illuminated scope, and a sling. The Hero is available in both carbon and Realtree AGP.

DOA

The DOA crossbow is built for pure performance. With it's 16" power stroke and 185 lbs draw weight, the DOA zings bolts at 385 feet per second. The DOA uses a shoot through foot stirrup riser, made with ultra lite CarbonLite technology, which removes 43% of the up front weight. This gives the DOA better balance and center of gravity. The DOA is also outfitted with Cross's new Anti Dry Fire trigger set at 3.5 lbs, as well as Cross's CrossWire string and cable. The DOA comes packaged with a quiver, 3 bolts, a rope cocking device, illuminated scope, and a sling. The DOA is available in both carbon and Realtree AGP.

For more information on Cross Archery products see http://www.crossarchery.com

By Denny Chambers   Thu, Jan 19, 2012

Antler Shed hunting has become a popular activity after deer season has ended. Finding shed antlers can tell us a lot about our property that we hunt. It can tell us which deer survived the season, as well as what area a deer may be in. We may also be surprised to find antlers from deer when didn't even knew existed on our property.

Getting a group of hunters together and walking through the woods keeping a careful eye out for antlers may produce some good results, but nothing can beat a dog's nose in finding an item in thick grass and brush. For this reason more hunters are now turning to their best friends for help in finding antler sheds. Dogs can cover more ground and be more thorough in their search than humans can. To assist hunters in the task of training their dogs for shed hunting, Jeremy Moore of Moore Outdoors has put together the Dog Bone Shed Retrieval System to allow others to train they dogs in the art of shed hunting and retrieval. The Dog Bone Shed Retrieval System comes with a soft rubber antler, 2 oz. of antler scent and a training manual.

The training antler is made of the same soft rubber that is used in other retrieval training dummies. This soft antler introduces the dog to the shape of an antler, without the sharp, hard points of a real antler. This is especially important for a new puppy who is learning to hunt sheds, since a real antler could injure the puppy giving them a bad experience which may set them back in their training. The rubber training antler also floats, so it can be used as toy during the hot summer months, while at the river or lake. The Dog Bone Antler is available in both white and brown.

Once the dog becomes familiar with the antler's shape, and basic retrieval of the antler, then the dog is ready to start associating scent with the antler. The 2 oz. bottle of Antler scent is actually made from pulverized antler to mimic the scent of real antlers. This scent can be added to the rubber training antler or to real antlers to enhance their scent. The scent can even be used on the dogs favorite ball or toy, which you can hide to help teach the dog to use their nose to hunt and find items associate with the antler scent.

To tie all these training tools together is a training manual to help you step by step in the process of training your dog in the art of finding and retrieving sheds. Before you know it, you and your dog will be out in the field finding real antler sheds while becoming better informed about the deer still on your property for the upcoming deer season.

To find out more about the Dog Bone Antler Retrieval System, go to http://www.mooreoutdoors.net

By Denny Chambers   Wed, Jan 18, 2012

X-Stand presented two new products for introduction at ATA this year. The first new product is a variant to the original light weight X-Stand X-1 climbing treestand. The original X-1 treestand was designed to allow you to support your weight with your arms on the top half of the treestand while lifting the bottom half of the treestand with your feet. This year, X-Stand introduces their new X-Stand Sit and Climb treestand. The Sit and Climb treestand now allows you to support your weight while climbing, by sitting on a fold away bar attached to the top half of the treestand while you lift the bottom half of the treestand with your feet. Like the X-1, the Sit and Climb treestand is a very light weight stand, weighing in at only 12.5 lbs. Also like the X-1, the Sit and Climb treestand comes standard with backpack straps and a safety harness.

Also new from X-Stand this year is the new X-Blind ground blind. This multi use blind is 79" long, 51" wide, and up to 75" tall, making it big enough for multiple hunters to sit comfortably in. This will make it easy for you and a buddy to sit together while filming a hunt. The X-Blind is also big enough to conceal a full size ATV and is wheelchair friendly. The X-Blind has adjustable support poles and multiple bottom anchoring points so that you can adjust just how high you want the blind. And leave it to X-Stand to also make this a light weight blind, at just 12 pounds making it easier to pack this blind in and out of the woods in it's easy carry bag. The windows in the X-Blind are elongated making them perfect for bow hunting out of. The window flaps use magnets making them quiet to secure open and closed. The X-Blind comes with a camouflage exterior and a black interior for ultimate concealment.

To read more about X-Stand products see http://www.x-stand.com

By Denny Chambers   Wed, Jan 18, 2012

The idea behind MOR Archery Targets came to owner Tim Yaroch, after attending an archery shoot with his son's Cub Scout pack. Some of the kids in the pack were not allowed to participate in the archery competition due to their parents concern over safety while shooting the bows. Seeing this, Tim set out to design an archery target that would reduce the risk of injury while shooting bows. The MOR targets accomplish this higher level of safety by removing two factors that can cause injury while shooting. The first factor the MOR non-penetrating targets remove, is the need for any type of sharp broadhead or field point. With the MOR Archery targets the field tip is replaced by a 100 grain blunt, padded arrow tip. The blunt arrow tips are designed to be shot at the MOR Target screens, which is made from heavy duty canvas type material. These target screen can withstand arrow shots at up to 360 feet per second, which allow the targets to be used by both kids and adults.

The second safety concern that is removed by the MOR targets is the need to pull arrows after shooting. Tim found that often kids were injuring themselves and others while trying to pull arrows loose from conventional archery targets. With the MOR archery targets, the arrows hit the heavy duty target screens, which absorbs the energy from the arrow, allowing it to fall safely to the ground. Since nothing penetrates the target, this allows the targets to last through thousands of arrow shots.

With the arrows falling to the ground upon impact, one may wonder how you would know exactly where your arrow hit the target? With higher poundage bows, the blunt tips will actually leave an impression in the target screen at the point of impact, so that you can see where your arrow struck the target. The target screen are self healing, and the impressions left by the arrows are only temporary. For lower poundage bows, or while shooting with a group of people, the MOR Archery Target System provides four different color chalks that you can dip the blunt arrow tips in, which will leave a chalk mark at the point of impact when the arrow strikes the target screen.

MOR Archery Target System includes a heavy duty carrying bag, a collapsible target screen frame, a reversible target screen, twelve blunt arrow tips, and 4 chalk colors. The target screens are reversible and the standard screen provides nine target squares on one side for games of skill, while providing whitetail vitals on the reverse side. MOR also offers an addition reversible screen which can be purchased separately, that provides the nine target squares on one side and a 80cm FITA (International Archery Federation) target on the reverse side.

For more information on MOR Archery Targets see http://www.morarcherytargets.com

By Brent Sawyer   Mon, Jan 16, 2012

I discovered Rak-Atak during the Louisiana Sportsman show in 2011. With my business, Sawyer Consulting LLC, I was searching hard for a supplemental feed that could provide the nutrients and minerals that our deer were lacking. In the midst of a heavy drought in the gulf region, specifically the piney woods of Southeast Louisiana, was deficient of the high quality forage that is normally prevalent in wetlands and low-lying regions of the south. Creeks and sloughs were dry and the succulent plant life stunted and withered. I remember walking through woods that are normally thick with undergrowth and reaching up my hand to measure the browse line. Local deer were eating anything they could reach, most of it last resort forage. As March rolled in, I began to worry that the various herds in my care would suffer as does carried their young to term and then began lactation. With insufficient nutrition, the new generation would begin stressed in its struggle for survival. I needed a solution.

In my researching, I learned of several options in supplemental feeding and minerals for whitetail deer. Some of them were originally designed for equestrian or cattle use, but had either been adapted for deer or repackaged to appeal to hunters. A few others were actually designed for whitetail deer specifically. I had a couple of concerns as I learned more about the various feeds. First, the ingredients, I noticed high percentages of salt becoming a common occurrence in the products being sold as deer attractants and also in some supplement feeds. I did not want to provide a feed with a high salt content. Unlike cattle and common thinking, deer don't need a lot of salt. I also wanted a product that was comprised mainly of natural ingredients. I didn't like the idea of a pellet or powder that was largely manufactured. I, and many of my clients, love hunting and eating venison because of the purity of the meat. Adding manufactured products seamed to go against that way of thinking. Lastly, deer need certain minerals like magnesium, zinc and selenium in small quantities. Though these ingredients are measured in parts-per-million, they are very important for growth and development. Many products lack these ingredients as well as certain vitamins.

My second concern was the ease and practicality of obtaining the feed and distributing the feed. Almost all of the products that I found recommended that corn be added to the protein feed in order to attract deer to it. I didn't really want to have to feed corn. Corn holds very little nutrients for whitetail deer and though effective in luring deer into gun range, has no real value from a management perspective. I wanted a product that deer would eat willingly throughout the year. It also needed to be in a form that I could distribute. Here in the Gulf South, broadcast feeders are used most often, though some trough feeders are used as well as pouring feed on the ground.

The final consideration was cost. An unaffordable product fell of the list, Period. Though herd management is EXTREMELY important, hunting is a hobby for most people. If I couldn't find a supplemental feed that my clients could afford, than it didn't matter what was in it and who cares what it looked like. Hobbies are paid for with play money. People don't use bill money to fund their hobbies.

When I turned the corner to start down the next isle and saw the Rak-Atak booth, I was immediately interested, though skeptical. I'd heard the sales pitch of too many overly-exaggerated products too get excited before I saw the ingredients and the bill. I let the guys show me the literature and give me the spill and then I started asking questions. When I asked about zinc and selenium the gentleman's eyes actually twinkled. Seriously, not kidding. He smiled and showed me the Analysis (ingredient list). It seemed as though he was excited to talk to someone that knew what he was talking about. Rak-Atak is made from harvested grains, Plant-based protein, and minerals. (Not manufactured-check) Here is the Analysis:

Crude Protein - 16.00% minimum

Crude Fat - 4.90% minimum

Crude Fiber - 16.00% maximum

Calcium (Ca) - 0.78% minimum / 0.88% maximum

Phosphorus (P) - 0.55% minimum

Salt (Na) - 0.45% minimum / 0.55% maximum

Magnesium (Mg) - 0.27% minimum

Potassium (K) - 0.73% minimum

Ash - 6.28% minimum

Manganese (Mn) - 0.97 ppm minimum

Selenium (Se) - 0.74 ppm minimum

Zinc (Zn) - 102.35 ppm minimum

Vitamin A, Added - 8.19 IU/lb minimum

Vitamin D3, Added - 0.55 IU/lb minimum

Vitamin E, Added - 2.73 IU/lb minimum

Notice that the salt content is less than 0.55%. I like this. In fact , I like the Analysis of Rak-Atak very much. I was intrigued last March and wanted to see how the deer would judge the product.

Rak-Atak offers several products: Wide Spread Feed, the supplement feed/attractant; Main Beam Molasses Block Heavy Molasses Pour; High Rack Deer Mineral, a mineral supplement; Double Drop Protein, a compressed block of the Wide Spread Feed; and Shooter Buck Corn. The Wide Spread Feed is the product I was most interested in. It comes in a pelletized form or in a granular form. I purchased a ton of each. As I mention above, price was very important. This summer, because of drought, flood, and a few other crazy and uncontrollable factors, corn was VERY expensive. We were paying $10 to $12 per bag for feed corn. Rak-Atak sells for $10-$12 per bag, depending on the form and the time of the season. I was able to save quite a bit of money by buying such a large quantity. Every sale is different, time of year, weather conditions, economic conditions, supply and demand all factor in to determine price and availability. Talk with your supplier or call Rak-Atak directly to determine your costs.

In our case, we (I and my clients) decided we would rather pay $10 for a supplemental protein feed before we payed $10 for corn. We began feeding during the summer to supply bucks with the protein and minerals needed for antler growth, does with the vitamins and minerals needed during pregnancy and lactation and for the extra boost to young fawns. Also, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the whole herd needed the supplemental feed to survive the droughty conditions.

I distributed the Rak-Atak Wide Spread feed in three ways: on the ground (granular), From a broadcast feeder and from a gravity fed feeder. The granular feed on the ground was the most successful, by far. Deer seemed to prefer the granular to the pelletized, even if I put pellets on the ground beside the granules, the deer frequented the granular Rak-Atak more often. I discovered two issues to consider when pouring granular Rak-Atak on the ground. One, the deer hit it FAST! I couldn't afford to keep the feed out as fast as the deer would eat it. I kept a camera on the feed site. I have pictures of me pouring out 80 pounds of granular feed at noon one day and approximately 50 minutes later there were three deer feeding at the sight. In the middle of the day. That 80 pounds lasted two days.

My second issue to familiarize you with when using the granular form of Rak-Atak is the need to keep it dry. When expecting rain, don't pour two bags of feed on the ground. If you were to pour any, I would keep it to a few handfulls. Moisure can cause the feed to sour and rot if left too long. With grain feeds, you should expect this.

I learned that when distributing the pellets through a broadcast spreader, here in the deep south the high humidity can sometimes cause swelling of the pellets which will clog the feeder. To fix this I cut off the bottom half inch of the funnel cone and the problem was solved. This form of distribution was the most cost effective. I was able to ration the quantities of feed that were consumed and thus making sure the feed I purchased (on a budget) lasted the allotted time I had planned for it. Mixing some corn in with it also extended the life of the supply as well as increased ease of broadcasting from the feeder.

The gravity feeder was my favorite form of distribution for the pelletized Rak-Atak. I must inform you, though, that the type of feeder makes a difference. The cheaper gravity feeders that allow the feed to fall down through the legs to horizontal trays do not work well. They allow too much moisture to permeate the Rak-Atak and it will swell and clog. I had great experiences with feeders that had four inch pipe extending down from the hopper. These feeders did not have a horizontal tray at the bottom, but a sloped tray that water could drain from. The trays were also underneath the hopper which helped protect the feed from rain.

I wasn't able to make the ATA show but I asked those that did to stop by the Rak-Atak booth and say hello. I wasn't suprised to hear that the booth looked great and the guys were friendly to the Talkhunting ProStaff. In less than two years the Rak-Atak name grew from a regionally known product to one that is known and used acrosss the nation.

I recommend Rak-Atak to all of my clients and now to all of you, my readers and friends. This product has proven it's worth to me. Pictures show vast improvement in growth and development of bucks and fawns. The deer on properties receiving Rak-Atak are larger and healthier than deer caught on camera or harvested on surrounding properties. My clients are claiming more deer sightings this year than any other in the last several years (me too). Though other factors are contributing to this: year round food plots (WINA) and mineral supplements, Rak-Atak plays a major role in the improvement.

Visit Rak-Atak at www.rak-atak.com and read more about Rak-Atak and the great products they provide. You won't be disappointed.

By Robert Householder   Sun, Feb 05, 2012

ATA 2012  Columbus, Ohio
What can I say about the ATA show? This show is the most difficult show to describe as it is the only one of its kind. Take the biggest outdoor show you have ever attended and double it in size. Or maybe even triple or quadruple it! This show is huge! And while most shows limit their vendors to one or two 10’ X 10’ booths, most of the vendors at ATA have gigantic booths! Many as big as 50’ X 50’ or larger! 300,000 square feet of floor space and over 500 vendors make this the show of all shows.

What’s the difference between ATA and other outdoor shows? At a regular outdoor show, the major vendors and manufacturers are manned by hired help or people that work for that company. At ATA, the booths are staffed by their executives. Presidents, vice presidents and CEOs are all in attendance at their booths and they are there to talk with you about their products.

Hunting celebrities? Most outdoor shows have a few celebs setup to make an appearance or sign autographs. At the ATA show, they are all there and I do mean all! If they are on TV, they are at ATA. You see them walking around, signing autographs, getting their picture taken and just mingling with the people attending the show.

The ATA is also the place to get a sneak peak before products hit the shelves. Outdoor companies wait until ATA to unveil their newest and greatest products. You will, find the latest gear and equipment and let their experts answer your questions. Because product sales are not a primary function at ATA, the vendors have all the time in the world to talk to you about their products.

Walking around this show is exhilarating and exhausting. It literally takes 2 days just to take a peek at every booth and as a hunter, it is impossible to get to talk with everyone I would like to talk with. When you walk in, it takes your breath away.

Now, have I made you think you would like to attend this show? Well, don’t get your hopes up. This show is not open to the general public. This show is for vendors to display their products, buyers to make deals for the upcoming year and for press (that’s us) to cover the event. It is “By invitation only” and not easy to get invited. This is also one of the things that makes this show so fun to attend. No big crowds! You don’t have to fight your way from booth to booth and the staff at the booths have time to talk with you.

I attend a lot of outdoors shows but there is nothing like the ATA. I look forward to attending each and every year and am already counting down the days to next years show in Kentucky.

By the way... Did I mention we get to shoot all of the bows? Well, that was just icing on the cake...

By Robert Householder   Sun, Feb 05, 2012

Of course, the first booth we visited at the ATA show was our great friends at The Whitetail Institute of North America. These guys are top notch producers of whitetail food plot and nutritional products and are always looking for a way to help us produce trophy bucks.

Two new products on the Whitetail Institute scene are “BowStand” and “Edge”.

Imperial Whitetail Edge

The Whitetail Institute of North America has released a new perennial forage mixture that combines heat tolerance, drought tolerance, winter hardiness in a single mix that deer absolutely devour.  New for 2012, Imperial Whitetail Edge is the latest addition to the Whitetail Institute’s industry-leading line of forage products for deer. Edge is the result of five years of the same scientific research, development and real-world testing process that make Whitetail Institute forage products the gold standard of the industry. That means you can rest assured that Edge will perform well in a variety of climates ranging from Florida to Canada, and attract deer like a magnet.

The Whitetail Institute’s research, development and testing process are entirely goal-oriented. That goal is product quality and high performance in a wide range of categories that include:  early seedling vigor, rapid stand establishment, drought- and heat-tolerance, disease resistance, persistence, nutritional content and, of course, attractiveness to whitetails. Over the five years of Whitetail Institute’s research, development and testing of this product, Edge has met or exceeded the Whitetail Institute’s stringent standards which ensure success for your herd management and hunting success.

Like the other Whitetail Institute forage products, Edge is a carefully designed mixture of several plant species that have traits that provide optimum performance in the field and optimum results for your deer herd. They use mixtures for a couple reasons: 1) Rarely will a single plant type perform at the highest levels in all test categories; 2) Mixtures can adapt to the variable growing environments and conditions found throughout different growing region and even in the variable conditions of your own food plot.  You will find one of the components may predominate in the shady, wet area, while another component prevails in the sunny, dry area.  Because all the components are selected for field performance and deer preference and nutritional benefits, the flexibility of the mixture ensures good food availability and nutrition throughout your entire food plot. 

That’s why the Whitetail Institute takes such care in selecting forage components that complement each other, and then determine the optimum ratios in which to combine them. As a result, you can be sure that, like all Whitetail Institute products, Edge is well suited to a broad range of environments from the Southeastern U.S. to Alberta, Canada, and is highly preferred by deer.

Imperial BowStand

 Bowhunters know the importance of bringing deer in as close as possible for the shot. Calls and requests from bowhunters across the country triggered the agronomists and wildlife biologists at the Whitetail Institute to start work on a highly attractive planting that could stand-up to heavy browsing and handle both cold and warm weather climates. It had to be easy to plant as well.

 It took several years of research along with help from their field testers across the country to get the product perfected. “BowStand” is the result of this research and it is designed to create funnels and make trails and other small remote areas even more attractive to deer.

BowStand consists of a blend of seed varieties that give hunters early attraction for states with early bow seasons as well as forages that don’t reach their full levels of attractiveness until the late season.

BowStand contains several of Whitetail Institute’s exclusive seed varieties and these combined with several brassica type plants get your deer in your food plot early and keep them coming through the late season.

BowStand establishes quickly and deer usage has been reported within days of germination. BowStand is also enhanced with a soil pH booster that can help correct pH allowing faster development and more attractiveness in slightly acidic soils.

BowStand is designed to be planted with minimal effort, even in partially shaded trails and other hidden areas. If you’re a Bowhunter, BowStand is the food plot product you’ve been looking for.

You can get more information on these and all other Whitetail Institute products at www.whitetailinstitute.com

By Robert Householder   Sun, Feb 05, 2012

The Tink's booth at ATA was impressive as always. Tink’s has such a vast array of products for the hunter that it is hard to cover them all. ALL of them are a must have for the hunter intent on harvesting his game. However, a few products really stuck out this year and deserve some extra coverage.

This is a special year for Tink’s as they celebrate their 40^th Anniversary. I can remember Tink’s being an essential part of my hunting since I was a kid. Who can’t remember going to the hunting department of their favorite store only to find all of the Tink’s #69 sold out? Remember that disappointment? Well, luckily for us their great products are always available now from their website so hopefully those days of disappointment are over.

To celebrate their 40^th anniversary, Tink’s has brough back one of their all time greatest products. Tink’s #69 in a GLASS bottle! Remember those glass bottles? Those bottles bring back a lot of fond memories. With everything going to plastic now, I was excited to see the return of the glass bottle. While this is only a temporary thing for the 40^th anniversary, Terry Rohm told me that if the demand was high enough for the glass bottles, they may consider keeping them as a permanent part of their inventory.

Another great product is their B-Tech odor elimination products (formally known as Vanish). I have been using these products for the last year and believe me when I say they are awesome! Tink’s now has a wide assortment of B-Tech products to best fit the particular need you are looking for. Be sure to check them out and pick up enough to last the whole season!

Tink’s also has a great line of predator scent products. Tink’s Coyote mist and Rabbit mist as well as their smoking predator sticks will be a great way to spend the off season taking out those pesky and very sneaky predators. On the hog side, there is the Sow in Heat scent and the Dominant Boar scent. Both of these will be a must have for the hog hunters out there.

Overall, Tink’s has some great products and have fairly earned their reputation as the best in their industry. Visit them at www.tinks.com

By Robert Householder   Sun, Feb 05, 2012

Off the main floor of the ATA show was a section they called the “Innovation Zone”. This area consisted of smaller booths that were much more affordable for those newer companies that wanted to be there. Most shows have a section like this and it is one of my favorite places to go “trolling”. Here you will find the next great thing to come into the archery or hunting world before they get big and successful. I have also found that this section is full of inventive people that put their minds towards solving a problem and have come up with a product or idea as the solution. Again, this is a fun area to walk through…

One of the first products to catch my eye was a unique chair. I am always looking for different seating options and this one was simple yet effective. The “Stick Up Seat” is a fanny pack that contains a seat that attaches to a tree. It is feather light, compact and comfortable enough for long sits, plus it has a spacious fanny pack. When the seat is deployed, the pack conveniently hangs under the seat. The custom designed seat also allows for 'reach thru' access to your gear below. The seat fits in the top, zippered compartment while not in use still leaving room for your gear. The large lower compartment has plenty of room for all your other gear. They have two models. One model comes with its own legs for the seat and the other one requires you cut your own seat legs from sticks in the woods. I prefer the one with its own legs so that I don’t have to find my own when I am ready to use it.

I spoke with Greg, the creator of this product, at length. I asked him why he came up with this particular design. He said “As an avid turkey and deer hunter, I find myself wanting to hunt from the ground a lot but there never seems to be anywhere comfortable to sit exactly where I want to be. I wanted a chair I could carry with me but the options out there required me to carry a bulky chair that had no easy way of carrying. That’s when I came up with the fanny pack design.”.

I liked it and think it fills a void for those of us who like to hunt from the ground. Visit them at www.stickaflage.com to order or get more information.

Another product in the Innovations Zone that blew me away was the standing bow case by Bow Anchor Products. This product was amazing in its simplicity and made you slap your forehead and say “Why didn’t I think of that?”

The Bow Anchor Bow Case is a top notch, high quality bow case yet it has attachable legs so you can stand it up for easy use. The bow case itself is awesome. It’s strong, lockable, has lots of bells and whistles and is 100% airline approved. Now, attach the legs and it becomes a bow table that is great for working on your bow or just having a safe place to put your bow down while practicing. Simple yet very effective. Keep an eye on this product as I can see it moving up the chain on the “Must Have” lists of products. Visit them at www.bowanchor.com for more info.

By Robert Householder   Sun, Feb 05, 2012

As we entered the 2012 ATA show in Columbus, Ohio on the opening morning, we made our way to visit TalkHunting sponsors first. One of my first stops was our friends at American Whitetail to see their new archery targets.

I have a Cube Hybrid target that I got from them over a year ago and it is by far my favorite target. I have been shooting that thing full of arrows for a year and it is still in 100% awesome shape so you can understand why I was blown away when I arrived at their booth and saw the NEW & Improved Cube Hybrid target. I was already completely satisfied with the old design but the improvements they have made really impressed me. They defined the target pictures by printing them on vinyl making the images a lot crisper and removed the elastic cables running down the sides. This target has a 3 year “No shoot through” warranty and believe me when I say it holds true. The inner rag design not only stops you from shooting through the target but it also allows for very easy arrow pulling. The Cube Hybrid retails for $119.95 and I can’t recommend this target enough. Buy it and it will be the last target you ever want to stick an arrow an arrow in.

The HybriMat Pro target is one of their new “Field Point Only” target with a unique design. The HybriMAT Pro is built around their hybrid system. Using a rotatable compression core, fitted into a foam shell. Instead of a conventional face, they have built the new NoWEAR screen mesh into the shooting area of the target. This will maintain your arrow's position for scoring, and will take tens of thousands of shots before needing to be replaced.

Arrow removal is also very easy from both crossbows and compounds. No stand is needed, and the HybriMAT Pro features a built in handle for easy transport. The inner target disk, which can be replaced as needed, will maintain your target pattern without discoloration as it is shot. The HybriMAT Pro is the natural evolution of the archery target!!

The HybriMat Prodigy is a target designed specifically for archery in the schools. Having proven itself on the fields of world class archery competition, they downsized the HybriMat Competition mat to build the perfect target for School Archery programs. This target will take tens of thousands of shots, then you only have to replace the inexpensive foam core, which is backed up by their compression BallistiCore made right into the target. The HybriMAT Prodigy A/P (All Purpose) target mat is a smaller version of the exact same target that is being used on a daily basis by hopeful Olympians around the world. And now future Olympian's in your school can shoot one too.

Beside the fact that the new HybriMAT Prodigy is totally repairable, it will also work well with bows from lightweight schools bows to your powerful hunting bow, and everything in between. They have created the most economical, versatile, lightweight and durable target mat for School Archery programs ever designed to help you get the most out of your program, and to make sure the kids have the best archery experience ever.

Once again, our friends at American Whitetail have gone above and beyond to bring you the best archery targets no matter what type of archery you are participating in. From practicing with the hunting bow to kids in school programs, American Whitetail has a target to fit your needs.

Visit them at www.archerytargets.com and get your target on order today!

By Dennis Parker   Thu, Feb 02, 2012

Rac-Em-Bac of DeQuincy LA were displaying the preloaded scent Arrowheads for Bowhunters. Scents available at the time of the show were Acorn, Crabapple, Honeysuckle, Muscadine, Persimmon, Sweet Corn and Triple Heat Doe. Retails for $24.95 per pack of five Arrow tips. http://racembac.com

Kaboss Hunting Blinds

This was a unique Hunting Blind with a great title “ Huntin’ till the Cows come home” Kaboss Hunting Blinds of Butler PA had one more showstopper with the life like Bovine (Cow) Hunting Blind. The Blind retails for around $300

See http://home.kaboss.com/The_Bovine_Blind.html for more info.

Action Trackchair™

What warms my heart more than anything is to see disabled hunters taking part in our great outdoors. I was so excited to see the track chair on the show room floor. http://www.actiontrackchair.com/

Stic-N-Pic® Trail Camera Trail Camera mounting system.

How often do you need to place a trail cam in an area where you cannot find a good solid tree that is big enough not to sway in the breeze? This Wisconsin Company makes a simple trail camera stand and other camera mounting hardware.

http://www.sticnpic.com/

Double Barrel Arrowloader™

No, your Bow does not shoot two arrows at once but this product is the closest thing to it. Claims are that you can fire a second arrow in half the time. The Double Barrel Arrowloader™ is a mount that holds a second arrow that allows you to easily have in position another arrow ready to nock. Retails around $44.99

http://www.doublebarrelarrowloader.com/

Winchester® Archery

How many even knew Winchester® has a line of Archery equipment, I did not until the ATA show in Columbus Ohio.

http://winchesterarchery.com/

By Robert Householder   Sun, Jan 29, 2012

As we were walking into the ATA show for our first morning of work, we ran into the guys from the Open Season TV show before we even got in the doors. Denny Chambers, our magazine editor, lives just a few miles from Tommy Martiniere, the Executive Producer of the show. They hadn’t met before but quickly struck up a conversation. While they were talking, I took the opportunity to get to know the other guys. I really enjoy their show so I just started chatting and cutting up with the guys.

Now, this “ain’t my first rodeo” and I have been around hunting show celebrities before. From the big names to the “are they famous?” people, most are decent people. Some have egos larger than others but for the most part, hunting show celebs are pretty down to earth. However, if you look up “Down to earth guys” in the dictionary, you will see the guys from open season. We talked about things from how difficult it was to make a TV show to what we had to get done at the ATA show. They are regular guys, living the dream, but willing to do the hard work to make the dream come true. If you think being on and putting together a hunting TV show is an easy job, you obviously have no idea the time, sacrifice and hard work that goes into making that dream.

They were scheduled to be at several of their sponsor’s booths, promoting their products, and we kept running into them. It was like every time we turned around, there was James or Tommy or Chuck. I wonder if they were following us…..

Anyway, these are some of the best guys I have met in the industry and if you haven’t seen their show, you need to. Tivo or DVR it if you can’t watch it live but watch it none the less. They put on a great show that’s not all serious business. Don’t get me wrong, these guys are top notch hunters, but they are “real life” and have fun doing what they do. It’s a great show and a great bunch of guys. I wish them all the success in the world. Visit them at www.openseasontv.com

By Robert Householder   Sun, Jan 29, 2012

One of the differences I have seen while hunting in other states is the differences in the trees. Alabama has a lot of pine and oak and these types of trees. Trees, at least in Alabama, tend to grow straight and tall. However, while hunting in Kansas, I found that their trees were rarely straight and made hunting out of lockons a challenge. Because of weird angles it made it hard to find the perfect spot to hang your stand. It seemed like when you found the spot you wanted to hang it, there were only crooked or leaning trees in that location.

Twisted Timber treestands found a solution. Their treestands have the ability to hang in almost any tree because of all the adjustments you can make. While similar stands can be complicated to adjust, Twisted Timber’s stand hangs and adjusts easily. The different leveling adjustments allow you to pick the best tree for your spot no matter how crooked or leaning the tree is. I was very impressed with these stands in all areas of quality, safety, ease of use and pricing. Check them out at www.twistedtimbertreestands.com

By Robert Householder   Sun, Jan 29, 2012

Just when you thought Hunter Safety Systems could not possibly improve on the best safety vests ever made, they come out with a new product.

Hunter Safety System, the industry leader in treestand safety equipment, has introduced the HSS Hybrid vest. The Hybrid combines the best of both the full-featured HSS Pro Series vest and the lightweight, streamlined HSS Ultra Lite X-Treme vest to deliver the perfect balance of form and function.

Built on the patented lightweight harness system, which provides unparalleled strength and comfort when seated or standing at full draw, the Hybrid’s upper is streamlined to minimize bulk when worn over hunting clothes. The Hybrid’s lower portion features six pockets, including two fleece-lined hand-warmer pockets, two security pockets, and a pair of quick-access utility pockets. Smart fabrics are used to reduce the Hybrid’s overall weight to only 3 pounds, while remaining durable and deadly quiet at any temperature.

The Hybrid is approved to the standards of the Treestand Manufacturers Association. With three simple yet strong buckles to connect, the Hybrid is easy to put on, and there are no dangling straps or confusing weave-throughs. The Hybrid also features a built-in binocular/accessory strap system for convenience on stand. The HSS Hybrid will be available at retailers this spring for $149.95. www.hssvest.com

By Denny Chambers   Thu, Jan 19, 2012

Bowtech

Bowtech put on a lot of fanfare at the 2012 ATA show to introduce their two new bows, the Insanity CPX and the Insanity CPXL. Bowtech took all of the best features from the Destroyer and the Invasion CPX and improved on that technology to build the Insanity models. Features like Overdrive Binary cams, FLX cable guards, HardCore Limbs, and Octane Factory Strings were all put into the Insanity to make it one of Bowtech's most quietest and most accurate bows to date. The Insanity CPX has a 32" axle to axle length, with a 6" brace height and a draw legth range from 25.5" to 30". The Insanity CPX produces a blazing 355 feet per second IBO speed. The Insanity CPXL has a 35" axle to axle length, with a 7" brace height and a draw legth range from 27.5" to 32". The Insanity CPXL produces a impressive 340 feet per second IBO speed. Both bows can be fitted with 50, 60, 70, or 80 lbs. limbs and is availble in Mossy Oak Treestand, Mossy Oak Infinity, Gore Optifade Open Country, Gore Optifade Forest, Realtree APG HD, BlackOps, AnoRock Inferno, and AnoRock Onyx.

For more information on Bowtech's 2012 lineup of bows please visit http://www.bowtecharchery.com

Diamond

Diamond introduced the Atomic, a new kids bow which replaces Diamond's Nuclear Ice. The Atomic is designed for first time young shooter who need to start out small but still have room to grow. The Atomic is simple, smooth, extremely adjustable and can take all the abuse that a young shooter can dish out. The Atomic has a 6" brace height, and a 6 to 29 lbs draw weight range. The draw length for the Atomic can be set for 12" to 24" lengths to grow as the shooter grows. The Atomic is 24" axle to axle and is available in blue or pink limbs on a black riser. The Atomic is available with Diamond's Atomic package which includes a 3 pin Tru-Glo Apex Sight, a Hostage XL Arrow Rest, a Black 3 Arrow Quiver, and 3 carbon arrows.

For more information on Diamond's 2012 lineup of bows please visit http://diamondarchery.com

Strothers

Strothers, now in their third year, brought four new entries with them to the 2012 ATA show. The first bow in their line up is the Wrath. The Wrath is a compact bow at just 32" axle to axle, with a forgiving 8" brace height. The Wrath will fit a range of shooters with it's 27" to 31.5" draw length, and weight just 4 lbs. The Wrath can produce an IBO speed of 330 feet per second, and is available in 40 to 80 lbs. limbs. The next bow in Strothers line up is the fast SX-Rush. The SX-Rush with is 6.5" brace height can zings arrows down range at an IBO speed of 342 feet per second giving it just the right balance of speed and forgiveness. The SX-Rush has a 34" axle to axle length and is can be set for a 26" to 30.5" draw length. The SX-Rush can be outfitted with 40 - 80 lbs. limbs and has a weight of 4.5 lbs. Strother's third offering for 2012 is the Moxie. The Moxie is a 37.5" axle to axle bow, providing extra long draw lengths for shooter starting at 28" and going up to 32.5". The Moxie has a very forgiving 7 3/8" brace height and a 300 feet per second IBO speed. Like the Wrath and the Rush, the Moxie is available in 40 to 80 lbs. limbs, and weighs in at 4.3 lbs. Last but not least is the Hope, a bow designed with the needs of women archers in mind. The Hope weighs just 3.75 lbs., with an axle to axle length of 34". The Hope has a brace height of 6.5" and can be fit for a 23.5" to 25.5" draw length. The Hope is available in 40 - 60 lbs limbs, and at a 25.5" draw length using 60 lbs limbs the Hope can launch arrow at 297 feet per second. All of Strother new 2012 bows are available in Black Death, Predator 3D Deception, and Realtree AP. Strothers has also outfitted each of these new bows with their efficient and powerful Badger Cams, and their Super-Glide cable slides.

For more information on Strother's 2012 lineup of bows please visit http://strotherarchery.com

Elite

For 2012, Elite customers asked for a sub 34" bow with a 7" brace height, and Elite provided the Answer. The Answer has a 33.5" axle to axle length and an IBO of 330 to 340 feet per second, depending on whether the Smooth or Speed cam is used. The Answer is available in 27" to 30" draw lengths and 40 to 80 lbs limbs. The Answer is built on a 6061 aluminum riser, and is fitted with Barnsdale 3 layer limbs. And as with all Elite bows, the Answer comes with a Limited Lifetime Transferable Warranty. The Answer is can be ordered in Realtree's AP, APS or MAX-1 camo patterns on both the riser and the limbs, or you have the option of Realtree camo limbs with a black riser. In addition to camo, you can also order the Answer in Slime, Ninja, Cosmic Orange, and Elite Blue.

For more information on Elite's 2012 lineup of bows please visit http://www.elitearchery.com

Bear

Bear Archery is roaring into 2012, adding 6 new bows to there line up. First up in the line up is there new flagship bow, the Anarchy. The Anarchy is a 35.25" axle to axle bow weighing in at just 3.8 lbs. The Anarchy has a 7.25" brace height and is available in 25" to 31.5" draw lengths. The bow can be configured with 50, 60 , or 70 lbs limbs, and has an IBO speed of 340 feet per second. Next in the line up is the Legion. The Legion was built off of the Bear Strike, one of Bear's most popular bows. Bear redesigned the cam, and gave the Legion more speed. The Legion has a 30.5" axle to axle length with a 7" brace height. It has an IBO of 318 feet per second, and is available in 50, 60 and 70 lbs draw weights. The Legion can fit almost any shooter with it's 26" to 31" draw lengths. The Legion is also available RTH (Ready to Hunt), outfitted with a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit, Trophy Ridge 5 pin sight, Trophy Ridge Stabilizer, Trophy Ridge Quiver, peep sight, and nock loop. Next up is the Encounter. The Encounter is a 30.5" axle to axle bow with 7.75" brace height. It is available in 50, 60 , and 70 lbs draw weights, and has an IBO of 310 feet per second. The Encounter weighs i at 3.7 lbs and can fit a 27" to 32" draw length shooter. The Encounter can is also available RTH with a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit, Trophy Ridge 3 pin sight, Trophy Ridge Stabilizer and sling, Trophy Ridge Quiver, Wheel peep sight, and nock loop. The Outbreak is one of Bear's most versatile bows, allowing for 55 lbs of draw weight adjustment. The Outbreak has 7.25" brace height and a 29.25" axle to axle length. It weighs just 3.5 lbs and IBO's at 308 feet per second. Draw lengths for the Outbreak range from 16" to 30". The Outback can be purchased RTH with a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit, Trophy Ridge 3 pin sight, Trophy Ridge Stabilizer and sling, Trophy Ridge Quiver, Wheel peep sight, and nock loop. For the ladies, Bear introduces the Siren, which is the official bow of Realtree Girl. The Siren is a 31" axle to axle bow, with a 6.75" brace height and a weight of 3.8 lbs. The Siren is available in 40, 50, or 60 lbs limbs, and a draw length range of 22' to 27". The Siren can delivery arrows at 300 feet per second, with a 27" draw length and a 60 lbs draw weight. The Siren is available with a RTH package which includes a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit, Trophy Ridge 4 pin sight with sight light, Trophy Ridge Stabilizer and sling, Trophy Ridge Quiver, peep sight, and nock loop. For the young hunters, Bear introduces the Apprentice 2, which has 40 lbs of adjustment to allow it to grow with the shooter. The Apprentice 2 has a 27.625" axle to axle length and a 6.125 brace height. The Apprentice 2 weighs a mere 2.9 lbs, and has a draw weight range of 20 to 60 lbs. Draw lengths for the Apprentice 2 can be set for 15" to 27". The Apprentice 2 is also available RTH with a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit, Trophy Ridge 3 pin sight, 4 arrow quiver, Wheel peep sight, and nock loop. All of Bear's bows are available in RealTree APG, with the exception of the Siren which comes in RealTree Max-1. The Apprentice 2 is also available in Pink Camo as well.

For more information on Bear's 2012 lineup of bows please visit http://www.beararcheryproducts.com

Winchester

Winchester is now in their second year of production and introduced two new bows to their line up for 2012. Both of these new bows incorporate a new 4 Trac SS Cam and a String Splitter yoke which virtually eliminate cam lean. Both bow also offer these new 4 Trac SS Cams in large and small sizes to fit a wide range of draw lengths. The first new bow from Winchester this year is the Lightning. On top of the new 4 Trac SS Cams, the Lightning also offer a new Pro Link Pocket System for attaching the limbs to the riser. Draw weight adjustments are now made using the Pro Link stainless steal turn buckle which allow 16 lbs of adjustment. The Lightning has a 6" brace height, 32.5" axle to axle length and weighs in at 4 lbs. The Lightning IBO's at a blazing 350 feet per second, and can be fitted with 50, 60 or 70 lbs limbs. With the small 4 Trac SS Cam installed, draw lengths can be set from 25" to 27", while the large cam allows for 27" to 30" of draw length. Next, Winchester introduced the Minx, a hunting bow with the lady archers in mind. The Minx is a 31" axle to axle bow weighing just 3.4 lbs. It can shoot an arrow at 300 feet per second when configured for 50 lbs and a 26.5" draw length. The Minx has a 7" brace heigth and is available in 40, 50, and 60 lbs limbs. Using the small 4 Trac SS Cam, draw lengths can be set for 24.5" to 26.5 lengths, while the large cam allow 27" to 29 " draw lengths.

For more information on Winchester's 2012 lineup of bows please visit http://www.winchesterarchery.com

By Robert Householder   Mon, Jan 16, 2012

The Shed & Breakfast shed trap from 30-06 Outdoors is an awesome spin and improvement on the many home-made shed traps that have been around for awhile. However, there is more to it than just that. It also doubles as a feeder and is so easy to setup and use I don’t know why it hasn’t been developed sooner.

It’s rugged steel frame makes it very durable, able to withstand a lot of abuse from deer and hunter alike but the soft removable shed straps keeps deer from being hurt or tangled if they get spooked.

The design is simple. It’s a 33 lb tube style gravity feeder with steel rails forming sides around it. When bucks still have their antlers, you leave it just like that, strapped to a tree, and use it as a feeder (where allowed). When the time comes for bucks to start losing their antlers, you just attach the soft, flexible straps to the device to build a web around the feeder. The buck comes to feed and the antlers end up right on the ground. The big difference I saw in this device and the more common home-made shed traps is the straps. Where deer can get caught up in wire straps or chicken wire in the common setups, if their antlers are not quite ready to drop and get tangled. The soft flexible straps on the Shed & Breakfast allow a deer to remove himself if tangled. It’s safe for the buck and much more efficient.

The unit is light, easy to assemble and very, very affordable. At $69.95, it’s a must have for any shed hunter.

The other great product they had was their “Ladderstand 2^nd Man”. If you have ever tried to setup a ladderstand by yourself, you know what a pain it can be as well as a bit dangerous. From the problems of trying to lift it by yourself to keeping it stable while tying it off to the tree, it’s hard to do alone.

Not anymore. With the Ladderstand 2^nd man, you can do the whole job safely, easily and quickly and do it without any help at all. The video above this article can explain better how it works but I see adding this to my treestand setup box for quicker and safer treestand setup. At $79.95, it’s also very affordable. Visit them at http://www.30-06outdoors.com