bow hunting – Green Lake Chronicles

Scouting Update

September 28, 2016September 29, 2016 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

For the past month or so, every Sunday morning before football kicks off, I drive out to my Massachusetts spots to collect pictures and put down more Big & J. We are extremely happy with the BB2 granular mix, the deer cant seem to get enough of it. I look forward to this all week, as the bucks are starting to come around during daylight hours and sometimes you never know what will be on camera. We started to name to deer and having a fun time figuring out their patterns.

ma-stinkybigj — Crotch horn we named “Stinky” enjoying some Big & J

Stinky is the name of a younger buck that shows up on all three cameras, everyday and takes a crap right in frame. He’s a little stinker!

ma-bucksfight — “Stinky” and “Little Richard” squaring off

We have five different bucks showing up on this small piece of private land. Most of which show up during early morning or late at night. “Stinky” has been the most camera friendly deer, usually showing up within twenty minutes on all three cameras. Big & J BB2 has definitely helped with patterning these deer to a specific schedule.

“Little Richard” getting up close. He has a small sticker coming off the main beam.

Unfortunately one of the negatives from having high deer activity on this parcel, is the frequent coyote movement. Every other day, we have a small yote coming in, checking out the Big & J and pissing on the pile. He needs to go!

Checking trail cameras is a blast and once the rut kicks in, I am hopeful we have some bigger bucks venturing into this area. Only a few weeks left until we get into a treestand! Be sure to check out more stories and pictures on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Thank you for reading!

-Michael

montana/Travel Review

Travel Review: Big Sky Country

September 26, 2016September 26, 2016 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Montana is unreal, let’s just start with that. My wife and I just returned from a great trip to our good friend “Bearman’s” house in Southwestern, MT, where the Bitterroot Valley abuts two mountain ranges. It’s been a few years since I was out there and since then, Bearman has been telling me unbelievable stories of his outdoor adventures (some of which you may have previously read about). September is an awesome time of the the year to visit the mountains. The temperature is brisk in the morning, then typically warms up to a comfortable mid-70s.

What to do in September?

Fishing- Traditionally the Bitterroot river is most well known for it’s rainbows and once the water calms down after ice-out (later May/early June) the action heats up. In September, fishing can fire up with larger trout hitting trico hatches. The pressure from tourists is limited and you can have exclusivity on certain parts of the river. During our trip, I fished the west fork a few times, but enjoyed non-stop action on some of the local mountain lakes. I primarily used elk hair caddis drys, but the cutties in those mountain lakes would have probably crushed anything.

mt-lakepano — Epic Scenery and non-stop cutthroat action

Hunting- If you are from the Northeast, the time September comes around, the hunting itch becomes almost unbearable. Montana and many other western states, can be your remedy to get back into the woods early. The more popular species for the 2016 Montana archery season shown below:

Elk- September 3rd – October 16th
Whitetail- Same as elk
Black Bear- September 3rd – September 14th
Mulies- Same as elk
Antelope- September 3rd – October 7th

mt-elk2016 — Bearman’s father with his first Archery Elk harvest

Hiking- Aside from the hunting and fishing options Montana offers for the outdoor enthusiast, the Bitterroot Mountain ranges provides excellent hiking terrain for beginner to expert trailblazers. Click this link to learn more.

Next year, I hope to get back out to Montana and fill an Archery Elk tag. The Big Sky Country is beautiful and I highly recommend a trip out there. If you have any questions about the information in this article or would like to be pointed to the right direction in planning a hunt, please feel free to contact me. Be sure to check out more stories and pictures on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Thank you for reading!

-Michael

mt-sheacoors — My wife and I, enjoying a nice Coors after a long hike

Fall/massachusetts/Scouting

Product Review: Big & J BB2 Granular

September 7, 2016September 7, 2016 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

It’s always a fun time when you head back to the woods to check trail cams. This year, we are running 15 in three different states all pointed towards a long range attractant. After speaking with Mike Hunsucker of Heartland Bowhunter last year and doing some research on my own, I decided to use Big & J products this season.

Since most of my hunting spots are located on private plots that border state land, I want to do everything I can in attracting deer and keeping them on my property. State Land in Central New York and Massachusetts becomes the wild west, bringing “hunters” from the cities that end up shooting at anything brown. After a week sit, I checked one of my Massachusetts spots and found positive initial results. I did not have a deer on camera the first night, then every day following, there was a tall 1.5 yr old 4 point and big doe coming to the Big & J BB2. Early results in Mass seem positive and hopefully these deer stick around all season. They are 95% running on nocturnal time.

Make sure you read up on the local regulations before dropping feed/attractant in front of your cameras. Most states allow this up until two weeks before the season begins. If you had planted food plots in the spring and fall, the deer would be more apt to stick around. We will keep using Big & J and share results as the season progresses. Be sure to check out more stories and pictures on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Thank you for reading!

-Michael

MOULTRIE DIGITAL GAME CAMERA — Mr. Fisher Cat making an appearance!

Fall/hunting/Hunting stories/Uncategorized

Viewers Choice Article

November 18, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Kuppens-8 — Chris with his biggest archery buck to date

I started this site as a platform for folks to enjoy outdoor articles, post cool pictures of their pursuits and to share their adventures for everyone to enjoy. I am pleased to post our first “Viewers Choice Article,” a first hand perspective written by one of our followers. Chris is a die hard bow hunter from Massachusetts, where the huntable land is limited and big bucks are scarce. You definitely earn your stripes hunting in the bay state. Please enjoy his recap of this awesome hunt.

“On 11/5 (a Thursday) I took a ½ day off from work and Packed my Climbing Stand deep into a Swamp. I found a hill located in the middle of the swamp made up mostly of Pine Trees. I was drawn to the spot by the aerial photos I have seen of the green trees surrounded by what looked to be swamp. There was a large Holly tree (30-40 feet tall) located in the middle of the Pine cluster. I noticed the Holly had 2 scrapes under it and decided I should set up on the edge of the Pines but within 20 yards of the Holly Tree. The wind was blowing out of the South West. I set up on the Eastern Edge of the Pines and saw a large bodied deer come in at the very last moment of the day. It was too far away and too dark to shoot. I left my Climber locked to a tree and decided to go back on Saturday and sit all day.

Saturday’s wind was West/ North West so it was still going to be in my face and keeping the Pines and Holly Tree upwind from me. I hiked into my stand site at 5AM. I set up 2 Scent bombs about 20 yards away from me at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions. Sunrise was 6AM and by 7AM a small button buck came into the area. He stayed for about an hour or so offering me several shot opportunities under 10 yards. I took a video of him walking under my stand. It was difficult having him around because I needed to sit very still as he was never more than 50 yards away but I felt it was a good sign that he was in the area. I debated getting down and walking out for lunch but decided to stay. The walk was simply too long and I figured I wouldn’t make it back to this spot in the afternoon and I wanted to see that big bodied deer again from Thursday night.

Around 11:15 the button buck returned. He stayed for at least an hour. He was eating mushrooms from under the pine needles. By 1 in the afternoon he was gone and I was getting really tired. It wasn’t worth the effort to shoot this small deer although I considered it several times. My hope was that he would make another buck come in and run him off. I was starting to second guess myself… I was thinking maybe the button was hanging in this area because he knew he was safe here as the other deer had moved into another area. I was worn out and discouraged. By 3:30 the Button had returned again. I figured I would spend the last hour and a half frozen up in my stand by this small deer.

At 4:30. I heard the bushes behind me and to the right crashing. I then heard the distinctive sound of a grunt. I checked the Button Buck’s last location and he was nowhere to be found. It seems like he moved on. I thought to myself that he may have been looking back in my direction all day waiting for this buck to come chase him off. I grunted and the deer started barreling in. It was a large body and I knew right away that it was something I would want to take a shot at. It was moving as if it was going to pass behind my tree. I could tell it was a Buck. A large buck probably at least 6 points, but maybe more. My heart was pounding. I started turning around to face the tree in order to be able to shoot at the deer. He was 20 yards away at my 4 O’clock position heading as if he was going to pass right behind me. Somehow he either heard me or saw the movement because he looked right up . He stared at me for over a minute. My legs we tired and my heart was absolutely pounding. My heart was beating so hard I thought the deer was going to hear it. After a full minute of both of us frozen he finally started moving forward. He took 2 more steps and came downwind of one of my scent bombs. The Buck turned 90 degrees and headed straight to the scent. The Westerly wind blew the scent right across his nose.

There were two trees that were going to come between me and the Buck’s line of sight. When he moved behind the first tree I got into position. When he moved behind the second tree I drew my bow back. I was so nervous at this point I think I tried to shut my right eye instead of my left eye to line up the shot. He stopped behind that tree for what seemed like a minute. My heart was still exploding in my chest. He took one step and only his head appeared beyond the tree. I held my bow back until he started walking forward. I let the arrow loose and watched it fly towards the deer. I could see the lighted knock heading for the deer. The shot looked like it was back and a little high. I was immediately nervous that it was a bad shot. I watched the Buck run off with his tail down. A few seconds later I heard a “Snort Wheeze” from the same area the first buck came from. I grunted and the 2^nd buck started tearing a tree up, snorting, and stomping his feet. I knocked another arrow and got ready to shoot at the second buck if he came into view. The second buck ran out of the swamp about 50 yards away from me. He was large but seemed smaller than the one I shot at. He trotted up in the direction of the first buck. When the 2^nd buck got to the point where I lost sight of the first one I heard a lot of crashing sounds. I wasn’t sure what happened.

I climbed down the tree and went over to the spot where I shot the deer. I found the arrow and it was covered with blood and hair. I walked about 10 feet and found a few drops of blood on a log. I decided to back out and give the deer a few hours. I decided to go back into the woods at 9PM to look for the deer. We picked up the blood trail. And followed it for about 40 yards. The buck was pumping blood out of both sides and the trail was easy to follow. We found him piled up right in the area I had heard the crashing earlier.

To me the Buck was the bigger than I had imagined. He was a 3.5 year old 8 Pointer that dressed at 190 Pounds. His rack was solid and very symmetrical. He weighed a TON. We had difficulty moving him around at first. I knew it was going to be a long walk out. After field dressing the buck and a few photos we started dragging him out. It took us over an hour to drag him through the swamp and out to the road. I plan on mounting this deer so I can relive this awesome hunt for a long time. Great hunt!”

Awesome story Chris, thank you for sharing with us. I welcome others to share their stories of great memories afield. Email me at greenlakechronicles@gmail.com with your story along with a few pictures and you could be the next Viewers Choice Post! Thank you for reading. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more great pictures!

-Michael

Fall/hunting/Hunting stories

EAT. HUNT. SLEEP. REPEAT

November 16, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Hillari with her first deer with the bow. Great tag teamed effort to put this one down.

What a great weekend to be in the woods! For the second weekend in a row, I headed out to upstate NY with my good friends Mike and Hillari to chase rutting bucks. We left Boston Thursday night and arrived with high hopes and some anxiety (horrible weather on the forecast)! The weekend before, I stopped in the areas on my way home from our southern tier hunt, to hang trail cameras and scout. In four days, I had three different bucks on camera and some very patterned does. The weather forecast was high winds, around 20 MPH and occasional freezing rain. Not the best conditions to sit all day, but the rut was in full swing and deer would still have to move. I had already filled my archery buck tag, so I was hunting for meat. We hunted public property on Friday and I shot a doe walking from a thick bedding area to the hardwoods. It was crossbow season and I wanted to get everything on film.

My biggest goal this year was to capture my hunts with my go-pro!

It wasn’t the best angle, but I had a good opening and a steady rest. I let the deer sit for a few hours after my shot, then we tracked it over half a mile, eventually jumping it one time. The deer did not look hurt at all and I think my arrow passed through no mans land missing the vitals completely. Looked for it the next day and lost the pin pricks of blood. I hate leaving the blood trail or knowing I wounded a deer, but I know this deer had just a flesh wound (because of how far it ran and how little it bled). It would live to see another day, smarter and more cautious now!

The weather continued to be a nasty slap in the face, but we hunted hard and Mike had luck shooting a nice doe on Saturday evening. The wind was still blasting, but his efforts on the all day sit, paid off with backstraps. I was able to film some of the short track job! There is nothing like seeing a white belly in the dark. There were a ton of deer walking the thick edges of the property that night and Mike made a clean, quartering away shot at 25 yards. He did the right thing and let the deer sit for a few hours. After dinner we quickly picked up the blood trail and found her 40 yards from where he shot.

Sunday Morning looked like a great weather wise with minimal wind and cold temperatures. We were hunting a piece of private land that I had permission on that abutted the NYS State Forest. Great area with sloping hills, thick brush transition areas and overgrown fields. That same day, my high school buddy was hunting his land about five miles away. He had some great deer on camera and has been managing the property for a few years. His goal was to only shoot racked bucks (no forks, spikes or small 6pts. A few days earlier, a nice shooter was grunting up a storm chasing a doe. This love struck 8pt was making a loud racket, MAKE SURE YOUR VOLUME IS UP! His Wildgame trail camera caught the whole thing.

My high school buddy ended shooting this nice buck on Sunday night. The deer owned the area and responded to one of his grunts. He made a nice shot at 20 yards and the deer piled up after a few steps. It’s great to see deer management pay off.

That same night, my fiance and I left the area to head back home while Mike and Hillari remained in the tree. Hillari had a nice encounter with a buck, but her arrow missed the deer completely after glancing off some small tree branches. Being a bow hunter, we often have heartbreaks in the woods. Hillari had been hunting hard for a few days and seemed defeated after this unfortunate miss. Her persistence would pay off a few hours later!

Mike and Hillari shot the same deer! It was a great hunt and now they have this amazing and unique memory together.

I got a call from Mike at 4:45PM, frantic and excited. He said he shot a big 8pt a few minutes before and the deer actually ran right up to where Hillari was sitting. She made a clear shot at 18 yards then watched the buck disappear in some thick cover. Hillari and Mike have never killed a buck with a bow and were hard pressed on filling their tags this weekend. How cool is it that they both shot the same deer! Tag team style, the couple put their time in the stand and during the last half hour of legal shooting time, a buck tag was punched. She did not see the deer go down, so did the right thing in quietly getting out of the woods and let the buck sit for a few hours. They ended up finding the deer a little farther than expected in the early morning.

This weekend was one of the best in a long time. We had some great adventures in the woods and harvested some quality animals. Fall is my favorite time of the year and even though I didn’t punch a tag, I enjoyed seeing my close friends have success. Thank you for reading and be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram page for more great pictures.

-Michael

Action Camera Videos/Fall/hunting

Warm Weather Deer!

November 9, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Biggest spike I've ever seen! Great hunt with food in the freezer. — Biggest spike I’ve ever seen! Great hunt with food in the freezer.

What a great weekend to be in the woods! Our annual trip to one of our hot spots in NY paid off with backstrap dividends. Going into the weekend, I did not have a ton of optimism for the first few days of the trip. The weather was going to be unseasonably warm, like 65-75 degree warm. Typically the first full week in November is right around 30 in the morning and at the highest temperature, about 45-50. After the long 6.5 hour drive, we arrived ready for action. Four hours later, we woke up and walked to our spots. It was 70 degrees at 5:45 AM, with wind coming in around 12:00 PM and some light rain. Not the most ideal conditions, but the rut has just started to kick off!

Stud 9 point (broken G-2) that took the trophy for the weekend. 185lbs dressed.

We ended the weekend with two bucks down and a few other nice encounters. During one of the warmer days, my buddy and I both shot “seeking phase” bucks that were on a mission to find a doe in estrous. I shot a big spike and he took a monster 9 pt. The best day of the trip (temperature wise) was Sunday morning. Crystal clear weather with 32 degree temps and no wind. I was already tagged out, but had a great time filming my buddy. We did not harvest a buck, but had a nice encounter with a massive four point within bow range.

I will post a video of the weekend within a few days. Thanks for reading and if you had success in the woods this past weekend, please share your pictures on our Facebook page!

-Michael

Fall/hunting/Interview with the Pros

Interview with Michael Hunsucker of Heartland Bowhunter

November 2, 2015November 2, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

There are many different hunting shows on the air right now, but one that is differentiating from the masses and building huge credibility is the award winning Heartland Bowhunter. I was extremely fortunate to get the opportunity to speak with one of Heartland Bowhunter’s founders, Michael Hunsucker, this past Friday. He is a really good dude and gave some great advice to better yourself in the woods. I hope you enjoy this interview!

Green Lake Chronicles: Where did it all start for you boys?

Michael Hunsucker: I grew up deer hunting the rifle season in Missouri, where we only had 10 days in the woods to try and fill our tags. I shot my first whitetail when I was 10 years old and was hooked ever since. My passion for the outdoors started at deer camp as I’m sure many others did. As I grew older, 10 days in the woods was not nearly enough to quench my hunting thirst. I purchased a compound and taught myself how to bow hunt. The Missouri bow season was much longer than rifle and gave me a great opportunity better myself as a hunter. During this time, I developed a passion for filming hunts. I had a cheap video camera and brought it into the woods every chance I had. As my bow hunting skills continued to grow, I started going out with my high school buddy, Shawn Lutchel (Heartland Bowhunter co-founder). Shawn was raised in an outdoor family and had a few more years of bow hunting experience under his belt. We started to get serious about filming hunts and eventually graduated to a better video camera. We were getting some great videos, but not to excited about the camera arm we were using. We wanted to develop a stable and quality camera rest for the stand and after some trial and error, the HB Sniper Pro Tree arm was born. This arm allowed us to up our game and really accelerated our filming. It put us on the map with notable hunting pros. Our goal initially was not to develop this tree arm for financial reasons, but to create a camera rest that will give us the best footage for our personal memories. Eventually we saw how well this arm worked and saw an opportunity promoting it to other hunters. After all the work we put into the first DVD, Shawn and I thought “why don’t we just start a hunting show and produce ourselves.” It all took off from there!

Green Lake Chronicles: Awesome story Mike. What was your most memorable hunt to date?

Michael Hunsucker: Ah man, there has been so many great hunts in my time, but I would have to say that the most memorable hunt for me was when I filmed Shawn take Junior. Prior to this, we got real serious in managing our deer herd. Passing on younger bucks until they matured to full breeding and antler potential. Junior was a buck that I had personally watched for a few years. We saw him grow as a two year old from our Reconyx trail cams and I even passed on him when he was a 160″ three year old. There was a lot of time and energies put into the management of Junior and I had spent most of the 2010 summer locking down his patterns. Opening day Missouri 2010, I was filming Shawn on what would be one of our best hunts to date. It was a rainy day and we had encounter with Junior around 40 yards at one point, before he walked away. Later on Junior came back and Shawn made a great shot at him around 15 yards. I never kicked myself for passing on Junior the year before, it wasn’t about who killed him. Junior was the product of hard work, scouting and effective deer management. He scored 172 6/8″. I was fortunate to share this amazing memory with Shawn.

Green Lake Chronicles: That’s great Mike, especially seeing junior as a stud 160” and getting him at full potential the following year. What is your favorite species to hunt?

Michael Hunsucker: That’s an easy one. I love going after whitetails. The time and effort put into deer management and scouting makes it that much more rewarding when you have the opportunity to take a big buck.

Green Lake Chronicles: What is the most challenging hunt you have been on?

Michael Hunsucker: Good question, I think the most challenging type of hunting is out west. Chasing elk or mulies in the high country is a physically demanding and mentally challenging hunt. You are usually hunting on the ground, spot and stalk and hiking miles to get a good wind. These western hunts will also get to you mentally. You can spend all day waiting for the right wind to stalk and when you’re getting close, the wind changes or the animal gets spooked. You can make your own luck, but you have to work extremely hard for it.

Green Lake Chronicles: I know you boys shoot NAP Killzone broadheads, but have you ever thought about making the switch to a fixed blade? The fixed VS mechanical is a hot topic.

Michael Hunsucker: Man I don’t think so. NAP makes a great product and their Killzone is nasty. I prefer shooting a broadhead with a wider cutting diameter and the Killzone opens up at 2″. I have nothing against fixed blades, but again prefer to have the additional insurance from a wider cutting diameter. Not every shot will be a perfect double lung and the wide cut gives me more confidence.

Green Lake Chronicles: What bow poundage do you recommend for beginning bow hunters?

Michael Hunsucker: A common misconception for beginning bow hunters, is that they should be pulling back big weight. That’s really not the case and I recommend folks pick a draw weight that they can consistently pull back and be confident with. It’s dependent on the person and how much they can pullback with ease. Keep in mind, shooting targets in warm weather is somewhat easy, but when you are on post, have bulky clothes on and a case of buck fever comes over you, you want to make sure you can get the string back clean! Confidence and comfort are key. I would also recommend buying a bow, that you can change weight as you become stronger and more comfortable. That way, you don’t need to buy something new every year.

Green Lake Chronicles: Great advice Mike, I remember when I first started, I tried pulling way to much back and froze when I had my first chance on a deer! What fundamental tips can you share for beginning bow hunters and what recommendations do you have to improve the mistakes of beginning bow hunters?

Michael Hunsucker: When I started bow hunting way back, I learned a ton from personal trial and error. The more time you put in the deer stand, the more opportunity you will get watching how deer work. Early on, I didn’t really understand the importance of hunting the wind. I would say this is the most important factor when choosing a stand. Don’t rush into hunting a spot, if you the wind is wrong. It’s better to hold off and not get the deer off their regular patterns. The second important tip I can share is hunting from the outside in, especially if it’s on a new property. Hunting from the outside and setting up “observation” stands will really teach you how to pattern. Using this mentality will allow you to pinpoint deer movement and make adjustments throughout the season. I also set up a ton of Reconyx trail cams to do the scouting for me. You can’t beat technology these days and trail cams have revolutionized the game.

Best advice I can give beginning hunters is to know the anatomy of deer to ensure proper shot placement. Study the vitals of deer and practice as much as possible. I like to shoot at 100 yards when I practice, because it builds confidence. I would never take a shot at 100 yards, but if you can consistently shoot vitals at a farther distance, you will have much more confidence when the deer comes within range. Practice to build muscle memory and know exactly where the vitals are on a deer no matter what placement they give you. Many beginning hunters rush a shot and get guts or non vital. END

Mike, thank you for taking the time to speak with us and share some great information about hunting. I started watching the show a few years back and was immediately hooked on the production quality, camera shots/angles and the actual story within each episode. As I mentioned above, there are a ton of hunting shows on air right now, but Heartland Bowhunter is a game changer. They do not focus on the hard sell of products or individual personalities, but on the memories and the story. The Heartland guys want viewers to be able to relate and not conform to the traditional, cookie cutter hunting program.

I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did. I urge you to check out the Heartland Bowhunter website to learn more about these guys and be sure to catch their next episode tonight 11/2 at 9:30 ET on the Outdoor Channel. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: All images in this article were found on The Outdoor Channel, google images and the Heartland Bowhunter website. Green Lake Chronicles is a “not for profit” style blog and all photos are credited to the appropriate owners listed above. Green Lake Chronicles does not take any credit for these photos.

-Michael

gear/hunting

Let’s Talk Broadheads

October 28, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Bearman-Buck — Chronicles Pro-Staffer, Bearman, with a nice Montana buck. #slicktrickbroadheads

When I started bow hunting (little over 14 years ago) I didn’t have a clue about the “science” and tuning needed to make sure my broadheads/arrows flew true. I was shooting my dad’s old Bear Archery Whitetail II bow, which weighed a ton and had 50% let off and was using an assortment of old broadheads I found in his gear box. Remeber the funky head called, Pucketts Elk Head Bloodtrailer? I shot this for a year until I finally learned how to tune my fixed blades, then made the switch to Muzzy. I shot my first buck with a bow when I was 15 and the old school Muzzy three blade zipped right through the lungs. Broadheads have come a LONG way since then and folks have many different options to choose from.

My biggest thing, is to choose a head that will not require a ton of tuning. I want to slap it on the arrow and go. I switched over to mechanical heads 10 years ago and have continued success getting deep penetrations and clean pass through. The original Rage 100g head is nasty, boasting a 2” cutting diameter and cut on impact head. Since Rage energized the market with this simple, reverse slip cam technology, many other manufacturers have stepped up their game. There are a million different calculated and fluffy reviews out there on brands you should shoot, but when choosing a head, I break it down into three simple categories and pick the best one regardless of manufacturer.

Toughness- Whitetails are a rugged animal and if you do not get a double lung or heart shot pass through, you want to choose a head that has enough kinetic energy and durability to bust through bone. Most of the deer I’ve killed have been quartering shots, where I try and zip the arrow through the rib cage into the front shoulder area. A cut on impact, durable head will get you more penetration and hopefully pass through any bones. Broadheads are expensive too! I want to be able to use the same head after I shoot a deer (with changing blades of course) and cheap/fancy mechanicals are usually one shot and done.

Reliability- When you are drawing back on a nice deer, you want to make sure the arrow is going to fly straight. Fundamentals right? Many people who write poor reviews about fixed blade broads, do not take the time to tune accordingly or match their arrows per grain tip. I love fixed blade and have played around with some through the years, but I always make sure I shoot them before going into the woods. Fixed blades tend to be more sturdy, rugged, have deeper penetration and cut on impact. The drawback (other than tuning) is they lack in cutting diameter. Compare those to a mechanical, which predominately have a much larger cutting surface and no field tuning. Their drawback is the potential for failure with the mechanisms. I want a head that I know will work 100% of the time.

Penetration- Traditional fixed blades are known to cause more penetration than mechanical. There is no loss of kinetic energy upon try as with most mechanical broads. Some broadhead manufacturers have tried to fix this problem, such as Rage and Grim Reaper, with expansion on little effort. Bottom line is that you are going to lose some penetration using a mechanical, so you have to figure out whats more important to you. I prefer a head that will penetrate well and open up a wide cut path. Bigger cutting diameter heads will have a tougher time blasting through bones, but will leave a devastating hole.

There are a ton of broadheads out there, but the most important thing is that you choose one that fits your needs and one you can rely on. As I mentioned above, I like a head that cuts on impact, opens up a nasty cut path and penetrates well. Here are my no BS recommendations:

Fixed Blade- Slicktrick Standard 100g. I have seen many animals taken with these heads and they always seem to fly true. They have a solid steel ferrule with a cut on impact and bone crushing head along with four extremely sharp 1” blades. This head will create a clean and deep whole without giving up flight consistency. The blades lock in tight and stay in position. Buy these anywhere for about 38 bucks.

Mechanical- Rage 100g Hyperdermic. I don’t need to say much about these guys. They have a kick ass head. Flies true as a field point and creates a devastating 2” cutting diameter. The body/head is different from the older Rage and comes with a solid one piece steel ferrule. This is one of the best penetrating mechanical broadheads on the market and they open up wound channels like you wouldn’t believe. Buy these anywhere for about 45 bucks.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions, please contact me at greenlakechronicles@gmail.com. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for great pictures.

-Michael

Fall/hunting

Deer Hunting Forecast-Northeast

October 22, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Rut Buck Shotgun — Nice 8pt shot during prime “chase” phase during regular season in Cayuga County, NY

As you have seen from my past articles, I primarily deer hunt in New York where the annual deer harvest is one of the highest in the country. Most of the deer taken are from gun season (which can be like WWII from city hunters) but archery season is very quiet throughout the state. For this 2015 season, the experts are projecting the rut to kick off about a week earlier than last year. This will bode well for archery hunters. Hunting whitetails during the rut, especially in the Northeast, is one of the best times to increase your chances at taking a nice buck. Clearly a no brainer, but be prepared for bucks to start chasing earlier this hunting season, so plan to adjust your tactics accordingly.

Archery buck taken during the "seeking" phase of the rut — Archery buck taken during the “seeking” phase of the rut

There are different theories as to when bucks begin their rut and the most popular one is to follow the moon phase. This year, the rutting moon falls on October 27th. The rutting moon is the second full moon after the Autumnal equinox. I’ve read a few articles that say this will trigger bucks to begin their early “seeking” phase of the rut. Some does will begin an early estrus cycle during this time. Be prepared to change your tactics from hunting predominately over food areas to bedding transition zones or rub lines.

I haven’t killed the monster bucks like the Lakosky’s, but I have success every hunting season following fundamental tactics. In the early season I strictly choose to hunt near food sources or transition zones. During this time, I build a profile of my hunting grounds and lock down deer patterns. I rarely use any estrus in October, but occasionally put a scent wick out if the weather patterns become unseasonably cold. With my experience, temperature in Upstate NY is one the leading factors that affects rut activity. Deer will start moving around much more and not be locked into their nocturnal patterns. During the early stages of the rut, I spend a lot more time on post, typically taking a two hour break for lunch and sometimes changing my afternoon stand location. Putting time in the stand will get you a deer, but yes you can get lucky just sitting for the last hour of daylight! I’ve shot some nice deer during midday and highly recommend you sitting as long as you can during chase rut.

I hope you have success this hunting season! I will post more videos and articles once November comes around when I don’t have my hectic 9-5 schedule. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for great pictures. Thanks for reading.

-Michael

Action Camera Videos/hunting/product review

Gear Review: Wildgame Innovations Cloak Trail Camera

October 15, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

I made a big push this year to try out a few different trail cameras to test out. Pending results I plan on buying a bunch of the best one in bulk for my properties in NY and our family’s outfitting business, Blue Walleye Outpost in Quebec, Canada. I already have a few of the older Wildgame Innovations models and have a neutral opinion on them. Trail cameras dramatically increase your chances on taking a nice animal and allow you to pattern appropriately. This year, I bought the new Wildgame Innovations Cloak, Wildgame innovations Razor 8x Lightsout and the Bushnell Trophy Cam 8mp. Earlier in the year, the Chronicles crew planted a few small food plots on one of our pieces of land in the Southern Tier of New York. I placed the Cloak camera on a small tree towards the top of an overgrown field, that overlooks our test plot.

I was somewhat skeptical of this camera’s placement, but was hoping to get intel on bucks running the edge of the field and or deer coming into the plot. Only after a few weeks, the results were awesome. The photo on the right is of a nice 9pt cruising the top of the field near the food plot. We have him in many other pictures, typically at night and alone. The cloak also captured some turkeys, bunch of other smaller bucks and two wily coyotes. Here are my thoughts on this camera:

Functionality: 5/5 stars. The cloak is extremely easy to set up and is compact to fit in tight spots. It’s made of a durable plastic material that is waterproof.

Setup: 5/5 stars. I am a little old school and prefer to not waste time messing around with different settings and shooting modes. I like it simple, quick and reliable. The Cloak is really easy to use. Put in the correct date/time and your’e basically done. There are a few different options, but it does not get confusing like other, more complex cameras. Set, point and shoot.

Camera quality: 3.8/5 stars. The 4 megapixel lens is nothing to get to jacked up about, but the quality of the images are far better than $100-200 cameras that were available years ago. My dad always said that you get what you pay for and if you are expecting superior images, then you will be disappointed. The pictures are good and there will have no issues determining the size and quality of the animals that get captured.

Features: 4/5 stars. The cloak offers a fast one second trigger speed, 50-ft detection range, 18-LED infrared flash bulbs and up to 30 second capture video clips. If you want something fancy, then you will not fall in love with these features. As I mentioned above, they are perfect for me and other hunters who want a simple option.

Price: 4.5/5 stars. The cloak is not to expensive and competes with cameras above $100. They retail for about $69.99 and can be found at almost any outdoor shop. If you are looking to buy a handful of the same camera’s, the Cloak won’t break the bank and will give you a solid product.

Battery: 3.8/5 stars. Wildgame promotes this camera as one to take up to 10,000 pictures on a full battery. I don’t have 10,000 pictures yet, but I have changed the batteries once about 3.5 months after I put it up. This summer has been extremely hot and I know that can affect the power output, but be prepared to check camera often and change batteries accordingly.

Overall I rate this camera 4.38 stars. I like it and plan on buying more. Super simple, easy to set up and the trigger speed captures some great pictures. It gets the job done for what I need. I would definitely recommenced this camera if you want to spend under 100 bucks and get something reliable. If you have any questions about this post, please contact me at greenlakechronicles@gmail.com. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for great pictures. Thanks for reading.

-Michael

Tag: bow hunting