I had the pleasure of meeting Kenn Blanchard at the BLACKHAWK! Bloggers Summit and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to talk with Kenn about his blog and his plans for the future.  We had planned on getting Kenn out hunting with us in Virginia but now we are a bit farther away in Nebraska so we are working on some plans for 2011.  Kenn's Podcast is one of those that I listen to on a regular basis while dropping up stories on the site and we hope you will enjoy this quick interview the Kenn Blanchard of the Urban Shooter Podcast.

Every year, September 1^st marks our hunting season opener here in Wisconsin. It is the day that early goose season and dove hunting opens.  Unfortunately, due to schedules, we couldn’t make it out on opener, but we did not waste our time on the weekend. 

Our Friday night scouting didn’t look too promising.  We drove around for 2 hours and saw only one flock of about 7 geese landed in a field that we couldn’t even hunt.  We learned that another guy had already hunted the pasture that we had originally planned on hunting that we had been watching 50 or so geese in every day.  We were in a tough position.  I talked it over with my brother Justin and Logan, one of our hunting buddies and we decided to hunt the pasture anyways, because it usually produces and we didn’t know what else to do.  So, we got our decoys all loaded up in the truck that night and planned on an early morning.

After a sleepless night, we still bounced right up when 4:30 AM came around.  We gathered our last bit of gear and were on our way.  The morning was perfect.  A good wind of about 10 mph from the West and cool, 50 degree air greeted us as we stepped out of the truck.   It couldn’t have been better it seemed.  So, the three of us all grabbed a couple decoys and headed out into the pasture.  As we were setting up, you could hear a big flock of geese sitting in the pond that was only about 300 yards away.  Of course, this gave us hope and we were now even more excited!  So, after we got the decoys set up, we went and got our blind made along the fence line.  The sun came up and hit half of our decoy spread and it seemed like that was the “on” switch!  We had geese flying all over all of a sudden.  However, we were set up in a resting area, and the geese we were seeing were set on food.  But we know that the geese always do that and they come back later to sit in the pasture all day.  We were pumped up.  At about 9:00 AM we had the first flock actually commit.  It was a flock of four.  They came in perfect, right where we wanted them.  The wings locked as they lowered in towards the spread.  I yelled “TAKE EM!” and we laid out all 4 in short time.  We were already excited, as we all didn’t expect to get anything due to the news from the night before.

We were settled back in to the blind and not long after we heard another flock in the distance.  We called and they came right in, just like the last group.  This flock consisted of about 30.  We let the first couple geese land and then pulled up and started taking them out.  After the rest of the flock was gone, Justin informed us that he had missed all of them.  Logan knocked down 2 though and I knocked down another 2.  As I was walking out to pick up my geese, Logan yelled over that he had a band!  Not only was one of his geese banded, but it was Logan’s first band ever, so needless to say we were all very excited.

As the morning went on, it stayed pretty slow.  Justin had to get a soil sample for a class, so he was off doing that while Logan and I held down the fort.  Of course, as Justin isn’t there I looked back and saw a flock off in the distance.  Logan and I called and the flock turned and came our way.  They were being a little more stubborn.  They circled our decoys 6 or 7 times.  Justin was videotaping this on his phone from where he was getting his soil.  The next circle, they got lower and we decided it was time to let them have it!  Four more geese were on the ground!

It was a great morning, and we decided it was time to pack it up after that flock, as it was almost noon anyways.  What a great day though.  We ended with 12 geese in all.  We had our chance to all fill out our 5 geese limit, but we had a great time and a great morning full of action.  We couldn’t ask for more!

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation provides 10 great tips for elk hunters on any level. When it comes to elk hunting, or pretty much anything dealing with elk for that matter, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a world class organization. Do not pass up these tips! 

MISSOULA, Mont.--If you're an elk hunter, or would like to be, the Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation is offering 10 ideas for improving your efficiency
this hunting season.

All were condensed from recent and coming features in RMEF's bi-monthly
member magazine, Bugle. A subscription comes with an annual RMEF membership
for $35. To join, call 800-CALL ELK or visit www.rmef.org.

After multiple weekends of whining and feeling sorry for myself; my many years in the woods finally paid off. I hate to admit it, but I'd been whining. I was sick of hearing myself, and I know my husband would agree. It seemed that no matter what I did to hide my scent, be quiet, and make as few movements as possible, my cover would be blown!

We'd been hunting in Georgia for a few years with some "good ole' boys" who had some "freezer" success but no real bragging rights. As the only female hunting on the property I didn't really get a warm & fuzzy welcome from the other male hunters. At one point they even asked my husband, "Do you bring her every weekend?" He smartly replied, "I wouldn't think of leaving her at home, she's a better shot than me!"

The moon had been full or close to it for several nights so the deer had been doing most of their feeding then. There had been signs of rutting activity for a few days, and my husband witnessed several bucks chasing a doe. As they raced past him, he spun around so quickly that he broke the chair he was sitting in. But that's for another story.

We made the decision to sleep in the next morning. We ate a big breakfast and headed to the stands around 9:00am. We had plans to stay all day instead of breaking at noon for lunch and maybe catch some bucks wondering mid-day.
I had been in my ladder stand five minutes when I heard the fateful blow of an alerted deer behind me. I was so close to climbing down and going back to bed! But not wanting to mess up my husband's hunt, I stuck it out. I'm really glad I did.

Ten minutes later I noticed some movement inside the wood line about 85 yards in front of me. I picked up my binoculars and scanned the edge to find out if it was a "shooter". I caught the glimpse of an antler and my heart started to pound. I carefully raised my gun and tried to locate the buck in my scope. Where was he? Every time I looked in the scope I couldn't locate him through the saplings and briars. I could only see him with the naked eye. I was really getting nervous! I thought back to the past few weeks and all the blown opportunities. I was sure if I didn't get it together soon this would be added to the list. I took a deep breath and looked back in the scope one more time and found his front legs. Eureka! Just above that is his chest! I slowly moved my gun up until I found his front right shoulder and pulled the trigger on my 30-06. All four legs went in the air in the classic bucking motion. I had made contact! He broke into the field and headed straight for me. This is when I realized he wasn't just a buck he was the biggest buck I'd seen in the woods, and the first one I'd shot at! I rapidly pumped my gun and fired off four more shots. He came to rest about fifteen feet behind my stand. I quickly grabbed another clip and slammed it into the gun. I wasn't going to take a chance that he might get back up. He wiggled a little and I shot him again. Once I was confident he wasn't going anywhere the celebrating began. Later I was told that I was heard on the other side of the property hoopin' and hollerin'! My husband keyed up his two-way radio and asked if I was ok, and if I had one down. I confirmed that it was big but he should continue to hunt. I still had no idea the magnitude of what I had just accomplished. He waited about ten minutes but couldn't stand the anticipation and headed my way. By then I had finally stopped shaking and felt confident enough to safely climb down out of the stand. I stood there for what seemed an eternity just staring at the magnificent animal in front of me. When my husband arrived he congratulated me with a hug and a tear. I then said to him, "Don't even think about telling me I'm not getting it mounted!"

I'm very blessed to have found someone who enjoys the sport as much as I do and that we were able to share this moment together. The only thing that would have made it greater was if my Dad, who introduced me to hunting could have been there too.

As we started to drag the deer out of the woods my husband noticed there were only two shots in the deer. The first shot and the last shot. The first being the fatal one and the last was my nervous one....right into tenderloin, which to this day my husband won't let me forget!

When we returned to camp we discovered there had been multiple deer shot that morning including an 8 point, a 6 point, and several does. But nothing came close to my 11 point. Those "good ole' boys" were in awe of what the "girl" had harvested. The president of the club said it was the largest buck shot on the property in 20 years. The guy who shot the 8 point couldn't stop rubbing the antlers of my deer. He said he was really happy with his deer until he saw mine.

After all the congratulating my husband and I took my deer to a local "stop n shop" that had a scale to get it weighed. As they began to hoist it up the last number I read was 185 lbs before the scale blew apart. It might have weighed more than that but I'll never know.

He now proudly hangs in our home on what I like to call my "Wall of Fame" along with two of the biggest fish I've ever caught.

I've always looked forward to deer season beginning, but since that October morning in 2005 things have been a lot different.

Every year people get big bucks on their trail cameras over the summer and then never see them during the season, especially when hunting smaller properties like most people in the country.  Bucks and deer in general often “summer” in one area that is usually fairly small, sometimes less than 200 acres and less for does and fawns.  However, if the food sources and cover are not there for the deer, their range may be 2 square miles.  Trail cameras are a good way to get an idea of a deer’s range. 

Getting a deer on a trail camera every day or even every other day usually indicates a small summer range for that deer.  Deer move very little in the summer months because they don’t need as much food and they try to stay cool.  This also means that deer choose to move at night more often. Most, not all, trail camera pictures during the summer are in late evening, night, or early morning.  So how can you pattern these deer so you can be in the stand when the big one is under it?  Keep track of how often and how many pictures of the deer you get.   The more pictures you get, the better chance there is that they are calmly walking through the area or feeding.  Next, pay extra attention to the pictures you get during late August and Early September when the velvet is coming off.  This point shows that the deer are going to be starting early prerut activities. Scrapes and rubs should be slowly showing up.  This sign will help you tell whether that deer is in your area for the long haul.  Usually scrapes and rubs will mean that the deer that made them will be checking them and roaming that general area, especially during the prerut.  So, make sure you are hunting the area hard during the early season, especially about 2 hours before sunset until sunset and at sunrise for about 2 hours at least. 

Many deer during late August and early September start to move off or expand their summer range.  If you stop getting pictures of the huge buck that you have had on your camera all summer long, don’t worry!   He most likely moved off of his summer range or expanded his range to make his territory bigger.  You may not see him much if at all early season, but once the rut starts to go into full swing, you will want to be in your stand!  It is not uncommon at all for big buck to check his core summer range during the rut for hot does.  They know the area very well, so they will feel very comfortable there when they are there.  If you are in this situation, all day sits are not a bad idea.  If that isn’t possible, the 4 hours or light before sunset and after sunrise are the best.

So now you have been chasing that buck around all season long and still nothing.  You may start to worry that he has been shot by someone else, but don’t!  He is out there still.  If he has evaded you the whole season, there is a good chance that other hunters haven’t had him in range either.  In many areas of the country, gun season can really pressure the deer.  So much that late archery season is an even more challenging.  The deer usually start to get into their winter pattern, meaning large groups.  The winter range is usually completely different than their summer range, although there are always exceptions.  However, the good news is that if you can find big groups of deer within a couple miles of your hunting area, there is a good chance that the buck you are after is nearby. Usually these areas are spots with a good food source (ex. Standing corn, standing beans, etc.)   A lot of landowners are very lenient with late season bowhunters.  Gun season and muzzleloader season is over, and up here in the Midwest, its 10 degrees with 2 feet of snow.  They may think you are crazy, but they usually don’t have anyone else hunting out there at that time so you have good odds of getting permission.  This is also a great way to start building a relationship with the landowner for future seasons.   Deer in their winter patterns will often do the same thing every day and they are very focused on food to stay fattened up for winter.  Putting a stand up over a food source or heavy deer trail will often be your best bet.  Late season deer will eat all day long if they have enough cover around them, but again, if all day sits in this kind of weather isn’t a possibility, it is usually best to hunt the 2 hours or so before darkness in the evenings.  Just be cautious with the snow, you stick out like a sore thumb and it can be loud to walk through.

With trail cameras becoming more popular every year and with everyone’s busy schedule, hunters are relying more and more on the trail cameras to do the scouting for them. While this sometimes works, trail cameras are an aid in scouting, but only an aid.  Nothing can take the place of walking your hunting area and looking for new and old sign.  Putting on a few miles scouting during the summer and early fall is what will give you the biggest advantage over the deer.

Following these few tips should help you put your trail camera bucks on the ground this season and for many seasons to come!  I wish everybody good luck this season!

Logan shares a common story amongst elk hunters. As some of us know, the bitter sweet experience of an elk hunt may, and most likely will, end with a back breaking, bone grinding, sweat dripping haul out of the field. However, it is all part of the experience right?

Now What!? On the ground in front of us was a mature bull the size of a small horse. Darkness had settled in. My partner and I were three wilderness miles in from the truck and more than twenty miles from camp.

"We took some trophy shots, made a plan and left the bull around 8:30 p.m." We knew we'd have to move quickly to save all the meat. There was no light from the moon as we followed the forest fence by flashlight. At camp, we had a quick meal of spaghetti and packed up for the next morning. We got the mules in the trailer by 8 and were back to the bull shortly after 10 a.m. "Ho, so they had mules," You say. "The rest must have been easy."

To have a successful hunting season, your off season must involve some prep work such as planting food plots, setting up trail cameras, sighting in your bow or rifle and practice, sharpen your knives, update the gear in your pack, make sure all your safety equipment is in working condition, put up any tree stands and check to make sure they are sturdy and safe, most importantly; scout the area your hunting area year round.

Planting food plots can make a substantial difference in the health and activity of deer in the area, making them much easier to hunt. For best results, changing the type of plants each season will keep the deer coming back for more. In the summer soy beans and alfalfa will be appetizing to the deer, but in the early fall you will want to plant some sorghum seed heads. From late fall into winter, the deer will be stocking up on carbohydrates to keep them warm throughout the cold months. Be careful planting any foreign plants because they may be aggressive and take over any native plants. You can also buy food plot seed if you don’t have the time to plant individual crops.

Sarah Kirk is the newest Member to our Pro Staff Team and we are honored  to have her on our team.  We will all be hearing much more about her in the coming months.

It has been a whirlwind for HuntingLife.com and for me personally.  It all started about a year ago with the vision to build a new website and change our image for HuntingLife.com from just a great blog to a National News Source for Hunting, Conservation and the pursuit of your passions in the outdoors.  Our philosophy has never changed but we are extremely excited to announce officially Version 2.0 of both our website and our Hunting Life Weather IPhone Application.

One of the first things that you will need to decide on when choosing a backcountry stove is the type of fuel that you will use. After you decide on the fuel that best fits your needs, you will then be able to decide on which stoves to research.

Canister fuels use blended, compressed gases such as butane, propane or isobutane. Note that butane does not work below 32*F, but performs very well in cold when mixed with propane. Isobutane works to about 25*F. Propane works to about 0*F.

I will compare the pros and cons of the most common fuels used for camping.