The White Knuckle Productions crew went on an early season tear, with Pyscho and now Jason Syens putting down great bucks. Jason put together a terrific story of his hunt, and I’m pumped to be able to share it with you all. Congrats again Jason and enjoy the read folks! – MK

“I would have never guessed the night of September 28^th would have turned out the way that it did.  On the drive over to the farm that afternoon I can remember thinking of the time that I shot my first buck ever with the bow, out of that very field we were going to be hunting.  I hadn’t shot a deer out of that field since that September day in 1989.  This spot is a great place to see a ton of deer but the chances of getting close to a good one were slim.  I just needed to get out.

Going into that night, I knew in the back of my head we had a few things going right.  One was a lack of intrusion into that area.  Another was keeping our trail camera’s on the fringes this year, we didn’t even go in that food plot at all.  And lastly, we finally had some high pressure and some cooler temps.

So we set up our Huntmore Stools, positioned the Ozonics machine, and settled in for the hunt.  It wasn’t long and we had 3 deer come out in front of the blind into the food plot.  For the rest of the night we had deer in and out of the field all around us, thank God for the Ozonics machine or we would have been listening to deer blowing all night.

At about 6:20 a parade of deer started out of the corner we were hunting.  First it was a string of does and fawns and then a string of bucks, one of them a 4 year old 10 that had his right side broke off.  While the bucks were feeding in the field and sparing, I noticed that they would periodically look back at the corner and stare.  At that moment I said to Sam, “A big buck is going to come out of that corner soon”.  I no more than spoke those words and “Splitter” stepped out and I was completely shocked.  This was a deer we knew well, trail cam photos and shed antlers, and a few encounters with no shots.

He started to quickly close the gap and I wasn’t sure if I wanted my season to end.  As he got closer, I knew my decision was made.  Check out the upcoming White Knuckle Productions video to see the whole story.  I guess I’m in the tree with a camera for the rest of the year.  Dave is up next and we have many on the hit list. Good luck and safe hunting.” –   Jason

To see more from Jason and the White Knuckle team visit the White Knuckle Productions website or the Whitetails Inc webshow site.

It started off like any other day in the woods might. Cool, crisp morning. A light wind from the North. And me, falling asleep in the treestand, head bobbing up down like a bobblehead. Luckily, soon after the sun peaked over the horizon, deer began filtering across the overgrown grass field and my attention was peaked. Over the course of the first couple hours this past Sunday morning, I watched 7 doe and a small buck file across this clear cut power line, as they moved to my west to bed. It was a good morning.

But it suddenly became a great morning when my eye caught a glimmer to the North and East. There, standing just 90 yards away was the biggest buck I’d seen yet this year. And after closer examination, I realized it was a buck I’ve been getting on trailcam this year, a buck I call “Six Shooter”. He’s essentially a giant six pointer with a awesome brow tines and really nice G2s. If he had a 4th point on each side, I’d say he’d be a 130″+ 8 pointer, which is a DANDY in my book. But even with him only having six real points, he’s one awesome buck and after seeing his body, I can also tell he is definitely mature.

So after several minutes of milling around, he proceeded to bed down at about 90 yards in this tall grass, and there he lay for about two hours. All the while I plotted out what I should do. I considered putting the sneak on him, but he was bedded so close to me, and facing directly towards me. I was afraid I wouldn’t even be able to get out of my stand without spooking him. So I figured I’d wait. Finally after a few hours he stood up, and walked off in the opposite direct, paying no mind to my grunt calls. And after another hour, I decided to sneak out and return later that day.

At 3:00 PM I slipped back out to the same stand, slightly paranoid that he may still be nearby and that I could spook him. I took my sweet time getting in to the stand, and a couple hours later I was happy I did so. At about 5:30, as I slowly turned my head to the right, there again  in the same spot I saw him that morning, was “Six Shooter”. Seemingly sun bathing in the afternoon heat.

The next two hours were filled with anticipation, suspense, awesome deer watching and a close call. I was able to watch this buck for hours, as he lived the life of a mature buck right in front of my eyes. It was fascinating to see and something that I’ve played over and over in my head since. But after an hour or so of milling around, rubbing little trees, bedding, feeding, etc, he finally started moving off. And luckily it seemed like he’d head my general direction. So over the course of the last 20 minutes in the stand I went through the repeated steps of adjust the camera to where I thought he’d pass, range the shooting lane again, breathe, breathe, position my bow, realign my feet, breathe, breathe, and then repeat. He seemed to take forever and the whole time I was trying very hard not to have a hard attack or pee my pants, which seemed eminent after drinking two Pepsis over the past couple hours.

But finally the stars seemed to align, and he moved towards the timber behind me and the last possible shooting lane I had at 40 yards. With the camera rolling, my bow ready to draw and my shakes temporarily on hold, I prepared to kill my largest buck to date.

He stepped from behind the tree, and I waited for him to take the few steps down to the right to head into my opening. But…instead, he took a step to the left and proceeded to cross just out of range and behind a branch at about 45-50 yards. With no interest in my desperate grunts calls, he glided into the timber and out of my life.

So now I’m left wondering if I did something wrong or if it just wasn’t my time. But none-the-less, it was certainly a great encounter and hopefully not my last with him this year. My day with “Six Shooter” was one I won’t soon forget, and hopefully it’s one I can repeat soon with a different ending.

We’re done. Every i is dotted and t crossed. From here it’s only 24 days til I’ll be hunting in Ohio! That being said, it sure took a lot of time and effort to get to this point. After our third trip to our property down in the Buckeye state, our work is completed and we’re ready to rock and roll. Our goal over the weekend was to do some final scouting, put up our last two stands, check our trail cameras and glass some fields for nearby velvet bucks. That being said, although we were able to get through our whole to-do list, we ended up leaving Ohio feeling a little disappointed.

Why is that, you ask? Mostly because of trail cameras. In fact almost entirely because of trail cameras, and specifically trail cameras crashing and burning. When we were down in July, we set up three cameras with BB2 in front of them and high hopes for big bucks. But upon returning in August, we found two of our cameras to be on the fritz! The first camera we came upon was Corey’s Stealthcam, which took 56 pictures in the first week or so after we left, and then did nothing. This was bad enough, but when we saw one of my cameras was dead too, we were crushed. My Bushnell Trophy Cam somehow filled with water, even though it was completely sealed and locked. Needless to say I was upset. In fact, in the past month and a half, this is my third Bushnell Trophy Cam that has mysteriously failed. Obviously I’m a little frustrated.  More to come on the topic of Bushnell Trophy Cams  later. That all being said, the one camera that did work correctly took pictures of about 30,00o doe and a couple year and a half old bucks. The one small piece of good news that we got Saturday night was that the SD card in my water filled camera still worked and had a few decent pictures from before it got waterlogged. On that card we got a pic of one half decent buck that we think is a three year old, 120ish class buck. Although he’s not really what we’re looking for down there, it was at least nice to see something other than yearlings. We figured he was better than nothing. And with that in mind, we’ve dubbed this deer the “Better Than Nothing Buck”! haha

Now all that being said, other than trail camera fails, our trip went great. We were able to get our final two stands up in a couple really nice locations, while also covering a good amount of ground and picking up some quality intel. I feel really good about where we’re set up and how we understand the property. Now we just need to see if the deer will play the parts we want them too! In addition to getting set up well, we also got another positive sign when we caught site of a real nice 150ish inch buck in the beans just down the road. He looks to be a dandy and we’re hoping he’ll take the jaunt to our neck of the woods come November!

All in all it was a great trip, and with this work done we’re in a great position for the Ohio bow season which opens in just under a month. Hopefully we’ll come back to a trail camera full of big buck pictures and maybe even sling an arrow at one come the end of September!

Say Cheese!

Last weekend was all about preparation for the upcoming season.  I met up with my good friend Ryan from Missouri and we headed out to the timber to check trail cameras and set tree stands. The weather gave us a break and stayed under 85 for the majority of Saturday which made setting stands that much easier.  Friday when Ryan got into town, and after we set up my 1987 Coleman pop-up camper, we checked trail cameras, let just say I was really pissed when I found out that only 3 of my 5 cameras worked properly. Oh well “IT” happens.

Note: If you are using more than one brand of trail camera try to use the same SD card in the same camera.  Not sure the real reason but I noticed that some cameras will automatically format SD cards to only accept pictures from the original camera or brand (Reconyx).  I found this out the hard way and missed 3 weeks of pictures in one of my favorite spots.  I was so mad I kicked a tree.

Here’s what I got, nothing too huge, enjoy…

Jackpot – Missed him last year at 22 yards… sun was in my eyes.  Potential shooter.

Megatron – Because of a faulty camera, this is the last picture I have of him. #1 shooter on the property.

Rocky Dennis – Not a shooter but fun to look at.

Only one picture of this buck, never seen him before.  If he is still around October 1^st… Shooter!

Eric Roberts – I have pictures of this deer from last year, didn’t do much. He might get an arrow if he makes an appearance.

Barb – This buck made a good jump from last year. There’s something about big 8’s that gets my blood pumping.  Teeter-Totter buck.

Last but not least…

Johnny Utah – “I’m an F.B.I. Agent, you gotta go down!”  One more year.

I can’t wait to see these deer on hoof this season; I have a feeling that this is going to be a great year… queue Black Eyed Peas music.

I Hate Spider Webs:

Every property has a different layout, so what I am about to tell you is based on my experience on the properties that I hunt.  With that said… I love pinch points and travel corridors!  Most people set their stands on food sources or near bedding areas, which is fine, but from my experience I am bumping way more deer going to the starting or finish line of their daily route.

On a quick side note, my favorite part of scouting and finding the next place to hang my stands,  is busting about 400 spider webs with my face.

What I like to do, mostly during pre-rut, is find those pinch points and wait for the cruising bucks to go by.  When a deer has to make a decision to go high or low, or take the left trail or the right trail, I want to be in that spot.  And, that is where I hung my stands this past weekend, way more trimming is required but the activity I see is well worth it.  Shameless Plug:  “and, I could have never done it without my Wicked Hand Saw!”

I will wait for the right wind, find the easiest entry and exit route, and usually sit in the same spot for 2 or 3 sits, if the deer I want doesn’t show… like Jay Z said “I’m on to the next one”.

Until Next Time – Stay Wired!

- D.F. Worth

A guest post from D.F. Worth.

I am supposed to be working right now but the only thing I keep thinking about is what tree stand I should sit in come October 1^st. By now I have looked through my trail camera pictures so many times that I can probably identify all my bucks just by looking at their body. I have reviewed aerial photos and maps of all my hunting properties and already know what pinch point I will be hunting in depending on wind direction. I have already scouted all of my hunting properties and know where the bedding areas are in relationship to food sources and travel routes.

I am obsessed with an animal that every summer grows a new set of antlers and every winter loses his current rack.  I will trim out tree stands in 100 degree heat and sit in those same stands in high winds, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures…  and even if I don’t see a single deer I am completely happy. I am consumed with the life cycle of a mammal. The funny thing is there are guys and gals out there that have the “fever” way worse than me… and that’s a scary thought.

I shoot my bow so many times before the season even starts that I could probably use a new string. Fine tuning my sight and rest so when the time comes, I am ready.

And when it’s all said and done and their antlers fall off, I will go looking for them, walking miles and miles through some of the thickest vegetation Mother Nature has to offer. If you have ever left the timber looking like you lost a fight with a thorn bush you know exactly what I‘m talking about.

By the way if your girlfriend or wife ever asks “When will you be home?” “When I find the matching side.” Is NOT the right answer.

I have friends and family members who don’t understand why I spend so much time and energy on these animals. Honestly, I have no other hobbies… well except Iowa Hawkeye Football, and even that takes a back seat when October 1^st shows up. Even I can’t explain why I love whitetails so much; I guess it’s just in my blood.

When it comes to deer hunting there are no shortcuts and nothing replaces hard work (unless you hunt high fence).  Remember to learn from your mistakes, if you fail… come up with a new game plan and try again. That is how we evolve as hunters.

So if I don’t answer my phone in October and November leave a message and I will call you back during shotgun season in December. I’ll be stopping by here on Wired To Hunt from time to time to shed some light from the lighter side of hunting, because if you’re not having fun while hunting you’re missing the point.

Stay Wired!

- D.F. Worth

I’m off to do some camping this weekend in Northern Michigan! So while I’m off making smores, hiking dunes and swimming in Lake Michigan I’d recommend you check out some of the interesting whitetail reads below from across the hunting blogosphere! Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Sight-in Strategies for Bowhunters – Petersen’s Bowhunting: A helpful piece describing simple tips to improve the sighting in process for your bow. Make sure your’re doing this now and not the week before the season!

Trophy Dilemma: What To Do When A Landowner Wants Your Buck – Big Buck Zone: An interesting problem is discussed here…What if you shoot a big buck on land you got permission to hunt, and then the landowner wants your mount or the meat? What would you do?

Kill Plots the Other Food Plot – Bowhunting.com: Good tips on creating a kill food plot now to hunt over this fall. A great strategy for bagging a mature buck!

Breaking Up Your Outline – Midwest Whitetail: Great tips from Bill Winke about an issue that was top of mind for me last weekend in Ohio. Being able to break up your outline in the tree is so important, and here are some tips for how to do just that, even in less than ideal trees!

Venison Burgers with Mushrooms – Hunter Angler Gardener Cook: It looks to be another beautiful weekend, so go ahead and try out this tasty looking recipe for venison burgers with mushrooms!

I got a fun surprise the other day when I saw a post from a reader on our W2H facebook page, stating that he saw my name in the most recent Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine! Well low and behold, my girlfriend’s venison pot roast recipe was selected and published in the Reader’s Recipes section in D&DH! Pretty cool, right? That being said, here’s to hoping you’ll see me in Deer & Deer Hunting again soon, but with a real article this time!

If you’re interested in tasting this hearty venison recipe, I’ve included the details again below!

Marinade for Roast

In small bowl combine all marinade ingredients; blend well. Place roast in non-metal bowl or plastic bag. Pour marinade sauce over roast. Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours turning several times.

Venison Roast with Veggies and Gravy Sauce

GRAVY

Pour gravy over roast, breathe in the amazing aroma and enjoy!

In just a couple weeks I’ll be heading down to Illinois to shoot a little video and help out some on the farm too. I’m looking forward to getting to see the areas I’ll be hunting and to start prepping for one of these Illinois giants! As far as I know, there are still a few openings at Oak Tree for this fall. So if you’re looking for a great outfitter to hunt with this fall, check out Oak Tree Outfitters! Maybe I’ll see ya there!

Oak Tree Outfitters of Illinois

I recently had this debate with a buddy and it resulted in me posting the same question to the folks over at Archery Talk. Which is more difficult to hunt? Deer or turkey? My thoughts were that deer probably take the cake because you have to consider the whole scent issue. But  a whole lot of other interesting issues were brought up in the discussion on AT. So lets take a look at examples from the two sides…

In favor of deer being more difficult:

-  Joehunter8301 – “…with deer you have the wind factor and any out of the ordinary noise and he is gone. on top of that deer move all night long so you dont know where he is in the morning unlike turkeys which you can roost and be right under them come daylight the next morning. now lets talk a jake turkey and a spike deer. still the same thing but most spikes wont run at the first hint of a human. jake turkeys will come into just about any calling and are not very wary at all. i still say its harder to kill a spike but not much harder. on top of that you can listen for the birds to gobble and give away their location….deer dont make a peep.”

-  GobblerDown – “…Turkeys are easier. They can be easier to find because they are out during the daylight, they gobble, and most times you can roost them. You can call them to you (sometimes). Deer will come in to grunts or rattling but that is lower percentage than calling in a turkey. Most of time if a turkey starts coming in you will get a shot, but a deer it seems more time than not you still don’t. You have a good chance of killing a turkey all day long. Many times deer won’t move at all during daylight. With turkeys smell is not a issue. I also think a deer is smarter than a turkey, but a turkey a lot of times it seems are scared of their own shadow. However deer can be the same way. If you gave me two days in the spring for turkeys or fall for deer and I had to bet the farm on killing one of the two I would pick a turkey every time.”

In favor of turkeys being more difficult:

- Beersndeer –  ”Im going to say probably turkeys more than deer. I feel that I can pattern deer alot easier than I can turkeys. Also if turkeys had any sense of smell we would never kill those dang birds.”

- Cornfed – “I do believe the “average” deer is a lot easier to kill than the “average” turkey. Turkeys seem to be cronic paranoids in my area and don’t have the curiousity that average deer do.”

So I’m curious where the Wired To Hunt Nation sits on this one. Deer or turkey? Cast your vote in the poll below and then tell us why in the comments!

Well I’m heading down to Texas this evening for a little family reunion and I’ll be down there til the beginning of next week. Unfortunately I won’t be doing any hunting, but maybe I’ll be able to get my eyes on some nice Texas whitetails, there sure are plenty of them down there. While I’m gone I certainly don’t want to leave you guys hanging, so I thought I would suggest some of my posts from the past for you all to check out. Here are some of my favorite Wired To Hunt posts from days gone by, hope you enjoy and be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments!

5 Tips for Hunting Pressured Whitetails – John Eberhart: John is one of the most successful whitetail bowhunters in the Michigan and the entire country. He has develope a rigorous system to get on mature bucks and get within bow range in even the most pressured areas. For anyone hunting in areas like Michigan, Pennsylvania or New York John’s insight is a must read. Here are his top 5 tips for chasing bucks in these high pressure areas.

Exclusive Interview with Chris Brackett: For any Chris Brackett or Arrow Affliction fans out there, this interview is going to be of interest to you. Chris recently decided to leave the Arrow Affliction show, so check out this article to learn why he left and what he plans to do next!

Using Google Maps to Scout Whitetail Deer: Right now is a great time to find new pieces of land to hunt and the first step to scouting that land is to review aerial maps. Using Google Maps to do this is quick, easy and effective. Check out this article to learn a little bit more about how you can use these maps to better understand your property and how to develop a strategy for hunting it.

Common Threads – Scott Bestul: Scott Bestul is a deer hunting writer that runs the Field & Stream blog Whitetail 365 and has been published in Field & Stream and Deer & Deer Hunting just to name a few. He was kind enough to write a guest post for Wired To Hunt describing the common threads that run across all consistently successful hunters of mature bucks. For anyone trying to reach that level of consistent success, you need to check  out this article.