Trophy Buck Secrets - Whitetail Deer Management , Hunting Videos, Tips, Forum, Pictures & More

Twists of Fate

I hunted the first two days of the 2009 archery season and then hung up my bow until the weather cooled down. It was hot. Deer weren't moving well in my area. As I climbed into my stand those first couple of days, I felt like I was just biding my time until the action picked up.

VIDEO: Scent Elimination & Clothing Storage

Scent elimination and clothing storage is a top priority of any serious deer hunter. In this video, you'll see some of the critical steps in the process, as well as, a few of the products that you need to make it happen. You're killing your chances if you aren't following the advice in this video.

VIDEO RECIPE: Easy Venison Lunch

Enjoy watching Ralph in the kitchen as he whips up this week's recipe, "Easy Venison Lunch"

VIDEO: Canine Teeth in Whitetails

Ralph noticed something different about a deer skull he was cleaning recently. Watch this video to learn about his unusual discovery

Product Review: Horton Legend HD 175

The past three years I've been in the market for a crossbow, but it seemed I just couldn't find one that fit right. Either the trigger pulls were too creaky or the crossbow itself too light for my liking. Nothing felt comfortable. And then at a sports show last spring, I visited the Horton booth and handled their latest products. As soon as I shouldered the Legend HD 175, I knew I had finally found a crossbow I liked.

For the Record: Tim Cherok and Jason Kindzia

Tim Cherok and Jason Kindzia, both of southwestern PA, have been friends and hunting partners since childhood. "My dad introduced me to hunting," Tim says. "When I was five or six, I picked up his recurve bow and couldn't stop shooting it. My dad bought me my first compound bow when I was twelve. He has since gotten out of the sport, but my desire to hunt has never died."

6 Habitat Tips for Sportsmen

Late winter and spring are good times to get involved in outdoor projects. There are many things we can do as sportsmen to improve habitat for wildlife.

VIDEO: Postseason Scouting and the Second Rut

Your postseason scouting is just as important as preseason scouting when it comes to determining how successful you'll be next season. Take a walk around the woods during January and February and you may be amazed at what you find

RECIPE: Grandma's Camp Chili

A mouthwatering chili recipe that will warm up any cold day

Review: Bushnell BackTrack

The folks at Bushnell said it's easy as 1-2-3 to "Mark it, leave it, and get back." Hmmm�! Nothing can be this easy, or can it? Being able to easily find my way to my deer stand at pre-dawn or back to a honey hole full of hungry fish discovered on a river or stream instantly jumped to my mind. Or better yet� never again having to search for hours to find a downed deer in an unfamiliar area if I had to leave it to get help.

For the Record: Tom Fitz

Early into archery season, Tom Fitz had a chance at a record book buck. Only a small sapling in front of the deer prevented Tom from taking the shot. That deer scored in the low 140s. Tom would know this because his buddy Phil harvested the buck later that season.

Where Am I? An Introduction to GPS

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have fast become a technological advancement that users say they couldn't live without. The advent of GPS eliminates the need for carting around paper maps in the glove box. With it, never again will there be a need to hurriedly jot down sketchy directions from someone that may, or may not, know where they are going. And although Google Maps is a pretty convenient way to get step-by-step directions, the printed directions do not have the capacity to update when you decide take a side road or want to find the nearest steak joint.

Ohio Has New Record Nontypical Whitetail

DAYTON, OHIO - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife announced that another record setting deer has been harvested in southwestern Ohio. On Saturday, January 30, 2010, the 18-point nontypical (nonsymmetrical antlered) deer taken by Brian Stephens on November 30, 2009 with a muzzleloader in Highland County was officially scored.

Alpen Optics: Products Worth Looking Into

A few years ago my wife JC developed a great interest in bird watching and asked me to find her a good pair of binoculars which she could use to get closer to the birds she wanted to study. Her request could have not have been more timely because I was about to attend a Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Conference where I knew several outdoor product companies would have items on display for our inspection. As I walked through the rows of items on display at the conference, I spotted a small pair of green, rubber coated binoculars sitting on the table at the Alpen Outdoor Corporation display.

Postseason Scouting

Sometimes the scouting done after a season ends is just as important as the scouting done before it begins. A lot can be learned during a winter's walk around the property where you hunt. Last week I visited the place where I hunt in West Virginia. Driving up from camp, I was shocked to see the number of fresh buck rubs on saplings on either side of the road. I found this interesting considering that the last time I'd driven the property was the weekend before Christmas and those rubs had not been there.

Hunters Say They're Hunting

In 2009, a majority of hunters made going afield a priority in their life. According to HunterSurvey.com, almost 25 percent said they hunted more than they expected to in 2009 and 40 percent said they hunted about as much as they expected to

Dad's "Prize"

Having grown up hunting the mountain counties of Pennsylvania, my dad's lifelong dream has been to harvest a big mountain buck. On Thanksgiving Day, 2009, that dream became reality. The giant mountain buck scored 128 6/8", and we call it "The Prize." In his own words, here is my dad's story

RECIPE: Grilled Venison Tenderloin

This is an all-time favorite of deer hunters everywhere. I enjoy it served with mashed potatoes & gravy and fresh green beans.

For the Record: Brad Blakeman

Hunting has always been part of Brad Blakeman's life. In fact, Brad, who is now twenty-seven years old, has been hunting since he was eight. Before he could hold a gun, his dad and grandpa took him out into the woods where Brad sat in tree stands, learned how a hunter moves and acts, as well as learned the basics of hunting. "I have a son now, a five year old," says Brad, "so I know how frustrating it must have been for them."

VIDEO: How To Score Your Whitetail Buck's Rack.

Have you ever wondered what your buck 'scores'? Ralph shows you how to score a whitetail buck's rack in this video. Watch and learn so you know what to say the next time a fellow hunter asks you, "What's he score?"