Technique

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First Deer of the Year

First Deer of the Year

On August 11 a friend of mine from back East texted me and I responded that I was deer hunting. “Boddington,” he came back, “it’s August…around here we call that poaching!” On the surface, it seems crazy. Here on the Central Coast, August temperatures soar above 100 degrees and wildfires are headline news. Even so, it’s deer season! The “coast zone” rifle deer season opens the second Saturday in August. This year opening day was the 11th; it could open as early as August 8…but never later than the 14th. This is the earliest rifle deer season in the Lower 48!

The 400 Yard Deer Hunter: Summer Prep Required!

The 400 Yard Deer Hunter: Summer Prep Required!

Long-range hunting continues to gain in popularity. But just because you want to go long doesn’t mean dropping in bullets at 1,000 yards. Most deer hunters, for example, take their shots at 100 yards or less. Yet, if those same hunters could extend their range to 400 yards? Their chances at filling their tags would go up greatly.

Hunting Using Nature's Benchrest: Ready, Aim, Fire

Hunting Using Nature’s Benchrest: Ready, Aim, Fire

With a little creativity and practice, our hunting gear and/or Mother Nature can provide the same stability at a moment’s notice as the most versatile bipod sold.

Hunting Your Best When Weather Is At It's Worst: Tips for Success

Hunting Your Best When Weather Is At It’s Worst: Tips for Success

Two things are certain in life: the changing of the seasons and hunters being out there when it’s happening. We can anticipate, prepare, and come out on top or get turned back to the truck early, defeated.  Use these 7 tips to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature and her varying moods this year:

Terminating Whistle Pigs: Clay's Choice for Guns & Gear

Terminating Whistle Pigs: Clay’s Choice for Guns & Gear

I have had some people ask me about my preferred setup for terminating whistle pigs, so today I am going to discuss just that.

Thoughts on the Magic .50 BMG Bullet that Killed a Deer Without Hitting It...

Thoughts on the Magic .50 BMG Bullet that Killed a Deer Without Hitting It…

Keith released a statement explaining that he and his taxidermist did a necropsy of the deer’s skull, notably the brain cavity and found no loss of bone.

How to Mount A Scope with Ease

How to Mount A Scope with Ease

Learn how to mount a scope. If your equipment fails you on the shot of a lifetime, don’t let it be the fault of an over-glorified Walmart greeter.

2017's Top 5 Best Days of the Whitetail Rut

2017’s Top 5 Best Days of the Whitetail Rut

On the minds of hunters all year long, the rut is a magical time to be in the woods. And although every day spent afield is a good one, mark these dates on the calendar as some of the best for 2017.

The Ultimate Whitetail Rifle: Tricking Out Your Bolt Action for Fall

The Ultimate Whitetail Rifle: Tricking Out Your Bolt Action for Fall

The whitetail deer has to be our most popular big game animal in the Continental Forty-Eight, yet the settings in which we hunt them, and the means with which we hunt them has got to be the most diverse ever.  Entire volumes have been written on what makes up the consummate deer gun, and while I’m not going to attempt to define that within this article, I would like to talk about some ideas to optimize your existing deer rifle, or perhaps to choose a different rifle in order to try a different means of deer hunting.

Top 10 Exotic Hunts That Should Be on Your Bucket List

Top 10 Exotic Hunts That Should Be on Your Bucket List

Traveling to hunt is something I feel everyone should do at least once; it represents an adventure that can quickly make a hunter feel years, if not decades, younger. An unseen valley, an exotic species, perhaps the need for a different rifle or cartridge, it all adds a flair to the sport we love so much. Now, depending on where you call home, the destinations I’m about to list may or may not seem like an exotic place to hunt, but here are ten places that I’ve either fallen in love with or plan to in the near future.