Beginner turkey hunter lessons

I spent some time today outside listening to turkey talk as the snow quickly melted off the roof in near 50-degree temperatures. It was an immensely beautiful day to listen to the birds.

It's always been my personal philosophy to teach kids to hunt. My oldest grand-daughter, at the wise old age of 19 years, was asking me about turkey hunting. I took her out several times for whitetails with a bow, and although she didn't shoot a deer, there were opportunities.

"Are you interested in turkey hunting," I asked. She allowed as how she might be, and I allowed as how I might be talked into calling up a gobbler for her. That is, if she wanted me to.

Determining whether to hunt turkeys or not can be an issue.

That's when the questions started. And that's what I love about teaching children that really want to learn.

"Are you ready to shoot a gobbler if we go hunting," I asked. "We'd be sitting on the ground, and the bird would probably be within 25 yards. The heart-pounding action comes as the bird gets close enough to walk in front of the shotgun. Do you want to kill a gobbler? Hens are off-limits during the spring hunt."

"You've always told me that there is more to hunting than killing," she replied, nailing me to the spot.

"That's true," I said, "but calling a bird in close enough for a shot can spook the bird if they spot any movement. A spooked bird may not come to me again or to another hunter. You don't have to shoot if you don't want to, but turkey hunting is altogether different than bow hunting for whitetail deer."

"I'd like to shoot a gobbler," Jessica answered several years ago, "but I don't know whether I can or not. It's the moment of truth when I must choose to shoot or not shoot that I can't answer right now."

This was as good an answer as any she could give. I wouldn't want someone to shoot a big gobbler if they had problems with doing so. I also don't want to put enormous pressure on her, nor do I want her to think that I'll be upset if she doesn't shoot or if she missed a bird.

Seeing a big gobbler like this can give many hunters the shakes.

"Look," I said, "you have nothing to prove to me other than your willingness to go hunting. A turkey gobbler may show up, four or five might show up, and I just want you to be prepared for what can happen during a turkey hunt."

She faced her moment of truth with a big doe at 10 yards, and she was at full draw, and she later told me she wasn't ready yet to release the arrow. She is a good shot, but I'd rather see her wait until she was fully confident of her abilities, before she shoots an arrow.

The same principle applies while turkey hunting. Where we bow hunted from an elevated and ground stand, we'll be sitting outside on the ground with our backs to a tree, and willing that gobbler to come our way.

Sitting inside elevated or ground coop for deer is one thing. Sitting out, on the ground, and calling to a bird and watching him come -- quickly or slowly -- is a bit of heart-pounding excitement. The heartbeat races, the mouth gets dry, and the breath is sucking in and blowing out as hunters hyperventilate, and it's never easy to sit without moving while a gobbler closes the gap.

"Do you think I can shoot a gobbler," she asked. "Will I have to shoot a lot to get ready? How would I have to dress? Do you have a shotgun that I could use? Would you call for me?"

Beginning hunters can spend the next weeks studying turkeys traveling on the snow.

Of course I would call for her. I'd have a shotgun for her to use, and she could wear the same camo outfit she wore last fall while deer hunting.

"I'd love to take you turkey hunting," I said. "You'd have to shoot a shotgun enough to get accustomed to the recoil. The big secret to killing a gobbler is to wait for the gobbler to walk in front of your shotgun, and keep your head down on the stock while aiming and firing, and you can't move.

"A knee jerk, any twinge or twitch, stiff muscles, sore butt, all of it has to be ignored when a bird is coming. They have eyes like an eagle, and hear very well. Any movement at all will spook the bird."

She is eager but somewhat apprehensive. Trying to allay her fears of making a mistake wasn't easy, but it's my opinion that she has what it takes to shoot a gobbler once she sees a bird or two close enough to shoot. No one is a natural-born turkey hunter.

First-time turkey hunters must experience a gobbler at close range to know how they will react.

We all come to turkey hunting the first time without prior experience. That's where an older person can exert some influence, calm the hunter down, and be there for congratulations when they do everything right. Or to offer heartfelt condolences when it doesn't work.

After all, as Jessica reminded me, hunting isn't all about killing. It can mean simply watching the bird, but one must be prepared with bow or shotgun in hand, in order to properly hunt. One could hunt every day of the season without shooting a bird, but in the end, it must mean releasing an arrow or shooting a load of No. 4, 5 or 6 shot at the bird.

There comes, for every person who hunts, the Moment of Truth when people are suddenly faced with the prospect of shooting at the bird. Many can do it but there are some that can't, and it's best to learn early in a hunting career whether one can do it or not. There's no shame in not being able to shoot a deer or turkey, but from a personal standpoint, it's a point in a hunter's life that must be addressed.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Beginner turkey hunter lessons

I spent some time today outside listening to turkey talk as the snow quickly melted off the roof in near 50-degree temperatures. It was an immensely beautiful day to listen to the birds.

It's always been my personal philosophy to teach kids to hunt. My oldest grand-daughter, at the wise old age of 19 years, was asking me about turkey hunting. I took her out several times for whitetails with a bow, and although she didn't shoot a deer, there were opportunities.

"Are you interested in turkey hunting," I asked. She allowed as how she might be, and I allowed as how I might be talked into calling up a gobbler for her. That is, if she wanted me to.

Determining whether to hunt turkeys or not can be an issue.

That's when the questions started. And that's what I love about teaching children that really want to learn.

"Are you ready to shoot a gobbler if we go hunting," I asked. "We'd be sitting on the ground, and the bird would probably be within 25 yards. The heart-pounding action comes as the bird gets close enough to walk in front of the shotgun. Do you want to kill a gobbler? Hens are off-limits during the spring hunt."

"You've always told me that there is more to hunting than killing," she replied, nailing me to the spot.

"That's true," I said, "but calling a bird in close enough for a shot can spook the bird if they spot any movement. A spooked bird may not come to me again or to another hunter. You don't have to shoot if you don't want to, but turkey hunting is altogether different than bow hunting for whitetail deer."

"I'd like to shoot a gobbler," Jessica answered several years ago, "but I don't know whether I can or not. It's the moment of truth when I must choose to shoot or not shoot that I can't answer right now."

This was as good an answer as any she could give. I wouldn't want someone to shoot a big gobbler if they had problems with doing so. I also don't want to put enormous pressure on her, nor do I want her to think that I'll be upset if she doesn't shoot or if she missed a bird.

Seeing a big gobbler like this can give many hunters the shakes.

"Look," I said, "you have nothing to prove to me other than your willingness to go hunting. A turkey gobbler may show up, four or five might show up, and I just want you to be prepared for what can happen during a turkey hunt."

She faced her moment of truth with a big doe at 10 yards, and she was at full draw, and she later told me she wasn't ready yet to release the arrow. She is a good shot, but I'd rather see her wait until she was fully confident of her abilities, before she shoots an arrow.

The same principle applies while turkey hunting. Where we bow hunted from an elevated and ground stand, we'll be sitting outside on the ground with our backs to a tree, and willing that gobbler to come our way.

Sitting inside elevated or ground coop for deer is one thing. Sitting out, on the ground, and calling to a bird and watching him come -- quickly or slowly -- is a bit of heart-pounding excitement. The heartbeat races, the mouth gets dry, and the breath is sucking in and blowing out as hunters hyperventilate, and it's never easy to sit without moving while a gobbler closes the gap.

"Do you think I can shoot a gobbler," she asked. "Will I have to shoot a lot to get ready? How would I have to dress? Do you have a shotgun that I could use? Would you call for me?"

Beginning hunters can spend the next weeks studying turkeys traveling on the snow.

Of course I would call for her. I'd have a shotgun for her to use, and she could wear the same camo outfit she wore last fall while deer hunting.

"I'd love to take you turkey hunting," I said. "You'd have to shoot a shotgun enough to get accustomed to the recoil. The big secret to killing a gobbler is to wait for the gobbler to walk in front of your shotgun, and keep your head down on the stock while aiming and firing, and you can't move.

"A knee jerk, any twinge or twitch, stiff muscles, sore butt, all of it has to be ignored when a bird is coming. They have eyes like an eagle, and hear very well. Any movement at all will spook the bird."

She is eager but somewhat apprehensive. Trying to allay her fears of making a mistake wasn't easy, but it's my opinion that she has what it takes to shoot a gobbler once she sees a bird or two close enough to shoot. No one is a natural-born turkey hunter.

First-time turkey hunters must experience a gobbler at close range to know how they will react.

We all come to turkey hunting the first time without prior experience. That's where an older person can exert some influence, calm the hunter down, and be there for congratulations when they do everything right. Or to offer heartfelt condolences when it doesn't work.

After all, as Jessica reminded me, hunting isn't all about killing. It can mean simply watching the bird, but one must be prepared with bow or shotgun in hand, in order to properly hunt. One could hunt every day of the season without shooting a bird, but in the end, it must mean releasing an arrow or shooting a load of No. 4, 5 or 6 shot at the bird.

There comes, for every person who hunts, the Moment of Truth when people are suddenly faced with the prospect of shooting at the bird. Many can do it but there are some that can't, and it's best to learn early in a hunting career whether one can do it or not. There's no shame in not being able to shoot a deer or turkey, but from a personal standpoint, it's a point in a hunter's life that must be addressed.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Traverse City Outdoor Show March 19-21

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Buying & Selling Fishing & Hunting Books

Fishing and hunting has become more sophisticated these days. The people who participate often are well-schooled, have graduated from college and are accustomed to learning new things in their leisure time.

Many anglers and hunters strive to stay well informed. They want to read things they can learn from, and over many years, I've worked with many people to build an excellent outdoor-related library.

It's no brag, just fact: I have collected fishing and hunting books for more than 50 years, and am in the midst of compiling a major bibliography of fishing and hunting books published in the English language. This research book is only half finished, and the bibliography features some 1,300 typewritten pages that list between 25,000 and 30,000 titles.

I know what books are out there, I know what is needed to go into a research library for an angler or hunter, and I'm accustomed to doing research. A teacher friend wanted an obscure book to show his class, but didn't have the book and couldn't find it. He knew the author's name and book title, and asked for help. It took 15 minutes to find a copy.

It's not always that easy, but I've spent years searching for some rather obscure titles, and this is a service some people need. They need help determining which books to buy, learn how much the books will cost, and have someone do all the search service work.

One Man's Whitetail by Gene Wensel is rare. I've got a spare.

Other people want to have their present collection checked out, and determine its value for an estate sale, for insurance purposes, or to determine what the value is for a gift donation. I perform such appraisal work on a fee basis determined by what a collector wants to have done.

And work is the right word for doing appraisals. It is a laborious, long and time consuming task. There's nothing easy or quick about it.

Of the two, I most enjoy working with people who are just beginning to establish a collection of books on their favorite fishing or hunting topic. I've worked with some to build their collection of muskie fishing titles, and helped others who collect deer hunting or turkey hunting books, and some who specialize in Atlantic salmon, tarpon or trout fishing. One thing I don't do is stray out of my field of fishing and hunting titles.

Finding books for clients can be easy, very difficult, nearly impossible, or a thrilling challenge. The challenge topics are the most fun because it is like hunting for a diamond in a coal pile. It's dirty work but look how much fun it can be when you find one.

I just found 12 turkey books for a client. When we spoke, and I told him of my finds, he sounded just like a kid with his birthday present. He was happy, and now he want's me to find several others. Those will belong in the challenge category.

Before we start I try to sit down, or next best, via email or a phone call, and discuss what the client wants or needs from a particular genre. I've helped a few collectors locate some very scarce and rare African hunting books, but each collector is different in his or her needs. A few want fancy leather-bound editions while most people will be thrilled to have a paperback 2nd edition.

Find an honest bookseller and stick with him or her.

But find a key book, and their joy is similar to taking a first-time trout fisherman out and putting him or her into a 10-pound steelhead. It's fun for me and for them.

There is, as is true with all types of work, some expenses involved. Doctors and attorneys have been good clients, and their busy fast-paced work life doesn't leave much time for looking for books. They give me a list of titles, or ask me to prepare a list, and I go to work.

I'm helping a turkey-book collector finish up his collection right now.  Well ... finish it as far as the major books go. There are countless turkey books published by various states, and some are impossible to find. Many of the books are fairly common; some are hard to find; a few are most difficult to locate, and several are nearly impossible.

There is a general theme to my advice for budding book collectors. Try for the hardest books first. They are very difficult to find now so get them while some are still available on occasion, and fill in the collection of lesser valued books as time goes on and money becomes available.

I buy fishing & hunting books, singly, as a group or a collection.

Many people I've dealt with provide me with a value guide that tells me how much they can spend over the period of a year, and I begin looking for key books within that range. In every genre, there are cornerstone books that are very important acquisitions. I always suggest a new collector decide which books they want first (with some advice from me), and we work toward that goal. Of course, many collectors just grab anything as it come available and that's OK too.

One of my collectors wants only books written by some of the gun writers from 50 years ago. Guys like John Jobson, Elmer Keith or Jack O'Connor. Many of their book will range in price from $50 to $400. Those $400 books this year could be $600-700 in two or three years as the demand for them rises while the supply dries up.

And this fact is so true. The law of supply and demand is important to understand in the fishing and hunting book business. I've got a duplicate copy of Gene Wensel's One Man's Whitetail at $250, and it hasn't sold yet but it will soon. The book. shown above,  is genuinely rare.

I sold a copy of Beneath The Ice last year, and it was snapped up fast. Good books sell!

I've learned that although there are many people who are interested in deer hunting, there is a plethora of titles to choose from. I determine which authors and titles are most collectible. I edited and published a book two years ago in an edition of 26 copies, lettered from A-Z copies, and those books are the scarcest deer books ever published. Of course, they are $200 each. That price will rise when 26 people own and won't sell their copy. Again, the law of supply and demand.

Books -- good books -- appreciate at 10-12 percent yearly, and sometimes as much as 15-20 percent for some titles. I would never suggest that people collect fishing or hunting books as a means of making money, but only a fool would ignore the fact that good books increase in value while poor books do not.

My thought is to help a new collector pursue this hobby with an eye toward acquiring very difficult books whenever possible. I urge them to enjoy the books while they are alive, and when they pass on, the books will probably be sold. I can lend assistance in planning ahead to this unfortunate day when the beloved books will eventually pass into someone else's hands for a tidy sum of money.

Planning ahead is what makes precision collecting not only a hobby, and provide good reading while allowing the sportsman to acquire more angling and hunting skills, but in the end, provide loved ones with a significant investment if they choose to sell.

I buy fishing and hunting books, sell them, and will help collectors get started or improve their collection. Anyone with a batch of muskie or turkey books for sale will find me interested.

If you are interested, drop me a note at < dave@daverichey.com > or phone (231) 492-7038 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. I'll be more than happy to help. Touch base with me.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Solid planning eliminates costly mistakes

Anyone who tells me they never make a deer-hunting mistake has probably never went head-to-head with a big whitetail buck. Anyone who hunts often is bound to make an occasional mistake.

Making a mistake, and learning from it, are two different things. I try to sit down, dig deep into my memory bank, and recall past hunts. Do it often enough, and be honest with yourself, and everyone will find one or more occasions where they messed up and it cost them a good buck.

I got caught with a phone call just as I was heading out the door one afternoon two years ago, and I had to talk with the person. What should have been a five-minute chat turned into 15 minutes of conversation.

I parked near my spot, started walking 200 yards to my stand and bumped into a buck already on the move. Had my call lasted only five minutes I would have been in my stand and ready to shoot that deer.

Make one mistake and the big buck runs off.

Can that problem be fixed? Sure it can. Limit the call to five minutes, and hurry. The other obvious alternative is to not take the call, and return it after the hunt is over. That really makes the most sense.

A friend was hunting elsewhere, and was almost to where he would park when he had a flat tire. He didn't want to change the tire in the dark, so he jacked up the car, removed the flat, put on the spare, and headed for his stand.

A buck was standing directly in front of his tree stand, and each one spotted the other at the same time, and the buck ran off. An unseen doe blew and snorted for 30 minutes, and he never saw another deer that night. It's all about timing.

The solution is obvious. Change the tire in the dark. Deer hunting is about priorities, and hunting ranks high above changing tires or anything else that comes in second place.

Think and plan ahead before leaving home. Try to eliminate those costly mistakes.

Another mistake I made one time was spotting a buck back in the alders, and its rack was lost in the dark twisted branches. It was easy to pass on that buck because it didn't have a big body. Small body, small deer. Right?

Wrong. It's true that most big people have big bodies and big feet, but it's also true that small people have small bodies and big feet. The same thing applies to deer. Small bodied deer can have small feet and a big lusty rack.

I've seen several heavy-antlered deer that simply look small because their body is small. Chances are it's a 2 1/2-year-old buck, but I've seen a few deer of that age with very impressive antlers.

The buck I had dismissed as being small turned out to be a small-bodied animal with a great big rack. Apparently this deer used enough protein to build as big a body as it needed, and any excess of protein and trace minerals went into building a trophy rack.

It's not a giant buck but a nice one. No human errors were made this day.

It happens. Not often enough, but just often enough to fool a hunter when it stands back in the tag alders and the antlers are difficult to judge. I've replayed that missed chance dozens of times.

The thing is that mistakes happen to everyone. We have an error in judgment, a lapse in our thinking process, or we simply are caught daydreaming about something else, and the opportunity for a shot at a big buck comes and goes. Deer will seldom wait for you to get your hunting act together.

It's easy for me to preach to the choir. You know, pay attention, don't get distracted, be ready for a shot at all times. We've all heard the choir sing before, and still we make occasional mistakes.

We're human. That's all there is to it. We do make mistakes but should try to minimize their number.

The biggest thing to do, and also the hardest, is maintain full and complete attention to what is happening around you. Don't daydream, don't be messing with your bow, don't put the release in your pocket, and don't lose your primary train of thought. Keep your focus!

Be alert, and if you can't do that every minute of every hunt, remember that I've told some stories about miscues I've made. Stand tall, and tell your buddies how you messed up.

The whole world needs a good laugh these days.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

The moment of truth

The big 8-pointer had walked in, hooked a smaller buck out of his way, gave a doe and her fawn the "look" that makes them scatter, and walked around. He was big, proud, all full of himself, and was soon to be dead.

My bow was up, arrow nocked, Game Tracker string attached, and release on the bow string. I was waiting for just one thing: The Moment Of Truth.

It came two minutes later. The buck had to move and get properly positioned for a high-percentage shot. That means quartering-away or broadside to me.

The buck moved a little, and the decision had been made five minutes earlier. I was going to shoot this buck. When was a matter of how soon the buck made his fatal move.

He stood there, late afternoon sunlight glinting off his antlers as he stood motionless at 20 yards, and then his ears perked up. He made a swivel-hipped little turn to the left, and stood looking back into the woods. This small turn offered me a quartering-away shot.

The bow came back to my anchor point, both eyes were open and the red-dot sight slowly settled behind the ribs, and my finger caressed the release trigger. The arrow flew straight and true, and the buck was down after a 60-yard run.

This buck must take a few steps to open up the shoulder on this side.

I've given people this advice for many years, and will offer it again now. Don't take the shot the deer originally offers you unless if is a perfect quartering-away opportunity. Wait until the deer turns and gives you the shot that is needed to immediately kill the animal.

I listen to many hunting tales all the time. People tell me they shot at a buck at 15 yards and it jumped the string and they missed. The next guy may make a bad hit and blame it on the bow or the arrow or anything else but his lack of skills.

One might ask: isn't this a topic for just before or during archery deer season? It could be but it's appropriate now so people get into the proper frame of mind long before they hunt.

Let me set the record straight. Shooting nervous deer is never a good idea because there is no telling when they will bolt. One nervous old doe will make every nearby deer nervous.

Of major importance to hunters is this bit of advice. Any arrow that travels 180 feet per second (fps) or faster will impact an unsuspecting deer at 20 yards before the sound of the string reaches the animal.

I've seen people shooting carbon arrows at 40 pounds of draw weight, and their arrow speed far exceeds the 180 fps. My bow is set up to shoot at 55 pounds of draw weight, and my arrow speed puts a sharp broadhead and arrow shaft through the deer before it ever hears the arrow being shot. My arrow speed is about 240 feet per second.

Don't shoot at alert but "jumpy" deer. Nervous deer are hard to shoot.

A key factor here is the word to shoot at "unsuspecting" deer. Hunters who move around, and make even a faint noise, can often be detected in an elevated coop or stand. Learn to sit quietly, and always be ready for a shot. Hold your bow rather than hang it somewhere. Too much movement is required to retrieve a bow.

Many hunters miss the buck of a lifetime simply because they have a bow hanging on a hook, tree branch or someplace where they must reach for it. Often they bump the bow, it hits the wood, makes a tiny sound, and the huge buck disappears.

The best place for your bow is in your hands with the arrow nocked and on the rest, and the release already on the bow. Fumbling for a release in your pocket does little good when the Moment Of Truth arrives, and you are not fully prepared for a shot.

This buck must turn to the left to give a straight path to the heart-lungs. Never shoot a buck quartering-toward you.

Every moment of every day I hunt finds ready for the Moment Of Truth. I've already determined if a certain buck shows up, and gives me my preferred shot, I will shoot. Too many hunters wait until the deer arrives, think about it, and once they reach the proper moment, the buck has vanished faster than a politician's promises after election day.

I hunt much more than most people, and over many years, I've faced the Moment Of Truth countless times. The deer's fate is sealed once that decision has been made.

I know which bucks frequent which blinds, where they come from, and where they go when they leave, and it's easy to make a decision of shoot or don't shoot based on my advance knowledge.

Of utmost importance is to become an excellent shot, know deer anatomy, know your limitations, and have the ability to wait until the buck offers you an ideal shot. And then shoot straight and true.

Advance preparation is the secret to shooting bucks on a regular basis. Be ready at all times, know how your bow shoots, and enjoy the few moments before a shot is taken. It is that few seconds before a shot is taken when your emotions are running wild, but through it all, remain calm and take only an ideal shot.

Learn to do that, and the Moment Of Truth will tip heavily in your favor. And with plenty of practice, those missed shots and other excuses are no longer necessary.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Good and bad deer-hunting days

Deer hunting, like many other things in life, is always good. It's just that  some days are better than others.

And, it also can be worse. Much depends on hunting pressure, weather conditions and wind. The hunting pressure can be controlled on private land, but there is nothing we can do to change bad weather or wind conditions. We take what we get, and learn to live with it.

Deer hunting is subject to the same problems fishermen experience. Too much rain or snow can affect deer movements. The same is true with swirling wind conditions. The same applies to lightning and thunderstorms. Deer do not like to move in such conditions because they have trout seeing, hearing or smelling danger.

So what happens? We plan our hunts in advance, and suddenly, the weather changes. We can blame it on many things, but the bottom line is we can't do anything about it except gripe.

So why get angry? I've hunted whitetails for many years, and have become somewhat philosophical about goofy weather. I've learned to take the good with the bad, and mind you, it doesn't make me feel any better when I've got a good buck patterned and the wind blows out of the east for two or three days in a row.

Hunt deer every day to have the best success.

We shouldn't sweat the small stuff, but I admit becoming annoyed with the wind stays out of the east. We can't change it so we do whatever we can to move to an area where the wind affects deer movement to a lesser degree. Doing so, we know, means forcing us out of that little hotspot we've been avoiding until the rut begins.

Sometimes, when the weather is changing and the wind is playing tricks on us, I head for an elevated stand that is nearly airtight and watch and wait for bucks to move. Such days are more about scouting than hunting although my bow is with me at all times.

Such days seldom offer many shots, and although my bow is in hand, my objective is to make a bad day work in my favor. A day not spent outdoors is a wasted one, and regardless of what the weather does, my backside is in a stand somewhere.

Hunting means being afield on bad and good days.

Taking the good with the bad doesn't mean that a bad day can't be productive. I've sat out, and had the wind ripping autumn leaves off the trees, and then about 30 minutes before shooting time ends, the wind gusts die and it becomes whisper quiet.

Deer often are still spooky from the wind, but if there has been some rain and it quits falling when the wind lays, there can be some fine deer movement. It seems like the deer, much the same as humans, are happy to see the weather change and they begin to move out to feed.

Deer tend to be somewhat move cautious at such times, but it's one of the side benefits of riding out bad weather. If a hunter was home and inside out of the weather, by the time they got ready and went out into the woods, it would probably spook the deer.

Take a chance on bad weather. Sometimes it changes.

It's one reason why during the fall I'll hunt every night, regardless of the weather. If I'm in a tree stand or ground blind, and suddenly the weather changes for the better, it's time to start paying attention. All it takes is to see a buck or two, or a small group of does and fawns, and the whole day takes on an entirely different meaning.

One thing I've learned is that shooting a deer is impossible unless you are outdoors with them. Learn to take the weather as it comes, be grateful for the best days and the worst days because we can only play with the cards we are dealt.

It's impossible to be a part of the deer-hunting experience if we are hole up inside laying on the couch. I'm always willing to take my chances with a possible last-minute weather change.

It doesn't happen often, but what a great feeling we have when we tough out the bad only to have it change suddenly. When the deer gods smile, it's best to be sitting in a ground blind or tree stand.

Nod and say "thank you," and get ready for a buck to ease out within easy bow range.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors