By Eric Bruce

Toby Kimble estimates that he hunted 500 hours this season in his home state of Louisiana. All that effort paid off for Kimble this month, when he shot a 182-inch 14-pointer.
 
Kimble, from Krotz Springs, hunts the Atchafalaya Basin. He has access to private land and plants food plots and uses trail cameras extensively. Last summer he got pictures of a giant buck with a rack that dwarfed its body (below). Kimble set his sights on taking this buck. [ Read Full Post ]

By Chad Love

Three Ohio men are headed for prison after being convicted of running an illegal hunting guide service on thousands of acres of land they didn't own or lease.

From this story in the Columbus (OH) Dispatch:
Scott Walsh advertised himself as a hunting guide and sold multiday hunts costing $250 to $1,200. He said he owned or had permission to hunt on 1,600 acres of deer-hunting property in the New Albany area. He actually owned no property and had permission to hunt on only 15 acres of land, according to an Ohio Department of Natural Resources investigation. [ Read Full Post ]

By David Draper

I spent last week in Las Vegas, wandering the aisles of the SHOT Show and doing my best not to catch the creeping death that comes with packing 60,000 people—many of whom harbor questionable hygiene habits—into a convention center built to accommodate about half that many people. As of Sunday, I’d somehow escaped the various strains of colds and flus floating around the hall, but I’m still in need of some post-Vegas detox. I just want to rest for a few days eating green vegetables. But, being the omnivore I am, I still need a little meat in my diet, which is why I’ll be cooking up a batch of this simple take on a sausage-based soup. To make things even easier, I think I’ll even cheat and go with a bag of pre-chopped slaw mix from the grocery store. [ Read Full Post ]

By Eric Bruce

David Hall hunts in Fulton County, Georgia, in western suburban Atlanta. While this county is mostly developed, it also has some wooded pockets with some excellent deer hunting—and, with an archery season that lasts until the end of January, can provide a bowhunter with some exciting late rut or second rut action. Last week, Hall had the kind of encounter lucky hunters typically experience during the absolute peak of the rut. Here’s how he describes it:

“I had to hunt super hard this morning (Jan. 9) as it felt “on,” so I kept my eyes and ears super focused. At 7:45 a.m., I hear something busting through the creek bottom. A small doe came from the ridge across the way and headed up and away from from me. Then she turns back and runs to the creek bottom fast! Behind her is ‘The Man.’ [ Read Full Post ]

By Brandon Ray

For most of us, deer season is over. In north Texas, the general season closed on January 6. In south Texas, general season lasts until January 20. In north Texas, there’s still a youth season and a spike and antlerless season (106 counties) from January 7-20. In south Texas (30 counties), there’s a late antlerless and spike season from January 21-February 3. Also, a late muzzleloader season runs from January 7-20 in 57 counties. [ Read Full Post ]

By Dave Hurteau

Okay fine, a trade show may not the best place to thoroughly test new bows. It’s noisy and you only get to shoot each model a handful of times before having to pass it off to the next person in line. But you can get back in line as many times as you want, and you can absolutely get a solid first look at every bow at the show.

And so we did. At this week’s ATA show in Louisville, Kentucky, Bestul and I focused on the new flagship models for 2013. We shot, and waited to shoot, and shot, and got in line again…until we had a firm enough grasp of the new crop of compounds to share our first impressions with you. Here they are, in alphabetical order by manufacturer:

Bowtech Experience ($899; bowtecharchery)
Specs: 335 fps IBO; 32 inches axle-to-axle; Brace Height 7; 4.2 pounds
Skinny: After playing the speed game—and playing it very well—for the last couple of years, Bowtech has touched the brakes a little to offer everyday hunters a smoother, easier shooting experience.
Hits: Smooth draw cycle. Excellent valley; you can relax a little at full... [ Read Full Post ]