A flushing dog is a gun dog trained to search cover close to a hunter, locate hidden game, and deliberately make it leave that cover. In upland bird hunting, the flush usually puts a pheasant, grouse, woodcock, quail, or other legal game bird into flight. The hunter must then positively identify the bird, confirm a … Read more
A European mount is one of the simplest ways to preserve the physical memory of a harvested deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, or other legally possessed animal. Instead of recreating the animal’s head and shoulders with its hide, a European mount displays the cleaned skull, usually with the natural antlers or horns attached. The finished piece … Read more
If someone tells you to “set the spread” before a waterfowl hunt, they mean more than putting plastic ducks on the water. A duck decoy spread is the complete arrangement of decoys around a hunting position. Its shape, spacing, species mix, visibility, motion, and relationship to the wind are intended to resemble resting, feeding, or … Read more
If you have seen a regulation booklet say that a deer, elk, turkey, waterfowl, or public-land hunt is available “by draw,” you may wonder whether that means buying a raffle ticket. A draw hunt is a regulated hunting opportunity for which demand may exceed the number of permits available. Hunters apply before a deadline, and … Read more
A deer travel corridor is a route or band of habitat that deer commonly use to move between places they need, such as bedding cover, food, water, seasonal range, and secure escape cover. It may be a distinct trail through brush, but it can also be a broader strip of timber, creek drainage, saddle, field … Read more
Warm rain creates a difficult choice: stay dry from the storm or avoid becoming soaked with sweat inside heavy rainwear. The best hunting waterproof bibs for warm weather should prioritize low insulation, adjustable fit and manageable coverage. Thick insulation can still be useful during a cool stationary sit, but it becomes a disadvantage during humid, … Read more
If you are preparing for your first deer hunt, the words license, permit, tag, validation, and harvest report can sound interchangeable. They are not. So, what is a deer tag? In general, it is a paper or electronic authorization associated with the lawful harvest of a particular category of deer. When a deer is taken, … Read more
A patch of bare earth under a low branch can hold more information than it first appears to. But what is a deer scrape, exactly? In whitetail terminology, a scrape is a scent-communication site where a deer—most often a buck—paws leaves and debris from the ground and interacts with an overhanging branch. Deer may deposit … Read more
A bright patch of exposed wood on a sapling can be one of the most noticeable signs in deer country. But what is a deer rub, and what can it really tell you? A deer rub is bark damage made when an antlered deer presses and works its antlers and forehead against a tree, shrub, … Read more
If a taxidermist asks whether you saved the cape, they are not talking about a piece of hunting clothing. In taxidermy, a deer cape is the skin and hair preserved from the front portion of a deer for use on a shoulder or pedestal mount. It normally includes the hide from well behind the shoulders … Read more