LAST UPDATED: May 8th, 2015
These recent warm temperatures and relatively dry weather has been great for those of us who want to get any early start on our food plots. Unlike last year I am already ahead of schedule by two weeks which is always a good thing!
My fertilzer tests were done early, the results are back already and fertilzer has been spread. Additionally the majority of my fields have been burned off or mowed off, my clover has been planted and I just had a large group of seedling trees planted as well. I have to admit I am feeling ahead of the game. I decided not to chase any turkeys this spring, but instead to focus on making adjustments so I can hopefully put myself in a position to havest a nice buck this fall. So far things have been going very well and I’m really pleased with the progress I’ve made.
This spring I am going to test forage beans and a sorghum plot to see what kind of wildlife I can attract, and how well those plots hold up.
As you may have seen in some of my earlier Blogs and video posts, shed antler hunting was a sucess this year as I did find a few more then usual. Myself and a couple good friends of mine picked up quite a few antlers in and around my winter food plots, including the matched set to a buck I call “Flyer”. He is #1 on my hit list for this fall.
With the bowhunting season less than 5 months away now (in Wisconsin anyways) I’m starting to think about some new gear and getting everything tuned up this summer. After my trips to the ATA Show and both the Iowa and Wisconsin Deer & Turkey Expos I’ve put together a short list of some new products that you should be keeping an eye on for this fall. If you’re in the market for some new gear you may want to check these out.
Mathews Z7 compound bow – I shot this bow at the Wisconsin show and man is it smooth and fast. Mathews has always been regarded as one of, if not the best, bow manufacturer out there and it’s not hard to see why with bows like the Z7. Also, if you haven’t read the full blown compound bow report that we put together on of all the new bows for this year, check it out.
Camtrakker MK10 Scouting Camera – everyone knows I’m a trail camera junkie and having tested the new MK10 recently I think there may be a few more of these in my scouting arsenal come summertime. This new camera takes 5 MP photos both by day and night, and has the option of either a standard strobe flash or infrared flash, which is a very unique and awesome feature. You can purchase the MK10 right here on Bowhunting.com by clicking this link.
New Archery Products 2 Blade BloodRunner – I shot the 3 blade version of this broadhead last year and was super impressed with it’s performance. Now that the 2 blade version is out with it’s enormous 2 1/16″ cutting diameter I’m looking forward to heading into the field with these on the end of my arrow this fall.
Reconyx new Hyperfire Series Trail Camera – although I haven’t had a chance to use one in the field yet, if these new cameras perform anythng like my RC55’s and RC60’s do I think they will be a super hot ticket for bowhunters this fall.
Pine Ridge Archery Ground Blind Camera Mount – last year I purchased a new ground blind to hunt from with my son, and we had a blast together. The trouble was, with two of us in the blind it got really cramped with my big video tripod. This new camera mount from the guys at Pine Ridge Archery takes up barely any room and it works for both filming your own hunts as well as filming with another person. Great tool!
Havalon Piranta Knives – in case you missed our video review of this product earlier this year, you have to check these things out. They feature a replaceable razor blade which means you get the sharpest blade possible every time. No more messing with sharpeners or trying to use a dull knife when field dressing or caping out your next trophy.
Knight & Hale Ultimate Fighting Purr Call – even though I may not be chasing turkeys this spring, I know a lot of you are! This new call from Knight & Hale is an entire fighting purr system in one compact unit that can be used with just one hand. Click here to purchase in the Bowhunting.com store.
Knight & Hale Pack Rack – Another great compact calling option from Knight & Hale is the Pack Rack and new Pack Rack Magnum. This compact call simulates the sound of two bucks fighting and is contained in one compact package that provides ease of mobility and use. Great for bowhunters who want to pack light and not lug around a full set of rattling antlers. Click here to purchase.
Summit Treestands Switchblade – Summit has long been known for the comfort of their treestands and the Switchblade is no exception. The Switchblade is basically the same as the popular Viper in a new collapsible version for easier transport in and out of your hunting area. Look for these in the Bowhunting.com shopping cart later this year.
Code Blue Grave Digger lures – available in Whitetail Doe Estrous and Whitetail Buck Urine, these lures stay strong regardless of weather conditions. This means you won’t have to refresh your mock scrapes and scent stations as frequently even after it rains. Be on the lookout for these products in the Bowhunting.com cart later this summer when they become available.
Another thing I want to mention are a few of the new websites that have recently been designed and built by us here at the Rhino Group. For those of you that don’t know, we develop custom websites for many businesses in the hunting industry. Below are a few of the more recent websites we built that you may want to check out.
thelegendsofthefall.com – The Legends of the Fall is a brand new TV show airing this summer on the Outdoor Channel featuring a few notable faces that you may have seen over the years on Drury Outdoors videos and TV shows. Mike & Bonnie McFerrin, Eric Hale, Chris Ward, Mark Luster, and Dave Bogart have teamed up to create this new show that is packed full of both monster bucks and good laughs.
robinsonoutdoors.com – This new website for Robinson Outdoor Products (Scent Blocker & Scent Shield) features a complete upgrade of their existing shopping cart along with a ton of great interactive features like a trophy gallery, video clips from popular TV shows like Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector, Tech Tips, and much more.
legacyquestoutdoors.com – also known as the Mossy Oak Rustiks brand, Legacy Quest Outdoors offers a variety of products made from rustick and antique woods that have been collected from a variety of sources including old barns, railroads, bridge trussels, and other unique places. If you’re looking for a great way to bring the rustic feeling of the outdoors into your home or cabin you won’t want to miss this! A full online catalog and shopping cart lets you browse their selection of products from the comfort of your own home and order most of them online.
If you have a business in need of website development, whether you are in the hunting industry or not, give us a call at 847-515-8000 and find out what the Rhino Group can do for you. Or check out our online portfolio at www.rhinogroup.com
All in all I am looking forward to a great year and I want to take a few moments to mention a new friend of mine and more importantly the doctor that has saved my son’s life. My son Craig, age 5 at the time, was diagnosed with an extremely rare health issue – increased intracranial venous pressure over a year ago. This high pressure in his brain caused him to lose vision in his left eye and also caused a subdural hematoma (blood inside his head). Dr. Ali Shaibani was able to figure out Craig’s problems had recognized that Craig was missing his left sigmoid transverse sinus and had a large occlusion in right one. This was causing backpressure in Craig’s head and if untreated would have lead our little man to even worse places. Dr. Shaibani was able to successfully place a stent in Craig’s brain to decrease the pressure. This is a very rare case and Craig is on the recovery track. The cool part is I have been able to get to know Dr. Shaibani more closely and wouldn’t you know it – he wants to start bowhunting! I am very glad that I’ve been able to kick start his hunting opportunities and I look forward to helping him harvest his first deer this fall.
Dr. Shaibani with his new Diamand Stud bow setup, purchased right here at Bowhunting.com. Thanks for being so good at what you do!
My little man starting his way to a healthy recovery.
Todd Graf – Strength & Honor!
