Petersen's Bowhunting

Petersen's Bowhunting is the source for the tactics, tools, and techniques necessary for successful bowhunting. Get practical shooting tips and useful information on archery, equipment tests, clothing, and product evaluations.

AUTUMN’S TRUE TROPHIES • AS A WHITETAIL fanatic living in Pennsylvania — the state with the highest bowhunter density in America — I often sit on stand and fantasize about how much better my hunts would be if all my fellow archers abandoned the autumn woods in favor of golf.

Petersen's Bowhunting

PREPPING FOR THE RUT Take a walk to find the perfect spot. • FINDING YOURSELF SET UP and waiting in a perfect spot during the peak of the rut can make for a magical day.

SHOOT YOUR WAY TO BETTER BOWHUNTING Plan now for a solid return on investment in future years. • IF A PICTURE is worth 1,000 words, a whitetail herd model is worth 2,000!

THE ‘REAL’ OPENING DAY Hunting isn't great just because archery season is open. • DEER SEASON has finally arrived, and we are all itching to start hunting. I understand the feeling; I have it too.

THUMB-TRIGGER RELEASE AIDS Use Them for Better Training and Hunting. • IN MY CURRENT series of columns, I have tried to convince index-finger release aid shooters to try a handheld release, specifically one with a thumb trigger. These release aids are a proven way for most archers to improve their accuracy.

ARE NEW CROSSBOWS ‘TOO GOOD?’ • Debating Whether Crossbows Have Become Too Fast and Accurate

TIP OF THE MONTH

GETTING READY! • Ensure you’re prepared for almost every scenario.

THE SPECS

ELITE REMEDY • A stable, shootable bow with lots of custom options.

2021 Whitetail FORECAST • Our Experts Predict the Top Days To Be In the Woods!

#DEERWEEK

Our Experts

DataSport Fish & Game Forecaster

CHASING A LEGEND • THIS GIANT ILLINOIS TYPICAL CHALLENGED MEL JOHNSON’S ARCHERY WORLD RECORD.

Dreams Come True

ONLY IN IOWA • In the Land of GIANTS, Sometimes You Have to “Settle” for a 170.

GO BIG WITH BBD

Mossy Oak Country DNA:

Christian’s Equipment

STARTING FROM Scratch • A PROVEN PLAN FOR ARROWING BIG BUCKS ON NEW GROUND.

The ‘Clyde Buck’ • A Tragic Accident Lends New Perspective on Life & Bowhunting

Clyde Robert Heiner • Jan. 21, 2020 — Sept. 28, 2020

PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE • AFTER YEARS OF HUNTING TOGETHER, LONGTIME FRIENDS TAKE DIFFERENT PATHS TO WHITETAIL SUCCESS

THE SPECS

EXCALIBUR TWINSTRIKE It’s like having two crossbows in one! • EXCALIBUR SET the archery world abuzz with its new-for-2021 TwinStrike — the first crossbow with the ability to shoot two bolts without reloading.

SPEED & ENERGY

PRIMOS BUCK ROAR 2: THE SOUND OF SUCCESS • CARRY THIS VERSATILE call all season long.

OZONICS ORIONX: SCENT-CONTROL MADE SIMPLE • WHEN IT COMES to the cardinal rules of whitetail hunting, there is one I rank above all else: scent control.

RHINO 180 SEE THROUGH BLIND: A WIDE & WELCOMED FIELD OF VIEW • WHEN IT COMES to deer and turkey hunting, ground blinds are an incredible asset, especially if you don’t like ascending into stands or have hotspots in areas where there are few trees to climb.

NEW GEAR

HAPPENSTANCE Sometimes, good luck is better than skill. • LATE NOVEMBER OF 1991 found me pulling into southeastern Colorado, alongside the Arkansas River.