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.

THE FUTURE OF BOWHUNTING • IT IS OFTEN SAID the only constant in life is change, and that has never been more true for bowhunters. Right now, a combustible combination of hightech innovation and demographic shifts is fueling some radical changes that are quickly transforming the face of our sport.

Petersen's Bowhunting

HAIR-RAISING ENCOUNTERSThere’s Nothing Quite Like Bear Hunting from the Ground! • LET ME START this column by asking, “Have you ever hunted bears before? Have you ever experienced that mindset that hunting a bear brings?” If you haven’t, I assure you it’s a whole other experience.

TECHNOLOGY: A POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE BATTLE AGAINST CWDNew Findings Show Some Deer Are Resistant to the Disease • BOWHUNTERS and state wildlife agencies regularly cite Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) as the leading threat to whitetails and whitetail hunting. For that reason, we should all be discussing CWD more.

PERFORMING UNDER PRESSUREHere’s How to Ace Those Big Shots When They Arise! • FOR THIS MONTH’S COLUMN, I am going to open up my brain like a tiny, little suitcase so we can try to figure out what’s going on in there when a buck approaches. There is no telling what might come fluttering out of that cobweb-filled void, so hold on to your seat. But, to really understand how we react to the adrenaline, a deeper look inside the gray matter must be part of the journey.

PART 2 RANGEFINDERSUnderstanding Angle-Compensating Rangefinders and How They Work • AS I MENTIONED in my last column, the higher the magnification of the rangefinder and the smaller the reticle, the more precise the instrument will be. The reticle is the dot you place on the object to be ranged. It can be red, green or black in color and might be in the shape of a square, circle, crosshairs or dot.

WHAT’S OLD IS NEWModern Versions of This Ancient Weapon Have Become Very Popular for Hunting • CROSSBOWS HAVE AN interesting and lengthy history that dates back to the 4th century BC when Alexander the Great conquered Europe and Asia as part of his empire. The Chinese perfected the crossbow as a long-range weapon and eventually had an army with a formidable force of 50,000 crossbowmen.

PSE NOCK ON UNITEAnother Successful Collaboration Between Two Great Bowhunting Brands • IN RECENT YEARS, iconic bowmaker PSE Archery has collaborated with John Dudley on a series of bows that bear Dudley’s Nock On brand name and logo.

THE CHANGING FACE OF BOWHUNTING • CROSSBOWS NOW ACCOUNT FOR MORE DEER KILLS THAN VERTICAL BOWS IN MANY TOP WHITETAIL STATES

HIGH-TECH SUPER 7 • These Revolutionary Innovations Have Changed the Bowhunting Game

THE CELLULAR WAY • WIRELESS TRAIL CAMERAS HAVE USHERED IN A NEW ERA OF WHITETAIL HUNTING

THE TOUGH CALLS • HOW TO HANDLE 3 CHALLENGING CHOICES YOU'LL ENCOUNTER DEER HUNTING

PATTERNING SMALL WHITETAIL PROPERTIES • Let the Data Reveal Where and When to Strike!

THE TECH WRECK • An Old-School Bowhunter Reflects on the Digital Age

EXCALIBUR ASSASSIN EXTREMEExtreme Durability and Easy, Integrated Cocking in a Recurve Design • EXCALIBUR IS ONE of the original, highly respected businesses in the crossbow game, or as my kids might say, they are an OG! Excalibur is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and has built its extremely solid reputation by manufacturing durable, no-nonsense recurve crossbows that fill a niche in the market — crossbows without cams.

TROPHY RIDGE DIGITAL REACT TRIO PRO: THREE’S NOT ALWAYS A CROWD • THIS ELECTRONIC SMART SIGHT is a versatile option for both...