3D Shooting and Preseason Practice

3D archery season is in full swing, and it is an important piece in preparing yourself for the upcoming bow season.  I have been hunting hard the last three years, and 3D competition has been a major part of my bowhunting success.

First, for those of you that do not know what a 3D shoot is it is similar to golfing.  You are shooting at a target, at an unknown distance, and trying to get as close to the green (or kill zone in this case) as possible. 

Most 3D shoots have a 12-10-8-5-0 scoring system.  The scoring system is determined on a club-by-club basis.  Also, some shoots only go up to 10 ring scoring, while other shoots go up to 12 ring scoring; again, depends on the club or group.

Typical 3D target vitals

12/10 ring is considered a heart shot, 8 ring is lung and liver, a 5 score is hitting a target anywhere on the target other than the vitals, and a 0 score is missing the target completely.  Comparing 3D shooting to golf is like the 12/10 ring being the hole, the 8 ring being the green, the 5 ring being the fringe or fairway, and a 0 shanking the ball off in the rough.

Typical deer target (McKenzie)

3D targets are life-like and a course can be made up by different species.  Commonly, most 3D courses are made up of deer, pigs, and turkeys.  You may also run into alligators, elk, moose, lions, and other North American, African, and even pre-historic game animals.  Mckenzie and Rinehart are most commonly used on 3D courses.



Rinehart Raptor Target

There are also different divisions at a 3D shoot.  There is the unlimited division which requires moveable sights and long (30"+) stabilizers, the hunter division which is non-moveable sight and smaller stabilizer (12" or under), along with women's, kids, and traditional hunter divisions.  These divisions can have different names depending on the club rules, but ultimately determines which stake you will shoot from.

Now that you know what a 3D shoot is, how do you find them?  There are a couple different ways to locate 3D shoots in your area.  A good way to start is if your state has a bow hunter association, you can contact your state representative.  In Iowa, the Iowa Bow Hunters Association has a calendar that clubs can submit a 3D event to.  I also use 3Dshoots.com to find shoots in my area.  3Dshoots.com has a large database for all 50 states of where and when 3D shoots are held.

3Dshoots.com database search

So, how does a 3D shoot help you prepare for bow season?  I've always been told practice makes perfect, which is true, but 3D shooting is a different kind of practice.  It is good practice to go out in your backyard and shoot at a target, but usually you know what distance you are shooting from and are also on level ground with no obstructions.

A 3D shoot puts a bow hunter in a more realistic hunting scenario.  A 3D shoot will help you in the tree stand judging distance.  Each target is at a different distance, and a rangefinder is not allowed on the course so understanding your bow and the ability to judge distance is important.  This helps in the stand because there will be a situation where you will not have time to range a deer walking through the woods.

Varying conditions increase difficulty

A 3D shoot is challenging.  While the foam targets do not move, walking up and down hills, carrying your bow, being with friends, and hot summer days all have an effect on your concentration and stamina.  All of these factors produce a situation that is similar to having that Booner walk by your stand in November. 

Bringing your bow hunting buddies with you to a shoot is always a good idea.  Not only is it fun, but having your friends watch you shoot provides a pressure-packed situation that will help you come bow season; no one wants to get beat by their friends or shoot bad.  3D shoots are also a good opportunity for families to spend time together.  My wife and I both try to go to shoots together when it works for both of us.


Bring your buddies to the 3D range

One last piece of advice I will give you as you shoot at either a 3D shoot or in your backyard is GRAAS.  GRAAS stands for:

Proper Grip

Grip - loose not tight on the bow

Relax - your arm and muscles
Anchor - find that spot every time (this is different for each individual)
Aim - hold the pin in the kill zone
Squeeze - the trigger...no punching!

GRAAS is something I think about every time I draw back on a target.  I actually have it taped to my bow so it is always visual.

I will try and update my blog more often with the topics I identified in the first blog.  Next up is bow hunting fitness.

Muddyhunter

Trail Cameras & Deer Age

It is time for another blog.  Now that my mineral sites have been well established and deer are coming in, it is time to start putting out the cameras.  Deer have started to put on some antler growth, and now is a great time to get in the woods, put out some cameras, and refresh those mineral sites!

Trail Cameras

I have been putting out cameras and hunting the property for 4 years now, so I know how the deer move, where the food sources are, etc.  I like to put cameras over my mineral sites because I know deer are coming in to them.  From there, I can try and guess which way a big buck might be coming from, so I take a couple of my other cameras and place them on well used trails so I can try and pattern the buck.  Once I locate his path to and from the mineral site, I load up those trails with cameras to really pinpoint when he will be coming along that path.  This will help with my tree stand placement (but that is another topic for another day).

Not only are cameras a great way to pattern a mature whitetail on your property, but it is also a way to take an inventory of your deer herd.  It is difficult to go out and hunt, have a big buck walk underneath your stand, and know if it is the biggest buck on your property or not. 

There is a lot of time between the point you get a picture of a deer, the deer sheds and you find the sheds, and then the deer grows a set of antlers....anything could happen to that deer.  Shed hunting is a great way to take inventory and know if a deer survived the winter, but trail cameras help you know if that deer is still alive and didn't get hit by a car.

I prefer a trail camera that is easy to use and takes great pictures.  A camera that has a video feature is nice, but I am more into pictures than video.  The video takes up more room on a card and drains the batteries compared to pictures.  I use a few of the older Moultrie's (i40 and d40), which are great cameras, but technology has passed these cameras by.  The major problem with these cameras is it takes 6 D batteries to use and I change them about once/month.  It basically costs me $40/month to operate these cameras from June-October.



Primos Truth X Cam



Moultrie M-80


I recently purchased a Moultrie M-80.  This is Moultrie's new, small camera that is all the rage now in the trail camera industry.  Other companies like Bushnell, Reconyx, Primos, and Stealth Cam have also come out with a small camera in recent years.  These cameras are lightweight, easy to handle, and are much easier on batteries.  8 AA batteries (non-lithium) last at least a month longer than the 6 D batteries in the older trail cameras I use, and lithium batteries last several months (if you want to spend the extra money).  The big difference is the other companies have come out with small cameras with a premium price, but the Moultrie M-80 is the prize fighter in the mini line for Moultrie and the M-100 is the premium mini camera.  In the end, the mini camera should only cost me $20 total for the entire trail camera season.


Stealth Cam Unit



Bushnell Trophy Cam

 

Reconyx H600 HyperFire


Trail camera technology has also come a long way in the past 5 years.  Not only have trail cameras gotten smaller and easier to use, they have also gotten cheaper.  Just likecomputers and cell phones, trail camera companies have produced cameras that have tons of features for half of what the cameras used to cost a few years ago.  Wildgame Innovations is a company that makes about 20 different cameras, and promotes the fact that around 8 of these cameras are under $100.  A company like Wildgame Innovations is going to help drive the price of cameras down from all companies.

Deer Age

Trail cameras let you know the antler size of a deer, but also they can help you judge the age of a deer.  Above I talked about knowing if that deer walking underneath your stand is the biggest on the property, but also if he is mature.  Trail camera pictures will let you get acquainted with a deer so you know if he is mature or not.  It is difficult to judge age on hoof when you have seconds to make a decision whether or not to shoot.

Take a look at the picture below.

The deer above was a deer I got a ton of pictures of in 2009.  Unfortunately, I found this deer dead that winter, but this picture can serve a purpose for us.  If you look at the red circles, these areas can help you determine a rough estimate of the deers age.  This deer has a sagging belly and sagging brisket, but does not have a short, stubby face/nose.  This deer is probably 4.5 years old, so I know he is a mature deer.

Let's take a look at another deer.

This is the deer I ended up shooting in 2009.  I know this is the mount and not a live picture, but I want to focus on one thing to look for when looking at trail camera pictures.  If you look at this deer's face/nose, it is short and stubby.  This buck is mature and is for sure 4.5 years old if not older based on this nose alone.  I knew there were bigger deer on the property, but I had a shot at a nice, mature 8 pointer that needed to be culled from the herd.  His genetics had little potential for growing trophy whitetails in southern Iowa, plus this deer was not going to get any bigger.

If you have to judge deer age on hoof 20 feet up, make sure to look at the deer's nose/face and belly.  This will give you a good idea of how old that deer is and if you should pass or take the shot.

This blog should help you put together your hit list of mature deer based on trail camera photos and knowing what to look for when judging age. 

In the next couple weeks, look for my next blog on 3D shooting and the importance of preseason practice and how it will help you in the fall!

Muddyhunter





Mineral Stations

I am new to this blogging thing, but I think it is a great way to not only help other hunters, but also document some of the ideas and techniques I use during the year.  This blog is about everything whitetail and bowhunting from the perspective of an avid bowhunter in southern Iowa.  I will be discussing many topics leading up to bow season (Oct 1st):

1.  Mineral stations
2.  Trail cameras
3.  3D shooting
4.  Bowhunting fitness
5.  Land management
6.  Tree stand selection
7.  Locations on hanging tree stands
8.  And any other topic that I think is necessary to discuss.

Mineral Stations

It's that time of year....time to be putting out mineral!  Mineral not only helps grow bigger bucks, but it also helps improve the health of the does and fawns on your property.  A farmer feeds cattle minerals to provide nutrients they may not receive from grazing, similar to the way deer need minerals to be more healthy, produce more antlers, or even have more milk for fawns.  There are many different companies out there that sell whitetail mineral; most of the mixes contain some form of salts, di-cal, and other micronutrients.  You can also buy the parts and make your own mineral cocktail.

I have been putting out salt for the last few years.  Some guys I know will put out a big salt block, but what has worked best for me is just regular water-softener salt.  It seems like deer like to work for their minerals and food, so using water-softener salt allows me to work the small pellets in the soil.  The pellets also dissolve in the soil faster than a big block would, ultimately lasting longer and helping establish a site deer become accustomed to.

This year, I have started using a product called Lucky Buck.  Lucky Buck guarantees that you will have bigger bucks on your farm or you get your money back.  A company doesn't slap a guarantee on a product because it doesn't work, so I decided to give it a try.  Lucky Buck suggests to use the mineral year round, but really start "pouring the coals" to the deer when the timber starts to green-up until September; using one bucket per month during this timeframe.  I have been following those instructions since late March, and the deer are absolutely hammering the three sites I have established (by putting salt out the past few years)! 

The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to mix the mineral in the soil!  Don't just dump the mineral on the ground.  I like to take a shovel or rake with me and dump some on the ground and really mix it in the soil.  Then I dump the rest and mix it in.  Like I stated above, deer like to dig in the dirt for the minerals.

I put cameras out Memorial day weekend, and I was back down at the property I hunt last weekend and checked one of the cameras that I have out.  I had over 500 pictures in one week!  Needless to say, I am impressed with Lucky Buck, but it's only early June so I'm not sure if it will actually make my bucks bigger, but it can't hurt (it might take a few years of using the product).

This is the minerals station I check the past weekend.  As you can see, the deer have cleared quite an area where I have put mineral!  I am adding a little corn to my mineral site.

I recommend a mineral that deer like to eat.  Big&J, Lucky Buck, and Trophy Rock are all minerals that have gotten good reviews from some of my hunting friends.  I also like to add some salt to the mineral site every once in a while.  Deer need salt to balance the intake of minerals they receive.  As stated above, I put corn out about every other month to give the deer some added nutrition.  This will become more important after the season as the deer will be recovering from the rut and need to add body fat to stand the cold winter in Iowa.

Along with an ample amount of food (which I have many crop fields surrounding the timber), mineral sites are just another way to hold big bucks on your property, plus it is a great way to get bucks to walk by your trail camera so you can take an inventory of the bucks on your property.

I hope you have found this helpful when you start to establish a mineral site.  Check back for more updates!

Muddyhunter