How-To & Skills

Bowhunter silhouetted with binoculars at sunset, a bow in hand
Buying a Hunting Recurve in October: What the Wounding Data Says Before You Spend $430
Archers took more Pennsylvania bucks than rifle hunters last season. Here is what the wounding studies say about trad gear, and how to pick an ILF hunting recurve you will... Read more...
Hand holding a crappie caught on a jig over the water in fall
Fall Crappie Fishing: Where Crappie Go When the Water Cools
Fall crappie are predictable until the lake turns over. What the Texas and Missouri fisheries agencies say about where crappie go in October and November, why turnover scatters them, and... Read more...
Silhouette of a buck's antlers in golden morning light, Michigan deer season
Michigan's Shrinking Deer Calendar: Why the Cold-Weather Suit Decision Matters More in 2026
Michigan cut its December firearm season to three days and ended January archery. Here is what that does to your sit time, the hunter-orange rule that also binds bowhunters Nov... Read more...
Fresh deer rub on a sapling in the woods
Do Southern Scrape Studies Apply to Northern Deer? A Reader Asked
A reader argued southern scrape research does not fit northern whitetails. We checked the data from Michigan, Pennsylvania and Missouri. He was half right. Read more...
Cartoon of hunters loading coolers and gear into a truck near a big whitetail in fall woods
The Best Day of the Week to Hunt Deer: What Weekend Pressure Does to Movement
GPS-collared deer cut daytime movement 34% by Sunday and didn't fully recover until midweek. Here's the research on weekend hunting pressure, and how to plan your hunts around it. Read more...
Hunter in a quiet camo jacket and face mask during the Wisconsin rut
Best Quiet Hunting Jacket for the Wisconsin Rut (2026)
Wisconsin's buck movement jumps Oct 23-27 and peaks Nov 5-11. Here is what to look for in a rut jacket, and why we carry the Vycah Mission system. Read more...
Bowhunter in a camo hunting jacket drawing a compound bow from a tree stand, for a Minnesota deer opener
Mission, Kinsley or Sub Zero: Which Jacket for a Minnesota Deer Opener?
Minnesota's firearms opener is Nov. 7 and half the harvest happens in two weekends. Here is how to pick between Vycah's Mission, Kinsley and Sub Zero jackets using real weather... Read more...
Upland hunters in brown briarproof bibs and orange caps kneeling with two German shorthaired pointers by a pickup
Best Briarproof Bibs for Stocked-Pheasant Season: Mule Waterproof Bibs Buying Guide
Wisconsin's pheasant limit doubles to two roosters today. Who should (and should not) buy Mule Original Waterproof Bibs, with sizing and stock notes. Read more...
Duck hunter silhouetted at sunset holding harvested ducks beside his retriever
Steel, Bismuth or TSS for Ducks: The Math Behind the $5 Shell
Duck loads come down to density, and this season to supply. What steel, bismuth and TSS do differently, what each costs per shell, and why bismuth and tungsten are so... Read more...
Woman bowhunter in rain-ready camo carrying a compound bow
Rain on Opening Weekend: What to Wear in a Georgia or Tennessee Deer Stand When the Sky Opens Up
Georgia's gun season opened Oct. 17 and Tennessee's muzzleloader season starts Nov. 7. Here is how to choose rain gear for a long Southeastern sit, and where a poncho beats... Read more...
Rifle with a large scope pointed down a forest lane from a shooting position
100-Yard vs 200-Yard Zero for Deer: What the Ammo Makers' Own Tables Show
Hornady prints its trajectory tables on a 200-yard zero. We re-ran them for a 100-yard zero and found the gap: about 60 yards of point-blank range for a .308, and... Read more...
Speckled trout on a cleaning table next to a fresh fillet
Fall Speckled Trout in Texas: New Limits, Drains and Working Birds
Cold fronts are moving trout out of the marsh. The new 2026-27 seatrout rules, then the fall read: drains on a falling tide, birds over shrimp, and the jigs and... Read more...