So, I’m going whitetail deer hunting. This may not sound like a big deal to many of you, but I’ve honestly never done a legit whitetail hunt. This November, though, I’m heading to CO to hunt with a buddy on some ground that he’s got a ton of experience on and manages. This will be a treestand hunt and I’m thrilled about it. With that said, this all called for a different clothing system than I’m used to.
Now, keep in mind, I’m mainly a western hunter. I do mostly backpack hunts, so my normal clothing system reflects that. Everything is based on effectiveness and efficiency with weight and packability in mind. The system I’ve picked down below for my whitetail deer hunt is more about staying warm and quiet. Here goes nothing. A whitetail deer clothing system through the eyes of a western hunter.
Everything mentioned here is made by Sitka Gear. I’ll be doing a full review on BlackOvis.com about my experience with everything after the fact as well as a follow-up video. If you want to save money over there use the code DIALED10 and you’ll save 10% off sitewide.
I’m not going to get much in the weeds at all here with this stuff, because I don’t have an honest opinion about it yet, aside from just first impressions. And first impressions across the board are THIS STUFF IS COMFORTABLE. I love my western system, but everything here is so warm and soft. Of course the packability is extremely limited, but that’s not the point or goal of this system based on the style of hunting.
I’m new to this whitetail deer thing. So, if you think I missed anything here that would be of value, please let me know! I’ve got my western system pretty dialed, but this is a new world to me and I’m stoked to dive in.
There it is! Everything fits great and feels great. My bow is shooting absolutely awesome too. Now, all there is to do is wait for November to come. Thankfully, I’ve got a fall bear hunt here in AZ coming to help pass my time until I head to CO for whitetails. Can’t wait to share everything with you all. Thanks for tuning in.
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Eagerness flowed through my veins as I stared through the steam of my coffee. It was January in Arizona. A beautiful time of year to be a bowhunter. Bucks were rutting does like mad and I couldn’t wait until the sun climbed its way up the horizon. At this point in my bowhunting journey, I hadn’t yet touched an animal with my arrow. I had a lot to learn back then some 10 years ago from now. One lesson that sticks out the most to me, which was a turning point in my success, was falling victim to paralysis by analysis. From my experience, the biggest mistake of new bowhunters.
This past January 2024, I spent 14 days bowhunting one of my favorite animals on the planet, the coues deer. It’s a spot and stalk hunt that I look forward to every single year and this past January was no exception to that. The exception was the number of days I stayed in the field though. The hunt was rough with lots of ups and downs. In the end, I was able to come out with a great buck, and now a great film that I’m super proud of.
The film is called Fourteen – An Archery Coues Deer Story. It follows me throughout my January 2024 season from the backcountry to living out of my truck. It explores the deep connection I have to my brother that was made through hunting long ago. And then there is the overall message to NEVER GIVE UP. There are snowstorms, failed stalks, laughs, frustrations, and all. Looking back it was perfect and I really hope you enjoy this film. If you do, please subscribe to the channel and share it with your friends. Thanks!
Right now, I’m sitting under a blanket downstairs in front of a Christmas tree. It’s my favorite time of year. Not only do I cherish these times spent at home with family, but right after the fact, I’ll be heading into the field with my bow. Bowhunting coues deer during the month of January is like a second Christmas to me.
It’s the end of December right now at the time of typing this. We’ve been soaking up the holiday season together in our home and enjoying every second of it with our 3 year old. I love the month of December dearly, but I also lust for January. It’s archery deer season in Arizona at that time. The bucks are rutting and it’s one of my favorite times of year backpack hunting for coues deer.
Given our unique environment, and an odd time of year, knowing what backcountry gear to bring along is a question that I get asked on a regular basis. So, I’m going to break down here what I am bringing along on a 7 day backpack hunt during the month of January for Coues deer in Arizona.
I recently scratched down a post titled My Biggest Archery Issues, so it’s only natural to write another that reflects bowhunting specifically. Bowhunting is a never-ending journey for me and I don’t think I’ll ever master it. There is no shortage of ways to screw up an archery hunt, and I’ve been fortunate to be on more than a few of those receiving ends. Sometimes they make me feel downright helpless. The only way to improve in these areas, though, is to acknowledge them and act. So, down below I’m going to dive into a pool of reflection filled with My Biggest Bowhunting. At the end of this personal therapy session, I hope it drives you to tackle your own shortcomings and inevitably get better from doing so.
We’re sitting less than a month out from the 2023 Fall hunting season at the time of writing this. Along with my uncontrollable excitement, e-scouting, and focus on fitness, there is one other thing heavy on my mind. That thing is accuracy. To me, it doesn’t matter how fancy your bow is, it doesn’t matter how good the hunting spot is, and it doesn’t matter how in shape you are. If you aren’t accurate behind your bow, none of that other stuff matters.
This Fall has sure been an eventful one and I couldn’t be more grateful. I just returned from a wicked trip hunting mule deer in the Idaho backcountry. While the trip was rather short, it was a great hunt that ended with a great surprise(hint hint…). And the best part, all of it is on film.
I’m a big fan of the euro mount, especially for deer/elk. They’ve got a rustic look and I just love the color contrast between skull and antler. Early on, I would go through the whole process of creating these on my own. Boil, pressure washer, boil, pressure washer, etc. I enjoyed the process, but man it always took me forever to finish. With the time crunch that is now my reality going through that process is something I haven’t been able to revisit. Well, not entirely at least. After getting a hot tip from a buddy, the lazy man’s euro mount sounded like it was a perfect alternative. Now, a few years later, I’m happy to say it was.
We were young. For the entirety of our friendship, my buddy John and I have shared the wild hills and waters of Arizona together. In our early 20’s John was suddenly captivated by bowhunting and soon after I caught the bug as well. When we first started trying our hands at archery hunting during our OTC deer hunts here, we swore off hunting coues whitetail deer. They were too hard, too jumpy, and way out of our reach given our limited bowhunting skills. Fast forward to present day and I have become obsessed with them. From their cagey nature to their beautiful coats, unique antlers, and second to none tasting meat. Hunting coues deer with a bow and arrow is the ultimate test for a bowhunter. While they are arguably the hardest animal to spot and stalk with a bow in North America, they are not impossible. Here’s a few proven tidbits of info I’ve gathered bowhunting the gray ghost through the years.
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