Pick Compact Binos That Do Not Swing, Fog, Or Make Noise The best compact binoculars for saddle hunting are 8x or 10x roof-prism binos in the 25mm to 32mm range, with good coatings, a tight hinge, and a simple harness
Pick A Side Fast: Maven Or Vortex? If you want the best glass for your money and you can live without walking into any big box store for help, Maven is worth it. If you want a no-drama warranty and
Buy 8×42 Roof Prisms, Not Cheap Zoom Glass The best budget hunting binoculars under $150 are 8×42 roof prism bins from a real brand, and I would rather have a clear 8x than a shaky 12x any day. If you
Start With This Call. Morning Cruise Or Midday Cruise. Bucks start cruising during the rut at first light most days, then again from about 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. when the woods settle down. If I have to pick one
Decide If You Are Hunting Him, Or He Is Hunting You. If a buck keeps showing up just out of range, only in the last 2 minutes of light, or only on the days you skip the stand, he is
Pick Your Approach: Moon Phase Matters Less Than You Want It To The best moon phase for deer hunting is the one that lines up with cold fronts, rut timing, and your best sit windows. If I have to pick
Kill the Grass First, Or the Clover Never Gets a Fair Shot If your clover plot is turning into a grassy mess, kill the grass with a clover-safe grass herbicide like clethodim, spray it with the right adjuvants, then come
Pick Your Blend Based on Snow, Browse Pressure, and Your Soil The best brassica blend for late season deer is a simple mix of purple top turnips, forage rape, and a little radish, planted early enough to build big leaves
Spray timing matters more than the brand on the jug. I spray Roundup on food plots when the weeds are actively growing, the forecast gives me 6 to 24 hours with no rain, and daytime temps are sitting between 55
Pick A Throw Based On What You Need This Month, Not What Looks Good On A Bag. The best food plot “throw and grow” for deer is the one that matches your calendar and your dirt. For early season I
What I Actually Worry About on a Deer Lease Yes, you should care about liability on a deer lease, and yes, you should have it in writing. If I am the one paying for the lease, I want a simple
Decide If You Want a “Handshake Lease” or a Real Contract. If you want to start a hunting lease with neighbors, you need three things locked down fast. You need clear rules, clear money, and a clear way to handle
Decide What You Are Really Buying, Because It Affects What You Offer. You are not just offering cash for a place to hunt. You are offering trust, reduced headaches, and a plan that makes the landowner’s life easier. I grew
Pick Your Plan Before You Ever Drive North. If you want a clean, repeatable Ottawa National Forest deer hunt, focus on edges, swamps, and fresh sign within 300 yards of a roadless pocket, and hunt mornings after a cold front.
Pick Your “Spot Type” First, Or You Will Waste Days. The best “Allegheny National Forest deer hunting spots” are not secret GPS pins. They are spot types you can repeat. I pick the same kinds of places every year on
Pick One Thing to Beat the Crowds, and Do It Hard. The fastest way I know to beat crowds on public land opening day is to hunt where most people will not walk, and to hunt when most people will
Make the Call Up Front. Rare Venison Is Not Worth It Most of the Time. Yes, you can eat deer meat rare sometimes, but I do not recommend it unless you know the cut, the handling, and the risk. Here
The Best Seasoning for Deer Burger Is Simple The best seasoning for deer burger is kosher salt, coarse black pepper, garlic powder, and a little smoked paprika. I run that mix on 90% of my venison burger because it tastes
Pick Your Fat Source, Or Your Burgers Will Be Dry The best fat to mix with deer meat for burgers is beef tallow or fatty beef trim, and I like a 85/15 final mix for most folks. If you want
Stop Making It Like Store-Bought Beef To make venison burger juicy, I add fat on purpose, I grind it cold, and I do not overcook it. If you try to treat deer like 80/20 beef and smash it to death
Decide If You Want Real Jerky Or Just “Dried Meat” You can make deer jerky without a dehydrator by using your oven on the lowest setting, a smoker at 160 degrees to 180 degrees, or a simple box fan dry
Stop Dry Backstrap Before It Starts The way I keep deer backstrap from turning dry is simple. I cook it hot and fast to 125 to 132 degrees, then I rest it 8 to 12 minutes before I slice it.
Pick Your Sealer Based on How Many Deer You Really Process The best vacuum sealer for deer meat for most hunters is the Nesco VS-12. If you process 2 to 5 deer a year and want no drama, buy the
Stop Freezer Burn Before It Starts, Not After. The best way to prevent freezer burn on venison is to get the meat dry, cold, and airtight fast, then keep it at a steady 0°F. If you are tossing meat in