Brian Bontomase

It was the fall of 1992 in Central PA. Archery season had just opened and I was in full anticipation of what the season held and what might transpire! It was also my first archery hunt and first solo hunt. What made it even more special was, my family had recently moved back to PA … Read more

So I live in Montana in a little town just a short distance from Idaho. I finally at 37 shot my first buck in Montana and man is a big boy! I have been hunting since I was 9 but had to stop hunting when I joined the military in 2005 at age 20. Well … Read more

Submitted By Chris Blackwell Where do I begin . . . . I have a 3 month old newborn so it’s cut my hunting time way back then what I’m used to, I usually can sneak out for one hunt a week. I was able to hunt all day Saturday with no luck in the … Read more

REX’S ROOST It was 48°, pitch black and not a star in the sky, as the overnight shower finally slowed. Every raindrop dripping from the trees, sounded like a far off gunshot as it hit the wet leaf-covered forest floor. I shivered slightly because I was damp from walking in the light drizzle the mile … Read more

Submitted by Paul Zelinsky It was the last day of rifle season 2:30 in the afternoon. I was going to give up and go home. I had a disappointing season from hot, cold, rain, snow, sleet to a truck driving down the gas line where I sat one day. I figured I’d stay and I … Read more

This story is excerpted from my book 2019: One More Year In The Life Of The Luckiest Hunter Alive. Hope you enjoy it. George I left for camp the morning of Sunday, November 10. Dave, Larry, and Crawford were also scheduled to be there. Since this week should be the peak of the rut, we … Read more

by Kelly James (Syracuse, NY) In May of this year, I lost my dad after a four year long battle with cancer. I lost many things that day, one of them being my hunting buddy that I shared many hours with in the woods, waiting and watching in hopes of seeing deer in the area … Read more

by Dan Beyer – WhiteTail Solutions (Connecticut) Dan Beyer – WhiteTail Solutions Urban Bow Hunt Well I wasn’t going to let our local forecasters spoil another hunt for me so I planned accordingly. I packed my truck with all of my archery gear, set the alarm clock for 4AM and sure enough…they were wrong again. … Read more

by Alex Digregorio (Transfer, PA, USA) Monster Mercer County PA Buck On the morning of December 5, 2008, my dad took off work while I took off school. We went over to a family property of our uncles and cousins. It was known for some big bucks. We arrived about 7:30 am. My cousin was … Read more

by Jesse Kontras (London, Oh) The day was November 13. I had hunted hard all season but to no avail. After classes in Findlay, Oh, I got in my truck and headed south to the central Ohio area. After arriving at home, I threw on my camo and headed to my stand. The wind was … Read more

by SSG Robert Soucy (Kabul, Afghanistan) I’ve been hunting deer since before I knew it. At 5 yrs old I remember waiting for word of my fathers return from his hunting trip to Vermont. When he finally pulled into the driveway with a buck on the roof of the station wagon I would leap with … Read more

by Jimmy DaSaint This story isn’t about winning a writing contest. There will be no descriptive encounters with a grey muzzled buck stepping out of a foggy mist. No, “…and I drew the glistening arrow to my anchor point and waited: one more step, come on! Just one more step!” Instead, I hope you take … Read more

by Rex Holmes, Jr (Natchez, MS) Rex Holmes,Scott & Grayson Phillips, and Wilson Burton THE MOST SPECIAL DEER HUNT EVER #2 It’s hard to believe a year has gone by since the last youth weekend in Tennessee and our participation in The Kids Hunting For A Cure event. This hunt was just as special as … Read more

by Larry Oakley (Kingston, Ontario) Inside The Wild “We kill them because we love them.” At that early age I had not yet isolated the fact, although I had seen it’s signs, that hunting is a lonely sport, that a hunter is essentially a lonely man, more often than a “lone” man; and the bigger … Read more

by Mathew Oloughlin (Miami, Texas) Locked Antlers Hello, I found two deer locked together by their antlers. One happens to be a whitetail & the other is a mule deer! I am trying to find out how rare of a find this truly is? I have asked all kinds of people, either no one can … Read more

Mark Shepard Mark Shepard Pro Bass Fisherman, Avid Hunter & Master Guide A Guiding Life: Living, Fishing and Hunting the American Dream, by Mark Shepard with Phil Fragasso, was published on September 1. The back cover of the book describes Mark and his story like this: Part Ernest Hemingway, part Grizzly Adams, and part downhome … Read more

by Denver R.Crouch (Salt Lick Ky.Bath Co.) I’ve been a die hard compound bow hunter for 29yrs but, due to shoulder replacement surgery on July 26, 2010 I thought my 2010 deer season would be lost. But after talking it over with my Surgeon he gave me the OK to use a crossbow, which I … Read more

by Jessica Mcconnell (Richmond,Ohio) My First Buck Hi my name is Jessica Mcconnell and I am seventeen years old, I wanted to tell you about my very first buck I killed in Jefferson county, Ohio. It’s not very big but I was happy for my first kill. I killed him with a 20 gauge shotgun … Read more

by Alex Hitter (Sparta, KY, Owen) It’s often hard for my friends to understand the exact joys and “fun” of deer hunting. I typically get the same response, the “Aww, why would you want to kill a deer?” It must be something to do with the fact that I’m a girl, and at first glance … Read more

November 20th 2016. Snow storm to blow in over night bringing 2 inches within a few hours, crazy wind blowing in our face all day (perfect for our back stands) handful of “expert” level hunters telling us that we were crazy. My buddy and I set out to prove everyone wrong. We headed out to … Read more

Great Big Bucks on the Rosebud By Scott Winston Use caution if you decide to hunt the great big bucks on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Caution, not in the sense that you will find yourself in danger, but caution, in that the mystique of this country will take root in your soul … Read more

by richard burton (haleyville,al) I have lived in Winston County 45 years. I spent20 years hunting deer in Pickens on 500 acres that was a dear paradise! I sold my interest in that land and now hunt exclusively on 200 acres that I own in Winston County, between Haleyville and Double Springs. My farm is … Read more

by emily (Westchester, NY) I live in the suburbs of Northern Westchester, and my property adjoins Blue Mountain Reservation. I saw two big black cat sightings in the past few months, as well as a mountain lion or cougar on my driveway. The big black cats looked like black panthers. One was walking into the … Read more

What is the deal with all these deer hunting clubs that have set there standards so high a member never kills a buck. I have deer hunted in Alabama for 35 years and can count the 130s on one hand. Whats wrong with killing a deer when you spend your time and money hunting them? … Read more

by LW Oakley (Kingston, Ontario) You are often alone, silent and still while hunting in the cold, grey November woods. Being alone with your thoughts in a dark secretive place gradually heightens your sense of awareness. You see leaves flickering gold and red and yellow as a gentle breeze passes through the trees above you. … Read more

by Stephanie (North East Wisconsin) I was introduced to wonderful activity of hunting later in life. The first time I ever shot a gun I was 19 years old. No one in my family hunts or even owns a firearm besides me. I was introduced to hunting by a former boyfriend. Well he’s long gone, … Read more

by Jay (Fort Worth, Texas) I have been waiting for my elk hunt at Banded Peak Ranch Outfitters since last September when I had to leave Colorado earlier than expected to make it home for my anniversary. I obviously got married before I became addicted to elk hunting, since my anniversary is September 20. My … Read more

by Dewaine Waak (Honey Grove, TX) First Deer,,, Wow I started chasing whitetails in 1972, I suffered from “buck fever” early on, my dad tried to work with me to calm down and concentrate on a target, instead of just seeing the rack. He had taken several bucks and was proficient at getting his deer … Read more

by John (Butler, Pa) After about a 20 year absence from hunting out west, I opted to try again. I had been to Colorado for both deer and elk before, but that was out because of both the draw and pricing. I opted for Nebraska. Early in 2010 I posted a few ads in the … Read more

by Robert (Virginia) Well opening day came and gone. Unfortunately no hunting on Sundays in Va. We set out for our favorite public hunting land. We got there around 9am to get ready and set in. As there are a lot of hikers and horse back riders on the trails it wont hurt us to … Read more

by ohio tired (muskingum county,Ohio) Every year, it never fails, we follow, we watch ,we address all problems that we can control and think that might happen in the places we hunt, which is public land. In yes the hottest places in Ohio, Muskingum County, Coshocton and a few others, and it never ceases to … Read more

by Patrick Marion (Carthage,NC,USA) Hi my name is Patrick Marion I just got back from Ohio where i stuck a huge 10 point. It was the afternoon of nov.5 and  I was hunting public land in Vintion Ohio. I was siting on the edge of a cutover and open woods with a hard funnel for … Read more

by Darryl Hutchinson (Houston County, MN) I had the nice eight point European mounted by Spent Arrow Taxidermy in La Crescent MN. Did a great job on it too! Hi, I’m Darryl and this is a story of my most tense deer hunt to date. It was the middle of the first 2014 firearms season … Read more

by Nick (New Hampshire) The following deer hunting story happened this year in Kentucky and what a heartbreaking one it is. After hunting in Kentucky last season and not seeing a single buck (plenty of does however) I got connected with a farmer down there in Harrison Co. After many conversations over the phone I … Read more

by Jeff Schlehofer (Sugar Grove, Il, Kane) Illinois Trophy Buck John was kind enough to let me share with you a parcel of property that I have owned for over 11 years. If you have access to loopnet you can visualize the property and some of the Deer taken from the property. The property is … Read more

by LW Oakley (Kingston, Ontario) The greatest and most moral homage we can pay to certain animals on certain occasions is to kill them with certain means and rituals. Jose Ortega y Gasset from Meditations on Hunting When you see a deer while hunting your first thought is, “It’s a buck” or “It’s a doe.” … Read more

by Dan Ely (Independence, KY)   Kentucky 8 Point Buck Hunt the BIG rubs!!! Find a funnel that has BIG rubs and offers enough concealment to make the big guys feel comfortable passing through. This will increase your odd’s of bagging a bruiser tremendously in the pre-rut and rut. Also, it is important to be … Read more

by Mike Mitchell (Houston County, MN) I grew up in the southeast corner of Minnesota, down near the Mississippi River. Through my early childhood I would revel in talking to grown ups about any deer experience they had throughout their lives. When I was nine years old my father told me I could go deer … Read more

by Laura Bauer (Troy, MI, Oakland county) The Chance Of A Life Long Memory Dedicated: With Love To My Dad When I sat down to write this story, I never imagined how clear the memory would be until I began. My father and I have always been close through out my years of growing up, … Read more

by Trent Knutson (Illinois) It was the day before the first shotgun weekend here in Illinois. My dad had to skin and cut up all the meat from his forkie he got a week ago, so I was on my own. I got to my favorite stand, known as the end stand, say around 3:30. … Read more

by Pennie VanWinkle (Montgomery Texas) My son Clay is 13, he shot his first deer (A 12 point with a palmated horn, older deer, once in a lifetime kind of thing!!!!!!) in Willis TX at my Aunt and Uncles property also known as the “Is She Blue Ranch” off Rose Rd. last Sunday 11/3/2013 (opening … Read more

by Caleb (Montcalm county, MI) It was the second day of rifle season in central Michigan when my dad and I decide to go out for the morning hunt. My dad drove me to my spot that I would hunt that day. The fog was so thick that it was impossible to see more that … Read more

by Kay (Birmingham, AL) I’ve got a terrific boyfriend and an interest in joining him in his favorite passtime, deer hunting. He’s a bit skeptical, but I’m determined to make a good showing and not humiliate myself. Please help with any tips/tricks, and advise me on: What is the best camo for a newbie that … Read more

by dan lingevitch (spartanburg sc) OCT 11 2011, I had been looking forward to the opening day of deer hunting for months. As the day approached I checked the weather channel to see what the weather would be hoping for bright clear skies but what they weather prediction was 60-70% showers overcast with a high … Read more

by Kelly James (Syracuse, NY) I remember everyday I’ve spent in the woods as though it were yesterday. The memories are some of the best in my life, most likely because it was time dad and I got to be father and son. He was in the Navy. His duties sometimes kept him away as … Read more

The Old Smoke Pole by Jacob (Troy,MO,United States)   One cold afternoon my dad and I had just gotten to our hunting spot. We had never been to this farm before, so we didn’t really know where to set up. So we just set up in the best spot we could find. As we sat … Read more

by Hunter (Alabama) I had begged my parents to take me hunting since first grade. They are not much for hunting, so I did not get my wish until my uncle invited me when I was 15. He set me and my dad up in a shooting house in November. Our rut in Alabama is … Read more

by Mark Trent ( ohio) Hello my name is Mark and I’m a hunter from Ohio and most my hunts take place in Astrabula county. I have a few stories to tell, just some crazy things that happened to me this year. First hunt starts a week later of the Ohio gun season, which i … Read more

I have been invited to go to Jefferson county, Ohio deer hunting this season. Is this a good area for a chance at harvesting a trophy buck, and what is the best time to be there? Comments for Jefferson County, Ohio Deer Hunting Sep 26, 2012 Jefferson County by: Anonymous I hunt in Jefferson county, … Read more

On November 30 2011 I shot my second deer. It was also a half rack. Heres’ how I got him. I just turned 12 so I couldn’t get my adult license, but I got a mentored youth program license. It was a very bitter morning. It was snowing and I was very cold. We hadn’t … Read more

by B.R.Yanney (Athens PA) One year I was hunting from this permanent wood stand. Two days in a row I saw this 9 pointer pass about 50 yards away. So I put a hanging stand where I thought I saw this buck traveling. So I’am sitting in this stand and I look down the trail … Read more

It was the last day of the season that my father and I could hunt together, and we needed meat. Sunset is upon us, so in a last ditch effort my father calls me and tells me to position myself for a two man drive in which he would walk a ridge and hopefully run … Read more

by B.R.Y. (Athens PA) 2008 I had seen this big buck I had dubbed El’Toro. I’ll tell you right know I never did get him. My uncle got him in rifle season. But he taunted me all archery season. I’d see him at night when I was walken’ out of the field. Or I’d see … Read more

by Johnny Blackmon (Belle Chasse, LA) A look at the thermometer shows it to be 29 degrees out. A look out the window reveals a serene picture of a moon lit night illuminating the area around the camp and the pond causing a near daytime illusion as the moonlight is reflected on the snow covering … Read more

by Darren (Seattle, Washington) This is my favorite story my Dad used to tell us when we were out deer hunting in Eastern Washington, I was only able to hunt with my Grandfather a couple of times before he passed away. Back in the early seventies my Dad and his Father were hunting Mule Deer … Read more

by Kasey Werner The Late Season Hunter Autumn will soon be over and the challenges of late season deer hunting will begin anew. At this time of year when many hunters feel there is a lull in the number of deer roaming their routes, it is up to the late season hunter to find his … Read more

by Shawn Kondash (Schuylkill Have, Pa, USA) 2010 was a tough hunting season. Well hello everyone this is my very first time on this page and my very first post, but I am looking to expand my hunting seasons with others that enjoy hunting as much as I do. I don’t get to get out … Read more

by Kenneth Mott (Columbus GA) Hi my name is Kenneth Mott I am 15 and I have been hunting since I was 8 and I love it. If I could do it for a living I would. I live for opening day. Well I’ll tell you my story now. It was November 28, 2010 and … Read more

by Jeff (Lomax,IL,USA) 170 pt B&C There is no such thing as a secret or is there? In Illinois, one of the few states to hold record whitetail bucks, there is the Bow season which runs October 1st and into the deep cold of late January and the gun season that is split into two … Read more

by Trevor Smith (Stanwood, Michigan) Trevor Smith’s Monster Seven It was the 2006 youth deer hunting season and it happened to also be my birthday, September 23rd. I had one hour of hunting before my football game, so my father and I headed for our stand. We were sitting there for about 10 minutes and we … Read more

by B.R.Yanney (Athens PA) Your all probably tired of reading my stories and comments on this site. I am bored and temporarily un-employed. I just wanted to summarize some of the strange things that have happened to me while hunting. I hope you will leave a comment and tell me some of the strange things … Read more

p style=”text-align: center;”>by Robert (Virginia) Hunting public land can be frustrating but persistence and patience can pay off. Opening day was frustrating. My son and I planned a week of hunting and opening day was not the way to start. A lot of hunters and other seasons overlapping and start on the same day. We … Read more

by Michael Lockard (Gassaway, WV 26624) Me and Butch with our bucks. Oct.20,1996 I was 20 yrs old when I killed my first Mule Deer Buck. I was born and raised in Lander, WY and hunted deer since I was 14. I hunted with my dad through the first 4 yrs of my hunting experience. … Read more

by Alex Tombaugh (Erie, Pa) Right after we found him!! On the first day of the Pennsylvania deer season, my dad would always hunt one specific draw. This draw epitomizes most of the Allegheny National Forest. When I was 12 years old my dad took me to this draw to hunt with him. Every year … Read more

by B. R. Yanney (Athens PA) My dad strapped me to his back when I was 6 months old and took me rabbit hunting. I don’t remember but my mother told me . That was 65′. We moved to Alaska in 69′. We hunted rabbits, grouse, ducks. moose, bear etc. He taught me to shoot … Read more

by B. R. Yanney (Athens PA) In the pre-season of 09′ I was taking down a tree stand I left in a tree from the year before. Its’ chain had grown into the tree. I was up there about 15 feet , tugging on it with no safety harness, When it gave way. Down I … Read more

by M. Scotty Lamkin (Bald Mountain, Alaska) A 110lb load. Hide and Head As a former professional hunting guide in Alaska that came from Kentucky 30 some years ago, I have always preferred the hunters from the South. They are just good hunters, that’s all there is to it! Most of us were raised on … Read more

by Olivia Atherton (St. Paul, Indiana) My Buck It was my first year out. I hardly knew what to expect. Days passed. In the woods I heard the shots as my three brothers and Dad each got a deer but the deer seemed to be avoiding me. Maybe the idea of me hunting was a … Read more

by Dan Beyer (Oxford, CT) Hunt to Feed Banquet was a sell out FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Dan Beyer Hunt to Feed 203-233-8227 dan@whitetailsolutionsllc.com Hunt to Feed Charity Banquet draws sell out crowd in Connecticut On Friday September 5th the Hunt to Feed program held its first awareness banquet to a sold out crowd at … Read more

by Marathon-man (Upper Mi) My 1st deer season in which I could legally carry a gun was in November 1978. The whole week prior to opening day I was a day dreaming fool. I would often have visions of the monster 12 point creeping through the Balsam, while trying to digest some crazy geometric theory … Read more

by Paul Compton (Rhodelia,Ky) After a week of hunting this nice buck, my father and I had decided someone else must have taking him, so we moved on to our next spot where my brother-in-law Travis and myself loaded up on some does opening weekend. When my dad showed up at the house early for … Read more

by HunterX (Montana) My Grandfather’s rifle… I was 12 years old, fresh out of Montana Hunters Safety class and very eager to get a nice, tasty, “trophy” mule deer that would let my Dad and my brothers know I was a real hunter. Not to mention that in those days the extra meat in the … Read more

by Robert (Virginia) Took my son to the range this past week end. He bought a scope for his black powder and was itching to get out there and sight it in. We took our time and started close. When we got out to 100 yards he took one shot and pow right in the … Read more

by Bryan R. Yanney (Athens PA) I was glassing my uncles farm, and I noticed a group of mid sized bucks. Every evening in September, they would come from various areas of the woods and group up, before heading into the corn field. They would walk single file through an open field, right along a … Read more

by Bryan (Missouri) I spent years buying cover scents from Wal-Mart, BassPro, etc. and they always smell nothing like they are supposed to. Last year I made my own cedar and acorn cover scents and they worked like a charm. I made Acorn and Cedar cover scent. Has anyone else had any success doing this? … Read more

by Jeff McLain (Lowell, MI) GPS & Compassess A Compass or GPS is one of the most important survival tools for many outdoor enthusiasts. At Outdoor Sports Depot, you can buy a discount compass including a Brunton Compass, Silva Compass, or Sighting Compass for orienteering, hiking, and military uses. A pocket compass is a useful … Read more

One hot summer evening about five years ago, I was relaxing in my family room watching TV. Just a typical summer evening, doing the usual channel surfing and snacking. I had the main french doors open for an occasional breeze, but the screen wasn’t closed all the way. I caught some movement over by the … Read more

by Robert (Virginia) Beginners luck, Think about it. Is this really what it is. You take your son or daughter out and try and teach them everything you know about hunting. You teach them to respect the weapon of choice. You teach them to respect the outdoors and you teach them to respect the game … Read more

by Landon (mitchell SD USA) It was the night before opening day of deer hunting. I’m getting my gun polished and everything ready to go. My 22-year-old brother comes home for the opening day. I thought I was just about done packing my hunting stuff, but he told me I was forgetting something. I replied, … Read more

by Ed (New Lexington Ohio, USA) First let me tell everyone that I have been a deer hunter for many years, ever since I was 16, I am 45 now. This story starts about six weeks ago when a real close friend and hunting partner for the past 12 years came to my house and … Read more

(Genoa, NE) Imagine this. In Nebraska, you shoot a deer say, 15 minutes before sunset. The deer runs off into the trees. You go follow it’s blood trail, bringing along with you a flashlight or hunting headlamp, your knife, your weapon, and all the other essentials. You hear a pickup pull up next to your … Read more

by Rex Holmes, Jr (Roxie, MS) By Rex Holmes,Jr. In 2009 a couple of hunting buddies, Joey and Ross and I decided we would go on a 10-day deer hunt to Wyoming. In addition to the experience of the hunt, our purpose for going was to get video footage using The Vapor Maker®, a scent … Read more

by Jordan Cadwell (Oxford WI marquette county) JD’s Buck It had been a frustrating 2010 gun season in Wisconsin. I had been hoping to get a nice deer that year because the previous year I hadn’t even taken a shot at anything. After hunting for five days with my dad, (I’m 14 btw)and not seeing … Read more

by Jesse (OHIO) My work for this big Ohio buck started in May of 2010. My brother Luke and I put in a great deal of work in the off season setting scouting cameras, putting down mineral licks, and tilling food plots. We had two pretty good bucks on camera all summer. Without many daylight … Read more

by Terry Yonce (Bowlin Green KY) My 9 point Kentucky buck It was a cold morning in Bath county on the park where I was hunting with my step dad and his kin. We all got up and they were busy fixing breakfast and I had a long walk ahead of me to where I … Read more

by Bill Diggs (Montclair, New Jersey) A buck Of a Life Time How many hunters can say they got the Buck of a Life time? Well my story is a journey that spans a life time or seems like it anyway. Thirty years ago at the age of 34 I decided to hunt deer. But … Read more

by Michael Ellis Potts (Murfreesboro, TN USA) My Tennessee Buck My Dad and I have hunted together for as long as I can remember and man the memories we have made and the laughs we have shared . It truly amazes me sometimes when I remember back on some of our hunts together. Well this … Read more

by Trent Knutson (Illinois) On oct. 2nd I got my first deer with a bow. I have been hunting bow and arrow for awhile now but I could never get one until this year. My dad wakes me up @ 5:30 and makes an excuse because he really didn’t want to go out. He was … Read more