Author: Brad Fenson

My heart raced excitedly at the sight of tall tines coming through the trees. The trail camera pictures collected over the previous two months made the deer easy to recognize. The buck was a wanderer and came through my hunting area about once every ten days. I had strategized for encountering the old mature buck and focused my efforts during the rut. The buck would check out the local ladies regularly, not wanting the younger bucks in the area to steal any action. The buck came down the game trail as though programmed for a collision course with my stand.…

Get the most out of your crossbow by understanding its math and science. I cocked my crossbow, slid an arrow down the rail, and drilled the bull’s eye at 30 yards. The ac curacy was impressive, but when I looked at the chronograph reading, I felt a tingle of excitement run down my spine. A second and third arrow were launched, and all read 509 fps. Not only was the TenPoint Nitro 505 fast, but it was deadly accurate and consistent. Harnessing the energy of a crossbow to produce consistent and remarkable results is a science that utilizes new technologies.…

Tackling dangerous game with archery equipment can be an exciting pursuit. However, this is a situation where you had better know all aspects of your gear before heading afield. Arrow speed, trajectory, and penetration must be fine-tuned for a clean kill. Wounding an animal capable of flattening you to a pancake or shredding you to pieces is a definite reality if you go into that scenario unprepared. Hunting in different parts of South Africa for two weeks with Mike Birch and Hunt the Sun was an incredible experience. It also was one having a steep learning curve. It would be…

Movement through the trees drew my attention, and I slowly shouldered my crossbow and leveled my scope on the game trail in front of my stand. A giant four-point buck sauntered into view with his nose to the ground. The hulking body was easy to find in the scope, and when the buck stopped to check the wind, my arrow launched off the rail. The buck kicked up his back legs and bolted into the trees with a crash and commotion that ended in silence. My hands started to tremble excitedly, sensing that weeks of hunting the big, old buck…

I arrived in bear camp shortly after lunch. Shooting my crossbow and organizing clothes and gear didn’t take long. The rest of my hunting crew was running late. When they finally showed up, I was heading out the door to sit in a tree for the night. They came back with a little ribbing about me being overly competitive, but that didn’t bother me a bit. I barked back some teasing as well and reminded them, “The early bird gets the worm.” It was a beautiful May evening. The warm sun was a welcome shot of vitamin D. The best…

The Burris Oracle X Crossbow Scope I had been eyeing up a new range finding optic for my bow, and the Burris Oracle X offered tried and tested technology. The Burris Oracle X is a vertical bow sight that ranges targets, provides a precise aiming point, and calibrates angles into the equation. Burris introduced its Eliminator range finding riflescope over a decade ago. Popular with hunters and long-range shooters, the proven technology has been integrated into archery sights and scopes with positive results. Making arrangements for a hunt in South Africa with Mike Birch at Hunt the Sun, he encouraged…

The first time I caught sight of this buck, it appeared to have something wrong. Its body was oversized and bulky, and it looked like a weightlifter with rippling, overgrown muscles. Its antlers were tall and mature, sporting four points on each side. I dubbed him “The Big Eight.” That buck immediately went on the fall hit list. Big, old bucks seldom cooperate, making it seem like one strange year in the deer woods. Like most deer hunters, I had lots of excuses: Warm temperatures, drought conditions, poor feed, deer staying in heavy cover as challenges. I am fortunate to…