Author: Heath Wood

First Impressions – Sightmark Wraith Mini for Crossbow When I first unboxed the Sightmark Wraith Mini 🛒, three things immediately came to mind: small, light, and rugged. Before I even had it in my hands, though, my first thought was—a thermal scope on a crossbow? The more I thought about it while waiting for the delivery, the more excited I became about the possibilities. The idea of combining advanced thermal technology with a crossbow opened up a whole new level of hunting possibilities. Weighing just 19.3 ounces and measuring a compact 6.6 inches, the Wraith Mini seemed like the perfect…

Why You Need a Shooting Rest: As a mature eastern gobbler made its way down the steep hill and out into the lush green grass, I stood in my tree stand, trying to remain hidden as I tucked in behind the white oak tree. My mind quickly began racing with ideas of how to get my crossbow in position and make the shot without the gobbler catching sight of my movements. My crossbow is not particularly heavy, but the prospect of having to hold it in shooting position and be perfectly steady without any movement was already taxing my strength.…

With temperatures climbing into the mid-eighties by afternoon, I couldn’t tell if I was dedicated or just plain crazy as I settled into my tree stand at 2:00 p.m. For the next two hours, I questioned whether any buck was worth enduring what felt like a sauna while waiting for the first deer to appear. Fortunately, I was wearing a breathable long-sleeve pullover with excellent moisture-wicking properties that allowed my sweat to cool me whenever a breeze passed by. That evening, I took one of the best bucks I’ve ever harvested with a bow. Having the right warm weather hunting…

Throughout my fifteen years in the hunting industry, I have been blessed with being part of designing, field testing, and reviewing many innovative hunting products. I always find myself intrigued by unique designs and products that have never been seen before. While working at a fall hunting classic at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO, I vividly recall my first encounter with a Ravin Crossbow. A father and son duo had purchased two and walked past my booth while on their way out. I had heard the buzz about Ravin and its advanced designs. From that day forward, I have…

Deer hunting transcends being a mere sport; it’s a craft that demands a combination of skill, strategy, and patience to navigate the wild in pursuit of elusive bucks. Throughout the years, hunters have developed a range of techniques to up their game, and one increasingly popular method is the strategic use of deer decoys. As a younger adult, one of my favorite hunting personalities I often watched on TV was hall-of-fame bowhunter Phillip Vanderpool. Although I have become acquainted with Vanderpool throughout the hunting industry, I have never told him that he is the reason I love bowhunting with a…

It was the place where I went on my first hunt with my father. It was a 200-acre section of large timber with a few small fields. I remember how as I child, I stumbled along trying to keep up with my father. We had walked down the clear wooded road leading to a knee-high fescue field with a beautiful pond in the corner. Even though that was 35 years ago, I still remember what everything looked like. I can visually recall many hunts we encountered on the large patch of timber set within walking distance and across the road…

If someone asks me to say the first thing that comes to mind when I think of deer hunting, my answer is summed up in one word: Scent. Scent is the most popular form of deer attractants. Many aspects of the world of deer hunting revolve around scent. As hunters, we must eliminate our human odors and any foreign smells that may cling to our clothes, gear or anything else we take into the field.  For the deer, every aspect of their daily lives, 365 days of the year, revolves around their nose and what they smell. Scent is how…