Field Notes
Notes from the bench and the field. What actually held up, what turned out to be wrong, and why.
24 September
The Hoyt UltraTec Isn't in Most Spine Calculators. It's in Ours Now.
A member emailed about the used Hoyt UltraTec he hunts with, our calculator didn't have it, so I spent an afternoon fixing that.
23 September
The October Lull Is a Myth. Here's What's Actually Happening.
Your cameras didn't go dead because deer disappeared — they went dead because you taught every deer in earshot to avoid you, and here's what to do about the two weeks in between.
22 September
Opening Week Will Make You Stupid. Here's How Not to Let It.
Your best stand is your best stand because no deer knows it exists yet, so quit burning it on opening day just because you're excited.
16 September
Rear Weight Stiffens Your Arrow. Front Weight Weakens It. We Had It Backwards.
A lighted nock and a point-weight bump push your dynamic spine in opposite directions, and an internal footing acts like trimming the shaft. Here's the physics, and the bug in The Forge that taught...
15 September
Two Weeks Out: Stop Shooting Groups
Opening day is a cold first arrow from a tree in a jacket you haven't shot in since last November. So practice that, not another 60-arrow session at 20 yards.
14 September
Cold Weather Bow Care: The 5 Things That Actually Matter
Your bow doesn't care that it's cold. Your string wax, your rest cord, your peep and your truck's dashboard do. Five things to handle before the late season, and three you can stop worrying...
13 September
Paper Tuning Is the Last Step, Not the First
A paper tear is a report card, not a diagnosis. Start there and you'll tune the bow to the paper instead of tuning the bow.
22 August
Mental Toughness Is a Trained Pattern, Not a Trait
Nobody is born calm on a big buck. The guys who look tough are running a script short enough to survive an adrenaline dump — and you can build one this week.
21 August
The 5-Minute Pre-Shot Routine That Actually Helps
Most shot processes are eleven steps long and none of them survive a buck at 22 yards. Here's the five minutes I run before every session, and the eight seconds it buys me.
20 August
Why You Choke at Tournaments And Not in Practice
Your bow didn't change and your form didn't fall apart. Your shot just got three seconds shorter and nobody timed it.
19 August
Visualization Is Real, But Not the Way You Think
Seeing the arrow hit the crease isn't visualization. It's daydreaming with extra steps — and it trains the exact fixation that wrecks your shot.
18 August
The Confidence Loop: How to Build It With Range Data
Your confidence at sixty yards is built on one bad arrow you shot six years ago. Here's how to replace the story with a number.
12 August
Why Pressure Reps Matter More Than Volume
My buddy shoots 200 arrows a week into a bag target and still fell apart on a bull at 55. He doesn't have a form problem. Every arrow he shoots is free.
11 August
How to Pick a Hunting Property in 30 Minutes With OnX
Thirty minutes on a map beats three weekends of walking. Here's the exact filter order I run before I ever put boots on a new piece.
10 August
The Cheap Hunting Gear Worth Buying (And What to Splurge On)
Pay for glass, pay for anything that keeps you alive. Cheap out on camo, stabilizers, and about half the stuff your buddy told you that you needed.
8 August
Tree Saddle vs Lock-On: An Honest Comparison
I own both. I've killed deer out of both. The real difference isn't comfort or weight — it's which shots you can actually take, and which ones will make you cant your bow into...
5 August
Bareshaft Tuning: What the Internet Gets Wrong
A bareshaft landing left doesn't mean move your rest left. Pull the vanes off and you've changed the arrow — lighter, stiffer, faster. Most guys are chasing a spine problem with a hex key.
30 July
The Scent Game: What the Science Says vs What Pros Do
A federal judge ruled "eliminates all odor" was false as a matter of law. An appeals court said carbon blocks 96-99% of odor compounds in a lab. Both are true, and neither one is...
29 July
Whitetail Hunter's First Elk: What's Different
Your whitetail rig will probably kill an elk. Your whitetail habits will probably cost you one.
28 July
The Mechanical vs Fixed Debate Is Mostly Wrong
Two camps argue every August and neither one is arguing about broadheads. They're arguing about tune, and they don't know it.
25 July
Picking a Broadhead for the Animal, Not the Marketing
Bigger the animal, the smaller the head I pick. Smaller the animal, the wider the cut. Here's why that rule is the opposite of what's printed on the package.
24 July
The Real Difference Between Match Grade and Standard
You pay double for Match Grade shafts. Here's what you're actually buying — and the two cases where it's a waste of money.
22 July
The 4mm Shaft Argument: Why Most Hunters Should Switch
I wrote the neutral explainer on skinny shafts. This isn't that. This is me telling you most hunters should be on a 4mm and aren't.
21 July
Building a Hunting Arrow That Costs Less Than $100
The arrow doesn't know what it cost. Six hunting arrows, real component prices, and the one place I will not let you save money.