If you caught my Custom Arrow Build 101 post, you saw that I got new custom arrows built up from Evolution Outdoors. Right there in the owner Dale’s shop, I was impressed with the build and the level of detail that went into making sure they were all top-notch. Looks are one thing and results are another, though. I just got back from the range with these arrows and I’m liking what I’m seeing so far. To catch you up, my new arrow is a 350-spine Evolution Outdoors Victory VAP TKO weighing in at 460 grains. Up front, there is a total of 185 grains. A 175-grain glue-in tip with a 10-grain collar f ..read more

It’s hotter than heck out, tags are arriving in the mail, and I’ve been shooting my bow as often as I can. We are knee-deep in the pre-season of hunting, otherwise known as, at least to me, the refining season. Along with shooting my bow, I’ve been trying to refine not only my shooting skills but my equipment, and arrows are a massive part of that. I do believe I have found my best arrow build to date and I’m gonna share it with you. General Thoughts on Arrows Finding the best arrow setup for you all comes down to what works best for your style and what your goals are. I think it’s important t ..read more

In March of 2020, I wrote my very first book, Becoming a Backpack Hunter. As an avid writer, this is an accomplishment I don’t take lightly in the least. I’m extremely proud of how that book turned out and even more grateful for the amount of positive support it received and still receives to this day. On this day, July 1, 2024, it brings me an immense amount of pride and joy to tell you my second book Becoming a Bowhunter – A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Archery Hunting is now officially for sale. I wish I had this when I started bowhunting. Why “Becoming a Bowhunter?” When I first started b ..read more

It was about an hour before dark and I spotted a nice black bear feeding along the edge of a bluff. Quickly, I scaled the cliff I was sitting up against and scurried my way over to him. If everything worked out, I’d be able to come in from above and have a steep downhill shot at the bear. That’s exactly what happened and exactly where I learned a harsh lesson about my 3rd axis adjustment. Serious bowhunters will likely have at least one story similar to what I’ve laid out above. I’ve been burnt more than once by 3rd axis and it’s stung each time. In order to try and save you some “sting” I’m g ..read more

I’ve had the pleasure of using a pile of index style releases. Some are great and some I wouldn’t care to try again. And over the last few years I’ve really come up with a certain criteria for myself on what makes a good index style release for me and my style of hunting. Usually that recipe costs a pretty penny. I just recently found a release that shatters that standard. The Stan SoleX is everything I need in an index style release aid, but with a much more affordable price tag. I hope you enjoy the video review. If you do, please subscribe to the channel, leave a comment, you know the routi ..read more

Over and over again my arrows kept hitting to the left. So, naturally, I ended up adjusting my bow sight, only to then experience an occasional impact point that was now to the right. After a lot of unnecessary tinkering, I later put the pieces together that I was anchored too hard into my face. This was affecting my archery accuracy with inconsistent left/right misses in my archery accuracy. How Does Face Pressure Affect Accuracy? For a right-hand shooter, like myself, if you are anchored too hard into your face, then your string will kick off of your face to the right. This will cause the fr ..read more

This is the first post in a new series I’ll be doing called “Behind the Bow.” My goal with this series is to take one thing per episode that I have personally overcome or an AHA moment in my bowhunting/archery journey and break it down for you. All of this with the hope to provide you with real-world perspective and experience to help you along your own journey behind the bow. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel to stay up to date with all future episodes! Let’s Talk Target Panic It’s like a disease. Target panic is something that infiltrates the minds of bowhunters worldwide. Whether ..read more

What is an archery spring bear hunt without the bow and arrow part right? Shot opportunities in bowhunting don’t grow on trees. Each one is earned and the earning part is gonna be on the healthy side for the backcountry bear hunt I have planned. In light of that, confidence in my setup, and confidence in my shooting needs to be absolutely dialed. I may only get one shot, so I’ll need to make damn sure it counts. My Set Up The setup I’m bringing on my archery spring bear hunt is one I’ve gained a ton of confidence in over the last few months. From the bow to the arrow/broadhead. The Bow The bow ..read more

This past January 2024, I spent 14 days bowhunting one of my favorite animals on the planet, the coues deer. It’s a spot and stalk hunt that I look forward to every single year and this past January was no exception to that. The exception was the number of days I stayed in the field though. The hunt was rough with lots of ups and downs. In the end, I was able to come out with a great buck, and now a great film that I’m super proud of. The film is called Fourteen – An Archery Coues Deer Story. It follows me throughout my January 2024 season from the backcountry to living out of my truck. It exp ..read more

Something else I’m really trying to focus on for this upcoming backcountry archery spring bear hunt is strength training. I will admit, that this is something that I have lacked over the past few years. My primary way of training for hunts has been trail running and weighted pack hikes. This has gotten the job done but with a caveat. I’ve noticed that I’ve been more prone to injury. Which is where strength training comes in. The Goal At least on the surface, when I think of strength training, immediately an image of giant muscles destroying the weight room comes to mind. While this exists in t ..read more