Vermont Hunting

Every year thousands of hunters across the continent book outfitted hunts. Some are booked in their home state or province; others require considerable travel by air. For those with the means, exotic trips abroad are a unique privilege. But regardless of where a hunter goes, the research, booking and travel aspects are imminent. Simple or complex, logistics are a part of the game. I've seen it more than once with first time traveling sportsmen.

To the casual observer who happens to see a moose by the side of the road or in a park, these largest members of the deer family appear large, ugly and ungainly. And, I must admit that, in this context the description is apt. Yet, seen in its natural habitat of hinterland bogs and spruce forests, the animal is graceful and magnificently suited to a harsh environment. Those who have hunted moose know that they can appear and disappear like ghosts, that they can be both timid and bold. Hunting them is more than just a matter of technique, science or art; it's more like a passion.

It's probably safe to say that most of us began hunting with a rifle. As our skills evolve, we look for ways to rediscover the challenge. Inevitably we turn to bowhunting. But its not as simple as just picking up a bow and hitting the woods. A learning curve exists. As with any activity, there are right and wrong ways to get started. Suffice it to say, if you're thinking about bowhunting, here are a few tips to help put you on the right track.

Still hunting for whitetails is, I'm convinced, a matter of character. No one technique is more effective than another, rather, some hunters are better suited to one style than another and so they're more adept at it. I still hunt because the technique suits me like a favorite wool sweater. And, in the three decades since I stumbled across my first living, breathing whitetail, I've refined, modified and tweaked my skills to the point where still hunting has become second nature.