TOPO MAP 101

Reading a topographical map can be confusing, But, by identifying a few
basic terrain terrains features and understanding how deer use those
features you can quickly find some good hunting locations without leaving
your kitchen table.
Contour lines on a topo map show different elevations. On a standard 7.5
minute series topo map, the lines are spaced at 10 foot intervals….the
closer the lines the steeper the terrain.
To assist you in getting a better understanding of a flat topo map, I’d
like to introduce you to a 3D topo map that you can take anywhere. Make a
fist and cock your wrist like you’re looking at your watch. Now follow
along.

A (Hilltop) – The most easily identifiable terrain feature on a topo map.
Excellent points of reference for orienteering oneself in the field. On
your 3D topo map, each of your knuckles represents a hilltop.
B (Ridge) – Formed by a series of adjoined hilltops. Whitetails love
ridges. Look for bucks to bed about two-thirds of the way up. Pay attention
to morning and evening thermals when hunting sides of ridges. Your line of
knuckles form a ridge.
C (Saddle) - The area between two adjoining hilltops. They are lower in
elevation than the hilltops and can serve as a travel route for deer to get
from one side of the ridge to the other. This is the area between two
knuckles.
D (Incline/Decline) - The closer the contour lines are to each other on the
topo map, the steeper the terrain. This information can be invaluable for
determining easy travel routes to and from a hunting location. On the map
below, notice how steep that hill is coming down to the lake from the
north. The area on the back of your hand going from your knuckles to your
watch is a good example of a steep hill.
E (Draw) – A slightly depressed and elongated terrain feature that usually
comes up from a low area to a saddle between two hilltops. Deer will use
draws as travel routes to get on the ridge in the morning to bed and off
the ridge in the evening to feed. This is the crease between your fingers
that points to the area between your knuckles.
F (Spur or Point) – A slightly elevated and elongated terrain feature that
usually goes down from a hilltop to a low-lying area. Bucks especially will
use spurs as bedding areas. This is the back of your finger that runs down
from your knuckle.



Combine a topo map with an aerial photo (all available for free online) and
you have a potent combination of hunting tools at your disposal for quickly
finding hot ambush sites.

And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.

DEFINITIONS

Definitions for common archery and hunting terms….sort of.

ARCHERY – a primitive hunting method conducted in the early fall by rifle
hunters who are tired of freezing their butts off in November.

DEER STAND – an elevated napping location.

DRAG ROPE – an important hunting article usually remembered when standing
over a downed deer five miles from the nearest road.

KNIFE – see Drag Rope.

BROADHEAD – an efficient instrument used to accidentally cut bow strings as
you get settled in your stand.

FLASHLIGHT (OR HEADLAMP) – one of the many items you drop as you climb into
your tree stand in the early morning darkness.

WIND DIRECTION – something which changes immediately after you’ve gotten
into your stand. Usually ignored until the next time you are on the ground.

ARROW TRAJECTORY – a calculation made by the bored archery hunter as he
stares down that loud-mouthed squirrel in the other tree.

DEER BLIND – usually the kind of deer I get.

BLAZE ORANGE – the first thing you see in another tree about 100 yards away
at daylight.

ELK BUGLE (OR TURKEY YELP) – the sound one makes when a pine tree decides
to release its load of snow down your neck.

RUB (OR SCRAPE) – what you must do to your eyes to wake up at 3 AM.

SCOUTING – a reason to get away from the house during late summer.

SNORT (OR WHEEZE) – what you sound like halfway up the mountain.

HEART/LUNG SHOT – what you feel halfway up the mountain

RELEASE – what your hunting partner just did to that branch that knocked
off your hat and broke your glasses.

NOISE DISCIPLINE – what you’re trying to do as you get out and open your
lunch sack. This also applies when you’re trying to open those little hand
warmer thingys that come in very noisy plastic wrap.


And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.

THE RESET

I love baseball. It’s great to settle down in front of the television to
watch a major league baseball game…especially if the Phillies are doing
well. But to many people, baseball is boring. They think all baseball
involves is pitch the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball, throw the ball,
etc. But there are many little things going on within the game that make it
interesting.

One of the things I enjoy watching are the rituals that some hitters go
through before they are ready to receive a pitch. They go through all kinds
of manipulations with the dirt, the bat, their batting gloves, their
helmet, everything. AND THEN….most back out of the box and do it all
again….after each pitch!!!!

However, what these professional baseball players are doing is nothing less
than what we should be doing as archers. In reality, they are adjusting to
the right stance, getting the proper body alignment, achieving the correct
grip, and mentally preparing for the next pitch.

After that arrow is gone and we’ve followed through properly (see blog
entry from 12/7), our body is not in the proper position to immediately
shoot another arrow. While our stance should not change, our posture needs
to be reset, the next arrow needs to be reset, our bow needs to be reset,
our grip needs to be reset, our string hand needs to be reset, and most
importantly, our mind must be reset.

I’m not saying to back completely off the line and start all over but
everyone should have a pre-shot routine that they go through before
shooting every arrow!!! At a minimum, that ritual should include a mental
check list of the following…

Stance and body posture
Nocking the arrow and hook the release
Grip the bow and bring it into position
Slow Draw and anchor the string hand
Aim! Aim! Aim!
Release
Follow through

AND THEN….RESET…and do it all over again.

If you develop a pre-shot routine, the process of repetition will soon
train your body. You will find that you no longer have to really think
about it and that your body will tell you when something isn’t right. And
listen to your body. If something just doesn’t feel right, let down, and
RESET.

And just like the major league baseball player, don’t dwell on what’s
already happened. You can’t get that bad shot back any more than a batter
can get that strike back.

And RESET your mind to focus COMPLETELY on the next shot. And by that, I
mean FOCUS ONLY ON AIMING when you come to full draw.

Remember…we don’t shoot three arrows at a time when practicing…we shoot one
at a time.

And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH

Well, it’s Christmas time again. And you know what that means….some people
are freaking out!!

There are gifts to wrap, cards to send, decorations to put up, a tree to
find, cookies to bake, stockings to hang, a meal to prepare, travel
arrangements to make, plays to attend, parties to plan….the list never
seems to end.

And since these people see absolutely no way of everything getting done by
Christmas, they start to get that look in their eyes that if they get one
more thing piled on top of them, they will collapse like a house of cards.
They are on the edge of being devoured by the holidays and the joy of the
season escapes them.

They don’t see the blessings they get by giving to others.
They can’t understand the happiness a card brings to a friend.
They miss out on seeing how colorful lights transform a simple house into a
magical place.
They fail to appreciate the excitement a Christmas tree brings to a child.
They are unable to smell the friendly warmth of baking cookies.
They can’t see the look of awe on faces around the table when Christmas
dinner is served.
They don’t comprehend the anticipation loved ones feel as they pull up in
the driveway.
They won’t recognize the delight a child has when on stage…and mom and dad
are in the audience.
They aren’t aware of the fellowship shared at simple gatherings.

Please don’t let the seemingly endless list of things to do take away from
the Christmas season this year. My wish is that everyone will take time out
to enjoy the decorations, the food, the family, and the beautiful spirit
that IS Christmas.

And what does all this have to do with archery? Absolutely nothing. Merry
Christmas everyone!!!

Subscribe to my instructional archery videos at www.youtube.com\user\archery64

TODD'S TUESDAY TIP

It's a good idea to see how long you can hold your bow at full draw and make an accurate shot BEFORE you head to the woods.


Check out more of Todd's stuff at www.allarchery.blogspot.com.

POP QIUIZ!

Here's the answers to last week's questions...

1. False – Even with the dramatic advancement of broadheads, they still
do not fly exactly like your field tips. It is still imperative that
you sight in with your broadheads before heading to the field.
2. False – String jumping is when a deer reacts instinctively to the
sound of your bow being fired. The dropping down occurs as the deer
gathers its legs under its body to bound away. Many times, the arrow
will sail over the top of the deer unless the shooter compensates in
anticipation of the deer’s reaction.
3. False – Due to the somewhat inefficient design of the crossbow, they
have no more range than a comparable compound bow. In fact, a
compound bow with a 125 lb draw weight would have FAR greater range
than a crossbow with the same draw weight.

And here's this week's questions...

1. T / F Bucks are the most predictable during the breeding phase of the
rut.

2. T / F Gripping the bow too tightly at release could affect the
impact point.

3. T / F Staging areas are locations where bucks may “hang out” prior to
entering a field to feed.

FRIDAY FACTS

Studies have shown that acorns can constitute 38 to 76 percent of a whitetail’s diet in November and December.

THURSDAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

I have been shooting my bow a lot over the past couple of weeks and I have
a big 3D shoot coming up on Saturday. In fact, I have been doing a lot of
preparation for our archery season which opens up on Sep 18. Part of that
preparation includes writing down all the days I will be able to hunt,
which stands I’ll want to be in on each day (assuming wind conditions are
right), and whether I’ll be using scents, calls, or decoys.
This is not a cut-in-stone agenda but rather a general plan of attack that
I can shuffle around however I want based on any number of things. Weather,
food sources, deer sign, and hunter movement are just a few things that
could cause me to alter my battle plan.
Here’s my THOUGHT OF THE WEEK…Many hunters look forward to the hunting
season and have several stand locations to choose from every day. However,
very few take the time to plot out their hunting strategy in advance. Give
it a try and you’ll find you won’t over-hunt stands and you'll gain more
confidence for the upcoming season.

TODD'S TUESDAY TIP

Practice the shots you imagine you could be taking from your stand. Too many archers practice on level ground, in good weather, and bright sunlight. You will make very few shots at live game in these conditions during your entire life. Practice bending over a little, twisting sideways, and even sitting.

POP QUIZ!

Here's last week's questions...

1. T / F Rubs on a sapling that are on the opposite side of the tree from a feeding area, generally indicates the evening route of a buck.
TRUE-Rubs that are facing away from a feeding area generally indicate the evening travel route of the buck (he was heading towards his feeding area) while rubs facing away from a bedding area usually show the buck's morning travel route.
2. T / F When sighting in your bow, you should make a sight adjustment after each arrow.
FALSE-Sight adjustments should be made after each three-arrow group. And then from the center of the grouping.
3. T / F The bullseye on all 3D whitetail targets are an exact representation of where you should aim on a live animal.
FALSE-Generally, the bullseye on 3D targets are NOT where you want to aim on a live whitetail. In most cases, you'll want to aim much lower on a live deer. For quartering shots on live game, you'll want your point-of-impact much further left or right of where the bullseye is on the target.

And here's this week's questions...

1. T/ F Due to design innovations, it is no longer necessary to sight in broadheads if they are the same weight as your target tips.

2. T / F String jumping is when a deer sees the arrow coming at him and intentionally ducks under the arrow as it arrives.

3. T / F Crossbows have a greater range than regular compound bows.

Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

FRIDAY FACTS

Deer are ruminants (cud chewers) and have a four-compartmented stomach, which allows the deer to feed very rapidly.
Deer need 10 to 12 pounds of food per day to satisfy their needs.

THURSDAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Tracking a deer through the woods has become a lost art form. Oh sure,
almost anyone can pick up on a well defined blood trail and follow it. But
what if the blood sign ends before you find the animal? Would you be able
to tell which way the animal went based on other sign? What if you just
happen across a blood trail? Would you be able to determine which direction
the deer was heading?
Sadly, most hunters today do not possess even a fraction of the skills
necessary to track an animal beyond a good blood trail.
And tracking can get a whole lot more complicated.
If you were targeting a particular buck in your hunting area, would you be
able to memorize his track imprint and then follow that particular track to
his bedding or feeding area? If you came across a promising track on a deer
trail, could you give a rough estimate of how long ago it was made? Are you
able to use sign other than tracks to determine if deer are using a
particular area?
Here’s my THOUGHT OF THE WEEK… Most hunters only use deer tracks to
identify a travel route. If you could read tracks and other deer sign with
even a modest amount of proficiency, think about how many more hunting
options you would be able to take advantage of.

Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd’s stuff.

TODD'S TUESDAY TIP

If you hunt with the quiver attached to your bow, make sure you practice and sight your bow in with the quiver attached as well. I practice and hunt with the quiver DETACHED from my bow to avoid as much vibration, noise, and weight as possible. Once in my stand, I hang the quiver on the tree within easy reach.


Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

POP QUIZ

Every Monday will be a pop quiz. I will post three true or false archery/hunting questions for you to try your knowledge against. If you’re feeling froggy, you can leave your answers in a comment on my blog for the world to see. On the following Monday, I will post the answers to the previous week’s questions and then post three new questions. If you have specific questions you’d like answered, you can either leave a comment on my blog or send me an email at toddlydell@gmail.com.

Here's last week's questions...

1. A hoof print along with a dew claw imprint always indicates a buck track.
FALSE - Large mature does will sometimes leave dew claw marks.
2. If an area has a high buck-to-doe ratio (greater than 3 or 4 does for every buck), it’s easier to call, scent, rattle, or decoy bucks into your setups.
FALSE - Since bucks will find potential mates in greater abundance in areas with high buck-to-doe ratios, the need to compete for mating privileges is greatly reduced. Therefore, bucks are not as susceptible to calls, scents, rattling, and decoys.
3. The most dominant buck in an area will generally make the first scrapes of the season.
TRUE - Due to increased testosterone levels, the earliest scrapes of the season are generally made by the dominant buck in the area.

And here's this week's POP QUIZ...

1. T / F Rubs on a sapling that are on the opposite side of the tree from a feeding area, generally indicates the evening route of a buck.

2. T / F When sighting in your bow, you should make a sight adjustment after each arrow.

3. T / F The bullseye on all 3D whitetail targets are an exact representation of where you should aim on a live animal.

Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

FRIDAY FACTS

In the early 1900's, whitetail populations in the U.S. was thought to number about 300,000 animals.
Recent estimates put the deer population in the United States at around 30 million animals!


Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Have you ever seen a cat stalk a piece of string? Ever watch a puppy play
with his favorite toy? Have you ever wondered what was going through their
minds at that particular moment that made them act that way? I sometimes
ask that question to myself about my sons.
I also sometimes think about a whitetail’s frame of mind.
Now I know that animals are not capable of conscious thought and that they
can not feel emotions as we do. I do, however, feel that animals have a
form of “awareness” that fluctuates through varying levels.
After a night of feeding and carousing, is a whitetail less aware of its
surroundings as it heads back to its bedding area based simply on the fact
that it “wants” to call it a night?
Is a whitetail in a better “mood” and more alert on a bright sunny day and
less alert on a wet and overcast day?
Do they get “bored” and perhaps bed down overlooking a highway in order to
pass the time watching traffic?
Here’s my THOUGHT OF THE WEEK…..Can we use these “forms of awareness” to
our advantage as hunters?

Go to www.allarchery.blogspot.com for more of Todd's stuff.

TODD'S TUESDAY TIP

You'll want to make one last scouting trip to the area you plan to hunt about one week before the actual hunt. Any sooner, and you may miss changes in the deer's travel patterns or routines. Any later, and you might alert the deer to your presence and they could avoid the area. As always, get in and out as quickly as possible while leaving as little scent behind you as you can.

POP QUIZ!

Every Monday will be a pop quiz. I will post three true or false archery/hunting questions for you to try your knowledge against. If you’re feeling froggy, you can leave your answers in a comment on my blog for the world to see. On the following Monday, I will post the answers to the previous week’s questions and then post three new questions. If you have specific questions you’d like answered, you can either leave a comment on my blog or send me an email at toddlydell@gmail.com.

Good luck everyone!

1. T / F A hoof print along with a dew claw imprint always indicates a buck track.

2. T / F If an area has a high buck-to-doe ratio (greater than 3 or 4 does for every buck), it’s easier to call, scent, rattle, or decoy bucks into your setups.

3. T / F The most dominant buck in an area will generally make the first scrapes of the season.

YOU MIGHT BE A DEER HUNTER IF......part 2

51. You can quote every verse of scripture that references it’s
biblically acceptable to hunt and eat meat.
52. You think the term “a three-point shot” is not a basketball
reference.
53. You have written several letters to the International Olympic
Committee urging them to include deer hunting in the next winter olympics.
54. You have gone through more deer hunting knives in your life than you
have pairs of socks.
55. State Troopers wait for you along the highway to your deer camp.
56. You think nothing about walking two miles in the dark through heavy
brush to get to your deer stand but complain about having to take the
garbage out to the end of your driveway.
57. You drive to deer camp with more stuff in your truck than you had in
it the day you moved into your new house.
58. You can relate to most of this list.
59. You rented the movies “The Killing Fields” and “Field of Dreams” and
thought they were hunting videos.
60. You call your kitchen a “feeding area” and your bedroom a “bedding
area”.
61. You know where to buy blaze orange toilet paper.
62. Your deer stand gets more annual maintenance than your house.
63. You think that not bathing during deer season brings you closer to
nature.
64. You have a hissy fit if you can’t find your lucky deer hunting
underwear.
65. You take extreme care not to bump your rifle scope but will pound on
the side of your PC when it “acts up”.
66. You think that “getting a little action” means the deer are on the
move.
67. Snow fall takes on a whole different meaning during deer season.
68. You relocate your entire family to another state just because it has
bigger deer.
69. You threaten your boss with physical violence until your leave is
approved for hunting season.
70. You’ll use your compass every two minutes during deer season but will
refuse to admit you’re lost when driving the family car.
71. You watch over your wife’s shoulder as she washes your hunting jacket
but you’ll wear the same pair of socks three days in a row.
72. You’ve named your rifle.
73. You won’t think twice about spending $25 for a deer license but
shudder at the thought of spending that much on your family at McDonalds.
74. You’ll track and log deer movement in detail but you can’t seem to
remember to keep track of the checks you’ve written.
75. You’ve ever tasted an acorn just to see if you can tell why deer like
them so much.
76. You suddenly “find” a wad of cash in your pocket for your wife just
before you leave for deer camp.
77. You’ve ever touched deer droppings with your bare hands to see how
old they were but you have to use a scoop and put on rubber gloves to clean
up after the dog.
78. You think that the great outdoors is just one big bathroom.
79. You’ve ever wondered what a rifle slug would do to that squirrel that
keeps hanging around your deer stand.
80. You can find your rifle shells from last year’s hunt within 10
seconds but you can’t find your car keys that you used last night.
81. Miniature candy bars are considered survival gear.
82. Sharing the outhouse with another hunter at the same time is not
embarassing.
83. You’ve never been at your daughter’s birthday party because she was
born three weeks early and it’s right in the middle of deer season.
84. You’ve ever bought a tree stand for your wife for her birthday….and
she doesn’t hunt.
85. You asked to borrow your wife’s new tree stand.
86. Your wife holds you at gunpoint on the front lawn after you return
from deer camp until you strip and hose yourself down with the garden hose.
87. You won’t tell your hunting buddies where you saw that big buck but
you’ll tell them the problems you and your wife are having with being
intimate.
88. You will spend hours scouting for just the right tree to place your
deer stand but you can’t wait to get out of the mall when your wife is
shopping.
89. Your spotlight can be seen with the naked eye by the space shuttle.
90. You have so many of those little handwarmers that they could be your
home’s primary heat source for the next three winters.
91. Your wife actually thought you were going to get a better job when
you told her you wanted to “make some big bucks”.
92. You have a jackalope mount in your living room.
93. You admire Robin Hood just because he was able to kill the king’s
deer with a long bow.
94. You tell bedtime stories to your deer rifle.
95. Your mother-in-law has to adjust the family Christmas party around
deer seasons.
96. You check for deer sign when looking for your lost golf ball.
97. You know which two diners in your county are open at 4:00 AM on
opening morning.
98. Just by looking at a single track, you are able to tell how big the
deer was, which direction it was heading, and how fast it was going but you
are unable to refold a road map the right way.
99. You practice sneaking up on your wife just to stay at peak
performance level.
100. You know what P&Y and B&C stand for.

YOU MIGHT BE A DEER HUNTER IF.....part 1

YOU MIGHT BE A DEER HUNTER IF…

1. Your annual hunting equipment budget is more than your family’s
annual grocery budget.
2. The term “making a stand” does not indicate your position on a
political or religious issue.
3. Most of your house is decorated in camoflauge and/or blaze orange.
4. You oil your rifle every two weeks whether it needs it or not but
you’ve had to replace two engines in your truck because you forgot to
change IT’S oil.
5. You have the Game Commission on speed dial on your phone at work.
6. Your marriage is on the rocks because you spend most of your evenings
and weekends “scouting”.
7. You know the exact ballistics, energy, and trajectory of your rifle
ammunition but you can’t balance your checkbook.
8. “NO HUNTING” signs throw you into a fit of rage.
9. You plan ALL of your vacation around deer hunting seasons.
10. You spend time at work making lists like this one.
11. You know a deer’s anatomy structure like the back of your hand.
12. Your kids’ yelling gives you a headache but you can spend hours at
the rifle range unfazed.
13. You’ll stop traffic during rush hour just to watch a couple deer
standing in a field.
14. You can field dress a deer without blinking but you can’t change a
diaper without losing your lunch.
15. You can find your favorite hunting spot in the dark but you can’t
find something in your own house that the wife asks you to get for her.
16. The year has three seasons….The Pre-Rut, The Rut, and The Post Rut.
17. You’ll wear attractant scents during deer season but you won’t put on
cologne during a night out with your wife.
18. You can spot a deer half hidden by foliage standing 100 yards away
but you can’t see the dishes in the sink that need to be done.
19. You only get and send Christmas cards to your hunting buddies.
20. You can remember the exact time, date, location, and weather
conditions of every deer you’ve ever taken but you can’t remember your own
anniversary.
21. You can make a gun rack out of a deer’s front legs in 30 minutes.
22. You dive right in to every hunting magazine you get in the mail but
will let bills sit for weeks.
23. Your children refer to deer season as “the time Daddy goes away”.
24. You always wake up before the alarm goes off for opening day of deer
season but you can’t wake up in time for work.
25. Venison is one of the four basic food groups.
26. “DEER CROSSING” signs give you a sense of anticipation.
27. You’ve sent in over 100 job applications to BUCKMASTERS.
28. The picture on your desk of your deer antlers is bigger than the
picture of your kids.
29. You can assemble your portable deer stand in the dark with quiet
efficiency but you wake the baby up every morning getting ready for work.
30. “Dates” with your wife always conclude with you making your wife drive
around to local fields while you hang out the window with a spot light.
31. You can survive in the woods for days eating grubs and strange
looking plants but you complain when the dinner your wife makes isn’t so
good.
32. Your trigger finger has blisters on it.
33. On an afternoon drive in October, your wife comments on how pretty
the leaves are. You keep wishing they would fall to the forest floor so
you can pinpoint deer feeding and bedding areas.
34. You spend an extra $20 a month just to get the Weather Channel on
cable. Then you only watch it during the week prior to deer season.
35. You can skin a deer with precise effectiveness but you can’t carve
the Thanksgiving turkey.
36. You can sit on a deer stand for hours in sub-zero temperatures but
it’s too cold to shovel the driveway.
37. You can track a deer for miles but you can’t find your kids in the
mall.
38. You can hit a deer running through the brush at top speed at 100
yards but you can’t hit the toilet when going to the bathroom.
39. You think it’s logical to spend $200 a year on your license, bullets,
food, camp dues, and gas just to save $100 in meat costs.
40. You have banned your children from ever watching the movies “Bambi”
and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”.
41. You consider deer dragging to be a scientific art and worthy of hours
of conversation.
42. You give driving directions that include the phrase “turn left after
that field where the big eight point hangs out”.
43. Your bed spread is made up of four processed deer hides.
44. You hang out at the local corner store just to get tips on where the
deer are.
45. You think “Doe in Estrus” deer scent “doesn’t smell that bad”.
46. The winch on your truck has only ever been used to drag a deer out of
the woods.
47. Your watch still has blood and hair on it from last year’s deer you
cleaned.
48. You are always late for church in the fall because you just had to
check out one more field for deer.
49. You have four maps of the area you have hunted all your life but you
refuse to even look at the operating instructions for your new VCR.
50. You consider the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
as being the “spawn of Satan”.