The ultimate camo test: Here’s a great way to find out if your stand locations really allow you to blend in. Dress in your favorite camouflage and gather all of your gear. Have your hunting buddy grab a video camera and go with you to one of your favorite stands. Get set up in the stand just like you would if you were going to hunt. Now have your buddy walk all the way around your location, constantly filming you from all angles. Have him film you from close range and from 50 yards out. Have him film you doing all the things you do when preparing for the shot, such as drawing your bow. Now go home and put it on your TV and turn the color off (put the TV on monochrome setting). You’ll be shocked by what you see - amazed by how visible you are from certain angles, and by how little movement it takes to catch the eye. Learn from these things - this is what a whitetail deer sees when it looks up at you! Let us know what you learn from this test.

The best way to insure that your Scent-Lok garment will last its longest is to keep its exposure to washing to a minimum, as it contains activated charcoal which is a brittle form of carbon. As the small water molecules will likely take some loose charcoal particles with them as they pass through the fabric during the wash cycle.

So you didn’t draw a turkey tag? You can still go hunting, and maybe even have more fun! Put on the camo, grab the calls and head out with the video camera or 35mm.

HARD BREATH - Hunters who use scopes in harsh, cold weather conditions should take care where they carry and hold their guns. Your warm, moist breath can condense and freeze on the scope lens making you blind when the shot comes.

How to buy on the Internet: Now you can buy all those hot new products online. Customers of the Information Super Highway have been a little gun-shy about giving their credit card numbers over the Internet but now that web sites use SSL encryption, which experts say is impossible to break, security problems are a thing of the past. When you have entered a secure site you will see the address prefix on the address bar of your browser change from http:// to https://. If it doesn’t change before prompting you for your card number don’t give it out. Shopping is easy. Begin by locating your favorite online business anytime, day or night, and just follow the directions. The system will take you through the process without a hitch. Soon your electronic shopping cart will be spilling over with decoys, blinds, arrows and camo clothing. When finished, click on method of payment. There are only two types typically offered: credit card or C.O.D. Fill out the needed shipping info and write down your order confirmation number. That's it! You’re buying like a pro.

Find field exit points on foot during the morning hours by glassing. Once these locations are found, set up about 30-50 yards back on these exit points within the forest and secondary trails. Make sure you enter these spots well before light so you don't spook the morning- bedded bucks. I have found these exit areas can make great hunting spots early in the season.

Want to keep that knife in good condition when not in use. Store it in its original box or some container with a light coating of oil on the blade. Do not store it in its’ sheath when not in use.

Better Hero Shots! It all depends on preparation. If you want your hunting pictures to turn out, the first thing you need to do is prepare the animal. For example, always make sure the tongue of a deer is placed entirely inside its mouth. And always remove all blood on the head and carcass as well as in the immediate vicinity. Additionally, these kinds of pictures have a habit of turning out best when they’re shot in a natural setting (as opposed to, say, the bed of a pickup truck or a driveway or a garage). In fact, the best photographs are typically taken right where the hunter recovered the animal. It will not only look better but will mean more to the hunter as time passes.