Monster Raxx

Side tracked... just for a little while

2011-05-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

There is only one time of year that I get a little side tracked from thinking about Whitetails. That would be Spring, which is when I start thinking about my second favorite species to hunt. Yes, that's right, the elusive Eastern Turkey of Wisconsin. I love the sounds of the song birds of Spring, especially the gobble of a "Thunder Chicken". After a long Winter, it seems to get me back into the hunting mode, and my predatory skills start kicking in once again. I had my best season of turkey hunting in 2011, which consisted of shooting 3 Longbeards, with the bow, and all on video. Now, it's only been a week since I shot 2 turkeys, on the same day, in 2 different zones with the bow, but it is over, and now I feel the need to get my head back on straight and start thinking / dreaming of big mature bucks of the Fall, since bowhunting Whitetails is my true passion. I have taken some time in past months of preparation for Whitetails, by choosing new stand sites, mineral sites, camera locations, and trimming obstructions in shooting windows. I still have to admit those turkeys pull me away from some of that needed preparation for deer. From here on in, my head is back where I believe it needs to be, and I look forward to spending upcoming weeks in the outdoors, with friends, and also helping them prepare for the "Kings of the Fall". So I'll admit I'm guilty... I've been "Side tracked... just for a little while."

Its that time of year again

2011-03-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, It is that time of year again when we hit the timber looking for horns that Mr. BIG may have left for us to pick up. While Shed hunting has grown to be a huge sport in its self, I am actually using the time in the woods scouting for potential stand sites for the coming fall. If I find a few sheds while out in the woods I consider it a great bonus. I have found that scouting this time of the year some of the best times to determine bedding areas, travel corridors, pinch points to set me up for success in the fall. Of coarse things always change such as food sources that can change a deers travel patterns. However one can take in consideration the crop that was planted the year prior and make some assumptions.
This is the time of year you can easily see where the deer are traveling and what would be "the best tree" to hang your next set for the coming season. If you are needing to to do some "trimming", it is a good time to do some as well. I will do some preliminary trimming now so I do not have to do as much in the late summer or fall. I may also fell some trees to narrow the pinch points down even further. I believe this time of the year is the best where there is ample time to cover up the "foot prints" I am leaving in the timber.
This is also the time I am firing up all of my mineral sites is stratigic locations close to travel routs. This gives deer the added nutrition they need lactating does and growing BIG bone.
What are you doing now to prepare for next season?

The Next Generation

2011-01-20T18:18:00.000-08:00

THE NEXT GENERATION:

Every year when the whitetail deer hunting season comes to an end, I immediately start looking forward to the next. At no other time has this been more apparent. My son turns 10, and will be able to hunt whitetail deer with me for the first time. I have been waiting to pass down our hunting tradition to the next generation for a long time.

When my son asked if he could hunt with us this year, I was very excited. Last year he wanted to go scouting more than ever. He also was more interested in looking at trail camera pictures. When he asked for his own trail camera, I knew he would be my hunting partner. Last year he even sat in a box blind with me a couple of days. The sight of deer coming into the field, and right in front of us got him very excited.

My biggest concern is his safety. We have already started talking about what he needs to do to become a safe hunter. His first gun is the next decision that had to be made. The area where we hunt whitetails is a shotgun zone. After a lot of thought I have decided a Thompson Center Encore with a 20 gauge rifled slug barrel would be best. Since it is a single shot, I felt it would be safer for a new hunter.

Like most children these days my son loves to play video games. Keeping the next generation interested is important, or they will get bored quickly. So I have to find a stand location for him, where there will be a lot of action. This will help him keep his interest, and put him on the path to becoming a hunter and outdoor enthusiast.

Our hunting group only harvests does and mature bucks. I have talked to my son about why we prefer to do this. He understands if you shoot a lot of younger bucks there will not be many older bucks. Even though I really believe in this practice, I will not tell a young hunter what he can shoot. My son knows he can harvest any whitetail deer he chooses.

We have gotten pictures of a nice 3 ½ year old 10 pointer with his trail camera last year. This buck will be a great buck, no matter how old you are, or how many bucks you have harvested. For a first buck, especially for a young hunter, he will be an incredible buck. All of my planning will try and put him in position to get an opportunity at this buck.

For the first time the success of my hunting season will not be about whether I harvest a mature whitetail or not. No my success will depend if I do a good job passing our hunting tradition down to the next generation. This will not be about whether my son harvests a whitetail or not, but about the experiences he has. I just hope that I teach my son as well as my Dad taught me, and he grows up with the same passion we have for mature whitetail deer.

Tom Lester
President
Monster Raxx LLC
tom@monsterraxx.com
www.monsterraxx.com

Love is in the Air

2010-11-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

It's the time of year we bow hunters love. Crisp mornings. All-day marathon sits on stand. November is here, and after what I witnessed this past weekend, it appears that the rut is just beginning to heat up in this neck of the woods.

My Dad and I traveled 3 hours to his 70 acre property last Friday afternoon. We arrived around 3pm, promptly dressed and headed into the timber. This was going to be my first time hunting the property this fall, and after all the activity we'd been seeing on our trail cameras, our hopes were high.

The evening hunt did not disappoint. I had three different encounters with bucks, the best of which came with a younger buck nicknamed "Lefty."

We had velvet pictures of Lefty, but he disappeared from the lens in September and most of October, finally showing up on camera recently:

Lefty sauntered around checking nearby scrapes, even chased a doe back and forth over the neighboring fence line. I was loving every minute of it. After the sun set, I left the woods happy to have laid eyes on one of our "up-and-comers," and hoping to see one of our better bucks the next day.

We've been keeping our eyes on two bucks in particular. One is a 10 pointer nicknamed "Diablo" because we have several pictures of him looking directly into the camera with an almost evil look:

Although he won't score very high, Diablo's got a cool split on his left G3, and his body size as compared to other bucks we've been seeing makes be believe he's older than most.

The other brother who's got our attention is a buck we nicknamed "Bruce" after the shark from Finding Nemo. He's a mainframe 10 with kickers on his G2's. We've got plenty of pics of Bruce, and he just started showing up on camera during the daytime:

I headed back to the same stand Saturday morning, leaving a little early to "drag a rag" through my area. It was chilly as temps had dropped into the twenties that night. I hit the stand at 6:50 am, and by 7:00 heard a deer coming my way. The deer stopped at the fence where Lefty had been criss-crossing the evening before, and then hopped over it onto our ground. Even in the dim morning light, I knew it was Bruce. He was quartering to and stopped to look up at me 25 yards away. I saw the kickers on his G2's as he put his head back down and moved a few more strides to the spot I had begun dragging the estrous-soaked rag. Here he stopped again, and would come no further.

For some reason, he didn't like the scene unfolding before him. He turned to head back, and stopped briefly, now quartering away from me. I had my chance. Even though it was still pre-dawn, I could see my pins and had an opening to his vitals. I chose to pass. And after what began to unfold over the next 30 minutes, I'm glad I did.

Bruce hopped back over the fence and headed east inside the security of the neighbor's woods. After only 15 minutes, I glanced over my right shoulder into the CRP field behind me and caught the movement of a doe running right towards me. At 60 yards she halted and her nose shot up into the air. She had the wind and had me pegged, so I froze but kept glancing behind her. It was then I saw a dark shape emerging from the woods, up and out into the field, grunting loudly with steam barreling out of his mouth and nostrils like a locomotive. He looked like a dandy, but with the doe staring right in my direction, I dared not pull the binos up to get a better look.

Soon a decent, but smaller buck entered the field, closely following the first, and there was a brief showdown as they stopped 40 yards behind the doe. The bigger buck stomped and lowered his head to persuade the other not to move any closer. By then, the doe had enough and spun back toward the woods with the bigger buck in hot pursuit. The smaller buck stood in the CRP field, and it was only then that I was able to glass him to get a better look. The smaller buck was Bruce! The other buck had dwarfed him out in that field, and now I was really glad I elected to pass knowing there was a bigger one running around!

I remember uttering a thank you to God for allowing me to experience that moment as I watched Bruce exit the CRP field. It was 15 minutes later when I heard another deer coming up behind me. As I grabbed my bow, I slowly turned over my left shoulder to spot a heavy rack cruising down the fence line in my direction. It was THE BIG BUCK! He jumped the fence, walked straight to the base of my tree, stopped five yards away and looked up at me. I held my breath as he put his head down, took another step, and shot his head back up. Then, as quickly as he came, he spun and began walking straight away.

I don't know why, but disappointment rather than panic set in, as I assumed he'd walk straight back to the fence and hop back over onto the neighbor's side. Miraculously, once he got to the fence, he began walking parallel to it, back in my direction. I stopped him broadside at 22 yards, put the pin behind his front shoulder, and squeezed the release. The impact of the arrow pushed him back into the fence, and as he reeled and kicked, he finally toppled over after breaking the top strand of barbwire.

I watched him make his exit, stopping once sixty yards away, and then disappearing from sight. It was 7:45 am. I sat until 10:00, got down to find blood across the fence line and backed out. We called the neighbor to get permission to recover the deer, and my Dad and I returned about noon to take up the blood trail.

We found the deer had gone only 80 yards from where it was hit. He is my best buck to date, scoring 142 6/8 inches. I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have harvested such a great animal, and want to thank my Dad for the opportunity to hunt his ground. We did not get a trail camera picture of this deer prior to me taking him, which leads us to believe his home range was on the neighbor's property. But if they ever decide to cross that fence, I certainly don't mind shooting the neighbor's deer!

Road Trippin' for the Raxx

2010-10-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry that it's been awhile since my last post. While I'm working to keep my head above water with an increased work load this fall, I've gotten behind in other areas of life. So let's hit rewind for a second.

Just before Labor Day, Jody Reinen and I hit the road to shoot a commercial with fellow Monster Raxx pro-staffers Bruce Severson and Mike Earp. We made our way from Wisconsin to Albia, Iowa, and began by visiting the Midwest Whitetail headquarters. From there, we hooked up with Bruce, shot his lines, and immediately hit the road heading south into Missouri. We landed at the Muddy Outdoors headquarters in Camdenton, MO sometime around 11 pm, where a gung-ho Wyatt greeted us and hammered out his lines before we zonked out.

We were up and on the road again early the next morning, and were back in the badger state by evening. It was a whirlwind 18 hours, covering 3 states and 1232 miles. Here are some images from the trip:

Midwest Whitetail's Bill Winke and Jody Reinen

Hangin' with Bruce in his trophy room.

Pro-staffer Mike Earp in front of the lens.

Cutting-up long after midnight!

Fueling up for the long ride home!

Here is the fruit of our labor:

My Minerals commercial

Look for the commercial on Midwest Whitetail TV this fall on the Sportsman Channel.

Setting Goals

2010-10-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

Season is well under way with the weather finally breaking here in South central IA. I was beginning to think that summer was never going to end. With that being said, our bow season has been going since Oct 1. Every year I set goals for my self of what I want to accomplish. Some times I meet them, some times I do not. Last year for instance the goal was set to shoot a monster buck. Due to the size of deer I had on video and on trail cams I set my gaols very high. I wanted one of the BIG boys I had been seeing. Last year brought many deer past me in my stand. some of which were very impressive by anyones standards. One deer I had 3 opportunities at I could have killed. This deer was actually bigger than anything I have previously shot. However, I was holding out for a true GIANT. Well by some standards I ate a tag sandwich that season. For me I knew I gave it my all and could not have enjoyed my season more. There are other years I set my goal on harvesting a particular deer which I was successful in pulling off.

This year is new season and with it I have set a new goal. This year I have the goal of harvesting a deer for the first time with traditional tackle. A Fred Bear Grizzly recurve bow, shooting arrows made by my best friend who got me in to traditional archery. The arrows have fletching made with real turkey feathers from a bird I harvested a couple years back tipped with an actual stone point made by another friend of mine whom is a flint napper. Now I am not out to kill any particular deer. In fact, I am shooting what ever I can get close enough to make a comfortable shot as I have antlerless tags to fill as well and there are too many does on my farm. If this goal can be reached, I would rank it as one of my highest personal accomplishments in bow hunting. Maybe not for some, but it would be for me. Now on the flip side I will still hunt during the rut with my new Destroyer for a BIG boy, but for now I am content hunting for the antlerless deer or right buck that comes with in my acceptable range of Fred Bear Bow.

Regardless of what your goal would be, I challenge you to set goals to shoot for this season. You may find it will add to your hunt and make the overall experience more rewarding.

PS: notice the pic of the doe coming to the Monster Raxx Magnet. This stuff is unbelievable!

Hunt Hard & Hunt Safe

2010-10-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately every year you hear of some one who had a hunting accident in their tree stand. I for one have been very lucky, I never used to wear a saftey harness. Even after I had a couple of mishaps in stands I was still foolish enough not to wear one. It does not matter if you are in a climber, a hang on or even a ladder stand make sure you wear your saftey harness.

There are many different types of saftey harness's on the market today, for any budget. Plus the fact that every stand comes with a harness now, there is no reason not to wear one. If not for your self do it for your friends and family who care for you. I am married now and have two children and I put my harness on every time I climb in a tree stand.

I have tried a number of different ones from multiple tree stand companies and have even purchased a few. I have had a couple of Hunter Saftey Systems saftey vests and really liked them. They are very easy to use and buckle like a car seat. The pockets give an added bonus for storage and keeps items such as your range finder close by.

This year I am using a saftey harness from Muddy Outrdoors and so far I love it. It is light weight and very quiet. It is very simple to put on and take off, even in the dark. I am going to spend a lot of time in a tree stand this year and hope I do not have to put it to the test, but from everything that I have read and saw it looks like it will do the job.

So for everyone who will be climbing in a stand this year make sure you wear your saftey harness. Remember Hunt Hard & Hunt Safe and good luck harvesting a Monster this year!

Tom Lester
President Monster Raxx LLC
tom@monsterraxx.com

NFL picks week 4

2010-10-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Three weeks in a row with 10 correct picks. With the byes this week I would be happy to make it 4.

Atlanta over San Fransico
New York Jets over Buffalo
Cincinatti over Cleveland
Green Bay over Detroit
Tennessee over Denver
Seattle over Saint Louis
New Orleans over Carolina
Baltimore over Pittsburgh
Indianapolis over Jacksonville
Houston over Oakland
San Diego over Arizona
Philadelphia over Washington
New England over Miami
New York Giants over Chicago

NFL PICKS WEEK 3

2010-09-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

I have been a little above average so far, it is time to pick it up a bit. Here are my picks for this week.

Vikings over Lions

49ers over Chiefs

Patriots over Bills

Saints over Falcons

Giants over Titans

Ravens over Browns

Cowboys over Texans

Steelers over Bucaneers

Bengals over Panthers

Eagles over Jaguars

Redskins over Rams

Colts over Broncos

Cardinals over Raiders

Chargers over Seahawks

Packers over Bears

Jets over Dolphins

I hope every one has fun watching the games unless you are lucky enough to be in a tree stand today. In that case whack a MONSTER and it wont matter what teams win!

Tom Lester President Monster Raxx LLC

www.monsterraxx.com

tom@monsterraxx.com

2010 NFL Picks – Week 3

2010-09-26T06:06:00.000-07:00

For many football and hunting are the two best things about fall. For those of you that enjoy both, here are my 2010 Week 3 NFL picks.

San Francisco over Kansas City
Minnesota over Detroit
New England over Buffalo
New Orleans over Atlanta
New York Giants over Tennessee
Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay
Cincinnati over Carolina
Baltimore over Cleveland
Houston over Dallas
Washington over St. Louis
Philadelphia over Jacksonville
Indianapolis over Denver
Arizona over Oakland
Seattle over San Diego
New York Jets over Miami
Green Bay over Chicago

Ryan Lester, LestersLegends.com

The wait is FINALLY over

2010-09-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

After waiting for what seams like an eternity, the new season is finally upon us. On saturday September 18th the Minnesota archery season kicks off, and gives me the opportunity to get back in a treestand.

I have done everything I could to make it through the long offseason. I have taken as many shed hunting and scouting trips as I could. I have also hung and moved and removed stands to try and be in the perfect location to harvest a mature whitetail. Then there is my biggest obsession during the offseason, trail cameras. With at least a dozen trail cameras set up to get as many pictures as possible. I have looked at 10's of thousands of pictures trying to decide which bucks our hunting party should go after.

Last but not least, I have practiced with my bow. Wanting to make sure if that buck of a lifetime gives me an opportunity, I will make the best of it. Well with all of my hunting clothes washed and ready, Hit List made, and bow shooting straight I am ready to make my 20' climb to my stand and start my season this saturday.

Tom Lester President Monster Raxx

Week 1 Fantasy Rankings

2010-09-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

By Ryan Lester, LestersLegends.com

Football and whitetail hunting kind of go hand in hand. You think about both all summer long and can't wait for the fall for their respective seasons to begin. While I don't share my brother's passion for deer hunting, I do share his passion for football. Knowing that many deer hunters also are avid NFL fans, and presumably fantasy football fans, he asked me to post some fantasy information to help make Monster Raxx your one-stop fall sports shop. Without further ado, here are my Week 1 fantasy football rankings.

QBs

Peyton Manning – 276.3 ypg, 37 TD, 8 INT lifetime vs. Houston
Drew Brees – Vikes want revenge, but secondary is a question mark.
Aaron Rodgers – The start of what could be a MVP season.
Jay Cutler – Had 6 TDs to 0 INTs against Detroit last year.
Philip Rivers – 292.5 ypg, 5 TDs, 0 INTs vs. Chiefs last year.
Tom Brady – No run game means tons of passes.
Carson Palmer – New England secondary in shambles
Tony Romo – 200.6 ypg, 12 TDs, 7 INTs in seven games against Skins.
Brett Favre – Favre wants revenge. He’ll get it.
Alex Smith – 310 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs against Seattle last year.
Matt Schaub – 253.5 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs vs. Colts last year.
Kevin Kolb – Pack are tough, but playing at home should help.
Eli Manning – Won’t be the same without Peppers.
Donovan McNabb – Ankle is sore, but has 26 TDs to 13 INTs vs. Dallas.
Derek Anderson – St. Louis good way to start DA’s resurrection.
Kyle Orton – Jags ranked 27th in passing yards and 26th in TDs.
Joe Flacco – Revis signed, but could be rusty.
Matt Ryan – Should have hands full against Pittsburgh.
Vince Young – He’ll need his feet to get him points against Oakland.
Matthew Stafford – Urlacher and Peppers are cause for concern.
Matt Cassel – Could be higher if Chargers can’t mount a pass rush.
Josh Freeman – Injury concerns are high.
Jason Campbell – Ditto.
David Garrard – He’s playing at home so there’s a chance he’ll be OK.
Dennis Dixon – I’m expecting production with his feet and arm.

RBs

Chris Johnson – #1 runner vs. #29 run defense.
Adrian Peterson – Wants revenge against Saints.
Frank Gore – 308 total yards and 2 TDs against Seattle last year.
Maurice Jones-Drew – MoJo faces 26th ranked run defense.
Ryan Mathews – Rookie opens against KC’s 31st run defense.
Ray Rice – Jets are different unit Pace and with a likely rusty Revis.
Steven Jackson – Bradford will lean heavily on S-Jax.
Arian Foster – Should be active in what should be a shootout.
Rashard Mendenhall – Without Big Ben Pitt will run more against ATL.
Michael Turner – Tough draw against Pitt, but is a beast.
Beanie Wells – Should light up St. Louis’s 27th run defense.
Joseph Addai – 194 total yards and 2 TDs against Houston last year.
Jamaal Charles – Will he pick up where he left off. Faces SD.
Matt Forte – Great draw against Detroit.
Ronnie Brown – Faces 30th ranked Bills run defense. Fast starter.
Ryan Grant – Steady production. Faces Philly.
Cadillac Williams – Faces Cleveland’s 28th ranked run defense.
LeSean McCoy – Should be active in passing game.
Jerome Harrison – Faces the Bucs, who were last against the run.
Pierre Thomas – Tough draw against Vikes.
Cedric Benson – Will Bernard Scott take some of his work?
DeAngelo Williams – Will the RBBC with Stewart still be productive?
Jahvid Best – Big play potential vs. Bears.
Jonathan Stewart – Finally at 100 percent?
Shonn Greene – Greene will test whether Baltimore still has it.
C.J. Spiller – Could break a long one against Miami.
Ricky Williams – There will be plenty for Ricky too.
Ahmad Bradshaw – RBBC with Jacobs. I’ll take yardage guy vs. CAR.
Tim Hightower – Should be a factor vs. St. Louis.
Brandon Jacobs – More likely to score a TD than Bradshaw.
Darren McFadden – Should get his chance to shine against Tennessee.
Clinton Portis – Tough match-up against Dallas.
Felix Jones – Will share with Barber.
Thomas Jones – Does the old man still have it?
Marion Barber III – Sharing with Felix.

WRs

Andre Johnson – Best WR in the game.
Reggie Wayne – Still Peyton’s favorite toy.
Larry Fitzgerald – Should torch St. Louis.
Greg Jennings – I’m expecting big thing from Jennings, starting Week 1.
Randy Moss – Always a threat to score, especially at home.
Marques Colston – Faces Vikes who have issues in their secondary.
Calvin Johnson – Had 14 catches for 219 yards vs. Bears last year.
Chad Ochocinco – New England’s secondary is a mess.
Miles Austin – 13 catches for 139 yards vs. Skins last year.
DeSean Jackson – Stiff neck and facing Charles Woodson.
Roddy White – Faces Pitt, who should be better defensively.
Michael Crabtree – Should produce against Seattle.
Brandon Marshall – New start in South Beach vs. Bills.
Dwayne Bowe – Bounceback year starts vs. Chargers.
Percy Harvin – Favre will lean on Harvin vs. Saints.
Anquan Boldin – Revis is back, but he’ll likely be rusty.
Hines Ward – Mr. Dependable faces the ATL (28th vs. pass last year)
Steve Smith (CAR) – We’ll find out if the Giants secondary is back.
Pierre Garcon – Should be shootout against Texans.
Johnny Knox – Kick off Martz era with a bang (vs. Detroit)
Wes Welker – Amazing he’s playing already. Brady will use him heavily.
Robert Meachem – Brees will find him if he gets open.
Mike Wallace – Will stretch the field against Atlanta.
Malcom Floyd – Philip Rivers’ top WR facing KC.
Steve Smith – Carolina had 4th best pass defense last year.
Devin Hester – Faces Detroit
Jeremy Maclin – Should benefit by not facing Al Harris.
Hakeem Nicks – See Steve Smith (NYG)
Lee Evans – If he only had a QB.
Mike Sims-Walker – Draws Champ Bailey.
Jabar Gaffney – Look for a pile of receptions.
Bernard Berrian – Had 9 catches last time they faced the Saints.
Donald Driver – How much does the old man have in his tank.
Steve Breaston – Faces St. Louis.
Mike Williams (TB) – Takes on Cleveland’s 29th ranked pass defense.
Jacoby Jones – Houston will need to air it out to keep up with Colts.
Braylon Edwards – Will test the Ravens’ defense.
Devery Henderson – Big play on the big stage?
Devin Aromashodu – Faces Detroit
Austin Collie – Manning should feed Collie as well.

TEs

Dallas Clark – Had 182 yards and TD against Houston last year.
Antonio Gates – Had 173 yards and 2 TDs vs. KC last year.
Vernon Davis – Had 143 yards and TD vs. Seattle last year.
Jason Witten – Had 160 yards against Skins last year.
Jermichael Finley – Monster last year & in preseason. Look out Philly.
Brent Celek – Kevin Kolb will use his safety net.
Tony Gonzalez – Pittsburgh blitzing should lead to Gonzo check downs.
Greg Olsen- 2 TDs vs. Detroit last year.
Visanthe Shiancoe – Top red zone target with Sidney Rice out.
Chris Cooley – McNabb will lean on Cooley in his Skins’ debut.
Zach Miller – Same goes for Cooley’s former QB Campbell in Oakland.
Kellen Winslow – Should do well against his old mates.
Dustin Keller – Can he build on his playoff success?
Heath Miller – Decent match-up against Atlanta.
Jeremy Shockey – TEs played well against Vikings last year.

NFL WINNERS WEEK 1

2010-09-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

I know this does not have anything to do with Whitetails, but my second favorite thing after chasing whitetails is football. I am going to make my selections each week and pick who I think will win each game. Well here it goes the picks for week 1.
Dolphins over Bills
Bears over Lions
Titans over Raiders
Patriots over Bengals
Giants over Panthers
Atlanta over Steelers
Buccaneers over Browns
Broncos over Jags
Colts over Texans
Cardinals over Rams
Packers over Eagles
49ers over Seahawks
Cowboys over Redskins
Ravens over Jets
Chargers over Chiefs

And the one I hope I am wrong about.
Saints over Vikings

WARNING: BIGGER MEMORY CARD NEEDED!

2010-08-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

After what seems like a lifetime, I finally had time last weekend to get out with 200 pounds of corn and a few bottles of the Monster Raxx Whitetail Magnet to see what kind of deer, or more importantly how many, I have on a new farm to hunt this year. I set out 3 trail cameras in areas I thought could be high traffic into a few established food plots along with the corn and Magnet.

The cameras were out for a total of 6 days. And between the 3, I had over 5,000 pictures. Needless to say I was at a loss for words, and it's still even hard for me to believe myself. I have tried every mineral, every attractant, every "must have" that you can buy. I always thought I had good results. This weekend I learned the difference between "good results" and GREAT results! The deer simply could not leave the Whitetail Magnet alone. The same deer would stay for 30 to 45 minutes with their nose buried in the corn, only to come up and lick their lips clean before diving back in. Doe would run other doe away from the pile, I was getting pictures of the same bucks coming in even at high noon, only to return at 1:30, 4:30, and all hours of the night. The Whitetails on that farm definitely have a new addiction!!!

In all my years of hunting and trying products, I have never witnessed the results that I am seeing with Monster Raxx. Now, I have to sit down and sift through 5,000+ pictures and weed out the doe from the bucks to establish a brand new Hit List!

It's TV Time!

2010-08-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Just wrapped up shooting three new Monster Raxx commercials this morning. Look for the new spots this fall on Midwest Whitetail TV. Had a great time with the Lester boys and pro-staffer Jody Reinen. Here are some of the pics:

Monster Raxx co-founders Tom & Keith Lester

Goofin' around getting Tom mic'd up!

On the set...and action!

Got to plug the latest Monster Raxx product:

Anytime Acorns!

Pro-staffer Jody Reinen in front of the lens.

Feeling the pressures to be prepared.

2010-08-18T03:45:00.000-07:00

Besides my regular job paying the bills I have been working hard to get all of the hunny do's completed prior to the Opener of our IA deer season. On top of that I have been trying to squeeze time top set this years deer stands. I usually put out any where from 12-15+ different stand cites to hunt any and all winds, weather conditions and or if I see a target deer in a particular area I will be ready to go. This year has been extremely hectic. I am way behind on all preparations for the season opener. It has been a very, very wet year here in IA. So wet it is looking like I will not be able to plant my fall food plots as planned. I have yet to begin to hang stands. I have a tower blind I am hoping to have completed in time for my sons youth season as well. We have a long way to go to get the remainder of our wood cut for the winter, however I am optimistic I will get it all done and turn in to hunt mode come Oct. 1! Trail cameras are finally picking up some nice bruisers in the fields, mineral sites are being obliterated, and the water on the DesMoins River where I live is finally receding. I know it will all come together in time. You see, this year it is the rain, last year it was surgery on my foot that put me behind the ball, the year before that I had surgery on my shoulder that laid me up for a few months where I could not even shoot my bow let alone hang stands and cut wood. Every year I feel the same pressures to get all my preparations done for hunting season. No, I am no rookie to feeling the pressures to get everything accomplished prior to bow opener, it is really the norm. That is what I need to keep telling my self. Besides hunting the Deer heaven of IA, I have an Ill gun hunt planned (which I still need to go and hang stands over there as well), a Dove hunt in Ill and if all goes well a trip to WI to gun hunt deer at my cabin nestled in the BIG woods.
If you are like me you have busy schedules full of family obligations, work that never seems to end, preparations that still need to be completed and everything else that comes up in between. My only thought is, “its really no different than last year, once season comes I’ll be ready if I just keep plugging away”.
With that, now its off to the state fair to watch my daughter perform her presentation in a 4-H competition. Guess this means no cutting wood tonight either, but I know I will be ready come bow season one way or another. :)

My First Mineral Site

2010-07-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

Build it and they will come. That was the idea behind putting in my first Monster Raxx mineral site. I had read the buzz coming from other guys who were using Tom’s products, and after talking with him at the WI Deer & Turkey Expo in April, I decided that this would be the year to introduce our deer herd to Monster Raxx.

The motivation behind setting up mineral sites on our 80 acre wooded property is pretty simple: we are sandwiched between two larger tracts of land, primarily in ag. The deer we see are either coming or going into the neighbors’ fields, and use our land to bed and travel through. By setting up mineral sites on either side of the property, we are hoping to draw more deer to the spots we want them, giving us a better idea what’s on the property through the use of trail cameras and treestand placement.

Another huge factor for me is that my 8-year old son will be joining me in the woods this fall. To put it plain and simply, I want him to see deer! Hopefully, setting up and hunting near our mineral sites will also increase our sightings and success.

The process of setting up a mineral site is pretty simple. With the help of my dad, we were able to document and set up our first site in less than 15 minutes.

Here are the steps we took:

Step 1: Pick an area near heavily used trails or by water when possible.

The well-used deer trail in the center of the picture above connects to the other runway I'm standing on, and is a prime location for a Monster Raxx site. We also have a man-made water hole nearby.

Step 2: Clear an area 5' in diameter removing all leaves and vegetation and loosen the soil.

A small hand rake like the one above works great for clearing away vegetation and loosening dirt, and it's much more portable than a garden rake.

Step 3: Pour entire 5 lb. bag of Monster Raxx Trophy Minerals over your area.

Spread the bag evenly across the entire 5' diameter area. Note the small water hole on the left side of the previous picture.

Step 4: Mix Trophy Minerals into the soil with rake.

This will allow the minerals to leech into the soil, and deer will actually begin eating the dirt!

Step 5: Pour a bottle of Monster Raxx Whitetail Magnet over the new site.

When you open the bottle, you'll understand why deer are drawn to this attractant!

Step 6: Set up a trail camera to monitor deer activity at the site.

The DLC Covert Assassin is a great choice if you're in the market for a new trail camera. It's compact, affordable, easy to set up, and it's available at www.monsterraxx.com.

I'll be heading out soon to check the camera and see what kind of action we're getting at this site. Stay tuned as the season wears on and I'll keep you posted with trail camera pictures and updates from my very first mineral site!

Turning the Boys of Summer into Kings of the Fall

2010-07-25T08:44:00.001-07:00

Right now, bucks are still running in bachelor groups and still being pretty social with each other...given another month, all that will change! Each one of those bucks will soon be looking for their own territory to rule, and looking for female companionship...which means the social networking they are doing now will become more of a UFC style beat down if one buck invades the area of another.

Using my past experiences with bucks helped me determine where to put my Monster Raxx sites out. During the summer, I place several sites in community areas next to food plots, water sources and bedding areas. We all know that their travel patterns and hang outs will soon change, and when they do I am ready for them. I generally know where my hit list bucks will move to, judging by where I see them the later part of the past couple of years. I usually set a mineral site in their fall hang outs as well, knowing that even though the bucks are usually done with mineral sites by the time season opens and the rut starts to approach...the doe are constant users. By making sites in fall and winter time hang outs, eventually there will be some hot doe's using the sites and the bucks will be checking them periodically, hopefully when I'm 20 feet in a nearby tree to deliver a carbon missle at 290 fps!

The Obsession

2010-07-24T20:09:00.001-07:00

This is my favorite time of the year, and all I can think about is chasing that monster buck. You can smell it in the air and driving around scoping out the fields in hopes to see that monster buck. Bow season is just 8weeks away and all I can think of is being back in that tree watching the woods come alive on that first morning hunt. I have all my scouting done and almost all tree stands hung. I have 6 trail cameras out on Monster Raxx mineral sites, helping me try to catch that elusive buck. My first morning hunt will probably be on a new pond that we put in this spring and so far it is paying off big time. There are deer in there at all hours of the day. We will be putting in our fall food plots real soon and once they are in looks like I am ready to give the Quest bow another chance for success.

Summer Time Dreaming

2010-07-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Summer time is when most avid hunters are getting their own kind of stirr crazy. If you are like me you have planted your food plots, you are maintaining mineral sites, setting scouting cameras, planning stand sites and doing some summer scouting. All of this in preparation of the BIG day you will again be with bow in hand hitting the timber chasing the elusive whitetail. As I drive around in the evening seeing BIG deer in velvet makes me dream of our opener here in IA. As I am shooting a few arrows every night I am dreaming of my target changing to the BIG deer which I am working so hard for. It seems so far away that all I can do now is dream about it. Even though I know we are in count down mode, my reality drifts back to dreaming of BIG whitetail in my sights. All this dreaming makes me all the more appreciative when the big day of season opener arrives. No, I will not wait until rut or the weather cools down. I have done too much summer dreaming to not hit it hard on opening day. I can not wait!

Attract more Whitetail Deer

2010-07-20T07:59:00.001-07:00

Millions of hunters enter the woods and farmlands each year in hopes of harvesting a trophy whitetail deer. From the last day of the hunting season until the opening of a new season, hunters dream of that huge buck of a lifetime. Hunters read different hunting magazines and whitetail books looking for information and tips to improve their odds of success. They also watch numerous hunting shows on television and DVDs to learn new hunting methods and feed their obsession for giant whitetails.

The use of whitetail attractants to improve trophy whitetail success has become increasingly popular. This simple process has proven to attract more whitetail deer. There are many different attractants on the market to choose from. Liquid, gels and powders are a few of the forms that attractants come in. With a little research, picking the attractant that suits your needs is easy to do.

The use of liquid attractants is by far the most popular method used by hunters today. The two most common are deer urine and food-flavored liquids. Deer urine comes in a couple different types, doe, estrous doe, buck and dominant buck. Make sure you are using the right type of urine for the time of year you will be hunting. For example, you do not want to use estrous doe urine before the pre-rut and into the rut. Using this early will put deer on alert that something is not right.

I prefer to use liquids that smell like the food that deer crave. This type of attractant can be used any time of the year. You can pour it over corn, grain, protein pellets, minerals, stumps, near food plots, or even on scent wicks to attract more whitetail deer. During the winter and spring I like to put out corn and protein pellets to help the deer survive the cold winter, and gain some of their weight back in the spring. I pour a fruit or acorn flavored attractant on top to help insure whitetails will find it and keep coming back.

My favorite time to use food-flavored attractants is during the summer and into the fall. I have increased the number of pictures I get on my scouting cameras immensely. Suddenly, I am getting pictures of bucks that I have never seen before. With more bucks coming into your area, the chances of seeing a trophy buck increases. The best part is the ease of this method. I simply put out corn and pour the attractant over it and set up my scouting cameras. With the pictures I can figure travel patterns and decide which mature whitetail bucks I will attempt to harvest during the upcoming season.

During the hunting season I still use the food-flavored attractants. I put them on scent wicks or pour them over stumps near my blinds or tree stands. Both bucks and does will still come to them during the early part of the season. As the season progresses and the rut comes around, the bucks main concern will turn from food to impregnating as many does as possible. I use this to my advantage by putting out food-flavored attractants to draw in as many does as I can, knowing that a trophy buck could wander by in search of does at any time.

As the season comes to an end and winter is near, mature bucks are feeding as much as possible to put some of the weight they lost during the rut back on. Once again a food-flavored attractant will help entice a trophy buck and increase your odds for success. I believe a food-flavored attractant is the most versatile and helpful attractant a hunter can use to accomplish their goal of harvesting a trophy whitetail deer.

Before using whitetail attractant's become familiar with your states rules and regulations.

Tom Lester
President
Monster Raxx LLC
tom@monsterraxx.com
www.monsterraxx.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd7JhgoJfuw

The Benefits of Mineral Supplements for Whitetail Deer

2010-07-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

When it comes to whitetail deer, bigger is better! Millions of hunters spend billions of dollars each year to increase their chances of harvesting a trophy whitetail deer. Increasingly deer hunters are trying to improve their deer herd to accomplish this goal. There are many methods that can be used to obtain the desired results. Hunters can plant food plots, build better bedding areas, dig in ponds, set up whitetail sanctuaries, and have a supplemental feeding program of corn and protein pellets.

These are all very good methods to improve a deer herd, but there is another way that is as equally important as it is effective, and the beauty of this method is that it does not require a lot of time or effort. Virtually any hunter can set up a mineral supplement program to improve the health of their whitetail deer herd. Out of all the previously mentioned ways to improve your deer herd, setting up mineral sites is the least expensive and easiest to do.

I recommend the use of a quality mineral supplement that contains both minerals and vitamins for best results. Giving the whitetail deer the minerals and vitamins that they are lacking will help maximize the bucks’ potential by ensuring that the deer get everything they need for optimal growth. If you provide mineral supplements year round, you will notice an increase in both body size and antler development. Mineral supplements are also very beneficial for lactating does, replacing the minerals and vitamins that they lose while feeding their fawns.

As I mentioned, setting up a mineral site is very easy to do. First, pick a location for your mineral site. Look for heavily used trails that come together, scrape and rub lines and also locations near water when possible. Locations where you already hang a tree stand or set up a ground blind work perfectly. Remember to set your mineral sites in a spot that favors the prevailing wind for your stand and blind locations.

Once an ideal spot has been selected, you want to clear an area five feet in diameter. Remove all leaves and vegetation for the minerals to work properly. Once the area is clear, use a rake and loosen the soil then add your mineral supplement.

You may want to consider installing a trail camera when possible so that you can monitor how frequently the deer are visiting your site. This will give you a better understanding of the herd’s tendencies. Plus you can watch the transformation as the deer improve in size with help from the mineral supplements.

It is recommended that you replenish your minerals every two months. The trail cameras will help because if you see the traffic decrease, you will need to replenish it sooner. Heaviest consumption will occur from early spring through the fall as deer bulk up for winter. Do not overlook the winter months though, as providing minerals year round will maximize the health of the deer herd. At this time of year whitetails have fewer options to consume the minerals and vitamins that their bodies need than at any other time of year. This will also help the deer endure the long, cold winter, which helps them come back bigger and stronger each year.

Before using minerals supplements become familiar with your states rules and regulations.

Tom Lester
President Monster Raxx LLC
tom@monsterraxx.com
www.monsterraxx.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqfVkmFrdW0

Coming soon.

2010-06-29T15:07:00.001-07:00

Check back soon for the latest from Monster Raxx. This is a test post. Check out more Trail Camera Photos on our Forum.