A hunter’s first deer holds a special place in any hunter’s memory. It doesn’t matter how big or small, buck or doe, it’s a memory you’ll cherish for the rest of your life. For Marshall and his son Mattingly, the long journey to harvest their first deer started with Mattingly approaching his father at an
My journey to Harpole’s Heartland Lodge (HHL) began some two and a half years before I set out from my home in Denver, Colorado this November to join my friend, former college roommate, and fraternity brother (some 20 years ago) at his beautiful hunting lodge in central Illinois. In early 2013, I stepped through the
It was the second evening of Jeff Mohney’s late muzzleloader hunt at the Heartland Lodge, the weather was near record highs for mid-December and deer movement had been relatively slow. With a major cold front moving through the next day, hopes were high that deer activity would be increasing throughout the evening. Jeff’s guide situated
On the first morning of Nic Schaalma’s hunt at Heartland Lodge, veteran guide Mark Hively situated Nic in a tree stand in the downwind corner of a secluded, thick, brushy field. Nic’s morning started slowly until around 9:00, when a 2 ½ yr old 9 point came in on the downwind side of the thicket
Most serious deer hunters will agree that a small percentage of “luck” has to be on your side in order to bag a trophy buck. Schaffer Dane may have been the luckiest deer hunter in camp this week. With unseasonably warm weather for November, Schaffer’s first few days in camp were met with relatively slow
Here are a few general tips I’ve compiled that will increase your opportunity at a trophy deer while hunting at the Heartland Lodge Outfitters and whitetail hunting in general. When it comes to trophy hunting, the smallest detail can make all the difference between a successful or unsuccessful hunt. The Drop – To & From
I’m flipping through hundreds of trail camera photos of does, yearlings, and small bucks using the small spring fed water hole in the late August heat and finally BOOM! A massive velvet toting rack fills my computer screen. After a few mesmerizing seconds of staring deeply into my screen I realize I’m staring at an
Upland Hunting in the Mid-West and at Heartland Lodge – some questions and answers to help you in deciding when to come and hunt with us, what to bring and how to prepare for your hunt.
Here we are once again thinking about the up and coming Upland Bird
Three Ways To Introduce A Kid To Hunting
Sun fading brightly in the western sky, the clouds bled vibrant pink and orange. The group of deer milling under the stand of my father and I had nary
Tips for picking the right climber tree.
Look, picking that one tree out of a million others in which you will hopefully arrow a deer is perhaps one of the most frustrating and maddening aspects of deer hunting. Thoughts, strategy, and second guesses
