Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Foreword vii
About the Author viii
Introduction x
Section 1 The Benoits 1
An Introduction to the Benoit Brothers 2
Chapter 1 Lanny 4
Advancing the Legend 6
The "Terminator" Buck (I'll Be Back!) 7
Preventing Buck Attacks! 10
Waterfall Buck, Part One 12
Waterfall Buck, The Sequel 15
The Charging Buffalo Buck 16
My Biggest Buck 17
The Logging Truck Buck 18
Granny's Cap Buck 18
Dole Pond Buck 19
Lanny's Top Tips 21
Chapter 2 Lane 29
The Twisted-Knee Buck 30
The Numb-Butt Buck 34
Answering a Challenge 38
Why the Chains? 42
The "Turning Point" Buck 42
Last-Day Bucks 43
Charging at Three Bucks 47
Hangover Buck 48
Lane's Top Tips 49
Chapter 3 Shane 54
Ghost Buck 55
Musk Ox Buck 57
Rainy-Day Buck 60
100-Yard-Dash Buck 62
My First Stand Buck 63
First-Day Catch & Release 64
Shane's Top Tips 67
Chapter 4 Historic Changes 78
The Passing of the Checkered Coats 78
Camp Mobility 83
Immortality through Film 93
A Benoit Brothers Scrapbook 99
Section 2 How They Do It 115
Chapter 5 Twenty Common Mistakes Trackers Make 116
1 Walking with Their Heads Down Too Much 116
2 Moving at the Wrong Speed 117
3 Fear of Getting Lost 119
4 Giving Up 121
5 Losing the Track 123
6 Lack of Confidence 124
7 Being Too Fussy about Conditions 125
8 Not Taking the Shot 127
9 Hunting the Wrong Location 131
10 Not Covering Enough Ground 132
11 Not Spending Enough Time Hunting 132
12 They Don't Practice Shooting Enough 132
13 Buck Fever 139
14 Being Out of Shape 140
15 Not Hunting Because of the Weather 141
16 Moving Their Hands Too Much 141
17 Wrong Type of Boots and Clothes 141
18 Making Too Much Noise 141
19 Scouting Incorrectly 143
20 Failing to Learn from Their Mistakes 145
Chapter 6 Frequently Asked Questions 146
Flow do you tell a buck track from a doe track? 146
How do you tell how old the track is? 152
Do you stay out all night? Camp out and stay with the buck track? 154
How do you tell when a buck is going to lie down? 155
What's easier, tracking a buck that's alone or with a doe or other deer? 155
What's the best weather to hunt in? 161
How do you tell what a buck is carrying for a rack? 161
What's the heaviest buck you have shot? 163
What's the longest time you have spent to get a buck? 163
Why are you using a scope? 164
Why the new hunting clothes? 169
Do you scout before you hunt? 170
Do you use scent? 171
If you are tracking a buck and you don't get him that day, do you go back the next day to where you left the trail? 171
What about the wind? 173
How do you know when you are getting close to a buck? 175
Do you guys hunt together? 175
Do you use grunt calls? 176
How about rattling? 176
Section 3 My "Excellent Benoit Adventure" 177
Chapter 7 Ontario 2002 178
October 26 178
October 28 180
October 29 183
October 30 189
October 31 193
November 1 196
November 2 201
November 3 203
November 4 208