Interview with Bill Winke

Just got off the phone with Bill Winke of www.MidwestWhitetail.com.  Bill was my guest on the latest installment of Rut Summit, which will be available soon through www.TrophyBuckSecrets.com.

When we think of celebrities, a whole host of images and descriptions come to mind, one of which (for me, anyway) is the word "inaccessable."  In the outdoor industry, though, it seems to not be the case.  The past few years I've had the opportunity to talk to some of the biggest names in the industry, guys you see on TV or whose work you read in magazines, and I'm always surprised by how down to earth they are and, in most cases, how easy they are to contact.  Makes you realize they're more than just celebrities, they're hunters.  And that common bond helps you connect with them in surprising ways.

Bill Winke is one of those people.  For the past hour or so I had the opportunity to talk to a guy whose work I grew up reading and emulating.  He's a fine writer and photographer.  His television shows are entertaining and educational.  When talking to him on the phone, he comes across just as genuine and sincere as if you were sitting across from each other at the diner over coffee.

I know subscribers to Rut Summit will enjoy hearing how Bill came to make his living in the outdoor industry.  I know they'll enjoy hearing his insights into hunting whitetails.  I sure did.


- Ralph Scherder

Rut Summit...Part Two

In coordination with Dave Barrett (founder of www.TrophyBuckSecrets.com), I'm working on a new, updated version of Rut Summit.  Rut Summit is a teleseminar series featuring interviews with some of today's top whitetail experts.

The first time we did Rut Summit, we had a tremendous guest list that included:

- Charlie Alsheimer, field editor of Deer & Deer Hunting
- Dan Schmidt, editor of Deer & Deer Hunting
- Alan Probst, host of All Outdoors TV on Sportsman Channel
- Todd Prignitz, host of White Knuckle Productions
- Barry Wensel, Brothers of the Bow
- Ken Hammel, owner of Mountain Hollow Game Calls

The stories and hunting tips these guys shared was remarkable.  Every time I listen to those interviews I pick up new information that I didn't catch before. 

To get a taste of what Rut Summit is all about, you can listen to the Charlie Alsheimer interview from the first edition for FREE by clicking here:  www.rutsummit.com.

There are no strings attached.  You can listen to the Charlie Alsheimer interview 100% free of charge.  It's a great interview, too, in my humble opinion.  Charlie is no doubt one of the top whitetail experts and photographers of our generation.  His research on moon phases and whitetail movement is legendary.  This is your chance to hear his advice on hunting the various stages of the rut.

This new edition of Rut Summit promises to be even better.  One by one we're assembling a list of guests that includes more of today's best hunters and experts in the whitetail industry.  Our goal is to delve deeper into the magic and mystique of the rut to help you decode whitetail behavior and be more successful in the deer woods this fall.

Once a final guest list has been established, I'll be sure to post info here about how you can access Rut Summit Part Two.


- Ralph Scherder

a new season

I've heard it said that the excitement is in the anticipation of an event, not necessarily in the event itself. 

While it's true that dreaming can be fun, few things can match the arrival of opening day of early archery season.  That first morning in a treestand or ground blind, waiting patiently as the quiet night slowly gives way to morning -- a few bird chirps, chipmunks, the heavy pouncing of squirrels chasing each other through the leaves.  And just like that, a new season has begun.

Here we are, middle of August, five weeks short of opening day here in Pennsylvania.  After a long, hot, dry summer, I never would've guessed hunting season was so close if not for last night.  Before going to bed, I opened my bedroom window and welcomed the cool night air and the sounds of all those insects out there in the dark.  It was a different kind of cool than previous nights.  This one hinted of fall, of camouflage and bows, and of deer camp and whitetails.

I'm ready.  Are you?

To get the hunting juices flowing a little bit, check out my For the Record column in the September/October 2012 issue of Ohio Valley Outdoors.  The story is about how Joe Podnar of Cheswick, PA, killed a 144-inch bruiser buck near his family's farm in Crawford County.  If that doesn't get you excited about the upcoming season, I don't know what will.


- Ralph Scherder