With deer season just around the corner, we thought we’d take a look at some of the best public deer hunting spots in Arkansas in each region of the state: Northwest; Northeast; West Central; Central; South Central; Southwest; and Southeast.

While it would have been easy to order our list according only to harvest statistics, our ranking factors consisted of several variables beyond the total number of deer taken on each WMA/NWR. Of course, success rate and harvest numbers are taken into account, but this list also combines various other ranking factors including location, acreage/size, and “huntability” — meaning ease of access and quality of terrain.

As those of us who hunt a long of public land know, this type of hunting is about much more than just bagging a buck. Factors such as overcrowding, lack of access and almost unconquerable terrain (especially for the elderly and young hunters) can make you wish you would have just hit the snooze button on the morning’s hunt.

In the coming weeks, we’ll cover some of best public deer hunting spots in Arkansas, and give reasons why we consider each spot to be a prime location.

Stay tuned for a run-down of why our pick for Northwest Arkansas’s #1 public hunting area is White Rock WMA.

But if you’re one, like me, who considers a camera and tripod just as important as any firearm, entering the woods long before the sun peaks over the horizon is a two-fold decision that goes beyond hunting strategies.

The fact is, the moon itself, and the moonlit woods under a clear sky, present some of the most picturesque settings a photographer will ever find. However, capturing this striking setting with any clarity can be tricky. If you don’t know what you’re doing, there’s a good chance your beautiful moon shot could turnout to be an overexposed blob on a black background.

Here are a few very important tips for taking the best moonlight photos. Write them down in you’re hunting or photography journal, that way you’ll have them for quick reference when the time is right:

• Keep your exposure under 30 seconds when shooting the moon and/or nighttime sky. This will keep the stars from becoming streaky. On most occasions this will not be a problem, as a few second exposure will do, but it all depends on the amount of light available. If your exposure is too long and allows too much light in, your photo will end up bright, looking as if it is a daytime photo with stars. Of course, this could be the effect that you are after.

Come inside the Arkansas Hunting Forum for more tips and tricks for moonlight photography.

My how things have changed.

Thanks to the introduction of more compact and affordable home video equipment for the everyday Joe, and the ever-growing use of websites like YouTube which allow sportsmen to share their video hunting experiences online, the practice of filming wildlife hunts has exploded in popularity.

Today, tons of video camera accessories for compound bows have flooded the hunting market. Some tiny digital cameras made specifically for bows have started to creep onto shelves too. However, unless you like poor sound quality and grainy video, the most practical innovation is still in the form of bow camera mounts.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. Most mounts I’ve used for my compound bow are so heavy and bulky, it is distracting when aiming at a target, not to mention hard to hold a tight shot — even with a small, light weight camera attached.

However, there is a new bow camera mount on the market and it’s one of the best designs I’ve seen so far. It’s called the BowCamTreeCam, and it offers several advantages over other bow camera mounts.

Come inside the Arkansas Hunting Forum for the full BowCamTreeCam review.

I could not tell you how many fish I have caught on it over the years. This rod has not been manufactured for over ten years and cannot be replaced.

As if that were not enough, there was an Orvis CFO 123 reel on the rod. This particular reel is also a personal favorite. The reel was manufactured in England by Hardy for Orvis and was based on an original design by Lee Wulff. It was light, had an adjustable drag and was a perfect match for the Light Line rod. It also has not been produced for several years and is irreplaceable.

Of course, it had an expensive fly line on it. Using this rod and reel, I landed a twenty inch brown just two days ago.

How did I lose this rod and reel? Well it is the usual story. Come inside the Arkansas Fishing Forum for the full story from Arkansas fishing guide John Berry.

Here are four things bow hunters can be doing to prepare for the 2010 Arkansas bow season 2010 right now. It’ll be here before you know it.

Pulling back your bow while you watch TV – I like to be in front of the TV watching Erin Andrews on Dancing with the Stars just like the next guy, but that doesn’t mean I have to totally surrender my manhood. Why not grab your bow while you’re hunched over on the couch?

While my wife texts in her votes, I get out my Hoyt, strap on my release, and practice pulling my draw. It’s a great way to start strengthening your back muscles, and the perfect way to maintain that “in-season feel.” Not to mention it allows me to keep my man card.

Shooting your bow from your stand – If you’re out scouting from your stand, you might as well take along a decoy or target and practice your aim. When I first got into bow hunting, this was one of the biggest mistakes I made. That is, shooting from flat ground across a flat plane is a lot easier than shooting at an angle 30 feet up in a tree. I never take that fact for granted. Unless you feel it’s practical to climb and shoot from the roof of your home (disclaimer: that would be pretty stupid! Don’t do it!), dig out your climber from the garage, get elevated, and start shooting!

Check out the full article in the Arkansas Hunting Forum.