Send us your best whitetail stuff (and don't forget to attach pictures!)
Russell Graves - Believes whitetails shouldn't be photographed in the back of a truck with their tongue hanging out.
Location - Texas
Brian Strickland - Has 369,518 acres of land that you can hunt on. Call him at (555) 281-HUNT.
Location - Colorado
Tony Hansen - Is pretty confident Michigan will release at least 300,000 archers into the woods this fall.
Location - Michigan
Jake Fagan - He's really just here to hang out, so don't mind him.
Location - Georgia
Will Brantley - Loves hunting in a dorag because it makes him look Ramboish. Some may call it Little Man Syndrome.
Location - Tennessee
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Season's Open in Tennessee!
Archery seasons are opening full force across the South. Tennessee opened this past weekend. I've been out of town and in the process of moving while in town, so I haven't had time to post or hunt much lately. I've seen reports of a few decent bucks having been shot, but no jaw-droppers recently.
I'm joining my dad for a special hunt in eastern Kentucky this weekend. He's drawn a bull elk tag for the state, which is pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime deal. I'll post a report as soon as I'm back. In the meantime, you southern boys send us pictures of the deer you take. Shoot me an e-mail at willbrantley2003@yahoo.com.
-Will in Tennessee
I'm joining my dad for a special hunt in eastern Kentucky this weekend. He's drawn a bull elk tag for the state, which is pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime deal. I'll post a report as soon as I'm back. In the meantime, you southern boys send us pictures of the deer you take. Shoot me an e-mail at willbrantley2003@yahoo.com.
-Will in Tennessee
A New Season
This past Saturday, a new archery season began in Texas and I am already starting to get reports of some great bucks. Take for example, Kelvin Billington who scored on the second day of the season.
Here's Kelvin's story:
"I've been using the game cam all year to see what's been coming to the feeder. The best thing so far has been a good 8-point, so I set my sights on him.
Saturday morning nothing comes to the feeder but squirrels, coons and cows. About 9:00am I climb out of the stand and pull the card on the game camera. When I get home, this buck is on the last two pictures - notice the time...
He did this last year - only showing up late at night. We never seen him in daylight.
Well, Sunday morning I decide to give it another try. The feeder goes off and here comes the coons. I have my video camera with me so I use up a little film on them. About 8:00 am I spot a buck headed towards the feeder. At first I pick up the binoculars to make sure it's the big 8-point I'm after. He's headed straight to me, so I can't really count points but I know he's big so I put the binoculars down, turn the video camera on, pick up my bow and wait for him to get up to the feeder. Once he turns side ways I see he's the 10-point from the game cam photos. He gets to thirty yards and I send an arrow his way."
Congratulations, Kelvin!
Here's Kelvin's story:
"I've been using the game cam all year to see what's been coming to the feeder. The best thing so far has been a good 8-point, so I set my sights on him.
Saturday morning nothing comes to the feeder but squirrels, coons and cows. About 9:00am I climb out of the stand and pull the card on the game camera. When I get home, this buck is on the last two pictures - notice the time...
He did this last year - only showing up late at night. We never seen him in daylight.
Well, Sunday morning I decide to give it another try. The feeder goes off and here comes the coons. I have my video camera with me so I use up a little film on them. About 8:00 am I spot a buck headed towards the feeder. At first I pick up the binoculars to make sure it's the big 8-point I'm after. He's headed straight to me, so I can't really count points but I know he's big so I put the binoculars down, turn the video camera on, pick up my bow and wait for him to get up to the feeder. Once he turns side ways I see he's the 10-point from the game cam photos. He gets to thirty yards and I send an arrow his way."
Congratulations, Kelvin!
Labels: Texas
Saturday, September 27, 2008
What's Big Enough?
I have a confession to make: I haven't killed a buck here in my home state of Michigan in three seasons. It certainly hasn't been for lack of trying. In fact, I actually think the last three seasons have been some of the best I've experienced. I simply haven't sealed the deal. I've had one agonizing miss and more close calls than I care to mention. But the seasons have been solid.
Like many of you, killing a buck is not my goal. Killing deer is not what drives me. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy filling tags and making meat. More precisely, I think all humans feel a need to do exactly that. Some of us have simply allowed our primal instincts to remain less dull. Others, sadly, have forgotten why it is that we have canine teeth.
But when it comes to letting fly on a deer with antlers, I exercise restraint. I'm looking for a buck at least three years of age here in Michigan. And therein lies the challenge: There aren't many of those around and killing one is truly a challenge of the highest order. As I've blogged before, I have an Iowa archery tag this season. We've all heard plenty of stories about that state -- and others like it such as Illinois, Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin.
As the days slip by and the hunting season draws painfully near, I find myself thinking more and more about the hours I'll spend on stand in Iowa and Ohio. My standards there are slightly higher than here in Michigan simply because I believe there are more mature bucks in those states. But how old is old enough? How big is big enough?
I'm not one who thinks hunting is about trophy antlers. But I do value highly my role as a deer manager and I happen to think that the joy of hunting -- and in fact life itself -- is in doing what is difficult. There is little satisfaction for me in doing the simple. And so I will set the bar high, trying very hard not to set it so high that success is impossible.
So what is the answer to my question of how big is big enough? There's only one answer that matters, that should be considered.
Whatever makes you proud of your accomplishment.
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Like many of you, killing a buck is not my goal. Killing deer is not what drives me. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy filling tags and making meat. More precisely, I think all humans feel a need to do exactly that. Some of us have simply allowed our primal instincts to remain less dull. Others, sadly, have forgotten why it is that we have canine teeth.
But when it comes to letting fly on a deer with antlers, I exercise restraint. I'm looking for a buck at least three years of age here in Michigan. And therein lies the challenge: There aren't many of those around and killing one is truly a challenge of the highest order. As I've blogged before, I have an Iowa archery tag this season. We've all heard plenty of stories about that state -- and others like it such as Illinois, Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin.
As the days slip by and the hunting season draws painfully near, I find myself thinking more and more about the hours I'll spend on stand in Iowa and Ohio. My standards there are slightly higher than here in Michigan simply because I believe there are more mature bucks in those states. But how old is old enough? How big is big enough?
I'm not one who thinks hunting is about trophy antlers. But I do value highly my role as a deer manager and I happen to think that the joy of hunting -- and in fact life itself -- is in doing what is difficult. There is little satisfaction for me in doing the simple. And so I will set the bar high, trying very hard not to set it so high that success is impossible.
So what is the answer to my question of how big is big enough? There's only one answer that matters, that should be considered.
Whatever makes you proud of your accomplishment.
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Monday, September 22, 2008
Dream Big!
Like many of you, when I turn on my television, the first channel I turn to is the Outdoor Channel. I'm hoping one of our outdoor television stars (or wannabes for that matter) is somewhere in the Mid-West or Canada chasing big whitetails, preferably with a bow. Although I do have a couple of favorite shows - not to mention Realtree Outdoors - it really doesn't matter who it is. If they are hunting big whitetails, I will plant it in my well-used Lazyboy just to get a glimpse of these awesome critters.
I did that just the other day, and although I can't remember which show it was, I planted myself when I saw a near Booner 10-point parade across the screen. A quick pan to the hunter drawing his bow, the grunt, then the kill shot, and it was over for that tall-tined brute. After he was bagged and tagged and all the back-slap and high-fives were given out, it was off to another corn belt state. By the end of that episode another giant made his television debut and a well-placed arrow finished him off as well.
Having a couple of Midwestern tags in my pocket this season got me wondering if I could be lucky enough to send a shaft of carbon through some Booner's wheel-house. In fact, I'm sure we all find ourselves dreaming of just such an opportunity. Not to dismiss the "average buck", but it's the possibility that a true-blue monster might walk under our stand that keeps us getting up in the pre-dawn darkness day after day as we tell ourselves "It could happen today!"
In reality, the chance of most of us just seeing, let alone shooting, a Booner buck is slim; but if you have a tag for one of those corn belt states located in Middle America, at least you're in the game. It's true what they say-when the rut kicks in, you never know what might come strolling by. And although you won't see me pass up too many 140 inch bucks, it sure is nice to dream big!
From the West
-Brian
I did that just the other day, and although I can't remember which show it was, I planted myself when I saw a near Booner 10-point parade across the screen. A quick pan to the hunter drawing his bow, the grunt, then the kill shot, and it was over for that tall-tined brute. After he was bagged and tagged and all the back-slap and high-fives were given out, it was off to another corn belt state. By the end of that episode another giant made his television debut and a well-placed arrow finished him off as well.
Having a couple of Midwestern tags in my pocket this season got me wondering if I could be lucky enough to send a shaft of carbon through some Booner's wheel-house. In fact, I'm sure we all find ourselves dreaming of just such an opportunity. Not to dismiss the "average buck", but it's the possibility that a true-blue monster might walk under our stand that keeps us getting up in the pre-dawn darkness day after day as we tell ourselves "It could happen today!"
In reality, the chance of most of us just seeing, let alone shooting, a Booner buck is slim; but if you have a tag for one of those corn belt states located in Middle America, at least you're in the game. It's true what they say-when the rut kicks in, you never know what might come strolling by. And although you won't see me pass up too many 140 inch bucks, it sure is nice to dream big!
From the West
-Brian
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Preparation
What's a guy to do when you are still a week out from the start of the Texas archery season? Sight in a rifle.
My sight-in procedure isn't very complicated. Shoot my first volley from about twenty five yards away and get it close, then refine my accuracy from 100-yards away.
I am not much of an extreme shooter and won't try and lob shots from super long distances. Instead, I always try to get close to game so that my skills as a shooter won't compromise my ability to cleanly harvest an animal.
After a few shots, I had the rifle dialed in like I want it. Now the wait commences...
Russell Graves - Texas
My sight-in procedure isn't very complicated. Shoot my first volley from about twenty five yards away and get it close, then refine my accuracy from 100-yards away.
I am not much of an extreme shooter and won't try and lob shots from super long distances. Instead, I always try to get close to game so that my skills as a shooter won't compromise my ability to cleanly harvest an animal.
After a few shots, I had the rifle dialed in like I want it. Now the wait commences...
Russell Graves - Texas
Labels: Texas
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Double-drop Goes Down!
As you've seen from some of the trail cam pics we've posted, several hunters out there are chasing some huge deer. I just received an email last night from Jeff Simpson saying that the big double droptine deer is down! Check out the pic. And make sure you send us your deer photos and stories this fall. -Jake
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Learning from High School Students Part 1
If you know much about me, you know I've got a pretty good gig going. For the past fifteen years, I've taught agricultural science at Childress High School. I know, you may be thinking, "What does farming have to do with whitetails?"
Well, the answer is plenty.
After teaching for a couple of years I saw a need to incorporate wildlife management into my curriculum and did so enthusiastically and the kids responded in kind.
You may recall a few weeks ago my post on Deer School. As part of the curriculum, my students often pair up and do additional research on various topics related to deer or deer management. Over the next few posts, I will highlight the students' projects by presenting the abstracts of their award winning work.
In all, the circle is complete. I learn from their research and the students learn a lot from the time the spend on these problems.
I hope it helps you too...
-Russell Graves
Tejas
Deer hunting in Childress County, Texas is big business. Each year hunters from all over the state and nation descend on our county to hunt white-tailed deer. One of the most common practices hunters employ to help increase their success is by placing feeders where they hunt, filling them with corn, and setting the feeder timer to sling a measured amount of feed at a predictable time.
For this project, we developed the following hypothesis:
Deer feeders will increase a hunter's chance at harvesting a buck.
In our experiment, we documented how many does and bucks came to the feeders we monitored during the 2004 - 2005 deer season. In our experiment, we monitored three different feeders placed in random locations in the Childress County, Texas. Each feeder was set to dispense corn for three seconds at 7:30am and 5:00pm.
At each feeder, we placed motion-sensing cameras that would take a picture if an animal moved in front it and triggered the unit. We analyzed our data by going through these pictures taken and recording how many does and bucks were in the photos.
Early on, it was evident that in our experiment more does came to feeders than bucks. In total, we recorded 366 unique photos over two seasons.
In all, the percentage of deer coming to all of the feeders combined was 82% does to 18% bucks. Of the bucks that came to the feeders, only 17% would have scored 120 Boone & Crockett points and almost all of those came at night.
In our hypothesis, we stated that our outcome would be that the same amount of does and bucks would come to the feeders. We were proved wrong though because our experiment showed that more does come to feeders than bucks.
Well, the answer is plenty.
After teaching for a couple of years I saw a need to incorporate wildlife management into my curriculum and did so enthusiastically and the kids responded in kind.
You may recall a few weeks ago my post on Deer School. As part of the curriculum, my students often pair up and do additional research on various topics related to deer or deer management. Over the next few posts, I will highlight the students' projects by presenting the abstracts of their award winning work.
In all, the circle is complete. I learn from their research and the students learn a lot from the time the spend on these problems.
I hope it helps you too...
-Russell Graves
Tejas
Abstract
What's Coming to Dinner - The impact of deer feeders on white-tailed feeding habits Deer hunting in Childress County, Texas is big business. Each year hunters from all over the state and nation descend on our county to hunt white-tailed deer. One of the most common practices hunters employ to help increase their success is by placing feeders where they hunt, filling them with corn, and setting the feeder timer to sling a measured amount of feed at a predictable time.
For this project, we developed the following hypothesis:
Deer feeders will increase a hunter's chance at harvesting a buck.
In our experiment, we documented how many does and bucks came to the feeders we monitored during the 2004 - 2005 deer season. In our experiment, we monitored three different feeders placed in random locations in the Childress County, Texas. Each feeder was set to dispense corn for three seconds at 7:30am and 5:00pm.
At each feeder, we placed motion-sensing cameras that would take a picture if an animal moved in front it and triggered the unit. We analyzed our data by going through these pictures taken and recording how many does and bucks were in the photos.
Early on, it was evident that in our experiment more does came to feeders than bucks. In total, we recorded 366 unique photos over two seasons.
In all, the percentage of deer coming to all of the feeders combined was 82% does to 18% bucks. Of the bucks that came to the feeders, only 17% would have scored 120 Boone & Crockett points and almost all of those came at night.
In our hypothesis, we stated that our outcome would be that the same amount of does and bucks would come to the feeders. We were proved wrong though because our experiment showed that more does come to feeders than bucks.
Labels: Texas
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Countdown
Holy racks, bowman. I was just running through a few huntin' shows on the DVR and realized that I'm less than two weeks away from the start of the archery season here in Michigan.
Man, where does the time go? I had made a vow that I would be ready well in advance of the season this year. Well, guess what? I'm not. I still have a couple of key stands to get in place, gear to check and details to attend to.
Of course, those are acts of love because that is one of the greatest joys of the hunting experience: The preparation and anticipation.
Anyone who has paid any attention to national events lately knows that it's been a rough week. Our stock market took a record-setting dive, banks are failing, investments are tanking and our economy is rocky to say the least. We've just seen gas prices soar as yet another hurricane hammered our coast. Unemployment rates are high and, here in Michigan, we're dealing with the discovery of CWD in a whitetail.
That's a lot of doom and gloom. Happiness is in short supply.
But not for long. Bow season will soon begin. And for the next three months or so, I'll go to sleep every night with hope in my heart and anticipation in my soul. Because that's what hunting does for me. It creates a world of possibilities. Every single dawn could bring with it the buck I've been dreaming of. It could bring one of those magical mornings where the woods is filled with antlers and whitetails and, perhaps, a crimson trail across frost-covered leaves.
Two weeks and counting. Even if I'm not officially "ready", brothers, I am READY.
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Man, where does the time go? I had made a vow that I would be ready well in advance of the season this year. Well, guess what? I'm not. I still have a couple of key stands to get in place, gear to check and details to attend to.
Of course, those are acts of love because that is one of the greatest joys of the hunting experience: The preparation and anticipation.
Anyone who has paid any attention to national events lately knows that it's been a rough week. Our stock market took a record-setting dive, banks are failing, investments are tanking and our economy is rocky to say the least. We've just seen gas prices soar as yet another hurricane hammered our coast. Unemployment rates are high and, here in Michigan, we're dealing with the discovery of CWD in a whitetail.
That's a lot of doom and gloom. Happiness is in short supply.
But not for long. Bow season will soon begin. And for the next three months or so, I'll go to sleep every night with hope in my heart and anticipation in my soul. Because that's what hunting does for me. It creates a world of possibilities. Every single dawn could bring with it the buck I've been dreaming of. It could bring one of those magical mornings where the woods is filled with antlers and whitetails and, perhaps, a crimson trail across frost-covered leaves.
Two weeks and counting. Even if I'm not officially "ready", brothers, I am READY.
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Go Muddy
I'm not one to push many products, give plugs, and I'm really a pretty hard guy to impress; but on a recent hunt I got to spend some time in a treestand that impressed me. Now, I know many of you are saying, "a treestand is just a treestand;" however, other than your shooting equipment, for the average whitetail junkie a treestand might be the most important piece of equipment you use in the woods. For me, a treestand must be quiet, durable and comfortable for those all day sits. If you hunt where crooked trees grow like I do, adjustability is a must, and the hang on stands by Muddy Outdoors meet those standards.
I used their Hunter Pro hang-on recently and I must say it had everything I look for in a stand. It had a thick, comfortable, waterproof seat, dual tree straps for stability and a large, rigid 30in. X 20in. platform, which was great for my pair of 14s. Also, the platform can be adjusted several inches with an easy-to-use knob, and the seat can be leveled for that perfect fit. They are a solidly built stand, and what makes them even better is that they are affordable compared to other similar stands.
Chances are, most of you guys already have your stands up this season, but next time you need to replace one, or are looking to get an extra one this fall, give the Muddy Outdoors hang-on stands a look. Just go to www.gomuddy.com and see what I'm talking about.
-Brian
I used their Hunter Pro hang-on recently and I must say it had everything I look for in a stand. It had a thick, comfortable, waterproof seat, dual tree straps for stability and a large, rigid 30in. X 20in. platform, which was great for my pair of 14s. Also, the platform can be adjusted several inches with an easy-to-use knob, and the seat can be leveled for that perfect fit. They are a solidly built stand, and what makes them even better is that they are affordable compared to other similar stands.
Chances are, most of you guys already have your stands up this season, but next time you need to replace one, or are looking to get an extra one this fall, give the Muddy Outdoors hang-on stands a look. Just go to www.gomuddy.com and see what I'm talking about.
-Brian
A Hot and Windy Situation Pt. 3
Just when it seemed like the buck was going to give me a shot, he turned and stepped back into the green thicket. I was in momentary disbelief. I didn't know what made the animal change its mind, but when I stood up, I could see the tips of its antlers slowly ambling their way down the other side of the thicket. With the wind still blowing, I turned and hustled to the other end, scooping up my quiver along the way. Clearly, the animal was on its way back out into the corn. I slowed when I saw a small opening in the thicket 30 yards away. Craning my neck, I could see the antlers approaching the opening, so I drew my bow.
I've shot a few deer with a bow while still hunting. It's rarely been a matter of superb stealth or ghost-like stalking maneuvers. Instead, when I'm successful I usually have a good wind in my favor and some sort of natural terrain feature, be it a thicket, ditch, or just a small rise to mask my approach, and I'd venture a guess that most still hunters will say the same thing. When things come together, it's almost comical how easy it can be, and how oblivious the animals can be to you. Whitetails have a justified reputation for being wary critters, but working your way to within bow range of one on the ground is far from impossible.
The buck walked right into my sight picture, so I made a little grunt/bleat type sound with my voice and settled my pin just behind the shoulder. I know I always mess up on at least some of the mechanics when shooting at deer, but I remember telling myself to pick a spot and hold on it before releasing. The arrow sounded good, and the buck was stumbling as he ran out of sight.
I debated on getting Michelle to help me track, since I didn't want to mess up her hunt, but with the temperature still hovering in the high 80s, I knew we needed to recover the buck pretty quickly. When I met her, she told the tale of trying to draw on a wary doe feeding 15 yards in front of her for several minutes before a couple dove hunters (who didn't know Michelle was hunting in the area and apologized profusely to her), hoping to shoot a few birds over the picked corn, frightened the animal away as they walked onto the field.
Michelle found the first puddle of blood, and it was obvious I'd made a good hit. The buck had turned toward the corn field, and as soon as we stepped from the trees, I could see him piled up 40 yards away. My shot had been perfect. I took a minute to fill out my tag before field-dressing the animal, recovering my arrow and beginning the dragging process. Even in heat like that, dragging is a chore I've never minded too much.
-Will
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
A Hot and Windy Situation Pt. 2
I only had about 150 yards worth of woods to cover the entire still-hunting route. Still-hunting is probably my favorite way to hunt on a windy afternoon, even with a bow. Typically, I carry a little fold-up tripod chair, which I can easily snap to a belt loop until I need it. If I hunt my way through a likely area, I can stop and sit a while before moving on.
That's exactly what I'd done Saturday afternoon. I'd been hunting a couple hours, covered about 100 yards, and stopped to sit twice. With the last magic hour of daylight approaching, the standing corn bordering the back side of the wood lot began to take on an amber hue. I eased my way a little closer to it, where I could watch the small, open area between the corn and the trees, and took a seat for a third time, planning to sit there for the duration. Perhaps a nice doe would step from the woods to the corn, or the corn to the woods, and I could at least get some meat in the freezer. At this point, I assumed Michelle was watching deer in the picked portion of the field.
It's funny how fast things can happen in the whitetail woods, particularly given the agonizingly slow pace I'd experienced the week before. But I no more than settled into the seat when I realized a tiny, leafy limb was blocking a good shooting lane to the edge of the corn. I reached up to break it off, and just as I broke it, a buck walked across the opening, out of the corn and into the woods, not 40 yards away. I didn't have time to see much, but I could tell his antlers were well past his ears if nothing else.
Since I'd been sitting for all of 30 seconds, my old Mathews was across my lap, and my hip quiver was pushed behind me, out of the way. I debated briefly on what to do, but, with a hard breeze in my favor and a relatively small area in which the buck could go, I decided to slip forward to try and get a better look.
The deer had stepped into the woods and, lo and behold, behind a nice, green thicket that ended about 50 yards up the trail. I was on one side of the thicket; the deer was on the other side. So, I slipped to the end of it and knelt down to see what would happen. The buck soon stepped into sight, well beyond the other end, but still only 60 yards away. He began feeding under a black oak, oblivious to me.
I took a couple steps forward, and decided to unbuckle my hip quiver, since it was flopping about and generally in the way. With the buck's rear end to me, I waited for him to put his head down before easing into a better spot, dropping to my knees and waiting.
Carefully, I pulled my binocular up for a better look at the buck's rack. He was well past his ears, maybe 16 inches wide, and had what appeared to be decent tine length on one side. His left side was a little screwy. I could tell he had at least one broken tine, maybe more. In classic bowhunter fashion, I debated with myself, "Is that really what you want to fill your one Kentucky tag with? You know there are nicer deer around." Then, it was, "Dude, be realistic here. You messed up a huge buck right out of the chute last year, and then scrambled around all season just to get a couple does for the freezer. You've got Tennessee deer to hunt in two weeks, and it's a long drive up here."
It doesn't take a whole lot of argument here. I decided to shoot, should the buck give me the chance. And things were looking promising. During the course of my inner turmoil, the animal began ambling toward me, and as it crossed to within 45 yards, I clipped the release to the loop and waiting for an opening. The rest? I'll leave that for tomorrow.
-Will
That's exactly what I'd done Saturday afternoon. I'd been hunting a couple hours, covered about 100 yards, and stopped to sit twice. With the last magic hour of daylight approaching, the standing corn bordering the back side of the wood lot began to take on an amber hue. I eased my way a little closer to it, where I could watch the small, open area between the corn and the trees, and took a seat for a third time, planning to sit there for the duration. Perhaps a nice doe would step from the woods to the corn, or the corn to the woods, and I could at least get some meat in the freezer. At this point, I assumed Michelle was watching deer in the picked portion of the field.
It's funny how fast things can happen in the whitetail woods, particularly given the agonizingly slow pace I'd experienced the week before. But I no more than settled into the seat when I realized a tiny, leafy limb was blocking a good shooting lane to the edge of the corn. I reached up to break it off, and just as I broke it, a buck walked across the opening, out of the corn and into the woods, not 40 yards away. I didn't have time to see much, but I could tell his antlers were well past his ears if nothing else.
Since I'd been sitting for all of 30 seconds, my old Mathews was across my lap, and my hip quiver was pushed behind me, out of the way. I debated briefly on what to do, but, with a hard breeze in my favor and a relatively small area in which the buck could go, I decided to slip forward to try and get a better look.
The deer had stepped into the woods and, lo and behold, behind a nice, green thicket that ended about 50 yards up the trail. I was on one side of the thicket; the deer was on the other side. So, I slipped to the end of it and knelt down to see what would happen. The buck soon stepped into sight, well beyond the other end, but still only 60 yards away. He began feeding under a black oak, oblivious to me.
I took a couple steps forward, and decided to unbuckle my hip quiver, since it was flopping about and generally in the way. With the buck's rear end to me, I waited for him to put his head down before easing into a better spot, dropping to my knees and waiting.
Carefully, I pulled my binocular up for a better look at the buck's rack. He was well past his ears, maybe 16 inches wide, and had what appeared to be decent tine length on one side. His left side was a little screwy. I could tell he had at least one broken tine, maybe more. In classic bowhunter fashion, I debated with myself, "Is that really what you want to fill your one Kentucky tag with? You know there are nicer deer around." Then, it was, "Dude, be realistic here. You messed up a huge buck right out of the chute last year, and then scrambled around all season just to get a couple does for the freezer. You've got Tennessee deer to hunt in two weeks, and it's a long drive up here."
It doesn't take a whole lot of argument here. I decided to shoot, should the buck give me the chance. And things were looking promising. During the course of my inner turmoil, the animal began ambling toward me, and as it crossed to within 45 yards, I clipped the release to the loop and waiting for an opening. The rest? I'll leave that for tomorrow.
-Will
A Hot and Windy Situation Pt. 1
Saturday afternoon in western Kentucky wasn't the best I've ever seen for deer hunting. The air temperature was a more-than-crisp 90 degrees, and there was a stout 15-mph wind blowing ahead of the remnants of Hurricane Ike. Time was of the essence, however, and with limited days to bowhunt in Kentucky this season, Michelle and I weren't about to sit on the couch Saturday evening and whine about the weather.
The main problem we had, aside from the heat and wind, was the primary piece of ground where I'd been hunting is a long, narrow strip of woods surrounded by bean fields on all sides. The area I have permission to hunt is on the south side of this strip. With a west or northwest wind, our prevailing wind, this isn't a problem. We were faced with due-south gusts.
My one back-up plan involved a tiny (30 acre) block of woods sitting on the other side of the farmer's property. This block of woods is surrounded by corn fields this year. Last year, it was in beans, and slipping into it to hunt was nearly impossible without bumping deer. This year, I knew at least some of the animals would utilize the standing corn for cover as much as the woods.
To my delight, when Michelle and I pulled up to the woodlot on a side road, the farmer had picked some 20 acres of corn directly in front of us. With the stiff breeze, and silent entry of premium importance, Michelle and I elected to hunt from the ground, rather than pack in climbing stands. She carried in a dove stool, and I helped her build a quick make-shift blind in a fence row overlooking the picked corn. I eased into the woods and began still-hunting my way down the north side. A creek bed held several nice pools of water, and they were surrounded by deer tracks. I knew, even if the animals were using the corn as bedding cover, they'd come into these woods for a drink, and, with sweat beading off the end of my nose and the wind masking any noise I made (as well as a lot of my movement), I had a good game plan going. I'll check back in this evening and let you know how things turned out.
-Will
The main problem we had, aside from the heat and wind, was the primary piece of ground where I'd been hunting is a long, narrow strip of woods surrounded by bean fields on all sides. The area I have permission to hunt is on the south side of this strip. With a west or northwest wind, our prevailing wind, this isn't a problem. We were faced with due-south gusts.
My one back-up plan involved a tiny (30 acre) block of woods sitting on the other side of the farmer's property. This block of woods is surrounded by corn fields this year. Last year, it was in beans, and slipping into it to hunt was nearly impossible without bumping deer. This year, I knew at least some of the animals would utilize the standing corn for cover as much as the woods.
To my delight, when Michelle and I pulled up to the woodlot on a side road, the farmer had picked some 20 acres of corn directly in front of us. With the stiff breeze, and silent entry of premium importance, Michelle and I elected to hunt from the ground, rather than pack in climbing stands. She carried in a dove stool, and I helped her build a quick make-shift blind in a fence row overlooking the picked corn. I eased into the woods and began still-hunting my way down the north side. A creek bed held several nice pools of water, and they were surrounded by deer tracks. I knew, even if the animals were using the corn as bedding cover, they'd come into these woods for a drink, and, with sweat beading off the end of my nose and the wind masking any noise I made (as well as a lot of my movement), I had a good game plan going. I'll check back in this evening and let you know how things turned out.
-Will
Monday, September 15, 2008
Hunt Junkies
Let me introduce myself and my brother William, or, uh... Bubba as the family calls him. Since last October we've been filming a web show that we call Hunt Junkies. The premise is simple: get together when we can and film our hunts - both good and bad - to provide fodder for the web.
To my surprise our little show has been a hit. Therefore, I bring to you the first two episodes of this year. None are of deer yet but that all will change soon enough.
If you want to see the entire collection of the Hunt Junkies web series, take a look HERE
Enjoy!
EPISODE 2.1
EPISODE 2.2
To my surprise our little show has been a hit. Therefore, I bring to you the first two episodes of this year. None are of deer yet but that all will change soon enough.
If you want to see the entire collection of the Hunt Junkies web series, take a look HERE
Enjoy!
EPISODE 2.1
EPISODE 2.2
Friday, September 12, 2008
Of Bucks and Bass
Hello, my name is Tony Hansen and I'm a bassaholic. Okay, so that's a lame cliche play on a serious problem. But, hey, my addictions are serious in their own way. It's whitetails and it's bass. More specifically, big whitetails and bass tournaments. I am a competitor and when my athletic days were behind me, I readily admit that I was a tough person to live with. I had no way to vent the competitive nature within. Until I discovered competitive bass tournaments. Now, I fish about 30 tournaments a year as I kill time waiting for the whitetail season to kick off. This week I had the chance to spend some time with some of the very top anglers in the world and what do you think the topic of choice was as we checked out some new boats from Nitro and cast our way around Missouri's Table Rock Lake? Well, whitetails of course.
I was excited to learn that two of my fishing heroes Kevin Van Dam (aka The Man, aka World's Greatest Angler, aka Bass Messiah) and Edwin Evers. Van Dam is a four-time BASS Angler of the Year while Evers is arguably the best young angler on the BassMaster's Elite Series.
Both, I learned, are diehard whitetail hunters who get that spark in their eyes when talking about deer that tells me they're not just casual hunters. No way.
"I love it. Absolutely love it," said Evers. "Bowhunting is a passion. We've got some good deer on my place in Oklahoma and I just love every aspect of bowhunting. I can't wait for it to start."
Edwin told me he'd recently spent some time putting in his food plots and also talked about how his decision to start using Bad Boy Buggies on his property rather than noisy gas-fueled ATVs has made a big difference.
"I've really noticed a change in the impact we have when we move around the place," Evers said. "You're not making the noise or disturbance in
the Bad Boy. I'm sold on those things. They're just awesome."VanDam will start his bowhunting season with a trip to New Mexico to chase elk before heading back to southern Michigan where he'll be looking to tag one of the deer he knows survived last year.
"Those deer are something special. They've survived a couple of seasons and that's not easy to do. I have them on trail camera so I know they're around. Getting them on their feet in daylight is a different thing," VanDam said. "But I'm really looking forward to the chase."
Spending a couple of days with these guys was a dream come true for a bassin' whitetail nut like myself. And, unlike some other pro athletes that I've met, there was zero disappointment. In fact, I have more respect and admiration for these guys than ever. They're great people with a genuine passion and respect for the outdoors. Our kind of guys for sure. The only downside was that I failed to have KVD sign a hat for my 6-year-old son Noah who is arguably Kevin's biggest fan. Oh yeah, dad was in trouble when he got home.
Keep an eye out for more of these two in future posts. I'm hoping to share some stories of their success this fall.
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Food For Thought, or Should I say Corn!
It's a reasonable assumption that where deer feeders and baiting is allowed, hunters have a higher success rate. Being born and raised in the Lone Star State where baiting is darn-near a religion, that has just always made sense to me, but is it true? Well, while I was flipping through a recent issue of Perersen's Bowhunting, a story by Bob Humphrey caught my eye, "Does Baiting Increase Deer Harvest Success?". He looked at a four year study done by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources biologist Charles Ruth, and his findings might cause you to think twice next time you hang your stand near a feeder.
The study looked at the Piedmont region where baiting is not allowed and the Coastal Plain region where it is allowed. Although deer density is similar in both areas, the study did concede that there are slightly more deer in the Coastal Plain region, and that the area has a longer season by about 30 days. Other than that, no significant differences were noted.
In the Piedmont region, where baiting is not allowed, hunter success was 33% greater. Furthermore, in that same region, doe harvest alone was 41% greater. What was even more interesting, is hunters from the Piedmont region spent 6% fewer days in the field chasing deer. In a nut shell, where baiting is not allowed, hunters killed more deer in less time!
Now I know this is only one study, and in different regions of the country, variables like mast crop, hunting pleasure, deer density, farming or just plain old tough country, could make a difference in these findings. But it made me wonder, does baiting equal higher hunter Success? Quite frankly I don't know, but this study might make you think twice before you slap that stand over a feeder this season!
Just Food for Thought
-Brian
The study looked at the Piedmont region where baiting is not allowed and the Coastal Plain region where it is allowed. Although deer density is similar in both areas, the study did concede that there are slightly more deer in the Coastal Plain region, and that the area has a longer season by about 30 days. Other than that, no significant differences were noted.
In the Piedmont region, where baiting is not allowed, hunter success was 33% greater. Furthermore, in that same region, doe harvest alone was 41% greater. What was even more interesting, is hunters from the Piedmont region spent 6% fewer days in the field chasing deer. In a nut shell, where baiting is not allowed, hunters killed more deer in less time!
Now I know this is only one study, and in different regions of the country, variables like mast crop, hunting pleasure, deer density, farming or just plain old tough country, could make a difference in these findings. But it made me wonder, does baiting equal higher hunter Success? Quite frankly I don't know, but this study might make you think twice before you slap that stand over a feeder this season!
Just Food for Thought
-Brian
The Bradley Buck
My luck during the opening week of Kentucky's bow season was pretty lame. Randy Bradley's wasn't. The hunter, of Leitchfield, Ky., shot this 17-point brute, which rough-scored 182 inches, at 6:30 on opening morning. Bradley had patterned the deer on a trail camera, along with several other smaller bucks in a bachelor group, for a solid month prior to his hunt, and had acquired more than 600 photos of it. It's a testament to what the month of September can do for a bowhunter who's willing to put in the scouting time.
Bradley nailed the buck at 15 yards with his Bowtech Guardian and 2-blade Rage broadhead, but only after several setbacks early that morning, including a flat tire on his ATV trailer, a pulled muscle from loading the machine into the bed of his pickup truck, a brief navigational error on the way to his stand due to a tree falling across his ATV trail, and culminating with a dropped arrow while the buck browsed 15 yards away. Fortunately, the buck didn't spook, and the hunter was able to keep his cool, ease another arrow from his quiver, and make the shot.
Mr. Bradley, with your Kentucky buck tag filled, it's a long wait until next fall, but it's a wait I'm sure you don't mind making. Congratulations on a beautiful buck.
-Will
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Check this Out...
Boys and girls, this is why bowhunting in early September can be awesome. Hopefully, I'll have a complete story of this Kentucky buck posted soon.Will
Slow Opening Week
I've spent the last four days on treestand duty in various places in western Kentucky. The hunting was the slowest I've ever seen for early September, particularly given that I was hunting green soy bean fields. In seven hunts, I saw a grand total of eight deer, the largest being a basket-racked 8-pointer that might have scored 80 inches. Other hunters have been more successful than me, however. I'm on the trail of at least one velvet-clad beast that was taken opening weekend. Hopefully, that successful hunter will share his story with us. Stay tuned.
Will
Will
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Bailee's First Deer Hunt
When I became a father, one of the things that re-invigorated my love of hunting was the promise of taking my kids afield. I've been toting them along on more social pursuits like dove hunting. However, I had to wait until my oldest child, Bailee, was mature enough to handle the rigors of sitting still and being quite for a couple of hours.
In Northwest Texas where I hunt, elevated blinds are the norm and are the best friend of any mom or dad wanting to take their kid deer hunting. Quite, comfortable, and warm, the blind I have works great for containing the sound of Bailee asking, "When we gonna see a de-ur?" in her distinctive Texas drawl for the tenth time.
When she was five, I felt like she was ready to take afield and if you click the LINK, you can read the story of her first deer hunt told in her own words.
As this season progresses, I'll be sure to keep you filled in on Bailee's successes as she goes on her first quest for her own whitetail.
Russell A. Graves
Texas on my mind...
Labels: Texas
Could It Be?
After two weeks of confusion and hand-wringing, the mystery of how Chronic Wasting Disease popped up in Michigan remains just that - a mystery.
Here's what's happened. A whitetail doe in a Kent County (southwestern Michigan) deer farm tested positive for CWD. All deer on that farm were killed and tested with no other positive results being found. Four other deer that had been moved from that farm to other enclosures in the state were killed and tested. This week, the Michigan Department of Agriculture announced that those deer also did not have CWD.
That's great news. But it does leave me wondering just how that deer came down with CWD? It obviously caught it somewhere. The deer, according to records from the Kent County farm, was born on that farm so it wasn't brought in from elsewhere. So where did the CWD come from?
Well now the DNR and MDA are looking at "taxidermy ties" in the case. Seems the Kent County farm is also a taxidermy operation and it's possible the disease was brought in from a hide or head for mounting purposes. I'll keep you posted. And I'll continue to hope that Michigan has dodged a big, big bullet.
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Here's what's happened. A whitetail doe in a Kent County (southwestern Michigan) deer farm tested positive for CWD. All deer on that farm were killed and tested with no other positive results being found. Four other deer that had been moved from that farm to other enclosures in the state were killed and tested. This week, the Michigan Department of Agriculture announced that those deer also did not have CWD.
That's great news. But it does leave me wondering just how that deer came down with CWD? It obviously caught it somewhere. The deer, according to records from the Kent County farm, was born on that farm so it wasn't brought in from elsewhere. So where did the CWD come from?
Well now the DNR and MDA are looking at "taxidermy ties" in the case. Seems the Kent County farm is also a taxidermy operation and it's possible the disease was brought in from a hide or head for mounting purposes. I'll keep you posted. And I'll continue to hope that Michigan has dodged a big, big bullet.
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Friday, September 5, 2008
Finding Solitude - Part 3
Well, day 4 ended with a bang, or should I say release! My morning hunt was pretty much a bust as far as bucks go. I was hunting in an area where two drainage's spilled into a bench, and the deer sign was thick. I had hung my Gorilla two days prior and felt that it held promise. Although I had deer moving through, none were bucks, but it was still a great sit anyway.
At mid-morning I decided to scout another area that I had been keeping an eye on. Besides all the encounters I was having, what I really like about hunting at the Solitude Ranch was the freedom to scout and hang stands on your own, as long as it wouldn't affect other hunters. With some 30,000 acres to hunt and only three hunters in camp this week (which is how ranch owner Mike Schmid likes to keep it), I didn't have to worry about that much.
The area I had been watching was a wooded point that stretched out into a weed field, and I had seen some good bucks there a couple of days prior. After scouting it out, I knew I had found the shangrila of buck hunting. There were rubs everywhere from the residents ridding themselves of their summer velvet, and they were sap-dripping fresh. What made it even better was that the point of timber led from a canyon the deer were bedding in during the day, and all of rubs were in a prime buck staging area; I knew an encounter was a given, or at least I hoped. With only one day left, I decided to hunt it that evening. Although I like to give a stand at least a day or two of rest after hanging it, time was running out so I needed to make something happen.
Shortly after arriving that evening deer started emerging, and at one point I counted 41 of them in the field. Even though only small bucks and does were out and about, the deer were moving good. However, I was beginning to worry when the sun touched the western horizon and no "shooter" bucks were out, but you know what can happen in the whitetail woods. Just as I was having doubts, I saw a grey shadow under my stand--it was a buck. As he eased out in front of me I could tell he was a mature deer by the mass he carried. I quickly decided he could proudly wear my tag. As I drew my Hoyt he must have heard me because he instantly stopped and looked up. In haste, I put the 20 yard pin on his vitals and let it fly. Although it was not my best effort, a spine shot dropped him in his tracks. It was a great ending to a great hunt, and better yet I had found solitude!
Thanks for tuning in this week, and have a great season!
http://www.huntsro.com/
From the Black Hills of Wyoming
-Brian
At mid-morning I decided to scout another area that I had been keeping an eye on. Besides all the encounters I was having, what I really like about hunting at the Solitude Ranch was the freedom to scout and hang stands on your own, as long as it wouldn't affect other hunters. With some 30,000 acres to hunt and only three hunters in camp this week (which is how ranch owner Mike Schmid likes to keep it), I didn't have to worry about that much.
The area I had been watching was a wooded point that stretched out into a weed field, and I had seen some good bucks there a couple of days prior. After scouting it out, I knew I had found the shangrila of buck hunting. There were rubs everywhere from the residents ridding themselves of their summer velvet, and they were sap-dripping fresh. What made it even better was that the point of timber led from a canyon the deer were bedding in during the day, and all of rubs were in a prime buck staging area; I knew an encounter was a given, or at least I hoped. With only one day left, I decided to hunt it that evening. Although I like to give a stand at least a day or two of rest after hanging it, time was running out so I needed to make something happen.
Shortly after arriving that evening deer started emerging, and at one point I counted 41 of them in the field. Even though only small bucks and does were out and about, the deer were moving good. However, I was beginning to worry when the sun touched the western horizon and no "shooter" bucks were out, but you know what can happen in the whitetail woods. Just as I was having doubts, I saw a grey shadow under my stand--it was a buck. As he eased out in front of me I could tell he was a mature deer by the mass he carried. I quickly decided he could proudly wear my tag. As I drew my Hoyt he must have heard me because he instantly stopped and looked up. In haste, I put the 20 yard pin on his vitals and let it fly. Although it was not my best effort, a spine shot dropped him in his tracks. It was a great ending to a great hunt, and better yet I had found solitude!
Thanks for tuning in this week, and have a great season!
http://www.huntsro.com/
From the Black Hills of Wyoming
-Brian
Road Weary and Revved Up
Well, the Realtree Cameras hit the road this week with the official launch of hunting season. Bill headed to New Mexico to chase elk while David and Michael took off to Wyoming for whitetails. Though I will report that Michael has killed and David, well, that's a story for later, the hunting season for 2008 looks to be like many others...you're going to have to get out there and hunt to kill something. Genius, huh?
I'll keep you filled in on how the boys and girls at Realtree are doing on the road. In the mean time, send your pics and stories in so we can blog about them here.
Here's some inspiration for all you drop tine enthusiasts. What a deer! And in daylight.
I'll keep you filled in on how the boys and girls at Realtree are doing on the road. In the mean time, send your pics and stories in so we can blog about them here.
Here's some inspiration for all you drop tine enthusiasts. What a deer! And in daylight.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Saturday Morning
Sorry for the light posting this week from down here around the Equator. I've been running busy preparing for a trip at my day job (Ducks Unlimited) and working on a feature story for Realtree.com in the evenings. But, most importantly, this week is the countdown week to the Kentucky bow season. I'll be leaving town early tomorrow afternoon and hunting for four solid days. It's hot and miserable this time of year, but as I've said on here before, early September has tons of big-buck potential. And, right now, we're shaping up to have decent weather, with highs in the low 80s and lows in the 50s. I'll take that over last year's 100-degree heat any day.
All this running around reminds me of bow-season eve as a kid. Much too excited to sleep, I'd gather up a pile of hunting videos (I always had Whitetails in the Wild, Monster Bucks of North America, and Monster Bucks II in my pile), put them on for background noise and attempt to dose. When I would inevitably wake up, I'd spend time honing the blade of my big Buck knife, a sentimental piece given to me by my dad, with a stone and ceramic sharpening sticks. I could get that sucker scary sharp. Often, by 3:30 a.m. or so, I couldn't stand it any more. I'd be perched in my treestand an hour later and spend a couple hours in the dark woods.
I don't have as much trouble sleeping these days, but I'd say chances are good I'll be awake before my alarm rings Saturday morning. My wife, Michelle, who'll be bowhunting for the first-time ever this weekend, is walking paces around me as we speak, packing camo in scent-free bags and gathering up as many ThermaCell refills as she can find. Even if I don't wake up early on my own, she will.
So that's that. I'm going to arrow the first doe or nice 8-pointer that walks by my stand, and be a happy camper. More importantly, I want Michelle to get a shot at something. But I'm also going to venture a guess that a book buck falls somewhere in Kentucky over the next week. I'll keep updates on here best I can.
To all the other folks heading out this weekend, good luck, belt in to that tree, and shoot straight.
-Will
All this running around reminds me of bow-season eve as a kid. Much too excited to sleep, I'd gather up a pile of hunting videos (I always had Whitetails in the Wild, Monster Bucks of North America, and Monster Bucks II in my pile), put them on for background noise and attempt to dose. When I would inevitably wake up, I'd spend time honing the blade of my big Buck knife, a sentimental piece given to me by my dad, with a stone and ceramic sharpening sticks. I could get that sucker scary sharp. Often, by 3:30 a.m. or so, I couldn't stand it any more. I'd be perched in my treestand an hour later and spend a couple hours in the dark woods.
I don't have as much trouble sleeping these days, but I'd say chances are good I'll be awake before my alarm rings Saturday morning. My wife, Michelle, who'll be bowhunting for the first-time ever this weekend, is walking paces around me as we speak, packing camo in scent-free bags and gathering up as many ThermaCell refills as she can find. Even if I don't wake up early on my own, she will.
So that's that. I'm going to arrow the first doe or nice 8-pointer that walks by my stand, and be a happy camper. More importantly, I want Michelle to get a shot at something. But I'm also going to venture a guess that a book buck falls somewhere in Kentucky over the next week. I'll keep updates on here best I can.
To all the other folks heading out this weekend, good luck, belt in to that tree, and shoot straight.
-Will
Finding Solitude - Part 2
Days 2 & 3 brought with it ups and downs, both in the hills I climbed and the "oh so close" moments. On Tuesday morning I decided to hunt the same saddle I did the previous morning. It's a perfect spot for these mountain whitetails. It's situated about 300 yards above a lush alfalfa field, and I'm sure you know the drill. After a night of stuffing themselves, the deer start heading up, many of which filter right through the saddle I was perched in. And just like clock work,as the sun crept up the deer started coming and coming and coming; after about 30 minutes deer number 27 popped over. Although several young bucks had already passed with the girls, this one really got the juices flowing. I wanted at least a 4.5 year old buck or better, but this guy got my heart thumping a little. He was no doubt a 3 year old buck, and his 4X4 rack was impressive, but I was going to hold true and let him grow up another year.
Not 15 minutes later I saw the buck I was willing to let wear my tag. He was every bit of 4 years old, and he carried at least 135 to 140 inches of bone. He was following up a group of does that had passed by at 25 yards, but with only 10 steps to go before he stepped into my shooting lane he stopped. It wasn't five seconds later that a group of does that had come up from behind got a whiff of me and sent out the alarm. Well, I don't need to tell you want happened next; lets just say white flags were flashing in all directions.
Wind continued to be a problem that afternoon and the next morning as well. I decided to sit in a couple of different spots on the ranch so I wouldn't wear the saddle out, but swirling winds kept the deer blowing. Needless to say nothing got close enough for a shot. However, on the afternoon of the third day I went back to the productive saddle. Although it wasn't as productive as the previous two mornings, several deer did pass by, and a couple of 2 year old bucks also made an appearance. I was able to snap a couple of shots of them, so check them out below.
Well, even though I have not sealed the deal yet, I still have two more days. With the numbers of bucks I'm seeing, I bet I'll get another crack at one, so stay tuned.
Not 15 minutes later I saw the buck I was willing to let wear my tag. He was every bit of 4 years old, and he carried at least 135 to 140 inches of bone. He was following up a group of does that had passed by at 25 yards, but with only 10 steps to go before he stepped into my shooting lane he stopped. It wasn't five seconds later that a group of does that had come up from behind got a whiff of me and sent out the alarm. Well, I don't need to tell you want happened next; lets just say white flags were flashing in all directions.
Wind continued to be a problem that afternoon and the next morning as well. I decided to sit in a couple of different spots on the ranch so I wouldn't wear the saddle out, but swirling winds kept the deer blowing. Needless to say nothing got close enough for a shot. However, on the afternoon of the third day I went back to the productive saddle. Although it wasn't as productive as the previous two mornings, several deer did pass by, and a couple of 2 year old bucks also made an appearance. I was able to snap a couple of shots of them, so check them out below.
Well, even though I have not sealed the deal yet, I still have two more days. With the numbers of bucks I'm seeing, I bet I'll get another crack at one, so stay tuned.
From the Wild West
-Brian Strickland
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Back to School Part 2
Yesterday, I posted a video about the wildlife management program at Southwest Texas Junior College. Well, today I am proud to share this video with you about my program at Childress High School.
You see, when I am not thinking and blogging whitetails, I teach agricultural science at Childress High School in Childress, Texas. At the high school ,we have our own wildlife management area complete with a 20-acre high fenced area and our own deer herd. That's right, we have our own deer herd.
Originally, this article ran on Realtree.com but I thought it'd be cool to show it again.
Deer School is in Session in the Texas Panhandle
While high school students everywhere learn about the traditional three "R's" of education, students enrolled in Childress High School's wildlife management program study the three R's of a different kind - racks, rubs, and resource management. This past academic year, the first class of Deer School mustered in the tiny Texas Panhandle town and was an instant hit with students.
"We're really lucky to have these deer and all of the opportunities we have available to us," says senior Stormy Teichelman. "I'd be willing to bet that we're the only school in the country who has all of this available for the students."
Since whitetail deer are the most economically important species of wildlife in the area and arguably Childress' number one tourist attraction, the idea to teach wildlife and natural resource management and use whitetail deer as a vehicle was a natural one. With a couple of grants and some generous donations from local businesses, the concept of Deer School was set in motion.
At the heart of Deer School is a 22-acre enclosure that is currently home to two bucks and four does. Adjacent to the enclosure, the school also owns an additional 66 acres of rangelands that is home to both free ranging whitetail and mule deer and is also under management by the Childress High School students. Food plot plantings, soil management, plant identification, forage management, and hunter education and safety make up parts of the curriculum, but a healthy dose of deer biology is thrown into the mix as well.
Whats cool about the class is that instead of reading about age and nutrition's effects on antler growth, students can go into the field and see the effects for themselves. Students get to chart antler growth, reproductive rates, and body growth by traveling just two miles from the main high school campus.
"I love the fact that everything is so hands-on," says junior Creede Breeding. "In most classes, you may do a worksheet or watch a video or do some internet research, but you don't get to actually go out and get your hands on stuff."
###
You see, when I am not thinking and blogging whitetails, I teach agricultural science at Childress High School in Childress, Texas. At the high school ,we have our own wildlife management area complete with a 20-acre high fenced area and our own deer herd. That's right, we have our own deer herd.
Originally, this article ran on Realtree.com but I thought it'd be cool to show it again.
Deer School is in Session in the Texas Panhandle
While high school students everywhere learn about the traditional three "R's" of education, students enrolled in Childress High School's wildlife management program study the three R's of a different kind - racks, rubs, and resource management. This past academic year, the first class of Deer School mustered in the tiny Texas Panhandle town and was an instant hit with students.
"We're really lucky to have these deer and all of the opportunities we have available to us," says senior Stormy Teichelman. "I'd be willing to bet that we're the only school in the country who has all of this available for the students."
Since whitetail deer are the most economically important species of wildlife in the area and arguably Childress' number one tourist attraction, the idea to teach wildlife and natural resource management and use whitetail deer as a vehicle was a natural one. With a couple of grants and some generous donations from local businesses, the concept of Deer School was set in motion.
At the heart of Deer School is a 22-acre enclosure that is currently home to two bucks and four does. Adjacent to the enclosure, the school also owns an additional 66 acres of rangelands that is home to both free ranging whitetail and mule deer and is also under management by the Childress High School students. Food plot plantings, soil management, plant identification, forage management, and hunter education and safety make up parts of the curriculum, but a healthy dose of deer biology is thrown into the mix as well.
Whats cool about the class is that instead of reading about age and nutrition's effects on antler growth, students can go into the field and see the effects for themselves. Students get to chart antler growth, reproductive rates, and body growth by traveling just two miles from the main high school campus.
"I love the fact that everything is so hands-on," says junior Creede Breeding. "In most classes, you may do a worksheet or watch a video or do some internet research, but you don't get to actually go out and get your hands on stuff."
###
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Baiting: What's the Draw?
Okay, I suppose I should tread lightly here on this topic. But my point isn't to offend or make judgement. I'm just genuinely curious. As I've posted recently, the state of Michigan recently had its first confirmed case of Chronic Wasting Disease. As part of its CWD response plan, the state of Michigan issued an immediate ban on baiting and feeding of deer in the Lower Peninsula.
This news generated a tremendous amount of response from Michigan hunters -- many of which called the move a "knee jerk reaction" that wasn't warranted. Personally, I'm thinking that CWD has the ability to destroy the hunting world as I know it here in my home state. If baiting can spread the disease, I want it stopped. Completely.
Now, there are all kinds of discussion that can be had about baiting ranging from the ethics of its use to the impact it has on deer movements. In northern range, there is substantial evidence that shows heavy use of bait can delay the natural winter migration of whitetails. A delayed migration means the animals are late getting to suitable winter cover. And that means they die when the weather turns really, really bad.
But in many areas of the state, with Texas immediately coming to mind, the use of feeders is so common that there's not a second thought given to the practice. Texas, like Michigan, has high numbers of deer and, I assume, pretty high deer densities per square mile as well. Yet, I don't recall hearing much controversy over the use of bait and feeders there. Saskatchewan hunters can also tell you that if you're hunting the big woods, you're hunting bait. Yet, again, I don't believe I've heard much controversy over the practice there.
So why is baiting such a hot-button issue here in the Midwest? Don't get me wrong: I fully support Michigan's decision to ban bait in light of the discovery of CWD. And as a hunter who has seen how big-woods deer respond to bait in northern Michigan, I'm certain that baiting can promote nocturnal behavior in heavily-hunted deer and thus negatively impact your success. That said, there is clearly a reason that some deer-rich regions swear by its use.
Perhaps the Midwest is unique from the other mentioned regions where feeding is the accepted norm. I'd love to hear what other hunters from other regions think.
Anyone got some feedback for me?
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
This news generated a tremendous amount of response from Michigan hunters -- many of which called the move a "knee jerk reaction" that wasn't warranted. Personally, I'm thinking that CWD has the ability to destroy the hunting world as I know it here in my home state. If baiting can spread the disease, I want it stopped. Completely.
Now, there are all kinds of discussion that can be had about baiting ranging from the ethics of its use to the impact it has on deer movements. In northern range, there is substantial evidence that shows heavy use of bait can delay the natural winter migration of whitetails. A delayed migration means the animals are late getting to suitable winter cover. And that means they die when the weather turns really, really bad.
But in many areas of the state, with Texas immediately coming to mind, the use of feeders is so common that there's not a second thought given to the practice. Texas, like Michigan, has high numbers of deer and, I assume, pretty high deer densities per square mile as well. Yet, I don't recall hearing much controversy over the use of bait and feeders there. Saskatchewan hunters can also tell you that if you're hunting the big woods, you're hunting bait. Yet, again, I don't believe I've heard much controversy over the practice there.
So why is baiting such a hot-button issue here in the Midwest? Don't get me wrong: I fully support Michigan's decision to ban bait in light of the discovery of CWD. And as a hunter who has seen how big-woods deer respond to bait in northern Michigan, I'm certain that baiting can promote nocturnal behavior in heavily-hunted deer and thus negatively impact your success. That said, there is clearly a reason that some deer-rich regions swear by its use.
Perhaps the Midwest is unique from the other mentioned regions where feeding is the accepted norm. I'd love to hear what other hunters from other regions think.
Anyone got some feedback for me?
Tony Hansen, Michigan Man
Back to School Part 1
With school starting back in session all over Texas, I thought now would be the time to show you this cool video.
A month or so ago, I ran into my buddy Justin Bryan and he was extolling the virtues of the wildlife management program at Southwest Texas Junior College where he teaches. I knew once this blog launched, I'd have to share it with you.
I wished that there would have been a program like this when I was still in school. Being a product of the Texas JuCo system before transferring to East Texas State University, chasing whitetail deer would have been a nice diversion for me instead of having to concentrate on a professor droning on and on about classical literature.
The program is the first and only two-year associate of applied science degree in Texas and according to their website, the mission of the program is to "...provide a highly intense, yet professional learning atmosphere both in the class and the field to our students in order to produce quality wildlife technicians that will prosper and have an immediate positive impact in the professional arena."
After our talk, Justin left me this video with highlights of the program. If you know of a student looking for a small school atmosphere and an excellent faculty, I encourage you to look into this program or shoot Justin an e-mail at jbbryan@swtjc.edu
A month or so ago, I ran into my buddy Justin Bryan and he was extolling the virtues of the wildlife management program at Southwest Texas Junior College where he teaches. I knew once this blog launched, I'd have to share it with you.
I wished that there would have been a program like this when I was still in school. Being a product of the Texas JuCo system before transferring to East Texas State University, chasing whitetail deer would have been a nice diversion for me instead of having to concentrate on a professor droning on and on about classical literature.
The program is the first and only two-year associate of applied science degree in Texas and according to their website, the mission of the program is to "...provide a highly intense, yet professional learning atmosphere both in the class and the field to our students in order to produce quality wildlife technicians that will prosper and have an immediate positive impact in the professional arena."
After our talk, Justin left me this video with highlights of the program. If you know of a student looking for a small school atmosphere and an excellent faculty, I encourage you to look into this program or shoot Justin an e-mail at jbbryan@swtjc.edu
Finding Solitude
The first hunt of the season is always great, and when I arrived at the Solitude Ranch (www.huntsro.com) in northeast Wyoming I knew it was going to be a great week. With the smell of rich pine in the air, Devils Tower at my doorstep, and literally hundreds of whitetails feeding in the fields when I arrived, I knew there was something special about this chunk of real estate.
After arriving Saturday evening, ranch owner Mike Schmid drove me around his piece of paradise, and needless to say I was more than impressed. It seemed around every corner and through every canyon there were whitetails, and some super nice bucks to boot. In fact, during the short drive we took at dusk I easily saw over a hundred deer.
Sunday morning could not come to soon. With the season not opening until Monday, it would be a day of scouting and hanging a few stands. This was one of the main reasons I I'm hunting with Mike's operation. It's a do-it-yourself type hunt and I'm all about that. Mike guided me to some sweet spots and I hung the stands. This is my kind of hunt!
Needless to say, when Monday morning arrived I didn't have to wait for my alarm to rustle me out of bed. Come shooting light I was in my stand, Hoyt in hand, ready for the parade to begin; and indeed it did!. It was like a faucet opened up shortly after daylight. Well over 35 deer passed under my stand, and a good many of them were bucks. Although a nice 5X5 and 4X4 passed within spitting distance of my perch, they still needed a year or two before I would send some carbon their way. It really was the perfect morning of whitetail hunting, and not one I will soon forget.
That afternoon I hunted the edge of an alfalfa field that I had seen over 45 deer spill into the previous evening while scouting. Although I saw good numbers of deer, as well as a stud 5X4, none passed near my stand. It was still a great night to be in the woods. Who knows, tomorrow may bring with it a released arrow.
Stay tuned!
After arriving Saturday evening, ranch owner Mike Schmid drove me around his piece of paradise, and needless to say I was more than impressed. It seemed around every corner and through every canyon there were whitetails, and some super nice bucks to boot. In fact, during the short drive we took at dusk I easily saw over a hundred deer.
Sunday morning could not come to soon. With the season not opening until Monday, it would be a day of scouting and hanging a few stands. This was one of the main reasons I I'm hunting with Mike's operation. It's a do-it-yourself type hunt and I'm all about that. Mike guided me to some sweet spots and I hung the stands. This is my kind of hunt!
Needless to say, when Monday morning arrived I didn't have to wait for my alarm to rustle me out of bed. Come shooting light I was in my stand, Hoyt in hand, ready for the parade to begin; and indeed it did!. It was like a faucet opened up shortly after daylight. Well over 35 deer passed under my stand, and a good many of them were bucks. Although a nice 5X5 and 4X4 passed within spitting distance of my perch, they still needed a year or two before I would send some carbon their way. It really was the perfect morning of whitetail hunting, and not one I will soon forget.
That afternoon I hunted the edge of an alfalfa field that I had seen over 45 deer spill into the previous evening while scouting. Although I saw good numbers of deer, as well as a stud 5X4, none passed near my stand. It was still a great night to be in the woods. Who knows, tomorrow may bring with it a released arrow.
Stay tuned!
From The Wild West
-Brian Strickland
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