Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2017 i Deer & Deer Hunting

It might sound trendy to "go green," but deer hunters and venison lovers worldwide seem to be taking it to a whole new level. While total consumption of food and beverages in North America and Western Europe is stagnating or merely reflecting population growth, organic food sales are growing at a rate of 20 percent annually. Food doesn't get more organic than free-ranging whitetail venison. But did you know the quality of your venison is a direct result of the care you take (or don’t) after the animal is down? Field care and processing procedures can literally make or break the quality of what ends up on your dinner plate. Here are three tips that will help improve the quality of your venison. 1. Be efficient. Disciplining yourself to take…

Upcoming episodes of Destination Whitetail on Pursuit Channel August 5: “Mission Control” North Dakota whitetail adventure. August 12: “Princess in Texas” Host Brittany Glaze heads to the Lone Star state. August 19: “Oregon Chef” There is great hunting in Oregon, and great food! August 26: “Texas Triumph” Brittany heads to Texas for some hog hunting. September 2: “Wounded Warrior” A chance for a few of our nation’s heroes to take part in a fun hunt. September 9: “Grandpa’s Freezer” One family works to keep the hunting spirit alive. September 16: “First Trip to Kansas” Brittany is after some huge Kansas bucks. September 23: “Sun and Fun” Florida is not usually thought of as a trophy whitetail destination. But, host Dan Schmidt is…

As you head out to the woods during late summer/early fall to prepare for the upcoming deer season, you get chills from the mix of excitement and anticipation. Stale puddles of mud remain from the past week ’ s storm and the buzzing of summer pests and babbling of the creek are almost deafening compared to the surrounding silence. As you work your way through your favorite hardwood bottom, scanning the treetops for the telltale signs that this could be a good mast crop year, you catch the unmistakable odor of a dead animal. Across the creek you notice a partly decomposed doe that unfortunately won’t be around for the coming season. Instinctively, you scan the carcass and surrounding area for any telltale signs of what might have caused her…

Though this piece is geared mostly for private landowners, fear not my public land hunting brethren. There are lessons in here for you, as well. Specifically, deer living on heavily hunted public lands respond to pressure at least as much as those living on private grounds. When the pressure begins mounting, public land deer flock to most any area within the public grounds that aren’t hunted, typically because other hunters either see getting there as being too much work or the areas are ignored because they just don’t look promising. A great example of the latter is those isolated pockets of cover next to roads. Find the natural sanctuaries that exist within the heavily hunted public grounds and that’s where you’ll find Mr. Big nine times out of 10. Going…

Even though I was staked out overlooking a Sooner State slice of whitetail utopia, the morning had been remarkably unremarkable. From my ground blind, perched high on a wind-washed bluff, I had a bird’s-eye view of a vista so grandiose it would take two postcards to capture its beauty. To the east was an expansive cut wheat field that melted into fractured fingers of wooded draws — cutting west through the roll ing hills that extended north of my lookout. Earlier, as legal shooting light approached, I had eased my rifle onto the bipod, getting ready for the action that was sure to come at first light. An hour later, that same rifle was leaning against the corner of the blind and my mind was beginning to wander in Grandpa…

I’ve got perhaps a half-dozen backpacks of various shapes and sizes , each designed for different hunting situations . But when I’m hunting close to the truck , in short increments , I like to keep things simple and bring just those items I know I will need — so I gravitate toward a small- to medium-sized pack , whether I’m run-and-gun rifle hunting or bowhunting from a treestand or ground blind . One reason for this is that no matter how large my pack is, I manage to find a way to stuff it full of gear , most of which I never use . And that’s why Carhartt’s Hunt Lumbar Pack was such a good choice for my Oklahoma whitetail hunt , where I would hunt just mornings…

I enjoyed Mr. Meitin’s article “A Bowhunter’s Nightmare,” (August 2017 issue), but I do find some information missing. I have shot a lot of compound bows over the years, and I, too, now have a shoulder problem, and have been looking for a formula for the right expandable broadhead to shoot. I have talked with a number of broadhead manufactures to pin down a [proper] width, with no true accuracy. The best facts I can produce is what works for me, and I would like to pass it along. Please, if I am in left field I am more than welcome to listen/confer on other theories/facts. I feel the missing link in Meltin’s article is energy, foot-pounds, bow eccentrics, or something in that area. I’m no expert by any means,…

ccording to Michael W. Miller with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and John R. Fischer of the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, chronic wasting disease (CWD) has evolved from a minor curiosity to a national crisis since it surfaced in the late 1960s. As of November 2016, it has been reported in captive and/or wild herds in 24 states, three Canadian provinces, South Korea and Norway, and once established it continues to persist regardless of eradication attempts. Although much has been learned about the biology and ecology of CWD, the authors stated that scientific information on effective management and control remains incomplete, rendering the eradication of it infeasible at present. They emphasized that CWD is here to stay, but must be continuously monitored in order to reduce if not eliminate its…

The author’s new book, “White-tailed Management and Habitat Improvements,” goes into great detail on managing your deer hunting property. It is available at www.ShopDeerHunting.com, or a signed copy can be had at www.Food-Plots-For-Deer.com. It is a great resource for learning how to set up your property for maximizing its hunting potential. Bartylla’s web series, Grow ‘em Big is a biweekly show aired on http://video.deeranddeerhunting.com/growem-big/. Within that library of shows, this and many other topics are also covered.…

When it comes to hunting rifles, I’m somewhat of a traditionalist — for me, there’s nothing like the feel of a well-worn bolt-action rifle hanging off my shoulder. But I’ve gotta admit, there’s just something badass about hunting with an AR-platform rifle, and Remington’s R-25 Gen II, chambered in .308 Win., is tailor-made for today’s whitetail hunters. Lightweight (2 pounds lighter than its predecessor), compact and maneuverable, it’s a great addition to any hunter’s whitetail armory. Adam Ballard, Senior Product Manager of Modern Sporting Rifles at Remington Arms, says there are a lot of good reasons why whitetail hunters embrace AR-platform hunting rifles (aside from the fact that they’re badass). “Like a lot of other sporting firearms, there’s always a technological advantage people are seeking with various platforms and AR-type…

Another beautiful morning in the life of a hunter! I had arrived at my archery stand a bit late — a climber positioned on a flat narrow ridge with a cut-over behind me and beautiful mature hardwoods to the front. I set up everything quickly and it was good that I did, because I had barely settled in to my stand when a deer came in perfectly, right to left, and broadside at about 16 yards. I thought it would be pretty easy to get my bow drawn, but she picked up the movement at the end of my draw and stared straight through me. It didn’t matter, this was an easy shot. A 5-inch thick sampling blocked the front of her shoulder, but I could easily shoot behind it…

1 NFUSED Gun Conditioner When you’re on the hunt you should never have to think about whether your gun will operate smoothly and consistently. With NFUSED synthetic dry metal conditioner, that won’t be an issue. NFUSED bonds molecularly to metal and self-lubricates while battling the harshest weather conditions. NFUSED seals, conditions, lubricates and protects your valuable firearms, whether you’re zeroing-in at the range or closing in on a big buck. MSRP: $8.50 and up. Info: www.Nfused.com 2 Field & Stream Ultimate Ground Blind One of the great things about ground blinds is you can set them up, brush them in and then leave them for the season — or move them in a snap. The F&S Ultimate 360 ground blind, made from 300 Denier Oxford non-glare and weather-resistant material, has…

SHOPDEERHUNTING.COM “Hunting for Food” by Jenny Nguyen and Rick Wheatley covers a lot of ground for anyone interested in learning more about preparing and enjoying wild game. Nguyen and Wheatley include tips on hunting, gear, field dressing and processing, and creating delicious meals. You’ll get recipes for a variety of game from deer to ducks, turtles to fish and more. Info: www.ShopDeerHunting.com. Search for SKU T3615. DEEROF THE MONTH Don Stewart of Bloomfield, New York, was hunting this past season when this fine 8-point buck came into his clover-and-greens food plot. He dropped the buck at 30 yards with his crossbow. Stewart began planting food plots on his 68 acres in 2014 and they continue to pay off. Congrats! Send your photo and hunt details…

November 15, 2016, was a special day for 79-year-old Michigan deer hunter Harold Kleinow from Carleton besides the fact it was opening day of another firearms deer season. That’s also the day he was presented with a refurbished head mount of his father’s (George Kleinow) first buck that he shot in the UP during 1923. The fact that deer hunting was so much different back then than today, requiring three full months of George’s time, most of which was to travel to and from the UP from his home in Wyandotte, is an important part of the story behind the celebration surrounding that historical deer. An even more important reason for celebrating the possession of that deer mount is the family had it returned after it had been stolen almost…

I hate to say this so bluntly, but we hunters and land managers tend to get caught up in complaining more than we should, and I’m including myself in that group. I’m sincerely NOT trying to offend. In fact, with how amazingly well D&DH readers have treated me over the years, you’re the last people on Earth I’d ever want to do that to. Instead, you all have truly earned my undying loyalty. That is why I feel I must be this blunt. There’s an awful lot of truth in the statement that the first step in solving a problem is admitting and taking ownership of the problem. Complaining about the weather, how commercialized hunting has become, other hunters’ practices, others shooting bucks that are perceived as “too young or…

Reflexes are a wonderful thing that reduce injury and death. In humans, a good example is the pain reflex that causes us to quickly contract the muscles to pull our hand away when pricked by a thorn or when touching something hot, while also firing the postural muscles that causes us the move our entire body back as well. In whitetails, it is likely a reflex that enables the deer to “mule kick” or “jump the string.” Reflexes are a wonderful thing because they allow us — and deer — to respond very rapidly by causing muscle action without involving the brain. In reflex responses, a sensory nerve detects a threat, the nerve signal goes to the spinal cord, and the appropriate motor nerves are activated to cause a coordinated…

In deer hunting, as in life, it can be easy to lose track of what matters most. A certain number of inches of antler. A bigger buck than the next guy. More whitetails on the meat pole. The fastest bow. The sleekest rifle. The latest high-tech gear. Many factors can send a hunter adrift. That’s why anchors are so important: the camps, family and friends — places and traditions that always bring us back to the simple rewards and truths of deer hunting. MUST DO DEER CAMPS My original deer camp was not really a camp in the traditional sense. Rather, it was a state of mind. The place was simply home — a small house tucked into the edge of a small town nestled among the dairy farms and…