Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2019 i Deer & Deer Hunting

Want to start an instant argument among deer hunters? Ask them two questions. The first: When is the best time to harvest a record-book buck? The three most common responses from serious buck hunters will be during the pre-rut, rut or post-rut. The second question: Specifically, what week is the best for harvesting a record-book buck? The response to this question will typically be “any week in November.” THE BREAKDOWN As a wildlife biologist for the last 34 years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to study rutting deer in some of the most elite whitetail terrains of the Midwest. My personal breakdown of categories for the principal stages of the rut are: 1. The pre-rut of September and October.2. The initial chasing phase during the last week of October into the…

Of course, Ozone isn’t the only option when it comes to reducing your human footprint. I still use a wide array of field sprays, shampoos, deodorants, laundry detergents and the list goes on. And of course, as is typically the case in the hunting world, manufacturers continue to research and develop new products that push the envelope of scent elimination. Wildgame Innovations ZeroTrace Utilizing what Wildgame has dubbed PureION technology, the ZeroTrace uses the healthy airflow of ion molecules to dispel nearby air impurities. The result, over time, is the creation of millions of powerful ions washing over your stand or blind. This small handheld unit sports a rechargeable battery pack with USB port and boasts a runtime of six hours. The fan is quiet, and the adjustable mount allows…

As we have covered many times on these pages of Deer & Deer Hunting, smaller, real-world land managers and hunters have far more challenges than those controlling sprawling acres. One of those challenges is obviously money. Owners with deep pockets have all the advantages, right? Wrong. It is simply not true that you have to have a ton of cash (or land for that matter) to improve the habitat to the point where you will have fantastic hunting. When one has 40 acres, access is most often critical, as one trip through the center of that property will likely waft your odors to 25 percent or more of the deer living on that ground. That’s a big reason edge access is often preferred, as you can allow the winds to…

As a kid, I never thought about the outdoors much, so I was way late in coming around to admire the type of outdoorsman my grandfather must have been. To my knowledge, my grandfather killed just one impressive buck over the course of his entire lifetime, and he lived into his 90s. I never saw him hook a fish or shoot a gun, never heard him boast about anything outdoor savvy whatsoever, and never saw old photographs to prove any of it; yet for decades he was consigned by the town’s newspaper to write a weekly column titled, “The Sportsman’s Sphere.” My brother recalls the oddest thing on the day my grandfather died. My brother had completed a round of golf on a local community course when a haunting announcement…

You should understand something about your local deer herd before going whole hog on the decoy thing. It seems decoys are most effective when buck-to-doe ratios are not skewed heavily in favor of does. The closer the herd is to a 1:1 buck-to-doe ratio, the better. There are also some areas in the country where I have tried decoying with poor results, and others where it seems to work best. For example, I seem to have had better luck with decoys when heavy rut activity is compressed into a period of no more than two to three weeks. Areas where the rut lasts for a long time — the Deep South, for example — do not seem to be the best spots for aggressive decoying. But again, you need to…

When it comes to hunting whitetails, nothing beats the double-lung shot. Death comes quickly to the animal, and recovery comes effortlessly. But what happens if your broadhead or bullet passes through only one lung? Several years ago, while I was perched in a portable stand along a strip-mined area of southern Indiana, a respectable buck approached. I nervously prepared for the close-range shot and watched intently as the arrow struck the rear portion of the shoulder blade. I wouldn’t have been concerned had the arrow penetrated completely. It would have been the typical double-lung shot. But something had gone terribly wrong. Penetration appeared to be about 5 to 6 inches, and I feared the worst — only one lung had been hit. It was nearly an hour before I began…

While this seems like a simple question, it is based on several factors ranging from current forest conditions to the local climate. Fire return interval, or how often you burn, is a moving target that should always be decided on a case-by-case basis. As a very general rule of thumb, most managers apply prescribed fire every 2-5 years when managing a property for deer, and fire needs to be applied at least every 7 years throughout most of the eastern U.S. to prevent hardwood saplings from shading out the understory. However, the most important factor is knowing the current status of deer forage in a stand, and how prescribed fire will affect it. Both burning too frequently and too infrequently can result in less than ideal conditions for deer. As…

THE #1 DEER SOURCE ON NEWSSTANDS EVERYWHERE! 2020 Deer Hunters’ Almanac The comprehensive deer hunting guide is back this fall and loaded with tons of tactics, tips and deer behavior insights to help deer hunters have their best season ever. The publishers of Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine have given this edition of the Deer Hunters’ Almanac something for every white-tailed deer hunter in the U.S. and Canada. Completely updated state-by-state and Canadian province deer harvest statistics and news stories provide invaluable information for deer hunters around North America. It also includes proven hunting tactics, and firearm and archery advice from some of the best hunters and shooters in the world, as well as quality habitat improvements, blood-trailing tips and more. The Deer Hunters’ Almanac has been a staple among…

I’m not a big fan of climbers. Side of being heavy and cumbersome, if the tree you want to hang in is less-than-straight, you have a problem. Lightweight lock-on stands and climbing sticks are my go-to, and because I like to stay very mobile and adjust to observed patterns, I prefer to hang and hunt. This style of hunting is very physical, but it also makes you very ma-neuverable. Some of my go-to hang-and-hunt stands include Millennium’s M7 Microlite and Lone Wolf’s Alpha Hang On II. When it comes to climbing sticks, it’s hard to beat Lone Wolf’s 4-Pack. Weighing just 2.5 pounds each, these 32-inch single tube design sticks feature pivoting V brackets and reversible steps. Plus, they nest together perfectly for easy transport.…

Each end every deer hunter has their favorite line of camouflage they wear in the woods, a favorite brand of broadhead. Some hunters prefer a ladder stand to hunt from. Others would rather use a climbing-style treestand. Here are one hunter’s Ten “Commandments” that he believes every deer hunter should abide by. 1. ALWAYS BE SCOUTING Have you ever wondered how the same hunters kill big bucks year after year? It is quite simple. They spend days, weeks, even months learning everything they can about the ground they hunt and their quarry that lives on that ground. They use their binoculars in the evening to determine which alfalfa fields are being used early in the season by hungry deer. Later in the season, hard mast trees are the choice of…

I was all about sprays, body wash, scent totes and the like, but ozone, really? I had my doubts. The unit wasn’t overly cumbersome, and while I wasn’t thrilled with the hum of the fan, it was easy enough to mount to the tree. I followed the directions my buddy gave me to the letter. I fired the unit up the second I got in the stand, placed the bracket at eye level, faced the unit downwind and angled it perfectly. Done. Three hours later, I arrowed a beautiful Pope & Young buck that approached dead downwind. I know flukes happen. Could this have been one? Possibly. Since that day, however, I’ve become an ozone addict and have seen the power of this scent-destroying molecule work time and time again.…

GROW ‘EM BIG WITH STEVE BARTYLLA Grow ‘em Big airs every Wednesday for 26 episodes during the months leading up to hunting season, with host Steve Bartylla – anexpert in deer habitat management. He provides-in-depth, proven methods for managing deer and local habitat to help white-tail hunters take their land and deer population to a more productive level. PUBLIC & PRESSURED LAND DEER HUNTER WITH JOHN EBERHART This show is for real-world hunters who chase whitetails on public land and highly pressured private parcels. Host John Eberhart is one of America’s top public-land hunters, and every Tuesday for 26 weeks, will take viewers step-by-step through his process and strategies for consistent pressured-land success. DEER TALK NOW Every Thursday, Deer & Deer Hunting Editors Daniel Schmidt and Gordy Krahn will cover…

November 2: The Importance of Scouting Facing pressure around every corner, Mark Kayser scouts his way to some Wyoming whitetail success. November 9: Blood-Trailing Tactics Dan Schmidt goes on an exhausting blood trail, and is reminded why he measures his successes in memories. November 16: Late-Season Muzzloader Whitetails Gordy Krahn has a much-coveted Iowa tag, a nice Christmas present. November 23: The Truth About Mock Scrapes Mock scrapes are not magic, but they can make a difference. November 30: Travel Patterns During the Rut The DDH crew dives deep into the unpredictable travel patterns during the whitetail rut. Watch only on Pursuit Channel during Saturday Night Deer Camp every Saturday beginning at 10 p.m. EST, and also on Wednesdays at 12:30 a.m. and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Now streaming past…

1 Prime Archery Centergy Hybrid This bow’s design revolves around the Center Balanced Targeting System, a center balanced riser designed to actually help you be more accurate. The bow’s riser features 82X aluminum for a perfect balance of lightweight strength, and the company’s SWERVE Technology designed to add stiffness to the riser, as well as sync the vibration of the top and bottom half of the riser. The Centergy Hybrid is outfitted with the TRK Parallel Cam System, to eliminate cam lean. It also makes the bow easier to tune and provides a solid platform creating laser beam-like nock travel. The cams are specific for each draw length with 85 percent let-off. You can more acutely tune the bow to your needs with draw lengths from 24½ to 31 inches,…